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The light flooding in through your window was nothing but a painful reminder that yet another day had come where you were still in Hisui. It wasn’t that you hated it here, not at all. You were sure under normal circumstances you’d enjoy your time in this strange place. Unfortunately, Hisui as it was just so happened to be missing something that you couldn’t possibly be happy without.
It was missing him.
Every day, the only way you were able to convince yourself to carry on was because you needed to get home to him. You had to return to Unova, back to the loving arms of your partner. Every Pokémon you caught and every noble you quelled was for a sole man. You’d do anything to be reunited with him. You’d fight gods, if necessary, all for the love of that precious Subway Boss who stole your heart- Ingo.
Ingo was the reason why you threw back the covers and dragged yourself upright. Each day, that blanket got more difficult to pry away and your body felt more cumbersome to lug around when a heavy heart weighted it down, but you had to find the strength to get up if you ever wanted to wake next to him again. This room was so lonely. You focused on the day you’d get to step back into the warmth of the apartment you shared with Ingo and his brother. After he moved you in with him, not a day passed where you didn’t see each other either. One day, you trusted that would be the case again. You’d never leave his sight. The thought of him waiting for hours and days and weeks on end for you to come home caused you grief. The two of you completed each other. You had no idea how easy life could be until you had him around to lighten the load. Ingo made up for your shortcomings, as you did his. He loved you for who you were- the good, the bad, and the ugly. No one was perfect, but Ingo was pretty damn close in your eyes. It wouldn’t be conceited to say you were certain he felt the same about you. Even the days when you were difficult to deal with or those rare days he frustrated you were better than these days without him at all. He had to be taking this as hard as you or worse, even with Emmet around to comfort him. You couldn’t imagine how panicked he had to have been at your sudden absence. You absolutely had to get back to Unova to ease his mind.
So, you cleaned up and got dressed for Ingo. You tied your satchel to your waist and grabbed your Pokédex, hoping that with each Pokémon you caught you’d be that much closer to him. With him on your mind, you took a deep breath and stepped outside like nothing was wrong.
Only you didn’t get too far before someone stepped in front of you to ruin that façade.
Your heart stopped momentarily, and that wasn’t an exaggeration. You swore that your beloved Ingo was standing in front of you.
You took a step back. Sure, it looked like him, but he didn’t throw his arms around you. He didn’t say your name so loudly that it got strange stares from others in the area. The man greeted you like a stranger. It sounded just like him, only muted. At this point, you were wondering if there was something in the water, because you had to have gotten so desperate that you were hallucinating and projecting his presence on some random villager.
The spirit of Ingo, as you half-assumed it was, told you that Kamado was waiting for you. You went there without a question, but you were in a daze. The entire conversation went by in a blur as you tried to process if that was really Ingo, someone who looked like him, or just you trying to manifest him to make life here livable. You went through the motions, running on auto-pilot until you were summoned to the training grounds shortly after receiving… whatever task Kamado gave to you. You didn’t even know what you were supposed to be doing.
You couldn’t believe your eyes when you entered the training grounds. There he was again. He was standing right beside Irida. You didn’t understand why your brain would conjure up a vision of him that looked so… sad. Or why you’d ever put him in a Pearl Clan tunic. Then Irida introduced him… as the Warden Ingo.
Ingo. She said his name. Subtly, you pinched yourself and felt it. Warden? Maybe he was related? If so, what cruel fate would send you back in time with your partner’s great grandpa? He’d never mentioned he and Emmet had ancestors in Hisui, or Sinnoh… as the region would eventually be called. Whoever this was, the resemblance was uncanny. Even his outfit looked similar, albeit completely weathered and torn. He had the same mannerisms as the one you loved. He tilted his hat when he spoke to you, but then he pointed. That point-and-call pose of his cemented his identity to you. You were so overjoyed, you wanted to tackle him right where he stood.
“Ingo’s a bit like you, you know,” Irida said, continuing to introduce you to the man you knew better than yourself. “He appeared one day from who-knows-where.”
You wondered how he got there. Were the two of you sent here together and got separated, or did he come in search for you? Before you could ask him anything, Irida said something greatly troubling.
