Like any other day, 9:00 am saw the morning battle lines in full swing. Unlike most other days, their corresponding bosses weren’t waiting in the wings, but on platform number four.

With them-- awaiting the orange line’s arrival with a great deal less patience-- were two thirteen year olds who had been counting down the days, and now that today was here, could scarcely contain themselves. Kari’s Woobat kicked up an excited gust of air, mussing her high ponytail.

Ingo’s hand twitched to smooth it down, but he kept it firmly in place, laced with its partner behind his back. To fuss now would do nothing but embarrass her, and odds were that it would suffer worse tangling as she and her brother roamed the region. As he recalled from his own days of traveling as one of two-- sometimes three-- individuals with long hair, snarls were a way of life out on the road.

Next to his sister, Rael’s lips pulled from their resting downturn into what might best be described as an irritated pout and he bundled Sewaddle more thoroughly in his arms, as if to protect it from something too benign to be called an attack. It responded by gratefully chewing on the cuff of his jacket.

Everything seemed to be in order there.

Seeing them off today was exciting and nerve wracking all in one stroke. They would only ever be a call or short commute away, but the thought of going about the day without running into his kids was almost alien at this point. It was, however, a normal part of life, and he’d long since come to terms with the coming change.

Still, he was reminded intensely of how they used to wait at the platforms, giggling up a storm as they hid beneath the edge of his or Emmet’s coat.

He cast a glance in his brother’s direction, but it wasn’t returned immediately. Emmet himself was busy judging the reader board’s updated schedule, a curl of doubt evident in his expression. Understandable. It shouldn’t have been running late, and they’d have to look into that after the fact, but Ingo wasn’t terribly bothered by the delay right now. It gave him a little extra time to watch out for the passengers.

Emmet’s attention turned away from the timetables just as Ingo was about to go back to what he’d been doing, but he stopped and held the stare for a moment, exhaling a near-silent chuckle for little reason more than because it felt right. His twin took a sideways step closer and, without missing a beat, Ingo mirrored it, pressing their shoulders together.

It was a welcome, grounding presence. Even though they’d gone through their safety checks and ensured that everyone knew how to respond in the event of an emergency, there was no accounting for everything. Kids in the passengers’ age bracket were thrown into things far greater than themselves far more frequently than they should, and given Rael and Kari’s parentage, their odds seemed substantially higher than most new trainers’. There was no telling when the next Team Plasma would rear its head or a legendary Pokemon would begin to act out.

That said, it wasn’t fair to keep them from a rite of passage the world over. All he could do was trust that he and Emmet had taught them well, and that they would stick together.

The seconds continued to tick by.

...okay. Where was the 9:15 to Striaton?

As if summoned by the combined forces of its station masters’ ire, the line’s headlights twinkled into view in just under a minute. The instant it became visible, Kari withdrew Woobat, Sewaddle being recalled shortly thereafter, and as the train hissed to a familiar stop, two pairs of bright, pale eyes locked upon their parents.

Ingo tilted his head, giving his best not-really-a-smile, and left it up to Rael and Kari how to proceed from here. They’d already said bye-for-now to the Pokemon and gotten their good luck hugs at home, so while it would be nice to wish them the best one more time, Ingo understood if that wasn’t what they wanted in their sendoff.

It was Rael who moved first, sprinting the distance between them and making a short jump to wrap his arms around Ingo’s neck. He had just enough time to return the embrace, laying a hand along his son’s back, before he was released and Emmet got the same treatment. As soon as Rael was clear, Kari launched herself in his place, one arm cast around either of her dads.

Grinning widely, she pulled away and gave their faces a firm pat, gently knocking their heads together. “Aw, look! Everybody’s smiling!”

“Ha ha.” Emmet said flatly, doing nothing to disprove the statement. “Then follow the rules and ride safely. Aim for victory!”

“If you find yourself in need of assistance, don’t hesitate to call us.” Under the expectant looks leveled at him, Ingo relented and added, “Now please do your best, and run toward the destination: an even higher state!"

The pair turned inward to snicker to one another and, with a set of cheerful waves, turned to board. As the doors slid shut, the agent on duty, Furze, paused at the window; he studied the last boarding commuters and then looked out the window to their parents, saluting sharply. Automatically, both bosses returned the gesture, and then spotted Rael with a hand slapped over his eyes, exasperated.

And, with that, the train rolled out of the station.

They stayed still, shoulder-to-shoulder, for several seconds after its departure.

“Still worried?” Emmet eventually asked, breaking the silence.

Though Ingo didn’t turn, he looked at his twin out of the corner of his eye, “Aren’t you?”

He tilted his head, conceding the point, “They have friends at every stop along the line. They will be alright.”

“You’re correct, I realize that,” Slowly, Ingo drew a breath and let it out, willing himself to follow his brother’s logic. “But we know full well that there are forces out there whose will can’t be fought, and if there’s the possibility that we can protect them from it...”

“I know a verrrry simple solution. If Arceus tries anything, it dies.” Emmet said, expression deceptively bright.

Well. The passengers may have grown beyond seeking safety under a coat, but it seemed some things didn’t change.

Ingo shook his head, putting those concerns from his mind for now. Turning on a heel, he felt Emmet echo the motion next to him, and began the synchronized march to the station proper-- and beyond it, their own next state.