This is a story for  DiggerGallin
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MASCOT TALE

A young man was graduated from his college tuition and is eager to find himself a job to occupy his time and earn some cash in hand. Fortunately, his parents got him a place to stay and inform him that he’s welcome back home if he wants to, he felt appreciated. Looking through advertisement online, newspaper and friends, it seems like impossible to find a relatively easy and stable job, until he came across one ad. “Now hiring; Charitable Lion Mascot at Red Cross Community”. It seems like a perfect job for him, the pay was good enough for him at $1.2K, its location was just a few blocks down the road from his apartment, and the mascot is brand new too!

“Hmm… Seems good enough,” he thought to himself. Reading through more info, it says that there will be a walk-in interview from the 13-20 Feb. Fortunately, he had his resume prepared for this, being helpful to the community and graduating his college course was a tough time for him, but he managed. Alongside, he has been volunteering their community a few times before as a teen, so he knows the surroundings a bit. Looking at his calendar, he realise that the interview will start tomorrow and has decided to call the red cross community for an interview.

Picking up his phone and dialing the number made his heart beat heavily as it was his first to do things himself as a graduate, the phone buzz momentarily as someone from the otherside picked up. “Hello, Red Cross Association, how may I help you?”, says the young female operator from another end. “Um yeah, I’m interested in the job opportunity as a lion mascot”, “Ah, yes we are. When do you like to book a reservation on?” she questions. Thinking of the dates, he decided on the first day of the interview in the afternoon. She replied back, “Of course! We’ll set a date on 13 February 12pm, is that all?”, “Yup!” he said confidently. “OK, we’ll see you soon. Thank you for calling the Red Cross Association, bye!” the phone hung up. “That was easy”, he thought to himself. He’ll need plenty of rest for tomorrow’s big day for him.

The next day, he woke up and had to find a proper suit to wear for his interview. His dad’s hand-me-down suit will do well. Having all well dress and heading down with toast and jam in his mouth, he heads for his first interview. But before leaving, he checks to make sure that his keys are with him this time, and it is. Heading down from his apartment and greeting his fellow neighbours made him feel comfortable, he soon alight a tram down to his designation just on a nick of time before leaving. Growing up in an urban neighbourhood made him nostalgic, seeing trees and planted vines mixing well with the old and colourful buildings built from the early 20th century. Leaving his home for college for 4 years wasn’t easy for him, but he managed to get himself a diploma! It made him happy to see his hometown.

Once he alight from his destination, he felt even more nostalgic seeing his Community grew to a central hub for helping the poor, unprivileged and orphaned children across his country. Entering through the main entrance, the place was the same as he remembered, except it’s more empty than usual. Small room with the lfts behind and some furnitures on the side with the receptionist table facing in front of the entrance all balanced out. He rang the bell for the receptionist.

The receptionist hassle back to her position from the restroom, “I’m sorry sir, emergency break,” she replied. “No worries, I’m here for the interview,” he added, “Ah yes, go to the end of the corridor on your right, you are the first to be interviewed”. Surprised that he’s the first, he thanks her and head down to the corridor.

At the end, there were chairs align for waiting, yeg there’s no one there. Nervous, he knocks the door. “Come in!” a friendly voice sound behind the door, opening it was a man, probably in his 50s, sitting down on his office chair with a sofa by his side. ‘Please have a seat, and pass me your resume,” he sat and gave him his resume. “Hmm… you volunteered here as a teen huh? You alright being a lion?” the interviewer ask. “Um, yeah” he stuttered a bit. “Alright then, I need you to lay down on the sofa, I have to do a psychological test on you to see if you’re fit enough to handle a mascot”, confuse, he lay down as he said.

“Alright, now, focus on this watch,” He swung an antique pocket watch infront of him. “You’ll enjoy being a charitable lion, I know you will. Now let’s make you into one”. Looking at the pocket watch, he feels dizzy and loses his thought in mind. “There we go, now let’s turn you into an anthropomorphic lion,” “A lion”

Strangely enough, his body starts to turn! As the interviewer hypnotizes him, his face starts to elongate and form into a snout of a lion. White hair start to sprout out of his face covering it and his brunette hair turns jet black as his ear form a curve lion ears. His look at his own hands, slowly turning claws on the tip of his fingers and white hair sprouting from his skin. “Ahhh...Lion…” he sluttered his words, “Good lion, you’ll be very helpful bringing cheers to the poor”, the interviewer replied. His face now becoming more lion than human and feeling a little discomfort from behind. Turning his back, he sees something poking out; a tail?!

Feeling a bit discomfort, he pulled his shirt letting a fully grown tail out, “Heh, cute” The interviewer commented. He felt a bit embarrassed, but soft and cozy and happy.The interviewer commented, “Just a bit more,”. His shoes starts to swell and pops suddenly showing a clawed paws instead of his human feet, “Now you are done,” the interviewer replied. The once human now transformed to an anthropomorphic lion with his suit now feeling tight and rigid. As soon as he stood up his blazer ripped, “!” he reacts with what he did.

“Hehe, don’t worry about that. I’ll get you a new uniform,” he added, “Also, call me Boss.”

“Yes boss,” the lion obediently obeyed. His now boss hands him a white formal uniform with a charity logo imbedded. “Here you go lion, this will be your uniform. From now on, you’ll work here like a good, charitable lion. The changing rooms are over there,” his new boss commented, “Don’t forget to smile!”. The lion accepted his new uniform and gives his boss a smile, washing away those negative thoughts in his head. He went to the changing room to change to his new uniform, a purrfect fit.

“This is your new home, now what is your name?”, his boss asked. “John,” he replied, “Then John it is,” his boss added. “There is no return back from your old life John, you’ll be happy bringing joy and hope for the poor. Come along now! There’s children in need of us!” “Yes Boss”.

With John’s new life as a charity lion helping out and spreading faith to people around him, he learns to actually enjoy and live life with his new persona. John never complain once and his new fellow colleagues and they don’t seem to mind him at all! John now lives in a spacious room offered by his boss, not luxurious or grand but rather small and cozy for him to live. His new family with his job made him happier.

John the lion now lives in a better and happier life with his job, home, colleagues and his new form. It takes a while to adapt to his form, but he feels soft and cozy with his form.He loves it! Wonder how his family reacts to his new form?

END