The students discussed the noticeable changes in the class' arrangement over the weekend. A new, larger and sturdier teacher's table was set much more forward towards the auditorium. On top of it were a plain sketch book and some hilariously large markers for the writing board. The various skeletons and models professor Bones kept around for his lectures, were taken out, leaving a lot of space uncomfortably devoid of anything.
The Dean walked in with a face of someone about to make an announcement and lifted his hand, asking for silence, but the class was still buzzing with questions and general confusion.
"Did something happen to professor Bones?" someone asked.
"Is the class cancelled?" a question from the back followed.
"Firstly, I'd like to let you know professor Bones is all right, but today you guys will meet your new professor in Paleontology who will be replacing professor Bones for the rest of the semester, Dr. Stegron. You may find that like one other professor on our faculty, Dr. Curtis Connors, he is also a reptile, a dinosaur even, and while he is usually a good-natured guy, I would remind you all that dinosaurs are an extremely dangerous species and you should take reasonable caution for your own safety and security. As you all undoubtedly know by now from the course, the world of dinosaurs was quite different from ours, and we sincerely hope that from this exchange you may form a better understanding of what it was like and get a better insight into this fascinating subject from another perspective!"
"We all understand that you may find this experience quite unique, but please remember to treat the professor with all respect and give him some time and space to settle in. So please don't bombard him with questions on the first day! I am sure we all want to make this experience as fun and pleasant for everyone as possible. I am sure Dr. Stegron understands this too, so please follow his instructions closely. This is all"
The class went abuzz like a beehive the instant the Dean left, but the commotion quickly died out to the sound of approaching clicking footsteps. Some students held their breath when the door opened again and a beaked saurian head ducked under the doorway, followed by an enormous, more than seven feet tall orange-and-tan reptilian body frame on digitigrade, distinctly theropod-shaped feet, and a very long spiky tail.
Stegron stopped at the center in complete silence, his lightly glowing, curious green eyes focused on the pale faces of students stretching before and below him. The dinosaur man sniffed the air, discerning the scents of humans and also the food they packed with them, and gave the room a critical glance. He appreciated plenty of space to stand comfortably and tools large enough for his use. Stegron was not fully expecting the faculty to follow his demands when he was offered the position, but he was glad that they did.
"Well, I am your new professssor, Dr. Ssstegron" he announced, turning to face the class.
"I've heard you have ssstopped at Permian-Triasssic extinction with professsor Bonesss, correct? I sssupose thisss would be asss good a time asss any for usss to jump in. I do, however, prefer to be more…" he searched for a word. "Practical. Inssstead of giving you lecturesss, asss we go along, I'll bring you sssome of the extinct ssspeciesss from different erasss, reconssstructed from fosssilsss with genetic retroengineering, a method I devisssed. You will ssstudy live creaturesss and make your obssservationsss. It will get more fun when we get to the Jurasssic"
"By the way, I am a hybrid of two dinosssaursss from that period - a Ssstegosssaurusss and an Allosssaursss" Stegron explained. "Doesss anyone know what they ate?"
"The one with the brain the size of a walnut?" one of the students with a smug look giggled. "Cabbage may be?"
Stegron turned around very slowly, his eyes showing a poorly hidden predatory glint. The entire class went silent again, some students on the front rows starting to hide under the desks. The saurian stopped before the student who just insulted him, trying his darn best not to crack the mammal's skull open to show him its contents, as he leaned over, slamming his huge foot on the table, sharp claws the size of the young man's entire fingers right next to his hand for comparison.
"My brain isss big enough for me, thank you. But yoursss, by the look of thingsss, isss cccertainly not. Not for your sssurvival in thisss classs" Stegron hissed, his cold green eyes locked with the boy's. "Were you happen to land in Jurasssic period, you would be eaten in sssix minutesss, mammal" Everyone couldn't help darting their eyes to the clock to notice exactly six minutes had passed since the class started. "And there certainly was no cabbage in that time, there wasn't even grassss or flowerssss, for your information, but you would bring a cabbage with you nonethelesss" he pointed a claw at the mammal's head. "Thisss one. Hope it helpssss you to live to ssssee your gradesss. Ussse it wisssely, young man" he put his foot down and addressed the entire class. "I'll have you know that one wasss a plant eater and fed mosssstly on ferns, and the other was a carnivore, eating other dinosssaursss and sssmall mammalsss. It will do you good to remember. You will really need to bring your knowledge on dinossssaursss way up before the finalssss. By the way, that makessss me an omnivore and, anssswering your question, I can indeed eat cabbage, but meat isss more preferable. Thisss will not be on the exam. Whoever survivesss till the end of Paleogene, will passss"
The class slowly breathed out as the professor made his way back to the writing board, the long tail slowly swaying behind him.
"He didn't mean that last one, uhm, literally, right?" somebody asked in a murmur.
"Wait, did he just fail that douche Jacob?!" another whisper came a few seconds later from the back. "That was badass! He is already my favourite professor!"