Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ingo exited the control room after his lunch break with Emmet, the two chatting away as they prepared to board their respective trains. They ran a quick maintenance check together on the fuse box near the platform as they walked along, doing it almost robotically from the ingrained muscle memory. They pulled out their respective pocket watches, ensuring that the trains were arriving on schedule. As it was a weekday afternoon, the platform was bustling with people, coming and going, in and out, boarding and exiting different trains. Ingo had missed this. 

It had been nearly three months since his return from Hisui. He recognized there were still some blotches in his memory, but he was slowly regaining it back. It had been a long and bumpy track for him, but he was finally feeling at home in Unova again. Emmet had never smiled brighter, even to his limited recollection, than anytime he laid eyes on Ingo now. In the mornings, when Ingo got up earlier and Emmet wandered into the kitchen to see him sitting with his coffee, when Emmet saw him in the control room running the lines, when Ingo walked in the door with groceries, everytime the older brother came into his sight, Emmet’s face lit like the sun. It made Ingo realize how much his little brother had missed him. 

A train was pulling into the station now. The two brothers stood off to the side, point-and-calling at passengers as the engine slowed, the brakes screeching to a halt. “Stay clear of the yellow lines! Allow previous passengers off before boarding!” Ingo called, his loud voice carrying over the crowd. The doors opened with a hiss, people streaming out of the doors and up the steps of the Subway, into the city of Nimbasa. Emmet patted Ingo on the shoulder, making him glance at Emmet. Emmet was looking at him, the smile more in his eyes than on his face. Ingo patted his hand. 

As they waited for the trains to finish emptying, the two stood side by side and simply watched the crowd, the loud buzz of human activity reminding Ingo why he had hearing loss. “Emmet, I do believe it is time for our Battles. I wish you luck on your line today. Let me know if you need anything.” Emmet nodded, his smile setting with determination. 

“I will meet with you at 20:15 sharp to reconvene for home station.” 

They both called out, “All aboard!” in unison as they split off, boarding their separate trains. Ingo got into his car and set out his Pokemon, allowing them to stretch and prepare for any battles that came their way. 

There were a good number of Trainers that faced him today, a notion that excited him. That meant more Trainers were beating enough people to face him! Bravo! Time flew by in a blur of praises thrown at competitors and commands to his Pokemon, who enjoyed battling just as much as he did. He always ensured to send out the most appropriate Pokemon against his opponent. He was not as focused on specific stats and such like Emmet was, which is why he preferred Single Battles. 

Before he knew it, he was disembarking from his line, his team tucked safely away in his pocket. The clock on his Xtrans read 19:56. He had exactly nineteen minutes until he should expect to meet with Emmet. A little early. He stood on the platform, watching the last of the passengers exit the platform and leave the station from his train. Ingo contemplated if he should wait for Emmet in the control room or simply wait here on the platform. It was not a far walk, but it might be a nice change of pace. The station was mostly empty now, a couple small groups milling around as he stood and waited on the sidelines. 

“Ingo!” What? Ingo looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. “Uncle Ingo!” Ingo’s eyes widened. Only one person called him that. 

“Dawn?” The girl came running up to him wearing a different outfit than he remembered. She wore a pink skirt and a black tank top, a pink hat situated on her head. She barreled into him, hugging him tightly and squeezing the breath out of him. “I- hello, there, Dawn. How-” he paused, taking in her posture. Her face was buried into his shirt, her back and shoulders rigid. She was shaking. She was oddly quiet. Something was wrong. “Are you alright, Dawn?” Ingo patted her on the back as she let out a muffled sob into his shirt, making his adrenaline spike. What was wrong? She wouldn’t say anything. Had something happened? Was she hurt? How had she gotten here?

Ingo gently removed Dawn from his front, kneeling down on one knee so he was a little shorter than her. He gently tucked back her hair, seeing her puffy, red eyes and her tear-stained face. Ingo felt a surge of protectiveness through his body, but tried not to show it. He looked at her, his frown deepening in concern. “What is the matter, Dawn?” he asked quietly. 

She took some deep breaths as Ingo gently squeezed her arms, holding her up. She hung her head. “I-I-” Dawn gasped, taking in a shuddering breath. “I… can’t be, I just, there’s so much and…” 

“Take a moment, Dawn. I have all the time in the station. Make sure to run any safety checks before proceeding.” Her eyes met with his, filled with a deep, aching pain. 

“I have nowhere else to go. I… I went home after Hisui and I… there was…” she choked up, wiping the tears from her face before continuing. “My mom. She’s gone. I have no where else left.” Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, a new wave of salty hot wet leaking from them. Ingo immediately pulled her into him, allowing her to sob on his shoulder as he gently rubbed her back. Oh, this poor child. Ingo remembered how she had been so excited to go home and see her dear mother. The way she had phrased it made it sound like her mother had passed on, but Ingo did not know for certain. 

He made up his mind then. As her self-appointed uncle, she could find solace with him. Him and Emmet. Emmet had mentioned wanting to meet the girl who was responsible for getting him home. Though, Ingo had to admit, this was a bit of a cruel joke for fate to play. Ingo spoke softly, saying comforting words to the crying child in his arms. He flicked his wrist towards him over her back, typing a quick message to Emmet before putting it away and refocusing all his attention on her. 

“I-I-I- I only g-got back last week,” she sobbed. “Arceus returned me a-and when I went home,” she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, “Barry’s mom said that she was looking f-f-f-for me and got attacked. By a Toxicroak. She didn’t have her Pokemon with her and she couldn’t handle the poison. She’s gone. My mom is gone and its my fault.” Ingo immediately paused in his rubbing of her back. 

“Oh, Dawn, of course it isn’t your fault. You did not ask to be diverted to Hisui, yes? Nor did you cause the accident to happen.”

“B-but if I would have finished e-earlier I could have s-stopped it-”

“You did not know. You were doing the best you could with what you had. You were already working yourself too hard, even when you sent me back to my home station. Do not blame yourself. This was out of your control.” 

“B-but she was only away because she was l-looking for me-”

“I know that your mother would not blame you, either. Nobody does. I know it is difficult to accept, but you did not cause this. There was no one who did. I’m so sorry, Dawn. I’m so sorry.” He continued rubbing her back as she heaved mighty sobs into his coat, dampening it. Ingo did not mind. “You are more than welcome to stay with us, Dawn. As long as you need. We will be right here for you, alright?” Dawn nodded into his shoulder. 

A new train entered the platform. Ingo covered Dawn’s ears as the whistle blew, signaling that it was about to brake. The brakes thrusted on, screeching the massive locomotive to a halt. The doors hissed open as normal. Ingo removed his hands, taking Dawn’s shoulders and positioning her so he could see her face. “Emmet is about to join us from that train. He is a little blunt, but he means well. He has been wishing to meet you. These are… less than optimal conditions, but he already cares for you, too, from what I have told him about you. We will take you back to our home tonight. You must have had a long journey to get here.” Dawn nodded, wiping her eyes. 

As promised, Emmet was almost the first off the train, looking around with wide eyes as he frantically searched for Ingo. The two made eye contact over Dawn’s shoulder, Emmet bursting into a sprint. “Ingo? Are you alright?” Emmet skidded to a halt a couple feet from the pair. Ingo stood, keeping his hold on Dawn’s shoulders. He gave them a squeeze. She reached up and took his hand, hiding her face with her hair. 

“Emmet, this is Dawn. Dawn traveled from Sinnoh for a surprise visit. I can explain more when we are home. She will be staying with us.” 

Emmet nodded, taking in her heaving shoulders and the wet spot on Ingo’s coat. “I am Emmet. You helped Ingo return. You are welcome in our home.” He looked at Ingo, his eyebrows knitting, confusion and concern plain on his face. Ingo pulled up his free hand signing, explain later. Emmet nodded. “Shall we depart for the home station?”

“I did not inform the others of our schedule change.” 

“I am Emmet. I will take care of it.” Emmet briskly walked past them down the hallway to the control room. 

“I-I’m not causing any trouble, am I?” Dawn asked quietly, bringing her gaze up to Ingo. She still looked like a wreck, but at least the tears had stopped flowing. 

“Of course not, young Dawn. We were hoping to get an early evening anyway.”

“This is early? It’s almost 8:30.”

“The Subway runs late and me and Emmet are oftentimes the ones who close the platform and arrive early to open it the next morning. Elesa, a close friend of ours, frets that we work too much. She would be delighted to know we took an evening off,” Ingo chuckled warmly. Dawn gave a small smile, watery, but there. “I believe you would like Elesa. She can be a handful sometimes, but she cares for us. She also makes puns quite a lot. I find them funny. Emmet does not.”

“You like puns?” 

“Why do you think much of my speech is train puns?” Dawn lowered her head, considering the question as Emmet returned. 

“Shall we depart, brother? Dawn?” Emmet smiled at them. Dawn finally looked up into his face - and blanched. 

“Oh, you guys are twin twins. Like. Identical.” Emmet and Ingo both laughed. Emmet absentmindedly reached out and took Dawn’s other hand. Ingo knew he did not like seeing others cry, especially children. Dawn looked at him skeptically, but did not pull away. The brothers led the way out of the Subway, keeping a firm but gentle hold on the crying teen as they exited the station, entering the evening of Nimbasa City.

Chapter Text

The three of them entered the home, swiftly shutting the door behind them and the two Bosses shedding their outer layer, hanging the coats and hats up on their hangers in the closet. They toed off their boots, as well, indicating to Dawn that she could remove her tennis shoes. Then Ingo led her to the spare bedroom in their apartment, as he and Emmet had been sharing a room since his return. Neither of them were truly ready to sleep apart yet. He opened the door to what used to be his room, his clothing still hanging in the closet and his things still strewn on the desk. 

“You are welcome to stay in this room. I’ve been occupying Emmet’s room at night anyway, so this one does not get much use currently.” Dawn squeezed his hand. 

“Thank you, Uncle Ingo. Really.”

Ingo laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly. “Of course, young Dawn. The safety of our passengers is of utmost importance” He looked at her, his voice shimmering with warmth. “Are you hungry? Me and Emmet have not eaten and there are some leftovers in the fridge.”

“N-no, I’m okay, thank you though. I think I might just turn in a little early.”

“That is alright. We sleep in the room next door, just come wake me if you need anything. The bathroom is just down the hall. Do you have any changes of clothes?” Dawn revealed a knapsack that Ingo had not noticed slung across her back. “Lovely. If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. We will likely be a few minutes before we rest our cabs ourselves, but we will make sure to be quiet.” Dawn nodded, hugging him tightly again. He hugged her back. Then she detached, bidding him good night as he left the room. 

Ingo entered the light of the kitchen, finding Emmet had already heated up two portions of pasta and was shoveling one into his mouth at an alarming speed. “Can you taste it?” Ingo asked as he came over and sat down, earning a dirty look from Emmet. 

“I never make fun of how you eat.”

“Because I chew.” They sat in a comfortable silence as the two of them ate their food, the meal quickly gone. Ingo collected their plates, taking them to the sink to wash them. Emmet followed him. He stood close by, not asking any questions. He did not have to. 

“Her mother passed away,” Ingo whispered. “Back in Hisui we bonded. She refers to me as her uncle. She showed up on the platform today, crying. She says she has no other family. I told her she was welcome to stay,” Ingo glanced at Emmet, making for 100% sure that was okay. He had not asked ahead of time. 

Emmet looked… sympathetic. He nodded solemnly. “She is welcome here. You did not tell me I had a niece,” he grinned softly. 

“I did not think it was relevant.” Ingo finished placing the dishes in the dishwasher, closing the appliance. The Rotom inside immediately began the cycle. “I do not know how long she will stay for. I did not want to pressure her. She is such a kind child…” he trailed off. “Dawn blames herself for her mother’s death. She passed due to poisoning from a Pokemon while out looking for her daughter while she was in Hisui. I did my best to reassure her, but I worry I made it worse.” 

Emmet grabbed his hand softly. “I am Emmet. I doubt that.” Ingo turned his gaze back on Emmet. “It is still a fresh wound. It will take time.” Emmet’s normally flat tone did not reveal anything, but his face told a different story. There was a reason Ingo slept within reaching distance of Emmet, after all. 

“She tucked in early. What will the schedule entail for tomorrow? I am unsure that we should leave her alone tomorrow.” 

Emmet rubbed his chin. “We can take a day off. Clean up the room for her. Invite Elesa over. She will likely know what to do.” Ingo nodded. Elesa was much better at the offering-comfort thing than either of the twins. “We should rest our cabs.” Emmet lightly pulled Ingo to their now-shared bedroom, both of them changing clothes and climbing into bed. No sooner had they stilled than Ingo heard a noise. It was coming from Dawn’s room. He and Emmet locked eyes. Emmet could hear it too. 

Ingo stood, creeping quietly out of their room, Emmet close by on his heels. He pried the other door open, peeking in. The noise was louder. It was a droning cry, a long, pained sob. Ingo’s heart broke. Emmet laid his hand on his brother’s shoulder, squeezing. 

Ingo entered the room, seating himself at the edge of the bed. Emmet stood nearby, just behind Ingo. The bed was shaking with Dawn’s shivering body as she curled in on herself, holding herself in a tight ball as she rocked back and forth, not noticing them. Ingo gently touched her shoulder to see if she registered his touch. No reaction. “Dawn,” he murmured, trying not to scare her. Nothing. Emmet sat next to him as he slowly reached around the girl, pulling her upwards. She did not give any indication that she recognized her body being moved. He pulled her into his lap, holding her head against his chest. He gently rocked back and forth, rubbing his hand along her back. Emmet, at a lock of a way to help, stroked her hair. 

She continued crying for a long time, the sobs wracking her small frame. Ingo noted that she weighed much less than the last time he had seen her. That was concerning. He began humming, deep in his chest. It was the tune from Hisui. The three of them sat there like that as the minutes ticked by, allowing Dawn to calm down slowly. Her hiccups quieted down, her shaking slowly subsiding. Ingo continued humming, Emmet slowly combing his hands through her hair, working out the knots. “Are your systems operational now, Dawn?” Ingo asked softly. He got a small whimper in reply. 

