FA+
Shop
561
Views
Views
2
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Story / Transformation
Species Wolf
Size 120 x 120
File Size 20.8 kB
Report this content
More from RykerUnified
Listed in Folders
The new subjects play a simple board game while discussing their own individual sense of fashion.
Want to read the whole arc at once?
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
I sat down next to Sebastian, “How do I play?” Fynn patted me on the shoulder as he walked away toward the rec wing.
Benjamin leaned forward, “The goal is to get from the start of the board to the end with the most points. We take turns spinning the wheel and moving forward that many spaces. Red spaces remove points, green spaces let you steal points, blue spaces get you points, and orange spaces are kind of the wild space. If you land on one of those, you draw a card and read what it says.” He leaned back. “That’s basically it.”
I nodded and turned to Sebastian who had pulled out a notepad and pen. He was completely covered in scales now. I could see the bright red scales peeking out from under his robe. “Hey, Sebastian.” I called, waving my hand at him. He looked up from his pad and stared back at me. “We’re outgrowing our clothes already!” I chuckled, trying to find the words I wanted. “I heard that we get to pick out tailored outfits for ourselves once we’ve finished changing! What kind of clothes are you planning on getting?”
He scribbled something down on his notepad and returned his gaze to me. “I want a spiked and studded choker with matching bracelets and a pair of black jeans. A Sherpa lined jean jacket with holes for my wings.” He pointed a thumb to the two small lumps under the robe. “A T-shirt, simple is fine, maybe…Maroon?” He paused, gazing into his mind’s eye. “Yeah, that’s the look I want to go for.”
I smiled. “That sounds like and awesome outfit! I want—”
“It’s game time.” Benjamin interrupted. We all placed our pieces on the starting space and were given a tally card to keep track of our points. “Spin for who goes first. Highest number starts the game. Then we go around clockwise.” He made a clockwise rotation with his hand as he leaned in to spin the wheel. The order was Mathew, Vince, Cayden, Benjamin, Me, and Sebastian.
Once the turn order was determined, Benjamin pulled a nasally voice, like a nagging teacher. “Mr. Rice, if you have something to say, you can share it with the whole class.”
I groaned, “Yes Mr. Rockhouser.” I droned. “I was just talking with Sebastian about what kind of outfits we’d want to have made when we’re done with our changes.”
Mathew spun the wheel to kick off the game, landing on a blue space. Benjamin turned back to the game, “I heard. What outfit did you want then?”
Vince spun the wheel. I began my short rant, “Well, I wanted to have a long trench coat in a coffee color, a pair of black or dark wash jeans, and a green V-Neck shirt, maybe a little washed out like army green or something.” I looked into my imagination as Cayden spun. “With, like, a wide brimmed fedora like Indiana Jones to match the trench coat. Oh! Or maybe a flannel shirt instead of the V-Neck…or layered on top of it?”
Benjamin laughed as he spun the wheel. “Sounds interesting, Indiana. I prefer a more western style. I’d want a black cowboy hat with a matching matte black vest. Maybe in a tougher, leather-like, material. I’d also want some black corduroy pants cut a little short to showcase the calves I’m gonna have!” He laughed as I leaned in to spin the wheel. “Depending on how cold I feel when my fur really grows in, I might ask for a nice duster coat, complete the look, y’know?”
I moved my marker onto a blue space to gain 3 points. “That sounds like a nice western outfit with an outlaw flare!” I smiled.
“Yeah,” Benjamin beamed, his smile stretching across his face. “I really like how everyone’s unique sense of fashion gets to be on full display here!” He paused as Sebastian took his turn. “What about you, Vince? What kind of outfit would you want to wear?”
“Well,” Vince began as Mathew spun the wheel again. “for starters, I heard that we get 3 free outfits. Firstly, I want a sharp pinstripe suit.” He pulled on an invisible jacket, “but for an everyday look, I’d want a leather biker jacket with nice, exaggerated lapels and matching pants with a white tank top underneath it all.” He spun the wheel. “How about you Mathew?”
