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It was a warm evening in April, and Ralph Collins was ready to impress the movers and shakers of high society.

With a gaily-held wine glass in hand and a carefree expression, he was the picture of an effortlessly confident socialite, but in truth he was carefully scrutinising the party and every face in attendance. At least those faces with whom he could curry favour.

There was Marigold Clifford, on the board of some charity he couldn't remember that spent more money on gala events than the people it claimed to champion. She could open doors for him.

Roger Ryefield, head of a prestigious consultancy firm and currently leering at the young piano player. A scandal waiting to happen, if Ralph wanted to resort to blackmail.

Alex and Wendy Mossberg, his party's gracious hosts. Hypocrites and social climbers, laughing uproariously at what was undoubtedly a tasteless joke. If he could find the right time to present the tickets he had procured for them, it would do wonders for his image.

But he was looking for one guest in particular: Rose Kinnear. He found her standing by the ice sculpture, sampling an amuse-bouche and laughing - rather flirtily - with a tall, relaxed, familiar-looking figure.

As he approached, she turned and beamed at him.

"Ralph, darling! It's so good to see you! Remy here was just telling me about his adventures overseas.

Ralph returned her smile in an attempt to mask his sudden distaste. The man she was talking with, Remy Guignard, was a new-money millionaire, feckless playboy, and a man with whom Ralph had once shared a bitter social rivalry.

"Remy. It's been a while. What are you doing back in the city?"

"Why, I'm here to see the lovely Rose Kinnear, of course." Remy winked at her, and as she tittered in response Ralph had to exert effort not to roll his eyes.

Rose placed a hand on Ralph's shoulder. "Oh, Ralph, dear. I'm very happy about what you did for my nephew. I spoke to some friends and - well, I suppose you're going to find out soon enough anyway! I got you that seat on the selection committee!"

Ralph's smile was sincere now, and more than a little smug. He'd been coveting that committee, and the influence that came with it, for weeks. "That's wonderful news. I hope that your nephew - uh--"

In that moment he caught a glimmer of blue coming from Remy's hand, and his train of thought was derailed completely. He knew what the glimmer was even before he looked. Remy was wearing an ostentatious ring with a gold band and a large, cloudy sapphire. It seemed Remy had won their rivalry.

That ring was the unmistakable symbol of the most exclusive club known to exist, and one that Ralph could never hope to join - not legitimately. But Remy had somehow managed to do just that, and was now, unequivocally, his social superior. The injustice burned.

They were waiting for him to finish his sentence. "Uh - well - I'm glad I was able to help, is all."

"Dear, I thought you'd be a bit happier. Oh well. Thank you for helping. Remy, you said you had something to show me."

Remy grinned. "I do. You'll love it." He extended his hand, and Ralph took it automatically. "See you around, Collins."

As they shook hands, Ralph felt his thumb brush up against Remy's ring. He imagined he could feel the power radiating from it.

Rose and Remy walked off together, while Ralph struggled to keep his cool. He should have been happy about his appointment to the committee, and about earning Rose's favour. But all he could think about was the ring that Remy - Remy of all people - had acquired, and which he lacked.

It was only the second time in his life he'd seen one of these rings in person, and his jealousy now was even more acute than it had been then. But this time Ralph knew something he hadn't before: One didn't have to use legitimate means.

He found a quiet corner and dialled his phone. It was well after work hours, but he knew his assistant would answer within seconds.

"Ben. It's me. That replica you found - I want it after all."

---

Ralph had been so focused on acquiring the ring that he hadn't even considered the consequent dilemma: when to start wearing it?

He'd wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity, but his usually-staunch discipline was wavering. He had a date tonight with the lovely Elizabeth Davis. She was no Rose Kinnear, but she was good company and reasonably-well connected. He was very tempted to wear his new ring to the restaurant to see her reaction.

It had already been three days since Ben had delivered him his prize - with the usual fretting, of course. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" "What if someone finds out?" "They're a powerful group... even Uncle fears them." Ralph had dismissed him out of hand. Ben was loyal, but obsequiously so. He didn't have a daring bone in his body.

Ralph removed the jewellery box from his pocket and peeked inside for what must be the hundredth time. The ring comprised a very expensive golden band that complemented the sapphire wonderfully, but it was the stone itself that caught the eye. It was cloudy, not flawless like one would expect of such a prized ring, but in a way that only added to the impression of depth and mystery. When he angled it just so, it produced the most beautiful shimmer, one he could have stared at for hours.

