Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As most readers of my Infinity Train stories know, wrestling is a part of my life. Not a huge one, but I can't help but sprinkle in references to wrestling most people wouldn't pay attention to. I find it comforting that one of my thumbprints when I have Paul London bring up references to some of the insane storylines that come about.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 - Analysis of Rage

Chloe wakes up to the sound of her phone's alarm clock, eyes wide in shock. She hasn't thought about that day for the longest of times. When she reached out for Goh only for her efforts to be in vain...the pain within his heart unable to tell her what he was feeling...making her promise to never abandon him. A promise she has kept until she left for the Train.

But she was tired of waiting, fulfilling promises to a boy who never look back to her. Like she was a toy soldier who only had one leg to be thrown into the furnace for one reason or another.

Chloe gripped the bedsheets as she sat up and looked at the small hotel room, dressed in a set of black pajamas with golden wings on the back of the top. Unlike the room in the Crayon Room where creativity was allowed -- she loved spending time turning the wall into a black forest with children wearing Bunnleby ears entering the unknown under a twilight sky -- the wallpaper depicted a dark forest where fireflies danced and glowed about. The fireflies even glow in the dark when the lights were off. Very clever and more creative then the old glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on the ceiling of her bedroom back home.

Home. A place that she hasn't thought of in a while. A room where she mostly stayed to do homework or to change clothes. Not some place that she would call a safe haven, if "safe" was only in her dreams where there were no bullies, no apathetic teachers, and no 'friend' to leave her no matter how hard she begged him to stay for once. She wasn't anything special to him, or to anyone back at Vermillion City. If she was, she wouldn't feel this ache in her heart or the voices screaming in her mind telling her that her destiny was to be invisible compared to the people more deserving to be noticed in her world.

The lovers, the dreamers, the Pokemon fanatics.

Chloe picks up her phone to shut the alarm off and to look at the time and date. And of course, there are all the text messages from her "Friend". Ugh.

Only after she's disappeared on her adventure does he start an endless stream of texts asking her if she was okay. How ironic. As if to say everything between them could instantly be forgiven like a message in the sand washed away by the tide. She's let Goh walk over her for too long. He didn't need her then, and she doesn't need him now.

She wastes little time swiping the notifications away before she feels Atticus stir from his sleep. It's odd to see him without the Crown of Corginia topping his head.

"Are you okay, Chloe?" Atticus asks, opening his mouth to yawn. 

"I...I just had a bad dream." Chloe answers, setting her phone down.

"Is that why your face is wet all of a sudden?" Lexi asks, unfolding himself from a cat to a human boy in the time it takes Atticus to yawn.

Chloe blinks and notices the tears in her eyes, even touching her face to notice that they just came now. Why would a dream about Goh make her want to cry? She's supposed to be a new Chloe, one who doesn't wait around Goh like she's a loyal pet. Unable to withstand the thought of losing him. She cried in the past, but now the only thing she wants to feel is relief when she tells him "See you later".

She takes a tissue from a nearby box and wipes her eyes. "Whatever I dreamed about doesn't matter at this point. I mean, it's not like the Train takes dreams into account, right?"

Atticus and Lexi stare at her when they hear the sound of her number changing. Chloe looks at her right hand. A twitch forms in her eye when she sees the number has gone up by 1. 117.

"Just tell us," Lexi sighs. "You know that we've told you about our fears and nightmares. Me afraid that I never escaped my prison in the earth and Atticus fearing that Aloysius is dead. So come on, explain. You always love sharing stories, and a nightmare is a type of story in the end."

"...fine," Chloe says, drawing her knees to her chest. "I dreamed, no, I think the better term is that I remembered I was seven-years-old again, playing at school. I see Goh and he's...he's sad inside, unable to talk to a teacher as to why he's crying. I approach him, ask him what's going on because he's been acting weird after he returned from a trip. Unfortunately, he never opens up to me. He screams at my face to promise me to never bring it up again and to be friends with him. I'm paralyzed with fear, unable to say anything. After all, what do I say to a reaction like that?"

"And how does he react?"

Chloe winces, the memory/dream fresh in her mind. "He runs away from me, screaming that I'm a liar and that he hates me, tears in his eyes. I chase after him and I fall like Alice. Then, I'm opening my eyes."

Lexi nods his head. "Falling usually means anxiety, feeling like things or out of control, or inadequacy."

Chloe frowns. "Thank you for accurately reciting what's wrong with me right now, Lexi."

"But there is something you should be paying attention to," Atticus notes. "Goh runs away and never speaks his mind, demanding that you do something for him."

"And?"

"Isn't that what you're doing right now? Running away and not speaking up about what's on your mind?"

Chloe freezes. "Atticus, that's..."

But Atticus continues. "Please understand that what Goh did to you was insensitive, but that's only because he was an irascible, irrational, and stubborn child. He didn't know any better, and so he said the first thing out of his mind to escape the pain. It's been three years since that happened, hasn't it? If you decide to ask him about the incident now, I'm sure he'll be able to tell the truth and clarify everything."

Chloe looks at Atticus like she's about to crumble. The truth. That's all she wanted to hear for so long. What could be so horrifying that it would break Goh like that? What was so traumatic that Goh asked to have her never abandon him?

Chloe inhales. "I want to know, I just want to know why Goh doesn't want to be friends with me anymore. I'm so tired of feeling like I'm nothing to him. I want nothing more to grab him by the hood of his stupid jacket and just -- "

"Stop. right. there," Lexi interrupts, finger on Chloe's lips. Chloe watches Lexi lower his hand and briefly sees that the back of the hand consists of one of the first adventures the trio had. One where they helped a ghostly director find inspiration for a short film. Last she heard, it was in the editing process. "For all you tell me not to get revenge on 'those two' through a tsunami of paper cuts, I am not letting you fall into that same hole for your friend. Just answer this question. Does Goh deserve any punishment you can think of for the sole crime of not speaking up more or how he mixes up his words?"

Chloe pauses as her eyes drift to her precious donut holer. Cheshire, like the Purrloin. How many baddies has this pipe defeated? How many scrapes has she survived thanks to this rusty pipe from a watery blob with a big smile on his face? 

Then she drifts back to how she wielded a paint can as a weapon, slamming it into that stupid face of her bully over how she ruined the best day of her life, all out of utter jealousy. Wanting one moment, just one moment, of utter catharsis for everything she's had to go through. What's the point of taking the high road when you end up all alone and miserable?

Lexi places a hand on her left shoulder. "You're hurt, and you have every right to be mad at what he's done to you. But you've spent weeks away from him building strength through ever car you've conquered, had enough time to gather your thoughts, and expand your horizons. After all of this, does he still deserve to have his head bashed in with your donut holer?"

Chloe pauses as she visits that fantasy in her mind. Instead of Sara who she choked out for having the audacity to ruin her life, it's Goh backstage as she's screaming at his face to apologize, just apologize, and never send him another half-hearted text unless he freaking means it this time!

But just as she's about to unleash the killing blow, the concerto, she pauses. Goh is apologizing, reaching out and placing a hand on her cheek, uttering those two words with tears in his eyes. 

In the real world, Chloe feels the tears in her eyes once more, her body shaken to the core. For everything that Goh did, she...she can't do it. She doesn't want him dead! All she wants is this ache in her heart to go away, for the sadness and despair to be yanked out of her soul and incinerated with her cloak. To not feel like she is stepping on a minefield where every step is going to blow up in her face. All she wants is her friend back.

"Well?" Atticus asks patiently.

"I...I...Of course not!" Chloe presses her fists to her hands. She shivers as the tears continue to fall. "I want it pounded into his thick skull at what he's done, what he's said...but I don't want him dead. I just want him to stay with me for once, not do something so reckless that causes me to worry for him every single time he races out the door with that Champion friend of his. For just one single day, there's no school, no Pokemon, just us! But...but I'm afraid of expressing all of that to him. I'm afraid that he hates me for who I am, afraid that the hope I've built up for him will be instantly shattered like my bullies dumping me with red paint after the happiest moment of my life. I'm so terrified of trying to reconnect if he's going to trample on my feelings again and again like my feelings don't matter. That's all he does..."

"Maybe things will be different this time around," Atticus says, optimistic. "I know you want your friend back, but do you want to be Goh's only friend? He deserves to be friends with other people, just like you're given the chance to become friends with us. People can have different types of friends, and that's okay. Just because he hurt you doesn't mean you should give it back to him tenfold. He's not doing this intentionally. And you know what they say, 'An eye for an eye shall leave everyone blind.'"

Chloe looks at Atticus. "You speaking from experience?"

"I am. I could've gotten my revenge on the Conductor for everything she did to my fellow kinsmen and endangering Tulip, but I decided to let it go. My journey was solely to end the Shadow Monster's reign. Nothing more and nothing less."

Chloe frowns as she recalled something they discussed back in Corginia. "But you're not forgiving the Conductor, are you?"

"That's...different," Atticus admits, head down. "Amelia was in mourning, and what she has gone through is painful, but she still hurt Tulip just because she could move on and Amelia couldn't. She also shot me in the face just to spite Tulip and make her miserable, unable to move on. I can forgive the shooting in the face, I can never forgive someone who hurts my companions."

"Then how is your situation with Amelia and Lexi's personal vengeance against Grace and Simon any different from mine?" Chloe asks. "I can't easily forgive Goh unless he pays for it."

"Because unlike Amelia and the Apex, Goh isn't doing this out of malice," Atticus answered. "Amelia didn't care for who she hurt in her thirty year rampage, and Grace and Simon would've torn any other book to shreds when Titus wasn't looking. But Goh just didn't know; he didn't have the knowledge or awareness to recognize what he's been doing wrong."

"And isn't he paying it right now with all those texts he's been sending you?" Lexi inquires. "He must be spending every waking moment trying to find your whereabouts. At least you knew where he was going thanks to your father, but he doesn't have the same reassurance about you. Plus, ever since the Infinet has been up, sending messages and phone calls are as simple as a push of a button." Lexi raises an eyebrow. "What did Goh text you this time?"

Chloe pauses as she goes to her phone, briefly staring at her lock screen of a collection of pumpkins before going to the latest text message Goh left her.

Lets_Goh: Chloe, I just returned from Ilex Forest. There's...there's something I have to tell you. Please message me as soon as possible. Are you okay?

Ilex Forest? The forest by Azalea Town? The same town in which Goh forced her to shut her mouth to never bring up ever again? This was either sheer coincidence or the work of a miracle...

"You see?" says Atticus, wagging his tail. "Your friend wants to tell you the truth! That's a huge step!"

"It...it is..." Chloe whispers. "Still, I'm...I don't know if I'm ready to talk to him yet."

"Send him a message that you're busy but you'll get back to him," Lexi suggests. "Once we get your confidence back, you'll be able to talk to him head on and learn the truth. And when you learn the truth, will it make you happy?"

"...I hope so." Chloe answers honestly. She smiles and wraps her friends in a hug. "I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for this talk; it's the best one we had in ages."

Lexi beams; he loves it when Chloe smiles and wraps him in a hug. It reminds him that he's still here, not buried alive. "That's what friends are for. Supporting each other even if they have to be direct about it."

"Speaking of which," Atticus notes. "Staying in bed isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to have brunch then check out. Those other cars are just waiting for you to see what's in store!"

Chloe smiles a little, briefly staring at her Train log next to her cloak and backpack. A spare notebook with a swarm of Vivillons flying around the full moon for a cover. For any future story she wished to work on, now chronicling her adventures across the Train. The ups and downs, what her number looks like in the morning and at night, sketches of herself, Lexi, Atticus, her donut holer as well. Another adventure awaited her today, another Car (or three) to chronicle. Another experience for herself. The previous entry details the three entering the Mystic Mine Car, where the rocky denizens mine for crystals to sell to the rest of the Train or to make them into fancy amulets. Others were devoured like candy.

"But before we do anything," Lexi taps on Chloe's phone. "One message. Don't lead him on."

Chloe inhales as her thumb wavers on a key. "Does it have to be a long one?"

Lexi raises an eyebrow. Chloe smiles.

"I'm joking. I know just what to say."

She sends her quick text then stretches her arms. "Okay, enough moping in bed. Red Lotus Trio, let's get ourselves dressed up and ready to go!"

Chloe hops out of bed to head to the bathroom while Atticus joins her, fluffing up his fur. Lexi smiles before he picks up the phone to stare at Chloe's simple text.

cherri_witch: Just wait a little bit longer, Goh. I'm okay.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 - Autobiography of a Cerise

"I'm okay."

For the first time in weeks, Goh Fujihachi cries tears of joy. His friend is okay. Chloe is okay.

He had to keep his voice down to not wake his parents up when he saw the reply, screaming into a pillow as he got a response. Chloe is safe. She's not fighting for her life. She's not starving to death. She's not trapped in a ditch. Nearly every day when Ash, his parents, or grandmother weren't distracting him with a task or pulling him away from his computer, all he could think about was where Chloe disappeared off to. He knew that she wasn't a fighter, she didn't know anything about Pokemon battling, and Yamper was with him when he tried chasing after her. But for now, he knows that she's doing fine.

The only question is where is she now.

He spent three days searching for her, knowing that she vanished after being covered by a green light and leaving her flower hair scrunchie behind (which he kept in his pocket). He searched forums for disappearing cases, assuming that she met up with a stray Abra that teleported her to another part of the world. Or maybe she's traveled back in time after meeting Celebi...

At that thought, Goh frowned and picked up a piece of paper on his bedside table. A letter written for him, an apology for breaking a promise and not arriving on time. Left to him by a boy, a friend, whose heart was filled with so much regret that he wished Celebi would rewind time to let him make amends. A friend whom Goh spited for three years for seemingly "abandoning" him, believing that making friends with other humans would only end in heartache...only to find himself the idiot for not letting this grudge go for so long.

Tokio...Goh thinks as he places his thumb over the boy's name. I had no idea you felt that way all this time. I'm sorry for thinking you betrayed me...

As he sets the letter down, he closes his eyes, recalling a day burned into his mind. The day he encountered Chloe after he returned from Ilex Forest...

...

He was surrounded by his classmates during recess. If they weren't playing with each other, they were all happily chatting away and laughing. But Goh stood there, empty, unable to say a word.

"Goh? Is anything the matter?" A teacher asked. Goh doesn't remember her name or face. All he feels is an emotional barrier around his heart. The teacher still tries their best to reach out, but when Goh can't, she places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay if you can't say anything right now. Take as much time as you need to gather yourself."

As soon as she leaves to keep an eye on someone about to fall off of the Mankey bars, someone else appears. A girl with red hair in a braid. He's still in shock as the girl tries to get his attention, but then she asked him about what happened in Azalea Town and something snapped in his mind.

"It's none of your business." Goh answered, looking away, hands curled into fists.

Chloe blinked, reaching out to him. "Goh...I just..."

"I said, it's none of your business!" he roared, fury and tears in his blue eyes as he slapped the hand away. He balled his hands into fists once more while Chloe stood there. "Never ask me about what happened in Ilex Forest ever again!"

"But Goh..."

"And promise that you won't abandon me!"

"I..."

"I SAID PROMISE ME, CHLOE!!!!" Goh demanded.

Chloe paused as Goh was about to break down in tears again. Chloe didn't want to be friends with him, he knew it. He always knew it. He stepped back, ready to run away, but Chloe grabbed onto his hand.

"I promise to stay!" Chloe said, hugging him tight. Goh sniffled as she kept hugging him. "I'll stay. I won't abandon you, Goh."

...

But she did abandon him.

Even now, Goh can still remember the feeling of the curry on his face, the tears in Chloe's eyes before she ran off into the night, the panic in his mind as he tried to make amends, trying to correct himself. He didn't mean it like that; he never meant she was so inferior just because she wasn't him. He just wanted to get her to find a dream, honest!

