Chapter Text
Things changed quickly. Not even two weeks after they’d been given their new home by One-One, had the first exit door appeared.
When they first stepped aboard the car, they were welcomed with a rather more whimsical sight compared to the teen-anarchy chic of their old home. The children's school had indeed converted into an elegant magical castle, complete with a wizard's tower and dragon in the basement, though both the wizard and the dragon were quite amicable given they were just as plush as the rest of the inhabitants. Neither Grace nor Simon believed One would actually follow through on Hazels suggestion, but being wrong about things was the new normal anyway.
Grace had jokingly referred to the car as New Esmaroth in front of everyone, including One-one and while Simon had laughed at the start, he’d stopped laughing now that everyone was still calling it that, no mater how much he attempted to dissuade them.
It soon became clear however that the conversion of the car had not been quite so complete, as it was still staffed with denizen teachers, who did not appreciate their new guests' truancy. At first, Grace and Simon had covered for the apex, explaining they lived in the upper castle and didn’t have to attend the classes, but after a gruff intervention by Tuba, they both found themselves in class along with the apex.
At first, it seemed like a silly waste of time, but with nothing to do but waste time, he didn’t care as much. Simon figured it’d be that way for the apex as well, young as they were, they’d been a rambunctious lot to put it kindly, yet many took to the classes, and the structure it brought.
They’d never really thought about preparing for leaving, or the consequences it’d have if they didn’t. Given their high numbers still, Grace and Simon were left rather shocked when Alex came to them sheepishly one day, his number at zero, a door home in the other room.
He was scared, he could see through it, it went back to his home. Alex had only been with them for a little under a year, running away after getting caught cheating on a school test, but while he no longer feared his parents' reaction to his academic integrity or even having to explain his absences, he was scared to leave the apex behind.
The consequences of sticking together on the train for so long were many, but this was not one they’d considered. One of the common threads throughout the apex about their lives back home, was that of disconnection and isolation, whether real or imaginary, it was present.
He didn’t want to take the door yet, he didn’t want to go back to not having any friends.
It took another day, one spent with a lot of talking, and a lot more crying, before he was ready to go.
Alex would make new friends, he was a good kid, and hopefully his parents would get him new glasses too. The makeshifts goggles were barely hanging on, but Alex still wore them proudly as he waved goodbye, and that was that.
But the kids got to talking afterwards, their numbers dropping rapidly day by day, and their anxieties spiked as well. Not all of them had been gone for as short time as Alex, not all of them knew where their home was, and others weren’t even sure if they had a home to return to. If the train deemed them ready, and they were left with a door, what they even do? How could they even attempt to explain their absence?
The amount of unknowns and the rising certainty and hope that they’d one day leave this place necessitated the creation of the Post-Train Survival kit, as Simon called it. Everyone else called the loot bag, as if this whole affair had just been an incredibly long and deadly birthday party. Packed with rations, candy, clean sets of clothes they’d scavenged and a flashlight.
It had really irked Simon that they’d never found, like, a money car, or one full of precious gems or gold. It felt wrong, leaving them with just a weeks food and few survival tools. When Simon had tried to press for a reason to go scouting for some sort of currency car, Grace had talked him down, citing that even if he did find something, it would still be more than suspicious to have a bunch of missing or presumed dead children return to society with a backpack foll of gold bars and diamonds.
The one thing they did agree on, out of the gate, however, was getting the story straight now.
Whoever asked, and someone would surely ask, they ran away, then were kidnapped, and kept on a train. No need trying to lie about that part. Just say that you’d never saw your captors, but you did see others with you, and that you all made a plan to escape.
Grace wasn't exactly sure, but she figured it would be good to find a way to at least have some contact afterwards, phone numbers perhaps, she used to have a flip phone her mother bought for her birthday. While most of the apex were really young, they’d had more recent information on the world outside, and flip phones apparently were out, texting and social media was the way to go.
