"So you two came him for body building contests?" Andre asked to Solomon and Tyson as the group went about their workout.
The Covid 19 pandemic had limited the time and access that people had to gyms around the world and even the Claw Coliseum had engaged in those sorts of restrictions to make sure the disease wouldn't spread if it came in. Some of the tourist business had gone down, though that could simply be a connection with the fact that it was early December and many were getting ready for Christmas, but that didn't stop the restrictions that were there. Largely because the spread of the virus was going to be a major risk, particularly with Horizon Light becoming a a spot where Covid patients in need of major care were coming as parts of northern Nevada and even parts of northeastern California seeing their local hospitals and clinics reach capacity. This limited how much they could work out, but those that could fit in did so, and for Andre and Melissa, meeting new arrivals to Animalia was a good thing.
"Well that was part of it," Solomon commented, "mainly because of Covid and all that..."
"Yes... it's ravaged a lot of things," Melissa agreed, "hopefully things start to calm down as these vaccines become available."
Solomon and Tyson both nodded.
"How did the conversion go?" Andre wondered, "becoming different species... I imagine you weren't able to go together."
"That was a bit of a different adventure..." Tyson admitted.
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"What do you mean we can't go together?!" Solomon protested, "Tyson and I have been together for years. We've seen each other naked plenty of times and your own advertising has allowed for that sort of thing for couples."
"And neither of us have Covid," Tyson added, "We've both followed all your Covid restrictions."
Doctor Stein looked to the other Horizon research doctor that had come with him to carry out the conversion for the two men and both were a bit nervous. The two were well muscled and were a bit taller than him, and the aggressive response that their conversions would be in separate rooms was enough to make both nervous.
"For one thing there is the fact that you're both becoming two separate species and it would be easier and quicker for us to do the conversion in separate rooms," Doctor Stein spoke, "that way your transformations can be done and we aren't tripping over each other and risk giving you a dose of the other's shot. This would easier and safer for both you and us."
"But don't you have means of knowing who's shot is who's?" Solomon asked.
"Shouldn't there be the room for it to be done?" Tyson asked.
"We do know on who's shots are are who's and we do our best to keep track of them," the other human research scientist spoke somewhat softly, "but these conversion rooms are not built to convert multiple people with different doses. More often than not when couples change, they become the same Animalian and we handle one and they dose the other."
"And if shots are given... because they're for the same species, one doctor can administer the doses," Doctor Stein spoke, "because you two are becoming different species... we can't do that."
Solomon looked to Tyson and they both slowly nodded and agreed. Some of it sounded a little strange and they were sure that some of this presently had to do with Covid related issues, but fighting would only get them in trouble. With that, they then followed the two Horizon scientists from the waiting room that they'd been directed to and to a pair of conversion rooms that were next to each other. The other scientist lead Tyson into one room while Solomon slowly followed Doctor Stein into the first. As he came in, he could see the reasoning behind what the two Horizon scientists had given for their reasoning.
There was a bed that could fit two people on it, but unlike the bed in the hotel room they had in Lyre, it's only covering was the mattress cover. There was no blankets or anything of that nature. By itself that wasn't a problem, as Horizon did not advertise overnight stays. Those who came to Horizon to convert were either moving to Animalia or Lyre or would be returning to their original addresses or potentially moving to other Animalian colonies if that was what they wanted. On top of this, the bed was pressed up against the southeast corner of the room. That would make it difficult to for both Solomon and Tyson to get their two shots at the same time with two scientists giving the shots. The room was big enough for it, but with where the bed was placed that would be difficult, and he guessed there was some reason for it and he wasn't going to argue.
He sat down on the bed and set about removing his shoes and socks while also setting aside the jacket he'd been carrying. The Nile Monitor wasn't the largest monitor lizard, but it was reasonably large and Solomon expected there would be some changes, and thus he'd chose to wear some more baggy clothing underneath his jacket in a large white tank top and gray sweat pants. That way if he grew size with his conversion he wouldn't shed his clothing. As Solomon did that Doctor Stein readied the needles and then administered the shots with the costumery "welcome to Animalia." From there, the transformation did begin.
Solomon didn't get too much bigger than he was transforming, but he sort of expected that. He had to rearrange his pants a little to let the largely brown scaled tail with light yellow spots that were arranged in a way that they banded into looking like stripes on that tail. And from what Solomon could see, that sort of color pattern covered everywhere, with his underside being more light yellow to white than brown and with his body hair falling out. Thankfully, he kept the hair on his head. Solomon panicked at first as he didn't want to be bald, even though this was something that seemed to largely only happen with the Dinotopians, and brought his hands up to feel his head, and was pleased to feel clawed fingers comb through his hair and it didn't fall out.
"That'ssssssss good," Solomon said slowly as his face pushed forward into the Nile Monitor's rectangular muzzle and the forked tongue, not to different from a snake's, that monitor lizards were also known for. The hissing was a surprise, but to a degree he expected it. Horizon had put out plenty of publications that many lizard and snake Animalians often had that issue because of the changes in their tongues, but that largely corrected with practice. "Now to sssshow Tyssson."
With that, Solomon made his way out and emerged into the hallway to find both Doctor Stein and the other doctor. They looked to him with a small nod, though Solomon was more waiting to see Tyson. After a few moments, the door open and another lizard Animalian emerged, this was Tyson. His muzzle was more pointed and his scales mostly green with a white underbelly. Tyson smiled, bobbed his head for a few moments and then extended his dewlap with a narrow flap of scales extending downward with its bright red color being easy to see.
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"And from there... we paid for our conversions and even thanked Horizon for their help," Tyson commented.
"And I began practicing with my new tongue," Solomon commented, "while also working trying to stay in shape and find a way to get back into work..."
"Particularly with all the Covid problems," Tyson sighed, "hopefully things will get better next year..."
"Hopefully," Andre commented, "and for the most part there is some good news with regard to getting the vaccines, even if they're only the Human vaccines right now. It'll mean that hope isn't gone..."