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The shop on the corner of Verne and Jules had a reputation.

The proprietor ran the shop as a side business, more a casual hobby and avenue for his scattered projects to wander out into the world. Strange things happened to beasts who wandered into that shop, either trying to find a fix for a problem or just casually looking around.

The proprietor placed a sign on the door to avoid too much annoyed dooking.

THE MANAGEMENT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FERRETY SIDE EFFECTS (YOU KNOW, LIKE TURNING INTO A FERRET what's the big deal with being a ferret anyway it's an improvement and I dunno why I need to put up a sign about it i think it's a bonus)

The sign didn't seem to reduce the annoyed dooking all that much.

Folks who made it past the weaselly warning were greeted by fanciful machines and whirring scientific instruments. Anyone who stood in their presence would gasp in awe.

Followed shortly thereafter by annoyed dooking

Regi J. Tesla, the proprietor of the establishment, would usually stop by either before or immediately after the annoyed dooking happening. He didn't think the dooking was all that "annoyed" himself. He translated it as "excited" or "elated" or "oh wow, I'm a ferret, my dreams have been achieved!"

Of course, Regi J. Tesla came from a biased standpoint, being a rather ferrety creature himself. He seemed to be a mishmash of various members of the weasel family: a ferret-like face, a marten-like flash of yellow neck fur, an otter-like rudder tail. Where the blue of his nose, tongue, and pawpads came from was anyone's guess.

Today, there were no customers to be unwittingly shifted into ferrets. Regi swooped about working on yet another new project, full of whirring gears, steam, potential, and maybe more ferrets. Regi didn't mind the ferret-outcome of most of his projects. Science told him ferrets just were a natural outcome of good ideas.

And what a good idea this was. After tinkering with a tea kettle and inadvertently confirming the many-worlds hypothesis, Regi was singleminded in his research. Well, as singleminded as a ferret abomination can be.

Regi’s workshop seemed to be located on a nexus point for several parallel dimensions. After a foray into sending a “volunteer” across the breach didn’t work out as well as expected, he changed his line of thinking. Instead of sending someone to conduct research for him, he could bring someone from the other universe over and he could research them in person!

“Maybe I could talk to them about SCIENCE, and they could teach me their SCIENCE!”
Regi's clockwork ferrets, which scampered about the nooks and crannies of the establishment, doing tasks and getting into general mischief, gave tinny dooks in response to the declarations of SCIENCE ringing through the lab.

The project, which seemed to be a modified rotary phone with five more rotaries, plus various gears and wires sticking out, did not respond. Yet, at least. The rotary things surrounded a shiny brass button. Regi prided himself in including shiny buttons or switches or levers on most of his projects.

Shiny things set his ferrety mind abuzz and also something something SCIENCE!

The ferret hybrid creature checked his notes before inputting digits to the rotary things. The current project, involving pulling targets from alternate dimensions, had produced some promising results so far. However, he'd had some slight issues with target's contents shifting in transit.

The rat in a nearby cage gave an annoyed squeak.

"I can't have any interruptions. Once I get this working I'll get you back to being your lion self from whatever kingdom you were ruling. Though if you were as impatient and whiny as a king as you are like this, I'm sure they're not in any rush to have you back. Consider this some needed perspective." Regi stuck out his blue tongue at the rat.

With a bang, a whirr, and a fizz, a cloud of smoke burst from the machine. From the conflagration of electricity and condensation, a vulpine form slowly emerged.

“Oh my goodness, where am I?” the fox inquired, his chipper voice echoing throughout the cavernous lab.

“Oh! Hello there. You’ve been pulled across dimensions into the labs of the esteemed Dr. Reginald Jacob Tesla, who is me, but please, just call me Regi!” The ferret creature scampered up to the fox, taking the vulpine’s face in his paws. “My good sir, I must ask, have you always been a fox, or would that be a new condition? And is that an accordion?”

The fox, disarmed slightly by the barrage of questions, began to answer the odd creature’s inquiries.

