Chapter Text
Emmet
Emmet!
My apologies for having been uncontactable for such a long time.
It’s complicated, but I went to Sinnoh to clear my mind.
I genuinely did not expect it to take 7 months. My apologies for the unexpected delay.
I am currently backreading your previous messages.
INGO
is it rlly u
pls b u
How is your recovery progressing? It’s been a year.
Ah, understandable that you couldn’t immediately resume operations.
i recovered fully mths ago
Your body still needs to get used to being up and about, after 6 months of inactivity.
I do in fact remember to pay my bills and taxes. You’re usually the one considering tax evasion.
well not rlly according 2 doctors
but i feel fine
I do not think I can ever thank Elesa enough — both for accompanying you in my absence, and for helping me during those 6 months.
She’s done a lot, whether she admits it or not.
she misses u a lot too
shes been verrrrrrrry worried
Ah. I’m in danger come next week, then.
I’m apologizing to her right now.
Ah, yes, I should probably tell you.
I’ve just booked a flight back to Unova.
UR COMING BACK
Or rather, 2 flights; I will need to transit in Vermilion City from Jubilife, as there is no direct flight back from Sinnoh.
tell me timing
im going 2 welcome u back
i can in fact walk
elesa will welcome u too
ETA should be the coming Wednesday.
Nothing happened to me, Emmet, don’t worry.
Oh dear…
Emmet, I’m fine. It took a while for maintenance to be completed, but rest be assured there is no lasting damage.
I’m coming back home.
no wait theres a lot to unpack here
lasting???
ingo what did u do that lasted 7 fukcing months
and left damage
The accident was not your fault, Emmet.
None of us could have foreseen the extent of the damage.
You were just caught in the wrong place at the worst of times, and got grievously injured for it.
did u get fucking pregnant
If you still blame yourself, please cease doing so.
All that happened after — the only complication on my end was the grief. Now that you’re awake and well, though, that is no longer any issue.
As for where exactly I was…it’s too complicated to explain. I am currently in Snowpoint City, if it helps any.
yeah no shit
ofc ur actually reachable now
Besides our friends in Unova, are there more people I should contact as of now?
aaron probs
he helped a lot
burmy search party crusade
Police is a non-issue; I walked into the nearest police station and was met with a litany of papers to sign, mostly to confirm I was indeed alive.
Which I certainly am.
also
there was an accident in sinnoh
Emmet, that wasn’t the reason I left!
Anything. Anything but that.
It was quite the opposite, actually.
arnd the time i woke up
sth abt time n space collapsing
I left for Sinnoh as I had heard about something there that could help aid your recovery.
If not for that, I would have stayed at this station.
I’m truly sorry for having caused you such grief in the meantime.
(You did eventually wake up anyway, so…)
were u caught in it
is that what happend
weird time stuff
r u ok
Ah, you’ve returned to work.
How’s Gear Station? Are the depot agents doing well?
Are you getting used to Singles yet?
they fucking miss u what r u talking abt
theyre worried esp since ud usually respond atleast
im contacting the gc now
…It was hard back then, but work was ironically what helped me deal with my grief.
b prepared 4 at least 100 messages in the next few mins
everyone was verrrrrrrrrrry worried
I had to focus on battles and strategise so as to give the challengers the utmost effort they deserve.
I’ll try to return to work ASAP.
THATS NOT WHAT IM CONCERND ABT
INGO
In fact, I’ve learnt some new strategies while abroad — perhaps you’ll be interested in learning them, too.
Oh! And I’ve also befriended some new Pokémon as well.
Team_Coronet.jpg
So far, they’re getting along quite well with the others.
ingo
INGO
u r dropping bombs rn
They will have to adapt to Unova’s urban environment, however.
wtf is happening
Still, with our experience, especially yours with Flapper, that should not be much of an issue.
I’ve already made sure to schedule them for all the necessary booster shots and the like.
I hope you will be flattered to know I named Gliscor after you.
