With a slight sheen under the overcast skies, each massive train sat there on its own platform, waiting for its passengers to embark on it once more to take them back to their respective countries. Under the overcast skies, lines of students, three years in total lined up, waiting to take the train back.

“You’d think they’d have a better boarding system with such a massive train,” Erina muttered, getting onto her tiptoes to try and see how far the line stretched, “Hey, Hiro? You’re tall, can you look ahead to see how far the line goes? This is going to take forever…”

Looking ahead, Hiroshi reported with a sigh, “It’s going to be a while, people are still so talkative after those ranking battles that they’re moving like snails…”

“Speaking of ranking battles,” Krystina interjected with a questioning tone, “That was a little unfair, I feel like we had a little too easy of a time winning that one, were the other teams not practicing?!”

“I think the problem is that you make us practice too much Krystina,” Vladimir joked looking further ahead in line with Hiroshi, “Also a lot of the other teams have had some people suffer from a cold going around.”

“We’re quite lucky that Yuiko and Erina got over their cold before the ranking battles started,” Hiroshi nodded, agreeing with Vladimir while scowling at the slow progress of the line, “We totally would’ve lost our number one spot had they been sick during those last few battles.”

“Heh!” Erina teased with a smug face, puffing out her chest, “Without my super healthy and strong body you guys would’ve been toast!”

Walking forward with the line, Yuiko retorted while waving to some classmates, “You are neither of those things and you know it, Erina. You have the worst diet out of everyone here, have the second worst sleep schedule after Krystina, and you naturally have a very weak body.”

Looking up from the book she was reading, Krystina interjected, “My sleep schedule isn’t that bad! I only pull an all-nighter every once in a while!”

“Well you are also the only one who’s ever pulled an all-nighter,” Vladimir chided, walking along as the line began to pick up a little, “Also though, yeah Erina you can’t really speak much, I can count the number of days I’ve seen you not eat at least one piece of candy on my hands.”

Nodding in agreement, Yuiko added with a slight teasing grin, “You also have the weakest body here, by a fair margin, you get tired enough to pretend to be a zombie after walking around town during free days, and you also can’t lift anything more than I don’t know... 5 Kilograms.”

Feeling attacked, Erina refuted, “I go at least one day a week without eating any sugar, you all just can’t tell! I eat sugarless sweets sometimes... And weight wise I can lift more than that! This backpack I have on, alone, is 10 kg! You all are slandering me!”

“Okay, okay,” Vladimir conceded with a smile, nudging Hiroshi, “Look, your cousin is so healthy!” 

Choking, then spilling the water he was drinking from the nudge, Hiroshi took a moment to gather himself while doubling over laughing, “I feel like my proficiency in drinking water should’ve been higher than that to allow me to not almost die from getting lightly nudged...”

Clearing his throat with a smile, Hiroshi nodded, pretending to be a proud elder, “I’m so touched, to see Erina actually taking care of herself?” Wiping a tear he added, “I thought I’d never see the day, I can die happy now!”

Watching Yuiko and Krystina suppress their laughter while Erina glared at him in fake anger, Hiroshi turned to the side lamenting, with a sarcastic tease, “Quick! Vlad, I’ll drink some more water, I need you to nudge me again so that I don’t die from Erina’s fierce attack!”

“Yes sir!” Vladimir answered with a salute as Krystina and Yuiko supported each other while laughing. 

Feeling aggrieved from all the teasing, Erina stomped her foot lightly, as she turned away, “I’ll let you off this time...”

Wiping a fake tear out of his eye, Hiroshi lowered his water bottle, “Abort mission! Erina has decided to spare us!”

Saluting, Vladimir replied between laughs, “Yes sir!”

“A-Anyway,” Erina interjected, disrupting their antics, pointing to the doors of the train, “We should probably check over our bags real quick as we’re practically there already. There’s only 2 groups left in front of us to board.”

“True, very true,” Krystina nodded in agreement, resuming her role as the team leader, “Everyone got their three bags? Backpack? Suitcase? Duffel bag? Alrighty, let’s stay quiet as we go through the check by the door, we can resume our conversation once we’re past them. Quick and easy, don’t want to cause a delay after all.”

---------------

Walking down the hall, single file, Krystina marched on ahead, leading the rest of her group towards the area they’d be staying in. With a spacious hallway, and arched ceilings, the train’s interior could be said to surpass its towering, menacing exterior. 

“I forgot how nice this train was,” Hiroshi murmured, marveling at the ornate construction of the train interior, “This thing is massive, imagine if they were running this thing at full capacity.”

“Nightmarish that’s what,” Krystina replied, looking around to check the room numbers they walked past, “Just a little further and then it’s ours.”

Turning the corner while looking down at the information plaque for the group, one that detailed the room they’d be staying in, Krystina was yanked backwards in a rush by Vladimir. Looking up, startled like a deer in headlights, Krystina watched as a staff member rushed by, pushing a cart laden with towels, toiletries and an innumerable amount of cleaning supplies. 

“Watch out, Krys,” Vladimir warned, patting her shoulder and supporting her up, “guiding us is great, but if you guide us into being hit by a cart that wouldn’t be as great.”

“That’s true...” Krystina murmured with an agreeing nod, “Well our room is right up ahead, the one on the right.”

“Wohooo!” Erina cheered, running ahead with Yuiko trailing right behind in excitement, “These rooms were so nice last time!”

Running along behind, Hiroshi agreed, “This place is luxurious, really nice to be honest, you could almost argue that these trains are better than our dorm rooms.”

Esiyx

Thanks for reading!!!
Excluding the bonus chapter, this is chapter 60! WOAH
damn this is fancy and like, just wanted to say, thanks everyone for reading~! and hanging around...
writing do be pretty fun ngl
I'm trying to pace myself to not write myself into burnout but we'll see how that goes...
Please leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it, and thanks for just.. hanging around yeah
all the best everyone~! we're almost in 2022!! <3