“Well Mr. Regi, I’ve always been a fox, sir. Some magical mishaps did make me a gingerbread cookie once though. That was an odd experience…” The fox trailed off slightly. “Oh right! I’ve also always had this accordion! It’s an heirloom I’ve had since I was a kit. I use it to bring joy to folks around the world!”

The fox played a couple notes on his instrument, and the air around the room sparked to life, a blue aura cascading into the air around Regi’s lab.

Regi’s eyes lit up at the mention about the gingerbread cookie and he became downright bouncy at the blue aura flowing out of the accordion. In poking at the aura, it swirled about his paw. “Oh! Steam and rubber! This is a lovely bit of science here! And you’re very receptive and not at all growly unlike some creatures.” He took a moment to glare over at the rat, who huddled in a corner of his cage, giving a huffy squeak in return. “I’m going to have to get that device that I keep meaning to name to test some general stuff and stability. Not to say that you’d be unstable or explode or anything. Nope. Just need to test juuuuuuust in case. Eh?” He released the fox’s face and booped his snoot. “Oh, yeah, do you have a name or title or shall I just make one up for the records?”

“Rubber? What?” The fox thought, before turning to the ferrety scientist. “Forgive me for not introducing myself Mr. Regi, I guess I’m a little disoriented. I was walking down the road to Allendale when I suddenly found myself here. I’m Lappi! I’m a bard. I travel these lands and I play songs to make people what they want in their hearts. “The fox released his paw from half of the accordion to shake Regi’s hand.

“I’d really love to chat, stay and take your tests, but I must be on my way. There’s a whole bunch of townsfolk who need a magic tune, and I have to do my best!”

Lappi spotted an open window above the rats cage and with a wink to Regi, leaped straight through.

“A bard? What they want in their hearts? On the gods of steam and gears aren’t you adorable. Now why don’t you s-whaaaaaaat?” Regi stared at the window where the fox had, with surprising deftness, just leapt through. “Hmm. Note: Need to transport subjects into a contained tube to avoid immediate escape. Well, one never said science to be boring. Forth into adventure! You know, after I get my coat.” The ferret hybrid creature scampered off in search of his leather duster.

Lappi’s magical aura lingered in the air, following him outside like a comet’s trail. Sparks of arcane energy drifted down onto the rat’s cage. The rat squeaked indignantly, upset that he was alone in the lab, and now he was being pelted with whatever this stuff was. He was just left with his thoughts… which a mysterious ticking noise encroached.

Lappi’s leap through the window sent him face to face with a world he’d never seen before. Huge metal monstrosities barreled down the widest road he’d ever laid eyes upon. Even larger ones hung in the skies above. A sign above him blinked ‘Verne Street.’ Where were the fields of green? The dirt path he’d been on just minutes before? How in the world would he get to Allendale now?

An iguana fellow trotted down the sidewalk, shivering against the frigid breeze, gaze turned downward, ignoring the world around him, just putting one foot in front of the other, heading his way home to the sweet warmth of the steel heat lamp at home.

The vulpine in his path gave him pause, dressed in an outfit both unbefitting of the weather and the general world, neither leather nor brass nor goggles to be seen and holding some matter of strange instrument. Some eccentric sort of panhandler with an alternate take on one of those tinny clockwork musical contraptions? The fox seemed distracted, not moving out of the lizard’s way. “Oi, chap. May I get myself past ya? I need to get to some warmth.”

The fox jumped, surprised. He hadn’t meant to be bothersome. “Sorry sir, I’m just trying to find my way back. It seems I’m quite lost.” Lappi looked at the fellow in his coat, one that seemed far too light in this weather. He didn’t even have any fur! “Say, if you can tell me the way to get to Allendale, I think I can help you get some warmth sooner. It is quite chilly out here!”

The iguana looked the strange street performer over. It couldn’t hurt to indulge this fox’s performance. Maybe he was studying theater at the university? He shouldn’t judge a young chap on appearance, odd as it was. “There’s a train station just up the road, go six blocks up the street. Ya can get anywhere you want ‘ta from there.”

