As Phil trotted away into the broader world, Dillon looked around his house with fervor. What should he do next? It was so quiet in here, and he felt so energized.
On a normal day, he’d plan to work out, then grab dinner and watch some television. But he didn't really need to work out - he just gave himself the body he always wanted. Part of the fun in going to the gym was that it was something to do, though...
He looked out his backyard window for ideas, and that's when he spotted the neighbor's dog. It was a male Great Dane - quite large - though not so big that it would pummel you over. Maybe he wasn’t fully grown? He didn't know the dog's name either, but he had grey fur with white spots, perky ears, and a large snout. It was sniffing around looking for something. By all accounts it was a beautiful, athletic dog. The only problem with him: Dillon dared not go in the backyard when their dog was out. The dog barked at anything that moved, and he’d be barked at non-stop for hours. It was frustrating, actually.
But Dillon had free reign to change things, and he wanted some exercise. It gave him a weird idea… something only his peculiar mind would conceive.
"My neighbor's dog will become an anthropomorphic version of itself. He lives in the neighbor's house and is my personal trainer. Everyone treats him like a human because he can do everything humans can. We train daily."
The ring began to glow as the dog stopped tracking scents to scratch his ear with its hind leg. As the moments went by, the dog's body began to shift. It started with its chest, flattening from its barrel shape to a slanted build.
Dillon walked out and sat on his patio to watch. The dog pulled its hind legs upward while its feet were broadening to support bipedal weight. He couldn't see the dog's paws in the grass, but from his point of view, the foot (which was still in the air) looked much different. Then, in one fell swoop, it swung its hips upward as though something clicked into place, and the dog was becoming sapient.
*cough*... “Uff...”
It stood up a bit, wobbling, but squatted quickly as if trying to hide from sight. He was wearing no clothes, and this was suddenly a problem... but he didn't know how it became one.
‘Holy crap, did I fall asleep in the lawn naked? Is anybody else--’
The dog had an excellent sense of hearing and smell, so he very quickly sensed and spotted Dillon on his porch. He tried to play it cool.
“H-Hi, Dillon… do you… can you fetch me a towel?” the dog shouted. He had a rusted, deep tone to his voice.
With a quick wish, the ring turned a dinner cloth on the table into a towel, and Dillon excitedly jogged over to get a closer look at the newly-turned dog man. His semi-clawed hands were trying to shield his junk.
“Thanks, bro," he smiled, wrapping the towel around his waist and over his tail. "You’re looking fresh today. Hope you’re ready for cardio later.”
“Of course…” Dillon said, their tails wagging together with mild excitement. Dillon didn’t realize his tail’s color was changing to a bright blue. He got a closer look at the dog's collar, as well, which must have been more like a necklace now, and finally remembered his name.
“... Scamper.”
“Cool. I’mma just throw on some shorts and take a shower. I’ll be over in a half-hour.”
“Sounds good. See you then,” Dillon said.
He played it off pretty well, but Dillon was beside himself. He couldn’t freakin’ believe he was talking to a…! And at the same time, his disbelief was coated with fantasy and dreams. He could believe it. He really could do whatever he wanted with this ring… for better or for worse. His chameleon tail pulled into view as if to remind Dillon that reality would never be the same.
Hopefully nothing bad would become of it.
Dillon walked back to his porch, wondering what or if he should do some stuff as he waited for his workout with Scamper...