Last Train to London

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen told himself that he'd celebrate every good thing that came his way from now on--no matter how small. He wouldn't celebrate it in want of something but for it's own sake. After all, there was no higher power to bargain with. It was just him.

Him and two kids.

Him and two kids and a giant VW Bus he was 60% comfortable handling. And a magical piece of paper that kept their entire lives packed neatly and lightly.

He kept reminding himself of how far he'd come in just a few weeks whenever he started really missing a nice matcha. He had Doppio on a strict assignment to look out for even the instant stuff. Every day was a new lesson in unpredictability but they'd found that there were clusters of stability. Some towns had mostly escaped the rupture unscathed and others were like patchwork from a monkey's hands. You just took what you got, hustled, and hoped for the best.

Today--today wasn't bad. They'd lucked out with a highway cutting through a sprawling plain with small patches of life in the distance. There was no telling how long the road would last, but word had spread across the town they'd just left that it went on for awhile. The street signs weren't in a language he recognized but it's not like they'd serve their purpose even if they did. Reigen spared a thought for all the taxpayer dollars gone to waste.

"Quartermaster," he snapped his fingers and adjusted the thick technicolor shades on his nose, "coffee me."

Comments

[throughthelookingmax]

Max tilted her head to one side. "What's that mean?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“I told you, I’m psychic.”

[throughthelookingmax]

"What if I told you I could tell whether or not people had powers... and I can tell that you're not one of them?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Okay, you’re just making stuff up now!”

[throughthelookingmax]

"What, and you aren't?" Max smiled.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen covered his face with a flourish to appear dramatic, but it was really to hide the redness. “Or perhaps…they’re just beyond mortal understanding.”

Then, he paused to sniff the air. There was a weird musky and spicy scent that had wafted in and collected in the back. He turned to see that Hitomi and Doppio were watching the herd disperse.

“…Before we start driving, pull out the soap and wash your hands, alright?”

[aoihitomi]

"Okay," Hitomi called back. "Reigen-san, aren't you going to say hello to them?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

‘Does coming within inches of sending it through the windshield count?’ Just as he thought that, one had pressed its snout against his window. It took him a good five seconds to even register it. “Gah!”

Its dark eyes looked down to the console. “…You want this?” He lifted the last dumpling he had up front. It ran it’s tongue across the glass and Reigen made a face. He rolled down the window and was hit in the face with that weird musky smell. He delicately extended the dumpling and its long tongue curled out to scoop it up. Then, it leaned down and swept its tongue up Reigen’s cheek and through his hair.

“…You’re welcome.” Reigen watched it leave, feeling the thick saliva stick to his face and settle into his scalp.

[throughthelookingmax]

Max pulled out her camera and snapped a shot.

[aoihitomi]

"Reigen-san, are you okay?" Hitomi had witnessed the entire thing and never intended or dreamed this would happen.

[espresso_doppio]

“Here’s the soap, Captain.” Doppio extended the bar bound in a nylon stocking to Reigen. “It must have really liked you!”

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“That’s me. A real charmer.” He accepted the soap and opened the driver’s door. “I’m gonna go stand in the rain a little while. Back in five.”

[throughthelookingmax]

Max waited for the door to shut behind Reigen before she turned around to look at the others.

"We talked," she said. "And I'm pretty sure I know what's up."

[espresso_doppio]

Doppio's hands froze as he toweled them. "...Um, sorry?"

[throughthelookingmax]

"That you guys aren't who you say you are."

[espresso_doppio]

Ba-dump.

Doppio's eyes flew around, meeting Hitomi's only briefly. Ice was freezing his veins over--had he made a critical mistake in saying they should stop to pick an extra person up? Had he been too careless?

'No, no, just stay calm. She's just one person.'

"Sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about."

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi could sense Doppio's anxiety. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I think you're mistaken."

[throughthelookingmax]

"I'm not exactly the biggest anime nerd, but don't people speak a little less formally to their older brother?"

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi swallowed.

Oh no. She had called him Reigen-san multiple times!

[espresso_doppio]

"Hey, that's not fair! Are you some kind of--kind of sibling expert?? You don't know how every sister talks to her brother!"

Yes, it was nonsensical. No, Doppio didn't care.

[throughthelookingmax]

"I don't have any siblings, but I definitely wouldn't be calling them 'Miss' or 'Mister'. No need to be a sibling expert to know that."

[espresso_doppio]

Doppio squinted. Then, he leaned in close towards Hitomi. “…Is that really what ‘san’ means?”

[aoihitomi]

Lips pressed together, Hitomi gave him an uneasy nod.

[espresso_doppio]

“Ah.” This whole time he thought it had just been a cute nicknamey sort of thing between the two of them. Truth be told, he’d been a little jealous, so finding out this way was a relief.

“…Well!” Doppio turned back to Max. “Even if they’re not brother and sister, they’re good people! That’s all that matters.”

[throughthelookingmax]

Max lifted her hands in surrender. "Not disputing that at all. I'm just wondering why you all aren't being honest with me. You all seem nice."