Chapter Text
The low thrum of engines and the hiss of steam filled Scott’s ears as he, Shelby, and Drift strode across the train station, boots clicking on ornately patterned tile.
They were perfectly on time, of course. Their baggage had been stored for them hours earlier as the train prepared for departure- getting cleaned, checked for damages, and reloaded, respectively. He and the others had eaten lunch while waiting, and now, fifteen minutes before the scheduled departure, they made their way towards the train.
Scott had been pleasantly surprised when he had first seen it earlier that morning, for it was a far more beautiful and striking thing than he had expected. The words “Harpy Express” were scrawled in ornate gold colored lettering along the middle-most carriage, perfectly mirrored on either side. The train was red, black, and gold- which he found fitting of his status as a vampire- and although it was noisy, it was certainly a marvel of technology like no other he had seen. Other than perhaps the Roman aqueducts, lucky as he was to see them before the true fall of the empire.
Shelby tugged him forward, grabbing at his hand. “Come on! I know it’s interesting, but we want to have time to get settled.”
Scott sighed, then followed- not that he really had a choice- with Drift marching beside him.
“Don’t act like you aren’t excited, Scott. We’re going on a train! For a week!” Drift’s excitement was annoyingly contagious, and, if he were to be honest with himself, he was interested to see how the journey would play out.
”Yes, yes, I’m coming. I just have an… odd feeling about this.”
They were not far now- the black and gold doors sliding open with a quiet clanking sound to allow them in.
And so they stepped up the small staircase to the section in-between two carriages - and so Scott’s heart plummeted in his chest.
He recovered smoothly, fixing his expression to be haughty, bored. Pulling out his ticket, careful not to tear it. But there was no denying it- the conductor looked unreasonably like Martyn. Long-dead Martyn.
There he was, standing in that slightly rumpled, navy-blue uniform- so different from what he wore back in Oakhurst- and yet so much the same. That same dirty-blond hair, now with an odd streak of gray in the bangs, pushed out of his eyes with a conductor’s cap instead of a roughly tied bandanna.
So different, and yet so much the same.
How wrong it felt.
With a smile he hoped wasn’t too strained, Scott handed over his ticket and lightly prodded Drift and Shelby to do the same, spying their hastily hidden, shocked expressions out of the corner of his eye. Drift shook herself, almost imperceptibly, and smiled winningly, handing over hers and Shelby’s tickets.
The conductor (surely Martyn, but surely not) looked over them and nodded in a disinterested manner. “Very well. You may proceed.”
Scott turned towards the carriage with their suite in it quickly enough to hide his second bout of shock.
He sounds exactly like Martyn, too.
With a satisfying click, the lock on the door to their room unlocked, the door sliding open elegantly. He stepped in, pulled Shelby and Drift in after him, and relocked the door hurriedly before sitting in the armchair across from the window. Shelby and Drift bounced onto the end of the bed, staring at each other in mute shock.
”I’m not crazy, right? He looked like Martyn.”
”He sounded like Martyn,” Drift sputtered.
”At this point, he might as well be Martyn. Next thing you know we’ll ask his name, and…” Scott shook his head. “Or we’re all crazy and he’s just oddly similar. Maybe a descendent of the same family… or something.”
Shelby grimaced. “I’d love to agree with you, Scott. But… I feel like- it’s him. It has to be.”
”Except it can’t be. Martyn is dead.” Drift yelped, tugging at her rolled-up coat sleeves anxiously.
”Unless he isn’t anymore…” Scott mused, mostly to himself.
Big mistake, obviously. Shelby and Drift turned to him wildly. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN he… might not be dead anymore?” They both cried simultaneously.
“…. Well. Fate tends to do odd things…” he said meekly, knowing that wouldn’t be a satisfying explanation.
They both stared at him, and he sighed. “We’ll talk about this once we’ve met the other people on the train. Because if my hypothesis is correct… there should be an Abolish somewhere here, too, as that annoyingly smart man tends to be… knowledgeable of things like this. Aware of them when they happen.”
