Carmen Sandiego Oneshots

On The Train

So I based this on an Ao3 (Archive Of Our Own) fanfiction called moving violations by Nixariel, specifically Chapter 2, Matsumoto.

*sort of an alternate beginning to Shadowsan's classic ninja-disappearing-act*

"She takes the seat beside him on the train as well. The man grows steadily more taciturn with every station they pass, so Carmen pretends to nap to avoid feeling awkward—until she really does fall asleep, the quiet hum of track unexpectedly soporific."

TW: slight mention of body parts so... yeah, if you're triggered you can turn the page off.

~

CARMEN'S POV

The shinkansen ride to Tokyo is extremely quiet, save for the occasional buzz of people chattering. Behind, Zack and Ivy are having their usual bicker, this time about whether Japanese Saba Shio (grilled mackerel seasoned with salt) or fish and chips tastes better; Zack just being Zack and cringing and groaning about how bad fish is, and Ivy just taking advantage of this to claim he just needs to open his mouth and try some. In Ontario, Player is out on a shopping spree for some food other than instant noodles. 

Seriously, that boy needs more than just strands of wheat flour shaped into curly strands, in water with extremely salty powder dissolved in it to give it taste and make it look yellow.

So that leaves me and Shadowsan, the sort-of-grumpy (I'm sorry Shadowsan fans) ex-V.I.L.E Faculty member and the professional superthief clad in red, sharing a row of two seats.

I look over at him, analysing everything from his emotionless expression to his crossed arms and how he just stares at the back of the seat in front of him, eyes barely moving as if contemplating an impactful decision.

"Carmen. I know you are looking at me."

I just hum innocently and look away as if nothing has happened.

The train continues moving, the scenery passing by in a vomit-inducing blur that makes nausea swell in me. I look away from the window to the back of the seat in front of me, down at the small netting with catalogs written in Japanese smushed in between, then back up again.

"Carmen, I know you are looking away from the window.", followed by Shadowsan trying to hide a snicker, a rare one.

Having nothing else to do for the next two hours, I rest my head against the seat and try to take a nap to make up for my loss of sleep over the past one week.

SHADOWSAN'S POV

I skim through one of the catalogs that is written in Japanese, Mount Fuji printed on it, surrounding it a sky of pure azure blue.

A shifting sound.

"Carmen, I know you are—" The phrase comes out of my mouth for the third time when something slumps against my shoulder...

Or someone.

I turn towards my left shoulder, freezing when I see Carmen Sandiego, Black Sheep, asleep against my shoulder, loose strands of auburn hair brushing against my chest, silent, unmoving as seconds that feel like hours tick by. Something in my heart stops moving, and my brain refuses to process anything else.

"Carmen," I tuck the sleeping girl's auburn hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek in the process, "I know you are looking at me."

THIRD PERSON POV

Meanwhile, Zack and Ivy are just being Zack and Ivy, using their phones to film the whole thing down, softly squealing in order not to wake Carmen up. They whisper-talk to each other the whole time:

"Bro, they're so cute together!"

"Should we show that video to Carm later?"

"Totally~"

-

"Zack, do you want ramen later?"

"Fishless,"

"Like always,"

2 HOURS LATER

"松本駅に到着しました."

The train hums to a stop, shaking at the sudden impact. Zack and Ivy are still snickering like little children, and Shadowsan and Carmen are still as they are; the latter still out like a light. The doors open, wind rushing in gust by gust. Chunk by chunk, passengers file out of the train, some in a rush, some completely relaxed and others seemingly scrolling through social media on their mobile phones.

"Carmen, wake up," Shadowsan pats Carmen's shoulder in order to try and get her up.

*A/N* I'm so sorry this is so short *cries internally* but well, first time's a charm ^^