Into the Vanessaverse

The woods were dark, the trees gnarled into unreal shapes around both sides of the narrow path. Only the sound of the rickety wagon was audible in this claustrophobic expanse—that, and the occasional hooting of an owl, or the howl of a wolf far in the distance. It was impossible to see anything beyond the path’s edge, however.

Only three people rode inside the wagon, the structure pulled by a singular donkey who dutifully marched along its route. Vanessa, as always, enjoyed the atmosphere of their travels, eagerly grinning at the darkness like a hyena. Agent was increasingly worried, not just for the woods and their hidden terrors, but of Vanessa’s excited behavior, which may have been worse. Accompanying them both was Alex, the infrequent volunteer for the duo; even they were expressing doubts about their goal.

“There wasn’t another path?” they asked, concerned. They patted Agent’s leg in minor reassurance of their friend.

“What, scared of a little mystery?” Vanessa chuckled. “A little intrigue?”

“I’m mostly scared of being mauled to death,” Agent said. Vanessa rolled her eyes.

“Oh please,” she said. “You’re talking to a witch, darlings. Any pain you suffer, I can fix.”

“Doesn’t really do much for the pain, though…” Agent grumbled. In response, he started looking down to the ground, eyes on the splintered wood beneath them. Even the floor was unnerving to him, his stress already high enough to render him otherwise incapable of doing much else.

Alex, meanwhile, extended their gaze forward, squinting a little to make sense of their surroundings. “I think I see light,” they said. “Far off, but we’re getting there.”

“Scaredy-cats,” Vanessa scoffed. “Alright, fine, but on the way back I’m telling spooky stories.”

“Why did we even agree to this?” Agent asked. “You said this would be fun.”

“Oh, it is,” Vanessa chuckled. “The legendary Pleasure Island itself. Donkey transformation headquarters.”

“We know what Pleasure Island is,” Alex said. “You explained this all to us before.”

“Just thought I’d remind you both,” Vanessa said with a shrug. “Since you did agree to accompany Agent to keep him busy while I discussed business behind the scenes.”

Alex blinked. “What an odd thing to say,” they said.

The light grew ever-closer, the darkness subsiding in favor of salvation. The moment the last of the trees passed their line of sight, brightness enveloped them, and their vision improved significantly. What they saw shocked them.

It was a vibrant and exciting amusement park ahead of them all. Even from afar, rides such as a rollercoaster and Ferris wheel were all visible, with happy cheering audible. Even the sign sported a cheerful donkey mascot, smiling brightly for all to see. It looked like nothing less than a wonderful time.

Agent and Alex were both mesmerized by the sight. Vanessa, meanwhile, had swapped moods with her compatriots. “What,” she said flatly.

“I’m not sure what I expected, but this is much better,” Agent sighed in relief. “I hope they have funnel cake.”

The cart eventually came to a stop just by the entrance. Out front, there was a cheerful and well-dressed man outside, wearing a bright purple suit and sporting a cane that seemed to be more for fashion’s sake than for any mobility needs. Vanessa stepped out of her cart first, followed by Agent and Alex; the man approached the witch directly.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome all!” he greeted. “Miss Dementa, I presume? It’s a pleasure to welcome you all to Pleasure Island!”

“Likewise, Mister Coachman,” Vanessa said. Her interest had waned somewhat at seeing such a garishly bright theme park. Where was the abject horror she was anticipating?

The man laughed. “Oh, please, Mister Coachman was my father,” he waved off. “Call me Gary.” He turned to address the others. “And these must be your guests! Welcome, Alex, and…” Gary paused, briefly snapping his fingers as he wracked his brain for a name. “She listed you as ‘Plus One’…”

Agent briefly shot a glare to Vanessa in annoyance, before nodding. “It’s Agent, thank you,” he told Gary. “Thank you for having us.”

“Of course!” Gary smiled. “You two have direct VIP access to our lovely theme park here, naturally, as guests of Miss Dementa here. So much fun here, it’s ri-donk-ulous!”

