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[Other FULL] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

Jay

Jay

[font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi
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    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    Spoiler:

    ​

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    In a World very like our own, in a past not too far fetched to be unbelievable... something extraordinary is brewing. A setting not too far from the 18th century England and America of our times forgotten, it is here that the stage is set for a tale of wonder, excitement and mystery all.

    The small town of Bellson, located on the outskirts of the country of Amittia, is running on hard times. The economy has not been kind and a lack of trade routes seems to have the town on a path to disaster. Jobs are dwindling quickly and families are starting to struggle. Even the tired old mayor, once a beacon of hope for his home, has fallen out of glory and now sits depressed in his office. The people are all but accepting of their fate and in bitter contentment they work their every day lives, all the while silently praying that a silver lining comes down and provides an escape or salvation for themselves or them all.

    Perhaps it was those wishes that caused the apparent magic that happened on that one fateful night.

    The residents awoke to the lazy rooster of the farm, crying out in a dulcet tone as always, but things were far from lazy, as they usually were those days. The streets were abuzz with interest and talk. A lively atmosphere filled the air, something thought gone from the little rural area.

    For along the buildings, the shops, even the town hall itself... were posters.​


    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    "To the residents of a town now wishing for more, the Ironwood Express welcomes you to chances beyond what your futures hold!

    Come one, come all, to the edge of your fair town, South of the farm and West of the church, on the outskirts of a place where roads fear to tread is the station built! Within and ready to leave in a week from today is the carriages of Ironwood itself! The destination? Riches beyond your wildest dreams, at the very edge of the World you know... a trip of length unknown, from days to years, it is uncertain even to a conductor like me just what might await on a journey so vast!

    If nothing else, I can promise you that the beauty of the Ironwood will take you to places you've only ever dreamed of visiting... and that in the end your journey and the experiences you share may be greater than any riches you lust after today.

    And the best part is that I ask for not a penny in return, only that you give me your company on the adventure soon to come. All may sit in the booths prepared, all may sleep in the living quarters and eat at the tables ready and waiting.

    You have till the end of the week to board... it is then that the doors will open, but not for very long.

    I am required to warn you, this trip will not be easy, even with the comfort I provide. So make sure you only come with the preparation of one willing to risk everything for their desires.~

    You will not return for some time... and once on the journey one does not simply leave until the end. Like life, there are no immediate stops unless you throw yourself away.

    Until I see you aboard, I bid you adieu.~

    -The Conductor."
    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    In mere moments, the town exploded into excitement and intrigue. People flocked to the location described and like a miracle, overnight it had indeed sprung up. A grand train station to marvel those of the biggest cities and a strange railway leading off into the distance and to places unknown. It defied all logic for such a thing to even exist and yet here it was. Within the miraculous structure stood the grandest and most intricate train any present had ever perceived.

    The seemingly pure iron and glittering front engine reflected light like mirrors and the fifteen black wooden carriages that followed it were sleek and refined. Blinds pulled down and covered the many windows of the vehicle. The doors were sealed tight and no indication of how to get inside was present. All those from the village bearing witness could only gaze in awe at the creation of modern technology before them... and the lone sign that stood before it all, with a single sentence inscribed.

    "Seven days until departure."

    ***
    ​

    In the days that followed, rumors of the miracle train said to deliver those whom rode upon it to riches spread, however talk of somewhat ominous implications at a horrible price did spread as well.

    You, for whatever personal reasons, have arrived in the humble town of Bellson with the intention of being one of the brave few to ride the Ironwood Express on its long journey to its destination. Be you a humble villager from the town itself, a noble lord from a distant city, a vagabound scoundrel looking for a quick buck or even a runaway servant looking for a new place in life. Regardless, you are here. The risks implied are too great for some, but not for you... and when the doors to the train open you will boldly step inside.

    As the cast is lined up on stage, it's finally time for the curtains to be pulled back and for this show to get on the road, or more, in this case, the Railway.

    "One day until departure. Prepare to board."​

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    The travel log is a record of all of the places visited thus far by the Ironwood and its party of travelers throughout the course of the RP. While this list may seem barren at first it will fill up over time as new locations are visited.​
    ​

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]

    ~Bellson~​

    Bellson is a quaint and poor town struggling on the borders of the world in which the RP is based. It has very little money and income, yet even in its most desperate times it retains an excitable atmosphere and pleasant energy bustling in its streets. Especially with the arrival of the first station and the Ironwood express itself within its boundaries over night.

    ~More to Come~​
    ​
    ​

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    - Follow all of the already established RPC and PC rules and guidelines.

    - Do not insult others by doing things like bunny, godmodding or autohitting. This is a fairly obvious one.

    - Nagi and I are the GM's, We are nice GMs, but we ARE the GMs. The password is "I like Trains", try to mention it casually somewhere in your SU or reservation. Feel free to address Nagi and I with any ideas or problems but remember that what we say goes.

    - Consider what is required of you as a person and an RPer. Do not attempt to join this RP if you will be incapable of posting once every two weeks minimum.

    - Everybody loves joint posts. Feel free to do as many as you like here!

    - Reserves last for five days before you get a question about your SU. Two more days and your reservation is cancelled and you will have to remake it. If somebody reserves your empty spot before you can re-reserve, well tough bananas I'm afraid.

    - Have fun! No seriously, do, that's the point. If you feel like you're not having fun then tell me and I'll do my best to fix that for you.    ​

    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]



    ~ Accepted - Rowin Odo, The Conductor - Deceptio

    ~~~~~~~~~~


    ~ Accepted - Aria Eliza Dominique - Deceptio

    ~ Accepted - Aster - Nagi

    ~ Accepted - Carl Burk - Ice

    ~ Accepted - Elliot Temperley - Foxrally

    ~ Accepted - Cassandra Nightingale - Himika

    ~ Accepted - Isaac Shearer - Legend

    ~ Accepted - Heather Williams - Tixen

    ~ Accepted - Jack Ambrose - Shak

    ~ Accepted - Niles Alphonse - Lucifer-san

    ~ Reserved - ??? - Under_Score

    ~ Empty Spot ~​

    ~ Empty Spot ~​

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    ~More spots MAY be added later in the story, if the demand is there for them. However twelve is currently the limit.~    ​

     
    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]


    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]
    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]



    Her bag weighed heavily in her hand as she made her way solemnly to the train station that had appeared but a week before. The streets were filled with others, people she saw often and those whom she only spotted rarely. But they were all people she knew. The time was finally up and today the train known as the Ironwood express would leave Bellson and depart on a journey that might change the very fabric of all the lives whom were brave enough to board. It was still difficult for Aria to believe that one of those lives to change would be her own.

    She noticed a few shocked and confused looks from those whom she knew very well, as her purpose from the expression on her face was clear. The shimmering rose of Bellson was leaving town? She could only hope that they would understand her reasoning for such an act, she had no choice of course, this was something she had to do. A journey she had to make in order to save her town. She had to do this, she would do this.

    "Aria! Sweetheart! Please..." "Not you too."

    The pleas of her aging father still rung horribly in her mind. He had been hurt by her decision, she knew this, but she had to leave the rest to him for now, she had no choice, she had never had a choice. This was the miracle she had been waiting for, there was no way in Hell that she was passing this opportunity up.

    The click clack of pointed and determined heels resonated on the cobblestone streets as Aria furrowed her brow and continued at a heightened pace. She squeezed her way through the crowds that didn't notice her quick enough to part a way for she of noble descent. The train station was just ahead, plastered unevenly in that self same poster that had started it all. Crowds awaited outside the stations wide open gates, there were more inside but from the aura she felt... were these people so intimidated by the mysterious and unknown that they refused to step inside?

    She gently moved passed them, giving them reassuring smiles. Her well known status calming the crowds as she stepped inside.

