9 The Dragon Train

An enormous dragon was stretching its body across a vast platform that had been built right into the side of the mountain. The dragon was green, scaly, and so incredibly big that I couldn't quite believe my eyes. It was surreal.

The creature was so large that there wasn't anything in the real world that I could quite compare it to. It was like Godzilla with wings, or something out of Jurassic Park. If this dragon were to stand up and stretch itself vertically, it would be the size of a building (and not a small building, either). I lived in a 30-storey apartment building, but this thing was even bigger.

The dragon was lying calmly on top of the stadium-sized platform, and only its long pointy tail moved from side to side every once in a while. As we continued to climb the mountain, we were getting ever closer to the colossal beast, and I was getting nervous. I mean, this was crazy! One wild thrust of its massive body, and this dragon could bring the entire mountain down on top of us. And yet here we were, driving towards it instead of speeding in the opposite direction.

Once we got closer, I could see that a second platform appeared to be strapped to the dragon's back. This platform was not as big as the one that the dragon was lying on, but it was this second platform that gave the Dragon Train its name. On top of this smaller platform that was attached to the dragon's back, I saw what looked like a row of train cars, although they had no wheels and were simply bolted down to the platform itself. These "train cars" looked exactly like passenger cars on a luxurious train, but instead of riding on tracks they were strapped to the back of a dragon.

Truck-chan gasped audibly as we made it to the top of the mountain, where the Dragon Train station was located. "This is amazing, Birito-kun!" she said and I just nodded in response. I was completely speechless. Carved into the surface of the mountain itself, the station was a long structure that included everything from ticket booths to restaurants and souvenir shops. The atmosphere here was no different from what you might find at a train station in the real world, with dozens of travelers casually going about their day. No one seemed bothered by the presence of a gigantic monster whose head alone was larger than a locomotive.

The lead carriage came to a stop in a parking area, and Truck-chan stopped right next to it. Justin and Barry emerged from the vehicle and walked over to one of the ticket booths. After a brief chat, the woman at the booth gave them a handful of green tickets, and the officers brought the tickets over to us.

"Here you are, Sir," Justin said and gave the tickets to Briggo. "These will get all four of you onto the Dragon Train along with your carriage. They are executive tickets, so you will have your choice of cabin and full use of all on-board services."

"Thank you, my good man," Briggo said. "We really appreciate your help. You've both gone above and beyond the call of duty, and I will never forget it." The cat-women gave their thanks as well, and then they jumped down from the roof and started exploring the station.

"It was an honour, Sir Briggo," Barry said and bowed. Justin bowed as well, and then he leaned over so that only Briggo and I could hear him. "As for the matter we discussed, we will keep our promise. Our men will set out for the Ancient Tower within the week."

Briggo nodded. "Excellent. Thanks again, my friends."

"Sir Briggo," Barry added, "we'll have one of our comrades contact you when you reach Slavograd, if that's all right with you. He'll keep you up to date on all of our activities."

"Yes, of course."

The officers bowed again, and then they departed as the rest of us prepared to board the train. The platform on the dragon's back had several entrance points, and travelers were already making their way from the station onto the platform itself. The platform was surrounded by a metal railing and there was a walkway along the outer edges which allowed the travelers to walk to their respective cabins.

At the very back of the platform ─ near the dragon's tail ─ there was a special entrance for carriages. As we drove over the gangway and onto the platform, I was shocked at just how stable the surface was. The dragon was perfectly calm, and if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes on our way up the mountain, I never would've believed that there was a deadly gigantic beast just beneath our feet.

Half a dozen carriages could be parked inside a specially designated area just behind the last of the train cars, and the platform was wide enough for two carriages to be parked side by side. However, Truck-chan was wider than a normal carriage, so we were forced to take up two of the carriage spots at the very back of the platform. As Truck-chan came to a stop, several men in uniforms approached us. They checked our tickets, and then they secured Truck-chan to the platform using some sort of harness. I also pulled the handbrake, just to be safe. The men in uniform advised us to take our seats inside the cabin because the train would be taking off soon.

