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Chapter Text

Ingo shifted in his boots. He’d done his best to keep them in good condition for the time he’d been in Hisui. While the outside remained neat and kept together, the inside was worn and ripped. The imprint of his feet was left on the insole, forever cementing his place in them. There was a time where they hurt, but after so long, he forgot that they were likely more bad than good. Irida had offered to get him replacements, but he had some attachment. He’d already given up the shirt and tie he’d had when he arrived in this world, he was refusing to give up any more of his uniform.

“This is gonna work. Trust me!”

Dawn was excited, setting up in the open pasture. Irida and Adaman had come to spectate. Professor Laventon wanted nothing more than to be a part of this moment, but his duties to research superseded. Rei stopped by, but upon seeing what Dawn was up to, left promptly. When Dawn had that look in her eyes, it was best to stay clear. Ingo didn’t have a choice though, as this was a “surprise” for him. Irida agreed to come for support. Adaman came purely to jest.

“What is this surprise, anyway?” Adaman murmured.

“Professor Laventon and I have been working with Palkia and Dialga,” Dawn explained, juggling the two Pokeballs in her hands. “We think…we can get us back to our time.”

“Us?” perked Ingo, realizing what this surprise actually was.

Dawn was bouncing, unable to contain her energy.

“Dialga can send us to the future, and if we’re in the wrong place, Palkia can take us home!” Dawn cheered, releasing the Pokeballs into the air.

The Shinnoh gods emerged in a beam of light. Towering over the small group, they could easy destroy them or simply leave, and yet they waited patiently, looking down at the small child bouncing around. Irida closed her eyes, listening to the voice only for her.

“Palkia eagerly waits to assist us,” she hummed. “They are willing to fix the damage that was caused.”

“Dialga is also willing to help,” Adaman added. “After all, its Dialga’s power needed most here.”

Irida shot Adaman as dirty look. He grinned.

“I’m…not sure.” Ingo muttered, lowering the tip of his cap. “What if…”

“Ingo!” interrupted Dawn, grabbing his hands. “What about all those things you’ve talked about? Those things you almost remember! What about the man who looks like you?”

There was twinge in Ingo’s heart, and for a brief moment he could see the man clearly in his mind. He was dressed in white, hand lowering his cap in a similar fashion, pointing out into the distance. While the face was blurred, there was a clear smile plastered on it. This image, though brief and faded, was forever etched into his mind. It even haunted his dreams. This person was important but Ingo couldn’t remember why.

Ingo bit his lip, taking his hands from Dawn’s grasp.

Dawn gave a swift nod, stepping back.

“But how will we know where to go?” prompted Irida. “If Warden Ingo has no memory of where he came from, how will we be able to return him to his time?”

“He just needs things to help him remember!” announced Dawn. “Just by being here, I’ve helped him remember stuff. Maybe if we go back even to my time, he’ll remember more stuff!”

“That makes sense,” nodded Adaman.

“And…” Dawn’s excitement slowly mellowed, “If we can’t find anything…or you don’t remember anything…then we’ll just come back…It’ll be fine…”

Ingo sighed. This young lady had been through so much and was still putting the world on her shoulders. She was risking her life to find where Ingo belonged. She was always helping others, with few reaching out to help her. Ingo nodded lightly, stepping forward to place a hand on Dawn’s shoulder. She looked up at him.

“We are a two-train car,” he offered.

“And we’re gonna find your station!” cheered Dawn

Irida and Adaman shared a confused look before shrugging it off. These odd sayings were typical of Ingo and with Dawn’s arrival they were becoming more common. Perhaps it was a future thing.

“Besides, we’ve got all the time in the world to look!” Dawn declared, directing to Palkia and Dialga. “Let’s get started! Homeward bound!”

Ingo swore the two gods looked to each other before letting out a monstrous cry, followed by a consuming light. The look the two gave each other was worrisome, like they knew something the rest of them didn’t, like they were planning something. After all, the two of them were at the mercy of these beings. Pokeball or not, these beings were far too powerful to be controlled.

Chapter Text

This was a familiar feeling, waking up in the middle of the wilderness, looking up at the stars as they lit up the sky. Ingo laid a while, listening to chittering of the nearby Pokémon. Soon they were joined by the groans of his companions. Companions? Ingo sat up, spotting Dawn not far off but also seeing Irida and Adaman nearby. The four surrounded an oddly shaped stump, perfectly spaced out as if ornately placed.

“Where are…” Ingo gasped, realizing the absence of Palkia and Dialga.

“What?” mumbled Dawn, rubbing her head. “Where…?”

“Oh dear,” perked Irida, sitting up. “I don’t think we were supposed to…”

“So, this is the future,” Adaman nodded. “I’m underwhelmed.”

“Shinnoh,” muttered Ingo, getting to his feet. His body ached in a familiar way. This all seemed so familiar. “They’ve both departed.”

“Both of them?” Dawn screamed, jumping up. “But…but where are we? When are we? They…they shouldn’t have…”

Dawn’s panic was evident. Being closest, Irida was quick to scoop the child in her arms, cooing softly in an attempt to calm her. Sometimes they forget that Dawn is a child. A child that fought two godlike beings, but still just a child. Ingo looked around, taking in the darkened forest. The woods were unlike the ones he’d normally walked, and the stars were far less bright. The stars that he could make out were not the same as the ones he’d spent countless nights staring at. Yet, these soft distant lights seemed comforting, like a light at the end of the tunnel he’d been stumbling through.

“We should find shelter,” Adaman directed, also looking around. “Who knows what kind of Pokémon are out there.”

“It’s quiet,” Ingo commented softly, tipping his cap downward. “Is it always so quiet?”

No, he thought. He felt in deep within that this silence was unnatural for the area. Perhaps he was somewhere close to home. A home he still couldn’t remember but slowly rising in his throat. It felt empowering in a way that made him wanted to shout.

“Which way should we head?” Irida hummed, looking between Adaman and Ingo. “We don’t know where we are.”

Ingo quickly pointed into the depths of the woods. It was that feeling deep down. He may not have known where he was, but he knew which way to go. Adaman and Irida turned to look within the darkness through the trees.

“Are you sure?” whispered Irida.

“I…” mumbled Ingo, the empowering memory fading. “I’m not…”

“It’s better than nothing!” shouted Dawn, pushing free of Irida. “Maybe…maybe your home is nearby and you just…know!”

Ingo nodded. Perhaps that was it. He was pointing toward home. Dawn unclipped a Pokeball from her belt, tossing into the open field. Light poured from the orb, releasing the form of Typhlosion. The eerie purple glow of its flames illuminated the small grove. It let out a chirp, sniffing the air. Maybe it knew they were some when else. Dawn pointed toward the designated way. Typhlosion moved forward on all fours, lighting the previously darkened woods.

“We better get going,” Dawn nodded, chasing after her Pokémon.

Irida, Adaman, and Ingo lingered behind, listening cautiously to the calls of the nighttime Pokémon. They followed the ominous ghostly glow of Typhlosion as it moved ahead, keeping Dawn barely illuminated in its light like a ghostly figure. It felt like a memory just out of reach.

“Thank you for riding the Battle Subways today…”

Ingo perked, hearing the voice echo in his mind. It was faint and distant. The sight of Dawn in the distance seemed to shift, the purple light changing to a bright overhead. The trees became seats. The darkened wood slowly became a lightened memory. A young man, barely older than Dawn, stood where her image once was. Ingo stopped walking.

“I am…Ingo”

The voice sounded distorted but faintly like his own. There were gaps in the dialogue as if the memory was corrupted, unable to recall every detail. He saw something in his peripheral, but when he turned to look, the figure was a smudge of white in the shape of a man, but Ingo knew the figure well. It was the man who looked like him. The man from his dreams, haunting his memories, who’s name was on the tip of his tongue.

“The fellow over to the side…”

Ingo could feel the memory slipping. The lights were fading out, shifting to the ghostly purple in the darkened forest. The faint calls of his allies began echoing, bouncing off the dialogue that continued.

“Will a…help us cover each other’s weakness? Or…overwhelming power? I look forward…However…you and your partner are in total sync.”

With that final word, the memory shattered. Dawn stood in front of Ingo, looking desperately up at him, a hand holding his. Irida and Adaman were on either side of Dawn, looking equally concerned. Typhlosion stood on its hind legs, peering over the humans. Dawn slowly smiled, noticing Ingo coming back to them.

“Did you remember something?” Dawn spoke softly.

“I think so…” nodded Ingo, adjusting his cap. “I was somewhere familiar. With…”

“The man who looks like you?” Irida offered, having heard Ingo’s few fleeting memories many times.

Ingo grimaced. “He was so close…I could’ve touched him and yet…” His hand tightened on the lip of his cap, lowering it to cover his eyes. “We shouldn’t get derailed on my account. Let’s keep moving forward.”

Ingo pushed past the others, stepping up beside Typhlosion before walking past. Dawn chased after him, directing Typhlosion to keep up. Irida looked to Adaman as the light slowly began to leave them.

“Was this a good idea?” whispered Irida. “Do you think he’ll be alright?”

“We’re talking about a Warden here,” huffed Adaman, taking Irida’s arm. “If he can handle Alphas and Nobles, I’m sure his past is nothing.”

Chapter Text

At the edge of the forest, they stopped. Before them was a sprawling city, stretching far out with the woods surrounding it on all sides. The domed buildings were huge, larger than anything Irida and Adaman had seen aside from the temples. The lights from the lamps were dimmed, with a few shattered and fallen. For a city this big, the silence was deafening.

“What is this place?” Irida broke the silence.

“It’s civilization, is what it is!” cheered Dawn, recalling Typhlosion. “There’s bound to be people! They can tell us where we are! What year it is!”

“Look, a path into town,” Adaman pointed.

The small brick path was overrun with weeds, partially blocked by unknown debris. Entering the city limits, the silence was still prominent. Even the nearby ponds seemed oddly quiet. Ingo felt his skin crawl. All of this was wrong. He couldn’t fully explain why, but he knew it deep down that this was wrong. Where was everyone?

“Nimbasa City.”

Ingo spun around quickly, holding tightly to his hat. Dawn stood in front of a broken-down sign covered in graffiti. She nodded confidently at the sign as if she knew exactly where they were now but she still had no idea where they were. Ingo did at least, he thought his did. The name was familiar. He was getting tired of that word, the feeling, like something just out of reach.

“Where is everyone?” Irida commented, feeling the chilling silence all around her.

“What are these buildings for?” Adaman redirected, looking at the nearby dome.

The dome was the first of three. Even in the dark of the night, the bright colors of the building stuck out, illuminated by a single LED light under the massive sign. Musical Hall. It looked as though it had not been maintained for some time as some of the props on the top of the building were broken off or had their color completely striped off.

“What would one even do here?” Irida hummed, looking at all the colors.

“The hall was used for performances between Pokémon and their trainers,” Ingo recited without a second thought. Once he had finished, he realized he had no idea what he just said.

“Warden Ingo!” perked Irida. “This must be your home! How else would you know these things?”

“I…” muttered Ingo, feeling an overwhelming pressure sudden placed on his shoulders.

“Are you lot crazy!?”

A voice from the building drew their attention. A man peered through the sliding door, ushering them over with rapid motion. After a hesitant glance between each other, they rushed to the door. Before they could address the man, he grabbed Dawn by the arm and pulled her in. With his other hand, he grabbed Irida. Adaman dashed in. Ingo stepped forward, but the door began closing. Dawn spun around, keeping the door open for Ingo.

“What are you doing?” gasped the man. “That your Zoroark or something?”

“Zoroark?” snapped Adaman. “What gives you the right…”

Ingo raised a hand, stopping Adaman from continuing.

“Why do you think he’s a Zoroark?” questioned Irida.

“Subway Boss Ingo?”

A woman stepping out from behind a desk. She stepped forward, leaning in close to Ingo. He wasn’t normally uncomfortable with the attention or closeness, but the woman looked at him with such focus. She made complete and unwavering eye contact. Ingo felt like he couldn’t catch his breath or move in any way. It was like he was trapped in this engagement, like a specimen under a microscope.

“You…you came back…” she whispered, on the verge of tears.

“Miss…I…” muttered Ingo, finally finding the courage to take a step back.

“Emily, stop!” shouted the man, pulling the woman away. “No way that’s Subway Boss Ingo. I mean look at him! Besides, if he was Ingo, you-know-who would already know and even if he didn’t, Elesa would.”

Ingo felt this overpowering energy again. A faint image of a woman walked out from his peripheral. Her body seemed to trail reflection as if the memory was lagging.

Her long dark hair bounced with each step, wrapping around her puffy yellow coat. She was smiling as she turned to him, almost as if she saw him there.

“You and your Pokemon’s moves are simply dazzling!” Her voice echoed, lost in an empty tunnel.

She spun on her heels, walking away until she faded through the nearby wall. The energy faded from inside. He felt Dawn’s hand holding his. She peered up at him, smiling but clearly concerned.

“Did you know her?” Dawn whispered. “That person they mentioned? Elesa?”

“I think so…” Ingo responded softly.

“What did she look like? Was she nice?” bubbled Dawn.

“She had dark hair…a big coat…” Ingo looked forward at the wall his memory disappeared through. He was trying to recall that escaping moment. Why was it so hard to remember?

“Elesa will be able to tell if he’s real or not!” shouted Emily to her friend. “C’mon, Marcus! We can’t stay here anyway. The patrols will find us.”

“Patrols?” perked Adaman. “What patrols?”

As if on cue, a blinding light shone past the glass door. Marcus cursed under his breath, grabbing Emily by the wrist. He began running through the nearby door, leaving the four in the lobby. The blinding light quickly shone through the door again, staying frozen as it peered in. There was chirping sound, like an alarm.

“We must depart!” gasped Ingo, racing after Marcus and Emily while dragging Dawn by the hand.

They burst through the doors, seeing a large arena of descending seats leading to a stage. Emily remained on stage, illuminated by one flickering spotlight. Marcus was peeking from an open trap door, pulling at her pant leg and no doubt begging her to come quickly. The sound of glass shattered from the lobby.

“Quickly!” Emily shouted. “This way!”

The four raced down the aisle. Ingo helped Dawn and Irida onto the stage. Adaman helped Ingo up. Emily ducked into the trap door, leading into a darkened abyss. Irida went down after. Dawn was forced down. Adaman tried to order Ingo down next, but he was hesitant. Ingo looked out toward the doors they entered as they burst opened. A man was silhouetted under the shadow of the monstrous Pokémon behind him. Still, Ingo stared. The man dressed in white raised a hand and spoke to his Pokémon.

“Warden Ingo!” howled Adaman, grabbing Ingo by the arm and pushing him down the trap door. “We can’t wait any longer!”

Ingo fell into the tunnels below. Dawn and Irida helped him up. The ground began shaking as Adaman leapt down. Marcus held onto Emily as they looked above.

“It’s Haxorus!” gasped Marcus. “We need to keep moving. The gym will be safe.”

Marcus led the way with Emily waiting to make sure the others followed. Ingo lingered, staring up at the blocked trap door. The stage above had collapsed from the Pokémon’s attack. It was unlikely the group would be followed. He felt like something was caught in his throat. This all felt wrong. It made him sick.

Chapter Text

Somehow the tunnels brought Ingo comfort. It reminded him of the Wayward Cave but also something else. It was more than that. The tunnel, barely lit by the overhead lights, had a pair of metal piping running the length. He had a strong desire to run along them, as if that were a more comfortable means of traversing the tunnels than walking along the raised edge. It was a twitching instinct that nagged in the back of his mind as they walked.

“Where are we going?” Adaman huffed.

“Adaman!” nudged Irida. “I’m sorry, we never formally introduced ourselves, have we?”

“That’s fine,” Emily responded, glancing back at them. “I’m Emily. This is Marcus. Wish we could’ve met under better circumstances, but that’s hard to come by these days.”

“I’m Irida, this is Adaman, Dawn, and Ingo.”

Marcus glared over his shoulder while Emily beamed.

“So, you are Subway Boss Ingo!” Emily cheered. “This is amazing! Everyone will be so excited!”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Emily,” grumbled Marcus. “Seen a lot of fakes since he disappeared. That used to be a big problem. Lookalikes and Zoroark. Twisted sense

of humor, the lot of them.”

“Disappeared?” whispered Ingo.

There was a moment of silence that hung in the air, as if no one knew how to continue. The only sound was that of their footsteps which echoed down the tunnel. Ingo adjusted his cap. It was strange, how certain this girl was of him and how uncertain he was of himself. If he was who this girl was referring to, if he was Subway Boss Ingo, what exactly did that mean for him?

“What happened?” Adaman engaged, liking the tense conversation better than the silence.

“Nobody knows,” shrugged Marcus. “It’s just one of those unexplained things. Whatever.”

“One day, Master Ingo went to investigate something on the tracks. He never came back. His brother was beside himself. Everyone was,” Emily continued. “The searched and waited but after a while everyone gave up. They even had a funeral.”

“Brother?” gasped Ingo.

Marcus rolled his eyes.

“Of course. Subway Boss Ingo and Emmet.”

Ingo felt like something shot through him, stealing his breath and stopping his heart. In an instant, he could see clearly the man who was once blurred in his mind. The smile, the uniform, the determined look in his eye.

“I am Emmet. I am a Subway Boss with my brother, Ingo…”

Dawn wrapped around Ingo’s arm, watching the tears well in his eyes and fall down his cheek. His breath came lose, choking in his throat between shuddered sobs. He clutched his chest. The memory was already fleeting. He was losing him again. Not again. Ingo shut his eyes, lowering his head. Focus. Don’t lose him.

“I like Double Battles. I like combinations of two Pokémon. And I like winning more than anything else.”

“Warden!” gasped Irida, turning around as the group stopped.

The fire inside him was flickering, dying in the darkness of his mind. Why was it so hard to keep the memories alive? Why were they so fleeting?

“No…” whispered Ingo, shaking his head. “I can’t forget him again…”

“What I do. What I say. Always the same. Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedules. Everyone smile…”

Ingo opened his eyes. It was gone. The memories, the voices, the clear image of him, of Emmet, of his brother, was gone. His heart ached like something important had been carved out of it. He’d felt this before but not nearly this powerful, and now it had a name, it had a relation. His brother. He had a brother. Emmet.

Emily covered her mouth with her hands. Marcus even stopped to watch as Ingo shuddered. Dawn tightened her grip on Ingo’s arm, hoping he could feel her, that she could lend him her strength. Irida lowered her gaze, slowly turning away.

“We found Ingo wandering,” she explained softly. “He had no memory aside from his name. Even after all this time, he would only get glimpses of his past. I think…I think you just reminded him of the one he’s been desperate to know.”

Emily sniffed, trying not to cry. Marcus looked away. Nonsense. This couldn’t really be Ingo, could it?

“We…” sniffled Emily, rubbing her eyes, “We should head to Nimbasa Gym. If anyone can help you remember, it’ll be Elesa. The three of you…well, you two were close.”

Adaman and Irida nodded. Irida took to Ingo’s side, taking his other free arm and holding it tightly. His breaths were shallow, tight. His eyes were wide, tears streaming endlessly. Dawn pressed against him. Irida leaned her head against his shoulder. Adaman turned to Marcus and Emily.

“Let’s get moving.”

Chapter Text

They snuck in through a vent that had been expanded into a small lobby. There were a few people huddled together in whispers, shooting judgmental glances at the group as they entered. The sight of Ingo made them go white, turning away and their murmurs grew. The huddled people grouped together all talking about the same thing. Subway Boss Ingo.

“I’m unsure about this,” muttered Ingo, placing a hand gently over Dawn’s arm that was still wrapped around his. “I don’t want to misdirect these people.”

“We won’t know for sure,” Irida added, resting her head against him. “Maybe, you are who they say and you just forgot. This Elesa girl should know.”

Ingo sighed. Normally, he’d lower his cap to shield his eyes as he thought, but with Irida to one side and Dawn on the other, he was forced to face the world unblocked. He could see every suspicious glance and wayward whisper. With every step, he drew attention and that was one thing he didn’t want, one thing he hated since he arrived in Hisui.

They entered a darkened area, illuminated with neon and LED overheads. A small rail connected platforms, but a bridge had been built over it in multiple places as a better means of walking between the platforms, since the small, single car train was shut down near the main entrance.

“There she is!” announced Emily, gesturing toward the highest elevated stage.

Ingo felt his breath get caught in his throat as he looked up to the main stage. The woman from his ghostly vision stood, talking with several others. She wasn’t entirely the same. She looked tired, dressed in a slim dress as opposed to the two-piece, and her hair had blond coming through at the roots. Her brow was furrowed as she talked with the people on stage.

“Wait, here,” Emily instructed, continuing up to the stage.

Dawn tapped Ingo’s arm.

“She looked just like you said,” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” Ingo shook his head. “Maybe…maybe not.

“Miss Elesa?”

Emily stood politely, hands at her sides. She’d never stood this close to Elesa, let alone talk to her. She didn’t want to interrupt the apparently important conversation the gym leader was having with the others. She was familiar with the individuals Elesa was talking with. They were other resistance members, leading separate divisions of the city. Personally, she only knew Percy, since he was a part of her neighborhood and so he led her division. He was the reason she knew about the tunnels to the gym or even knew Marcus. So, Emily waited politely, not wanting to interrupt.

“Emily, you made it!” gasped Percy, stepping from the group. “We were worried that another raid happened…”

“We got…side tracked,” nodded Emily.

“Everything alright, sweetie?” hummed Elesa, turning around. “I know things have been…”

Elesa stopped. Her eyes landing just pass Emily to the man on the stairs. Ingo fumbled with his sleeves. He felt hopelessly underdressed suddenly. Elesa felt her heart skip a beat before she pushed past Emily and raced down the stairs. She stopped in front of him, faces inches from each other. Ingo could see the light in her eyes, a glowing sea of blue with water beginning to swell. Her hand hovered over his cheek.

“Ingo…?” Elesa choked.

She shut her eyes, lowering her hand before stepping away. She turned her back to him, biting her thumb nail. It hurt. She’d seen so many copycats and lookalikes that had gotten her hopes up. They never fooled Emmet, though, and after a while she knew how to tell the fakes apart. It was either the hair was the wrong color, the uniform was sewn wrong, the poses weren’t tight enough. This one though. This one wasn’t trying like the others, wasn’t pushing the act. He seemed insecure, fiddling his fingers and eyeing the ground. Eye contact. He was never very good at that.

“Who…who are you?” she sniffled, glancing over her shoulder at them.

“I’m Dawn,” declared the child, standing tall in front of Ingo as a shield. “This is Irida, Adaman and Ingo.”

Elesa bit her lip. Ingo muttered under his breath. Irida held on closer.

“Where did you come from?” Elesa huffed, finally turning back to them. “Nimbasa City is on lockdown. It’s been that way for months!”

“Well, it’s complicated,” blushed Irida.

“We time travelled,” answered Adaman.

“Excuse me?” Elesa raised a beautifully sculpted brow.

“We were searching for my station,” sighed Ingo, stepping forward. “I was found, derailed, and unable to remember my destination. Dawn has been so kind to use her skills to my aid.”

Elesa tightened her jaw. It sounded like him. Even the little train nuances were on point. Not forced, just casually placed like it was completely normal.

“So, your supposed to be Subway Boss Ingo…with amnesia…from the past…returning to now?” Elesa huffed, arms crossed.

“I don’t know whether I am this Subway Boss or not, I simply hope to help my friends return to their station and perhaps we can help get you back on track as well.”

Elesa sighed. He was hitting all the right marks. He wasn’t even trying and yet he was hitting all the marks. The uniform, though torn and worn, was correct in color and texture. The hat had the right sigil on the front. The shirt was obviously different but other than that the uniform would be perfect, though clearly had seen a lot.

“Prove it,” Elesa grinned, pointing to Ingo. “Battle me!”

“What?” was the resounding gasp from the stadium.

“I’m this town’s Gym Leader and I’ll teach you a little something about how tough a journey can get,” Elesa recited, holding up a Pokeball. “One on one. You verse me, Ingo. Only then will I consider our mutual alliance.”

Dawn went to open her mouth but Ingo stepped forward. Adjusting his cap, he pulled one of the Pokeballs from his belt. He had only brought a few with him, as he didn’t plan this trip, but it was enough to make a point.

“The tracks ahead are perilous, but I pride myself on safe driving,” Ingo nodded. With ease and grace, he assumed his pose, pointing directly back at Elesa. “You choose the next destination based on my talents? Done!”

Elesa grinned. She could feel that familiar fire that burned within the brothers coming from this man. It was different than any of the others. Striking a pose, she released Emolga onto the stage. People were starting to back away, preparing the space needed for a battle. Ingo gently tossed his rustic Pokeball into the open space. Gliscor let out a cry, twirling in the air before narrowing its eyes on the Emolga and Elesa.

Elesa brushed her hair over her shoulder. This would prove it to her. Ingo and Emmet were the only ones who could keep up with her on a regular basis. They would trade wins and losses. She knew their styles well. Though the Gliscor was new, if their little story was true, it made sense, especially since Emmet currently had all of Ingo’s Pokémon. Ingo lowered his cap with one hand, while maintaining his point to Elesa.

“My beloved Pokémon will make your head spin,” she purred.

“Now then…follow the rules and drive safely! We’re headed for victory! All aboard!” Ingo howled, feeling that growing fire inside.

Chapter Text

Irida knew Warden Ingo’s might. After all, he was the Warden for a reason. His power was strong and his relationship with Pokémon was stronger than she’d ever seen aside from Dawn. He used Professor Laventon’s invention with ease, as if he’d been using them his whole life. Seeing this future, maybe he truly had been using them his whole life. These gym leaders appeared to be like Wardens back home but with a team of strong Pokémon, acting as gatekeepers to the young. At least, she thought so. This future was hard to understand and it also appeared that things were not normal in this city to begin with.

“Let us depart!” howled Ingo. “Gliscor, Poison Jab!”

The large bat let out a cry, charging forward. Emolga fled, spinning in and out of the rails and dodging behind the lights. Gliscor tucked in its large wings, gracefully moving with Emolga until it was within range. The scorpion tail swung forward, stabbing into Emolga’s small body and forcing it down. Before it hit the ground, it recovered, flying upward with barely a wince.

“Someone’s in a rush,” winked Elesa.

“There is no time to waste,” commented Ingo. “This train needs to depart! Gliscor, Poison Jab!”

Gliscor again began charging toward Emolga. The small creature avoided eye contact as the beast grew closer with each passing moment. Emolga had speed and size on her side but Gliscor had the power. If caught, Emolga wouldn’t stand a chance. Elesa struck another dramatic pose, shaking her head.

“Not so fast!” declared Elesa. “Emolga, Volt Switch!”

Emolga spiraled, drawing the crowd’s attention. Electricity began encircling the small body, lighting it up and silhouetting its figure. It let out a chittering cry, charging directly toward Gliscor. They were on a collision course. Lightning was trailing behind Emolga, showing the path it travelled. Gliscor posed its tail, the point glistening with a glowing liquid

Ingo gripped his cap. This would hurt them both. Nonetheless, the two Pokemon narrowly avoided colliding head on, instead slipping past each other in a blink. Gliscor’s tail slid down Emolga’s stomach as Gliscor was consumed by the electricity from Emolga. Both let out a wailing cry, feeling the weight of the others’ attack. This wasn’t a time to hesitate.

“Gliscor, again!”

Gliscor quickly spun around, striking Emolga was she was still in range. The small Pokemon winced, moving quickly to one side. Emolga was swiftly moving between lights and rail tracks. Gliscor hovered, trying to keep an eye on the fluttering creature as it chittered gleefully. The bat-like Pokémon hissed, attempting to out maneuver the squirrel. As the two flew around each other, Elesa stared forward, watching Ingo observe the battle. He showed no fear or hesitation.

“Emolga, let’s give it another shot!”

Emolga emerged from hiding, darting forward with electric glowing around it. Gliscor spun around, tail posed again as Emolga darted forward. The electricity quickly jumped from Emolga to Gliscor, lighting the stadium with its glow. Nonetheless, Gliscor moved quickly to strike Emolga once again. The puncture wounds were adding up, smudged with poison. Emolga panted, feeling the weight of each attack.

Elesa grimaced. While Volt Switch was doing damage, each minor strike of Posion Jab was adding up, wearing Emolga down to make her easier to hit. At this point, the duo needed to strike faster and keep away from Gliscor until it was exhausted. The way Ingo stood though. His eyes were focused, keeping pace with the Pokémon in an unblinking stare. There was a light in his eyes. She missed it. Could this really be…

“Again!”

