The Ludicrous Escapade Pt.3

Choo Choo

Diego gave you a close eyed smile as you approached, having been aware from the start that you had followed after him like he requested, thanks to the dinos he had sent.

"(Y/N)? What are you doing here?" Asked Hot Pants. Diego had not informed her of anything.

You held up the note and pointed to the dinosaur perched on your shoulder. "Diego asked me to tag along. I figured I might as well." The dino then was reverted back to its actual form, a mouse, and skittered away.

Hot Pants glanced back and forth between you and Diego. "Don't tell me... was that newspaper article true?"

Diego shrugged nonchalantly, "I mean, it really depends on who you ask. For simplicity's sake, we'll just say it's true."

You raised an eyebrow. "I'm... not agreeing to that."

Hot Pants just shook her head, "Whatever. I don't really care either way. But look." She pointed to a boat. "The S.S. Blue Hawaii. That's the ship that was written on the cloth Lucy left. It got here and anchored. She must've been transferred from the ship to the train." She gestured to the locomotive that was just beginning to chug along the tracks.

"How do you know?" Asked Diego.

"Do you see the stretcher abandoned by the railroad tracks?" You had Moxy trot a little closer.

"Mr. Steel was shot." Explained Hot Pants. "He was likely the one using it. He must've been brought onto the train with them."

"Alright!" Diego clapped you on the back. "What are we waiting for then? Let's board that train. At that speed, we can catch up to it before it starts accelerating further."

"Wait!" Hot Pants had pulled out a pair of binoculars and was looking through it carefully. "I can see the President through the window! It's President Valentine! We found him! He's at the door that connects the cars to each other! But he's doing something... What's he going to do next to that door?"

A second later, a door to the train car the President was in opened and two people came tumbling out. They appeared nearly identical to Diego and Hot Pants.

Wamuu, who was sitting behind you on Moxy, kept watching the President's movements. "I believe the door and the wall were used to pull them into this universe. He staring at us now, waiting to see how we'll react."

"Huh? This universe? What are you talking about?" Hot Pants hadn't learned about Valentine's Stand just yet. "And who are those people who just fell out of the train?"

"I... I can't believe it! He's pulling this! He brought them here from the other side!" Exclaimed Diego, having not been quite ready to see another him again.

"How do I say this... Valentine's Stand lets him move around in other universe and take people with him." You did your best to explain quickly. "But if versions of the same people get too close, they'll be torn apart."

"And it's only Hot Pants and I, huh?" Grumbled Diego. "Clearly the President is showing some favoritism here." Not that he was particularly mad the President wasn't trying to kill you. "We'll be annihilated if we meet with them, but they aren't aware of that! The fight has already begun! Quick, Hot Pants, give me some money!" He was already taking out some cash of his own.

Hot Pants wasn't sure where he was going with this, but obliged anyway.

Diego unmounted his horse and motioned for you to do the same. "I'll warn you once more, Hot Pants. If you don't do as I say, you'll die. Right after this, abandon your horse and run to the train on foot. Catch up to it!" Diego grabbed you by the wrist and began pulling you along as he ran toward the train.