The Windchasers head into a car that is only a taste to the terrors yet to come in Silent Hill.
This arc contains examples of:
- Adaptation Expansion:
- A flashback reveals BROKEN Matt Hardy declared the "premo-NEE-tion" that would make Chloe be chosen as Lady Destiny.
- The scene with London expands on what happened (or what will happen) in Knight of the Orange Lily and why London is unable to help the Red Lotus Trio on their quest to stop the Apex.
- Talia gets her own calling out scene earlier than in canon in which Victor points out that she is also at fault for Chloe's problems because she could've convinced her husband to not cage her at the Institute or at least tried to talk to her more rather than draw smiley faces.
- And This Is for...: Sycamore utter these words before defeating his Shadow's monster form.
- And Your Reward Is Clothes: Teddie gifts the Windchasers glasses for completing the Twisted Lab (actually Shadow World) Car that help them peer through any cars with fog.
- Arc Words: "Salvation" by Shadow Sycamore, which mirrors Lysandre purifying the world with his vision.
- Armor-Piercing Question:
- When Gloria asks what exactly Talia did for Chloe, Talia says she told her to "Find something she loves". Gloria then asks if Talia actually got interested and involved in Chloe's life. Prior to that Parker asks his mom why she never even helps Chloe by asking "You do nothing because you hate her, don't you?"
- Parker repeatedly does this to Goh throughout the first part. He points out that Goh basically sees so little in Chloe cause she's not into Pokémon, Goh says that he doesn't. Parker then asks why he never talks to his sister and he can't answer that. When Goh stated that he dropped a birthday gift at the door of the Cerise residence then walked off under an assumption that Chloe was celebrating with friends, Parker snaps that Goh was too blind to not look at the window to see that no one from school was there. And finally, he asks if the actions of one boy is the excuse Goh is using for why he never cared about his sister.
Parker: Did you even knock on our door or look at the window? There's only me, mom, dad and Chloe herself at the dinner table with a cake! Oh did you think she was Sara who gets everyone loving her?! - Author Appeal: More like co- Author Appeal as Green Phantom Queen's two loves — food and horror — are prominently displayed in this arc. Even better, SpinnerNite reveals that she loved Mind Control tropes onto her favorite character.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Sycamore, unfortunately, ends up being brainwashed by his Shadow, turning him into a mad follower who will do nothing but kill his friends under his master's orders. Thankfully, he managed to snap out of it thanks to Lain's sacrifice.
- The Cameo: Nancy from Infinity Train Book 1 is selling pasta in the Noodle Car.
- Cerebus Syndrome: The first three cars were adventurous but still ended hopeful. This car is a taste of the horrors that await the Windchasers and plays up the psychological horror aspects that are found in other Blossomverse stories.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot:
- Gloria gently tells Parker that if he knew so much about Chloe's problems, he should've told his parents sooner and they could've been more alert about what was going on. Parker glumly admits that he should have, but he was too afraid of bringing it up after hearing his parents argue over the paint can incident and is afraid that this cycle is just going to repeat over and over again in that Chloe would be bullied over being who she is. Talia had to reassure Parker that it was never anger at Chloe but frustrations over the inciden at school itself and both of them should have reassured him that they still loved Chloe as she is.
- Continuing that, Gloria also tells Parker that if someone helped Goh with his social issues, a lot of the stuff that got Chloe on the Train wouldn't have happened. Goh was only an immature, melodramatic child so of course he'd take something as an accidental betrayal like it was the end of the world.
- Establishing Character Moment: The final part reveals the personalities for this iteration of the Red Lotus Trio:
- Chloe: She's shown to be more nervous about talking with her family and wanting to amend fences with her loved ones and isn't the spiteful child like in canon.
- Atticus: Is more concerned about Chloe closing off from her family and gently nudges her to talk to them.
- Lexi: Instead of seeing Chloe as a perfect goddess who can do no harm, he's more firm about making sure she actually grows as a person.
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending: The last scene with the Windchasers ahass everyone laughing at Teddie calling Sycamore by his "Professor of the Monster Car" nickname.
- Exact Words: The only promises Goh are capable of keeping are when he goes to school for testing. Parker uses this to give him his sister's collection of short stories and poems and state that he'll test the boy.
- Failed a Spot Check: On Chloe's birthday, Goh got her a present and left it at the front door under the assumption that she was busy celebrating with her friends. Parker bluntly stated that Chloe didn't have any friends over, or friends at all, and something he would've known if he either knocked on her door or looked through the damn window like a normal person does to see Chloe alone with her family.Parker: (enraged) What, did you think she was Sara or something?
