Fox with a side of Bear

Human desires often tend to form a paradox. In winter, we desire warmer temperatures. In summer, we turn on our air conditioners, go for a swim, take cold showers and embark on other activities in order to cool down.

It was such a day late one Friday afternoon.

An arduous week both work and temperature wise was ending. Ryan and Mike – young men and friends for years -- needed a temporary escape from telephones, computers, traffic and other aspects of modern life.

A state park forty-five minute's drive from their homes seemed an ideal place to achieve that escape. It was quiet and peaceful. Its large forest promised shelter from the sun.

Perhaps they didn't seek an escape from all conveniences. They listened to the radio and talked on their way to pass the time.

The radio started playing static for several seconds half way through the trip. A different song played when the static cleared.

The song advertised a nearby roadside diner that served a variety of dishes. Neither Mike nor Ryan had ever heard of this restaurant. Something about it however, drew them. Hunger arose in the duo as the radio went back to static and resumed its previous broadcast.

"That was weird," Ryan said.

"For a minute there, I was expecting a UFO to materialize above us," Mike said.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "That's not funny!"

"Clam down, I was just kidding," Mike said. "Still, it is odd."

Ryan fiddled with the radio for several moments but was unable to pick up the diner's broadcast.

"Isn't it illegal to mess with someone's signal?" Ryan asked.

Mike shrugged his shoulders. His stomach was grumbling and his expression betrayed that he cared more about finding the restaurant.

They only needed to drive a few more minutes before they caught sight of it. It was a roadside diner with the look of a fifties diner. The few cars parked at the side of the diner were the only sign of occupancy. Mike parked in the closest spot to the door.

Ryan looked at the diner as he scratched his head. "Don't you find it strange that a place we've never heard of suddenly sends out a commercial over the radio and…"

Mike shook his head. "Well yeah but I'm starving and I don't know of anywhere else we can go."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Seriously, if they wanted to hurt us, why not just run us off the road or something? Why go to all of this trouble?"

Ryan held out his right hand. "Okay, I get the point."

Mike led the way into the diner. The wave of cool air that greeted them was refreshing.

A sign by the front door instructed them to seat themselves. Seat themselves they did. They sat at a booth by the window in front of their car.

"It's not like anyone is going to steal the car," Mike said. "I mean, we're alone and all."

"I know but after the other weird stuff, I don't want to chance it," Ryan said.

A waiter approached their table a minute later with a pair of menus and a smile. She appeared to be a bit older then Ryan or Mike and wore a traditional waiter outfit. She had two menus with her.

"We heard about you on the radio," Mike said. "Did you just open or something?"

"Just today," She said. "Would either of you gentlemen like something to drink before you decide?"

"A coffee with cream and sweetener," Mike said. He seemed to think for a moment. "Actually, make that sugar."

"A mountain dew please," Ryan said.

The waiter smiled and nodded before putting the menus on the table and walking away.

"Was she flirting with me?" Mike asked.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "You're crazy," he said.

Mike picked up a menu and looked it over as Ryan did the same. The club sandwich looked appealing to him. From the sounds Mike was making, it seemed more them one item appealed to Mike. Ryan put the menu down. Mike put his menu down a minute later as the server arrived with their drinks.

Ryan ordered the Philly steak sandwich and then watched with surprise and shock as Mike ordered the salmon, steak and ribs. He was not one to overindulge, so his sudden hunger was unusual to say the least. The waiter smiled and didn't seem surprised.

"You want three different things?" Ryan asked.

"I'm starving for some reason," Mike said.

"Yeah but there's hungry and then there's hungry!"

Mike shrugged his shoulders. "I can't explain it."

"I just hope you can eat it all," Ryan said.

They drank their drinks as they waited for their meals. Mike commented that the coffee was the best he'd ever had. Ryan noted that the Mountain dew was indeed, a perfect temperate and taste.

Their meals came after a short while.

Ryan ate his club sandwich, one that tasted better then any he'd had before.

He watched with fascination as Mike first ate the steak then the ribs before finishing with the salmon.

Almost 90 minutes had passed by the time their plates were empty.

Mike patted his belly and lay back.

"I can't believe you ate all of that," Ryan said. "Where did you put it all?"

Mike shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly have no idea. Now, as much as I'd love to lay back and relax, we still have a few hours of sunlight left."

Ryan smiled and nodded. "Let's get the bill then."


* * *

The bill had been for a price that was far more reasonable then Ryan had expected. Mike had paid for it using the justification that since his food contributed the most to it that he should pay it. He'd also included a generous tip.