Emerson, to be exact.
thats not important
(the safety is but bside that)
A much-belated Happy Birthday to you as well!
ingo its been 2 mths
My apologies for having missed the day. Anything in particular you’d like from Sinnoh?
SOME FUCKING ANSWERS MAYBE
Emmet, may I ask why you were buying 350 Cheri berries every single week?
Not to mention the 30 bottles of ‘extra concentrated vinegar’?
stop changing the subject ffs
Let me assure you that I had absolutely nothing to do with the space-time distortion at the peak of Mount Coronet, nothing at all.
Completely different tracks.
when the ingoster is sus
…What?
***
“It’s good to see you safe, Mr Richter. Ah, where are my manners? I’m Cynthia, acting champion of Sinnoh. The safety of people here in Sinnoh is sort of my responsibility, in that sense. Would you mind answering some questions right now? …Oh, so I guess that’s a no. It’s fine, I’m not going to force you to talk about it. People can have their secrets — so long as it is something that won’t harm the lives of other people. It’s nothing of that sort? Kinda suspicious, but okay, I shan’t pry. You do seem to have been through a lot.
…A fossil expert? Or medical personnel? Sure, but what do you need them for…What the fu—”
“…Sneas?”
“Mr R-richter? Is that…and that…Where…where did you get all these extinct species from? I’ll — I’ll get a few specialists immediately. Just wait — don’t end the call —”
***
Shauntal
so, let me sum this up:
you “accidentally” went back in time to hisui
with no memories or pokémon
became a warden
taught people how to train pokémon
may or may not have been the inspiration for enigma in ice by the late warden sabi
you know, one of the most prolific pieces of fiction from the early meiji era
I am well aware, yes.
Sabi’s grown up and spread her wings. When I last saw her, she was but a young child, running - or rather, flying about with Lord Braviary and playing in the snow.
While we weren’t in the same clan, we were still surprisingly close as Wardens. She would offer to use her psychic abilities to look into my past, so as to aid me with my amnesia.
A rather sweet, precocious girl.
she sounds adorable
okay but this is actually bizarre
i mean for you it was just yesterday? 2 days ago?
and chronologically it was more than 100 years ago
time travel is usually a real clusterfuck in fiction anyway
You say that as if it is not, in fact, a mess in real life as well.
rip
i’m currently looking you up
did you know that your unintentional sabbatical in hisui has been the bane of historians for ages
it’s beautiful
all the anachronisms and facts indicating you were indeed from unova
but no answer as to how you became part of the clans
or your clothes for that matter
because they assumed you were a settler or sth
but anyway! it’s good that things are somewhat working out logically
as opposed to a paradox where everything is collapsing and oops you accidentally erased someone’s existence
Haha, true.
How is Dante? I seem to recall she was rather distressed over the absence of our souls.
she’s a lot more relieved now that we at least have a logical explanation for where they went
that, and now she wants to go to mt coronet to train
she saw that video of willow and got inspired, so to speak
maybe i ought to actually go someday
well maybe if there is some form of protection against accidentally getting tossed back in time
…it wasn’t entirely an accident, was it
I can neither confirm nor deny.
concerned, but at least you’re safe now, thank the dragons
can’t say i wouldn’t do the same for someone i cared for
it’s just
dragons, i missed you
i’m glad you’re back
I’m truly sorry for my departure, and all the troubles I’ve caused over the last year.
In hindsight, I suppose I was being overly reckless, charging ahead without any thought.
It was never your fault, of all people; you did what you could, and supported me the best you could’ve.
(Please don’t ask me what exactly I myself did that landed me in this situation, though.)
i suppose i won’t ask then
so long as you don’t ask about the blacephalon incident
The what? Are you alright?
Ah, but I suppose I shouldn’t ask about that, either.
On that note, in relation to my jaunt through time…
I brought back a little passenger whom you might be quite happy to meet.