Vanessa nearly threw up in her mouth, before collecting herself. “I’ll wait in the cart,” she decided. She was already turning to do exactly that.

“Now hang on,” Gary insisted. “Look, I know it wasn’t what you were expecting here. Maybe you still remember the place when my father, God rest his soul, owned the place. Sure, we got rid of the more questionable things, and we shut down that horrid operation going on—”

“No complaints for that last one,” Vanessa nodded. Even she has limits.

“But I can assure you that we’re just as exciting and fun as we were in our heyday,” Gary continued. “Why, our primary draw is our donkey transformations.”

Alex immediately perked their head up even higher. “Donkey transformations?” they asked.

“Oh my, yes,” Gary explained. “There’s absolutely no secret to that one. You’d be surprised about how many people want to turn into a donkey, really. We just capitalized on that one while still making a safe and friendly environment for them to do so in.”

Alex immediately turned towards Agent. “We are going to go on every single ride here,” they decided. “Every single one.”

“Ah, but first,” Gary said. He pulled out a pair of documents. “There’s something you two need to do first. Just a signature is needed.”

Agent tried glancing at the papers in curiosity. “Are those contracts?” he asked.

“Liability waivers,” Gary said. “We want to keep the lawyers happy. Basically this just says that we have explicitly told you about the transformation that you will almost certainly be enjoying within our gates and that you release Pleasure Island of all responsibility of such transformations.” He raised a finger. “Oh, and that these are all temporary, by the way. Can’t forget that.”

Agent signed quietly, as did Alex. “This is the most straightforward set of shenanigans I’ve been involved with for weeks,” Agent said.

Once both signatures were on the form, Gary carefully folded them up and set them inside his pocket. He then pulled out two gold cards, one for each of the guests. “Excellent,” he said. “Now that’s over with, it’s time for a braying good time! VIP members get quick access to the rides, and all expenses paid.”

“You heard the guy,” Vanessa shrugged. “You kids go play.”

Alex nodded in response. “Thank you,” they said to both Gary and Vanessa. They practically dragged Agent into the park, eagerness taking over. Agent, of course, wasn’t adverse to it either, sporting a wide smile on his face as well.

Vanessa was left with the park’s benefactor. She idly examined the cheerful façade, uncertainty in her eyes.

“Perhaps we should bring this to my office?” Gary suggested. “Maybe a good look at how Pleasure Island operates nowadays may convince you.”

Vanessa twisted her hand back and forth. “Worth a shot,” she said. “Lead the way.”

…

Both Alex and Agent were caught off-guard about just how much was actually inside the park proper. Yes, there was a coaster and Ferris wheel, but there were also bumper cars, carousels, a log flume, and more. A funhouse on one end, a magician’s stage show on another. Dining options ranging from quick-service stands for patrons in a hurry, to themed sit-down dining packed with culinary delights. There was even an arcade, what used to be a gambling hall based on some leftover sign backing just behind the neon lights.

What was most striking were the patrons themselves. Some had only just gotten in with the duo, unchanged. Some were fully donkeys, wandering around and clopping with all four hooves. Some were in a state of flux, halfway changed. And everyone had the biggest grin on their faces.

Alex was in awe. “It’s real,” they said, impressed. “It’s actually real.”

“Alex, you’re friends with an eldritch cosmic being and you’re a shapeshifter yourself,” Agent said with mild amusement.

“Well, yes,” Alex admitted. “But that’s just daily life. Seeing it in the wild like this, and at such a scale? It’s incredible.”

Agent chuckled. “That it is.”

He was immediately pulled along again when Alex fixated on a new find. “Oh my gosh, it’s Dominic Donkey,” they simply said. “We have GOT to get a selfie with him!”

