A week before the Animalia Christmas Exposition...
Sylvia followed the doctor into the examination room. She was surprisingly fast for someone who only had one leg and had to use a crutch, but then she was so eager to get her treatment. Most people would jump, figuratively speaking, at the chance to regain the ability to walk, but Sylvia was going in the opposite direction. She specifically chose the one type of Animalian that had no legs: a serpent. To be more specific, she was going to splice herself with the DNA of a Great Basin Rattlesnake.
Most people would wonder why a professional figure skater would want to change into a species that not only had no legs, but did not thrive in the cold. For Sylvia, the answer was simple: she wanted to get AWAY from figure skating. Her parents' constrictive training programs gave her almost no freedom. Not to mention that she always hated the cold and she'd shiver for hours afterwards after each training session. The car accident that cost Sylvia her left leg wasn't an ideal way of getting out of ice skating, but it was better than having to be forced to skate for her whole life. When Project Phoenix showed how they successfully regenerated both of a man's severed legs, her parents immediately started pushing her to go down there and get the treatment. They weren't even concerned that she'd be giving up her humanity, so long as she was able to get into the rink again. Well, Sylvia decided she'd take advantage of this project to get away from her parents and her controlled life of figure skating for good.
The examination room was different from the ones that Sylvia had been in, namely because instead of the usual bench for patients, there was a large slab attached to some sort of machine that was suspended above it. "I hope you'll pardon us for being too intrusive," said the doctor, "But your choice of splicing DNA and the condition you are attempting to, ahem, heal offers us a rare opportunity in the medial field."
"Is that an x-ray machine?" asked Sylvia.
"A fluoroscope to be precise," said the doctor, "We've already looked at the internal images of other Animalians changing, but you're our first serpent volunteer. There is much we could learn by observing your process."
"Isn't there a chance I'd get radiation burns or something?" asked Sylvia.
"Well, the Animalia virus has very potent healing properties. We've already used it to cure other forms of cancer. However, there is the smallest chance that the x-rays may affect the growth of your new cells in a negative way. Which is why you need to sign the waiver," said the doctor, handing Sylvia a clipboard with a paper attached to it, "If you don't want to risk it, that is acceptable. We can proceed with your conversion without the fluoroscope."
Sylvia looked at the waiver carefully. Most of if was the usual agreement of consent stuff, acknowledgement of risks, etc. However, it did say that Horizons Lab was willing to pay her handsomely for agreeing to this extra scientific experiment and an even larger compensation if the x-rays have a negative effect on her. "This is just for science, right?" asked Sylvia.
"Absolutely," said the doctor, "You're undergoing a complete change in ambulatory system. I'm sure you can understand how intriguing the observation of your bones' transformation would be."
"Well, who am I to get in the way of the progress of science?" asked Sylvia before she signed the waiver.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Tratlerton," said the doctor gratefully.
"If you really want to thank me, you can stop calling me that," said Sylvia, "I'm going to have my name legally changed to 'Rattlerton' as soon as I can."
The doctor raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm guessing that's the reason you chose this state's endemic pit viper."
"One of a few reasons," said Sylvia, "Rattlesnakes are cool."
"Well then, Ms. Rattlerton, if you can step up, er, sorry. I'll just adjust the slab for you," said the doctor before he made the slab move until it was nearly perpendicular with the floor. Sylvia was able to maneuver herself onto it and started to pull off the hospital gown she was wearing. "Miss, there's no need to remove that," said the doctor.
"I want to watch my own tranformation," said Sylvia, "Just don't stare to much."
"I'm a medical professional. When I peek, it's in the line of duty," said the doctor, "Now considering your leg is the main source of interest, let's make the injection here." He then swabbed some medical alcohol on a spot on her thigh before taking out a syringe filled with a clear liquid.
"That isn't venom, is it?" asked Sylvia with a little trepidation.
"Well, yes. It's the most expedient way to get the virus inside. Virus-infused venom actually has a very rapid effect. Your biology will be altered long before you could feel any negative effects. This is actually a very small dose so we have enough time to start up the fluoroscope before the transformation stars," said the doctor. Sylvia nodded before wincing a little as the needle punctured her skin. It probably hurt a lot less than from a real rattlesnake, but it was still painful to her. The doctor quickly stood up, switched on the fluoroscope, and went to the monitor to observe.
