Heiya Island was one of Animalia's most developed colonies and to a degree it showed as two young people got off the plane at the airport. The flight from South Korea for Bom and DaeSeong Yang hadn't been too long, though that much was obvious given how close Japan and South Korea were to each other. Bom was also glad that she and her brother had understanding parents that accepted the trip to an island that was part of Japan and one of the Animalian colonies.
"You're sure you want to do this?" DaeSeong asked his sister.
The two of them were twins and had grown up in a good family life and did many things together. It was a close bond that as they grew up and got into business, running a fairly decent pet store in Pusan, they had always worked together and cooperated together. It often also meant that the other often scouted out potential dates for the other, though many of those didn't always last. The present idea was to find a way to expand their present business and becoming Cat Animalians seemed like the best idea. After all, it was figured to be something cute, and they could expand things further for advertising purposes. The only thing that was left was to come to Heiya Island and go through with the conversions.
"Of course, and it would fit with how we've operated together," Bom said as she twirled her hair with one finger, hair that she'd had dyed snow white. "Me becoming a black cat with white hair, and you as a white cat with black hair. We'd be yin and yang that would fit in with how we've operated."
"I'm still not sure on how dad agreed with this idea," DaeSeong said slowly, "that we'd take things further than just our surname..."
"Dad's always been indulgent of us... or... well... me," Bom chuckled as they walked along and made their way to the baggage claim, "and in many ways he does trust you..."
"Well... that's good," DaeSeong said slowly, "And Horizon said that someone representing the Japanese government is to meet us?"
"It struck me more as a refugee and someone who would be more familiar with Korean customs than the staff that works here on Heiya Island," Bom replied.
DaeSeong was silent for a few moments, but wondered who this could be. To a degree, he didn’t mind getting some help, for while Heiya Islands had signs in Japanese and Chinese, and he was strong enough in both languages to manage, there were some cases where both Chinese and Japanese cultures differed from Korean culture, and he was hoping not to get into much trouble over those differences. However, the only Koreans that he knew had had connections with Animalia had been representatives of North Korea, who constantly rattled their saber and had been dumping garbage on South Korea as of late. Those concerns and worries were confirmed as they came to the waiting area to find a male Korean Water Deer Animalian waiting for them.
"You are DaeSeong and Bom?" Hyun spoke slowly and politely, while straightening the business tie he was wearing.
DaeSeong was a bit surprised, as he'd expected someone like Hyun to be in the sorts of military uniforms that the North Korean government officials often wore. Instead, Hyun was there in a civilian style business suit that was often common in the West and had no pin indicating any government.
"Yes," DaeSeong answered, "DaeSeong and Bom Yang."
"Welcome," Hyun spoke politely and sounding a bit uneasy. Mostly because Ling wasn't there.
"YOU'RE who they sent?" DaeSeong asked.
"The officers at the Japanese embassy here made the request, and on the basis that we are both Korean," Hyun answered, "though... I would understand unease on your part. Relations between my country and yours have been tense, to be polite, and I will make no denial of serving that regime. Though... many past loyalties are gone. I have Ling and a daughter to care for, and I personally can't put either in danger. Thus, why I am here... effectively in exile. If I go back to America... I'd face the chaos as their civilization tears itself apart and if I return to my home... Ling would be in danger. You, however, have the option to go home when you've finished your acclimation process."
"And you'll play no role in our acclimation?" Bom asked, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"Only so far as being a personal guide to the island and helping with translation and cultural understanding may go," Hyun answered, "there may Animalians that are of the specific species you're wishing to become here already. They may end up providing the most help for instincts and the like."
"We're capable with both Chinese and Japanese," DaeSeong managed to regain his composure, still a bit surprised by how Hyun had presented himself. It wasn't quite like how he pictured North Korean agents. "But so long as there are no lectures on capitalism or chairman Kim needing to rule all of Korea, the rest is tolerable."
"And that would be acceptable," Hyun answered with a nodded, and then motioned to the doors, "if we can head this way, the hotel isn't far away, and we can get you checked in."
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Guiding DaeSeong and Bom around Heiya Island proved to be fairly workable for Hyun, and in many ways, it was surprising for him. He knew of only three Korean Water Deer Animalians that were adults and of them, one lived in Lyre/Animalia. The remaining two were him and Ling and reporting on them made it very clear that they were connected to North Korea. And for the Koreas, the legacy of the war between North and South presented tense issues, particularly when soldiers under the command of Kim Il Sung had committed atrocities in the war, and regardless of what was thought about Syngman Rhee in the North, that probably wouldn't matter to South Korean families that had been hurt by North Korean soldiers in the war. And that was all at the start of the tensions between the two Koreas, and the latest, including the dropping of garbage via balloon on South Korea would not make the South Koreans happy.
The sudden meeting wasn't going to be easy, and DaeSeong showed clear distrust of Hyun and protectiveness toward his sister. Bom was at times a little bit nervous, but more open to tolerating Hyun's presence as an unofficial guide. Hyun was thankful for that as he continued to live with the legacies that related to his own past and the issues around it. He had served the North Korean government for nearly all his life and had been willing in the plan that would have enslaved Ling as part of an idea for Animalian super-soldiers. But in time, Hyun found himself falling for Ling and learning enough about Animalians that made him think that much of his government’s plan was never going to work even if he could agree with enslaving Ling.
