Myriad Dreams kept chewing her gum, but as she chewed, her upper and lower eyelids began to battle for dominance.
She had stayed up late training again last night, and now, lulled by the steady rhythm of the Shinkansen, sleepiness washed over her like a rising tide.
"I'm done for... can't hold it..." she mumbled incoherently.
With practiced ease, she pulled out a newly bought alarm clock, set the time, and then her head lolled to the side.
She leaned against the cold window glass and fell asleep in seconds, unconsciously blowing a tiny bubble with her gum.
Special Week, sitting right next to her, was the complete opposite. She was filled with infinite curiosity about everything flying past the window.
As the train gradually entered the metropolitan area, towering skyscrapers, dense streams of traffic, and bustling streetscapes appeared one after another.
All of this left the girl from the countryside absolutely thrilled.
"Wow! Myriad Dreams-san, look quickly! That building is so tall! Whoa! That screen is huge! And look at that!"
Excitedly, Special Week tugged at Myriad Dreams's sleeve, wanting her to share in the discovery.
When she turned her head, however, she saw only Myriad Dreams sleeping soundly, letting out the softest rhythmic breaths while that tiny bubble grew and shrank with every lungful of air.
"Eh... she's asleep?" Special Week felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her.
She had no choice but to sit back quietly, though her eyes continued to greedily take in the sights outside, occasionally letting out suppressed gasps of wonder.
After an unknown number of stops, the train broadcast rang out: "Next station, Higashi-Fuchu. Passengers departing at Higashi-Fuchu, please prepare to disembark..."
Special Week jolted— it was their stop!
She hurried to shake Myriad Dreams awake: "Myriad Dreams-san! Wake up! We're here!"
Myriad Dreams merely waved a hand impatiently, muttering, "Don't bother me... the alarm hasn't gone off yet..." before switching positions to keep sleeping.
She had set her alarm for the time they reached the final terminal station, they were still a long way off from that.
The train slowed into the station, came to a halt, and the doors slid open.
Special Week looked at the motionless Myriad Dreams beside her, then at the doors that were about to close, and panicked.
"No! We have to get off!"
In her desperation, this high-energy country girl displayed incredible initiative.
Without a second word, she scooped Myriad Dreams right out of her seat, hoisted her half-way over her shoulder, grabbed both of their luggage with her other hand, and rushed out of the carriage like a whirlwind!
Just as they stepped out, the beep-beep-beep of the door warning sounded behind them.
"That was close, that was super close!" Special Week breathed a long sigh of relief.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness and the jolting finally woke Myriad Dreams.
She opened her eyes blearily only to find herself face-down over Special Week's shoulder, her vision filled with the rapidly retreating ground and her own dangling backpack.
"Hmm...? Was there an earthquake? Or am I dreaming about weight training?" she asked vaguely, her brain not yet fully booted up.
Seeing her awake, Special Week quickly set her down and explained apologetically, "I'm sorry, Myriad Dreams-san! We reached the station and I saw you were sleeping too deeply to wake up, and the doors were closing, so I just..."
Myriad Dreams blinked, looked at the completely unfamiliar platform, then looked at the apologetic and earnest Special Week, finally realizing what had happened.
She let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes, her tone still carrying that post-sleep laziness and casualness.
"Oh... I see. Thanks, I guess?"
"Myriad Dreams-san, let's hurry and find the academy. It'll be bad if we're late."
Myriad Dreams let out a long groan as she stretched.