Elesa snapped out as Gliscor attempted to strike again. Emolga quickly moved out of the way. Emolga appeared to have gained a second wind as Gliscor could no longer catch up. It may have munched on the Sitrus Berry tucked between its cheek from earlier. Gliscor let out a hiss, glaring as Emolga flew circles around him.

“You’ll have a hard time hitting him, sweetie,” giggled Elesa. “Emolga has size and speed on her side.”

“Don’t get distracted,” responded Ingo, tilting the lid of his cap. “You need to realize…just a slight mistake can lead to a fatal blow.”

Ingo slowly pointed toward the battle. In a moment, Gliscor relaxed, gently hovering in place. It was as if they were communicating on a different level. Ingo adjusted himself, standing tall. He snapped. Gliscor struck Emolga in a blink, barely noticeable by the audience. Emolga whimpered, glancing at Elesa for advice.

“Gliscor use Stone Edge!”

It was a smart move, Elesa thought. When it came to type match, she was at a disadvantage. Normally, Gliscor might not have been a problem but since it knew rock-type moves, Emolga was in trouble if the attacks connected. Luckily, Emolga was fast and the agility was being used to her advantage as Gliscor launched its attack. The stadium rumbled as rocks ripped from the ground, launching toward Emolga. The small Pokemon spun in the area, doing its best to avoid each projectile.

“Emolga, Aerial Ace!”

Emolga maneuvered around the rocks, taking directly upward. Gliscor remained stationary, forcing the rocks upward. Emolga weaved, diving lower. The air wrapped around the small form, consuming it in a white cloud as it dived. Gliscor howled as it was running out of ammo. The rocks began falling back down as Emolga approached. The few rocks that got close to the body crumbled, barely doing damage. With barely a noise, Emolga cut through Gliscor.

Ingo tilted his cap. A turn. More importantly, he saw Elesa grin and it was more than just for show. He loved battling. It was the closest tie to regaining his memories. Each battle reminded him of something. Every battle made him feel closer to his opponent. He had gotten closer to Dawn with each training session. Now, he was feeling closer to Elesa. She had started this game tense, no doubt uncertain about Ingo and stirring with unpleasant memories. Now, as they battled, she relaxed, smiling and feeling the passion only a battle between trainers could experience in the moment.

Gliscor and Emolga continued to battle, silently receiving orders from their trainers. Meanwhile, Elesa and Ingo stared at each other. Elesa had looked over everything on this man. His hair was scruffy but the right color and aside from the little beard was in the right place. His uniform was used but otherwise perfect. Most importantly, his eyes glowed in a way she’d only seen from Ingo and Emmet. They were a deep well of passion and fire. She couldn’t help but smile. It was like seeing an old friend. Meanwhile, Ingo could hear forgotten conversations in the back of his head, long nights talking with her and another. Was the other Emmet?

“You have to be more precise.”

“Verrry close!”

“I didn’t know you two put so much thought into how you pose.”

Ingo could feel their presence at his sides. It filled his heart with warmth. This is why he enjoyed battling. Each battle gave him this warmth and glow that he otherwise lacked. This was as close to his past as he could get. He could hardly contain himself.

“Bravo! Excellent!” cheered Ingo, louder than he’d been as far as he could remember.

Elesa felt like something shot through her heart. She caught her breath, smiling brightly.

“Aerial Ace!” instructed Ingo.

The two Pokémon were beautifully encircling each other, and with a simple instruction, Emolga tightened her tracking, quickly and repeatedly batting Gliscor. The beast cried out, worn out from the electric attacks beforehand and wearily looking to Ingo. He snapped his fingers, and Gliscor swiped up quickly. Elesa was surprised that it moved that well after the assault it had survived thus far.

“Finish this! Volt Switch!” shouted Elesa.

The two Pokémon began on another collision course. The air wrapped around Gliscor, hiding the body and producing a dangerous shape as it barreled toward Emolga who was slowly enveloped in electric current. The audience waited on batted breath. Irida clung to Adaman. Dawn smiled. She saw the look in Ingo’s eyes. She saw it Elesa. There was a connection.

In a flash of light and a rush of wind, the Pokémon collided. The cloud of smoke flushed away, leaving the smell of burnt fur and frying electric circuits. Gliscor lay crumpled on the ground, hugging its tail as it curled up. Emolga whimpered, sitting beside Gliscor and looking toward Elesa with a soft smile.

Ingo lowered his cap, retrieving Gliscor. He nodded.

“Bravo. I’m glad that I fought so hard against a wonderful Trainer like you,” Ingo hummed, tipping his cap to Elesa. “Your talent has brought you to the destination called Victory. The combination of you and your Pokémon is truly fantastic!”

Elesa grinned, recalling Emolga. The audience cheered and gossiped. Was this truly the return of Subway Boss Ingo? Elesa motioned toward the resistance division leaders. They shuffled off, diverting the crowd as the night was getting late. Elesa turned back to Ingo and the others.

“Come with me. We can talk in private over here,” Elesa instructed, gesturing away from the main stage.

Chapter Text

The group entered a large dressed room. Elesa shed her coat, tossing it over the nearby chair. Ingo removed his cap, suddenly feeling he should’ve done such once he entered originally. Elesa set her Pokeball on the nearby table before turning back. Irida was remarking about the wide assortment of makeup on the counter. Adaman was trying his best to not seem impressed by all the dressing room had to offer. Dawn flopped into the chair, pulling Elesa’s coat around her. Ingo stepped up, gently picking up a photo frame from the desk.

It was small golden frame with a polaroid image stuck inside. Elesa was front and center in the photo with a younger Ingo to one side and no doubt Emmet on the other. Emmet seemed to be forcing is way to the foreground, pressing against Elesa who looked to be laughing in response. The two both had a hand on Ingo – Emmet grabbing his brother by the collar and Elesa tucking her arm around his arm – pulling him forward reluctantly into the photo. Elesa smiled warmly. Emmet beamed. Ingo remained stoic, but there was happiness in his eyes.

“So…this must’ve been an unexpected day for you?” hummed Elesa. “If what you say is true…how did you get here?”

“Palkia and Dialga,” responded Dawn with a half yawn.

“Hold up,” perked Elesa, waving her hands. “The Pokémon of time and space? Is that even possible?!”

“Dawn is full of surprises,” hummed Irida, tapping one finger in the blush. “She has fought frenzied Lords and Ladies, befriended the strongest of Nobles, transverse the land and changed how we view our relationship with our Pokémon.”

“She fought the mighty Shinnoh and quelled its frenzied spirit, using its strength to calm its brother!” cheered Adaman.

“Aw, stop,” blushed Dawn, waving them off. “It was nothing…”

“It was remarkable,” Ingo softly replied. “She is truly courageous and selfless. Even the heart of the storm, she fought for those that had turned against her. We would not be here if it weren’t for her.”

Dawn fidgeted in her seat. That could be seen as a good or a bad thing. No doubt, Ingo meant it as a good thing, as he wasn’t the type to speak negatively of someone, but still, Dawn couldn’t help but feel a slight sting at the word.

Elesa smiled, listening to Irida and Adaman talk, but her gaze hovered to Ingo. He was still holding the frame, but his hand was beginning to shake. He continued to stare at the image, eyes glistening with surprised tears. His expression remained unchanged though, but that was normal for Ingo. He wasn’t the type to show emotion. He normally spoke it. Elesa placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You…you mentioned amnesia?” Elesa whispered. “Do you…remember anything?”

“Pieces,” Ingo muttered, voice the lowest Elesa had ever heard. “Shadows.”

“A partner he once had,” recited Irida with a dreamy look, “that wielded flames with mastery.”

“A man who looked like him…they’d discuss battles and Pokemon,” added Dawn, jumping up. “Emmet! We learned that was Emmet!”

Elesa seemed to shrink slightly.

“I heard your name and remembered your face for a fleeting moment,” responded Ingo as if he felt her insecurity. “Like a ghost walking through my mind.”

“I’m sorry, Ingo,” Elesa sighed. “Even with the few memories you have, I bet this wasn’t what you were expecting when you came home.”

“I’m just glad…to have memories of home. A sense of somewhere I come from,” Ingo nodded, finally setting the frame down. “Since we have arrived, I have glimpsed into my memories and am eager to learn more. A car reinstated.”

Elesa giggled. “Do you even know what a train is?”
Ingo perked, looking at her. For the first time, he was aware of the phrases he used and the fact that they were supposedly tied to an actual thing. He knew his words held meaning but he never considered their actual meaning. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words. Elesa giggled again, covering his smile with one hand.

“It’s a shame all the trains are shut down due to the lockdown, but given the chance I’ll show one. I’m sure that’ll jog a few memories,” she laughed. “That was all you and Emmet ever seemed to talk about. I didn’t always understand it, but I knew what you were trying to say.”

“We’re making such great progress!” cheered Dawn, jumping between the two. “Ingo’ll remember everything in no time!”

“Well…if anyone can help you remember…it’ll be…” Elesa trailed off, looking away.

“Emmet,” finished Ingo.

“He’s…He might not be the best option right now,” Elesa shook her head, stepping away. “Emmet…well he’s…”

“What happened?” Ingo spoke sternly, the type he did when talking with younglings or while training.

Elesa cradled her arms, eyeing the ground. She couldn’t stand to look at Ingo, at any of them.

“When you…when Ingo disappeared, Emmet…he was beside himself. He was never good at expressing himself vocally, and he was always one to smile, but everyone knew he was hurting…He refused help, said he could run the whole system himself. He wanted it to be…just like it was when Ingo left. He wouldn’t sleep, wouldn’t eat, drink…all he did was run the trains and battle. He was…ruthless in his battles.

“Then…the city decided to shut things down. Emmet was getting sloppy, as expected with the way things were going. They just didn’t want anyone to get hurt and they wanted Emmet to finally take a break. This was…it sent Emmet spiraling. All he had was the trains, Pokémon and Ingo…now he only had his Pokémon. He wouldn’t leave the apartment.”

Elesa shuddered. She was trying hard not to cry. It hurt to remember how dark everything got. She could still see Emmet sitting on the empty bed, Ingo’s spare hat on his lap. The duo’s Pokémon looked at him longingly. It was entirely silent. Emmet made no sound as he sat, eyes glazed from dried tears and lack of sleep. His smile finally faded for good.

“Then…then came Vex.”

“Vex?” perked Irida. “Who is Vex?”

“He came from nowhere with a small band of followers. He promised to make things better for the city. Morale was low, and he was adamant he could fix it. He made promises and to show he meant business, he successfully made things happen. He brought in events and tourists. Things were going well, and then…he made the biggest promise of all.” Elesa finally looked up to meet Ingo’s eyes. “He promised Emmet he could bring Ingo back.”

There was a moment of silence, before Elesa looked away again.

“Emmet was at rock bottom. He was grasping at straws. So far, Vex was a man of his word so even with as big a promise as it was, people believed him. Emmet believed him. I…I believed him. That’s when…when everything changed. Vex…changed. He was elected onto the council. He rose through the ranks and as he did, he grew more and more relentless and ruthless.

“He ended events, tried to close the gym, blocked off the train tunnels…once he was powerful enough, he instated lockdown. Martial Law. There were curfews, patrols, raids. His followers acted like a private army, taking down powerful trainers and stealing Pokémon…all the while Emmet…”

Elesa tightened her grip around her arm. Why hadn’t she seen the signs sooner? Why had she let things get this bad?

“Emmet does what he’s told, still following that promise that Vex will bring his brother back. He’s one of the head Enforcers now. Vex’s top man, aside from Titus. When I finally woke up and saw what was happening, it was too late. I…I couldn’t get through to him anymore. I haven’t spoken to Emmet is months.” She looked up at Ingo. “Even if he saw you now, I’m not sure how he’ll respond.”

“How can we assist you?” Ingo prompted.

“This isn’t your fight,” retorted Elesa quickly. “I’m sorry that this is what you found when you came here but…I can’t expect you to…”

“What part of I’ve fought god, did you miss?” Dawn huffed, folding her arms. “Besides, we need to find Palkia and Dialga. They disappeared when we arrived.”

“Do you think Vex had something to do with it?” Irida offered.

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” shrugged Elesa. “It might have something to do with that contraption he’s built at Gear Tower.”

“Gear…Station?” Ingo mumbled.

“Not anymore,” Elesa shrugged. “One of the first things Vex did was built a gaudy tower over the old station. Said it would bring in jobs and such.”

“Then we’ll have to find a way inside,” Adaman grinned.

“Won’t be easy. We’ll need some blueprints and access cards.”

Ingo, Irida and Adaman seemed to tilt their heads in sync, looking at her curiously.

“A…map of the building,” explained Elesa with a slight blush, “and special cards that will let us use the elevators.”

“Elevator is a metal box that goes up and down,” Dawn instructed the three adults. “Like a Sneaseler.”

The three nodded. Elesa couldn’t help but laugh softly. They really had no idea about anything.

Chapter Text

Ingo did his best to sleep, but found his train of thought was far too active. He had a look to think about after all. It was beginning to seem he really was Nimbasa City’s missing Subway Boss, but this itself added a lot of weight to it. The expectation, the strained relationships he was coming back to, and the remains of the city he had unknowingly abandoned. He had a past, but it had moved on without him.

When the day had begun and the others had awoken, Elesa offered to take them out. They were quite noticeable in their current attire. Not to mention, Elesa had contacted someone who could provide them with the building map and special cards. He didn’t fully understand what these things were but if it made the task of getting in easier than by all means. The new set of clothes, however, made him nervous. His uniform was worn and torn, he’d admit that, but it was his and the few things he still had from his past.

“He’s very attached,” Irida offered. “Perhaps there is something else we could do? He must have similar clothes here, yes?”

“Probably, but we don’t want to draw attention!” declared Elesa with a wave of her finger. “We want to lie low. If Vex or Emmet finds out that Ingo’s here, whether it’s the real one or a fake, they’ll be all over us. People will start talking if they see Ingo in his full, repaired uniform!”

Ingo fumbled with his sleeve. He wasn’t ready to give it up.

“I know this little shop that should help us for relatively cheap and won’t go talking about it,” Elesa nodded. “Just follow my lead and like I said, try to lay low!”

The city wasn’t all that different during the day, Ingo noticed. The streets were fairly barren and the people that were present looked terrified to be out. They clutched their bags and cautiously looked around, huddled in groups. It hurt to see. It made Ingo want to scream.

“It’s right this way,” prompted Elesa, gesturing around the corner. “If we’re lucky, the Center might be open and we can heal our Pokémon.”

There was a cry. It was somewhere between a sob and shout, clearly the sound of a child. Without hesitation, the group moved to the sound of the crying. They didn’t need to exchange looks or talk about it. They all knew they needed to act. They found a small girl, wrapping herself around the pudgy body of the Audino. The Pokémon stood between the child and two men.

“Please don’t take Nino,” whimpered the girl, grasping tightly to Audino who let out a coo.

“You know the rules,” huffed one of the men.

“Yeah, no Fairy Pokemon,” the other chuckled.

“But…Nino isn’t a fighting Pokemon…” the girl sniffled. “He’s my friend…”

“Listen to this.”

“Brat.”

The second man raised a hand to strike as the first went to grab Audino by the arm. Before a word was spoken, Ingo had appeared between the two men. With one hand, he grabbed the second man’s hand before it struck. Swiftly and gracefully, Ingo kicked his leg out, knocking the first man down before he could grab Audino. The little girl looked up in awe.

“Go,” Ingo instructed with a deep voice that demanded respect.

The little girl, holding Audino’s hand, ran off. The one man broke free of Ingo’s grasp, joining his friend’s side.

“What the hell man!” snapped one.

“You don’t have any idea who you’re messing with!”

“Do you?” hummed Elesa, stepping to Ingo’s side.

“Gym Leader Elesa, should’ve known you were behind this clear disrespect,” huffed one.

“You were abusing your power. That Audino was not a battle Pokémon and clearly a caregiver. You had no right to take it!” Elesa snapped.

“You can’t yell at us!” grumbled the second. “We’re Enforcers! We’re in charge. Not you!”

“Power is to be used to protect those without,” glared Ingo.

The two men finally seemed to acknowledge Ingo fully as their eyes went wide. The way Ingo’s cap tilted over his eyes made them shimmer and almost glow in the dark. It was one of the intimidating features the twins shared. The first man tapped the second, but clearly the second wasn’t deterred.

“I’ll show you power!”

A space opened between the two groups as the man released his Pokeball, unleashing Simisear. Irida leaned toward Adaman. Neither had seen a Pokémon like this. Though Ingo had no memory of seeing such a Pokémon, it didn’t surprise him like it did the clan leaders. Reluctantly, the first sent out his Pokémon as well, a similar ape Pokémon, Simisage.

“If it’s a battle you want, it’s a battle you shall have,” snarled Ingo, tossing his Pokeball into the air.

“This will be too easy,” agreed Elesa, throwing another into the air.

“So much for laying low,” muttered Dawn.

Machamp and Ampharos stood opposite Simisage and Simisear. The few people out were looking cautiously at the battle about to occur. A few hurried away, fearing the worst. Those who stayed to watch waited with batted breath.

“We’re gonna get a promotion for turning your ass in, Elesa,” smirked the second. “Names Jessie, you’d best remember it, cause Ben and I are gonna show you who’s really in charge ‘round here!”

Ben offered a half-hearted wave. He was beginning to regret his choices.

“A double battle is easy,” remarked Elesa, glancing at Ingo. She gave him a wink. “I’m sure you’ll pick it up.”

Indeed, Ingo had never – in his known memory – taken place in a double battle. He’d heard people want to try it and thought about implementing it himself at the training grounds but something always kept him from it. This time, he knew he had a good partner at his side, though it felt like the wrong person was there as if Elesa was taking someone else’s place.

Chapter Text

Before a word was spoken, Simisear spun a blinding circle of fire. The heat was immense, felt by the others though they stood far off from the main battle. It was twister of heat and fire that towered higher and higher, until finally Machamp took a shot in the dark. With a clenched fist, the muscled Pokémon pushed his punch through the fire, striking Simisear in the cheek and knocked it back.

“Now, wait a minute!” howled Elesa.

Ampharos let out a chirp as the heat dispersed, making way to see Simisage as it let out a swift strike with its vines. Simisage let out a gleeful chitter as it bounced around, gaining the attention of its fire-typed brother. The two chittered and danced around one another, but were far enough apart that Simisear’s heat did not affect Simisage.

“We mustn’t let them divide us,” instructed Ingo, glancing at Elesa. “Together.”

“Together,” Elesa repeated.

She knew she was at a disadvantage against Simisage, but she could still deal a good amount of damage and allowing Machamp to finish the enemy off. They needed to work together to win. That’s the whole point of a double battle.

Ampharos let out a call, releasing a charged electric shot out toward Simisage. The grass ape attempted to defend itself with its vines but Ampharos was slightly quicker. It didn’t help that Machamp took this moment to toss Simisear across the battle field with another swift bullet punch. The electric current wrapped around the ape as it let out a squeal.

“Don’t think I’ve seen a Machamp that fast before,” remarked Elesa.

Ingo nodded. He’d trained his Pokémon well. It was something he was good at. The one thing he’d always been good at. When he was with his Pokémon, he truly felt like himself. Expectations and pressures slipped off his shoulders and he felt free to be himself.

Elesa was mesmerized by Ingo’s standing confidence. It really was him, wasn’t it? The way he stood, battled, spoke. It was all slowly lining up in the best way. He had no idea he was hitting all the right marks, lining up with his past self over time. It wasn’t a clean line, no parts were missing and new things were added, but the base was still there. Ingo was still there.

“Elesa!”

She almost missed it. She wasn’t normally this distracted in a battle, but then again, Pokémon typically don’t aim for her. Ingo wrapped his arms around her and pulled her out of the way of Simisear’s fire spin. Simisear grunted, shuffling away from the approaching Machamp. It took some extra steps to prevent Elesa and Ingo from falling, but they managed to stay upright. Elesa held tightly to Ingo’s sleeve.

“Even I know that’s a cheap shot,” grumbled Adaman.

“Oops,” shrugged Jessie. “Guess he got a lil lost.”

ATTENTION CITIZENS

The group stopped, looking to the overhead drone. It hovered, lowering itself into view. A small blip of red and a scanner flashed over the group and their Pokémon. It repeated its announcement as it scanned.

ALL POKEMON BATTLES ARE PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA. ENFORCERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND WILL ARRIVE SHORTLY. PLEASE RELIQUISH YOUR POKEMON TO THESE ENFORCERS.

“Hey, dumb bot! We are Enforcers!” snapped Jessie.

The drone did not acknowledge, just repeating its phrase. The scanner hovered each individual, prolonging its scan over Ingo, Adaman, Irida, and Dawn before turning back to scan Ingo once again. Somehow, Ingo wasn’t surprised by the double take. He was growing used to this response, even from the strange device.

The drone burned up in a blast of fire. Jessie grumbled, instructing his Simisear away. The melted chunk of metal fell to the ground, sputtering its speech repeatedly until it distorted into mindless sound. Eventually, it was only spouting horrid noises until finally dying.

“This thing doesn’t know what its talking about,” huffed Jessie.

“Jessie, I don’t know…” muttered Ben.

“We’ll show those idiots once we turn in the gym leader!” shouted Jessie.

Simisear wailed as Machamp punched it into the nearby building. Ingo couldn’t help but offer a soft smile. Something about silencing the overconfidence of this jerk was satisfying. Even so, this battle was becoming a bigger problem. If that device was true, they had limited time. More were coming.

“Simisear!” growled Jessie, stomping at the struggling Pokemon. “Ben, do something!”

“I…uh,” Ben whimpered, glancing at his Pokémon against the tower Machamp. “Simisage…vine whip?”

The vine whip was intended for Elesa’s Ampharos, but Machamp grabbed hold of the vine’s before they struck. Ingo was done wasting time. They were an overbearing pressure about both Ingo and Machamp. Ben could feel the weight like gravity pulling him down. Simisage let out a whimper, slowly turning to his trainer.

“I’m done, mate!” Ben screamed. “You’re on your own!”

Ben recalled Simisage, taking off down the road. Jessie growled, glaring at Elesa and Ingo. He had every right to stand his ground. They were aggressors. They started it! Ingo pointed directly at Jessie, and now he felt the immeasurable pressure that once pressed down on Ben. This man…was holding back. Jessie grumbled under his breath.

“I just gotta hold you here until reinforcements arrive!” he growled. “Then you’ll be sorry!”

“If you think you can hold us, by all means,” Ingo nodded. “Machamp…”

Jessie winced and in a way so did Simisear. The Pokémon was immune to the insurmountable tension produced by the pair. It started out small, perhaps just the feeling of overconfidence, but now it was true power. It wasn’t overconfidence. It was fact.

“Halt!”

More men were approaching, dressed in clean cut uniform. They were no doubt the reinforcements that Jessie had mentioned and the drone warned. Elesa turned to Ingo.

“We can’t stay here!”

Jessie grinned.

Ingo sighed, recalling Machamp. As the reinforcements approached, Elesa and the others took off down the road. The shouts grew more prominent, footsteps louder and faster. The chase had just begun. They rounded the corner.

“Over here!”

Not far, on the front steps of a small home, was the little girl and her Audino. They waved their arms frantically beside the open front door. The sound of the Enforcers approaching grew louder.

“You can hide here!” instructed the girl, grabbing Ingo’s hand and pulling him inside.

The group hurried inside with Adaman slamming the door shut. The blinds were drawn. The lights were off. Everyone remained still. The footsteps of the Enforcers came, paused, and left. Everyone let out a collective sigh. Safety.

Chapter Text

It was good to sit in a home. Dawn felt the love as she looked at each family picture, ran her hand along the blanket hung over the back of the couch, and smell of something cooking in the kitchen. Her hand was shaking as she felt the couch, listening to someone humming from the kitchen. The little girl marched off that way, leaving the group alone in the living room. Dawn swallowed her tears.

“This is so quaint,” beamed Irida. “I absolutely love it!”

“It’s sturdy,” grinned Adaman. “Like the housing in Jubilife.”

“Glad we got out of there in time,” sighed Elesa, leaning against the arm chair. “Though I wish we could’ve put that wanna-be Enforcer in his place.”

“I’m sure he learned his lesson,” nodded Ingo, tipping his cap. “Or at least, he’ll be more cautious in the future.”

“Here’s hoping,” Elesa grumbled, folding her arms.

Ingo glanced to Dawn, who had been oddly quiet. She was looking at the collection of frames over the fireplace mantle. There were family portraits, pictures taken from holidays, a baby picture. Dawn rested one hand on the mantle, spending time to analyze each photograph, every detail and every smile on the family’s faces. Ingo stepped beside her, opening his mouth to speak.

“Gym Leader Elesa!”

A woman entered, the little girl wrapped around her leg. Audino let out a hum, doing a small twirl. The woman dried her hands on her apron, looking over the group with a soft smile. She didn’t seem too alarmed or concerned, even as she spotted Ingo, which for him was oddly comforting.

“Thank you for looking after April. I told her not to go out with Audino, but she hates to leave his side.”

“It’s no problem,” Elesa answered. “Thank you for letting us in so abruptly. We really appreciate it.”

“Anything for you,’ the woman hummed. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. You can stay as long as you’d like.”

“This does get in the way of our shopping,” Elesa mumbled. “We’ll stand out even more now thanks to that little mess.”

“We have some spare clothes that may fit you,” remarked the mother. “What we don’t have, I’m sure Leah next door has something. She had three boys, you know.”

The mother giggled, sending April off upstairs while she returned toward the kitchen. Whatever was cooking seemed to lessen, as if the item was moved off the stove. The smell faded away. Dawn moved away from the mantle. Ingo watched as she moved back toward the couch. She was like a ghost, moving through their home that had been repurchased.

“Here you go.”

April reappeared, holding an assortment of clothes. She thrusted them upon Irida, who struggled to carry the sudden load. Adaman took a collection of them, sifting through them before deciding on a nice blue hoodie. The rest was handed to Elesa. April skipped into the kitchen.

Ingo watched as Elesa handed Adaman pants to go with the hoodie he’d selected, Irida a crop top with some torn up shorts and a flowered headband, and lastly handed Dawn a black dress, scarf and hat. Dawn took the items without a word or eye contact, shuffling off toward the bathroom. As Adaman began making jabs at Irida’s selection of clothes, Elesa stepped up to Ingo.

“These might fit,” Elesa prompted. “If you don’t like it, I’m sure we can find something else.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” mumbled Ingo, taking the clothes.

“You alright?”

“It’s…hard to say.”

Elesa nodded, not sure what to say. It had to be hard for Ingo, fighting with his memories and the life he’d lived until this point. Two sides of him clashing. Add the mess going on around them to the mix and it was understandable that Ingo or even the others were experiencing difficulties.

“May I make a request?”

Elesa perked.

“Of course!”

“May you check on Dawn?” Ingo glanced over the way Dawn had wandered. “I feel she may have become derailed in a similar manor. No doubt this home brings back memories for her of a home she longs for.”

Elesa nodded. Ingo responded in kind. The two parted ways as Ingo went to find somewhere to change. April’s mother had returned to show the three into separate rooms in order to change comfortably. Ingo found himself in the master bedroom, staring at himself in the full body mirror. He’d removed his shoes and set his hat on the side of the bed. Now, he was frozen with his hands holding the sleeves of his coat.

“Are you okay?”

Ingo saw the door of the room creak open, with Irida peering her head in, but covering her eyes with her hands.

“Warden?”

“I…” Ingo felt his voice get caught in his throat.

“It’s the coat, isn’t it?”

Ingo sighed.

“You never did like taking it off,” giggled Irida. “No matter how many times we tried to repair it or clean it…or replace it.”

Ingo lowered his arms with another heavy sigh.

“I’m sure, now that you are home, they’ll have a new one for you. I’m sure Elesa knows where one is. I could ask her?”

There was silence. Ingo sat on the edge of the bed. He knew that. He knew that his coat was no longer one of the few ties to his past anymore. He could it all renewed. Surely, he had a closet with his uniform. A new, fresh uniform waiting for him. But this one…this one had been with him through all this time. It had climbed mountains, withstood snow storms and blizzards, fended off baby Sneasel, and provided warm when he had none.

“Warden…”

Irida sat beside him. He hadn’t even heard the door open or her come in. She placed a hand on his. She wasn’t wearing the large rings around her wrist anymore, replacing them with much thinner golden bands. They suited her.

