Thud. Thud. Thud.
The earth trembled slightly. Beside the massive man-made lake stood a sparse cluster of trees. An Edmontosaurus, which had been peacefully foraging on the higher leaves, ceased its movements and dropped to all fours, sensing the vibrations through the sand.
Although the dinosaur ecological zone in the Mojave was designated as a national protectorate by America, it was far from peaceful. Located at the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates, earthquakes were frequent visitors.
However, the Edmontosaurs, among the earliest settlers here besides the indigenous species, had developed a knack for identifying seismic signatures.
The dinosaur lowered its body slightly, tilting its head to listen and feel the rhythm of the ground...
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Wait... this doesn't feel like an earthquake.
The Edmontosaurus felt a flicker of confusion. It wasn't that it hadn't seen dinosaurs capable of shaking the earth, but the only ones in this vicinity capable of such a feat should be over at...
WHAM!
This particular Edmontosaurus seemed to be a philosopher at heart, as it only snapped out of its internal monologue when a colossal shadow completely engulfed its body.
Turning its head, it saw Carlo passing by, followed by four other Giganotosauruses. Carlo's yellow pupils, piercing even in the dim light, gave it a very distinct, sideways glance.
Oh... so it's just a strange predator.
Well... a strange predator...
WAIT, WHAT?!
"Aunnng—!"
The "Philosopher" Edmontosaurus let out a piercing shriek and bolted. The shrill scream echoed across half the lake, plaintive, resentful, and haunting, forcing every animal in the vicinity to turn and stare.
Carlo looked back with a hint of bewilderment. He watched the Edmontosaurus frantically whipping its head and neck back and forth as it fled into the desert, seemingly convinced that this erratic movement would prevent a predator from locking onto its throat. To any onlooker, however, it looked like a motorized rattle drum sliding across the sand.
Great. Did I just run into a literal psycho?
"Roar?"
Boss, what is he doing?
Kafka asked Carlo with total earnesty. Carlo glanced at her, and perhaps still nursing a grudge over Kafka saying he was having a "mental breakdown" earlier, he responded vaguely:
"Roar…"
He's having a breakdown.
With that, Carlo pushed through the treeline and reached the edge of the artificial lake. He ignored the strange looks from the surrounding herbivores and leaned down, intending to get a drink first.
Giga Dad and the other two found a relatively open spot to lie down and rest. Kafka remained standing, head lowered in a contemplative pose.
Earlier, Katyusha had mocked her for not understanding the meaning of "breakdown," dealing a heavy blow to her pride. Now that the Boss had finally used the term again, she was determined to figure it out.
Wait... so that's it.
Excellent. I am beginning to understand everything.
"Roar—"
I see. He really is having a breakdown. The way he looked just now was a lot like when you were rolling around on the ground, Boss.
PFFT—!!
The water Carlo hadn't even swallowed yet sprayed out in a violent mist. Perhaps out of sheer mortification, his tail slammed against the ground, sending a spray of green lake water into the air.
It's been years! Why do you still remember that?! WHY!!!
The herbivorous dinosaurs near the lake were looking at him even more strangely now. Even Giga Dad and the other two cast curious glances his way.
Fine. Since my dark history is out, we might as well all die together.
Carlo whipped his head around, looking for all the world like he was about to go into an Enrage state. One could only imagine the "beautiful" scene that was about to follow, were it not for...
Whir-whir-whir-whir...
A strange sound from the horizon caught Carlo's attention, cutting his "breakdown" short. He looked up at the sky and spotted a familiar CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter.
However, this one was different from the helicopters he'd seen transporting the Dreadnoughtuses. It didn't bear the white Triceratops skull insignia; instead, it featured a large, circular logo with the letters "D.P.W."
Humans seemed to have mastered the art of transporting dinosaurs. Two retractable cables dangled from the helicopter, attached to a rectangular harness system.
Carlo was familiar with that contraption, as he'd been slung up in one when he was little. He still didn't quite understand why it didn't choke a dinosaur to death; he assumed it was some kind of "human magic."
Carlo's gaze locked onto the descending figure. A tail tipped with bony spikes dangled in the air, swaying back and forth.
Stego bro?!
Uncertain, Carlo raised his head and caught the scent on the wind.
It really was Stego bro!
This sudden stroke of good fortune made Carlo momentarily forget his recent embarrassment. He sat back on his haunches by the lake, watching Stego bro slowly descend on the opposite shore.
Kafka hesitated for a moment and decided it was best not to press Carlo further. She utilized the "silent stepping" skills that usually only worked at night and stealthily ducked behind Giga Dad.
"Roar?" (Quietly)
The Boss rolled around on the ground?
Katyusha sneaked a glance at Carlo. Seeing that his attention was entirely elsewhere, she whispered her query to Kafka.
"Roar." (Very quietly)
Yeah, it was back when...
As the two of them engaged in a heated gossip session, Giga Dad and Karl, though their faces remained expressionless and their eyes fixed on the distant helicopter, clearly had that slightly vacant look that suggested they were listening intently to Kafka's lecture on Carlo's dark history.
Thump.
Every heart skipped a beat. They looked at Carlo, only to realize he was just absent-mindedly thumping his tail against the ground because waiting for Stego bro to land was getting a bit boring.
…
"Aunnng..."
The feeling of solid ground beneath his feet brought a wave of security back to Stego bro. He let out a slightly startled cry, mentally vowing never to go anywhere high up again for as long as he lived.
Clack.
The massive harness that had bound him fell away, bringing a sense of relief to his underbelly as he regained full control of his body.
The first thing he did upon landing was turn and walk to the lake to rehydrate, stopping only after several deep gulps.
Hm? What's that...
Lifting his head, Stego bro noticed a familiar, massive figure sitting across the lake.
"Roar—"
The figure let out a soft huff, as if offering a greeting.
"Aunnng!"
Stego bro called back in response. Perhaps to get a better look, he dragged his tail on the ground, pushed off with his hind legs, and lifted his forequarters. He stood up on two legs, peering across at Carlo.
Wait, WHAT??
Carlo was stunned. Stego bro currently looked like a miniature version of Godzilla. Since when could he do that?
"Aunnng—!"
Suddenly, another loud lowing sound erupted, drawing the attention of both Carlo and Stego bro.
Several figures emerged unhurriedly from the brush. It was an entire Stegosaurus herd. Carlo, having just arrived, hadn't noticed they were already here.
The herd called out cheerfully, appearing to invite Stego bro to join them. To them, it seemed like a sure thing, but...
Stego bro returned to all fours and ignored their invitation.
"Aunnng—"
He bellowed a farewell to them. Ignoring the stunned looks of the other dinosaurs, he began to walk unhurriedly along the lakeshore toward Carlo's position.
Once again, he had rejected the call of his own kind.
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