It's Monday! This week: the part with the train. (I feel like that's one of those infamous scenes from the movie.)
Oh, one more thing. This chapter requires an obligatory 'don't try this at home' warning. XD
- K. Chandler
"Simon's here?" asked Erza.
"He and his squad are searching the train," she explained. "They've probably got officers on every train leaving Brago."
"For what?" asked Jellal. "I thought the papers you had forged—"
"Don't be an idiot," scolded Ultear, frowning. "It's not about the papers. They're after us…" she hissed.
"For what?" asked Erza. "What did we do?"
"For our little escapade last night. We're fugitives."
"Fugitives?" repeated Erza, shaking her head. "Oh, no. No, no, no. There must be some kind of mistake. Fugitives?"
"What did you think was going to happen?" scoffed Ultear. "We broke into a prison and let dangerous magical criminals escape."
Erza's eyes widened. She thought about Sora and Bethie and Sawyer. About Kinana and Erik. It was hard to think of them like that.
"Good thing we were planning on joining up with the Resistance," said Ultear flatly. "The criminal underworld is the right place for unsavory people like us," she said sarcastically.
"Don't worry, Erza. We'll be alright," said Jellal.
"Can we stop talking and start moving?" asked Ultear impatiently, narrowing her eyes at Jellal. Then she turned to Erza and groaned.
"What's the matter?" asked Jellal.
"Her hair sticks out like a sore thumb," said Ultear. "I told you we should have dyed it before we left."
"Right, I forgot," groaned Jellal.
"Sorry?" said Erza. She tugged at her scarlet locks self-consciously.
"Come on, this way. And try not to look too conspicuous," muttered Ultear as she led them towards the back of the train.
Jellal gathered Erza's hair in his hands, tucking it into her jacket. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Erza tensed at the unexpected contact.
"Sorry," he said quietly. "I'm just trying to make you less obvious. We'll get some funny looks if you wander around with your hood pulled up."
"N-no… it's fine."
Erza stumbled as the train swayed under her feet, but Jellal kept her steady.
"What are you planning, Ultear?" asked Jellal.
"Isn't it obvious? We have to get off."
"You mean jump?" he asked.
"What else?" she said.
"Wait. What?!" said Erza, stopping short. "You are insane."
"Erza, please," said Jellal. "There's no ti—"
"Better insane than dead," interrupted Ultear unsympathetically. She opened the door at the end of the car, the wind from outside rushing inside. "There's no gangway," she reminded them. "We're going to have to walk it."
Erza's heart leapt to her throat. Walk across that?
Undaunted, Ultear stepped catlike onto the metal that coupled the cars together. She inched across it, opening the door on the other side.
"It's fine," Ultear shouted from the safety of the next car. Erza could barely hear her over the clatter of the tracks and the rush of the wind.
Erza looked down, the ground rushing by in a blur. If she slipped…
"I'll go first," said Jellal. Following in Ultear's footsteps, his feet edged along the metal coupling, his arms out for balance. He turned back as soon as his hand found purchase on the frame of the next car. "Take my hand," he called, extending his free hand to her.
Taking a deep breath, Erza reached out for him, ignoring Ultear's impatient scowl. With Jellal's firm grip grounding her, Erza felt a rush of confidence. She could do this…
She stepped out tentatively, her eyes drifting to her feet and the ground beneath the train that shot by so fast it blurred.
"Eyes on me, Erza," called Jellal.
Swallowing hard, Erza nodded. She took one tentative step and then another, her heart hammering against her ribs.
As soon as she got close enough, he caught hold of her sweaty hand and pulled her towards him. To safety.
Erza felt her knees go soft under her.
"Well done," Jellal said.
"We're not done yet," said Ultear.
There was more? Erza let out a dry sob.
Like this, they made their way through three cars, and Erza was starting to feel like an expert. But when Ultear opened the door of a fourth, she shut it again, scowling. The color had drained from her face.
"Talk to me, Tear. What's the matter?" asked Jellal.
"They're searching from both ends," she said in a low voice.
"There's no way out…" mumbled Erza in realization.
"There's always a way out," said Jellal. "Will you do the honors, Ultear?"
Perched on the coupling, one hand braced on either car, Ultear leaned forward to look at the landscape. "I'm going to wait for the bend up ahead," she reported. "It's all grass, so we should survive the landing."
"Now I know you're insane," said Erza, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Would you rather take your chances on this or with the Task Force?" snapped Ultear, her face still ghastly pale. She sounded annoyed, but Erza hear the quiver in her voice. Her knuckles had turned white from her death grip on the cars.
Just like Erza, Ultear was terrified… This realization gave Erza a new level of respect for the other woman, who pressed on relentlessly, despite her fears.
"It's all right. I've done this before," said Ultear with false cheerfulness.
"And you survived?" asked Erza.
"No, I died on impact…" muttered Ultear.
"Your bad experience with trains?" asked Erza.
"Something like that. All right, here we go," breathed Ultear. She looked like she was going to be sick.
Shutting her eyes, Ultear hurtled herself from the train. Like a ragdoll, she rolled through the grass before coming to a stop. Erza's stomach churned, unable to breathe until Ultear pushed herself to her feet gingerly and waved at them.
"You have to do it just like that," Jellal shouted over the wind. "Jump straight out and get yourself as far from the train as possible. Try not to land on your head or your neck or anything. That would probably kill you. And make sure you roll. Sideways," he added. "Did you get all that?"
Erza swallowed hard, her mouth going dry. Land sideways and roll. No, that wasn't right. Roll straight out and land on your head? Not on your head. Jellal's advice was a jumble in her brain.
She was going to die.
"I need you to trust me, Erza," said Jellal his eyes on hers. "Can you do that?"
She nodded, unable to find her voice. Of course, she trusted him.
Jellal pulled his thick cloak off, securing it around her shoulders. "This will keep it from hurting as much when you land. Do you want me to go first?" he offered.
Erza nodded again. At least she'd have something to copy.
"Wish me luck." Jellal jumped, rolling neatly like Ultear did. But when he stopped, he didn't get back up.
That seems like a good place to stop, yeah? XD
Anyone have a guess as to what Ultear's bad experience with trains is?
Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.