High school graduation was normally something that many people looked forward to. It was a mark of passage from one stage of life to the next. Some moved on to start jobs or go into some technical/vocational training to work at certain jobs, some went on to college for further academic learning, and others may have even drifted for a while. But graduation from high school was still an important step as it gave a school's Senior Class the opportunity to have one ceremony that marked the end of their high school careers and in a sense celebrate it as a group. For many, though, 2020 had proven to be something of a challenge in that regard... and particularly from the Covid 19 pandemic. The disease managed to change everything and as familiar characters readied for what had dreamed of when they were Freshmen, the world was already different.
The direct impact on WSA wasn't as immediate as it was in other places, as it was felt that Animalians seemed to have either a healthier immune system and thus greater resistance to the disease. But because WSA had integrated into having both Humans and Animalians in the same buildings and facilities and the fact that there was a lot of uncertainty about testing for the disease, before March ended, the district had gone to distance learning online and through picking up paperwork materials if an online option was unavailable. It meant the teachers had a lot of work with regard to organizing things and made finals for the Middle School and High School even tougher, but it was judged to be the safer option and keeping everyone safe. Some of this was made better given some reports coming out of Skull Island regarding Animalian "resistance" to present pandemic.
With this change, many of the things that had been set up at WSA to give Animalians some measure of support that the old Lyre School District couldn't, weren't enjoyed. For with the distance learning programs, that meant that no one could go into the schools physically, unless it was just to pick up paperwork and then returning home. This meant that things like the high school's unisex showers and accepted tolerance for consensual sex weren't something that everyone had gotten. Some did get to use them in "that" way, but for Jessica and Roger, who had waited for Jessica's eighteenth birthday, they'd missed out on it as they were at "home" by that time. Sophie and Roland had also missed out on it, despite losing their virginity earlier, had also missed out on it, though some of that was more due to some of the odd things that had gone on at home.
And for Sophie, Jessica, Abby, JC, Pauline, Roland, Roger, Samson, Malice, Sarah, and Travis, some of that came up as they set up for a Skype chat that would essentially take the place of a normal graduation. All of them had been assured that their final grades, report cards, and diplomas would come in the mail, for health and safety reasons, and that the ceremony would be a group Skype session from which Eliza would give an address on a direct platform. The address would be too way so that Eliza could see who was there and who wasn't and would cover many of the sorts of things that graduations would include, but there were a multi functioned opening that allowed the group of friends to talk while they waited for the main ceremonies to begin. Some of whom had been friends before Animalia and some had joined after Animalia, but they were able to chat all the same while waiting. It left them with a split screen with Sarah and Malice seated in one box on the screen's upper left corner, Travis was in another box to the right of the first, Jessica was in upper right corner, Abby and Samson were the right side edge, Roger was in the lower right corner, while Sophie, JC, and Pauline were in the lower center, and Roland's box was in the lower left corner. The rest of their screens showed a podium that was set up in the WSA office area from which Eliza was scheduled to give the commencement address.
"And you never got to the showers?!" Malice asked to Jessica with some shock evident in her voice.
Jessica slowly nodded, "Well yeah... unlike some of us, I didn't get double dosed in the initial outbreak and thus went through high school with the fully body and drive of an adult... and neither did Roger and I take advantage of a night alone to "do it" before I turned eighteen. Thus by the time my eighteenth birthday came around... we were already on distance learning programs."
"If it makes you feel any better... Roland and I never got to use the showers that way, either," Sophie offered, "though... that's been more that my parents have watched me more closely... it's created the almost odd sensation like they know what happened when I got sent out to Skull Island with Roland... but they haven't said anything."
"My parents haven't been quite as tight on that," Roland said to his bandmate, remembering comforting Sophie in a hotel room thanks to a freak storm that grounded their ability to return to Lyre/Animalia and by a series of accidents found a pleasurable spot that then lead to them having their "first time" together, "though they have been attentive enough that we really haven't had much in the way of opportunity to engage in that..."
"But your parents wouldn't have been at the school," Sarah gave a teasing smile.
"Yes... but we never really felt like it there..." Sophie answered, trying to hide that she was blushing... and hoping that the others couldn't see that through her pycnofibers. "I think that part of what happened during the Storm from Nowhere was that Roland and I were alone and there weren't any other eyes on us..."
"But you got nothing to be afraid of," Malice teased, "we're all big girls... mated to big boys... and you have to understand that we're a bit more comfortable with nudity than Humans..."
"There is a difference between simple nudity and having sex," Sophie remined the uplifted Husky, "and it's just the way I feel..."
"There's nothing necessarily wrong with that," Abby spoke with a sigh, "though I suppose it means you and Jessica lost out on the fun..."
Sophie and Jessica both nodded, though they were looking for a way to get off that subject. As while their chat for the moment was directly connected to them, because they were also dialed into the main line from which the commencement address would be given, it'd be quite possible that anyone on the school's end might also be inadvertently tuned in as well. There was some private frustration with not getting to sign a brick in the showers, but ultimately both Sophie and Jessica had some measure of acceptance on that there was nothing they could do with regard to the pandemic that hit the country, and included Animalia. Sophie also soon noticed Abby give a heavy sigh and then lean against Samson.
"And a lot of us lost out on all the things that were supposed to make our Senior Year special," Abby sighed, "we lost our Senior Prom... we lost the ability to throw our caps in the air... and while we all got into college... there's some indication that we might not even get to start that as normal..."