- Females Are More Innocent: Subverted with Talia. She's actually just as guilty as her husband for not helping Chloe out — outside of one piece of advice — because she spends more time drawing smiley faces on Chloe then actively helping make Chloe smile more or actually trying to be involved in her daughter's life.
- Foreshadowing:
- Victor mutters to Goh that an OC of Gloria looks like Professor Sycamore. Cut to Augustine meeting up with Shadow Sycamore.
- London notes how he's the Laura of the White Gestalt when he brings up his adventures in the Fog Car. Those who played Silent Hill 2 remember that Laura was the only one who was immune to the horrors of Silent Hill, especially that of Maria, because of her innocence. This hints how Yuri and Vaillant can't see Lain, who is the Maria expy.
- Why is Teddie in something called the Twisted Lab Car in the first place? Because the Twisted Lab Car isn't its name; it's the Shadow World Car.
- Food Porn: The Noodle Car is essentially an excuse for Green Phantom Queen (who helped co-write the chapter) to list numerous noodle dishes.
- Gender Flip: Sycamore's Persona is called St. Joan but is based off of his male shadow, something Yuri notes.
- Hanlon's Razor: This is used in conjunction with Goh's problems. When Parker asks why Goh made such a big deal over Tokio (who he knew for one day) not taking a promise seriously yet can never extend the same courtesy to Chloe (who he's known for years) and how unfair it is, Gloria tells Parker that Goh was really an immature kid who never knew better and was never taught stuff like this nor had he ever told his parents about his problems. Had Goh known sooner, things could've been better off.
- Hope Spot: Brought up by Parker. Even if Chloe goes to a new school, what if the same situation at her old school happens again?
- Inexplicably Awesome: How did Matt Hardy's scribe — who usually appears whenever Matt calls for him or via a word like "Describe" or "Unsuscribe" — teleport onto the Infinity Train?!
- Laughing Mad: Sycamore does this while repeatedly stabbing Lain in the stomach.
- Late-Arrival Spoiler:
- London reveals the fate of poor White Rabbit Utahoshi without any shock and the truth about what happened to Easter.
- Alex casually drops Hop's name, revealing that Hop is also on the Infinity Train.
- Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: The lesser Shadows end up helping the Windchasers by swarming Shadow Sycamore down enough for them to fight back. Downplayed since they're worried about their ruler's misbehavior and growing rage and they are willing to turn against their master so he can calm down, and they forgive him after the fight.
- Mythology Gag:
- Gloria asks Parker if he'd do something crazy that involves sending Goh into a nightmare or Chloe's classmates into deathtraps, which is what he did in Blossoming Trail.
- Yuri goes through his own nightmare therapy through the use of his shadow. The main difference is that, unlike Goh, he has people to help lift him up.
- Noodle Incident: Something happened in Victor and Gllria's Crown Tundra hike in regards to Victor unable to say No to his friend.
- Oh, Crap!: Yuri has this look when he realizes the Twisted Lab Car is based off of Persona 4 and the TV World.
- Off with His Head!: Vaillant accidentally does this with Teddie. Thankfully Yuri puts the head back on and Teddie is no worse for the wear.
- Ominous Fog: The Twisted Lab — later known as "Shadow World" Car is filled with fog to the extent London calls it "Technological horror Silent Hill".
- Pass the Popcorn: Shadow Sycamore is eating cup ramen as he watched Augustine follow his commands.
- Psychological Horror: After three cars that are focused more on adventures and gathering the party, we get back to the Blossomverse trait of psychological terrors.
- Ramen Slurp: London and Vaillant are known to do this with their ramen. Shadow Sycamore also does this when hearing a brainwashed Sycamore reciting The Hollow Men.
- Shout-Out:
- The themes of the car was inspired by the "There Will Come Soft Rains" short story, especially with a voice narrating the titular poem.
- Yuri questions if Lain's name came from the anime where a narrator shouts "Present Day, Present Time!"
- When Augustine starts attacking Lain he does so by yelling "LIAR!!!" before laughing madly.
- Chloe's hoverboard is from someone named McFly.
- Tempting Fate: When Chloe shows uncertainty at Professor Sycamore searching for her, Lexi tries to cheer her up by stating "At least it's not your father chasing you". Come the end of the Cyan Desert Car and he's right; now it's Chloe having to chase after her father when he got on the train.
- Wham Shot: The person who is talking to the Windchasers in the Noodle Car? It's Paul London aka one of the members of Gladion's group, White Gestalt.
- Whole-Plot Reference: Sycamore's storyline is based off of Silent Hill 2 with Lain acting as the Maria stand-in and numerous scenes recreating the most famous cutscenes of the game. This was invoked to reflect how Sycamore is ill-prepared for the horrors of the Fog Car.
