The fuzzy-tailed couple padded urgently along the path, whose stones grew flatter and more organized. Jon thought idly to himself that it was much more like a street at this point. It gave him comfort, something he didn't realize he needed so badly until now. A simple, rational observation that they were back among people. The disorienting events of the past few hours began to feel sort of like a fever dream that he was struggling to wake up from. But, it wasn't long before the shift in the back of his jeans reminded him of the changes to his body. There'd be no "waking up" from this. This needed a cure. Or a counterspell. Or something, whatever it was. It wasn't doing him any good to ignore it, as much as he wanted to.
Alexis squeezed his hand. Her skin felt weird. Tough. Or was that his skin? He squeezed her hand in solidarity, and maybe also to check for that feeling again.
They reached the square, which seemed to be the major hub of the Pleasure Island park. Six different roads, including theirs, converged in a wide circular courtyard with a fountain in the middle, which several of the crowds of revelers were...drinking from? Jon scratched the top of his head and furrowed his brow.
People were dipping large mugs into the fountain and guzzling them up. The water looked amber-colored in the light of the streetlamps, which were ornate like a 1900s city, but clearly electric. There were shops, games and attractions in every window and entranceway among the multi-story buildings. It seemed very must like the amusement park they had expected to find, if not a lot more...untamed.
A guy and a girl dashed across their path, knocking Jon over. He was so startled he didn't think to let go of Alexis, and an instant later he felt her thwump right on top of him. He gasped out a weird-sounding yelp that shot up sharply in pitch at the very end.
Jon pushed himself slightly up off the ground and squinted, looking around. There was no trace of the other couple. "This place is out of control."
"Then do better watching your step," grunted an annoyed Alexis. She started picking herself up off Jon. He watched her tail hook and whirl in the air as she balanced herself on two feet again. Alexis looked down at him. "What?"
"How do you do that with your tail?" he asked before even thinking how silly the question sounded.
Alexis' eyes widened and she scrunched up her nose. She snapped her head back to look at it and grabbed it with one hand.
"Ick, I forgot we even had these things. Fuck that's a weird feeling." She slid her hand along its length, or rather, the tail swished to drag itself out of her grip and swayed freely once more. "I can move it myself, but when I'm not thinking about it it moves anyway. I... I don't want to think about it. Come on, get your ass up and let's just find a place that can change us back to normal."
Jon got up and brushed off his jeans, which was more a force of habit than anything, since they really needed a good wash at this point--or, really, a dumpster. When he looked up again, Alexis was running toward a cotton candy vendor with her arms flailing. He shuffled along behind her. Even at the modest distance, Alexis' angry shrieking was easy to hear over the din of the crowds and music piping out from the bars.
"Your stupid ride gave us tails and fur and almost fuckin' KILLED US. Where's your manager?"
He approached more slowly, not wanting to frazzle the poor vendor dude more than Alexis already had, and also not wanting to further enrage his girlfriend. He hated to think this way, but her voice sounded like the shrieking that women victims in slasher movies usually made.
The young guy couldn't have been much older than they were. He was clearly startled, but when he responded he talked in a mostly calm manner. "I'm sorry you aren't satisfied with your experience here on Pleasure Island. I'd like to help if I can."
"Good," Jon said, easing himself in between Alexis and the vendor. "Look, I'm Jon, and this is Lexi."
"Alexis," she said, punching him in the back.
"A-and we need someone who can fix this," he held up his tail. "Can you tell us where to go?"
The vendor's expression became strangely more jovial as he peered at the dark rope in Jon's hand. "Fix...?"