Behind the Scenes of Engine 999: 499Please respect copyright.PENANAr37CcidV27
499Please respect copyright.PENANAVfNYqs9kxK
A young woman in her early twenties, about twenty-two, ran down a busy platform in a local train station. She pushed some light brown strains from her face and pulled out a camera from her bag, her speed not slowing down. She nearly dropped the recording device during her fumbling with the power button as she ran. She managed to get it turned on safely and came to a stop while releasing a relieved breath. “Aright then,” she began to say while looking for the recording light, “is this on? Good.” She nodded then smiled into the device. “Welcome viewers!” she greeted cheerfully. “My name is Sophia and I will be showing you exclusive footage of a marvel of technology.” She turned the camera to show a nice looking steam engine.499Please respect copyright.PENANAnjEsB0qi5x
499Please respect copyright.PENANA9Ai5ld1uUv
“This is going to be my attempt at getting never before seen footage of the crew and interview some of the workers to see what I can find out that the public doesn’t know.” She said with an excited smile, determination in her light blue eyes. “Now…if I recall what a friend told me…I should be able to…” Sophia began to mutter while she moved the camera to start messing with her pass, letting the camera record the platform she stood on. 499Please respect copyright.PENANAiMTNKhs0WL
499Please respect copyright.PENANATot6KWRaXC
A shrill noise came and went quickly with a small flash. Then the camera was moved as she lifted it to show a much sleeker designed marvel of engineering. Instead of the steam engine as before, there now stood a mighty looking bullet train with long steam pipes along both sides of its front. “Ah, that worked. So my friend was right.” She giggled with joy, “okay! Now let’s get this thing started!” she said excitedly as she put the camera inside her bag, positioning it so the lens could record though a hole and still record sound. 499Please respect copyright.PENANACouseOqftx
499Please respect copyright.PENANAtp8iKImhfx
The young woman got onboard the mighty train and looked around, her breathe taken away by the astounding beauty and design on the inside. She also was quite taken by the fact she was seeing both humans and humanoid beasts walking around, and sitting in their assigned or claimed seats. “So this is the renowned Engine 999? Pretty fancy,” she commented lightly while starting to walk around, capturing imagines with her camera as she adjusted her jean jacket that covered a gray t-shirt. 499Please respect copyright.PENANA5RciuVGsBH
499Please respect copyright.PENANAt31RVqdbhB
She tapped the toe of one of her black shoes against the carpeted aisle before pulling out her phone from her jeans pocket, checking it for any messages. She saw none so turned it off and returned it to her pocket. Now to see who I can find first. Sophia thought and made her way through a pair of doors to another car. Reaching into her jacket pocket she pulled out a list which had a few names scribbled on it. They were names her friend had told her: Conductor, Assistant, Peridot, Asami, Jun, and there were a few others but she couldn’t make those out.499Please respect copyright.PENANAbfg4zUd5PR
499Please respect copyright.PENANAT1wOUBqlgM
She worked to contain a squeal as she made her way down the aisle, turning her body this and that to avoid a collision with a lion humanoid. It was astonishing to her what there was there. This is so cool! Sophia continued, looking at all the passengers before she moved to the next car towards the back.499Please respect copyright.PENANAZIz6w3bNyZ
499Please respect copyright.PENANAShUCWIBE3b
It didn’t take long upon entering the third car did she release a yelp, falling back to her butt after running into someone. Her bag rested beside her and she was glad it was well cushioned so she didn’t need to fret over the camera. “Oww…” she moaned, shaking her head then opened her blue orbs to a different voice.499Please respect copyright.PENANApbNC1ssXgL
499Please respect copyright.PENANAbq16aPTS1T
“Sorry about that. Need some help up?” the male asked. Her eyes looked up to see a teenager with black hair and blue eyes. She noted his outfit was a nice blue jacket over a white collared shirt, blue pants, and black shoes.499Please respect copyright.PENANAXHB0FnmdI6
499Please respect copyright.PENANALKZzjgy0n5