But that didn't matter to Chloe, didn't matter to their classmates when they saw the video recording of her battle against "Alola Champion" Ash Ketchum. All they cared about was that Chloe was forever a loser, that Ash was always a champion, and not the fact that a classmate of theirs ran away from home never to be found.

"If you're her friend, why the hell are you asking us for information?" Yeardley asked him. "You should be the one with all the information about her!"

Damn it, Goh hates it when Yeardley of all people makes a point.

Goh begins scrolling through all of the texts Chloe gave him, feeling like someone struck him with Pin Missile as he goes up. He never knew how much he'd miss Chloe texts until she stopped replying to him. Why did Chloe have to text him anyhow? The two are in the Institute so they can have more time to chat.

Goh's train of thought stops when he sees the conversation he and Chloe had on the day he wanted to catch a Sandshrew but failed. How he wanted to see a battle with Ash instead of his homework. It was just one assignment out of many, ones he can make up with a test to boost his grades. Why was it that serious?

Then, he recalls something that her father requested of him when he finally arrived at the Institute.

...

"Professor, we finally made it!" Goh said, opening the door to the lab. "Sorry about the tardiness, but Ash's battle got super heated and -- "

Goh paused as he saw Chloe asleep by the side table, head in her arms while surrounded by homework assignments, notebooks, and pencils. Her assignments were already completed, but Goh's were tucked away in a plastic folder with a sticky note attached to it. Goh approached the plastic folder and scanned the sticky note.

"I finished my homework assignments. Finish yours before you go to bed. Thanks for making me wait for you."

Goh set the homework down. as he noticed the bags under Chloe's eyes. Has she been getting enough sleep lately? He knows that she takes her studies seriously, creating flashcards and walking around while memorizing math formulas and definitions. He also could tell by the two to three juice boxes and the candy bar wrappers that she had been hard at work trying to get the assignments complete while he was away.

"Hey Goh," said Ash, also entering the lab. "Is the Professor here?"

"No, but Chloe is sleeping," Goh whispered, pointing to see his friend snoring softly.

"Man," Ash said, seeing the homework laid out. "I'm amazed Chloe is able to understand all of this. Pikachu's the one who can do math better than I could."

"Pika." Pikachu agreed. Ash could do basic math, but ask him to multiple two digit numbers together and he's scratching his head over that.

"Oh, are you finally here?" asked Professor Cerise, entering the lab. "Er, listen...can we talk about something outside?"

Unsure why the Professor asked such a question, Ash and Goh followed the Professor outside of the lab and into the hall. Cerise sighed, eyes tired. "I didn't want to bring this up, but I think something is deeply troubling Chloe these days. She's not talking a lot, she mostly keeps to herself, and she got really upset when she told me how you weren't coming back earlier than expected."

"But isn't that standard behavior for her?" Ash noted. He always saw her sitting on the sofa, reading a book, listening to music on her phone, writing something, drawing something...

Cerise shook his head. "I wish I could say that, but I have this gut feeling that something bad happened to her and I just don't know how to reach out to her. Ever since I let her stay in the Institute after school, it seems like she's growing further and further away. I thought she was getting better after she and Yamper bonded to shoo Gengar away. But now..."

"You want us to get her to open up?" Goh asked. "But that's impossible! Every time we ask her to join us for an expedition, she turns us down!"

"Then you need to find a different way to reach out to her," Cerise stated. "Do something that's not Pokemon related, cook something for her, get into what she likes. Just..." Cerise sighed. "I'm worried for her. I'm afraid that if I don't figure out what's wrong with her now, she'll disappear and never want to see me again."

"I'm sure it's nothing that dangerous," Goh said, flippant as usual. "What's the worst that can happen?"

...

Goh now realizes how foolish he's been to think that Chloe would just stay at the Institute.

But to be fair, what are the chances that on the day he and Ash decide to make a curry festival that Chloe made her unexpected request to battle Ash? How was he supposed to know that his classmates challenged her to fight Ash? And how did he miss not knowing Ash was a Champion?!

Those questions didn't matter now. All Goh can do is now is wait for Chloe to talk to him tonight so he can finally, finally, discover where she disappeared to. And maybe, just maybe, he can finally explain what he was afraid to tell her all this time.

I won't make the same mistake I made with Tokio. he vows. This time, I'll tell the truth and we'll be friends again. I just know it.

-----

Chloe thinks of what lies in the next car as she showers, scrubbing away sweat and dirt on her skin with lavender scented soap. Atticus himself takes the bathtub at the corner, where Lexi helps scrubs his majesty nice and clean with shampoo specifically provided by the hotel made just for canines. As Chloe lathers more soap onto her shoulders, she absent-mindedly touches her left shoulder blade. A lot of pain is placed on this shoulder, along with plenty of pressure. 

But no more. She never wants to deal with anything associated with school or her old life in Vermillion City ever again.

After drying up, blow drying her hair -- even while on a magical Train, there wasn't a cure for how messy her hair can get --  and getting dressed, being careful to pull the zipper of her dress all the way up and making sure the Cloak of Marchosias is draped over her body to keep her warm, the Red Lotus Trio head to a nearby restaurant -- Mouse and Cheese -- for their brunch. The sign for the restaurant is a plate of macaroni and cheese, with an adorable grey mouse buried under the macaroni with a fork in their paw.

"This looks like a cute place to have a bite to eat," Chloe says, looking at the glass display proudly showing off waxy displays of the restaurant's dishes. Aside from the traditional spaghetti and meatballs, carbonara, and pesto, she also can see puttanesca, Spaghetti aglio e olio, and even Pasta e faglioli. "Pasta dishes are my favorite! It's so different compared to always eating rice at home. After all, pasta comes in all different shapes and sizes. Rice always looks the same no matter what you put on top of it."

"Hmm, what's this?" asks Lexi, looking at the menu with interest. Particularly at the special for the day written in a red marker with yellow squiggly borders. "'Cerise's Cheesy Surprise'. Comes with Diabolo Mentho, bruschetta, and meatballs. Dessert options include panna cotta, three cannolis, or tiramisu." Lexi blinks. "Wow, Chloe. I had no idea that your fight with the Angel of Death made you a celebrity overnight."

"I know that me standing up to Zack just before he cut my head off was surprising, but I don't think I'm that popular," Chloses muses. "If I can't get a statue like the Lily Knight and all. Do I have to fight off a giant mechanical beast to get one of those built?"

The door opens and the Trio turn to see a grey mouse waitress looking at them in shock. "Oh!" she gasps, dressed in green with short auburn hair. Her ID reads "Nicky". "Are you talking about your grandfather, Chloe of the Vermillion?"

Chloe blinks. "Er, excuse me?"

"I mean, that is why you're here right? To learn of your grandfather's stories?" Nicky asks.

"...excuse me?" Chloe repeats.

"Oh, sorry," Nicky giggles and lightly bops her head while playfully sticking her tongue out. "I think you should come inside and see for yourself. "And I assume you all want the Cerise Cheesy Surprise then? It's perfect for a party of four!"

"Well, we hope to have a party of four in the future," Chloe admits. "But three's a crowd as it is."

The three enter the restaurant and find it to look similar to the other restaurants in the area. Olive green walls, a kitchen garden, the smell of tomatoes, basil, and melted cheese in the air. Chloe is immediately drawn to a large portrait of a man with his face obscured with shadows, his hand underneath a captivating smile that carries a single light reflecting the lens of his glasses, revealing a peridot eye. Chloe remembers the term of the contrasting light and darkness in her art class. Chiaroscuro.

"This can't be right," she notes, rubbing her eyes. "He looks just like my dad. But I would've been told about an ancestor who traveled on the Train a long time ago."

"Maybe it's another family with the surname of Cerise with a man who looks like your father?" Lexi suggests. "Just who is this person?"

"Oh, that would be Alec Cerise, the Demon Researcher!" Nicky explains, popping up from behind the trio. "He entered the Train a long time ago with a little turtle friend of his and was said to be quite the traveler. He was always looking to write and had numerous journal entries of his observations, yet ironically he sucked at word puzzles."

"I find it hard to believe someone who can write for hours on end can get stumped with word puzzles." Atticus notes.

"Oh, he really sucked at those," A mouse with long black hair and a violet attire brings up. Appropriately, her name tag says her name is "Violet". "Hangman, crossword puzzles, word search, anagrams. He was more into things that needed numbers like sudoku or nonograms."

"Nonograms?" Atticus repeats.

"Oh, they're a fun sort of puzzle," A mouse with blue-black hair in a long braid answers, wearing orange. Her name is "Paulina". "You get a grid as small as 5x5 but as big as 30x30, and you have to fill the right amount of squares per row and column to finish the puzzle. Some nonogram books make the grids become pictures or be segments of one giant image!" She pushes Chloe closer to the image. "See something interesting about the image?"

Chloe blinks as she peers closer, noting how the image doesn't look painted. Rather, it's like a bunch of colored squares were used, like a mosaic, or a large embroidery project. "Wait, this entire image is a collection of nonogram squares?"

"Yep! At least it's nonograms instead of sudoku! Oh the horror of those."

Chloe blanches. "Ugh, anything but those! Does it take that long to put numbers in a grid?!"

"He found them to be quite soothing," Violet says. "Typically you can leave once you finish one game of sudoku. Alec wanted to go through five. His partner was forced to sleep in the next car over, and the next car was the Disco Reaper Car!"

"Oh, I heard that place serves giant Choc-Nut bars!" Nicky squees. "Imagine a crumbly choco-peanut mixture to share for movie night!"

"As much as I'm interested in someone coincidentally having the Cerise surname, can we place our order?" Atticus questions.

"Oh right," Nicky giggles as she pulls out a waitress pad and pen from her pocket. "The Cerise Cheesy Surprise will be fine, right? Anything else?"

"Oh, can we have this Panzanella salad as well?" Lexi asks, pointing to an image of a bowl of tomatoes and bread mixed with cucumbers. "Not every day you eat a salad consisting of day-old bread."

"Coming right up!" Nicky cheers as she, Violet, and Pamela prepare to make the order. Chloe, Lexi, and Atticus continue staring at the image of Alec Cerise, waiting for him to wink at them and reveal a secret for a blood relative of his to obtain.

"Demon Researcher..." Chloe mutters as she looks down at her cloak. "Does this mean he's met up with actual demons on the Train?"

"Father has mentioned that there are denizens on the Train that are said to be all powerful, all knowing," Lexi brings up. "And this is a Train full of infinite possibilities."

"Infinite possibilities..." Chloe mutters, hand over her heart. She wishes to be that girl, infinite, endless, not railroaded towards a certain way of living or being.

Atticus leans close to the plaque under the nonogram photo. "Chloe, I think you might wanna take a look at this."

Chloe approaches the plaque. "Alec Cerise, Demon Researcher. 'I'll always light the way if you let me in.'"  She hums in thought. "Is it some sort of hint to a secret he's holding? Because if that's the case..."

Chloe raises a hand up and a ball of flame dances on her palm. She looks at the portrait straight in the eye as she mimics the image. "You see anything?"

"Nope," Lexi answers. "The picture is the same."

Chloe pouts and lowers her hand, the flame fizzling out. "Darn, thought I could find some sort of secret if I imitated him. That's how it usually works in games and stories. There's something about him that I want to know..."

"But I thought you wanted to get away from your family name and forge your own path," Lexi notes.

"True, but something has been bugging me ever since I got the cloak," Chloe replies. "How exactly did Olmec know what artifact to give me? And Marchosias is one of the demons in the Ars Goetia. In fact, don't you guys find it weird that the cloak is specifically named after a demon and a god?"

"Maybe the name is for added flair?"

Chloe shook her head as she pulls out something from her backpack. Treasures from the Hidden Temple. "Take a look at all of the artifacts Olmec boasted in his Temple. Notice the pattern they have?"

Lexi picks up the book and begins to skim through the pages. Each treasure comes with an image and the story behind them. "'The Diary of Dr. Livingstone (I Presume)', 'Keys to the Alhambra', 'The Trojan Horseshoe', 'Mysterious Manuscript of Mary Shelley' (really want a read of that), 'Oracle Bowl of Delphi', 'Useless Map (to the Road to El Dorado) of the Chibcha Chieftan', a Pharaoh's metal beard, a lion-headed bracelet and a lion-slashed jacket, a golden goblet, a golden spider web, a golden cricket cage, a golden pepperoni..."

"Chloe is right. None of those artifacts are related to demons or deities, nor have a name associated with two beings at once." Atticus notes.

"Actually it says here that Olmec carries the Broken Trident of Poseidon," Lexi interrupts. He shows the book to reveal what looks like the fragment of a blue-green trident.

Atticus pouts. "Okay, with the exception of Poseidon, the treasures are mostly related to some sort of legendary human or location." The King of Corginia approaches the cloak and sniffs it. His fur bristles. "And the cloak itself looks in good condition for something that should be stuck in the Temple for hundreds of years. Which means..."

"Either Olmec has a secret stash of treasures he's never told anyone like a secret menu of food items at a fast-food place, or he's been keeping this for me because of how I'm somehow connected to a Demon Researcher," Chloe concludes. "How did he know exactly what suited me? Better yet, he seemed to dodge the question about whether he's granted blessings to other passengers who passed his trials in the past. Surely he would've given something to that little Mallow girl who braved the Temple to get that wood amulet."

"The cars always reset their puzzles so it can be considered 'new' to every passenger that passes by," Atticus points out. "Still, this feels too much like a coincidence..."

The three stare at the portrait for a few more seconds before Lexi closes the Hidden Temple guide shut. "What do we do now? Perhaps I can ask my father if he knows anything about this mysterious Demon Researcher."

"...Maybe later," Chloe answers, but she still can't keep her eyes off of Alec Cerise's mysterious smile, the way his lip is curled and ready to blow out the light. Something in her gut is telling her that she's missing something.

She looks down at the flame, almost wishing that it can dance and flicker in front of her eyes. But as she peers closer, casting a small flame to match the one in Alec's hand, she gasps. "Guys, look!"

Atticus and Lexi see where Chloe is pointing. The flame in Alec's portrait flickers, revealing the image of a clock whose numbers are actually letters. "You see these?"

"It reads 4:30, or rather 4-6," Lexi says. "But what type of code is this?"

"It has to tie with him being a Demon Researcher," Atticus answers. "But I don't see how a '4-6' would connect to the studies of demons."

"4-6...or is it 46?" Chloe gasps as she steps back. "Wait, if this is what I think this is, this portrait can't be talking about -- "

"Oh Red Lotus Trio!" Nicky cheers. "Your order is ready! And please make sure to snuff out the flames before we have you working for us for the next five months to pay off the costs."

"Coming!" says Lexi, before he turns to Chloe. "Come on, maybe these guys know the true story of this mysterious Cerise."

Chloe nods as she closes her hand over the flame, then follows Lexi and Atticus towards a table. A few more customers are being seated by a fourth mouse in red and frizzy brown hair. Her nametag reads "Pamela". Chloe looks down at the spread. A salad consisting of bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and mozzerella with a strong vinegar dressing. Three glasses of a bright green drink, meatballs, bruschetta topped with olives, and the main course covered in a silver cloche. Atticus immediately starts to nibble on a meatball, while Lexi takes a sip of the surprisingly refreshing lemonade with a hint of minty syrup.

"Voila! The Cerise Cheesy Surprise with all the sides!" Nicky says, pulling the cloche with a wiggle of her fingers.

Chloe looks at the Cheesy Surprise: a large plate of noodles topped with melted cheese. "That's it?"