”What are we waiting for, then? Let’s go get snacks!” Shelby grinned, pulling Drift by the hand towards the door, leaving Scott to sigh in annoyance.
He followed them through the winding hallways, which had tall ceilings but were rather cramped. Single file only, he supposed.
They emerged through the in-between section of the next car, passing the conductor (Martyn?) on the way, and found themselves in a bar. At the far end, tables and booths were fluidly carved into the train’s wood, practically seamless. In one of those booths… Legundo, or, well, a man too similar to not be him, across from him sitting Abolish.
The butler seemed to be engaged in a quiet conversation, some kind of discussion. He waved his gloved hands slowly- ever slower… as he looked up. Shock flared in the one and only Veylocke’s eyes as he noticed them standing in the doorway. With a rushed goodbye, he strode towards Scott and the others, jaw tight.
“Why in the gods are you here?” He hissed, confusion- anger? -barely masked.
Scott looked towards Shelby and Drift, who both shrugged unhelpfully, and decided to quickly explain. “We were going to Oakhurst… for memory’s sake.”
Abolish Veylocke sighed, pressing his gloved hands to his temples. “Unfortunately, that would probably end very badly. I suppose I have some explaining to do….”
Scott nodded, crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow. “Indeed. I truly do hope that my understanding of the situation is misguided?”
The other man shook his head. “You’ve seen Mart- the conductor, I suppose?”
Behind him, Shelby blinked, then gasped, clutching at Drift’s elbow. “So it is him! We knew it! Didn’t we, Drift?”
Ignoring them, Scott buried his face in his hands. “I can’t believe this. I mean, I was right, and I love being right, except for when I don’t. Right now, it’s one of the moments I don’t.”
He looked up again moments later, resolving himself to figuring this inane situation out. With a flick of his wrist, Scott gestured back towards their room. “Follow me, Veylocke. Shelby, Drift- you can explore if you’d like.” His tone was not sharp, exactly, but it was cold. He needed to speak to Abolish privately first.
Drift opened her mouth as if she was going to object, then, brows furrowing, closed it again. “Fine. But you better tell us about what you learn!”
Scott turned and led Abolish to the suite, boots thumping as they walked over the metal grate of the gangway, back towards the other carriage. The carpeted hallways felt dimmer, more muted, with these new revelations. And… Scott feared news would only get worse as he learned more. With a sigh, he clicked the key into the lock and slid the door open, gesturing for Abolish to take a seat.
”Firstly, greetings. Oh, and my apologies for us having to meet again under such… odd… circumstances.” Abolish murmured, swishing down ever-elegant into the armchair as Scott braced himself against the wall.
”It is rather unfortunate,” Scott confirmed mildly. “Now, before you begin… is… is Avid on this train?”
Abolish laced his fingers together and sighed quietly. “I fear not.” Seeing Scott’s wavering expression, he raised his hands in an odd symbol of reassurance. “However, listen. That might not be a bad thing.”
He tilted his head. Not a bad thing? “Explain.” Scott growled.
The butler rolled his eyes. “Renhart and Pearl are also not on the train. As well as… actually, quite a few.” Abolish tapped his chin thoughtfully with one finger, then began listing names off on them. “Avid isn’t here, nor Renhart, nor Pearl or Pyro. However, it is my belief that their absence is actually a good thing.”
Scott narrowed his eyes, baring his fangs thoughtfully. Pyro isn’t here? I mean… that’s a good thing. I doubt I’d be able to resist throwing him out the train window. So many missing- and he still failed to grasp how this could be beneficial.
”Let me continue. Ren isn’t here because… well, I believe it’s because he was never cursed, and therefore he did not begin to travel to look for a cure. Pearl isn’t here… I haven’t been provided with information or reasons for that, though I would presume it has to do with… whatever werewolf-related shenanigans she had gotten involved with in the past. Pyro isn’t here because his bully never died and he was never accused of murder- so he’s probably still a scholar somewhere…”
The ever-aloof man sat up straighter, dark eyes flickering. “As for Avid… Well, it’s possible that Fate didn’t need to do anything for him.”
”It’s possible… that he never truly died in the first place.”