The band was engraved with script he couldn't understand, but he presumed was some sort of signature to verify authenticity. He'd never seen a real ring close enough to make a proper comparison but it seemed, to him, to be just like the real thing. He imagined once more that he could physically feel power thrumming through it.

In a fit of pure impulse he slid the ring onto his finger for the first time and held out his hand to stare at the intoxicating sight. Now he was part of society's upper echelons - or at least he could pretend to be.

---

Then again, maybe it would be better to wait.

Ralph was in the elevator on the way up to the penthouse restaurant where he was meeting Elizabeth, and he was having second thoughts.

For one thing, Remy was probably still in town. Ralph hated the idea of postponing his plans for that guy, but he didn't want to take undue risks either. Remy could expose his deception easily. Wouldn't it be better to wait until he was off playing whatever global power games Club members involved themselves with? There was no hurry.

He tried to slip the ring off, and it didn't budge. That was strange. It had been a perfect fit when he'd put it on.

Another couple of tugs. It was still stuck fast. The elevator had nearly arrived at the restaurant.

He gave an almighty tug. The ring didn't move, he squeaked with surprise as a tingle ran down his spine.

Wait - squeaked? That was undignified.

The elevator arrived before he could devote time to unsticking the ring. He'd just have to worry about it later.

Elizabeth was ravishing, as usual, and the city lights were beautiful. They were in a penthouse restaurant with a huge waiting list. Ralph should have felt triumphant, but instead he was uneasy. He didn't feel like showing Elizabeth the ring now, so he'd put his hand in his pocket, and now it was hidden under the table.

"So I told her if she doesn't change the date of her art exhibition she can forget about being invited to any more of my dinner parties. And she knows she needs those to drum up business, because she's really the most awful saleswoman."

"Mm." Ralph was fidgeting with the ring, trying without success to remove it.

"Ralph, did you hear me? "

"Oh - yes. She's an awful saleswoman. Go on."

"Dear, I don't know what you think you're doing beneath the table, but shouldn't you be paying more attention to your date?"

"N-no, I--" He sighed and lifted his hand onto the table.

It took a moment for her to comprehend, but her eyes widened and her face spread into a smile.

"Ralph! How?"

He smiled. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oho, no, you're not getting away with that! Spill the beans this instant!"

He glanced at the ring, still feeling uneasy. "They asked me to join last week. I thought I'd surprise you."

"It certainly is a surprise!"

Elizabeth was beaming at him with pleasure, but Ralph stiffened with alarm. Something was wrong.

The moment he'd uttered the lie, he'd felt it. A hot tingle spreading through his body. The quickening of his heartbeat. His head was swimming.

Something was pushing outward against the seat of his pants.

Elizabeth's smile faltered. "Ralph... are you ill?" She leaned over the table and looked at him closely. "Did you... have all that stubble a moment ago?"

Ralph rubbed his face. He had shaved before he left home, but there was hair growing there - thickly - and it felt like it was bulging unnaturally.

Something was very wrong.

"I - I'm sorry. I have to go."

"Ralph? Ralph!"

He hurried to the elevator as quickly as he could without running, but his body felt strange and clumsy; he was stumbling like he was inebriated. The diners near his table had already turned to watch his abrupt departure, and more heads were joining them by the moment. The elevator doors seemed to take an eternity to open. When they finally did, he slipped inside and desperately jabbed at the "closed door" button with a finger which was rapidly growing a claw. Someone was motioning for him to hold the elevator. He met the man's eyes, and saw a dawning expression of horror just as the doors closed.

His arm was itching. As the elevator began its slow descent he pulled up his sleeve and saw a layer of thick brown fur growing along his arm. Growing before his very eyes. This was crazy. Impossible. But he could feel it, every inch of it. He could feel the fur sprouting all over his body; he could feel his ears changing and moving; he could feel the muscles and bones in his face shift and lengthen; he could feel the squirming in his pants that was rapidly giving way to a painful, tight pressure.

_Why was this happening? _He was turning into some kind of animal! Was it the full moon? A witch's curse? Something in his drink?

No. It was the ring. He tried again to pull it off, and doubled over as the tingling heat seemed to intensify. A long, pink tail burst through his pants with a tremendous ripping sound and he squeaked with surprise as it pressed against the back wall of the elevator.

This had to be a dream. Any moment now he'd wake up, and he'd vow to never again to take whatever drugs he'd imbibed. Maybe make a call to his therapist.

