dinohigh, no humans allowed!

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. The game is set. And I'm taking my first turn.

Ehem? Principle prionosuchus. The monster of a man. A gator-shaped amphibian with gills like an axelotl, he was the size of two bodybuilders combined. Looked at me. His eyes are adjusting to size me up. Flashing his rows of jagged teeth. He swooshed his paddle-like tail with a fin on top and very eye-catching colors. It had the school's signature logo tattooed on it. Well, if anything, the man was committed to his job. Even though he was the recent replacement of the former principle,.

A shower above him drizzling onto his chair was something to keep the aquatic animals moistened to ensure they didn't dry up from the reptile heat lamps next to them. The other girls and the teacher were sitting around.

Mr. Anton? He says it with a domineering voice full of authority. Raspy and sinister.

Yes, sir, thats me!. I nod my head along with the reply. To show my full cooperation. I took off my mask. Silently reaching into my jacket pocket for something hidden under my hood. The mask is going in. but something else is coming out later.

I'm here for my lunch pass. As well as my dorm keys, I say calmly. with practiced elegance and grace. the kind you find in a glamorous model girl. all those nights consuming Beauty Queen Life TV. has taught me the delicate art of. bullshitting as hard as you can. It seems almost naturally ethereal. You have to say every word like you are above everyone else. with humility so fake it convinces even the lie detector.

Short to say. The others were eating it up. The parasaur girl had raised her head, her eyes still covered by their hands. Moving her fingers tenderly aside to peek at me, she threw her grasp.

The teacher was staring at me. With a skeptical look. She couldn't believe it. What she was hearing. Was coming out of a pathetic, dirty monkey like me. The mental grin I had was so big that it threatened to spill into the real world. But I shoved it in. It was nice breaking low expectations. As I expected, the educators had strong prejudices against non-Dino mental faculties. If not, other dinos also.

But who had bad thoughts about who and how? I made a mental note to categorize the teacher's roster of prejudices later in the week.

The mil sim girls looked at me, their leader, with a big frown on her face. Ew a skinny, when the fuck did they let rat pigs like you into this school? A loud bang hit the desk. They all jumped and looked behind them. The principle was angered by that slip of the tongue.

Her lackeys were apologetic-looking, trying to seem non-contentious. But she kept up her demeanor. Unphased, she crossed her arms. Wat principle? Was it something I said? Or are your ears so easily offended by the simple truths of the world? Or do I detect educational favoritism?

He crossed her eyes at her. Yet strangely, I didn't reprimand her for her racism, but rather complained. Her dumb comments were distracting me from important bookkeeping work. Such as getting my papers fixed and my ID ready. He was a very bureaucratic man. I could tell he didn't discriminate against others based on race. No, he discriminated against them based on their capacity for intelligence, and he was staring at me.

His hand was on his chin. Cigarette in hand. Squinting his eyes, he looks at me. He took a puff. And the smoke released all around his gills. I could tell it burned them from all the ash around it and the light embers. But it looks like he didn't care. He was a man used to pain. His eyes were jaded. Like mine…

Clearly, the quiet had annoyed the Therapod Milsim girl. She barked at me. Everyone stared at her, annoyed. She broke the tension in the air. So who are you anyway? Why are you here? People would complain about her intrusion if it wasn't the question on everyone else's mind.

Except for the principle, who already knew why. The teacher looked at him questioningly.

She spoke. Why would you bring such a dangerous creature onto the campus grounds?

I was annoyed. Well, you guys let in triggas? So might as well let in skinnys too.

This won me a few chuckles from the mil-sim lackeys and even the main girl as they giggled at the blatant racist joke.

And to my surprise? Even the parasaur girl laughed. Weirdly, she had all those progressive stickers on her bag for advocacy groups for species diversity and protection programs. Yet she enjoyed my bold, casual insult to an entire group. My stomach growled. yet another fake smile of false sympathy to comfort people who really need it. Only for them to receive nothing but counterfeit compassion. I was starting to dislike her.

At least the mil sim girls were honest jerks. They didn't advertise being inclusive. By all means, the field of military service was the most diverse. Since anyone could be a sack of meat with a gun, Ready to take and hold territory and get shredded to bits by artillery and missiles. It was an all-inclusive, one-way ticket to an early grave.

The principle was signing papers. And a lot of them. And his serpentine-like claw was whisking away at them one after another, page after page, at break-net speed with practiced precision. And he was reading each and every word with rapid eye movements, skimming the page. His hands crossed out misspellings and legal errors in the document and wrote corrections.

