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Emmet woke to the sound of a painfully familiar bug Pokemon buzzing nearby.
He shifted awkwardly in the underbrush that he was in. The movement caused his Porygon Z to float above him. It would have been safely in its Pokeball if it didn’t like being in one for too long. "Sorry Delta," he said, trying to get up.
Psychic type energy soon surrounded and he was picked off the ground. Emmet gave a small hum and polite nod to his partner. "Thank you."
Delta gave its own approximation of a happy chirp and landed on his shoulder.
"We should make our way out of here," the man said, looking for any point of reference that might look familiar. There was a fountain up ahead, which was at least a starting point. "Let's head over that way."
The former warden walked in silence as he made his way over to the landmark. They seemed to be in a small park, surrounded by buildings on three sides. There was a street that ran along the top part at least. Despite the open air, he felt veeeeerry claustrophobic in the small space.
Then he jumped slightly at the faintest ruffle leaves near him. Looking up, he saw a rufflet fly into its nest. The bird paid neither of them mind, choosing to curl up and fall asleep.
"...It's a little weird to see one that doesn't attack on sight," Emmet said quietly, hand resting on his slightly irate pokemon. Delta was always a little overprotective of him but he managed to calm it down. That didn't stop his nerves from being stiff though. In hisui, the smallest sound could mean an approaching threat. He would have to be careful from this point on.
The pair made it to the fountain unharmed. Emmet sighed in relief, not realizing he had been holding his breath in. Around Mt Coronet, nightfall was the most dangerous of all. Ghost types lurked around every corner and Zubats hunted around that time too.
Nearby, there was a line of buildings boarding the park. They were all roughly the same size, shape, and looked to be built of the same materials. "...Those are apartments."
He dug around in his pockets, taking out a keychain. There were three keys, an ornament, and a hard rectangular shape attached. The rectangular was as clear as glass but hard like metal- plastic maybe? Wedged inside was a single piece of paper with something clearly written in ink. C224.
It was one of the few things he had from his previous life that he kept safe. He was glad he did since this was going to be his ticket home. The closest building nearby had the letter F on it and he was almost certain that this area was the one he lived in.
"All aboard!" Emmet did a motion he hadn't done in years. It twinged his wrist a little, but he ignored it. "Next stop: Home."
Delta grumbled from his shoulder. It nervously looked around the otherwise quiet park, searching for danger. Nothing seemed to stir at the sound of its master's voice. The pokemon returned to its trainer’s shoulder.
"It's alright, Delta. I do not think anything out there is going to attack us right now…" He carefully eyed his surroundings. "Still, guess it doesn't hurt to be too careful."
—----------
Finding this apartment took longer than Emmet thought it would. Despite having buildings labeled A-L, they were confusingly not in order. It was as if there was a plan to put them in the right place but it clearly wasn’t followed through. He didn't know how he wouldn't have been insanely bothered by that notion or, at the very least, chosen not to live there.
'Then again… it's only a fifteen minute walk to the station.' His mind supplemented him. That's right, despite the annoying arrangement, it was closer to their place of work. Still, it probably would have been a sore spot for him.
At the very least, it currently was now, because the sky had gone from a dark blue to a lighter tint. Dawn was on the horizon. This gave him a sort of time limit because he knew no one was going to take his sudden appearance lightly. There was no way a strange man with torn clothing being spotted in the early hours of the morning wouldn’t make into local gossip.
'...Now for the game of guessing who thinks I'm crazy… and/or homeless….' He was wearing a dirty, patched up coat and hobbling only a little. His old injuries were flaring a bit too. If anyone saw him, they would likely think he was at least a ratty drunkard. This did not lessen his building anxiety.
Thankfully, the early morning birds who were out either were immediately leaving for work or out for a jog. Staying in the waning shadows, no one had noticed him while he finally found the right building and made it to the correct side. Going up the stairs, he saw the door he was looking for. C224.
Emmet picked out the largest key out of the four on his ring and inserted it into the lock. With a little fumbling, he managed to open the threshold. He was about to step in when a psychic energy, that definitely wasn't Delta, surrounded him and lunged him forward.
