Since more people are reading Crimson, I just want to say thank you. I hope this story brings you even a fraction of the happiness you've brought me by being here.
~Fanfunctional ♡

"Why does every story start with a train?" You thought to yourself as you gazed out the window.

You saw a handful of families wave goodbye to the students near the tracks surrounded by rolling green hills. You had no one to wave to this time. But you still couldn't withhold a smile, watching the people on the platform; some just about ready to chase the train when it set off.

The view was absolutely beautiful, and after a three hour bus trip just to get here, you'd say it was well worth it.

But you still found yourself looking at the families more than the hills, while handfuls of students poured into the train aisle looking for seats.

"Excuse me?" A male voice inquired from the door to the caboose.

You turned your attention to the boy no older than you, with sandy blonde hair and eyes the colour of coffee left forgotten on busy Tuesday mornings.

"Is this seat taken?" He asked, gesturing to the seat across from you.

"Unless my imaginary friend decided to show up, I don't think so." You said, smiling.

Red tinged his cheeks as he sat down with a crooked smile.

"Thanks... my name's Eleanor." He said, adjusting his glasses before holding out his hand.

"I'm y/n," you said happily.

"Thrilled to meet you." He said. "It's getting pretty busy on board right about now."

"Yeah..."

Fewer and fewer students were making their way to empty seats. You found yourself once more looking at the waving crowd below. One young man in particular stood out, because it was hard to ignore his impromptu cheerleading routine. And what's more- he was looking your way.

"Do you see this?" You said to Eleanor, nodding towards the window.

"Oh my god- that's Maurice," He said, face palming, "my brother."

"He seems pretty happy for you." You said with a giggle.

The boy outside had to be a few years older, but was waving and, as far as you could tell, yelling things that made the rest of the crowd very uncomfortable. It was hard not to laugh.

"Well, he's always been proud, I think." Eleanor said. "But Arcadia is a fine school. We're both lucky to be going."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." You said.

The train let out a loud whistle as the doors closed and steam billowed into the clouds.

Eleanor adjusted his glasses and waved gleefully at his brother while the wheels began turning and the hills began moving. You knew some would chase the train down the platform. Your eyes drifted to the crowd long enough to see Maurice run after it.

Eleanor quickly opened the window to catch his panting brother yell, "Don't forget the garlic! Take care brother!"

"Be good!" Eleanor yelled back with a smirk.

You smiled at how cute they were together. Eleanor sank back into his seat, still much taller than you in comparison, and sighed.

"What was that all about?" You asked with a chuckle.

"Hm? Oh- the garlic thing?" Said Eleanor.

You nodded.

"Well, Maurice attended the day school at Arcadia Castle too, when he was my age." Explained Eleanor. "He'd always bring up garlic and tell these crazy stories. But the joke is that ladies fall for me so much, I need to stock up on garlic to keep them away from me."

He laughed and when you raised an eyebrow he laughed even harder. It was impossible not to join in.

"He means it sarcastically, of course." Said Eleanor, shaking his head. "Maurice was the one with the ladies. Quite a few from the night class, or so he tells me."

"What's the deal with the night class anyway?" You asked, intrigued. You had never known anyone from Arcadia Castle Academy before.

Eleanor shrugged.

"They're the night students. But the way Maurice described them, it was like the Dean just hand picked the most attractive people and put them all in one class. The night class."

"Huh." You said, "looks like that explains why we're in the day class."

You shot him a wink but he laughed defensively. "Hey- I might be able to get away with saying that, but not you. I'll never be as pretty as you."

"Gee, I hope not," you said. "Why would you ever want a downgrade?"

Eleanor laughed some more, and you had to admit, he had a nice laugh.

"You're funny, y/n." He said, leaning back in his seat. "But stop. I can be self-deprecative enough for the both of us."

"Fair enough, Eleanor." You replied with a smile.

The next hour or so was wonderful. Tiring, but wonderful. There were times when you wondered whether you were really on your way to study at a castle, or simply having a good dream.

It almost seemed like the type of cliché story you'd like to read about. Maybe the main character meets some cute boy and they fall in love. But that only happens in stories.

Eleanor was much more talkative than you initially took him for. He told you all about his interest in medicine and his goal to become a doctor and save lives.

"Glasses are for nerds." You said jokingly.

"Not true- you look like one but where are your glasses?"

