I woke up, theoretically. More like, I struggled to pull myself out of darkness, as the world jostled under me. Eyes slowly creaked open, a confusing mess of light and shadow, of shapes and voids. A sharp pain shot through my chest when I breathed in too sharply, bringing to mind the last moments I remembered before I blacked out. A car hit me? Right, yes, I made it to Earth, found a road… I couldn’t believe I made such a dumb mistake. The sights started to make sense again, car seats and street lights making them alternate between being lit and not. A song I didn’t recognize played on the stereo, but I’d never really been the sort to follow popular music. There was talking, two voices. No, a third, but the third was… tinny, faint, it was a voice over a speaker. A phone?

I struggled to sit up more, and found that I had been wrapped in a towel. Looking down, the illusion was intact, anything not covered appeared to be fur instead of blue scales. One of the voices called out, “Oh, she’s awake! She woke up, that’s a good sign, right?”

The speaker affirmed. “That’s good, yes, but dogs can still be confused, be careful she doesn’t bite you or move too much. We don’t know how bad the injury is.”

I let out a soft whine, trying to push the pain out of my head. Acknowledge the pain, thank my body for telling me about the damage, treat it like a toddler excitedly trying to tell you a thing, and it makes it easier to bear. After all, that’s what pain is, your body warning you that something is wrong.

“Which way? Left or right?” The other voice shouted, almost in a panic.

“Oh, crap, uhh… north? So, left? Yeah, left.” The car turned to the left at an intersection. I leaned into the coming turn, trying to keep any sudden movement from hurting my ribs. Thankfully, the two women in the front seats didn’t seem to be paying any attention, too busy focusing on driving, or navigating while talking on speakerphone.

“How far out are you? Five minutes? Fifteen?” The voice from the phone. She didn’t seem angry, but it was so hard to tell without hearing the voice directly. Maybe a little anxious? More firm, like she was trying to keep people on track, almost parental.

“Just a few, I think. Uhh… it says seven? Minutes, I mean?” The Navigator’s voice was flustered, overwhelmed. Juggling too many things at once, I suppose.

I started to pull the towel off of me, it was weird having it, and if they hadn’t noticed it bunching up over my wings yet, then I didn’t want to give them more chances to. The illusion didn’t cover anything like touch, objects would still react to what was there, not what appeared to be missing. Had to be careful with my movements, but it was also a good chance to see what I could get away with and what triggered more pain. I think I had some more bruises on my legs, they didn’t hurt nearly as bad as my chest but they still hurt. My scales seemed to protect me from the majority of road rash, though.

“Hey, hey, don’t… move! The doctor, vet, whatever lady says that’s really bad!” The Navigator had twisted in her seat, reaching awkwardly with an arm to gesture at me to lay back down. “Down, girl! Please?”

Vet? Was that who they were talking to? I got my answer when the car pulled into a parking lot. “Ida Grove Emergency Veterinary Clinic” was on the brightly-lit sign. Catchy name. The two women quickly got out of the car and rushed inside, and I could see them talking excitedly to the person at the counter. The front of the building was glass, and the inside was well-lit. However, if this was their plan, then it was about to go very, very badly for me. The illusion wouldn’t exactly survive anything but a cursory visual examination, after all. I tried the door handle, but the door was locked, so I had to carefully lift the little lock peg thing with my teeth. Once that was done, I could open the door and climb out. Or almost fall out. If breathing was bad, landing was much worse. But I could still limp away. The women had their backs to me and the guy at the counter was paying attention to them. Either way, I was already hidden in the bushes by the time they rushed out, shouting about the door being open.

“Where’d she go? How’d she get out?”

“She must’ve gotten the door open?”

“But, like, why would she leave?”

“I dunno!”

“She’s probably scared and doesn’t know what’s going on. We can try to search for her, but… I doubt she’s going to be happy about being found.” That last one was the clinic guy. “Thank you for trying to bring her in, though. It’s really nice that you did, a lot of people would’ve just hit and run. You did your best.”

“Yeah, but like, now she’s… out there! The poor dog…”

“Did you know her? Or her owner? We could try to contact them…”

“Nah, she was just… there. There wasn’t even a tag on her collar, but it was pink, so it’s gotta be a girl dog, right?”