“What’s more, much of his memory seems to be missing.”
The world crashed down around you as his unexpected behavior towards you began to sink in. You were no more than a stranger to him at this point. You hoped you didn’t show how much it killed you inside to hear that. If anything, hopefully they would think your pained expression was a sympathetic one.
“Maybe travelling with you will help fill some of the gaps in his memory…”
You could only hope, and hope you did as you accompanied him to the Coronet Highlands. Not many words were exchanged at first. There was so much you wanted to say, but you didn’t even know where to begin. When he spoke up, there were glimpses of his former self that shined through. He offered you tips on what you’d be facing in the Highlands and advice for how to handle the next noble, which demonstrated he retained his knowledge of Pokémon. Hearing him use his usual lingo made you happy. It was amusing that he still knew how to keep calm against insufferable people, but fortunate for you. You were glad he mostly handled the situation with that other warden so you could proceed, because you were really feeling off your game and not in the mood for it.
When you followed him into that cave so dark and dreary, it took all you had not to reach for his hand. So many times had he guided you through those crowded streets and terminals of Nimbasa City with his fingers laced between yours, knowing how overwhelming they were to you. You wished he would do so now. If you reached for his hand, would he turn you away? Would it jeopardize your chance at him taking you to Sneasler and in turn foil your chances of either of you making it home? You wanted to touch him, just brush your fingers against his skin. You felt that would help both of you, but there was something greater at stake here. Your feelings would have to wait until it was settled.
As you trailed behind him, you still didn’t know what to say, so you listened to him speak. It sounded like he had been waiting for someone to listen. Knowing how broken he was devastated you. It hurt to see him like this. When he went on clearly describing Chandelure and Emmet, you didn’t want to believe what you were hearing. Ingo was always the sentimental one. He’d remember birthdays, anniversaries, and which date the two of you did whatever. He was the one to remind you that you had appointments coming up or that you’d need to be at a location at a specific time. You trusted him more than a calendar. He could rattle off any trivia you’d ever want to know related to railroads. If you mentioned something off-hand, he committed it to memory to surprise you later on. When he greeted people, he always did so with their name. Yes, this included people he may have met on the subway once five years ago.
And all of that was gone now. Everything. Including his memory of you.
You scolded yourself for even briefly entertaining the thought that you must have never been that important to him if seeing your face or hearing your name didn’t spark something within him. You had to reason with yourself that maybe older memories came back first. Emmet and his Pokémon had been around far, far before you entered his life and he could still barely describe them. You needed to trust him and give him time. Besides, you couldn’t read his mind. You didn’t know if he was in your same shoes, recognizing you but holding his tongue in hopes that you’d be his ticket back to your former life.
No matter what, the important thing was that he was with you now. You could keep an eye on him. You could talk to him and spend time with him. Think on the positives, you told yourself. If he was here with no memories, he wasn’t home worrying himself to death over you. This did have you concerned about Emmet, who you prayed would show up too so the three of you wouldn’t be separated any longer.
“I… apologize for startling you earlier,” he said, breaking you out of your internal monologue.
“Hm?”
He paused to look back at you.
“This morning, when we first met outside of your quarters. You stopped in your tracks and looked like you were about to faint.”
“Oh…” You let out a nervous laugh. “It’s just that you…”
You stalled. The words were on the tip of your tongue as you looked upon him, the man you loved- no, the man you love. The man you dragged yourself out of bed every single day in hopes of seeing again. He was right in front of you, in worse condition than you, and you couldn’t even comfort him properly. It hurt to make this decision, but now was not the time. When things in Hisui settled down some, you’d tell him everything. For now, you swallowed the lump that had formed in your throat.
“… You look like someone very close to me.”
“Ah…” The nod he gave was empathetic; the frown he wore was soft. “In that case, I apologize if my presence conjured any unpleasant memories.”
“It’s fine. Really, it’s comforting to know I’m not alone anymore,” you said. After taking a second to evaluate what you said, you added, “Like… alone when it comes to our situation, I mean. You know… being from somewhere else and all.”
