Before Tyrone is able to decide, the 10-year-old notice the lizard slowly stir, its eyes open and it starts looking around, seeming to be confused.
Jeff’s mind and that of the lizard he had transformed himself into, have merged together, though independent of each other, though Jeff would assume that whatever he thinks of is from himself, unaware that some thoughts might be those of the lizard, which might cause Jeff to make false decisions which might feel weird to him but which he might listen to nonetheless, and just do what he feels is right, unaware that he might be controlled by the lizard-part of his mind.
‘I feel so weird,’ Jeff thinks to himself, ‘somehow light headed’.
‘I also feel smarter, almost like a human,’ “he” thinks to himself.
‘Of course! That is because I AM a human,’ Jeff thinks back at “himself”, ‘I mean… I’m not a human currently. I have transformed myself into a alligator lizard, I’ll be a human again in two days!’
‘No, that can’t be right,’ “he” thinks to “himself”, ‘I… I have always been a lizard! I am a two-year-old alligator lizard and always have been! Have… have I banged my head… am I going crazy?’
‘But… if that is true… that I am in reality a lizard,’ Jeff thinks to himself, ‘then why do I feel so smart and so… human-like’.
‘Oh man, I feel so confused,’ “he” continues to think, ‘I can’t even remember how I have ended up in this human cave. I gotta get out of here… somehow… I don’t belong here!’
‘Of course I belong here! This is my home! My family… I think’.
‘No… outside is where I belong! In the wild and not in some cramped human place,’ “Jeff” thinks to himself, ‘gaaah! What is wrong with me!?’
The “lizard” has not yet noticed the young boy watching it, due to its back turned towards the boy, ‘poor thing,’ Tyone thinks to himself, ‘it looks so confused. I got to help it, this is my chance to see if it actually worked’.
Tyrone takes a deep breath, “um… ex-excuse me… mister lizard,” he says nervously.
Hearing a voice, the lizard jumps and spins around, “JESUS HUMAN,” it shouts, “don’t scare me like that”.
Tyrone’s eyes widen, “it… it works,” he breaths, “it actually works… I am now able to talk with and understand reptiles!”
The lizard narrows its eyes, “what are you… wait… how is it that I am able to understand you,” it asks, ‘that human looks familiar,’ it then thinks to itself.
‘Of course, that is Tyrone, my little brother,’ “it” then thinks.
‘Brother? I don’t have a brother… especially NOT a human one,’ the “lizard” thinks back at himself, ‘something doesn’t feel right here. But I am unable to figure out what is going on! Maybe this human can help?’
“Um… I… I used an App on my phone, which is able to make changes to anything it scans,” Tyrone says, “I… I used it to give myself the ability to communicate with reptiles”.
“I see,” the “lizard” says, the lizard’s voice doesn’t sound even close to Jeff’s original voice, due to his vocal cords having been altered, his voice has a slight his to it which distorts it, “have you used it on me by any chance?”
Tyrone quickly shakes his head, “I… I was thinking about it, but then you awoke and you seemed to be confused, which I understand. And before you ask: I have no idea how you got in here”.
“Okay, you do seem believable,” the “lizard” says, it then sighs, “though I was hoping you could help me figure out why I feel smarter than I should be. I mean… my mind somehow feels so… human-like. I know what a vehicle is, I know that I am in a human-cave, this room… it looks familiar… you look familiar… but I shouldn’t be here… this is all so confusing”.
“That is… weird,” Tyrone says, he then looks down at his phone, “I… if you’d allow me to… I could scan you and fix your mind, causing you to be as smart as an alligator lizard should be”.
The “lizard” tilts its head, thinking for a while, it then slowly shakes its head, “thanks for the offer,” it says, “but… being this smart, while unnatural and confusing, is kinda cool. I’ll get used to it, but I am somewhat curious of that App of yours, what it’s able to do”.
“Okay,” Tyrone says, “hm… what if I change your scale color?”
