having worked on the rhino and the gorilla.” In their third year? So most were the same age as the brunette he had spoken to. Derick was still in his first year. No wonder he didn’t recognize most of the other students in this class. He sat up a little taller in his seat.
“But today, we’re going to challenge you,” Dr. Mackleprank said. “Follow me.” The class followed their teacher down a hall that was something like a path in a zoo. Off to either side were various habitats with live beasts inside. Derick had seen it many times, but still loved looking at the rhinos and gorillas. Both species were usually not very active—though the trees full of squirrel monkeys were always filled with chaos and movement.
Fish. Please say fish. The idea of darting through the water with fins and gills sounded fantastic. Derick had seen lines of fish avatars on the shelves in the lab. He had seen the massive aquariums. In fact, they were approaching them now.
But they didn’t slow down.
Okay, so maybe not. As they passed the aquariums, Derick watched all sorts of vibrantly colored fish swimming effortlessly through the water. One day, hopefully soon, he would be in there with them . . . as them.
Maybe they were going to the bird habitats. That would be even better. He could only imagine what it might feel like to glide across air currents and shift with the wind. But were the birds in this direction?
“Giraffes,” Dr. Mackleprank said, as they approached a large glass wall with a safari-like scene behind it. The tall, lanky animals reached their long necks up into the trees and pulled off leaves with impossibly long twisty tongues and chewed, their jaws moving in a bizarre circular fashion.
Giraffes? Derick’s stomach sank. Who would want to be a giraffe ? So they had long necks—that might be thrilling for a minute or two, but after he got used to having a head higher than a basketball hoop, what else would possibly be interesting? He could get the same experience climbing a ladder. He didn’t need to waste avatar time for that. Plus, this was an advanced avatar class—weren’t they supposed to be doing something advanced?
“I can tell this isn’t what some of you had in mind,” Dr. Mackleprank said, still moving slower than normal, “but we’ve found it is rather helpful in the development of your skills.”
He continued. “Some things you should know about this lanky wonder: Its Latin name is Giraffa camelopardalis ; it is the tallest animal that walks on land. You may have heard the word camel in the root of its Latin name. If you will look at our giraffes,” Dr. Mackleprank gestured toward the room filled with the towering beasts, “you will notice the hump to support the neck.” He pointed at a giraffe slowly swinging its head from one branch to another for more food. Derick noticed the hump. He also noticed how lurpy the creature seemed to be . . . or, rather, how lurpy it seemed it should be. The giraffe seemed like it should move awkwardly, almost stumbling over itself, but it didn’t. In a way it was graceful. “It also has ossicones on its head. That’s the technical term for its stubby horns.” They looked like the bottom ends of two black canes poking out of the giraffe’s scalp. “But of course, the giraffe is best known for its neck. Anyone want to guess their height?”
A few students gave it their best shot.
“They usually range from sixteen to twenty feet, or from just under five to just over six meters. Not only are they tall, they are heavyweights. The average female weighs a little less than a ton, and the average male about 3,500 pounds. These guys are not light.”
Dr. Mackleprank motioned again for the students to follow him, and walked them back to the classroom. Passing the other animals seemed like torture. Derick didn’t have to try the fish or bird avatars; couldn’t they just swing from some more branches as squirrel monkeys? Or spend some more time
“But today, we’re going to challenge you,” Dr. Mackleprank said. “Follow me.” The class followed their teacher down a hall that was something like a path in a zoo. Off to either side were various habitats with live beasts inside. Derick had seen it many times, but still loved looking at the rhinos and gorillas. Both species were usually not very active—though the trees full of squirrel monkeys were always filled with chaos and movement.
Fish. Please say fish. The idea of darting through the water with fins and gills sounded fantastic. Derick had seen lines of fish avatars on the shelves in the lab. He had seen the massive aquariums. In fact, they were approaching them now.
But they didn’t slow down.
Okay, so maybe not. As they passed the aquariums, Derick watched all sorts of vibrantly colored fish swimming effortlessly through the water. One day, hopefully soon, he would be in there with them . . . as them.
Maybe they were going to the bird habitats. That would be even better. He could only imagine what it might feel like to glide across air currents and shift with the wind. But were the birds in this direction?
“Giraffes,” Dr. Mackleprank said, as they approached a large glass wall with a safari-like scene behind it. The tall, lanky animals reached their long necks up into the trees and pulled off leaves with impossibly long twisty tongues and chewed, their jaws moving in a bizarre circular fashion.
Giraffes? Derick’s stomach sank. Who would want to be a giraffe ? So they had long necks—that might be thrilling for a minute or two, but after he got used to having a head higher than a basketball hoop, what else would possibly be interesting? He could get the same experience climbing a ladder. He didn’t need to waste avatar time for that. Plus, this was an advanced avatar class—weren’t they supposed to be doing something advanced?
“I can tell this isn’t what some of you had in mind,” Dr. Mackleprank said, still moving slower than normal, “but we’ve found it is rather helpful in the development of your skills.”
He continued. “Some things you should know about this lanky wonder: Its Latin name is Giraffa camelopardalis ; it is the tallest animal that walks on land. You may have heard the word camel in the root of its Latin name. If you will look at our giraffes,” Dr. Mackleprank gestured toward the room filled with the towering beasts, “you will notice the hump to support the neck.” He pointed at a giraffe slowly swinging its head from one branch to another for more food. Derick noticed the hump. He also noticed how lurpy the creature seemed to be . . . or, rather, how lurpy it seemed it should be. The giraffe seemed like it should move awkwardly, almost stumbling over itself, but it didn’t. In a way it was graceful. “It also has ossicones on its head. That’s the technical term for its stubby horns.” They looked like the bottom ends of two black canes poking out of the giraffe’s scalp. “But of course, the giraffe is best known for its neck. Anyone want to guess their height?”
A few students gave it their best shot.
“They usually range from sixteen to twenty feet, or from just under five to just over six meters. Not only are they tall, they are heavyweights. The average female weighs a little less than a ton, and the average male about 3,500 pounds. These guys are not light.”
Dr. Mackleprank motioned again for the students to follow him, and walked them back to the classroom. Passing the other animals seemed like torture. Derick didn’t have to try the fish or bird avatars; couldn’t they just swing from some more branches as squirrel monkeys? Or spend some more time
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