Finally done!

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In their search for the mighty Thalattoarchon, Nigel and his team have ended up encountering a massive swarm of ichthyosaurs of many different varieties, ranging from tiny mioxsaurs to Shastasaurus itself.

This provides them with a rescue opportunity that they are not going to waste.

The team quickly gets to work, moving to set up the portal right in front of the ichthyosaur shoal. If they time it right, they'll be able to rescue all of the ichthyosaurs.

"Now," begins Nigel, " most of the reptiles are following the shastasaur pod, and they can't swim very fast. So, our plan is to set up the portal so that they will swim right through it. IF the other creatures follow them, then we'll end up rescuing quite a few creatures.

"I'm still not sure how we'll rescue the Thalattoarchon, though."

There is one thing that is going good for Nigel, though: the shastasaurs, having never seen humans, do not try to swim away from the team, making it much easier to get ahead of them.

The team is soon far enough ahead of the giant ichthyosaurs to begin setting up the portal. As they do so, the ichthyosaurs continue to approach them, utterly unconcerned about the team in front of them.

Finally, they finish setting up the portal. And not a moment too soo: the ichthyosaurs are almost upon them.

Just before the giants pass it, the portal comes to life, sending the first of the giant beasts through the portal. The rest, though surprised, follow them, preferring to stick together rather than trying to avoid the strange light. The smaller ichthyosaurs and thalattosaurs follow them, unwilling to lose the protection the giants provide. A change in the currents forces the ammonites through the portal as well, with the Cymbospondylus following to avoid losing their meal. The group, unwilling to leave any creature in the past, swims around to watch them escape to the safety of the present.

Soon, the last of the giants disappears into the glowing vortex, leaving the sea virtually empty. Only the Thalattoarchon remains, still swimming in circles over the sea floor.

Or rather, it was, as now it seems to have stopped to stare at something.

Something behind the team.

"What's it looking at?" asks a confused Lucas.

"I'm not sure," remarks Tristan, already turnig to sea what has disturbed the marine reptile, " but it must be somethi-WATCH OUT!"

Before the team can react, a giant belemnite slams into them, sending them floating helplessly across the sea bed. The creature pays them no heed as it darts through the portal, followed by five more of its kind, one of which carries the mangled rear half of a mixosaur. Following them is another Thalattoarchon, which soon disappears into the portal, with the first one heading after it. By this time, the team has recovered, and, after sharing a perplexed look they head to the surface and return home.

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On the other side of the portal, the home staff are already sorting the marine reptiles into holding pens. The huge number of creatures, however, presents some issues with this.

"Wow, you guys sure got a lot of ichthyosaurs," remarks Alice, who has begun feeding the massive group of shastasaurs.

"Yeah, we did. Most of them were using the shastasaurs as protection," replies Marcus.

"Makes sense. But where did the giant belemnites come from?"

"...(Marcus, Lucas and Tristan look at each other before shrugging, at which point Nigel speaks) We have no idea."

"Well, they do look cool."

While they are indeed amazing, right now, all the group wants to do is sort them into their own exhibits.

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The next day, the marine reptiles have all been settled into their new homes. From the playful mixosaurs to the mighty shastasaurs, all are settling into the park just fine...

All except for one.

The team and heads of staff are nearby one o the aquatic exhibits, titled Thalattoarchon Depths. Inside are the two great ichthyosaurs they rescued in earlier. While one has settled in, the other is still acting odd. Namely, it hasn't dropped its shark.

"So, wait, it's been carrying that since yesterday?" asks Susan, clearly perplexed.

"Yeah, and I don't know why. It's clearly not because he's hungry, I think Vera said he ate a whole dolphin fish."

'And nearly took my pinkie finger' thinks Vera.

"Well, I think I know what's wrong with him," remarks Bob.

"You do?" asks Susan.

"Yes. But first, listen."

The team does just that... and heres a low bellowing sound coming from the exhibit. Specifically, the shark-holding ichthyosaur. The group is soon transfixed on the giant sea reptile.

As is its neighbor.

Slowly, the great carnivorous reptile approaches its neighbor, who begins swimming around, performing several stunning moves, before offering it the shark. After a moment, the second beast tears into it, gorging on the dead fish, before returning its attentions back to its opposite, who responds by sowing its belly, to which the other responds by doing the same, positioning itself so that their groins are at roughly the same level.

The rest of the team stares on, dumbfounded, with Tristan looking back and forth between the ichthyosaurs and his youngest siblings, before finally breaking the silence.

"Well, I guess we can put Thalattoarchon on the park's breeding successes list.

Indeed they can.

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Species rescued:

Mixosaurus: 10 males, 12 females, 11 pups (roughly split evenly between two females)

Listracanthus: 3 males, 3 females

Corosaurus: 5 males, 5 females

Agustasaurus: 3 males, 5 females

Cymbospondylus: 2 males, two females

Nectosaurus: 10 males, 10 females

Thalattosaurus: 10 males, 10 females

Gymnotoceras and Brackites (types of ammonites): swarm of indeterminate size

Acrodus: 10 males, 12 females

Shastasaurus: 20 males, 20 females

Shonisaurus: 19 males, 25 females

Phalarodon: 8 males, 15 females

Omphalosaurus: 7 males, 11 females

Thalattoarchon: 1 male, 1 female

AN: Read and review, and check reviews for trivia. This is Flameal15k, signing off.