Somewhere on the train
Lady: Excuse me?
Droid: Yes miss?
Lady: I lost my son during the train tour...
Droid: Okay, we'll go look. Let me contact my coworkers.
Lady: Oh, no headset? So are you from Tronesion?
Droid: Yes. Please give us a moment to look.
Lady: Okay, thank you.
Engine Room
Boy: Wooow, the engine is sooo cool! I wanna look closer!
Pretty shining engine in use.
Red: Okay, I'll contact you if I find him. (walks in)
Red: Hmm...?
The boy is reaching out for the engine!
Red: NO STOP (runs and pulls kid back)
Boy: O-oh, I'm sorr--
Red: Get back! (accidentally touches engine pushing kid away and short circuits)
Boy: ...mister? Uhh, is he dead? What do I--
Red suddenly sits back up!
Red: Rebooting. Maintenance check. Restart--error, error. Beep boop, s-s-secur-r-r-ity wall system b-b-b-breach
Boy: UUUUHHH (runs out) ZOMBIIIIIEEE
Later
MC: Whew, finally / Cool, we're done now!
---
(A) Yoshiori: Wow you locked up for a while. But I guess that's good enough for you.
(B) Yoshiori: Ugh, you made ME nervous with how relaxed you were.
---
Yoshiori: But yeah you did good. The workers said they wanna work with us if something happens.
MC: Said Mr. Invisible / You being there made me feel better / Thanks for your advice!
(A) Yoshiori: Heh, I can't help it if normal people can't see me.
(B) Yoshiori: W-what? I didn't do anything, geez.
(C) Yoshiori: Eh, I know how these things go.
MC and Yoshiori are taking a break in the restaurant area.
Yoshiori: Damn, this is fancy. Brand name decor for this entire train? How much would a ticket be?
MC: Whoa, I guess it is first class stuff. / You can tell by looking?
Yoshiori: My old home had stuff like this everywhere, so I just picked it up. Don't really care about it anymore, but I know how relationships matter to business. I had to go on things like this before.
MC: ...are you from some big name family? / omg you're a rich kid?
(A) Yoshiori: Well we were pretty rich I guess. Not that I care about that.
(B) Yoshiori: Ugh, don't make me think about my childhood. What? Surprised?
Yoshiori: Eh, forget about it. Let's get some good grub. How about you get something too? ...ooh, order me the gelato. (points at dessert menu)
MC: Wow, you like sweets? / You liking sweets is so perfect!
---
(A) Yoshiori: What? I can like what I like. It goes with the coffee I ordered.
(B) Yoshiori: WHAT? Stop smiling at me like that!
---
MC places an order with a server.
Yoshiori: Ordering through a server is so old school. I know it's part of customer service, but it also means I can't order...
Esperdica: Hello, coffee here.
MC: Thank you. It smells nice. / Hottie!
(C) Esperdica: Oh, why thank you. It feels wrong to not say anything too, so you look quite lovely.
Esperdica: I have a fruity roast blend today. Please enjoy. (puts coffee down for MC and Yoshiori)
Yoshiori: ...wait, you can see me?
Esperdica: Y-yes? I got an order for a coffee and cafe latte. I thought it was for two?
Yoshiori: No, you're right. So are you a hero or Observer then?
Esperdica: Oh, excuse me. Today I am a barista serving coffee so that the customers serve the Tea™, and my name is Esperdica. And yes, I am also a hero. Nice to meet you.
MC: Nice to meet you, I'm MC.
Yoshiori: I'm Yoshiori. So I guess there's a bunch of heroes on board?
Esperdica: Yes, in case of Monster attacks. I was hired mainly for coffee making though, and I just happened to be a hero. Look over there.
Droids, droids everywhere.
Esperdica: They're elite soldiers. By the way...are you two with Parallel Flight?
Yoshiori: Yeah. You know about us?
Esperdica: Yes, so many rumors. It's an honor meeting you two.
Yoshiori: Wait what rumors? I can guess but still... MC aside, you actually know about me?
Esperdica: Yes, that you're the Invisible Mercenary. You're famous in our circles...oh, that's why you asked if I could see you.