    The bag in her hands causing worry once more. The long and open hallway before her elad to the only stop in the building, where the Ironwood was waiting for her.

    ***

    The platform was plain and simple, stone slabs as ground sat underneath an open sky. A dark wooden and iron railway ran along into the station from the far horizon and the place was positively buzzing with people and activity.

    But that was nothing compared to the main event.

    ​

    It truly was a magnificent thing... this train. She had known of trains for the past couple of years, marvels of creation that could move faster than any horse could ever dream of running and capable of carrying more than any donkey could ever muster the strength to lift, not even a fraction of it. She had never actually SEEN one outside of books however. There was never a train line to Bellson established... so she had always travelled to other towns such as Bloomgarden by horse and carriage.

    She was awestruck.

    An iron beast the size of five, no, ten horses stood at the front! Fuming white smoke from a single exhaust as the multitude of pristine wooden carriages that looked fit to house many families lay in the rear. It was the most wondrous fabrication of technology she had ever seen.

    Crowds of tens had gathered a fair distance from the train, unwilling to move past the sign that had counted down the days to that day. All was silent and nothing seemed amiss. Judging by the preparedness and faces of some individuals in the large crowd, it would have seemed that very few people present actually planned to board at all. She couldn't blame them, the nature of this operation was rather shady after all. It was a risk, but Aria had to take it. Despite any doubts she had to be certain that this was the ticket to salvation for Bellson that she had prayed for.

    As if in response to that thought, a door on the back of the iron engine opened... and a man made his way onto the platform. Murmuring in the crowds vanished into a slightly intimidated silence as this rumored master of the train stepped forward to greet all present.

    A peculiar man, he wore a small top hat with golden buckles that covered the top of his face. His hair was a bizarre shade of white, with what looked like green tips. He grinned widely, his eyes constantly covered by the brim of his headwear and his teeth shone brightly in the daylight of the open roofed platform. They seemed sharpened to a point as the man hopped forward with a skin in his step, an old camera set was held in his right hand and his boots made clippy-cloppy sounds as he moved forward.

    He wore... a most peculiar suit. Black with green details etched upon it. Why did Aria feel an uneasy sense of familiarity just by looking at it? She was certain she had never seen it before...

    "Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin!"

    With a hop, spin and grace, the man stood before the center of the crowd and did a bow.

    "My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo! I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!" The crowd murmured gently, speaking of this odd and excitable man as he gestured to the vehicle behind him.

    "Now then... no time to dawdle!~ The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

    The conductor, Rowin Odo was it? Gestured with his hand as if welcoming the entire crowd forward. Yet nobody moved, the last minute calling was giving second thought and many with packed bags even began to turn tail and move away. The nerves of how sudden the experience was must surely have gotten to them.

    "Come now... scared already? Oh well~ I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come."

    Aria swore that The Conductor had just looked into her eyes, but the hat made it impossible to tell. Her prayers... could it really be true? Did this man answer her calls? Had he answered the calls of many? She did not know. But there was no more time for hesitation.

    She stepped forward, passed the crowd nervously and towards the conductor. The crowd gasped and murmured in fear and confusion as their precious matriarch stepped forward. She begged them in their mind to understand, but she knew they would not.

    The conductor opened his arms as Aria realized she was not alone. Others were stepping forward with her from the crowd. More brave souls to take the risk and give their all to accomplish what was surely their greatest and grandest goals.

    Rowin smiled and took a small hop back to get a look at his cast, the director whom finally had his actors in play? Or a fool whom had no clue at all? Why was this man so hard for Aria to read?

    And here at last, my friends... we have been expecting you. He spoke of the train and himself as a group. Now then, we'll all get introduced shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience! Rowin flourished his hands dramatically and Aria moved to speak first. Wanting to get things out of the way.

    "I..." She would not turn back now. "...am Lady Aria Eliza Dominique of Bellson. I am here for the promised journey and the spoils it might bring."

    The crowd went solemn for a moment. She really was leaving and there was nothing they could do to stop it. It was if Bellson itself let out a final sigh for it's last defense falling. But Aria's eyes remained fierce, as she knew that to rise again her beloved home would have to fall.

    The Conductor seemed apathetic to the crowds silence and instead clapped his hands and smiled. "Excellent, M'lady Aria it is. Welcome aboard.

    He turned to the others present and gave a warm bow to each in turn, while asking them all exactly the same question. "And what might your name be, my friend?"

    Aria watched in curiosity as The Conductor questioned each and every person present about the future at hand. These would be the people she would presumably be spending a lot of time with in this new future. A future needed to save Bellson once more.

    No matter what happened in the times to follow, Aria was certain that this would be the beginning of a grand adventure. One she would hopefully never come to regret.​

    ​
    ​

     
    Carl Burk​
    The Dullton sweeper


    Travel​

    It took Carl a week to get to Bellson. He had left Dulton on foot, and left the smokestacks behind him. It was his first time outside of the factory grounds, and it took him less than an hour to get lost. He tried to use the smokestacks to orientate, but all it did was constantly bring him back to the same place, and the curvy paths did not help his situation either. At dusk he finally found a bigger road, and he lost sight of the smokestacks completely. He decided to sleep next to the road here.

    The night was cold and damp. It reminded him of his apartment. When he woke up, the scene was exactly as when he went to sleep, although a new sun had risen, and the old one had gone under. Carl followed the bigger road. He did not really know if he went the right way, but had no way of finding out. It took him a couple of hours before he got hungry, and his legs started getting tired.

    A carriage went past, stopping a couple of feet in front of Carl. A man with a top hat and a big bushy moustache came out, and asked Carl where he was going. "Bellson," Carl answered. It seemed to be his lucky day, as the carriage was heading the same way. "Oh, so you're one of Odo's? Very well, jump in!" He stepped in, and the carriage was filled with people. Carl wondered how he was going to fit between the group of people, but just as the thought crossed his mind, he spotted a small place between an extremely fat man and a woman in a ridiculous dress, wearing goggles.

    He was intrigued by the outfits and the way the figures acted. They all looked very eccentric, colourful, and Carl felt impressed. He did not talk to them, and instead listened to the conversations that were had inside. The words they used did not get through to him. They were big, vowely and Carl had never heard them before. He started to wonder if they were even English.

    Every so often the carriage stopped, and someone went out, or someone went in. Carl did not see what happened outside. Red velvet curtains blocked of the windows. The carriage seemed to fill up even further, but every time someone new entered, there was just enough place to make them fit. When the evening came, they stopped and the driver came up with a tray filled with cups and a teapot. When they continued, they seemed to pass a very bumpy road, and the cups almost bounced of the tray, but luckily not a single drop spilled.

    The atmosphere in the carriage become rowdier, but Carl barely noticed. He managed to fall asleep without much trouble, although he was a bit scared the fat man next to him would end up as his pillow.

    The week traveling to Bellson was mostly spent this way. He would sleep, and when he'd wake up, everyone around him seemed to be actively engaging in conversation already. At noon they'd get bread, and Carl didn't remember ever having bread that tasted so delicously good, while in the evening they'd receive tea. His days were spend admiring the figures in the carriage and trying to figure out what they were talking about. When they finally arrived in Bellson, Carl and the fat man were the only two people left from the start of his journey. He left it, and a very small woman with a haircut that made her as tall as himself followed him out. Now he just had to find the train.

    The station was filled with people, and Carl awkwardly pushed himself through the crowd. If all these people were planning on going with the train, it was going to be a really big train. At least the same size as the station itself, Carl thought. As he did not carry anything with him, he could squeeze between the groups and make his way towards the platform, but it took him a while to get there. Sometimes the people would stand closely next to each other, and he didn't want to bother them and ask them to step aside, so he had to find either a way around them, or he waited until they moved. The hardest part was not losing direction. He had walked away from the platform multiple times, instead of walking towards it.

