Everyone else in the room blinked in shock, unsure what had just happened.
"Huh."
They all looked up sharply towards the second floor landing in surprise to see a familiar spiky-haired figure perched on the railings, a smoking and crackling handgun in his left hand.
"Those were only regular bullets." Train mused, the people below still too stunned to speak.
"Hey everyone…" Train greeted casually. "Although it's nice to be restored to my old form, it seems that there have been a few changes."
He lifted his Hades, still crackling strangely with some kind of electricity, and finally Sven got out, a delighted smile spreading across his features, "Train!"
"Hiya." Train waved, smirking slightly down at the group.
"When, when did that guy appear?" One of Creed's soldiers gasped, the other men hesitating for Echidna's next orders.
The woman seemed deep in thought as she watched the ex-Number and his gun, while Train hopped down from the railings to land neatly on his feet before his friends. The second Train landed, the Shooting Star Unit moved, deeming him too much of a threat to leave alone.
They all trained their guns on the dark-haired man, and one of them hissed, "Damn it, what did you just do to our comrade?"
"Didn't I just tell you?" Train shrugged, holding his gun casually at his side. "I only shot him with an ordinary bullet."
"An ordinary bullet can't possibly penetrate our armour." The soldier hissed back. "If you continue playing dumb…"
He suddenly leapt up into the air, going over Sven's head and landing right behind Tearju. The professor only had time to start in surprise while Sven whirled around but he was going to be too late.
The soldier had revealed a hidden dagger in the back of the his glove and, fisting his hand, he lunged his hand at Tearju, aiming the dagger right at her heart.
But there was another crackle and a beam of light shot the soldier almost faster than the eye could see. Again, the impact caused a small explosion as it shattered the armour and burnt the man's chest so severely he was incapacitated from the injury and the impact of the hit.
The whole group flinched, only Train remaining still with his smoking Hades still pointed at the soldier.
Echidna was stunned into silence, unable to believe her own eyes. It was possible, everyone knew, for Train to move fast enough to react to the soldier's surprise attack. But no normal bullet could achieve what had just happened, the incredible speed, the strength of the impact…
"'What did I do?'" Train repeated slowly as he held Hades up high. "I'm not entirely sure myself."
His lips curled into a dangerous smile, and Sven's eyes widened as he saw a spark of electricity fly up the side of Train's face.
"I just know," Train finished, "that my body was crackling with energy when I returned back to normal. Afterwards, I could shoot bullets at an extremely high speed."
The others were floored by the news, left speechless, except for one person.
"At the same time as you returned back to normal…?" Tearju repeated incredulously as she stared at Train. "Could it be the… cell electrical discharge phenomenon?"
"Eh?" Eve asked, glancing at her creator, and Tearju explained as she stared at Train with wide eyes, "It's a phenomenon where nanomachines merge together temporarily with the cells and generate electricity. Though I'm not certain of the reasons behind it, perhaps Mr. Train's DNA mutated during the recovery process."
"Wh-what did you say?" Sven gaped, but he wasn't the only one shocked.
The Shooting Star Unit, however, was feeling more unpleasantly shaken than Train's friends, and they snarled, "Damn… damn you!"
But Train released another crackle of electricity that had the wire ribbon attached to the grip stand up on end.
The soldiers flinched, a few taking an unconscious step back.
With a smirk, Train fired once more, releasing another bullet at super-speed and the Shooting Star Unit jerked in surprise as they saw only a flash of light blow passed them like a laser. It crashed through a window at the end of the house, before hitting a decorative boulder in the garden and shooting a hole right through the centre.
"Give up!" Train ordered the now shaking soldiers. "No matter how thick your armour is, if I hit the right place you'll still die."
The men hesitated, knowing that Train was being truthful. The other two hadn't died because Train had aimed for the thickest part of the plating on the chest and stomach. If he hit them in the face or from the side, it would be game over for them.
Sven meanwhile had been staring at Train's gun and he spoke up now.
"There's a type of weapon called a 'railgun'. Aparently it uses electromagnetism to greatly accelerate the bullet when fired. Right now, that's exactly what Hades is."
Train grinned as the Shooting Star Unit dithered, and he spoke as his eyes moved to the corner of the room, "Since it's much easier to talk without the octopus army in the way…"
Echidna tensed as Train looked right at her.
"There are a lot of things I want you to explain. And you have a lot you want to ask, don't you? Echidna… right?"
It was clear he was asking to be polite and not because he didn't know. Echidna's jaw tightened as she met Train's eyes warily, while Sven turned to Tearju.
"Tearju," he began, "the electricity generated from the cells – is it that powerful?"