“Would you like to sleep with us tonight? We can all sleep on the couch together,” Emmet offered. A nod. Ingo stood, Emmet standing with him as he carried Dawn to the main room. Emmet grabbed some blankets from the hall closet, laying them across the floor and along the couch. Ingo laid Dawn in the middle of the couch, taking up a position on her left. Emmet sat to her right. Usually Emmet did not warm up to people this quickly, but Ingo thinks he could understand where he was coming from. Ingo felt a similar urge to ensure the girl was cared for and safe. 

The twins ended up laying their heads on one another, Dawn sandwiched between them. The blankets over them kept them cozy until the morning came, tears drying and sleep settling in gently like a second skin over the three of them.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Ingo sent a quick message to the office first thing and then a quick text to Elesa. After a moment of thought, their uncle, as well. Drayden had adopted Iris, after all, and he would likely have some ideas as to how to properly care for a teenage girl. Finished, Ingo went to the kitchen and prepared two cups of coffee, one for himself and one for Emmet, whenever he awoke. Ingo had left the other two on the couch, still asleep. Ingo went to his and Emmet’s room, grabbing a Pokeball to let out some company. Chandelure blazed to life, happily chiming at him. 

“Hush, Chandie, we have a passenger who will be staying with us for a while. She and Emmet are both asleep still,” he murmured to her as quietly as his voice would allow (which was not very quiet, but he kept the door closed). Then he reentered the kitchen, scrolling through the morning reports that the subway sent to him as he waited for the other two to awaken. He sipped the drink as a message pinged in for him. 

Static Sister: who is it???? Im happy to help a sister out but how many girls do you and E know???

Me: its a girl i knew in hisui. Her mother recently passed and she has no other family. She appointed me as her uncle. How do we get the station prepared for her? 

Static Sister is typing… 

Static Sister: EXCUSE ME?

Static Sister: YOU JUST ADOPTED A KID OUT OF NO WHERE??? 

Static Sister: AND YOU DIDNT THINK TO TELL ME I WAS AN AUNT??

Me: as I told E, it simply did not come up. Theres still a lot of hisui left that i havent discussed. She showed up unexpectedly at the station last night crying and could not sleep alone. I am not well acquainted with the needs of children and i want to make her feel welcome

Static Sister: give me an hour im coming over to meet my niece :)

Static Sister: you said she has no family left? Like at all?

Me: that is what she told me. Me and E are taking the day off to stay home with her

Static Sister: did you tell your uncle?? He might have some ideas

Me: yes, he has not read the message yet. He is likely getting ready for the day as well

Me: do not overwhelm her when you get here. She is still recovering. It is a fresh wound

Static Sister: <3

Ingo put down his phone, finishing off the coffee in one scalding gulp and hurriedly getting dressed. Chandelure followed him, pausing at the living room and looking in upon the other two figures. She gave a soft chime as she changed directions, opting to float above the two. Ingo dressed quickly, returning to the main room, surprised to find Chandelure in a spot that was not directly above him. Ever since his return, she had hardly ever parted from him, always within reaching distance of his person. She was floating just a little above the two, watching them intently. The ghost nuzzled into Dawn’s lap, flaring her ghostly fire just a little brighter, making the area a little warmer. Dawn sighed in her sleep. 

Ingo returned to the kitchen, rinsing out his mug, before returning to the couch and sitting back down on Dawn’s other side. Emmet was beginning to drool onto his own arm. Ingo poked him. “Whu- I am Emmet?” he asked as he awoke. Ingo put a finger to his lips, pointing at Dawn. Emmet nodded sluggishly, yawning. Ingo poked him again, moving his hands in Unovan sign language. 

Elesa coming in one hour. Made coffee. Get ready. Emmet simply nodded again, patting Chandelure and gently disentangling himself from Dawn, padding into the kitchen. The action made Dawn lightly stir. Ingo hated to wake her, but she should have some warning before his surrogate sister barged in the door. He gently tapped her shoulder. “Dawn. Dawn, wake up,” he kept his voice to the lowest possible decibel he could muster. Her eyes fluttered open, mildly confused as she took in her surroundings. 

“Uncle Ingo?”

“Good morning, Dawn. We have a visitor arriving in an hour, and I wished to give you some forewarning. It is a long-time friend of ours, who we call our sister. She is coming over to say hello.” Dawn’s eyebrows crinkled as she listened to him. “She is very nice, I promise. She has a keen interest in you, in fact. She told me off for not telling her she had a niece.” Dawn smiled a little at that. Chandelure must have shifted in her lap, as she suddenly whipped her head down to the Pokemon. 

“Wh-what Pokemon is this?” 

“This is my partner, Chandelure. She took an interest in you this morning, as well. She has been keeping you warm.” Chandelure nuzzled the girl’s stomach, chiming soothingly at her. 

Dawn’s eyes widened. “This is the partner you talked about in Hisui! The one who knew flames well!” 

“Indeed she is,” Ingo agreed, stroking the ghost in the girl’s lap. “She has hardly left my side since my return to Unova. She can sense souls and feelings. She says that mine and Emmet’s souls are incredibly similar, and that is how she located me here again.” Chandelure floated up and off of Dawn, rubbing her glass body against Ingo’s cheek, making him chuckle. “Chandie, I already fixed my hair this morning,” he scolded, though the statement held no ill will to it. “Elesa will be at the station in forty-five minutes. I informed her not to be too overbearing but she is a character.”

“What’s she like?” Dawn leaned into Ingo, looking up at him with her dark eyes. The fact that she was talking and inquisitive was a very good sign. 

“Me and Emmet met her many years ago, during grade school. She became our best friend early on. She is outgoing, silly, and smart. You remind me a lot of her, in fact,” Ingo said, ruffling her hair a little. “She likes bad puns. She is the Electric-type Gym Leader of Nimbasa City and she is a model in her off-time, but she still makes time to see us every week or so.” Dawn nuzzled into his shirt. 

“Do you think she’ll like me?” Something in Dawn’s voice changed. 

“Oh, I know she will adore you. She has been bugging me and Emmet to see girls for years to have someone to talk to.” Ingo rolled his eyes. “All in good fun, however. She knows neither me nor Emmet are interested in that kind of thing.”

“Getting married?”

“Precisely. Neither of us have ever had an interest. All we need is the Subway and each other. Although,” he made sure to add, “we are more than happy to add others to our two-car train. Emmet has been curious about you since I first mentioned you. He wishes to face you in a Pokemon battle sometime.” 

“Did you tell him that I adopted you as an uncle?”

“I left that part out, mostly to mess with him. Seeing his face when you referred to me as such was priceless.” 

“So… is it okay if I start calling him that, too? I don’t want to step on any toes…”

Ingo looked down at the girl, the slightest of smirks crossing his features. “As soon as he realized that you had taken me on as an uncle, he started to see you as his niece. I daresay you would have a hard time convincing him otherwise.” Dawn giggled. Emmet shuffled into the room, still wearing his train-patterned sweatpants and now some plush slippers that looked like little 1800s steam engines, yawning as he sipped his coffee.

“I am Emmet. I heard my name.” 

Dawn snorted when she saw the slippers. “Do you both have a pair of those?” 

“Matching ones,” Ingo affirmed. Dawn let off a smile, the first one Ingo had seen since she had first appeared yesterday. He hoped he got to see it again. 

“I’m gonna go get dressed. What did you say her name was? Who was coming over?”

“Elesa,” both twins responded in unison. 

“Elesa…” Dawn tried the name for herself, going back to the bedroom she had left her stuff in. Emmet looked over at him, sipping his coffee. He seemed to be slowly waking up. 

“What were you talking about?”

“Elesa. I informed her not to be too rowdy, but you know how she gets sometimes…” Emmet nodded, taking a larger drink as he receded into the bedroom, presumably to dress himself. Ingo fixed the cuffs on his shirt, ensuring that it was still centered. Then he checked his phone, Chandelure still twinkling above his head. 

Static Sister (1 unread message)

Static Sister: what did you say her name was?

Me: Dawn

Ingo tapped on a different notification. 

Drayden (2 unread messages)

Drayden: Ingo! Good to hear from you. 

Drayden: I could give you some tips if you need. May I ask what for?

Me: In hisui, there was a young girl that appointed me as her uncle. She returned to the present time last week and found that her mother had passed on, leaving her with no family. Me and E have opened our home to her in the meantime. Neither of us know now to care for a child long-term

Drayden: I see, I am very sorry to hear that for her. How old is she?

Me: 15. I believe if my memory is correct, she is one year younger than Iris

Drayden: I could bring Iris with me sometime and let them get acquainted if possible! I’m sure she would love to have a cousin close in age and we could do some girl shopping

Me: Elesa is already on her way. I am sure we will get some ‘girl shopping’ done. I just want to ensure she feels welcome in our home

Drayden: of course. Let me know when is a good time for you. Maybe this weekend. Let the poor dear get settled in a little bit

Drayden: what is my new niece’s name? Where is she from?

Me: Dawn, from the Sinnoh region. She showed up unexpectedly last night at the subway, crying

Drayden: you say Dawn?

Drayden: what does she look like?

Me: long dark hair, dark eyes, she arrived yesterday wearing a pink cap and skirt

Drayden: Ingo

Drayden: I believe that is the Champion of Sinnoh

Drayden: she reappeared after nearly a year of absence and disappeared again less than a week later

Drayden: Cynthia and the Sinnoh Elite Four are looking everywhere for her

Ingo’s eyebrows raised. He did not know what to do with that information

Me: I will converse with her about it, we have not talked much since she arrived. The passing of her mother is still very fresh. I will still leave the offer open to her. If she wishes to stay, me and E have already agreed she is more than welcome.

Drayden: just make sure to inform someone that she is safe. I got a message from Sinnoh yesterday that she was missing again and they are frantic

Me: is it possible to say that she is safe, but not disclose her location? If she wanted people to know where she was, she would have said something

Drayden: I am unsure, but I will do my best. Can you make sure that she is, in fact, the Champion of Sinnoh?

Me: I can ensure it as long as you do not disclose her location. She seems exhausted. I believe she needs some time away to simply be a child

Drayden: understood. I would love to meet her soon, assuming she is up for company

Me: we will play it by ear

Dawn re-entered the living room, wearing the same outfit as yesterday, sitting on the couch by Ingo. She leaned into him, sagging into his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Neither spoke as Ingo finished off his last message to Drayden, checking to see if Elesa had said anything back. Ingo set down his phone, gesturing to Chandelure. She came to him, relishing the pets he gave her. 

“Is there anyone else I will have to talk to today?”

“Not unless you want to. The only other close family we have is our Uncle Drayden, the Dragon-type Gym Leader in Unova, and his adopted daughter, Iris, the current Champion of Unova. She also has an affinity for dragons. She is around your age, in fact.” 

Dawn nodded, not looking at Ingo. “Hmmm.” Ingo pulled her in a little closer, tapping mindlessly with his foot. “All your family sounds like really strong Trainers.”

“Yes. Pokemon battling is something we all hold dear to us, in different ways. Me and Emmet enjoy the competitive aspect of it. Iris enjoys learning about as many Pokemon as she can. Drayden and Elesa have specialized in one particular type. But we are all unified by our love of the creatures.” Emmet entered the room last, a Joltik now taking up residence on his shoulder. He wore the exact same thing as Ingo, unsurprisingly. Emmet sat down beside Dawn, laying his arm over her other shoulder and pulling out his phone. 

“Can I battle you all some day?”

“I believe you would have to ask them, but I can guarantee you everyone would love to see what your team has in store. Did you leave your Hisui team back in time?”

“I- yeah, I didn’t think they should come. Except my Samurott. I have her still. She really wanted to come with me.” Ingo nodded, more to himself than anything. “The rest is my team from the present day. And I - uh - have a bit of a confession to make.” Dawn lowered her head, not allowing either twin to see her face. Emmet put his phone down, his attention on her. “I’m kind of the current Champion of Sinnoh. I left again without telling anyone. As soon as I got back there was just so much and so many people asking questions and then I found out about my mom and I know they’re probably looking for me b-but I just couldn’t take it-”

“Dawn,” Ingo broke in. Dawn was beginning to shake violently, her breath coming in gasps. “It is alright. You don’t have to explain yourself.”

“I am Emmet. Champion is a tough position.” 

“Drayden had his suspicions that you were the Champion, in fact, but I told him not to disclose your location to anyone. He wishes to let Cynthia know that you are in a safe location, but that you do not want to be found. You are in a tough situation right now, especially for one so young. We will keep you away from the public eye as long as you need to be. Is it alright if I tell him to inform the higher-ups?” Dawn merely nodded, sinking into the couch. Emmet patted her shoulder. “I promise you that we will not tell anyone where you are stationed without your consent. We said you are welcome here as long as you’d like and we meant it.”

“I am Emmet. My brother is correct.” Dawn giggled a little at his robotic tone. 

“Now, let us all get cleaned up. Elesa should be here any minute.” Dawn nodded, fleeing to the bathroom. Ingo and Emmet looked at each other. Emmet signed, Champion?

Yes. Drayden guessed it first. Ingo didn’t need to understand sign to know what Emmet’s next thought was going to be. His eyes were glittering with excitement. 

Want to battle her. Strong Trainer. Ingo chuckled quietly as the bathroom door opened, revealing Dawn again, this time her face cleaned and looking better. 

“Did you want anything to eat, Dawn? We have some toast if you would like breakfast.”

“Did you guys eat yet?”

“I am Emmet. We typically do not eat breakfast.”

“You should! It’s important! Here, we’re all having toast, coffee isn’t a meal.” Dawn dragged the two twins off the couch and had Emmet show her where the bread and butter resided, insisting that she could make the three of them toast. She forced the twins into chairs in the kitchen, within minutes giving each of them two slices of buttered toast. She sat down with her own prize and dug in, the brothers making eye contact with each other as they began to eat. Dawn seemed happy with herself. They mostly just indulged in the food to make Dawn happy, and it seemed to work. She smiled again, watching the two take bites of the food she’d given them. Emmet was grinning ear to ear. 

A knock on the door. Emmet sprang up, calling “I am Emmet!” as he left the kitchen to let Elesa in. 

“I would like to see the baby.” Ingo snorted so harshly he nearly coughed out the bite of toast he had just taken. Elesa entered behind Emmet, wearing her fluffy yellow coat today with a black jumpsuit and her trademark headphones. Emolga, nestled in her coat, chittered happily at the brothers, taking flight to go say hello to Ingo. Elesa stood in the doorway, taking in Dawn, who waved awkwardly. 

