In the morning we all woke up and wait for the train at the station. The train track stop just outside the city wall where a mountain of crate and barrel are being move in and out of the city.
Amy standing on the platform looking at so many human waiting with them in this early morning and at the far end there are so many bag and cargo waiting to be put on board. ‘Can this train really carry all of them?’
The four minivan that brought us here park nearby in a row, their image cut with the rest of wagon and horse of other human folk. There are one other truck nearby but with the new coat of paint and mark of Alana most people eyes were draw to the van more.
The native human keep their distant from the student eyeing with interest but not dare looking to long and look away when Amy or other student look back.
“Yawnn...why do we have to wake up this early just to wait anyway” Brant complained with his friend.
“The train work on a schedule they won’t wait for us if me miss the deadline.” Bill turn to answer him.
“We are student from Alana, son and daughter of noble and aristocrat, Mr. Lane who is a friend of my father basically own this rail road company anyway. Surely there must be a way they can arrange for us so we don’t have to wake up before sunrise.”
“Nobel or not it seem unreasonable to make everyone else rearrange their schedule just so we can sleep a bit longer.” said Amy.
“I thought ant value royalty more than worker, surely you must have inconvenient some worker to make your life easier before” Brant spoke back.
“We did but our privilege is still bound by our duty to the colony if what we want disrupt what good for the whole colony then we shouldn’t do it as I understand didn’t this train also to deliver good from Sweet Field in the far east all the way to Dekar port? Seem unreasonable to disrupt your own economy to sleep a few more hour.”
“We have more than one train anyway I doubt our government can't manage that much” Brant argue back but then walk away with his friend.
“Your people have a strange way to prioritize what important in society” Amy turn to Bill.
“Oh don’t mind him” Bill smile awkwardly “for us human the people who own business and high ranking position tend to have more sway in many decision that effect our life not a lot we can do about it.”
‘Don’t you are one of those people though’
At long last the train arrive the people quickly hop on and get to their seat while the worker unload the crate from the train and load in a new crate where there are space.
From where they sit Amy can hear Brant complain about having to wait again and Sarah told him to be more patient.
Soon enough the train horn blow telling everyone the train about to leave station that when Prof. Rio and Tonia walk around to count number of student and warn everyone to try not fall off the train when we wander around.
The train leaving the station is surprisingly excited for Amy, she was never been on the train before and that feeling when the train start it engine shake the whole carriage a little before quickly push forward making her feel like riding some kind of great beast.
The cold wind start blowing in from the winder as the view of station and Willstand got smaller and smaller until she can see them no more.
‘Such incredible speed it even faster than a car’ feeling the steel on the wall and wooden floor Amy is impress with human ingenuity to be able to move such a thing.
But such excitement soon turn to boredom in time after a few hour of doing nothing but sit and watch at the same tree line, same road and same horizon where nothing change.
Amy and Bill who is always on the move always doing something start fidgeting and complain when this is the second day in a row where there is nothing for them to do but sit still.
“How about we play hide and seek?” Biscuit suggested.
“Hmm it not like we have anything else to do and we would have an excuse to explore around the train as well.” said Eirian.
‘Seem a little childish but Eirian right not like we have anything better to do and Biscuit does seem really want to play.’
“Would you like to play with us Blake” Biscuit asked him.
Josh glance at his brother with no expectation what so ever.
“Thank you for the offer Biscuit but I think I will check the head of the train to see how it run” Blake wave his wing before walk out of carriage.
“So...who going to be it?”
After a rounds of rock paper scissor Eirian is It and evereyone must hide from him.
“The rule is simple It must find and catch everyone else. If you got tap then you are It too and must help Eirian catch everyone we’ll do it this way because the train is quite big if we make Eirian catch everyone by himself that would be too hard.”
“Now count to hundred and no magic allow!”
Eirian sit down as everyone scatter to both front and back of the train. Amy, Calamity and Biscuit walk to the back of the train together but Calamity soon vanish before both girl can see where he went. They walk pass several carriage, pass their classmate and other passenger, to the back of the train where they keep luggage and cargo.
“Too bad we are in school uniform, with so many people in some of these carriage me might be able to blend in with crowd otherwise.” but then Amy realize how stupid that sound when most of the passenger is human a geep and an ant won’t be hard to spot anyway.
“So many crates” Biscuit impress at a row and column that fill the room “We can hide behind this box” Biscuit point at an empty space in the dark conner behind a crate with clothes.
Amy turn to nod but still look around for better hiding spot “Look a closet we can hide in here.”
Amy quickly open its door and walk inside “Come here Biscuit this is much better”
“Eh I think I rather stay out here”
“Come on there enough space for both of us” Amy pull Biscuit by the hand with her jaw and close the door.
