Opening File: Bentina Beakly
Bentina Beakley is a British duck who spent much of her life as an agent, and later director, of S.H.U.S.H., before becoming housekeeper for Scrooge McDuck. In this role she also served as guardian to Webby Vanderquack, whom she claimed as her granddaughter. Beakley was an operative for the Mobian agency S.H.U.S.H. during the 1960s, if not beforehand, and quickly distinguished herself as a highly effective agent. At one point she captured Black Heron and brought her to S.H.U.S.H. Headquarters to be placed in custody.
Unbeknownst to Beakley, this would be the beginning of a long antagonism between the two of them and mark the birth of threat Beakley would spend decades fighting against. For Heron, shortly after being incarcerated, was released by Bradford Buzzard, and the two joined forces to form the international crime syndicate known as F.O.W.L. Sometime later, F.O.W.L. had become a considerable threat, and Black Heron had become a nemesis whom Beakley regarded with wary respect. During a briefing with S.H.U.S.H. director Ludwig von Drake, Beakley-call sign Agent 22-revealed that she had studied Heron's case file and determined that she was after the last page of the Great Book.
Ludwig, somewhat annoyed by 22 already knowing most of what he had intended to brief her on, then gave her one surprise. The page would be one of the items available at an exclusive high society auction, and the only way for 22 to attend in hopes of obtaining the page before Heron was to partner up with Scrooge McDuck, a prospect that greatly annoyed her. At some point following Ludwig von Drake's abduction by F.O.W.L., 22 became director of S.H.U.S.H. She continued her campaign against F.O.W.L., eventually discovering that there was a double agent in the ranks of S.H.U.S.H. funneling information to the enemy operation. Having learned of the location of the long-lost Papyrus of Binding, 22 contacted her old partner Scrooge McDuck to ask him to track down the artifact. Though Scrooge had retired from adventuring to build up McDuck Enterprises, the prospect of finding the papyrus and stopping F.O.W.L. was enough to persuade him to take on the mission.
Unfortunately, in order to keep the papyrus safe from F.O.W.L., Scrooge was forced to use its magic to hide it from anyone but his rightful successor. Determined to make use of the papyrus' power to bring an end to all adventure, Bradford and Heron initiated Project 87 and created a young Duck girl, whom they named April, from Scrooge's DNA. This made April Scrooge's biological daughter, and thus capable of recovering the papyrus. However, 22 managed to close in on F.O.W.L.'s then-headquarters and was attempting to find and capture the still mysterious leader of the organization.
Upon stumbling across the infant April, however, 22 abandoned her pursuit of F.O.W.L.'s leader and escaped from the exploding facility. Knowing that F.O.W.L. would want the child back, 22 brought April-whom she renamed Webbigail Vanderquack-to the safest place she could think of: McDuck Manor. She thus left behind her life as a secret agent-for the most part-and settled in as Mrs. Beakley, Scrooge's housekeeper. Raising Webby as her granddaughter, supposedly by a now-deceased daughter and her husband, Beakley kept her sheltered within the walls of McDuck Manor.
She also began training her young ward in all the skills she felt she would need to survive in a dangerous world, particularly if F.O.W.L. ever came looking for her.
Close File
Xxx
"It's amazing, isn't it? How at one point in the life of a warrior, even the strongest will seek to build themselves a fortress of complete and utter safety. A place where they can look out into the world without fear of being conquered by their enemy. Such places can be seen as havens of refuge, sanctuaries for the wounded seeking rest, beacons of defiance against the enemy or even the impenetrable wall where the enemy can be goaded to attack and smash themselves against the unbreakable defense." Half of Sammael's face is shown on the right, centering around his eye as it opened to look at the screen. "Others would make such fortresses not only a place of safety, but also a statement of their political might and to show off their considerable wealth, authority and power to the lower masses. Those who work hard, would also build such fortresses in protection those seeking to compete with them or steal from them and those of the less lawful variety would seek such places to hide from authorities. No matter how strong one might be, they all seek the perfect refuge but unfortunately the perfect refuge does not exist for one or way or another the safety one clings will eventually be taken away, either by outside forces or even by one's own beliefs that their safety is all but assured."
Xxx
Many miles from Gravity Falls and high in the air a large red and gold cargo plane called the Sunchaser was currently make its way to the town.
