Alan Dracula ran ahead of the group, excited. He stopped and started chomping on the railing between cars. "Alan Dracula! That's not food!" Jesse said, catching up with him. MT caught up and pulled some grass out of her pocket. "Here, Alan Dracula," she said, handing him the grass. Alan Dracula gratefully ate it.
"Ya know, that parasite-Perry was it?-was kina...fun? But weird at the same time? You know what I mean?" Jesse said. "Like, it was cool and all but I like having Alan Dracula back. The REAL Alan Dracula." Jesse pet the deer.
"Yeah, it was kinda of fun, all until that catwalk thing...It is nice having our old friend back." MT pet Alan Dracula as well.
Jesse paused in front of the next door. "What do you think the next car will be?" he asked.
"You know there is only one way to find out," she replied.
Jesse put his hand on the door, then paused. "Are those...cop guys really after you?" Jesse asked.
MT sighed. "I knew that was still on your mind," she muttered. "Yeah, their still after me. They don't like how I'm doing my own thing. They don't like that...I want to be my own person. They won't leave me alone until..."
"Until they...kill you?" Jesse asked.
"Yeah," MT said, rubbing her arm.
Jesse stood in silence with his hand on the door handle. "Did you really have to destroy my phone?" he finally asked.
"Yeah...sorry about that," MT said, putting her hand on her hip. "It was just...my first thought. I really thought you were going to let them in."
"I wasn't going to let them in!" Jesse cried. "I mean, I may be traveling with a fugitive but you're still my friend, MT. I promised you we'll stick together and when I make a promise, I don't break it!" He puffed out his chest and put a closed fist on it. "Scout's honor!"
"'Scout's honor?' Are you a cub scout?" MT asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, it's...it's just a saying," Jesse replied, slackening.
"Just open the door!" MT smiled.
"Oh, right!"
Jesse pushed the door open to reveal a room full of paintings. "An art museum!" Jesse exclaimed, smiling. MT sighed, and smiled. "Guess we have to go through."
She followed an excited Jesse inside the room, the door closing behind them and locking back up. "Ooh! MT! Look at this one!" Jesse said, excitedly pointing at a picture. She walked next to him and scanned the picture.
This picture is done with dots. The picture depicts a park with a woman in focus holding an umbrella. The woman is wearing a blue dress. A few kids are seen with their mothers while two men sit in front of the blue dress woman. "What is this?" MT asked.
"This is 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Ja...something," Jesse said, waving his hand in a circle during the last part of the sentence. "This one was done in pointillism, drawing with only dots!"
"How does someone manage to pull that off?" MT asked, looking at Jesse.
"This guy did. People call him the 'Father of Pointillism.' This was one of the first."
"Huh," MT said, looking back at the picture. Jesse turned another direction. "Ooh! What about this one?" Jesse asked, running behind them and ahead a little. "The Mona Lisa!" Jesse exclaimed, looking at Lake.
"At least I've seen this one. Tulip was researching this for a school project once and I could see it on her screen."
"Leonardo Da Vinci was more than an artist, you know!"
"Really now?" MT asked, smiling at Jesse.
"What did he do? Build a car?"
"Nope! He tried flying machines!"
"Shh," a Denizen said. This one is a paintbrush with a bit of red paint on the tip. "Speak quietly in the art museum," he said.
"Sorry!" Jesse whispered loudly.
After examining a few more pieces of art work, and keeping Alan Dracula from eating some of them, they left the car. The next car is full of all sorts of Denizens, all speaking at the same time. "This is a strange car," Jesse said loudly.
"What?" MT asked, covering her ears.
"I said, this is a strange car!" Jesse yelled over all the chatter.
"WHAT?" MT yelled.
"I said! This! Is! A! Strange! Car!"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" MT yelled louder. "I CAN'T EVEN HEAR MYSELF THINK!"
"What?" Jesse yelled this time.
"WHERE'S! ALAN! DRACULA?" Lake screamed.
