Lady Aria threw the Mechanical Knight off her, sending it crashing into its ally. “Where is she!” Shouted Aria. The Knights did not respond, pulling themselves up off the floor and moving into attack once more.

“Aria, move out of the way!” Shouted Ulla, crouching down as steam billowed from her vents. Suddenly a long set of rails appeared in front of her, running right towards the two robots. She dashed forward and jumped onto the rails, skating along them as the pressure from the vents increased her speed until she collided with the metal creatures, cracking one in half and sending the other one into a wall.

Beth smiled as she watched the punching bag fly across the room. “Critical hit!” She shouted, helping Lucy into a shiny silver bodysuit. “Only one knight remains,” she said before walking back in front of the girls, holding up a single finger. “Mechanica returns to the battlefield!” She shouted before dropping her finger and watching the girls gasp.

“Where is Gaim?!” Shouted Karen.

“Yes, give her back right now!” Added Kim.

“Oh Gaim is gone, but something wonderful has taken her place, something perfect!”

The girls looked on in horror as the metallic figure appeared before them. It looked like their friend except made of pure metal, all her humanity and personality stripped away leaving only cold steel.

“Gaim! Can you hear us? You have to fight her!” Screamed Ulla. But it was no use, Gaim was trapped in her mind, her robotic parts obeying Mechanica without question.

“MechaGaim!” Grinned Mechanica, pointing towards the girls. “Destroy them!”

“Affirmative,” responded the robotic version of Gaim, moving forward to attack. Aria moved forward to meet her, taking a hard punch right to her chest.

“Gaim, you are stronger than this! I know you are!” Shouted Aria before taking another hit. “You can beat this! I know you can!” She continued, taking more blows from the robotic version of her former friend.

Space Kitty ran forward, slashing Gaim’s metallic face with all her might. “I won’t let you live like this!” She shouted. “Gaim would want us to not hold back, she wouldn’t want this stupid steel sycophant ruining her image!”

Aria looked towards Space Kitty before nodding heavily. “Right, she wouldn’t, we’ll take this pile of scrap down, whatever the cost!” She exclaimed. MechaGaim used this pause to swing out her hands, knocking both Aria and Space Cat to the floor.

Ulla watched her friends fight against the robot, trying to pull her thoughts together. Suddenly she felt some arms wrap around her waist as a red cloth was forced over her helmet, obstructing her vision. Ulla tried to struggle free, but as she did she started to smell a strange floral scent that seemed to quickly fill her entire helmet.

“What is this?” She coughed, still struggling to escape the arms and regain her vision. Suddenly Ulla started to feel drowsy. It was like she hadn’t slept for several days, her limbs felt like they were made of lead. Slowly her struggling got weaker and weaker as her eyes started to flutter shut. “No,” she mumbled. “Girls help me,” she coughed gently before she fell into a deep sleep.

Space Kitty pulled herself up off the floor only to see Mechanica holding Ulla by the waist, using her free hand to hold a cloth over her helmet and her steam vents. “Ulla!” She shouted, starting to crawl towards the other girl, however before she could reach them Mechanica and Ulla teleported away.

Ulla coughed and gasped as she woke up. She quickly looked around, trying to work out what was going on. She was lay on a bed, inside what seemed to be an opulent bedroom.

“Where am I?” She muttered to herself, rubbing her head gently, only to realize she had been stripped of her armor. “My armor!” She shouted. However, before she could work out what to do she was distracted by a door opening on the far side of the room. Ulla pushed herself off the bed, watching as Mechanica walked into the room.

“Mechanica!” She shouted, jumping up and clenching her fists. “Armor or not! I’ll take you down!”

“I don’t want to fight,” replied Mechanica, raising her hands. “I just want to talk.”

“What do we have to talk about?” Growled Ulla, moving closer, not dropping her hands for a second.

“I think we have a lot in common,” smirked Mechanica.

“We have nothing in common!”

“But you like trains! I love trains!” Replied Mechanica. “They are so powerful, so majestic and so ordered.”

“That is true, trains are magnificent, but why would that interest you?”

“Because I love order,” nodded Mechanica, slowly moving forward. “Trains are a perfect example of that, trustworthy and efficient, getting things to where they need to be.”