“Thank you so much sir! I’d be happy to give you a little warmth. Here’s a way that those in the frozen tundra keep warm, at least where I’m from.”

Lappi played a short tune on his accordion and the aura emerged once again, which quickly enveloped the frigid traveler and lifted him into the air. For a party trick, this wasn’t too shabby. The iguana started to feel warm, like really warm. Deep within his body came a growing heat, as if he had a roaring fireplace in his belly, and a chimney for a heart. It wasn’t too unpleasurable, in fact, it felt really nice. He opened his mouth to thank the fox for making his commute a bit better, when he was interrupted by a metallic clang.

His mouth was stuck open, no matter how hard he tried, It wouldn’t close again. He desperately tried to get the attention of the street performer. “He-Help! He-sssssssssss.” Steam emerged from what had been the iguana’s mouth. Within the cloud of steam, his muscles were tensing, a metallic stiffness crawling over his entire body. His heart really felt like it was on fire, and electric heat cycled within. As bones and flesh turned to steel, he grew wider and wider, more of him subsumed into the metallic structure that was once his body, and with a final burst of energy, he fell to the ground.

Lappi turned around to thank his eager listener once again, but there was no sight of him. Where there once was a chilly traveler lay a strange device adorned with an ornate metallic snakeskin pattern. Heat emanated from deep within its form, and it stood upon four claw-like feet.

“Hello? Mister?” the fox asked. “Where’d you go?”

A burst of steam escaped from the device. The furious heating appliance, inner coils glowing red, kept on releasing puffs of hot air, aiming each of them at the bard.

“Oh… oh gosh, I’m so sorry, you were supposed to be a polar bear! I’ll… I’ll find help somewhere!”

---

In the lab, Regi had found his leather duster and was about to scamper forth after the escaped lab experiment, which seemed to be usual enough that Regi considered it a healthy hobby, allowing him to get some fresh-ish air and exercise.

He stopped at a strange clicking and tinny squeaking sound coming from the cage where his whiny caged lab experiment has been stored.

In the cage, a clockwork version of the rat sat. Or rather wheeled about in a circle, on occasion nosing at its oil bottle for a drink of fuel. Or would it be lubricant? Definitely didn’t seem to be reducing the tinny squeaks the rat device kept making.

Regi gave a dooking snicker at this thought.

“Huh. That’s a dash different, ain’t it? And unless this be some sorta spiffy delayed reaction. You know, maybe I ought to do a few more tests before I head out of here.” The ferret hybrid started digging through a box labelled Various Unlabelled Science Detection Devices (and Maybe Some Explosion Causing Ones).

---

A wolf on the city guard trotted along on his usual rounds, on occasion pausing to sniff the frosty air for any sign of disorder. The scent of disorder varied. Somedays smelled like a nervous rat, other days smelled like a dubious stick of street meat. Scents of disorder didn’t always present themselves as disorder right away.

He caught a scent of vulpine on the breeze, mixed with the smell of treated wood, fine cotton fabric and some kind of glue. His snout wrinkled at the strange cocktail of scents. “Curious.” He sniffed again, following the scent around the corner, secretly hoping the scent to be disorder for him to growl away.

Instead what he found was a strangely dressed fox skipping down the street, looking slightly nervous.

The wolf stepped into the fox’s path, holding up a paw. “Oi! Stop right there. What are you getting up to, fox?” the wolf barked. He spotted the accordion. “Hrmp. You’re not a panhandler, are you? We have some rules about that sorta thing.”

“No sir, I’m a bard!” the fox squawked at the constable. “I try to bring joy to folks around this land!”

“Do you have the permits for that?” the wolf guard snapped.

“Permits? You need a permit to bring joy to folks here?” Lappi muttered. “Mister, I don’t have any permits for who I am, but if you want I can play a tune that’ll make your day!”

The wolf huffed, taking out a small leather-bound paper pad from a coat pocket. “Don’t mistake me for a mere copper, sir, able to be swayed by your ‘entertainment’. I am a constable of the Royal City Guard of Northgate.” He gave a low growl, glaring at the accordion as if it were a weapon. He backed off after a tense moment. “Though I suppose you can play a tune. Though if it is too cheery, I may take it as an attempt at bribing an officer. And either way, I require an inspection of your instrument afterwards.” He started making notes in his pad.

