Journey To Eden

Koko, Delilah, Tina and Ezra had made it to the waypoint but in front of them was anything but a waypoint. In front of them was a large crater and no sight of the waypoint. 

The only thing left over from it was the signpost that Tina was tracking this entire time. 

"Hey Tina, where is the waypoint?" Ezra asked.

"It was meant to be here." Tina replied.

"Well it isn't so we should begin making our way for the east." Koko said.

Ezra glared at him angrily. "Thought you were tired of walking?"

"Yeah I am but its shorter and easier than going to the south." Koko explained.

"Alright, I wish you luck. I'm going to the south."

"What happened to the we are still a group?" Tina asked.

"I understand but it would be better for one of us to go than all of us, right." Ezra replied.

"And if you die?" Koko asked.

"It's going to happen eventually why rush it." Ezra said.

"Hey there you youngins." A hoarse voice called out from behind them.

They all turned to the voice that sounded like an old man and sure enough it was. Standing in front of them was an elderly man with a wrinkled dark skin that looked tanned from too much sun exposure. He had a walking stick on his right hand and a goat followed him on his left. 

The group stared at the old man and his goat confused. Who was this old man and what did he want with them?

"Listen old man, we don't have any money on us." Koko said callously.

"Koko, a little respect." Tina said. "Forgive him, how can we help you?"

"It's mice to see that not all of you youngins are disrespectful. I'm Kabal, train conductor of the CTS." the old man holding his walking stick in front of him,

"Train?" Ezra and Koko said.

"Yes, it's a fairly new train station. The CTS is a train station for all. No pay needed." the old man said.

Koko looked at him suspicious, he had never heard of a free train station.

"Do you think it could take us to the south?" Delilah spoke for the first time since they left the campsite. She was a generally quiet person so nobody really disturbed her to speak. 

"Young girl. This train can take you anywhere. In fact we were headed there." the old man said.

"We?" Tina asked.

The old man directed them to a train station that had only one train that looked like a cargo train rather than a passenger train. The train station to be kind was in bad shape. It was made of metal scraps and wooden boards and looked like gust of wind to take it down easily. 

Though despite the bad shape of the train station, the train looked descent and it had people already inside it waiting to leave. 

"So that's what he meant by 'we'." Koko thought. 

"This is a long train, Mr. Kabal." Tina said in appreciation. "Surely there is something we can give you. This is far too kind, sir."

"I possibly couldn't accept anything from you. Besides, you said you didn't have money." old man Kabal said.

Tina looked back at Koko who was looking around the train station when his eyes fell onto a splash of blood. 

"Hey, old man. What happened to the waypoint back there?" Koko asked.

"Last night as we were making our way to the train station, we saw a human on fire blow up the village at the top then he flew above the waypoint and blew it up as well. We were honestly terrified." the old man said patting his goat on the head.

Ezra's face grimaced. He was battling an internal battle as to whether he could overlook Nova's actions but the allegations just kept on piling and getting worse. He looked at his hands a saw blood on his hands but when he blinked, it was gone.

The group finally entered the train station and they were shocked to see the incredible number of people that were in the train station. There had to be at least 20 people travelling in the train station. 15 men and 5 women, no child.

"Don't worry about them. They don't bite." the old man said but there was a lot of seriousness in his voice. "We'll the south in two days so sit tight."

"Thanks, Mr. Kabal." Tina said. "And that's how you get a free, faster ride in the western continent."

"Thanks Tina. Though the conditions are quite alarming." Delilah said.

"True the place seems a bit odd but it's getting us where we need to go." Tina said.

"What train station has blood on its walls?" Koko asked still suspicious. 

"Maybe it's bandits of some injured people. They did say that they accept everyone so such things are bound to happen." Tina said, she had a soft spot for the elderly.

"Hey Ezra," the eagle said seated on Ezra's shoulder. 

"What's wrong?" Ezra asked his eagle.

"I have a bad feeling about this place. These people harbor malicious intent." the eagle said.

Ezra looked at the people in the train and back at Koko. The train horn blared and the train began its course for the south. 

Delilah and Tina had managed to make themselves a cozy place to rest and they rested for the most of the journey on the first day. They slept throughout most of the day and night but Ezra and Koko hardly slept due to their suspicions.

So one night as the train was whooshing past trees and everyone was asleep, Ezra extended closer to Koko who kept his eyes at the people in front him the whole time. Ezra extended close enough that their elbows were touching.

"Don't freak out." Ezra whispered.

"How can I not? We are in a freaky train and you're touching my elbow." Koko whispered.

"So you feel it too." Ezra whispered.

"Feel what?" 

"This train is suspicious and we may be in danger." 

"Yeah but Tina seems convinced that we aren't." 

"Then we just have to show her." 

"How?" 

"Playing into their hand." Koko was now even more attentive. "Right now would have been a good time to attack but you and I are awake so they must be scared of what we may do if we find out because of our uniforms. In these areas, Aizen college are considered powerful due to their connection and training."

"But if we act oblivious but on guard, they will definitely break character."

"But that won't work. What if they just let us walk away?" 

"Which is why we are gonna accuse them of being cannibals?" 

Koko looked at Ezra surprised but the plan was solid. If they accused them of something that strong they were bound to break character. 

The next day, the two decided to hold a party. They found some booze hidden in the train under some clothes and held a party that quickly lightened up the mood of the travel. 

People drank, danced and laughed. Despite being the party planners, the duo didn't drink anything. Tina was so confused as to how quick they changed from suspicious to jovial. 

Once the train reached the southern border, the two began the plan.

"Hey, you there. You know that in the west we have this legend of cannibals, people that eat people." Ezra said but his comment didn't sit well with some people.

"Even in the south. We call them basezi, man eaters and I've seen a few in my lifetime." Koko said.

"Can you believe this guy? That he's seen man eaters. Crazy. To be honest, I thought you guys were cannibals at first but you're pretty chill." Ezra said as he continued to laugh at the word cannibals. "Like how can a person eat another person. Those guys must be crazy."

Finally Ezra's words cut into the hearts of some of the passengers.

"The fuck you say, you kid. We aren't crazy." said one of the male passengers.

"What?" Ezra said. 

The other passengers tackled the other passenger and looked at the four students with bloodlust in their eyes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for riding in the Cannibals' Train. It looks like it time for a goodbye feast." said the old man over a speaker in the train.

"Did he just say cannibals' train?" Tina asked in shock.

"Sure did youngins." the old man said exiting the cockpit. "You kids taste so good and you're all healthy. Your flavor will be exquisite."

"Ha, you got three royals and a human with no soul animals. Rare catches only. You've outdone yourself, Kabal."

The students then drew their weapons and looked at the passengers they were all had water trekking down their mouths. They were like hungry lions. 

"Old man Kabal. Please tell me this is a joke." Tina said looking at the old man.

"You're quite kind but we're hungry." the old man said.

"Then hunt." Koko said. "You have the numbers." 

"Hunt! But we are hunting, kids like you." the old man let out an evil laugh before becoming completing silent. "One more surprise kids." 

He then pulled a lever and nets shot at the four students tying them up as the passengers approached them slowly with their knives in hand. 

"Eat well ladies and gentlemen."