Somehow, the thing was no longer fun for Ellie. She was looking forward to a friendly match. But her friend got into it as much as if life depended on it. Maybe that's why other animals didn't want to compete against Gertie anymore or don't even wanted to train with her. Well, as a teacher she didn't think the dino was that bad. Maybe a little too strict and serious. Like the father. The mammoth mother was surprised that Roger did not have such a character.
She should probably find time for such thoughts later. Now she had to end this match. But she didn't want to lose either, even if she was slowly running out of air. Only once would she like to experience Gertie outside of this sweat booth. Just learning a bit more about her than just how many pushups she can do in a minute. Of course they weren't just chatting about sport here, but the dinosaur was very reluctant. Maybe she didn't want to talk about herself to an old woman like her. Ellie would like life here for her new friend if she wouldn't seem so lost.
The staff gave Gertie rather pejorative looks, probably because of the less than friendly behavior she often displayed. She knew that the Raptor could be very different. Once she had poked her elbow here, the younger one arrived with the first aid kit, concerned. Of course it was noted how stupid she was to hurt herself here.
If it happened the other way round, then she always had to do everything with more emphasis. Gertie once said almost proudly that these little scratches are nothing, contrary to what she used to put up with in the past. Ellie kept wondering how things were in the dinosaur world. But it occurred to her beforehand that the other often struggled as a teenager. She actually wanted to talk to Gavin about it, but now his daughter was grown up. A conversation about the past would not change anything.
"Hey! You could at least pretend that you are interested in this!" The mammoth heard and noticed that she was now making her match partner angry. But at least she had to distract herself a little, otherwise she just thought that she could hurt her friend. She always didn't like the side of this sport. Then Gertie ran up to her angrily and Ellie had to decide whether to try to win or just lose. She went through a few handles in a hurry to learn it again in her head. Acting quickly was never her strength, but it had to be now. So she first pressed the Dakotaraptor to herself and then with her body to the ground.
"Do you see? I'll take care and apply what I've learned from you." She explained with a slight grin and almost out of breath.
"You can't just .." Gertie broke off and looked kind of confused. The younger woman didn't even look into her face. Actually, her opponent could easily get out of this position. But that didn't happen. Well, not like Ellie was used to from training. The dinosaur put her arms around her almost timidly. Something was wrong here, she thoughtfully noted.
"Ellie won!" A little startled, her head went over to the referee. The latter certainly got in touch because she pinned Gertie on the ground too long. Only then did the mammoth realize with horror that this is probably the problem. Probably the other under her got no air at all, but she certainly did not lean on her with her full body. So she hurriedly went away from the other one, because this didn't even notice that she had lost. Shouldn't that upset the Raptor?
"Are you all right, Gertie?" Because the other was looking oddly to the side.
"Well.. of course I'm fine! What else is there to be?!" With that, the dinosaur just got up and gathered her things together like nothing was bizarre right now.
"The round goes to you. But next time I'll win again. If you would excuse me now, I'm going to end this for today." With that the younger one just went out the door and left two amazed animals behind.
"It has never been so easy when she has lost." The leopard was really amazed, because she was already on the side of her PC at the counter to order destroyed items from the facility. Now it seemed like she didn't have to. Well, you shouldn't praise the day before evening. The rage to destroy could still come later.
"Then I will go too now." So the mammoth said goodbye to the leopard to check on her friend, because she too was surprised by the behavior. Yes, she was glad the Raptor wasn't freaking out or reacting anything like that. But that was too quiet for Gertie.
"Do you really want to leave already?" Of course she caught the younger one, but she wasn't in the locker room, but was just absent from it.
"I ... yes, yes. I wanted to .. So .." Ok, thought the mammoth mother, now it was really strange again. Why did her friend act so nervously at times? Something always had to trigger that.
"So just because I lost once, you don't have to imagine anything about it! I was just unfocused earlier because of .. and I just had a bad day, ok?!" Exactly, she wasn't looked at again, Ellie remarked in passing.
"Um ... can we please go in?" They were interrupted by three other women. These probably meant mainly the mammoth, because it stood in front of the door to the changing room.
"Oh, of course." With that she stepped aside and waited until they were alone in the corridor again.
"Tomorrow we will meet again.."
"I'm not coming here tomorrow." Gertie interrupted her in her usual tone.
"I didn't say here either. You have to let me finish. Before you stop me, I won. Did you forget?" The female Dino sighed annoyed.
"No." It came out with a growl.
"Nice. So you have time tomorrow?" Finally, Ellie didn't want to push her friend to anything.
"Yes. But woe you drag me to 'fancy' shop or something. Then I'll go right away. I'm not for such girly stuff." That had already occurred to the taller one. She also didn't want to ask the Raptor what was meant by girly stuff in her eyes, because she could go shopping with her son-in-law.
"Let's just meet at the big clock on the market square. You know where to get from the subway.."
"Yes. I know where that is." There was another sigh from the younger one between them.
"When then?"
"Oh yes. Does it suit you around ten in the morning?"
"If this becomes a woman thing, I just go. Get it!" The mammoth did not understand what was wrong with it, but she would find something that her scaly friend liked.