"This is so exciting!" Truck-chan said after the men in uniform left. "But I'm not sure how I feel about being tied up."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind it," Blair said with a smirk, "as long as Birito's the one who ties me up."

"Why you nasty hoe!" Truck-chan squealed, and I think I saw steam rising from beneath the hood. "You're lucky they tied me down, Blair. As soon as I'm free I will END YOU!"

Blair laughed. "Relax, honey. You're doing us a favor by letting us travel with you, so you have nothing to worry about. I won't mess with your man."

"Then shut up already about Birito-kun," Truck-chan said.

"What, I can't even joke about it? Jeez, you're such a prude, Truck-chan."

"Jeez, you're such a BITCH, Blair."

"All right, all right," Briggo interjected. "No more bickering. We're about to take off."

"Shouldn't we go inside?" I asked, pointing to the train cars. "It's safer in there, right?"

"Noooo!" Truck-chan cried. "Don't leave me out here alone."

"We'll be safe here, Birito," Briggo replied. "You can stay inside Truck-chan during takeoff, and the rest of us will hold on to the harness. After that it's smooth sailing."

"But aren't you scared? I'm kind of freaking out." And it was true. My palms were cold and sweaty, and I felt as if a lump the size of a golf ball had lodged itself inside my throat.

Briggo nodded. "Yes, Birito, I'm terrified. But this is just another step on the road to chadformation. Be strong, my friend!"

The temporary gangways that connected the dragon train to the platform were removed, and all the gates were sealed. Then our train was given the all-clear for takeoff from the station, and suddenly we felt the massive beast beneath us move. It wasn't a violent movement, just gentle swaying from one side to the other. The beast spread its massive wings and pushed itself off the mountain. We could feel the entire platform tilting to the left, and then the mountain fell away from us as the dragon took flight.

"WHOA!" I shouted as the unseen force below our feet took us higher and higher into the air.

"This is so much fun!" Truck-chan said, and Blair and Sophia were also excited. They had never been on a dragon train either, so this was all new to them as well.

I was expecting wild shaking and turbulence, I half-expected to be violently thrown from the back of the dragon at any moment, but none of that came to pass. In fact, it was just the opposite. It wasn't long before the platform stabilized, and soon we were soaring through the air at a steady speed. It was certainly windy up here, but with a colossal dragon flapping its giant wings right beneath our feet, the wind was the least of my worries.

"Birito, it's time," Briggo said suddenly. "Get out and come with me."

"What? Where?!"

"Come on, you'll see."

I sighed. I didn't love the idea of going anywhere until we landed safely, but I promised myself that I would embrace this world, and I knew that I could trust Briggo. I undid my seatbelt, opened the door, and stepped out onto the platform.

Briggo led me to the railing at the very back of the platform while Truck-chan and the cat-women stayed behind. Since we were at the tail end of the train, there was nothing behind us except a dozen oddly shaped boats. Briggo explained that these were "lifeboats." They could float on water like a normal boat, but each one was also equipped with an inflatable hot air balloon. The balloons were meant to be used in case an emergency forced us to abandon ship midflight.

Once we reached the railing, I was hesitant to look down. I tried to keep my eyes focused on Briggo, but he wouldn't have it.

"Come on now, Birito," he said. "We're both afraid of heights, and that is precisely why we MUST look down! In fact, we must go a step further."

"Huh? What do you mean?!"

"We must drain our snakes off the edge of the Dragon Train!"

"WHAT?! Are you crazy? Is that even allowed?"

"Well no, it's not technically allowed, but we're all the way in the back. There's no one around."

"We can't… we really shouldn't, Briggo."

"No, we shouldn't… but that is exactly why we MUST! What better way to conquer our fear together than to drain our snakes right off the edge of this giant chasm beneath our feet. We will forge a manly bond that will last a lifetime. Our chadformation demands it!"

As Briggo detached the piece of armor around his crotch, I was in complete shock. Not only did he want me to drain the snake with him again, but he wanted me to do it off the edge of a giant flying dragon. I vowed to embrace the craziness, but this… this was NUTS!