Yukie_eating.mp4
is
is that
that’s a hisuian zorua
Correct! This little one is Yukie.
You did mention you wanted to see a Hisuian Zorua.
They’re quite different from our Unovan Zorua, in fact — they are generally a good deal more wary around humans.
Yukie’s rather friendly, though. Currently, she seems to have made my lap her home station.
She has previously seen pictures of you, so judging by her reaction, you two will most likely get along just fine.
she’s so adorable!!!!
so small and wispy…
***
Subway Boss Makes A Grand Return!
Subway Boss Ingo Richter, Head of Unova’s famous Battle Subway, disembarked from a Ransei Air flight landed in Mistralton City earlier this morning, to crowds of adoring fans, as well as his friends and family.
The facility head was reported missing 6 months ago following a trip to Sinnoh, and was found only less than a week ago in Snowpoint City. Coincidentally, the day his disappearance was reported, his twin brother, fellow Subway Boss Emmet Richter, had woken up from his 6-month-long coma caused by a derailment on the Doubles Line near Virbank City, surprising multiple doctors.
“Fate is certainly rather cruel, to take me away the same moment it returned my brother,” Ingo remarked, when asked about the unfortunate timing by reporters from Unova TV. About his disappearance, he mostly kept mum, only stating that it was an “experience that helped [him] clear his mind, but went on far longer than [he] would’ve liked”.
The Subway Bosses are wildly popular not just in Unova, but also worldwide. As such, upon hearing about Ingo’s return, fans — railway fans, competitive battlers and more — swarmed towards Mistralton Airport to catch a glimpse of the otherwise fairly elusive man.
“I’m so, so glad to see he’s alright,” said Nate Blakely, 17, a frequent challenger of the Battle Subway, who was among the crowds gathered to welcome Ingo home. “I’ve been a fan of the Subway Bosses for the longest time, like, 9 years by now? So the entire past year has been pretty sh*t honestly, what with the accident and then the disappearance. But now, they’re both back! Even if Mr. Ingo doesn’t return to the Subway to battle…it’s still a relief to see he’s safe.”
Among those waiting at Mistralton Airport were also a few celebrities, including some of Unova’s Elite Four, Champion and Gym Leaders, present and former. Gym Leader and model Elesa of Nimbasa City, who is known to be good friends with the Subway Bosses, waited beside Emmet as they counted down the hours.
“This was supposed to be a private thing and I don’t know how Ingo’s flight information got out. It’s horrifying, but I think we’ll be able to manage.” Was her first comment. “I’m just so glad he’s safe, he’s coming back — we all missed him dearly. It was tortuous, you know, those months where there was no news at all, no sign of him. But he’s really, actually back. It feels like a dream.”
“We’ll be a two-car train again soon. Ingo assured me.” Emmet added. “He’s my brother. Don’t get me wrong. Ingo’s strong, but he trusts too easily. So I was very worried. I feared the worst. Now…the nightmare is over. I know he’s safe, and that’s all I needed. He’s also coming home, and it’s everything I could have wished for.”
When the man of the moment stepped through the gates, Emmet was the first one to greet him with a hug, as the twin brothers finally reunited.
***
To: All Battle Subway Depot Agents
From: Ingo Richter, Subway Boss (Singles)
Date: 06/23/20XX
Re: Operations on the Battle Subway Going Forward
Sincere apologies for my prolonged absence over the past 7 months. I am writing to inform you that battles on the Multi and Super Multi Lines will resume, effective from 10/07.
With Emmet and I both back in operation, I believe there is no further need to shutter the Multi Lines, which were previously a beloved fixture. In the next few months before their reopening, there will be maintenance conducted to ensure the upkeep of the lines, given their disuse over the last 7 months. In the meantime, please take the time to refresh yourself with teamwork skills required for Multi battles, such as how not to hit your teammate with Earthquake. That was Emmet. Please pay no heed to his specific example that he forced me to put in.
Thank you for your cooperation, as well as the care you all have displayed over the past year.