"It's super cheesy, can't you see?" says Nicky, preparing the tongs to toss the pasta and cheese together. "It's said that when this restaurant was just starting out, Cerise finished a meal of mushroom ravioli and was about to pay, only to find some young mice outside wanting some food to eat. But at that point, the restaurant didn't have a lot of food to cook something extravagant and they didn't have enough money to afford a meal. So Cerise went to work with whatever ingredients he could find and served this dish, the Cheesy Surprise, to them. It's become part of the menu ever since."

"That's fantastic to hear!" Lexi notes. "He would've been a hit in Azada taking care of the books. I bet he'd make a great bowl of alphabet soup."

Nicky quickly divides the pasta into three bowls before pulling out a pepper grinder the length of Chloe's donut holer. She speaks over the grinding of pepper. "Now then, I couldn't help but overhear that you caught onto the secret clue in the portrait. You truly are his grand-daughter, or was it great-great grandaughter?"

"It's just a theory for the time being," Chloe notes. She suddenly sneezes, a signal for Nicky to stop. "I mean, this knowledge of demons is more of a hobby of mine. Not like I'm ever going to summon one in the future..."

"I'm more interested in the origins of the image itself," Atticus says. "Why is he smiling? What secret is he hiding behind that grin of his?"

"Oh that?" Nicky chuckles as she sets the pepper grinder down. "Well, rumor has it that this was the image many denizens saw when Alec Cerise scared an evil mayor with nothing but darkness and a few candles! That image raises so many questions for many observers. 'Can he be trusted?' 'Will he send me to my doom?' 'Why does he smile?' 'Is the light guiding me to salvation or revealing a giant monster ready to devour me like an after-dinner mint?"

Chloe nods as pasta is served into three bowls. "Can you tell us which car this took place? Definitely should mark it down for the future."

"Oh, that was the Horrorland Car!" Paulina explains. "Actually, it was originally the Horrors Car before they reinvented themselves into an amusement park of shrieks and shivers thanks to one man's courage to face a horrifying threat."

"Horrorland?" Chloe gasps. "Wait wait wait wait wait! Alec Cerise is the reason Horrorland exists on the Train?! Okay, we gotta go check it out! Lexi, please tell me that the Car is on our way to see Uncle Howee?"

Lexi pulls out a paper from his back. "Thanks to the map Olmec gave us, I'm able to keep track of interesting cars that he marked as useful. There's good news and bad news. Good news is that Uncle Howee is just four cars away."

"And...what's the bad news?" Chloe asks.

Lexi grimaces. "The bad news is that not only is Horrorland Car not even remotely close by, the two cars before Uncle Howee are ones I've never heard before. 'Friendship Asylum' Car and 'Firefly Funhouse' Car."

"Lovely," Atticus remarks with a groan. "Well, hopefully it won't be as bad as the Backrooms Car."

"I kinda find found them relaxing," Chloe notes. "Something about lying down against a wall to write or gather our thoughts after the hectic music with the Monster Mash car was just interesting. And who would've thought that there would be a nice librarian similar to Titus?"

"Oh yes, her," Lexi notes, recalling the sweet woman with blond hair and a white dress sweetly greeting the three to her library. How she served them cups of tea and was happy to listen to Atticus's tales of the legendary Stinktail and Mustard. "It's too bad that she's stuck in her car. Father would love to bond with her when he can get some time to away from his duties in Azada."

Suddenly, there is a loud gasp while the large pepper grinder falls to the floor.

"W-w-wait a second!" Nicky gasps. "D-d-did you say that one of the cars you're passing through is the Firefly Funhouse Car?!"

The patrons and workers look in horror.

"I thought you'd be more horrified at something called the Friendship Asylum," Atticus points out.

"The Firefly Funhouse Car is said to be a place that's home to that recluse Uncle Howdy," Violet warns. "He's holed up in his home with his puppets and fireflies. The Car is completely covered in darkness and he stalks the car with a lantern in hand in order to drag souls of children into that pale yellow light. No one knows his origins, but if you end up in his clutches..."

"Let me guess, he drags you into some magical land where we suffer for all eternity?" Lexi questions. "Erlking tried that once, and we managed to beat him."

"The Erlking willingly lets his prey go if they manage to beat him, but Uncle Howdy isn't like a magical elf warrior on his horse!" Nicky hisses. "No one knows what he's all about. He keeps to himself and he never speaks. If you're going to pass by, just move forward, don't look back, and whatever you do, don't make him mad."

"We'll keep that in mind," says Chloe. "Now, can anyone explain to me why the number 46 is associated with Alec Cerise?"

"46?" asked the mouse with blond hair and wearing pink, popping her head out of the kitchen. Her nametag reads "Colette".

"Better than the Number 23 in my opinion," Chloe notes, swirling pasta and cheese together with a fork. "If we're talking about the Goetias, then 46 is associated with Earl Bifrons. Bifrons is associated with graves and candles, aside from plants and precious stems. But...that's just plan impossible. There's no way the Demons  I'm such a big fan of exist on the Train...right?"

When no one says a word, Chloe sinks into her seat, feeling embarrassed. Just like school all over again. "Forget I say anything..."

"Well, you didn't hear it us from us but..." Colette glances left to right. "There are rumors that Alec ended up with a group of very powerful beings who could warp the world around them with a single glance. Problem is that there aren't many records about Alec or his three companions. Just a few journals, maybe some news articles, and a picture book or two. It's been, what, half a century since they stepped foot on the Train?"

"But that begs the question how a small restaurant in this car somehow obtained a dark spooky portrait of Alec Cerise in the first place!" Chloe exclaims. "It totally clashes with the interior of this family-friendly restaurant for one thing. And the second question is  -- "

"Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to finally start eating?" Violet interrupts. When Chloe opens her mouth, Violet shakes her head. "While you are shown to have plenty of curiosity just like Alec, you can't pursue all the answers at once. Sometimes, you let life pass by and the answers come to you. Life itself is a journey, and sometimes the best thing to do is take the time to discover yourself. In the end, everything comes together in ways you never knew possible."

"Yeah!" Pamela said, eating a slice of pizza wrapped in a napkin. "Just stick to something and don't rush it! You'll find what's most important to you and come out wiser for taking the time to think things through."

Chloe stays silent as she starts eating her pasta, slurping noodles coated in olive oil and a bit of cheese for a bowl of comfort to settle in her stomach for the road ahead. Those are the same words her mother tried to give her on the day everyone kept pressuring her to be like her dad. How she wasn't sure if she wanted to write a manga and her father, no, Professor Cerise, insisted that she can still find a way to do what she loves, even if it wasn't the dream she wanted. 

And that's why her mother sits at the kitchen table drawing cutesy pictures of Chloe with Yamper and her extremely messy hair that everyone loves teasing. She still can't shake off the day Yeardley pulled her scrunchie off on a dare, revealing hair that looked like "a bunch of Pidgeys wouldn't nest in." It took all of her willpower to not punch him in the face after he blew on her hair and even threaten to lick her hair scrunchie while Miss April's back was turned (like it always was).

But now isn't the time to think about such stupid "slow and steady takes the race" advice or apathetic boys. Right now, she is safe, she can find herself, and anyone who tries to get in her personal space is getting a donut holer to the jaw.

Chloe inhales as she eats more of her pasta, sighing at how delicious it is. Thank goodness she has a few infinicoins from her one week training as a Junior Postknight. Who would've thought delivering mail could be a dangerous job?

The Red Lotus Trio enjoy their meal, happily talking about previous cars they explored. Like the Cabinet of Wonders Car that detailed the rich stories of a girl who recited stories inked on her eyelids. Or the time they worked three nights at the Youkai Bathhouse Car. Once their plates were cleaned, Violet returned with the dessert menu, decorated with a plate of panna cotta and a platter of cannolis.

"Now then," she said with a calming smile. "What would you like for dessert?"

Chapter Text

---Chapter 4: Attitude of Education--

Goh hasn't felt like going to the Cerise Institute in a while. It feels so...lonely without Chloe waiting for him.

There was something consistent of seeing Chloe waiting for him every single day, seated at the couch or carrying Yamper in her arms. It was hard to believe that once upon a time Chloe didn't want to be near Yamper, but she started to carry him in her arms as if they were always friends. Imagine what would've happened if Chloe brought Yamper with her out of Vermillion City. The two would've had a chance to kick serious ass.

Instead, entering the Institute makes him feel empty inside. No more Chloe hard at work with worksheets, no more Chloe to ask out for expeditions across the city. No more her refusing and leaving him and Ash alone.

She was just...a gone girl. Vanished without a trace, no letter telling them where she's going. No chance of them reconciling. She faded away like the mist.

That terrifies him. Chloe is a constant in his life, like his grandmother's cream stew with star carrots, Pokemon, and Ash. Without her, what can he do? He can't just "move on" like his mother said in Ilex Forest. How can he be living his best life when Chloe is in constant danger and he can't use Ash's Dragonite to fly to wherever she's at? She's not Tokio...she didn't abandon him after one day...

All he can do now is believe what Ash told him. That she'll return, stronger than ever, after she goes out to find herself. She needs to "grab the future in the palm of her hands" instead of sitting in the sands of time.

As the thought leaves his mind, Goh stands at the pier where it all began. Him waiting for Lugia to arrive so he could hop onto their back to have the future in the palm of his hands. He doesn't have any regrets. The adrenaline pumping through his veins, his legs burning with each step he took, the blue sky all for him...it was worth it.

Plus, he made a friend. Definitely wouldn't have made one, one who was better than Tokio, if he didn't take the risk. That's what life is all about, the risk and the reward. What is life without the thrills? Completely boring, if you ask him. Just as boring as looking at a sheet of paper and circling the correct answer or explaining how to solve a math problem by following the examples in a textbook. Or writing a report for a book that he's only going to read once before moving on.

Why the heck does Chloe make such a big deal about those sheets anyhow? Just because he's a little late, it's not that big of a deal. Can't she show a little appreciation for him actually finishing his homework instead of half-assing it like Yeardley does? At least his answers are correct. Yeardley can't be bothered to properly break the problem step-by-step.

It's not like Goh finds any joy in school at all. He gets the answers easily, he's not interested in PE where Coach Zee barks him to climb ropes or do pull-ups that he's never going to complete, or finish a lap at a set amount of time, and the lunches at school can't compete with Mimey's cooking. Ash's mom really trained Mimey well in that regard. 

His classmates there like talking to him, but he doesn't really "connect" with them. They ask about what he does as a research fellow, and he gives it to them with a smile on his face. They smile and say that he's amazing at what he does and that makes him happy. Although he doesn't understand why Chloe gives him a sullen look when the classmates go back to their seats.

Come to think of it, he does find it strange that on the few times she's tried talking to him, his classmates conveniently have something to tell him...

The only places Goh are the most comfortable places with are in the library and at the computer lab. In the library, it's quiet and he can stick his nose into a book that allows him to research more about habitats Mew might be found in or to be hounded when Chloe tries to find him a book for a book report. She once asked him to try out a book of two siblings who ran away to sleep in a museum in Unova. He skimmed the first ten pages of the book then said he'll go online for summaries to "support" his reading. Chloe got upset, but it didn't matter since he got a good enough grade for the report.

In the computer lab, he feels at home creating presentations and working with programs that his parents use all the time at their jobs. He's really good at it, and he can also use the computers to finish his homework as well. Less homework to distract him, the more time he can explore and capture Pokemon to his heart's content. He's so good at it that his classmates always ask for his help and thank him for being such a good friend.

(The only one who doesn't ask is Chloe, but then again she's always focus on her work that he doesn't bother.)

Goh shakes his head. School isn't important right now. He's here to search for a Water-type Pokemon to catch, and he's already made camp so he doesn't have to go back home or to the Institute for supplies. His grandma was nice enough to pack a lunch of cream stew and hot cocoa as well. Nothing warms him more than her cooking.

Heh. It's deja vu all over again. Three years ago, he waited for Tokio underneath a bright blue sky three years ago with cream stew and hot cocoa to share. But Tokio never came, neither will Chloe.

Goh shakes his head once more. He won't jump the gun. Tokio didn't betray him with a cruel smirk on his face. He came back to Ilex Forest with an apology letter and a desire to see Goh again. Chloe ran away from home after he tried to push her to find a dream, but she texted him for the first time in weeks. Two words, but two more than he had been given from her for the longest of times. It's different than the constant stream of messages she sent him, and their absence made him feel uncomfortable.

But he will take Chloe at her word. If there's one thing that he can count on, is that she will come back. She has to. After all, he always makes sure to return to the Institute after a long journey. She's okay. Things are going to be okay.

Goh watches the Wingulls weep as they fly above the sea. And in his mind, he sees himself, Ash, and Chloe flying on Lugia's back over the horizon.

-----

After paying for brunch, Chloe, Atticus, and Lexi decide to see more of the tourist attractions. Chloe posing next to the statue of the Knight of the Orange Lily, doing her best to mimic his pose. Take a tour of some of the most interesting works of art in the Chocolat Cabinet of Curiosities. Play chess (and end up failing) against a serious opponent with a piercing blue gaze and a necklace that looked like a card, even when they played three against 1. Taking photographs (and have themselves be photographed) at the outdoor markets. Chasing down an eccentric artist who snatched some of Lexi's papers so he could make a quick sketch.

"Okay, I think we've done enough sight-seeing for the day," says Lexi, once the three walk towards the exit. "Are you ready?"

"I can do this, I can do this, all I have to do is try," Chloe mutters to herself.

Lexi nods as he faces the door, hands grasping the two hemisphere handles. With a simple twist, the door opens and the three look out to see a bridge connecting them to the next car. That of the dreaded Friendship Asylum.

Unfortunately, when the trio asked around over what the Car entailed, no one could give them an answer. None of the books in Exlibris made mention to the car, even though they seemingly had an entire wing full of supernatural accounts. It took Lexi and Atticus everything they had to pull Chloe from buying the biggest book they had.

"Can't we just fly our way pass the two cars to get to Uncle Howee?" Chloe suggested. "Lexi's strong enough to carry the two of us."

"And nearly be devoured by a swarm of Ghoms like last time?" Lexi shuddered. "We only made it to three cars before they started chewing on my papers."

"On the bright side, the car we landed in allowed us to join the competition," Chloe giggled. "Though, I forgot what the car was called. Supermarket Sweep? Grocery Games? Eh, doesn't matter, except we got some groceries when we went camping at the Ocean Cabin Car."

"As long as the road ahead isn't packed with terrors, I'm sure we'll get there by the afternoon," Atticus notes.

"And we won't have to worry about being hungry either," Lexi adds, looking at the paper bag in Chloe's hands. "You couldn't resist getting something to eat for the road, now could you?"

"You should've smelt how fresh that garlic bread was!" Chloe sighed, pressing the bag to her heart. "I also have some antipasto and a freshly made caprese salad for Atticus since he can't take garlic."

"I always appreciate how you order for food that the three of us can share," Atticus says with a wag of his tail. "And thank you for not feeding me any of those 'jelly-filled donuts' from that Malasada shop."

Chloe wants to laugh at the joke, but then she pauses. "Atticus, about your friend..."

Atticus looks away. "I'm concerned for King Aloysius and the delegates who were injured when the Apex rampaged without a care. Aloysius is not meant for combat, but it surprises me how even his dedicated guards were defeated by those free-riders, as Lexi calls them."

"They act like they own the Train, like it's their place to rule over and destroy everyone who get in their way when they've done nothing but try to help them out!"

Chloe winces a little. "I guess I fall into that camp, huh?"

Lexi blinks. "What? No, you're different than the Apex!"

"I may not destroy things or kill denizens, but..." Chloe scratches her head as they walk across the bridge. "When I think about what got me here, I've been hurting those who also have been trying to open up to me. Mom and Parker don't hurt me, Chryss and Renji exchange a few words. Ash and Goh..."

"Is this about that promise you made to your friend about not abandoning him?" Atticus inquires.