They were back on the road a short while later. Ryan kept looking behind them as they drove.

"What are you looking for?" Mike asked.

"I know this sounds crazy but I want to make sure the diner is still there," Ryan said.

"Come on, it's not going to disappear," Mike said.

The dinner remained as they traveled a far enough distance for it to fade from view. The lack of mysterious vanishing comforted Ryan.

"Okay, it didn't vanish that I could see," Ryan said.

"See, I told you, nothing to worry about," Mike said. "Here, I'll put on the radio, it'll calm you down."

"As long as we don't get any mystery broadcasts."

Mike smiled and shook his head.

They arrived at the state park twenty minutes later. They parked in a lot with several cars but not so many as to indicate a park filled with other people.

The warm temperatures were a sharp contrast to the air-conditioned car.

The clean air and escape they sought balanced the heat and mosquitoes. While Ryan brought his cell phone, he had it turned off. He wanted to be unavailable for this evening.

"So, what path do you want to take?" Ryan asked.

Mike looked over a pamphlet.

"Let's go the blue one. It's the longest."

Ryan was about to voice a concern as to whether they had enough daylight. An inexplicable comfort with both the evening and forest however pushed the concern aside.

"Okay, sure, why not?"

Off they went.

They'd walked for about thirty minutes with Ryan leading the way when his chest felt itchy. An inexplicable and growing familiarity with the scents and sounds of the woods – scents and sounds that were somehow getting stronger – plagued Ryan. Worse, Ryan swore that it was getting warmer.

Mike was scratching under his shirt and appeared restless.

Ryan feared they were suffering a reaction to the food.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked.

"I'm fine," Mike said. "Do you smell fish?"

Ryan smelled the air. "Actually, come to think it, I think I do."

The itching grew worse. Ryan needed relief. Without thinking, he removed his shirt and dropped it. The shock at seeing patches of white fur that were sprouting on his chest kept him from processing Mike's next words.

"I smell something else, but I'm not sure what it is," Mike said. He looked back and forth while taking several steps. "Seriously, what is that? I hear something too. I think it's getting closer."

Ryan turned around and pointed to his chest. The shock on his face removed any need for words.

"Holy geeze," Mike said.

Ryan realized that he could smell something that didn't belong in the woods.

He heard a thumping like sound.

A hopping kangaroo wearing a black tee shirt almost knocked Ryan and Mike as Ryan turned around.

It stopped, looked back and clicked its tongue. Ryan somehow knew the kangaroo was apologizing and asking if they were okay.

Among other things – one being a scent Ryan swore was human – Ryan could smell the fear on the animal. He understood that it was panicking and didn't intend any harm.

"It's okay, we're fine. Just be more careful in the future," Ryan said.

"Why are you wearing a shirt?" Mike asked.

"Hurry, get help before it's too late for you," the kangaroo clicked.

It hopped off before Ryan could ask more questions.

"Why did I know what he was trying to say?" Mike asked.

"How should I know? What I want to know is why I recognized some of the scents on him," Ryan said.

Mike shrugged his shoulders.

"Wait, what if he used to be human and that was why there's a kangaroo that's wearing a shirt here," Ryan said. He gulped. "What if we're turning into something too?"

Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"That's crazy," Mike said.

"Dude, I'm growing fur here," Ryan said. "It's kind of hard to deny that, let alone us being able to understand a freaking kangaroo."

"Okay, so we're turning into animals,' Mike said. "So, um, what do we do?"

"I guess we should record what's happening, so people will know," Ryan said.

"Maybe we should call for…"

Mike couldn't finish his sentence before the laws of physics took a holiday and Mike's body gained a significant amount of mass. His shirt ripped at the seams and fell to the ground, revealing a chest that beige fur had overwhelmed.

Ryan chest was getting itchier and warmer. He started scratching as he held out the cell phone to record with one hand and scratched with the other. Ryan's hand met warm, soft fur after a few seconds. A quick glance revealed a chest that had no visible skin.

"Um, maybe it's time to get back to the car?" Ryan asked.

"But those fish smell really good," Mike said. "I'll be right back!"

"Are you crazy?" Ryan asked.

Mike shook his head. "Na, I'm just hungry."

Ryan followed Mike as he ran off the path and into the woods. They didn't get far before Ryan's feet felt odd. He was running on his tiptoes in shoes that were now the wrong shape and size seconds later. He didn't have time to adjust anything before he tripped on the shoes and fell belly first into a patch of mud.

