Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Akari blinks up at the bright blue sky, the remnants of what feels like a dream drifting slowly through her mind. She remembers a space that wasn't a space and a Pokemon with an incomprehensible presence. It spoke to her, but she can't recall exactly what it said. She remains there until she comes to the conclusion that she isn't going to remember, then sighs and sits up.

She's on a beach, though she doesn't know how she came to be here. The waves are lapping gently nearby and the smell of salt and fish is in the air. She looks around, taking in the rest of her surroundings. There's a small shack nearby and a trail heading inland. She also notices the glint of something shiny on the ground and curiosity drives her to stand and make her way over to it.

When she picks the item up, she recognizes it as a phone, but finds that she can't remember what a phone actually is. She runs her fingers over the golden arches that surround it like a halo. She's pretty sure phones don't usually have those. When she presses the button on the bottom of the device, the screen lights up, displaying two lines of text.

Seek out all Pokemon.

Find the other Chosen.

Akari doesn't really know what either of those things mean, but she tucks the phone in the pocket of her shorts, resolving to figure it out later. For now, there are more pressing concerns, like figuring out where she is and hopefully finding some food and shelter. She heads down the trail while studying the area more closely. Her direct surroundings are fairly boring, without even any wild Pokemon around, but in the distance she can see a large forest dominated by a massive tree. Even farther beyond that is a towering mountain with a swirling, clearly unnatural storm above it.

She rounds a bend and finds a wooden wall with a large gate ahead of her. The gate is guarded by two men in red, who both tense when they see her, and a man dressed in a black kimono is just walking through. He also goes tense at the sight of her, but continues in her direction until he's about ten feet away, at which point he stops and crosses his arms. “What are you supposed to be?”

The man's tone is harsh and demanding and Akari reflexively shrinks back from him. She mumbles her response. “I'm Akari.”

He raises an eyebrow but otherwise doesn't move. “And I am Kamado, Commander of the Galaxy Team. Go back to wherever you came from, you won't be allowed any nearer.”

Akari doesn't know how to react, so she just stutters out the first thing that enters her mind. “B-but I don't k-know where I came from.”

“You think such an obvious lie will fool me?” The harsh tone is gone, replaced by one that's even and disassionate. She thinks this is worse. “I know you aren't the little girl you're pretending to be, so just give up and move on before my patience for this nonsense runs dry.”

Akari takes an involuntary step backwards. He doesn't think she's actually... what, human? What does he think she is? “P-please, sir. I don't know where else to go. I don't know where I am.”

He takes a step forward and drops a hand to rest on the hilt of the sword at his hip. “I told you to leave.”

The look in his eyes is cold enough that Akari shivers, beginning to back away in earnest now. He doesn't follow but his eyes do track her until she's out of sight. As soon as she can't see him anymore, Akari turns and runs. She stumbles up over the hill that secludes the trail from the rest of the world and runs blindly into the forest. She doesn't stop until her lungs are burning from the exertion and she can't continue any longer, at which point she falls to the ground and curls into a ball, unable to stop the tears that stream down her face. She gasps for sobbing breaths and grips her hair hard enough to hurt. She wants to scream but there's not enough air in her lungs to manage it.

Questions swirl through her mind. Too many questions that she doesn't know the answers to. Why was Kamado so mean? Why didn't he believe she's human and why did he drive her away? Where in the world is she? And where did she come from? Why can't she remember? The only thing she's sure of is that her name is Akari. Why is everything else a blank?

A horrible thought stops her spiraling mind in its tracks. What if Kamado is right? What if she really isn't human? Would she even know, if she doesn't know anything else about herself?

Akari sits up, her breathing still too fast, but not painful anymore. She doesn't want to think about this. She has to do something else. She takes her phone out of her pocket and looks at the messages again. Seek out all Pokemon. She... she can do that. Probably. She doesn't know how many Pokemon “all” is, but it's something else to focus on. She stands up and looks around, choosing to go the opposite direction of the village from before. She has to find some Pokemon. That can't be too hard, right?

Akari realizes quickly that finding Pokemon isn't going to be the issue. The issue is not getting hurt by the Pokemon. The first one she runs into is a Wurmple, which she identifies despite not having any memory of seeing one before. When it spots her, it cries out and throws poisonous spines her direction, which she barely has time to dodge. Instead of running away, it charges at her and Akari is forced to retreat. From a Wurmple! Again, she doesn't have any actual memory to back it up, but that feels so wrong.

After several similar encounters with Pokemon she would swear should be more docile, she decides to give up and try to find some shelter. With the sun going down, it's probably for the best. She does find a berry tree and helps herself to a few of the fruits before curling up in the hollow under a larger tree. She pulls out her phone again and stares at the messages reproachfully. How is she supposed to seek out Pokemon when they're all so hostile and the humans here are so cruel?

Akari's eyes widen when she realizes that there's a spot at the bottom of the screen where she can type. Quickly, she taps it and types out one of her many questions.

Why do I have to seek out Pokemon?

To her surprise, an answer comes through almost immediately.

Because you are my Chosen. This time

and place has been compromised by

distortions and the proper order of things

has become unbalanced. Someone needs

to set things straight.

Why me? And what do you mean

distortions? Who are you?

You were Chosen for the innate qualities

you possess. Strength of heart, mind, and

soul. The distortions are caused by my

inversion, though it does not work alone.

And I am called Arceus by the people

of your space and time, and Sinnoh by

those humans who call this space and

time home.

So I'm supposed to seek out Pokemon?

How does that fix this?

The answer to that is difficult to articulate.

I ask that you trust me, as difficult as that

may be.

That's not a particularly satisfying answer, but she supposes she just has to accept it for now.

Ok. What about the other Chosen. Who

are they?

He was the first I Chose to complete this

task. Unfortunately, something went wrong

before he even arrived here and I lost

contact with him. I can tell that he is alive

still, but no more. Your task to find him is

not crucial to the balance of the world,

but... it is important to me. I wish to correct

my failure in regards to his fate.

Why can't you just find him yourself?

With the fabric of space-time already

under stress, I am unable to physically

manifest without causing further damage.

Thus, I must ask you, my Chosen, to take

on this responsibility. I am sorry.

Akari hesitates for a long time before she types her reply. She didn't expect it to apologize, but she finds she's not really upset. It seems like it's honestly just trying to help.

It's alright. Can you at least tell me

what this guy looks like?

There's a surprisingly long pause before it answers.

I must apologize again. I do not often

pay much mind to the physical plane. He

was chosen for the same qualities that

you were, but I cannot shed any light on his

physical appearance. I will be able to tell

you when you've found him, though. Your

ArcPhone will inform you.

Akari can't help but laugh at that.

Ok. I guess I'll just do my best.

Thank you, my Chosen.

A yawn escapes her mouth and Akari figures she can always ask it more questions later, so she tucks her phone away and curls up, finding a somewhat comfortable position in spite of the sticks and pebbles littering the ground. She's worried about what she's going to do tomorrow, but her exhaustion doesn't allow her to fret over it for too long and soon enough sleep finds her.

Chapter Text

The following morning, Akari travels deeper into the forest. She watches the Pokemon she passes, taking notes about them on her phone, which helpfully provides her with blank Pokedex pages to fill out. She knows she would have better luck gathering information if she could catch them, but without pokeballs there's not much to be done. She reaches a large river and follows it until it empties into the sea.

By this point, it's mid-afternoon and she's starting to feel quite tired so she settles against a tree near the shoreline to rest. With the sun warming her face and the cool sea breeze, it doesn't take long for her to fall asleep.

When Akari wakes up, she's no longer leaning on the tree, but curled up on the ground. Curled around something. She yelps and pushes herself up, staring at the little pink Shellos, who just stares back at her. After several tense seconds, she allows herself to relax. Clearly this Pokemon isn't as hostile as the others she's encountered. Seeing her relax, he shuffles forward and nudges her arm. Akari laughs and happily pets him on the head.

“Hey, buddy. You're nice, aren't you.”

He makes a pleased gurgle and headbutts her gently.

She looks around and sees several more Shellos and Gastrodon in the area, but none of them seem bothered by her presence. Akari stands up and stretches, then looks down at Shellos. “What do you think, you want to find some food?”

He gurgles again and happily shuffles off toward the nearest berry tree. When he reaches it, he charges forward and Tackles it, causing a dozen berries to fall to the ground. Akari gathers up a few and eats while he shuffles around and does the same. Once he's finished, she kneels and pats him on the head. “Thanks for the help. It's getting dark so I should probably find somewhere less open to sleep.” She stands up and heads off towards the denser woods. She's surprised when something bumps against her leg and she looks down to see Shellos shuffling alongside her.

Akari stops and gestures back to the other Pokemon in the area. “Don't you want to stay here with the others?”

He deliberately swings his head side to side and leans into her leg. Akari feels herself tearing up and falls to her knees, wrapping her arms carefully around Shellos. When he just leans into her, she picks him up and holds him close to her chest as she keeps walking. She carries him to a quiet spot shrouded by undergrowth, then curls up and buries her face in his soft, cool body. “Thank you.”

He makes a soft noise and rubs his cheek against her affectionately. Akari can't help but cry. She's only been here for two days, but she can't deny how the feeling of being accepted by something fills a void she didn't know she had in her heart.

Over the course of the next week, Akari and Shellos travel across the river, then another, and across a wide expanse of grass. They battle many Pokemon, her little companion having a surprising affinity for it, and together become stronger and more confident. They avoid the larger and more dangerous Pokemon, but slowly Akari fills in more and more gaps in her Pokedex pages. She has no doubt she has a very long way to go.

As they travel farther away from where Akari appeared, and the horrible village, the terrain begins to change. Soon enough, they find themselves in a place that's both rockier and wetter. Shellos loves the mud and gleefully engages in battle against the new Pokemon they encounter here. Akari is less thrilled. He clothes aren't exactly sturdy and they quickly become stained and torn as they travel through this area.

Wanting to escape the marshes, Akari heads uphill, in the general direction of the large mountain. She knows the terrain there is probably not any less rugged, but hopefully it's less muddy at least. She's surprised when she comes across a small collection of blue tents settled near a large lake. The memory of Kamado and the village are still fresh in her mind despite the weeks that have passed, so she keeps her distance, watching the people from the shadows of the trees. They're all dressed in similar blue clothes that look far sturdier than the ones she has. Briefly, she considers sneaking in at night and stealing some for herself, but that thought is quickly followed by a flare of hot shame. She can't steal from people just because she doesn't have something. She's fine. She can manage on her own.

With that decided, she quickly moves on, heading farther uphill. She knows she should probably go to settlement to see if the other Chosen is there, but the thought of having to be around more people is too much. The sun is starting to go down, so she decides to shelter for the night in some ruins she spots as she climbs. She skirts around an unnecessarily large Lickilicky and accidentally scares a few Ralts off before she finds a hidden spot between a broken pillar and what she thinks used to be part of the roof of whatever this structure used to be. As usual, Shellos settles in her arms and she easily falls asleep. The sounds of ghost types wake her briefly during the night, but she knows that as long as she stays still they won't notice her.

The next morning, Akari gets up and immediately heads for the nearby berry tree for breakfast. She's surprised when she turns to hand a berry to Shellos and finds him missing. A quick survey of the area finds him chatting with a Ralts nearby. Akari smiles and sits down to watch them, taking notes about the Ralts on her phone. After a few minutes, Shellos comes over to her and she hands him his berry. To her surprise, the Ralts follows. She hands her a berry too and she makes a grateful chirp and twirls in place happily.

Akari laughs. “Why didn't you run like the others?”

She just chirps again in response, then holds out her hands, begging for another berry.

Akari giggles and gives her one, then stands and dusts herself off. She sighs and starts towards the mountain. The two Pokemon trail behind her and she smiles when she looks back at them. She supposes she has another friend now.

It takes another week for her to reach the base of the mountain, which is much larger than she thought. Now, she doesn't know what to do. She's not even sure why she set this as her goal, but now that she's here she's at a loss. She spends a few days wandering around the ruins and taking notes on the new species of Pokemon she encounters, but eventually, she works up the courage to pass through the cave and head up the trail that leads up the mountain.

Akari takes her time, climbing only a short distance each day and spending most of her time exploring the wealth of hidden crevices and ruins and studying the Pokemon that populate them. Between Ralts and Shellos, they're able to battle more of them than before. Still, her good luck can't last forever. She's passing through a rugged area, not terribly concerned about the Rhyhorn that populate it, when she rounds a boulder and finds herself face to face with a massive Steelix.

Her Pokemon are quick to come to her defense, but they're truly no match. Ralts is knocked out immediately, thrown bodily through the air by a powerful Iron Tail. Akari catches her and cradles her close to her chest. She tries to back away, but a roar from the beast knocks her off her feet. Shellos stands between her and the raging Pokemon, but despite his type advantage, Akari knows this isn't a fight he can win. He takes a heavy hit, but strikes back when Akari calls out to him. Her vision is filled with a bright light and she stares open mouthed at her partner as he more than doubles in size.

Tears roll down her cheeks as he strikes out again, actually dealing noticeable damage to the Steelix this time. Her hope is short lived though, as the monster attacks twice in quick succession and her beautiful, loyal Gastrodon collapses beside her. Akari stares at the massive beast bearing down on her, her face still wet with tears, but all she feels is numb as she realizes that she's going to die.

A loud voice shouts something behind her and an impact rattles the ground as a Machamp appears out of nowhere and slams into the Steelix, knocking the larger creature off balance. The clash sends stray rocks flying in all directions and Akari doesn't quite manage to move in time to avoid them. She feels one strike the side of her head as she flinches away, and feels the telltale warmth spreading from the point of impact that means she's bleeding. She looks back to the battle in time to see the Machamp throw the Steelix to the ground.

The voice comes from behind her again, just as loud as last time. Akari can't force herself to focus on the words. She turns too slowly, watching as Machamp returns to a pokeball in a man's hand. The man is dressed in black and for a split second, Akari panics, thinking he's Kamado. She realizes quickly that he isn't, but even so his face is twisted into a harsh scowl and his pale eyes seems to pierce through her in a way that makes anxiety rise like bile in her throat. He takes a step towards her and Akari crouches to shield Gastrodon's unconscious form from him, knowing full well she's in no way capable of stopping him if he wants to hurt them. He stops though and watches her with that unmoving frown, seemingly uncertain.

Akari tries to keep her eyes focused on him, but with the adrenaline fading, her head is starting to buzz painfully and she's having a hard time staying upright. Like a wave washing over her and pulling her into a riptide, exhaustion hits her and her knees buckle. The last thing she hears as her vision goes black is a panicked shout.

Chapter Text

Akari groans as sensation returns to her. She could certainly do without the pounding in her head. She should just go back to sleep. If she's asleep she can't feel how bad her head hurts. This plan does not work. Now that she's awake, sleep seems impossible to find. She groans again and actually opens her eyes, slowly blinking and looking around at her surroundings.

She's in a bed, to her surprise. Or a futon? It's on the floor anyway. Ralts is curled up on her chest and Gastrodon is beside her bed with his head laid next to her. She reaches out and gently rubs his head. He fought so hard to protect her. She's so happy he's ok.

A man appears beside her. He sets a steaming cup off to one side and pats Gastrodon on the back before reaching out to her. He stops before actually touching her. “May I help you sit up?”

Akari stares at him, not expecting such a kind voice to come from such a harsh face. She slowly nods.

He carefully gets one hand under her back and helps her up into a sitting position, moving her pillows so she can recline against them. His frown remains solidly in place, but he sounds genuinely pleased when he says, “there you go. Do you think you can drink?” He picks up the cup and offers it to her.

She slowly lifts her hands to accept it and cautiously sips the drink. She's happy that it's not too hot, but she wrinkles her nose at the taste.

The man laughs lightly at that. “I know it's not very good, but it should help with the pain.”

Well, she can't really argue with that, so she drinks. It's horribly bitter, but she drinks it all anyway. By the time she finishes it, her eyelids are starting to droop. She's barely done anything, but she's completely exhausted.

The man clearly sees it because he carefully helps her settle back down. Once she's comfortable, he quietly moves away. Akari shifts, feeling something poke her in the side. She pulls her phone up so she can see it as her eyes fight to fall closed. She manages to read the words cheerfully scrawled across the device before sleep washes over her again.

Find the other Chosen. Complete!

When Akari wakes next, it's to someone gently shaking her. Instead of the man from before, it's an old woman. Like he did, she helps her to sit up and offers her some bitter tea. The man is still here, but now he's seated cross-legged across the tent, watching the two of them silently with a passive frown. Akari remembers the message on her phone. He's the other Chosen. She didn't expect him to be a ragged old man. He did save her life though, so she thinks he's probably nicer than he looks.

The old woman addresses her and she snaps her attention away from him to focus on her. “How are you feeling, girl?”

Akari considers, actually taking stock of herself before answering. “Better than before. My head still hurts.”

She nods. “Yes. You suffered a rather severe concussion, so that's to be expected. Otherwise, you appear to be in decent health. You're quite lucky, you know, that Warden Ingo found you.”

Akari glances back at the man, whose expression still hasn't changed. “You're Warden Ingo?”

He nods. “Yes. I'm glad to see you feeling better. I admit I was quite worried when you collapsed.”

The old woman smiles at him, then turns back to Akari. “I'm Warden Calaba. Warden Ingo called me out here to assess your condition. What is your name, girl?”

“I'm Akari.”

“And what were you doing all alone out here, Akari? You're awfully far from Jubilife.”

“Jubilife?”

Calaba's brows furrow. “The Galaxy Team village? Down by the coast? Didn't you come from there?”

She shakes her head. “No. They wouldn't let me in. I've been alone since I got here.” She rubs Gastrodon on his head and hugs Ralts close with her other hand. “Except for my Pokemon.”

Calaba raises an eyebrow. “Since you got here? Where did you come from?”

Akari looks down. She walked right into that question. She doesn't know what else to do now but tell the truth. “I uh... I don't know. I just kind of woke up on the beach. I don't remember anything from before that.”

To her surprise, Calaba bursts into laughter. She turns to look back at Ingo, saying, “would you look at that, you managed to pick up someone just like you.”

Akari's confusion must show on her face because Ingo gently says, “I'm sorry to hear that. I understand how disorienting that can be. I, too, arrived in this space with no memory of my previous station.” So he doesn't have any memory either. She supposes that sort of makes sense. He turns to Calaba and asks, “since she's not from Jubilife, what will happen to Akari?”

Akari feels a flare of anxiety, but Calaba just huffs. “Well, we can't very well leave a child to the wilds, can we?” She mutters something that Akari doesn't fully catch. She hears the name Kamado and what she thinks is a very insulting phrase. The old woman turns to Ingo and answers his question. “You will take her to the settlement. We'll find a place for her, I'm certain.”

“Me?” Ingo asks, sounding more confused than anything.

“Yes, you. You found her, so you'll take care of her until a more permanent solution can be found.”

“But... I don't know how to take care of a child.” He sounds so helpless at this admission that Akari could almost laugh.

Calaba does laugh. “I'm sure you'll figure it out, Ingo. Besides, Lady Irida will be happy to see you. You don't check in often enough.”

He huffs in offense to her comment, but then just sighs. “Very well. Thank you for your help, Warden Calaba.”

She nods and makes for the door. “You're welcome.” She turns her gaze on Akari. “It was good to meet you, Akari. And don't fret. Warden Ingo may be a little strange, but you're in capable hands.”

He rolls his eyes and waves at her as she leaves. As soon as the door closes, the air in the tent feels multitudes more awkward. She has no idea what to say and clearly, he doesn't either. She also feels bad, burdening him like this when he's obviously not totally comfortable with it.

They both break the silence at the same time, speaking over each other, then freezing. Ingo waves at her to speak first, so she does, looking down and gripping the blanket tight in her fingers. “I can leave. You already saved my life. You don't have to keep helping me.”

She keeps her gaze down so she can't see his face, though she suspects there's not much to see in the way of expression anyway. When he speaks though, his voice is soft and a little sad. “I'm not going to send you out on your own. U-unless that's what you want, I suppose. Like I told Warden Calaba, I don't know how to take care of you, but that doesn't mean I don't want to.” He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. “I'm sorry that the people in Jubilife turned you away. That's horrible.”

Akari feels hot tears pricking her eyes and she nods. It was horrible, but... “What if I deserved it?”

She hears him take a sharp breath. “What do you mean?”

“Kamado said I was tricking them. That I wasn't human. I- I can't remember. What if he was right?” Her breathing is too fast and she jumps when a hand takes hold of one of hers and squeezes gently. She looks up in surprise and meets Ingo's serious, silver eyes.

“Akari you are human. Kamado is damn paranoid fool if he couldn't see that.”

“H-how do you know? What if I'm tricking you, too?”

He squeezes her hand again. “Because you can't touch a Zorua's illusion, and even the strongest one can't maintain one while unconscious. And... even if that is what you were, if you didn't know, it wouldn't be a trick. It wouldn't be your fault.” He says it so calmly, just lays out the answer to the fears she hadn't realized had dug so deep into her subconscious.

She feels her tears start to spill over and roll down her cheeks and his eyes widen in the first real outward display of emotion she's seen on him.

“I'm sorry if I-”

Akari throws her arms around him, burying her face in his pink kimono and letting the built up stress from the last month come out all at once in a pained wail.

He remains frozen in surprise for a moment before wrapping his arms securely around her back and petting her hair with one hand in a way that's surprisingly comforting. “Alright. It's ok, Akari. You're ok. You're safe.”

Chapter Text

Akari wakes up on the futon in Warden Ingo's tent again. She doesn't remember falling asleep, but as the memory of last night comes back to her, she's not terribly surprised. She probably exhausted herself by crying in Ingo's arms. That's a little embarrassing.

The man himself is seated by the fire, cooking. Gastrodon is by his side, begging for food. He looks over at her when she sits up. His mouth remains resolutely in a frown, but his eyes pinch slightly in a way that makes him look happy. “Good morning, Akari. How are you feeling?”

After taking stock of herself, she smiles. “Better.” She stands up and makes her way over to him, still a little unsteady on her feet. She sits next to Gastrodon and pats him on the back.

Ingo pinches his eyes again and lifts the pan off the fire, splitting the fried eggs and meat into two portions. Akari's mouth waters at the smell. She's been eating almost exclusively berries for the last few months, so when he hands her the plate, she devours it in record time. He blinks at her in surprise, then silently hands her his own plate. She hesitates, but her hunger wins out over her desire to be polite and she quickly polishes off his food as well. Ingo laughs and stands up, heading to the cabinets and taking a loaf of bread out. He cuts off a few slices and chews one idly as he comes back to sit next to the fire.

He seems content to sit quietly, but Akari breaks the silence. “Where are your Pokemon?”

“Hmm?” He looks at her in surprise.

“You have some, don't you? At least I saw a Machamp when you battled the Steelix.”

“Ah. Yes, I have Pokemon. Some of them are outside, but the others are here.” He pushes his coat aside and reveals several pokeballs clipped to his belt.

“What kinds do you have? Can I meet them?”

Ingo pinches his eyes at her enthusiasm. “Of course, but we should go outside. They don't all fit in here.”

Akari bounces to her feet, then sways for a moment as the world seems to tilt. It rights itself again quickly and she takes off for the door. She stops and waits for Ingo to more slowly follow. “Where did you get pokeballs? Jubilife?”

“I made them.”

“You made them?” She tilts her head. That seems crazy, but she doesn't know why. “How?”

“It's not too difficult. Perhaps I can show you later.” He gives her an unreadable look. “Do you want some for your partners?”

She bounces on the balls of her feet. “Yes! I-if that's alright.”

“Of course.” He changes course, heading to a large chest, which he rummages around in for a minute before producing two pokeballs. “I have a few extra, so it's no trouble.” He hands them to her as he walks through the door.

Akari holds them close to her chest for a moment, then follows him. She knows it's not a big deal. They're literally extras he just happened to have laying around. But they're also the only gift anyone has ever given her. Gastrodon and Ralts approach her, clearly noticing something is going on, and she smiles and pets them. “What do you think?” She holds out the devices for them to investigate.

Gastrodon quickly bumps his nose against the latch and disappears inside. Ralts hesitates a moment longer before she does the same. Akari releases them both immediately and hugs them. “There. Now you have somewhere safe to go when things get rough.”

She turns to see Ingo is watching her with an expression that somehow seems softer. When he sees her attention, he holds out his arm, gesturing to a Machamp and Tangrowth. Akari's excitement for the new Pokemon drives her forward to meet them and they both seem to feed off her enthusiasm. Tangrowth wraps her in vines in a way that reminds her of a hug and Machamp pats her hard on the back, causing her to stumble a little.

Ingo calls them back, then releases two from the pokeballs at his hip. An Alakazam and a Magnezone quickly look her over. The Alakazam tilts her head at her, then looks between Akari and Ingo with some confusion before shrugging and teleporting away. Magnezone gives her a little friendly shock that causes her hair to stand on end and makes her giggle.

Ingo releases another Pokemon, this one a Probopass that shows little interest in her, but does greet her politely. Finally, he whistles sharply and a shape moves atop the tent. A massive Gliscor glides down and lands in front of her. He tilts his head and bares fangs in a wide grin when she scratches him on the chin.

She doesn't need Ingo to tell her that's all of them. Somehow, she knows that six is the correct number to keep and that more would be very difficult to manage. She watches for a moment as the Pokemon crowd around their trainer and he gladly showers them with affection. It brings a smile to her face. He really is a nice person. She sighs and sits beneath a nearby tree. “Can I ask you something?”

He hums in what she thinks is the affirmative, then looks over. Obviously seeing her serious expression, he extricates himself from the Pokemon and comes over to sit nearby. “Of course. What is it?”

“Why did you cut off contact with Arceus?”

Ingo blinks at her. His tone conveys confusion when he says, “Arceus? I apologize, but I don't know who that is.”

“You don't... remember?”

He shakes his head. “As I told you, I have no memory of my previous station.”

“Yeah. I don't either, but... Do you not remember why you were sent here?”

His brows come together. “No...” He seems to steel himself, and asks calmly, “Akari, do you know why I was sent here?”

“I-” Akari shakes her head and pulls out her phone. “Have you ever seen something like this?”

He studies it for a moment. “No. I don't believe so.”

Before she can figure out how to explain, her phone makes a soft chime. A message from Arceus appears on the screen.

My Chosen does not lie. I can tell now that

he is near. His mind has been tampered

with, though by what or who I do not know.

It seems that he was simply the victim of

unfortunate circumstance.

The victim of unfortunate circumstance. That seems like a nice way to put it.

“What's wrong?”

She looks up at the worried question and sees he's still watching her. She makes a decision. Even if it sounds crazy, he deserves to know. She owes it to him to explain. “You were sent here for the same reason I was.” She turns her phone so he can see the ever present message. Seek out all Pokemon. “Space-time is fractured and Arceus sent you here to fix it, but something went wrong and it lost contact with you. It doesn't know why you can't remember it, but it sent me here to find you and finish this task.”

Ingo stares at her blankly for nearly a full minute, before slowly turning his head to look up at the rift above the mountain. The light catches his eyes and for just a second, they seem to flash red. The effect disappears when he shakes his head and murmurs, “I was supposed to... fix this?” His mouth twitches and his tone shifts to frustration. “I could have fixed this? If I had remembered that I was supposed to?” His gaze turns on her and she's surprised by the strength of the sadness she sees in it. “You're only here because I failed. I'm so sorry, Akari.”

Without a second thought, she reaches out and touches his face. “Please don't blame yourself. You didn't know.”

He shakes his head, clearly still feeling guilty. “So, what is it I was supposed to be doing?”

She shows him the phone again. “I'm not really sure how it's supposed to help, but I'm supposed to be seeking out Pokemon. I've been taking notes on the ones I encounter, but without being able to catch them, it's been really difficult.”

“Seeking out Pokemon? I don't see how that's related to space-time.”

Akari shrugs. “Neither do I.” She starts to add more, but a yawn overtakes her words.

Ingo chuckles softly. “Come on, why don't we head back inside and you can rest.”

“All I've been doing is resting!” She protests.

This makes his eyes pinch. “Resting when you're injured is healthy. Besides, I imagine you've been overtaxing your engine for far too long.”

She giggles at the odd phrase, but agrees, “yeah, probably.” She follows him back into the tent and settles on the futon. As she glances around the tent, she realizes something and sits back up. “This is the only bed in here! Where have you been sleeping?”

Ingo chuckles and rubs the back of his head sheepishly. “I've been sleeping on the floor.” He gestures to where a couple blankets are neatly folded near the canvas wall. Obviously seeing how mortified she is about making him sleep on the floor in his own home, he's quick to reassure, “it's alright. I really don't mind, I swear.” When she remains upright, trying to find some kind of argument, he kneels by her side and rests a hand on her shoulder. “It's fine, Akari. You need rest, so please don't worry about it.”

She sighs and lays back. “Alright. Just for now, though.”

Her exhaustion is clearly worse than she thought because sleep overtakes her near immediately. She only wakes briefly that evening to eat a bowl of stew and drink some tea before falling unconscious again.

Chapter Text

The next morning, she wakes up to Ingo cooking again. She only eats her own portion this time. After he's finished eating, Ingo stands up and goes to the large chest again. He digs through it and hands her a few items.

“I apologize that none of these are your size, but hopefully they should be warmer than what you're wearing now.”

When she tilts her head at him in confusion, he explains. “I need to take you to the settlement. It's quite cold there and I want you to be prepared.”

“Oh.” She looks down at the pink kimono that dwarfs her in size. “Thank you.”

He nods and pulls a few more things out, including several lengths of string and a belt. “Hopefully these will help?” He doesn't sound confident, but he stands up and heads for the door. “Please come out when you're ready.”

Akari stares at the door after it closes. Somehow she had forgotten that he was only tasked with taking care of her until he took her to the settlement. She shakes her head. That's ok. He said himself he didn't know how to handle children. She can't blame him for wanting to be rid of her. He's done more than enough already.

She pulls the far too large kimono over her thin, ragged clothes and wraps it around herself several times before trying to cinch it with the belt. Of course, it doesn't have holes punched for someone so small, so she has to tie that in place. The arms of the kimono nearly drag the ground so she bunches them up and ties them in place with the string. She picks up the large, heavy gloves Ingo left for her and heads outside.

He glances over her and gives a not at all convincing assessment of, “looks good.” When she just smiles in response, he asks, “are you ready to go?”

She nods. “Yep! Lead the way!” Her cheer is fake, but he doesn't seem to notice.

Akari is happy that she's used to walking a lot. Ingo sets a fast pace as they hike up to the mountain pass, then down into the tundra beyond. As they walk through the snow, Akari tugs on the gloves and pulls the kimono closer around herself. She's glad that it's so thick, but even so she's freezing. She takes to following Ingo's path, envious of the heavy, leather boots he's wearing that seem to cut through the snow with ease. In contrast, her beat up canvas shoes are soaked through in minutes. She refuses to complain though, and follows along as they travel deeper into the frozen wasteland.

It isn't until she trips over a small chunk of ice and faceplants in the snow that she realizes she can't feel her toes anymore. And now she's even more covered in snow than before. Ingo hauls her up out of the horrible powder and dusts her off before it can melt and soak into her clothes. “Are you alright?”

She nods. “Y-yeah. Ju-just c-cold.” Her teeth chatter when she talks.

Ingo's brows come together in a worried expression. “Why didn't you say something until now?” Clearly it's not a question he expects her to answer because he immediately strips off his coat and drapes it over her shoulders, wrapping it carefully so it fully envelops her. It's still warm from his body heat and she practically melts into it. Her feeling of calm turns into an involuntary yelp as she's swept off her feet and into his arms. He holds her close to his chest as he begins to walk again.

When her arms wrap around him instinctively, he says, “no, keep your hand next to your core. You don't want to get frostbite.”

She does as he says and folds her hands between them. They are warmer like that. She mumbles, “sorry, Warden Ingo.”

“Don't be. I should have performed more safety checks and prepared you better for the climate.”

Akari nuzzles her cheek into the torn black collar of the coat, then presses her face into his kimono. “Aren't you cold now? Without your coat.”

“Yes.” She's surprised by the honest answer. “But I am larger than you, and more accustomed to this environment, therefore it's less of a danger to me.” His arms squeeze around her in a way she thinks is subconscious. “We're almost there.”

Sure enough, after only a few more minutes, they reach a small settlement of tents the same pink color as Ingo's kimono. He walks through the area with confidence, and the few people they pass greet him politely, although they do give Akari odd looks. He knocks on the door of the largest tent in the village and a moment later, it's answered by a girl who is in no way appropriately dressed for the cold.

“Warden Ingo?” She sounds surprised. She raises an eyebrow at Akari. “What's going on?”

“I will gladly explain, but may we come in? Akari caught a chill while we were crossing the Icelands.”

She steps aside and he enters and heads straight for the fire pit, where he gently sets her down. She pulls his coat closer around herself and holds her freezing hands out to warm over the fire. Ingo sits down next to her and the girl sits across from them both.

She gives him another questioning look and he sighs. “Warden Calaba didn't send you a message about this, did she?”

The girl's smile takes on a hint of confusion. “She did not. And neither did you.”

He waves his hand. “I forgot.”

This makes her snort. “Alright, so explain now, then.”

Ingo gestures to her. “This is Akari. Akari, this is Lady Irida, the leader of the Pearl Clan.”

Akari knows her surprise shows on her face, but she bobs her head in a sort of attempt to be polite and says, “it's nice to meet you, Ma'am.”

Irida smiles warmly at her. “Likewise.” She gestures for Ingo to continue.

“Akari is quite similar to me. She appeared near Jubilife Village with no memory of her previous station. Commander Kamado denied her access to the village and she had been fending for herself in the wilds until I came across her in the Highlands.”

Irida's eyes widen and she opens her mouth, then closes it. She takes a deep breath before she speaks again. “Kamado sent a child to live on her own in the wilds?” Before either of them can answer, she continues. “I understand why you brought her here, Warden Ingo.” She looks at Akari with a far more serious expression than she expected. “You're welcome in this space, Akari, if that is what you wish. You will be made a member of the Pearl Clan and I will personally ensure that a suitable home is found for you. You have my word.”

Akari feels herself tearing up from the kindness of that statement. She only just met Irida and she's willing to do so much for her. Even so, she can't deny the part of her that screams that this isn't what she wants.

“Is something wrong, Akari?” Irida's tone is gentle.

She shakes her head. “No. Thank you. You're being so kind. Thank you.”

The gentle tone holds steady. “You're welcome, but if something is wrong, please tell me.”

“I...” She takes a shaky breath and looks into the fire instead of at either of them. “Can't I stay with Warden Ingo?”

There's a long beat of silence, finally broken by Ingo. “I- Akari, that's probably not a good idea. The settlement is far safer than the Highlands, and I'm sure you can find someone here who's more suited to caring for you.”

She shakes her head, knowing she's being childish. “I don't care if it's safer! And I don't care if they're better with kids than you. I don't want to stay here, I want to stay with you.” She's sure that whoever they would stick her with here would be plenty nice, but they wouldn't be Ingo. They wouldn't be the person who saved her life, who gave her pokeballs for her partners, who has been trying his best to take care of her despite his own uncertainty.

Ingo makes a noise that might have been the start of an aborted attempt to speak. Akari snaps her head up to look at him and is surprised to find his eyes wide and helpless and his ears tinged slightly pink.

Irida has a hand covering her mouth, but it doesn't hide the way her eyes are crinkled with amusement at his discomfort. There's a laugh in her voice when she says, “I'm not sure you have much choice, Ingo. She sounds pretty set on it.”

He levels her with a glare, the effect of which is offset by his ears going even redder. Whatever argument he might have goes unvoiced.

Irida just laughs. “Come on, clearly she likes you. And if anyone can keep her safe, it's you. You've kept the Highlands safer than any other Warden before you.”

Ingo sighs and rubs his eyes with his fingers, then meets Akari's eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I'm sure.”

“Very well.” He turns to Irida, who looks like she just won a battle. “If I'm going to be caring for a child, I'm going to need...” He trails off and his eyes glaze over slightly as he tries to figure out what he needs to ask for.

Irida snorts. “Don't worry about it. I'll see to it that you have everything you need.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Starting with new clothes for Akari.” She looks like she's considering making a comment about the huge kimono but decides against it, choosing the more diplomatic, “those won't do.” She turns back to him. “You know where to go. When you're done there, why don't you two rest at your tent? I'll make sure everything else is taken care of before tomorrow morning.”

Ingo stands and Akari takes that as her cue to do so as well. He bows to Irida and repeats, “thank you.”

She just waves him off and they leave the tent. Akari walks alongside Ingo, still wearing his coat, as they make their way to a different tent. Before he can head inside, she grabs the sleeve of his kimono and tugs on it. He stops and raises an eyebrow at her.

“You don't have to let me stay if you don't want to.” She's feeling bad for basically forcing him into it now that she's cooled off a little. “I'll stay here if you want me to.”

Ingo sighs and kneels so he's at her level. He meets her eyes with a serious look. “It's not that I don't want you to stay. It's just I think it would be better for you to be with someone more... qualified.” He shakes his head lightly. “But if you will be unhappy here, then I don't want that. If attaching your car to mine is truly what you want, then I am perfectly happy to oblige.”

“But... what about what you want?”

His eyes widen slightly and he tilts his head in thought. “I can't say that I have ever wanted to have a child, or anyone else for that matter, around. But neither am I particularly opposed to the idea.” Seeing her slightly confused look, he simplifies his answer. “I don't have a strong opinion either way.” He pats her on the shoulder and pinches his eyes. “But clearly you do, so I'm happy to accommodate.”

“Oh... Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Now, let's get you some clothes that fit.” He stands up and heads into the tent.

The old woman inside thankfully doesn't ask many questions, just getting straight to work measuring Akari and finding her garments of a suitable size. Within an hour, she has warm underclothes and two thick pink kimonos, as well as a warm hat, a pair of gloves, and a coat. The last item is black and the woman winks at Ingo when she hands it over. He doesn't seem to know how to react to that.

Soon enough, they're back out the door and on their way to yet another tent. When they enter this one, they find Irida waiting for them. She's lit a fire in the pit, but it must have been recently because the place is still quite cold. She smiles at them brightly. “Akari! That new kimono looks much better!” She gestures to a large basket. “I got everything you're going to need. Probably more than you need honestly, but you never ask for anything, Warden Ingo, so I may have gone a little overboard.” Before he can comment on that, she moves on, gesturing to a roll of bedding next to the basket. “And I also got a futon for Akari, since I know your tent only has one.”

“Lady Irida,” Ingo's tone is warm and genuine. “I honestly can't thank you enough for this.”

She waves a hand. “It's really no trouble. Like I said, you hardly ever ask for anything. I feel bad sometimes that you're so alone out in the Highlands. And before you say it, I know you don't mind being alone, but still. I'm glad I could help.” She glances between the two of them. “Now, you two ought to rest. You've had a long day, and you have a long trek ahead of you tomorrow.”

With that, she heads for the door. Ingo watches her go, then just shakes his head fondly and goes to the basket. He digs through the contents curiously for a few minutes while Akari unrolls her new futon. She also finds his futon and lays it out. When he's finished rummaging, he puts the lid back on the basket and sets to the task of cooking rice. They don't talk much throughout dinner, nor when they lay down to sleep, but that's alright. Akari knows that she has a place to belong with him and that eases her mind in a way she never could have imagined.

Chapter Text

The cold isn’t nearly so bad as they walk back toward the Highlands. It still bites at Akari’s nose, but she doesn’t feel like her toes are freezing off at least. Ingo walks ahead of her, again breaking a path through the snow and carrying the basket and roll of bedding on his back.

After a few minutes of silence, Akari calls out, “Ingo?”

“Hmm?” He turns his head to look back at her before refocusing on the path ahead.

“I’m supposed to be seeking out all Pokémon, but… I don’t really know how to do that.”

He hums again, this time in thought. After a moment, he asks, “do you wish for assistance?”

Her head pops up and she stares at his back as though she might glean answers from it. “You would help me?”

“It was supposed to be my task first, wasn’t it? Besides, you’re my charge now so it’s my job to help you.”

“Oh.” He seems so confident about that. “That’s true, I guess.”

“What is it specifically that you’re struggling with?”

“Well, I can find Pokémon just fine. But it’s hard to study them while battling. There’s all this information my ArcPhone asks for that I can’t get. So I think catching them would be better, even if I just release them after. But I didn’t have any pokeballs until you gave me these ones.” She pats the two clipped to her belt, which brings up another thought. “Also, Gastrodon and Ralts are getting stronger but they still can’t take on those really big scary Pokémon like the Steelix.”

“You mean Alpha Pokémon?” If he’s bothered by her rambling, he doesn’t let it show. “They’re quite a challenge for anyone to take on. Honestly, you did quite well.” Before she can argue that having to be rescued doesn’t qualify as ‘doing well,’ he continues. “If it’s help with training your partners you need, then I’m quite happy to assist. I can also teach you how to make pokeballs so that you can catch Pokémon to study. But beyond that… I’d like to help more directly if I can.”

“More directly?”

“Like I said, it was supposed to be my task, right? So I should help you gather the data you need.”

Akari considers this for a moment, then pulls out her phone, tapping at it with gloved fingers. She’s pleasantly surprised that this works.

Is Ingo right? Can he help me seek out

Pokémon?

Certainly. It was the task he was

Chosen for after all.

She nods to herself. It’s good to know she doesn’t have to do this all alone. Knowing Ingo is still waiting for an answer she says, “that sounds nice. Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome.”

With that, they fall back into silence, which persists until they reach their destination. Akari thinks it would be awkward with most anyone else, but somehow it's comforting to simply exist with Ingo. There's a distinct lack of expectations, which sets her mind at ease.

When they enter the tent, Ingo sets his heavy basket down and moves to the fire pit to light it. Akari sits next to him. “Will you teach me?”

He glances at her in what seems to be surprise, but inclines his head. “Of course. Here, you stack the wood like this, then set the kindling underneath.” He demonstrates the technique, then lets her practice it. He picks up a pair of stones. “Now you strike the flint to create a spark, like this.” He strikes them together and, sure enough, a small shower of sparks falls on the kindling, which starts to smolder.

He hands them to her to try. Her first attempt produces nothing but a scraping sound, but she adjusts her angle and tries a few more times until she succeeds in creating a little spark.

“Well done.” Akari looks up to see him pinching his eyes at her. “Now all it needs is a little oxygen.”

She tilts her head. “Oxygen?”

He leans down and blows gently on the fire and it flickers brighter and starts to lick at the larger pieces of wood. He sits back and huffs a laugh at her impressed expression. “And that's it. I'll let you try it by yourself next time, alright?”

Akari nods vigorously. “Yeah! I think I can do it! Can I help you make dinner?”

He nods and gestures to the kitchen. “Of course. Why don't you get out some vegetables and start cutting them while I put everything away.”

She happily gets up and searches through the cupboards, finding several baskets of vegetables, as well as a wide variety of dried and preserved foods. She doesn't really know which vegetables to choose so she just picks a few at random and takes them to the cutting board on the counter. She finds a knife nearby and sets to her task. By the time she's finished, Ingo is finished with getting everything unpacked. He takes a pot from where it hangs next to the cupboard and fills it partially with water, then adds some cured meat to it. He gestures for her to add the vegetables, then takes it to the fire.

With that cooking, Ingo stands and stretches, then heads for the door. He releases Alakazam, who floats serenely towards the fire, and pulls his coat back on.

Akari jumps up. “Where are you going?”

He glances at her. “I have to go check on Lady Sneasler. It's been a few days and I know she gets worried.”

“Lady Sneasler?”

He tilts his head, then laughs. “I suppose we never really explained, did we?” He doesn't wait for an answer. “I am the Warden of the Highlands, which means that I'm tasked with caring for one of the Pearl Clan's sacred Noble Pokemon, Lady Sneasler.”

Akari blinks at him. She'd gotten the sense from the title that he was somewhat important, but she hadn't realized exactly how important. Taking care of a sacred Pokemon sounds like a big deal. She blurts out, “are there a lot of Wardens?”

He shakes his head. “There are five Wardens, one for each of the Nobles, who reside in each of the territories of Hisui. The Diamond Clan has five as well.”

Oh, so it really is a big deal. “Can I go with you?”

His expression softens, but he shakes his head. “Not tonight. I intend for this to be a quick visit, but you can come with me to meet her tomorrow.”

She can't quite keep the disappointment from showing on her face, but she smiles and nods. “Ok, tomorrow then. Good luck!”

“Thank you. Alakazam will watch over you while I'm gone.” He turns, but then stops. “Oh, and feel free to release your own Pokemon, if you'd like. They're welcome to roam as they please.”

Akari smiles a little wider. “Thanks! I'll do that!”

She watches as he leaves, then turns back to the tent. Alakazam doesn't look up from where she's watching the pot of stew, so Akari shrugs and releases Gastrodon and Ralts. They both quickly make themselves at home, Gastrodon curling up near the fire and Ralts going to stand next to the other Psychic type. It looks like they might be conversing, but she can't really tell. She sits down next to Gastrodon and lays her head on his back, content to wait for Ingo to come home.

Chapter Text

Ingo watches Akari practically buzzing with excitement as they hike out to Lady Sneasler’s den, a little surprised at the fondness he feels for the girl. He was telling the truth when he told her he’s never wanted a child, but he can’t deny that he enjoys having her around. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm for the Pokémon they run across make him wish he could smile. They also bring another emotion he can’t name. Something like nostalgia, but for something he doesn’t actually remember. It hurts a little, but mostly it feels nice.

When she battles the wild Pokémon, he stands back and watches with a critical eye. She lacks experience and could certainly stand to have a more structured strategy, but honestly she’s not bad by his standards. Which means she’s quite exceptional for Hisui. Most people won’t even attempt a battle here, but she throws herself into them without hesitation.

When they reach Lady Sneasler’s den, he takes his flute from the inside pocket of his coat and plays the short tune that Lady Irida taught him. It still sounds clumsy, even after years of practice, but he knows his Lady doesn’t mind.

She appears in the cave entrance after a moment, giving a confused yowl. Surely she’s wondering why he didn’t just climb up to her as he usually would. When her eyes fall on Akari, she makes a soft chirp and jumps down.

Ingo crinkles his eyes at her and gestures to the girl, who suddenly seems shy. “Lady Sneasler, this is Akari. She’s going to be staying with me, so you’ll probably see her a lot in the future.” Lady Sneasler steps forward and Ingo places a hand on Akari’s back, gently urging her to do the same.

After a moment of hesitation, she does and gives an awkward little bow. “Hello, Lady. I’ve never met a sacred Pokémon before. Probably. But it’s nice to meet you.”

The Noble tilts her head, then covers her mouth and laughs. Akari doesn’t seem to know how to take that and just stares at her, then yelps in surprise when she darts forward and nuzzles her face. She giggles when Lady Sneasler licks her cheek with her rough tongue.

“She likes you.”

Akari glances back at him and grins, all traces of her prior nerves gone. “I like her, too!”

Lady Sneasler nuzzles her one last time, then straightens and focuses on Ingo. He steps forward and reaches a hand up to scratch under her ear feather. “How are you, My Lady? Are the kits still well?”

She purrs, then nuzzles the side of his face too, which makes him laugh.

“Good. I brought you some food.” He unslings his basket and hands it to her.

She rumbles her thanks and headbutts him gently before turning away and carrying her offering back up to her den.

Ingo turns to Akari and explains, “she has several young kits at the moment. During this time of year, I bring food for them so she doesn’t have to leave the den for long.”

Akari nods in understanding, though she looks a little sad that Lady Sneasler left so quickly.

“Now, I promised to teach you how to make pokeballs. The first step is gathering materials, which we can do while I patrol the area. It should also be good training for your Pokémon. Does that sound alright to you?”

At this, Akari brightens considerably. “Yeah! Sounds great!”

She follows along enthusiastically as he begins his usual patrol route. They have to stop more frequently than he normally would to battle and gather stones and Apricorns, so they don’t make very good time. In the end, he opts to cut the patrol short and head back home when he notices that Akari is starting to lose steam. She doesn’t say anything, but he can tell by the way she seems to droop a little, her enthusiasm dimmed.

When they make it back to the tent, she sits by the fire, barely able to keep her eyes open long enough to eat dinner. When she’s finished, she simply holds the bowl and stares at it, clearly fighting to stay awake.

Ingo gently takes it from her and ushers her over to her futon. “Go to sleep, Akari.”

“But… I wanna make pokeballs.” Even her protest is weak.

Without thinking, he reaches out and pats her on the head, gently petting her hair. “There will be time tomorrow, I promise.”

A soft, relieved sigh escapes her and she gets up, moving to her futon and burrowing under the blankets. From what he can tell, she’s asleep within seconds.

Ingo gives his own sigh as he goes to the kitchen to wash up. It makes sense that that would have been too much for her. It took him a long time to acclimate to so much hiking and he’s an adult. He’s going to have to find a happy medium between his duty to keep the mountain safe and how much Akari can reasonably handle. He could leave her here, he supposes, but he doesn’t think she would be happy about that. Perhaps he can convince her to stay here some of the time. At least then he could patrol the farther parts of the mountain without worrying about exhausting her. How much exercise is too much for a child? Would anyone even know if he asked them?

He finishes cleaning and gets ready for bed, laying his own futon out on the other side of the room. He can still hear her slow breathing from there and, as it has since the first night she spent here, it sets his mind at ease. If he's learned anything about himself from this, it’s the growing certainty in his mind that, despite his instinctive desire to keep away from other people, he was never meant to be alone. Now, if only he could remember who was supposed to be here with him, he would be making real progress.

Over the following weeks, Akari accompanies Ingo more often than not on patrols. She and her Pokémon both grow stronger, but he still takes his own solo patrols every couple days to cover the whole mountain. She shows him the Pokedex feature on her ArcPhone and he helps her catch as many different species as he can and fill in the necessary information on them.

About two weeks after settling into their new routine, Ingo is requested to guide a group of Galaxy Team folks up the mountain to establish a new camp. Akari is out with him when they flag him down, so she comes along, but it doesn’t escape his notice the way she spends most of the trek tucked behind him. It’s like she’s hiding from them. He can’t really blame her for that after the way Kamado treated her, although these people are perfectly civil. He thinks about bringing it up once they’re home for the night, but he has no idea how and it seems like she doesn’t want to talk about it anyway so he leaves it be for now.

She also throws herself enthusiastically into helping gather offerings for Lady Sneasler, and soon enough, the Noble allows her to enter her den. Ingo carries her up on his back since she doesn't know how to climb and he knows he's already pushing her too hard with the patrols. The Sneasels immediately pounce on her, but she only laughs and falls into the nest to play with them. Ingo settles next to Lady Sneasler and leans against her, both content to watch the children entertain themselves. Once they're all thoroughly worn out, Lady Sneasler gets up and rounds up her kits. She uses a claw to gently push Akari over to him.

She then gathers her kits and starts to bathe them with her tongue. Normally, she would remain invested in this task until it was complete, but after only a minute she looks up at Ingo and Akari and makes a dissatisfied noise. She reaches out and pushes Akari closer to him. The girl goes without resistance, but gives her a confused look.

Ingo tilts his head at her in confusion as well, before a sudden realization makes him laugh. “Akari isn't my kit, My Lady. And humans don't clean their young the way you do.” His Noble still doesn't seem satisfied, but she relents and returns to her task. Ingo turns to Akari, surprised by the brief flash of an expression he sees before she schools it into something neutral. It looks almost like discontent. “Are you prepared to head home?”

She nods, her expression still neutral. “Yeah. Let's go.”

Dinner that night is quieter than usual, and he can't help the feeling that he did something to upset Akari. He doesn't know how to bring it up though, and by morning she seems to be back to her usual cheerful self.

They spend the day in the Celestica Ruins, searching for Bonsly, which Ingo has seen there rarely. They don't have much luck, though they do find Sudowoodo and Gligar so it's not a complete waste. Ingo is gathering Apricorns from a tree when a roar rattles the air. He whips his head around and a spike of panic lances through him when he doesn't see Akari. He drops to the ground and sprints toward the source of the roar.

As he expected, the Alpha Gabite just downhill from the ruins is worked into a rage, and his heart is gripped by ice when he sees Akari on the ground before it, looking almost dazed. Her arms are wrapped around a Gible of all things. Briefly, he wonders how she managed to get into this situation in the few minutes since he took his eyes off her.

Ingo isn't fast enough to intercept the furious dragon, but thankfully, Akari gets her wits about her enough to send out Gastrodon to protect her. He does an admirable job, but even as strong as he's gotten in the last few weeks, he can't take on this kind of opponent and the first hit is almost enough to knock him out. He strikes back, but the Gabite hardly seems to notice.

Ingo doesn't have time to think through a strategy, particularly not with the panic eating away at his mind. So instead of strategizing, he lets instinct take over. He flicks the latch on Gliscor's ball and shouts, “get Akari away from here!” as he dashes past the girl. The moment he makes contact with the dragon, he has a brief moment of clarity and wonders what in the world he thinks he's doing, and then instinct takes over again. He grabs the raging beast with both arms and pivots, planting his foot and putting all his strength into what seems to be a surprisingly well practiced move.

The Alpha lets out a surprised and quite undignified yelp as it finds itself suddenly sailing through the air. It lands hard enough to shake the ground and Ingo leaps back from it, grabbing a pokeball from his belt and releasing Alakazam, which is what he should have done in the first place. Their opponent slowly gets to its feet, but notably, the red glow is gone from its eyes. It looks between him and Alakazam, then begins to slowly back away. He remains on guard, but is content to watch its retreat until it's out of sight.

At that point, he suddenly spins around, searching wildly for Akari. He spots her some distance away, looking slightly rumpled. The Gible is at her feet and Gliscor is hovering protectively over her. Ingo doesn't hesitate to run toward them.

When he gets near enough, she starts to say, “Ingo, I'm s-”

He throws his arms around her, cutting off her apology. He can feel her tension, but after a moment she relaxes and rests her head on his shoulder, winding her own arms around his back. He's sure she can feel the way his hands are shaking as he holds her close, but she doesn't comment, only holding him a little tighter.

After a few minutes, her voice comes, small and hesitant and slightly muffled. “I'm sorry.”

He shakes his head, but can't quite get his mouth to cooperate yet.

While he's trying to gather himself, she continues, “I'm sorry. I- I didn't know it was there. I found this Gible, a-and she was- she was j-just playing. A-and th-the-”

“Shhh, Akari.” Ingo's voice sounds more choked than he would like, but he runs a hand over her hair in an attempt to soothe her. “It's alright. I know you didn't mean to get so close to the Gabite.” She nods, her face still pressed into the fabric of his kimono. “You're alright. No one got hurt.”

She takes a couple shaky breaths before leaning back to look up at him with red, wet eyes. Her face is stained with tears. “B-but you had to s-save me. Again.”

Ingo makes an effort to soften his expression and removes a hand from her back so he can gently cup her cheek. He holds eye contact and makes sure she knows he means it when he says, “As long as I'm able, I will always save you, Akari. You're... I'm your guardian, that's my job. And, I-” He hesitates. He doesn't know how to explain how terrified he felt seeing her in danger. It will probably only make her feel more guilty if he does explain, so he settles on, “I do care about you.”

This just causes more tears to spill over and she lets her head fall onto his shoulder again. He holds her close, rubbing her back with one hand and petting her hair with the other, until she exhausts her tears. Finally, she steps away, rubbing her bloodshot eyes. When she looks around, she seems surprised to see the Gible is still hanging around, watching them with visible concern. Her voice is rough from crying when she kneels and holds a hand out. “Hey there. It's alright, it wasn't your fault.”

The little dragon toddles over and bumps her nose into Akari's hand, seeming to brighten up.

“Why'd you stick around?”

She makes a sort of chirping sound and jumps, forcing Akari to catch her in her arms.

Akari just laughs and stands up. “Alright, I get it.” She takes a pokeball out of her bag and holds it up so Gible can see. “Do you want to come with me?”

Gible chatters excitedly and reaches her little arms out towards the ball. Akari laughs and bonks her on the head with it. It sparks almost immediately.

Akari lets her new partner back out and looks up at Ingo. Exhaustion is clear in every fiber of her being. “Can we go home now?”

He crinkles his eyes at her. “Of course. I think we've had plenty of excitement for one day.” As they begin to walk, he says, “I still have to see to Lady Sneasler. Do you want to come, or stay at home?”

She considers for a few minutes before sighing. “I'll stay. I can start making dinner and get to know Gible a little better.”

Ingo nods. “That seems reasonable. I'll make it as quick as I can.” He doesn't like the idea of leaving her alone after what happened today, but he knows she'll be perfectly safe at home.

When they reach the tent, he quickly gathers his offering for his Noble and sets off while Akari immediately gets to work cooking dinner. He knows he ought to take a moment to think about what happened, and why he reacted the way he did, but for now all he really wants to do is attend his duties and try not to think at all.

Chapter Text

The hike to Lady Sneasler's den is uneventful and Ingo quickly climbs up with his basket, intending to drop off his offering and head back home without delay. When he enters, she looks up from her nest and calls out a subdued greeting. Something is wrong. He sets his basket down and approaches. The problem becomes apparent immediately. One of the kits is bundled close to her, its breathing shallow and labored. A large, deep wound splits his abdomen sickeningly.

Ingo kneels and looks to Lady Sneasler for permission before gently taking the kit into his own arms to investigate. The wound on his side isn't the only one, but its by far the worst. Though it's not bleeding much now, he's sure the kit has lost a lot of blood and he doesn't like the sheen the wound has taken on, suspecting an infection setting in.

He looks up at his Noble and sees the grief in her expression. She knows how bad this is. He settles the kit comfortably in one arm and reaches out to rub her face with the other, hoping to provide some comfort. “My Lady, I... I can't promise anything, but with the right herbs I may be able to stop the infection.” She perks up a little, so he continues. “I would have to get them from Jubilife, but if I make tracks that way now, I can be back by tomorrow. In the meantime, I have other medicines at my home that may be able to buy him some time.”

That seems to be all she needs to hear. She stands and calls out to the rest of the kits, who gather around her, then heads for the exit to the cave. She picks up his discarded basket and disappears, trailed by the Sneasels. Ingo follows, climbing down the cliff face with one hand, the injured Sneasel tucked in the crook of his other arm. Lady Sneasler waits for him to reach the base, then takes off towards his tent. It only takes them a few minutes to arrive, and he opens the door to let her and the kits in. Akari looks up in surprise from where she's sitting by the fire with Gible and Ralts vying for her attention.

“Can you get me some blankets and soak some rags in water?”

Spotting the Sneasel in his arms, she jumps up to do as he asks. She returns a moment later with blankets. She folds them up to create a small nest, then runs off to get the rags. Ingo settles him comfortably and takes the wet rags when she offers them, draping them over his small body carefully.

He stands and heads to the cupboards where he keeps his medicines. “You'll have to change the rags out every hour or so. It's important to keep him cool because the infection will overheat him.” He takes a jar and heads back to the Sneasel, spreading medicinal paste across the wound. He hands the jar Akari, who is watching attentively. “Clean the wound gently every few hours and reapply this.”

“What about you?”

“I'm going to Jubilife to get better medicine. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise.”

Her brow furrows. “Jubilife...”

He does his best to give her a reassuring look. “It's alright. Lady Sneasler is here, she'll keep you safe.”

She shakes her head. “It's not me I'm worried about.”

Ingo pinches his eyes at her. “I'll be fine. I know these tracks better than anyone.”

Akari still seems unhappy, but she glances back at the injured Sneasel and nods. “Ok. Come back safe.”

He stands and heads out the door. “I will.”

It takes him all night to traverse the Highlands and then cross the Fieldlands to reach Jubilife. The timing works out, though, with him arriving at the gates just as dawn breaks. The guards give him surprised looks, but readily step aside to allow him to enter. He makes for the Galaxy building right away, knowing the shops won't have what he's looking for, but his path is quickly obstructed by the Captain of the Security Corp.

She gives him a bright smile and a friendly wave, which he returns to the best of his ability. “Warden Ingo! I'm surprised to see you here so early. Did you travel through the night?”

He nods, but keeps walking. Zisu falls into step beside him easily. “Good morning, Captain Zisu. I'm here on urgent business and must offer my apologies that I can't stay to chat.” He means it. Whenever he visits Jubilife, he tries to make time to spend with Zisu. Their training sessions and discussions on strategy are some of the most enjoyable interactions he has with other people.

“Oh? What urgent business?”

“One of Lady Sneasler's kits has been injured. I'm in need of stronger medicine to fight the infection.” He turns off the road and heads up the steps into the Galaxy Hall, and Zisu goes with him.

“Oh dear, that doesn't sound good.”

She stops as he steps inside the infirmary and explains the situation to Pesselle, who is more than happy to let him have some of the stronger herbs he needs to make the medicine. He often supplies her with herbs gathered from the Highlands, so she waves off his attempts to pay her. He's in too much of a hurry to argue so he just bows and thanks her.

When he exits, Zisu is waiting for him and once again walks alongside as he heads back out and towards the gate. “I won't keep you, but I am curious about something.”

He glances at her and raises an eyebrow.

“I heard from some of the construction corp that were up in your territory recently that you had a kid with you while you were guiding them. They were under the impression she was yours, but I told them there was no way.”

At this, Ingo stops in his tracks and stares at her. He probably should have expected gossip to travel this far, but when confronted with it, he has no idea what to say. He shakes his head. “Akari is... I'm taking care of her. She didn't have anywhere else to go.” He turns and keeps walking towards the gate.

Zisu's tone is just a little disbelieving. “No one else in your clan could take her? Not to be rude, but you wouldn't be my first choice to take care of a kid.”

He barks a laugh. “I wouldn't be my first choice either. But Akari insisted she wanted to stay with me, so she stays.”

“And you're ok with that? I thought you preferred to be alone.”

He hesitates. “I... do.” It's something they've talked about before. Zisu used to worry about him getting lonely all by himself on the mountain, but he's assured her that he doesn't mind plenty of times. “But, I must admit, having her around has been nice.”

