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Diane suddenly had the feeling that she had overslept. Her mind pieced together all the things she needed to do as she forced herself to wake up: get clean, make breakfast, make sure the kids were ready for school, clean the house. Her brain told her it was Friday, so it was waffle day. Then it reminded her that it was July, so no school. She remembered that Julie Ann and Brian were staying with her vet friend, so only Kristine. She opened her eyes and remembered that she wasn't home. A little panic washed through her as she wondered what Brandon was thinking, then she remembered him telling her to be back Monday. It felt strange not having anything to do. She looked down the bed and saw her daughter sitting at her feet, smiling at her, "Good morning, Kristine."

"Good morning, mom." The young girl bounced a little, obviously excited about something.

She sat up, remembering how she got to the hotel, "Where's your aunt Jane?"

"She's in the shower getting ready."

"What time is it?" She checked the bedside table and found her phone.

"It's after eight. Aunt Jane has something to do at nine and she's going to take me with her. She says I get to meet some of her furry friends."

"Oh, I should go with you." She tossed off the covers and swung her legs out of bed as the bathroom door opened.

"Ah good, you're awake. I don't have to write you a note. Kristine is going to come with me to a panel this morning."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Jane continued getting ready, "You looked like you really needed the sleep. Besides, I don't think you're ready for this one."

"Well, why are you taking Kristine?"

"The panel is Representing Species Identity Through Costuming. I don't think she'll understand some of the identity things we discuss, but for her it will be a safe place to meet some morphs and furries all together.You should start here." She handed her sister a magazine-like book. "This is the conbook. The first article is a welcome and tells the history of Anthrocon, then you can find stories and other articles and the schedule. You don't have to read them all. Also, here's a separate copy of the schedule. I've marked where I'll be, so you can find us when you're ready. Oh, and most important." She rushed to the desk in the corner. She handed her sister a name badge, then knelt to attach another labeled Big K to Kristine's shirt, which depicted a couple dancing morphs under the word Anthrocon. "Keep these on at all times. They're your ticket for getting in con places. Now, yours have some extra marks to help. Kristine's has the big, florescent orange dot to indicate she's a minor and you both have marks for first-time and non-furry. If you have any problems, security wears red, labeled shirts and they'll be happy to help. Pretty much anybody would be happy to help, we like to make a good first impression around here. Just be as careful as you normally would and you'll be fine. I've let some of my friends know you're here, so they'll probably look out for you, too. Now, I need to get going. I have to be there early and I'm running late. Take it easy and enjoy yourself and I'll see you later. Come on Big K, we've got to hurry." She grabbed a large tote and dragged it behind her as they left.

Diane looked at the conbook and name badge in her hands and tried to absorb everything her sister had just said. She was at a convention for morphs and morph fans. She looked at the colorful cover, a collage of different morph species and costumes. People enjoyed this and they would be having fun here. She took a breath opened the book. The title page showed a fox playing leapfrog with a human under the name of the convention with dates and other info below. The next page showed a list of staff. Down near the bottom, she saw her sister's name and she laughed; Jane was never one to just go along for the ride. Facing that was the welcome letter.

---

Welcome to the sixth year of Anthrocon Revived.

We're glad you came. It means a lot to us, because we do this all for you. Since the first Anthrocon in 1997, there has been a long history of welcoming all types of people. Over the years, Anthrocon quickly grew to become the largest anthropomorphics convention in the world, inspiring many other conventions.

After the creation of morphs, the fandom changed. They were no longer fans of a fantasy; the fantasy had become real. Unfortunately, here in America, the dream was a nightmare. A community of fun became a family of friends fighting for change. Anthrocon took on a new form, a collective voice in support of morph freedom. It took a lot to get here, but morphs are part of our world.

This revival of the original convention strives to bring back the fun by celebrating not just the anthropomorphic characters that have been with us throughout history, but the morphs that walk among us today. So, whether you are a furry, a morph, or just curious, welcome to our weekend celebration.

We've got a ton of things planned, so be sure to check the schedule. Stop by the Dealer's Den to shop thousands of goodies. Visit Artist's Alley for something personal. Be sure to catch some of the shows, including our variety talent show. And don't miss the third annual Morph Pride Parade on Saturday. It's a fun filled weekend and we're glad you're here! Thanks for coming.