The “lizard” again tilts its head, looking at itself, “hm… why not,” he says, “I mean, I am already unique, having human-smarts, why not have a unique coloring?”
Tyrone smiles, “I do have a nice coloring in mind,” he says, “my name is Tyrone, by the way”.
The “lizard” nods, “I know… but don’t ask me how I know,” he says, “but when I look at you, the name “Tyrone” constantly pops into my mind. And there is another name… “Jeff”… apparently that is supposed to be my name… but… who is “Jeff”… am I your pet and you named me “Jeff”?”
Tyrone blinks, looking confused, ‘can it be… naaaah,’ he thinks to himself, ‘Jeff would never degrade himself down to a lizard, he is far to proud of himself’.
“Judging by the way you are reacting,” the lizard says, “you are just as confused as I am. But… I guess it would be okay if you’d call me “Jeff”, if you like. Though… honestly, if I should have a name… I’d prefer it to be less… well… human sounding”.
“Well, I have an older brother who’s called Jeff,” Tyrone says, “I already was thinking if you could be my brother who had transformed himself into an alligator lizard. But that’s just silly… I mean, Jeff is to proud of himself, he’d never transform himself into an animal”. Tyrone then tilts his head, “hm… how about “Claws”,” he asks.
“Yeah, though it is weird that I know about your brother, it feels as if I were him, all the things I know… but as you said: that can’t be true! “Claws”… hm… hehe… that does sound like a good name,” the lizard says, “okay… you can call me “Claws”. So… about that App of yours… what coloring should my scales be?”
Tyrone smiles, “I’m happy you like the name,” he says, “well… I was thinking about a nice sky-blue color instead of green, and white instead of the yellowish color of your underbody scales”.
“Claws” tilts his head, thinking about the coloring, he then nods his head, “that defiantly would make me stand out,” he says, “hehe… I probably will get all the females with my handsome new look!”
Tyrone chuckles, “I bet you will,” he says, “okay, so, am I allowed to scan you and change your coloring?”
“Claws” nods his head, “sure,” he says.
Tyrone smiles and nods, he then aims the phone at the lizard and activates the scanner, soon the lizard is scanned. Since Tyrone’s copy of the program is independent from the original on Jeff’s laptop, the scanning of the “animal” has no effect on Jeff’s previous transformation, and Jeff seems to be thinking he is in reality a lizard, and always had been, unaware that his mind and that of the lizard he had transformed himself into have become one.
Tyrone opens the lizard’s file, his eyes widening, “two years? You’re pretty young still, I thought you were older”.
The “lizard” chuckles, “well, we alligator lizards only live 10 to 15 years,” it says, “so I guess I’d be around the age of a human teenager?”
Tyrone nods, “I guess so,” he says, “now, let’s change your coloring”.
The “lizard” feels a weird but strangely familiar tingling run through his body, after Tyrone had confirmed the change, ‘that felt weirdly… familiar,’ it thinks to itself, ‘but then again… this whole day is super weird’.
“I think it’s working,” Tyrone then says, pointing at the lizard.
“Claws” looks at himself and his eyes widen, “whoa… it sure does,” he says as he watches his scales change from green and yellow to a nice sky-blue and white, “I love my new color,” he then says, once the change has completed, “thanks, Tyrone,” it the says, wagging its tail.
Tyrone smiles, “my pleasure, Claws,” he says.
“So, what now,” Claws asks, “as nice it is talking with you and being in your presence, I do feel drawn outside, where I belong”.
“I could bring you to the forest, which is just behind our house,” Tyrone says.
“Please do,” the “lizard” says, “this house… this is no place for a lizard… I don’t belong here”.
Tyrone nods and carefully picks the lizard up, carrying it outside and heading to the forest.
“Your body feels so soft,” Tyrone says, as he carries the lizard towards the forest, “I never have touched or carried a reptile before. I have always thought that they would be slimy or wet, because their scales are so shiny, but you’re actually totally dry and almost feel like silk”.
