Enters the Animattrix Who: Matt Prept and Luna Lovegood What: Arrival Where: His cabin, then the halls. When: Sunday morning Warnings/Ratings: PG Status: Closed and Complete
Bouncing through the ever changing rooms was fun. It was like someone had turned an amusement park into a mini city shaped like a castle, and staffed it with sometimes grumpy demonic servants.
Matt actually liked the servants, since they seemed to like him. Why not? they didn't really want to tempt him, seeing as they didn't even hear from their bosses any more, and some of them were really nice! The walls whispered to him, leading him along, telling of a treat ahead.
The treat turned out to be Silvia. He liked it when he ran into Silvia, a former lust demon who had started playing the piano a lot. She knew the answer to just about every trivia question ever, and it was fun to ask her new things when he saw her, while she played the piano at the same time.
When he saw her today, he was yawning a little, and he smiled and waved at her. "Hey, Silvia."
"Hello, Matt." Her voice sounded really nice, in a way that Matt was just starting to notice, but he was too tired right now to think about it. He smiled at her. "Whatcha playing today?"
"'Traumerei' by Robert Schumann. It's one of my favorites." "It sounds nice. Say, what's a demon, anyway?"
He'd never actually asked that before, and she paused for a moment before playing on and answering. "A demon is a being of energy, created from dark thoughts, or as the dark reflection of another being." He yawned again and nodded, drooping a little. But he was still curious, so he asked further.
"Sounds interesting. Do you like being one?"
She shook her head at him, smiling softly. "I do. Especially here. Sometimes, in the past, it has been darker, less fun. But here, we can just be what we are."
"What are you?"
"Maybe someday I will show you."
He sighed. A lot of demons said that to him. He yawned again and shook his head. Why was he so tired? Normally he stayed up late, but maybe he was getting sick. He shook his head, kind of woozy, and was glad that this place had big comfortable chairs. One murmured to him, and invited him up ,and he thanked it, and crawled up into it, his backpack clunking to the floor next to him, and his eyes drooping.
The music was nice, and he listened to it. "I'm just going to stay here and listen, okay?"
"Okay, Matt, sleep well..." He could not see her sad smile, nor hear the regret in her voice.
He closed his eyes and slept, the piano and the demon woman as his only companions.
***
When he woke, he felt like he'd slept for a very long time, and stretched, and promptly fell off the bed. What? He suddenly realized he was in a completely different room than he had been in before. Something fishy was going on! A new adventure! As if placed there by someone knowing he would fall off the bed, there was a note and a phone lying next to his head. Pushing the phone aside, curiosity driving him, he read the note.
Notice from the Senior Conductor:
Due to unforeseen instrumental and environmental factors, the Möbius is being evacuated and as of now is designated a RUNAWAY. We are currently aware of the situation in which involuntary and quite unsuspecting non-passengers are being commandeered by the vehicle's inter-dimensional engine.
Please be advised that these units are uniquely designed to traverse between alternate realities and dimensions. It is imperative that you not be disembarked at the train's hour of departure. Those who choose to disembark in a foreign world do so at their own risk and peril of being stranded indefinitely. The Space-Time Orient Express cannot be held liable for the retrieval of passengers with implied intent to remain at the destination. An intent to remain can be demonstrated by a failure to board at the designated hour of departure.
Rescue is underway at operational headquarters and our specialists are working around the clock to track the Möbius. However, the renegade nature of the train presents inherent challenges in anticipating its route. We ask you please to remain calm during these trying times. Godspeed.
Matt lowered the note, and stared at it, disbelieving. What the Hell? No, really. Why would he have been dropped in here? He'd spent six months, at least, in a place very close to Hell. Why here, and now? Why him?
"I-- this is crazy!"
"You're telling me, kid. This is the first time I've been allowed out, and man, I am so glad to be uncovered and in the light." The paper's voice was light and thin, like something strained and overdone.
"Who put you here?"
"Can't you read kid? The Conductor! Or maybe it was the Tooth Fairy!" There was a wicked smirk in the voice of the paper. Matt didn’t trust it, right away.
"Where is he?"
"Can’t you read, slowpoke? He’s at the train headquarters. Far away from you."
"Darn it!"
He shifted, putting down the paper. He realized he was still wearing his hoodie and his rollerblades. He ran hands over his hoodie and smiled when he realized all his stuff seemed to be still there. At least he still had that. He was on a train, a runaway train, no less, and who knows where.
Which reminded him. Hadn't there been a--- aha! He picked up the phone and peered at it. Exploring it, he quickly activated the dashboard function and nodded as he saw where they were. “New York? Whoa. I wonder if my parents are in this world…”
"No." The phone’s voice was flat and mechanical, and issued from a small speaker. “Oh? How do you know?” Matt was getting tired of things giving him attitude. They weren't supposed to. They were just supposed to talk to him.
“Because I scanned all the numbers and names in the directory systems I can access, which is all of them. No sign of anyone with your name, or the names of anyone related to you.” The phone's voice carried satisfaction, which was a feat since it still sounded like a electronic radio or something.
“How do you know their names?” Matt was still hopeful! “How do you think? I’m your phone!” Oh, well, that made sense. Matt stuffed the phone in his pocket with the rest of his stuff, and sighed, a sinking feeling in his chest. Fooey! A new adventure, and still no family. This was not how adventures were supposed to start!
Still, at least he was in a new place? No castle, no demons, no dreary little rooms all the same. Even with no gate home, he seemed safe. Just safe in a whole new strange place with new people and a train.
He paused. A train that traveled across adventures? Waitaminute! This could be awesome!
He bounced up, eyes lit up wide and blinking. This was going to be fun! He headed for the closet to pick an outfit. Time to go exploring.
“I need to get out there and explore!!” And, with a twist of his ankles, he shot toward the door to head outside, and down the hall!