***
Furze
No, Furze, ice cream is not a soup. How dare you.
I may have been MIA for months with a questionable mental state at best, but this is one thing I was, am, and will always be certain of.
it’s cold milk soup
hol up
run that by me again
what the fuck even happened
are you sure you’re alright
(i am not referring to the soup)
Thank you for the concern. I assure you, I am far more well in body and mind right now.
I must also thank you for your heartfelt message a few months ago.
aww
it was no trouble
we did really miss you a lot
still though whatever happened
from the little you’ve said so far about it
it sounds really suspicious
Could I convince you not to worry about it?
only if you agree that ice cream is a soup in writing
/j
truthfully no
but at least you’re back
It’s good to be back.
On a lighter note, may I enquire about the multidimensional train lines you mentioned months ago?
well
i know jackie
who knows a guy
***
“Hello? Hey, Ingo! How’re things? You’re heading back to work now, so… Yeah, I guess that’s the worst part about taking an extended break, all the work piled up and waiting. At least you did have Emmet to do part of your job for you. Anyway, any good battles recently? Oh, a fellow fire user? Sweet, how’d they do? …Come on, you didn’t have to do the poor guy dirty like that, sweeping him with a Steel-type. Yes, I know Excadrill’s a Ground-type, stab and all, but still!
How’re you holding up, though? …I know we talked about it. I know you kept reassuring me last time that everything was fine. I also know you’d rather bottle everything up for the sake of others, than simply erupt, because that’s who you’ve always been. Just…if there’s anything, especially if I’ve done anything that hurts you — tell me. You aren’t alone, you know. You never were… It’s no trouble. That’s what friends are for.
…Oh, right, I guess you weren’t calling just to talk, were you? A reservation for Sunday evening? Sure thing, man! What time? 6.30, 3 pax? Cool, I’ll note that down. It’s been a while since you’ve eaten here, even discounting the last few months. Glad to see our favourite customer back again! Also, your coupons from last time are about to expire, so hurry the fuck up and use them. Cress, I’m calling Ingo, it’s fine! As a restaurant owner, I could be happy you’re burning your money on us, but as a friend, it’s bothering me. Anyway, I guess we’ll be expecting you and…? Oh, Emmet and Elesa too. Nice. Elesa has eaten here recently, but not Emmet.
Always been fun guessing what crazy orders you guys would come up with… Yeah, I remember that! You guys absolutely broke Cress with the 90% sugar tea thing. I think you broke me a little too. No, mister, don’t act like you’re completely innocent of this! You put soy sauce on your Nanab split! And it wasn’t even like you mistook it for chocolate sauce or something! No, no, spicy things are a completely reasonable thing to like, unlike soy sauce on everything. Get your ass off my Volcano Tamato Deluxe, I just happen to like cakes and spice —well, you still eat here! If you have bad taste then that’s your loss.
…Yes, Cilan, I’m coming! Sorry, I’d love to talk more, but work calls. Lunch hour and all…Okay! See you on Sunday!”
***
Trio@Striaton @triofoodofficial
We are happy to announce that we’ve been acquired by the Battle Subway! From now on, we will be selling exclusively train-themed food. Railway lovers rejoice!
Chef Cress C. @poursupremacy
CHILI I TOLD YOU NOT TO BET THE RESTAURANT AGAIN
Battle Subway Unova: Singles are Back! @BattleSubwayOfficial
It was a joke. We have NOT legally acquired the restaurant over Chili losing an arm-wrestling match.
i am emmet. @BSDoublesBoss
shouldntve underestimated my brother smh
GL Elesa @shockingsupermodel
Guess Chili being the (Sea)king of arm wrestling wasn’t a sorbet!
wine uncle era @grimgamble
oh how the turn tables. such is a gamble
have you seen lucas? @hikarps
wtf is this
***
Ingo rubs his eyes, pushing himself up from his previously prone position on the couch. His back doesn’t ache when he stretches; this will take some time to get used to. The living room clock, which was 10 minutes fast the last he’d checked, reads 5.15 a.m. Beside him, Emerson chatters excitedly, swaying back and forth and clicking his pincers. It seems his Gliscor was the one to wake him up, as always — back in Hisui, at least, where there was no such thing as an alarm clock or an Emmet. The first rays of sunlight are already peeking through the curtains, so perhaps that’s why. In about an hour and a half, he will need to head to Gear Station for work.
