Packed with both civilians and soldiers alike, the tall train station was bustling with activity to and from. Long lines of people hoping to evacuate from war entirely; and soldiers assisting the short staffed station to keep the wheels turning. Stress and panic painted their faces blinding their vision and clouding their thoughts causing many to bump into each other.

Amelia followed by her party of 4 retreated into the corner of the station "This must be the last of Imperia's train stations. How are we supposed to get out of here in time?"

Sharrion released the children's hands she held so they could rest their legs on a nearby bench. The travel out of the lab and to a safer location was a difficult trial and left the group exhausted and exhausted of supplies. Out of bullets, low on magic, and not much to survive on if they overstayed their welcome at this station. Sharrion glazed her eyes across the lines of people trying to get a ticket out of Imperia, following it all the way to its conclusion. Tents were set up along the wall where many were waiting for their turn to board the train. With a nervous frown, she cupped her chin. "What could we do…?" Even she was at a loss of ideas.

"There's no bluffing our way out of this one. We might just have to stay overnight." She dropped her shoulders with a sigh.

"We don't have time to sit around. Hey, excuse me misterー" Amelia walked to a speed walking male only for her call to be ignored. Another woman she waved at swerved around muttering 'excuse me' before continuing to speak on her phone. Repeatedly her desperate attempts to seek advice or assistance were turned down or completely ignored. She whined, "Don't tell me this is the end of the line."

"Maybe not." Ibuki pointed to a soldier standing by the train's doors in a debate with a parent arguing about whether or not she could get a ride out of Imperia. Pregnant and holding her first child's hand, she couldn't be left in the station any longer.

"Alright get onboard. But we're getting a soldier to escort you. If you're caught lying, you will be fined an exorbitant fee."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The pregnant bowed as best she could and hurried into the train as the soldiers shouted for one of his peers to follow the woman on her journey.

"Looks like certain people get exceptions." Ibuki said.

Amelia tilted her head "So… I have to pretend to be pregnant?"

"No way! We aren't doing that." Sharrion's voice raised with her injection. "Maybe one of the soldiers knows about the scientists that fled to Donbern at the coast. That's where most people evacuated away to and it's the last city uncontrolled by the TGA."

Donbern…a smaller coastal city near Aomori within Imperia's borders. Ibuki had heard of the place before but never visited due to the route the TGA took getting into Imperia. They aimed to strike where Imperia was weak, going from the capital Akita and diving straight into the enemy. Imperia had their navy stationed at the coast expecting naval warfare from Japan as that was the easy way to get within their borders. This attack caught them off guard and was the reason why the first few months was in the TGA's favor, but now both sides were stuck in a stalemate, neither advancing nor retreating land.

Amelia tugged on a uniformed man's arm finally getting someone's full attention. "Sir, sorry to bother you like this but I have an urgent request."

The soldier turned to face her only for his attention to be taken away by shouting from the side. Amelia looked over at two men in an argument that escalated into a full brawl. A stressed crowd started to form around them, either laughing or pleading for them to calm down and soon others joined trying to break up the fight only to be dragged into the conflict as well.

"Sorry, we can talk later." The soldier swiftly ran towards the fighting crowd arming his bayonet rifle.

"But we need to get to Donbern!" Amelia then sighed "Crap…"

"What's this? A pure maiden in need?" a heroic voice bellowed.

Amelia gasped as a suave man entered her eyesight. First she believed it to be Jean Forde because of his blonde hair, her heart sank in fear of her consequences coming to haunt her. In a shaky voice she said "W-who are you?"

"Only Imperia's most valuable asset and your one way ticket to Donbern." He pointed to the patch on the shoulder of his pilot jacket which read 'W'. "You may have heard of the famous Wednesday Battalion, special operation forces. I'm kinda a big deal. Name's Faval Maxwell and I'll be your escort service."

"W-wait, really?" Amelia stammered.

"I feel like this definition of escort is different from ours." Ibuki then crossed her arms "And can we really trust this guy? I never even heard of Wednesday Battalion."

A smirk grew on his face "Goes to show how underground we are. So what do ya say?"

"We'll take it." Sharrion was quick to hop onto the deal. She called for the twin children to return which was a surprise to Faval, quickly realizing afterworks that they were not her children.

"Come right this way ladies. I got a nice spot we can sit at." Faval led the party into the black metal steam train. Rigid with armor on the outside but richly designed inside. Fine red patterned carpet, soft padded seats and wooden furniture.

"Ladies and… ladies, take your seats. We'll be departing shortly."

But a single booth only allowed a table of 4. Amelia, Faval and Ibuki sat with Faval to inquire more about his background. In the booth across from them sat Sharrion with Linde's twin children. Despite having no reason to assist the group, Faval felt that it was some kind of fate that led to their paths intersecting, believing them to be a special group of individuals that would save Imperia from Japan. A childish story coming from an older male like him made Amelia feel all the more suspicious of his actions.

