A/N: And here, we have the next chapter ready. And there may even be a surprise about one of the villains later on in this chapter. Wanna find out?
Infinity Train X Glitch Techs
Book Three: Chapter 8: The Hey Ho Whoa Car
One morning, Tulip, Gummi, Jesse, Lake, Miko, Five, Atticus, Alan Dracula, Grace, Amber, One-One, and even Kazar were asleep when the gauntlets beeped the same sound One-One gave to this steward once, waking the group up.
"What?", Lake puzzled while waking up.
"Update complete.", the gauntlets spoke in unison before Kazar yawned.
"Well, what a great way to start off the morning. There you go.", Kazar spoke as he then gave the gauntlets to Tulip, Jesse, Lake, Miko, and Five.
"Thanks, Kazar.", Jesse grinned.
"Yeah. You're, like, super good with tech like this.", Lake grinned.
"Hey. It's just how I roll.", Kazar grinned as Grace woke up with a yawn and noticed Hazel already awake on her lap.
"You drooled on me in your sleep.", Hazel giggled.
"And how long have you been up?", Grace asked.
"Forever. I had bad dreams.", Hazel spoke.
"You did?", Tuba puzzled.
"What were they about?", Amber asked.
"I...don't know.", Hazel responded before rolling off Grace's laptop and standing up, but not without noticing that her right hand is green and turtle-like.
"No!", Tulip whispered before Hazel only retracted and grew her claws again twice.
"Huh?", Grace puzzled before she did the same thing.
Then, Grace turned back into a turtle person and looked at her hand again.
"Huh.", Grace spoke.
"Hazel, in light of recent events, I must urge you to withhold your form for your safety.", Atticus spoke.
"Why? It's me.", Hazel responded just before she and the others heard a hissing noise nearby and noticed a golden-winged snake slithering into the cave before lunging at the group with Grace then holding onto Hazel while turning her back toward the snake so it wouldn't break through her shell as the others braced themselves with closed eyes when there was a sudden whacking sound.
When Grace and the others opened their eyes, they were amazed to find the snake lying on the ground unconscious, whacked by Amelia, holding a shovel as she panted before Grace noticed a rock and picked it up defensively.
"Back off, lady!", Grace warned.
"Look, I'm no good at this. But I just saved your lives. And, well, uh...hello. I'm Amelia.", Amelia greeted.
"Okay...", Grace spoke as she morphed back to human form while setting the rock down.
"Thanks for the save, Amelia.", Tulip thanked.
"That is indeed a step-up from the first time we met.", Atticus spoke.
"You're welcome. But why couldn't you and the others have come back sooner with them?", Amelia asked.
"Well, they just needed a little convincing about you, that's all.", Jesse assured before Amelia only sighed.
"You want eggs? I'm making eggs.", Amelia responded.
"Yes, please.", Hazel grinned before running outside, puzzling Amelia and the others as they turned to one another with Gummi squeaking.
"Maybe let me make the eggs this time.", Lena suggested.
Later, Lena was making eggs as she was making an omelet of sorts as Amelia spoke.
"Believe me, I don't enjoy asking for your help, but I need to understand this anomaly. I appreciate your cooperation, Grace.", Amelia spoke before her number went down from the last digits being 201 to 196.
"Wait. Your number just went down.", Grace spoke.
"Did it? When a number's this high, a stray digit here or there doesn't make much of a dent.", Amelia spoke.
"Wow. You sure are taking your time with that omelet.", Damien spoke.
"Listen, I'm new to this whole 'making eggs' thing and I just want to get it right.", Lena responded before then finishing as she then placed it on a plate.
"There. So, how many pieces would you like it in?", Lena asked.
"6 and a half. That's how old I am.", Hazel eagerly responded, puzzling Amelia before Grace and the others shrugged.
"Okay. 6-ish pieces of omelet coming up.", Lena spoke as she then cut the omelet into 6-ish pieces before taking one herself and eating it.
"Mm. Just like how my mother used to make.", Lena grinned while shedding tears of joy.
