A crowded train car packed with the usual assortment of morning commuters. Dan finds himself squished between a businessman who won't stop talking on his phone, a student tapping away on her laptop, and an elderly lady knitting something that looks disturbingly like a Cthulhu-themed scarf.

As if can't get any more uncomfortable, in flies Maverick the magpie, as the train door opens, dropping in on Dan's shoulder. The moment Maverick lands on Dan's shoulder, he nearly jumps out of his skin. He hastily brushes the bird off, but Maverick stubbornly settles back down. Dan sighs and resigns himself to sharing his personal space with the unwelcome feathered companion.

The train jolts and sways as it starts moving again, everyone in the crowded carriage jostling for space. The businessman still blabs on obnoxiously, the student continues her manic typing, and the old lady's knitting gets even more Lovecraftian.

Despite the cramped car, Maverick's completely unfazed by the mayhem around them, perching on Dan's shoulder as if he owns the place. The magpie's feathers ruffle as he glances around, sizing up the other passengers with his beady eyes. "Look at these fools, herded like sheep," he mutters in that snarky tone of his. "Humans and their obsession with public transportation. It's like they're allergic to fresh air."

Dan rolls his eyes, trying to ignore both Maverick and the chaos around him. The businessman's voice drones on, the student's fingers clack on the keyboard, and the old lady's knitting needle clicks so loudly it could wake a kraken. "Maybe I should just invest in noise-canceling headphones," Dan mutters under his breath. "Anything to drown out this infernal racket."

As the train jolts and sways, Dan glances to the side and catches sight of a person sitting across him, probably about his age. They appear to be the only one in the whole car not causing any disturbance. Maybe a chance to strike up a conversation?