The bandito mask man holding a pistol in hand swung back into the locomotive.
"She's dead."
The gunman said calmly before holstering his big iron.
"You sure?"
"Dead."
The gunman insisted with a firm tone before frowning slightly.
"Damn! That girl fucked us good! Wait, not in that context... But... Who was she?"
"If going by her uniform... It was Strider Mail... That company hires killing machines to deliver... So it wasn't a rumor after-all..."
The gunman adjusted his leather belt with the holstered pistol before neatening up his waistcoat.
"The boss won't be happy about the unnecessary violence and losses."
The man who took over driving said unsteadily as he glanced through the glass and into the distance.
"Damn right... So this whole damned cargo we're towing with us better be worth our boys."
Further back, in the third wagon away from the locomotive.
Vixella slouched down to rest herself behind one of the passenger seats.
"Crap... If I didn't swing back into the train then I would've been done for... And this healing magic as well..."
The bubbly formation eventually popped away as she took a slight breather.
Surely the pain of getting shot once or twice was nothing compared to the pain one would receive while fighting the demons.
Most people wouldn't even realize until they acknowledge the fact that they had been shot due to the adrenaline surge.
The pain came as quite the surprise this time around, even for someone as pain-enduring as the great Vixella herself.
"After getting used to all this magic and the laws of this world has sure made me a bit too reckless..."
Instead of continuing to contemplate, Vixella shut her mouth as the wagon door slid on the far side slid open.
"NooOoooOoooOOoo-!?!"
The female hostage screamed out as she was thrown down onto one of the passenger seats.
The hijacker unbuckled his brass belt as he slurped his lips.
"Oh you know what's going to happen, don't you- Wha-!?"
The belt that fell off his pants then suddenly appeared again to tighten around his neck.
"Oh! You know what's going to happen, don't you-!!!?"
Vixella pulled back the belt even tighter as she kicked the man's leg to destroy his balance.
She then spun around while pulling the man against her back to strangle the shit out of him.
Upon acknowledging that the ugly bastard was now out of the picture, Vixella tossed him to the floor.
"Is... Is he dead?"
"He's sleeping."
"Ah, I see... Then, you have my gratitude."
Vixella glanced slightly at the girl who knelt to retrieve the pneumatic pistol from the unconscious man's holster.
Making sure it was loaded, she clicked back the lock by the breach as the compression device began to subtly whir in air.
"You good with that thing?"
"Yes... When I was young, my parents hired tutors... I took some self-defense classes..."
"Your posture's pretty good but even I wouldn't hold a pistol like that."
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/244271683781787649/749491166612815892/unknown.png]
(This is a 'Hollywood Pistol Grip', never do this. XD)
"Pardon me but may I ask your reason regarding that conclusion...?"
"Aah? That's one hell of an outdated technique."
She pointed out upon seeing the girl use a tea-cupping grip.
"This pistol grip is outdated...? Please do not jest... This is how all firearm professionals in Demo hold their pistols..."
"Naruhodo...", Vixella came to a sudden revelation, "That explains why you guys are bad shots while on the move or far away..."
"Please refrain from such talk... This grip always works!"
"This isn't a 'Yolowood' movie... Anyways, this is how I would hold it."
She sighed before showing an exemplary pistol grip; supporting the gun with the fingers mitigates recoil and improves control.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/362703793596399618/749489420725649478/HomeBase2.png]
"That's a strange way to hold a pistol..."
"That aside... What shall I call you?"
"I..."
She hesitated, seemingly unable to state her name, perhaps due to fear for her safety.
"No? Then tell me this instead... How were things looking in the next wagon?"
"Most of them don't have guns... But the two by the hostages have carbines..."
"Wait here then."
"No... I'm coming with you...! I've always been sheltered by others... So, I want to do something for once..."
The girl raised the pistol as she steeled herself and stood up afterward.
Vixella smiled wryly and patted the girl's head once, taking her by surprise.
"An edgy mindset isn't bad but please be a tad more moderate for your safety, okay?"