Zisu laughs, then pats him on the back hard enough to make him stumble. “Aww, that's sweet, Ingo.” He gives her a reproachful look, but that only makes her laugh again. “Go take care of Lady Sneasler's kit, Warden.” As she turns away, leaving him at the gate, she throws over her shoulder, “and make sure to take good care of your kid, too.”

Ingo feels his ears heat up and is briefly thankful that her back is turned. He's pretty sure the guards still see it as he passes through, but he can't do anything about that. As he sets a steady pace back across the Fieldlands, he mutters to himself. “My kid. She's not- I'm not her-” He huffs in frustration and falls silent.

He isn't her father. He's her guardian. Which isn't the same thing. She has a father, probably, wherever she came from. Not that she remembers. He shakes his head. Akari isn't his daughter. She's his charge. Whatever feelings he may have, they're not her problem.

But he does have them. Despite his best efforts to ignore them, they’ve only grown stronger. In just a few weeks, these feelings of fondness have become strong enough to surprise him. Not just that, either, but he feels a powerful desire to take care of her. Make sure she's happy and healthy. The way he attacked the Gabite yesterday is proof enough that he's protective of her to an almost dangerous degree. He doesn't know where these feelings are coming from. The longer he spends with her, the more certain he is that he's never spent much time around children, and yet there's this instinctive part of him that needs her to be safe. He supposes it doesn't really matter how he feels, as long as he does his duty as her guardian, which he fully intends to. He's supposed to be keeping her safe regardless.

It's early afternoon when he reaches his tent, and he's happy to find the kit still stable, watched over by Lady Sneasler and a very tired looking Akari. He feels bad for leaving such a task to her, but it needed to be done. She can rest soon.

He takes the herbs Pesselle gave him and quickly creates the liquid medicine, filling a cup with it and taking it to the Sneasel's side. He lifts him up and helps him to drink, then lays him back down. Finally, he looks at Akari. “How have things been here since I left?”

She shrugs. “Not much change. I've been changing out the rags and cleaning the wound like you said. I did both just a few minutes ago.”

“Very good. Thank you.” He gestures to her futon. “Now why don't you get some rest?”

She hesitates. “You went all the way to Jubilife and back. Shouldn't you be the one resting?”

He crinkles his eyes at her and gently ruffles her hair. “Thank you, but I'll be fine for a while longer.”

Akari nods, but Lady Sneasler makes a dissatisfied grumble. She headbutts him, then takes her claws and pushes him towards his own futon.

Akari laughs. “Lady Sneasler agrees. You should rest too.”

Ingo huffs a laugh and pets his Noble. “Alright, fine. Wake me if anything changes with him, alright?”

She nods and pushes him again.

He does as she insists and lays down, pulling a blanket over himself and letting the exhaustion of nearly two days without sleep take him.

Ingo wakes up sometime later to a nudge on his shoulder. He grumbles slightly and lets his eyes flicker open, expecting to see Gliscor trying to get under the blanket. Instead, he's met with the sight of Akari, kneeling next to him with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a wide eyed, almost panicked expression.

He sits up too fast, surprising her so she falls back with a small thump. “Is something wrong with the kit?” He glances over at Lady Sneasler, who is watching them calmly, and confusion washes over him.

Akari shakes her head and her expression turns to something halfway between upset and embarrassed. “I, uh. I had a nightmare.”

Ingo blinks at her, belatedly saying, “oh.” After a moment to allow his brain to catch up, he adds, “can I um... Can I help?” Not his best work, but he's very tired.

Akari doesn't answer right away, sitting back up and pulling the blanket around her shoulders again. After a minute, she moves forward, tucking herself against his side and hiding her face. “I don't wanna be alone.”

He wraps his arm around her securely, hoping to be of some comfort. “Ok. You don't have to be alone. Did you sleep at all?”

She shakes her head. “Not really.”

Ingo sighs and scoots over, then lays down, pulling her gently with him so she's on the futon too. She doesn't hesitate to curl up against his side. He keeps his arm securely around her and lays his head back. “Try to sleep. I'm here.”

She hums sleepily. “Thanks... Ingo.”

He rubs her back in reply, closing his eyes. For just a second, he thought she was going to say something else. Call him something else. He really needs to get a handle on his feelings, before he says something he regrets. The last thing he wants to do is make her uncomfortable.

As he feels her breathing slow to a steady, even rate, it lulls him back into the embrace of sleep and he doesn't fight it. He can figure out his feelings later.

Chapter Text

Akari wakes up slowly, becoming aware of a warm, solid presence beside her and a weight draped over her. When she opens her eyes, her vision is filled with pink fabric. Pink fabric that rises and falls steadily with the breathing of the person wearing it.

She internally panics a little as she realizes that she's curled up next to Ingo, with his arm draped loosely over her. She remembers having a nightmare and waking up in a cold sweat. She remembers that the nightmare was about him. About him fighting the Alpha Gabite. Except in the dream, he didn't win. He got hurt, his injuries a match for those of the Sneasel he brought home. Even now, just remembering the dream fills her with cold fear and she instinctively snuggles closer to him as if to prove to herself that he's here and unhurt.

Akari freezes as he shifts slightly in response to her movement, and gives an incoherent mumble before falling still again. She breathes a slow sigh of relief. She wants to stay here a bit longer, as selfish as that may be.

He really is too kind. Too willing to offer her comfort, even though she woke him up from his much needed sleep over nothing but a childish nightmare. He does far too much for her. She needs to be careful. Ingo said that he never wanted a child. He isn't her dad, no matter how much he might act like it. The last thing she wants is to overstep a boundary and ruin the comfortable relationship that they've created in the last few weeks. She can be content with this.

So she stays there, warm and comfortable and content, until Ingo wakes up. When he shifts and his arm tightens around her, she looks up to see his silver eyes flicker open. After a moment of apparent confusion, his expression softens in the way she's come to know as a smile. She returns the look with a smile of her own as he sits up, easily bringing her with him.

“Did you sleep well?” His voice is still thick with sleep, but it's also tinged with something else she can't place.

She nods. “Yeah. No more nightmares. Thank you.”

He finally drops his arm away from her, moving to stretch and crack his neck. “You're welcome. I'm glad I could help.” He stands up and she follows his lead. “Lady Sneasler, how's your kit?”

The Noble yowls quietly in response. She doesn't sound upset, so it's probably good news. Even so, they both head to his side. He does seem to be sleeping easier, and even responds when Ingo cleans his wound and applies more medicine to it. He also makes a new batch of the medicine he brought from Jubilife and helps the little Sneasel drink it.

While he does that, Akari gets food for the two of them ready. Ingo gives her his version of a smile and a nod when she hands him a plate. She smiles brightly back and the two of them settle comfortably next to Lady Sneasler to eat their breakfast.

When they're finished, Ingo gets up and washes the dishes. He yawns as he finishes, but still heads for the door and dons his coat. He glances back at her. “Do you mind watching Sneasel while I patrol?”

She smiles again. “I don't mind. Please be safe.”

He nods as he heads out the door. “I will.” The way he says it is odd, like he meant to add something else after, but chose not to. She wonders what that's about, but he's already gone so she can't ask.

Rather than worrying about it, she nuzzles closer to Lady Sneasler and yawns. She's not sure how long they slept, but she's still tired from staying up all night after such a difficult day. Akari doesn't feel like she's completely processed everything that happened, too busy trying to keep Sneasel alive.

Ingo fought a dragon for her.

Akari sits up, suddenly more awake.

Ingo fought a dragon because she was in danger. With his bare hands. How in the world did he even do that?

She thinks of the desperation in the hug he wrapped her in afterwards. The way his hands shook. He was terrified. Because she was in danger. She thinks of the serious way he told her that he would always save her. That he cared.

Lady Sneasler chirps and a rough tongue swipes across her face. Akari startles and looks up at the Noble in surprise. She raises a hand and touches her face, surprised to find it wet. She stares at the tears on her fingers for a moment, then just buries her face in Lady Sneasler's soft fur and lets herself cry. She can't remember her life before coming here, but she's quite certain no one has ever cared for her like that.

Why is he different? Why does he care so much when he hardly even knows her? Why would he throw himself into danger to save her? Why would he- no, why would anyone fight a dragon for her? What has she ever done to deserve it?

She's just a kid that no one has ever wanted. Even Ingo didn't want her, so why does he care?

Lady Sneasler wraps her long claws around her back, holding her close in an approximation of a hug. She begins to purr softly, but the clear attempt at comfort only makes Akari feel worse. She doesn't deserve this, either. She doesn't want to upset the Noble, though, so she remains still and does her best to stop her tears. After a few minutes, Lady Sneasler licks her face again and makes a pleased huff.

Despite her turmoil, Akari smiles at her. “Thanks, Lady.”

She chirps and headbutts her in response.

Akari gets up and starts straightening up the tent, mostly as a way to feel useful. She's still tired, but she knows she should probably wait until evening to sleep or she'll just wake up in the middle of the night. So instead of taking a nap like she wants to, she puts the futons away and cleans up the kitchen. They're running low on water, so she puts on her coat and sandals and heads out with the buckets to gather some from the stream down the hill. She can only carry one at a time, so it's slow going compared to when Ingo does it, but that's alright. She's not doing anything else. Once that's done, she starts a stew and sets it on the fire to cook, then checks on Sneasel again. He's still sleeping soundly, so she leaves him be.

She releases her Pokemon and spends some time playing with Gible, who seems quite fond of gnawing on anything she can get her mouth on, including the Sneasel kits and Akari's arms. She's fairly gentle though, so Akari doesn't mind. Ralts and Gastrodon also join in the play after a few minutes of simply watching. She's glad they all seem to get along.

The light coming through the slats in the tent is orange by the time she hears Ingo returning. He's talking, oddly, and she can hear another voice as well. She's suddenly anxious at the prospect of someone else being here, but she doesn't have much time to think about it before the door opens and Ingo enters, followed by a man dressed in blue. He has long, blue hair and stares at her with a slightly shocked expression.

“Wow. That really is a kid.”

Ingo throws an annoyed look over his shoulder as he removes his boots and enters the tent properly. “Did you think I was joking? This is Akari.” He looks at her with a much gentler expression. “Akari, this is Warden Melli. He cares for the other Noble of Mount Coronet, Lord Electrode. He wishes to join us for dinner.”

The man, Melli apparently, huffs as he removes his own shoes and waltzes into the tent like he owns it. He raises an eyebrow at Lady Sneasler and the kits, but doesn't do more than nod at them as he passes by. “As if I would wish to spend time with a crazy old man like you.”

“Hmm. And what are you doing here, then?”

Akari stares at Ingo, surprised at the sarcasm. He's always been quite serious and genuine with her, so this is an unexpected change of pace. Does he... not like Melli?

Except his expression at Melli's floundered answer of, “I can't very well leave you alone out here. You could keel over dead and no one would know for weeks if you had it your way.” is more mild amusement than anything.

His answer, too, is lighthearted. “Well, I can't really argue with that. Although now that Akari is staying with me, you may have to find another excuse.”

This just makes Melli huff again and he flops down onto one of the cushions near the fire. “Whatever, old man.” He reaches for the pot on the fire, taking the lid off and smelling the contents. “What's for dinner?”

Ingo sits as well, shrugging. “It would seem that Akari made stew.” He looks at Akari and seems to notice that she's nervous. He gestures to the spot next to him, and she nods sharply and sits, a little closer to him than is really necessary. He gives her a gentle look and pats her on the back.

She smiles nervously, unsure what to say.

“I'm sure it's wonderful.” His soft reassurance makes some of her anxiety melt away.

Melli just tosses his head and stands. “I'll be the judge of that.” He goes to the kitchen and grabs bowls and spoons for each of them. To Akari's surprise, he seems to know exactly where to find them. He brings them back and ladles a portion into each of their bowls, handing them over. Ingo and Melli don't hesitate to eat, so Akari does the same. When he's finished, Melli hums in thought, tapping his spoon against his bowl. “Not the worst I've ever had.”

Akari has no idea how to take that assessment, but Ingo snorts. As he takes Melli's bowl and her own, he says, “that's a better judgement than I got the first time.”

“Well, your kid is a better cook than you.” Ingo's back is turned, but she sees the way he stiffens at that comment. She's pretty sure she knows which part of it he's reacting to and looks away. Melli doesn't seem to notice, and carries on. “I suppose that's to be expected. It's hard to be worse than actual poison.”

Thankfully, this seems to be enough of a distraction from the first comment and Ingo laughs as he starts washing the dishes. “It was one time. How many times must I apologize?”

“Wait, did you really poison him?” Akari can't help but blurt out.

“Ah, so you can speak.” Melli glances over, his gaze seeming to pierce through her. After a moment, he waves a hand, breaking the illusion. “Yes, he really did poison me.”

“One time!” Ingo's annoyance sounds put on and when he turns, the corner of his mouth is pulled up in a playful expression. “I told you it was an accident.”

“Mmm. Or perhaps it was an act of war against the Diamond Clan.”

“Oh, yes, I'm sure Adaman was very upset.”

Akari giggles at the sarcasm. She's not used to this side of Ingo, but she can't deny it's entertaining.

Melli levels her with a fake glare. “Great, now there's two of you. How am I meant to survive in these conditions?

Akari can't help but giggle again, and a small laugh escapes Ingo. “Yes, it's truly terrible.”

“Truly. In fact, I don't think I can take much more.” Melli gets up to leave, but he does stop to give a small bow. “Thank you for dinner, Akari.”

She blinks at him in surprise. “Oh. You're welcome.”

Ingo follows him to the door and says, his tone finally genuine, “thank you for coming by, Melli. I really do appreciate it.”

The other man just waves his hand. “Yeah, sure thing, Ingo. Take care of yourself, alright.” He gestures to Akari. “And her.” With that, he leaves and the tent falls silent.

Ingo comes back to the fire and sits next to Akari again. “Sorry for dropping that on you. He tends to just invite himself over whenever he wants.”

She laughs. “It's alright. He's... weird. But not bad.”

Ingo laughs, too. “That's an apt description. And kinder than most would be.”

“You don't like him?” She's a little surprised, after the playful way the two interacted.

But Ingo shakes his head. “It's not that. Melli can be very difficult at times, and even many of his own clan find him too much and choose not to associate with him. But he's also quite caring in his own way, and I do consider him a friend.” He hesitates for a moment before adding, “also... I can't recall the details, but I think something in his attitude reminds me of someone. I think whoever they were, I was very close with them, enough that the impression of them makes me more comfortable with Melli than most other people.”

Akari tilts her head. “I wonder who they were?”

Ingo just sighs. “I wish I knew, but there's not much point trying to figure it out. I've never been able to remember more than just the vague idea of them.”

That seems really sad to Akari. She knows that their situations are similar, but in this way they couldn't be more different. She's been largely unbothered by her lack of memory because of the certainty in her heart that she didn't have anyone she truly cared for before, but Ingo is the opposite. He knows that he had someone he loved, maybe more than one person, but as hard as he tries, he can't recall any more than that. That's far more than she can even begin to fix, so she just leans into his side and wraps her arms around him, trying to offer comfort in the only way she knows how, for a wound he can't even name.

Chapter Text

Sneasel wakes up the following day, but he's still weak from his injuries, so Lady Sneasler leaves him in their care and returns to the den with the rest of her kits. Ingo leaves much of his care in Akari’s hands while he focuses on keeping up with the rest of his duties. She finds she doesn’t mind, especially since he usually brings one or two new Pokémon home for her to study every evening.

She’s still keen to get out and start patrolling with him again though, so when Sneasel is well enough for her to carry him along, she just takes him with them. He seems to enjoy riding along on her shoulder and watches the battles she and her partners engage in with fascination. When they run into Lady Sneasler and the other kits, he greets them excitedly and after a few days even plays with them, but he always returns to her side, begging to be lifted up. Lady Sneasler seems to find this funny and showers both of them with affection whenever possible.

By the time Sneasel is fully healed from his injuries, the rest of his siblings have left the nest to make their own way, but when she tries to encourage him to do the same, he refuses to leave. Ingo suggests she keep him as a partner, but she still asks Lady Sneasler if it’s ok, worried that it may be somehow offensive since he’s descended from a sacred Pokémon. The sacred Pokémon in question makes it quite clear that she wants her kit to stay with Akari, so she officially catches him. He still rides on her shoulder during patrols, but now he occasionally participates in battles alongside her other partners, seeming almost too gleeful for his own good.

Akari has been staying with Ingo for almost three months when he tells her they’re going to visit the Pearl Clan for the midsummer festival. She’s not really sure what to expect, but he tells her not to worry about it so she tries not to. They leave several days before they need to and spend the extra time in the Icelands, studying the different species of Pokémon that can be found there. It’s a lot of fun and she’s very proud of how well her Pokémon handle the challenge. Kirlia and Gabite both evolved recently and have gotten much stronger, while Sneasel continues to learn and grow and Gastrodon is as reliable as ever.

When they reach the settlement, they head straight for the tent that Ingo uses when he visits. It feels far less like home than the one in the Highlands, but between the two of them and all their Pokemon, it's plenty welcoming. They settle in for the night, and in the morning they go out to find seemingly everyone in the clan out and about.

When they reach the central area, where a pavilion is being set up, Ingo stops her, explaining, “I have to go meet with the other Wardens. Will you be alright on your own?”

She glances around and nods. It seems quite safe here and there’s plenty of ways to keep herself entertained. “I’ll be fine.”

He pinches his eyes in a smile. “Alright. I’ll find you when the meeting is over. It’ll probably be a couple hours at least.”

She waves as he turns away. “See you later!” She watches until he disappears into a large tent, then turns back toward the pavilion, only to yelp in surprise at the three kids staring at her.

Upon being noticed, the oldest of them steps forward and says, “are you really Warden Ingo’s daughter?”

Before she can answer, another chips in, “I thought he didn’t have any family.”

”No,” another argues, “he couldn’t remember if he had family.”

The second one gestures wildly to Akari. “Then who is she?!”

As one, they all turn to her. “Yeah. Who are you?”

She's is feeling a bit overwhelmed, but she answers nervously, “I- I’m Akari.”

In a surprising display of politeness, they bow. “I'm Robin. This is Amiya and Ghira. Are you Warden Ingo’s daughter?”

“No!” She shouts too loud and slaps a hand over her mouth. In a more reasonable tone, she adds, “not- not really. He’s just taking care of me.”

Robin tilts their head. “If he’s taking care of you, then doesn’t that make him your dad?”

Akari furrows her brow. “I… don’t know? Does it?”

The other two shrug. Amiya says, “I don’t really know.”

Robin suddenly gets a spark back in their eyes. “Ok, but you do live with him, right?”

“...Yeah?”

“Is it true that he’s a ghost?”

Akari blinks at them, then bursts out laughing. “What?! No! Why would you think that?”

They turn a little red and defend, “he’s got weird ghost eyes. I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

Ghost eyes? What, because they’re silver? She supposed it’s an odd trait, but she’s never really thought about it.

Before she can figure out how to respond to that, Ghira asks, “isn’t it scary living with all those big dangerous Pokémon?”

This, Akari has a definitive answer to. “No way. They’re all super friendly. They even get along with my Pokémon.”

All three of their eyes widen at that. “You have Pokémon?”

“Can we see them?”

Akari shrugs. “Sure.” She takes a pokeball and releases Gastrodon, which gets exclamations of both awe and fear from the three of them. He headbutts her affectionately and she hugs his neck. “He’s very friendly. You can pet him if you want.”

Ghira darts forward, patting Gastrodon’s chest with his hands and making a slapping sound. “He’s slimy!” He sounds delighted by this revelation.

The other two are more hesitant, but do gently pet him. After they’re done, Akari releases Kirlia, who gives a flashy twirl and returns to her pokeball, having no interest in meeting them. Akari laughs and sends out Gabite instead. She toddles forward with her arms out, demanding attention. They’re all a little nervous, no doubt because of the teeth, but quickly realize she’s just a big baby and fawn over her. Finally, she releases Sneasel, but he just climbs up on her shoulder and glares at the other kids when they try to pet him. Even so, they’re very impressed by him, as the son of a Noble Pokémon.

With their little demonstration over, Akari is suddenly at a loss for what to do. She doesn’t have to worry long though, because Robin grabs her by the hand, saying enthusiastically, “come on! It’s time to eat!”

She gladly lets herself get dragged over to the pavilion, where they beg pastries off an elderly woman before promptly getting shooed out of the area. They all run away giggling. Akari isn't really used to spending time with kids her age, but she can't deny she's having fun. And they’re not done yet. They take her out to the edge of the settlement and teach her how to snowball fight. It turns out all her experience throwing pokeballs serves her well and soon it turns into three on one which she's still winning.

She completely loses track of time, only realizing that it’s afternoon when she happens to catch sight of a familiar black coat nearby. A snowball catches her in the face in her distraction and she loses her balance and falls into the snow with a thump, but she just jumps back up with a laugh. She hears another laugh and looks over to see Ingo watching with an amused tilt to his frown.

She runs over to him breathlessly. “How long have you been here?”

“A few minutes. You were having fun and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“How was your meeting?”

His expression hardens slightly, but his tone is still light when he says, “it was fine. Are you hungry? Everyone is gathering for lunch.”

Akari bobs her head affirmatively. She’s definitely worked up an appetite. She turns to look at her new friends and is surprised to see them hanging back nervously, staring at Ingo. Right. Ghost eyes. She glances back and forth a few times before just giving them a smile and a wave goodbye and gesturing for Ingo to lead the way.

He does so and pats her on the shoulder as they begin to walk. When she looks up, she can see his expression seems a little troubled. “I'm sorry about that. I don't have the best... reputation, I suppose. I apologize if that affects you because of your association with me.”

Akari blinks at him in surprise, then shakes her head. “It's not your fault. And honestly, it's fine, they were really nice to me.” His relieved sigh turns into a choked cough when she adds, “did you know they think you're a ghost?”

It takes him a moment to gather his composure, but when he does, his answer isn't what she's expecting. “I can't say I'm surprised.” Seeing her confusion, he explains, “it was a fairly common belief when I first arrived here. Between my strange appearance and the fact that even I can't recall how I came to be out in the Icelands, many came to the conclusion that I was a lost spirit. Obviously, most people have realized that it's not true, but children tend to hold tighter to such beliefs.”

Akari hums. “I guess that makes sense. But doesn't it bother you that they think of you like that?”

“Not particularly. People are going to believe what they want, whether it's true or not.” She thinks that's all he's going to say on the matter, but he adds in a far softer tone, seemingly as an afterthought, “besides, a ghost isn't such a terrible thing to be.”

Akari isn't quite sure what he means by that, but she supposes it's probably true. She puts it out of her mind as they approach the pavilion, now crowded with people, and simply follows where he leads.

Chapter Text

Akari tucks herself closer to Ingo's side as he weaves through the crowd to one of the tables that's been set up in the pavilion. They're each handed a plate of food and then ushered over to another table. There are other people there, who smile at them when they sit down. Akari recognizes Calaba and smiles back at the old woman.

A younger woman leans toward her with a warm expression. “You must be Akari. It's very nice to meet you. I'm Warden Palina.”

Akari nods. “Nice to meet you too, Ma'am.”

“I trust you've been settling in nicely with Warden Ingo?”

She nods again, more energetically this time. “Yeah!”

This causes the woman to give a good natured laugh. “I'm glad to hear it.”

Ingo draws attention away from her by asking, “Where's Warden Gaeric? I thought he'd be here.”

Palina waves her hand. “Last I saw, he was chatting with his parents over there. I'm sure he'll join us soon.”

Akari glances around, then looks back at Ingo. “It thought you said there were five Wardens.” Even with the one he asked about accounted for, there's still one missing.

Calaba is the one who answers. “Warden Lian couldn't make it. He's busy with trying to calm Lord Kleavor.”

Akari tilts her head. “Calm him?”

“He's been driven into a frenzy.” Palina sounds disturbed. “It's made him quite dangerous and Lian didn't want to leave him unattended if he can avoid it.”

Akari doesn't really know what she means by frenzy, but it can't be good. She doesn't want to make people talk about something that makes them uncomfortable, though, so she just falls silent and starts to eat her lunch.

A few minutes later, a man with blue hair and no shirt strides over and sits next to Palina. Gaeric, presumably. When his eyes fall on her, his face lights up with excitement and he practically shouts. “Oh! You must be Warden Ingo's daughter!”

Ingo chokes on his drink. As he starts coughing up his lungs and Calaba slaps him on the back, Gaeric just reaches across the table and takes her hand excitedly.

“It's great to finally meet you!”

Akari stares at him for a moment before stuttering out, “N-nice to m-meet you too, sir.”

He waves his hand dismissively. “No need to be formal.” He finally turns his attention on Ingo, who has mostly recovered. “You alright there, Ingo?”

He turns a grumpy expression on Gaeric, but the fact that his face is still quite red offsets the effect. “I'm fine.”

Palina and Calaba exchange a look behind his back and Palina covers her mouth, but doesn't quite stifle a laugh. Still, she comes to his rescue and asks Gaeric, “how has Lord Avalugg been lately?”

This proves to be quite an effective distraction as he launches into a lively story about his Noble trying to befriend the local Bergmite population. Akari is enjoying the story, but she also keeps an eye on Ingo as he seems to regain his composure and eats his lunch. He only looks her way once, and when he sees her watching him, he quickly looks away again, his face taking on a pinkish color again.

She's not terribly surprised when he's one of the first to excuse himself from the gathering. He does pat her on the shoulder and say, “you're welcome to stay if you wish.”

But she just shakes her head and follows him. As they walk back toward the tent, the silence is awkward. Akari doesn't want to break it, at least not until they're inside where no one can overhear them, so she just trails after him through the settlement and follows him inside. She sits nearby while he starts a fire, but as soon as he's finished, she reaches out and grabs his arm.

He freezes, clearly unsure what to do.

Akari can't look him in the eye, so she stares at the floor. Even like this, the words are hard to get out. She knows that addressing this could change everything. It could ruin the only comfort she has. But she can't just keep ignoring it, either. She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, before asking simply, “am I... your daughter?”

She hears Ingo take a sharp breath and his arm tugs involuntarily against her grip. His answer takes several horrible seconds to come, and when it does, his voice is quiet and uncertain. “I don't know, Akari.” She chances a glance up and sees his eyes and the corners of his mouth are tight. “I would never wish to replace the parents you must have had, and I would never ask you to think of me in such a way if you didn't want to. But...” He hesitates and his eyes turn away, staring over her shoulder awkwardly. “But, I do care for you in a way I never imagined I was capable of. I have no experience with it, but I can imagine it's the same way a person would care for their child.”

Akari can't help the tears that sting her eyes from the way he so clearly lays bare his feelings. For her. Just because she asked, even though it makes him uncomfortable. She's sure she's never met anyone so genuine and sincere in her life. He really does care for her. Even if he didn't want her initially, even if he still doesn't always know how to act around her, he really cares.

Taking her continued silence for uncertainty, he's quick to reassure. “If that makes you uncomfortable-”

She headbutts him lightly, leaving her head leaned against his chest as he falls silent. “It doesn't. Make me uncomfortable.” She slowly winds her arms around him and he reciprocates seemingly on instinct. “I don't think I've ever had anyone who cared. I don't remember really, it's just a feeling. But... thank you. It's really nice.”

His hand slowly comes up to pet her hair in a familiar gesture of comfort, although he seems at a loss for words.

She squeezes her eyes shut even though she already can't see his face from this position. “Do you mind...” She hesitates again, even at this point terrified of rejection. But a hand pats her back in silent assurance, so she finishes her thought. “Can I call you Dad?”

Ingo exhales slowly, his breath tickling her hair. His tone is slightly choked, but practically bursting with emotion as he answers, “yes. Of course you can, Akari.” A shaky inhale tells her that he's fighting tears as well, but he still adds on, softly, almost worriedly, “I... I love you.”

He really is just as afraid of being rejected as she is, and the realization sets her surprisingly at ease. She finally leans back, looking up to meet his eyes. When she smiles, the worried creases of his expression ease. “I love you too, Dad.”

Chapter Text

Akari and Ingo travel back across the Icelands, once again spending extra time to study the Pokemon that can be found there. Neither of them bring up the talk they had after the midsummer festival, but every time Akari calls Ingo Dad, she feels a little warmer. She can tell that it makes him happy too, by the cheery demeanor that hangs off him like a second coat.

When they reach the Galaxy Team's camp at the base of the pass, a man dressed in a red uniform flags them down. These people still make Akari nervous, so she stays half-hidden behind her dad as he approaches the man.

“Good day, sir. Is there something I can help you with?”

The man nods. “I'm sorry to bother you, Warden.” He gestures to the little, white Pokemon by his side. “You see, Vulpix's siblings all ran off. They're probably just playing somewhere, but I'm a little worried. I can't leave my post, though, so I was hoping you could help.”

Akari kneels and reaches her hand out and the little Vulpix bounds over to sniff her. Ingo gives her a fond look and answers the man, “certainly, sir. We would be happy to help. Do you know which way they went?”

“Thank you! They ran off that direction.” He points in the direction they came from. “There's five of them.”

“Very well. We shall return when we've located them.”

Akari jumps up, waving goodbye to the little Vulpix and following her dad back into the Icelands. As they walk, they both keep a closer than usual eye on their surroundings. The Vulpix they're looking for are the same color as the snow, so it's no easy task. She's the first to spot one, hiding in a small stand of trees.

The Pokemon is quite docile, giving a yipping bark and running right up to her when she approaches. Akari laughs and picks her up. Her snow white fur is soft and she can't help but run her fingers over it in awe. She seems to be content to be carried so Akari settles her more comfortably as she rejoins Ingo and they continue to walk.

The next two they find are both up on outcroppings of rock, so her dad climbs up and carries them back down. She really wants to learn how to do that, but now doesn't seem like the ideal time to ask. The next one, they locate by following the sounds of battle, finding it fending off a Glalie. The attacking Pokemon falls quickly to a Flash Cannon from Magnezone and the Vulpix runs over to join its siblings.

It's all going pretty well until they come up over a rise and spot the last Vulpix on the other side of a clearing where a gigantic Garchomp roams. Images of a raging Gabite immediately flash through her mind and she freezes, her breathing suddenly too fast. She barely registers Ingo pulling on the back of her coat, dragging her away from the dangerous Pokemon.

Before she even realizes what's happening, warm, solid arms are wrapping around her. A strong voice reverberates through her. “It's ok, Akari. You're safe.”

Akari raises hands that she only now realizes are shaking and hugs him tight. Her voice comes out too small. “I- I know. Thank you, Dad.” She takes a moment to gather herself, then sits back and rubs her eyes, surprised at the small yip that comes from between them. Apparently, the Vulpix she had still been carrying got a little squished in their hug. She seems only mildly annoyed though and looks up at Akari with worry clear in her eyes. Akari pets her soft fur. “I'm ok.” She looks back up at her dad and sees the same worry in his eyes. “We still have to go get the last Vulpix.”

He seems a bit troubled by the idea, and the image of him fighting the Alpha Gabite swims across her mind. This dragon is several times larger. There's no way he can do that again. Still, he nods after only a moment of hesitation. “Yes. I'll battle it while you go around and get the Vulpix.”

She doesn't really like the idea of him battling it either, but she knows his Pokemon are strong so she tries not to worry too much. “Ok. We... we can do this.”

They get back up and head up the rise again. Akari waits off to the side while Ingo skirts around the edge of the area. Once he's far enough away, he lets out a piercing whistle, drawing the Alpha's attention. It roars loudly enough to rattle the ground and charges forward. A thrill of fear runs through her at the sight. Her dad's back is to the edge of a cliff. He has nowhere to dodge to. But he doesn't dodge. Instead, he sends out Machamp, who takes the hit and strikes back with his own powerful blow.

Akari doesn't waste any more time watching, running as quietly as she can around the other side of the clearing. She tries to ignore the roars and the way the ground underneath her quakes. Luckily, the Vulpix doesn't mind that she just scoops it up her arms and turns on her heel to run back. Only once she sets it down with its siblings does she turn and look back at the still raging battle.

Ingo is exactly where she last saw him, standing steady and unfazed as the ground quakes and rolls beneath him. His tattered black coat flares out dramatically behind him as he confidently points at his opponent and calls out a move to Tangrowth. Akari is completely transfixed on the bitter battle playing out before her until finally, the Garchomp falls.

She doesn't waste a single second, dashing across the clearing and throwing her arms around Ingo. Her dad laughs and catches her, letting her momentum spin them both around. “That was awesome! How did you balance with the ground moving like that?”

He comes to a stop, holding her easily off the ground while he tilts his head. “I don't really know. It seemed quite natural. As though I have spent a great deal of time in similar situations.”

She tilts her head the same way he's doing. “What, you used to fight a lot of Alpha Garchomps?”

He blinks at her, before giving a surprised laugh. “No, I don't think so. Although I'm not sure why I would be so prepared for unstable terrain.”

“Hmm. I don't know, but we found all the Vulpix so we should probably head back.” She wiggles a bit to remind him that she's still suspended in the air.

He had clearly gotten distracted enough to forget because he sets her down a little too quickly. “Right. Yes. We should do that.”

They head back down to where the five Vulpix are still waiting. The one from before paws at Akari's leg, so she picks her up again, while the others follow them. It doesn't take too long to get back to the camp and when they do, the man from before looks quite relieved.

“Warden! I'm glad you're alright. I heard a lot of noise from that direction.”

Ingo nods. “We ran into a little trouble, but it's alright. We found all of your Vulpix.”

Akari sets the one in her arms down and she runs over to the man with the rest of her siblings.

He smiles warmly at them. “Thank you so much! I was so worried.” He glances up at the evening sky, then back at Ingo. “Would you and your daughter like to stay here for the night? It's the least I can do after you helped me out.”

A warmth fills her from the easy assumption and the fact that Ingo simply replies, “that would be very nice, thank you,” making no comment about it.

She leans against him as he sits by the fire and thanks the Galaxy Team man when he hands her a bowl of rice and vegetables. After dinner, they set up their tents and bedrolls, then settle down to sleep, comforted by the knowledge that the camp is far safer than many of the other places they've set up for the night recently. Akari is surprised when a little white Vulpix sneaks into her tent, but gladly makes room between Kirlia and Sneasel so that she can rest her head against her soft fur.

She sleeps in the next morning, waking long after she normally would. When she emerges from her tent, she finds Ingo waiting patiently, chatting with the man from yesterday. His frown takes on a happy tilt when he sees her and the Galaxy Team man fully smiles when he sees her carrying Vulpix.

“I thought that might be where she disappeared to.”

Akari looks down at her. “Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you again.”

He shakes his head and waves a hand, smile still on his face. “No, no. I think it's great. I'm glad she likes you.”

She smiles and sits down next to her dad, who hands her a cup of tea. He says, “Mr. Keaka was just telling me he's hoping to find people to take some of these Vulpix. Six of them are rather a handful.”

Akari blinks at him, then turns to look at Keaka, who nods in agreement. “Are you saying...”

He smiles at her. “She already likes you. All I want is for them to find people who will care for them and I can tell you will.”

“I will! I definitely will! Thank you Mr. Keaka!” She stands up so she can bow, Vulpix still held close in her arms.

He laughs cheerfully as Ingo stands up as well. “You're very welcome. Safe travels, you two!”

The two of them depart, heading for home, and Akari hugs her newest companion a little closer. She can't wait to get to know her even better.

Chapter Text

Once Akari and Ingo get back to the Highlands, they start going on patrols together again. Now that Lady Sneasler's kits are out of the den, she's also keeping an eye on things in the territory, which Ingo explains to her means they're a little more free to travel. Though they can't stay away for long, they begin to head down to the Mirelands to study the Pokemon that can be found there.

During one of these excursions, the two of them make it all the way down past the diamond clan settlement and to Calaba's tent. The old woman graciously invites them to stay for a few days, and even introduces Akari to her Noble, Lord Ursaluna. She's fascinated by the massive creature, who is very patient as she studies and measures him for her Pokedex.

Their second day there, Calaba asks Ingo to chop some firewood for her. While he's distracted, she takes Akari aside for a private conversation. She starts by asking kindly, “how have you been, girl?”

Akari smiles. “Good!”

“How has it been living with Warden Ingo? I know he's not always the easiest person to get along with.”

She's surprised by the harsh assessment. She thought they were friends. “What? That's not true, he's super easy to get along with!”

Calaba's brows come together in her own surprise. “Easy now, I meant no offense. And I'm glad to hear that things are going well, I suppose.” She pauses to consider her words for a moment. “Are there any issues? Anything he hasn't thought of that you need?”

Akari thinks about it for a minute before shaking her head. “I don't think so.”

“That's good.” Calaba gives her an honest smile. “I've spoken with Ingo about his memory problems at some length, so I worried that may have caused issues for you.”

“What kind of issues?”

She sighs. “It's gotten better with time, I think, but he used to struggle to remember to take care of himself, let alone another person. If you're not even aware of it, then perhaps you're of as much help to him as he is to you.”

Akari looks over to where he's still chopping wood, blissfully unaware of the direction of their conversation. The idea that her presence might actually be helpful to him is surprisingly comforting to her.

When she doesn't answer, Calaba just says, “I'm glad things are working out for you. Both of you. If you ever do need anything that Ingo can't help you with, you should know that the Pearl Clan always cares for our members. We're always willing to help you.”

She's still not quite sure she feels like she deserves the help and care the Pearl Clan have all offered her, but even so, she bows to Calaba. “Thank you.”

“You're quite welcome. Now, why don't you go help your father? I'm sure he would appreciate it.”

Akari bobs her head in agreement and bounds over to Ingo, who pinches his eyes at her, asking, “did you have a good talk with Warden Calaba?”

“Yep!” Akari picks up some of the already chopped pieces of wood and carries them over to the wood pile.

“What did you talk about?”

She hums and teases, “nothing in particular.”

Her dad just laughs. “Alright, well I'm glad it was good.”

Akari wakes to the sound of something shuffling outside her tent. She’s immediately on alert, but to her surprise, her Pokémon seem unbothered. In fact, Kirlia and Vulpix haven't even woken up. Cautiously, she pulls the flap back and peeks outside. It’s immediately clear why her Pokémon weren’t worried, but now she has a new question. Why is Ingo wandering around in the middle of the night?

“Dad?”

He doesn’t appear to hear her, and now that she’s looking, she can tell he’s acting weird. Holding his arms at odd angles and walking strangely. Is he… sleepwalking?

Akari gets up and slips her sandals on. When she gets nearer to him, she says again, “Dad?”

He still doesn’t respond, so she skirts around to look at his face. An involuntary shiver runs down her spine when she sees his eyes. Instead of their usual pale silver color, they’re blood red and slightly glowing.

She doesn’t think before reaching out and grabbing him, shaking him by the shoulders. “Dad! What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

He takes a sharp breath and the red color in his eyes flickers a couple times, then fades away. He stares blankly at her for several more seconds, then shakes his head. “Akari?” He sounds confused and looks around. “What are we doing outside?”

She throws her arms around him in relief and he hugs her back reflexively. “You were… I don’t know. Sleepwalking or something. But I think a Pokémon was doing something to you?”

“A Pokémon?”

“Yeah, your-”

The rest of her words are cut off by an ear splitting crash and a flash of brilliant light. Akari yelps and covers her ears even though it’s pointless now, while Ingo’s arms tighten around her defensively and he whips his head around, searching for the source of the sound. His gaze locks on the cliffs above them.

“What was that?!” Akari is pretty sure she’s shouting too loud, but her ears are still ringing to much to really tell.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. It came from up there. That’s… oh no.”

Akari doesn’t like the horror in his voice. “What?”

“Lady Lilligant. Her arena is up there. Warden Lian said Lord Kleavor was struck by lightning before he was frenzied.”

Akari looks up the cliff toward the arena. “That... did seem like lightning. Do you think Lady Lilligant is frenzied too now?”

“I can only hope that she isn't.”

Things are different for the next few days. Ingo and Calaba are both on edge, particularly once they get the confirmation that Lady Lilligant is actually frenzied. They both try not to act too worried around her, but they can't completely hide it. A message comes by Starly from Irida and they do share the contents with her.

Apparently she's been contacted by both the leaders of the Galaxy Team and the Diamond Clan. Ingo explains to Akari that Kamado has been pressuring her to do something drastic about Lord Kleavor's frenzy, and now that a second Noble is affected, it seems that his efforts have been redoubled. On the other hand, Lord Adaman of the Diamond Clan had been trying to keep out of the conflict between the Pearl Clan and the Galaxy Team, but is now asking for their help. He doesn't want to hurt one of their Nobles any more than Irida does, so she's considering accepting his offer of forming a united front against Kamado's interference. Her letter ends with asking for advice from the Wardens.

Calaba and Ingo spend several hours discussing how best to respond, eventually coming to the agreement that they should encourage her to accept Adaman's offer of a truce. They may not like the way he's handled things until now, but there's no real question that they're better off with him than Kamado, and standing against both of them at once is a bad plan as well. So they draft a response from both of them and send it off.

Akari remains quiet throughout the discussion, content to let them figure out what seems to be a complicated situation she doesn't fully understand. She's comforted to know that neither of them seem to hold much regard for Kamado.

When they're finally finished, Ingo sits next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders, quietly proving reassurance. It's more needed than she thought, and she finds herself leaning into him and letting the tension she wasn't even aware she'd been holding slowly fade away. Eventually, she relaxes enough to fall into a restless sleep.

Chapter Text

Lady Lilligant’s frenzy has dramatically increased tensions across the region. Ingo has been receiving far more messages than ever before, mostly from Irida, but also from the other Wardens. Everyone is nervous, and everyone is looking for a solution. He doesn’t have one.

He knows Akari can tell he’s on edge, but he tries not to let it worry her. She already has enough problems. In an effort to distract her from everything, Ingo decides to take her out to the Coastlands. He tells Lady Sneasler about his plans and she makes it quite clear she doesn’t mind her Warden being out of the area for a while. She watched over the Highlands alone for years before he joined her, but he still doesn’t like leaving for long periods of time.

For Akari, though, he sets aside a couple weeks and they head out to the coast. It’s not exactly a vacation, since they’re still working on completing the Pokédex, but it’s a nice change of pace. They spend the first week traveling around the hills that surround the large bay that Lord Basculegion calls home before heading down to the coast itself. It's difficult to catch many of the fish Pokemon since they're too far from the shore, but they still make good progress.

They've been in that area for a couple days before they run into Palina. When she sees the two of them, she gives a friendly wave and approaches, two Growlithe playing around her feet. “Warden Ingo! Akari! What a wonderful surprise. What brings the two of you out here?”

He gives his best attempt at a smile. “I thought it would be nice for Akari to get to see more of the region.” He doesn't think it's worth trying to explain their quest to find all Pokemon. He's pretty sure she wouldn't understand.

His answer brings a soft smile to her face. “Oh? And how are you finding it, Akari?”

His daughter answers brightly, “it's great! There's all kinds of interesting places we've seen and so many Pokemon!”

“You like Pokemon, don't you?”

“Yeah!”

Palina laughs. “No wonder you and Ingo get along so well. I'll admit, I didn't think it would work out when I heard he was taking care of you, but you've certainly proved me wrong.”

Ingo knows he could be offended by her statement, but he really isn't. He didn't think it was going to work out either, so instead, he just laughs.

“Growlithe!” Both of the playing Pokemon come to attention and approach at her call. She gestures to Akari. “Why don't you two meet a new friend?”

Akari gladly crouches and holds her arms out so she can hold on to them when they bowl her over with their excitement. She laughs as she's overwhelmed by the two highly affectionate creatures. They bark in surprise when she jumps up and bolts away, but gladly give chase when she throws a playful look back at them.

Ingo can't help but laugh and Palina steps close and bumps her shoulder against his arm. “You really love her, don't you?”

He doesn't take his eyes off Akari, but nods, letting out a slow breath. He doesn't see any point in hiding it. “I do. Far more than I would have thought possible.”

She gives a small chuckle. “I'm glad to hear it. She's a good kid.”

“She is. I just hope I'm able to provide what she needs.”

There's a long moment of silence before Palina sighs. “You're a good man, Ingo. I don't think you need to worry about it. And... I'm glad that you're not alone anymore.”

“I didn't mind being alone.” He doesn't know how to feel about her too kind judgement of him, so he ignores it, commenting only on the last part of what she said.

“I know you didn't. But, and forgive me if it's not my place to say, you seem happier.” She waves a hand before he has a chance to respond. “And before you even start to argue, I can tell even though you're not smiling.”

Ingo laughs. “No, you're right.” He considers his words for a moment. “I never wanted anyone around, and I never felt particularly lonely, but I think... I've been missing someone.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Missing someone? Someone from before you came here?”

“I think so. I think they must have been family.”

“Family, huh? Do you remember anything else?”

He shakes his head. “No. But having her around is very comforting to me.”

“Then I'm glad she chose to stay with you.”

Ingo answers as Akari runs back over to them. “So am I.”

She's still laughing as she skids to a stop and the Growlithe pounce on her again. “Hey, Dad! Did you know these Growlithe are rock type?”

He tilts his head. “Yes?”

“Isn't that strange?”

“Is it?”

“I thought they were just fire type.”

He hums. Now that she mentions it, that does sound correct to him. “Perhaps there was a variant where you came from that was only fire type?”

“Maybe.” Her brow remains furrowed for a few moments before she smiles brightly. “Yeah, that must be it!”

The two Growlithe dance around Akari and return to Palina's side. She smiles and pats them both on the head. “I have a question for you, Akari. If you think you can answer.”

Akari tilts her head. “What is it?”

"Can you guess which of these two is Lord Arcanine’s heir?”

Ingo watches Akari as she studies the two closely, her face scrunched in thought. Eventually, she points to the smaller one. “That one.”

Palina claps her hands together. “That’s right, good job! Many people assume that he must be the larger one, but things aren’t always the way we expect.” She sighs and looks out toward the volcano. “A lot of people expect him to become the next Lord Arcanine right away. He will take his place as a Noble, I’m sure of it. But he needs more time.”

Ingo pats her on the shoulder. “Don’t let the others discourage you.”

She sighs, but gives him a grateful look. “I know. But with these frenzies happening, Irida and Calaba are more insistent than ever.”

“They aren’t his Warden.”

“I know. Thank you. It’s nice to know someone in the clan is on my side.”

He laughs. “And what of a certain Diamond Clan Warden?”

Her face flushes red. “You know he’s always supportive, but that doesn’t mean anything to Irida.” Ingo nods seriously and she gives him a weak glare for his teasing before a thought seems to strike her. “Oh yeah. Iscan has been trying to get over his fear of ghost types lately. Do you think you’d be able to offer any assistance?”

He tilts his head. “Certainly, although I’m not sure what I can do.”

“Well it’s rather hard for him to get over it if he can’t even get near them, so if you could maybe bring one to him? If anyone can tame a ghost type it would be you, right?”

“It's really not that difficult. They're just the same as any other Pokemon.”

Palina snorts. “Oh yeah, sure. If any other Pokemon could eat your soul.”

“Only a few ghost types actually eat souls, and those that do are still quite easy to get along with if you simply treat them with respect.” Ingo wonders why that feels like a well practiced argument.

“Well, whatever the case may be, do you think you can help?”

He nods. “Sure. Do you mind watching Akari for a little while?” His daughter has been watching their conversation quietly, petting both Growlithe contentedly. “If that's alright with you?”

She nods. “I don't mind.”

Palina smiles at her. “It'll be fun! Akari will turn into a recluse if she only ever spends time with you.”

Ingo shakes his head. It seems there's no end to the teasing his fellow Wardens put him through. It's not as though he can really argue though, he does spend most of his time alone in the Highlands. “Very well. I'll be back before sunset. Have fun.”

He waves to them both and sets off along the beach. Warden Iscan's tent isn't all that far from Palina's, so it only takes fifteen minutes or so to reach. While the tent is located up on Aipom Hill, the man himself is currently at the beach, knee deep in water and scrubbing Lord Basculegion with a stiff brush. The fish seems to be enjoying this quite a lot.

He jumps when Ingo calls out, “Warden Iscan. How are you?”

“Ah! W-Warden Ingo. Hello. I'm well. How are you?”

“Very well. Akari and I were visiting with Palina and she mentioned that I may be able to help you with something.”

“A-Akari?”

Ingo tilts his head. He's surprised Palina hasn't mentioned her. “Akari is my daughter.”

Iscan blinks in surprise. “Oh. Well... um. What did Palina tell you?”

“She said you were trying to get over your fear of ghost types.”

“O-oh. You d-don't need to help with th-that.” He waves his hands and Lord Basculegion bobs up out of the water to nibble at his arm. “I wouldn't w-want to trouble you.”

Ingo waves a hand. “It's no trouble at all. In fact, I think-”

A small boom and a sudden plume of smoke from the direction Ingo came from distract the two from their discussion. Ingo takes only a second to stare at the phenomenon before taking off toward it at a run. He’s happy to hear Iscan hot on his tail. The man may be timid but he’s a Warden for a reason.

The smoke is starting to dissipate as they near it and a small figure comes stumbling out. When she sees them, Akari starts to run, not slowing as she slams into Ingo. He catches her and holds her close protectively, staring at the still settling cloud of smoke as though answers might materialize from it.

They don’t, but as his line of sight clears, he can see Palina running along the coast with a Growlithe trailing after her. She dives into the ocean without hesitation, swimming after a retreating boat with impressive speed.

Ingo looks down at his daughter. “What happened?”

“Bandits!” Her tone is surprisingly angry and when she looks up her eyes are fiery. “They took Palina’s Growlithe!” Now, some of the fire seems to fade. “I should have been able to stop them. They weren’t very strong. I wasn’t expecting a smoke bomb.”

Ingo pats her on the back and releases his arms. “Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known this would happen.” He watches the boat as it disappears around the cape. Palina isn’t visible in the water but he’s sure she’s following. They have to help.

Chapter Text

“Warden Iscan?”

The Diamond Clan Warden jumps, his eyes flicking over from where they were locked on the spot where the boat disappeared. “Y-yes?”

“Do you have a boat?”

He shakes his head. “No. B-but Lord Basculegion will a-assist, I'm sure.” He turns to the sea and the giant fish that followed their mad dash. “Right?”

The Noble bobs his head up and down and Ingo approaches with Akari at his side, wading into the ocean and trying not to cringe at the water filling his boots. When he reaches out, she copies the motion. The Pokemon nudges both of their hands and swims a quick circle around them.

“You two should go first.” When Ingo looks back at Iscan questioningly and he explains, “Lord Basculegion can't carry all of us.” He looks away and his nerves seem to come back. “Y-you're going to be m-more use against b-bandits than me.”

As much as he'd like to reassure the man, it is true. He and Akari are far better equipped to handle this. So instead of arguing, he nods. “Very well. We will send your Lord back to you when we reach wherever they've gone.”

“G-good luck.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Ingo climbs aboard the back of the fish. Although he can never be fully certain, he's very nearly positive he's never done anything like this before. While the idea of riding a fish Pokemon on the waves isn't in itself foreign to him, the action definitely is. Akari sits in front of him, holding on to the Noble with her hands while he wraps his arms securely around her.

And then they're off. Lord Basculegion is fast, and a far smoother ride than he expected. Luckily, he also seems to know where he's going and heads straight for the cape. Akari seems to be enjoying herself, laughing at the sea breeze in her face. Ingo can't quite share in her cheer, too focused on wondering what they're going to find when they reach their destination.

Bandits, obviously, but are they going to be looking for a fight? And why would they steal Palina's Growlithe. What kind of horrible person would steal someone's Pokemon?

He's shaken from his thoughts by Akari's voice, partially snatched by the wind but still audibly concerned. “Dad?”

He meets her eyes and sees her suppress a flinch. What is that about? “What's wrong?”

Her brows come together in a worried expression. “Are you feeling ok?”

Now he's really confused. “I feel fine. Why?”

“Your eyes are-” She's cut off by Lord Baculegion coming to a sudden stop.

Ingo is still a little concerned, but they have more important things to deal with than some issue with his eyes. He feels fine, anyway. He disembarks and helps Akari to shore, waving to the Noble as he takes off to get his Warden. His daughter still seems worried, but gives a little nod when he asks, “are you ready?”

They head uphill, battling the occasional Graveler and Magmar. Akari catches one of the latter to study later. When they reach the base of the volcano proper, where Lord Arcanine's arena sits, they find Palina facing off against three bandits. The situation seems to be boiling over as they arrive, with the three of them sending out Pokemon to fight her while her partner Growlithe tries his best to stop them.

Before he and Akari can do anything, the other, smaller Growlithe darts in front of his Warden and a flash of light blinds everyone. When Ingo blinks the spots from his vision, a very large Arcanine stands in his place. He gives a deep, vicious growl and the bandits back away, visibly frightened. He takes one step forward before another brilliant flash blinds him again and a boom rattles the ground.

Ingo realizes what's going on a second before anyone else and runs forward, knocking the leader of the bandits to the ground seconds before a blast of fire incinerates the air where she had been standing. She meets his eyes and her own are full of terror. As angry as he is with her and her friends, he doesn't want her to get hurt. So he growls, “get out of here,” before turning back to face the now frenzied Lord Arcanine.

He roars and lets loose another blast of fire. Ingo shoves the bandit leader and she grabs her friends and runs without needing any further encouragement. He dodges the other direction and whistles to keep the Noble focused on him.

“Water Pulse!”

Gastrodon follows Akari's direction and a jet of water strikes Lord Arcanine in the back. It deals a little damage, but it also serves to enrage him even more and draws his attention toward Akari. She stands courageously in front of Palina, defending her while she stares, horrified, at her Noble.

Lord Arcanine and Ingo dash forward at the same time. The Lord slashes Gastrodon with his claws, then leaps past him, intent on Akari. His momentary distraction gives Ingo just enough time to reach his daughter first, knocking them both narrowly out of the way of the gigantic claws.

It doesn't get them out of danger, though. Now, Lord Arcanine is looming over them. A fire ignites in his mouth. There's no time to dodge, so Ingo does the next best thing and covers Akari with his body, holding his right arm up to cover his own face.

The heat overtakes him in an instant, along with an excruciating pain centered on his right arm. He screams in agony and hears another scream from behind him. Is Akari burning too? Did he not cover her well enough? As the fire fades, he tries to turn, to see her, but he only manages to collapse to the ground.

“Dad!” His daughter sounds terrified, but when she enters his rapidly shrinking field of vision, she appears unhurt. He tries to reach out to her but his body doesn't seem to be listening to him. He must succeed in doing something because she grabs his left hand and her eyes fill with tears. “It's ok, Dad.” A roar rattles the ground and her head whips around. Her face takes on a determined expression and she smiles at him. Her eyes seem to flicker and glow, a green color overtaking the usual slate gray. She repeats, “it's ok. I'll save you this time.”

As she stands to face down the raging Noble, Ingo tries to reach out and stop her, but once again his body refuses to obey and all he can do is watch until the black eating away at the edges of his vision completely overtakes him.

Chapter Text

Akari rolls away from another blast of fire, trying to still the shaking of her hands. She tries not let the feeling of sickness roiling in her gut overtake her, instead focusing on drawing attention away from Gastrodon. He's her best hope of being able to win this fight, but to her dismay, even his most powerful, super effective attacks aren't doing much damage.

She has to do this. She promised her dad that she would do this. But the confidence that filled her is fading fast and exhaustion and fear are starting to set in.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Palina dragging Ingo away from the arena. Her expression is gripped with terror. No doubt caused by a combination of devastation over her Noble being frenzied and fear for her fellow Warden.

The injury is so bad. Her dad's arm was practically unrecognizable. Another wave of nausea strikes Akari and she stumbles, barely dodging the latest attack. Gastrodon calls out in fear for her, but all that does is draw attention to him. Lord Arcanine leaps at him and Akari screams as her loyal partner falls to his attack. She sends out Kirlia, but she knows that the odds of winning this just dropped to nearly zero.

As she expected, Kirlia doesn't last for very long, and Akari's dodges are starting to get sloppy. She can't see Palina and Ingo anymore, so she sends Gabite out and tries to make for the exit to the arena. Lord Arcanine clearly sees what she's trying to do and blocks her path with a massive gout of flames. She trips and falls backwards, ending up far closer to the lava than she would like.

Gabite attacks without any need for direction, buying her a little time, but it isn't enough. She sees the fire ignite in the Noble's mouth the same way it did a few minutes ago when her dad covered her. He's not here to save her this time. No one can save her. Despite her promise to him, she can't even save herself. She squeezes her eyes shut and waits for the pain to come.

Instead, a blast of heat envelops her, but no actual fire reaches her skin. Just like last time. She opens her eyes and stares in disbelief at what she's seeing. Instead of a black coat, there's a pair of black wings filling her field of vision. As the fire fades, Gliscor turns and gives her a toothy grin. If she wasn't so exhausted, she would cry.

Somehow, even grievously injured, her dad still saved her.

Gliscor doesn't waste a second grabbing her with his claws. She grabs her pokeball and recalls Gabite as they launch into the sky. Another ball of fire follows them, but he easily dodges it. As soon as they're clear of the lava, Gliscor dives toward the ground. He drops her when they're only a few feet up and she hits the ground running.

They both reach Ingo's side at once, starling Iscan, who stumbles back toward Lord Basculegion. To her surprise, her dad is conscious, and gives a shaky attempt at a smile when he sees her. The other Wardens have wrapped makeshift bandages around his right arm and it lays immobile at his side. He lifts his other hand and gently cups her cheek. Both his fingers and his voice tremble. “Akari. You're safe.”

She nods, smiling in an attempt at reassurance that she knows isn't convincing. “Y-yeah. I'm ok, Dad.”

“Good.” He sounds so relieved.

Akari nods again, then yelps in surprise when his eyes roll back and he goes completely limp, his hand falling away from her and landing in the sand with a thump. “Dad?!” She grabs his uninjured arm and shakes him. “Dad, wake up!”

Arms wrap around her and pull her away. She thrashes against Palina, trying desperately to reach her dad again. Her firm voice manages to cut through her panic, though. “Akari, settle down. He's just unconscious. Ingo needs medical treatment.” She hesitates a moment and when Akari looks up, she's staring across the water, biting her lip in thought. “Calaba is closer than either of the settlements. She's the best healer we have, anyway.” The Warden looks down at her and seeing her calmer, releases her hold. “I need your help. We're going to take Lord Basculegion back to my tent and set up a stretcher while Iscan brings Ingo over.”

Akari doesn't hesitate to nod. She'll do anything she can to help and that sounds like a solid plan. Even so, leaving Ingo here, injured and unconscious, even under the watch of Gliscor another Warden, leaves a terrible feeling in her heart. Like something is going to happen while she can't see him.

As they ride the Noble away, Akari watches over her shoulder until the island is out of sight. Only then does she focus on what lies ahead and soon they reach the shore. She leaps off the back of the great fish and follows Palina to the tent nearby. At the direction of the woman, she dashes around the area, searching for two adequate branches to use as the supports for the stretcher. When she finds them, she asks Sneasel to cut them for her so they're the right length. Palina brings out several blankets and they tie them between the two branches.

They're just finishing when Lord Basculegion reaches the shore again and they rush to help Iscan move Ingo. Akari is worried that the movement doesn't cause him to wake. Instead he only mumbles incoherently. They lay him carefully on the stretcher and the two Wardens each take one side of it and set off away from the coast.

As they travel, Akari keeps watch on their surroundings. Any Pokemon that get too close, she chases off with her remaining three partners. She can only hope nothing too dangerous wants to pick a fight since Gastrodon and Kirlia are still down and the adults have their hands too full to help. At least Gliscor is still gliding over them, watching their surroundings along with her.

Thankfully, they reach the Mirelands without much difficulty. It still takes much longer than Akari would like, and they don't make it to Calaba's tent until well into the night. She bangs on the door until the old woman opens it with a grumpy expression which turns to confusion when she sees who's on the other side. “Akari?”

“Please help!” Akari knows she sounds panicked, but she can't help it. She's been holding this in for hours by now. “Dad's hurt real bad. He needs help!”

Calaba doesn't waste another second, stepping aside. “Bring him in.”

Palina and Iscan enter and set down the stretcher where Calaba directs them to and move Ingo onto the spare futon she lays out for him. She immediately unwraps the makeshift bandage and sucks in a sharp breath through her teeth at the sight of the arm beneath it. Akari feels nausea swell up in her again and steps back, covering her mouth. Palina notices and follows her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Akari leans into her, thankful for the comfort, but she doesn't take her eyes of the horrible burn.

Calaba doesn't give her any more time to gather herself, glancing back at them. “Palina, go gather fresh water. As clean as possible. Akari, I need your hands, come here.”

Akari nods and kneels next to Ingo when Calaba directs her to. “What do you need me to do?”

“Hold his arm still. Iscan, I need clean rags.” She gestures with a hand. “And the knife on the shelf there.”

Akari takes hold of her dad's wrist, holding his arm steady while Calaba carefully prods at the wound with the rag, wiping away blood and pieces of melted flesh alike. Akari's stomach revolts, but she forces herself to stay calm and tightens her grip when his arm involuntarily twitches from the pain. Palina returns with the water, and Calaba soaks the rag in it, using that to clean the deepest part of the burn. Ingo inhales sharply and makes a pained whimper when a large chunk of skin sloughs off, but he doesn't wake up.

Akari's vision blurs from tears that she can't wipe away as she has to squeeze his wrist hard enough to make her knuckles go white when he thrashes against the next touch. Palina grabs his shoulders and holds him down while Calaba continues her work with a grimace. She takes the knife that Iscan holds out to her and carefully trims away the charred skin and muscle that's still holding on. Every time she cuts into healthy flesh, Ingo cries out and tries to pull away. They're causing him so much more pain than he was already in. Akari knows why. She knows they have to do this. But she doesn't even try to stop the tears that are now streaming down her face and dripping onto his hand.

