AN: This chapter feels a little silly to write, but I aim for this to highlight Snake's character and growing view of his home city. Sadly, it's too early and he hasn't run into deeper wounds yet. Regardless, hope that you like this chapter!

Before we start, I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of Australia on which we meet today. I would also like to pay my respects to the Elders, past and present. I should warn some readers that the explained implications could be distressing. Reach out to me if there are concerns that should be addressed appropriately.

Summary: "In the middle of the Bad Guys exploring Melbourne, Snake goes solo for a while. Wandering off into a zoo might not be a good idea on starters. Ironically, it gives him an insight into today's generation of the Down Under."

Special Short #2 - Mr. Snake

Snake smelled something he hadn't had in a very long time.

Wolf was concerned about splitting about, but Snake convinced him that it was for the best since they would need to be responsible. In case they accidentally split up during their mission. While Diane wanted everyone to be in groups before they regroup to plan, both Bad Guys were more familiar with the city than anyone else.

For the first few minutes, Snake tried adapting to the loud and busy traffic of the city. He had grown resilient from the constant noise of Los Angeles. Coming here was more different, somehow. He knew he wasn't exactly invisible in the crowd this time…

Fortunately, that changed when he smelled something delicious.

The fur of a guinea pig.

Wet and cold.

The purity of their innocence.

When he smelled it, he could tell it was some kind of rodent. His eyes tried to search amongst the busy crowd, unable to make out from the same faces. Only one seemed to stick out. Some person in a khaki shirt and light pants. Her black backpack wasn't zipped up properly, revealing some containers inside. He sniffed further. He could smell the guinea pig from there.

Snake grinned, flickering his tongue again. Wanting to get another taste before the woman got too far away. The same familiar aroma of a rodent caught his senses, making him feel hungry. He nearly forgot the last time he ate a guinea pig. Wolf often got him pre-made meat to feast on, but Snake always had the urge to eat some kind of living rodent.

And being a snake, some of his temptations were gulping one that was still squirming…

In fact, his animal instincts were telling him to get that rodent out of the woman's bag. She couldn't call the police for him stealing her dead rats.

Not caring by the awkward looks he received, Snake dropped to his stomach and slithered after the oblivious woman. He had to stop a few times to let a few feet past or before he could cross the road. However, he didn't note where the woman was exactly going. He nearly forgot how long it took for him to follow her.

He didn't bother the park she was walking into despite the unmistakable sounds of kookaburras, elephants and monkeys…

It was only when he entered what appeared to be the indoor gift shop that he looked at his surroundings. He blinked, his tongue flicking out to taste the scent. The whole place gave the coolness of a tropical forest, splashes of mint and forest water.

To his surprise, the toys, cups and bags hanging on the shelves were in the form of known Australian animals.

He decided to worry about that later, eyeing the woman about to enter through a door. Her bag looked dangerously close to dropping all of its contents.

Snake's animal instincts kicked in again and he rushed up to the bag, pulling out the container as fast as he could. His grin widened crazily at the sight of frozen, dead rats. He was so lucky…

Unfortunately, he failed to realize that the woman saw him coming. Carrying a large butterfly net.

The reptile's grin disappeared, nearly dropping the container. "I can explain."

SLAP!

He didn't need to when the woman struck and he was sent crashing into the wall. Stars circled around his head as his vision blurred. He could only make the image of the woman huffing before grabbing the container and slamming the door behind her.

Yep. He wasn't kidding when people here could break jaws.

"What's going on here?" said another voice. "I'm telling you if we're gonna have this manner again, then…"

When Snake's vision returned, he found himself in the crosshairs of another woman in the same khaki shirt. This one had brown skin, curly hair tied up in a bun and wearing matching khaki shorts. Her eyes widened and her lips turned stiff at the sight of Snake lying there.

"...it's not what it looks like," said Snake, sheepishly grinning.

To his surprise, the woman didn't react in fear. Sure, she was hesitant and briefly looked away as if considering reporting him. However, she tried to be civil at her very best.

"I haven't seen that many Burmese pythons walking around here in a while," she said calmly. "Or at least any sentient snakes instead of feral ones." She stuttered, realizing the mistake. "S-Sorry! Didn't mean it like that."

"No, I can see the difference," muttered Snake.

"What are you doing here, may I ask? Not many animals visit this zoo lately."

Uh oh, Snake realized. That must be why the woman from earlier was carrying a bag of frozen rodents. She was a zookeeper.

It wasn't just a park he went into. It was a zoo. These rodents were meant for the other animals.

Usually, anthropomorphic animals avoid zoos as much as possible, not wishing to see the caged animals. Snake was a bit more indifferent thanks to the mask he adopted long ago, but there was often this sense it was inappropriate for him to just watch like the humans.

"...I just…caught the smell of rodents and it brought me here," he said, his tongue flicking out reflexively. "I couldn't help it when I saw it."

The zookeeper rubbed her forehead with a look that said that this wasn't the first time it happened. "Selena isn't going to last here for the next week. Forgetting to seal bags of raw food fully shut, attracting a lot of guests." She turned her attention back to Snake, looking amused. "So I'm guessing that you're now hungry."

"Well…I'm good," chuckled Snake, grinning nervously. "I can just buy something on my way out."

The zookeeper nodded. She straightened herself casually. "Perhaps I can give you some and you'll be on your way."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" said Snake, surprised. "You don't need to do it, bud. Wouldn't that get you in trouble?"

The zookeeper chucked, smiling. "Don't worry too much. I may not be the manager of this zoo, but I'm one of the lead zookeepers who keep an eye out, so they would trust me. The food we buy can be expensive, but some are cheap or nearly free to get, depending on the best markets we go to. I know a few spare dead mice kept here that aren't too much of a big loss. If you want to, I can give you one or two in a container and it'll be free of charge."

Snake was surprised by this zookeeper's offer. Normally, a worker like her wouldn't give free things to random strangers. It might not be ethical of her, but she seemed to understand a little about his temptations.

He wondered if it might be a bribe for him not to visit again, though the zookeeper didn't sound like she was in a rush.

Then, an idea came to mind. It might not be good for him, but he had never really been to a zoo before. Alongside his indifference, he didn't like the annoying animals chirping from their habitats, especially monkeys.

