I was already feeling the pressure as I navigated the crowded halls, searching for my first class. The noise was unbearable—lockers slamming, conversations overlapping, and the occasional screech of excitement or frustration. I clutched my schedule, trying to make sense of the chaos around me as I squeezed through clusters of students.
Finally, after what felt like forever, I spotted my classroom number and hurried inside. My breath caught in my throat the moment I stepped through the door. The teacher, a sharp-eyed Stegosaur, glared at me from behind her desk.
"You're late," she snapped, her voice cutting through the chatter in the room. "Where are your materials?"
I froze, realizing too late that I had nothing with me—no books, no supplies, nothing.
"I... I didn't—" I stammered, my mouth suddenly dry.
"Well, that's not my problem," she said coldly, folding her arms. "Get to your locker and come back with your books. You're already wasting time."
My face burned with embarrassment as the other students snickered. Without another word, I spun on my heel and practically ran back out into the hallway. The noise hit me again like a wave as I pushed my way through the sea of bodies. My heart pounded in my chest as I made my way toward my locker, trying to calm the rising panic.
The closer I got to the "Legacy Scholar" section, the more uneasy I felt. This part of the school had been taken over by non-dinos in recent years, but my locker had been assigned here thanks to my family's long history with the school. It was a place I didn't feel welcome, and the tension in the air was almost suffocating.
When I finally reached my locker, a sinking feeling washed over me. The crowd of non-dinos nearby watched me with a mix of hostility and something more unsettling—lustful stares that made my skin crawl. A few whispers reached my ears as I fumbled with my key, my hands shaking, trying the key on the old rusty lock on the equally old key. I twist a little bit too hard in the wrong direction, not thinking because of how panicked I am, and the key snaps in half. i recoil in horror! my books are still stuck in there.
"Look at her, waddling around with her fat hips like she owns the place," one non-dino sneered, his voice low and full of contempt.
"Yeah, fucking dinos, always taking over our spaces. We can't have anything to ourselves," another growled, his eyes burning with anger. He stepped closer, his sharp eyes narrowing as he focused on me. "Think you can just strut in here into our territory? What are you trying to do, take it back from us? Fat chance; it's ours now. The governor gave it to us, and you're not having it back, bitch!"
I felt my pulse quicken, my throat tightening with fear.
"N-no, no, I'm not—I wouldn't—" I stammered, holding up the small metal key that had been passed down through my family. My hand shook as I pointed to the number engraved on it, desperate to explain. "My locker's... it's here. I'm just getting my stuff, I swear."
The group of non-dinos exchanged mocking glances. One of them, a lanky slipper reptile with a cruel grin, leaned in closer.
"Oh yeah? Lucky you, then. Must be nice to have 'legacy' status. Bet you think that makes you real important—to be one of the first dinos to decide to kick all of us non-dinos out of this school for hundreds of years, huh?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry.
"I... I didn't ask for this. It's just—"
Before I could finish, one of the larger students—a stocky, brutish large-jawed amphibian—stepped forward. His broad tail flicked lazily behind him as he gave me a once-over, his lips curling into a sneer.
"Forget her locker. You see what I see, boys?"
I could feel their eyes crawling over my body, and the unease turned into a cold, sickening sensation in my gut. The amphibian chuckled, his voice dripping with lewd intent.
"She's stacked back here, guys! And not just with scales."
I flinched as he reached out, his rough hand smacking against my soft, juicy backside with a loud slap! that echoed through the hallway. I gasped in shock, my face burning with humiliation as the sting of the slap radiated through me. I couldn't help making an ahegao face, one I'd seen on my favorite anime.
I'm sorry, Mom, I thought to myself. I was on DinotekTok for too long; it was an automatic response to such stimulus.
The sound of their laughter was deafening, surrounding me, trapping me in the moment.
"Oh, look at her! She liked that! What a dirty girl," one of the others jeered, doubling over with laughter. "Bet she's been waiting for some attention all day."
Tears pricked at my eyes as I tried to compose myself. Oh no, they're making me feel so dirty, and worse, my body is resisting my mind and enjoying it, too, I thought as my back plates flared a pink hue—a sign of display for my species. My hands were shaking too much to focus on the lock in front of me. My heart pounded in my ears, and I could barely hear my own thoughts over the relentless taunts and snickers around me. I covered my face in some vain attempt to shield myself from this social hurricane, wrecking what little self-esteem my cat posters had given me—the ones that said, Hang in there! Well, I was hanging and falling off right now.
I tried to speak, to say something—anything—that might make them stop, but all I could manage was a choked,
"Please... don't..."