MC: What rumors? Who's talking about us?
Esperdica: That's a secret. Enjoy the coffee and look at the stars.
Coffee!
Yoshiori: Right, better to have coffee while it's hot...ow, I burned myself!
Esperdica: You like black coffee? Take your time with it. And the cafe latte for MC in a moment.
Esperdica makes cafe latte art of a dog(?) for MC!
Esperdica: ...here you are. It'll collapse if you shake it hard.
MC: Yay, doggy! / It's pretty
(A) Esperdica: Dog? ...it's supposed to be a wolf. Isn't it cute?
(B) Esperdica: Thank you, it's a wolf. Bon appetit.
Noise.
Droid: Miss, we found your son! He's okay. (leads boy by hand)
Lady: Oh yes, thank you! Where'd you go, son? Say thank you to the nice robot man.
Boy: ...waaah, zombie ghost!
Lady: what? It's okay, you're okay now. Daddy went looking for you in the casino area. Let's go see him.
Boy: But I DID see a zombie ghost! I did!
Lady: I'm sorry about him, thank you all for your help.
Esperdica: ...oh, they found him.
Yoshiori: U-uh, ghost? Well I guess scared kids default to thinking everything's that.
Esperdica: Especially when they feel helpless. The train is big, easy to get lost in. Still, a ghost...? (thinks)
MC: Afraid of ghosts?
Esperdica: ...oh! No, not me. A friend is, though. I heard he's on this train. I hope he's okay. What about you two?
Yoshiori: ...n-nope! Ghosts aren't real! They can't hurt us or anyth--
MC: (poke) / (puts hand on shoulder) / (stare)
(AB) Yoshiori: AAH! ...I'll get you for this!
(C) Yoshiori: W-what? I ain't afraid, I just don't like them.
Esperdica: Well people are different. Who knows if ghosts are real, but plenty of people are afraid of them.
Yoshiori: STOP MAKING ME SOUND LIKE I'M AFRAID OF THEM!
Smash!
Esperdica: Oh, let me help clean that up. Call me if you need anything. (turns to mess maker)
Esperdica: Are you okay?
Droid: C-c-c-cup broke-ke-ke-ke-kerrorrrrr--(grabs cup shard)
Esperdica: what?
The droid swings at Esperdica!
Title Card: The Steam Whistle Tearing Through the Galaxy
Esperdica: Barista Kick! (kicks cup fragment)
Esperdica: Now what is this all about!? Oof!
Esperdica gets punched into a table! People screaming!
Yoshiori: Wait what the hell is going on!?
Esperdica: I-I don't know! He doesn't seem to be listening. All nearby staff, evacuate the guests!
Droid transforms!
Esperdica: How could this happen to a hero!? Actually we should stop him first! HQ, emergency! Transform me!
Surprise!
Esperdica: Wait, I'm being jammed!
No Observers in his agency seem to be around.
Esperdica: We need time to find the jamming source, but I have to transform to fight the droid off... Oh, MC! Can you operate for me!?
MC: Me!? / Welp, it's an emergency
Esperdica: Yes, it's awkward to ask this of a customer, but I feel better because you're an Operator with Parallel Flight. We need to stop him before he causes any more damage!
Droid approaches menacingly!
MC: Okay then, contract me!
Esperdica nods and runs over to auto-airdrop the contract!
Esperdica: Okay, contract signed. Thank you for having me.
Yoshiori: Fine, I'm in this too. We just gotta hit him until he stops moving, right? Probably gotta hit him hard.
MC: Right, let's go!
Beep. Heroes Esperdica and Yoshiori online!
Yoshiori: Let's make this quick, I got food waiting for me!
Esperdica: Thank you, you two. Your orders, MC. My Parallel Weapon's scent will stop him.
BATTLE START (more happens later)
Esperdica: Well we can't be having the hired guards upsetting the guests. Barista Kick!
Esperdica kicks the droid in the stomach! It wasn't very effective...
Esperdica: ...well then. Physical attacks work, but not well enough. Try smells then! Fragrance "Aromi Incantevole"!