“I know this must be hard for you,” she hummed. “It is a lot for all of us, I think. We must keep moving forward though, right? You are usually so focused and since we’ve arrived it’s…it seems as though the thread holding everything together has been pulled. Everything has come undone. Moments where you are as I’ve known you. Moments when you are as Elesa has known you. It’s the moments where you’re trapped between the two…those are ones that hurt to see.”

Ingo tightened his hands, gripping at the fabric of his pants. Irida’s hand remained lightly on top of his, gently rubbing against his toughened skin. He’d been close to Irida, after all she took him into her clan, helped him adjust, and was one of the few people he could talk to about his memories until Dawn arrived. After Dawn, they had spent less time together as he was mostly in the village instead of the clan settlement.

“I want you to be happy,” Irida sighed. “I want you to remember who you are, but I also don’t want to lose you. You are a good Warden. A good clansman. A good friend.”

She took the hat from beside them on the bed. She brushed off the top before standing up. It caused a sinking feeling in Ingo’s stomach to see her begin to walk away with it under her arm. She opened the door once more, looking over her shoulder at him.

“You aren’t going to lose these. I will make sure they are kept safe. When all is done, we will return for them.”

With that, she shut the door. Ingo sighed, standing up. They would return for his effects. This wasn’t a one-way ticket. He would return. Ingo slowly and carefully removed his coat.

Chapter Text

Ingo felt oddly comfortable in his new attire. A nice dress black dress shirt, new pants, nice dress shoes. Though, this hardly felt like laying low dress, more like going out somewhere. After a moment of hesitation, he rolled up the sleeves to his elbow. It was…better, but somehow didn’t seem fitting. It offered him a hint of memory, but he wasn’t fully sure about it.

Ingo went downstairs, finding everyone had also finished changing. Dawn was fiddling with her hair, situating the hat to fit comfortably on her head. Irida smiled as Ingo came to join them. It wasn’t the clan uniform, but it was very reminiscent of what he was wearing when she and others originally found him. She wondered if he even remembered that. They’d been through a lot since that day.

“We’ve still got time to meet the rendezvous,” nodded Elesa. “We gotta hurry though. Curfew’s gonna start soon.”

“There’s been a lot of raids lately,” commented April’s mother, handing Adaman a small box full of assorted bread. “You should be extra carefully and you keep your Pokémon hidden. Tully lost his Meowth just last week when it got out of the house.”

“Thank you,” Adaman responded politely, sneaking one of the smaller loafs of bread into his mouth.

“Let’s go. It isn’t far,” Elesa instructed, opening the door.

The day was quickly growing late, as if time itself was slipping away from them. Clouds were rolling in. Ingo felt as if something was on the horizon. He’d felt this looming many times in the past, always before something important, like when he’d become Warden or the night before Dawn arrived. Of course, it loomed over disastrous events as well, like the storm that nearly took out the clan settlement or when one of the young Sneasel passed away. The looming brought change, whether good or bad was up to fate.

“Stay behind me,” Elesa whispered as they turned down an alley way. “Let me do the talking.”

Near the middle of the alley stood a shadowy figure. It was if he was perfectly designed to fit in this specific backstreet. Wearing black, small mask covering his mouth and nose, sunglasses hiding his eyes, hood over his hair. Not a detail to be seen. He shuffled as Elesa approached.

“You’re late,” he huffed.

“Got sidetracked,” Elesa offered. “You got the blueprints?”

The man dug in his pockets, pulling out a flash drive. Even the drive was black. Ingo rolled his eyes. While black was his color as well, this was taking things a bit too far, even for him. Elesa reached out to take the drive but the man pulled back with a chuckle. Elesa groaned.

“This wasn’t an easy thing to get, you know,” the man purred, stepping around Elesa. “I could get in a lot of trouble with this.”

“We already went over the price,” Elesa rolled her eyes. “I already sent you half. Hand it over, and you’ll get the other half.”

“Yeah, about that…” the man muttered, stepping toward the group.

Ingo and Adaman quickly took point, stepping in front of Irida and Dawn. It was more of an instinctual move, as both knew that the girls were more than capable of looking after themselves. Elesa spun around. She knew what the man was narrowing on. He stepped up to Ingo.

“There’s a lot of rumors going ‘round. Only been around for a day but still. Rumors spread fast…and when they reach Vex, well. Only a matter of time before you-know-who is going to find out,” the man hummed, poking Ingo. “Zoroark or not, this guy has already caused a lot of fuss.”

Ingo glared at him.

“Take the drive,” the man handed the drive to Ingo rather forcibly. “I want to see how this plays out…”

“Thank you,” Ingo replied.

The man began walking away, stepping around Elesa.

“I used to ride the train, you know,” the man sighed, lowering his mask. “I never made it 20 rounds, but I still enjoyed it. I looked too, like everyone else.” He stopped. “I’ll be there when you reopen it.”

With that, the man walked off down the alley, disappearing into its shadows. Elesa let out a sigh before smiling. Ingo handed Elesa the drive.

“With this, we can get in the building. I got a friend making the key cards. In a few days, we’ll be set to get in.”

There was loud ding overhead. Elesa’s eyes widened.

“That can’t be the curfew alarm already!” she gasped, glancing down at her watch. “It’s too early! What’s going on!?” She looked back up at the group. “We’ve gotta run!”

Elesa pushed through the group, running off. It only took a moment for the others to spin on their heels and take after. The streets were clearing equally fast as everyone was suddenly filled with urgency. Another loud ding echoed through the empting streets. Ingo felt slight comfort in his new shoes. They weren’t designed for running, but they had newer insoles than his old pair.

“Elesa!” gasped Ingo. “We are moving at full speed, but I fear it’ll lead to a crash!”

As if on cue, Elesa collided with something, fulling back into Ingo’s arms. Adaman stepped in front of Irida and Dawn again. Dawn moved her hand slowly toward the Pokeball on her belt. Ingo helped Elesa stand as they both took heed of the tower Pokémon. Haxorus let out a snort.

“No…” whispered Elesa, tightening her grip on Ingo’s arm.

“Elesa?”

Ingo felt a shiver down his spine. His entire body seemed to both tense and relax. Hot. Cold. It was as if he everything and nothing. A glowing purple light descended upon them, holding a human figure. The figure released the light’s handle, landing softly on the ground. He was dressed in a full white suit, a black dress shirt under the white suit jacket, and a blue tie. Otherwise, for Ingo, it was like looking in a mirror.

“Emmet…”

Chapter Text

Ingo felt his heart racing. His breath got caught in throat. His head hurt. It hurt like he’d never known before. His vision kept moving in and out. The man in front of him…it had to be Emmet. His memory and present continued to flicker, trying to assert dominance over each other. The smile. It was wrong though. The present one, his smile seemed forced.

“Elesa!’ cheered Emmet, clapping his hands together. “It has been verrry long!”

“E-Emmet…what are you…” whimpered Elesa, stepping away from Ingo. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t act surprised,” Emmet nodded. “There was a report of a battle in the area. I’d recognize your Ampharos anywhere!”

“So…this isn’t a curfew. It’s a raid,” growled Elesa.

“Pokémon Battles are prohibited in this area,” instructed Emmet with a wave of his finger. “I’m afraid I cannot let you off this time.”

A sudden scan fell over the group from a stealthy drone that had flown in. Something blipped on Emmet’s wrist. He lifted his arm, checking the device. His expression remained unchanged.

“It appears your friends are unregistered. That is verrry surprising indeed!”

“Emmet, please!” gasped Elesa.

“I am Emmet. I am afraid your friends will have to accompany me back to Gear Tower.”

Emmet snapped his fingers. The hovering purple light floated forward. Ingo felt his skin crawl. He knew this Pokémon. His eyes widened, feeling the odd chill of the flame. A partner he once had that wielded flames with mastery. Ingo stepped in front of Elesa.

“Chandelure, full stop!” Ingo bellowed, raising a hand in front of the approaching Pokémon.

The Pokémon stopped abruptly. Its glowing eyes stared deeply into Ingo’s. Its flames flickered curiously. Ingo remained unmoved. The purple glow dimmed as the Pokémon edged closer cautiously. Ingo’s hand soon pressed against the Pokémon’s head. Its yellow eyes squinted as it let out a coo.

“Well…”

Emmet’s voice cracked, slicing through the silence that had built. Chandelure turned around, cooing to Emmet. The man remained unmoved. His smile twitched. Ingo lowered his arm. The sun began to set.

“This is most unexpected indeed,” continued Emmet. “Chandelure, do not get confused. We’ve been down this road before.”

“Emmet, will you listen!” Elesa shouted, stepping around Ingo and Chandelure. “I can explain! We can explain!”

“Elesa…don’t tell me you are fooled?” Emmet’s voice cracked again. “It…it doesn’t matter. We will get this short. Time for depature.”

Emmet threw another Pokeball into the air, summoning Eelektross. It let out a low growl which subsided at the sight of Ingo. It glanced back at Emmet. Emmet raised one hand over his face, as if grabbing a hat’s lip that was no longer there and the other pointed out toward Ingo.

“I am Emmet. I am a Subway…” Emmet shook his head before resuming his forward stare. “I am a lead Enforcer. I like winning more than anything else. This…is serious, because if a battle is not serious…”

“It isn’t fun,” finished Ingo, raising his arm out in a similar manner to Emmet.

Emmet seemed to seize. Even though he was smiling, Ingo could see Emmet’s jaw clench. His hand seemed to shake.

“Stop,” he whispered.

“This need not end in a collision,” instructed Ingo. “Let us rest at this station and discuss this.”

“Enough!” Emmet howled, though his voice didn’t sound used to the volume. “Aim for victory!”

“Follow the schedule,” Ingo continued.

“Follow the rules.”

“Safe driving.”

“Check safety.”

"Everything’s ready…” Ingo’s voice softened.

“Everybody smile…” Emmet hissed, hand lowering. He hesitated a moment before raising it again. “Eeletross, Discharge!”

The electric shot was incredible. It launched forward, straight at as an arrow, but Ingo and Chandelure remained unmoved. As it grew closer, Ingo seemed to straighten. With a snap of his fingers, Chandelure responded quickly. Its purple flames brightened into a blinding light. Emmet winced, taking one arm to cover his eyes from the flames. As he moved it for a chance to see the battle, he caught sight of Chandelure’s purple shadow orb break through the light, striking Eeletross head on.

“Eeletross,” growled Emmet. “Thunder wave!”

“Chandelure, protect!”

A glass wall appeared before them. The electronic wave splashed against the wall. Irida hugged onto Adaman. Dawn cooed at the mighty spectacle. There were so few true Pokémon battles back in Hisui. This was the most excitement and yet safest Pokemon battle she’d experienced in far too long. This was probably not a healthy response. She did not care.

“Please!” cried Elesa. “Emmet! Ingo! Just stop this!”

Ingo looked back at the group. The look in Elesa’s eyes. His breath caught in throat. The purple light o Chandelure reflected off her eyes, illuminating the forming tears. It stung. Though his memory of Elesa was few, he knew they had a connection, deep down he felt their friendship. This was too much for her.

“Go!” he shouted, pointing toward the far-off gym.

Elesa pulled away from group, though Adaman tried to grab her. She charged forward, stepping in front of Emmet. She was desperate, shaking. This isn’t what she wanted.

“Emmet, please! Just listen to me!” Elesa begged, her hands were shaking in front of her.

She wanted to touch him, to pull him into a hug like she did when they lost Ingo, but things were different now. He wasn’t the same. Things weren’t the same. Why couldn’t things be the same?

“Elesa, please!” gasped Irida.

Elesa stopped, hearing the cries from the others. The illusion of who Emmet used to be faded, replaced by the man standing in front of her. The smile was forced, twitching and unnatural. The gleam in his eyes was somehow dark. Looking deep into them, she couldn’t find the old friend. She stepped back but Emmet grabbed her by the wrist.

“You’re…you’re not going anywhere!” muttered Emmet.

“Emmet…” whispered Elesa, feeling the tightness of Emmet’s grasp.

Before Elesa could process a thing, Ingo tackled Emmet around the waist. In a flash of black and white, the two were wrestling along the street. Elesa fell to her knees, watching the two tumble.

Emmet hadn’t been prepared for Ingo to knock him down, but he wasn’t about to be outdone by this imposter. This wasn’t Ingo. It couldn’t be Ingo. Emmet’s smile twitched again. He rolled over, holding Ingo down by his arms. Ingo didn’t hesitate to knock Emmet off by kicking up with his unrestrained legs. Emmet flipped back.

“We don’t need to do this!” shouted Ingo. There was no real reason to yell, but somehow, he couldn’t help himself.

“Stop talking!” snapped Emmet, tackling Ingo before the man could get up.

Every time Ingo was on top, prepared to strike, he would look into Emmet’s eyes and stop. Emmet would take these moments of hesitation to his advantage, knocking Ingo back. His new outfit was getting dirty and ripped. Emmet’s white suit was growing darkened with the dirt of the road and sweat from the battle.

Emmet sat atop Ingo, this time sure to situate himself in a manner that Ingo couldn’t kick him off. Emmet pressed his hands down on Ingo, not sure what to do with them. Ingo gripped Emmet’s wrists, trying to alleviate the pressure on him. He could hear every breath leave Emmet’s mouth, seeing the smile twitch with uncertainty. Ingo couldn’t tell if the man was whimpering or growling.

“Em…Emmet?” whimpered Ingo. This felt wrong.

“Stop…it…” stuttered Emmet. “Stop…sounding…like…him…”

Emmet pushed his hands to Ingo’s throat. He wasn’t thinking. His smile shivered, but it fell. Ingo winced. Somehow, seeing the smile disappear was worse than the growing grip on his throat. He could see Emmet’s eyes start to water. Ingo could hardy breath. What was happening? Why wasn’t he doing anything? He needed to do something.

There was a horrible scream. Emmet’s grip stopped as he perked. Ingo gasped for much needed air.

“Elesa?” Emmet mumbled, turning to look over his shoulder.

Ingo regretted it the moment it happened, but with a switch motion he punched Emmet square across the jaw. Emmet fell back. Ingo sat up. His vision was slightly blurred, but he could make out a large towering man holding onto Elesa while several individuals held onto the others.

“Titus…” Emmet panted, shuffling to his feet. “What…what are you doing here?”

Titus was the towering man. He wore a similar suit as Emmet, though it barely fit the large man. The sleeves were barely holding on. If it wasn’t for the white suit, the man likely would’ve blended into the darkness of the night. He was grabbing Elesa by the wrist, holding her up so her feet barely touched the ground.

“Titus, I’m handling the situation here,” Emmet insisted, stumbling to the man. “This was my mission.”

“Well,” the deep voice bellowed. “After reviewing the tapes, Vex was worried, you’d get…” Titus glanced over at Ingo. “Distracted.”

“By what!” gasped Emmet, gesturing toward Ingo. “This? This is nothing…? I’m dealing with this!”

“Sure,” grinned Titus, tossing Elesa into Emmet. “Looks like you’ve found yourself something good here. Caught Gym Leader Elesa fighting, a few unregistered folks…assaulting an Enforcer even. Pretty impressive arrest tonight.”

Emmet held Elesa close. This was the closest he’d been to her in a while. He missed her. Holding her, he remembered waiting for the train. Elesa was in the middle of him and Ingo. After a moment of waiting, Elesa placed her arms around Emmet and Ingo. They were ever so slightly taller than her. Her arms around them, she could slightly lift herself up. As she lifted herself up, she kicked off, swinging back and form.

Elesa pushed away from him, breaking the memory Emmet was stuck in. He watched her run over to Ingo, helping him to his feet. It hurt him. Emmet clenched his fist, tightening his jaw and forcing a smile across his face. His eye twitched as his head tilted to one side. Titus let out a loud boatful laugh.

“Shame…I’m the one doing the arresting,” Titus chuckled.

“What…” whimpered Emmet, smile vanishing.

“Shame…you got distracted by your brother,” Titus yawned. “And unfortunately, I had to step in to stop you from joining the resistance, and successfully arrested all these coconspirators.”

“Titus…?” muttered Emmet, eyes wide.

“Yeah, I’m done with this,” snapped Adaman, slamming his shoe on his captor’s.

The man shouted, releasing Adaman, who swiftly took out the Enforcer to his left that was holding Irida. Dawn slipped free on her own, carefully avoiding the fight Adaman was quickly starting.

“Ingo?” mumbled Elesa, looking between him and the group.

“Go!” he shouted, again pointing down the road toward the far-off gym.

Elesa looked back at Emmet and Titus. The latter was still laughing, throwing his head back as he did it. Emmet was shaking, smile struggling to form. Elesa turned back to Ingo. He gave her a nod before pushing her aside. Dawn rushed passed them, grabbing Elesa by the wrist and pulling her along. Elesa couldn’t turn away, watching as Ingo ran pass Irida and Adaman, toward Emmet and Titus.

“I don’t know why Vex bothers keeping you around,” Titus huffed. “You were always so easily distracted by the slightest thing…especially when it came to that brother of yours.”

Titus grinned, reaching for Emmet. He remained still, unable to find the energy to move. His whole world seemed to be crumbling. This was like a nightmare he’d played out in his mind a thousand times. His body was shaking. He couldn’t move.

Ingo grabbed Emmet by the wrist, dragging his stiff body behind. Emmet still couldn’t find the strength to move. He simply stared ahead. Ingo held on tightly, though his hands felt sweaty. Were they always like this? Ingo could hear his heartbeat in sync with Emmet’s breathing.

They were closing in on the others but so were the Enforcers. Ingo, even with Emmet in tow, was faster than the others. Soon he had outpaced Irida, Adaman and Elesa, joining Dawn at the front of the pack. Emmet didn’t know what was happening anymore. Everything seemed blurry and unfocused. He was focused on Ingo in front of him. He remembered beining late for class one day. Ingo dragged him just like this.

Irida let out a yelp as she tripped. Everyone stopped, looking back. The Enforcers were closing in. Irida looked back at the Enforcers before turning back to the group There was no time. Adaman looked at Ingo.

“You got this, Warden,” Adaman sighed, taking off toward Irida.

“Wait!” gasped Elesa.

Adaman helped Irida up as the Enforcers surrounded them. Dawn held onto Elesa and Ingo. They formed a chain, Dawn leading the group away. Irida and Adaman made no sound as they were forced up. They continued to run, passing houses and alleys. Something caught Ingo’s eye.

“Wait!” he gasped, stopping the group. “The alley…”

“There’s an access to the subway lines,” Elesa finished, pushing through. “We’ve been using them for months.”

“Subway lines…” muttered Emmet, eyes lowered.

Descending into the old subway lines was easier than expected. They even managed to get Emmet down there. He sat beside the ladder, legs pressed up to his chest. He was muttering under his breath, rocking slightly. Ingo closed the grate, being the last one down the ladder. Elesa ringed her hands, pacing. Dawn kept looking between everyone. Emmet rocking, Elesa pacing, Ingo standing still. When did she become the adult?

Chapter Text

Elesa couldn’t identify the emotion pulsing through her. She was panicked from the chase. Saddened by the fight between her two friends. Overjoyed by Ingo being here. Anxious about reuniting with Emmet. Everything was blended together just leaving a knot in her stomach that made her feel like she was going to throw up.

Ingo leaned against the tunnel wall. His heart was racing. His head was hurting. There was a ringing in his ears like the sound of faded dialogue. He could hear Elesa and Emmet in the back of his head, even his own seemed play as well, following the ghostly silhouettes of his memories. The three forgotten forms wandered down the tunnel, vanishing. They were laughing. They seemed to be having fun.

Emmet rocked, hitting his head on the tunnel’s wall. It hurt, but he didn’t care. His hands were digging into his pant legs so much it was beginning to cut to his skin. Everything was falling apart. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t part of the plan. Titus. Elesa. Ingo…no, this wasn’t Ingo. This was someone pretending to be Ingo. It wasn’t Ingo. It couldn’t be Ingo. It couldn’t be.

“Welp,” mumbled Dawn, clapping her hands together. “We should probably…do something, right?”

“We can’t go back to the gym,” responded Elesa. “They’ll likely raid it tonight, assuming they aren’t there already. This isn’t like them. Getting this strict.”

“Our Pokémon need a chance to rest,” added Ingo.

“What do we have that hasn’t been in a battle?” Elesa sighed. “I’ve got Zebstrika, but I left everyone else at home.”

“I’m afraid the only other Pokémon I brought with me is Tangrowth,” responded Ingo, checking his belt.

“I only brought Typhlosion with me,” muttered Dawn, fiddling with her hair.

“Emmet!” perked Elesa, stepping over. “You must have your team, right? And some Ingo’s old team.”

Emmet pulled his knees in closer, but he stopped rocking. His head turned slowly to Elesa, smile twitching.

“Whatever do you mean?” he hissed. “I am Emmet. I am an Enforcer. My Pokémon is to be used in the acquisition of dangerous Pokémon and to defend against resistant members.”

“Emmet, please,” Elesa sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. He pulled away.

“You…you ruined…everything,” Emmet muttered.

“Emmet, I…” Elesa whispered.

Emmet pushed her aisde, getting to his feet. She could track his movements. He approached Ingo with such force his footsteps echoed across the tunnel. Ingo remained still, knowing exactly what was coming. Emmet stepped directly in front of Ingo, eyes level. Ingo prepared for the next move, tensing. Emmet swiftly slapped Ingo across the face.

“You ruined everything!” snapped Emmet. He stumbled away, gripping the sides of his head. “I was…He promised me. So, long as I followed all the rules…did everything he said…Maybe…maybe, if I explain everything…Vex will forgive me. I can fix this. I can fix this!”

“Emmet, please…can you just listen to me?” Elesa begged, grabbing Emmet by the sleeve. “Vex is insane. He’s playing you, like he’s been doing to the rest of Nimbasa City!”

“No, no…” Emmet whimpered, shaking his head. “I can’t lose this…This has to work. This was supposed to work!”

“Emmet!” Elesa shouted, shaking Emmet by the shoulders. “Please, will you just snap out of it for a second and listen to me!”

Emmet stopped, staring deeply at Elesa. Had it been so long since they were all together? He still remembered a time when Elesa would do this to him. It wasn’t so long ago that she was doing this in an attempt to get him to take a break from the trains after Ingo disappeared. She was begging him to stop. She was there the entire time. How did he not notice it until now?

“Emmet,” Elesa sighed, regaining her composure. “Things…are complicated. Something about…special rifts, time travel, Pokémon gods, and ancient regions…but, you need to give this a chance. Give him…a chance.”

Emmet mumbled but offered a smile. Even Elesa knew it was forced.

“We can’t stay here,” Ingo offered, looking down each end of the tunnel. “I suggest moving in this direction.”

“Toward Aniville Town?” perked Emmet, glaring down the tunnel.

“That’s perfect!” cheered Elesa, dragging Emmet down toward Ingo. “All the old cars will be there so we’ll have somewhere to sleep. Plus, if we find one of the old Battle Cars, we can even heal our Pokémon.”

Emmet and Ingo stood opposite each other. Their expressions shared an identical look of distain. Elesa swung her arms over their shoulders. This was fine, right? This was working, right? Elesa tried to smile but it came with a forced chuckle. Dawn nodded. The tension was thick even a subway car couldn’t cut through it.

Chapter Text

It was worse than nails on a chalk board, Dawn thought, feeling her eye twitch. The silence was deafening, leaving Dawn and Elesa stuck in the middle of the primary source. Emmet was leading. Ingo took up the back. It was like being stuck in an awkward reunion sandwhich. Dawn was about to scream. She tapped on Elesa’s shoulder.

“I can’t take this anymore…” Dawn growled. “Fix them…”

“I…” Elesa muttered, looking up toward Emmet. “I’ll talk to Emmet. You try Ingo?”

Dawn groaned but slowed her pace. Elesa picked up her stride until she was desperately trying to keep pace with Emmet. He was always a fast walker, but he seemed to be forcing this pace, just shy of running completely off. Elesa offered him a smile. Emmet grumbled, face remaining unchanged from a grimace.

“Emmet, I…” Elesa started.

“There will be no discussion while the train is in motion,” Emmet interrupted. “Leave all conversation for when we have reached out destination.”

“Emmet,” Elesa snapped without realizing. She sighed, trying to calm down. It was Emmet. He responded to calm, soft voices. “Emmet, please. Can we just…talk? It doesn’t…have to be about him. We can talk about…whatever you want.”

Emmet raised a brow but otherwise seemed unfazed by the comment. It meant he was thinking about which gave Elesa a glimmer of hope. She glanced back at Dawn approaching Ingo, offering some thumbs up. Dawn rolled her eyes. She was being the adult again.

“Miss Dawn,” Ingo greeted as Dawn met his pace. “I assume you are here to discuss the recent change in tracks?”

“Did you…want to talk about it?” Dawn shrugged. “I mean…this was not the reunion I think any of us were hoping for.”

“He has every right to be upset,” Ingo sighed. “I am…not what he was hoping for.”

“Ingo, don’t think of it like that!” gasped Dawn, waving frantically. “It’s just a big misunderstanding! You heard Elesa. Emmet’s just…having a hard time processing things. You’ll win him over!”

Ingo grunted. Dawn perked.

“You…do want to win him over, right?”

Elesa saw Ingo and Dawn talking but couldn’t hear them. Perhaps that was for the best. She turned back to Emmet. He looked tired. More so than when he was running the trains by himself. She could see the bags under his eyes. He looked paled.

“How…how have you been?” whispered Elesa. “Have you been eating well? I know…sometimes you forget.”

“I’m eating,” Emmet replied flatly.

“And sleeping?”

Emmet didn’t respond.

“Things have been…going well?”

“Why are you doing this?”

Elesa couldn’t take her eyes off him. She could see the quick glance down at her, his lip quiver. His eyes were glistening. She knew he was trying hard right now. Everything was going into just walking forward.

“Because, even after everything, I’m still your friend, and I still care about you,” Elesa answered. Now she was trying hard not to cry.

“Friends?” remarked Emmet with a sneer.

Elesa felt her heart pounding in her chest. He did not just say it like that. She couldn’t help but raise her voice now as everything was bubbling over.

“Emmet, you and Ingo were my best friends! I tried to be there for you when he disappeared, but you wouldn’t let me! You were spiraling! I kept you from starving yourself! I kept you from getting yourself killed when you got sleep deprived!”

“You told the city to shut down the trains!” snapped Emmet, stopping. “That was the one thing I had left!”

“You still had me!” wailed Elesa. “I lost him too, you idiot! And in the span of two months, I lost you too…”

Emmet froze. Her eyeliner was failing, spilling down her face with her tears. She was panting from the weight of the emotion she’d been carrying. She sniffled.

“I don’t…I don’t want to be fooled again, but I…I want to believe…he’s Ingo. There are moments…when he…when I can see it. I wish…I wish you could see it. I wish you would give him a chance to see it.”

Emmet turned away.

Ingo placed a hand in front of Dawn, stopping them. He didn’t want to interrupt whatever it was Elesa and Emmet were discussing, trying to maintain a safe distance to avoid eavesdropping. Dawn ducked around his arm, jumping in front of him with hands on her hips.

“You didn’t answer me!” hissed Dawn. “You do want Emmet to like you, right? I mean he’s your brother!”

“Is he?” Ingo sighed. “Am I? I may have few memories of my past, but this Emmet does not quite match that of the one I remember.”

“And you’re a perfect example of his memory of Ingo?” huffed Dawn, folding her arms.

Ingo rubbed his arm, looking away.

“I…I did punch him…” mumbled Ingo.

“And he strangled you!” shouted Dawn, waving her arms in the air. She took a deep breath, lowering her arms before wrapping them around Ingo in a hug. “You started off on the wrong foot, but I know you guys will work it out if you give him a chance. I mean, you changed while in Hisui. I’m sure he’s changed too. That’s all, but deep down, you’re still brothers, and you missed each other.”

Ingo sighed, looking forward at Elesa and Emmet. Elesa was wiping her eyes, staining her arms with the eyeliner that had seeped from her. Emmet was tapping his foot, rubbing the back of his neck while looking in the opposite direction from Elesa. It seemed their conversation was going about as well as Dawn and his. It was in that stiff moment, that Emmet glanced back, meeting Ingo’s eye.

“We’re almost at our destination,” muttered Emmet, turning back to Elesa. “We…we can rest there, and talk about our future itinerary.”

“Okay,” responded Elesa, stepping back to her place in the middle of the pack.

Emmet resumed point, leading the way with a steady, albeit slower, pace. Dawn held Ingo’s hand, staying with him in the back. Ingo stared ahead, watching Elesa’s slumped shoulders as they heaved and shuddered. She was crying. She was alone, and she was crying.

“Miss Dawn,” whispered Ingo, looking down at her. “Would you go attend to Miss Elesa? It appears she may be in need of company.”