"HE'S RIGHT HERE!" Jesse screamed back, pointing at the deer.
"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" MT yelled.
"WHAT?" Jesse asked.
"I SAID-OH WHAT'S THE POINT!" MT replied. She grabbed Jesse's wrist and pulled him along. "COME ON, ALAN DRACULA!" Jesse yelled. Alan Dracula started following them.
Once they forced their way through the crowd, Jesse pushed open the door. They both collapsed outside the door. Alan Dracula walked out and the door closed. "What did you say?" MT asked, dusting off her pants.
"I said, 'This is a strange car!'" Jesse repeated.
"It was a loud one, that's what it was."
"Come on, Alan Dracula. Next car!" Jesse said, marching.
Jesse opened the door. "Hey, Jesse? What is a dog? I've never seen one," MT said.
"You've never seen a dog?" Jesse asked. He opened the door to reveal a large park.
"...no," MT said, her cheeks turning a purple-ish color.
"Hmm. A dog is...kind of like..." Jesse paused. "A dog is a pet that you can have with a tail and ears. The tail can be long or short and when it wags, the dog's happy," Jesse started. "The ears are either floppy or pointy." He mimicked the ears he mentioned above his head. "And the fur is soft and has different patters for the dog. They're usually one color but I've seen some with spots on their feet. There's a pretty popular one with black spots all over." Jesse waved his hand down his arm. "And...uh...they're super sweet and fun and they like playing and sleeping. Some of them are tall and others are short."
"Oh! Like Atticus!" MT exclaimed.
"Yeah! Like Atticus!" Jesse said, pointing at her. "Who's Atticus?"
"He's a friend of Tulip's. He is king of Corgenia and unitor of...whatever," Lake said, waving her hand in a circle.
"Well then, yes! Corgis are a type of dog."
They were both silent for a minute as they watched Alan Dracula eat some grass. "Hey, MT. Have you ever played 'Would You Rather?'"
"No, but Tulip has, so I know how it works," MT replied.
"Okay, let me start." Jesse stayed silent as he thought. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Would you rather battle one hundred duck sized sharks, or one hundred shark sized ducks?" he finally asked.
"Why sharks?"
"I wanted to be different from chickens," Jesse replied, shrugging.
MT paused. "One hundred shark sized ducks."
"What? Why?"
"I can beat 'em!" MT said, putting her arm up. "Plus, they're just ducks."
"Huge ducks!" Jesse cried, throwing both arms into the air.
"I can take it!" MT said, waving her arm dismissively.
"Would you rather have donut hands or cheese feet?" Jesse asked.
"You hungry?" MT asked.
"A little."
"Donut hands. My feet would melt on the ground and get stuck. Then they would look weird when they cool and make it hard to walk."
"Same actually, but only so I can smell donuts all day," Jesse said.
"Stop thinking about food until we can get to a restaurant car or something."
"I can't help it! Alan Dracula can eat whenever he wants!" Jesse whined, pointing a hand at the deer. Alan Dracula looked up, grass blades hanging out of his mouth. "Fine, we'll keep going and find you some food."
"Aren't you hungry, MT?" Jesse asked, grabbing a handful of grass off the ground.
"Yeah, but I can wait," she replied, taking a fistful of grass from the ground. Jesse held his grass out and started walking. Alan Dracula followed.
"Okay, would you rather..." Jesse paused for a second, "be a ninja or a samurai?"
"Samurai, easy," MT replied. "Samurai can kill their enemies in one fatal strike."
"I'd rather be a ninja. I've always played ninja with my brother, so I'm kinda used to it."
"Okay, my turn," MT said. "Would you rather own a dragon or a phoenix?"
"Dragon!" Jesse replied, pumping the fist of grass. He put his hand back down for Alan Dracula to follow. "I can ride around on it and it'll be so cool!"
"Me too, actually," MT replied. "Would you rather kiss a leprechaun or a toad?"
