Jurassic Kratts

Frillina The Triceratops

After their uneventful visit to the Tyrannosaurus Kingdom, the tour continued. "See, the tyrannosaur doesn't obey set pattern or park schedules. It's the essence of Chaos."said Dr. Malcolm after a period of silence. This intrigued the paleobotanist. "I'm still not clear on Chaos."
"It simply deals with unpredictability in complex systems. It's only principle is the Butterfly Effect. A butterfly can flap its wings in Peking and in Central Park you get rain instead of sunshine."
Ellie gestured with her hand that this information had flown right over her head. While the two scientists were discussing the Chaos Theory, Aviva took out a certain invention from her backpack and began typing on the keyboard. The Kratts' eyes flew open upon hearing the familiar sound and fell upon the gadget on the inventor's lap. The disappointment that was consuming their minds vanished, replaced once more by their excitement as inched closer to Aviva.
"You brought the M.I.K?!" the creature adventurers asked enthusiastically, barely able to control the volume of their voices, which was unfortunately too loud that it made not only Aviva, but everyone wince in pain, ears ringing. "Sorry.."they apologized simultaneously.
"What's the M.I.K?" asked a puzzled Malcolm. At that moment, Koki's hologram appeared through Martin's Creaturepod. Clearly she had heard the brothers' excited outburst. "M.I.K; Mobile Invention Kit. Aviva uses it to create new Creature Power Disks for the bros' Creature Power Suits."
"Creature Power..what?" asked the bewildered paleontologist, for as far as technology was concerned, he was old school. Exchanging knowing glances, Martin and Chris dug into their own packs and removed a pair of black vests with a paw print on the center of each, bearing the brothers' signature colors. Alongside with two pairs of gloves of the same design. The Wild Kratts could rarely stay away from creature adventuring for very long. After donning their CPS, the creature adventurers then explained the vests' design and functions.
After all was said and done, Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler were dumbfounded to say the least. "Ahh, that explains why Kelly idolizes you guys. You're like the super heroes from the comics, only you're not wearing tights, and you all work for quite a noble cause."said Malcolm in newfound understanding. "Mind if we see a demonstration?"asked the paleobotanist in fascination.
  The two creature adventurers were about to oblige when the Kratt in green noticed a dark shape moving at the end of the field to the left. He suddenly bolted upright to get a better look. "Chris?"asked Aviva, noticing something else was on her boyfriend's mind. Martin too noticed his brother's distant look.
"You alright, bro?" Chris, however, paid little attention to either his brother or his girlfriend, but continued to gaze upon the figure for a while longer. There's definitely something out there, and the creature adventurer had to see it. So without warning, Chris threw the door open and bolted out of the moving car.
  "There's a great example of Chaos Theory. No one could've predicted that Mr. Kratt would suddenly jump out of a moving vehicle." You have no idea, thought the Kratt in blue before he took off with his brother. "Chris! Wait up, bro!"
  "There goes another one," said the mathematician triumphantly.
  "¡Ay ay ay!"muttered the inventor, face-palming at their apparent insanity. Some things never change.. "Martin? Chris?" Soon enough she was running in the same direction the creature adventurers had taken to make sure no harm came to them. Jimmy and Koki soon followed.
  "Three more examples," Ian pointed out, gesturing the Wild Kratts team, now racing across the field. However the paleontological pair's curiosity got the better of them, and it wasn't long before they too followed the team's lead.
"Two more. See? Here I am now, by myself, talking to myself...that's Chaos Theory! What the hell am I doing here? I'm the only one who knows what's going on.." With that, Dr. Malcolm followed the crowd into the meadow, later joined by Gennaro and the kids.
  **** Three Minutes Later...****
The Wild Kratts team, the three scientists, the lawyer, and the children were headed towards a small stand of trees. Looking up, they noticed gray clouds starting to form.
"Uhh... Anybody else think we shouldn't be out here?"asked a nervous Gennaro, looking left and right at their surroundings. "I-I agree with Mr. Gennaro.."replied an equally skittish Jimmy Z. "We should head back to the cars." The rest of the group, the Kratt Brothers especially, weren't deterred. They simply pressed forward, keen on satisfying their curiosity. Tim dogged Dr. Grant's footsteps, so excited he can hardly keep his feet on the ground.
"So like I was saying, there's this other book by a guy named Bakker? And he said the dinosaurs died of a bunch of diseases? He definitely didn't say they turned into birds. And his book was a lot fatter than yours?"
Martin and Chris, who could hear the whole conversation from behind them, chuckled in amusement. Unlike Grant, the two brothers loved kids, especially those who were deeply fascinated by the natural world, and they had great pleasure in teaching them about certain creatures and their behaviors. Before long, they signaled the party to a halt, gesturing for silence. "Wait here," whispered Chris, determined not to disturb whatever was beyond the tall grass. "We'll call you once it's safe." With that, both creature adventurers disappeared into the undergrowth.
A moment of silence. "I'm not sure whether to call them brave or just plain insane." Malcolm remarked. "Both, but mostly insane." replied the rest of the Wild Kratts team. Aviva couldn't help but worry about her boyfriend's safety, and pondered whether or not to go after them. Suddenly the inventor's Creaturepod rang. Aviva immediately answered and a holographic screen appeared, revealing Martin and Chris unharmed, with huge grins on their faces as though they had encountered a rarely seen species.
  "You guys gotta come see this!"they exclaimed simultaneously.
At that moment, the rest of the group proceeded forward, Grant and Tim in the lead, their initial fear gone. As they reached the clearing, the tourists stopped in their tracks. A huge smile spreads across the faces of both the paleontologist and the ten-year old. Everyone else's jaws dropped, eyes as wide as saucers. The two remaining scientists and lawyer were speechless.
