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Mad Science

Winter Friends, Fun, and Plans...

added by s1 4 years ago O

The arrival of winter and the preparations for Christmas were always hectic as there was always some element of planning, gift getting, wrapping, and cookies. Even as WSA went through its finals week those things in the background remained there, and for JC and Pauline, some of this payed off in giving them time to handle some of their own responsibilities one day after school. They had actually bought their gifts for Sophie but hadn't gotten to wrap them yet. So, while Mr. Albers took Sophie out to handle some of her last minute shopping, JC and Pauline returned to the Albers home where they handled their wrapping.

"Can he keep Sophie out for long?" Pauline wondered to Mrs. Albers while wrestling with the tap for a gift that she was wrapping, "Sophie said she didn't have to many things to pick up..."

Mrs. Albers looked over to the operation at the nearby dining table where JC and Pauline were wrapping their gifts. She was focused on some baking to make sure that at least she and her husband would have some things to eat that would be sweet and good for them. She had some sense that Sophie missed being able to have the traditional Christmas cookies that they'd normally had, as Sophie, JC, and Pauline were on a pretty strict meat only diet, but Sophie had also seemed pleased with her transition so Mrs. Albers couldn't judge her daughter on that too much. However, even in her baking, she could see that JC and Pauline were doing fine with wrapping the gifts that she had taken the two Microraptor Dinotopians to get. They were a set of DVDs, which were easy wrap, though both JC and Pauline had to be careful with their feathers.

"You don't have to worry too much," Mrs. Albers smiled, "while Animalia has brought a bit of a economic boom to Lyre that has gone beyond the research Horizon has done... should have plenty of time to finish wrapping those up for Sophie, and I think she'll be happy to have you both with her for Christmas."

"Well... we like being here with you and with mo..." JC began. He stopped when Mrs. Albers looked to him, "Sorry... I..."

"I can understand your feeling, JC," Mrs. Albers managed, "Sophie did do most of the work to look after you, and it was pretty clear she loves you very much. Just call me an old fuddy-duddy... but I'm just not ready for by sixteen year old daughter to be called "mother." I'm not ready for that..."

"It'll probably happen eventually," Pauline commented, "She and Roland will get married and have little Pterosaurs."

"But that will hopefully be at least five years in the future, after they've graduated college and gotten married," Mrs. Albers chuckled shaking her head. She liked Roland, and his family had made for good friends to talk to from time to time, and while she expected Roland and Sophie to get married one day, that was still in the future. "In the meantime... do you two have any plans? In pure theory since you're double dosed and former pets, you could apply to take the GED test if you want."

"We'd love to get married," Pauline answered with a small smile as she managed to affix the last piece of tape.

"But... we'd prefer to wait until AFTER Sophie and Roland get married," JC finished.

Sophie might not be his biological mother, and Sophie's parents might not be comfortable with him seeing Sophie as his mother, but that didn't change how JC saw Sophie. She was his mother where it counted, and while he would do his best to be careful about calling Sophie "mother," that didn't mean he wouldn't be respectful to Sophie as if she was his mother.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By the Friday before Christmas, many of those last minute things were handled and there was some hope for plenty of fun as WSA's "fall" finals finished. The final schedules, and the fact that students couldn't all stay after they'd finished their last ones often meant that they wouldn't all get out at the same time. Some did, but not all of them. That left Sarah, Malice, and Travis a bit on their own as they made it out of their last finals. They journeyed to their lockers, got their bags, finished the turn ins for their textbooks for the "fall" semester and then made their way out.

"They could have had some more snow fall," Malice said wistfully as they made their way out the front door.

Sarah slowly nodded and looked out over the lawn area near the front of the high school building at WSA. They had gotten some snow around Thanksgiving, but much of their December had been warmer so far and much of that natural snow had actually melted. The big field near the Great Hall that was there for the "Great Snow War" was largely made from artificial snow and was often having to be replaced at night to make up for snow that melted during the day. On some levels, Sarah heavily agreed with Malice on that. Winter was much more fun when there was snow to play in.

"Just so long as it doesn't get super cold," Travis commented as he trailed after Sarah and was a bit more bundled up than the two Wesley sisters, but then, Dalmatians were not as well adapted for winter weather as Huskies were.

"It isn't too bad right now," Malice answered as she glanced back to Travis as he nuzzled Sarah, who returned it, "though it might be colder at the Winter Solstice party tonight."

Malice's ears then perked when a familiar voice spoke up from nearby.

"Then I might have to keep you warm," came Simon's voice, making Malice turn and with an excited and happy bark leap into the Wolf Animalian's arms.

"I didn't expect to see you!" Malice said giving Simona few affectionate licks.

"Well... my study period got out a bit early as the practice drills the Animalia PD run are pretty easy to handle... and the online courses I've been taking for standard college degree on the side are sorta getting into their own Christmas break," Simon answered, "So... I came to see you."

"And you'll come with us for the Winter Solstice Party?" Sarah asked.

"Sure, it'll be fun," Simon smiled and their group began to walk along toward the Wesley home.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And the Winter Solstice Party was scheduled to be a big one for Animalia as a whole. It didn't have quite the "religious" importance, and for those that were Christian, it was seen as more of an extra Christmas Party, but it did mark a certain progression through the seasonal year and some enjoyed that. But not everyone went to it and some of those that didn't go had good reason to. For Abby and Samson, it was family related, as Uncle JT Monroe had come down from Montana for Christmas and to visit with Spotted Tail, who to Abby's pleasure had been getting along quite well with her Uncle.

"You're sure you don't want to go to the party?" Samson asked to JT, "It isn't that cold out..."

