Chapter Text
Chapter 20
“Mhm… Yes… I understand… thank you… Emmet? Look, it wasn’t your fault…” Ingo winced as Emmet shouted into his ear over the phone. His brother was upset about their office being ransacked by paparazzi types. Now neither of them would be able to use it until the investigation was over and the officers there said that would be at least a week unless the suspects plead guilty, which wasn’t looking all that likely. “Emmet I get it… Look, why don’t you take the next few days off… I know, I know but… Then work from home…” Ingo held the phone away from his face and turned to Hilbert who was wringing his hand together, “Tell your boyfriend that he could use the break.” Ingo said, handing the phone to Hilbert and walking away. He rubbed his temples as he walked over to Elesa’s giant couch and collapsed next to her. He sighed and looked over at Melli, who was curled up on the floor with Mereep in his lap and a pile of blankets on and around them. “Almighty Arceus what a mess…”
Elesa rubbed Ingo’s back, “Hey there, none of that. Everything will be fine okay. Breaking and entering is a serious offense.”
Ingo leaned against Elesa, “I guess.” He looked over at Melli whose face was buried in Mereep’s wool. Melli had only just stopped shaking when they had finally made it upstairs after talking with the police that had arrived to take away the would-be prowlers.
“Ingo, your brother’s an idiot!” Hilbert announced suddenly causing everyone to jump.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Ingo muttered darkly, “What did he do this time?”
“It’s what he won’t do,” Hilbert grumbled sitting down on the couch on the other side of Elesa. “He won’t listen about taking the next few days off.”
Ingo sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Let me message Jackie and Drake, and tell them to pull Emmet from the schedule.”
Hilbert laughed coldly, “Force Emmet off, good call.”
Ingo typed quickly on his phone the message to the agents telling them Emmet is to be pulled from all shifts effective immediately. The agents answered quickly back saying that Emmet had been removed from the schedule and asked when he should be allowed to return to duty. Ingo paused and considered his reply. He then turned to Hilbert, “How do you feel about getting out of Nimbasa for a few days?”
Hilbert smiled, “That sounds like a great idea. We should go to Nuvema Town. That way you can see Lady Sneasler.”
Ingo found himself very much liking the idea. “Alright, the four of us will head there in the morning for the week.” Ingo messaged the agents and told them to keep Emmet off the schedule for a week. He then messaged Emmet to let him know that they were all going out of town for the next week.
Then the phone rang, Ingo answered it, “Hey Em-”
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WE ARE GOING OUT OF TOWN FOR A WEEK!?” Emmet shouted into the phone.
Ingo moved the phone away from his head and pressed the speaker button, “Emmet take a breath. We’ve all been through a lot these last few days. You’ve been overclocking yourself by conducting the multicar-train short-staffed. I think it would be a good idea to regroup and spend some time resting our engines.”
Emmet was silent on the other line for a long time, “I don’t know…” he finally said. “There is so much work to do…”
“I think it’s a good idea,” Elesa added helpfully, “Besides everything has been super overwhelming recently. You guys deserve a break.”
“What about Looker and Anabel?” Emmet asked, “You and Melli still have paperwork to finish-”
“If I may,” Ingo heard Anabel’s voice on the other end of the phone, “I think I agree with Ingo, Emmet. This way Looker and I can head the investigation here.”
“Where were you planning on going?” That was Looker's voice asking.
“Nuvema Town.” Ingo said.
“Oh well, in that case…” Emmet said quietly.
“That would be perfect,” Anabel said brightly. “I was going to suggest either there or Undella Town. Lady Sneasler is currently in Nuvema isn’t she?”
“Yes ma'am…” Ingo muttered happily, glad to hear that she remembered.
“That place now has pretty good cell phone service, even in the forests around the town. You guys would be easy enough to reach if we need you for anything.” Looker added helpfully.
“Well Emmet, what do you say?” Hilbert sounded extremely hopeful.