Instead, the elevator doors opened to the underground parking lot. He glanced over his shoulder at the long pink tail, hoping for an insane moment that he could leave it behind, but it followed him out of the elevator. It upsetting his balance terribly and he was stumbling even more now. His torn pants kept slipping down to his knees; his build had changed and he was at least a foot shorter. He fell over twice on the way to his car, at one point dropping his keys and having to hunt for them in the dark.

As he pulled out of the parking lot and into the bright lights of the city, he was immensely grateful for his tinted windows. He hoped he could get home without anybody else seeing him. Or maybe he should drive to the hospital?

But driving was easier said than done. His face was still shifting, and his eyes with it. His lengthening nose and growing whiskers were interrupting his focus. His feet were reshaping themselves inside his shoes, and he had to kick them off. Then the sensation of his bare, sensitive feet on the rubber pedal was distracting. He had to keep shifting in his seat, unable to grow accustomed to his tail pushed up against it. His coat was hanging loose on his shoulders and his diminished height had lowered his eye level to the extent that it was hard to see.

Worse was the pounding in his head, the unrelenting sense of anxiety. It wasn't just the bizarre change and the alien sensations that came with it. It wasn't just the humiliation he was feeling. His mind had altered somehow. His sense of confidence hadn't just taken a beating; it had fled entirely. Everything was overwhelming. He was desperate to get home.

He squeaked, and swerved suddenly to avoid a collision. He'd run a red light in his distraction. Horns were blaring and drivers were gesturing out their windows. He was a nervous wreck, and shaking uncontrollably. He couldn't continue like this.

Ralph found a quiet street and pulled over. With some effort he crawled into the back seat, where he pulled his coat over himself and lay whimpering.

---

When Ralph woke to the early light of morning, he was human again. He sat up slowly, bewildered, checking his body for any sign of fur, or a tail, or whiskers. There were none. Relief washing through him. He'd dreamed all night of being a rat surrounded by powerful, mocking figures, and he'd fully expected to wake up to the same situation as when he'd finally fallen asleep.

He wished he could believe the whole night had been a dream. But then why was he in his car? Why could he see his shoes strewn haphazardly in the driver's footwell? Had he been in the grip of some powerful hallucination? That didn't explain the huge hole in his pants, but it was surely more plausible than actually turning into a rat - even a walking, talking, driving one.

The ring was still stuck firmly on his finger. Trying to remove it didn't cause any pain; it didn't seem to actually be tugging on his skin at all. It just wouldn't move. The stone was as beautiful and mysterious as ever, but he couldn't help thinking its glimmer contained a hint of accusation and mockery.

He drove home for a shower and a change of clothes. The work day would begin soon. Whatever had happened last night, it had passed now, and the light of day made it seem less dire. Even the thought of facing some complicated mental disorder seemed preferable to what he thought he had experienced last night.

He'd resolved to call Elizabeth to apologise - and ask if she'd had any idea of what had happened - when he received an angry message declaring that his disappearing act was unforgivable and she wanted nothing more to do with him. That was probably for the best. He didn't relish the idea of explaining what had happened to him, especially when he had no idea himself. He was also afraid that she would reveal some detail that made the rat thing more plausible. He wasn't ready to face that possibility.

For now he would focus on work. As general manager of the company, he had plenty to do, and the office was an environment he could control. For the next three days he kept long hours. He left only to eat and sleep, and even those actions were mechanical and perfunctory. He didn't want to give himself time to dwell on what had happened.

To avoid questions about the ring, he was careful to drape his coat over his arm whenever he entered and exited the building. In his own private office he only had to deal with Ben, and he made it clear very quickly that questions were not welcome.

It was Friday morning when he reached for the door to his office and heard a low whistle behind him.

"Ralph! Is that what I think it is?"

Jerry-from-HR staring at his shining ring, which he had accidentally exposed to the light.

"Uh, I guess so."

"Is that why you've been so secretive these last few days? You rascal!"

"Yeah. I just joined, so..."

Ralph heard his clumsy lie and felt himself begin to sweat.

"Lucky!" Alex patted him on the back, forcing an audible squeak from his lips.

Oh no.

"Y'alright there, Ralph?"

"Hah... Yeah... I'm fine."

He wasn't fine. Whatever had happened at the restaurant was happening again. He could feel the warmth spreading.

Nearby workers stopped to look at them both, eager for more information. That was fine. He could control this. He just needed to hide in his office and figure things out. He gripped the knob with an already-clawed hand.