    When he finally neared the train, a voice thundered through the crowd. "My name, is Mr. Odo." He said. Carl seemed to recognize him. With the green suit and the top hat he looked exactly like the man that had sold him his treasure map. "Rowin Odo!" he continued, "I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"

    Carl took a quick mental note of the train's gender. He wondered how a train could be female, but he didn't really know much about trains, so he assumed there had to be something that could make you tell.

    "Now then," The conductors almost sung as he spoke, "no time to dawdle! The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well, no further awaiting then!" Odo gestured a welcome, but the whole crowd froze. A second of complete silence passed, and people started moving away.

    "Come now… scared already? Oh well," he seemed very playful in his reaction. He certainly seemed less serious as the last time Carl met him. "I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come." With a grin the conductor seemed to stare straight into Carls eyes for a second. He felt unease, and did not know if he should step forward. He waited a moment, and stumbled forwards, almost tripping. He came to a very awkward standstill, and joined the line-up of others that stepped forwards.

    "And here at last, my friends," the conductor spoke, "we have been expecting you." Who the other person was, Carl did not know, but he was curious to find out. "Now then, we'll al get introduced, shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience!" People were introduced, and Carl tried to make a mental note of them. A silence fell, and Carl looked around awkwardly. It took him a couple of seconds to notice the eyes were focused on him. He scratched the back of his head.

    "My… my name is Carl. Carl Burk." He crowed.


    ​
     


    Cassandra Nightingale
    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]
    "Shady Beginnings"

    ​

    Cassandra Nightingale was sure of two things at this exact moment. Firstly, her head felt like someone had spent the entire night smacking her in the forehead with a steel pipe. Second, Lucas Mallone had somehow managed to leave her absolutely breathless. This was something of a startling revelation to the woman. She had seduced a few teachers in her day, but none of them had managed to go on for as long as he did. Cassandra considered it a wonder that she managed to get any sleep at all. If she did not have prior engagements, the young woman may have very well rolled over and caught another hour or two of shut eye. In fact, it was only the sun gleaming in an open window that reminded her that she had better get to moving.

    Slipping out and onto the floor, the woman walked about the room collecting her various belongings. The only sounds that filled the room, save for the sound of her padding bare feet, was the snoring of Mallone as he shifted slightly under the blanket. The man was out like a light, and Cassandra honestly figured that a bull charging through the room would not have been enough to stir the man. Still, she preferred it to be this way. A customer being awake when it came time to pay the bill always made things a bit... tricky. They had a terrible tendency to complain about the fact she was taking their wallet and leaving them without a dime in their pocket.

    "Speaking of which..." Cassandra whispered, a smirk gracing her lips as she walked towards Mallone's half of the room. His clothes were scattered all about, clearly having been dropped with haste. Grabbing the teacher's trousers, the woman lifted them off the ground and began to rummage through the pockets. After a few moments, she indeed managed to find his wallet. Pulling it out, Cassandra took a peek inside. A small whistle escaped her lips at what she found. "Impressive. It seems like you had quite a good hand at poker in the tavern. I'd easily reckon that with how long we went that you owe me a bit of interest, love..."

    For a moment, she considered simply taking money. However, Cassandra did have an eye for the finer things. It did not take her long to realize that the wallet itself was made of some high quality leather. In fact, she was quite sure that she would be able to hock it off at some point. After all, the world was full of fine coinsesuers, much like herself. Grabbing her coat off the foot board of the bed, Cassandra slipped it on and stuffed the wallet inside one of her pouches. She then slipped on her shoes and strapped them up, before making her way towards the door. The woman smirked, glancing over her shoulder at the snoring teacher.

    "It was an enchanted evening, love... and thanks for the lovely tip."

    Without further words, she slipped out of the door and quickly made her way outside into the early morning sun. The was purpose in every step she took as she briskly made her way down the street towards her next destination. She had dawdled on enough... there was a train to catch, after all. Thankfully, locating the train station was not going to be that much of a problem. The train station itself happened to be easy enough to locate... Not only because of the rather large crowd of people that had all gathered in one spot, but the fact of the man standing in front of the train. His hair was strange enough, but his clothes practically screamed for attention... And to Cassandra, that was not necessarily a bad thing to take note of. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his hat in particular. The gold buckles were absolutely enchanting and most fascinating. While she had never been one to try and pawn off clothing, Cassandra figured that the conductor's hat alone would be well worth some coin. She smiled at the thought, clearly happy that this idea to come to this train was already starting to show signs of paying off.

    "I think I'll take my chances on this grand adventure, love~" her voice cooed, upon hearing the conductor calling out for more passengers. She walked towards the man, a sway in her hips as she moved. She paused next to the man, taking a moment to place her hand on his cheek. Cassandra could not very well make out his eyes... However to be frank, she really was not looking for them in the first place. "I hear there's going to be all kinds of interesting things to see... Besides, I know these train rides can be long and lonely... and I wouldn't mind giving you some company on those cold, lonely nights..."

    Without waiting for a response, Cassandra gave the conductor a small wink. She then resumed her walk, moving past the man without a look back.
    ​

    ​
    ​
     


    Isaac Shearer
    [PokeCommunity.com] Railways: A Journey to The End of the World [M]
    "Trains aren't that impressive you know? They take us from one point to another. That's it. So really, what makes this one so special?"

    ​

    "Alright, well your heart sounds okay, but your blood pressure…" Isaac commented, removing his stethoscope from his ears and stowing it back into his medical bag, and returning his silver pocket watch back into its home. Isaac began to take notes on his pad from his medical bag with a pencil, studying his notes carefully for a moment.

    "What's the story doc?" his patient asked.

    "The story is you are fat, Mr…."

    "Wilson. William Wilson," the man replied with a gulp and flush of his cheeks. He was certainly hefty in size and build, with rosy cheeks and a thick mustache that contrasted poorly with his balding head, suggesting age definitely came before beauty.

    " Right, right. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, I just needed to state the obvious," Isaac continued. "A change in diet and exercise would certainly go a long way to improving your health as a whole. Now just to clarify, you said your problem was indigestion?"

    Mr. Wilson nodded to the doctor, taking Isaac's criticism clearly to heart while also began to resonate something of an answer. "Yes sir. My stomach begins to hurt right around noon every day and I can barely work the rest of the day, which is a real pain. It's…getting in the way of anything," he said with a moan, beginning to feel the pain resonate from his bloated stomach.

    Isaac began to jot more notes down, nibbling on the wood as he crafted the next question in his head. "Tell me, Mr. Wilson. What do you tend to have for breakfast on a regular day?"

    "Uh, usually some bread and butter. Nothing really out of the ordinary if you ask me. My wife and I don't have a lot of money to our name."

    "I didn't ask for your life story, Mr. Wilson. What do you wash your food down with? Coffee, Tea?"

    "Milk usually? I am not fond of hot drinks normally. But I don't see how this means anything."

    "Most people don't. That's why they come to people like me," Isaac clarified, barely looking up from his notes. "Remember how I said a change in diet would go a long way. Well, I meant it. You are what we call in my field lactose intolerant."

    "Lactaste intollament?"

    "Wow, you just completely butchered that," Isaac said, rolling his eyes before digging his face into his palms. "No. Lactose intolerant. It basically means that anything that comes milk messes with your digestive system, or in terms you will understand, your stomach. Avoid drinking milk, and cut butter, cheese, anything like that from your diet and your stomach pains will fix themselves in a matter of a few days. Oh, you will probably lose weight while you are it."