Nicolas "NikNak" Barriger

Con Director

---

That short welcome letter gave her a lot to think about. She had never really considered morphs. Growing up in a small town in the middle of Pennsylvania, she didn't see many. In fact, the first one she saw was a dog carrying someone's luggage at the train station when she was twelve. She heard about the protests and petitions, but it didn't matter to her. She was trying to raise her family with her new husband. She thought it funny she still thought of him as knew, even by then she had been with him for four years and had two children. The truth was, she still loved Robert, her first husband. He was a wonderful man, taken too soon. She missed his smile and his bright red hair and all the little things he did to show that he loved her.

Brandon was nice and took care of her and she loved him, too. At least, before he was sent down to clean up the riots in Australia. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that he did come back completely different. He was distant and moody. She had given him time and done everything she could to support him, but she didn't feel the same love from him anymore. She wondered if the morphs did something to him down there, but he never wanted to talk about it. She wondered if these morphs and furries were anything like the morphs down there.

She flipped the page and the next article seemed to offer to answer her question

---

What is a furry?

by Amberine

Historically, the furry fandom was a group of people that had an interest in anthropomorphics: any animation, art, stories, etc that included characters that merged human and animal traits. They could be just animals thinking like humans or anything up to and beyond what we see as morphs today. The furry fandom not only enjoyed, but also created many of these works, developing their own sub-culture, spread among many cultures across the world.

With the advent of morphs, the line between fiction and reality blurred. Many were happy to see their dreams come true, while others felt that having real morphs ruined the fantasy. In the US, this split was shadowed by another divide as the creation of morphs was propagated by commercial industry. With the market for people wanting a morph child (and could afford it) slim, the companies turned to other ways to make a profit and morph slavery began. In response, furry conventions shifted from fun and altruism to gathered protests and raising money to purchase morphs out of slavery.

Today, with the freedom of morphs, being a furry is about supporting these amazing people and the history that brought us together. People call themselves furry fans for many reasons and have different opinions on what is important, but most important is the community built around each other, believing that morphs and humans can live together, side by side.

Are you a furry? To answer that, you only have to ask yourself one question: Do you want to be? While people are born morph or human, there is no absolute about the fandom. Being a furry is completely voluntary. If you like some part of anthropomorphics, real or imaginary, you could be a furry, if you want to be. Even being a morph doesn't mean you have to participate. Just be you, however you want that to be.

If you do decide that you are a furry fan, there is a whole world of excitement waiting for you, from celebrating morph freedom and diversity to exploring the far reaches of imaginations brimming with new adventures. The furry fandom offers something for everyone that's interested and all you have to do is ask. So, what are you waiting for? Let your inner fur show and join the fun.

---

Diane still didn't think she was a furry. Sure, she had agreed with ending morph slavery, but she never did anything about it. She didn't know any morphs personally and from what Brandon had told her, she wasn't sure she wanted to. But that cat that met them had seemed nice and Jane never put up with anyone she didn't like. She wondered how long her sister had been working with morphs and these furries. She remembered Jane had followed the protests and tried to get her to join in, but she thought it was her sister's way of rebelling. She had fallen in love with Robert and wasn't interested in anything else, then lost him and wasn't interested in anything. He would probably have liked this, but he could have fun anywhere; that's what she loved about him.

The next page was a story about two morphs, a cat and a dog. It was romantic and well written, but she didn't think it needed to be morphs. She could have enjoyed the same story if they were both human, but then it wouldn't have been in this book. There were drawings filling empty space on the pages; some were very well done. She could understand how someone might like these sorts of things. Next was a story about morphs in space, but she wasn't interested. She found the schedule for the weekend on the middle pages

Apparently, there were even things happening before they had arrived the night before. She scanned through and found the panel her sister had said she was taking her daughter.

Representing Species Identity Through Costuming 9:00 am - DLCC 407 A discussion on personal species identity, trans-species adjustments, and various methods of expressing your inner species, including fursuits, makeup, prosthesis, temporary body modification, and more. Hosted by "Grover Pup" Al Tucker, Francis "BigRat" Percheron, and "Canary" Jane Lansig.