"Shit." Emmet cursed in Sinnohan under his breath. He didn't go far, just past a hallway and into a sitting room. It was still dark, other than a faint, purple glow above him. The flames weren't prominent enough to light the area; leaving long, ghastly shadows surrounding him. If he wasn’t so used to seeing in the dark, he would have been practically blind.
"Chande," chimed the light above him. The Pokemon that was now his captor swung happily in the air. While it had scared the ever living fuck outta him, he knew it posed no threat.
Then, suddenly, he was lurched forward as the living chandelier dodged an oncoming thunderbolt attack. "Delta, no! Stop!"
His Porygon Z did not heed his words. Instead, it just attacked again. This time, it managed to land a hit and the Chandelure was forced to let him go. His brother’s partner gave out a confused chingle.
"Delta!! Do not make me return you to your PokeBall!" Before Chandelure could retaliate, Emmet stepped in the way and grabbed a hold of his teammate. It sparked a little before settling back down again. There was no way it was going to cause actual damage to its trainer. "Do not worry, she is just excited to see me."
"Chande chande lure!" It seemed like all was already forgiven on the spirit’'s end. Despite being a ghost, she wasn't particularly spiteful. She could have been considered an oddball.
His Pokemon relinquished and beeped out an apology anyway. Emmet smiled at this. "Good. Good."
There was then just a moment of silence as the former warden tried to gather his bearings. He was finally home but his memories were still largely missing. Some things had come back to him but it just wasn't enough, and his nerves were starting to get the better of him.
Would he be able to properly explain what happened to him? His words often fell short and there were some things he didn't want to talk about. Would Ingo understand if he couldn't? He remembered that his brother could always read but now, would he be able to? Hisui had changed him for the slightly better and for the far worse. What if–
Emmet's thoughts were interrupted by a light switch flicking on. The white light that he was now in was too bright, causing him to visibly flinch. He less saw and more felt Delta lean onto his face, seeking comfort. It must have landed on his shoulder during his emotional tirade.
"What's going on out here?!" That was his brother's voice. Damn, of course he would have woken up from a dispute going on in their own apartment. Could he see Emmet now? Well yes, he was standing in the middle of the room! How could he not!
Ingo walked several spaces, going right up where he was. He felt his brother's soft hand lightly touch his cheek. "...Emmet?"
"Yes, I am Emmet," he said as tried to open his eyes. All he could see was the outline of his twin standing before him. Still too bright.
"Chandelure, if you would?" It seems Ingo sensed his distress. The lights flicked off and they were plunged into the darkness of early morning. Thankfully, his brother's pokemon then lifted the curtains, letting the natural glow of the rising sun into the room.
He was finally able to see his brother, who had tears in his eyes. Within seconds, he bridged the small gap between them and hugged his sibling. An ugly sound came from the depths of his throat when he realized he must have been crying too.
Emmet tried to say something, anything really. There was so much he wanted to tell his twin. How sorry he was for leaving unexpectedly. How glad he was to be back. How much he missed Ingo and never stopped looking for a way back. Finally, most importantly, how guilty he felt for forgetting in the first place.
Alas, the words would not come to him.
"I know, brother. I missed you too." As always, Ingo was his rock and interpreter. Why did he even doubt that to begin with?
The two of them stood there for a while, in each other's arms. A gentle sway picked up as the elder rocked the younger on his heels. It was a motion they did as kids, usually when one of them was upset. To and fro they went, until a sudden burst of music began playing.
"That should be Elesa, probably worried that I haven't called her yet." Something about that string of words bothered Emmet but he did not verbalize it. Instead, he only nodded. "Why don't you go take a shower while I tell her the good news?"
The former warden went down the hall that he was sure his brother came from. He looked at the assortment of doors in front of him, confused. "It's the second door to the left!"
Right, that was the guest bathroom door. Emmet walked in, Delta following in after him. Turning on the light was a… mistake. He reasoned he would have to get used to it.
Now then… how to turn on the shower.
—-------
Waking up to the sound of lightning going off nearby wasn't something Ingo had expected, but he wasn't surprised either. He had assumed Elektross was throwing a fit in the living room. His brother's pokemon didn't usually misbehave like this, today was just an exception. Though, it was strange that he left his own PokeBall to do this.
Oh well, the poor thing probably had a nightmare.
