Summary: Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Shigure, Haru and Momiji get the chance of a lifetime as they are whisked away on a four-day trip on The Orient Express! But all trouble breaks loose as some one is killed and a detective-type crime sweep pursues…
"A TRAIN RIDE TO REMEMBER"
CHAPTER 1
"Surprise!" Tohru shouted to Kyo, Yuki and the others
"What the hell's that?" asked Kyo
"It's March 14th tomorrow, that means it's White Day. So for everyone I got a once in a lifetime opportunity train ride on The Orient Express" said Tohru
"What's The Orient Express, Miss Honda?" asked Yuki, looking pleased
"The Orient Express" said Tohru "Is a very famous steam train"
"Why's that then?" asked Shigure
"Er… I don't know exactly," said Tohru blushing "But I know it's famous! I got tickets for me, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Momiji-"
"NO WAY AM I GOING NOW!" shouted Kyo " I'M NOT GOING IF MOMIJI IS!"
"Oh, please Kyo," pleaded Tohru
Kyo gave in "Ok but he's not sitting next to me on the train!" he shouted
"Anyway" said Tohru "I got them for me, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Momiji, -" (Kyo gave a slight grunt) "- and Haru"
"That's sounds like fun" smiled Yuki
"Oh thank you. It's just as a White Day present" blushed Tohru
"When do we go?" asked Shigure pleased "Because I have work to do" he said in a off-hand kinda way (but he really didn't want to do it)
"In two days!" said Tohru
"Well, I'll go ring Sohma house and tell Haru and Momiji they're invited. I'm sure Kisa and Kagura will want to see us off, so I'll ask Ha'ri to come too." Said Shigure
"LET'S HOPE WE LEAVE BEFORE THEY GET THEIR THEN!" shouted Kyo
"Don't be selfish Kyo, you know Kagura likes you, just show a bit of affection just to keep her happy. And we don't want her to run after the train, then wreck it just for you!" Shigure said
"Ok then. We'd best go get packed" said Tohru "Best to not be disorganised"
So, everyone went to go get suitcases ready for their exciting trip. Kyo appeared at Tohru's door
"How long is this trip?" he asked
"Erm… four days" she said, "I hope I'm not interrupting your schedule! OH MY GOD! I SHOULD'VE ASKED TO SEE IF I'M NOT INTERRUPTING PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES!" she added, panicking
"It doesn't matter, I'm sure everyone's not busy" said Kyo, keeping Tohru from shaking with panic
"Tohru! Tohru!" said Shigure "Momiji and Haru are on their way!"
"Ok!" replied Tohru
"They just want to thank you for their present!" said Shigure
"Ok!" replied Tohru, packing her dress into the suitcase "Oh, I forgot to mention, Kyo, do you want anything ironing or washing before we leave?"
"Erm… I do have a couple of shirts" Kyo said, shrugging "But I'll do it"
"No, you don't have to, I'll do it" said Tohru reassuringly
"Ok" Kyo replied, "I'm off to get the rest of my clothes packed"
'Ok I need to ask everyone if they need stuff doing' Tohru thought, as Kyo left the room
Tohru left her pile of clothes to see Yuki.
"Do you need anything washing or ironing?" she asked
"Erm.. No I think I should be alright" he replied, smiling
"Ok, I'll ask Shigure then" Tohru replied, smiling also
"Thank you for this really pleasant present. I honestly wasn't expecting anything really except chocolates or a crudely drawn card" Yuki replied
"Well, I've been saving up for quite a while and the paper said their were tickets for six people for $5000" she said
"$5000? That's pretty expensive, not pretty, really expensive" Yuki said amazed "You must have been saving up for quite a while I presume?"
"Yes, I was" she replied, blushing
"I want to go dutch. I just can't accept this, it's too expensive and I'd feel really bad if I just accepted it" Yuki said, getting out some money and giving it to Tohru
"No! This is my present for you letting me in to your house and being so nice to me" Tohru replied, pushing Yuki's money away
"But-" Yuki started
"No buts! Anyway, you're gonna be staying on The Orient Express with me for four days" she said smiling "You can make it up to me then!"
