There was a fair amount for Annie to see and learn about Animalia and Lyre, particularly as she had agreed to move and live in the area. Much of it related to dealing with her issues related to "Jezzie," but some things looked fairly well in that regard, and after her conversion, she felt far healthier than she had before. She looked and felt a bit younger than before, though not quite as much as many of Animalia's double dosed members, but then she'd only been single dosed for the moment. She figured that when she was able to get her second dose, that would change. For the moment, that left her open explore and look around the two towns.
She couldn't do too much on foot, as it was still pretty cold, but she'd also found that which she could see seemed fairly quaint and peaceful in Lyre and in Animalia. The best parts of the tour though was the various moments in which she'd gotten some time to see on how Animalia worked with the issue of same sex couples. The first had actually come at a large high school building that was part of a large schooling complex labelled as WSA with one female Siberian Husky Animalian and a Human male talking with her in front of a camera that was on a specialized stand to hold it and with the school's principal also present. Much of this related to scheduling issues for both Annie and the Animalia Ambassadoria members, Malice and Ryan Patricks, as they had a free hour that period, but other responsibilities after school. Eliza was there as part of the plan to help Annie adjust to things when it came to some of the things that Animalia had been sold as.
"Well... what this "Jezzie" did to you was cruel and you didn't deserve that," Ryan spoke after Annie had answered the opening question that he and Malice had asked.
"And we're glad that Project Phoenix was able to heal the physical damage done," Malice added with a nod, "Hopefully in time... you'll really grow to like it here."
Annie gave a small smile to them as they sat in the conference room in the school's office. It was a long and narrow room, and had meant that all of them had to sit on one side of the table so that the stand for the camera could be set up to fit them all in the shot. It had meant that Annie had actually had to look to her left to look to her two interviewers rather than to the camera. That actually helped a bit with her nervousness regarding some things that related to what had happened with Jezzie.
"I hope so," Annie said to them, getting some sense of honesty and support from both of them and it was clear that both were doing their best to be friendly and polite, "though... it may take a bit of time with some things..."
"Because of how your sexuality will be effected?" Ryan wondered, coming straight to the point.
"Well, yes... as... well... there has been so much advertising about how Animalia is a "cure" for homosexuality," Annie managed slow response.
"Well, from a certain point of view, it could be," Ryan told her, "but that point of view also depends on both forcing you into a decision and a mentality some people have that takes peoples choices away..."
"But it doesn't reflect everything that Animalia represents, and our Principal, here, can explain that further," Malice offered and gave a wave of her hand to get Annie to swivel in her chair to look to the feline Animalian that was seated in the chair to Annie's right. Eliza looked younger than Annie did, and guessed that Eliza was double dosed, like Malice was, and she wore a professional shirt and jacket as she sat looking toward the new Zebra Animalian.
"You can help?" Annie asked.
"In a way," Eliza gave a kind smile, "Both Ryan and Malice are right to point out that the support the present government has given for Animalia on the basis of "curing" homosexuality is one that has come under a great deal of mistrust and even prejudice on their part due to the thinking that those of us who are homosexual will suddenly become heterosexual because of animal instinct as Animalians. But these politicians fail to realize that LOVE is not a biological urge. You may find yourself having biological urges you didn't have before... and there is nothing necessarily wrong with that... but it won't change who you love. And it certainly hasn't changed how I feel about Beth..."
"Beth?" Annie blinked.
"My bond mate, yes," Eliza nodded, "a very beautiful Doberman Animalian presently at UNLV. The effect of animal instinct in Animalians may have changed how we may see some element of sexuality... but that's only meant being bisexual. It doesn't change our love, and I love her very much. And should you find love with someone... your instincts won't interfere with that. Love is love."
That gave Annie some measure of comfort and the group would then go on to explain on Homosexuals Anonymous as another group that Annie could meet with if she felt unsure. Eliza even provided some contact information for some of the other members.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From there Annie resumed looking around Animalia and even meeting with some of the others from Homosexuals Anonymous as part of her tour as well. Some of this was also because she sought them out, though it also meant that she also had to travel to meet with them. That was also good as it also let Annie see more of Animalia. This eventually came out as she met with Brawn at the Claw Coliseum. She met the Spanish Fighting Bull Animalian as he worked out in the gym there and she found him quite friendly, though at first she was also a bit distracted by some of the various colored decorations that were being put up. They had seemed to be put up in the various hallways in the building.
"I'm sorry... I must ask..." Annie commented to Brawn, "do you know what all the streamers are for?"
"I think it's for the Chinese New Year celebrations and the Year of the Pig," Brawn commented, "Complete with a sumo wrestling tournament or something like that."
"Isn't sumo wrestling Japanese?" Annie asked.
"I've thought it to be... though at the same time, the Pig Animalians, wild and domestic are also extremely buff and aren't built like how what one would associate with a sumo wrestler…" Brawn answered, "so... I'm not fully sure how that will work."
"Might be something to see," Annie mused as she glanced down to one set of iron dumbbells and noted its weight.
The weight was actually above what she could lift before. However as he looked down to the barbell, she could see the taught swell of her bicep in her arm with its white and black fur. It wasn't as supple as the Horse Animalians, and particularly with the Draft Horse Animalians, but it was also far more present than before her conversion. She softly flexed her fingers and then reached down to lift the barbell, and Annie found herself lifting the barbell. It wasn't super easy, as she could feel some slight strain, but it wasn't as though she couldn't say that she also struggled to lift it as well. She smiled slightly as she did so for a moment.
"It is amazing how strong Animalians are and how strong we become after converting," Brawn commented as he watched Annie lift up the barbell and then smile, "I've greatly enjoyed it."
"Sorry," Annie set the barbell down and then looked down, "I didn't mean to get distracted."
"It's okay," Brawn assured her, "You said you were just getting used to Animalia right now... lots of things can be distracting... even when it's with new instincts and all that."
Annie nodded and looked over to him as he approached, with a white tank-top stretched over his firm pectoral muscles and the word "brawn" written in black block letters across the front of his tank-top. It matched his black fur, and Annie felt a small thought go through the back of her mind that actually marveled at how strong he looked. It was a sort of thought that she'd never figure she'd ever have, and to some extent it did unsettle her. Her eyes drifted down, somewhat embarrassed and Brawn noticed this and did his best not to do anything either aggressive or flagrant.
"I know all of this can seem overwhelming right now... "animal instinct" taking interest in the opposite gender and all that," Brawn commented, "I felt the same thing when I first converted... I was afraid I would lose a part of who I am."
"And did you?" Annie asked, "I mean the school principal at WSA said she didn't..."
"And neither did I," Brawn assured her and kept a few paces away, "I've made some friends... and maybe you could say experimented with some things... that admittedly wasn't too bad... But no, I didn't lose anything about who I am. The mate I take to live with will me another male and one that I can say that I love. Animal instinct can't change that... and neither can stupid politicians trying to push their agendas."
Annie then watched as Brawn flared his nostrils to finish with a strong snort that left things with regard to where he stood with regard to politicians that were against gay marriage. It was actually something that was rather similar to many of the other members of Homosexuals Anonymous that she'd met. All of it gave her some measure of comfort and the drive to keep going forward.