The Midnight Train Crossing

The Phantom was resting his eyes for a few minutes after working hard all night. The Mastermind awoke him with a pleasant "Good morning."
"Is it?" he asked.
"Yes." She answered, "How are your guests?"
"Asleep I assume."
"you could have had them practice their singing."
"I hadn't time."
The Mastermind shrugged, "There will be time later. How is the musical coming?"
He shoved a bundle of papers towards her
"what's it about?" she asked, without even looking at it.
"I thought I was just writing the music...."
The Mastermind shrugged, "There will need to be a story at some point."
"Yes, that is generally helpful in a play." He said without a hint of sarcasm.
"Well, there will have to be a love story of course," she said thoughtfully, "Maybe a triangle."
"I do have a slight idea," he said, "Which I have written the music for."
"Tell me."
"Two people, who do not know each other at all, are forced together by unlikely, and quite unfair circumstances," he said.
" romance?"
"I am not sure of that yet," he said.
"Ah." the Mastermind looked over the script.
"That is the orchestrations," he informed her.
"Which you will be playing."
"I assumed so."
"Good." the Mastermind blinked out of existence

Eponine started to walk into the Phantom's living room. She was now dressed in her own clothing, still slightly damp, and more bedraggled looking than ever. She saw who was there, and backed behind the doorway.
"She's gone," the Phantom said to Eponine without turning around.
"As much as she ever is." Still, Eponine now felt safe enough to walk into the room
"Well said," he said a bit amused.
"Your music is beautiful."
"Thank you."
"The best I've ever heard..."
"Thank you," he said again, "How are you feeling?"
Eponine laughed, "Like I spent last night getting far too drunk. better for sure..."
He nodded, "Good."
She ran her hand through her hair, playing with a knotted area. "Thank you for everything."
"I did nothing important."
Eponine smiled at him, "you did what you could."
"Yes," he admitted, "Not that it was much."
"You know... at the beginning of yesterday, I was afraid of you..."
"I'm not surprised."
"Not anymore."
"Well then," was all he said, but he smiled. It was small, but without a doubt a smile.
"If you're writing that musical..." she started, "I'll sing any part you tell me to... Not that I'm much of a singer. I've never done it really, y'see."
He nodded, "I believe that."
"What did she take you away from?" Eponine asked.
"Nothing."
Eponine looked up at him, not seeming to believe this, "You were doing nothing in your life when you left it?"
"That is correct."
Eponine seemed to want to ask more, but she didn't, instead she changed the subject, "I was living on the streets of Paris."
"I lived under the Paris Opera." He had no idea why he felt the urge to reveal this information to her.
"I think I've passed there before. Some of the men are very rich. They'll offer girls money.... for something I chose not to sell, though." She decided that now would not be the best time to mention that when she did want to eat, she had had to steal it.
"Good for you," he said, not at all sarcastic or condescending, "Rich people sometimes can be useful."
"They ain't never been of much use to me... not willingly at least," She hesitated and looked at the Phantom, suddenly unsure she wanted to share this with him, "There was one..."
He turned to her.
"Named Marius. He wasn't rich. He was only a student... better off then me still. I think I loved him... but.."
"He didn't," the Phantom finished.
"No. Of course not. He seemed... maybe fond of me, for awhile, until he met Cossette." She paused, "He had me carry love notes for her, to and from the barricade..." Eponine fond herself staring at her bloodstain again, "That's how..."
"Do not think about it if it is painful," he said.
"Ah... but it's a good thought. You haven't heard the rest. I made it back to him. He held me... I'd never been held before. And I died like that." She smiled at the thought.
"I am glad you had some happiness then."

Just then, a sleepy looking Rusty came out.
"Good morning," Eponine greeted him.
"Hi."
"did you get some sleep? I... wasn't thinking so clearly last night, but that chair couldn't have been comfortable. I would have shared the bed."
"No, it's okay," he said, "I was fine."
"Good."
"Yeah," he yawned.
"Tired?" she asked.
"No, just... not awake yet." He blinked, "So... now what?"
"I wish I knew," Eponine said, "Be happy we're not animals I suppose."
"I agree with that," Rusty said with a smile, half watching the Phantom open another door and vanish into a side room.