“See as long as we keep quiet Eirian won’t find us easily.”
They both stand in closet for a while before Biscuit start breathing louder and sweating.
“I think I should hide somewhere else.”
“Wait Eirian could be coming this way.”
“No...I”
“Just stay in here a bit longer” Amy touch her arm that trying to reach open the door.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“N...No!” Suddenly Biscuit shout and push Amy out through the door. Amy wasn’t hurt as much as shock at Biscuit action.
“Biscuit?” before Amy could understand what happen a sound of the door on the next carriage open and she knew Eirian is coming.
With her instinct she quickly runout the opposite door and leave the carriage then climb up the roof.
“Ha got you Biscuit!” Eirian shout and run to tap Biscuit by the shoulder but slow down after noticed her mood “hey are you alright...”
Amy slowly walk over the roof cover by the sound of the rail she can barely hear what two of them are talking. When cross over she climb down and start heading toward the front of the train.
While Amy walk she think about Biscuit reaction before realize she could be scare of confined space and was having panic attack.
‘Ah did I just abandon her again’
Feeling guilty she stop walking and climb up on the roof while keep heading to the front of the train but avoid coming down and enter carriage to not be near anyone.
Doesn’t take her long before she spot Josh on one of the roof near the front section of the train, sitting, staring into horizon.
Slowly she walk up to him and he spot her as well “I take Eirian in the back?”
“Yeah, he got Biscuit” Amy tone must have been weird because Josh caught on that something is wrong.
“Everything ok?”
“Yeah...No, I think I made Biscuit sad again.”
“Oh” Josh turn to her “Is she ok?”
“I think so.”
Josh look to the back of the train before look down to her “What about you?”
Amy look at him “I don’t know. I didn’t mean to hurt her but she get scare and hurt so easily! I just don't know what to I do.”
Josh didn’t know how to respond so they sat together for a while as cool wind blew past them under blazing sun.
“I think...” Josh try to speak up “you should ask other girl on this topic”
Amy kick him on the side and immediately the anger and frustration left her chest out to the leg.
“Ow” Josh rub his leg and smiles “You and Biscuit are quite opposite but I can tell she like you and you like her as well so...do what girl do when they want to made up with each other?”
“I’m not sure we ant and goat would share how we corrected a mistake.”
“What you guy just rub antenna instead of talking?”
Amy piecing eye confirm Josh theory.
“You are quite committed when you set a goal so I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Amy feel like she shouldn’t be feeling better but with the way Josh say it somehow she did.
“Right, I going to check the locomotive then” Amy get up and walk pass Josh.
“Careful not to slip now.”
When Amy reach the last carriage she climb over coal bunker and spot Bill and Blake.
Bill is lying down his upper body hidden under the floor as he seem to be fixing some machinery below.
The firemen turn to say hello to Amy since she’s clearly a student from Alana too “He offer to help since that valve broke again when he was watching me work. Good kid.” the firemen then go back to shoveling the coal into firebox as some cinder blow out when the box open.
Blake eye switch from the funnel where black smoke blowout, the impressive engine and two human working on the machine.
“He’s quite handy” said Blake watching Bill work like he knew what he’s doing.
“Among us he’s the most handy of all” Amy wave her pointy leg and point at Blake claw then Bill hand.
Blake laugh “to think they all said you would be a bad diplomat maybe it’s not so hopeless for you after all.”
“Everyone?”
“You’re not exactly made a lot of friend since you arrive you know but I guess I did heard early ant diplomat is even worst when they only sent worker who can’t even speak out.”
“Hmm we don’t need language to communicate inside colony after all.”
“I know I know” Blake gesture his wing to suggest they move further away from the heat wave to carriage door.
“This train is truly an impressive pieces of marvel, take a lot of work just to keep it running” said Blake.
“My colony export most of the coal they using” Amy mention in passing from what she remember about economic.
“Yes, funny how the fuel that they need to keep country working they themself don’t have or have very little, I wonder how long could their train run if Fia should stop export the coal.”
“Why would we stop export coal? They are good for exchange other product with human.”
“Oh there could be many reason I just wonder how long their supplies could keep their train running before it become paper weight. You wouldn’t happen to know would you?”
“No?”
“Well not like they would keep such record public” Blake push the topic out as he switch to talk about how native human are looking at him “funny reaction but not too surprise I guess us bird would look funny too if an ant wander into our town.”
“If I’m not recall wrong some human do live in Avion right?”
Their conversation got interrupt when Amy spot Eirian walking toward them.
“Don’t tell him you saw me”
“My lip are seal.” Blake zip his beak with his wing and pretend to look at the view in distant.
