During his sleep, Joey found himself waking up in the shop he had started out in. It was different this time around though, instead of being cluttered and run down it was brightly lit and had shelves stocked with toys and games. It was now spotless and it looked more fun than depressing. Joey looked at himself and saw that he was still a small otter pup and was still in his new life. As he looked around a voice called out to him that had made him jump. He soon realized who it was and turned around looking at the shopkeeper.
"I see you have been adapting quickly to your new home" the shopkeeper replied.
"Wait, how am I back here?" Joey asked.
"Well you are here but yet you aren't, this is essentially your astral projection, you're here in a dream like state" the shopkeeper answered.
"Ummm....i'd be lying if I knew what you said just now" Joey replied.
The shopkeeper just stared at the small otter with a sigh, "Eh just as well, it just shows just how poor your human knowledge is. You silly flesh creatures think your advanced yet you haven't solved anything spectacular, you will see what I mean in due time" he replies
"Riiiiiight, so why am I here?" joey asked
"I just summoned you here to check up on you, see how your fairing, maybe give ya a change" the shopkeeper answered jokingly
Joey blushed hearing him say that as the shopkeeper saw him
"Aww don't be so embarrassed now, i'm not gonna tease you, i'm here to help, it's why I gave you a new life" he told the small otter
"Y-yes you did....but I kinda do wonder....if..if I chose, would it even be possible to go back?" Joey asked
"Go back to where?" the shopkeeper asked as he adjusted his glasses
"Well I mean would I be able to go back to my old life” Joey asked before speaking up again, “hypothetically speaking" Joey added
The shopkeeper gave a slight cold stare before clearing his throat, "Well if you chose to do such a thing.... it is possible" he replied. The shopkeeper pointed off into some shadowy darkness as a door appeared. The door looked like the same one Joey had walked through when he originally entered the store. Joey walked up to the glass door and looked through it but didn't open it up. Outside he could see his old home town, and it looked as though not a minute had passed since he entered the store.
"Should you ever choose to walk through that door, you will emerge in your hometown. You will leave as you entered, a human. The shop will never re-appear to you, you can never go back, however... the memories your new mom has of you can never be erased... she will find that you are no longer with her and will be heartbroken. I can not undo memories or mend a heart.... it would have to be something gravely important to make you leave this life I have gifted to you" the shopkeeper answered grimly
"I...know, I was only curious is all, I wouldn't do it , I don't really have anything to make me want to return to my old life, it was nothing but stress, and I didn't like it one bit" Joey replied
"Well then let's not dwell on such matters then" the shopkeeper replies as his grin returned. With a snap of his fingers, the door disappeared
"How are you able to do this kind of stuff... it's like magic" Joey asked him
"Well that's because it is magic, i'm more than just a shopkeeper" he replied
The shopkeeper had snapped his fingers to poof up a cloud of smoke to reveal a blue and white furred kitsune with two long blue tails that were white near the tip, that had a blue flame on the tip. Joey just looked up at the kitsune as his two tails swished about freely from his clothes as his ears twitched about and claws on his toes tapped about on the tile floor of the store.
"I’m a kitsune" he answered
"Wait... did you say kitsune? I thought they were just japanese myths" Joey asked the fox
"You heard right and we are most assuredly are real" he replied
"Why are you here?" Joey asked the kitsune
The kitsune pulled up a chair for himself and snapped his fingers making a chair poof up from under the otter giving him a seat of his own. "Well now there's a question I was expecting you to ask. I am here out of my own choice to help those who truly desire a second chance" he answered
"What do you mean by that?" the otter asked confused by this
"Well for example, I gave you a second go around, a new life, new world, a clean slate to start anew. you were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to have another shot at life the way you should've lived it" he answered
"So then why is the whole world, that is to say, my world isn't all empty?" Joey asked
"Now that’s the thing, there are a few catches, one must be willing and truly wishing for a way out of their current life, when they truly long for it deep in their hearts and minds, only then will my shop reveal itself to them. The shop will reflect their minds, from organized to a cluttered mess of unorganized thoughts, dusty cobweb ridden to reflect memories long forgotten. Most turn away and leave at the sight of their own minds and thus turn away their chance. The shop will then never reveal itself to them ever again. Lastly they must find the object that truly reflects their desire, if they can find that one desire in their minds they are rewarded with the chance, you had succeeded in doing so while many others sought material wealth over their true desire" the kitsune answered
"I see then, so does this shop only appear in this city or this world?" Joey asked
"Well no it appears anywhere where it is called, even those of the world you live in now have found reason to take refuge in other worlds as well" the kitsune replied
"Just how many worlds are there and why was this the world that was chosen for me instead of something else?" Joey asked with a child like look of curiosity
The kitsune grinned and pulled out the otter plush from his cloak, handing it to the otter. Joey snatched it up instantly and hugged it tightly. Joey could feel a warm fuzzy feeling inside him as he held it tight not wanting to let it go.
"This is the reason, you chose the plush toy, with some help I was able to give you the physical form you have now and the world you live in now to match the item, in this case an otter in a furry world as to your first question though, i'm afraid that one is hard to answer" he replied
"Why is that?" joey asked with a confused look
"Because dear child, there are many worlds. We kitsune have ventured out to many of these worlds but have yet to find an end. As far as we can tell, there are infinite worlds" the kitsune replied to the otter
Joey just blinked trying to picture what infinity must be like in his head. The otter had to stop thinking about it though as he was starting to give himself a headache trying to picture it. With a shake of his head, he thought of another question. “How old are you?" Joey asked
The kitsune chuckled "that's a question for another time curious one, we shall meet again sometime soon, till then sleep little one, rest your eyes for a new day of fun" the kitsune spoke to Joey in a soft voice
He reached his hand out and rubbed the young otter's head. Soon Joeys eyes became heavy and he could no longer stay awake as he fell fast asleep with his plush in hand sleeping soundly. Only faint voices could be heard of his new parents as the shop faded away into nothing more than a dream.
