Sophie had a few mixed feelings about going on spring break now. Of course, her main thought is relief to be away from class for a week. But her biggest problem was when that particular week is. The first full week of April might have sounded ok, but the weather took an unexpected chill. Not as bad as the snowstorms they had earlier, but enough to make people wish they had worn more clothes after stepping outside.
Another down side is that Sophie really had no place to go. While the pandemic was definitely starting to wind down, there's been a brief surge in new cases, most likely from people abandoning caution too soon. Even with the steady rate of vaccination, it would still be a month or two before people can start relaxing their guard. Though at least the vaccine designed specifically for Dinotopians was ready. And considering the relatively small population of Dinotopians, it wouldn't take very long at all for the Dinotopians to be immunized.
That still didn't leave Sophie a lot of places she and Roland could go. As much as she'd like to fly home to Lyre, it would still be too much of a hassle within a relatively short week, even if she gets a day off early. The vaccine variant meant for other Animalians was still in the works, albeit closer, and Animalians were still on guard. Mieni Atoll would have been a nice break, but it was even more of a hassle to take a plane there considering the quarantine efforts going on. Even Skull Island didn't seem completely viable, mostly because it was the wrong time of year to be enjoying and it didn't boast the same kind of beaches as Mieni. That pretty much just left Dinosaur City.
But Sophie had gotten accustomed to that from last year. Hopefully, next year will be better. Sometimes, she wondered why she and Roland just didn't get an apartment in Dino City. Then she remembered that, former stars of Animalia Ambassadoria or not, they still had to pay rent and their college nest eggs/sponsorships would cover enough to pay for an apartment until they could get jobs. Besides, the commute can be a hassle, even if they could fly.
So there she, Roland, and the microraptors were, trying to finding a place to stay for spring break. Sophie could have asked Heather if they could crash at her place, but apparently she and Jeremy were busy. Sophie had heard they were trying to conceive and hadn't yet heard if they succeeded. She would assume they have by now, but it's best to respect their privacy. This was the time of year where a lot of Animalians were going into heat, Dinotopians too. It was a bit hard to say what the breeding season of the pterodactyl is, but Sophie still wanted to be cautious. Roland was definitely her bond-mate, but they weren't ready to have eggs yet.
Eventually, the four of them made their way to Skybax Heights. It may seem like a place that would be very expensive, but this hotel/boarding house was designed for pterosaurs. And as before, they found Arcelia manning the front desk. "Oh, welcome back," said Arcelia, "Checking in or moving in?"
"Uh, I'm pretty sure we couldn't afford to move in," said Roland, "We're not even sure if we can afford to check in for spring break."
"Nonsense," said Arcelia, "With all you have done and are doing for Dinotopia, I wouldn't think of overcharging you."
"'Are doing'?" asked Pauline, "You mean with Quetzal's flying lessons?"
"Well, that too, but you did get an email about the current Ambassadors, right?" asked Arcelia.
"Oh, yes," said Sophie, "Some of them are coming here to see Dino City. I guess they want to feature us as returning characters and tour guides."
"Not sure if we've lived here long enough to qualify for tour guides," said Roland.
"We know this city well enough," said Sophie, "It won't be that hard to show them around."
"And since they're going to be staying here for that, your own stay will be covered," said Arcelia.
"We wouldn't want to impose," said Sophie.
"I think most people are wondering when you'll move in for keeps," said Arcelia.
"Hey guys, look what I found," said JC, holding up a bone. It was pretty obviously not supposed to be a real bone. It seemed to be mostly plastic. "I think it's supposed to open," said JC, pulling on the two ends.
Just then, Sophie remembered what day it was. "Uh, JC, maybe you should-" she started.
But JC had already opened it and jumped as a snake popped out of the bone. Not a real snake, by any means. The kind that you find in joke cans. Arcelia smirked and said, "April Fool."
"Your joke?" asked Roland.
"Oh, not just mine," said Arcelia, "There are dozens of trick bones scattered throughout the city. I imagine quite a few people have found them by now."
"And who hid them all?" asked Sophie.
"Oh, I can't tell you that," said Arcelia, tapping the side of her muzzle, "Pranksters don't rat each other out."