"Do either of you want breakfast?" the Phantom asked.
"There's food here?" Eponine asked, surprised.
"Yes," he answered, "Come here." He was standing in a kitchen looking room, lined with cupboards, "I don't eat much," he said, "You may each take what you like."
Eponine smiled, "I don't think I've eaten since...my last life I suppose
Rusty sat down a bit glumly, "What do passengers eat?"
"depends on the passenger... I stick with whatever I can find, when I can find it..."
"Oh," Rusty said as the Phantom opened a few of the doors. Whatever else she had done, the Mastermind had provided him with enough food.
"I've never seen this much food..." Eponine breathed.
"You can have what you like," he said, "It may as well go to some use."
She quickly picked out a nice looking piece of fruit – not at all what she was used to eating. She picked through the rest of the food, practically inhaling what she chose to eat.
Rusty looked doubtful about this assortment of food – but the bread looked safe, similar enough to 'real' food.
"It's safe to eat," Eponine assured him "Bread is good food, and it looks fresh."
After Rusty finished eating, he sighed softly.
"what's wrong?"
"I just-" he looked down at himself.
"Yes?"
"I miss my wheels."
Eponine touched his shoulder lightly, "I know you do... I'm sorry.."
"Yeah... before... when you were asleep... *she* told me to sing a train song..."
"And... you can't, unless you're a train?"
"If-- When she turns you back, I'd like to hear what a train song sounds like."
He smiled at her, "Sure."
She smiled back, "try not to feel to bad... and if there's anything I can do for you..."
"Thanks."
Eponine ran a hand through her hair – a mass of knots as usual.
"You..." Rusty started a bit shyly, "Your voice is nice."
"No it isn't," she said, but couldn't help but smile at this.
"Yes it is," he insisted.
She blushed. "I... don't think I was awake yet when she had you sing."
"No," he shook his head, "You weren't." He hesitated, "You'll... probably get a chance though."
Eponine nodded, "Yes. I suppose when you're cast in the musical, you will be singing."
"Yeah."

Out in the main room, the Phantom was sorting through the copies of the music he had written.
"I've decided it's time for you to meet with the rest of the cast." A voice said from behind him."
"Not now," he said not turning around.

Despite the protests of the Phantom, he, Eponine and Rusty all found themselves in the theatre. As soon as he realized where he was, the Phantom stepped back into the shadows and was gone.
Their appearance had not gone unnoticed. Dinah, now clad in a short somewhat ragged looking black velvet toga (scraps of the curtains) ran up to Rusty, "Where have you been?" she asked, "You just... disappeared."
"It's a really long story," Rusty said.
"What about that other girl? Is she with you? Mark and Florence were worried that you two might've gotten lost in the woods."
"No," Rusty assured her, "We're both fine."
Eponine had crept up behind Rusty.
Rusty looked back at her, then looked at Dinah, then back to Eponine, then Dinah again. When standing close together, Eponine and Dinah looked oddly similar.
"What is it?" the two asked in unison.
"I... I guess I'm tired or something..."
"That must be it," Eponine said.
"Yeah..." Rusty looked back, "Hey... where'd he go?"
Eponine looked around, "Good question."
"Who?" Dinah asked.
"Yeah, who?" Electra the cat echoed.
"Uh..." Rusty wasn't quite sure how to describe the odd passenger that was the Phantom.
"A man in a mask," Eponine supplied.
"The OG!"
"OG?" Rusty asked.
"A man in a mask, right? He brought down a note, before you came here."
"We think he's in league with The Mastermind." Electra added
"He's not," Rusty said.
"Definitely not." Eponine agreed.
"We... we met her," Rusty said, "And he's not with her."
"What's going on?" Dinah asked.
"We're... we're here to perform in a musical."
'He's writing it, because The Mastermind is making him," Eponine put in, "But he's good..."
"The O.G.?" Dinah asked.
"Yes, the OG, I suppose. The man in the mask."
"He was nice to us," Rusty put in.
"And the Mastermind certainly wasn't. You'd best watch out for her."
Rusty shuddered slightly. "Dinah," he said, "She's the one that did this to us."
Dinah looked down at her feet sadly. She hated them.
"I know," Rusty said, "But at least you only got transformed once..."
"Yes..." Dinah looked blank for awhile, and then, "Rusty? What happened?"
"She... well..." he dropped his voice lower, "When Eponine and I found out about the whole musical thing... we wondered what would happen if we didn't perform.... She..."
"What'd she do?"
"She turned me into a dog."
Dinah looked shocked, "A dog?"
"A dog." he repeated, "Twice in fact."
"That's awful!"
"Yeah," Rusty said softly.

