Before we start, I would like to say that this is the sequel to another story I wrote called Infinity Train: A Mirrored Perspective. If you haven't already, I recommend reading that first to avoid confusion. Don't worry, this will still be here when you get back.
Everyone caught up? Alright, let's begin.
Chapter 1: New Town, Old Problems
My name is Heather Olsen. I've had to spend my life In the shadow of another, only able to watch my prime live her life while dreaming of a chance to claim my own. One day that dream came true, but at a cost. My prime helped me escape from the mirror world but in doing so we broke mirror law. In the following months I was chased by the flecs, the police force of the mirror world, until with the help and kindness from my boyfriend and best friend Mike, I was able to escape with him to earth. Now I'm staying with Mike and his family in California, living my new life the way I want, and not how the world thinks I should.
Normally I would be feeling peaceful but today my mind was racing because I saw something impossible in my fifth period class, and it was clearly obvious to others around me.
"You ok Heather?"
After being brought back into reality I looked to my left to see a boy with light brown hair, bronze eyes, and a black turtleneck walking out of math class with me after the last bell. We were in a long hallway with walls lined with lockers and doors to other classrooms.
"I don't know Mike, I think I might be going crazy." I said still unsure if what I saw was real.
"What do you mean?"
"I think I saw a crystal bird in my english class."
Mike fully stopped and turned to look at me with a confused expression on his face.
"What?"
"I know, but it looked so real I'm not even sure."
"How would that be possible? I thought those could only be in the crystal car."
"I don't know."
Mike put a hand to his chin, "Maybe a passenger-"
"Hey vampire couple!" A loud voice came from behind us, and unfortunately I immediately knew who it belonged to.
I couldn't help but let out a sigh as I turned around. Walking toward us was a group of boys mostly all wearing letterman jackets. In front was one with a blond buzz cut, blue eyes, a white messy tank top, and a face that only a mother could love. It was the school bully Austin, he bullies practically everyone, but he mainly messed with Mike. That was until I got here though, now he messes with the both of us.
"What do you want Austin?" I asked coldly.
"What's wrong? I can't say hi to my favorite little vampires?" He said with a smug look on his face.
When we both started school it didn't take long before some students noticed that Mike and I don't have reflections, and rumors started to spread like a wildfire. Eventually almost every student that shared classes with us now knew us by the nickname Austin gave us. The vampire couple.
"You could, but you're not."
He just crossed his arms still smiling.
"By the way," Austin began while pointing at my purple and chrome hoodie, "Why do you wear that crappy hoodie? Doesn't the silver on it hurt you?" He asked sarcastically.
"That's werewolves moron." I muttered.
His smile was replaced with an annoyed look, "Excuse me?"
"Naw dude," one of Austin's friends started, "She's right, silver hurts werewolves."
Austin just gave him a look, then turned to us again.
"You know you two are lucky to have each other, because no one else in this world is going to give a crap about either of you." His smug smile returned, "Try to stay out of the sunlight freaks."
Austin and his followers walked past us practically pushing us out of the way. I rolled my eyes as they left. I was about to turn to Mike, but then I noticed something odd. One of Austin's friends in a letterman jacket stopped for a moment and looked back at us. He had dark hair, light brown skin, and black eyes. Normally when someone from their group stopped to look at us it was usually to laugh some more, but this was different. It almost felt like he was looking at us with sympathy, which I didn't even think one of Austin's goons could spell, let alone have any.
His short moment of pity was interrupted when someone ahead of him called back to him.
"Jesse cmon, we're going."
The boy realised he was falling behind and sped forward to catch up to his group. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but this scene would remain in the back of my mind.
After our encounter with Austin, Mike and I were walking through town on our way home together.
"And here I thought we wouldn't run into Austin today," said Mike, "But I guess that was just wishful thinking."
"I hate him so much." I said with my arms crossed. "Every time I see him I just want to punch him in the face."
"I know what you mean."
"How did you ever put up with him, I mean I've only been here a short time and I already can't stand him."
