Asher watched out his window as he saw Benji walk down the street. He could only feel shame and regret for what he did to him. What was an attempt to make him a right and proper gentleman, went horribly awry for the posh British badger. Benji hated him now, and his Uncle Felix was utterly enraged at him for turning Benji and his family into badgers in such an irresponsible manner. The situation for him was horrible, simply horrible. He couldn't spend his whole time in the U.S. making a fuss about his folly. Anyways, Felix was cooking breakfast for him, and he had to go get dressed for the day. And so he traded in a nightcap and nightshirt for a proper outfit for the day, a white button-up shirt with a grey pullover, and khakis, before heading over to the bathroom to freshen up his look, waxing his whiskers and making sure he was well-kept.
“Ash! Breakfast is ready!” Felix shouted from downstairs,
“Just a moment,” Asher replied, as he washed his paws and made his way downstairs for breakfast.
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In recent times, a phenomenon has been occurring where anthropomorphic animals started appearing in various places throughout the human world. These creatures, like Asher and Felix, hailed from a dimension much like the humans' but populated by anthros. They were refugees from a world that had been destroyed, leaving them lost, scared, and grieving for their old lives.
Initially, many anthros found themselves put off by the furless beings that behaved so similarly. However, as they began to acclimate to this new world, they discovered that humans could be accepting of them without question. In fact, with enough focus, they found that they could even transform humans into anthros themselves, altering their very being to suit their desires. This newfound ability to reshape individuals led to many humans undergoing radical transformations, both physically and mentally, changing them into entirely different creatures from what they were as humans. With this, they realized they could find a way to restore their old world: by making this one theirs.
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Asher sat down at the breakfast table, feeling a sense of unease as he waited for his uncle to serve him. The big American Badger was moving around the kitchen, his back to Asher as his claws clanged on the tile flooring as he worked on the stove. After a few moments, Felix turned around and placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Asher.
"Sorry about that yesterday, Asher," Felix said, taking a seat across from him. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."
Asher felt a twinge of guilt. "No, no it's quite alright. It was improper of me to be so horribly reckless in changing Benji and his family." He put his head down in shame.
Felix nodded, a bit gruffly. "Yeah, you're damn right it was improper. You gotta start thinking before you go around changing people willy-nilly like that. Could've ended up a whole lot worse than it did.Just glad that Whitney dame hasn’t come over screaming at us."
Asher felt a sense of gratitude towards his uncle. Despite their differences, Felix was always there for him. "Thanks, Uncle Felix. I'll try to be more careful in the future."
Felix smiled, a bit crookedly. "That's all I can ask for, Asher. Now, let's enjoy breakfast before it gets cold."
Asher nodded, and they began to eat in comfortable silence. As he chewed on his bacon, Asher couldn't help but think about how he could make amends with Benji. He knew that it wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to try.
“Christ,” Felix muttered as he looked through the kitchen pantry. “Forgot to get coffee.”
“Guess it wasn't such a bad idea to pack my tea, old fellow,” Asher teased in his posh English accent.
“Speak for yourself, Ash,” Felix replied, a hint of a Western twang in his voice. “Looks like we're gonna need to head out after we're finished eating. I hear this part of the world is pretty famous for coffee shops. Say we should head over there.”
“I’ll probably stick to my tea, Uncle Felix,” Asher replied in his refined, Received Pronunciation accent.
“C’mon, we could use the time out of the house after all the moving and changing our neighbors. Finish up and I’ll get ready to go,” Felix insisted, as the two badgers ate breakfast and got ready to head into town.
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Asher sauntered his way into his uncle's car, taking the passenger seat as he waited for Felix to come out. After a few short minutes, Felix would step out of the house in a plaid flannel, black shirt, and jeans. An outfit he had owned since his teen years, and got in to start the car, and the nephew and uncle were on their way into town.
As they drove through the winding roads surrounded by tall trees and mountain ranges, Felix couldn't help but comment on the beauty of the landscape. "You know, Ash, I know we just moved here, but I still can't get enough of these views. There's just something about the mountains that make me feel alive. Reminds me of our old home."
Asher nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's quite lovely, Uncle. I've never seen anything quite like it before. The meadows and fields in England are beautiful, but this is something else entirely."