“Hey, aren’t you the Champion of Sinnoh?” Elesa asked immediately. Dawn recoiled in her chair. 

“Dawn is the Champion, and I have already discussed this with Drayden. Dawn wishes to keep her location a secret for now, as she does not want to deal with the press at the given moment, and we are fulfilling her wishes. Sinnoh will be notified that she is in safe hands, but that she is not yet ready to return to her full responsibilities yet.” Ingo reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. She slightly unfolded as Elesa nodded. 

“Fair enough. Anyway, I’m Elesa, the electric Gym Leader and the surrogate sister of these two dorks. Ingo said you sent him back to Unova so thank you for that, really. I like having him around.” She grinned, walking up to the table and patting Ingo on the shoulder. “Wait, you guys are actually eating breakfast? I don’t think I’ve seen that since we were all in school together.”

“I am Emmet. Dawn made us breakfast.” Emmet smiled as Dawn’s face turned a little red. 

“Geez, at this rate, she may actually make you guys wear something that's not formal wear every single day. Or make you take a day off once in a blue moon. The possibilities are endless.” 

“We take days off!”

“Sundays don’t count, Ingo. More than one day a week.” Ingo and Emmet rolled their eyes in unison, making Elesa laugh. Dawn giggled shyly. “So, I came over to give you two some advice on how to make the place a bit more welcoming to a female, yeah? Cause I’m not gonna lie, this screams ‘bachelor pad’ if I ever saw it.” 

“You know neither of us are interested in that kind of thing.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m just pulling your leg. What kinds of things are you interested in, Dawn?” Elesa sat at the table, her Emolga now sniffing at Dawn inquisitively. Dawn pulled off her cap, allowing the Pokemon to climb into her hair, making it staticy. 

“Well, before I went on my Pokemon journey, I would play video games a lot and I played with my best friend, Barry. We liked to play tag and… other things.” Her voice quieted, her mannerisms becoming more subdued. Emmet must have noticed, as he locked eyes with Ingo. 

“Oh that’s cool, I play video games too! What kinds do you like to play? If I ever get to play with the twins, its usually some variation of a racing game. I beat them every time.” 

“I won last time.”

“And I have won before!”

“Ingo, you won one time over the last several years. Emmet, you got lucky a few times.”

“I’ve been practicing since you’ve been away. I’m getting better.”

“And yet neither of you can drive a normal, everyday car.” Elesa looked at Dawn. “These two can drive all sorts of trains, boats, and even different aircraft, but not a freaking car. It’s the weirdest thing.” She got two stink-eyes but Dawn smiled, just a little. A good sign, Ingo noted. 

“I like adventure games and puzzles. Legend of Zorua kind of stuff.” Elesa raised her eyebrows. 

“Favorite video game of all time?”

Dawn thought about it for a moment. “The last thing I remember playing was Spinarak-Man and I liked Staryu Valley. It’s nice and relaxing.”

“I have Staryu Valley, we should co-op sometime!”

“I uh, don’t have my computer here,” Dawn admitted. 

“That’s okay! If you remember your log in stuff we can get you set up here.” The two began talking about the games they liked to play, Ingo trying to take mental notes. 

After a few minutes of this, Emmet piped up, “What kind of Pokemon do you have?” The girls paused in their conversation, looking at him. 

“You have a one-track mind, Emmet,” Elesa retorted, displeased at having been interrupted. 

“Oh, I haven’t shown anyone my team in awhile,” Dawn realized. She pulled some Pokeballs out of her bag. “I won’t pull them all out here, but I did promise Kingu that I would let him know when I was somewhere safe. He’s my partner.” She tossed a ball, a beam of light materializing into an Empoleon. It looked around the room for a moment, eyeing the other people in the room before protectively worming its way in front of Dawn. “Hey, buddy, I’m okay! These are friends!” It stopped trying to block her from view, instead being goaded into standing at her side. It chirped, nosing at her face in concern. “I’m doing better, buddy, I promise. This is the one I was telling you about before, Uncle Ingo, his brother, Uncle Emmet, and their sister, Aunt Elesa.” Emmet perked up in his seat, his hands flapping excitedly as his face melted into a grin at the term of endearment Dawn had used. Elesa’s face split into a massive smile. 

“Aww, you’re gonna get me all teary-eyed soon, kiddo.” Emolga and Chandelure floated closer to Empoleon, chiming and chirping, wanting a better look at it. The four of them continued conversing about light topics for a good while. The hours changed, the sun grazing past their building and slowly making its trek back towards the horizon. Elesa ordered lunch from a place nearby that they all partook in, the sun still creeping its way down slowly. It wasn’t until around 4 pm that they decided to change their positioning. 

“Whaddaya say sometime we get some new decor and clothes for you? My fashion team would have a fun time with you, I think. I can get those orders in for a new set of coats for you two while I’m at it,” Elesa added, nodding at the two brothers. “Maybe I could bring over my games and we could have a family game night. I’d like to see how competent you are at Smash.” Dawn smirked. 

“Oh, you’re going down.” 

“That’s what I like to hear!” Dawn and Elesa shook on it, a promise for the future. 

“Well, guys, I should get going, but I’ll see you sometime soon. Make sure to keep these dorks fed while I’m gone. They forget to eat.” She reached out and ruffled both of the twin’s hair at once, making them both cry out in indignation and shock. She pulled back and pointed a finger-gun at each, as if holding them back. They each stood and finger-gunned her in response, their bangs in their eyes and loose strands flying everywhere. They stood like that for a minute until Elesa shouted “Draw!” and she shot forward, barreling into the two of them. Her arms looped around them, giving them a tight hug. “I’ll see you guys around, trying not to burn anything in the meantime.” 

The twins returned the hug, meeting gazes over her head. Emmet grinned mischievously. Both of them brough one hand up behind Elesa’s head as she pulled away from them, each one ruffing up one side of her hair and then grabbing her jacket and flipping it over her head. “Hey, not fair! You ganged up on me!” She made sure to lift the jacket over her headphones as she gave them a dirty look. Both of them were laughing. 

“I am Emmet. We will see you soon, Elesa.”

“Yes, we will see you around this station in the coming days, I am sure.” Elesa turned, waving as she left the kitchen, Emolga burying itself back in her jacket. 

“Bye, Aunt Elesa!” Dawn called. Ingo heard Elesa’s footsteps pause briefly and then a quiet “ yes! ” as the door opened and shut, indicating that she had gone.

Chapter Text

As promised, they did not leave the apartment for the rest of the day. Instead, the three of them got to know each other’s Pokemon and Emmet asked many short questions. 

“What are its stats?” “Does Sinnoh have trains?” “That Samurott looks different. It’s a dark type ?” “Do you like pink?” And other such questions were thrown around. By the time the day was over, Dawn seemed tired, but in a different way than the previous night. She was laughing at Emmet’s antics over their dinner together. It made Ingo feel strangely warm. 

“So, you mentioned your uncle coming over sometime to meet me… do you know when? Just so I have a heads-up?” Dawn looked up nervously, not wanting to change the conversation but asking anyway. It seemed to be bothering her. Ingo chewed and swallowed the bite he had taken, pushing one of Emmet’s Joltik away from his spot at the table. He had given up trying to remove them from the table entirely. 

“We are not sure. If you would like them to wait, that is perfectly alright and we can hold off on more passengers, Dawn. He has an adopted daughter who is about your age.”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned her earlier. Didn’t you say she was the Champion?” 

Emmet nodded enthusiastically. “Iris is verrry strong. She has beat us in battles before. We are verrry proud of her.” He smiled. “She uses dragon-types.” 

“She has been tutored under our uncle ever since he signed the papers. He also has an affinity for the dragon type, and the two make a good train. She is intelligent and kind. I believe you will get along swimmingly,” Ingo added, seeing her look of apprehension. “She does not get to have battles with others her age that parallel her skill anymore. I feel that you will prove to be a challenge for her.” 

Dawn fidgeted at the praise. “I-I wouldn’t say all that…”

“You bested me multiple times in Hisui without your primary team and bested Cynthia at least once. I have not battled your current team, but I am certain that your party is very formidable.”

“I want to battle you!” Emmet burst out, unable to contain the thought. It made Dawn giggle. 

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious what you guys have. And how strong you are. I’ve never seen most of the Pokemon on your team, they aren’t native to Sinnoh or Hisui.” She watched three Joltik on the table dance near her plate, trying to get a nibble. “Like these guys. I’ve never seen them before. Are they usually this friendly?” Her finger drifted towards one, the electric bug crawling under her hand and asking for pets. It clicked its mandibles at her in happiness. 

“Emmet, when trying to breed the Galvantula he wanted, ended up with more eggs than he anticipated. He enjoys breeding competitive Pokemon with certain Natures and moves. Most of these are the product of that project. Many of them have since relocated to the Subway and help maintain the power down there without driving up the electric bill. There are still several that decided to stay here with us, though, and I do not have the heart to deny them. They are rather cute.” One particularly large Joltik climbed onto Ingo’s shoulder, rubbing itself against his cheek as it purred. “However, they do not understand personal space and leaving the house with your hair lying flat is rather difficult. We asked Elesa to add the hats to our uniforms. It is easier than trying to wet it down constantly,” he added as his sideburns fluffed up. 

“Maybe I should start tying up my hair then.”

“They love pockets,” Emmet added, opening his breast pocket and dropping a small Joltik inside. It poked its head out, making Dawn gasp. 

“T-that’s a shiny! Those are stupidly rare!”

“I bred many Joltik. It did not have the Nature I wished for, though it does know Cross Poison. I keep him around. Galvantula has a Timid Nature and Cross Poison. Hubert here is Adamant by nature.” As if to showcase this, the Joltik nipped at his fingers as they pulled away, not wanting the petting to end. Emmet grimaced, scolding it for the nip before returning his fingers. 

Dawn insisted on helping the twins clean up after dinner, citing that “I won’t be a freeloader!” The brothers dressed for bed, Dawn following suit and showering. They were beginning to wind down. The Joltik took up their favorite spot in the laundry room, their partner Pokemon dispersing with their respective Trainers. Chandelure continued following Dawn around, Ingo noticed. That was… rather unusual. He had grown accustomed to the ghost sticking by him at all times. She had recently fed, so he knew that she was not interested in that yet. He highly doubted she would go after someone that he so clearly cared about, anyway. She simply followed her, almost distracted, like there was something hanging off the back of Dawn that needed to be tucked in. It had happened more than once already that the ghost had bumped into Dawn by accident, always met with a small giggle and a pat. Ingo wracked his brain, trying to think of what this behavior reminded him of. Though he had been home from Hisui for three months now, he still had a hard time remembering some things about their lives, such as early childhood. He knows he has seen this before, though. When had he seen this?

Ah! That’s right, he remembers now! The last time she had acted like this was when-

Ingo looked up from the sink, his toothbrush still in his mouth, his eyes wide. Oh, how stupid he was. Of course. 

“Ingo? Systems operational?”

“Yeth,” Ingo slurred around the mint in his mouth, spitting and rinsing quickly. He exited the bathroom, passing Emmet, who furrowed his brows. He felt his wrist be snatched by a thin hand. 

“Ingo? You are troubled.” Ingo looked up to see Emmet regarding him with soft, worried eyes. Ingo blinked at him. Emmet blinked back. He gently shook his hand free, beginning to sign. 

Chandelure acting odd. I remember why. Emmet nodded, his eyes filling with melancholy. That wound still hurt both of them. “I expect it is the same for Dawn. She is still with her. Chandelure knows.” Ingo nodded, glancing down the hall at the room Dawn was currently in. She had bid them goodnight after her shower, retreating to bed. Emmet entered the bathroom and brushed his teeth as Ingo crept close to the door, making sure there was no distress. He heard nothing. 

What was he doing? She was a teenager and could handle herself, for the most part. He was not her father. Ingo slipped away, entering his and Emmet’s shared bedroom. He flicked on the side lamp, fluffing their pillows and calling to their Pokemon for bed. He knew that Galvantula was rather upset when she got left outside the twin’s room at night. Chandelure floated through the doorway, bumping him on the shoulder insistently. 

“Do you require my assistance, Chandelure?” The ghost bumped him again, leaving the room. Ingo followed. She led him to Dawn’s door, chiming at him loudly. “What’s wrong, Chandie?” She phased through the door. Ingo heard Dawn’s voice from inside. She sounded shaky. 

“Ch-Chandelure? What’s happening?”

Ingo burst in, forgetting to knock. “Dawn? Are you alright?” Dawn was tucked under the blankets, sitting up and shivering. She was watching Chandelure with wide eyes, her face a mixture of confusion and horror. Ingo hurried to her side. Emmet was rushing into the room now, seeing the scene. They both knew what that meant. “Dawn, are your engines operational?” She did not tear her eyes away from the spot in the air in front of her. Tears filled her eyes. 

“How?” Ingo’s heart broke when he heard her croak like that. He carefully sat on the edge of the bed, Emmet literally climbing around to be on her other side. They made eye contact over her head. Emmet nodded as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Ingo copying him. 

“Chandelure is a ghost-type. It can see and commune with spirits. If the spirits hang around long enough, she can allow them to reveal themselves to certain people.” Ingo kept his tone low so as not to scare her. “There has been one following you. She noticed and has been communicating with them since she first saw you. I imagine the spirit wished for you to see them.” Dawn did not look away from the spot but clung to Ingo and Emmet, pulling them closer. 

“She’s been here the whole time?” Her voice was cracking, raw with pure emotion. 

“Chandelure has been by your side the entire time-”

“Mom?” 

The floodgates opened as Dawn watched the air in front of her, tears spilling down her face as she watched the visage that only she could see. Her face had a soft purplish glow to it as Chandelure’s flames rose a little higher, lending the girl her sight for a short time. She was shivering, her body almost convulsing in the hold of the two twins. They were silent as her eyes followed the apparition, allowing her this moment. They simply held her. 

They remembered this experience firsthand, after all. 

Ingo and Emmet sat there and allowed her to cling to them until it was over. She did not say a word, but did move her lips in lieu of speaking. Ingo looked away. They were not his words to see. Several minutes ticked by before the glow faded and Dawn’s eyes snapped back into focus, seeing the ghost floating not far from her. Chandelure’s flames died down. The tears had stopped flowing freely, leaving dried tracks on her face. Two matching sets of hands continued holding her upright, almost sandwiching her between them. She continued to stare for a moment, still in shock. 