"He sucks, but you just gotta try to ignore him. He'll get tired of us eventually."
"I doubt it, after all we're his favorite little vampires." I said in a mocking impression of Austin.
"Before we got interrupted, you were saying you saw a crystal bird right?" Mike asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I saw it on a tree branch through a window." My anger subsided as I again tried to reason what I saw in english class. Only more calmly this time. "I thought it was impossible for stuff on the train to get here."
"It doesn't seem that far fetched, I mean you're here after all."
"I'm not even sure how that worked. I figured it was because I was based off of a passenger or something."
"Well, we'll figure it out. We always do."
Mike's optimism made me smile. Whenever I'm feeling down he never fails to make me happy again. It's part of the reason why I love him.
As fast as our nice moment came about it was just as quickly gone when suddenly we heard screaming close by. We looked at each other then went to investigate the source of the screams. Soon Mike and I were looking at a street with small stores on the sides. Everyone must have run away because the street was empty. We scanned the area looking for what could be the cause of the distress, until Mike noticed something.
"Uh, Heather?" He motioned for me to look at a jewelry store, and that's when I saw them. Exiting through the broken windows of the store were three big lizard-like creatures completely made of stone.
"Rock lizards!?" I exclaimed.
"I guess that means that the bird was definitely real." Mike reasoned.
For a moment I was worried they would try to charge me, until I remembered that I don't look like food to them anymore. To be honest I couldn't blame them for trying to eat me back on the train, they were only hungry. It's a way better reason to attack me instead of why the flecs…
My eyes widened at that. Apon thinking of those mirror officers I started to connect some dots between the bird, the lizards, and the flecs. I was frozen with fear as a terrifying and very likely thought echoed through my mind.
'If the rock lizards are here, then what if… what if…'
"Heather c'mon, they're gonna get away!" Mike said as he shook my shoulder.
I snapped out of my trance and focused back on the jewelry store. Two of the lizards had run off while the last one was still there munching on a necklace on the ground. I had been staring off into space like an idiot. I looked to Mike and nodded at him before we ran up to the rock lizard.
Unfortunately it took notice of us and started to run down the street. The lizard seemed slightly faster than us but we managed to keep up with it. We dashed past stores, unaware people, and parked cars. Soon we came to an intersection and the lizard began to cross the road. I was about to follow suit until I felt Mike's hand pulling on my arm.
"Heather wait!" He said in a panicked tone.
Before I could ask what he was doing, a car from out of nowhere swerved around the rock lizard in the middle of the street nearly crashing into it.
I was stunned for just a moment before feeling myself calm down.
"Holy cow, Mike you just saved me again."
"Ah c'mon, I'd never let you get hit by a car. I love you too much for that."
I laughed a little while my cheeks burned slightly.
"Anyway the lizard just ran into that alley over there." He pointed in between a tailor shop and a furniture store on the other side of the intersection.
"Let's go get it then."
We crossed the street after looking both ways, then entered the alley. The walls were made of red brick with a dumpster sitting on the right side. In the very back we saw the lizard in a dead end. We approached slowly in order to not spook it again.
"Hey, It's ok buddy. We're not gonna do anything to you."
It watched our movements closely but other than that, it just sat there. As we got closer I noticed a lead pipe sticking out from under what looked like a blue tarp which gave me an idea. I picked up the pipe and the lizard slightly tensed, but as soon as it noticed what I now had, it was intrigued. I motioned Mike to stop and I let the lizard come to us.
It took a moment but it slowly crawled forward. It was hesitant at first, but it soon began to eat the pipe. When it seemed ok with me I slowly placed a hand on top of it's head.
"Woah," Mike said impressed. "Since when were you a beast master?"
"I guess when you showed me How to Train Your Dragon." I said a little embarrassed.
Mike couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Ha, well good job Hiccup. We should probably get this guy to the house."
I looked back at him while the lizard ate, "What about your family?"