Felix chuckled. "You're telling me, Ash. I've been all over the world, but there's nowhere quite like this place. It's just got this wild, untamed quality to it that I love."
As they drove into town, Felix pointed out various landmarks and notable places in the area. "There's the old train station," he said, gesturing to a brick building with a faded sign. "And over there is the local brewery. It’s been said that they got some of the best beer in all of the Oregon Country."
Asher took it all in, fascinated by this new world he found himself in. "It's all so different from what I'm used to," he said. "But I can see why people love it here."
Finally, they pulled up to a cozy-looking coffee shop. "Here we are," Felix said, turning off the engine. "Let's go get some coffee, or tea in your case."
As they walked inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled their nostrils. Asher was surprised at how busy the place was, with people chatting and quietly working on laptops or tablets or whatnot. Felix led him to the counter, and they prepared to order their drinks.
Alex stood at the counter as he spent the morning taking orders. He took this job to help him pay off his student debt and the reason he chose this little place to work was in hopes that the smell of freshly brewed caffeine would keep him somewhat motivated, it wasn’t all that exciting though, actually more stressful than anything. Most of the time, he was making the same, trendy repetitive drinks over and over and it made him do the complete opposite. Granted this place was busy as hell on a day like this, and it didn’t make his job any better, eventually, he would be met by two anthropomorphic badgers looking for a pick-me-up.
“Lots of these animal people lately, is there some furry convention happening near here?” he thought to himself before he snapped out of his thoughts.
“Can I take your orders? Alex asked as Felix and Asher prepared to order.
"I'll have a black coffee," Felix said, looking up at the barista. "And what about you, Ash?"
"I think I'll have a cup of Earl Grey, please," Asher replied.
“Alrighty you two, that’ll be 5 dollars,” Alex says as Felix pulls out some cash from a brown wallet.
“Keep the change, kid.” the American badger piped up, alluding to what was going to happen next.
"Thanks," Alex answered with a smile, his teeth already looking sharper than they were before.
Felix and Asher took their seats while Alex felt a strange sensation overcome him. He stood behind the counter, taking deep breaths as he tried to figure out what was happening to him. Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation in his hands and looked down to see his fingers stretching out and forming thin, clawed digits. His nails grew sharp and curved, and the skin around them darkened.
Alex watched in shock as fur began to sprout from his skin, spreading up his arms and across his chest. Creamy white fur grew on his cheeks, while brown fur formed a mask around his eyes. His face pushed forward into a tapered muzzle, complete with a pink nose and long whiskers. As his ears rounded out and migrated up to the top of his head, Alex realized with a start that he was turning into a ferret.
He quickly rushed into the storage room, trying to process the changes happening to him. As his mind began to warp to fit his new body, he felt a sense of confusion wash over him. What was he doing in the storage room? The newly-minted ferret then remembered that he needed to restock the coffee and tea for Felix and Asher. He grabbed the boxes and made his way back behind the counter and opened them with his new, naturally sharp claws, his new tail flicking behind him as he went.
As Alex returned to his post, he noticed that the coffeehouse itself had undergone a transformation. It felt more vibrant, with a designated space for someone to play music in the back. The menu had drawings that Alex himself had created, even though he had never had much interest in art before. But as he made each drink, he realized that the process itself was a form of art. As the team lead at this cafe, he took pride in making the coffeehouse the best place in town to meet up.
Alex grabbed some coffee beans and began grinding them, his nose twitching as the aroma filled his nostrils. He put the ground Colombian coffee into a filter and poured hot water over it, filling a cup with the fragrant brew. He capped the cup and adorned it with a nicely decorated sleeve for Felix. He then poured a kettle with a tea bag for Asher's drink, letting it sit on the stove until it whistled moments later. He poured the tea into a cup and served both drinks on the counter.
“One Black Coffee and Earl Grey!” he dooked in a high and melodic voice as the two badgers got up from their seats, ready to enjoy their drinks.
“I must say, uncle. This gentleman does know how to make a proper cuppa.” Asher smiles.
“Boy damn sure seems like a nice kid,” Felix adds, “Now that’s how it's done. Once we're finished maybe I’ll take you out somewhere to get some practice.” Felix says as he takes a sip of his coffee…