Dawn looked ahead at Elesa before looking back up at Ingo.

“You could always talk to her,” offered Dawn.

“I don’t think…” Ingo muttered, glancing at Emmet, “that I am the best candidate at the moment.”

Dawn nodded, leaving Ingo’s side and joining Elesa. Quickly the woman leaned against the girl, sobbing. Dawn wrapped around Elesa’s arm, taking a brief moment to look back at Ingo. It hurt him to not be able to do anything. It hurt to see her cry. How much had she cried when he disappeared? When the real Ingo disappeared? Was that what he was calling them now? The person he was before and the person he was now? If the past was the real Ingo, what was he?

Chapter Text

The transition from tunnel to the train yard was not as bad as if it had been day. Emmet still raised his hand over his eyes to block out any sudden light. It had been a while since he’d come down to Aniville Town. Last time, was probably when they were retiring the cars after the system shut down. He remembered locking the brakes of every last car there. Elesa stepped up beside him but didn’t say a word. He felt a sting like pain in his chest.

“We have arrived at our destination,” sighed Emmet.

“Thank you, Emmet,” whispered Elesa.

“What!”

Emmet and Elesa parted as Ingo pushed through them at full sprint. He was like a kid in a candy store, running up to the tracks and pointing out to each of the parked train cars, shouting incoheriently. Dawn panted, stepping between Emmet and Elesa.

“He saw…the cars…and I don’t know…what happened…” panted Dawn, bent over. “I’ve never…seen him like this…”

“I have,” replied Emmet and Elesa in sync. They exchanged a look before turning away from each.

“Ingo!” called Dawn. “You good?”

“Excellent!” was the shouted reply as he didn’t bother turning around and simply continued toward the center. “Excellent!”

“He’s good,” Dawn waved him off. “Can I go to sleep now?”

“Right, stretched Elesa. “We should find an open car to rest in. Maybe a battle car to heal up our Pokémon.”

“The battle cars are located on the East side,” offered Emmet. “They are, however, locked. The keys should be located in the office toward the center.”

“Fine,” whined Elesa, slouching. “We can deal with that tomorrow. Now, I’m too tired to think…”

They followed the sound of Ingo’s glee, finding him near the compound’s center, gawking at the latest train down the line. It wasn’t anything special, Dawn mused, as it looked literally like all the others they passed on the way over here, but there Ingo was, eyes wide and shimmering in the overhead light. He wasn’t the one to smile often, but she didn’t need one to see that he was happy.

“A fine choice,” remarked Emmet.

“A R142?” hummed Ingo, pressing against the hull. “Or…”

“Does it matter?” yawned Elesa. “Can you talk trains after we’re inside…?”

Ingo seemed to deflate but nodded. He went up to the door, placing his fingers through the gap. At the same time, on the other side of the door, Emmet did the same thing. They looked up at each other a moment, but quickly turning away. Elesa rolled her eyes.

“One…” Emmet mumbled, gripping the left of the sliding door.

“Two…” Ingo continued, tightening his fingers on the right side.

“Three!”

The two pulled the doors apart, managing to sync in a way that the doors didn’t fight back of try to force shut before the two managed to shove them into place. Elesa and Dawn clapped. The two men blushed. Elesa rushed in, flopping onto one of the plastic benches. It wasn’t the comfiest things, but it was a horizontal surface so she didn’t care. Dawn sat down carefully, letting out a deep sigh. Ingo and Emmet were left in the door way.

“You’re welcome,” mumbled Ingo.

“Yeah,” Emmet muttered. “I’m going to look for the keys to the battle cars.”

Emmet marched off. Ingo watched until he had disappeared around a corner. It was very possible that Emmet was leaving and not coming back, but somehow Ingo knew that Emmet would return. While he still appeared begrudging to help them, his demeanor had calmed some from the initial meeting.

“Ingo!” yawned Elesa, waving him over.

“Yes?”

“You should get some rest too,” Elesa hummed, already falling asleep. “It’s been a busy day…and you got into a fist fight…”

Ingo groaned. He could still see himself punching Emmet. He regretted it, blaming the panic from getting choked.

“I will wait for Emmet to return,” Ingo offered. “We all need rest and it would be unfair if he did not.”

“He won’t,” Elesa sighed softly. “I don’t think he’s slept well since…since…”

Elesa’s voice slowly faded away as she drifted off. Ingo nodded, moving her arms slightly to help her rest comfortably. He looked over to Dawn. She was fighting it but was clearly falling asleep as well. How late was it?

“Miss Dawn, I think you should rest,” Ingo instructed, stepping over to her.

“What…what about you and Emmet?” Dawn muttered.

Ingo rested a hand on Dawn head. As she looked up at him, he was reminded of some of Lady Sneaseler’s kits when they were avoiding sleep. He offered a soft smile, gently removing her hat. She didn’t put up a fight as he removed the hat, her bag, and slowly leaned her back. As she laid down, her eyes slowly closed like when laying down a doll. She mumbled protests but ultimately fell asleep.

Soon, the train car was filled with soft snores. Ingo sighed, brushing Dawn’s hair from her face. It was quiet now. It was nice. In the silence, he heard footsteps. Ingo stood up, slowly turning around. He knew what was coming. There was no one to stand in the way now. Nothing to interrupt them. Ingo knew it. Emmet knew it too.

Ingo stepped outside the train car, seeing Emmet stand down the end of the path. He was waiting. Ingo sighed, glancing back at the sleeping girls. If they were awake they’d objet, but the two of them needed to deal with this, and this was the only way they knew how. Emmet began walking away. Ingo followed. He knew where they were going. Some place away from the sleeping girls. Some place that could withstand a battle.

The Battle Subway.

Chapter Text

Ingo stood on one end of the lengthy subway car, staring down Emmet on the opposite end. The man had removed his suit jacket, revealing the black undershirt. With the jacket removed, Emmet began rolling up his sleeves in a similar fashion to Ingo. It was at that moment, that Ingo remembered why it felt wrong when he did it. The rolled-up sleeves were much more an Emmet thing. That made sense.

“So,” Emmet spoke up, “Shall we pick up where we left off?”

“Chandelure and Eeletross?”

“Fair,” Emmet nodded, taking the Pokeball from his belt.

They each tossed their Pokeball onto the field. The Pokémon emerged in a blur of white light before the ball returned to its trainer. Each Pokémon seemed uncertain as they stared down each other. Eeletross let out a low gurgle. Chandelure let out a low hum. Ingo sighed. He felt their unease. Perhaps he was uneasy too. Emmet on the other hand seemed certain, eyes focused. He wasn’t smiling though.

“We don’t have to do this,” Ingo sighed, looking down at the Pokeball in his hand.

“We didn’t finish,” remarked Emmet with a glint in his eyes. “We have to finish.”

“Of course,” Ingo nodded. His hand instinctually moved to tilt his cap but hesitated as he realized his hat was gone. “Shall we begin?”

“Eeletross, discharge!”

Without a second thought, Emmet pointed at Ingo and Chandelure. Eeletross let out a wail, allowing the built up electric charge to launch forward. It was incredible that the electricity seemed to absorb into the walls of the train car. Ingo had no time to remark of the ingenuity, pointing out just as Emmet did.

Chandelure, protect!”

Just as not long before, Chandelure put of an invisible wall in front of them, guarding against the wave of electricity. Just as the electricity died down, Ingo snapped his fingers.

“Will-O-Wisp!”

Emmet watched the purple flames warp and dance, slowly forming a circle around Eeletross. The Pokémon seemed mesmerized by the light until its flames drew close enough to burn. It let out a wail, flinching backward. Emmet could see the marks burned into the skin. Eeletross whimpered. Emmet twitched.

“Thunder bolt!” Emmet shouted, his voice sore from the volume.

Ingo could see the charge reflecting in Emmet’s eyes. This all felt wrong. Chandelure was quick moving and made an attempt to dodge the sudden storm that struck them. The train car barely rattled, the windows flexing under the change in pressure. This was wrong. Ingo winced. He couldn’t shake this feeling. Emmet tightened his stance.

“Again!”

“Emmet…” mumbled Ingo.

“Shut up!”

The battle seemed to blur in front of Ingo. Memories were flashing in and out, but all that remained was Emmet directly across from him. The man was shuddering, pointed hand shaking. Even his legs seemed to be having a hard time holding him up. He wasn’t smiling. This was wrong.

“Emmet, stop!” shouted Ingo. “This isn’t right.”

“No!” snapped Emmet. “We aren’t done!”

“Emmet, I forfeit.”

“Stop it!” howled Emmet, stamping his foot down so it echoed across the battle. “Stop talking! Stop pretending! Stop acting like him! You think I don’t see it!? You may…have everyone else fooled, but not me! You’re not Ingo!”

It felt worse than any poisoning he’d experienced. Worse than any electric shock. Worse than the nights he stayed up trying to remember anything. Ingo felt his breath catch in his throat. It hurt. Why did it hurt so much? In a way, Emmet was right but still, hearing him say it aloud…Ingo gritted his teeth. He need to stop this. Emmet wasn’t listening. Spiraling, that’s what Elesa called it. He was spiraling.

“Eeletross, thunder bolt!” Emmet shouted, voice giving out part way. He was never one to raise his voice. Why was he doing so now?

Eeletross charged its power, darkening the ceiling. There was a loud crack as the building power broke, coming down with force and dominance. Ingo stepped forward. Emmet’s eyes widened, lowering his arm. Ingo stepped around Chandelure. The Pokémon let out an alarmed coo. Emmet opened his mouth but nothing came out. He couldn’t stop it. Ingo closed his eyes. The thunder bolt struck Ingo.

“Ingo!”

Emmet found his voice as Ingo fell back. His legs felt like noodles but he ran anyway. He pushed pass Eeletross and slid to his knees beside Ingo. He was still breathing. Emmet grabbed Ingo by the collar, pulling him up.

“What. Were. You. Thinking!” Emmet shouted, shaking Ingo until his eyes opened.

“You…wouldn’t listen…” muttered Ingo, propping himself up. “This needed to stop. There were no winners.”

Emmet bit his lip, looking away. What were they even doing?

“You called me Ingo.”

Emmet perked, turning back to Ingo. He was still holding onto Ingo’s shirt, regardless of Ingo having propped himself up with his elbows. Ingo looked tired. Emmet hadn’t bothered to pay attention until this point. The man had bags under his eyes, hair a mess and caked with almost hidden dirt, scars were evident upon closer inspection, and his lips were cut up and dry. His eyes were focused though. Unchanged.

“I…” muttered Emmet, blushing and released Ingo’s shirt. “I don’t know…”

“I’m sorry…”

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

Ingo sighed, throwing his head back.

“I’m not Ingo.”

Emmet perked. Ingo let out another sigh, accompanied by a slight smile.

“I am not the brother you’ve been waiting for, the one you lost, the one you remember. For that I am sorry…” he continued. “But…you are not the Emmet of my memories, either.”

Emmet’s body seemed to relax, arms resting in his lap and head tilted to one side. He didn’t have the strength to move. It was as if whatever was driving him thus far had melted.

“I…lost everything but my name,” Ingo prolonged. “As time went on, I’d hoped to remember my past, someday find my way home, but even after all that time, I only remembered fragments, ghosts in the vast sea of my mind.” Ingo looked up at Chandelure as it hovered over them. “I remembered the purple light of my partner, wielding the flames of majesty. I could not name them, or see them clearly, but I remembered the feeling I had for them, the relationship we once had and the connection. It was a fragment I cherished, but the one I cherished most, the one Dawn had tried so hard to help me find…”

Ingo looked up to Emmet. The latter was biting his lip so hard he was almost drawing blood. His lip quivered. There was a lump in his throat. As Ingo turned to look at him, Emmet couldn’t meet his eyes.

“The man who looked like me…who liked winning more than anything…who was always smiling…” Ingo smiled. “I missed the thought of him, the idea. I wanted…the memories of him. I wanted nothing more to remember who this man was, who he was to me. Sometimes, when I looked in the mirror, I would see him. I could hear him in Dawn when she talked about Pokémon. I felt him with me when I battled. Even in the chaos of coming here, I was eager to reunite with the man I had cherished this entire time…”

Emmet lowered his head.

“You are not the Emmet of my memories,” Ingo spoke flatly. “And…I am not the Ingo of yours. I am not loud. I do not speak like him. I do not act like him. Everywhere I have gone, I am haunted by this man! The expectation, the false hope, the lies!”

Ingo leaned back, laying down and placing an arm over his eyes. His breath was shuddered.

“I wanted to be him…but here, with you, I realize I am not. I am not Subway Boss Ingo. I never will be…” Ingo whimpered.

Emmet felt the dams break as he began to sob. Why was he crying?

“Ingo…” mumbled Emmet. “Ingo…always planned everything…He always knew what to do. He knew how to fix the trains, help people…knew what everyone wanted to hear…I can’t…People approach me because I smile but…Ingo…I don’t know how to talk to people! Growing up, Ingo did all the talking! I didn’t start talking until I was almost 12! I can’t…”

Emmet flopped over beside Ingo, mimicking Ingo’s pose in a complete reflection. Ingo let out a deep sigh.

“Tell me…” Ingo whispered. “Tell me more about him…no one…no one will tell me about him.”

Emmet lowered his arm, staring at the ceiling.

“Ingo…was always heard, no matter where we were. He…he once broke the Tannoy system. We learned…Ingo is too loud for the PA system. Sorry, too powerful,” chuckled Emmet. “Ingo…was not good at expressing himself, physically, but vocally…he always had the right words, though. I never…”

Emmet whimpered, choking on the tears.

“Emmet always smiled,” Ingo took over. He had few memories, slim thoughts of Emmet but the few he had, he tried to put into words. “He…he would run, never walk. He liked…to know about everyone. Whether they wanted him to or not.”

Emmet chuckled.

“Ingo couldn’t whistle.”

“Liar.”

“Can you whistle?”

Ingo chuckled, an echo of Emmet’s.

“I can play the flute.”

“What!? Liar.”

Ingo tilted his head to look at Emmet. The latter did the same, offering Ingo a soft smile.

“There it is,” chuckled Ingo. “That one’s real.”

Emmet blushed, quickly turning away. Ingo chuckled again, mirroring Emmet’s position. They laid in silence, staring holes through the ceiling and pretending to see stars. Everything seemed to get quiet as the Pokémon relaxed on the other end of the car, and the boys spent time beside each other. Their moments were slightly out of sync but still mirrored. For every breath in, the other would breathe out.

“Where were you?” Emmet sighed, watching Ingo in the corner of his eye.

“Hisui.”

“Where’s that?”

“It might be called something different now.”

“What was it like?”

“Nothing like this…” Ingo whispered. He snapped a Pokeball off his belt, raising it up toward the light. “We’d just figured out Pokeball technology.” He raised the one for Chandelure. “Though it is nothing like these ones. I’m the only member of Pearl Clan capable of using these. Everyone is too terrified of Pokémon to even consider using these. Few people even have partners…those considered strong enough to even face Pokémon…they typically join the Galaxy survey team or…become Wardens.”

“They called you that,” perked Emmet, nudging Ingo. “You’re a Warden?”

“Yes,” hummed Ingo. “I am the Warden of Lady Sneaseler.”

“One: I’ve never heard of such thing. Two: Why is she considered a Lady? Three: Wardens only have one Pokémon on their team?”

“Sneaseler? An evolution of Sneasel,” instructed Ingo. “Each clan has a group of powerful Pokémon that guard their lands as well as nobles that assist in travelling the treacherous terrain. Sneaseler is skilled in her climbing ability, but she can be very temperamental and dislikes most people. I remember Irida’s surprise when Sneaseler took a liking to me.”

“You’re hard not to like,” commented Emmet.

“I have my team,” continued Ingo, reattaching his Pokeballs to his belt. “I need them to survive out in the wild.”

“Why not stay with the clan?”

“They are nice to me…but I always felt like an outsider. I knew I was. They were wary of me. When the rifts worsened and Dawn arrived, I could feel their judgement worsen. Most of the clan avoided me, expect for Miss Irida. She always trusted me. I owe her my life. I would not have survived if she had not taken me in.”

“How many clans are there?”

“Pearl and Diamond. There’s the Galaxy survey team in Jubilife Village. They act as mediators, between the two clans. Things have been tense in the past, but Dawn has helped reunite them. I know Irida and Adaman have their differences, especially when it comes to the true Sinnoh, but…”

“Sinnoh?” perked Emmet, sitting up. “The region?”

“The region?” Ingo sat up, looking to Emmet. “It is a region?”

Emmet nodded. “I went there once, after Ingo left, looking for clues. The trains there are subpar.”

“Perhaps Hisui became Shinnoh,” offered Ingo with a sigh. “That would make sense.”

Emmet offered a curious hum before lying back down. Ingo followed, placing his arms under his head.

“You said you visited Shinnoh. So, we are not there?” Ingo questioned.

“We are in Unova,” Emmet answered quickly. “Far from Shinnoh. Verrry far.”

“I wounder what old Unova would be like,” yawned Ingo. “If it were like Hisui.”

“I’d be interested to see it…after they began the train systems,” nodded Emmet. “I’ve seen the old cars…but to see them move would be…amazing.”

“I’d be interested just to see these cars move,” mused Ingo, shutting his eyes.

“Perhaps, when all is done,” Emmet sighed, closing his eyes as well, “we can start them up again…”

“That’d be nice.”

“I look forward to it…Ingo.”

“As do I, Emmet. As do I.”

Chapter Text

Elesa woke up calmly, stretching out the stiffness one gets from sleeping on the subway. As she rubbed her eyes, she took in the daylight slipping into the few windows that could see out of the tunnel, she spotted Dawn resting across from her, then panic. Where was Ingo? Where was Emmet? She left them unsupervised. This was something she knew not to do even before Ingo disappeared!

“Ingo!” gasped Elesa, skittering out of her seat. “Emmet!”

She stopped as she left the train before colliding with Emmet and Ingo directly outside the train doors. They seemed equally surprised to see her. She let out a deep sigh, flopping her arms over their shoulders.

“Oh, thank God…I thought you’d killed each other…” she smiled. “But you both look alright. You’re good, right? No fighting while we were asleep, right?”

Emmet and Ingo shared a glance, lips pursed together. Elesa frowned, brows furrowed.

“Guys?” she growled. “No fighting while I was asleep, right?”

“Well,” mumbled Ingo.

“A little fighting?” Emmet muttered, doing his best to avoid Elesa’s glare. “But we stopped after Ingo was struck by thunder bolt.”

Ingo offered a sharp nudge to Emmet’s side. Emmet smiled, looking down at Elesa.

“I mean,” gasped Emmet, “we just talked!”

“You were struck by lightning!” gasped Elesa, grabbing Ingo’s shoulders. “Are you okay? What happened? Emmet, what did you do!?”

“It was merely an accident,” prompted Ingo, pulling Elesa off him. “A simple misunderstanding, we have thus resolved. It’s fine now.”

“Not like it’s the first time he’s been struck by an electric attack,” yawned Dawn, stepping up behind Elesa. “Don’t ask about how he became immune to poison.”

Elesa and Emmet swiveled their heads to stare at Ingo. The man shrugged.

“I’m just glad you’re both okay,” sighed Elesa, patting her chest. “Gave me a heart attack, not seeing either you here…”

“We were repairing one of the cars,” Ingo prompted, gesturing down the line.

“Now, we will be able to ride it back into Nimbasa City as opposed to walking all the way back,” Emmet added. “Walking would be verrry time consuming if we hoped to help your friends.”

“You’re going to help?” perked Elesa.

“I realize…I have been a verrry bad friend,” sighed Emmet, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I have been distracted and dealing with things alone was a mistake. I am sorry.”

Elesa seemed to purr before she wrapped her arms around Emmet, hugging him tighter than she had in a while. Emmet rested his chin on her head. After a moment, Elesa reached out, grabbing Ingo by his sleeve and pulling him into the hug. Dawn smiled, watching the group wrap around each other in a much-needed group hug. Would pulling out her Arc Phone to take a picture ruin the moment?

“We need to get into Gear Tower…” Elesa nodded, stepping back from the hug. “We’re sure that’s where Palkia and Dialga are, and now they have Irida and Adaman.”

“We have the blueprints, but that likely won’t be enough. They’ll be ready for us,” Ingo warned.

“What we need is a distraction,” Emmet added.

“Or…a lot more of us,” smirked Dawn, steepling her fingers. “With a few concentrated groups, we could force the Enforcers to deal with the uprising which will leave the building unguarded, allowing us to sneak in and rescue our friends.”

The three looked at the child with a mix of horror and a sense of impressed. Elesa waved her hands, dismissing the entire thing.

“No, nope, no!” Elesa argued. “Even if we had trainers capable of taking on Enforcers long enough for us to get in, most people aren’t confident enough to do anything. People are too scared to fight back. Morale is at an all-time low!”

“So, the first stop is to improve morale,” Ingo nodded.

“Second stop: recruit trainers,” continued Emmet.

“Third: disperse.”

“Fourth: Infiltrate.”

“Yeah, we get it!” shouted Elesa, stopping them from trailing into the farthest future. They could do that. They would do that. “So, we have to improve morale in a short amount of time. How?”

“To improve morale in the subway, we would hold events,” offered Emmet, clapping his hands together. “A stamp rally, Pokémon battles, egg hunts!”

“I don’t think we have time for that much organizing,” sighed Ingo. “Though these sound interesting.”

“Later!” promised Emmet, patting Ingo’s shoulder.

Dawn giggled, watching the two play off each other with ease. Whatever happened while they were asleep seemed to have eased the tension. Emmet’s smile was soft, didn’t seem forced at all. Ingo even seemed to be happy, though his smile was more on the inside than on his face.

Elesa raised her hands in front of her, forming a rectangle with her fingers. It took a moment for Emmet and Ingo to realize what she was doing, though they weren’t sure why she was doing it. They straightened up, arms at their side, straight faced. Elesa smiled. Dawn leaned against Elesa.

“Tell me you’re not think what I think you’re think?” hummed Dawn.

“Well, Ingo’s return sure helped the mood,” smirked Elesa. “Add Emmet…the old uniform, maybe? I think we could really make something here.”

“Us!?” gasped the twins.

“You two were good at cheering people up. You’re strong in battle, single or double. I know I got a lot of volunteers when Ingo showed up at the gym. Post a few pictures on the net, and people will flock to Nimbasa inside and out!”

“I…don’t…” muttered Ingo.

“Why don’t we just head toward the old hub and think about it there,” offered Emmet. “Give us time to think. We’re not models after all!”

“I know,” sighed Elesa, relaxing. She looked down at Dawn. “I tried to get them join me in a shoot but they refused. Though it was funny. Never seen Ingo blush that much in my life!”

Ingo blushed. He had no memory of this event but somehow, he was dealing with the embarrassment regardless. Emmet patted his shoulder again, shaking his head. Elesa giggled.

“We should get going,” Elesa smiled. “Lots to do and no time to do it!”

Chapter Text

Ingo was plastered to the window, eyes wide as he stared out. Dawn couldn’t fathom why. They were just moving down a dark, empty tunnel. There wasn’t anything on the concrete walls expect dirt, minor battle damage from rouge Pokémon battles, and unknown substances that Dawn would rather not think about. Nonetheless, Ingo was pressed against the glass, looking all around as they travelled. If the windows could open, his head would likely be out of it.

“He’s having fun,” Elesa smiled. “Can’t imagine how Irida and Adaman would’ve reacted to this.”

“I think Ingo’s reacting enough for the both of them,” grinned Dawn.

The train began slowing down. Ingo pried himself from the window, glancing back at Elesa and Dawn as the train came to a complete stop. After a moment of stillness, the car door slid open, and Emmet smiled.

“We have arrived at our destination!” he announced. “Or at least as close to our destination as we can get via the train system. Time to disembark!”

There was no station to step off, leaving Emmet and Ingo to help the girls down, much to the girls protest that they could do it without aid. It was a short walk to the central hub. The room was initially dark, but with a simple flip of a switch, the room lit up from the circular array of the lights overhead. There was a large screen table in the center of the room and monitors lining the walls all the way around. A small hall just shy of the door led to a locker room that was still clothed in darkness.

Emmet rushed in, pressing several buttons that activated the computer systems. All the screens lit up, including the table in the center. The center table had the complete layout of the tunnel system, including small markers indicating the stations. A list on one of the monitors named all possible trains, most were marked red and labeled as inactive and a few were black with the label of damaged or retired. Emmet let out a deep sigh.

“Everything still works!” he declared, waving back to the group.

“Do you remember if you left some uniforms here?” hummed Elesa, turning the light on for the locker room. “I wasn’t sure if you emptied your lockers or not.”

“I don’t either,” mumbled Emmet, sauntering toward the door. “That seems like a verrry long time ago.”

Ingo stood in front of the table, staring deeply at all the interconnected lines. Dawn stepped up beside him. She watched as he methodically looked over everything, mumbling under his breath about something she couldn’t quite understand.

“You okay?” Dawn whispered, nudging him.

“It doesn’t seem right,” he responded. “Something’s missing.”

“The trains aren’t going,” offered Dawn, looking over the lines and only spotting one dot on them, the train car they had rode in on. “I bet it looked better when all the trains were going.”

“Right,” Ingo murmured. “That must be it.”

“Good news!” announced Elesa, emerging from the locker room with Emmet.

Ingo felt a chill as Elesa came waving a familiar black coat and hat. Emmet had a white version of it in his arms. His smile was soft as if it was barely holding on. His eyes were lowered, avoiding looking up at any of them. Elesa handed Ingo the oversized coat, placing the hat crooked on his head.

“Suit up and I’ll get the camera ready!” She grinned.

“Elesa, I’m not so sure about this,” Ingo muttered, adjusting the hat to fit snugly. “Will a simple image do anything? I’m worried about suggesting I’m something I’m not.”

“Don’t worry about.” Elesa gave him a quick hug. “Dawn and I have the lights and camera. You two are our stars! Get ready!”

She practically pushed him into the locker room. Emmet followed. There were a few lines of lockers, with benches between the rows. Emmet took one side. Ingo the other. It wasn’t a matter of embarrassment but rather of politeness. Ingo set the hat down on the bench, sitting beside it. Emmet slowly removed his suit jacket.

“This seems…wrong in a way,” sighed Ingo.

“Agreed.”

Ingo perked, glancing at the lockers that blocked Emmet from view. He figured Emmet would be for this. Ingo would dress the part everyone wanted him to play. Emmet had been pursuing that ideal past, and this was a perfect opportunity to relive it. Ingo heard Emmet sigh, sitting on his bench. He held the coat by the collar in his hands.

“I thought I’d like this…I missed it, but being here now. Holding it in my hands. I don’t know if I can pull it off anymore. Things are…different.”

“What should we tell Elesa?”

“I’m not sure we could stop her. She’s a runaway train when she gets an idea,” Emmet chuckled. He rubbed his thumb against the fabric. “Perhaps, we can make minor adjustments.”

Emmet stood, throwing the coat over his shoulders. Instead of inserting his arms through the sleeves, he fastened the coat over him like a cloak. It draped over his back dramatically as he slipped on some clean black gloves. He smirked confidently as he rounded the lockers, striking at pose for Ingo, who clapped excitedly.

“I think this will work,” nodded Emmet, placing the hat neatly on his head. “It has the uniform but a modern twist. That’s something Elesa would like, I think.”

“It does seem more fitting than simply putting on the uniform,” shrugged Ingo, looking down at his jacket.

“I will talk with her,” Emmet declared, stalking out of the room with no bend in his knee as he did so.

Ingo sighed, lowering his head. Dawn peered into the room. She was hesitant to enter originally but after seeing Emmet leave and knowing Ingo was still fully dressed, she took this moment to enter the room. He didn’t notice her until she sat beside him on the bench, even then he didn’t look up to greet her.

“I…” mumbled Dawn, pulling her backpack off. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Ingo lifted his head barely to see Dawn dig into the little bag of hers. He’d forgotten she was wearing that, not that she had much to put in it. Somehow, it still took a moment for her to rummage through the bag before pulling out a familiar faded fabric. Dawn unbundled the shirt, revealing the Pearl Clan insignia. She smiled, handing it out for him.

“I thought you might like it. I…I couldn’t fit the hat or jacket in here but luckily this fit in perfectly!”

Ingo set the coat to his side while he grabbed the shirt. The fabric was worn but soft to the touch. There were stains and rips in it that were normally hidden by his coat or by the belt. The stitching wasn’t as fine as the newer clothes he was wearing, but they were lovingly crafted by hand, which couldn’t be said for what he was now wearing. He sighed, smiling warmly.