“Uh…” it slowly dawned on her he was offering his hand to help her up. Staring like a bum on a log Sophia finally composed herself and nodded, quickly taking his hand and stood with his pulling up. “Thank you very much.” She said politely with a soft blush warming her cheeks. “I guess I got distracted by how lovely the décor is.”499Please respect copyright.PENANA2Yf7lRpBDW
499Please respect copyright.PENANA9OsFvyXCUg
“Yea it’s nice but watch out where you’re going, okay? We don’t need people getting hurt because they aren’t paying attention.” He pointed out and she nodded, watching as he side stepped her and began to walk away.499Please respect copyright.PENANAn8hPvE8Wn4
499Please respect copyright.PENANAFeErFKZjYP
Sophia turned to watch then followed after him, grabbing her bag. “Excuse me, I’m looking for someone. Do you know who someone named Assistant is?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAqzLrpU5HaA
499Please respect copyright.PENANAdAVQzY5YuN
“Yea, that’s me. Why?” he asked stopping and turning, folding his arms as he watched her curiously.499Please respect copyright.PENANATEV4tEZRLr
499Please respect copyright.PENANADhIUHGuh6f
“I wanted to ask you some questions if you don’t mind.” Sophia explained cheerfully with a small giggle at the end.499Please respect copyright.PENANANtO3PxfOzP
499Please respect copyright.PENANAoP9byeHClL
“Like what?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAQqqgI1vzDB
499Please respect copyright.PENANAA5dWnPSwGP
“Well how about you tell me what you know of this train? I’ve heard some complain it tends to run late yet it doesn’t seem to ever lose any business.” She said, explaining her first question, keeping her eyes locked to his. “Do you know why and how customers are not boycotting a locomotive due to a poor attendance record?”499Please respect copyright.PENANADJiqOJohWr
499Please respect copyright.PENANApBo3YxExlH
He raised an eyebrow as she pulled out a small notepad and pen, ready to write down his answer. She wanted to keep her camera as unnoticed as humanly possible. “It just is. People like it because it’s a luxury train.” Assistant explained flatly. “Why they keep coming back is beyond me past that. They must like the service and food for some reason.” The teenager watched the young woman write down what he said, waiting some moments before speaking again. “Are you some kind of reporter or something? You aren’t dressed like any reporter I’ve ever seen.”499Please respect copyright.PENANA3iyQrC2PkJ
499Please respect copyright.PENANA9GANC7mHwf
“Uh…yea…I’m kinda like a reporter.” Sophia said slowly with a nervous smile on her face. “I am on vacation but wanted to get a story so I thought what could be better than a famous train?” she asked and was trying to quickly play herself off as a reporter working for someone else.499Please respect copyright.PENANAIs3zchc829
499Please respect copyright.PENANA73C6d1dlbq
Assistant watched her and waited as she thought over some other questions to ask. “If you don’t have anything else to ask, I do have to get back to work. Just watch out where you’re going, okay?” he asked then turned his back on her and unfolded his arms as he walked off.499Please respect copyright.PENANAiTGnF9SjQl
499Please respect copyright.PENANACY6FqpJviz
Sophia sighed, turning her back towards the door leading towards the front cars. “Well he didn’t need to be so short.” She muttered before moving to try and find other employees, hoping to find someone else that was on the list to either speak to or film without being noticed. 499Please respect copyright.PENANAkaTB6A5xNX
499Please respect copyright.PENANAjeuIpt5pDw
Moving further back she managed to find a short worker with feline features yet a tail similar to a reptile. “Hello there, who are you?” Sophia asked while looking the short feline creature over in its black cloak.499Please respect copyright.PENANALxiLQCO9pM
499Please respect copyright.PENANAAnLC0fzjPQ
“Hello, may I help you?” Peridot asked with her warm smile. “I’m Peridot and welcome aboard Engine 999.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAJEbMdmmUdL
499Please respect copyright.PENANAD1QgVmvS80
“Yes you may help me. I’m wanting to interview workers from this train for a piece I’m writing and I was hoping I could speak to you.” She explained, excited she found a second one on the list but at the same time she was fighting the strong urge to play with her adorable ears.499Please respect copyright.PENANArPKSa7qC17
499Please respect copyright.PENANApwzbqH3aXC
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. What’s your questions?” the feline asked curiously.499Please respect copyright.PENANAGX74Ze9Ksh
