Travelers Club 101

Chapter Four: Cat In the Dining Car

Wavryn

I follow the screams of terror into the quickly emptying dining cart. Women in pretty sundresses and men in business suits are scattered around, either trying to get out or back up against the walls.

Three different conductors are running around the room chasing a colorful blur. It looks like Dango took a dip in a chocolate fountain and then rolled in colorful cereal. Actually I'm sure that's exactly what he did.

As Dango shoots past me and into the living car. I may or may not have stuck my leg out and tripped up the three workers. They all go tumbling on top of each other, piling up in a mass confusion of flailing limbs.

Before anyone even knows what happened I'm out the dining car and off down the hall in search of my rouge cat.

I search for almost two hours, all over the train. Looking in every nook and cranny with no luck at all. No one else has screamed and everything has calmed down by now.

Tiredly I slink back to my compartment in defeat. I know he didn't get thrown off, so he'll come out of hiding when he feels like it. With defeat set in my stance I stumble into the compartment, only to find Dango curled up on the sleeping strangers chest.

In my surprise and panic I slam the door shut and gasp in surprise. Causing both the stranger and Dango to go flying up into ready positions. When Dango sees me he bounds over to me happily and rubs against my legs. He's completely clean, like earlier never happened. I'm looking at Dango in shock, wondering exactly how he got clean?

It's when the man talks that my answer is finally answered.

"He came in here looking like a chocolate mess, so I cleaned him up." I snap my head up to him. His bright blue eyes are twinkling with amusement. I stutter a little, not knowing what to say.

"Uhm... Thank you." I finally mumble out as I pick up Dango and sit down on my bed.

I curl my feet up underneath me as Dango stretches across my lap. The stranger sits down again but I just keep my head turned towards the window. Thinking.

It's only when I hear the snap of a picture being taken does my attention turn back to the handsome stranger. I gap at him as he smirks down at his camera. I didn't even notice he had one!

"Why'd you do that?!" I ask.

"Do what?" He plays dumb but the smirk is still plastered across his face.

"Take a picture of me." I say in an annoyed tone.

"I'm a photographer. It's my job to take pictures."

"But what if I don't want my picture taken!" I say with my hands thrown exasperatedly in the air. Quickly he snaps another.

"Hey! Stop that!" I yell.

"No." That darn smirk! I lunge for his camera but he quickly backs away an then jumps up. With my coordination I end up sprawled over his side of the compartment unattractively. He snaps another picture.

"Will you please just stop that!" I say. He smirks and shakes his head. I pout and he snaps yet another picture. I glare at him and go to stand up. He holds up his hands in a stop motion.

"Okay I'll stop if you answer some of my questions." I stop mid-plotting an attack plan at those words.

"Hmm what kind of questions?" I say skeptically. He smirks.

"If you answer twenty questions I ask you in all honesty, then I will stop taking pictures." He says. I analyze his face but all I see is honesty. Hmm what are you doing Wavryn! This is a complete stranger and conversing with strangers was not in the plan.

"Fine.." I say in defeat after my internal battle. I sit down on my bed again and find Dango curled up on my bed. He smirks and sits down too.

"So first just for formalities, my name is Cyan Pacific. What's your name?"

"Does this count as a question?" I ask.

"No now answer the question." He says with a slight annoyed glare, annoyed with my avoidance of the question.

"Okay well my name is Wavryn Hollow. And you met my cat Fandango but I just call him Dango." I say, he might as well know both are names. He looks at the sleeping cat and smiles slightly. Just the top of his lips quirk upward. When he just keeps looking at Dango I figure he's lost in thought and I take the time to really look at him. He's attractive, I have to admit. But there's something in his eyes, a twinkle of mischievous; just a hint of laughter ever present in the cyan blue eyes. It's actually quite pretty and I itch to grab my sketchbook and try to capture their liveliness.

"Do I get to ask you questions as well?" I ask suddenly after several minutes of us both locked in our own thoughts. He jolts and looks up at me, it seems like he was in another place and time. After awhile he realizes I asked him a question and answers.

"Why not it's only fair." He says with an air of thoughtfulness about him.