"Neither?" Jesse tried.
"Nice try."
"A toad. Leprechauns are the worst." Jesse opened the next door. This one is a ball park. "Oh look. A ball park," Jesse said.
MT read the sign. "'No pets allowed. Please remove your shoes.'" They both looked at Alan Dracula. "Stay here, Alan Dracula," Jesse said.
"We'll be back," MT said. Jesse placed the fistful of grass on the ground, MT including hers.
Jesse removed his shoes and placed them inside the shoe holder. His socks are black with red spots. "Ha ha! Nice socks!" MT said, pointing at them. Jesse looked at his feet. "Oh, I forgot I was wearing those." MT removed her shoes and placed them next to Jesse's. She has white ankle socks. "My brother actually got me these," Jesse said, lifting his foot some.
"You seem to have a good relationship with your brother," MT stated.
"Heh, yeah," Jesse replied. "He's two years younger than me. You know how most siblings don't want any brothers or sisters, right? Well, I wasn't like that. I wanted a sibling really bad. When my parents told me I was going to have a brother, you wouldn't believe how excited it was!" Jesse blushed.
"But now you're in here..." MT said.
"I didn't even get to see him before...this. I mean, I don't mind meeting you and Alan Dracula but...I still hope he's not mad at me."
"I'm sure he will forgive you," MT said. "Anyone who can stay angry at you is a jerk!" MT smiled at him.
Jesse chuckled. "Heh, thanks, MT." She slapped him on the back. "Anytime, Jesse. Now let's get moving." She walked inside the play place. "Yeah, right!" Jesse replied. Once MT entered, Jesse hunched over. "Ouch!" He slowly entered. "That hurt."
Jesse followed Mt up a small incline. "I haven't been in these things for years!" Jesse exclaimed. "This sure does bring back a lot of nostalgia."
"Tulip and I used to hang in these all the time when we were younger," MT replied. "It was kind of fun."
"You had a mirror room?" Jesse asked, climbing up a slope with rolling pins. "Woah!" he cried as he slid down and hit the floor. MT laughed. "Yeah, there was a mirror room," she replied, helping Jesse up.
"I didn't have a mirror room. Instead, there was this car that Nate and I used to go in all the time."
"A car?"
"Yeah, it was this purple car with...I don't know...a bubble window? You know those ones you can stick your head under and sit up straight without hitting your head?"
"I don't know what they're called either," MT replied. She pushed her way through some of the red pillowy things hanging from the roof. "Anyway, Nate and I used to hang out in that car for hours. Until dad had to come and get us." Jesse giggled.
"It sounds like you had fun," MT said, climbing up a few floors made of tightly weaved ropes.
"Yeah, it was fun. We even made this pillow fort one time."
"You'll have to show me how to do that," MT replied. "I think we're almost at the top."
Jesse pulled into a small corner with the bubble window. He stared down and waved at Alan Dracula. Alan Dracula flicked an ear. He continued to follow MT through a few tunnels. "Ouch!" Jesse cried, ducking back down.
"Probably should've warned you that one was lower," MT said.
"No, no, it's fine," Jesse said, rubbing his head. "These tunnels are just really small!" Jesse smiled at her as she turned. Jesse is right. Most of the tunnel is filled with Jesse's space, leaving only a few small corners on each side and under him. "You weren't joking. Which means we might want to find our way out soon."
Jesse continued to follow MT until she stood her full height again. "It's done?" he checked.
"Yep," MT replied, hands on her hips.
"What's this?" Jesse asked, standing up behind MT. In front of them is a desk covered with neatly placed boxes with assorted prizes inside. "'One per group?'" Jesse read. "Does that mean one for both of us?"
"It seems so," MT replied. They approached the desk and examined the boxes. "How about this disposable camera?" she asked.
"Isn't that reflective?" Jesse checked. MT examined it. "Yeah but the lens is too small. Those cops can't come of it."