"I'm quite fine to sit and talk with family," JT answered with a smile to Josephine and Abby, "and in-laws who might as well be family..." JT then turned his smile to Martin and Samson before finally turning to Spotted Tail, "and to loving surprises... I never really expected anything like this..."

"You're much like your sister in many ways, kind and caring," Spotted Tail offered one hand to JT.

"Except more manly," JT chuckled, which drew a few laughs.

Abby chuckled and looked to her mother who shook her head. She'd had some knowledge that Spotted Tail had had some interest in her uncle from before the first bachelor/bachelorette auction that had been organized to raise money for hurricane relief. From there she also knew that JT and Spotted Tail had at least conversed over the internet and visited whenever JT came Animalia. Though, Abby was very happy that the two had gotten along so well and even gotten to the point where JT was willing to convert for her. Though the fact that he was still human at the moment had made it clear that that hadn't happened yet.

"Yes, more... manly," Josephine shook her head with a teasing smirk and noted her brother smirked back at her.

"So... Uncle JT," Abby began, "if I may ask... do you plan to convert to be an Animalian? It's okay if you don't want to..."

"No... I'm fine with it," JT answered, "I may not be as easy many Animalians seem to be with nudity and so on... but I can't say that a shot at renewed youth isn't a bad thing. Might heal up what damage my years of smoking did, and... well... Spotted Tail has a warm personality and we've gotten along quite well. She's even come up to my place up in Montana a couple of times. It'll be worth it."

"The bigger issue we've had is more on deciding when to do the conversion," Spotted Tail commented, "Either directly in relation Christmas or with the wedding when we get the time for it. As we'd both be here and Horizon could then handle things like the vaccination... or at least being able to deliver it."

"If you do it in connection with Christmas... you may wish to do it tomorrow," Martin commented, "as many of the "customer services" that Horizon runs will be closed on Sunday and the company will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the Christmas holiday."

"Regardless... we're happy for you, JT," Josephine smiled to him.

"I should be thanking you, Josephine," JT said to his sister, "You where the one who introduced me to Spotted Tail."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For those that did go to the party there was plenty of things that were enjoyable and plenty did come along. The night air was cooler than things were day, but between some winter gear for those that weren't as well adapted to colder weather as others and the presence of a well monitored bonfire it wasn't bad. This actually drew many of the Dinotopians together, often for warmth. Some Dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles may have been able to survive at least near freezing if not freezing temperatures for at least a brief period of time, that didn't mean all could, just as not all Cenozoic mammals did well in cold weather. Sophie and Roland were no different from any of the other Dinotopians in that regard.

The two Pterodactylus Animalians had a bit of warmth from their pycnofibers and that their largely black coloring did hold some heat from the day, but the regions of Europe where Pterodactylus Antiquus were found were thought to be rather warm all year round. That kept them close by with several of the others and fairly close to Heather, Jeremy, Tyra, and Rex, though there were plenty of the others there as they all conversed and got some food from a nearby table that was set up for everyone. For the moment they were enjoying the light from the bonfire and some bits of jerky that were provided. Sophie had long found that things like fish and shellfish were actually the most preferable to her tastes, but just about any meat was good enough and for the moment the conversation wasn't too bad.

"You know..." Jeremy commented slowly, "given the interest you've shown... I'd think you'd do quite well as a researcher... both with Horizon's de-extinction projects with the Dinosaur City branch or with some of Doctor Ramos's studies in paleontology with things related to the actual bones... especially given that Texas's Parks and Wildlife Department has agreed to help fund and support at least some of the construction costs for the city with the idea that Dinotopians would help with some of the educational and "tourist" aspects that would go along with Dinosaur Valley State Park that will be near were Dinosaur City is being built."

"Even though Pterodactylus is a European Pterosaur?" Roland wondered.

It was Rex who nodded in the affirmative, "Technically, Tyrannosaurus Rex didn't range south into Texas, either. Most of its fossils have been found in the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana. It would actually be smaller relatives that ranged into the parts of Texas that weren't part of the Interior Sea in the late Cretaceous... and the Syntixisaurus Rex is a hybrid species that while it is roughly 68% T. Rex."

"I though you said we were only 42% Tyrannosaurus," Tyra commented to Rex, listening in on the conversation over what Sophie and Roland's future plans may be.

"No, dear," Rex said calmly correcting what had to a mistake, "I said roughly 42% came from other Theropods outside of Tyrannosaurus, which is actually better for you and I. Because you are over 60% Tyrannosaurus, it will mean that should you wish to have hatchlings some day... not only would we be able to do so, it is highly likely that they would be viable, which would mean that we would not have to worry about the edicts related being the same species."

"Oh..." Tyra said slowly and looked on to Rex while Sophie and the others looked over to them, "that's good, right?"

"Very good," Rex smiled back, "only one thing would make it better."

"Oh...?" Tyra wondered, her tone being more playful and even hopeful.

Sophie and Roland watched as Rex dug one hand into his pocket and produced a large box that he held out before Tyra. She raised her hands to her mouth as a few gasps from the others that were present. Even Sophie and Roland's parents who were talking to Luke and Marjorie about something near the refreshments table stopped to look to Rex and Tyra.

"If you would do me the great honor... of being my wife," Rex answered, "Tyra Wrex... would you marry me?"

Tyra gave a roaring "yes" before leaping into Rex's arms, thankfully not knocking the large wedding ring from the large velvet box that Red had produced. Heather and Jeremy quietly looked on with some expectation that something like this was coming, though neither noticed Sophie and Roland take each other's hands and say, "Some day..." They did smile at the moment and the conversation on their long term plans were for the moment, at least, ignored.


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