Chapter Text
You normally didn’t take the train when traveling but tonight you are very glad you did. The conductor in your car was quite the bit of eye candy. He was tall and serious looking, had brilliant silver eyes and hair to match. You decided you were going to take this train to the end of the line.
Not many people in your car at the end of the line. The conductor was going through making sure each passenger had their belongings. You smiled politely and took your leave.
You would ride that last train at least once a week to catch a glimpse of your conductor. It seemed he was starting to recognize you, he would tip his hat or give you a small smile. Those smiles were your favorite, it made his face just light up and your heart beat a little faster.
Always the same for those few weeks. You and a few other passengers at the end of the line. You were getting impatient, but you needed to wait.
Finally, finally luck had smiled upon you. One late evening your car was empty. Just you and your conductor. How to go about this? How to draw him near you? The easiest solution seemed to be to pretend to fall asleep.
“Pardon me, we’re at the end of the line.” He was standing just in front of you. When you didn’t stir, he placed his fingertips on your shoulder and nudged you slightly. “Hello?”
You made a sleepy whine and turned closer to the seat. You heard him huff and he shook your shoulder more firmly. “You need to wake up, we’re at the end of the line.”
Quick as an ekans you were on him. You had him pinned to the seat across from you. He struggled but your grip was like iron.
“Hello, my pretty conductor,” you purred. You made sure you had eye contact. He looked startled, but he was quiet. “What is your name, love?”
His jaw clenched, trying to fight the impulse to answer you. “Ingo,” he finally gritted out. He did not look pleased that he had answered you.
“What a lovely name,” you smiled, purposely showing off your teeth. Ingo’s eyes widened. You took a cruel kind of pleasure from the fear you could sense from him. “I just wanted to make sure I introduced myself. I’ll be seeing you again, love.”
You gave him a kiss on the forehead, which instantly put him to sleep. You made sure he was comfortable and then took your leave.
Ingo wouldn’t remember this encounter exactly, he might think of it as a bad dream. He won’t remember you either, but he will think of you. And think of you often.
——
Ingo jerked himself awake. He was still on the train, confused as to when he would have dosed off. There was a lone passenger here, wasn’t there? His mind was foggy and the beginnings of a migraine were bubbling from behind his eyes.
“There you are!” Emmet sounded relieved. “You are later than usual, Ingo!”
“I apologize,” Ingo replied. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “I seem to be unwell.”
“Well, let’s get you home then,” Emmet’s tone softened and he put an arm around Ingo’s shoulder.
The headaches would come and go, mostly when Ingo would try to think back on that night. He was damn sure he didn’t fall asleep. He has never fallen asleep on the job, even if he was the only person on the train. Was there someone else with him? Maybe? It was hard to think, the headaches would get worse the longer he went down this train of thought.
It was starting to affect his work. He would have no problems if he was with Emmet or another depot agent, but if he was by himself? He would start to feel anxious. Think he would see someone from the corner of his eye. Maybe he was working too hard.
“Brother, I think I am going mad,” he confessed to Emmet one day.
“Elaborate, please.”
“I… I keep thinking I’m seeing something -someone- out of the corner of my eye when I’m alone. I’m constantly feeling like I’m being watched ,” he sighed. “It’s affecting my work and my sleep, I’m sure you have noticed.”
Emmet nodded. “Not terrrribly noticeable, but there has been a change. Why not keep Chandelure out with you?”
It wasn’t a bad idea. It actually worked out fairly well. Ingo didn’t feel so watched anymore and Chandelure enjoyed being out of her ball. It was win-win!
Until a depot agent had disappeared. That fear and anxiety came crashing down around him once again.
He swallowed his fear and joined the search effort. It wasn’t very often that people would go missing, but it did happen. There were so many nooks and crannies to get lost in.
The old service tunnels were to be searched first. Ingo and Chandelure had turned off the main tunnel into one of these. Of course it had to be one with malfunctioning lights, but Chandelure glowed brightly and the flashlight had new batteries.
So far nothing but cobwebs and dirt. No rattatas or raticates, or any other rodent types either. That was odd, but not unwelcome. Pest control could be troublesome this far from any currently used tunnels.
“It seems this was a dead end, Chandelure,” Ingo sighed. They hadn’t seen anything. He was about to turn back when Chandelure’s flame burnt brightly in aggression.
Whatever Ingo was going to say died in his throat. In Chandelure’s bright flame he saw the body of the missing depot agent. And then his eyes fell on you