Maera loaded her luggage onto the train. "How did you get Instructor Evans to agree to this crazy venture?"

Ryka secured their bag and followed the others to their seats on the train destined for the Omega-Delta Colony. “I just convinced him of how important this aid trip would be. I know how to talk to him.” Ryka ignored Maera’s suspicious look.

Kolyver opened their train compartment, making a beeline to one of the two window seats. Ryka sat next to them and undid their shirt’s top button. I slithered my way out from under Ryka's collar and relaxed around their neck, resting my head on the hollow of their throat. 

Kolyver was immediately in the window seat across from the one they had just been in. “Why the hell did you bring that thing with you?!”

Maera sat next to Kolyver, placing a hand on their arm. “Calm down, Kol. You didn’t really expect Ryka to come without their pet, did you?”

Kolyver leaned as far away from Ryka and I as possible. “I certainly did. What if it gets away?”

“He won’t go anywhere. Anak and I are deeply bonded and I can’t imagine either of us being without the other. He is with me in class, at meals, and anywhere else I go.” Ryka's words didn’t seem to comfort Kolyver. 

Xamber took Kolyver’s abandoned seat. “We still need to have that snake intervention.”

“We do not!” Kolyver crossed their arms with a huff.

Maera kissed Kolyver’s shoulder. “We can worry about that later. We need to make a game plan for when we get there.” She pulled out the volunteer guidebook everyone had been given before being transported from the school to the train station. "It looks like we're staying as far from the actual disaster as possible."

I could feel Ryka scowl as they looked at their own book. "Less than ideal for our purposes, but not plan ruining." Ryka flipped several pages. "I think our best bet is to get assigned to community cleanup. That puts us as close to ground zero as possible."

Xamber looked at Ryka's book over their shoulder. The other youth was warmer than I expected. "You might have to work your magic with Instructor Evans again, Ryka."

Maera shook her head. "One problem. It says here we need a chaperone for that assignment. I highly doubt Instructor Evans will agree to come with us and he definitely won't let us investigate anything."

Kolyver frowned. "Did any other Instructors even come along?"

Ryka absently ran their gloved fingers along my scales. "No, but I anticipated this. I will, in fact, have to talk to Evans again. You all stay here. I'll be back with our chaperone." 

With no other explanation, Ryka left the compartment and slipped into one of the washrooms. They leaned on the sink at stared at us in the mirror. We weren't sure why looking in a mirror helped Ryka concentrate, but it had made learning to control our shared magic much easier for both of us. My reptilian form faded from around their neck as my human form materialized behind them.

I frowned at their reflection. "What are you thinking, Ryka?"

They turned to face me with a serious expression. "I'm thinking we convince Peter to let you be our chaperone."

I placed a hand on Ryka's shoulder. "I don't know if that's a good idea. That would require me to be in this form longer than we have attempted. I don't want you to get headaches again."

Ryka took off one of their gloves and placed their warm, black veined hand on mine. "Do you have a better plan? We have to get to the bottom of this before more people lose their lives."

I sighed heavily. "Fine, but if you get a nosebleed I'm changing back. Neither of us wants your condition to get worse."

"Deal."

Ryka led me to Peter's compartment and knocked on the door. Peter didn't look happy when he saw my companion was his visitor. He didn't seem to notice me at first.

"What do you want now?" His eyes traveled up as he realized I was standing behind Ryka. "Who is this?"

I smiled at him faintly and spoke low enough that only we three would hear my words. "I believe you already know me, Peter. We haven't seen each other since you irresponsibly led a small group of students to the surface. I am the only reason any of you survived. I am the reason you are not in jail for leaving a student to die. You should invite us in. I have a few things to discuss with you."

Peter stared at me in shocked silence, recognition spreading across his features. He stepped out of the way so we could enter his compartment. He quickly closed the door before sitting in the seat near the window. Ryka and I sat across from him.

Peter crossed his arms defensively. "What do you want from me now? I already agreed to lead this excursion."

I kept my friendly expression. "Ryka and their friends want to take part in the community cleanup effort. I am volunteering to be their chaperone."

Peter shook his head. "Not an option. One, you're not an Instructor. Two, ground zero is too dangerous. Didn't you just scold me for putting children in danger?"

