The deal for the Transit and the completion of Molly's first appointment were good signs of progress. The obstetrician appointment had been relatively short and largely served to start the tests to confirm scientifically that Molly was pregnant. And Molly and I were fairly certain those tests would come back positive, but they were tests that had to be done. The doctors had to do those tests before they could begin treatment. And if Molly and I had decided to skip treatment for a few month's until Molly's appearance began to change with the growth of the cubs within her, we would certainly be in for a lecture on the proper care for a pregnancy. And so we had gone in to begin treatment and we expected that in two weeks, we'd get that "positive" result that we were both waiting for.
And ultimately new transportation would be key to getting the treatment. Within Columbia Falls, we were close enough to the town that walking made for good exercise and so forth. But, Dr. Wainwright didn't do obstetrician appointments in Columbia Falls and we would have to go to Kalispell on the days he was there for treatment. The Ranger that I had owned wouldn't do for that. It's cab was too small and neither Molly nor I could sit in the seats the normal way. We had to lay across the backseat and have someone else drive, which would complicate the logistics of getting to Kalispell and back. On top of that, as Molly's pregnancy progressed, the backseat area would lose what little room that it had, and of course riding in the bed of the truck would be illegal. It was tolerated in town and on the country roads running to the ranches, but I knew that people in truck beds had been ticketed on the highway.
And the Ford Transit that was being built for Animal People, particularly those larger then humans, that Molly and I had settled on. And as I made my way into work on a quiet Wednesday morning, I thought over the features on the van that Molly and I would have in about four weeks. It's outside dimensions wasn't that different from a truck or even the Furtopia, a vehicle GM was specially making to cater to Animal People. It was tall enough that Molly and I could sit in it properly in it. Its seats included a designed opening in the back, which seemed to be adapted for Animal People that had tails. That would be of some benefit for Molly and I, as while we could swish our tails around the sides of our bodies when we sat down, so that we weren't sitting on them, those holes for an Animal Person's tail would make things easier. And those that had become various reptiles, such as pythons, like Clemens, or crocodiles, which had much thicker and muscular tails then Molly and I had, that seat alteration would be even better for them. And overall, the vehicle was just small enough to fit in our garage at Bandhavgarh Cabin, which meant that we didn't have to worry about it being snowed in. Getting it was only a matter of time.
"Morning, Officer Wayne," Officer Barnes stated as I arrived at door that lead in toward the DARE office behind the high school, "doing well?"
"Uh-huh," I nodded, "counting down the days until the hospital sends back the test results, confirming that Molly is pregnant."
"Thought you'd be interested in the vehicle," Officer Barnes quipped.
"The Transit?" I wondered, "both Molly and I are pleased at the prospect of being able to drive again, and we got a decent enough deal from the dealer that buying it won't be too much of a blow to the wallet, but that can't be done for about four weeks... just in time for what will be Molly's second obstetrician's appointment. The positive test results will come in before then. So... it's one thing at a time."
"Ah-ha," Officer Barnes nodded, "the two of you deserve the happiness of a family after everything."
I nodded to that, remembering all the difficulties that Molly and I had had to overcome.
"And hopefully all things go well," Officer Barnes then chuckled, "Megan is still very excited about you and Molly having cubs..."
"It's still very early," I commented.
"That won't stop her from thinking of the ways she wants to play with them," Officer Barnes told me, "she's been practicing all sorts of ways to hug and nuzzle small things."
"So long as she is gentle, I don't think that will be a problem," I replied.
Officer Barnes nodded and we made our way into our small office. Things had been quiet in the school with no major incidents of any requirement of Officer Barnes or I. And I expected things to remain the same in that direction. As I set my lunch box down in a place where I could return to it at lunchtime, Officer Barnes had a new question.
"Just out of curiosity, have you thought about seeing the new series, "Animal Tales", that's coming out?" Officer Barnes asked.
"The documentary on people who've taken the Animatrix Serum?" I asked back, "yeah. Molly and I are planning on watching the premiere tonight. Mostly to see what it is like, and see if anyone that Molly and I have met that have become Animal People are going to be in the series."
