Disclaimer: I do not own Miracle Train nor its characters, they belong to their respective owner/s.
Episode 11 came to mind the other night, and I found myself thinking of how the stations would cope after the events in that episode. They're all good-hearted, all of them appeared upset one way or another upon learning the truth about Mayu. Anyway, this is the aftermath of the events in that episode, and this time, there is no shounen-ai. It's focusing more on brotherly love between the six of them.
Akari watched as the doors opened and her friends boarded. "Okaeri~!" she greeted cheerfully, only to instantly lose that tone upon seeing their expressions. Something must've happened while they were helping Mayu-san. Judging by their expressions, it wasn't good at all. "Is...is everything alright?" she asked quietly.
All of the stations felt the dreaded lump in the throat that stopped any of them from answering. Eventually, Shinjuku was able to swallow it down, and with that, he was the only one who could answer Akari's question. "Mayu-chan...wasn't really as she appeared."
"What do you mean? Did things go bad with her fiance?"
"Not quite." He stepped over to the eleven-year-old and gestured for her to sit down, then he sat beside her.
Slowly, the other stations moved from where they stood, and found a place to sit. Shiodome sat on Shinjuku's other side, and then found Ryogoku beside him. Tocho, Roppongi and Tsukishima sat on the seats across from them.
"Akari-chan...Mayu-chan was...she had..." It wasn't easy to tell someone something that you couldn't believe yourself, as Shinjuku was learning. "Mayu-chan...she passed away."
Akari's green eyes widened, and a sound from above her signaled Tokugawa jumping awake in shock. "You're...you're lying...right?"
"I wish I was. We all wish that, but she..."
"How? How did it happen?"
Roppongi spoke up, his voice filled with sorrow. "We don't know. The only way we found out was when she ran onto the road to save a child's balloon. I couldn't hold her back, a truck was coming for her but didn't hit her, and she couldn't catch the balloon."
"But then...how was it that she was able to board Miracle Train?"
"She still had a regret that wouldn't allow her to pass on. Today, it is the anniversary of her...her passing, which had significance. She wished to talk with her fiance, one final time."
Akari bowed her head. "She seemed so full of life, I'm sure we were all thinking that she couldn't possibly have a serious problem, even if she had boarded Miracle Train. But, to know what had happened to her..."
"It came as a horrible shock to all of us as well," Tocho commented.
I knew she was going to be trouble, Tokugawa remarked to himself with a sigh. Only, I never figured this much.
Shasho entered the carriage, and noticed the solemn expressions marking the features of the stations and Akari. At that, his decision was made. "Work is over for today. Good work to all of you. Roppongi-kun, I would like to ask you to write a report about today's passenger tomorrow."
Roppongi just nodded.
Since work was over, the stations decided to go out, they needed to do something to help them cope with the day's events. It wasn't easy though, everywhere they went, they found it was too hard to keep their minds off Mayu. In the end, they just headed to the apartment building they all stayed in. They wouldn't all go to their own apartments though, in the end, they needed someone with them, someone they could talk to about how they felt, so they could help each other.
Shinjuku invited Tocho to stay with him, they were closest in age to each other and had known each other for such a long time that they'd know how to read the other. The blond headed to his fridge, and brought out a bottle of wine. He took that and two glasses into the living room where Tocho was waiting. "Here."
"Drinking won't take anything away, you know," Tocho replied.
"No, I'm aware of that. But, let's just share this anyway." He opened the bottle and poured some into both glasses, replaced the lid, set the bottle on the table, and handed the glass with a little less content to his spectacled friend. He picked up the other glass and held it up. "Here's to Mayu-chan."
Tocho copied the gesture before drinking some of the wine.
"How do you reckon the others are holding up?"
"Roppongi and Shiodome...not too well. As for Tsukishima and Ryogoku, a little better, which will be necessary to help the other two."
Shinjuku nodded in agreement. He remembered how close to tears the youngest station and the quietest station were when they learned the truth about Mayu. "I don't think she was aware of it herself."
"I agree." Tocho set his glass on the table, before removing his spectacles and placing them beside his drink. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly. The day was starting to get to him.
Even Shinjuku, the one who would often party all night, seemed worn out emotionally. Never had a passenger affected him so much. Certainly, he remembered all of them for those days when they should meet again, but there had never been one who made such an impact on his life, that he couldn't focus on anything else. "It was incredible."
"What was?"
"Remember how Mayu-chan mentioned her fiance would always be rushing to where they would meet? Even today, on her anniversary, he was rushing as if he was going to meet with her."
Tocho just nodded.
"How are you holding up?"
