the beginning
The train itself looked normal, on the outside, if nothing else. It had arrived to the platform at promptly 8:00 earlier that evening, it’s silver and charcoal coloured interior shined to the nines. The conductor himself had stepped out, removing his hat in a bow, welcoming the small crowd on board.
Although this crowd is very, very familiar with each other, tonight they are strangers. Strangers who have no idea what the evening will hold for them.
---
Needless to say, the food was delicious. She was informed well in advance that it is never any less that perfection, from everyone she knew who has been to a dinner on this train.
Then again, she did not know a whole lot of people who had been on the train.
This whole extravagance had started off with a letter. It was the size of a regular sheet of paper, and it came in a golden envelope with her name imprinted on it. It had arrived approximately 3 weeks ago, while she was home with her girlfriend. Her girlfriend had received an identical one.
Except she and her girlfriend did not know that they both got letters. They also did not know that the rest of their friends got letters. There was only one person who knew everything about everyone and about this whole evening.
In that letter, there were a couple things. Although confusing at first, it would come together at the end. A rule book. An excuse to leave. A plane ticket. A hotel room booking confirmation. A train ticket. A new identity. A clue.
And at first, she did not know what to make of it. It seemed as if it were a game, or a joke. And at first she did not want to attend this festivity on the midnight train.
But every week, promptly on the Tuesday, she got another letter, in another gold envelope. With another clue, another hint and another angle on her identity. Some letters included how her identity was supposed to dress, some included details on her new background or her family heritage. The letters also described to her, in detail, what her role to play was.
And after three weeks of one-sided communication, with a person who was to be called ‘Geheim’, she felt oddly confident about the whole scenario. She was about to put her part of the midnight train dinner in motion.
Starting with her excuse.
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(one week ago)
“Ashlynnnnn,” Ali whined up the stairs to her girlfriend.
“What, my dear lady,” Ashlyn appeared at the top of the staircase, wriggling her eyebrows, before bounding down two at a time.
“First of all, sweetheart,” she really emphasized the ‘sweet’ part, “how many damn times do I have to tell you not to jump down the stairs like that?”
Ashlyn just laughed.
“And secondly… I have accepted a request from one of my German friends.”
“Okay…” Ashlyn motioned for her to continue, to drop whatever bomb this was.
“I am going to go back to Germany for a couple days. Four to be exact. I’ll call you every day I promise, I just-”
“Als, that’s great! I was actually going to tell you tonight that my brother wanted me to come down and hang out for some sibling time, while we don’t have national team duties.”
Little did Ashlyn know, that Ali was actually going to Germany for a totally different reason. And little did Ali know, Ashlyn had just straight up lied to her about going to Florida.
Ashlyn, on a regular day, would never, ever, be caught dead lying to her princess. But letters that came in fancy golden envelopes? With plane tickets inside? Ash at least wanted to see where this whole shenanigan was going.
And if you knew Ashlyn Harris, you knew she was never one to back down from anything. Even if it meant travelling across the world, on a fairly short notice.
---
(one day ago)
“I am going to miss you so so so so so much,” Ali mumbled through her girlfriend’s chokehold on her.
Today was the day. The day that Geheim had wanted them to board the plane, non-stop to Munich.
“Right back at you, sweetheart” Ashlyn sighed. Even though she was going on an adventure that would hold insane amounts of fun, she always missed Ali. Even when she was just going to pick up groceries or get her hair cut.
There had been a moment of realisation for Ash about two or three days ago, depending. Ali was going to Germany. She was going to Germany, but supposed to be going to Florida. They were both flying into Munich, both leaving on Tuesday, after dinner.
What if Ali was on her flight? There was no possible getting out of that one, and she would undoubtedly have to cancel with Geheim and stay in Washington, alone. At least if she went to Germany, she would have plenty of things to distract herself with. Here in Washington… well the simplest way to put it is that there is absolutely nothing to do in Washington. Hang out with Diana Matheson? She goes back to Canada in the offseason. And basically everyone else too.
An excited ‘hey’ brought Ash back from her thoughts.
“What in the crazy, stupid world are you guys doing here?” Her favourite Spirit player besides Ali and DMath asked.
Crystal was basically jumping on the spot, her massive smile was so blindingly white, Ashlyn almost went blind.
“Well, missy here,” Ali nudged Ash, “is going to ‘chill out’ with Chris,” Ali put air quotes around the chill out part and smirked upto Ashlyn.
“I’m going to Munich for a bit to work with some of my friends,” she smiled over to Crystal.
What Ali didn’t notice was how Crystal’s beautiful skin seemed to get a greenish tint to it, or how her eyes showed fear for a split second. Ashlyn noticed it, but was indeed to excited to actually process what it meant. Even if the keeper did think about it, she probably would not have pieced it all together anyways.
“What brings you to this marvelous place?” Ali feigned a British accent, which made Ashlyn crack up.
“Well, I have been spending a lot of time in the soccer world… as y’all know, obviously,” Crystal giggled, not at what she was saying, but at the hilarity of the situation. Her laughter died down quickly, as it came to her what might happen. “So, I decided to go shopping in New York City for a week! Have some alone girl time, get my thoughts back in order, you know,” she squealed happily to try to add some convincing factor into her speech.
“You should totally get your nails done!”
“Oh I will!” Crystal paused, gulping. How Ali answered this, basically would decide how the next couple of days would go for her, and if she would be able to continue on her real journey. In hindsight, it would have probably been better to tell Ali she was going to Germany to explore for a couple days, but who only stays in Europe for four days anyways? “So Ali, Ash, what gates are you guys in?”
Ash quickly spoke up, something in her voice uneasy, “I am in C4, Ali is in D8”.
Crystal silently thanked the high heavens. “Nice! Well I am in C12!”
What Crystal failed to notice was that domestic travellers only go to gates A or B. And if Ashlyn was simply going to visit her brother in Florida, why was she in an international gate?
But it didn’t matter. Because Ali and Crystal didn’t notice.
And so the three were off. Little did they know, their journey would turn into something like a braid, metaphorically speaking. Starting apart and ending together.
They obviously just didn't know that yet.