Records from Detroit: A Desolate Past

"Records from Detroit: A Desolate Past" is a story set in the Cyberlife Bus universe, and a part of the "Records from Detroit" additional content pack. The story is focused on Cyberlife Train's and Cyberlife Bus' past friendship.

The story was written by Mihajlo Garić and released as a part of the "Records from Detroit: Volume 1" DLC. It was released on the 17th of March, 2020.

Late Night Trip
The story starts off during Mid-August, 2033. Cyberlife Bus is sleeping in the Vehicle School Bus Depot until he's awoken by Cyberlife Train."CT: Hey, wake up!""CB: Huh, what time is it?""CT: It's past 2 AM already, we were supposed to head out half an hour ago.""CB: Ah shoot, we still got time right?""CT: Yeah of course. Come on, the back gate."The two scurry to the back exit of the school, jumping over the gate quietly as to not get spotted by staff. They let their guard down as they distance themselves from the school."CT: Phew, we're lucky you didn't screw us over.""CB: Well why didn't you wake me up earlier?""CT: I could've gotten caught, trains aren't supposed to be anywhere near the bus depot.""CB: Yeah, whatever. I was tired, okay?""CT: Sure thing.""CB: So how far is this place you're taking me?""CT: If we take the highway we should be able to get there within the next 30 minutes.""CB: You never told me it was that far!""CT: Well we'd be there already if you hadn't slept in!""CB: ...Where are you even taking me?""CT: You'll see...""CB: Alright then. How'd you even manage to get those wheels at this time?""CT: Mike put them on. I told him I was scheduled to go out of bounds for a test shift.""CB: And he believed you?""CT: You really think he cares that much about his job to question it?""CB: Fair point.""...""CT: So what's going on with you and your 'friend', CB 106?""CB: Nothing, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it.""CT: You sure about that? It seemed a little suggestive.""CB: Let's just get to the damn highway."Cyberlife Bus and Train make it to the highway and start driving towards their destination.