She's not the only one affected, either. Both Palina and Iscan have tears in their eyes, though they're keeping their emotions in check better than she is. Calaba keeps her own eyes focused on her task and her hands steady, but her expression belies her own disquiet at what she's doing.

When she's finally finished removing all the burned and melted pieces of flesh, she asks Iscan to bring her several items from around the tent and quickly creates a poultice, which she spreads thickly over what remains of Ingo's arm. After that, she sets the kettle over the fire and readies the several cups of tea, which she hands to those of them that are conscious. Her tone is calm, but demanding of an answer when she says, “tell me what happened.”

While Palina and Iscan start to explain the situation to Calaba, Akari slowly drinks her tea, remaining at her dad's side. He's sleeping still, but it doesn't seem restful. His breathing is labored and his eyes flicker beneath their lids. Occasionally, he mumbles something that sounds almost like words, although she can't make any out specifically.

She moves around him to take his left hand and lays down, curling into his side. She buries his face in his kimono, finally letting the stress overwhelm her. She doesn't want to bother the other Wardens, so she tries to stay quiet, but she can't stop the tears from flowing again.

He saved her. Again. And now he's hurt so badly. This is all her fault.

“Akari...” Her name is mumbled, only audible because of how close she is. A sob escapes her involuntarily as her dad's arm tightens around her. When she looks up, he's still unconscious, but he mumbles, “it's... ok...”

A pathetic, pained noise escapes her throat and she hides her face in his side again. Even now he's trying to comfort her. Her breathing hitches as she stutters, “I l-love you, D-dad.” She takes several deep breaths and squeezes his arm tightly, whispering, “please don't die.”

Chapter Text

In the morning, Palina and Iscan both send messages out to their clans, requesting the other Wardens and the leaders to meet at Calaba's place. Akari overhears their discussion about it, though she refuses to leave Ingo's side. She doesn't like the hushed, worried tones they use.

Calaba checks on Ingo again and doesn't manage to hide her concern when she reports that he's become feverish. She makes medicinal tea and carefully forces him to drink it, though he remains unconscious. When she cleans the poultice from his wounded arm, it looks worse than it did the day before.

Iscan cooks breakfast for all of them. Akari only eats it because he looks worried about her. When she's finished, she curls up at her dad's side again, only half listening to their conversations. At least he seems to be sleeping a little easier since Calaba laid a cool rag on his forehead.

She stays by his side all day and through the following night, only leaving him alone for a few minutes at most. During this time, the others start to arrive. The first are two people she hasn't met yet, who Iscan introduces as Warden Arezu and Lord Adaman, the leader of the Diamond Clan. Later on, Wardens Mai and Lian arrive from the Fieldlands. She's surprised to find out that the latter is younger than her, but can't really focus on that revelation through the worry for her dad.

Everyone is clearly worried when they see his condition, but most keep their distance, discussing matters with each other rather than coming near. She knows it's partly because of her. They don't seem to know how to handle her, so they leave both her and her dad alone.

The first of the arrivals to actually reach out to her is Melli. When he arrives in the afternoon, he sits next to her, watching Ingo quietly for several minutes. Finally, he breaks the silence with a sigh. “The old fool. How many times have I told him to be careful?” When Akari doesn't respond, his tone softens. “Are you ok?”

She answers quietly, without looking at him. “I'm fine.”

Melli sighs again. “I don't think that's really true, but if you don't want to talk, I get it.”

“I really don't.”

“Ok. Do you want me to leave?”

Akari thinks about it for a minute before shaking her head. “Please don't.”

“Ok.”

True to his word, Melli stays with her for the rest of the day, until everyone settles down for the night. Once again, she curls up against her dad's side, unwilling to leave him for even a moment. The following morning, Wardens Gaeric and Sabi, who is even younger than Lian, arrive with Lady Irida. Irida takes a few minutes to check on Ingo, and asks Akari how she's doing. Once again, she just says she's fine. She's already caused enough problems.

It's pretty clear Irida doesn't buy her answer, but she accepts it. Now that everyone is here, they all sit down and start discussing things in earnest. Akari stays by her dad's side and listens idly. They're very worried about the frenzies, and the fact that Lord Arcanine so badly injured Ingo is apparently driving everyone to consider a more drastic course of action.

Before they can get too deep into that conversation, a groan draws the attention of everyone in the tent. Akari whips around, staring at her dad as he makes another pained noise and his eyes flicker open slowly. When his eyes meet hers, they crinkle slightly and he tries to sit up. He flinches when he moves his right arm.

“Easy, Warden Ingo.” Calaba appears beside them. She helps him up into a sitting position. “Don't move too much, you were hurt very badly.”

He nods slowly, appearing somewhat out of it. “Thank you.” His voice is weak and raspy.

Irida kneels beside them and holds out a cup of tea, which Ingo takes gratefully with his left hand and immediately starts to drink from. “I'm glad to see you awake, Ingo.”

He nods again and glances around at the gathered Wardens. “What's going on?” While he waits for an answer, he sets his now empty teacup aside and lays his left arm over Akari's shoulders. He leans over and knocks his head against hers.

She leans into him and nuzzles her face against his chest. They need to talk, but for now, with all these people here, this is enough. She listens silently as they explain about their intention to accept the Galaxy Team's plan for handling the Nobles.

No one seems to be expecting it when he shakes his head. “You can't do that.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Ingo? Lord Arcanine almost killed you.” Melli sounds almost angry at him.

Several other people agree, talking over each other for nearly a minute before everyone seems to realize he's just silently waiting for them to stop.

When they do, he speaks again. His voice is still weak and he's visibly more tired even though he's only been awake for a few minutes. “It's not his fault. There has to be some other solution to fixing these frenzies.”

“Does there?” Adaman asks. His expression and tone are both honest, as though he really is asking. “What if these events really are a test by the Almighty Sinnoh? Shouldn't we act before something even worse than this happens?”

Although he looks like he might pass out again at any moment, Ingo meets the clan leader's eyes, his expression deadly serious. “Do you really believe that?” When Adaman only squirms under his intense scrutiny, he looks around to everyone else. “Do any of you? I've been told again and again that the Almighty Sinnoh is a benevolent god. Do you really believe that it would do this?”

Irida answers, though she glances at Adaman first. “I don't think we do, but how else are we supposed to explain this? What else are we supposed to do? We can't just keep letting people get hurt.”

Ingo shakes his head and sways slightly. “I don't know.” He sounds bone tired. “But don't compromise your ideals on my account.”

Before anyone can continue to argue, Calaba rests a hand on his shoulder. “You need to rest, Ingo.”

He looks like he might try to argue, but instead he sighs and lays back without answering at all. Akari is pretty sure he's asleep again before he even gets his eyes closed.

She stays next to him and listens to the conversation as it slowly starts back up again. No one seems to have expected Ingo to speak up in opposition to a more drastic course of action, and now no one knows what to do. She knows she should listen. She knows she should care. But she doesn't. Right now, all she cares about is her dad.

She quietly lays down at his side and closes her eyes, forcing herself not to cry again. She doesn't want to worry these people any more. Instead, she wraps her arms around her dad's uninjured one and just lays there, listening to him breathe.

After a few minutes, someone, she thinks it's Arezu, apparently notices. She says, “oh, Warden Ingo's daughter fell asleep. Why don't we take this outside?”

There's murmured agreements from everyone and a fair amount of shuffling, and then silence settles over the tent. Despite everything, there's a small part of her chest that feels warm from being called his daughter. She holds onto that warmth with everything she has and tries to let it actually soothe her to sleep.

Chapter Text

The sound of voices draws Akari slowly out of sleep. She can hear her dad's voice, stronger than before but still hushed, probably trying not to wake her up. He says, “I can't thank you enough, Calaba.”

The elder replies from nearby, also quietly. “Don't start that, boy.” Akari almost giggles at hearing him be addressed that way, but she doesn't want to interrupt them so she stays still where she's curled up next to Ingo. “I'm a healer. I'm supposed to help people when they're injured.”

Her dad does laugh, just lightly. “That's true, but still, thank you.”

“We need to talk about your injury.” Her tone is suddenly far more serious.

“I'm sure one of the others already told you what happened.” He sounds confused.

“Not that, fool boy. What happened doesn't matter, it can't be changed. We need to talk about what happens now.”

There's a pause. “What does happen now?” His voice is even softer than before, laced with uncertainty.

Calaba softens her own tone in response. “Do you even realize how bad that wound is?” She doesn't wait for an answer, or perhaps he gives one nonverbally. “When I saw your arm, I wasn't at first sure I could save it. I'm still not sure I should have.”

Ingo takes a sharp breath but doesn't otherwise respond.

After a pause, Calaba asks, “can you move it at all?”

Akari feels her dad shifting, presumably trying to move his injured arm. When he speaks, his voice is tight with pain. “A little. Only this far.”

“Stop. You're only hurting yourself. That will improve as the wound heals, but even once it does I expect you'll have limited range of motion. And with the amount of muscle that burned, I doubt if you'll regain even a fraction of the strength you used to have. Do you understand what I'm telling you?”

His tone is pained when he answers, “it's never going to fully heal.” He sounds like he wants to say more, but instead he makes a soft, frustrated noise and falls silent.

“I'm sorry, Ingo. I did everything I could.”

“You saved my life.”

She sighs. “Yes, but I know how difficult this is going to be for you. I really am sorry I couldn't do more. Now, we need to talk about what's going to happen now.”

“What's going to happen?”

“You and your daughter are going to stay here for at least a week. Just because your fever broke doesn't mean it won't come back. I'm not sending you off only to hear that you keeled over when you got home.”

Ingo laughs. “Ok. That's fine.”

Calaba huffs. “It better be. I would keep you here longer, but I know you need to get back to Lady Sneasler.”

“Yes, although if we stay too long, she'll probably come looking for us.”

“Well, another Noble is always welcome here. Regardless, when you return to the Highlands, you are under no circumstances to immediately go back to your work. Lady Sneasler will understand that you're injured. She took care of herself for years before you came along, she can manage for a few months while you heal.”

“Months?”

“Yes, Ingo. These kinds of injuries take a very long time to heal and it will take longer if you push yourself. So don't.”

He sighs. “Very well.” He sounds mildly annoyed.

“I mean it. I will turn your daughter on you if you don't listen.”

“I said fine!” His growled outburst and the angry tone are both a little surprising. “I'm going to hate it, but I can follow directions!”

Calaba just laughs, unfazed by the anger. “That you can, but I also know you're stubborn as hell, boy. Consider this a warning.”

“I've been warned. Got it. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Only that you should tell me if anything unexpected happens. I'll do my best to help.”

Ingo takes a breath in and slowly lets it out. “I know. I'm sorry. Thank you.” All the fight is gone from his tone and now he just sounds tired.

Calaba laughs again. “It's fine, Ingo. You're hardly my worst patient. You know, when that Warden Melli was a child, he somehow twisted it around so his broken arm was my fault.”

Ingo gives a slightly choked laugh. “That sounds like him.”

“You look exhausted. I know it's frustrating, but please rest.”

He sighs. “Thank you, Calaba.”

There's some shuffling, then the sound of the door opening and shutting. Akari continues to stay still as her dad slowly lays back down. He doesn't wrap his arm around her like usual though, and when she hears a strange sound, she risks cracking an eye open to look. What she sees sends pain and guilt spiraling through her.

He's laid his uninjured hand across his eyes and is pressing down harder than is probably comfortable. Beneath it, his cheeks are glistening with tears. His teeth are bared in a pained grimace and his breathing is coming in gasps. The noise she heard was the sound of the pained sobs he's not quite managing to suppress.

Akari stays frozen, staring at him while he breaks down near silently. He's still trying not to wake her up. She wants nothing more than to get up and hug him. Tell him it's going to be ok. Except it isn't. Calaba said that his arm would never heal, of course he's upset about that. And she knows that if she does get up he's just going to try to pull himself together for her sake. She doesn't want him to feel like he has to be strong for her, but she doesn't know how to tell him that in a way he'll actually listen to, especially now. So she closes her eyes and slowly shifts closer until she's pressed against his side, and listens to the quiet sound of her dad crying until he exhausts himself to sleep.

Only once she's sure that he's actually sleeping, does Akari let herself cry. She squeezes her arms tight enough with her hands to hurt to keep herself from making noise that might wake him. This is all her fault. Ingo is not only injured, but permanently damaged because he protected her. She did this. She forced her way into his life and this is the result.

With shaking hands, she takes her phone out of her pocket. She hasn't spoken to Arceus in a long time. She hasn't felt the need to, but with her dad out of commission, she feels the need to talk to someone, and she doesn't think the other Wardens will understand.

Are you there?

I am always here, my Chosen.

Dad's hurt really bad. Is he going to be

ok?

I do not know. It appears that he will

not die, but that isn't what you are

asking, is it?

She hesitates. What is she asking? It doesn't take long to figure out the answer.

Can you help him?

I cannot heal him. Perhaps if my

connection to him were in tact I could

try, but as it is, even attempting to would

likely kill him.

There's a pause while Akari tries to figure out how to respond. Before she does, she's surprised by another message.

I admit that I do not understand

humans well. I was surprised that you

and my other Chosen developed a

familial bond despite sharing no blood.

However, even I can see how important

that relationship is to both of you. It...

may not bring you the comfort you seek,

but know that I believe your presence

will do far more to heal your father

than I would be capable of.

I can heal him?

Not in the physical sense. There is little

that can be done to heal his body. But

your love has already done much to

heal his damaged mind.

Is that true? She doesn't think Arceus would lie to her, so it must be. She nuzzles her head against his side. It's comforting to know that she hasn't only brought pain to him.

Thank you.

You are welcome, my Chosen. I am so

sorry that this burden must fall to you.

What happens when I'm finished with

your task?

She's not sure why the question only just occurred to her, but suddenly it's the only thing that matters. She doesn't want to have to keep being in danger, and she doesn't want Ingo to keep being in danger either. Maybe Arceus can help.

That is up to you. If you succeed and

space-time is repaired, then I will be

able to offer you many things. I suspect

that you will desire to go with your

father when he is returned home.

Returned home? What are you talking

about?

He cannot remember, so he has not told

you this. When I requested his assistance,

he agreed under the condition that I

would send him home when it was finished.

This is a promise I intend to keep. If you

wish to go with him, I will gladly send you

together.

Akari stares at the screen for a long minute. He... asked to be sent home after? He agreed to this?

Did I agree to come here, too? And did I

ask you for anything?

You did. I would not have sent you

against your will. And you did ask me

for something, but I cannot tell you what

it was. I made a promise to you that I

wouldn't.

Did I know I was going to lose my

memory when I asked that?

You did.

Oh. Well, that's weird. Why would she have asked for it not to tell her what she asked for if she knew she wouldn't remember? She supposes she only has her past self to blame for that. More importantly...

You can send me back to Dad's home with

him when we're finished?

That is correct. If you wish it.

What is his home like?

My observations of it will mean little

to you. What I can tell you is that he

was very happy there and he wished

very strongly to return.

I see. I look forward to finding out more

when we get there, then. Thank you.

You're welcome.

She puts her phone away and closes her eyes. Her dad's home. She wonders what it was like. He doesn't remember, so she can't ask. She can only hope that it's nicer than here, or at the very least, less dangerous. She doesn't want him to be in danger anymore.

Chapter Text

The Wardens are all gathered in Calaba's tent again. Ingo is awake, seeming more present than before and slowly eating soup from the bowl balanced on his knee. Akari is sitting next to him, still holding her own empty bowl. She finished much faster than he did, but then she wasn't trying to eat it with only her non-dominant hand.

The Wardens have been discussing possible methods for calming the frenzied Nobles for hours now. Ingo occasionally joins in the conversation, but mostly, the two of them have stayed off to the side quietly. Akari is content to keep it that way until Lian says something that catches her attention. “The only thing that seems to quiet Lord Kleavor are ‘is favorite foods. ‘Cept I can hardly bring ‘em to ‘im when he tries to attack me every time I get close.”

“Have you managed to get him to eat them at all?” Arezu asks.

The boy nods. “Yeah, but I have to be real careful. If I sneak in there and leave ‘em, he'll eat ‘em and it seems to calm ‘im down a little, but the frenzy always comes back a few minutes later.”

“Is there something special about the food? Why would it have that effect?” Adaman asks, looking puzzled.

“I doubt if it's the food itself.” Calaba joins in. “It's probably the reminder of Warden Lian's dedication. This isn't a physical ailment, so it makes sense that it doesn't need a physical cure.”

Irida hums. “But if the frenzy comes back, what do we do? Try to give him more food?”

Lian shrugs. “Can't hurt to try, I’d say. But it's goin’ to be hard to get a lot of food in there without ‘im noticin’.”

“Why not throw the food, then?” Akari doesn't really mean to speak up and she freezes when everyone turns to her.

Mai tilts her head. “Throw it? Wouldn't he still see you, though?”

“I-I mean, y-yeah. But y-you'd have more time to d-dodge.” She hates how unconfident she sounds, but there's way too many eyes on her right now. She startles as an arm comes to rest around her shoulders and glances up to see Ingo giving her a gentle, encouraging look. She gives a little nod in return and fixes her eyes on the floor. “You could split the food up into little sections to make it easier to throw. And try to keep moving so you're not an easy target.”

There's a moment of silence, which is broken by Ingo. “I think it's worth a try, at least. We haven't come up with any other viable plans.”

Irida sighs. “That's true. It can't hurt to try.”

“Right.” Adaman agrees. “But who's going to put themselves on the line to try it?”

His question is met with uneasy murmurs. Akari is distracted from them by Ingo pulling her into a one-armed hug. He rests his head on top of hers and lets out a long breath that tickles her hair. He whispers, “can you help me get outside?”

She nods and gets a better hold on the arm around her shoulder, then stands, helping to haul him up with her. He's still a little shaky on his feet and leans on her as they skirt around everyone else and leave the tent. Several people smile at them as they pass, but continue their discussion. Once they're outside, they walk to the other side of the clearing in front of the tent.

There, Ingo stops, still leaning on her slightly, and takes a deep breath of fresh air. He closes his eyes and seems to simply savor the sun on his face. He stays like that for a few minutes before quite suddenly turning to tug Akari into a tight hug. His right arm remains immobile at his side, but his left hand grips the fabric of her kimono almost desperately.

When he just stays like that for a minute, she cautiously asks, “Dad? Are you ok?”

She feels him nod, but his voice is choked when he answers. “Yes.” He takes a deep breath and tries again, his tone shifting again to something quiet and very serious. “I'm so proud of you.”

Akari takes a sharp, surprised breath. That's the last thing she expected him to say. What is he talking about? What is there to be proud of?

When she doesn't answer, he grips a little tighter. “I know you're blaming yourself for my injury, but please don't. I love you, and I don't want you hurting yourself because you feel responsible.” He releases her, pushing her back, but still keeping hold of her arm and looking her in the eye. There are tears in his eyes that he's not even trying to hide. “This isn't your fault.”

He maintains eye contact and as much as she wants to, she can't look away. Her vision blurs with her own tears. “But it is! You're only hurt because you saved me. Again!”

He shakes his head. “I told you I would always save you. Those weren't just words, Akari. I love you so much. You matter so much more than an injury. I...” The tears in his eyes spill over and make tracks down his face. “I don't know who convinced you that you don't matter, but they were wrong. You matter more to me than anything else in the world.”

Akari stares at him, her own tears falling freely. How can he say something like that so seriously? How can he really mean that? A pained whine escapes her mouth and she grabs the front of his kimono and headbutts his chest. She's sobbing openly now and he gently wraps his left arm around her back and rubs soothing circles into it.

After a few minutes, she settles her breathing and he asks cautiously, “are you alright?”

She shakes her head, keeping it pressed against his chest. Her voice is barely a whisper when she asks, “why?”

“Why, what?”

“Why do you... care? I'm just me.”

He sighs and squeezes a little tighter for just a moment. “It's because you're you, Akari. I wish you could see how incredible you are.”

She shakes her head again, although she can't voice her argument through the lump in her throat.

He seems to take that as his cue to keep talking. “You're strong, talented, determined, kind. I love every moment I spend with you. I love the way you approach the world with curiosity, the way you treat every Pokemon you meet with the same gentleness even if you mean to release them later. You brought light and happiness to my life even though I rejected you at first. I'm so sorry that you've been made to believe that you're anything less than the incredible person that I've come to know and love. You are my daughter and as long as I'm able, I will always protect you because you matter.”

Every word seems to drive straight into her heart. He really means it. She can't quite bring herself to agree, but just the fact that he really believes such things about her is enough to send her right back into her sobbing state from earlier. He really loves her. He really cares. And he really doesn't blame her for what happened. Even if he should, he doesn't.

She feels him sway and before she can react to that, his knees buckle and they're both on the ground. He seems largely unfazed by this, only shuffling his legs to sit more comfortably without letting go of her. She supposes this is fine. She gets her mouth to cooperate long enough to say, “I love you, Dad. I...” She trails off, uncertain what she can even say to such a heartfelt declaration.

Ingo pats her back. “It's ok. You don't have to say anything if you can't.”

She nods and just repeats, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Akari.”

Chapter Text

Ingo is sitting cross-legged on the spare futon in Calaba's tent when Lady Irida comes in, holding what remains of his coat in his hand. Akari is sleeping next to him, still refusing to leave his side as she has been since he woke up here. Since before then, probably.

His clan leader strides across the tent and sits in front of him. She reaches out an places a hand over his and he finally looks up. When he meets her eyes, she gives him a sympathetic smile. “It's in pretty rough shape, isn't it?”

Ingo lifts the garment in his hand. In addition to the extreme wear and the many, many tears it's acquired over the years, now most of the right arm is completely missing. The edges that remain are singed. He sighs. “That's putting it mildly, I think.”

“Perhaps we could... repair it?”

He just raises an eyebrow in response.

Now, Irida sighs. “Yeah, you're right, but I know how important it is to you.”

He sets it back down. “I know it's odd. It's just a coat.”

“But it's a coat from whatever space you came from. I can only imagine how much that means to you.”

Ingo just nods. He couldn't explain his deep attachment to the old, tattered coat if he tried, so he simply doesn't try.

“Maybe it's time to replace it, then?”

His knee-jerk response is to shake his head, but he stops halfway through and freezes there, staring blankly into the space above Irida's head. Eventually, he says, “you're right.”

He shakes his head and focuses his eyes again to see her giving him another kind smile. “If you'll allow me to take it with me, I can have the clan seamstress do her best to recreate it.”

“That would be for the best.” He makes no move to hand it over.

“You don't have to.”

Ingo takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out, easing the grip he has on the fabric. After another second of hesitation, he holds it out to her. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” She carefully folds his coat as well as she can given the state that it's in. “Now, I do have to leave. Gaeric and I are heading back to the settlement.”

“Ah. In that case, please travel safe.”

She smiles. “We will. I'll send your new coat when it's finished. Please keep me updated.”

When she stands, Ingo gives an approximation of a bow. “I will. Thank you.”

He remains in his seated position for a few minutes after she leaves, trying to shake the feeling that he's somehow exposed without his coat. He wasn't wearing it anyway, but not having it in his possession feels strange. Eventually, he just lays down next to Akari. He's tired, despite having done almost nothing since waking up. He rolls over onto his left side and rests his forehead against the top of his daughter's head. The position isn't comfortable, with his injured arm resting awkwardly on top of his body, but he has yet to find a position that doesn't hurt in some way, so this works as well as anything.

He's worried about the talk they had yesterday. He hadn't realized exactly how bad her issue with self-worth was. Part of that is his fault, he's well aware. Looking back, it's obvious his indifferent attitude towards her in the beginning was nothing short of cruel. She even told him, when they talked at the midsummer festival, that she doesn't think anyone has ever cared for her like he does. He should have made it clear then how much he loves her. How important she is. He should have realized that she didn't understand.

It would be hard for him to explain how, in just a few months, things have changed so drastically, but Akari truly is the most important thing in his life. Until she arrived, he thought he was happy alone, and even when she chose to stay with him, he was telling the truth when he said he didn't mind either way. But that has more than changed. Now, he can't imagine trying to live without her. Knowing that he's been unwittingly allowing her to believe anything less hurts far worse than his burned arm.

She mumbles in her sleep and Ingo gently presses a kiss into her hair. He whispers softly, “it's ok, Akari. Sleep.”

He can't let this go on. He knows she didn't completely believe him yesterday, but he intends to make sure that she will. He will never let her doubt how much she means to him again. He will not allow her to place so little worth on herself, or blame herself for things she has no control over. After all, isn't that what a parent is supposed to do?

Ingo never meant to be a parent. He never wanted to be, having no interest in developing a close relationship with other people he met. He's never paid much attention to how others in the clan raise their children because it honestly didn't matter to him. He knows he didn't have children before he arrived here. He probably couldn't have been certain before Akari, but he is now. He has no idea what he's doing.

Despite this, and despite his initial ambivalence, he loves her more than he could have possibly imagined. He remembers now that he had family, though any further details are still lost in haze, and he loves her just as much as he loved them, he's certain. As far as he's concerned, she deserves the entire world. She deserves to be happy and to know how loved she is. She deserves to not have to live with this fear and anxiety eating away at her.

A subtle shifting pulls him out of his derailing thoughts and he looks down at Akari. She shifts again and makes an incoherent mumble, then slowly opens her eyes. It takes a moment for them to focus, but when they do, she smiles. “Dad,” she mumbles.

He kisses the top of her head again, which makes her giggle. “Good morning.”

“How long have you been awake?” There's a thread of an accusation in her tone.

He huffs a laugh. “Not long, I promise.”

Her smile softens. “Good.”

Ingo does his best to smile back at her and, lacking a free hand to pat her with, knocks his head against hers. “I'm going to stay here and rest, but you should go find something to eat. I think Calaba is outside.”

She nods, though she doesn't look particularly happy about leaving his side. She doesn't argue, though, only says, “I'll be right back.”

He watches fondly as she bounces to her feet and leaves the tent, then lays his head back down and closes his eyes. He really should try to rest. He's still tired even though he's barely moved around at all in the last few days since he woke up, so he takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out, doing his best to relax. Exhaustion washes over him the moment he succeeds, and he barely registers the sound of the door opening or the feeling of Akari settling back down next to him before he falls asleep.

Chapter Text

Warden Calaba allows Ingo and Akari to return to the Highlands a week and a half after they arrived at her tent. While he deeply appreciates everything she's done for him, he is very much looking forward to getting home. Reaching the Highlands takes longer than it ought to because, despite the time that's passed, he still gets exhausted very easily.

They take it slow, spending a few days traveling, which gives Akari plenty of time to catch and study Pokemon, as well as train with her team. He's so proud of the progress she's made. His own Pokemon get turns out of their pokeballs keeping them company and stretching their various limbs, but they don't battle much. Ingo is simply too tired to give them the focus they deserve, so as much as possible, he leaves that to Akari.

A deep ache has settled into his right arm that he can't quite seem to shake. He hopes it isn't going to stay, but he's not holding his breath. While they travel, he keeps it in a sling that Calaba gave him and tries to move it as little as possible. Somehow more annoying than the pain is the discovery of how severely right handed he is. He struggles with even the simplest tasks, having to figure out work arounds for things like eating and dressing himself. Akari is extremely patient with this, not complaining at all that most of the complex tasks, such as cooking and setting up camp, fall to her. He's honestly not sure he would be able to do this without her.

Ingo isn’t surprised when Lady Sneasler meets them at the base of the Highlands. He's actually been expecting her to track them down at Calaba’s tent, but she never showed. He’s also not surprised at her displeased yowl when she discovers his injury. She sniffs the bandages around his arm and wrinkles her nose in disgust.

He gives a soft laugh and pats her with his left hand. “It’s alright, My Lady. The injury is quite severe, but I will live.”

She huffs and turns to Akari, tilting her head in question.

Akari tilts her head right back. “Are you asking if I’m hurt too?” She doesn’t wait for confirmation. “I’m fine. Dad protected me.”

This, at least, seems to ease her irritation, and she leans over to headbutt Ingo affectionately.

He laughs and scratches her ear. “I see where your loyalties lie.”

His Noble grumbles, irritated again even though she can clearly tell he’s joking. She joins them as they set off again and remains with them all the way to the tent. Ingo is thankful for it, both because her presence keeps the wild Pokémon away and because he enjoys her company.

When they finally make it home, he stops just outside and faces his daughter. “Do you mind getting a fire started?”

She glances between him and Lady Sneasler, then nods. “Yeah, sure.”

As soon as she’s gone, Ingo steps forward and rests his head against Lady Sneasler’s chest. He whispers softly, “I’m sorry My Lady. I won’t be able to perform my duties very well for a while.”

Even though he’s not expecting her to be angry, the soft, reassuring croon is a surprise. She wraps her claws around him and makes the same noise again. Her head comes to rest on top of his own and a deep rumble builds in her chest.

Ingo feels his eyes sting with tears. She’s treating him like she would an injured Sneasel. He’s her Warden. He’s supposed to be the one taking care of her. Even so, he can’t deny how comforting it is to know that she doesn’t blame him for not being able to carry out his duty as he’s meant to. He wraps his arm around her and nuzzles his face into the soft fur of her chest, allowing himself to be overwhelmed by everything just for a brief moment.

He doesn’t know how he’s supposed to handle this. The knowledge that his arm will never work properly again cuts far deeper than he would have expected it to. At the same time though, he wouldn’t do anything differently if he had the choice. His arm is a price he would gladly pay for Akari’s safety. It’s a price he did pay, he supposes. He doesn’t regret it, but it still hurts. Knowing that he won’t be able to do his duty as a Warden for months hurts. Knowing that even once the injury is healed, he’s still going to be impaired hurts. And knowing that Akari still blames herself on some level hurts.

Ingo cries into Lady Sneasler’s fur for a few minutes before he manages to get himself together. After that, it’s another few minutes before he’s presentable enough to go inside without worrying Akari. When he finally feels sort of balanced again, he hugs his Noble once more and whispers, “thank you. I’m so sorry.”

She shakes her head and pushes him toward the door with her claws, making a soft, disapproving noise.

He pinches his eyes at her and heads inside. Akari looks up from where she sits next to the fire. She’s started cooking dinner. “Did you have a good talk with Lady Sneasler?”

He sits next to her, leaning over to knock his head gently against hers. “I did.”

She giggles at the odd form of affection, but returns the gesture. “I’m glad.”

He lets out a long sigh, rubbing his eyes with his left hand.

“Are you alright?”

“Just tired.”

“Why don’t you rest then?”

Ingo pinches his eyes at his daughter. She’s always so worried about him. “I will. After dinner.”

“Ok.” She smiles back. “I’ll hold you to it.”

He laughs. “You sound like Calaba.”

“Well, Calaba has the right idea. You push yourself too much.”

He huffs and makes an exaggerated grumpy face at his daughter, then falls dramatically back on the cushions. “You're right, but I hate it. I'm supposed to be the responsible one in this relationship.”

Akari snorts at the dramatics. “We can take turns.”

Something about that answer sparks both far more humor than it should, as well as something like nostalgia in his foggy mind. He laughs quietly at first, but it builds into something loud and uncontainable. When it spreads to Akari, he lets his head fall back and stops trying to fight it. His daughter collapses next to him, reduced to a fit of giggles. Once both of them have mostly gotten themselves back together, he squeezes his arm around her. When she looks up, he gives her the softest look he can manage. “Thank you.”

This makes her laugh again, her face blessedly free of the tension that's been plaguing it for weeks. She doesn't answer, just nuzzles him affectionately and closes her eyes.

He idly pets her hair with his hand. It's so nice to just relax for a moment, to simply exist together and be happy. Except... “I think the food is burning.”

Chapter Text

“There's a good handhold above your right hand.”

Akari looks up, eyes squinted in focus, searching the cliffside until they light on the spot he pointed out. She reaches out for it, moving her foot up the cliff at the same time.

“Slow down. Only move one limb at a time.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“It's ok, just try to remember your safety checks. I know it's a lot to think about at once, but it will become second nature eventually.”

She takes a moment to search for the next handhold, then carefully moves just her left hand to it before moving her feet, one after the other.

“Very good. How are you feeling?”

“My arms hurt.”

“Why don't you come down, then?”

“But I want to get up to the top.” She whines.

Ingo argues, “you're not even halfway there. If you're already sore, you're not going to make it today. We can try again later.”

She gives a frustrated growl, but does start moving back down the cliff. Ingo keeps his eyes trained on her, trusting their Pokemon to warn him if anything approaches from behind. He knows that if she falls, Tangrowth will catch her. That's what she's waiting at the base of the cliff for. He still doesn't like watching her do this.

It's his own fault. She watched him rock climbing too many times and now that he's temporarily out of commission, she insists that she needs to learn, just in case something happens on a cliffside and he can't get up to it. His argument that Lady Sneasler would be more suited to fill that role went unheard. Her mind is set on it, so he's simply trying to make the best of it and teach her correctly so that she doesn't get hurt.

“Oh, Almighty Sinnoh, I'm going to have to deal with two of you menaces climbing all over this mountain now, aren't I?”

Ingo flinches at the voice. He was so focused on watching Akari that he didn't hear Melli coming, and the Pokemon didn't consider him a threat so they didn't warn him. He only briefly glances at the other Warden before locking his eyes on his daughter again. She's about halfway down now. He answers as smoothly as he can, although he's sure Melli saw him jump out of his skin. “I suppose you are.”

The other man snorts. “Great.” He comes to stand next to Ingo and watches Akari with him for a minute. “I'm surprised you're not up there with her.”

“Warden Calaba would skin me alive if she found out I was rock climbing while still injured.”

That gets a genuine laugh out of Melli. “You've got me there.” As Akari reaches the ground, he says, “well, look at that, she made it without breaking any bones. Good job, kid!” He raises his voice with the last part, and it comes out a lot more genuine than Ingo thinks he intended it to.

Akari turns and tilts her head in surprise, having been too focused to notice his arrival. She smiles brightly after a moment. “Thanks!”

When she gets close enough, Ingo reaches out and pats her head, ruffling her hair. “You did well. That was higher than you made it last time.” Now that she's back on solid ground, he actually looks at Melli. “What brings you up this way?”

He waves a hand. “Just wanted to make sure you hadn't done something stupid and died.”

Ingo laughs. “Not yet.”

“Not for lack of trying, you mean.”

The jab doesn't bother him much, but it does tell him that Melli is far more concerned about his injury than he wants to let on. He softens his tone. “I'm fine, Melli.” He glances at the setting sun. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

Melli looks away sharply and mutters. “No. I wanted to generously offer you food, you old fool. I have more than enough, so it's hardly an effort.”

Ingo blinks at him in surprise and suppresses a laugh. “That sounds lovely. Thank you for your generosity.” He gestures with his left arm in the general direction of Lord Electrode's arena and Melli nods, setting off that way.

Akari tilts her head at his back and raises an eyebrow.

Ingo shrugs in response and follows the other Warden. They're not too far from it, so it only takes a few minutes to reach the arena and the hidden crevice nearby where Melli's tent sits. They all head inside and Ingo isn't terribly surprised to find that a large pot of stew is already cooking over the fire.

Melli waves to the cushions around the fire. “Sit.”

Ingo and Akari do so and watch as he gathers things from the kitchen, then returns and ladles up portions of stew for each of them. He takes his and balances it on his knee in the way he's getting more used to. It's still difficult to eat with his left hand, but he's slowly getting better at it.

Melli watches the process with some concern. “That looks like it's difficult.”

Ingo shrugs. “Yes, but it's not as though I have much choice.” He doesn't really want to discuss his frustrations about his injury with Melli, particularly not with Akari around to hear it.

Apparently he isn't going to give him a choice in the matter. “It makes a lot of things harder, doesn't it? I haven't seen you out patrolling since you got back. Is that why?”

He sighs and sets his spoon down, looking his fellow Warden in the eye. “Yes. Technically, I probably could patrol, but Calaba warned me that pushing myself would cause my repairs to take longer, so I have been trying to rest.”

Melli's eyes narrow, his expression becoming upset. He schools it back into his usual haughty expression after only a moment, though. “Why don't I take over, then?”

“W-what?”

“It can't be that difficult if you can do it. And I'll admit, Mount Coronet has been safer since you started your silly little patrols, so I can take up the task for a while. Of course, I have far more important things to do, so I expect you to start again as soon as your arm is healed, you got it?”

Ingo just stares at him. He never would have expected Melli to offer something like this.

“Did you lose the last of your mind, old man? Stop staring like that.”

He shakes his head, then bows it. “Thank you. It would mean a lot to me if you would do that.” He hesitates. “But it is quite dangerous. Are you sure you want to?”

Melli tosses his head, sending his hair flying over his shoulder. “You think I can't handle it?” Despite his attitude, Ingo can tell it's an honest question.

“Your Skuntank isn't as accustomed to battle as my own Pokemon are. Perhaps you should... borrow some of them for a while?” Even as he says it, he realizes that he really doesn't want to offer that. He knows Melli would take good care of them, but the idea of not having them around is hard to swallow.

He's actually glad when Melli shakes his head. “No, thanks. I don't need your unruly beasts messing up my tent when you're not around.”

While the assessment of his beloved partners rubs him the wrong way, he's happy he refused. He's less happy when Akari speaks up, suggesting, “why don't I go with him?”

To his surprise, Melli just raises an eyebrow at Ingo, deferring to him on how to respond to his daughter's suggestion. He considers it for a moment before sighing. “It's a good idea.”

Akari's eyebrows shoot up. “Really? I thought you'd...” She trails off, obviously realizing she doesn't want to argue against his agreement.

“Believe me, I don't like the idea. But you've been going with me for months. Your Pokemon are strong and battle ready and you know what safety checks to perform and what dangers to look out for. You're perfectly capable. And I know Melli won't let anything happen to you.”

Now both of them look surprised at the vote of confidence. Rather than trying to further justify his thoughts, he picks his bowl up and drains the remaining broth from it. By the time he's finished, Melli has gathered himself enough to look at Akari and say. “Alright. I'll meet you at your tent tomorrow morning, I guess.” He seems almost bewildered about how this plan actually came together.

Akari nods, seeming equally uncertain. “Yeah. I... guess so.”

They stay a while longer, conversation turning to other, less fraught topics, but both Ingo and Akari are exhausted so they soon excuse themselves. The walk home is quiet, with only a few words spoken between them. It's only when they're back home, just about ready to settle down for the night that Akari surprises him with a hug.

Her voice is muffled from the way she's hiding her face when she speaks. “Thank you.” He's about to ask what she's thanking him for when she continues. “Thank you for believing in me. A-and letting me learn how to rock climb. And helping me with my Pokemon, and the Pokedex. And... and everything.”

He pats her back with his left hand, then kneels, forcing her to break away from him and look him in the eyes, which he pinches. “You're welcome. I hope you know how happy it makes me to be able to do those things for you. I'm so glad you're part of my life.” After the way she responded last time, he's determined to never let her feel unimportant ever again. He'll tell her as many times as he has to, like he should have been doing from the start.

As expected, her eyes fill with tears, but this time she smiles. “I'm glad, too.”

“I love you, Akari. Now it's time for bed. Sleep well.”

She nods and heads over to her futon. As she pulls the blanket over herself, she says. “Love you too, Dad. Goodnight.”

Chapter Text

Patrolling with Melli is... different. They don't cover nearly as much ground and Akari ends up doing most of the actual work while he chatters her ear off about Diamond Clan drama she doesn't understand or care about. She doesn't mind, exactly, but she can't help but agree with her dad's assessment that he wouldn't be able to do this alone.

He does also have his own duties to attend, so they spend about half the day patrolling and half the day gathering salt and iron to give to Lord Electrode, and then making sure he's clean and healthy. It's interesting at least, and the massive, explosive creature is a lot friendlier than she expected. He even lets her study him for her Pokedex just like Lord Ursaluna did.

There's also several Voltorbs that hang around the area, so while Melli is scrubbing mud off his Noble one afternoon, she wanders over to check them out. Since they live so nearby the arena, she assumes they're friendly. She doesn't think Melli would tolerate them if they weren't. That assumption is proven correct very quickly, although she's still a little nervous to be surrounded by Pokemon that have a tendency to explode when excited.

Except they're quite polite about it, apparently understanding that it would hurt her if they exploded too close and rolling away to let off steam before coming back to demand attention. It only takes this happening a few times for her to let go of her anxiety and just enjoy herself.

When Melli notices her playing with them, he just shakes his head in exasperation, but when he drops her off at home that night, he tells Ingo, “your kid is as crazy as you are.”

Her dad sounds concerned when he asks, “what do you mean?”

Melli just waves his hands. “The little ruffian was playing with Voltorbs. Didn't you teach her that they're dangerous?”

At this, Ingo laughs. “Oh, is that all? If they were playing with her, then they must have been friendly.”

Akari giggles at the face Melli pulls and chimes in, “very friendly! I had fun!”

“I can't deal with you people.” He turns and storms off.

Despite his declaration, he does come back the next morning to do it again.

Now that she knows they're nice, Akari starts playing with the Voltorbs every afternoon while Melli takes care of his Noble. She even lets her Pokemon out to join the fun. Gastrodon is as friendly as ever and takes to them quickly, but doesn't quite understand when they try to get him to chase them. Kirlia entertains herself by lifting several of them psychically and spinning them around, which they also seem to enjoy. Sneasel plays a little too rough, and most of the Voltorbs avoid him. He ends up befriending just one of them and the two roughhouse, as much as they're able to, all afternoon. Gabite is a lot like Gastrodon, not seeming to understand what they want her to do, while Vulpix is frightened of them and hides behind Akari.

After a week or so of this, one of the Voltorbs, the same one that likes Sneasel so much, follows her when she starts to head home. Melli hates this and tries to make him stop, but quickly backs off when he starts sparking.

Akari approaches and the sparks settle down. She pats him and asks, “did you want to come with us?”

He makes a quiet cry and pushes his body into her hand.

She laughs. “Alright. You can come along, then.” She digs in her bag for a pokeball, which she holds out to him.

He doesn't hesitate to bump into it and vanishes inside. She turns back to face Melli, who is wearing an odd expression, and gestures for him to keep going. He huffs and tosses his head, but does so. The walk back to the tent is oddly free of chatter, but Akari isn't about to complain and happily leaves it be. Even once they arrive, the Warden just briefly greets Ingo before heading back home.

As he watches him leave, her dad raises an eyebrow at her. “What was that about?”

She shrugs. “I don't really know. What's that?” She gestures to the paper in his hand.

“Hmm.” He looks down at it as though he had forgotten he was still holding it. “Oh, it's a letter from Irida. You can read it if you'd like, I was going to tell you the news anyway.”

That certainly gets her attention and she takes the offered letter, scanning through it quickly.

Warden Ingo,

I wish to update you on the situation with the frenzied Nobles. I have been able to prevent Warden Lian from attempting to take on Lord Kleavor on his own, but only because Warden Gaeric volunteered to help him. The two of them saw some success from their endeavors, but they were unable to fully calm him. Similarly, Warden Iscan of the Diamond Clan assisted Warden Palina with attempting to calm Lord Arcanine, but they were quickly driven away. I am as yet awaiting word back from Lord Adaman about Lady Lilligant.

I only wish that Under different circumstances, I would likely be asking for your assistance. You have more experience taming Pokemon than any of us. I know such a thing is impossible now, but perhaps you can still help us. Our attempts do seem to be working, if only we could outlast the Nobles, so perhaps you have advice to offer in regards to strategy or technique for this method?

I hope your injury is healing well. Please give Akari my regards.

Lady Irida

Akari sets the letter aside, tilting her head in thought. “Advice for taming Pokemon, huh?”

Her dad nods as he hands her a plate of food and heads back to the kitchen for his own. It's difficult for him to cook with only one hand, but he's been getting better at it. “Yes. I have plenty of advice I can give for that-”

“I know.” She teases.

He shakes his head in exasperation and continues, “but I don't know how much help it will be in this instance.”

“Why?”

“Well, the average Pokemon is only lashing out because of fear or instinct. Taming them is a matter of either avoiding that issue entirely or defeating them in battle so you have the opportunity to prove yourself to them.”

Akari answers through a mouthful of vegetables. “Right.”

“The Nobles present a whole different problem. There's no way to avoid the issue because they're already frenzied, and their frenzy is clearly not natural, so reasoning with them is out. And I doubt very much even I could overpower one of them in a straight battle. Your idea is working, but the issue isn't that they're not doing a good enough job taming the Nobles, it's that they don't need to be tamed at all. Just as Irida said, they need to be outlasted. I don't know how to teach someone how to do that.” As he finishes speaking, he shoves a large amount of vegetables in his mouth and chews almost grumpily.

Akari thinks for a few minutes before she responds. “Could you do it if you weren't injured?”

His eyes snap to her, searching her expression for something. She's not sure what he finds, but he answers, “I don't know. I'd certainly have a better shot than most.” When she doesn't immediately respond, he asks, “why do you ask?”

She sighs. He's not going to like it, but she might as well answer honestly. “I want to help.”

As expected, his expression hardens. His tone is soft and pained, though. “That's very dangerous.”

“I know. But if I were prepared, it wouldn't be as bad. I have my Pokemon to help me, which will make a difference.”

“Even if you're prepared, things could go wrong. The Nobles are very dangerous.”

“I don't want anyone else to get hurt.”

Ingo pauses at that and when he speaks again, his voice is even softer. “I don't want you to get hurt.”

Akari can't help the tears that sting her eyes. Why does he keep placing so much importance on her? She's not anyone special.

Before she can argue, he shakes his head. “I… don’t want you to do something like this alone.” His tone conveys intense worry that his face does not.

“You don’t think I can do it?”

“Not alone. I don’t think anyone can do this alone. Please let me help you. I only need more time to heal. We can go down and try to help Lian with Lord Kleavor, but I need at least another month before I can do that.”

“What if something happens in the next month?” Her tone comes out more combative than she means it to, but she can’t imagine just sitting around here for another month while people are out there risking themselves.

“Lord Kleavor has been frenzied since midsummer. Yes it’s concerning that more Nobles are being affected, but in all that time, I’m the only one who’s been hurt.” He sighs and rubs his eyes. The bags under them belie how exhausted he is. She knows he hasn’t been sleeping well since his injury. “Please, Akari. Please just wait.”

She doesn’t want to wait. She doesn’t want to risk more people getting hurt. But she also doesn’t want to argue with him, so she nods and leans over to knock her head against his. “Ok. I’ll wait until we can go together. You look really tired. Why don’t you rest and I’ll clean up.”

“You don’t have to do that. You’ve been out all day.”

“Yeah, but I’m not injured.” She meets his eyes defiantly, daring him to argue.

He doesn’t. Instead he sighs and pats her on the head. “Alright. Thank you. Go to bed soon.”

“I will. Love you, Dad.”

“Love you, Akari.” With that, he heads over to his futon and lays down.

Akari takes their dishes to the kitchen and cleans them, then straightens the tent. It’s honestly pretty clean since Ingo has been here without much else to do, but she slowly, methodically makes sure everything is in order.

And when she hears her dad’s breathing turn to light snores, she heads to the door and slips her shoes and coat on, then buckles her pokeball belt around her waist. She opens the door quietly and steals away into the night.

She feels terrible for lying to her dad, but she simply can’t wait for him to heal when there are people in danger. She can do this. She’s prepared this time and better equipped than just about anyone else in the region. So she pulls her black coat around herself and sets off down the mountain toward the Fieldlands.

Chapter Text

When Akari reaches the great tree that towers over the surrounding forest, she finds Warden Lian sitting on a broken column nearby. He’s carefully cutting up bits of berries and vegetables and tying them into little packages. It’s mid morning by this point, but even so, he jumps when she calls out his name, too focused on the task at hand to have noticed her approach.

He blinks wide eyes at her and pushes his too large hat up out of his eyes. “Uhh… hi? Yer Warden Ingo’s daughter, right? What’re ya doing here?”

Akari squares her shoulders and meets his eyes, although that only seems to make him nervous. “I’m Akari. I’m going to help you calm Lord Kleavor.”

He stares at her for long enough that it becomes uncomfortable. Finally, he asks, “are ya serious? Did Warden Ingo send ya?”

“I am serious. And, no. Dad doesn’t know I’m here, but I’m good at taming Pokémon. Not as good as he is, but I think we can do it.”

“Irida doesn’t want me gettin’ too close to ‘im without 'er here.”

“Aren’t you his Warden?”

“Well, yeah…” He looks at her with curiosity. “Do ya really think we can do it?”

At this, Akari actually stops to consider the question. After a moment, she nods. “Yeah. Dad didn’t think anyone could do it alone, but we’re not alone.”

“Gaeric and I weren’t alone, and we failed. Ingo failed and he’s better’n anyone with Pokémon.”

Akari gives an annoyed huff. “Dad didn’t fail, he wasn’t trying to calm Lord Arcanine. Are we doing this or not?”

Lian holds eye contact for another few seconds before a fire seems to spark in them. “Alright. Ya think we can do it? I say we give it a shot.” He stands up and has to push his hat back up when it falls back over his eyes.

Akari grins. “Let’s do it! That's his food, right?” She points to the basket full of little packages.

“Yeah. We’ve been callin’ ‘em balms. Ya got a plan?”

She nods as she dumps the contents of her satchel out and fills it with balms. “Yep! I’m gonna keep him distracted, focusing on me and my Pokémon, while you throw balms at him. Keep your distance and if he turns on you, run away until I can get him chasing me again.” She had plenty of time to think of a plan while she hiked down here, and she thinks this one is pretty good. Ingo was right that it would be extremely difficult to attempt alone, so she’d been hoping to run into Warden Lian. She also knew that he would be a lot more likely to agree to her plan than most of the adults she knows.

Still, he does throw out one objection. “It’s not really fair to have ya being the bait the whole time, is it?”

Akari shrugs. “I don’t mind. I’ve got my Pokémon to watch my back.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not having ya risk yer neck all alone on my account. If yer runnin’ around like mad, yer gonna tire yerself out. Lord Kleavor’s my Noble, I can help. Wouldn’t it make more sense to switch who’s distractin’ and who’s throwin’, that way no one gets too tired?”

Akari wants to argue. She doesn’t want him to put himself at risk, but his plan is actually sound. She sighs and nods. “Ok. That makes sense, I guess. Are you ready?”

His expression turns just a little grim. “I’m ready.”

The two of them enter the arena together, creeping slowly along the edges of the area until the Lord comes into view. He’s gigantic, the largest bug type she’s ever seen, with a heavy stone axe adorning the end of each arm. An unnatural gold glow surrounds him as he furiously stomps around the great tree.

Akari silently gestures to Lian to stay and he nods. She creeps forward, fanning out away from her companion before grabbing a balm and letting it fly. She immediately flicks the catch on one of her pokeballs as well, calling out, “Water Pulse!”

The attack lands a second after the balm does, and Lord Kleavor turns. He’s faster than she expected, but she’s ready, already bolting to the side and throwing another balm, which strikes him in the face. He roars loud enough to shake the ground and Akari stumbles a little. Before he can try to take advantage of her slip up, three balms strike him in the back in quick succession.

He turns and Akari calls out, “Ancient Power!” Gastrodon happily complies, and the attack knocks the Noble aside before he can take more than a step toward Lian. She throws a couple more balms, but he ignores her for the moment, raising his axes and charging at his Warden.

Akari’s heart leaps into her throat, but Lian darts aside, ducking behind the tree in the center of the arena. That gives her an idea and she calls out, “hey, you!” followed by a barrage of balms. When the Lord turns on her, she does the same thing, darting behind the tree, and as she predicted, he charges blindly. His axes bite deep into the wood and when he pulls back, they don’t come out.

As she jumps back out and starts petting him with balms, she sees Lian grinning on the other side of him as he does the same. Without the need for direction, Gastrodon joins in, attacking the Noble with everything he has while he’s stuck.

When he manages to wrench one of his axes free, Akari backs off, still throwing balms, but more carefully now. Gastrodon attacks again and Lord Kleavor turns on him, striking out with a brutal attack. Her partner hits back as hard as he can, but the next attack takes him down. If she wasn’t sure before, she is now. There’s no way they’re winning this through force.

She sends out Kirlia and calls out, “Confusion!”

This gets the Noble's attention and she’s immediately back to dodging. Lian continues to throw balms from behind, while she jumps back and forth. When she can, she calls out for Kirlia to attack, but with the attention solidly on her, she’s starting to get too out of breath to do so. Her lungs burn and her legs feel like jelly, and Lord Kleavor is still coming. His rage seems to have subsided a little, but he’s not giving her even a moment to gather herself. Lian was right. Trading off was a better idea. If only the Noble would cooperate with the plan.

Predictably, after another few minutes of this, Akari finally runs out of steam and luck. She sees the tree root and fully intends to step over it, but her legs are too tired and instead, she catches her toe on it, falling flat on her face. She yelps as she goes down, and throws her hands out to catch herself, skinning her palms on the rough dirt.

She hisses in pain as she flips over, but there’s no time to really process it with Lord Kleavor still bearing down on her. “K-Kirlia!” She doesn’t manage to get a command out, so she just hopes her partner knows what to do.

Kirlia appears in front of her and fires off a psychic blast, which slows the charging Pokémon slightly. The Noble returns the attack with one of his own, but Kirlia holds strong, crying out in defiance. Akari shields her eyes as a bright glow surrounds her, and when she blinks spots out of her vision, a much larger Pokémon is standing in her place. A Gardevoir.

Akari leaps to her feet and shouts, “good girl! Now, Dazzling Gleam!”

As her newly evolved partner attacks, Akari dodges behind the tree. She makes eye contact with Lian and he nods, running forward to take her place drawing the Noble’s attention. As he does so, she circles around the tree and starts throwing balms from a distance again. She intersperses her own attacks with calls for Gardevoir to do the same. After a few minutes of this, she’s caught her breath enough to feel better about her chances of outrunning him again.

Lian looks like he’s flagging, so she runs forward and hits Lord Kleavor in the head with a balm, drawing his attention back to her. His Warden gives her grateful look as he backs away. The Noble is also clearly beginning to tire, the glow surrounding him having faded almost entirely.

As that thought crosses her mind, he stops in his tracks. For just a second, the glow intensifies and Akari tenses, prepared to run if need be, but then it falls away entirely, leaving behind only a few glittery sparkles that fade in moments. She and Lian both remain frozen, uncertain, until Lord Kleavor turns to his Warden and makes a confused chirp. The sound is unlike anything she’s heard from him until now, and undeniably friendly.

A wide, toothy grin breaks out on Lian’s face and he runs forward, throwing his arms around his Noble without a trace of fear. “Yer back! It worked! It really worked!”

Akari smiles at them, but the happy moment is broken by a cry from above. She jumps and looks up to see a very large Gliscor staring down at her. He turns on silent wings and flies back toward the mountain. A sinking feeling settles in her gut.

She’s in trouble now.

Chapter Text

It takes over an hour after Gliscor found her for Ingo to arrive. But that time, Lian has insisted that they eat lunch, so they’re set up in the middle of Grandtree Arena. Lord Kleavor is seated next to his Warden, suddenly very affectionate now that he’s not being driven into an unnatural rage.

When her dad enters the area, he stops in his tracks and stares at the Noble and the boy in what appears to be shock. With his arm still in the sling and without his old, tattered coat, the moment of hesitation almost makes him look small. And then he turns his steely gaze on Akari and she shivers.

She gets to her feet and crosses the arena, attempting to head off what she knows is coming with good news. “Lian and I calmed Lord Kleavor.”

“I see that.” His tone is cold, but he sighs and makes an effort to soften it. “I’m glad that it worked. Well done. May I speak to you privately?”

Something in her bristles. She trusts Ingo more than anyone, but some deep part of her digs its heels in at the question. She shakes her head. “Whatever you have to say, you can say here.”

He holds eye contact for several seconds, gauging how serious she is about that. Finally he says, his tone once again edged with anger, “very well. Can you tell me what you were thinking, sneaking off like that?”

“I was thinking that someone needed to do something.”

“We talked about this last night. We were going to do something, you only had to be patient.”

“How am I supposed to be patient when people are in danger?!” Her own voice is raised in anger now, even though she doesn’t really mean it to be. “I couldn’t just wait around for your arm to heal.”

His eyes narrow in an almost wounded expression. “So you just ran off without saying anything? No,” he interrupts himself, getting angry again, “not without saying anything. You told me you would wait. Why would you lie instead of just telling me what you were really thinking?”

“You wouldn’t have listened!” She shouts.

“How can you think that?!” He raises his voice in return, but immediately drops it to something low and dispirited. “I listened when you told me you wanted to help calm the frenzied Nobles. Even though I don’t want you anywhere near them, even though I’m terrified to be near them, I compromised because you were so set on it. If you had just talked to me, we could have worked out a solution.”

Akari wants to argue that he would have just brushed her off, forced her to go along with the plan he made, but… would he have? He did agree to let her help with the Nobles even though it was clearly not what he wanted. He’s been extremely protective, but he’s never prevented her from doing anything she really wanted to do. Why does she think these things about him, then?

Oh.

“It’s not you.”

Ingo blinks at her in confusion. “What?”

“You’re not the one I’m scared of.”

“…Good?”

Akari snorts. Even when he’s furious with her, he doesn’t want her to be scared. He’s so different from… whoever she’s been subconsciously defending herself from that it’s hard to believe she hasn’t realized what’s happening until now. “I was thinking of someone else. I don’t know who. I was expecting you to act like them.” She shakes her head and crosses the gap between them, wrapping her arms around her dad, who easily returns the gesture. “I’m sorry.”

He pats her back with his left hand. “It’s alright, Akari. Although, I can’t say that I think very highly of whoever you were remembering if they acted the way you were saying.” He pushes her back slightly so he can look her in the eyes. “I am still upset with you, though.”

Somehow, despite nothing having changed about his intense expression, it has far less bite to it now that she’s disentangled her foggy memories from reality. It makes it so much easier for her to not feel like she needs to go on the defensive. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I was terrified when I woke up and you were gone. I spent all morning fearing the worst, especially once I figured out where Gliscor was leading me. Do you have any idea how devastated I would have been to find you hurt?”

She may not be on the defensive anymore, but she still sets her jaw defiantly. “I do! I know exactly how that would feel.”

It takes a second for understanding to dawn in his eyes and when it does, they narrow and he looks down. For a moment, he seems at a loss for words, but eventually, he says, “you’re right. I’m sorry.”

She leans forward and wraps her arms around him again, resting her forehead against his chest. “I’m sorry, too. I should have told you what I was doing.”

He lets out a long, slow breath and pats her back. “Please do in the future. For now, I’m just happy you’re safe. And very proud of you for succeeding.”

“Can we go home now?”

Her dad laughs. “Yes, although I’d like to speak with Warden Lian first, if that’s alright.”

Akari’s head snaps up. She forgot about Lian. Did he hear that whole argument? Ingo makes no attempt to hide a second laugh when she whips her head around, searching the area for the boy. He’s nowhere to be seen.

“He left a while ago. He’s probably at his tent.” Her dad lets go of her and points off into the woods. Oddly, he freezes there, leaving his arm up at a right angle, and tilts his head.

Akari steps around him and gives him a questioning look. “Everything alright?”

He shakes his head as though to clear it and drops his arm. “Yes. Everything is fine. For some reason, doing that felt very familiar to me.”

“Pointing?” She doesn’t quite keep her tone level. It’s not that she doesn’t believe him, it’s just that pointing is something everyone does, so it probably should feel familiar.

But he shakes his head. “It’s not just pointing. It felt like I was supposed to point with my other arm too.” He wiggles the arm in the sling. “And… say something?”

“What kind of something?”

He tilts his head again and starts to say something, then stops. His eyes light up, and she’s about to ask what he remembered, when he points again, this time off to the side, and absolutely bellows, “ALL ABOARD!”

Akari stares at him for a second, then bursts out laughing. She can hear wild Pokémon scattering in all directions, which only makes her laugh harder. Ingo turns his gaze on her and the corners of his mouth are turned up in an all too pleased expression that's almost a smile. When she gets her breath back enough, she asks, “what was that?!”

He huffs a laugh, still looking pleased with himself. “I don’t know, but I quite like it.”

“I have to try it.” She raises her arm at a right angle and takes a deep breath, but stops when her dad taps her arm.

“Raise the other one, too.” She does, holding them both out in front of her, but he shakes his head. “No, that’s not right, either.” He gently guides her arm until it’s pointing off to the side instead. He steps back and nods. “Perfect.”

She can’t possibly imagine why such a position has importance in his mind, but she knows he doesn’t know either, so she doesn’t bother asking. Instead, she takes a deep breath and shouts, “ALL ABOARD!”

She immediately drops her arms and dissolves into a fit of giggles. It’s so silly that such a simple thing is so much fun. She has no idea what the phrase means, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel completely foreign to her. When she looks at her dad, he seems even more pleased than before. If his eyes crinkled any further they would be closed.

“What in the world are y’all doin’ out here?”

Akari and Ingo both startle and whip around toward the sound of Lian’s voice. Ingo looks embarrassed, but Akari just starts laughing again. She jogs over to where he’s standing at the entrance to the arena. “You’ve gotta try this!”

He gives her a baffled look. “Try what?”

She lifts her arms again in the pose and shouts, “ALL ABOARD!”

He jumps and takes a step back, but laughs at the goofy grin she knows is adorning her face. “What is that? And why’re ya yellin’ it?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s something Dad remembered, but it’s fun!”

Lian gives Ingo a questioning look and he shrugs as well. “I don’t know what it is, but I get the sense it’s supposed to be very loud.”

“Yeah, you were super loud. Do it again!”

He laughs at her demanding tone, but points off to the side with his left arm, takes a deep breath, and calls out, somehow even louder this time, “ALL ABOARD!”

Lian winces slightly at the volume, but laughs again. He shakes his head with a smile. “I don't get it.”

“Try it!”

“Why?”

“It's fun.”

He huffs, his face turning slightly red. He mutters, “alright, fine. Do I gotta do the weird pose, too?”