He took a baseball cap and fastened it on his blonde hair when the train began to move. His ponytail fitting perfectly through the back hole "What? Don't believe in fate? It's a very real thing."

Amelia rested her head on her arm shooting him glare "I feel like you only wanted to help us so you could hit on me."

To this accusation, Faval quickly waved his hands defensively "Not true in the slightest! I have a wife back home in Donbern. Figured I could help you and myself since I been working like a dog in the station."

Ibuki looked out the window of the train, first darkness from the tunnel then a flash of light before her vision adjusted. The moon was bright and light reflected off the vast and empty hills of snow. Pure white like heaven. She could see her reflection in the window and looking past that, Sharrion with the twins. Their names were on the tip of Ibuki's tongue but she couldn't remember what it exactly was. Her eyelids started to weigh being awake throughout the night but there was no time to rest until they were safely away from the TGA. She listened to Faval give his absurd life story trying to stay awake.

"...And that was the first time I wrestled a polar bear. Hopefully the last of those bastards. Nearly lost an eye because of them." Faval snickered. Amelia was naive enough to believe the whole thing through.

"I didn't know Imperia had polar bears."

Faval chuckled "Well life is full of surprises. Young or old, you'll never know everything about this world—" Coming to a full stop, his eyes darted to the side, not at Sharrion but something else. His eyes narrowed.

"Is something out—?"

Faval raised a finger silencing Amelia then tapped on his ear, "Listen…" he muttered. Amelia didn't know what she was supposed to be listening for, closing her eyes and directing all her energy to her ears. Rushès had better hearing capabilities than humans making them sought after in many fields of work. Although rushès lost their magic circuits genetic trait, their excellent hearing and higher, more sensitive senses were retained. And what Amelia heard was muffled beeping coming from ahead, fainted but echoing off the wooden walls that encased it.

She opened her eyes wide, "That sounds like a..!"

Faval nodded slowly and reached in his coat's inner pocket "That's right, this train's been rigged. You gals look pretty capable of helping me out a little." He placed a few objects on the table; pilers, a can of coolant attached to what looked like a gun, and a flashlight? "Truth is, Wednesday Battalion is an anti-spy countermeasure group. We make sure important information doesn't get leaked to the public. That's why all you see is made up lies by the TGA in the news."

This news brought to light woke Ibuki from her half sleep "How'd you know the TGA had spies within Imperia?"

"Well you're one of them, aren't you, one eyed sniper." This caused Ibuki to tense up. Faval leaned back in his seat smirking "The TGA have been trying to lock us up in our own city. That station was our last that wasn't attacked. I suspect they have bombs planted and ready to be detonated after all the civilians were evacuated. One of my colleagues found one hidden underneath a seat."

Amelia reached for one of the tools only for Faval to grab her wrist stopping her. "Whoa whoa let's not get hasty here. Can't just waltz into bomb defusal without knowing what kind of bombs we're dealing with." He moved out of the booth and took a knife to the cushioned seat behind his, the padding stitches almost blending with the seat's pattern. Someone sitting here would be left with an uncomfortable rock hard seat from the bomb tucked underneath.

He placed the small object on the table; two greyish rectangular bars wrapped together with duct tape, and a number pad on the front. A small green light was lit by the number pad, and connecting the bomb all together were multiple wires in different colors. To be more specific about what this was, Faval muttered it's name, C-4. But this wasn't an ordinary C-4, it was crafted with a hint of cheap magic to make its thermal explosion have an even bigger radius and damaging effect against tough metals. Faval picked up the pliers "Thankfully we don't have to go guessing with wire to cut or what code to enter. The yellow wire here," he snipt the wire then point to said wire and moved his finger from It's starting point at the number pad to the back of the bomb. "Leads directly to the thermal side of the bomb. Cutting it won't completely disable it, but that's what we have this for."

He picked up the gun with a can attached to the bottom "Coolant spray. It'll disable the bomb for a few long hours." He sprayed the bomb with a white mist and the faintly lit light changed from green to red, deactivated. "It's as easy as that."

Amelia nodded slowly "Alright… and what do we use to find these bombs?"

Faval promptly picked up the flashlight object "This sensor detects the heat emitted from the bombs. Just wave is around and it'll vibrate the closer it is to the bomb." he held the sensor over the disabled bomb and it vibrated ever so little. "I'd said we have about 5 minutes left until we arrive in Donbern. Let's split up, I'll head to the front while you two ladies search the back."

Faval left them with the tools on the table and made his way to the front of the train cart. Amelia picked up the coolant and pocketed the other tools. "Sharrion,"

"Yeah I heard everything." Sharrion waved her hand away "You don't have much time. I'll stay here and watch the twins."