"Disposable camera is it!" Jesse said. He grabbed the camera and stuffed it in his pocket. A screen lit up. 'Congratulations! You made it to the end! Take your prize and take the slide to your right!' An arrow pointed to the right side of the screen. Jesse followed the arrow to a yellow slide. 'Don't forget your shoes! Thank you, Honey!' A bee came on the screen, lying down with a smile on its face. "Okay, now that bee creeps me out," MT said.
"Down the slide?" Jesse asked, motioning towards the slide with both open palms.
"Alright," MT said.
"How are we going to get our shoes back?" Jesse asked as MT grabbed onto the top of the slide and sat on the edge.
"We'll figure that out," she replied. She slid inside more before she slid down the slide. Jesse gave her a couple of seconds before he pushed himself into the slide. "I've always hated these slides," Jesse said, standing up.
"You okay?" MT asked.
"Yeah, just hurts." MT snickered. She held back laughter. "What's so funny?" Jesse asked. MT laughed. "I think you should look at your hair!"
"My hair?" Jesse cried. "What's wrong with my hair?"
"Take a look for yourself!" She laughed, holding up her hand. Jesse peered into his reflection on her hand. His hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions. "Aw, dang it!" Jesse cried. He took his jacket off and shoved it on his head. "Don't look at me!"
MT laughed harder as Alan Dracula walked up, with their shoes. "Hey! Thanks, Alan!" MT grabbed her shoes off of Alan Dracula's back and rewarded him with some pocket grass. He happily chomped on it. Jesse grabbed his shoes off the deer's back as well. The door appeared. "Now we can get out of here!" MT laughed again. "Are you going to walk around like that all day?"
"Only until I can find some water!" Jesse cried. MT continued to laugh as she opened the door. This car is a huge open field, next to a large body of water and trees. "Is this...a national park?" MT asked.
"Greetings," a male voice said. "This is our camping reserve." He is a giant tortoise, half a head taller than Jesse. In his hands, he is holding a package. "Please take these to get started."
"A camping reserve?" Jesse checked.
"Correct. This is our camping reserve where you can fish, swim, canoe, sleep, cook, and camp. It is empty at the current moment, except for a few of my fellow tortoise. We hope you enjoy your time here." He handed Jesse the bag, who grabbed it with one hand. "What is it?" MT asked.
"That is your camping supplies. Please do not open it until you find your camp ground. Again, I hope you enjoy your stay at the camping reserve." he replied. He reached down in his barrel and pulled out another bag. Jesse and Mt walked forwards a little.
"A camping reserve?" MT asked.
"These cars sure are weird!" Jesse replied.
"I guess we should find a spot for the night?" MT suggested.
"Come on, Alan Dracula," Jesse said, following MT.
"I've never gone camping before," MT said. "The closest I've gotten was the water on m Prime's school camping trips."
"Camping is fun!" Jesse said.
"Where do we even set up tent?" MT asked, scanning the ground in front of her.
"Somewhere flat, with no rocks or stumps, or anything else like it," Jesse replied. "We could be near a tree but not too close. We can't be close to that lake over there." Jesse pointed at the body of water. "Up the hill then."
Jesse followed her up the hill until she stopped near a tree. "Somewhere flat..." she muttered. Jesse waited patiently, adjusting his jacket on his head. "Here!" MT exclaimed, running down the hill. Jesse followed her. "How about this spot?" she asked. The ground is flat, the water is nowhere to be seen. The hill in front of them has a large tree on top of it. There are a few other campers nearby, probably the turtles. Jesse took a few paces forward, past MT. "Right here!" he said. MT followed him.
"Time to see what's inside!" she said. Jesse put the bag on the floor. "Ready?"
"Ready!" Jesse pulled the bag open, popping the stapler off. The bag began vibrating. "Take cover!" Jesse cried. They both hid behind Alan Dracula as the bag exploded. After a few seconds, Jesse peeked over the deer. In front of them sits a tent, spikes in the ground. A pot is on the ground in front of it. "It's okay, MT. Just a tent and a pot!" Jesse said, ducking back behind Alan Dracula again.