He sighed. "Alright, I suppose. You?"
"Yeah, not too bad. Though, for her to affect all of us like this..."
"We all remember our passengers in the event that they'll meet with us again someday."
"I know, but I don't mean like that."
"How do you mean?"
"I don't know, I just... I haven't gone for a bottle of wine in ages, even when I go out partying, I never have too much to drink. Can't counsel Koneko-chan's while suffering from a hangover, after all."
"Normally, our passengers leave feeling content and at peace, and that fills us with the same feelings, knowing we have been able to help someone in distress. But, today, even though Roppongi was able to help her communicate with her fiance, none of us are feeling content. It's hard to when the one assisted is..."
Shinjuku nodded. "That must be it. I dunno, but it feels as if...as if our job is incomplete."
"I know what you mean."
Tsukishima had insisted on Roppongi staying with him that night, so they were both sitting in the perceptive station's living room. Roppongi wasn't one to express anything in too many words, and Tsukishima respected that, so he didn't push him to express how he felt. He waited patiently until the quiet station started to speak on his own volition.
"How could it be that we never realised before?"
"It wasn't easy to see, not until that moment."
"I feel...I feel like I have not been able to help."
"Oh, Roppongi-san, no. That's not true. Mayu-san...she was unable to...pass into the next realm until she had expressed everything she wished to express to her fiance."
"I know. But...I still feel I had not been able to help her."
"Why is that?"
Roppongi sighed and hunched over. He just shook his head.
Tsukishima moved to sit beside his friend, and started to rub his back.
"Why didn't I realise something was wrong sooner?"
"None of realised, not until that moment. You must stop kicking yourself about it."
"I...I'm sorry, it's just..."
Tsukishima smiled gently and helped Roppongi sit up straight again. "I know. It is a difficult situation."
"She seemed so lively, how could it be that all along she was..."
The smile faded into a frown of concern. "I don't know, Roppongi-san, I honestly don't know."
"I knew something was wrong, I knew there was something not quite right, and yet...it never hit me until..."
"Until that moment. I know." Tsukishima had the grace and courtesy to not point out his friend was repeating himself. If this was how Roppongi wanted to express his feelings on the situation, then so be it.
Ryogoku had taken Shiodome back to his apartment. He had requested the youngest station wait in the living room while he prepared some tea, something to help ease their nerves. But, he was barely done boiling the water when he heard some quiet sobs coming from the young blond. He quietly sighed to himself, knowing Shiodome had been holding back his cries until he was alone. Turning off the kettle, he made his way into the living room and sat beside Shiodome. He placed a hand on the young one's shoulder and gently squeezed.
Shiodome turned tear-filled baby blue eyes to the older station before he clung to him and continued to weep.
Understanding Shiodome was still a child, Ryogoku wrapped his arms around him and held him close, allowing the blond to cry until he couldn't anymore. He had a feeling the day's events were catching up to Shiodome. He didn't say a word, just listened as Shiodome released all of the pent-up sorrow.
The blond continued to cry aloud, eventually his sobs being broken by some coughs. He felt Ryogoku rub his back, and soon those had eased. Soon, the sobs had also ceased, and instead, he trembled, letting out hitched breaths every so often. Finally, even those had ended, and he fell limp.
Poor kid. Ryogoku knew the baby brother of the group had fallen asleep. It's not just Mayu-san, is it. All of the tmes you helped someone with tough problems got to you. Being careful not to disturb the teen's rest, he slowly got to his feet, and lay the younger on his sofa. He gazed down at the younger station and sighed quietly.
He didn't know how long he stood there, gazing at his little brother with concern in his violet eyes. Soon, he was brought back to reality by the sound of a knock on the door. He went to answer it, and wasn't surprised to see the others standing at the entrance to his abode. "Hey. You all holding up alright?"
"Getting there," Shinjuku replied with a shrug.
Ryogoku stepped aside and granted his friends entrance.
Tsukishima noticed Shiodome was fast asleep. He smiled sadly. "Hopefully he rests well."
The others echoed that sentiment as they all found a place to sit or lie in that living room.
Shiodome was still sleeping on the sofa, Tocho was resting on the other. Shinjuku and Ryogoku were seated near their companions, while Tsukishima and Roppongi rested against the sides of the chairs. In the end, they all needed to be together, even if only to offer each other silent support. The stations were more than friends, they were family, their bonds were stronger than any other, and they would always be there for each other. Meeting Mayu had been pleasant, learning of her circumstances was difficult, but as long as they had each other, they would all pull through and be able to offer more assistance to those who need it enough to have to board Miracle Train.