“Yep!” Ingo snorts, but she ignores him. “It's very important.”

“Ya don't even know why it's important,” he grumbles, but he does raise his arms in an approximation of what she did earlier. He closes his eyes with a look like he's regretting agreeing to this, and shouts, “ALL ABOARD!”

Akari immediately jumps in place in excitement. “Yes! That was great!”

Despite himself, Lian giggles. “Alright, you win. It was fun. Still don't get it, though.” He shakes his head, then, surprisingly, gives her a quick bow. “Well, I came back over here to thank ya. For helpin' with Lord Kleavor. I've been real worried, but it seems he's feelin' a lot better now. I wouldn'ta been able to do it on my own, so thanks.”

Akari blinks at him in surprise. “Oh. You're welcome. I'm just glad I could help.”

Lian nods and turns to her dad. “And Warden Ingo, sorry for goin' along with it when Akari showed up. She told me ya didn't know she was here. I should'a waited for you to get here instead of just goin' along with it.”

Ingo sighs and shakes his head. “I would have preferred if you'd done that, but I don't blame you. You only wanted to help your Noble.” When the other Warden doesn't answer, his brows only coming together in a somewhat disbelieving expression, he kneels and slowly reaches out to pat him on the shoulder. “It's ok, Lian. I promise.”

He nods hard enough to send his hat into his eyes again, but he doesn't fix it. He just says, “right. Thanks, Ingo.” He hesitates like he might say something else, then just shakes his head. “Are y'all headin' back home now?”

Her dad gives him a soft look. “Yes. I'm sorry we can't stay longer, but I didn't tell Lady Sneasler I was leaving and she'll be worried.”

“Travel safe, then. And thanks again.”

Ingo nods. “You're welcome. We'll see you soon, I hope.”

Akari gives a little bow. “Yeah! Hopefully next time we won't have to battle a Noble!”

Lian laughs. “Maybe I'll come visit y'all in the Highlands sometime.”

Her dad answers, “that would be wonderful. You're always welcome to come by.” He waves with his left hand as they start to walk away.

Akari waves too and jogs to catch up with him. She yawns and leans into his side as they head toward the mountain. She's been up since yesterday morning and it's finally starting to catch up to her. Ingo wraps his arm around her shoulders. She looks up at him. “Are you still mad?”

He shakes his head, glancing down at her with a smile in his eyes. “No.” He hesitates, a troubled expression clouding his features. “Do... do you want to talk about whoever it is that you were remembering before?”

Akari thinks about it for only a second before shaking her head. “No. I don't remember who they were, but I don't think I want to remember.” She tilts her head over to lay it against his side. “I am glad I remembered that much, though.”

“Hmm? Why's that?”

“Because I know for sure now that I'm happier here. With you.”

“O-oh.” She doesn't look up, but she can hear well enough how touched he is by that. His arm squeezes around her. He answers simply, “I'm glad to hear that.”

She hugs him back and lets a comfortable silence fall between them as they make their way back to the only place she's ever truly known as home.

Chapter Text

Akari isn't terribly surprised by a visit from Irida about a week following her and Lian's success calming Lord Kleavor. She has just returned from a patrol with Melli, cut short because of the building thunderstorm outside, when a knock on the door causes both she and Ingo to look towards it.

He stands up and crosses the tent to open the door. When he sees who's on the other side, he steps aside, gesturing for her to enter the tent. “Lady Irida. Please come inside.”

She steps inside and slips off her shoes before coming over to the fire and sitting across from Akari. She's holding a package, which she rests in her lap. “It's good to see you, Warden Ingo, Akari.” She smiles at them.

Ingo sits back down and inclines his head. “It's good to see you, as well. What brings you all the way out here?”

“Several things. I received your report, of course, about what happened with Lord Kleavor. Warden Lian sent one as well.” She turns her attention on Akari and bows. “I wanted to thank you personally, Akari, for what you did. I don't think I can express how relieved I was to hear that his frenzy had been calmed.”

Akari blinks at her clan leader. It takes her too long to respond and when she does, it's simply a stuttered, “o-oh. Y-you're welcome.”

Irida smiles kindly again, but Akari is glad when she turns her attention back on Ingo. “I also wanted to inform you that Palina and Iscan tried to calm Lord Arcanine again. Their luck wasn't any better than last time, but they're both unhurt. Apparently, Arezu and Adaman have been trying with Lady Lilligant, too, but they're not doing any better.”

Her dad lets out a sigh. “I'm glad they're alright.” He rubs his right arm uncomfortably. “Although, I can't deny I was hoping they would be able to do it.”

Irida's expression is sympathetic. “I was, too. For now, we can only keep trying. There's one last thing.” She picks up the package she brought with her and hands it to him. “This is for you.”

He takes it almost hesitantly and slowly unties the binding to reveal black fabric beneath. He picks it up, unfolding the new coat with an unreadable expression. It's similar to his old one, though the design is a bit different. The collar is much smaller and the sleeves wider, but the red stripes and gray trim are the same. The old coat is folded beneath the new one and he rests a hand on it for a moment before he sets the package aside and stands. It's clearly a bit of a struggle getting the coat over his injured arm, but once he does, he settles it comfortably on his shoulders.

“It looks like it fits well.”

Ingo nods and runs his fingers down the front edge. This new coat doesn't have the same buttons the original did, but Akari had never seen him actually use them so that's probably not a big issue.

“We guessed on the length. Since so much of your old coat had been torn away, it was hard to tell exactly, but I remember that it was quite long when you arrived here. I know the style isn't exactly the same, and the seamstress told me she didn't even know what the old one is made of, so the fabric is different, too. Hopefully, it's ok?”

He nods again and looks up to see her worried expression. Obviously realizing that she wants an answer, he says, “it's wonderful. Thank you.”

This clearly eases her concern and her worried look melts into a smile. “I'm glad. Now, I hate to run so quickly, but I have to keep moving.”

Ingo glances at the door, clearly worrying about the wind that's picking up outside. “Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait out the storm?”

She shakes her head. “No, I still have to speak to Lian, so I'll be heading away from it. If I leave now, I should be able to avoid the worst of the storm.”

He inclines his head as she stands. “Very well. Please be careful.”

“I will.” With that, she heads for the door, slipping her shoes back on and leaving the tent. Through the door, Akari can see that the sky has darkened in the short time since she got back home.

There's a moment of silence, during which, Ingo continues investigating his new coat with his left hand. He rolls up the sleeve of the right arm so that it won't rub against the still healing wound there, much like he's been doing with his kimono. Akari gets up and touches the other sleeve. It does feel different. “Do you really like it?”

He hums distractedly. “I like... the gesture.” He sighs. “And it's a very nice coat.”

“But it's not the one from your home.”

He glances at her in surprise, but nods. “Yes.”

“Do you miss your home?” She knows it's an odd question since he doesn't remember it.

Even so, he narrows his eyes and answers in a sad tone. “I do. It's an odd feeling, since I don't actually know exactly what I miss about it, but I do.”

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up.” She knocks her head into his shoulder.

He pats her back. “No, it's alright. I just wish I knew enough to tell you about it.”

“Maybe you will one day.”

He crinkles his eyes at her. “Maybe I will.”

The thunderstorm rages all night. The howling wind picks up enough to be deafening even inside, and the thunderclaps are even worse. The rain drives sideways, pounding on the canvas of the tent. Akari sleeps poorly, waking up every few minutes. Ingo does too and eventually she just drags her futon over next to his and curls up against his side. He rolls over onto his side and drapes his injured arm over her, holding her close. It's very comforting and despite the continued tempest outside, she actually drifts into a deeper sleep.

Clearly, he does too because when a boom, much louder than the thunder, shakes the tent, he startles awake with a shout that echoes her own. His eyes are wide and flicker red for just a split second as he looks down at her. After a moment of stillness, they both leap into action.

Ingo grabs his new coat and carefully pulls first it, then his boots on, while Akari gets herself ready. She buckles her pokeball belt on, and hands him his own. Luckily, they're all currently inside, waiting out the harsh weather in the comfort of their pokeballs. Her dad pulls his worn and faded hat on and opens the door.

The wind is still brutal and Akari takes his hand and holds tight so they don't get separated. They look around, searching for the source of the sound. It isn't hard to find. There's a fire burning down the hill, in the direction of Lord Electrode's arena. They take off that way at a jog, still fighting the wind and the pelting rain. At least that will hopefully keep the fire from spreading.

As they get closer, it becomes more and more clear that the fire isn't just near Moonview Arena, it's in it. When they round the last corner, Akari can see Melli on the ground and past him, she can see Lord Electrode, glowing with the golden light of frenzy.

Chapter Text

Akari and Ingo rush to Melli's side and he flinches at their sudden appearance, his attention fully focused on his raging Noble. Ingo kneels and grabs his shoulder, shaking him slightly and forcing him to look him in the eye. “Melli, are you hurt?”

He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. After a moment, he shakes his head.

“Ok.” Ingo glances back at the Noble, who is rolling around in clear agitation. “Can you stand?”

The other man doesn't answer, just stares blankly at his ward. Ingo grabs his arm again and hauls him up, then tugs on it, leading him away from the arena. He follows along, but seems totally lost in his head.

By the time they get back to their tent, a soft diffuse light is beginning to color the mountainside as dawn breaks somewhere beyond the clouds. Ingo pulls Melli inside and tells him, “sit there. I'll make tea.”

Melli complies, remaining uncharacteristically silent. Akari goes to the kitchen and cuts some berries and bread for the three of them, bringing it back to the firepit as Ingo lights it and sets the kettle on to boil.

Silence settles over the tent for the few minutes it takes to prepare tea, but when he hands a cup to Melli, Ingo breaks it, asking, “are you alright?”

Melli takes the cup and stares into it as though it might hold answers. Quietly, he replies, “I'm not hurt.”

“That's not what I asked.”

The Warden's lip curls in irritation, but he answers, “I'm fine. Don't worry yourself, old man.”

Her dad laughs at the more familiar tone. “Alright, I won't. Drink your tea.”

Akari hands both of them plates and silence falls over the tent again. Melli picks at his food more than he eats it, staring distantly into the fire. After a few minutes, he sets the plate aside entirely and pulls his knees up so he can wrap his arms around them. Still not looking at either of them, he whispers, “I... didn't think this could happen.”

That seems a little strange since this has happened to three other Nobles so far, but Ingo answers, “I understand. It's hard to imagine something so awful happening to your own Noble, even if it's happened to others. I don't know what I would do if Lady Sneasler became frenzied.”

Melli shakes his head, his tone coming out petulant. “It won't happen to her.”

Ingo raises an eyebrow. “Why's that?”

“It's only happening to the Nobles with arenas.”

Her dad tilts his head and shares a glance with her. “That's... true. I hadn't realized.”

“I wonder why?” Akari chips in

Melli shakes his head again. “I don't know, but there's only one arena left.”

Ingo's eyes widen in delayed realization. “Oh no.”

“What's wrong?”

He looks at her and she can see the poorly masked fear in his eyes. “The last arena is Lord Avalugg's, in the icelands. If the other Nobles are dangerous when frenzied, he could be downright calamitous, particularly with his proximity to the settlement.”

Well that's not good. If Ingo is right, things could get very bad very quickly if he were to be frenzied.

Melli shakes her out of her thoughts by suddenly standing up. “I have to get back to Lord Electrode.”

Ingo stands as well, worry plain in his eyes and his tone when he says, “please be careful. He's not himself right now and he could seriously hurt you.”

Melli's eyes flick down to his still healing arm, then back up. “I'll be fine. I'm not stupid enough to get too close.”

“I hope that's true.” Her dad says, lightly ribbing the other Warden. “Perhaps I'll have to start coming by to make sure you're still alive.”

He tosses his head, sending his hair flying. “Do whatever you want.”

When he opens the door, the storm outside seems to be subsiding, but it's still raining. He sighs and heads out into it, swinging the door closed behind him. Ingo stares at it for a minute before giving a sigh of his own. He sits back down and starts slowly eating his breakfast.

Akari sits next to him and folds her hands in her lap, staring down at them. “Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Can we help Melli with Lord Electrode?”

She can see the way he tenses at the suggestion, but he answers evenly. “Do you really want to do that? You know how dangerous he can be.”

“I know. I want to help.”

He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, then reaches out and gently takes her chin with his fingers, turning her face up to look at him. His eyes are narrowed with worry. “You don't have to do this. You don't have to... prove anything. Or earn anything. This responsibility shouldn't fall to you.”

While she feels tears spring to her eyes at the earnest care, she still shakes her head. She leans her head into his hand and smiles. “It's not that, I promise. I just want to help.”

He holds eye contact with her for several seconds, no doubt trying to tell if she's being honest. After the way she lied before, she can't blame him for that. Eventually, he nods, though his tone is still sad. “Ok. I understand, but can you wait this time?”

“I promise I won't run off again.”

He crinkles his eyes and swipes his thumb across her cheek. “I know. May I suggest something else?”

She raises an eyebrow. “Sure.”

“Perhaps we should start by confronting Lady Lilligant. You did very well against Lord Kleavor, but Lord Electrode is far more dangerous. Also, your Pokemon are better equipped to battle Lilligant.”

She tilts her head in consideration. While she doesn't like the idea of leaving Melli to handle the frenzy for longer, he is right. They're better equipped to battle Lilligant than Electrode. And she's been frenzied for longer. It's not really fair to prioritize Melli just because she knows him. Warden Arezu is probably just as upset as he is.

She grins. “Ok. That's a good idea!”

He looks pleasantly surprised that she agreed and pinches his eyes. “Very well. Then we both ought to start training.”

“Both of us?”

“Yes. If I'm going to help, I'm going to need to be able to throw accurately with my left hand, and my Pokemon haven't been battling much lately, so I'm sure they could use the practice. As for your team, Gardevoir, Vulpix, and Sneasel have a type advantage over Lilligant so you'd do well to focus on building their skills. Between those, Sneasel has resistance to both fighting and grass, while Gardevoir has resistance to fighting. Vulpix is weak to fighting type moves, so you'd do well to practice dodging with her.” He stops suddenly. “Sorry, I'm rambling.”

Akari laughs. “It's alright, I don't mind. It's going to be useful to know.”

He finally drops his hand away from her face. “That's true, but you don't need to know it all right now. It seems like the storm is clearing up, so why don't you get ready to head out.”

“Where are we going?”

“I think it's about time I start patrolling again.” Before she can protest, he adds, “don't worry. We'll keep it short.”

“I'll hold you to that.”

He laughs as he gets up and grabs his coat. “That's fair. Now, let's go. We have a lot of work to do.”

Chapter Text

Ingo nods politely to the guards as he passes through the gates and enters Jubilife Village. It’s been a few months since he was here and last time, he didn’t have much time to look around. Now he can see that things look different than he remembers. New buildings have gone up and more people are walking around the streets. More refugees from Johto, he assumes.

Many of them give him odd looks, but with the clan insignia clearly visible on his kimono, none of them approach. The clans are still technically on peaceful terms with the Galaxy Team, but things are tense and it’s clear everyone knows it. He ignores them and makes his way down the main road and past the Galaxy Hall.

When he enters the training grounds, he’s met with the same friendly smile as always. Zisu doesn't hesitate to cross the yard and slap him on the back in greeting, even as other, less seasoned members of the Security Corp watch with wide eyes. “Warden Ingo! What a pleasant surprise!”

He regains his balance and crinkles his eyes at her. “It’s good to see you, Captain Zisu.”

“What brings you out here? And where’s that kid of yours? I want to meet her.”

He laughs. “Akari didn’t wish to come along.” He doesn’t mention that it’s because she’s terrified of the Galaxy Team. That doesn’t seem like it will be helpful at this time, and it’s not Zisu’s fault her commander is an ass. “I was wondering if I might borrow some training equipment?”

“Of course! What do you-” She suddenly freezes and it takes a moment for him to realize that her eyes are locked in his right arm.

It’s not in the sling, and he rolled the sleeve of his coat down before he got here, but the wound is still visible from the right angle. She reaches out for his hand, then stops herself and looks him in the eye, only proceeding when he doesn’t protest. She moves his arm toward herself with more gentleness than he honestly thought she possessed and pulls the sleeve away so she can see the wound below. It looks much better than before, but even so, it disfigures a large portion of his arm.

“What happened?” Her question is soft, worried.

“You don’t know? I thought the Galaxy Team had been informed.” He can’t keep the confusion out of his own tone. When she shakes her head, he explains, “I was burned by Lord Arcanine when he became frenzied.”

Zisu’s eyes widen. “That was you? They told us that someone from the Pearl Clan was hurt, but they didn’t say who.” Her gaze is still fixed on the burn. “That’s awful.”

He doesn’t really know what to say to that. It is awful, but he doesn’t really want to dwell on it, so he just makes a noncommittal noise.

If she notices his discomfort, she does a very good job of pretending she doesn’t. “I’m so sorry, Ingo. I can’t believe they’re still refusing to do anything even after you got hurt so bad. I can’t imagine how that feels.”

At that, he yanks his hand out of her grip. He’s annoyed that he only succeeds because she didn’t have a very strong hold. “We're not doing nothing.” He sees the realization of her mistake dawn in her eyes, but chooses to hammer his point home anyway. “As a Warden, it was my decision, too. I advocated against Kamado’s plan.”

“You... what? Why would you do that, Ingo?” Her brows come together in an almost angry expression.

“Because he's wrong. Violence isn't the answer.”

“Not even when people are in danger? I thought you of all people would understand the need to do whatever it takes to keep people safe.”

He shakes his head. “Respectfully, Captain, I disagree. Times of emergency are when it's most important to hold strong to your Ideals. Not to mention, trying to force us into attacking our own sacred Nobles is walking a very dangerous line.”

“I thought you didn't believe in the clan's religion.”

“I don't, but that doesn't mean I don't respect it.” He sighs and flexes his hand, making an effort to drop the anger that's flared up in him. He really doesn't want to argue with her. “It's honestly fine, Zisu. Hurting Lord Arcanine because he hurt me wouldn't solve anything. Besides, Akari and Warden Lian proved that we can calm the Nobles without force.”

She still looks troubled, but she says, her own tone more level to match his, “that's true. But I don't like the idea of letting children take these mon- Nobles on alone.”

“Neither do I. Trust me, it wasn't my idea, and it's not going to happen again. That's why I'm here, actually. Akari wants to help with the other Nobles, so I wanted to borrow some equipment to help her Pokemon train.”

“You're going to battle alongside her? You're still injured, Ingo.”

“I'm not letting my daughter do this alone.”

That brings a smile back to her face. “Your daughter, huh? I thought she was just some kid you were taking care of.” Her tone is light and teasing.

Ingo feels his face heat up. “The situation changed.”

Zisu laughs. “I see.” Although worry still colors her tone, she says, “come on, then. You're welcome to whatever equipment you need, even if I don't think it's a good idea.”

“Thank you.” He gives her a grateful look.

She makes her way to the storage shed and he follows. While he picks through the things inside, she leans against the doorframe and watches. After a few minutes, she asks in an innocent tone, “so, you adopted the kid, huh?”

He huffs and shakes his head. Of course she's still on this. “Yes.”

“That's probably for the best.”

Ingo looks up from the box of supplies he's digging through and tilts his head. “Why's that?”

She shrugs. “You said you liked having her around. I know you didn't mind being alone up there, but it was still... worrying. It's good to know there's someone looking out for you.”

He pinches his eyes in a smile, but shakes his head. “I'm supposed to be looking out for her, not the other way around.”

Zisu just laughs. “I'd say it goes both ways. You seem well, burned arm notwithstanding. Happier.”

“That's very true,” he agrees. “I think I've found all I need.” He closes the lid to his basket and settles it over his shoulders, then gives a small bow. “Thank you, Captain.”

“You're quite welcome, but don't think I'm done with you yet, Warden. In exchange for those, you've gotta buy me dinner.”

He raises an eyebrow. “I didn't realize I was paying for them.”

She grins and grabs his uninjured arm, dragging him away from the training grounds. “Yep! No getting out of it now.”

Ingo laughs and makes no effort to escape her as she pulls him down the road to the Wallflower. The location isn't a surprise, as it's the only dining establishment in the village, although he's never personally been here. They sit on either side of one of the outdoor tables and the old man who runs the business appears momentarily. He slides a plate of food in front of each of them. Apparently, they don't get to decide what they want, but he's not going to complain about what looks like very good mochi.

“Captain. Always a pleasure to see you.” He give Zisu a polite bow, but when he turns to Ingo he only gets a curt nod. “Warden.”

Despite the rudeness, Ingo gives a nod in return. “Thank you for the meal, sir.”

He gets no reply, the man simply walks away.

He grumbles, “friendly, isn't he?”

A small laugh escapes Zisu at his irritation. “Don't mind Beni too much. He's not too trusting of the clans, especially with all the tensions recently.”

He slowly picks up a piece of mochi with his chopsticks, an action that's far too difficult with his left hand. “He does realize you all are only here because of the clan's generosity, right? We're not just going to turn on you.”

She sighs and picks at her own food. “I know, but everyone's so worked up right now. I think some people really do believe that. The commander is getting so fixated on worrying about what the clans are doing, it's getting hard to convince him to focus on the village.”

“That's concerning.”

She turns her chopsticks over in her fingers. “Just... be careful, Ingo. Things aren't so bad right now, but I don't know what's going to happen. With you and your daughter getting involved with the Nobles, it's only a matter of time before you catch Commander Kamado's eye.”

He gives her a curious look. “Is that really such a concern?”

She sighs again. “He's... a good commander. He's seen a lot of conflict and he knows how to make difficult decisions, but sometimes... he's tends to assume the worst. He's taken the alliance between the clans to be and alliance against us.”

“In a way, he's correct, I suppose.” When she gives him a worried look, he explains. “None of us wanted the Galaxy Team to interfere in our matters, so part of the reason for the alliance was to stand united against you. But only against interference. We only want you to leave us alone, as we leave you alone.”

“That makes sense. I'm not sure he would understand, though. Better to keep this between us.”

He crinkles his eyes. “Don't worry. I'm not going to tell him.”

She laughs. “Good. Now eat up.” She eats the last bit of her own food and stands. He's barely touched his own. “It was nice catching up with you. Travel safe and take good care of you daughter, alright?”

“I will. Thank you, Zisu.”

After she leaves, he slowly finishes his own meal, then pays the owner, who is even less friendly now that he's alone. He heads down the street and out the gate, waving politely to the guards as he passes by, and makes camp not too far away. As he's laying down on his bedroll, he thinks about what she told him. Things with the Galaxy Team are worse than he thought, but it's good that the captain of the Security Corp is reasonable at least. He can only hope that Kamado doesn't push things too far.

Chapter Text

Ingo spends the next three weeks doing intensive training with Akari. They spend each morning patrolling the mountain, which is beginning to see frost as fall begins to turn to winter. Akari battles every Pokemon they come across while he gathers offerings for Lady Sneasler. Her partners grow much stronger under her direction, and he's pretty sure Sneasel is close to evolving, but something is holding him back. It may simply be that he's still quite young.

After they get back from a short patrol, they eat lunch, visit Lady Sneasler, then train some more. Ingo directs his Pokemon to battle hers while he practices throwing stones with his left hand. He sets up a small target and challenges himself to hit it first from a short distance, then farther away as he improves.

It's far more difficult than he would like, once again demonstrating how terribly right handed he is. If he were doing this with his dominant hand, it would be easy. Years of experience throwing pokeballs, clearly from before he arrived here as well, have rendered his aim nearly perfect, but now he has to start all over. He does make progress though and with dedicated practice, he can hit the target from across the clearing in front of the tent more often than not.

During this time, his right arm continues to heal, fragile pink skin finally starting to cover the area properly. He can move it more than he could before, but it still hurts and, as Calaba predicted, his range of motion is severely limited. He thinks it will get better as it scars over but right now when he stretches it, it pulls on the newly forming skin and the still open edges of the deeper part of the wound. At least he doesn't have to keep it in the sling anymore.

By the time they call it quits for the evening, he and his Pokemon are always tired, barely able to stay awake through dinner. He knows he's pushing himself more than he should, but he intends to keep his promise to Akari. He won't let her go into this battle alone or unprepared.

The last few days before they start the trek to the Mirelands, Ingo insists that they rest. They don't patrol or train, although they still do visit Lady Sneasler. He explains what they're going to do and she grumbles and refuses to let him leave her cave for a whole day, only begrudgingly letting him go when it starts to get dark. Akari thinks this is very funny and makes no effort to save him from his ward.

The following day, she seeks them out at home as they're preparing to leave and makes her displeasure clear in the way she forces him to sit and drapes herself over him. He sighs and leans his head against her while Akari watches from a short distance. “My Lady, you can't keep me here forever.”

She grumbles and presses her head more heavily down on his own. She runs one claw carefully over his right arm.

“I know.” He rubs the base of her ear feather. “But that was a surprise. No one expected Lord Arcanine to ascend, let alone become frenzied. I can't promise that nothing will happen, but we actually know what we're getting into this time. We've been preparing for weeks.”

She leans into the affection and rumbles slightly, sounding a little less annoyed. Even so, she pins him with a sharp look.

He adds the last argument he has. “Don't you want us to help Lady Lilligant? She's hurting, and that's bad for her and everyone in her territory. You know that better than I do, I think.”

She holds eye contact for another few seconds before giving a soft whine and looking away.

He lets out a long, slow breath and stands. “I promise we'll do everything we can to be safe. With luck, we'll be back in just a few days. Thank you for understanding, My Lady.”

She stays there, waiting in front of their tent and watching as they make their way down the mountain. The trail switches back and he loses sight of her, but he doesn't doubt she'll be waiting there for a long time. He shakes his head, trying to dispel the unease that's settled over him and focuses on the trail ahead.

It takes them two days to reach the Mirelands and when they do, they make tracks for the Diamond Clan settlement first. The people they pass watch them with a mixture of confusion and mistrust, but no one tries to stop them as they make their way to the largest tent.

Ingo knocks on the door and waits patiently for an answer. It takes a few minutes, but the Diamond Clan leader opens the door, looking barely put together, as though he'd just woken up despite it being late afternoon. He raises an eyebrow, but politely bows his head. “Warden Ingo, this is a surprise. And Miss Akari, too. It's good to see you both under better circumstances than last time.” He steps aside and gestures with one arm toward the interior of the tent. “Please, come inside.”

Ingo nods. “Thank you, sir.”

He enters with Akari trailing after and glances around. There's a desk on one side of the tent which is covered in scattered papers, presumably reports and correspondences from his own Wardens and Lady Irida. That probably explains why he seems so uncharacteristically out of sorts.

He sits on the cushions near the fire with Akari next to him, while Adaman sits across from them. He gives them an openly curious look. “What brings you out here, Warden?”

Seeing no point dancing around the subject, he looks the man in the eye and says, “we wish to help Warden Arezu calm Lady Lilligant.” Adaman's eyes widen, but he presses on, wanting to finish what he has to say before getting an answer. “I understand that interference from the Pearl Clan may not be welcome, but please understand that isn't our intention. Akari and Warden Lian successfully calmed Lord Kleavor and I believe that we can do the same thing here, with your permission.”

The clan leader stares at him in obvious disbelief. This is reinforced by his question, “are you serious?”

Ingo holds eye contact. “I am.”

“That's... I could never ask the Pearl Clan to put themselves in danger for my own clan's Noble.” A diplomatic answer, but not a helpful one.

He shakes his head. “You aren't asking, we're offering. Besides, Iscan has been helping Palina, hasn't he? What's different between that situation and this one?”

A look crosses Adaman's face, briefly enough that it could be written off as nothing if he hadn't been paying close attention. A look that tells him that Adaman knows more about that situation than Irida does. Still, he doesn't voice that, only slowly nods. “You make a valid point. If you truly wish to do this, then I would be deeply grateful for the assistance.” He searches Ingo's expression for something and, apparently finding it, nods again. “I'll speak with Arezu and let her know. It's getting late now, so it would be best to wait until morning. I can offer you a place to stay the night in the settlement if you would like. Otherwise, you're welcome to set up camp nearby.”

Ingo glances at Akari, who shrugs. “I think we would appreciate not having to set up our own camp.”

Adaman smiles. “Of course. Come with me.” He gets up and heads out the door, so they both follow. The clan leader leads them to an empty tent on the outskirts of the settlement. “You can stay here. Arezu and I will meet you here in the morning.”

Ingo bows. “Thank you.”

Adaman waves a hand. “No, I should be the one thanking you. Have a good night, you two!” With that, he walks away, presumably to find Arezu.

The two of them enter the tent and Ingo sits to build a fire while Akari sets up their bedrolls, letting Vulpix and Sneasel out to keep her company. Ingo lets Gliscor out and he sets up in a corner, watching over them. When she's finished getting everything ready, his daughter sits next to him and leans into his side.

“Are you nervous?”

She hums. “Yeah.”

He pets her hair with his right hand, moving in small up and down motions that thankfully don't cause him pain. “That's to be expected, I think. We're as prepared as we can be, but it's still a frightening task to undertake.” He debates for a moment whether or not he should say what's on his mind, but ultimately decides that it's something she needs to hear. “You know, no one would blame you if you decided not to do this.”

She sighs and nuzzles her head into his side. “I... I know. But I want to do it, even if it's scary.”

He squeezes her lightly with his arm and voices the emotions that swell in him, still determined to make sure she knows how he feels about her. “I'm so proud of you, Akari.”

Her face goes red and she buries it in his kimono, embarrassed by the praise as usual. “Thanks, Dad.”

He huffs a small laugh and pats her back. “You're welcome. Now, why don't we make some dinner and get to bed. Tomorrow is a big day.”

She nods and gets up to find food for them to eat and Ingo watches fondly for just a moment before getting to his feet to help her.

Chapter Text

As to be expected, Adaman and Arezu meet them right on time, outside of the tent they borrowed for the night. Ingo and Akari have packed their things, but left them inside. They've also both emptied out their satchels so that they can carry balms in them.

Arezu is the first to speak, stepping up and giving them a wide smile. “Thank you so much for offering to help with this.” She looks at Akari. “I heard about how you and Lian calmed Lord Kleavor by yourselves, and everyone knows how good you are with Pokemon, Warden Ingo. Between all of us, I'm sure we can do it!”

Ingo crinkles his eyes at her enthusiasm. “I certainly hope you're right.”

Her bright energy dims a bit as her eyes catch on the healing wound on his arm. “Ah. But, um. Are you really sure you want to? After what happened with Lord Arcanine, I'd understand if you didn't.”

Ingo almost laughs at being on the other end of this conversation, but he knows that would come across badly. Instead he just shakes his head. “I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure. It's very thoughtful of you to ask, though.”

Apparently satisfied with that answer, Adaman claps his hands. “In that case, there's no point wasting more time. Are you ready to go?”

Ingo and Akari both nod and with that, they head out. Lady Lilligant's arena isn't far from the settlement, so it doesn't take much time at all to reach it. When they do, they stop just outside the area, where a large basket of balms has been left, and fill up their bags and pockets. He's surprised to see Adaman joining in, but he doesn't say anything about it. If anything, if only gives him more reason to trust the man. Any good leader should be willing to do what they ask of others.

Hmm. He didn't know he had such strong opinions about it. There's no time to wonder why that is, though. He has to focus on the quick discussion of tactics that's going on around him. He and Akari had already come up with their own plan, but it needs to be modified knowing that two more people are joining in. Thankfully, it should make things easier.

He hadn't been overly confident about his ability to dodge such a fast Pokemon, but he was willing to do his best to keep Akari from having to draw her attention the whole time. Now, though, there are two additional people, both of whom are young and in good health- qualities he’s lacking- to share that job. Which means he can focus on throwing balms from afar and directing his Pokemon to defend the others, a position he’s far more comfortable with.

The four of them step into the arena and Akari takes the lead, darting closer than he would like to Lady Lilligant to throw the first balm. She also sends out Gardevoir and Sneasel, who both know what to do thanks to their extensive training in the last few weeks. She leaps away, drawing the Noble away from the others and giving them an opening to pelt her with as many balms as possible. She turns on them, focusing on Arezu, who runs the opposite direction as Akari, once again providing an opening for everyone else.

They continue this way, the three of them falling into a pattern of attacking and dodging while Ingo holds back and strikes as often as possible without drawing attention to himself. He succeeds for quite a while, until Adaman trips and he calls out to Gliscor to protect him. His partner takes the hit and drags the clan leader to his feet, but the Noble's head whips around and her glowing eyes focus on Ingo. He rolls out of the way of her blind charge and sends Alakazam out, shouting, “Zen Headbutt!”

Her attack hits hard, knocking Lady Lilligant away and giving Ingo a chance to get his feet under him and put some distance between them. He startles when Akari appears at his elbow, her face pinched with worry. He's about to wave off her concerns, but he freezes when his eyes catch on hers. Instead of their usual color, they're green and slightly glowing.

He thought he had remembered wrong last time this happened. With the fact that he was in the process of passing out from pain at the time, that seemed a reasonable assumption, but apparently he was wrong. “Akari-”

“Watch out!” His daughter shoves him out of the way of the charging Noble, who is apparently still focused on him, and dodges the other direction.

He lands on his injured arm and gasps in pain, but pushes himself back up to his feet and stumbles away from her. He shakes his head and focuses his eyes back on the immediate danger. He can worry about Akari's eyes later.

They fall back into their routine and within a minute, it's as though their derailment never occurred. Still, when there's a lull while the Noble is focused on the others, Akari throws him a concerned look. He gives a small shake of his head in return. From here, he can't see if her eyes are still strange, but she seems to be feeling fine, so he tries not to worry.

Thankfully, Lady Lilligant doesn't hold out much longer and soon enough, the brilliant glow surrounding her vanishes. She freezes in place and looks around at them in clear confusion. Arezu approaches her Noble and tearily says, “oh, thank Sinnoh, you're back.”

Lady Lilligant chirps and tilts her head. She still seems confused, but she pats her Warden with leafy arms.

Adaman turns away from the sight with a soft smile and catches Ingo's eye, tilting his head toward the exit to the arena. Ingo nods and pats Akari on the back when she gets close to him, gently steering her after the clan leader. When they're down the steps, a good distance from the arena, he turns to them and bows deeply. “I can't thank you both enough for what you've done today. I'm not too proud to admit that things have been looking bleak, and it feels as though Almighty Sinnoh itself sent you to our aid.”

Akari gives him an amused look at the turn of phrase, but doesn't say anything. He's glad for that, since trying to explain that Almighty Sinnoh literally did send them both here might not go over well. He inclines his head in return. “I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're just glad that it worked. I hate to think of what measures we may have had to take if this method proved unsuccessful.”

A dark look crosses the other man's face. “We're certainly in agreement there.” His expression eases again almost instantly. “Regardless, why don't we head back to the settlement? A success like this ought to be celebrated.”

“Celebrated?” Akari asks.

Adaman grins at her. “Of course! Don't you think we've earned it?”

“I mean... there's still two Nobles who are frenzied.”

He waves a hand. “True, but this morning there were three. You'll drive yourself insane if you never acknowledge the progress you've made and only look to what's yet to be done.”

Akari's brow furrows and she looks down. “I guess that's true.”

Adaman raises an eyebrow at Ingo and he gives him what he hopes comes across as a grateful look. He sets a hand on her shoulder and says, “I think a celebration is a wonderful idea. We can certainly spare another night before we head home.”

This brings an easy smile to the clan leader's face. “Then, let's not waste any more time. Arezu will meet us back at the settlement whenever she's done here, I'm sure.” With that, he strides off downhill and the two of them follow.

Chapter Text

The Diamond Clan sure knows how to bring together a celebration in a hurry. Ingo supposes that makes sense with the value they put on time. The center of the settlement is set up haphazardly with tables while a dozen people get to cooking food and others begin to play music. It's far more crowded and chaotic than the Pearl Clan celebrations he's used to, but that too makes sense.

Despite her initial hesitation, Akari is enjoying herself. Some of the other kids are teaching her the steps to a dance and it eases his mind to see her laughing along with them. Ingo is content to stand off to the side and watch while eating some kind of skewered, fried meat.

“Enjoying yourself, are you?” A familiar voice from behind him causes him to turn.

He smiles with his eyes. “Warden Calaba, good afternoon.” He's not terribly surprised to see her. Given her proximity to the Diamond Clan settlement and her position as a healer, he knows she's on good terms with them.

She comes to stand next to him and her gaze falls on Akari. She smiles at the sight of her nearly tripping over herself trying to keep up with another child's quite impressive footwork, but all too soon turns a sharp look on him. “I thought I told you to take it easy.”

He sighs and toys with the wooden stick from his food, slowly turning it over in the fingers of his right hand. They don't respond the way he wants them to and even such a simple thing is difficult. “You did. Would it help if I told you I really tried?”

She snorts. “It would not, but it's good to know.” When he doesn't answer, she growls, “battling Lady Lilligant is not taking it easy, Warden.”

“I know that, but I couldn't let Akari do this alone.”

“Akari shouldn't have had to do it at all.” There's something almost accusatory in her tone that he bristles at.

“You think I don't know that?” He levels her with a glare and to his surprise, she steps back. “I've tried convincing her that she doesn't have to, but she's set on it. And it's not as though I can force her not to. That much is obvious after the way she ran off to battle Lord Kleavor. The least I can do is back her up.”

Calaba's expression is unreadable, but her tone is softer than he expected when she replies. “I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You've always put yourself on the line to help others. That's what's made you such a good fit as Lady Sneasler's Warden. Still, you need to take care of yourself, too. You're no use to anyone if you can't function.”

He lets out a slow breath. “You're right, of course.”

“So you're going to go back home and rest now, right?”

“That was already the plan.”

“And the other Nobles? Do you intend to battle them?”

He hesitates. “I... think so. Although with winter coming on, I don't know if we'll be ready to battle Lord Electrode before the snow falls.”

“That may be for the best. And Lord Arcanine?”

At that, Ingo hesitates for even longer before admitting, “I don't know. We haven't talked about it.”

“You don't have to confront him, you know? No one expects you to go out of your way for any of the Nobles, but particularly him.”

He shakes his head. “I honestly don't know if I can face him. I don't know if I could even if he weren't still frenzied.” He knows that he's not quite keeping the fear that bubbles up at the very thought out of his tone.

“That's understandable, Ingo. No one would blame you for that.”

“But if Palina and Iscan can't calm him, then someone has to, and Akari and I are more capable than anyone to undertake this task.”

She sighs. “That's true, but please just think about it properly before you make that decision. You need to be prepared for how seeing Lord Arcanine again is going to affect you before you're in the thick of it.”

“I... I'll think about it. I'm still hoping it won't come to that.”

“For your sake, I hope so too.” She shakes her head. “Now cheer up, this is a party.”

He huffs and grumbles, “I was plenty cheerful before you showed up.”

Calaba laughs and smacks him on the arm and he pinches his eyes at her, wordlessly signaling that he's joking. He's pretty sure she can tell, but he knows he's not the easiest person to read. The elder shakes her head and says, “fine, then keep being grumpy, whatever you prefer.” With that, she heads off in the direction of the cooking food.

He turns his attention back to the kids, who are now playing some kind of elaborate game involving chasing each other around, then suddenly stopping in their tracks. Akari looks like she's still having fun, so he sits and continues to toy with the skewer in his hands. He keeps trying to turn it over in his fingers. He can do it if he focuses very hard, but no matter how hard he tries, the motion is jerky and uncoordinated.

He switches it to his left hand. Even though it's not his dominant hand, he can pretty easily turn the skewer in any direction he wants. It's frustrating. He sets the wooden stick aside and digs an extra pokeball out of his satchel. He's switched his Pokemon to the other side of his belt so he can easily access them, but he still finds the motion awkward. As he expected, though, trying to hold the ball in his right hand is difficult enough on it's own, causing pain to shoot up his arm, and attempting to use the clasp is even worse. His hand seizes up and he drops the pokeball.

He curses quietly and reaches for it, but freezes when a small hand grabs it before he can. He looks up, startled, to see Akari. He was too focused on what he was doing to notice her approach, but now she kneels in front of him, looking at the pokeball in her hand with a difficult to read expression. She holds it out to him, keeping her eyes downcast.

“It's... really hard, isn't it?”

Ingo sighs as he takes the pokeball and tucks it back into his satchel. “It is.”

“I'm sorry.”

He shakes his head. “It's not your fault.”

She doesn't reply right away and she doesn't move. He waits patiently for her to decide what she wants to say. When she does speak, it sounds like she's holding back tears. “Maybe not. B-but it's still... it still h-hurts, doesn't it? I-it's still awful.”

“That's true.” He scoots forward and slowly wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. “It is awful, but there are things that are more important than that.” He pats her on the back with both hands while he presses a kiss into her hair. “After all, I can still do this.” He hears the muffled sound of a giggle. “So, things aren't all bad, now are they?”

“I guess not.” It sounds like she's still suppressing laughter. She headbutts him lightly. “Thanks, Dad.”

“You're welcome. Do you have any idea how proud I am of you?”

She hesitates again, but to his surprise, her answer comes in a small voice. “I... I know, Dad.”

He squeezes his arms more tightly around her and lays his head on top of hers. “I'm glad. I love you so much.”

Chapter Text

As Akari and Ingo make their way back to the Highlands, the first flurries of snow fall around them. Her dad catches some snow in his hand and sighs. “It’s probably time to start getting ready to go to the settlement.”

Akari tilts her head. “Why?”

“I stay there during the winter, when the mountain is impassable. Some of the other wardens do as well, if they don’t want to risk being cut off from the settlement.”

She hums. “That makes sense. Does Melli do that, too?”

“He does. It’s not safe to stay here during the winter.”

“What about Lord Electrode? He’s still frenzied.” She hesitates. As much as she wants to calm him right now, the battle with Lady Lilligant was a lot more difficult than she expected, even with the extra help, and she's not sure her Pokemon are up to battling an even stronger Noble without more training. She sighs. “I don’t know if we can help him before winter.”

Ingo sets a comforting hand on her shoulder and when she looks up, he’s giving her a gentle, understanding look. “It’s important to know your limits.”

She grumbles, “I don’t like it, though,” which makes him laugh.

“There’s not much to do in the settlement during the winter. In the past, I’ve found myself quite bored, but I think this year, we can put that time to good use and get some serious training in.”

Akari likes the sound of that and nods. Before she can answer, though, another voice calls out, “Warden Ingo!”

They both turn to see a man coming up the trail that leads to the Celestica Ruins. He’s wearing a blue and yellow tunic and carrying a large backpack. She’s only met a few of them, but her dad told her these people were traders from the Ginko Guild. He also told her they usually don’t come up this far into the mountains.

Ingo is clearly surprised as well, but the expression likely isn’t visible to someone who doesn’t know him. His tone is even as he steps forward and gives a friendly wave. “Good afternoon, sir. Is there something I can help you with?”

The man comes a bit closer and smiles. There’s something about it that’s vaguely off-putting. “No, no. I just wanted to introduce myself.” He gives a half bow. “I’m Volo of the Ginko Guild. I’ve heard quite a bit about you, Warden, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to meet you in person.”

Ingo nods politely. “It’s good to meet you, Volo. As you already know, I’m Warden Ingo. This is my daughter, Akari.”

He pats her on the shoulder and she takes the hint and gives her own nod. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

Volo’s smile gets somehow sharper. “It’s very good to meet you as well. I’ve heard that you both had a hand in calming the Nobles that were frenzied. A quite impressive feat. I’m sure the clans are quite relieved.”

“Indeed. Such a thing happening to our Nobles was cause for great concern, but now we at least know that it can be reversed.”

“Our?” The merchant tilts his head, his voice innocent as he asks, “I thought you weren’t actually from here?”

Her dad stiffens slightly, but otherwise doesn’t outwardly respond. He can’t keep the ice out of his tone when he replies, though. “I may not be from Hisui, but I'm still a Warden of the Pearl Clan. The suffering of our Nobles is as much my concern as anyone’s.”

Volo holds his hands up in defeat. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend.”

“I understand. Now, we need to be getting home.”

“Of course.” He smiles and gestures for them to keep moving, but interrupts himself with another thought. “Oh, just curious, though. Where did you come from? No one seems to know.”

“I’m afraid that I can’t tell you, as I don’t know either. I lost my memory upon my arrival here.”

He tilts his head and turns too-interested eyes on Akari. “Both of you?”

Akari backs up a step and Ingo takes a step forward, putting himself between them. He answers in a tone that isn’t even trying not to be cold anymore, “yes. Both of us.”

“That's… interesting.” Akari doesn’t like the way he says that.

“Indeed. We’ll be on our way now.”

Ingo gently pushes on her back, steering her away from Volo while keeping himself between them. Akari doesn’t look back, but she can’t shake the feeling of being watched for several long minutes.

It’s not until they reach their tent that she finally breaks the tense silence. “I don’t like him.”

Ingo sighs as he pushes the door open. “Neither do I.”

She didn’t think that he did, but hearing him say it plainly is a relief. She steps into the tent and tries to shake the remaining ghost of unease as they settle in for the evening.

Preparations for winter don’t take as long as Akari expected. They have to pack up all of their belongings, but as it turns out, they don’t really have much. The majority of the space in their baskets is taken up by food. They also have to take Akari’s futon since there’s only one at the tent in the settlement. After that it's just personal belongings, which neither of them have much of.

Ingo has a small box, which he takes out of the storage chest. When Akari asks about it, he opens it to show her. His old, damaged coat is folded at the bottom, taking up most of the space. On top of that are several smaller items. A piece of blue cloth, which she unfolds to reveal about half of a tie, a small, shiny charm with the stylized image of an unfamiliar Pokemon on it, and a badly damaged device of some kind. She picks up the last item and turns it over in her fingers, being careful not to cut herself on the jagged edges of the glass that used to make up what she thinks was a screen.

“What happened to it?”

“Hmm?” Her dad looks up from where he's packing up their cooking utensils. When his eyes light on the device in her hands, he says, “oh. I don't know. It was like that when I arrived.”

She looks down at it again. Beyond the shattered glass of the screen are twisted bits of metal and plastic with tiny wires sticking out. She tries to picture what it would have looked like whole. While the screen is reminiscent of her phone, it's much smaller and there are straps sticking out either side. “Is it supposed to attach to something?”

“It was on my wrist. It cut me quite badly, presumably when it broke.” He crosses the tent and sits next to her, pointing out a scar on his left wrist. “It was still bleeding when I arrived, so it must have happened just before that. What's your interest in it?”

She glances up to see he seems genuinely curious. She takes out her phone and holds the two side by side. “It's different, obviously, but I think it may have served a similar purpose to my ArcPhone.”

Ingo furrows his brow and studies them both more closely. “You know, I think you may be right.”

“Arceus said it lost contact with you before you arrived, and this thing broke before you arrived. You were probably supposed to be able to talk to it like I can.”

“Do you think it would tell you?”

Akari tilts her head. She keeps forgetting she can just ask it questions and it will usually try to answer them. “I can try.”

Is this thing that Dad has how he was

supposed to talk to you?

Indeed. Like your ArcPhone, his ArcTrans

was meant to give him the ability to

contact me, as well as record information.

“It says it's called an 'ArcTrans'.”

He considers that for a moment. “That feels wrong, somehow.”

“Well, mine's called an 'ArcPhone' but I just call it a phone. So maybe yours is just a 'trans'.”

For some reason, that causes him to get an amused tilt to his frown. “I don't think that's right either.”

“Why not?”

“I don't really know. Just a feeling.” He shakes his head. “Does Arceus know why it broke?”

“I'll find out.”

Do you know what happened to it?

I'm afraid not. Whatever happened not

only broke his ArcTrans, but also

severed his connection to me, so my

knowledge of the situation is minimal.

Despite his proximity to you, I have still

been unable to ascertain exactly what

the cause is, nor have I been able to fix it.

You've been trying to fix it?

Yes, with very little success. Something is

impeding me, but as I am unable to

manifest fully in this space and time, my

powers are quite limited.

She's surprised by how frustrated it sounds. Without really thinking, she types another message.

It's ok. We really appreciate you trying.

This isn't your fault.

There's a long pause before she receives a reply.

That is very kind of you, my Chosen. I

chose you for the strength of your heart,

mind, and soul, and yet I am constantly

amazed at these very same qualities. It is

through my own failing that you find

yourself here, that you have suffered so

greatly, and yet you would still offer me

comfort. You are truly exceptional, Akari.

She feels tears sting her eyes as she reads the message. All she did was try to cheer it up. She doesn't deserve such high praise.

“What's wrong?”

Her head snaps up and she sees her dad giving her a worried look. She shakes her head, not knowing how to explain. “It's ok.”

“What did it say?” A comforting hand comes to rest on her shoulder and she subconsciously leans into it.

“It doesn't know what happened to you. It's been trying to find out, and it's been trying to help you, but it can't.”

His brow furrows in confusion. “Is that why you're upset?”

She shakes her head. “N-no.”

He sighs and gently tugs on her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It's ok.”

Something about the way he so easily offers comfort, even though he doesn't understand what's wrong, sparks understanding in her. This isn't your fault. Isn't that what he's been saying to her this whole time? She echoed that exact comfort back to Arceus, but she hasn't been listening at all when he says it. Knowing that Arceus blames itself for their suffering doesn't make that suffering go away. And it doesn't make it its fault. It's as powerless in this situation as they both were against Lord Arcanine.

Quietly, she whispers, “I never thanked you.”

Just as quietly, he asks, “for what?”

“For saving me. I-I didn't thank you b-because I... I didn't th-think you should have done it. B-but... you did do it.” She takes a shaky breath as his arms squeeze around her. “Thank you.”

“Oh, Akari.” His voice is so gentle that it hurts. He cups the side of her face with his hand and tilts it up so he can look at her. She feels his fingers twitch involuntarily just from that motion. This isn't your fault. “You're welcome. I love you more than anything, and there's nothing in the world that will ever change that.”

This isn't your fault. “I know.”

For the first time, she actually means it when she says that. She looks into his eyes and sees the genuine, honest love and for the first time actually believes that it doesn't come with any conditions or limitations. And for the first time, she really, truly believes what he's been saying all along. This isn't her fault.

“I love you too, Dad.”

Chapter Text

Akari is fascinated by the process of breaking down the tent in the Highlands. They're up at dawn with all of their things packed into two baskets and her futon rolled up on top. The remainder of what's in the tent has been packed away neatly into the storage chest and Ingo is showing her how to detach the canvas. Apparently, the snow will cause it to cave in during the winter if they leave it up, so they take it down, then stake it over the chest to keep it dry. The supports for the tent stay up, sticking up toward the sky like old bones. Ingo explains that sometimes they don't survive the winter and promises to teach her how to repair them is they're damaged when they come back in the springtime. All in all, it seems like far more work than should be necessary, though she's not really sure what she's measuring it up against.

The trek out to the settlement is thankfully uneventful. Normally, Akari would be happy to battle some Pokemon, but with the two of them carrying everything they own, it would be more annoying than anything. Her dad leaves Gliscor out to watch over them and he gleefully chases off any Pokemon that get too close. Not for the first time, Akari finds herself impressed with how strong he is. She knows part of that is because he's an Alpha, but there's no doubt that a greater part of it is from the training that Ingo has done with him. She really needs to work on training her own Pokemon.

It's afternoon when they arrive and it doesn't take long to get everything settled in their tent. Just as they're finishing up, a knock at the door draws their attention. Akari bounds across the tent to open it, since her dad has his hands full. She smiles brightly and says, “hello, Irida!”

Their clan leader smiles and steps inside the tent. “Hello, Akari. Hello, Warden Ingo. I'm glad to see you made it safely.”

Ingo sets aside the pans in his hands and comes closer, pinching his eyes happily. “It's good to see you, Lady Irida. How are you?”

“I'm fine. Things have been a little less... tense since the two of you calmed Lord Kleavor and Lady Lilligant.”

“That's good. Are the other Wardens here?”

“Warden Lian arrived yesterday and Warden Calaba should be here within the week.”

Akari asks, “what about Palina?”

“She's going to stay in the Coastlands. With Lord Arcanine still frenzied, and the Galaxy Team still hounding us, she didn't want to be too far away.”

Ingo clenches his right hand, seemingly subconsciously. “That's probably for the best, but I don't like the idea of her handling all that on her own.”

Irida reaches out and covers his hand with her own. “She promised to send a message if things become too tense with the Galaxy Team. Come on, why don't the two of you join us for dinner?”

He makes a visible effort to smile. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you.”

The two of them follow her out the door and through the settlement to Irida's tent. It's warm and welcoming inside, and Lian and Gaeric are already there.

Lian grins. “Ingo, Akari! You're here!”

Gaeric is nearly as excited, crossing the tent and patting them both on the back hard enough to make them stumble. “It's been too long! You really ought to visit more often, Ingo.” He pushes them toward the middle of the tent. “Come on, come on. Let's catch up! How have things been since midsummer?”

Ingo throws a helpless look in Akari's direction and answers awkwardly, “things have been, um... complicated?”

She laughs and follows as he gets dragged along with the enthusiastic Warden, making no attempt to help him. Instead, she sits by Lian and smiles at him. He smiles back, not even trying to hide his amusement at Ingo's predicament.

“Complicated? Come on, you can be more specific than that.” Gaeric continues pestering Ingo, apparently determined to force him to socialize.

“I don't know what you want from me.” He grumbles, irritated. “I've spent most of my time since then trying not to do anything at all.”

“Because of your injury?” The sudden shift in tone is a surprise, but the boisterous excitement is gone, replaced by worry. “It's not healed yet?”

Ingo looks down, covering his eyes with the brim of his hat and looking distinctly uncomfortable. “It's mostly healed. Calaba said it would take a long time.” He shakes his head, still refusing to look at the others. “How have things been here?”

She's pretty sure he can't see it, but a flash of concern crosses the faces of everyone in the room at the blatant deflection. Still, Irida answers, “things have been fine here. Blessedly uneventful compared to everywhere else, it seems.” She turns to the pan on the fire and nods to herself. “Why don't we eat?”

She and Lian dish out food to each of them and a silence settles over the group as they all begin to eat. At first it feels awkward, but Irida fills the silence with a story about the children of the settlement sneaking out to try to find Pokemon. Soon enough, it's as though the dark cloud that settled over them has moved on and everyone, even Ingo, seems to be enjoying themselves.

He's still the first to excuse himself, though. He pats Akari on the shoulder and says, “you can stay if you'd like.”

She considers for a moment, before shaking her head and getting up to follow him. As they walk slowly through the settlement, a light snow dusts their coats and hats and Akari leans into his side. “Do you not like being around them? You left early at the midsummer festival, too.”

He sighs and when she looks up, his eyes are fixed on the distant, currently invisible horizon. “It's not that I don't like them. They're all wonderful, and they've been extremely kind. I just... don't like being around a lot of people.”

“You seemed fine at the meeting in the Mirelands.” She points out.

“There was a purpose for the meeting.”

Akari hums. She supposes that's true.

“You really don't have to leave just because I do.” He finally takes his eyes off the horizon and gives her a serious look. “I don't want to get in the way of you making friends.”

She smiles and knocks her head into his side. “It's really ok, Dad. I don't mind being around lots of people if you're there, but alone it's... scary.”

He lets out a long, slow breath. “I really am turning you into a recluse, aren't I?” There's just a hint of amusement in his tone, but she can tell he's also genuinely worried.

She laughs. “I don't think it's new.”

He looks down at her again, seemingly searching her expression. They break apart as they reach the door to the tent. “I suppose that's a relief.”

“Is it new for you?” She finds herself asking the question as it comes into her mind.

He tilts his head in consideration and she takes off her coat while she waits for an answer, hanging it up next to his. Eventually, he says, “I think... it is and it isn't.”

“Huh? How does that work?”

“It's hard to articulate. I have this feeling that I've never liked being around groups of people, but I used to be better at handling it.”

“I wonder why?”

He shrugs. “When I first arrived here, Hisui struck me as quite devoid of people. I assume wherever I came from was more crowded, so it was likely a problem I had to confront more often.”

“Oh, that makes sense.” She's surprised to get such a clear answer, and that leads her to another train of thought. She hasn't really thought much about how Hisui might compare to her old home, but nothing like a lack of people ever really struck her as odd. “I wonder if you lived in a city?”

“A city?” He tilts his head and his eyes glaze over slightly. “I...” He shakes his head. “I can't recall if I've ever seen a city and yet I can almost picture what it might look like. Perhaps you're right.” He focuses his eyes again and pinches them at her. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Her dad ruffles her hair. “I've remembered more about my home since I met you than I have in all the time I've lived here. It would seem that you're a good influence on me.”

Akari ducks her head in embarrassment. “I haven't done anything, really.” Another thought strikes her. “How long have you been here?”

“About three years now.”

Her eyes widen. That's way longer than she expected. In a way it makes sense. It would have taken some time for him to become so ingrained here, with his position as a Warden and the friendships he has with the others. But why would Arecus have waited so long to send her here after it lost contact with him?

She remembers what it said when she asked about his home. It told her that his only condition for agreeing to help was that he would get to go home afterwards. It mattered more than anything else to him, and he's been stuck here, unable to remember, but still missing home for three years. Akari grabs him in a sudden, ferocious hug and feels him intake a sharp breath.

“Akari?”

“I'm sorry. That's so awful.” She headbutts his chest lightly. “I promise we'll finish this quest.”

He pats her on the back. “What does that have to do with it?”

Oh. She never told him, did she? “Arceus said it could send you- us- home when we were finished.”

He goes completely still. When he doesn't respond for almost a minute, Akari lets go of him and steps back. His eyes are blank and staring, but when he registers her concern, he shakes his head. “I-it said that? I...” He shakes his head again and his eyes flicker between red and silver for several seconds. The sight causes anxiety to spike in her, particularly when he only grows more agitated, scratching the side of his head harshly with his fingernails. “I didn't think-” His eyes go red again and he narrows them in a pained expression and gives a frustrated growl, stalking off to the other side of the tent.

Akari follows uncertainly. She wasn't expecting him to have this kind of reaction to what should be undeniably good news. Clearly whatever has been causing the weirdness with his eyes is affecting him more than she thought. “Dad?” When he doesn't answer, she asks cautiously, “what's wrong?”

He shakes his head and growls, “I don't know.”

She knows she should probably try to calm him down, but this may be her first chance to get actual answers to whatever has been plaguing him since they met, so instead she asks, “do you not want to go home?”

He flinches, raising both hands to his head. His back is turned, but she'd be willing to bet his eyes are red again. “I- I-” He shakes his head in a way that she's beginning to think is compulsive.

“You told me you miss it.”

“I do.” He sounds desperate.

“So, what's the problem? Don't you want to go back?”

He growls again and digs his fingers into his scalp. Akari darts around him and grabs his arms, trying to ignore how disconcerting the glowing red eyes are. She easily wrenches his right hand free, but struggles more with the left. “Dad, stop. You're hurting yourself. Please tell me what's wrong.”

His eyes meet hers and fade back to silver. He gives in to her insistent tugging, allowing her to take both of his hands and then, without warning, collapses to his knees, dragging her down with him. He whispers, “I don't know,” before his eyes roll back and he falls the rest of the way to the ground.

Akari does her best to slow his fall, but mostly just manages to keep him from hitting his head. She doesn't know what to do now. He seems to be alright, just unconscious, but she's worried about whatever is happening to him. He didn't seem to be aware of it when this happened before, but this time he clearly was and it was distressing to him. She shifts so she's laying next to him. They haven't set the futons up yet, but even if they had, she wouldn't be able to move him to one.

Akari buries her face in the fabric of his kimono and tries not to let everything overwhelm her. There has to be something she can do, but how is she supposed to combat something that seems to be affecting his very mind? How is she supposed to help when even asking him what's wrong causes such an extreme reaction? How is she supposed to fix this?

Chapter Text

When Akari wakes up, her dad is still sleeping. Her back is sore from sleeping on the ground and the tent is cold, so she gets up and starts a fire. She releases Sneasel and Voltorb to keep her company, though the latter rolls over to nuzzle in the warm spot she left against Ingo's side instead. She smiles at them as she sets the kettle over the fire to boil.

While she waits for that, she finishes the unpacking they left yesterday. By the time she's done with that and with making tea and oatmeal for both of them, her dad is still sleeping. That's odd, and concerning after the breakdown he had last night, so she goes back to his side. He stirs when she shakes his shoulder and his eyes flicker open.

She's relieved that they're the usual silver, but less relieved when they don't fully focus. He stares up at the canvas ceiling blankly, only turning his attention on her when she shakes him again. He mumbles, “mmm... 'kari?”

“Hey, Dad. How are you feeling?”

It seems to take a moment for the question to register and a moment longer for him to think it through. Even after that, his answer is a noncommittal hum.

“Can you sit up?”

He considers this question for just as long and answers by slowly sitting up. He rubs his eyes with the heels of his palms and grumbles. “I... don't...”

The confusion obvious in his voice causes worry to eat away at her, but she smiles and pats his arm. “It's alright, Dad. Do you want some tea?” She picks up the cup and hands it to him without waiting for an answer.

He takes it, then stares at it for a minute before slowly taking a sip. He mumbles, “thank you.”

Akari picks up the bowl of oatmeal and hands it to him as well. He takes it and thoughtlessly eats, still staring off into the distance blankly. She eats her own breakfast and watches him closely. When he's finished, he just stops moving. She takes the bowl from him and sets it aside with her own. “Are you ok?”

He hums softly. “I don't know.”

“Is it...” She hesitates. The last thing she wants to do is send him into another spiral, but she also wants to know what's going on. “Do you remember what we were talking about? Before you passed out?”

His eyes narrow and he slowly shakes his head. “No...”

“Oh.” She's not sure how to feel about that, but he was quite distressed so it's not completely a surprise.

“What... was it?”

Akari hesitates. Should she tell him? Maybe not everything. “We were talking about your home.”

“My home?” He looks at her with a painfully confused expression, then glances around the tent.

“Not here. Your other home.”

“The Highlands?”

She shakes her head. “No, Dad. From before you came here.”