“Yes, I understand,” he replied. “Having a kindred spirit does make it a little easier, doesn’t it? I was a bit relieved when Miss Irida told me of you. I no longer feel like the odd one out.”
This lightened the mood, and you were in much better spirits as the two of you pressed onward. After he conducted you to your destination as flawlessly as ever, he requested a battle out of you. You were elated and accepted the challenge without a second thought. His passion and skill for battling Pokémon remained. At least he was able to keep one thing that was precious to him.
It was a tough bout, but you think your desire to prove yourself to him was what ultimately brought you to victory. The look he gave you when the battle was decided was one of admiration. You saw it the very first time you challenged him back home. That look was the same one that made you fall in love with him. You had figured it out; you made up your mind how to tackle this. You won him over once. Surely, you’d be able to do it again knowing him as well as you do now. As he introduced you to Sneasler and then parted ways, you were plotting how to court him while also tending to the end of the world.
You had to ease into get Ingo’s attention, gradually so he could warm up to you. It was a little difficult to do the first time around without help. After your very first victory at the Battle Subway, he gave you his number and said he looked forward to the chance to battle you again. Sure, it may have been a business card, but you got his number either way. You took him up on his offer a few times, earning his respect one fainted Pokémon at a time. Eventually, you had a chance to go against both him and his twin, who ended up being your saving grace.
Emmet was blunt, and quite observational, which worked in your favor. He lingered after Ingo excused himself to return to his train, and he asked if you had a crush on his brother. You were embarrassed to be called out, but couldn’t deny it. You begged him not to tell Ingo, and he said he wouldn’t. Before he left, he mentioned since you were now his friend, you were welcome to come visit the Gear Station office any time.
At the time you found it odd, considering all this happened during his very first encounter with you, but that was all part of his charm. You visited Emmet often and formed a genuine friendship. You didn’t bring up Ingo during your initial visits, because you honestly weren’t trying to use Emmet to get to him. You really did want a friend. Despite this, Emmet always found a chance to tease you about his brother and ask what was taking so long- which, you suppose, is what friends do. He proved to be an extremely competent wingman. If Ingo happened to be around when you stopped by, Emmet would often apologize to you and say he had somewhere to be, leaving you alone with his twin. If Ingo wasn’t, he’d fill you in on secrets to woo the other when he wasn’t talking to you about the matches he won, or his Pokémon, or the cool upgrades that they were implementing in the station.
Even though the feelings between you and Ingo were mutual, according to your reliable source, it took you a while to confirm. He appeared to be just as excited to see you during your visits, but was so pleasant to everyone that you didn’t feel like you were getting any special treatment to set you apart. He was such a gentleman, he never tried to put moves on you or make any jokes of a crude nature to gauge your interest. But with Emmet playing matchmaker, you were able to get closer to Ingo. Eventually, the three of you even began to hang out elsewhere after work. Emmet somehow managed to find more reasons to ditch the two of you. Ingo often apologized for his brother’s departures, but made no effort to go hunt for him in favor of getting all your attention. After a while, he took the hint and began asking you to hang out without his brother. Things went uphill from there.
These fond memories made you mourn for your best friend’s absence and worry about his current wellbeing, but also made you more determined to win back his brother. He’d want the two of you to be together. He eventually confessed to you a few months into your first-time courting Ingo that all he really wanted was someone to take care of his brother like his brother took care of him. You promised you would always do that, and you intended to keep that promise. You were going to help Ingo remember Emmet, and yourself. You were going to fulfill your purpose in Hisui. You were either going to find Emmet, or return to him with Ingo in tow. You just had to form a gameplan.
One day, after a neck-to-neck battle that ended in Ingo’s favor, the smell of food wafting from the Wallflower gave you an idea. You wondered if he forgot to eat as often here as he did when he was back home. He always blamed it on the fact that he was so busy, but you knew it was never a priority of his and frequently slipped his mind. You were going to go off that assumption. If stopping by the office with coffee or snacks for him and his brother was a major bonding moment the first time around, it was worth trying again, if only to make sure he was taking care of himself.
“Have you eaten today?” you asked Ingo shortly after congratulating him on his victory. Realizing that was a little too up-front, you added, “I’m about to go to the Wallflower for supper. You’re welcome to join me, if you’d like.”
