Puro

Puro (普罗 Pǔluó) serves as the deuteragonist in Changed, playing a pivotal role in assisting the protagonist throughout the game. A mysterious and enigmatic figure, Puro is a Dark Latex wolf creature, possessing the unusual ability to communicate with the protagonist, offering guidance and support in their perilous journey. Unlike his original incarnation, the version of Puro featured in the Special Edition is notably more capable and resourceful, providing greater aid and strategic value to the player, further solidifying his importance in the narrative. Puro's presence is central not only to the storyline but also to the emotional depth of the game, making him a memorable and crucial character in Changed.

Appearance

Puro is a striking Dark Latex creature with a body resembling that of an anthropomorphic wolf. His fur, though made of dense, soft latex, gives him a sleek and formidable presence. His face is obscured by a white mask—common to most Dark Latex beings—through which his piercing white pupils can be seen. While Puro shares similarities with other Dark Latex creatures, he stands out due to his taller stature and notably larger tail, further emphasizing his unique nature among his kind.

Certain endings lead to noticeable changes in Puro's appearance. For example, in the Betrayal ending (activated in Easy mode), his body becomes more muscular, and his once white pupils shift to a blue hue, mirroring, though slightly lighter, the protagonist’s own eyes. In contrast, the Too Late ending presents a tragic transformation: after being killed by Dr. K, Puro’s mask cracks, and his body loses all coherence, leaving only a pool of black latex in his place, symbolizing the loss of his sapience and humanity.

Personality

Standard Edition

Puro stands out among Dark Latex creatures due to his higher intelligence, curiosity, and compassion. While most of his kind act on instinct, Puro enjoys reading and studying, which hints at his intellectual side. He first meets the protagonist in the Library, where he is initially cautious but grows increasingly fascinated with humans, eventually forming a close bond with the protagonist, except in Easy mode.

Unlike other Dark Latex creatures, Puro views humans differently and even befriends the protagonist, despite being at odds with the Light Latex creatures. In the Special Edition, Puro becomes more complex, sometimes balancing his newfound intelligence with his primal instincts.

A key trait is Puro's inability to swim due to his dense body, making it hard for him to float. In the Aquatic Area, he humorously struggles to swim, which the protagonist can comment on.

If Puro’s relationship with the protagonist weakens, it leads to the Betrayal ending, where Puro, disillusioned and desperate, attempts to transfur Colin, either fully assimilating him or turning him into a blue-eyed version of himself.

Special Edition

In the Special Edition, Puro’s curiosity about human behavior becomes more prominent. He once studied psychology but his notes were so confusing they disturbed Colin, who swore never to read them again. Puro also struggles with modern technology, referring to a camera as an “automatic painting tool.”

Though more instinct-driven at times, Puro’s desire to connect with the protagonist is clear. At one point, he quietly approaches Colin while resisting the urge to transfur him. He also makes a strange comment about the scent of Colin's pants, which is linked to the benign latex material affected by Dr. K’s lasers.

After a chase with Kade, Puro is found sweeping the library, surprised by the protagonist’s narrow escape. Dr. K pressures Puro to transfur Colin, but Puro, who initially wanted to assimilate him, changes his mind and confesses that he now just wants to be with Colin. This shift marks a key moment in their growing trust.

Throughout the Special Edition, Puro is protective and loyal to Colin, keeping an eye on him and offering advice when danger approaches. He admits that his earlier desire to "save" Colin was selfish, but now he simply wants to be by his side. His evolving relationship with the protagonist shows a caring, protective side and highlights his internal struggle between his instincts and empathy.

Lore

Puro was initially considered a failed experiment in the early stages of the "Genetic Project." He recalls his early life as a pup during the "Riot," an uprising by patients who underwent genetic transformations to avoid extermination by humans in the facility. However, Puro's memory of this event is unclear, as he only mentions it after being told about it by Dragon King.

After the riot and the facility's takeover, Puro abandoned the primal instincts of his fellow Dark Latex creatures, who were focused on transfurming humans. Instead, he grew curious about humans and spent years in isolation, learning to read, write, speak, and even draw. He left his peers behind, becoming a "lone wolf" as he explored the compound.

Puro knew one human remained in the facility—Colin. At first, he waited outside the room where Colin woke up but eventually lost hope. In his desperation, he left clues throughout the facility to help guide Colin, hoping to lead him to the library. He also taught Dragon King how to communicate to help Colin pass the Dragon Cave and eventually reach him.

Puro hoped that, once Colin reached the library, he could transfur him and grow strong enough to escape the facility. However, by the time the protagonist arrives, Puro is secretly disappointed with Colin’s physical condition. Instead of transfurming him, Puro chooses to assist him, even dreaming of seeing the outside world together. He now resides in the ventilation system, surviving on rainwater and fruit from a bonsai tree in the library.

As a Dark Latex creature, Puro can only survive within the facility. Without a human host, like the other transfurs, his life expectancy is short.

In the basic Stay ending, Colin and Puro part ways, and it is assumed that Puro dies from crystallization without a host. In the Easy Mode Betrayal ending, Puro gives in to his survival instinct and forces Colin to become his host. In the Can't Decide ending, Dr. K provides Puro with a bio-bot as an artificial host, extending his life.

Other Special Edition Traits

In the Special Edition, Puro provides two optional props to help the player, though using them is not required. It's unclear how they affect the ending, but Puro seems happy if they are used. If not, he mentions that his efforts are "superfluous" in the No Trust ending, suggesting their use might influence the story.

Cardboard Cutout: Found in the Ming Cat's room, this cutout of a black latex creature can be triggered to scare the cat, allowing the protagonist to move forward without being chased. It also helps the player read papers on the walls for additional clues.

Black Latex Costume: This costume lets the protagonist pass through black latex territory without sneaking. It tricks the creatures into thinking the human is one of them, letting the player pass safely. Even when Dr. K tries to expose the deception, the latex creatures remain fooled.

Trivia

Puro is the only dark latex creature, aside from the dark latex cubs, that doesn’t immediately assimilate humans upon sight. He warns the human not to fall on him, as physical contact could lead to involuntary transfur, though the player can interact with him without this happening during gameplay. Puro once imagined a scenario where he would assimilate a strong, muscular human to grow more powerful, but after meeting the protagonist, he is mortified by his own drawings. Puro briefly tried eating oranges in the Greenhouse Area but stopped after a single bite. He mentions this when interacting with the protagonist near the end of the area. If you look closely after Puro is transfurred near the game’s end, he can be seen crying. In a scene in the ventilation area, Puro tells the protagonist to ignore him and run from the snow leopard, though the protagonist is already in danger by the time he says this. Puro has traits of both genders: his mask resembles that of a female dark-latex wolf, and he has fluffy fur and a tail, but he claims to be male and has no visible mammaries. Many players compare Puro’s appearance to SCP-1471-A, noting his fur color and mask. In a Special Edition bad ending, after assimilating Colin as his "little brother," Puro takes on a doting older brother role, offering encouragement and providing food. In the No Trust ending, Puro gives up on befriending humans and plans to return to his kind, but he changes his mind upon seeing the white latex-transfurred Colin in the vents. The name "Puro" translates to "Pure/To Purify" in many languages, and it’s also the Japanese word for "professional." It may also be a play on the word "kuro" (black). In the Chinese localization, Puro's messages contain several typos, such as a misspelling of "library" from 图书馆 (Túshū guǎn) to 图书管 (túshū guǎn).