Before unfolding his knees, he does a safety check first for good measure — and it is just as well he did, as his foot had been mere inches away from toppling the pile of Sneasel kits on the other side. Instead, he swings his legs down from the couch before quietly heading towards his room to fetch his work clothes. Emmet is sprawled across an armchair, while Elesa has claimed the window seat. He moves quietly, so as to not wake anyone up. It’s strange to be up before both of them, when he’s usually the latest to rise; Emmet is usually the one waking him, in fact. If their usual post-movie-night schedule is to be followed, he will need to move quickly to bathe, as Emmet is likely to wake up in 10 minutes and instantly lay claim to the shower.
His early morning routine done, Ingo wakes up the rest of his Pokémon (Sneasels included), before stepping out of his room with the biggest pillow he can find. Emmet has done this to him countless times, so he ought to return the favour now he has the chance. And, dragons bless Elesa, but if she is not yet awake, she will soon be as well.
Turns out, Emmet is even more receptive to a dorsal attack than he is, swearing loudly as soon as the pillow hits its mark. Elesa is quickly startled awake, and nearly falls off the seat. Both fix him with steely glares not unlike that of angry alpha Luxrays.
“Good morning, you two! It is now…rather early, but given our current state of disorder, we ought to allot extra time for maintenance. You two can fight over the shower, as I’ve already tidied myself up.”
“Ingo, waking up early? Perhaps we should check for flying Tepig next,” Elesa jokes, brushing her hair out of her face. Emmet tosses the pillow back, picking himself up and turning on the light. “I am Emmet. I am verrrrry pissed. I am going to shower first.”
“Then I shall handle breakfast in the meantime. Will microwave wholemeal croissants be satisfactory?”
“Eh, it’s a cheat day for me regardless,” Elesa replies. “It’s still shocking that you can actually handle kitchen stuff now. I guess the days of burning water are over, then?”
“Nope! Ingo nearly blew up the microwave last week!” Emmet shouts from the bathroom. “He tried to microwave a whole egg!”
“In my defense, I had forgotten exactly why that was not ideal, and it was an egg and nothing else. Besides, I can do more than just use the microwave, you know!” Ingo retorts. “In fact, I can fry something up for you two right now as proof!”
Fried tofu and eggs are simple enough to make, and they come out quite well, if he says so himself. Past Ingo would have somehow created goop only a Garbodor would love. In Hisui, he’d had to learn how to cook, else he would not survive. It was a path of pain and misery, but at long last he’d seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and managed to create something palatable.
There are many stories he has to hold himself back from telling, even to the people closest to him. Emmet will never know the truth about Hisui, about what happened the day he woke up. He does not like keeping secrets from his brother, but he has to; he cannot let Emmet know the truth of the last year, of the journey he’d undertaken, of the blood he’d spilled. Let the past skeletons be buried, and look towards the future — one where the people he cares about are safe and well.
It’s all worth it for these moments, when Emmet comes bursting out of the shower cheerfully, a spring in his step, to peer over his shoulder curiously at the unburnt contents of the pan; when Elesa arrives at the table after tidying up herself, and the three of them chat over a simple breakfast and coffee; when they head out together in a flurry of movement and laughter, with him and Emmet headed for Gear Station to begin the day proper.
It is for every battle, every chat, every moment here that he does not regret his choices. The breeze sweeping through Nimbasa is sweet, and the rumble of the trains is a melody to his ears. He is finally home.