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I never should have come here.

Here, inside this strange magical toy store, my body hangs freely by the neck in one of the colorful displays. The tightness around my throat is uncomfortable, but not suffocating: My now-plush chest hasn't had lungs inside it for hours now. I can't breathe no matter how hard I try, but it thankfully doesn't hurt, thanks to the magical energy keeping me alive.

My whole body feels soft and empty. ...How can I even still feel anything...? It must be the magic. I don't think there's anything inside me anymore except stuffing, but... I can still see and hear everything around me. I think I'm just a suspended consciousness that's been magically bound inside this thing my body's been turned into. I don't think I even still have a brain. My head feels just as soft and empty as the rest of me.

There's a tag on my right leg, but I can't read it so I don't know what it says.

I was scared at first. When I first woke up like this, I wanted to scream. ...But I don't have a mouth, either. Not really. Just a pair of lips tightly stitched into a happy smile, with nothing but cotton stuffing underneath. I can't even close my glossy eyes. I can wiggle my stubby plush limbs a little. No doubt a small mercy granted by the magic keeping me like this, because I definitely don't have any bones or muscles that would allow me to move. I don't think I could stand if they let me onto the floor. I don't know if I could even sit up without help. I want to talk to someone, but all I can do is smile at them and make them laugh at my "silly" little movements.

These other plush dolls hanging next to me, the ones that all started squirming when they saw me being led into the back room, they must have been trying to warn me. Are they like me? I miss my old body. I took care of myself, and my body looked really good. I was proud of it. Now it's been turned into this puffy round thing. I feel like a hackey-sack, or an overstuffed pillow. Can they turn me back? I don't even know if they could. I might be trapped like this forever. And I can't even ask anyone for help, anyway...

But the strangest part is, after a few hours of being stuck in this plush body, I... kinda... really want to be played with. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's nearly all I can think about now. It started as an amusing thought in the back of my mind as I was trying to calm myself down, but I keep coming back to it. I don't know why, but the more I try to ignore it, the stronger it gets. I'd really like someone to hug me, and play with me, and hold me, and dress me up, and have tea parties with me, and... S-sorry, what were we talking about, again?

I don't know if I'm thinking this way to cope with the stress, or if it's a part of the magic, but I don't care anymore. I don't want to be scared like I was before. I just want to keep thinking about how nice it'll be when I finally get to go home with someone and be their plush toy.

Every time a new customer comes in, my heart warms and I hope they choose me. Watching them as they walk through the toy store, I want to call out to them and beg them to buy me and bring me home, but all I can do is smile at them and wiggle about cutely every time they look in my direction, hoping they find me adorable enough to purchase.

Once, one of the customers even held me. A polar bear had come in with his golden retriever boyfriend, who looked about 20 and was dressed so feminine that I didn't realize he was male at first. As the two of them looked through the aisle, I managed to get the attention of the golden retriever and he held me in his hands. ...The feeling of his warm hands gently squeezing my plush body was incredible, and I could barely focus as I was overwhelmed with excitement and bliss. I was so sure he was the one! I was sure he'd take me home and play with me and be my new owner! My cotton head was full of thoughts about how cute he was and how happy I'd be with him!

And then he changed his mind, and picked a different plush. I don't even know why, was it something I did? Was I not playful enough for him? I tried my best, but I can barely move as it is! But there wasn't anything I could do as I saw him pick up that cat plush in the princess dress and choose her instead. It was the dress, wasn't it? It's not my fault! I'd love to play dress-up with you! Don't go! All of these things I screamed silently beneath my happy expression as I jealously watched the cat being snuggled and loved by their new owner, and I was unable to look away. I wanted to cry, I wanted to run after the golden retriever and hug his leg, but I could only smile as they left the store. The retriever's cute face looking into mine has been in my thoughts ever since. I was so sure he was the one. Maybe he'll come back, or-

Oh! Another customer!

A dark-haired coyote girl wearing a college jacket and torn jeans walks in. Her friendly, inviting demeanor totally contrasts her rough exterior, and I just know she'll be my new owner, for sure! ...Huh? What golden retriever? What are you talking about? I don't even remember a gold- Ooh! She's looking this way! Pick me! I wiggle my stubby arms as if waving to her. I hope she notices me! I think she does! Look! She's coming over- NO! Don't buy them! Take me instead!

Where are you going?! Don't leave me here! Please!

Play with me!

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I think this is my first time making something with a plushification theme. I'm sorry if the story is too dark, but I wanted to go for a more realistic reader-insert perspective on plush transformation.