However, he had a fair understanding of certain snakes here and there was one or two times they tried lashing at him. Watching people's reactions when close would be a treat. Maybe not if they get bitten. That thought prompted a sweat drop rolling down on the side of his face.

It would be a fair trade instead of needing some zookeeper to get dead rodents for free.

"How about this?" he said, waving his tail absentmindedly. "I can pay a ticket to visit here for a while, pay a bit extra and you can give me a rodent or two."

The zookeeper was surprised by this. "You're sure about this? You're not gonna freak out, are you?"

Snake moved his head in a way of acknowledgement. "Maybe. But I can make things fair. It wouldn't hurt exploring around. It's been a while since I last visited this city."

The zookeeper gave him a look as if asking if he was sure. She tried finding any hints of discomfort. But Snake's mind already made up, so he was removed of timidness. After a while, she shrugged and smiled generously.

"Sounds good to me!" she said. "I'll lead you to reception and perhaps I can show you where the cheapest dead mice are at."

"Sure, bud," said Snake, sighing in relief.

"Anyway, what's your name?" asked the zookeeper. "I'm Brooke."

"Mr. Snake."

The zookeeper didn't seem to mind. She took a moment, only starstruck. "Well, Mr. Snake. Nice to meet you."

The typical zoos Snake knew from images were places where animals were locked behind steel-barred cages, treated like pets. He imagined the zoo's gates made from bricks, keeping the animals locked away.

To his surprise, this zoo was different to how he thought. Maybe he grew up imagining zoos as having cages for too long.

The entire place was like exploring through a jungle, only with wire pathways and bridges for visitors to walk across. The habitats might be limited, but at least they were somewhat huge for the animals to run around. These lands made for them were even close to home. Snake was relieved that he didn't see that many metal bars or wires. Many of these walls were made from fake dirt, glass windows and hard wooden stumps to prevent visitors from coming close to the zoo animals.

Nodding flatly, Snake could admit that the people running the zoo knew what they were doing. Good sense of appeal to the animals staying here. It felt like walking through a park with the grass growing healthily and vibrant, the mountains appearing steep but safe to play around and even the happy birds flying around. The smell might not help, but it was a good place away from the noisy city.

A solid for animals who might be endangered someday.

Brooke let Snake wander around, sometimes letting him go by himself to different sections without supervision. One would say that she would need to be in charge of making sure he didn't do anything, but he was trying to be responsible and he was already an adult. She might know a little about the Bad Guys, but she was cool if one wanted to check without harm. It was nice to see another person admiring the beauty and safety of this zoo.

What made this significant was that it came from the eyes of a famously-grumpy snake.

"This place is a beauty, isn't it?" asked Brooke, wanting to make sure.

Snake moved his body in the way of shrugging. He didn't show he was impressed, but his wide eyes showed his appreciation. "Not bad, bud. Not too bad with how you folks handled it."

"We try to care for all the animals here," explained Brooke. "A majority of these animals are endangered. Some we managed to rescue from ruined places that were beyond repair. Others unable to survive in an unliveable land."

"I'll give it to you that you are willing to take care of these animals."

A couple of kids suddenly rushed by, nearly stepping over Snake. He yelped, trying to slither out of the way. Many of these kids were running in different directions, carrying balloons and cotton candy cones.

"Hey!" yelled a peeved Snake. "Watch where you're going!"

These kids paid no attention, only laughing louder when they glanced behind them.

"We had a special offer this week," said Brooke, grinning. "That's why we have more kids, families and class excursions around."

"That says a lot," grumbled Snake. And then, he realized that despite the large number of people around, nobody bothered him. "Wait…they know that I'M around, right?"

"Yes?" It was only random of her to say. Brooke didn't check how many saw him.

"Wouldn't they be a little worried or afraid?" asked Snake worriedly.

Brooke took another check around. She could see his point. Groups of people passed by them. To her, it was a natural thing since they all got their eyes on something. But nobody stopped to stare at Snake. Once again, the natural carelessness or enjoyment of seeing what was displayed here. She saw a person faraway with a wary look, whispering to their companion. At another spot, she could see one person glancing at Snake in intrigue.

She smiled sympathetically, chill. "Eh, that's alright. I'm good with you. If you're speaking in criminal terms, that's another story. If I'm humoring, you did pay a fair price to be here. That's good. If I say from the rumors, you would have ignored everyone if you're really a bad guy."

Snake snorted at first, but after thinking for a while, he nodded. He cracked a small, lop-sided smile, appreciating that Brooke wasn't deathly afraid of him. "Whatever you say, bud. Would be fun to test that out for a snake attack."

"Please don't scare our guests," chuckled Brooke.

They passed by a sign with directions to more than five animal sections. Brooke suddenly beamed when she recognized one of the sections.

"Oh, Mr. Snake!" she said. "I think this alley is right up your corner!"

"And that is?" said Snake.

"The reptile section! And it's a good shortcut to the dead mice you want. What you say?"

Snake thought he wouldn't be fazed, but it took a while for him to decide. He would still want to see reactions from people towards snakes that could be far deadlier than him. But it reminded him that he didn't often like being around mindless snakes.

Funny thing with sentient snakes like him, he found it mind-boggling when coming up against non-anthropomorphic snakes. Furry confusion, indeed.

But he did hear that there was a 50/50 chance that anthropomorphic snakes could communicate with non-anthropomorphic snakes.

"As long as they don't mistake me as one of them," he said sardonically.

Brooke chuckled. "I'll make sure to know which one is you."

"I have different eyes."

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the reptile section. To Snake's surprise, there was a habitat for Burmese pythons. That was his species! However, it was crowded as there was already a crowd of teenagers, all wearing matching dark blazers. It must be some kind of school excursion for them.

They were all gathered in an open room formed by the tall mountain walls that blocked their way to the snakes' habitat. Through the glass window, they could see the snakes idly slithering around in their homes. Brooke muttered something under her breath about if the door was locked properly this time. However, Snake didn't listen as his attention was on the main event.