"No." She confirmed. "It would only be about as strong as static electricity. Which is why that is impossible."
She nodded at Train. "Even if it's the effect of the nanomachines that is causing Mr. Train's cells to become active, to generate enough energy to increase the speed of a bullet is impossible."
"But the power of Train's gun has definitely increased." Sven muttered, and Tearju said thoughtfully, "The only possible explanation is if the gun has the ability to absorb and store electricity…"
Sven started.
"No, wait." He interjected. "Train's gun is made of a special alloy called Orichalcum-"
Echidna growled. Together with this new ability that only Train – with his new electricity generating cells and a weapon made of Orichalcum – and the powers Sven and Eve also respectively wielded, there was no way they could win this fight.
"Miss Echidna…" The Shooting Star Unit began hesitantly, asking for instructions.
"… It seems we have underestimated them." She muttered. "Let's retreat."
Train didn't move as Echidna abruptly dropped a smoke bomb, and almost instantly he could feel the loss of presence as Creed's side swiftly made their escape.
"Sven, they're escaping!" Eve began, sensing the same thing Train had, but Sven answered calmly, "It's fine, let them go."
"Eh?" Eve asked, but Sven reminded her, "We've managed to avoid fighting so it's fine. We were not really fighting for ourselves today – Tearju was here, too."
Eve nodded slowly, reluctant but accepting. Train meanwhile continued to stare where Echidna had been, his mind wandering.
As the smoke cleared, he let out a thoughtful huff and Sven glanced over at his partner.
"What's the matter, Train?" He asked, and Train explained, "It feels like… the electric current in my body is starting to get weaker."
"That's probably because the cellular activity from the transformation is stabilizing." Tearju explained as the group slowly got back around in a less defensive gathering. "The effects of the cell electrical discharge phenomenon are wearing off."
"What?" Train gasped. "Does that mean I won't be able to use the railgun anymore?"
Tearju's interest piqued at that; she had come to understand just how dangerous this man before her could be. If…
"What a shame." Train sighed, scratching his chin and humming like a fool, apparently unaware of Tearju's reservations. "And I've just started to get the feel for this super Hades."
"…"
Tearju examined the man before her for a long moment before she finally spoke again.
"I can't give a full explanation without thoroughly examining it." She began, and Train glanced over curiously once more. "But, if your cells have 'evolved' alongside the nanomachines, it may be possible to generate electricity through visualization."
Eve and Sven also looked surprised at that, while Train perked up again and he asked delightedly, "Really?"
"Yes. But this is still just a possibility." Tearju warned, and Train shrugged.
Tearju cocked her head. It was clear he was excited at the prospect of keeping his new 'power' but he also seemed careless of whether he did find a way to gain it back or not.
'He's confident.' She realized. 'He's confident in himself enough that he doesn't care whether he gets this power. He doesn't need it so if he doesn't have it, it's not a huge loss. And that… that makes him stronger and even more dangerous than I thought.'
While Tearju fell into thought, Sven turned to his partner, saying warmly, "You know, Train, your timing was perfect. If you hadn't appeared right then, we would've been in trouble."
"Hm?" Train came out of his thoughts and then he grinned widely. "Ah, you mean when I shot that octopus from the second floor? Yeah, wasn't it? I thought it was the perfect moment, too!"
"Eh?" Sven asked, confused, and Train explained blithely, "Actually, I arrived when the monkey transformed into Tearju. I thought it would be cooler if I appeared at a critical moment."
Sven stared at Train for a moment, before his eyes flashed and he sent Train what he affectionately called 'the gentleman punch'.
The next morning
Train sat on a boulder near the lake where he'd transformed the night before, finishing off a bottle of milk for his breakfast. Eve was standing beside him, her young face serious but patient as they waited for Sven to join them.
Hearing footsteps, Train turned as he called with a smile, "Hi Sven!"
"Hey." Sven answered, his face wrapped in bandages after Tearju accidentally tripped over her own feet again and sent a charred, black, what was supposed to be a pancake, into his face. "What are you two doing here?"
"Little princess said she has something important to tell us." Train explained, turning back to the pre-teen girl. "So, princess? What did you want to talk about?"
Sven also turned to Eve, who took a small step forward as she announced, "Let's capture Creed. We cannot allow that man to run free any longer."
Sven blinked, shocked, while Train's eyes became serious and thoughtful.
"Eve…" Sven began slowly. "What you mean is… we should make capturing Creed our next objective?"
"Exactly." Eve confirmed. "After what we heard yesterday from Professor Tearju and Echidna… If Creed wants to become immortal and control the world forever, we can't allow him to continue. We must capture him as soon as possible."