He stroked his chin. You thought it was funny that this was never something he did before, probably because he was always clean shaven. You wondered if his facial hair would tickle you if he were to kiss you now.
“Now that you mention it, I don’t believe I have,” he responded, tearing you away from the idea of kissing him. “That’s terrible, isn’t it?”
“I mean, it happens sometimes. Still, we can’t have you running on empty,” you said with a laugh. “How about it? Would you care to join me?”
“You don’t mind?” he cautiously asked. “I don’t wish to intrude upon your meal.”
“I’d be more hurt if you said no,” you joked, causing his cheeks to tint.
“Ah, I can’t allow you to get hurt,” he said. “In that case, I’d be honored to join you.”
You beamed, knowing you had taken the first step back into his heart. Spending dinner with him again was pleasant. He didn’t have much to say, but his company was enough. When he had to part from you to return to his settlement, you had to talk yourself out of following him.
You made this up to yourself by deciding to survey the Coronet Highlands the following day. Ingo didn’t spend every day at the training grounds. As a warden, he had things to tend to in his noble’s domain. Fortunate for you, you needed to research Pokémon from said domain. You lucked up. Today was one of the days that he hadn’t went to Jubilife Village and you did manage to run into him out and about with Sneasler.
“Hi Ingo!” you greeted. The Pokémon approached you, silently demanding her customary scratch on the chin. “Hi there, Sneasler.”
“Hello there!” he said. He linked his hands behind his back. “What brings my favorite member of the Survey Corps out this way?”
You knew you were blushing hard from the flattery. You couldn’t help it when he said such flirty things.
“Trying to fill the pages for Gligar and Gliscor,” you said. It wasn’t a complete fallacy. You still had a job to do, after all.
“You’re certainly in the right place. My Gliscor came from this area, though he was not yet evolved when I caught him.”
“Yeah, my research on them is coming along nicely… It’s about lunchtime though,” you said, hoping it sounded causal. “I was about to stop for a brief picnic.”
“Today’s a lovely day for one.”
“Are you busy?” you asked. “I have more than enough packed if you’d like to join me… Both of you.”
It was now his turn to blush. The invitation appeared to have caught him off guard.
“You don’t mind?” he asked.
You shook your head. Mind? No, this was exactly what you had wanted.
Though Sneasler went on about her business, Ingo agreed to join you, and even helped you find a picnic spot with the best view. He talked a lot more this day than he did the night before, possibly because of the lack of others. He was always cordial, but it was common for him to get chatty when he was isolated. You were able to get him to explain some of his duties as a warden to you, which gave you an opportunity just to admire him without him wondering why you were staring.
Eventually, you allowed Ingo a break from talking so he could eat what you had given to him. When he was nearly finished, you removed the secret weapon that you had wrapped up and saved for last from your satchel.
Ingo had a sweet tooth, a really bad sweet tooth. You were proud of yourself the day you were able to order his favorite intricate coffee drink without having to read it off to the annoyed barista. If he was ever having a bad day, you’d make sure that he came home to freshly baked treats to brighten his mood. It was difficult to find anything remotely sweet enough here to compare with his favorite snacks from Unova. Honey cakes were about the sweetest thing you were able to find, and they were easy to make. After likely going so long without something to satisfy that craving, you were excited to see his reaction.
“Oh, hey,” you said. Ingo lifted his head to look at you. “I brought honey cakes too.”
“Honey cakes?” he asked. You nodded. “I don’t think I’ve had one before, but the name sounds appetizing.”
“Well, Pokémon seem to like them just fine. I think they’re pretty good, too. I made these ones myself. Would you like to try one?”
“I think I would, thank you.”
“Oh, yeah,” you said, waving him off before handing him a cake. “Don’t mention it.”
You observed him, but not closely enough to make him self-conscious, as he took a bite, then another larger one. When he paused to swallow so he could speak, he was nodding.
“You made this?” he asked, and you bobbed your head. “It’s excellent! Would you believe I’ve had a craving for something sweet lately? I just haven’t been able to find any berries, or anything really, sweet enough to satisfy it. This… This is probably the best thing I’ve eaten since I’ve been here.”