“Thank you, Chandelure.” Her voice was so quiet it was almost imperceptible, but both the brothers had heard it. The Pokemon floated closer to her, nuzzling into her chest and dimming its flames so they wouldn’t be blinding. She cradled it, softly stroking its surface. She slowly noticed the two men sitting with her, rubbing circles on her back and nearly cradling her. “My mom. She’s been here.” Ingo and Emmet bobbed their heads in unison. 

“I am sure she is happy you are safe.” 

Dawn choked at how soft Emmet’s voice was. “She… she said she was happy I was safe. And she was proud of me. And she loved m-me and she was s-so happy I had you guys and I-I’m not alone…” She shook with a heavy sob, curling into Chandelure and burying her face in the ghost. Two flashes of light appeared just out of Ingo’s line of sight and Samurott and Empoleon were both at the bedside as well, nervously chittering and cooing at their Trainer. Samurott clambered onto the bed, nuzzling its nose into her face. Dawn reached up and stroked its snout, leaning out the other hand for Empoleon. It leaned into her touch, regarding her with worried eyes. 

“She wanted me to say thank you. For taking me in. She respects you guys.” Ingo felt a warm flush of pride and general good wash over him, but kept it at bay for now. “And that there’s another one with her. Mom said to say that the other person, they love you.” Emmet choked. Dawn looked up, fear in her gaze. The smiley twin was tearing up now, a hand covering his mouth. Ingo felt his eyes pricking with heat. 

“D-did I do something w-wrong? I’m s-s-sorry, I didn’t m-mean-”

“Dawn, you have done nothing wrong,” Ingo said gently. “We know who the other spirit is. She was someone rather dear to us, in fact. The fact that she is still here after so long, even after my disappearance…” He trailed off, which sounded uncharacteristic, even to him. 

The girl looked over at him. “Who is it?” 

“Our mother. She passed suddenly almost a decade ago.”

“Verrry suddenly,” Emmet echoed, wiping at his eyes. 

Dawn flicked her gaze between the two of them. “I’m sorry I’m reminding you guys-”

“Dawn,” Ingo cut in as her breathing sped up. “Not all things are your fault. While the passing of our mother is a wound that will never quite heal, it is bearable with time. We know the pain you are feeling. In fact, Chandelure allowed us to see her a couple times, just like she allowed you to see your mother. It will never get better, but you will be able to live, as she would want you to. You are, however, allowed to grieve. We will be here if you wish, or you can have space if you need it. We do not leave uncoupled passengers alone on the platform.” 

Dawn mulled this over for a minute, still absentmindedly petting her two starters as Chandelure continued resting in her lap. 

“Could… could we sleep in the living room again?” 

Emmet smiled. “Of course. Destination set. Prepare for departure.” Ingo and Emmet lifted Dawn off the bed, allowing Chandelure to float up and out of the way. Then Ingo grabbed her ankles, Emmet taking her shoulders as they carried her to the living room, allowing her body to swing between them like a rope. She laughed wetly, the tears on her face still fresh. The twins made train noises as they swung her around. 

They gently tossed her onto the couch with a loud, human hiss to signify the train coming to a stop. Dawn giggled as Emmet placed a pillow over her head, rubbing it into her face good-naturedly. Ingo went to the hall closet and retrieved the excess blankets, laying them across the floor in a makeshift pallet. Emmet took all the pillows he could find in the house and arranged them in a large nest-like structure on the floor. Dawn sat up, wiping the last of the tears off her face. Emmet smiled at her and patted the floor beside him as Ingo sat down next to him. Galvantula charged into the room as soon as she caught wind that they were not sleeping in the bedroom, making her presence known with clicks and screeches demanding attention. 

“Now that we will not pull into the station so somber, we should rest our engines. It has been a long day.” Dawn nodded, laying down as the two brothers did as well. Ingo handed a corner of the blanket to Emmet, who pulled it snugly over the three of them. Galvantula crawled over the top of them, resting over their chests and settling in for the night. Samurott laid down between the couch and their heads, laying its large, armored head on a cushion. Empoleon tucked its head under its wing and stood by the door. Chandelure dimmed her lights, chiming softly. Eelektross and Archeops joined them as well, getting comfy in the pile of pillows, Archeops resting its scaled head over Emmet’s torso. Ingo adjusted, settling in for the night. This was more comfy than he cared to admit. 

“Good night, Dawn. Pleasant dreams.” Emmet was smiling. 

“Yes, good night, young Dawn.”

“Good night, Uncle Ingo and Uncle Emmet. Thanks for taking care of me.” She nuzzled into the pillows as Emmet silently flapped his hands in small movements, his smile blinding. Ingo felt the surge of familial warmth, too. Dawn’s breathing leveled out, soon followed by Emmet’s. Ingo was the last to allow himself to drift off into slumber.

Chapter Text

Days came and went, and suddenly it was Saturday. Dawn said she was okay with seeing more people again, and in fact, Ingo suspected she was beginning to go a little stir crazy. She paced the apartment, keeping all the windows open and moving things around. Ingo offered to take her on an outing and she immediately shrunk away.

She needed to see someone new.

Ingo and Emmet fixed each other’s collars as they prepared for the day. Dawn had managed to talk them out of their work slacks, and instead wore nice denims. Ingo adjusted Emmet’s collar, patting him on the back to signal he was done. They looked at each other. Emmet tilted his head, almost imperceptibly. Ingo nodded. Emmet blinked twice. Ingo tapped a finger against his hand.

Then the brothers split off, one heading to the kitchen to feed their Pokemon and the other doing some last-minute cleaning in the family room. They had all been sleeping on the floor in the main area ever since the night with Chandelure, and the nest had become something of a permanent fixture. For now, Ingo tossed all the excess pillows into his and Emmet’s room, along with the extra blankets, replacing the couch cushions and fixing the area’s appearance. It almost looked… empty without it. He made a mental note to purchase a larger, softer blanket to lay down as the base. A pang of longing. He hoped they brought it back.

As he finished making the house look presentable, Emmet meandered into the room, their Pokemon now sated. He handed Ingo a mug of liquid. Ingo did not hesitate, taking a deep swig. They said nothing as Emmet looked at him expectantly. Ingo almost rolled his eyes, but refused to acknowledge it. He would not get that kind of confirmation today.

Dawn bounced in, wearing a nice skirt with a cute blouse, a cardigan over the outfit. “Hey, guys! Have they said when they’re coming yet?” She plucked the mug from Ingo before he could warn her, taking a drink with a smile on her face. And then she blanched, her face puckering. “Eugh, Uncle Ingo, what the heck? Do you just drink your coffee like this?”

Emmet couldn’t contain his laughter, covering his mouth as he bent over, holding his stomach. Ingo smacked him on the shoulder. This only earned a harder snort as Emmet fell to the ground, quivering with mirth. “I typically prefer some sugar instead of salt, in fact. Emmet sometimes just happens to mix the two up, despite the labels on the jars stating what they are. Clearly, it is accidental.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. Dawn snorted as she finished swallowing the tainted drink, handing the mug back to Ingo.

“I guess I won’t take it from you again.”

“For the best, young Dawn.” Ingo took another drink, meeting Emmet’s eyes as he did so. Emmet had now straightened up again, tears in his eyes as he struggled to breathe. This action made his face straighten somewhat as he realized what Ingo was doing.

“You do not have to finish it.”

“You gave it to me. I will not let it go to waste.”

“Ingo, that is not good for your heart.”

“Should have thought of that.” Ingo began chugging the coffee, the salt making his eyes water. It was worth it though, as Emmet began trying to take the mug from him. Dawn was giggling.

“Ingo, no.”

Ingo did not respond until he had drained the cup, the residual salt at the bottom grainy and almost making him gag. He popped his lips in mock satisfaction, sighing loudly and making eye contact with Emmet again. “Ingo, yes.”

“You guys act like kids sometimes, I swear.” They both turned to Dawn, who was trying not to laugh. Ingo flicked his gaze back to Emmet, who grinned innocently. Ingo took his empty mug and rinsed it in the sink, getting a glass of water and chugging to get the taste out of his mouth. He heard the doorbell ring. He quickly readjusted his collar, placing the cup in the sink and out of sight as he hurried back into the main room. Dawn was still laughing over their antics, hard enough that she had moisture leaking from her eyes. She quickly wiped it away. Ingo knew she wanted to make a good first impression.

“Emmet! How have you been?” Drayden’s cheerful, deep voice floated in through the doorway.

“I am Emmet. Hello, Uncle Drayden, Iris. Come in!” Emmet gestured inside, opening the door wider for their guests. Ingo nodded and waved at Drayden, who smiled at him. Iris ran forward and encased Emmet in a bone-crushing hug.

“Emmet, hi! You’re way too busy all the time! I never get to see you guys anymore! Ingo has been home for three months already and I still haven’t gotten to take you guys to the Faire!” She lifted her head from Emmet, who had reached down to pat her, as she turned and ran to Ingo, bowling into him. Ingo braced for impact as the sixteen year old bullet careened into him, making him chuckle. “Ingo! I missed you guys and Drayden said you guys have someone living with you now?” She detached from his front, now catching sight of Dawn, who smiled and waved awkwardly. Iris grinned widely. “Oh my gosh, another girl! Hi, I’m Iris!”

“I- uh, I’m Dawn.” Iris did not hesitate to go in for a hug. Dawn, after floundering, hugged her back. “Nice to meet you.”

Emmet had closed the door by now. Drayden had stepped between the twins and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, smiling. “How have you been holding up? Taking care of yourselves?”

Emmet smiled. Ingo nodded, “Yes, Dawn has been making sure we eat breakfast every day and get to sleep at a decent time every night.”

Drayden’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t think I’ve seen either of you eat breakfast since you were in grade school.”

They heard a giggle. The girls were both listening to them and Dawn was making the noise. “That’s exactly what Elesa said.” She looked up at Drayden, studying him. “I think I see the resemblance.” She was looking between the twins and their uncle.

Iris snorted. “It’s in the eyes. They all look angry, all the time. Even though Dad’s like a big teddy bear most of the time and Ingo is a ray of sunshine. I think Emmet is the only guy I could see fighting anyone.”

Emmet grinned and saluted her. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.” Ingo reached over and lightly smacked him on the back of the head, making him snicker.

“Boys, please,” Draden scolded lightly, clearly used to them. The twins kept their hands to themselves now, with Ingo still throwing Emmet a stink-eye as Emmet punched the air like a boxer. Drayden held out his hand for Dawn. “I am Drayden, their uncle and Iris’s father. I’m happy to finally meet you.” Dawn shook his hand, still incredibly awkward.

“I’m Dawn, but you uh… already knew that.” Drayden smiled warmly under his beard, though Ingo knew Dawn would struggle to see it.

“I suggest we go out today. I understand you have not left the apartment in some time. I know you are concerned with being recognized, but I believe I have a solution. I hoped you would like to go out today with all of us. Iris in particular is excited about having a girl around that’s her age,” he chuckled. “Iris is good at changing appearances. You should get some sun, Dawn.”

“I… well, uh, it’s not that I don’t want to, really, but I uh… there's just… who knows me and uh…”

Iris tapped her shoulder. “Show me the room they’re having you use, I have some tips. Also, show me your Pokemon. I’m interested in what types you use.” She led Dawn away, chatting excitedly about her partner, Haxorus, the direct sibling of the Haxorus used by Ingo and Emmet.

Once they were gone, Drayden faced the twins. “I see what you mean now. She’s very timid. Hopefully leaving the apartment will pull her out of her shell a bit.”

“She was not like this in Hisui. She was outgoing, always on the move, and so driven. I am incredibly concerned for her. She has not even been here a full week…”

Drayden tapped Ingo’s shoulder, bringing his attention back. “You both were much the same after your mother passed. I was concerned for you then, too. Give her time. She needs to figure out how to process this. Did she get to see her one last time?”

“Chandelure showed her. Her mother’s spirit found her and has latched to her. Chandie was able to let them have a conversation and it seems that has already helped immensely. She cannot sleep alone, though, so we usually make a blanket pile right here on the floor and we all pile in here with the Pokemon. She ensures we eat regularly and get off work at a decent time.”

Drayden nodded. “It seems she is doing you both some good, too. I can give you some advice on how best to care for her while she’s here. Did she give a time frame? Just out of curiosity, she is, of course, a welcome addition for as long as she would like to be.”

Both twins shook their heads in unison. “She showed up at the station sobbing. She only said that she had nowhere else to go. She mentioned she had a friend in her hometown, but I believe it all reminded her too much of her mother. This is neutral ground. And, of course, we are both happy to have her around.” Emmet nodded enthusiastically with the last statement Ingo said.

“She calls us her uncles, too,” Emmet said proudly, making Drayden smile.

“I might plan to have her around for a long time, then. We can go and get some things to make her room feel more like hers. You mentioned she took your room, Ingo?” Ingo nodded curtly. “We can find something she likes, I know where Iris likes to shop. I believe it may be time for a girls shopping day. It’s going to be a long day for us three in particular.”

The three men stood and chatted while the girls continued doing whatever they were doing for about half an hour. The two teens came rushing back in suddenly. “Dad! Look what we did!”

Iris now stood with a very different Dawn. She had makeup on that accentuated her cheekbones and her nose, making her lips look smaller. Iris added a beauty mark on one of her cheeks as well. “Dawn said she might want to dye her hair a little, like she had before in Sinnoh, it just all grew out again. I think she’d look really cool with dark green hair, what do you think? She was thinking maybe silver-”

“I’m sure we can discuss that soon, Iris,” Drayden chuckled. “It does look nice. If you all are prepared, I suggest we get going. Daylight will not last forever and I know Iris has many places she would probably like to take you, Dawn.”

“W-while we are out, do you think you could call me Akari? I used that name in Hisui and I’m still worried people will recognize me and make me go back to Sinnoh but I can’t do that yet and-”

“Of course, Akari,” Ingo atoned. He winked. “Just like old times.” Dawn nodded, smiling softly with relief. “Since you will be staying with us for an extended period of time, we were hoping to redo my old room in a better manner for your tastes. We don’t quite know what your tastes are, though, with interior design. Hopefully you and Iris can help pick out some new things.”

Iris’s eyes lit up. “I have a cousin now?!”

Dawn looked like she was going to shed tears. “You guys really don’t have to, I mean I kinda sprung myself on you suddenly…”

“You are our niece. We want to.” Emmet grinned at her from behind Ingo, making her smile again.

