The start of something new.
Two people meet on a train.
The train sped through the country side, occasionally jerking the passengers in their seats. A corner took most of them by surprise by jostling them more than usual, causing one woman's earphones to fall out and almost lose her place in her book as she lunged for it.
"Phew, that was close." She muttered, glad she'd closed the book on a finger she'd got into the pages before it'd closed. She started to put both ear phones back in when she heard someone starting to talk.
"It's always that bad on that bend." Said a male voice. She looked up at a male otter she'd noticed and smiled at before across from her. He was just pushing his glasses up his short nose and holding his own earphones in his left hand.
"Sorry, could you repeat that?" She asked, taking her earbuds back out. He did, and she smiled. "guess you're used to this route then?"
"I am," he replied with a nod. "I'm a freelance photographer, so I travel this route a lot. I don't see a lot of tigresses on here though," he held out a hand with a slight laugh. "My name's Finely."
"Cora," Cora replied, taking his hand and shaking it briskly. "so that bends always like that? I'm guessing you live nearby then?"
"Yes to both," Finley replied, nodding his head. "I live at the end of the line, a place called Leothal."
"Ooh, that's where I'm going to now," Cora replied excitedly, tapping the tips of her hands together. "I'm actually moving there. What's it like there? The Internet can only give you so much information, is there anything you can tell me about it?"
"Oh you're going to love it there," Finley replied with a grin. "there's always something going on, whether os a celebration or festival of some kind. There's loads of places for lessons if you want to learn new skills or languages. Or if you're more into comics and board games, there's small places for that too. It's also a really beautiful place, always somewhere to explore, and it's a enormous place."
"Wow, that sounds amazing," Cora breathed, leaning her head on her joint hands. "most people born and raised in a place can be quite disparaging about their home place."
"It is amazing, but I wasn't born there. I moved there myself about five years ago," Finely replied, smiling softly. "but I believe in appreciating what you have in life. Leothal has almost everything I need, except for a few conventions and events elsewhere, but it's easy to get to. Thankfully my photography can sometimes be done at or around those events, as well support me to go to them around my part time job. I've been very lucky."
"Wow," Cora said again. "I haven't got a job yet, but from what I've gathered, Leothal will have what I'm looking for."
"Oh, what you're hoping to do?" Finley asked, looking genuinely interested as he relaxed into his seat more.
"Something in writing, hopefully." Cora replied thoughtfully.
"And your home town didn't have that I'm guessing? Is that why you're moving? If you don't mind me asking." Finley said, waving a paw.
"It's part of it," Cora shook her head slightly, thinking. "I wasn't going anywhere where I was, and no where to go actually. Nothing else was really keeping me there, most of the family I have left live elsewhere, and I just needed a fresh change."
"Well, Leothal will be just the place for that. Is there anything else you'd be interested in doing?" Finley asked as they came into a station, stopped for a few moments, and pulled out again.
"Well, I might see if there's any sort of crochet groups so I can make some friends and maybe learn some more stitches. I'm also thinking of setting up some card game tournaments or groups."
"Oh, what type? Me and my friends are into card games." Finely sat up straighter in excitement.
"Mostly Pokémon, maybe a little Magic." Cora replied, and Finely whooped, and people looked at him in surprise. Cora laughed as he put a paw out and Cora gave him a high paw.
"That's what I was hoping to hear. That's what me and my friends love. I'm sure they'll love to join if you do set it up." Finley said with a grin, and Cora smiled sheepishly in response.
"I hope so, I want I try and make some new friends there." She replied as the overhead announcement told them they'd shortly be arriving at Leothal.
"Oh, two minutes." Finley said happily as the few people in their carriage started getting ready to disembark.
"You do know this route." Cora laughed as she stood up. Finely went to grab a bag from the overhead racks as Cora put her book and ear phones into her backpack. She looked outside and decided to put her long coat on. She pulled her tail through a hole at the back as Finley put his own coat and backpack on and put the other bag he'd grabbed from overhead over one shoulder. She walked down the aisle to the end of the carriage and grabbed her two fabric wheeled luggage bags.
"Is that all you're moving with?" Finley asked in surprise as he grabbed his own overnight wheeled back from across her. Cora shook her head as she went towards the automatic doors with her luggage to wait at the main doors.
"No, my other stuff went ahead with the movers yesterday, and they put the keys through my door when they finished. I went out with some of the friends I had left back home last night and stayed overnight at a friend's." She replied.
