The train streaked into the night, cutting into the darkness with harsh beams from its front lights and gentle glow from under the carriages. In one of the carriages linked in the middle of the train, the gentle rhythm of Class Zero and Angelica’s breathing—along with the gentle hum of machinery—filled the air of the carriage. The table in the center enshrined the memories of their evening with cards and board games still only half-cleaned up. Their positions shifted by a hair’s margin every few minutes as the train glided through the mountain tunnels.
In the front corner of the carriage, Celeste and Nyssa had lowered their table into the ground and laid their seats flat to create a bed for the two of them. Cuddled up and intertwined, they used the train’s slight compartment-like structure to get some privacy. Their chests rose and fell together as the warmth of their respective bodies made up for the thin blanket they had draped over themselves.
Prancing through dreamland together, the two of them slept through the entire night in a slumber more peaceful than the rest of their compatriots. Even as the train eased to a stop every few hours throughout the night, they slumbered through the stop and acceleration without stirring.
Once the morning sun began to flood through the windows, the carriage’s occupants began to stir one after another. Angelica sipped a cup of tea as she watched over the students. Having spoiled herself and slept for around four hours, more than double what she needed, she kept an eye out for who’d wake up first.
It’s not going to be Nyssa and Celeste. I can guarantee that...
Not long after the train went over a slight bump, Ryker and Electra began to stir from their respective positions. Their yawns and stretches disturbed the quiet enough though, as before they had returned to the realm of the conscious, they had stirred Albion, Conrad, and Titus from their slumber as well.
“Breakfast?” Angelica offered a sweet pastry to Albion. With Albion busy taking a sleepy sip of water, she leaned over and grabbed the plastic bag she had full of pastries for the students’ breakfast. With another bag full of plates and utensils, she began laying out a light—but still delicious—breakfast for the students.
“Thank you for the food...” Ryker mumbled after dragging himself over to the table. Still slumped over as his voice dropped an octave lower than usual. Behind him came Electra and Conrad who took a seat next to him and Albion respectively.
“How is everyone doing?” Angelica laced her fingers and propped her chin up. “Sleep alright? Not feeling too stiff I hope, since we’ll be moving a fair bit these next few days, you’ll need to be loose.”
“I’ll be fine, I can loosen up by shocking myself...” Electra yawned as she tried to stretch out. “I am quite stiff though.”
“Do you mind shocking me sometime?” Conrad straightened his back while wincing. “Even though I slept flat, I was lifting weights a couple days ago so my back is twinging with pain every once in a while.”
“Sure,” Electra bit into a pastry while flexing her other hand. Covering her mouth, she looked around to the others. “Anyone else need some electro-shock massage therapy?”
“I might,” Albion sighed, “Just stay ready, I’m sure a lot of us will end up needing it.”
“Yes, it’ll be good to have everyone in peak physical condition,” Angelica plated a couple more pastries for the students. “I can also do traditional massages don’t worry, I spent a couple months studying many years ago, and because of my abilities I managed to become something close to a master masseuse.
Joining the table after spending a couple minutes staring out the window, Titus reached over, took one of the pastries, and took a seat next to Ryker. He nodded towards everyone else and murmured a quiet “Good morning” before letting the others continue their conversation.
Celeste ended up waking up around an hour after everyone else. Nyssa on the other hand... had to be woken up forcibly—another two hours later—as they arrived at their station and needed to get off the train.
“Why is the world so unfair...” Nyssa dragged her suitcase along the platform as the train accelerated away. Buffeted by the wind, she took slow steps forward as the last member of their little entourage.
“... We’re falling behind,” Angelica commented as the rest of the class widened the gap second by second. “You probably should take more than two steps per minute.”
“It’s a tough world out here, for those who are oppressed by society,” Nyssa retorted, taking another small step forward. “For a perpetually oppressed person like me, every day just waking up is a challenge.”
“Where did you learn this attitude from?” Angelica clicked her tongue, shaking her head with a sigh. “The baby that could never do wrong in Roxanne’s eyes seems to have been replaced with a... social activist? And I don’t quite think that you needing to be awake is oppression...”
Before Nyssa could think up another witty comment though, she felt a pat on the back from Angelica. Her luggage got snatched away. Not a second later, Angelica began marching forward and nodded her head. “Come on, let’s not make them wait too long. I’m sure chasing your girlfriend is enough motivation, is it not? Go Give her a hug and bask in her warmth.”
“I... Huh?” Nyssa’s jaw fell open as she sped up to keep pace with Angelica. Her eyes widened and hands froze in place. “Wait... wait what? How do you... how did you find out?”
“... You two aren’t that subtle,” Angelica rolled her eyes. “I overheard you two talking about it during the morning. Yesterday in the classroom. Even if I didn’t hear it, I can obviously tell, I’m dating your sister, you think I don’t have any relationship experience? I’m much older than you.”
“That’s... true. Could you not tell dad yet though? I’m not ready to talk to him about that type of stuff,” Nyssa coughed. After seeing Angelica break into a gentle smile and nod, she ran off to join her friends (one in particular).
Watching her younger sibling-in-law run off, Angelica could only shake her head. Looking to her right where the train had parked, but now departed, her gaze deepened as her footsteps continued.
“I hate the north...” Angelica grumbled.
The power of a savage death snaked through every bit of life in the north. Rocky and unsustainable for farming, people had never colonized the area. At the same time, the constant presence of giant, poisonous, and regenerating monsters never helped with the... human habitation either.