“The one from... I came from somewhere... else.” The way his voice pitches up at the end of a sentence almost makes it sound like a question. “I... where did I come from?”

“I don't know.” She furrows her brow. He's still disoriented, but shouldn't he know this? “You don't know either, remember? Last night you told me you thought it was a city.”

“A... city?” He shakes his head, the same tic from when he was getting worked up last night. “I don't-” He shakes his head again and his eyes flicker red, then back to silver.

Akari feels panic rising in her and throws her arms around him. “D-don't worry about it! Please. It's ok.”

Her dad slowly wraps his own arms around her and lets out a long, heavy breath. “I'm sorry. I'm worrying you.”

She shakes her head. “N-no. It's alright. Just... why don't you rest? Maybe it will help?” She looks up so she can see his eyes, which are thankfully silver. He does look tired. And confused still. “Please.”

His expression softens, his eyes pinching at the corners. “Ok. Thank you.” He lets go of her and lays back down. He closes his eyes and his breathing slowly evens out, but she doesn't think he's actually asleep. It's rest, anyway.

She gets up slowly and takes their bowls to the kitchen to wash. Realizing they need water, she takes the buckets to the door and bundles up in her coat and boots. It's cold outside and still lightly snowing, so she hurries along her way. Several people wave and she waves back, but doesn't slow down to chat. It's weird being in a populated place after spending months in the barren Highlands.

She doesn't linger long at the river, which is even colder than the rest of the settlement, only hanging around long enough to dip out water in the buckets, then scurrying back up the bank. Her way back is interrupted by someone calling out, “Akari!”

She turns and sees Irida approaching. She smiles and sets the buckets down, giving a small bow. “Hi, Irida.”

“How are you today? You and Ingo left early last night, so I didn't get a chance to ask if you'd settled in alright.”

Akari looks down. “Yeah, we're alright. Got everything unpacked.”

“Good! Do you mind if I walk with you? I need to talk to Ingo.”

“Oh, um... Dad's not really feeling well. Can it wait?”

Her brows come together. “Oh dear. He seemed fine yesterday. Is there anything I can do?”

She shakes her head and smiles gratefully. “I don't think so. He's resting right now.”

“Ok... Well, let him know I hope he feels better soon. And if he doesn't start feeling better let me know and I'll have a healer come by. Sound good?”

She bobs her head. “Yep! Sounds good. Thanks, Irida!” On impulse, she gives her clan leader a quick hug, then immediately ducks her head and grabs the water buckets, turning away in embarrassment. She hears a small, good natured laugh come from behind her, but doesn't look back. She doesn't want Irida to see how red her face is. She doesn't know why she did that.

It's just... She's so nice. Like Ingo, she's so willing to offer help with no expectation of anything in return. After the anxiety of last night and this morning, it's just nice to know that there are people who will help. Although there's not really much they can do. Without knowing what kind of Pokemon is effecting her dad, she has no way of knowing what to do about it.

Hmm. There's a thought.

She opens the door and carries the buckets inside, unsurprised to find Ingo is sitting up again, staring off into space and idly scratching Voltorb with his fingernails. She puts the water in the kitchen and takes off her coat and boots, then goes to his side. He distractedly drapes an arm over her when she leans against him.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Hmm?” He glances down at her.

“What kind of ghost types are there in Hisui?”

He tilts his head and thinks for a moment. “Well... in the Highlands, we have Midreavus and Rotom, as you know. Elsewhere, there's Gastly, Duskull, Drifloon, Zorua... Oh, and Froslass and Basculegion as well. Perhaps more, but I don't think I know of any.”

Akari considers the comprehensive answer for a moment before asking, “are the stories about ghost types true?”

“Which ones?”

“People say they eat souls and they can possess people.”

He hums. “Some of them feed off of souls, though they rarely outright eat them. As for possession... I don't know of any that do.” He pinches his eyes at her and ruffles her hair. “None that live in Hisui, certainly, so there's no need to worry.”

She gives him a smile that she hopes isn't strained. “That's good to know. Thanks.”

He closes his eyes and tilts his head over to lay on top of hers. “You're welcome.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

He hums again. “I think so. Although I'm not certain what was wrong to begin with.”

What's wrong is there's some Pokemon messing with his mind, but she can't tell him that, so she just nuzzles him with her cheek. “I'm just glad you're ok. I love you, Dad.” What she doesn't say, but mentally promises is, I'm going to figure out what's wrong, and I'm going to save you.

Chapter Text

Despite her intention to discover the cause of whatever is going on with Ingo, there's not actually a lot Akari can do. He's her most reliable source of information on local Pokemon and he already told her there aren't any that have the capacity to possess people. She's not even certain that's what's happening, but it's her best guess.

If it's not a common local Pokemon, then it might be from out of the region, or simply rare enough that he hasn't heard of it. Her explorations of the second option lead her to spend hours sitting with the younger children and listening to the legends told by the clan elders.

The stories are fascinating, if a little fantastical. They tell her the story of the creation of Hisui, how the Almighty Sinnoh created the vast space they call home with all its varied environments so that they might have anything and everything they need. She asks so many questions that the other children start to get annoyed with her, but the elders smile wider with each one. She asks if the Almighty Sinnoh created the Pokemon as well and they tell her that it did. They tell her that it wished to populate its space with many things, both beautiful and terrible. She asks if it created the other regions of the world and they answer that of course it did, but Hisui was the first it created. They tell her that this space, and the people who populate it, are dearest to its heart out of all the world.

Interestingly, they tell her that other parts of its space have been left under the watch of other deities, not as powerful as Sinnoh, but still significant in their own right. They don't have much information about these, but they tell her about a few. Apparently, they tend to be various minor deities that embody things like the seasons, the weather, life and death, light and darkness, and even concepts such as truth and ideals.

There are also several minor deities in Hisui as well, and the elders are happy to tell her about them. Most prominently, are the three Lake Guardians, who live in each of the three large lakes around the region. Though they're rarely seen, they're known to be benevolent, and embody knowledge, emotion, and willpower. Then there are the lunar deities, two beings who embody dreams and nightmares respectively. The second one catches her attention, but since it's only known to visit people in their sleep, she's pretty sure it's not what's causing Ingo's issues.

Once she runs out of questions about that topic, the elders move on to the story of the first Nobles. Long ago, they aided the Great Hero in saving Hisui from destruction and were awarded blessings from the Almighty Sinnoh for their trouble, which have been passed down to today's Nobles. When she asks, they explain that the region was under threat from a great and terrible force. Its name has been struck from the records for fear that speaking it will lead the monstrous creature back from the inverse world where it was banished. She asks about that, which causes the other children to groan in annoyance and the elder to smile and explain in more detail. The inverse world is a mysterious place, also called the reverse or mirror of the real world. The Almighty Sinnoh banished the great beast there to prevent it from causing another calamity like the one in the tale.

As she wanders around the settlement later, finally having exhausted her curiosity, Akari wonders if there truly is an inverse world out there, and if the monster supposedly contained there actually exists. The Almighty Sinnoh exists, so it could be true. Is there any way that it could be related to what's happening now?

Actually, the more she thinks about it, the more sense it makes. The frenzies that the Nobles are experiencing are clearly unnatural, but no one knows the cause. They were the ones who helped the hero stop it before, so if it were to try again, taking them out of the equation first would be a good idea. If that's the case, does that mean there are worse things to come? Arceus told her that space-time itself was out of balance. That sounds pretty serious. And does any of this relate to what's happening to her dad?

“Akari!”

She startles at the shout and turns around in time to get slammed into by a small figure in blue. She loses her balance and tumbles to the ground. Warden Sabi tumbles with her, giggling all the way. Akari shoves an elbow out of her face with a grumble and pushes herself up into a sitting position. “Hi, Warden Sabi. What're you doing here?”

“I'm staying here for the winter!”

She tilts her head at the other girl. “You are? Why?”

“My clairvoyance told me to.” She grins. “And Irida said it was ok, and I get to be closer to Lord Braviary, too!”

“That's good, I guess. What's clairvoyance?”

“The future!”

“The future?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She bobs her head up and down excitedly. “The Almighty Sinnoh tells me the future.”

Akari blinks at her. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yep!”

“Oh. Well, that's... cool. What does that have to do with you staying here, though?”

Sabi tilts her head. “I'm not really sure, but it's important. And you're part of it, too.”

“Part of what?”

“The important thing my clairvoyance told me about.”

“...Right. Well... thanks?”

She gives a bright, happy smile. “You're welcome! I'll see you later!” She jumps to her feet and bounds off toward the center of the settlement.

Akari stares after her for a few moments, unsure how to feel. Sabi seemed serious about being able to see the future, but is it really true? And if it's true, what's going to happen that involves her? And when?

Chapter Text

Akari is still sitting in the snow, staring after Sabi and wondering about her apparent premonition, when another distraction comes along in the form of three familiar Peal Clan kids. She jumps up to greet them, but Ghira barrels straight into her and knocks her right back down. He gives her a toothy grin. “Akari! You’re back!”

She laughs. “Yep! It’s good to see you guys!”

Robin says, “I told them you would be. Amiya didn’t think so, but I told her Warden Ingo always comes back here for the winter, and you’ve gotta go where he goes, right?”

“I mean… yeah. He is my dad.”

Amiya gives her a confused look. “I thought you said he wasn’t your dad?”

Akari feels her face heat up. “Uh. Well, he is now, ok.”

She shrugs. “Ok.” Her face lights up with excitement. “Oh, but we’ve got something to show you! Come on!”

She doesn’t hesitate to take off down the path and Robin follows. Akari shares a look with Ghira, then shoves him off her. They both scramble to their feet and run after the others. As they leave the boundary of the settlement, she calls out, “where are we going?”

Robin just calls back, “you’ll see!”

Akari shrugs and continues to follow. If they want to be mysterious, that’s fine. They take a small trail along the river until they reach a wide, flat area. There’s a huge waterfall a short distance from the banks, and she takes a moment to stare up at it in wonder.

“That comes from Lake Acuity.”

“Lake Acuity?” She asks, hoping for more information.

“Yep! There’s a sacred cave in the middle of it and Snowpoint Temple is up there, too!”

“Huh.” She’d like to see it. She wonders if she can convince her dad to take her up there sometime.

“That’s not why we’re here, though.” Amiya sounds mildly annoyed by the distraction.

“Oh right. Come here!” Robin grabs her hand and pulls her over to the middle of the clearing, where Ghira and Amiya lay out a pile of berries on the ground. She sits when the others do, and they say, “now we just have to wait.”

“What are we waiting for?”

“You'll see.”

Akari gives a dramatic sigh and falls silent. Still being mysterious, apparently. It takes a few minutes, but her patience is rewarded by several Pokemon creeping closer to them. Judging by the excited tension, this is what they're waiting for.

After another few minutes, a Snorunt, clearly the boldest of the group, approaches and lets Robin pet it. She's rewarded for her bravery with a berry, which emboldens the others to approach as well. A fairly small Snover soon finds its way over to Amiya and actually seems to enjoy the attention, while a second Snorunt hangs back, just slightly too far away for Ghira to touch it. It watches him warily for a while, then darts forward and takes a berry, dancing out of reach again before he can touch it.

Ghira lets his head fall and pouts. “Why doesn't he like me?” He looks at the other two and their little friends with clear jealousy.

Akari scoots closer and pats him on the back. “It's not that he doesn't like you. He just doesn't trust you.”

“That's not better.”

“Yes it is. You can earn his trust.”

He looks up at her with hope in his eyes. “You think so? How?”

She looks back at Snorunt, who is still watching them. He keeps looking at the others who are getting showered with affection with thinly veiled jealousy. He and Ghira certainly have something in common. Akari takes a pokeball off her belt and releases Vulpix. She directs her partner to Ghira and says, “pet her and feed her berries. Don't worry too much about Snorunt.”

Ghira seems confused, but gladly lets her climb into his lap and feeds her a berry. He pets her cautiously at first, then more enthusiastically. “She's so soft!”

Akari laughs. “She is. And she loves attention.” She leaves them to it, shuffling closer to the other two and their new friends. “So, how long have you been coming out here?”

Robin answers, still petting their little Snorunt. “Only about a week. Your Pokemon were so cool when we met them that we decided we wanted to try to find some of our own. But it's not as easy as we expected. Our parents don't like us getting too far from the settlement and all the ones we've found were too scared to let us get close.”

“Well, these two seem pretty friendly.”

“Yeah. They weren't at first, but we can wait here for them to come to us instead of running around after them. It works better.”

She nods. It was a good idea, and it definitely seems to be working. “Are you planning to keep them?”

Amiya shrugs. “I don't know if my mom will let me. And I'm not sure if Snover would want to stick around, but I like being out here with him.”

“Why don't you ask?”

“Ask?” They both tilt their heads.

“Yeah. All my partners decided to come with me. You can just ask if they want to.” She hums. “Your mom still might not be ok with it, though.”

Amiya looks like she doesn't quite believe her, but she looks at her friend. “Umm. Do you want to stick around with me, Snover?”

Snover makes a happy sort of gurgling sound and headbutts her.

She laughs. “Is that a yes?”

“I'm pretty sure it is.” Akari confirms.

Now, Robin seems to get excited. “Hey, Snorunt! You want to stay with me?”

Snorunt bobs her head up and down in a much more clear confirmation and they throw their arms around her.

“Oh, thank you! We're going to have so much fun!”

Akari smiles at the two of them. It fills her chest with a warm feeling to know that she's the reason they sought this out, and that they're so happy now. A surprised yelp from behind her causes her to startle and turn back to Ghira, but what she sees stops her in her tracks. He's on the ground, having been knocked down by the Pokemon he was trying to befriend, but that Pokemon isn't a Snorunt anymore. It's a small, white and red fox-like creature.

She tilts her head in confusion. “What is that?”

Robin's voice comes from behind her, but it's layered with fear. “T-that's a Zorua. Y-you can get rid of it, right? Your Pokemon are strong.”

She turns back to look at them and sees that both their and Amiya's faces are pale and their eyes are wide. “Get rid of it? Why?”

“It's going to hurt him.”

Akari looks back at Ghira, who has gone stock-still. The Zorua is standing on his chest next to Vulpix, looking quite pleased with itself, but in no way aggressive. “I don't think it is.” She moves a little closer and its eyes snap to her, caution in every fiber of its body. But when Vulpix nuzzles her hand, it steps forward to do the same. “There, see. He's friendly.” Zorua jumps off Ghira and into her arms and she laughs. “Very friendly.”

Ghira slowly sits up and stares at her in open disbelief. “You're crazy. Zorua are dangerous.”

Akari shrugs. “A lot of Pokemon are dangerous.”

He seems taken aback by her calm response and sputters for a moment before just falling silent. His eyes haven't left Zorua for even a second.

“Why don't you pet him? He seems to like it.”

He hesitates for nearly a full minute before slowly reaching out and grazing Zorua's fur with his fingertips. When that doesn't get him attacked, he pets him more fully. His brows come together in confusion. “He feels weird.”

She nods in agreement. “Yeah. I think Dad said that Zorua were ghost types, so that's probably why.” After another minute of cautious petting, she asks, “do you want to hold him?”

“I... guess?” Despite his hesitation, he opens his arms and lets her pass the Pokemon over. Zorua gives a happy little yip and he flinches, but when nothing bad happens, he relaxes slighly and goes back to petting him.

Akari smiles. “He likes you.”

Ghira gives her a strained smile in return and doesn't answer, but he also doesn't stop petting Zorua, so she thinks he's starting to warm up to him.

The other two have gotten to their feet and approach slowly. They both give her slightly disbelieving looks, but also both reach out to pet Zorua. It takes a long few minutes before the tension bleeds away and they all start enjoying themselves again, but soon enough, all four Pokemon, including Vulpix, are playing together. They romp around the area, heedless of anyone or anything in their way, and the four of them laugh and run along.

Akari has completely lost track of time when a familiar voice calls out, “so this is where you disappeared to.”

She stops in her tracks and Snover runs into the back of her legs, nearly bowling her over. She ignores this entirely and darts away from the others to throw her arms around Ingo. “Dad! Sorry, I should have told you where I was going.”

He smiles with his eyes and ruffles her hair. “It's alright. I'm glad you were having fun.” He looks outward at the others. “Your parents asked me to look for you. It would be best if you returned to the settlement.”

Ghira and Amiya are hiding behind Robin, who looks like they're trying their hardest to disappear. They hang their head. “Sorry, Warden Ingo.”

He softens his expression as best he can and makes his tone more gentle. “It's alright. You're not in trouble, you just need to go home.”

They look up as a flicker of surprise crosses their expression. “Right. Um... thank you.”

“What about our Pokemon?” Amiya pokes her head out from behind Robin to ask the question.

“Your... Pokemon?” Her dad sounds confused.

“Yeah!” Ghira peeks his head around the other direction. “Akari helped us make friends with 'em!”

“You did?” He looks down at her with an expression she's coming to understand is pride and crinkles his eyes when she nods. To the others, he asks, “might I meet them?”

The three of them share a look and shrug, then break apart and slowly approach. They're clearly still intimidated by Ingo, but when he crouches and holds a hand out to greet their Pokemon, that seems to go a long way to lessening their fear. As usual, the Pokemon take to him immediately and he laughs when they all rush him at once.

With arms full of Pokemon, he looks up at them. “Do your parents know about them?”

Robin shakes their head.

Ingo hesitates. “They... probably aren't going to be terribly open to the idea of letting you keep them, particularly the Zorua, given their reputation. If it's not overstepping, I might be able to talk to them for you? Assure them that these Pokemon are harmless. I can't guarantee that they'll listen, of course.”

“You... you would do that?” Amiya asks, her tone one of disbelief. “Why?”

He shrugs. “You care about them, don't you?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then that's reason enough.”

She looks like she still doesn't completely believe him, but she accepts the answer and bows her head. “Thank you.”

“You're quite welcome.” He stands, shedding Pokemon like water, and points outward toward the settlement. Akari sees the glimmer of excitement in his eyes and jumps up as well, mirroring him as he lifts his other arm to point off to the side. They both shout at the same time, “ALL ABOARD!”

The other three all jump at the sudden shout, but Akari just laughs and bounds off toward the settlement while they follow more slowly. After a minute, she slows down and tucks herself up against her dad's side, burrowing underneath his coat. He slings his arm comfortably over her shoulder and keeps walking.

Chapter Text

After some time to settle in at the Pearl Clan settlement, Akari and Ingo begin their training. They spend most of each day out in the Icelands, seeking out Pokemon to battle and studying them for the Pokedex. Her partners thrive and grow at an even greater speed than before and before too long, first Gabite, then Vulpix evolve. The sense of achievement she feels is immeasurable, and Ingo continues to give her praise and pride without hesitation.

After his success in convincing her friends' parents to let them keep the Pokemon they befriended, and the subsequent success of those Pokemon in winning others over, more people have begun to seek out partners of their own. Akari and Ingo have been helping them as best they can. Many are only seeking companionship, but most have either limitations or requests for the specific type of Pokemon they want.

They bring a Swinub back to the settlement for one of the healers and show off its ability to seek out herbs hidden under the snow. Within the week, three more healers request one for themselves. Ingo does warn them that they will get much larger when they evolve, but won't lose their keen nose. He gets dragged into a very long discussion about the evolution of Pokemon and the merits of choosing to or not to evolve a partner. It's fascinating, but Akari finds she doesn't care nearly as much as he apparently does.

One of the hunters asks for a Pokémon to help him carry heavy loads and they bring him a Stantler, while a guardswoman asks for a fire type to keep the ice types away from the settlement. They have to ask her to wait until they can make it out to the coastlands to find a Vulpix or Growlithe. It’s a similar story with the man who asks for a small grass type to brighten up his home.

The two of them find themselves with more than enough to keep them busy. When the weather is good, they head out into the Icelands for a couple days at a time, searching for new Pokémon and training. Akari enjoys it immensely.

They’re out on one such excursion, hiking across an open field of snow under the bright blue noonday sky, when the whole world goes suddenly, horribly wrong. A wave of nausea strikes Akari as reality seems to warp and an audible crack echoes across the Icelands. Ahead of her, Ingo stumbles, catches himself, and spins toward her. She throws her hand out toward his, meeting him in the middle just in time.

A gust of wind from out of nowhere howls around them, lifting Akari off her feet and sending snow flying around the two of them. It's only because of the grip they have on each other that she doesn't blow away entirely. She hears Ingo grunt in pain and realizes belatedly that he’s holding onto her with his right hand. He doesn’t let go, instead squeezing tighter, his fingernails digging into her wrist in a way that's both painful and comforting.

A boom rattles the air around them and the wind somehow increases in intensity. Akari screams in terror as her grip slips. She doesn’t want to be separated from her dad in the middle of whatever this is. His hat flies off and she catches it reflexively with her free hand. Suddenly, she's able to see his face clearly, and the sight of his wide, terrified eyes sends panic into her heart. He shouldn’t look that scared. He should never look that scared.

A flash of pain briefly covers the fear and he grits his teeth, then does something unexpected. He lets his knees buckle and falls forward, dragging both of them to the ground. Akari hits the snow with a thump and he collapses partially on top of her, grabbing her with both arms before the wind can take her again. He holds on more tightly than is comfortable, but she doesn’t care. She grabs the front of his coat with shaking hands. There’s no way she’s letting go. There’s no way they’re getting separated.

Insulated slightly from the gale, she can hear his ragged breathing and feel the way his right arm is shaking. She tries to speak, but her words are snatched away. She tries again, shouting this time, “are you ok?”

“I’m fine.” His loud, clear voice cuts through the wind. “We need to get out of here. Machamp should be able to help. Can you reach his pokeball?”

She nods, hoping he can feel the motion against his chest. If he can’t, her hand grabbing a pokeball and clumsily flicking the clasp is answer enough.

The large Pokémon’s sudden appearance shields them from the wind a bit more and her dad gets his feet under him after a momentary struggle. When he stands, he simply picks her up as well.

“I can walk!”

He shifts her weight so most of it is on his left arm and, despite her protests, she wraps an arm around his neck for balance. He answers, “Not if the wind will blow you away.”

Annoyingly, he’s right. She grumbles and tugs his hat down on her head, then lays it against his shoulder, pinning it in place to keep it from flying away again. “Fine.”

She feels more than hears the soft laugh that gets her. He starts moving, slowly trudging through snow that is much deeper than it was a few minutes ago. Machamp follows, blocking most of the wind from reaching them and keeping a steady hand on his trainer’s shoulder to help him balance.

They remain silent for a few minutes, making slow progress. Eventually, her dad's voice cuts through the wind. “I can’t see where we’re going. Can you watch ahead of us for obstacles?”

Akari dutifully turns her head, staring out into the blank white expanse around them. “I can’t see, either.”

“We’ll just have to hope two pairs of eyes are better than one, then.”

“Are we even going the right way?”

There’s a pause, then, “I don’t know.” He turns his head upwards to look at his partner. “Can you ensure that we keep moving away from this?”

Machamp makes a noise she can’t interpret, but Ingo just nods and continues to break a path through the snow. Apparently, his answer was an affirmative because he occasionally steers them in a slightly different direction. Akari doesn't bother trying to keep track of how long they continue this way, but slowly, the wind starts to lessen and the snow goes from whipping around them to merely falling heavily.

At this point, she wiggles in her dad's arms. “Let me walk. I won't get blown away now.”

He stops and slowly sets her down, making sure to keep hold of one of her hands. “Don't let go. We don't know if that's going to happen again.”

She nods enthusiastically. She hadn't planned on letting go anytime soon. Judging by the exhaustion clear in his voice and on his face, carrying her through the snow was more difficult than he wants to let on, so as she returns his hat, she asks, “why don't we try to find somewhere to shelter for the night?”

He nods. “That is sensible. Perhaps conditions will improve by morning.”

They set off again, Akari following in the trail he breaks through snow that comes up to his knees and never letting go of his left hand. She still can't see much, but Machamp keeps them on track. It takes another seemingly interminable amount of time to reach the cliffs of the Icebound Falls. She's surprised to see them, having been turned around enough that she thought they were heading the other direction.

Still, they're a welcome sight, and when they enter the canyon, much of the remaining wind is blocked by the cliffs.

They quickly locate a small crevice and set up camp in the protected area. She can still hear the wind howling outside the canyon and with the snow showing no signs of slowing, they're in danger of getting buried even in this protected spot. There's not much they can do about that, though, so they just go about getting settled in. It's going to be a long night.

Chapter Text

Akari and Ingo release their Pokemon to allow them to find their own food and light a small fire with wood that she gathers from the small, scrubby trees that grown in the area. She starts to cook a quick, simple meal while Ingo rests by the fire.

He holds his right arm, which is still shaking, across his lap and rolls up the sleeve of his coat and kimono. He squeezes the burn scar with his left hand, grimacing in pain. It says something about how badly it must hurt that he doesn't try to hide it. What he's doing seems to be helping, at least slightly, so she leaves him to it for the few minutes it takes to boil water. She prepares the medicinal tea the way Calaba showed her and hands it to him, then hesitates, watching the way he winces when he removes his other hand from the scar. “Is... is it the pressure that's making it feel better?”

He takes a sip of tea and nods. “Yes. I'm not sure why, but it seems to help.”

“Would it help if I wrapped it? I have bandages.”

He tilts his head in consideration. “It might. You don't mind?”

She smiles at him. “It hurts because you saved me from getting blown away. It's the least I can do.”

Ingo's brow furrows. “It's not-”

“My fault. I- I know, Dad. But you're in pain and I want to help.”

That earns her a soft expression that makes her heart feel like it's going to burst. “In that case, thank you.”

She just nods, not trusting her voice to not crack if she responds verbally. She digs the bandages out of her satchel and he holds out his arm for her. She starts below the scar, but as she moves up towards it, she realizes that she's never actually touched it. It's only been fully healed for a few weeks, and in that time, she's never really had reason to. She can't stop now though, so she steels herself and continues, wrapping the bandages over it. The skin there feels wrong. Everything about it is wrong, from the warped shape the scar formed in to the texture to the way the flesh underneath doesn't move right under her fingers.

Akari forces herself to keep going, carefully pulling the bandages snug enough to provide pressure, but not tight enough to cause problems. When she finally finishes securing the end, she looks up and feels her eyes widen when she realizes that he's been watching her closely the whole time. Surely, he saw her discomfort with the scar.

Even as her mind runs at top speed to all the horrible ways he could take that, he wraps his left arm around her and pulls her close, pressing a kiss into her forehead, then resting his own against the same spot. “It's ok to be uncomfortable, Akari. Continuing down the tracks anyway was a very kind thing to do. Thank you.”

Right. Ingo is nice. He doesn't get angry over things like this. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, steadying herself. “It's not your fault that your scar's all... weird, though.”

He laughs. “No. It's no one's fault. It's simply a fact.” When she doesn't respond, he adds, “I really appreciate you choosing to help, and I'm so proud of you for doing so, but you should know that it's also ok to stop.”

“What do you mean?”

He sits back so he can look her in the eyes. “If you encounter something that makes you uncomfortable, it's ok to change tracks, even if continuing might help someone. It's important to help yourself, too.”

Akari considers that for a minute before slowly nodding. “That... makes sense. I guess. But I don't want to change tracks with this.”

“This?”

She looks down. “Your scar. I don't want to just pretend it's... normal. I don't want to ignore it, either. That's not fair.”

“I... I'm not sure I follow.”

Akari huffs. “It's weird and- and uncomfortable, and I don't like the way it feels, but it's still there, whether I like it or not. It's part of you and pretending that it's not there doesn't make it go away. It's not fair. You can't change tracks, so I don't want to either.”

There's a long silence and eventually, she chances a glance up. Her eyes widen when she sees him staring at her with tears staining his face. When she meets his eyes, he jolts and scrubs at his face with his left hand. “S-sorry. I-” He cuts off and scrubs harder, clearly overwhelmed.

Akari doesn't know what to do. She didn't expect him to react like this. Defaulting to how he comforts her when she's upset, she asks softly, “what's wrong?”

He closes his eyes and takes in a shaky breath, then slowly lets it out. “I... thank you. I don't- I haven't really-” He cuts himself off again, making a frustrated noise at the difficulty he's having finding the right words. He takes another measured breath and opens his eyes, staring at a fixed point over her shoulder. “It's been... difficult, to accept this injury- this scar, and- and the limitations that come with it. I haven't really been able to think of it as... well, as you said, part of me.”

A sympathetic sort of noise escapes Akari and she slowly moves forward and, when he doesn't move away, wraps her arms around him. She lays her head against his chest as he slowly reciprocates the gesture. “I didn't know you were having that much trouble.”

He rests his chin on top of her head. “I didn't want to worry you.”

“So you just suffered alone? That's not better.”

There's a long pause and then a sigh. “Perhaps not. I didn't realize how large a difference it would make to have your support.” There's another pause and then, in a voice choked with emotion, he says, “thank you. I love you more than anything.”

She presses her head into him and squeezes with her arms. “I love you too, Dad.”

Chapter Text

In the morning, the two of them head off again. Instead of taking the more direct route northwest across the Bonechill Wastes, they skirt along the cliffs. Visibility is still extremely poor and snow is still falling, so they agree that it's the better option. Not even including the high likelihood of getting turned around, they won't be able to see the entrances to the hidden caves that dot the area and that's a surefire way to invite disaster.

Their progress is very slow due to the extreme conditions and it takes them all day to make their way around the cliffs of the Icebound Falls and across to the river. They camp in the well of a tree for the night and continue their trek in the morning. At least the river is easy to follow, but it still takes them the better part of the day to reach the bridge and the trail that goes up to the settlement. The trail itself is barely recognizable as such with all the snowfall, but there are indents from several sets of tracks indicating that people have come and gone this way since this started.

When they reach the edge of the settlement, the guardsman doesn't even try to hide his relief. “Warden Ingo, Akari! Thank the Almighty, you're safe.”

“I apologize for the delay. I take it we should inform Lady Irida of our safe return?”

“Yes, she will want to know at once.”

He nods and they carry on their way. Akari makes sure to smile at the man as they pass by. It was nice of him to be worried about them. As they make their way up to Irida's tent, multiple people stop them or simply wave excitedly. Several run ahead and it's not a surprise when Irida comes out of her tent just as they arrive.

She runs over to them and stops short, seemingly just barely restraining herself from throwing her arms around them. Instead, she reaches out and takes one of each of their hands, smiling brightly. “Warden Ingo, Akari, I'm so happy to see you both unharmed.”

Her dad repeats, “I apologize for the delay. We had to take the long route back to this station due to,” he gestures vaguely, “poor weather conditions.”

Her expression clouds. “We need to discuss that. I understand if you would prefer to rest first, though.”

Ingo looks down at Akari and raises an eyebrow. She shrugs in response and he turns back to Irida. “Now is fine. Is this an official meeting?”

She shakes her head. “No, although I will call the other Wardens. Akari, you can join us if you'd like.”

Akari tilts her head in consideration, then shrugs again. “Sure, I'll come too.”

She heads down the path and the two of them go inside, where they settle down around the fire. Calaba is already there and she smiles at them. “I see you two made it back in one piece.”

“You don't seem worried like everyone else.” Akari lets the end of the sentence rise into a question.

The elder laughs. “I wasn't worried. You're more prepared than just about anyone for this kind of trouble.”

“That's true, I guess.”

The door opens and the rest of the Wardens enter along with Irida and, to Akari's surprise, Sabi. Lian doesn't contain his excitement nearly as well as Irida did and tackles Ingo excitedly. She laughs at the surprised expression on his face as he catches the boy reflexively.

He says in a gentle tone, “it's ok, Warden Lian.”

Lian doesn't loosen his grip on the back of his coat. “No one could find you. Calaba said not to worry, but I was still worried.”

Ingo pats his back gently. “We were just a little delayed, but we're back now.” When Lian shows no apparent interest in letting go, he just turns to the others, who have settled around the room and are watching with varying levels of amusement. “Can anyone tell us what happened? The storm seemed to literally appear from nowhere.”

This brings the mood in the tent down noticeably. It's Gaeric who answers, his eyes locked on the floor and expression uncharacteristically serious. “Lord Avalugg has been frenzied.”

Akari watches her dad's expression morph into subtler version of her own shock, which then morphs into understanding. “That was his Mountain Gale?”

“I think so. It's been impossible to get close since it began and even this far from the arena, the storm hasn't abated.” He sounds upset and Calaba pats his arm comfortingly.

“He hasn't moved away from the arena?”

“Thank Sinnoh, no.”

“As long as he stays there, we can weather this. If he doesn't...” Irida trails off.

“If he doesn't, then we will move.” Calaba assures confidently.

Irida shakes her head. “Where? With the pass closed off, we'll be backed into a corner no matter where we go.”

The others look around at each other uncomfortably. Clearly, they know she's right. After a long moment, Ingo speaks up. “If we must go to the pass, my Pokemon can break a path through. It would be treacherous, but better than remaining trapped. If I called on her, Lady Sneasler would assist as well.”

Irida blinks at him in surprise. “Do you really think we could make it through?”

He nods. “Yes. It should certainly not be our first course of action, but I believe it is possible, even with the increased snow levels.”

Sabi speaks up for the first time. “Lord Braviary would help, too. He can carry people who can't make it themselves.”

Irida gives a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Warden Ingo, Warden Sabi. That seems to be a sound plan, albeit one I hope we won't have to use. I'll speak with everyone tomorrow and have the clan be prepared to move at a moment's notice, but for now, we should stay and keep watch on the situation. Do you all agree?” She looks to each of the Wardens and they all nod in agreement. She stands and everyone takes that as their cue to do the same. Their clan leader bows. “Thank you all so much. I'm sure we can get through this together.”

Akari bows along with the others, then tucks herself against Ingo's side when he lays an arm over her shoulders and leaves the tent with him. They walk back to their own tent in silence and go through the process of making dinner and preparing for bed on auto. As she starts to lay down, though, she stops, then immediately gives into the impulse to drag her futon over to his and curl up against his side. He just laughs and hugs her with one arm.

“Are we really going to be ok?”

“We'll be fine.” He pats her with his hand. “Even if things get worse, we have a plan.”

She sighs, letting the tension in her chest loosen. “You're right. Thanks, Dad.”

Chapter Text

Things are tense in the settlement after Lord Avalugg’s frenzy sets in. The storm never stops and snow falls constantly, burying everything under its weight. Everyone is on edge, waiting for something worse to happen, and everything non-essential is packed up and ready to move at a moment's notice.

They hold a midwinter festival, but it’s far more subdued than the one in the summer had been. They only set up a small area and instead of the feast that Ingo tells her they usually have, it’s more of an informal dinner.

Akari and Ingo stop traveling out into the Icelands, not wanting to get too far away from the settlement in case the worst happens and they’re needed. They continue training when they can, and Akari’s Pokémon continue to get stronger, but much of their time is spent keeping the settlement livable. As the only people with large, well trained Pokémon, they volunteer to keep the snow from building up too much.

Probopass, Machamp, Gliscor, Garchomp, and Gastrodon take turns patrolling around the settlement and digging out the major paths. Gardevoir and Alakazam use their psychic powers to move the large piles that build up away from the settlement, while Ninetales creates supports out of thick ice to keep the buildup on the cliff from falling on them. Even Sneasel helps, using his small size to his advantage and digging out around tents. He does occasionally get too excited and slice through the canvas, but so far everyone has been too thankful for his help to be upset about that.

This continues for months. Even as the weather warms up elsewhere, snow continues to fall over the settlement with no sign of stopping. Sabi flies out on Lord Braviary to scout the pass and reports that it, at least, is melting. It’s slower than usual though, so it will still be several more weeks before they can travel that way.

Discussions are held on whether or not the clan should move, at least temporarily, and the debates rage long into the night. Akari feels bad that her and Ingo’s inevitable departure is one of the driving factors, but it’s not as though they can stay. If nothing else, he needs to return to Lady Sneasler. They’ve also been planning to challenge Lord Electrode and hopefully put an end to his frenzy.

If they can do that… well, then there’s just two more. Akari can’t even begin to wrap her mind around what to do about Lord Avalugg, and she still hasn’t brought up the idea of battling Lord Arcanine to Ingo. She doesn’t know how. She’s sure he knows, like she does, that they’re going to have to face him eventually, but neither of them want to think about it until they have to.

As it turns out, that’s not a luxury they can afford, and the problem comes to them. They’re frantically summoned to Irida’s tent in the middle of clearing the lower part of the settlement of snow. When they enter, Gaeric and Lian are already there, sitting with Irida and looking grim.

Ingo takes in their expressions and strides across the tent to sit with them. “What’s wrong?”

Irida wordlessly hands him the piece of paper in her hands. He takes it and his eyes flick across the words written there. Akari scoots closer so she can read it too. It’s a quick, hastily written letter from Palina and anxiety spikes in Akari from the contents.

It’s a request for aid. Apparently, the Galaxy Team has grown tired of waiting and is marching on Firespit Island. According to Warden Mai, they left the village with at least half of their Security Corp, led by Kamado himself.

“Is he insane?” Ingo growls.

“It might as well be a declaration of war.” Gaeric adds.

“I don’t know, but we have to do something.” Irida looks worried. “She can’t stop them on her own, but I know she’ll try. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“What’re we suppose’t do?” Lian asks. “The pass is still closed.”

Irida turns to Ingo. “You said your Pokémon could break through, right?”

His frown deepens. “Yes, but it would take time I’m not sure we have.”

“What other choice do we have? We have to try.”

Before he can respond, Akari blurts out, “Sabi!” Everyone turns to her and despite the anxiety that causes, she says, “Lord Braviary can fly us over the pass.”

“That’s true, but he can only carry one or two people.”

Akari nods. “Send me and Dad, then. Sabi told me she stayed here because she saw the future, and that I was involved in whatever was going to happen. This has to be what she was talking about. Besides, we’re the best battlers here. We can at least stop them long enough for you guys to come help us.”

Everyone falls silent, thinking about it for a moment, before turning to Ingo, leaving the decision to him. He hesitates a moment longer, then lets out a heavy breath. “I agree. It’s probably our best plan. I can leave some of my Pokémon with you so you can start breaking through the pass in the meantime.”

Irida shakes her head. “No. If you’re going to be fighting the Galaxy Team, I don’t want you going into it unprepared. Take them with you, and we’ll have Lord Braviary bring us to back you up as soon as we can.”

He nods and stands up. “Very well. Then let us not delay.”

They all leave the tent to find Sabi. They don’t have to look, though. She’s sitting outside the tent, with Lord Braviary gently preening her hair. She hops to her feet and grins at them. “You need my help, right?”

Irida looks taken aback. “How did you know that?”

“My clairvoyance told me!”

Irida looks like she might question that, but instead shakes her head. “Yes. We need your help. Can Lord Braviary carry Warden Ingo and Akari to Firespit Island?”

The massive bird answers for her, spreading his wings and giving a piercing scream. He hops forward and Akari realizes that there’s a harness around him which is attached to a sling. At Sabi’s direction, they climb onto it and lay down side by side. There’s not a lot of room, but they both manage to squeeze in. She holds on tight to the support with one hand and her dad’s coat with the other as Lord Braviary takes off with a powerful beat of his wings.

It takes all of thirty seconds for Akari to decide she hates flying. Their sling swings around underneath the Noble every time he beats his wings or turns and there’s nothing really keeping them from falling out. The wind and snow whip her face and sting her eyes. Beside her, Ingo isn’t doing any better. He’s taken his hat off and tucked it underneath himself to keep it from blowing away, and he has his head pressed down into the leather of the sling and his eyes squeezed shut. In a way, it’s comforting to know that she’s not suffering alone, even if she feels bad for how much he clearly hates this.

She keeps her own eyes open, even though it makes her feel sick to watch the world go by below them. As they cross over the mountain pass, she announces their progress and gets an incoherent grumble in response. She continues to keep her dad updated on their location as they speed across the Highlands and the northern edge of the Mirelands, then into the Coastlands proper. When they cross the shore and head out over the ocean, her stomach heaves. Somehow this is even worse.

When she gives that update, Ingo raises his head enough for her to hear him. “It’s likely that they will have angered Lord Arcanine by the time we get there. Hopefully we can avoid fighting both parties, but I wouldn’t count on luck here. In the case that we need to split up, which would you prefer to confront?”

Akari stares out at the rapidly approaching island rather than the sea flying by below. She’s surprised that she really doesn’t have to think about her answer. “Lord Arcanine.”

“Are you sure?” She can hear the worry in his tone.

She nods even though he can’t see it. “It’ll be better if you stop Kamado. You’re a Warden. You’re supposed to have the authority here. I don’t have that.”

“Palina has the authority here, and he already proved he doesn’t care.” He argues.

They don’t have time to dance around it, so she just comes right out and says, “I’m more scared of Kamado than of Arcanine.”

That gets him to lift his head and actually look at her, his expression concerned. “Are you sure?”

She smiles, reassuringly she hopes. “I’m sure. And you’re scared of Arcanine, right?”

“Yes, but I’ll battle him if I have to.”

“Hopefully you don’t have to.”

There’s no time for further discussion. They're already passing over the rocks surrounding the center of the island. Below them is a scene of chaos. Lord Arcanine is standing in the center of his arena, glowing brightly and easily fending off the people attacking him. Just outside the arena are several more people. Palina is there, screaming in rage and thrashing against the large woman who is restraining her. Oddly, the woman looks upset as well.

Several steps away from them is Kamado. She’s only seen him once, but Akari would recognize him anywhere. He’s the first to notice them, eyes snapping up and expression morphing into one of rage at the sight of them. He shouts something Akari can’t make out.

Lord Braviary dives suddenly, bringing them to the ground right in the middle of the chaos. Akari shares a look with Ingo and then the two of them separate, each going to their own battle. She can only hope that they both succeed.

Chapter Text

Akari dashes away, trying to ignore the bad taste in her mouth from leaving her dad to face Kamado alone. She scoops up an armful of balms and crosses into the arena, unchallenged by the red clad Security Corp. Most of them look either terrified or so far beyond that as to appear somewhat calm. Several are being supported or carried away, clutching injuries.

Those that remain stare at her in shock as she appears between them and releases Gastrodon, calling out, “Earth Power!”

Her partner happily complies and deals noticeably more damage than he did last time they battled Lord Arcanine. Their training is paying off. It's enough to get his attention squarely on him and Akari skirts around and away from the other humans before she starts throwing balms.

It's at this point that one of them gets their wits about them and steps forward. He immediately has to stop and cover his face against the blast of hot air resulting from the attack leveled at Gastrodon, but to his credit, he continues towards her after it abates. “Hey, kid! You can't be here!”

“No, you can't be here!” She shouts back, throwing two more balms. “Gastrodon, Hydro Pump!”

She looks to her side again and is surprised to see that he's come closer. He tries again. “Seriously, you're going to get hurt. Please, leave this to us.”

Akari glares at him. “Because you're doing so well? He's our Noble, not yours.”

He flinches when Lord Arcanine roars, but steps even closer. “That's true. I...” He hesitates and throws a glance over his shoulder, as though he's worried about someone overhearing. “I don't want to be here just as much as you don't want me to be, but... but something has to be done, right?”

Lord Arcanine turns his attention on them and Akari grabs the man's arm and drags him away from his furious charge, calling out to Gastrodon to attack again. Her partner draws attention back to himself and Akari focuses on the man beside her again, taking the time to actually look at him.

It's clear that he's terrified by his wide eyes and pale face, but he's still watching her, choosing to worry about her safety instead of his own. And he did say he didn't want to be here. She sighs. “Do you really want to help?”

“Yes.” He doesn't hesitate.

“Then pick up some balms and start throwing them.” She points out the tipped over basket by the arena's entrance. “We don't have to hurt him to stop this.”

He watches her for a long moment. “You're not going to leave, are you?”

“No.”

He sighs. “What's your name?”

“I'm Akari.”

He holds out a hand and she shakes it purely on reflex. “I'm Beauregard.” He turns away, heading back toward the arena's entrance. As he reaches it, he calls out, “everyone still able to fight, gather here. We're going to help Akari stop this beast.”

Akari feels a warmth building in her chest at the sight of the Security Corp rallying to him, apparently revitalized by the hope that maybe they can actually win this fight. For just a moment, she lets her gaze drift past them to the battle raging beyond. Clearly Ingo is still busy with Kamado, but the sight of him standing straight-backed and confident is enough to ease her fears about that.

She turns back to face her own opponent just in time to see Gastrodon go down. She recalls him with a whispered promise to give him lots of treats later. He did so well. She releases Garchomp and says, “keep him away from us, please.”

She nods and takes off to do just that as several members of the Security Corp join her in the arena. Beauregard steps up next to her. “What do we need to do?”

She smiles at him. “Hit him with the balms. As many as possible. If he focuses on you, do your best to stay out of his way until Garchomp gets his attention again.”

He nods and looks out at the others. “You heard her. Let's do this!”

They spread out, not quite to the point of surrounding the Noble, but close enough. Being pelted from all sides with balms, he doesn't seem to know who to focus on and leaves himself open to several powerful attacks from Garchomp. Akari has to run back to grab more balms and takes the moment to release Gardevoir as well. She asks her partner to stay back and watch so she can pull anyone to safety if things get too close.

The Security Corp are relentless now that they have an achievable goal and Akari counts herself lucky to have their help. It makes this so much easier than doing it alone. She can tell he's wearing down and, faced with so many people, he struggles to target any of them specifically. Even so, he does manage to corner a man against the lava, the sight of which causes a tightness in Akari's chest. He looks exactly as terrified as she imagines she did all those months ago. She remembers how horrible the burn on Ingo's arm was and stumbles as panic rises in her. She's too far away. There's nothing she can do.

Except there is, and she's already done it. A pink glow surrounds the man and he's lifted sharply into the air, narrowly avoiding the blast of fire that would have struck him. Gardevoir brings him back to where she stands at the edge of the arena before letting him go. He collapses immediately, knees giving out as fear no doubt overtakes him, but he's alive and uninjured.

The Noble still holds out for several more long, tense minutes, fighting stubbornly until he simply can’t anymore. The Security Corp fight just as stubbornly, refusing to give any ground, even as several more of them have to be rescued by Gardevoir as fatigue sets in and people start to lose steam.

Finally, he stops and shudders, then collapses to the ground, golden light dissipating in a glittery cloud. He lays still for a moment, then picks his head up and looks around in confusion. Akari approaches cautiously, holding her hand out to him. He sniffs it and nuzzles her with his nose and she smiles.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

It really is good to see him calm and happy after being frenzied for so long. She can't completely shake the discomfort she feels about being so near him, but that's not his fault, so she does her best to not let it show on her face. That's one more Noble calmed, leaving only two more. And more importantly, at the moment, she can't hear the sounds of battle from behind her anymore, so Ingo must be finished with his battle as well.

Chapter Text

Akari turns away from Lord Arcanine to check on the Security Corp, only to find them staring openly at her. Beauregard gives a bow and says, awe in his voice, “thank you, Akari.” He glances over his shoulder and speaks in a lower tone. “Please accept our apologies. We know this wasn’t our place to get involved, but I am glad that we could help you.”

She smiles and bows in return. “It’s ok, Beauregard, I know this wasn’t your idea. Thank you for your help.”

As she finishes speaking, Palina appears in the entrance to the arena, apparently having escaped from her captor. Her face is streaked with tears, but the look on her face is pure joy upon seeing her Noble calm. She ignores everything else and runs to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Akari watches for a moment, then leaves the arena, dropping her extra balms in the basket as she passes by.

Her dad is still facing away from her, but as she thought, the battle is over. Kamado looks enraged, but the large, red haired woman from before appears to be trying to calm him down. Ingo looks down and pinches his eyes when Akari tucks herself up against his side. “Did you succeed?”

She nods and lets the pride in his expression warm her heart. “Yep. Palina’s with Lord Arcanine now.”

The nice moment is broken by a cold voice. “I should have known. You’re the cause of this, aren’t you?”

Akari flinches at the cruel look in Kamado’s face, which is directed straight at her. “W-what?”

“This business only started after you appeared.” He seems to be getting worked up, and he shakes off the woman’s hand when she tries to stop him from stepping forward. “You couldn’t trick me so you orchestrated all this to turn the clans against me.”

Akari shrinks back and Ingo steps in front of her, shielding her from the other man. “You would do well to watch your words, sir.” His voice is colder than she’s ever heard it. When she looks up at him, she jolts at the appearance of blood red eyes, fixed on the commander unflinchingly.

“You would defend that creature?!”

“Speak of my daughter that way again and I will make you regret it.”

The woman steps between them. “Kamado! Warden Ingo adopted Akari months ago. I’ve talked with him about it several times. She's just a child.” If she weren't so terrified, Akari might be interested in learning more about this lady. Whoever she is, she's apparently Ingo's friend if he's talked to her so much.

In response to her attempt to deescalate, Kamado's mouth curls in a vicious sneer. “A child? That thing is nothing more than a wicked creature. It’s a curse, and you’re bringing it down on all of us.”

Ingo doesn’t reply, he just strides forward. The woman in red steps back, clearly intimidated, allowing him to pass by without a fight. Despite having plenty of time to move away, Kamado remains frozen in place. He only moves, stumbling back and falling to the ground, when Ingo’s fist strikes him hard in the face.

Her dad glares down at the commander. “My daughter is not a curse. You are a paranoid fool, and no longer welcome in Pearl Clan territory. Leave, or submit to detainment.”

“You don’t have the authority to do that.” Kamado growls.

Ingo crouches next to him, his tone going dangerously soft. “You don’t know what authority I have. Besides, it’s only you I’m banning from our spaces. The rest of your people may stay until such a time that Lady Irida makes a different judgement, but you must return to your village or face the consequences.”

The man opens and closes his mouth several times and Ingo stands back up and turns away from him, completely ignoring the fury his statement has incited. Akari watches as the red fades from his eyes and when he speaks to the woman, his tone is much more familiar. “I’m sorry, Captain Zisu. I hope you understand.”

Zisu pats him on the shoulder and smiles, once again demonstrating they're clearly on good terms. “Believe me, Ingo, I do. I'll make sure he gets back to the village, alright?”

“Thank you.”

He moves away from her, lifting an arm in an invitation that Akari gladly takes, tucking herself underneath it. She leans hard into his side as they walk back towards the arena. Behind them, she can hear Captain Zisu calling out orders to the Security Corp and people are moving all around them, getting ready to leave.

She looks up at her dad. “Do you really have the authority to ban him from our territory?”

He huffs a small laugh. “No, but I don’t think Lady Irida is going to have a problem with it.”

Akari snorts. “That’s terrible.” She knocks her head against him. “I can’t believe you punched him.”

“I… I’m not quite sure what came over me. That’s not to say I regret it. He deserves far worse than that.”

Akari nods and suddenly squeezes her arm around him, bringing him to a stop before they can reach the arena. She turns her head so she can hide it in his kimono. In a voice far too small, she says, “I’m not a curse. I- I promise.”

Ingo’s arm tightens around her and he moves so he can enfold her in both of them, thankfully allowing her to keep hiding. “Oh, Akari. I know that. I promise you I know that. You’re quite the opposite, in fact. A blessing.” He kisses the top of her head and she can hear the smile in his voice. “My little blessing.”

Before she can stop it, a sob escapes Akari's throat and within seconds, she's full on crying, creating a wet spot on Ingo's kimono.

He just holds her closer and softly whispers, “easy, Akari. It's ok. Everything is ok now.”

She takes a couple shuddering breaths before she can speak and even then she still stutters. “Th-thanks, D-Dad. I l-love you.”

“I love you, too, Akari.”

Chapter Text

Ingo rubs Akari's back soothingly while she sobs in his arms, trying to resist the urge to start crying himself. He wishes that she wasn't under so much stress. She deserves so much better than this. Beneath that, the rage that gripped him earlier is still boiling.

He may not know who caused her to place so little value on herself to begin with, but it's clear that Kamado's treatment of her when she first arrived in Hisui is still effecting her. He called her a curse. A curse. And some part of Akari clearly believed him. Even just thinking about it brings that rage right back to the surface. Ingo isn't used to feeling this angry and he doesn't know what to do with it. A part of him wishes he had done worse than just punching the man while another part can't believe he even went that far.

There are probably going to be consequences to what he did, but he can't worry about that right now. Right now, he needs to put aside his anger and take care of his daughter. Her breathing is settling down now and she slowly lets go of him, though it takes another few minutes before she actually steps away. She rubs her eyes and looks up at him, wearing a small, shaky smile.

He pats her shoulder. “I'd like to check on Palina. Do you want to come with me?”

She nods and follows as he makes his way to his fellow Warden. She's still in the middle of the arena with her arms thrown around Lord Arcanine. He's happy to see the Noble is feeling better, and that Palina is happy, but he still can't stop himself from freezing. Calaba's words from months prior come back to him. “You need to be prepared for how seeing Lord Arcanine again is going to affect you.”

He should have listened. He knew she was right. He just didn't want to think about it.

“Dad? Are you ok?”

He takes a step back and shakes his head, pulling his right arm up to his chest and squeezing it with his left hand.

Palina obviously hears Akari because she lets go of her Noble and turns toward them. He sees a worried expression cross her face even as he retreats another step. He draws a sharp breath when Lord Arcanine stands and starts to follow her, bringing him closer.

Akari looks from him to the Noble and back and jogs off, waving her arms at Palina. “Stop, please wait.”

Palina does stop and looks back at Lord Arcanine, clearly realizing what's happening. She turns and pats him on the head. “Please wait here.”

He tilts his head in confusion, but sits down and stays where he is while Palina continues to approach. She gives a small smile and pats Ingo on the arm. “Are you ok?”

He shakes himself and does his best to steady his trembing hand. “I'm fine. How are you doing?”
Her face scrunches, telling him he really didn't sell that, but to his relief, she doesn't press the issue. Instead, she gives a small bow. “Much better thanks to you two. I'm so glad you got here in time.” She glances over his shoulder, to where the Galaxy Team are still no doubt making their retreat. “How did you get Kamado to back off?”

“Oh, um...” He looks down.

Before he can figure out how to explain, Akari chimes in, sounding way to pleased, “Dad punched him.”

Palina blinks at them, her silence lasting a beat longer than necessary as she apparently waits for one of them to reveal the joke. When they don't, she snorts, then fully laughs. “Seriously?!” She has to stop to laugh again and Ingo feels his face heating up. “You punched Kamado?!”

He crosses his arms and grumbles, “he made Akari cry.”

“He did?” All the humor is gone from her tone and she turns to Akari. “Are you alright?”

Akari looks surprised by the concern, ducking her head. “I'm ok. Thanks, Palina.”

Palina smiles at her. “I'm glad to hear it. And I want to thank you for helping Lord Arcanine. You should be very proud of yourself. As I well know, it was no easy feat.”

She ducks her head again, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. “You're welcome. It's not such a big deal. I did have help.”

Ingo furrows his brow. “You did?” He certainly wasn't helping her, so who was?

“Oh yeah.” She looks up at him. “The Security Corp people helped me. They didn't want to be fighting Lord Arcanine, so they helped me calm him instead.”

He gives her the closest thing to a smile that he can manage and reaches out to ruffle her hair. “In that case, I'm twice as proud of you. Getting them to aid you was a very good idea.” She looks like she might die of embarrassment, so he turns his attention back to Palina. “How is Lord Arcanine doing?”

She isn't really trying to hide her amusement, but she looks over her shoulder at her ward. “Much better. I'm so happy he's back to normal.” She hesitates before adding. “I'm sure he would like to apologize. If... if you're comfortable with that.”

The anxiety he's been more or less successfully suppressing comes back in full force and he has to force himself to remain calm.

Something must show on his face because she's quick to reassure, “you don't have to.”

He shakes his head, mostly to clear it. “No, I think... I think I'd like to speak with him.” It's very much a lie. He would honestly rather do anything else, but avoiding it won't solve anything.

“If you're sure...” Palina looks uncertain, but gestures to her Noble to come forward.

Ingo swallows hard and instinctively tucks his right arm against his chest. He flinches when a small hand finds its way into his own free one, but squeezes it gently and throws a grateful look at his daughter. Lord Arcanine approaches slowly, clearly picking up on his anxiety, and stops a few feet away. He tilts his head and gives a quiet whine.

Ingo hesitates for another few seconds before reaching out slowly with his right hand, trying to ignore the way it trembles. He brushes his fingertips against the soft fur of Lord Arcanine's face and the Noble nuzzles gently into his hand. He jolts and yanks his hand back when it gets too close to his mouth, shuddering involuntarily at the memory of the fire in those same jaws. He can almost feel the excruciating heat closing in.

He takes a shaky breath, which doesn't steady his voice at all. “I'm sorry. It's not your fault.” He cautiously pats him again. “Do you... remember what happened?”

Lord Arcanine whines softly. From behind him, Palina says, “I don't think he does.”

Ingo nods and lets go of Akari's hand so he can roll up the sleeve of his coat and kimono, showing the burn scar to the creature who caused it. Lord Arcanine stretches his head forward so he can sniff the area, then nudges it gently with his nose.

Ingo tries not to panic, but his tone is still very far from level as he explains, “You were frenzied and you burned me. It's not your fault, but I'm still...scared.”

Although he doesn't know the Noble very well, he can clearly see the understanding spark in his eyes. He sits back on his haunches and lays down, laying his head on his paws and giving a rolling whine. His remorse couldn't be more clear, and that goes a long way toward easing Ingo's anxiety.

He slowly crouches and pets him a little bit more confidently. “It's ok. I know you didn't mean to do it.”

His reassurance seems to encourage the Noble and he scoots forward, seeking out more attention like the pup he was not all that long ago. Despite how cute the behavior is, Ingo can't help the thrill of fear that has him backing up instinctively.

He shakes his head. “I- I can't-”

Akari steps around him, getting between him and Lord Arcanine. She meets his eyes and smiles. “It's ok, Dad. Remember what you told me?”

He furrows his brow. “I'm not sure what you're talking about.”

“It's ok to change tracks.”

It takes him a moment to remember saying that, much less what he meant by it, but when he does, he crinkles his eyes and ruffles her hair. “Thank you for the reminder.” She takes his hands and at her prompting, he stands and steps a short distance away from the Noble. He wraps his arm around her and knocks his head against hers. “What would I do without you?”

Chapter Text

By the time Irida arrives, Palina, Ingo, and Akari are sitting together outside the Molten Arena, taking a few minutes for a much needed rest after the ordeals of the day. Still, Ingo gets to his feet when he hears Lord Braviary cry out and greets their clan leader with a bow when she lands. Palina stays where she is, clearly unwilling to move her Growlithe, who has chosen her lap as the best place to nap.

Irida smiles, but it doesn't quite cover he confused look. “Warden Ingo, Warden Palina, Akari. I'm glad to see you all well.” She glances over at the arena and her eyes widen at the sight of Lord Arcanine laying calmly in the middle of it, watching them from a polite distance for Ingo's sake. “And Lord Arcanine is calmed? Please, tell me what happened here.”

Palina gestures with an arm for her to join them, so she does, sitting between her and Akari, while Ingo takes his place on his daughter's other side again. Palina begins the report, “as I told you in my letter, Kamado marched his soldiers here, intending to take down Lord Arcanine by force. I tried to stop them, but he wouldn't listen and forced his way through. Growlithe and I weren't much of a match for them.” She looks down and cards her fingers through her partner's rough fur. “I couldn't stop them. I couldn't do anything.”

Irida shakes her head and places one hand over hers. “You did the best you could. No one expected you to take on the Galaxy Team all alone, Lina.”

Irritation overtakes Palina's features. She yanks her hand back. “Don't call me that.” She grits her teeth and looks away, grumbling under her breath, “Warden Ingo didn't need any help to stop Kamado.”

Irida slowly pulls her own hand back to herself, curling it into a fist, then flexing it. She looks more unsure than Ingo has seen in a long time.

When she doesn't speak for too long, Ingo breaks the silence instead. “Warden Palina, please don't blame yourself for needing help.” When she turns to look at him, her eyes are shining with unshed tears. He continues gently, “I was able to defeat Kamado in battle because it was a task that played to my strengths. Just because your strengths lie in other places doesn't make them insignificant.”

She looks away again. “What good am I if I can't even protect my Lord?”

“Li- Palina. You've done more to protect your Lord than anyone could have asked of you.” She starts to argue, but falls silent when Irida holds up a hand. “When the previous Lord Arcanine died, you cared for his pup through his grief. You consistently stood up to me when I pressured you to make him take his father's position sooner. I... I apologize for that. You've been nothing but a good, dedicated Warden. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like anything less.”

Palina half suppresses a shudder and wraps her arms around herself. Ingo wishes he could comfort her, but he's less than confident that he can do so without crossing some unspoken boundary. He's glad when she steadies herself and says, “thank you, Irida. That means a lot.” She shakes her head and changes the subject. “That's enough about that, I think. How are things back home?”

Irida and Ingo exchange a look and he gestures vaguely for her to take the lead. She nods minutely, then takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Things aren't good. It's only through sheer luck that we were able to get here to help you.”

“Not luck.” Akari pipes up before Palina can ask for clarification. “Clairvoyance.”

“...Right. Either way, it's been a very difficult winter.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Lord Avalugg became frenzied shortly before midwinter. The whole of the Icelands has been trapped under a storm ever since.”

Palina stares at her in shock. “Lord Avalugg... Is Gaeric alright?”

“Yes, he was in the settlement at the time. No one has been able to get close to the arena because of the storm around it.”

She looks back to her own recently calmed Noble. “What are we going to do about that? There's a pretty big difference between confronting him and the rest of the Nobles.”

Irida shakes her head. “I don't know, but we don't have to figure it out right now. Warden Ingo,” she turns to face him, “are you and Akari going to return to the settlement or go back to the Highlands?”

“With spring coming, we should return to the Highlands, but we need to gather our things from the settlement first and... we probably ought to discuss whether or not the settlement needs to be moved before we leave.”

She gives him a strained smile. “That's true. In that case, we should probably get back before the others start to worry. Palina, do you want to come along, or stay here?”

