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Hybrid Dawn #2: Transition

Written by D.J. Sabin

Life in the home of the Hendrix family had remained somewhat chaotic after Tony was released from the hospital and returned home. It took a few days for the constant phone calls to die down. Every other hour, some news service was calling or knocking at the door, trying to get an interview with the local teen oddity. Jack had returned to work, while his wife Terrie helped field reporters and curious onlookers. Tony of course was feeling rather courageous now after the initial welcoming party and had emerged from the house to sit down with reporters for a quick round of questions. It got tiring after a while as local newspapers kept asking him about how he was feeling, or what was it like being a half human/half border collie creature.

"What can I tell you?" Tony told one reporter for a local paper, "I'm seven feet tall, built like a linebacker, and got more fur on me than a mountain man." He had gotten so much practice as of late talking to reporters that his use of humorous analogy was forming into an art form.

Tony had handled the crisis far better than most of those who had suffered from the strange alien disease more than a year ago that had claimed untold lives and left the survivors forever changed into humanoid animals that were now being coined "Hybrids" by the media. Many of the survivors had lost their minds, gone into furious and violent outbursts while others withdrew or tried to commit suicide. Having an actual bonefide survivor that was lucid and still sane seemed like a media treasure trove to the numerous local and national news reporters that hounded him for the past few weeks.

Thankfully, those that managed to not lose their cool found the new bodies odd, but surprisingly functional. Nicole Alexander, a teenage girl who had transformed into an Iguana hybrid had been a paraplegic since she was four, but when she had changed, she found she could walk once more as if she had never been crippled. Sure she was tall covered in a green scales and instead of her original chestnut hair now had a large fin protruding like a Mohawk on her head, but that was minor compared to finally feeling her toes on grass or supporting her own body. Her cohort at the hospital, Helen Smith had changed into a humanoid rabbit, her fur a soft pure white. When in the hospital, Tony had caught a sight of her posing in a full length mirror, looking over her slender body and even playing with her long bunny ears approvingly. Turned out that Helen was one of those fans of the underground genre of furries and the idea that she was now a real one seemed to make her the happiest she had ever been.

"I look so cute!" She had said, her blue eyes twinkling in glee as she had talked to him on one occasion. Her hair had fallen out as well, and instead of her human black hair, she now had a long shock of golden blonde that trailed down to her shoulders, which she constantly wanted to try new styles on every chance she could get. She had gotten together with Nicole and some of the other girls who were changed and became sort of a support group for one another. Before long, they were discussing what kind of earrings they would wear, or as one girl had considered putting some sort of jewelry on her small but noticeable bovine horns.

The guys on the other hand had been hanging out together, trying to fathom other things regarding their changes. One that was prominent mostly were from the married men who had unchanged wives. How were they going to have physical relations with them now that they were these massive creatures? Everyone that was there had at least gained a foot or more in height and their physical mass made wearing hospital gowns impossible. Many were walking around with nothing more than some makeshift shorts or sweat pants. The men were surprisingly open regarding the fact that they not only were big physically, but their genitals were different too: more animal than human.

"Hey, look at it this way." Said Terrel who came into the hospital a black man but came out as a white furred Persian feline, "If we can do the nasty with our girls, they can't complain that we're small."

The conversation had embarrassed Tony, but it was also a conversation he had with himself on numerous occasions. He had just graduated from high school when he fell ill and had high expectations for going to college and starting a family of his own. Now he was a hybrid canine. Any thoughts of having a family had all but evaporated in his mind when the day after he recovered he went to the lavatory to relieve himself. Seeing himself down there made him shudder: What kind of woman would want to have him looking like that?

Tony occupied his time at home trying to get a gauge of his body's new limitations and found out that they had quite a few. His new height made doors and low hanging beams a problem. He also found his tail to be a hindrance because it was just at the right height that if he hadn't watched where he was going, it would swing around, knocking lamps off of tables or catching someone seated in the face. Showering or even basic cleanliness proved challenging, since his new coat of fur when it got wet proved heavy and clumsy. He had gotten into the involuntary habit of shaking the water out of his fur after a shower, sending water everywhere in the bathroom. That was nothing compared to finding clumps of his fur in the drain of the shower and sink every time he washed up. He knew his hair was thick, but as he would constantly hear from his mother, she complained about having enough hair in the drain that she wondered why he wasn't already bald. He had always heard about how women spent hours just brushing their hair, but now that he was covered in fur, he found that he needed help from his mother to brush the burrs and knots that constantly got into his pelt when he went out to exercise.

While those were annoying problems, he found there were some significant advantages as well. He was physically lean and had low body fat, and his new body was surprisingly toned and athletic. Tony expected that a year being bed-ridden would mean his muscles would atrophy harshly, but his new form had surprisingly good physical strength in it. The Doctors assumed it had something to do with the nature of the virus that transformed him, along with the physical exertion his body went through that made muscle strong to handle the strain of transformation. He found he could easily help around the house, lifting large pots of plants his mother grew in their garden as well as doing tasks that would take two normal men to do. He also was surprisingly rugged and often started going out for runs and found he could go long distances before getting tired. Since it was summer, many of the younger kids would ride their bikes alongside him and even have trouble keeping up with him. If this was what it was like after a year in bed, imagine if I actually did real exercise, he considered.

---

The day came when friends of the family finally brought back their dog Delilah who have been taking care of her while Tony was away. Jack and Terrie were the first to welcome them and was greeted by a very shaggy dog who jumped about and practically pounced on them when they knelt down to pet her, licking their faces excitedly. They wanted to see how she would react to them before they showed Tony to her. They had gotten Delilah when she was just a puppy and she and Anthony had instantly become inseparable. Now as Tony came out from the front door, he stood facing his lifelong companion as a mirror image of her own breed.

