Tommy and Lana stood in the door, sizing up the two Synthetics.
Casper was keenly aware of their gazes as he stood there, rubbing the back of one hoof with the other, in a rather, amusingly so, sheepish manner.
"Look," he said, "can we discuss this in private? I'd really like to apologize to you two."
Casper thought about telling them the truth of the matter, that he had forgotten about the first game of the season because he experimenting with his magic ring. He was about to discount that when he remembered that Tommy and Lana had both been to the same magic shop, at least that is what they had told him, and that they used to be Tabitha and Larry! He pondered why he didn't remember before, though now that he thought about it, he did remember them telling him and he did believe them. Perhaps it was the magic of their items, that was causing him to remember them as they were now, unless he was actively trying to remember. He thought it a bit ingenuous and hypocritical for him to tell Ashley, but not tell the two of them.
But what if they didn't like what he had done to them? What if they got mad and wanted to end their friendship? Casper thought about this as Lana spoke up first.
"Okay," she said, "let's head up to your room, Tommy. We can talk up there."
Casper and Ashley followed the two other Synthetics into the house and through the party, the four of them going upstairs, and turning a corner into Tommy's room. He closed the door behind them, muting the noise and music from the party below.
"One sec," said Tommy, as he finished removing the last of his football uniform, Lana following suit to remove her cheerleader's outfit. In a moment, the two of them were as naked as Casper and Ashley, save for her scarf.
"Alright," Tommy said, sitting down next to Lana on the bed "Here we are, now what did you want to tell us that you couldn't downstairs?"
Casper looked to Ashley, who was sitting in a chair at the desk on the other side of the room. She gave him a warm smile and a nod. He thought about how this woman had come into his life at a whim, but now he actually felt very deeply for. He wasn't lying to himself or to her when he said he wanted to start a family with her...she obviously was willing to be the mother of their children. And then there was Becky and her...fiance, now, he guessed, maybe he should propose to Ashley as well.
"Well," Casper began after clearing his throat, "it actually started several days ago...remember the story you two told me about the magic shop, and the items you bought, but accidentally used each others?"
Tommy and Lana looked at each other, then back at Casper. "Yeah." they both said.
Casper looked from the two rubber creatures on the bed, to the rubber lizard on the chair, and swallowed.
"Well," he continued, "I found my way there after you did, and bought something, a ring. I got so caught up in using the ring, that I forgot all about your game. I'm really sorry, guys, I know I promised. I screwed up, and I want you two to know that I feel really bad about it."
Lana looked at him, then to Ashley, and then to Tommy.
"What does your ring do?" she asked, "I mean, you don't look any different than you did before?"
Casper bit his lip, trying to decide how much he should tell his two friends, that he had changed them into a rubber bull and latex fox.
"My ring turns people into latex pool-toy animal people," he said, coming to a decision. He had decided to tell them the whole truth, because they were his friends.
"Latex pool-toy animal people?" Tommy began, his eyes lighting up and looking down over his body, "You mean, we were human before? And you changed us?"
"Yes," Casper admitted, "and the ring altered your memories so you believed you were always this way."
"Can you change us back?" came the next question, from Lana.
"No, the ring can only transform people into Synthetics. Would you want to go back if I could?"
Lana thought about this, finally shaking her head, "No, I don't think I would. I rather like being this way, all sleek and shiny. I rather like you like this too, Tommy."
"Tommy?" Casper asked.
Tommy looked deep in thought, staring at his hoofed hands, tri-fingered like Casper's.
"Tommy, are you okay with this?" Lana asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Tommy looked up then, at Lana, then at Casper. "You didn't change anything else about us did you?"
Casper shook his head, "No, I did not actively change anything else about you, just that the ring was created with the hope of making people better."
"As long as I have my Lana, I'm okay with it too." Tommy said, wrapping his arms around the latex fox girl and pulling her close, into a deep kiss.
Casper breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Ashely relax in the chair a bit more.
"So, again I'm sorry that I missed your first game." he said.
Tommy broke the kiss, and looked to his friend, "I guess its okay, seeing as you got wrapped up by your newfound power...Oh! Does this mean you changed the rest of the football team?"
Casper nodded, "And the coach, and incidentally, his son too, though I hadn't intended to. It seems the ring is following a certain set of rules, that I'm still learning. There are about 530 people that I've changed so far, including yourselves and Ashley and I."
"Are you going to keep changing people?" Lana asked.
Casper looked down at his hooves, "Yes, I think I am...I can't quite explain, its a need, a drive, something I have to do..."
Tommy was next, "Do you choose the animal form people change into?"
"I used to in the beginning, uh, back when I changed you two, but now the ring can sense people's favorite animal and change them into that, color too. Uh, I can modify you two if you want me to?"
The two inflatable animal-people on the bed shook their heads, Tommy stating "Nah, this is who I am now, and I'm okay with that." "Me too," said Lana.
"Well," Casper said, "I feel a lot better about that now."
"But," Tommy continued, "We haven't forgiven you for missing the first game of the season yet. We will, but you have to promise to come to the next game, in a week."
Ashley piped up, "We will, you can count on it."
Tommy got up, offering his three-digit hand to Casper, who grasped it and shook. "Deal," He and Tommy said in unison.
Lana got up as well, stating, "Enough of this heavy talk, lets go enjoy the party!" She smiled and hugged Tommy as Ashley got up and moved over to Casper, the two of them hugging as well.
The four of them left Tommy's room, and made their way downstairs to the party, still in full swing.