Ideas, Please!
Journal Entry: Tue Jun 12, 2007, 7:51 PM

Hey, everybody!  I need some ideas for a transformation story.  I've been trying to think of something new and interesting, but I'm suffering from some pretty bad writer's block.  If anybody can throw some ideas my way, I'd be grateful.  I'll maybe even give you some special recognition for it.

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~Kamilion 3 hours 45 minutes ago

How about, a story with a guy who likes transformation stories, and wishes that he could be transformed just like the characters he reads about?  Except, of course, he can't, because things like that don't really happen in "the real world".

	___________

Now, this is a nice surprise.  I didn't think he'd actually choose my idea, what with him getting ten or eleven other suggestions.  Interesting that he's basing it directly off the journal entry and my post.  But why is he calling me Kamilion?  Is there even a Kamilion at DeviantArt?  Well, I checked, and sure enough there is, and interestingly, the account is dead.  What are the odds a dead account name like that could be used in a transformation story?

So, it's probably pretty obvious, considering that I show interest in a writer who does transformation stories, but I do have quite an interest in transformations.  And actually, I guess the person I spoke about in my reply, that's really me.  I really do wish I could shapeshift and stuff, maybe leave my human life behind in favor of being with legendary beasts, much like in the stories this writer writes.  If it didn't mean leaving behind my family, anyway.  Being a human is, sadly, boring to me.  I mean, I've been one for over 20 years, and I'm sorta used to it.  Being able to change into something else would prove exciting, and I'd be able to learn just what it'd be like to be whatever creature I turned into.  But, as I said in my reply, things like that just don't happen in the real world.

Anyway, on with the story, I guess.  As I'm reading the story, my hand starts itching.  What the...?  I looked at my hand, and scratched it.  Kinda funny, my hand actually itched when I read that part.  There wasn't anything wrong with it, though.  Probably was just random.  I looked back up at the computer screen to continue reading the story, and I froze.  Right there, it was describing how I had just scratched my hand.  And as I continued reading, everything that happened to me afterwards was written, right down to me being in shock that everything that just happened to me was written.  ...Boy, that'll get redundant.

Heh, my suspicions are as silly as that last comment.  It'd be cool if this really was having an effect on real life (ain't it the truth), but it's likely just a coincidence.  Still, I decided to check my hand for fur growth, just in case.  ...Nope, nothing there.  I'm not suprised.  Nothing interesting ever happens in my life.  Or at least, not interesting enough.  I know this sounds silly, but I used to pray often that I would be able to shapeshift.  I'd have even settled for a single form to turn into, or even just a single change, like a tail.  Wait a minute, this thing is describing me to a tee.  Or is it a "t"?  I dunno, but in any case, I guess the writer probably just saw me post about that somewhere else.  This story is obviously based on me.  He's done a good job guessing how I'd act while reading it.  I wonder what he'd say if he found out that my hand actually itched when it did in the story.

Okay, while it is kinda interesting reading about my own backstory and stuff, I'm sure others are eagerly waiting for the actual transformation to start, and apparently my narrator self agrees.  Good, that means it's about to start.  As I continue reading this story, I start to feel pressure at the base of my spine.  Wha?  I... I can actually feel that.  Could this story be...  Nah, it's just my mind playing tricks on me, I'm sure.  Wouldn't be the first time.  But I welcome my mind's tricks any time, because it still feels kinda neat.  I'm reading more of the story, and it says that the pressure at my tailbone is starting to increase, and sure enough, that's what it is doing.  It's actually starting to get a little uncomfortable.  So I reached down to rub the spot, and HOLY...!