"Steady as it goes Launchpad." Mrs. Beakly now dressed in her old spy uniform as she spoke to the plane's pilot Launchpad McQuack official pilot and driver to Scrooge McDuck. As well as a official licensed hunter in his own right thanks to a past girlfriend of his that was a huntress.
"Remember once we arrive on the outskirts of Gravity Falls Donald and I will parachute in, while you immediately turn back home, while getting as far away from the town airspace as quickly possible."
Beakley said in a stern tone reminding Launchpad of the plan the pilot himself a duck mobian gave a happy go grin, "No sweat Mrs. B." He said giving a salute with Beakley giving a pleased nod, "Good."
After all she didn't only want to avoid Launchpad's another of infamous crashes. But more importantly avoid a scenario of the pilot himself getting stuck in Gravity Falls. This mission was already high stakes as it was, and she didn't want to put anyone else at risks.
Her fists tighten as she glared into space especially considering one of the enemies awaiting them on this particular mission. An enemy who's intelligence she like Scrooge already knew all too wasn't to be underestimated. "Pericles." She growled to herself as she realized what made this situation all the worse was, she knew all too well that she was walking into a trap that bird was setting up.
But like it or not she didn't have a chance not if Scrooge really was dangerous. A scenario that as much as she hated to admit was more than likely despite her friend's experience and skill considering how things have escalated into an Omega Alert in Gravity Falls.
No matter the risk she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happens to Scrooge when she had the chance to make a difference. But she swore to herself before this mission was done an old score will be settled and that flying rat with wings would face justice.
However she was brought out of her thoughts as a third voice spoke up, "I don't like this." The male voice said in a disgruntled lisp tongue that some might have problems understanding.
It belonged to another Duck Mobian one shorter than her wearing sleek black sailor shirt that has four golden buttons and white accents with a white sailor cap that has black accents to match.
This was none other than Donald Duck nephew of Scrooge McDuck once a famous adventurer and hunter himself who in his hay days had made a name for himself across the world. But had retired from that life and active duty not to mention breaking ties with Scrooge over a decade ago to personal raise his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie after the disappearance of their mother.
It was recently that he and Scrooge had started to mend the bridge between them. He also initially had some doubts about his nephews adventuring with his uncle like Della and himself did as kids.
Eventually he relented and allowed it but made Scrooge swear on his life and honor to keep them away from adventures of a particular sort and to do his best to keep the boys away from Grimm. Something that Scrooge agreed to easily as adventures were one thing, but the Grimm and their masters were entirely another.
Though at the same time he wasn't exactly pleased with his nephew determined to keep the boys away from the life of a huntsman he and Beakley could understand why he did it. But after the golden castle mess Donald relented somewhat and agreed that the boys needed more advanced training than what he had given them to protect themselves.
And as all this passed through her mind as he spoke up Beakley gave a sigh, "Truthfully I don't either, but we don't have much choice."
She gave Donald a hard stare, "Not if Scrooge and the innocents in Gravity Falls need our help." Donald grumbled a bit but ultimately relented gave a sad sigh from his position in the copilot seat, "I know."
He then arched a brow, "Still you know this is a trap right?" Beakley gave a snort, "It wouldn't be the first I've walked into, nor would it be the first I've done so willingly." She gave him a bit of a grin, "Nor will it be the last."
She with a bit of a smile in attempt to life the mood only for Donald to give her a flat stare, "Uh..huh."
He got up from the copilot seat, "Than why do you seem so worried?" He asked with a dark frown as while she tried to hide it Donald could see that after she had gotten that phone call Mrs. Beakley had been unsettled.
Heck even before than he noticed her and uncle Scrooge acting odd before he left to Gravity Falls. At this question Beakley gave a sigh, "It's a long story...but I will say that an old face from mine and your uncle past is among the confirmed hostiles we'll potentially be facing."
She stared out the window as Donald and Launchpad looked at her curiously,
"So?" Donald said with slight snort, "Scrooge's got a list of sworn enemies longer than my arm. What makes this palooka so different?" He asked dismissively but Beakley could detect the curious wariness in his tone as well.
She sighed turning away to face the cargo hold, "Because this one is someone Scrooge and I once trusted and... let's leave it at that shall we." Donald and Launchpad from the pilot chair gave her a look of concern as Donald sighed himself stepping beside her, "Alright I won't pry..for now."