Mike stopped running and turned around.

"Geeze, are you all right?" Mike asked.

Ryan stood on his knees and brushed himself off.

"I'm fine," Ryan said. "Well as fine as…"

Ryan wiped the mud off his hands and forearms.

He wished he hadn't.

The black fur that now covered his forearms and hands stuck out like a sore thumb, making their worsening situation impossible to deny.

Mike's situation wasn't any better.

Brown fur was growing down his arms and onto his face.

"Can we get help now?" Ryan asked.

"You go ahead if you want, I'll be right there," Mike said.

The scent of fish was much closer and coming from where Ryan heard flowing water.

Ryan rolled around onto his rear and removed his socks and shoes. What he saw under them were feet that he could now more accurately call paws. The same black fur that was now a part of Ryan's hands was also a part of his feet.

"Okay, time to get help," Ryan said.

A strong and appealing scent hit Ryan before he could stand. It was coming from his pants pocket. He pulled out what he realized was his wallet. The leather of it smelled far stronger and appealed to him in a way it never had before.

When Ryan heard splashing, he pocketed the wallet and stood before running towards the sound. He found Mike standing in the water wearing nothing but his boxers, which seemed several sizes too small for him. Mike had gained significant mass. The brown fur gradually sprouting all over Mike's body was impossible to miss.

Ryan watched Mike paw at the water.

"Mike, what the heck are you doing?" Ryan asked.

An odd but not quite painful feeling appeared at the base of Ryan's spine. Pants that once seemed comfortable now felt constricting. Ryan knew they had to go.

A soft, warm tail greeted Ryan as he pulled his pants down. He wasn't sure if feeling the tail or feeling things touching the tail was worse.

Fur spread from the tail down Ryan's legs as his pants fell.

"Mike, I think we should…"

Mike caught a fish as Ryan watched.

"Don't tell me you're going to eat it!"

Mike's mouth and nose developed into a short muzzle complete with whiskers and sharp teeth before Ryan's horrified eyes.

"Dude, get a hold of yourself," Ryan yelled.

Mike blinked his eyes and lowered the fish back into the water before releasing it. He turned and faced Ryan.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Mike said. "It felt so natural to do, like I've been doing it for years."

"Fine, that's just fine but we have to get…"

Ryan's jaw ached as his hips felt warm. His hips changed, causing his centre of gravity to shift. He fell onto hands that were shifting into what were looking more like paws by the second. His boxers – the only thing keeping him from being naked – fell down his legs and came to a rest over his feet.

The changes continued unabated as they spread like wildfire over Ryan's face. His human hair receded as orange fur spread up and around his face. His jaw and nose grew out into a long muzzle and his teeth grew into points. His ears took on a triangular shape as they migrated to the top of his head.

He stepped out of the boxers, leaving him officially naked as one could be with a natural fur coat.

Being naked was a minute concern at this point.

Ryan tried to call out but a series of yips were all that left his mouth.

Mike's eyes went wide.

"Holy shit, Ryan is that still you in there?" Mike asked.

Ryan nodded. At least, as far as he knew he was still himself. Other then this odd desire to collect objects with a strong odor, he still seemed to be himself, at least on the inside.

"Okay, I think it's time to get out of here," Mike said.

Ryan wanted to ask where they would go.

Whatever was changing them seemed to have other ideas. Ryan backed up as the fur finished covering Mike's body. As impossible as it seemed, Mike grew even larger as his ears took on rounded shape before his hips, hands and feet started changing.

Ryan watched as his friend took on an ursine form as Mike fell onto all fours with a splash that scared the hell out of Ryan. He dashed for cover behind the nearest bush. His instincts told him this was a dangerous predator, that it could eat him or seriously harm him.

He shook his head. No, he couldn't the instincts win.

The question was whether Mike felt the same way.

Ryan peeked around the bush. Mike stood in all his massiveness in the water with a somewhat perplexed look.

Worry that Mike was feeling instincts of his own plagued Ryan, The thought that those instincts could be pushing any human thought away terrified Ryan. If that were true, there could be little to nothing left of the man Ryan knew. Sure, that bear would still technically be Mike, but it would me a version of Mike almost alien to Ryan.

Mike grunted and pounded the water before walking out of it.

Ryan somehow knew Mike was asking why Ryan was hiding.

Ryan walked out from his hiding spot and over to Mike.

"Did you think I was gonna eat you or something?" Mike grunted.

Ryan hung his head.