He was about to get out of bed when he heard a voice and immediately froze. "Delta, no! Stop!"
Ingo must have been still dreaming since that was definitely Emmet's clipped manner of speech. Within the first year of his twin's disappearance, his nights were plagued by different interpretations of his brother's return. It varied between light-hearted, dark, or a mix between the two. Always the same ending, him waking in bed in an otherwise empty apartment.
There was another attack and his Chandelure gave a distressed chime. "Delta!! Do not make me return you to your PokeBall!"
The subway boss slowly kicked off his bedding and went to the door. He was still in the belief that this still wasn't real. If he just humored this fantasy, he could just get it over with and wake up. No, it wasn't worth waiting for that. It would just be too painful for him.
Raising his right wrist, he used his left hand to give his skin a hardy pinch.
The pain finally got him moving. He practically burst out of his room and ran down the hall to the living room. It was still dark so he turned on the light. "What's going on out here?!"
Standing in the middle of the sitting area was Emmet, his right hand up to his eyes. There was a Porygon Z on his shoulder, nuzzling his face and chirping lightly. This, then, must have been Delta.
Without realizing it, Ingo's feet were already moving towards his twin. He brought up a hand to his brother's face, touching only ever so slightly. The warmth and softness of which was something no dream could replicate. "... Emmet?"
"Yes, I am Emmet," the other said, squinting at him. Right, he was sensitive to bright light sometimes. Though it was usually during one of his migraines.
"Shrill, if you would?" Chandelure used her psychic power to turn the lights back off. She then lifted the curtains, bringing in the first rays of sun.
Now that his twin could easily see him, Ingo inspected him as well. Emmet's clothes were in tatters and looked quite dirty. His jacket was patched with a clearly different material; what looked like a light, tan hide leather. Underneath was a dark blue, hooded tunic with a symbol that looked vaguely familiar. Finally, his once pristine white pants were now cream in color.
Ingo had so, so many questions to ask but when his sibling hugged him, he decided it could wait until later. An ugly sound rang from his twin’s throat. He was definitely trying to say something but he was in no state to actually do it. Oh well, that didn't matter at the moment. "I know, brother. I missed you too."
They stayed like that for a while before he decided to rock Emmet back and forth on his heels. It was a gentle rhythm to hopefully calm the younger down. Unfortunately, it was cut short by his xtransceiver ringing.
"That should be Elesa, probably worried that I haven't called her yet." The model didn't use to wake up early enough for this to happen. After a scare a couple years ago, she insisted on a daily check in when he got ready for the morning. Ingo, of course, obliged to her request. "Why don't you go take a shower while I tell her the good news?"
Emmet nodded and walked down the hall with mild confusion. He stared at the doors in front of him, clearly hesitant. "It's the second door to the left!"
Alone once again, the subway boss made a beeline for the coffee table. He picked up several papers that were scattered on its surface and, unceremoniously, tossed them in the flames of his beloved pokemon. Chandelure's fire sparked from its natural purple color to a hot blue, reducing the forms to ash. Only then did he take a seat on the couch and accept the incoming call.
"There you are! I was just about ready to go over there and break into your apartment!!" Elesa's worried face came on screen. Her hair was in a messy bun and she didn't have any makeup on. This wasn't unusual for their morning chats, as she usually set an alarm to wake up at the approval time. Instead of sitting down somewhere in her bedroom, however, she was clearly pacing in her kitchen. The one she barely used.
"My apologies, a minor delay occurred," he said, lightly rubbing his eyes. There were still tears threatening to come forward. He hadn't cried this much in years, not since his brother's disappearance was fresh on his mind.
"...You signed the paperwork, didn't you?" The model's tone became sympathetic and melancholy. To that, Ingo fiercely shook his head.
"No, I burned them. I burned them in Shrill's fire." She sighed at that but her expression was one of understanding. Granted, she didn't know the full story yet.
"We'll try again next year then." Once again, the male shook his head at this.
"That will not be necessary." She looked at him, clearly confused. "Elesa, I didn't need them anymore."
