As Russia's invasion of Ukraine grows more unpopular and unwinnable, more Russians were fleeing the old country and immigrating to other countries. Some might compare it to the mass emigration of Russians during the late 19th century, only with less Cossacks. Some Russians were making their way to Animalia's various colonies, some going all the way to Nevada. Fortunately for them, there were already Russians who have immigrated and integrated into Animalia to help them adjust to their new lives. And it wasn't just the Nozdrin family involved.
The golden eagle known as Dario was an Animalian of mystery. He originally came to America long before the invasion started, about 4 years ago. A year later, he converted into an eagle Animalian as a part of Project White Lily. But also, he noticeably converted using the Pride Month discount. Since he revealed he had previously been part of the Russian military before a dishonorable discharge, the speculation only rose. The most likely scenario seems to be that the Russian military were performing tests with performance-enhancing drugs and steroids and 'Dario' was part of. This would have placed him under tighter scrutiny and make it more likely to be revealed that he had 'alternative yearnings'. Which would lead up to the mastigophobia (fear of punishment) that lead to his discharge. Though how his ataxophobia (fear of disorder/untidiness) fits into this was anyone's guess. However, since Dario was still dealing with his phobias and thus feared the possible retaliation of the Russian government from revealing too much, the circumstances remain a speculative mystery. At least what wasn't a mystery was how he came to be converted.
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"Are you certain you want this, Mr..." Dr. Stein hesitated.
"Dario, I made it quite clear what my name is now," said Dario. His paranoia about Russian agents coming for him made him decide to change his name along with his species.
“Well, I should point out that conversion doesn’t necessarily cure mental problems,” said Dr. Stein, “It may repair neurological damage, but most mental issues have to be resolved the same with humans.”
“I still have a body full of toxins to purge,” said Dario, “And I have enough money to cover the discounted price.”
“Very well,” said Dr. Stein, “Though I might ask why a golden eagle? Bald eagles are rather popular.”
Dario chuckled and said, “I do like America, but that doesn't mean I’m that patriotic for it. Golden eagles are simply low-key enough for my tastes.”
“As you wish,” said Dr. Stein, getting the formula ready.
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Dario found that his fears weren't quite abated in his new body as he expected. He still had to get adjusted to the alarmingly sharp eyesight. But as Dr. Stein said, Dario still needed psychological treatment, which meant frequent trips to Dr. Jones's clinic. But he found his paranoia slowly relaxing, enough to tell others about where he came from. More of his story will have to wait until he overcomes his old fears.