The dy had light purple hair, which was tied in two sort of puffy ponytails at the sides of her head, while she wore a white diadem and some of the rest of the hair fell down to the top of her back, her face was delicate and round, her eyes cyan and her smile warm. That’s all Luca could see before looking away as he informed her that the seat next to him was free. His sister always had a weakness for thunderstorms, she would always go towards his room or their mothers when a big one came near, his mother was unable to deal with dogs, an attack of wolves to the tavern she worked at when she was younger had left her forever scared of anything wolvish, however both these fears were reasonable, for lo, Luca had the debilitating fear that he was always embarrassed about, talking to attractive people.

  As he looked out the window he inspected the ndscape, a white cloud covered sky, a big ke in the distance gray with the reflection of the sky, some trees, skinny and with a mat of leaves at the top, and a horizon filled with pointy mountains covered in a thick forest, this is where the dy with purple hair got into the train, it might have been where she lived. He remembered learning about it, sort of, the region of Pide, because it was so close to Zenith during its construction it ended up getting affected and transformed into a pce in which rarely could the sun be seen and rain was always a possibility, despite being at the south, near his region. Luca couldn’t imagine living in a pce in which a drought is never a risk but where one rarely felt the heat of the sun, he gazed at his skin, working constantly outside, including during burning season, burnt and tanned his skin throughout all his life, since he could work at least. He remembered how much his mother hated her, or any of her children getting burnt, which is why he thanked the tan, and how his sister thought she looked prettier while pale, which he never really understood, she’d look pretty anyway he remembered thinking, but to be fair he didn’t think about it that much. The dy next to him… did she look pale? Luca couldn’t remember, he wanted to look but that might imply making eye contact, then he looked at the window and saw his reflected self, barely, but he saw himself, so he leaned carefully to one side and discreetly looked at the dy.

  In the reflection he could discern she was looking around, probably at the patrons, she did look kinda pale, she wore a scarf even though it was not cold at all, Luca thought it was a weird style choice, but to be fair everyone dressed kinda eccentric, some people wore tall hats and half a spectacle for whatever reason, some dies wore their hair upwards or a certain woman with dark skin had no hair at all, to be fair even with that, she carried herself with uncomparable esteem, although Luca only saw those people when they boarded the train as they walked towards the next wagon, the one in front of them, he assumed the richer folk went there, and so most people in his wagon were retively normal, although he still felt like he stood out with just his green t-shirt and his brown pants, he didn’t feel like he looked bad, so maybe something else made him feel like he didn’t belong there. He asked himself if perhaps the dy next to him with her purple hair and her scarf felt the same or if it was just him.

  … This was ridiculous, he couldn't talk to her and yet his thoughts kept circling back to her, he’d do something, he’d talk to her, he’d just talk to her and get it over with, what even made him want to talk to her so much? Didn’t matter he was gonna get over his fear, right there, right at that moment, no sense in dragging it out.

  “...” He looked at her and opened his mouth to speak, she was looking in the other direction but then she started turning, which startled Luca and forced him to look out the window and contempte the ndscape, which he thought looked… he was dragging it out, he’d just talk to her, difficult to start, easy to carry on, he turned again.

  He didn’t, he thought about turning his neck to face her, he thought about the motion his neck would do to do so, he thought about looking at her and saying something like, hey, nice to meet you!, but he couldn’t, so he put his elbow on the window and rested his head on his hand. He never liked not being able to do something, he didn’t mind so much not being good enough at something to do it right, but not being able to even try infuriated him, he was given a perfect opportunity to give a good living to his family, a great living even, but he wasn’t gonna be able to do it, because he couldn’t even talk to a single cute dy. He looked forward and turned his head around faster than his doubt and fear could reach his head, he faced the dy who was looking forward, lost in thought, he noticed a drop of sweat on the dy’s forehead, and another one down her neck, she then noticed his gaze, and he had to say something.