It took a moment to sink in. He could see the bewilderment in her eyes turn into wonderment. "...Oh. You mean, Emmet, he's–"
"Worse for wear but he's alive." Ingo couldn't be happier. Sure, he wished his brother came back in a better state, but he would take that than the alternative any day. "I sent him to take a shower since he looked like he needed one."
"Did he tell you what happened?" That was the one thing he was worried about. What exactly caused his twin to disappear and where did he go that roughed him up so badly?
"Not yet, but I have a feeling that he's struggling to find the exact words on how to describe it." His frown deepened in thought. This was not unheard of behavior for Emmet but only when something really bad happened. He had improved so much since he had been a child. "I fear what he's been through has been quite traumatic."
"... how bad did he look?" Elesa was definitely concerned now. While she hadn't known either of them for too long, she knew how he could be sometimes.
"When I walked into the room, he was already on the verge of a meltdown." It had hurt to see his brother like that, like a strong enough gust could knock him over. "He had barely made it home but his emotions were already overwhelming him. Not to mention how ragged his clothes were- he looked like he's been roughing it in the wilderness."
"Yikes, that sounds pretty awful..." Oh, looks like it's back to pacing around her kitchen. "I'll come by later today then, to help out."
"Of course," the subway boss nodded. He wasn't sure how his brother would react, since he was always people averse when he was like this, but there was also no stopping the model from coming over when she made up her mind. They would just have to make do. "What do you think–"
Thud. "Fuck. Shit."
That was the sound of his twin cursing in the background. It could have been from him slipping and falling, or punching a wall in anger. Though, the former seemed more likely.
Whatever the case may be, Elesa burst out laughing. "That's our Emmet!"
"Yes, I better go help him though." He brought his hand to his xtransceiver. "See you later, Elsie."
"See you in a bit, Iggy." With that, he hung up the call. Ingo would then audibly sigh as he saw his brother, half naked, hung in the air by his own pokemon.
The floor was wet enough to slip on. "Alright Em, what did you fall on?"
—---
Ingo spent the rest of the hour helping his brother properly clean up. Turns out, Emmet was now more sensitive to bright light, making things a little more difficult. This was going on a growing list of concerns to be addressed later. With Chandelure's flames, the two managed to get things done in relative time.
The younger twin first had to shave. He had grown a goatee from wherever he had been, and it needed to go. Since he and his brother were both born with natural platinum hair, both would look far older than their years with a full-on beard.
Next, the bandage on his left wrist needed to be changed. While the wrappings didn't seem older than a couple of days, it wouldn't hurt to put fresh ones on at least. With a little histance, his sibling unwrapped his arm. What lay underneath was a sight Ingo wished he could unsee.
On his younger brother's appendage was what looked like a partial bite mark. Whatever had caused it must have been big, bigger than most pokemon he could think of. It left him with even more questions. However, the expression that Emmet gave, told Ingo that he wasn't ready to talk about it.
After dressing the old wound, the subway boss got his brother some fresh clothes. They were technically from his own closet but he hadn't so much as entered his twin's room for a couple of years. There was a lot of laundry to do.
Thankfully, this wasn't questioned, which was only slightly worrying. He got changed himself and the two of them went back to the living room. "What is next?"
It was a simple inquiry but, coming from Emmet, it sent alarm bells ringing in Ingo's head. This was coming from the man who stuck to schedules religiously, hyper fixating on them to the point he would forget his safety checks. His brother was always a doer, not really asking but following along with whatever needed to be done.
He only did this when he was uncertain how to proceed.
The subway boss stored this information for later. He had his suspicions for what was going on, but he didn't voice any of them. Not yet anyway. "It is about time to feed our pokemon."
"...Oh. Right, of course!" They needed to do reintroductions sooner or later so this was the perfect opportunity to do it. "I have missed them all so veeeerrrry much!"
After relocating to the living room, Ingo brought out the pokeballs. His brother eyed them curiously, unsure which one to pick. There was that nagging feeling again but he pushed it aside once more. "Let's start with my team since they will be less likely to be all over you in seconds."
"Yes, that would be preferable," Emmet said, nodding. He then picked up the first ball and threw it in the air. "Come on out."
Haxerous gave a tired shrill as she appeared. This changed though, the moment she saw his brother. She cried out in surprise before ramming him into a beware hug. "Haxe hax!"