“Thank you, Dawn.”

“I figure if Emmet can get away with modifying his outfit, you could wear this too, maybe?”

Ingo nodded, rubbing his thumb along the fabric as he set it on his lap. Dawn nodded, half smiling before standing up to leave.

“I will be a moment more,” Ingo instructed as Dawn was in the doorway.

She nodded, exiting. Ingo sat for moment, staring at the shirt. He missed it. Just as he was once attached to his uniform while he was in Hisui, now he was attached to his clan attire while in Nimbasa. There was time where this shirt was defining characteristic, it identified who he was associated with, just as his hat and coat identified him as a Subway Boss. Combined, he wasn’t sure what he identified as, but perhaps that was okay.

Dawn mostly watched as Emmet tried arguing with Elesa about his changes. With every movement, his cloak billowed adding a sense of dramatic elegance that somehow Emmet needed. Elesa complained about his approach and the shoddy job he made to attach the cloak. While she tried to dissect his new attire and Emmet tried to rationalize it, Dawn turned to see Ingo leave the locker room.

He had also thrown his coat around as a cloak, attached exactly as Emmet had. Unlike Emmet, he wore white gloves and his clan shirt. Dawn could see more now than ever the similarities between the two. Their hair looked identical under the hat, with Ingo sticking out due to his unkempt beard. While their pants and shoes were opposite in color, they cloth somehow draped the same way, and the shoes shined in an identical way. Ingo continued to fiddle with the gloves as he approached the group.

“I am sorry for the delay,” he hummed, standing at attention. “Shall we proceed?”

Emmet giggled, rocking on his heels as he side-eyed Elesa. She sighed but smiled.

“Fine. You both look good,” she caved. “Get over there by the table.”

They stood side-by-side, Emmet on the left and Ingo on the right. Emmet was practically beaming. Ingo scratched the back of his head. Elesa set up her Rotom Phone, allowing it to hover in place. Dawn mimicked Elesa pose before the camera, hands on their hips and a somewhat malicious grin.

“Now, poses!” declared Elesa, pointing at the two. “Do your thing!”

Ingo looked at Emmet. He used one hand to thwap the underside of the lid of his cap. With all the confidence of the two, he struck a familiar stance with one arm out at his side pointing down and the other pointing directly out toward Elesa. Ingo perked, mirroring the pose. Elesa stifled her giggles, trying to maintain the level of professionalism that her photographers once had.

“I like it,” she grinned, “but…something’s not right. It’s missing something.”

She purred, stepping around the camera and standing beside the two. Emmet and Ingo side-eyed each other, doing their best not to move as Elesa inspected them. First, she walked around the front, then the back before coming back to the front. She fixed the cloak’s latches, adjusted Ingo’s cap, straightened Emmet’s time, but when she stepped back she was still unsatisfied.

“What am I missing?” she groaned.

Dawn nodded, moving around the camera. She grabbed Elesa by the arm, leading her around behind the twins. Dawn helped her onto the table carefully, much to Ingo disagreement. Emmet nodded, satisfied as Dawn posed Elesa. Kneeling, back straight, chin up, one hand pointed up and the other pointed out like Emmet and Ingo. Dawn nodded, stepping away from the three.

“Wait!” gasped Elesa, struggling to maintain her pose. “This wasn’t part of the plan!”

“Well, as our city’s gym leader and defacto-leader of the resistance, you being in the promotional image would be verrry beneficial,” prompted Emmet with a sly smirk.

“Your expertise will certainly add to the portrait,” added Ingo, glancing back.

“Ugh. Fine.”

Elesa took a deep sigh before completely switching expression. She had a confident gleam in her eye, a devilish smirk on her lip. Ingo also sighed, straightening his pose. Emmet quickly spun around, adjusted Elesa hair and jacket before resuming his pose. She snorted at him. Emmet offered a giggle. Dawn returned to the camera.

“Alright, on the count of three…” Dawn instructed, raising a hand with three fingers. “One…two…three!”

The phone made a click with quick flash. The three immediately relaxed, lowering their arms with a deep sigh. Ingo and Emmet helped Elesa down, though all three designed to sit/lean against the table. Dawn raced over with the phone, handing it to Elesa for inspection. She flipped through a few filters just to be safe, but otherwise the picture came out just as she wanted.

“Perfect,” Elesa hummed softly. She switched apps, posting the picture onto social media. “And posted!”

“Now what?” Ingo inquired. “Our second task was to recruit trainers.”

Emmet looked back at the main monitor. It had been so long since he was here with Ingo and Elesa. It felt nice but something was missing. He got to his feet, stepping around the table.

“We gotta wait!” argued Elesa. “We just posted the picture. Morale isn’t going to go crazy right away. Volunteers aren’t just going to spawn!”

“Even if we get trainers,” added Dawn, jumping up to sit on the table, “we might still have to train them. I mean, how many strong trainers are left in Nimbasa?”

Emmet ran his fingers along the keys of the main computer. He grinned.

“I have an idea…” he mused.

“Emmet?” perked Elesa as the three looked back at him.

He turned around slowly, showing off his twisted grin.

“We reopen the Battle Subway…”

Chapter Text

The way the backlight of the screen illuminated Emmet made Dawn want to slowly leave the room. His eyes glowed in the same eerie manner Ingo’s would, an unnatural effect the silver eyed twins had. Even Emmet’s smile seemed to glow. It was like a villain’s entrance.

“Reopen the Battle Subway!?” gasped Elesa, crawling partially onto the table. “What are you talking about?”

“Think about it,” shrugged Emmet, shaking off the looming presence he was giving off. “We need to find trainers, skilled trainers or a means to improve weak trainers, while also avoiding the watchful eyes of the Enforcers. What better method of doing so than the unground subway lines the resistance already uses, now with the fully equipped and impenetrable Battle Subway Cars?”

“He has a point,” mumbled Ingo, glancing at Elesa.

“No! He doesn’t!” shouted Elesa. “Emmet, this is insane! There’s no way we could even begin to get away with this!? What’s stopping the Enforcers from blocking us at the stations or storming the tunnels?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be verrry wise for them to enter the tunnels while they’re in use,” sighed Emmet as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I never said we were reopening the stations. We will be using some of the old entrances like, as I said, the resistance has already been using.”

“It would offer a safe and controlled environment for training,” Ingo added. “As well as providing healing stations for Pokémon, a safe place to rest for those who couldn’t get inside before curfew, and a place to plan. The entrance to the central hub is blocked off by the tracks, so while they’re in operation, it would be unlikely for us to be interrupted by a raid.”

“Ingo gets it!” pointed Emmet. “Why can’t you be on my side?”

“Am I the only adult here!” snapped Elesa.

“No, that would be me,” muttered Dawn to herself.

“Do you have any other ideas?” purred Emmet, leaning on the opposite side of the table.

“Well…” stuttered Elesa, withdrawing. “I mean…ugh! Fine! We will temporarily reopen the trains, but we have to keep it quiet. No big posts online. We’re keeping this on the down low! Spread through rumors and word of mouth, only!”

“Of course,” hummed Emmet, resting his chin on his hands as he kicked one leg out. “What do you take us for?”

Elesa sighed, slipping off the table.

“That does mean…we have to split up.”

Ingo and Emmet perked. Emmet stood up straight. Dawn looked between the two. This wasn’t going to end well somehow, she thought.

“Split up?” sputtered Emmet, waving his hands slightly. “What do you mean? There’s no need for that!”

“Where…are we going?” Ingo’s voice fell low. “Where are splitting up to?”

“Nowhere!” gasped Emmet, moving around the table to Ingo’s side. “Because we’re not splitting up!”

“Emmet, please,” Elesa sighed. “We need to spread the word and I can’t do that with…you.”

Emmet’s smile snapped, twitching in the way they’d seen before. His jaw tensed and hands tightened into fists. Elesa lowered her head, hands in front of her.

“Emmet, I know you’re doing better. Everyone here does…but the rest of the city…aren’t going to be open to you right away, even with the picture or with Ingo and me next to you. I’m sorry, Emmet, but you have to sit this one out.”

Emmet seemed to be vibrating. Dawn had seen this built up of emotion from Ingo a few times and knew the best method of calming them down, but she had not tried it on Emmet yet. She wasn’t sure how he would respond. Even so, she jumped off the table, skittering around it to Emmet’s side before gently wrapping around his arm. He looked down at her. With a sigh, he relaxed.

“That…makes sense,” mumbled Emmet. “I will remain in the hub and prepare the system.”

“I will help you,” Ingo hummed, standing up. “I may not be fully familiar with these systems, but I’m sure things will move quicker if the two of us were preparing cars.”

Emmet nodded.

“I can help!” cheered Dawn, waving one arm. “I don’t know anything about trains, though!”

Emmet patted Dawn’s head. Ingo nodded, adjusting the lip of his cap. Dawn grinned. Mission: Befriend Emmet was so far a great success. Elesa sighed, seeing the three close in around each other with smiles. It was nice to see Emmet and Ingo close together and not attempting to murder each other. Perhaps, while she was gone, they’d continue working on their relationship like when she was asleep.

“So, I’ll spread the word and you three will fix up the system for our secret reopening,” Elesa nodded. “How are we going to keep in touch?”

Dawn pulled out her Arc phone just as Emmet pulled out his slightly cracked one. Elesa blushed. Emmet’s phone still had some of the stickers she’d given him from long ago. His lock screen was even a selfie of the three of them taken before Ingo disappeared.

“Right, right!” she sputtered, waving her hands. “Emmet’s got my number still, right? I’ll keep you all posted with what’s going on up top.”

Dawn raised a hand. “Question!”

“Uh…yes?”

“I’m starving,” Dawn commented, lowering her hand.

“Seconded,” whimpered Ingo.

“Um,” grumbled Emmet, tipping his hat over his eyes.

“Oh…right,” perked Elesa, suddenly aware of her own grumbling stomach. “Food.”

“I’m not sure our emergency rations are still available,” commented Emmet. “Even if it hasn’t expired, the ratata might’ve gotten into it.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll…I’ll bring some food down, or I’ll send someone down with stuff, promise,” Elesa offered. “I’ll go get something right now though. We’ll work out what to do moving forward!”

She ran through the main door, footsteps echoing into the distance. Emmet offered a small wave. Ingo gave a deep sigh. Dawn pressed her face into Emmet’s arm. They were all hungry.

Chapter Text

Dawn watched in amazement as the two got the system up and running again. Ingo didn’t seem consciously aware of what he was doing but was somehow moving quickly and with intent. Everything he did somehow magically worked. Emmet only had to interfere once, and that was because Ingo almost accidently took down the city’s power. Dawn still wasn’t sure how Ingo was capable of doing it but still. Emmet didn’t seem all too fazed though. Dawn figured it was because Emmet was finally getting a chance to run the subway system again.

Dawn was given one of the monitors to do with as she pleased. Mostly, this was to keep her from breaking anything after she almost set all the train cars to run at the same time along the same tracks. Ingo didn’t see the problem right away. Luckily, Emmet was paying attention. After an hour of fixing, he undid Dawn’s twenty second mistake.

There wasn’t much to do with the one computer. It wasn’t connected to the internet, which was probably a good thing for keeping low, but that meant that the only thing one could do other than mess with the train paths, time board, or the auto-messaging system, was to watch train movies, because of course all Emmet and Ingo had on the computers were train movies. They weren’t even good train movies. They were C-List train movies. Some weren’t even in English!

It was better than nothing though. Dawn slumped in a chair, watching the movie. Vaguely, it seemed to be about a man struggling with his family life while overworking on the railroads. It was hard to follow. It took time to leave Hisui’s language properly, she just didn’t have the time or energy to learn another language for the movie. It didn’t have subtitles. She was too tired for this. So, instead she made up dialogue for the characters based on the context.

The man had returned home after a tragic accident on the railroad took the life of his best friend since childhood, but his wife also just had a child and was stressed. The wife had a small apron, dark hair held by a single pin, and slippers all the same pinkish-red. Dawn lowered her head, staring at the screen. The wife held the small child in her arms as she argued with the husband.

“Dawn?”

Dawn didn’t hear Ingo come up behind her. He placed a hand on the back of her chair, glancing over to get a glimpse of the movie. He didn’t remember it, but it did make him feel nice. A fondness of sitting somewhere with others. Dawn slumped in her chair. Emmet glanced over to the two. He remembered that movie. He didn’t like it.

“I miss home,” whispered Dawn, resting her head in her arms. “I miss…I miss my mom.”

Ingo watched Dawn curl inward. He saw her eyes water, lip quiver. He tightened. Crying children. How do you deal with crying children? When Sneaseler’s kits would cry, she would snuggle them and give them bathes, but that was likely not the correct thing to do as a human being. Slowly, Ingo turned toward Emmet, eyes widen. Emmet shook his head. He was not good with kids either.

“I didn’t think…I would be gone from home for so long,” sniffled Dawn, burying her head in her arms. “I thought…maybe if I helped you reunite with your brother, I’d feel bettered. I didn’t think all this would happen…I thought I’d get to go home!”

Dawn broke down in tears. Ingo whipped his head around. Emmet quickly looked away, slumping. Ingo patted Dawn on the back before slinking away. He stepped up beside Emmet.

“Do something!” muttered Ingo, pulling at Emmet’s cloak.

“Me!?” gasped Emmet. “I was never good with kids. My smile unnerves them!”

“I don’t know anything about kids,” whimpered Ingo. “The only experience I have with kids are looking after Lady Sneaseler’s kits! I can’t do those things!”

“What’s a Sneaseler!?” gaped Emmet. “What’s a kit?!

“Okay, okay…. we need to breathe,” sighed Ingo. “No need panic. What did we used to do? We ran a public transport, which means we dealt with children before, right? What did we do then?”

“We made an announcement over the PA and took them to the lost and found station,” Emmet perked.

“I don’t think we can do that here,” whispered Ingo.

“What do kids like?” muttered Emmet. “I have an idea!”

“A safe one?” glared Ingo. Emmet pursed his lips. Ingo’s glare narrowed. “A safe one, right, Emmet!?”

“I am Emmet,” Emmet replied softly. “I will return in a moment.”

Emmet slowly side stepped away. Ingo groaned, slinking back to Dawn. Her sobs had softened, but she had paused the movie as the family was hugging. She looked at the image longingly. Ingo looked around for any sign of Emmet. He wasn’t sure if he was nervous or excited for Emmet to return. In the meantime, he offered Dawn another soft pat on the back.

“I’m sorry, Ingo,” sniffled Dawn, “I didn’t mean to get all sappy.”

“It’s…fine,” muttered Ingo, continuing to pat Dawn’s back.

Dawn sighed, smushing her face further into her arms. As her eyes rested on the empty desk, she perked as a small, yellow spider moved along. Dawn lifted her head as another spider tittered across. Dawn giggled as more seemed appear, crawling around and eventually crawling over her. Ingo sighed. Emmet stepped up, hands on his hips.

“Emmet, you have a problem,” sighed Ingo.

“I am Emmet,” grinned Emmet with a nod, “and I am aware.”

The Joltiks skittered about, tickling Dawn as they moved along her arms and ruffled her hair. Emmet tossed up a Pokeball, releasing Galvantula. The Joltiks scuttled more, moving toward their larger brethren. Dawn slipped off the chair and ruffled the fuzz along Galvantula’s stomach.

“Thanks, guys,” chuckled Dawn, looking back at them. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry,” Ingo commented, sitting beside Dawn. “You have been through just as much if not more than I have. We both lost a lot when we were sent to Hisui.”

“I am sure that when this is done,” Emmet hummed, sitting on the other side of Dawn, “that your mother will be verrry proud, but more than that, she’ll love that your home.”

“Yeah,” hummed Dawn, leaning her head against Emmet. “Thanks.”

Emmet tensed a moment as Dawn let out a sigh, closing her eyes. He looked over to Ingo who gave a smug grin. Emmet pursed his lips, glaring at his twin. Ingo shrugged, getting to his feet.

“Don’t leave me like this!” mouthed Emmet.

“You’re going great,” Ingo hummed, patting Emmet’s shoulder.

“Ingo!” growled Emmet.

Ingo sat on Emmet’s side. He mimicked Dawn’s actions, leaning on Emmet’s free shoulder. Emmet tensed some more. Ingo’s hat slipped down over his eyes. Emmet groaned.

“This is a mandatory break,” commented Ingo. “No objection.”

“Fine,” grumbled Emmet. “Temporary stop.”

He lowers his head, hat slipped down. Even the soft beep of the computers couldn’t ruin the stillness in the air. It was a pleasant calm.

Chapter Text

Elesa waited with a crowd of people. She’d led the group down to this part of the tunnels, but still she felt uneasy about the whole thing. There weren’t a lot of people but even then, they barely fit on the slender concrete slab between tracks. This was the new station. They were using some of the turning points where the tunnels were widened as a means of temporary stations. There were very few opening close to the turns but this was the safest means of entering the trains without actually using the main stations.

She could see people were anxious. There was a difference between excitement and anxiety and most of it was anxiety. She expected people to be excited, after all the subways were opening again, Emmet and Ingo were back, and there was a safe place for Pokémon battles again. She’d hoped people were excited but this made sense too. Ingo had been gone a while. Emmet had turned against them. Things had been rough in the city for a while.

“Elesa…”

Elesa perked, hearing a familiar voice. She turned to see her informant from previous. He was still dressed in all black, but his mask was down and glasses removed. He looked borderline normal. He offered Elesa a smile and soft wave.

“What…what are you doing here!?”

“I told you,” he chuckled. “I’d be here when the subways reopened.”

Elesa relaxed. He did say that, didn’t he? That moment seemed so long ago. There was an approaching rumbling, one you could feel in the ground beneath you. The informant placed his hands in his hoodie pockets, giving Elesa a nod.

“How were you so sure?” Elesa mumbled as the light of the train car approached.

“I felt it,” he answered, voice almost drowned out. “Seeing him, I knew he was the real deal and I was among those hopeless optimists who believed Emmet would come back around. Knew it was only a matter of time.”

Elesa stared at this man as the train roared to a stop before them. There was pushed up dust and steam from the wheels as it ground to stop. After a moment of settling, the doors opened. Elesa sighed, looking up at Dawn. While it would’ve been nice to have Ingo or Emmet welcoming passengers, neither seemed like the best option considering the tensions left in the air for either. Dawn did draw a few confused looks but as the echo of the train softened, the booming voice of the PA spoke the familiar phrase.

“All aboard!”

Elesa laughed lightly. Ingo still hadn’t regained his booming voice yet but even now the PA system was struggling to survive his voice. The second his voice shrieked from the speaker, the crowd perked and began boarding the train. Elesa and the informant were the last to board. The informant offered Dawn a soft greeting. Elesa came aboard last, the doors shutting behind her as if they knew.

“Hey!” grinned Dawn. “This the last batch for today?”

“Yep,” nodded Elesa.

“So that makes three trains for safety, two for transport around the city, and five are Battle Cars,” Dawn explained. “Ingo helped with the pickups for the safety cars earlier, I think he needed it.”

“How’d that go?”

“People took pictures with him,” Dawn chuckled. “He’s not good at getting his picture taken so those pictures probably look a little candid.”

“How’s Emmet?” whispered Elesa, trying not to draw attention.

“He’s sad that he can’t help more,” Dawn sighed. “Like he understands he has a lot to make up for but he wants to be more front and center when it comes to this stuff.”

Elesa sighed, shaking her head. Emmet liked attention, but more than that he liked positive attention. He didn’t like negative feedback. Ingo didn’t do well with negative feedback either, but internalized most of it while Emmet went a little overboard with what he was doing. The only negative feedback he’d ever accept was someone complaining after they lost to him. It fueled him.

“We can set the Battle cars the same way as before. Two single cars, two double cars, and one multi-car. 20 wins and they get to face off against the…” Elesa hesitated. Subway Bosses. Why did that leave a sour taste in her mouth?

“I bet Emmet will be excited about that,” offered Dawn. “Not sure how Ingo will feel, but he did like a good battle back in Hisui. They always helped jog his memory some.”

“Maybe this will help him,” mumbled Elesa, looking out over the collection of people sitting and chatting. “I do worry about him. This is a lot, right, especially if you don’t remember everyone who are talking to you. I mean, Emmet and I keep talking to him like nothing ever happened but I don’t know how he feels about it!”

“You should ask him,” Dawn suggested, leading Elesa over to a few seats. “I’m sure he’d let you know.”

“Would he?”

Dawn thought a moment as they sat.

“Actually…he might just tell you what you want to hear, but if you know him well enough, you kind of know when he’s doing that.”

“I guess,” Elesa sighed, leaning back. “This has been a lot, even for me. Ingo coming back…with amnesia! Reuniting with Emmet. This whole…time travel mess thrown into the mix.”

“I get it,” nodded Dawn. “Try showing up in ancient Sinnoh and blamed for time-space distortions and turning the sky red.”

Elesa whipped her head to gape at Dawn. The girl looked dead inside as she stared into nothing but smiled. Ingo wasn’t kidding that this kid was more responsible than she looked. Hell, it made sense why Ingo gave so much respect to Dawn. The few glimpses into the story of Dawn just left her more and more confused, and that’s when her two best friends were an amnesiac from the past and an ex-Enforcer.

“This is going to work, right?” whispered Dawn, lowering her head. “I just…I’m worried about Irida and Adaman.”

“Vex has never been one to endanger people,” Elesa mumbled. “Based on the few stories about those that got arrested and released, they were treated well.”

“We could ask Emmet about it,” perked Dawn. “He’d know, right!?”

“Yeah. If anyone knows about the ins-and-outs of the Vex’s system, it’ll be Emmet!” grinned Elesa.

“Emmet?”

Elesa and Dawn tensed, slowly looking over at the couple beside them. It was hard to read their emotion, but they stared at the two with wide eyes. Dawn sunk ever so slightly in her seat. Elesa offered a polite smile.

“Sorry, we were just talking about something else,” she stuttered.

“Is Emmet back?” gasped one.

“I heard Ingo returned!” grinned the other. “Does that mean they’re both back? Is that why the trains are running again?”

“Is the Battle Subway open too?”

Elesa relaxed. The couple seemed genuinely excited to hear that Emmet may have returned. It made Elesa smile. She’d be sure to tell Emmet when she stopped by the hub later. He’d definitely get a kick out of it, though it would probably ignite a fire in him like no other to rejoin the rest of society. It was very easy to get him overexcited about things. He’d hyper focus on achieving something, which is what led to his burn out when Ingo disappeared.

“Would you like to see them together again?” Elesa hummed.

“I don’t know. It’d be nice to see them like the good old days.”

“I mean, we saw that photo but didn’t think it was real.”

“Well, you know what the best way to see them is,” winked Elesa.

“Twenty battles?” gasped one of the couple. “Oh, I’d never manage that. I wasn’t good back then and I’m certainly rusty by now, besides the Enforcers took most of my Pokémon.”

“I was never much of a trainer,” sighed the second. “I always liked when they did those public appearances though, like the stamp rally.”

“Maybe Mark will give it a try,” the first offered. “He was always good with that stuff.”

“Didn’t he want to challenge the double train before it was shut down? He was so sure he’d win too.”

Elesa smiled, listening to the couple go on about the possibility of battling on the train and reaching Emmet and/or Ingo. They decided if they were ever going to try, they would definitely have to try the multi-train and join forces as a means of reaching the end goal. It seemed to be a good sign, until someone across from them spoke up.

“They should keep those trains shut,” huffed the woman across from the group. “Like I’d trust that man to run things again.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” growled Dawn, leaning forward.

“Are you dumb? Ingo’s dead and Emmet is a brute,” the woman continued. “Even if Emmet were to come back to the trains, I wouldn’t trust him. He’s probably still working with Vex! It’s just a trap set up to catch any remaining Pokémon.”

“You’re on the trains though,” mumbled one of the couple.

“You said the trains would be safe from Enforcers!” snapped the woman, glaring at Elesa. “Unless you’re working with them now like that train idiot…”

Elesa felt her body tense. She understood where the woman was coming from in regard to her trusting Emmet, but hearing her declare Ingo dead brought up all the horrors she was forced to deal with when he initially disappeared.

“I can’t believe they were ever popular,” the woman kept going. “Bunch of moronic thugs. Couldn’t even interact with people right. That shouting man was rude and don’t get me started on how unsettling that Enforcer is…”

Elesa felt her hands curl into fists on her lap. She couldn’t understand why she was getting so upset.

“I hope when this is all over, he’s punished for his part of this. He deserves all this, after all. I’m almost glad his brother died…”

Dawn watched with pursed lips as Elesa got up and slapped the woman. Any other sound on the train ended as all eyes were on Elesa and this woman. Dawn could see Elesa’s body heave with each breath and the woman gently cradling her face.

“Don’t you dare say that Emmet deserved to lose Ingo!” snapped Elesa. “Emmet and Ingo put everything they had into this city! You’re telling me that you wouldn’t try anything to bring your family back if they just freaking disappeared? Don’t you dare talk about him like you know what he’s been through!”

The woman stared at Elesa is disbelief. A few people on the train seemed to be nodding in agreement, including the couple Elesa had been talking to earlier. Dawn got to her feet, ready to defend Elesa should the woman start up again but she realized she wasn’t the only one. Several other, including the informant, had stood up, glaring at the woman.

“Emmet and Ingo went out of their way to make things fun on the Subway. They held events for people who couldn’t battle. They cared for lost children. They rescued endangered Pokémon. They kept everything running smoothly so people like you could ride these trains to get where you were going, and they didn’t expect a thank you! They did it because they enjoyed it. They liked helping people!

“You don’t get to sit on one of their train cars and complain about how they ran things. You don’t get to sit here and mock Emmet’s depression! You don’t get to say anything about Ingo when you don’t know what happened to him! Emmet never gave up that Ingo was out there. I never gave up that Ingo was out there! You don’t get to talk like that when they’re trying to fix everything!”

Elesa felt her makeup slide as she began crying. She did her best to wipe away the streams, smudging the makeup along her cheek. Dawn stepped up beside Elesa, holding her hand. The woman sat in awe, mouth agape even after Elesa’s speech. It seemed at some point, the woman had something else to say but then various voices spoke up.

“Shut up, lady!”

“Yeah, you don’t get to talk like you know them!”

“Do you know who you’re even talking to, lady?”

“I liked Ingo’s shouting. I always knew when my stop was.”

“Only Emmet would smile at jerks like you.”

The woman shut her mouth, looking away while she held her cheek. Dawn led Elesa back to their seat. As they sat, Elesa leaned forward, sobbing into her palms while Dawn rubbed her back. The tension of the glaring stares at the woman was suffocating, but even so conversation soon returned. Dawn carefully watched as the woman lowered her head, feeling the weight of what had just happened. No doubt, Elesa had dealt with hecklers like this before but after everything that happened and was currently going on, the built up of emotion had finally reached a limit. How long she’d been keeping that inside was the question.

Chapter Text

Emmet sighed, basking in the glow of the monitors and the hum of the trains moving in the adjacent tunnels. Hands on his hip, chin up, he beamed at all the hard work successfully running. It wasn’t as many cars as there used to be, but it was more than nothing. To see all the dots moving along the lines on the screen filled him with unrivaled joy. It had been such a long time since he stood here with everything working.

“Everything on track?” mumbled Ingo entering the room.

“Everything is going as scheduled!” nodded Emmet. “Dawn just boarded the last train with Elesa. They should be on their way shortly.”

“That’s good,” hummed Ingo, stepping beside Emmet.

They both stood, watching the activity on the screen and listening to the rumble of the trains. Ingo felt the fondness of this feeling, unable to grasp the memories associated with the feeling. He knew he’d stood her with Emmet once before, no doubt many times over the years. Ingo knew this wasn’t something new for Emmet, but for him it felt spectacular. He looked at Emmet through the corner of his eye, watching his twin beam at the screens with pride. He shook his head, chuckling to himself.

Emmet could see Ingo out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure what Ingo was thinking about. He used to be able to almost read his brother’s mind, but time – and apparently space – had separated them and left him unable to read his brother like he was once able. Did Ingo remember any of this? Did he remember standing here before? Emmet tried to continue to beam at his work, but he couldn’t shake free of his thoughts about Ingo. Though they stood in familiar spots, it felt like a different experience.

“Guess who’s back!”

The two turned, seeing Dawn race into the room. Elesa slowly entered, and the two perked. Elesa’s eyes were red, makeup smudged along her cheek, and her body was slouched as she held her arms. The twins weren’t always in sync lately, but right now they were completely together in their sudden rage at whatever made Elesa cry.

