The upper crust Christmas Party was well decorated and carried a rather posh atmosphere, and even included members of Lyre's upper crust as well, which Abby suspected given what Malice had said about gaining invites through Tiffany. The decorations and the lighting quite nice, and while it wasn't quite what went on at the Meat Market for their Christmas Party in normal years, it wasn't bad. It was different from Christmas at the Brown family home had always been, but it wasn't bad, and from what conversations she'd had, things seemed to be in the general spirit of the season.
And it was a season that was really needed, and she could think on how all of that was needed. Even at Base Valley College, there had been some of the depressed and frustrated issues that came along with how things were going in relation to the pandemic and the election and everything else, and finals week hadn't made that any easier...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"You should feel more confident, Samson, you'll do fine," Abby said to her bond-mate as he emerged from the room where they'd had their last set of finals to take, and from one of the few classes that they shared. "You did well at WSA, and definitely stronger when we graduated there from when you entered..."
"Yeah... but the college courses... they're tougher," Samson said with some nervousness evident in his voice, "and some things go a bit beyond what either of us know... or have worked with..."
Abby nodded in agreement to that. College courses were a lot tougher high school courses, and particularly those that were outside what she had learned helping her parts on the farm/ranch before Animalia and especially after it when she'd gained the size and muscle to do a lot more of the work, but that was something often went for everyone. She probably wasn't going to take as many media or acting classes as someone like Jessica would, but then she doubted Jessica would take many ag classes either. So that all balanced out.
"Yes... but you've done fine so far," Abby assured him, "and you've even done better than me in a few classes."
Samson nodded as Abby stood up.
"Now... come on," Abby urged, "this was our last final for the semester, we'll get emails on the grades and class schedule and book lists while we're on Christmas break. Right now... it's time to pack and check out of our dorms for the break."
"They won't make us unpack everything, will they?" Samson wondered.
"No we'd just take back clothes and anything that might "go bad," like any apples we have in a fridge or something like that," Abby answered, "Your RA should have let you know on all that..."
"Yeah... but this week has been hectic," Samson told her.
From there they made they made their way out onto the campus green. There were some small spotty patches of snow and areas where leaves from some of the trees planted on the college grounds had fallen. The thing that looked like Christmas was that there were a couple of modest sized spruce trees that had lights on them. And even underneath the masks being worn for Covid reasons, they could smile at that...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At SMU, Sophie, Roland, JC, and Pauline's journey back to Lyre for Christmas would be a bit different. Unlike their friends who had their own cars or trucks to drive two and from their respective colleges, their group had gotten a ride to bring their things to Dallas from their parents and it was stated that they wouldn't be driving down to Dallas again until the summer and they would have to move things out for summer cleaning and so on. They'd agreed to that and made their way through much of the Fall Semester with some ease. The college wasn't fully set up for their all carnivorous diet, but then Sophie figured a good many colleges had issues like that. Some Skype/Zoom calls with Abby had found that she and Samson were going through some of the same issues with regard to furniture that had been had at Lyre High after Abby first became an Animalian, but they'd managed. And as more Animalians went to college and began to spread out from their home towns, the country would move toward things to accommodate their bodies and diets.
The most amusing thing that Sophie had run into while at SMU was the intersection of football with everything else. At first, it was okay and something Sophie expected. But as finals ended, Sophie and Roland were happy to get away from the frustrated and angry Dallas Cowboys fans bad mouthing their own team for random reasons. It was like no one told them it was a game, and that was something that all of them in their group grew frustrated over in time.
"Well... I'll say again... the school is nice and for the most part the people have seemed rather friendly," Pauline commented as she met up with Sophie in the lobby to their dorm, "but I'll be glad that football will be over by the time we get back from break."
"Well, the NFL's playoffs might still be on... but things should be quieter by that point," Sophie agreed, "how'd checking out go?"
"It went fine," Pauline answered, "my roommate still has a final this afternoon, so the RA only checked my half of the room. I passed and am now free..."
Sophie nodded as an elevator bell went "ding" and made both of them turn their heads toward it to see JC and Roland coming out with their luggage and travel bags with them. It wasn't too much, as they didn't have to remove everything from their dorm rooms for Christmas break, and because of their need to go from the campus to the Dallas Airport to get to Lyre/Animalia there was the deliberate plan to arrange transport. Thankfully Sophie had also gotten an email that would be handling that transportation, and now with the boys down from their dorm rooms, the ride was all they were waiting for.