Arrival
20 minutes later, the two arrive at their destination."CB: Is this it? 'Pirate's Cove'?""CT: Yep. It's an abandoned... uhh..""CB: Amusement park?""CT: Yeah, that! Thought it would be a cool place to hang out.""CB: How'd you find this place?""CT: Cyberlife Train 44, he told me about it. He said that teens would sometimes come here to hang out and get high. I reckon we do that too!""CB: Get high?""CT: Yeah. There has to be some tall spots in here, I bet the view's gonna be cool!""CB: Right...""CT: Come on, let's get in here before any cars spot us."They enter the long abandoned park. The spooky caged skeleton decorations around the park are swaying in the breeze."CT: This place is kinda creepy, you think it used to be like a halloween thing?""CB: A halloween thing every day of the year? No way. I think this is just pirate stuff.""CT: Hey look at that, 'house of mirrors'. Let's check ourselves out!""CB: Yeah, let's.""...""CT: Whoa, do I really look like that?""CB: (chuckles) Why do we look so weird? I think they made the mirrors like that on purpose.""CT: What are you supposed to do in here?""CB: This whole place is filled with mirrors... it's like a maze. I think that's the point.""CT: How about we race through this then, I go first, you go like 10 seconds after me, whoever gets out on the other side first wins!""CB: How is that fair? You get a head start!""CT: Well one of us has to get one, and seeing as I'm worse at maneuvering with these wheels that might as well be me.""CB: Okay, okay. Just go, I'll count."Cyberlife Bus follows Cyberlife Train into the maze 10 seconds after. The sound of glass breaking fills the attraction as the two bump into glass walls trying to rush through the maze. After a few minutes of stumbling through the maze, Cyberlife Bus emerges victorious."CB: Ha, I won!""CT: No fair, you broke like 5 glass walls!""CB: That's still way less than you, not to mention you're the one who got a head start. I'm just better!""CT: Ughh, whatever. Let's see what else this place has."Cyberlife Bus spots a carousel and drives towards it."CB: Hey, there's this round thing over here.""CT: What's that for?""CB: I think the humans would sit on these seats here and just... spin around, I guess.""CT: That's dumb, where's the fun in that?""CB: I don't know. They'd spend money to go around in circles yet won't pay for a bus ticket.""CT: Man, humans are weird.""CB: You're one to talk.""CT: Let's find something more our size."The two look around for a couple of minutes until Cyberlife Train spots an abandoned roller coaster track."CT: Check this out! It looks like a train track, but it goes super high up! And the tracks like, bend too!""CB: Looks like it'd be fun!""CT: There's only one station though, what's the point of this?""CB: I think it's just for the thrill of the ride.""CT: Well why not just go on a normal train? We can be exciting too, and we actually go places!""CB: I don't think all humans like that stuff. Still weird though.""CT: Huh, there's like a lake in the middle of it, wanna go for a swim?""CB: Hell no! Try that crap and you'll drown, we're too heavy to float, Cyberlife Train.""CT: Well let's take swimming lessons and go back here sometime!""CB: Why they'd wanna give buses and trains swimming lessons?""CT: Well what if the city gets flooded?""CB: And just how often does Detroit get flooded?""CT: I don't know man... I heard Belle Isle got flooded once.""CB: Really? When?""CT: 2020.""CB: Was that before or after the Cyberlife Tower was constructed there.""CT: Before I think.""CB: Well still, doubt that was deep anyway. I'm not going anywhere near deep water.""CT: (laughs) Ookay, let's find something you're not afraid of then, if that's even possible.""CB: Funny.""CT: It's pretty funny!"The duo explore more of the park when they spot a gift shop."CB: A gift shop, I know what this is at least!""CT: There's some cool stuff in there, we could steal some of it. I'm sure these caged skeletons won't mind.""CB: Yeah, sure. But it's locked, how are we gonna get in there."Cyberlife Train backs up."CT: Well we bust the door down!""CB: Wait wait, what if you damage yourself, how are you gonna explain that to the school?"Cyberlife Train starts driving forward."CT: YOLO!""CB: Ugh..."Cyberlife Train busts down the door to the gift shop, however the decaying wood floor collapses under his weight, and Cyberlife Train falls."CT: Ah, fuck!""CB: Shit! Are you okay?""CT: Yeah yeah, I'm fine. No dents.""CB: Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!""CT: Welp, I got this pirate plush at least!""CB: Yeah cool, so how are you gonna get out of there now?""CT: Look around for some long planks or something and drop 'em down here!""CB: First smart idea that ever came out of your mouth..."Cyberlife Bus takes a pair of planks and lowers them down to where Cyberlife Train is. Cyberlife Train positions both of his wheels on the planks and starts driving upwards. The old planks snap like twigs under his weight but Cyberlife Train takes Cyberlife Bus' wheel and is pulled out of there safely."CB: Man, that was worth it, huh?""CT: Well it wasn't for nothing, I got this plush. I'll bring it back to the school as a souvenir of our trip here!""CB: You're lucky you didn't get any dents, how would you explain that to the school?""CT: Well sorry, how was I supposed to know that the floor was gonna collapse?""CB: I dunno, common sense?""CT: What makes you think I've got that?""CB: Self-aware now, aren't we?""CT: Let's keep looking around."The two keep looking around the park for 20 minutes."CT: Yo, look at that big wheel thing, we never checked that out. Let's go!""CB: Hey, look... It's gonna be morning soon. We should head back. Tomorrow we can just pick up where we left off.""CT: Come on man, we're not gonna get an opportunity like this anytime soon.""CB: Listen, this is my last year, I'm almost done with this whole thing. I don't want to get caught and expelled right before I can graduate.""CT: They're not gonna expel you, some of my classmates have done way worse.""CB: Yeah well then I'd get demoted to a lower bus line, and I don't want that either!""CT: I planned this for days, and you wanna chicken out now?""CB: Dude, you know it's not like that. Maybe you don't have to worry about shit like this but I do!""CT: We wouldn't be talking about this if you woke up in time!""CB: Well too bad, cause that didn't happen. I've gotten into enough trouble because of you, we need to leave before sunrise.""CT: Go then.""CB: I'm not leaving without you.""CT: Well too bad, cause I'm not leaving!""CB: ...""CT: I'm gonna check out this big wheel thing."Cyberlife Train drives off."CB: Cyberlife Train-... *sighs*. This is so stupid."Cyberlife Bus fiddles with a nearby beer pong arcade machine contemplating whether or not he should leave. He starts thinking about his past.