“Most likely. Well, we can put up posters, perhaps.” The clinic guy was trying to sound hopeful, but it felt a lot like placating to me.

“Okay… I guess… Well, shoot… Um, you have our number, maybe call us if she shows up? I’m worried.”

“We’ll see what we can do.” Yeah, definitely placating. Either way, it seemed to work, the two glumly got back in the car and left, picking up their towel from where it had fallen discarded just outside their car. They drove off and the clinic guy went back inside, not bothering to do more than glance around and see if he could spot movement. I watched him go back in from my spot hidden in the bushes. I don’t know if it was the outskirts of town, or if the town was just that small, but whatever patch of land I was on seemed to be an empty plot of land that nobody bothered to maintain or clear.

Still, these bushes would be a pretty crummy sleeping spot, and my body was aching to curl up and rest after everything that happened today. I snuck out of the bushes and circled the building, looking for a good spot. Behind it, there was a large bowl of kibble, presumably set out for strays, and the smell was… Not great, but better than nothing. I crept in to try some. Funny, I’d been a pet for nearly a year now, and this was my first time eating dog food. The taste was… like a radio on low volume. “Meat Adjacent” is how I’d describe it, the grain filler soaked in grease felt more like licking a cutting board than actually eating, but it did the job of filling my stomach, so it’d have to do. And it was free. After putting quite a dent in the large bowl, I climbed up onto a low wall and from there made it to the roof.

Gravel scrunched out from under my feet as I paced, picking out a spot behind a large metal thing… HVAC unit, maybe? It was so weird to be thinking of things on Earth after being gone for so long, and having my entire life flipped and turned upside down. Fresh Princess I might be, but this wasn’t Bel-Air. I settled in, hidden from the door that led into the building, just in case someone heard me, and found myself quickly falling asleep. I was more exhausted than I thought, I guess.

About five days ago, two days after his arrival, Tola was walking through the city in which he found himself. He had made… not quite a friend, but at least an acquaintance at the shelter, and after some talking, he had a lead on acquiring some documents. A fake ID for a fake name. He wasn’t sure if it was worth it, or if he was just digging himself deeper into the lie. Every time he’d question it, though, he’d imagine being in a DMV and trying to explain everything, and didn’t really see a way through that didn’t end with him in a padded cell and a straitjacket. “No, really, doctor! I really DID spend a year as a magician in another world with a pet dragon and living in a tower! I can cast spells and everything, so put down the tranquilizers or I’ll set this room ablaze!” Oof, that might avoid the padded cell, but only because a sniper would take him out from a distance. Or something even worse, if the secret of magic got out.

Speaking of secrets, though, he’d only been barely paying attention to his surroundings, but something stopped him dead in his tracks. In the corner of his vision, he caught a sight of a Wind Rune. Looking up, he found himself staring at the painted display of a bookstore, “Reading Is Magic”, the name surrounded by various shapes and symbols. But a couple of those symbols… Those were real, actual runes! That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?

Well, he wasn’t doing anything else today, he might as well check it out…

I woke up again as the morning sun warmed my scales. Opening my eyes, I took a moment to make sure I didn’t hear anyone around. No movement, no breathing, no talking. Sounds good, might as well stretch and get up. Oof, that pain was still sharp, but less so. Thank goodness that accelerated healing still worked. The illusion collar worked, but now that I thought about it… How dependent was my body on magic? If magic didn’t exist at all here, would I have dropped dead when I crossed through? Or would I have just been unable to fly, unable to warm myself, unable to breathe fire…? Unable to heal? Doing this was a much bigger risk than I had realized, but it seems to have paid off, at least. So that’s good.

I peeked over the edge of the roof, there was a raised lip about a foot high on all sides that kept the gravel in. I guess it was a shift change, as several people dressed in scrubs were heading out to cars. One of them turned to look back and I think she saw me, as her head raised up and she had an odd expression, but I pulled back and hid myself, and I didn’t hear her say anything… Well, an animal on the roof wasn’t that strange, was it? Still, nothing seemed to happen.

I climbed down the same way I got up, jumping down to the low wall and to the floor. I guessed it was there for privacy, maybe? The dumpster was next to it, maybe it was just to keep it out of view of other people. Either way, it was convenient for me. I shook myself slightly, wincing at the pain from my ribs, but once it ebbed enough, I started exploring. Heh, 255th Street, I liked that number. I’m a dork, okay?