"Yes, yes! I am back and mostly in working order!" Mostly was a bit of an overstatement but he would let it slide for now. "Sheith, I need to breathe!"
"Hax. Haxe haxorus." She finally let him go and he let out a sigh of relief. Still, the dragon hung close, as if wanting the preen through his long hair. Sheith had always been the motherly type ever since she fully evolved.
"Onto the next one then," Ingo said, tossing the a ball into the air.
"...Drill." Excadrill almost immediately saw Emmet once it was out. At first, the mole didn't really react to revelation. He decided to circle around him for a bit, as if unsure what he was seeing was real. Taking one of his claws, Sheer carefully poked his leg. "Exca! Drill excadrill!"
His brother smiled and lowered himself to the pokemon's level. "Do not worry. I am right here."
That was enough for the steel and ground type to hug him. They didn't stay like that for long, but it was obvious how much Excadrill seemed relieved for him to be there. The smile on his face was evidence enough.
Screw the Klingklang was next. It wasn't as particularly close to his twin as the others were, since it was the only one of his team that they didn't share. Upon seeing Emmet, it encircled him before chiming in delight and floating away. There was no hard feeling about this on his brother’s face.
"All aboard, Spunk," Ingo practically shouted as his final pokemon, Gabador, was released. It took all of two seconds for the giant trash bag to crush his sibling in a hug. "Not so tightly! Give him some room to breathe!"
"Gaba? Gabador…" The look his Pokemon gave him told Ingo that she was less willing to listen. He gave her a stern stare and she finally relented. "...Door gaba."
"I missed you too," Emmet managed to get out. He dusted off the clothes he was wearing and straightened back up. Well, as much as he currently could with how stiffly he was standing.
"Onto the main event then." Even though they often shared their teams, Ingo could never replace his brother. His Pokemon were always going to be his, first and foremost. It showed with how they were coping with their trainer’s disappearance.
"...Yes, I am Emmet! I am ready." He didn't even have to pick up the next ball. One of them was already wiggling, as if sensing his master's presence. "Come on out, Socket."
With a flash of light, Elektross practically burst from his PokeBall. The eel immediately wrapped himself around his brother's neck, clinging onto his shoulders. He cried in utter delight to be back on his favorite perch.
Delta gave a jealous-sounding beep at this. "Oh hush, you can have your turn soon."
With the Porygon Z placeated, it was time for the next Pokemon. Charger the Galvantua was next in line. The moment she saw Emmet, the spider ran all around the apartment floor and walls, chittering in excitement. She then ran up his back and over Socket to reach his head, to which she then rested her tendrils on.
"Charger! You know you're too big for this!!" His brother looked like he was about to topple over from the weight of two pokemon on top of him. Despite this, he was laughing all the while. The pleading faces they gave him as both clung were a sight to see. "Okay, but only for just a bit longer!"
Since his twin couldn’t move, Ingo decided to let out the next member of his team. Wrench, the other Clingklang, floated in the air for a solid minute processing what was before it. Then, without warning, it nearly rammed itself right into its trainer with a sound that wasn’t too dissimilar to a rusted cog grinding to a sudden halt. It affectionately rubbed itself over its human before going off to join Screw.
Now it was time for the last member. This one was, perhaps, the most depressed after his master's disappearance. There was nothing Ingo could do to bring back the spark it had lost.
Emmet picked up the final ball. "Alright Beam. All aboard!"
In a burst of light, Archeops appeared. Instead of immediately reacting to his trainer's presence, the bird began to preen its slightly molted feathers. It did not even look up once.
The three Pokemon got off of his brother as he walked over to the avian species. He brought his hand over to its beak, holding it in place. "Hello there, Beam."
Said creature then gave a shocked squawk in disbelief. It sniffed his palm slowly, as if unsure he was actually there. Only then, did it flap its feathery wings high enough to tackle him. The bird gave an awfully pained screech, one full of sadness and relief all at once.
"...I missed you too," was all Emmet said before he burst into tears again. He was then surrounded by his team, all crying out in various tones. "I missed you all so veeeerrrry much!"
They all stayed like that for a long while, until Ingo prompted his brother to get up.
