The sun rises high in the sky, indicating it was early to mid-afternoon. It was a beautiful day. Perfect weather, well, it would be if it weren't so chilly. It was calm. Nothing interesting was happening, it was just one of those usual, boring days. You get up, get dressed, and go to work. And then you repeat your schedule over and over and over.

The train heading toward Hargeon rides onto a bridge over a canyon. A few birds fly away from their perches on the lower structures on the bridge in fright.

Yep. Nothing interesting—

"Sir, we've got a problem!"

Annnnnddd it just got interesting!

Conrad, if you remember the grouchy guard from earlier this morning, rushed into the engine room, where the conductor, also the conductor from earlier, monitored the work the engineers were doing. The man barreled into the engine room, tossing the door open to the point of the said door to nearly rock off its hinges.

Conrad was rather clammy, out of breath, and practically quaking in his security guard boots.

"What's got you in such a hurry? Please don't tell me you've been harassing another innocent guest." The conductor jokes wholeheartedly.

"I don't harass passengers! Some just look sketchy!" Conrad burst out.

"Yeah, yeah, " the conductor rolls his eyes. "What is it? What's going on? I can tell you want to say something—"

"What the boy is trying to say is—" Suddenly Conrad is shoved forward by a man in a tight leotard and enormous bottom. He had a grin plastered on his face. "This is a train heist."

"What—" The conductor didn't have much time to react when the man aims his butt into the car, suddenly accompanied by two other men.

"Secret Jiggle Butt Art: Gas-Butt Triple Ecstasy!" The three men harmoniously incant, perking their bottoms. A triangle is drawn with yellowish magic.

This was not good. Each crew member tenses up, whether it be to prepare themselves or it is from the panicking alarms ringing in their minds screaming, "Danger! Danger!"

Suddenly, green gas shoots from the giant derrieres, causing every man in the car to scream out. The explosion of rancid air overwhelms the crewmembers, even being blown into equipment or the walls. The windows shatter inevitably and bodies hit the ground.

"Well done, Lackeys!" The middle man turned to see their handiwork with a grin of triumph.

A groan from the floor caused the trio to look down at the barely conscious body weakly rolling onto his back.

"Stay awake, man! We have a special task for you!" The boss guy grabs the conductor by his collar and forces him to his feet.

"I...I won't assist you, criminals!" The conductor grunts out.

"You can, and you will, " The thug says. "See, we've brought along a volunteer." He flicked his wrist, motioning for the chubby lackey to bring their hostage forth. "And you wouldn't want anything to happen to this mother-to-be, would you?"

The conductor caught sight of the bright corn-colored hair and immediately recognized the hostage. The woman from earlier! Her hands were bound behind her back and she had a cloth tied around her face; over her mouth, where the cloth was most bundled up.

"You dirty bastards!" The conductor growls with a harsh glare at the trio of the thugs.

Ignoring that outburst, the boss grins, bring the conductor closer to his body. "So, what you say compadre? Would you rather help us rob your passengers or watch this young mother suffer the consequences?"

At a loss, the conductor's shoulders slump in defeat, "I'll do what you want, just let the young woman go!"

"Atta boy!" The main thug painfully logged the conductor in his shoulder. "Now, this is what I want you to do..."

~

Cobra was the first to wake up, oddly enough. He thought he heard an explosion. It wouldn't be the first time he's hallucinated as such. He's seen and done a lot, and that's bitten him in the ass during his time in prison.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

He listened to the thoughts of the other passengers. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Eh?" Cobra becomes attentive toward the sudden weight on his right shoulder. Peering over, he catches a glimpse of wild black hair.

He stiffens with disgust and immediately he shoves Midnight from his body. "Get off, Emo Fuck!"

The gothic man awakens with a startled squawk, having no control of his body, he falls to the floor with a loud 'thud', an "oof" escaping his lips.

"Ah!" Happy springs awake, also startled by Cobra's loud yell and Midnight's fall.

"The hell was that for, jerk!?" Midnight is quick to get on his feet. He growls, balling his hands into fists.

Cobra bit back just as harshly. "I ain't yer pillow! Be grateful I didn't decapitate ya!" He glared with his one eye.

"Tch!" Midnight scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're all class." He snarkily sassed.

"U-um..." Happy's timid voice catches both the felon's attention. "Wh-where's Lushie?"

The men look at the empty seat Lucy had been seating. Only her bag was present. It raised eyebrows.

"Maybe she's off in the bathroom or somethin', " Cobra dismissed a potential danger. "Women do weird things."

"She'd tell us if she were leaving!" Happy said with tear-brimmed eyes.

Midnight rolled his eyes at the cat's pitiful state. Lucy's companion sure was emotional. Just like her...Midnight tenses as he realizes his observations over the past few months.

"Chill, you mangy feline, " Midnight reclaims his seat. "She'll be back."

"B-but we don't know how long she's been gone!" Happy cries. "What if so-something happened to h-her?!"

"Tone it down some, will ya?!" Cobra narrowed his eye at Happy due to his accidental loudness.

"B-but..."

"Blondie's a tough gal, anyone in their right mind would leave her be—"

"Attention all passengers, " Over the lacrima intercom was the conductor. "This is your conductor speaking, I gravely inform you this train is being pursued by thieves. I ask every one of you to toss any possessions that may have any value to them into the aisle. Afterward, lock your compartments—Ahh!"

The voice shouts suddenly, a loud crash sounding seconds afterward.

"Greetings, Ladies and Gents!" A new voice breaks through the loud confusion. "I am hardened to say this, but, we have a hostage with us today, and if you don't do what we demand of you, she will be thrown into the canyon below!"