At first Delilah barked and growled as Tony appeared, alarmed that she was seeing something her mind couldn't seem to register. It looked like another dog, but far bigger and more menacingly. Tony steeled himself before hand, knowing she would not truly understand what she was seeing: it had taken Tony a long time to do the same. He knelt down in front and held out his hand, palm up.

"Del." He said soothingly, "It's me, Del...Tony."

Delilah stopped barking but only inclined her head to the side, whimpering. She no doubt recognized the voice of her old master, his tone a bit huskier than before, but apparently couldn't put the face to the voice.

The two remained still, Tony's hand outstretched and Delilah looking cautious, her ears flattened and tail flagged down. Eventually she crept closer towards Tony and sniffed at his hand. Tony had also had to deal with the new sensation of his enhanced senses as well. His hearing was more acute than before and his vision hadn't changed much, but it was his nose that really unnerved him. In the hospital, he had been assailed by the sterile and the stinky; the scent of various medicines, and the foul reek of bodily fluids. It had taken a few days of migraines to finally develop a means of sorting out and ignoring all the scents that now assailed a lot of the hybrids, including Tony; but, they soon found that their new senses made even hospital food taste far more pleasing or fouler than it should.

Delilah flinched as she sniffed all over Tony's hand, trying to find that one familiar scent. Tony himself found himself also taking in the various fragrances of his pet now, sensing a familiar odor that...

Suddenly Tony's nostrils flared as if some dormant awareness kicked in. That scent, he thought, inhaling in the air near the frightened canine. While his eyes didn't 'see' it as anything, his mind appeared to perceive the mix of odors like wisps of colored mist. His mind caught the scent that told him in his own mind that Delilah was frightened and somewhat curious. Was this how animals like Delilah communicated to each other? He considered this and started to smell himself as well. He was exuding a mix of scents that seemed to confuse him, as if he wasn't sure what he was doing. So that's why she was so unsure, he realized.

Could he control these scents, he thought, wondering if his emotions actually created a hidden pheromone or something that an animal's enhanced nose could pick up. Tony decided he would experiment. He turned his thoughts inward, remembering all the good memories he had with Delilah, and the love and companionship they had shared. He wanted to express that in the only way canines could, and so he flooded his awareness with nothing but loving memories, hoping his body would trigger the right responses.

Something then pressed against his hand and he looked up. Delilah was nuzzling at his palm, licking and caressing it with her muzzle. Tony's nostrils immediate flared and he realized his own scent had changed into something more soothing and friendly. It had worked! Tony was overjoyed and reached out to pet Delilah's head, being rewarded by an equally overjoyed dog leaning into his stroking palm. Jack and Terrie held each other, his mother wiping tears from her smiling face, and Tony himself suddenly realized something as he wiped his own fur covered cheek that he was doing the same.

---

As it turned out, Delilah had become therapeutic for Tony. With their bond reasserted, she had turned into his shadow, never being too far from his side. The two now had a closer relationship now that Tony had become partially the same species as Delilah. Having her accept him made it far easier for him to venture out in the open more, where he felt unsure and insecure with the neighbors, having her reassuring scent somehow made it far more tolerable. In a way, Tony had become somewhat of a Dr. Doolittle now, having a strange ability to communicate with animals through the power of his own body odor.

It had never occurred to him the use of his nose until now, and with a new understanding of it, his perceptions had changed practically overnight. He watched Delilah roam about on their walks, not just with his eyes, but with his nose. His mind seemed to form an inner awareness of how the various new scents he picked up were perceived in his mind. They weren't just scents now, but like clouds of color that his mind somehow could grasp and follow. Like following a visible trail, Tony could soon pick up subtle hints of perfumes, flowers and the scent of animals not just as fragrances, but as colored plumes that moved and changed with the breeze.

He also could tell now just by meeting others that they also emitted a scent that depicted their emotional state. He had always heard the phrase that animals can "smell fear", and it turned out to be true in a way. He was taking some time to ponder that whenever someone came to see him or pass by, he could see through his mind's eye the pattern of scents that depicted fear, worry, anger and joy. At times, he could even smell strange odors--just tiny hints of smells--that came from particular people's body parts. When he was visited by elderly Mr. James who hobbled along on a cane, he could swear he 'smelled' a strange odor emanating from his hips and knees. Mr. James had hip replacement surgery and although he was moving about more, the pain that emanated was perceivable to Tony as a wafting aroma that became a painful color to his mind.

"You can actually 'see' smells?" Jack replied when Tony told him.

"It's so weird, I know!" Tony exclaimed, "And I'm not going into sensory overload like I was expecting. Yesterday I caught a scent of something in the grass and when I got closer, I saw it was a snake rustling through the grass. I could actually track it like a bloodhound!"

Jack laughed as he tried to let all that process, "Maybe we should go hunting sometime and you can be our tracker."

For a brief moment, Tony actually thought that would be a good idea. "Maybe. I bet you anything I could learn a lot out there in the woods."

Meals during the day were also a sure sign of his heightened sense of smell. Food smelled even more savory as his mother was cooking, and on more than one occasion, he sat there and practically drooled at the fragrance of cooking meat and fish. No wonder Delilah always looked so anxious at the dinner table, he mused the colorful melody of scents ran through his mind like ribbons of bright and appetizing colors. All thoughts and worries about his new body seemed to fade away in comparison to the wonderful new sensations and abilities he had gained. He truly could understand why Helen and Nicole were so excited about being a hybrid. Sure there were pitfalls and hardships coming as they adapted to their new forms, but Tony was more and more embracing the changes, realizing that there were far more positives to his animal form than anyone else thought possible.