A fifteen-year-old, Haley, who’d only been with them for about five months, was adamant that they create a page online, or a hashtag they could easily search. Simon and Grace had no idea what a hashtag was, but the younger kids explained it was a good idea, the only problem is that few even had their owns phones or computers back home, but assuming things worked out, they could use their parents or the public libraries. It was silly, seeing them plan ahead, to make some sort of online group for the apex, to keep everyone together, to find Alex and stays as a team, and as Haley was certain, get famous online for posting about their crazy train journey.
Nether Grace nor Simon stopped them though, as it was something the apex had to look forward to for once, more than just survival. Though they stressed that posting online about the train actually might get them in trouble, or at the least sent to a psyche ward, since there was no way anyone would believe them. Haley shrugged them off, however, she said people made videos online telling lies and complete fake stories every day, and that no one would be able to tell the difference.
Months passed, and numbers dropped, more kids left, and the apex grew smaller and smaller with each goodbye they had to give. A few times they were lucky enough to have a random passenger travel through their castle, to which Hazel acted as the self appointment head of the welcoming committee for. Some were nice, some were still rather rotten, but very few but the youngest passengers would choose to stay.
It was bittersweet to them all, but when the last under their charge finally left, a thirteen-year-old named Adrian, it was just the four of them again. Grace, Simon, Tuba and Hazel.
The castle was still full of colourful characters, of course, but Hazel grown quite fond of the new friends she’d made. It had hurt as they had all slowly left, and her clinginess and anxiety towards the remaining two became apparent soon enough.
The two tried to explain, showing their still covered arms, that it was surely a while a way still for both of them, but Hazel held fast all the same. Insisting they spend a smooch time together as possible, and Tuba was more than willing to hand over care taking of the rambunctious young girl whenever give the chance.
They travelled a little, but never more than a few cars from their home, and even saw some shoot over head rarely, preceded by a pulse of green light, and couldn't help but wonder what anomaly aboard was being carried to be fixed. Presumably something about turtles, that a grumpy old woman would have to deal with.
By Hazel’s with birthday, she had gotten much better at shapeshifting. For a while she’d been uncomfortable being seen green, but she’d slowly mastered the ability to turn back and forth, even just parts of her own body, at a whim. It turned out, having a giant beak instead of a normal human mouth made it much easier to stuff cookies down your throat. She’d paid for that clever idea with the stomach came Tuba had warned her about prior.
Thing were nice. They were content, but they all knew it couldn't last.
Grace, of course, born for the spotlight and exceeding at all she did, had her door arrive first.
Hazel had panicked and cried, begging her to stay just a little longer, so she did. She packed slowly, preparing as lazily and as infrequently as to not catch the young girl's notice, but eventually she was ready, and Grace knew better than to try and sneak out.
“Why can't you all live with us here together!” Hazel pleaded.
“I have to go home, Hazel. I need to see my family, tell them what happened. They miss me.” Grace return her embrace with clam certainty.
“But..but.. We’re you’re family too! We’ll miss you more! R-Right Tuba?” She sniffled out.
“We are family, that’s right, Hazel. But that means…we have to respect her decisions too. Her mother certainly misses her just as much as I Missed you, you wouldn't want to keep them apart would you?” Tuba kindly reasoned. Hazel merely scrunched her face into a pout.
“Just because I’m leaving, won't change that fact. I’ve loved getting to know you and Tuba, this place, is, well a real mess, but you made it so much better. “ Graces hand cupped the girls cheek, wiping a few tears away.
“But..but, what about Simon! You two are gonna get married, right? You can’t leave him behind too!”
Simon had been quietly standing off to the side, never good enough with goodbyes to take initiative, but Hazel had dragged the conversion from uncomfortably sad, to simply uncomfortable in no time flat.
“I…we’re…. Hazel. It’s okay! Grace and I aren’t getting married! There are no plans to…we’re not dating Hazel, she can go and…” The embarrassment was so complete that his sadness at Graces imminent departure was muted entirely. Which was a good thing as he’d been about to break out in tears a few moments prior.
“But…but you..Simon said you kissed one time and he..”
Grace wasn’t entirely unscathed either, but covering face with hands, rubbing her eyes and then blowing out a raspberry, she fixed Hazel a kind smile.
