It was seven in the morning when Dusk woke up from his slumber. Eyes covered by the sight of an anthropomorphic Sylveon plush beside him. Resting soundly, one arm over Dusk, the other dug beneath his body.
“Bailey. Wake up.” He said, fidgeting with the trapped arm as the girl responded a hazy “What?” while rubbing her eyes. She shifted and turned, sitting on the bed sideways, legs dangling out. Body covered by the blanket.
Dusk clambered out of the bed right after she began rubbing her eyes, standing up straight and looking through his closet. A few vanity options, but he opted for his simple night-hood. The kind of head piece you'd see a mystic whisperer shroud themselves in whilst telling your fortune. It was a nice red and black color, something reminiscent from childhood. The outer line a faint red, the inner contents more dark gray, with etched on sigils of red Poké Balls atop.
“What time is it?” Bailey asked, looking over to the anthropomorphic Umbreon as he put on the night-hood. Dusk looked back at the Sylveon, calculating the time in his head.
“Seven thirty.”
“Why are we awake this early?” Bailey asked, nearly kicking her feet up and down the side of the bed. “I'm too tired.”
“Myles needs us.” Dusk answered with no pause. Almost cutting Bailey off in the middle of her second speech. He reached into another part of the closet, and threw out a few pieces of clothing, aimed on the bed, all for Bailey.
Okay.” Bailey said meekly, picking off one of the clothing pieces. She unrolled it, and found it to be some kind of maid costume. Good quality, clearly nothing cheap, and definitely a statement from Dusk to her.
Dusk left her in the bedroom, shutting the door for privacy. He looked around the empty hallway, and walked all the way left, leaning his head into a small living room. Nothing too fancy, a standard couch, small TV on a coffee table, a few shelves of items, and other miscellaneous things any normal living room would have occupied.
No one was inside.
Confused, Dusk walked in, and entered through another door. It was the kitchen, separated from the main room of the apartment by a bug-screen door. No one was there either, but it looked to be freshly used, with an unclean pan sitting on top of a stove.
The window was shuttered like a detective room, one small gap open from where someone had to have been spying through. Dusk observed the same gap up close, and saw a standard busy street in Ohio.
Across from their apartment was a Café. A red sedan parked out in front, and just as Dusk turned to look at the park nearby, a blonde haired woman came out holding a bag labeled by the Café's logo, and then shuffled into the driver seat as quickly as a rat scurrying into an open hole. She was a bit fat, but not to a recognizable point, something you could only really tell up-close.
Dusk turned back, leaving the kitchen to its own privacy. He went back to the hallway, walking left to two sets of doors, both facing the other. One led to the bathroom, the other, Myles’ bedroom. Dusk wouldn't go in, but he had to be sure he was home at the least.
He knocked, again and again, at first patient, then degrading to frantic uncertainty. There was no answer, no call, no movement, just total silence from behind the door. Dusk was certain that Myles wasn't in the apartment now. But before he'd head downstairs, he needed to check back with Bailey.
Returning to his bedroom door, he reached for the doorknob to enter, but it pulled away from him, as Bailey's figure crept into view. She had the outfit Dusk gave her on. A frilly black skirt with a splash of circular white leading up to join with the shirt as a long oval. The sleeves of the shirt were short, barely reaching Bailey's elbows. The ends puffed out into small white crusts, wrapped around Bailey's own white plush arms.
“Did you find him?” She asked.
“No.” Dusk answered with a groan. “Must be downstairs in the shop.” He added, the faint sound of twigs cracking came as he spoke.
Bailey examined Dusk as he shifted in form, going from the height of twenty-four cheeseburgers, down to twelve sauce dips from a TacoBell. His arms changed with him, taking a more quadruple feral form like a feral house cat.
“Should we go?” She asked, arms held out, voice muting out the creaking sounds in the transformation. Dusk jumped onto her free hands, perching on her crossed arms like a cat resting on a tree branch in a sunny park.
Yes.” He answered.
Bailey carried Dusk like a fresh parent cradling their firstborn. She brought him down a set of spiraling stairs outside the apartment door, and the two entered a more inconspicuous one at the end of the journey.
Behind the door was a normal storage room. Multiple racks, dusty floor, an unfathomable amount of boxes only an intern would need to go through, and labels on just about anything that was deemed important but never sorted. Bailey gawked at most of the oddities as she continued walking to another doorway. Dusk pushed it open as she approached, keeping her pace steady.
Myles, an anthropomorphic red fox sat at the reception, butt on the desk while he fiddled away on his phone. His tail dug back behind, in place of where the receptionist would sit in their seat. The distinct bang of a door came from the left to him, and he already knew what that meant.
Bailey stepped into the reception, still holding Dusk in her hold. Myles stifled a laugh, twisting his attention back to the cellular device. “Morning, you two.” He said.
“Morning.” The two answered, as Dusk leaped off Bailey's arms. He landed on the reception desk, peering his head over Myles’ shoulder to see what he was doing. He was playing a game of Fate - Grand Order.