Jared Pritcher had been one of the few surviving infected that had a career with animals. Now as a humanoid leopard, his former employer, the state Zoo, had hired him back to use as an expert on wildcats. He had originally been caring for the new leopard cubs their zoo had gained from Japan, which explains his new appearance. As it turned out, being a leopard himself now, the other wild cats in the enclosure and the cubs treated him more as a part of their family than ever, even allowing him to walk among them in their presence. Tony had come to visit him one day to discuss the very subject he had talked about during a conference on the news.

"So you had the same thing happen too, huh?" Jared asked as the two hybrid males walked through the Zoo. The sight of a canine and feline hybrid made many of the visitors to the zoo stop and stare. A few of the young kids came up to both men and wanted to pet them, which they enthusiastically agreed to. The kids had wanted to tug on Tony's ears and pet the long white hair that now draped down the back of his head while others played with Jared's long strong tail and his own unique hair. Unlike Tony's new shock of snow white head fur, Jared's hair was the same fur pattern as the rest of him: Tawny orange-brown with splotches of dark brown markings that he let grow long and hang loose down his back. After a few minutes of young children petting and stroking their fur, their parents finally gathered them up and moved on.

"Is it always like this for you?" Tony asked as he waved to one girl in her father's arms.

"I feel like a celebrity here." Jared replied grinning, pulling his hair back and binding it back into his familiar ponytail. "I'm still getting used to the looks and the questions, but around here in the zoo, I'm more like a mascot or walking exhibit."

"Aren't you worried about being treated like an oddity?" Tony inquired.

Jared shook his head, "I always loved animals, which is why I got into Veterinary medicine. The zoo was a perfect choice for me and now that I look like one of the big cats here, I feel more at home here than ever."

Tony was going to say something when Jared stopped him, "But to get back on the subject at hand: You've been adapting pretty well to your nose I take it."

"Yeah," Tony said, nodding his head. He recounted the reunion with his dog and Jared was intently listening to his account of how he used his scent to bring his canine companion to recognizing him.

"That's pretty amazing, Tony." Jared said seriously. "I'm quite impressed. You seem to be one of the few of us males who is embracing our new bodies better than most."

"I just found it odd that I figured it out so fast." Tony replied, "As soon as I thought of the idea, it seemed natural."

"Don't quote me on this, but considering I'm both a Vet and a hybrid now, I can tell you that it's not unexpected. Our bodies may have changed, but I think something in our minds has changed as well."

Tony's ears perked up, "Our minds?"

Shrugging, Jared explained, "It's a bit out of my field of expertise, but it seems like with all these new gifts we've been given, we also seem to have some innate instinct on how to use them. As if in some primal level of our human minds, the transformation somehow awakened that bestial side of us."

"Like some sort of evolutionary thing?"

It was a wild thought to consider, but it did make some sense. It seemed like he had quickly adapted to 'seeing' smells--a bit too quickly. He had also gotten used to his new hearing and other enhanced senses rather fast as well.

"You think what--or whoever--did this to us might have altered our brains as well?"

Jared chuckled, "You thinking some little green men might be responsible for you having a tail?"

"What other explanation is there?"

The two hybrids stopped by the leopard enclosure and Jared leaned up against the glass wall. Two of the Leopards in the enclosure stopped and stared out of the glass at the two as if listening in on their conversation.

"I'm not really sure what it is, but this is my thought, Tony. I don't know if you're religious or anything, but I'm a scientist. I believe humans evolved from primitive apes. Back then our ancient ancestors were just as wild and primal as these big kitties in here." He places a hand on the glass. One of the leopards stood up and stretched, then wandered closer to the hybrids.

"My theory," Jared continued, "Is when we evolved into the civilized species we are now, we buried that animal side of us deep inside ourselves. It's why I believe we got criminals: Those people who are letting their untamed ferocity out. Whatever this virus is, it not only changed us physical, but triggered that animal side of us our species had left dormant for millions of years.

"If that's the case." Tony asked, "Wouldn't that mean that the space man theory isn't too farfetched?"

Jared shrugged, "I don't have all the answers, Tony, just the ones that make sense to me. I'm still the same guy I was before the change, but now I feel more myself than I ever was."

As he spoke, the standing leopard was now coming up against the glass enclosure and pressed his cheek on the spot where Jared's hand rested.

"See that?" He said motioning to the large cat. "A foot thick of Plexiglas, and he instinctively sees me as a friend still. I can do things no other zookeeper can do around this park. Even other cats aren't as timid of me. They recognize me not only as one of them, but probably superior to them."

That word made Tony flinch, "Superior? You think you're better than they are?"

"Yeah, I do." Jared patted the glass wall gently and grinning with a toothy smile. "I'm not the one in a cage now, am I?"

---

Although the news reports tapered down once the surviving hybrids started going back to their lives, it didn't seem to stop them from talking about nothing but every other hour. Between the old newscasts of murders, assault and conflicts around the globe, there was a lot of time devoted to the new hybrid culture. Headline news rang out of hybrids who had survived only to suffer violent outbursts as they couldn't seem to control their rage and malice at their predicaments. It seemed like every day there was some hybrid tearing up a home or the rare street rampage only to be either hit with a tazer or shot.

Tony tried not to watch those news reports, but instead kept watching the newly formed entertainment and lifestyle news regarding--what else--Hybrids. Reporters from all over the globe were showing off some of the surviving hybrids who were making a name for themselves: Actors and actresses who were being recast as monsters or even whole new comedy or drama shows staring some newly or re-discovered hybrid actor. Some of them were even popular before the infection and now they were getting new gigs. One show that involved a popular comedian, was not being rewritten, as she came back as a golden retriever and doing jokes on the being a hybrid canine, from friends putting a fire hydrant by her toilet to her sudden urge to chase cars on the streets.