"The ads for it have been fairly interesting," Officer Barnes commented, "I know you and Molly were against selling the Animatrix Serum over the counter... but seeing how they've adapted to things will be interesting to see."
I nodded in response to that, "hopefully, though, they've done things in good taste. Not busting in on someone's privacy in ways they wouldn't want."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That evening, Molly and I ate our dinner somewhat earlier then we normally did to catch the premiere episode of the television series. We had learned about it from Doctor Wainwright's lab physician who seemed excited about the series. It was advertised to cover the lives of people who had taken the Animatrix Serum and all that they had gone through. And it had appeared that despite the lunatic fringe of the world's various political groups, American or in any other country and despite the racist groups like R.A.M., the KKK, Neo-Nazis and various others, there seemed to be a fairly positive interest in Animal People who were ethnic minorities in every sense of the word. And as such, that got Molly and I somewhat curious about the series. And everyone knows what curiosity does to cats.
"Do you think it'll be good, George?" Molly asked as we sat down on our couch to watch the series.
"Hopefully," I shrugged, "for the moment, I'd think that curiosity has gotten the better of us."
Molly's only response was a nuzzle to the side of my muzzle while I turned on the television and switched the channel to NBC. We had arrived just in time as a lone man stood in what looked like an empty room that was covered in black cloth.
"Hello, I'm Wallace Paige," the man on the screen announced himself, "tonight we begin a special series following the representatives of the new sentient and sapient races that share this world with Humanity. And these races are of course the various Animal People that have appeared after the successful conclusion of the civil lawsuit against Leon... then Leona... Washburn over the the distribution of the Animatrix Serum."
Wallace Paige paused and took a few steps, "It started with what was hoped for a cure for cancer, by adding in the genes in various animals that seem to have some natural resistance to cancer to human DNA. From there it devolved into the Animatrix Fun House as Eugene Changes found he could make money off of the incomplete serum as it was. The exact use of the Animatrix Serum was kept secret as he forced Leon... then Leona... to take the serum on herself to test it, becoming the first Animal Person and masquerading as part of Eugene Changes' attraction. He brought more victims in to give his attraction greater appeal, but it wasn't to last."
The screen then shifted to the scenes of Eugene Changes' trial, and depicted both Leona and Molly testifying.
"Following the failed attempt to kidnap an Illinois College Student, Molly Rhoer," Wallace Paige continued, "Changes' scheme was undone and the facts of the Animatrix Serum were revealed to the world. At first, possession of the Serum, beyond Leona's attempts to reverse its effects, was illegal, but because the serum has had no effect beyond the transformation of one's species or later, gender, those who have wanted to be closer to the animal world launched the civil suit that would lead to the Animatrix Serum being sold over the counter to those who meet the regulations for it. And thus, the number of Animal People in this country and around the world has exploded. And this series hopes to tell their stories."
The screen then moved into a flash of animal skins and even showing fur growing out of someone's skin before settling onto the words Animal Tales coming down across the screen. Each letter in the two words contained the fur, scales, skin, or feathers of different animals. It then faded into the flashed images of various fantasy pictures. Most of them being dragons, giant serpents, nagas, and dinosaurs fighting cavemen.
"Many fans of the fantasy genre will recognize the artwork of Jose Rodriguez," Wallace Paige narrated, "a lifelong fan of the fantasy genre, his work has been used in various video and computer games that relate to the subject, and his artwork has been exhibited around the globe. And he and his wife are among the many people who have taken the Animatrix Serum."
The screen then switched to a living room area in an apartment complex. Molly and I quietly watched as a door toward the back of the screen as two Animal People came out. Both were obviously reptiles in the fact that they had no hair and were Gila Monsters based by the heavily beaded scales on their bodies and the bands of black and pink scales that covered their bodies. They were both at the same height they had likely been when they were human. That wasn't too much of a shock. The thing that gave Molly and I the greatest surprise was the female's rather ample chest. Despite wearing a shirt that did a good job of covering everything, the female had breasts that were very noticeable and in the D range.
