The time in Florida wasn't very long for Slick. Some of the samples and things that the Florida wildlife control officers wanted for something that would serve as an attractant for the invasive Burmese Python in the state was odd to the uplifted Animalian, but he'd gained enough of an understanding from Angie on it that once assured that the Animalia Virus in his system was no longer active, he agreed to provide those samples and then return with Angie to Lyre/Animalia. Much of it came from a personal interest in Angie. Slick found her beautiful, and he liked her hair. It felt different from just about anything on the scales on his fingers. He also found her smart and wanted to learn all about her and learn everything FROM her.
The flight from Florida to Lyre/Animalia was longer than what Slick had expected. Though, he had to concede that as a mundane Burmese Python, while he knew planes and helicopters could fly, he didn't fully know the size and scale of the US as a country, or even Florida as a state. The fact that he'd been in a box for hours on the drive up from the spot from where a car on a slick Florida road had hit him to Dinotopia Aquatica in northeastern Florida was a surprise to him. So, it presented a major learning experience to fly, though he then asked Angie about some of the sites beneath them as they flew. Angie knew some things, but not everything, though the big thing was that America had many different climates and biomes, not just the hot and humid jungle and swamp environments that were in many places in Florida. The landing more than confirmed that as they settled down at the Animalia Airport.
"You weren't kidding about thisss area being dryer," Slick said, feeling a bit better at dealing with the hissing that just about every Snake Animalian had to deal with in pronouncing anything that sounded like an "s."
He looked out and saw some of the dryer and rocky mountains to the west of the airport. It wasn't devoid of plant matter, but it looked more like scrub evergreen trees or shrubs in places. It was all very different from the plants he remembered in Florida. A part of Slick was so curious about the new environment that he stopped to just look at it through the windows. In some ways, he almost forgot that Angie was even there. He simply stared out at the mountain ridgeline with the summer sun setting on the other side of it for a few moments before he felt a tap on his shoulder, that made him turn back to find Angie there.
"It's a great view... but there is a lot to do," Angie spoke, "we have our bags to get and then I'll take you over to the BARA House. They have a spare room you can use while getting settled in and adapting to Animalia."
"The BARA Housssse?" Slick said weakly as he turned to her, "you mean... I can't stay with you?"
"We've only just met, and for the moment, they're also the only ones that have any space," Angie answered.
"What doesss BARA ssstand for?" Slick wondered.
"It's mostly a sort of group home/apartment building that's been part of some of Animalia's latest expansions that has been there for homosexual men that have become Animalians," Angie answered, "mostly to help them get used to certain new instincts that would make them bisexual... and retain some understanding that they don't HAVE to go against who they love just because of new instincts. People don't always stay there full time, as they find someone they love and they move in together... or they already lived in a different house and are only at the BARA House as part of their acclimation. That's in part why they have space right now."
"And what does homossssssexxxxxxxual mean?" Slick tilted his head to a side and blinked, also still finding having eyelids to be new and different. He also inwardly grumbled at a word having letters in it that would make him hiss on those letters.
He watched as Angie slowly swallowed before she answered as they moved along and began to make their way from the entrance to the airport and then toward the baggage claim. This was one of the things that Angie hadn't explained, what the Florida law enforcement agents didn't mention on, thankfully, and was bound to be uneasy.
"A homosexual is someone who is sexually interested in those who are of the same gender, men with men and women with women," Angie answered slowly, "it isn't necessarily super common... but it is there. And some, like the people who run Florida are pretty much angry that such a thing exists."
"But I'm interested in you," Slick stated, "your smart, you're beautiful... you didn't let those uniformed men kill me..."
"I know, but again, we've only just met, and the BARA House is the only one that has space at the moment," Angie answered and collected her bags, "and don't worry, so far as I know, most of the guys in the BARA House may already have established male or female partners, so they shouldn't put any moves on you."
They did collect their bags and made their way out into the parking lot at the airport. Slick found the air warm but dry. As they moved along, a different question came to Slick's thoughts.
"Why would people not like that homossssssssssexxxxxxxxxxualsssssss are around?" Slick wondered.
"For some... it's hard to really say other them some odd generalities," Angie said as she looked down, "a lot of early biologists tended to say that animals solely had sex for the purpose of reproduction, and many religions often tended to make their morals centered around that concept. That sex was for babies and NOTHING more. And because there have been more heterosexual men and women, a lot of this argument was accepted for centuries, and homosexuality was repressed as a result. Either by law or by cultural norm. And as cultural norms began to change, and more detailed studies of animal sexuality found that a fair number of species might actually engage in a semi-casual bisexual activity... that's enraged people living in the past. They don't like or want change and thus are driven to FORCE others to live in the past with them. A lot of it doesn't make any sense, particularly when most of the people arguing for this tend to also argue for individual freedom and things like that. It shows a big disconnect."
"Will I need to say to any that are there that I'm not like those that hate them?" Slick wondered, his voice actually sounding nervous.