499Please respect copyright.PENANAmXE9NtjbfS
“How do you like working on Engine 999? What’s your favorite part of working here?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAK2KnAS4bHU
499Please respect copyright.PENANAdrGACVul9D
“I love it and my favorite part is getting to spend time with Conductor!” She responded with glee.499Please respect copyright.PENANAQrH6CVl75H
499Please respect copyright.PENANAWZ3x9zwhQc
“Is Conductor really that amazing?” Sophia asked curious.499Please respect copyright.PENANAEaHWhiyF3U
499Please respect copyright.PENANAt2zd2G78uk
“Well yea, who do you think built this train?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAXkZFczy7ZC
499Please respect copyright.PENANAxF83vg8n8h
“It is a very nice train. It must have taken a lot to build and create to be just right.” Sophia commented looking around before looking down at her pass when it began beeping.499Please respect copyright.PENANARUKbubmPYX
499Please respect copyright.PENANACaJExu7X8r
“Ah we’re about to take off. Please take your seat ma’am.” Peridot instructed and took her leave as Sophia went to an empty seat and sat down, pondering over. She had wrote down what Peridot said and began wanting to meet Conductor more now so she could see for herself how amazing this inventor was.499Please respect copyright.PENANAHg3G4fpVNR
499Please respect copyright.PENANACqQUHMx393
Well that’s two down. She thought and pulled back out her paper. Now…if I’m recalling what I was told…Asami and Jun normally stay put in the baggage car and medic car. She thought thinking. When things got the green light that it was clear to move around she stood and put away the note. “Welp, time to go and speak to me two more before I look around more.” She said pleased and took her leave, moving to locate the medical and baggage car.499Please respect copyright.PENANA1GB5HD7Cbg
499Please respect copyright.PENANAtiIBRLDXhJ
Minutes pass as she located the medical car. Poking her head in, she moved slowly with her camera, looking around and advanced while hearing a noise. Is someone…grunting?She questioned, blinking and moved further back, finding a curtained off section. Nearing slowly closer, Sophia watched her steps to be quiet and peeked around the corner of the curtain. First her camera peeked in with her bag and next her face to see an area with a few pieces of equipment. “Wow,” she whispered quietly, going wide eyed. 499Please respect copyright.PENANAHWkHlK7xrB
499Please respect copyright.PENANA4s1FCrvlx2
What she saw was a tall woman in unique nurse outfit compared to what she was used to seeing kicking and punching a hanging punching bag. Her punches were quick and this astonished Sophia. Then seeing how sturdy her kicks were the young woman felt her jaw drop open in shock. I thought she was a nurse, not a boxer. Why the heck does someone need to be a boxer? She thought in awe.499Please respect copyright.PENANAaRf4UKaAfh
499Please respect copyright.PENANAltNe5mqsT5
“Hmm?” Asami looked over as she stood upright and looked towards the curtain.499Please respect copyright.PENANAkw52B77Rag
499Please respect copyright.PENANATziPGlQ9pr
Sophia squeaked quietly as she scrambled back so didn’t see Asami clean up and straighten up her clothing before she exited the workout section. Sophia stumbled back, falling back on her butt as she looked up at the tall woman. By the height towering over her was quite intimidating on top of just seeing this woman throwing kicks and punches like a pro fighter.499Please respect copyright.PENANARXgcXpItDg
499Please respect copyright.PENANAWYQmblLKfO
“May I help you? Are you okay?” the woman asked in the nurse outfit as she offered a hand to help Sophia up.499Please respect copyright.PENANAJCt9LvPDCm
499Please respect copyright.PENANAZXknIq6pOC
“Um…yea…I’m uh…fine…” Sophia said absentmindedly while taking the woman’s hand. She stood with the help and dusted herself off before picking up her bag once more, putting it over her arm. “I came to see if I could speak with you if you are Asami.” Sophia said pleasantly with a friendly smile, trying her best to hide any fear she felt while questioning why any medical tech would need a punching bag.499Please respect copyright.PENANAJVaxq0UUeZ
499Please respect copyright.PENANAtbiSkow1J6
Asami nodded while folding her hands in front of her on the lap of her dress. “Well I have some time. What do you need to speak to me about?”499Please respect copyright.PENANACKI0nXt9Ug
499Please respect copyright.PENANAKdn5FsMp9V
