A/N; After seeing the train scene from the third Hotel Transylvania movie, I couldn't help picturing a certain someone also being on that train. And it probably won't be your first or second guess. This was originally going to go into One Hit Wonders, but then I kept expanding on it, and I came to terms that I'm going to readjust the idea I had for what was going to be the #50 special so that I don't do a lot of unnecessary repeating the same information. Putting this in its own story will eventually lead to 'Choice and Consequence' being the #50 since One Hit Wonders is probably never going to be finished, and I've decided I'm perfectly okay with the change of plans. I don't think I'll be able to handle another story that length.

So, enjoy my 2018 Halloween Special! There will be a pairing some people won't care for, but you know what? Ship and let ship.

Zinging in the Train

Chapter 1: Glad

Allo, darlin'. Oi'm so glad to see it's love at first sight for you, too.

-Elizabeth Haydon

xxXxx

Lucy Westenra's Journal; May 3, 1897, en route to Budapest

I thought Mina would never get to sleep! I love her to distraction, but, as this little book bears witness, she has never been able to keep a secret in her life. Despite Mother's warnings about writing on a train, my hand is proving legible.

This can't wait until we reach Budapest. It's been two days since my best friend and I left our humble town with our mothers waving handkerchiefs until we could no longer see them, and for the most part, the days were perfectly boring and predictable. The other passengers in our car were all perfectly happy to keep to themselves, and the bounty we took from home ensured we didn't go hungry. If anything, Mina's been the one bothering other passengers with her unending chatter, but I've been doing my best to keep her under control, or at least her words low enough for my ears alone.

The reason I desperately needed to start writing is seated a mere six steps away. The lavatory on this train is an abomination, so Mina and I have been doing our best to only conduct 'business' at each station we stop at. I noticed almost immediately as we returned to our seats that the group of businessmen that had been on our left were replaced with a cluster of elderly women.

Or, so I thought at first. They all had the traditional shawls covering their heads and shoulders, so it was enough to fool the eye until my foot yet again found the tiny fold in the carpeting. By now, I almost had it to a science for my hand to land on the back of one of the seats, startling the 'elderly' passenger sitting there. I was halfway through the usual apology when the one under the shawl turned enough to look at me, the mouth just preparing to respond before falling open in surprise.

I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that moment.

The first thing that struck me was a pair of vibrant green eyes the color of fresh grass. The same color as the silk scarf around my neck, in fact. The second thing was an inexplicable flash of purple light, despite the noon-day sun. That light seemed to burn more in his eyes than anywhere else, but don't ask me why. A part of my mind waited for the thunder that never came, but the rest of me was dominated by the striking face that was equally locked on my own.

I am not certain how to put this delicately, but the passenger was no elderly woman. He wasn't even a human.

"Stop blocking the aisle, Lucy!" Mina scolded from behind me, breaking the spell that seemed to have us bound.

At the sound of my dear friend's demand, he swiftly turned away and held the shawl over his face as best he could without being obvious about it.

"M-my apologies," I said again, feeling strangely disappointed over the loss of his gaze as a strange headache overtook my senses. Although it was the last thing I wished to do, I walked slightly beyond our shared seat so that Mina could seat herself by the window.

Mina tends to chatter less if she can see what's going on around her. It is good fortune that she didn't pay attention to my latest stumble, because she has a deathly fear of monsters, and that would certainly delay the train's departure, to name the least awful consequence.

Don't ask me what her topic was as we waited for the train to leave the station or the one as we left the current city behind us. I know I should have paid more attention, but the sudden headache was demanding what little attention I had to spare. Although I knew it was extremely inadvisable, I couldn't resist sneaking glances back at him to make sure I hadn't just imagined what I had seen in that strange purple light.

It feels discourteous to call him a monster. In the stories Mother used to frighten me into good behavior with, monsters were unthinking beasts with a taste for human flesh. But that certainly couldn't be the case with this one, or his companions. I found myself more intrigued than afraid.

I know Mina would only say that is because I am one of the bravest people she knows, but as civilized as mankind has grown, we still have instincts that give us more information than mere logic. Mine say that no one in this railcar is in any danger, especially from that group.

The monster, if you can call him that, appears to be feline in form. He has handsome orange and cream fur, although I can just tell his flattened ears are trembling underneath the shawl with the urge to stand upright, but that would give him away in a heartbeat. One hand was holding the shawl closed at the front to cover his attire, and I can just see a red bow tie with orange polka dots under his chin. I can't say that it flatters him in the least, but it does help prove the point that he's completely rational.

