The Conductor and her Train

It didn't take long for the train to depart, and the Illusionist felt the excitement of the journey he was embarking on. He had no idea where he was going and had no plans for the future, but he felt in his heart that this train had a greater significance.

He passed through second and first-class wagons until he reached the dining car. It was a luxurious space with scattered tables and large windows on the sides, which now revealed the night sky over the city they were departing from.

He soon noticed that all the tables were already occupied. At two of them were the four men in suits who seemed to be security guards for an elderly gentleman, also dressed in a suit but much more luxurious, and a young girl who couldn't be older than sixteen, also elegantly dressed. The tables were arranged so that the security guards were close to the other two.

At another table, there was a very elegant couple. The man was a bit older, and the woman appeared to be a young adult like the Illusionist. Both exuded an air of nobility.

At the last table was the woman the Illusionist had seen entering earlier. She was dressed more casually and colorfully than the other passengers.

What caught his attention the most were the tarot cards on her table; she seemed to be doing a reading by herself and thoroughly enjoying it.

Soon, a woman wearing suspenders and a hat arrived, clearly the Train Conductor, accompanied by three others, one of them being the Ticket Collector from earlier. The Conductor seemed about to make an announcement and he decided to wait before deciding where or if he would sit. The Cowboy hadn't entered the dining car either, and the Illusionist couldn't deny that he wasn't in a hurry to see him.

"Welcome, everyone! Dinner will be served shortly, but first, a few words. Allow me to introduce myself: I am the Train Conductor of this beautiful vehicle, and this is my team."

She stepped aside, and the Ticket Collector timidly stepped forward.

"This is the Ticket Collector, as you all must already know. He will take care of the general state of the train, so if you have any issues, please inform him."

Next was a third person, wearing a tuxedo and much more extroverted than the Ticket Collector.

"I am the Waiter, but my role also involves entertainment. If you wish to have fun, come to the casino car ahead, filled with games and drinks."

Finally, the fourth man, dressed in the attire of a cook, made a slight bow to the room.

"And this is our great Cook. Treat him well, as everything you'll eat on this journey will be prepared by him," the Train Conductor announced, as if it were a great joke, and continued, "I just wanted to explain a bit about the train so that you all feel at home before the Waiter brings your food. First, we have the locomotive, followed by the coal car, where I spend most of my time, and don't worry about not being there now; we won't crash... I hope."

No one in the room laughed at the Conductor's joke, except for the girl alone, as she tried to hold back a small laughter. The Conductor cleared her throat and continued speaking.

"Next, we have two storage cars; the front one carries cargo for transportation, and the second one is the luggage car, where your belongings are well protected."

This made the Illusionist think; all these people must be changing their stories in search of new lives, and all their life belongings must be in that car., probably a lot of important stuff from their lives.

"Then we have the rooms. The first one is second-class, and the second one is first-class." The Conductor waited for a reaction to her comment, but nothing. "Well, if you're unsure where to stay, your tickets show which cabin you're entitled to. Following that, we have: here! The dining car and then the casino car. The second-to-last car is the kitchen, followed by the staff quarters, which are places you won't need to visit, but now you know the entire train!"

This time, the Conductor didn't wait for any reaction; she knew her audience. The workers of the train separated; the Conductor moved forward, while the Cook and the Waiter went to the back, where the kitchen was, and the Illusionist didn't see where the Ticket Collector ended up.

Soon, conversations were buzzing at the tables. The old man was speaking loudly with his security guards at the adjacent table, while the young girl seemed uncomfortable. The two nobles were quieter, savoring a glass of wine, even though no one had been served yet.

He found it strange not to see the Cowboy or the man in the trench coat he had seen entering the train. From what he understood, these were all the people on the journey, so why would they miss the first meal?

Then, the smell of food filled the air, and the Waiter arrived carrying plates that looked truly delicious, especially to the Illusionist, thinking that it might all be free.

But for that, he needed a place to sit, and he decided that only one of the tables would make sense for him to request a spot.

So, he went over to that table.