“Ok. I don’t know any stores around here, though. Uh… lead the way, I guess?” Iris practically threw them out the door, already talking about this store and that, where to find the best decor, and where to get cool clothes and snacks.

Chapter Text

Drayden hadn’t been kidding. It was the longest day Ingo had in a long time. Probably even above the day he had announced his return to the press. Drayden made his way back inside the apartment behind the two girls, who were now essentially best friends. They were chatting excitedly over future plans. Drayden walked in, setting the obnoxious amount of bags on the table. The twins staggered in after him, plopping their loads on the floor by the couch and collapsing into a matching heap. Ingo could hear Drayden chuckling at them from the kitchen. Iris and Dawn, whose hair was newly dyed a light platinum now (which complimented the twins’ hair color), scampered off to her room, taking some items with them. 

Drayden returned to the living room, finding his twin nephews still collapsed on the couch with their eyes glazed and breathing shallow. He bent a little at the waist, scrutinizing them with a mirthful glare. “I take it you found the trip rather successful, too?”

They laid there in silence for a minute. “You weren’t kidding. I thought it would be like shopping with Elesa. That was worse. So verrry much worse,” Emmet said. Ingo nodded dumbly. Drayden let out a booming laugh and shook his head, straightening back up. 

“Well, start getting used to this. All my trips with Iris are like this. And this one only lasted six hours.” 

They both just stared at their uncle for another moment. Then they sat up, groaning. “It is an adjustment… but Dawn seems happy,” Ingo noted. Emmet nodded along. “We can continue if it makes her happy.” 

“Good to hear it,” Drayden said, his voice radiating genuine happiness. “I’m sure she’d appreciate the time with you two, as well. She talked nonstop about the both of you the entire time. She idolizes you.” 

Ingo felt the soft fuzzy feeling in his stomach again, like some Joltik had wormed their way into him. He nearly giggled like a schoolgirl. “You think so?” he asked, at a loss for what else to say. 

“I’m sure of it. I can help you set up a bit of her room tonight, if you like. It will take some time for all of it to be done and I know that she will wish to do much of it herself, but we can get some of the heavier things moved today.” The twins nodded, eager once again now that they had a new destination in mind. Emmet stopped Drayden in the kitchen to go through some of their purchases as Ingo went down the hall to inform the two of their new plans. He came to the knob and stopped, hearing their voices through the crack in the door. 

“...don’t really know. I mean, he’s your friend, right? Have you talked to him?”

“Yeah. He… didn’t like the idea of me leaving for Unova by myself. He tried to stop me and he wouldn’t listen. I know he didn't mean it to be mean, he was just worried and he always has a hard time stopping to think before acting, but it hurt. Seeing my best friend so against me coming. And I know that if he catches wind of where I am, he might try to drag me back before I can explain myself. And then Cynthia was so excited to see me and she kept talking about all the things she wants to show me but it was too much and… I don’t know what to do.”

“I heard Dad talking to Cynthia on the phone recently. He said that the Champion was somewhere safe, but needed time to process. He shut her down when she tried talking him into telling her where you were.”

It was quiet for a moment. 

“I should thank him. I… was so worried he would tell someone because the adults decided it was for the best that I didn’t hide like this. That’s why I tried to find Uncle Ingo in the first place. I know he can keep a secret. He kept a lot of secrets for me in Hisui, like my own name and the fact that I remembered my life before I fell there.” It was silent again and Ingo heard rustling fabric. “And I know he cared. About me, that is. As a person. Most people only care that I’m the Champion. They don’t care who it is that holds the title, just the title itself. If they can get on my good side, they think they get stuff from me. I’m just a figurehead. I don’t actually do anything except boost morale. But people treat me like I make the laws. And Ingo never cared about my title, even after I told him. He just cared because I was me. Like my mom did. And Barry. I remembered him telling me before I sent him through the portal where he lived and asked me to come visit him and I fully intended to, even before… this happened. But then it did and I couldn’t think of anywhere else and I couldn’t sleep in my old home because I kept thinking Mom was going to call for me but she never did and Barry and his mom just reminded me of her and the entire Sinnoh region was just so full of her and I couldn’t… I couldn’t…” She swallowed thickly. “I had to leave. I couldn’t see people like this. So I got on Staraptor and just flew to Unova. I landed in a town… what was it… Icirrus City? I think? I remembered him talking about trains and I just hopped on the first one I could and rode it until I remembered the name of the town he’d said. I ended up in Nimbasa and I just sat on a bench. I saw him hop off a train and he was standing there, watching the people and I just… I started crying and I ran to him. I couldn’t help it anymore. I’d been holding it in and I just remembered that day in Hisui I was at my worst and Uncle Ingo let me into his house and just hugged me and let me cry and told me it would be okay…” 

Ingo remembered this as well. He heard footsteps approaching him from behind, and he held up a hand. He did not turn to see who it was. They stopped. 

“And he took me back and I met Emmet. And now I’m here. I’ve been here for a few days already and I feel so… I don’t know. I feel guilty for coming in like this so I’ve been trying to be as helpful as possible but its hard and I don’t really know how to act around Uncle Emmet yet because hes new and Ingo is different to how he was in Hisui, he’s more confident now and I’m not and I’m lost and I’m scared and-”

She was cut off by a sob. It became muffled. “Slow down a sec, okay? I can tell you right now that they both really like having you around. This is honestly the most peppy I’ve seen either of them since the last Subway Convention over five years ago. You said you make them sleep and eat and go home and do normal things. Before you came, they both would literally work twenty-four hours a day if people let them. They love their job, and thats really really good, but they also forget to stop. They both forget to eat regularly and they will have coffee as a meal. Dad gets really worried about them. He knows they’re adults and can’t just dote on them like he did when they were little and lived with him, but he still worries over them. I’m sure Elesa does too, though I don’t see her as much. They’re usually pretty good about keeping each other out of trouble, but sometimes they both get sucked in and need help and don’t think to ask for it. Emmet… it got bad when Ingo was gone. And now that Ingo is back, Emmet is getting better, but I don’t think either of them will ever be like it was before. And you sent him back! You said Arceus was not planning on returning him originally, right? So if you hadn’t been there, we would not have Ingo back at all . Just remember that.”

It was quiet now. Ingo crept away from the door, pushing Emmet away as well and retreating to the kitchen. Drayden was still in there and looked up to say something, but was stopped by their matching expressions. Emmet tapped on Ingo’s shoulder and signed. What do we do?

Ingo blinked. Truthfully, he had no idea. Tell her directly. She needs support. 

We have been.

Do it more. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve… never done anything like this before . 

How did you handle it in Hisui?

I usually just hugged her and let her talk it out to me. She did not come to me. I don’t want to pry, but she is struggling and I want to help. Ingo let his hands fall. A hand patted both of them on a shoulder, making them jerk up. 

“What’s the matter, boys?” Drayden asked quietly. They both stared at their uncle in silence for a moment. 

“Dawn was speaking to Iris. She does not think we want her here. Not completely. She spoke of her friends from Sinnoh. She is crying. We don’t know what to do.” Emmet spoke more softly than Ingo, and was thus able to take over for him. Ingo nodded solemnly, his eyes not quite meeting anyone else’s. 

“I see. If it were me, I would wait until she came to you about it. She is just worried about overstaying her welcome, is she not?” Both nodded. “Then remind her that she is allowed to stay as long as she needs. As often as she needs. I can tell you both care for her a great deal. I think one good way to show it will be to start with her own space, so she feels less like she’s just couchsurfing and more like this is her home. Let’s give them a couple more minutes and then go knock and ask if they want to start setting up, alright? I know Iris is eager to start and Dawn seemed excited, even if she didn’t show it.” 

The three of them broke off after that. Ingo made himself some tea and Emmet sat at the table and checked his Xtrans. Drayden used the restroom and knocked on Dawn’s door. “Are you girls ready to start setting up? We may have taken enough of a break now to get started.” 

Ingo could hear Iris’s voice float out of the room. “Oh, yeah! Just a sec, girl talk, we’ll be out in a bit!” Drayden then reappeared, sitting down with them and gazing out the window. Ingo hoped this worked. 

The girls appeared, Dawn looking no worse for wear and Iris about to burst at the seams. “Let's get this show on the road!” Iris called, leading Dawn over to the bags of things. 

“We were thinking we could move the heavier items into the room, and leave much of the rest of it to you. It’s your room now, after all. You are welcome to decorate as you wish,” Ingo said as he sipped his cup. He inwardly cringed. The taste was never quite the same it had been in Hisui, the Lilligant tea. 

With all five of them working together, they managed to get the purchases moved into the room and most things situated before Drayden announced his and Iris’s departure. Iris tackled both of the twins in a hug, telling them to see her again, and then latched on to Dawn, muttering something to her as she let go, waving and walking out with Drayden. 

Ingo and Emmet informed Dawn that if she would like help, they were just a call away, and otherwise, they would leave her to finish however she wanted. She told them she would be alright. They both nodded kindly, leaving her to her own devices and mindlessly cleaning around the living room. 

Truth be told, neither of them knew what to do with this much free time. Their job was their hobby and their hobby was their job. Now that they had legitimately nothing to do, but neither was ready to sit still and watch TV yet, they moved on autopilot, neither truly thinking their actions through as they did them. Ingo picked up a photograph and dusted under it. Emmet passed a vacuum under the couch. Ingo washed what few dishes there were in the sink. Emmet wiped down the table and the baseboards. Ingo dusted off the walls and ceiling. Emmet deep-cleaned the bathroom. 

And so on. 

They managed to make dinner eventually. Or rather, Ingo made dinner while he had Emmet do things like cut vegetables and measure out ingredients. Ever since Hisui, Ingo had gotten better at cooking. He remembered one recipe that Dawn had taken to, back in Hisui. He hoped it would cheer her up. 

As dinner finished, he sent Emmet to gather Dawn and set the table, still wearing his old apron. It was a gag gift from Elesa that said ‘kiss the cook’. He wore it just to annoy her, really. He set out three steaming bowls of the stew that he knew she liked, along with empty glasses and some spoons. He had to shoo away some Joltik. He fussed with the placemats on the table and took off his apron and did some dishes… what was taking Emmet so long?

Ingo went down the hall, stopping just outside the open door. It was bright inside Dawn’s room. He hovered his hand to knock as he heard Dawn speaking. 

“...you sure? I mean… I just appeared one day and I know that we’d never met before. I was close with Uncle Ingo and I know you guys are super close because you’re twins and all, but we still had never met and I’m just in your house now with my ghost mom and all my problems.”

“I do not mind. I am Emmet. I am your uncle now.” Ingo could practically hear the smile in his brother’s flat tone. 

“Only because I made you be-”

“Dawn.” It was silent for a moment. “I am Emmet. I am part of a two-car train. My other car was taken. I stayed one car for four years. It was lonely. I was lonely. I had Elesa and Uncle Drayden and Iris and our Pokemon. But I did not have my other car. They told me he was gone for good. He was dead. He left. Many things. I knew he did not. Ingo is not like that. And I was right. But I still stayed here, alone, for four years. Now he is back, and things have gotten better. I am not alone anymore. And he brought back a caboose. I still have nightmares that he is gone and all this is a dream. But then I wake up and you both are there. It is comforting.”

It was quiet again. Ingo heard the soft movement of fabric, but he did not enter. After a few moments of silence, he knocked gently, making himself known. “Dinner is ready, you two. Come refuel before it gets cold.” 

“Coming, Ingo,” he heard Emmet announce. Ingo moved away from the door and back into the kitchen, finding that Joltik had invaded one of the bowls. Ingo sighed and ladled out a new bowl, placing the Joltik bowl on the other side of the table and replacing it with the fresh bowl. As he was finishing scolding the Joltik, two pairs of feet entered the kitchen. Dawn trotted in first, sitting at the table. Emmet followed close behind her, catching Ingo’s eye. Emmet blinked. Ingo nodded, almost imperceptibly. Emmet’s smile quirked up a little bit more. Ingo lifted his hand and closed it into a fist, jerking it in a nodding motion. Emmet curtly shook his head. 

“Are you guys actually having an entire conversation over there?” Emmet grinned as he slipped past Ingo, a hand snaking out and messing up his silver hair, making his older brother grunt in indignation. Ingo narrowed his eyes as he dried his hands and sat next to Dawn, squinting at Emmet with a sour expression. He purposefully did not fix his hair. Emmet snorted. “Telepathy, I swear,” Dawn sighed. 

The meal went well. Dawn seemed excited about the food in particular, her eyes lighting up as soon as she spooned the first bit into her mouth. “Uncle Ingo, is this that one stew that I liked in Hisui? The one you couldn’t make much because you had trouble finding the ingredients?” Ingo nodded at her. She had noticed! “I missed this so much, thanks for making it again!” Ingo reached over and patted her shoulder. Internally, he was beaming. She had noticed! His plan had worked!

“Well, of course, Dawn. It was time to make something different for once, anyway.” Emmet made a noise of approval, too, making Ingo feel that fuzzy feeling again. It was nice to cook for others again. He spooned some of the concoction into his mouth, noting the creamy flavor so he could emulate it again next time. The Joltik seemed to enjoy it as well, greedily lapping up their own bowl and throwing off little sparks. 

“We have another day off tomorrow, as it is Sunday,” Ingo said after he cleared his mouth. “Is there anything we would like to do in particular?”

“I kind of missed being outside,” Dawn admitted. “I don’t know what there is to do around here, though. All I know about is the train station.” 

“Ingo,” Emmet said, getting his attention. He grinned and held up both hands, curling the first two fingers into claws and pawing at the air with them. Ingo’s eyes brightened as he recognized the sign. 

“What does that mean?” Dawn asked. 

Ingo merely said, “I believe you will enjoy our thoughts for tomorrow,” as he shoveled more of the flavorful broth into his mouth, his lips quirking up ever-so-slightly. 

Chapter Text

Emmet was the first awake this time, bouncing on his heels like a child on the first morning of a family vacation. He poked Ingo and Dawn awake, his grin reaching his ears. “Get up, we must not be late!” he said flatly as he hopped into the bedroom to change his clothes. The other two groaned as they sat up from the nest in the front room, rubbing sleep from their eyes. 

“Where are we going today?” Dawn asked sleepily. “He sure seems excited about it.” 

