"I may have a better solution after all!" Tye appeared behind the boy, grinning at the youth. "So, he wants to be a horse?"
Mike nodded. "That's what he said." It was a little hard to speak, and he realized that the changes must have already done more than he thought.
The boy looked at him curiously. "That's what who said?"
"You. You said you wanted to be a horsth?" Mike frowned at the poor pronunciation, but it was the best he could manage.
"Oh, yeah." The boy got a dreamy look in his eyes as he continued brushing. "Like you. Beautiful and strong, no worries or cares. Happy to work and happy to play."
Mike felt a twinge of annoyance at that. It wasn't like he was.... he blinked, having trouble remembering what he was annoyed at. Then he realized more than his face and mouth were changing. It took effort to concentrate his thoughts. "I'm startin' to think like a horth!"
The boy nodded and patted Mike's chest affectionately. "Yeah. When I'm done you'll be a real smart horse who has useable arms. Not as perfect as a full Shire, but still amazing."
Tye chuckled. "I think this kid has it worse than you, Mike. He wants to be a horse but can't be one. He's been protected from equine magic. At least the local variety."
Mike snorted, feeling a little sympathy for the kid. But the brushing felt good and there were no predators and he felt safe. The magic was dulling his thoughts more with each stroke. and he was more curious than concerned. He remembered being able to read and write and use numbers, but the actual symbols would not come to mind. It wasn't important. Nothing was important. His brain was shrinking, his skull deflating, his featured becoming more equine. Less than a centaur but more than a horse.
"And that's enough of that." Tye snapped his fingers.
Mike felt a sudden disorientation and had to brace himself against the powerful part-centaur beast he was leaning against. The animal also shuddered and swayed, but then calmed immediately and stood calmly. Mike stared at dirty human hands and arms, the equally dirty teenage body, and filthy feet standing on the stool. He had a brush in one hand. And his mind was suddenly very clear and focused. "I'm the boy!"
Tye nodded. "Yep. Swapped your bodies. Perfect solution, really. He wanted to be a horse and couldn't be changed and I needed to find a way to stop you from continually turning yourself into a horse. I don't think you realized just how close you were to being beyond anything I could do - this was pretty much the last chance to keep you from ending up an actual animal. Permanently."
Mike was still staring at himself. He felt so small and weak! "Why not make me a centaur again?"
Tye shook his head. "Not a chance. You have this weird fascination with becoming a normal horse. Personally, I don't care. But the others need you if they are going to ever get back home. I did this for them, not you. Your life is toast anyway."
That caught Mike's attention. "Huh? Is something going to happen to me?"
The other boy rolled his eyes. "Have you paid any attention to anything I've been telling you?" He gestured to the almost horse. "That is you. Or was you. When the game is over, that is what will go back to our world. And it will have to be a normal horse to fit in. Probably on a farm somewhere near home. Everything will adjust - Mike will have been born a horse, and Mike the human will never have existed."
"Wait a minute! "I'm Mike!"
Tye sighed. "Not any more. You are Arkan, a 15 year-old boy of this world. And when this adventure is over you will have no place in our world. I can bring you, but you'll have no identity, no records. Not a big deal, really. I can help you if we make it to that point." He grinned at Mike. "The important thing for us is that no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to become a horse while you are here. So you might actually start thinking about helping out your friends instead of your selfish and totally weird fetish about becoming a normal beast of burden."
Mike flushed, but didn't say anything. It was true that he'd gotten too fascinated by the magic, and the wonderful sensations of the equine form. Even now, he found himself wondering if he could get just a little horse change in this new body. The boy's body! he looked at the almost-horse with alarm. "What about him? Is he stuck like this?"
Tye nodded. "But it is what he wanted. Don't feel guilty. I made a few adjustments - he'll live a very long and healthy life. And he's already happy."
Mike patted the huge beast and brushed his mane and neck. There was no visible change - whatever the brush did must have been completed before Tye made the switch.
"Come on." Tye took hold of Mike's free hand. "Your dad will be out here soon, and there's a chance Arkan's memories and mindset will start to surface. It will be a lot easier for you to stay yourself away from here."
Mike started to step off the stool, and was suddenly stumbling and falling into thick grass. He caught himself, dropping the brush in his hand, and looked around. A female high elf, a make wood elf, and a dragon turned to look at him. The rest of the gamers! It took a moment for him to make the connections - Christine, Brian, and Joe. Brian frowned and looked around. "Where the Hell did you come from, kid?"
Mike scrambled up, a little self-conscious now that he was human. He was dirty and wore only a loincloth. "Tye brought me back."
"Tye!?" That got all their attentions. Christine stared at him a moment, and then suddenly started laughing. "Mike! So much for the powerful centaur warrior!"
The others joined her, and Mike flushed, feeling stupid. It was true, though. He'd gone from being an idealized centaur warrior to a scrawny peasant kid.