Her sister wasn't just going to the panel, she was hosting it! She's human, what would she know about morph species identity? And CanaryJane was just a childhood nickname; their dad had teased her for looking smug or guilty when she had done something she wasn't supposed to, "like the cat that swallowed the canary." Why was she using it here? Did she really think she was a canary?

She had to find out and make sure that her daughter didn't get mixed up and confused about who she was. She found her bag and quickly got dressed, then grabbed the conbook and the name badge and hurried out the door. The hall was empty as she headed for the elevators, until a brown morph with a long tail ran out from the elevator alcove and down the hall to a room. She hoped she wouldn't run into too many more on her way to find her sister.

She pushed the button and one of the elevators opened immediately to reveal a smiling red fox wearing jeans and a shirt for the convention. She stared at him for a moment, unsure of herself. As she hesitated, he reached out and stopped the doors from closing with a black paw. "Coming down?"

"Um, yes." She forced herself to not be rude and slipped into the elevator, trying to keep some distance between them.

He smiled and let the doors close, then pushed the already lit L.

She nervously watched the numbers count down, but couldn't help stealing a glance at the creature beside her. Her brain noticed that the fox's fur was the same color as her Robert's hair, but she told herself that she was just imagining it because she had been thinking of him. The elevator dinged and the door opened to the lobby. She hurried out, but stopped as she looked around at the various morphs, humans and costumes standing around. It wasn't as crowded as when they came in the night before, but it was still more than she was used to.

A friendly sounding voice behind her asked, "Where're ya headed?"

She looked at the conbook in her hands, trying to put her thoughts back on track. She quickly opened it and found the info again, "Um, 407?"

"You probably mean in the convention center. That's where I'm gone, so why doncha come with?"

She felt a hand on her shoulder, but when she looked, it was a black paw. She pulled away as she turned around, but tried not to seem too scared.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle ya. So's ya know, I'm headed there. You can follow if you like, but the conversation might be better with me, than my tail. Can't fault the view, though."

She watched him walk by and through the lobby. After looking around at the strangers, she hurried to catch up. He stopped at the curb outside and she walked up beside him.

He smiled at her, then started across the street, "The weather sure is being nice to us this weekend. Not a spot of rain planned."

"Um, yeah." She wasn't sure what to say to a fox morph, but she didn't want him to think she was staring at his tail.

"Should be good for the parade tomorrow. Will I see you there?"

"Um, I guess." She was glad he let her go ahead up the stairs, then wondered if he was looking at her. She hurried up the stairs, but he kept pace and caught her on the third floor.

"We have to cross over here and take the other stairs up." He opened the door and held it for her.

Diane looked out at the morphs, humans and costumes walking by as she stepped out. She took a breath and headed through the crowd towards the stairs the fox was pointing out. She hurried up to the top, then stopped, realizing she had forgotten where she was going.

The fox came up behind her and chuckled as he caught his breath, "You win. You've got some legs there. Now, 407's right over there and I'm this way for the Fox Box." He straightened up and smiled, "Sure you don't want to change your plans? I think you just might enjoy yourself with us."

"Um, no, thank you, and thank you." She started down the hall, but stopped as she saw a crowd filing out of 407: morphs, humans, humans in costumes, morphs in costumes, and stranger. She didn't see Jane or Kristine, so when there was a break in the flow, she slipped in and pressed herself against the wall. There were still a few left, talking by a raised platform with a table. At one end was a human guy wearing floppy blue ears down the side of his head. In the middle was a black horse and at the other end were Jane and Kristine. Her sister was busy packing something in her tote while talking to a brown bear, but Kristine saw her.

"Hi, mom!"

Everyone stopped talking to look at her and she wished she had something to say to them. She made herself move off the wall, towards them and they returned to their conversations, except Jane.

"There you are, sis. Looks like you're navigating the place alright."

"Uhm, yeah." She watched the bear as she nervously walked around her to get to her sister.

"Diane, this is..."

"Jane, what are you doing?"

Her sister sighed and looked at the bear, "Catch up with me later, Ulara,"

The bear nodded and left with an annoyed glance at Diane.

She stepped up to the table and whispered angrily at her sister, "What do you mean bringing Kristine to something like this? Do you really think you're one of these ... these ..."