“Oh I know a song about copper! I’ll play you that one,” Lappi said cheerily, ignoring the constable’s warning. “I’m still working on it, but an old alchemist friend of mine said he thought it was nice.”

Lappi readied his instrument for another tune. The familiar blue aura wisped out of the bellows as they filled with air.

“Oh by the way sir, there’s a fiery-tempered object on Verne Street, you may want to take a look at it.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the wolf huffed, continuing to take notes on his pad.

Lappi began his song, trying to get the grumpy wolf to at least crack a smile. The bouncy oom-pah of the accordion echoed through the alleyway. Said bounciness angered the guard, who attempted to grab the fox and stop the silly song.

Attempt was all he could do, as the wolf quickly fell flat on his snout. Lappi, eyes closed and vibing with the music, didn’t notice as the officer tried to regain his composure, and failed. The wolf’s left foot had solidified into a shiny piece of metal, and it was spreading. A coolness settled over the wolf, a tingling coolness that penitrated his inner warmth. His breathing seemed to slow. A coppery scent filled his nostrils, soon affecting all his senses.

“What’s going on, what’s all this?”

He coughed. An item clinked onto the cobblestone.

The wolf looked down. A coin? He slowly reached to pick it up. His movements felt slow, the blue aura swirling around and through his limbs. The coolness spread, with the tingling a sorta strange contentment settled in, a feeling of renewed self worth.

He managed to pick up the coin. On the copper coin, he saw the embossed profile of a wolf’s face. His own face. Right down to the gash out of his ear.

He tried to release the coin, only to find he couldn't. His paw couldn't move, having gained a copper sheen. He tried to object, growl, whine, give some sound of displeasure at this weird turn, maybe move to arrest that fox. He found he couldn't even breathe.

And yet, the contented coolness washed over him as he heard more clinks of metal on cobblestone, his general sense of self worth improving, coin by coin, his thoughts becoming more scattered, as he watched his copper paw fall apart into copper coins matching the one he'd picked up.

Outwardly, the wolf had briefly turned into a copper statue of himself, before then shifting into a pile of copper coins on the cobblestones of the alleyway.

Lappi opened his eyes and gazed upon his accidental handiwork. “Constable Sir? Oh no...”

Hundreds of coins lay inside the officer’s trenchcoat. Lappi ran his hand through the pile, each one clinked contentedly as they collided with the paw and each other.

“Look, I… I promise I’ll find a way to help you, but I can’t right now. I don’t even know what’s going on myself.”

Lappi gathered up whatever he could find of the constable’s coinage and placed them in his satchel as an impromptu change purse. The fox was distraught at how his day was going. He didn’t know where he was, he’d certainly ruined the days of two critters, and at this rate he was certainly going to be late for his performance at The Famous Marten in Allendale. Lappi poked his head out of the alleyway and looked down the street. This “train station” was another three blocks away, and the area was starting to buzz with activity. Who could he ask for help?

A curious-looking panda was approaching from the next street over. Had he seen Lappi’s magic display? Was he going to try and steal what had become of the lawwolf? “It should be fine,” Lappi thought. “Most of the magic has dissipated, and I’ll just be friendly. A big smile and a cheery disposition can help a fox in a pickle any day.”

“Excuse me sir, do you have the time?”

---

“Now, good sir. If you will just stick around right here, I’ll back back after untangling this reality cracking anomaly in vulpine form I’ve unleashed upon the city.”

Regi gave the annoyed heating device a couple pats. Upon exiting the lab he’d run across the device a short ways down the street. He’d decided it would be best to bring it back to the lab before questing forth further.

“Gosh. You really are warm. You know, on those cold winter nights in the lab, I could need a fellow like you around. And would love to study the long term effects of-you know, first things first. Will find the fox fellow first, will discuss employment contracts later.”