Finally, Emmet sighed, “I am Emmet and I think I have been outvoted.”
Ingo snickered, “Good, when you get home we will start packing then and leave in the morning.”
“Fiiiiiiine…” Emmet said, no longer sounding grumpy. “I should be back in an hour or so.”
Ingo smiled into the phone, “Great, see you then,” and hung up.
“...What is Nuvema Town?” The question made the three on the couch jump and look at Melli. they had been quiet for all this and though Ingo would never say he had forgotten Melli’s presence, his silence had for a short time removed him from the forefront of his mind.
Hilbert was the one to recover first, “Nuvema Town is my hometown. It’s where I was raised for most of my life.”
“What’s it like?” Melli asked, curious.
Hilbert became thoughtful, “Quiet mostly. During the war against Team Plasma a few years ago it was one of the only safe places in the whole region.”
Melli’s eyes grew wide, “There was a war here recently?” He turned to Ingo, “Were you present for it?”
Ingo nodded, “Yes, it happened two years before I ended up in Hisui…”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me about it?” Melli asked, pouting and pulling Mareep deeper into his lap.
“Well,” Ingo said, rubbing the back of his head, “While in Hisui I kind of forgot about it… and it hasn’t come up before now.”
Melli looked down at Mareep and rubbed its cheeks in his hands, “I guess that makes sense. So tell me about this war, then.”
So Ingo, Elesa, and Hilbert told Melli about the war against Team Plasma and Ghetsis. Hilbert was able to share more info about Hilda and N than even Ingo knew about. Elesa explained how they had gotten into Plasma Castle the first time to save two hostages. Ingo went on to explain the use of the subway lines during the final takedown of Team Plasma.
Melli was completely enthralled by this, eyes wide as the three explained the events. By the time Emmet had arrived at the apartment, everyone was so engrossed with recapping those events that they hardly noticed him enter and sit next to Hilbert, quickly pulling Hilbert into his lap; Elesa’s couch being much better designed for couples snuggles than Ingo and Emmet’s couch. Ingo felt a twinge of jealousy when he saw his brother and Hilbert snuggle together so he slid off the couch to join Melli on the floor. Melli seemed to figure out what Ingo was doing and offered him some blanket. Smiling slyly, Ingo grabbed Melli and pulled him… them… into his lap. Ingo was going to make an effort to think of Melli at least with gender-neutral terms at least for now.
Melli yelped as Ingo pulled him into his, taking the Mareep with him. Melli could feel Ingo resting his chin on the top of his head, gently rubbing his chin there. Annoyed, Melli grabbed Ingo’s goatee and, pulling Ingo’s head down, Melli turned and kissed Ingo on the lips. “Quit it,” Melli grumbled.
Elesa laughed at Ingo’s dazed expression and Emmet’s clear jealousy as Emmet tugged Hilbert even closer, resting his head on Hilbert's shoulder, clearly thinking about kissing Hilbert, who was quickly turning Cheri berry red. “Boys, please,” Elesa said through her giggly tears, “If you are going to start doing all this cutesy stuff I am going to ask you to either leave or let me join in.”
“Someone feeling a little lonely?” Emmet asked teasingly.
“You…” Hilbert’s voice cracked, so he swallowed and tried again, “You can join us…”
Elesa squealed happily and jumped into Hilbert’s lap causing Hilbert to go ‘oof’. Ingo chuckled and tugged Melli closer to himself. He could feel Melli yawn under him.
“You tired?” Ingo asked Melli, Melli nodded in reply. “Makes sense. Paperwork can be exhausting. Why don’t we head downstairs and start packing for our trip?”
Melli stood up, paused, and turned to Elesa, “Do you want to come too?”
“Oh, that's sweet.” Elesa beamed at Melli who blushed under her gaze, “But I’m fine, honest. Besides, it's the start of ‘trainer season’ soon.”
Melli frowned, “Then shouldn’t you two stay here?”