She took a slight breath before recomposing herself.
"Understood... Thank you for reminding me..."
"Yep, let's go then-"
"Iris..."
"What?"
"My name's Iris."
The next wagon's sliding door slammed open as the two hijackers holding carbines laughed about.
"Pfft, look who's back already? That's as long as you lasted---?"
The gunman's sentence was cut short with a slight shift in the air.
Before the other gunman could react, the wall behind him became painted crimson red as well.
Everyone in the room gasped as they were awestruck by the horrifying scene of the two gunmen falling over into red crimson.
"And that's also how long you guys lasted!"
Vixella stepped into the room alongside Iris with their pistols raised.
The relieved hostages became somewhat uneasy upon seeing the ugly bastard that was towed into the wagon by Vixella.
She casually tossed him at the crowd, much to the men and women who shuffled away.
"Aah? Him? Don't worry... He's not dead! Coming from that bulge and all..."
Back in the tank engine locomotive, the two bandito masked men seemed restless.
"Something's not right."
The gunman who wasn't driving unholstered his pistol and peeked through the circular glass.
"What the fuck is it now? You're too paranoid... It's getting on my nerves!"
"Am I seeing things? She can't possibly be alive after that...!?"
A crack followed by the sound of wind rushing through the shattered glass spooked the driving hijacker.
He quickly turned around to see his accomplice lying on the floor with a clear bullet wound through his forehead.
"What the-!?"
Slowly glancing up, his weary eyes saw Vixella calmly leaning against the door with her heavily-modified musket pistol in hand.
"Today, Strider Mail is working with the train inspection! Ring-a-ding! Are you the driver of this about to be LoJack-ed locomotive?"
She said so with a mischievous wink before loading a few more pellets down the hopper.
"Y-Yeah... That's me..."
"Oh, I'm glad you said that! Guess that's not the real driver lying dead over there then? May I have your train driver's license?"
The hijacker was at a loss for words as he froze on the spot.
"So... Any last words?"
Vixella smiled softly as she clicked the breach of her pistol and pointed it at him.
The driver raised his hands and shifted himself around to fully face her.
"Well... I expected you to look a bit more... Intimidating? Hahaha..."
"Aah... I guess a lot of people do say that... Sorry to disappoint..."
"Just kill me already! It doesn't matter since our guys will be waiting for the train ahead... You won't-"
WHACK.
The unconscious hijacker was also tossed back into the former wagon.
"Can you please tie him up as well? Thanks in advance."
"Wait, just who are you!?"
Iris shouted out before Vixella could return into the locomotive to take over driving.
She peeked into the wagon with her eyebrows raised.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Iris nodded twice firmly.
"Special Delivery Branch's Courier Six!"
Before Iris could open her mouth, Vixella had already slammed the door shut and ran back into the locomotive.
Jumping into the driver seat, Vixella slid back the speed lever for the train to avoid derailing at the next turn.
"So your friends are waiting for us ahead...? Guess we won't wait for them then!"
Vixella snickered before slamming the speed control handle to the max throttle position once again.
A CENTURY LATER
(PoofPoof Transition Music)
"Hey boss, I see the train!"
"Haha! Those fuckers pulled it off? Go ahead and take all the cargo, striders, hostages, and then we get the fuck outta here!"
"Um, it's not slowing down... It's not slowing down, boss!!!"
"What-!? Then quickly get away and off the tracks you fucking idiots!!!"
Upon hearing their boss' orders, the raiders scuttled off the two-way elevated railway as the train swooshed by.
Despite their best efforts, a few of them were sucked in and dragged along, tumbled away by the tunneling wind currents.
"You bumpkins! Don't put shame to our 'Bandito Gang'...! Today's a big haul! And... Follow the damn train, C! J!"
The bandito leader guy blamed his gang before ordering the two pilots nearby to take chase.
The pilots, C and J, leaped into their strider cockpits as the wind magic regulators puffed air out of the side thrusters.
Their striders, after warming up the engines, whirled high into the sky before speeding off after the train escaping the horizon.