He promised though his tone made it clear that if became necessary he would be getting answers whether from her or Scrooge, "But I'm just glad the boys are safe back home and far away from the mad house we're heading toward."
He said crossing his arms with Beakley giving him a nod, "Agreed while I've trained Webby and I'm proud of how far she's come she's nowhere near ready for something like an Omega Alert danger." She than gave Donald a hard stare, "And truthfully even if she was, I wouldn't want her miles near it.
With Donald giving an agreeing nod to that, "I just hope Duckworth can handle the kids till we get back." He said in worried tone. However, at that moment the two heard a noise coming from the cargo area
"OW!"
"Would you watch your foot?!"
"My foot how about you watch your elbow!"
"You guys quiet they'll hear us!"
Noise that sounded like young voices arguing coming from one of the crates with the two quickly exchanging looks of shock and worry as a shared scenario of what that sound could be before quickly making their way down.
And once they arrived Beakley wasted no time time tearing off the lid of the crate and throwing to the side with her and Donald giving a disappointed glare at the content and the children inside giving sheepish smiles.
"Uh..oh" Huey Duck said
"Busted." Dewey Duck said in a slump
"Okay before you say anything I have perfect explanation for all of this." Louie Duck said holding up his hands and than pointed at this brothers, "It was all their idea!"
"What! Our fault!?" The other two cried in offense as the crates fourth occupant gave her grandmother a sheepish smile.
As Donald gave his nephews a look that a was mixture of shock and anger which they were all too familiar with, though the fear that was mixed in seemed more serious than his usual overprotectiveness.
Beakley found herself giving a hard stare and frown down at her granddaughter Webbigail "Webby" Vanderquack.
"Hehe...hi Granny~" She said with a wide nervous smile with Beakley finding herself loosing her cool.
"Webbigail what in the world are you doing here?" She gave the assembled children a hard stare, "I told you before we left that this isn't one of Scrooge's usual adventures, this is serious dangerous business!"
She rubbed pinched her forehead, "And most certainly not something four children should be involved."
At that Webby seemed slightly even more nervous, "Um about that." Just than sound began t to emit from another of the crates as it opened, "It isn't just the four of us."
Xxx
"As you already know Dipper from the very moment I was born. I knew that my purpose, the very reason for my existence, was to serve as my father's herald, to help him liberate this reality at any cost."
A younger Pacifica around 5 years old stood in the shadows of the Blind Eyes lair surrounded by it's members.
"So, from the moment I could walk."
Toby Determined comes flying out of the shadows with a kick with the younger Pacifica ducking as the Cipher wheel on her forehead glowed blue.
"I was trained and prepared for my destiny." And as Toby landed wasting no time twisting around for another kick the Cipher Wheel changed to a yellow glow as Pacifica with her attacker in sight froze Toby mid kick.
"I was taught to show my enemies no mercy." Then with a nasty smirk the little girl sent out a blast of blue fire from her hand blasting the blind member back with a cry of pain."
"Just as I was shown none in return." Pacifica gave a proud smirk of victory only to have it end as quick as it ended as out of nowhere a Geodite attached to a chain like a wrecking ball hit the ground inches away from her with its wielder Tats using his semblance causing a shockwave to hit the little girl sending her flying out in the hair.
And into another attack from the leader of the blind eye Blind Ivan who ruthlessly smacked the girl into a pillar when she was sent flying into him. The girl landed with a pain groan but glared up at Ivan who merely stared down at her stoically.
"But it was all worth it the humiliation, the pain, those pathetic peons looking down on me." Blind Ivan gave a disappointed shake of his head as she walked away leaving Pacifica to clench her fists and glare at his back with venom, "If it meant being strong enough for my purpose and making my father's vision of Weirdmageddon a reality."
The scene changes as the little girl Pacifica stands in front of several bound lower ranked members of the Society of the Blind Eye who were to serve her father in one final task.
"No matter who or what had to be sacrificed in the process." Pacifica raised her hands pointing them toward the blind eye members who stared with fear as they begged and pleaded, but their pleas would either be blocked or ignored as the girl let loose a large blue fiery blast.
