The first day at school had proved to have far more excitement than Sophie had wanted, with Heather's attack on her and Roland and then charging off when more people started pelting her with rocks and when police sirens could be heard on the way, leaving Roland a bloody mess. She was very grateful that he'd made it okay and would live and that Heather hadn't infected him, and in a personal way, she was very pleased that her friends had come with her to see him in the hospital.
"So... a pterodactyl... isn't that the one with the big crest on the back of the head?" Malice asked.
"That'd actually be pteranodon," Sophie answered, "I did some research... admittedly, at first I was thinking parrot, like JC... but... I don't know, maybe it was when we were in Costa Rica and all that stuff went on related the dinosaur bones they were digging... That raised some curiosity on my part into that... if it could work."
Abby looked over to her friend with a warm smile, "Well, if Project Thylacine works... you'd get the chance."
"Provided my parents change their minds about me waiting until I'm eighteen," Sophie retorted looking down.
"I'm sure we could talk him into it," Malice said optimistically with a hopeful tone in her voice, "tell him that you're a wonderful person and a wonderful friend."
"Her dad knows that, already," Sarah told her sister.
"Then why wouldn't he agree?" Malice wondered, "becoming an Animalian... or I guess Dinotopian in this case... wouldn't hurt her, and she'd fly... right?"
"It's not so much on whether or not it would hurt her physically or anything like that," Jessica spoke up, "It's going to relate more to the fact that there aren't any take backs... once one becomes an Animalian, with the science we have now... trying to reverse the transformation would only destroy her cells completely, leading to death. Her parents simply don't want to condone something that she may regret later and be stuck with... Shoot, my parents were on the fence for the same reasons, and while they did let me become a rabbit... they wouldn't sign off on a second dose."
"It's a complicated thing," Sophie said, nodding with Jessica.
"And after what Heather pulled, I wouldn't surprised if ALL sales or uses of the Animalia Virus get more heavily regulated," Roland commented from the bed, "No one under eighteen and probably a year's worth of classes on understanding the instinctual thing before the actual transformation is carried out. Heather's attack would be the perfect excuse for the present government to put that and perhaps other... more draconian measures in place."
Malice gave a low whine and looked down. The others did as well. Their efforts with Animalia Ambassadoria had provided them with various things to report on that dealt with the issues that Animalia faced, be it surprise, fear, or anything else that might hamper the world that had been created by accident and was now trying to show success. The present government's stated intent to either control or contain Animalia during the campaign had been ugly, and so far the only real reason it hadn't succeeded in any real way was its inability to put executive orders in a fashion that would adhere to the Constitution and that several US states, mostly those in the west and closer to Animalia, but there were a few that had voted for the present President that had shown at least some support for Animalia on certain issues. Heather's attack on Sophie and Roland outside Lyre High might just put a big hole in that.
"That'd be stupid," Malice grumbled, "I was only thinking on ways we could all be together again."
"There is a way that could be done... reintegrate the schools and let everyone go together," Sophie pointed out, "after all, the Animalia School carries the exact same curriculum as the Lyre School District does. About the only thing that changes is how the lessons are taught or explained... as Clara explained to us with the idea. So it isn't like you're presently learning things that we at Lyre High aren't."
"Sophie..." Abby began.
"Otherwise, it IS still segregation," Sophie answered, "and a step back. Was the way things could be handled with Lyre perfect... no, as when Animalia came into being, they soon had double the students they had before without the room or facilities to work with... but that is an INFRASTRUCTURE issue. A bigger school building and more teachers would have fixed that easily. And in that, it could also be built to accommodate students of all sizes, so that everyone could be together..."
"But there's still the issue of the virus still being infectious," Jessica pointed out, "this way, accidents are prevented."