I can feel it.  There is a bump at the base of my spine.  It was like... a growing tail.  My imagination has never been this active before!  I quickly walked to the bathroom, and shut the door, intending to use the tall mirror behind it.  I raised my shirt and pulled down my pants a little, looking at my backside.  There it was, alright.  The lump on my tailbone.  Could the story I'm reading really be doing this?  I pulled back up my pants, though leaving them unbuttoned, and went back to my computer.  Sure enough, the story is describing everything that is happening to me.  Is it actually controlling me, though?  Or is it just predicting my actions?  I did a few random acts to check.  I touched my nose, hopped on one foot, and... realized how silly I was acting.  Well, what a surpise, the story called it.  But I'd rather not think that I'm under its control.  Mind control is the last thing that I want happening to me.

I just realized, my new tail is no longer growing.  Well, that doesn't last long, as my tail continues growing as I read more of the story.  It's growing uncomfortably in my pants.  And as much as I didn't want to, I had to let my pants down to give it room.  At least I live by myself, and all the window blinds are shut.  The tail continues growing, curving down and out a little.  When it stops, it isn't terribly long.  It barely reaches underneath my knees.  Then the fur starts growing in on it.  The fur on my tail grows soft, and thick, and is of a cream color.  I tried wagging it a little, though I couldn't quite figure out the muscles yet.  Suddenly, it hit me.  I knew what animal's tail this was.  But why that one?  It's hardly legendary at all.

While pondering this, I started wondering why the transformation started with a tail.  Usually in these stories, the transformation starts somewhere else, like on the chest or the...  Hands!  I looked at my hand again.  Still no fur.  And my tail was already finished.  Was I only going to get a tail out of this?  Not that I would have minded, though.  Tails are my favorite animal feature, and having only a tail would mean I could still attempt to live a human life, so long as I could hide my tail in my pants.  I continued reading the story, catching up to where I am now.  What is going to happen next?

...I sneeze.  An odd occurrance for this story, I thought.  But when I started rubbing my nose, it somehow felt different.  Oh, no.  Is my nose changing?  I crossed my eyes to look at my nose.  My nose was black.  It was black, cold, and wet.  The transformation isn't finished yet.  No, no, NO!  I got up, and started pacing around in thought.  This is almost like some of my daydreams.  Quite often I've daydrempt what it would be like if I were in a different form.  The idea was always fun to me, but now?  I never thought anything like this would actually happen!  This story is changing me!  Every word I read, I change!

Wait...  Every word I read?  I thought back to the growth of my tail.  I realized that it only changed when I was reading the story, not when I was looking at the changes.  Well, that kinda sucked.  If I were changing, I would've at least liked to watch my changes.  On the other hand, if I stop reading the story, I won't transform anymore.  This thing only predicts my actions; it doesn't control me.  Everything I do has already happened by the time I read about it, so it can't force me to read more of my transformation.  Right?  I observed my animal nose, again.  It hadn't changed shape.  Just changed color and texture.  Would it be possible to hide it?  I looked back at my computer.  Perhaps the story has an answer for me.  Some way that I'll be able to hide such a change.  But what if it doesn't?  I could stop reading if it continues the changes, but then, what if my answers were at the end of the transformation?  I dare not find out what would happen if I tried reading ahead.  I was faced with a horrible dilemma.  Should I stop reading the story and try to hide my changed nose, or should I read the story and hope theres a fix at the end of the transformation?  What was it that the writer was intending for me?  I then remembered, the stories written by him all ended with a happy ending.  Or at least, the ones I've read.  I could only hope my story would end the same way.  Unfortunately, I'm not about to get any reassurance, yet.

I read that the transformation is going to continue.  I figure, screw it, I need to see this through if I want to find out my fate.  "Fate"...  How I hate the very idea of it.  But before I can vent about it, my skin starts itching all over.  No doubt the fur is starting to grow in.  I figured a long as my pants were aleady off, I might as well take off the rest of my clothing.  I started to watch the fur grow in, but nothing happened.  I remembered that it only progressed when I read about it, much to my continued dislike.  And so I read.  On most of my body, the fur is growing in a very orange color.  On my back, three black stripes appear.  Two more stripes appear on the outside of each of my legs, and yet another appears on each of my arms in the shape of the letter 'V'.  The fur on my chest and belly comes in in a cream color, much like that of my tail's fur.  The fur on my chest is especially thick, yet still fluffy.  This cream fur continues up to my face, replacing the hairs of my unshaven face around my chin and mouth.  The orange fur of my body speads around the rest of my head, except for my hair, which changes to a cream color and grows out fluffy, like the fur on my chest.