"What the..." Molly gasped, evidently as surprised as I was.
And our surprise was understandable. When Molly had transformed, her breasts became proportionately smaller then when she was human. Probably as a tiger wouldn't function well carrying a large amount of weight on its chest. The running, jumping, and other hunting related activities would actually cause Molly pain if she had breasts that were of a large size on her. And from everything we had learned, women who had become very active animals, cats, lions, tigers, foxes, wolves, etcetera, saw their cup sizes reduced in order to function properly in the way that the animal naturally functioned. We'd then also figured that women who'd become reptiles, amphibians, or birds, animals which didn't have mammary glands in nature, would lose them altogether as their systems of reproduction had changed heavily from those of mammals. Yet the female Gila Monster woman had breasts that were proportionately bigger then Molly's had been when she was human.
That surprise had Molly and I transfixed by all this. It was curiosity that had to be sated, and I dearly hoped that Molly wouldn't be jealous of the Gila Monster woman. Wallace Paige continued his interview.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez," Wallace Paige began the interview, "thank you for allowing us to speak with you both and see what you see."
"You're welcome, but pleassse, call me Josse," Jose Rodriguez answered.
"And I am Arssssenia," Mrs. Rodriquez spoke.
"Okay, Jose and Arsenia," Wallace Paige nodded, "would you mind telling me how you two met? What lead you to taking the Animatrix Serum? And why the Gila Monster as a species?"
"Well... we met about five yearss ago at a convention," Jose explained, "It was in Pariss and I had come from New Mexxxico to exhibit and ssell ssome of my artwork. And there I met Arssenia, working as a busssinesss coordinator for ssome of the various gallariess that were being exxhibited there. In a way we were both very succcesssful young people at the time. I assss an artissst and sshe asss the sort of bussinesss persson that makess sure an artisst isssn't a sstarving artisst."
Molly and I both noticed the hissing nature of his voice. And could see the forked tongue when he talked. It was not as bad as Clemens' voice had been when we first met him. So, either he had had some speech therapy as Molly had learned from Joseph Patten that Clemens was receiving, or maybe the Gila Monster's forked tongue was not as narrow as the African Rock Python's and thus didn't impair his speech as much.
Jose then gestured to a couple of paintings on the walls of their apartment. One showed a dragon battling an army of knights and what looked like a werewolf as well, and winning the fight. The other was a more naturalist picture of a Gila Monster in a desert.
"For me, taking the Sserum is fairly obviousss," Jose explained, "a lot of my artwork revolvess around fantasy worldss and what people call the furry fandom. Becoming an Animal Persson wass for me a way to get in touch with the "magic" of the worldss I illussstrate. And ass for the Gila Monssster... well, I wanted to sstick with ssomething that I could ssee growing up in New Mexxxico. And they are amazzing lizzardss. The only sspeciesss in the USs that is venomouss. It's related to the Monitor Lizzardss of Africa and Asssia."
"Venomous, like a snake?" Wallace Paige asked.
"In a way, but not quite," Jose answered, "A Gila Monsster's venom glandss are on the lower jaw as part of the salvitory glandss, and it lacksss a ssophisssticated method of injecting venom. In order to envenomate large prey, it would need to chew on the victim... but in nature, Gila Monster'ss mossstly eat eggsss... and are very ssluggisssh. Large prey would be to quick for them."
"Ah-ha," Wallace Paige nodded, "and you, Arsenia, I trust you approved of your husband's decision?"
"Yesss," Arsenia nodded, "Josssse took the ssserum firssst, and so I became a Gila Monster specifically for him. My decision to take the ssserum, however, came from different reasonss. You sssee I was a curssed woman... or blesssed, if you believe the people that spend their time watching pornography."
Molly and I watched as Arsenia began fumbling with something in her purse until she pulled out a small photograph and handed it to Wallace Paige.
"That was me before I took the sserum," Arsenia reported.
The screen then depicted a woman in a woman's business suit, but one that looked like it had been specially tailored. Sitting on the woman's chest, and nearly bursting the shirt's buttons were two extremely large breasts. Even bigger then the breasts that Arsenia still had after becoming a reptile. Her face however, looked more like she was burdened by the size of her mammary glands rather then blessed by them.