Sophie agreed with that, and there would be some big things that were involved in it. She, Roland, JC, and Pauline had been accepted SMU in Texas and intended to go down there, partially with the idea setting up some connection Dino City, and the college had even sent them some enthusiastic responses over their application and even offered scholarship money to assure that they would agree to the college's acceptance. There'd been some reporting on a group of Utah Raptor Dinotopians that were either went to SMU or TCU, but Sophie couldn't remember which, for sure. Surprisingly even Abby and Samson had some distance to go for college as well, as they were going to an agriculture oriented school with the idea of getting some help that would further help the Brown farm grow. And at present, they weren't quite certain if the colleges would actually open to students in the fall, thus the pandemic might affect not just one but TWO academic years for them.
"We may just have to carry on," Roger commented, with Travis nodding, "this whole thing sucks... but there isn't much we can do about it now."
"Hopefully by the fall, everything is pretty clear," Travis agreed, "and we can move forward."
"Except those of us going to Texas," Sarah whined to Sophie.
"SMU... it's in Texas, but it's not the University of Texas," Sophie answered, "and besides... we're talking together now. While we may be apart distance wise... THIS will let us still chat together."
"Yeah... but it won't be the same," Jessica commented, "I mean... we've all grown up together... and well... there will be the point with this that things will change..."
"Nothing stays the same forever," Roland commented, "most of us were Human... and the rest were former pets. Yet... all of us are Animalians now. We've found love and partners and grown up over the last four years. But... regardless of where we end up living... I'd hope that all of us will be friends."
"And some changes won't be immediate," Sophie added, "I mean... with us all graduating... Animalia Ambassadoria will probably need new Animalian representatives, as if the pandemic goes down and we go off to college... we won't be here and the colleges we go to probably won't bend over backwards the way WSA did... But that won't come until the end of the summer."
The others slowly nodded as there was some recognition of that.
"I'll actually miss doing the show," Sarah commented, "I mean... we've done it for four years and had fun..."
"Less for some of us," said Pauline, "but still fun..."
"Yes... it has been fun," Travis agreed, "though we'll all stay in touch, right?"
All of the agreed, just as a door was seen to open in the part of the screen that showed Eliza coming out to approach the podium...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eliza's path to the podium was an easy one that was set up from her office. In the previous two years, WSA's graduations were done in the gymnasium where everyone could come in and sit to watch the graduates get their diplomas. This year was different. With the pandemic putting most things into distance learning, having a graduation ceremony at WSA seemed a bit risky, particularly while so much was at least partially shut down. This meant that diplomas were being mailed out and much of the commencement activities were being done through Skype and other electronic methods. She'd even arranged that her commencement address would be filmed and could be sent to parents of the year's graduating seniors as they were listed. It was hoped that would give some measure of normality in abnormal times.
She'd seen reports on public figures being asked to give some of these commencement addresses and had followed a couple of them on the news as well. Some were good but there were a few that were just awful and seemed to be scoring political points as well. That was something Eliza didn't like and wouldn't stand. Thus when the School Board for Lyre and Animalia asked her if inviting someone special to talk to the Seniors of the 19-20 school year was a good idea, Eliza felt glad for saying that she would prefer it to remain with WSA and not bringing in outsiders. Part of it was because of the disease and part of it was also in a major sense of political unrest over various issues. Some of the reports out of Minnesota, where Animalia's Deputy Mayor's in laws lived, were scary, and Animalia at times seemed to hover on the edge of chaos. While Animalian rights were recognized that didn't mean that many liked Animalians and Eliza felt it best not to create any more political turmoil.
With that, Eliza looked out to a screen that was in front of the podium, though about a good twenty feet from it. It had been divided into many square boxes and she could see various figures in them and saw a signal on the screen that they were connected. She didn't know every student by name or by face, as being the WSA High School Principal had changed a lot of her responsibilities from her earlier days as a teacher, but she did know many were in the 2020 senior class and a quick scan with her eyes could tell that most, if not all, of the Seniors were connected for the Skype messaging. One of the secretaries, who was manning the camera that was focused on Eliza gave a thumb's up to let her know that things were set and ready. Eliza nodded and began.
"Hello and welcome Worldwide School of Animalia graduates of the class of 2020," Eliza then spoke, "I apologize for the difficulties have forced us to conduct a different kind of graduation than what would be normal... but then these are circumstances that cannot be helped and no one wants to see anyone hurt."
Eliza watched as there were several nods from the students on the screen.
"But despite this, we may see this as something of a triumph, for all of you," Eliza continued, "for among you are some of the first that were caught up in the initial Animalia outbreak four years ago and among you are those that have put Animalia before the public eye as part of a series to advertise and make friends on behalf of Animalia. And as an educator, it gives me great pride to see the successes that you've all had over the past four years... adapting to new bodies, working together with your Human neighbors to help forge a working society, and putting out an explanation and information that shows we can all get along... despite the worst that may come. And in this... the present concerns may likely only be a tough hurdle for you in the short term..."
Eliza moved her gaze to all of the boxes showing the students as they watched her speak to them.
"And with your successes here... I would hope that you build on that success and take it into the world," Eliza spoke, "learn new things and build on what you've learned here. For in time... things will start up again, and ultimately the world will look to you. Some may question your control over animal instinct... some may wish to impose an agenda... but time and again, I have seen this class prove that their instincts do not control them and that Humans and Animalians can work together and with harm to either side. I've seen the willingness to take on new challenges and new ideas from all of you over the past four years. And while great challenges may lie ahead... I feel you have all earned the right to say that you can over come them. And I will ultimately wish you all the best of luck in moving forward... and hope that a part of your time here at WSA stays with you. Thank you."
From there, Eliza read down the list of Seniors that had attained their degrees and again wished them well, along with dates in which they could expect their diplomas to arrive in the mail. When she finished, the Class of 2020's high school career ended and the underclassmen only had a few days before their finals ended and the summer officially began... Eliza could only hope that by the fall that things would be safer, but for the moment, she really didn't know...