Sophia pulled out her pen and notepad. “I wanted to ask you about your thoughts about working on Engine 999 and if there are any interesting facts you’d like to share.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAnLQc0qgmTL
499Please respect copyright.PENANAK73SwJyr4f
Asami thought this over, looking away then to Sophia with the smile once faded now back on her lips. “Well I think working here has been a wonderful adventure and a great experience. As for any facts…hmm…well nothing comes to mind that people don’t already know about when they get a pass to board.” Sophia wrote all this down nodding. She was a bit disappointed as she thought there’d be something else said but didn’t push it, figuring there was at least two others left to speak to in order to see if she could learn anything extra that wasn’t already known. “So is that all or you have any other questions?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAcqYwARFfLS
499Please respect copyright.PENANAqtwsuai8uM
“Huh? Oh, that’s all.” Sophia answered gladly. “Thank you very much for speaking to me.” She bid Asami goodbye and took her leave, moving on to find the baggage car. “You’d think they’d be more willing to speak on hidden camera about something that the public doesn’t know.” She muttered sighing.499Please respect copyright.PENANAajph3ltP8j
499Please respect copyright.PENANAU23QZ40rOM
She looked around as she came into the baggage car, looking around seeing a man putting some of the bags away before she watched him move and sit to take a break, pulling out a book. She frowned as she released a quiet breath. Well he’s going to be boring to film. She thought then approached the man with a sweet smile now on her lips. “Hello there, um I’m looking for a Jun. I have some questions I’d like to ask him.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAMsDIf5bLMq
499Please respect copyright.PENANADPj57Wwesi
Jun looked up to her from his book nodding. “Ask away then.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAJHEBrRYtlv
499Please respect copyright.PENANAv1NH6eKaJc
“How do you like working on Engine 999? Is there anything that happens that you’d like to share that might not be well known?” she asked, ready to write his answers.499Please respect copyright.PENANArWlAIithUU
499Please respect copyright.PENANA8mWYiWi7qu
“Well I like it. Not everyone could probably do it but it’s nice and there’s not often a dull moment working for Conductor.” He answered with a short chuckle. “Well nothing that I am willing to share. Why? I didn’t hear about any new employee joining.” He eyed her suspiciously.499Please respect copyright.PENANALL6Yx2ona6
499Please respect copyright.PENANAGwafyUxS9X
“Eh well um I’m just your friendly reporter and trying to get a story together while I’m on break.” Sophia lied quickly with a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her head. “So I thought I would speak to the staff and find out what they think of this train. My boss told me to come up with a story so I thought during my time off was a good time to get one.”499Please respect copyright.PENANA6EDjOdz2Is
499Please respect copyright.PENANACYwhjQhCbN
“Uh huh…alright then,” he began not fully believing her sweet smile and air she put out there. “Anything else?” he asked while she was writing down what he said. “If there isn’t then you should be reporting back to your seat instead of wandering the cars. There are restricted area’s passengers are not allowed.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAd2taZ0kROn
499Please respect copyright.PENANAh0WChToEDn
Now that perked her interest. Yes there was area’s like that in any business but she was curious now about these and took that as a small note. “Nothing else, thank you so much for speaking with me!” she backed up, turned, and left as Jun returned to his book for his small break in sorting the luggage.499Please respect copyright.PENANAINFMIGfQ51
499Please respect copyright.PENANAIdqpHYvQSu
Sophia now walked towards the front, looking at her marked off list but as she did she decided to look around more, looking in another car that was around the back to film two wolf twins teasing a woman that had cat ears and wore a sword on her hip. She seemed annoyed but also like she wasn’t minding it. In another area she filmed the others doing their jobs which bored her a bit and she started making her way closer to the front now. Well so far I’ve gotten not much and I haven’t found any locked doors…yet. She thought disappointed, sighing and closing her eyes with her head lowering some.499Please respect copyright.PENANAyR6VNZyyLr