"Ok then!" said Yuki, smiling
The sound of a car pulling up was heard, and the slamming of doors. Obviously Haru, Momiji and Ha'ri were here. Then Momiji burst through the door about to hug Tohru when Kyo appeared.
"Are you crazy!" he shouted
"Waah! Kyo's not letting me hug Tohru for thanks for giving me a trip on... On... On..." Momiji said
"The Orient Express?" asked Tohru
"Yeah! The Orient Express! Waah!" Momiji cried
"SHUT UP!" Kyo shouted
"Ok then!" Momiji said, "But put me down!"
"Fine" said Kyo and he threw Momiji to the floor
But Momiji had a plan; as soon as he hit the floor he ran to Tohru and hugged her tightly, then... POOF! He transformed into his zodiac animal, the rabbit. The little blonde rabbit with its soft red eyes looked up at Tohru and a little voice was heard.
"Thank you Tohru!" said Momiji
"Grrrrrr! MOMIJI WHAT DID I SAY!" shouted Kyo
Then Haru appeared, carrying two heavy bags, followed by Ha'ri.
"Hello their Tohru, Kyo, Shigure, Yuki" said Ha'ri "Oh, Momiji! What have I told you about hugging non-Sohma members?"
"Oops, sorry" said Momiji, looking sad
"By the way Tohru" said Haru "Thank you for the present, it's really nice of you"
"It's OK, I had a couple of tickets so I gave everyone one" said Tohru, smiling
"Yeah, great" said Kyo, unenthusiastically
"Oh, I'm sorry Kyo. If you didn't wanna come you should've just told me" said Tohru
"Nah, I wanna come I just…. want a room away from that damn rat and rabbit!" said Kyo
"Ok, there's like, 30-odd coaches on the train, so I think you can get away, even when you don't want to!" said Tohru, smiling slightly
"Fine…" said Kyo
"Ok I'm gonna go get dinner started does everyone want some?" asked Tohru
"Yes!" everyone chorused
Tohru drained of colour
"E-e-e-everyone wants dinner?" she asked, amazed no one had eaten
"Yes" they all said again
"I'll help you Tohru!" shouted Momiji
"Me too" said Haru
"And me Miss Honda" said Yuki
"I'll help too!" said Shigure
"Erm, no you're alright Shigure!" said Tohru remembering what happened last time Shigure had cooked ('Tough Love: Part 1')
"Ok then!" said Shigure looking happy he didn't have to help
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Two days just seemed to fly by. It was already the day the Orient Express was scheduled to leave. Everyone was just doing some last minute packing, and Kagura and Kisa had come to see the train leave. But Kagura was insisting that she help Kyo pack, and, as a result, she had wrecked the house.
"THE TRAIN LEAVES IN AN HOUR!" screamed Kyo "NOW TOHRU HAS TO CLEAN IT ALL UP BEFORE WE LEAVE!"
"I'll do it!" Kagura said, but Tohru gladly agreed she'd do it
"It's only a little wreckage," she said smiling
'What am I saying?' she thought 'This place is like a war-zone!'
"Ok, it's not gonna clean itself" she said, but it was all clean
'Did I black out or something back there or is it this house is clean now?' she thought pale
"You OK?" asked Haru
"Uh-huh" said Tohru
"You look pale… Wow! How fast did you clean this room?" Haru said, amazed
"That's me," said Tohru
"Ok come on everyone!" came Shigure's voice from down stairs "Get your bags we're leaving now! It's a long drive so may suggest you take something to do?"