“Right,” nodded Ulla, dropping her fists as she talked. “Trains help people work and enjoy life, they help them see the world.”

“Trains are the perfect example of a mechanical world. A hint of what Earth could be like under the Mechanical empire.”

“Your empire is evil!” Replied Ulla, shaking her head.

“Because I want what is best for your world? Because I want to update your trains? To give everyone the transport they deserve?” Continued Mechanica, seemingly not phased by Ulla’s doubts.

Ulla blinked a few times, unsure of how to respond to that point, Mechanica was right, it was something they both agreed on, even if Ulla could never agree with Mechanica’s methods.

“I have something to show you,” started Mechanica, shaking Ulla from her thoughts. “If you trust me enough that is.” Ulla spent a few moments pondering the offer before sighing.

“I’ll come, I don’t I think I have much choice,” replied Ulla gently. “But if you try anything I won’t hesitate in fighting you.”

“I understand, you’re passionate, I respect that,” grinned Mechanica, waving Ulla to follow as she started to walk towards the other side of the room, stopping in front of a large table.

Ulla looked over the table, only to suddenly realize what it was. It was a perfect scale model of Ruby city, expect that the train line had been massively expanded, every block now had a station of some sort. “Impressive, did you build this yourself?” Asked Ulla, bending down and looking at the details of each landmark.

“I did, all by hand.” Smiled Mechanica. “I’ve had to make some changes here and there, but sometimes you need to make big decisions to move things forward.”

“This city wouldn’t need cars,” added Ulla, nodding as she ran a finger along one of the train lines.

“Not a single one. Everything from people to mail to garbage, everything on highly efficient trains,” replied Mechanica, her smile growing as she moved behind Ulla. “There is something else I want to show you,” she continued, reaching out to flip a small switch under the table.

Suddenly the little model burst into life, several trains appeared out of the depo and started to slide around the tracks, darting from line to line like they were performing ballet.

“Very impressive,” nodded Ulla, watching the trains going around the track.

“You should come here,” replied Mechanica with a smile, pointing to a small step next to the table. “You’ll get a better idea of the mechanics of the system from above,” she added.

Ulla nodded again and climbed up onto the step. However much she hated to admit it Mechanica wasn’t half bad when she was talking about her interests like this. Maybe this was all some big misunderstanding and she could broker a truce between Earth and the Mechanical empire? Maybe all of this was just a cry for help?

Ulla watched the trains click around the track, it was a very impressive sight. It seemed that each district had its own mini-line which joined to one giant line that looped around the city. “This is so efficient!” Smiled Ulla, watching the trains enter and leave the main loop.

“Always a train where it needs to be, every job always being done,” grinned Mechanica. “Allow me to show you the system at capacity,” she added, pressing the button once more.

“Oh? Can it handle more trains?” Asked Ulla.

“At least twice this,” nodded Mechanica as several new trains came out of the depo and started to go around the main ring. These new trains were different from the previous ones, they had small reflective strips on top of them. Ulla didn’t really question it, presuming it was just something Mechanica had added to keep track of which trains did what.

Each of these new trains sparkled a little under the light, drawing Ulla’s eye around the loop as she did her best to follow them, it was quite a beautiful sight. “So do these just stay in the loop?” Asked Ulla.

“Yes, they just go around the main loop at high speed, they could move important things like mail and emergency service workers,” explained Mechanica as the old trains all moved off onto the smaller lines. Once they had left, the newer trains started to move faster and faster around the loop, catching the light more often, drawing Ulla’s eyes around the circle quicker and quicker.

As this happened the lights above the model grew gradually brighter, making the sparkling even more intense. This coupled with the speed of the little trains turned the main loop into a spiral of lights and sparkles that held Ulla’s attention totally.

“This is so pretty,” said Ulla, her eyes going wide as they followed the trains around the loop, her mouth dropping open a little bit as she watched.

“Yes, isn’t it wonderful? No need to worry, just knowing the trains are always these, always where they need to be, doing exactly what they need to do, there is no need to worry about anything or even think about it,” purred Mechanica gently, a smug smile appearing on her face, watching as Ulla continued to watch the trains speed along their tracks.

“No need, always where they need to be,” nodded Ulla gently, the intense spiraling pattern still holding her interest.