Ingo shook his head, “The Battle Subway gets trainers who are interested in more higher-level training. Trainers who aren’t doing the gym challenge.”
Melli nodded, but Ingo could tell he… they… didn’t fully understand what Ingo meant by that.
Emmet nodded, “Alright, I’ll be down in a bit.”
Ingo took Melli’s hand and led him down the hallway towards a set of stairs, “We can’t use the elevator to get to our floor. Elesa’s apartment has extra security around them. But the stairs have a landing at the end of the hallway to mine and Emmet’s apartment.”
Melli nods, “That’s fine. I’d rather walk than need to go to the entry area again.”
The walk down the stairs is silent though Ingo can tell Melli is still full of nerves. Once they reach the landing Melli fully stops, concern clear on his… their face. “You sure no one made it into your apartment?”
Ingo turned and frowned. Instead of answering he pulls Chandalure’s Pokeball from his belt and instructs the Pokemon to make sure no one is in the apartment. Melli relaxes into Ingo’s shoulder, grateful that their concerns are being taken into account. Chandalure returns a few moments later and trills at the pair, Ingo understands that this is her way of saying the coast is clear.
“It’ll be just the two of us in here,” Ingo says calmly. Melli nods and lets themself be led into the apartment.
Melli immediately collapses on the couch and grabs the blankets, wrapping them… him…self up in the blanket. Ingo tries to tuck the blanket in around Melli causing Melli to sigh appreciatively. Ingo then goes into the kitchen starting hot water for tea.
“Ingo…” Melli whimpered from the couch causing Ingo to turn, his expression full of worry. “I’m… I’m sorry I reacted the way I did around all those people.”
Ingo breathes out a sigh of relief, quickly finishing the tea making and taking two mugs to the couch. Melli gasps as he realizes that the mug Ingo is using is the one he had had so very long ago. Ingo took a sip of the warming beverage then leaned against Melli. “You did nothing wrong. Suddenly being swarmed by paparazzi can be very stressful.”
“But… I shouldn’t have needed to be protected like that.” Melli explained. “I am… was… a warden of the highlands. I could take care of myself under some of the most dangerous situations in all of Hisui! But a pack of people with weird cameras? I freeze up like I’m facing an Alpha Steelix and I’m without a partner…”
Ingo sighed and wrapped an arm around Melli’s shoulder. “When I first got back to this time I didn't do well in those sorts of situations either. When I was released from the hospital in Sinnoh I was swarmed by the press and paparazzi at the entrance. One person, I don’t remember who, took a picture of me, with their camera right in my face. The flash went off. I, uh… whited out… next thing I knew Emmet was dragging me off them. I gave that person a broken nose and a black eye. I might have been charged with assault, but there were so many people there who were witnesses to it… No charges were filed, but for weeks I was scared to leave the apartment once we were back in Unova because paparazzi could pop out of almost anywhere and I didn’t want to risk getting into another fist fight…” Ingo sighed, “Which sucked since that meant I couldn’t help Emmet on the Battle Subway.”
“What’d you do?” Melli asked, leaning into Ingo as he sipped his tea.
“Well, I had Emmet around to help me get over my concerns and Elesa retaught me all the tricks she had taught me before about how to avoid them and respond when forced to confront them. When we get back from our trip I’ll see if Elesa can teach you everything she taught me and Emmet. Would you like that?” Ingo asked, placing a gentle kiss on Melli’s cheek.
Melli hummed, “Yeah I think that sounds good. I don’t want to be afraid of this world I now I live in.”
Ingo chuckled at that, “I promise, I will do everything in my power to make it so that the Great Melli has nothing to be afraid of here.”
That caused Melli to bark out a laugh, “Pretty soon, this Unova will fear the Great Melli and his power!”
The pair laughed together for a bit, letting the sound soothe their nerves. Once they pulled themselves together Ingo stood and offered his hand to Melli to help him… them… to their feet. “Alright, let’s get packed, otherwise tomorrow morning is going to be quite chaotic.”