"Wait... The train looks... Did they detach the wagons? Then why the fuck are we--- Shit, I already sent C and J..."
KRRRK.
The sliding door came to a slight stop as the harsh wind rushed into the locomotive.
Iris came into the locomotive to tap Vixella's shoulder.
"Um... Courier Six... They're coming after us with Striders..."
"And what of those Striders? They won't be able to do anything."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"They are standardized police models... Wait, where are you going...!?"
Vixella ran past her out of the wagon before stopping momentarily.
"Alright, that's it... I'll go stop them... Can you drive this puffer junk for me then?"
The girl who was unsure whether she could do it hesitated upon hearing our hero's request.
"Old puffer junk? The train...? I'm honored... Huh, me...!? Control this locomotive...!? Eeeeh...!?"
"Just slide down that handle when there's a turn in the distance, then slide it back up afterward... Simple?"
Vixella gestured at that one red lever on the control panels before disappearing through the latter wagons.
"Understandable... Wait, no... Don't go... Ah."
Running through the wagons and climbing out of an open window, Vixella popped her head out of the rushing train.
She glanced around at the many crafts latched onto the frame of the last Strider wagon they had towed with them.
Her strangely shaped and heavily modified Strider stood out among the standardized and flimsy-looking ones.
(Standardized Military-Model Strider)
[https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/dD8ZCoIECGUW8m5v8Qapa3KIAChwBzocy_2Yfym182E/https/cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/493900071402995723/494668345833160719/unknown.png?width=296&height=300]
A Bandito Gang Strider strafed down as pellets shattered the glass of the forward passenger wagons and locomotive.
Everyone inside hunkered down as they all shielded themselves from the glass whilst screaming aloud in fear.
"Police Models? Well, aren't these guys well equipped... Oh well... One less turret will cause fewer problems..."
Vixella mumbled to herself as she watched the enemy Striders strafe the train once again with their autocannons.
Waiting for the right moment, she latched off and spurred forth towards the unsuspecting Strider hovering on the right.
A loud clonk like that of a pan slamming into a wall was heard as the deformed wreck tumbled into the third passenger wagon.
Luckily enough, everyone had already evacuated to the furthest front passenger wagon before the locomotive.
Leaving a clear dent on the roof, the wreckage skidded off to roll away down the hillside as the train puffed on.
Back in the locomotive, Iris who took over driving gasped for breath as she stood back up to glance out the shattered windows.
She slid down the Red Lever before sliding it back up as the train took a sharp turn, heading towards the Symphotian border.
Her classy and fluffy socialite dress flushed in the wind as she gawked out the train at the surreal dogfight looming above.
"That Strider... Sir Wolfe's...?"
Back in the skies, Vixella's Strider drifted right before accelerating forth to avoid a stream of pellets that overshot by.
She snapped the joystick around to initiate a vertical rolling scissor with the enemy craft as they both climbed in a spiral.
[https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/244271683781787649/665907558585860097/Screen-Shot-2016-01-31-at-12.01.26.png]
Most inexperienced pilots who have little knowledge of Strider combat might start wondering... So here's a brief explanation.
Why use flight-mode? Shouldn't the pilots just switch to hover-mode and maneuver around while gunning like helicopters?
Well, switching into hover-mode wasn't practical in dogfights due to slower airspeed and less maneuverability.
Hover-mode was only used to stabilize the craft when losing control or attacking the less dangerous ground targets.
Experienced pilots, however, might haphazardly switch between hover-mode and flight-mode to gain an advantage.
Vixella squinted her eyes gradually as the blinding sunlight shone down from the clear skies above her.
"Thanks to this reinforced windshield... It's much easier to pull this kind of trick off during the daytime."
Her Strider jerked slightly as it switched to hover-mode to fall into a stall that was heading right for the Bandito Strider.
The raider pilot lost his composure as the bright sunlight shone down from above after he tilted upwards to take chase.
The man, knowing there was nothing better to do, switched into hover-mode to stabilize his aim and squeezed the trigger.