Amy quickly climb to the roof but as Eirian open the door she decide to climb down to the side window of the train because Eirian can easily check the roof from here.
“Oh Blake, have you happen to see Josh, Calamity, Amy or Bill?” Eirian asked.
“Bill is over there” he look ahead doesn’t even waste time to think before answer.
When Eirian walk up he spot Bill lying down not even attempt to run from him “You could take this more seriously Bill”
Eirian just tap Bill on the leg.
“Sorry was helping the fireman fix some valve”
“Greeting Mr. Amiel, please let me borrow you friend for a moment I’ll return him shortly” the firemen tip his hat for Eirian and Eirian agree to let Bill play with the train some more.
Blake spot Amy on the side of the train and shoo her to walk further away since Eirian can see her from here.
“Do you see anyone else?” Eirian walk back.
“Josh could be on the roof but I don’t see anyone else” said Blake.
Eirian climb the ladder to check the roof but he can’t see anyone on any carriage.
“Weird where could the rest of them be hiding”—”EEK! A gaint ant” a sound of little girl screaming.
Eirian check where the girl is screaming and spot Amy on other side of window “That cheating” he shout at her and look back at Blake who just shrug.
“I’m just using my leg here” Amy climb up to get out of people sight since everyone in carriage can hear the scream.
Eirian climb up and try to chase her only to found that his leg is not as good as holding on to the surface when the wind is blowing on moving train and must slow down while Amy is running away and vanish into the next carriage.
“Bill you are helping me as soon as you are finish” Eirian shouted.
It’s lunch time now and Amy is hungry from all the running but before she could return to her carriage to get her food Josh is blocking the path on the roof with a lunchbox in his claw.
“I got your lunchbox for you.”
“Oh thank”
“But now for free” he smiles mischievously “I want your cookie box in exchange.”
“What?! Why should I you just got it from teacher for free not like you prepare it yourself.”
“Biscuit was guarding the box by Eirian order, I have to trick her I was already caught by Eirian and was bringing this to him. If you go get lunch by yourself you would have already been caught and lost. A little cookie in exchange seem reasonable.”
“How would I know you not already been caught by Biscuit and this is just a trick to lure me close so you can tap me.”
“You would have to trust my honest good word.”
“Righttt how about you spread your wing so you can’t tap me while I exchange our box at your feet.”
“In this wind? I would get blow away and fall off the train, no way.”
While they were talking Eirian spot them and walk through carriage to climb up ladder behind Josh. Amy spot him first but didn’t warn Josh.
“Find you can have it” Amy throw a cookie box at him and the wind caught it up into the air.
“What are you doing?!” Josh let the box at his claw go and try to catch the cookie box with his wing only to realize his mistake when the wind swept him as he fall on his back and crash into Eirian and they both fall back down to floor above rail coupling.
“Thank for the lunch” Amy rush past them back to their carriage.
“That ant has no sense of safety” growl Eirian.
“Well at least we’ll get to catch her together.”
Amy keep running until she’s back at her carriage and Biscuit is blocking her way forward. She start to shake but didn’t move out of Amy way.
“Eirian told me you would be back here.”
“I guess I am” Amy slowly walk up, she could push Biscuit out of the way before her paw reach her if she want and Biscuit know it.
When Amy rush toward Biscuit she close her eye prepare to get push out of the way but only to feel Amy’s leg wrap her in a hug.
“Look like you got me.”
Biscuit freeze for a moment before hug her back “Why did you let yourself be caught?”
“I didn't let myself be caught. I let you catch me.”
“But...why?”
“Well, because you are feeble and you needed a win to toughen up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I am feeble.”
Amy sigh “and I’m sorry I abandon you again. I won’t do it gain ok.”
“Mhm” Biscuit smiles and hug Amy tighter.
“Oh you caught her” Eirian and Josh show a little disappointment not able to be the one who conner her but leave the two of them alone to eat their lunch.
Later on everyone in the team gather to find Calamity they divided into two group and check from each end of the train inside, above, side and under but Calamity is nowhere to be seen.
“He didn’t jump off the train right?”
Everyone keep searching and getting more anxious as the sun gone down and the train finally stop when they reach Orenda at last.
Only when everyone is departing the train does Calamity show up and scare everyone like a ghost.
“Where the hell have you been?”
“I was hiding under a train.”
“But we already check under the train!”
“I move to side and up when you guys look away.”
“You are telling us you were hiding under a train holding by your paw and leg from before noon till the sun down, change position when we come checking while also skipping lunch and dinner?”
“Yes, so did I win?”
Everyone blink.
“Well at least someone is taking this game seriously and yes you win Calamity. Among us you are truly a master of hide and seek” Eirian make the most amusing face.