“Really?” you exclaimed. You figured he’d like it, but didn’t expect that much enthusiasm. “Even better than Beni’s-…”
“Yes. No exaggeration.”
Your heart felt so full. He had just made your whole month.
“Well, there’s plenty more. You’re welcome to take them back with you.”
“Oh. I couldn’t take your food,” he said, though unconvincingly.
You grabbed one for yourself then wrapped up the others and placed them in front of him. “Please. I have the ingredients to make plenty more. I want you to have these.”
There were no further protests.
“Thank you…” he said with a grateful tip of his head.
“You’re very welcome.”
You noticed him eyeing them, but was surprised when he sheepishly asked, “… Would you mind if I have one more?”
“Dude, they’re yours,” you laughed. “You can eat them all.”
He chuckled along with you and grabbed a second. “Much appreciated.”
You caught him trying to sneak shy glimpses of you as the two of you finished eating. You remembered that look well. You had gotten it so many times during your original endeavor to woo him. Those brief, bashful glances that he used to give you when you were chatting with Emmet were just as cute to you now. Noticing them had you on cloud nine for the rest of the day. After you parted, you felt a goofy grin on your face that you couldn’t wipe away. You were able to sleep better at night after drifting off to coming up different situations for how the two of you would officially get together again.
Your meals together became a routine. You kept cakes on you to offer to him if you ran into him in the wild. If you met up in the village, it was customary to battle to determine who was treating who. Though, Ingo hardly abided by those rules. More often than not, he’d be sly and beat you to taking care of the tab before you had a chance. Afternoons at the Wallflower were about as close to going on a date as you could get. You cherished each one.
“Can I admit something to you?” he said one day in the midst of a meal.
Your heart skipped a beat, hoping that this would be about him realizing your identity.
“Yes, of course!” you said. “You can tell me anything.”
He took a moment to collect his thoughts before proceeding.
“I just wanted to say, I am grateful for your hospitality,” he started. “I’m unsure if you realize how beneficial these kind invitations from you have been to me.”
“Oh, it’s nothing, really,” you said. It may not have been what you originally wanted to hear, but it was still very sweet of him to say.
“But it is something to me… You see, I had been having a bit of a hard time remembering that I must make a stop to eat,” he admitted. “One would think such a basic human function wouldn’t be so easily forgotten, but some days it slips my mind and I don’t recognize it until the most inopportune time.”
“Oh,” you said, sitting down your utensils. “You didn’t get hurt because of it. Did you?”
“Ah, only once… But that was when I first got here, so I was more preoccupied with surviving. Unfortunately, it still did little to help me be more aware of my intake… Yet with you around, there is much less to be concerned about.”
You were glad the two of you met again when you did. You grew sad at the idea that you weren’t around to help him then. He must have picked up on your shift in mood, because he continued.
“I didn’t say this to make you worry. Please, don’t think by any means that I require you to burden yourself with making sure I survive… In fact, the thought that I might run into you has proved to be a great reminder to take care of myself,” he said with a light laugh. “I need you to know that your kindness is much appreciated. I’m unsure what I did to win your favor, but if there’s anything I can ever do to return it, it’d be my pleasure to assist.”
“You’re welcome,” you said. “Believe it or not, I benefit from these meals just as much as you.”
“I believe it,” he said. “We kindred spirits need to look out for each other, right?”
Your courting of Ingo continued on for weeks. You felt you were making serious progress with him. He’d gotten comfortable enough to joke and tease you. You were the person he came to when he remembered something new that he thought was worth mentioning. He encouraged you to tell him about your adventures and how your Pokédex was coming along. Your original plan was to get him to fall in love with you again, but you found yourself falling victim to your own scheme. Each day, you loved him more than before. You weren’t sure how that was even possible, but you managed it.
One day, during dinner, you noticed his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Something was bothering him, but he hadn’t mentioned what. You wondered if it had been about something new he remembered, or if maybe he was homesick. Either way, you couldn’t have him upset.
“Ingo?”