Dominic seemed to be a cheerful mascot designed like the grinning donkey on the park’s sign, no doubt the face of the operation. This suit was a perfect replica, no loose seams or stitches, no expense spared. Nor was Alex the first to take photos; several patrons were happily doing so, sharing hugs and hi-fives with earnest glee. It was charming, Agent thought.

Eventually the line thinned out and Alex pulled Agent closer to the Dominic mascot. The suit’s operator mimed an enthusiastic greeting, patting Agent on the shoulder with a comical delay. The nerd couldn’t help but laugh a little, his inner child awoken.

“Here, let’s get a pic,” Alex offered. They pulled out their phone, and Dominic offered first a silent expression of mock surprise, then a silly gesture towards himself, patting his hair and red bowtie to look presentable. Then he helped the duo on each side of him, Alex to the right and Agent to the left, all while Alex held the phone out. They flipped their camera viewer, and with a swift touch of their thumb, a photo was snapped.

“Thank you, Dominic,” Alex said with a smile and a wave to the cheerful mascot. “Dominic” gave an enthusiastic wave of his own to the two friends, before resuming his meet and greet session with the other patrons.

Once they were safely away from any crowds and walkways, Alex gestured to their phone as they offered it to Agent. “How does it look?”

Agent inspected the selfie, appreciating how happy they all looked. Then he began to giggle at something in the frame. “Oh wow!” he called. “That soon already?”

Confused, Alex flipped their phone around in their direction to see what had caused Agent’s giggle-fit. They inspected the image carefully, taking only a few seconds to see what was the matter. Alex, too, began to giggle, carefully brushing their free hand on the side of their head. Just as the picture showed: their ears, once human and small, were now the ears of a donkey, large and floppy. They instinctually twitched at the touch, the adorable ears the first sign of their mutual change.

“I think the more rides and activities we do, the more we’ll change,” they theorized. “So, the quicker we do everything here…”

“We’ll be donkeys entirely within the hour,” Agent finished with a smile. “I’m alright with that. I’m just glad you’re so excited.”

“And I’m glad you’re getting out of your comfort zone,” Alex reciprocated. “Now how about we hit up the roller coaster first? Get that out of the way.”

…

The initial rides helped to shake up Agent a little, the introvert not exactly the biggest fan of coasters. Alex, however, was both a fan and a strong form of emotional support, and thus Agent made an admirable showing of not wussing out midway through the queue. It turned out to not be as bad as he feared, too. Granted, most of the ride was spent with his eyes closed, but that was a small victory all the same.

The extra adrenaline helped spur the friends to the next ride, the log flume. This, too, normally would have made Agent cautious, but instead he remained steadfast. Part of it was the company. Part of it were the changes they were both undergoing.

After the coaster, both Alex and Agent could feel their pants tightening around the rear, before there was a small ripping sound. Out from the new hole swayed a gentle tail, already sporting a tuft of hair matching the color of the hair on their head perfectly. Alex especially took a gentle approach, allowing the tail to rest in their arms, feeling how real it felt. How much of it was his own. It was euphoric.

After that, they realized, the rest would blur past. The log flume resulted in their shoes becoming loose, eventually forcing their feet to slip out, revealing hardened hooves that clopped audibly on the ground. The carousel, gentle as it was, gave the two barreled chests, befitting an equine. They hadn’t been forced to all fours yet—that was likely coming later—but it was a sign of things to come.

Agent’s stomach eventually rumbled, and he gently touched his belly in consideration. “All of this running around worked up an appetite,” he said. “Wanna grab a bite to eat? I’d treat, but you know…it’s free.”

Alex chuckled at that. “I’m sure they have some good options,” they said. “I’m kinda craving a vegetarian option today.”

Fortunately there were some sit-down restaurants nearby. One Spanish cuisine style called Donkey-Ote (“Ooh, that’s clever,” Agent had noted to himself); another that had a space theme with an astronaut Dominic waving to the patrons, simply titled 2001: A Space Eatery. The one that Alex fixated on, however, was one that was incredibly similar to a Western saloon, the largest of the bunch, and one with the advertisement for arcade games on the inside. Alex specifically nudged Agent and pointed out that last detail.