“I haven’t given it too much thought, really.” He looked into his imagination as Cayden spun. “I think I’d want a green bomber jacket with that Sherpa stuff lining it. Uh, maybe a black crew neck shirt and green cargo pants. Oh! If it’s possible, I’d want to have a pair of black boots, nice stompers like combat boots. I love how they make me feel…what’s the word…stable? I always felt more sure on my feet with boots on!”
We all nodded as Benjamin spun again. “Sebastian? Have you come up with any interesting pieces of poetry since you got here?”
He shook his head as I spun and lost 2 points. “No, I haven’t had any real free time to write out anything yet. Last night, I was too exhausted to write anything. That’s why I bring one of my smaller journals with me,” he pulled a small leather bound journal from the robe’s breast pocket. “So I can write down ideas and concepts while they’re fresh in my mind. When I have time, I can look at my notes and write out some pretty good stuff!” He spun the wheel.
Most of the rest of the game revolved around us talking about how the second day at Homestead was like. They were all the same, talking about the showers, marveling at the gym, touring the outdoor space, etc. We even talked about how we’ve been adapting to our changes so far.
Ben had gotten a bit broader, and his fur is starting to grow in in patches. Mathew was starting to grow some down feathers and had a slight nub for his tail. Cayden’s fur had grown in to about the length that mine was last night. His back had hardened and went numb, a strange feeling he spared no detail explaining to us.
Vince had grown taller with a much more developed tail than any of the rest of us. He also had some scales here and there. He started complaining about how he couldn’t spread his toes because of the growing webbing between them. Lastly,
Sebastian had lost his hair due to the scales that now enveloped his body. He also pointed out the trio of lumps that started to grow from his spine. He made sure to note the same numb feeling that the rest of us reported.
The conversation got more interesting again towards the end of the game. Cayden was leading with Vince at the back of the pack. The rest of us were pretty close together, both on the board and in points.
“So, why did y’all sign up for this program?” Ben asked. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” He looked around at our blank expressions. “I’ll go first.” He cleared his throat. “I signed up for Project Corse because I needed to get away from my hometown. Sure, it was a city full of people, but I needed space and a fresh start. I…built up a roguish reputation there.” He averted his gaze from us, staring into the gameboard with a solemn expression. “I wanted try again and be part of a community. A better one at least.”
An awkward silence fell over our little group. Eventually, Vince spoke up, “Growing up on the east coast, we’re all cramped together. It’s hard to escape all the shadows of people who are way more important than you.” He looked up at the night sky above us, “I saw Corse as my chance to cast my own shadow and build my own life, separate from the one my family had built.”
Cayden piped in, “I lived a sheltered life. I didn’t really get to try a lot of things that most other kids got to do. I found my passions through the internet and the few fiends I managed to make. I hardly got to choose anything for myself. I was lucky that my parents weren’t strict with internet use. I chose this life because I wanted to expose myself and come out of my shell, no pun intended!”
We chuckled as the we neared the end of the game. Sebastian spoke up next. “I wanted to be something cooler and more interesting than my life had been so far. I wanted to be more, not just the kid at the bar. Not just the emo looking guy, a spindly wire. I wanted to matter, carve out my own life. I wanted to break the mold, share my spitting fire!” He cracked a small smile.
We snapped our fingers as Mathew made it to the end square. Our eyes turned to him. “I don’t really want to talk about my reasons. It’s stupid.”
“It’s alright, Mat.” Ben said. “Ryker, do you want to share?”
I stared at him a moment before nodding. “I-I needed money. I was struggling to keep up with college and beyond broke. I couldn’t afford anything. When I heard about this, I signed up because I could get room, board, AND get paid EXTREMELY well in addition to that. Plus, Intramorph promised that I’d still have career opportunities after this experiment. Despite all of that, I’m ashamed of myself for failing to succeed in life. I dropped out of college.”