Much of this was a result of his rather limited "social circles." Beyond Angie, Slick really didn't know many people. He understood the scientists at Dinotopia Aquatica that uplifted him, and he could understand the explanations the Florida wildlife officers had for controlling a species that was not native to Florida running rampant in the state. He'd hatched in Florida, but in an odd way, the explanation on how long snakes lived, how fast they matured, and related information added to the explanation on what made the Burmese Python an "invasive species" there, even if Slick had hatched in Florida. But these were all things that related to Slick could easily understand. Some of these social cues that Humans had were things he didn't understand, or at least not very well.
"Generally, Animalians tend to accept a lot of these things fairly well," Angie commented, "the principal at WSA is a Cat Animalian and HER wife is a Dog Animalian. Both are fairly well accepted in Lyre/Animalia and that applies for all the Animalians that have had to deal with that issue. From some of the reporting from old episodes of Animalia Ambassadoria and the related magazines... most people who are homosexual are more worried about being an Animalian affecting who or how they love, as some of that reproductive instinct is there..."
"I would imagine thessse backward people would want to usse Animalia asss a cure for it, then," Slick surmised, "which iss why I asked if I needed to ssssay anything."
"I'd think so long as you're respectful, you shouldn't have any trouble," Angie answered.
It wasn't long before they made it to Angie's car in the storage parking lot that it had been in for the couple of weeks that she'd been in Florida in for this summer meeting. Slick found her car to be better the vehicles the Florida game fish and parks officers had driven them in. The car had had controls for the brakes and acceleration had a sort of bowled seat that would make it easier for Snake Animalians to coil their tails in a seat, though the seat also had an opening in the back that would allow for them to also rest their tails into the back seat area while the seatbelts would hold their upper torso against the seat. They got in and Slick actually coiled his tail while looking over to Angie.
The ride through Animalia proved to be relatively quiet and both of them actually enjoyed just going with the windows rolled down. A part of Slick really would have preferred staying with Angie, but he supposed that some of this related to the whole "courtship" roles that were there for Animalians, and particularly those that had once been Human. They eventually looked like they came up to a larger house that could easily hold up to several people, and there was a similar house that was next to it. The thing that Slick noted was a name plaque that read, “BARA House, Animalia” on the building and next to the front door. There were a couple of vehicles parked on the long driveway in front of Angie’s care, and there was one Bull Animalian actually getting out of the car right in front of Angie’s.
“This will be the introduction,” Angie said to him as she unbuckled and Slick hesitantly followed.
They got up and the Bull Animalian actually approached them. Noting his size and muscle mass, Slick actually drifted closer to Angie. He felt relatively strong and fit, but he also had nothing on this Animalian in terms of raw size. Angie took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which made Slick feel a bit better.
"Miss Angie," the Bull Animalian said slowly.
"Yes," Angie answered, "this is Slick. The Python I had uplifted in Florida and needs a place to stay." She then paused to look to Slick, "Slick, this is Pete Buller. He's one of the current residents here at the BARA House and was willing to accept the sponsorship for you residing here until a place for you while you're going through the rest of the acclimation process."
"Hello, Slick," the Bull Animalian, Pete Buller, spoke, "did you have a good flight?"
"Yes," Slick managed as he shook Pete's hand, "and I will asssssure you that I am not like thossssse that been cruel to you for who you love."
Pete shook Slick's hand and raised an eyebrow to both Slick and Angie, "Uh... thanks."
"He's a bit curious," Angie said to Pete, "he is an uplifted Python so... some of the pressures that relate to relations between those with different sexualities is very new too him, and he wants to make a good impression."
"Oh... well, Slick, you needn't worry," Pete answered, "I actually grew up in California. While things may not have been perfect, I've actually been treated fairly well. People accepted that I was gay and weren't too bothered by it. Some parts of the country may not share that... but that wasn't something I had to personally deal with. Most of my reason for being here with the BARA House has been more to better help adapt to certain things that relate to certain breeding urges that I didn't really have to deal with before. So, there really isn't anything you have to worry about."
"I didn't want to be offensssssive," Slick answered.
"And that's very polite of you," Pete told him and gave a small smile, "but you don't need to draw attention to not being like the bigots out there. Animalians generally tend to be against a lot of that sort of thing. So... we know that already."
Slick then nodded. That was enough to then let him get the freedom to get his bags. Angie gave him a small hug before then returning to her car and backing out, leaving Slick with Pete in front of the BARA House. Slick watched her drive off for a few moments and looked over to Pete.
"Would you have any ideassss on things I can do to win Angie'ssss heart?" Slick asked, "I like her."
"Other than to just be you and be honest and kind?" Pete shook his head, "I don't have much, I'm afraid. Dating and getting to know people takes time. That something that would apply to anyone, gay or straight."
"Gay or straight?" Slick asked.
"They're other words that are used to describe sexuality... gay for homosexuality and straight for heterosexuality," Pete explained, "come on. Let's get you settled into a room and I can explain more if you're wanting to learn more about these things."