Train ride Part 2

It has been some time since the ladies conversed with the old dark elf. "Tell me again why we're staying in here.", asked Ashwiya who was watching out the window. "Shouldn't we have told Davin and Ryu about that old man."

Charlotte turned away from the door, her eyes glowing still ready to attack any hostiles. "One of us can't go because something might happen to either of us while we're alone but both of us can't leave because they might be able to prepare a trap in our compartment if we leave."

"How would they even enter, we're only one compartment over.", Ashwiya questioned, wondering if maybe Charlotte is being too paranoid.

"Did you see where the old man went to?", Charlotte asked rhetorically. Silence filled the compartment, Ashwiya knew what Charlotte meant. They do not know what their enemies are capable of. 'That old elf may not have been an enemy but if someone as powerful as him can not take down their organisation then how strong are they?', she wondered.

Suddenly they both heard knocking on the door and watched as an tired looking man opened the door. "Tickets please madams?", he asked. "Here you go.", said Ashwiya as she handed him her ticket. Charlotte immediately dropped the glow in her eyes and handed her ticket over as well. As the tickets were clipped to indicate they have been used. Charlotte told the man, "There was another passenger with as. He was an old dark elf, he has a beard.".

The ticket master gave a long sigh and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Damn it.", he muttered under his breath, "Where is he?", asked the ticket master. "I think he said that he was going to meet with someone named Davin.", answered Charlotte. "Thank you for informing us.", the ticket master said as he tipped his hat and left.

The ticket master then goes on to knock on the door of the next compartment and open it. "Excuse me sirs could you please show me your tickets?", asked the ticket master. After everyone in the compartment had given their tickets, the ticket master asked, "Is anyone here named Davin?".

"I am, good man.", answered Davin who was raising his hand. Ryu ,who was curious as to why his senior disciple was being called out, had his ears noticeably perk up. "Have you met with a passenger from a compartment to my left?", the ticket master asked. "He's an old dark elven man.", he then continued.

"No I have not.", answered Davin while shaking his head. "Damn it, a missing passenger.", muttered the ticket master. "Thank you for your time sir. If you do see a person fitting this description, please do inform us.", he said while slightly bowing his head. Davin gave him a slight nod of acknowledgement.

After the ticket master had left, Davin went back to his book but his mind was elsewhere. He was wondering why he was called for and what happened in the compartment that Ashwiya and Charlotte were in.

After the ticket master had left for Davin and Ryu's compartment. Ashwiya asked Charlotte, "Why did you lie to him?"

"You wanted me to tell him the truth?", Charlotte asked rhetorically, her eyes once again glowing so she can fire spells in an instant.

"Maybe not the full truth but why lie about him visiting Davin?", Ashwiya continued asking. "The old man is right.", Charlotte scoffed, though it seemed more directed at herself or the old elf instead of at Ashwiya. "You have much to learn. Try thinking about what could've been my thought process.", she then suggested.

Ashwiya stared at Charlotte in response for a moment, thinking about what she just said. Then it dawned on her, "You're trying to get them both to come to us.", Ashwiya declared proudly as if she solved a puzzle that was incredibly difficult.

Just then the door swung open and Ryu stood there alone. "Where's Davin?", Charlotte asked though her face seems to suggest she already knows the answer. "He will be joining us shortly.", answered Ryu as he went in sat himself down on one of the empty seats.

"He's looking for that old elf isn't he?", Charlotte asked rhetorically, "There's no point to it. I'll go get him, It's too dangerous for any of us to be alone.", she said as she got up from her seat and began to move out.

"Did you call for us madam?", he continued asking. "Of course I did. Didn't you figure that out?", answered Charlotte who stopped in the doorway.

"I just assumed that the missing man was someone that Davin knew. So I was a little curious about who he was. Davin however just told me to wait with the both of you here.", replied Ryu. Charlotte then exited the compartment, leaving the both Ryu and Ashwiya alone with each other.

Ashwiya smiled smugly at his answer, "I was able to figure out the message. Guess I'm smarter than you.", she was clearly still irritated by what he said back in the train station.

Ryu's eyebrows twitched a bit in response to her words, he did not like feeling looked down upon someone he considered weaker than him. "But you did not come with the message and had to spend time to figure it out.", he sniped back.

Ashwiya maintained her smug smile even if she was irritated by his argument, "I thought a warrior should not be embarrassed by such things?", she asked mockingly.

"This and that are different.", Ryu was getting slightly irritated by this young lady. "You cannot compare stares and whispers to direct attacks on pride."

"So the words of this pathetic warrior wounded your pride?", Ashwiya asked rhetorically, she was clearly enjoying irritating Ryu. Just then, Charlotte came back into the compartment with Davin right behind her. "I'm back young ones.", said Charlotte cheerfully. Her face then turned completely serious and while pointing at both Davin and Ryu said, "We have much to discuss and you two have much explain.". Davin looked confused and Ryu looked irritated, he was not sure about working with the captain in the first place. He never doubted her intentions or capabilities but to him, her troubles got him caught derailed him from his personal journey and now there is another person on their journey. "I didn't ask too much about your lives before but now we need to know if we're going to work together properly.".

Ashwiya in response nodded aggressively while Ryu and Davin gave her a curt nod, their faces turned serious.