"Do you think..." Eponine asked, "Perhaps we shouldn't be talking about her?" The Mastermind had an uncanny tendency to appear when she was spoken about.
As if to answer them, Rusty suddenly shrank, growing four legs, a tail and a lot more fur then he normally had. He groaned inwardly as soon as it had registered what had happened. 'Starlight, I knew I shouldn't've said anything...'
"Probably not," A voice said from behind Rusty.
He let out a soft yip in surprise, turning around and stumbling over his feet to see the Mastermind smiling at him.
Dinah watched, stunned, as Eponine took on her animal form as well.
'I hate this, I hate this,' Rusty was thinking.
"Too bad," the Mastermind said.
'You can hear me?' Rusty thought in surprise.
"Yes. I can hear both of you. You can hear each other."
'Turn us back?' he pleaded.
"No."
Eponine hid between Rusty's paws. "Just.. don't step on me." She said in a mental whisper.
'Please!' Rusty pleaded.
"No. Sit."
Taking care not to step on Eponine, Rusty sat.
"Good dog..."
'Not a dog.' He muttered.
"You certainly look like one..."
'But I'm not one!'
"Oh, I think you are."
He sighed
"I'll see you two later."
'You're gonna leave us like this??' he yelped.
"for the time being. I have some things to set up. Then, I'll see you again."
'Please don't,' Rusty pleaded, getting up and moving towards her, but she only disappeared. He sighed and then looked up at Dinah as if to say "See?"
"Aw... Rusty..." the former dining car said helplessly.

Electra was staring at Eponine strangely and appeared to be salivating. She suddenly leapt out towards Eponine. Eponine ran – realizing that she was now a rat and Electra was very much a cat.
"Electra!" Dinah shouted, seeing what her cat friend was doing – gaining on Eponine. Rusty chased after the cat.
Eponine ran into a dark corner and ran towards a familiar shoe, hiding behind it. Electra skidded to a stop, but ran straight into a well dressed, masked, man.
Eponine scrambled up into the Phantom's offered hand.
Electra backed up, her tail swishing in disapproval. Dinah and Rusty were close behind.
"It's him!" Dinah exclaimed, recognizing the O.G.
"She," the Phantom indicated Eponine, "Is not a rat, and should not even be thought of as dinner," he said to Electra, "Am I clear?"
Electra nodded, but she didn't stop staring at Eponine.
"If this happens again," the Phantom said, reaching out and touching Electra lightly with a cold hand, he let the threat hang. Electra pulled away from his touch – his hand felt weird!
"Electra... c'mon..." Dinah whispered.
Rusty growled in agreement with the Phantom. Electra's fur stood on end and she hissed at the newly formed Pollicle.
"Enough," the Phantom said, putting Eponine in his jacket pocket, "I shall see what I can do about getting all of you something to eat."
Dinah nodded, "T-thank you..." she sounded rather afraid of the masked man.

Rusty seemed to have calmed down, now that Eponine wasn't in danger of being eaten. He lay quietly at the Phantom's feet.
'You can hear me?' Eponine thought.
'I can,' Rusty answered.
'Ah... good.' Eponine peaked out of The Phantom's pocket
'I... I think it's safe...' He looked up at Dinah and Electra apologetically.
'Everyone's so... big!'
'That's cuz you're little...'
'Tiny...'
'Yeah...'

