"This looks good." Sky muttered in amazement, checking out a mannequin wearing red suit and a monocle.
It was displayed in the display window of the dress tailoring shop.
As the shop was empty with no one on the street besides Aeon, sky snapped his finger and stole the suit from display. Replacing it with a joker fit, the red nose included.
"..."
Aeon didn't comment, he has done worse that simple thievery outside, So this didn't faze him. Though replacing it with....such outfit was atrocious. Just steal it properly, don't mock the owner!
Sky didn't mind the judgemental gaze and went on to shamelessly walking away like nothing ever happened.
'It is truly a very good night to go on a walk' He thought to himself.
From cafe to main Street, all shops and buildings were devoid of people or activity. Yet the shops were still full of commodities, like they have been simultaneously been abandoned before they came.
The fired food is still fresh, clothing shops still display their designs, taverns still held clean rooms and smell of booze.
Yet no person was in sight, just this silent traces of civilization.
Just two people and a beautiful silent city, accompanied by a celestial river above. The view is to die for.
Throughout the walk Aeon stayed silent, walking behind sky like a duckling following their mother duck.
'I mean he had the choice to break free mid way to explore by himself but he still choose to follow me. So what happens next is a shared responsibility.'
Sky glanced back at Aeon, who was still following him.
"Hm... How's the night sky here, isn't it better than night sky outside!"
He made some small talk to break the awkward atmosphere.
Aeon looked up at the night sky and nodded,
".. better." After that he offered no words.
"..."
Ah....I forgot he is colour blind....
The attempt to break the awkward atmosphere failed spectacularly.
Sigh
Sky sighed softly and didn't bother embarassing himself further by talking.
As they walked the scenary around them gradually changed from main Street layout to floored station.
Sky paid for an train ticket on the counter and got a Golden ticket from the automated ticket dispenser.
He bought two golden tickets, for himself and Aeon.
Aeon wore an confused expression, why are they buying train ticket for a casual night walk?
Sky walked into the empty platform and took a seat on a random waiting chair there. He patted the seat next to him.
'Go on! Sit here!' He signalled Aeon
Aeon complied and took a seat two chairs apart.
They sat in quite silence, neither bothering each other.
Sky, still steated, extended a hand towards Aeon. Aeon glanced at it and noticed a golden ticket being given to him.
Taking the golden ticket in hand gently, he studied it's content.
════════════════════════════
Welcome Passengers to Brokli Station!
We thank you for generously and legally paying for the fair, your capital would be used to help orphans in dire need.
————————————————————
Departure: Brokli Station, Sector 07
Time of Departure: 00 : 00
Destination: Inverse Palace, Sector 07
Train Name: Weakly Inverse Runner - 05
Cabin : 3-2H
————————————————————
We hope you have a great ride! Please contact the staff onboard if you face any minor inconvenience during the travels, we will fix it right away, free of charge!
Happy Travels! May the Star of Time bless your Journey.
════════════════════════════
It was a pretty simple ticket, different from the standard tickets outside in Astra Nova. They are filled with unnecessary details and have less hospitality compared to this.
But this begs a question, why are they going to Inverse Palace?
No...why are they even going on a train in the first place? Wasn't this supposed to be a simple night walk.
Aeon looked around to find no train indicator present, nor was their any signs of one coming.
Matter of fact, there wasn't even any track for a train the run upon. How would a train arrive here?
He glanced around to find a huge clock hagging upside down.
Though inconvenient, he could still read it.
[23 : 59]
One minute remained till the train was supposed to arrive and depart.
Even if a train did arrive somehow, there should be a sign of it comming. Yet there was none.
He could hear no whistling of train, no smoke in distant and no movement from both side of the empty track on which it should arrive upon.
'Is this a joke?' He contemplated, from his understanding of the blasphemer...maybe it is. Just so he could sit and scheme something.....maybe not, that would stupid.
"Ah! It's here." Sky exclaimed, getting up.
The clock hit 00 : 00.
"What? There is nothi-"
WHHHHHOOSSSS-!!
As if the world had been unpaused, a steam train speedily appeared out of thin air covering the station in thick grey smoke.
Cough Cough
Aeon heavily coughed when some of it entered his lungs.
With blurry vision obscured by smoke he saw sky stepping towards the door, he looked back and shouted - "Quick!"
Aeon ran towards the door, sheilding his eyes from the smoke.
As he got close to the door, all smoke in his way disappeared as if pushed back by some force.
He sensed something wrong, but before he can find the source of his unease, he felt the acceleration of air around him.
Grab
The blasphemer grabbed his hand and jerked it forward with all his might.
WHHHHHOOSSSS-!!
The train took off, but no gust of wind entered through the door. The air inside was peaceful.
Aeon noticed the ticket burn away has some weird laws surrounded them.
The sensation quickly disappear as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind no trace of its existence.
"Ha ha...warn me next time..ha" adrenaline coursed through his body, as he looked through the gaps in closing door.
They were high up in the sky, moving so fast that they were zooming past the gaint clouds.
After few more quick breaths, he shakily got up and looked around.
They were in some kind of narrow hallway of the train, private cabins on the right side and narrow hallway with windows on left.
Red velvet carpet pinned the floor, as soft cushions were lined around pointed edges. They all screamed quite luxury.
He was about to speak out his thoughts when sky gestured him to stay silent and walked down the narrow hallway.
He silently stopped at one of the cabins and gestured for him to join.
After both stood infront of the private cabin, sky swiftly opened the door, entered with Aeon and closed the door tight behind them.
Inside were two people who wore pure white robes with golden edges which hid their body type, they also had a hood covering their head putting shadow over their faces. On there faces, under the shadows were featureless pristine white mask.
They were building a tower made of cards, half full bottle of champagne on the side.
One of them immediately noticed someone entering and hastily cranked his neck towards the intruders.
Sky took out a revolver that was hidden in his inner pocket.
The last thing the masked figure saw was a pair a molten golden eyes which has tiny clockwork gears running in them.
Bang!