“That’s rough.” Sebastian replied. “I know how hard it is to find your identity, I’m still finding myself.” A quiet anger burned in his eyes. “I almost had to drop out myself. Heh, I was LUCKY to make it. But don’t feel like finishing college is the only way to succeed in life, plenty of people found a way before us and plenty will after us.” He set a clawed hand on my shoulder. “Do you understand?” The others nodded their heads in unison.
My eyes stung with mounting tears. I hadn’t realized how much of my self-worth was put into performing life as I’d seen it on TV, the way society had told us it worked. I sniffed and forced myself not to start crying for the second time today. “Thanks,” I said, my voice quiet and raspy as I felt a lump in my throat. Sebastian gripped my shoulder harder.
“Life is tough. It’s not going to get any easier. This experiment is proof enough of that fact, but I have faith that we’ll pull through it all, together.” We huddled together in a group hug, staying that way for what felt like an eternity before letting go and finishing the game.
In the end, Mathew managed to win the game with Cayden right behind him. He was angry that victory had been stolen from him, but there wasn’t much about the game he could control. It was a game where there was little to no strategy.
Sebastian was third, with Ben in fourth. I managed came in at a begrudging fifth while Vince came in dead last. He wasn’t happy either, but it was a good game.
We all said our goodbyes and left to our rooms. I was tired, but I remembered what Dr. Mitchell had said. I shuffled over to the snack machine and got myself a Grow UP!! bar. I scarfed it down and slipped into my room. The dark room still felt so clinical and cold. My phone sat quietly on the desk where I had left it. After a moment, I decided to text mom before going to bed.
Hey!
Things are going well over here. Things are also moving quickly. I had my first checkup today and my senses are sharpening. The food is great!
But…I remembered grandma today too…. I’m fine now. I had a good cry about it, but I miss her so much. I really miss you guys too.
I’ve made some new friends though! They’re all nice. Everything feels like one big family here. It really is great! I wish I could share more, but I want to make sure this gets sent without having to re-draft this.
Love you and have a good night!
Your baby Ryker
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
Want to read the whole arc at once?
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
Chapter 12: Game Night
Written by: Ryker-Wolf
I sat down next to Sebastian, “How do I play?” Fynn patted me on the shoulder as he walked away toward the rec wing.
Benjamin leaned forward, “The goal is to get from the start of the board to the end with the most points. We take turns spinning the wheel and moving forward that many spaces. Red spaces remove points, green spaces let you steal points, blue spaces get you points, and orange spaces are kind of the wild space. If you land on one of those, you draw a card and read what it says.” He leaned back. “That’s basically it.”
I nodded and turned to Sebastian who had pulled out a notepad and pen. He was completely covered in scales now. I could see the bright red scales peeking out from under his robe. “Hey, Sebastian.” I called, waving my hand at him. He looked up from his pad and stared back at me. “We’re outgrowing our clothes already!” I chuckled, trying to find the words I wanted. “I heard that we get to pick out tailored outfits for ourselves once we’ve finished changing! What kind of clothes are you planning on getting?”
He scribbled something down on his notepad and returned his gaze to me. “I want a spiked and studded choker with matching bracelets and a pair of black jeans. A Sherpa lined jean jacket with holes for my wings.” He pointed a thumb to the two small lumps under the robe. “A T-shirt, simple is fine, maybe…Maroon?” He paused, gazing into his mind’s eye. “Yeah, that’s the look I want to go for.”
I smiled. “That sounds like and awesome outfit! I want—”
“It’s game time.” Benjamin interrupted. We all placed our pieces on the starting space and were given a tally card to keep track of our points. “Spin for who goes first. Highest number starts the game. Then we go around clockwise.” He made a clockwise rotation with his hand as he leaned in to spin the wheel. The order was Mathew, Vince, Cayden, Benjamin, Me, and Sebastian.
Once the turn order was determined, Benjamin pulled a nasally voice, like a nagging teacher. “Mr. Rice, if you have something to say, you can share it with the whole class.”