"No, but a bear would," Ryan yipped.

"Yeah but I'm not just any 'ol bear," Mike grunted. "I may be a bear now but I'm Mike first."

"That's good to hear," Ryan yipped. "So, what the heck are we supposed to do now?"

"I guess we try to find help," Mike grunted. "I sure as heck want to know what did this to us and why."

Ryan looked at his paws and then at Mike's. "I doubt we can drive like this."

"Then it looks like we're gonna have to walk," Mike grunted.

"Fine, but I wana go back to that diner first," Ryan yipped.

"Why, you want seconds?"

"Very funny," Ryan yipped.

"I wonder where that kangaroo went," Mike grunted.

"Maybe we should go ask someone if they've seen a kangaroo wearing a shirt."

"Now who's the funny one?" Mike grunted.

Ryan grinned in the way only a fox could.

"Come on, let's get going," Ryan yipped.

With that, the two started walking back toward the entrance to the woods. They knew they had a long journey ahead of then. Wanting both an explanation and avoiding disappearing inspired them to go on.

A short distance away, a kangaroo munched on some grass and berries.

He looked down at his body, feeling a mild pang of embarrassment knowing that anyone could see everything that mattered.

Yet, there was a sort of peace in it. As a kangaroo, it seemed he had nothing to hide. Perhaps, it could quell his shyness.

Hopping was relaxing. In fact, it was damn liberating. It had calmed him, allowing him to see the positive side of this.

How he understood the grunts and yips of his fellow former humans was beyond him. He however decided to follow the duo. If they were going to the dinner (as he did) then perhaps they could help get an explanation as to why eating a meal-sized combination of potato and macaroni salad caused him to turn into a kangaroo.

Failing that, he wondered if the dinner had any more of either dish. They were good enough that in all honesty, they were almost worth the side effect.

He realized that the diner was far enough away that he'd need to do quite a bit of hopping to get to it.

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

They say walking is good for you. Mike and Ryan were discovering the difference between walking and walking. Reasonable distances for a car were anything but when on foot.

They'd been walking for hours under a darkening sky. The walking provided ample time to ponder their situation. Neither Ryan nor Mike had any real way to inform anyone of their identity. It made Ryan wish they'd kept an article of clothing like that kangaroo. They still seemed to have their human wits. The species change however, was far more complicated then putting on a costume one couldn't remove.

They walked close to the road but not so close as to attract attention. Cars went by but they seemed to ignore Ryan and Mike.

Ryan wondered how people that saw them reacted to the odd sight of a fox and bear walking together. He wondered if it would inspire a video upload or two. Some sadness hit him when he realized that he and Mike might never get to see said video upload. The potential lack of worrying about money and other human concerns however, tempered the sadness.

"Just how are we going to explain this to them anyway," Ryan yipped.

"What do you mean? We'll just go up and ask them," Mike grunted.

"Dude, look at us, we're a fox and bear and we can't speak," Ryan yipped.

It was easy for them to forget that they weren't speaking English. They both understood what the other was trying to communicate. That however was not the same as speaking English.

Even if they somehow could still speak English, it wouldn't change the fact of their species change.

"Yeah but we're no ordinary fox and bear," Mike grunted.

"What if we can't convince them of that?" Ryan yipped.

"You worry too much," Mike grunted.

"I was worried about the dinner and look what it got us," Ryan yipped.

"Oh sure, point out the one example where your worrying was right," Mike grunted.

Ryan's feet were tiring and he was getting dirty. Until now, he'd never appreciated the role clothes played in keeping one clean.

Being a bit dirty didn't seem so bad. Indeed, worrying too much about cleanliness tended to lead to little more then stress.

Ryan realized that being dirty, naked and more or less anonymous fox to anyone that saw him coupled with what he assumed was fox nature was making him feel playful. A part of him wanted to forget getting an explanation or trying to change back and to play and enjoy the moment.

"It's getting late, maybe we should start looking for a place to sleep," Ryan yipped.

"I doubt any hotels take bears or foxes," Mike grunted.

"Why go to a hotel when I have a nice, big, warm pillow right next to me?" Ryan yipped.

Mike stopped and looked at Ryan.

"That's the spirit!" Mike grunted. "In that case, I think I can accommodate you for a nice low fee of zero dollars."

"Then again, maybe we should try to find the diner first," Ryan yipped.

"Maybe they'll have a nice breakfast ready for us if we wait until tomorrow," Mike grunted.

"And how many orders do you think you'll need this time," Ryan yipped.