Other pop stars had reinvented themselves as well as new performers. One young teenager, Miranda T., had been an up-and-coming pop star, but after the infection, her new form of a mouse only seemed to make her star rise more. Her cute new appearance along with her high squeaky voice seemed to appeal to teenagers who embraced her enthusiastically. She even had changed her stage name to "Cheesy T" which seemed to fit her new rodent form. The new species of human animal hybrids seemed to revitalize Hollywood in lieu of new stories, movies and music.

That was one good thing about the news: Hybrids were being embraced by the younger generation. They were new, hot and trendy, and polls showed that those of the 16 to 26 year age range approved of the new 'race'. Clothing stores were now selling animal ear and tail accessories that were doing quite well to the fur-friendly generation. Social media was filled with selfie pictures of hybrids posing with their human friends, while YouTube was showing movies of hybrids performing feats of strength and skill with their new physical prowess. One hot video was showing humans throwing Frisbee while a hybrid teen with the form of a German shepherd was learning to catch the Frisbee in her teeth. While it attracted over a million hits, comments were mixed. While many thought that seeing a hybrid in action was amazing, others thought degrading the woman like she was a common pet was unacceptable. The hybrid woman commented back on the video saying that she not only didn't feel degraded, but was even considering promoting it as a new exercise craze.

Helen and the other hybrid girls had talked about fashion, but Tony had been amazed to see how quickly people on social media and businesses were quickly working on outfits for the new species of hybrids. The big trouble people were finding was that hybrids now all had some kind of tail, some small and puffy like Helen's bunny tail, others like Tony's or Nicole's which were thicker and more prominent. Wearing pants with a tail proved difficult and uncomfortable, as the tail forced the pants down far lower than was practical, making Tony at times tug on his pants to feel as if they were about to fall down around his ankles. Some industrious fashion designers started to actually take measurements and classify tails like one would treat bra sizes, and special pants and shorts were created that had a U-shaped hole cut out of the back and a snap or elastic band over the top to keep the pants secure. Earrings and accessories became new and elaborate, as hybrids and humans alike were getting into collars for both the neck and even the base of the tail. One such example was a female model, her body taking the form of a ferret was displaying a studded collar at the base of her thick tail, which to Tony's eyes seemed to emphasize the hybrid girl's toned backside surprisingly well.

Other more serious news was mostly from political pundits who were trying to address the new race of Hybrids. There had been some who argued that Hybrids were no longer human, but no one argued that they didn't deserve human rights like any other human. Others saw that hybrids would become a new demographic for politicians to try to appease.

"We're seeing a dramatic new paradigm in society." One talking head announced during a forum discussion, "This new species of humanity will have an impact on everything: entertainment, commerce, philosophy, politics and even religion."

One show on the news really seemed to catch everyone's attention. A self-proclaimed expert on Anthropomorphism, Dr. Malcolm Schwartz who was now calling himself a Hybridologist was interviewed about his studies.

"The fact is," Dr. Schwartz began, "Is that Hybrids had been a part of our history since even prehistoric times. We have discovered ancient Aborigine cave paintings of antelope headed humanoids from as far back as 35,000 B.C. as well as the famous cave paintings of "The Sorcerer" in Trois-Frères, France, dated around 13,000 B.C. The ancient Egyptian pantheon, Roman mythology, and the Hindu religion all have depictions of animals with human like characteristics." He even went on to show how the bible itself talked about therianthropic tendencies, using the story in the book of Numbers where Balaam's donkey was given the power to speak. He used the excerpts in the book of Revelation where Jesus himself was seen as a lamb or the divine beings around the throne were a mix of humanoid and animal as a way that ancient civilizations regarded using humanoid animals as a way to depict the divine or supernatural. The interview went on about how classic literature like La Fontaine, Beatrix Potter and others as well as modern day cartoons staring Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny are all part of our human fascination with hybrids.

"It's no wonder our generation is in love with Hybrids." Schwartz concluded, "Because they are only embracing a mindset that has been a part of us on a historical and spiritual level. The late Chuck Jones, creator of Bugs Bunny and a predominate animator once answered why cartoonists humanized animals was cause "it is easier and more believable to humanize animals than it is to humanize humans."

The news reporter then got to the true subject of this particular interview, "So your claim about the Moreau strain is based off this research?"

Dr. Schwartz folded his hands on the table in front of him. "It's too early to tell and this is all speculation, but the nature of my findings has caused quite a stir among my intellectual peers as well as those who are following me on social media." Tony scribbled the Doctor's name and the link information that flashed on the screen for later.

"It is my belief that based on the history our people have had with therianthropic life forms may not be based solely on imaginations or wild drug-induced ranting. Seeing the very creatures of legend now in our world and before our eyes leads me to believe that the Moreau strain was not artificial, but natural."

He heard a gasp and Tony looked over his shoulder to see both his parents watching with shocked faces. He went back to the screen and listened in on the Doctor.

"It is quite possible that the virus that has turned millions of humans into half-animal creatures is the direct result of some natural viral element that has laid dormant, only to be triggered by a particular genetic marker or environmental condition. I am not so inclined for genetics, though we have noticed a direct correlation in the victims' genetic code. The virus itself may have only been contained somehow by something in the environment, lying dormant in an iceberg or buried deep in the earth, only to have human intervention cause it to suddenly awaken and run rampant, like global warming melting the ice, or even the carving up of some patch of the rainforest. It could even be some natural occurring event: some cosmic event that occurs once in a thousand years, and only during this one event does it affect more people than ever."

"That's quite a stretch, Doctor." The reporter inquired. "How would you explain how so many were transformed this time around, when only a few depictions were found over the centuries?"

Dr. Schwartz took a moment to choose his words carefully, "I'm not so arrogant to admit that I haven't a clue. The Moreau strain is something our species has not had to deal with in a scope like this for millennia. I can only assume that the current population of the earth is unprecedented on the earth at this time and since we have had few to no cases of therianthropic transformations during that time, the genetic code that would trigger the virus would lay dormant and began to populate rapidly throughout the earth until the current time when the virus found a buffet of compatible hosts to infect."