Two zookeepers were currently presenting a really huge Burmese python. It looked different to Mr. Snake since it had lighter scales. In the middle was one of the students, allowed to hold onto the python. He didn't appear scared by this, but his shaky legs indicated his struggle with carrying the large snake despite the help of two adults. With the trio visible for all to see, Snake was able to distinguish him for his light brown skin and long curly hair with a disconnected undercut.

"As you see here," said one of the zookeepers. "This girl grew 5 meters long and weighed nearly 176 pounds! Soon, she will become a strong, mature beast to look for food on her own! As we speak, you can see that multiple people are needed to carry a Burmese python. A gentle hold as well so that they won't see you as a threat."

"I'm starting to see this now," muttered the curly-haired student.

"You're sure you're gonna be alright, Dural?" called one of the students, a blonde girl.

"I'll be fine," reassured Dural weakly. "It'll be all fine…"

In response, the snake lazily flexed its tongue out.

By the time the zookeepers decided to take the large sleepy python away, Dural nearly collapsed on his knees and rubbed his hands as if he was playing in the pool for too long. The zookeepers and the teachers called for a quick break, allowing the students to wander around the place.

Despite some of the students breaking into different groups, it was still crowded for Snake to get a closer look at the habitat. With this many kids, he suddenly felt scared. A huge lump formed in his throat. Why did it suddenly feel like they might mistake him as one of the feral snakes? It was too embarrassing for him to think about, but at least Brooke's tall figure covered him partially as Dural's friend group seemed to come closer to her.

"Dural! That was amazing you held her up for that long!" said the blonde girl with a thrilled grin.

"It was nothing, Amanda," said Dural. "Two adults helped me. I didn't expect how heavy it would be when needing to hold the drooping part of its body."

"Maybe someday you might be able to carry her in five years time!" said a brown-haired boy, jumping up and down. "You'll be allowed to have a pet snake!"

"You know that the two of us didn't choose PE class for this year. How are we gonna get bulk in five years time?"

"I agree with Jeriah," said a dark-skinned man with a buzz cut. "Your family knows more about the outback. Would they know the…?"

"I only know a little," said Dural. "They still have much to tell me about. I like to see Jeriah try."

"I surely can lift a 200 pound snake!" betted Jeriah, the brown-haired boy. "I can carry that many!"

"Says the guy who attracted a billion ants into class after spraying cookies over the floor," teased Amanda, the blonde girl. "How did that go for you?"

"It was ONE time!"

The student with the buzz cut noticed Brooke. "Oh! Hey there, Miss Brooke!"

"Good to see you again, children," said Brooke warmly. "How was the Burmese pythons?"

"Oh man, it was fascinating to see!" said Dural.

"They're surprisingly thicker than I thought," commented Amanda. "I wonder how much muscle they have."

"We kind of missed the feeding sessions," said Jeriah, looking disappointed.

"Well, it's not exactly their dinner time yet," informed Brooke. "Way too early now."

"Oh man, then I want to stay here to find out! Carlos told me that Burmese pythons attack their prey by squeezing them so tight until their eyes pop out. It'll be a sight to see since they are really deadly!"

Brooke raised an eyebrow, wanting to tell him the correct thing. A groan from behind her. Remembering Snake, she moved aside to let the annoyed reptile talk.

"It's actually the opposite," he deadpanned flatly. "We actually bite down on them, place them in our mouths and wait until they stop moving around to swallow them whole."

The four students tensed up at the sight of an anthropomorphic snake right in front of them. Doubled since it was a well-known vigilante from Los Angeles. It took them a while to believe what they were seeing.

THE Mr. Snake. Here in Melbourne.

Amanda was understandably stunned, her lips puckered. Jeriah had a more human reaction, speechless. The rest, however, were nearly delighted to see Snake.

"Wait, you're…actually Mr. Snake of the Bad Guys?" asked Dural, taking a bold step forwards.

"Aw, man," whispered Jeriah, turning to the buzz cut kid. "You were wrong, Carlos!"

Carlos smirked. "Am I?"

"In truth, a Burmese python would grab a prey animal by the sharp teeth and wrap their body around the animal to kill it," reassured Snake quickly. "Through constriction."

"Yeah, that's the truth," said Carlos.

Jeriah gasped dramatically. "You liar!"

Amanda quickly got over her shock, stepping closer to Snake. "Oh, hello there! Nice to meet you, Mr. Snake!"

The reptile leaned back a little when it looked like she might give him a hug. To say the least, he didn't really enjoy having strangers coming up to hug him. Wolf did that to him many times until the two hit off together. Being given a hug from a human felt foreign.

Immediately, Amanda noticed her mistake. "Oh, my bad. Boundaries."

"Sorry about her," said Dural, gently pushing back the excited blonde. "She tends to get touchy."

Amanda grinned, looking like she was trying restrain some glee.

Snake smirked in amusement. "Reminds me of a certain someone."

"Now, Mr. Snake came here to pay a short visit," said Brooke.

"Let me guess, you're here for a guinea pig," asked Carlos.

"Don't be like that," said Jeriah. "I'm sure that he wouldn't want to."

"Why come visit here however?" asked Amanda.

Snake knew that those were simple questions, but he was growing apprehensive. Why's so? However, he kept a calm tone and stance. "Sightseeing. Been a while since I visited this city. I wondered if this zoo would be as bad as I…" He slowly looked behind the group of bumbling students, watching the snakes on the other side of the window aimlessly pressing themselves against the glass. Oh, the students were doing that, not the snakes. "...thought?"

"Just curious," cooed Dural. "What do you know about Burmese pythons?"

Snake blinked. "Wait, repeat that again?"

"It's a part of our city trip homework," explained Amanda. "I'll say, I actually have thoughts of trying to create a good habitat to snakes like this one."

"Oh really?"

"Amanda's a big animal lover," said Jeriah. "She actually has a couple of dogs at home!"

Dural and his friends already had their eyes on him. At first, Snake wasn't sure about this newfound attention, but the kids were surprisingly gentle and careful not to come too close to his personal space. Their sparkling eyes fed to the questions they gave. Many, but they took turns and not too quickly.

"How good are you at swimming?"

"Do you have venom or are you a venomless snake?"

"How long can you hold your breath underwater?"

