chapter 11

"Fallen Angel." Rias commented with hate, spitting the name.

"Devil." Raynare returned.

Of course before both can get into a fight, a flickering light shined down a hall, revealing a door that only had two letters on it in bold green: HR.

"HR? What could it stand for?" Rias wondered. Raynare blinks, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Then the door opened slowly, creaking. It sounded very creepy, like something from an old horror movie. Neither of the girls were really frightened. But then it was fully opened. All they saw was pitch black, so dark not even Rias could see! But what was there was startling despite it not being much.

All that was there... was a pair of big red eyes that glowed demonically. Rias waits. Raynare wasn't sure what to do. Then the door closed... on its own.

"Huh was expecting you both to be scared of that." They looked to see George dressed up like a paleontologist: white t-shirt with a T-Rex skull on it, a light brown leather vest that holds three pouches that each contain digging equipment: a small chisel, small hammer, and a brush. He's also wearing light blue shorts, and dark brown leather boots. He has also has a dark brown leather adventurer hat on as well. Finally, he has a digging shovel strapped to his back.

"Think about what we've seen." Rias stated. "We've seen a lot of our comrades die, you really think we'd be scared of a door?" Raynare added.

"I wasn't referring to the door but what was behind it. The room is Human Resources. In short, anyone here acts in a way I find... unacceptable, I show them that door, they get scared, and there's no more acting out. So if anyone tries to start a fight and/or I have to get into a Creation vs evolution debate, Human Resources will speak to you on that." George stated, sounding like a stern, strict, college professor. Rias blinks, "Ok if you say so. May we please get to the lesson, Professor?"

"Lesson?" Raynare asked.

"Rias, catch Raynare up on what goes on here, I still need to get things prepared." He goes out back and turns the lights on, allowing Raynare to see the huge display set.

"Sure thing." Rias said. As George was finishing preparations, Rias did what she could to catch Raynare up to speed. Raynare listened and also looked at the huge display set.

"I think I got it." Raynare nods. She looked at the display set and was impressed by the huge scale of it, as well as the detailing of everything. "Ok I think I got all the things I need." They look and see George with a cart that contained 11 plastic containers that each had the following labels: Invertebrates, Fish, Amphibians, Mammals, Lizards, Turtles, Choristoderan, Crocodilians, Pterosaurs, Birds, and Dinosaurs. Rias looks at him, "You're definitely planning something."

"Yeah, something big." Raynare added. He nods, "Yep. This lesson is going to be a bit different. It's going to be a bit of game. I'll explain details soon. First, take your seats. I have provided both of you desks and chairs that will allow you to better move out of them better." He points behind them. They look and see tables with stools that are sitting just off the bleachers. They took their seats, although Raynare seemed uncomfortable. "Let me fix that." George snapped his fingers and there was a cushion underneath both their seats. Not only was it soft but it was also a vibrator, like a vibrating chair. Rias didn't bother putting it on or she wouldn't be able to pay attention.

"Alright, time to get started. Today's lesson is about a specific environment from the Age of Dinosaurs: the Hell Creek Formation. This is one of the most important fossil sites in the USA, let alone the world. It covers Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The largest concentration is in the upper left corner of South Dakota, and that's what this enormous display stand I've built is intended to replicate." He explained the start of the lecture. Rias was taking notes while Raynare struggled to keep up being new and all.

"The environment was composed of several environments, even a beach with a view of the sea. Though for the sake of this lecture, that will not be focused on as the animals there are mainly marine life from the nearby Fox Hill Formation. The environment is composed of six habitats: Redwood Forest, Cypress Swamp, Upland Forest, Broadleaf Forest, and Fern Prairie. Additionally, paleontologists are even able to determine the climate and weather of it; it was a subtropical with large amounts of rainfall." He explained the habitats of the Hell Creek. Rias looks,

"What made each one unique?" She asked.

"To start is the flora or plant life. While I'm no paleobotanist, I was able to record that there are about 27 species of plants native that I've managed to reconstruct. You got Dawn Redwood trees, three types of Cypress trees, Monkey Puzzle Trees were the dominant type of tree found on the Fern Prairies, as well as trees that are around today like Poplars and Magnolia." He explained some of the local flora. Raynare was starting to get used to this and was able to take notes.

"Grass has evolved but it was restricted to the swamps of India, so the ground was made up of Ferns & Cycads. Additionally, and surprisingly to me, there are 3 types of fruits native here; and since this will take awhile, I have been kind enough to supply us with some refreshments." He clapped his hands and out came wheeling a cart was something that was downright weird.

It looked like a scaly, green alien with a classic big head but the eyes were large and bird-like, akin to that of a hawk or eagle. The long slender arms have hands that ended in 3 short sharp claws and their configuration was like it starting to grasp objects.