Hector Ramiro was not happy with his overall situation. On some levels, he was glad not to be in prison, given what often happened in those sorts of cases and they didn't get funneled into the present experiment with how Animalia's system of "criminal rehabilitation" worked. It was still something that he didn't want to be in, at least not in the way that he was. He'd never really thought much on Animalia before and largely wrote the community off as a place where a bunch of weird animal lovers got their kicks having sex all day. Parts of that didn't necessarily sound bad, but if he were to join the community, he would have wanted it to be something big and powerful... preferably predatory so that everyone would know that he was tough and to be respected.
But he didn't get that. He was caught after the last girlfriend that he'd had recovered from the results of his last "temper tantrum" with her and reported him to the police. He was caught and brought into Animalia as part of their program to embarrass people to death. He was glad not to get prison, but that didn't mean he'd liked what he'd gotten so far instead. He was made to convert into an Animalian and didn't get the option of choosing what kind of Animalian to be. Instead of becoming something like a lion, the "king of beasts," they'd made him become a black woolen sheep, he couldn't remember the exact breed. It frustrated him and he was more than willing to stamp his feet at that, but it got him little help, particularly when he found that the guards that were administering the punishments were female Wolf and Dog Animalians. Parts of him wanted to rise to the challenge, but at times even the baring of teeth was enough make him instinctively nervous, and this got even more pronounced with other predatory Animalians.
He'd been allowed one outing to get groceries and ended up in a checkout lane behind a Tigress Animalian that either was pregnant or had recently given birth. The check-out line moved slowly and Hector didn't want to stay there any longer than necessary. Thus he voiced a complaint and when he didn't get the satisfaction of faster service he complained again, this time slightly louder. The Tigress Animalian then turned and told him that "if you don't stop bleating at nothing, my roar will leave you disoriented and with something REAL to worry about." A part of him figured that this was more empty than real, but the fact that the Tigress Animalian was easily bigger than the Wolf and Dog Animalians assigned to guard and "herd" him was enough to get his newfound sheep instincts to get fearful of a predator. That was one of the more embarrassing things to deal with, and that wasn't even an official part of his punishment.
There was also the nagging fact that it seemed like most Animalians seemed to know who he was and what he was there for. No one was necessarily cruel, but it also came with that people weren't rushing to befriend him, either. This often left him in the apartment that he'd been assigned to and just passing time between punishments. It had enough to live fairly well on and wasn't a jail cell, which was good, but it was close to the Animalia Police station and was otherwise rather Spartan in decoration. This made it hard to avoid attention supervision, and at the same time that then left him to sit and sulk while following things on television. As July arrived, that ultimately meant the Olympics, since the IAC events were online and that they didn't give Hector access to. Though the other issue was soon finding out that all his black wool retained heat quite well and he found himself getting "sheered" far more than he would have wanted to, making him wonder if this was something unique to Animalians or the breed he'd become specifically. As he didn't think that sheep ranchers sheered their sheep all that often, though he wasn't going to complain, given the heat.
A sharp knock at the door made him turn his head. He turned the television off and slowly made his way to the door and found what he expected, two female Wolf Animalians and each carrying a bit of a smile, which made him a bit nervous. This had to mean something.
"Well... Mr. Ramiro, it's time for your second official part of the program," the first commented with a focus on him, as if gaging his reaction, "I trust you're ready?"
"Still trying to embarrass me?" Hector answered, trying to be bitter but finding his tone of voice to be far weaker than what he would have wanted, particularly in noting that there were two of them.
"Not embarrass, rehabilitate," the second corrected, "give you something that serves as a reminder that jumping to emotional extremes isn't good, regardless of the cause."
"And turning me into a sheep does that..." Hector rolled his eyes, but complied with the instruction that the two Wolf Animalians expected from him. They closed the door behind him.
"That has more to do with the fact that you'd seemed to already have problems staying calm and focused," the first pointed out, "wouldn't want you becoming an Elephant Animalian, loosing your temper and then wrecking a restaurant."
Hector didn't say much and simply moved along as directed. A part of him was fairly certain he could overpower at least one of the two officers if absolutely pushed to it, but he'd also likely get hurt in the process, which he didn't want. It then didn't help that the Wolf Animalian had backup, and for the moment, the only escape he could have was to run and there he wasn't sure as to how well he'd actually fair in running. That was enough to keep him compliant and he moved along. Though as they made it outside, they could feel the heat coming down on them from the sun above them. If it weren't for all the wool, Hector would be sweating profusely because of the eat, as even just walking in it was hot. But the thick black wool didn't allow for much in the way of sweating and held heat to him, which made things feel worse.
