"I hope they eventually get the DNA samples they need for the Jackrabbit strain for the Animalia Virus," Miles said slowly as he accompanied his parents into Horizon.
"I'm sure they're working on it, dear," Louise said to her son while her husband walked alongside her, "but if they've needed DNA samples from the animal... they may be looking for a healthy individual and are trying to provide for live trapping in order to get the DNA samples they need and not killing the animal or accidentally uplifting it and leading to it running lose and creating a sort of mini outbreak before recognizing what's happened."
That was one of the things that the small family of three had hoped for when they agreed to take Joanne up on her offer to pay for the conversions of those on her staff that wanted to. Some like Reggie were single and had no problems with that, and even had a ready Animalian that could help with that conversion. Other animals already had their DNA codes on file at Horizon, and largely as a result of the zoo animals that had been uplifted when Animalia began, or were among the wild animals uplifted when Animalia began. However, strangely, Miles' choice had been the Black Tailed Jackrabbit, and despite the animal being native to Nevada, Horizon didn't DNA samples for it and were presently still trying to get those DNA samples. This meant that Miles had to wait while his father converted to become a Blue and Yellow Macaw Animalian and his mother, Louise, became a Amazon River Dolphin Animalian. Miles was a bit frustrated with this, but he was also determined to be there for his parents that were willing to let him convert as well as convert themselves.
Miles also knew the dangers of what a potential outbreak with the Animalia Virus could do. All of the general news reports on Animalia's birth showed that the city and society was born out of one accident four years ago and rapidly spread through Lyre and the immediate area. Any animal that came in contact with the Animalia Virus was uplifted into a humanoid form while any Human that came in contact with both the Animalia Virus and connected animal DNA became an Animalian based on that Animal DNA. Horizon gave its apologies and worked to get a vaccine and for what it had created to prevent further infections, even as they found that Animalians were not only humanoid animals but sharing many of the same sorts of moral codes that were also present with humanity as well. That wasn't bad... but if all the mundane animals were lost, there would be a lot of damage done to the ecology of the region as a whole. But because the Black Tailed Jackrabbit was native to the region, he would have thought that would have been among the animals uplifted.
"I know... Mom," Miles answered, "but we're in early August right now. It won't be long before "back to school" hits. And all of Animalia Ambassadoria's Animalians will be going off to college. I've even seen the updates on Facebook on when they will be packing up to go to their respective colleges. Thus... if Animalia wants to keep their show going... they NEED to get new "ambassadors" ready before the main cast head off the college and would only be limited in what they could do to help... if at all."
David and Louise nodded and accepted that. Miles had always had some interest in journalism and saw it as a means to travel the world, before Covid put a stop to anyone travelling anywhere, but most of the jobs in that field were all professionally done and often with people with degrees in journalism or in the field they covered. There wasn't much room for future high school Freshman to get involved in that kind of work, beyond maybe a school paper. Animalia Ambassadoria, however, seemed to create a bridge in that. Partially because the best ambassadors for the community of animal people turned out to be a group of friends that in one way or another been caught up in the initial outbreak and picked up mates along the way. And their popularity gave Miles the hope for stepping up as the Animalia Ambassadoria cast looked at a major refit coming as its Animalian members essentially split up to go to colleges, and from some of what Miles had found, Sophie, Roland, JC, Pauline, Abby, and Samson weren't even going to a college IN Nevada. Miles wanted to be able to audition and join what had been a rather successful "news" site for Animalia, but to replace its Animalian members... he needed to be an Animalian and thus fit the balance that the show had done the previous year and the time being taken to live trap and get blood samples from a Black Tailed Jackrabbit was making Miles nervous.
"We'll just have to be hopeful," Louise assured him, "and if they don't... you can still attend their audition and tell them about your circumstances... that your conversion has technically been paid for and that Horizon just doesn't have the DNA samples they need, yet."
"Right, mom," Miles said slowly.
The three then slowly made their way in and passed through a series of screening checks with no real difficulty. Then they went through the last bits of paperwork to fill out before Judy and Doctor Stein came out to collect the family. Miles tagged along after them, but remained respectful as they walked along. Normally in these sorts of situations where a married couple were becoming Animalians together, they were becoming the same species and thus if they were to be double dosed... that would be administered to one and the married couple would be able to complete the transformation on their own. However, because David and Louise were becoming different species, they would both need two injections to go through the transformation. Doctor Stein had David's two does while Judy had Louise's.
"Now... you both understand that by becoming different species... Animalia's edicts will be critical for you?" Judy asked as they reached the door to one of the conversion rooms, "particularly when the Blue and Yellow Macaw and the Amazon River Dolphin are not closely related... even if they come from the same part of the world."
"We understand," David said simply and solemnly.
"And it isn't as though we can't have a family in the future," Louise added, "family is about love... not blood. Miles is our son and we love him dearly. And... well... if a day comes in the future and we decide we would like to raise and love another child... we can always adopt. Show that child the love they deserve and need... the same kind of love we've given Miles."
That was enough for Judy, and Louise noted Miles give a small smile as he waved to them as they were lead into the transformation room. They entered holding hands and stood together as both the Horizon scientists prepared to deliver the injections. As they swabbed the back of each person's biceps they readied both for what would come next.
"Now... you may need to strip down after Judy and I leave," Doctor Stein said in warning to David and Louise, "David for the growth of his wings and long tail feathers... and we do have clothing that can accommodate Parrot Animalians... and Louise for the likely growth in size that she will gain. The Amazon River Dolphin, while it isn't as large as the Orca... the largest dolphin species... it is still larger than a human..."