"Any word on our ride?" Roland asked as he approached.
"She should be here in a little bit," Sophie answered, "though local traffic could slow her down a bit..."
"Yeah... flying above is easier," Roland commented.
"Only for those with wings," said another passing student, "Merry Christmas, R, and remember, when Dominion comes out, we get front row seats!"
A few eyes turned to Roland who gave a shrug, "His room is next to the one I've been in and he's a BIG Jurassic Park fan... thus he's been exciting at attending college with a Dinotopian."
Sophie chuckled a little bit at that. It was one of those things that gave her some broader sense of hope for a better future. There were of course those that were against Animalians, and they could be frustrating at times, as not all of them were dumb or without support, but enough things had changed to allow for their confidence in Animalia falling at some point was beginning to fail. That gave Sophie the hope for change and a more optimistic future. The run ins with either fans of the Jurassic Park franchise or those that were interested in prehistoric life were things that had been successful. The student that was heading out and talking about a movie when it came out to Roland was proof of that sort of thing.
"Yes... but with what we'll be taking back, and the distance to the airport," Pauline spoke up, bringing the topic back to what they were talking on, "I don't think that'd be an option."
"True," Roland admitted.
There was then a "ping" on Sophie's phone. Pulling it out to check the screen, she found a new text message and it read: "pulling into the circle now." She then waved to the door and the group made their way out. They came out to see a large vehicle that looked like it would be an oversized van or transit bus/truck to most people, with a wheel base that would only just fit within the lane width on most roads and stood a bit taller than most other vehicles. However the windows were not tinted and all of them could see the driver, Heather Green. She gave a wave and then pressed a button inside the vehicle that allowed the back trunk which Sophie and the others all moved to.
"So... what do you think of the latest model?" Heather asked as Sophie moved to climb into the passenger seat and the others climbed in to sit in the second set of seats, with JC and Pauline being careful not to step on Heather's tail. Though they also noted that with the vehicle scaled up toward Heather's size, the four of them being closer to a Human's height, were still rather small. "It's something they're testing out. Jeremy and I got one... I think because the company thinks that Dino City's Horizon will have him going around for conversions..."
"Is he?" Roland wondered.
"No, all the laws that were passed after our second meeting in Lyre are still in place," Heather spoke, "so anyone that wishes a more "private" conversion would either have to go to one of the colony cities outside the US and hope that country is more lax on how the Animalia Virus may be handled for dosing... or if they're already a couple. Mayor Tarr and Candace have finally gotten a plan for their wedding... It's supposed to be on Christmas day and they're having it outside in a venue closer to where Mayor Tarr's sister lives. Everyone is to be tested, the ceremony is to be outside, and the chairs for guests are to be at least six feet apart. It's going to be small... but that's what is planned, and..."
"Sets up the path for Mr. Tarr's conversion," Sophie figured, which Heather nodded to as they began to pull out and head to the airport.
"So... will you be going to this wedding?" JC asked curiously.
"I might as a friend of Candace," Heather answered, "but Jeremy probably won't... he's got a lot of work to do... And that kind of brings up a favor we may need."
"A favor?" Sophie asked.
"Yes," Heather answered, "I know Christmas is coming up soon... but we have a guy that's on the conversion list, and I think it'll be either just before Christmas or just after it. Jeremy says the guy or gal wants to become a Pteranodon Dinotopian, and while he can handle the administering of the doses... but he'll need a flight instructor. "
"A flight instructor?" Sophie and Roland said together as they rode along.
"Yes," Heather nodded, "As you'd be the only other Pterosaur Dinotopian with the time to carry out the lessons... Norrie has her business to run, and because of all the other nonsense that's gone on, she's having to work harder and longer and invest more in advertising, online sales, and mail delivery just to make ends meet. She doesn't really have the time to doing flying lessons. You, on your Christmas break WOULD have the time, at least enough to where this guy would know what he's doing and can then go from there."
"Great... we make it through the chaos of the election and then worse... FINALS... and now we get homework," Sophie grumbled.
"Life never stops," Heather quipped, "and besides, I'm giving you four a ride to the airport and I'm not charging anything. You'd have to pay money to an other service."
"Point taken," Roland answered.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"And remember, we're to pick up Codey at the airport before heading home," Roger commented as he sat in the passenger seat of Jessica's "New Beetle."
"I haven't forgotten," Jessica assured him, "He flies out of where the University of Washington is and lands at Lyre/Animalia's airport. It'll actually be on the way home for both of us, all things considered."