"So... what are you intending to do to me, this time?" Hector asked in a low voice as he was brought to the police car that the two Wolf Animalians had driven to the apartments they'd had him in.
"For the moment just some things that might help you with this heat that wouldn't have you smelling like wet sheep," the second Wolf Animalian said calmly as she held he back door open. He climbed in with some curiosity and then buckled himself in. There was something vague in the way the line was delivered, but given how hot things war, if the punishment was actually to help him be comfortable, he was more than fine with that.
They rode along until they came into Lyre and parts of its old business area. The buildings were a mixture of old and new, and in some ways had been revitalized by Animalia's arrival. The thing that caught Hector's eye the most was the fact that parking lot that they were parking at was near one building that did a lot of work as a tailor and designing a lot of the basic clothes that Animalians wore, and at times even some work in making the clothes Animalians wore. Though, like the Meat Market, it'd also gained something of a reputation toward selling women's lingerie.
"I trust you won't be putting me in women's clothing with all of this," Hector said slowly as the two Wolf Animalians began to escort him across the street.
"You had best to remember to hold your temper," the second Wolf Animalian reminded him, "as THAT is a big part of why you're here."
Hector didn't answer as he was lead to a side door that was toward the back side of the building. The first officer opened the door while the second stayed close behind him. He entered quietly but with some reservations to find that the area he'd entered lead down into a wooden staircase that lead down into the building's basement. The lights were on and he could easily make his way down, though he noted there was no handrail and that there were holes in the wall that looked like they would have been where something bigger than a handrail would have been attached. He didn't complain as he was lead down to the basement floor. It was a large room with a clean concrete floor with a heavy wooden chair near a wall, which Hector assumed was for him. There was no scent of mold or mildew, which was good, though the thing that surprised him was that standing beside a series of bags were a pair of female Dinotopians, Yuki and Sora.
"Shouldn't you be in Dino City?" Hector blurted.
"We might move there," Yuki answered, "but if you MUST know, my boyfriend, Zeke, is in college and his family still lives here. So Sora and I agreed that if we were to move there, we would wait until he can convert and move with us. And then he'll help with the business management side of things." Yuki then paused to tap her long "killing claw" on the concrete and bare her pointed teeth at Hector, "not that that is ANY of your business."
"And in this heat with all your black wool, wondering about US should be the least of your concerns," Sora added, "for you could make people angry with that kind of attitude."
Hector was about to raise his had to make a retort when he a strong hand gripped his right shoulder, and he looked back to see it was the First Wolf Animalian that had picked him up for the day.
"It also makes us angry," the First Wolf Animalians said firmly, "because it's the result of your own actions... or other issues that cause these problems and have gotten you in trouble. And eventually, that's going to get in you in trouble in which you can't get out of it. Sort of like complaining about the slowness of service at checkout aisle got a Tiger Animalian angry enough to growl at you."
"Fine," Hector said slowly and moved forward before the two Dinotopians.
Sora and Yuki then went about taking Hector's measurements and Hector managed to listen in on them. He also noted that both Velociraptor Dinotopians continually clicked and chirped at things as they took his measurements. He also listened in on what they described as the measurements he had. In some ways, Hector actually had to feel good about that, as in some ways he was bigger in some ways than he was before. That was impressive on its own, though the occasional chirps, though, made him nervous about things. For about all that he knew about the vocalization of Velociraptor was based on Jurassic Park, which many of the Dinotopians had said should not be taken literally as what dinosaurs actually sounded like. Thus those chirps and clicks made him nervous, particularly as both Sora and Yuki occasionally tapped that killing claw on the concrete and that gave off a distinctive click that did make him nervous.
"Is something wrong?" Hector asked, "or are you planning on eating me... like the first Dinotopian supposedly wanted to eat some high school girl?"
"Nothing is wrong," Sora answered.
"And Heather Wilcox went on the same journey you're now on," Yuki said with a toothy smile, "She and Sophie Albers became friends after her arrest, trial, and rehabilitation under Animalia's ways. So... there may be hope for you."