"Efficient." Finley nodded as the train slowed down into the station. Cora struggled a little with opening the doors and then moving the bags as quickly as she could. She moved out of the way of the door to watch Finley get off himself.
"So, this might be a bit forward." Cora started.
"Hmm?"
"Can I have your number?" Cora asked nervously. "you seem really nice, and I'm hoping I've somehow already started making a friend."
"Of course," Finley replied with a smile. "give me your phone so I can put it in."
They stopped at the barriers as Cora let go of a bag and took her phone out. She unlocked it and handed it to Finley. He typed quickly and handed it back.
"Text me when you get a chance, and we'll meet up. I'm looking forward to that pokémon group." Finley said, as a crowd started to swarm around them. Cora smiled as Finley went to get his ticket. Cora, realising quickly, put her phone away and got her own ticket out. As Finley went to a normal barrier to feed his ticket through the bottom slot and taking it back out the top, Cora went to a wider barrier and showed her ticket to a guard, so she could get her luggage through easier.
Walking out into the bright sunshine, Cora blinked and shielded her eyes momentarily.
"Wow," she breathed, looking around. "A lot busier than my home town."
"You'll get used to it," Finley laughed, looking around with a fond smile. He glanced at Cora thoughtfully. "did you need any help getting to or finding your place?"
"I'm good, thanks. I sort of know the way." Cora replied, with a slight worried expression. Finley laughed nervously.
"You sure?" He asked, and Cora nodded. "Well, any problems, text me, alright?" Cora nodded, and waved at Finley as he started to walk away to their left. He waved back and turned right some distance down the street. Cora turned right from the station and walked for a few moments before finding the street she was looking for and turned left.
She then had to take out her phone to make sure she was going the right way, and found she had to turn back and turn down a street she should have turned right down, and then left again after a few minutes. After a few seconds, she started to look for her house, and was glad to find it so quickly. Cora stood there for a few moments, just slowly smiling at the front of the house.
The sun was just over the highest part of the day, starting to fall towards the cottage opposite the house. The windows seemed to glisten in the light, and she was happy the sunlight would wake her up in the morning when the sun rose on the other side. The ivy patterns were more detailed then she remembered around the front door frame, and she was happy as well she'd be able to plant some flowers in the clear plastic pots that lined the base of the windows.
Cora stepped up to the door with her bags, and took out her keys. She unlocked and opened the door to a slightly disturbed dusty smell. She looked down to the keys left behind by the movers on the inside door mat, and she picked them up and pocketed them. She heaved her bags into the living room that the door opened onto and closed the door behind her, looking around.
All her living room furniture was in the middle of the room, along with a few boxes. She walked to the kitchen, giving the fireplace an appreciative glance as she passed it. The kitchen had her cooker and washing machine set up, and her fridge and chest freezer were in place, but with notes asking for them not to be turned on until seven that night. She checked her watch, and saw she still had another four hours until them.
Cora filled her cheeks and then blew out the air, deciding to order some pizza to save her having to buy groceries just yet. After she ordered, she decided to text Finley to let him know her number and that she'd got to her new place alright. As she walked back into the living room, she took off her coat and shoes, and flexed her feet into the thick pile of the carpet. She really did feel lucky with the house.
She started to open one of the boxes, and found her crafting stuff and pokémon cards. Cora grinned as she took the tins of cards out, hoping they'd help her to gain some friendships. Her phone pinged, and she unlocked it, expecting it to be the pizza place saying they'd started her order. But it was Finley.
'Hey, thanks for letting me know. Please. If you need any help, let me know. And looking forward to seeing your skills as a card player.'
Cora grinned, as she typed back in jest about being able to kick his butt. They carried on texting until the delivery driver came to the door with Cora's pizza. She hadn't noticed the time passing, and she looked up at the knock at the door. She quickly answered and brought in her pepperoni pizza, garlic bread and two liter bottle of fizzy pop.
'So, any plans for the weekend yet?' Finley texted as she set the food down on the low living room table near the front window. She sat down and thought for a second.
'How about coffee?' she bit her lip before she sent it, and opened the boxes and took a deep breath of the smell of the greasy pizza. As she was about to take a slice, her phone pinged again.
'Costa, ten am on Saturday?'
'That'd be great, see you then.' Cora replied, grinning as she put her phone down and took a grateful bite of pizza.