CHAPTER 885: SAKURA THUNDER EXPRESS - DESTINATION: HEARTWOOD MOUNTAINS

Elffire City’s Interstate Train Station, Sakura Abode Country.

Wednesday, April 28th.

It was the fourth day of Bloom Week, and the whole country was still in a festive mood; after all, this was the only week-long holiday. Thus, everyone wanted to take advantage of this free time.

It was still early in the morning when Theo and his friends arrived at the train station. Some might be asking what they were doing there. And the answer was obviously that they would take a train to the destination of their Bloom Week getaway.

The Heartwood Mountains (or Kodama no Yama) were located in the extreme north of the country. And the distance from Elffire City to there was around 2000km. This was a distance big enough that most people on Earth would take a plane if they wanted to arrive at their destination faster. But this common sense didn’t work in the Sakura Abode Country.

As the most developed country in the Azure Star Planet, the Sakureans had technologies far ahead of those on Earth in the 2020s. The Takahashi Railway Network, which traversed the entire Sakurean territory for almost a century, enabled Sakurean railway technology to advance significantly over the years. And a few years back, the National Government announced a breakthrough in their Bullet Train technology, which allowed the trains to maintain a speed of over 600 km/h safely throughout the whole journey. Just after this announcement, the government changed all the old bullet trains to the new, faster ones.

Just imagine being able to travel between cities at a 600 km/h speed! This was almost the velocity of commercial planes back on Earth!

That’s the reason why the Sakureans wanted to travel inside the country; most of them preferred to travel by train. Although they would travel longer than they would if they traveled by plane, travelling by train, they didn’t have to deal with all the complicated things that plane travel demanded. The people who traveled by plane were mostly the ones in a hurry to arrive at their destination.

After all this explanation, it is no surprise that Theo and their friends decided to take the bullet train to the Heartwood Mountains. With the train speed, they would arrive in just over 3 hours. It would be a quick and comfortable journey.

Plus, Theo and Aurora had never traveled by train, so the two of them were particularly excited.

The air on Platform 9B buzzed with an infectious energy, a symphony of barely contained giggles and restless foot-tapping. Theo, even with his abundant patience, was somewhat anxious about the travel ahead of them. He kept checking the time on his phone screen, though his eyes kept straying to the digital display that promised the imminent arrival of their express to the Heartwood Mountains. Beside him, Aurora practically vibrated with anticipation, her gaze locked on the distant tracks as if she could *will* the bullet train into existence. She’d heard tales of the window seats, the way the world blurred into streaks of green and gold at impossible speeds, and she was convinced it would be like flying, but with better snacks.

Ayia, ever the observant one, nudged Theo with a playful smirk, murmuring, "Honestly, Theo, look at Aurora. She looks exactly like a kid on New Year’s morning, practically vibrating with anticipation." To which Theo could only agree, a fond smile gracing his lips. "She really does," he chuckled, his gaze lingering on Aurora’s eager face. "I haven’t seen her this excited since we promised her that trip to the ice cream museum."

Shizuka and Shoko, perched on a nearby bench, were engaged in a silent, competitive game of trying to spot the train first, their heads swiveling in unison like a pair of anxious meerkats. Shizuka leaned slightly closer to Shoko, whispering, "Psst, I think I saw a flicker of headlights down the track. Don’t tell me you’re still playing the ’wait for the whistle’ game." Shoko responded with a subtle shake of her head, a hint of a competitive glint in her eye, mouthing back, "Never. This is pure instinct."

June and Sayuri, meanwhile, were deep in conversation, punctuated by bursts of laughter, likely dissecting the finer points of travel snacks and the ideal nap position on a high-speed train. "So, you’re telling me," June said, her voice laced with amusement, "that you’ve actually *timed* your optimal head-flop for maximum comfort?" Sayuri giggled, nudging June back. "Of course! It’s all about finding that sweet spot between the headrest and the window. And don’t even get me started on the strategic placement of a neck pillow."

Ryoko and Kumiko, ever the picture of organized excitement, were meticulously arranging their carry-on bags, ensuring maximum accessibility for their essential comfort items – which, in Kumiko’s case, included a surprisingly large collection of plush pillows. "Are you *sure* you need all of those, Kumi?" Ryoko asked, gesturing towards the veritable mountain of soft companions. Kumiko beamed, patting one affectionately. "Ryoko, darling, this isn’t just about comfort; it’s about creating a mobile sanctuary. And besides, what if we encounter a particularly bumpy patch and require emergency lumbar support?"

Even the recently born couple, Gwen and Kin, couldn’t quite suppress the thrill, a shared, knowing glance passing between them that spoke volumes about the joy of embarking on such an adventure. They were still in the phase of the relationship where they still felt shy around each other. Kin had to gather all of his courage to be able to hold Gwen’s hand.

Then there were Lauren and Max, whose excitement manifested in a slightly more boisterous fashion. Lauren was regaling Max with an exaggerated tale of a previous, minor travel inconvenience that, in her telling, involved a rogue pigeon and a misplaced passport (which she’d actually found in her own pocket moments later). Max, bless his heart, was hanging on her every word as the good boyfriend he was, his own excitement fueled by her dramatic flair.

Suddenly, a low hum vibrated through the platform, growing steadily louder, a promise of motion. All eyes snapped towards the approaching silver behemoth. It wasn’t a screeching, lumbering beast of old trains; this was a sleek, aerodynamic marvel, gliding on a cushion of... well, whatever magic made it go so fast. Aurora let out a little squeal, her hands flying to her mouth, while Theo, ever the steady one, felt a surprising flutter of excitement himself. The digital display blinked, "Sakura Thunder Express - To: Nogahara - On Time." The train slid to a near-silent halt, its doors hissing open like an invitation to a world of speed and comfort.

Nogahara City was the nearest place to the Heartwood Mountains that the train could arrive.

With a collective surge of anticipation, the group made its way towards the first-class car. It was less a train carriage and more a miniaturized luxury lounge. Plush, ergonomic seats in calming shades of cream and pearl greeted them, each equipped with more buttons and levers than Theo suspected he’d ever need. The air inside was a subtle blend of lavender and freshly brewed tea, a stark contrast to the bustling platform they’d just left. Aurora immediately claimed a window seat, her eyes wide with wonder, already picturing the world whizzing by. Shizuka and Shoko, having finally spotted the train after their intense staring contest, were now engaged in a silent debate over who got the aisle seat with the superior legroom.

June and Sayuri were already discussing the merits of the complimentary cashmere blankets, while Ryoko meticulously arranged Kumiko’s pillow fortress, a task that required the tactical precision of a seasoned general. Gwen and Kin, still a little shy, found themselves in adjacent seats, their fingers brushing as they reached for their boarding passes, a shared, almost imperceptible blush gracing their cheeks. Lauren, of course, was already embellishing the tale of their arrival to Max, transforming their smooth entry into first class into a near-death experience involving an overly enthusiastic ticket inspector and a rogue sneeze. As the doors softly closed, sealing them into their opulent bubble, a collective sigh of contented anticipation filled the car, the promise of the Heartwood Mountains just a few hours and a whole lot of speed away.

Just like that, their adventure throughout the Sakurean country started, but what has this trip reserved for this group of friends?