"Sorry, Jerry. I've got a lot to do."

"Oh. Okay. See you later, boss."

Ralph entered his office leaned against the door. The important thing was not to panic. Even if he could feel his face pushing out. Even if he could feel his feet shifting again in his shoes. Even if he could feel his damned tail wriggling eagerly in what was soon to be another ruined pair of pants. Even if the change was happening faster this time.

At least he was alone.

"Good morning, Mr Collins!"

Ben was standing at a filing cabinet, out of sight of the entrance. Ralph stared at him for a moment, opened his mouth to speak, then bolted for his private bathroom.

"Mr Collins? What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" He immediately bolted the door.

"Are you sure? Y-you didn't look like yourself."

"Ben, are you really going to quiz me about my toilet habits right now?"

His voice was breaking, becoming more high-pitched. This was a nightmare.

"Sorry. I'll leave you alone."

He could hear Ben walking away from the door, which would have been a relief if his pants weren't about to burst open again. He slipped them down hurriedly and his tail exploded outward, then he stepped out of his shoes and sank to the floor.

He thought he might cry. _What was he going to do? _Why had he thought it was a good idea to come into work? For that matter, why did he wear the stupid ring in the first place?

Ralph stood and looked at himself in the mirror. What stared back was a bipedal rat completely covered in brown fur, except for the fleshy ears, feet, hands and tail. Except for his briefs and his dishevelled shirt and tie, not a trace of his original self remained. Even his eye colour had changed from green to brown. The change that had taken ten minutes the other night had now completed itself in only two.

45 minutes passed before he heard Ben's voice again.

"Mr Collins, I'm getting worried."

Ralph said nothing. If he spoke, his voice would give away his shameful secret.

"If you don't come out, I'm going to call an ambulance."

Ralph sighed in defeat. There was no getting out of this.

"You might as well come in." He unbolted the door.

As Ben entered the bathroom, his concerned expression gave way to horror. "Wh-wh-what..."

"Ben, it's me."

"Is this some sort of joke?" His eyes darted around hopefully, as though expecting to find some trace of a hidden camera. But he never took his eyes off the rat in front of him for more than half a second.

"It's not a joke. Something's happened to me. Look." He held up his ring hand and took a step forward.

"Don't come any closer! I'll call - I - I don't know who I'll call, but someone!"

"Ben... please..."

Ralph was close to tears. Something in his voice made Ben hesitate.

"Okay... if it's you... what's the password to your work computer?"

"It's 'password_'_. And you won't stop nagging me about it."

"It really is you."

Ben stared in amazement at the diminutive rat half-wearing his boss' clothes, clasping its hands together nervously, tail twisting behind it in agitation.

---

With Ben covering for him, Ralph was able to stay in the bathroom undisturbed until everybody else had gone home. They left together, Ralph with his coat drawn up over his head, and Ben drove him home. He kept sneaking disbelieving glances at Ralph in the rear-view mirror.

With Ben acting as lookout, it wasn't hard to make it inside. At the last moment Ralph had thought to bring an umbrella to hide himself from the elevator's security camera, and was with a sinking feeling, that he realized there had probably been one in the restaurant's elevator too. But there was nothing he could do about that now, except hope that nobody had seen it and the footage would be overwritten.

It was Friday evening, so Ralph would have the weekend to recover. After that, if he hadn't found a way to remove the ring - or worse, if he didn't change back - Ben would continue to cover for him at work. For now, Ben would fetch him enough food supplies to last the weekend, then revisit the dinky little out of state store where he'd bought the counterfeit ring in the hope of getting some answers. These tasks weren't too different from his usual duties as Ralph's beleaguered assistant, but Ralph had appreciated them like never before. He'd have to give Ben a raise.

On Saturday morning, Ralph was incredibly relieved to awaken as a human. It didn't resolve the issue by any means, but it was better than being stuck as a rat. By now he thought he knew what triggered the transformations, but he would never feel safe until he found a way to remove the ring. Hopefully Ben would find some leads.

Over the past few days of burying himself in work, Ralph had neglected his household chores, so he set about working on those. First thing was checking the mail. There were a couple of bills, which were expected; some promotional offers, which he tossed in the bin; and... an unstamped, unaddressed envelope which simply had his name on it. He ripped it open and unfolded a note which simply read:

Having a party Saturday night. Be there, and bring your new acquisition - Remy

So Remy knew about his counterfeit ring, and that meant the Club knew too. The last thing Ralph wanted was to take even one step outside, but if Remy had answers, he'd have to go.