"Can you turn them back?" Dinah asked the Phantom.
"No," he said, "Unfortunately, I can't."
"But... you talk to... the one who can, don't you? Are you the one who left the note?"
"Unfortunately yes I must, and yes I did." He answered all her questions.
"You're the OG!" Electra spat
"Electra!" Dinah hissed, frightened.
"Yes I am," he sounded amused.
Electra hissed, fluffing out her fur again.
"And what have I done?" he asked, not upset.
"Brought us here."
"I have not," he said calmly.
"Have to."
"The one that did this to Rusty and Eponine was the one that brought you here."
Dinah nodded

"Eponine," he addressed her, "You may stay with me if you wish."
Eponine, in response, buried back down into his pocket. She knew there was another cat out here somewhere that hadn't so much as been warned.
'Rusty?' Eponine's voice sounded in his mind
'Yeah?'
'What are we gonna do now?'
'Starlight knows, but I sure don't,' Rusty said, 'Well... she needs us to... not be animals for her musical...'
'I don't *want* to be a rat until then... and that cat thing wants to eat me. Real cats aren't that big... and I'm *not* saying that just because I'm small.' She trembled in the Phantom's pocket.
'No, you're right...' Rusty said, 'But... I never thought that passengers were 'that big' either...'
The Phantom abruptly vanished into the shadows. Eponine squeaked and then shut her mouth, surprised. It sounded so strange coming from her! She sighed mentally and absently nibbled at the edge of the fabric.
"I do need you to be quiet though," the Phantom said, walking quickly through the theatre, keeping in the shadows.

Meanwhile, Rusty was still lying on the ground. Dinah knelt over him, trying to see the steam train she knew in the canine in front of her. He looked up at her sadly.
"If Pearl were here, she'd KILL that woman..."
Rusty smiled at that, well, as best that dogs can smile anyway.
Dinah smiled as well, "We'll get things taken care of. For both of us. You'll see."
Rusty's tail wagged slightly. He looked slightly miffed at that, wanting to avoid such dog-type things.

On the other side of the room, one of the passengers was fighting with the leather clad he/she/it. "I said leave me alone!" Yonah walked away from him. He followed, whispering something in her ear
"No, actually I *do* mean it." She snapped, smacking his hands away when he touched her, "Get off me!"
She turned and walked away, but he grabbed her, spinning her around to face him. She kicked him hard in the shin, but he didn't let go. Instead he reached out to touch the marking on her face, "Spitfire."
Yonah gave him a hard shove off the stage and then ran, ending up by Dinah, Electra and Rusty.
"You alright?" Dinah asked. She knew the way Frank acted, and very much did NOT like it
"Yes," Yonah said, giving where she had just come from a rather disgusted look.
Rusty looked at the coach-turned-passenger and the girl with a bit of an odd look, as much as he could manage anyway, something about the two standing there together... He blinked, all these transformations were playing havoc with his senses.
"And you haven't tried sleeping with him around yet."
"No, and I don't care to," Yonah said.
"Electra, Mark, and I have been taking turns sleeping, to avoid any... trouble."
Yonah shook her head in disgust.
Dinah shrugged, and looked at her feet again, "He's not the WORST thing about being in this place."

Yonah nodded slowly, then seemed to notice Rusty for the first time. She knelt down. The Mastermind was bring in animals now? "Hi there." She said in a friendly tone, offering Rusty her palm to sniff
Rusty closed his eyes, not moving.
"What's wrong?" Yonah cooed, she softly patted his ear so as not to frighten him, "You're such a pretty girl... yes you are."
'Hey!' he groaned, getting up, 'Aw, that's it!'
"Um... Yonah?" Dinah said
"Yes?"
"Um... That's Rusty. He's a he... and... he's not actually a dog."
Rusty nodded his head swiftly.
"What?"
"Actually, that's a steam train."
"A what?" Yonah looked blank.
"Um... like me... before I was changed human. Only, a steam engine, not a coach. Then, the Mastermind turned him into a dog..."

"Speak of the devil." Came a voice from behind them.
Rusty turned to see the Mastermind and then promptly lay down meekly.
"Where's the other one?" she asked.
'With... um...' Rusty didn't know exactly what to call the Phantom.
"The Phantom has her?"
'Yeah...'

She promptly transported herself and Rusty in front of the Phantom. The steamer felt a bit woozy after the trip.
Eponine, by this point, had managed to chew a rather large hole in the Phantom's pocket. The Phantom sighed slightly and reached into his pocket – which now had a rat's tail hanging out of it.
"Hand her over to me," the Mastermind ordered.
"I don't think she would appreciate that," the Phantom said.
"I don't think she'd appreciate floating through the air into my hand either, which is the second option." She gestured and suddenly Eponine grew, popping the pocket. The girl was human again and pressed up very close to the Phantom. She looked startled, but before either of them had a chance, Eponine was back in rat form.
the Mastermind picked up Eponine and then looked to the Phantom, "Would you like them back when I'm finished with them?"
"In their normal form," he said.
"It doesn't matter. Either way, She's a street rat, and he's a puppy."
"And what would you have me be?" he asked calmly.
"An angel." with that she disappeared along with Rusty and Eponine.