“I'll stay here, thanks. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Lord Arcanine on his own yet.”

Irida nods and takes out her flute, playing Lord Braviary's call. When he dives from the sky where he's been circling, she says, “why don't you two go first. You must be exhausted.”

Ingo does his best to smile at her and tips his hat politely. “Thank you. We will see you again soon.” He gets into the sling with Akari again, dreading the trip back, but very much looking forward to being home.

Back at the settlement, Ingo and Akari take a little time to recover from the chaotic events, and ensure they have everything ready for the coming trek back to the Highlands. As soon as reasonably possible, Ingo speaks privately with Irida, giving her a more detailed report of exactly what happened at Firespit Island. He apologizes for the increased tensions that will no doubt stem from his actions, but she just laughs and says she wishes she'd been the one to punch Kamado. He doesn't think he should get off that easy, but he also isn't in the mood to argue with it, so he just bows his head and thanks her for her understanding.

She does still have to act on what happened, though. She can't simply ignore a direct attack on one of their Nobles, no matter how well intentioned it may have been. The following days, she discusses things with Adaman via messenger Starly and frequently asks those Wardens in the settlement to weigh in.

Adaman is of the opinion that they should ban the Galaxy Team from their territories entirely. Ingo is glad when he's not the only one who speaks up in opposition of that. In fact, almost everyone is in agreement that doing anything to escalate the situation further is a bad idea. As tense as things are right now, and as uncomfortable as that makes everyone, actually going to war with the Galaxy Team would be far, far worse.

So for now, they leave it at banning specifically Kamado from their lands, but leaving the rest of them to their own devices. Irida and Adaman draft up a letter from both of them and send it off to make things more official than, as Calaba put it, “a thinly veiled threat from an angry papa Ursaring.” While a part of him is embarrassed, he finds a far larger part of him is simply pleased that no one blames him for defending his daughter.

Once that's settled, the debate on whether or not to move the settlement comes back to the forefront of everyone's minds. Not that there's a lot left to debate. When Ingo and Akari leave, there will be no one to manage the ever falling snow. It will be, at best, weeks before the entire place is buried. By the time the pass finally melts, that too is decided and everyone is packed and ready to leave.

As promised, Lord Braviary flies out those who can't make the march to the Diamond Clan settlement on their own, while everyone else hikes. With the amount of people making the journey, and the amount of things being either carried or pulled on sleds, the going is slow. It takes three days just to cross the Icelands, and another to cross the pass. As much as Ingo would love to be able to go home now, he has a duty to attend to, particularly now that they're in his territory.

He calls on Lady Sneasler, who is surprised to see the entire clan, but gladly assists with clearing the path of rubble that has built up from the winter storms. Ingo guides them down the safest, but not shortest route, which takes a further two days.

When they finally reach the Diamond Clan settlement, they're met not just by Adaman, but by many of the other clan members as well, who immediately begin to help setting up tents and getting people moved in. It's a surprising and very welcome show of goodwill. The Pearl Clan ends up being along one side of the Diamond Clan's tents, creating one large settlement with blue tents to one side and pink ones to the other.

It's nice, but also quite a bit more chaotic than Ingo wants to deal with after spending the last week traveling and surrounded by people. He's not surprised when Akari follows him when he heads for the edge of the settlement, and in fact happy for her company. She helps him set up their small travel tent and leans against his side when he sits next to the fire she builds to keep them warm.

Within minutes, she falls asleep there, but he just stays, happy to be used as a pillow for a little while at least. Idly, he pets her hair in jerky motions with his right hand and begins to hum a tune he doesn't know the origin of. It feels appropriate somehow, that he should remember it in such a calm moment. He wonders if, perhaps, it's something he learned from his own parents, whoever they may have been.

He startles at the feeling of something wet dripping down his face and scrubs at it with his left hand. Where he'd only had a quiet feeling of contentment moments before, now there's a yawing void of loss eating away at his heart. How can he miss someone he doesn't remember? It's not fair. If he's going to have to feel this pain, he should at least know why he cares so much about whoever it is that he's missing so desperately.

That doesn't stop the loneliness from building to an unbearable level, or the tears from falling. Ingo tries to stave it off as best he can as he douses the fire and carries Akari into the tent. He settles her on her bedroll and tucks her blanket around her, then lays on his own, close enough to her that he can rest his hand over hers. She's still here, and even if her presence doesn't ease the ache of loss from those he can no longer remember, he wouldn't wish things were any different. He would endure this heartache a dozen times over as long as it meant she was still a part of his life.

Into the darkened tent, to a girl long since asleep, he whispers in a broken voice, “I love you more than anything.”

Chapter Text

Akari is very happy to back in the Highlands. Spending the winter in the settlement was nice and there were certainly things she enjoyed about it, but there really isn't anything quite like being in the home that's just hers and Ingo's. Her Pokemon are clearly happy about it too, which isn't much of a surprise, since they had to take turns being out of their pokeballs, even after people in the settlement started warming up to Pokemon. Here, they can all be out at once, although they definitely don't all fit inside the tent.

She's content to spend the first week home mostly just getting settled back in and going on occasional patrols. There's still quite a bit of snow in the area, but the Galaxy Team has returned to their camp at the base of the mountain. They look nervous when they approach, but quickly relax when Ingo greets them with the same politeness he would have extended before what happened at Firespit Island. Akari is glad for that too. It's not their fault their commander is horrible.

They ask for his permission to set up their other camps in the area again and he gladly gives it to them. There's a relief in them that makes Akari suspect that they were ordered to make the camps whether he liked it or not. She feels bad for them being stuck in the middle of this.

Melli arrives in the area not long after that and predictably seeks them out. He knocks on the door, but when she answers it, just enters without asking. “I see you managed not to get buried under the snow once again.”

“And I see you didn't fall into a bog.” Ingo retorts, turning to him with a look that doesn't match the irritated tone. “I assume you expect me to offer you dinner?”

“It's only polite after I came all this way to check up on you,” he replies, falling onto a cushion and making himself right at home.

Ingo snorts. “Right. Of course.” Despite his supposed reservations, he sets to making enough food for all three of them.

While he does that, Akari sits next to Melli and leans into his space, causing him to lean back, looking mildly uncomfortable. “How was your winter?”

He huffs and leans back, resting on his hands and trying hard to act like that's what he meant to do in the first place. “It was fine. None of the excitement I understand you two had this winter.”

“You mean Lord Avalugg?”

“Obviously. I did say this was going to happen.”

She hums. “You did. I kinda hoped you'd be wrong, though.”

He looks away, unusually serious. “I did too.” He chews on his lip thoughtlessly. “Things are bad, aren't they? You Pearl Clan folks wouldn't be sharing space with us if it wasn't really bad.”

It's Ingo who answers, though he doesn't turn away from his cooking. “That's true, although most of the risk is fairly mundane. While the Pearl Clan is quite well prepared for snow, there's only so much we can handle.”

“Sounds rough. Lady Lilligant didn't cause nearly so much trouble for our settlement.”

“Well, she is much smaller.” Akari points out.

“You say that like it's a bad thing.” Melli gives her a dry look.

She waves a hand. “No, in this case it's definitely a good thing.” She changes the subject before he can act on the obnoxiously victorious look that admission brings to his face. “What about Lord Elecrode? How is he doing?”

That brings his mood right back down. “Nothing's changed. I did try to calm him before I left for the winter, but I could barely even get close. He's still frenzied.”

Ingo turns away from his cooking and brings two plates of food over, handing one to each of them. He goes back for his own, then sits down. Melli picks at his food despondently and Ingo meets Akari's eyes over his head. She nods in answer to the unasked question. To Melli, he asks, “would you give us permission to try?”

Melli's head snaps up and he stares at Ingo. “You want to calm him? Like you did with the other Nobles?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Ingo seems slightly taken aback by the flat question. “I... don't follow.”

“Why are you doing this? Do you want to get hurt again?”

“Of course not.” He seems like he wants to argue further, but doesn't know what to say.

Akari takes over when he doesn't figure it out. “Someone has to do something, and we can, so why wouldn't we?”

“Because you could get hurt!” Melli turns on her. “Lord Electrode is dangerous!”

“Melli.” Ingo's voice is quiet, but firm, drawing the other Warden's attention easily. “Akari and I have been training all winter. We knew it was likely that we would have to confront Lord Electrode so we have been preparing as best we can.”

“Sure, you think you're prepared.”

“You don't have to give us permission,” Akari snaps. “But we really do know what we're getting into.”

“Are you sure?” He snaps back.

“We're sure, Melli.” Ingo is much gentler than Akari wants to be. “We want to help.”

He sighs. “Fine. Knock yourselves out, I guess. Just don't be mad at me when this goes wrong.” He sets his plate of uneaten food aside with a clack and stands up. “I'm going home. Glad you guys haven't died. Yet.”

Ingo waves as Melli turns away. “It was good to see you. Akari and I will come to the arena soon.”

“Sure. See you later.” He doesn't turn as he leaves, but his voice gives away the anxiety he's still feeling well enough.

Ingo watches the door for a few seconds before sighing. “That could have gone worse.”

Akari snorts. “Yeah, I guess. Why is he being so difficult? Doesn't he want Lord Electrode to be calmed?”

Her dad looks over at her with an expression she can't quite place. “He does. He genuinely is worried about us too, though. He may not be expressing it very well, but he really does have good intentions.”

Akari takes a bite of her food and considers that. He did seem very worried about the possibility that they would get hurt. Eventually, she agrees, “I think you're right.” As an afterthought, she tacks on, “are you worried that we'll get hurt?”

He doesn't answer straight away, but when he does, his tone is tight, belying anxiety she knows he doesn't want her to know about. “Of course I am. My position on this hasn't changed, Akari.”

She keeps her eyes fixed on the fire. “That you don't think w- I should be doing this?”

“Yes.”

“You know you could forbid me from doing it.” She's not sure why she's arguing about this, but she doesn't stop. “You're my dad, you're allowed to do that.”

“Would that stop you?” He asks. His tone gives nothing of his thoughts away.

She actually thinks about the question before answering. If he forbade her from confronting the Nobles, would she actually stop? She's a little surprised by the answer she comes up with. “Yes. I... I'm not going to run off again like I did with Lord Kleavor. That was stupid. If you forbid me from confronting Lord Electrode, I would understand why.”

“You would really stop?” There's a hint of something, almost like desperation, in his voice.

“I would.”

There's another long pause and Akari is just about sure he's going to go through with it. Force her to stop. But instead, he lets out a long, slow breath and says, “but you would hate it, wouldn't you?” Before she can respond, or even really process the question, he continues, “I understand why you want to confront him. I... don't like it, and I'm terrified that something terrible is going to happen, but I can't just...” He takes a shuddering breath. “I don't want you doing this. I really don't. But I can't just forbid you from doing something you care so much about. Not just because I'm scared.”

Akari finally looks up, searching his expression for any hint of falsehood. She doesn't find any, just a serious expression and damp eyes. She winds her arms around him and he does the same, letting his chin come to rest on top of her head. She whispers, “thank you. And... I'm sorry. That you're scared.”

He squeezes his arms around her. “It's ok, Akari. I'm scared, but I'm also very proud of you for being so determined to help. You truly are exceptional.”

She feels tears spring to her eyes, as they always do when he does this. He gives her such high praise for things that she can hardly imagine doing differently. But she doesn't argue, she just closes her eyes and lets the warm feelings ease her mind. She never could have imagine how nice it would feel to be offered love and pride so freely, but she wouldn't trade it for the world.

Chapter Text

Akari watches Lord Electrode rolling around his arena, sparks flying around him and crackles and pops loud enough to hear even from this distance. She’s glad they don’t have to get all that close to him to throw balms, but even this distance feels too close.

A hand comes to rest on her shoulder and she looks up to see Ingo watching the Noble just as closely. “Do you still want to do this?”

She nods. “I do.”

He turns to look the other direction. “Melli?”

Melli scoffs. “Of course I do. I’m not sitting around out here and watching you two die.”

Ingo smiles with his eyes. “No one is going to die. But thank you.”

“You know electric shocks kill people, right? That’s a thing that happens.”

“Then I suggest you try not to get shocked.” He waves a hand. “And if you do, I know CPR so you probably won’t die anyway.” His tone is teasing, despite the genuine danger they're in, clearly trying to distract Melli from it.

“What the hell is CPR?”

“Cardiopulmonary resuscitation,” Ingo answers on reflex. His eyes cloud with confusion a moment later as he seemingly realizes he doesn't know how he knows that.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s when you bring someone back to life after their heart stops.” Akari attempts to clarify while her dad still looks lost.

Her efforts only get her an even more confused look. “That’s not possible. People die when their heart stops. You can’t bring people back to life.”

Ingo gets his eyes focused again and answers, “technically, you can, although only for a very short period of time after cardiac death.”

Melli turns on him. “Are you screwing with me?”

“I’m really not. I thought this was common knowledge.”

“It definitely isn’t! Have you done this? Brought a person back to life?!”

Ingo tilts his head. “I don’t know. I know how to do it, but I can’t recall if I’ve ever actually performed it.”

“I thought you didn’t know anything about medicine?”

“I don’t. CPR isn’t medicine, it’s first aid. All personnel working with the public should know first aid. It’s one of the most important safety checks. Now we really ought to go.” He gestures to the arena.

“No, no. Hold on. You’re telling me that where you’re from, everyone knows how to raise the dead?”

“It’s not raising the dead.” Her dad sounds almost irritated that he's not understanding. “I said it only works within a few minutes. And only when the heart stopping is the problem, such as in the event of a severe electric shock. Also, no, not everyone, although that would be ideal.”

Melli stares at him, still clearly not sure if he believes it. Slowly, he turns to Akari. “You knew what he was talking about. Is this… CPR, normal where you’re from? Do you know how to do it?”

She shrugs. “I think it’s pretty normal, but no, I don’t know how. I know you push on the chest, and… breathe for them?” She glances up at her dad, who nods, confirming she has the basic idea right. “But I don’t know the specific technique.”

When Melli doesn’t respond, Ingo takes over again. “Anyway, it was a joke. No one is going to need CPR, ok? Can we depart?”

Melli tosses his head. “Fine, if you’re so eager to dive into danger.”

The three of them approach Moonview Arena with caution. They already filled their satchels with balms, so they head straight to their previously discussed positions. Akari and Ingo enter the arena quietly and fan out, taking up positions on opposite sides. Meanwhile, Melli climbs up to the cliffs surrounding the arena, getting a good vantage. He had admitted that he didn’t think he could dodge his Noble’s attacks, so Akari suggested this plan instead. It keeps him out of danger, more or less, but still allows him to help them.

Things begin the way she’s growing accustomed to, with her drawing attention and keeping the Noble at bay with her Pokémon while she dodges attacks. The two Wardens hit him with as many balms as possible from a further distance. After a few minutes, he turns his attention on Ingo and their positions reverse. Watching him dodge the electric attacks fills her with far more anxiety than doing it herself.

He’s fine, though. He’s not as fast as she is, but he has an impressive sense for where and when Lord Electrode is going to attack, so he doesn’t necessarily need to be. She still watches more closely than she probably should until the attention is back on her.

Her Pokémon are a huge help as well, keeping attacks she can’t dodge from reaching her, and striking back whenever possible. Ninetales, Garchomp, and Sneasel dart in and out of the chaos with an efficiency she’s very proud of. Her dad’s Pokémon join the fray as well, with Gliscor, Probopass, and Machamp doing their best to wear down the Noble.

As she watches, though, Lord Electrode strikes out and takes down first Machamp, then Ninetales. Before she can react to that, before she can panic about how strong he apparently is, he turns on her. Briefly, she thinks there’s no way he can attack again so quickly, but a much larger part of her recognizes that that’s exactly what he’s planning to do. She calls out to her Pokémon, but they’re too far away. As a last ditch reflex, Akari shies away, ducking her head and covering it with her left arm.

A second later, a shock runs through her like fire. She wants to scream, but finds herself unable to as she falls bonelessly to the ground. Before she even hits the dirt, the sharp pain is gone, replaced by a thread of dull, jagged pain that runs along the exact same line. She tries to cry, but her breath is coming in harsh, involuntarily gasps.

Vaguely, she hears the sound of a shout, and loud crash, and then her dad is next to her, falling to his knees and hovering hands over her, expression filled with anxiety.

She’s never been happier to see him, but that turns instantly to horror as she sees Lord Electrode looming behind him, completely ignoring the other Pokémon desperately trying to stop him. Ingo needs to turn around, to pay attention, but he’s too focused on her. She wants to tell him, but her mouth is still not responding to her attempts to speak.

Apparently something gets through, presumably her terrified expression, and he turns his head. His eyes widen at the sight of the charging Noble, then narrow into a furious expression. The silver of his eyes melts into red, and the glow is more intense than she’s ever seen it. He bares teeth in a vicious snarl and she internally jolts at the sight of a shadowy energy gathering around him. It’s small, drifting up from the shadows he’s casting, but enough to be worrying. This has never happened before, at least that she's aware of. She doesn't know what it is, but it's definitely not good.

Clearly, she’s not the only one who thinks so, because Lord Electrode stops in his tracks. The Noble stares at Ingo, apparently unwilling to get any closer, for several seconds. The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife, but all at once it’s broken by a barrage of balms from above. As the last one strikes home, Lord Electrode shudders. Akari recognizes it by now, but the sight of the golden light dissipating of him is still awe inspiring.

Her eyes fall back on her dad after only a second, though. As she stares on, his eyes turn back to silver and the energy gathering around him fades away, dissipating in a remarkably similar way. He shakes his head harshly and turns back to her.

As Melli clambers awkwardly down from the cliff, Ingo lays a hand against her shoulder. “Can you move?”

She tries to shake her head, but only succeeds in twitching slightly. Her mouth isn’t working any better, so her verbal reply comes out as a vague mumble.

His brow furrows in a worried expression and he moves his hands underneath her so he can scoop her into his arms and stand. He settles her on his left arm, with her arms around his neck and walks toward the Noble and his Warden.

Melli has both hands and his forehead pressed against the wooden surface of Lord Electrode’s body. When he hears Ingo’s footsteps, he turns and his face scrunches with worry. He asks Akari, “are you ok?” When she doesn’t respond, he turns his face to Ingo.

“She got shocked pretty bad. I’m going to take her home.”

“Do you need help?”

“You should stay with your Noble.”

Melli shakes his head, getting an annoyed look on his face. “I’d love to, but if she’s hurt that’s more important. Do you have medicine to treat an electrical injury?”

Ingo hesitates a moment before admitting defeatedly, “no.”

“Then I'm going to come with you and watch Akari while you go get the herbs to make it.”

“You don't have any?”

“No, and they don't grow until summertime. The Galaxy Team probably has some. They always keep a stockpile of medicine.”

“And you want me to go? You know I punched their commander, right?”

Melli starts and stares at him. “You did what?”

Ingo gives an aggravated sigh and starts walking toward the exit to the arena. “It's fine. I'll just avoid him. Miss Pesselle is always happy to share her medicines, so it shouldn't take long.”

Melli jogs to catch up and Akari would laugh at the look on his face if she were able. “No, wait. Don't pretend like you didn't just say you punched the commander of the Galaxy Team.”

Ingo doesn't reply, apparently hoping that he'll drop the subject.

He does not. “What the hell, Ingo? I thought you were, like, opposed to violence?”

“Not opposed, exactly. I just think it's not usually productive.”

“And it was this time?”

“No.” Ingo admits. “But it was satisfying.”

Melli snorts and Akari makes a choked noise as she tries to do the same. Ingo's eyes snap to her with concern, but he quickly relaxes. The other Warden answers, “I'd bet.”

The two of them fall silent, focused on the trail that takes them from Moonview Arena to their tent. When they reach it, Ingo lays Akari on her futon and gently tucks a blanket around her. He rolls up the sleeve of her kimono to reveal the skin beneath is red and painful to the touch. There's a fairly small wound near her wrist which she assumes was the point of contact and the skin around it is blistered. Her dad crosses the tent and comes back with wet rags, which he wraps loosely around her arm. The cool water soothes some of the pain that she's beginning to register now that sensation is returning to her body.

He smooths her hair out of her face and lets his hand rest cupping her cheek. “Will you be alright here until I get back?”

She attempts a nod and succeeds enough to be recognizable.

Ingo pinches his eyes at her fondly. “Ok. I'll be as quick as I can.” He stands and turns to Melli, who has busied himself setting the kettle on the fire and getting things prepared to cook. “Thank you. I'm sorry I was being stubborn earlier.”

Melli gives him a surprised look, but covers it quickly and waves a hand. “Don't apologize. If you weren't a little stupid every once in a while, you wouldn't be nearly as much fun to be around.”

That gets him a laugh. “Regardless, thank you.”

“You're welcome. Make it quick and try not to run into anyone who hates you.”

Ingo waves as he heads out the door. “I'll do my best.”

Chapter Text

Ingo hurries along the route to Jubilife Village, mind swirling with worries and anxiety. He doesn't like leaving Akari injured at home, but he doesn't know what else to do. She's not alone, at least, thanks to Melli. Despite the dislike he knows that most people have for him, Ingo trusts him to keep her safe and comfortable until he gets back.

Worse than that though, is the fact that she got hurt in the first place. Less than a week ago, she gave him the chance to make her stop. He didn't take it. Should he have taken it? She wouldn't be injured right now if he had, but she would also be miserable, and Lord Electrode would still be suffering. Is that better than this?

How is he supposed to know the answer to that? He's her parent, so shouldn't he know what's right? Shouldn't he be able to keep her happy and safe? It's about enough to drive him insane if he lets it. As he passes into the Fieldlands, he tries to pull himself together. He doesn't quite succeed and by the time he reaches the gates of Jubilife, he still feels lost. He can only hope it doesn't show on his face.

Judging by the looks the guards give him as he passes through, that's a futile hope. At this point, he doesn't really care. If looking upset keeps people away from him, which it seems to be doing quite nicely, then that's one positive thing in a sea of negative.

Unfortunately, this only really works on people he doesn't know. When Zisu spots him from where she's talking to one of the guards posted by the entrance to the Galaxy Hall, she immediately strides over. “What's got you in a bad mood, Warden?”

He glares at her even though he doesn't really mean it. “Akari's hurt. I need medicine, but I don't have the right herbs.”

Zisu's brow furrows. “What happened?” Before he can answer, she shakes her head. “No, later. You've got bigger problems. You really shouldn't be here.”

“Trust me, I wouldn't be if I had any other choice. These herbs don't grow until summer. I'm just hoping Miss Pesselle has some left from last year.”

“What exactly are they meant to treat?”

“Electrical burns.”

That gets him an even more worried look, but she says, “I'll go ask her, alright. But you should leave. I'll meet you outside the village.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Kamado is furious with you.”

He hesitates a moment longer, but relents. “Ok. Thank you, Zisu.”

She goes back toward the Galaxy Hall and after a moment, he starts to turn the other direction. As it turns out, luck is not on his side and as she opens the door, someone else walks through, forcing her to step back. Kamado.

His eyes are fixed on Ingo as he strides forward. He must have seen him from his office and come out specifically to confront him. Ingo's left hand drifts subconsciously down to rest on his pokeballs as the man addresses him. “Well, if it isn't the outsider Warden. What makes you think you can just waltz in here?”

While facing him within the walls of his own village is far more nerve wracking than it was on the volcano, Ingo straightens his back and does his utmost to conduct himself with confidence. “I was not aware of any restrictions barring me from doing so.” Beyond Kamado's head, he sees Zisu slip inside the Galaxy Hall.

The commander comes to a stop half a dozen paces away, his face twisting into a snarl. At this distance, Ingo can see the remnants of the nearly healed bruise he left on his face last time they met. “Is that a joke? You have the nerve to ban me from the Pearl Clan's territory, despite being an outsider yourself, then think you can just come into my village like nothing has changed?”

“Are you implying that I am similarly banned from your territory?”

If anything, his calm request for clarification only makes the commander angrier. Through gritted teeth, he answers, “clearly.”

“Ah. In that case, it would have been polite to properly notify me of this change.”

“Polite? You're one to talk about being polite.”

Ingo shrugs. “I did warn you. Your decision to continue speaking ill of my daughter was your own mistake.” Perhaps he shouldn't provoke him like this, but he really doesn't feel guilty for what he did.

“Your daughter-”

The distaste in his tone makes Ingo want to punch him again. Instead, he hold up a hand and cuts him off. “Are you seriously about to make the same mistake again?” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I'd rather not get involved in another unnecessary altercation. I'm leaving.”

He turns away and strides off with as much confidence as he can manage. As much as he wants to keep his eyes on Kamado, not at all trusting him not to attack someone who's back is turned, he doesn't look back. He's fairly certain he won't do anything in front of his people. Many of the Security Corp already sided with Akari, and attacking a defenseless opponent would only turn more of them against him.

Still, he doesn't relax until he's through the gate and out of sight of the village. At that point, he leaves the path, scaling a small outcropping of rock, one handed since his bad arm can't support his weight, and tucking himself into the space behind it. He releases Gliscor and asks, “can you tell me when Zisu comes out?”

His partner grins and takes off, circling high enough above the area that most people won't notice him. Ingo settles his back against the rock and does his best to not think about how things have gotten so bad with the Galaxy Team. He's going to have to report this to Irida. She's not going to like it. If things keep getting worse, he's the one to blame. He's supposed to represent the Pearl Clan positively, not pick fights with people.

He startles when one of his pokeballs opens of its own accord. Alakazam floats in front of him, giving him a worried look. She reaches out and taps his chest with one of her spoons. Oh. Right. He's breathing way too fast.

He gets out a strangled, “thank you,” and closes his eyes, forcing himself to count his breaths in and out until they slow down. He can feel her gentle presence against the edges of his mind, soothing away the anxiety. After a few more minutes, he opens his eyes and leans forward to knock his forehead against hers. He repeats, “thank you. I needed that.”

A cry from above brings his focus back to reality, but he's still distracted enough that it takes him an extra couple seconds to realize that it isn't the call to inform him of Zisu's arrival. It's a warning call. Too late, he whips his head around, searching for the danger, and when something moves, he dodges on instinct. He rolls to his feet and turns to face-

Something inside him screams in fury and his vision goes dark.

Chapter Text

A familiar presence presses painfully against Ingo's mind. He tries to fight against it, but it only increases in intensity until the world slowly comes into focus and...

He shakes his head, trying to dispel the shadow of confusion crushing it. He looks down at his hands and freezes, staring without comprehension at the state of them. His right hand is shaking violently and his left is holding a knife he's never seen before. Both are covered in blood.

Slowly, he raises his head to take in his surroundings. He's still in the hills near Jubilife, but now he's not alone. There's a man crouched nearby, wearing white clothes in an odd style. His hair is white with a single streak of green and his face is mostly obscured by a cloth mask. One hand is pressed against the heavily bleeding gash in his side, which is staining a large amount of his clothes red.

Near him floats Alakazam. Her face is scrunched up with focus and a pink glow is surrounding her. Ingo can still feel her presence in his mind, but whatever she's doing, it's taking a toll. Exhaustion is clear in the way she's holding herself. It doesn't look like she's going to hold out much longer.

“What the hell are you?”

Ingo jumps, turning to the man he'd nearly forgotten about in the brief moment he was looking away. “W-what?” He looks down at his hands again and finally puts together the connection between the blood there and the man's wound. He flinches and drops the knife. “What... I don't...” It feels like his brain is buzzing. He can't focus.

Alakazam cries out and falls, returning to her pokeball. Immediately, the shadows stream back in, blocking out everything in seconds. The last thing he's aware of is the sight of Gliscor landing in front of him.

“Ingo?” Something shakes him and he groans. “Ingo, come on. Please tell me you're ok.”

He slowly cracks his eyes open and the world comes into a semblance of focus once more. Zisu's worried face takes up most of his vision, the remainder being claimed by Gliscor's similar expression. “What...?”

She gets a hand under him and helps him sit up. Once that's done, she starts running her hands over him purposefully.

After a moment, he catches one of her hands and her attention. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to find your injury.”

“Injury?”

“You're bleeding.”

“Oh.” He looks at his hand and realizes that he's smeared blood all over hers as well. Distantly, he hears himself say, “it's... not my blood.”

Her eyes snap up to his. “Whose is it, then?”

“I don't know...” He glances around and is vaguely relieved to find the area empty. “He... attacked me? I think?”

“And you hurt him?”

“I don't remember. I think so.”

She hesitates. “Did you hit your head?”

He tilts it. “I don't think so. It doesn't hurt.”

Before he can protest, she snatches his hat and brushes her fingers through his hair, searching for evidence of injury. When she doesn't find any, she sets it back on his head, her face showing an even more worried expression. “We should have Pesselle check you out. Make sure you're really alright.”

Ingo shakes his head. “I'm banned from the village.” She starts to argue more, but he stands up, ignoring her attempt to stop him. “It's ok. I need to get home and take care of Akari. Did you bring the herbs I needed?”

She nods and holds out a small cloth bag. “Can I accompany you, at least?”

“I think someone will notice if you're gone that long.”

She sighs. “To the edge of the Fieldlands, at least?”

He considers it, then nods. “I think that's fine.”

The two of them climb down from the spot he'd tried to hide in and start the trek back towards the Highlands. Ingo doesn't mind her company, but he finds his mind wandering. Distracted by the smallest things and not quite able to focus on what he really wants to focus on. Which is the fact that he was not only attacked, but blacked out and can't actually remember what happened afterwards. The event seems to slip from his mind like oil over water, even as he tries to think about it.

After a few minutes, Zisu distracts him, gesturing to Gliscor, who is gliding alongside them. “You know, you've done an impressive job with him.”

Ingo tilts his head generally in her direction and hums questioningly. It's about the extent of his conversational skills at the moment.

She doesn't seem fazed and just elaborates, “he brought me right to you. Seemed worried sick. I'm surprised that an Alpha is so caring.”

Ingo nods slowly, giving himself time to work out an answer. He settles on, “I couldn't ask for a better partner.”

“Partner, huh? Sounds like a much closer relationship than most of us have with our Pokemon. I like it.”

That makes him wish he could smile. It makes him happy that people here are starting to open up more to the idea of Pokemon as companions, rather than tools. He wants to discuss it in more detail, but his brain feels like it's lagging. He still tries, but it comes out more simplified than he'd like. “I trust him. He trusts me. He's useful, yes, but he's also more. He's like family.” He pats the rest of his pokeballs. “They all are.”

Zisu smiles. “So, you've always secretly been a big sentimentalist, huh?”

Ingo laughs, but doesn't argue. Why would he? There's nothing wrong with being a little sentimental.

They walk the rest of the way in silence, but when they reach the edge of the Fieldlands, Zisu surprises him with a slightly crushing hug. He makes a noise that she must interpret as a question because she says, “I'm sorry things have been so difficult lately. You don't deserve everything that's happened.”

“O-oh.” He slowly rests his arms, which had been floating awkwardly, around her, allowing himself to return the hug and relax into it. It's genuinely quite comforting. “Thank you.” She doesn't let go, but he doesn't really want her to. After another moment, he adds on, “it hasn't been all bad.”

“You mean Akari?”

“Yes. She might be the best thing that's ever happened to me.”

“Sentimentalist.”

Ingo snorts and she takes that as her cue to let go. He crinkles his eyes at her as he steps back. “Yes, well. There are worse things to be.” He gives her a small bow. “Thank you. I'm...” He hesitates, taking a moment to make sure he's conveying what he feels properly. “I'm very glad to be able to call you my friend.”

He doesn't miss the way her eyes get a bit misty, but he doesn't point it out. She pats him on the back. “Take care of yourself, Ingo. And Akari, too.” She glances up at the mountain. “I'd love to meet her properly someday.”

“I'm sure you will. Until then, it's been good seeing you, Zisu.”

“You as well.”

With that, she turns back toward the village and he turns toward the mountain. All he can think as he begins his climb is that he really is lucky to have such a wonderful friend.

Chapter Text

The remnants of the shadowy feeling that had been suffocating his mind are nearly gone by the time Ingo finally gets home. The trip took longer than he'd have liked, but he wasn't exactly expecting to get so thoroughly derailed. He can only hope that Akari's condition hasn't worsened since he left.

His fears are immediately put to ease when he walks into the tent. In fact, he has to stop in the entryway and take a moment to enjoy the sight before him. Akari is sitting on her futon, a blanket around her shoulders and Melli's Skuntank across her lap. She's brushing his hair with her uninjured arm, which he clearly enjoys as he's fallen asleep there. Melli is sitting cross-legged behind her, carefully styling her hair into a cute, cascading look.

They both look up at his appearance, but neither make any move to get up. Instead of a greeting, Melli says, “there you are. Your daughter was worried.”

Ingo chuckles as he takes his boots off and goes to the kitchen to find the materials he needs to make a poultice. “Only Akari, huh?”

“Nope. Melli was worried, too.” Akari reports.

Ingo looks over his shoulder to pinch his eyes at her and catches the glare the other Warden levels her with and the resulting giggle. Very seriously, he says, “good to know.”

Melli gives an aggravated sigh. “Whatever. I thought I told you to be quick, old man.”

“Yes, well, you also told me not to run into anyone who hates me.”

There's a long moment of silence while Ingo grinds the herbs into a paste. Eventually, Akari's voice comes from behind him, small and worried. “What happened?”

He lets out a long breath. “Kamado saw me there and banned me from the village.”

“He did what?” Melli sounds furious.

Ingo waves a hand without turning around. “I'm the one who banned him from our territory so it's not much of a surprise.”

“But you still got the herbs you needed?”

“Captain Zisu got them for me. And...” He trails off and shakes his head.

“And?”

He shakes his head again and turns around, poultice in hand. “Don't worry about it.”

Akari meets his eyes as he kneels next to her. “What happened?”

He holds eye contact. “Later.”

Her eyes flick back to Melli and she nods minutely. “Ok. Later.”

She holds out her arm, which is wrapped in damp rags. They're still cool to the touch, meaning they've been changed out recently. She flinches slightly when they drag against the wound as he unwraps them but otherwise remains still. The wound itself looks basically the same as it did yesterday, to his relief.

“This will probably hurt.” His warning is met with a sharp nod and he proceeds, slathering a good amount of medicine over the wound. She grits her teeth at the sensation, which he knows from experience is far from pleasant. As soon as he's done, she lets out a shaky breath. He pats her shoulder. “Good job. That should help, but it will need to be done again in the morning. How does the rest of your arm feel?”

“It hurts.”

“Where?”

She gestures with her right hand to several points. “Kind of everywhere, but it's worst here.”

He nods. “The electricity will have traveled under your skin. It will probably get worse before it gets better.”

She groans. “I thought the medicine was supposed to help.”

“It will, but only so much. I can make you some tea to help with pain.”

She shakes her head. “Melli already did. It's not too bad right now.”

Ingo turns his head to crinkle his eyes at Melli, who has apparently been content to sit back and watch. “Thank you.”

He tosses his head and finally moves to stand up. “It's no problem. I said I would watch her. Now, I'd really like to get back to Lord Electrode.”

“Of course. Please let him know we're happy he's ok.”

“Sure.” He heads for the door, but stops before fully leaving. “Tell me if you need anything, alright? You're both down an arm now, so don't go thinking you can do everything on your own.”

He's gone before Ingo can reply. He just shakes his head fondly and turns back to his daughter. She's looking down at her hands with an unreadable expression. She jumps when he touches her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

She nods a little too fast. “Y-yeah! I'm fine.” She chews on her lip. “He's right, though. I guess we match.”

Ingo takes her hand and looks her in the eyes. “You're going to be ok, Akari. This isn't the same as what happened to me. You're going to heal, it's just going to take time.”

“Are you sure?” She looks up at him with an expression that breaks his heart. She's far too young to be worrying about whether or not she's going to be permanently impaired.

He reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, letting his thumb trail along her cheek. “Electrical burns are very painful and dangerous, but we have the herbs to treat it. As long as you take it easy and give yourself time to heal, it's going to be alright.”

She leans into his hand and closes her eyes. “Right. Thank you.” She remains there for a moment, then opens her eyes and gives him a piercing look. “Will you tell me what else happened while you were gone?”

He sighs and drops his hand, getting to his feet and crossing the room to where his futon is put up. “I... don't really know what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

He busies himself with dragging the futon closer and readying it. “I don't remember. I was waiting outside the village for Zisu when... someone attacked me. I think.”

“You think?”

“Like I said, I don't remember. All of the sudden he was there and I was-” He cuts off and shakes out his hands, still perturbed by the memory.

Akari's hand grabs the back of his kimono and tugs gently. He gives into the pressure and turns to face her, falling cross-legged on his futon. He keeps his eyes fixed on his hands, which are laid in his lap, and takes a shaky breath. “He was injured. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but I was holding a knife and my hands were covered in blood.” He shakes his head. “I don't really need to remember to know that I'm the one who hurt him.”

Akari is silent for a long moment. Eventually, she reaches out and takes his hand, squeezing it gently. “He attacked you, right? So you were defending yourself.”

“Maybe. But I don't actually remember that part.”

“What happened after that?”

“I don't know. Next thing I know, Gliscor had brought Zisu to me and the man was gone. Apparently, I was unconscious, but I don't know for how long.”

Akari is silent for a long time and he looks up to see a worried crease to her brow. When she notices his attention, she squeezes his hand again. “That's... worrying. Passing out and losing time are definitely not good things. I don't...”

Ingo immediately feels bad for burdening her with these worries. He does his best to give her a reassuring look. “It's alright. It's not worth worrying about right now. Right now you need to focus on healing.”

She doesn't look particularly pleased about that but nods in agreement. “Yeah, ok.”

She lays down and Ingo does the same. When she reaches out, he gladly offers his hand for her to hold, finding just as much comfort in the touch as she does.

Chapter Text

Akari hates being injured. She hates having to sit around and do nothing while she heals, and she hates how badly the wound hurts while it does that. Ingo was right and it does get worse, her skin blistering and splitting open along the lines the electricity took beneath it. Calaba comes by at his request to take a look at it, and thankfully agrees with him that it should heal without any permanent damage beyond scarring.

The only upside to any of this is that her dad is there with her, taking care of her in every way he can. It’s comforting, if nothing else. While there hasn’t been any doubt in her mind for a long time now, the reminder that he truly does love her is always welcome.

He writes and sends off a report to Irida about both Lord Electrode and what happened at Jubilife. He sits beside her while he does, and she enjoys the company. It takes him a long time, which is a little painful to watch, but she’s happy he’s not trying to hide it from her. His hand still can’t really manage the fine motor control necessary for writing, but if focuses and does it very carefully, it comes out relatively legible. It’s an improvement over asking her to write it for him, which has been the standard for a while now.

There are still times when she’s alone in the tent since he has to attend to his duties and patrol, but she spends most of that time with her Pokémon or sleeping. Lady Sneasler visits her sometimes while Ingo is gone. She’ll curl up around her and purr for hours. It’s very cute and Akari appreciates the gesture very much, especially since she knows she has other important things to be doing.

When she enters one day, Akari is playing with Sneasel, holding a stick with her good hand so that her little partner can gnaw and scratch at it. He gets very excited to see his mother and clambers up to her shoulder so he can headbutt her affectionately. Lady Sneasler rumbles a greeting and nuzzles her head against his. After a moment though, she sniffs him and curls her nose, then prods him with a claw. Seeming dissatisfied, she pushes him off and leaves.

Akari tilts her head. “What was that about?”

Sneasel looks at her in similar confusion. He quickly shrugs it off and returns to her to play some more. By the time Lady Sneasler returns, he’s asleep in Akari’s lap. The Noble sits next to them and holds out an item in her mouth. It’s a curved, wicked sharp claw. She takes it and turns it over carefully in her fingers. “What’s this?”

She gestures to Sneasel and gives a low yowl.

“It’s for him?” She’s a little confused, but she nudges him awake. Once he blinks the sleep out of his eyes, she offers the claw to him. “Do you want this?”

He tilts his head at it before glancing up and between the two of them. Slowly, he takes the claw, jumping off her lap to investigate it. Akari yelps in surprise when a bright light envelops him. She shields her eyes and when she drops her arm, he’s much bigger than before.

“You evolved!” She starts to get to her feet, but he stops her by draping himself over her shoulders. She settles for scratching his chin affectionately. “I didn’t know you needed an item to do that. Sorry, buddy.”

He grumbles and headbutts her, rubbing his face against hers.

She laughs. “Alright. Good job. I’m very proud of you.”

He tugs on her, gently encouraging her to lay down. When she does, Lady Sneasler curls up on her other side. If that isn’t a convincing argument for taking a nap, she doesn’t know what is. She buries her face in her partner’s soft fur and lets the comforting weight of two Sneaslers lull her to sleep.

Akari has been laid up for almost two weeks and is growing impatient with the healing process. Lady Sneasler stopped visiting shortly after Sneasler evolved, now that this year’s kits have hatched. Ingo reports that they’re all strong and healthy, but she’s too busy with them to come by. That’s fair, but Akari misses the company when he’s gone. At least he tries to keep his patrols short for her sake.

Today, though, something is different. Instead of getting ready for patrol, he made a nice, large breakfast which he shared with her. She watches with curiosity now as he goes to the storage trunk and digs around in it. He takes out his box of important possessions and opens it, taking out a smaller box that definitely wasn’t in there before.

He seems nervous as he comes back to sit next to her, fiddling with the box. Akari sets her hand over his. “What’s going on?”

He glances up at her and pinches his eyes, but immediately drops them, still nervous. “It… occurred to me that you did not know when your birthday was.”

Akari feels her eyes widen in realization and a fond smile creeps its way into her face. She lets him finish what he wants to say, though.

“Today marks one year since we met. I know it’s not the same, but I thought… I thought it was probably worth celebrating and since we don’t know the actual date, well… happy birthday.” He holds out the box.

She takes it, but ignores it for the moment, instead throwing her arms around him. “Thank you, Dad.”

She hears the relief in his voice. “You’re welcome.”

Akari sits back and actually turns her attention to the little box in her hand. She opens it to find a beautiful wooden bracelet resting inside. It’s similar in design to the one which identifies him as a Warden. She picks it up, setting the box aside so she can turn it over and marvel at the intricately carved details.

On each side of the bracelet are simplified depictions of each of her Pokémon, showing just their faces. The center of the bracelet it’s taken up by a familiar symbol, carved out and inlaid with colored stones so there’s no doubt what it’s meant to be. She looks up with tears in her eyes to the matching symbol on her dad’s hat.

Apparently deciding he needs to explain, he takes his hat off so he can run his fingers over the badge on it. He says, “a lot of people assume that this is a family crest. I… don’t know if that’s true, but if it is, then it’s a crest that belongs to you too.”

Akari can feel tears rolling down her face, but her smile couldn’t be wider. She slips the bracelet over her wrist and hugs him again. “I love it. Thank you.” She takes a breath and repeats, elaborating slightly, “thank you. For letting me into your family.”

“You’re welcome.” He pets her hair gently. “And thank you. For being the most wonderful daughter anyone could ever ask for. Happy birthday.”

She stays there for a few minutes, happily soaking in the affection, but eventually, she headbutts his chest lightly. “I didn’t get you anything.”

He laughs. “It’s not my birthday.”

She looks up. “You don’t know yours either, right? So why couldn’t it be your birthday?”

“I-” He tilts his head, eyes glazing over in a faraway look. After a moment, he shakes his head and crinkles his eyes. “I like that. Sharing a birthday feels…nice, somehow. You don’t have to get me anything, though. It’s ok.”

She shakes her head. “I’m gonna get you something. It’s just going to take a while, probably.”

He laughs. “Ok. I look forward to it.”

Akari smiles at him. “Happy birthday, Dad.”

Chapter Text

By the time Lady Sneasler’s kits leave the den, Akari is recovered enough to be out and about as well. Her injury has healed, leaving her with only an occasional ache and a branching scar that spans from her wrist to her elbow.

She’s never been happier to be able to go along with her dad when he patrols. They easily fall back into the rhythm of it, despite the way things have changed since last year. Ingo has become quite adept at handling things mostly one-handed, even going so far as climbing without the use of his right hand when the need arises. Akari also begins to practice her rock climbing skills again under his supervision. She wasn’t really able to do it while they were in the Icelands since all the cliffs there are coated in ice. She’s pleased to find that she hasn’t forgotten everything, and improves pretty quickly now that she’s focusing on it again.

The two of them also venture out on their own on occasion, taking their own patrols or, more frequently in Akari’s case, simply exploring. The Highlands are full of hidden nooks and crannies where she finds new and interesting things, be they plants, minerals, or Pokémon.

While she explores, she keeps the idea in the back of her mind that she needs to find or make something for her dad for his birthday. The biggest problem is that she has no idea what to give him. He's never really expressed a desire for anything that he couldn't forage on his own. He has very few things that aren't necessary, but seems to like it that way, so whatever she gets him either needs to be functional or of sentimental value.

She looks at the bracelet on her wrist. That's certainly something of sentimental value, so it would make sense for her gift to be similar. That doesn't help her much with exactly what it should be, though. The bracelet is wonderful, but she doesn't think just getting him the same thing he got her is a great idea. Besides, he already has his Warden's bracelet. She considers other types of jewelry, and doesn't outright discard the idea, but moves on.

She's about to the point of asking Arceus for ideas, although she doubts it would be much help with this particular issue, when a voice from below catches her attention. “What's got you so lost in thought this morning, Akari?”

She looks down over the edge of the ruin she had perched atop and freezes when she sees the Ginko Guild merchant, Volo, looking up at her. He smiles nicely enough, but she still can't shake the bad feeling she gets from him. Even so, she can't very well just ignore him. That would be rude. Keeping her voice level, she answers, “sorry. I didn't see you there. I was just trying to figure something out.”

His smile widens a little. “Anything I might be able to help with?”

“I doubt it.” Akari mentally kicks herself when his face falls. So much for not being rude. She sighs and jumps down. “Sorry. It's just not really the sort of thing you can help with.”

“You never know. It can't hurt to tell me what the problem is, can it?”

She gives him a suspicious look. “...I guess not.” She hesitates another moment, then sighs again. “I'm trying to figure out what to get my dad for his birthday.”

Volo blinks at her in surprise and gives a small laugh. He covers his mouth a second later, looking slightly mortified that slipped out.

“What, is that not a good enough problem for you?”

He shakes his head. “Not at all. I apologize. I was simply expecting something more... dramatic from the girl who calmed the Nobles. But, you're in luck. I'm a merchant, after all. I'm sure I can help you find the perfect gift for him.”

His smile is still a little too fake for her liking, but she supposes it can't hurt to give him a chance. He hasn't actually done anything wrong, he's just a little weird. “Alright, what do you have?”

He hums. “Not much, currently. I wasn't expecting to run into any customers up here. But don't worry, I've got plenty of ideas, and I can always bring you something next time I come up this way. What kind of things does he like?”

She looks down. “That's the issue. He's never really asked for anything. He likes Lady Sneasler and his Pokemon. He likes battling. Otherwise... I'm not really sure.”

“Maybe not something he needs, then, but something thoughtful. Something that shows you care.”

“Yeah, but what?” He basically just described exactly what she already knew and she can't keep her irritation about that out of her voice.

He laughs at her impatience. “You don't know much about the Pearl Clan's customs, do you?”

She shrugs. “Not really.”

“One of their common beliefs is that the best gifts are those that show that you're thinking of a person even when they're not sharing space with you. So, something handmade. Quality is far less important than knowing that you cared enough to make it in the first place.” He tilts his head. “It's actually quite similar to the Diamond Clan's belief that spending time making something for someone is more precious than the gift itself.”

“Make him something? That's your answer? I thought you were going to try to sell me something.”

“I can still sell you the materials once you decide what to make.”

She huffs. “Yeah, that's still a problem.” Before he can say anything else, an idea hits her and she brightens up immediately. “Wait, I've got it!”

She turns back to Volo excitedly, briefly forgetting her dislike of the man. When she tells him what she needs, he seems mildly confused, but agrees to bring everything to her in a couple days. She pays him with some glittery ore she found while exploring the area and makes him promise not to let Ingo in on what she's doing. He agrees readily enough and the two part ways. Despite the lingering feeling out doubt from trusting him, her mood is high as she returns home.

As promised, Volo finds her less than a week later. He hands over a canvas bag full of the items she requested and seems disappointed when she just takes it and leaves, not explaining to him what she's making with it. She does appreciate his help, but this is for her and Ingo, not him. She finds a hidden crevice to shelter in and sets to work, letting her Pokemon wander freely around while she does so they can get some exercise and warn her if anything dangerous approaches.

It takes her nearly two weeks to finish, but she's extremely pleased with the end result. She can't wait to show her dad and excitedly packs it away in her satchel, then sets her tracks back towards home.

Chapter Text

Ingo is a little surprised when he opens the door to the tent and finds Akari is actually home. Lately, she's been staying out longer than him as she explores the area. The last few weeks in particular, she's rarely gone with him, instead choosing to go on her own. He's proud of her for the amount of confidence she's gained, even if he misses her company. Today, though, she's here early, preparing a surprisingly complex dinner for the two of them. She grins at him when he enters.

He takes off his boots and coat, then hangs his hat up. Alakazam floats in on his heels and he scratches her on the head before returning her to her pokeball. She's been particularly clingy since he was attacked at Jubilife, but he can hardly blame her. Anxiety still threatens to drown him when he thinks of that event, and he knows she can feel it. He tries to put those thoughts out of his mind, instead crossing the tent to sit next to his daughter and bump his shoulder against hers. “What's the occasion?”

She laughs and hands him a bowl. “It's your birthday!”

Ingo crinkles his eyes affectionately, but can't help but tease her a little. “Hmm. I could've sworn that was weeks ago.”

She gives him a mildly irritated glare and rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well now I actually have a gift for you.”

“Oh?” He can't even pretend not to be curious.

Clearly she can tell because her expression turns just a little smug. “Yep. But dinner first.”

He huffs a laugh and ruffles her hair. “Alright, if you insist on being the responsible one tonight.”

She giggles. “It's only fair. It's your birthday celebration after all.”

He nods and starts to eat, answering only after swallowing the first bite. “Makes sense to me.” Despite his teasing, he genuinely is excited. Of course, the Pearl Clan has given him many things, but in general, they've been necessities he needed to survive. The only real gift he can remember receiving is the new coat that Irida gave him last summer.

When he sets his empty bowl aside, Akari smiles and pulls an item out of her satchel, which is rolled up in black cloth. She hands it to him and he unrolls it, realizing quickly that it isn't rolled in cloth, it is the cloth. He unfolds the whole thing and smiles at the depictions of his team stitched carefully to one side in white, the design clearly inspired by the carvings on her bracelet. His fingers run over a buckle on one side, then another, and he lifts his eyes to look at his daughter questioningly.

She looks down, suddenly uncertain. “It's umm... well, I know that your arm hurts sometimes. Or, a lot of times. And wrapping it helps, but it's a lot of work to do that all the time and I know you don't always want to bother, so I thought... this would be easier.”

He looks back down at the object in his hands, noting the design with a little more understanding. It's very well thought out and he finds himself deeply touched that she thought to make something so specific for a problem he hadn't even considered worth doing anything about.

Taking his silence for confusion, she reaches out and takes it from him. “I can show you how it's supposed to go.”

He nods and rolls up his sleeve for her. She wraps the cloth around his arm, tightening it with the straps she's sewn into each side until it's providing a comforting pressure on the whole area. Despite the fact that he hadn't been in particularly more pain than usual, it does feel better now.

Realizing he's been too quiet, he wraps his arms around Akari and hugs her tightly. “Thank you. This is a wonderful gift. I can tell you put a lot of thought and effort into it. That means a lot, so truly, thank you.”

She relaxes against him, worries put to ease without much trouble. He's very glad that she trusts him enough to take his words at face value now. She looks up at him, but doesn't let go. “I hope it helps.”

Ingo runs a hand down her hair and crinkles his eyes fondly. “It is already helping.”

She smiles softly. “I'm glad.”

The gentle moment is broken by the sound of a knock at the door. They both look toward it, then share a confused look, neither expecting anyone to come by today. Still, Ingo lets go of his daughter and makes his way over to the door. He's even more confused by who he sees on the other side but steps aside, gesturing for him to enter. “Good evening, Warden Gaeric. What brings you out here?”

The other man steps inside the tent and bows. “Hello, Warden Ingo, Akari. I apologize for not warning you I was coming by. I hope I'm not intruding on anything.”

Despite the fact that they very much are in the middle of something, he just nods and says, “it's quite alright. Is there something we can help you with?” The man looks and sounds quite despondent, and he can't imagine turning him away.

“Thank you.” Gaeric takes off his shoes and looks around the tent, clearly uncomfortable.

Gently, Ingo says, “why don't you sit down? Have you eaten?”

He nods to himself and sits across from Akari. “I haven't, but don't trouble yourself on my account.”

“It's no trouble. We still have plenty left over from dinner.” Before he can argue, Ingo grabs a bowl and dishes him up a portion. When he hands it over, he notices the man's eyes lingering on the black and white sleeve around his arm, but he doesn't ask and Ingo doesn't feel the need to explain. “Is something troubling you?”

Gaeric takes the bowl and eats a few bites before answering. “I'm worried about Lord Avalugg.”

“Ah.” He takes a seat and allows Akari to lean against his side, understanding the sudden anxiety she's displaying. “Are you planning to do something?”

He nods. “I can't very well just leave him like this. All the other Nobles are calmed now, so clearly it's possible to calm him, too.”

“Except that it's impossible to get close to him with the storm he's created,” Ingo points out, taking care not to let it come out as harsh as it easily could.

“Not impossible.” The way he says it makes it sound as though he's had this argument before. “If we had the right tools, it wouldn't be so bad. I'm more worried about what happens when we get there.”

“We?”

Gaeric's eyes widen slightly, and after a moment, he sighs. “That's why I came here. I'm sorry, I should have started with that.”

“You want our help?”

“The way I see it, no one except you two has been able to calm the Nobles. If I'm going through the trouble of trekking out through that storm, I want to be sure it's actually going to work.”

“Lady Irida doesn't want you doing this, does she?”

He looks a little surprised, but admits, “no, she thinks it's too dangerous.”

“You don't agree?”

He shrugs. “Of course it's dangerous, but it must be done. The Diamond Clan is doing us a real favor, but we aren't meant to live in the swamp.”

Ingo laughs at that, but before he can answer, Akari knocks her head against his side. “I think we should help.”

He looks down at her. “Akari, last time you were near Lord Avalugg, you nearly got blown away.” He doesn't want to tell her she can't, not after he specifically told her he wouldn't forbid her from calming the Nobles, but he also needs to make sure she knows what she's suggesting.

Her expression is understanding, rather than defiant, so he's pretty sure his intentions got across. “I know, but like Gaeric said, if we have the right tools it won't be so bad.”

He glances at his fellow Warden. He knows much more about trekking through snow and ice than Ingo does. Gaeric nods in agreement. “If it makes you feel better, I can carry Akari so there's no chance of her getting separated from us.”

He nods slowly. “That would make me feel better. Are you alright with that?” He tilts his head at his daughter.

She shrugs. “Sure. I don't want to get blown away.”

“Alright. And Lord Avalugg?” He turns his attention back to Gaeric. “Do you have any idea how we can battle him without being completely overwhelmed?”

He nods. “I've been thinking about it. It seems likely that the storm is centered on the arena, so we should be fairly safe there in the middle of it. He doesn't move very fast, so keeping out of his way isn't too much of a challenge, but he can summon ice and wind so he's still dangerous from a distance.”

“So, keep a distance and try to stay out of his way while hitting him with balms. Basically exactly like the rest of the Nobles.”

He gives Akari an odd look. “More or less, yes.”

“We can do that.”

He seems a little confused, but quickly breaks out into an enthusiastic grin, looking far more like himself than he has since he arrived. “I like your confidence!”

Ingo attempts to smile at the way Akari lights up at the compliment. She's certainly come a long way.

Gaeric doesn't seem to notice the effect his words have on her. “I'll get everything ready. Can I meet you two back here in a week?”

Ingo glances worriedly at Akari one more time, but answers, “Certainly. Would you like to stay here for the night?” They're not really prepared to host guests, but he's sure they can figure it out.

Gaeric shakes his head, though. “No need, Ingo! I can make my way back to the settlement just fine. I've quite a lot to prepare and not much time to do it.”

His returned enthusiasm is a welcome change of pace, so Ingo just pinches his eyes and nods. “Very well. In that case, travel safe and we'll see you in a week.”

Chapter Text

Ingo can’t help the worry that eats away at him during the hike out to the Icelands. It wasn’t all that long ago that they battled Lord Electrode and Akari was injured. She’s healed now, reporting no lasting pain from her wound, but the scars and the memory remain.

Lord Avalugg is substantailly larger and more dangerous than any of the other Nobles. Taking him on is a much more significant challenge than they had been, and not a single one could be considered a walk in the park. Even just getting to him is dangerous, as evidenced by the fact that Akari was nearly blown away by the wind that whipped up from his frenzy the last time they were anywhere near him.

Gaeric’s surprisingly well thought out preparation does set his mind at ease a bit. The other Warden has provided them with spikes for the bottom of their boots, which currently hang from their packs until they’re needed. He also brought enough rations of dried meat to last the three of them several weeks. Ingo desperately hopes they aren’t out here for that long, but it’s better to err on the side of caution. They have other food too, but they all know they won’t be able to light a fire once they reach the endless storm around the arena. They also have extra coats and furs to wrap themselves in and odd goggles that Gaeric tells him will help to prevent snow blindness. All in all, they’re quite well prepared. Even so, Ingo worries.

Akari can obviously tell, even if his fellow Warden seems blissfully unaware, and spends most of the first two days of the journey practically glued to his side. None of them have any desire to talk much, but her presence is comforting nonetheless.

They spend the night in the same crevice under the Icebound Falls that they had sheltered in when this first began and set out into the storm proper in the morning. It’s not all that far from there to the Icepeak Arena, but given the conditions, they expect it to take at least a couple days. At this point, they shift things around to accommodate a different load distribution. They leave some of their things staked underneath a tent and move most of the remaining necessities into Ingo’s pack so that Gaeric can carry Akari, who has the basket full of balms on her own back. A secure line is tied between the two of them, allowing him to set her down if need be without risking losing hold of her completely.

A small part of Ingo feels an ugly emotion he doesn’t really want to address. He can’t help but feel that it should be him carrying her, keeping her safe from harm. He tries to push that thought out of his head. He knows Gaeric won’t willingly let any harm come to her. That doesn’t stop the dark, angry voice from whispering inside him that he shouldn’t trust someone else with something so precious to him.

He tries hard to ignore that voice. Even if he wanted to carry her- he very much does want to carry her- it doesn’t make any sense. Gaeric is stronger than he is and has two functional arms. Ingo can put himself to better use and watch out around them for trouble. He doesn’t want to waste his Pokémon’s energy fighting the storm, so he keeps them in their pokeballs and watches their surroundings himself.

The whole first day of the trek, they don’t run into any trouble. It’s not much of a surprise since any Pokémon with any sense will have evacuated the area months ago. They dig a shelter in the snow as the sky begins to darken and hunker down for the night. Without a fire, they have to rely on body heat and their furs to keep them warm. It’s not as bad as Ingo expected, although Gaeric seems mildly uncomfortable. It makes sense. Being a member of the Pearl Clan by birth, he places a higher value on personal space than either of them do. He doesn’t complain though, clearly knowing that it’s this or freezing to death.

The second day brings more of the same. Ingo is glad the other man seems confident about his sense of direction, because two days in zero visibility have him completely turned around. They spend that night the same way they spent the last one.

Ingo is the first to wake, though he’s not quite sure what brought him out of his restless sleep. He tightens his arms around Akari defensively as he turns his head side to side, searching for anything amiss. Nothing immediately presents itself, although between the storm and the dark, it would be difficult to see anything much even if it were just outside their little shelter.

That thought brings him to full alertness, although he still can’t place why he feels so uneasy. After another moment of nothing except mounting anxiety, he reaches over Akari and taps Gaeric on the shoulder. The other man wakes quickly, looking around with wide eyes before raising an eyebrow silently at him. He opens his mouth, but seems to think better of making noise. Ingo can’t exactly say why he’s thankful for that instinct.

He flicks his eyes toward the entrance to their shelter, although he’s still uncertain what he thinks is out there. Gaeric gives a minute nod and tilts his head toward Akari in question. Ingo hesitates a moment. He’s about to wake her as well when an echoing scream shatters the relative calm.

Akari jolts awake with a yelp, followed by a second one when Gaeric grabs her and slings her unceremoniously over his shoulder as he explodes out of their shelter.

Ingo shares one brief glance with each of them before snapping his eyes back in the direction of the sound. He shouts, “get to the arena!” as he starts the other direction.

He doesn’t spare another look that way, even as Akari shouts something back that gets taken by the wind. He’s too focused on the menacing set of glowing eyes that have materialized from the storm.

Chapter Text

Ingo doesn’t know what exactly is attacking them, but it’s not a stretch to guess that it's a ghost type. It takes him seconds to run through all the information available to him to make a strategic decision.

He doesn't have any Pokemon that have an advantage over ghost types, but the only one who is weak to them is Alakazam so it's likely they'll be on equal footing as long as he doesn't send her out. Not knowing what Pokemon is attacking, he has no way of knowing if it has a secondary typing, but all the research he's done with Akari proves useful in that he knows exactly which ghost types live in this area. Gastly and Misdreavus call the Icelands home, but they're typically not around this area. Zoroark territory is also quite a distance away. Which leaves Drifloon and Duskull, both of which live nearby but would likely have difficulty with this storm or, more likely, Froslass.

With that in mind, he strikes Tangrowth and Gliscor from the list of possible matchups to their mysterious attacker. His best options are Probopass or Magnezone, both of whom have a resistance to ice. He chooses Probopass, calling out, “Flash Cannon!”