Chloe nods, afraid of entering the next car. "Yeah, I promised him that I'd never abandoned him. I stayed by his side no matter what, got him his homework, texted reminders to come back to the Institute in time, I went to his birthdays. But I'm here, abandoning him because I can't stand going back home as I am now. Does this make me a bad person?"

Neither Atticus nor Lexi can come with an answer. Chloe presses her forehead against the door.

"It's like I'm a robot who was told that a statement was a lie, but it's the truth, when it's really a lie..." Chloe rubs her forehead. "I abandoned Goh when I said I wouldn't, but if I didn't abandon him, I wouldn't be given this chance to explore the Train or meet the two of you. Yet Goh abandoned me, left me alone without even explaining why, wouldn't care if I was alone at school solely cause I can't find a dream like he loves to brag about..." 

She places a hand to her mouth, ready to puke the Cerise Cheesy Surprise over the wheels. Instead, she takes a deep breath of air, helped by Lexi patting her back until the nausea goes away. 

"What's right and what's wrong at this point?" She sobs. "Am I allowed to say that it's selfish for me to take some time off for myself? Or was I supposed to turn my back away from the Train and deal with whatever excuse Goh would tell me over how he didn't mean to say something wrong and how he'd pinky promise to go to school in the morning?"

"It's not selfish to take time for yourself," Atticus says. "Goh takes time to do things he likes and that's what you're doing. It's okay. I won't lie and say that you didn't abandon him, but you're now working on coming back to him as a brand new person."

"But what he's doing and I'm doing are -- "

"They are different, yes. Just remember that you know where Ash and Goh travel to, but no one knows where you are currently. They deserve to know that you're in safe at the moment. If this was a situation where one of them was hurting you, then yes, say nothing. But your father, your friends, are not your bullies. They won't hurt you if you tell them the truth."

Chloe lowers her hands. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Nope," Atticus answers cheerfully. "If Goh didn't care about you, he wouldn't have sent you all those texts, right?"

Now that Chloe thinks about it, Atticus is correct. The string of texts Goh sent her is the most she's ever gotten out of him. He rarely sent texts except for when he's coming late or another apology and promise he's quick to break.

"We don't go until you send another text," Lexi insists, opening Chloe's bag and pulling out her phone. "Go on, type something."

Chloe takes the phone to her hands and goes to the Chat. Goh hasn't responded to her since her two worded message. She racks her brain over what to say, typing a few letters before deleting them. "I don't know where to begin. I've never written anything like this."

"Start by telling Goh how you feel," Lexi suggests. "And if he doesn't respond right away, leave it be."

"I feel angry....no, I feel hurt. So much hurt..." Chloe says as she texts her message.

cherri_witch: Goh, I'm sorry I haven't said anything in weeks. I've been feeling hurt over what happened that night and why you told me to keep quiet about Ilex Forest all those years ago. What were you hiding from me? Why is your dream more important than spending time with me?

Chloe shows the message to her partners. "Does this work?"

Atticus nods and places a paw on Chloe's hand. "Take it slow and steady, Chloe. Ignore the message for now and give Goh time to text a proper response."

"And then you'll send a message to your family!" Lexi cheers. "Don't see the end goal, just see your next step. You're doing great."

Chloe nods as she sends the message, her heart feeling a bit lighter. She hears the sound of her number changing and sees how her number sits at 110. 

So her number will go down even more when she gets the truth out of Goh? That's a nice thought, although there's still the worry in her gut over going back to school when all this is over and her classmates will start talking about how she could fight off the Erlking and an Angel of Death, along with 

She shakes her head. She's not going to be a famous Pokemon trainer; she's going to be a star on the Train. And when everyone has their eyes on her, the shame and humiliation from tackling a Ghost will fade away and classify itself as obsolete.

Chloe places her phone away and stands up. She opens the door to the car and sees a dirt road blanketed by fog. It's not Silent Hill, but a car with the word Asylum in it is bound to be bad news.

Good or bad, Chloe's the brave leader of the Red Lotus Trio. And nothing is going to stop her from getting to Uncle Howee in one piece.

She held hands with Lexi and looks down at Atticus. "Let's go."

And off they went.

Chapter Text

"Greetings, fellow travelers in the fog," Atticus says. "I am Atticus, King of Corginia, Slayer of the Shadow-Monster, Uniter of the Pembrokes and Cardigans."

"I am Prince Lexi, first-born of King Titus of the Kingdom of Azada," Lexi stated with a bow.  

"I am Chloe of the Vermillion," Chloe proclaims, grasping the edges of her dress and curtseying towards the two in the carriage. "I am off on a quest to end the tyranny of the Apex alongside my fellow companions. Together, we make the Red Lotus Trio."

"And with me as Mr. Feather, we are are known as Tarr and Feather," Mr. Feather greets. "I say, you're heading for the asylum as well, right?"

"Yes," Chloe says. "We need to pass by it in order to reach Uncle Howee's car. Can you take us there?"

"We'd be happy to," Mr. Tarr states with a grin. "...if you're willing to let us partake in that feast of yours."

"All we have to do is break bread with you? I'm in!" Chloe says. "Come on, guys! I've always wanted to go on an authentic carriage ride like they do in the parks of Unova!"

Atticus and Lexi look at one another, then shrug before following Chloe into the carriage. Once all three are seated, the door closes, and the winged steed travels deeper into the unknown.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 - Appetite of Memories

Vermillion International School had been facing online ridicule ever since a little boy asked some classmates for good things to write towards his runaway sister as a "Welcome Home" gift.

The students decided the good things about Chloe Cerise was how much fun it was to destroy her self-worth and believing themselves to get away with it because the little boy, Parker Cerise, was a baby who could do nothing to stop them. He couldn't stop them from pouring red paint on his sister or to fight them off -- even bashing a paint can at his face when he tried to stop them -- so what could he do now? They were going to win, they were going to make sure Chloe was miserable for the rest of her life, and they hoped she never came back to Vermillion City! May she rot in the Distortion World for all eternity, bitches!

...until they were forced to hear the school speakers blaring out more and more piss and vinegar about how Chloe Cerise deserved nothing but suffering. That a monster like her doesn't deserve happiness. Combined with numerous students with their phones out, and the news was out faster than an Electrode rolling down a hill. At least twenty pairs of parents were forced to pick up their children at the principal's office, trying to deny the rumors. Their children were just joking. There's no way they would ever bully someone after the last incident involving a paint can. They weren't that stupid to admit to their crimes where everyone could see them, right?

Alas, the truth was bitter to swallow and the collateral damage was much worse than if it was just a lie. Chloe Cerise ran away from home to escape a toxic environment that the school did not work on trying to fix after she had been covered in red paint instead of confetti like she hoped for. Needless to say, expulsions were swift and the Internet mocking even swifter.

The firing of one Miss April swiftly came due to online pressure for how the homeroom teacher seemingly didn't care to notice the rampant bullying in her own classroom. How she apparently had numerous reports from other teachers that Chloe had been bullied in the other classes yet never thought to report them to either the principal or her irate parents. How she always had Chloe take care of being the delivery girl instead of letting someone else take a few pieces of paper off her hands once a week. A massive investigation was underway, and the principal was forced to make a statement that Vermillion International School did not tolerate bullying of any kind, and new reforms that would allow students who have been neglected or mistreated to have their voices heard louder than ever before.

All of this, supposedly, because one girl was pressured to battle a champion even though she knew, and her bullies knew, she would've lost.

But this was stuff Goh Fujihachi didn't pay attention to as he looked through all of the Pokemon he captured on his Rotomphone, seated in a cafe themed after outer space. Orange rockets and yellow stars happily dancing on white walls, white chairs shaped like space shuttles with black noses. Round tables to look like the sun, the moon, and the planets themselves. The cafe he sits in, YouNova, plays a rock song in the background. The lyrics are in Unovan, and Goh is able to hear glimpses of its chorus.

Tell me what you wanna know
Oh, come on, oh, come on, oh, come on
There ain't no motive for this crime
Jenny was a friend of mine

Goh raises an eyebrow at the last two lyrics, a pang in his heart. He's lucky Professor Cerise hasn't pointed fingers at him for how he shouted at Chloe not having a dream. And it's not like he did something as drastic as push her off a building or point a gun at her head. And yet Chloe screamed that he was the worst friend in the world for only searching for Mew instead of the usual. Homework, coming back early, school, blah blah blah...

If he really was the worst friend in the world, what does it say about her throwing a plate of curry into his face? One that he bought ingredients for and had to spend an extra hour or so washing his hoodie while questioning where in the Distortion World she ran off to. Thank goodness it wasn't the curry with Tamato berries in them...

A waitress in an astronaut themed outfit, her name tag proudly displaying "Chiyoko", sets his soda in a rocket shaped cup and cream stew in a bowl yellow as a cheesy moon in front of him before heading off to pick up the next order. Goh looks down and sees how the carrots are cut into stars, fitting the theme of the restaurant.

A part of him smiles a little. Whenever he feels down, he can always count on a bowl of cream stew with carrot stars to comfort him. Combined with his grandmother's hot chocolate, and he can fall asleep and dream about another journey with Ash, another adventure that gets him closer to find Mew.

As he begins to eat, his mind drifts upon the last time he and Chloe ate in a themed café...

...

"So, what do you think?"

Goh looked around. The cafe looked more like the insides of a haunted castle with blood red curtains and velvet chairs. Candelabras, cobwebs, and Zubats as well. Pumpkins with happy grins and waiters and waitresses dressed in classy outfits, pale makeup and fangs. Black capes, puffy blouses, cravats. Costume jewelry to mimic the real thing. Chloe gasped at seeing a Zubat that came to perch on her shoulder, before petting them with a finger. 

After silently taking everything in, Goh said, "It's...interesting. What is this place?"

"It's a Vampire-inspired café that just opened up a few days ago," Chloe answered, pulling two coupons from her backpack. Black with a chibi white-haired vampire with a pink heart floating around them and written in silver ink.

"Uh-huh....can kinda tell the inspiration even without the music video." Goh pointed to a television depicting the singer in classic vampire attire, along with pale blond hair and faded blue eyes dancing around the interior of a castle. 

Chloe placed her arms around her back, face down. "It's rare for me to have a chance to hang out with you, you know. You're always a go-getter rushing out of the gate to search for Mew or whatever new Pokémon strikes your fancy.  I'd ask Parker to join me but he's too young, Mom's always busy with her art, and you know dad is busy with his Institute with Chryssa and Renji to pay attention to anything not Pokemon-related."

"Then why don't you ask someone at school to go with you? You don't have to drag me along."

Chloe paused. "Let's just say that there aren't a lot of people willing to join me in something so...different. You were the only person I had in mind for something like this."

She said nothing more as led Goh to a table, doing her best to hide the blush on her face when she tried to hold his hand, to which Goh retracted it like Chloe's touch could burn him.

"I don't need you to hold my hand," he said. "I can walk by myself."

Chloe sighed as the two walked towards a table where other patrons happily chatted away with friends, were on their phones, reading books, or tasting the rich chocolate cakes and dark red drinks with sugar on the rims. Goh noticed there were all sorts of Ghost Pokémon hanging around as well. Litwick and Gastly and even tiny Pumpkaboo. 

And was it just him, or were Chloe's eyes locked on the Pumpkaboo for longer than usual?

In fairness, Pumpkaboo did come in four different sizes. The smallest ones were the size of similar Pumpkaboo plushies that he saw online, or could be kept in one's backpack to hide in. Pumpkaboos were interesting, but he didn't see the appeal to why people would call them "cute". Have they not seen what Pumpkaboos evolve into?

(Or maybe they have, which is why they don't trade them away.)

The two sat down on ebony chairs with scarlet cushions, not even looking at the menus. Goh was quick to pull out his phone to type something on the PokemonLegends forum about any updated sightings of Pokemon to be found in the area, frowning at someone mentioning that they briefly saw a Shiny Celebi in Mt. Silver. As he scrolled down, Chloe spoke up again by clearing her throat.

"There's another reason why I asked you to come with me today, Goh," Chloe admitted, pulling out her phone. "You know my birthday is coming up soon and...well...I'm wondering if you could...you..."

Goh briefly looked up from his phone. "Yeah, what is it?"

Chloe nervously set her phone onto the table, then pushed it toward Goh. "You see this image? I'd like you to buy this for my birthday and then drop by my house to deliver it. I'm not planning anything special for my birthday. Just -- "

"Birthdays are overrated, in my opinion,." Goh muttered with a roll of his eyes as a waitress gave the two some water in crystal goblets. "Wishing for something by blowing out the candles once a year is pointless. Are you telling me that candles are supposed to make your wish magically come true before your very eyes? That's ridiculous."

"And you'd know something about this?" Chloe inquired. "Because I do recall a time when you turned eight years old and you happily blew out the candles but then threw a fit over how your wish didn't come true."

"...Of course not!" Goh swiftly interrupted, raising a hand into the air. Damn it, why did Chloe have to bring up that birthday? "I don't believe in wishes or fairy tales or miracles. I believe in grabbing the future --" He clenched the hand into a fist. "With my bare hands! What's the point of wishing if you don't actively put the work into it?"

"Well, I wish you would take my request seriously for once." Chloe said with utmost seriousness. "Can you buy me this book for me or not? I'd do it myself, but I spent the last of my allowance on some art supplies...."

"And why can't you ask your parents to buy it for you?"

Chloe flinched as if Goh punched her in the solar plexus, then rubbed her left shoulder nervously. "Well, I'm kinda...it's...they're not as open to my interests like your parents are."

"That's because I told them point blank that I want to see Mew. How was I supposed to know that they were going to make me a homemade Mew tracker?"

"Well don't blab it out in the open! You know how there are maniacs who would kill to get a tool such as this? Wasn't there rumors about a Shiny Mew maniac who murdered some poarchers a while back?" Chloe groaned, arms folded over her chest. "Look, can you give me a straight answer or not? If you don't want to buy it, that's fine."

Goh looked down at the image on his phone. The cover depicted two Fennekins in a black and white forest where a larger shadow loomed down on the two. The title read "Terrifying Tales for Fledgling Fennekins"  in red jagged letters.

"Hang on, is this book related to that creepy trilogy of books with the horrifying watercolor images that students dare each other to look at?" Goh may not have read it, but he knew from other classmates who read them that the artwork was quite grotesque for a collection of children stories. Apparently it got so bad that the library had to order a second copy of the trilogy where the artwork was much tamer.

"No relation, promise." Chloe answered swiftly. "I just want you to come to my house and deliver the gift. I'll be there waiting for you to pick it up. Can you promise me that you'll arrive?" 

"Of course I will," Goh said, just as Chloe's eyes briefly went towards the menu. Another awkward pause appeared as he waited for Chloe to say thanks for him doing something nice for her. But when she said nothing, he awkwardly shrunk, shoulders up and tried to find something else to say.

"So, out of curiosity...what would you wish for?"

Chloe set the menu down and inhaled as if she had pondered this question for most of her life. She sadly looked at her right hand and whispered, "I wish I could spend more time with you..."

...

Goh didn't understand what Chloe meant with "more time with him". For one thing, he was there every day at the Institute. If she wanted more time with him, five minutes even, all she had to do was talk to him. Instead, she arrived, backpack off and onto the sofa, pulling out papers, sometimes handing them to him or just leaving it on the table for him to finish later. She never asked to do anything with him after the cafe, always refused every offer he and Ash gave her to hang out as well. It's her fault for not taking the initiative into her own hands, if you ask him.

