I stared blankly at my reflection. My iris's seemed to have dimmed even more than before. I brushed my teeth and got ready for another day's work. I rumbled with my tie as it bended into knots.
"Ingo! Were going to be late! Again." Emmet said, opening the door. I was still having difficulty with my tie, so Emmet helped me.
"Ingo…I don't know what's wrong with you. Ever since the Train accident, you've been like the walking dead." Emmet sighed. After he was done, I put my cap on.
"Let's go." I murmured.
"Aren't you going to have any breakfast?" Emmet frowned.
"I'll have a big lunch; were going to be late." I replied. We locked the door and headed to the Gear Station.
"Look…maybe you should talk to someone? Shauntal? Elesa? Or maybe even Clay, I heard he's a really good listening except when he's digging. Come on Ingo, if you're not going to tell me, at least tell someone." Emmet pleaded. I walked down the long steps and headed to my office.
"I'll see you at break Emmet." I shut the door in his face.
"I just want to help you." He whispered on the other side. I heard his footsteps roam through the hall.
"I don't need help." I whispered back.
I placed my suitcase on my desk and headed over to the Super Single Line. Usually, it took challengers several hours before they reached me. I read my book, "How to Dodge moves like Attract, Curse, and Aerial Ace 101!" and waited for a challenger.
"Hello?" A voice said. I looked over to see a tall, elegant woman wearing a black outfit.
"My name is Cynthia, I'm visiting Unova. I heard such good things about the Battle Subway that I just had to visit." She explained. I nodded.
"Welcome, I am Ingo. Will you ride to victory or defeat? All aboard!" I yelled halfheartedly. The train jerked to life as Cynthia revealed a powerful-looking pokemon.
"May I ask what that pokemon is? It does not look Unovian." I said. She smiled at my request.
"It's a Lucario. It's pretty rare in Sinnoh, which is where I'm from. It's a Fighting/Steel type." She said. I nodded then let out my Haxorus.
"This is—"I started to say. She waved me off.
"It's a Haxorus, I know. I did my homework Mr. Ingo." She smiled. I looked down sadly.
"Of course. Let's fight." The fight lasted for twenty minutes, a record for the Gear Station. Her Lucario destroyed my Haxorus with only two Dragon Pulses before I could recover from my Outrage. My Crustle finished it off, only to be defeated by her Milotic. I used my Elecktross to Thunder it.
"Whew. It's been what? Fifteen minutes already?" She whistled. She tossed her final pokemon in the air and I wrinkled my brow. She had sent out a Braviary.
"Why?" I asked. She laughed.
"Sometimes, you're weakness is your biggest strength." She wiggled her finger at me.
"Thunder!" I yelled. My Elecktross sent a bolt of lighting at her Braviary, but it dodged it.
"Braviary, let's hit him with a Crush Claw!" Cynthia yelled. Her Braviary grabbed my Elecktross with its talons and my Elecktross cringed.
"Use Wild Bolt!" I shouted. It rammed into Braviary, despite injuring itself.
"Let's end this with a Superpower!" Cynthia roared. I watched in awe as her Braviary emitted a glow of energy and rammed into my Elecktross, which fainted.
"Congratulations. Please ride the subway again!" I said.
"I don't think I should be getting any praise. That wasn't a real fight." She said.
"What do you mean? You won fair and square." I stuttered. She came closer to me and whispered to my ear.
"I don't like beating people who's already lost another battle."
"I have only lost twice Miss Cynthia. One occurrence I was sick." I stated. She laughed again.
"Not a battle of Pokemon, silly! A battle of love." Cynthia grinned. My mouth hanged.
"I can see it in your eyes. I know that feeling. I lost my own love too." She smiled sadly.
"Who could have possibly broken your heart?" I asked.
"It was a man named Steven. You remind me of him. He had the same grey hair like you, although your haircut is slightly weirder than his. He was…everything I wanted. But he fell in love with another girl in Hoenn before I could tell him that I loved him. He's probably with her right now." Cynthia said.
"I'm sorry." I murmured.
"Don't be. What you should be sorry for is if you didn't tell her. Does she know, whoever she is?" Cynthia asked. I nodded.
"Then you have to set her free. She may be with the most unfit, lousy man in all of Arceus, but if she loves him, then there's nothing much you can do." Cynthia told me.
"I love her." I said.
"Then you have to let go. That's true love, Ingo." Cynthia said as the train entered the station. She got off and waved to me.
"I'll see you soon."