He took a moment to let all that sink in before he concluded, "Again it is speculation based on historical research and deductive reasoning. I'll admit that I could be very wrong about all this and it could be some extra-terrestrial tampering or some dark magic hoo-doo; however, the evidence is still there that we might be seeing something that has occurred in periods of ancient history, and while accounts are sketchy, we cannot dismiss it as just mythology any longer."

Jack reached down for the remote and muted the sound as the reporter went to commercial break, "Un. Real." he said shaking his head, "They'll put anyone on television nowadays."

"I think he's right." Tony declared.

Jack and Terrie both looked at their son in disbelief, "You really think that huckster's story is true?" Terrie questioned.

Tony stood, towering slightly over his own parents, "Look at me, mom. A year ago, something like this was only seen in cartoons or on a box of kid's cereal. Now I'm a living breathing piece of mythology."

"Yeah," Jack protested, "But still...You can't honestly expect anyone to believe this is natural."

"Maybe not all-natural" Tony replied, "But I've been adapting really quickly to this new body and all the strange gifts it comes with far faster than I should." He told them about his conversation with Jared at the animal park as well as his own experiments which he had already told his father before.

"When you put it that way," Terrie concluded, "I'm starting to think this guy may not be as big a snake-oil salesman as I thought." Jack wasn't so easily convinced.

That night, Tony pecked on the keyboard of his computer for Dr. Schwartz's Facebook page. His fingers had become so large, that he had to start actually using his claws to gently tap the keys rather than the meaty fingers he now had. It took longer, but he was thankful that like everything else, his body was adapting to the change swiftly. Sure enough, he found the Doctor's Facebook and twitter information which Tony connected to his own computer and personal phone. One thing he could say about having claws was that he now also had his own built in styluses, especially the claw on his first finger which he had filed down to a blunt tip and used it to poke effectively onto his phone screen.

He decided to send a brief message to the Doctor, mentioning his own experiments with his ability to pick out scents. He might be one of a million people and hybrids communicating to the doctor, but at least he could tell someone about it other than his immediate family, and it gave him some satisfaction that he could vent in this way.

---

The next morning, Tony was surprised when he found a message on his own email. It was from Doctor Schwartz.

Mr. Hendrix,

I am intrigued by your account and would like to discuss your situation further face-to-face. I understand if you refuse this offer since my interview on television did not go over well among others; however, I feel like your story might be one of many that I would like to put together as part of a research study I am conducting. I will gladly offer monetary compensation and assurance of your privacy as part of the study should you accept. Please contact me when you can.

Dr. Malcolm Schwartz, Ph.D.

"Absolutely not!" Jack erupted, putting his foot down, "I don't want you becoming some nutcase's guinea pig--I don't care if he is a legitimate scientist!

Tony's ears flatten, "Dad," he countered, "This could be a chance for me to finally figure out something about my condition."

Jack stepped closer to his son, "Or become put on some mad scientist's dissection tray!"

"That's ridiculous dad!" Tony scolded, "You've been watching too much Dexter. This doctor might have some serious answers for me. I got to at least try!"

"You may be a foot taller than me, Anthony, but I'm still your father. This smells of a setup."

Terrie stepped in and put a reassuring hand on Jack's shoulder, "Dear, I think we should go with him."

Jack turned at her with confusion, "Terrie! Why on earth are you...?"

"Jack," she interrupted gently, "we need to start trusting someone sooner or later. Besides, I'd like to see this doctor for myself and see if he's legitimate, and Tony can't be hidden in the house forever like Delilah."

There was a tug on his pants and Jack looked down, seeing Delilah pawing at his pants and letting out a gentle whine.

Terrie giggled, "I think you're outvoted, dear."

Jack let out a sigh and threw up his hands. It had been a family vote apparently, and Jack reluctantly conceded to the majority.

That weekend, the whole Hendrix family, Delilah included, piled into the SUV and drove to the clinic where Dr. Schwartz wished to meet with Tony. During his brief conversation with the doctor, he mentioned his parents and his pet dog were attending for moral support. The Doctor actually approved of that as he wished to see how Tony interacted with Delilah as well. The hospital was out in Portland and it took some time to reach the moderately sized building. It was modern with tall white walls and lots of windows. Finely trimmed hedges lined around the clinic and a well-manicured law smelled of being freshly mown.

The Hendrix family was escorted in with Delilah on a leash to the lobby. There, Doctor Schwartz and another hybrid met them. The other hybrid was even bigger than Tony, and had all the features of a male lion. Dr. Schwartz shook hands to the family and introduced himself properly.

"I'm Dr. Earle" The lion greeted, "Medical researcher here at the Dawn institute. You must be Tony?"

"Yes sir." He said, shaking the hybrid doctor's hand. It was somewhat refreshing to shake another hybrid's hand considering he worried about breaking the hands of other humans with his massive paw.

"Please, call me Eric." The lion said with a sideways grin, "And this must be Delilah."

Eric knelt down and Delilah cringed, hiding against Tony's leg. He held out his paw, palm up and Delilah simply growled.

"Delilah." Tony said calmly, "It's ok, he's a friend." He tried to will his emotions to exude friendship so Delilah could pick up that scent, but she was still acting defensive.

"Interesting." Eric mentioned as he looked up at Tony, "Your scent changed."

Tony looked at the doctor in amazement, "You can tell?"

The lion nodded, his thick orange mane fluttering, "You're not the only one who has noticed the uniqueness of our senses." The doctor turned back to Delilah and held out his paw. Delilah sniffed the air and started to relax some, then leaned over to sniff at the lion hybrid's paw.

"So that's how it works." Eric quietly spoke. When Delilah seemed to relax more, he turned his hand over and petted the collie's head affectionately.

