James might have been an invincible engine of destruction, but that didn't mean he was stupid. He knew exactly what had happened to Brad, it was impossible not to, the scent Brad gave off was no longer that of a naked ape. And James knew exactly what the catalyst had been!
James wouldn't lie to himself that he didn't feel agitation at Brad's rebirth as an embodiment of the ever living flame stealing some of his spotlight. But James found he could appreciate the flames that made up Brad's inner being now. He saw the flames begin to flicker and grow in Brad's eyes. He wonder how the humans would excuse THAT!
And he could smell that his little sister was no longer human, she was something different, something elusive, something 'as pure as starlight', whatever that meant. Like she'd become something as arduous to cage as trying to cage sunlight in a box of mirrors.
In spite of Kacey's transformation, she moved along the guests like a wind, not letting any touch her if she didn't wish to be. It was like a dance, to some of the guests it was like she appeared only in the corner in their eyes, while others found themselves transfixed by her form, fearing to blink least she somehow disappear. Again, James felt a spark of jealousy at her sister pick pocketing his show with her existence, but none of that would matter soon enough. And that was because he could already guess what was going to inevitably happen to Rosa and the rest of the party guests... Instead of being shocked or alarmed, James felt excited, as once they changed as well, they would be all the more appreciate his inherent grandeur.
James let out a laugh that had smoke coming out of his nose as he thought how Brad's parents would react if they knew their son was going to be hosting what was going to become a nudist party!
There was no need for any of the changed to say anything to each other, they all knew what they'd become, and what fate awaited the rest, and found themselves more fine with it.
Brad saw Kacy's flawless white furred body move among the crowd, making a trot on her legs that was impossible if they were just stilts. Her lion like tail swishing back and forth in a way that was more than motors or springs could be. And saw her put a comforting hoof-hand on the shoulder of the wallflower Abby. (Abby thinking how she could see through her costume mask a lot easier all of a sudden).
And Brad knew it wasn't just James or himself that was going to change. He thought about giving an excuse for all the guests to leave that minute. Or maybe to lure himself, Kacy and Brad away from the rest of the party, stopping the transformation from spreading... But these thoughts felt... silly. Why would he want to stop something that was obviously meant a a gift?
Rosa, meanwhile, had been hoping to be the center of attention, with her multi-tailed costume and now had to sit by and watch her friends show off instead. Well, except Kacey, who seemed to by trying to avoid getting seen by some, which was really unlike her. Not to mention how unusually easy she seemed to move in those hooves, now.
Rosa leaned against the wall. ‘I didn’t stick myself in this walking oven of a suit just to get one upped by some fancy gimmicks,’ She thought to herself.
As she was thinking about how sweaty she was getting in her costume, and the awkward way it made it seem to cling to her skin, she suddenly got a sensation of relief from the cool air on the back of her head.
Directly on her back.
‘Uh oh. Did the costume get torn?’ She reached back and patted the spot she’d felt the breeze, and felt the costume’s rubbery paw pressing into her hair. ‘How’d it even get torn all the way up there?’ She groaned internally.
She reached up to take the headpiece off and examine it, only to find it seemed to be stuck, creating nasty pinching feeling all around her neck with each tug. She winced inside the costume, and tried to quietly shuffle to the bathroom. But as she walked, she started to feel her gloves tighten, before she could the air brushing over her hands, as well. She looked down at the white gloves in confusion. They were still all there, in fact, it looked as if they’d shrank, subtly.
She felt over the pad of one hand with the claw on another, feeling the sensation of firm bone touching softer, leathery skin. HER firm bone touching HER sof, leathery skin.
“The hell?” She shuddered, then flinched, feeling her nose and jaws stretching out to fill the costume’s snout, her tongue getting longer, and teeth sharpening as they did. “No no no!” She whispered to herself, getting away from the big, open living room. “This isn’t real! I just wanted-”
To have fun. an internal voice completed her speech.
“-to have fun.” Of course. That had been why she’d chosen a costume based on a mythical trickster to begin with, because it suited her fun-loving personality. That, and to stand out at a party that would have a lot of “normal” animal costumes. She felt her ears growing larger, pointing upward and becoming more flexible as well, followed by all the conversations in the room, and the buzzing of the heating system and nearby appliances getting louder.
‘But I’ve gotta be imagining this, right?’ She thought to herself. ‘There’s no way I’m-’
Meant to be mundane.
“-Meant to be mundane.” She paused. Could she ever really pretend she didn’t want this, on some level? This might not have been the way she’d have imagined it happening, but she could definitely stand out like this, if she wanted. And blend in, if she REALLY wanted to… But did she? She took another relieved sigh as she felt the air on her furred arms and legs.
‘I mean, thinking about it that way, I kinda like how this sounds. But I’m supposed to be-’
A cunning trickster
‘-A cunning trickster.’ She smiled to herself, liking the sound of that. Her yellow eyes beamed. She was a cunning trickster. This was how it was supposed to be. She felt her feet shrinking, and her toes curling into paws, the heat no longer bothering her as the costume wrapped around her torso, emphasising her “foxy” figure.
“Oh,” she whispered to herself, “this party’s gonna be-”
Magical
“Magical!” With that, she felt her spine grow out, and split six ways into the costume’s tails, the fluffy appendages moving as naturally as any other part of her. She felt intense power flow into her, and she let a little light glow on the tip of each tail.
“I’m sure the boys won’t mind if I take a little attention for myself too,” Rosa chuckled, as guests looked her way. ‘We’re gonna need to have a little fun with the plain little humans before everyone’s made special.’