"It is the largest River Dolphin though," Louise commented, "though I'd think the tail and the tail flukes would be the bigger thing. I trust that you have clothing that would fit the new me?"
"Yes," Judy nodded, "most of the cetaceans that have been uplifted have been some of the various ocean dolphins that have done well in aquariums and shows like Sea World and so on... and the size you'd likely grow to... while smaller than our Orca Animalians, will be comparable to the other Dolphin Animalians. So there is nothing to worry."
Both nodded and felt the slight prick as the shots were administered and the standard "welcome to Animalia" was given by both scientists. It left both of them beginning to feel slightly warm as the two left. As the door shut, some of the physical changes were already becoming apparent. David kept his hair, but Louise could make out the beginnings of the Blue and Yellow Macaw's coloration coming in. With almost emerald green feathers beginning to grow out from his forehead above his eyes while the feathers coming in around the back sides of his head were more of an aqua color. Around his eyes the feathers grew out in whitish-gray and black bands that alternated until they came up on his nose and mouth.
"Best... get... ready," David spoke, feeling his lips already beginning to harden. He also noted some of Louise's early changes as well. Like him she kept her hair... but a part of it looked like it was pushed up a little, indicating the growth of the the small dorsal fin that the Amazon River Dolphin had.
Louise nodded in agreement as she felt her own changes progress. Her hands were growing slightly webbed, which she knew would fit in with all of the more water based Animalians, and further down this would be even more the case with her feet. It was an odd thing when looking at whales and dolphins that the Animalians based on these animals had legs. With some Fish Animalians, that could be understood as a development from certain fins, but from what she'd found out on whale evolution was that whales lost their rear limbs entirely. Certain early whales did keep them for awhile... but by the time that Basilosaurus appeared, those rear legs no longer had any use and thus the further whales and dolphins evolved, the less they needed rear legs and thus they got smaller and eventually didn't have them at all. Yet whale and dolphins when they were uplifted gained human like legs. It was an odd thing.
But Louise couldn't afford to wonder over that, even as she felt her breasts begin to swell within her bra and her hips and rear begin to press against her panties and pants. She could already feel herself growing bigger and couldn't afford to let herself get caught in clothing too small for her. Thus while David began to undress, she did the same... revealing more of her skin, which was turning more grayish on the dorsal side and more pinkish on the ventral side. Louise had also found that the males were also pinker than the females, but it wasn't too bad. She'd always loved dolphins and a river dolphin species would be considered good enough to let her stay with her husband and in a location that would be away from the sea. Thus she was rushing to get her shirt and pants off, just as David was. The shirt was easy, though her pants was a little more rough as she had to get her shoes off first. By the time she got all that off... her bra was feeling painfully tight.
"Looking... good... dear," David said as he tried to smile to her, but found that as his nose pushed forward to merge with his upper lip and harden into the black downward curving beak that many Macaw Parrots were known for had resulted in his voice being slowed down and taking a slightly "squawking" done to it. It wasn't super high pitched but not as deep as he would have remembered. But even as Louise's nostrils migrated to the top of her head and would be just before her dorsal fin... and her hair started to thin out a little, which actually made her small dorsal fin visible, he could still see the loving smile grow on her lips as she looked to him and that was something that he liked, even as he felt his back muscles twitch.
And that twitching reflected the biggest change that was coming. As his back muscles twitched, David felt his wings grow out behind him and as they grew larger, the feathers for them grew out as well and gained strength. It was an odd sensation and as his wings grew larger, David could feel the wings move the air around him and it ruffled some his feathers a bit. But eventually he had a large pair of wings that beat behind him and the yellow-orange color of the underside of this feathers also showed. At the same time, he could also feel his tail feathers grow out and fan behind him as he flexed the muscles in his tail as well.
"You're looking good too," Louise smiled as the clasps on her bra snapped as her swelling orbs could no longer be contained by the small C cup bra she'd come in with. For the moment she was marveling at the strong chest and abdominal muscles her husband had. Even through his feathers, she could tell how healthy they looked, particularly as the double dosing also seemed to rejuvenate them back into how he looked in his twenties. In this he looked quite handsome, which she did like. Though as her own transformation was progressing into its final stages, she had more that she had to get ready for. And with her bra already broken by her now larger pinkish colored breasts, her panties weren't going to last much longer against her hips and rear... and even if they did, her tail would destroy them as well.
"Only trying to impress you," David answered as he watched his wife pull down her panties and with her tail growing out behind her at the same time. They were becoming different Animalian species, but his love still remained and Louise remained as beautiful as she always was to him. Feeling some stirrings in his groin as his feathers there were soon pushed aside as his own penis began to spring to life, though Louise noticed this too. It wasn't quite mammalian, and was more a cross between what a human male would have and what a male Macaw would have, but it did generally fit what had happened with many conversions. Human and animal "mixed" when it came to certain aspects of anatomy. Though at this time, her transformation rushed into its own completion with a few cracks as her lips pushed forward into the long narrow snout. She raised up one webbed hand to let her transformation finish.
"As much as I would love that... we should wait until after I've started on my prescription of Animalian Birth Control Pills..." Louise said slowly, "and plus... Miles is waiting."
David sighed and nodded and took one of Louise's hands and nuzzled it, "Of course my dear... you are right... It's just that you remain... beautiful."
Louise only smiled.