Indeed, no sooner had the fluoroscope had been turned on, Sylvia could feel the virus in the venom begin to work. Scales started sprouting from the point where the injection was made and quickly spread up and down her leg. As soon as the scales reached her hip, Sylvia started to feel very strange. On the fluoroscope's monitor, a very interesting process was happening. The hip was restructuring dramatically, her empty leg socket sealing up as her remaining leg was positioned to be at the center. Despite what people would expect, snake Animalians weren't hipless. To help support their mostly upright position and provide structural stability for mating purposes, a pelvis did exist, albeit closely resembling a lizard's pelvis bone minus the leg sockets.
Sylvia's coccyx extended further, going through the pelvis bone until it made contact with her now-centralized leg. That was where the process really got interesting. The femur bone seemed to segment and stretch further. the process continuing down to the tibia and fibula, which fused together into one longer bone before it also started to segment. Pretty soon, the metatarsals started fusing together, forming into more vertebrate in an increasingly long chain. From the outside, Sylvia's leg looked to be stretching out where the scales were covering. The limb soon lost its rigidity and started to pool a bit at the end of the slab. Sylvia looked down with interest as her ankle bent backwards as a small slit appeared, her re-positioned sphincter. Her foot went limp as it stretched out. However, her toes didn't simply just disappear. Her toenails completely covered them as they clustered together. Then a second layer of keratin scales extended from them and then another and another until her new tail ended with the signature rattle of the Great Basin Rattlesnake.
But the process wasn't confined to her lower body. Scales spread up her waist very rapidly, turning her the characteristic brown of her donor species. She could feel her abs tighten even further, her scutes highlighting their definition. She let out a gasp as the scales spread up to her breasts. She had petite breasts, ideal for an athlete or a dance. But now they started to swell, despite her reptilian nature. Rather than scutes, her breasts were being covered in softer scales, feeling only slightly rougher than human skin. Her nipples turned a deep brown as they expanded, ready to produce the milk that was already filling up her mammaries. Her arms became very toned, as if to compensate for her lack of legs. Her fingers extended into lizard-like claws, though no more sharper than an average woman's nails.
Finally, the process reached her head. Her neck extended slightly, giving her a bit more flexibility. Sylvia grimaced as her face started to push out into a snake's snout. Her teeth became a lot sharper, particularly her canines which were becoming a snake's greatest weapon. While Sylvia would still be capable of chewing, her new mouth design was built more for swallowing food whole, including the unhinging jaw. The blue of her eyes turned yellow as her pupils became slits. Thankfully, she retained her eyelids, as well as her blonde hair, even though her pubic hair was completely erased.
Eventually, the doctor announced Sylvia was finished. She slowly slithered off of the slab, though she wobbled quite a bit as she tried to get used to her new center of balance and mode of locomotion. Instead of a petite human woman, she was now an anthro rattlesnake with the amazonian curves and muscles common among female Animalians. The only thing recognizable about her was her hair.
"Well, the project was a complete success," said the doctor, "We'll have to test to see if the x-rays had any affect on the change, but you appear to be in perfect relief."
"That isss sssuch good newsss..." said Sylvia, her forked tongue sticking out and extending her S's.
"Are you doing that on purpose?" asked the doctor.
"Don't worry about it, doc. I'm only teassssing," said Sylvia before frowning, "Ok, that wasssn't intentional."
"It's normal for newly-changed to have a lisp," said the doctor, "You need to work out how your new mouth works. I think there will be other snakes who can show you how not to hiss all the time."
"I guesss I'll be meeting them sssoon," said Sylvia as she put her medical gown back on, which tented against her enhanced bust quite a bit, "I'll have to bruminate for the winter, won't I?"
"Not really," said the doctor, "You're not completely cold-blooded so you won't need to conserve as much heat and energy. As far as we've seen, Animalians don't need to hibernate, probably because food is a lot more available."
At the mention of food, Sylvia's stomach gurgled. "I could ussse sssomething to eat," she said.
"We'll get you some chicken," said the doctor, "Just try not to swallow the bones."
Sylvia slowly slithered forward out of the room. She had made a dramatic change to her life, but it felt like a good one. It was like she was casting off the oppression of her parents like a dead skin.
++++++++++
The last thing Mike remembered was the raft going over very rough water before he was suddenly pitched back. Then he knew nothing but darkness that was sometimes punctuated by dreams. He dreamed of many things, of his family, his friends, but most often, he dreamed of otters. He always found them both cool and cute, though he'd usually just called them 'cool' to others. The river otters in his dream frolicked in the water, caught fish, laid on the riverbanks to sleep. Sometimes, Mike dreamed he was one of the otters, having the time of his life without a care in the world.
