Miles had played a few video games over the years, what teenager hasn't? As such, he was intrigued with the Four Thumbs Gaming Club. And while he was no professional gamer, he couldn't resist challenging Reginald to a fighting game. Miles didn't really stand a chance. Reginald wiped the floor with Miles's fighter before he could even really get a hit in. He never seen anyone perform combos that fast. One of the myriad benefits of possessing a koala's double thumbs, no doubt.
"Wow, you really are unbeatable at this," said Miles.
"Don't take it too hard, mate," said Reginald, "I was already a master before I went furry."
"So four thumbs is the main benefit you get from becoming a koala?" asked Miles.
"Well, there are a few other things," said Reginald, "For starters, I can conserve a lot of water from what I eat. After, the word 'koala' was derived from a native word meanin' 'no water'. Also, koalas have the longest hindgut of any animal in proportion to their body. So I can go up to about 100 hours without needin' a dungie break."
"I thought koalas spend most of their time sleeping," said Miles.
"Well, that's for energy-conservation. Of course, I eat a wider variety of diet than just eucalyptus leaves. Which tastes a lot better as a tea, I can tell you that," said Reginald.
"So, you told me that your conversion was mostly for the challenge, not for any health concerns?" asked Miles.
Reginald sighed and said, "Well, it was like that old song goes, mate. I reached the top and had to stop and that was botherin' me. I already was the best gamer, but the thrill of it was startin' to ebb. Not to mention every drongo wantin' to make a name for himself keeps challengin' me."
"The burden of being the best is you have to keep proving it," said Miles.
"Too right," agreed Reginald, "Ya might say that goin' furry was a way of puttin' myself outta reach of challengers without losin' face. Can't do official tourneys no more, but still makin' a fortune as a streamer. Lots of people wanna see how well a four-thumbed player can do."
"At least you didn't need to change your wardrobe much after your conversion," said Miles.
"Eh, lost a little weight, shoes ain't much of a factor, but the whole shape didn't change much," said Reginald, thinking back.
==========
Reginald didn't bother getting a changing room or anything when he went to get his conversion. Koalas have a pretty similar body shape to humans, not even really possessing a tail. Or if they had one, it was too stubby and vestigial to even be worth altering pants. All he needed was one shot plus the vaccine. The doctors did request that they could examine the x-ray of Reginald's hand bones changing. Reginald agreed so long as he was able to look at his other hand.
The transformation was pretty straightforward. Thick grey fur soon sprouted over Reginald's body, white fur on his chest except for a small bare spot where his new scent gland formed. It certainly felt weird for Reginald's nose and ears growing into the large, distinctive set of a koala's. However, Reginald's attention was mostly focused on his right hand while his left was being x-rayed. His trusty and reliable index finger shrank down, losing a joint as it was forced to join the thumb in opposing the others. The other fingers shifted over, what had been the middle finger taking the place of his original index finger. The claws meant for tree-climbing didn't seem that important in comparison.
It took some adjusting afterwards for Reginald to get used to his new finger arrangement. A little physical therapy helped him remaster typing. But Reginald was a fast learner and soon he was manipulating things as if he always had two thumbs and three fingers. Obviously, his gaming ability became unmatchable with two sets of thumbs. Reginald may not be able to compete in official tournaments because of his unfair advantage, but at least he was secure in his title of being the best. Until the day comes when another gamer becomes a koala and challenges him.