And you ended up telling all about your transfer to the school. It hadn't occurred to you that there would be students who'd already been at the academy for a year. Eleanor had apparently taken a year off. But he wouldn't say to do what.

"Maurice was quite the influencer back then." He said, distantly reminiscing.

Still, it relieved you to know you weren't the only new student at Arcadia Castle. You simply never had plans to attend in the first place.

But when you recieved word from the legendary school itself, inquiring you to attend the day school, it was hard to accept, but even harder to refuse. You didn't feel like telling Eleanor all the details.

If he was going to be mysterious, so were you. But you were happy to have met at least one person. And when Eleanor asked what hogwarts house you'd be in, that was a plus.

"I told you you were a nerd," you said. The train had been carrying on at a steady pace for two hours and you started to chow down on the snacks you brought. When the trolley came by, a girl with black hair over her eyes and shoulders asked if you'd like anything. You said you were fine, you were saving any money you had. Eleanor asked if you'd like some candy, and you said no thank you. But he bought some anyway and you shared it.

"See, I can't help but bring up Harry Potter because they have little carts with things and the view outside has just been incredible." Said Eleanor, biting into a long piece of crimson red licorice.

"I thought it was kind of like Narnia too, in a way..." You mentioned. "And you never told me your hogwarts house either."

"Gryffindor." He said instantly.

"Really?" You asked. "Those glasses make you look like a ravenclaw."

"Yeah, well, I'm not." He said, rolling his eyes as if he'd heard the accusation a million times. "Maurice is a ravenclaw. Although he looks more like a gryffindor. I guess we're opposites."

"Well nobody truly knows where they belong. But they can choose who they want to be, right?" You said. "That's what matters."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He said, yawning.

"Tired already? We're almost there and it's only just started getting dark out." You said.

"Yeah, it's been a long day." Said Eleanor, leaning over. "But what's up with you? Didn't you say you took a three hour bus ride to get here? You'll have been traveling for like six hours by the time we get there."

"Yeah," you said with a shrug. "But now that it's dawning on me where we're actually going, I'm too tired to fall asleep.'

Eleanor yawned.

"Well, suit yourself." He said, stretching. "But I'm going to hit the hay."

"Alright," you said with a smile, retreating to the view once more.

Eleanor closed his eyes.

"And don't draw on my face." He threatened with one eye open as an after thought.

To your surprise, it took Eleanor all of two seconds to fall asleep. And even if you chuckled at his remark about drawing on him, you couldn't say you blamed him, after hearing about Maurice and his shenanigans. With a brother like that- you really have to keep on your toes.

Night fell almost as fast as Eleanor fell asleep. The stars adorned the sky in such a way that simply wasn't possible back home. The lush forests were abundant in the darkness and the thick fog surrounding the tracks nearly swallowed the train whole.

"We'll be approaching Arcadia Castle Academy in five minutes." Someone said in the hallway with authority.

You perked up at once.

"Eleanor..." You said quietly.

"Wake up... Eleanor!" You poked him in the arm when he didn't respond.

"Huh? Where are we?" He asked in a daze as he sat up.

You couldn't help but smile awkwardly at how frantic he looked.

"What's so funny y/n?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't draw on me, did you?"

"No, of course not." You said, looking away. "I..."

Your breath was taken away by the indescribable sight before you. The lights of an antique castle straight out of a story book gleamed like stars in the blackness. Nearby, a lake protected by thick forest shone with the light of the moon and the castle's torches were visible in the distance on the bridge connecting one side of it to the other.

"Look." Was all you said, and Eleanor lost his words just as you had.

The train continued uphill, and you could tell that Eleanor was wide awake now. Never in a million years did you think you'd be here. But you were. And the whistle of the train wasn't your alarm clock in an all too familiar dream, so this must have been real.

Slowly, the train pulled in to a gothic station with architecture not unlike the castle itself. Your heartbeat rose in anticipation. This was it.

"I'm pleased to announce our arrival at Arcadia Castle." Said the voice once again. "You may now proceed towards the exit, and may you have a school year you'll never forget."

You mustered up as much confidence as possible, before picking up your carry on, and stepping off the train.

~Note~ Jan 3, 2016

Thank you for reading! I usually write fanfiction oneshots but I decided to do this at 3:00am on a whim. It's not really planned out (at all), but I hope you like it anyway! It'll take time to introduce some characters but I think you'll really like what I have in store. I'll try and update consistently if at least one person wants to read it.

Thanks so much, stay radical,

Fanfunctional