Consuming the bound members in an explosive inferno as they all gave one last scream of pain. Leaving only Pacifica as she stood there staring at what remained of her first kills nothing but flames and ashes.
She than looked up as she felt another figure stand beside her Preston Northwest who gave her a pleased nod before she turned back to the fire...yes nothing but flames and ashes. And as she stared into the fire whether it be a vision of the future or her imagination the child swore, she could see her father laughing over a world reduced to nothing but that.
"So, I grew stronger training and perfecting not only my Semblance, and the power inherited from my father." The girl than turned away walking away from the murder seemingly paying the deaths no more mind as she walked away into the shadows of the Blind Eyes lair. "But also embraced my superior heritage while casting away any shred of humanity that remained in this shell."
"After all." However, the girl unnoticed by Preston gave the burning ashes of the bodies one final glance over her shoulder, "What use would such weakness be for my father's goals?"
"But then." The scene changed with Pacifica now a few years older standing in the shadows unnoticed as she stared at a tanned skinned purple haired girl her age she recognized as one of Gravity Falls citizens. Who herself was looking around the blind eye lair with wariness and fear. "A strange thing happened."
Pacifica found herself frowning as she stared at the girl...Nyx yes that was her name. The new apprentice of her father's friend Klarion. Who had found his book and actually survived the process of becoming connected to him as his apprentice. "For the first time in my life."
As Pacifica stared she felt a strange emotion bubble up as a idea began to form in her mind. If her father had someone that he could call friend, that he could actually trust and be open with, than...why couldn't she?
"I found myself wanting something for myself that wasn't related to my father's glorious dream." Pacifica than emerged from the shadows with a wide smile as her eyes transformed into the demoniac cipher slit yellow as she approached the younger Nyx who whirled to face her.
"And so for the first time in my life." Pacifica after speaking a bit to Nyx held up and offered her hand. "I made a friend~" Nyx gave the offered hand a nervous look before accepting it and strangely enough despite her fear found herself grinning back a bit at Pacifica.
(Flashback ends)
"You mean Nyx?" Dipper questioned with Pacifica nodding her head with soft smile, "Yes despite her rebellion against Klarion in her I found the first if not only besides my father I felt like I could trust and let myself be close too."
Pacifica than shot Dipper a smirk, "At least till I met you my handsome hubby to be~" She said winking with Dipper despite himself feeling a blush as she giggled.
Than a serious look on her face as she continued sharing with her future husband, "Honestly I think it was Nyx's very own rebellion and defiance against a Lord of Chaos that proved she was meant to be more than a weak mortal, that we were meant to stand with each other as my father liberates this dimension."
Pacifica let out a dark chuckle, "After all I think she only denied and tried to refuse her destiny is because Klarion basically trapped her into it." A smirk grew, "And no true entity of chaos would stand for being trapped or ordered around like that."
She tapped her chin as Dipper frowned in thought, "Makes you wonder if that was actually Klarion's intention from the get go."
Pacifica shook her head, "But I digress beside Nyx's spirit and defiance remaining unbroken under Klarion's trails aren't the only reason I knew that like you and myself she was meant for more."
She began to let out a demented giggle with Dipper feeling a nervous shiver go down his spine, "No." She shook her head and grinned wide, "Because like you despite her protest's Nyx has a darkside~"
She arched her brow, "Remember those old geezer ghosts from that little market?" She questioned with Dipper giving a blink at the question barely even surprised that she even knew about those two and that particular misadventure.
"What about them? Dipper questioned nervously with Pacifica stared into his eyes, "How well do you think she took the stunt pulled that night considering her sister was almost one of their victims?
At that question Dipper eyes widen as Pacifica gave another giggle, "Oh yes don't think I had ever seen her so mad, not even when her mother was ever brought up.
Her mind flashed back to when she had accompanied Nyx and Pericles to the Dusk 2 Dawn, and how Nyx had certainly shown that night she was Klarion's apprentice.
She remembers the look on the two dead geezer's faces as they were engulfed Nyx's purple magic how her friend stared coldly at them, and with no mercy banished them from this plane straight to Realm of Darkness itself~
"Why..why are you telling me this?" Dipper found himself questioning after Pacifica shared the details of what happen to the deceased couple certainly shocked at what he was hearing. After all besides the secrets she was forced to keep, and how close she was to that sadistic bird Pericles.