Birthday wishes were completely overrated in his opinion. A birthday wish on eight little candles didn't magically teleport Tokio to his side through an Abra and have Goh scream and shout that he hated hated, just HATED, this white haired Cianwood city boy for breaking his heart and how he wished the two never met. There was no Celebi to bring him back to the short, black-haired, seven-year-old Goh he was before so he could see Tokio one more time. No, he had to wait three years before he finally got his answer. Not to mention that it was a complete coincidence of finding a letter in Celebi's shrine that just so happened to explain everything as if it was dropped in there by Arceus himself just to conveniently wrap it up.

His life wasn't a shonen anime where power-ups just fall out of the sky.  You can't wish for things. You can't sit around and expect destiny to open up to you like a book. A detective doesn't wait for cases to just drop in his lap. He searches for them. Fights for them.

Those researching skills came in handy when it came to find a bookstore that had a copy of Chloe's book that was apparently quite popular, given the numerous reviews and the fact that it already had a sequel. All it took was him to place an order, him walking to the book store to pick it up, buying a birthday card shaped like a Vivillon and a gift bag colored pink at the local party supply store, and then he went to the Cerise residence and waited at the door. He hesitated a little, unsure if he should ring the doorbell and wait for Chloe to open the door. But she did say to come to her house and deliver the gift...

He ended up just leaving the gift on her doorstep and walking off, his only confirmation that she received it came from a photo of her in bed reading the book and a thank you text. Nothing about her being mad that he didn't stop by longer, didn't take a photo with her like they did the last time he blew out the candles, no stream of texts saying how he was an ungrateful jerk who couldn't even share a slice of cake with her.

At that thought, Goh can't help but secretly wish for something, or someone, to answer the questions deep within his heart.

Where are you, Chloe? And how can I find you?

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Assault of a Minor

"And that's when I said, 'This is why you can't trust those kouros cause their army marches to the beat of their own drum!'" Mr. Feather chuckles. "Oh, that brings back me memories."

Chloe, Lexi, and Atticus laughed as they continued their carriage ride through the fog. On the laps of Mr. Tarr, Mr. Feather, and Chloe were the boxes of food from Mouse and Cheese. The jostling of the carriage is gentle, making sure the marinated olives didn't suddenly hop out of the carriage window.

"I had no idea there were such amazing things to be found on the Train," Lexi says. "Everything has changed since I last updated my logs. I'm so glad my father allowed me to venture out with Chloe and King Atticus by my side."

"Oh yes, the Kingdom of Azada is a marvelous place to get your hands on some forbidden knowledge," Mr. Tarr grins. "Supposedly, there's a section where your father keeps some of the more dangerous books under lock and key. Have you ever tried to sneak in to see what type of secrets your father has been keeping from you?"

"I had once or twice..." Lexi admits. "I have been tempted like Pandora, but I've learned that my father has his reasons for why he does what he does and I've followed his rules without punishment."

"How obedient of you, how loyal of a son to keep his word," Mr. Feather remarks. He then notices Chloe shrinking. "And what about you? Don't tell me you've gone against your parents' back like the little rebel you are? Do they even know you've landed here?"

"No, they don't," Chloe says with a sigh. "And truthfully, I don't want them to know I'm here...or at least, not yet. Let me venture in a place where I don't have to be pushed around following someone else's orders as if they know everything about me."

"Oh, the old 'child wishes to keep their magical land secret' type of kid. A classic! But you know the thing about keeping secrets. Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. Or was it three? Well someone will be pushing daisies, don't you agree?"

Lexi's smile swiftly morphs into a scowl. "Yes, I get the joke over 'Dead Men Tell No Tales', but this is different."

"Is it now? What if the ones who buried the body completely forgot about the deed? Considered them insignificant to the numerous corpses that they stand on top of, a mountain of death and decay that is just as meaningful as wet eyeliner to them. Worthless."

Lexi and Atticus keep their glare while Chloe sighs. 

"Lexi, Atticus, let's not start a fight when they're the only guides we have to face whatever challenge is in this car," she whispers, clenching her fist. She blows on it, and opens her hands, letting the smoke dance and flicker like a flutter of butterflies. "If we show weakness to them when they know who we are, it'll end in trouble."

"What are you implying, Chloe?" Lexi questions, hands on the cushions, a finger rapidly tapping in anxiety.

Chloe shakes her head. "I don't know, but these two seem too opulently dressed for a trip to an asylum. And the best thing we can do is just offer something up for the road...like this box of garlic bread and yummy antipasto!"

She opens the box of food and hands Mr. Tarr ad Mr. Feather a slice of garlic bread on a napkin. Chloe then takes a hunk of garlic bread for herself and chows down on it, savoring the fresh garlic butter on the crunchy French baguette slice.

"Are you seriously that hungry, Chloe?" Lexi asks. "We only ate three hours ago!"

"I eat when I get nervous!" Chloe exclaims, taking another bite out of the garlic bread. "I'm just doing my best to not think about the Uncle Howee show. I mean, are you sure he allows walk-ins? Don't I need to take part of an audition before I get thrust into the spotlight? The stress is making me hungry!""

"You do know that eating that is going to make you blow up." Atticus notes.

"Why's that?"

"Because bread makes you fat."

"Bread makes you fat?!" Chloe gasps, a bit of garlic bread dropping out of her mouth.

"Well, you're not going to swell up like a balloon immediately," Lexi points out. "Then again, you have been getting plenty of exercise from the running we've gone through across the Train."

"I've never ran so much since the mile run," Chloe admits. "I was always one of the last ones to make it to the end because my body isn't made for walking. That and my classmates have had a habit of either tripping me or insulting me for being slow. If there's one thing I don't mind not having to deal with is PE and my teacher trying to give me 'encouragement'."

"And yet it's the slow ones who win the race," Atticus remarked. "Like the tale of the..."

"The tortoise?" Lexi brings up, noticing the weariness in the corgi king's eyes. "Your highness..."

"Aloysius is alive. He has to be," Atticus whispers. "He had guards. And tortoise are known to be heavy. Plus, they have shells, and Aloysius mentioned having an elite ninja squad at his beck and call for stealth and reconnaissance."

"Do they wear multi-colored bandannas and eat pizza?" Chloe jokes.

"That's ridiculous!" Atticus gasps. "Aloysius says that they're into burritos instead of pizza. Although there have been rumors of making pizza burritos. And sushi burritos as well"

"There was a trend back in Vermillion City about something called 'sushirritos'." Chloe laughs. "If I go back home, I'd love to try them..."

There is an awkward silence as neither Lexi nor Atticus comment and Chloe has her right hand clenched. Home is still far away for now, so long as the Apex exist. So long as the Cage of Flauros needs to be erected. 

"So," Lexi says outloud, cutting through the silence. "Fair Tarr and Gentle Feather, what exactly can you tell us about this Friendship Asylum?"

"It's a cozy place where many of the denizens have visited when they find themselves in a...bad place," Mr. Feather explains. "We built it with funding from one Vincent Osorio in order to give denizens a chance to heal after their own adventures with passengers outside of their comfort zones."

"Wait, you built the asylum?" Lexi asks, eyebrows raised if he had any. "And what exactly do the denizens have to pay up to have their entrances and exits?"

"Oh nothing much, just a tiny piece of their souls." Mr. Tarr hisses.

Lexi and Atticus immediately lean forward, ready to fight. Meanwhile, Chloe calmly snaps her fingers as a small ball of flames erupts in the palm of her hand.

"Don't worry, it's just a joke," Mr. Tarr says with a slimy smile on his face.

"That's what Vincent Cooper said about Heather killing what looked like 'monsters', and it wasn't funny either," Chloe remarks, fireball crackling. 

"Well, it's true what they say about you then," Mr. Feather notes. "Not just another bloody Mary. A Mary on a cross."

"Er, thanks?" Chloe asks, the fireball fizzling out. "That supposed to be the title of a song or something?"

"Oh yes, we two just love listening to the greatest hits from across the Train, the workings of a band known as ghost." Mr. Feather says gleefully.

"Just ghost?"

"Just ghost. Come, have a listen to the song and see if you anything comes along." 

"Oh, I think I heard of them," Lexi exclaims as Mr. Tarr somehow summons a portable radio from thin air. "They own a car known as Ghost BC -- Ghost Band Car. They're a pretty macabre group of musicians but let's just say that Chloe...may or may not be ready to see one of their shows. Their lyrics are pretty disturbing and they all seem to worship an angel with...mighty amounts of power."

"Really, what's his name?" Chloe asks curiously.

"Satan."

"Oh....Wait a sec. Are you saying Satan lives on the Train?" Chloe gasps.

"It's only a theory," Lexi answers. "My father keeps a lot of knowledge hidden from me. But if Satan has a home here, does that mean demons also walked across these cars? What about the gods? We know there are cars filled with vampires, unicorns, elven kings, and mermaids, but to meet up with the upper echelon of the supernatural..."

"These are all creatures of our nightmares and fairy tales," Chloe whispers, her tone of voice just as excited as Lexi's. Her heart quickened in excitement. "So does this mean all the stories we've read are truth? Vampires hate garlic and sunlight? Werewolves despise wolfsbane and silver? Unicorns only appear to pure-hearted maidens?"

"There's a saying my father once told me at night. 'All things are true...few things are accurate.' The lore you grew up with may not be what the denizens on the Train reflect. Remember that the Train has existed for ages, so people from different time periods might have different observations and facts. Like how myths have numerous retellings when passed down orally. So who can say if it be true that what you know is different than what is unknown."

Chloe says nothing more as the radio starts blaring the first song, catching just as hits the chorus. ("You go down just like holy Mary/Mary on a/Mary on a Cross") And yet, when she keeps staring at Mr. Tarr and Feather, she feels that something is...off about them. Not in the sense that they look human (she already knew they were denizens because their open palms didn't flash bright green with a number), but because of them looking too much like a human. 

But what does she know; even if she does voice her opinions, no one would believe her if she says, "You know, the outfits and lion-headed monocle of two members of the Ars Goetia. Wouldn't it be a funny coincidence if you were actually demons on parade?"

She keeps the thought to herself, leaning on Lexi's side as she, Atticus and Lexi enjoy the gentle carriage ride towards the black gates of the dreaded Friendship Asylum. Lexi smiles as he pats her head, finding it cute when she's lost in thought. He wonders what type of story she'll spin tonight...

"You care for her so much, don't you?" Mr. Tarr comments.

"I wouldn't even be traveling on the Train if it wasn't for Chloe and Atticus unearthing me from the unforgiving soil of Azada," Lexi states. He tries to not think about how many times his father might have walked over the exact same spot where he was buried. "I've made a vow to become her knight, or else my name isn't Prince Lexi Isoldes Aristophenes."

"Are you sure you want to give away your full name to a bunch of strangers?" Feather inquires.

Lexi raises an eyebrow. "Do you want to end up in a body cast?"

"Lexi, let's try and get along," Atticus remarks. "If they kick us out, we'll have to travel in this fog on foot again. And I don't think the food Chloe brought will survive less than a day."

Lexi sighs. "Sorry, your majesty. I'm feeling tense about this whole asylum business. If it was just as easy as to sign our name in the register, take a tour of the place, and then leave with unpleasant memories, then I'll be down for it. But that's not how it works. Asylums usually mean torture, insanity, violence."

"But we'll stop them," Chloe vows. "We got arrested and survived the madness of Goblin Jail after all. I'm sure some little asylum will be a walk in the park for the Red Lotus Trio."

"Although it would be helpful to have something to cause a distraction," Mr. Feather advises. "Here, for the paper prince, I present you this."

He rummages for something deep in his pockets, then pulls out a collection of thin papers, the size of a matchbook. On the front reads "Flash Paper from Invisi-bael Magic Shop".

"Haha, very funny," Lexi mutters, reading the name of the magic shop.

"Wait, is this true though?" Chloe gasps, taking the matchbook into her hands. "Bael is the First King of the Goetias, and one of his most well-known skills is to make the summoner invisible. Bael is also one of the most unusual looking Goetias. -- a three-headed monstrosity of a king, a Meowth, and a Politoed stitched onto the body of an Ariados! But if you subscribe to his rank compared to the Seven Kings of Hell then he falls short of -- "

Chloe pauses as she notices Tarr and Feather's eyebrows raised in curiosity. Atticus and Lexi blink. When no one comments, she shrinks in her seat and hands Lexi the flash paper back. "Sorry, I should've just kept my mouth shut. I guess listening to a chatterbox like me rambling on and on about the macabre and the occult would annoy you."

"No, no, we're not annoyed," Tarr remarks with a smile. "It's just that...you honestly do remind us of that other Cerise who visited the Train so long ago."

"You also know of Alec Cerise?" Atticus asks. "Either this is an extreme coincidence or..."

"Perhaps it's the inevitable," Feather pipes up. "The story has been told, though who can say if it be true...that the man who would become known as the Four-Eyed Demon would stumble into a wonderful neighborhood with happy puppet characters, quite a colorful bunch you might say. 'Welcome home!' the denizens of the Rainbow Neighborhood Car cried out in joy as he spent a few days in their presence, even performing a live show in a technicolor suit and top hat as the joyful 'Mr. Kite'. But underneath the cheery exterior was a secret that...well, supposedly he is the only being on and off the Train to know what darkness hides behind their cheery smiles. He decided to keep it buried to ensure their innocence was not spoiled."

Again with this talk about Alec Cerise. Chloe frowns as she tries to ponder this stranger with her father's face finding himself in love with the demons and...she really couldn't see it. These denizens are exaggerating. Once is unexpected, twice is a coincidence...she'll need one more piece of evidence to fully believe in this idea that she may (or may not be) a descendant of a legendary passenger. If she ever finds some sort of journal about his exploits, she'll be able to get enough proof that her theory is correct.

After all, who would believe her if she said that Alec Cerise's sacred number just so happened to coincide with the 46th Goetia?

----

"Chloe! Chloe, wake up!"

"Parker, let me sleep a bit longer..." Chloe groans, head resting to the side. That is when she feels a small nip on her hand and her eyes snap open. "Ah! Atticus, not again!"

"Works every time," Atticus smirks as he hops out of Chloe's lap and onto the foggy ground. "We're here."

Chloe rubs the sleep out of her arms and stretches, momentarily poking her head out of the carriage window to see that Atticus is correct. The fog has lifted, and now the carriage is parked in front of the creaky old gates to the asylum. A cheery sign welcomes the visitors to the so-called "Friendship Asylum", the cheery sun and blue sky a sharp contrast to the grey concrete block with a roof with missing shingles like numerous teeth falling off a nutcracker. The dead trees are a nice touch, with a decayed tire swing on the side, the dead grass, and oh they added some old statues of weathered angels on the side. How thoughtful.

"Come along, now," says Lexi, opening the carriage door. "We've got a challenge to conquer after all."

Chloe nods, shivering as she pulls the hood of her cloak up. What she'd do for something nice and warm at the moment. Even some freshly baked garlic bread.

"Yes, yes, time's a-running," Tarr says with a gleaming grin. "You have a show to put on, a name to put up in lights."

Chloe hops out of the carriage,  Lexi taking her hand to keep her steady. The paint is peeling on the front, a roof shingle drops off like a black oily raindrop, nearly rushing Chloe's foot. Attcus is on high alert throughout the ten steps it takes to reach the doors to the asylum.

"Does One-One ever think about doing repairs for some of the older cars?" Chloe ponders. "If this was a mental health hospital in my world, this would be closed down for repairs or turned into a historical landmark."

"We do need the funds to give this old home proper repairs," Tarr notes. "We're lucky to get by on some donations. It also helps that the denizens here don't have a need to eat."

That raises a few red flags in Lexi. While it is true that many of the cars had inanimate denizens, something about this scenario is not settling well with his pages.

Mr. Feather knocks on the door, which falls onto the floor with a loud SLAM, causing a large cloud of dust to rise. Chloe covers her face with her cloak while Atticus stepped back. "Roquelle, are you in here? We have guests!"