Esperdica charges up his coffee roaster Parallel Weapon to flood the droid with smoke!
Droid: U-u-u-unable to control at-t-t-tack funct--(suddenly slows down)
Yoshiori: He slowed down! Eat space lead!
Bang bang bang
Droid: Beep boop, e-e-e-errorrrr... (detransforms and flumps over)
MC: Good job guys! / h-he stopped moving...
(A) Esperdica: Thank you, but...
Yoshiori and Esperdica quit out of their suits and look at the droid.
Esperdica: ...hmm. Is he out cold or...?
Yoshiori: No wait I didn't kill him! I didn't shoot him up THAT much! Uh, I can use my soldier training to check on him!
Yoshiori picks up the droid.
Yoshiori: ...wait, what? Guys, he's an android.
MC: WHAT / So like Digram?
Yoshiori: Yeah, he just shut down. Seems okay otherwise.
Esperdica: I didn't know the security guards were droids. But that explains why the jamming stopped now, but why did he go rampant?
Yoshiori: Maybe we should move him somewhere to lie down. And maybe tie him up in case he flips out again.
Esperdica: Right. And we should tell the guests the emergency is solved for now. I'll go talk to the other staff, one moment.
Esperdica makes a phone call while Yoshiori stares at the droid and talks to himself.
Yoshiori: Some dumb kid yells about zombie ghosts and now a droid goes crazy? Fishy. But what's going on...?
MC: Something up? / Yeah, weird.
Yoshiori: It ain't part of our work, but maybe keep it in mind. Prez put me in charge of your safety. Maybe nothing else will happen, but don't go sticking your nose into trouble.
Yoshiori looks around. People are coming back.
Rando A: I thought cruise trains were supposed to be safe.
Rando B: I'm glad heroes solved the problem so fast.
Rando A: I guess. But didn't the crazy man guide us in earlier? It's like he was possessed just now!
Rando B: Oh that reminds me, a little boy was yelling about ghosts and zombies. You don't think...?
Tabit sneaks around behind some frosted glass, then dissolves headfirst!
Rando A: OMG LOOK
Rando B: I-I saw him too! A disappearing man! Oh no the train is cursed!
Randos: HELP
Yoshiori: W-what!?
Esperdica: Sorry for the holdup. Did something happen for there to be more screaming?
MC: Something about zombie ghosts and disappearing men
Yoshiori: Oh god it's not just kids saying it now?
Esperdica: ...this can't be a coincidence anymore.
Yoshiori: Oh god you're saying there really ARE zombie ghosts on board?
Esperdica: No, just someTHING that looks like them. Maybe ghosts are real.
Esperdica smiles and stares. Yoshiori is shook.
Yoshiori: I don't get you...ghosts don't exist, they can't hurt us...i-if they do, what are we supposed to do? Does casting Gun on them still work?
MC: You really are afraid of ghosts, huh? But we gotta look into this. Maybe a Monster did it.
Yoshiori: Goddammit MC, you can't go three days without walking into a problem! FIIINE, we'll look into this long enough to prove ghosts aren't a thing! And I am NOT afraid of ghosts! I'm just helping because otherwise I have nothing to do! Okay, go decide where we'll go MC.
MC: Thanks! / You suck at changing subjects / Let's talk to people
Esperdica: May I join you two? This problem might affect other guards, and I could be caught without an Operator to transform with. I can also guide you around the train. How about it?
MC: That'd help, thanks! But what about your barista work?
Esperdica: I'll ask someone else to cover the cafe lounge for me. It needs cleaning up before it can reopen for service anyway, so I may as well come help investigate.
MC nods.
Esperdica: Thank you! I have a suggestion: how about we go to the casino area?
Yoshiori: What? Why?
Esperdica: My friend is supposed to be there. Maybe he can tell us something. Also that boy who yelled about ghosts is going there too.
Yoshiori: Oh okay. Lead the way.
Esperdica: This way then.
Esperdica joins the party! And leads them off.
Tabit: Must hurry!
Nobody notices Tabit.
End of Episode
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