Then, Lake took a bite herself and widened her eyes with surprise.
"Wow, you weren't kidding. That omelet is delicious.", Lake grinned.
"Well, I would've made it myself, but then again, I'm not so great at eggs. Or...any food.", Amelia spoke.
"Nuh-Uh. You could make the best pancakes.", Hazel spoke while eating her piece of Lena's omelet.
"It pains me to turn down my first compliment in years, but we just met yesterday. You've never had them.", Amelia responded.
"I just know.", Hazel assured.
"You and Alrick both.", Amelia responded.
"You mean your husband?", Tuba asked.
"That's right. But I...lost him...", Amelia responded before Hazel ran to hug her.
"I like you. We're all here for you.", Hazel assured before One-One gave a grin as did Tulip and the others while Grace was just puzzled.
"Heartwarming, but this car is marked for ejection. Time to go.", Amelia spoke as she got her pan and holding system for it before then walking away with Grace piping up.
"Not without Simon.", Grace urged.
"Oh, fine.", Amelia spoke as he walked away.
"Say, where is Simon, anyway?", Kazar asked.
"Well, according to the note he just left, surprisingly, it said that he's going with Hazel's father to pay a visit to his old friend.", Jesse replied.
"He said that? Oh, no.", Kazar spoke.
Then, the group got out of the car before walking out.
"Simon, where are you?", Grace asked.
"Grace! Fall back!", Simon shouted before landing in front of Amelia and the others.
"You were right not to trust her.", Simon spoke before he ran and slid toward her.
"Simon, wait!", Five shouted before Simon was suddenly reflected away from Amelia by an apparent shield, which knocked him back a bit on the bridge.
"Simon!", Grace shouted.
"Ooh. That's gonna hurt.", Tulip winced before Simon recovered and noticed Amelia walking up toward him while also noticing a red wave on her belt as the white eye on the center of her buckle grew and shrunk at the same time, surprising Grace, Hazel, and Amber as they gasped.
"Oooh. That's a nice shield belt.", Glad One grinned.
"It was my idea.", Sad One added.
"Your belt. You've taken our symbol! You're corrupting the mark of the Apex!", Simon shouted.
"What are you prattling on about? You mean this sine wave? It's a sound shield, pipsquirt.", Amelia spoke.
"That sine wave is also our symbol.", Amber stated.
"This mark represents the true conductor, a man with the highest number who wore a big, black helmet with a red wave on it.", Grace responded.
"Except the so-called 'true conductor' was actually a false conductor and a woman named Amelia. And that would be you.", Lena added.
"Indeed. If anyone was a false conductor, it was yours truly. After all, who else would have a face with a symbol on it and, let me guess...", Amelia began as she turned her gear around to the front and got out a voice modulator before pressing a button.
"A voice like this?", Amelia finished in the first voice Tulip heard from her when she first met her before Grace and Amber gasped.
"You...you...7 years ago in the pumpkin car. Do you remember saving a girl?", Grace asked.
"No. Look, I can reminisce all day, but we simply must be moving on. Find me in the next car.", Amelia spoke before stopping to glare at Simon and continue onward to the next car before Simon turned to Grace and speak up.
"We have to leave. She is not our ally and neither are Lena and Damien.", Simon urged.
"I...I don't think they're the enemy, either.", Grace responded.
"Yeah. She knows about turtles.", Hazel added before Five cleared his throat.
"Simon, that voice, I haven't heard it since I was a kid. That's what he..., she, sounded like when I first got on the train.", Grace responded.
"Yeah, but Samantha told me and Polaris she...", Simon began before Grace interrupted.
"Samantha? You went back to the cat and left with Polaris?!", Grace exclaimed.
"Yes, but...it's complicated. All I can tell you is on the way back, we went our separate ways. And he warned me to be careful the next time we cross paths again.", Simon responded.
"Hey. It's okay. I trust you. But right now, I need you to trust me. Can you do that, ponytail?", Grace asked, playing with Simon's small ponytail, as Simon blushed before he nodded with a grunt.