The entrance to the asylum is cold like a mausoleum. Lexi notices a cockroach skittering on the ground and shudders. He hates the idea of them crawling on his pages and devouring them bit by bit. That and rats. Either way, the faster they get to the exit, the better (although why he can't just fly over the rooftop of the asylum is another thing. It's not like the guardian deity of this place can touch him.)

"We just need to pass through the asylum to get to the next car," Chloe says, stepping forward. "So if there's anyone who can -- "

The lights suddenly turn on, party poppers burst in her ears and sprinkle her with confetti. Then, a patchwork banner unfurls from the ceiling reading, "WELCOME FRIENDS!" in jagged yellow letters. This is accompanied by applause by numerous faceless mannequins dressed up for a costume party.

"Welcome esteemed guests!" A mannequin dressed as a bride exclaims. "It's been so long since we had new friends."

"Thank you," Chloe says bashfully. "We're the Red Lotus Trio and -- "

"Oh yes, yes!" Another mannequin with a conductor's baton in his hands adds. "We have heard the rumors about you on the Infinite Radio Stations. How you arrived in the Kingdom of Azada and saved the lost prince from a horrible fate."

"It was just a kettle of hot water," Chloe admits. "And that one was my fault for placing it in a way that would've caused it to fly into the air and land on any of the books."

"That was still such a nice thing to do," A mannequin in a poofy princess dress and shimmering golden crown said. "Your shoulder doesn't hurt, right?"

"Oh, this old thing?" Chloe chuckles, hand on her left shoulder. "The pain was temporary, but I'd go through it again if it leads me into a blessing of having a new friend join me on my trip to stop the Apex!"

The mannequins gasp. One dressed in a white bunny suit asks, "So the rumors are true? You're really going after the Apex?"

"Someone has to," Chloe says. "They've hurt delegates from Corginia, they buried Lexi alive. I've heard tales of suffering throughout my trip across the Train, and I've decided that to make it my dream to -- "

"By the spear of Amanikabli, what the hell is all that racket?!"

The mannequins gasped as a door to the left slams open, and a figure stepped forward with long black hair streaked with red and unnaturally pale skin the color of monsoon clouds. Behind long black bangs are piercing red eyes. She wears a white top which exposes her navel with upright shoulders with rounded tops like clipped butterfly wings. On the center of the blouse is a bright yellow sun. She also wears baggy pants, with one leg being red and the other being blue. She also wears a cluster of pearls like a flower as an earring on her right ear. "I was finally getting some sleep after your whining, only to find you throwing another one of your stupid parties? Walang hiya ka!"

"Who's...that?" Lexi asks Mr. Tarr.

"That would be the warden of the Friendship Asylum, Roquelle," Mr. Tarr answers with a sigh. 

"She has quite the temper," Atticus notes.

"Nice to meet you, Roquelle," Chloe says, bowing to the warden. "My name is Chloe Cerise, but I usually go by the title 'Chloe of the Vermilli-'

"Ugh!" Roquelle snarls, covering her mouth. "Why does your breath smell so bad?!"

Chloe blushes, also covering her mouth. "Oh, sorry. Must've been the garlic bread I ate on the way here. Does anyone have gum? Or a breath mint?"

Roquelle clicks her teeth, fanning her hand in front of her face. "Forget it; just make sure to stay at least six feet away from me. Last thing I need is to have my face reeking of your garlic breath."

Chloe nods and steps back while Roquelle places a hand on her head as if suffering from a migraine. Given how she doesn't have a glass bottle on hand, it's certainly not a hangover. 

"Roquelle, please be nice and allow our guests to partake in one small trial so they can pass," Mr. Tarr notes. "Failure to do so means..."

"I know what it means," Roquelle says with a long, drawn out sigh. "I've been doing this job for a hundred years, after all."

"Then make sure you keep your hands to yourself this time around," Feather growls.

"Tch. Fine."

"Well then," the Wizard mannequin proclaims. "If you want a trial, we can do a bit of a role play. Just partake in a role of your choosing, and we'll let you go. That a deal."

"Better than nothing," Lexi mutters, really wanting to leave. "So Atticus and I will be --"

"We know exactly who you are supposed to be, your majesties. Royalty off on a quest to save the world. But what would Chloe like to be for our play date?"

"I'd say I want to be a queen, but in truth..." Chloe smiles as she presents a fireball towards the mannequins. "I want to be a witch!"

The mannequins gasp in awe while Roquelle's right eye twitches.

"I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, right?" Chloe asks. "I've always wanted to enroll in a witch's academy and cast spells, brew potions, ride a broomstick as well! Maybe we can set up some trials where I can prove myself as to whether I can qualify as a 'witch' in your pretend game. Would that be okay?"

The mannequins pause, then decide to huddle in the corner, whispering to themselves. One wearing a chef's hat looks up, but a hand pushes him back into the circle while Roquelle leers at the uninvited guests. Tarr and Feather nod their heads, as if pleased with their inspections so far. Chloe turns to them.

"So," she begins. "I was just about to ask something about Alec."

"Hmm?" Mr. Tarr questions.

"He's associated with the number 46...that wouldn't happen to coincide with the -- "

"Hey, puta!" Roquelle barks, grabbing Chloe's arm. "The trials have been set. Let's go."

"Okay, now can you just...hey, quit pushing me! I can walk by myself!" Chloe exclaims with Lexi and Atticus following her. Tarr and Feather watch the group go before Feather clicks his teeth.

"Seems that we're going to have to keep an eye on her," he mutters.

"Agreed," Tarr adds. "She's about to become an annoying thorn in our side."

...

The Red Lotus Uprising are lead to the backyard of the asylum, littered with dead leaves. They stand in front of a swimming pool where more leaves, tree branches and a beach ball can be found floating on its surface. Chloe isn't paying close attention to it, as she remembered seeing an artist mannequin lost in their work on the wall. Said work being a dark red seal on the wall, with the red "paint" actually being...

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 -  Autopsy of a Monster

The afternoon sun starts to turn orange.

At this point, Goh should go back to the Cerise Institute. He's been getting messages from Ash about whether or not he's returned from his trip to Ilex Forest and if he has any interesting stories to tell. Goh does his best to text with one thumb about something shocking that he found in Celebi's shrine...but he decides not to be such a bother.

Goh steps foot into the Robinson-Leigh Library, hands in his pocket. A quiet place, where he can be surrounded by books and not be bothered by other people. The most you have to talk to is the head librarian for the location of a particular book that you're looking for. 

He wanders past the reference books, the adult fiction section, the history section, and enters the children's section on a whim. He recalls a field trip when he and other classmates learned the magic of the library, and went on a scavenger hunt to learn about the Dewey Decimal system. Chloe wanted to partner with him but he refused. He could find the answers by himself cause he was such an expert in using computers, showing everyone up by being the first one to hand in his scavenger hunt sheet and winning a free book about Mythical Pokémon.

As he passes by a table of the most popular books at the moment, Goh's eyes glance at the book Chloe asked from him. Terrifying Tales for Fledgling Fennekins. He only read the summary online, never found himself reading fiction for pleasure (unless said pleasure is learning new Pokémon stuff or perhaps looking at the stars at night, a vision of him stargazing with Mr. White Haired Traitor flashes in his mind). He still feels his chest swell with pride when he correctly labeled all the Pokémon in front of Professor Oak. It's something he'll never forget). But it's here now...

Why did Chloe want this book in particular? What secrets does it hold that connects with her disappearance? Is there a secret code? Something in her room that can connect the two of them? A single page, a single sentence might be all that is needed to finally get some answers.

Goh picks up the book on the table and takes a look at the cover. Streaks of yellow and orange for the Fennekins in contrast to the black shadows and darkened woods. What exactly does Chloe find interesting? It's not like her to actively ask him for anything...

He puts the book back and walks towards the tall shelves, not understanding why children loved fiction so much. The lives of the people there weren't real. What was there to gleam over? And the stories ended the same anyhow. Good versus evil, good always wins, the princess wakes up, the stepmother gets burned alive or drowns, families are reunited, nobody dies, and everyone lives happily ever afters.

Well, happily ever afters for everyone except him. His happy ending was to see Tokio again, to have another adventure to find Celebi even if it ended up going nowhere. And he still has his goal to have Mew in the palm of his hands. That goal wouldn't be fulfilled for a long time.

But...what happens when he reaches his happily ever after? Is there really such thing as happily ever after?

He's thought about how happy he'd be when Chloe came home. When she returned from...wherever she was this whole time...but then what happens next? Does he just go back to his routine of traveling with Ash and catching Pokémon? Does he become more forceful and drag Chloe off of her butt to do something?

Goh groans and rubs his forehead. if only he knew just how to reach out to Chloe. Maybe he needs to figure out what type of Pokémon she likes. Everyone has to have a Pokémon they like; Chloe's no different. And seeing as he meandered into the spooky section of the Children's Wing, he might as well use that as inspiration.

Goh begins pulling books off the shelves, staring at their covers for inspiration. Clearly there has to be one book that would give him a clue. After ten books, he finds a cover of a picture book depicting a girl on a swing with a Misdreavus on the swings next to her. The whimsical title reads How to Make Friends with a Ghost.

Goh takes a look at the girl's smile, at the Misdreavus smiling back...and a memory forms.

...

"Check out this book I borrowed from the library!" Goh cheered, a large textbook of Pokémon in his hands. The title read "Junior Trainer's Big Book of Pokémon".  "It has  information of all the Pokémon from the Kanto region, the Johto region, and even the Hoenn region! I bet they have a lot of pages dedicated to Mew!"

"Of course it would," Chloe muttered, scooping curry and rice into her mouth. It's lunch time and everyone is having fun chatting with one another, discussing celebrity crushes, games, books. Not like Goh who only cares about Mew.

Goh slams the textbook onto the table and began flipping towards the middle. "Maybe I can read something about Mew's likes or dislikes. Maybe I can figure out the best ways to capture them. Or their favorite food. Or..."

"Why do we always have to read about Mew?" Chloe interrupted. "Can't we discuss the Pokémon I like?"

Goh paused and turned to Chloe in amusement. "You liking Pokémon?" he asked, as if he meant to ask Santa Claus wasn't real (not like he believed in him). He snorted. "Aside from Vivillon, I mean."

"Vivillon used to be my favorite Pokémon," Chloe clarified, snatching the book away from Goh and flipped towards a few pages. "But if we're going into the 'M' section, let's go past Mew and look up....that!"

Goh blinked at the new Pokémon Chloe pointed to. Still under "M" but it definitely wasn't a Miltank (who were known for their pink coloration and their milk being of the best quality). "Isn't that a Misdreavus?"

"Yeah, don't they look pretty?" Chloe said, smiling at the image. "It's said they love spooking people at night and feed on their fears! If I found a Misdreavus, I wouldn't be afraid because they'd eat my fears for me. Or maybe a Shuppet would work out as well. That would also work for you too, Goh! Because chasing after a Mew means you have to be pretty fearless, right?"

"I dunno..."

"Oh, what about a Gastly?" Chloe suggested, flipping the book to the "G" section and pointing at the ghost Pokémon that looked more like a miniature black sun with a purple ghostly aura with a sharp fang smile. "Don't you think their fangs look so fang-tastic? And then they'll evolve to a Haunter and a Gengar! If I met a Gengar, I'd become best friends with them!"

"Seriously?" Goh muttered. "Don't you know what it takes to envolve them into a Gengar?"

"Er, lots of hugs and candy?" Chloe asked. She already could imagine hugging a Gastly at night, going trick-or-treating with it while dressed as a witch, feeding them those candy corns that she hated. Blech. She liked chocolates a lot better. Dark chocolates with peanut butter.

Goh groaned as he snatched the book away from Chloe and pointed to the bottom of the page which showed a chart of Gastly's evolution. Gastly to Haunter to Gengar. "See this? You have to trade Haunter with another Trainer in order for it to evolve. And then the Trainer has to swap it back so that you can actually use the Gengar."

"Ohhh...." Chloe said. But then the shock turned to a smile. "But it's not gonna be that difficult cause I know the best Trainer to trade with."

"Really? You actually wanna trade with No-Show Goh here?"

Chloe flinched but otherwise kept a calm face when she saw Sara approach along with Patricia. Julie made up the rear, and every time Chloe saw her, she wondered what exactly Sara did to make Julie so...submissive. Surely Julie wasn't really part of Sara's posse out of her own will.

"Of course I do!" Chloe said proudly. "Because Goh and I are friends. And once Haunter evolves into Gengar we can switch right back!"

"Yeah right!" Sara sneered. "As if your friend would ever want to give up his precious Mew."

"I promise to trade it back for Gengar. I don't want Mew, just --"

"Sara is right though." Goh commented. "I don't want to trade Mew to anyone."

Chloe looked ready to tear up. "But...but what about my Gengar? You can always capture another Pokémon so we can still make the trade anyhow! I really want to --"

"If you really want that Gengar so much, then leave me alone and go trade with someone else! Or better yet, the next time you meet up with one of them, why not have Yamper use Spark. I don't need anyone except Mew." Goh answered bluntly. 

"Is...is that true?" Chloe stammered. "But don't you need another Pokémon to battle Mew so you can ca--"

"What are you, stupid?!" Goh snapped.  Is his friend that much of an idiot? "Let me spell it out to you like my mom said, 'If it's not about Mew, it's not my problem!' Got it?"

"I...I..." Chloe looked ready to cry. Instead, she scooped curry into mouth and said nothing else for the rest of lunch period with tears in her eyes. All while Goh flipped the book back to Mew's page and Sara and Patricia laughed and Julie just stayed silent, like she always did.

She never brought up any mention of Misdreavus or Shuppet or Gengar ever again. All was well.

... 

Goh shakes his head and puts the book back on the shelf. Okay, that is ridiculous. Chloe liking Ghosts is not like her. After all, if that was true, then she would've been interested in the Misdreavus he caught in the Johto Region. She wouldn't be terrified at fighting Gengar; she'd be giggling at them, hugging them and finding them to be so much fun. (How hilarious would it be for Gengar to not be defeated by Yamper's Spark but by a little girl with red hair wanting to befriend them). She would've shown jealousy over not being there on the day Ash met up with Gengar's abusive Trainer and tackled the asshole with a Spark attack.

And then he frowns again at the thought of Chloe demanding for him to trade with her when he's clearly not interested. Why did Chloe insist on having him having to make her happy? He gave her the solution, it shouldn't be that hard to find a trainer willing to trade Pokémon with her then trade back. There were hundreds of Pokémon Trainers in Vermillion City, and if she went on a journey, she'd certainly find a Trainer in the Pokémon Center who would say yes. Didn't she see that he just wanted Mew at the time?

But...that was before Goh met Ash. When he realized that in order to capture Mew, he needed a Pokémon to fight them, weaken them, and then Mew would be in the palm of his hands. And just because Mew is still his endgame, didn't mean he couldn't become friends with Scorbunny (looking back, Goh realized he was an ass for rejecting Scorbunny so easily).

So Chloe wasn't wrong when she said that he should have another Pokémon...

Oh, what the hell would she know about Pokémon? She showed little to no enthusiasm for it, so of course her wanting to fight Ash Ketchum was going to end in failure. At least he didn't try to Tackle a Ghost-type in his first battle! And she should be lucky he hasn't decided to upload the video yet; he was humiliated in front of an entire audience! And the tournament was livestreamed for thousands of people. What a drama queen.

Scowling, he stomps off from these works of fiction, but as he turns a corner, he bumps into a taller boy with feathery blond hair, wearing a white school uniform. "Agh!"

"Oh, sorry," The boy says with a smile. "Didn't see you coming round the corner."

"It's okay," Goh mutters. Just as long as he stays away from those books not helping him reach the truth. "And...uh, who are you?"

