dinohigh, no humans allowed!

Part 3 of the opening day

Canon, the triceratops or the nedoceratops (diceratus), sat and watched videos and chatted with her friend, another one of the dubious taxons next to her under this tree. to sit and laugh and not be insulted by everyone else for not being a true dinosaur. in their words. It was hard being a species whose status was disputed as real or not, even though it was clear the Triceratops had other members; they were not some monophyletic group for a million years. but the experts. she scoweled. had decided everyone who was even remotely similar to one was one. even though they never treated us like one of their own and tried their hardest to exclude us from everything they did. We didn't even get to live in the same neighborhoods as them. But everything bad they did was associated with us too; we were guilty of association with people who didn't even associate with us. It was just so annoying.

but here alone with a friend in person and a friend on the phone. watching funny videos online, I could find some peace. It was nice watching humans get beat up. It reminded me that I wasn't the only person in the world who was hated. that there were people I could bully, and maybe I would feel better. Maybe the others would accept me if I played my cards right and said what they wanted me to say. She had hoped more animals with lower standing than her own species would go to this school so the bullies would have other fodder nerds to eat up before they tried their luck with her. A wicked grin painted her face. She was so happy she had voted for a public party that pushed for more public education and wider student populations this year. Things had become so much easier by pretending to care about the plight of others, so no one would suspect the Ceratopsians true intentions. you see? It's easier to move up in the world when more people are below you. So you simply fill that bottom row up to elevate your own standing.

There was a school poster on my way here to address the rampant bullying at school. Bullying is a visceral cycle, it said. So be on top! and there was a picture of a food pyramid of the various dinosaurs. and above it all. was the winner. the winning species. the people I was supposed to admire. I couldn't help but want to be one of them. and you were only going to get up there by working as a team. with your own group of similar animals. Together, we can crush all the nerds below us. and claw our way to the pedestals the world owes us!

perspective change—to human

one step. two step. I was getting closer. The knife was in my hand. i didnt know what i was going to do. but I'd seen worse, honestly. It's not like killing people was against the rules at an animal school. People died at these places all the time. It was preparing them for the real world. where people die a lot more. That's the kind of society Dinos wanted to make. Also, it was very different when humans were at least partially in the Senate. We advocated to stop senseless violence. And for that, we were called cowards. and the attacks on us increased 10 fold. Then we finally stood up for ourselves and fought back. and with that, we were labeled savage, violent animals. and thats the label that stuck with us for all my life and for the past 100 years. but I wasn't really against it. I kind of always hated talking my way out of things. I always wanted to confront my problems head-on. Was now one of those times? I could feel the rage in me. but I knew better. I had to calm myself down. and think things through.

There were two of them, and one had this rich-looking outfit. Her friend next to her looked like she was some thug with her outfit; it had stickers of a rioter group I had seen before attacking humans and other dino businesses. Oh, I forgot, a rioter is considered a demeaning slur. advocacy group. was more fitting, yes, advocating for burning down my harmful shop of dino nuggies. I can't believe they still despised us, even though we made food shaped just like them. It was most popular among carnivores. but i guess the herbivores were angry. We normalized and comodified 1000s of years of suffering for them. Well, all I have to say? Look who's talking. I smirked internally. It was a quiet comeback to say in an argument. Too bad carefully thought-out words mean nothing to idiots. but scare tactics did. I feel my pocket for a smarter plan than just stabbing someone on my first day. and I found it.

This is a new phone. I couldn't afford it, so I took out a loan in my parents name. No, they don't know. but I need this to make a good impression. Money and material possessions are everything. and even more importantly. is having something new and fancy. This phone shouldn't be out yet, but backers of the project got theirs early. but I got mine from my friend who worked in retail shipping. We managed to get this slightly defective one for half the price and replace the faulty parts with cheaper ones. but it still cost me a lot, but with this small investment, I can have a small wiggle room of about 2 weeks to a month until the next hip craze catches the minds of these teenage idiots.

My plan, as much as I admired its original impulsive thought in my mind, was flawed. so I had to recalibrate myself. I never got far without learning to control my instincts. This is what puts me above all these rainbow reptiles. I put on a smile and slowed my pace, clearing my throat as I said.

hello! Uhh, nice phone you got there? Is that the model v5m5 of the phytosaur corp? I have one of my own here too! It's, uh, pink salmon. The girls both look up at me, a bit shocked that I'm here, and then even more shocked as their eyes widen at hearing the tone of my voice. It was refined and polite. and fake. just how these pricks liked it, even though they didn't know. They look at my face, seeing my simian features and how I had it covered with a mask. but the mask was branded and clean, not some dirty rag from an urchin or thug. and the phone in my hand wasn't bare; it was decked out with quircky acquaintances of the hottest new teen boy bands. the emo kind, these losers listened too. Although I listened to a few of their songs, they weren't that bad. 

