Okapi

Infinity train AU that no one asked for but I thought it’d be so so fun to throw Lake into the Apex with Jesse. They can draw a themself a number, pass it off as being “turned off” by One or something, and go from there. Kinda impractical — esp with the flec to also consider — but it’d be filled with tension and anxiety and PEAK.

Imagine Lake scribbling a number change during raids. Imagine Lake worrying about telling Jesse the truth and the grief Jesse feels about confirming what he always knew deep down: denizens are alive and have thoughts, feelings, and dreams. Imagine Lake feeling conflicted because a lot of the Apex kids are nice, just misguided and turned into something near unforgivable. Imagine Jesse struggling to forgive himself. PEAK ANGST. Imagine them trying to hide Alan Dracula from the Apex kids because AD refuses to leave them. PEAK COMEDY.

I gave Lake back their Mohawk because it looks SICK and I love it. I gave Grace an anti-theft tag crown because it’s COOL and she deserves it.

I aged up Lucy and Alex from book 3 ep 1 to be the other keystones because Lucy was an obvious pick and Alex was the only other kid I remembered cause the fitting lightbulb thing. I toyed around with Apex Tulip because she’s awesome and the best choice for head of tech but that creates too many complications with Lake.

Lastly it’d just be fun to have Lake interact with Simon more. They’d play along to avoid suspicion but Simon’s words would probably get to them. Things is, before Simon gets suspicious and investigates, he probably thinks of Lake as one of his best new recruits. Lake hates this and hates him. Imagine Lake interacting with Grace. Imagine Grace figuring Lake out and asking Lake to wheel a null in front of the ENTIRE APEX, AAAAAAA. Jesse and Lake would just have to book it at that point. There’s just so many interesting scenarios to imagine. Fun fun fun.

Also brief description of each zone and their purpose. Forgot to put that in the art.

War: Raids, taking over cars, any battles against denizens

Rescue/Recon: Rescuing apex members from cars due to instability, retreat, raids gone wrong, etc. Also rescuing any new passengers/new recruits.

Husbandry: Food & stable stuff. Lucy is probably extra bitter at Jesse for not having to wheel a null because she did and she is shown to really like them in canon.

Tech: Train manipulation & gadgets.

“Diplomacy”: Recruiting passengers, sorting intrapersonal conflicts within the Apex, “negotiating” ie extorting denizens, & whatever the hell Grace wants it to mean

I just won’t go as low as you will, I don’t have to say too much- you hate yourself for the both of us.

just take it easy peasy, my little lemon squeezey

“Thank you for being with me Tuba,

I’m going to keep loving you like you’re still here 💕”

Infinity train art dump. I really love this series so much and I wish I watched it when the fandom was more alive. Guess my favorite book though!!! Answer’s in the tags. Trying to restrain myself from making an infinity train blog as we speak.

Book 1: Tulip is super cute and undeniably incredible. It is only because of her One-One regained control of the train and low-key improved as a conductor. Even before Amelia, there was no intro video and I can only imagine how many passengers died because of this. I think traveling with Tulip and witnessing her puzzle it out helped it click to One-One that passengers may need some help understanding. More than that, TULIP IS 13 AND WAS PROGRAMMING THE TRAIN. Oh she’s so cool. Conductor Tulip AU when? Can someone hear me? AO3. Multichapter. Angsty as all heck. She deserves it.

Book 2: Devastatingly sweet. Lake, Jesse, and Alan Dracula’s unconditional love for each other — in line with deer symbolism — means everything to me. The way Jesse managed to get back onto the train because losing Lake would wreck the trajectory of his life. The way he boarded the death train knowing damn well how the train worked and that he may not ever find Lake or be able to see Nate or his parents ever again. The way Lake didn’t question for a second that Jesse didn’t mean to leave them and was willing to steal a number and be dumped who knows where on earth to find their way back to Jesse (and free themself). Oh imma be sick. You can’t fake love like this. They knew each other for like a month. I’m foaming at the mouth. Best friends or lovers DO NOT SEPERATE. I just know they go on gym dates oml my JessLake heart.

Book 3: The book of highest caliber and for good reason. Hazel and Tuba are adorable. And Grace and Simon are a chilling, toxic friendship almost relationship kinda situationship. Has anyone seen the storyboard where they had a middle school esque kiss? What if I collapse rn my heart can’t take it! All I can only hope is they all heal. Well, who’s left able to. That said. Imma let out a couple warning shots to keep rent low. Anyone who says how Simon ended up is Grace’s fault is missing the entire point of the season. I love Simon as a character and do wish he lived so he could start his own redemption like Grace did but to remove his agency is to remove a lot of what makes him a great character and deny why he needs help in the first place. “Grace brainwashed him.” Check my ass if I’m wrong but Grace genuinely believed what she was saying about the conductor/numbers and her and Simon came up with wheeling TOGETHER. Not to mention, if I may insert some interpretation, who between them has more reason to come up with killing denizens? Wet, abandoned kitten, SIMON. GRILYPOPS OPEN YOUR EYES. Simon probably mentioned his deep hate of the cat and Grace, jumped on that, wanting to help him feel control/appease him because he’s important to her. Grace is just as at fault regardless of how they dreamed it up though.

Book 4: Loved it. Controversial take but I did. Ryan and Min-Gi’s struggles are deeply relatable and I hope Chicken Choice Judy won 50 Grammies in universe. I only wish they tackled more of Ryan’s self-esteem issues because I don’t think the writers and Min really understood how crap Ryan had it by the end of the story. Bro was broke, struggling to get gigs, went through multiple failed relationships, and was lowkey homeless. Min would end up miserable but Ryan was genuinely self-destructive. Min-Gi is underrated though. It’s so so difficult to choose happiness over financial stability with the world being the way it is — esp through means like art or music. Also kinda crazy how Rymin has to wait like 20 years before they can get married legally wtf. Also have y’all seen that rumor that Ryan was lying/exaggerating about having the gig in New York. I’m trying to find the source but if that’s true that’s so MESSY and I love it.

Book 5: AMELIA AND HAZEL MY BELOVEDS. WE GOT ROBBED. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.