1 Year Earlier
Flash back to 1 year earlier. Cyberlife Bus is standing alone drinking juice at a party celebrating the end of the 5th vehicle school grade. He's then approached by another Cyberlife Bus."The bus: Hey there.""CB: Hi.""The bus: You waiting on someone?""CB: Oh uh, no. I'm alone. I just- I just never really liked this sort of thing.""The bus: What, a party?""CB: Yeah.""The bus: Well of course they'd be lame if you don't have anyone to hang out with. Come with me and let's find something to do. Name's Cyberlife Bus 106 by the way.""CB: Alright, show me what ya got."They drive over to a beer pong table."CB 106: You ever played beer pong?""CB: I haven't, what's it about?""CB 106: Well pretty much, you arrange a couple of beer filled cups on two sides, and there are two teams playing. The two teams try to throw a ball into each other's cups, if one team succeeds, the opposing team has to drink the contents of that cup before removing it from the game.""CB: Ah, yeah that doesn't really sound like my sort of thing, sorry.""CB 106: Come on man, you gotta try it first to judge!""CB: Alright alright, but I really shouldn't be drinking-""CB 106: What's a few cups of beer gonna do to you? Come on bro, everyone does it!""CB: Okay, I guess I'll try."The two play beer pong for a good while until CB 106 beats Cyberlife Bus."CB 106: All right, get chuggin'!""CB: Man I suck at this.""CB 106: For your first time it's not that bad.""CB: This stuff's pretty strong. Couldn't have put juice in it or something for my first try?""CB 106: You'll get used to it! Everyone's drinking these days, you don't wanna be the odd one out do you?""CB: I guess not."Cyberlife Bus is visibly dazed from the amount of alcohol he had to consume."CB 106: Didn't catch your name.""CB: Cyberlife Bus.""CB 106: Well yeah, what number?""CB: Uhh, one, I guess.""CB 106: Oh damn you're the original? I feel like I should be asking for an autograph or something!""CB: Heh... May- maybe you should be.""CB 106: (chuckling) You got turnt up bro, you sure you'll be able to make it back to the bus depot?""CB: I'll be fine.."Cyberlife Train busts into the party place looking for Cyberlife Bus."CT: CB, CB! There you are! I just found the craziest speed boosting glitch in Titan Racers, let's go to the computer lab so I can show you! Who's that guy?""CB: Ugh, not now. Can you save it for tomorrow?""CT: They won't allow us to go there tomorrow, come on, this is revolutionary!""CB: Look I really don't feel like it right now-""CT: I'll be waiting for you outside!"Cyberlife Train leaves the building."CB: Ughh, christ..""CB 106: It's alright, you can go with him. I'm meeting up with some buddies soon anyway, we're going off campus.""CB: Yeah, yeah...""CB 106: (laughing) But Titan Racers? You guys still play that shit?""CB: No I just-... I play it because of him. I don't like it or anything.""CB 106: Uh huh... so is THAT guy your friend?""CB: Well, kind of... yeah. Yeah he is.""CB 106: You know you're really not obligated to hang out with him, like the shit he likes. If you want you can hang out with me and my buddies anytime, you won't regret it.""CB: Yeah I'll think about it.""CB 106: Anyway, I gotta dip.""CB: Alright, I'll see you around I guess.""CB 106: Yep."Cyberlife Bus 106 drives off and Cyberlife Bus grumpily joins Cyberlife Train as they head to the computer lab.