This place definitely seemed like a pretty sleepy little town. Most people didn’t seem to bother paying any attention to me. Some would shoo me away from them if they got too close to me. Rude, I’m just walking here. Either way, there was a flaw that became readily apparent with my plan: I had no idea what I was doing.

Well, I was here now, so what could I do except wander? Maybe… I’d pick up a scent or something? Run into Master on the street? Overhear something? Yeah, I definitely messed this up. But I’m stuck with it…

Around midday, my stomach was protesting not eating kibble on my way out. Healing was taking its toll on me, and that meant one heck of an appetite. I wasn’t exactly eager to eat more of that dry stuff, so I wandered towards what this place called a downtown area, hoping I could find something a bit better. What I wouldn’t give for a bowl of Maifen’s stew right now!

What I found was a restaurant that looked about as authentically Italian as apple pie, but I wasn’t picky. I slunk into the alley beside it, sniffing around. Picking a spot to hide, I settled in to wait for something a little more fresh than last night’s trash.

I had apparently dozed off a little, as I found myself waking up with a start when I heard a door nearby open. Watching, I let the employee carry the bag of trash out, tail wagging. That wagging, though, caused me to accidentally whap it against the dumpster, making the metal hull ring out, giving the poor kid one heck of a start, the bag in his hand dropping onto the pavement as he ran back inside. Hey, makes it easier for me. I crept out and pawed at the bag, tearing it open with my claws and dining on plate scrapings from the lunch rush. Way too much carbs for my taste, but there was still a good portion of meat sauce in there. I didn’t get much before the kid was back out with a large broom, I suppose his boss was upset with him leaving a mess and sent him out to clean it up.

We faced off in a tense moment, him holding the broom and dustpan like a lance and shield, completely unaware that he was facing down an actual dragon. I had no desire to hurt him, so as amusing as it was, I took off and let him have his victory, since I had my lunch. Well, a light snack. I’d need to find something else, probably. Maybe a butcher shop.

After a fruitless day of wandering, I found myself back at the vet clinic as night started to fall. Kibble was still better than nothing, after all. Reliable, even if bland. It seems I wasn’t the only wandering animal with that idea, as by the time I got to it, the bowl was nearly empty. I lapped up the last bits of it, crunching it, glad to just have anything right now, when the door opened. The desk guy from last night was carrying a large bag and I stepped back, tail wagging a little again.

“Oh, hey, you’re the husky-looking one from last night, huh? Easy there, girl, we better get you examined.” Oops. He turned back. “Hey, can I get some help with a dog?”

I needed to get away, and fast, so I leapt into the air while he wasn’t looking, my wings snapping out and flapping once, sending a massive gust downward and launching me further up and forward, landing on the roof. That was excruciating, though. I resolved to only do that again in dire emergencies.

Of course, all he heard was the sound of leathery wings and a cloud of dust that got kicked up, and without context, it’d be easy to not recognize the sound. By the time he turned back around, all he could do was look around confused, but he had no reason to look up where I watched from over the edge of the roof. “What the hell…? Friggin’… ninja smoke bomb? Ugh. Nevermind, it’s gone.”

With nothing else to do, he refilled the bowl and headed back inside. I waited to make sure he wasn’t watching before I climbed down and ate my fill once more. With that done, I climbed back up again and curled up in my hiding spot.

Sleep wasn’t coming, though. I was wrapped up in worries. What if Master was hurt somewhere? What if he’d had an accident? Was I even in the right area? How far had I gone in the car? They probably would’ve taken me to the closest city. From where they hit me, they were heading in that direction, too. But would Master even know which direction to go? I had taken to the air to see it, I didn’t know if it’d be visible from the ground. What was I even doing here? How would I find him, even in a small town?

My wallowing in helplessness was interrupted, as a door opened and closed, the roof access I had spotted earlier. Gravel scraped against itself, but the sound didn’t go far from the door. I peeked out and saw a figure sitting down, leaning against the wall of the access… whatever you call it. Entryway? Close enough. She was unwrapping a sandwich, a long sub, taking eager bites. It wasn’t until she looked up and caught me peeking that I recognized her as the one that caught me this morning.

“I thought I saw a dog up here. Are you stuck? How’d you even get here, anyway?” She kept her voice calm, friendly, not moving any closer yet. She took another bite of her sandwich, clearly not expecting me to reply.

