Chapter Text
Centuries ago, the Almighty Sinnoh walked the earth, among its people. However, as time passed, the people began to wither, and their land started to erode. Almighty Sinnoh looked through time, and saw that darkness and destruction were soon approaching, which would envelop Hisui and wipe its people and Pokémon out.
To that end, Almighty Sinnoh blessed a Hero and his ten Pokémon companions, as a mark of their valiant spirits, to protect the people of Hisui in their darkest days. But while they were strong, pure strength was not enough to ward off the darkness from the people drawn to its call.
So, Almighty Sinnoh granted its people yet another boon: the ability to call forth heroes across ever-flowing time and ever-expanding space, known as Emblems. Ten rings were bestowed upon the people, and ten heroes answered the call, each carrying new ideas and power. Under their guidance, the land of Hisui flourished once more, and when the destruction reached their shores, Hisui was protected with the will of the people.
Finally, the darkness retreated, never to be seen again. Having won, the heroes faded away, their job done, and so left Hisui to its people to carry on their flame.
***
The howl of the wind follows Irida as she makes the trek up the Coronet Highlands, away from the Icelands, away from the settlement. She has no destination in mind; all she wants is to get away. Away from the elders, away from the discussions, just as far away as she can run. Her Eevee, Mata, trots beside her, her only companion, always sweet and caring and grounding.
She knows she is being selfish, silly, immature, doing this and running away. But she actually needs space now, not the feeling of the elders breathing down her back, not the constant reminders that she isn’t doing well, that she isn’t doing enough, that she may yet sully the legacy her mother, and her grandmother, and many generations of her ancestors have left behind. The mountains call out to her with the embrace of a chilling gale, the song of a biting wind. And that is all she can ask for right now.
Once upon a time, she had sat on her mother’s lap, and asked her why she was sad all the time. Her mother had smiled, a tired smile, the creases in her face clear, illuminated by the lantern against the wall, and told her that it was nothing, that it was just a particularly bad day that adults had, that would be in the far future for her, only when she became Clan Leader.
Her mother passed on a year later. The future was now, the weight of the clan, the world, the duties and the sorrows resting on her shoulders. And she just doesn’t know what to do.
***
At some point, she realises that Mata has ended up a distance away from her, pawing at the snow. Intrigued, Irida walks over; Mata is admittedly easily distracted, but the Highlands are hardly an unfamiliar place. She must have found something quite unusual.
“What have you found, little one?”
Mata looks up at her proudly, and nudges something towards her, which she picks up.
It’s a ring. A thin gold band, with red gems lining the edges, and a large black pearl inlaid in its centre, a thin crack down its middle. Around the centrepiece, the band curls into flame-like leaves.
“Did you find it here, Mata?” The yip she receives in return is affirmative. “I’ve never seen something like this before…what is this?”
The ring feels strangely weighty despite it being so small, almost as if there were some power within exerting great pressure. In fact, she can almost see it – a blazing flame, an aura glowing around the pearl, one that seems to pull at her mind, a sweltering heat.
Against her better judgement, Irida puts the ring on.
A flash of red light. A booming crack. She feels herself being pushed backward, hears Mata’s alarmed cries, the snow around where she was standing, swirling –
“Ah! Do pardon me, but…where am I?”
Irida blinks. The light seems to have faded. Standing before her, somehow, is a man.
“...What?” She asks. She rubs her eyes. The man’s still there, clad in a black coat, cap and trousers, and looking confusedly at her. He is tall – towering over her, with a light frown upon his face.
“Excuse me, young miss…might you have any idea which station we are currently at?”
The man is saying something, in a language she cannot understand. He does sound quite surprised, at least. “Who are you? Did… the ring…”
“Ah. My apologies. I am the Subway Master, Ingo. I am terribly sorry, but I seem to be…lost.”
“Subway…Master? What’s a subway? How are you here?”
“It’s…” The man – Ingo, it seems – averts his gaze, thinking. “My apologies. I do not remember. I remember not a thing. Where is this station?”
Well. That is not helping. Still, he quite definitely seems to need help, so… “This is the Coronet Highlands. I don’t know how you came here, but it seems neither of us know.”
She feels a light scuffling and the brush of Mata’s tail, so she looks down, to find her biting at Ingo’s ankles. Or, attempting to. She realises, in horror, that Mata’s teeth are passing through what should be his flesh, as if it were thin air.
