"Woah…" Leroy gazed up and down. The Train was intense. While it was as sleek as the others, wits overall shape was a bit more square than round. Instead of having no front windows like the ones on the railway, this one had windows across a slanted front.
"Alright, I just gotta take a look over the front, Malle?" Winslow looked to the green haired "Already on it!" He said as he began looking over the back. Winslow detached a large pipe with a twisting pipe lock to the ground, a quick flash of orange flashing as it was pulled away.
A Morray Array sat attached to the ceiling of the Warehouse, hangsing in a spherical dome. Able to be accessed from a room above the Warehouse for maintenance.
This train was much like the others. Using electricity to boil water into steam and use it as propulsion, but it was more special than that.
"W-What are these…" Leroy pointed. He stuttered from excitement. "Rocket Thrusters!" Malle Responded, hoping down, and gazing around "R-Rocket?! As in, fire propulsion?! Those Kind?!" His eyes practically lit up with stars in his eyes as he smiled. "Yep! The very same"
"HAHAHHA! Thats Awesome! Lets go lets go lets go!" He said hopping onto, side of the train and into the door. The inside was more barren, and unfinished. After all, it was a side, side project.
"Ngh…" Winslow suddenly stumbled back, only to fall onto his rear. "Director!" Malle called as he rushed ove, kneeling next to him. "My, head…Hah- It's searing…" He raised a hand to the bandages. "You're brains been rattled by that shot, you might be strong. But you were strong enough to get off without any injury…"
Dezzi said looking him over. And pulling a glass vial of Aspirin. "This should help with the pain."
"I'll stay here with him." Malle said with a clenched fist. He wanted to go and get Calliope back, and avenge those that he had once been in charge of, and stick it to the ones who helped destroy his city. "No- Go…But…You need to cover your face. We can't have you being tied back to Water 9 and Nuff Wright. If you attack, that could be seen as a direct declaration of war by me. And could put us all in Danger!"
His reasoning was sound. Malle was Assistant Director of Nuff Wrights. But he held no political position. His fame however to the masses of Water 9 would make him recognizable to Kalikard, and the Other CPA agents. And that could be used against them to further.
"But they want us? Don't they? Ease of access? They wouldn't want to risk destroying more of us and then causing an outcry, right?" Malle had a point. The whole reason they destabilized Water 9 was to force them to rely on the World Governments aid and have their resources more easily accessible.
"I'm going to go get Cali back. And if I can't, I'm at least going to get these far enough to get their crewmates back."
"But why would you help us?" Kirk asked, Kale stepping onto the Train next to Leroy.
"Because. I know that you'd make sure Calliope was safe as well. You didn't have to help me back there, at the Port Dock. But you did. And because of that, people I hold dear are safe. And I want to repay you." Malle stood to his feet, while Winslow popped a few pills into his mouth and dry swallowed them
"Fine." Winslow started. Shakily getting to his feet. "But you better stay safe. Got it? I don't want to have to bury more than I already have to…"
Winslow watched as the rest of the Red Sash pirates and Malle board, the train rolling forward and out of the Warehouse. He couldn't help but think back to years…It was the first time that Water 9 was set ablaze. Fires burning from the lower level near the sea.
Back then, Water 9 was even taller than it was now. The Sea level hadn't risen to the few meters it was currently. But it was nothing like 30 years back. Where it rose high into the sky above the sea, where the Island got its name. Water 9. 'Soaring near the clouds like Cloud 9' Despite being kilometers away from them
The City was engulfed by flames, an Attack had been launched by the Marines, an entire plot set up by those that originally controlled the island on the upper layer. A supposed sighting of the revolutionary army, when there had been none.
That wouldn't have come until a few years after, and words of a successful revolution of an Islands Elite Spread.
But in truth…That was just the surface story. The real story was-
"Damn it!" Poly slammed the door of his house open. And down the stairs to the second floor basement, only to fall to his knees and open up a small drawer beneath a drawer that was accessed via a pen hole. It was a loose stack of papers, plastered across the front of it were the words 'Anu'.
They were blueprints, but were a special set of Blueprints. They'd been passed down in Water 9 for generations. And kept out of the sight by the Elites of the island the entire time. That was until weeks ago, when a New Shipwright from one of the Elite families joined the Teak Shipwright Guild.
So few Families were left on the Island. Some had reintegrated, and given up huge sums of their wealth to help rebuild the city. Others had laid in wait for something to be exploited so they could get the upper hand
"Cmon Cmon Cmon!" Poly was the new Leader of the Guild. And had been given access to the Blueprints. He'd been told that the Blueprints held the power of an Ancient weapon. And they were kept if they ever needed something to fight with.
But that Child from the Elite family had gotten their way into the council. And saw the blueprints for themselves! They heard the whole thing! They launched from their seats and ran out of the building. At first it confused the Guild. But that was until they found him in his room with a Den Den Mushi, yelling to send the Marines immediately.
It sent the entire building into a frenzy. But they needed to stay Calm. If they just had the Blueprints hidden. They could prevent anything from happening. They huddled Poly out of the back, and made sure he got home. Where he then kept the blueprints in his study.
That was until the Marines arrived. And CPA in turn. It went how they expected. Poly had shown them around. Even showed the Trainyard that was still under construction. This had intrigued CPA and The Marines.
Poly explained how the Trains worked. How he had designed them, and even shown them the blueprints that were kept at the Newly Constructed Loco Move Station.
"These would make a great Addition to the World Government." A Younger Hugo said. "But I've been told after the recent happenings on the island, you've denied every invitation. And now we've been given word that, you're housing forbidden information that our World Government has deemed a threat to the safety and security of our nations?"
"I don't know what you're talking about?" Poly lied. He'd already gotten the Blueprints hidden. Thats when a younger Winslow spoke up. "As I've said, as Mayor. That the Invitations have been denied out of the Interest of our former Monarchy. And then the most recent one was Denied because we felt it best for Water 9 to stay independent and take the initiative to prosper on our own. We wouldn't want to steal the much coveted resources of the World Government when we could do it ourselves."
"That is what we say, isn't it?" Hugo nodded.