Of course I didn’t. But I did step out, wincing a little as the loose gravel made me move suddenly to keep from slipping. That momentary tensing of muscles was enough to trigger a small shock. Enough that she noticed, raising an eyebrow.

“Huh, the mysterious dog that opened a car door and ‘ninja smoke bombed’ Fred. You’re a weird one.” She fiddled with her food, and pulled out a slice of meat, holding it out. “Well, weird dog, want some… what even is this, anyway? Salami? Probably. Want some?”

…Okay, yes, I did want some. Cautiously, I crept forward a little. That thin slice probably had more flavor than an entire stomach full of kibble, after all. I watched her carefully, waiting to see if she was going to make any movements, but she wasn’t even in a position to try. We locked eyes as I took the piece of meat and pulled back, snapping down on it repeatedly since my jaws weren’t really made for chewing. But I was savoring the taste of it.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“What breed ARE you, with cat eyes…?” Oops, that was a thing, wasn’t it? I’d forgotten. The illusion spell didn’t change the appearance of my eyes, which still had slitted pupils like any other dragon. “Weird dog gets weirder… Are you part fox or something? I didn’t think that was possible.”

I kept my distance. I didn’t exactly want to dig myself in any deeper by speaking. She simply watched me as she took another bite of her sandwich, and each time I started to slink away, she’d pull out another slice of meat and offer it. That temptress… I mean, of course it worked, but still. With her meal break done, she headed back downstairs. “Hope to see you again, Weird Dog.” I kinda hoped I’d see her again, too. Back in my usual spot, I eventually found myself dozing off again.

“Welcome to ‘Reading Is Magic’, is there anything I can help you find today?” A voice called out with practiced cheer, a woman in her early 30s calling to Tola. Or, as he was calling himself currently, ‘James Smith’.

“Ah, possibly. I couldn’t help but notice your sign.” It would be a delicate questioning. “Did you paint that yourself?”

“Ope, nah, I hired an artist to do the painting, I just picked out some of the stuff to put around it. Brooms, wands, wizard hats, all that stuff.” The voice had a heavy Midwestern accent.

“Hm. …What about the runes? Everything else is pretty generic, but those…?”

“Oh yeah, those too. They look pretty neat, don’t they? But runes are pretty generic too, aren’t they? I mean, I just tried to put in anything that people would see and think ‘magic’.”

A shadow passed over Tola’s face briefly. “Oh, I suppose. I was just… It’s strange, but I almost thought I saw those exact runes once before.”

“Well, I did copy them out of a book, I always thought they felt a little, I dunno, lucky to me. Oh, you probably think that’s the silliest thing ever, don’tcha?”

“Me? No, no, not at all!” Tola did his best to sound friendly. “Maybe I saw the same book. You wouldn’t happen to have a copy of it, would you?”

“I can check, do you remember the name? I don’t think I even remember it, it was back when I first bought the place.”

Tola sucked air in through his teeth. “I’m afraid I really don’t… I’d know it if I saw it, but that’s all.”

“Well, I might still have the book. Remembering back, y’know, I remember it being a lovely thing, almost hand-crafted, but it didn’t have an ISBN number or anything so I never knew what to price it at. Why don’t you wait here and I’ll go check my office?” She smiled cheerfully, a rare book collector could mean some nice money.

“Sure, my day’s pretty free right now. I haven’t been in Ida Grove long, but it seems pretty nice. Small, but nice.”

“Yah, sure, it’s definitely small! I wouldn’t trade it for the world, though. I’ll be right back!” With that, she disappeared into the back, leaving Tola to peruse the shelves and stacks. About fifteen minutes later, she appeared again. “I just can’t find the darn thing! Well, it’s bound to be here somewhere, maybe check again tomorrow?”

Tola looked up from a paperback he’d been idly reading. “Do you get books like that often?”

“I’ve seen a couple, but not that often… I could probably make some calls, if you’re interested?”

“Maybe… Actually, I noticed you had a help wanted sign. I’m very much in need of a form of income, I believe. I used to work at a library some time ago, though I’ve been… kind of wandering, I suppose. But I do love being around books, and it’d give me a reason to be around in case this tome turns up again.”