"Man... those things must have killed her back," Molly commented, "and there might be why she still has breasts now... they shrunk to that size and there was simply a lot of tissue left over that the Serum couldn't alter or move..."
I nodded as Arsenia continued to explain on the screen.
"I wass a 38GGG, and they gave me great pain," Arsenia explained, "Jossse has done much to help deal with the back pains I sssuffered becausse of them... but it wass to much for me. When I learned that the Animatrixx Serum made breassts smaller, I jumped at the chancce to save my back."
"May I ask where the rest of the material went?" Wallace Paige asked, "I do not want to be too person or intrude on anything you do not wish to share."
"That is very polite of you, but I do not mind," Arsenia sighed, "many human men are sstill attracted to what I have... though medical tesstsss have confirmed that I have no milk glandssss... merely 38D pieccesss of body fat. Mosst of the rest of what had been my human breasstsss have gone into my tail, I think."
Molly and I then watched as thumped her tail up and down to the side of her in a somewhat slow pace to demonstrate the fact that she had a tail. The episode continued with more of the interview, but now began to follow into a sort of narration from Jose and Arsenia as well as from the show's host Wallace Paige. They showed Jose working with his artwork, and adapting things to having non-retractable claws. They showed Arsenia at the office where she worked, getting people to buy Jose's pieces, or arranging and exhibition for various pieces of artwork and the various difficulties both went through. Much of it related to the hissing tones their voices had taken on because of the physical alterations to their tongues from the largely round human tongue to the forked tongue of snakes and lizards. They showed their diet, mostly eggs and chicken. And in the end, had been a fairly interesting episode. The second episode was not on Clemens we found out, but the series premiere did seem fairly interesting.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The two weeks following Molly's first obstetrician went quietly. Megan's excitement over our cubs being future playmates didn't diminish, as I learned from both Officer Barnes and from Molly. Officer Howard was still unable to pick out a permanent DARE officer, though it seemed like his problem was that there were plenty of good candidates to chose from. I wasn't about to get in the way of that decision. And things had been fairly quiet for those two weeks, so it was best to remain quiet on that.
And in the meantime, the Animal Tales series was doing fairly well. It wasn't breaking ratings records, but it was giving the various reality shows a good run for their money. They did a decent job of presenting things and managed to give some education on the natural behavior of the animals that each Animal Person had become. The premiere had done fairly well with Jose and Arsenia Rodriguez, and their second episode had followed a pair of sisters in Tokyo that had become Japanese Bobtails as part of their fandom of "Hello Kitty" and what was described as the worship of all things cute. They of course had had their own struggles with traditional Japanese culture and the cat's instinct to hunt rats and mice, but they seemed to be doing okay. And at the end of that episode, Molly and I had found out that Animal Tales would have an episode on Clemens Patten, the third episode of the series.
That episode was set to come on later in the week, but at the moment, Molly and I were looking in on other matters. It had been two weeks since Molly's appointment with the obstetrician in Kalispell, and when we returned home from our work days, we found a letter in our mail box at the cabin, and there was a flashing message on our answering machine.
"It's from the hospital," Molly said to me as she handed me the letter.
"It's probably the results that tell you you're pregnant," I commented to her.
I initially went to hand the letter back to her, but Molly pushed it back to me.
"You open it, I'm too nervous," Molly answered.
I slowly shrugged and opened the envelope. In it were a pair of test results. One was the one the lab in Kalispell ran. Those results were largely inconclusive. There was enough to indicate that a pregnancy was possible, but it couldn't confirm a pregnancy. The second, however was from the zoo's tests. And those results were crystal clear.
"The zoo confirmed it," I said Molly, "You are a mother to be."
"I'm pregnant?" Molly asked.
I nodded, "the tests confirm it."
Molly came closer and gave me a firm hug and let a roar for all to hear.
"I'M PREGNANT!"
The message on the answering machine also confirmed the tests and confirmed Molly's next obstetrician appointment.