"Furries?" Jane sat up with a defiant expression. "Yes, I'm a furry."

"And you actually think you're an animal?" She knew her sister was eccentric, but she couldn't believe she was actually crazy.

Jane smiled, "Diane, we're all animals. You never paid attention to anything I tried..."

Too much was falling apart in her life, she didn't need another disaster, "I can't let you warp my daughter like this. You'll have her believing that you're a canary."

"Mom, Canary's just her name. She's a..."

"Hush, Kristine, let's go." She grabbed her daughter's wrist and led her to the door.

"Mom, no!"

"Diane, you're making a mistake. There's no..."

She hurried out the door with her daughter in tow only to stop short as something jumped in front of her. She screamed and stumbled back into a sign. The morph screamed as well, then it fell over in the middle of the hall. She stared at the kangaroo looking surprised up at her as others rushed to check on the fallen morph.

They helped her back to her feet and she turned to Diane with an apologetic smile and offered a paw, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been hopping so fast inside."

She tried to catch her breath as she looked around at the crowd of morphs and costumes and even some humans growing in the hall. She felt trapped.

"Diane?"

She turned to see her sister looking worried and felt like even more was wrong.

"Mom, you're hurting me!"

She let go of her daughter's wrist and held her offending hand to her chest.

The kangaroo took her paw back, "It's okay. I'm sorry about scaring you." She smiled weakly, then turned and worked her way down the hall as the crowd slowly dispersed, muttering amongst themselves.

"Diane, why don't you come back in and have a seat for a bit."

She couldn't decide whether she wanted to hold onto her righteousness or admit that she was acting as out of control as she felt. She knew she needed to get out of the hall. She pushed past her sister and fell into the seat nearest the door, catching her head in her hands. She wasn't at home; she couldn't fall apart. She looked up and saw her sister talking with Kristine, then her daughter ran off to the table and Jane walked up to her.

"Diane ..."

"Jane, what's happening to me? My life is falling apart. I was at home and my kids were happy and I was happy and ... and ..." She started to cry, but Jane grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey. You're not falling apart. Your kids are happy. They're good kids. But it's time for a change. You needed to get out of that house so bad, you couldn't even tell. Welcome to the rest of the world. Now I'm gonna show you a good time this weekend, make sure you enjoy yourself, and find my sister again. Okay?" She ducked down to make sure her sister was looking at her.

Diane remembered this version of her sister: trying to force her to have fun. She thought about some of those times and slowly realized how much morphs were part of her sister's life back then. She never said she thought she was one, but she was always supporting them in one way or another. She also remembered a time, back before high school, when she used to be very close to her sister and realized that she was the one that had pulled away, trying to be grown up. Now her younger sister was proving to be more grown up than herself.

"Come on, sis. Let's get you cleaned up. Then we'll go down to the opening ceremonies, where you can just sit and watch. There's so much more to Anthrocon than this panel. Then we'll grab some lunch and see what you want to do then."

She got up and noticed that they were the only ones left in the room. As they headed for the door, where Kristine was waiting with Jane's tote, a raccoon came rushing in, pulling cart with a tote about as big as he was. He stopped short when he saw them, throwing his weight into stopping his freight. "Oh, uh, hi, um, are you guys going to be in here for a while?"

Jane smiled, "No, we're heading down to Opening Ceremonies."

"Right, right, um, right." He looked around quickly, then strained to get the tote moving again.

"Do you need a hand with that?"

"No, no thanks, uh, thank you." He pulled the tote into a corner beside the stage and shoved it against the wall. "There. It should be okay in here. Nothing's planned till I come back. Alright, let's go, everybody out." He ushered them out and Jane grabbed her tote from Kristine. "We'll just close the door there and nobody has any reason to go in and mess with it. Right? Now hurry off or you'll miss the opening ceremonies. I've got things to do." He made sure they were away from the door, then hurried down the stairs.

Jane pulled out her phone and swiped at it as they waited for the elevator; it dinged and the doors opened as she found what she was looking for. "Writing in Formation? What's in that huge tote?" She looked back to the room for a moment, curious about the raccoon, then slipped into the elevator after her family before the doors closed.