499Please respect copyright.PENANABO4HQoYfNu
She entered a quiet car and paused, noticing noise from the next car and moved forwards, peeking in through a window then past the doors with her bag. She was filming before she peeked in through the crack in the doors, watching a teen in a white coat with an item in his gloved hand. A red dot moved around and the feline she’d spoken to earlier chased it. This brought her to snicker behind a hand, trying to contain her giggles at the adorable sight. Looking again she saw Peridot had paused, watching the dot with her tail swishing then she leapt and missed as Conductor released the button.499Please respect copyright.PENANAHi3gUkZAsC
499Please respect copyright.PENANAHTbmQQ3rXU
Sophia giggled more when Peridot glared at Conductor and huffed but then smiled as she could tell by the energy of the car that the feline had found that fun. Sophia had looked down, eyes closing as she tried to contain her joy trying to escape at such an adorable sight she didn’t hear footsteps come towards her crouched position by the door. When the door opened she yelped, falling inside fully. “Ow…that was not expected.” She groaned while sitting up to look at brown shoes, white pants, white trench coat with black colored dragon like wing designs on the edges, and up to finally see the face of a brown haired teen with green eyes. “Uh…um…hi?” she asked meekly, trying to play it cute.499Please respect copyright.PENANArEzvv5yJWx
499Please respect copyright.PENANAC3lqQ2d6BI
“Can we help you with something? Or are you lost?” Conductor asked folding his arms as he watched the young woman at his feet in the doorway. “Because if you’re lost it’s pretty simple, just turn around and go that way until you see bench seats with other passengers.”499Please respect copyright.PENANAvS5PLynAyX
499Please respect copyright.PENANApjFwuzDns7
“I’m not stupid.” Sophia retorted with a huff, glaring at the teen with a light heat coming to her cheeks as her cheeks lightly puffed out a little with her frown. How dare he insult my intelligence? Such a jerk. She thought then stood, dusting herself off and picked her bag up before clearing her throat. “I’m simply here because I was looking for Conductor to ask him a question or two.” She put back on a sweet smile but felt like he was seeing right through her.499Please respect copyright.PENANAY3qtEaWxho
499Please respect copyright.PENANATFKvUKiBwG
“Are you now? Well what’s the questions and why couldn’t they wait until the train is docked at a station?” he questioned eyeing her over as she tried to keep up the pleasantries with her expression, giving a gentle nod for his first question.499Please respect copyright.PENANAkUY1SDUFmz
499Please respect copyright.PENANADb3swsVkzm
“Well I didn’t find you until now so that’s why it didn’t wait or happen before departure.”499Please respect copyright.PENANACEDRB6tMll
499Please respect copyright.PENANALLjI9nzunx
“Okay and who got your filter off?” he questioned bringing her face to fall into shock. She didn’t know he or anyone would had asked or noticed.499Please respect copyright.PENANARH6uAmYAOL
499Please respect copyright.PENANAZsrENt0hwh
“What do you mean? It’s um…still on…” she lied poorly as he shook his head.499Please respect copyright.PENANAwBjVF5fxKA
499Please respect copyright.PENANAOezvYh4hM3
“Nope,” he bluntly responded, putting his hands into his pockets. “If it was you would had found it odd a human girl chasing a laser pointer but you were giggling like someone does when they see a cat go after it. So who turned off your filter, told you about the filter, and who showed you how to turn it off?”499Please respect copyright.PENANAt7ZsanPJrX
499Please respect copyright.PENANA87KOcOkO3K
“Hey now! I’m supposed to be asking the questions.” Sophia suddenly snapped. She just realized she was being questioned instead of the other way around. She felt her cheeks heat up a bit more as she kept her eyes on the teen, who seemed almost amused tilting his head slightly to the side.499Please respect copyright.PENANAWnzMEkRFai
499Please respect copyright.PENANADEOBq8P1p3
“You are? I thought that was my job to question why someone would be asking questions of my crew with a hidden camera. Especially when that someone is lying about their job just to get them to accept even a small interview,” he stated with a level tone but she felt something sparking in the air that made a part of the back of her mind say to watch it.499Please respect copyright.PENANAAAvLWhJZPO