    Isaac nodded after he finished speaking, stashing his notes back into his bag. He stood up from the bench that the older William Wilson insisted on pulling the doctor aside too, noticing his medical bag and pleading for help for his persistent stomach pains. Priding himself as a skilled and helpful doctor, Isaac found it difficult to say "no" especially considering he did not expect to be much of a doctor on the Ironwood Express. He pulled out a cigarette from his vest pocket and his lighter from his pants, a spark shooting forth from the flintlock mechanism, lighting the cigarette with ease.

    "Doc, what is that thing?" Mr. Wilson, asked genuinely curious as he stood up.

    "My lighter? It's something a friend of mine invented. He called it a 'Flintlock Lighter' or something. Basically he repurposed a pistol into something to light cigars and the like. It's nothing fancy, really," Isaac said, exhaling a large amount of smoke as he stowed the lighter back into his pockets. Mr. Wilson looked amazed at the doctor, unable to really fathom any intelligible words at the moment. "Now do you need something else? Or are you done getting your free consultation?"

    Mr. Wilson shook his head, returning to earth seconds later. "Oh no, that was it. Thank you very much, Dr. Shearer!" Mr. Wilson began to make his way down the street before shifting back to Isaac. "Are you by chance heading to the Ironwood Express?"

    Isaac took another puff of his cigarette before answering, looking at the gentleman who had now wasted a little too much of his time. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

    "Never saw you around is all. That and the all the luggage you got. Best of luck on your journey!" The man replied with a cheer, as he seemed to head into the opposite direction. Isaac had figured the man was heading home, which suited the young doctor fine. He did not expect to be idling by as long as he did, but such territory came with the profession. Interaction with others was perhaps the thing that Isaac enjoyed the least about being a doctor. Making a diagnosis was exhilarating. Developing a treatment was a welcome challenge. Crafting the necessary ingredients was enjoyable. Dealing with people was a fate worse than the death he worked his life to avoid. Regardless, Isaac endured, as he hoped to improve the world and his wealth one bit at a time. Mr. Wilson was Isaac's annual act of charity, and he intended to make sure to keep such charity to a minimum on this little journey.

    Flinging the medical bag over his left shoulder and grabbing his suitcase with right hand, Isaac sucked out the last of his cigarette and tossed it to the ground, stomping out the embers with his foot. Snatching his cane sword into this left, Isaac made his way down the straight with relative ease in his gait. He generally packed light, not expecting to need too many things outside of clothes and some books to continue his independent studies. He brought his medical supplies if only in case he ever needed it, but presumed the train would make stops to restock as well. Therefore, in truth, his abundant resource was his money.

    It didn't take Isaac long to find the station as crowds have this way of gathering when anything halfway exciting took place in towns like this. He barged through most of the thin crowds easily enough, using his bigger frame to force all but the largest of men and woman out of his way. As he inched closer to what he assumed was the train, the crowd grew thicker and more infused with energy. Clever and cruel words had to be uttered for the bitter doctor to barge through. Sometimes he found himself lying say something along the lines of "Excuse me, there is emergency. Move! I'm a doctor!" It was disgusting that he had to utter such nonsense, but that was the nature of the beast. People are always so stubborn and stupid.

    Finally, in due time, Isaac had made it to the Ironwood Express. He was too distracted inspecting the train's design to bother registering the words of the conductor in his brain. Theatrics meant little to Isaac, especially those from a man who dressed in as ridiculous fashion. As the first few stepped up to board, Isaac lit another cigarette to regain some composure. The whole ordeal of boarding a train was civilian enough to stir anything inside him. No, it was the farewell of Mr. Wilson. Would he really need any luck? He hoped not. Skill and planning got him this far. Luck had nothing to do with it, but suddenly he found himself wanting some. Any shred of luck would be better than none.

    Isaac stepped forward, drawing in a big puff of smoke before exhaling away from the conductor's face. "Isaac Shrearer. Doctor. I'm getting on the train."

    He tuned out any response. He didn't care. He wanted to get this show on the road.

    ​
    ​
    ​
     

    -
    Elliot Temperley



    "Hey, wake up! Hey!"

    Elliot awoke to the feeling of being violently shaken by his sister, Hannah. He had apparently fallen asleep on the carriage seat next to his mother, although the latter was nowhere to be seen.

    "Mmmhh... wha...?" he murmured, slowly opening his eyes.

    "Not so loud!" he heard his sister shout-whisper to him. She looked behind her and back at him. "I'm not supposed to wake you."

    Elliot rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Where's ma?" he mumbled, still feeling drowsy from just waking up.

    "She's in the front, talking to the coachman." she replied, gesturing towards the front of the carriage. "Just don't make any noise, you have to see this." She mentioned for him to follow her to the other seat in the carriage, opposite the one Elliot was sitting on. Elliot stretched his arms, and hopped off the cushioned seat. The two siblings climbed on top of the next one, barely managing to both fit in the small space they had.

    "Look at this." Hannah grinned. Elliot peered through the small window.

    "Whoaaa...." he murmured. His eyes grew wide in wonder. The sun was beginning to rise in the horison. A beautiful sight on its own, but as it rose its light shone onto a long, shining trail of train tracks. The carriage, being on a rather smooth road, was going quite fast, so he couldn't see them clearly, but he could see the tracks' golden shine in the sunlight. He had seen a train once before - when his family sent off and recieved his father - but the sight was nonetheless exhilerating.

    "Where'd you reckon they go to?" Elliot asked his sister, nudging her to the side so he could see more.

    "Unca' bill that all roads lead to Rome, so I think it's there. Where is Rome anyway?" Hannah replied, pushing Elliot back.

    "Heyy, stop that! You're bigger, you can see more!" Elliot complained, attempting to shove her off the seat.

    "Don't be so loud!" Hannah hissed. She sighed, and reluctantly moved to the side. "Here, now you can stare all you want."

    Elliot didn't seem too interested in the train tracks anymore, though. After a few more moments of going "ooh" and "aah" at cows and houses they passed by, he finally sat down, visibly concerned by something. He turned towards his sister. "Why do you think we left home?"

    Hannah sighed again. "I don't know. Maybe ma wants to take us somewhere. I don't know why she did it at night, though."

    "I'm tired..." Elliot yawned.

    ------------

    The next time Elliot awoke, he was being carried by his mother. From what he could see, they had gotten out of the carriage and were now in some sort of sheltered area, which looked similar to a station of some kind. It was still quite early in morning, and the area was relatively empty.

    "Mmmh... Ma? Where are we?" Elliot mumbled, lifting his head from his mother's chest. She was apparently sitting on a small bench near the entrance to the station.

    His mother smiled pleasantly when she noticed he had woken up. "It's still a little early, dear. Try to go back to sleep." she told him, stroking his hair.

    Elliot pushed away from her, trying to get down from her lap. "But I'm not tired! I want to see where we are!" he complained. Smiling, his mother let him down.

    As soon as she did, Elliot gasped in awe. Standing not too far away from him was a monster. A big, black, steel monster. Despite having seen a train once before, the machine was both terrifying and beautiful. "Ma! Did you see this?! It looks amazing!"

    Instinctively, without thinking, Elliot bolted towards the train. He had to touch it, maybe even get on board. Then, just as he nearly reached it, something grabbed him and pulled him back.

    "What do you think you're doing?" Hannah scolded him, pulling him away from the train. "This isn't ours!"

    "But I want to touch iiiiitt!" Elliot whined. "Look at how cool it is! It's got a smokestack and an engine and so many-"

    He was interrupted by a loud whistle, emitting from the train. Immediately, the two children took a step back. "Th-There's someone in there?" Hannah muttered in surprise. Elliot, however, seemed much more reluctant to go near the train now.

    "Maybe it's the ghost conductor Unca' Bill told us about..." he whispered to his sister.

    The latter scoffed and smiled. "I'm not scared of a ghost. Are you?"

