Gunther was just starting to relax, when he heard his phone ring.
He sighed, picked it up and, a tense conversation later, put it back down. "Of course there's a problem."
He was about to get up, when his eyes fell on the tube. Gunther hesitated for only a moment before grabbing it.
"At least i won't get so pent up this time."
Gunther was back at the ToonWorld entrance within the hour and it took him only a few more minutes to pass through to the human world,
dragging along his luggage behind him through the portal.
He had only taken a few steps, when he heard someone call for him. "Mr.Gunther! Mr.Gunther!"
Gunther looked over, immediately noticing the human greeter that he'd given a sizable tip to a while ago.
"Mr.Gunther, i just got pinged that a vacancy opened up, the moment after you stepped through!"
The pig perked up at that. "Really? Then i'll have to jump on this! These usually only stay open for a few minutes!"
He sprinted to the nearby registration office, almost running into the door. "Hello? I heard there was a vacancy?"
The tired looking office worker behind the desk looked up, recongnizing Gunther after a few seconds.
"Ah, Mr.Gunther, you're in luck! It seems you'll be able to stay this time."
Gunther sighed. "Finally. So, who will i be replacing anyway?" The office worker picked up a nearby file and opened it.
"Let's see, his name was... ah, there it is. It seems his name was 'John' and he came to ToonWorld with his wife.
They didn't leave their last names and should both still be in ToonWorld. They were most likely planning on becoming permanent residents from the start. Most people that don't set up safety nets or even leave their full names do." He closed the file.
"Well, i know that you've already set everything up, so won't have to take over his life anyway." He hesitated before putting it away.
"Do you want to pick out any parts that you might want? Besides the citizenship of course."
Gunther fell into thought for a moment. "I think i'll take his friendships, club memberships and the like. I don't really have any relationships on your side, only property and assets. But definitively not the marriage, i don't swing that way."
Gunther watched as the office worker nodded and made notes, waiting until he finished, before continuing.
"I'll also take a claim on all his property, in case his wife wants to stay in ToonWorld aswell, but i'll leave the claim on his accounts."
He put a hand to his chin and thought for a moment. "I think that's all. Is there anything else i can claim?"
The office worker opened the file again and went through most of the pages before stopping.
"Ah, you could also claim his degrees, his phone and e-mail address, his job, a small amount of debt or some frozen sperm samples."
Gunther's eyes widened for a moment. "Sperm samples?" "Yes, the kind used for artificial insemination." Gunther cleared his throat.
"I don't think i'll need any of that. But i will take the debt, someone will have to and its not like i can't afford it. Anything else?"
The office worker looked through the file again. "Hmm. Oh, it seems his appearance is also available. He probably went full Toon."
Gunther laughed. "It would certainly help me fit in, but i'm happy the way i am." The office worker closed the file and put it aside.
"Alright, please wait a few minutes while i have this processed. Most people should have forgotten that there ever was a 'John' in our world,
instead of a Mr.Gunther, by the time you leave here. You already know the rest, such as ToonWorld not being affected by this,
so i'll skip this part. Please sit down over there while you wait, it should only take about twenty minutes."
Gunther thanked the man and sat down on one of the nearby chairs, showing a small grin, when he didn't hear the exaggerated creaking sound it would have given out in ToonWorld.
About half an hour later, Gunther stepped onto the sidewalk.
It was finally sinking in that he was no longer just a visitor. He pulled out his phone and looked at his contacts.
The first half were the numbers of business partners and various associates, but the other half was made up of John's friends.
Or rather HIS friends. Gunther didn't understand why this 'John' character was willing to give up everything,
including even his friendships, but Gunther was thankful for it. He hesitated for a moment, when he considered that this 'John' had perhaps simply forgotten to specifiy what he would want to keep in case of permanent toonification, but he shook his head.
He would have been been warned in advance if he wanted to become a permanent resident, so he probably just preferred living as a Toon.
Gunther looked back at the phone and smiled. This 'John' would probably never know how grateful he was.
Of course, Gunther had no idea that the fleshlight in his luggage was the man he felt so grateful to.