"How many chickens can you swallow?"

Snake smirked a little at their enthusiastic questions. At least they weren't too annoying.

"I'm a really good swimmer," he said, managing to answer easily. "Burmese pythons can hold their breaths for half an hour. I'm not venomous. I'm still a python. And also, I think about like approximately a hundred and ten chickens? I don't think I would want to eat that many."

Not like he should mention that he DID try to eat a hundred and ten chickens two months ago and the priceless look on Wolf when he discovered it. His throat hurt for a couple of days when Wolf forced him to choke all of them out.

"Got to say, you're a really great deadly man," said Dural. "And mad respect since you're literally like a hero!"

Snake raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, what I mean by 'deadly', I'm saying that you're fantastic," said Dural quickly. "That's a common term my family use."

"I agree!" chimed in Amanda.

"That's actually true with the term 'deadly'," said Brooke proudly.

"Ah, right then," said Snake, rubbing the back of his head bashfully. "Now, I don't really think of myself as a 'hero'."

Dural was about to argue, but he eventually nodded in some sort of understanding.

"Anyway, sadly, I believe me and Mr. Snake should move now," spoke up Brooke. "His ticket is gonna expire soon since he only paid for a short amount of time."

"Understood," said Dural. He dropped to one knee and reached out his hand for a handshake. "It's nice getting to meet you, Mr. Snake."

Snake couldn't deny the smile he had. While strange of this kindness from teenagers he never met before, it felt much better than…being feared as a monster. They didn't push him away, but they weren't too pushy. It reminded him a lot of Wolf and the rest of the Bad Guys, how much his friends cared and respected him.

"Make this visit worthwhile, bud," said Snake, shaking Dural's hand with his tail. "It's not common you get to meet a real bad guy like me."

Dural's eyebrows raised inquisitively.

Snake chuckled a little, looking back one last time at the students waving at him before he followed Brooke.

But once they were gone, the anxiety he hid so well was coming back to surface.

Brooke was able to collect a container of frozen, dead rats Snake requested from one of the food storage room. Snake was delighted, but didn't feel too hungry to eat them. Maybe his instincts died down, but it couldn't be that. His tongue did flick at the sight of the rodents. His mind was still absorbing his previous encounter with those teenagers.

It should have been a simple meeting, but it didn't feel like that for Snake. And come to think of it, it was nearly his first time he got to talk to some kids.

These thoughts and wavering emotions continued on as Brooke decided to take a short break at a nearby cafe place. Snake didn't ask for a drink, letting her take a coffee for herself. As she sipped on her coffee, she shortly shared to him some mischiefs that happened in the zoo today. Snake did try to listen, but the newfound energy seemed to be a product of the anxiety still built up.

After a while, he became lost in his own thoughts.

Brooke was quick to notice this.

"Anything alright?" she asked.

Snake wasn't sure how to tell her. To a human of all people.

"Just need to think," he muttered, trying not to grimace.

"You're sure?" asked Brooke. "You were quite happy before and now you appeared to be under the rain."

Snake flicked his tongue in fake annoyance. "I…wouldn't say 'happy'. OK, yeah, with those kids."

Brooke noticed the way Snake tried to not shrink. She knew that body language before as it was the same way her sister reacted when they first both got entered new classes. It was like there was fear of who they would be meeting. And then, it remained the same, riding on the surprise of meeting those on the opposite side of…

While not sure to feel sorry, Brooke felt pity for Snake's internal conflict of emotions. Despite being from different worlds, she knew that there would be biases and reinforced stereotypes of his species that led him into paranoia. She couldn't say it was an excuse for his previous crimes, but she was more focused on now. It must be new to him when around surprisingly nice people.

"I'm guessing it's not something you're not used to," she said softly. "But it's still a good thing."

Snake didn't get the hint at first. "It wouldn't matter. We…have different businesses."

Brooke nodded, but didn't agree. "It'll take some time."

A familiar lump formed in his throat again and Snake eventually excused himself from the table. The zookeeper resumed quietly sipping on her cup. The reptile was grateful that she didn't follow him since he needed space to himself. In his own zone, he let his mind try to adapt properly to the responses he got at this zoo.

One would have called him out for not being grateful. However, a part of him was slow to understand. He gritted his teeth, shaking his body in a small fit as he went down an empty walkway. It couldn't be possible that they weren't scared of him as a no-good, scary monster…

First reactions were always predictable, but approaches were complicated nowadays. He wasn't sure if the kids back then were genuine in their interest or more interested in him being a snake. He couldn't blame Brooke since she probably had more experience handling animals. But the question still remained towards how come humans could really turn to treat everyone equally…especially him?

He became aware of his surroundings once he noticed that he was finally alone. This was more like it. By himself. He flinched when he felt the breeze, mistaking it for an attacker. But the nearest person wasn't in his sight. That was the thing; he was always paranoid of who could hurt him.

That was why he preferred to be alone…

The feeling of solitude vanished when he caught a group of kids in front of a two-storey, empty, white building.

Dural, Amanda, Jeriah and Carlos.

There were two additional students with them, one being a female redhead and the other being a male with ash blonde hair. The two new students were currently trying to open the doors with the rest of them exchanging mixed looks of nervousness and excitement.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Amanda. "We'll definitely get detention for breaking in an unoccupied building!"

"Absolutely!" said the redhead. "This great clubhouse has everything the zoo community needs! No one ever comes here during this hour!"

They all froze when they felt an adult staring at them. Looking behind, they were greeted by the annoyed look from Mr. Snake.

Naturally, they all began talking over one another in a squabble.

"Oh god, we got to run!" said the ash blonde, panicking.

"What are you doing?!" shouted the redhead, grabbing him by the collar.

"It's not what it looks like!" said Dural, grinning nervously.

"Please don't give us detention again!" cried Jeriah, shrinking back. "I'm too young to go!"

"Stop! Stop! Stop! It's not what you think!" pleaded Amanda, waving her hands.

"We're all gonna die!" whined Carlos.

They all shrunk back, expecting Snake to give them an earful.

And then, they remembered a very important detail.

Like the switch of a light, they calmed down, laughing.

"Wait a second," pointed out Carlos. "He's NOT a teacher! He's a CRIMINAL!"