    Elliot's face turned into surprise when he heard the remark. He frowned. "N-no! I'm not scared of any ghost! I just don't want to disturb it! Yeah!" he stammered, crossing his arms.

    "Sure you do." Hannah chuckled.

    ------------

    After just a few hours, the train station had slowly began filling up with more and more people - some going in, others preferring to stay outside.

    "Alright children, try not to get lost. The crowd is very large and we have to stay together, okay?" Elliot's mother told the two. "Gosh, what am I getting myself into..." he heard her mutter to herself.

    He tugged on her dress. "Ma, I'm hungry."

    "I... I think have something." she replied, smiling. She pulled out a small pack filled with small cakes out of her purse, and gave it to him. "Try not to finish all of them at once, okay? I didn't make many of those."

    Hannah, who was carrying two bags, suddenly spotted a small creature lurking around what seemed to be some sort of food remains. "Oh! What's that over there?" she asked, craning her head to take a good look.

    Elliot let go of his mother's hand, and ran towards the creature.

    "Elliot, no!" he heard her call. Ignoring her voice, the young boy slowly approached the animal.

    "Kitty!" he exclaimed gleefully. The white cat seemed surprisingly well-fed and clean for the streets, and was cautiously eyeing the boy as he approached it. "Want some of my food?" Elliot asked, pulling out a small piece of cake and holding it out towards the animal. The latter carefully began moving forward.

    "I won't hurt you! We can be friends!" Elliot exclaimed. The cat continued, carefully accepting the food from him. The boy smiled. "See? I'm nice."

    It was only after many minutes of feeding the cat and attempting to stroke it that Elliot realized he wasn't with his mother anymore. He looked around, trying to see through the crowd.

    "Ma? Ma?!" he called out. No response came. Tears started welling up in Elliot's eyes. "Ma?"

    The sudden noise had apparently scared off the cat, too. Elliot panickedly looked around. There was nobody-"

    "Aah!" Elliot yelped in surprise as someone caught his arm.

    "There you are, you idiot!" Hannah hissed at him angrily. "Ma was worried headless about you!" She seemed to be carrying even more bags now, including her mother's.

    "I-I didn't mean to!" Elliot quickly dried his tears and shook his head. "I was helping this Kitty here!"

    Hannah sighed. "Anyway, for some reason, Ma told me to hold her bags for now. She said she was going to call a constable..."

    "What's a constantle?" Elliot asked, puzzled.

    "Constable. It's a good guy, you idiot."

    "I'm not an-" Elliot began, but was interrupted by a powerful voice coming from the direction of the train. Instantly the murmuring of the crowd quieted down.

    "Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin!" the two siblings heard the voice.

    "Come on, let's try and move to the front!" Hannah called. As the two children bumped and ran into numerous people on their way to the front, the man continued his speech.

    "My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo!"

    As they finally reached the front, Elliot finally managed to see what the man looked like. he looked almost as if straight from a book, with a black and green suit, and a small black top hat.

    "I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"

    "The Ironwood?" Hannah scoffed. "That makes no sense. Iron and wood?"

    "Now then... no time to dawdle! The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

    Elliot beamed, and attempted to rush forward to greet Mr. Odo. However, he was pulled back by his sister. "What is wrong with you? Ma never said we should go in!" she whispered to him angrily.

    "Come now... scared already? Oh well, I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come."

    As he said this, Rowin glanced in the two siblings' direction. For a second, he raised an eyebrow, almost as if in surprise. People began moving forward, including a pretty woman in red, a man with a funny hat and another posh elderly man who reeked of a smell Elliot didn't recognize but certainly didn't like.

    For a few moments, the siblings hesitated. Then, as if mustering her courage, Hannah stepped forward, Elliot happily following her.

    Rowin smiled as he crossed the two of them. "And who might you two be, children?"

    "I'm Elliot, nice hat, can I hav-"
    "Hello Mr. Odo, we're Hannah and Elliot Temperley." Hannah interrupted, nudging her brother in the ribs and bowing courteously.

    "Well, welcome aboard, then!" The conductor smiled at the pair, and paused as if he was going to add something, but eventually simply chuckled and moved on.

    "And who might you be, my friend?"

     







    Julius Ostellus - Outskirts of Bellson​
    ​


    Julius for the third time revealed the card in his hand to his meager audience, gathering cries of amazement and applause, and for not the first time he marveled at how easy this crowd was. And not just this crowd, every time he had performed in this backwater city his audience had been incredibly easy to please, with even the most simple of tricks amusing them to no end. It was a bit irritating really, as his crowd didn't appreciate his finer tricks as much. He missed the days performing with his old carnival troupe, when his audiences had been made up of skeptics, and his show was a game between him and the audience, him constantly working to trick and deceive them and the audience trying to understand how he had done it.

    His current audience was not skeptical, Julius was convinced that if he had told them that he had a unicorn which pooped golden bricks they would have believed him. Nevertheless he flashed his white smile and bowed, then shuffled the cards, quickly flicking two of them into his sleeve while doing so while his audience wasn't paying attention. "Thank you my friends!" He said in his stage voice, "You've been a most kind and wonderful audience! Now prepare to be astounded as-" He broke off in the middle of his sentence as the door to the steam engine behind him opened with a clang, and an eccentric looking man in green walked out.

    "Well my friends", he said, an apologetic look on his face, "it looks like my act is coming to a close, and next is now beginning. I thank you for being a wonderful audience!" He took off his hat and gave it a twirl as he bowed before them, leaving it extended in his hand for a moment. It was normal for the audience to drop money in the hat for the show, but looking up, he saw none in his hat and his audience moving on to go join the other gawking onlookers staring up at the massive iron and wooden train. "Freeloaders…" he grumbled, fixing his hat back on his head, hiding his unruly hair.

    He had mostly put on the show due to his boredom from standing around waiting for the train conductor, but it still irritated him that he had gotten nothing for it. And worse than that, he hadn't gotten to the part to con them, cut their purses, or otherwise steal from them. He shook it off, thinking of all of the riches promised to him if he boarded the train, and picked up his belongings. The crowd had gathered quite thick, and Julius had to push through people to get closer towards the front. Despite the fact that the train conductor was quite loud, he couldn't quite hear him from all the murmuring in the crowd. As he got closer the words became more clear, and then he was closer to the front of the of the crowd and could see clearly the train and it's conductor.

    He was impressed by the train, and equally impressed by its conductor. It hadn't been the first train he had seen, he had seen perhaps half a dozen during his travels. It was, however, the largest and most impressive of all of them. It even warranted a slightly whistle from him, especially with how impressively clean and polished it looked. The conductor was equally as clean and polished, although slightly more eccentrically decorated. A top hat similar to Julius' own topped his head, although with strange jewelry decorating it. From there he had a most peculiar suit and shirt, primarily a dark green. He wondered to what purpose he was so strangely dressed, concluding it must be similar to his own purposes in his shows, mostly spectacle, little practicality.

    Julius then turned his attention to the passengers boarding the train. He caught sight of a large, plain man slowly boarding the train. Probably the perfect target to pickpocket, he thought, dumb and slow, although perhaps not much coin. A somewhat immodestly clad woman who both walked and acted as such, he immediately tagged her as dishonest and probably a lady of the night. An honest enough looking man, a doctor if Julius heard correctly, and even two small children, probably run aways.

    Deciding he had seen enough for now, and worried he might not get a good seat if he waited any longer, he walked the clear area before the train platform to the conductor. "And who might you be, my friend?"

    "I, Mr. Rowan Odo," Julius said, bowing and removing his hat, very glad now he had worn his stage clothes, "am Julius Ostellus, more commonly known as Julius Maximus the Magnificent, mystifying magician!" He flashed a smile, straightening back up.