Is this some illusion by a Zoroark? But she is far from their usual territory. And Zoroark would usually at least bother to make their illusions understandable to their target. Is this, then, perhaps some vengeful spirit?
But the look on Ingo’s face, despite his frown, is nothing but genuine confusion and amazement, as he looks out over the mountains. “Are we the only people on this mountain, miss…”
“Irida.” She says it on instinct, even if all evidence right now indicates she should not be telling him her name. “I am from the Pearl Clan.”
“Bravo! That is a wonderful name.” Ingo says. “Miss Irida, may I enquire if there is a…a…town nearby?”
Oh, right, a confused amnesiac in a vast land of ice. She realises just how terrifying this must be for him, being in a strange land full of dangers, with no memory.
The elders are going to murder her when she returns, or at least their nagging will ring in her ears for close to eternity. But she cannot leave him out in the Highlands like this.
“I can bring you to our settlement. Please follow me.”
***
When she gets back to the settlement and shows the elders the ring in private, rather than the fury she had been expecting, she is met with amazement, with pride she did not previously know was possible from them.
“The Emblems brought to our forebears by Almighty Sinnoh, lost to space…so you have awoken one of them?”
“This ring was lost long ago, having returned to the space under Almighty Sinnoh’s watchful gaze. For you to have found it, Irida…could it be?”
“Perhaps this is a sign from Almighty Sinnoh, at long last…”
“Hah! The Diamond Clan has not been blessed with a hero, unlike us… Good work, Irida. It seems you have proven yourself to be worthy at last.”
All that for one ring, and a man who knows literally nothing. She heads outside, no less frustrated and far more tired than before this entire business had begun.
Ingo is still outside, but he appears to be occupied, a crowd forming around him.
“What is the issue?”
Gaeric turns towards her. “A Gligar entered the food stores. The…the man you brought in, he is currently trying to coax it out –”
Screams fill the air. Wincing at the sound, Irida looks up, to see a Gligar soaring through the air.
“Stay behind the yellow line! Please do not panic!”
She watches Ingo dash through the crowd, chasing after the Gligar, which lands just beside the entrance, waving a berry in its pincers.
“Ah, little one. My apologies, but this is all you can take –”
He kneels down. The Gligar drops the berry in his hands. Or attempts to, at least. The berry passes through, unhindered in the least. Neither of them seem aware of the fact.
“Oh? Is something the matter?”
The Gligar does what looks like a little dance, and then reaches a pincer out.
“You’d…like to join me? It would be a great honour, little one. Welcome aboard!”
Seemingly unbothered by the fact that Ingo is incorporeal, the Gligar chirps and happily jumps up to him.
“...Ingo?” Irida heads up to him, making sure to stay a safe distance away. Mata looks ready to lunge at the Gligar, so she pats her lightly, indicating for her to wait instead.
“Miss Irida! My apologies. Our little rogue passenger here was hungry, so he snuck into the village. He didn’t mean to cause trouble, did you, little one?”
The Gligar looks the perfect picture of innocence as it hops up and down.
“It’s alright. Well, I’ve come to tell you that the elders are quite happy to have you stay here, but they’ll expect much from you.” And herself as well.
“Is that so? Then please be assured, Miss Irida, that I shall do my utmost in whatever is asked of me.”
She looks at the formerly-hostile Gligar, now friendly and playful, as it reaches up to attempt to touch his cap. She looks at Ingo again, who bears the same serious look as previously, but she can sense something more – desperation, hope, devotion, care. Ingo has a knack for befriending Pokémon, that much is clear. Perhaps that is what makes him a hero? He does not seem like the heroes of legend, what with his amnesia and bizarre mannerisms. But what he also is, is genuine. And maybe that’s the most important thing, a trust that won’t be betrayed. Either way, she has the feeling that this is a new beginning. The winds of change blow across the icelands, and this time they brought the Pearl Clan an enigma.
It is said that the heroes lent humanity their counsel, to fight the darkness and unite as one. Admittedly, she isn’t sure what the elders would let Ingo teach, or what he even would want to teach. But she knows that he is someone worth learning from.
She will do what she can, and maybe someday she’ll know what to do, how to lead, even without heroic guidance. But for now, she might need his help, just as much as she is willing to offer her own. They will both have to rely on each other, learning, forging a new path. And it is through that, maybe, that she can protect the clan and Hisui, like those before her.