The first thing Yuki noticed was the silence. Gone was the familiar rumble of her engine, the hiss of hydraulic brakes, the chatter of passengers. Instead, there was only the soft whisper of wind through leaves and the distant trill of birdsong.
Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring up at a canopy of emerald leaves. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, dappling the forest floor with warm patches of gold. For a long moment, Yuki simply lay there, trying to process the overload of sensory information.
She had eyes. She could see.
Tentatively, she lifted a hand in front of her face. Five fingers wiggled at her command. The motion was so alien, so impossibly fluid, that Yuki let out a startled gasp. The sound of her own voice – high, feminine, unmistakably human – sent a jolt through her.
"What... what happened to me?" she whispered, her words clumsy and unfamiliar on her tongue.
Slowly, cautiously, Yuki pushed herself up to a sitting position. Her body felt light, almost weightless compared to the tons of metal and rubber she was used to. She looked down at herself, taking in the sight of arms, legs, and a torso clad in simple brown garments.
As she struggled to make sense of her transformation, a translucent blue screen suddenly materialized in front of her. Yuki instinctively tried to swerve to avoid it, only to lose her balance and topple over. The screen remained stubbornly in place, hovering at eye level.
```
[Welcome to your new life!]
Name: Yuki
Class: Reincarnated Vehicle (Bus)
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Skills:
- Route Optimization (Passive) Lvl 1
- Passenger Protection (Active) Lvl 1
[Tutorial Quest: Stand up and take your first steps in this new world!]
Reward: 10 XP, Unlock basic movement skills
```
Yuki blinked rapidly, but the screen remained. "Is this... some kind of joke?" she muttered, reaching out to touch the ethereal display. Her hand passed right through it.
With a deep breath, Yuki decided to focus on the immediate task. Standing up. She planted her hands on the soft forest loam and pushed herself to her knees. Already, this was more flexibility than she'd ever experienced as a bus. Slowly, shakily, she got one foot underneath her, then the other.
Yuki rose, swaying slightly as she adjusted to her new center of gravity. The blue screen flickered, updating itself:
```
[Tutorial Quest Complete!]
Gained: 10 XP
Unlocked: Basic Movement Skills
New Skills:
- Walk (Active) Lvl 1
- Run (Active) Lvl 1
- Jump (Active) Lvl 1
```
"This is insane," Yuki said, taking a tentative step forward. Despite her disbelief, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. For years, she had been bound to her routes, her wheels forever touching the ground. Now, the whole world seemed to open up before her.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
As Yuki took another step, then another, she felt a warmth spreading through her chest. It was a feeling she had never experienced as a bus, but one she instantly recognized: hope.
Whatever had happened, however she had ended up here, Yuki realized she had been given a second chance. A chance to explore, to grow, to live in a way she never could before.
With newfound determination, Yuki set off through the forest, ready to discover what this strange new world had in store for her.
After wandering through the forest for what felt like hours, Yuki finally stumbled upon a dirt path. Her legs ached from the unfamiliar exertion, but a quick glance at her status window showed her HP hadn't decreased. Small mercies, she supposed.
As she followed the path, a group of travelers came into view. Three humans - two men and a woman - were gathered around a fallen tree blocking the road. Yuki's heart raced. Her first encounter with other people!
She approached cautiously, trying to recall how her passengers used to interact. The woman noticed her first and waved.
"Oh, thank goodness!" she called out. "Could you lend us a hand? This tree is giving us trouble."
Yuki blinked, then nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Please form an orderly queue and watch your step as you board."
The travelers exchanged confused glances.
"Er, what?" one of the men asked.
Yuki felt her cheeks heat up. Right, she wasn't a bus anymore. "Sorry, force of habit. How can I assist you?"
The woman gestured to the tree. "We're trying to move it off the road. Any help would be appreciated."
Yuki nodded and moved closer to the tree. She placed her hands on the rough bark, then paused, frowning. "I apologize, but I don't seem to have the proper equipment for this. My hydraulic lift isn't responding."
The second man raised an eyebrow. "Your what now?"
"Never mind," Yuki said quickly. "Let me try something else."
She focused on the tree, and suddenly a skill activation prompt appeared in her vision.
```
[Skill: Route Optimization is available. Would you like to use it?]
[Yes] [No]
```
Curious, Yuki mentally selected 'Yes.' Immediately, her perception shifted. She could see faint, glowing lines crisscrossing the fallen tree and the surrounding area. One particular path lit up brighter than the others.
"I think I see the most efficient way to move it," Yuki announced. She pointed to various spots along the tree trunk. "If we apply force here, here, and here, we should be able to roll it off the path with minimal effort."
The travelers looked skeptical but followed her instructions. To everyone's surprise, the tree moved with relative ease, clearing the path in no time.
"Well, I'll be," the first man said, wiping his brow. "That was some good thinking, miss. What's your name?"
"I'm Yu- I mean, I'm Bus 37- no, wait." Yuki took a deep breath. "My name is Yuki. It's nice to meet you all."
The woman smiled warmly. "I'm Clara, and these are Tom and Finn. Are you heading to Gearville too?"
Yuki had no idea where Gearville was, but she nodded anyway. "Yes, that's my... final stop."
"Wonderful!" Clara exclaimed. "Why don't you travel with us? Safety in numbers, after all."
"Oh, yes," Yuki agreed, remembering how passengers often chatted during rides. "I'd be happy to. Will you be paying with coins or do you have a transit pass?"
Tom chuckled. "A transit what? You're an odd one, Yuki, but I like you. Come on, let's get moving before it gets dark."
As they set off down the path, Yuki fell into step beside them, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She had so much to learn about being human, but for the first time, she felt like she was on the right route.
A notification popped up in her vision:
```
[New Quest: Journey to Gearville]
Reward: 100 XP, Unlock 'City Navigation' skill
```
Yuki smiled to herself. This new life was going to be an interesting ride indeed.