I suppose I shouldn't poke fun at the bow tie when he's huddled under a floral print shawl like a frightened kitten during a thunderstorm. It was clearly the best he and his friends could come up with to travel with the least amount of interference. I can't even see what the one sitting beside him looks like, even though it doesn't appear that monster is holding the shawl tightly enough to disguise itself that well. All I can see is a glint of glasses from that one.

I don't think the cat's gaze has left me since we sat down. I can feel his eyes on me even when I don't look back to confirm that I'm still the center of his attention. I must have lost my mind because I can feel my heart jump each and every time our eyes connect.

I thought I wasn't ready for… male companionship. That's why I'm heading to the capital, after all! It was the best way possible to get away from Mother trying to pressure me into an engagement with Arthur since I'm not likely to find a better catch than a lord's son.

So why am I using that line of thinking concerning the cat-man?!

It might have been an hour before I noticed that Mina was still talking, and it was past the usual time that I forced myself to sleep. I can't say that I slept a wink, but out of courtesy to the other passengers, I still leaned on Mina's shoulder and kept my eyes shut.

It was torturous to not let myself look at my cat- why did I write that?! I can't stake a claim on someone that I haven't so much as shared an introduction with yet!

In any case, Mina respected our agreement that she keeps silent while I rest. Every now and again I would have to sleepily say 'Mina' when she would forget herself, and I'm sure the other passengers appreciated the small reprieve.

I spent the entire 'nap' trying to decide how to approach him. I knew I wouldn't be able to just walk past him once Mina and I hit our stop at the Budapest station, but there was no telling when or where he and his friends were planning to go. I couldn't precisely ask to sit by him since he was sharing his seat, and he couldn't sit by me because of Mina. Even if he were able to speak to me, it would have to be as an old woman to keep the other passengers oblivious to whom they were sharing the railcar with.

I should think our acquaintance is starting off awkwardly enough without that to make it worse!

Mina wanted to talk when I was finally too hungry to keep 'napping', and she even begged for a lullaby to help her drift off a little after sunset. I must admit that it was embarrassing to do so in front of the cat, but at least she is resting now, and I can finally write freely. I consider my singing only passable, but the little German boy that had been sitting in front of the monsters found it just as soothing as Mina. It is probably just as well that he's snoring on his mother's lap, since he was starting to give the monsters curious glances while they were distracted with analyzing me. I haven't dared look behind me to see the cat's reaction to my song, but I can sense that his green eyes are still fixed on me.

The deed is done. Never mind the torn page joined to this one, for the missing bit only reads;

Louise 'Lucy' Westenra

Starting work at Hatter's at the Crossroads on May 5

If you need a friend.

I don't know what Mina's cousin will say if she found out I was bringing her hat shop to the attention of a monster, but I was strangely certain that I could keep her from discovering what I'm up to. I simply couldn't bear it if this cat walked out of my life as suddenly as he walked in.

I had forced myself to pay attention to the pale monster sitting at arm's length on the other side of the aisle instead of my cat- Why did I write that again?! There are six of them altogether, two in each seat. The one closest to me seemed perfectly normal compared to the giant he was sharing his seat with, but I've been teasingly accused of being a vampire often enough to not be fooled. Using only my lips to avoid notice, I asked him while briefly glancing at the cat two rows behind him, "Your friend?"

He nodded, unable to shake the worry from his ice blue eyes. The concern was less than I was expecting, but it has been eight hours since I discovered the truth, and he must have realized by now that I meant no harm.

I timed a loud cough to cover the sound of ripping part of the page off, and the vampire faked a loud sneeze at the same time, giving me the excuse to offer him a handkerchief that had been hastily wrapped around the note.

He took it and pretended to blow his nose just as the cat also faked a sneeze to encourage the handkerchief to come to him.

I have to say that I'm impressed at how quickly they think on their feet. The cat was reading my note almost as soon as the cloth touched his gloved hand. When he looked up and smiled at me, it quite nearly took my breath away.

"I will come for you," he mouthed at me, holding the shawl even tighter over his head to keep his excited ears under control.

It's a good thing I'm able to write all this in my journal, for now, I'm so excited that I can barely sit still enough to not disturb Mina's rest against my shoulder.

If I had felt half this excited whenever Arthur came to call on me, I would probably be married by now. Now, don't think me naïve about encouraging the attention of a monster. I don't know a single person I will be able to tell without inspiring a bloodthirsty mob, even Mina. But heaven help me; I need to know more about this man!

The ticket master is announcing that we'll be arriving in Budapest soon. I had been merely resigned to working at a hat shop when Mina and I left our hometown, but now, I simply can't wait for my first day of work!

Even if nothing is to come from seeing him again, I will at least have his name.