    "Wonderful Mr. Maximus!" the conductor said enthusiastically. "No doubt your talents will be very entertaining on this journey!"

    And with that Julius picked his bags back up and walked past the man to join the rest of the passengers waiting for their journey to begin.    ​

     
    Heather Williams
    Bellson

    The small dark haired woman picked up her old worn cloth bag, blue eyes glimmering with determination and drive. Heather had finally made her decision. She was going to board the Ironwood, leave her husband and her life behind, and find salvation. She set about pulling out the clothes she would need, along with any other little necessities, and began attempting to write to explain to George where she was going and why. About five minutes later, she crunched up the paper that contained her miserable attempt at writing, and threw it into the corner of the room, where a growing pile of crumpled up paper sat. She tore the clothes she'd packed out of her bag, and sunk to the floor, feeling rather anxious. Heather had been going through this cycle of packing and unpacking multiple times a day since the Ironwood had first appeared, and it was only now, the day in which it would depart, that she finally admitted to herself that she truly had no idea of what to do. After all, as much as she held no love for George, Heather also found she loathed the idea of running away and abandoning him in his fashion. After all, for a while she had considered him a friend, and he had ensured that while they were married he'd done everything in his power to ensure that all of her basic needs were met. This was more than she would have been able to have done for herself on her own, and she did feel some sort of loyalty towards him for that. On the other hand, she couldn't stand the idea of disturbing yet another soul to feed herself. She hated disrespecting the deceased members of Bellson in this way, and knew it was really only a matter of time before they came for her. Plus, as much as George had ensured through this resession to keep the both of them fed, she hated that he'd resorted to such measures, and had dragged her into it all.

    Heather picked herself up off the floor and set about organizing the clothes she had so carelessly thrown around the room, and placing them back inside her bag. While she did feel bad about abandoning George, and she hated the idea of ever running into him again after this - she had no desire to hear just how angry he could get ever again -, being killed by the ghosts of the people she disturbed was really a much bigger threat. She had to get away from them somehow, or generate a lot of good karma through doing good deeds to protect herself. Or exorcise them. Or anything. She just didn't want to die. Heather reached over to pick up one of the many crumpled letters. Almost all of them were completely illegible, either due to her limited writing skills, or the fact that she'd often been crying when she had written them and had ruined the paper. A sudden thought caused her to freeze where she was. Regardless of whether the ghosts killed her or not, if George found her after she abandoned him, she might as well be dead. And just like that, she was back to curling up on the floor staring at the walls, wondering what on earth to do while her heart pounded at a million miles an hour at the though of George's rage. Once again, she found herself wishing for Marco's guidance on this issue. It would have made it so much easier for her to have someone to talk to about this. Shaking herself out of her longing to see her brother again, she decided that the best course of action would be to not make a decision. Instead, she was going to go to the Ironwood, and see if there was a sign for her there to tell her what she should do. After all, if she was destined to board that train, surely there would be some hint of a direction?

    Belongings in tow, Heather left the house and headed towards where most of the people in the town now resided - the station. She did her best as she walked along to try and minimise the attention she might be getting - many of her neighbours were aware that George had been away from town long enough on 'business' to not know of the Ironwood' existence, and she didn't want to give them the impression that she was running away from him. After all, just because she was carrying a bag of all her important possessions with her towards to the train didn't mean she'd made up her mind yet. She was just, having a look, that was all. She could easily turn back and pretend that this whole thing never happened. As she approached, the number of people grew more and more numerous until she had to try and fight her way through the crowd. Heather was certain that there was not this many people living in Bellson - clearly, people had come from far and wide to have a look at the mysterious locomotive. As small as she was, she found that it was impossible just to barge her way through, and ended up following the path cleared by a rather large and unfamiliar looking man.

    Soon enough, she found herself standing on the edge of a clearing in the crowd that had appeared around a lone figure, as if he had a force field keeping them all away. Heather glanced at him closer, and came to the conclusion that from his bizarre appearance, he had to be associated with the Ironwood. She wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that she could not see his eyes. Her father had told her that you could tell a lot about a person from their eyes, and having them constantly hidden just screamed dishonesty, and his large grin came across as predatory to her. Maybe his eyes were completely black and would steal your soul. Or maybe he just didn't have any eyes at all. Heather considered heading home right then and there, only to realize that there was no way she'd make it through this crowd. Biting her lip and hoping that it would all just go away soon, she glanced at the Ironwood itself. Despite it being very unfamiliar to her, she couldn't deny that it was beautiful. George would have admired the metalwork in the machine, although there seemed to be some rather strange parts to its design. After all, why would they put a fireplace and chimney in the first carriage? What had George called that carriage again? The engine carriage? It didn't sound like a very appealing name for what she imagined would be a luxurious sitting room.

    Shaking her imagination away, Heather focused upon the scene in front of her. The strange man, whom had introduced himself as the conductor, Rowin Odo, was asking for people to who intended to board the train to come forwards. A hush fell about the crowd, only to be broken by murmurs of people whispering to each other, wondering who exactly was going to step forwards. After a moment, a striking red haired woman stepped forwards. Heather recognized her immediately. There wasn't anyone who had stayed in Bellson a reasonable length of time who didn't know about Lady Aria, known well for her intellect, stubbornness, and unusual red hair and eyes. Heather shrunk back and grabbed onto one of her demon warding charms for safety. While most of the townsfolk adored Lady Aria, Heather had not grown up being told to worship this woman, and as such found her demonic red eyes quite intimidating. Her father did say that you could tell a lot about people from their eyes, and well, nothing screamed pure evil to her more like blood red eyes. From there, many other people stepped forwards, announcing their intention to board. Heather didn't recognize any of them. There was a hawk nosed man, a scandalously dressed woman, the large man she'd followed earlier, two small children, and a man dressed almost as extravagantly as Rowin himself. After the children, the crowd grew quiet again, waiting for someone, anyone, to step forwards. Rowin seemed to be scanning the crowd for anyone likely to be joining him on their journey. Heather felt her heart stop in her chest when he turned towards her and offered her his hand.

    "And what might your name be my friend?" He said, that too-friendly grin plastered all over his face. Heather froze, feeling the crowds eyes on her and cursing the fact that she had even considered bringing her bag with her. Of course she looked like she intended to get on the train with luggage with her! But, perhaps, for as intimidating as this man was, he was reaching out to her, giving her a direction. Perhaps this was the sign she had been looking for all along?

    Feeling her cheeks burning at the attention, she managed to stutter out, "Um, my, er, I'm Heather. Williams. Sir." Her face only went redder after this, and gave the conductor a shaky curtsy. He didn't seem at all phased by this, warmly inviting her onto the train. For a moment she hesitated, but a second later she had already followed Rowin's gesture and had stepped inside the Ironwood. After all, it would have been rude to refuse after he had already invited her on, and she had been thinking of doing this anyway, and well, even if the conductor was some kind of demon, he was still the better option than the ghosts. After all, if she had to deal with supernatural beings, she'd much prefer to take one she had no history with, rather than one's that were howling for her blood. Still, she hoped she didn't end up regretting this.
     

    Location - Bellson
    Participants - Jack Ambrose, Aster, William Bartholomew Hawthorne
    Location - Bellson Town Centre, Ironwood stop    ​
    ​

    Don't Tread On Me

    The entire town of Bellson had been in an uproar since dawn as the day of the Ironwood's departure had finally arrived. Among the bustling crowd in the city centre ran a young girl, her blonde hair waving behind her. Nimbly working her way through the mass of people, she was headed for the train station, eager to see this mythical train she'd heard more and more about over the past few days. Supposedly it'd travel to the ends of the earth, and would grant the wishes of whoever travelled upon it? Could something that marvellous really exist? As she drew closer to the station, Aster's heart sped up in excitement.