I groaned, “Yes Mr. Rockhouser.” I droned. “I was just talking with Sebastian about what kind of outfits we’d want to have made when we’re done with our changes.”
Mathew spun the wheel to kick off the game, landing on a blue space. Benjamin turned back to the game, “I heard. What outfit did you want then?”
Vince spun the wheel. I began my short rant, “Well, I wanted to have a long trench coat in a coffee color, a pair of black or dark wash jeans, and a green V-Neck shirt, maybe a little washed out like army green or something.” I looked into my imagination as Cayden spun. “With, like, a wide brimmed fedora like Indiana Jones to match the trench coat. Oh! Or maybe a flannel shirt instead of the V-Neck…or layered on top of it?”
Benjamin laughed as he spun the wheel. “Sounds interesting, Indiana. I prefer a more western style. I’d want a black cowboy hat with a matching matte black vest. Maybe in a tougher, leather-like, material. I’d also want some black corduroy pants cut a little short to showcase the calves I’m gonna have!” He laughed as I leaned in to spin the wheel. “Depending on how cold I feel when my fur really grows in, I might ask for a nice duster coat, complete the look, y’know?”
I moved my marker onto a blue space to gain 3 points. “That sounds like a nice western outfit with an outlaw flare!” I smiled.
“Yeah,” Benjamin beamed, his smile stretching across his face. “I really like how everyone’s unique sense of fashion gets to be on full display here!” He paused as Sebastian took his turn. “What about you, Vince? What kind of outfit would you want to wear?”
“Well,” Vince began as Mathew spun the wheel again. “for starters, I heard that we get 3 free outfits. Firstly, I want a sharp pinstripe suit.” He pulled on an invisible jacket, “but for an everyday look, I’d want a leather biker jacket with nice, exaggerated lapels and matching pants with a white tank top underneath it all.” He spun the wheel. “How about you Mathew?”
“I haven’t given it too much thought, really.” He looked into his imagination as Cayden spun. “I think I’d want a green bomber jacket with that Sherpa stuff lining it. Uh, maybe a black crew neck shirt and green cargo pants. Oh! If it’s possible, I’d want to have a pair of black boots, nice stompers like combat boots. I love how they make me feel…what’s the word…stable? I always felt more sure on my feet with boots on!”
We all nodded as Benjamin spun again. “Sebastian? Have you come up with any interesting pieces of poetry since you got here?”
He shook his head as I spun and lost 2 points. “No, I haven’t had any real free time to write out anything yet. Last night, I was too exhausted to write anything. That’s why I bring one of my smaller journals with me,” he pulled a small leather bound journal from the robe’s breast pocket. “So I can write down ideas and concepts while they’re fresh in my mind. When I have time, I can look at my notes and write out some pretty good stuff!” He spun the wheel.
Most of the rest of the game revolved around us talking about how the second day at Homestead was like. They were all the same, talking about the showers, marveling at the gym, touring the outdoor space, etc. We even talked about how we’ve been adapting to our changes so far.
Ben had gotten a bit broader, and his fur is starting to grow in in patches. Mathew was starting to grow some down feathers and had a slight nub for his tail. Cayden’s fur had grown in to about the length that mine was last night. His back had hardened and went numb, a strange feeling he spared no detail explaining to us.
Vince had grown taller with a much more developed tail than any of the rest of us. He also had some scales here and there. He started complaining about how he couldn’t spread his toes because of the growing webbing between them. Lastly,
Sebastian had lost his hair due to the scales that now enveloped his body. He also pointed out the trio of lumps that started to grow from his spine. He made sure to note the same numb feeling that the rest of us reported.
The conversation got more interesting again towards the end of the game. Cayden was leading with Vince at the back of the pack. The rest of us were pretty close together, both on the board and in points.