"I hate to break up the welcome brigade but there is one last thing we should do for now." His twin pouted at this, unwilling to get up despite how uncomfortable he looked laying on the ground.
"But Iiiiiiiingoooo, look how cute they are being! I couldn't possibly move them now! It’s currently Illegal." Despite his flat delivery, Emmet at least knew how to give a baby-doll eyed look. "Can't it wait until later?"
"Unfortunately, it cannot. I have been keeping Uncle Drayden waiting." His initial plans for the day were taking a train to Opelucid City so he could spend time with family. That was no longer happening it seems. "Besides, he deserves to know you are alive at least."
"Fiiiiiiiine. Let us sit on the couch then." He shifted a bit from the pile of Pokemon. "Come on, you heard him. Move for now."
Ingo sat on the couch and Emmet practically collapsed next to him, laying his head on his lap, while their teams practically surrounded them. Socket snaked behind his brother and the couch, resting there. Beam almost immediately curled on his trainer's side. Nail crawled onto the nearest leg he could find and Charger found a spot on one of the furniture's arms. Delta, who was sick of waiting at this point, settled for the nook between Ingo and the other couch arm. Sheer sat on the floor below them and Shrill floated just above. Sheith, Spunk, Screw and Wrench hung out in the background.
It was nice and comforting, if a little awkward.
The subway boss brought his xtransceiver to his face and pressed the necessary buttons to start the call. The dial tone only rang twice before the screen changed to that of their uncle. "Ah, hello there, Ingo."
"Hello Uncle Drayden! I would like to apologize, a delay has occurred and I do not think I shall be making it over today." They were at least minor celebrities after all, so sneaking out Emmet wasn't an option. Someone would find out he was back and right now was way too early. For both of their sakes, it was for the best.
Drayden gave a sympathetic look. "Pinned down by your own Pokémon I see."
"He is also referring to me!" His twin shot his hand in the frame of the camera, making his presence known. He didn't move much more than that but it was a start. Well, he was at least willing to communicate, which was good.
Ingo moved xtransceiver to pick up his twin's laying form beside him. Shock, awe, and then utter relief passed through their uncle's face all at once. "... Emmet?"
"I am Emmet! Hello Uncle Drayden!" He lifted his head but did not look at the camera. This was telling in and of itself. His brother only disliked open eye contact under certain conditions.
"Seems like he is too tired to properly get up," the subway boss said to cover for him. His brother huffed at the lie but didn't do anything else. Their pokemon cried in unison and cuddled him more.
"I am just glad that he's home and safe." Even as strong and stern as he was, the old man was almost certainly holding back tears. It was a little odd seeing the stoic gym leader so close to crying. "Has he told you what happened yet?"
He sighed and shook his head at this. "Well, he looks like he lived on a mountain for the past several years."
“That is… not entirely incorrect!” This supplement from his brother was concerning.
“That’s the closest thing to an explanation he has given me.” At least, it was better than anything. It at least gave him an idea of the environment that Emmet had been in. “You know how he is with words. I am willing to wait until he is ready to tell the full story of what happened.”
Their uncle nodded at this. “Very well then. Maybe I should head over there as soon as I can then?”
His twin made no verbal cue at this. “Alright. Thank you, Uncle.”
“Do you have any plans on what to do next?” Ingo nodded, already thinking about what needed to be done. It was probably evident in his eyes.
“Yes, I will be calling Officer Jenny to handle legal paperwork later on today.” After they both ate and rested, that is. “As for tomorrow, I shall try to convince Emmet to go to a hospital to get a check-up.”
Ingo heard a groan at his side and gave his brother a sympathetic look.
“That sounds good.” The gym leader nodded in approval. “In any case, I should be going. I have to tell Iris the good news before packing a few bags.”
Knowing his father figure though, it was likely going to be more than a few bags. They were also likely going to stay for as long as possible. “Of course, I’ll see you later then.”
“Take care, you two.” It was so good to hear that again.
“Bye Uncle Drayden.” With that, Ingo ended the call. He let out a sigh of relief. His brother was finally back after missing for six whole years and, while it would still take healing for them to overcome this period, things were finally looking better at the very least. There were still questions and worries on the horizon but all of that didn’t matter right then.
The most important thing is that his twin was there by his side, right where he belonged.