The inside was packed, with just enough room for the two friends. From the visuals, it was clear the building used to be a bar—and some elements remained, fitting the saloon theme, such as a vast drink menu. It was, however, purely a family friendly location, as none of the drinks possessed alcohol, but were instead amusing flavor combinations that both sounded delicious and took a twist on the park’s origins as a literal tourist trap. The arcade, meanwhile, was to the side, most prominently a light-gun game called Dominic’s Shootin’ Gallery.

“It’s like a Chuck E. Cheese in here,” Alex noted. “It could use some entertainment on a stage, though. Maybe an animatronic or a dancer.” They mused briefly. “Do you think they’re hiring? I’d love to be a dancing mascot or something.”

“You wouldn’t even need a costume,” Agent joked. “You could turn into it yourself.”

Alex chuckled at the thought, but they did trail off briefly. The idea of such a park existing, the changes they had experienced? It was such a delight, and it was a pity they hadn’t been there prior. Hopefully Vanessa was lenient, and would allow for future outings like this.

Their food eventually arrived, the duo having ordered vegetarian dishes, primarily crafted with cabbage in mind. For beverages, each received one glass of what was called “Braying Butterbeer”. Agent picked up his glass delicately.

“Wonder if it lives up to its name,” he said, before taking a swig. Alex watched intently as his friend gulped the contents. No sooner than he swallowed did he let off a rather loud belch, then he started to transition to a rather loud “HAAAAAWW” sound. Agent’s head leaned forward from the shock.

“Yep,” he said, barely audible from his position, staring directly at the table. “That’s got a kick.”

“How do you feel?” Alex asked. Agent raised his head, and Alex gasped at the sight, barely stifling a grin. His nerdy friend had sprouted a donkey’s muzzle, buck-teeth exposed in the center, brown fur coating the extended facial features. Agent’s eyes followed Alex’s vision, and he carefully patted his face. He couldn’t help but laugh, his voice frequently interspersed with more braying. This, in turn, caused Alex to laugh with delight, both enjoying the absurdity of their situation and excited for their own changes. They lifted their glass, motioning for Agent to raise his.

“Cheers,” Alex said, clinking their glass with Agent’s. Then they downed the full contents in one fell movement.

…

Vanessa was a hard-sell, Gary eventually realized. Sitting inside his plush and comfortable office, given a full run-down of operations and how pleasurable Pleasure Island had gotten, the witch still was non-committal to investment opportunities. Ironic, really; she came to him with her own offer in the first place, and now she was welching? Yet he couldn’t blame her all that much.

“Call me sentimental, but I might be nostalgic for the old days,” Vanessa explained. “You know, the creepy implications, the slow burn and realization of how one’s behavior would become reality. How acting like a donkey would make you one.”

“There had to be a lot of changes,” Gary admitted. “My father certainly didn’t care much about things like satisfaction and happiness. Just profit and sadism.”

“Yes, that’s very rare in the business world,” Vanessa dryly noted. “No offense, but I have a reputation to uphold, so we’d have to come up with something that’ll pique my interest and keep my name brand focused on scares and pranks. Or I’ll have to walk.”

“I’m sure we can think of something,” Gary nodded. “But if I may?”

Gary gestured to the side wall, Vanessa following his finger. On the wall was a large bank of monitors, each one presenting a security camera’s footage for the eccentric owner himself to preview. It seemed that he really did take customer satisfaction seriously—to the point where he wanted to see his park in action, the faces of his patrons.

On one such monitor was the Western restaurant, Agent and Alex clearly visible amongst the tables. Vanessa leaned in, curious as to where Gary was going with this gesture. But as she observed, she could see the two darlings she came in with silently laughing, smiling, having a grand time together. Their company was more than enough, and having such a pleasant place to spend their time only exponentially raised their pleasure.