Dusk scoffed, sitting on the desk with his legs dangling to the floor. “Are you really playing games right now?” He said, shifting back to his anthropomorphic form.
Had to kill time somehow.” Myles said, pausing in speech every now and then to focus in the middle of his gameplay. A frustrated groan later, he put the phone on the desk, diverting all attention to the two plushes in the room with him. “So.” He began. “Remember that cabin thing?”
“The what?” Bailey asked, eyes as puzzled as an empty artist canvas.
Dusk gestured to Bailey. “You're part of that cabin thing.” He answered, looking back to Myles. “Keep going.”
“Well, it turns out Milo forged everyone's signature.” He said with malice sickling in tone, the kind that would hint even the most stubborn people of the limits they’ve broken. “Can't do a thing about it now, though.”
Bailey pondered for a moment, poking her chin. “Can't you make them like me?”
“What?” Myles asked, as Dusk turned to focus on the Sylveon. “You mean... not inanimate?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, Dusk here already pushed that limit with you and Ethan.” Myles answered.
“It's Luna now.” Dusk interrupted. He looked to the doorway. “Where even...” He said, voice trailing off as the front door of the room slid open. A faint creak. Whoever was behind it was uncertain, surely. Standing at the entrance was the same blonde woman that had come out from the Café Dusk saw earlier in the morning. She looked around like a bartender surveying the room for anyone not to serve. Her eyes quickly met with the three animals at the reception desk, and slowly came to them. Her walk spoke all the emotion and personality for her, slow, and seemingly innocent. It took around a minute or so, but she was finally face to face with the trio.
“Um... hello.” She said, voice as soft as a new pillow. “Is this the... uh... transformation store?”
Myles narrowed his eyes at her, and glanced to Dusk and Bailey. A client this early was a surprise, but he didn't want to work so soon.
“Yup.” He said in the most forced “I'm ready to talk to people!” voice. Dusk held a small grin as he did that, not wanting to burst out into laughter for everyone's sake.
“I'm... Hailey.” She said, raising her hand slowly for a handshake. Myles squinted with one eye at her, a lopsided smile forming as he gave her his paw for such a basic form of mutual acquaintance. Her grip and form was sloppy, his was hard and tight. He didn't need to interact all that much to tell Hailey was beyond nervous.
“Myles. How can we help?” He spoke in a drone tone. Dusk looked at the fox with a furrowed frown, then went back to his awkward smile.
Hailey looked to Bailey, trying to process the odd vanity she had on for such a business. Then at Dusk's headpiece, then at Myles’ simple blue open jacket, orange fur sticking out, with beige cargo shorts for his legs.
You see... my husband has...” She began, pausing to recollect herself as her voice began breaking. “Terminal cancer.”
Myles nodded as she continued. “Is it possible for us to be transformed together?”
Dusk looked to Myles with a smug smile. “Couples deal here.” The fox whispered with a nudging elbow. He looked back to Hailey, making a more professional expression. “We'll need you both to sign a contract in person.”
“What? I thought it was just one signature.” Dusk interrupted. Myles looked at the Umbreon with contempt in his eyes.
“Because of ‘Cabin Man’ I need to be more careful with the consent forms.” He said through gritted teeth, canines showing in a way to signify predator instinct. Hailey was frightened by his display, but held back from further comment. “I'll get him.” She said, and then walked back to the entrance. It took a good five or so minutes, and she came back wheeling a man in a wheelchair. His black hair was falling out all around him, like a person unaware of their alopecia. His body is frail and thin, not in a lanky way, but not in a healthy way either. He coughed a few times, each covered by a pale tight fist over his mouth. Dusk and Bailey sat behind the reception desk, Bailey on the soft leather seat, with Dusk perching over her in his feral form again.
“I'm-” He coughed. “-James Patrick.”
“So, Hailey Patrick then?” Myles remarked, standing in front of the reception desk, no longer sitting on it like a delinquent student.
“Er- yes.” She answered, originally thinking she was being called for, not confirming her surname. Myles dug his hand behind the desk, fishing for a tablet, and pulled one out from Dusk's grasp.
He presented it to Hailey and James. “You'll need to fill in all your personal details in this form.” He said, holding a stoic expression.
“Why?” She asked with a worried wrinkle.
“Long point short, we get all your finances and belongings as payment, and you get whatever you want done.”
James studied the form on the tablet, various details about banking details, properties, and liquidated assets. One section showed an option between a “Not Safe For Work” transformation, ticked in red.
“What on Earth...” James said, trying to take in the situation he was making sense of. Hailey turned her attention to her husband.
Myles sauntered off to the doorway Bailey and Dusk originally came from. “I'm leaving you with them, Dusk. I have something to do.” He said, shutting it behind him in an elegant manner.
“What about me?” Bailey huffed. “You sure exist.” Dusk answered.