"Stop grinning like that! Yes, I admit that the day was... tolerable, but you don't have to behave so arrogantly here." Gertie just folded her arms insulted. The bigger one knew that, because she saw how much fun the dinosaur lady had today. She was also a little proud of herself.
I still have it and Peache's rebellious phase isn't that long ago, Ellie thought, taking a sip of her mixed drink. She previously announced that she was going to end the day with a restaurant of her choice, and the selection of juice and soft drinks was really excellent here. Of course she will pay again. If she's dragging the Raptor anywhere, at least she can do that. And it didn't seem like she was doing it for nothing. Her counterpart really came out of her shell today. There was even an increase from the sports studio. The only thing she had to do yesterday was surf the web a little and make some calls.
"How did you get the idea that I like motorcross machines? You probably secretly rummaged in my stuff." Gertie mischievously returned and the mammoth held up her hands defensively.
"What? No. I would never do that. I just saw that on your shirt sometimes and .." Ellie explained a little embarrassed, because she didn't think she would be blamed for something like that.
"It was just a joke. I know that you are far too nice to do such a thing." After that was said, the Dakotaraptor pushed some fish fries into her beak.
"So I'm too nice for you?" She asked with a grin and liked that she not only chose the event well today, but also showed a good hand in choosing the restaurant.
"Ok, I'll admit it. I thought at the beginning that you only clung to me because you have such a helper syndrome. My old man must have chatted too much with you, that I will probably find no appeal here like my good brother. We can't all open up in a new place and find true love." It came from Gertie as if she was annoyed that the other Raptor could do everything better here. At least that was what it sounded like for the taller one.
Oh yes, Roger has been meeting Louis more often lately, Ellie recalled. But the two did it 'secretly' at first, although they all already knew it. Both of them probably wanted to test in peace whether the thing worked at all before making it public. She thought it was reasonable.
Again she wondered what bothered the young woman about her brother's life. This often mentioned that the other Dakotaraptor feels more comfortable here than in the old place of residence. Certainly it was because the boy is accepted here as a vegetarian and rather peaceful being. While there should be such things in the dinosaur world, brutality and meat enjoyment are still very important. Whether you had grown up in this environment did not mean that you were suitable for it.
"What about you? Do you also have someone or do you want to get to know someone?" When the mammoth mother asked this, the dinosaur suddenly stopped.
"I ... I'm not made for relationship nonsense." Ellie noticed from her friend that she was very embarrassed for this statement.
"That's ok." She said on the subject, because many animals do not commit themselves to someone when they are young. Or at all.
"Do you really think so? But you are married. Shouldn't you have to say something like... well, I don't know... that the right woman will come or something if I try hard enough." Gertie then gave her a startled look, even though she said nothing about it.
"No, I meant the right man! Not that you think something is wrong .. so .. I am .. Sorry." And with that the Raptor wanted to get away ashamed from the table without looking at her. But she didn't allow that completely, because she grabbed a claw from the younger one with one hand.
"Sit down again. Nothing happened for which you have to apologize." Ellie assured the other as kindly as possible.
"Please don't tell my father." Pleaded Gertie in the unusually weak tone and it hurt to see the girl like that.
"Why should I? You are grown up and it is up to you to decide what you do." The other sat down again and pulled her claw away, which she was still holding unnoticed.
"Are you reluctant to go on a date because of that?" Because the mammoth thought that shouldn't be a reason to hold back.
"No. Maybe." The scaly one groaned annoyed and looked elsewhere.
"That's not that easy."
"Would your father not accept that?" Ellie asked, although it sounded silly. When her brothers jokingly announced Roger's new relationship to Gavin, he seemed somewhat annoyed, but it seemed more to her because his son's boyfriend was not a strong dinosaur and not for any other reason. She admit Eddie and Crash could have wrapped this info differently, but she'd gotten so used to their silliness that sometimes she didn't notice it anymore.
Maybe she should have a chat alone with Gavin if he wanted to meet like that. After all, the old Dakotaraptor would just chat with her and she didn't know if that was okay with the guy. Since she arranged an afternoon together after a fight between him and Buck, she probably hasn't been on Gavin's favorite list. But the Raptor apparently got along well with Manny, who ultimately regulated a lot. What the guy lacked in life of being a single father, was just a real friendship with men.
"I don't know.." The younger one rubbed her arm awkwardly.
"You really won't blow this up?" Gertie wanted to know, but actually looked her in the eyes this time.
"Our secret, if you like." Ellie promised and tried to underline that with a smile. Then she turned back to her drink. In addition, the waitress looked at them from a distance, whether they were leaving.
"And if you want to talk to anyone about it.." There was another annoyed groan that she was looking at the other party. She only meant it well.
"Yeah, sure, then I can annoy you with it." But the female raptor didn't say that annoyed, because that didn't seem to be real before. On the contrary, she even smiled shyly at her. So the mammoth nodded in confirmation.
"So now I'm in the mood for a big ice cream bowl." With that, Ellie skillfully changed the subject and they both were able to enjoy their stay here a little. Even if she didn't reach her previous goal she had by entering the gym the first time, she could at least claim to have found a new friend.