Sven hesitated, agreeing but still uncertain.
"I've known for some time that he was extremely dangerous." Eve pressed insistently. "Ever since I first met him in that church in Stock City. I can finally understand how he can so casually hurt people. For him, killing people is just as natural as me reading a book. That's why he doesn't feel a thing."
Eve's hands fisted tightly as she remembered the apathetic, even slightly satisfied, look in Creed's eyes when he'd attacked Sven and tried to kill him.
"If we let that kind of person do whatever he pleases, the results would be horrific." Eve concluded, and Sven looked down at the girl with wistful pride.
'Eve…' He mused to himself. 'So… you've grown. You're starting to think for yourself.'
"Also…" Eve added and Sven focused on the girl again. She didn't have to say more, he was already convinced she was right…
"If we can capture Creed, then with the three billion bounty on his head we can clear our debts."
Sven crashed his head into a mental wall so hard his conscious bled, while Eve continued thoughtfully, "I've already sold several of our home bases, but we still owe over ten million…"
'Eve.' Sven cried to himself. 'I'm so sorry that even you have to worry about that…'
"Aahaha, sorry for causing you trouble, little princess." Train laughed cheerfully, and Sven yelled at him accusingly, "Don't act so carefree! Who do you think is more to blame here for our debts?!"
Train just smiled, and Sven calmed down as they became serious once more.
"… What do you think, Train?" Sven asked at last, and Train tilted his head questioningly.
"This involves… acting as a Sweeper to catch Creed." Sven pointed out tentatively, and Train's smile turned a little wry before he closed his eyes.
"Of course I agree." He answered, surprising Sven. "We should say farewell to the days of eating instant ramen for dinner anyway. And furthermore…"
Train lifted the empty bottle of milk at his side and abruptly threw it high into the air.
"To capture Creed isn't so bad." Train finished as he lifted Hades and Sven's eye went wide as he saw the crackle of electricity around the gun.
"You-!" He began, when Train cocked his gun, aimed, and fired.
The railgun flashed and they watched as half of the glass milk bottle landed back on the grass a few feet away, the other half having melted away from the energy around the bullet that had pierced it.
"Train…" Sven gasped as he stared at his partner. "Did you just generate electricity with your will?"
"Yeah." Train smirked as he touched a hand to the side of his gun. "Yesterday, I felt completely drained. But after a night's rest I feel fully recovered."
A small shock of electricity sparked between his finger and the gun as Train explained, "Right now I can release electricity whenever I want. However, it's still only about the strength of static electricity."
"Isn't that great?!" Sven argued delightedly. "You can use Hades as a railgun whenever you need, right?"
"No." Train threw cold water on the idea instantly with his blunt answer. "Actually, it hasn't reached that level."
"Eh?" Sven blinked, and Train revealed, "Just using the railgun once will use up a considerable amount of energy. I haven't tested how many times a day I can use it yet, but…"
He trailed off meaningfully and Sven deflated a little.
But Train was focused on something else, and he added determinedly, "However, I don't think my new ability will lose to those of Tao."
"Train…" Sven murmured, his gaze softening with understanding.
"Yes." Train mused. "It was… shortly after Eve joined us. It's already been half a year since I fought Creed in Lunafort Tower."
Train stared off into space as he continued, "Ever since that incident, I kept wondering… how should I end it between us? I wanted to kill Creed, to end things with his life. But, that's not who I am anymore. This isn't revenge for Saya anymore."
Sven's eyes widened while Eve watched silently as Train smiled and he stated, "So, I agree with little princess. I want to end it between us as a Sweeper. It suits my style better. I'll capture Creed, not as Chronos's Black Cat, but rather as the Sweeper, Train Heartnet!"
He grinned as he looked up at his friends, saying, "It's what Saya always wanted for me, I know. Now, it's what I want for myself. And… it's what I want for Lia. So that she can live freely, as she used to."
Sven and Eve examined Train for a moment, and it was the man who spoke what they were thinking.
"Train… I think you should tell us about it."
Train raised a brow while Sven continued, "You've known me for a long time, but you never spoke about it. The woman named Saya… the grudge between you and Creed... and how you really know Lia Hazard."
There was a moment's silence, and then Train smiled.
It was a sad, pensive expression, and Train murmured, "That's true… as of today, I can't say this matter has nothing to do with you two either. And sometimes… talking about the past isn't so bad."
He raised his head.
"So, let's talk about that time… the time before I left Chronos."
A time… when despite being trapped in a place where I could not live… I was also at my happiest, if for a short while...