"Wh-What's that for?" You stutter nervously, tightening your grip on Marisa's wrist as the new girl steps forward. As she does, you can get a better look at the box. It seems to be some sort of disposable plastic, with several small holes. It's clear from the writing on the side ("Venomous Snakes," "Handle With Care") that this is how your new teacher intends for the two of you to travel, and what you can make out of a shipping label on the top indicates it won't exactly be first class. "You're mailing us all the way to Germany?" You shout. He must be completely insane. And since when could dangerous animals be shipped like a Christmas gift?
You can see him sigh all the way from here, as he slides down the girl's arm to stand on top of the box. "Not exactly, hatchling." You hiss at this title, but just get a confident grin in response. Whatever you were going to say in protest is lost as you realize that it's more trouble than it's really worth. "Now, what we use is a service which specifically transports wild animals over seas. It's usually used by human nons to carry zoo animals and whatnot, but a few witches started using it as a cover to ferry less mundane creatures around. It's not exactly the height of luxury, but they're fast and inconspicuous." The girl set the container down on the desk, and Arik slid off it and onto the wooden surface as she opened up it. "Marisa, if you'd please put my new apprentice inside. We don't want to be late for the next flight out."
Marisa hesitates, but nods, taking one last look at you. You avoid looking back, those green eyes far too unnerving at the size they are. Suddenly you feel her lips touching gently against the back of your head. You freeze instinctually, but can't help blushing from the gesture. "Good luck, David," she whispers, far quieter for you than she probably intended with how little impact her breath of a sentence had on the air. Still you had heard it, and you appreciated the sentiment. With nothing else to say between you, she lowered her hand into the box, letting you slide off on your own.
Before you have a chance to consolidate your tail underneath you, Arik climbs inside the box with you. It's strange feeling the weight of his tail on top of yours in several places, but not as uncomfortable as you would've thought. As the girl closes the box with the sound of plastic seals, you maneuver your way to one of the air holes, looking out at Marisa one last time. You hope this wasn't a mistake.
It's several more minutes of being jostled around before Arik's assistant settles down somewhere to wait for the people picking them up. In the interim, you've learned that the girl is named Amelia and she's Arik's servant, part of some isolated village of nons that serves nagas because of some ancient tradition-agreement-thing. You still aren't clear on the details, but aren't sure you're comfortable with the idea of a group of humans who sound very much like slaves to this more powerful species. "Your species, your power," a nagging thought reminds you, though you do what you can to ignore it. At any rate, she doesn't speak English, so it's not like you'd be able to ask her about it.
You continue to chat idly about what things will be like for you now, though Arik seems unwilling to give you a straight answer. Eventually you give up and wait quietly until you feel the rumble of a large truck. You vaguely see Amelia stand up as a gruff male voice addresses her. You don't hear her say anything, but moments later the box is being lifted up again, and noticeably less carefully put somewhere with very little light streaming through the openings. You notice the extreem temperature difference at once, the cold seeming to sap your energy, even as a harsh rumbling starts all around you, making you nervous. As you look toward Arik, you see him pulling off his skin-tight black shirt. "What... What are you doing?" You ask in shock, even as your eyes run over his fit torso, the sight making you feel a little (what you continue to tell yourself is) sick in the pit of your stomach.
He looks at you dully, barely awake enough to give you that smirk you hate so much. "The warmth of the potion in this shirt will keep me awake if I leave it on. Spending the half-day it will take up to get there asleep will make the time pass quickly. I'd suggest you do the same... unless there's something you think we could do to pass the time."