The tingling stops, signifying that my fur had finished growing in.  I took a break from reading the story to check out my progress so far, knowing that the story was likely taking note of my actions.  My fur coat was nice and warm, and rather soft to the touch.  It actually felt quite good.  I had often imagined how it would feel to have a fur coat.  I figured that it'd feel like when you pet an animal like a cat or dog.  Let me say, it was a little different having a fur coat stuck to you than simply feeling a fur coat with your hand.  I looked back at my tail, and tried wagging it again.  How I've longed to have a tail.  I could not understand how God decided to not give mankind tails, when almost every other animal was.  But then I always figured that having a tail wouldn't be such an interesting idea if I really had one my whole life.  I stopped at that thought.  My whole life?  Will I be stuck like this for the rest of my life?  I had to read on.

My ears are the next thing to change.  They are starting to push outward.  Not changing positions, just changing shape.  They somewhat become almost diamond-shaped, sticking out to easily catch all oncoming sounds.  My hearing improves as well.  The sounds I can hear are louder, and I have little doubt that I'll be able to hear sounds normally only heard by dogs.  This is a little worrying, as I live right next to a railroad line (how does this writer know these things about me?), and I know that many dogs can't stand the sound of a train going by.  Especially their loud horns.  Well, at least I'm fully capable of covering my ears when one goes by.

The changes move down to my feet.  My pinky toe starts merging with the toe next to it, and the two toes besides my big toe start to merge as well.  I looked, and it almost looked like I had three big toes instead of the usual assortment.  I continue reading the changes.  My feet start hurting some as they resume changing shape, becoming like hindpaws, made for a digitigrade stance.  My toenails, oddly enough, wind up disappearing into my skin.  I had expected them to become claws.  The writer must've done his research well.  The changes continue, as pawpads appear on the soles of my feet and the palms of my hands.  I then wince in pain, as my skull starts cracking into its new shape.  I can see a short, wide muzzle pushing out of my face.  At last, the one change I can actually watch while reading this story.  My tongue is flattening, and my teeth are becoming carnivorous.  My eyes feel a little bigger, undoubtedly becoming somewhat rectangular-shaped.  And finally, my color vision is dwindling, leaving me colorblind.  That's somewhat depressing, actually, but at least this likely means I'll have good night vision.

Feeling that the transformation was over, I went back to the mirror, stumbling at first due to forgetting that I was now somewhat digitigrade.  Though, not completely.  I was still able to walk plantigrade like a human, but digitigrade seemed more comfortable.  I closed the door and looked in the mirror.  There I was, a for-real anthropomorphic Growlithe.  Come to think of it, I'm not sure the story I was reading mentioned that, yet.  Well, I'm sure it has now.  I looked myself over.  I experimented with my fur and tail again.  I then checked out the rest of my changes, flexing my three toes, opening my mouth to see my new canine teeth and longer tongue.  I even wiggled my ears a little.  I sniffed out the air.  The air in the bathroom was somewhat stale, but I didn't care.  I was so amazed how much my sense of smell had improved.  It was all so amazing.

I felt a strange combination of excitement... and dread.  Growlithe is my absolute favorite Pokémon, and here I am, an anthropomorphic Growlithe.  It is like a dream come true.  And yet, I wondered, how am I going to live my life, now?  I can't go out like this.  Not without attracting the media, or winding up in a lab for study.  And what about my family?  How am I going to explain to my parents that their son has turned into a fictional character... and likes it?  I hoped that, now that the transformation was over, the story would tell me what I needed to do.

