"it doesn't need to be painful," adrianus said, his voice unnaturally soft and calm.

"the hell do you mean it doesn't need to be painful? like, my bones are shifting around and there's all that hair growing at once, and like-" shark sucked in a sharp breath as their body snapped and twisted. "man, i do this every month, you think if there was a way to just make it not hurt i wouldn't've already..."

"shh," he whispered, gently touching their back and kneeling beside them as they did everything they could not to writhe on the ground. "you just don't know how to allow it to happen, shark... that's why i'm going to teach you."

"you're an idiot for getting so close right now, like, when the claws and teeth really come in and i'm freaking out and not thinking, you're gonna-"

"you're going to listen to me," he said, the sudden firmness of his voice stopping their thoughts. "just listen and relax... take deep breaths for me now..."

a part of them still wanted to complain, to tell him there's no way they could just relax when they were in the middle of transforming. but they listened anyway, their uneven pants slowing down into a more steady rhythm.

"that's right... very good. you're doing very well."

the genuine praise did melt some of their resistance and tension, even if their body was still aching, and their skin itched and burned from the fur growing in. it was a weird feeling, a weird contrast.

it really did make them wonder if he actually could help.

he delicately ran his hands along the fur emerging from their body, stroking it repetitively and monotonously. "when you relax, all of those normal sensations you experience when you transform can change..." he murmured. "you can appreciate the feeling of being enveloped in soft, warm fur... do you feel how soft it is, as i pet it like this? how it feels over your skin... there's no reason it should have to be uncomfortable. you've just been interpreting it that way... because you feel afraid... because you always try to fight it... so much of your pain and discomfort happens because you're trying to fight it..."

the petting really was starting to feel nice. the burning was turning to warmth... maybe still a little uncomfortable, but not as bad as it was.

their legs twitched and shifted, causing another stab of pain that made them wince.

his hand moved to their leg. "it's alright... your muscles can just relax... your body is trying to transform... and you can just allow it to happen. you can relax, so that your muscles can be more loose, and soft, and pliant... and then there won't be so much strain, and tugging, and twisting inside of you... your muscles will be soft and pliant, like clay... ready to be moved and shaped... every movement is like a deep, thorough massage... all the way down to the bone... even those cracks... can just feel like a nice stretch... like an instant, satisfying relief of tight pressure that you didn't even realize you had."

they'd really never paid much attention to what was actually happening in their body when they transformed, it was usually just kind of an amalgamation of pain and itchiness and burning and twisting and fear that made it hard to think about anything. it was weird actually being aware of exactly what was going on, now that they could relax a little more and he was directing them to focus on the individual sensations. it was weird to really feel those little movements and shifts inside of them.

they were still a little skeptical that it could really feel pleasant, but it was interesting to think of it like a massage.

"how are you feeling now?" he asked.

"it's still... it still kinda hurts sometimes, and it's kind of uncomfortable, but... mostly it's just weird, i guess..." they mumbled.

"that's alright..." he continued stroking them. "just keep taking those deep breaths... keep relaxing... it's fine if it still feels strange... you can just allow it to happen. don't fight it... let yourself be soft and pliant... perfectly passive... giving in... letting the moonlight seep into your body... letting yourself be shaped and molded like clay... so easily... so effortlessly... it can feel so nice... when you just give in..."

it was kind of creepy to hear things like that, especially in that slow, dull, drowsy kind of voice he was murmuring in, but it really did something to them. their body was shifting more easily. it seemed like it was happening more quickly than usual, too, although they wondered if it was really taking the same amount of time as always and it just felt longer when they were in pain.

but they felt a weird kind of helplessness. it felt unnatural to just sit there and relax while their body changed like that. while they became less and less human.

"that's it..." adrianus cooed. "your legs are changing very nicely... your fur is growing in beautifully... your tail is beginning to sprout... and you're completely relaxed... just as you should be."

every time he talked, it was like their body relaxed even more, completely on its own. the pain was fading away.

"by now, you might be experiencing some mental effects, as well... but even those... can be changed..."

his words were brushing up against their mind now. shivers ran down their spine.

"that's right... you don't need to change into a wild beast..." he said softly. "you're not becoming a wild animal... you're becoming... a docile... domesticated... pet."

the words sent tingles through their whole body and mind. it flustered them, but that flustered feeling was distant and quiet. they were so relaxed that they felt like they couldn't fight it, like they couldn't challenge the idea, especially when the alternative was obviously worse. they didn't want to become an uncontrollable beast, or anything. and he was the reason they weren't currently writhing and groaning and growling in pain. his words controlled their body so well that the transformation was starting to feel kind of good, and relaxing, which was something they never would've imagined was possible.

so when he told them they were becoming a pet, they couldn't resist it. they had to accept it, just like they had to accept and give in to the rest of the transformation.

he was petting their back again, moving up as their upper body was shifting. the petting contributed to that feeling of becoming a pet.

"your claws can be smaller... less sharp... your mind can be more relaxed... more dependent... more open to suggestions. you won't have to feel so out of control... you will be easy to control... perfectly responsive to me... easy to calm, and direct, and guide... just as you've been directed and guided through this transformation."

it made them melt. it was reassuring, in a way, but it was so... dominating, too.

more and more of their body was changing. they wondered if their claws really were smaller this time. if he really could affect the physical transformation to that degree.

"the more your body shifts... the more you become a pet. giving in to the transformation makes you feel so open and docile and pliant... the movements in your body feel like a nice, deep massage... loosening you up... releasing all of your tension... all of your pain... all of your frustration... all of your aggression. it makes you relax... more and more... until you feel so relaxed... that you're willing to just go along with whatever you're told. and with each stroke of your fur... each time i pet you... you're reminded of these feelings... these nice, pleasurable feelings... more and more. feeling them so deeply... so deeply..."

their mind felt foggy, the fog getting thicker like the fur growing on them. a small part of them felt like this was weird, like something was wrong, but they were feeling better with every second. it felt so nice to be petted... they couldn't believe how nice it was. they felt like they could just sit there with him for hours like that.

"there you go..." he was gradually moving up their body, until he was petting their head. it felt so nice, they made a little noise in response, without even thinking about it. his mouth was near their ear now, and he was talking so softly, but it sounded better the more their ears changed and became more sensitive. "don't resist or fight the mental transformation, either... just relax and let go... just allow it to happen... knowing that you're becoming a docile pet... wanting to become a docile pet. becoming... my docile pet."

another sound came from deep in their throat.

"that's it... you are my pet, aren't you? you know you are... that's right..."

it really felt right. it felt right that they should be his pet. he was the one who tamed them... who took control of their transformation... who made them listen.

"you're almost done now... almost completely transformed... you've done very well... such a good boy. and next time, it will be even better, won't it? next time, you won't fight it at all, will you? because you know how nice it is... you know that you're just becoming my pet... and of course that feels good..."

the thick fog felt so nice in their head. every word he was saying felt nice. their tail wagged slowly, lazily. they felt like they were falling asleep.

he just kept cooing at them and petting them, until they knew the transformation was complete, and they really had become his pet in every way.

they finally heard him rustling through his bag for a moment, grabbing something and wrapping around their neck, closing it with a click.

a collar.

he gently told them to hold still as he attached a leash to it.

"it's not that i think you really need a leash," he said softly, standing up. "but every good dog should be leash trained... so we're going to do that on the way home tonight, alright? and you're going to be good and listen, just like you've been doing..."

they wanted to be good. it was easy, just going along with that gentle tug on their collar.