    Elsewhere, a single white feather stood out among the thick crowds of people streaming through Bellson, gently waving in the air upon the hat of a young man weaving through gaps in the throngs and whistling a merry tune. William was so glad he'd thought to bring a small wagon with him when he left the house, he'd need trading supplies for whatever exotic places he may end up in, and he didn't fancy carrying it all himself. None of his cargo so far was particularly valuable in that little corner of the world, but who knows how rare it would be in some of the Ironwood Express' destinations? For all I know, some of the people I'll meet may have never heard of apples before...speaking of which... His eyes alighted on one of the stalls dotting the path, selling the shiny red little fruit so many people loved, and put on his best smile as he approached it.

    Jack ran through the town, dodging civilians as he did so. He glanced back. He managed to only knock down a single apple, as he vaulted through an unmanned shopping cart. Almost unmanned. The stall owner heckled Jack as the runner continued on his path. He glanced back, thankful that the man wasn't chasing behind, he let out a burst of laughter. Laughter that was cut short, as he was knocked out of his stride. He looked forward. Black trousers, black shoes; he dreaded to think about the likelihood that it was a police officer standing in front of him.

    Just a few meters back, the young girl stopped in her tracks at the sight of the familiar black suit. Since she'd been living on the streets for a short while, she'd already had several encounters with the coppers, and none of those had been particularly pleasant. If one saw her running by, surely she'd attract their attention again. So instead, she slowed her pace, but was curious enough to draw closer and see who had fallen victim to the whims of the law enforcer instead. To her surprise, it was a familiar face - a boy, a number of years older than her, that she'd seen around town before. He'd always seemed so experienced in this kind of lifestyle, snagging food from all kinds of different sources without getting into much trouble, that Aster was intrigued to find him in this position...

    William watched in silence as another man darted by, jumping over the apple cart and snagging a piece of the produce for himself. Shaking his head he stepped closer to the cart and tapped the stall to get the owner's attention. "I'm so sorry to have seen that Robert, but hopefully all the extra business from having so many tourists around trivializes the loss of a single apple."

    The gruff man running the stall grunted non-committally, refusing to let something such as theft slide off his back so easily, even a minor theft.

    "I tell you what!" The golden-haired merchant broke in, chipper as ever. "With the current market rate, I know apples are some of our more valuable produce right now. How would you like to trade twenty of your finest, for 15 pears I picked up from Martha Smith earlier, and five kiliran silver coins? The fifth one's for the apple you just lost." Robert was no slouch, and only spent a few moments gaping at William and his good deal before he nodded and grabbed a sack to throw the apples in.

    "And where are we off to in such a hurry, lad?" The officer inquired. Jack kept his head down. While he certainly didn't look like a child, Jack was confident that he could pass as a young teen for a short time if his performance was convincing enough.

    "Just off to the station, sir. Off to see Odo's train y'know." He responded meekly, and in a slightly higher pitched voiced. The officer chuckled, almost gawking at Jack's childlike charm. "My ma says I can go as long as I get back before tea, but I want to stand near the front." He continued.

    "Well you best run along then, otherwise you'll be standing at the back." The officer chuckled, as Jack skipped away.

    After reaching a good distance away from the area he'd bumped into the police officer, Jack's scowl returned to his face. He almost seemed disappointed that he'd evaded the law in such a fashion. In his mind, the ploy was flawed and should've been easily seen through. He didn't resemble a child.

    Taking refuge in a nearby alleyway, Aster had managed to pick up on the exchange between the two. She watched as the young man scurried off, evidently heading in the same direction as was her destination. Somewhat relieved to see he was let off without a hitch, she resumed her journey towards the station after him. Unsure about whether she should try to greet him or not, she kept a safe distance as she passed through the crowd.

    William was finally approaching the station himself, and he was so shocked by the Ironwood Express' splendour that he dropped the handle to his wagon and just barely remembered to grab it before it rolled away. "Wow!...It really is amazing, no wonder we've become a total tourist trap over night." He exclaimed out loud before he even realized it. With so many people in Bellson right now from all over it's tempting to stay and milk all of this for as much as I can, but how could I possibly let the opportunity for an adventure like this pass me by?

    Jack took a bite from the apple he'd grabbed when jumping over the market stall. The station had already gotten more occupied than he expected. It angered him that he was so late. Punctuality was something he considered so basic. Even with just a moderate level of competence, one should be able to be on time for most things. Somehow, he was late.

    He slithered through the crowd. Swiftly finding gap after gap that allowed him to wriggle closer to the front. Despite the masses of people, Jack still felt an itching feeling on his neck, as though he were being watched. He glanced back. Of course he was. He was in a crowd. However nothing seemed extremely out of the ordinary. Though common sense would have suggested he simply continue on his way, being on the run had made him paranoid: he had to know for sure. He averted his path, opting to cut across the crowd.

    The girl following behind was startled as he suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. She averted her gaze, trying to avoid eye contact, and even slowed her step to make her seem less suspicious. Unfortunately the boy had noticed something was off, since he took a different direction through the crowd - but Aster unsuspectingly followed regardless, refusing to let him out of her sights.

    Jack furrowed his brow as he noticed a small girl walking against the flow of the crowd behind him. He stared down at her, raising one of his furrowed brows.

    "Lost something?" He asked, trying to mask his disgruntled tone. He'd been worrying that his pursuer was some kind of legitimate threat, but instead it was just a girl. He held his breath. His relief was best saved until after he'd dismissed the young...lass? Well, hardly a lass, the girl was dressed more like a cheap doll. Her discoloured dress seemed like it hadn't seen water or soap since she'd bought it. To say the least, Jack was thoroughly unimpressed by the figure he'd been fretting about.

    Aster thought she'd taken enough distance from her target, but evidently she hadn't been quite as sneaky as she hoped. The boy in front of her turned around fully now, facing her directly, and rather angrily at that. She took a step back in response, and replied hesitantly.
    ''Huh?... Oh, no um, I was just looking for a good spot to view the train from!'' she stammered. She quickly realised how unlikely that must have sounded, but decided to stand her ground. She hadn't done anything wrong after all, had she?

    While struggling to see over and through the crowd of people to the Ironwood Express William noticed something was a miss. There was a spot where people were spreading apart from some disturbance, apparently two people were moving against the flow of the masses and suddenly stopped. He took a few steps closer and was able to make out the two a bit, the man's posture struck him as familiar. He seemed to be looking standoffishly at some young woman with dazzlingly golden hair, it practically sparkled. Unable to deny his curiosity he moved closer to observe, hoping the young lady wasn't being bothered.

    "The train is that way. The best spots tend to be closer to the object you're observing." Jack made no attempt to mask the sarcasm in his tone. He turned his back to her, continuing to walk across the crowd.

    ''Right... But... If I went over there, I'd surely be trampled by the crowd! Since you're not very tall either, I thought maybe you were going for a better... vantage point, you know?'' she quickly replied, following behind him still.

    "Maybe you should try that next time you find yourself in front of a moving carriage." He snapped back, retaining his sarcastic and uncaring tone. Despite his frustrations with the girl tailing him, Jack continued across the crowd. After a few more steps, he stopped. He turned to face her, his expression now more of a scowl than the deadpan look he carried before. He crouched, so that he was at eye level with the girl. "Did you just call me short?" He hissed.

    That guy... Now that he'd turned again William got a decent look at the man's face and it became clear why he seemed familiar, the way he moved was even the same, it was the apple thief. He took a few steps closer to the two and was about to ask the guy about his earlier stunt when he rounded on the girl with a surprising amount of venom in his voice. Will took a deep breath and finally decided to intervene. "Excuse me miss, are you alright? I hope this fellow isn't bothering you?"