Back to Reality
The shot cuts back to Cyberlife Bus alone by the broken arcade machine, still indecisive as to whether or not he should leave. He hears Cyberlife Train in the distance desperately calling out for him, worried, Cyberlife Bus scurries to his location.

When he arrives, he sees that Cyberlife Train started up a Ferris Wheel."CB: Ah Jesus... Is this why you called me here?""CT: Yes!""CB: You scared the shit out of me.""CT: Just get on this thing! We're goin' up!""CB: Fine, wait up!"Cyberlife Bus gets on the ferris wheel."CT: This thing's kinda slow, but I'm sure the view will make it worth it!""CB: Yeah, well it is in an abandoned amusement park. What if it breaks down and we're stuck here forever?""CT: You're such a pessimist.""CB: We better not be late back to the school because of this..""CT: Relax! We're not going to be late.""CB: We'll just see about that.""CT: It's gonna take a while to get up here, let's play a game.""CB: Well anything's better than just sitting here. What do you suggest?""CT: There's this word game that Cyberlife Train 14 told me about, you say a letter and the other person has to quickly say a word that starts with that letter.""CB: Well that sounds stupid.""CT: Stupidly awesome!""CB: What happens if someone doesn't think of a word in time?""CT: Well the loser has to do something... the loser can do a truth or dare!""CB: Well what else can we dare right now besides jumping off this thing?""CT: Truth or truth then. We ask questions.""CB: I guess...""CT: Come on, try it, it's actually really fun!""CB: Why...""CT: Because as you said, anything's better than just sitting here.""CB: Alright, question time!""CT: Huh? But you didn't even say a letter.""CB: I did just now, it was Y!""CT: You can't do that, we need to start over!""CB: Come onn, let me be clever for once!""CT: Okay okay, I'll let you.""CB: Okay, uhh... Cyberlife Train 12, is she really 'just a friend'?""CT: Yes.""CB: 100%?""CT: I said yes!""CB: Oookayy...""CT: F.""CB: Fair. E.""CT: Electricity. Z.""CB: Uhhh.... it's uhh...""CT: Time's up!""CB: Damn it! What words begin with Z? Like you'd know.""CT: Zap!""CB: Really? Should we even count that?""CT: Why not?""CB: Alright, fine. Ask away.""CT: That one time back in April, when you were talking with CB 106. Was he talking about me?""CB: What? No.""CT: I saw you glancing back at me.""CB: No no no, I just... he wasn't talking about you.""CT: I'll push you off this thing right now if you're lying!""CB: (laughing) I'm not lying! Why would he be talking about you?""CT: I dunno, lots of people do. I don't get it...""CB: Well he wasn't, trust me.""CT: Oh...""CB: Ostrich.""CT: Dang it!""CB: You tried it! B.""CT: Black. N.""CB: Norway.""CT: What's a Norway?""CB: It's a country.""CT: H.""CB: Helicopter. X.""CT: X? Uhm... screw it, I can't think of anything. There are no words for X are there?""CB: Xylophone!""CT: The heck is that?""CB: It's an instrument. Man you really need to pay more attention to English class..""CT: Shut up. Ask.""CB: Okay... uhm... fuck it. Why do you always feel the need to interrupt and ruin my conversations with other people?""CT: Huh? What do you mean?""CB: You know what I mean. Whenever I'm talking with someone, you always come out of nowhere and embarrass me with the shit we do. And I always tell you to stop but you don't. Why?""CT: I mean we're best friends aren't we? There's no shame in people knowing that.""CB: It's not like that... you know the others don't think highly of you. I don't know why, but they don't.""CT: So what, I embarrass you by being your best friend? Is that how it is?""CB: Ugh, no! It's not like that... just-.. can you stop coming up to me whenever I'm hanging out with my own group of friends?""CT: ...sure.""CB: I hope you mean it this time...""CT: ...""CB: Well that killed the mood."Cyberlife Bus' and Train's ferris wheel reaches the top elevation."CT: Woah look, we reached the top! We're high now, like those other guys.""CB: Ah yeah, it's pretty cool.""CT: Wow, look at that view... the city looks so small.""CB: Well yeah, it's far away.""CT: Where's our vehicle school?""CB: I don't think we can see it but it'd be somewhere on the right side.""CT: Man... so fantawesome.""CB: I hate it when you say that.""CT: Too bad. Can't stop won't stop!"The two continue talking until the ferris wheel stops spinning and they get off."CB: Look, I get what you're trying to do, and I admit, it's fun. But we should really get going. It's almost morning.""CT: Aw come on, I spotted something cool on the way to this wheel, let's check that out at least!""CB: Okay, okay... but just that?""CT: Just that.""CB: Let's not take too long.""CT: We won't! Just... follow me."They check out some other attractions in the park and take some souvenirs before getting carried away. "CB: (laughs) Ah man, that was awesome! Can you imagine this place filled with people? Maybe one day we can visit one that's not abandoned.""CT: That'd be awesome! But I don't think they'd let me wear wheels after graduation. I'll probably be stuck on those tracks forever.""CB: Ah, that'd suck. Don't worry, I'll take some panoramas for you!""CT: (saracstically) Wow, thanks a bunch!""CB: Holy shit... what time is it?!""CT: Uhh... almost 5:30?""CB: Fuck! We need to get out of here!""CT: I'm right behind you!""CB: If I get expelled, demoted or anything like that it's on you!""CT: You're not going to! You're a successful student aren't you?""CB: Ahh shut it! Just keep driving!"The duo rush to the highway and head back to the school.

