#warped reflections

i do believe I've vaguely mentioned this before, but I am totally down to talk about it some more! So yeah, by all accounts, Tulip is definitely Going Through It, and yeah when Lake got on the train I can confirm that it got worse before it'll get better, so like, it's totally reasonable for Tulip to also be picked up by the train in this situation

but... she doesn't

One of the reasons for that is that I don't think the train takes everyone who is struggling with any qualifying issues, because if it did then the act of taking people without a trace would create a ripple effect in such a way where eventually like half of the human population would be on the train at once

The other reason is that I feel like the train ends to take people in a moment where they are actively trying to avoid their problems, and after Lake gets on the train Tulip really doesn't get a chance to do that. It's not something she can just ignore and hope it goes away.

Chapters: 7/? Fandom: Infinity Train (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse Cosay & Lake | Mirror Tulip, Jesse Cosay/Lake | Mirror Tulip, Lake | Mirror Tulip & Tulip Olsen Characters: Jesse Cosay, Lake | Mirror Tulip, Alan Dracula Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Canon-Typical Behavior, Mirror Jesse - Freeform, Human Lake, Nonbinary Lake | Mirror Tulip, Canon-Typical Relationship, that's right it's a book 2 swap, And all that entails, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues/Identity Crisis, Developing Friendships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Summary:

He was out of the mirror world! He was on the train, free to be his own person! To do what he wanted to do for a change, no longer stuck simply reflecting his prime. He could make his own decisions, be whoever he wanted to be. There was just one problem.

MJ had no idea who that was. - Lake was stuck on this stupid train with this stupid number that kept insisting on going up! She didn't care, other than the fact that it was incredibly frustrating. She didn't have any problems, did the train ever consider that maybe the world was the one with the issues, not them?

Ugh, they were never getting off this thing, were they?

Chapters: 5/? Fandom: Infinity Train (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse Cosay & Lake | Mirror Tulip, Jesse Cosay/Lake | Mirror Tulip, Lake | Mirror Tulip & Tulip Olsen Characters: Jesse Cosay, Lake | Mirror Tulip, Alan Dracula Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Canon-Typical Behavior, Mirror Jesse - Freeform, Human Lake, Nonbinary Lake | Mirror Tulip, Canon-Typical Relationship, that's right it's a book 2 swap, And all that entails, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues/Identity Crisis Summary:

He was out of the mirror world! He was on the train, free to be his own person! To do what he wanted to do for a change, no longer stuck simply reflecting his prime. He could make his own decisions, be whoever he wanted to be. There was just one problem.

MJ had no idea who that was. - Lake was stuck on this stupid train with this stupid number that kept insisting on going up! She didn't care, other than the fact that it was incredibly frustrating. She didn't have any problems, did the train ever consider that maybe the world was the one with the issues, not them?

Ugh, they were never getting off this thing, were they?

Chapters: 6/? Fandom: Infinity Train (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse Cosay & Lake | Mirror Tulip, Jesse Cosay/Lake | Mirror Tulip, Lake | Mirror Tulip & Tulip Olsen Characters: Jesse Cosay, Lake | Mirror Tulip, Alan Dracula Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Canon-Typical Behavior, Mirror Jesse - Freeform, Human Lake, Nonbinary Lake | Mirror Tulip, Canon-Typical Relationship, that's right it's a book 2 swap, And all that entails, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues/Identity Crisis, Developing Friendships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Summary:

He was out of the mirror world! He was on the train, free to be his own person! To do what he wanted to do for a change, no longer stuck simply reflecting his prime. He could make his own decisions, be whoever he wanted to be. There was just one problem.

MJ had no idea who that was. - Lake was stuck on this stupid train with this stupid number that kept insisting on going up! She didn't care, other than the fact that it was incredibly frustrating. She didn't have any problems, did the train ever consider that maybe the world was the one with the issues, not them?

Ugh, they were never getting off this thing, were they?

for sure! here are some things that probably won't end up coming up in the fic, but who knows

Lake is the younger twin

Tulip and Jesse Prime have actually met at game design camp before. They cannot stand each other, just absolute loathing.

When MJ was trying to pick out clothes for himself he does end up trying on canon Lake's outfit. he decides he's not badass enough to pull it off

sidenote someone said that MJ's outfit reminded them of Justin McElroy's Island Boy bit and that is exactly the vibe i was going for

Jesse Prime can't swim either

Lake has gotten in trouble on multiple occasions for bringing home stray animals. Lake has had to get a rabies shot at least twice

MJ agonized over what color spray paint to grab much longer than he should have. He eventually went with blue but it was nearly red

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Infinity Train (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse Cosay & Lake | Mirror Tulip, Jesse Cosay/Lake | Mirror Tulip, Lake | Mirror Tulip & Tulip Olsen Characters: Jesse Cosay, Lake | Mirror Tulip, Alan Dracula Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Canon-Typical Behavior, Mirror Jesse - Freeform, Human Lake, Nonbinary Lake | Mirror Tulip, Canon-Typical Relationship, that's right it's a book 2 swap, And all that entails, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues/Identity Crisis Summary:

He was out of the mirror world! He was on the train, free to be his own person! To do what he wanted to do for a change, no longer stuck simply reflecting his prime. He could make his own decisions, be whoever he wanted to be. There was just one problem.

MJ had no idea who that was. - Lake was stuck on this stupid train with this stupid number that kept insisting on going up! She didn't care, other than the fact that it was incredibly frustrating. She didn't have any problems, did the train ever consider that maybe the world was the one with the issues, not them?

Ugh, they were never getting off this thing, were they?

the Olsen parents were still together at the time Lake got on the train. that will not be the case by the time Lake gets off the train, I can say that now.