"Alright, time to put this Valoratian steel ram to the test!"
Vixella grinned as a trickle of sweat ran down her cheek.
Her strider shook violently as it swirled downwards against the onslaught of lead pellets.
The engine regained thrust as the craft whooshed down even faster at the bandito strider who tried to get out of the way.
In most cases, a good burst of pellets would penetrate a Strider at a distance of about fifty meters.
This would end up resulting in the detonation of the volatile compartments and magical batteries.
Due to the strange modifications of her weird Strider, Vixella was currently defying the basic principles of dogfighting.
NEVER DO HEAD-ONS
Despite attempting to switch back to flight-mode to escape, the Bandito Strider wasn't able to speed away in time.
The last thing the man saw as he screamed out for dear life was the overshadowing hammerhead ram that came from above.
Metal deformation sounds sounded the skies as the wreck of the Bandito Strider reeled down to strike into the hillside.
A blast of debris erupted forth, causing everyone in the train to stagger as the locomotive swooshed through the cloud of smoke.
Symphotia District Outskirts.
The battered train that was dragging three ruined wagons behind it stopped by a small border station.
District Watch teams quickly rushed in to guide out the injured and passengers to safety whilst arresting the Banditos.
A long while later that day, the guards smiled wryly as they let Vixella out of the guard post.
"Alright miss, you're free to go."
Seemingly having the life force drained out of her, she stumbled away from the guard post whilst sighing loudly.
Having been interrogated for two hours straight, she explained the situation but still had to wait for confirmation from the others.
Before this, they also had to endure the train ride without a properly enclosed wagon or locomotive to rest for a night.
Usually, the train would stop at night for the driver to rest... But not these circumstances because most of the supplies were gone!
They just had to make do with the little that remained in the storage which barely survived from the raid attempt.
During the trip to safety, Vixella was also in a hurry to get them at least to the first border station for immediate aid.
After getting there and explaining the situation, despite begging for accommodation, they all had little time to rest.
The next day when the officials had come, Vixella was then ordered to the driver the train to the main Symphotian station.
After reaching the place a day later, Iris thanked Vixella strongly for helping everyone.
She then left with a heavily-escorted convoy inside a luxury Strider after waving goodbye.
"I'll make sure to thank you back for all of this one day!"
"It seems like she was an aristocrat? Maybe I'm moving up in the world, after all."
Symphotia Town was quite a peculiar town unlike any other in the great continental nation of Demo.
Based on four high mountains, the town was shaped like a natural castle sitting by the center.
Four heavily fortified citadels rested on each peak with cannons similar but larger than those on giant aviation battleships.
Otherwise, the town of Symphotia itself retained mostly the appearance of a 'Victorian-Era' town.
It highly reassembled the same environment and ambiance like that of Algoria Town... Just a bit more... Vertical.
Vixella strode slowly through town as she speculated how it would prevail if it were to hold out against certain invasion strategies.
Sneak and staying low to avoid detection with the air fleet?
- If airships were to attack, they can't maintain low altitude since elevating up the mountain, later on, would just be suicide.
What about passing through the valleys at low altitude?
- That was also out of the question... To get bombarded by the citadels and all.
At last, there was no chance for either footsoldiers or ground forces unless they somehow sneaked into town.
- Slipping in a few good airships that carried well-trained special troops to sabotage the defenses might just work...?
Before she realized it, the sun could already be seen setting behind the Western Citadel looming beyond the townscape.
The main street, however, was still bustling with people as any town square of Demo would be at the current hour.
Amongst the crowd, Vixella paced deeper into the center of the elevated and peculiar townscape.
"Isn't this town just Valoratia but in a different aspect? Aah... Isn't everything in this world just so flat and simple."
She turned the corner just to see a sign above a few decorated doors written in bold text: 'Traveler's Rest'.
Vixella reached for her head with the intent to take off the usual hat before entering the reception area, however-
"Did I lose my hat somewhere? Aah, whatever..."
Shaking the thought aside while shrugging to herself, the daring courier chimed the doorbell and stepped inside the hotel.