“Miss Elesa!” called Ingo, the first one to step forward. “Are you alright?”

“Oh?” perked Elesa, lifting her head as Ingo approached. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

Emmet stepped up quickly. Ingo was surprised Emmet could move so quickly without bending his knees, arms straightened by his side. The man moved like a machine, stopping abruptly in front Elesa. He gently grabbed her shoulders, his smile wide as he tilted his head to one side with closed eyes.

“Who did this?” he spoke harshly and flat.

Ingo joined Emmet’s side. Dawn, meanwhile, unloaded a few boxes of food onto the center table. She knew Ingo and Emmet were going to go overprotective sibling over this thing the second they saw Elesa’s tear stained face. To be fair, Dawn wanted to be overprotective but she was shorter than ingo and Emmet and far less intimidating.

“Emmet,” sniffled Elesa, rubbing her eye again. “It’s nothing. It’s fine.”

“Elesa, you’ve been crying,” Ingo spoke up, taking off his hat. “If something has happened, we would like to…”

Elesa quickly wrapped her arms around Emmet. He stood shocked a moment. Elesa reached over, dragging Ingo into the hug as well. Ingo accepted his place immediately, wrapping his arms around her and Emmet. The latter nodded softly before resting his chin on Elesa’s head, hugging the two back. Dawn smiled, munching on some fries.

“Beautiful,” she whispered with a nod.

“Seriously, Elesa,” sighed Emmet. “What happened?”

“Just some jerk…” she mumbled, face smooshed into Emmet’s chest. “I just…I couldn’t take it anymore!”

“What were they saying?” asked Ingo.

“They…” whispered Elesa. “They said you deserved it…You deserved…Ingo leaving…”

Emmet tensed. Ingo tightened his grasp on them both. They both remained silent.

“They just kept saying these things…” sobbed Elesa. “I just couldn’t listen to it…After seeing you…go through everything…and Ingo…”

Her voice grew more muffled. Emmet took a deep breath, feeling the pressure building in him. He wanted more information, specifically who was talking smack about him, but he knew this wasn’t the time. He felt Elesa pressing against him, and Ingo holding them all together. He felt every shuddered breath Elesa gave as she cried. He felt Ingo’s arms around him. It was a warm feeling.

“The whole train was about ready to throw hands,” Dawn called out. “Everyone was saying how awesome you guys are. A couple were even talking about how they were going to try and fight twenty battles just to see you guys.”

“Really!?” perked Emmet, completely distracted.

Ingo patted his back and Emmet lowered his head to look down at Elesa. Right. Task at hand. He nodded softly before placing his chin back on Elesa’s head. Ingo patted his back again, almost reassuring him. Elesa chuckled slightly.

“I…I knew you’d like that,” she sniffled, pulling away from the hug. “People…People are really excited to see you guys again.”

“Really?” mumbled Ingo, pulling away. “Are you sure this will be alright?”

“It’ll be great!” jumped Emmet, practically vibrating with excitement. “I mean, with the limited number of trainers and available Pokémon, we might need to shorten the number of battles it takes to reach us but in the end, it’ll still be great to challenge trainers again! Finally, a worthy battle! Real challenges!”

Elesa and Ingo watched as Emmet began muttering to himself. He paced around the table. At some point, Dawn held out a drink for him and he blindly took it in his hands. Between mutters, he would take a long sip from the straw before starting up again. Elesa laughed, watching him circle the table. Ingo placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I know things have been tough,” he nodded. “People will always have opinions, some which are poorly informed about the situation at hand. What matters is we keep moving forward, knowing we’re on the right track.”

“Thanks, Ingo,” sighed Elesa. “I…I wanted to ask you how you were doing. Things have gotten crazy and I don’t know what you’re remembering and what you still don’t know, and we’re kind of just throwing you into this thing…”

Ingo smiled lightly, barely visible.

“True, things have been…different. Things are not as I expected them to be and yet I can feel the warmth of familiarity, especially around you and Emmet. I may not remember the moments but I remember the feelings. I know this is where I am supposed to be.”

“It was nicer before all this went down,” chuckled Elesa. “When all is said and done, I can give you a proper tour and see if we can help you out some.”

“I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

There was something about the way the room sounded that unnerved Irida more than anything. She’d grown used to the sound of wild Pokémon on the outskirts of her settlement or the muffled conversations of those who could not sleep, but this place had a sound she was not used to, it sounded so foreign, so monstrous, like steel Pokémon continually grinding against each other in a horrific sound. If she could see the source of the noise perhaps she’d feel better but trapped in this prison, she was left wondering about the unknown.

The cell was rather spacious, after all it had to be with Adaman in her as well. While Irida had kept to herself, sitting on the lower bunk and musing over the sounds outside the walls, Adaman refused to stay still. After all, they were wasting time in this cell when they could be doing literally anything else and if wasting time was going to infuriate anyone, it was going to be Adaman. Irida watched as he stomped around the perimeter of the room, grumbling under his breath and generally complaining about their predicament. She’d tried talking to him but he wouldn’t listen. So, she watched silently.

“This is criminal!” howled Adaman, kicking at the cell bars. “They can’t keep us here!”

“There’s no point in fighting. We’ve been here a few days now,” sighed Irida. “I’m sure Dawn, Warden Ingo and his friends are doing everything they can to rescue us.”

“What is taking so long!” snapped Adaman. “Dawn and the Warden are far stronger than these pathetic excuses of wielders!”

“Ya wanna bet on that?”

Adaman stepped back from the bars as Titus moved in. The man grinned, looking down on Adaman. Still, Adaman stood his ground, making sustained eye contact. Irida watched them stare at each other, silently contesting their strength of will. She’d known Adaman for a while. She was sure of his strength.

“You’re so sure that poor excuse of an Ingo can challenge us?” chuckled Titus, shaking his head.

Adaman grinned. He’d won the staring contest.

“Emmet can’t hold his own. Single battles were never his style,” huffed Titus, pacing the length of the bars. “Elesa has been in decline since the city shut down. And that kid? You really think a brat like that could do anything?”

Adaman and Irida burst into laughter. Titus growled, glaring at the two as they teared up from laughing. He pounded his fist against the bars, stopping the two from laughing.

“You think this is funny!?” he hissed.

“You really don’t know anything about Dawn or my Warden,” declared Irida, getting to her feet. “I have seen them accomplish the impossible and tame the wildest of Pokémon. You are nothing compared to their combined power!”

“She has a point, Titus.”

Titus tensed, standing straight. Adaman glanced at Irida. A man approached from behind Titus, about half the towering bully’s height and yet commanded enough power to put the giant in his place. The man was dressed in a dark colored suit, with a bright suit vest and tie. His hair was pitch black, pulled back into a twisted bun. Over his eyes was a golden mask, but his sapphire eyes shimmered through. He bowed before the bars.

“It is truly an honor to meet the leaders of the Diamond and Pearl Clan.”

Irida stepped up behind Adaman, placing a hand on his arm. He nodded. They felt the looming aura from the man as he straightened himself. Though he was smiling, they could feel the mischievous nature behind it. Something was off about this man.

“I have been waiting for this moment for so long, though I had thought it would be much harder to find you,” the man continued. “It is fortunate that fate has brought you to Nimbasa City during this time.”

“Let us go,” Adaman spoke flatly. “You can’t keep us here!”

“You are not prisoners!” gasped the man. He turned, waving to Titus. “Have they not been treated well? What have you been doing?”

“But…sir…” muttered Titus.

“They are guests!” snapped the man. The darkened aura surrounding him became more obvious for but a moment.

Titus shuddered.

“I am so sorry for the misunderstanding!” the man hummed, shedding the tension he’d brought. “We will have you moved to more appropriate quarters and tend to whatever it is you desire.”

“We desire to leave!” huffed Adaman. “Doesn’t matter how fancy the cell you keep us in, you’re still holding us against our will!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” the man sighed. “I had been hopeful that you would be fully cooperative with this endeavor. After all…it may be your only way home.”

Irida tightened her grip on Adaman.

“What are you talking about?”

“We can all get what we want. I am a man of my word.”

Irida tightened her grip to the point Adaman winced. Why had it taken them this long to figure out exactly who they were talking to. The man ginned.

“We can continue our talk after you’ve been rehoused,” the man nodded, walking away. “I’m sure after some rest and food, you’ll be more willing to talk about things.”

“You won’t get away with this!” Adaman shouted. “We don’t care what you promise!”

“Dawn and Ingo will come for us…” Irida mumbled.

The man stopped. He chuckled lightly, looking over his shoulders at them.

“Oh, my dear Irida…I’m planning on it.”

Chapter Text

Emmet stood triumphantly. He hadn’t done anything but stand in this empty train car for the last ten minutes but stand there, eagerly awaiting the brave train that entered. He didn’t care about the waiting, it only fueled his excitement. There were a few things that could happen from this point. One: no one came in. It was a sad possibility but there were times during the Battle Subway when no one would reach him for days. Two: someone actually showed up. Win or lose it would be the most excitement he’d had in a while. Three: Ingo would show up and convert the car into the Multi Car, which would greatly increase the odds of someone showing up. Not too many people had more than one Pokémon, but there were several pairs willing to work together to reach this point.

The doors slid open, and Emmet perked. Moment of truth. He relaxed slightly upon seeing Ingo enter the car. With a smile, Emmet chuckled.

“I am Emmet. I like Double Battles,” Emmet recited like no time had passed. “I like combinations of two Pokémon, and I like winning more than anything!”

Ingo chuckled, shaking his head.

“How can you remember that whole speech?” he commented.

“It’s easy once you’ve been doing it for a few years,” Emmet winked. “I remember your speech as well, if you’re interested.”

“No, I think I’m fine for now,” Ingo shrugged, taking a seat near Emmet. “I thought I’d stop by as my train has run empty.”

“I haven’t had much luck either,” Emmet nodded. “But few trainers have more than one Pokémon anymore.” He lowered his head. “I suppose I am to blame for that.”

“We can remedy things in time.”

Emmet nodded. Ingo always knew the right things to say. It was a talent of his.

“Shall we attempt the Multi-Car?” prompted Ingo, looking toward the door. “I can notify Elesa and Dawn to board all available passengers.”

“That would be something!”

Ingo nodded, pulling a temporary phone from his pocket. Elesa had gotten him a throw away phone for the meantime, until Emmet could recover Ingo’s old phone from their apartment. It took some time to show him how to use it but once he started he picked it up quite quickly. Muscle memory, Dawn suggested. Sometimes, it seemed even Ingo didn’t know how he was doing anything with the device.

“Notified.”

“What shall we do in the meantime?”

There wasn’t much they could do until someone reached them. They could of course have a battle as a means of preparing, but it seemed a waste to put their Pokémon through that just before competing. They could exchange stories, which is something they’ve been trying to do when they had the time. Ingo wasn’t sure Emmet was capable of sitting down quietly to listen to a story or two. Ingo didn’t need his memories to know Emmet was fill of barely restrained excitement.

“What would you like to do?” Ingo sighed.

“Well,” Emmet hummed, looking around. “During lulls, we’d normally watch videos online. There are a view good train videos out there as well as some nice Pokémon strategy ones. We can take turns looking.”

Emmet sat down beside Ingo, pulling out his phone. Ingo watched Emmet open the app, scrolling through a few videos.

“Emmet,” mumbled Ingo. “How long do you think it will take for things to reach a sense of normalcy.”

Emmet’s smile twitched.

“That’s a loaded question, isn’t it!” Emmet chuckled. “Well…I’m not sure what normalcy is anymore…I don’t think we can ever go back to how things were before…like you said, I’m not the Emmet I was before and you are not the Ingo. In time, we will all come to terms with this.”

“And Vex?”

“Perhaps there will be a way to reason with him,” Emmet offered quietly. “He was so willing to help in the beginning…maybe he just got lost like I did. When we get in, we might not even need to resort to a battle.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“I…have to,” Emmet sighed, placing the phone on his lap. “I…am Emmet. I have done many wrong things lately. I hope I can reedmen myself to the passengers. Vex has done many wrong things, but maybe once he sees how it has effected people, just as I have, he will try to reedmen himself as well.”

“Emmet,” perked Ingo, “Vex’s redemption does not reflect your own. He may not regret his actions but you do and that’s what’s important. You are responsible for your actions, not his.”

“If Vex can’t change…” Emmet whimpered. “Vex who gave Nimbasa so much before everything fell apart…if he can’t be forgiven…what hope do I have?”

Ingo placed a hand on Emmet’s shoulder.

“Elesa sees you trying to change. She has come to terms with what you have done and seeks to restore your relationship. Many passengers who have come on this train to face you, regardless of what you have done. Even having our first reunion being on shaky ground, I have come to enjoy your company as I no doubt have before.”

Emmet sighed, looking at Ingo with weary eyes. His smile was soft, hanging on by a thread.

“Emmet…before others can forgive you…you must forgive yourself.”

Emmet shuddered, lowering his head. His hands tightened around his phone and seams of his pants. Ingo patted his back. Emmet felt his body shaking, barely holding back everything he’d been keeping in. His chest felt tight and his breath shallow. Ingo continued patting his back, almost in sync with his heart beating. It was soothing and steady. Emmet sighed deeply, breathing out much of the built-up emotions.

“The train is moving. Shall we prepare for passengers?” Ingo sighed, standing up.

“I am Emmet…and I like winning more than anything.”

Ingo offered a slight grin, nodding. He held out his hand, helping Emmet to his feet.

Chapter Text

Ingo wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of people to ride the Multi-Train. He thought it would be as dull and quiet as the Single Car or Emmet’s Double, but it appeared everyone had skipped out of those trains to reach this one. It filled him with a sense of pride and a little anxiety. It was one thing to battle alone against a train, but to double battle with Emmet was far more reflective of his past, which he was still struggling to remember. People were expecting to battle the Subway Bosses not Ingo and Emmet.

After the train began moving, allowing trainers to enter, Ingo and Emmet weren’t allowed a moment of rest. The 20-battle rule seemed to be tossed aside, mostly due to no one being able to enforce it, meaning that trainers simply cam busting through the doors as soon as the track began. The first two trainers practically kicked the door down.

“Let’s go!” declared the first, quickly summoning their Pokémon. “Names Skeith! My Scolipede, and I have waited for this day forever!”

“I’m Luka,” waved the second. He summoned Gengar.

“I am Emmet! The fellow over to the side is Ingo,” Emmet instructed, gesturing to Ingo. “Let’s start a great battle in which every Pokemon uses various moves!”

“I look forward to seeing how well you fight,” added Ingo.

Emmet didn’t think before he released Haxorus, nor was Ingo really thinking when he summoned Tangrowth. The two looked at each. This was an incredibly poor choice of Pokémon on both their parts. Nonetheless, Emmet did his best to smile, point out into the battle and start things off.

“Dragon Tail!”

Haxorus spun around, the pressure from its tail swinging back rippling through the air and colliding with either Pokémon opposite it. Ingo raised a hand to instruct Tangrowth, but Emmet was against shouting.

“Dragon Claw!”

Ingo watched as Emmet’s devilish smirk twitched. For a split second, Ingo considered that Emmet may have a slight obsession with Pokémon battles, but decided it was best to leave that alone. He turned back to his Pokémon, who hopelessly waiting for an order.

“Tangrowth, poison jab!”

Tangrowth raised its vines, producing thorns from the weeds. Throwing its arms out, it released a wave of thorns into the battle field. The intended target was Gengar, however Haxorus leapt into the fray, claws attempting to dig into the ghost. The specter giggled, pulling away as Haxorus turned to see the poisoned thorns striking its hide.

“Ingo!” gasped Emmet.

“That wasn’t my intent!” perked Ingo.

Emmet growled, gesturing to Haxorus as it wobbled from the injected poison. Ingo had a bad feeling in the bit of his stomach. Emmet was battling two Pokémon alone, almost forgetting Ingo was present. It made sense, as Emmet had spent some time battling alone against multiple trainers. He likely hadn’t had to play with others since Ingo disappeared.

“Dragon Claw!”

“Ancient Power!”

Haxorus lunged at Gengar again as Tangrowth raised its vines as power warped around it. The playful ghost continued to dodge with a low giggle as Haxorus staggered to make contact. With an unearthly cry, Tangrowth released a mysterious energy outward. It collided with Scolipede, but the snake seemed to barely acknowledge it. Instead, it raised its head, baring its fangs before cutting through Tangrowth like a chainsaw to a hedge. As Scolipede cut into Tangrowth, embedding its poisoned fangs into the vines, Tangrowth’s thorns dug into the scales. The two seemed to seep a purple aura. Gengar danced in front of the locked duo, drawing Haxorus over.

“Emmet!” Ingo gasped, reaching out but it was too late.

Gengar faded from view as Haxorus’s claws cut across Tangrowth. The living hedge let out a wail, collapsing under its own weight. Haxorus looked horrified by its actions, glancing between the mat of blue vines and Emmet. The latter let out a whimper. Ingo groaned, lowering his cap. As Haxorus stood confused, Scolipede struck it in the neck. The purple poison slipped into the skin, causing Haxorus to stumble backward before collapsing. Emmet slumped.

“We did it!” cheered Skeith, grabbing Luka by the shoulders and shaking. “I told you we could do it!”

“Bravo!” Ingo shouted, clapping his hands together. “You showed us your spark as Trainers and this is no doubt a milestone in your life. I hope you don’t stop here and continue moving forward to an even greater goal!”

Emmet pouted, looking at Ingo. He wasn’t even aware he was reciting his speech. He sighed, standing up straight and lowering his hat.

“I am Emmet…and I lost again you, but I lost together with Ingo,” Emmet nodded. “You are verrry strong trainers. Your combination is perfect.”

Skeith grabbed Luka by the arm, dragging him away. Emmet tensed, glaring at Ingo.

“What was that!?” he snapped.

“We…were not on the same track,” sighed Ingo. “We have not worked pairs for a long time.”

Emmet felt a twitch in his eyes. The last match was a fluke. The two were just rusty when it came to team battles. Emmet refused to associate with another teammate and based on what Ingo had said, there weren’t many trainers around to even make a team. Even if there was someone who was capable of battling, Emmet doubted they’d be able to keep up with Ingo’s raw ability. Memory or not, Ingo was a pro-trainer.

The next pair of trainers seemed just as excited as the previous, entering quickly and sending their Pokémon out after a rapid greeting and cooing. Lily and Charlie. It was important to know your opponent, at least their name as to be polite. Lily brought her Palpitoad while Charlie brought a towering Mudsdale. The mare huffed, kicking up its legs and slamming down on the metal floor. Palpitoad offered a little burp.

Emmet glanced at Ingo, displaying his Pokeball.

“Let’s try something else…” he muttered. “Full steam ahead, Archeops!”

The Pokémon let out a shout as it fluttered their wings. Emmet nodded, looking back to Ingo. His twin hesitated, tumbing the Pokeballs on his belt before picking one and releasing it. Gliscor hovered about Archeops, almost snickering above the bird. Emmet groaned but couldn’t find anything immediately wrong with the choice. Out of the four Pokémon released, it wasn’t the worst combination.

“All aboard!” howled Emmet and Ingo without another glance.

Mudsdale kicked its legs into the air again, as Gliscor swiftly moved forward. As the feet stomped down, releasing a spray of mud, Gliscor cut across the steed’s side. Archeops was hit with some of the flailing mud, but continued to hop forward as it fluttered its wings. Palpitoad let out a coo before releasing a spray of purple sludge into the air. Ingo spun his caped coat around, guarding against the attack as it rained down. No Pokémon were spared for the downpour, including Palpitoad’s partner Pokémon. It let out a grunt, glaring down as Gliscor began circling for another strike.

“Well, it’s not going horribly…” muttered Emmet.

“Careful now,” Ingo instructed. “It appears the stallion is preparing for something…”

Emmet perked, watching the glow around the horse brighten. It let out a powerful grunt as the energy poured out into the air. Gliscor did its best to avoid the rush of energy, but failed as it struck it hard down the back. As the bat skidded onto the metal slate, Ingo glanced at Emmet.

“Rock slide may prove effective in this moment,” he prompted. “While Gliscor recovers?”

“Right.”

Archeops raised his head, letting out a wail. The train car rattled as the boulders seemed to materialize, hovering for a painstaking moment before crashing down. Palpitoad made odd noises as it shuffled away, but Mudsdale was unable to avoid the crushing weight. It forced the horse to kneel under the rock. Gliscor rose, taking to the little air space available in the train car. Archeops let out a triumphant shout.

“Gliscor, Aerial Ace!”

The creature quickly moved from its position downward, striking the stallion while it was struggling to stand. The slice of Gliscor’s tail against Mudsdale’s skin was almost audible. Emmet grinned. This was it, the heat of battle. Things were close and happening in succession. No fumbling. No miscommunication.

“Earthquake!”

Archeops raised its wings, loudly calling out. The train car rattled violently. Mudsdale was unable to stand against the swaying and Palpitoad released a panicked way of sludge into the atmosphere again. This didn’t seem to deter the swooping Gliscor as it turned back toward the downed horse. Claws opened as Gliscor cut through. The stallion let out a sad grunt before laying down, unable to even attempt standing. Palpitoad hobbled along but ultimately fell forward as Gliscor cut it from behind.

Emmet bounced.

“We make a good two-car train,” nodded Ingo, adjusting his cap. “Your abilities were impressive.”

“I am Emmet. I won together with Ingo!” cheered Emmet. “We won…but I am not really satisfied.”

“I suppose this isn’t the end then,” sighed Ingo.

“Thank you!” waved Lily.

“We’re so coming back,” chuckled Charlie, nudging Lily.

Emmet turned to Ingo. That worked much better than before but they were both luck their attacks didn’t wind up hitting the other, especially the earthquake Emmet summoned without thinking. In a way, Emmet thought, it was revenge for all the time Ingo had used it and accidently hit his Pokémon. As Emmet was the one with Haxorus now, it was only a matter of time until Emmet got his proper revenge for all those time.

“Let’s keep this going!” declared Emmet.

“Let’s…just do our best,” blushed Ingo.

“We’re going to win!”

“Oh, Emmet…”

Chapter Text

Emmet was feeling the fire in his soul. He hadn’t felt this surge of energy for a while. In the moment, watching the previous trainers leave and the new ones entering, everything faded away. No time had passed. Nothing had changed. He stood beside his brother as the train moved beneath their feet, and they were rocking the Multi-Train. Sure, they’d only won this one battle but the rough start just didn’t count.

            “That went well,” sighed Ingo, adjusting his hat. “Perhaps we should take things easy?”

            “What!?” perked Emmet. “We rocked that battle! The longer we keep this going, the better we’ll get! Two battles and we’re getting in sync like old times!”

            The two new trainers entered, anxiously talking. The boy nudged the girl. Grinning ear to ear, they mimicked the Subway Master pose which Emmet excitedly clapped upon seeing. Ingo hummed, nodding with a tip of his hat. The children waved, summoning their Pokémon. Crobat and Pidgeot, Ingo noted. It meant that these kids put a lot of care into their Pokémon, seeing as both were the third level of evolution. Crobat, especially, meant the trainer loved their partner and they had been together for some time. They seemed proud of their Pokemon as they stood before the twins.

            “Let’s go old school,” grinned Emmet, releasing a Pokeball.

            Eelektross let out a screech, twitching with built up electrical charge. Ingo sighed, sending out Chandelure. Seeing the two Pokémon side by side, it did leave Ingo with a warm feeling. It felt like the moment was wrapped in a heavenly aura, shifting between the moment at hand and lines of memories stored deep within him.

            “All Aboard!” shouted Emmet, pointing into the battle field. “Eeletross, discharge!”

            “Emmet, wait!” gasped Ingo, snapping back into the moment.

            Crobat pulled its wings in, tightly diving from the wave of electricity, but Pidgeot was unable to avoid the wave. Chandelure hovered above the charge, glancing at Ingo with a low hum. Ingo groaned, shaking his head.

            “Hex.”

            Chandelure’s purple flames lit, illuminating the train car in a lilac hue. The trainers looked around in awe of the glow, that is until the shadows of the light reached out and trapped Crobat in a funnel of darkness. Once the purple hue faded, the darkness withdrew with a flap of Crobat’s wings, but it was clear an affect had been made on the Pokémon as it wearily looked around.  

            “Shadow Ball!”

            Ingo heard the echo in his call, watching as the boy across from him also pointed out into the battle. Crobat and Chandelure leveled, charging a ball of pure darkness and shadow, propelling it forward. The two orbs collided, shattered and releasing a wave of darkness into the air. Chandelure winced, floating around the shattered darkness. Crobat let out a chirp, fluttering around.

            “Bravo, young trainer!” nodded Ingo.

            “Names Euko!” cheered the boy.

            Emmet glanced at Ingo. He was adjusting his hat again, offering a soft, barely noticeable smile as he watched the boy direct Crobat again toward Chandelure. The waves of purple danced around each other, wrapped in an almost playful chase. Emmet winced. Why did this leave a pit in his stomach?

            “Gastric Acid,” snapped Emmet, turning to his part of the battle.

            Eeletross took a deep breath before launching purple sludge. Pidgeot was quick to dodge a majority of it, but the particles that sprayed off managed to splatter on its feathers. Pidgeot cawed, hovering high above the battle. It pulled its wings in close for a moment, a silver light shining over them before it dove down. Eeletross cried, sending off a defensive wave of electricity, but Pidgeot was able to dodge this time, cutting through Eeletross with his steel wing. The girl trainer clapped.

            “Way to go!” she hummed. “Euko and Nyxie for the win!”

            Emmet felt the pit in his stomach deepen. It was making him sick, but he couldn’t figure out why he was so upset. He glanced at Ingo. Their half of the battle seemed well balanced, but it was clear Chandelure had the advantage that Ingo wasn’t exploiting. Why wasn’t he fighting? Emmet groaned, turning back to Eeletross and Pidgeot. Eeletross again let out a violent belch, spewing purple sludge into the air and down of Pidgeot.

            “Thunderbolt!”

            The ceiling darkened as storm clouds materialized. With a shattering boom, an electric bolt struck downward. Ingo flinched. He could feel the tingle of the energy along his skin, even under his clothes. The bolt bent and weaved, colliding unobstructed into Pidgeot. The bird let out a whimper, falling to the ground. It tried to flap its wings but couldn’t find the strength. Nyxie gasped, falling to her knees beside his Pokémon.

            Ingo frowned. For whatever reason, it upset him seeing Emmet use the attack, especially after the girl had felt such excitement after the last successful strike. He turned back to Chandelure and Crobat. He could see Euko beaming across from him. How long had this boy been waiting for this moment? How much did this moment mean to him?

            Crobat flew in close, teeth exposed as it opened its mouth wide and attempted to sink them into Chandelure’s form. The Pokémon swung around just before the bite, and Ingo sighed. Perhaps he’d let this go for a little too long.

            “Chandelure, shadow ball…”

            As Crobat turned in a second attempt to bare its poisoned fangs, Chandelure formed another orb of pure darkness, launching it forward before Crobat could change course. Euko whimpered as Crobat fell from the sky, landing with a thud. Ingo lowered his hat. Euko and Nyxie recalled their Pokémon.

            “I am Emmet. We won!” Emmet grinned. “I am sure you will show up here again. I will wait for it and win against you again.”

            “Emmet,” growled Ingo with narrowed eyes.

He turned to the two trainers. Theor heads were lowered, eyes on their Pokeballs. With careful steps, he knelt between them, hands on their shoulders. They looked up at him.

“We seem to have done slightly better than you,” Ingo offered. “We would really like to battle with you again! You grow stronger by matching yourself against a strong opponent. Please, do your best. There is no terminal called End in your life…”

The children smiled softly, giving Ingo a nod. As Ingo stood, the two left. Emmet crossed his arms as Ingo returned to their side of the train car.

“You went too far,” grumbled Ingo.

“Me!?” gasped Emmet. “You almost cost up that battle!”

“Is that all you care about!?”

“A battle isn’t fun if it isn’t serious!”

Ingo remained silent a moment. With a sigh, he looked away from Emmet.

“I was having fun watching that boy work with his Pokémon partner.”

Emmet groaned, turning away. They won, thought Emmet, what was the problem? It didn’t matter though, not right now. Right now, the doors were opening again and more trainers were coming. Ingo furrowed his brow, watching Emmet beam as the two trainers entered. Two girls, talking in a hushed tone while glancing at the twins. Emmet had a look in his eyes that Ingo partially concerned. The glimmer in his eyes, the bared teeth in his smile, the aura that exuded from him. Ingo felt as though this was something he’d gone through before with Emmet, but couldn’t find a specific memory. This seemed to be a common occurrence when it came to Emmet.