The “lizard” chuckles, “yeah, I can see what you mean,” he says, “it’s so nice being out in the open, breathing the air and feeling it on my body. I feel more calm and relaxed, now that I’m back outside. Still, I’d like to know how I have ended up inside your house, welp, at least I’m back where I belong, thanks Tyrone”.
Tyrone smiles, “no problem, I always try to help where I can,” he says, “I’m glad that you are feeling better, Claws,” he then adds as he enters the forest, “I know a nice spot, deep in the forest, a large clearing, which has plenty of food sources and even a lake which flows into a rather big pond. I think you’ll love it”.
“It does sound like a nice place to live,” the “lizard” agrees.
Tyrone smiles, “we are almost there,” he says, as he walks off the beaten path and into the thick brush of the forest.
“Claws” suddenly climbs up Tyrone’s arm, causing the boy to giggle, before settling down on the boy’s shoulder, wrapping his long tail around Tyrone’s neck, “I know we just met an hour or so ago,” the lizard then says, “but… I consider you a good friend, Tyrone!”
Tyrone smiles wide, “it’s great to have such an amazing and unique friend like you, Claws,” he says, “I’ll try and come visit you as often as I can, I promise!”
“And I’ll come and visit you, too,” the “lizard” says, “thanks to my human-like smarts, I remember where you live exactly!”
“I’d love that, Claws,” Tyrone replies, “just stay clear of my dad and mom, they hate lizards and reptiles in general. Mom is scared of them, and dad just simply hates them… he calls them “ugly bastards that are only useful as handbags!”. Man… sometimes I wish I could hit him!”
“don’t worry, I’ll stay clear of them,” the lizard says.
“I’ll leave my window open, especially at night, so you’ll have a way directly to me, should the window be closed, just make yourself known to me, by maybe clawing at the glass or something”.
Claws nods, “that’ll work, strangely I know exactly which window of the house leads to your room,” he says, shaking his head, “it is still weird and so confusing. I’d love to know how I know all of these things about you and your family”.
Tyrone just shrugs, “don’t think about it, just accept that you are somehow unique, and that is not a bad thing at all,” he says, smiling at the “lizard”, “it’s actually a really cool thing!”
“I agree,” Claws says.
Tyrone walks for at least an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, so deep that it starts to become dark, due to the sun unable to penetrate the canopy of the forest.
“Geez, we are so deep that it’s really dark in here,” the “lizard” says, “it’s kinda creepy!”
Tyrone chuckles, “yeah, but that is why I love the clearing,” he says, “it’s my secret place to just relax and get away from everything and everyone every time I wanna be by myself”.
“I see,” Claws says.
After a while Tyrone finally steps out of the trees, “so, what do you say,” he asks, “beautiful, isn’t it?”
Claws looks around, his eyes wide, the lizard can see a huge, maybe at least the size of four football fields, clearing with healthy looking grass, in the center he can make out a large water source and a small lake, leading towards the body of water. The field is also covered in beautiful flowers, in all colors: red, yellow, blue,… .
“What’s the matter, Claws,” Tyrone asks, giggling, “cat got your tongue?”
“I… I don’t know what to say,” the “lizard” says, “this… this place, it’s so beautiful!”
Tyrone nods, “yeah, this is my little paradise,” he says, chuckling, “and now you are a part of it. Just be careful, there are a lot of predators around here”.
“I’ll be careful, I am not a normal lizard after all,” Claws says, climbing down from Tyrone and onto the grass, “I’ll enjoy myself here,” he says, “smiling” up at Tyrone.
Tyrone smiles back, “glad you like it,” he says, “you know, it’s still early, I have at least four hours until I have to get home. So, I was thinking, maybe you’ll allow me to try out the App some more? But maybe you’d like to see me use it on myself?”
“Claws” thinks for a while, “I’d like to see some more of what the App is able to do,” he then says, “but, I don’t mind if you’d use it again on me or on yourself. I’ll leave that up to you to decide, my friend”.