Prelude to the first | Jukebox

Omni-terrain, multiform autonomous vehicle, model zero.

A machine built entirely from tielium and powered by foundation energy, it has shape or a perfect rectangle, with what looks like a spherical rocket strapped to it's end

The interior is equally as queer, being bare of any inner parts or even lights, only some seats, a singular power switch and inactive touch interface,

"This how you told us to build it," says Harry sensing my utter confusion

Or maybe not…

(This somehow feels familiar to me,)

Click

Vrrrrrrrrrr

The craft begins to purr softly from powering on,

Blue streaks of light begin to line the dark gray walls like veins of energy,

The dimed interface now begins to display a strange selection of designs,

"Aye that never worked with me," Harry looks over my shoulder,

"I was bringing ya here because we couldn't get the power running despite finishing the ship,"

"Almost like someone finished it while you weren't looking," I mumble in response my eyes still on the display,

Tielium is a material that can be best described as steel skin,

It's as soft and formable as skin but has the durability of steel,

"Ya mean like my hand?" Harry shows off her gun-hand which subsequently transforms into a prosthetic hand

"That was tielium all this time?"

"Yup, I choose to keep it as a gun for the pirate aesthetic ya?"

"..."

Turning away from the jovial pirate I look back to display touching the first design,

Beeeeeeeep!

All the lights turn red

Warning please remain seated while in vehicular conversation

A robotic voice comes from the machine

Immediately as harry hand sit the light returns to blue but this time a blindingly light blue,

Vwooom

A strange wheel juts out in front of me in the pilot's seat, it looks like a cross between a car's steering wheel and a UCA jet's controller,

While this happens, the blue light increases in intensity and the rectangular craft begins to collapse into itself with us inside,

It turns into itself like a spiral from both ends

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

The light dims down,

The entire process had taken just shy of ten seconds to complete.

"Aye this is fookin amazing!" Harry looks around at the new interior

It's now much smaller and compact, height slightly elevated, ahead the control panel is now a glass that shows an out of order fountain outside but more so than it that it shows the hood of the vehicle

…..

…..

Clambering out of it, Harry and I observe the newly transformed vehicle,

It now takes on the appearance of something akin to a cross between a monster truck, military jeep, and a mini tank,

"This is just one of it forms most likely," I think out loud

"My guess is that, this, this ship? I don't even know what to call it,

But it probably transform into the best possible vehicle for any terrain, location,

This is must be what the Holy Diver was trying to be,"

"Aye, I don't really care about that shitye mate," Harry hops back into it,

"Since my men and I put this bitch together, I think I'll name her 'the Jukebox'

Now take me for a driver,"

"…

You're assuming I do know how to drive this thing?"

"Ya told me to build it in the first place, of course ya do,

We'll be alright as long as ya don't go all delusional on me again,"

"...."

Ignoring the woman's words join her in the Jukebox

(I still can't believe her shooting me wasn't real,

I felt the pain….)

….

Shaking of the thoughts I grip onto the controller wheel, another screen on the center of it activates thereafter, displaying the start up input

"Wheeew!"

Taking a deep breath and press it

Vrwoosh!

The vehicle blasts out stationery position

Vwooom!

"Where can we even go with this, we're still underwater?" I deftly manage to avoid side swiping one of the palace tower's

"Go around to the front, we'll drive to the edge of the barrier back into the ocean" Harry replies, truly enjoying herself

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnn

I maneuver the Jukebox steadily to front of the palace, zooming out of the gate

"Now for the moment of truth!" Yells Harry excitedly

"See the ocean's pressure behind this barrier is incredibly strong, so we are either about to die, or if what ya say is true the jukebox will transform into something that'll adapt,"

..

"Hgnh" I grunt in response to her clear excitement

Vrrrrrrmmmmmm

Cra–splaasshh!

Beeeeeeeep!

The Jukebox pierces through the none existent holding the water at bay, and immediately reforms itself into a torpedo-like undersea craft,

"Yeeeeeaaaa!

That was amazing Kage,"

"….."

(Maybe a little)

"This is the ship I designed to help me reach the second ring," I say somewhat braggingly despite having no clue how to it came to be

"About that Kage mate,

We are going to have renegotiate those terms,

I'm not letting ya have this for yourself,"