[Color=pink]Melanie Rose Pourri[/color][hr]
[I]Eukary Cafeteria, 12:00PM[/i]

The walk across the Quad was easier than before. Perhaps it was because of the few good things that happened today, or perhaps it was because the clouds were insulating the planet and the air was warming up. Whatever the case may be, Melanie was too hungry to think about the science behind it.

As soon as she opened the door to the cafeteria, Mel was overwhelmed with sensation. The lights were bright, the music and chatter was deafening, and all kinds of wonderous scents tantalized her snout. She briefly blocked the light as she entered the building, saying 'excuse me' automattic8slly as she went through the crowd. Noon to o'clock was one of the busiest times of day because it was lunch time for most and breakfast for many night class students. 

Mel grabbed a warm tray from the stack and looked around the cafeteria, weighing her many options. As an omnivore, she could eat just about anything served. She had even started trying human food since she attended college, trying breads and pastas and pastries not considered healthy for most animals, but that stuff sure was good. Her mouth watered just thinking about it. 

After grabbing a few things from the buffet tables she found a with a few empty spaces between her and the next person. It was not as good as an empty table, but it would have to do. She sat down, ignoring the silence that followed and the few sets of eyes glaring her way. A minute later, the chatter at the table resumed. 

But something felt different today--and not in a good way. People seemed angrier, tense. Some were in hurdles, whispering and pointing at newspapers and phones. Some people were speaking loudly, with furrowed brows, bared teeth and clenched fists. Groups were forming between species or least... humans and other animals? Mel looked back to the other end of the table and saw that the two humans staring back at her. She slid as far away as she could, then took cautious sip of worm-noodle soup. [Color=pink][i]What is going on?[/i][/color] Melanie wondered anxiously. Her paw shook slightly as she lifted her spoon.

[B]"YOU DARE CALL ME AN INFERIOR SPECIES!"[/B] a buff baboon bellowed at a tall, blond-haired human and unusually handsome human male. The baboon slammed his fist on a table 
causing a newspaper to float and land on the bench beside Melanie. He then stood up and pound his chest. [B]You are a [i]VIRUS,[/I] a [i]PLAGUE,[/i] on earth!"[/b] All eyes in the cafeteria turned toward the scene.

Melanien picked up a paper and read: 

[Quote]HUMAN VIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR GENETIC CONTAMINATION[/quote]
The article went on to say that a virus, still alive in us today, was responsible for our genetic similarity to humans. Humans, it seemed, were the only species to reach sapience on their own. Other animals, skunks included, piggy-backed on their evolution with help of the virus. However, the same virus that made animals sapient and anthropomorphic were slowly turning all creatures more and more human with each generation...

Melanie didn't know what to think of the article she was reading, but was becoming uneasy by the rift it was causing between species. Her heart raced as she looked back to the two male primates. The human crossed his arms and said something, but she couldn't hear what. Nearby humans laughed and that was it-- the baboon snapped. He howled, beat his chest, and charged.