The metro station in Firaxa Harbor was desolate when Gary arrived in the morning. It was 6:30 AM, and the train was just about to make its first run. The door of the train car finally opened and Gary hurried inside. He was anxious to get to the heart of the island as soon as possible, and living at the northeastern coast meant it would be a long ride there.

As he sat down, someone else entered the car. Gary saw a large bluish-gray wolf, still shaking water out of its fur. It looked directly into Gary's eyes and trotted over to him.

"Gary, how's it been?" the wolf asked.

Still tired, Gary stared at the wolf in confusion for a moment. He finally noticed, through the sogginess of its coat, the white muzzle and paws of the wolf.

"Lobo? Hey, nice to see you! What were you doing all the way out here?"

"I know an owl that's roosting here. Me and Tom are heading back home."

"Is he with you now?" Gary asked.

Lobo looked over his shoulder.

"He probably got in on the wrong car." Lobo tilted his head. "You paid him back, didn't you?"

"I did," said Gary. "A while ago. Him and I are all clear. Anyways, I thought he was back in his world."

Lobo tried to shrug.

"He's a busy guy. Him and his nephews are always going back and forth, between here and there."

The train had already left the station. Little could be seen clearly through the pouring rain, and the relentless drumming of it on the roof filled the car.

"I always thought," said Gary, "that you guys were too attached to your homes to spend much time in Zero City. You always talk about never leaving the Crossings."

Lobo nodded and wagged his tail.

"No one really leaves the Crossings," Lobo said. "The Crossings are made up of all animals; wherever we are, so are they. I was born into them and will die in them." He paused, and added: "But humans usually forget that they're animals, too."

The door at the front of the car slid open, and a brown, sleepy-eyed raccoon dog in an apron entered on its hind legs, carrying a small umbrella.

"You two rain dogs seem to be enjoying yourselves," Tom Nook said. He sat down in the seat next to Gary. "It's been a while, Gary."

"Uh, yes, I guess so," Gary muttered.

"Morning, Tom," Lobo said.

Tom only nodded in reply.

"I heard from a raccoon back at the harbor that our foxy friend was prowling the area not too long ago," he said, wryly.

Lobo growled, and Gary shifted uncomfortably in his seat, thinking of yesterday morning's "visit."

"He was at my house yesterday," Gary said quickly, before he could give himself time to change his mind.

Lobo looked surprised. Tom just raised his eyebrows.

"It was about money, I'll assume. How much do you owe him?"

"How much did I owe you?" Gary asked.

Now Tom's eyes were open completely. Lobo bared his teeth with frustration.

"Damn it, Gary," he said, "why did you take money from Redd? They call him 'Crazy Redd' for a reason!"

"Easy, Lo," Tom said. "Gary, you said you paid me off with money from work."

"I got fired after that, Tom," Gary said.

He looked out of the window, the passing landscapes still concealed by the wind and rain.

"My film never got off of the ground, either. Redd must keep a list of everyone who owes anyone money, because that bootlicking weasel friend of his was at my door not one day after the film died, with Redd's offer."

Lobo's expression softened.

"Gary, buddy," he said, "you know that if I had cash instead of bells..."

"I know, Lo," Gary said, smiling. "I knew if I told you I'd taken cash from Redd, you'd either kill me or you'd kill Redd, and get yourself in worse trouble than me."

Tom shook his head sadly.

"I may get cynical once in a while, Gary, and I'm not above an occasional threat, but I've never broken anyone's legs over a few bells, or killed anyone's family for some cash. Back home, Redd's got his dirty paws in every conceivable illegal activity, and he's never been caught. He's a smart bastard, though: he surrounded himself with enough bigger animals to ward off any others seeking personal justice."

"That's exactly why I'm going into the big city," Gary said. "I have some friends involved with the ZCPD. Like you said, there's no proof to convict Redd of anything, yet, but I'd like to at least get some insurance in case he decides to send some of his friends my way."

"That's a good idea," Lobo said, scratching himself vigorously behind the head.

"Work on getting a job," Tom advised. "I know the only reason you won't work for me—"

"Redd would put more effort into having me killed, out of spite," Gar said. "Was it always like this?"

Tom looked confused.

"What?"

"I haven't been to your reality, but I've played the games, for a little bit. I know some guy at Nintendo came up with it on his own, with no knowledge of you guys, but I never guessed things would be so brutal."

"It isn't really," Lobo said, giving Gary a friendly lick on the elbow.

Tom was almost asleep in his seat.

"Wake me up when we're there," he yawned. "Good luck with your cop friends, Gary."

The train was at its first stop. Gary yawned and tried to recline in his seat. There was still a decent ride left.

"Well, that sucks," said Luigi to Gary, sitting on a park bench in the Common district. The rain had stopped an hour ago, and sunlight was slowly peeping through the clouds.

"If we had-a some evidence," Mario said brightly, "we could-a just give the fox a good head-stomping. There used to be-a nothing that head-stomping couldn't fix"

"Look, all I really need is to be certain that Redd won't put a hit on me, at least until I find a steady job," Gary said.

"Did you know that he's-a got a chimp as his-a new bodyguard?" Mario asked. "Keeps a katana with him, and seems to-a have a thing for garrote wire."

"You aren't helping, bro," Luigi said. He turned back to Gary. "We can-a keep an eye out, maybe tip off some guys in the area to look out around your neighborhood."

"Thanks, you guys," Gary said, smiling for the first time in three days.

"By the way," Mario said as Gary was leaving, "how much do you owe the fox?"

"2,500 dollars."

"Holy crap. Well, you'd-a better hurry up with the money. Even if he-a didn't say anything, I bet Redd's got pretty high interest."

Three days later, Gary was asleep. Dreaming of the war, again. Still hadn't found another job.

There was a loud beating at the front door. Gary shot upright, terrified. He walked slowly to the door, waiting to hear the growling of a tiger, or the sound of a pistol being cocked.

Gary still wasn't relieved when he saw that it was Lobo outside. When he opened the door, the wolf scrambled inside, several rolled-up papers in his mouth. He spat them out.

"Read the headlines," he commanded.

Gary sifted through the torn newspaper pages from Lobo's reality, reading each with mounting terror.

"Nook n' Go Vandalized."

"Nook's Cranny Arson Spree Continues in Midwest: locals blame UFOs..."

"Deadly Gas Explosion at UK Nookington's..."

"Whatever you've done already, buddy," Lobo said gravely, "I'd still be worried if I were you. Things are starting to heat up back in my world, and it doesn't look like Redd is in a good mood."