Rusty closed his eyes tightly, "if that happens much more I think I'm gonna be sick...'
"Yeah...dizzy," Eponine agreed. She felt somebody pick her up and put her in...what appeared to be a cage, with wood shavings on the floor, a little tube filled with soft fabric, food, water, and a wheel.
Rusty still didn't move, keeping his eyes shut until he was sure that he'd be steady when he opened them.
"She put me in a cage!"
'What??' he opened his eyes.
Eponine looked out at him through the wire bars.
He gasped.
"I wouldn't complain," the Mastermind said, "It's nicer than the places you sleep normally."
'But it's a cage!' Rusty protested.
"and you have a leash. Get used to it.
'What??' he looked around alarmed, noticing he was tied to the wall, restrained to a small area with a dog bed, several toys, food and water. He said something that he certainly should not have said.
"Baaaaaaaaaaaad dog," the Mastermind scolded.
He yanked at the leash and gagged as the collar restrained his ability to breathe.

The Mastermind looked at Eponine critically... the cage was clean and fresh, made for the sort of white rat you bought at the pet store. Eponine... wasn't that at all. She picked Eponine up out of the cage, releasing Rusty's leash mentally at the same time, "Come with me."
Rusty followed reluctantly while the Mastermind carried Eponine. Soon they reached a large bathroom. The Mastermind set Eponine down at the edge of the sink, and started to fill it with warm water.
'What's she doing?' Eponine asked.
'I dunno... trainwash?'
"It's called a bath." The Mastermind said
'Close enough...' Rusty said, lying down out of the way.
'But the water's deeper then I am!' Eponine protested.
"Do you honestly think I'd drown you?" the Mastermind asked.
"Yes!"
'Well...' Rusty sounded doubtful.
The Mastermind scowled and dunked her in the water
'Don't hurt her,' Rusty pleaded.
"What makes you think I'd do that?" the Mastermind asked calmly, all the while holding Eponine head under. ('I can't breathe!' Eponine thought frantically)
'I don't,' Rusty said, 'But... I can't help it...'

"Rusty. Go fetch the soap. It's on the edge of the tub," she ordered.
He hesitated, wanting to make sure that Eponine would be able to breathe. The Mastermind sighed, hearing his thoughts and lifted Eponine's head out of the water.
'Thank you,' Rusty said meekly, going over to the bathtub, half hearing Eponine's frantic thoughts: 'I can't swim!' He studied the bar of soap, pondering how to get it over to the Mastermind.
"Pick it up in your mouth," the Mastermind said.
'But it's soap!'
The Mastermind put Eponine back under. "Don't pick it up then. but, I'm not moving her till you do."
Rusty thought for a moment, then set his chin on top of the bar, pulling it back until the soap fell to the floor. He pushed it with his nose over to the Mastermind. She let go of Eponine to pick it up.
Once she had the soap, she started to scrub the struggling Eponine with it. "Hmm... if you react this way to being cleaned, it's no wonder you look the way you do..."
Rusty held back a comment, but it made into his thoughts anyway: 'It probably has something to do with being an animal...'
"My point exactly. Animals don't like to be cleaned. That's why she looks the way she does."
'Oh,' he lay down.
"There." she set Eponine, soaking wet, down near Rusty, before drying her hands, and searching through her medicine cabinet for something.
The mastermind came out with a toothbrush, and picked Eponine up by her tail, setting her back down at the edge of the sink. "Don't move." she ordered, "Or, we'll have a repeat of last night," She began to move the toothbrush gently across her fur, working out the knots.
Eponine pointedly did not move in the least. Seen, she was dry, and looking considerably better than before.