"Then what's with all the clicking and chirping?" Hector looked around, his voice sounding a bit irritated and impatient, but with both Velociraptor Dinotopians circling him and the two Wolf Animalian officers standing guard he decided not to pick a fight with four potential predators. Though he also couldn't shake the tugging feeling in his gut that something in this was to relate to his punishment, which he couldn't fully figure out. "I know I'm not as beefy as most other male Animalians... so there has to be something I can wear."
"Oh there is," Yuki retained a toothy smile, "but the question is would you accept something a bit more fashionable than a clearly old tee-shirt... that doesn't match your wool."
"What's wrong with my shirt?" Hector demanded, "it's comfortable and it's cool enough... at least while I'm inside, and while all this is going on, it's not like many are banging down my door for social visits."
"While technically just about any color can go with black," Sora commented, "navy blue would likely stand to increase your heat retention. Wool is generally designed to hold heat, and man has long found that dark colors do the same. Thus dark blue plus thick dark wool leads to a rather warm ram."
Hector didn't answer and continued to watch as Yuki and Sora continued to circle him.
"And the heavy elastic in your shorts must pull on your wool awfully hard," Yuki commented, "most Animalians may accept that to a degree... but it can still itch and would be particularly bad if super tight."
"It's a bit itchy," Hector admitted slowly, still a bit nervous given how the two Velociraptor Dinotopians eyed him and that the two Wolf Animalians didn't call them off. He thought that their role was not only to make sure he didn't cause trouble but no one decided to cause him trouble, "but then... I've actually lost a bit around the middle and what fit me easily before is now too big and I ended up needing something with a tighter piece of elastic because I didn't know all my measurements."
"Well, you know them now," Sora answered, "and we have some things that will fit you better and will keep you cool."
Hector then watched as the two of them as they went to the bags that they'd been standing by earlier. They looked like oversized paper or hard plastic bags that one would have gotten from a store far larger than what would be present in Lyre/Animalia. He thought he heard one of them say "they should be in here" before they began looking through them. Eventually Yuki stood up, pulling what looked like a white wedding dress that unfolded as she lifted it. At the sight of it, Hector practically boiled over and almost jumped forward.
"I SAID I WOULDN'T WEAR WOMEN'S CLOTHING!" Hector practically screamed, and was only greeted by Sora turning on a dime and leaping into the air with one leg out and the killing claw extended. Hector backed away and no blow actually landed.
"And who said this dress was for you?" Yuki answered as she looked to her sister and nodded with part of the plan that the Animalia PD had laid out for this.
"But this was supposed to be measurements for clothing... that's what you said," Hector pointed out, "that that was what you were going for."
"And we are looking for the clothing that would fit you," Yuki answered, "but do you honestly think you were the ONLY potential client or customer we'd see today?"
"We do a lot of work in designing and getting clothing ready," Sora added, "and with many Animalians... especially with the Dinotopians and some of their more unique features... that requires lots of measurements, alterations, and managing things. This often keeps both of us busy for much of the day. Zeke can help us with some of the leg work in the summer months, when he and Yuki are not otherwise engaged..."
"This..." Hector began, though also beginning to recognize what the punishment was. Privately he could admit that much of his past issues with women had often related to explosions of anger at things that may or may not have even been justified. Explosions of rage then boiled over into taking advantage of the fact that Human women tended to be smaller and weaker than Human men. This punishment wasn't about embarrassing him but providing a clear demonstration on the problems of that kind of response. He'd managed to back away in time, but had he not, Sora's big claw would have cut across his nose. He also saw her lips pull into a snarl as she leaped, which gave his instincts the warning that she would fight if he persisted. Thus it was a reminder not to let his anger get the better of him.
"And your clothes were mixed in with some things that went to some of our other clients," Yuki added, "particularly as much of the clothes that do not need to be mailed to those that have ordered them... means that we have to have them here where they can be picked up. We're sorry if you thought you were our only customer... but then, if you were anywhere near as bright as I'm sure you'd like to THINK you are, you'd realize that you aren't the only one we're doing business with... and that at the same time understand that assisting the Animalia PD in their implementation of your punishments is actually taking time out of our day."
"I... I'm sorry," Hector said slowly, noting that neither Wolf Animalian had moved, though they did remain alert and ready should he charge, "I... I wasn't thinking."
"Which has been the problem," the First Wolf Animalian said pointedly as Sora and Yuki then produced a pair of shorts that were light blue in color and a white shirt that looked like they would actually fit him far better and without some of the itching and additional heat that he was presently feeling.