"Don't worry Aunt Lori said her and Uncle Pete were going to dinner today, and Chris has after school stuff."
"And what about when they get back?" I said with a deadpan expression.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
I sighed lightly. "Alright but we may need more metal, are there anymore pipes under that tarp?"
Mike squatted down next to the blue tarp and lifted it up by the corner to reveal about four more short pipes.
It took a bit longer to get home than usual but when we got the lizard to eat and walk at the same time we got there soon enough. Mike had draped the tarp over the lizard to avoid too many curious eyes, and when we did get to Mike's house we decided to put the lizard in a wooden shed in the backyard for the meantime. We figured it wouldn't try to eat it, but we knew this was only a temporary solution.
Now Mike and I were sitting on the sidewalk in front of the house in silence. After a while, Mike finally said something.
"I guess the strangeness of the train followed us here huh?"
"I guess so."
"Hey Heather?"
"Yeah Mike?"
"Why did you freeze back there, It's not like you."
I looked at the ground then let out a sigh. "When I saw the lizards, and knew for sure that stuff from the train made it here too, I realized something that scared me."
"What was it?" asked Mike in a concerned tone.
"...What if the flecs made it here too?"
Mike looked shocked, but then he wore a more calming look.
"We don't know that for sure, but even if they are, we've avoided them before. Plus look at you, you're not Tulip's reflection anymore. You are your own person now, anyone could see that."
I stared at my hands for a moment then smiled. I looked up to my sweet boyfriend. He never fails to make me happy again.
"Thank you Mike."
We stared at each other lovingly for a while until I glanced back at the house.
"So what should we do about stone Toothless?" I asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe we could-"
Our conversation was interrupted when from the left of us came a british woman's voice.
"Tulip?"
I looked over and saw an elderly woman who had been walking down the sidewalk. She wore a dark brown overcoat, black pants, a lightish grey shirt, and brown fingerless gloves. She had greying brown hair tied into a pigtail that reached to just under her left shoulder.
This situation was odd. She mistook me for Tulip but that wasn't what made this weird, in fact I figured I'd meet someone Tulip knew eventually but I had no idea who this person was. She must have met her after I escaped into the prime world.
"Sorry but, I'm not Tulip, I know her but, I'm not her."
"Oh, then..." She suddenly went quiet as she stared at me for a moment until her eyes widened looking like she realized something, "Wait. No that can't be right."
"Uh, what is it?" I was slightly concerned but I was also curious about what this woman was thinking.
"You're… you're her reflection?"
Mike and I were shocked. The fact that this lady could tell who I was told me that she knew things that only people who are aware of the train could know.
"How in the world could you know that?" I said.
"Were you on the train too?" asked Mike
She paused for a moment.
"Yes," She looked like she hesitated before continuing, "Actually, I was the former conductor of the train, and one day I received a report from a mirror officer who said Tulip's reflection had gone rogue, and I remember the report describing her with a purple hoodie like yours."
"I'm not her reflection anymore, I'm my own person now."
"My apologies then. Instead of assuming who you are, may I ask your names?"
I was still surprised but I steadied myself and answered.
"I'm Heather Olsen."
"Uh hi," Mike began, "I'm Mike Dennis."
"Hello, my name is Amelia Hughes."
"Wait," I said, "You said the former conductor, who is the new one?"
"Well, Tulip returned the rightful conductor to the engine near the end of her time on the train. You will probably remember him as the white round AI she traveled with."
'One-one was the conductor?' I thought to myself.
"Does that mean you were a passenger?" asked Mike.
Amelia frowned a little before answering.
"No," She took the glove off of her right hand and showed it to us revealing a green glowing number that traveled down her arm into her sleeve. We both gasped before she continued.
"I am a passenger."
Author's Notes
Looks like Heather and Mike aren't quite free of the train's oddities just yet. Sorry for the hiatus everyone, I wanted to get a full picture of what I'd be writing before I started publishing. Now that I do however, as long as I stay on top of it, each chapter should (hopefully) be out weekly.