Chapter 30: 30: Train Ride

Waiting a while for the train to begin moving, Erina and Yuiko were chatting and gazing out the window as the train sped up.

*WHIRRRR*

Lifting off the ground, the train began gliding forward, smooth as a rain droplet sliding down a window, speeding up with each passing second.

"The train sure is accelerating quickly," Yuiko commented, watching the scenery become a blur of colors outside the window. "I feel bad for the people who are right next to the train carriages that the engines though… Though, luckily the engines were said to be near silent."

Nodding in agreement, Erina murmured. "Now that the train is moving, how long do you think it will be until Krystina bursts into our room to have us do something as a group in the common room, Yuiko?"

Giggling at the exasperation in Erina's voice, Yuiko answered, "Not long I bet... in fact, I can already hear her footsteps running down the hall. But which room will she go to first?"

Admiring the colors outside the window, Erina lamented, "I dunno..."

Relaxing at the small table near the window for a bit, Yuiko and Erina were unsurprised when Krystina burst into their room. Running over and pulling Yuiko and Erina out of their seats, Krystina exclaimed, "Come on! Vlad and Hiro are already in the common room waiting, so let's have some fun!"

Following Krystina out of the room, Yuiko asked, "So what are we going to be doing? Because it's still a while off before lunch is delivered... unless you want to go and eat in the meal carriage?"

Shaking her head, Krystina mentioned, "Nah, we can go eat in the meal carriage some other time. Food will be delivered in a bit, anyway. We're going to play some card games right now, so any preferences?"

Perking up from the side, Erina chimed in, "I want to play that one game! You know what I'm talking about, right Yuiko?"

"No, I don't, Erina..." Yuiko replied with a wry smile, "You know what you said literally tells me nothing right?"

"Ah... right..." Erina answered, realizing that she had left out all of the key details, "U-um you know the one where you try and get as few points as possible? And the first person to reach 1000 points loses? The one where points are counted in tens?"

Nodding, Krystina noted, "Oh, I think I know which one you're talking about, I'll go ask Vlad and Hiro if they have also heard of it!"

Running off, Krystina ran off to the main room as Yuiko and Erina took their time, admiring the train's structure and finishing their previous conversation.

Arriving in the common room, Yuiko and Erina sat down on the empty couch as Krystina finished dealing the last of the cards.

"So you two know the game I'm talking about?" Erina asked Vladimir and Hiroshi as she repositioned the cushions.

Nodding, Hiroshi answered, "Yeah, Vladimir and I have played the game in the past at each other's houses. Plus, I usually beat him, so there's that~!"

Grumbling as they started the game, Vladimir replied, "It's luck! I swear I would beat you if your luck wasn't so perverted!"

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Laughing, Yuiko replied, "Vlad, you're in for a world of trouble if you think Hiroshi's luck is perverted! I bet you haven't played much against Erina, then, because her luck is the gutter incarnate!"

Nodding in agreement, Hiroshi added with a self-deprecating chuckle, "I've played against Erina many times at family reunions and everyone, literally everyone, in both of our families thinks that Erina's luck is just out of this world! Thus, she’s usually banned"

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Spending the time until lunch playing cards, where everybody was absolutely trounced on by Erina, Vladimir sighed in resignation while eating pasta, "You were right, Hiroshi... Erina's luck is truly out of this world..."

Taking a few more bites out of his sandwich, Vlad asked, "Does anyone know what exactly we will be doing at camp?"

"Hm, it's pretty complicated, but I do know a few things from my parents..." Yuiko answered, "So first thing is that we'll be attending all of our classes together because we're like a team, you know? And the classes we'll be attending are the normal school classes, Language Arts, Math, History, and Science. Though Magic Theory will now be combined with Science..."

Feeling everyone else's laser-focused stare, Yuiko asked, "Did no one else hear anything from their parents? All our parents work at the same place...no? Okay..."

Eating some of her salad and downing her cup of water, Yuiko continued, "I don't really know the structure of the classes. However, we'll also be taking martial arts, which is just learning some fighting techniques while building strength in the body. Another extra class is a class that is element-specific. So, for example, I will be taking the Lava class, while Vlad and Hiro will be in the Metal class."

Nodding at Yuiko's explanation, Erina added, "Oh, I have a different schedule by the way..."

Bolting up in unison, Vladimir, Hiroshi, and Krystina exclaimed in surprise, "What!?"

Refilling his cup of water, Hiroshi asked, "So, what's different about it? I'm assuming not much has changed, though..."

Sprawling out on the couch into a comfortable position, Erina replied, "Most of my classes are the same, so I didn't know what those classes were before Yuiko just told us. But a while ago I got a letter personally addressed to me from some random manager person about what specific classes would be changed... "

Pausing for a second to grab a cushion, Erina continued, "Pretty much it just told me that because I have two special circumstances: my condition and me having two complex elements... I would be exempt from martial arts classes. Instead, I would be attending a second magic class... though it didn't even tell me what the other classes were called..."

Nodding, Vladimir chimed in, "It makes sense... Erina's test did make the news, as there hasn't been someone who got 2 complex elements in over 10 years..."

Leaping at Erina, Krystina yelled, "What is this unfairness! I don’t want to take martial arts!! I’ve lost against Yuiko too many times!"

Intercepting Krystina mid-jump, Yuiko laughed with a teasing smile, "Well, who knows~, though I was there when Erina got the letter from the government though~!"

Being diverted to the couch, Krystina pouted while complaining, "I'm not talking to you anymore, Yuiko! You’re unnaturally good at martial arts! Honestly, Suzuki sometimes struggles to beat you these days..."

Spending the rest of the train ride having fun with each other while bonding, the train ride passed in a blink of an eye without a hitch.