“Don’t think. It is that simple. Always where you need to be, no need to think or dwell on it,” continued Mechanica. As she talked, two rings of metal clamped in place around Ulla’s ankles, preventing her moving, however, Ulla was too enthralled to notice anything amiss. “Just running so perfectly, obeying commands from the center, like robots. Obedient robots” explained Mechanica.

“Yes, it is simple,” nodded Ulla before blinking and shaking her head. “No, you’re trying to hypnotize me!” She shouted. “Humans are not robots!” Ulla tried to get down off the step only to gasp as she realized that her ankles were held in place. “What is this!” She yelled.

“I think you need some more time to see the beauty of my system,” laughed Mechanica, walking up behind Ulla and sticking two small probes to her temple. “I do like trains, I wasn’t lying.” She said before running her hand over the model city.

“What are these?” Roared Ulla, reaching up to pull the probes off her head. However, the second she touched them electricity flowed through her body, making her spasm and twitch.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” smiled Mechanica, looking up at Ulla before producing another model train. “This is my favorite train,” she exclaimed, placing it on the rails just outside the city.

This model train was bright yellow, a perfect replica of Ulla’s Express Knight armor in train form. Ulla looked at it with confusion. “What are you implying?”

“I think this train is wonderful, beautiful even.” Said Mechanica, watching as all the other trains slowly returned to the depo. “I just think it is need of a good controller, someone to help it be the best it could be.”

“I’ll never do what you tell me to do!” Argued Ulla, trying to pull her ankles out of the restraints.

“I’m not telling you what to do, I’m helping you do what is best for you,” sighed Mechanica, flipping another switch on the model. With a loud clunking noise one of the sidelines moved, pointing the rails right at the model of Ulla’s house. “You need to be freed, freed from the oppression of this world, you need to break off your rails and destroy your oppression!”

“That’s my home! It isn’t oppressing me!” Growled Ulla. Suddenly the little yellow train started to move around the main loop. As it moved the probes on Ulla’s head started to tingle.

“Really?” Asked Mechanica smugly. “Then why did you accept the armor. Why did you decide to become the Express Knight?”

“To fight for truth! To fight for justice!” Shouted Ulla, trying to think of a way out of this situation as her eyes followed the yellow train around the loop.

“Because your normal life was oppressive. It was boring. You wanted excitement, you wanted change!” Responded Mechanica.

“No! I needed to give a voice to those who didn’t have one!” Interrupted Ulla, grabbing onto the probes and getting another shock.

“This world needed to change. You needed to change it. I’m giving you that chance, get off your rails, form your own path!” Shouted Mechanica slamming her fists on the table as she did. The rage bubbled up in Ulla, her nostrils flaring as she panted, the little yellow train growing faster the angrier Ulla got.

“I won’t do it! The Earth needs to be saved, this is bigger than just me!” Shouted Ulla, the little yellow train zooming around the track.

“Look at it,” smiled Mechanica, pointing at the train. “Doesn’t it look stuck? Frustrated? It could do great things if it could just get off that line. To stop going in circles.” Ulla watched the train dashing around the track as she seethed with anger.

“No, doing what you want, destroying something, won’t change anything!!” Shouted Ulla.

“Drop the act. I know the truth,” cackled Mechanica. “I think it is time for you to start being honest with me and with yourself,” she smiled as the probes started to tingle more, making Ulla increase her struggling. “Now answer me, did you want to change your mundane life?”

“No!” Shouted Ulla only for electricity to cascade down her body, making her tremble and scream.

“Incorrect,” replied Mechanica. “You wanted a change, that is why you became the Express Knight.” Ulla shook and gritted her teeth, staring daggers at Mechanica for a moment before looking down at the train once again. Suddenly Mechanica shouted out another question. “Does your city need to improve?”

“I,” started Ulla, only to stop herself and take a breath, the gentle tingling of the probes feeling like some horrific attempt at a scalp massage. “Ruby city isn’t perfect, but letting you take control isn’t the solution to anything,” replied Ulla firmly, only to scream as she got electrocuted once more.

“Political answers won’t help you, I can see through that!” Shouted Mechanica. “Tell me how you really feel! Let it out! Be free!” She said, getting louder and louder with each word. “Does your city need to improve?”

