2.3

A thousand paper cranes

When Haruka returned to the communal area, she was surprised to not see Alva. Didn't she just enter not that long ago.

"She went with Johann back to their quarter already" Mara answered, having somehow read the young girl mind "Come here and sit with me and Doraemon"

She always found the old lady rather unsettling. When the others didn't notice, Mara would dart her eyes around, scanning everything with utmost caution. Her gaze was intense, completely different from the normal image. Only Haruka caught on to that, however. Perhaps Doraemon did as well, she spent an awful lot of her time with the old lady. Rather out of character for both of them really.

"Thanks, but I want to seat with them"

The young girl made her way to the group from Llandudno, Malcolm and Conrad and Willow. The former two making paper cranes, lots and lots of them. Ever since stepping on the train, this was all they did.

Even Willow seemed annoyed about this.

"Don't you usually train?" The girl said to Conrad.

Nothing happened, the knight continued to be immersed in his paper cranes. And yet, Willow kept on waiting, Haruka soon realised why.

"You talking to me! Sorry" The man looked up then hung it low again "I… don't feel like training…"

"Don't tell me you prefer this?" Willow asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

The knight nodded, then continued with his craft. The girl continued to focus on him though and he soon realised that "Sorry… do you still need something"

"I want to know why you prefer this to training?"

"Sorry… Um… I guess this is more… constructive"

Willow gave up on any further inquiries and let the man focused on his cranes. Not seeing Johann around, she decided to check on her Herald. For some reason, her brother kept dragging her away from him.

Normally she was quite inquisitive but Haruka could understand why Conrad was an exception. It always took an uncomfortable amount of time for reply to anything, if he realised you were addressing him at all. Then everything he said would always be peppered with apologies, all the while his expression unchanging.

There were several attempts to communicate, but not many could stand conversing with the knight. Doraemon was one of them, she wanted to know how he could possibly injured the Biker. The future girl gave up on frustration though, chalking that up to luck.

After every false conversations, Conrad would just continue to sit there. Haruka strangely found herself pitying him every time she saw that. Maybe it was the way he clutched onto whatever was being held at the moment and muttered 'sorry', head hung even lower than usual. Nevertheless, she probably also couldn't stand talking with the man, so she continued to pity him from a distance.

It was a strange feeling though to be directed toward a person like him, decked out in steel.

Ever since coming here, Haruka had met so many strange and foreign people. Back in her village there weren't many types, there was nice and hungry, grumpy and hungry, tired and hungry, miserable and hungry… But here, people were so alien.

And so, the girl picked up a new hobby of interacting with them. Now for her target.

"You are still making paper crane" She asked Malcolm.

"Yes" That was all of the reply.

"Can I try and make one?" The young girl wasn't deterred.

Malcolm was going to say something but stopped, the youth leaned forward toward her with a paper in his hand "Here you go, young miss"

He was certainly being strangely nice, Haruka had her guard up "I don't know how to"

"Are you interested in this?" Malcolm asked, of course with a grin.

The young girl nodded. To her surprise, the youth actually showed her how. Quite detailed instructions actually. Even Doraemon sitting nearby had to turn around to check. Soon, she managed to make quite a decent crane.

"That's a good one, much better than my first" Malcolm commented, sounding artificially bitter, still with a grin "Nah, Hiro was just a horrible teacher"

"Did he teach you how to make this?"

"Yes, apparently it's Origami, Japanese's papercraft"

"I never heard of this before" The girl commented "Sound like something for rich people"

"Hah, it certainly does" Malcolm seemed strangely amused by that remarked "I'm sorry but you can't eat these things though"

Haruka pouted, why did everyone seem to think she like to eat a lot. It was not like she was constantly hungry, just… most of the time. Alright, so Haruka maybe had more appetite than a normal person. But not too much!

"Why are you guys keep on making paper cranes?"

Haruka turned to the mound of cranes on a nearby table, how many are there? Probably around the hundreds.

"About that, when he taught us how to make these, Hiro said there was a legend where if you make a thousand cranes, a sick person will be well again" Malcolm casted his eyes to Conrad "This guy here want to actually make a thousand cranes for Suiren. Stupid idea, but I decided to help him anyway, it's not like there is much to do here"

"You kept saying things like that but aren't you quite a nice guy" Haruka commented "A good deed is still a good deed, regardless of intention"

"Hah" Malcolm laughed out loud "You are quite wise for a kid"

She got that quote from Ito, just thinking about him made her rather depressed. But feeling the weight of the sword on her back, the young girl felt a bit better. She decided to help out as well, saving a person life was a good deed.

"I will join you guys" She did have a question though "Why do you want to make these for Suiren?"

After an excruciating amount of time, Conrad replied "Sorry… I didn't know… Sorry" No one knew what was that second apology for "She seemed very important to Hiro, besides, I don't like to see people die"

Somehow hearing cheered Haruka up, a smile appeared on the girl face. This guy was mighty awkward and looked a bit scary, but he seemed like a really nice person. She was even more fired up now. A person soon sat down next to her though, it was Mara.

"Aww, isn't that sweet. Can I join as well?"

"Don't you need to lie down, sitting that long must be hard on your back" Malcolm said mockingly, his apparently fondness of kids didn't extend to old people.

Mara was unconcerned, however "I will be fine, sweetie. My back is probably not as tired as your face, having to keep that grin all the time"

Malcolm giggled slightly, it seemed like he had no more line to sprout. That remark took Haruka by surprise, she didn't know Mara had that side to her. The old lady also had other plans as well, she waved at her former seating companion.

"Why don't you join us, Doraemon"

"I will seat out" The future girl put up a futile attempt to resist, Mara wasn't going to stop.

"Come on, join us"

Doraemon put up her hands and gave up early. The old lady was unlike anyone she had ever met. There was a connection between them, both figuratively and literally. After exposing all of her life, the future girl couldn't refuse anymore. A strange feeling, at least she had a direction for that to go.

It didn't end there, however, not long after the door opened and entered Eikichi and Jim. The latter looked like he was going to die anytime soon. If Haruka remembered correctly, the teenager wanted to try and train with Eikichi. So this was the result, Jim practically collapsed on the nearest seat. The bald man, however, didn't even have a drop of sweat on him, his head still shinning in the morning sun.

"Paper cranes, are they for Suiren?" Eikichi asked, Mara said yes "Why didn't you guys tell me, I love doing Origami" He joined without much thought.

Jim seemed like he wanted to participate as well but the teenager was exhausted to do anything. He would have to sit there for a while.

As expected, Eikichi's cranes were cut above everyone with the exception of Conrad. This was quite an image, Haruka thought. The bald man was quite big, to see him meticulously folding paper was quite entertaining although strangely not surprising.

Then came Willow, wondering what with the paper cranes endemic. After hearing the name Hiro, however, she immediately joined. Haruka was certain that she didn't have a lick of care for Suiren. Then came Fleur who just… joined, nothing too remarkable about that.

Soon, the train car fell silence as everyone was focused in their craft. Their reasons may differ, but it was still a sight to behold, Haruka thought. These people were from all walks of life from different continents and even time. Yet, for all of them to be united in such a simple act like this. What a strange world indeed.