Chapter 4 – Close Encounters
Train couldn't help looking at his past self eye-to-eye. And running away isn't the best choice either. So he tries to pass him in a polite way.
"S'cuse me." Train said as he puts his hand to cover a side of his face and passes him, like he's not bothered with the incident at all. But he felt his past self wouldn't let him get away just like that. Train can feel a pair of sharp eyes is following him.
Suddenly, a cold hand lands on his shoulder.
Train's feet almost take off the ground to escape from the holding hand. It seems that past Train wants to give some words to him. 'What happens is he recognizes me?' the same thought flashes in his head. He tries to think a way to get out from the situation.
"Who are you?" said past Train in a shuddering tone.
Train gulped. His urge of getting to his feet is greater, and also his chances of being discovered. Without turning his head, he answers, "Just a traveler, you know, wandering on the streets."
Past Train's expression doesn't change. His golden eyes are still fixed on him. Train realizes that he's getting nervous, so he takes a deep breath and relaxes his muscles. Hoping that his past self would let him go.
"Sorry." Past Train pulls his hand off his shoulder. "I thought you're someone else." He then walks away from Train. That was close.
Train looks at past Train across his shoulders and mumbles, "Yeah, that's what Saya said yesterday."
Train thought to himself, 'I know you've hesitated. Why let me go?' he smirks to the clouds above him. 'I guess Saya had changed you, Black Cat.'
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'Things are just getting weirder and weirder today' thought Train after he had seen an old man shouting, chasing a bunch of pigeons with his stick and a stubborn saleslady chasing him for a block just to offering him cheese and bread samples.
He still couldn't decide what to do, find Leonne, or save Saya? These thoughts can really melt his brain as time pass by. He has to find a decision.
A shout was heard. Clear enough for Train to hear with his muffled head.
Train runs into the source of the sound and presses himself to a panicking crowd. In front of them is a man, with a sour face and a scruffy clothes, putting his butcher knife on a woman's neck in his arms and threatening the crowds.
"Yer' better put yer' valuables in front of me, there, on the floor near me shoe!" his eyes points to the asphalt floor in front of his feet. "Or the lady gets it! Hurry up!" he orders, pushing his blade deeper to the lady's throat.
The event reminds Train back to his sweeping days. Capturing bandits, whosoever, kicking bad guys ass, and the best part is, getting the reward without killing them. "So much memories, heh." Train said. He steps out from the crowd and smiles to the man.
"Let her go, old man." Train plants his hand onto his hip.
"Who do you think you're, boy?" the man snaps, "You better do what I say or—"
In a sound of the shotgun, the man's knife flies from his hand. It lands onto the hard floor with the blade being dented in three small craters. A trail of smoke comes out from Train's gun's muzzle.
"What the-?" the man gasped, his flaps his hand from being fired by the bullet's heat.
"I'm a grown man, pops." Said Train as he clicks the barrel of his gun. "Now, let her go. Unless you want a hole in your chest."
The man slightly trembles, "Dammit!" he whispered. He throws away the lady to the ground and runs away in fear.
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Train leaps from his place and start chasing the man.
The man pants a halfway through the street, trying to find a place to hide and disappear from Train's sight. Apparently, he met the wrong guy to chase him. He turns his head on either sides and something spots his eyes, a narrow alley.
He quickly jerks to change his direction and sprints to the alley. Train rolls his eyes to the alley and makes a face. "Really? Another alley? I'm getting fond of this." he said sarcastically.
The man still runs breathlessly until he reaches the end. "Nowhere to hide, pops." Train flips his gun behind him. The man puts his hand into his jacket pocket shakily and pulls a gun out.
"Go away, I'm armed!" he shouted. He points his gun right to Train.
"Armed or not," Train snorted, "You're going to the police, old man."
The man grips his gun tighter and pulls the trigger. He shouts as he shoots with his gun, "Go away!"
There's a moment of silence.
The man opens his eyes slowly, thinking he had killed Train. But when he gets to his bearings, he drops his jaw. The bullet shot from his gun was dented by Train's bullet on the concrete ground. Train had stopped his bullet with his own. The man's whole body shudders in fear, fear of getting killed in the particular moment. But instead, he hears some rushing footsteps. The police have arrived.
They glance at the man being cornered to the end of the wall and marches to him, without asking Train anything. Train steps aside to give the police some space. But when he turns back, he sees a man with a shaggy green hair, with a cigarette propped on his mouth, and followed by a man with a short, neat brown hair at his side, walking towards him.
"Thanks for buying us some time." He smiles.
Train stares at him for a second, couldn't believe his eyes again. The green-haired man in his grey jacket is also very familiar to him. He opens his mouth to say something, "Sven?"
"Huh?" the man raises his eyebrow, "Do I know you?"
Train swift a wide smile as an idea pops out from his head. He wouldn't mind meeting his future partner for a while. This can be a chance to turn things around.
"Can I stay on your place for a while? Until this night?" asked Train, putting his gun back into his clothes.
"Wha?" Sven scratches his head in confusion.
