The Mythical Fursona Contest was a bit different from the standard contest and was one where Humans and those who had become Animalians at the convention could actually compete against each other. Largely as mythical creatures that applied here were often animals that had no real Animalian approximation. Many creatures had mixed human and animal forms. Centaurs had the head and torso of a human, naga and lamia would have head and body of a person and the tail of a snake, and some could be questioned as to whether or not they had arms and that often depended on the myth. There were also various creatures that were often mixes of various animals or had forms that weren't present in modern animals.
Things like griffons were a combination of eagle and lion. European dragons were often large lizards with wings on their back, though that could be divided further between a drake and a wyvern. The latter's wings were its forelimbs. Oriental dragons often had a more serpentine body, but could have features that were not considered reptilian. This all-required costumes and other features, which were things that the contest's three judges, Maggie, Andrew Weary, and the Swedish judge who was involved in organizing the convention. It also soon drew attention to other issues as they settled into their seats at the judges table before the stage.
"So... do you think Sylvia will show?" Maggie asked to Andrew with a curious look and noting that a lot of his social media pages had often showed him with Sylvia at times.
"I don't know," Andrew managed, "she has some court cases and other things that she's been working on... and to a degree I'm not entirely sure if she'd be into this sort of thing..."
"And yet, you're here..." the Swedish judge looked over to the other Human at the table with the Mink Animalian between them.
"Well... to a degree, there is some business opportunities and marketing that would go along with this that would help with a lot of the other things that I do," Andrew answered, "and I'd be able to provide some signs of approval and support for Animalia... even in an area outside of Lyre/Animalia."
"And it does provide a fair amount of help," Maggie assured him, "and I believe we're ready."
Andrew nodded and the Swedish judge the reached to a small buzzer that sent a bright buzzing sound that echoed through the room. Maggie heard it easily and quickly from her spot at the table. The bigger point was that it alerted the various costumed Humans and Animalians that were there. More of the contestants for this round were still Human than Animalian, but much of that was still a result of the nature of the Mythical Contest. But as the contest went on, they were able to find that a few contestants had found ways to make the Animalian conversion work with some elements of a costume work. The first-place winner was an Australian woman who's "fursona" was that of a black dragon.
"Congratulations, madam," the Swedish judge spoke politely to the winner.
"Thank you," the female Komodo Dragon Animalian said with a large smile and flexed her arms which showed her pebbled black scales that helped for the main body needed.
The shirt she wore also fit around a grayish-black harness that helped form the thin wings used to provide the dragon-like look. The main frame of wings were made of thin plastic that were painted black and hade the strength to stand up in a way that would move above the head. The membranes of the wings were made out of synthetic fabric that looked like they were made of material often used for a Halloween shop's batman costume. Her normally brown hair was dyed black and pulled back into a ponytail and kept back so that the plastic tiara stood in the open. The tiara was simple and largely designed to carry the image of horns that fit with that dragon-like image. The Animalian did her best to make sure that she avoided words with many c, s, or x letters in them to avoid hissing or making her now forked tongue would be seen.
The male winner was an Englishman who had his fursona based off of an anthropomorphic male sphynx. He'd spent a fairly pretty penny to make great feathered wings along with image of leonine gloves and a tail. The most complicated part was the muzzle, which could move as the man talked, but it was very slow, which was noticed as he spoke. The upper jaw didn't move much while the lower jaw moved a bit but also showed some sign where the man's Human jaw pushed against the bottom of the costume.
"This costume must have set you back as you've made it," Maggie commented.
"Yes," the Englishman answered slowly, "but it's been something I've been putting together over several years, now... so that isn't problem. The biggest cost was more over the plane tickets to the US. My real ambition would relate to becoming an Eagle Animalian."
"Not a Lion Animalian?" Andrew asked.
"I'd thought about it... but I would like to be able to fly, and Lions can't do that," the Englishman chuckled.
"Still, congratulations," Maggie spoke, "and Horizon will cover your costs with this... and I'm sure a Bald or Golden Eagle Animalian in Lyre will cover your flying lessons after the conversion."
"I can't wait," the Englishman said with a smile underneath his mask.