---

From the moment Ralph arrived, he felt intimidated. The apartment Remy was staying in was terrifically lavish, and every other face he saw belonged to a person of great influence. But only the two of them wore the sapphire rings. Ralph hid his hand in his pocket and tried to avoid mingling.

Remy kept him waiting for at least an hour. When he finally approached, he grinned and his gaze fell immediately on Ralph's pocket.

"Come on. You're not even wearing it on the correct hand."

Ralph said nothing.

"They usually tell me when we recruit someone knew. I guess they forgot this time."

Ralph fixed him with a level stare, but kept his mouth closed.

"Smart. You've figured out the trigger."

"So it was you."

"Of course it was us. But, a word of advice: a lie of omission is still a lie."

Ralph swallowed heavily. "Okay. Fine. I didn't join your club. I bought a fake ring. So what now?"

"Now? Why don't you fetch me a drink?"

"You've got to be joking."

"You seem upset, Collins. Haven't been enjoying your initiation?"

"Initiation? Is that what you call it?" Ralph tried hard to keep his voice level. Remy had always been infuriating, but Ralph had never wanted so badly to punch him.

"Before you do something you'll regret, why don't you come with me into the bedroom? I've got something to show you."

Ralph was more inclined to throw his drink in Remy's smug face, but he followed in the hope that he could put an end to this nightmare.

"What you're experiencing, Collins, is - I guess you could call it to a strongly worded message. Our brotherhood doesn't take kindly to imposters. But it's a test as well. Anyone bold enough to pull what you did deserves a chance to impress us. So if you play your cards right, maybe there'll be a place for you after all."

A week ago, Ralph would have been ecstatic to be given such a chance. Not anymore. "I don't want anything to do with your club. Just take the stupid ring and let me get back to my life."

"Well, that's a problem."

"Why?"

"Your assessment period hasn't ended. That ring won't come off until it does."

"Don't you think I've suffered enough? Just reject me and get it over with!"

"Yeah, that's not possible. We're busy individuals. We can't possibly meet to discuss Club business more than once every couple of months."

"Y-you're messing with me. A couple of months?"

"At least."

"Then why the hell did you call me here?"

"I told you. I've got something to show you. Another part of the puzzle, which I'm sure you'll enjoy."

"I don't have time for this. Let me know when you're ready to have your damn meeting." Ralph turned to leave.

"I don't think you'll want to go out there."

"Why not?" Ralph turned around to see Remy grinning malevolently and tapping his ring.

Immediately, Ralph felt the change spreading through his body. It was quicker even than last time, and the sensations more powerful. Fur erupted across his body and his tail burst through his pants before he had time to act. His face shifted so quickly he thought he might faint from disorientation.

Ralph's face burned with humiliation as his body changed in full view of his nemesis - at Remy's very command. The familiar, pounding anxiety returned. He wanted to flee, but he was trapped. Right outside the door was a room full of influential partygoers. He could hear their voices, the clinking of glassware and strains of music.

"Take your clothes off. Go on; they don't fit anymore anyway."

"Why... would I do anything you say?"

"Because you can't help it."

It was true. Every word Remy spoke seemed to resonate with power. Not because of some eldritch, hypnotic influence, but because he, Ralph, was a scared little rat ready to bend to the slightest pressure. He was shaking. He was riddled with self doubt. He'd felt this during his previous changes, but he hadn't it, then, for what it was. Now, in Remy's presence, the anxiety was focused down to its very core: obedience. Cringing servility.

He removed his clothes without another word.

"Good. Now how about that drink?"

Ralph glanced dubiously at the door. Was he being asked to go outside? And if he was... would he refuse, or would he do as commanded? He honestly wasn't sure.

"Heh. There's a bottle on the shelf there, little rat. I won't send you out into the party. Not yet, anyway."

Ralph scurried over to the shelf and began to pour. The remnants of his pride were crying out in protest, but the primal part of his rat-brain was stronger. It was a matter of survival.

When he turned back to deliver the drink, he nearly dropped it in surprise. Remy had carefully removed his shirt and trousers, and now stood not as a human, but as a tall, powerful alligator. His muscled rippled with strength and his ridged tail swayed ponderously. His grin, now framed by a broad snout full of jagged teeth, looked the same, only meaner. He was naked except for his ring.