Nyx had always seemed so nice maybe mischievous but he would have never thought her the old her at least capable of something like that, even after what the Duskertons did that night.
At his question Pacifica smiled as she cupped his cheek, "Because I want to help you realize the true you and your potential like Nyx did~"
Xxx
The crowd that gathered around the anti-Cipher shield recoil in horror at the sound of Gideon's cry's and the caws of the crows. Though they could not see the scene as the murder drones had created a shadow that covered the know doubt grisly scene. The sounds stop and the shadows recede, the crows are standing on the ground looking at a certain that had only one thing, Gideon's bowler tie.
"Well, good riddance to bad trash." The murder sentries said. "He wasn't going to amount to anything really."
The crowd stood in shock at seeing this. Ford and Stan narrowed their eyes at the birds and Scrooge spoke up.
"You're a monster."
"I'm sure a Gunslinger like Roland Deschain would applaud my actions." The murder sentries said in response.
"We aren't Roland or his Gunslingers and even this isn't a line they would cross!" Scrooge responded.
The crows ignored Scrooge and turned their attention to Stan and said, "Why are you mad? Out of everyone in this backwater town I'd imagine you would be the happiest."
"I wanted him gone not dead!" Stan angrily stated. "That brat deserved a lot of things, but I didn't want to kill him!"
"And this is why good is always evil. So few willing to finish the fight. But back to what I'm really here for." The murder sentries stated before turning their attention to Ford. "Cipher is need of your help Ford, so step outside of the shield and let my birds take you to the Fearamid."
Ford looked at the birds for a second before he responded, "Let me guess, Bill wants me to take down barrier keeping him trapped in the area."
"Heh heh heh, you really are smart twin." The sentries responded back.
"Ugh Ford, might want to clue me in. What barrier?" Stan asked his twin brother.
"When I was still investigating the supernatural properties of Gravity Falls I discovered a phenomenon I've labeled 'Gravity Falls Natural Law of Weirdness Magnetism." Ford explained. "The town area is a magnet for weirdness attracting it to the area but it also acts as a defense mechanism. It created a barrier that keeps the Grimm out except for a few rare occasions and now it's keeping Bill and his cosmic horror cohorts from taking Weirdmageddon global."
"So not only can he not attack the town, but he also can't get out." Stan said before chuckling. "He's stuck between a rock and a hard place. Maybe he should've tricked a sucker into building a portal somewhere else cause he really screwed himself over here."
"He already tried Egypt a few thousand years ago that portal only got one jackal headed monster out." The murder drones stated. "Now, come here now or I will have you dragged out Ford."
"And how are you going to get him." Stan said confidently. "Bill, you, and his lackeys aren't getting in here with this shield up."
The crows started chuckling catching everyone off guard.
"It's true beings of chaos can't enter but as shown with Gideon something from Earth can enter." The murder drones stated.
A rustling is heard outside the shield and voices saying something that sounded like 'waka chaka' that made the townsfolk nervous. Out of the trees and bushes came small green creatures with long arms and legs, feline-like ears, yellow and red eyes, large fangs, and sideburns.
"Uh oh." Ford said upon recognizing the creatures.
"Ugh Ford? Might filling me in." Stan said as him and everyone else backed away from the edge of the shield.
"Goblins." Ford answered as he got his energy pistol ready. "I found a colony of them thirty years ago. They're not very bright but they are very aggressive and when one of them is killed they won't stop until they kill the one responsible. And I'd say the colony has grown since I last saw them."
The Goblins stopped coming but now it looked like there was at least hundreds or maybe even a thousand of them at the shield.
"Ah, phooey." Scrooge said in displeasure.
"Which one of you is the Fragwa?" The murder sentries asked.
A single Goblin comes forward with a black marker and draws a mustache on it's face signifying that it was the leader.
"Fragwa you and your horde are to capture the old human with twelve fingers." The murder sentries said as one of them pointed it's wing at Ford. "He is to be taken alive, if the others get in the way kill them. Understood."
"Waka chaka." The Fragwa said in confirmation.
The Goblins all turned their attention to the townsfolk who became even more nervous. But Stan, Ford, Scrooge, and the Aves family remained steadfast.