By that time, the chaos of American politics then prompted the move to Heiya Island where he got a job as a secretary within the Japanese embassy office that was there. It gave him time to protect Ling and start a family. He loved his daughter Eun-Woo and would do anything to protect her, and this only further made him think that many past allegiances were wrong. While proving that to DaeSeong wasn’t part of his present assignment, a good part of his conscience insisted on at least trying to do so. And in there, there were plenty of surprises that Hyun felt both of them had. DaeSeong was clearly anti-Communist, but also seemed the most surprised by Hyun's admission that he really wasn't defending the North Korean government and was effectively now in exile. Hyun was then surprised by the fact that DaeSeong was surprised. It was case there was likely a great many worried expectations on both sides.
This made some things awkward, but it all worked. He got them checked in and learned that some of it was part of an advertising idea for a pet store that they ran. It was interesting to Hyun in a way, as many Animalians didn't seem to want to have pets and he hadn't felt too much of an urge for such things after his conversion. But then, if their business was more to sell pets to Humans who had the ability to care for them, he supposed that an Animalian might make for a different sort of gimmick. It left him curious, and he continued to ask questions as they eventually made their way the hospital and the main Horizon offices that were attached to it.
"I can't believe that Horizon and the hospital are all in one building," Bom commented slowly as they sat in one of the waiting rooms in the wing that was set aside for Horizon's work and had the changing rooms for it, "I mean... isn't this conversion something other than medical treatment?"
"Some in America have become Animalians because the conversion seems to cure them of past ills," Hyun answered, "I would suppose that that could qualify as medical treatment... Though, I would think that some of it here was more with regard to saving space. Heiya Island isn't tiny... but neither does it have a lot of land area either. Though, that's only a guess. Ling and I weren't here when Heiya Island was established as an Animalian colony."
"That makes sense," DaeSeong said slowly, "I suppose..."
He then looked down to his completed paperwork and noted Bom finishing hers as well. With that he raised his head to look to Hyun. Hyun noted all of this and maintained as non-threatening a position as possible.
"You've really defected... not supporting the dropping of garbage on our cities?" DaeSeong asked Hyun.
"In a way... I suppose you could call it that," Hyun answered, "I have my issues with how Westerners like the Americans throw money around and bully others... particularly others that do not want to be part of the American Empire, but neither can I truly defend the government I served any more. Not if it means harm coming to Ling... or Eun-Woo."
"Eun-Woo," DaeSeong said slowly.
"Mine and Ling's daughter," Hyun replied, "the cutest Korean Water Deer ever."
"Could we meet her?" Bom asked impulsively.
"After your conversion is done and the acclamation process is completed," Hyun answered, "and I trust you'll be in separate rooms?"
"Of course, we're brother and sister," DaeSeong answered.
"This may get you a steady girlfriend and you know it," Bom encouraged her brother, "maybe one better than those we've set each other up with..."
Hyun nodded and was about to say something when a pair of Horizon's technicians came up and motioned to both DaeSeong and Bom. The introductions were in Japanese, but both South Koreans understood the instruction and then followed. Hyun merely sat quietly to wait. On a certain level, he didn't entirely need to, as Horizon would likely direct DaeSeong and Bom back to where his work area was at the Japanese "embassy" on Heiya Island. But there were things where he was curious about DaeSeong's and his sister's plans and just wanted to see how they turned out. He wondered if this was instinctual curiosity on his part, but then, at the same time, animals like deer didn't generally tend to be super curious about things, as it could lead them to wandering into a predator's lair.
The wait wasn't necessarily too long, though it was also something where Bom and DaeSeong came back one at a time. Bom was the first to return, though she looked a bit depressed. She looked well for a black cat, but Hyun also noted that her hair was also, once again, black. The dye job that had her hair snow white appeared to have been undone by the conversion. DaeSeong returned a few moments later and noted his sister's downcast look and then glared to Hyun. His fur was all white, but his black hair remained. To Hyun it did play to the whole "yin" and "yang" concept, which would likely play to some balancing of certain comparisons given the surname of the two South Koreans, but that wasn't the present point of concern.
"Did you...?" DaeSeong asked with an icy glare in his eyes.
"I..." Hyun began.
"It's the conversion, it undid my dye job," Bom told him, "I like the frame and build... but I thought my hair color would stay dyed."
"The conversion cancelled out the dye job?" DaeSeong wondered.
"I would believe that is where the Animalia Virus rejuvenates things," Hyun offered, "and why in certain cases, it is used as a medical treatment. It restores the youthful and natural forms or build, which solves issues with injuries, cancers, and other diseases. Though it may also come with issues where things like tattoos, dye, and other things are lost, even if they do not cause physical harm in and of themselves."
"And the Horizon scientist said as much when my conversion was done," Bom pouted, "it means I'll have to do the dye job all over again... and it was tough getting it to go snow white the first time."
"We'll manage," DaeSeong managed, "and things will be fine."
"I know," Bom answered.
Hyun breathed a simple sigh of relief at all of that and hoped that the two new Cat Animalians wouldn't have too many challenges beyond things like hair dye in the future.