If Ralph had felt intimidated before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. As he extended the glass, his hand shook so hard he spilled a full quarter of the drink. Remy was no longer the indolent man he'd once known. He power personified - an ancient power that knew without a doubt that the world existed for its pleasure.

"You see how it is now, don't you?"

Ralph nodded. He saw how it was. He didn't want to accept it, but already the confident man he had believed himself to be was fading into memory.

"Actually," said Remy, looking at his watch, "I'm short on time. I've got a party to host after all. But I can spare a moment to give you a taste of how things are going to be."

He set aside his glass without taking a drink, and gently pushed the rat down to his knees. Every motion was slow, deliberate, and utterly unconcerned.

"You know what's next."

Ralph did know. He obeyed without question.

---

When Remy, as a human, left his bedroom, he did so with his fly undone. As soon as the door closed, Ralph heard it being zipped up, loudly and obviously, in front of the guests.

Remy wouldn't be back - more important things to attend to, he'd said - but was allowing Ralph to stay in the bedroom until the party had finished. Ralph wouldn't be human again until morning, so he had little choice but to spend several hours alone with his thoughts.

The memory of what he'd just done bothered him almost more than any of the three transformations he'd been subjected to. The worst part was, he hadn't been forced into anything. Somehow he knew that if he'd had the guts to say no, Remy would have respected his answer and left him unmolested. But he hadn't said no. He'd been all too eager to comply. The idea of refusing hadn't even occurred to him.

Ralph wondered what that meant for the days to come.

---

First thing Monday, Ralph returned to work. His confidence, still heavily shaken, was kept alive only by the notion that he could not let himself hide in solitude and be stripped of every ounce of his dignity. The idea that Remy - or presumably any of his fellow club members - could arrive and force a transformation was an alarming one, but if Ralph let himself be cowed into submission even when he was human, he'd lose a part of himself he could never get back.

There were precautions he could take. Arrive early, leave late, and allow no visitors until this stupid, ruinous prank came to an end. Even if another transformation occurred, he could hide in his office and work. Ben could act as his proxy for any business that required stepping outside. Ralph ordered him to give up the search for the man who'd sold them the ring; now that he knew the Club was involved there was no longer any point, and he needed Ben close by.

It had taken some convincing. Ben expressed serious concern about his boss returning to work.

"I'm fine," Ralph had said repeatedly. Eventually he'd had to order Ben to shut up about it. At least there was still one area in his life where he had the upper hand.

He couldn't stop thinking about something Remy had said. "A lie of omission is still a lie." By now the gossip mill had completed its inevitable revolution, and everyone in the office knew about Ralph's ring, as well as the membership it was supposed to represent. And he was sitting in his office, saying nothing, letting them all believe it.

He considered announcing the truth - or part of it; that he'd bought a counterfeit ring. But he couldn't face that kind of indignity. Not with the ring still sitting on his finger like some sort of scarlet letter.

Dwelling on the nature of lies caused his unease to return - the uncomfortable feeling that he was being underhanded and deceptive.

That was when the transformations started. It was the same as always, just faster each time. More pairs of pants, socks and shoes ruined because the transformation had become too quick and violent to anticipate. It was stressful to say the least. As a human, he was frequently angry; as a rat his confidence abandoned him and he spent hours whining to Ben about how unfair everything was. Ben listened dutifully.

Their arrangement worked well until Ralph's boss decided to visit. Ralph had been going over some figures when there was a sharp knock on his office door. Ben was preparing to get rid of the unwelcome visitor when a familiar voice called "Ralph! Jack here. I need a moment of your time."

Ralph barely had time to stuff his clothes under the desk and run to the bathroom; he was closing that door as the one to his office opened.

"Oh, hi, Mr Fields! I'm Ben. Remember me? Mr Collins just stepped out, but maybe I can help?"

Ralph stood in the bathroom listening. A newly-acquired client was generating a lot of work and Jack, being the hands-on boss that he was, would be visiting more frequently. Ralph made a mental note to have Ben buy a rug. He was going to be spending a lot of time barefoot in his bathroom.

---

The next couple of weeks passed in a sort of rat-human haze. Ralph couldn't stop the transformations, but he could prepare for them. That is, except for the times when members of the Club paid him a visit. He had no idea how many there were, but more and more were showing up at his doorstep - or, distressingly, in public. Apparently being the first victim of their little game had given him quite the novel appeal.