499Please respect copyright.PENANAJnzOOBynaG
Sophia narrowed her eyes and looked at Conductor quizzically as she couldn’t place where this nagging itch had come from in the back of her head. “I didn’t lie…exactly and they weren’t bad questions. I just asked them what they thought of the train.” Sophia said in her defense.499Please respect copyright.PENANAfAljw5a9E7
499Please respect copyright.PENANAaHlQdlJ2O0
“And you asked me at least if there was anything interesting about it I wanted to say.” Peridot spoke up as she walked up to the pair.499Please respect copyright.PENANAE27Wf2I0oE
499Please respect copyright.PENANAoNVMZCXJTf
Sophia gapped and tried to come back with something but closed her mouth sighing. “Brat…you didn’t need to tell him that part.” She muttered quietly, folding her arms as she looked away to the side.499Please respect copyright.PENANA3qyS4lZCL9
499Please respect copyright.PENANArzmijtUWGs
“So you going to answer and enlighten me who you are working for?” Conductor asked while sighing, looking to the bag and a tiny smirk tugged to the corner of his mouth as inside his pocket he used his magic.499Please respect copyright.PENANAP5AcF1cykj
499Please respect copyright.PENANAg5HnrIG8ic
“I’m a freelancer, thank you very much. And they weren’t bad questions. I didn’t even find out anything except they enjoy working for you and on the train.” Sophia said before sniffing and shrieked a short sound of quick fired panic, seeing her bag was smoking. She moved away from Conductor and to a table, setting her bag down to open it and coughed. Smoke rolled out of the bag and she waved it away with one hand to try and see what happened. She squealed in disappointed shock to see her camera was ruined with part of it melted. She pulled it out and stared at it with her jaw dropped, staring at the device with tiny sparks coming from the part where the memory was.499Please respect copyright.PENANAgqY90QDfOA
499Please respect copyright.PENANAEjuiNM7zbX
“Aw what happened?” Conductor asked innocently with a smugness underlining the words as she heard him walk up before feeling a pat to her head. “There, there, if you got nothing good then it’s no loss to you then.” He pointed out smirking and started to walk off as she glared at him, her cheeks reddening from frustration and wondering what he did to her one piece of equipment. “The filters are there for a reason, it’s to protect passengers from judgment and possibly harm due to so many different races on one transport.” He explained looking back to her. “And I wouldn’t be a good Engine Master or fair to the others if you were to go and air footage that might have shown them without their consent to, I assume, the public.” He explained with a kinder tone that held some, she thought she heard, understanding in his voice. This, however, did not curb her current heated emotions towards the train master.499Please respect copyright.PENANAxePK8Wm9tC
499Please respect copyright.PENANABCgQQO6rRT
“Oh this isn’t over. I will have revenge!” she shouted at him as she gripped her ruined camera. When he just waved to her as he left just annoyed her that much more. “Ooooh! He’s so not getting away with this! I know what I saw and I will have proof!” she announced aloud to herself, throwing a fist up into the air before bringing it down in front of her before her head nodded.499Please respect copyright.PENANAxSpdvxc0sI
499Please respect copyright.PENANACBJ3LHxfdZ
“You may want to watch out how you do that exactly.” Peridot pointed out as she walked past Sophia to return to work. “You can’t outsmart Conductor, he’s a genius and built everything you see. That includes the pass you’re wearing.” She pointed out giggling. “But it should be fun to see you try if you decide to keep to public vow.” She snickered and left Sophia who blinked and looked around, noticing a couple that had walked into the car was staring at her like she had lost it.499Please respect copyright.PENANAtdkXOz6wdv
499Please respect copyright.PENANA8qcVV0XOHl
Sophia released a quiet squeak of embarrassment and quickly gathered her bag with the camera and went to another car to sit and figure out how she was going to do this to gain footage as well as get even for him ruining her camera. She also wanted to know more than ever what was blocked off and what the train was truly all about instead of just something that took people from one point to another on top of deliveries.499Please respect copyright.PENANAGPxd8JOGZA