"Ok! Be right there!" shouted Tohru "We'd best go"
"Ok" said Haru
Just as they were leaving, Tohru spotted Kagura, dirty
'She's obviously cleaned the house' she thought
"I've gotten the charter bus to take us, since my car is too small" said Ha'ri
Tohru had been on the charter bus before, when she went to the hot springs
"Ok everyone here?" asked Ha'ri "I'll call your name out and you say 'yes' ok?"
"Yes!" shouted everyone
"Tohru-"
"Yes!"
"Haru-"
"Yes!"
"Momiji-"
"Yes!"
"You'd best behave yourself, Momiji"
"I will!"
"Kyo-"
"Yeah, whatever"
"Yuki-"
"Yes"
"Shigure-"
"Present and ready!"
"Ok then!" said Ha'ri, smiling. Tohru had never seen Ha'ri smile, she thought he looked sweet and thought he should do it more often. When she finally came out of her daydream faze, Ha'ri was calling out the other's names.
"And Kagura-"
"Yes!"
"So you've all got your things ready?" asked Ha'ri
"Yes!"
"Then let's go!" Ha'ri said and he started the engine
The bus' engine revved to life and they were off. Momiji started to annoy everyone as he sang his song:
"Who's in the forest strolling? The birds and the bees sing 'Momiji'! The frogs in the pond are calling 'Momiji' yes it's true!"
After yet another round of 'Who's in the forest strolling?' Kyo got angry
"MOMIJI SHUT THE HELL UP!" he screamed
"Wa-a-ah! Kyo's hitting me!" Momiji cried
"Be quiet Momiji, we're nearly there now. If I hear you're annoying people, you will not go on the trip" Ha'ri said
Other than that incident, the trip to the station was an uneventful one. Finally they reached the station. The train was magnificent. Steam poured from its funnel and the passengers all queuing up trying to find a compartment their ticket was assigned to, and also looking to see if they were with their family or friends. Other passengers were handing in their luggage to a guard, who put it into the many of about 4 or 5 luggage cars.
The conversations made were all jumbled up so it sounded like they were just gabbling on and on. There was also the sound of whistles as guards were shouting out compartments such as "1-10!" or "41-50!"
Tohru checked her ticket; it said she was in compartment 74, which meant she was near the end of the train, and near the sleeping coaches. But after examining the other tickets, she was all by herself with complete strangers.
"We've got a bit of a problem," she said (well shouted over the noise of the crowd and train)
"What?" asked Kyo, who was nearest her
"There's an odd ticket; someone's gonna have to be by themselves!" she shouted
"Ok, I'll tell the others!" Kyo replied
He did. They resolved that Shigure was going to be on his own.
"But this is odd" said Tohru "It says here there's six seats to a compartment yet, only five of us are in it!"
"Maybe we're all with a complete stranger!" shouted Haru
"One minute I'll count us all," said Ha'ri "Momiji, Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Shigure, Haru. Yeah there are six you'll have to compromise on swapping!"
"Ok! Let's get on the train!" shouted Tohru "Bye, Kisa!" Tohru hugged Kisa. "Bye Kagura!" she hugged Kagura "Bye Ha'ri, Thanks for taking us!" she shook hands with Ha'ri (because of the curse)
They heard a train whistle which suggested that the train was leaving. They all boarded the train (except Kyo, who was being hugged and kissed by Kagura)
"GET THE HELL OFFA ME!" he screamed
"BYE MY LO-O-O-VE!" she shouted as the train started up
Kyo scrambled onto the train, everyone on the train and the platform were saying their last good-byes.
Tohru got all the tickets and handed them to everyone
"Ok, here are all your tickets. Remember, hold on to them, you'll need them when the ticket inspector comes down this part of the train Ok?" she said
"Ok!" everyone said
Shigure and everyone else split up, Shigure going to compartment 74 and Tohru and the rest to compartment 75. When they opened the compartment door, a boy who looked about 19 years old stared lazily out of the window. He had around shoulder-length dark purple hair looked at them. It was…
"Akito…?" gasped Yuki
Check out the next chapter to find out what happens!