Common Experiment #893
"Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedule. Everybody smile! Check safety. Everything's ready! Aim for victory! All aboard!"
The train rocked and started moving, slowly leaving the station. Darkness surrounded the train for a few seconds, until the safety lights dimmed and went on. The train left right on them. They were never late or too early. When the watch hand hits twelve, lights appear in the darkness and rails groan in dismay. Rocking, groaning, a loud fizzling fills the room and the doors open. Every day, at twelve o'clock.
Everyone can board the train, only a few are bold enough though. And only a few of these ever return. What happens once these doors have closed?
I eyed the train suspiciouly as it left the station, disappearing into that black hole again. It looked like the darkness is eager to swallow everyone inside that train.. I rarely see anyone return. The only persons always leaving and boarding the train to check the station for passengers are the Twins.
Black and White, one grinning, one frowning.
They were the owners of that train and belong to the strongest Trainers in Unova. I shuddered visibly at the thought of what happens to all these Trainers losing against them..
Once the train arrived a minute too late. Emmet stumbled out as soon as the doors opened, having that crazed grin on his face, covered in blood. His once white rob, all red.
I flinched when he turned around and stared at me. He noticed me there, standind and staring back in fear.
Growling, he made a step into my direction, then an other."Ingo! Come here!"I heard him yelling for his brother. A confused head popped out of the driver cabin.
"The hell is that! We are one minute late!"
"Don't blame me. You were busy beating that punk up."
He huffed, then stared at his blood-tainted gloves. Obviously he forgot about me standing there.
"Just make sure that won't happen ever again!"
With that he retreated back into the train, collapsing on one of the seats. Today nobody wanted to board the train. He sighed loudly, the doors closed.
The train rocked, started moving and disappearing again into that scary darkness.
For a while I stared at the hole the train disappeared into. The groaning rails could be heard for quite a while, but these fell silent as minutes passed.
The next train will show up in 23 hours and 54 minutes, to be precisely. The seconds ticked away slowly.
Sometimes I wished I could board that train, too, easing my boredom. I would watch Trainers battle each other, a bloody mess on floor and windows, even the ceiling, Pokémon groaning in pain, slashing each other merciless. Emmet and Ingo watching in ancipation. It was rare that somebody challenged them. Most fell for the few challengers in the beginning, falling to the ground, fainting, crying.
If they got lucky, fought their way through that mass of trainers to finally battle Emmet and Ingo.. most suddenly go grabbed by fear.
That crazed smirk on Emmets face, combined with that nonchalant frown of Ingo. Never showing any other emotion. It scared people. Shaken by terror the Pokémon got confused by the misleading orders from their Trainers, got slammed into the floor forcefully, wincing and yelping in defeat.
Emmet and Ingo won again.
23 hours and 52 minutes later, I counted, lights appeared again in that black hole. The rails creaked, fizzling, the door opened. A guy walked out. He looked tired, but content. He was covered in blood. Slowly his gaze wandered towards me. He blinked.
"So long.."With a longsigh he went towards the exit. Emmet and Ingo didn't leave the Train that day.
In fact, two minutes after the set schedule the Train was still standing, not making a move. I was curious, but couldn't leave my place.
After an other 5 minutes, Emmet walked out of the train doors, staring up to me. He turned around, ignoring me. The guy already left, but Emmet suddenly barked.
"I am Emmet. We lost against you again. But I am satisfied. You are too strong! The strength you have, your trust in your Pokémon, their never-ending support! Yep! It was the most fun battle ever! Please come back soon!"
With that he jumped back into the train, shoving Ingo who just wanted to leave the train at that moment to the ground.
"Bruderherz, wir haben verloren."
Ingo frowned. Of course.
"Das weiß ich. Und zu spät sind wir auch."
Emmet straddled his legs. Ingo frowned more.
"Emmet."
"Hmm?"
"Würdest du bitte damit aufhören, dein Blut an mir abzuwischen?"
Emmet blinked and got up. Indeed, his gloves were covered in blood again. His own blood. He felt faint all of the sudden.
Sitting down on one of the seats, he stared up the ceiling. The lights flickered a bit when the train rocked back and forth. He closed his eyes, sighing. The motion and noise of the train soothed him. He was home.
"Ruh dich aus. Wir müssen morgen für die nächsten Herausforderer fit sein."
Emmet hmm'ed in response and laid down, yawning.
Back and forth. Black and White.
I still stood at the station, waiting for the same train to appear again. Still 13 hours and 46 minutes left. 45 minutes. I felt tired. 44 minutes. How long have I been standing here already anyway? 43 minutes. The seconds ticked away, slower than usual. I groaned. It seemed my time was finally up. Emmet would be mad again, growling at me, yelling at Ingo, new challengers would look at me confused.
42 minutes. I didn't move. I couldn't. All my energy was drained, for only one purpose in life:
"Time's up."
The watch hands were stuck at 00:18. My hands.