"Daiki," The older boy says. while next to a girl with light brown hair and a pendant depicting a Misdreavus. "And this is my friend, Hannah."

"Hey Goh!" Hannah said with a wave. "So, you checking out a book for home?"

"Er...no," Goh answers, looking away. "I'm just buying some time before I go back."

"Oh," Daiki says. "Well, take care of yourself. Been hearing a lot of things going down at Vermillion International School."

"Whatever has happened, it doesn't involve me at all," Goh mutters, stomping off and putting his hood over his head. He didn't like it when others approached him like that. And it isn't like these two would become important to him in the future. Damn it, why is Vermillion International School so important right about now? Did someone die? Did some sort of scandal get loose?

Well, it doesn't matter. None of it matters. He already has enough on his plate trying to figure out where Chloe's gone and having no clues as to what happened. The forums were no help, and narrowing it down in the search engines weren't of any use either. If only there was a sign...

Looking down at his Rotomphone, Goh glances at the time and decides to send a message to Ash. Then he notices that Chloe sent him a message a few hours ago. He immediately goes to check it, but his hopes are dashed. Nothing about her whereabouts. Instead, they're all questions about how he acted so rude to her in hiding the truth about Ilex Forest. Did she not understand that it was none of her business? He doesn't go poking around over what bugs her as to why she keeps refusing his offers to go Pokémon exploring. Arceus, what is she? Stupid?!

He's about to text Chloe to shut up about Ilex Forest but pauses. Then he shoves his Rotomphone into his pocket and storms out of the library. He'll respond to Chloe later. He'll let Chloe be the one to call him instead of doing these baby steps of sending texts to pointless questions.

Author Notes

If there's one thing I noticed about Goh prior to Ash, he doesn't self-reflect. He's incapable of thinking about his past actions and just allows his emotions to leak out. Episode 32 shows him refusing to confront the pain of Tokio's "betrayal" in any way, shape, or form, ultimately deciding that Pokémon are better because they don't abandon you. He's quick to dismiss Ash as a friend because of one minor spat, and he has a tendency to not think about communicating things. Rather, he just gives up without trying to meet in the middle (him deciding that he'll just dump Raboot before Ash tells him that he's being an asshole like the Gengar trainer)

And speaking of Gengar, I am kinda annoyed that the end of Ep 11 has Chloe knock Gengar out of the Institute but she's conveniently not there six episodes later so Gengar ends up antagonizing Ash. You literally could've had Chloe there to confront Gengar once more, maybe get a lesson to try again, have her -- I don't know -- CAPTURE the Ghost and have her with a unique Pokemon before Eevee (because none of the Poké girls had Ghosts at all). Only other significant moment Chloe and Gengar interact is when Eevee decides to imitate the Ghost, which is a waste of character interactions if you ask me.

On a side note, Daiki is based off the same Daiki from Infinity Train: Boiling Point's prequel -- Melancholy Afterlife. Hannah, meanwhile, is named after Hannah-Marie, protagonist of "Scary Godmother: Halloween Spectacular". Her Misdreavus is a reference to Scary Godmother herself.

Also, yes I am fully aware that Goh likes books but I like to amend that he's not into FICTION. He isn't into fairy tales or book reports, just books with cold hard facts. I also like to believe that Goh loved stargazing -- he does mention to Drizzile that when he can't express himself in words, he looks at the stars -- but stopped doing so after Tokio as it's just a reminder of the jerk.

And speaking of jerk, I'm not sure how much longer I have to pound it into people's heads in this fanfic that Goh being a jerk wasn't JUST from Chloe's perspective. All flashbacks in his chapters are from how he remembers them and he never sees anything wrong with how he behaved because no one ever teaches him right or wrong. Those with autism may have problems with emotional regulation. And with Chloe unknowingly hitting his buttons about Tokio, all he can do is tell her to eff off. And yet there is a paradox in that he wants her to STAY to avoid confronting the idea that he's unlovable when he could be loved and accepted if he just, I dunno, brought up Tokio in casual conversation?

(And yes, Tokio will appear in the story; he's actually in Goh's final flashback)

The flashback with Chloe and Goh is mostly to highlight how they are mirrors to one another. Goh is logical, focuses on his goal with intellect, but he blocks emotions and doesn't think of supporting Chloe in any way possible with her goals. While Chloe is innocent and sees herself befriending ghosts easily -- it was inspired by this comic, btw -- she still points out the smaller things like Goh needing another Pokémon to catch Mew and she was still trying to support him by having Shuppet feed on his fears and insecurities (which REALLY would've benefited Goh given how angsty and aloof he was to her). Chloe continued to watch out for Goh, but Goh is more "wake up, get out, and stop thinking of the small things". Both of them need one another, yet they lack they don't accept what the other has in store for them. Alas, given how they had no parent figures to talk things over, it's honestly a miracle their friendship lasted up to this point.

Next chapter will focus on the titular Firefly Funhouse as we deal with the "Assassination of Faith". See you then.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Assassination of Faith

The next car is dark. Dark enough that one would be unable to see their hand in front of their faces. The only sounds that can be heard is light rustling of the wind, heaving breathing, and the crackling of a small fire, a pinprick of light in a land of shadows. 

Lexi unfolds himself until he is in a humanoid form once more, hand against a tree. Atticus and Chloe hop off, Chloe grasping her shoulder but making sure to not show how much pain she's in by keeping an emotionless face. She doesn't care if her shoulder is swollen or if her chest is red from Roquelle's assault. She's handled worse.

"So, what's our status?" asks Atticus, peering into the dark. His ears pick up faint sounds of screeching, but that can be bats and not pissed off wardens. 

"I think we lost her," Chloe says, one hand covered in flames, the other one gripping her donut holer. Atticus and Lexi make sure to stay by her side so they don't get lost. The only other light that can be seen in the distances are the large blue-white fireflies floating around in spiraling patterns. There also flowers. Crocus, to be precise. "There's no way she can smell my garlic breath from this distance. As long as we make it to the door, we're safe...hopefully."

"What is her deal?" Atticus questions. "Are all asylum wardens like this?"

"You really want either of us to answer that question?" Lexi asks, using his papers to gather kindling for a fire. "At least she can't go after us here."

"In the meantime, are you guys okay?" Chloe asks, looking down at Atticus. Lexi dumps the firewood in front of them and she tosses the fireball to light them up. The crackling sounds give her some comfort within this everlasting darkness. "I wish I can give you a toothbrush to brush your teeth, but I don't think we have enough water to clean my brush."

"I knew we should've bought some of those canine dental wipes back at the Dentist Car," Atticus sighs. "But Lexi and I are more concerned about you, Chloe. We don't know when we'll be able to find a Hospital Car for you to rest. Or if there's an apothecary, or some healing potion to heal your wounds."

"Yeah, we need to get to the door as soon as possible," Chloe agrees. "But this gives me a chance to practice the pyrokinesis given from the cloak. Mmm...do you guys recall what Olmec said?"

"Even better!" Lexi snaps his fingers as he rips a paper from his neck. "I made sure to write the entire conversation in case of emergencies. Let's see...'The Cloak of Marchosias and Wepwawet combines the ferocity and the flames of the Marquess of Fortitude with the straight and noble pathways of the White Wolf of the Warpath. The cloak allows you, Chloe of the Vermillion, to unleash the fires of Inferno that Marchosias unleashes on the summoner if they find themselves unworthy. It also allows you to take the path of the White Wolf of the Warpath, opening the doors to a new road towards infinity if need be while firing judgment like arrows from within your very core."

Atticus noticed how the paper was half the size of an average one. "You got that down in just one page?"

"There's more," Lexi adds, unfolding the paper so it is now average size. "There are still many secrets kept within the cloak so try them all out when possible. It will help you light the way, or perhaps guide others to another point of view they have never seen before. The choice is yours and yours alone."

"It still is weird that he'd have this type of artifact kept hidden away," Chloe remarks as Lexi puts the paper back. "Where was that for that Mallow girl and her...Bounsweet, it was?"

"Do you want a girl half your age setting the world on fire?" Lexi deadpans.

Chloe pauses as she imagines little Mallow with her green pigtails and flower crown in her hair smirking while a house burns behind her. "Er...no. Still, I just don't like this feeling of being compared to a family member I don't even know. It just reminds me of how I'm trying to escape my dad's shadow."

"But has your father ever said you were to inherit his legacy as a Pokémon Professor?" Lexi asks. "I know that one day I shall become King of Azada, but I am content in my duties of being a prince for now."

"I..." Chloe pauses. She knows a lot of what her father said and what he didn't say. "No, he's never said anything about me being a Pokémon Professor, but at the same time he never says anything at all."

"Not even about why you've been stuck at his office without anything to do?"

Chloe exhales, like a white flower closing in on itself. "He said it was only to give me 'breathing room' after what happened at the talent show, and that I needed anything, I could talk to him. But, I haven't been able to say what I really want because I know that my feelings and wants don't matter to him. Can't even convince him to let me go to softball camp on my own even though I was on my best behavior."

"What exactly does he make you do?" Atticus asks, sitting down. Chloe slowly drops down to do the same, nervously rubbing her shoulder. "You mentioned back in the Crayon Car as to how you were 'caged' in your father's office after an incident with red paint that resulted in you getting in trouble with the principal."

"I do nothing," Chloe remarks. "I mean, it'd be easy for him to be mad for me and force me to clean the Institute on my hands and knees. But I feel like me not doing punishment is a punishment. Him not paying attention to me like I want is his way of him hating me. And I don't blame him. After all, he's a Pokémon Professor, graduate of Professor Oak. Anything that I do is a reflection of himself. So if word gets out that I'm an angsty violent girl..." 

"It won't reflect him," Atticus says. "In fact, I'm sure people will see him as a flawed but understanding father if you take the time to tell him about your bullying."

"And what happens next?" Chloe asks, fingers pressing on her dislocated shoulder. "What do you think he'll do about the bullying problem? Best he can do is prohibit them from being Pokémon Trainers which will lead to the classmates getting ready with a steel chair to smack across the face or pushing me out of the third story window because how dare I decide to tell my dad about this and prevent them from chasing their dreams!" She starts breaking down. "I know my classmates want me to die. You know, Sara was kind enough to give me a birthday gift once. Some flowers on my desk."

"That's...nice of her," Lexi compliments.  

"Yeah, a nice way of saying 'I wish you were dead'." Chloe remarks. "Course I can't say anything about it because her posse will defend her. Heck, if someone does something wrong in that class, I'm the scapego-goat. They'll always defend each other in a secret alliance to take me down. Like Harriet the Spy when her confidential notebook was exposed and they destroyed her life in retaliation because of her observations. The only thing I can do is keep my head low and hope that they'll eventually get tired of me because asking adults to intervene in regards to children's problems always leads to more suffering."

She sits down, one hand over her face to hide her tears. Atticus curls up in her lap and Lexi sits down and wraps his arms around her.

"And now I'm nothing more than a burden for you both. My arm is immobilized, there's no medical car in sight, and even if there is one, I'll be stuck like this for a few weeks. Goetias, I'm so stupid thinking that I could fight back against Roquelle!"

"Even if you didn't stand up to her, Roquelle would have made things worse for you," Atticus comments. "The fact that you were defiant against her assault makes you stronger than her."

"And getting wounded doesn't make you weak," Lexi says. "No man's an island; we can carry the burden for you."

"But we need to figure out a way to heal my shoulder in the fastest way possible," Chloe insists. "What I'd do to summon a doctor this instant..."

And yet her mind still focuses on her being a scapego-goat. Doesn't matter what happens or who does it, it's always her fault. If the class is forced to stay in the cafeteria until everyone is quiet? It's her fault. If a student causes a mess in PE, her fault. If her class ends up no longer being trainers? Her. freaking. fault.

But that phrase keeps ringing in her head. Scapego-goat. Gogoat...Go...goa...

Chloe suddenly stands up, eyes bright. "I got an idea!"

"Really?" asks Lexi.

"Yeah, I think we could..." Chloe pauses as she looks at her hand. Recalling how she tried bringing suggestions for group projects at school but her partners ignored her for their ideas. And then they think of an idea that would force them to perform the minimum while forcing her to do everything else since she's so creative and artistic. "No, I shouldn't say it. It's ridiculous...it's crazy...you'll laugh..."

"We just escaped some sort of grotesque woman who splits her body in half by throwing flash paper at her face," Lexi remarks. "We survive on crazy plans and on a Train where you have to do what you can to survive..."

"We won't laugh at you," Atticus says. "We trust you to come up with a good decision here."

Chloe breathes. That's right. Atticus and Lexi aren't her classmates. They aren't Goh who can't read between the lines of a text. They aren't assholes; they will not interrupt her. "Okay, I was thinking about how I was a scapego-goat back at school...but then I focused on the Gogoat part. Remember what you said that Satan might be a denizen on the Train, Lexi?"

"Yeah. Wait, don't tell me you're going to try to summon Satan?"

"I'll try to summon Satan after I successfully summon Lucifer," Chloe snarks. "But that's not the point. The point is that if Satan is a possible denizen, then perhaps the demons of the Ars Goetia can be summoned as well." Chloe removes her backpack and reaches for her phone. She begins searching through her downloaded notes. "And it just so happens that there is exactly one Goetia who is capable of healing me without any sacrifice. Take a look at this image."

Atticus and Lexi lean close and nearly scream in surprise. They see a monstrosity that has the face of a lion but with six goat legs circling them like a wheel. Chloe laughs a little.

"He looks weird, yes, but he also has a centaur form that he sometimes uses. This demon is known as Buer, the 10th ranked of the Goetias. One of his abilities is to heal the summoner along with knowledge of herbs and plants I probably will be eating or applying to accelerate the recovery process."

"So we're taking a gamble to summon a demon in order to magically heal your shoulder?" Atticus surmises. "That...is not a bad idea. And if he does need a sacrifice, I'm sure a bit of food or a small drop of blood will suffice."

"And it's not like we can do anything else," Lexi admits with a nod of his head. "Okay, Chloe. What do we need to do?"

"Atticus, you're going to be on lookout for Roquelle if she arrives," Chloe instructs while she scrolls through her phone. "And Lexi, I'll need your help in drawing Buer's seal as well. The faster we get this done, the better."

"On it!" Lexi picks up a stick on the ground like a large pencil. "Come on then, Let's get to work."

Chloe smiles as she sets the phone in the center, making sure to place her finger on it every now and then so it doesn't turn off, and drags her donut holer onto the ground, forming one large circle while Lexi draws a smaller one inside.  Atticus quietly looks off into the distances, ever vigilant for the smell of blood and rotten flesh that he picked up from Roquelle when he clenched on her intestines. 

He has gone through plenty of terrifying experiences with Tulip, but it seems like Chloe just likes to drag him onto a never-ending nightmare that he can't wake out of. It's not her fault, per se, it's just the will of the cars the Train places in front of them. Although sometimes he wonders if the Train purposefully teleports the three into whatever car seems most convenient for a blessing or a lesson. There's never an in-between, there is never a compromise.

Reminds him of a quote of a detective with the ever shifting face told him a month after Tulip left the train. "Never compromise, even in the face of Armageddon."

And yet, Atticus honestly likes how refreshing Chloe's approach towards the cars are. While Tulip tries to force her way through a car or run in the first sign of trouble, Chloe jumps into the fray with childish innocence. Even if some of them are frightening or not his speed, there is still some beauty to them. 

Still, something bugs him in regards to Chloe and her supposed "grandfather". He knows that he recalled something in regards to this grandfather back in Azada. It was long after the three days when she tried to write a new story, only to slam her head against the desk surrounded by crumpled balls of paper. It was after Lexi was unearthed and Chloe had taken hot water to the shoulder to save him.

He had left her alone to brainstorm, navigating the numerous shelves of history, biology, cook books, herbology. And then he head the shuffling of papers and Titus muttering something not sounding right.