“It will be a surprise. I am sure you will enjoy it as well.” Ingo stood up and lifted her to her feet, retreating to their shared room as well to find some clothing. Emmet was whirling around the room, grabbing some cargo shorts and a random t-shirt and this and that. “You appear excited, Emmet.” Ingo raised an eyebrow at his brother mirthfully. 

“This will be the first time you have gone since your reappearance!” Emmet grinned. “They have added new things. I believe you will enjoy yourself. I am Emmet. I do not like heights. If she wants to go on-”

Ingo covered Emmet’s mouth with his hand. “Emmet! It is a surprise, remember?” 

“She is not in the cabin currently!” 

“She can still hear, though. She is preparing. We will depart shortly.”

They quickly dressed, Ingo managing to convince Emmet to wear something slightly more appropriate for the weather (including a fanny pack and a polo shirt) as he himself put on some denim shorts and a collared shirt that he tucked in slightly. He also grabbed some sunglasses for himself and Emmet. He ducked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair before he emerged finally into the kitchen. Dawn was preparing some toast and eggs as Emmet was pulling on his socks and shoes, grinning still. Galvantula and a couple Joltik were stationed nearby. 

“Emmet-”

“Ingo, I am wearing them like this and you cannot stop me.” Emmet finished pulling his long socks up his thighs, the stark white contrasting with the black shoes he wore. He also had a waist pack on the table, which he was filling with things. Sunscreen, Poffins, his wallet, his Xtrans, and other things they may need for the day trip. Ingo toed on the black shoes he had. 

“Uncle Emmet, why are you wearing those socks?”

“Me and Ingo burn verrry easily. I like to cover my calves.” 

“Then why the fanny pack?” she asked, trying not to laugh.

“It is convenient! I do not have to hold it.” 

“Elesa would throw a fit if she saw you right now,” Ingo said merrily as he sat down with a mug of coffee. “I thought she got rid of all of those types of shorts.” 

“Nnope! She did not! I hid some. They are comfy.” 

They ate breakfast quickly, the trio stashing away their Pokemon into their balls and bringing them along for the day. 

They took the Subway there. Some of the Depot Agents had to hold back their laughter when they saw what the twins were wearing, but they managed. Dawn, however, did not. She said that they really rocked the ‘dad look’. What that meant, Ingo had no clue. 

Emmet led them off the train, swinging his arms as they approached the destination. He grinned widely as he swept his arms wide and announced, “Welcome, passengers, to Poke-Fun Park!” They entered the gates and Dawn looked around, her eyes wide. Roller coasters looped around the park, the Rendez-Vous prominent and in the center. Other rides were whirling and moving, creating a rumble in the background. Sometimes screams of joy permeated the area. 

“This is what that meant last night?” Dawn asked, stunned.

Emmet nodded enthusiastically. “This,” he demonstrated the clawing hand motion again, “is Unovan sign for ‘amusement park’. Me and Ingo have been coming since we were verrry tiny.” 

“I’ve never been to a real theme park before,” Dawn breathed. Her smile was widening. “I don’t even know what half these rides do.”

“We have the entire day to simply try them out, Akari,” Ingo said excitedly. He hadn’t felt this type of giddiness in years. “Emmet here is-”

“-not a huge fan of all of them!” he cut in, glaring at Ingo. “So you can ride them with Ingo. If they are too high. Which many of them are.” 

“You’re afraid of heights, aren’t you?” Dawn asked, a small grin on her lips. 

Emmet glanced away. “No. I just do not like being up that high. Nope. Not good.” 

“He’s afraid of heights,” Ingo said loudly. Emmet smacked Ingo on the shoulder and frowned at him. 

“You said you wouldn’t tell anyone,” he whined. 

“I did not tell her, she figured it out herself. Now come on, you big Budew, let us find some rides.” 

—-----------

Ingo opened the door, motioning for Dawn to enter first. She did so, wearing a pair of plush Emolga ears on her head and smiling tiredly. She clutched a plush Minccino to her chest. Emmet entered next, holding a bag by his side and wearing matching ears to her. He also carried a comically large Joltik plush. Dawn flopped onto the couch with her plush as Ingo entered last and locked the door, wearing a ball cap with similar Emolga ears and a few more bags. Of course, he had been the designated Mudsdale for all their items. He set the bags on the ground and shooed away the Joltik coming to investigate. 

Emmet sat on the ground and immediately held the Joltik plush to his face, nuzzling it. “Look, babies, I got you a new cuddly! What should I call it?” Some of the Joltik swarmed to him and examined the plush. It was longer than his torso. 

Ingo sat on the couch last, taking off his shoes and resting his aching feet. Today was lots of fun. Even after Emmet had almost hurled on the Rendez-vous because he wanted to prove he wasn’t scared of heights, they had managed to have fun with it. Dawn had definitely had the time of her life and seemed to have a huge appreciation for roller coasters now. Ingo wondered if it reminded her of riding Lord Braviary back in Hisui. 

The twins prepped things for bedtime. Dawn got changed into her pajamas as the brothers fluffed up the nest and put away all their souvenirs and other purchases. Emmet caught Ingo sneaking some of the cotton candy and had to wrestle it from him so that Ingo could properly sleep tonight. 

They cuddled up together with their partner Pokemon, a big huddle on the ground. Dawn yawned widely and snuggled in between the brothers. She was very sleepy. “Thanks for the fun day today, guys,” she murmured. Ingo kissed her  forehead softly as Emmet grinned. 

“Of course, Dawn. We had fun as well.”

“I love you guys,” she murmured as she fell asleep, a smell grin on her face as she began to snore lightly. 

Both of the brothers stiffened momentarily, looking at each other with sparkling eyes. Emmet’s smile was blinding. They both slung an arm over the sleeping girl between them, rumbling in unison, “We love you, too.” 

Chapter Text

It had been a month since Dawn’s arrival at the twins’ apartment, and they decided they wanted to do something to show her how much they enjoyed having her around. She had opted to stay home that day, which allowed the brothers some time at the station to prepare. They had ensured to leave Gliscor and many of the Joltik with her to ensure she didn’t get bored (though she had her team with her, so that was doubtful) as they went to work, speaking about what they could possibly do. Both brothers wanted to make sure that evening was a special one. 

The station was packed. It seemed odd to Ingo, as it was only a Thursday afternoon, but it seemed that the station was bustling with people, more so than usual. He was hardly able to weave through the crowd to ensure that the correct trains showed up at the correct times, much less ensure safe boarding. His voice was loud enough to carry over the crowd, thankfully, drowning out most other noise in order to be heard. 

Despite the odd conditions of the day, nothing stuck out extraordinarily. He spoke with Emmet, checked in with their niece at lunchtime and ensured she was alright, ran the Singles Line, and then met up with Emmet to do a few runs of the Multi Line. By the time they were prepared to head home for the night, it was already 8:15 pm. The sun had set not too long ago, the afterimage of the celestial body casting a few last-minute warm tones on the undersides of clouds as it slipped away. 

The pair stopped by a local bakery as they set off for home, also carting a little surprise. They were not the only ones who knew that today was the one-month anniversary of her arrival in Unova, after all. 

They said nothing as they stepped up to the door, Emmet bouncing excitedly on his heels and flapping his hands as Ingo placed the key in the lock, twisting the knob open and entering their apartment with a shout of, “Dawn? We have arrived!” 

“In here!” her voice called from the kitchen. Something amazing permeated Ingo’s nose as he let Emmet in, shutting the door behind them both as they quickly undressed from their uniforms. Ingo took one of the items and laid it gently in the closet, out of sight for the moment. Emmet hid another in his pocket. The last one they carried in a box into the kitchen to greet their niece. 

“Dawn!” Emmet’s voice rang out as she giggled suddenly from the other room. He must have tackled her in a hug. 

“H-hi, Uncle Emmet!”

“Hello, Dawn. Was your day eventful?” Ingo asked as he strode in, leaving the box on the counter and ruffling her hair, wondering what that fantastic smell was. 

“Not too bad. What about you guys?” She was leaning against the oven, purposefully faced so that her body covered the window and did not allow them to see inside. Ingo noted that the oven was not on. 

“It was verrry busy,” Emmet said with a sigh. 

“Indeed. It felt like there were twice the number of usual passengers today,” Ingo added. He loosened his tie and removed it, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. Emmet did the same. 

“Well, hopefully tonight won’t be as busy,” the girl said. “I have a surprise for you guys.” 

“Oh?” Ingo asked, raising his eyebrows. Emmet’s face brightened, no longer looking as tired. His brother cocked his head. 

“We did too!” Ingo stared at him before he could say more, though his mirth never left him. 

“Yeah! Uh.” She looked around awkwardly for a second. A Joltik nudged her neck in encouragement and she ducked down, opening the cold oven and grabbing something out. “I made this for you guys because its been a full month now.” It was a batch of cupcakes, all decorated with black and white frosting in alternating colors. On the tray, they spelled out: THANK YOU <3. “I wanted to say thanks for taking me in and letting me stay with you. I know I’m not the easiest person to care for and I-”

She was cut off by a bear hug from Emmet. Ingo managed to get the pastries out of Dawn’s hands before it happened, placing them gently on the counter and hugging her, too. Emmet was vibrating. “We have things for you!” Emmet said merrily. He was grinning broadly. He sprung apart and raced to the counter, pulling out the box they had retrieved. It had a clear panel on the top and it gave view to an ornately decorated cake, which simply read, BRAVO! WE ARE SO VERRRY PROUD OF YOU. “It is pinap flavor! Your favorite,” Emmet added. 

“The cupcakes are an even split of chocolate for Uncle Ingo and coffee for you, Uncle Emmet. I think those are your favorites?” She phrased the sentence more like a question than a statement. 

Emmet set the cake back on the counter as he rejoined their hug, grinning broadly. Even Ingo had cracked a small smile. “Thank you, Dawn. It is very thoughtful of you,” Ingo said. “We have something for you from Drayden and something from Elesa, as well. They were not able to make it here for the evening, but they wished to send you something for the occasion as well.” Emmet bounced up and raced to the closet before Ingo could say anything, making him chuckle. He returned within seconds. 

“Close your eyes, Dawn!” he called out. She did as he asked. He entered the room with two wrapped items, both finished off with a ribbon. He set one of the objects into each of her hands. “Open!” Emmet clapped as Ingo stood back a little to allow her to examine the items. 

One was a rather decently-sized box. 

The other was a bright red Pokeball with a deep pink ribbon tied around it. 

Dawn looked between them, trying to decide which to open first. She picked the Pokeball. SHe gently set the box down on the ground and unraveled the ribbon softly, making sure not to rip it. Once she had, she pressed the button, aiming for an empty spot in the dining room. The beam of light emerged as the ball opened, expanding and morphing into a familiar shape to the twins. As the light faded, leaving a creature behind, it chirped at them. 

Their eyes widened. 

The little Axew took them all in with large eyes, the satin pink bow on its neck that matched the one on its ball prominent. It stood uncertainly on two wobbly hind legs. Dawn knelt down, holding out her hand as her eyes sparkled. It chirped again as it toddled forward, half-falling, half-nuzzling into her hand. Its purple eyes looked up at her as she cooed at it. “Oh my Sinnoh, she’s so cute. Her big purple eyes and she’s so small and how old is she? There’s no way she’s that old.” 

“That’s a shiny.” Emmet’s voice was flat as ever, but his face showed the pure shock he felt. Dawn paused in her petting of the infant for half a second before she resumed, a new fervor in her movements. She noted something on the bow. Her hands removed the soft fabric, carefully taking and unraveling the paper attached with one hand, using the other to heft the Axew into her lap. 

“Dear Dawn,” she read aloud, “Today marks a full month since your arrival to Nimbasa to stay with my nephews. In honor of this, I wish for you to have this infant bred recently. I have been showing Iris the joys of rearing infant Axew and this one was a special surprise that she insisted I should send. It is a shiny, with an ability known as Mold-Breaker. Raise it well, and it may be one of the most loyal companions you will ever have. 

We hope that things have been going well for you. You are always a joy to see and Iris especially talks of you all the time. We hope to come visit you all soon, but in the meantime, take care of this little one for me. Ask the twins if you have any questions. I gave them their Haxorus when she was a baby, too, so they have some experience with dragons! 

Let us know if you need anything at all. Make sure to eat regularly and battle fiercely! 

-Your Great-Uncle Drayden.” 

Her voice was choking up by the end of the letter. Axew had begun to drift off in her lap from all the excitement. Ingo and Emmet knelt beside her, each smiling in their own way, as Emmet presented the other box to her. She took it tearfully and carefully unwrapped it, untying the yellow ribbon and opening the white cardboard to peer inside. 

She lifted out a jacket. It looked exactly like the work uniforms the twins wore, except for a couple key points. The main color was gray, for one. The buttons on it were still silver. The jacket was clearly meant for a more feminine figure, as the collar was not quite as tall as the twins’ and the jacket was cut off just below the hips instead of down by the calves. She stared at it for a long moment, seeing her own name stitched into the silver lining. 

“Try it on, Dawn,” Ingo encouraged as he took the Axew into his hands, holding it gently like a human baby so that it did not wake. Dawn shakily stood up and put her arms in the coat. It fit her perfectly. The cuffs were not quite as wide as the twins’ either, though they were still round and long, showing off brown and gray stripes. Emmet adjusted the collar for her and smoothed out the jacket before stepping back, letting her feel it for herself. She stared down at it in astonishment. She noticed another piece of paper in the box. She grabbed it and read it again. 

“Dawn,

It’s been a whole month now. I gotta say, you’re super cool to hang around and the fact that you can accomplish feats like making the twins eat more than once a day blows my mind. I wanted to send you an Emolga but I heard Drayden and Iris were already sending you a Pokemon and I didn’t wanna steal their thunder (hehe) so I decided on this. I still haven’t battled you yet, but I really want to sometime. 

The jacket is designed to retain body heat, reflect basic attacks, and is sturdy and machine washable. Just about any minor cut or scrape should be able to roll off this thing. I invented the fabric to help the twins not die on their subway, but I think it works here, too. (Still a little unsure how Ingo managed to shred it in Hisui.)

Hope to see ya around soon! 

-Aunt(!) Elesa.” 

She stared down at the coat again, feeling the cuffs and the linings. Her smile was wobbling with tears as she looked back up at the twins, her eyes dancing. Both brothers hugged her again, more tenderly. Dawn collected the sleeping Axew into her arms once again, accepting the hug. 