He looked up from his plate at you.
“Are you okay? It’s not like you to be this quiet.”
“There’s something I wish to speak to you about,” he said. “But I would prefer not to do it over dinner.”
You nodded, and your heart raced. It could be anything.
“Prelude Beach?” you asked. It was close, but far enough out that it was likely you’d be alone. It was also pretty romantic during twilight.
He agreed to this location. The two of you finished eating in near silence. Side by side, you then walked to the shore together without uttering a word.
“I want your complete honesty,” Ingo said when the two of you were alone on the beach.
“Of course,” you said. “I’d never lie to you.”
“Have you fallen for me?” he asked, point blank.
You had to fight back a smile, because this wasn’t the first time he went with this approach. You remember that night you got up the nerve to ask him if he would join you on the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. He stared at you for a moment before asking that same question, straight to the point after months of being seemingly oblivious to your advances.
“Well, yeah,” you giggled. “Yes, I was waiting for you to notice how much I love you, Ingo.”
The reaction this time wasn’t nearly as enthusiastic as last. He didn’t turn bright red and cover his mouth. He didn’t glance around before pointing at himself in disbelief. He didn’t scoop you into his arms and kiss your cheek. No, he looked like he wanted to cry. Your confidence over the situation took a nosedive.
“When we first met, you told me that I remind you of a man you once knew,” he solemnly said. “It’s a comment that didn’t cross my mind again until recently. When I think back, that look in your eyes that day was one of love… If you are pursuing me because of your love for him, I must ask you to refrain. Though it may bring temporary comfort, a substitute will do you no good. It will only cause your heart more suffering.”
What? This was a turn of events you hadn’t anticipated in the slightest. It wasn’t supposed to happen at all. If you worked quick, maybe you could settle his concerns.
“Oh, no… Ingo… I think you have the wrong idea,” you said. “I don’t think of you as a substitute at all… I genuinely adore you. Every day I’ve fallen a little more in love with you. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in my entire life.”
The longing in his eyes seemed to be a complete contradiction to his next words.
“Even if that is the case, I still cannot allow you to be lead on. “
Your head was spinning. What was he saying? None of this made any sense. You knew those signs! Those looks! The way his voice softened when he spoke to you! You’d been through all this once before. It was clear as day that he wanted you, but something was holding him back.
“… Why?” You heard the strain in your own voice, but hoped that it may have escaped him.
“I’m already in love with someone else,” Ingo admitted. Those words knocked the wind out of you initially, but he continued. “There is someone from my past who is quite dear to me. Though I do not remember much of my partner, nor if we’ll ever reunite again, my heart cannot accept another.”
Your face paled. Was he turning you away because… he already loved you?
“I’ll confess, the way I feel around you mirrors that which I felt for them in many, many ways. I’d be willing to say it may be identical,” he said. “You are a great comfort to me. You help ease these burdens of mine, and I have struggled with a bit of an infatuation of my own since the first time I saw your face. Every time you did something kind for me, my feelings for you worsened while my memory of that love I knew also grew more prevalent. I have entertained the thought of confessing to you before, but my love for my partner won’t allow it. It’s too much. I could never be untrue, or dream of hurting them. Even if that means I must live the rest of my days alone, I’ll do it in honor of our bond.”
“Ingo…”
It was conflicting. You were both overjoyed that he loved you so much that he would never think of being with anyone else, and crushed because that meant he couldn’t allow himself to fall in love with you again.
“And… you deserve better than that,” he continued as you stood there speechless. “You’d only become a substitute, and that’s not fitting of you. You deserve someone who can give you one hundred percent of their love. You’re very kind, and very beautiful. You’re talented and there’s just… There’s so much about you worth loving…”
You couldn’t believe any of this. You choked up. He didn’t have the slightest idea what he was doing.
“I know you’re lonely. Trust that I know your pain better than anyone in this region,” he said. “I sincerely wish I could help ease that pain and mend that hole your long-lost love has left in your heart. All I can offer you is my friendship.”
He patted your shoulder as you stood there crying in disbelief, which was worse than doing nothing at all. You just wanted him to hold you tight and rock you and kiss your temple like he always used to do to calm you down. That chaste pat on the shoulder just gave you a taste of what you lost.