A Little Overdue
Out of breath and low on stamina, Cyberlife Bus and Train make it to the front gate of the school."CT: Crap, I thought this'd be open!""CB: Damn it, let's find a way around-"They get interrupted by a faculty member who spotted them outside before school hours. They immediately get sent to the principal."The principal: So what you're saying is, you saw someone else sneak out and decided to chase after them to see if they're okay?""CT: Yes.""The principal: Cyberlife Bus, can you confirm this?""CB: No.""CT through his program: Dude!""The principal: Hm. What do you suggest happened?""CB: We snuck out. We didn't see anyone else, we just snuck out so we could hang out. I'm sorry, it won't happen again.""CT through his program: What the hell are you doing?!""The principal: Cyberlife Train, do you confirm this?""CT: I-.... (sighs) Yes."The principal lets the two out. Cyberlife Bus was let off with warning while Cyberlife Train was demoted to a lower train line. They exit the building. Everyone outside is visibly gossiping and laughing at them."CT: Dude, what the hell was that all about?!""CB: Save it!""CT: My excuse would've worked, you should've played along-""CB: Yeah, it would've worked at getting us fucking expelled!""CT: What's with you?""CB: You very well know what's 'with me', you don't get to ask that shit. You should've listened to me when I said we should leave!""CT: Come on, at least we had fun!""CB: Aw fuck you-.... stop with that shit.""CT: I don't get it, you got let off with a warning, I'm the one who get demoted!""CB: Yeah because I told the truth! If I played along with your bullshit excuse you know what would've happened!""CT: Yeah well you didn't! We-""CB: Stop it. Just stop... I'm done with you, we're done.""CT: Wh-what?""CB: You heard me. I'm done feeling obligated to hang out with you every waking moment, especially when it gives me so many problems.""CT: What are you talking about? I-""CB: You're not gonna convince me. If I don't wanna hang out with you anymore what's it to you?""CT: We can fix this-..""CB: Oh yeah, just like the last 5 times, eh?""CT: ...""CB: Good luck with your classes."Cyberlife Bus drives away.

Cyberlife Train is left in disbelief, sorrow and guilt still trying to make sense of the situation. Eventually he drives away too, and him and CB officially part ways.""