Mike had been having one of his otter dreams when there was a great change. Suddenly, the other otters started growing larger, changing in size. Mike was one of them, feeling his body shift dramatically. Soon, every otter there was a humanoid creature, looking bewildered at themselves and each other. Mike looked down at his webbed hands tipped with black claws in utter confusion.
Then Mike woke up. Everything was very blurry and bright at first, like he hadn't opened his eyes in a very long time. He felt very stiff and something felt very off. He tried to sit up, but his muscles were having trouble obeying. He also felt a large amount of discomfort underneath him, like he was somehow lying on his own leg.
Suddenly, two people appeared in his vision. Their details were still blurry, but Mike could hear their voices.
"Mike, thank God you're awake."
"I thought we lost you."
"Mmm...Mom? Dad?" asked Mike. His voice sounded really different to his ears, deeper for some reason.
"Mike, there's something we need to tell you," said his father's voice, "You were in an accident."
"Yeah, the raft," said Mike as his memories started to come back in, "The water was too rough and I fell out."
"You hit your head really badly," said his mother's voice, "You've been in a coma for a long time. The doctors thought you would never come out of it, but there was this new project..."
"What? What happened?" asked Mike, his vision starting to clear more, allowing him to see his parents' anxious faces.
"It's...best if we showed you," said Mike's father before he helped his son climb out of the bed. Mike noticed quite a few things as that happened. First of all, his dad looked a lot shorter than he remembered. He had always been smaller than his dad, now he was at least a head taller. His feet also felt wrong and there was an alien sensation near his rear. "Now, Mike, you need to understand a lot of changes have happened, but it's all for the better," said his father before he guided his son to a mirror.
Mike had a little trouble registering it was a mirror at first because the image in it was impossible. Being supported by his father was a tall, muscular otter man wearing only boxers. Mike stared in confusion before starting to understand the otter man was mimicking his movements exactly. He looked at his hands to see they had webbing and claws just like in his dream. He looked down, seeing his broad fur-covered chest. He felt down it, feeling the hard muscles. His hand briefly touched his crotch before it jerked back. Whatever was there felt a lot bigger than what he had before. He patted his backside and soon found his new tail. The otter man in the mirror would have been unrecognizable as Mike if it weren't for his shaggy brown hair, a shade different from the rest of his fur, and his blue eyes.
"You see, this project was part of a group called Animalia. You wouldn't know about it because you were in a coma, but a virus got loose and changed many animals into humanoid animals and they can spread it to humans, but it makes them healthier," said Mike's mother, "So we thought if this virus could regrow limbs and cure cancer, surely it could bring you out of your coma."
"How long was I in that coma?" asked Mike shakily. His voice was definitely that of a grown man's. And yet, his parents didn't look much older than when he had last seen them.
"You were in a coma for 8 months," said his mom.
"8 months? Then why am I older?" asked Mike.
"Well, that's what happens when you're given two doses of the virus," said his dad, "You didn't wake up immediately after the first dose so we decided you might need another."
"Just sit down and we'll try to explain it all to you," said his mom, "And watch so you don't sit on your tail."
Over the next half hour, Mike's parents told them about how the uplifted animals came together to form a community called Animalia and how much development and progress it had made. As Mike was processing this, he found that he was actually not upset about what happened to him. If anything, he was excited. He was an otter, he had a grown, muscular body, his parents accepted that, there were other humanoid animals like him, and he wouldn't be an outcast of society. In fact, there was only one way this could be any better...
Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Oh, that must be Mary," said his mom. She got up and opened the door to the room.
Mike's jaw dropped as Mary walked into the room. For good reason as she was the most beautiful otter woman he had ever seen. Ok, she was the ONLY otter woman he had ever seen, but she was still a beauty. She had a very fit physique and a curvaceous figure. "Glad to see that you're up," said Mary cheerfully.
"Mary was one of the otters who were first uplifted in the outbreak," said Mike's mom, "She donated some of her DNA so you could be treated."
Mike just continued to stare slack-jawed. Mike's father chuckled and said, "You're an otter now, not a fish. Close your mouth unless you want to catch flies."
Mike managed to control his jaw and said, "Nice to meet you, Mary."
Mary giggled and said, "You're even cuter now that you're awake."
If otters wagged their tails for happiness, Mike would have been going a mile a minute. This beauty of an otter thought he was cute? Maybe he was still in a dream, one he didn't want to wake up from.