  “... I-” before he could even say anything the situation overwhelmed him, was she scared? Did he freak her out by acting weird? Did she take great effort in carrying her suitcase? Why was she sweating? “E-excuse me… a-...are you okay?”

  The dy turned and looked at Luca with her shining eyes that reminded him of a puddle reflecting the sky before it dried up in the hot climate of his hometown, she looked surprised at the question, he might have been to sudden, perhaps a tap on the shoulder before would have been better, but what if she didn’t want to be touched? He was really out of his league.

  “Oh! Yes, thank you” she said, her voice sweet and kind of high pitched, she smiled at him, which made Luca lose all capacity for thought. “It’s just… it’s kinda hot in here, I was outside and it felt colder so, it’s probably just that, I’m used to the cold you know?”

  “...” not even able to miss his brain, a wide bnk space filled his mind, at least that’s what it felt like, and yet his voice projected something, must have been a thought that he didn’t think of saying “then… Why the scarf?” Maybe she was uncomfortable without it, maybe it was a religious thing and he was being extremely disrespectful, maybe people outside his region hid his neck like others hid their privates and it was HIM who was being weird. Good thing was he could think again, bad news was that he could think again.

  “... oh goodness” her eyes grew wide just slightly as she heard the question, then she covered her face with her hands, before Luca said anything she muttered “I’m so stupid, of course I’m hot”, she then took off the scarf slowly, moving her pristine hands above her head as she unrolled it from where it was, after taking it off, Luca saw that she was wearing a high quality jacket with a metal pin near her heart, probably a family pin, Luca’s blood froze, he wasn’t a fan of rich folk, always had some trouble with them, the dy breathed in relief “aaaah… thank goodness, oh and thank you! I didn’t even notice I was still wearing it ” she giggled, which caused a turmoil in Luca, he didn’t want to talk to an esteemed dy in case something bad happened, but he wanted to hear her talk more, didn’t know why, but he wanted to.

  “So, feel better now?” he asked, hiding his nervousness the best he could. “It didn’t seem like it was that cold outside.”

  “Well I come from farther west, and it was snowing cold there!” she giggled again “I came with a big coat and hat, but I was able to remember takig that off, I’m distracted…" she rubbed her arm "it’s an important trip for me…”

  “I-I get that… the trip thing, n-not the snowing cold thing… can’t even imagine how it is.”

  “Being cold?”

  “S-Snowing cold, yeah! I’m from Cuartel, so… we don’t see much sno-”

  “Oh my goodness! So we are neighbors then! That’s amazing” she cpped her hands together, each little quick cp matched Luca’s heartbeat, he was gonna start sweating soon. “I went there a couple times in vacation, it’s gorgeous in the flower season, always got back burnt though.”

  She giggled, but this time it felt less magical, the mention of vacation was what reminded Luca who he was talking to, he controlled his breathing, he knew better, he gnced down at the pin, a bit more obvious that he’d like, causing her to notice and look down.

  “Hm? Oh this? It’s just an old thing” she said pushing her jacked from inside towards him “It’s a family pin, but my family isn’t really big anymore, it's more of a… reminder, of old times you know?” The pin was from a pinkish gray metal, it was a circle with the silhouette of a unicorn inside it. Luca thought about just turning around and ignoring her, but he decided that, for the sake of conquering his silly fear, he’d trust what she said, at least for now.

  “... and what family is it?” he shrugged “I don’t know anything about big families but…”

  “Probably better honestly, not a subject for everyone” she took her hand out of her jacket and rested them both upon her scarf, which id well folded on her p. “I am of the Eain family of Pide, by way of father” she looked down and patted the scarf “The same father that knitted this scarf” her voice had a tone of longing, as she looked at the scarf, the sight made Luca smile.

  “Sounds like you’ll miss them” he said, before he could regret saying anything she looked up at him and nodded, her eyes slightly wet, making him spew anything “I-I’m sure they’ll miss you as w-well” he offered her a nervous smile, which she responded to with a genuine one. She sniffed and extended her hand towards Luca.