"This is bad.", Kazar spoke.
"Yeah. The fact that he even went with Polaris? Why would he do that?", Five asked.
"He must be trying to find out why Grace isn't telling him everything. She's gotta tell Simon.", Kazar spoke.
"But what if he never understands even if he gets the truth?", Amber asked.
"Then, we're gonna have to stop them ourselves. But it's not gonna be easy.", Kazar spoke.
"How?", Tulip shrugged as Gummi squeaked.
"He strikes without warning and he vanishes with the wind and people like him are a force to be reckoned with.", Kazar responded.
Later, at the next car, the rock people were falling out pipes, saying, "Hey!", "Ho!", and "Whoa!" while falling as the group caught up to Amelia.
"Brilliant. It's reset.", Amelia sighed before laying down.
"We'll have to wait.", Amelia spoke before Grace and Simon turned to each other.
Later, Hazel was playing with sticks as she turned to Amelia, Lena, and Damien.
"So, what do you think?", Hazel asked.
"About what?", Lena puzzled.
"I think they're sticks.", Amelia responded.
"They're robots.", Hazel responded.
"Oh. My mistake.", Amelia responded before Atticus started barking as he eagerly wagged his tail.
"Huh? Oh, you want these sticks?", Hazel grinned.
"Yes. Yes. I wanna fetch the sticks.", Atticus replied.
"Um...how do you fetch?", Hazel asked with a whisper.
"Well, just throw them. The rest will take care of itself.", Lena responded.
"Like this?", Hazel asked before tossing one of them with Atticus eagerly chasing the stick before catching it with his mouth and then running back to Hazel before dropping it.
"Yeah. Like that.", Lena grinned just as Grace went over to the four and sat down with Tulip (with Gummi in tow), Jesse, Lake, Amber, Miko, Five, Alan Dracula, Tuba, Kazar, and One-One joining them while Simon leaned against the wall.
"So, um...you were the conductor, huh?", Grace asked.
"Yes and no. As Tulip probably explained to you, I was a passenger just like you. I didn't like how One did things.", Amelia responded.
"Lies!", Simon coughed before Lake cleared her throat with a glare toward Simon.
"So, I took control. Tried to recreate my old life. Failed. Again...and again and again...created things that never should have been.", Amelia continued.
"Feeding pod propaganda...", Simon sighed before Grace and Tuba shushed him.
"It took me 33 years before I saw how futile it was and Tulip helped me see that the moment I saw her in person.", Amelia continued, making Simon widen his eyes as hidden realization that Tulip was right all along started to settle in before hiding it just the same.
"During that time, I made the cars I'm ejecting, but One didn't fancy that, so any car he didn't make, I must quarantine.", Amelia responded.
"So, are you a prisoner of One-One? Er..., One?", Grace asked before Amelia only laughed.
"Prisoner?! Of that little peanut?!", Amelia laughed.
"Rude.", Sad One responded.
"No. No, I'm making amends. Maybe one day, I'll even get off this train.", Amelia spoke.
Simon, who had been listening, couldn't restrain himself any longer.
"Why would anyone in their right mind want to get off the train?!", Simon shouted.
"Because of people like you! Not to mention the Ghoms out there! Or did you forget?", Tulip retorted.
"Don't remind me...! In fact, now I'm going to have to pretend I didn't hear every word of what you just said.", Simon growled steadily as Gummi gave a slight squeak in worry.
"Awkward.", Miko spoke up.
"You know why you're here, don't you?", Amelia asked.
"To...get the highest number?", Grace responded.
"If that were true, I'd still be on the train on one continuous visit by now and I wouldn't be the better person I am today.", Tulip responded calmly.
"Tulip is right. The whole point of the train is to work through your problems. The worse you do, the higher your number goes. Until you get it down to 0, you're trapped.", Amelia agreed.
"But I'm guessing you don't mind that very much, Simon.", Damien added.
"Of course, I don't. The train is our right.", Simon responded.