"Thank you." Amelia hurried to the back of the cart with Ibuki, passing by seats until she reached the door. The sensor in her pocket started to faintly vibrate, the bomb was close by but how close was the question. She grabbed the door handle and slid it open, flashed by the midnight sky and ears filled with the rumbling of the train tracks.

She jumped across the gap between carts and made way for Ibuki to do the same, the bomb was close. They entered the next cart, empty like a ghost town which was a surprise to them after witnessing many civilians trying to escape. An empty train cart was suspicious but they didn't have time to ponder, quickly the two girls began to search. Digging around under furniture and touching down seats.

Amelia took out the sensor and waved it around but it's vibration didn't change, the bomb was near but unclear. "Where could it be..?" She looked up and her eye widened at the vent on the ceiling, loose and misaligned. Hiding on the other side was the bomb, it's faint green lit light peeking through the shadows. "The bomb's up there."

"Can you reach it?" Ibuki replied.

"I'll have to try." Amelia jumped up and grabbed the vent trying to use her weight to pull it off. Unfortunately she was too light to rip the vent with her bare strength. Letting go, she dusted off her hands "It won't budge."

Ibuki rubbed her chin for a moment then came up with an idea. Moving close to Amelia, she kneeled down and clasped her hands together "Here, I'll try to lift you."

"Are you sure?"

Ibuki nodded and Amelia placed her foot on Ibuki's hands. She was nearly weightless, feeling as weighty as a thick book. Ibuki despite her low strength, lifted Amelia high enough where she could cut the yellow wire through the gaps in the vent and freeze the bomb.

She hopped off Ibuki's hands. "That's one."

They moved on to the next cart and unlike the first, this one was full of civilians and soldiers alike. Naturally the soldiers stares were drawn to them from their abrupt entrance, lifting their rifles.

"Who are you?" one of the soldier's barked.

"We're urm…" Amelia rapidly thought up an excuse "Train inspectors!" she blurred out. "We were sent to check for any TGA spies."

"Train inspectors?" Before the soldier could continue to question, Ibuki quickly interjected. "It's a new protocol that's still being sent around."

She walked past the soldier moving her eyes around looking for hints of the bomb. The soldiers stood with their rifles lowered but at the ready. Amelia leaned closer to Ibuki whispering in her ear "The bomb is in that soldier's seat. We can convince him to move but we can't let them know that there are bombs on this train."

"Maybe we should come back for it later then." Ibuki said. Amelia nodded, thinking it was best if they returned after the train stopped at its destination. Amelia proclaimed the train cart to be safe and secure, and moved on to the next. Closing the sliding door behind and hopping to the next cart, the sensor immediately went off. The bomb was next to the door frame sitting in the bottom corner near the railings.

Amelia cut the wire and sprayed it before she grabbed the handle of the cart's door. Ibuki noticed her stop and tilted her head "See something?"

"I think there's another on top. The sensor is still detecting a bomb." Amelia stepped back and sprouted her wings "You search inside, I'll look on the roof." With a single flap of her wings she took to the skies and landed on the roof of the train. The bomb was strapped to the center and Amelia disarmed it with ease.

"Why would the TGA do something as vile as this? Are they aware of the damage they're causing..?" Amelia turned around and saw Donbern on the horizon. Their destination was close and the sensor stopped vibrating. Faval must've finished his side of things, being an expert at bomb defusal. She regrouped with Ibuki when the train soon pulled into the station, first defusing the last bomb in the previous cart while the soldiers were occiped getting people out in a timely and orderly manner.

A flood of civilians outpouring once the doors opened. The two girls almost lost each other in the tidal wave, moving away to a bench where they stayed to look for Sharrion and Faval.

"Yoohoo!" Faval waved while joining their side with Sharrion. "I'm quite impressed you ladies managed to find all the bombs. I didn't think you had the bravery to do it."

"I'm willing to risk my life if it means ending the war. I don't want countless people killed in this unnecessary conflict." Amelia proclaimed.

"Unnecessary?" Faval raised an eyebrow then brushed the comment off chuckling. "If that's how you view it then who am I to judge? I'm a participant in this killing afterall."

Amelia quickly grabbed his arm before he walked off "W-wait, where are you going now?"

"Back to work. Someone's gotta keep these TGA spies off our backs." He snickered, "Why'd you ask? Are you gonna miss me? We've barely met!"

"I just wanted to know if you would help us end this war." Amelia lowered her head embarrassed for asking another naive question. But Faval would pat her shoulder, much to her surprise "I'll think about the offer. A lot of people want to do the same but I haven't seen any good results. So get out there and prove it, then I'll help ya out!"

"Really!?" Amelia brightened up like a lightbulb, her ears rose similar to a dog "Thank you Faval. I'll prove it to you, to everyone, that it is possible. Without needless bloodshed."

Sharrion couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face "Captain really is something special…"

Faval promised to meet with them another day, splitting paths. The same was said for Leo, hopefully Faval wouldn't end up the same.