“It’s what I live for,” Gary said. “That smile. That gleeful smile, midway between a man and a mule. Fun.” Gary smiled fondly at the monitors. “I know you feel the same way about those two. Reputation or not, you want them to be happy, right? That’s why you brought them here.”

“I…” Vanessa started, uncertain what to say. Sure, she brought them to the park, though under the pretense that it would be a prank, instilling some terrifying transformation on the two solely to get a rise out of them, before pulling them out and “saving” everyone. She could have pulled them away the minute she saw Pleasure Island was fully defanged, but she didn’t. She couldn’t.
Seeing their faces lit up on the screen, smiles around, completely aware of and cheerfully embracing their mutual changes into donkeys, Vanessa was reminded of why she does what she does. Pranks, mischief, those were the ways she shares her affection with her darlings…but sometimes her darlings want to share affection in other ways.

She considered her position, and she sighed. “Alright,” she said. “I think we can come to a compromise that benefits us both.”

Gary, who observed from the side as the witch had her epiphany, smiled gently.

…

The discussion was long and extensive, and by the time the witch and the theme park owner left the office, night was beginning to fall on Pleasure Island. The rides had lit up with a cheerful glow, a shining beacon of what the park now represented. Most patrons were donkeys by now, or nearing their completion, still retaining their senses of self as they trotted along the paths, some starting to exit after a long day of merriment and whimsy.

Vanessa raised a hand against the sunset’s glare, skimming the thinning crowd for a sign of her guests. “They should be somewhere…”

Eventually she examined the Ferris wheel closer. She could see a pair of donkeys stepping out of one of the gondolas, laughing and chatting with each other, still wearing the same clothing Alex and Agent came in with. Plenty of time had allowed them both to finish changing—hours ago, in fact. It was only towards the later hours that they elected to ride the wheel, obtaining the best possible vista for their ride.

Vanessa waved to them both, and upon taking notice, the donkeys trotted towards her at a leisurely pace. They grinned. “Hey, Vanessa,” Alex said, once they were close enough. “Thanks again for taking us today.”

“Yeah, this was great,” Agent agreed. Amusingly, his glasses remained planted on his muzzle. “Remind me to invest in an all-year pass.”

“That’s not the only thing being invested,” Vanessa smirked. “By the time we come back, we should have new attractions on standby. We decided on a haunted house, for example.”

This especially piqued Alex’s interest. “What sort of theme?”

“A lighter take on the park’s origins, but without any actual malice,” Gary explained. “We’ll workshop the details as we go. Also, we’ll probably add more performances, and a parade at this time of night.”

“Gary convinced me to spare no expense,” Vanessa said. “Even if the concept of money still eludes me.”

Alex gave an excited bray. “Oh, then you’ll definitely have to let me come next time,” they said.

“Heck yeah, I’ll not be going without Alex,” Agent agreed with his own set of braying. “I just can’t wait to get started.”

“Well, we’ll have plenty of time to think about it on the cart ride home,” Vanessa said. She slowly gestured to the park’s exit, gently but firmly. “It’s about time we left anyway.”

Agent gave a nod, more than satisfied with his time today. Alex, too, was appreciative of the efforts taken to getting them there. They started off towards the gates, Gary waving them off all the while, and Vanessa glided after them.

Cautiously, the two new donkeys were led into the cart, with both equines slowly resting on the floor; the hay was cool against their fur, and their quadrupedal lounging was more comfortable than sitting on the bench. Vanessa took advantage of the extra space to lay on her back.

“You two look adorable, by the way,” the witch smirked gently. “I should have turned you into donkeys ages ago, given you a good brushing.”

“That actually sounds good anyway…” Agent remarked. His tail swayed in the gentle breeze, as Alex allowed his eyes to close for a brief rest. “And some carrots…Mmm, that sounds good.”

Vanessa laughed, affectionately brushing the manes of her guests. “I bet it does,” she said. Then, quietly: “I’m glad you two had fun.”

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