Clearly, this man's background was not in education. It was in some form of finance or even low-level government. The most effective branch of the Dinogov.

It made me wonder about his past. The kind of person it would take for Mr. Frog to be placed in this school of colorful little hate criminals of every shape and species. It would be an awful job and a thankless one. Even if it was for one of the best schools in the world,.

Done. he said. Handing me the paper. Here are all the things you would need. I trust you brought your own envelope. He glared.

I quickly reach into my bag and bring out an expensive brand. The kind in the craft store is the type that is super expensive and only celebrities would buy. He doesn't look amused. But I am at least pleased that he won't have to provide me with anything, like some sort of handout charity.

The others look at me weirdly. The parasaur was staring at the brand. Looking at her notebook next to her. I follow the direction she is looking in. It's the same brand as the one I pulled out. This thing cost way too much for a piece of paper. Meanwhile, this girl has a whole stack of them. What is she? Some sort of pop star celebrity or something. I scowl internally, but I can't afford to show it, so I force myself to smile a bigger smile.

This was a bad idea. Because I had forgotten that my face was still pointed at hers. As her eyes looked up with tears still in them, she saw my gentle smile. And for some dumb reason? Smiled back. IDIOT, I thought. I'm not smiling at you; I think loudly in my head. I hear a noise. Quickly, I turn my gaze to the principle as he speaks.

Clearing his throat. Here is your room key. You get the student luxury scholar suite. Normally. This would cost you. But since you have this, He held the coupon. We will be covering your expenses. Do not disappoint me. I have expectations for you. Human. He said that, with so much malice, everyone felt it.

Was I wrong? Was I mistaken? Had this guy actually despised me this whole time? Here, I was thinking he was a neutral party. I frown at that.

NOOO FAIR. the mil sim leader girl says. Why does he get the best bunk in the school dorms? My dad paid a boatload of money this year in donations, and all I got was the diamond class bunks. But you gave him the triple premium! Not even the fucking international celebrities got those!

The parasaur pouted. Her face was a bit jealous of mine. But she noticed me staring again. And she blushed and looked away.

I narrowed my eyes. Thinking allowed. Weirdo. I can't even stare at me like a proper freak. Only stares at me while I'm not looking. Her eyes were moving back to stare, and she saw I hadn't lifted my gaze. And she quickly covered her face with a book in her hand. The teacher frowned and stared at me. Shaking her head side to side disaprovingly.

Wow, it looks like authority doesn't want me to socialize with their golden child. Okay, then message received. It's not worth my time anyway.

Returning to my natural problem aversion, I check my dorm pass. And wait for the principle to finish writing my locker key pass.

Just a minute, he said. As he pushed into the comms system. And I spoke to the quartermaster to activate it. A metal device was pulled from the table drawer, and it buzzed red. Showing it was on. He handed it to me.

Go on. Get out of my office. Your class schedule hasn't been decided. Over 70 percent of the staff refused to allow your chimp ass in their class.

The mil sim girl leader smiled. Wonderful. We will not have caveman spears chucked at us while we learn. I glare at her. Clearly annoyed.

The principle looks at me. It gives me an eyebrow raise while mouthing the word. So? What are you going to do about?

Reaching his hand for the bag of chips next to him. Grabbing a potato chip. And crushing it. And then smiling...

Was he? Was he?

Encouraging a violent outburst? Was it to get me expelled? Was it a trap? No.. He had just activated my room and locker. He had just signed all my access papers. Why would he? But then again. He just said... My teachers had refused to serve me.

So this means:.

He spoke again with a sinister tone.

As the bratty milsim girl began complaining about how my monkey face was so ugly it was visual pollution and that the smell was ruining her dress from how rancid human sent was. But between her rampant BITCHING. I could see what the principle was saying.

Careful girl. You know how apes are. When they feel threatened.

Was he implying weakness? No, he was implying they were poking a rabid animal. And that there would be repercussions.

The teacher stared at him from her side. Wide eyed. Holding tightly to her own student. Shaking her head and mouthing the words. No, don't do it.

But he just smiled at her, shot her a glance, and stared back at me.

My dad.. Always told me. Actions speak louder than words.

And if I want to have any hope of attending classes, It would mean the teachers wouldn't be allowed to refuse me. Not because of some legal binding, no, they wouldn't listen to that. But because they understood.

animals like me did. If we felt we were being treated unfairly,.

His hand was over a piece of paper. And I could barely read what it was upside down.

But it roughly means the words.

FIRST TEST.