"Why do I get the sense that you're doing this because you want all of us to become Animalians?" Louise asked as she and Joy followed Layla up to one of the houses in Animalia.
It was newer than many of the original homes that were built to look like they were log cabins. Some of that fit with the expansion that they'd seen Animalia go through since it started. Some of the newer homes and residences had their own feel to them. There were also a couple of homes not too far away that looked massive when compared to several of the others but weren't mansions.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything," Layla answered, "but you asked about wanting to know more and that included the possibility of changing and becoming Animalians. And since some other issues have kept you here longer than you intended, I don't see any harm in meeting others. They might help you with regard to understanding certain things that go beyond just me and Mary as Animalians you know."
There was some acceptance of that. Mary had converted and seemed happy as a Horse Animalian, and looked quite buff being based off the Ardennais Draft Horse. However, she had her farm to look after, and almost as soon as she'd gone through the adjustment period, she'd hit the road to return to her farm in Iowa. There some promises to keep in touch and some jokes on what might happen if one of her neighbors' horses took an interest in the Horse Animalian that lived next to them. Some other issues, some of it appeared to be either domestic or at least in the neighborhood kept Joy and Louise in the area, and Layla was happy to indulge her old friends in what she knew and try offer what tips on what Animalian life was like, and it fed some curiosity. Layla wasn't sure on where it would go, but she'd also figured that letting Louise and Joy figure things out wouldn't be a bad thing. That presently brought them to the ROSE House, mostly as part of a selection that would let Louise and Joy learn more about Animalians that weren't mammal based.
They came up to the door with some unease. Layla was a bit more confident and moved up to the main front door and delivered a few knocks on it. It was a relative okay late afternoon day, and most people were either off of work or just getting off work. Thus, it seemed safe to at least try with the ROSE House and let Louise and Joy get some more information on Animalians that didn't just come from Layla or Mary. She waited quietly until the door opened to reveal two Whiptail Lizard Animalians, each presently holding young hatchling that was nursing from a bottle.
"Hello," said the first, "you must be Layla, what brings you to the ROSE House?"
"Mostly helping some friends of mine learn more about Animalians in a way that it won't just be about me," Layla answered and waved Louise and Joy forward, "these are Louise and Joy."
"I'm Sappho and this my wife, Susan," the first Whiptail Lizard Animalian spoke with a small smile and then bounced the hatchling, "and these are our hatchlings."
"You had children?" Joy blinked, "are you both herms?"
"No," Susan answered, "Whiptail Lizards can reproduce asexually... which is how Sappho and I had our daughters. The doctor at Horizon gave some long word for it that starts with a "p." All the same, they are ours and we love them."
"So... you gain some of the special abilities that the animal posses?" Louise wondered as she shook Susan and then Sappho's hand.
"In a way, yes," Susan commented, "though I'm not sure "special" is quite the word. And many Animalians do gain many of the baseline abilities that the animals they're based on have. Bird and Bat Animalians can fly. Reptilian and Bird Animalians lay eggs... unless it's some species of Snake. Some of them have live young."
"And your species of lizard doesn't necessarily need a male to lay eggs," Joy said slowly, "and your hatchlings nurse?"
"From a bottle," Sappho commented, "they have sharp little teeth and aren't entirely aware on how much force they may be using... as they are babies."
"They are cute though," Joy commented as Susan and Sappho led them in, "and they do okay with milk?"
"With our milk, yes," Susan answered, "one of those things that comes with being an Animalian and always lactating."
"And that can be fun with a romantic partner, regardless of children," Sappho added.
"Did you convert to be together?" Louise asked.
"I was uplifted," Sappho commented as they moved into a communal living room and sat down on a set of soft upholstered sofas.
"I suppose you could say that I did," Susan admitted, "but that was a bit more of a Horizon project and real romance with Sappho actually came later."
"Though, from some of the stories I've heard, a lot of couples become Animalians for love," Sappho commented, "didn't the Wesleys become Huskys after the husband got caught up in the initial outbreak?"
"I thought it was their dog that got caught up in it," Susan commented, "I'd have to look into the old Animalia Ambassadoria episodes, as I think they did give some basic biographic information on the initial hosts and the how or why they became Animalians. But Sappho's point that Humans in loving relationships may accept becoming an Animalian if their partner wants it. Of course... that may also speak to the stability and love in an existing relationship, which would be something no one at the ROSE House could give you."
Joy was silent for a moment. The conversion for love sort of thing fit fairly well, though, it'd also ultimately be something she'd have to talk with Vince on before anything close to that was done. Louise spoke up before anything became awkward.
"A lot of it is just some curiosity for either reasons for conversion... or what is like being an Animalian that is coming from more than our friend's experience," Louise spoke.
"They want to make sure I'm not forcing them into anything," Layla explained when Sappho turned her eyes to the Cheetah Animalian.
"Well... with the exception of our being Whiptail Lizards and your friend being a Cheetah Animalian, there aren't too many differences," Susan commented, "I mean... winters could be warmer. For while we aren't completely cold blooded as Animalians. As Reptile Animalians we are more vulnerable to cold weather than Layla would be, but Animalia has plenty of places that help with that. They have a seasonal sauna and "icehouse" that does business for Reptile Animalians needing heat in winter and Polar Animalians needing cool places in the summer."
"They also have those hot springs for bathing in as well," Sappho commented, "the water isn't something common for me... but it does feel nice in winter."
"Would there be any... adaptions to a new tongue?" Louise asked.
"A bit... though for us, nowhere near as much as what a Snake Animalian would need," Susan answered.
"Interesting," Louise said slowly.
"If you're looking for adaptation to that... you could go next door to the BARA House," Sappho offered, "Slick is sort of like me as he was uplifted. But he did have to adapt to Human speech. And he's had pretty clear romantic eyes for the Python Animalian that rescued him a year or so ago in Florida."
"I'm not sure we could help with other's love lives," Joy said slowly, "though... thank you for all your help."