As volunteers for Project White Lily, it was very simple for Amos, Esteban, and Buford. In essence, it wasn't that much different from Project Phoenix, asides from the intended cleansing program that will happen after the conversion. Though it did take a bit of time to collect the DNA for their requested conversions. Amos was rather easy to get a sample for. The Texas horned lizard was a very common species in its particular habitat and common enough in the pet trade. Getting the sample from an alligator snapping turtle for Esteban was another matter. Alligator snappers were becoming more endangered, though it was known where they could be found. And getting a blood sample from them is not easy, as they do NOT like anyone approaching them and will snap at any hand getting too close to them.
However, Buford was the trickiest one. Technically, there was no reason why he couldn't be converted into a bull shark except that no one has ever converted into a fish before. The theory was sound enough, but there wasn't anyone volunteering to try it. Apparently there were some who were worried that they'd either drown or never be able to leave the water. That made Buford's decision a bit more noteworthy.
Still, Buford was waiting at his hotel room in Lyre for a week before he got the call from Horizon Labs. He headed over there and was more than a bit surprised to be greeted by not just Dr. Stein, but a sea snake Animalian. "Buford, thank you for being patient enough. This is Dr. Harold Kore, the lead scientist for Animalia Aquatica," said Dr. Stein.
"We're the Horizon division that specializes in studying the effect of the Animalian virus on aquatic animals," said Harold, "I must say, I'm rather excited to see our first human conversion."
"But yer human," pointed out Buford, pointing at Harold's hair.
"Yes, I was. But sea snakes are still air-breathing reptiles," said Harold, "You're the first person who will be undergoing a human-to-fish conversion. I had to fly over from Mieni Atoll to witness this."
"Is that what's taken so long?" asked Buford out of annoyance.
"Well, no," said Dr. Stein, "Another reason for delay was acquiring the bull shark DNA required for changing you. It took a bit longer than we thought, international red tape being thicker these days, but we finally got her here."
"Her?" asked Buford.
Harold gestured to the side and Buford looked to see a female Animalian walk in. It was pretty clear what she was. She was very clearly a shark woman like Gaz at Mieni Atoll. But there were some very noticeable differences. While big, she wasn't as big as Gaz, being about Buford's height. Her nose was also blunter and her body was built more widely. She waved and said in a cheery voice, "Bueno dias."
"Buford, this is Aleta," said Harold, "She is from Vilcabamba, having being uplifted from one of the bull sharks who live in the Amazon River."
"It's Spanish for 'fin'," said Aleta, pointing at the dorsal fin that was positioned on the back of her head.
"So...ya bring a shark gal all the way from South America just fer me," said Buford, "I mean, I'm flattered ya'll went through so much trouble for me, but ya didn't hafta make a shark girl just fer me."
"Aleta wasn't uplifted for your express purposes," said Harold in a slightly annoyed tone, "She had been uplifted as part of the research into the various aquatic fauna of the Amazon River."
"But I was particularly interested in meeting the human who wanted to become one of my kind," said Aleta, "So instead of just shipping a blood sample from myself, I wanted to see you in person."
"Are ya comin' onto me?" asked Buford.
"Coming onto you?" asked Aleta in confusion.
"It means he's wondering if you're interested in him in romantic or sexual way," said Dr. Stein.
"Oh, well, a bit," said Aleta, "I'm the only shark down there. The locals don't really want a breeding pair of walking sharks, at least ones they can't trust to not try and eat them. As if the piranhas didn't get enough of a bad reputation themselves..."
"Well, I ain't been seein' anyone since my last girlfriend, so...what the heck. I guess I could give it a shot. Ain't like there's no other fish in the sea," said Buford.
"How...apt," said Dr. Stein, "Shall we get you two to someplace more private?"
==========
Not long after that, Buford and Aleta were in one of the changing rooms. "So, how is this gonna work?" asked Buford, "Ya just nip me a bit?"
"Now where's the fun in that?" asked Aelta as she was taking off her shirt.
"Ya don't bandy around, do ya?" asked Buford.
"Do I really need to?" asked Aleta as she was removing the rest of her clothes, "We both know what we really want. Besides, this will be more enjoyable for both of us."
Buford shrugged and said, "Can't argue with that." He took off his clothes too. He was a bit embarrassed to be seen like this by this young shark woman. Her body was in great shape, with more curves than one would expect from a fish. His body was showing more of his old age as well as the consequences of his steroid abuse. His muscles were withering and his skin was jaundiced. "I ain't as great as I used to be," said Buford.
"I can fix that," said Aleta as she approached him, "So, these are what you mammals use to feed your young?" She hefted up her sizeable breasts.
"Well, that's what our women use," said Buford, who was getting more aroused.
"So I hear that the milk we make can change people too," said Aleta, "I want to see if that's true for me."
Buford considered this for a moment. Being asked to suck a shark's tit was probably the weirdest request he ever got. But he had to admit that Aleta had some of the nicest boobs he's ever seen. Who was he to be a prude? Gently holding them, he put his lips to one nipple. Aleta gave a slight moan as Buford suckled from her. Her milk was a lot saltier than he expected. But then again, she was a saltwater fish.