"Only enough to feed a bear," Mike grunted with a grin.

"Okay, fine, we'll sleep. Just try to avoid hibernating, okay?"

Mike stood up. He looked gigantic with Ryan's new stature.

"What do you think I look like a…"

Mike looked at his body.

"Oh yeah…"

Ryan shook his head before Mike went back onto all fours. Both walked a short distance before the road was no longer visible. Mike yawned and lay down. Ryan cuddled up beside Mike, finding his body warm and inviting.

Both were sound asleep within a minute.


* * *

The rising sun beckoned another day.

Ryan opened his eyes to see that this was far more then another day.

"Okay, still a fox," Ryan yipped. "Still making animal sounds and still naked."

Even when yipping, Ryan's tone betrayed his nervousness.

Mike opened his eyes. "You're not naked, you have your fur."

Ryan stood and looked at Mike.

"Fur doesn't cover everything," Ryan yipped.

"Why worry about it? No one is gonna question a naked fox and bear," Mike grunted. "It's better to enjoy it. I mean come on; we'd never be able to do this as humans without getting arrested."

"Yeah, I know but it just feels weird," Ryan yipped. "It was fun at first but now I'm worried we're going to get into trouble."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Mike grunted.

Ryan nodded. "I heard ya."

Mike stood up. "Then let's enjoy it. I doubt they made us this way to punish us. They'd have captured us by now if this was supposed to be bad."

Ryan nodded. "Okay, but what do we do after we find the diner and get an explanation?"

"I dunno, make out or something?" Mike grunted.

Ryan. "I think you'd be a little big for – wait what the heck am I saying?"

Mike grinned but resisting the urge to slap Ryan's shoulder. "I'm just messing with ya bro."

"Seriously, what do we do?" Ryan yipped. "Maybe we should find that kangaroo. At least he still sort of has hands and can write or type or something."

"And he's closer to your size if you want to make out with him," Mike grunted.

Ryan shook his head. "What's with the jokes anyway? You're a bear not a donkey!"

Mike grinned. "True, but I gotta help relax you somehow, don't I?"

Ryan nodded. "Thanks for trying at least."

Mike grinned. "Hey, what are friends for? Now, come on, we have a diner to get to. I wonder if they're serving pancakes this morning. Maybe even with maple syrup."

"Only one way to find out," Ryan yipped.

They reached the diner about an hour later. It was only starting to get warm out. As strange as it seemed, there were still only a handful of cars in the parking lot.

Ryan picked up the scent of something on the ground beside the diner. He bolted over to it to see that it was a black tee shirt with the scent of the kangaroo on it.

"What is it?" Mike grunted.

"It's the kangaroo's shirt," Ryan yipped. "It has his scent on it."

Mike looked at the shirt and then at Ryan.

"That's not good," Mike grunted.

Ryan looked at Mike. "What do you mean?"

Mike stood up and looked back and forth. "It means that he's naked!"

Ryan glared at Mike. "Last time I checked we're naked too."

Mike grinned. "I wonder why he took the shirt off."

"I'd suggest it was to take a shower but I doubt we can pass judgment in that field," Ryan yipped.

"Bah, you shouldn't be so sensitive. You can't expect an animal to smell like a bed of roses," Mike grunted. "Anyway, maybe he's happy that way and doesn't want to risk someone knowing the truth."

Ryan grinned. "I didn't say it bugged me. I guess we do worry too much about little things like that."

A sound from the front of the dinner alerted both, distracting them from the issue at hand. They turned to see the server from the previous day.

"Welcome back friends," she said.

"Did you change us?" Ryan yipped. "Wait, how do you know who we are?"

Ryan worried that she'd never be able to understand him. She surprised him when she walked up to him, knelt down and patted him. Ryan felt a fleeting worry that he couldn't trust this human. As soon as she stroked him, even his instincts knew she was trustworthy. He couldn't help but close his eyes and enjoy the patting.

"Yeah, it's not like we're wearing nametags or something," Mike grunted.

The server smiled and stood up. Ryan felt a little disappointed she'd stopped patting him.

She folded her arms in front of her and nodded.

"Is my understanding you any less fantastic then changing two handsome young men into a fox and bear?" She asked.

Ryan yipped when he realized he could smell the kangaroo on the woman.

"Did you change someone else? We saw a kangaroo wearing a shirt yesterday and now that shirt is right here and it smells like him," Mike grunted.

"He arrived last night," she said. "He said something about seeing you guys sleeping but not wanting to wake you."