"Dr. Earle here is quite an expert of Animal physiology." Dr. Schwartz explained, "He had been working with Lions in Africa when the infection hit."

That explains why he looks like a lion, Tony thought. Most of those infected had changed into some kind of animal that they had been in close proximity to at the time of the infection, like a family pet. He should have realized that vets and animal specialists might look something more exotic.

"I'm curious," Jack asked the Doctors, "Why you took such a sudden interest in my son."

Eric and Malcolm both looked at each other than grinned, "Well," Doctor Schwartz answered, "we had our research we wanted to perform, for one."

Here it comes, Jack thought, expecting these two doctors to want to poke and prod his son just like they did at the hospital.

"However," Dr. Earle filled in, "we also had learned a lot about Mr. Hendrix from other sources."

"Other sources?" Tony asked, "The Hospital?" It was the only place they could have known about him.

The hybrid doctor grinned wider, "In a way. One of our interns..."

"PUPPY!"

The girlish squeal and a sudden petite form rushed in between the doctors and practically tackled into Tony. He instinctively grabbed at the form until he saw the familiar face of a young lapine girl in a set of blue hospital scrubs, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Helen?"

Tony lifted the familiar white rabbit up and laughed as they embraced like old friends. Eventually he put her down and let Jack and Terrie greet her as well. Delilah looked cautiously at the girl and seemed unsure what to do when she reached over to scratch her ears.

"I'm so glad you came in and accepted the offer, Tone!" Helen chimed in. "This is a great place to work, I promise you!"

"Helen..." Eric said with a frown, "We haven't mentioned that yet..."

The bunny girl's ears flopped over and she cringed, "Oops...sorry Doc...Spoiler alert..."

"What is she talking about?" Jack inquired, staring at the two doctors incredulously.

"We were going to ask after we had some time with you." Dr. Schwartz said, giving Helen a withering glance that made her ears droop even more. "Until the young blabbermouth here spoiled the surprise."

"I said I was sorry, Dr. Schwartz."

Tony was dumbfounded at all this. "What exactly is going on, Doctor?"

Rather than answer his question, Dr. Earle ushered everyone into a meeting room. Helen had gripped hold of Tony's arm while Jack and Terrie both glanced over on occasion and simply grinned. Tony was so perplexed by what was going on that he failed to see the signs in front of him as they were seated. Delilah sat next to Tony, deciding that Helen had grabbed onto Tony enough and sat between the two hybrids.

Once everyone was settled in, Dr. Earle began, "This is the Dawn institute, an independent organization originally meant as a think tank to help study the ramifications of global pandemics and their after effects. We were consultants for the U.S. Government and homeland security to prepare in case of a major outbreak."

Dr. Schwartz stepped in, "Once the Moreau strain hit full force, the institute was set in charge to deal with the crisis, helping manage medical teams around the United States and even in many of the major cities around the world. Afterwards, the board of directors of the institute realized that those infected were going to have long-term changes to everything on the globe in all aspects: political, societal and even spiritual.

"Spiritual?" Terrie asked.

"You'd be surprised how people are turning to God over this." Dr. Earle chimed in. "Not to mention a lot of old tribal religions and even the Celtic druid form of worship is resurfacing in places."

"I even hear the Egyptians are exploring the old Gods of the Pharaohs." Schwartz interjected. "This event has caused a lot of us to question some of the old mythologies as maybe having a grain of truth. It's one of the many subjects that is part of my research into the Moreau strain."

Tony verbally stepped in, "I agree with you, Doc; but, I think I wouldn't be the only one." He went in about his discussion with Jared at the Zoo. The Doctors all drank it in heavily.

"Wow." Helen intoned, stroking one of her long leafy ears, "With all I've seen here, I'm thinking Malcolm's onto something."

"Indeed." Dr. Earle commented, stroking his furry chin. "It's astonishing how well many of us hybrids have grown so accustomed to our new forms, and the new abilities they have."

Jack, Terrie and Dr. Schwartz had a mixture of emotions. Jack looked naturally skeptical over all this, while Dr. Schwartz seemed almost envious, secretly wishing he had underwent the transformation himself. Terrie on the other hand was thinking of something completely unrelated that seemed to fasten into her awareness.

"Can Hybrids have kids?" She suddenly blurted out. Tony and Helen's ears perked high as they turned to the human mother as Dr. Earle seemed to cough on an imagined hairball.

As if to save the day, Dr. Schwartz intercepted the question, "It is actually possible for healthy hybrids to actually have offspring. In fact, we have been getting reports of many hybrid couples in the late stages of pregnancy and being monitored by the CDC and the institute branches."

Tony's eyes widened. "You serious?"

"Of course! It is too early to tell what the resulting children are yet, since many hybrids appear as a different species entirely. We aren't sure what the mutations will be after something this profound happens."

Helen seemed to be thinking when she caught the eyes of Terrie in her peripheral vision. Mrs. Hendrix was looking over her appraisingly and seemed to have a slight smirk. It did not take long for Helen to realize what was going on and she turned to look at Tony, her ears reddening and flattened back slightly.

"This is all too much for me." Jack finally declared, "I feel like I need to come up for air or something."

"That is why we are here." Dr. Earle reassured Tony's father. "The Dawn institute is dedicated to trying to find the answers and see that Hybrids become a part of the culture with little or no problems."

Tony tilted his canine head some, "You're expecting actual discrimination?" He said disbelieving.

"Sadly, yes." Dr. Schwartz explained, "We've already seen growing unrest in the Middle east."

"The middle east is always like that." Jack said.

"Yes," Dr. Schwartz replied, "But now there is even more going on as religious leaders and other groups are calling for the death of any who have been, as they call it "Cursed by Allah." Syria and Pakistan has been clamping down on the attacks on hybrids, but places like Iran and Iraq have seen several deaths of hybrids and their un-infected families cleansed for being impure."