“Ingo,” you sniffled. “Please… I love you. We love each other.”
“Yes, but it should go no further than this,” he said. As he watched you frantically shake your head, he sighed. “You’re… You’re tempting, I’ll give you that. It’s clear we both have strong feelings for each other. But please, I have to ask that you not use that to lead me astray. Should I ever be reunited with my beloved, I wish to do so with no regrets. If you do love me, like I know you do, you’ll respect that.”
You had good intentions with your original plan, but it had backfired. You needed to turn the situation back in your favor, in the favor of both of you.
“What if I told you there’s a reason that we both feel this way?”
He mulled over your question for a second.
“I’d have my reservations, but am willing to listen.”
This was your chance. You dried your tears and took a deep breath. You were coming clean.
“Ingo, the reason I make it a point to reach out to you is because I know these things about you,” you started. “I didn’t pick them up. I knew. Like, your eating habits aren’t anything new. Your memory loss has nothing to do with that. And I like battling, yeah, but not nearly as much as you do. I come to the training grounds every chance I get because I know how much joy it brings you. Think about what you’re saying and everything that’s happened… Doesn’t it make sense that people we’re looking for are right here? You’re the man I miss. You love me! I know you love me. I know I’m the one you love! There’s no one else! Everything you’re remembering is how you feel for me. I wish I could just make it click!”
You should have remained calmer, but months of holding back burst free at once. You couldn’t fathom letting him walk away without knowing what he was walking away from.
When you gathered the courage to look at him after your outburst, you wished you would have never met his eyes. Never in your life had you seen that look he gave you. He was fuming, frustrated to the point of tears. He stared at you in utter disbelief.
“I’m going to assume you’re delusional rather than disrespectful. I want to believe you’re more mature than that.” His tone was so cold; it felt like icicles piercing through your heart. Still, you could hear his voice wavering. He was hurt. “Either way, I cannot entertain this anymore. I’ll be departing.”
“Ingo, wait!” You grabbed his wrist so he didn’t walk away. He didn’t want to hear anything else you had to say, but you had to smooth this over. If you ruined things with him, you didn’t know how you’d find the strength to go on. “Listen, I didn’t mean to offend you… I promise you; I’m not trying to deceive you into being with me. I-I can prove we know each other. Please, hear me out.”
He shook your hand off of his wrist, but said, “Proceed.”
“T-The birthmark on your hipbone. I wouldn’t know about that unless I knew you intimately, no?”
He recoiled as his hand covered the spot you described almost defensively.
“Have you honestly gone so far as to watch me?”
“No, no. I swear!” you assured him, holding your hands out. Fuck. Now he thought you were a liar and a pervert. “I can think of something better. I can prove myself. I swear! Um… What about something not physical? Something you wouldn’t tell just anyone?”
You looked him over, trying to get an idea. Your eyes settled on his coat. You snapped your fingers when you realized the perfect thing to bring up.
“Your coat! I’m sure you’re still wearing that coat not only because of the sense of pride associated with it, but because you like the weight of it on your back.” He was self-conscious about this, but because of that, only people who were really close to him were aware of it. “You always have. It settles your nerves. Overheating is more comfortable to you than taking it off. It’s not just the coat either. You were always the little spoon when we laid together, because you felt comforted with me behind you. Before I moved in with you, you slept with your back to the wall.”
Though he didn’t confirm you were correct, you could see his expression soften as his cheeks turned pink at this. You continued.
“And I’m willing to bet you didn’t remember your name when you first got here. You knew it because it’s written on the tags of that coat and your hat. Though you and your twin do your laundry separately as adults, it’s a habit from when you were kids.”
His eyes widened; his face paled. You watched his pupils dart, and knew the wheels in his head were spinning.
“My… twin?”
“Yes! Your twin, Emmet. Does that name ring any bells? He’s that man you tell me about sometimes! He looks just like you. Like, so close that the two of you used to try to prank me to see if I really knew the difference between you, but your personalities always gave you away. And he has a smile that can light up a room. The two of you were each other’s rivals and best friends. You’re both subway bosses an-…”
“Stop.” He cut you off, pinching his nose. His voice was a pitch higher than you’d ever heard from him. “You’ve said enough.”
