There was some snow in places as a lone Bull Animalian made his way up the sidewalk that lead up to the home that was before him in Animalia. He'd been told it originally belonged to only one of the uplifted cows from the Brown Farm named Snowflake, but since then it had gained a few new residents. Two were young Animalians, one a multi limbed male and the other a converted Human female who was essentially recovering from the consequences of a lobotomy. The approaching Bull Animalian shuddered at that, but the one he'd most come to meet was a male named Brawn and was like him, a Spanish Fighting Bull Animalian. He was curious about whether or not he and Brawn had any similar interests, since they'd both become breeds of cattle that were strong, but also rather athletic and agile... and also known for their aggression.
He knocked on the door and quietly waited, as he then straightened his shirt. It didn't take long before the door opened to see a similarly black furred face and well muscled body answering the door. Brawn was relatively comfortably dressed in a tee shirt and pants with a long mask over his muzzle, though it was of a different color than the guest's mask.
"Hello... you must be Edgar Teglee, right?" Brawn spoke to the newly arrived Spanish Fighting Bull Animalian, "Some of the people from Horizon have said you'd wanted to visit..."
"Si," Edgar Teglee answered with a heavy Hispanic accent, "I have seen many of your reports who who has converted and become various Animalians... and I was pleased to find that among them was one Spanish Fighting Bull Animalian. So I am curious..."
Brawn slowly nodded and then stepped back, "well, come in, come in out of the cold."
Edgar Teglee nodded and came in, brushing his hooves against the heavy throw rug just inside the door. He was lead into a decent sized living room where one adult Belgian Blue Cow Animalian was doing the hair of a younger Animalian, at least judging by how she was dressed, while the other young male Animalian was seated on the couch beside the adult female. Brawn came around his guest to introduce him to his family.
"Mr. Teglee, this is my "family," my... bond mate, Snowflake," Brawn began with Snowflake nodding, "and these are those that we've adopted, Daisy and Dan."
"A pleasure to meet you," Edgar Teglee said to them, "I am Edgar Teglee."
"Edgar..." Snowflake said slowly and picking up on Edgar's accent, "may I..."
"It is alright... my conversion comes with some adventures and dangers that many may not know off hand," Edgar Teglee answered, "and while I cannot give much in the way of names... I can share some things with you..."
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"Well... given what you've given us... and what both the Mexican and American law enforcement agencies have shared, we can help with your conversion and provide enough cover while adapting to living as an Animalian," Melvin Qvite spoke with a polite smile. Horizon's CEO wasn't often involved in many of the "small" projects worked on, particularly in relation to those like Project Phoenix that were working quite well and helping Animalia grow and helping practically the entire economy, which was quite necessary given the general time frame. But the case and request before him was one of those rare moments where he came out of the boardroom and away from advertiser meetings to be more involved with things that Horizon would be working with. "We may have to grease some wheels, as it were, if you're wishing immigration status, given some of the nonsense the present administration has been pulling... but I'm sure we can manage things."
"Thank you," Edgar Teglee answered, "and I would wish to stay in the US... I may have gotten away and avoided the problems caused with those drug lords and mobsters... but, I'll admit that he had friends that didn't get caught and when this pandemic eventually goes down... they may come after me..."
"And that'd make Halloween less fun, I'm sure," Melvin Qvite commented.
"Traditionally for me... more the Day of the Dead... but that doesn't mean I want to be dead," Edgar Teglee answered.
"Yes... well, regardless, once you're an Animalian, which Doctor Stein, here, can help with, when it comes to the conversion, you'll look quite different from how you do know," Melvin Qvite assured him, "So with the name that you've gotten from witness protection... unless these guys have ties to the CIA, you should be fine."
That let a small smile escape Edgar Teglee lips. He'd always lived by his own code of honor and took pride in his skills as an artist and as a luchador and all of it related to having good art and staying in shape. Escobar's thugs were decent street brawlers, but they would only win when they had complete surprise and could gang up on him. Edgar had avoided being surprised and managed to beat up the assassin, but he also knew that Pablo Escobar was not one to let that go unpunished and that would mean the next assassin might just shoot him rather than make it look like a bar fight gone wrong. From there he'd been trying to keep help with both the government of Mexico and the US as part of his attempts to stay ahead of Escobar over the years. Even after Escobar died, Edgar remained on edge as others filled the drug lord's shoes.