“Hazel, grown up relationships are…” She looked up at Simon, he met her gaze, but his cheeks we’re burning. “.. Complicated sometimes. I love Simon, I love you and Tuba too, but I have to go home. Simon knows that.”
What was he going to do without Grace? She was the one to properly disentangle conversations when they got twisted up. She’d always covered up his social bumbles, and it was beyond strange to know this would probably be the last time.
“Yea…what, uh, Grace said. I.. Uh..love her just like I like you guys. It’s okay.”
Hazel wiped her own face this time, the anger fading, but her disappointment and disbelief still evident.
“Promise you won't forget me, okay? You’re…not allowed to. If you’re leaving, then I get to be in charge of the apex now, so that's an order.”
“Yes ma’am” Grace mock saluted before pulling her into another hug.
Tuba lumbered over just after, scoping up hazel in one arm, and Grace in the next. She’d heard of bear hugs before, but a gorilla hug was certainly something to behold.
“Stay safe, Grace, keep your head on straight, and you’ll be fine.” Tuba spoke calmly, but Grace could see the tears forming.
“Yeah, without Simon around to get me in trouble, I think I’ll be good.” She put on a goofy grin, but couldn’t quite hide the tears forming herself. Tuba smiled and leaned down to give the woman a kiss on the top of her head.
“Hazel, let’s give them some space, we can wait by the door and wave goodbye when she goes through.”
“Okay… But don't leave before I’m back! You’ve never seen my dual claw double wave before!”
“Scouts’s honour.” She kept up the smile and the two shuffled away.
“So, what’s the plan, Grace?” Simon kept his hands in his pockets, though his head was down, he still looked her in the eyes.
“Well, my parents are rich. Or, at least they were. I supposed they could have spent the family fortune searching for their lost wayward daughter, and now they’ve become lost to the impoverished middle class!” She swooned dramatically, her hand on her forehead.
Simon managed an exhale, but not a laugh.
“So I think I’ll be fine. You know me with words, I’m sure I can swing something, though, yeah, I am scared. It’s been a long time. I know that if I can find them, they’ll take me back. It was always about image with them, so if their long-lost daughter returns, they’d be obligated to, even just to keep their upstanding image.”
Simon walked closer to her and joined her on the floor. It was dark out now, so the room they were in was lit only by the glow of her exit.
“It’s just they never really had time for me back then. So..I probably won't get much time now. And that’s okay, I think…I think I’ve accepted that. I’m my own woman, I don't have a plan yet, but I’ll get a job, make my own money, buy an apartment. Grow up, I guess.”
Simon nodded, his face held neutral.
‘Well, I’m sure whatever you do, you’ll be great at it. But uh…you think you’ll take up dancing again?”
“Hah! I wish Simon. I mean, the lessons were tough, the girls were awful, and, while I have certainly kept myself in wonderful shape, I’ve been out of practice too long. Dancing is like super-duper competitive, no way I’m getting back into that clown show after all this.”
“Right…yeah. But I know you like it, so maybe, promise me you’ll keep it up as like, a hobby at least?”
Grace looked at him and hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll make you a deal, once I get my own place, and my own job, I’ll keep practising dance. But! You have to practice too, so that the next time we see each other, I can take you out in public without your two left feet embarrassing me.” She grabbed his hand in hers.
“I..uh… you want to go dancing? Isn't that kind of old fashion, the big dress and tuxedos?”
“I meant at like a nightclub, Simon, you know. Though you weren’t half bad in that tuxedo.” She smirked. Simon's hands were sweaty, he knew it, he could feel it. Grace hadn't said anything.
“Yeah…okay. I mean, thanks. I would…like that.”
Grace let go of his hands and stood up, she turned to the door, and then turned back to him.
“You going to be okay when I’m gone?” she spoke it like his answer mattered.
“I’ll be fine, Grace, I’ve got the young queen Hazel of the apex to keep me out of trouble.”
Grace frowned. “Nobody needs to tell you what to do now Simon, you know that.”
“Yeah, yeah, I as just joking..I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, why don't we call them back, then.”
