Leo Skye sat fairly nervously as the female rabbit Animalian looked over his paper work. He was very nervous over the whole issue, as he knew that Animalians generally tended to be heterosexual, particularly those that were uplifted animals. News reports had generally indicated that Animalia was actually rather accepting of homosexuality, but he'd also heard politicians promise to be accepting of gays and then enact policy that directly attacked them, the present administration included in that. It was generally why most gays had tended to live in secrecy.
However, past mistakes and issues that had related to his own time as competitive body builder was beginning to have vastly major problems that were beginning to negatively affect his health. It would mean participation in Project White Lily, in which he'd learned was established to help with that sort of issue. Much of it was limited to counseling and related activities, things that were more traditional in terms of dealing with addiction and making sure that the Animalia Virus wasn't just rushed as an immediate "cure" for those problems. For most, that was rather helpful, but Leo's case was a bit more extreme and that raised his worries.
"Well... everything appears to be in order, Mr. Skye," Judy commented slowly, "I think there was a King Cobra in the Lyre Zoo when outbreak took place. I can place a call to have her come here..."
"No," Leo spoke, "No females..."
"Excuse me?" Judy answered with narrowed eyes.
"It's nothing against women!" Leo raised his hands and said quickly, and then looked down, "It's just that... I... I know Animalians can be rather open with regards to sex and all... but..."
"You're gay," Judy surmised, noting Leo's nervousness.
Leo nodded, but kept looking down. He was nervous and fearful that he might be rejected.
"You needn't fear anything," Judy told him, "While uplifted animals may be strictly heterosexual, we've had a few humans who've become Animalians that are homosexual. You won't face rejection in Animalia."
"Really?" Leo asked looking up.
"Really," Judy stated while nodding, "about the only thing that may happen after conversion would be some added attraction to those of the opposite gender... likely a part of the more "animal instinct" to procreate."
Leo's eyes widened in surprise and almost horror and he backed away. It startled Judy a bit, as that wasn't something she'd seen before with anyone that had come to Horizon to become Animalians. Even those that weren't necessary interested in becoming Animals for their more animal-like traits were often accepting and eager for other reasons. Many of those that came in under Project Phoenix, and from the paperwork that Leo had provided in connection to both Project Phoenix and Project White Lily did indicate that complications from past steroid abuse was such that the Animalia Virus would be needed for full physical recovery.
"I don't want to loose who I am," Leo spoke, "I don't want to be rejected for being gay... but that doesn't mean I want to give up being who I am."
"I don't think you'd lose that or that desire," Judy commented, "for as far as I know from the data we have... is that those converted humans that were homosexual haven't lost who they were or dumped their same sex partners."
"Really?" Leo asked, his voice sounding nervous.
Judy nodded again, though again getting the sense that even that wouldn't really satisfy Leo's concerns over what might happen. It could well mean that Leo might well be another potential case for Doctor Jones. It wouldn't be Regressive Hypersexuality, but it would still be something that Judy thought would be something closer to some form of anxiety. But then, that would be more of a guess on her part. What she'd learned from the Horizon Staff had more to do with the genetic research that had gone into the Animalia Virus in the first place. She managed a small smile when Leo did accept her nod.
She lead Leo to one of the standard transforming rooms, where he was to wait while she recovered the syringes needed for the injections. For while Judy wasn't certain as to whether or not the Lyre Zoo had had a King Cobra, Horizon did have enough DNA samples on hand to specify a strain for one. She collected the syringes and returned to Leo who she found waiting for her. She administered the doses and then waited outside the transforming room. While she waited, Judy mentally went over ways that she might be able to comfort Leo, as he had been nervous, and wanting to retain one's identity was something that everyone wanted.
She didn't have to wait too long as Leo did eventually emerge. He made for a striking male King Cobra Animalian with cream/yellow belly scales with faded blackish-gray bands at various points along his neck and upper chest. His dorsal side was more of a dark olive color and almost got into a brownish color. His movements were a bit slow as managed to balance himself on his new tail which was fairly long, but then the King Cobra was one of the largest venomous snakes in the world, if not the largest. Judy did however note that he did seem a bit nervous and seemed to be avoiding her with his eyes.
"So... how are you feeling?" Judy asked to him.
"Pretty good... physically, anyway," Leo answered, "all the old aches and pains I'd been feeling are gone. About the only thing that I'm... I guess disappointed is the word... is the fact that my hood is so small... but then... the King Cobra's hood is naturally smaller than other cobras and it is otherwise bigger than other cobras..."
"So, it's good to be the king," Judy joked, hoping to get a laugh out of Leo.
He gave a small chuckle and nodded, but then looked down and away from Judy. That told her that despite regaining his physical health and looking far more impressive than he did in terms of his musculature, he was still nervous over potentially losing who he was to animal instinct. To a certain extent, that was a fear many humans had with regard to Animalians, that regardless of their Edicts and actions done that were positive, a fair number of people seemed to think that Animalians were at risk of being lost to animal instincts that would make them aggressive.
In pure theory it could be a rational concern, except for the fact that the only case Animalia had had in that regard had been Heather Wilcox's attack on the Lyre High School the previous fall. And that case was found to be rather unique for a few reasons. One is that Heather hadn't undergone any of the basic instructions that were mandatory for human conversion. Two, the fact that the Syntixisaurus Rex was a hybrid dinosaur meant that it would potentially be combining the instincts of different species which may conflict. Third, was the fact that the base nature of the Animalia Virus seemed to also act as a powerful stimulant with regard to genetic activity in the sense of strengthening cells, and it seemed that the older the DNA sample the more active the Animalia Virus would be, which would leave an unprepared mind unable to fully control all those instincts. However, Heather's punishments, therapy, and perhaps getting Jeremy as her mate had seemed to resolve Heather's issues.
But yet fears over instincts remained. Judy sighed at that.
"You know of Doctor Jones, right?" Judy asked to him.
"Wasn't he the guy who gave weird presents on Christmas?" Leo asked, "I thought I saw that on an Animalia Ambassadoria episode."
"He's a psychologist who runs a clinic here in Lyre," Judy answered, "he's done a lot of couples therapy to help new Animalians get used to things and introduce themselves to other Animalians or Humans they're in love with. He's also helped coach those suffering from Regressive Hypersexuality Disorder control themselves as well. If you're still worried about losing who you are... maybe... maybe give him a call. He understands the mind a lot better than I or the Horizon staff do."
"He can help?" Leo asked nervously but hopeful.
"Yes," Judy answered firmly.