The station was smaller than she remembered, but that was hardly surprising considering the last time she'd been there was eleven years ago – when she was just a little five-year-old going on her first, and last, holiday. Her family hadn't been brave enough to leave the safety of the town again. Not after what happened.
Her heart thudded frantically, fear and excitement knotting in her stomach as she struggled to keep herself from jumping up and down. Raelynn evidently didn't have the same amount of self-control or any urge to remain dignified whatsoever, since she was doing just that.
"We're going to the Outer City, Sor!" she yelled, and Sora refrained from curling up into a small ball and dying from embarrassment.
They were sixteen, dammit.
Raelynn was acting like a small child, clinging onto her arm all the while, slowly but surely dragging her into the insanity of it all. The only bright side was it kept Tabitha at bay. No way in hell she was getting mixed up in Raelynn's enthusiasm.
"I know," she mumbled, eyeing up one of the metal benches longingly.
It looked perfect for curling up on and promptly dying of embarrassment.
She could feel the judging stares of everyone around them and the very distinct sound of someone sniggering. Though she didn't dare turn around to find out who. That would only involve her fist and that particular someone's face which wouldn't be good.
She was trying to make a good impression and somehow she highly doubted beating someone black and blue was the way to do it. Though who knew what dragon riders did for fun... Nobody, aside from the riders themselves, knew what went on inside the gigantic walled city.
Sora had heard bits and pieces over the years, mostly things to do with the Dragon Wars and the occasional attack on the place here and there, but nothing about what went on in the place.
Did dragon riders party?
Did they play Dragon Chess?
Or did they prefer Dragons and Staircases?
The questions whirled around in her brain, distracting her from the overly hyper girl next to her and onto exactly what was coming her way. She was so distracted she didn't even register the large silvery train pulling into the station until Cynthia shook her by the shoulder.
"You coming or what?" she asked, her hand on her hip as she tugged the hot pink suitcase out of the girl's grasp. "The train won't stay here forever."
"Of course she's coming!" Raelynn grabbed her arm, dragging her forwards, yanking her through the open train doors.
Thankfully she remembered to mind the gap between the train and the platform, so no appendages or suitcases were lost, but Sora still felt a bit frazzled. The blonde was like a hurricane – one which wouldn't shut up no matter what.
"What do you think it's going to be like?" Raelynn asked, sitting opposite her in the little four-seater booth she'd found. It was a quaint little place, the blue seats far more comfortable than what she remembered, the pale walls making the place seem far larger than it was. She could hardly complain about that. Not only did it help alleviate her sense of being trapped, but it also revealed no horrifying or questionable stains.
Sora was quite the hygienist.
"Different." She shrugged, not knowing what else to say, having finished her inspection of the train walls.
Cynthia chose that moment to wander into view, stowing the hot pink suitcase safely above her head. She cast a sceptical eye on Raelynn's battered one, sighing as she turned to face the girl. "You're supposed to put your suitcase out of the walkway, kiddo," she said, slinging it up onto the rack above next to Sora's own.
Raelynn scratched the back of her head. "Oops?"
"Remember that next time," Cynthia said, smiling faintly at her before she went and took her seat next to Ethan.
"So, Sora... What do you want to do for the next... wait, how long even is this trip?" she asked, her face perfectly blank, leaving Sora resisting the urge to bash her head against the window.
"It's seven hours."
"Cool," she mumbled, rocking back and forth in her seat, and Sora just knew the next seven hours would be hell for her. Her newfound companion couldn't sit still for the life of her, and they were stuck together for seven hours. "Wait. Doesn't that mean it'll be late by the time we get there?"
Sora smiled. "Yep, but it won't be too dark."
"Why's that?"
Her hand twitched involuntarily. "Well—"
"The days are shortening, but we're still on the back end of summer," Cynthia said, plonking herself down next to Sora who all but breathed a sigh of relief.
Raelynn was nice.
In small doses.
Maybe she'd be able to build up a tolerance of sorts, she mused. It'd probably be useful.
"Thank you."
"No problem," Cynthia mumbled back, keeping her voice low. "You looked like you could use a hand with this troublemaker."
Sora sagged with relief, silently wondering where Tabitha was as the redhead chatted up a storm with the hyper girl sitting opposite her. She hadn't seen hide or hair of her bully since getting on the train and it unnerved her. She liked to keep her enemies in her sights at all times. It was a habit which had been ingrained into her after so many ambushes, and also around the time Sora found out how much of a good sense of smell she had on her. Her nose had helped her get out of trouble more than once – everyone carrying a unique scent, and she had a fair few ones memorised.
Tabitha wasn't in the same carriage as them, that was for sure, and that was the only reason she could relax without fear of being mocked.
She doubted her and Raelynn would've actually given a damn.
Outwardly, at least.
She couldn't be entirely sure, though.
Raelynn was seeming to be a bit of a loose cannon.
Sighing, she sank back into the blue seat. "This is going to be a long trip," she said, her eyes snapping to the window as a shrill whistle pierced the air and the train juddered to life.
"Too right," Ethan replied, making her jump as she realised he was now sitting beside the enthusiastic sixteen-year-old opposite her, palming a large silver pocket watch quietly while Sora snapped back into the conversation going on around them.
"—even want to know about the Outer City?" Cynthia asked, casting a brief glance at her before turning her focus back on the squirming girl.
"History!"
Cynthia blinked, clearly not having expected that response. "Well, your instructor will tell you more about our city's history once you've been sorted into your teams."
"They're on Oz's," Ethan said, flicking through the book in his hands. "The poor suckers..."