Then Buford felt an odd tingle go through his body. He stopped to look at his arm. It was starting to look less shriveled as the yellowed skin was being covered with grey scales. Buford felt his arms, both feeling the growing muscles underneath and the rough texture of his scales. He watched with interest as his fingernails extended into claws as webbing grew between his fingers.
Buford grimaced as a pain went through his gums. That pain extended to the rest of his face as he felt it stretching outwards. He tasted a little blood before it felt like his mouth was filled with rocks. Spitting out into his hands, he found all his remaining teeth in there, which weren't a lot because of how he lost some over the years because of his weakening gums as well as bad dental hygiene. He slid his tongue over his bare gums, which felt incredibly weird. But that sensation didn't last long as he felt points emerging from the gums. He was getting new teeth; sharp, serrated teeth that were filling up his mouth.
Buford grunt in discomfort as he felt an ache in the middle of his back. He reached around to scratch the spot, but it was rather hard to reach. But he did manage to brush it a bit and he could feel something forming there. He soon realized he was growing the infamous dorsal fin of a shark. It wasn't long before he felt his spine start extending out his tail began to form.
About that time, Buford felt the changes happening to his feet. He looked down with fascination as his feet extended out, his toes becoming claws that were mostly overshadowed by the flipper-like webbing that was growing from them. "Hmm... what was it that humans say about big feet?" asked Aleta as she stroked Buford's manhood. Buford jumped at that, but soon started feeling good, better than he had in ages. His manhood was coming alive in Aleta's hand, expanding to its full length. But then Buford felt the most peculiar sensations. First, his balls were feeling extra tight before he felt them actually burrowing their way into his body. Then his manhood started stretching out more in Aleta's hand, becoming thicker and paler. Quite unexpectedly, a fission started to appear down the middle of it which got deeper as the shaft grew thicker. Then it broke apart, becoming two identical rods that were very sensitive.
"What in tarnation?" yelped Buford, though it came out a little mangled as his mouth was still growing with more teeth appearing. His nose was also affecting his pronunciation as it was growing larger as well.
"You don't know much about shark reproduction, do you?" asked Aleta, "Male sharks have claspers that work like penises. The Animalian virus blends the traits of both humans and sharks for this." She rubbed the rods as they became more diamond-shaped and heavily-ribbed. By Buford's guess, they were about 10 inches long if not still growing.
"You're gonna have me shootin' both barrels like that," grunted Buford. His transformation was nearing completion. His tail was almost fully formed, the tail fins having finished. His dorsal fin was also finished. His head was nearly complete as well, his nose and mouth were smaller than a true bull shark's, but still bigger than a human's. His eyes thankfully still had eyelids and didn't look like inky pools. Rather surprisingly, his hair didn't fall out, even if the grey hairs weren't restored to their original colors. Buford gasped as he felt a piercing pain the sides of his neck. Gashes opened as he felt the air escaping from them.
Aleta stopped stroking Buford's claspers and grabbed his broad shoulders. "Don't panic," she said, "Just breathe. It's all the same, your mouth, your nostrils, your gills. Just take a deep breath and exhale slowly."
Buford gasped as he tried to get his breathing under control. But soon, he was able to regulate his oxygen intake. The gills on his neck felt very weird, but they weren't making him suffocate. The air did feel really cold and dry going through them so he focused on his nostrils. "So, this mean I'm a water-breather now?" he asked.
"You should be, but let's be careful with your first breaths underwater," said Aleta.
"This mean I gotta keep swimming in order to breathe?" asked Buford. He heard that if sharks stayed still for too long, they wouldn't be able to push water past their gills and they suffocated.
"We can take in water through our mouths," said Aleta, "We don't have to be constantly in motion."
"Well, I guess I better hit the pool soon," said Buford.
Aleta put a hand on his broad, muscular chest. "There's no rush," she said, "You're not going to dehydrate immediately. Besides, don't you want to take that edge off?" She rubbed her pelvis against his hips in a rather suggestive way.
"Well, I am curious as to how I'll be able to have sex with two rods," said Buford as he sat down on the bed.
"Allow me to show you how," said Aleta before she lowered herself down, taking both sharkhoods into her slick hole. Buford groaned lustfully until Aleta pressed her lips against his, which took a bit of effort because of their snouts.
==========
It ended up taking a while before Buford could meet up with Amos and Esteban. He thought his new shark man body was impressive, but the other two look great. Amos wasn't nearly as prickly as Buford was expecting, though he did have a crown of horns around the back of his head. Esteban was looking rather massive with his new shell, which highlighted his re-sculpted muscles. His new tail was larger than what Buford would have expected from a turtle, but Buford supposed that was one of the reasons it was called an alligator snapper.
"Lookin' good, guys," said Buford, walking up to them.
"You're not so bad yourself, amigo," said Esteban, "But I hear you got more than just a new skin."
"Yeah, ya got yerself a real lady to boot," said Amos.
"I dunno about long-term, but she seems nice enough," said Buford, "She's gonna teach me how to swim and breath underwater now."
"You're lucky. I had ta figure out my blood-squirtin' trick on my own," said Amos, "Wanna see it?"
"Not...really..." said Buford, a little grossed out.