His partner barely flinches at being released in the middle of a howling gale against an enemy he can't see. Ingo feels a swell of pride as he lights up the whole area with a brilliant flash that causes their opponent to hiss in surprise. His own surprise is palpable at the sight of not a Froslass, nor any other Pokemon he knows to live in the Icelands, but a Spiritomb.

It strikes out with a Dark Pulse, which Probopass shakes off easily. Though he's had to adjust his strategy slightly, Ingo doesn't hesitate even a second to command, “Thunderbolt!” The attack lands true and he feels his mouth twitch upwards slightly at the sight of sparks crawling across the wispy body of the Spiritomb as paralysis takes effect.

Something shifts in the darkness beyond their opponent and before either of them can react, another Pokemon appears. It moves far too quickly, Ingo only registering it as a Lucario as his partner is already falling to it's Close Combat. Judging by how hard it hit, it must have been a Strong Style attack. Was it just waiting there for an opening? It seems to be friendly with Spiritomb, if the brief glance they share is any measure. Why? This doesn't feel like a random Pokemon attack.

He doesn't have any more time to think. He has to focus on the battle before him. Since he's facing two opponents, he releases two of his own partners. While it's a little bit of a gamble to send out Alakazam at this point, he has no doubt she can finish off Spiritomb before taking a hit. Machamp lands beside her and the two gladly follow his instructions of, “Dazzling Gleam. Agile Style Fire Punch, then Fire Punch again.”

As expected, Spiritomb goes down and the two attacks in quick succession have Lucario hanging on by a thread. Ingo is momentarily distracted by the fact that Spiritomb disappears, a trail of light leading back into the storm. This definitely isn't a random attack, then. These are owned Pokemon.

He calls out to the darkness in general, “if you wanted a battle, you could have simply asked.” At the same time, Lucario goes for another Strong Style attack, clearly a last ditch effort since it knows it can't win this fight. The Crunch does significant damage to Alakazam and Ingo winces. He should have guessed it would know that move.

She strikes back and knocks it out as well. Lucario vanishes into the storm as well and the three of them wait on bated breath for something to happen. He sincerely doubts it was that easy. As expected, after another few seconds of waiting, another Pokemon appears from the snow. Despite being prepared for another attack, not knowing what it will be or where it will come from puts them at a disadvantage. As Alakazam does her best to block a Petal Dance from the newly appeared Roserade, a bright light from behind them signals another attack. Machamp jumps in front of Ingo, taking the brunt of a Moonblast to protect him. The residual pink light is enough for him to make out a Togekiss.

“Thank you.” Despite his calm tone, he knows this isn't good. “Alakazam, Strong Style Psychic, Machamp, Bullet Punch, then again if you can.”

Alakazam's attack is nearly enough to take down the Roserade before she falls to another Petal Dance. On his other side, Machamp succeeds in hitting the Togekiss with two Bullet Punches before falling as well. This is definitely not good. He has no idea how many Pokemon his opponent has left, but he can't keep this up forever.

Playing it as safe as he can, he only releases Magnezone, asking, “Agile Style Tri Attack on Roserade, then Flash Cannon on Togekiss, please.”

His partner whirs happily as it complies, knocking both opponents out and floating back to him. The two of them keep a close eye out for attacks and both manage to dodge when a Garchomp launches out of the snow at them. The ground cracks and juts up from its landing point, originating from the missed Earth Power. That attack may well have taken out Magnezone in one hit if it had landed. Ingo weighs his options in a split second and recalls his partner, switching out for Gliscor.

His first partner clicks his pincers and gives their attacker a vicious grin as he commands, “X-Scissor!” The attack hits hard, knocking the dragon back, but it shakes it off and hits back with Slash. The two repeat the same attacks again, each looking more ragged than before. On the third attack, Gliscor hits a critical spot and just barely manages to knock out his opponent.

Before he even has a chance to look pleased with himself, a dozen rocks fly out of the darkness and knock him to the ground. Ingo has to cover his face against the onslaught and when he drops his arm, his partner has returned to his pokeball. He growls in annoyance and throws his head around, searching for his opponent. Not seeing them, he sends out Tangrowth and points in the direction the rocks came from. “Energy Ball.”

She fires off a bright green ball of energy in the exact direction he points, but what it lights up isn't the rock type he expected, or rather, not solely a rock type. An Arcanine dodges the wild shot and leaps at them. It's much smaller than Lord Arcanine, but the sight is still enough to cause Ingo to seize up, his heart suddenly gripped by terror. Tangrowth taking a near debilitating hit from Raging Fury only makes it worse.

He manages to stutter out, “S-Strong S-Sludge B-Bo-” His jaw clenches shut involuntarily, but Tangrowth understands enough of the command and follows regardless. It may not be his best move. Arcanine would have been weak to Ancient Power, where this does almost no damage, but the sight of poison taking hold eases his mind slightly.

Another Raging Fury takes down Tangrowth and the Arcanine turns cruel eyes on him even as the poison deals damage to it. Ingo sends out Magnezone with a shaking hand. “F-Flash...”

His partner follows the half command and takes the third Raging Fury in stride despite the damage it deals to it. Weakly, Ingo asks, “again, please.”

Thankfully, that's enough to knock the beast out and it vanishes, leaving behind nothing but the sick feeling in Ingo's gut and the taste of blood in his mouth. As he becomes aware of the taste, he tilts his head in confusion and runs his tongue across the wound he apparently bit in his own cheek, then winces at the pain that causes. Magnezone beeps worriedly and bumps into his head. He reaches up and pats it affectionately. “It's ok. I... I think that was the last of them.” He looks around, seeing nothing more than disturbed snow and darkness. “Now, I guess we see if whoever was attacking us is going to show themselves.”

Apparently they are because momentarily, he hears the sound of footsteps approaching in the snow. He turns to face them, keeping a hand on Magnezone more for his own comfort than anything. When the shuffling shape resolves into something he can see, he only grows more confused.

It's as though he's looking through warped glass. He can't make out any features on the person's face, despite his mind screaming at him that he knows exactly who this is. The voice is just as warped and he can barely make out the words. He only catches some of them.

“... stop... around. What do you... ruining... plans and for... why.... care about...” While the words don’t mean anything to him, the furious tone comes across just fine.

Ingo takes a step forward involuntarily and a growl escapes him against his will. Magnezone backs away from him, making a frightened noise.

The person laughs mirthlessly. “Seriously? I thought.... entertaining.... Why don't... a favor... kill... already?”

Another growl comes from his throat and energy swirls around him in a clear threat. The feeling is somehow both completely foreign and deeply comforting. The unknown assailant reaches behind them, grabbing for something, but both of them freeze as the wind suddenly stops. The snow still in the air slowly drifts down around them. A swelling of pride both his own and not fills his chest as he realizes what this means.

The person turns on them, rage clear despite the lack of facial features. “Look... done... happy now? Now... the hard way.” They turn on their heel and stalk away into the now much calmer night.

Ingo watches them go until suddenly, without warning, he falls like a puppet with its strings cut into a heap in the snow. As much as he wants to move, to do something about everything that just happened, his limbs are far too heavy to do anything but stare blankly up at the sky. He fights against the encroaching darkness, but it's a losing battle and he can only be comforted by the sound of Magnezone's worried beeping next to him. His partner will make sure nothing happens to him.

Chapter Text

Akari screams and thrashes against Gaeric’s arms, trying desperately to break free so she can reach her dad. It doesn’t matter that he told them to run. It doesn’t matter that even if she got out of the tight grip, she would still be tied to the Warden. She can hear the sound of Ingo calling out a command, though she can’t make out the exact words. The flash that briefly lights the area gives it away easily enough. For just a second, she can see him, Probopass at his side, facing down a Pokémon she’s never seen before.

And then he’s gone, swallowed by the darkness and the storm. They can’t leave him alone out here. She slams her hands into Gaeric's chest hard enough to cause him to wheeze. “Stop! We have to help!”

“He told us to go.” His tone is uncharacteristically grim. “If something is trying to stop us, then that’s all the more reason to do so.” He looks down, briefly meeting her eyes before looking forward again. “If anyone can handle whatever that was, it’s Ingo. We have to trust him.”

Her fury disappears all at once, replaced by a heavy feeling she can’t name. He’s right. She still argues, “he won’t be able to find us through the storm.” She knows well enough that remaining lost in this weather is far more dangerous than the battle he’s fighting.

“Then we will just have to end this storm.”

She looks up to see his expression is tight with worry, but his eyes are determined. She nods. “Right. Yeah.”

Fighting this battle with just the two of them isn’t exactly what they had planned, but it’s what they have to do. They can’t fail. She focuses on what lies ahead of them, only now realizing that they’re heading uphill. Even as she realizes that, the wind suddenly loses its intensity. Snow is still filling the air, but when Gaeric sets her down, she doesn’t immediately feel like she’s going to get blown off her feet. They’re here.

He unties the rope connecting them and she sets down her basket, which is filled with as many balms as they could make, filling her pockets and satchel from it. Gaeric does the same and the two of them approach the arena with trepidation.

As they reach the edge, the Noble comes into view and the sheer scope of what they need to do hits her all at once. He’s massive, far larger than any of the other Nobles, or any other Pokémon she’s seen. She takes a shaky breath as she tries to plan a strategy. They can’t get close, but even if they could, she definitely wouldn’t want to anyway. Her throwing aim has gotten quite good, so she’s not worried about that. She is worried about what he might throw back. There’s not a lot of room to maneuver, so they’re going to have to be extra careful.

A hand lands on her shoulder, somehow both more hesitant and more forceful than she expects at once. She looks up to see Gaeric is watching her with thinly veiled concern. “Are you ready, Miss Akari?”

She nods even though she feels anything but ready and the two of them step forward. There’s not much point trying to be stealthy, but even so the Noble doesn’t acknowledge their approach until they both throw a balm, striking him squarely with both.

That certainly gets his attention. He lifts his massive head and roars. The sound is enough to knock both of them off their feet, but they scramble up in time to avoid the barrage of ice that’s launched straight toward them only a second later. Akari releases Sneasler and Gardevoir as she throws another couple balms. They can’t do much offensively, but they can distract the Noble and help the two humans avoid getting hit.

They fall into a pattern, similar to how she battled the previous Nobles, but different in one key way. Lord Avalugg never focuses on one or the other of them, instead attacking the whole area in general with ice and rocks. Given the wild nature of the attacks, they’re very difficult to avoid and openings between them to throw balms are fewer than she would like.

Sneasler smashes a rock out of the air before it can hit Gaeric, but falls to a blast of icy wind only moments later. Gardevoir hangs back and defends them with her psychic abilities as best she can while they continue to fight desperately. Akari releases Gastrodon and asks him to do his best to hit their opponent from this distance. He looses as many jets of water as he can, but she knows he’s not fast enough to dodge for long. At least he seems to be dealing a decent amount of damage. Anything they can do to wear the behemoth down is helpful as far as she’s concerned.

With that in mind, she releases Garchomp as well, which adds to the chaos of the situation, but also increases the amount of damage they’re dealing to the Noble. Unfortunately, it’s only a few minutes later that Gastrodon falls to a beam of ice which Akari just barely manages to avoid herself. Gaeric loses his balance while dodging the other direction, and Garchomp blocks the following attacks, but gets knocked out as well.

Akari calls out to Gardevoir, who launches a barrage of balms psychically at their opponent, distracting him long enough for her to send out Ninetales and Voltorb. She doesn’t know what they’re going to do when these two fall. They can’t keep dodging forever. At least it looks like he might be getting tired, but she really can’t tell if they’re going to outlast him or not.

Her remaining partners attack as often as they can, with Gardevoir continuing to throw balms when she can, and slowly, they wear the monstrous creature down. Ninetales blocks a shard of ice coming straight for Akari and falls. Voltorb retaliates with a powerful beam of green energy. While Lord Avalugg is reeling from that, both humans throw as many balms as they can.

He turns his head back towards them, but instead of furious rage, he just looks tired. And, as she hopes but does not dare to expect, the golden light around him brightens for just a moment, then fades away, drifting off into the sky. The two of them simply stop, taking a long moment to catch their breath. Akari praises Gardevoir and Voltorb when they come over to her, then recalls them so they can rest.

After another moment of quiet, Gaeric strides over as well, wearing a difficult to read expression. She yelps in surprise when he picks her up like she weighs nothing and swings her in a circle. Even though he's been carrying her for several days, it's unexpected. Understanding dawns on her as a wide, overjoyed smile overtakes his face and she relaxes.

“We did it!” He shouts the exclamation, enthusiasm in every fiber of his being. “We really did it!”

She laughs, easily getting wrapped up in his excitement. “We did!”

He sets her down again, although wild energy is still clearly filling him. “Thank you!” He turns to look at his Noble, who is watching them from a distance as though confused, then back toward the entrance to the arena. The wind has stopped and the snow is slowly drifting down to the ground.

Akari smiles and pats his arm. “Go talk to Lord Avalugg. I'll go see if I can see Dad.”

“Ok.” His expression turns serious for just a moment. “Tell me when you spot him. Don't just go off alone.”

“I won't, I promise.”

He nods and turns away, jogging toward his Noble. Akari does exactly as she said she would and heads the other direction. From the entrance to the arena, she can see pretty far and visibility is only improving as the last of the snow falls. She scans the area she can see for anything off, but doesn't immediately see anything. She does her best to ignore the building anxiety in her chest. She can watch until the air clears, then if they need to, she's sure Gaeric will help her go out to search for him.

Chapter Text

Akari stays by the arena's entrance for a few minutes, watching. If she doesn't see Ingo soon, she's going to have to get Gaeric so they can start searching. As she's thinking that though, a flash catches her eye. She looks that way and after another few seconds, another flash brightens the surrounding area. It's clearly electricity, and as it goes off again, she thinks it's too deliberate to be from a battle.

“Gaeric!” She shouts, glancing over her shoulder to be sure he heard her. “I think I see a signal!”

He jogs up behind her and watches as the light flashes again. “I think you're right. It must be Ingo trying to get our attention. Let's go.”

She follows him as he breaks a path through the snow, making as direct a line toward the flashing light as they can. “Why is Dad signaling instead of just coming up here?”

“Maybe something is keeping him where he is.”

“You think he's hurt?”

Gaeric looks back at her with wide eyes, clearly just now recognizing her anxiety. He doesn't seem to have any idea what to do about it, jumping too quickly to, “no! I'm sure your dad is fine!”

She doesn't want to verbalize the pessimistic thoughts in her head, so she just stays silent.

That apparently distresses him more, and he rambles, “you don't need to worry. Ingo's really strong, I'm sure he handled everything. There's got to be something else keeping him there.” He takes a breath and a little more slowly adds, “let's just hurry over there and see for ourselves, alright?”

She nods, more for his benefit than her own. She knows how strong he is, of course, but she also knows that being strong doesn't mean he can't lose, and it doesn't mean he can't get hurt. They won't know what's going on until they reach him though, so she tries not to assume the worst. Clearly he's still able to signal them so it could be worse.

She mentally kicks herself for that thought as they crest a small rise and finally spot him. He's laying motionless in the snow, only easily visible because of his black coat, and Magnezone is floating over him, flashing with electricity. It's the one signaling them, not her dad.

Gaeric breaks into a slow run and Akari only stays behind him because trying to make her own path through the snow would be slower than following. The Warden falls to his knees at Ingo's side and immediately starts checking him over. Akari crosses to his other side to do the same. To her immense relief, he's breathing. His hand is cold when she takes it, despite the thick gloves he's wearing, but he doesn't appear to be injured. That's good, but it begs the question of why he's unconscious.

Before she can explore that thought any further, he makes a soft mumble and takes a deep breath. A second later, his eyes snap open and he sits up all at once. Gaeric gasps and falls back, landing in the snow and staring with wide, terrified eyes at his face. Ingo's eyes are bright red, wide open for a second, then narrowing in a pained expression. He raises both hands to grab his head, knocking his hat off in the process. He digs his fingernails into his scalp as shadowy energy gathers around him, much stronger than it was at Moonview Arena. He growls and shakes his head violently, seemingly fighting against whatever is trying to take control of his mind.

“Dad!” Akari grabs his wrists and wrenches them off his head, knocking her forehead against his and looking straight into his blood colored eyes, which widen slightly in surprise. “Dad, listen to me. Please. You're ok. It's ok. Please just come back.”

His hands starts to shake in her grasp, the tremors spreading down his arms and into his body. “Akari.” His voice is his own, but it sounds like it's been imperfectly layered over itself several times, giving it a spooky, echoey quality. “You- I- can't-” His eyes flicker and he squeezes them shut, focusing intensely. “It's ok. Come back. I can't... stop... I can't... I... love you.” The echo in his voice trails off as he finishes speaking and he squeezes her hands with his own. When he opens his eyes, they're the usual silver, though there are dark circles under them. He gives her a tired attempt at a smile. “Thank you.”

She lets go of his hands so she can wrap her arms around him and lay her head against his chest. His own arms encircle her comfortingly as she answers, “you're welcome. I'm glad you're ok.”

His chin comes to rest on top of her head. His voice is calm, but the words he speaks are far from reassuring. “Not to alarm you, but I think I'm going to pass out.”

She jerks her head back to look up at him just in time to see his eyes roll back. She tries to catch him as he falls, succeeding in slowing him down if nothing else. She bites back the urge to panic. He's just exhausted. Fighting whatever attacked them as well as whatever is invading his mind clearly took its toll.

“Akari.” She jumps and looks back, having momentarily forgotten that Gaeric is still here. He's still sitting where he fell, watching the two of them with a look of horror. “What in Sinnoh's name was that?”

“It's...” She chews on her lip, unsure how to explain.

“He really is a ghost.” He sounds horrified. “I though the rumors were wrong, but he really is. Oh, Sinnoh, what have we done? Allowing such a creature into our midst, it's no wonder the Almighty is angry.”

“No!” Akari turns fully to face him, fury filling her at how quickly he turned on Ingo. “He's not a ghost! But even if he were, he's still your friend. How could you talk about him like that?! Don't you have any loyalty?!”

“My loyalty is to the Almighty Sinnoh, not to evil creatures.” He defends, but doesn't honestly look very sure of himself.

“Dad's not evil! And he's not a ghost!”

“Then what is he? Because that was definitely not human.”

She shakes her head. “He is human. I think he's being possessed by a ghost, but I haven't figured out exactly what ghost or why yet.”

The Warden's brow furrows. “Possession? I guess it's... wait.” He looks up at her with a worried expression as he catches up to what she said. “How long has this been going on?”

“Uhhh...” She looks away.

“Akari, how long has this been going on?” His tone leaves no room for evasion.

“Since we met, maybe longer,” she admits, feeling very small.

He's still for a long moment before quietly, but very emphatically, cursing. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them again so he can meet her gaze. “Why didn't either of you tell anyone?”

She looks down, feeling tears sting her eyes. “Dad doesn't know. He doesn't remember when it happens.”

“Ok, so why didn't you tell anyone?”

She takes a very wet breath and feels tears start to slowly make their way down her cheeks. “I- I don't know. I w-was s-so scared. I didn't k-know what would h-happen if people f-found out.” She takes several stuttering breaths and rubs her eyes with her knuckles. “Y-you're not g-gonna kick us o-out, a-a-are you?”

Through the blur of tears, she can see his brows come together. “Kick you out? What, of the clan? No, Akari, we're not going to kick you out. If he's really being possessed, then we're going to help... if we can. I don't think anyone in the clan knows as much about this sort of thing as he does, which may be a problem.”

She nods. “I- I already asked. D-Dad doesn't k-know of any Pokemon in Hisui th-that can possess people.”

He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. “You've been trying to help him by yourself this whole time, haven't you?”

“Y-yeah.”

He picks up the hat that's still laying on the ground and sets it on her head, tugging it down over her eyes. “You really are Ingo's daughter.” When she laughs, he adds, “that wasn't a compliment.” He lets out a long breath and gets his legs under him. “Come on, we shouldn't stay here. Help me get your father before he dies of exposure.”

Akari wipes her eyes and nods, then moves over to help prop Ingo up so Gaeric can pick him up. Once he's settled on the other Warden's back, she makes her way to the little shelter they had spent most of the night in and picks up the pack her dad was carrying yesterday, settling it over her own shoulders. She comes back up alongside Gaeric and the two of them set off toward the Highlands.

Chapter Text

It takes two days to get back home. Ingo sleeps through most of the first day and even once he wakes up, he's not fully present. He walks along with them for the last hour or so, but stares blankly off into space unless one of them directly addresses him and even when they do, he doesn't always answer. Akari is worried about how long the effects of the possession are lasting this time, but she doesn't know what she can do about it. He's a little better the second day, but still uncharacteristically quiet. When they reach their tent in the evening, he goes inside without protest while Akari hangs back to talk to Gaeric.

The man's eyes linger on where he disappeared. “Are you sure you'll be alright out here? You can always come to the settlement.”

Akari smiles. “We'll be fine.” She knows how uncomfortable her dad is around large groups of people, and even though it might be a good idea to have others around, she fears it will only make him feel worse.

“I'm going to talk to the others when I get back. Hopefully someone will have an idea of what we can do. I'll let you know as soon as we have a plan.”

Despite her continued anxiety about other people finding out about this, she nods. “I hope so. Thank you.”

He waves as he leaves and she turns away, heading into the tent. Ingo is in the kitchen, distractedly preparing a simple dinner for the two of them. She doesn't hesitate to cross the tent and tuck herself against his side. He jumps a little, as though he didn't hear her approach, but looks down at her with a tired pinch of his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” She knows he's more likely to answer honestly now that they're alone.

He doesn't answer at all for nearly a minute, keeping his eyes fixed on the vegetables he's chopping. When he does, it's in a soft tone. “I'm not really sure.” He's quiet for another few seconds before asking, “what happened?”

Akari stiffens and she knows he feels it, but she keeps her voice carefully level anyway. “You don't remember?”

“No.”

“I don't know either. We weren't with you.”

“Where were you?”

Her brow furrows. “We were calming Lord Avalugg.”

There's another moment of hesitation, then, “you succeeded.” It's as though he's only just realizing that. “I... remember. Yes, I remember feeling proud of you. But there was something... else.”

“You were battling something.” She supplies. He seems to want to remember, so even though she's worried about stressing him too much, she wants to help.

“Yes. Right. It wasn't a Froslass.”

Akari looks up at him and raises an eyebrow. “Well, that narrows it down.”

He snorts and steps away from her, handing her a plate and taking his own to go sit down next to the unlit fire pit. She follows and starts eating while he thinks. “I... thought it was a Froslass, but it wasn't.”

“Oh, that makes sense. Do you know what it was?”

He shakes his head. “I don't remember.”

“Was there more than one?”

He tilts his head. “Yes. Different species, though. Six of them.”

“Six?” That's a little suspicious. “Like, the amount that a trainer would have?”

Her dad's eyes widen slightly. “Yes. Exactly like that.”

“It was a person attacking us?” She can't keep the alarm out of her tone. There wasn't anyone there when they arrived, so whoever it was must have gotten away. But Magnezone was still out when they got there, and she doubts that Ingo wouldn't have fought to the last, so what happened?

Unaware of the direction of her thoughts, he answers, “I... think it was. I don't know who, though.” His eyes narrow in pain.

Akari is quick to reassure, “we don't have to worry about it right now. Whoever it was wasn't around when we found you, so you must have beaten them. Not to mention, we succeeded and all the Nobles are calmed, now.”

He nods and pinches his eyes at her. “You're right. We ought to be celebrating, not worrying.”

She flashes a bright smile. “Yeah! I'm sure the clans will want to celebrate, too!”

“I'm sure they will.” He shakes his head lightly. “I'm so proud of you. I'm sorry I didn't say it before. Calming Lord Avalugg must have been quite difficult.”

“It's alright, Dad. I... I know you're proud.” She's a little surprised to find that she never even thought to wonder if he was. He's always so open with his praise that even though it wasn't forthcoming this time, she never questioned that it would be if he were feeling more himself. “You don't have to apologize for being distracted.”

He sets his empty plate aside so he can reach out and ruffle her hair, wearing a painfully fond look. “Still, you did an incredible thing. You deserve to hear that, even if it's a little late.”

Akari leans into his hand. “Thanks, Dad.” She allows herself to bask in the comfortable moment, but eventually, she looks back up at him. “You should probably rest.”

His fond expression doesn't change, but he says, “I think you're right.” The fact that he's not even trying to argue is a bit concerning. He must really be tired.

She takes his plate and heads to the kitchen to wash up. She can hear him moving around, laying out their futons, and by the time she turns back around, he's laid down on his own. When she goes to hers, she's a little surprised by his voice asking, “can... can you stay nearby?” He sounds unlike she's ever heard before. Scared and small. He may not remember what happened, but it's clearly still weighing on him.

Her answer requires no thought at all. “Of course.” She drags her futon over next to his and curls up against his side.

He breathes a soft sigh of relief and lays an arm over her. “I love you, Akari.”

She nuzzles her head against him. “I love you too, Dad.”

She's still worried, but for right now, she allows herself to relax and drift off to sleep next to the comforting presence of the only real family she's ever had. They'll figure this out, she's sure. As long as they're together, everything will be fine in the end.

Chapter Text

Akari wakes with a start to a sound like shattering glass. It seems to come from everywhere at once, loud enough that she slaps her hands over her ears. She feels Ingo responding similarly next to her, but doesn't look back to confirm. Instead, she swings her head wildly around, searching for the source of the sound.

A vaguely familiar energy pumps through her veins and drives her to her feet. She's across the tent, wrenching the door open and stumbling out before she can think. The sound is fading, slowly echoing away, but she hardly pays it any mind, her attention fully taken by the sight of the world around her.

The sky is dark, dawn still a few hours away, but even so, she couldn't possibly miss that it's wrong. It's dyed a horrible blood red, which extends as far as she can see in every direction. A sick feeling roils in her gut. It's not just the sky, the whole world feels wrong in a way she could never hope to describe. Shadowy energy seeps into everything she can see, filling her with a desperate feeling somewhere between terror and hopelessness.

She turns to where she expects her dad to be, only to freeze when she's met by open air. He didn't come out? She thought he was right behind her. Panic fills her in an instant and she darts back through the door, only to freeze again. The sight inside the tent is somehow even worse than the one outside.

Ingo is on his knees a few feet from their futons, looking like he tried to get up, but collapsed almost immediately. He's surrounded by violently swirling tendrils of the same shadowy energy from before and his head is clutched in his hands. He's breathing in ragged gasps, clearly fighting hard against something.

“...Dad?”

His head snaps up and brilliant red eyes lock on hers. Her blood runs cold as she realizes that's not the only change to his appearance this time. Something gold and incorporeal flickers around his head, there one moment, gone the next. Something that looks uncomfortably like a pair of broken horns. He's still for a moment, a flicker of silver coming through, then he flinches and falls back with a yelp of pain.

She takes a step forward, but he only scrambles away from her. It's only then that she realizes how bright the tent is, despite the lack of a fire or any other light source. She glances around, freezing for the third time when she catches sight of her reflection in their mirror. She watches her own eyes widen, but can hardly reconcile that they are her eyes.

Her eyes are green, glowing from within just like Ingo's are. They're not the only thing glowing. Every part of her is glowing a soft gold, and around the back of her head is a pair of golden arches. She reaches up with a shaking hand, but her fingers simply pass through them, apparently being made entirely of light.

They look like the arches around her phone. The thought jolts her out of her stupor and she fumbles for the device, tapping out a message on it the second she has it in her hands.

What's going on?

Arceus doesn't respond immediately, and she forces herself to wait a minute before sending another message.

Arceus? What's happening?

…

Please. I'm scared. What am I supposed

to do?

…

Why isn't it answering? It's never failed to answer before, so why now, when she needs it more than ever? As much as she hates it, she has a feeling she knows the answer. It told her it couldn't interfere because of the warping of space-time, and now everything seems more warped than she ever imagined it could be.

She glances back at her reflection, at the golden arches around her head. Maybe this is the only way it can help. If she focuses, she can feel power running through her like the blood in her veins. Is this it's answer? If that's true, than she has to do whatever she can with this power to stop this before it gets any worse.

This is what it meant by calling her its Chosen, isn't it?

The thought leads her back to her dad, who has withdrawn far enough to place his back is against the canvas wall. His eyes are trained on her, wide with fear and flickering wildly between silver and red. He was Arceus's Chosen, too. The pieces fall into place in her mind and the realization that hits her is less of a revelation and more of a realization that the solution she was seeking was never as complicated as she made it.

Something severed his connection with Arceus, and something has been possessing him since the day they met. Of course those two facts are connected. She’s pretty sure now that they’re one and the same, and she has a very good guess exactly what is the cause of everything that’s happening.

Arceus's inverse. The unnamed monster from the Pearl Clan's stories. The creature she had suspected, but is now certain was behind the frenzies, the distortion of space-time, and ultimately the two of them even being here. That monster must have supplanted Arecus's connection with Ingo with it's own. It's been using him this whole time, and she never put it together.

And now, because of it's influence, instead of being empowered by the sacred light that flows through her, it's hurting him. As much as she wants to do the opposite, Akari steps back. She keeps her eyes on his, trusting that there's enough of him still fighting to hear her words. “It's alright, Dad. You're going to be ok. I'm going to fix this.”

It might be her imagination, but she could swear that the grimace his features are twisted into softens slightly.

Her voice shakes as she continues to back away from him. “I've got to go. I'm sorry. I promise I'll come back. I promise. I love you.”

He makes a pained noise that might be an attempt to speak. The optimistic part of her decides to take that as an effort to return the affection, despite everything. She feels tears well in her eyes and turns away before they can spill over, grabbing her boots and coat and fleeing the tent before she can break and try to go back to him. She knows it won't work, anyway.

She stops just long enough to pull her boots on, then sets off down the trail, intent on a destination that she hadn't consciously decided on. She only makes it about halfway there before the very person she's looking for appears around a bend, most likely on his way to check on them. He yelps and curses at the sight of her and she realizes in that moment that she must look quite frightening.

“Melli!” She knows her voice sounds desperate, but she doesn't care. “Please don't run! I need your help.”

He stays stock still, staring at her with an unreadable expression. Finally he speaks, his tone carefully level. “Akari. What's... um... what's going on with,” he gestures to her vaguely, “that?”

She takes a deep breath, deciding in an instant to tell him the truth, despite her hesitation to share this with anyone up until now. “Arceus- or, the Almighty Sinnoh, I guess, is lending me its power to put an end to this.” She gestures to the sky.

He stares blankly for another few seconds, before shaking his head. In a voice he can't quite keep from shaking, he answers, “sure, ok. Why not?” He glances around conspicuously. “Where's Ingo?”

“That's why I was looking for you. He's umm... not well. I was hoping you could keep an eye on him while I'm gone.”

His brow furrows. “What do you mean, not well.”

“It... might be easier to show you.”

If the face he pulls is anything to go by, he doesn't like that answer at all, but he nods and gestures up the trail. “Lead on, then.”

She does, noticing, but not blaming him for the careful distance he keeps from her. They walk in silence back to the tent and Akari opens the door. She enters, but just steps to the side, not willing to get any closer to her dad for fear of hurting him. Melli enters and draws to a standstill next to her, his eyes locked on his fellow Warden. Ingo is still against the far wall, with his arms drawn around himself and shaking violently.

Melli turns an incredulous look on her. “That's a little more than 'not well,' Akari.”

She looks down. “I know.”

“What's happening to him?”

She sighs. “The short version is that Arc- Almighty Sinnoh's inverse is trying to take over his mind.”

“Almighty Sinnoh's inverse? You mean from the old tales? The one banished to the inverse world?”

“Yes.”

“Right.” He sounds a bit faint. “Why?”

“I'm not really sure. I'm guessing it has to do with the connection he used to have with the Almighty Sinnoh, but I haven't figured out what it wants with him, yet.”

“Connection to Sinnoh? What are you talking about?”

She looks up at him, seeing that he's visibly overwhelmed, but trying very hard to not let it show. She feels bad for dumping all this on him, but she doesn't know what other choice she has. Besides, with her dad out of commission, there's no one she trusts more than Melli. “We were sent here by Sinnoh, to fix the distortion of space-time. Dad was sent first, but something went wrong. It lost track of him and he forgot his purpose for being here. I'm pretty sure now that it was the inverse interfering. It sent me after him when it wasn't able to contact him anymore.”

Melli doesn't visibly react, only asking in a shell shocked voice, “a-are you serious?”

“I am.”

He nods, expression still blank. “Ok. And, uhhh... you want me to help him? I don't think I can do anything against a god.”

She shakes his head. “You don't have to do anything like that. Just... try to keep him from hurting himself. Maybe see if you can get him to eat.”

“...Sure. I'll... try.”

On impulse, she throws her arms around him like she might do to her dad. “Thank you, Melli.”

He hesitates for a long moment before returning the hug. “Yeah. Sure thing, kid.” He pats her back awkwardly.

She lets go and wipes her eyes, which are wet again. “I've got to go.”

Before she gets more than a few steps away, he snags the sleeve of her kimono, pulling her to a stop. When she looks back, the blank expression on his face has been replaced by one of uncharacteristic worry. “Hey. Please be careful.”

She smiles at him. “I'll do my best.”

Chapter Text

Akari stares up at the rift over the mountain. There's no doubt in her mind that it's connected to everything that's happening, but she has no idea what she's supposed to do about it. Even if she climbed up to the peak, it would still be quite a distance above her. She supposes she might be able to get Lord Braviary to fly her up there if she asked, but then what? She's pretty sure that Arceus's power isn't going to give her the ability to close the rift bare handed.

So, what does she do now?

The answer comes in the form of a gentle chime from her phone. She takes it out, fully expecting a reply from Arceus. There aren't any new messages to be seen, but instead, a map of the region takes up the screen. There are three flashing dots marked on it. After only a moment of study, she realizes that they're over each of the three lakes.

Well, that's surprisingly helpful. She wonders why it seems to be telling her to go to the lakes, but doesn't immediately come to an answer. She supposes it doesn't really matter why, as long as it gets her closer to putting an end to this. After a few minutes of deliberation, she decides to head to Lake Acuity first. Traveling across the Icelands again so soon isn't exactly high on her priority list, but she figures if she starts with the most difficult to reach lake, then things can only get better from there. Hopefully.

As she sets off toward the mountain pass, she's surprised by a yowl and turns to see Lady Sneasler approaching rapidly. The Noble leans down to nuzzle her affectionately when she reaches her, apparently unbothered by her glowing appearance. Akari smiles and scratches her ear feather. “Hello, My Lady. Are you worried about the sky, too?”

The Noble nods and taps her with a claw, then tilts her head.

“I'm heading to Lake Acuity. I'm not sure why, but Arceus seems to think I should go there, and I don't have any better ideas for how to fix this.” She shakes her head forces a smile.

Lady Sneasler looks toward the pass and turns, gesturing between Akari and her basket.

She shakes her head. “Thank you, but you should probably stay here. Dad might need your help.”

The Noble hesitates, throwing a glance back at the tent. After a moment, she makes a dissatisfied noise and taps her basket with a claw, deliberately in the center of the symbol decorating it. The symbol which is a match for the one encircling Akari's head.

It takes her a moment to understand her meaning and she still asks, just to be sure, “your duty is more important?” When the Noble nods, she looks down. “But, Dad...”

Lady Sneasler reaches out and taps the bracelet on her wrist with a quiet click. She makes a soft, rolling whine and looks back at the tent. It couldn't be more clear that leaving her Warden in distress is precisely what she doesn't want to do.

Akari lifts her arm and holds it close to her chest, trying hard to hold back tears. “Y-yeah. You're right. Putting an end to this is the best way we can help him now.” She steps forward and headbutts Lady Sneasler's chest. “Thank you.” She climbs into the basket and allows the Noble to carry her onward, though she still doesn't know what they'll find when they get there.

Lady Sneasler speeds her progress significantly and the two of them reach Lake Acuity by nightfall. She spends a lot of the journey standing in the basket so she can watch their surroundings. Occasionally, wild Pokemon attack them, distressed enough by the red sky to be willing to attack even a Noble. She knows that Lady Sneasler could handle them easily enough, but with a passenger her mobility is limited, so Akari sends her own Pokemon out to battle instead in these instances.

She discovers something interesting during these encounters. After each battle, he partners are surrounded by a bright light. When it fades, the damage and exhaustion from fighting fade with it. It's terribly convenient, and she feels deeply grateful to Arceus for trying so hard to help her even when it's clearly severely limited.

Now, on the shore of the frigid lake, she's facing a new problem. She can see the island in the middle, and the cave in the middle of that which she's nearly certain wasn't there before, but she has no way to get across. Lady Sneasler can't carry her across this and none of her Pokemon are cut out for it except maybe Gastrodon, who she's never done anything like this with. She wishes Lord Basculegion were here to help. That would make this so much easier.

The moment she has that thought, there’s a bright flash of light before her. When she blinks the spots out of her vision, Lord Basculegion is there, swimming in the land locked waters of Lake Acuity. He doesn’t look worried about appearing here so suddenly, simply watching her calmly, completely at ease in the frozen waters.

“Huh. I guess I can just… summon you?” She turns to Lady Sneasler, who gives her an encouraging push with her claws. “That’s new.”

She shakes off her uncertainty and steps into the lake to climb aboard Lord Basculegion’s back. He moves forward so that she only has to get a little bit of her boots wet, which is appreciated. Once she’s settled, he swims away from the shore, setting a slow pace to avoid splashing up extra water. By the time they reach the other shore, the sun has fully set and Akari stares into the dark cave in the middle of the island with some trepidation.

She pushes forward anyway, thankful for her minor glow, which brings just a little light to the situation as she enters the cave, heading down a short slope that ends sooner than she expected in a wide, open area. It’s eerily still and silent except for the sound of dripping water. She takes a hesitant step forward, then another. It feels like something is supposed to be here, but the place is empty. She jumps when a voice echoes through her mind.

You come here seeking wisdom’s blessing, little hero. Chosen though you are, you know so little.

“W-what are you talking about?” She wishes she sounded a little more confident.

You do not know what I am. You do not know why you are here. And you do not even know who you are.

“I-” She bites her tongue against the flaring of anger in her. Why is it being so rude? She takes a deep breath and addresses it as calmly as she can. “You’re wrong. I do know what you are. You are a lake guardian. The Pearl Clan believes you to be a benevolent god and I… I really want to believe that’s true. I know that I’m here to seek your blessing. Although honestly, the greater reason is still a mystery to me, I know that it doesn’t matter. I know that it will help me put an end to this. And…” She looks down, taking a deep breath to steady herself before she continues, “I don’t know who I was, but I do know who I am. I’m Akari of the Pearl Clan, daughter of Warden Ingo and Chosen by Arceus. I’m here because I need your help, but I know that I will find a way to save everyone even if you refuse.”

The cave is still for a long, tense couple of seconds, and then, with surprisingly little fanfare, a little Pokémon appears in the middle of it. Its eyes are closed, but she gets the feeling it's watching her anyway.

Its voice speaks in her head again. Well done, little hero. I am Uxie, the guardian of wisdom. As expected of the one Chosen by our creator, you possess great strength of mind. I offer you this claw, along with my blessing.

A bright light surrounds the small creature and it vanishes as quickly as it came, leaving behind a small, glowing claw, floating in the air where it had been. Akari approaches and gently takes hold of it. The glow dims a little and it falls into her hands, gravity acting on it normally now. She studies it curiously for a few seconds before tucking it away securely and taking out her phone. As she thought, the flashing mark over Lake Acuity is now gone.

She leaves the cave, wondering about what exactly she’s meant to do with a claw. Even if it’s blessed, it’s still quite small. She supposes she’ll figure it out. If the deity of wisdom wasn’t worried that she didn’t know exactly what she’s doing, then she resolves not to worry about it either.

Lord Basculegion is waiting for her and she scratches him on the head before climbing back up onto his back. That’s one lake down, two more to go.

Chapter Text

As Akari rides back across Lake Acuity, she wonders if she might be able to summon the other Nobles the way she summoned Lord Basculegion. It would be nice to be able to fly to the Fieldlands, instead of Lady Sneasler having to carry her all the way there. Faster, too.

Just like before, the moment she thinks it, Lord Braviary appears above her in a flash of light. He circles above them until they reach the shore, then lands and nuzzles her hair with his beak.

She scratches the side of his face with a smile. “Hello. Do you think you could take me to Lake Verity in the Fieldlands?”

He caws loudly and straightens up, lifting a wing for her. There’s no sling attached to him this time, so she climbs up onto his back and holds on tight to his feathers. When he takes off, she hunches down, squeezing her eyes shut and gripping tight enough to make her knuckles go white, but she relaxes a little once they’re properly in the air.

When she opens her eyes, she can see the snowfields zipping by below them, broken only by the occasional Pokémon or stand of trees. It would be beautiful if it wasn’t all tinted blood red. A repetitive sound catches her attention and she turns her head back and forth, searching for the source of it. It takes her longer than it should because it’s both farther away and larger than she expected.

Lord Avalugg is moving. His pace is slow, but seemingly deliberate as he makes a path toward Mt. Coronet. Toward the rift that is no doubt her eventual destination. She can only hope he means to help.

Soon enough, he’s out of sight as they round the other side of the mountain and fly across the Highlands. She gets a brief glance of home as they fly over the tent, and she wonders how things are going there. There’s no way to tell from the outside, the thin stream of smoke rising from it the only indication that anyone is even there. Hopefully Ingo and Melli are ok.

As they pass over the northern corner of the Mirelands, she can see the clan settlement in the distance. There’s a large group a short distance from it, moving away toward the mountain. She can make out both Lord Arcanine and Lady Lilligant accompanying them. It would seem that everyone is heading for the rift.

Lord Braviary flies on, but when they’re passing over the Fieldlands, he heads for the large outcropping of rock in the middle instead of toward the lake. She’s not sure what’s there, but she trusts the Noble enough to wait and see where this is going.

He lands near the top, letting her climb off and stretch her stiff muscles before tilting his head in the direction of the summit. She can’t help but be curious, and climbs up the last dozen feet of the trail, coming upon a wide, open area. In the middle of it is a large, white Pokémon. She’s never seen him before, but it’s not hard to piece together that this is Lord Wyrdeer.

Akari steps closer and bows politely. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He steps forward and nuzzles her hair with his nose, which makes her giggle despite the tension she’s still feeling.

She reaches up to rub his chin with her fingers, and he leans into it, clearly enjoying the attention. “Any other time, I would probably be asking if I could study you for my Pokedex, but right now I can't stay that long. I've got to get to the other two lakes before things get even worse than they are.”

When she starts to step away, he follows her, nudging her shoulder with his nose. Once he's sure he has her attention, he folds his front legs underneath him in a slightly awkward bow and swings his head toward his own back.

Akari tilts her head. “You... want me to get on?”

He makes a low huff, which she thinks is affirmative, so she does so, settling herself behind his shoulders. He stands, taking care not to throw her off balance, and glances back at her. She grabs hold of his soft mane and nods.

The Noble takes off, ignoring the trail entirely and simply leaping across the rocks and down the steep slope with a surefooted grace. Lord Braviary caws when he sees them and takes off so he can fly overhead. Akari isn't terribly surprised to see Lady Sneasler has appeared again and smiles at her when she lopes alongside them, running on four legs to be able to keep up.

They cross the river at the bridge and turn to the left, galloping down the shore and through the woods where Akari spent her first few days in Hisui at lightning speed. It only takes a few minutes to reach the shore of Lake Verity, where Akari dismounts and hugs Lord Wyrdeer around the neck. “Thank you.”

He nibbles her hair gently in answer.

As she approaches the water, Lord Basculegion appears again, ready to take her across just like last time. She thanks him as well as they cross the much more pleasant waters to the island in the middle. She's a little less cautious as she enters this cave, knowing now more or less what to expect inside. As she thought, the interior is basically the same, and a voice speaks in her head.

Little hero, you come seeking the blessing of emotion. Tell me, what do you feel?

Akari tilts her head. “What do I... feel?”

The moment you arrived here and even before, you were cast out. Unwanted. What do you feel?

“S-sad? And angry, but-”

The creator has placed a great burden on your shoulders. You find yourself traveling the region alone, searching for answers you don't understand. What do you feel?

“Umm.... overwhelmed?”

Your father's mind has been overtaken by a force you know nothing about. You promised to save him, but can you truly hope to match a god? What do you feel?

“Scared a-and frustrated, but-”

The-

“HEY!” Akari shouts, the sound echoing around the small cavern. “Stop and let me answer properly! Why are you only asking about the bad things?” She glares around the empty cave, getting no answer. “I don't know what you want from me. Yeah, I'm scared and angry, and all those other bad things I'm sure you were going to bring up, but that's not all. I wasn't wanted before, and I was driven away, yes, but I'm not alone. I am wanted.” She feels tears spilling over and sliding down her cheeks just from saying it out loud, but it's undeniably true. “I am so... so overwhelmingly happy. All the time, even now. Because I'm wanted, a-and l-loved. Isn't that worth something to you, guardian of emotion?” She says it's title with a bite of sarcasm. “Don't you care about happiness and love, or do you only want the sadness and anger?”

There's still no answer, and she's starting to get irritated. It wants her to say how she feels, so she might as well do as it asks. “I'm feeling pretty annoyed, right now, if you care. You wanted to know how I feel about the burden Arceus placed on me? Overwhelmed, yeah, but also... proud, I guess would be the word for it. That it trusts me to do this, th-that I believe I can do this. And, yeah, I'm scared about what's happening to Dad, and I'm frustrated with myself for not figuring it out sooner, but aren't those feelings, too, born out of love?” She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “There's no way I'm going to do anything less than everything to save him. Because I love him more than anything else in the world.” When she opens her eyes, she's not surprised to see a small Pokemon floating in front of her. She meets its eyes defiantly. “Is that enough emotion for you?”

It floats forward and touches her cheek with one tiny hand. That is enough. I am Mespirit, the guardian of emotion. I apologize for upsetting you, but I needed to know how deep your feelings truly ran.

“Did I pass your test, then?” She intends it to sound sarcastic, but it mostly comes out sounding very tired.

You did. Please accept this fang and my blessing.

With that, it disappears in a flash of light, leaving behind a small fang. Akari takes it and tucks it away next to Uxie's claw. She leaves the cave distractedly, and barely notices the ride back across the lake. She climbs back up onto Lord Wyrdeer's back, and only then does she finally let the dam inside her break. She buries her face in his mane and cries until the repetitive motion of his gait lulls her to a restless sleep.

Chapter Text

Akari yelps and jerks awake as she hits the ground. She pushes herself up, more startled than hurt, and looks around in alarm. Lord Wyrdeer is beside her, kneeling. He nuzzles her gently with his nose, seemingly apologizing for waking her up this way. Lady Sneasler sits beside her and wraps a claw around her back, making a soft croon.

She rubs her eyes and sits up properly. “Sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep.”

The sound of more Pokemon shuffling around makes her look up and she smiles to see that not only have Lord Braviary and Lord Basculegion shown up, but Lord Ursaluna has as well. They all crowd around and she does her best to pet all of them at once, with limited success.

“Ok. This is the last lake. We can do this.” She takes a deep breath and stands up, then, on impulse, points outward and to the side like her dad showed her, eyes fixed on the cave across the water. “ALL ABOARD!”

The other Nobles jump, but Lady Sneasler covers her mouth and laughs, then pats her on the head. She grins, despite the lingering tired feeling in the back of her mind and approaches Lord Basculegion. She climbs aboard and rides across the lake, trying to ignore the growing dread. If this goes anything like the last time, she's in for another mentally exhausting encounter.

The cave is just like the other two, a small cavern with a few puddles on the ground. Unlike the last two though, the lake guardian is already there, floating in the middle of the cavern and waiting for her. When she gets near to it, it speaks.

Hello, little hero.

“...Hello.” She can't help but be a little hesitant. “Do you have a test for me?”

It floats a little closer. No, little hero. I am Azelf, the guardian of willpower. There is little need for a test when you have so often proven to posses an unparalleled will. You are here. That is proof enough.

Akari stares at it blankly. “That's... it?”

Yes. Please take this plume and my blessing. Meet us at the Celestica Ruins.

There's a flash of light and it's gone, leaving behind a small plume from its tail. Akari takes it distractedly and turns, leaving the cave. Lord Basculegion is still waiting, but she waits until she reaches the rest of the Nobles on the other shore before saying, “I guess we need to go to the Celestica Ruins.”

Lady Sneasler rubs her face against her and points up to the mountain with a claw, looking happy.

Akari smiles. “Yeah. Back home.”

She climbs back up onto Lord Wyrdeer's back and he starts toward Mt. Coronet. The others follow, even Lord Basculegion, who swims right through the air as easily as if it were water. It takes a couple hours to make the journey, even at the pace Lord Wyrdeer sets. The ruins themselves don't look any different, save for the red that tints them from the once again darkened sky. It doesn't take long to find where they want to meet, the three lake guardians being easy enough to spot where they float above a broken statue. Akari dismounts at the foot of it and bows.

Hello again, little hero.

Thank you for coming.

Offer forth your blessings.

“My blessings?” She tilts her head. “Oh, you mean these?” She takes out the claw, fang, and plume from her satchel.

As soon as she opens her hands, they begin to glow and float up in front of the three deities. She covers her eyes against the brilliance and when it fades, there now floats an odd, red chain. She takes it and inspects it closely, though she can't tell what it's made of or what its intended purpose may be. After a moment, she glances up at them questioningly.

That is the Red Chain. It is used to bind great power.

It has been used for evil, and it will be again.

But we offer it to you now, knowing that you will use it for good.

“It's used to bind power? Like, the power of Arceus's inverse?”

Yes. Or others of equal power.

Use this gift wisely, for it can only be used once.

Go now, to the center of the distortion.

“What will I find there?”

We cannot say.

The distortion interferes too much.

We only know that it will be dangerous.

Akari sighs. “I figured that much.” She bows again. “Thank you so much for your help.”

She turns to look up at the rift above the mountain. It's time to face this, she supposes. Time to find out exactly what Arceus's inverse is capable of. And time to find out what she is capable of. First, though... She lets her eyes fall downward, picking out the cliffs around the tent, although she can't see their home itself.

“I'd like to check on Dad. Could you help me, Lady?” Akari tilts her head up to look at Lady Sneasler.

The Noble grins and makes a happy yowl. She kneels so Akari can climb into her basket, then launches herself up the cliff face, making short work of the mostly vertical journey home. When they crest the last cliff, a yelp greets them as Melli spins to face them.

His eyes remain wide and frightened even after he realizes that he's not under attack, staring at Akari with an expression she really doesn't like. Why is he standing out here instead of in the tent, watching Ingo?

“What's going on?” She demands, holding eye contact as she climbs out of the basket.

“A-Akari. You're back.”

“Melli.”

He jumps. “He's... gone.” He shakes his head, apparently a little shell shocked, and swallows hard. “The Galaxy Team came through the main trail, heading for the summit. Adaman and Irida and the other Wardens did too. First. They knew about what was happening to Ingo, so they didn't try to make us come with them. And then the Galaxy Team came through. It was a little later when a man showed up. He must be from the Galaxy Team, but I haven't seen him before. I don't know how he got inside the tent, but he attacked Ingo.” He trails off, looking a bit haunted.

“What happened?”

“He stopped fighting. Against Sinnoh's inverse, I mean. He- it fought the man off. I got between them when it tried to kill him and... got knocked out? I think.”

Concern floods her as she realizes that he might not just be shocked by what happened. She steps forward. “Are you ok?”

“I'm fine. It didn't touch me. It just...” He shakes his head. “It's hard to explain.”

“Do you think he went to the summit, too?”

“Akari...” He looks at her with a pinched expression. “That's not Ingo anymore. You know that, right? If you go after him, it might hurt you.”

She looks down, forcing her answer out through a suddenly very tight throat. “I- I know. But Dad's still in there. He has to be.”

“Akari-”

“No! I won't give up on him! I can't give up on him.”

He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. “Alright. Then let's go find him.”

Chapter Text

Akari feels more and more on edge the higher on the mountain she and Melli climb. Everything around them is eerily silent, without even the sound of wild Pokemon to comfort her. The Nobles are still with her, following behind, but they're also unusually quiet, as though making too much noise might draw attention they don't want. Even the air itself feels wrong, too heavy in her lungs as though she's breathing in sludge.

She tries hard to ignore it, to keep moving and not allow her anxiety to overwhelm her. For the most part she succeeds, and if Melli notices the occasional sniffle or her hunched posture, he doesn't say anything. He spends most of the trek staring blankly ahead, likely still lost in thoughts of what happened at the tent, so she suspects he simply doesn't notice.

They pass through a cave, which is as silent as everything else. Akari stops in her tracks at the sight of red splattered across the walls. After a long moment of staring, she tentatively reaches out and brushes her fingertips over the stains. They're dry, but she knows they can't be very old. She looks back at Melli and he just swallows hard and looks nervously onward. They begin to move again, and the bloodstains continue, painting the walls occasionally with the proof of a dangerous battle fought. Akari tries very hard not the think about who may have been involved.

Before long, they come out into the light of dawn, still tinged with red as it is. They're very near the peak and before them lies a scene almost too chaotic to comprehend. Akari stops for a moment to try to make sense of what's happening.

Nearest to them are a dozen or so injured people, all dressed in the red uniform of the Security Corp. They're being seen to by other members of the Corp, or by Calaba. Thankfully, though some of the injuries look serious, none of them appear to be in danger of dying.

Beyond the makeshift med bay, fighting is still going on, though exactly who is fighting who is not as clear as she would like. Gaeric grabs a Galaxy Team man by the front of his shirt and throws him bodily out of the battle, only to be struck from behind by a rock thrown by another. Irida screams with fury and launches herself at Kamado's back, but is stopped by Adaman, who says something that only seems to make her angrier. Kamado doesn't respond to this, engaged in far too intense a Pokemon battle to even notice the chaos around him.

His opponent is Ingo. Or rather, Ingo's body. The Inverse stands on the steps of the Temple of Sinnoh, back straight and eyes focused in such a familiar way it makes her heart hurt. Except that its eyes are the color of blood and a pair of broken, golden horns adorn its head. It points outward and Ingo's booming voice, distorted though it is, can be heard even from this distance as it commands Magnezone to attack.

Akari hears Melli leave her side, heading for the Wardens of the two clans who look ready to tear each other apart. She doesn't look to see how that goes, instead forcing herself to tear her eyes away from the creature piloting her dad's body and focusing on what's going on behind it. Above the temple, the rift swirls, horrible and menacing, and inside of it stand two Pokemon she doesn't know, each bathed in a sickeningly familiar gold glow.

There's a man between them. She thinks he looks vaguely familiar, but with his back turned, there's no way to be sure. He's wearing white and gold robes and seems to be quite pleased with the two frenzied Pokemon, who are currently doing... something? She's not really sure what they're doing, but she can say with confidence that it isn't good.

Finally, she takes in the Nobles, her attention drawn to them as the ones that came with her go to help them. They're surrounding the temple from all sides, trying to get in, presumably to stop whatever is happening in there. They're being blocked on all sides by a familiar shadowy energy. The Inverse is protecting the man in the temple. It's keeping everyone out.

“Akari!”

She flinches, ripping her gaze away from the temple to focus instead on the woman approaching. She's tall and broad with red hair and a look on her face somewhere between worry and terror. She stops a few feet away, regarding Akari's odd appearance with surprisingly little curiosity.

When she doesn't respond immediately, the woman asks, “that is your name, right? You're Ingo's daughter?”

Akari shakes herself and nods. “Y-yeah. You're Captain Zisu, right?”

“That's me. You shouldn't be here, kid.”

She tenses, glaring at the woman. “I'm the only one who should be here.”

Zisu doesn't seem to take much offense, only holding up her hands and sighing. “Judging by the look of you, you might be right, but... Look, Kamado already has it out for you and with Ingo...” She looks over her shoulder to the intense battle still raging. It takes her a moment to settle herself enough to continue and even when she does, her voice still shakes a little. “I guess he was right about Ingo being a danger to everyone.” She sounds like she's going to cry, but shakes her head. “I... I don't know if he’s the real Ingo or if that is, but the Warden I know loves you more than anything in the world. He would want me to keep you safe.”

Akari feels tears making tracks down her face, but she shakes her head anyway. “That's... kind, but you can't keep me safe. I have to do something to stop all this before it's too late or no one will be safe.”

Zisu stares at her for a long moment, tears of her own making an appearance, shining at the corners of her eyes, but not falling. Eventually, she takes a deep, steadying breath. “Ok. Then, how can I help?”

Akari glances around at the chaos again. No one seems to know what side of the fight they should be on, and she doesn't know how to fix that. She glances up at the large, commanding woman. “I need you to get everyone to stop fighting.” Her eyes slide past her to the battle on the temple steps. “Except Dad and Kamado. I'll... I'll handle them.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Akari gives her a shaky smile. “I'm the only one who can.”

Zisu gives a sharp, professional nod, but then surprises her by stepping forward to wrap her in a crushing hug. She whispers, barely audible, “I wish we could have met sooner. Under better circumstances.” When she steps back, there's a tired smile on her face. “I hope we can get to know each other soon.” With that, she turns and strides away, already calling out orders to anyone she sees in a tone commanding enough that most listen to it instinctively.

Akari remains frozen for a moment, but when a crash sounds and she looks up to see Kamado's last Pokemon fall, she dashes a hand across her eyes and runs forward. She has to dodge around the other people in her way, some of whom are still fighting, so she can't make a straight path there, but she keeps her eyes fixed on what's happening.

Kamado, now with no Pokemon to protect him, draws the sword at his hip and levels it at the Inverse. It tilts Ingo's head in a sick imitation of his typical mannerisms, even going so far as to give his version of an amused smile, which isn't really a smile at all. When Kamado charges forward, it remains in place, terrifyingly unfazed, and only takes a step forward at the precise moment the commander gets in range. It grabs his wrist, stopping his forward momentum with an ease that she knows Ingo could never possess. Certainly not with his damaged arm. Despite everything happening that's far more upsetting, the sight of the black and white sleeve around his arm, the gift she gave him only a few weeks ago, sends a feeling almost like grief spiraling through her.

Kamado struggles against the iron grip but it's clear there's no way he can overpower the Inverse. It holds him there for a moment, seemingly amused by his fear, then squeezes hard enough that she hears and audible crack. Kamado cries out in pain and drops the sword, which it catches with Ingo's other hand as it shoves him to the ground. The weapon is spun around and pointed at the man, ready to strike, when Akari finally reaches them.

She skids to a stop in front of Kamado, with her arms held out. “You can't kill him!”

The Inverse freezes, eyes widening. Its shock only lasts a moment and it bares teeth in disgust. HE HURT YOU. Like before, Ingo's voice is layered over itself several times, but now it's disjointed, not quite aligned with the way his mouth moves as though the words aren't really coming from his body, but from somewhere else entirely.

“That doesn't mean you can hurt him.” Akari is aware of the rapid, almost panicked sounding breathing behind her, but she doesn't look back. Even if she doesn't want him to be killed by an angry god, she's still terrified of Kamado.

YOU WOULD DEFY ME? FOR HIM?

Akari shakes her head. “Not for him. For Dad. Dad would never want to hurt anyone. You're using him and you should be ashamed.”

It glares at her through narrowed eyes for several very long seconds before taking a step back and straightening its posture. It throws the sword in its hand aside and lets that hand drift down to the pokeballs at its hip. WHY THEN DON'T YOU PROVE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR IDEALS?

Although the challenge is wholly unexpected, Akari steps back herself, making room for a proper battle to take place. “Fine. I'll prove exactly how wrong you are.”

Chapter Text

Akari glares at the monster standing on the steps of the temple, but she can't bring herself to keep it up for long. Even though she knows its not him, it's wearing her dad's face. It's simply too familiar. The way Ingo's eyes focus on her with an almost excited look in them, the way it straightens his back and takes the brim of his hat in hand, then points at her, the right arm not quite straightening all the way. Even its words are familiar.

I AM THE WARDEN INGO. CAN YOU HOLD TO YOUR IDEAL? WILL YOU GO ON TO VICTORY OR DEFEAT?

She's heard nearly the same phrases dozens of times when they would battle for practice or fun. She knows his Pokemon, their strengths and weaknesses, even what moves they know. And she knows how he battles, what strategies he's most likely to use, although she doesn't know how much that will help since it's not really Ingo she's battling.

She shakes her head and makes herself focus as it drops a hand and grabs a pokeball from its belt. Akari grabs one of her own and throws it at the same time. Though she only has a second to think, she makes her decision with confidence and Sneasler appears on the field. She knows that he's weak to both Alakazam and Gliscor, but she also knows that Ingo rarely sends out Gliscor first, preferring to keep his strongest partner for a more strategic moment. Which leaves only a one in five chance that the Inverse will choose the psychic type, and a three in five chance that it will choose a Pokemon Sneasler has an advantage over.

Of course, it chooses the one in five that she didn't account for, and Machamp takes the field across from her, as though it knew what she was thinking. Maybe it did. Ingo certainly would have, and it's inside his mind. If it really does have all of his battling expertise and knowledge of her own team, then this is going to be very difficult. It doesn't matter, though. She can't afford to lose this battle.

It points forward, commanding, BULLET PUNCH, THEN AGAIN.

At the same time, Akari calls out, “Dire Claw!”

Sneasler can't avoid the two quick hits, but he shakes them off, striking out with claws dripping in poison. Machamp cries out as the claws tear into him, leaving behind a creeping purple color in their wake.

FIRE PUNCH, STRONG STYLE

“Shadow Claw!”

The attack from Machamp leaves a smoldering, spreading burn on Sneasler, but he still hits back with everything he's got. Both of them take damage from their respective conditions, and Machamp grunts, then falls, returning to his pokeball.

The Inverse doesn't waste a second, sending out Alakazam and commanding, DAZZLING GLEAM.

Sneasler doesn't stand a chance of dodging, burned as he is, and falls a second later. Akari takes a deep breath and releases Ninetales. Neither Pokemon have a particular advantage over the other, but it's the best option she has right now. She asks her partner, “Ice Beam, please.”