"Yeah," sighed Jeriah in relief. "So it's like…"

"Not like he can report us," said Amanda. "Duh!"

They did a collective sigh, feeling silly for overreacting. But when they turned back, they were dismayed when they saw Snake already walking away with his back facing them.

"Hold on! Hold on!" said Dural, quickly catching up to him. "Sorry, Mr. Snake. Where are you going?"

"I'm telling your peers about this," said Snake bluntly. "I remember how they look."

Dural sighed. "Man, I knew this was a bad idea! Even one of the Bad Guys disagrees with this!"

"Wait, that guy is good with locks, right?" asked the redhead.

"Yeah," said the ash blonde, looking wary. "Why's that?"

"Maybe he can unlock this door for us?"

"No way, bud," hissed Snake. "I know how this kind of story works. I end up helping you, we all get caught and all the blame was pinned on me. You'll just get away scot-free!"

There was a wordless agreement to this as the students laughed in embarrassment.

"But, Snake," said Jeriah dumbly. "Mihaly is always the first to be called out whenever we get in trouble."

"Are you serious?!" snarled the redhead, apparently named Mihaly.

"I think he has a point," said the ash blonde. "Since he is like a new person, they would suspect him first."

"Yeah, that's why we cannot break into the clubhouse all for a 'close look'," said Dural.

"Aw, c'mon!" said Carlos. "Would be worth a shot seeing it. They said it has a great view of the entire zoo!"

"Kids, you can't break in for the sake of nothing and just watch thoughtlessly," pointed out Snake. "That's just bad planning."

"Would be worth it though," said Jeriah. "A lot of people like the zoo clubhouse. We thought a lot about what makes this place so special."

"Well, two-thirds think of that," said Amanda.

"But now that most of this area is empty," pointed out the ash blonde. "We can do what we want around here. It's not like we're gonna vandelize or something."

"You think so, Zero? Because we're technically going into a building that is not open."

"Better than trying to come back here when we had a schedule," said Carlos.

"Look, it wouldn't matter if we are able to get out of there with no evidence to prove we broke in," summarized Jeriah. "We need to be smart and sophisticated."

Both Dural and Amanda looked reluctant before looking back at Snake. It was up to the reptile now.

Normally, Snake wouldn't bother helping other criminals, even delinquents or petty kids. This would put him in bigger trouble than them. But he remembered that he wouldn't be around in Melbourne for long and he would still be under the protection of the International League of Heroes: he could do whatever he want without getting arrested.

Snake tried to suppress a grin, already tempted. It felt empty. Maybe it was just the thrill of it. He reminded himself that he wasn't going to steal anything. This one wasn't going to be high stakes. He might as well play around with these kids if they were this reckless. And as an adult, he would be the one looking out for them.

"OK then," he said, raising a tail directed at the kids firmly. "But under two conditions: one, you don't do anything stupid without my permission. Two, don't throw me under the bus. We all take the blame EQUALLY. Understand?"

The students wore blank expressions, deep into thought.

"If that's the case, then I'm gonna tell your teacher anyway," warned Snake dryly.

"I say yes," said Mihaly.

"Me too," said Jeriah.

"I'm not sure about this," said Zero, the ash blonde.

"I think he should help us," said Amanda.

"I think this is still risky," said Dural.

"I'll agree to take this offer," said Carlos.

Jeriah counted how many agreed with this, smirking. "Looks like we're going into the clubhouse!"

Dural groaned, hanging his head. "You guys are insufferable."

"Bummer," muttered Snake sardonically, slithering to the door. "Now, step aside."

Zero cleared his throat, trying to take a step closer to him. "Me and Mihaly tried using the paperclip trip to open the lock. But it doesn't do anything!"

"That's where you got things wrong. If using a paperclip, then it would take like more than 5 minutes. You would need it to feel the gears nearby." Casually, the reptile choked out a huge set of keys. "Now, this is a technique that I commonly use."

"You mean swallowing all of this up and making sure they are not digested?" squeaked Amanda, eyeing the saliva dripping off the keys.

"Not even close," snickered Snake, humoring the girl's disgust. "They're just different shapes and it might take a while to use the right one."

And so, he got to work with unlocking the door, switching between different keys to fit in the lock hole. The students watched patiently as he switched key from key, checking if he could hear a click or not. It was equivalent to mini chefs watching the head chef create his masterpiece. When he heard multiple clicks in the keyhole, Snake's grin brightened and he used the current key to finish the job.

"Jackpot!" he said victoriously.

"Yes!" cheered Jeriah.

"Alright!" said Carlos, grinning.

"Of course, the criminal does it better than us," said Zero, sounding jealous.

At first, Snake thought the clubhouse would already have things set out for the club members. Now, it was empty, neat and tidy. They all entered a small canteen room lacking any tables or chairs set up, taking the form of a dance room. He blinked a few times, finding that the place was too white. Especially with the already-on light glaring at him.

"Man, this is where they get all the good exclusive food at!" said Jeriah.

"Hmm, I'm not so sure about that," said Dural, checking the counter. "This place looks similar to the rest of the canteens at this zoo."

Snake snorted. "Looks like nothing that much here. And no, I don't think they have any cash from the cash till."

"OH NO!" cried Jeriah loudly.

All attention turned to him. He was staring at something at the wall in shock. A camera above him, pointed at him. Snake's eyes widened. He forgot about the cameras in this place, the familiar red light blinking.

"What is it?" asked Amanda.

"They don't have any chocolate ice cream here!" lamented Jeriah, pointing to the ice cream display freezer before him. "Who could have taken them out?"

Snake face-palmed, using his tail. "Are you more concerned about food than that camera up there?"

"Oh, that too," said Jeriah flatly.

"Erm…that thing is recording us here now, right?" asked Dural.

"What should we do?" asked Carlos. "Shall we destroy it?"

"No, not yet," said Snake. "If so, people will get suspicious and look back at the recorded footage to find who did it. I suggest we delete and replace footage of us coming in here. I'm not sure how secure this building is."

"That's actually a good point," said Mihaly. "Though, is anyone here like a certified hacker? Do we have a room here to change the camera footage?"