Tony felt his father's hand on his thigh and turned to see his comforting stare. Tony was thinking the same thing--Thank God he was an American. He turned to notice that Terrie had stepped in closer to Helen and held her furry paw in hers. They both seemed to be smiling at each other, and even Tony noticed the strange look between them. What are those two up to, he wondered cluelessly.

Breaking the tension, Dr. Schwartz cleared his throat, "That being said, we would like to make an offer to you, Mr. Hendrix. We're interested in having hybrids like yourselves to help us learn more about your new forms and abilities."

"Here we go." Jack blurted, looking ready to rise up and face down the doctors, "You're going to turn my son into a lab rat?"

"Actually," Dr. Earle inserted, "we were thinking of a job as a researcher."

Tony's ears flagged erect, "Me? What would I know about research?"

"I hope you are not offended, Anthony," Dr. Earle said apologetically, "But we learned that you were already planning on attending College with a degree in Zoology."

Jack and Terrie both looked at their son in stunned amazement, "Zoology?" they said in unison.

Tony shrugged, "I thought I could learn something--maybe even help other hybrids like me someday." He had gone and done some inquiries, finding several colleges who were supporting degrees in Biology, Zoology and Veterinary Medicine. He went through the various programs and settled on Zoology.

Everyone seemed to smile except for Tony's dad. He had been acting like he was against all of Tony's choices since he got back from the hospital. Rather than say it outright, he mentally noted that he would have private words with his father later. For now, learning what opportunity he could get from here was primary in his mind.

"I wasn't really sure what kind of subject to learn to better understand my situation. I thought psychology to help people cope with the changes or zoology to learn more about what I am." Tony shrugged, looking to the human and hybrid doctor for their advice.

"Well this is better than I anticipated, Anthony." Dr. Earle said with a gleam in his feline eyes. "It's a subject matter we've been talking with members of the department of education and several medical associations."

"We're actually starting" Dr. Schwartz continued, "an education program particularly for hybrids. We have several courses planned and they involve a variety of subject matter from anthropology, psychology, biology and medicine."

"That might be a bit more than I can handle." Tony said with a bit of a nervous chuckle.

Dr. Schwartz smiled as Dr. Earle snerked. "Of course we're still working on the curriculum, but there is a general hybridology course to start followed by more specific course programs to focus on."

"Hybridology?" Terrie questioned.

"Not exactly a traditional term," Dr. Earle said with a toothy grin, "But we're no longer dealing with something we would consider traditional."

For the next twenty minutes, both doctors explained that the institute is forming the hybrid dawn program, a scholarship for both humans and hybrid hopefuls could attend college to begin the process of creating specialists in the field in the new science of Hybridology. Those selected would attend a two year general education course where they would get a base understanding of current theory as well as a general knowledge in science, anthropology and biology. Once they completed the course, they would then be able to decide on another two year advanced course where they would specify their field of interest. There were requirements that students must maintain at least a 3.5 grade average as well as be interned in a nearby Dawn institute branch office. Helen had already joined the program, and the doctors both determined that Tony was also a perfect candidate with his own high school transcript.

When the doctors were done explaining, Tony felt light headed with the situation. It was as if he had suddenly won the lottery and didn't know how he would spend the money. He had expected to attend community college rather than going to a prestigious university, and even with that, have virtually everything paid for save basic expenses.

"I...wow..." was all that Tony could say at the moment.

"It's an opportunity of a lifetime, Tony!" Helen said, reaching out a paw atop of his, "You really should consider it."

At that moment, Jack stood up and turned, storming out of the room, "I need some air!" He blurted as he left. Terrie looked stunned and abashed at her husband's reaction as the two doctors seemed also taken aback.

"Would you all excuse me?" Tony said, standing up, "I think me and Dad need to discuss this." Before he got any response, Tony strode out the door and went looking for his father. That little private chat he was going to have was going to be sooner than he anticipated.

It didn't take long for his nose to sniff out his father, who was out in a small garden area to the side of the institute. He was staring out into the nearby trees, arms folded across his chest and bouncing on his feet. Puffs of smoke wafted from over her head, and Tony's nose realized that his father had reverted back to the nasty habit of smoking once more.

"Dad?" Tony said calmly, trying not to let his frustration show, "Everything okay?"

There was a long pause and Jack's hand reached up to pull the cigarette from his lips, "You know, son," he began, "I swore off these things so many years ago. I thought I'd be unable to handle these anymore but it looks like my body hasn't forgotten."

Tony was done playing these games and stood next to his father, "What the hell is wrong, dad?" He finally asked his human father. "You've been acting weird to everyone since I got back from the hospital." Of course, Tony had a good idea what was wrong, but he wanted to hear it from his father's own voice.

"Nothing's wrong, son." Jack said with a tremor in his voice that Tony instantly heard, "Just felt like a smoke is all."

Tony stood in front of his father, his huge frame shadowing Jack like a cloud.

"Bullshit!" Tony swore, "Something's eating at you and I deserve to know what it is!"

Jack's face soured as he looked up at his large son...his hybrid son...his freakish son who couldn't even be seen as human again. Emotions started to creep to the surface and he tried to assert his patriarchal authority.

"I don't have to answer to you, son." Jack said his face in a scowl.

"Why won't you talk to me, dad?" Tony implored, kneeling down to stare at his father face to face. "I'm your son. You've always been there to talk to me when I have a problem, so why can't I help you?"

Jack face went from angry to anguished and he crushed the cigarette in his fingers, "Because I can't help you anymore, Tony!" Jack finally roared. "My son has turned into some sort of....of..." His mouth wanted to say the word, but he would not let it come out.

Hearing his father's frustration and anger caused Tony's own neck fur to bristle, "Say it Dad" Tony barked, his lips curled in a short snarl, "Say it. I'm a freak!"

