dinohigh, no humans allowed!

The rain poured down, soaking everything in its path. Ephemera stood alone in the center of the playground, her clothes clinging to her body, drenched from the unrelenting storm. Her eyes darted around nervously as a group of bullies circled her like predators eyeing easy prey.

"Look at her," one of them jeered, his voice dripping with malice. "Think she's better than us just 'cause she's a fancy hybrid."

Another bully, a tall Triceratops, stepped forward, his horns gleaming in the rain. "Maybe she thinks she's too good for this school," he sneered, his large frame casting a shadow over her. "Let's see if we can knock her down a peg or two."

Ephemera's heart pounded in her chest, her pulse loud in her ears as the taunts cut through the air. She wanted to run, but her legs felt rooted to the ground, frozen by fear. Her throat was dry, but her eyes were wet, a mix of rain and tears streaking down her face.

"Freak!" another kid yelled from behind her, shoving her roughly. Ephemera stumbled forward, her balance failing her as her foot slid in the mud. She fell hard, splashing into the dirt, the cold and wet seeping into her bones.

Laughter erupted from the group, their voices a cacophony of cruelty that drowned out the sound of the rain. The Triceratops stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "See? Not so tough now, are ya?"

He lifted his foot, preparing to slam it down on her while she was still sprawled in the mud. Ephemera's mind raced, panic setting in. She could feel the weight of his massive foot about to crush her, and instinctively, she threw her arms over her head, bracing for impact.

Suddenly, a loud splash echoed through the rain. The Triceratops froze, his foot hovering mid-air. The jeering voices around them faltered as something shifted in the atmosphere. Out of the corner of her eye, Ephemera saw a figure break through the rain—a tall, bulky silhouette moving with purpose.

It was Orellos, a strange amphibian kid who always kept to himself. His webbed feet slapped against the wet ground as he pushed his way through the crowd, his wide-set eyes narrowed in rage.

The bullies sneered at him as he approached, clearly unimpressed. "What do you want, Orellos?" one of the smaller ones sneered, stepping forward. "You gonna save the little hybrid freak?"

Orellos didn't answer. He simply walked straight up to the Triceratops, ignoring the rain dripping down his face and the mud splattering against his legs. Without warning, he grabbed the larger dino by the shoulder and yanked him backward, throwing him off balance.

"What the—" the Triceratops stammered, spinning around to face Orellos. "You little slimy piece of—"

Before he could finish, Orellos lunged forward. His webbed hand slapped against the Triceratops's chest with a sickening thud, and the larger bully staggered back, gasping for breath as the air was knocked out of him. Orellos moved with a speed and ferocity that caught everyone off guard. His movements were fluid, almost unnatural, his amphibian reflexes giving him an edge in the slick, wet conditions.

The other bullies hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But their hesitation didn't last long. One of the smaller ones, a Velociraptor, darted forward, claws extended as he aimed for Orellos's back. Orellos heard him coming and spun around just in time, catching the Velociraptor by the arm and twisting it behind his back with a swift, practiced motion.

"Get off me!" the Velociraptor shrieked, struggling in vain against Orellos's iron grip. But Orellos didn't let go. With a grunt, he shoved the Velociraptor to the ground, sending him sliding through the mud.

The remaining bullies exchanged uneasy glances. They were used to being the ones in control, to being the ones who dished out the pain. But now, with Orellos standing in front of them, his chest heaving and his webbed fingers clenched into fists, the tables had turned.

"Come on, get him!" the Triceratops shouted, finally catching his breath. He charged at Orellos, lowering his head like he was going to gore him with his horns. But Orellos was quicker. He sidestepped the attack, his amphibian agility allowing him to move fluidly across the slick ground. As the Triceratops stumbled past him, Orellos landed a swift kick to the back of his knee, sending the larger dino crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.

The Triceratops roared in frustration, trying to scramble to his feet, but Orellos was already on him, pinning him down with a knee to his back. The other bullies looked on, unsure of whether to intervene or flee.

Ephemera watched, wide-eyed and frozen in place. The sight of Orellos, a strange amphibian kid she barely knew, taking down the bullies with such ease was surreal. She had never seen anyone fight like that before, especially not for her.

As Orellos held the struggling Triceratops down, he glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the bullies. "Anyone else?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

The bullies hesitated, their confidence evaporating. "This isn't over!" one of them spat, but they were already backing away, the fight draining out of them as they realized they were no match for Orellos.

They fled, slipping and sliding through the mud as they disappeared into the rain, leaving Orellos and Ephemera alone in the playground. The tension in the air hung thick for a moment before Orellos finally let the Triceratops go, standing up and wiping the mud off his hands.

Ephemera slowly got to her feet, her legs shaky. She stared at Orellos, unsure of what to say. "Why... why did you help me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Orellos shrugged, his eyes softening for just a moment. "I don't like bullies," he muttered, his voice quieter now, almost embarrassed.

Ephemera blinked, still trying to process everything. "Thank you," she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

Orellos didn't respond. He just gave her a curt nod before turning and walking away, his figure fading into the rain.