Stan turned his attention to the people and said, "I know you all feel like the unluckiest people around, trust me I've had that feeling more times than I can count but those guys want to take the apocalypse global by capturing the one guy who can fix this, but I say we stand our ground and stop them in their tracks!"
The townsfolk begin to gather their courage at Stan's words ready to fight the invaders. The Aves family as well as Scrooge and Ford smiled at Stan being able to rally the townsfolk.
"ARE YOU WITH ME?!" Stan shouted to the people.
"YEAH!"
"Then let's show them what happens when they threaten our town!"
"By all means face the dragon at your door." The murder sentries stated.
"WAKA CHAKA!" The Fragwa roared signaling its Goblins to attack.
Xxx
IFNINTY TRAIN ARC
"ED-BOY! DO NOT WALK INTO THE LIGHT!" Rolf shouted.
Kevin and Jonny looked over to see Ed stand up from the stump and slowly walk towards the doors.
"HEY! YOU LISTENING, DORK!" Kevin shouted as Ed took his first step.
"DON'T GO INTO THE LIGHT, ED." Jonny shouted next. "STOP ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF IT AND ASK PLANK'S GRANDPARENTS WHY ERNIE DEVLIN WAS AT THEIR FUNERAL…BUT THEN COME RIGHT BACK!"
Ed took another step forward and walked into the doors.
"Oh no!" Rolf shouted as he ran after Ed while Kevin and Jonny jumped over the fence and followed their friends through the doors.
That was all Ed remembered before waking up somewhere else.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in some kind of…mall.
An abandoned looking mall.
Looking around, Ed could see tents with scorched piles meaning that people had come through here before and even set up camp. Walking past one of the tents, he spotted some fancy looking boots and even a harpoon pack.
"Oh wow! So cool!" Ed picked up the Harpoon pack and tried on the boots, noticing the light buttons.
The soles and toe box of the boots were made of a metallic material while the rest was made of a black stretchy material. Ed walked over to a nearby wall and placed one boot on it.
Much to his delight, the boot stuck to the wall, and he immediately followed up with the other. "GRAVITY BOOTS!"
How did Ed know they were Gravity Boots?
While considered an idiot by many, even his own friends at times, Ed had virtually watched every action and monster movie, including the ones in space.
And since sci-fi played a big role in making monster movies in space, naturally they would have fancy sci-fi gadgets like Gravity Boots.
And who says you can never learn from watching movies?
"Ha-ha-ha!" Ed laughed as walked up the wall and across the ceiling several times before coming back down. "This is fun!"
Coming back down, Ed looked around and wondered what happened to the people who had been here before. He noticed a pile of books lying around near the tents and picked them up, opening one up and read it over.
"To whomever finds this book, we leave this behind as a warning to people to find themselves on the train. Although looks scary it is not meant to hurt you or frighten you, but to help you." Ed slowly read. "We made the mistakes of thinking the train was our right do with as we pleased, and we paid for it. Please do not make the same mistakes as we did. Work on your problems to get your number to zero."
Ed stopped reading, confused by what the book meant.
"Number?" Then he noticed a green light coming from his hand and lifted it up to his face. "Holy cow!"
On his hand was a number:
199
"Wait…Glowing green number…Awesome Gravity Boots…Harpoon Pack…and the feeling I am in an action/sci-fi/fantasy movie/tv show/cartoon." Ed adopted a rare and surprising thinking pose as he pondered everything before him. "Okay, this is ringing a bell somewhere…"
Ding…
…
…
…
Dong!
Ed suddenly gasped with his eyes going wide. "I'm on the Infinity Train!"
Xxx
The sudden revelation of being on the legendary Infinity Train had left Ed in a stunned stupor for almost half an hour before he gathered his wits and set off.
'Okay, what was it they said on the forums?' Ed thought to himself. 'It forces us to work through our problems and when our number gets to zero we can leave. Like a cool game.'
A potentially lethal game but a game, nonetheless.
Making it to the end of the Mall Car, Ed opened the door and was greeted with the surprising and slightly terrifying sight of the massive Infinity Train and the desolate dimension it was in.
'Okay, the forums say it's a big no-no to get off the train and go out there.' Ed looked back and forth, seeing nothing but red desert lands in any direction. 'So I got to stay on the train to be safe.'