“So, why did y’all sign up for this program?” Ben asked. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” He looked around at our blank expressions. “I’ll go first.” He cleared his throat. “I signed up for Project Corse because I needed to get away from my hometown. Sure, it was a city full of people, but I needed space and a fresh start. I…built up a roguish reputation there.” He averted his gaze from us, staring into the gameboard with a solemn expression. “I wanted try again and be part of a community. A better one at least.”
An awkward silence fell over our little group. Eventually, Vince spoke up, “Growing up on the east coast, we’re all cramped together. It’s hard to escape all the shadows of people who are way more important than you.” He looked up at the night sky above us, “I saw Corse as my chance to cast my own shadow and build my own life, separate from the one my family had built.”
Cayden piped in, “I lived a sheltered life. I didn’t really get to try a lot of things that most other kids got to do. I found my passions through the internet and the few fiends I managed to make. I hardly got to choose anything for myself. I was lucky that my parents weren’t strict with internet use. I chose this life because I wanted to expose myself and come out of my shell, no pun intended!”
We chuckled as the we neared the end of the game. Sebastian spoke up next. “I wanted to be something cooler and more interesting than my life had been so far. I wanted to be more, not just the kid at the bar. Not just the emo looking guy, a spindly wire. I wanted to matter, carve out my own life. I wanted to break the mold, share my spitting fire!” He cracked a small smile.
We snapped our fingers as Mathew made it to the end square. Our eyes turned to him. “I don’t really want to talk about my reasons. It’s stupid.”
“It’s alright, Mat.” Ben said. “Ryker, do you want to share?”
I stared at him a moment before nodding. “I-I needed money. I was struggling to keep up with college and beyond broke. I couldn’t afford anything. When I heard about this, I signed up because I could get room, board, AND get paid EXTREMELY well in addition to that. Plus, Intramorph promised that I’d still have career opportunities after this experiment. Despite all of that, I’m ashamed of myself for failing to succeed in life. I dropped out of college.”
“That’s rough.” Sebastian replied. “I know how hard it is to find your identity, I’m still finding myself.” A quiet anger burned in his eyes. “I almost had to drop out myself. Heh, I was LUCKY to make it. But don’t feel like finishing college is the only way to succeed in life, plenty of people found a way before us and plenty will after us.” He set a clawed hand on my shoulder. “Do you understand?” The others nodded their heads in unison.
My eyes stung with mounting tears. I hadn’t realized how much of my self-worth was put into performing life as I’d seen it on TV, the way society had told us it worked. I sniffed and forced myself not to start crying for the second time today. “Thanks,” I said, my voice quiet and raspy as I felt a lump in my throat. Sebastian gripped my shoulder harder.
“Life is tough. It’s not going to get any easier. This experiment is proof enough of that fact, but I have faith that we’ll pull through it all, together.” We huddled together in a group hug, staying that way for what felt like an eternity before letting go and finishing the game.
In the end, Mathew managed to win the game with Cayden right behind him. He was angry that victory had been stolen from him, but there wasn’t much about the game he could control. It was a game where there was little to no strategy.
Sebastian was third, with Ben in fourth. I managed came in at a begrudging fifth while Vince came in dead last. He wasn’t happy either, but it was a good game.
We all said our goodbyes and left to our rooms. I was tired, but I remembered what Dr. Mitchell had said. I shuffled over to the snack machine and got myself a Grow UP!! bar. I scarfed it down and slipped into my room. The dark room still felt so clinical and cold. My phone sat quietly on the desk where I had left it. After a moment, I decided to text mom before going to bed.
Hey!
Things are going well over here. Things are also moving quickly. I had my first checkup today and my senses are sharpening. The food is great!
But…I remembered grandma today too…. I’m fine now. I had a good cry about it, but I miss her so much. I really miss you guys too.
I’ve made some new friends though! They’re all nice. Everything feels like one big family here. It really is great! I wish I could share more, but I want to make sure this gets sent without having to re-draft this.
Love you and have a good night!
Your baby Ryker
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
Category Story / Transformation
Species Wolf
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 20.8 kB
Comments