            “Nepa and Merrin here to win!” cheered one the girls. “Go Banette!”

            “Go, Mismagius!”

            The two ghost Pokémon hummed ominously, dancing around each other. They were mesmerizing. Ingo smiled lightly. Seeing the Pokémon dance and their trainers also swaying. It was once said that Pokémon and trainers often look alike. He’d gotten that comment with Lady Sneaseler. It was given as both a compliment and an insult, but he always felt connected when someone said that.

            Emmet summoned Galvantula. Ingo summoned Gliscor. Emmet glanced at Ingo. He’d used Gliscor in their previous battles, which did lead to a victory, but up against these two wasn’t the best combo. It would’ve been better to stick with Chandelure, but Ingo remained unmoved, staring forward. Emmet could feel the weight coming off his brother. The shadow over his eyes meant Ingo was getting serious. Emmet grinned.

            “Let us begin!” Emmet announced, waving over the battle as if anointing it.

            As Emmet opened his mouth to give instructions, Ingo had waved his hand and Gliscor swiped down. With charged claws, it cut through Mismagius before anyone could process a thing. Merrin glanced at Nepa. The girls shook their heads, turning back to the battle.

            “Discharge!”

            Ingo groaned, watching the electric wave flash across the car. Gliscor swooped around it, again cutting into Mismagius. As Mismagius whimpered, waiting for the inevitable wave to hit them, Banette jumped up, taking the hit.

            “Let’s do this!” declared Nepa, pointing outward. “Shadow ball!”

            “Shadow ball!” added Merrin.

            Both shadowy Pokémon seemed to shimmer as they absorbed the darkness from every crevice around them, forming an orb of darkness. Ingo snapped. Gliscor flew upward. Galvantula did its best to skitter away, but both orbs managed to hit the yellow spider. The shattering a darkness splashed upward, spraying outward. Emmet raised his arm, shielding his eyes from the splints of darkness. Ingo remained unmoved.

            “Cross Poison!”

            “Fury cutter…”

            Gliscor charged down. Galvantula let out a hiss, raising its front legs. It brought them down with force, cutting into the nearby Banette. The twisted doll tilted its head, glaring at the spider as it skittered away. With a shift in the shadows, Banette appeared above Galvantula, striking down was a shadow claw. The spider let out a wail. Emmet winced.

            “Dark pulse,” grinned Merrin.

            A murky wave stretched from Mismagius. Gliscor barely grazed the bottom of the wave, teetering slightly from its power, but once again Galvantula was at its full mercy. Emmet shielded his eyes again, refusing to watch his Pokémon succumb to the darkness. What was happening?

            As Gliscor looked down at his trainer, Banette appeared again, striking the winged Pokémon’s back with a sharpened claw. Gliscor wailed, plummeting. Banette didn’t give a moment of pause, diving down alongside, and repeatedly stabbing at the bat. Ingo lowered his hat as Gliscor hit the ground.

            “We won!” cheered the girls, jumping up.

            Emmet groaned, arms lowered.

            “Bravo!” announced Ingo, tilting his hat back. “Your talent has brought you to the destination called Victory! I am glad to have fought so hard against wonderful trainers such as you!”

            The girls giggled, collecting their Pokémon and scampering off. Ingo took all their Pokémon and stopped at the console to heal them. Emmet watched. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to win. They were supposed to win and laugh and have fun like before. Like…before…Emmet winced, looking away. That was the problem. He’d forgotten. It was not like before. It would never be again.

Chapter Text

Emmet glanced at Ingo. The two sat opposite each other, with the door dividing them. It felt like they were on either ends of the train, but in reality, they weren’t that far away. Still, Emmet felt the wall. The way Ingo slouched in his chair, staring out the car’s window. The train was silent, apart from the wheels on the tracks and the air current wrapping around them. Emmet sighed, lowering his head.

            “You were right.”

            Ingo sat up, glancing Emmet’s way.

            “Would you believe…that we’ve had this conversation before?”

            Emmet chuckled, straighten and leaning back against the chair. He rested head against the backing, inches from the window. He could feel the vibrations.

            “I always…tend to get wrapped up in the battle. Seeing the action, feeling the excitement, the connection between trainers and Pokémon!” Emmet jumped to his feet. “I am Emmet and I like winning more than anything!” He relaxed, tilting his cap. “Or…rather, I like winning with my brother. I like winning as a pair. It’s never the same when I’m alone.”

            Ingo sighed, hands resting in his lap.

            “Back in Hisui, Pokémon trainers were hard to come by. Pokémon were fearsome creatures, that killed those who wandered too far alone or so it was believed. To tame and train, to…befriend these creatures was something so unique and special,” Ingo explained. “But I could see the next generation taking that step, learning and exploring, bonding with the Pokémon around them. New bonds, fragile and still testing the waters of the relation between man and Pokémon!”

            “Perhaps,” Emmet nodded, walking over to Ingo, “I take for granted the connection we have with our Pokémon. It is so common now to see trainers and tamers, I can’t imagine anything else.” Emmet sat beside Ingo. “Maybe, I got a little lost again, trying to recreate that feeling from before.”

            “I understand.”

            “I miss…the connection I had with my brother,” Emmet whispered. “We were always so in sync, ever since we were children. We knew what the other was thinking! We may not have had the same line of thinking, but still knew how the other thought. We knew how the other felt. We knew…when we’d gone too far.”

            “A Time will come where we have adapted to this new track. Maybe, over time, we will renew this connection,” hummed Ingo, patting Emmet’s back. “Until then…we must focus on communication. This connection was once forged through years of communication now doubt!”

            Emmet sat up, grinning.

            “Yes! We were verrry good at communicating! I learn to communicate with other’s again! Just as Elesa said,” nodded Emmet, leaning against Ingo. “I am no longer alone. I never truly was.”

            Ingo rested his head against Emmet’s. The rumbling of the train gently rocked them. There was something about this that was familiar, a warmth that grew inside him that was so often stirred when he was with Emmet and Elesa. He may not remember the exact moments, but it was this feeling that he remembered. This feeling that transcended all the memories, connecting them. This was the only connection Ingo was concerned about. He sighed, shutting his eyes. He could hear Emmet’s breathing, feel every lift and fall of his shoulders with each breath.

            “Emmet…”

            “I am Emmet.”

            “I may not remember everything…but I am so glad to have known you in this moment.”

            Emmet smiled, shutting his eyes. It felt like it’d been forever since he was this close to Ingo. There were moments where the two would fall asleep on each other’s shoulders. It didn’t matter whether they were sitting or standing. Those moments, Emmet felt so connected to his brother and how he didn’t want anything to change. If he could have anything back, those moments would be it. Emmet chuckled lightly. He did have those moments back. He had it right now.

            The train rumbled along. Ingo rested his head against Emmet’s head. Emmet rested his head on Ingo’s shoulder. Eyes shut and breath steady, the two fell asleep to the sound of the subway and soft sounds of the railroad.

Chapter Text

Dawn groaned, looking between all the serious faced adults. Emmet, Elesa, and Ingo stood around the round table, equally spaced. Dawn could feel the pressure crushing against each of their shoulders. No one was talking for the longest time. They’d finally gathered together to talk about the assault on the tower, but no one was sure where to start apparently. Dawn tapped her hands on the table, pursing her lips.

            “Can…someone start?” whispered Dawn, glancing at everyone.

            “Okay,” Elesa nodded. She tapped something on the table, lighting it up with a layout of the tower. “We’ve got the blueprints for the building and my friend finally came through with those security cards. Now…we just need to work out the distraction part.”

            “Aren’t we just splitting up the forces and cause problems?” Emmet mumbled.

            “It would be better to construct something more focused,” suggested Ingo. “If there is no order to it, our collection of trainers will likely be overwhelmed before we get far into the tower. Some locations will cause greater problems and be more protected than other.”

            “For example, attacking the old performance buildings will likely bring a good number of Enforcers,” commented Elesa. “Which might work if we put some of our best trainers there to lure enough Enforcers to the upper parts of the city.”

            “I suggest weaker trainers and partners attempt to break through the tunnels. There is limited security there,” shrugged Ingo. “A good number of average trainers could still easily be able to overwhelm them.”

            “If we make sure to attack late in the shift,” hummed Emmet. “Enforcers usually work for a lengthy shift by the route tunnel, which means if we strike just before shift change and cause trouble elsewhere so that they can’t replace them, even the greatest of Enforcers would be too tired to put up much of fight.”

            “So, we definitely want to strike the Route 5 tunnel and maybe one of the stadiums? Route 16 and 4 tunnels too?” Elesa summarized. “Regroup in the fairgrounds when needed?”

            “If we keep some of the battle cars near these sites, when things get rough trainers can withdraw to the tunnels and may even be able to heal their Pokémon to reengage!” nodded Ingo.

            “A group of three at each route gate,” grinned Emmet, opening a map of Nimbasa city on the table. “A larger group at the Stadium? Maybe a defensive stance in the gym? This would give the illusion that we are still present in the gym as you used to.”

            “Do you think they really believe we’re still at the gym?”

            “We can make them think that,” smirked Emmet, leaning on the table. “The top Enforcers aren’t very bright. I should know. I highly doubt Tyler or Sarah will suspect a thing. The only one we should be worried about it Titus.”

            “Do you think they’d send him out?” Dawn mumbled.

            Emmet hummed, looking at the ceiling. Ingo crossed his arms. He knew his twin wasn’t really thinking, just playing around. Ingo perked, looking down at the table. He was getting more used to calling Emmet his brother, his twin. Though, he was still foggy on all his memories of his brother, he knew the feeling. Standing with Emmet and Elesa, he was beginning to realize that he didn’t need the memories much anymore. He just liked the feeling. Ingo smiled, looking back up as Emmet finished his fake thinking.

            “Titus was never when to leave the tower if he didn’t expect to get a big reward out of it. I doubt he’d enter all that ruckus unless it’s been going on for a while. In that case, maybe if the stadium assault goes well, send a few strong trainers to reinforce the weaker ones at the route entrances? That way even if Titus shows up, they might be able to hold their ground a little longer?”

            “What would it take to stop Titus?” Elesa grumbled, flipping back to the map of the tower. “Would it be better to try and keep him in the tower? Face him ourselves?”

            “What type of Pokémon does he use?” perked Ingo.

            “Ingo, you genius!” clapped Emmet. “If we type match this, we can build an effect anti-Titus strategy!”

            “We can consider that later,” prompted Elesa. “First, divide what we have and make the backup anti-Titus plan for later.

            “Well,” purred Emmet, sliding the screen back to a map of the city, “I know the Enforcers down by Route 4 having mostly Electric types. I think there’s more diversity posted at Route 5 and 16, but perhaps we can keep type advantages in mind?”

            “Do you remember anyone who might be at the route entrances?” Elesa sighed.

            Emmet hummed, rubbing his chin. This time, Ingo thought, he might actually be thinking. After a while, Emmet nodded.

            “Lewis might be at Route 5. He’s usually got Delibird with him, if I recall correctly? I never much talked to him. He was always rather quiet…in a frightening way.”

            “Ice and Flying,” recited Ingo. “Do we have any fire type trainers available?”

            Dawn pulled out a clipboard listing all the recruits willing to fight during the assault. She scrolled through it, flipping a page or so in, running her finger down the list.

            “Auburn? They’ve got a Braixen.”

            “Good!” cheered Emmet.

            “They could go with Rana. If I remember correctly, fighting and steel should be good too, right?” Dawn hummed. “They’ve got a Lucario.”

            “Very astute, Dawn,” Ingo hummed, slightly smiling.

            “I learned from the best,” smirked Dawn.

            “And the other side?” mumbled Elesa.

            “Michael and Zorua, maybe, if we’re lucky. They aren’t the strongest trainer to begin with, a rather new recruit if I’m not mistaken.”

            “Normal and ghost,” prompted Ingo, looking to Dawn.

            “Actually, dear brother,” perked Emmet, waving a finger. “Zorua is a dark type Pokémon.”

            Ingo frowned, looking at Emmet with wide eyes. Dawn lowered herself slightly as Ingo looked up at Elesa, who nodded, and then down at the table.

            “Type change?” he muttered, looking around. “Is it…a time difference or…?”

            “A conversation for another time!” announced Emmet. “I would recommend a fighting, fairy or bug. Absolutely no psychic!”

            Dawn glanced at Ingo who continued muttering under his breath as he adjusted his cap, before turning down to her list.

            “Bonnie and Kommo-o? Dragon and Fighting type?” Dawn offered.

            “Excellent choice,” mumbled Ingo, stranding straight. Emmet patted him on the back.

            “That leads us back to route 4,” nodded Elesa.

            “Ben with a Electivire most commonly occupies that post,” Emmet sighed. “Out of the three gates, he is likely the strongest, but that isn’t saying much in the long run.”

            “Marcus has a Golurk, if I remember,” Elesa groaned. “He’s not much of a fighter but I know he signed up for it.”

            “Pair him with Emily and Flygon, they might stand a chance,” suggested Ingo. “Neither are great apart but together they might stand a better chance.”

            “I’ve had a verrry good idea!” perked Emmet, messing with the map. “If we use some grass, ground and rock types, we could probably build some fortification at the fair grounds and gym!”

            “That might work. Again, it draws attention to the idea that most of the resistance is held up in the gym,” grinned Elesa. “We can work with that. Dawn, a good trainer under any of those types?”

            “Mel and Servine,” Dawn replied after a brief run through the list. “They’ve got the strongest Pokémon out of the list for those types that aren’t already assigned.”

            “This is coming to together verrry nicely!” declared Emmet, waving his arms in the air. “Spread the rest of our cast out and the plan practically writes itself!”

            “That just leaves our part,” whispered Ingo, swiping the map away to the blueprint of the tower. “We can enter through the old station, assuming they haven’t reinforced or guarded it under the idea that the trains are up and running again.”

            “They did block off the tunnels,” explained Emmet, “But a simple attack from Haxorus should open it up again. Last I checked, they had brief patrols that would stop by but most people wouldn’t even bother.”

            “So as soon as everything starts we enter?” Dawn asked. “Or are we waiting? How long should we wait?”

            “I suggest waiting a few moments. Staggering the events will likely prevent them from realizing the organized distraction,” winked Emmet. “So, if we started at each route entrance, then stadium, then enter the tower?”

            “That’s our best option,” nodded Ingo. “Using the keycards will grant us access to the elevators, but where exactly are we headed?”

            “Your friends will likely be held here,” pointed Emmet. “Unless…”

            “Unless what?” growled Ingo, glaring.

            “Unless…” muttered Emmet, hands shaking. “Unless Vex has taken an interest in them, as they are connected to you…Which means they would be held further up and under more security.”

            “Great,” sighed Elesa.

            “Where would Dialga and Palkia be?” Dawn questioned.

            “Ah,” perked Emmet. “Well, Vex has built a device on the top floor that is supposed to help draw energy and potentially summon ancient Pokémon.” Emmet felt all eyes glaring at him. He blushed, shrugging. “The idea…was to use these ancient’s powers to help…rebuild Nimbasa City…”

            “It’s possible Dialga and Palkia were caught in this machine, which means they’ll be on the top floor.”

            “If we prioritize rescuing them,” Elesa nodded, “we could definitely use them as a means of rescuing Adaman and Irida, even provide backup to our team!”

            “I’m not sure about abandoning Adaman and Lady Irida in favor of Dialga and Palkia,” mumbled Ingo, shaking his head.

            “I know they mean a lot to you, but in the long run this is a better plan,” argued Elesa. “We can’t risk Vex using them against us!”

            “Perhaps,” Emmet mused, hand under his chin, “we could split up? While two of us retrieve the ancients, the other two can rescue your friends?”

            “Oh, hell no!” shouted Elesa. “Splitting up is just begging for trouble!”

            “It makes the most logical sense, though,” Ingo hummed, glancing at Emmet. “Dawn and Emmet could retrieve Dialga and Palkia, while Elesa and I reach Adaman and Lady Irida.”

            “No!” snapped Elesa, slamming her hand on the table. “We are not splitting up!”

            “But,” mumbled Dawn, raising a hand.

            “No!” Elesa screamed, her voice echoing.

            Everyone stopped, looking at Elesa. She was shaking ever so slightly. Ingo sighed, looking at Emmet. The two exchanged a nod before rounding the table to be at the girl’s side. Elesa sniffled.

            “I…I just got you both back…I can’t…I don’t want to risk…” whimpered Elesa.

            Emmet and Ingo wrapped their arms around her. Dawn smiled, watching the two gently hug onto Elesa.

            “I can get Palkia and Dialga myself.”

            The three looked up, staring at Dawn. The child nodded, striking a determined pose with hands on her hips and chin raised slightly. Ingo and Emmet stepped away from Elesa, but they kept a hand on either shoulder.

            “So long as we have the element of surprise and most of the Enforcers are out,” instructed Dawn, “I’ll be fine by myself getting to them. Worst option is I trigger some alarm and the guards come for me, but that just means, you’ll have no problem getting Adaman and Irida!”

            “Dawn,” Ingo whispered, reaching out. “This is a dangerous plan. To go alone to that place…you don’t know what guards may be there, what safety measures are in place, or if Vex himself is there! I refuse to let you go alone!”

            “Agreed!” nodded Emmet. “No single cars in this plan! All together or none!”

            “Dawn, we’ll figure this out,” sighed Elesa, rubbing her eyes. “If we have to split up…maybe that is for the best.”

            “We’ve still got a lot to plan out,” Ingo added, placing an arm on Dawn’s head. “There is still a lot to think about.”

            “A gym leader, two former Battle Subway Bosses and a child prodigy should easily be able to storm the tower,” declared Emmet. “Let’s go!”

            Dawn sighed, watching as Emmet rounded the table again, swiping through the map. Ingo stepped away, looking over the table as he picked up Dawn’s clipboard. Elesa offered Dawn a smile before turning back to the table. Hands at her side, Dawn dug her nails into her palms.

Chapter Text

It began at dusk. The curfew alarms were finishing, just as one of them erupted into an electrical flame. One by one, each towering alarm speaker burst into flames, surrounded by an electric current. Several Enforcers were sent out to investigate, but each one was seemed to vanish from the radar, dead silence from their communicators. The tension was rising, and continued to build as communication was lost with each route entrance. The sound of battle echoed across the city, alongside the rumbling of the trains underground.

            Many of the trains were running merely on autopilot, designed to continue looping and periodically stop at various stations throughout the city. The constant rumbling of the trains along the tracks, moving at various speeds, shook the tunnels and would normally deter anyone from entering, which is exactly what they were hoping for. This allowed Ingo, Emmet, Dawn and Elesa to easily enter the old Gear Station without suspicion.

            “Phase 2: Infiltration successful!” announced Emmet, looking around.

            “Quiet, please,” muttered Ingo, watching past.

            “Oh, the irony,” hummed Emmet, following.

            They found the elevator rather easily. The doors opened and the group walked in. Elesa pulled out her counterfeit keycard, swiping it along the scanner beside all the buttons. Emmet rocked on his heels, looking up at the floor indicator.

            “My this is verrry exciting!” cooed Emmet. “Everything seems to be going…”

            “Don’t say it!” gasped Dawn, glaring at him. “If you say it, you’ll jinx it and everything will fall apart!”

            Emmet pretended to zip his mouth shut, tossing the imaginary key aside. Dawn rolled her eyes, looking back to the door. The scanner binged, and the buttons lit up. Elesa quickly pressed the desired floor. After a pause, the elevator began moving. Emmet continued rocking on his heels, hands behind his back. Ingo soon joined him, somehow falling in sync with the other’s rocking. Elesa smiled.

            “When we get the security floor, we’ll take out the system,” instructed Elesa. “That should buy us some time and maybe even help Adaman and Irida escape on their own.”

            “It will also help us locate them if they are not in the holding cells,” added Emmet with a raised finger. “It will also help tell us how many Enforcers remain in the complex.”

             “Thank you, Emmet,” mumbled Elesa.

            “We can also disable the elevators,” Ingo continued, mirroring Emmet. “This will limit the ability for them to follow us.”

            “Right,” nodded Elesa with a sigh. “We still don’t know what we’ll find when these doors open, though. So, be prepared!”

            All prepared their Pokeballs, striking a defensive stance. The elevator made a ding as it stopped. The doors opened slowly, revealing a long hallway. The group relaxed, though slightly disappointed. Emmet put his hands on his hips.

            “Looks like our plan is working thus far!” he declared, pointing down the hall. “Full steam ahead!”

            “Onto our next station!” continued Ingo, pointing down the hall as well.

            “Aw, look at you two,” purred Elesa.

            Ingo and Emmet blushed, lowering their arms quickly. Elesa giggled, taking the lead down the hall. Dawn shrugged, following, and leaving Emmet and Ingo in the elevator. The two exchanged a glance before stepping out. Emmet leaned back in, running his hand down all the buttons. Ingo raised a brow.

            “I’ve always wanted to do that,” mused Emmet with a grin. “And that way…no one can use this to follow us.”

            Ingo shrugged, but smiled softly as Emmet giggled at the closing elevator doors. The machine made a ding noise, traveling along its frequently paused path downward. Emmet skipped to catch up to Ingo and duo marched after Elesa and Dawn at the end of the hall. Elesa smiled. The way they walked, the way they smiled, it felt so right. She missed this. She didn’t care if they were dressed differently or weren’t perfectly identical. All she needed was to see Emmet’s beaming grin, and Ingo’s internal smile. This was all worth it.

            “The security room is right here,” Dawn gestured to the door on their right. “They’ve got to have at least one guard in there, right? They can’t be that stupid.”

            “Right, be prepared,” nodded Emmet. “Allow me!”

            Emmet coughed slightly, standing by the door and knocking twice. The door opened after a moment and a tired looking guard peered out. Ingo grabbed the guard by the collar, yanking them out of the room and onto the floor of the hall. Emmet bowed, dramatically gesturing for Dawn and Elesa to enter the security room as Ingo loomed over the guard.

            “I don’t get paid enough for this…” whimpered guard, attempting to crawl away.

            “Just stay quiet,” ordered Ingo, again picking up the individual by the collar. “Do as I say and nothing happens, yes?”

            “Please don’t hurt me!”

            Ingo rolled his eyes, dragged the person away. Emmet waved him off like a parent waving their child going away to school. Ingo took the guard, tossing them in a supply closet, shutting the door. He then broke the knob off. Emmet’s eyes widened as Ingo tossed the knob away, walking back to the security door. As Ingo entered, Emmet gently shut the door behind him, locking it.

            “Phase 3: Access security is complete!” announced Emmet, arms in the air. “Proceed with caution!”

            Elesa sat in the security chair, observing the various monitors and feeds. Dawn stood beside her, looking over things as well. Emmet and Ingo took position on either side of her. Many of the feeds were images of empty halls, empty rooms, a select few Enforcers running about, exiting the building or running up the stairs. Emmet pointed to one of the screens.

            “Look, that’s the top floor, where Vex’s device is,” Emmet instructed.

            “But look!” perked Ingo.

            Among the three perspectives of the room, they could see a small glass room containing Irida and Adaman. There was no audio, but it was apparent that Adaman was not happy, mouth moving and arms flailing as he spoke. Ingo sighed, seeing them on the screen. They looked okay, aside from being unhappy. They were alive.

            “Looks like they’ll be no need to split up,” commented Elesa. “Both of our objectives are in the same place.”

            “Let’s get a move on then!” shouted Dawn.

            There was a loud bang. Emmet and Ingo spun around, watching as the door buckled against whatever was pointing against it. The frame cracked, the wood creaked. Emmet and Ingo summoned their Pokémon, Gliscor and Galvantula. Emmet shuddered. The last time they’d used this pairing did not end well, though perhaps that was in part to their communication or lack thereof. The door collapsed, colliding with the ground with a shattering clank.

            “Well, well, well…”

            Emmet gulped. Titus ducked under the frame of the door, entering the room. He smirked, tossing his Pokeball up and down in his hand.  Elesa got to her feet, placing an arm out in front of Dawn. The girl scoffed. Why did everyone insist on treating her like a child. She fought gods. Like multiple gods. And won!

            “Heard about all the commotion outside,” Titus bellowed. “Almost went out to look into it, but then I thought…you know what, my ol’ pal Emmet might be trying to pull a fast one on us.”

            “Titus…” mumbled Emmet. “What Vex is doing is wrong. We need to stop this before we’ve gone too far!”

            “Too far? Too far!?” Titus threw his head back with laughter, gripping at his stomach. Emmet stepped back. “Oh, Emmet…we crossed that line a long time ago…you were just too blind to see it.”

            Emmet groaned, shaking his head. Titus grinned.

            “You really think all this time, we were trying to make a better world?”

            “Stop it…” Emmet whispered.

            “It was never about fixing this city. It was about power. Control! Always has been. And the power in Nimbasa city came from the gym and the Battle Subway.” Titus pointed at Elesa. “We weren’t going to convince miss popularity to join us, no matter what we tried.” He pointed to Ingo. “But when that idiot brother of your disappeared…” Titus lowered his hand, shaking his head. “You would believe any conman promising you him back.”

            “Please…”

            “You got played like the fool you are…”

            Gliscor came down, cutting Titus across the chest, ripping his suit open. Emmet lifted his head, turning to Ingo. The ward had his arm outstretched, pointing forward, while his other hand held onto his hat. His eyes were focused.

            “You don’t get to talk that way about him,” snarled Ingo. “You don’t know anything…”

            “Nice one,” smirked Titus, pulling off the ripped jacket. “Haven’t been ambushed like that in a while, but you won’t get lucky twice.”

            “Luck is how the loser justifies himself,” hummed Ingo, lowering his pointed arm. “We need no such thing.”

            Titus grinned, bearing teeth like an animal showing fangs. He bellowed with laugher again, this time throwing his whole body into it. The sound echoed on the walls, filling the room with the twisted sound of his bellowing. He hunched off, swinging his arm fully back before releasing it forward, throwing the Pokeball into the open space between. The light poured from the ball, twisting and swirling.

            “You know,” smirked Titus, rolling his neck, “we tested the machine a few days ago. Would you like to see what we caught in our spider web?”

            The light burst, revealing a bipedal purple creature. The overhead lights reflected off its red eyes and the strange device around its neck. It hunkered itself, the cannon like structure on its back glowing before firing a powerful shot forward. Elesa grabbed Dawn, leaping out of the way as the blast destroyed the computer system.

            Ingo and Emmet spun around, looking at the girls propped themselves up on the floor. The smoke pooled from the newly formed hole in the machine. The Pokémon groaned, straightening itself.  

            “Don’t let the size fool you,” hummed Titus. “Genescet still packs one hell of a punch…”

Chapter Text

Before a word could be spoken, a flash of energy charged forward. Ingo dropped to the ground, sheltered by Galvantula and Gliscor, while Emmet, narrowly avoiding a direct hit and only singeing the ends of his coat, tackled Elesa and Dawn, dragging them both down. The scorch light barreled into the wall where the computers once sat, destroying what remained from the initial hit and cracking into the wall behind it.

            “Are you insane!?” Emmet snapped, whipping his head up to look at Titus.

            Titus let out a bellowing laugh before directing the creature toward Ingo. Genescet shifted, turning slowly in the direction. Ingo was wearily getting up; the mere shockwave of the previous shot having knocked the wind out of him and rang through his ears. He lifted his gaze, eyes shrinking in the growing light, casting his shadow around him.

            Ingo opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words as Emmet quickly stood in front of him, casting him in darkness. Emmet grinned, pointing out toward the erupting light.

            “Thunder Wave!”

            Galvantula dug its down, planting itself firmly as it charged its power, and the light shot from the canon on Genescet’s back. Even as it barreled toward them, Emmet didn’t flinch. His pose silhouetted by the charging blast, his smile unwavering. There was a crack as the built-up electricity surrounding Galvantula burst forth. The wave of current branched out, eventually coming into contact for the approaching blast. The colliding charges shattered against one another in an explosion of blinding light, a deafening crack, and shattering shockwave that none could withstand.

            Any remaining screens shattered instantly. The room seemed to shake, cracks forming along the walls and stretching across the ceiling.

            Emmet fell backward where Ingo quickly caught him, collapsing into Galvantula. The two breathed heavily against the creature’s sides, staring upward at the cracking ceiling.

            “We must disable the canon,” Ingo instructed.

            “I am Emmet. I am open to ideas!”

            “Look out!”

