How about if I just hide

[knifewithnoname]

Who: Little One and People
Where: Around the Hire carriage and other locations
When: Between day 13 and day 22 of Merriment
What: Little One hired the fancy carriage for a week and blew over a hundred points on junk food snacks because that was easier than processing anything that happened on the last mission.
Warnings: Child assassin stuff might come up, sickness mention in last prompt

[Before the Platform. Closed to roommates if they want.] Once she had made her way to her room after the mission she hadn't left. She had enough stashed food to not need to leave her bed except to go to the bathroom, always when she could hear no one out in the corridor. Most of the train had been sleeping then, all exhausted from saving everyone and so she could pretend to be as well. To hide under the blankets and pretend to sleep.

She hadn't slept though, not properly. Only when the train forced it. Instead she had thought a lot. Memories that weren't hers, memories that belonged to Buttercup Sanzo mixed with memories that were her own.

It was stupid, she hated it all. It had all been fake, that world, a family, friends, a world where she was not only liked but also powerful.

That wasn't for her. She was not Buttercup Sanzo. She wasn't even Buttercup. That was just a name Tony had given her. Over a year ago. A name she had started to almost think about as her own.

But it wasn't. It wasn't hers. She had no name. She didn't have a family. Her sister was gone and for what? She had obeyed orders to prove herself, to show that she was loyal to the shadow god but then she had been whisked away to this train. She had broken every rule. She barely prayed anymore. She hadn't killed anyone. Monsters yes. People trying to end worlds yes. She had stabbed people she knew, when she had been Buttercup Sanzo and she felt bad for that.

She shouldn't feel bad about that. It was what she had been made for. A hand to hold a dagger, a soul to do the shadow god's work. But then this train. This stupid train had torn her from all of that and put her in this place with people who were so Good and yet nothing like she had been taught they would be like. They cared for each other. They loved, they argued, they threw their everything into saving strangers on distant worlds and she did too.

They saved her when she got into trouble. They fed her sweets and they asked nothing in return. They gave her no orders outside of combat. They taught her. She hated them all and yet deep inside she knew it was a lot more complicated than that.

But as complicated as all that was she had at least gotten used to it this last year. That city had been something else.

A father. A brother. Knowing that even if she messed up she would get to be part of their family. Just thinking about it made her furious. Was it possible to be jelous at a fake version of yourself?

Because the more she thought about it the more she hated Buttercup Sanzo. But more than any of that she hated that it had been done to her at all. That her mind had been twisted. That she had gotten stuck and even attacked those she knew.

So she lay and she fumed and pretended to sleep.

[Day 16 and Beyond. Hire carriage corridor] Curiosity had her leave her room. Platform days were always interesting. People arrived. People left.

She watched those that walked away. She knows a couple of them but one she knows very well indeed.

Priestess Lightning. She had met her on her very first day. Back when there had only been ten of them. Now there was just... Eva and Peter. They were all who were left.

She couldn't cope with this. It was too much. She didn't even want to be in her room anymore. Didn't want to see anyone. The train was bustling, people felt better and new people were arriving. She didn't want any part in this.

She found her way to the hire carriage, she had lots of points. She was good at this job even if it was not one she had chosen. She put in the information and paid the points for a week. There. She could hide here.

It had an ICP with access to all the films in the cinema and so that was perfect. Horror films were a good way to de-stress.

As were sweets. Through the next few days the only times she could be found was when she snuck down to the nearest shop terminal to buy some sweets or chocolate or a bottle of fizzy drink.

[Day Nineteen, throughout the train.] By day nineteen she felt a bit more confident to do a supply run. She aimed for late at night when most people should be asleep.

Library first, to nab a couple of books, some magazines. Horror films were great but her mind wouldn't settle, she needed more things to stop it from thinking.

Another run to the shop, more sweets, more chocolate. The game room to grab a pack of cards.

Last stop kitchen. She grabbed cheese and biscuits. Any cakes that she could nab. Never all of anything, one here, one there. She wanted hot milk and honey... She glanced around. It was quiet now so hopefully she would have enough time to make it, before anyone walked in.

[Day Twenty One, Medical]

She had woken up when the train had returned her to bed with stomach pains so bad she just wanted to curl up and scream. She had curled up, tried to watch a film. But she hurt too much, she felt like she wanted to throw up. But she couldn't.

She couldn't be sick. Even safe inside here where she was bothering no one. Being sick made her useless and though she couldn't argue that watching films for the last few days had been useful... She knew that if needed, she could have left. If ordered she would be ready.

But if she's sick. She can't. But being sick on the train isn't like being sick in Gauig. They have medicine here. She knows very little about medical but soon she is on a quest, to sneak in and grab what she can.

Sneaking into the medical carriage is a lot harder than getting into the kitchen, but she moves quietly, stays low and makes no sound even as she feels terrible, her stomach roils and she wants to cry out.