“I-I need to thank everyone. These are such nice gifts.” She sniffled and giggled. “Including you guys. And not just for the cake I’m going to stuff my face with later, but everything. Thank you guys so much.” 

“Of course, Dawn,” Ingo said softly, so as not to wake the Pokemon. “We are all happy you came. It is nice to have other people around.” Emmet nodded along, his smile almost blinding. “We should get the infant into a proper sleeping place before we eat our cake,” Ingo added. “I think we may have Haxorus’s old bed from when she was an Axew. She can sleep in your room, with your team. It is imperative that they bond early so she learns who her family is.” 

Dawn nuzzled the baby with her nose. “Okay. Let’s do it.” 

Chapter Text

Dawn skipped ahead of the brothers, Axew waddling behind her as she looked around at Gear Station. “Are you guys sure? I wouldn’t want to be in the way.” 

“Yup! Completely sure.” Emmet laid a hand on her shoulder. “I run the Doubles and Ingo runs Singles. You can pick which to start with. After lunch, we meet up and run Multi until evening. Come watch if you want.” 

“You may battle the lines as many times as you like,” Ingo added, placing his hand on her other shoulder. Axew looked up at them with wide eyes, its thicker legs able to carry it more easily. “The Lines are purposefully designed for challengers to come back again and again. Or if you’d like, feel free to go back home and relax for the evening until we arrive. Tell us what you’d like for dinner and we can pick something up on the way.” 

Dawn nodded, squaring her shoulders. “Okay, Uncle Ingo. Which one do most challengers start with?” 

“Singles,” Emmet answered immediately. “Easier to strategize, yup.” 

“Then I can start there,” she said. “Which way is it?” 

“Once we get everything checked and prepared, I can lead you to the front of the Singles Line. I wait at the back of the train. If you can beat twenty other battlers on the train in a row without any losses, then you get to battle me.” 

“Do I get to heal between battles?”

“Yes,” Emmet said, striding into the control room. “Your Pokemon are automatically healed between battles. It would be unfair otherwise. Verrry unfair. A battle that is unfair is not fun. Yup.” He immediately began looking over the monitors and greeting the staff, leaving Ingo with Dawn. 

“There is a cafe in the station if you require anything. Do you have pocket money?”

Dawn giggled. “You’ve asked me about six times already.” 

“I only want to ensure-”

“I’ll be alright. I promise. I’m excited to beat you today.” Ingo looked down at her. She was grinning. 

“If I recall, I beat you a number of times in Hisui.” 

“On the Paths of Solitude. Which were totally unfair, by the way.” 

“I informed you of the rules every single time you challenged me. It is not my fault that the first time you came to me with a level 23 Bidoof and I happened to have a level 50 Eevee.” 

“You just spammed Baby-Doll Eyes until my moves were so ineffective that they might as well have been a toddler smacking a Rillaboom.” 

“Strategy, young Akari,” Ingo teased as he joined his brother, who was now frantically clicking buttons and ensuring the trains were being kept well. 

“Mornin’, Boss!” one of the Depot Agents called. Ingo turned and greeted her warmly. 

“Ah, good morning! Is there anything special on the schedule today?”

She clicked her pen and brought forward a clipboard with schedules and names on it. “Not particularly, just a few newer Trainers. Who’s this, by the way? I don’t think I’ve seen her before.” 

“Ah,” Ingo laid his hand on her shoulder again, even as she froze up slightly at being acknowledged. “This is our niece, Akari. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she has been staying with Emmet and I for some time. We convinced her to challenge the Battle Lines today, as she is quite an adept Trainer.” He could almost feel her glowing red face from his praise. 

“Aw, that’s so cute. What’s it like living with the Bosses?” the agent asked Dawn thoughtfully. 

Dawn blinked. “I hope you like trains and Joltik,” she said awkwardly. The agent laughed heartily. 

“I like you already, kid. Maybe sometime you could be the third little Boss, with your hair like that. I guess it must run in the family. Well, I’m off to go make sure Ricky hasn’t accidentally mixed up fuel with motor oil again. It didn’t end well last time. Later, Boss!”

“Goodbye, Miss!” Ingo called as she left with a pep in her step. 

“She was nice,” Dawn said. 

“Many of the Agents are. We hire them all ourselves and we make sure to respect them, and in return, they respect us.” Ingo looked back over at what Emmet was doing. Before long, it was almost time for the twins to board their lines. 

The three of them left the control room and made their way down to the main platform, which branched off into several littler passageways, each of which would run a line. They exited down one larger tunnel, which split off into other hallways. They paused at this junction. 

“I will meet you at exactly 13:18 to get lunch,” Emmet said. He grinned at Dawn. “Let me know how it goes.” 

“Have fun, Uncle Emmet! Good luck with the challengers!” 

“Let us know if you require anything.”

“Yup yup! Have fun, Akari.” He patted the Axew on the head as he waved to them, striding down a specific corridor. 

“Our destination is over here,” Ingo motioned to her as he went down the corridor on the opposite side of the one Emmet had gone down. “You will enter at the head of the train, with other Trainers who wish to challenge the Line today. There are twenty cars on the Line, each of which contains a Depot Agent or other opponent. They will heal your team if you beat them, before you move onto the next car. I am in the last car. If you make it all the way to the back, you can fight me. If you lose at any point, the train will deposit you wherever it happens to be. Use Staraptor to fly back to Nimbasa. Do you still have your map?” 

“Right here!” She produced a map of Unova. 

“Bravo! Here is my stop. You will enter down there,” he pointed down the Line, past the gleaming white cars, all the way to the front. “We depart in exactly 16 minutes. I have some announcements to make before we go, but feel free to mingle. Many of the Trainers here become close friends on the Battle Subway.” 

She wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight hug. “Have fun today, Uncle Ingo. I’m making it to you whether you like it or not.” 

“I have utmost confidence you will,” he said, patting her back. “Now, off with you, go show the Agents what you showed me in Hisui!” She scurried off, Axew lumbering after her with excited chirps. Ingo looked at his wristwatch and stood stoically at the door to his cabin. “Fourteen minutes until departure! Trainers, please prepare your teams and enter at Car Number One!” There was a flurry of activity as the minutes dripped by. Ingo kept an eye on the time and a voice in the crowd as they slowly diminished. The train gave off a whistle and Ingo stepped just into his door, leaving it open long enough for him to scream, “ALL ABOARD!” before he shut it, prepping his own team for the day ahead. 

—----

“So?” Emmet looked over his sandwich at the other two with him. Akari bit into her own sandwich and watched him. “How was it?” 

She swallowed her bite of food as she let off a stream of words. “It was so cool! I’ve never seen a battling facility run like this before! Usually most regions have a battle tower of some kind or even the Battle Frontier in Hoenn but never on a Subway! Everything moves and trying to use that to your advantage and the way all the teams are so well-balanced and oh, it was so much fun! I can see why you guys like working here so much, I’d wanna work here, too!” 

Emmet and Ingo shared a glance that went unnoticed by the girl as she took another bite. Ingo swallowed his and added, “She beat me today. I am incredibly proud of her.” He reached over and ruffled her hair, earning a scolding for potentially getting breadcrumbs in her hair. He chuckled and returned to his food. 

Lunch ended rather quickly, as the brothers needed to return to work. Dawn wanted to join them on the Multi Line as a spectator, so they happily let her ride along. She was intrigued by the amount of people, Pokemon, and determination that she saw along the ride. 

By the time night fell, all three were pleasantly tired and ready for the new day. Dawn and Axew were practically hopping with excitement, trying to discuss the battle tactics that the competitors had used that day. Emmet was more than happy to join her. Ingo was a little more tired, though still enamored as he listened to every word they said. 

He hoped they’d do this again in the future. 

—------

As it turned out, he didn’t have to hope. Dawn returned with them almost every single morning, wanting to beat more Trainers and balance her team even more. Axew evolved into Fraxure within two weeks of Subway battles, growing steadily. The twins had a celebration for it, inviting Drayden and Iris over to show off how the infant they’d bred was doing. They both provided outstanding praise for Dawn. 

She became more and more used to the Battle Subway and even began to learn how it worked. She would talk to the Depot Agents regularly and began making friends, Ingo noted. 

He’d also noted a certain individual. It was a boy, with bright hair and sharp eyes. He had been hanging around the station for some time and Ingo was quite sure he’d never seen the boy before. Emmet had noticed him, too, but as he was not doing anything, neither of them said anything. The boy only ever appeared during rush hour and never stayed for long, but always openly stared at the Bosses for a good ten minutes or so, watching them. Then he’d disappear. Ingo intended to keep an eye on him. 

He was about to exit his Line now to meet up with Dawn and Emmet for lunch. Dawn had convinced them that they should go out for lunch today, as the sun was out and it was not too hot in Nimbasa. He was about to take his last challenger of the day. The light above the opposite door dinged and Ingo stood from his seat, moving to stand in his spot as the challenger came into view. 

It was the boy. He was wearing a striped shirt with swooping blonde hair. He looked at Ingo with a piercing gaze, his hand already on his waist, where his Pokeballs were kept.

"Thank you for riding the Battle Subway today. I am the Subway Boss Ingo. I will choose the next destination based on your talent. Do you understand Pokémon well? Can you hold on to your principle? Will you go on to victory or defeat? All aboard!" He decided to do his normal monologue and gauge the boy’s tactics as he tossed out Crustle. The child tossed out a Torterra. Interesting! He was from Sinnoh it seemed. 

The battle continued and the boy said nothing, other than commands to his Pokemon. 

The child was victorious. 

"Bravo!! Your talent has brought you to the destination called Victory! However, your journey has just started. When you choose your next destination, go full speed ahead!" Ingo clapped for the boy as Garbodor fainted to a final strike from Lucario. The train they were on was beginning to slow. They were back at Nimbasa Station. Ingo healed the boy’s team as he prepared to step off. “I do hope you challenge the Battle Subway again!” He went to take a step-

“Wait!” There was a tug on his coat, forcing him to look back around. The boy was watching him with wide eyes. Ingo paused, unsure about what to do. He decided to cross his arms behind his back and lead the boy off the train so it could properly depart before giving him his full attention. 

“Yes?”

“You know where Dawn is.” The boy did not phrase it as a question. Alarm bells went off in Ingo’s head. This child had Sinnohan Pokemon and seemed keen on finding Dawn… 

“I am afraid I do not know what you are referring to.” 

“I’ve seen you with her!” the boy yelled. “She’s been around you guys all the time! Cynthia said some Gym Leader from Unova said he knew where she was but he wouldn’t say anything!” 

“I believe you are referring to my niece, Akari.” 

“Her name isn’t Akari!” The boy was growing rather upset. “Her name is Dawn and she’s my best friend! She left me behind! We need her back because she’s the Champion!” People were beginning to stare now. Ingo needed to divert the situation. 

“Passenger, I believe-”

“Uncle Ingo? What’s taking so long?” Ingo’s eyes widened, but the boy had already heard the voice, too. He looked up wildly, trying to find it. Ingo spotted Emmet over the crowd. They met eyes and Emmet looked concerned immediately. He could tell something was up. Ingo jerked his head and Emmet reached down and patted Dawn on the shoulder, trying to get her away, but she kept moving forward-

“Uncle Ingo-” She was cut off by a blonde bullet hitting her in the chest at top speed. Emmet barely managed to keep her upright as the boy tackled her in a hug. 

“Dawn! Dawn, you’re okay! Dawn, we were all so worried about you and Cynthia said to leave you alone but I wanted to find you again because I already lost you once-”

“B-Barry?” Dawn managed to extract herself from the hug and glanced at the boy’s face with wide, fearful eyes. “What are you doing here?” 

“Cynthia said that some guy from Unova knew where you were but he wouldn’t say where, just that you were safe and needed some time.” His grin was almost as bright as Emmet’s as he kept a hold on her upper arms, nearly bouncing on his feet. “And I wanted to see you again so I decided to look around Unova! You can come home now-”

She ripped herself away and shrank behind Emmet immediately. “N-no, not yet, I don’t want to.” She hid her face in his coat. Emmet patted her back. The boy - Barry - watched on, stunned. 

“Wh… what do you mean you don’t want to? Dawn, you’re my best friend, and you’re just going to leave everything behind-”

“You don’t get it, Barry, there’s just too much-”

“But Dawn, please,-”

Ingo stepped in between them, cutting off whatever the boy was about to say. “I believe there may be some misunderstandings here.” He looked to the boy. “It is our lunch break now and Akari will be joining us for it. If you would like to speak more privately, come after our shift is over. The platform is hardly a place to have a conversation like this.” He looked over to Dawn, kneeling down and setting a hand on her shoulder. “If you do not wish to leave, Dawn, we will ensure you are not taken. As I told you before, you have a safe place with us. We will let nothing happen to you.” Emmet was nodding in agreement above their heads, patting Dawn’s back soothingly. He stood again, using his body as a shield from the boy. “Now,”he said more loudly, “Shall we go? We can try that restaurant by the bakery you like. To my recollection, we have never been there before.” 

“Your recollection has been faulty since you reappeared,” Emmet said with a grin. Ingo gave him a stink-eye. 

“So has your attitude, dear brother, yet here we are still. Tell me then, have we ever been there?”

“Nnope!” Emmet popped the ‘p’ dramatically. Dawn giggled as they led her away, the boy staying lost in the crowd, still completely floored. 

Chapter Text

The sun was nice after the twins removed their hats, prompting Dawn to do the same. They sat outside at a shaded table with their spoils in silence for some time. Both brothers knew she would say something when she got her thoughts in order. 

She did eventually. A good portion of their food was gone before she spoke. 