...

"This can't be right...these signatures, and the girl who bears the surname...what tricks are the Train playing this time?"

Atticus walked into Titus in his study, seeing the paper king pace around while scratching his chin. The pages that make up Titus's robes are peacock blue and forest green with golden calligraphy forming cuffs and trim. His slicked hair and beard are the color of sepia toned paper, reflecting his age compared to the pure white pages of Lexi. It was nice to have some exercise before the big Wonderland feast for Chloe and the newly healed Prince of Azada. But something told him that there was something in the air, like when he tried warning Tulip not to fall into The Cat's plans to see into a videotape that had her name (although it ironically was a blessing in hindsight. He could never tell which side that sneaky feline was on.),

"But now of all times? I can imagine that the Train can be in a state of flux, but this is..." Titus turned around when he noticed a small shadow on the floor. "Oh, your majesty. I didn't see you coming. "

"In truth, I was trying to find your agriculture section," Atticus explains. "I was given a request by the twins Carter and Carver over how they can multiply production in their peanut farm. Chloe is spending Alice Day with a prince which I find humorous."

"And why's that?"

"According to 'tradition', Alice Day is akin to opposite day. Left is Right, Right is Left, if you lose you're winning and the same is true in the end. Chloe happily dancing with a prince fits the spirit of this unofficial holiday is because one of the things she told me is that she dislikes the idea of being called a princess since her classmates teased her for not following the 'Traditional Princess checklist' that involves any of the following: magic hair or hands, talking animals, being poisoned, kidnapped, or enslaved, experienced true love's kiss and, the most serious one...having a deceased parent."

"...How old are these children again?" Titus questions. "Well, that's besides the point. When I heard Chloe's surname, I thought I was getting deja vu for a second. Her red hair, her flower highlights, the way she was so absorbed into her writing when it came to nightmares and fairytales...I thought this was nothing more than a dream."

"Maybe we're all the dream of the Train and when it stops moving, we'll just..."

"Let's not dwell on that possibility for a long time, your majesty," Titus said with a mirthless laugh. "Still, I have been ruling this car long enough to see many people become inspired by the books they tend to, to know about their lives before they embarked on a life-changing journey. But never have I thought I would ever see a descendant of..."

"Oh..my...GOETIA! How does the library have a copy of these?" Chloe races in, nearly tripping over her feet. "Do you see who this is?"

Titus turns around and walks towards Chloe, taking the book from her hands. He drops it in surprise, looking at the person on the cover, then at Chloe, then the cover once more. "But...no...this can't be right...you have the surname, and the highlights, and...and..."

"And...what?" Atticus asked, worried. 

"....it's nothing. I'm probably still stressed out over what happened with my son," Titus murmured. "Miss Cerise, do you know anything about this book?"

"Know it, I've read it at least five times!" Chloe gasped, showing off the cover of a man with red hair and glasses. "You see, this all starts when the protagonist wakes up to start work in the city. And then he searches for his partners and he goes, 'I found you faker!"

...

Atticus's ears perks up the second he hears the word, coming from a screechy feminine voice that does not sound like Chloe in the slightest. He turns around and watches in horror as a large black blur lunges towards Chloe from a tree. An upper torso with intestines trailing out. He immediately races to grab one of those disgusting entrails like last time, hoping to bide Chloe enough time to finish the circle.

"Chloe, we need to hurry!" Lexi gasps, seeing Roquelle slowly inch her way forward, claws digging into the earth. "I'll draw her attention and you finish the circle."

"Are you kidding me?" Chloe gasps. "If she shreds you in half, there's nothing stopping her from --"

She doesn't have time to finish as Roquelle propels herself forward through the use of her forearms, Atticus hanging on for dear life. Lexi slams his hands together then pushes them forward. A thick wall of papers surround the two of them. "There's no time! Finish the seal before -- "

He has no time to finish when he sees something tearing through the papers and striking him in the face with a yelp. Atticus is knocked to the side and Lexi falls unconscious, having lost his grip on Roquelle's intestines. Chloe looks in terror, feeling a wave of warm energy flowing from her arm and into the hand holding her donut holer, watching it light up.

"You think that stupid little stick is going to stop me?" Roquelle hisses as her lower legs jumps onto Lexi, stomping on his back. Thankfully, Lexi gathers his papers to form a cocoon around Atticus, unleashing a papery octopus tentacle strike back at those legs. "I knew the minute I saw your hair and learned of your name, I would be dealing with him all over again! You and your dear grandfather can rot in Hell for all I care, puta."

"That's not true. I'm not a descendant of Alec. This is crazy talk!" Chloe exclaims, hand waving the flaming donut holer like she's shooing away a zombie. Zombies hate fire, after all. 

"Doesn't matter." Roquelle states. "I'm going to have fun ripping you apart, tear every single lock of hair out of your scalp to weave into a mat to wipe my feet, peel your skin to roast on an open fire, use your eyes as earrings..." she pauses as she sees Chloe isn't crying in fear. Rather, her eyes are intensely locked on her while biting her lip. "Wait, why are you not..."

She is interrupted by a large papery fist punching her in the face. When the papers scatter, Atticus is already eating her face as Lexi gets to work on cutting through Roquelle's legs with two paper katana. "Chloe, finish drawing the seal!" 

Chloe wastes no time snuffing out the flames and hastily digging the donut holer deep into the soil. She hasn't felt this scared since the time she was chased in PE by her classmates who threatened to cut her hair if she didn't really move it (she wasn't the first to make it that time, but she made it to top three). She's been with the donut holer for a while, it is an extension of herself. The only way for Roquelle to get rid if is by prying it out of her cold, dead...

She hears another whimper that is Atticus hitting Lexi's chest, and then a long, sharp red thing striking the donut holer out of her hand. That is a tongue like the proboscis of a Beautifly as she sees it retract back into Roquelle's mouth. Chloe's eyes flashed back to a dark Pokédex entry about Beautifly...that the proboscis is used to drain the lifeforce of a person. 

"Your little pets can't save you this time," Roquelle growls as large purple-red bat wings unfurl from her back. Chloe is ready to hurl another ball of flame at Roquelle, but she swoops in too fast, pinning her to the ground, one hand on her wrist, the other on her neck. When Lexi and Atticus race to save Chloe, Roquelle looks at them and smiles, a red glint in her eye.

"Chloe, we've come to...NOOOOOOO!!!!" Lexi howls as he and Atticus get sucked into a black shadowy vortex underneath their feet, leaving nothing but Atticus' crown and a sheet of paper depicting the three of them reading a book in Azada. One of the first memories he ever recorded of them.

Chloe now realizes she's screwed. There's no way to call for help, no way for her to even breathe fire if Roquelle is crushing her windpipe. Is this how she dies? With her bullies suffocating her and no one to come to her side?

No...she has to keep fighting. Has to raise her voice for someone, anyone to save her. With as much courage she can muster, she raises her head to the sky.

"Someone...h-help! HELP!!!!!" Chloe screams. She knows that if she doesn't do something, Roquelle is going to rip the arm out of its socket and then beat her to death with it! She struggles to kick and scream, wishing she had the power to fire lasers out of her eyes if that would help, wishing she can use her other hand to shove dirt into Roquelle's mouth. But all she can do is scream and scream and scream until something is slammed in-between her teeth. The taste of cold metal makes her recognize what it is. Her own weapon.

"No one is gonna help you now, you little cu--" Roquelle never finishes the word when a flash of silver swings down and knocks her unconscious.

Chloe gasps, pushing Roquelle's body out of the side and yanks the donut holer out of her mouth. She looks up at her savior with a shaky breath. A burly man in a dark grey tunic with a dark red beard and a rotted mask of a Bunnleby. In his hands is a large silver hammer, with one face having a single word painted on it. "HELP". When did he get here? How did he get here? And was he friend or foe?

Well, that doesn't matter. She rises on shaky legs as Roquelle's legs try to attack her. Only for her to swing her donut holer upwards, causing the legs to fly off into the distances. She then stomps on Roquelle's face three times, screaming in disgust. With her anger spent, she turns to the man who came to her rescue. Not like the huntsman who saves Red Riding Hood from being eaten by a wolf, but better than nothing.

"T-thank you," She wheezes, stepping forwards to what remains of the seal. To at least get to her phone to get the image so she can commit it to memory. "I...have to...finish...this! I need...my arm...healed..."

She feels her legs give out on her, but thankfully the distance is enough for her to reach out to unlock her phone. She sees the image. She needs to work on one small part. Finish that one, focus on getting it done...Even one finger dug into the earth will be more than enough to save her...She's suffered worse than this....just...one...push...

But then she feels the pain overtaking her conscious, even as she tries to bite her hand to keep herself awake. No, not right now. She's almost there! She looks up at the strange rabbit man and weakly points to the image on her phone, making sure her hand lands on the screen. "Please..."

Then her eyes slam shut. The hammer-wielder stares at the unconscious girl, at her phone, and at the final part she did not finish. He nods as he picks up the phone, walks across the seal and gently picks up her wrist, dragging her finger to finally complete her seal. As he lays her hand down, the seal begins to glow in a soft crimson light like bonfire. The seal flashes once...twice...three times before something rises in the middle.

It is just like Chloe describes them to Lexi and Atticus. A demon with the face of a lion and six goat wheels surrounding the face like a wheel. Then the wheeled demon shimmers, growing a body. The lower half of a shaggy goat, the upper half of a man with a lion's head. He does not need to ask what is going on, sensing the air like a serpent. With their human hands, they gently touch Chloe's shoulder, covering it with pearly light. When the light fades, and he sees no more signs of wounds on her wrist and neck, Buer steps back to take note of his whereabouts. The darkness illuminated by a small bonfire. The fireflies, the crocus flowers that had been trampled on.

"Strange that I was summoned here," he mutters as a firefly dances around him. He takes note of Roquelle's unconscious upper half, and then to the unconscious girl with a donut holer by her side, hand resting over the seal. "Is she the one who completed the ritual?"

He bends down and rolls Chloe over, keeping an eye of her long red hair with flower highlights, the hand with a three digit number on the palm, and at the painted seal of a familiar Goetia on a cardboard scabbard. Marchosias.

"A child her age completed my sigil in request of my abilities?" he says with eyebrows raised. "Curious. I have not seen a prodigy like this in a long time. The sigil for Marchosias is well painted. And her red hair? Only one other person with a love of monsters such as us has ever passed by. Could it be that she is..." Buer's eyes almost fly out of their sockets. "Wait...is Bifrons right? Did the vow of the Demon Researcher come true?" 

He pauses, questioning how insane that sounds. "No, let me think this over. I rather not jump onto the Isle of Conclusions until I have enough evidence. Supposedly, there was another person with red hair and a menagerie of monsters who entered the Train once upon a time. And both of them had connections to us Goetias. The Train loves to have history rhyme, likes things to have a proper order. Two to tango, as it were. Besides, my job is done anyhow. I have healed my summoner and now I must depart. Although...I might as well give her something to prove that I was here."

Buer turns his hand, palm upward as a puff of red smoke manages to summon a small sack of herbs. He hands it to Rabbit Mask. "Give this to her when she is ready to leave this car. It's my best blend of healing tea."

Rabbit Mask nods his head as Buer begins to shimmer like a hologram. When the demon is gone, Rabbit Mask carefully gathers Chloe, the crown, and the scrap of paper before walking away...

So busy in protecting this maiden in a white dress, that he never notices how one of Roquelle's fingers starts to twitch.

Author Notes

Something that has been on my mind is that in the world of Infinity Train, females are always the ones who get shit done or cause chaos. In Book 1, Tulip is the one who changes the Train forever by being One-One's partner, teaching him what it means to walk in the shoes of a passenger and FINALLY communicate things. Amelia created more chaos by removing One-One from his role as Conductor and leads to Books 2 and 3 because she'd rather care for herself than others, not even helping them figure out what the hell they're supposed to do. The Cat is a wild card who looks out for herself but DOES go back for Tulip despite trying to save her own skin, and is also the reason why the Apex was born when she abandons Simon and Grace decides to lie instead of admit that she doesn't know what's wrong. In Book 2, Mirror Tulip is the one who forces Jesse to stop pussy-footing around and admit he's a doormat. In Book 3, Hazel's appearance changes Grace for the better, while Tuba is the one who causes Grace and Simon to split apart. And last, it's Kez in Book 4 who helps Jeremy move on after being stuck on the Train for 5 years. I don't know if that was Owen Dennis' intent, but you can tell that women hold all the power in the IT world.

That's not to say that males aren't important. We have Alrich who was kind and caring to Amelia. We have Atticus and his wisdom helping Tulip to calm down. Jesse's kindness and positivity turns Lake into a better person. And, negatively, Simon's descent into villainy is what motivates Grace to no longer be Apex. It's unique to see it as feminine chaos against male order, that while females shake the system, it's men who help them keep focus on what they should be doing and WHY. And this is something I wanted to highlight with Chloe and Atticus and Lexi. Atticus and Lexi help Chloe to think clearly but Chloe is the one who thinks of out-of-the-box ideas that changes everything that we know in Seeker of Crocus, particularly for Augustine. 

This chapter had me stuck on how Chloe should fight Roquelle and how she can heal from her shoulder. Luckily, there was a demon in the Ars Goetia who healed injuries, saving me from my original plan of Roquelle trying to drown Chloe in a lake (which would've given her a flashback of this being familiar, foreshadowing her jumping to save Goh from that Vivillon jump). I also wanted to highlight the...dark undertones the scene had. Roquelle is a mananaggal, a monster that's known to kill pregnant woman in their sleep using that proboscis-like tongue of theirs. Now imagine if Roquelle as a man, and I will leave it at that.

Roquelle is a dark reflection of Grace in that Roquelle doesn't hide the fact that she's a complete bitch or a monster, whereas Grace likes to hide under a motherly facade. The mannequins in the Friendship Asylum Car are nice and friendly, if awkward, whereas the Apex are human children who are monsters who destroy the place and don't care who they hurt. And yet they still like it when their prey is helpless and unable to fight back, akin to adults who like to prey on the weak and helpless. Why else do you think the main target of shootings and stabbings are at schools? Because children are the easiest of targets, the most innocent of them all. To kill them is to be seen as a true monster; so disgusting that many criminals find you to be hellspawn. 

But this is where we have Chloe's savior, a man. Yes, it's easy to say "Oh Chloe is so weak that she needs a big strong man" to save her, and all I have to say is, "Is that wrong?" Does it change anything if it was a woman who saved her so long as she's SAVED? Sure, we have to deal with a society where it's common to have a princess saving the prince, a knight saving a prince, a knightess saving a princess, but let's not diminish the symbolism of a man -- one who is creepy looking with his rabbit mask -- still doing what is right to save a girl. Like Boo Radley saving Scout at the end of "To Kill a Mockingbird". How amusing that the mask-wearing man is kinder than the monstrous vampire who looks like a sexy woman. Appearances are not an indicator of one's personality. Also, the rabbit masked man is a reference to the wrestler Erick Rowan, who was one of the initial members of the Wyatt Family and then returned for the Wyatt6. He's also the last member of the original Wyatt Family as Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt themselves are dead. A promo of him has him sadly noting that no one cares for him, "He's just Rowan" as compared to the other family members, he was lost in the shuffle in the wrestling world compared to the Firefly Funhouse of Bray and "The Exalted One" for Luke Harper. His "HELP" hammer is a reference to him playing Ramblin' Rabbit for the Wyatt6, as his promo has him decide to return to join Bo Dallas in spreading the legacy of Bray in order to work through grief...as terrible, tragic, and twisted as it may be.

With this, Chloe is safe for now and she and the mysterious Uncle Howdy will finally meet face to face in "Audience of a Liege".