            Elesa’s voice cut through the ringing, giving Ingo and Emmet enough time to roll aside from the downward strike. Galvantula caught the claws, holding them back with shaking arms. Gliscor circled above, regaining flight after the disastrous wave. Ingo glanced to Emmet. He grinned, tipping his cap. Ingo turned to Gliscor.

            “Full speed ahead!”

            Gliscor charged downward, claws crossed over his chest before stretching them out, cutting the air with a flash of light. Titus shouted. Though the words themselves were incoherent, it was enough to get Genescet to pull back, turning to face the approaching attack. Just before the strike hit the Pokémon, Galvantula lifted its legs again, crossing them with a downward strike. The two X-Scissor strikes collided into Genescet, forcing it to produce a horrible sound.

            The creature stumbled forward, chittering as it swiped the air toward Gliscor. Emmet got to his feet, adjusting his makeshift cape before turning to Ingo.

            “It appears, we may have found a type advantage,” he beamed.

            “Unfortunately, that is the only move of that type either of us have,” Ingo sighed, adjusting his cap.

            “We could always try another combination,” Emmet prompted.

            “I’m afraid this is not my type specialty.”

            “Nor mine.”

            Ingo raised a brow at Emmet. Why suggest something when they didn’t even have a bug type available? Emmet grinned, dodging another wayward attack. Ingo felt a slight blip of panic watching the battling Pokémon slowly separating him from Emmet. It was leaving a pit in his stomach, watching the sparks and such fly around them and Emmet gleefully jumping aside, narrowly avoiding getting hit. It reminded him of watching Dawn engage in reckless battles as well.

            “He can’t hope to fight both of us!” Emmet chuckled, hands on his hips with a triumphed nod. “A double team battle we couldn’t possibly lose!”

            Ingo felt his heart stop as he watched Titus grab onto Emmet by the collar of the coat, throwing him back into the wall. Emmet’s smile slowly faded as he collided with the wall.  Titus quickly grabbed onto Emmet again, this time by the throat. His hand was big enough to wrap completely around with little effort and easily raise Emmet above the ground. Ingo felt his body shaking. That urge to scream, that urge that was becoming more and more common.

            “You have been a thorn in my side since the day you showed your sorry face,” Titus hissed, pulling Emmet in close.

            Emmet clawed desperately against the grip around him. His legs kicked violently, occasionally hitting Titus but doing little to no damage. Titus grinned, bearing teeth and a wild stare.

            “Stop!”

            Elesa and Dawn charged forward. Elesa pulled against Titus’ arm, ripping at his suit, while Dawn kicked his legs. Titus tolled his eyes, scoffing. With a swift hand motion, he knocked Dawn aside, swinging back around to grab Elesa by the arm and tossing her aside with a chuckle. Ingo slowly got to his feet, arms hanging at his side.

            “To think you risked everything, for these useless so called friends,” Titus scoffed, gesturing back to the fallen Dawn and Elesa.

            Emmet could find the words. His lips quivered, and though he shuddered with every attempt to breathe, nothing would enter his lungs long enough to sustain him. He could hardly keep his eyes open anymore. His vision was blurring, blocking out everything aside from Titus holding him up. Titus grinned, tilting his head slightly.

            “Goodbye, Emmet.”

            “FULL STOP!”

            Titus turned but barely saw the flash a black cloth that darted toward him. Titus pulled back, preparing to punch the charging man, but this seemed to work in Ingo’s favor. Titus helplessly watched as Ingo, slipped away from the punch, ducking under, and grabbed onto the inner shoulder. He spun around, holding onto Titus’s shoulders, kicking his legs up until they interlocked around the neck. The momentum threw Titus off balance, forcing himself back.

            Emmet suddenly felt air rush into his lungs as Titus’ grip released. In his blurry vision, he watched as Titus stumbled back in an attempt to balance himself. Ingo quickly continued moving, sliding aside from Titus’ desperate stomps or downward punches. With his surprising reflexes, Ingo kicked upward, jabbing his heels into Titus’ side.

            “DO NOT INTERFER…” Ingo howled as he rolled around Titus and stabbed another heel into the man’s side. “WITH THE CONDUCTORS DURING OPERATING HOURS!!”

            Elesa and Dawn appeared as Emmet’s side, helping the man to his feet. He heaved for air, watching as Ingo continued his onslaught against Titus. He chuckled hoarsely, smiling softly.

            “Why is he shouting?” Dawn gasped.

            “That’s just how he talks…” Emmet choked.

            “We need to get out of here,” Elesa whispered, looking around as the room seemed to crumble. “The Pokémon are tearing this room apart, and I’d rather we didn’t get stuck inside!”

            “Ingo…” Emmet coughed.

            Titus against punched toward Ingo, but the warden was faster. With each attempted punch, Ingo was able to use it as a means of leverage, circling Titus and overpowering him with momentum and sheer willpower. Titus stumbled, barely able to keep his balance as Ingo either attempted to pull him downward or force his knees to bend. The man was quicker and stronger than he looked.

            “C’mon you son of a bitch! Quit moving!” Titus howled, slamming down both fists.

            “LANGUAGE!!” Ingo snapped, leaping over the strike and kicking Titus across the face.

            Titus snarled, reaching out and grabbing onto the sleeve of Ingo’s coat. Ingo felt the latch of the cape begin to pull back, choking him. Before Titus could get a second hand around him or Ingo could undo the latch, Gliscor sopped down, cutting the fabric. Ingo lurched forward, free from the pull, while Titus fell backward, finally falling.

            Ingo spun around, rubbing his sore throat, as Titus writhed on the floor a moment before attempting to right himself. Ingo looked up, spotting the three nearing the door. He looked up, giving Gliscor a nod. The Pokémon flew up, beginning to move back around as Ingo darted toward the door, directly toward Titus. The man was sitting himself up when Ingo approached. He snarled, attempting to prepare himself for an attack.

            Instead, Ingo leapt up, caught by Gliscor. Titus’ grin was fleeting as Galvantula, who had been behind Ingo during his charge, dropped its spiked arms downward, stabbing Titus’ clothes into the ground with a crack. The man panted, tugging at his clothes but finding them stuck in place. He was pinned. Ingo released Gliscor, tumbling and landing beside his group. He stood up straight, held out his Pokeball and recalled Gliscor.

            “That was verrry impressive, Ingo,” Emmet nodded, recalling Galvantula.

            “I…” Ingo coughed, lowering his hat. “I apologize for the volume. It was unnecessary.”

            “Not for you,” Elesa sighed.

            Ingo blushed, tightening his grip on the lip of his cap in an attempt to hide his blushing.

            The room creaked, bits of ceiling dropping with a clutter. Dawn groaned as the group stepped out. Emmet looked down, slowly picking up the broken open door and putting it back in place. He grinned.

            “Just how we left it,” he nodded.

            “I’m not sure…if it’s exactly how we left it,” Ingo remarked.

            “Close enough,” Dawn huffed.

            “Phase…whatever: successful!” Emmet wearily cheered. “Next phase…”

            “Rescuing Irida and Adaman,” Ingo hummed.

            “Defeat Vex,” added Elesa.

            “Recover Palkia and Dialga,” Dawn finished.

            “Let’s go,” Ingo spoke sternly, pointing out down the hall.

After a pleasant sigh, Emmet mirrored his brother.

Chapter Text

The closer they got to the tower’s peak, the more the group felt like they were suffocating. Elesa kept glancing back at the twins, almost paranoid that if she turned her back too long, they’d disappear. Emmet gripped onto his Pokeball, fingers wrapped tightly until they turned white. Ingo felt the tension pressing against him, like a crushing blizzard against him. Dawn watched each adult carefully, unsure what emotions were spinning inside her. Just like the others, she didn’t know what they were expecting at the top, but she also knew that whatever happened up there, this was the end. Happy or sad, this was the ending of the story.

            After walking what felt like forever, they reached the massive doors leading into the grand chamber of the tower’s peak. The air felt electric, tingling along their skin and burning with each batted breath. Emmet threw his Pokeball into the air, releasing Eelektross. Ingo cautiously reached for his team, releasing Chandelure. The twins exchanged a look, nodding before kicking the door open.

            The chamber was large, like two grand ballrooms joined together, with a large open space leading to a short stair case to a platform of a grand machine. The machine itself was mostly two large pincers on either side, connected to two even larger tesla towers. Within the orbs of the towers were curled Palkia and Dialga, seemingly in some kind of slumber. To the left of the entrance was the glass room holding Irida and Adaman. With the door having been kicked open, the two pressed against the glass.

            “Miss Irida!” perked Ingo, running to the door to the glass cage.

            Fiddling with the handle proved unhelpful. After ushering the two back, Ingo and Emmet were able to kick the glass door enough to shatter. Irida quickly crossed the glass, hugging onto Ingo. Emmet awkwardly fumbled with his hand, eyeing the ground as Adaman glared at him.

            “I knew you would come, Warden!” Irida smiled.

            “I couldn’t have done it alone,” Ingo nodded, gesturing to Emmet and the others.

            Irida stepped away from Ingo, standing in front of Emmet.

            “I…I am Emmet,” he mumbled. “I…I realize that I may have…not made the best first impression.” He coughed a little, tilting his hat down. “I had temporarily derailed…but I am finding my way back on track.”

            “You talk a lot like Ingo does,” Irida sighed. Emmet and Ingo perked. “Derailed. He’s used that one before too. Derailed. Tracks. Cars. I never really understood it.” She reached out, taking Emmet’s hand. “You are the man he’s dreamed of, aren’t you? The man in white?”

            “I…” Emmet blushed, looking up at Ingo.

            Ingo nodded softly, placing a hand on Irida’s shoulder. She let go of Emmet, turning back to Ingo.

            “This truly was your home, wasn’t it?”

            “It is.”

            A slow clapping began to echo across the room. Chandelure let out a low growl, taking front with Eelektross at the base of the stairs. Ingo and Emmet stood behind them, with the rest of the group farther behind.

            At the top of the stairs stood a man. Irida and Adaman immediately recognized him as the man who had silenced Titus beforehand. Emmet recognized him as his boss. Ingo reached out in an attempt to stop him, but Emmet moved forward, taking to the first step. Emmet smiled softly, reaching up.

            “Vex!” Emmet hummed. “You’re here!”

            “Of course,” Vex responded flatly, ending his slow clap. “I have been waiting for this moment for far too long.”

            Emmet hesitated.

            “V-Vex…things have gone too far. You…we need to stop! Nimbasa is suffering; the people are suffering! We…”

            “Oh, Emmet,” Vex sighed, beginning his slow descent down the stairs. “You have always been my most loyal supporter, and I always sought to make you feel comfortable and cared for, because I knew the hardship you had suffered and continued to work through.”

            Emmet felt a tightness in his chest. Watching Vex slowly walk toward him, he didn’t see the friend he’d had for these last months, all he saw was a man clothed in darkness, speaking to him as if he was a child. Almost shaking, Emmet took a step back, stepping into Ingo. He couldn’t even find the words to object when Ingo pushed in front of him, guarding him with one arm.

            “Do you remember, once, not long ago,” Vex continued, pulling from behind him a thick, leather-bound book, “when you asked me about this? My book. Do you remember what I told you back then?”

            “Y-you said…it was an heirloom. A journal…based down,” Emmet mumbled, holding onto Ingo’s shoulder. “You never let anyone read it. You said…it was for only the eyes of your bloodline…”

            “May I read some of it to you?”

            Ingo felt Emmet’s nails dig into his skin through the clothes.

            Vex flipped opened the leather book, stopping very early on. He raised a finger, pressed it against the page and began reading.

            “The Pearl Clan has at last made their decision. It was an obvious choice, though I understood their hesitance. After all,” Vex paused, grinning as he looked down at the group, “Ingo is not a native of our region. He came from the sky from an unknown time and place, and it took a long time to even let him into the Clan’s settlement. Nonetheless, I’m not surprised they chose him as the new Warden. He’s powerful. He can command Pokémon like no one else, that even the Galaxy Researchers sought his skill in studying the Pokémon of the area.”

            “What is this…” Irida whispered.

            “What makes everyone so hesitant is his memory,” Vex continued, shaking his head. “The poor man has nothing but his name at this point, even months after his arrival! While this may have turned away others…” Vex paused, another devious grin forming. “This may prove useful to my mission. Someone capable of training and beating even the wildest of Pokemon. With his talent, it would be child’s play…” Another pause. “To retrieve the other plates.”

            Emmet pulled away, feeling the rising anger in Ingo as he stamped his foot on the first step. Likewise, Elesa flinched as Irida, Adaman and Dawn snarled, tensing.

            “Volo!” snapped Dawn.

            “My ancestor,” Vex purred, slamming the book shut. “A visionary and seeker of truth.” He turned, glaring down at the group. “Rudely prevented from his life’s work by a child!”

            “He was trying to end the world!” Dawn argued, waving her arms. “He opened a wormhole through time and space!”

            Emmet felt a twitch. This man – Volo – opened the portals through time and space. These portals that likely took Ingo in the first place. Volo was the cause. Volo took Ingo, and this entire time…

            “You knew…” Emmet whispered, clutching his sides. “Since you met me…heard about Ingo’s disappearance…you knew where he was, when he was!” He whipped his head upward, snarling. “You knew and said nothing!”

            “Oh, Emmet,” Vex sighed, shaking his head. “I held my tongue because I knew you would not understand at the time. These things take a lot of effort, time, and…sacrifices…which have at last came into being.”

            “What are you talking about!” shouted Ingo.

            Vex, halfway down the steps, raised his arms. The machine behind him hummed to life, lighting up with electric charge. The two orbs containing the Pokémon of Time and Space opened, allowing the two to stretch to their full size. Wrapped around their necks, was a contraption similar to the one around Genesect. They both howled, shaking the room with their cries. Irida covered her ears, wincing in pain. Adaman too winced, hand hovering over one ears.

            “Stop! You’re hurting them!” cried Irida.

            “It took time developing this machine,” Vex instructed, holding up his book. “But my family has spent lifetimes working on it and the control collars. It was all leading to this. Control of time and space itself!” Vex threw his head back in laughter. “If this doesn’t get Arceus’ attention, I don’t know what will! And once they come…my grand machine with trap it.”

            “You can’t do this!” gasped Dawn.

            “I will fulfill the wish of my ancestors! I will remake this world! Control it!” Vex stopped abruptly before clasping his hands together. “But, first, I am man of my word!”

            Vex continued down the stairs. Ingo stepped back, allowing Vex to stand on the final step. He held out a hand toward Emmet.

            “I control time and space, Emmet. I can give you exactly what I promised…”

            Ingo stepped back, looking to Emmet. He was shaking, tightening the grip around his sides.

            “We can go back. We can bring him back. The real Ingo.”

            Emmet’s head swiveled, staring at Ingo. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but he couldn’t make more than a gasping breath. Vex smiled.

“We can bring him back like he never left. I can bring him right here, to you, just as I promised. All your hard work, your loyalty, paid off! For this moment!”

Ingo could see the sadness in Emmet’s eyes. His smile shook, like a man desperately trying to hold it together. Ingo felt the weight of the conversation. They were talking about him, but at the same time they weren’t. They were talking about completely rewriting his past. Would he even still exist?

Suddenly, Emmet’s smile twitched upward as he burst into laughter. Everyone flinched somewhat as Emmet let out an echoing laugh, throwing his head back and gripping his head. Ingo could see the tears falling down his cheeks with each gasping breath between bursts of laughter. Eventually, he stopped, followed by swift movement as he struck Vex across the jaw with a tightened fist. The crack was audible. Vex tumbled downward, holding his jaw, as his mask fell.

“You absolute bastard…” Emmet responded, somewhere between a sob and laughter. “Like…I would want him…to see me like this…”

Ingo reached out but hesitated.

“I…I am not Emmet…” the man in white whimpered, fist dripping red. “I…haven’t been Emmet for a while…I am verrry different. I…” Emmet lifted his head, looking to Ingo off to the side. “I am not the Emmet he would recognize…”

“Emmet…” Ingo whispered.

“You’re a fool!” Vex snapped, stumbling to his feet.

With his mask removed, it was quite obvious Vex’s heritage. Even the black hair couldn’t distinguish him from Volo. The two could’ve be brothers.

“I took pity on you! I was willing to let you have a piece of this world I was going to create. I gave you everything! All because my heritage was intertwined with yours…This was always meant to be…”

Vex chuckled, shuffling up the stairs again.

“All the pieces have come together…The Pokémon of time and space…” Vex spun around, grinning at the group. “The old clan leaders, blessed with the ability to speak to the them. The man in black, thrown by Giratina’s power…and Arceus’ chosen child. All four pieces…together at last…”

“You’re insane!” shouted Elesa.

“I am gifted with the power to achieve my family’s mission…”

“This ends now,” Ingo huffed, hand raised.

“This has gone on long enough,” Emmet whispered, mirroring Ingo.

“Agreed.”

“Dawn!”

Ingo and Emmet spun around. Dawn had seemingly been overtaken by a consuming light. Her eyes were glowing white energy, a golden symbol behind her head, as she an air around her flowed through her hair and clothes. Silently, she raised one hand.

Suddenly, the room began to shake. Vex spun around, witnessing his grand machine seemingly disintegrate. Palkia and Dialga roared again, instantly breaking their collars. Vex’s eyes watered as he fell to his knees. No, it couldn’t be that simple. All his hard work, gone in a snap by some unseen force. Vex snarled.

“Traitor!”

Ingo spun around in time to see Vex approach with a hidden dagger. He had silently rushed the stairs, charging toward them. With no hesitation, Ingo pushed Emmet aside as Vex raised the blade over his head.

Everything seemed to slow as the knife descended. Emmet reached out. Elesa screamed. Irida grabbed onto Adaman. Ingo braced for impacted. Vex focused solely on plunging the knife.

Dawn slowly closed her eyes, whispering into her clasped hands.

There was nothing but white.

Chapter Text

The white void the group found themselves in was silent and yet comforting. Though it seemed so foreign, there was a homely feeling about it. It felt safe. When the light cleared and all were able to see again, Ingo saw that Vex was gone, and he was unharmed. He didn’t have time to process before Emmet wrapped around him, sobbing into his shoulder.

            “W-what happened?” Ingo gasped.

            “I don’t know and I don’t care!” Emmet sobbed. “Y-you’re alive…you were trying to save me and…I don’t know what I’d have done if…”

            Ingo returned the hug, tightly wrapped his arms around his brother. He acted without thinking, and he would do it again in a heartbeat, but he hadn’t thought what witnessing that would do to Emmet, who had lost so much as it was.

            “Dawn…”

            Ingo and Emmet parted, looking back. The girl had collapsed, cradled by Irida. Ingo and Emmet knelt beside them, just as Dawn’s eyes fluttered open. She looked tired and looked around confused.

            “W-what happened? Where are we?” she muttered.

            “Something came over you,” Irida explained. “Might Sinnoh must’ve spoken through you.”

            “Arceus?” Dawn groaned, sitting up.

            “Yes.”

            The group turned to the voice, seeing the towering Pokémon Arceus with Palkia and Dialga at his side. Irida quickly lowered her head, clasping her hands together with shut eyes. Adaman knelt on one leg, head lowered.

            “The god of Pokémon,” Emmet whispered.

            “You all have been through so much, leading to this very moment. Now all has come to its height, and this adventure must come to an end.”

            “It’s…not gonna kill us, is it?” Emmet mumbled to Ingo.

            “I…”

            “This will be the last time you may call upon us in this manner. Alongside the power of my children, we will send you the time and place of your choosing, be it your home or somewhere else.”

            “What of Vex?” Ingo spoke up.

            “He…has been dealt with.”

            “Why go through all of this!?” Elesa huffed. “If you could’ve stopped and dealt with him at any time, why make us to all the heavy lifting!?”

            Irida grabbed onto Elesa’s wrist, pulling at her and shaking her head.

            “Do not go yelling at the almighty Sinnoh!” Irida hissed through gritted teeth.

            “Yelling at god…is probably not the best idea,” remarked Emmet.

            “Time is ever flowing,” Arceus spoke up, voice echoing through their minds. “There are many endings and many more beginnings. We see each of these and weigh their results. Some outcomes have necessary sacrifices. Others are unacceptable.”

            “We had to follow this path,” Irida mumbled, “for the greater good of the world.”

            “I don’t buy that,” grumbled Elesa, crossing her arms. “Couldn’t all of this been avoided by stopping this Volo guy? Then no one would’ve been sent back in time!”

            “But Volo would likely still write his journal,” Dawn offered. “Which would eventually result in Vex and his machine.”

            “But if they stopped Volo before, Ingo wouldn’t have disappeared so Emmet wouldn’t have followed Vex!” Elesa argued.

            “Then he would’ve simply found someone else,” Emmet sighed. “He was charismatic. He would’ve found his way eventually.”

            “And we wouldn’t have been there to stop him,” Ingo nodded.

            Elesa huffed again, shaking her head.

            “Fine, I guess!”

            Arceus lowered its head.

            “We will send you back to your time, to your clans.”

            Irida shot up, bowing before Arceus. Adaman bowed as well. Arceus raised its head again, looking upward. Irida looked to Ingo.

            “Warden,” Irida hummed, slowly approaching and hugging onto him. “Thank you, for everything.”

            “Miss Irida,” Ingo whispered, gently hugging her in return. “You make this sound…”

            “We both know how this ends,” she smiled, softly talking into his ear. “This…was how it was always going to end.” She pulled away, wiping her eyes. “You will always have a place with us.”

            Ingo paused before offering a soft smiling. He gave her a bow. She returned with another. With a call from the three Pokémon and another flash of light, Irida and Adaman vanished. Emmet stepped up, placing a hand on Ingo’s shoulder.

            “What did she say?”

            Ingo offered him a slight grin, patting the hand on his shoulder. Emmet raised a brow, but Ingo offered no verbal response.

            “Now, my child…” Arceus began again, lowering its head. “What would you…”

            “Home!” gasped Dawn, stumbling to her feet. “I want to go home! Please!” Dawn sniffled, shuddering as she hastily wiped tears away. “I want to go home…to my mom…”

            Arceus raised its head again. Dawn looked over to Ingo. Just as Irida had, Dawn wrapped her arms around him, hugging. Ingo patted the girl’s head.

            “I’ll miss you, uncle Ingo,” Dawn sniffled. “If…if we stay in the same time…I’ll message you. I promise.”

            “Go home,” Ingo smiled. “You deserved it.”

            Dawn raised her head, looking up at him. She wasn’t trying to hide her tears anymore, letting them roll down. Ingo ruffled her hair, allowing her to step back. She sniffled once more, rubbing her eyes, before turning to Arceus with a nod. The mighty being raised its head, and the three let out another cry. A blinding light wrapped around Dawn, and in a flash, she was gone.

            “And then there were three,” Emmet chuckled.

His laugh cut off as he looked to Ingo. It wasn’t that Ingo was looking at him, but rather Ingo was looking to the place where Dawn just stood with a soft gaze as if he was lost in a memory or thought. Emmet gulped.

“I-Ingo…”

Ingo looked up, turning to Emmet.

“I…I think you should go back…”

Ingo perked. Elesa rushed forward, grabbing onto Emmet’s sleeve.

“What are you talking about?” Elesa gasped.

“I…I think it would be for the best,” Emmet explained softly. “Back there…with your friends, you have a home, a life, a purpose. Here…you have a life you can’t remember, friends that aren’t anything like before, and a purpose from a past life…” Emmet shut his eyes tightly. “Nimbasa isn’t a home for you. It’s a reminder of a person you can’t remember and different life! I…I don’t want to force you…”

Elesa slowly lowered her head against his chest. She understood his line of thinking. He didn’t want to send Ingo away. It was because he loved Ingo that he was trying to do what was best for him.

“This place…and me…I am not the brother you’ve been waiting for,” Emmet bit his lip. “I wanted to be him…and I don’t think I ever will be him again…” He took a shuddered breath. “This city…this time, it is nothing like where you’ve been. You’re in a strange land, with strangers…”

Ingo stood silently, listening to Emmet lament. He had a good point. This world, its technology, was vastly different than Hisui. He had no one from that time to tackle this change with him. The friends he’d made were back in Hisui. Dawn was home, wherever that was. He was alone, with vague memories and feelings.

“It is time.”

Arceus lowered its head once more. Ingo felt all the eyes on him, waiting for his choice.

“Have you decided?”

“Yes.”

Emmet turned away, lowering the tip of his cap over his eyes. Elesa clutched onto his shoulder, shutting her eyes. They listened to the cries of the three mighty Pokémon, and in a flash of light, they were returned to the top of Gears Tower. The silence that was once comforting and homely now felt hollow and strange.

“Emmet,” Elesa whispered. “What now?”

Emmet opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. It felt as if a lump was caught in his throat or someone was strangling him. Perhaps it was the bruising forming from Titus’ grip earlier.

“If I may pose a suggestion?”

Emmet lifted his head. Elesa slowly pulled away, peering around Emmet. With a shaking smile, Emmet spun around to see Ingo waiting at the base of the stairs. He tilted his cap back, offering a soft smile that was barely noticeable to anyone that wasn’t close to him.

Elesa covered her mouth, watching as Emmet ran forward. Ingo held out his arms, catching Emmet as he ran into him. The two spun around in their embrace, laughing. Elesa smiled, wiping her tears as she watched them.

“But,” gasped Emmet, pushing away, “Why? Why are you here? I thought…”

“Emmet,” Ingo spoke softly, “I will always have fond memories of Hisui, but I always knew it was a temporary stop. Irida knew it as well. So, did Dawn. No matter how happy I felt in Hisui, it was hollow in comparison to the feelings I had for this city. I don’t need my memory to know this is my home.” Ingo reached out, grabbing onto Emmet’s arm. “To know that you are my brother! I don’t need my memories to know that this is where I have been searching for…that I’ve dreamed of.”

Ingo pulled Emmet in again, hugging his tighter. Emmet rested his head against his brother, hats falling off.

“I’ve found my way back,” Ingo whispered. “And I never want to leave again.”

Elesa watched, feeling waves of emotion as she watched the twins cry into each other’s arms, eventually collapsing to their knees. This was the moment. This was the reunion she had always imagined. Them, arm in arm, together again, with everything that happened seeming so far away. This was the ending to the hardship. This was the end of that story. This was the beginning of another.

Chapter Text

Dear Dawn,

            We were overjoyed to receive your letter. I am glad that we are within the same period. It is a relief to be able to hear of your safety. I never doubted Arceus, but hearing from you via your own writings is greatly reassuring. Thank you for the included image as well. You look very much like your mother, and to answer your request, we would love to have you over in Unova, though maybe we should wait some time. Perhaps, we both need to readjust to the lives we find ourselves in.

            In reference to your letter, we are doing well. Emmet has taken me to what was once our apartment. Apparently, though he had lost his key, Elesa had the spare. It felt familiar, and I was able to tell things were out of place, but I could not remember specifics. This seems to be a reoccurring thing. Emmet and Elesa are being very patient with me, and I could not ask for more.

            We are planning to reopen the Subway. In fact, it is something Emmet and I are quite adamant about. Emmet was originally wary of putting either of us back to that kind of work, I assured him it is something I am passionate about. I may not have the memory of running it, but I know it is a deep part of me, and I want to experience it again. Emmet is now fueling that desire, but Elesa is keeping us at bay.

            We agreed to wait until the city has been properly repaired. It is slow going, but progress is being made.

            With rebuilding, we have encountered a new…challenge. The people…are not fully supportive. There are those who are skeptical of me. They challenge my authenticity. I hear them whisper. They ask me things I don’t know. They recall things I don’t remember, then become angry that I can’t remember. I know they are justified to be frustrated. I, myself, am frustrated. I had hoped that with working to rebuild the city, staying with Emmet, I would regain more of my memories, but I remain vague. I get glimpses and strong emotion, but I cannot remember.

            I am not alone in the citizen’s relentless nature. While they are weary of me, they are ten times that against Emmet. They may be frustrated with my lack of memory, but when it comes to Emmet, they seem to have nothing but contempt. It started as just voices, whispers then shouting. Someone threw something yesterday. A balloon filed with red paint. I don’t know where it came from other than that it came from above. It landed on his head and covered him. He took it in stride, laughing it off. I have not.

            I don’t mean to be depressing. I am happy to be here. I feel at home. I feel the connection I could never fully achieve with the Pearl Clan. I have a family.

            I have included a photo for you. We retook that photo from the propaganda. Elesa insisted. Proper lighting and makeup. It was strange to have people brush substances on my face, but Elesa said I looked good.

            I hope to hear from you soon. I hope someday we can meet again. For now, take care of yourself. You deserve a break. Have fun out there. Be a kid again.

            Your friend,

                        Subway Warden Ingo