So they did. Grace walked to the door, and Hazel waved her beturtled arms, yelling her goodbyes. Tuba only nodded and smiled, while Simon simply watched as she melted through the golden portal, off to make a new life of the old one.
He stayed close with Tuba and Hazel for a while, and he was so good at keeping busy, he hadn’t noticed that his number had not dropped since Grace had left. He said nothing to Hazel or Tuba about it, but the problem began to spiral in his mind. If it never dropped, he’d be stuck here forever. If he was stuck here forever, he could stay with Hazel and Tuba and keep them happy, maybe help more passengers along the way. If he was stuck here, he wouldn’t be able to dance with Grace ever again.
It had been a long time since Simon had gotten on the train, and while it was never a pleasant story passengers had, his had not been particularly kind.
Simon was certain that if he got off this train, there was no home for him, there wasn’t even a home for him when he was in it.
His father, long gong, and never named. His mother, absent, exhausted and spiteful. His uncle, brutish, loud and violent. He hadn't stolen his uncles wallet, ran across town, and attempted to take a train to run away and join the circus for no reason. Admittedly, the circus had not been the best end goal, but he was sheltered, and had little idea of where else to go. None of that had mattered, nor the ticket he had bought, because the train that picked him up from that lonely station was not the one he thought it was, and it had brought him to an entirely different circus.
It was the first car he woke up in, that he met her, Samantha, the cat. The car was full of ladders, broken mirrors and black cats that would run in front of you. He’d been freaking out when she found him. She’d promised she was a black cat he could trust, that she’d get him out there, but she had something to do first.
He couldn't quite remember what it was Samantha stole from the resident council of bad luck black cats, but needless to say her ruse had been found out after a pail of water had fallen down on her from a ladder Simon had accidentally bumped, and washed all the black dye away.
They had to flee that car running away from a horde of foul feral felines, furious they’d been fooled by their oldest enemy, a white cat, apparently.
Despite the fact she’d technically lied about being a black cat right to his face, and then he’d watched her fleece and steal from another group right in font of him, he still trusted her. He’d had no one else to trust, and she hadn't sent him away, even though it was his fault they got caught.
At first she'd been a little aloof. As they went on their journey together, she stayed playful and mysterious, but Simon's fragility didn’t escape her notice for long. How he shied away from touch, yet still stayed closed to her at night. How he spoke little, but listened intently, and ran like hell when needed.
Little by little that distance between them closed. She’d told him a secret, her real name. Samantha, and she promised him that he’d be alright. That he just needed to get his number down, and then he could go home. When he told her he never wanted to go home, instead of arguing with him and telling him he was wrong, she simply said. “Well then I guess I’ll have to keep you here with me.”
But then she'd left him behind. They were running, and she was faster and he was not. She did not come back for him, despite how much he held out hope. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but at least he’d had Grace.
The number, what had his been when he’d first got here? Honestly he had no idea, though he supposed One-One probably knew, he had little interest in getting the robots' attention again. His strange way of speaking always kept him on the edge, never certain of it’s true intentions, no matter how amenable he seemed to act.
Maybe Samantha would remember. She was the denizen he’d met on his destined journey. Destined, at least from the trains' perspective. Before that journey was broken in half.
The numbers. They gave you one at the start, but if you got worse, it got bigger. He had more problems that he did as a child now, that was for sure, maybe those were the ones keeping him here.
Maybe he needed to finish his journey properly.
He grabbed one of the last loot bags prepared, and said his goodbyes to Tuba and Hazel in the morning. Hazel of course tried to keep him here, but after pinky promising he’d return before he got his door (if he ever would), Tuba let him leave and wished him the best. He would return one day, though that farewell would be a harder one.
Simon figured the train had to be alive, in some way or another. No matter what happened, the cars you arrived in, always seemed to help somehow on the journey, even if those ways were explicitly life-threatening. Even more, though, Simon always seemed to be able to find Samantha when he needed to. He imagined it was the train trying to fix its error of separating them, but likely, it was just luck, and the fact Simon travelled a long while and paid no mind to it.
When he saw her again, Simon was certain the train had guided them both here, because only something alive could also be so cruel.
