For Yauvani Uehashi, the meeting on Heiya Island with the colony's leaders and two Dinotopians that had come from Dino City, had been relatively productive. She had been relatively burdened by the weights on her chest, particularly when considering that neither her mother nor anyone on her father's side of the family had been that big. She wasn't as big as Jen had been before she became a Dinotopian and she wasn't as big as Kumiko and Kumiyo Tahara, but she was still big and with a general frame that would make handling things difficult for her. It was what made Animalia an option, particularly given the reported successes that their projects had helped those injured for various reasons and had had conditions similar to hers in the past, and her family had accepted it.
That was all good news that Yauvani was happy for, though the surprise that a white Orca had managed to beach itself on the south side of the island was a major surprise and likely changed a few things. Initially, Yauvani figured she would get the first opportunity to convert, as Heiya Island had three Water Buffalo Animalians in residence, and from following the Animalia Ambassadoria reports, she'd developed a healthy respect for Shuixing and her accomplishments and she respected Nate for not having the issues her father's family had had with her mother. She didn't know enough about Gongniu to have an opinion on him, but their presence enough to make that conversion the most likely.
As acquiring a genetic sample from a white Orca was expected to be difficult. The large dolphins were known to be powerful, and while they were "trainable," even the trained animals could be difficult to work with, and a wild animal would be less likely to cooperate. And while Kumiyo's conversion would be easier to manage, it would likely take some time to get in contact with Tyson Prior and for him to arrive to provide the "dose" that Kumiyo needed to become a Tylosaurus Proriger Dinotopian, or to arrange transport for Kumiyo to fly to Florida and journey to Skull Island where Dinotopia Aquatica was to get her shots for the conversion as well. From what Yauvani had learned from the two Tahara cousins, however, they didn't want to "split up" or move to America. Yauvani even wondered how long they might stay on Heiya Island, given that their fathers ran a fairly successful fishing business in northern Japan. They might wish to return there and essentially allow for a colony to set up in that region. Which let Yauvani figure that she would be the first.
But "Ningen" beaching himself changed things, as while whales did occasionally beach themselves, and without the water to support their weight, being on land became a potential death sentence if they couldn't get back in the water or keep their skin hydrated. Thus, the group began to break up rather quickly as news of the beached Orca was made, with Kumiko actually bouncing up and down with some excitement and worry. Before they could leave, though, Ami did approach Yauvani.
"Given circumstances, a lot of the immediate focus will be on uplifting this Orca before the beaching kills him... or her," Ami spoke calmly and watched as Kumiko and Kumiyo followed after Tsukuyomi, Andrew, and Jen, "so, I'm afraid we'll have to wait to do your conversion."
"It's okay," Yauvani answered, "it is not like I'd be forbidden from converting. And given that I've already had some things delayed already, I've had to wait a while just to come here. I can wait a little while longer, it's no problem. I'm smaller than the Taharas anyway."
Ami slowly nodded, "and we have your cellphone number. Once the Orca is uplifted and Kumiko converted, we can get in contact with you and begin going through the paperwork and seeing on how you'd want your conversion to be handled. In the meantime, you're perfectly free to explore the island and see some of the sights, get something to eat, things like that."
"Thank you," Yauvani answered, "I actually am a bit hungry."
With that, Ami soon left with the others and was rapidly headed south. That area of Heiya Island was more remote and to a degree difficult to get to with some higher hills and ridges that related to the dead volcano being on that side of the island, and was largely why the areas where most went swimming on Heiya Island was on the north shore, though if the Orca couldn't be moved and there was the plan to convert Kumiko at the same time, the geography of Heiya Island might provide enough "privacy" for the conversion to be done. Animalians might not be as "shy" as others when it came to "nudity," and from all Yauvani had seen over the years, they had no reason to. Females were well built and yet well-muscled, regardless of what species of animal they were, and males looked very fit and athletic. Yauvani could even see that with regard to Andrew, though he also looked like he had a lot of upper body strength. But she also knew that Animalians weren't necessarily nudists. They did accept that Human society required clothing and to integrate into it, they often did wear clothing, and doing as much as possible to make sure what they wore wasn't too irritating. Yauvani privately wished Kumiko well and then made her way out to find a place to eat.
She eventually found a small place that was away from much of the areas that had been built up on the western side of the island. It was rectangular and noted the cloth sign that hung over the front windows had the restaurant's name in both Chinese and Japanese characters. That made her all the more curious about the place and she approached it. As she looked through the window, she then caught a sight she didn't expect to see but was glad to see. Seated at the table were a pair of Water Buffalo Animalians eating from a plate of salad. She could tell by the largely black fur and large curved horns from the back of their skulls, the male's horns were bigger than the female's horns. On the other side of the table was another Water Buffalo Animalian bull, who was wearing a white shirt with a white apron, with a notepad hanging from a pouch on the front of the apron. Yauvani quickly made her decision to go in, as it was an opportunity she wasn't going to miss. As she came in, she overheard some of the conversation with the third Water Buffalo Animalian, who had to be a waiter.
"So... you're glad to be staying here with the restaurant?" the female asked in Chinese. Yauvani knew a little but couldn't get all of it.
"Yes," the waiter answered, "it may not mean much... but the work is honest, and Heiya Island has been accepting. In time, I'd hope to have enough money earned to pay off what my former owner lost. As he's had to go without me to work the fields since coming here... Though some of the people who want pictures still puzzles me."
"To a degree, Animalia provides a fair number of things that are new, odd, and wonderful all at the same time," the male that was seated answered. His Chinese carried an accent that was more... American, like the language was not native to him, "and thus when tourists come, they look to get snapshots with those they figure to be good for it. Occasionally, you may find someone that may be interested in more than just a picture."
