"If I may ask a question, Mister..." Judy began as she walked with the older Human male through one of Horizon's hallways.
"Call me "Slim," as from your advertising show online... you already have someone named Simon that's well known," the man commented.
Judy shrugged and nodded. Animalia Ambassadoria wasn't really supposed to be an advertising series for either Animalia or Horizon, though she did note that many of its episodes, particularly the early ones, had that sort of effect. It thus make sense that some older people might be confused on that or associate Animalia Ambassadoria with Horizon. It was something that wasn't worth fighting over. At the same time, she could agree with second part of the comment completely. Most people that had seen Animalia Ambassadoria recognized Malice's bond-mate. and while Judy knew that America was a big country and the odds were good that there were people that had the same name many of Animalia's residents, there was the hope to at least try and keep names "original" and thus more memorable.
"Okay, Slim," Judy said slowly, "but may I ask you waited until now to convert... and why a Belgian Blue?"
"I though it was cats that were curious, not rabbits," Slim teased with a small smirk which eventually got Judy to chuckle a little bit. After Judy chuckled he gave the more formal answer, "Well... some of it has been some phone calls with Steven Blair and hearing from how he's liked it. It'd be odd I suppose... but it made me a bit curious on what it would be like. And yeah, I could ask... but I'm sure there are certain parts about being an Animalian that can only be felt and experienced... not told."
"I suppose that could be part of it," Judy said slowly, though being curious about an Animalian was a first for wanting to convert. Most that did either wanted their youth back or were sick/injured and were taking advantage of the Animalia Virus's "cure all" ability to help them. Of the rest that had converted to become Animalians, they converted because they had either had private desires to be an anthropomorphic animal... or vainly wanted the curves or musculature that came along with the conversion. She'd never heard anyone say anything about experiencing what it was like to be an Animalian. "And the choice of a Belgian Blue...?"
"They look like a strong breed," Slim answered, "something that looks like they'd fit working in a steel mill... and while a lot of my work was in management... I could see the workers I had. Strong armed, straight backed, dedicated to their work... I'll admit that I was always a bit jealous. I mean I was smart in running the plant that I owned... but without them doing the work, I wouldn't have made as much as I did. Thus, as a Belgian Blue bull... I'd be able to do more than just sit at a desk or observe things going on... Maybe get some of the stigma that I've gotten from some people for the success that I've had..."
"Forgive for not knowing... but..." Judy began as they approached the door to one of the conversion rooms, "but hasn't the steel industry declined?"
"From its height in the late 1800s, yes," Slim nodded, "though, it's still a major industry... US Steel is still in operation, and will fill demands for people building skyscrapers or large structures needing architectural supports that will need the strength that steel provides. Rail lines will need to be replaced from time to time... and so on. So... the market may be smaller, but the need for it hasn't gone away. Though, since I retired in the late seventies... I'm not fully sure yet what I'll do. I could go back in... but with all this other stuff going on... right now I think I'll settle on getting acclimated and hope for the best."
Judy nodded and opened the door to the conversion room and ushered Slim in. While he set to getting himself ready, Judy removed the plastic box that contained the needles that were ready for the conversion process. As she removed the safety cap on the first needle and lifted up the opened alcohol swab, she found Slim seated there without his shirt, shoes, and socks on.
"I think I'm about as ready as I can be and still be decent," Slim said to her with a small smile.
Judy nodded and then rubbed his upper shoulder with the alcohol swab to prepare to administer the shots needed. From there it was easy to administer them and then collect the things that she had brought in order to put them away. She could already see that Slim was starting to change with the muscles on his arms and shoulders beginning the swell and pulse as they grew larger as she made her way to the door to let him transform in peace.
"I'll be back in a few moments with new clothing that will fit the new you," Judy spoke, "It won't be much and you'll have to buy enough to have a wardrobe... but it'll be better than wandering around naked or in something that is painfully small."
With that, Judy left the room and shut the door behind her. From there, she then moved through Horizon's halls at a quick pace and started with placing the two needles with their caps on into a wall mounted receptacle for "medical waste" as a means to make sure no one was on the receiving end of dirty needles. She then dropped the plastic case that the needles had been in off at one of the main labs before making her way out again. A lot of this was often things that various lower ranking technicians and assistants did at Horizon, but most of them were Humans, and while Lyre and Animalia had so far avoided the greatest restrictions from the present pandemic, they couldn't avoid all of them.
Thus as Judy made her way back toward the conversion room, she stopped by one of the other clothing rooms along the way. These rooms were often near the conversion rooms as a matter of necessity, for while Animalians might be a bit more confident or relaxed over issues of nudity, they did understand the need to be dressed in public. Just as the conversion rooms were set up after the Animalia "Virus" was cleared for sale as part of the conversion process, these rooms were set up to help new Animalians that had grown larger than their normal Human forms acquire clothing that would fit. It often wasn't much more then generic "one size fits all" types of clothing and they were arranged to cover the various size ranges that Animalians came in, but it was cheaper and easier for Horizon than having a tailor's shop set up inside the labs. In this, Judy collected a pair of boxers, pants, and a shirt that should be of sufficient size for a Bull Animalian.
"Hello... Slim?" Judy spoke when she made it back to the conversion room and knocked on the door, "can you hear me?"
The answer was soft, but Judy could hear it. She also noted that while the base tone was the same, it was noticeably deeper than it was before.
"Yes... do you have clothes? I think the ones I came in might be too small to even try putting on," was the reply.
"I do... and I'm coming in," Judy spoke and then moved to turn the door.
She expected Slim to meet her at the door and only allow her enough room to pass the clothing through the opening to him. That didn't happen. She opened the door all the way to reveal a massive Belgian Blue Bull Animalian sitting patiently on the bed with his old clothing beside him. If "Slim" was to be a reference to "not fat," that would certainly apply, but otherwise, Judy couldn't be sure. From what she could estimate it looked like he'd be an inch or two taller than other Belgian Blue Animalians that lived in Animalia and that his muscles were huge. She didn't think he was double muscled, the way some Belgian Blue Cattle could be, but he was definitely on the larger end of the size spectrum without being double muscled.
"I... uh..." Judy stammered a bit in surprise and noticing an indicator of things that had gone on when Slim's transformation got to the "good part."
"It's okay... sorry about the mess..." Slim offered and raised one arm to accept the clothing.
"No... that's fine," Judy managed to regain her composure, "that can actually happen fairly frequently with some transformations. So don't worry. I'll let you get dressed... and... welcome to Animalia."