    Aster was surprised at the sudden interruption by a stranger - and one that came to her aid, no less. She looked from one man's face to the other, and took a small step back, unsure what would become of this situation. She mumbled a quiet ''I-It's fine'' in response, and considered running off, but a glance in the direction of the Ironwood, so close in her vicinity, somehow left her determined enough to endure a situation she'd otherwise escaped already. Her audacity grew, even, when she turned back to the boy in front of her and answered his question: ''Well... You aren't exactly tall, are you!''

    Jack took a deep breath. This child was really testing her luck.

    "And what would a meagre street trash piece of work such as yourself possibly know about what to consider 'average height? I'll have you know, my height is considerably average." He leaned in intensely, focusing his anger towards the girl.

    William's eyes widened both at the girl's defiance and the man's indignation. He looked back and forth between them but said nothing, it seemed he had no more business getting involved. He did notice a few heads turning their way though.

    ''Hmph.'' Aster was initially unimpressed with the boy's outburst, but as he stood towering over her, intimidation got the best of her. Letting out a soft cry, the girl dashed and hid behind the blonde man that had come to her aid before. Peeking out from behind his back, she retaliated once more.
    ''Maybe, but... compared to this man you're a shrimp!''

    "Wuh!?" William stammered out.

    Jack clenched his fist. It didn't take long before his knuckles began to whiten. "Clearly you hadn't thought this through very well, had you?" He growled, gritting his teeth as he did so. His face looked much more menacing than it had before. Whilst he struggled to maintain his cool, he was still able to refrain from acting upon his rage. "If you keep this up, you'll have a hard time getting on that train."

    "Hey, hey whoah. Hold on! Isn't this getting a bit out of hand?" William tried his best to keep his voice even, not showing how desperate he was to be out of the situation. Knowing people were looking at them was awful, he couldn't let his reputation be ruined, it was such an important part of his livelihood. "It seems height is a sensitive issue for you, if so then I'm sorry it was brought up. We're uh, starting to make a scene it seems." He cleared his throat and looked back at the girl hiding behind him, forcing himself not to scowl at her for using him as a shield. "I'm sure you didn't mean to offend this man, right?"

    Aster looked up at the man as he glanced back at her. Realising what she'd done, and that he wouldn't protect her any further, she let go of the man's vest that she'd unconsciously grabbed hold of and apologized to him. Turning back to the younger man however, she did no such thing. Instead, she made a face at him, before stepping back... and dashed off into the crowd, fleeing towards the Ironwood Express.

    William watched the girl leave, not as surprised then as he was before, but still a bit shocked. "Wow, she can be a spitfire when she wants to, that one." The way she'd held on to him like she was scared and her apology softened his gaze just a bit as he turned to the other young man. "Well.....I suppose that's that, I hope the rest of your day goes well. If you'll excuse me." He straightened his hat a bit and pulled his wagon to begin moving through the crowd again, glad the confrontation was over.

    Jack lowered his head and ignored responses of the other two. He cloaked himself in his hooded coat, and headed towards the train in a different direction from where the girl had gone. He heard mumbles of words from the man who had protected the irritating child, but he honestly didn't care. He slowly faded deeper into the crowd, his black cloak acting as cover for him to blend into the suits and trench coats that occupied the crowd.

    Swiftly passing through the crowd of people lined up to board the mysterious train, Aster worked her way to the back of the train, in an attempt to avoid encountering the two men again. Once she reached as far as the tenth carriage, the engine barely in sight any more, she decided she should be far enough to board. Or at least, attempt to; closest to the train, the crowd was the thickest, and would prove difficult for a girl of her stature to work through. Struggling and pushing against people to no avail, Aster eventually tried to worm in between others, but was met with an elbow to her nose, knocking her back onto the floor. She looked around frustratedly, searching for another way to board.

    After weaving his way through the throngs of people as best he could without pushing or shoving, the actual spot to board came into Williams sight. He was ecstatic, until he saw someone on the ground along his path, the hair was a dead give away the instant he looked at her. He couldn't fight the thought that he hadn't been much help earlier, so he approached her and knelt down, keeping one hand on the wagon's handle and holding out the other. "Would you like some help?"

    The girl rubbed her nose before noticing someone was... offering help? She looked up at his face and was surprised to see the same man from earlier standing in front of her. Shying away from his hand, she scrambled to her feet, and considered making off again, but there was something about him that seemed trustworthy. Rather than accepting directly, she posed a counter question: ''... Can you help me get on the train?''

    "Why of course I can!" William smiled and patted the handle of his wagon. "A wagon full of cargo helps for making way, follow me." With that he stepped past her and now pushed the wagon in front of him instead of pulling it behind him, apologizing for anyone he bumped into and asking as many people as possible who weren't getting on to make way. In no time they were at the door and Will stopped, confident there was nothing else that would stop the girl from being able to board. He dug through the bags on his wagon and pulled out a pear before bending down to look the girl in her amber eyes.

    "Wow, your eyes stand out as much as your hair does. Here, I'm sure there will be plenty of much better food on the train, but this should help if you get hungry before everyone is settled in."

    Aster watched in awe as the merchant simply used his wagon and his voice to create a road through the wall of people. She followed closely behind him, until the door was within reach, at which point she hopped forward, eager to climb on. She turned around to thank him, but found him offering even more than just his help, as he held a pristine green pear in front of her. Gazing up into his eyes as he spoke, she shyly took the fruit from his hand.
    ''Thank you very much, um, sir! But err... aren't you getting on?''

    William nodded, then tipped his hat and straightened up. "Why don't you get on first though? That way nobody can get in your way, and I've heard the conductor likes to greet many of his passengers personally. I'd hate to get in your way."

    The girl nodded, and proceeded to climb the steps leading into the train. Before entering however, she turned to look at the man once more, and spoke.
    ''You have really pretty eyes too, by the way!''
    A slight smile appeared on her face before she turned away again, and vanished inside, her golden hair waving behind her.

    Unable to resist the sweetness of the girl's departure William still had a pleasant grin plastered on his face when he approached the conductor to board. He was quite an eccentric looking man, but the entire ordeal of the Ironwood Express was a pretty eccentric thing to begin with. The man smiled almost eerily at William as he began to load his bags onto the train so they could be stored properly for the journey.

    "Quite the entrance if I do say so myself." The conductor said. "A sweet little girl and a young man, a gift passed and smiles shared. I'm sure you'll be very interesting passengers."

    Surprised at both the greeting and the praise it took a moment for William to respond. He nodded and stepped onto the train. "Thank you very much sir, I look forward to this journey."

    "Just don't swindle all of my other passengers out of all their money." He heard in a still friendly tone behind him as he boarded properly.

    Jack trailed not too far behind William. While he hadn't particularly been following the larger man, he found that the space created by the large wagon was his best bet at finding some room for himself. He wasn't exactly one for crowds.

    The conductor glanced in his direction, his left eye met Jack's right. The rest of his face shrouded by the black hood he'd worn too keep himself as anonymous as possible. The conductor seemed to notice him though. Spotted him like a sheep in a grass field. He wasn't the only one hooded in black. Jack approached the green suited man, not breaking eye contact for a second.

    "We have yet another mysterious passenger!" Jack noticed the conductor chuckle slightly when he said the word 'mysterious'. "Care to introduce yourself freind?" He demanded. While his tone was pleasent and showy for the crowd, there was a force to his voice. It would be foolish to cause more of a scene than The conductor already caused. He turned to look at the crowd, keeping his face as shrouded as possible.

    "Victor Marsh!" He announced. After a nod of approval and the validation of applause, Jack turned and made his way into the Ironwood. He'd turned his back on Harburn, he'd turned his back on Bellson; hopefully forever.    ​


     
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