“That’s Barry.” She paused, trying to think of the words to say again. Both brothers watched her expectantly. “He’s been my best friend since I was four. He was my rival on my Pokemon journey. He never really thinks before he does things and is always running off one place or another, but he’s really loyal and sweet. He didn’t take my disappearance well. The one to Hisui, I mean. The minute I got back and he found me, he wouldn’t let me go for a while. But then I found out about Mom and he was so supportive and just there. When I realized that I needed to spend some time away, though… he didn’t take it well. He’d only just gotten me back. It’d be like if Uncle Ingo moved off to Alola within a week of coming back because something had happened to Aunt Elesa.” She paused again, lowering her gaze. “He tried so hard to get me to stay in Sinnoh. In the end, I just flew off on Staraptor in the middle of the night because Twinleaf was too much for me. I couldn’t sleep there at all. Not without Mom.” Her lip wobbled. “I ran off like a coward in the middle of the night and didn’t even say goodbye…” 

“Dawn,” Ingo said softly, reaching around the table to take her hand. Emmet laid his hand over her hand, too. “You did what you needed to in order to feel safe. I would not call that cowardice. You did what you needed to, even at the expense of others, because you knew it was not a decent schedule for you. That takes an awfully large amount of courage to do, especially when your best friend is involved.” He used his other hand to brush away her tears with his thumb. “He seems quite eager to speak with you. Perhaps, after our shift ends, if he is still in the Subway, we can lead him back to the apartment and all sit down and hear him out. I feel that he is just concerned about you. In addition, he is young and headstrong. I am sure he meant no ill-intent with his actions, he may just not understand the pain he is causing. This can be rectified later. Does that sound alright to you?” 

Dawn sniffled and bobbed her head in a small nod. She didn’t say anything as the two brothers wrapped her in a hug. 

“We should finish lunch,” Emmet said. “It is almost time to return.” 

“Would you like to spectate us on the Multi Line? Or would you rather return home for the evening?” Ingo asked Dawn. 

She sniffled again, but managed to get a deep breath in. “I don’t want to be alone. Is it okay if I stay with you guys?” 

“Of course!”

“Yup!” 

The three finished their meal quickly and paid. They left. The twins reapplied their caps as they made their way back to the Subway. They led the way inside, greeting the Depot Agents as they brushed past their office to make sure nothing was out-of-sorts and went to the Multi Line, right on schedule. Dawn was nervously glancing around the crowd. It broke Ingo’s heart. He ushered her onto the train, into their cabin, calling out announcements as the train lurched into action and sped off. 

—---------

The last challenger left the Multi Line. The train began to slow to a stop. Ingo and Emmet flanked Dawn immediately, who gripped their hands tightly. She let out a shaky breath. 

The doors opened. The three of them stepped off the train last, watching the patrons leave the subway in droves. Not many people were left in this terminal specifically, as the Battle Subway was closing for the evening. They all looked around, seeing if they could spot a blonde head in the crowd. When none was seen, they silently moved to the main archway of the Subway. People still milled about here and there, looking at the schedule for their pedestrian rides to get around Unova. They maneuvered around patrons, making their way to the control room for the final report of the day. The three entered. 

“Good evening!” Ingo called cheerily to the few remaining Agents. The night crew should be there soon, Ingo reasoned. 

“Hey, Bosses.” A young man strode over to them with a clipboard, recording the stats and events of the Subway from the day. Ingo took it and glanced over it, Emmet peering over his shoulder. All seemed to be in order. “There wasn’t much that happened today, though one of the Agents mentioned something for you two.” 

“What is it?” Emmet looked up at the man. 

“She said there was a boy looking for you. He asked when you were off and said that you’d told him to talk to you after work. He’s on a bench just outside the entrance. He has a Torterra with him, too. I think he’s still sitting there.” The worker ran over and tapped on a screen, pulling up a live video footage of the entrance to the Subway. In the bottom left corner of the video was a familiar striped shirt and blonde head. “Yeah, he is.” 

“We did wish to speak with him, he is a friend of Akari’s. Thank you. We shall take our leave for the evening.” Ingo nodded politely at the Agents left in the room and turned, leaving with his brother and niece. She clung to them still. 

“Wh-what if he’s really mad at me? What if he just came to tell me he hates me-”

“Akari, I sincerely doubt that. He was hugging you quite fiercely when he saw you. I believe he is just concerned.” Ingo squeezed her hand. 

“Yep. He was upset, but not at you. He seems confused. He wants to help you but doesn’t know how,” Emmet added. 

“I hope so,” she murmured as they got to the upper exit of the Subway. 

Ingo and Emmet pushed open the doors to the outside, breathing in the night air of Nimbasa. It was warm with summer approaching so rapidly. A couple Trubbish still hung around. Ingo waved to the young ones as he passed by. He always had a soft spot for the creatures. “What would we like for dinner this evening?” he asked nonchalantly, in order to gain Barry’s attention. 

And gain it he had, apparently. “Hey!” Footsteps approached and there was a hiss and a light as a Pokemon was recalled. The three of them turned to see the boy running at them, skidding to a halt a couple paces from them. He looked at Dawn for a long moment, then glanced between the twins. “I just want to talk. Please.” 

“Of course,” Ingo quipped. “First, however, we should get something to refuel with. I know I am rather famished.” 

“We should get pizza from that spot on Ninth. It is on the way,” Emmet said as he began to walk, this time with another passenger trailing behind them. 

“I’d prefer the one on Sycamore.” 

“We always get the one on Sycamore!” Emmet whined. 

“Akari? Is there anything you would like?” Ingo looked down at his niece to settle the dispute. That was one of the many, many reasons it was nice to have her around. The twins would no longer go back and forth for long, drawn-on minutes about what to eat anymore. 

“Could we grab something from that Kalosian place? The one with the really good macarons? I don’t think we’ve had that in awhile.” 

“That sounds agreeable,” Emmet said with a sly grin. 

“Alright, then. Destination set!” The twins began walking with more pep in their step, Dawn having to jog to keep up. The brothers made eye contact and Emmet grinned. This was fun. 

They got food in record time, also buying some for Barry. Never would a passenger go hungry on their watch! Ingo made Emmet carry their purchase this time as they approached the apartment building, walking up the flight of stairs and unlocking the door, allowing everyone in. Emmet beelined for the kitchen table, tossing down the bags of food. Then he returned to the main room to disrobe his uniform. Ingo clicked his tongue at his brother and untied his tie as Emmet did the same for him. Dawn toed off her shoes and denim jacket, hanging them on the hook meant for her. Fraxure popped out of its ball once it sensed they were home, its metal body sparkling as it lumbered to her and rubbed its forehead against her arm. It made her laugh and rub its head. 

Once they were a bit more comfortable, they went back to the kitchen. The whole time, Barry stood in the middle of the living room, unsure of what to do, nervously glancing around at the decor and the Joltik gathering around. Dawn gestured him into the dining area. 

Ingo and Emmet divvied up food, shooing Joltik away from the plates. “I will feed you after we eat, babies,” Emmet cooed to them. Regardless, some of them burrowed their way into hair, clothing, and onto counters. Ingo picked one up and placed it on his shoulder, scolding it for trying to get into his meal. 

They all sat and dug in. Barry seemed to like his choice and downed it quickly. Ingo and Emmet ate at their usual pace, with Dawn outspeeding them as always. They ate quickly and quietly. The entire time, Barry said not a word. He simply… watched. Ingo gave Dawn one of his macarons, as it was her favorite flavor. Emmet patted one of the Joltik and excitedly discussed one of the challengers from that day. “He had a Galvantula! I recognized that Trainer. He fought us five years ago! He nearly won, too. I gave him that Joltik and it knew Cross Poison! He put it to good use today, yup. It seemed verrry strong!” Dawn said very little, but did chime in every so often. Ingo and Emmet led much of the conversation. Neither of them minded much. 

“So,” Ingo spoke finally as they were finishing, “would you like us to give you some privacy? Me and Emmet can withdraw for the evening if you would like.” 

“I think it’s okay,” Dawn said quickly, before Barry could speak. “You already know most of it anyway.” 

Ingo understood what she was really saying. Emmet’s voice cut over him, “I will feed the Pokemon. Would you like me to feed yours, Dawn?” 

She nodded and handed him her Pokeballs, Fraxure following close behind Emmet’s heels as he whistled to the Joltik. All of them scurried out of the room, following him as well. Emmet was only gone for a few minutes, during which Ingo cleaned up from dinner. Dawn insisted on helping with clean-up. Barry continued to sit and stare around the room, unsure of what to do. 

Emmet returned as the pair finished cleaning and they all sat back down at the table. All was completely silent. Ingo could practically smell how awkward it was. 

“Barry, you’re never this quiet.” Dawn broke the silence first. 

“What am I supposed to say?” he asked quietly. “You seem happier here.” 

“Stop.” He looked up at the anger in her voice. “It’s not like that and you know it. I didn’t just up and leave on a whim.” 

“You still left, though!” He turned in his seat to face her. “I’d just gotten you back for a week and you still left! No goodbye, no telling where you would be. You just dropped off the planet again! I was worried that you’d been taken back in time again! Or worse! I was so worried about you, Dawn! I was the first time you disappeared, too! I looked everywhere for you and you were just nowhere and I was so scared it’d just be a repeat of that-”

“Barry, would you just listen to me!” Her voice drowned out his. He shut his mouth with a clack, holding back tears. “I couldn’t stay in Sinnoh. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going, but I didn’t want to be dragged back. I can’t go home.”

“But why?” He wrapped his arms around himself, still struggling to hold back his tears. “It’s right there. You have a place to stay. Why can’t you come home?” 

“Because it’s not the same anymore.” She looked away from him. “I spent so much time in the past that now all I can think about is the people who are all gone, when we used to walk the same paths and routes. All the people I became friends with in Jubilife two-hundred years ago. I can’t go there without thinking about how I’ll never see them again. When I found out Mom was gone, everything changed for me again. I didn’t get to say goodbye to her either. And everything in Twinleaf, in Hearthome, everything was so full of her and it hurt. I couldn’t just stay there and be reminded everyday. I had to leave. But I know Cynthia wouldn’t like it and you wouldn’t want me to leave and might stop me. I had to do what was best for me.” 

He did not speak for a long moment. He sniffled and a single tear traced its way down his face. “I missed you, Dawn,” was all he said. 

“I missed you too, Barry. I still do.” She reached out and gingerly touched his shoulder. “I want to see my friend again. I really, really do. But I can’t do it in Sinnoh. I just can’t. I’m sorry, Barry. But I can’t go back. I have a place here now and I like it here. Everyone is nice and I feel like I have a real family again and I’m not alone.” 

“You weren’t alone.” His response was weak. “We were there…”

“But you aren’t my family, Barry. You’re my best friend and I still don’t really know your mom all that well.” 

He was quiet again for some time. The twins said nothing, allowing them to have this moment. “So who are you?” the boy asked finally, looking up at the twins. 

“My name is Ingo. I fell to Hisui some time before Dawn did from here and lost all my memories in the process. As foreigners, we both bonded well and Dawn not only helped me restore my memories, but she allowed me a way home.” 

“I am Emmet. I am Ingo’s twin brother. He was missing for four years. I would not have him back if not for Dawn.” 

Barry watched the two of them for a moment longer. 

“I call them my uncles,” Dawn said quietly. “They took me in without notice and have been so kind and supportive. They have a sister, too, who treats me like part of the family. So does their uncle and cousin. They’re all really kind and I feel like I belong here.” 

Barry tackled her in a hug. He was not holding back his tears anymore. “I… I’m gonna miss you, Dawn. But I’m gonna visit, okay? I want to see you often and battle you again. I don’t care if its in Sinnoh or Unova or Galar, I just want to see you. You can show me around Unova sometime. Maybe we can battle again, like we did with Team Galactic.”

Dawn smiled. She hugged her friend back. “I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”

The twins stood and patted the two teens on the shoulders, making them look up. Emmet smiled softly at them as Ingo spoke. “We will be in our room if you need anything. Barry, you are welcome to stay the night. We have an extra change of clothes if you require them. The bathroom is the second room on the left down the hall, Dawn can show you where it is.” 

His eyes widened. “Oh… thank you. Thank you very much.” 

“Of course!” Emmet chirped. The brothers receded to allow them a moment of privacy, now that the hard part had passed. Their Pokemon were waiting in their room, waiting for the door to be opened. 

“Go cheer Dawn up,” Emmet whispered to them. “She needs it.” Many of them bolted out of the room immediately, eager to see their Trainer. The twins got ready for bed. They’d be there for her, as they said they would be. 

Chapter Text

Ingo signed the last of the papers. He handed them over to the other gentleman with them. As the man was reading them over, Dawn took his hand and smiled at him. He softly smiled back at her. 

“Everything appears to be in order. It still needs to be notarized and officially instated, but I have a feeling they won’t have an issue with it,” the man in the suit said. “Congratulations. I hope everything works out well for you.” He smiled at them and sent them on their way. 

They left the office. The sun was soft, the flowers nearby attracting Bug types. Emmet stood outside, watching them with bright eyes. “Well?” he asked them, his grin splitting his face. 

Ingo smiled. He really, truly smiled. “It needs to be officiated, but otherwise, it’s done.” 

Emmet whooped loudly, garnering attention from others across the street. Not one of them cared. The twins both lifted Dawn up and crushed her in a hug. She was laughing. All of them were, laughing feverishly and excitedly, tears being shared. 

They set her down and Ingo kissed the top of her head affectionately. “Welcome to the family, Akari.” 

The newly-renamed girl smiled up at him, tears in her eyes. She hugged him tightly, pulling Emmet into the hug, too. “Thank you. Thank you so much, for everything.” 

“Let us go get some Casteliacones,” Emmet suggested. “Elesa wanted to meet us with Drayden and Iris to have a little party for today. It’s a special occasion, after all. The six-month anniversary of Akari’s arrival and the first day it’s official.” He took Akari’s hand. She held out her other hand for Ingo. 

“Come on, Dad! Let’s go get ice cream!” 

He blushed deeply and took her hand as they began to walk. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right here with you.”  

—-----------

The twins smirked at each other. The car dinged as the doors slid open, revealing two new challengers. 

“I am a Subway Boss, Ingo. The fellow over to the side is also a Subway Boss, Emmet. Will a Multi Battle help us cover each other's weakness? Or will you show your overwhelming power? I look forward to seeing how well you fight. However, it is difficult to win unless you and your partner are in total sync."

“Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedule. Everybody smile! Check safety. Everything's ready! Aim for victory! All aboard!" 

They prepared for the battle, their stances guarded even as they dripped excitement from their very pores. Their challengers grinned. 

“Not even a hello, huh? Wow, Dad. Rude.” 

“Let’s take them out, Akari.” Barry tossed out his Torterra as Akari tossed out a huge, black Haxorus. She knew exactly which Pokemon the twins would use first. 

The train under them lurched forward at maximum speed as Ingo and Emmet whirled, clutching their hats and tossing out their aces. And so, the battle began.