The first time Ralph dared to venture outside for something other than work, Otto Merchant had appeared and implied heavily that he was going to trigger a transformation right there in the street. He hadn't, but only at the cost of Ralph following him around as a human and holding his bags for an hour. It had been infuriating.

Those that came to his apartment he didn't even bother trying to turn away. There was no point when a few rubs of their ring would - and did - have him doing whatever they demanded.

He served a three-course meal for Eric Goodall. Jeremiah Nash actually secreted him to a private room so he could wait on both he and his date - as well as perform other duties.

Those extra duties - tending to their baser natures - were by far the most frequent. The club members, all of them apparently capable of the same alligator transformation as Remy, had become quite fond of his physical talents. Some of them, after finishing, allowed him his own pleasure, but others - like Remy, who visited several times a week - ensured that he remained pent up until at least the next morning, when the transformation inevitably wore off.

Every day brought with it a new humiliation, but if he held onto the thought that the ordeal would be over soon.

---

It was a cool morning in May and Ralph was hard at work in rat form, trying to oversee his duties in cooperation with Ben. Transformations were so frequent now that he was even considering buying some clothes that would fit his rat-self, but he actually felt quite comfortable walking around in his briefs. Especially around Ben, whom he knew would look out for him.

On this particular morning, it had somehow transpired that Ben was seated behind Ralph's desk, despite the absence of any visitors. He was intently focused on some important document.

"Hey, Ralph. Would you mind getting me a coffee?"

Ralph saw no reason not to. He padded over to the coffee machine he'd bought for his office.

"What's the document? Anything I should know about?"

"Oh, it's not important really. Just something I'm handling for Jack."

Ralph frowned as he handed Ben his coffee.

"You mean Mr Fields."

"Oh - he likes me to call him Jack, you know?"

"I guess."

It was hard to criticise the ever-helpful Ben when the thought of confrontation made his blood run cold, and when his high-pitched voice made even the most salient point sound like the ramblings of a child. But he wasn't particularly happy with Ben and Jack's growing familiarity.

It wasn't long before a now-familiar knock on the door sent Ralph scurrying for the bathroom.

"Ben! Ralph still not here? That's disappointing."

"I'm sure he'll be better soon, Jack."

"His condition flaring up again?"

"You could say that."

"Well... I'm nothing if not sympathetic. But the workload is increasing, Ben, not dwindling. Why don't we give Ralph a break?"

"What are you saying, sir?"

"I'm saying you're doing a fine job, and it should continue that way. Now - don't be modest. You're a natural. I'm gonna promote you."

"I - I don't know what to say. I mean, Ralph--"

"Ralph will keep his title and his pay. And of course I hope he'll find his feet again someday. But I need someone to step up now."

"Well..."

Through the crack in the door, Ralph saw Ben steal a glance at the bathroom before turning back to Jack.

"You're right. I accept."

"I'm glad to hear it. Ben. I'll send you a memo with the details."

It was only Ralph's newfound timidity that kept him from bursting out of the office and screaming at them both. He _was _here! He _was _working! This situation wasn't his fault!

In that moment, it was as though every indignity he had suffered fell upon him at once. The moment Jack left the office, Ralph stormed out of the bathroom and slammed the door.

"Ben!" He whispered angrily. "How could you do this to me?"

"Ralph--"

"No! Don't make excuses! You're taking my job!"

"It's not like that! It's just... if I'm doing the job anyway, why shouldn't I get a promotion? Look, we can do it together!"

"Hah!" Ralph wasn't whispering now. "You're only saying that because you know you'd screw it up within a day if I wasn't here to help!"

Ben's face was getting reddening. It was the first time Ralph ever seen him angry. Instantly, he wanted to flee.

"I've been nothing but loyal to you! It's been five years, Ralph, and you've never let me advance. Why is that? Scared I'll outshine you?"

"Scared? Of what? You're not cut out to be anything but my assistant, and that's all you'll ever be!"

Ben fixed him with a steely gaze.

"In case you didn't hear, I just got promoted. And if this is how you feel, I think you should leave my office."

Ralph looked from Ben to the door, suddenly deathly afraid.

"No... I..."

"GET OUT!"

Ralph scurried to the door with a scared squeak, yanked it open, and ran outside.

The entire office was looking at him, including Jack. They'd heard the commotion in his office. They looked at him and they saw a rat - diminutive in stature, nervous and bashful and almost naked, wearing an ostentatious ring and a pair of briefs monogrammed with the letters "R.C."