“Done.” Hailey spoke up, putting the tablet on the reception desk. Dusk and Bailey stared at her in united silence. James and her spoke nothing in return. A moment of total confusion. She broke that tension with a quick poke on Dusk's nose. He reacted quickly, biting it like a cat playing with its owner. She shot back, like a person jolting away from an incoming car. There was no mark or harm, but it still frightened her nonetheless.
Dusk paid no mind and read through the form, verifying a few things between the two humans. Things like James as a teacher, Hailey as an accountant, how long he had cancer for, and their current financial holdings. A few minutes of questioning later, Dusk and Bailey led them to the doorway Myles had gone through. They went in first, but he wasn't there. Maybe upstairs in the apartment, or in some secret room.
Hailey rolled James into the room in his wheelchair, the two examined the numerous boxes and gave each other a confused look.
“Not here.” Dusk spoke up, guiding Bailey and the other two to an unmarked door. It looked to be made of oak, maybe a special polish job to darken it further. They entered a large walk-in closet, countless clothes hung up on long endless poles. Ranging from animal onesies, mascot costumes, and more miscellaneous clothing options. They all looked different in style and material, something for everyone, surely.
“Pick your forms.” He said, leaping back up into Bailey, legs digging into her shoulders as he nested on her neck. Like a cat sleeping at a sunny window, he craned his head down with half-shut eyes, clearly having had enough of the situation from the get-go. James and Hailey planned to find something that worked for both of them, and so, she wheeled him around the large closet as he pointed at countless options. It felt like hours had gone by, but they eventually picked two kigurumis. Both with the appearance of a Vulpix, the tails intertwined in knots, which Hailey frantically tried to untangle. One of the two was whiter, clearly an Alolan Vulpix.
Bailey approached the two humans with Dusk following behind her. Back on two feet yet again. “That's the pick?” Bailey asked.
Hailey and James gave each other a firm look, and nodded in agreement.
Dusk picked off a box beside the shelf he was next to. “You'll wanna undress to put those on. Put your stuff in here.” He said, placing the box down for their collected placement. James and Hailey took off their casual clothing, Dusk and Bailey were nowhere to be seen, so they then took off their underwear. Hailey had to help James take some of his clothing for the most part, but by then, everything was lazily tossed into the box. Then she guided his bare legs into his normal Vulpix onesie, filling its hollow innards with James’ body. Arms in their place, head one shake away from looking consumed by the head atop the hood, his onesie was on. Hailey put her own Alolan Vulpix kigurumi on, having helped James, pulling the zipper as high as she could from behind. James helped finish off the zipping job, as she leaned her back to his arms. She turned around and pulled him up and out of his wheelchair, a thing in the past for their coming fate. They tumbled down onto the hardwood floor, a solid landing patented by the softness of their Japanese onesies. James hardly moved, save for putting his hood over his head. He stared aimlessly into Hailey's eyes while she wore her hood just the same. She opened her arms in a T-pose, clearly trying to initiate a hug. James pushed himself forward with his arms, flopping over her as her back met the floor. He laid atop her while holding his arms over her, hugging her in return for as best as he could.
He lost a lot of weight in that moment, already frail, but somehow even more. Like a limp bean plush in a nursery. The hood closed over both of their faces, mimicking their expressions. James had a timid grin, and Hailey had a wonky frown.
They began morphing differently, bone and blood turning to simple stuffing, holding each other in a tight embrace for as much as gravity allowed. While not tall or big, they both got a little wider, like a large teddy bear plushie you'd find for Valentine's Day. Arms long enough to lengthen on par to an average human, and bodies as wide as needed to support the endless beans in them.
Unable to move, think, speak, they were in endless bliss, with their transformation nearing completion. The only thing left was new identities, and Dusk had that covered. He came around the corner with Bailey, having seen the whole thing.
“Hailey.” He said, picking up the Alolan Vulpix. “You're Snowy.” He punctuated by setting her down on a small couch. He picked the brown Vulpix plushie, James, and sat him down beside Snowy. With how large she was alone, there was no space or possibility that either could fit on a standard shelf. “You're Cinder.” He said in a confident tone, turning to Bailey.
Bailey looked at the two new additions to the room, and then back to Dusk. “What now?”
“TacoBell.” Dusk answered.
Loud pattering quickly came from the stairwell door, and out came another anthropomorphic plushie, an Umbreon.
“TacoBell?” She shouted in glee, paws covering her cheeks. Dusk gave her a furrowed brow and a frown.
He gestured to Cinder and Snowy. “Luna, you get to put these two in my room.”
“But-” She tried to speak.
“-you weren't around at all. Do this, at least.” Dusk interrupted, shaking his head.
Luna understood how little work she had involved with these two clients, and working toward her favorite restaurant, pulled the two heavy plushes to Dusk's bedroom.
Then, everyone except for Myles went to eat at TacoBell. He stayed in the apartment grinding through another quest on Fate - Grand Order.

Story by  Drpycatty