Spring was finally arriving in Lyre, which soon meant spring break. Plenty of college kids were coming home to relax. Things weren't quite warm enough to be heading to the beach, not to mention there was still some coronavirus floating around. Still, there were plenty of students who wanted to catch up with their families and friends. A rather prominent example were Abby and her friends. There was always a buzz of excitement when the original members of Animalia Ambassadoria come back into town.
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Jessica was glad it was starting to warm up again. Eventually, she'll need to go have a spa day so her winter coat can be brushed out. For now, she wanted to catch up on what's been going on in town. And she knew the best place to go for that. It was pretty early in the day, so the Meat Market wasn't too crowded right now. And obviously, it was all decorated for St. Patrick's Day, with shamrocks everywhere and more greenery added. "If this place were any greener, it'd look like the Emerald City," said Jessica.
"Jessie, good to see you!" Jessica spotted Shyra walking over to her. Unsurprisingly, Shyra was decked out in green for the occasion as well.
"Nice see you too, Shyra," said Jessica.
"So, are you finally here to apply for a job?" asked Shyra in a semi-teasing tone.
Jessica laughed at the old joke and said, "I'm not that strapped for cash yet."
"It's too bad, you've got the body for it," said Shyra.
Now that the customary greeting/teasing was out of the way, Jessica said, "I'm just here to hear what's been going on lately."
"Ah, you know exactly where the best gossip in town is," said Shyra.
"With those long ears, you must have picked something up," said Jessica.
Shyra led her over to the bar and asked, "Can I get you something?"
"Just a soda," said Jessica, "I'm not old enough to drink yet." After getting her drink, Jessica asked, "So, how's Hunni doing?"
"Better," said Shyra, "I doubt she'll be smart enough to write a book or something, but at least she knows how to stay out of trouble."
Jessica glanced around, seeing several workers. There seemed to be plenty of rabbits today. She spotted one she didn't recognize. Her colors indicated she was one of the wild species of rabbit. "Who's the new girl?" asked Jessica, gesturing.
"Ah, that's Morgan Laurens," said Shyra, "She's not really a worker here, she's been outsourced to us because we might get a little shorthanded." She then told Jessica about how Morgan was Lars's first wife until she abandoned him and their son, how she only reappeared because of their connection to a prominent and wealthy member of the fashion industries, how she tried to weasel her way into Joanne's fortune, and how Joanne set up a contract that made Morgan her servant and undergo a rabbit conversion.
"That sounds like it could be skirting legal boundaries," said Jessica, "I mean, she's not a criminal."
"Maybe, but she did sign a contract without reading it," said Shyra, "She can't really blame anyone but herself."
"Hmm...so, you know what her punishments will be?" asked Jessica.
"Hard to say, but the last one will definitely involve Lars and Philip's weddings," said Shyra.
"Yes, I can certainly see that," agreed Jessica.
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Spring break wasn't all relaxation for Abby and Samson. After all, there was plenty of planting to be done as spring started, particularly potatoes. Even with the enhanced muscles of horse Animalians, it was still a tiring day's work when they were finished. Abby sat down with a groan, drenched with sweat. Unlike many other Animalians, she retained her sweat glands when she converted. Fortunately, it wasn't quite as pungent to her equine nose as it was when she was human. "So much for rest and relaxation," she sighed.
"Well, you know how farming is," said her mother, Josephine, "It might be hard work, but the rewards are worth it."
"We were thinking of adding a little something," said her father, Martin.
Abby perked up at that, "Oh?"
"We're going to be have a sauna added right next to the house," said Josephine, "A nice steam will help loosen muscles after a hard day's work."
"It would be a nice place to spend some time together," said Samson.
"Yes...though if Josephine and I are already in there alone, I expect you to keep out," said Martin, "I will extend that same courtesy to you."
Abby gave a snort. It was no real secret that becoming Animalians and being restored to their primes has revitalized her parents' sex drives. Of course, she and Samson have also had regular sex starting from her conversion. Considering how her parents were young and strong again, they weren't likely to retire any time soon. Abby had been wondering if she would be getting a little brother or sister at some point. In any case, Abby and Samson would more likely have to start their own farm instead of waiting to inherit her parents'.
"There's another thing we've been discussing," said Josephine, "We were talking about going on a hiking trip this summer, just the four of us."
"Where at?" asked Abby.
"We can't really make up our minds about it," said Martin, "Plenty of hiking places we could go. We were considering we could someplace where there are horse trails. I would think we'd be able to cover as much ground as proper horses."
"Well, that's a bit of a different matter," said Samson, "It's the horses who get tired from a long day's ride while the humans have an easy ride."
"Easy ride?" asked Abby, "You have no idea what being saddle sore is like, do you?"
"Of course not, and I never will," said Samson, "There's not a horse in the world that could carry me."
"Maybe we should let you ride an elephant," said Abby.
"Where are we going to get an elephant?" asked Samson.
"Well, that new Indian colony will probably have a few who aren't uplifted," said Abby, "They can't uplift every elephant."
"A trip to India might be nice," said Josephine.
"Do you have any idea how hot it is there?" asked Martin.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Abby, "They still need to build the place first. Not to mention the pandemic has been rough on India."
"Still, I think it's a lovely idea," said Josephine, "And there are so many vegetarian dishes there we can eat."
"Provided you don't burn your mouth out," said Martin.