"Are we there yet?" Ton-Ton asked. The journey southwards to the Tall Grasses was taking longer than he'd expected it to.

"Ton-Ton! Asking it more often won't make us get there faster!" Dozer snapped.

"...You sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

Trax chuckled. "These antics bring back so many memories." His expression changed. "Why is the trailer constructed out of wood? Surely metal would be stronger."

"We're running low on scrap, and the storm knocked over a lot of trees," Ace explained. "We had a metal trailer, but D-Structs kinda destroyed it. Plus it wouldn't be able to fit Pounder."

"Ah."

"So these 'Tall Grasses'. How do they differ from the Grasslands?" Revvit asked.

"We call them the Tall Grasses because the dominant plant life is bamboo, which is a type of grass," Dakota explained. "They get more rainfall than the Grasslands did, and more than they certainly do now. Gets less sun too."

"A succinct analysis, my dear," Trax complimented. Dakota chuckled and nuzzled his face.

"Dude, you got love-nuzzled by a Scraptor," Ton-Ton said, jaw dropped.

"I should hope so, we're mates," Trax said.

"Really? I thought interspecies relationships were taboo," Ty said.

"It's a new world, Ty. We've all had to accept that love doesn't have boundaries. Besides, many have already taken desperate measures to keep their bloodline perpetual," Dakota replied. "Hybrid dinotrux run rampant now."

"Hybrid? Hmm. If more distantly-related Dinotrux were to sire viable offspring, would they not be plagued with health problems?" Revvit asked.

"Yep, and that happens a lot," Cora replied. "Most of 'em aren't well in the head and get really aggressive and violent. Others die young because their parts just don't fit together quite right. Every so often the right mix occurs and we get a true new species, but that's rare."

"Hm...Dozer, remember Blayde?" Ty asked. "Didn't her frill seem a little big for her head?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Dozer pondered. "Came down weird, too. Split down the middle instead of from the sides."

"In that case, I suspect she may be part Eodozeratops, the ancestor of both species of Dozeratops and the lone species in the genus Legaliceratops," Trax explained.

"What's a Legaliceratops?" Skya asked.

"They're a black-and-white trux kind with massive sirens on their backs. Their main goal in life is to keep order. Where we lived they made sure everyone was safe and followed the rules we'd set, like no stealing ore."

"I guess D-Structs would've run into them a lot," Ty chuckled. "Still can't believe that even after we drove him and D-Stroy out he's still here."

"I guess the other craters heard about him and didn't wanna take any chances," Skya replied.

"Good theory."

"It is a hypothesis, actually," Revvit corrected. "A theory is the result of a hypothesis being validated multiple times in multiple ways, and dynamically evolves as more information arises. But I agree with Skya that D-Structs' reputation may have spread very far already."

"Speaking of," Ace said as a black-and-white trux the size of Ton-Ton approached them; a Legaliceratops just as Trax described him. He had a black face and forelegs, black hindlegs and tail, and was white in the torso. A blue-and-red siren jutted from his back, and his circular frill, adorned with many copper spikes, was split down the middle. A square device was attached to his tail.

"Tall Grasses border right here," he said. "State your business."

"We're coming here to help this Poundersaurolophus recover from a repairasite infection," Ty said.

"Repairasites," the trux grumbled. "Vanna lost a foot to one of those." He leaned over to get a good look at Pounder. "Tail too short, arms too thin, body overall much too skinny. Okay, I'll believe you. Carry on." He moved aside. "The name's Officer Copperhorn. If you need me, just give me a shout and I'll be on my way."

The convoy proceeded into the Tall Grasses.

"You could get lost in here!" Ty exclaimed as the group trundled through the bamboo.

"Lost? You don't mean...are we?" Click-Clack asked.

Skya turned her head behind her. "Click-Clack, you worry too much! We're not lost!" She gasped. "But our guest is!"

The trailer was empty. Pounder had regained consciousness and was making a break for it. He quickly disappeared into the bamboo.

"We should follow him. Who knows what destruction he'll wreak?" Waldo asked.

"Oh no, I am NOT dealing with him any more!" Dozer griped.

"Besides, it may be best not to," Screed said quietly. "Look." In front of them, in the direction Pounder had gone, was a rock with many circular indentations, similar to Pounder's but much bigger. "Another of the species. Healthy adult male. Male Poundersaurolophus are highly territorial, similarly to Tireanosaurus, so it would be best if the resident took care of it."

"Would he kill Pounder?" Ty asked.

"Negative. Without repairasite infection, males don't attack others except in self-defense or when competing for expansion of their territory. They leave other trux alone normally," Trax explained.

"You put a lot of emphasis on the 'male' part of it," Skya commented.

"Females aren't territorial," Cora explained.

"Doesn't stop you," Dozer muttered.

"I'm a different species. I play by different rules."

"Well, this is a nice place, actually," Ty said. "We could spend a week or two here, make some builds to help the locals, and come back home when the snow melts."

"An excellent idea! I have so many new ideas for builds that the bamboo has given me!" Revvit affirmed.

"Hey, wouldn't it be cool if like, we had a day in the winter so we could give each other stuff, like the bamboo gave Revvit?" Ton-Ton asked.

"You just want free stuff, don't you?" Dozer asked.

"You guys haven't invented money yet, so by that logic all your stuff is free," Cora commented.

Elsewhere, Pounder had indeed gotten lost in the bamboo. Blast those Trux...how dare they take him from his home?!

"Excuse me, sir, but you are intruding! Please leave!" an unfamiliar voice growled.

Oh no, Pounder wasn't going to give this up! Fight him!

But the source of the voice quickly and rapid-fire pounded him into unconsciousness again. It was another member of his species, only bigger, with a proportionally longer tail, the internals covered by dark green metal. The cover of the steel pile was longer and curved downward, with the pile itself much bigger. The lower jaw was covered by a smooth, curved beak.

The elder looked at Pounder. "Hmph. Infected. No wonder he didn't speak." He pounded the ground once, exposing light yellow crystals of fluorite. As Pounder regained consciousness, the elder nudged a crystal to his face.

Pounder groggily ate the crystal, and when he swallowed, the red tint in his eyes disappeared. He looked up.

"...Father?"

AN:

Legaliceratops readernewsi = Regaliceratops peterhewsi (ornate relative of Triceratops) and a police car.