"They'd also be prevented if vaccination was mandatory for ALL Animalians," Roland pointed out from his bed, "the fear is real... but Sophie does have a point there. Right now, the only ones who HAVE to get the vaccine are those looking to start families as Animalians. Otherwise, it's up to the Animalian's choice or up the cost available... and some don't make that choice. It also presents issues where there are many ways to get doses of the virus... as a person, if they wish to become an Animalian, they can go to the Animalian that is still "contagious" and get their dose that way."
"But they do have to file the right paperwork and provide some understanding of the animal's instincts," Sarah pointed out.
"Which could be faked or who knows what..." Sophie countered, "the point on the vaccine issue is that it makes sense. Can accidents happen? Sure. I understand that. But if the only solution is to isolate yourself... it's like buying a car and then never driving it because you MIGHT have an accident. Making the vaccine mandatory for all Animalians truly solves that risk of "accident" because it removes the infectious aspect of the virus. It'd have the added benefit making sure that Horizon and Animalia have more control over how it is administered and making sure that psychos like Heather don't turn themselves into Animalians and then decide to raise an army... as she WAS nuts and stated that she had NO intention of following Animalia's Ten Edicts."
The others didn't really have an answer to that. The Animalia School had let out at roughly the same time as Lyre High did, and a few had gone home by the time that Heather had arrived to get taken down by the Rhino Guard, the Animalian Police Department's equivalent for a SWAT team. But, they had still heard plenty about the attack, and worry for Sophie and Roland had been the first thing on their minds when they learned that Heather had attacked them first.
"But... Sophie... there is still the size issue," Abby said slowly, "there have been plenty of horseback riders who have managed to get badly hurt riding a non-uplifted horse for various reasons. Either they scared it or the horse was spooked by something else... or they tried to pull some sort of stunt that the horse couldn't perform, and when they fell the horse landed on the rider. Before I was changed... and before Samson was uplifted, if he'd fallen on me, he would have crushed me. An American Quarter Horse can weigh over 1,200 pounds... though that's a Halter Type. Samson is actually a Stock type, which means he was smaller in weight than the Quarter Horse's maximum weight... but still, he'd be big enough to crush me when I was human."
"And there are Animalians who are even bigger," Sarah commented, "Shoot, even as double dosers, Malice and I are actually on the SMALL end of Animalian sizes. The uplifted Elephants are easily bigger than Abby is now."
Sophie only sighed. On some level, she could probably admit that she was taking that she'd been separated from her friends a bit personally, but the points they were making didn't make any sense.
"Abby... when you were first changed... did you suddenly get the personality that you would just through your weight around and mindlessly roughhouse with people without thinking?" Sophie asked.
"Well, no, but there is the potential accidents," Abby spoke, "As mammal Animalians, our legs and feet fit a digitigrade stance. Our feet are longer. Sarah, Malice, and Jessica all walk on the balls of their feet like they're on tip toe. My case is even more extended. Remember that the hooves on my feet are essentially my toe-nails. The way I walk and stand is if I were a ballerina going all the way onto the very end of her toes and balancing on her big toe... and as a horse, it'd be the only toe I have. And I DID have some balance issues at first... both Samson and I did."
"Given how you did in the IAC, I'd think you've mastered balancing," Sophie pointed out, "and really... if you're that worried about your size crushing me... Why is Jessica with you?"
"Huh?" Jessica blinked, "Sophie... I am an Animalian, just as Abby is."
"Yes, but you're only a single doser, AND when we had to have our weights taken for PE last Spring in our Freshman year, our weights were comparable," Sophie pointed out.
She sighed at that. She wasn't overweight by any means, as a lot of the activities that their group had done over the years had kept them all in good shape, but before Animalia, by weight, Sophie had been the second biggest of the group. Abby, even back then, was heavier, but she'd also helped her family on the farm and had built up a good deal of muscle mass even then. Now with Animalia, things had changed greatly. Abby was still the biggest, but was now built as a fully mature American Quarter Horse Mare Animalian. Sarah and Malice were physically mature Siberian Husky Animalians, and with that had easily jumped up in weight with their added muscle and curves. Jessica had gained some weight when she first transformed, but not much. Though, by now, almost a year after becoming a Mountain Cottontail, Sophie did note that Jessica was starting to naturally put on the added muscle, bust, and hips that a double dosed Animalian had as she grew up. It wasn't much growth, but it was noticeable. Though, even with that, Jessica was well within the size range of most human high school students.
