Melancholia

Remnants 2 - Theme Park

Abby finally woke up from her deep slumber, lying down on a bench. She was shocked. She didn't sleep there, how did she get there? Or more importantly, where was she?

She looked around and found herself in a city, a dark city with little light. It was early dawn, that was for sure. In front of an ice cream parlor she was, with an elephant sign on the front glass window.

She got off the chair, wanting to look around. When she did so, she felt weird. She had shrunken to the size of a toddler. As she got down, she noticed her hands, or rather, paws.

"Paws!" she thought to herself. She looked around her body and found that her entire body was covered in grey fur. It couldn't be, she couldn't have turned into an animal, could she? She touched her behind and as she expected, found a tail. She ran to find a mirror and found that she looked like a grey bunny in a blue guard suit, like the ones seen in a movie.

Suddenly, she remembered her job application a few months ago.

"So, why are you applying for this job?"

"It's my dream, you know. To work for your company. I just love your movies. In fact, I can say any line."

"How do you do?"

"How do you do? You mean what do I do?"

"I see. Alright, we'll review your resume and get to you later."

"Thank you."

She got the job of being the mascot of the animation theme park, the grey bunny. However, she didn't expect it to be like this...

She was devastated, her life destroyed. She was now... What was she? A human girl? No, she wasn't, she was covered in fur. A female rabbit? A rabbit doesn't stand on two legs. She didn't know what she was. She... Didn't belong anywhere anymore. If only she could find a way to turn back.

She, frustrated, started to cry in agony in the darkness of the theme park. Suddenly, she heard footsteps, coming closer and closer.

"Dumb, naive bunny."

An orange fox appeared from the shadows.

"What?"

"Sly fox, dumb bunny."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Tom, Tom Skip."

"Are you a robot?"

"What do you think?"

"Who are you?"

"I am an employee here. Welcome to your first day."

"You? An employee?"

"Yes. I'm Nicholas Vild, call me Nick."

"Okay, Nick," she said softly, "Please explain why am I an anthropomorphic bunny!?"

"You're our mascot," he grinned, "don't you know?"

"Yes, I know," she said, emphasizing the word, "I".

"So... What's the matter?"

"Get this, all you have to do is to entertain the visitors."

"That still doesn't explain why the heck I am a bunny!!!" she screamed loudly, pulling down her long grey ears agitatedly.

"Didn't you read the contract properly? Under Section 5a Term 1, 'The employee is to be transformed into a desired character for an indefinite amount of time."

"Is it permanent?"

"Oh yes, it is."

"Noooo! How can I return to my daily life? How can I..." she sobbed. "I haven't even carried out my life's dream yet..."

"Just kidding, it's not permanent."

"You... You tricked me!"

"Sly fox, dumb bunny."

"Here, I'll lay it out for you, everyday, you have to come here at the time you woke up, transform into a bunny, and carry out your duties. Then, at the end of the day, you can transform back into a human and return home."

"Is that all? Sounds easy."

"Here's the thing though. We'd like to increase the number of recruits. As such, we have invented a transformation device."

"Where is it?"

"It's in here," Nick said, showing her a purple head band with antelope horns on it.

"Inside here?"

"Yes. Basically, all it does is transform a human to the specified anthropomorphic animal, specified by the machine. By default, the animal is the same as the type of headband."

"How to activate it?"

"Three ways. The wearer could activate it by him or herself, or you could activate it, or we, the producers of the headband can activate it. Typically the wearer will activate it by their ownself. Any other questions?"

"No, sir."

"Alright, so prepare for your shift. Oh, and if you run out of headbands, just ask from our staff."

"Alright, I will!"

The fox raised his paw, waved, and left.

She was all alone, but day was approaching. Soon she could identify the location, it was a theme park. The animation theme park. Being a huge fan of the animation company and their works, she could easily recognize the scene. She went to the part where Riley was supposed to be at the beginning of the movie, Bunnyland. Soon, it was opening time.

She, as the mascot, did her job entertaining the visitors, even taking photos with them. She didn't mind her looks, for money was awaiting. In fact, she rather enjoyed it, being loved by so many people. Of course, she also handed out the headbands, teaching them how to use it. None of them did use the transformation function though, they weren't interested.

Until a girl did. She put a gray mouse head band on her head and was transformed into an anthropomorphic gray mouse. Her parents noticed that and confronted Abby, asking her how to reverse the transformation. She told them that she would have to ask another staff as it was her first day, and ran off to find Nicholas.

Soon, she found him. "Nick," she said, tired after hopping all the way there, "how do I reverse the animal transformation?"

"Hmm, it's complicated. Why ask?"

"Two parents want their child turned back."

"Is that so? Bring me to them, I'll tell them what to do."

She brought him to them and he brought them away on a walk, to another place. She, however, continued to do her duties.

Soon, it was home time. She was ready to go transform back into a human and return home. Once again, she found Nick.

"I'm afraid the transformation is irreversible," he said.

"What!?"

"It's permanent."

"But you said..."

"It's all a trick."

"Noo... Now I really cannot return like this..."

"Stay here, perhaps."

"Here? In Bunnyland?"

"You could pick any area."

"Okay then, so my clothes... The old ones won't fit."

"We'll get them ready. Anything else?"

"Nothing."

"Alright then, see you."

"See you tomorrow," she replied, hesitating to ask about the mouse girl.

And so Abby lived in the theme park for her entire life, doing her duties. An anthropomorphic bunny was she, forever.