The amphibian moved closer again, his breath hot against my ear.
"Aw, that's so hot. Look at you dino girls, so submissive and breedable when you're scared. Is this all it takes to get you to act like this? All dinos have is the institutions and laws to keep them on top, but in reality, they're all as weak as the needy girl in front of us, guys! What's the matter? Can't take a little friendly welcome?" he sneered, slapping me again.
But just then, a sharp voice cut through the crowd.
"Hey, stop it, you freaks! If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you would stop race-mixing with the enemy! In our spaces, and more importantly, on the first day? Is your resolve to resist dino girls so weak?" the figure mocked in his smug, know-it-all voice.
The non-dinos paused, turning to see the newcomer—a human, tall and in fancy clothing that looked very expensive, with a well-mannered, aristocratic air. He wore a scowl on his face as he pushed his way through the group. His presence alone seemed to command attention, and the laughter died down as the others exchanged wary glances. I shrank back into a corner, fearing talking to someone like this. Oh no, I thought, I'm gonna look like a total idiot in front of the cool kids.
"What?" the amphibian spat. "How can you tell us to stop now, human? We are winning, or are you harboring hidden sympathies for dinos? I knew we couldn't trust non-reptiles like you!" The crowd looked at him accusingly, and I looked at him with pleading, watery eyes, hoping their accusations were true and that he was really here to help me. "This has nothing to do with you."
The human crossed his arms, his expression hard as he glared at the group.
"I'm sick of you guys making us non-dinos look bad, and you getting in trouble will get all of us in trouble. It would be easier for others to exclude us from even more classes and places here," he said, his eyes narrowing. "You want to pick on someone? Do it where no one can see, not out here in the open! What if someone saw you touching that girl? The news could see, and we would all be fucking finished!"
The human paused for a breath, his voice biting with authority.
"And another thing—if we ignore our education, the low grades will give the other teachers and the dinos' parents an excuse to replace us with more hardworking dinos. We have to keep the school's score up as the number one school for archosaurs in the country. Otherwise, an all-dino school might take its place, and we will all be screwed because then we can't go there. So shut up, go get your books and pencils, and study hard. I don't want you slackers affecting my score!"
For a moment, the tension in the air thickened, like a storm waiting to break. The non-dinos hesitated, unsure of what to do, realizing the human had some good points, and now wasn't a good time to assault poor, vulnerable, pretty dino girls (like me—I'm very pretty).
The amphibian sighed.
"Fine, I guess you have a point. I shouldn't be tardy for class. My education is important, more important than feeling this stupid bitch's generous goodies." He sneered but stepped back.
"Yeah, but don't think this is over, bitch," he spat at me, his sharp fanged grin wicked. "I'm gonna find where you live, and your tail is all mine," he growled before turning away with a grunt.
With that, the group dispersed, leaving me standing there, trembling against the locker. I wiped away the tears that had begun to fall, but my body was still shaking from the adrenaline—and arousal.
his expression softening, if only slightly.
"You okay?" His voice was gruff, but there was a hint of concern buried beneath the rough exterior.
I nodded quickly, swallowing hard as I tried to steady my breath. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thank you." My voice was shaky, but I managed to get the words out.
He shrugged, his eyes flicking over my body for a moment before settling back on my face. "Good. Means you can't sue us non-dinos for assault," he muttered, his lips curling into a sly, almost cruel smile.
I flinched, the brief relief I felt instantly replaced with dread. He wasn't as kind as I thought he was. I shrunk back slightly, feeling small under his gaze.
"Need help with that?" he asked, gesturing toward my locker, which I'd barely managed to unlock after the ordeal.
I hesitated, still feeling the burn of humiliation and fear from the encounter, but I had no choice. I needed to get my books, and I couldn't afford to stay here any longer, especially with him still watching me.
"Y-yeah," I whispered. "I just need to get my stuff."
Without another word, he stepped forward, his movements quick and precise as he took the small metal key from my trembling hands. With an almost mechanical ease, he jammed a knife into the seam of the locker. There was a metallic snap, and the door swung open.
"There. You're gonna have to pay for the new lock, though," he said, stepping back to give me space.
I clutched my books to my chest, my hands still shaking. "Thank you... really. I don't know what I would've done if—"
"Yeah, yeah, you owe me. Lunch, tomorrow." He cut me off, his voice cold and dismissive.
I bit my lip, nodding slowly. "Okay... I guess we're friends now?"
He shot me a sharp look, almost like he was disgusted by the idea. For a moment, his jaw clenched, and he forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Sure, friend," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
A cold feeling washed over me as he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd of students. Something about the way he said it made my stomach churn with unease.