I shifted my eyes to appear more reptilian. "They are not in true danger with me there. I am not a coward like yourself."

Peter dug his nails into his arms. "Insulting me isn't how you get me to agree to anything."

I gave him a fanged smile. "How about threats? Do this or Ryka tells your superiors about your unauthorized actions in the Wasteland."

Peter stubbornly stayed quiet, but I knew I had stirred up his guilt and fear. "Fine. Don't get any of them killed." 

Ryka and I stood and I changed my features back to my human appearance. "I knew you would see things my way, Peter. Enjoy the rest of the ride."

We made our way back to our compartment, but I stopped Ryka before we went in. "What are you going to tell your friends? Do you want to tell them who I am?"

Ryka looked at the compartment door just down the hall. "I figure the truth is easier than trying to keep up a lie. I'll leave out the part about nearly dying when Peter abandoned me."

I sighed in resignation. "If you're sure."

Ryka and I stepped into the compartment, the other three students giving me a confused look. Kolyver clearly wasn't sure if I was a threat or not. "Who's your friend, Ryka?"

Ryka rubbed the back of their neck nervously. "This is Anak."

They stared at me and I gave the group a small wave. "Nice to officially meet."

Kolyver stood to size me up and was surprised when I was taller than they were. "I'm gonna need a better explanation than that."

Maera placed her hand on Kolyver's arm. "How about we all sit down and discuss this? I'm going to guess you are the chaperone Ryka was talking about?"

Ryka sat next to Xamber and I made myself comfortable on the floor next to Ryka. "I am. This was the most convenient solution."

Despite my Human form, Kolyver kept themself as far away from me as possible again. "That's all fine, well, and good, but what are you? One minute you're a snake, the next you're a Human. What's the deal?"

I considered my answer carefully. Ryka had a point about being truthful. "I am a Shapeshifter. I have the ability to change my form at will."

They stared silently as they tried to process my words.

Maera was the first to recover from her shock. "Okay, but how?"

I tilted my head. "It is an innate ability that I possess due to my ancestors surviving the Catalyst."

Kolyver gave me a confused look. "The Catalyst?"

I nodded, leaning comfortably against Ryka's leg. "The great war that drove Humans underground. Most people weren't lucky enough to get into the shelters. Most were left to die. The ones that did die were honestly the lucky ones. The people who survived were in one of two groups: those that were consumed and those that adapted. The things they became are the most dangerous beasts that roam the surface. Those that adapted developed powers. All Shapeshifters can change their appearance in some way. Some can only change their hair or eye color. Others, like me, have another form or two they can change into. The truly lucky ones get unique powers."

Xamber studied me as I spoke. "Why are you down here pretending to be a teenager's pet?"

I glanced up at Ryka. "That is rather complicated. Through a series of unfortunate events, Ryka and I became bonded when they ended up on the surface. We can never be far from each other. Not without severe consequences. The surface isn't safe for Ryka, so I returned here with them. I've sworn to keep them safe and now I have sworn to do the same for you three."

Xamber offered me his hand which I shook without hesitation. "Welcome to the team, Anak." He looked down at our hands. "Did you know your hands are freezing?"

I laughed slightly. "Side effect of being coldblooded. Human or snake, I require an outside source of heat to warm myself. That is why I sit so close to Ryka."

Xamber nodded as he sat back. "Fair enough."

"Attention passengers."

We all looked at the intercom over our door.

"We have exited the Alpha Sector. We will enter the Omega Sector in twenty hours and arrive in the Omega-Delta Colony in twenty-three hours. If you require anything to aid in your comfort on this journey, press the attendant button near the door of your compartment. Thank you for choosing Tedium Transportation and enjoy your ride."

Kolyver groaned. "We're going to be on this train for almost a whole day? What are we supposed to do?"

Xamber pulled a well-used box of dominoes from his backpack. "You folx wanna play with my Fate tiles?"

Kolyver rolled their eyes. "Not these things again."

I raised an eyebrow. "Fate tiles?"

Xamber's expression lit up. "You don't know about Fate tiles?"

Kolyver put their head in their hand. "Well, you will after this train ride."