//------------------------------// // The Tour // Story: Jurassic Pony // by mistercokehold8 //------------------------------// Outside the Visitor Center two jeeps green jeeps with the Jurassic Park logo shown proudly on the side came to a stop. At the moment Scorch was leading the group out the door. “Ah ha, right on time.” The stallion said proudly. "Aren't they glorious. Custom made by the Baltimare Motor Company." “Where are the drivers?” Flash asked. “Oh there aren’t any. The jeeps run along the track in the road.” Scorch pointed his cane up the path the vehicles had just came from. “Allows us to control them by remote from the control room. Totally non-pollutant this way.” “I don’t think this place can get any cooler!” Rainbow Dash said happily as the doors opened automatically. “Welcome to the Jurassic Park Safari Adventure.” A voice said. “Please enter the vehicles.” “Recorded the audio myself.” Scorch said as the CMC climbed into the first jeep, instantly being swept away by the features within. "Interactive CD-ROM! Look, you touch one part of the screen and it talks about whatever you want." Sweetie Belle squeaked. "Cool, just the thing for a computer nerd." Scootaloo joked. "I'm more of a hacker." The ponies all gathered into the cars. Applejack, Rarity, the Crusaders, and Flash were in the first car; Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were in the second. Scorch shut the doors behind them before telling the older mares an important tip. “In case of an emergency there’s a radio under the passenger seat. Allows you contact with the control room and the other vehicle. Hopefully you won’t have to use it.” “Yer not comin?” Applejack asked. “I’ve been on the tour before, but I’m there in spirit. Now have a great time.” Scorch turned around and trotted back up the steps. “Still worried about the park Twilight?" asked Fluttershy. "A little, but it will be cool to see live dinosaurs." "Ahh yeah. This is going to be so awesome." The Jurassic Park control room looks like a mission control for a space launch, with several computer terminals and dozens of video screens that display images of various dinosaurs, taken from all over the park. There's a large glass map of the island at the front of the room that is lit up like a Christmas tree with various colored lights, each one with a number and identification code next to it. But the place is unfinished, with unattached cables, construction materials, and ladders scattered about. Scorch entered the code to gain access to the room, followed close behind by Crimson. The two looked over the shoulder of the main worker, Mr. Hooves, who was looking at the weather. “Cloudsdale Weather Service is tracking a tropical storm about seventy-five miles west of us.” Crimson informed the owner. Scorch sighed loudly. “Why didn’t I build on the mainland when I had the chance?” “I’ll keep an eye on it. Maybe it’ll swing south like last time.” Crimson went over to a monitor as Scorch turned to his worker. “Hooves, start the program.” The pony began entering commands into the computer. “Hold on to your flank.” He said, not sure everything would work right the first time. Then he clicked on the activation key. Crimson looked at the monitor, able to see and hear everything from both jeeps as they both began to move. “It’s moving itself!” The CMC shrieked, amazed at what was happening. “What else is gonna happen here?” Applejack asked, amazed herself. “The car is driving itself!” Rainbow said from the other jeep. “Pull over you crazy driver!!!” Pinkie called out, earning a laugh from those around her. "During the tour, the appropriate information will be displayed automatically. Simply touch the icon on the screen related to the current location." “Hey look!” Applebloom pointed ahead at the large wooden gates. “Here we go everypony.” Rarity said as the gates swung open. “Welcome to Jurassic Park.” The car said as the jeeps drove through the gates. When they were clear the gates behind them closed with a dull thud. "What do you think the first dinosaur will be?" Rainbow asked the others. "I hope its triceratops or stegosaurus or T-Rex." " Oh dear, I don't know if I ready to see the T-Rex yet." Fluttershy squeaked. "Don't be a scardey pony Fluttershy, It's not like the dinosaurs are roaming free in the park." "Yeah, their behind 10,000 volt electric wires." said Pinkie "They won't come and eat you all up." "I'm not worried about that, more about those poor dinosaurs being shocked by those fences." "Hey!" said Twilight. "I think we’re coming to our first dinosaur." The cars slowed down around a curve approaching the first enclosure. "If you look to the right of the vehicle, you'll see a herd of the first dinosaurs on our tour. Dilophosaurus." "Dilophosaurus!" "Cool!" The ponies leaned to the windows to get a look. "One of the earliest therapod dinosaurs hailing from the early Jurassic period, almost 150 million years ago. Upon its introduction into the park, we discovered that Dilophosaurus is actually poisonous. When hunting, it spits a potent venom from glands within its jaw. Aiming for the eyes, the venom causes blindness and disorientation, rendering its prey utterly helpless. With sharp accuracy, the carnivore can hit a target from a distance of 20 feet. An expanding neck cowl adds an extra frightening touch. For your safety we ask that you keep windows shut as you pass the enclosure. Dilophasurus was an efficient predator of its time, making it a beautiful but deadly addition to Jurassic Park." The ponies looked around for the Dilophosaurus but it was nowhere to be found. There was nothing behind the fence except for thick leafy jungle. "Where is it? I don't see anything." said Sweetie Belle. The ponies all frowned with disappointment. "Ponyfeathers." Twilight shook her head. The cars drove on with their disappointed passengers. The cars travelled further into the park bumping their way down the dirt road. They came upon the second dinosaur enclosure. "Ahh, coming up on the left is the second dinosaur on our safari, Ankylosaurus. From