“Yes! It does!” Shouted Ulla in response, panting and trying to pull herself together. She watched the train dashing around the track, only for the switches to click, switching the line so that the train would hit the model house.

“You’ve realized I presume?” Smiled Mechanica. “You can control the switches on these tracks, all you need to do is make the mental leap, destroy the house, free yourself! It will take just a single thought!”

“No!” Shouted Ulla, shaking her head, watching as the switches changed again, allowing the train to keep doing its loop. “You’re wrong.”

“What needs to change about Ruby City?” Asked Mechanica.

“It needs to be greener and more efficient,” sighed Ulla. “Its people need to learn to be kinder to each other, to be fair,” she said, tensing for a moment, waiting for a shock that never came.

“It really does need to be more efficient,” smiled Mechanica. “I’ve seen the traffic, all that smog and all that pollution, it burns the throat, it must be horrible for you.”

“They’re trying to make the emissions laws stricter, but yes, the fog isn’t great,” nodded Ulla before shaking her head. “Making everyone into robots isn’t a workable solution to that!” She yelled.

“Why not?” Replied Mechanica. “Have you seen it work with your own eyes?”

“I don’t need to see it! I know it is wrong. Humans have free will, it is what defines us!” Replied Ulla, only for another shock to roll along her body.

“No evidence to back up your claim. Taking a contrarian position isn’t allowed!” Smirked Mechanica. “Wouldn’t you like people to respect trains more?”

“I would like them to be more used,” groaned Ulla, her whole body throbbing with pain. “To be better funded.”

“And why do they lack that funding?” Asked Mechanica, putting her hands on her hips.

“Corruption, lobbying within the mayor’s office has killed off so many green initiatives,” mumbled Ulla. “It was hard to get good recycling facilities, let alone a mass expansion of public transit.” She explained, starting to ramble.

“Well, that is just horrible!” Nodded Mechanica. “I mean if you can’t trust people like that, then what is the point of having them? The Mechanical Empire doesn’t have corruption, and thus we make things like this!” She continued, pointing to the model.

“But you turn everyone into robots!” Protested Ulla, getting frustrated with how circular this argument was becoming. “That isn’t freedom from corruption! That is oppression!”

“It is unity, everyone working for the greater whole, no egos getting in the way.” Started Mechanica, only to be instantly interrupted by Ulla.

“It is you literally controlling everyone! It isn’t unity if you don’t have a choice!” She shouted, only for Mechanica to giggle.

“I just want what is best for everyone,” she replied.

“No you don’t, you just want power!” Interrupted Ulla, only to get another shock, sparks flying off her as her body trembled.

“Now now, you know that is untrue,” smirked Mechanica. “I want everyone to have a purpose, to have something to do. I want them to be their best self. Like this little yellow train here. I want it to have all the rails it could want, I want it to be loved and respected,” explained Mechanica, drawing Ulla’s attention back to the train that was racing around the loop.

Ulla just watched the train, gritting her teeth. Her mind was spinning from the pain, and the looping of the train was surprisingly mesmerizing. She tried to pull herself together, trying to come up with some logical argument.

“When was the last time someone thanked you?” Interjected Mechanica, shaking Ulla from her thoughts.

“I,” started Ulla. “I don’t need thanks,” she mumbled only to scream as the electricity once again washed over her body.

“Not the question, when was the last time someone thanked you?” repeated Mechanica, her tone growing firmer.

“It was months ago,” cried out Ulla, the pain getting almost too much to bear.

“That is horrible!” Gasped Mechanica. “How dare they, after everything you’ve done for them! You poor little train!” She continued her voice a strange combination of loving and mocking. “You’ve been spinning around and around on your tracks for so long, and no one has given you the praise you deserve!”

“What, I don’t,” started Ulla, only to tense up, not wanting to risk another jolt of electricity.

“Nonsense,” said Mechanica, almost like she was reading Ulla’s thoughts. “Every little train needs praise. In fact, I want to reward you!” She smiled as she placed her hand in front of the yellow train, slowly bringing it to a stop and scooping it up in her hand.

From under the table, Mechanica produced a small sparkly sticker and gently stuck it on the top of the train, her fingers almost caressing the train like you would caress a pet or a lover.

