The Winter Solstice was considered the shortest day and longest night of the year, but due to the pandemic there were a lot of differences, but fortunately with two different vaccines finalized the pandemic was finally reaching the endgame. This was considered important since 2021 was being looked at for steadily getting better, but it wasn't too optimistic since a new mutation of Coronavirus had been found in Great Britain, causing them all kinds of troubles. But there were a few other things going on in Animalia and elsewhere.
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"We've gotten ourselves an idiot who's suffering permanent blindness from methanol poisoning." said a Horizon agent at Dino City.
"Why is he an idiot?" asked a second agent.
"Because he decided to eat hand sanitizer to 'protect himself from the pandemic', which happened to be a brand that contained methanol." said the first agent, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
"Ohhh-kay, then." said the second. "While we can't turn him away, especially because he wants to be a Pteranodon Dinotopian, but needs some help choosing his species, we can cut his Project Phoenix compensation in half to remind people about how dangerous being stupid can be."
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Herman, Jason, Moxie, and Arlene were able to land in Heiya Island with relatively little problem, but it was after the mandatory quarantine period that the surprises really began. While they were expecting to help out with the girls that had been rescued from the human trafficking ring, as well as garner some attention from them, they didn't expect to get so much attention so soon. All four of them were "swarmed" by girls the same way that Nate had been when he came here, with Moxie and Arlene revealing that there were some girls who were into guys and girls, but the "help me" expressions on Herman and Jason's faces were considered the most priceless of all so far.
What was probably the most surprising was when they met Heiya Island's first converted Animalian, Rose. Being large enough to look both Herman and Jason in the eyes seemed to be a big blow to their male egos, but this was to be expected.
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Solomon was contacted by a Horizon agent not too long after he and Tyson met with Andre and Melissa, but he was even more confused when he learned the reason why.
"Apparently a pet shop in Las Vegas has been keeping a Nile Monitor Lizard for so long that the cashier has been joking that the owners have been 'teaching her to read'. No one really wants her so she's been donated for uplifting."
"'She'?" asked Solomon, a little surprised at that.
"Yes." said the agent. "She'll be considered part of your Homosexual Anonymous course, since it will help you understand your awakening heterosexuality."
"Does that mean Tyson and I will..." Solomon didn't finish, a little worried.
"No, it means that both of you will eventually become bisexual." said the Agent, "That's partly why Melissa agreed to help you and Tyson out."
"... alright then." said Solomon, still a little confused and uncertain about it.