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Anomalous
A Furry Learns to Read
December 22, 2569
6781 only knew the date because of the digital clock on the wall. Wait, why was he able to read the clock, let alone know what was a clock? And why was he questioning himself in this thoughtful manner? Why did he have manners?
Wolves were not supposed to have manners, and neither were they supposed to have this intellectual ability. They were able to strategize, back away in times of danger, and form packs, but their instincts normally did the rest. Instincts did not currently tell 6731 what was happening, and neither did this newfound capability to think.
A guy wearing a lab-coat, askew square glasses, and khaki pants suddenly looked up from his clipboard. He looked like he had been sleeping. He saw 6731’s bright blue eyes darting everywhere around the small room. 6731 had grown a bit bigger since he had been put to sleep and given the A-Formula a month ago. His fur had grown as well, patterned sienna and a dark shade of tan. The man fumbled around with a communication device until there was a static sound.
“Miss, y-you have to see this. He—it, I mean, sorry Ma’am—has woken up,” he said. 6731 squinted to read his name tag. It read:
PROFESSOR CARSON A. BEOWULF
HEAD OF RESEARCHING DIVISION OF THE SUPERDOG
PROJECT
In about four seconds two brawny men burst into the room, sporting twin military haircuts and dark business suits, with a woman in the middle of them. 6731 realised with a strange jolt in his stomach it was the same woman who’d put him to sleep from some time ago. She had the same dark hair and sunglasses, and the same cold, authoritative voice.
“Take it to the Specimens’ Ward, to make sure there are no complications, and that it is ready for testing,” she commanded Scary Guy #1. He obeyed immediately, so 6731 could not hear any more of their conversation though 6731 wished dearly so.
He got put into a clean white bed, with crisp white sheets and a doctor standing over him, with an even cleaner and white smile that made him want to make his sheets turn yellow.
They ran tests on him for three days filled with immense pain, not unlike when the lady had put that—what was it called? Oh, yeah—needle in his shoulder.
While the test days were filled with agony, 6731 had put his new noetic abilities to the test. He once sneaked out and found a wonderful book on Professor Beowulf’s desk, called a dictionary. 6731 had spent every moment (when he wasn’t feeling like death was almost upon him) reading it.
He also used his new ability to observe (oh, what wonderful words) how humans behaved. Most were cold to him, treating him like he wasn’t there. His doctor was terrible, with a sweet voice that always lied. There were other animals there as well, some with way worse doctors.
During Day Two, 6731 first saw death before his eyes.
The doctor didn’t seem to care.
After the three days, more people with suits brought 6731 to a new place. 6731 leaped around at this news, his still blue eyes ready to see anything other than this godforsaken laboratory, with its blinding lights and all-white walls and its terrible people.
Sure, the cage was made of barbed wires that poked at 6731’s skin, and the bumpy ride made one of the younger agents throw up, but 6731 barely noticed. Not only because of the testing days, but also because his mind had created a shield of excitement.
He would finally get to see the world.
Or not.
His excitement faded when he got locked in a slightly bigger cage. How fun.
After one week of little to no food, and lots and lots of boredom, a boy entered the room. Then Professor Beowulf (thank God he was still here) then reluctantly injected a glowing fluid into his arm.
He had dirty blonde hair kind-of dyed, and was rather tall and skinny. He was wearing a red, open button-up with a—
6731 realised something strange. Everything in his peripheral vision started blurring together, so everything there was just a blob of grey. All he could focus on was the boy.
Well, 6731 thought, if Beowulf wants me to do that, it can’t be too bad. Also, he’s rather handsome.
So, dirty-blonde quiff with a sky blue streak, and grey eyes like storm clouds. The boy was tall and skinny, with beige skin. He was wearing the open, scarlet button-up with an orange shirt inside that read “TEAM LEO” in faded writing. He was wearing brown pants and black dress shoes. His face was bored, in a sort of ‘I don’t want to be here’ manner, and attractive to 6731, though 673 was pretty sure he shouldn’t be focusing on these things.
Transforming now, crushing later.
Wait, transforming?
After hyper-focusing on the boy, who looked to be about fourteen, 6731 found himself growing taller. The boy, who had kept a blank expression previously, now gasped and stepped backwards a few times.
Now, 6731 stood up. He was way taller, and much bigger in general. Now he was about eye level with the boy, just an inch shorter. Then, he moved his fingers.
Wait, fingers?
6731 did a double take. Not only did he have fingers, he had hands, and even toes! (Why he was so excited to have toes still remains a mystery to all).
As 6731 checked out his new body, Professor Beowulf and the boy stood gaping at him. They had just watched a wolf turn into a boy, and the first successful SuperDog experiment.