It was Samantha who broke the silence first.
“I suppose the old train is having a laugh at the both of us.” She kept her distance.
“Yeah, I guess so. What brings you here… Not much of value, unless you’re really in the market for empty cardboard boxes. Never would’ve thought you to play into that stereotype.”
She let out a mock gasp. “ I’d never! A cat playing around in a box? So passé. No, I was simply going out for a stroll when I wound up here. It’s been a while, I see you’ve recovered well since that last…incident. I’m happy to see you alive and well again.” She strode a little closer.
“Me too.” He shuffled over to the box she’d laid down on and took a seat beside her.
After a moment of silence, she turned and gave him a concerned look.
“Where’s Grace? She not…”
“She's fine., Got off the train a while ago.”
“Ah, I see, dear.
Another lull. Simon coughed awkwardly.
“I was hoping to find you out here actually, so, um, well my number stopped going down…”
Samantha gave him a small smile but let him continue.
“I was hoping we could travel together again maybe, and you could help me out with the number thing and maybe some other stuff too…”
She gave him some courtesy, and didn’t poke fun at him staring at the ground and hiding his fists in his pockets. It was obvious he was nervous, agitated, sad, she was all those things too, she was just much better at keeping it hidden.
“I’d love too Mon Cheri.” she got up and climbed into his lap, then put on a mischievous smile.
“You’re in luck, I’m in between jobs right now, and I was thinking of taking a vacation anyway.”
“I understand…I mean, you will?”
“Of course, dear, but if we run into some rubes too foolish not to con, I’m afraid I’ll have to insist. I need to keep in practice you know.”
“Right of course.” He snorted out a laugh.
“What was that, other stuff you wanted help with?” her gaze turning from playful to genuine curiosity.
“Oh, uh, well. Um” Simon's face turned beat red. ‘Do you have, like, I know you have a lot of stuff, I was just. Uh,”
“Full sentences please Cheri.” the cat rolled her eyes.
“Dancing. Grace made me promise to learn how to dance. Do you have stuff on that? Maybe like a book I can read on the go?”
Samantha leapt off him and strutted around before striking an imperious pose. “My dear, one cannot learn how to dance just be reading a book! No, that won't do. I have some records and videos back at my place, but I think you’ll find I’m an expert dance teacher myself!” She laughed haughtily.
“I’ve never seen you dance before!”
“There’s a lot you still don't know about me, Simon. You may know my name, but I’m still THE cat. Who can say what I can can't do?”
“I guess you got me there, except for the fact I know you can't scratch the perfect spot right behind your ears, so I guess I’ll trade you those for dancing lessons.”
Samantha let out a laugh herself, this one honest and joyous. She strode up to him and put out her paw.
“It’s a deal then.”
“Deal.”
They shook hand (and paw), and once done, she pounced onto Simon's back.
Well let’s get going my dear. This car is rather dreadful on its own, history aside, and I’ve been walking along while today. How about you walk us out of here and find us some better board and lodgings?”
“Making me do all the work already?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Cheri. It’s your journey, you lead this time, I’ll follow. That’s the first lesson you’ll need to know to sweep ms.Monroe off her feet, you’re going to have to lead that dance too.” She purred.
Simon's face reddened, in what he was sure would be a regular occurrence for the foreseeable future.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, she wants to go out to a club or whatever. I don't think those have leading or following. But uh..I don't; actually know what kinda dances they do there either.”
“Well, as long as I can get you to look presentable, I’m sure it’ll work out. We’ll have to go clothes shopping at some point. There is no way I'm sending you back looking like this. I can't have people thinking I don't know how to treat my friends.”
“Of course not.” He smiled and reached over to scratch behind her ears. Samantha let out a purr , and the two walked out of the car together. Simon didn't notice, and he would not for a while, but his number began to tick down. Inevitably, he would leave, because despite his prior certainty to the contrary, he did have a future waiting for him. A future that maybe had him publishing his own stories, working at a model shop and painting minis. Maybe he’d get famous, more likely he wouldn't. But certainly he would learn how to dance, and when he was ready to do so, a familiar partner would be waiting for him.