"I'm not out to prostitute myself," the waiter answered with an irritated snort, "I'd like what you and your wife have. True love."
"Excuse me," Yauvani spoke up as she approached. She'd spoken in English, largely as she knew it better than Chinese, and if the male that was seated was American, he would likely know English.
It did turn some heads to her, with ears perked. Yauvani also noted that neither male looked to her chest, though she also figured that the Water Buffalo Cow Animalian bigger in terms of overall size at present, and while the female did look, Yauvani also noticed a wince on her part.
"Excuse me," the waiter said in English, though with a heavy Chinese accent, to the two that were seated and then turned to Yauvani, "Hello and welcome to the diner. We have fine dishes for Animalians and Humans alike, if you're looking for REAL Chinese food. Feel free to sit where you like."
"Thank you," Yauvani gave a weak smile, "and I would like something to eat... though... at the moment, I'm interested in saying "hi..." You are..."
"My name is Gongniu," the waiter said politely, "yes, the men in China literally named me "Bull." What brings you to Heiya Island?"
"Conversion to deal with... well," Yauvani said slowly and looked down to her chest, and she noted the female wince again.
"Those are proportionately big... huge on a frame so small," the female said slowly, "are you in pain?"
"Not really," Yauvani managed, "a couple that I've met that are also here to convert are bigger than I am... and well, the three of us are all still smaller than a woman that become a Dinotopian. She was also here as part of the counseling regarding the conversion and providing answers, Ms..."
"Missus," the female answered, "Mrs. Shuixing Bowman, this is my husband Nate. I trust you know what you'd want to become?"
Yauvani felt her heart beat a little harder. She wasn't a lesbian by any means, but she'd followed a lot of the stories around the Five Elements to have a great deal of respect for Shuixing. And now by chance, she'd actually gotten to meet the woman she respected and to some degree saw as a bit of a hero.
"Yes," Yauvani nodded, "I'm Uehashi, Yauvani... err... Yauvani Uehashi, Mr. Bowman."
"You can call me Nate," Nate answered, "my dad is Mr. Bowman. And I've picked up enough on Heiya Island here to learn that the Japanese in more formal introductions give the family name first. Though..."
"I am half Japanese half Indian," Yauvani answered, "My father works for a big bank in Kyoto, and that firm sent him to Calcutta for a business venture they had there. He met my mother and fell in love. They married and came back to Kyoto... but my father's family was very traditional, despite living in a major city. So when I was born and then developed these..."
Yauvani paused to indicate to her chest before continuing, "despite my father's efforts, his family blamed my mother for my being cursed by an ushi-oni. Father defends mother, but his parents won't see this as a quirk of genetics... particularly when I'm well bigger than my mother and all the women in my father's side of the family."
"What's an... ushi-oni?" Nate asked, looking to both Shuixing and Gongniu.
Nate had learned a lot, but he was still young man of English descent who'd grown up in Wisconsin. Given who he'd married, he'd learned more about Chinese culture than Japanese culture, so Yauvani's answer left him a bit puzzled.
"Think of it like a spirit that curses women with unnaturally large chests," Yauvani answered, "among other things. And which is why I've come here to convert. I was hoping that by becoming an Animalian that the issues with my size will be lessened. Like... my frame and muscles get bigger to handle the weight on my chest."
"From the reports on Jen... it does help," Nate commented.
"And she was there for the consultation," Yauvani nodded.
"And what kind of Animalian were you wanting to be, again?" Shuixing asked.
"Well... I was hoping to become a Water Buffalo," Yauvani answered and watched a surprised blink, "Some of it is to pay honor to my mother's ancestry and well... you'll find this rather surprising... but you've been a great inspiration, Mrs. Bowman."
"Call me Shuixing," Shuixing answered, "Mrs. Bowman is Blueberry."
"Blueberry?" Yauvani blinked back in surprise.
"My stepmom's name," Nate answered, "my family runs a dairy farm in Wisconsin and raise Brown Swiss. It's a smaller operation, but it's worked out well for my dad. Blueberry was actually one of the cattle on the farm, but as with mundane cattle... she was starting to get older, and it was agreed to have her and some of the other older ones uplifted, rather than selling them to slaughterhouses. And Shuixing helped uplift her."
Yauvani blinked in surprise as Nate continued.
"But after uplifting... she and the others returned to Wisconsin and ultimately shared that she had listened to much of what my father had grumbled on over how my birth mother had behaved," Nate continued, "it then blossomed into love, and my dad converted and became a Brown Swiss bull Animalian to be with her. They had their first calf before Shuixing and I got married last year."
"And you became a Water Buffalo to be with Shuixing?" Yauvani said slowly.
"I am a fan of all things martial arts, met Shuixing by chance at the first martial arts showcase in Lyre/Animalia," Nate smiled and reached across the table to take Shuixing's hand in his own, "and from there... like magic... we had dates, talks on the phone and Skype, and fell in love. I can't tell what the best day in my life was. When Shuixing came to convert me into what I am now or the day we got married. Both were loving moments... And eventually we'll have calves of our own."
"And Nate has been pleasant and kind," Shuixing added, "hardworking, has made me loved and special, and he gets along with my sisters."
"That all sounds nice," Yauvani commented.
"It is," Shuixing nodded, "do your parents know on your choice of Animalian?"
"Mom and dad know," Yauvani answered, "and they are accepting. How the rest of the family adapts... that'll be different, but I'm not going to worry about them."
"Come and join us," Nate offered and scooted over to another chair while Shuixing did the same, "we can talk on how you'd want your conversion to go. Gongniu can help as well."
"I will get you a menu," Gongniu offered as Yauvani smiled at her good luck.