Ulla shuddered softly, the probes on her head sending a weird warmth through her body, making her bite her lip softly. She hated to admit it, but something about Mechanica rubbing that train made her feel good.

As Mechanica continued to rub the sticker Ulla let out a small moan. Mechanica looked up and sniggered. “See? You were starved of touch, starved of attention. Those probes go both ways because you are the train and the train is you.”

“This is so wrong,” moaned Ulla, her legs starting to tremble.

“If it is wrong, why does it feel so good?” Giggled Mechanica as she continued to rub the train, making Ulla squirm on the spot. “Now, off you go little train,” she smiled, putting it down on the tracks and watching as it slowly started to move again, the reflective strip catching the light, slowly reforming the spiraling pattern.

Ulla’s eyes followed the train around the loop, she was confused and lost, the pleasure from the touch mixed with the exhaustion from the pain meant her mind was swimming, she wasn’t sure what to do anymore, or how to react. Her brain just watched the train, it was easier than trying to work out what was going on.

“Isn’t it easier to just not think?” Purred Mechanica, her warm breath tickling Ulla’s ear.

“I need to think though,” replied Ulla gently, only to scream as she got shocked again.

“Isn’t it easier to not think?” Repeated Mechanica, making Ulla tremble.

“Yes it is,” she sighed gently, totally focused on the little train zooming around the track. Mechanica smiled and rubbed her hand along Ulla’s leg, making the girl shudder.

“Wouldn’t you like to be loved? To be adored?” Asked Mechanica softly, the touch making Ulla’s brain hazy.

“More than anything,” she nodded. Ulla felt like she had spent years alone, moonlighting as the Express Knight hadn’t exactly given her much time for a social life, in fact, her circle of friends had dwindled until it was just Kitty, Aria and Gaim, none of whom gave her the intimacy she craved.

“I can love you, I can make your dreams come true,” purred Mechanica, the glittering of the train still holding Ulla’s attention. “I can make all of this real, we can make the world a better place, a place full of wonderful trains. Wonderful trains like you,” she continued slowly rubbing her hands over Ulla’s chest.

Ulla’s breathing grew ragged as she squirmed, her eyes rolling up into her head as her whole body started to tremble. “We can?” She mumbled. “But how can I trust you?”

“Because I want what is best for you,” smiled Mechanica, “you think I made all of this just for a trap? I did it because I care about you, I care about your planet. I love my little train,” she continued, tracing a finger around Ulla’s crotch as she did.

“I, please, I need it,” moaned Ulla.

“I need you to do something for me first, something special,” grinned Mechanica.

“What?” Stuttered Ulla her squirming growing increasingly desperate.

“You know little train, you know,” smiled Mechanica. Ulla’s eyes went wide as she looked at the model train going around the track. She concentrated hard and the switches started to click, altering the path of the yellow train.

Ulla watched as the train raced towards the turn-off, growing more and more excited as it got closer and closer. Mechanica continued to rub Ulla’s crotch, her fingers making long sweeping motions like the pistons on a train.

As the train turned off the main loop Ulla could hardly contain her excitement. Her breathing turned into panting and her cheeks flushed bright red. The train picked up even more speed as it sped towards Ulla’s house, flying off the rails and crashing through it, reducing it to a pile of cardboard. As the house crumbled it was like a dam burst in Ulla’s body and brain, wave after wave of ecstasy washing over her.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Screamed Ulla, her whole body thrashing and trembling, the pleasure growing more and more intense as Mechanica went and gently picked up the toy train and pressed it into Ulla’s forehead.

Ulla felt the metal cascading over her, totally covering her body as the pleasure got more and more intense, this felt like heaven and she never wanted it to stop. The metal sealed around her, totally cocooning her in a larger and more robotic version of her Express Knight armor, a large reflective strip running along her chest.

As Ulla caught sight of her reflection she started to laugh, she felt amazing, like she was riding on a cloud of pure bliss. Each and every limb was tingling with pure joy.

“Shall we go and tell Ruby city about their new train system?” Smirked Mechanica, rubbing a finger on the reflective strip.

“Yes Mechanica,” groaned Ulla, her voice sounding more firm and digital.