Welp, even though I'm technically in a new world it seems everything is still...normal? I don't really understand how but, well, I'll still have my apartment, my job, and my friends. Grant still owns the bakery, Ivette's still at Lunacy, and Isabel's still doing wildlife rehab. It's like nothing changed. I'm so confused as to how this all works but I suppose it's not my place to understand. Not yet, at least. For now, I'll just focus furthering myself.

I'm getting stronger, I can feel it. The more I shift, the more I get used to being in that werewolf form. I'm getting more comfortable with it being a part of myself. Though, I must say, I don't love feeling like I lose a bit of control when I shift. I think I just need to practice more and then maybe that feeling will go away? I certainly hope so at least. I don't like feeling like I'm not in control.

So, I learned a few things. The most surprising is that the weird guy was right, I did figure out something useful, and learning that led to more realizations.

What I learned this time is how to use animal abilities without becoming them, and even better I figured out how to hide the changes. Sure, the usual things people think of like claws, sharp teeth, tough skin, and running faster, but the weird one is picking an environment. I wanted to explore the sewers and storm drains below the city, and focused on doing that, thinking partially on water breathing animals for diving underwater down there. Well, once down there, in a place I already knew the fumes should suffocate me, I wasn't breathing. Somehow I didn't need to. Weird.

Also I realized if I go down there without shifting first, I'll get soaked and stinky. Sure, I have a change of clothes, and can sneak use of a hose or shower in the changing room at a public pool, or even turn into a rat and wash in a sink, but... what if I just swiped myself a swimsuit or two and make it easy? That'll help if I need to change clothes around someone again, just keep the suit on while switching between casual stuff and a dress.

Anyhow, on to the really interesting stuff, what I discovered when I turned to rat form and used that no-breathing trick. I burrowed through some nasty stuff, mostly from people pouring stuff from cooking down their drains. Whatever, I washed extra after that, but I found a clogged and forgotten drain. A big one. It's not clogged now, but I doubt that matters. The other end of it was in a basement or something, sealed up from the outside. I bet whoever sealed it meant to come back, but with all the rust on stuff down there nobody was there in more years than I could guess. Luckily though, the best stuff wasn't made of anything that could rust.

There was more there than I can carry, at least in one trip, so I memorized the way back and took two extra trips in just to make sure I can find it later. What did I bring out? A few rings, a necklace, a bracelet, and a brooch. Fancy jewelry, and not the fake stuff. I sold all of it, bit by bit over the next week, and I don't have much of that money left now. I didn't really get what it was probably worth, but it's not like I can sell antiques at a pawn shop at my age and with no ID. So I talked around, found a fence, haggled, and got some cash. What did I spend it on? Food for one, but much better was when I bribed the cleaning staff at a hotel. She got me a roll-away bed and let me sleep in the basement storage area, and snuck me into a room a couple of times for a good long bath. Got clean clothes too, and newer stuff for when I want to look nice.

So, all in all a good week. I wonder what's next.

So, in between customers I've been trying to figure out what I need to learn or make. So many ideas, including the silliness of merging my RV with a helicopter, or making it into a submarine, or putting it in my pocket. Well, I say 'my' RV when really my dad said he didn't want to use it himself after mom passed, but he wanted me to be able to comfortably visit him out east. Anyway, the more serious ideas include magical linguistics, physical and/or mental armor, a sword I could retract into the left bracer, a steamer trunk that turns into a vest, various healing ideas, breaking conservation of energy, fixing or creating objects, actual hammerspace, a controllable filament idea, and walking on walls.

Anyhow, with all that noted down so I don't forget, I can ponder what to do while I wait for an appointment. He said he has some first editions to offer, a few of which might end up in my personal collection. He also said he'd bring a list of first editions he's looking for, so perhaps I'll make something on this.

I really need something to go right, with luck it'll calm me down so I can sleep better tonight. Still having bad dreams.

The next morning I woke up with my mind on fire.  The old lady never showed back up, but now i understand what she meant when she promised me magic.  I'm seeing the world in a whole different way.  I can feel, hear, taste time itself, and I'm more certain than ever that i have a home to get back to because my time is different than everything else's. It's the wrong... color?  flavor? no idea how to quantify it yet but I'll fucking well find out. 
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It's been a few days and I'm playing with this new energy.  I'm trying not to rave like the madman I've been labeled anymore, but after digging around online I'm finding that at least here there's a lot proven beyond the boundaries of mundane science.  I'm reading, I'm learning, and I'm experimenting.  Let's see where this goes.
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Okay, breakthrough of some kind. I've found some meditative techniques, mental exercises that let me push on this new force.  It's clumsy, but if I strain I can, well not so much move them through time as move time through them. It's weird, but the only way I'll grasp it is to approach it logically, experimentally. for now, at least if something like that lava monster comes at me maybe I have a defense...