"Simon, stop.", Grace spoke.
"No...! She's brainwashing you, Grace! She said it herself. She's working with the false conductor!", Simon exclaimed.
"Uh, Simon? Did you forget that technically, Amelia was the false conductor?", Jesse responded.
"Well... well, even if she was, she's lost her way.", Simon retorted as he stepped closer toward Amelia, who retorted.
"Whatever way you think I'm on was never my way! Have you ever considered that you've been wrong?", Amelia asked.
"Thank you. I've been trying to help him see that.", Damien piped up.
"And if you really believe all that, then why did you save Tuba?", Sad One asked.
"I...", Simon began before he paused and became a bit perplexed himself while calming down.
"I don't know. I just...need to think for a bit. Okay?", Simon asked before going back to the wall.
Then, Grace turned to Kazar before he nodded and she then walked up to him.
"Simon... There's something I probably should've told you sooner.", Grace spoke.
"And what's that?", Simon asked.
"Well..., it turns out, Hazel is just like me. And she might've been the reason I was changing into a turtle person.", Grace responded.
"What?!", Simon exclaimed.
"But it wasn't her fault. She had no idea. But on the bright side. I'm back to normal now.", Grace assured.
However, Simon was at a loss for words before finally speaking up.
"Did you seriously not have a single sliver of trust for me? You should have told me she was a null the second you found out, but instead, not only did you keep this a secret from me, but when I asked what's up, you lied to me!", Simon exclaimed before sighing.
"I just need to be alone right now. And none of you even think of coming over to check on me.", Simon spoke as he turned around.
But it was right then that the door opened to show, much to his shock, the same black-robed figure from before: Zenith, who was just as shocked.
"You!", Zenith glared.
"You! What do you think you're doing here?", Simon asked.
"I'm only here to speak with Amelia.", Zenith spoke.
"You are not going anywhere near her or us after everything you've done! You're an insane villain!", Simon exclaimed.
"But I am no villain. I'm just a man trying keep a little balance in this interesting world and get children like you home.", Zenith responded, puzzling Simon.
"What?", Simon puzzled.
"Then why did you try to get rid of us when you first met us?", Grace asked.
"Because until a few weeks ago, I thought you weren't capable of changing, or learning, for that matter.", Zenith explained before turning to Amelia.
"Amelia, what's the meaning of this?", Zenith asked.
"I needed to understand what is going on, Max. There was no other way.", Amelia responded.
"What? Max is your real name?", Tulip puzzled.
"Yeah. Max Wilson. What's your point?", Max responded.
"The point is, all seems well for now.", Amelia states.
"All would be better if you didn't bring in this lost cause with you.", Max spoke, pointing toward Simon.
"Don't say that about Simon!", Grace exclaimed.
"Yeah, he's not a lost cause.", Sad One agreed.
"If anything, in spite of being emotional and serious at times, he's kind, brave, loyal...", Amber added.
"Reckless. Amelia, Mr. Laurent is a hopeless child. Better not to deal with him.", Max interrupted before Simon panted and shouted.
"Say it again!", Simon exclaimed before moving in to attack only for him to be pushed back by another sound shield, this time around Max, making the group gasp as Gummi squeaked in surprise before Simon landed on the ground with a tumble.
"Like so.", Max added.
"Take off that shield belt and say it again!", Simon demanded.
"No. You have 3 seconds to cease and desist or I won't hesitate to put you down. 1...", Max began before Simon only kicked at his shield and repeatedly attacked, trying to break it.
"Simon, stop!", Grace urged as she grabbed his arm only for Simon to move his arm away and continue his attack as Hazel began to cry.
"Stop it, stop it!", Hazel spoke as she teared up.
Simon, however, only continued his assault as Max looked on.
"2...", Max spoke.
"Simon!", Grace shouted.
"Enough with this, already!", Amelia exclaimed with a Simon still trying to break through the shield.
"3.", Max spoke before Hazel gave a loud scream with everyone noticing Hazel in turtle form, crying lightly as tears streamed down her face.