"There's one right here!" said Amanda, opening up a door. "How convenient."

Snake looked inside, relieved that it was a security office room. Multiple monitors were hanging above the desk, connected to multiple cameras. This was the closest thing to accessing the camera footage.

"That will have to work," he said. "Now, I don't think any one of you needs to be a hacker pro, but all we need to do is to replace the footage of us with footage of the clubhouse being empty."

"I'll do so!" piped up Jeriah. "I'm a good video editor!"

"As if," teased Carlos. "You traded half of your life playing with TikTok!"

"No, I haven't!" claimed Jeriah, already entering the security office.

"Now, do you need an assistant?" asked Snake.

"I'm all good!"

Snake bit his lip. "Just don't click on anything else you're unfamiliar with. If you do see something, alert it to us. That means you, bud."

"Got it, Mr. Snake!"

As soon as Jeriah slammed the door shut, Snake looked back to see the unimpressed looks from the other students. It didn't help when they heard Jeriah locking the door and giggling to himself.

"We're all screwed," muttered Dural.

"Let's not worry about him now," said Amanda optimistically. "I think he'll handle this."

The tour around the clubhouse continued as they climbed up to the second floor. Like the canteen, it was empty. The tables and chairs were actually kept to the side as if they had just cleaned up the place. Aside from a bathroom door and a table holding a small television, there wasn't much in this room.

"I thought they would have video games up here," said Carlos, disappointed.

"Why would they want video games in a zoo environment?" questioned Mihaly.

"Maybe they have some board games around here?" wondered Zero.

"If they have any, then it would have to be here," said Dural.

"Wait, is this the only thing this club would do?" asked Snake.

"Well, playing board games is recreational," pointed out Amanda.

"Didn't we come here to check out the view?" asked Zero.

"Oh yeah! That we have to see!"

All in with this idea, the students rushed to the nearest door that led to the balcony. Snake chuckled a little at their curiosity. For a bunch of kids, it was good that they liked to check the outside instead of staying inside for too long. He slithered after them, making sure that they weren't running too fast or too close to falling off the balcony.

They were already leaning on the balcony fences, admiring the sight in front of them. A few were snapping pictures of the zoo spanning from below to close to the horizon. Snake clicked his tongue, making his way to a free spot for him to see it himself. It didn't take him long to understand their intention of wanting to come to this clubhouse.

Just right above the abundant amount of trees, Snake was able to see the huge layout of the zoo, helping that the clubhouse was resting on a hill. He could see different sections of the zoo. Habitat by habitat. Garden by garden. A peaceful jungle as a summer spot. He could see some of the tallest mountains in this zoo, even if they might be artificial.

Aside from the black-wired fences that blocked some areas, there was no meddling building or cage in sight. Staring at this open green land, Snake felt much calmer than before, feeling tempted to adventure in this park freely.

Like Snake, Dural was also admiring the sight quietly, unlike his chatty friends. Noticing Snake's peaceful smile, he smiled in return.

"It's more nice up here, right?" he asked.

"A nice break away from the ground," said Snake simply. "More quieter."

Dural's smile turned into a wistful one. "You know, when you're in the streets, it sometimes gets so busy that you forget what to be thankful for. To me, it drifts my focus away. But when looking through your land, then that's what makes you feel more connected to it."

Snake was surprised by this student's insight. "You think of that way?"

"It's my home. My family taught me that and I feel it as well."

"I think I feel it differently."

"That's true, but the connection to land is worth it."

While they could stay there on the balcony for long, the students still wanted to move around. Snake let them explore the place as long as they wouldn't touch too many things. Who knows what they might accidentally break if they treat this place like their home? While trying not to be too comfortable, he made himself comfortable by resting on the leather sofas.

At first, it was all five kids who walked around the clubhouse. Then, Amanda decided to take a break. Followed by Dural and Zero, who opted to sit with Snake. Soon, the reptile found himself with three human teenagers.

"Sorry again for dragging you with us here," said Amanda, rubbing the back of her head. "I guess that we're all bad."

Snake wasn't sure what to say. These people weren't treating him like a monster, yet he knew that their intentions coming here were a bit wrong. However, he could only say this in return.

"It's alright," he said. "It's going to be only for once. Not like they can arrest me for breaking into a clubhouse and not doing anything."

"Yeah," said Dural. "But is it considered a bad thing for YOU to do?"

"I still do bad things daily," said Snake. He was definitely NOT ready to tell them how he felt about his current role in life. "The other Bad Guys are doing their best with the lives they have. Don't worry about me, bud."

Zero tilted his head. "You sound casual about all these kinds of things. How did you do it?"

"Excuse me?"

Zero cleared his throat, ruffling his ash-blonde hair. "OK, the reason I hesitated for you to help out is that you're a well-known criminal. I'm not scared that you're a snake, but it's scary to be around people who can be lawbreakers. But then, I remember that I don't like rules that much." He paused, moving his heels up and down. New unreleased energy from his secret enthusiasm over being free. "I want to live like a vigilante."

Snake snickered a little, amused. "You think so? You won't last a day."

"But I want to try that out. It makes me wonder how people can be tough when they do…you know."

Snake huffed, deciding that Zero shouldn't be serious. "Kiddo, it ain't gonna be a piece of cake. You already got a life and a future wife, so know your life."

Amanda looked like she wanted to say otherwise, her frown strained.

"I know, but the Bad Guys are famous for a reason!" pointed out Zero, grinning. "YOU'RE famous for a reason! Foolproof heists, tricking a villainous professor and not giving a damn about what others think. You all play the cards to live the life that's sustainable! You made being a criminal look easy! So tell me, how did you do it? Maybe, except for the animal stereotyping part, but other than that?"

Snake sighed, slightly infuriated by the kid's question. It was annoying when one would approach him how to be a great criminal like him. Concerning if it was someone planning to be like him. It was a pity that Zero considered being a vigilante someday when it might not work after the privileges he would have to owe.

"Look, bud," said Snake firmly. "No one can be 'great criminals' like me. If you want to even come 'close', you would have to start off with nothing. Being an outcast of some sort. Have some mental problems. Fall in love with the fear you produce. Begin a life of crime. Take a random child with you if they want to partner with you. Make a name for yourself in a new home."

