A Pokemon Problem
(26) - For Whom the Whistle Blows
I want to say that the time spent waiting for the train to reach Canterlot was spent well. I want to say that, but I'd be lying if I did. In actuality, the majority of it was spent worrying and thinking of everything that could go wrong, rather than everything that could go right, or even what I was going to say to perhaps (almost certainly) the most powerful pony in Equestria.
The fact that we hadn't yet encountered Cindy yet in our travels wasn't helping anything either: I had a sinking feeling that only got worse with each passing mile, and for whatever reason, I had the taste of drinking orange juice after brushing my teeth, even though I had no taste buds to taste with.
As night fell, and everyone but the conductor, Ryder, and myself were asleep, I decided to share some of my fears with the apparition that was my best friend.
"I've got a bad feeling about this, Ryder. I don't technically have a gut anymore, but I still feel like I have a gut feeling that something's going to go wrong. Y'know... more wrong than shit's already gone so far."
"Considering the circumstances—" Ryder motioned with his sole hand towards himself, the rest of our sleeping crew, and myself, "—I'd say we've done pretty freakin' outstanding so far."
I had to concede that point to him. "Fair enough." I planted my arms like stilts and peeked out of one of the windows, observing the cool stone tunnel that we were currently traveling through, causing the already loud train to echo and amplify. I was barely tall enough to see out, and it reminded me of when my mother used to hoist me up so I could see above the sea of people whenever there was some sort of parade. Speaking of parents...
"What if we can't go back, Ryder?" Such a simple question with so many implications.
Instead of answering me right away, he hovered a few feet upwards, enough so that the upper portion of his body was sticking through the roof of the train car. Freakin' cheater. When he came back down, he looked rather downtrodden, which was a strange look for a Haunter: normally they were the ones to make others feel downtrodden.
"If we can't... then... I don't know, James. What can we do? Our parents will be wrecks, but they'll eventually get over it. The question is: Will we?"
"What do you mean?"
Ryder laughed, a sickly, harsh sound. "You and me—I'm pretty sure we can't die. At least, not from old age. You could fall into an active volcano, or I could run into that damn shaman pony whatever-his-name-was... but aside from some misfortune befalling us, we should be immortal."
Well fuck me sideways. I hadn't thought of that. "Then that means..." I thought, suddenly realizing. "That means that everyone else... isn't?"
Ryder nodded grimly. "If all Pokemon lived forever, I'm pretty sure they'd have overrun their world by now. I don't have a clue how long each species can live, but it's anything but forever."
"Seth can do the next best thing—if, or rather, when he evolves into a Mamoswine, considering the amount of food he eats (I checked on the apples in one of the previous carriages, and there was almost none left in one of the three-by-five bins), he should be able to hibernate for long periods of time. Wasn't there something about them waking up ten thousand years after being frozen?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I think you're right. But that still leaves Miranda and Caleb, along with whatever Cindy turned in to."
"We don't even know where she is."
"I think she's at Canterlot—call it a non-gut feeling."
I thought for a moment about how to rectify Miranda, Caleb, and possibly Cindy's mortality problems. "We'll come up with something," I promised, "if we are stuck here."
"It always works to plan for the worst."
Ryder and I chatted aimlessly for a few more minutes, avoiding the more unpleasant topics that were brought up earlier. Eventually, I decided that we should try to rest, even if we couldn't actually fall asleep.
"Can do, Little Guy," Ryder answered without a hint of sarcasm.
"See you in Canterlot."
As Ryder turned to leave, I heard an extremely faint voice—and it seemed to be calling my name.
James?
"Ryder?"
He turned around with an eyebrow raised. "Yes?"
"Did you just—?"
"Did I just what?" He looked confused.
"Never mind. See you later."
"See you."
After Ryder left the carriage that I had uncontestedly claimed as my own, I secretly wondered who had tried to contact me. I pondered it for what felt like hours, but gave up: with any luck, all the answers would be found in Canterlot.
I just hoped they were the right ones.
/\/\/
The quote-rest-unquote period flew by, and before I was ready, the train was approaching Canterlot. Although, to be honest, if I had several days until we arrived, I still wouldn't have been ready.
It was unanimously agreed upon by Jack Daniels and I that we wouldn't get off at the Royal Castle loading bay while Jack and his crew unloaded crate after crate of apple cider for one very good reason: neither of us thoughts that Princess Celestia or the current Royal Guard Captain would take kindly to five (six, if none of the ponies had any clue what a phoenix was) creatures of unknown origins strolling in through their cargo bay, demanding to have an audience with Celestia.
No matter how you sliced it, that wouldn't work out well for any party.
Instead, we were to get off at a place called Hustler's, which was apparently a prominent shipping company that delivered goods all over the mountain-bound city. I know that I was about as far away from home as was physically capable, but all I could think about at the name Hustler's was the adult-only magazine back on Earth.
As the train began to slow, I said my final words to Jack Apple Daniels.
"I appreciate everything you've done for us, Jack. I'm sure that most ponies would've kicked us off—"
He gave me a look.
"Fine. Would've tried to kick us off. But that's not the point. The point is that I owe you, and if things don't work out with us getting back home, feel free to call in any favour that isn't ridiculously outlandish."
Jack cracked a smile. "I'll have to take you up on that, Little Guy. How will I get a hold of you?"
"You're a clever pony: I'm sure you'll find a way."
He laughed, tipping his Stetson hat, and I finally realized why his bright green eyes were so familiar. Man, but I'm thick sometimes. It seems that the Apple family had its roots far-spread, even in ancient times.
Bidding Jack farewell, I reunited with the rest of the gang, and for the first time in what felt like years, engaged my floating again. Oh god, did it feel good to be able to move without having to strain and heave myself!
When Jack Daniels made it clear that everything had been unloaded, we stepped, floated, and jumped onto the cobblestone street as one. The train whistled forlornly as it trundled away, and we were left to face whatever Canterlot would throw at us.