"I was trying to avoid all this! Rampant unrestrained chaos, the Train's complete and total destruction...", Max began.
"Of course, the turtles! It was just a stupid handkerchief. I got closer than I've ever imagined. And this...this was my number.", Amelia spoke as she went closer to Hazel and examined her hand.
"What are you talking about?", Simon asked.
"Kazar was right all along! There was a glitch hiding inside her, making her the way she is now. She's technically an anomaly.", Amelia stated.
"And that means if the pulse passes through with her inside, this car's in danger of being ejected.", Kazar added.
"We'll take it from here. The girl needs to be quarantined before the pulse returns. Once the Canyon fills, you'll be able to exit.", Amelia assured.
"Let's go. Now. Leave the Null with the old woman, go around the outside, get home. Problem solved.", Simon whispered before Grace turned back to Hazel and the others.
"You aren't leaving me. Are you...?", Hazel asked sadly before Grace hesitated and then gave her final answer.
"Of course, I wasn't going to abandon you. We were always going to stick together.", Grace grinned in assurance, making Hazel give a sad grin as a tear streamed down before Tuba gave a nod as everyone else smiled before Simon scoffed.
"We're wasting our time!", Simon scoffed.
"You're wasting your time.", Max spoke at the same time Simon did before they turned to each other.
"Did you just agree with me? Why can't you do that all the time?", Simon asked.
"Gee. Why don't I?", Max responded.
"Anyway, we should leave without Hazel.", Simon urged.
"No! I wouldn't do that, we are staying, and that's final!", Grace snapped before she took a deep breath.
"We need to camp for the night, anyway. Wait until the put fills. It's safer that way.", Grace added before Simon gave a blank glare.
"Okay. You're the leader.", Simon spoke while turning around and going someplace else with Grace sighing in slight worry.
Later at night, when everyone else was sleeping with both Grace and Hazel tucked inside their shells next to each other, Simon suddenly woke up and went near Grace while getting out a tube of Tape bots and a small metal box when Kazar cleared his throat, taking Simon aback by a little bit.
"Oh, Kazar! Did I wake you?", Simon asked.
"I know what you're doing, Simon, and I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed in you.", Kazar responded.
"I just need to know. I've known Grace for a long time and she's never tried to keep anything from me until now.", Simon explained.
"Simon, I know you want to know why Grace didn't tell you everything, but are you sure you're going about this the right way?", Kazar asked.
"Not like I have any other choice. Besides, I'm not a child.", Simon responded.
"Well, if I can't stop you, then I'll at least go in with you.", Kazar assured.
"Y-You will? Why would you...?", Simon puzzled.
"Well, someone has to help you understand the truth Grace told you.", Kazar responded before Simon was about to say something but then stopped himself and sighed.
"Okay.", Simon spoke before opening the tube and pouring out the Tape bots near the hole before they crawled toward Grace's head and started making a long tape of her memories with Simon fumbling it a bit before he took the beginning of the tape and moved it through the side of the metal box, causing it to project her memories into a wall before Kazar and Simon gasped and saw her memories.
When they did, however, as the memories played, Polaris went inside undetected and snuck his way past everyone until he got close enough to Hazel.
"You don't think Simon would wheel me too, do you?", Hazel asked, not knowing that a man with red goggles completely covering his eyes and a dark blue robe over his person noticed her and the gradually mutating Grace.
"No. No, he won't. We...just won't tell Simon. Okay? He doesn't need to know. At least not yet. We'll wait for the right moment to tell him before then. Until then, we can't let him see the shell, okay?", Grace spoke.
"How sickening...", Polaris spoke before turning to see Hazel.
"Rest assured, Hazel. Everything will be okay and we will be a family again. That, I promise you...", Polaris spoke.
A/N: Now, things are really getting darker. But at least we know Zenith was not what he seemed at first glance. And that means the last 2 episodes are coming tomorrow. I'm anxious just thinking about it. Until next time. :)