"Rusty," the Mastermind ordered, setting Eponine down on the edge of the bathtub, "get in the tub."
'Do I have to?'
"Yes."
Being careful not to bump into Eponine, Rusty attempted to get into the tub. It took two tries and some pretty interesting positions, but eventually he managed it. The Mastermind laughed at him, and started to fill the tub. Rusty flinched as the water started to creep in around his paws.
'What's wrong?' Eponine thought.
'It feels weird...'
The Mastermind, gestured towards Eponine, turning her human again. She sat at the edge of the tub, her feet touching the water. She shut her eyes dizzily and rested her head in her hands.
For once, the Mastermind seemed sympathetic, "I think that will have to be the last time for today."
"Ah... so I'm not a rat anymore," Eponine said after several minutes.
'Doesn't look like it, no...' he said.
'I can still hear him...' Eponine thought. "I can still hear you." She said aloud
'Yeah?'
"Yeah... gah, my head hurts."

The Mastermind began to rub doggie shampoo through Rusty's hair. He tensed, feeling rather uncomfortable, but forced himself to stay still.
Before long, The Mastermind was completely finished with him as well. She gestured, and he was human again.
'Well... I guess it's better then being a dog at least...' he thought.

With another gesture, the two appeared back in the theatre, before the Phantom. Rusty stumbled and fell. He landed on the ground and opted not to move. Eponine stumbled into the Phantom and caught hold of his arm to steady her.
"Perhaps you had better sit," he suggested, draping his cape around her as she did just that.
'Rusty?' Eponine thought, rather than said
'Yeah?'
'you can still hear me?'
'Yeah...' he didn't really sound surprised by this.
"He can still hear me." Eponine said aloud, in a dazed tone
"What?" the Phantom asked.
"Rusty can hear my thoughts, and I can hear his."
"Interesting."
Eponine pulled the cape tighter around her, trembling, but that had become almost normal lately. 'it's a shame we don't know where my coat is... you could wear that..."
"It's okay... I'm not cold..." he said, somewhat muffled.
'but you are naked' Eponine thought said.
'Oh...' he said, remembering that that wasn't a good thing. He shrugged and winced, 'Starlight, I feel like I've been pullin' freight all day..."
"you feel as sick as I do then." Eponine said, switching from thought to out loud
'Yeah...' he said, deciding that the best course of action would be to turn his fire down and go to sleep.
"what?" Eponine said out loud
"Huh?"
"you... just thought something... about turning down your fire..."
"Oh... guess I don't have that..."
Eponine put her hand over her ears, trying to block out the other's thoughts. She couldn't stand this
'Good night,' Rusty said suddenly.

Much to the amusement of the Phantom, Rusty promptly went to sleep. As he slipped further into sleep, he started to dream. He was racing down the tracks - not in a race - just for fun. He smiled in his sleep, enjoying the speed. He whizzed along the tracks, exhilarated by the speed.
"Oh God..." Eponine whispered, as she saw Rusty's dream in her mind's eye, "Get out of my mind..." She covered her ears, whispering a whispered, "Get out... get out..."
"Eponine?" the Phantom asked, "What's wrong?"
"He's... I'm seeing... things... I... Get out!"
"What are you seeing?" he asked gently.
"I... don't know... fast..'
"Fast?"
"yes... it won't go away..."
"You must be seeing his dream..."
"I... want it to stop... dizzy..."
The Phantom hesitated and then started to sing. Eponine breathed heavily, but the singing seemed to calm here a little. She moved closer to him.

Suddenly, in his dream, Rusty left the rails and shot into the night sky. Hs speed slowed and he looked around at the stars flying around him.
Eponine's eyes were wide as she no longer resisted the dream. She couldn't. She collapsed, flopping down against the Phantom.
He held her, "I can make you sleep." Taking her silence as a yes, he gently pressed the back of her neck.