At this point, he was spitting out nonsense, but he couldn't stop. And once he got annoyed at someone, he reverted back to his grumpy ways.

"Get arrested by the police. Go through a program by a butt-kissing guinea pig. Get arrested again. Go to jail. Get out of jail. Save the day. Go back to jail. And get out of jail and help the aforementioned kid you brought along…" He paused, checking that he was consistent on his sarcastic tone. "...and reflect on the messes you made."

Zero was shocked to hear this. He nearly took it at face value, but this would explain a lot for some criminals who seemingly didn't have a choice. He sometimes thought that ordinary people could become great criminals, though the way Snake put it sounded like it was the ones with issues who survive to love another day. The greedy ones weren't those he fondly compared with.

That being said, the long answer made Zero feel dumb for asking such a question.

Snake could see that the ash blonde boy took his explanation with no joke.

"Overall, it's how you handle this kind of thing," he quickly reassured. "It's how capable you are. It's not always highly recommendable for you."

Amanda raised her eyebrow at this, nearly wanting to ask.

Zero nodded meekly. "Understood then. Well…thanks for telling me this. Maybe I should probably know about that kind of stuff."

"If you can take more than face value, maybe," said Snake ruefully.

"Too many people do that all the time," agreed Dural. "Sad thing is their lives can be built around face value."

"Good that you know," said Snake randomly.

But then, he did a double take and turned back to Dural. The kid looked sympathetic, resigned. Maybe a little troubled. It could be face value, but there was written frost as he contemplated this.

It even came back to Snake that these people were chatting with him casually. Not minding his presence nor mocking him. His stomach twisted a little at the question of why suddenly this guy agreed. Wouldn't these kids just follow what would be cool? What was seen as a threat by all? Why were they THIS open to being nice and even asking questions that no one else dared to do? They knew he could be unpredictable.

He wanted to swallow it, but his mind begged for the answer.

"Why do you believe in that?" asked Snake. "You know that snakes are deadly."

"I didn't mean to call you that way," reassured Dural. "Well, some of us are careful with the people who come across. And I don't mean to come as insensitive; you act more civil than 'deadlier' snakes."

"Me too," said Amanda. "I mean, not all animals are bad. I have come across different animals before and they are like everyone else. OK, I might have find some scary, but there can be something surprising when learning their perspectives. Like looking into inner beauty."

She realized what she said and rubbed her eyes, swearing under her breath. Snake wasn't too impressed either way, chuckling mirthlessly.

"And you believe that?" said Snake. "Don't know if it's due to your age, but I'm surprised that you're that fearless. You're teenagers, but caution can't be looked over."

Dural took a moment to think about it. And like any other student, he would have rolled his eyes upon just wanting to get straight to the point. But he was already growing up too soon. His family did tell him much to get ready for the big world. This was in a discussion with a person who redeemed himself and had been under the scrutinity of stereotypes for too long.

So, the next words he picked were meant to be understanding, wanting to let Snake know that he and his friends didn't always rely on the black and white.

"That's true," he said, confident in what he was saying. "We have been warned of approaching dangerous animals. I can see why their fears are justified. Some animals are not friendly to others. Trying to be careful around real predators. And now, I'm a little worried on what might happen if I ticked you off honestly."

"You sometimes remind me of my grandpa," added in Amanda, following along with the right context to share. "He might look scary, but he's not bad as a person. Even when I don't see him that much, that doesn't mean rumors will stick around. How many times would you say you tried attacking others?"

Snake thought about it. "I used to scare and threaten people. I still try to scare for fun, though it's…" He felt weird again. It was foreign. But then, in the comfort of his friends… "Sometimes, I like their surprises. And I don't usually go in the woods to feast on smaller animals. The forest ain't fully my thing anymore."

"And you attempted a murder on a human donkey years ago," said Zero.

Snake grunted. "I was bored that time. Afterwards, I came to wonder if I could handle the aftermath pressure. And I wasn't good at killing anyway."

"And ever since, you're actively trying to be good," continued Dural. "You got a ring on you! You don't seem to mind doing the change fully. And that speaks a lot about you. You could say that it's for show, but you nearly went to report us."

Snake noticed Zero rolling his eyes and he would have added in that Snake only became good due to his friends. However, he could appreciate the understanding towards what he didn't want to handle. Snake knew from the start these kids were still young and had a whole much more to live for.

Curiously, Snake decided to continue this conversation. "How would you know something like this?"

Dural shrugged. "It's not something I talk about. And…I'm not sure if I'm a good representation of them. But my family struggled with the folks who came to this land. It's better, but we still fear. There are still nasty people out there, painted as the good guys. But there are the ones who want to make their stay worth it, the ones willing to understand us."

It was brief, but Snake swore he saw Amanda subtly looking down at her feet. Whatever Dural implied, she looked guilty.

While it didn't always come to mind, Snake's heart sank when he remembered the infamous history of Australia. He wasn't completely heartless in ignoring ongoing battles. He wasn't always one to tell others to get over them. Sometimes, he wasn't sure if that was a battle meant for someone like him to attend.

"You're right there are real bad people," said Dural gently. "There are still good ones. Sometimes, it depends on what they really want to do. What they want to listen and eventually make from there. At this age, a lot of things I did were insincere and maybe I'm not of your world. But I can say that any of us could try understand, not relate, to where you're coming from. You're not too closed off. A-And that's OK. I won't do anything funny."

Dural felt like a stranger again to Snake as he stared at them. To think these kids were like everyone else, but they weren't what he thought. Clueless? Certainly. Perceptive? Surprisingly yes. Knowing more from experiences than just books.

And with Zero immediately understanding what Snake told him about being a criminal, these buried consciences seemed to be coming to surface as they grow.

Snake didn't realize how he acted towards them reinforced Dural's viewpoints.

His stomach was hurting, but it wasn't from food poisoning or broken bones. It came from wondering if he missed that much from Melbourne. How long did it take for people to turn around on snakes like him? Did he even know if the snakes here got by? He felt inclined to check if he was deceived, but all he saw were those students patiently waiting for his response.