"Then why did it explode?" she asked.
"It set itself up."
"What?"
"Right?"
MT sat up from behind Alan Dracula and checked. "Huh."
"There's a blue box on the ground," Jesse said, picking it up. He opened it. He pulled out a paper and read it aloud. "'Thank you for participating. When you are done, please leave your campsite clean and tidy. You do not need to put away the tent. Exit the car when you are finished and the tent will pack itself. Thank you for participating.'" They both stared at the box for a minute.
"I'm going down to the lake to fix my hair and get some dinner," Jesse said. "Do you know how to make a fire ring?"
"Of course I know how to make a fire ring!" MT replied.
"Geez, okay!" Jesse said. Jesse walked off, taking his jacket with him, still on his head. MT scanned the area for large rocks. "A-ha!" she said. She grabbed three rocks and put them in a pile.
A few minutes later, Jesse returned. His hair is no longer a mess, his jacket back on, and in his hand, is four fish. "Are you allowed to fish here?"
"Yeah, I checked. Don't worry!" Jesse answered.
After dinner, they sat down by the fire. MT stared at the fire. "Do you go camping all the time with your family?"
"No, just every so often," Jesse replied.
They were silent for a while again. "Hey, uh, MT? Thanks for sticking with me this whole time," Jesse said.
"Huh?"
"Well, you were angry at me for 'stealing' Alan Dracula. And then you were angry at me for...multiple reasons. But, in the end, you stayed with me the whole time. You could've just left."
"Well, you made up for it a few times," MT replied.
"When?" Jesse asked, making eye contact.
"Well, when the Flicks came out of the water in the Map Car, you stood up for me. And then you helped me through all of them. And then you even defended me in the Toad Car when...you could've let them in. I owe my life to you, Jesse," MT said.
MT looked up to see tears form in Jesse's eyes. "Oh, MT! I didn't know you could be so sweet!" MT looked away and blushed. "Don't think too much about it, Jesse," she growled.
Jesse pat Alan Dracula. "Why do you think I did all those things for you, MT?"
"'Cause I helped you?" MT asked sarcastically. "You know, get out of those cars?"
"I don't appreciate your attitude, MT," Jesse replied. MT sighed. "Fine. Why?"
"'Cause you're my friend and that's what friends do! They help each other when they need it!
"I'm your friend?" MT asked, looking at Jesse again.
"Of course you are!" Jesse smiled. "And nothing can ever change that! We are getting off this train together! And that's a promise!" Jesse put his closed fist onto his chest.
"Pinky promise?" MT asked, holding out her hand with her pinky extended.
"Pinky promise!" Jesse replied. He held out his pinky and closed the promise.
A few more minutes passed before MT broke the chatter. "We should get some rest."
"Yeah, probably," Jesse replied. "I'll sleep out here."
"Why?" MT asked. "Why can't I sleep outside?"
"In case those..."
"Flicks?"
"Yeah those! In case they come back! You don't want to be the first person they see."
"I can protect myself!" MT cried.
"I'm not saying you can't!" Jesse cried, waving his hands dismissively. "It's just the gentlemanly thing to do! Plus, there's only room for one of us in there." MT opened her mouth. "And you can't fight me on this!" Jesse flopped on the ground, and opened his sleeping bag. He unrolled his sleeping b ag and sat on it. "You can't move me from this spot. Plus, I already unrolled your sleeping bag inside the tent."
"When did you-" MT started before Jesse interrupted.
"Goodnight!" Jesse said, flopping down on his sleeping bag.
"Huh," MT smiled as she entered the tent. Sure enough, there is only room for one person inside. Alan Dracula could probably fit if he made himself smaller. Currently, he is lying with Jesse. Either he'll switch later or be in both places at the same time, in that order.