6781 only knew the date because of the digital clock on the wall. Wait, why was he able to read the clock, let alone know what was a clock? And why was he questioning himself in this thoughtful manner? Why did he have manners?
Wolves were not supposed to have manners, and neither were they supposed to have this intellectual ability. They were able to strategize, back away in times of danger, and form packs, but their instincts normally did the rest. Instincts did not currently tell 6731 what was happening, and neither did this newfound capability to think.
A guy wearing a lab-coat, askew square glasses, and khaki pants suddenly looked up from his clipboard. He looked like he had been sleeping. He saw 6731’s bright blue eyes darting everywhere around the small room. 6731 had grown a bit bigger since he had been put to sleep and given the A-Formula a month ago. His fur had grown as well, patterned sienna and a dark shade of tan. The man fumbled around with a communication device until there was a static sound.
“Miss, y-you have to see this. He—it, I mean, sorry Ma’am—has woken up,” he said. 6731 squinted to read his name tag. It read:
PROFESSOR CARSON A. BEOWULF
HEAD OF RESEARCHING DIVISION OF THE SUPERDOG
PROJECT
In about four seconds two brawny men burst into the room, sporting twin military haircuts and dark business suits, with a woman in the middle of them. 6731 realised with a strange jolt in his stomach it was the same woman who’d put him to sleep from some time ago. She had the same dark hair and sunglasses, and the same cold, authoritative voice.
“Take it to the Specimens’ Ward, to make sure there are no complications, and that it is ready for testing,” she commanded Scary Guy #1. He obeyed immediately, so 6731 could not hear any more of their conversation though 6731 wished dearly so.
He got put into a clean white bed, with crisp white sheets and a doctor standing over him, with an even cleaner and white smile that made him want to make his sheets turn yellow.
They ran tests on him for three days filled with immense pain, not unlike when the lady had put that—what was it called? Oh, yeah—needle in his shoulder.
While the test days were filled with agony, 6731 had put his new noetic abilities to the test. He once sneaked out and found a wonderful book on Professor Beowulf’s desk, called a dictionary. 6731 had spent every moment (when he wasn’t feeling like death was almost upon him) reading it.
He also used his new ability to observe (oh, what wonderful words) how humans behaved. Most were cold to him, treating him like he wasn’t there. His doctor was terrible, with a sweet voice that always lied. There were other animals there as well, some with way worse doctors.
During Day Two, 6731 first saw death before his eyes.
The doctor didn’t seem to care.
After the three days, more people with suits brought 6731 to a new place. 6731 leaped around at this news, his still blue eyes ready to see anything other than this godforsaken laboratory, with its blinding lights and all-white walls and its terrible people.
Sure, the cage was made of barbed wires that poked at 6731’s skin, and the bumpy ride made one of the younger agents throw up, but 6731 barely noticed. Not only because of the testing days, but also because his mind had created a shield of excitement.
He would finally get to see the world.
Or not.
His excitement faded when he got locked in a slightly bigger cage. How fun.
After one week of little to no food, and lots and lots of boredom, a boy entered the room. Then Professor Beowulf (thank God he was still here) then reluctantly injected a glowing fluid into his arm.
He had dirty blonde hair kind-of dyed, and was rather tall and skinny. He was wearing a red, open button-up with a—
6731 realised something strange. Everything in his peripheral vision started blurring together, so everything there was just a blob of grey. All he could focus on was the boy.
Well, 6731 thought, if Beowulf wants me to do that, it can’t be too bad. Also, he’s rather handsome.
So, dirty-blonde quiff with a sky blue streak, and grey eyes like storm clouds. The boy was tall and skinny, with beige skin. He was wearing the open, scarlet button-up with an orange shirt inside that read “TEAM LEO” in faded writing. He was wearing brown pants and black dress shoes. His face was bored, in a sort of ‘I don’t want to be here’ manner, and attractive to 6731, though 673 was pretty sure he shouldn’t be focusing on these things.
Transforming now, crushing later.
Wait, transforming?
After hyper-focusing on the boy, who looked to be about fourteen, 6731 found himself growing taller. The boy, who had kept a blank expression previously, now gasped and stepped backwards a few times.
Now, 6731 stood up. He was way taller, and much bigger in general. Now he was about eye level with the boy, just an inch shorter. Then, he moved his fingers.
Wait, fingers?
6731 did a double take. Not only did he have fingers, he had hands, and even toes! (Why he was so excited to have toes still remains a mystery to all).
As 6731 checked out his new body, Professor Beowulf and the boy stood gaping at him. They had just watched a wolf turn into a boy, and the first successful SuperDog experiment.