the late Cretaceous period, Ankylosaurus is famous as the armored dinosaur, with hard osteoderm plates on its head and back and tail club as its primary weapon of defense. Although it's a herbivore and can be placid when calm, this dinosaur was not one to underestimate. With poor eyesight and a very short temper, it is easily provoked into defensive behavior. One swipe of its club could deal a fatal injury to most predators. These animals live together in small herds and are very protective of their territory and each other." The ponies looked around for the armored dinosaurs, but like the Dilophosaurus, they were absent. "What? Where is it?" Applebloom. "Whats going on? Are they invisible now?” Scootaloo asked. "Where could dinosaurs be in the middle of the day?" "Maybe it's naptime for them," said Sweetie Belle. "Just like how the elephants in the Canterlot zoo have a naptime." "Naptime or whatever," Scootaloo grumbled. "Why can't we just see one?" The cars pulled away from the Ankylosaurus enclosure, disappointed yet again. Back in the control room Hooves was pointing to a monitor for Scorch. “Vehicle headlights are on and don't respond. Those shouldn't be running off the car batteries.” The earth pony sighed, reaching for a clipboard and jotting down more notes. “Item one fifty-one on today's glitch list. We've got all the problems of a major theme park and a major zoo, and the computer's not even on its feet yet.” Scorch turned and trotted over to the pony in charge of the codes. “Lightning, our lives are in your hooves and your letting us down.” The mare in question, Lightning Dust spun in her chair, laughing as she did. “I am totally unappreciated in my time. We can run the whole park from this room, with minimal staff, for up to three days. You think that kind of automation is easy?” The mare asked, sipping the drink on her desk. “Or cheap? You know anybody who can network eight Connection Machines and de-bug two million lines of code for what I bid this job? Because I'd sure like to see them try.” Scorch rolled his eyes. “I'm sorry about your financial problems. I really am. But they are your problems.” “You're right, Scorch. You're absolutely right. Everything's my problem.” “I will not get into another financial debate with you Lightning!” “I don't think there's been any debate. There's no debate...my mistakes....” Scorch stopped trotting and turned to his worker with a stern look. “I don’t blame ponies for their mistakes. But I do ask that they pay for them.” “Thanks dad.” Lightning muttered sarcastically. “Lightning!” Hooves called. “The headlights.” “Yeah I’ll fix them when they come back okay?” Whooves rolled his eyes in disgust. “Okay? It'll eat a lot of computer cycles; parts of the system may go down for a while. Don't blame me. If I am playing...losing memory....” “Quiet! All of you!” Crimson called. The ponies in the room turned to him as he looked intently at the monitors. “They’re approaching the Tyrannosaur paddock.” Out on the tour the jeeps slowly came to a stop outside what could only be describe as the largest cage imaginable. Twilight looked on the interactive map…..this was the Tyrannosaur Paddock. “All right." said Scootaloo. "The T-Rex." "Let's hope we finally see something." Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Third time's the charm!" said Pinkie. "The T-Rex was the top predator of its time in the late Cretaceous period, nearly 70 million years ago, and one of the largest carnivores ever to roam the planet. With excellent binocular vision, and banana sized teeth, any dinosaur was wise to avoid becoming its dinner. It's name literally means 'Tyrant Lizard King'. Despite its size, the T-Rex is a very capable runner, able to reach speeds of 30 miles per hour. However, it has one weakness, it's vision is based on movement... "What does that mean?" Rainbow asked. "It means if you remain perfectly still," Twilight answered. "and don't move a muscle, the T-Rex wouldn't see you. Thus you wouldn't get eaten." Fluttershy froze up. The other ponies looked at her. "Just in case." However, this small handicap is more than compensated by an excellent sense of smell and strong depth perception. We've stopped here for ten minutes to allow for a good look at this magnificent animal, and Jurassic Park's main attraction. The ponies watched the paddock for the T-Rex, but like the other two it didn't show up. "Maybe it isn't home." said Fluttershy. "Oh it's home." said Twilight. "There's few places it can go with that fence."The T-Rex still didn't come. "Don't tell me this one's not going to show up either." Rainbow Dash moaned. She rolled down the window. "Come on dinosaurs! Wake up!" Pinkie Pie also stuck her head out the window blowing a party horn. "Wakey wakey!!! Some ponies all the way from Equestria to see you!!" Nothing happened. Rarity yawned. Over the intercom came Crimson’s voice. "We'll try and tempt the Rex now. Keep your eyes on the fence." A goat tethered to a pole came out of the ground in the paddock. "What's going to happen to him?" said Sweetie Belle. "It's gonna eat the goat!?!" "It is a carnivore Sweetie Belle." "What's the matter kid?" Flash commented. "You've never heard of lamb chops?" "Last I looked, ponies didn't eat meat." said Applejack a little annoyed. "A T-Rex doesn't want to be fed, it wants to hunt." said Twilight. "You can't supress 65 million years of natural instincts."They waited another five minutes, but the Tyrannosaurus was a no show. The goat laid down in the grass as if to take a nap. The ponies shrugged and sighed disappointed yet again. "This really blows." Scootaloo kicked her hooves on the back of the seat. Once more the vehicles began to move forward on the tour. Scorch sat at a TV monitor watching the feed from inside the cars. Pinkie Pie stuck her face in the camera. "Now eventually you might actually have dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour correct? Hello?" She tapped the camera with her hoof "Hello? Hello?" She breathed on the camera. Scorch held his head in frustration.