One of the girls moved slightly away from where I was standing and positioned herself in a tense posture behind the tree, getting up from her sitting position. while the other one canon aldo, I didn't know her name yet at this point. stamped out some incoherent words. huh? wat?? a monkey with nice clothes. and wow, her eyes glistened with sparkles. Is that the new phone on the unskipable YouTube ads? woaw. It's just like mine. but wait? You have to be a stock investor to have one of these. Did you steal it?

I look at her with the biggest shock face and fake look of hurt, as they imply I'm some lowly crook and not one of the "good humans." I would never do that. I reply in the nicest, sweetest, most deafening tone I can muster. Tone is everything with these animals. Give them a sweet, sultry baby voice, the kind you do when talking down to your dog, to make them calm. and they would easily believe it. Theirs is so predictable. and they never admit how easily influenced they are by suggestions like this.

I reach out a hand. Hay, can I see yours? She recoils her phone close to her chest. NOOO, she screams, acidently blurting out as a more automatic response. She catches herself, covering her mouth. embarassed slightly. oh uhmm.. No, my mom will get me in trouble with dad if I get scratches on this. It's not really mine; she just let me borrow it since she has an office phone. but I'm supposed to take care of it; otherwise, I'm grounded. I respond in an understanding tone. Oh yeah, I've been there too. Haha, strict parents, I replied. with a bit of a disarming laugh to sound like I was laughing off a bad memory as my eyes looked away and into space. She sees the look on my face and gets fooled by the reading, and she softens her tone. yehh... it sucks...

Her friend on the phone asks. Hayy, whats going on? Why did the video stop? Who the heck is the guy you're talking to? Uhh, is he cute? she responds. uhhh sorta? but he's skinny, so not really. Her friend then panics. A SKINNY! Why is he going to school there? Hay, wait, how close is he to you? You need to maintain a safe distance from these freaks. Her other friend behind the tree was reaching for a can of pepper spray in her bag. Yeah, don't worry, we are packing heat. So I think we are going to be okay.

I wave my hand at the girls. uhhm? I'm right here, girls. They look at me. The other one is still on guard, not showing any shame. but the girl canon looks a bit guilty. ohhh, uhh, i know. but. I'm sorry, I'm just not used to talking to your kind. . YEH, so buzz off her friend said, throwing the phone call. We don't want your kind around here. So stay away from my friends before you throw a spear at them, spear thrower!

Canon squirms in uncomfortableness as she hears her friend being racist and throwing the phone. Her friend continues her rant. It was because of one of you that our top cheerleader was killed. Now the Ceratopsians won't have any raptors to use to win against the stegasaurs in the opening semester competition!. Her friend behind the tree nodded her head in agreement.

and I give a scowel. in a mock offense. but also genuine anger. Your friend got killed. and all you're worried about is your stupid dance routine. I let my eyes narrow and allowed some of my true hate to flow in my expression, with the look of primal morale disgust written all over it.

Her friend behind the tree retorted back. Well, it wasn't that we were underpinning the tragedy behind our goals. It's just another tragedy that our goals here at school and on other campuses abroad were ruined by some stupid human like you. The one on the phone yelled in agreement. YEHH human. Its not like you can understand long-term planning with your monkey brain and dumb chimp!

So it's all just a game to you, is that it? I thought I was talking to some respectable up-and-coming CEOs and management, but it turns out I was only talking to a bunch of quartermasters. I let that last word slide off.

accountants. desk workers. book keepers. and quartermasters. where the most disgusting things to the ears of a dino. purely because of humans. were so good at it. and occupied the majority of posts there. Canon sat up from her position. NO NO nooo its not tru. I feel bad that Becky died! She was my friend. The others are only talking about her like this because you are another species. well, more like the species that did it in the first place. The girl on the phone said, I mean, what did you expect from the velvet carpet for the same species that actively causes 10 percent of the crime on campus?

I look at them. So remind me again: who causes 17 percent of herbivore altercations again? My memory is hazy. They all winced at that statistic. the one behind the tree getting up to confront me. LOOK HERE! Skinny emphasizes the words. I don't want you to speak to my friends like that. I don't care how nice your suit is or how smart you think your monkey brain is, but you are not welcome here and you never will be. Ah, an opening, I mentally rejoice. I look at her clothes.

dinohighlights? Isn't that a middle-class brand? She freezes up in her scales, running cold, as I mention the brand perfectly. and? roaring fabrics for your pants choice? Isn't that out of season? no wait.. I paused to emphasize. That was last year's model. and the colors faded, which means it was on clearance. There was a sale for it online last month. and the seems haven't been stretched out properly, so this means you had to wait to buy it devalued rather than get it at its highest demand when everyone else is. Her friend Canon looked at her in shock. It was a fashion nightmare to be out like this. The dinos around us looked at us, and I raised my voice. AND THOSE SHOOES. Those aren't even authentic apple leather! That's cactus leather. The kids around us gasped in horror. and then began to point at her and laugh.

These 2 were so preoccupied with our discussion they failed to notice I raised my voice more and more to attract people to watch us as I built up for this moment. Of course, their violent screams of racism and exclamation also helped to attract our attention. a bigger public to humiliate her in this counterattack of social proportions!

