Sally and Jeff (now Hammy) spent some time getting to know things in their new roles. As well as changing the room to colours more of Sally’s liking, the reality shift had given them hamster toys and a cage.
She’d placed him in a hamster ball, to allow him to get aquatinted in his surroundings with minimal danger. And she’d watched as slow nervous movements at first had gradually become more confident rolling across the room. She’d then let him sit on a lap, and steadily discover how his hands and claws meant he could climb over her. From a position on her shoulder, she noticed how little he weighed, and that even by her ear his squeaks were quiet.
For Jeff himself. The part of his mind that was still Jeff. He could barely believe how different the environment was from his new size. Through his acclimatisation and exploration, his heart kept beating at a rapid hamster pace. But it was unnerving to now be at Sally’s giant ear, and to find his attempts to tell her that he was almost ready to be human again completely ignored. But he was hungry first, and at least with this she had seemed to read his mind.
She presented him various grains and dried fruits from a bag of hamster food, each one he tore rapidly from his fingers, until his cheeks were filled and he chewed away.
Sally glanced at the clock and saw that it had been nearly 2 hours already. She’d been entranced with her new hamsters first steps, and had barely done her own exploring yet.
“Sorry Hammy. I’m going to need a little while longer. Perhaps until after my parents, I mean your, parents come home. You’ve been exploring, but I have barely had chance yet!”
Jeff was suddenly very nervous. Sally was already stretching the bounds of the deal… She had picked him up too and was taking him towards the cage. He no longer felt comfortable in her hand, but threatened, and to show displeasure, he bit down with his sharp front teeth.
“Ouch!” She yelled, just about still managing to drop him into the open cage rather than the floor. He landed in a tumble on the soft floor or saw dust, as Sally clicked the cage shut above.
“I think we’re just getting started to know our new bodies. You were curious about your instincts and senses too remember. A couple of hours is not nearly enough!
It couldn’t be long until the parents would be home. So she went to the computer to change the settings. Ensuring that under the reality adjustment Jeff’s parents would now think that Sally was their only child, and taking the time bar off on Jeff’s change to Hammy from 2 hours to the settings to indefinite. She clicked start. She left the window open so she come back to these settings later. And with her own curiosity at trying the outside on 2 legs rather than 4 paws, ran out the room.
Jeff struggling back into his 4 legs looked around. Just like he used to have for Hammy, he was in a metal wire cage, with a wheel, tunnel, bowl of food, and a bottle of water clipped to the side. He was indeed going to have to live the life of his old pet for a little while longer.