If anyone were with him, they would be stunned by Ed's surprisingly astute mentality but after having lived his life playing video games and watching monster movies, Ed was actually in his element here.
He read the forums.
He talked with people about the Infinity Train online.
And he knew that like any game, there were basic rules to the train.
Rule #1: Do not get off the train unless your number reaches zero.
Rule #2: Be careful when speaking to the denizens of the train. Some might be helpful, but others could be very dangerous.
Rule #3: Do not look in a mirror on the train.
According to one of the people on those forums, her reflection came to life because she walked into a car full of mirrors.
Not exactly a bad thing but better safe then sorry as her reflection tried to switch places with her and leave her trapped so better safe than sorry.
Rule #4: Beware of a talking cat.
Ed wasn't sure why but one does not mess with the rules.
And Rule #5: If you see the conductor, don't worry he is very nice and helpful but do not ask him to build you a car. As conductor he is supposed to let the people work out their own problems and trying to indulge them into remaking their past is a big no-no there.
But he is also a very cute little robot.
"Okay, make my way to the front." Ed said as he opened the doors to the next car. "I can do that."
The doors opened…
And Ed was blasted by the sound of toy music.
It was literally a car of toys!
"Oh wow!" Ed exclaimed in child-like glee, completely forgetting about any possible danger he might be in.
Everything he could have ever imagined was right in front of him!
Laughing wildly, Ed literally ran back and forth, looking over little toy that was either moving or staying still, and just gushing rather silly over them.
"Walking toys!" Ed picked up a walking teddy bear.
"Flying toys!" Ed caught a flying plane.
"Girl toys!" Ed picked up a…little girl?
"Uh, actually I'm just a girl." The girl corrected with a smile, showing her braces.
"Gah!" Ed jumped back, dropping the girl in surprise.
"Oof!"
"Sorry!" Ed quickly apologized and helped the girl back up.
"Oh, that's okay. I think I'm cut enough to pass at least for a princess doll." The girl said with a silly grin and winked while pushing both index fingers against her cheeks. "I'm Mabel. Who are you?"
"I am Ed." Ed gestured to himself with his thumb. "Lover of movies and butter toast!"
"And I am lover of all things cute and sweet!" Mabel proclaimed, not wanting to be outdone by Ed's introduction. "And the maker of the patent pending Mabel Juice!"
"I eat cereal." Ed proclaimed.
"And I drink milk." Mabel said next.
Ed and Mabel just stared at each other before Ed held out a fist. "Milk buddies?"
Mabel smiled and bumped her fist with Ed's. "Milk buddies!"
The two shared a laugh as they sat down and simply started talking. Mabel told Ed about her fun Gravity Falls while Ed shared stories of the adventures him and his two best friends, Edd and Eddy had together. They spent so much time talking they almost forgot that they were technically lost on some kind of interdimensional train.
Until Mabel brought it back up. "So, any idea where we are?"
"Oh, we're on the Infinity Train." Ed said simply.
Mabel gaped and stared at Ed. "How do you know?"
"There's a bunch of forums about it on the Sky-Web and I read them all." Ed answered happily. "Lots of kids end on the train because they have problems and the train helps them."
"Helps them?" Mabel questioned and held up her hand with the glowing number. "And this?"
"They say the number is how your problem is. Get it down to zero and you leave the train." Ed showed Mabel his number.
"Okay, so what are our problems?" Mabel slowly asked. "Do I love too much? Do I not make enough sweaters for everyone?"
"Well, I read two guys said they ended up on the train because they were in a band and having problems with each other. A girl said she ended up on the train because her parents were divorcing." Ed recalled what he had head online and rubbed his non-existent chin. "I found these in the Mall Car."
Ed brought out a few books for Mabel to see and she opened one of them. "The Apex? Who are they?"
"Don't know." Ed shrugged. "But I found their stuff."
Mabel looked at the first page. "To whomever finds this book, my name is Grace and hopefully by now I will have found my way off this train. I ended up here because I was a troubled child, having a less than stellar relationship with my parents and for that I acted out, caused trouble just for their attention but it was never enough for me. Then one day, I found myself on the train when I couldn't take it anymore. Life was hard but I found myself liking it here because I stopped caring about what my parents wanted me to be and more on what I wanted to do.