Comments

Day 19

[sevenyearsasleep]

There was a teenager coming into the kitchen, looking more asleep than awake. His hair was a mess, since he hadn't bothered to tie it up at this hour. He blinked blearily at the girl.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't know anyone would be up." Link gave an apologetic smile and yawn.

He honestly didn't expect the train would let him walk this far either. But, since a nightmare had woken him up, he figured a snack might help clear his mind before attempting to go back to sleep.

[knifewithnoname]

She should have known really. Since her first day on this train there had never been any point where no one was awake. So many people had strange sleeping patterns. And though hers had changed on the train- she now usually slept a whole night rather than waking for a few hours in the middle, she had been foolish to think she could avoid everyone.

At least this was't someone she knew. She scowled at him. "Well I do be being."

[sevenyearsasleep]

Link yawned and smiled at that.

"You're allowed. Sometimes it's just nice to be out of one room for a bit." He rubbed his neck. "I miss being able to go outside, though. It's easier to sleep outside."

[knifewithnoname]

She glared at him again but then turned back to her milk, watching that indeed. "I do be liking being outside as well." She admitted.

Here she was again, only minutes after leaving her room. Talking and chatting. Being everything she should not be.

Day 19

[shadowcourage]

Late at night was when Shadow functioned best. And, well, he liked to read. He hardly needed light to do it either, so late at night reading was common for him to do. It kept him occupied and from disturbing others.

But he was still more than aware of people around him, and movement. So when someone comes into the library late at night, he looks down from his perch on top of a shelf. It was a kid.

....it was a kid sneaking, which was a whole lot odder. Who sneaks in a library?

"There a restricted section I don't know about?"

Re: Day 19

[knifewithnoname]

She had checked her route. But she hadn't looked up. It was a library. She didn't expect people to be sat on top of the shelves.

Taiwin would have rapped her ear for that. But she isn't thinking of Gauig right now. Or ever actually. She's had enough of thinking.

She startled at the voice and glared upwards. A boy. She's not seen him around before. "No." She mumbled, shaking her head.

Re: Day 19

[shadowcourage]

Shadow shifted to look down at her properly, laying on his stomach, his hat twirling as if alive in the shadows.

"So yer avoiding someone?" He asked. Because it seemed the natural conclusion.

day 19

[irrationally]

Alice hasn't seen the girl much this week.

It's not something she's really consciously thinking about, considering she didn't look for the girl either - figuring she might need a little space after the wild, wild ride that was the last mission. Especially for the girl, who had been one of the last to snap out of the illusion, seemingly.

She only realises just how little she's seen the girl in this very moment. When Alice is just idly wandering the halls of the train. It's nice to do this relatively late - it means no bumping into people who want to have smalltalk with you. You don't run into a lot of people.

But you do run into some people. Like right now, when Alice spots the girl at the train shop, snacks rolling out of the machine.

".. you were here," she speaks up. Slowly, though, as to not startle the kid.

[knifewithnoname]

She spins round at the voice. The very familiar voice. A voice that was firmly on her list of voices she didn't want to hear, didn't want to run into.

Alice.

Alice had tried so hard, to draw her back. To remind her. To get through to stupid Buttercup that her life was a lie.

She glares at her, furious and sad and a whole host of other feelings she barely has names for. "Yes."

She was here. Unfortunately. This whole supply run was a stupid idea.

[irrationally]

It's not hard to see all the emotion flashing across the girl's face when there's just so much of it.

And for a moment Alice isn't too sure what to do about it. She knows it must be rooted in everything that happened during the mission, but this girl has always been a bit of a peculiar child - in the sense that she's not too sure what might make the other feel better in a situation like this.

But if there's one thing she sucks at, it's leaving a child alone when it looks so conflicted. So even though she's not quite sure what to do here, she still takes a few steps, approaching the girl before moving to squat down - if not just to be on a more even level during this talk, rather than talking down to the girl.

"Why are you looking like that? Are you mad at me? Over what happened during the mission?"

Day 21

[worthallthis]

Soldat can't avoid the medical car, because there's no way to avoid cars when making a full patrol of the train. That doesn't mean they like to linger there, though. It smells terrible, there's always bad memories close to the surface, and--

--and there's little girls sneaking in? They pause, frowning, at the shadow of a child slipping through the door from the next car over, above them on the second level. Looks like a girl they haven't seen since platform day. Ah, well.

"Buttercup?" they ask, turning around to follow her in.

Re: Day 21

[knifewithnoname]

She span around, she had gotten caught? That question is answered swiftly when she sees Soldat. Of course. She can never sneak past them.

She scowled at the name, hating it. Hating that she answered to it. Hated that she had let it be hers. Hating that it had been twisted and used to trap her.

She nodded at them, listening. She won't ignore them. They aren't someone she will disrespect.

Re: Day 21

[worthallthis]

"You okay, kiddo?" they ask, drifting closer. Being in the medical car is not making them more comfortable in any way, but if she needs something, they still might be able to help. "Looking for something in here, or just passing through?"