"Ouch," she mumbled, turning to the two. "I do hope you have hard heads."
Raelynn grinned, tapping her skull. "Oh, don't worry, I've been whacked around the head loads already! Never had a dent in it."
"That's not something to be proud of," Ethan mumbled. "Clearly you've been doing something wrong with your life if you keep getting hit on the head for it."
"Oy!"
"Don't mind him," Cynthia said, smiling. "He's a bit of a grumpy pants today."
"Oy!"
"Now, what exactly did you want to know about the Outer City?" the redhead asked, ignoring her partner's gurgles of protest.
"I thought you said that'd be our instructor's job," Sora said, eyeing her curiously.
"You've got Oz."
"And?"
"You'll understand... soon," she said, patting her on the back comfortingly. "My advice is to try and avoid getting a concussion."
Sora blanched. "Well," she murmured, "I've been curious about a few things too..."
"Aww, it's my turn to ask first Sor!" Raelynn yelled.
"We've got seven hours, Rae," she said. "Plenty of time for us to get some answers."
"Still doesn't mean you should get to go first," she mumbled, the bright grin never fading.
"I was curious about the Dragon Wars," Sora said, ignoring Raelynn's pout. "I don't understand why one of them lasted far longer than the other."
"The Dragon Wars, eh?" Ethan leant back in his chair, eyes fixed firmly on his small blue book. "You don't beat around the bush, brat."
"Ethan, what have I told you about calling everyone younger than you a brat?" Arms folded across her chest, her navy coat pulled around her shoulder, the air-conditioned carriage making three of them hunch together for warmth. Ethan was apparently too cool to do that, flicking another page in his book as he ignored the lot of them.
"I think she wants an answer, bro," Raelynn said.
Ethan shuddered. "Do me a favour and never call me that again."
"Don't call her a brat, then," Cynthia said, glaring at the man.
"Tch."
"Don't you tch at me!" she hissed. "Don't think I'm forgetting that time you called me one!"
"Not my fault you were acting like one."
"Why you—"
"Love is in the—ow!" Raelynn winced, rubbing the spot on her head where Ethan had punched her.
Cynthia shook her head. "You've been spending too much time around Oz."
"Um, could we get back to the history topic?" Sora asked, not liking where the conversation was going. The two would carry on bickering, that much was guaranteed, if they were left unchecked.
"You should be grateful the Second Dragon War is over now, bra—kid," he said, continuing his reading. "If you'd been on this train fifteen or sixteen years earlier you'd have seen it for yourself."
"The Outer City is rather peaceful nowadays, aside from the occasional issue every now and then – like the Sylvant Incident a few years back." She shrugged. "You shouldn't get mixed up in anything too big."
Sora paled, her brain choosing that moment to remind her about the fact she was a literal magnet for trouble. Not only had she just attracted Raelynn, who was seeming to be trouble incarnate, but there were also all those incidents over the years... whether it be by beating others up or ones like that one. "Sure," she mumbled, not reassured in the slightest.
"Wait," Raelynn blinked as if suddenly remembering something important. "You mentioned something about an Oz and teams?" She tilted her head, eyes narrowing on Cynthia, her gaze flitting between the two sitting opposite her. "You said we were on a team with this guy called Oz."
"Yep," Cynthia said, nodding slowly.
"You weren't supposed to tell them that," Ethan reminded her. "You've ruined the surprise."
"I'm on the same team with Sor?" Raelynn asked, locking her stare on Sora as she shifted awkwardly in her seat.
She had a bad feeling about what was to come.
"That's right." Cynthia grinned.
"Yay!" Raelynn practically flew across the table between them, wrapping her arms around her before she could hide away. "You hear that, Sor?" she asked. "We're on a team together!"
Sora smiled. "As long as Tabitha isn't on our team I'm fine."
Cynthia nodded. "She's not, so you're fine."
She relaxed, exhaling loudly in relief. "Thank the gods..." she mumbled. "That would've been a disaster..."
"Yep. It sure would've," Raelynn said. "She doesn't like me for some reason."
Sora snorted. "I wonder why."
She folded her arms. "She just can't handle my awesomeness."
"Sure," she said dryly.
"Hey!"
Ethan smirked. "To quote you from before... love is in the—ow, damned brat!" he grunted, glaring at Sora who glared right back. "You'll fit in perfectly with Oz," he muttered, rubbing the spot on his arm.
"What's your obsession with this Oz guy?" Raelynn asked, eyeing him up curiously.
"It's not an obsession!"
Raelynn grinned. "Sounds like one."
"He's a friend, brat. Now shut up."
"Fine, I'll stop talking to you," she said, a strange glint in her eye as she stared at him.
"Really?"
"If you answer one question."
Ethan glared.
Cynthia sniggered.
"What conditioner do you use?"
"Huh?" He blinked. "What?"
Cynthia leant forwards, grabbing his arm. "His hair is really soft isn't it?"
Even Sora had to admit it was.
And she was slightly jealous – not that she took great care with her hair in the first place. She was usually far too busy rolling around in the dirt for that.
Ethan ducked away from Raelynn's hand, keeping his hair well out of her reach. "No."
"You really should ask him what moisturiser he uses too... his skin is ridiculously smooth..." Cynthia said. "Every single woman in the Outer City wants to know."
"His moisturiser?"
"Yeah." Cynthia held out his arm. "Here, check it out for yourself."
Ethan twitched, furiously trying to pry his hand out of her iron grip. "Stop encouraging people to touch me, dammit!"