"It's windy," I said. "It's going to blow everything right back at us."

Briggo put his hand on my shoulder. "Remember what I told you, Birito. You must believe in your snake. You must have faith that all things will fall exactly where they should. Believe, Birito. BELIEVE!"

"FINE!" I shouted and unzipped my pants. I grabbed my snake, dangled it over the railing, and released.

The wind blew our streams sideways, but it wasn't strong enough to blow any unwanted liquids back at us. I believed in my snake, just like Briggo said, and all things fell exactly where they should.

This was the first time that I had actually looked down since the dragon took flight, and the sight was stunning. The platform we were standing on was wider than the dragon's body, so when we looked over the railing, we were looking straight down. We weren't nearly as high up as someone traveling in an airplane would be, but we were high enough to see everything from a bird's eye view. Beautiful hills and valleys stretched endlessly below us, parted on occasion by rivers and lakes. We could see towns and villages too, small patches of red and white amidst an ocean of green.

"We're doing it, Birito!" Briggo shouted as the wind picked up. "We're facing our fears and forging a lifelong bond!"

"HELL YEAH!" I screamed into the wind. I never though that I would do anything extraordinary with my life, and yet here I was, pissing off the back of dragon! For the first time in years, I felt ALIVE.

When we finished our business we hugged each other like men, and then we walked back to where Truck-chan was parked. Truck-chan was complaining to Sophia about not being able to enjoy the view, while Blair stood by the railing on the other end of the platform. The wind was blowing Blair's hair back as she took in the sights, and it was in that moment that my eyes suddenly wandered further up the platform.

I saw a man, I only got a brief glimpse of the man's face before he entered one of the train cars, but I could have sworn that I had seen that man before.

"Hey, Briggo," I said. "Did you see that guy?"

"What guy?"

"The one who went into car number 5."

Briggo shook his head. "Sorry, Birito. I wasn't looking."

"Hmm," I said. "He was wearing different clothes ─ more expensive clothes ─ but that guy looked a lot like Todd. You know, that brute from the tavern."

Briggo laughed. "The one who pissed his pants?!"

"Yeah."

"Chahahahaha! Don't be silly, Birito. What would a fool like that be doing in a place like this?"

"Well, yeah. I guess you're right." I dropped the subject, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"Birito-kun!" Truck-chan said. "How was the view?!"

"It was nice. But, well, it's not that much different from the view over here."

"Oh, really? Well, okay…."

This wasn't exactly true. The view from the railing was exhilarating, but I didn't want to hurt Truck-chan's feelings. WAIT! Was I really worrying about her feelings?! Oh, God, what was happening to me?

"Briggo," I said, trying to change the subject. "When you fully master your Kink, will you be able to travel back to our own world?"

"Hmm…," Briggo replied, "each Kink's power is unique, but I've never heard of any Kink that can travel between worlds."

"That sounds like Ancient Magic," Sophia said.

"What's that?"

"Ancient Magic is what we call the mythical magic powers that are said to have existed long ago, but which are now forgotten. The idea of traveling between worlds is one such power, although…"

"Yes?"

Sophia smiled. "Well, Truck-chan's ability to transform… that's not something I've ever seen before. I've only ever heard of such power in fairy tales, and from everything I know, it must be a form of Ancient Magic."

"Oh, I see," I said, and I was about to ask more questions, but that's when it happened.

We heard a loud, banging noise coming from the rear train car ─ the one closest to where we had been standing. Then, suddenly, two people forced their way outside.

"Bring him out!" one of the people said. "The lifeboats are at the back. LET'S GO!"

The two people who had emerged from the train car were a man and a woman. The woman was short and petite, and the man was also short but muscular. They were dressed in all black, and they wore spiked chokers around their necks. The woman had her hair tied up in a messy bun that also had spikes sticking out of it, and she was carrying some sort of baton with a glowing blue orb on each end. The man had blonde spiky hair, and he wasn't carrying a weapon.

