Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
The blue eyes blinked back on and lazily trailed a bird as it flew through the sky. Francis blinked, then blinked again, trying to figure out why the bird seemed to be flying backwards. Figuring his vision must have just been inverted due to a hit on the head or something, he finally sat up. He was sitting on something far too soft. Realizing he was in some sort of pod, he nearly flung himself out when the screen in front of him turned on.
The shock caused him to propel himself back into the chair. He reached for his dagger out of instinct and swore when there was nothing but the sheath. The first few words of the tv screen were lost, so he forced himself to focus on it.
“… Where am I? Why am I here? Are snacks provided?” The orb on screen rambled on. Francis smirked a bit as the recording continued. It would have been nice to have answers, especially to the last one because it seemed all of his supplies, like his weapons, were gone, and he could use some fuel soon considering he had no idea how long he had been knocked out. By the end, he was frowning. How could he possibly be on a train? He finally pushed himself out of the pod when the video stopped.
He glanced around at the forest around him. Closing his eyes, he focused to see if he could feel himself moving and if he was merely caught in some highly detailed virtual reality. There was only stillness in his feet and the sounds of the forest. Opening his eyes, he took in his surroundings. It was nowhere near where he had been hunting. The pod must have transported him somewhere. That was fine, just so long as he could keep hunting. The message had stated he could work through his problems and grow, yet the only way that was happening was if he accidently stumbled across a high reward bounty that was easily caught. That would solve most of his financial problems for the short term. At least get the creditors off his back from the last expensive procedure he had required. If he had been coherent enough when he was brought in, he might have just asked to be made comfortable. Now he had that burden along with the usual overdrawn account. He really needed some consistent work, preferably without having to revert back again.
It dawned on him there was one other piece of information. He was so focused on the concept of the train he had not even looked at his number. Twisting both hands palm, he froze at the sight. A neon green 369 glowed on his right palm.
“Is that my problem?!” He shouted into the bright forest. “I just need to embrace what I was built for? Or is it that I’ll never be anything more than a slut?” The number started to blur as it racked up. It settled on 382. Tentatively, Francis traced the new number with his finger. He could not feel anything where the numbers were and there was no electrical vibration in his hand.
“I suppose I’m doing this wrong since the numbers supposed to go down,” he muttered, shoving both hands in his pockets as he began to walk. “Like usual. Might as well look for some sort of weapon to protect myself. I’ll be here forever at this rate.” That or starve, although he figured if he walked far enough, he may come across a town and would be able to barter for fuel. Perhaps if he could acquire a pelt he would not have to offer his body.
He kept an eye out for danger, although hardly focused on the surroundings. It was a forest after all and that was his specialty. The waterfall he passed by made him finally realize something was incredibly wrong. The water was flowing up the fall against the pull of gravity. Francis closed his eyes and shook his head. Wondering if something was just wrong with his vision processing, he reached out with his right hand before jerking it back for fear of washing away the number. He extended his left, palm down.
The water rushed against the bottom of his hand, pushing it up the small waterfall. He tested it again, getting the same results. Whirling around, he stared up at the next moving thing. A bird with vibrant purple feathers, like nothing he had seen before, perched on a branch void of leaves. It pecked at the empty area. After each peck, a leaf appeared. It took a few movements for Francis to realize the bird was putting leaves on the tree. The leaves looked green and healthy, as if they had always grown on the tree.
A bird with the same color pattern zoomed past his head, flying backwards like the one he had seen earlier. He jumped backwards, tripping over a root. He grumbled at falling in the mud before a voice rang out.
“You seem troubled, my friend.” The deep voice came from even lower on the ground. Francis glanced about, finding a teal blue lizard like creature the length of his forearm perched on a rock.
“I uh … I’m very lost and confused,” Francis admitted, resigning himself to sitting in the mud.
“It may benefit you to slow down and explore. Enjoy the train and your own company,” the lizard encouraged. Francis cocked an eyebrow at him. It was another thing he was good at: being alone. How could he not already be enjoying his own company? He was supposed to like being alone. It had always meant no one was hurting him and he was safe. Still, this lizard gave off the vibe that he had a deeper understanding of Francis than he himself had.
“How did I get on this … train?”
“You will know why you are here in time.”
“And I’m supposed to get off by getting my number to zero, right?” Francis confirmed.
“It is how you get off. You must decide if it is something you will do.” The lizard nestled down into the moss on the rock and Francis had the impression he would get little more.
“Just one more question. Will the number wash off? I don’t … I’m supposed to get it to go to zero, so I will.”
“It will not,” the lizard answered simply. “You know much more now, although you still seem confused and restless. The door is behind the waterfall. There is so much to explore.”
“Merci,” Francis nodded as the lizard settled in to sleep. Rising to his feet, he walked around the small pond where the waterfall drew its water and found the path. Timidly, he washed the mud from his right hand, blinking as it read 369 again. He washed it under the water again, yet it did not change. Stepping under (over, since the water was flowing up?) the fall, he washed off the fresh mud before ringing out his hair and following the path. At the far side of the small cavern was a red double door with gold handles. Francis pulled at it then pushed before he felt the handle slide in his grasp. Turning it sideways, he finally opened the door.
