[Semi-open] But you'll never see the price it costs- the scars collected all their lives

[mtsilver_conquor]

Who: Eva + YOU!
What Nightmares and breaking points.
Where 3C, Kitchen, Game Car, and Quite Car.
When Night Egret 26
Warnings PTSD mentions, mentioned past death, blatant talk of what a realistic pokemon world's like.


Cabin 3C (Closed to Cabinmates- tag as you please thread.)
"NO-!" That is very much a strangled yell as Eva sits bolt upright, eyes wide as her heart pounds in her ears. "Not real-"

Because it's not. She knows what's happened. Nightmare. But that doesn't magically make the fact she's sweety go away, nor stop the ragged breaths, or the glances at cabin mates to check that yes, it was simply a rather bloody dream. They're still alive. Misa. Nerdanel. Feanor. Princess in his pokeball. They're alive. That means Peter. Kaito. Little One. Kaiba. The rest of the train.

The friends she's made and those she thinks of as family. They are alive and not dead or dying or hurt or hostages or or or-

This isn't Lavender Tower. Not Silph Co. This isn't that hysterical, blood and tear-stained night Fluffy came into her possession-

Hands clench blankets -sleeping bag- and knuckles go white. "There's blankets under me. Not rock..."

She curls up and tries to keep the sob from escaping. She really, really does. But she does anyway because under everything? she's scared and terrified and her mum isn't a teleport away.


OPEN: Kitchen or Game Car
a/ Kitchen
Somehow she manages to abscond to the kitchen.

Tea is good. Tea is the best at soothing nightmare shaken nerves, even if it's gone cold, and she's not really drinking it so much as she is staring at it, face blank and hollow. For all of Eva's optimism and generally sunny personality, she has been through hell and back and it shows.

She hates it.

Mostly, Eva's not sure how to handle this because her support network isn't here, and there are parts - many, many, many parts- of her world she's not comfortable with talking about with people who wouldn't understand.

"Four, grant me strength..."

b/ Game's Car
At some point, she leaves the kitchen with a thermos of tea, grabs one of the cloaks she burrowed (stole) from the aborted mission, and retreats into a beanbag. Princess is curled up on her lap, and Eva looks- Lost.

Lost, unsure. Not at all like her normal self. The quiet confidence she carries herself with is shattered for now. But, that doesn't stop her from trying to put a smile on her face should anyone approach her.

"Hey. Couldn't sleep too?"


Quiet carriage (Closed to Garret)
Eventually, though, Eva retreats to one of the quiet cabins, where she curls up in on herself. She has... a lot to think about. She'd been more open this night about the brutality of her world than she'd like.

She's not sure how to deal with it.

Thankfully, there's no more tears, but it doesn't mean she can't get lost in thoughts. Enough so that she jerks when the door opens. "Uh - Oh. Garret-san?"

She tried to offer him a smile, but honestly? she just looks tired. Tired and drained.

Comments

[mtsilver_conquor]

Good human. He likes you. Well trained enough to earn a happy thrum.

"I wouldn't let that happened. You'll have his 'ball so you can recall him at any time for any reason, he eats anything, so you'll be fine, and if it FUBARS, I will bail you out."

[stealsyourheart]

"If you're sure." He nods - far be it from him to back down from a dare, but Princess is a live being, it's a big responsibility!

"What does he like to eat though, coz I'm guessing he can be picky."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"I am- I wouldn't allow it if I wasn't."

That is truth. For all she made the bet, if she didn't think he could cope, she'd have declined to follow it up.

"Bitter things, but I use them more as a treat and he doesn't like overly sweet things. Otherwise, he's actually not picky and can eat anything humans can."

Which makes it really, really easy to feed him.

[stealsyourheart]

"Kay."

He eyes Princess.

"No chocolate then~"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"How about this: You can take him for a few hours in the morning on platform day to get a feel for him, and the day after you can start?"

It's only fair after all and she'll be decidedly needing a few hours to herself anyway. Princess seems to agree- right up until Kaito says 'no chocolate'.

There is a sad, unhappy whine that only grows as Eva laughs. "If you find the dark bitter stuff, he can have that."

[stealsyourheart]

"Deal." He grins at the sad whine.

"Are you a chocolate fan then, Princess?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

There's a sly grin from the pokemon as he settles against Kaito. Of course he likes chocolate.

"Hey... Thanks, too. For listening earlier."

[stealsyourheart]

Kaito scritches him in amusement.

"You're my friend." He says quietly but in utter earnest. "I'm only a listening ear, but I can do that much for you, at least."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"You're mine too." Honest statement.

"Though, I do need to ask that you not tell a soul anything related Fluffy. Fluffy is subjectively the biggest secret I've held for a decade."

[stealsyourheart]

"Cross my heart." He promises.

"I won't breathe a word."

He's good at keeping silent, after all.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Thank you."

There's a flicker of honest, raw relief before it's gone, replaced with a wry look. "Now... I should probably take him back and chase you off to bed."

Says the adult planning to stay up until teleported back to bed on 'morning'.

[stealsyourheart]

He snorts at her, amused.

"Shouldn't I be the one telling YOU that? You're the one with the nightmares. I'm just chronically insomniac~"

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva grins as she slowly coaxes Princess back to her lap. "Like I'll get any sleep tonight, and if you were thinking about coffee earlier, it means you need sleep."

[stealsyourheart]

"Eh. Probably." He flaps a dismissive hand. "But I've pulled all-nighters before, and you look like you could use the company."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Kuroba-kun..." And there is a hint of Disappointed Big Sister before it's gone -he is a teenager and probably still in school back in his world- and Eva shrugs. "If you insist, I guess I could use it for a while longer before I send you to bed. But, this means I might pick your brain a bit, too."

[stealsyourheart]

He responds with the wide "I don't know what you're talking about~" eyes and a grin.

"Sure. Ask away~"

[mtsilver_conquor]

And she responds with a deadpan stare of 'Uh huh. Pull the other one.'

"I'm getting my phone next points update," Fior reasons she's not going into. "But ... I'm not sure if I should try for one of my monsters. 'Nona would be nice, but..."

[stealsyourheart]

"Oooooh fun times!" He tips his head curiously.

"What's Nona like?"

And then Fenix get's 'Nona's gender right for once. |D

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva's face practically lights up. "He's smart. They say kyūkon are one of the smartest lupine pokemon. He's also graceful and elegant and so warm, especially when his tails are all over me like the fluffiest, warmest kakebuton."

She sighs, eyes distant, never mind she'd told him about the curses a ninetales can put on people if their tails are touched. "He'd be useful, but... Probably not the best to have one a train."

lol

[stealsyourheart]

"Didn't you say something about their tails being cursed before?" He says doubtfully.

[mtsilver_conquor]

She nods with soft laugh. "Oh, they are if you touch one and you're not absolutely trusted by the kyūkon in question. If you are, well- they do like covering their trusted humans in tails."

[stealsyourheart]

He considers. "Huh! Like... protecting you, maybe?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"That or protecting smaller things. Granted, it's not foolproof, but it does make people think twice at least."

[stealsyourheart]

"Makes sense yeah! Why are you hesitating about asking?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Aside from the tails thing?" Which is easily the reason NOT to have a ninetales on the train. "Mostly the size; They're roughly a metre-and-ten at the shoulder when standing and biggest tail's about a metre long."