The ferret scientist saluted the former iguana and headed back out into the blustery street, pulling out a device that looked like some matter of motion scanner on a glowy green screen. A blobby shape pulsed on the screen, so Regi scampered in that general direction.

His path led him winding down the street, looking into windows, thrusting the device into the faces of beasts passing by, and giving the device the occasional bap to get rid of screen flickering and static.

He stopped in an alleyway, the device beeping, obviously detecting some matter of shift to the fabric of reality, though nothing in the alley seemed obviously reality shifted. Regi caught the glint of something from the corner of his eye and with a sudden rush of ferret instinct, he’d leapt towards the prospect of “shiny thing”, grabbing a round bit of metal in his paw: a coin, in fact.

“Huh. This doesn’t seeeeeem to be any official coinage from around these parts,” he mused, giving the copper coin a closer look. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this wolf on here looked like that growly fellow that keeps stopping by about permits of some sort or a-hmm.” He moved the coin near the device, causing the device’s beeping and flashing to increase. “Ah. Mr. Constable of the Royal City Guard of Northgate, I presume. This is pretty darn spiffy. I should unleash reality altering creatures more often. This is some lovely data here to untangle.”

Regi flipped the coin.

The wolf, or at least this small part of wolf, could see and feel the giant blue-padded paws of the mad science ferret, and though some small part (of this small part) of the wolf would want to say something about how “Of course, this hybrid deviant is behind this!” most of the wolf coin just enjoyed the paw’s warmth sinking into his copper form, the thrill of being flipped into the air then caught, the anticipation of maybe being used to purchase some reasonably priced item.

Regi turned the corner and came across some beautiful handiwork. A pristine grandfather clock just out at the street corner. The clock’s face had some bronze markings resembling a mask. It’s long, whisker-like hands ticked steadily along with the ringed pendulum hanging beneath. Clearly the result of some reality alterations, yes. But still, it would look good in the corner of his lab somewhere.

"So, see anything, old timer? Any strange vulpines with an accordion and a cheery attitude?"

The hands spun rapidly around the face, until they read 3:15.

“Thanks a million, chap!” Regi said elatedly.

The ferret took a step towards the train station, then around right back to the clock. “Now, I can’t rightly just go and leave you with the wrong time. Would bug me, and I’m, certain it would bug you. Allow me to fix that before I continue forth.” Regi pulled out his pocket watch and opened the grandfather clock face’s glass cover.

Comparing with his pocket watch, Regi turned the intricate hour and minute hands into their proper positions, which also allowed a deep sense of comfort to wash over the clock, as if syncing up with some deep universal truth, or at least syncing up with the Central Steam Standard Time as any clock worth its gears strived for with each tick.  

As the grandfather clock lost itself to these senses, Regi leapt back into the chase, and scurried down the street towards a surprised looking icebox.

---

Harrison H. Haberdasher Station was a small railway platform, clearly there to act as a midpoint between the more bustling neighborhoods of the city. Even so, it had a surprising amount of traffic moving though its two tracks. It was on the prestigious Jubilant Line after all, and the staff there had to keep everything in top shape for their patrons.

The station manager, a stout badger fellow in a smart vest, a gold pocket watch chain sticking out of his pocket, busied himself with the schedule board, moving trains in order of arrival and correcting estimated arrival times, growling at sizable delays. “I dunno why the damn trains can’t keep on time. They’re on a damn track. Not as if they can get lost.” He’d been murmuring these complaints for years with little effect.

The station manager was so preoccupied with the going abouts of his locomotives that he hadn’t noticed the two fox ears at the bottom of his booth window.

“…excuse me sir,” chirped Lappi.

He continued his murmuring, not seeming to hear, glancing at the beasts meandering about the platform. “Harumph. Could do with a few more trains on this route to keep everything moving more smoothly and efficien-hmm? Someone there?” As the badger noticed the movement of flicking vulpine ears, he adjusted his spectacles, looking out of the booth.  

“I just wanted to know when the next... train to Allendale was, but I couldn’t help but hear you‘re having some issues with them,” Lappi said with a wink. “I’ve got some pretty sensitive hearing.”

“Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but I think that this here rail system could do with some improvements, from station upkeep to increase in trains and routes and, hmm.” While he’d been speaking, he’d been scanning the train schedules. “Allendale, you said? Is that a new station? If they made changes again without telling me. I swear. I just printed off new pamphlets.”  

Lappi wanted to help, even though his prior attempts at helping today resulted in a bunch of confused objects. He was a helpful fox at heart, and he couldn’t turn someone down if they weren’t feeling their best.

“You seem a little stressed out, care to hear a little tune that might help you?”

The station manager dug through meticulously organized telegrams in case he’d missed some announcements about this Allendale. “Just the nature of bureaucracy, Mr. Fox. Hmm? A song? Ah, urm.” The badger wanted to say something about the station’s panhandling rules, though upon noticing the accordion, and generally being done with whatever train route changes hadn’t been imparted to him, instead he sighed and nodded. “Sure.”

“Let’s see,” the fox said, unlocking the bellows on his accordion. “You’d like to see more trains passing through the station, yes?” Sparks of blue magic flickered through the air as Lappi played his first few notes, and with a chugging rhythm, Lappi began playing his tune.

The badger recalled a memory, starting as a junior ticket taker, that old thrill, hearing the chugging, the rattling of the tracks, the shaking of the station floorboards, the impending arrival of a train. That thrill came rushing back.

The tracks on the platform next to Lappi began to glow with the same blue as his energetic music. It was working! He was conjuring a vehicle from thin air, maybe his magic wasn’t broken after all. It worked all the way up until the moment the badger let out a steam whistle.

The station manager was lost in his memories. Thinking clearly of the trains in his past, The Starlight Express, the 510 Steamer, his years traveling the nation on the rails. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to stay traveling…

Lappi noticed the interloping sound and stopped playing, but the badger was lost in the rhythm. The crumpets in his gullet slowly turned to coal, and his fiery heartbeat was all receptive to the energy. Steam started to rise from his ears, though no anger on his features, which remained content, pleased, though flickering, and if past events were to be accounted for, on the precipice of shifting.

The badger’s long claws, once suited to digging, began to spin. Individually each one moving faster and faster, flattening out until each hand became a series of wheels. The station manager started to feel heavy, not just with the weight of memories of adventures past, but with iron. His stocky body lengthened into a solid cylinder. A dependable boiler for a long journey.

“Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh,” Lappi said, panicking. Who knows how many creatures were no longer creatures after hearing his music today. Now he couldn’t even stop it once he started.

As the badger’s eyes came together into one round headlight, he gave a sigh that sounded more like a hiss. "That's some lovely music, sir. Why did you stop?"

The panic drained from Lappi’s eyes and was slowly replaced by confusion.

“You… you’re enjoying this?” he said.

The badger’s headlight blinked at the fox’s question before responding, a slight hiss underlying his words. "Well, sir, haven't felt this good in ages, and loved where the music was leading me. Would you be able to finish? I just have to hear the rest, to, I guess…” The station manager paused, as he considered his phrasing, before saying, “Pull into the station, if I may."

These sentences were just what the fox bard needed to hear. He started playing songs to make people what they want in their hearts, and If his steam-powered acquaintance truly wanted to remain that way, then Lappi could help him out!

“Well sir, if you’re going to want to be a train,” the bard said, readying his instrument. “Let’s begin the song again!”

The air around the two exploded with magic, much to the surprise of the other patrons of the train station. Blue and cyan trails engulfed the increasingly mechanical badger, and in a puff of energy, he vanished.

A steam whistle rang through the station, then chugging of an incoming train, rails rattling, floorboards shaking, followed by the squeal of brakes, and with a cloud of steam, a grand steam train pulled into the station A train of gleaming black and white paint, bright red wheels, golden trims, and a badgery sensibility in its aura, as if this were a train that would get you to your destination, no matter what. The train pulled a small passenger car: cozy, sensible, quaint.