"Is he still here?" Ryan yipped.

"Why, do you want to make out with him?" Mike grunted.

Ryan glared at Mike, who stuck out his tongue.

"Yes, he's inside," the server said. "He removed his shirt because he seemed happy with his new form. Well, that and he wanted to take a shower."

Ryan and Mike looked at each other and chucked for a few seconds.

"Why did you do this to us?" Ryan yipped.

"Please come inside, we'll explain everything," the server said.

"Um, will I be able to fit through the door?" Mike grunted.

The server laughed. "Don't worry, you can get through."

"Wait, what happens if someone sees us and gets scared?" Mike grunted.

The server smiled. "Don't worry; you three are our only customers at the moment."

They followed her to the front doors and walked inside. Mike had to squeeze a bit but he was able to get in.

When they entered the dinner,

The sight of the kangaroo sitting on his tail with his feet up on a table and his back to a wall as one server rubbed his feet and another rubbed his ears greeted them after they entered the diner.

"As you can see, he's quite happy," the server said.

"Wow, now that's service," Mike grunted.

The server nodded. "Well, you see, it's a two way deal. They've never been able to get this close to a real kangaroo, let alone touch one."

"And he's okay with being a kangaroo?" Ryan yipped.

"He expressed some worry over not being a real kangaroo," the server said.

"What do ya mean, not a real kangaroo?" Ryan yipped.

The server knelt and patted Ryan behind the ears. He closed his eyes, loving the sensation. She stopped after a few minutes.

"Felt pretty good huh?" The waiter asked.

"No, it felt wonderful," Ryan said.

"Is that something a fox or a human would enjoy?" the server asked.

"A fox I guess," Ryan yipped.

"I've never petted a fox until today," the server said. "A real fox probably wouldn't let me do that."

Ryan nodded.

"What do you mean by real?" Mike grunted. "I'm not wearing a costume; this is real fur, real paws and real teeth and claws for when we need to hunt. Not that I'd hunt you guys."

The server chuckled. "No offense taken."

"He was worried that in not being born a kangaroo, his reactions to us would not be genuine and it wouldn't be the same as getting to pat a natural kangaroo," the server said.

"What did you say to that?" Ryan yipped.

"Well, it may be true that he's not a natural born kangaroo and that he won't react like a natural kangaroo," the server said. She looked at her fellow employee rubbing the kangaroo's feet. "However, kangaroo feet are still kangaroo feet, whether or not they ended up like that through nature or with a little help."

"Bah, best not to worry about that kind of stuff," Mike grunted. "Right now, I'm a bear. So what if I wasn't born this way. If you wana pet me, you're petting a bear, not a human. I'm just a lot smarter then the average bear so you can do stuff with me that you can't do with a natural bear."

Ryan looked at Mike and shook his head.

"You just had to say it, didn't you?" Ryan yipped.

Mike winked at Ryan and grinned.

"Well, as I told our kangaroo friend, he may not be a natural kangaroo but we don't want any 'ol kangaroo to pat, we want him the kangaroo," the server said.

The kangaroo looked at the server, grinned, and nodded before waving.

Mike's stomached started grumbling.

"Let's get you two something to eat."


** A Year Later **


It started out as only a few unusually intelligent animals making appearances near the diner.

As the days and months went by, more animals made appearances. Most people wondered if the diner had anything to do with it but dismissed the notion.

Ryan and Mike however knew better.

They occasionally saw the kangaroo hopping along the freeway. He usually responded to seeing them with a salute and a smile before he hopped off.

Sometimes he'd be wearing a shirt, which he'd tell them was to entertain the humans who had no idea of the diner. He said that he liked giving them something about which to talk. Ryan had often laughed as only a fox could. Indeed, one would think seeing a kangaroo in a part of the world where one shouldn't be would be enough.

Ryan looked at Mike, given he and Mike were still close, a bear and fox being friends was probably no stranger then a seemingly wild kangaroo where one shouldn't be.

He stood watching the diner as two more people emerged, both rubbing their bellies with the satisfaction of a delicious meal.

Mike walked up beside Ryan.

"Looks like we're going to have some new friends," Ryan yipped.

"In the meantime, I think it's time for a classic game of hide-and-seek," Mike grunted.

"What'd you hide this time?" Ryan yipped.

"It's nice and shiny," Mike grunted.

Ryan eyes lit up. Mike only needed point in the general direction before Ryan took off, yipping in joy. Mike looked at the two patrons as they got into their car. The fun it seemed was only beginning.