The old thrift store smelled funny, as usual, but Edward Hinter had long since gotten used to it. He bought stuff from here whenever he could, after all; furniture, appliances, clothing (though men's clothes rarely made to the donation bin in a sell-able state), whatever he could get his hands on. He liked getting stuff cheap, and hated letting a good thing go to waste.
Today, the brown haired twenty-eight-year-old was finishing up his trip to pick up a new toaster by looking through the lonely shelf in the back of the shop that held all the donated books and movies. Most of the donations were either outdated textbooks or self-published tripe, but the latter was sometimes entertaining to Edward.
One title, a purple paperback, small enough to slip in his pocket, caught his eye; The World is Your Harem: Claim Your Rightful Place as Master of All was written on the spine in gold lettering.
'Some kinda mystic 'Self-help' mumbo jumbo, plus pick-up artistry, no doubt," Edward thought, pulling it off the shelf. 'Should be a good laugh.'
The front cover depicted a golden-furred nine-tailed fox anthro seated on a throne, wearing only a crown and various bit of jewelry, surrounded on all sides by a menagerie of female anthros of all sorts of species, clothed in thin, silky garments and lavish jems when they had anything on at all over their fur, feathers, or scales. The were dancing, cleaning, or waiting on the fox-man hand and foot, but no matter what else they did, all of them stared longingly at the fox in the center of the image.
Edward blinked. This looked like a page out of his personal fantasies. He was surprised the thrift story would even accept something like this. He opened to the first page.
"If you can see these words, then you are Edward Hinton, the one this book was made for; all others will see only a blank page. Each time you turn the pages of this book while another human is in your sight, the next page will display a profile and picture of them as a member of your personal harem; a beautiful, eternally youthful animal woman, passionately in love with you, utterly devoted to you, and completely obedient to you. And that picture will become as reality to them. The world will remember them as if they had been born this way, and, should you desire it, so too, will they. You need only touch the picture to call them to your side or dismiss them, no matter where you or they are.
"Go now, and claim your wives. And make it entertaining."
Edward looked around. This was a prank, right? It had to be a prank... but who at the thrift store would know his name? Much less his... highly specific interests?
Oh, what was the harm in a test? He looked at the woman behind the counter at check-out. Short, a bit chubby, plain looking face, hair in a little bun, dressed in blue jeans and a purple sweater. With her in his sight, Edward flipped the page of the book, and saw another painting of an anthro woman, like the ones on the cover. He looked back up at the girl at the counter, and saw her growing light, tawny fur, as her clothes turned to a thin, silky purple material, forming baggy leggings and sleeves, with a tight band around her chest, which only seemed to grow tighter with each second he stared.
Her belly receded as her chest and hips swelled, giving her a hourglass figure. Fur continued to spread over pale skin, while her hands grew little leathery pads on the palms and fingers, with little claws on the tips. Her feet arched up into a digitigrade stance as they became longer, growing similar pads and claws. A fluffy tail stretched out from a hole in the rear of her clothes, dropping down to around her knees before suddenly perking up and wagging excitedly.
Her hair grew longer, tying into a ponytail, while her ears took a triangular shape, and slide up toward the to of her head. Her nose turned black and wet, pulling forward as her jaws grew out into a canine muzzle. Her teeth sharpened as a new sense of vibrant, almost musical movement, became a part of her every step. Her eyes turned a bright yellow as her changes stopped, and then instantly locked on Edward.
"Master!" She cheered, swaying her hips rhythmically. "It's so wonderful to get a visit from you! How may your humble wife serve you today?"
Edward was to startled to think of what to say. "Uh... how about a hug?"
The woman practically leapt over the counter and hugged her master tightly. "Of course, my love! Anything to share the joy you bring me, with you!"
Glancing over her shoulder at the book still in his hand, the painting on the right page was now a dead ringer for the girl in front of him. On the left page was the following:
"Helen Kutok
Race: Coyote
This keeper of the most humble of shops long since gave up hope of living out her passion for music, until the day she met her master, and her love for dance lit up again in her heart. She still tends the shop, but will happily ignore all else should her master call her to dance or serve him."
Edward wrapped his arms around the coyote woman, feeling her soft, warm fur against his skin. If he wasn't seeing and feeling it all right now, he wouldn't have believed it. But if this was his destiny... Well hey, he certainly wasn't gonna complain about the chance to build his own fantasy harem.