Rusty continued his trek across the sky.
Eponine found herself following, trying to keep up with him, "Rusty!"
He hesitated and then looked back, "Eponine?"
"Yes... wait for me?" She was a bit confused by the lack of ground under her, but at this point, even that was beginning to seem almost normal. She caught up with him, "Where are we?"
"Well, I'm having a dream..."
"I... that must be it," she looked over at Rusty, realizing he was his wheeled self again, "So we're sharing dreams now?"
He shrugged, in too good of a mood to worry about it, "Seems it."
"Yes. I could see what you were dreaming, I could! Before I went to sleep even."
He blinked, "Really?" he let out a low whistle.
"Yes. You were moving very fast, drove me half-insane."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Well, it's HER fault, not yours..." she stopped, looking out at the stars around her, "they've never seemed this pretty before."
He looked up, "they are, aren't they?"
"Yes."
Rusty smiled at the stars, "I fly a lot... in dreams..."
"Ah... I've never flown before, short of being thrown across a room..." She smiled lightly
Rusty smiled back, "I've never *actually* flown either..."
"Lets go then."
He turned around and backed up towards her and then hesitated, "Oh, uh..." for a moment, he'd forgotten she wasn't a coach.
"What?"
"I was gonna pull you," he said, "But... I guess that won't really work, will it?"
"I'm... not sure..." she said, "We're pretty well ion the sky... not much under my feet anyway."
"Yeah," he said, "We could try it... I won't go too fast, I promise."
She nodded.

Rusty moved forward a bit so that she was behind him, then took her hands and guided them to his couplers, "Hang on now."
She took his couplings uncertainly, but held on tight.
He started to go, slowly at first, but then faster once they discovered Eponine could follow along easily.
He whistled as he flew along through the sky.
"This is wonderful!" she shouted.
He grinned at her, "I can go faster..."
"Then... go!"
Rusty took off.
The two of them raced through the stars.... until, slowly, it seemed, they were approaching the ground. Rusty slowed to a more reasonable pace, and as his wheels touched the earth he was nearly at a stop.

Eponine touched down lightly on the ground... looking around her, in the dark, she recognized the place, and the smell.. like sickness. More so, the footsteps coming towards them. "Rusty! Follow me, quick!" Eponine hid behind an old barrel just before a man walked by. "Javert." she whispered, "If he sees us..."
Rusty glanced at a dingy window, "Uh... Eponine?" he whispered, "I... don't have a reflection..."
"What?"
"I don't have a reflection, in the window," he said, puzzled.
"Ah...."
Rusty shrugged and crouched down next to her, "So why're we hiding?"
Eponine sighed, "I'm not sure... because this is where I live, and that's what I do..."
"Oh."
"Come on," she led him through the dark streets. Sometimes gunshots would ring, far in the distance. There were two people, two prostitutes, fighting over a bit of land. Another sat against a building, covered in pock marks. It was also very cold, but Eponine didn't seem fazed in the least.
"You live here?" Rusty asked in astonishment.
"Yes."
"Starlights," was all he could say to that.
She pointed to the woman with pock marks, "That one is Madelain... we all knew she was going... get sick, I suppose. It'll be goin' round the whole street now." she said this nonchalantly, as if it were an everyday thing. My father stole a purse from her... said, the sickness was nothing to worry about." Eponine walked passed the girl, who did not seem to see them.
Rusty was silent, overwhelmed by this dark side of the passenger world.
There was a scream, somewhere nearby. Eponine flinched, but ignored it, "I think..." She took a piece of paper out of her pocket, "Yes, of course."
Rusty looked rather lost.
"just... no... go ahead of me, and watch wear your going... don't want you to get shot in the back..."
"Where are we going?" he asked alarmed.
"The barricade."
"The what?"
"where the men go, to fight.... don't ask why, because I'm not sure they know themselves... it's for freedom, they say. Freedom, or, p'haps politics
Rusty looked blank.
As they approached wherever they were going, they had to duck low, to avoid bullets
Rusty swallowed, "Eponine, I don't like this..."
"Shh... stay... close to me... I have to deliver this..'
"I don't like this..." he said again.
Suddenly Eponine pushed him down... putting her hands out to stop a bullet from hitting him... it went through her hand, creating a large hole. it went harmlessly over Rusty.

"Alright, that's it," Rusty said, "I want out of this dream."
Just then, almost instantly, they were at the barricade. A woman in pink was standing among the soldiers, shooting outside of the flimsy structure.
She swore in angry French, as her shot missed it's aim.
"Pearl?" Rusty said.
The pink soldier didn't turn... but there was no doubting who it was
"Alright, this started out as a good dream," Rusty muttered to himself.
Suddenly, the girl turned towards Rusty. "Who are you?" she demanded. "A spy..." someone else echoed
Rusty stood up and reached for Eponine's hand. He let out a whistle.
Suddenly a bullet came whizzing towards Rusty, heading straight towards his face. But a spilt second before it hit him, he had vanished, taking Eponine with him.