“Tome, eh? Hehehe, listen to you, all fancy and stuff. Well, I could use the help, for sure. What’s your name?”

Tola extended a hand, the other closing the paperback and holding it. “James. James Smith. I’m currently staying at the Community Housing center, I’ve kind of… lost everything, right now, but with a job I can start getting an apartment or something, perhaps…”

“Oh, goodness! Bet you’ve got a tale or two to tell, huh? Well, I could give you a trial run or something tomorrow, maybe? I’m getting ready to close for lunch, but uh, if you want to join me, maybe we could talk more about the job?”

“I think that sounds nice.” Tola smiled as he shook the woman’s hand. “What’s your name?”

“Elsie Brown. And just so you know, any cow jokes and you’re fired, got it?” She didn’t look that upset, more like a good-natured joke, though it would be easy for someone not familiar with her to miss it.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I swear.” Tola put his hand on the book, as if swearing on a bible, before putting it down on the counter. The two headed out as Miss Brown flipped the sign to “Back in 30” and locked up.

My second day was much like my first, though I was able to find a butcher shop. This time, I tried a slightly different tactic, which was to look as sad and pathetic as I could manage. It wasn’t all that hard, but I had gotten my fill of scraps that hadn’t gone bad yet, but probably would soon enough to not be worth selling. At least, that’s my guess. Since I kept my distance from people, most were fine to leave me alone. It probably helped that I had a collar, the bell jingling lightly as I trotted from place to place. I did have another idea, I could try to sense any magic. However, that was like listening for music when you’re already wearing headphones, as the illusion spell kept a constantly-flowing shell of magic all around me.

Still, maybe there’d be something big enough that I’d feel it anyway? I really didn’t know how sensitive I was, or how much power needed to be flowing for me to pick up on it… In the end, it seemed to drive home that there were even more gaps in my knowledge than I thought.

Frustrated, night had started to fall before I even realized it. Car headlights were on, street lights started to flicker to life, and the streets were emptying. I felt like I’d done multiple laps of the city, but I didn’t get much of anything out of it. I picked another restaurant to raid the dumpster of to avoid a meal of kibble and went on my way.

By this time, my chest was mostly healed, as well. Ducking into an alley, I waited for nobody to be watching, before I jumped up and climbed into the air. Once in the sky, above the lights, I would be nothing but a dark shape amid the stars. It was a little sore, the ribs still a bit tender, but the bone had already knit together and repaired itself completely.

I glided along, deciding to avoid following roads exactly. In case someone did look up, I hoped I wouldn’t stay in their vision long enough for them to realize what they were looking at, just how big a shape was flapping its wings in the night sky. It was so different looking down instead of walking the streets, but I had still learned them well enough to make it back to the clinic without a problem. From above, I circled once to make sure Sandwich Girl wasn’t there, and came in for a landing. Once my feet were on gravel again, my wings were tucked in against my body where the illusion spell would hide them from view.

I’d gotten quite the workout today, but I still couldn’t sleep. I was still awake when Sandwich Girl came up for her break, though she didn’t have food this time. Ah well, I was still pretty full anyway. I just kept my distance while she sat, staring intently at her phone and furiously texting.

It didn’t go well, though, as soon she had her arms across her knees, her head on her arms, and was crying. I crept a little closer, but she was holding the phone in a way that I couldn’t see what was going on. She sniffled and looked at me for a moment before going back to crying. “No food today, Weird Dog. Sorry.”

She looked absolutely miserable, and it hurt my heart to watch. Finally, I took a breath. I’d been thinking about trying to get help with my seemingly impossible quest, but it was still another thing to actually take the chance. “That’s all right, I already ate.”

Sandwich Girl looked up in shock, staring at me with wide eyes as I sat a few feet away in front of her. “Did…? What? N-no, I…” She started to laugh nervously. “I’m losing it. I’m really losing it.”

“No, I talk. ‘Weird Dog’ is even weirder yet.”

“Holy… Okay, so… You talk. That’s… a thing.”

“Yeah, I know, take a minute if you need to.”

“…Why?”

“Rrreh? Oh, well, you… seemed really sad, and… well, I dunno. You look like you could use a friend right now. And you’re nice to me, ‘weird dog’ comments aside.”

She chuckled softly. “I guess that is kinda rude.”