Zero nearly thought of departing when Snake slightly trembled. His lips trembled a little, but he hid it greatly. That didn't mean he couldn't hear his restrained heavy breathing. The ash-blonde boy seemed to have see a new side of what the criminal lifestyle was about; one Snake hid too well.

"You're OK, Mr. Snake?" asked Zero.

At least Snake's anxiety didn't feel like it could kill him. "Just lost in though. You know I lean being 'evil' and…" He trailed off awkwardly, closing his eyes. And then, he found himself chuckling jovially. "You naive kids. Hope you remain that hopeful."

"Would you…erm…like a hug?" asked Amanda, her body already rocking back and forward.

Snake shook his head, not comfortable yet.

"Would petting work if it helps you?"

Eventually, the reptile nodded in approval. He settled for resting his chin on the blonde girl's shoulder and she patted him. Snake's body tensed up when he felt her palm, but calmed down when he acknowledged the lack of roughness. As he was about to absorb the wounds from such strange people, he noticed Amanda glancing at Dural with a look of remorse.

That look could say a thousand words. Dural seemed to notice, but there wasn't a change in his smile. It gave wonder to the comforted Snake of the progress Melbourne made.

A frightened Jeriah shot right from the staircase. And his sudden appearance was devoid of any cheerfulness.

"Brooke's coming!" he shouted. "Hide or run!"

Snake snapped his eyes opened, alarmed. And then, a stupid grin crossed his face. In the middle of him accepting the sympathy of the students and now in the middle of the thrill.

The next thing he knew, Amanda hastily picked him up as everyone scrambled to hide. Snake could only see once he found himself stuck in a dark closet, shut tight.

He tried moving around, feeling his body wrapped around a body. A muffle from Amanda. He uncurled herself and he heard a huff. On reflex, he flicked his tongue…accidentally licking Amanda's nose.

The blonde cooed softly. "Well…that feels nice."

Snake rolled his eyes. "I have a boyfriend, Polyamorous."

"Oh, right! Sorry."

"Did Jeriah change the camera footage?" asked a nearby Mihaly in worry.

"Don't worry," said Carlos confidently. "Knowing him, he finished it before he spotted Brooke. He's good in video editing."

Snake could only pray since it sounded like Brooke was taking a long time looking around the bottom floor. And he didn't get to see where Dural, Jeriah and Zero hid, so he doubted that they would be hard to find.

"I'm back to my original judgment," whispered Amanda. "If we get caught, it's Zero's and Mihaly's fault. Spread the word."

"What?" hissed Mihaly. "No! Seriously, I'm not the troublesome one."

Carlos gave her a look and this was enough for her to be honest.

"OK, I don't always stay still in class, but I can when hiding."

"If you don't stand stay, we'll blame you," snarked Snake playfully.

They weren't lying that Jeriah was good at video editing. Maybe it was because the camera system wasn't too highly secured. Nevertheless, he was grateful that none of them were caught.

And right on time as these students returned to their class when the teachers checked if they have everyone before leaving.

Before he departed, Snake decided to buy a bucket hat. Another one in his collection. It had an Indigenous Australian painting. One that was of a snake with curly lines and colorful dots. A beautiful, authentic painting.

Brooke smiled when he picked it up from the shelf.

"The Rainbow Serpent," she said. "Such a great god."

"Wait, there's a god in the form of a snake?" asked Snake.

"I believe it. The Rainbow Serpent creates land and diversity for us but brings great chaos when disturbed. I think it might fit you well."

Snake was a bit baffled by this new symbolism. However, he became quick to like the thought. "I'm starting to see that nowadays."

He looked back at the bumbling students, trying to find toys. He found Dural helping one of his students understand a similar Indigenous Australian painting with Amanda watching on with keen eyes.

"These kids are…something," he said. "They might have jobs in one year later."

Brooke titled her head. "Is this in relation to what bothers you?"

"Not exactly. But, how can you tell that these kinds of people are the right ones to trust?"

Brooke's answer was nearly simple. "It's not easy trusting new people. But if there are good ones, then it's worth a shot being good mates with them. After all, good mates listen to each other through and through. Might not be easy forgiving what's done before, but it's a healthy start."

It was much quicker this time for Snake to absorb this in. He wasn't sure if he was gonna keep this in touch, but he would consider trying. If Melbourne had changed, then maybe he might be able to see the differences. If Los Angeles changed, maybe this city could.

He wasn't gonna take his chances, but at least he could remember this moment.

Snake smiled, bowing down a little. "You lot here are too good, bud. If you lose it, I might end up biting you."

Brooke grinned with a chuckle. "I won't lose it. Just keep in touch with your goodness as well."

AN: The main inspirations for this chapter are the Bad Guys one-shot stories created by Daniel_Lee and TotallyNotALemon on AO3. Their stories 'Untitled Birthday Fic' and 'It Started With a Birthday: one-shot collection' serve as big inspirations to me in exploring Snake's character. I find that the story beats and dialogues are too similar, but I did my best with my own take.

Both Dural and Brooke are actually Indigenous Australians here! While I haven't gone into detail of their culture, unfortunately, their presence is important to what forms the community of Melbourne and the wider Australia. Despite Dural claiming he's not a good representation, he and Brooke at least serve as a reminder to those, especially of different color and religion, struggling in uncharted communities or 'groups'.

While today is not exactly perfect, there is progress in understanding a significant 'Other' which is how the kids here get along with Snake, even if it's naive. History cannot be ignored after all.

However, let me know if I incorrectly use the wrong term and context when addressing Dural's and Brooke's roles.

The rest of the kids Snake come along the way are no exception with each of them having their own naughty characteristics and sympathetic aspects. Dural's friend group is based on 'Shiloh and Bros'. Their curiosity might be why they are alright with Snake, but they're part of the new generation becoming more literate and aware, even careful with approaching when the situation calls.

The zoo for this one-shot special takes inspiration from zoos I went before, including the Melbourne Zoo. While I can't say it's fully accurate, I did my best to detail what Snake saw from the habitats he has discovered so far.

You know the drill. Favorite or follow if you like, review and stay tuned for the next act. Let me know what you think as I'll need heavy constructive criticism on this one. Until then, keep on rocking!