Internally, I laughed maniacally. as I practiced this bow. I bowed in respect. Well, forgive me for my intrusions on your little hobble. I'm ill now. I say this as I begin to leave. The dinos around us hackle the girls. one saying, Hahahah, these loosers just got roasted by a monkey! A choir of laughter rang out. Canon chased after me in order to salvage her reputation and also in a bid to appear sympathetic? Or maybe she actually felt that way?

no wait.. dont goo. Your the only one with a phone like mine. We should talk more. I still don't know how to use this thing that well, and there aren't many guides on it online because it's so new. I don't know about the bugs because the few reviewers are all company-advertised, so they say nothing negative. It would be bad for me if I took pictures of our homework and accidentally deleted the photo album I put it in. 

I looked at her and smiled. Those are some pretty weak excuses to hang out. She froze in shock, and I saw right-threw her. and the other kids were staring now. chuckling. She was panicking; it was all over her face. I smiled deviously, allowing it to show, but in a more playful way instead of the malice I felt. Hehehe, okay, I guess we can hang out at lunch? What do you say, friend? I hold out my hand to shake hers.

My glove is now on. I sneaked one in my pocket in order to prepare for the next move. She, unlike before, without my bare, skinny flesh exposed, shaken it agreeingly. unconsciously changing her behavior when I hide my features. She was just relieved that she could appear to be generous in front of these other students.

Canon spoke. Oh, uh, thanks, skinny. I look forward to hanging out later for lunch with our expensive people. She said that last part loudly, getting some envious and jealous frowns from the crowd. how typical I thought. Well, time for the snare in my trap. I smiled and shook her hand back. thanks trigga. 

She widens her eyes, and her smile fades. squinting them annoyed. wat? wat did you say to me. wat DID YOU CALL ME SKINNY!

tri gga? I said it loudly, slowly emphasizing it with a bit of confusion, but I wasn't confused at all; I knew perfectly well what I was doing. That word made her shake in her boots with rage. I could see it so well, but she was barely hiding it. trying to keep up the act on her end. well uhh? Aren't we friends now, so I thought I could say it? i mean? You always call me skinny, and I thought it wasn't malicous, so why can't I say trigga? It was like our little friendly greeting, which I said with a chirp in my voice and an exclamation of hand movements to emphasize how I was perfectly non-hostile about it. The other kids watched us closely. One of them said to wait for it.

and she then exploded into a tie raid of how thats THEIRRR WORD. and I can't say it. but then I was quick to point it out. skinny? was our word, and she couldn't say it without it being a derogatory slur. and I then said, Well, don't you call each other that all the time? We humans call each other spearthrowers, cavemen, and skinnys all the time; it's kind of like our fun little game. I look into the crowd. Everyone here loves saying skinny? How is that racist? It's just so much fun. There is nothing wrong with saying it. I winced internally. I hated that word, and I know everyone else loved calling me that. but I knew they loved it so much.

They agreed with my argument as they nodded. saying, Yehh, grow some thicker scales, girl. Stop being such a crybaby, another said. They all hid their racism well, all agreeing to me downplaying a slur as a mere common funny joke that people don't mean ill too. Even some of these kids called me that while I was walking around here. I knew that my enemies would support me in this mutually beneficial downplay of societal harassment against certain people. because they were too engaged in it and needed an excuse for their peers, who were less willing to say it as frequently as they were.

She looked around, realizing how everyone had taken my side. but still unaware that I had planned it. For her, it was all an accident, a natural movement of the discussion and events, but to tell you the truth, it was all mostly my little scheme. even though theyd never be able to prove any of it. just the way I liked it, plausable and deniable. my two favorite circumstances to be in.

She frowned in shame, not at what she did but at how others saw her. She raised her head and muttered a half-hearted sorry. and I readily accepted it with a smile. Don't be such a stick in the mud. Is it just a word? It can't hurt us. She smiled back, glad I wasn't as offended as she was, and she rubbed her shoulder. Maybe, uh, your right, maybe I was a bit too stiff with my offenses. I hope you weren't bothered by us calling you skinny back there. and also.. all the other things my friends told you. I didn't mean it. but I'm not sure they did. 

It's time to close this encounter with one final bow. Oh, uh, if it's okay with you? Can you meet me at the back of the school in the fountain area? Don't bring your friends; they are kind of scaring me. I wanted to talk to you about that thing that happened to your friend. and if possible, Help recompensate for your losses by passing on some economic advice. The other students perked up at those magic words. MONEY. and money for free for something that didn't happen to you, and from a person who didn't do anything suckered into giving it away for a crime someone else did. It was perfect; the smile on her face glowed as she hopped in place. Of course she said. I would like nothing better than to review your portfolio! she squeemed. 

excellent. This was a most favorable encounter. i said. till lunch! I waved goodbye and walked to the school doors. The bell rang. It was time for classes. just in time. My first day has begun, as has the opening to it. was just an appetizer. I smiled evilly.