The withered and scorched fields spanned forth as the train made its way out through a hillside tunnel.

Filled with holes that contained giant lead balls, the withered battlegrounds were beautiful meadows no more.

"So that's why there's no direct railway from Vespelia to Symphotia... Bad footing for railways...?"

Vixella spoke to herself as she leaned outside the window, casually taking a sip from the last bottle of 'Demo Vera'.

The unappalling scenery eerily reminded her of the tales of a certain 'Western Front' stated in the former world's history.

"It's funny how I'm recalling all this when there are many more important things I should be remembering-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Vixella abruptly staggered as a Strider suddenly swooshed past the window.

The delicious contents of 'Demo Vera' in the bottle were then spilled over the window just as she recovered.

"Unqualified pilots shall face summary execution!"

She then silently glared at the nearly empty bottle before tossing it after the Strider which had flown past the window earlier.

The bottle went with the train's windy current as it arced over the said Strider's cockpit and shattered against the pilot's head.

A cloud of dirt then blasted away in the distance as the Strider suddenly lost control and crashed into the hillside below.

"Let's get out of here before someone sees me... Or not."

Vixella frowned as she lowered herself behind the window frame, hunkering down below the messenger bag above her head.

CRASH!!!

Pellets flew through the window, shattering the thin glass and seats on the other side.

"Aah-!? Why are you shooting at me-!? This is illegal... Where's the District Patrol-!?"

The burst of pellets stopped as the strafing Strider that swooped down ascended to go over the train.

Vixella's head then perked up to the screams and footsteps of the passengers rushing in from the next wagon.

"What now... A train HiJack...?"

A few passengers ran through the wagon as one of them spotted Vixella cowering by the window.

"Hey, you! Hurry! We're going to the furthest wagon and detaching it to escape! The train's being hijacked!"

Vixella ignored the man who continued running and instead paced against the crowd of fleeing passengers.

If she went with them, it would probably end with getting surrounded by the Hijackers when the detached wagon came to a halt.

Upon sliding open the door at the end of the current passenger wagon, a hulking figure overshadowing her.

"Our boss said to take all important-looking people to the front... You look important..."

"Me?"

Vixella raised an eyebrow as the hulking man took her by the left arm and lifted her.

"Buh... You're heavy..."

"Ever wonder where all that weight comes from?"

She kicked away from the man as he tumbled out and fell back through the wagon's door.

Slamming against the railing, the hulk of a man shook his head and looked up to stare down a musket barrel.

A shift in the air was barely heard as the muffling train mechanisms roared on, poofing the train into the distance.

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The said man's corpse was then seen thrown over the railings as it tumbled away into the distant lowlands.

Vixella loaded another shot into the pistol's hopper before carefully peeking into the next passenger wagon.

A CENTURY LATER

(ChugaChuga Transition Music)

The driver was shot dead and thrown down beside his bloody seat.

Two men dressed in waistcoats and bandito masks were currently driving the locomotive.

"Manne crashed his Strider... Brad got tossed over the train... Boss isn't going to be happy about this..."

A bit further back beyond some wagons, a window broke apart as a hijacker was thrown out.

"What the fuck was that-!?"

The man who took was peeking out of the bogie didn't understand what was going on.

"Maybe some passengers are fighting back... I'm sure our boys will settle it soon."

"Shit! Tell those dumbasses to detach the wagons and lock the doors if they can't beat them!"

"Hey, I'm sure the boys can handle it."

Back in one of the further back passenger wagons, Vixella glanced around at the many hijackers groaning on the floor.

"Bet the masterminds are at the furthest front."

She slid open the wagon's exit door.

CRUNCH!

A little bandito boy fell off and was crushed by the train, however, pulling the detach-lever in the process.

Vixella casually skipped over to the next departing wagon.

Busting through the next door's lock with the sheer strength, Vixella pried it open and made her way inside.

The ancient method of inhuman training by repairing tissue with healing magic proved to be useful once again.

She then ran across and went out to propel over to the departing freight wagon's roof with a gust of wind.

Back in the locomotive, the two weary men seemed a bit troubled as they both looked back out the side.

"They detached two wagons along with the rest, I don't think the passengers fighting back can catch us now."

"No... It's just one girl... She's on the roofs..."

"We can't even handle a woman-!? Where are the Strider escorts-!?"

"You know... They're busy taking hostages on the wagons further back..."

"Then tell the guys to climb up and stop her! We can't let her get here! It's still a long way to the drop-off point!"

Vixella climbed onto the third wagon before the bogie.

She stopped and glanced forth to see a bunch of hijackers climb up to surround her.

The first one charges straight for her with a trench knife out below.

Sweeping his feet, Vixella daringly held him in a chokehold from behind before drawing her heavily modified pistol.

She unloaded many pellets into the other hijackers whilst under the relative safety of her 'ballistic shield'.

After making sure there was no more threat left in the vicinity, she tossed the gravely wounded man over the train.

"Guess that's the last of--- ...?"

WHAM

For some reason, it suddenly felt like an ogre's punch had just slammed into her stomach.

Before she could recover, a second impact came to the left shoulder, knocking her off the roof.