“Well, I’m not much better, I’ve been calling you ‘Sandwich Girl’ in my head.” My tail flicked a little in amusement. “Weird Dog and Sandwich Girl! The city’s superheroes!”

She laughed loudly, sniffling. So that’s one mission accomplished. “Okay, I’m talking to a talking dog. I guess today can’t be all bad.”

“Why don’t you tell me about it? What got you crying, I mean?” I laid down on my stomach, settling in for a story.

“My… boyfriend broke up with me. He was upset that I was working so many days… That I wouldn’t come see him on my meal break, but, like, I barely have enough time to eat. Let alone go home, cook him a meal, eat, clean up, and get back. But he… said some pretty nasty things today…”

I must’ve made a face that translated well with the illusion. Probably looked the way a dog would look if you tossed it a piece of broccoli instead of a meat treat.

“Okay, it sounds bad, but… I mean, if I do dinner before work, it’s way too early, and I don’t get off until morning…”

“It sounds worse than bad. What, he can’t cook for himself?”

“No, he can, he just… I dunno, hardly seems fair to make him…” She trailed off. As she told more of her story, it seemed pretty clear to me that this was an abusive and one-sided relationship. Of course, the real question was, would she see that?

“Maybe you should break up with him.” I put a paw on her shoe. Without direct skin contact, maybe it wouldn’t be obvious it wasn’t exactly what it looked like, but I couldn’t just not offer some form of comfort.

“What? N-no, we’re… we’re a couple… We’ve been together for years…”

A voice came from the parking lot. “HEY! Cheryl! Get your useless kiester out here!” It made Sandwich Girl stiffen, and look like she was about to break down in tears all over again.

“I-I better get down there and talk to him…”

“I don’t know, if he’s going to be so confrontational, I don’t think that’s a good idea…” But I was ignored as she rushed through the door and down the stairs, soon coming out the front door of the clinic.

I watched from the edge of the roof, and so far, I didn’t like what I’d heard. She’d said his name was Chad, and he looked like it. Jeans and wife beater shirt, has to show off his wiry arms because he thinks they’ll be impressive. Chip on his shoulder the size of the rust spots of his pickup truck. Apparently, he was shouting at her because she stopped texting back while he was tearing into her and shredding her self-esteem, and he couldn’t have that.

There was a low growl in my throat, but neither Chad nor Cheryl could hear it from up here. When he reached into his truck and pulled out a baseball bat, however, I jumped. It was a bit higher than I’d have liked to do without my wings, but I still landed fine, just heavy. With a roar, I interposed myself between him and Cheryl, as she’d backed up a step.

I was growling deeply, back arched in a ready-to-pounce pose, though I had to make sure to keep my wings tucked in close. My tail lashed back and forth. Cheryl’s eyes were wide, and so were Chad’s. In a panic, he threw the bat at me and I caught it in my jaws, while he ducked into his truck and took off with tires screaming. Cheryl, meanwhile, had run inside.

Looking through the window, it looked like her and the guy at the counter were talking, and he was consoling her while he had his phone out. Hopefully he was calling the cops. But since they weren’t watching me, I launched myself into the sky once more. This time, I didn’t mind following the roads, I was focused on following that truck.

Four days after his arrival, ‘James’ sat behind the desk of the Reading Is Magic bookstore. This time, he said he had been backpacking in Europe, only to get home and find out that his roommate had thrown out anything he didn’t steal, and without being on the lease, he didn’t technically have a legal standing to do anything about it. To make matters worse, he’d been mugged shortly after arriving. That was why the clothes on his back and the satchel at his side were all he had left. Showing her a Sovereign helped sell that story, it was unlikely she’d recognize that the coin was from a country that didn’t exist on Earth.

Miss Brown had accepted the story well enough, and agreed to pay the first few paychecks “under the table” since James was still trying to straighten out his documentation. He had been wearing regular enough clothing bought from the local Target when he had interviewed, but Miss Brown wanted to see something ‘European’ for his first day, so he was wearing the outfit from Terra, complete with a badge identifying him as a member of the Mage’s Guild. It felt almost comical to him, but life was so full of strange twists and turns these days, wasn’t it?