I stood there for a moment longer, trying to collect myself. The hallway returned to its usual chaos—laughter, slamming lockers, indifferent stares. I realized then that other dinos had been watching the whole thing, yet none of them had stepped in to help. The thought made my skin crawl.
Aren't dinos supposed to look out for each other? I felt a pang of heartbreak, like a bitter truth had finally sunk in. I always thought there was safety in numbers, a herd mentality where we'd protect our own. But now, it felt like that illusion had shattered. They would just leave me to fend for myself—maybe to die, or worse—while saving their own skins.
The human had at least stepped in, but his reasons were far from noble. Yet, in a twisted way, I couldn't help but recognize that he was protecting his own kind. Maybe he was more like us than I wanted to admit, except he actually cared about his herd more. I hated to think it, but a small part of me wished we did the same—just a little.
With a heavy sigh, I wiped my eyes and headed back to class, my pace a little quicker this time. "First day… almost died. What a start," I muttered under my breath, trying to shake off the lingering fear and discomfort.
As I hurried back to class, my thoughts spiraled into darker places. Man, first day in a school for dinos, and I'm already realizing that maybe there are creatures who act better than us—at least they don't let bad things happen and just look the other way, I thought bitterly, glancing at the faces of my classmates as I passed. Most of them had watched the whole thing unfold, their eyes flickering with indifference, or worse—amusement. None of them had even bothered to call a teacher or intervene. Not one.
The uneasy feeling in my stomach twisted tighter, gnawing at me, refusing to leave. I tried to force a smirk, muttering under my breath, "Well, at least I'm not on a missing person's poster… or in a shallow grave filled with used condoms, and my underwear nailed to a wall." The words were meant to lighten the tension, but they fell flat, echoing with a chill that left me feeling more hollow than before.
I couldn't shake the images flashing through my mind. I could've ended up like those other girls… the ones found in shallow graves near the sewer, their bodies broken and dumped like trash. Beautiful, once full of life, now discarded after being used like meat. Pleasure, then disposal. Forgotten.
The thought sent a cold wave through me, making my skin prickle with dread. Those girls had been on their way to school—just like me. They'd probably had no idea what was coming, just another day in their lives cut short by something far more monstrous than the everyday grind. The headlines had made me sick when I first saw them, but now that sick feeling was crawling under my skin, burrowing into my bones.
What if the person who did that… my breath hitched, What if they're here? At this school? I swallowed hard, my heart thudding louder in my chest. The idea that someone capable of such horrors could be lurking in these halls, among these indifferent faces, sent a chill down my spine. I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to catch someone watching me with that same sick hunger in their eyes.
No one helped me today. What if no one helps next time?
My steps faltered as I reached the classroom door, hand trembling as I clutched my books tighter. The weight of that possibility, of being next, felt unbearable. I wasn't just scared anymore—I was terrified. The kind of fear that sank deep into my gut, clawing at every rational thought. I knew I was being paranoid, but was I?
Terrified. The kind of fear that sank deep into my gut, clawing at every rational thought. I knew I was being paranoid, but was I really?
Maybe… maybe I'll have to make friends with that human, I thought, the realization sending a shudder through me. Stick close to him for protection. The idea twisted in my stomach, but it made sense in a sick, practical way. He had been strong enough to intimidate those thugs, to stand up to them when no one else would. If I kept him close, maybe I wouldn't end up like those girls.
Mom always told me how she survived school, the bitter memory of her advice echoed in my head. She used to talk about it like it was a strategy, a necessary evil. "Find yourself a big, strong, violent man, and mellow him out just enough so he doesn't beat the shit out of you in bed," she'd say with that knowing, almost proud look. That's how she found Dad… kept herself safe. Or at least, safe enough.
Maybe that's what I'll have to do too, I thought, a heavy sigh escaping me as the grim reality settled in. Five years of this place… maybe with the right tactic, I'll get through it with only a few gropes and assaults. The words made me feel hollow inside, like I was already surrendering to something ugly, something inevitable. I hated it, but the fear was stronger.
But stronger than my fear was my disgust. Eww, being friends with a human—and a male human at that—and relying on him to protect me? Gross. I hate stupid monkeys. Even worse, he might think I like him. Or, even WORSE, other people might think I'm dating him. Eww, so gross. But… at least he's less gross than those other archosaurs, right? At least he's weak enough for me to beat up if he tries anything. I could easily kill him with a tail swipe to the back of his head if I no longer need him.
I allowed myself a small, grim smile. I'm so good at planning!