Sure it was only the beginning of October, but Jonah knew that if you wanted a good Halloween costume, you had to start early. And in all honesty, he had started even sooner than this. But he had yet to find anything good -- until today.
After getting a tip of a new costume store opening in town, he had stopped in after his last class and was impressed right away. The selection of costumes was impressive, not only covering a wide range of real animals and their various breeds, but also a large selection of mythical animals.
And that is what caught Jonah's eye: a scruffy, grey-furred werewolf costume. Perfect for Halloween and perfect for him -- he loved wolves.
Jonah was in the changing room of the costume shop, in his boxers and fuzzy up to his waist when he hears a clacking noise. Turning around in surprise, he is greeted by a clipboard swaying gently from a hook on one side of the room. Clipped onto it is what appears to be one question. Did the shopkeeper drop this off?
The costumed human pulls the rest of the costume up onto his body before taking a closer look at the sheet of paper.
Question #1: If you were a werewolf, what would your name be?
Name? Jonah wondered, What does a name have to do with a costume? Still, being the fan of wolves that he is, he had to admit that the question had crossed his mind on its own in the past. Grabbing the pencil attached to the clipboard, he scribbles in "Tanael".
As he goes to put the pencil back in place, the next question fades into view, much to Jonah's surprise.
Question #2: If you were a werewolf, how old would you be?
Jonah blinks a couple times, then lifts up the single piece of paper curiously. How did it do that? Some sort of time-delayed ink? Or that electronic paper he keeps reading about? Well, regardless, this couldn't last forever, so he quickly scribbles in his own age, 22.
Tanael keeps the pencil hovered over the paper tentatively, wondering if another question would appear. It takes a few seconds, but it doesn't disappoint.
Question #3: If you were a werewolf, how tall would you be?
Arf! Well, werewolves were usually fairly large, certainly larger than his human self. As he scribbles in a quick 6 foot 5 inches, the werewolf costume falls to Tanael's feet, having never been securely fastened in place. Well, no matter, the sooner he got this silly questionnaire out the way, the sooner he could go back to trying on his suit.
Question #4: If you were a werewolf, how scruffy would your fur be?
Tanael laughs at this, especially since everyone always comments on how he should take better care keeping his fur straight. Extremely scruffy, he writes, Almost fluffy in appearance, since I at least keep it clean.
Question #5: If you were a werewolf, how long would your tail be?
Fairly long, Tanael scribbles on the page, It lets me keep my balance easily when I'm prowling through the woods, he chuckles to himself gruffly, Or an unsuspecting human neighborhood.
The page remained blank for a while after this question and Tanael almost thought it was done. Just as he was about to return the pencil, though, the next question slowly wrote itself onto the page.
Question #6: If you were a werewolf, would you have any pets?
Ruff? Pets? Well, his parents did have that cocker spaniel, perhaps the questionnaire was referring to that. Yes, he scrawls, somehow finding it a bit more difficult to maneuver the pencil, Even half canine beasts can have canine pets. He grins toothily.
At this point, Tanael glances at himself and finds himself looking a bit scruffier than he remembered. Wait, arf! He was a LOT scruffier! He had fine grey fur growing all over his body, what was going on?!
Question #7: If you were a werewolf with a pet, what species would your pet be?
Tanael blinks at the page, the paper almost completely filled with the strange questions and his answers in increasingly haphazard handwriting. He hesitates, not sure whether he really wants to continue this exercise, based on what was happening. But, as he starts to put the pencil back, more text appears on the page.
If you don't not respond, you will be stuck.
Tanael tilts his head in a very canine fashion, quickly scrawling down 'fox', it being about the only creature he could imagine a werewolf having as a pet.
The page on the clipboard, which Tanael now found was eye-level with him instead of above his head, went completely blank. In its place, it read:
Thank you, Tanael. Your fox, Sly, is waiting for you patiently.
The large, increasingly scruffy werewolf wagged his tail curiously. The boxer shorts he still wore were pushed down slightly to make room for the new appendage.
"Sly? That's an interesting name."
"Yip! Master..? Is that you?" Came a soft voice from the other side of the changing room door, "Yip, where am I?"
Tanael unlocks the door and slowly opens it. There he is greeted by the shortest human he had ever seen -- then again, the whole store seemed smaller for some reason, but this fox-like human was definitely the most changed.
"Arf? Are you Sly?"
The fox boy's ears perk up, "Yip! It is you!" Sly ran over and nuzzled the wolf's leg. A little confused, Tanael glances over at the clipboard. The questionnaire is again blank except for a simple instruction to hide it for the time being. Along with it, a pet license with Sly's picture, declaring Tanael as the owner.