The military had been interested in using Animalians since they first appeared. The way the virus gave them bodies that were at their physical peaks and often stronger and faster than a human could possibly made them seem like ideal super soldiers. However, it has only been a pipe dream so far. Most Animalians are pacifists, though they've learned to take their natural aggression out with sparring and safe forms of competition.
Having military personnel become Animalians has had disappointing results. Most of them lost interest in serving in their respective military divisions after conversion, some of them even intending to end their service before they changed. The only one who stayed committed to military patriotism was Henry. But through him, it was learned just how impractical militarizing Animalians was. Modern warfare required specialized gear. The days of swords and shields, which Animalians would have been better suited for, were long gone. Customizing uniforms for Animalians' different body shapes alone would have been taxing enough. And modifying military vehicles to accompany was just financially unfeasible. Henry couldn't even fly a fighter jet without the cockpit being overhauled to make room for his wings.
As such, Animalian conversion was now treated more as a retirement package for veterans who have earned it. There were many men and women who would like to be returned to their primes, in better shape than they had been before, and healed of any grievous wounds and scars they got from their military careers. However, healing scars of the body was easy, scars of the mind was another matter. Some veterans still had PTSD from their military careers and still needed some psychiatric help after converting. Often, this PTSD manifested in a form of RHS. leading to the veteran to act out in a rather rowdy way. A good example of this could be found in both Charlotte and the latest bald eagle Animalian.
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Henry wasn't quite sure why he was being asked to help with this. It's not as if he even knew this Antonia Soon. He and Beatrice weren't even her donors. Bald eagles were common enough among Animalians that Horizon Labs kept a supply of that strain for conversions. All he knew about Antonia Soon was that she was of Korean descent, she served as an evac helicopter pilot during the Afghanistan war, and she was now a bald eagle working at the Meat Market. But in any case, the two eagles were asked to help out with her.
Henry fidgeted a bit as they walked into the Meat Market. "Something wrong?" asked Beatrice.
"It doesn't feel right taking your girlfriend into a strip club," said Henry.
"Afraid I'll pick up new tricks?" asked Beatrice teasingly.
Fortunately for Henry, his embarrassment was cut short by Charlotte coming over to them. She was still on the road to recovery herself, but she was wanting to help out someone she knew needed help. "Are you the eagles that Horizon sent?" she asked.
"To help out with Antonia Soon, yes," said Henry, grateful for the change in topic, "Has she gotten worse?"
"Well, for starters, she's calling herself 'Susan B. Anthony' now," said Charlotte, "And it depends on your view of 'worse'."
She led the two eagles around some crowded tables so they could see the stage properly. Henry and Beatrice recognized the bald eagle on the stage from the video they had seen, though there were a few differences now. Fortunately, she was a little more covered up, wearing a star-spangled bikini set. Of course, that was minor compared to the very extensive dye job she had done. Having her human hair dyed red and blue certainly made it stand out to the white feathers on her head. But it was what she did with her wings that drew a lot of attention. Her long flight feathers had been dyed intermittently red and white while the feathers on her upper wings had been dyed blue with the occasional white feather. It made her look like she had a large pair of flags for wings.
"Well...that's certainly patriotic," said Henry.
"It's a little flashy for my tastes," said Beatrice.
"So what exactly is her deal?" asked Henry to Charlotte.
"I knew Antonia back in the war," said Charlotte, "She brought back injured troops from the field with her chopper. During one mission, she got shot in the arm, damaged the nerves and left it almost paralyzed. She was reassigned to communications and got military pension after the war was ended. I recommended she converted to fix up her arm a few months ago."
"That sounds rough, but I'm not sure that's enough trauma for this level of RHS," said Henry.
"Actually, I think Antonia suffers from self-loathing issues," said Charlotte.
"Why is that?" asked Beatrice.
"She's ashamed of being Korean. Apparently, she's descended from North Koreans who managed to immigrate to the States. She was worried enough that Korean agents might be sent after her family, but all those stories of what the Northerners do..."
"So she changed herself to differentiate as much as possible from the Koreans," said Beatrice.
"I can see why she needs help," said Henry, "But what are we supposed to do?"
"Just talk to her and let her connect with you," said Charlotte, "She'll probably find a lot in common with you."
"That sounds simple enough," said Beatrice, "Maybe she can talk to those water deer as well."
"Perhaps when she's further along," said Charlotte, "She's a little paranoid around Koreans."