When a creature makes contact with a Sweetling’s Theyra, their wrapper (and by consequence the rest of their form) shifts in an attempt to mimic the other creature’s form while still maintaining their current material composition.

This change is not permanent and typically reverts after a short while (it can last longer with proper concentration, however).

The replication is not perfect, and some parts of the original forms (Such as horns, tusks, ears, etc) tend to remain regardless of form.

Although rare, some Sweetlings have multiple base forms and switch between them based on their current emotional state. Not much is known about this strange power.

Touching a Sweetling's Theyra is not the only way to activate their shapeshifting ability. By digging in the layers of Villanilla's shell, animal crackers of a vast array of species, colors, and patterns can occasionally be found. When a Sweetling consumes one of these crackers, an effect identical to having their Theyra touched occurs, shapeshifting into the creature depicted on the treat.

As the animal crackers form in the shell, all manner of other materials can mix with them. This mixing process can lead to crackers with any number of unexpected additional effects. From appearance alone it is impossible to tell what these secondary effects will be or if there will be any at all, an appraiser is necessary for such answers.

Given their usefulness and relative rarity, some Sweetlings have taken to using the crackers as a barter system. Because the wide variety of possible effects places different values on a given cookie from Sweetling to Sweetling, many have taken to tailoring their collection to best fit those they trade with frequently.

Two or more willing Sweetlings may decide to combine bodies to create a hybrid form of themselves. This occurs when the Theyra of Sweetling touch. The Theyra will bond to one another, and begin to merge their information in order to create the hybridized body. Due to the intensity of this process, the Sweetling’s current forms typically destabilize, their material being absorbed into the fused Sweetling’s building form.

Though no two fusions are alike, there are many common trends. The fused Sweetling body will try to pull an equal number of traits from both of its component forms, compromising details on shared features like tails and faces. If one Sweetling has traits in an area where another Sweetling has none, these features typically display completely. The material mixture is also rather erratic in shared places, while the uniquely placed traits primarily consist of the material of its origin Sweetling. An interesting occurrence is that due to the nature of Sweetling reproduction and the mixture of materials, many fused forms will remain in a constant state of fertilization.

Both Sweetling consciousnesses remain active inside the fused form, and both have complete control over the shared body. This method of control can only have one active driver at a time per body part. If one Sweetling in the fusion moves a body segment the other will feel the shared segment moving. If they resist the movement of the segment or try to move it in a different way, the movement will stop.

If too much conflict occurs over the movement of a body segment, the segment will split, returning to the form and materials of the initial two Sweetlings. This can be done for any of the fused body parts, though whenever the part housing the two Theyra (typically the torso) separates the fusion terminates and the two Theyra rebuild their individual forms. Sweetlings also tend to separate during sleep, perhaps due to restless bodies shifting during their rest.

Conversely to Fusion, when a Sweetling simply puts their Theyra in another Sweetling a process known as “Hosting” occurs. In this process, the newly added Theyra and its attached consciousness become riders in the other Sweetling’s body, able to converse with them directly through the body without physical speech.

This newly arrived Theyra has virtually no control over the body, as without being fused the original Sweetling is able to easily overpower any attempted movements. They can communicate with the Sweetling they are within, however.

As Sweetlings reach a very late age, their bodies are no longer able to hold together a form. Through hosting they are able to rest comfortably inside Nilla or a loved one, their presence living on.