"Later, I met the person who I thought was the conductor of the train and formed a group called the Apex. We believed the train and its people were for us to do whatever we wanted with. Numbers to us meant power and the one with the highest numbers were the leaders of the Apex. We raided cars, took what we wanted and to my shame knocked denizens we caught off the train and watched them…get run over by train's wheels-Oh my Glob!"
Ed and Mabel were terrified upon hearing what they did to the people of the train. It took a few minutes to compose themselves before Mabel could continue reading.
"I met a boy named Simon who was traveling with a denizen simply called the Cat but when they were chased by a Ghom, they got separated. The Cat made it to the next car but Simon was accidently left behind. I saved him and brought him into the Apex and it was fun…Until it wasn't. I met a little girl named Hazel who was living with a denizen. We planned to bring her back to the Apex because we didn't like a denizen whom we called a Null because they did not have numbers and so thought they weren't actually living beings. The denizen with her, Tuba was an ape and we couldn't risk fighting her so we invited her along to keep an eye on her.
However, after Simon had an encounter with Samantha, the Cat and his former companion who left him for dead, he wheeled Tuba and then proudly bragged about in front of us." Mabel froze, horrified by the thought of doing something so horrible. "How could someone do something like that?"
Ed had no answer for that.
It took another few minutes before Mabel started to read again. "This, in turn, greatly upset Hazel and caused her to transform into a turtle-like denizen in front of me. Finding out she was a denizen, the people I considered Nulls and not real people…I found I had grown so attached to Hazel that this revelation changed nothing, and we agreed to keep her true nature a secret from Simon. We used a Number Tracker in hopes of it leading us back to the rest of the Apex.
"However, it instead led us to a woman named Amelia, who had the highest number on the train at the time. It turned out she was the false conductor instead of One-One who we believed was the false one who usurped the one we knew and worshiped. Amelia then proceeded to break down all of Apex's beliefs by revealing the true purpose of the train, the numbers, and that One-One is, in fact, the true conductor. While I, through with some difficulty, was able to come to terms with these truths, Simon refused to believe we had been wrong about the train.
"In the end, the situation finally came to a head when Hazel's true identity was revealed. To my everlasting shame, I played dumb as to not anger Simon, which shattered Hazel's trust in me and prompted her to leave with Amelia which left me heartbroken because I had intentionally broken a friendship just to save face in front of my friend." Mabel frowned, her and Ed not liking what they had learned. "I didn't know it at the time, but Simon had gone back to the Cat and extracted my memories through a Memory Tape he had gotten from her and learned I lied to him. He imprisoned me in my own memories and left me behind to continue on finding the rest of the Apex. After breaking free of the tape, I arrived back at the Mall Car to discover that Simon has taken over and has turned the Apex against me. I watched Simon's number to increase until it actually exceeded Amelia's.
"He ordered everyone to get rid of me the same way we had gotten rid of denizen, but I stalled by talking about Amelia, telling them all the truth. Simon tried to convince them I was lying, still refusing to accept the truth and we ended up fighting on the linking bridge between cars. Simon nearly fell, but I caught him. He asked me why I saved him and I answered…I really don't know why I did after everything he put me and Hazel through but apparently it wasn't the right answer.
"Simon kicked me off, causing his number to extend up to his face and down his legs, but the origami birds that I helped earlier rescued me and brought me back. A Ghom I fended off earlier flew up and sucked Simon's life force out, killing him, and exploded in front of us. That image will haunt me for the rest of my life. After that I told the Apex the truth about the train and that their numbers need to go down to zero, and what we been doing the train and its denizens was wrong.
"I was wrong to lead them, and the Apex's beliefs led to Simon's death. I decided we needed to dissolve the Apex and we must all find their own answers and they need to work together. I leave this book behind to anyone who finds it to learn from our mistakes but don't repeat them. You have your reasons before being on the train and you need to work through them." Mabel came to the last page. "I don't know what you might think of me and I don't blame for you thinking me bad…The mistakes I made…I can only ask you that you please take these lessons to heart and if you find someone who needs help, denizen or passenger than help them as best as you can and maybe you can find your own answers together."
Having read through the story left behind by the person named Grace, Ed and Mabel looked at each other, both of them suddenly realizing that this place might not be as peaceful as they had thought, especially Mabel.
And that they needed to work together if they were going to find a way home.