Day 19, Library

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin is wandering around late at night, too. He does this often anyway, but tonight he can't sleep and is looking for something to do. He thinks of going to the Library Carriage to find a book, and so he goes.

When he opens the door, there is Little One, grabbing books and magazines. "Hey, couldn't you sleep?" he asks.

Re: Day 19, Library

[knifewithnoname]

Why was everyone in the library in the dead of night? Did no one on this train sleep. She kept her frustrated sigh to herself as she spotted Curufin.

She nodded, looking down. "No. Sleeping do be being stupid hard."

It was the truth at least.

[so_dark_a_road]

Welcome to the Insomnia Club!

"Is that because of recent events on Diagad?" he asked, knowing it was pretty likely that she had been there, she being on Red Team.

Day 21 - lmk if I need to edit anything here :0a

[jan_ken_hacking]

Medical is a place where Kiyoiri isn't around often but she's there often enough for the time being. Until she has her medical pack back, she wants to be familiar with what's here. Or perhaps even after she has the pack back- some of this could be more useful than what she carries around.

The upside is that she knows enough about the basic medicines to correctly tell what she'd probably need on any mission. Or even for a small, basic ailment. Books! Handy, and there's at least one in the library on this subject.

When she opens the door, it isn't hard to realize there's someone in here. It's not easy either- but there's this....feeling. Like hairs standing at the back of the neck, the idea that one isn't as alone as possible. The thing most dismiss as paranoia, which for her was trained into well honed caution.

(She knows where the exits are, all of them- there's only one, and she's standing in it.)

She doesn't know who, or even precisely where, but there's no way she's here alone.

Kiyoiri turns the light on.

Re: Day 21 - lmk if I need to edit anything here :0a

[knifewithnoname]

She hears the door open and she crouches down, sits quite and calm between the bed and a cabinet. In the dark she is hidden, she just hopes the person doesn't stay, that they turn and leave.

She's not sure she's got a clear exit. She had left the lights off for a reason and her eyes were adjusted, it's a figure. Short. Though taller than she was...

The lights blare on. She moves. She leaps up and over the bed, ignoring the pain in her stomach as she presses towards the door, trying to get past the figure and out and away.

[jan_ken_hacking]

Kiyoiri knows better than to underestimate anyone who's small- but much like the girl in the room, her own eyes aren't quite adjusted to the light versus the dark as well. It's all she can do to hurriedly slam the door shut behind her, kicking her leg out momentarily in an attempt to throw the other off. Takechirou caws angrily at the sudden loss of balance, but as the young girl holds the door shut she blinks out the stars in her vision and tries to focus.

It's a person- a child, younger than her (do not take that for granted, she tells herself- there's a reason she had been so effective in her training after all)- and...

"....Why do you have all of that medicine?" she asks flatly, spotting the bottles easily.

Day 19 - Kitchen

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre had been having trouble after that mission as well. How could he not? Everyone seemed to be having a rough time of it, including his roommates, but he didn't exactly want to disturb them so he had left his cabin and headed to the kitchen, intending to get a snack and then possibly head to the dining car to get some tea.

Where he would go from there... he didn't know.

But as he walked into the kitchen, he saw that he wasn't the only one there.

"Good evening."

Re: Day 19 - Kitchen

[knifewithnoname]

She span around at the greeting, glaring at the man who entered. Quatre. She doesn't know him well but he's been on the train a long time.

She wrinkled her nose. "Good evening."

She watched him warily. He was up late. Did no one sleep on this train.

[gundamofthedesert]

He'd seen her around as well so he wasn't at all surprised seeing her there. She had been around for some time. At least as long as he had, most likely more.

"Can't sleep either?"

day 19

[its_dad_sanzo]

Buttercup might be a very sneaky kid who is smart enough to listen at the door before leaving her rented room, but...

The moon is out, and patient.

And the moon is standing still, leaning against the wall a few feet down the hall from the door, hands tucked into his opposite sleeves. Just, waiting.

Re: day 19

[knifewithnoname]

She is smart and sneaky but somehow she should have known that people on this train had no limits when it came to being persistently and annoying.

She is fully out the room when she spots him and freezes. She hasn't exactly been avoiding him. Well... She has. But not because she doesn't want to see him. She just doesn't know...

It's stupid. He's a cool adult who has been nice to her in the past. That's all he was and all he needed to be. The fact that that stupid rainbow thing had made them believe he was her dad, that was stupid. She didn't want to think about that.

Or him. But here he was. She watched him warily for a moment, wondering if she could just go back into her room, hide a bit longer.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Koumyou regards her calmly, and digs into his sleeve for a cigarette, lighting up. Professor Sanzo had had to use a lighter, but Koumyou just taps a finger on the end and it lights.

He's no better at this than his alternative self would have been, though. After all that waiting, he stalls like this.

But if she doesn't vanish back into the room for another round of waiting her out, Koumyou does finally ask, "...Are you alright?"