You felt your soul leave your body. That was it, your last chance. You blew it. You had never seen him so disappointed, and you wished you could have gone your whole life without being the one to cause it. You hated this. It wasn’t supposed to happen. As much as it upset you, you couldn’t bring yourself to be upset with him. You were only upset for him. It was such a shame to love someone so much, but not know who. You couldn’t imagine the torment of caring for and being so devoted to someone but knowing so little about them that you couldn’t even realize they were right in front of you. Ingo loved you, that much was certain. Even if you never got to hold him again, he’d proven his love for you.
The best thing you could do for Ingo now would be to leave him alone. Maybe one day it would come back to him, maybe not. Whatever the case, you couldn’t bring yourself to cause him any more pain. There were Pokémon to catch. There were plates to find. Emmet was somewhere where the two of you were not. There was still the possibility that you could one day return to Ingo in Unova as the one he loved unconditionally. You had to hold on to these things or else there was nothing left.
It was going to be a long walk back to your quarters, but you needed to be alone now… By yourself, rather, because you were already alone in Hisui. As you took a few steps away, you heard his near-silent voice behind you.
“Don’t go… Please.”
You froze and turned back to face him. He took a deep breath, then another that was shakier.
“I believe you,” he whispered.
“You do?”
He nodded.
“I do. Every single thing you said resurrected the memories…” he muttered. When his hand dropped, you could see how the tears brimmed his eyes. “But I must ask- why? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why keep me in the dark if you’ve longed for me like I long for you?”
Again, you wished you could have gone your whole life without being the cause for how distraught he was right now. You felt so guilty for hiding this from him for so long. At first, it was what was best for the region. After all was said and done, you no longer had that excuse.
“I… thought I could win you over again,” you confessed. “Or help you remember me on your own. I didn’t know if you’d believe me, so I hoped to lead you to it…”
“Well, part of me certainly didn’t want to believe you,” he said through his tears. “It made me angry and confused me, because I didn’t want to accept that I could have forgotten someone so… so unforgettable. I feel like such a fool that you were right there, patiently loving me this entire time. All this just for a shell of the man you love.”
“You’re not a fool, and even without your memories, you’re still my Ingo,” you said. “When I fell in love with you, I fell in love with everything. I accepted long ago, all the way back in Unova, that it’s not always going to be easy. Somedays I’d have to work for it and sometimes it’s going to hurt. It took months first time, and I love you so much I was willing to do it all again. I’d do it over and over ‘til the end of time if I had to.”
After you finished speaking, Ingo held out his arms for you, like you had been hoping he’d do since the first time you saw him outside of your quarters. You fell into his embrace. When he wrapped his arms around you, you finally felt like you had made it home. Just a hug from him made everything the two of you been through worth it.
“I apologize for being so unnecessarily callous and accusing you,” Ingo whispered as he tenderly rocked you. “I can only imagine how much I was breaking your heart.”
“Ingo, shh… I don’t blame you. You were just trying to do what was right,” you assured him. “I’m not upset with you. I promise, I’m not.”
All the tears were eventually let out, and he two of you swayed in each other’s arms for a while, as if you were making up for lost time.
Ingo eventually lifted his head, and tilted yours up so he could give you a kiss. Your question from months ago was answered; it did tickle. You found yourself giggling against his lips. When he broke away and released you from his embrace, he held your shoulders and gazed into your eyes.
“Tell me, how many more Pokémon do you need for this quest?” Ingo asked. “And plates?”
“Only a handful of both, I’m pretty sure,” you said with a tilt of your head. “Why do you ask?”
“We are together, but we’re not done. Someone special is still waiting for us, I feel it. I’m sure between the two of us, we can get back to him in no time.”
“Yes!” you agreed.
“Let’s get some rest,” he said. “We’ve got plenty of work left to do.”
The light of the moon as you walked hand in hand with Ingo was a reminder that yet another day in Hisui had come to a close, and you were one day closer to being home.