I went back to my computer, and read for the answer.  And now, I start shrinking-- Wait!  No!  No!  No!  I lept away from the computer and ran to the living room.  This can't be happening.  It can't be!  This story is taking my transformation all the way!  It's turning me completely into a Growlithe!  That's not what I want!  I mean, yeah, I've often wondered what it'd be like to have to walk on all fours, but I don't know if I actually want to be forced to!  No, I don't care if there's a happy ending waiting for me, I do not intend to continue this transformation!  I can figure out how to handle this myself.  I think I can.  ...Can I?

I layed down on the couch for a long while, considering what had happened to me, trying to figure out the best way to handle it.  No matter what I thought of, though, there was something that would've caused problems.  I kept thinking about how my family would react, and the unwanted attention I would grab.  I could run away and go into hiding.  But how devistated would my family be?  Should I run away from them, leaving them wondering what happened to me?  Or is it better to confront them as I am, now?  They'll be shocked at first, and they might try to accept my changes, but there would always be that feeling of... I dunno what to call it.  It'd almost be like having your son lose his legs in an accident, and both you and your son having to live with it for the rest of your lives.

My mind kept wandering back to the story, though.  I kept wondering if it concludes with a happy ending.  Or at least gives me some helpful answers.  But how far was the transformation going to go?  Would I be able to keep my human intelligence?  More than that, how much more devistated would my family be if I were completely animalistic?  I needed reassurance that everything was going to be okay.  I got up and went back to my computer.  I decided that, if the story attempts to transform me without giving me that reassurance, I'll stop reading and just try to figure this out on my own.

It was... somewhat depressing and surreal reading about the ordeal I've just been put in.  Reading my thoughts, as though a psychic had been taking notes, and putting them up for all to read.  But as I finish this paragraph, I am given some much-needed relief, as I read in this very sentence the reassurance I need: that everything will be okay.

I closed my eyes and gave a sigh of relief.  Everything will turn out alright.  I had nothing to worry about.  I am now ready to embrace the rest of the changes.

My body is continuing to shrink.  My arms and legs are shortening, as I feel my shoulders and hips changing positions.  I feel my hips snap, and I catch myself as I fall forward, yah!!  Thanks for the warning!  I sighed again.  I am now restricted to all fours, as my body shortens and barrels out a little.  My head changes position on my kneck, so that it is more naturally aligned to look forward on my quadruped body.  My hands change shape, as my fingers merge and shrink into my now-forepaws.  I only have two toes left on each forepaw, barely visible, a white claw on each toe.  And with that, it's over.  I am now a Growlithe, one hundred percent.  And it feels... good.  But before experimenting my changes once more, I need to make sure that I retained my human intelligence.  Well, I can still read this story, that's a good sign.  Now for the important check.

"Growlithe!"

My heart stopped.  I... I can't speak.  No, I'll try again.  "Growl, growlithe!"

...It's true.  I have become incapable of human speech.  How am I ever gonna communicate with anybody, now?  I can't tell them that I used to be human if I can only say what I've become.  ...There's still hope.  I still have my human mind.  I can still read.  Can I still read?  I made sure to double-check.  Yes, I can read, which means I would still be capable of communicating with people somehow, if not through speech.  But this still doesn't answer my big question.  What will I do, now that I've become a Pokémon?  I want to know what to do.  I need to know how everything turns out.

I glanced down below, and my heart sank.

Is this... the end?

	___________

Author's Note:
Well, "Kamilion" (and I say this with a friendly tone), I hope you enjoy your new form.  I'm sorry, but I do not have the answers for you.  Yeah, I know, it's almost like a cliffhanger of sorts.  I know everybody else who reads this is going to be disappointed, but at least you will get to find out what happens.  Heck, you were able to experience the whole thing.  And don't worry.  Things might start out a bit tough, but the new life I've given you will turn out alright.  Well, thanks for the idea.  I hope that the subject of my next transformation story will find his experience as exciting as yours was.