His first day was spent combing the stacks, sorting books that were out of place since it would bug him to no end to leave them like that, but what he was really hoping to find was a book with runes like the one in the window… He thought about showing his spellbook to Miss Brown but had decided against it. The tome didn’t even have a name on the cover, and he didn’t particularly relish the thought of explaining why he had it. Besides, most of the book didn’t have more English text in it beyond spell names and a few margin-doodled notes. He could always show it later if it became necessary.

The bell above the door rang, and he turned to look as someone walked in. “Welcome to Reading Is Magic, how can I assist you in your quest?” He couldn’t keep the dry, sardonic tone completely out of his voice. The customer looked surprised to be greeted by someone new.

“Oh, like, I’m just picking up an order? Is Elsie here?”

“She stepped out to an early lunch, but I can help you. Today’s my first day working here. Your name, please?” James stepped behind the counter, waking the computer and getting ready to type.

“Goodness, and she’s got you in costume?” The woman stifled a chuckle, before giving her name. James located the book behind the counter and rang it up, the last in a series he had read so long ago.

“Ah, the clothes are from… an old job, but they felt like they’d fit here. It’s kind of like comfort food, almost. Huh, I remember this series. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

“Thanks, it’s been an amazing read so far! Really feels like you’re there, you know?”

“Oh yes, pity the magic system is completely wrong. Talking in rhyme, casting spells by accident? Heh, what a disaster that would be…”

“Um, yeah, pity… Magic would be really nice sometimes.” The customer looked a little awkward.

“Ah, sorry, don’t mind me, I was thinking of another series I read once that had a much different version of magic.” James made a show of trying and failing to remember something. “Darn, I can’t remember the name of it for the life of me, but the way the author explained magic just felt incredibly real, it really made sense… Now it’s going to bug me for the rest of the day.” He chuckled softly, hoping it was a disarming gesture.

It seemed to work, as the woman relaxed and laughed. “Oh, I think we all have a series like that, don’t we? Well, I’ll ask you next time I’m in and you can tell me if you remember then.”

“Count on it, Madam. Have a… magical day.” His smile was wistful as she left, his thoughts back on Terra. He was going to miss it so much, now that he was back on Earth.

It stopped in a driveway and sat for a bit, while I set myself down on the roof of the front door’s porch and waited. Once the engine cut off, he stepped out. But when he made it halfway to the door, I jumped down in front of him. “Shit! What the…? How the hell did you follow me?”

“Oh, I’m gonna do more than that, Chad.”

He nearly fell backwards at me talking, stammering out in his surprise. I prowled forward, closing a little more of the distance.

“See, you’re a real prick, aren’t you? So I’m gonna make this simple. You’re gonna leave Cheryl alone. You’re not gonna touch her, you’re not gonna come after her, you’re not even gonna harass her.”

“Wh-what are you… gonna do about it?” Of course, he had to try to be the tough guy, even with his voice breaking.

“Idiot! I know where you live. I have your scent. I can track you anywhere. And if you piss me off any further…” I drew in a breath, growling, and let it out as a gout of flame that stopped just short of burning him. At worst, it toasted his shirt and singed his eyebrows. I didn’t know that the fires had burned away some of the illusion, or that I had reflexively spread my wings when I let loose my flame. For a moment, he saw a scaly, horned face before the illusion of a dog’s head covered it again. Slitted eyes still bored into his.

A dark spot spread between his legs and the pungent stench filled the air. “I promise! I won’t! Please don’t eat me! I don’t wanna go to Hell!”

“Keep that promise, then.” With that, I launched myself into the air and climbed, wings beating. My heart was racing, and mentally I was kicking myself for giving in to that rage, but… He threatened Sandwich Girl Cheryl! She was the only friend I had on this planet, aside from my missing Master! And what’s done was done, I’d just have to deal with what came next, as I headed back to the clinic roof once again.

Blue and red lights were flashing as I touched down, and both Cheryl and Counter Guy were outside, telling their story. One officer was taking notes, the other was holding the baseball bat with my teeth marks and looking it over. I settled in as close as I could without being seen, hoping to overhear anything. Unfortunately, I only caught little snippets, and nothing I could piece together into information. I had hoped Cheryl would come back up to the roof and we could talk, but it didn’t happen tonight, and I ended up curling up to sleep once more. It took a while, as I recounted all the ways I had potentially screwed things up really, really badly in one night. Of course, a worried night led to fitful dreams, not even in sleep do I get to rest anymore.