"You may be taller, Jess, but our weight's are comparable," Sophie then spoke, "height isn't necessarily a determiner of size... at least in the sense of comparison. A giraffe, for example is taller than a tank... but most tanks have greater weight. And if I'm at risk of being crushed when Abby trips and falls, because of our comparable weight... SO are YOU."
"I... I hadn't thought of that," Jessica said slowly.
"And I'd bet that things like chairs and desks have to be adjusted for each Animalian of a specific size, right?" Sophie continued.
"Right," Sarah nodded, "but..."
"So, if things like chairs, desks, and utensils have to be altered to suit specific Animalians, so that way the Giraffes aren't bumping their heads and the Mice aren't hanging from tables for an Elephant," Sophie continued, "why can't they be adjusted for people? As I said earlier, the biggest problem that went on when Animalia was first developed was in INFRASTRUCTURE, not in how Animalians learn versus how Humans learn. THAT DIDN'T change. Shoot, there were a few classes where I did better than all of you. So, it isn't as though being an Animalian makes you instinctually smarter on school material and all that. You all have to learn the same material I do with math, science, history, and so on. The things that created problems could have been solved without segregating yourself from the rest of Lyre."
"There are some instinctual classes, and certain aspects of PE are different," Abby commented, "and from what I've heard, the Home Ec. classes also includes things on specific diets and so on for Animalian Health..."
"But that's minor differences in the curriculum, and with regard Nevada's Department of Education, would count as an elective," Sophie answered, "not part of the core things that EVERYONE has to learn."
"But..." Sarah began.
"The "visitation days" are a nice idea to hang out..." Sophie said slowly, "but are the manner in which the classes are taught there any different from what we got at Lyre last year?"
"Not really," Sarah admitted.
"And the teachers?" Sophie asked.
"Most were retired teachers who those who'd been out of work and joined Animalia as an opportunity," Abby commented, "though... my mom says that when the Animalia City Council agreed on the establishment of it, there wasn't any requirement that staff HAD to be Animalians, but since nearly every applicant had become an Animalian and several had gotten their youth back to teach again... that wasn't an issue."
"So at best, all you have are newer methods that new teachers coming out of college have," Sophie than pointed out, "Not something that's going to demonstrate "different" learning. Nothing that's going to make people accept Animalia. Especially after Heather's stunt."
"The people here..." Sarah began.
"There were other witnesses besides me and Roland," Sophie answered, "YOU weren't there. They went from being very tolerant to being questioning if not antagonistic because of the acts of one madwoman. I heard one even say that ALL of you were dangerous, likely implying that you ALL are like Heather."
There was no answer to that, other that wide eyes and open stares. They had tried hard demonstrate that Animalia wanted to live side by side with humanity and they THOUGHT they'd gone a long way to do that. But if Heather's insane attack was enough to make at least one student think that ALL Animalians were a threat, they hadn't done anything.
"Things like the virus's infectious nature having the potential for accidents and the size differences can be a valid concern for worry..." Sophie spoke, "And on certain levels, I can see the reasoning for it... but it's still faulty reasoning. The vaccine can solve the infectious issue, and given how well Animalia has fared financially so far, I'm sure Horizon and Animalia could afford to pay for providing that vaccine to everyone. And much of the rest... you're still having to accommodate things for those that are single dosed Animalians and those that are from naturally smaller animals, you can also accommodate them for humans. In that... even with "visitation days," all you've allowed is for yourselves to be segregated from Lyre..."