The first person to break the silence was an intern, who nudged his colleague in the ribs and said "I told you that footage was real."

Worse than their expressions of shock was the dawning understanding that spread from one face to another. They knew the rat was Ralph Collins. They might not know why, and they might not know how, but they saw him for what he was. Everything was over.

He fled the room. He kept running, down the stairwell and out of the building. Outdoors, in the open, past staring onlookers.

His car wasn't in the lot. Ben had driven him to work. He had nowhere to go.

---

"Meeting now in session."

Ralph looked around the darkened table. Every member of the Club was gathered - all of them in alligator form, and all of them incredibly intimidating even to the human who sat before them.

"We have convened to hold a vote on the application of one Ralph Collins, who is present before us now."

After wandering the streets for an hour or so following his fight with Ben, Ralph had been picked up by Remy in a town car. They'd stopped for Ralph to pick up a few personal effects, then gone to stay Remy's apartment. Ralph hadn't argued.

"I will now summarise the facts as they are known."

"Please," said Ralph wearily. "Can we just get this over with? Reject me already so I can go and drink myself into oblivion. "

"Did I say you could speak?"

Ralph shook his head mutely.

"By all reports, the candidate has been the very model of obedience. This, of course, makes him entirely unsuitable for membership in a brotherhood that concerns itself primarily with power and influence, and the exercise thereof."

Ralph sighed. They'd certainly exercised their power on him. In fact, after all the time spent tending to their various urges he was starting to find their bare, muscled chests quite attractive. That was just another indignity to add to the list. It barely phased him, now.

"And then there is the matter of his fraud. He purchased a replica of our symbol from one of our agents and wore it with the intention of representing himself as being among our number. Consequently, he discovered precisely what happens to liars who appropriate the reputation of our brotherhood."

Ralph really wished the Master of Ceremonies would get to the point.

"The applicant was subsequently subjected to hazing the likes of which I cannot say I particularly approve. However, our members have always been encouraged to devise their own criteria for assessment, and I will say no more about it."

Ralph looked down at the ring that had caused all this. It glimmered with deceptive innocence. At least it would be gone soon.

"You now have the opportunity to make your case. Will you speak on your behalf?"

Ralph shook his head.

"Speak when you are addressed, rat."

"N-no. Nothing to say, sir."

"All right. We will now hold the vote, a mere formality though it may be. All in favour of admitting Candidate Collins into our esteemed ranks?"

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye!"

"Aye."

"Aye!"

"A definite aye from me!"

No. No! What was happening?

The Master of Ceremonies looked around the table in confusion. "I... see. Any against?"

There was only one "Nay", and that was from the Master of Ceremonies himself.

"Very well. I don't understand why you all wish to admit this vermin into our ranks, but the quorum has spoken. Candidate Collins is hereby inducted into our order."

"No! Please! No! What are you doing? A-aagh!"

Ralph gripped the table, panting heavily. The change was running through him again, but this time it felt different. More powerful. Permanent. He writhed in his chair as his claws burst from his fingers and gouged the table in front him - a loud "Tut" came from his right. His vision swam as his face restructured itself, and for a moment there appeared to be twice as many alligators in the room. His tail snaked through the hole in the chair designed for much larger, much rougher tails. Fur rippled over his body - naked as it was - and bones shifted. The table loomed higher as his frame shrunk for the final time, his pink clawed feet no longer touching the ground. His whiskers grew in for the final time, and the change was complete.

Expecting nothing, Ralph gave one final tug on the ring - the ring that was supposed to come off when he was rejected from the Club.

Squeak.

One by one, the assembled alligators left, the Master of Ceremonies shaking his head and muttering to himself. Only Remy remained.

"Remy... why? Why admit me after all this? I thought I could go back to my life."

"Rat, you don't have a life anymore."

That was true. He couldn't argue.

"Hey, you'll like it here. We'll take good care of you. And maybe one day we'll recruit that Ben character. He's a real up-and-comer."

Ralph closed his eyes. He didn't want to address the memory of his fight with Ben just yet. "I don't want him to join."

"Heh, you might be surprised to hear this, but you get a vote now. So you can raise that when the time comes. Can't say how much good it'll do, though.

Remy stood up. "Come on. I'll show you to your quarters."

"Remy... can you just tell me why?"

Remy grinned that toothy grin. "I guess we just like you too much to let you go." He reached out and clapped Ralph on the back.

Squeak.

"Take it as a compliment."