"LET'S GO!" the woman shouted again, and then another man emerged from inside the train car. Rather, it was two men. An elderly gentleman dressed in an expensive suit was being manhandled by a tall and skinny younger man who was dressed in the same strange fashion as the other two. The younger man was holding a blade to the older man's throat and forcing him to walk forward.

As all four people slowly made their way to the carriage area, several officers wearing red uniforms rushed towards them. But before the officers could get close, the woman pointed the end of her baton right at them. We heard a sharp sound that sounded like loud static, and then we saw blue lightning shoot out from the woman's baton and smash into the incoming officers. The officers stopped in their tracks, their bodies shaking uncontrollably. Then they fell to the ground, completely motionless. Truck-chan squealed when she saw this, and a cold sweat ran down my spine.

Just as the officers fell, the woman turned around and smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen," she said, grinning and twirling her baton. "My name is Terra, and this is my partner Shift."

"Hello," the short bulky man said.

"Quick tip," the woman continued, "if anyone moves an inch, we will kill you on the spot. We are members of the infamous criminal organization known as the Agents of Chaos. We will be taking this man," she pointed to the elderly gentleman, "to one of the lifeboats, and then we will use that lifeboat to disappear. Do I make myself clear?"

"Whoa," one of the passengers said, "is that Lu D. Crisfunds?"

"Who?" another passenger asked.

"That old man! He's one of the richest men in Animakistan, Lord Lu D. Crisfunds. I've seen his picture in the papers."

Terra turned to the two passengers who were talking. "Well, I guess this is my fault, since I told you not to move but I didn't tell you not to talk." She quickly aimed her baton at the two passengers and fired. The blue electricity surged through their bodies, and they both fell to the ground, shaking and twitching. "There! Now you'll know for next time… NO TALKING!"

"We have to do something," Briggo whispered to me. "We have to stop these criminals."

I didn't respond. If they heard us talking, they would fry us next.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," Terra continued, "if you allow us to leave without any more trouble, no one else is going to get hurt. But if you try anything funny… hey, Shift."

"Yeah, Terra?"

"What's going to happen if they try anything funny?"

"Oh, that's easy. We'll kill them, and then we'll kill the hostage!"

Terra nodded. "That's right, Shift! By the way, what's that guy's name?" She pointed to the tall, skinny man who was dressed like them.

Shift rubbed his chin. "Hmm, I'm not quite sure, Terra. The boss said he was henchman number 504."

"Ah, I remember now," Terra proclaimed. "The boss said his name was Davie. Hey, Davie!"

"Yes," the henchman replied.

"You know what to do with the hostage if anyone tries anything funny, right?"

"I slap."

"No, Davie," Shift said, shaking his head. "If they try anything funny, you KILL the hostage. Got it? You can stab him, choke him, throw him overboard. Take your pick."

Davie frowned. "No pick. SLAP."

Shift sighed. "Okay, okay. Just slap him to death."

"Yes. SLAP!"

"Great, glad that's settled," Terra said. "Now, where were we?"

As this exchange between the criminals was taking place, out of the corner of my eye I saw that Blair, who had been standing by the railing, was now moving in our direction. I didn't know what she was thinking, but it looked like she was trying to use her catlike agility to sneak up on the criminals from behind.

"Well, what do you know," Terra exclaimed. "We already have a hero!" She pulled what looked like a glowing seashell from one of her pockets, and then she pointed the hollow end at Blair. We heard a loud WHOOSH and the next thing we knew, Blair was sent flying, as if a localized hurricane had swept her away in an instant.

Blair flew over the railing and fell overboard. "NO!" Briggo screamed, and suddenly his golden aura exploded into life around him. Chad Lass appeared, but instead of manifesting next to Briggo, she appeared standing on his shoulders. The next thing we saw was Chad Lass jumping over the railing and diving to save Blair, while Briggo grabbed her ankles with his outstretched arms to prevent her from falling overboard.

"Oh, we've got a Kink user among us," Shift said. "Finally, a challenge!" He began to laugh as his body pulsed with a dark brown aura, and in the next moment, his Kink appeared.