"Whoa.." said Koki and Jimmy in awe.
"Dios mio," murmured Aviva.
Before the party's eyes was a massive creature, as large as an elephant lying on its side. It sported a massive head with two great horns on its eyebrows and a smaller one on its snout. It didn't move, just breathed, loud and raspy, blowing up little clouds with each exhalation. It didn't take long to identify the animal as a Triceratops.
  "Hi everybody. Don't be scared. She's sedated."came a voice from behind the downed dinosaur. The group looked in the general direction and met an aging man in a light green uniform; He must've been the park's head vet. On either side of him, with smiles still glued to their features, were the Kratt Brothers.
"Guys, I'm sure you all remember Dr. Harding,"said Chris, gesturing to the veterinarian at his right, addressing the rest of his team. Martin only bore a smug grin at Dr. Harding's left, arms around the man's shoulder. The Wild Kratts team, who were marveling over the Triceratops, then raced over to the trio, exchanging joyful greetings with the vet, who was equally pleased to see them. It was then that Aviva noticed the incredulous looks from the others.
"This is Dr. Harding, he taught us all we know on veterinary science." After introductions were made, the team turned their attention to the three-horned herbivore. "She's sick," noted the Kratt in green after quick observation and medical scan from his Creaturepod. "Ay pobresita."cooed Aviva gently caressing the animal's enormous head. "She's beautiful," complimented the computer whizz from the inventor's side. Aviva nodded in agreement.
"That's one groovy helmet," said Jimmy Z, before being corrected by the paleontologist resting against the creature's side, feeling each breath channeling in and out,"Frill. The 'helmet' of any ceratopsian, like Triceratops, is called a frill."
Gasping in realization, Martin stated, patting the Trike's frill, "That's just what I'm gonna call you: Frillina!" earning a groan from the newly named dinosaur who seemed to enjoy her title.
"Frillina?" wondered Grant incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't ask.." replied Chris with a chuckle.
  Dr. Sattler then noticed something peculiar about Frillina's tongue, which was dark purple, drooped limply from her mouth. The paleobotanist then scratched the tongue with her fingernail, causing a clear liquid to leak from the broken blisters. "Micro vesicles. That's interesting." Harding then joined her, handing her a penlight.
  "What are her symptoms?"asked the paleobotanist.
"Imbalance, disorientation, heavy breathing. Seems to happen every six weeks or so."
"Six weeks?" Ellie then shined the light in Frillina's eyes. "Are there pupillary effects from the tranquilizer?"
"Yes, mitotic, pupils should be constricted."
"These are dilated. Take a look." 
  After a quick glance, the veterinarian muttered, "I'll be damned."
"That's pharmacological. From local plant life." With that, the paleobotanist turned and studied the surrounding landscape, noting the local flora. The other two scientists and creature adventurers marveled, for her mind was truly at work, puzzling each piece of foliage, leaving no twig unchecked.    Finally she came across a small bush blooming with flowers and berries. Aviva, who had been assisting the paleobotanist, took a scan from her Creaturepod for identification. The results came in: Tetrazygia bicolor. "West Indian lilac."
"Yes, we know they're toxic, but the animals don't eat them." confirmed Dr. Harding, approaching the pair. "Are you sure?"asked Dr. Sattler, analyzing the leaves and branches.
  "Pretty sure." the vet replied.
  "There's only one way to be positive,"
  "How?" asked the creature adventurers in unison.
"We need to see Frillina's droppings."Dr. Sattler answered before following the inventor and the vet to the edge of the clearing. The brothers exchanged glances before taking off in the same direction.
  "Droppings? Dino droppings?" asked a bewildered Malcolm. The paleontologist only shrugged before following the crowd.
It didn't take long for the party to reach their goal: several piles of dung almost six feet high.
"That is one big pile of crap."deadpanned the mathematician, noting the piles' enormity. Unlike the vast majority of the group, the Kratt Brothers were ecstatic about the find. "Martin, check this out!"exclaimed the Kratt in green, noticing the placement of the piles. "It's just like the rhino sign posts back in Kenya."
"Sign posts?" asked Tim curiously.
"We've seen these before with Black rhinos." replied Chris with much enthusiasm. "They use these piles of dung to message other rhinos. Nuances in the dung can actually tell them a lot about others in the area, like age, sex, and health." Martin continued for his brother,"Combined with urine left along trails, dung piles create invisible "borders" around the rhino's territory, as a message that says (here he lowered the pitch of his voice..) : 'Keep out! Trespassers will be attacked and gored, and in other ways of having a bad day!'" This prompted Chris and Tim to giggle at the Kratt in blue's goofiness. Grant rolled his eyes, mildly amused. They make it look so easy..
"Good observation, Wild Kratts," said Dr. Harding from his place next to Aviva, Koki, and Dr. Sattler who were currently using their Creaturepods to scan each dung pile. "We have noticed that the Triceratops have well established territories around the meadow, and would charge at any foreign creature that wanders past the dung piles. But they know their keepers well and they allow us to approach." Soon the three women approached them with their results.
  "Results came out negative. No West Indian lilac berries." reported the computer whizz. "That's so weird, though. She shows all the signs of Meliatoxicity."murmured the paleobotanist, unrelenting. "Every six weeks.." added the inventor, lost in thought. With that, the trio walked several paces further out the field, thinking.
  "They're.. Uhh tenacious."said Malcolm, gesturing to Ellie and Aviva.
  "You have no idea." replied Alan and Chris simultaneously, much to their own surprise.
  After that investigation was completed, they made their way back to the fallen Triceratops.