"That's good," Roger commented.
"So... what's your brother been up to since school started again?" Jessica asked as she glanced with one eye over to her bond mate as they drove north along the road, "He find any cute girls in Washington?"
"He likes the college there, from what he's told me in emails," Roger answered, "very alpine and forested... different from Lyre and Animalia."
"That doesn't answer my question," Jessica asked back, "did he find anyone cute up there?"
"No... it'd actually seem like he "met" someone over the summer," Roger commented, "You remember Michiko Shikamatsu?"
"Yeah... her family runs the dojos and martial arts school you and Codey attended," Jessica commented, "they joined Animalia the day we met, I think..." She paused to laugh, "and setting up the perfect couple. A pair of Rabbit Animalians named Roger and Jessica... though neither of us has the surname "Rabbit..." which is probably a good thing."
"Yeah... well, apparently they ran into each other at the comic convention over the summer and she complimented him and he's been talking to her online," Roger answered, "and he says it's going well..."
"Well that sounds cute... and she'd share his interest in martial arts," Jessica commented.
"Yes... and Codey and I have some Christmas shopping to do," Roger nodded, "he wants to get he a present. They're either Buddhist or Shinto... so some of the things that go into Christmas aren't part of their religion... but it's the thought that counts and show a token of his affection... attraction... just to be nice. That sort of thing."
"Nothing wrong with that," Jessica smiled as they drove along, "and don't worry. I haven't forgotten."
"That's good," Roger answered.
"And maybe if things work out between them... you could offer that Horizon could use your DNA for Codey... you two always talk about being brothers," Jessica mused, "that'd make you closer..."
"If it gets to the point of conversion... I'd think I'd leave that to Michiko," Roger answered, "Like how Sarah says she handled Travis's second dose..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was dark when Sarah and Malice arrived at the Wesley home. Things were coming to look like Christmas with its lights twinkling in the night. It was the same thing in Las Vegas that they'd also seen while going through finals week, and both were glad to see that. It was something that took thoughts away from so many of the other issues that were troubling everyone, and that included complexities in finals scheduling. While most of the others had their last finals at the same time, Sarah got through her finals at around the same time as Roger and Jessica, but Travis got his finals done BEFORE Sarah did and Malice didn't get through her finals until a a few hours after Sarah finished.
This meant that the pair of Wesley sisters were able to check out and leave UNLV later than would have been wanted. The main positive thing of this was that as they came into Lyre, they could see many of the Christmas lights were twinkling. That was something positive and they were pleased to see that. It didn't amount to much in the wake of everything that had gone on in 2020, but it was something that could give people hope, something needed in large quantities. Sarah couldn't help but smile as she pulled onto the driveway of the Wesley home and seeing white lights wringing the front windows of the living room. The two collected their bags and made their way to the door, the thin layer of snow on the ground crunching under their feet as the cut across the lawn. The bigger thing was when they entered the home.
"Sisters!" Bash barked happily as Sarah came in through the door with Belle hoping up and catching up to Malice as she came in.
The two youngest Wesleys came with their tails happily wagging and leaping into Sarah and Malice's arms as they did so. Sarah and Malice were happy to return the hugs as Thomas Wesley came into view of the living room. He smiled as Belle and Bash were set down and Sarah and Malice continued carrying in their bags.
"So... how'd your finals go?" Thomas asked.
"I think we did well," Malice commented, "though the scheduling delayed when we could make our way out..."
"Thus why we're late," Sarah added, "the Christmas lights look good, dad."
"We helped," Belle said with a smile as she looked up to Sarah as Julia came out from the kitchen to stand beside her husband. Bash wagged his tail beside his twin sister.
"And I'm sure you had fun," Sarah gave a laugh and noting both young pups wag their tails...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Do you think Sophie's had to give her flying lessons, yet?" Malice asked to Abby at the Fennec Manor Christmas Party.
"I don't think so," Abby said slowly, "she hasn't said anything like that... just that she'd gotten the request... and apparently for a guy who took methanol and blinded himself."
Malice shook her head, "and how'd Samson do with his grades?"
"He did very well in the scientific and business related classes that our majors focus on," Abby answered, "he didn't do as well in some of the other classes, but he did pass those classes."
"I'm sure he liked that for a Christmas gift," Malice chuckled.
"Oh, the gift he'll like the best he'll get later," Abby gave a knowing smile, even if Malice couldn't see it through Abby's mask.