He nearly fell back again as he caught sight of the sky whizzing past. The sound did not assault his ears until he finally stepped out of the forest on to the solid metal platform. He found himself on the largest train he had ever seen, his hair bellowing in the wind as they traveled down the barren landscape. The door clicked shut behind him.
Longing for the forest again, he pressed on to the next car, careful not to look at the steep drop on either side of the guardrail. The next door opened easily.
“Step right up and try your hand at the largest sword maze this train has to offer! We’ve got daggers, rapiers, katanas, keris, guloks, and more!” A jovial bat smiled down from the podium bolted to the ceiling of the room. In a rapid voice, they added “No-train-personnel-is-liable-for-any-injury-sustained-in-the-maze-and-all-passengers. The-path-around-the-maze-to-the-door-is-to-your-right.” Francis noted the quick frown as he flicked his eyes over to the path.
“I have to do something to get my number down. If I go through the maze, will that help?” The bat’s wide grin returned and they fluttered down to the ground.
“It could! Some passengers numbers go down when they complete it!” They bowed, extending a wing towards the entrance. Francis nodded and entered. He glanced at his number again, still seeing it at 369. He had hoped making it to the next train car would help, yet perhaps it was completing the challenge within each car that would make it go down. Was finding the door even the challenge since he was told where it was? It did not matter, he decided, and he began the maze.
The passage was as wide as his arm span. The danger lurked in the sword points that came out of every surface. He wound around the bends and corners, picking paths at random as he worked his way through. It suddenly dawned on him that perhaps this was timed. Here he was, wandering when the clock could be ticking. He picked up the pace, cutting corners short and having the blade tips tear at his shirt and hair. Rounding another corner too quickly, he nearly stabbed himself in the eye as he hit the dead end.
“Easy there! It’s a maze, not a race!” the bat cried out as they perched on the ceiling.
“So it’s just a matter of completing it?”
“It’s a matter of enjoying it! Have you even seen the handles of some of those swords? The perfect craftsmanship?” Francis paused. He had hardly noticed anything except the sharp blades tearing at him. He backed out of the dead end and continued on. He moved briskly, but not fast enough to be in any danger. Finally, he reached the end. As he crossed the threshold of the maze and stepped up to the door, he glanced at his palm. It was the same. Frowning, he reached for the door. Perhaps there was a time limit…
“Not every passenger’s number goes down in the maze,” the bat tried hopefully. “Maybe … you should pick a sword to take with you! That might make you feel better!” Francis thanked him and turned back. On the outside of the maze, he saw mostly handles through the frame, although a few sword tips were on the outside. He chose a dagger. It was similar to the one he had been hunting with before, the weight comfortable in his hand and at his waist when he secured it. Giving a wave to the bat who had perked up a bit now that Francis had a weapon, he headed to the next train car.
Directly inside the next door was a pink cloud. Francis glanced inside the room, seeing nothing else at his level in the vicinity. In the distance, he could see hundreds, maybe thousands, of spheres. They looked like balloons, although Francis could not tell how large they were from the distance. Figuring the cloud would carry him to the challenge of the car, he took a step.
The cloud dissipated under his foot and he fell forwards. Flailing arms failed to catch the door frame and he fell. He could see various translucent spheres with diameters between four and ten feet, and tried to shift his fall to the nearest one blue one. He figured it would at least slow his fall as the ground was rapidly rising towards him. His body hit, arms and legs spread to try and grab onto the surface. To his surprise, the structure caved in for a moment before snapping back to its former shape, flinging Francis up and away. Francis dived for the next one, a pastel green this time, which did the same.
He tried to slow his fall as much as he could, bouncing from one to the next. He overshot the purple one he had been aiming for. His limbs flailed again as there were no orbs within his reach. He squeezed his eyes closed before he embraced the ground.
His body slowed suddenly and he found himself suspended in a thick gel. The gel moved away, leaving him standing on the ground. Blinking several times, he forced his mouth closed as he stared up at the seven-foot creature that had a similar color to the blue orbs yet a much more fluid shape and a black felt hat. The eyes were dark blue orbs, nearing on opaque, and it had a deep blue smile.
“Hello! Most train riders like to ride to the bounce arena before coming down,” the creature greeted cheerfully. “There’s a few escaped bubbles, but not half as many, not even a quarter as many, as the arena! What fun is that?”
“The … the cloud …” He made a disappearing motion with his hands, unable to find the right words as his mind tried to catch up.
“Oh, I told Jodie I thought the last passenger poked a hole in it with his boots! I’m so terribly sorry! Would you like a complimentary extra pass? I would be happy to take you up myself!”
“N-non. Merci. I … I’ll just walk. Would you point me to the door?”
“We must make it up to you! We pride ourselves on having a fun car! How about a hat? Would you like a complimentary hat?” The creature pulled off his hat, revealing an identical one below it.
“I .. oui. Merci,” Francis forced out. His plates were still rattling and he sighed in relief that the creature placed the hat directly on his head so he could shove his shaking hands in his pocket.
“Now let me take you to the door!” The creature absorbed him again. Francis nearly put up a fight, yet forced himself to relax. If the train was going to be this dangerous, he would need to keep his wits about him.