  “Alyska Eain1pronounced aa-LYEs-ka ee-yn of the Eain family of Pide” she presented formally, as Luca realized he had successfully completed a normal interaction, but now he had to continue it. He extended his hand and shook hers, hoping that his wasn’t sweaty.

  “Luca… of Cuartel” he said as he shook her hand, confused as to what he should say in these scenarios.

  “Is that…? No st name?” she asked as she took her hand back, and looked at Luca puzzled, tilting her head slightly.

  “Uh no, m-my mother is an orphan and my father isn’t…” he thought of how to say it in an educated manner, but nothing came to mind, so he just shrugged and said “... he isn’t.”

  “What do you…” her eyes widened when she understood “o-oh I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t-”

  “I- You don- it’s fine… honest” he calmed her down, seeing her get embarrassed “I-I could… bluntly speaking I couldn’t care less” he gave her a calm smile, as he felt himself rexing, finding it easier to talk to her.

  “Oh… yeah, sorry heh…” she still was clearly slightly flustered, but she was also rexing quickly “I just… I couldn’t imagine living without my father… no offense.”

  “None taken, I understand I’m also a family… person I guess you could call it” he wasn’t stressed anymore, but he still cked the ability to talk to people naturally “I couldn’t be who I am without my mother or sister” remembering he wouldn’t see them repced his stomach with a millstone, but he brushed it off.

  She giggled, a bit louder this time “Family person is a nice way to put it” she was also getting into the conversation “So Luca, where ar-” A couple quiet gasps filled the room, as Alyska and Luca looked at what everyone was looking at, Luca’s eyes widened like ptes.

  He had never met anyone who wasn’t human, besides a gnome here and there and a Dwarf brigade from afar when he was younger, Luca never even saw most other races, he thought that maybe director Kreaspell might have been a gnome or a half-foot, but all that paled in comparison to the sight before him. From the door in front, the one all the eccentric looking people walked through, a person, with deep blue eyes and a brown hair that resembled silk falling up to almost their hips, walked into their wagon, most people averted their gaze but Luca couldn’t, he was awestruck, the person closed their eyes and began moving forward, they wore a dark green robe, which hid the proportions of their body, most of them at least, the face was sculpted as if making them beautiful on purpose, a soft jaw with somewhat defined cheekbones, and lips that look as if they’d drive anyone mad if they ever curved upwards. But what struck Luca the most, were the extended ears of the being, ears that poked out through the bnket of silk that they called hair. As they moved it seemed as if they hovered above the ground, their robes reached the ground and he couldn’t see their legs so they must’ve been using the magic they were so notoriously talented with, and so as when they floated past Luca and Alyska, it seemed as if time had stopped. It didn’t however and eventually the elf walked into the door on the back of their wagon, probably shocking some other fool who knew barely anything of the world, Luca found comfort in the thought that he wasn’t the only one.

  “First one?” Alyska’s words pulled Luca’s mind somewhat back into reality, she smiled at him as he sat back down, he realized he had knelt on his seat to watch the elf leave “Don’t feel weird, almost everyone is shocked when they see an elf for the first time, the way they carry themselves just has something about it.”

  “They looked…” Luca answered, still peering over his seat towards the door, as if they’d come back “T-They were…”

  “Yeah… believe me I understand, just let it out” she said with a reaffirming tone that helped Luca sit back down fully. “Goodness, I'm still hot…” she whispered as Luca freaked out quietly.

  “I-I just- like- they we- I never- …” he gestured with his hands to try and help the words come out, as if he knew what to say, he dropped his arms as he leaned back into his seat “... wow …” he took a deep breath and rexed. “You said you’ve met one before, how are they like?” Luca gnced to his left, the sight of what he saw making his brain stop for a second.