"Hah?!" Happy wails.

"Goddammit! Out of all trains, this one's gotta be robbed!" Cobra facepalms.

"Guess the bimbo isn't as tough as we make her out to be." Midnight grumbled, getting to his feet alongside Cobra.

"Wh-what are we gonna do?" Happy frets aloud.

Cobra grunts, "I've been itchin' for a fight since I got outta prison."

A wicked smirk splits his face.

"Get your grimy hands off me!" I shout, trying to kick the leotard-clad men away from me.

The main boss guy motions for his players to back off.

Or that's what I thought.

I find myself suddenly flailing backward toward the floor. No no no! My body suddenly decides to turn halfway. My eyes widen as I come closer to the floor, realizing my baby would get the full blow of my fall.

"I've got you!"

I'm caught by rather strong-feeling arms. Er, more like I fall into the arms and they curl around my body and I'm crushed into a chest.

"Don't worry, I've got you now!" It was that mean guy from this morning! Oh, um, er, I feel like a bitch now.

"Th-thanks..." I stammer with my words, cursing myself inwardly.

My savior sets me down carefully, his hands flying to my restrained ones. Once my wrists were free, I bring them to my front, rubbing them tenderly.

"You're sick! Threatening a pregnant woman like that!" Conrad growls.

"What was that? I recall you doing the exact thing this morning!"

Conrad tenses. "I'm diggin' my own grave, ain't I?" He warily glances down at me.

"Yeah, " I say. "Don't worry. No harm was done." I forgive him. Although I do so, I still was a tad bit ticked off at him. But my petty grudge is the least of my worries right now.

"Aw, how sweet!" The main thug feigns his melted emotions, fluttering his eyelashes with pursed lips. "Don't be so mushy in front of us!"

"Yeah!" The rat-faced lackey and the chubby lackey chorused in agreement.

"We're not!" We shout.

"Anyhow, " The intelligent thug twiddles over to us. "We're gonna need you one more time, just for assurance that we get what we came here for."

I become clammy as the giant-assed man approaches me, light on his feet.

"N-no! Don't come near me!" I try to scoot away, doing my best to get far away from the gross man as possible. My small escape came to an end when I hit the whatcha ma call-its, the gears and button things. I don't know, I haven't been held hostage in the engine car to know what to expect in the said engine room.

I throw my arms up in front of my face as the guy reaches down with an evil grin.

"H-Hey! Leave her alone!" The conductor shouts, but his plea came down on deaf ears.

I yelp when the man's rough hand clamped around my arm. His fingers curl around my flesh, his nails digging into my skin whilst forcing me to my feet roughly. I wince feeling his nails embed into my skin painfully. I latch my free hand and try to smack the thug from me.

"Don't worry, little miss, " He grinned at my useless struggles. "Once you've served your purpose as leverage, we'll release you and everyone on this train."

"N-no! Please let me —a-ah!" I crumple to my knees at the sudden pain bursting through my abdomen, my free arm swiftly gliding to my belly.

"Please, sirs, " The conductor rises to his feet, holding his arms up in surrender. "The lass doesn't need this stress. I'll comply and go in her place."

"Pipe down, old man!"

Oh no...I wince as the pain suddenly turns into burning heat. That heat expands to my arm, the one being clenched like a lever. The bones in my skin feel like they're rattling. The heat settled underneath the hand, only to grow hotter and hotter.

"A-ah, mother of cheese!" The thug man shrieks in pain, jumping away from me while releasing my arm. "H-hot!"

I hiss out, yanking my arm hurt arm to my chest, cradling it. Through the hitched and scattered pants, I glare at the man.

"What'd she do, Boss?!" The lackeys question their leader quickly.

"She burned me!" The man leaked crocodile tears while he cried like a child.

I only caught a glimpse of the red skin that was still steaming. A string of shock goes through me, but it doesn't stay for long. I knew this intense heat was coming from my child, considering he's done this before, although I was very unconscious at the time. I wouldn't be surprised if the man had a third-degree burn.

"H-hey! Miss, are you alright?" As quick as he could while the thugs were distracted, he rushed to me.

I toss my palm into the air. "Stay back!" I try to take in big gulps of air. It was like the ultimate roll of acid reflex.

The conductor is rather reluctant, but he stays away.

"Are you alright?" He repeats himself.

How am I going to answer that? I just have to take a good breather and just hope my head doesn't burst into flames.

"That's enough games outta you! Get to yer feet, girlie! The quicker you do we as say, the quicker this heist will end! You're wastin' our time!"

I shake my head, suddenly nauseated. Oh...not now! Not now! I duck my head down, attempting to relieve the sickness. With the burning and churning and twisting. The entire train suddenly shakes, which does not help with the sickness.

"Oh, please, not now, baby..." I grunt lowly, directing my words at my bulging stomach. I know the baby didn't hear me and if it could, I'm sure it wouldn't listen to me anyway.

"Eh? Did you hear me, lady?!"

The heat fizzles. Crackles. Bouncing around inside like a roaring flame being fed oil. My mind throbbed excruciatingly. I could feel the sweat begin to form under my arms, back, and face.

"I-it's h-hot..." I whisper to no one in particular.

You know those summer days where's just a scorching inferno, and the sun just beats down on you? It was like that and a volcano had just set off inside my chest.

"What'dya say?"

Get away from me! Please! I feel like I'm going to explode!

"You look like you're gonna faint. Don't die on us, yeah?"

"Nugh!" I suddenly scream, releasing the hot build-up within my body.

"FIRE?!!"

That's when everything around me just blackened. I still heard the screams and they stuck with me.