The station patrons stood on the platform watching in awe. Well, those who were far enough away from the powerful explosion of magic. On the adjacent track was a new diesel engine with a decidedly otterish demeanor, linked up to a whole family of cars.

With a wagging tail and a spring in his step, Lappi boarded the badger. The wooden seats looked inviting and cozy, like any good sett.

“So, how about it friend, know the way to Allendale?”

In response, the destination sign at the front of the passenger car flipped to ALLENDALE.

Regi, upon entering the station, spotted the fox tail slipping into the passenger car. The ferret creature scampered his way across the station, past the still confused patrons, and hopped onto the back of the passenger car as the train started up, beginning to pull out of the station.

Opening the door, Regi gave a dook, followed by “Finally, caught up with you, my dear vulpine bard. You’ve caused quite the stir in your travels through our fine streets.”

“I’m well aware of my… issues,” the bard said sheepishly. “I just wanted to help.”

“Pah! Issues! You see issues, I see scientific progress. Don’t you worry your fox head about all that. Honestly, quite impressed.” Regi took out the wolf guard coin, flipping it over to Lappi, before flopping himself on the seat across from the bard.

“Oh hey, I thought I collected all of him. Here you go, sir,” Lappi said, tossing the coin into the satchel. The coins inaudibly grumbled but they were happy to be reunited.

“I must admire your handiwork, bard.” Regi said. “This is quite a locomotive!”

The train gave a small ‘toot’ of its horn, accepting the compliment. As the former badger passed through a tunnel, the foggy city was no more. The cityscapes of steel and iron turned to rolling hills of green. The sight made Lappi jump with joy. Pressing his snout up to the window, he could practically smell the pollen on the breeze, the leaves on the trees, and a nice cider at the pub.

“I’m just happy to be going home soon, Regi. It’s been quite a day!” Lappi said. “I suppose I should find a way to change those folks in the city back. I think they’ve had quite the day as well.”

“Quite! I’m certain with the right mix of science and my own brand of ferrety flair, I’ll be able to shift reality back to normal for anyone changed. Or at least normal-ish. But speaking of ‘change’, what did you wanna do with that growlsome wolf guard jingling about in that pouch there? Keep him as loose change for tips?”

“Oh, I could never spend him, I’d feel too guilty,” Lappi said. “Hmm, let me try something. I might be back in my element.”

Lappi once again tuned up his accordion, and magic snaked out from the bellows as he pumped. The coins in his satchel on the ground began to stir. Merging and melting together, the form quickly began to grow. Shimmering copper turned to grey fur, and soon standing in the middle of the train car was the guard. Just the way Lappi saw him hours before.

“Harumph,” the wolf said. “You could’ve spent me, it would’ve been nice.”

Regi gave a cheerful wave to the wolf guard. “Hey! Remember me from the Various Incidents?”

The wolf gave an expression and let out a rude word that suggested: yes, he absolutely did. He walked over to another bench and sat down, glaring at the mustelid.

“Don’t be growly. If you wanna, could always look into spending ya later if you reeeeally want.”

The wolf crossed his arms and huffs again, though his tail does swish a little.

“Well, my stop’s coming up, it’s been fun, but I do have a show to play,” Lappi said.

Regi called out, “Hey, badger train fellow, would you be able to take the scenic route to his stop?” The train gave a ‘toot toot’ in response. With the sound of a switching track, the rolling hills gave to alien landscapes. The way to Allendale didn’t have this many craters and glistening crystal spires before, Lappi thought to himself, but it was still rather pretty. “I hope you don’t mind, my dear fox, but before you head back home and I head back to my lab, I’d love to record some of your auditory anomalies. Wouldn’t worry about being late to your performance. Sure this train can you there on time, whenever the time is.”

The train tooted in the affirmative.

Regi reached into his bag and pulled out a new gizmo. Suddenly, the device whirred to life. Unfolding from its case, needles reached out to a wax cylinder and began etching grooves into its surface.

“Sure,” Lappi said with a wink. “What do you want to hear?”

“So,” Regi said, a smile forming on his snout. “You mentioned something about gingerbread earlier...”