Jack started, seeing the growing anger in his son's snarling muzzle. "No!" Jack said, obviously realizing that his son misunderstood, "I would never call you that! Never!"

"Then why Dad?" Tony barked, showing more anger than he should have, "Why are you acting like a jerk all of a sudden? Ever since I got back from the hospital, you've been acting so sour and bitter." He honestly felt a pang in his heart, thinking his father was disgusted with him; that he had become some beast and not his young boy. "Is it because I've turned into this inhuman beast? Is that it? Am I no longer human enough for you?"

"No!" Jack retorted angrily, "Don't you ever say that again! You're still my son, no matter what you look like! You're still my boy!"

"Then why dad?" Tony roared in a burst of cathartic fury, "What the hell is the matter with you then!?"

"I can't do nothing for you, damn it!" Jack blurted that out in such pent up rage that even he was surprised by his emotion. He stared amazed at his release up into Tony's own. His son's face switched from anger to confusion, taken aback by his father's outburst.

The Genie was out of the bottle, Jack thought as his shoulders slumped, "The moment you were in the hospital," He started, struggling to form words with his tightening throat, "I just stood there watching, seeing you changing before my eyes. I held your mother as I watched as your body contorted, and hearing you cry out in pain." He shuddered eyes turned away from his son. "...I even tried to attack one of the doctors, but had some Government goon hold me down with a gun to my head."

"You shitting me, dad?" Tony had never heard about this and chances are his mom didn't either.

Tony had been virtually comatose during the transformation, and those times he was awake, he barely remembered anything. He had been thankful about that, but now hearing and seeing how his father cringed remembering his transformation brought it home. Suddenly his nose caught a scent from his father, mingled with the now dissipating cigarette smoke. It had a tinge of bitterness and stung his nostrils. The moment he smelled it, his canine mind recognized that scent: Sadness mixed with fear. His dad was truly feeling such bitter emotions that it literally reeked from his body like a cloud.

"Dad..." He said soothingly, his ears flat and crouched down closer, "It's all better now, okay? That's over with." The bitter smell continued and Tony realized how serious this was.

"It's not over, son." Jack struggled to say, his eyes turning moist. "I see what you've become and...I don't know what to do for you. Dads are supposed to teach their teenage sons how to shave, drive a car, and about the birds and bees." He looked up at his son's canine features and shook his head, "What am I supposed to teach you now? How to sit? Beg? Roll over?" It was his attempt at levity, but by the look of Jack's contorted face and watering eyes, he was not feeling jovial. He had endured what no father should have endured save a child's death. It had felt as if his son had died that day in the hospital, replaced by this large bestial creature that now towered over him. He had never felt as helpless then as he did now confessing it to his own son.

Never in his life did Tony ever see his father cry; however, his father was now racked as he fought back the sobs. This was the same man who raised him, showed such strength and integrity: he had taught him to ride a bike, catch a baseball, even taught him to always open a door for a woman or to always tell the truth no matter how much it hurt. Now he was living that, and the truth did hurt--a lot. He felt his own throat tighten as he reached down and covered his father in his furry body. His dad's arms, those strong powerful arms that had lifted him up from scrapes and falls now clutched at his furry pelt grabbing handfuls of his fur and the strong visage of his loving parent was now breaking down in his chest.

"I had no idea, dad." Tony whispered, fighting back his own growing emotion. "I had no idea this was tearing you up inside. We'll get through this together, dad. You and me."

He held his father for the longest time, not at all caring at the sight of a large canine hybrid enveloping a smaller human man around in a loving embrace. No one came in and no one interrupted as the two men shared a tearful new bond that would tie them together far more than anything else.

From around a corner, Terrie covered her mouth with her hand as she listened to the two men interact. Her own eyes grew cloudy as she had unwittingly stepped out to find Jack when she had heard their suddenly loud conversation. Now she was hearing her loving husband, the man that she had loved since High School revealing the heartache in his own soul. She knew it was male pride that prevented him from saying it to her--his attempt to be strong for his wife--it was not unappreciated. She had needed that man's strength during the time in the hospital, and it was the one thing that held her together more than anything. Now he was finally letting it out: all the pent up frustration, tension and spite for the wrongs done to his son, and how powerless and vulnerable he had become. Jack would heal now, and Terrie would once again have her loving strong husband back.

From behind, a furry hand reached over to gently touch Terrie's shoulder. She glanced back unsurprisingly to see the kind lapine face of Helen looking at her, her own eyes glistening with emotion. She had heard it too, it seems, and the human mother reached up to envelop her own fingers over Helen's paw. Without another word, the two women stepped back into the building, allowing the men a chance to be alone for a bit longer.

Everyone eventually returned to the lobby where Dr. Schwartz and Earle met up with the Hendrix family. Tony and Jack came together, looking somewhat weary but smiling broadly. Terrie and Helen were walking together and as soon as they came up to the men, Terrie reached over to kiss her husband on the cheek. Something passed between the two as she wrapped her arm around her husband's bicep. Jack suddenly looked at her, turned a bit red in the face and looked away slightly, feeling embarrassed for some odd reason.

Tony on the other hand was surprised to see Helen cozy up against him, her eyes bright and her lapine mouth in a warm smile. Unlike his father, he looked at her curiously, oblivious to the situation.

"So." Dr. Schwartz began, clapping his hands enthusiastically, "I take it everyone had a chance to ruminate over the offer."

Dr. Earle's paw rested on his associate's shoulder, "We should give Tony and his family some time to think it through first. It is a big decision after all."

"Actually," Tony interjected, "I have thought it through." He looked to his parents and them at him. His father smiled proudly at his son and nodded, his mother doing the same.

Anthony Hendrix smiled a toothy canine grin, "I'll accept your offer."