"And while the city council and the state of Nevada may see the fact that Heather is an exception to the rule... don't think that the present Federal Government isn't above a knee jerk reaction," Roland commented.
"It won't work, for the same reasons his other loony ideas haven't worked," Malice spoke.
"Perhaps, but that's still going to make things difficult for the country as a whole and probably Animalia in particular," Sophie answered, "and that is where this decision separate everyone is a step back. You weren't there when Heather attacked and when she did so, people didn't retain the thought that Animalians on the whole were "good." In fact it was almost the complete inverse of that. But if you had been there... or had some of the other Animalians been there... do you think they would just stand by and let Heather go nuts? Would you?"
"Of course we'd defend you," Sarah moved to hug Sophie, "you're our friend. Never doubt that."
"I know we're friends," Sophie answered as Jessica, Malice, and Abby soon joined in the group hug, "but that's my base point. You're all my friends. You're all kind and decent people. The sort of thing that has so far made Animalia great. Had you been there, you would have stood up to Heather and the students that saw it would have seen that too... and been more willing to think that Heather was one bad egg, rather than thinking all Animalians are dangerous."
"Well... the Animalia School is physically bigger than all the schools in Lyre," Jessica spoke slowly, as if thinking about something. "You may have a point with some things... and you're probably right with the issue on accommodations that could be made for human students in order to have a unified and integrated district between Animalia and Lyre... but for the moment, it's probably safer that we're separate, as mandatory vaccinations may be a good idea, and were probably the smarter idea, but for whatever reason, that hadn't happened yet... And that's going to be the biggest issue..."
"How is getting a shot a problem?" Sophie asked.
"Judy, she's the rabbit who gave me my dose, tells me that many of the animals who were in the wild when they were uplifted are still rather hesitant around things like needles," Jessica answered, "the Rabies vaccinations was a trial in and of itself. And since the Animalia Virus doesn't kill people... it was decided to give many of those wild animals the time to get used to those sorts of things... and make the decision to get it voluntarily. So far, the only ones that have gone for it have been those like Sarah and Malice's parents... they've had children and need the vaccination so they can nurse their infants and not worry about having a physically mature son or daughter with the mental abilities of an infant."
"I still don't like shots," Malice grumbled.
"There are plenty of people that don't like them, either," Sarah chuckled.
"It may still be necessary," Sophie pointed out, "especially in the aftermath of what Heather did... As if she clamped down hard enough or long enough and Roland was changed as a result... that threat of the virus spreading would then be there, and it wouldn't be an accident. An accident can be forgiven. Deliberate infection might not be."
"Maybe... and you raise some good points, Sophie," Jessica spoke slowly, "but until Horizon and Animalia can get more take the vaccine... that threat of an accident will still be there, and that's really what was what went into the idea for the school. In that... integrating the district again will probably have to wait."
"Perhaps an episode on the importance of vaccinations for those Animalians not yet vaccinated could be done," Sophie offered, "get them over the fear of needles."
Jessica nodded. That could help, but while she had to admit that Sophie had some good points, and might even be right that it would have been wiser to mandate the vaccine earlier and build a bigger school for everyone, both Animalian and Human, the fact remained that the vaccine hadn't been mandated to every Animalian. They'd need to change a good many minds in order to get many Animalians to accept the vaccine without the added issue of pregnancy... and since Animalians had been allowed the freedom to choose whether or not to be vaccinated, unless Clara or the Animalia City Council put that as a regulation within Animalia... or the state of Nevada or the Federal Government did it in a way that wasn't going to lead to a long fight over the constitutionality of the law, it'd take time. Jessica had been vaccinated, as had Sarah and Malice, but that had to do with the fact that all of them lived in Lyre. Jessica was still with her parents, who were both still human, and Sarah's family also still lived in their home in Lyre. And Lyre HAD passed resolutions that all Animalians living in Lyre be vaccinated once the vaccine came out.