MT smiled as she walked onto her sleeping bag and took off her shoes. She left the tent door open but closed the windows. Jesse pulled up his blanket and moved closer to the deer.
MT lied down in her sleeping bag and pulled the blanket up. She moved closer to the door. "Goodnight, Jesse," she whispered.
"Goodnight, MT," he whispered back.
A few seconds passed. "MT?" Jesse asked.
"What?" MT groaned.
"I can't sleep."
"Too bad, goodnight," she replied, rolling over to face away from the door.
"Do you know any stories?" he asked quickly.
"Stories?" MT repeated.
"Mhm," Jesse nodded.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Why?" Jesse whined.
"Fine! Only if you'll be quiet!"
"Promise!"
"Okay. There once was guy who wouldn't stop talking so instead of the cops coming after the vigilante, they went after him and he was never heard from again," MT said.
"MT!" Jesse cried.
"You said you'd be quiet." Jesse growled. "Fine. Goodnight, MT."
"Goodnight again, Jesse."
Morning came. MT was awoken by Jesse, who fake knocked on the door. As his knuckle hit the tent door, he made a knocking sound. "Hm?" MT asked.
"Rise and shine, MT!" Jesse replied. "You might want to get up before I sing a camp song!"
"Okay, okay, I'm hurrying!" MT said.
MT came out of the tent, tying her shoes at the same time. "Ready to head out?" Jesse asked.
"What about breakfast?" MT asked.
"I checked with one of the turtle guys," Jesse said, pointing left with his thumb. "He said that there is a restaurant car nearby, unless the cars move. How long have they been able to move?"
"For a while," MT said. "Probably as long as this train was here."
"How long was that?" Jesse checked.
"I actually don't know," MT said, putting her foot down.
"I guess we can look into that," Jesse suggested.
"Only if we find a library car," MT smiled.
"Let's go!" Jesse said. "Come on, Alan Dracula!" MT picked up more grass, shoving some in her pocket and using the rest to lead Alan Dracula. They entered a dark car. "Hey, I can't see!" Jesse cried.
"Just follow me," MT said.
"How can I follow you if I can't see you?" MT sighed and stomped. "That works!" Jesse followed her stomping all the way to the door, which he then opened. "Ah, light!"
After a quick stop at the Restaurant Car, they continued into a grassy field in the next car. "Hey, I know a fun camp song!"
"What kind of camp did you go to that you know these songs?"
"I went to a school camp last year," Jesse explained. "We have one every year. You kind of pick up the songs if you go every year." Jesse shrugged.
"Alright then," MT said, "go on. Sing away."
"Really?"
"Better go on before I change my mind."
"Hey, MT!" Jesse exclaimed.
"Hey, what?" MT asked, smiling.
"You're a real cool cat! And you got a lot of this! And you got a lot of that! So stand right there! Shake your little rear, and show me how to do the Cheeky-cheek Cheer!"
"The what?"
"The Cheeky-cheek Cheer!" Jesse repeated. "Just...follow my lead."
"Okay?" MT said.
"Up cheeky-cheek cheeky-cheek-cheek!" Jesse shook his hips and pointed up, moving his hands up and down in a consecutive pattern while keeping his fingers up. MT smiled and copied him. Jesse returned the smile. "Down cheeky-cheek cheeky-cheek-cheek!" He copied the same movements but pointed down instead. MT copied again.
"To the right cheeky-cheek cheeky-cheek-cheek!" To the left cheeky-cheek cheek-cheek-cheek!" Again, Jesse did the same motions, pointing in the direction he stated, MT copying each of them.
"That's it?" she checked.
"Yeah," Jesse said. "It's one of my favorites."
"I can see why!" she exclaimed, laughing. "Onto the next car!"
Author's Note
I just wanted a little bit of Jesse and Lake fluff. I wanted Jesse to ask Lake Would You Rather questions and this is what I came up with. It takes place between The Toad Car and The Lucky Cat Car. I hope you enjoy this! Thank you for reading!