"...That's very strange. Anyhow. I'm a little later than I thought I was going to be because the evening edition of the paper was unexpectedly interesting but we can go shopping now."

"Why, what happened?"

"Bunch of things. People all over the world are claiming things have happened that have no explanation. Lights healing themselves, shrens being cured en masse, people being able to change sex without spells."

"...I totally brought my world's magic with me," he says. "Sorry. But not actually sorry because my world's magic is pretty great. What's a shren?"

"It's - well, it was - like a dragon except unable to fly."

"That sounds like it kinda sucks," he says. "'Was' because... they're all cured now?"

"Yeah, all of 'em. It's especially good for the babies, because if they didn't fly it hurt them, but they can't learn to shapeshift until they're twenty."

"No wonder somebody was wishing to fix it."

"Yeah, I guess that's how. How does the magic work exactly?"

"You wish or pray for something, and maybe you get it. Or maybe you don't. Or maybe you get it and a half a ton of jelly beans as a bonus. People have tried to figure out why some prayers are answered and some aren't, but so far all we know is that prayers mostly get answered for a few hours at a time and then nothing for the rest of the day. But sometimes there's stray ones. Really obvious stray ones, too, half-ton-of-jellybeans obvious, not just 'I wished I'd win this race and then I did'. Oh, and it matters who you're praying to. Probably. Sort of. Nobody's sure how. Praying to 'whatever does the magic' definitely works as much as anything ever does, though, so it's not that important to figure out the details."

"That's weird."

"You think?" he says, grinning.

"Yeah. So - entrance hall! - what do you need?" The lift trundles towards the entrance hall.

"...Things? I dunno. What do people usually bring to their dorm rooms that isn't already there?"

"Sheets and toiletries and books and stuff."

"Sheets do sound useful," he concedes. "Sheets and toiletries. And maybe some stuff."

"Okay. Oh, and clothes, I guess."

"Clothes! Clothes totally qualify as stuff."

"Yeah. Okay, I know places to get the basics, at least."

"...Oh, and shoes," he adds, looking down at his bare feet. "Shoes would be nice."

"...Oh, yikes, I didn't even notice. I dooooon't think I can carry you into town shifting or no shifting. I could maybe try to find a pair to borrow that would fit you long enough to get into town?"

He shrugs. "It's not that big a deal. If you know somebody you think would lend me shoes, though, then sure."

Korulen squints at his feet. "I mean, the roads are generally pretty clear, but it's kind of a long walk. I don't usually pay that much attention to how big people's feet are... I guess I can try Min, and Lutan's boyfriend, and Kaylo, and after that I'm kinda out of ideas, my dad definitely has bigger feet than you and I think Daanten has smaller."

"Okay," he says cheerfully.