"That is good to here," Edgar Teglee commented, "your FBI and law enforcement have been helpful... as have even the authorities in Mexico as well."
Edgar meant that firmly. Being tracked down in Mexico by a Columbian drug lord had been scary and once he began moving to stay away from possible assassins, that fear factor grew. The Mexican police helped a lot at first, but as the Mexican cartels grew and began to outgun the Mexican law enforcement offices, he turned to the US and their witness protection program. Certain things were difficult in terms of gaining asylum and they got even worse over the past four years when America's government changed and seemed more interested in cracking down on people like him. It had left him struggling to get through the immigration process on his own, even with the FBI providing him with witness protection services.
"Well... it's good that the FBI has been helpful," Melvin Qvite commented, "though... I can't influence that. I might be able to help with lobbying for improvements on your immigration status. What we at Horizon can help you with is your conversion. For if the inheritors of Escobar are carrying his grudges... they won't be looking for an Animalian."
Edgar nodded and he was then gestured to follow Doctor Stein who lead the way out of the office he'd come into and then into the hallways. He noted some of the surprise on Doctor Stein's face as they walked along.
"You never met someone who beat up the men sent to assassinate him, eh?" Edgar Teglee wondered.
"We've actually ended up uplifting a fair number of animals and converting some Humans that have had bad issues with drug dealers," Doctor Stein said slowly, "Including a gradual project in South America where we're trying to carefully uplift all of Pablo Escobar's hippos... though from the reports we've gotten, it may take years to uplift them all."
"But never a luchador who beat up his assassin?" Edgar Teglee asked.
"No," Doctor Stein admitted.
"Well... now you have and know enough about what I can share," Edgar Teglee said with a relieved smile, "do you have any other questions?"
"Mine would only be on why the Spanish Fighting Bull?" Doctor Stein wondered.
"The fighting spirit!" Edgar Teglee laughed.
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"So you'd wish to be a bullfighter?" Daisy asked from the floor, and interrupting the story. Though it was reaching a point where the rest would be obvious. Doctor Stein would have administered the Animalia Virus and allowed for Edgar Teglee's conversion into a Spanish Fighting Bull Animalian.
"I was never a matador," Edgar answered, "I was a luchador. Think more like a professional wrestler but with a mask."
"Like the medical masks?" Daisy asked, pointing to the white one that she wore, with a print of a daisy across its front.
"Not quite... though they could be quite colorful," Edgar answered.
"So... you'd be looking more to UFC-A," Dan surmised slowly.
"That would be fun... but it'd be something that would probably alert those that might wish to finish what the drug lord's assassins started," Edgar Teglee said slowly, "I might go back to art... though a part of me was mostly curious at meeting Animalia's other Spanish Fighting Bull. Where you a wrestler, Brawn?"
"No," Brawn managed with a shrug of his shoulders, "I've enjoyed animals... and the Spanish Fighting Bull always looked good... strong and athletic. But I've never been involved in combat sports of any kind in the past. And I've been more adapting to being bisexual after my conversion... with Petunia Snowflake's help..."
"Petunia?" Edgar Teglee looked up to Snowflake who smiled.
"The Browns gave me more of a full name than some of the other animals they raised," Snowflake answered, "But I'm not complaining... Though many of us have either gone with one name or taken the family name of our former owner. So... Petunia would be my first name, but I'm fine with either Petunia or Snowflake."
"Snowflake sounds cuter, and matches your fur," Daisy informed her.
Edgar found himself smiling at that. Some of the things he learned weren't quite what he expected, and to a certain degree wasn't what he hoped for. He'd hoped that Brawn might have had some interest in things like the UFC-A and had some stories to share, but he hadn't gotten that. However, what he got was a warm welcome and curiosity returned to him Some of Daisy's questions were fairly cute in their innocence and that made the visit worthwhile, even if it wasn't what he expected.