  Alyska was taking off her jacket, and under it, she had an intricate-looking purple top piece, with no sleeves and a wide colr, with bck lines decorating it, however the part that made his body jolt up and sit straight looking forward wide eyed, was what he heard at some point be named a boob window. A top her breasts, a rectangle was opened in the clothing, revealing her cleavage, the sight of which made some feeling Luca thought wouldn’t be that strong anymore, since he was a teenager no longer, rise up and give him the idea that the armrests were very optimal for gripping.

  “Hehe… well, all elfs might look magical at first, or at least the ones that carry themselves this way” she took her jacket off fully, and spoke as she folded it “but remember that they are people, like you and I, so they are all as different and simir to us as we are to them and between themselves and all that, you get the idea” she neatly put her jacket on top of her also folded scarf and breathed a sigh of relief “aaaahh… I don’t know how people in your region can withstand the heat Luca… Luca?”

  Luca was looking down at the floor, almost ser focused on it, he was trying to calm down, he had gone through this before, he had that “phase” during his teens as his mother referred to it, it was normal, he’d be fine. Calm down, he thought to himself, focus on the floor, he repeated these two things with the intent of calming down, not only his racing heart, but the part of him the heart was working so hard to provide blood to. Calm down, focus on the floor, he felt his insides heating up, Calm down, focus on the floor.

  “Luca? Luca! You okay?” she said, worrying about the state of the guy she just met, who was looking ser-focus at the nothing below him, without realizing his leg was moving up and down, causing the contents on his p to shake. “T-these are gonna fall… h-here I’ll grab them okay?” if she took them off his p… she would see.

  “!” With a sudden movement, Luca pced his whole arm around the briefcase and bag, looking at Alyska, breathing heavily, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, she had a worried face, with a hint of fear.

  “A-are you-”

  “S-sorry I…” he cut her off before she could inquire about his state “u-um… I-I’ve never been on the train and…” he confessed, hoping the technical truth would free him from his situation “I-I don’t travel so… a-and a lot is happening today, y-you know?” Alyska’s face softened, clearly sympathizing with Luca’s situation best she could, she offered him a soft smile.

  “I understand, I’m very nervous for a big trip… I couldn’t imagine this being my first one on top of that.” Her smile made Luca feel better, his worries fading and the cause of those worries softening, Alyska then looked at the door back of the wagon where the elf left “... I think they might have gone to the food wagon” she turned to face him “wanna go and eat something?”

  Luca looked at her, smiling and offering to go show him a part of the train, hoping to make him more used to it and less nervous. He smiled, feeling relieved that the first person he met during his trip was such a nice one. He took a deep breath and nodded.

  “I’d like that yes” he propped himself forward to begin getting up.

  “Wonderful! Then let’s go just let me put my things in the storage” she said as she grabbed her folded clothing and got up from her seat.

  As Luca got up, he gnced at his belongings, he still didn’t feel like the system the train provided was secure.

  “Hey is it okay if I take my things to the… what did you call it, food wago-” as he gnced over at her, she was standing on her tiptoes, lifting her things over the space above them, struggling to do so.

  “Huh? Y-yeah it’s fine, one second though, I have to, push these, forward, ngh!” with every push she’d do, her chest would recoil, bouncing up and down slightly, the sight making Luca feel as if his heartbeat on his ears would make him deaf. “Ttt-there we go! All fit perfectly” she got down her toes and looked at Luca, who had gnced upwards when he heard her speak so as to not being caught oogling “ready to go?” she sounded cheery, with a hint of a pant on her voice from the effort, Luca couldn’t find himself speaking, so he smiled and nodded. “Great! Let’s go” as she said that she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hallway leading him towards the so-called food wagon.

  He readjusted his hand to fit better into hers, grabbing it back, the softness of her skin making him forget any worry from before, except the one that was starting to push against his simple pants from the previous sight, he followed her best he could.

  “And don’t worry” Alyska said looking back over her shoulder “as long as you are with me, you’ve got nothing to worry about! Let’s enjoy some good food.” As she pulled from him, Luca got infected with her enthusiasm, and dreamed of never letting her hand go.