SHADOW BALL.

Ninetales's attack hits true, but unfortunately doesn't cause any lasting effects. Thankfully, neither does Alakazam's, and the two fall back, glaring at each other. Now that she has a moment to actually look, Akari can see that Alakazam's eyes are tinted the same red color as Ingo's are. That explains why they're following the Inverse's orders, she supposes.

SHADOW BALL AGAIN.

“Draining Kiss, Agile Style. Then Ice Beam again.”

Ninetales takes the ball of shadowy energy as she's charging forward, then strikes out and steals energy from Alakazam, which she uses to heal herself. As she lands on her feet, she looses another Ice Beam, which knocks her opponent out. Akari grins despite her anxiety. “Good girl!”

The Inverse growls loudly enough to rumble the ground and sends out another of Ingo's partners. In a move that she had hoped for when she first sent out Ninetales, it sends out Probopass next.

“Dazzling Gleam, Strong Style!” Ninetales doesn't stand a chance of getting another move, so she might as well hit as hard as possible.

It doesn't faze Probopass much, and he retaliates, following the command of, FLASH CANNON.

Ninetales falls, but Akari doesn't flinch, sending Gastrodon out in her place and commanding, “Mud Bomb!”

Her partner immediately attacks with a splattering ball of mud, which gets in his opponents eyes, causing him to swing wildly around trying to dislodge it.

There's a hint of annoyance in the Inverse's tone as it orders, EARTH POWER.

It's the only move Probopass has that Gastrodon isn't resistant to, so her partner is expecting it. Between that and the mud in his eyes, Probopass misses badly.

Akari grins. “Earth Power!”

The powerful and extremely effective move takes her dad's partner down before he can land a single hit on her own first partner. Tangrowth takes his place in a second, which she assumed would happen. Even so, she doesn't flinch and neither does Gastrodon, as the Inverse orders, ENERGY BALL, STRONG STYLE.

The attack is devastatingly powerful, and Gastrodon goes down before she can even call out a command of her own. But it leaves Tangrowth open, having focused all of her energy on attacking the opponent she could see, she's not prepared for the retaliatory strike from Gardevoir.

“Mystical Fire, then again if you have time.”

Gardevoir does have time to hit twice, burning Tangrowth viciously. The Inverse seems to get some of its wits back because it commands, SLUDGE BOMB, and Akari suppresses a curse when she sees the poison take hold.

Still, she says, “finish her off with Pyschic!”

Gardevoir does as she asks, only flinching a little as the poison spreads. Magnezone takes to the field across from her, which is also not great news. She doesn't have any moves that it isn't resistant to.

FLASH CANNON.

“Moonblast!”

Gardevoir's attack doesn't seem to do much at all to Magnezone, while the bright flash of light causes Akari's partner to flinch. She still attacks again when asked, but another Flash Cannon is all she can endure before she returns to her pokeball.

Akari whispers, “thank you for doing your best,” as she takes another ball and releases Garchomp. “Now, Earth Power!”

The ground type move does noticeably more damage to their opponent and it flinches back, unsure. Still, it obeys the command of, TRI ATTACK. The three attacks land true, and the last one leaves sparks crawling over Garchomp's skin.

“Earth Power again!”

FLASH CANNON.

Magnezone's attack lands, but Garchomp freezes up, paralyzed by the lasting effects of the last attack in an annoying loophole of her electrical resistance.

“It's alright. Try again, please.”

FLASH CANNON.

It takes her a moment to shake off the sparks, and Magnezone hits again in that time, but she leaps forward, slamming into the ground and jutting it up into her opponent. Magnezone cries out and falls, to be replaced by Gliscor. The Inverse growls again, but Akari pays it no attention. This battle is far from over.

She grins at her partner, despite the exhaustion they're both feeling. Garchomp nods before she even gives the command. “Draco Meteor!” Watching her partner attack so confidently brings a sort of bittersweet pride to her. Ingo was the one who suggested she teach Garchomp that move and spent weeks helping her perfect it. Now it's being used against his closest partner in a battle with quite possibly the entire world at stake.

While it may not be super effective, it's still an extremely powerful move and Gliscor already looks worse for wear.

AERIAL ACE.

Garchomp falls to the attack, and Akari feels a thrill of fear that she's down to her last Pokemon. She's not finished yet, though. Voltorb may still not have evolved- in fact, she's beginning to think that there may be some requirement he hasn't met yet- but he's just as strong as her other partners. Not to mention, she has a trick up her sleeve. One she hasn't shown to her dad yet, so hopefully the Inverse won't see it coming.

“Voltorb, Ice Ball!”

As she expected, its eyes widen in surprise and Gliscor cries out at the sudden, extremely effective attack.

X-SCISSOR.

She knew it was coming, but still winces as the attack from the alpha almost knocks her partner out in one hit. Although her heart is beating out of her chest, she puts on a confident smile and calls out, “Ice Ball again, Agile Style, then one more time, Strong Style!”

Voltorb chatters excitedly and fires off two attacks, one much stronger than the other, at the larger, more experienced Pokemon. Gliscor shudders in place, then falls, and Voltorb lets off brilliant, triumphant sparks.

Akari steps forward and rubs the top of its head, ignoring the little jolts of electricity that crawl over her hand. “That was perfect. Good job, buddy.” She looks up at the deity glaring at her with her dad's face. “I won. I proved to you the strength of my Ideal. Now, let my dad go.”

As she watches, tension in every inch of her body, it takes a step forward, then another. She doesn't back away, no matter how much she wants to. Finally, it stops, only a few feet away from her. It's severe expression softens into one she knows oh so well.

YOU HAVE DONE VERY WELL, AKARI. YOU HAVE INDEED PROVEN TO ME THE STRENGTH OF YOUR IDEAL. YOUR FATHER IS RIGHT TO HOLD SUCH INCREDIBLE PRIDE FOR YOU.

Before she can really process the compliment from the monster, the red color fades from Ingo's eyes and the broken horns flicker out of existence. His eyes, now silver in color, focus on her for just a second, then roll back in his head. Akari yelps and darts forward, catching him as he falls and keeping him from hitting his head on the ground, but getting dragged down along with him.

She stays frozen for a moment, not quite believing that he's been fully released from the Inverse's influence. An involuntary sob bubbles out of her chest and in seconds, she's thrown her arm around his neck and buried her face in his kimono. She can't breathe for how hard she's crying, but she doesn't care right now. She really did it. She saved him. She knows that this isn't over yet, but right now she just needs to cry.

She saved him.

Chapter Text

A hand on Akari's shoulder causes her to jump. She looks up, still sobbing helplessly, and meets Zisu's eyes. She tries to speak, but it only comes out as incoherent, wet gasps.

Zisu looks desperately sad, but her tone is gentle. “Come on, Akari. Your dad is...” She trails off as her eyes move past Akari and land on Ingo. In a startled tone, she finishes, “alive?”

Akari's eyes widen as she realizes that Zisu must have thought he was dead. A reasonable assumption after they way he collapsed and she completely broke down, but very much not the correct one. She takes several gasping breaths and says, “h-he's ok. S-sorry.”

Zisu waves a hand vaguely as she falls to her knees and presses her fingers against his neck, checking for a pulse despite clearly being able to see his chest rising and falling. She gives a hollow laugh. “He's really alive. And...” She turns back to Akari with a hope in her eyes that looks like it could shatter at any moment. “And that thing that was controlling him is gone?”

“It left him, but I don't think it's gone.” She glances back at the temple, which the Nobles have broken into. They're fighting the two very large, frenzied Pokemon and the man who is with them. “This isn't over yet.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don't know.” Akari pushes herself to her feet and rubs her eyes with her sleeve, then glances around. She and Zisu are the only people this close to the temple, but even so, she asks, “can you make sure no one tries to hurt Dad?”

The captain grimaces, clearly understanding exactly who she's talking about, but nods. “Of course.”

“Thank you.”

Akari turns away from the woman and faces the chaos of the temple. She takes a deep breath and strides forward, right into the middle of it. The Nobles take notice and watch her as she passes, though they don't stop fighting. To the figure still with his back turned, she shouts, “hey! What are you...” He turns and her breath catches as she recognizes a familiar face. “...Volo?” Now, she's just confused.

He curls his lip in a cruel sneer. “Akari. You would make it here. I'm surprised you were willing to fight your own father. You must be more callous than I thought.”

Akari feels her mouth twist into a scowl. “You used him so I wouldn't want to fight you? That's... That's horrible!”

He has the audacity to laugh. “As much as I'd love to take credit for that, it was truly just a happy coincidence. One I was more than willing to exploit, mind you. That Warden had it coming. He's gotten in my way too many times.”

Akari shakes her head, trying to ignore the twisted words and focus on what's important. “What are you doing? What can you possibly gain from tearing space-time apart?”

“Everything.” He snarls the word. “But what would you know. Chosen by the creator itself and beloved by all. You know nothing of suffering, or the cruelty of the world. I want to remake the world, make it better, so no one ever has to suffer like I did again.”

Akari blinks at him in shock. “You... want to remake the world? But you would have to destroy it first to do that. You would destroy everything.”

“I would destroy an unjust world. A world that's insides are rotten with cruelty and pain.”

“You can't do that! You would be destroying everything good about this world alongside the bad.”

“Only someone with privilege like you would think the good outweighs the bad.”

Akari shakes her head, taking a step forward and meeting his eyes. “You're wrong. Just... wrong. About the world, and about me.”

His lip curls again and he crosses his arms. “Why don't you enlighten me then, Chosen One.”

She glares at him. “You think the world is all bad, but that's just not true. There are bad things, and bad people, but there are so many good things too. Maybe you just can't see it because you spend so much time being one of the bad people.” He scoffs, but she doesn't let him cut her off, continuing even stronger than before. “You manipulated me. You used my dad and forced him to hurt people. You orchestrated all of this pain and suffering that's around us now. You are the single most cruel person I've ever met. I guess bad things happened to you, and people hurt you, but now you're hurting everyone else and that doesn't make it right.”

He growls, “what would you know about it?”

“Everything! Before I came here, I was unwanted, maybe even hated, by those who should have been my family. I was so desperate to get away that I agreed to come here.” She still doesn't exactly remember why she agreed, but that feels right to her. “The first thing I was met with here was cruelty. Was being cast out and left to fend for myself or die. Do you seriously think that just because I'm happy now, I've never experienced suffering? There is bad in the world, but if I've learned anything since arriving here, it's that it's so strongly outweighed by the good. For every person who has been cruel, there are dozens who have been welcoming and kind. If you can't see that, it's because you're too blinded by your own hatred.”

“You truly are childish, Chosen One, if you believe that.” She opens her mouth to argue more, but he raises his arms and shadows coalesce behind him, solidifying into the form of a new Pokemon. It's as large as the two still raging behind it, with glowing red eyes and a pair of broken golden horns. Akari knows instantly what this is and her heart is gripped by terror just from looking at it. Volo gives an unhinged grin. “It's about time you properly meet my friend. Giratina, strike her down.”

It's eyes focus on her and she finds that she can't move or even cry out. Time seems to slow. Or perhaps it's simply taking its time, because she can hear a commotion behind her and sees first Volo's, then Giratina's eyes focus past her. The second its gaze is off her, she sucks in a breath as she realizes that she had stopped breathing.

She flinches when something touches her shoulder and whips her head around, eyes widening when she sees Ingo is standing beside her, looking completely exhausted. A quick glance behind him shows Zisu trying to follow, but struggling to make it up the steps. His hand on her shoulder is a comforting weight that she leans into, but as she looks back at him, his silver eyes are fixed on the dragon. Apparently unaffected by the paralysis that had stricken her, he steps forward, never so much as acknowledging Volo. Only the softly murmured, “it's ok, Akari. Stay,” keeps her from following him.

Giratina drifts over Volo, meeting Ingo in the middle and bowing its head to meet his eyes on his level. He reaches out and it draws back slightly, just out of reach. I am the cause of your pain. It speaks using Ingo's voice still, though now it's fully detached from his body and much quieter.

“I know.” He steps forward so that he can touch the side of its face with his hand, tracing his fingers gently along the sharp edge of one of its horns. “But I could feel your emotions just as much as you could feel mine. You have been scared and angry for such a long time. I know you feel like you don't have any other choice but to do this, but you do.” He leans forward to rest his forehead against its snout, closing his eyes and looking so very tired. “You don't have to fight.”

I hurt you.

“And I forgive you for that. You can stop. It's ok.”

Akari can't help the soft smile that spreads across her face. It's just like Ingo to be encouraging even to the god of distortion. They both remain still there for several seconds, before Giratina slowly draws back. A tendril of shadow reaches forward, offering an odd looking purple plate, which Ingo takes with a confused look.

I offer you this as... an apology.

Volo's eyes widen and he moves for the first time since this exchange began, furiously searching his pockets for something. If Akari had to guess, that plate belonged to him.

I wish to return what was stolen from you. Will you come with me?

Ingo pinches his eyes at the dragon, then turns back to meet Akari's eyes as he answers. “Yes. I'll go with you.”

Even though it terrifies her watching her dad be swallowed up by the shadows, even though she stares at the spot where he disappeared for too long, Akari knows that he'll be ok. She knows that leaving the battle with Giratina was the most help he could offer, and she knows that he trusts the deity, even if she doesn't. So she puts it out of her mind and turns away, facing her furious opponent once more.

Chapter Text

A crack, loud enough to make Akari yelp and cover her ears, echoes across the mountaintop. She looks up at the rift and sees that there's now a large crack running vertically across it. That definitely can't be good.

Volo laughs maniacally and throws his arms out triumphantly. “You're too late, Chosen One! You and your father may have poisoned Giratina against me, but it's too late! Dialga and Palkia will drag the creator out of its realm and together we will force it to make the world anew!”

An urge seizes her and she doesn't fight it, striding forward while he's distracted and taking a page out of Ingo's book. Although she's much shorter than he is, the power surging through her lends weight to the blow she lands on the side of his face and he's knocked off his feet. She whistles and Lady Sneasler and Lord Kleavor break away from their battle against the deities. They each take up a post over the madman, threatening him with their sharp appendages.

Akari spares him one more moment of her time. “You're completely insane, so I don't think you care, but I'm going to prove you wrong.”

She moves past him, ignoring the screams of fury, and approaches the frenzied Pokemon. There are no balms this time, no way to handle this but through force, but she has all of her Pokemon and the Nobles on her side, not to mention the Red Chain.

She takes the object out of her satchel and looks at it. It doesn'thonestly look like much, but the lake guardians said that it could bind power. She had intended to use it on Giratina, but that’s not necessary now since Ingo convinced it to leave the fight. Maybe she can use it against one of the frenzied Pokémon. At least then she’d only have to fight one.

Akari glances between the two of them, but being unfamiliar with them and with them glowing gold from frenzy, she can’t really tell any important details that might help her choose. Ultimately, she just picks one at random and throws the chain at it. She’s not sure why that felt right, but apparently it was a good instinct because it expands in the air and encircles the bipedal Pokémon.

It roars in fury and thrashes against the binding, turning away from the rift and the Nobles to face her. The glow around it increases in intensity, then all at once shatters, scattering glittering particles and pieces of the Red Chain alike. It glares at her, still apparently furious.

Akari takes a confident stance, pointing at it in challenge. A battle is so much easier than dealing with a frenzy, after all. It roars as she sends out Garchomp. She silently thanks Arceus one more time for the power that’s keeping her Pokémon in fighting shape throughout all of this.

She’s pretty sure it’s a dragon type, though if it has a secondary typing, she couldn’t guess what it is. Even so, she sees no reason not to go all out, so she commands, “Draco Meteor!”

Garchomp gladly does that and Akari actually cheers when she sees how much the move makes the deity stumble. It retaliates, of course, with a move that she doesn’t recognize beyond being dragon type. It causes space itself to warp and crack around her partner and Garchomp grunts, badly damaged. Still, she happily strikes back with another Draco Meteor.

Their opponent attacks again, this time with Aqua Tail, which makes Akari wonder if it’s second type is water, and knocks Garchomp out. She doesn’t hesitate to send out Ninetales in her place. Water typing means that her ice type moves won’t be as effective, but her fairy type moves will work just fine. She's also immune to dragon type moves, so whatever attack it used against Garchomp won't work now.

“Dazzling Gleam!”

As she hoped, the move does quite a lot of damage and the deity is starting to look tired. It hits back with Aqua Tail, and despite carrying no particular advantage, the move still hits hard. This thing is very powerful.

“Dazzling Gleam again!”

This attack is enough to force it to one knee. It heaves a breath and looks past Ninetales to meet Akari's eyes. It looks completely worn out. There's an odd feeling in the back of her mind, like an instinct telling her what to do. She doesn't argue with it and takes a pokeball from her satchel, then throws it. It bounces off the top of the Pokemon's head and it vanishes inside. The ball falls to the ground and shakes once, then gives off sparks.

Akari grins and steps forward to retrieve it. She smiles even wider at the sound of a furious scream behind her. When she turns, pokeball in hand, Volo is glaring at her. He's still on the ground with a heavy axe blade and a set of poisoned claws keeping him there, but his expression is filled with a kind of hate she's never seen before. He looks like more of a monster in this moment than anything she's ever seen.

She turns away, ignoring the vicious words he spits at her back, and faces the remaining frenzied deity. She doesn't have a Red Chain this time, but she does have the help of- Palkia. Akari shakes her head, trying to dispel the odd feeling of suddenly knowing something she didn't a moment ago. She flicks the latch on the pokeball and releases the Pokemon known, apparently, as Palkia.

“Will you help me?”

It nods as golden light surround it, healing its exhaustion from their fight. She smiles back and steps forward, feeling a surprising amount of confidence as she sizes up the Pokemon that must be Dialga. If there's anything Akari knows she's good at, it's dealing with frenzied Pokemon. Sure, they've all been very large and dangerous, but there's a sort of rhythm to it that she understands. She can't throw balms this time, so she mostly has to keep its attention on her so that any of the many Pokemon aiding her can attack.

Palkia and the Nobles are ruthless and not afraid to take a hit if it means dealing one back. Akari also sends out her own Pokemon, starting with Garchomp again on the assumption that this is also a dragon type. Except Draco Meteor does markedly less damage than she expects it to. As she dodges another attack, she quickly runs through the possibilities of why that might have happened. Since she's pretty sure dragon type is right, the only thing that makes sense is if its also steel.

She can work with that. She directs Garchomp to attack with ground type moves instead, and when she falls to an excessively powerful attack, sends Gastrodon out in her place. She also calls out to Lord Ursaluna and Lady Lilligant, asking them to hit it with as many ground and fighting type moves as they can. They gladly comply and it isn't all that long before Dialga looks like its barely hanging on.

Lord Wyrdeer charges it at the same time as Gastrodon lands a hard hit and its legs collapse. Just like with Palkia, the glow intensifies for a moment, then shatters and dissipates into the air. And just like with Palkia, Akari feels an instinct to throw a pokeball at it. It sparks before it even hits the ground.

A sudden exhaustion overwhelms her, but she does her best to ignore it as she steps forward to retrieve her pokeball. She releases Dialga and waits until its healed to ask, “what now?” She gestures to the rift that's still swirling angrily.

It leans down and nudges her gently with its large head. Palkia does the same, the two of them pushing her toward the rift.

She feels her brow furrow. “You want me to do something about it?” They both nod, so she takes a deep breath and looks at it. She can see that the crack running through it has widened and golden light is spilling out of it. Very familiar golden light. Volo said that they were trying to drag Arceus out of its realm so it makes some sense. She looks down at her own glowing hands and understanding clicks. “Ok. Lets see if this works.”

Akari steps forward until she's right below the rift and reaches both of her hands up towards it. “You gave me this power so that I could save everyone. I... I think it's time you take it back.”

She watches with fascination as the golden light within her flows upwards, concentrating in her hands until they're so bright she can barely look at them. Finally, it flows out of her, a stream of pure, sacred light, which returns from where it came, passing through the crack in the rift. As it does, the edges pull together and seal themselves until there's nothing left. It doesn't stop there, though. The rift itself collapses inward, getting smaller and smaller until, with a tiny pop, it's gone.

The Nobles crowd around, clearly excited by their success, but Akari can't focus on them. She can't focus on anything. Her legs collapse, no longer able to carry her weight and she falls to the ground in a heap. The last thing she sees as her vision goes black is the bright blue sky above her.

Chapter Text

Akari wakes up slowly, dragging herself into consciousness against the wishes of her body, which feels like it’s weighed down by lead. Her head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton and she blinks slowly in the soft light filtering into the tent. There’s a comforting weight pressing against several locations and she moves her hands slowly to investigate.

The one on her right side is Gastrodon, easily distinguishable by the cold, damp feeling on her fingers. On the other side is Sneasler, who purrs and leans harder against her when she starts to move. Gardevoir and Ninetales are curled up on either side of her legs and Garchomp has her head laid across both Gastrodon’s back and her middle. Finally, Voltorb is tucked between her shoulder and her head. While she usually sleeps with at least one of them cuddled next to her, all of them is an unusual event. It must be a special occasion. She wonders sleepily what that occasion might be, trying to think back on what she can remember.

When she does remember, she tries to sit up too fast and causes pain to lance through her body. Not localized anywhere, just bone deep soreness across her whole body. She supposed that makes sense, given everything that happened. Being a vessel for the power of a god can’t be good for you.

Her Pokémon stir around her, most of them sitting up and nuzzling against her affectionately. She smiles and does her best to return the gesture, despite her aching muscles. “Good morning.” Her voice sounds rough, but she ignores it and looks around, realizing that she’s not at home, but in an unfamiliar tent. “Where are we?”

“The clan settlement.” A familiar voice causes her to jump and she turns to see Calaba entering through the open door. The old woman smiles. “It’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. And uhh… very sore.”

She comes to sit next to Akari, ignoring the pile of Pokémon to take her arm and feel her pulse. She checks her eyes next. “Where are you sore?”

“Kind of everywhere?”

“Fair enough. Are you hungry?”

Akari considers and, finding the answer faster than she expected, says emphatically, “yes.”

Calaba huffs a laugh. “Alright. Stay there a minute.”

While the old woman turns away to collect food from the kitchen, Akari turns her attention back on her partners, giving them as much attention as possible. They deserve it after everything they’ve done. Still, she can’t help but wonder aloud after a few minutes, “how did I get here?”

Calaba answers without turning around. “Gaeric carried you after you passed out.”

“And what happened to everyone else? Are they ok?”

She nods. “Some injuries, most not too bad. The Galaxy Team was the worst off, but they mostly went back to their own village.”

“Mostly?”

“A few chose not to. Apparently their Commander hasn’t exactly been inspiring confidence lately. We’re letting them stay here for now.”

Akari hums. “That makes sense.”

“One stayed for you,” Calaba adds as she turns around with a bowl of rice and stew in her hands. “A man by the name of Beauregard, I believe. Stayed to keep an eye on you so that Captain Zisu would go. It would seem you’ve made a good impression on them.”

Akari takes the food and stares at it instead of meeting her eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. “I guess.” She eats a couple bites, ignoring Calaba’s laughter. There’s something more pressing that she can’t ignore though. She turns her chopsticks over in her fingers nervously. “And… Dad?”

She doesn’t look up and Calaba doesn’t audibly react, but there’s a long pause before she answers, voice carefully soft. “Warden Ingo has yet to return from wherever the demon took him.”

“It’s not a demon.” She shakes her head. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Almost a full day.”

She chews on her lip and nods, willing her eyes to stop tearing up. He’s fine. He knew what he was agreeing to when he went with Giratina. He trusted it. She just has to trust him.

A wrinkled hand covers her own and her head pops up involuntarily, forcing her to meet the old Warden’s eyes. They look tired and sad. “I’m so sorry, Akari. I know this is hard, but I promise you’ll be taken care of.”

Now tears do actually spill over, but she shakes her head, putting on her best brave face. “Don’t talk about Dad like he’s dead. He’s coming back.”

She’s still holding eye contact, so she doesn’t miss the brief flash of pity, but Calaba nods. “We will see, I suppose.” She hesitates a moment, then heaves a sigh. “I hate to ask this so soon after you woke up, but can you tell me what happened?”

“I… can try. A lot of it is hard to explain.”

“Why don’t you start with what happened to Ingo? Gaeric told us that he had been possessed by a ghost the night before the sky turned red, but he didn’t know much else. After everything was over, Melli told us that you thought the culprit was the Almighty Sinnoh’s inverse. Are you confident about that?”

Akari nods, picking at the threads of the blanket with her fingernails. “Yes. It’s been in his head for a long time. Probably since he got here.”

“Why?”

She’s not really expecting the question and takes a moment to consider it. “I don’t know. I mean, I think it wanted to keep him from interfering with its plans, but it could have just taken his memory and left him alone.”

“It's responsible for his amnesia? Why would it have considered him enough of a threat to do that?”

Akari realizes suddenly that Melli probably didn’t share that particular bit of information. “He umm... He was sent here by the Almighty Sinnoh, specifically to stop what it was doing.” Calaba’s eyes widen and Akari hurries to add on, “I was, too. Because Dad wasn’t able to do it because of his memory.”

The Warden stares at her for several long seconds, blinking in shock. Finally she asks, “you didn’t think to mention that?”

Akari ducks her head. “I told Dad. But that was really only because I knew who he was, because Ar- Sinnoh asked me to find him. I was scared what other people would think.”

There's another long pause and then a breath is slowly let out. “That's... probably fair. I can't say that anyone, myself included, would have responded well to being told that you were sent by the Almighty unless we had seen the proof of it ourselves. I don't think there's anyone in either of the clans who would doubt the claim now. So, in short, Ingo was sent by the Almighty and its inverse decided to interfere? But after taking his memory, it decided to stick around in his mind?”

“Basically, yeah.”

“And now it's taken him to its own realm, where even the Almighty can't reach him.”

“Yeah, but I don't think it's as bad as it sounds.”

“In what way?”

“Dad talked to it in the temple. He convinced it not to fight and it apologized for hurting him. It didn't force him to go with it.”

“Then we will simply have to have faith that he will return.”

Akari nods and yawns. Calaba takes her empty bowl and gestures for her to lay down. She does, but she has one more question. “Is he the one that hurt those people? The ones from the Security Corp?”

“No, Akari, he wasn't. It isn't his fault that a demon decided to use him against us.”

She nuzzles her face into Sneasler's soft fur and smiles. “That's true. Thank you.”

“You're very welcome, Akari. Please rest well.”

Chapter Text

The place that Ingo finds himself is very strange. The sky, if it can be called that, is a swirling, indistinct mass of shadow and color which would defy proper description if he were to have any desire to try. As it stands, he's a little too distracted by everything else happening to really care.

Giratina is curled around him where he floats weightlessly, its blood red eyes staring into his own. He's barely aware of his own body as his mind is overwhelmed by the return of an entire lifetime's worth of memories. They filter in in no particular order, at a pace somehow both painfully fast and far too slow. Though he's struggled so far to make much sense of it, there's one thing that stands out, impossible to miss.

A boy smiles at him from atop the model train that makes up part of the playground at their favorite city park. The boy looks startlingly like him, aside from the smile. The boy laughs and swears that one day they'll get to drive a real train.

——

A man smiles at him from the other side of the train car as they ready themselves for another challenger. Even though this is the third one this morning, the same thrill of excitement runs through him. He'll never get tired of battling alongside-

——

A teenager offers him an annoyed smile as he shows off his freshly won Quake Badge. His smile gets even more annoyed when he points out that maybe he should try having less Pokemon with a weakness to ground types.

——

His brother smiles at him from the other side of the table. Between them sits a cake, decorated with candles. There are other people present, but none of them catch his attention. His brother says, “happy birthday, Ingo!”

Ingo makes an attempt to smile back. “Happy birthday, -”

In the present, Ingo's eyes fly open and he shouts, “EMMET!” Giratina jerks back slightly in surprise and he does his best to tone it down a little. “Emmet. I-I remember Emmet.”

The god of distortion rumbles deep in its chest and pushes its nose into him. He rests his forehead against it and scratches its jaw.

“Thank you.” He closes his eyes and lets more scenes from his memory flash by.

He and Emmet pitch the idea for the Battle Subway to the City Council. Emmet gets so nervous that he almost pukes, but after a lengthy and very technical discussion, they have their approval. Drayden takes them out to dinner to celebrate.

——

He and Emmet are six when their mother passes away. Their only living relative is their uncle, Drayden, who was their father's brother before he died when they were only infants. They've haven't met him, at least when they were old enough to remember it. They're scared to have to leave their home and live with someone they don't know, but they can face it because they're together.

——

Elesa laughs when they show up at her Gym to challenge her, citing a rematch is needed after she beat them on the Battle Subway. They've battled her many times, but it never seems to get old. There have been complaints that her Gym is too hard, and people have speculated that her friendship with them is at fault for that, but none of them care much. A battle challenge is supposed to be difficult, isn't it? Besides, no one complains that Drayden's Gym is too hard and he raised them.

——

The twins are barely a few weeks into their journey when they meet Elesa. They've never been very good at making friends, but Elesa makes it easy. She confides in them years later that her pushy, overconfident attitude made a lot of kids dislike her, but for two boys who struggled with the opposite problem, she was a perfect fit. A perfect addition to their two-car train. The three of them travel together after that, challenging Gyms along the way and encouraging each other to become stronger.

——

While a lot of kids who do as well as they did on their Pokemon journey go on to become Gym Leaders or other Pokemon professionals, the twins choose instead to continue their education. Their dream since they were very young was to work on trains and they intend to make it a reality. Ingo studies mechanical engineering while Emmet studies civil engineering. The idea for the Battle Subway comes to them in the middle of studying for final exams, after Drayden tries to comfort them with the knowledge that they can always fall back on battling as a profession if things don't work out. Emmet asks why they can't do both and Ingo takes the question just a little too seriously. Twelve hours later, they haven't studied for their exams or slept, but they do have the first concept of the Battle Subway drawn up.

Ingo is wrapped on all sides by draconic scales when he comes back to himself. Giratina’s head is laid across his body and it’s rumbling deeply, clearly trying to soothe him in its own way. He recognizes the behavior from Haxorus, which causes another stinging pain in his heart.

Drayden gifted Axew to the twins when they decided to go on their Pokémon journey. Ideally, she had been meant for both of them, and she did love them both, but the truth is that dragons aren’t meant to be shared Pokémon. Out of the two of them, she chose to attach herself to Ingo. Emmet swore that he didn’t mind, and eventually that became true, but Ingo knew it weighed on him at first.

——

Axew wasn’t their first Pokémon, though. They had each met their first partners several years earlier. Emmet found Tynamo first, a tiny, overeager creature who would frequently cause his hair to stand on end just for the fun of it. People worried for him because of what Tynamo evolve into, but Drayden never discouraged him. He did try to discourage Ingo when he came home one day with a little Litwick on his shoulder. He didn’t know how to explain the connection he felt to her, but he knew he trusted her and refused to let Drayden change his mind about that. Eventually, his uncle begrudgingly relented, and she was allowed to stay.

Ingo knows now that the connection he felt with Litwick, now Chandelure, was not the normal emotional attachment one develops with their Pokémon. It was a much stronger bond, the likes of which he’s only feeling again now, with Giratina. He supposes there’s simply something different about ghost types.

The three of them manage to get lost in the desert, despite the clear path to follow. They all blame each other as they wander aimlessly around. Eventually, the heat gets so bad that they shelter in an old, ruined building to wait until evening. Emmet finds an odd stone that he's pretty sure is a fossil, while Ingo finds a particularly friendly Dwebble. When it finally cools off, his new friend shows them the way out of the desert, then insists on coming along with him.

——

Emmet and Elesa love Chargestone cave. Ingo does not. The static in the air makes him feel weird and uncomfortable, but he puts up with it so his twin and best friend can explore the area at length. Both of them catch a Joltik and Elesa also catches a Tynamo. Emmet makes fun of her, saying she's copying him, and she shoves him into a floating stone. Ingo thinks he should maybe break it up, but Emmet is unfazed, just sticking his tongue out at her obnoxiously. He catches a Klink a little while later and asks if she's going to get one too. She huffs and says no, because it's not an electric type. This, of course, leads to a lengthy debate about the pros and cons of type specialization.

——

Ingo finds Trubbish in an alley in Nimbasa City while the other two are off buying lunch for them. She's very sad looking, her bag torn and scuffed and she shies away when he approaches her. He does his best to make himself look non-threatening and offers her a berry. Emmet and Elesa complain about the smell when he meets back up with them with the little trash creature in his arms, but there's no way he was going to leave her there.

——

Excadrill and Durant find them while they're camping on Twist Mountain only a week or so into their journey. The two are very bold, coming right up to their campfire to beg food from them. It takes no time at all for them all to become fast friends.

Ingo can't possibly explain how happy it makes him to remember his family, both human and not, and how deeply, painfully sad it makes him at the same time. He pets Giratina with his right hand, trying to ignore the way it shakes. Somehow, that too seems worse now. Softly, he speaks to it, lacking anyone else to try to explain himself to. “I miss them so much. I... I never meant to be gone this long. Emmet must be so worried. And Drayden and Elesa. What do they think? Do they think I'm dead, if I've been gone so long? Will...” A soft sob escapes him. “So much has changed. Will they even recognize me now? What about Akari? What will they think of her?”

It rumbles and curls a little tighter around his body, seemingly trying to get him to stop spiraling.

He closes his eyes and leans into it. “I just want to go home.”

Chapter Text

Even though all Ingo wants to do now is cry, the memories don't stop coming. Most of them are fairly mundane. A thousand moments, all of which are precious to him, but which he can't take the time to focus individually on. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the memories of his last few days in Unova start to come back.

When Arceus approaches Ingo with a request, he's sorely tempted to refuse. But then he asks it what will happen if he does. It tells him that it will not force him to agree, and that it will find someone else to take up the task. The idea of ignoring this and making it someone else's problem doesn't sit right with him, but it already told him that he would have to go alone. He asks if he can have some time to think and it gladly allows this. He's troubled when he reaches home that night and Emmet can tell. After only a little coaxing, he tells his brother the truth, just like he always does.

Emmet is furious that he's even considering Arceus's request. He can't stand the idea of the two of them being separated, especially since he doesn't know how long it will take. Still, he listens when Ingo argues his case and ultimately, begrudgingly, agrees that it is probably the correct thing to do. He still hates it, but he knows even before Ingo does that he's made up his mind. When Arceus appears to him again, he only asks for one thing. He asks that he will be returned home as soon as the task it complete.

Arceus agrees.

Ingo opens his eyes and finds his vision is blurry. He runs a hand across his eyes, trying to stop the tears without any success. Giratina whines as softly as it's able and nudges him with its nose.

Are you alright? It's the first time its spoken since they arrived in this place, and its a little odd to hear his own voice coming from it. He supposes it must not have a voice of its own.

He hesitates, leaning into its side subconsciously for emotional support. “I think so.”

Do you remember everything?

“Almost everything.”

Now, it hesitates. Eventually, it asks, do you want to remember?

“Yes.” He takes deep breath and meets its eyes. “I’m tired of not knowing things about my own life.”

Very well. But I warn you, it is not pleasant.

Ingo finds himself in a very peculiar place. He’s moving through it, presumably by the will of Arceus, and he’s glad that he doesn’t have to figure out how to move on his own. Since gravity doesn’t seem to be working normally, he thinks he would find it quite difficult.

As he travels through this strange space, he thinks on the task he’s been given. Arceus said that it needed someone to stop the person who is damaging space-time and to fix the damage already done to the timeline by showing people how to have a bond with Pokémon. The second part of the task surprised him, mostly because it implies that the people where he’s going may not know much about Pokémon.

That’s hard to fathom, given how ingrained the creatures they share this world with are in his own life and culture. He knows that it implied that he’s traveling through both space and time, and he knows that people and Pokémon haven’t always gotten along as well as they do now, but it’s hard to imagine. It sounds like a difficult task, if he’s being honest, but it’s too late to turn back now. He will simply have to endeavor to finish it as quickly as possible- while still ensuring that it is done well, of course- so that he can return home.

His thoughts are interrupted by a sudden chilled feeling. He doesn’t hear or see anything off, but he’s suddenly on edge and he looks over his shoulder nervously. Is something wrong? When he looks back, he finds himself staring into the blood red eyes of a furious dragon.

Ingo yelps in surprise, then covers his ears as it roars. The beast lunges, knocking him off his previously scheduled route and sending him into free fall. Perhaps if he had his Pokémon, he could fight back. Hell, if he had his feet on solid ground, maybe he could fight back. But as things are, he can do nothing but scream as he falls into an endless void, pursued by a monster with unknown intentions.

Seeing as he’s pretty sure he’s about to be killed, he doesn’t think things can get much worse, but it proves him wrong on both counts. Instead of tearing him apart, he feels a presence force its way into his mind. It feels markedly similar to the presence of Arceus, but it’s far less gentle. He screams again as it shreds his mind like an enthusiastic Lillipup taking apart a toy.

It’s a peculiar and sickeningly painful experience to feel his memories torn away. He can’t remember what was taken in an instant, but he knows it was important. He tries desperately to hold onto the most important things, but slowly, those too are taken until he can’t remember what he was clinging to so desperately in the first place.

When Ingo is nothing more than an empty husk, devoid of both memory and any capacity to care about the ongoing torture, the monster loses interest in him. It sets him back on his path, but it doesn’t leave him entirely alone. It leaves a small tendril of its power latched onto his mind, a tendril which Ingo may have noticed, had he had the memory to know it wasn’t always there.

He wakes up, alone in a wasteland of ice, with no memory of anything. The only thing he knows for sure is that he’s Ingo, but he doesn’t know who Ingo is.

Ingo comes back to himself with a start, unsurprised to find his face is still wet with tears.

Giratina whines and pushes its face into him gently. I hurt you.

He scratches the deity’s jaw with his fingertips idly, staring out into the swirling colors that surround them. “I already forgave you for that.”

But now you know the extent of my crimes.

He lets out a slow breath and leans forward, resting his forehead against its own. “You have done some terrible things. Will you tell me why?”

I chose to help Volo because I was angry and I liked his idea to remake the world. I did not think the destruction of the world was an unfair price to pay to create a new one where I would not have to suffer. But…

“What changed?”

I watched you. For years, that only proved to me what I already believed. You suffered constantly, silently, even though you were surrounded by other people. You struggled to survive, and that seemed to prove that the world truly was as harsh as I believed.

“I was suffering because I didn’t know who I was. Because you took my memory.” He says it as gently as he can, trying not to come across as accusatory.

I understand that now, but that wasn’t what began to change my mind.

“What was it, then?”

Akari.

Ingo stiffens involuntarily at the mention of his daughter, but doesn’t interrupt.

She was afraid of you, at first. And she was lonely and unwanted. She experienced exactly the type of cruelty I wanted to purge from the world. I expected her to act like Volo. To want to tear everything apart and make things right. But she never wanted that. She just wanted to be happy. And then you did something I didn’t expect. You began to love her. Even though she wasn’t your child, even though you were still suffering, even though you didn’t know what you were doing, you loved her. And you never stopped loving her, you never flinched away from it or hesitated. And somehow, that was enough. Somehow, neither of you were suffering anymore. She was happy and you weren’t lonely anymore.

Here, it hesitates, and even though his throat is too choked by emotion to speak, Ingo nudges the dragon gently, trying to encourage it to continue.

It does after another moment. I am ashamed to admit that this angered me at first. I did not want to accept that you could overcome your suffering on your own. And yet, when Volo attacked you, intending to harm Akari, I did not stop you from defending her. I couldn’t allow harm to come to her, even if it meant sabotaging my own plan. And then, when Volo set everything in motion and I felt I had no choice but to go along, Akari found her way to us anyway. She proved not only the strength of her ideal with that battle, but also the depth of her love. It was then that I realized why I was so fascinated with you. It’s because of how much stronger your love is than Volo's hatred. You feel with such unwavering passion, and he simply does not. His hatred is driven by fear. Perhaps a reasonable fear, but I understand now that that is no excuse for what we did. It goes quiet for a couple seconds, then bows its head. I wish to thank you. Not only for showing me that such happiness is possible in the face of suffering, but for extending kindness even to me, even after I’ve done nothing but hurt you all this time.

Ingo gives his best effort to smile and he knows that it can tell. It knows him quite well, after all. “You're welcome. Do you understand now? Why I forgave you?”

I... think I do.

There's a pause while it visibly hesitates and after a minute Ingo asks, “what is it?”

It still seems unsure, but it asks, there is something I would like to ask of you. I know that you owe me nothing, but... I would very much like to be able to see the world again. Not through your eyes, but with my own.

“You want me to... take you with me?”

It nods. I was banished to this realm by the creator, and I was only able to leave it physically because the creator was greatly weakened. The damage we caused has been repaired now, which means that I am once again trapped.

Ingo pinches his eyes. “I understand. Yes. You can come with me. You deserve to experience the world, just like anyone else. That way you can see the good that's out there, not just the bad. If Arceus has a problem with that... well, I guess we'll figure that problem out when we come to it.”

There's a sort of repeated rumbling sound, which Ingo realizes after a moment of confusion is a laugh. Very well. Are you prepared to leave?

“Yes.”

Where would you like to go?

“Wherever Akari is.”

Giratina nods, then wraps its claws around him securely and begins to move. Traveling through the reverse world is still an odd sensation, but cradled in the claws of its deity and knowing that he's on his way home, is more than enough to set him at ease. He points forward with one arm and shouts, “ALL ABOARD!” He couldn't be more pleased that he actually knows what that means now.

Chapter Text

Despite the exhaustion dragging at her, Akari doesn't immediately go back to sleep when Calaba leaves. Instead, she pulls her phone out of her pocket and sends a message. As she hoped, it doesn't take more than a couple seconds to receive an answer.

Are you there?

I am here.

She breathes a sigh of relief just from that, and takes a moment to think of what else she wants to ask.

Is it really over?

The space-time rift has been closed. You

have done very well, Akari. However,

your task isn't complete yet.

You mean the task to seek out all

Pokemon?

Yes.

Does that really... matter?

Technically, no. You were tasked with

seeking out all Pokemon not because it

really mattered that you find every

Pokemon in this region, but because I

believed it would encourage the people of

this space and time to form bonds with the

Pokemon who live here. This is something

that should have happened naturally, but

did not due to the distortions. You have

already succeeded in part in fixing this.

You mean the Pokemon me and Dad helped

the Pearl Clan befriend?

Yes. Their opinion of Pokemon has

already begun to change for the better.

Why a Pokedex, then?

There is a professor of the Galaxy Team

who is meant to be creating a Pokedex, but

has been unable to make as much progress

as he should. Another consequence of the

distortions, one which was not yet an issue

when I sent your father here initially. I

hoped that you would be able to fix both

problems at once.

Maybe if I'd been able to work with that

professor, I could have. I guess I should

try to find him, then?

The Pokedex he is meant to create is

important, so I would encourage you to.

However, I understand if you do not

wish to.

Thank you. I'll... think about it.

She's surprised once again by how caring it is. To have considered her fear of Kamado is more thoughtfulness than she would have expected from a deity that claims not to understand humans well. The idea of going to Jubilife is terrifying, but she really will think about it. Not now, though. Now, she can feel exhaustion dragging her down, so she puts her phone away and gives in to it, snuggling closer to her Pokemon and letting sleep take her.

When Akari wakes up again, she's alone in the tent except her Pokemon, who are still gathered around her. She spends a few minutes giving them attention, which they so very much deserve. Eventually, though, hunger drives her up and out into the morning light.

People smile at her as she passes by and it only takes her a few minutes to find someone cooking food. When she asks, they happily share it with her. She bows and thanks them, then moves on, looking for anyone she knows. She passes from the Pearl Clan side of the settlement into the more established Diamond Clan side, wandering somewhat aimlessly.

She only sets off in a specific direction when a commotion comes from outside the settlement and people begin running both toward and away from it. She double checks that her pokeballs are attached to her belt, only now realizing that there are two extras. There's no time to worry about that, so she simply squares her shoulders and starts running toward the chaos unfolding.

It only takes a moment to figure out exactly what the problem is. Just outside the settlement is the terrifyingly familiar sight of a rift. It looks just like the one that no longer sits above Mount Coronet, albeit smaller. Several people are gathered around it, watching it with guarded stances. Adaman and Irida are both among them, as well as several Wardens.

Akari ignores the way many of them jump in surprise at her sudden arrival, completely focused on the rift. She keeps a hand on her pokeballs, but can't ignore the hope in her heart that this is a good thing. When a figure resolves from it, everyone else tenses, but Akari's stance falls away and tears spring to her eyes. She recognizes her dad before he's even fully out of the rift, and the only thing that stops her from running straight to him is the dragon that follows on his heels. Giratina hovers over and curls around him in a way that's either possessive or protective, she honestly can't tell which.

As soon as it's completely free, the rift closes behind it. Ingo glances over them, taking in the guarded stances and the terrified expressions, before, in a brilliant flash of light, both him and Giratina are gone. Akari inhales sharply and swings her head around, searching for where they might have disappeared to.

Just as panic begins to seize her, another flash of light brings the two of them back. Her dad looks slightly dazed, but he shakes his head and turns to face the dragon, reaching a hand up to pet the side of its face and crinkling his eyes affectionately. His tone is soft as he asks, “are you sure?”

It must answer in some way he can understand, because he takes a spare pokeball from his satchel and allows Giratina to bump its nose against it. The dragon vanishes inside and the device sparks. Ingo holds it close to his chest for a moment, then lets out a slow breath and clips it to his belt.

Akari starts forward as he turns back towards them, sprinting across the distance in seconds and throwing her arms around him. He catches her and stumbles back a couple steps from the force of her momentum, but squeezes his arms tightly around her and laughs.

The sound melts away her remaining tension and she looks up to meet his eyes, ignoring how wet her own are. “I knew you would come back!”

His eyes pinch enough that they nearly close and the corners of his mouth twitch upwards slightly. He shifts her weight to his left arm and she wraps her arms around his neck to help him balance her. His now free right hand comes up to cup her cheek and he rests his forehead against hers. “Of course I came back. I had to tell my wonderful daughter how incredibly proud I am of her.”

Akari giggles and hides her face in his shoulder, embarrassed. Of course that would be the first thing he says. “I'm glad you're back. I love you, Dad.”

She can hear the smile in his voice as he presses a kiss into her hair and murmurs, “I love you too, Akari. I'm sorry if my absence scared you.”

She shakes her head. “It's ok. I guess you befriended Giratina, huh?”

He huffs a laugh. “I suppose I did. It's not as scary as it seems, honestly.”

“What did it return to you?” She's been curious since he left with it.

At this question, he finally loosens his hold on her, setting her gently on the ground. She realizes that the others have moved closer when he looks around at all of them. “I actually want to catch everyone up on that. Giratina returned my memory.”

Akari feels her eyes widen in shock. That's not at all what she expected and now she has about a million questions she wants to ask. He said he wanted to catch everyone up though, which means he probably doesn't want to repeat himself, so she holds back and just grins widely. She can wait a few more minutes to know.

Chapter Text

There's a larger group gathered than Ingo is strictly comfortable with for this, but he can hardly blame everyone for being curious. He disappeared into the reverse world for what was apparently two days and came back with his missing memory. That's a pretty major event.

They're gathered in the Diamond Clan's meeting tent and the Wardens of both clans are present as well as both clan leaders and, of course, Akari. They're all looking expectantly at him. While he's somewhat accustomed to that from years of working with the public, he's never had to explain something so deeply personal to such a crowd. It's uncomfortable, to put it mildly. It doesn't help that Akari's mood has soured from her initial excitement to something akin to melancholy for reasons he can't begin to fathom.

When he's quiet for too long, Irida urges him gently, asking, “you said that your memory was returned to you?”

He nods and looks down, locking his eyes on the floor instead of any one person. “Yes.”

“So you remember the space where you came from?”

“The space and the time.” He ignores the sharp inhales from several people around the room. “I'm from a region known as Unova, which is... very far away from here, but I'm also from many years in the future.”

There's a long pause, finally broken by Melli, who asks carefully, “...how many years?”

“What is the year currently?” He honestly can't remember. It hadn't really mattered much to him until now.

“1632.”

“Ah. Then three hundred and eighty seven years. Or... perhaps three hundred and ninety one if time has continued to move in my absence.” He shakes his head, not really wanting to think about that too deeply. He can't quite decide if it would be better to return to the moment he left and save his family the heartache of his extended absence, or for them all to have passed the time equally and be on the same page. Or, in his and Emmet's case, still be the same age.

When no one answers immediately, he chances a look up. Irida has gone pale, looking a little sick. The others aren't doing much better. Finally, she realizes he's watching her and shakes herself. “That's... I'm so sorry, Warden Ingo, that you've been separated from your home by so much space and time.”

He inclines his head, politely accepting her consolation, but he says, “there's no need to apologize. You have given me a space and a purpose in the Pearl Clan, and I will be forever grateful for that.”

“You intend to return to your own space and time, correct?” Calaba is the one who asks the question he's sure everyone is thinking.

He nods. “Yes. Now that I remember what I'm missing, I intend to go home.”

“Is it truly possible to cross such a vast length of time and space?” Adaman asks.

Ingo feels Akari squeeze her arms around him. She's been silent throughout all this, but she answers the question in a quiet voice. “Yes. It will take a little while before it's possible, but yes.”

Though he can see the curiosity on many faces, no one asks her for clarification. Ingo himself has some questions for her about that, but he can wait until they're alone to learn the specifics.

He's a little surprised by the next question, which comes from Lian. “Do you remember why you talk like you do? And what your weird phrases mean?”

He can't help the laugh that escapes him, but answers the question as best he can. “I do. In Unova, I was a conductor. I...” He considers how to explain to people who don't know what trains are. “I was responsible for driving very large machines that carried people. Most of the phrases I use pertain to that job.”

“Large machines that carried people?” Palina tilts her head, looking curious. “Were they hauled by Pokemon?”

He shakes his head. “It would be very difficult to explain exactly how, but they were powered by electricity. They allowed many people to cross vast distances at great speeds. Unova is a very large region.” He adds the last part as an afterthought. Even modern Sinnoh doesn't have trains because its such a small region that it's not really worth putting in the infrastructure, so it may be hard for them to imagine the need for them.

Irida lights up a little at this. “Then it's no wonder you came to the Pearl Clan! You were already dedicated to the greatness of the Almighty's space.”

Ingo blinks at her in surprise. “I... I suppose that's true, although I'll admit I never thought of it like that.”

His clan leader gives him a brilliant smile. “That's alright. Perhaps now you will.”

He feels a swelling of emotion and wills himself not to tear up. He didn't expect to find such a simple, innate way to connect his life here with his life back home. “I will.” He knows his voice betrays him a little, but he does his best to keep it level as he continues, “I must apologize, though.”

“For what?”

“I cannot continue my work as a Warden. Of course I will continue for as long as possible, but when the opportunity to go home arises, I intend to take it.”

She smiles at him again, this time a little sadly. “You don't need to apologize, Ingo. I always hoped that you would find your way to your proper space one day. I knew that your appointment as a Warden may not be permanent. Besides, you've done such a good job as a Warden, I could never begrudge you an early retirement.”

Ingo bows as formally as he can while still sitting. “Thank you, truly.” He glances around. “Now, if there are no other pressing concerns, I would very much like to return to the Highlands. It's been an exhausting few days.”

“Of course. I only ask that you keep me updated on your plans to return home.”

He nods. “I will.”

With that he stands and leaves the tent. Akari remains against his side, seemingly unwilling to let him go for even a moment. He can't really blame her after everything she went through. If his presence is a comfort, he's not going to take that away from her.

They pass through the settlement and out into the wilds, heading for Mount Coronet. After a few minutes of silence, he squeezes his arm around her shoulders. When she looks up, he asks, “is something wrong?”

Her brow furrows and she looks down, leaning harder against his side. “No...”

“Akari, you know you can talk to me.”

She hesitates before answering, “I know, Dad. I'm just... worried.”

“About what?”

“You remember your home now. A-and your family. I just...” She trails off, either unable or unwilling to finish the thought. He's got enough of an idea what she's worried about, anyway.

He stops and places both of his hands on her shoulders. “Oh, Akari. I love you more than anything in the world. That hasn't changed just because I remembered the rest of my family.” Tears well in her eyes and she doesn't respond. He wants to make sure she understands so he gently adds, “you're my family, just as much as they are.”

She leans forward to rest her head against his chest. Her voice is very small when she asks, “wh-when you go home, c-can I come with you?”

He hugs her close. “Of course you can. I thought you already meant to, honestly. Believe me, I have no intention of leaving you behind.”

She gives a choked little sob. “Th-thanks, Dad.”

“You're welcome. Now, lets get home. I imagine we could both use some rest.”

His daughter nods and lets go of him, rubbing her damp eyes with her sleeve. “Y-yeah. Lets go home.”

Chapter Text

It's only a few minutes after they cross into the Highlands proper before Lady Sneasler finds them. She's clearly ecstatic to see Ingo and Akari stands back and laughs as he's picked up and squeezed tightly enough to make him wheeze.

He just laughs and scratches her ear feather affectionately. “Hello, My Lady. I apologize for my sudden absence.”

She purrs and rubs her face against his, knocking his hat off in the process. Akari scoops it up off the ground and sets it on her own head, which Ingo ignores for the moment, too focused on his Noble to care much.

“I missed you, too.”

Lady Sneasler makes a soft, pleased noise, but suddenly freezes, her affection put on hold as she apparently notices something. She sniffs his face and wrinkles his nose. He finds himself set on the ground as she continues her investigations, which lead her to his pokeball belt.

Catching on, he says, “ah. Yes, I suppose I ought to explain. I'll let it out, but first I need you to promise that you won't attack it.”

Lady Sneasler grumbles and backs up a few paces, clearly not happy about that requirement, but willing to go along for now. He appreciates the display of trust, even after he was possessed and used against everyone.

Ingo takes the extra pokeball from his belt and flicks the latch, releasing Giratina, who floats behind him awkwardly. He scratches its jaw and pinches his eyes. “Lady Sneasler, this is Giratina. It was responsible for my odd behavior during the red sky, but it has since apologized, so please be nice.”

She steps forward, still visibly unhappy, and sniffs the deity. Her nose curls again and she gives a soft grumble, but that's it. Giratina seems quite unsure how to handle this and opts to sit as still as possible. Eventually, the Noble turns away with a huff. She doesn't leave, though, and in fact sticks with them as they keep moving toward home.

Giratina stays out as well and after a few minutes of tension, seems to relax. There's something endearing about watching it investigating the world around it. Its attention is caught by shiny rocks and it picks berries off the trees quite gently. Wild Pokemon don't dare approach, but it watches the ones they do see in the distance with interest. It may be extremely powerful, and it may have done terrible things, but at heart it really is just a Pokemon. A very lonely Pokemon.

Akari tucks herself against his side as he watches the deity fondly. When he looks down at her, she asks, “do you think I can let the others out, too?”

He tilts his head. “The others?”

“Oh yeah. You were already gone by then.” She takes two extra pokeballs off her belt. “I caught Palkia and Dialga.”

He blinks in surprise, then squeezes his arm around her shoulders. “Have I mentioned how proud I am of you?”

She ducks her head. “Yeah, Dad. You mentioned it.”

He brings his hand up to ruffle her hair “Then let me mention it again. I'm very proud of you.” She goes a little red with embarrassment so he lets her off the hook with only that much teasing. “Lets see what Giratina thinks.” He lifts his arm off of her and reaches out. The dragon comes over without needing to be asked, understanding exactly what he's thinking without the need for him to say anything. He rubs the top of its head gently and asks, “will that be alright?”

It whines softly, but nods, so Akari unlatches both of the pokeballs, releasing the other two deities. They look around, apparently confused, and they both bristle at the sight of Giratina. It whines again and hides behind Ingo, managing to look quite small and frightened despite its size.

Akari steps in front of them both, smiling at the two dragons. “Hey, it's okay. Giratina isn't going to hurt anyone anymore. Trust me.”

Palkia bows its head to her level and nudges her gently with its nose. Seemingly deciding that it is in fact going to trust her, it straightens back up and looks away from Giratina. Dialga follows its lead, and soon the two are wandering around as well.

Their odd party moves on, climbing up through the Highlands until they finally reach their home. Here, they recall the three dragons since there's no way any of them can fit inside. Ingo gestures for Akari to go inside and she tilts her head. “Aren't you coming in?”

He crinkles his eyes at her. “I will, but I'd like to speak with Lady Sneasler for a minute.”

“Oh.” She obviously knows what he wants to talk to her about, and doesn't ask any further questions. “Ok, I'll start making dinner.”

“Thank you.”

She nods and enters the tent, leaving him alone with his Noble. Lady Sneasler doesn't hesitate to approach, leaning down to rub her face against his again. She can tell that he's anxious, he's sure.

He sighs and leans his head against her, for once at a loss for words. It was so much easier to talk to Irida about this. Eventually, he begins. “I... I need to apologize. A-and tell you what's happened.”

She begins to purr, which he takes as encouragement to keep going.

“Giratina returned my memory to me. I know where my home is now, and...” He takes a deep breath to steady himself. “And I intend to go back there.”

He feels her tense and she steps back, making a dissatisfied grumble.

“I know. That's why I'm apologizing. I already talked with Lady Irida, and she approved of allowing me to retire from my position early, but... I know that you didn't like any of the others that were appointed as your Warden. I know this is going to be very difficult for you. I'm so sorry, My Lady.”

Lady Sneasler stares at him for several long seconds before narrowing her eyes and growling. She couldn't make it any more clear that she doesn't approve. Ingo feels tears pricking his eyes, but does his best not to let them fall. This isn't about him. He just waits to see what she's going to do.

The tension is thick in the air for another few seconds, before she finally lets out a defeated huff. She still seems unhappy, but she leans forward and headbutts him, then turns away. He watches as she disappears up the cliff face and continues watching for a long few minutes afterwards. Now that she's gone, there's no reason to hold back the tears and they stream freely down his face. A selfish part of him wishes that she could come with them, but he knows that she can't. She has a duty here that she can't leave.

He has a duty to her, but he's leaving it anyway. How can Irida say that he's a good Warden when he plans to abandon his ward? He shakes his head and rubs his face, trying to make himself somewhat presentable before going back inside. Thinking like this isn't helping.

As much as he hates it, he can't have things both ways. He's going to have to give up his life here to return home, and there's no doubt in his mind that he wants very badly to do so. Somehow that doesn't make it any easier to know that soon he won't ever be able to come back here. Because, in the end, this place is home, too.

Chapter Text

“Can you tell me about your home?” Akari knows her question is kind of out of nowhere, but she's curious. It's been a few days since her dad came back and her embarrassment over panicking about being left behind has mostly faded.

They're patrolling the Highlands with Lady Sneasler as company. She's been extra affectionate since they got back, even if she isn't exactly pleased that they're going to be leaving soon. Ingo hums, remaining focused on the trail ahead. “It's very different than here.”

“You said you thought it was a city, once.”

He huffs a laugh. “Well, I was right. I lived in Nimbasa City in Unova, which is one of the largest cities in the world.”

Akari feels her eyes widen. “Wow. So, really, really different than here.”

“Yes.”

“Wait, but I thought you didn't like crowds.”

He laughs again. “I don't. It's something I had to learn to get used to living there.”

“And you were a train conductor?” He gives her a surprised look and she explains, “at least, that's what it sounded like you were saying.”

His response isn't what she expects, though. “You know what trains are?”

She tilts her head. “Yeah?” After a moment, she realizes what he's getting at. “Oh, yeah. I guess those probably haven't been invented yet.”

“They haven't.”

“What, do you just know the date trains were invented off the top of your head?”

He goes a little red and doesn't answer.

“Wait, seriously? Are you, like, a train enthusiast?”

He goes even redder. “Something like that.”

“You have got to elaborate on that.”

He sighs, giving her an ineffectual glare for her teasing. “I was a Subway Boss of the Unovan Rail System. One of two. My brother, Emmet, was the other. Still is, I assume. It was always our dream to work on trains, so I suppose enthusiast is a good way to put it.”

This is the first time he's mentioned any of his family specifically. She hasn't asked because she's worried it might be too painful to think about. While she's curious about what a 'Subway Boss' is, she's more curious about Emmet. “It sounds like you were close with your brother.”

He pinches his eyes happily. “Yes. Very close. Emmet is my twin brother. We've always shared everything, including our passion for both the railway and Pokemon.”

Learning that he has a twin is somehow more of a surprise than learning he has a brother. She's not sure why, but it makes the fact that they've been separated for so long feel even worse. “What is he like?”

“Kind. And very passionate. Not very good with words, but always willing to offer a smile. Extremely competitive, but also very encouraging. We did everything together, our whole lives. I miss him more than I think I could possibly say.”

She feels a little bad pressing for information, but he doesn't seem upset talking about it, so she asks, “do you have more family?”

“Emmet and I were raised by our uncle. His name is Drayden and he's a dragon type specialist. A Gym Leader, actually. He's a very strong man and very kind as well. He didn't really know how to raise children, but he did his best.”

Akari giggles. “That sounds familiar.”

He gives her a surprised look, then laughs. “I suppose it does.” He shakes his head, looking back to the trail ahead. “We also have an adoptive sister, Elesa. We met her when we traveled the region on our Pokemon journey. She's the Gym Leader of Nimbasa City now, specializing in electric types.”

“You know a lot of Gym Leaders. It's kinda weird that you just drive trains.”

Ingo snorts. “Ah, well. You're not wrong, but I don't just drive trains. Emmet and I run the Battle Subway, which is a battle challenge that runs on the subway trains.”

She stares at him, trying to decide if he's joking or not. After a minute, she asks, disbelieving, “you battle on the trains? That's... crazy.” Before he can answer, though, she realizes something and gasps, “that's why you're so good at balancing when the ground is moving!”

“Yes. I've got a lot of practice balancing on moving trains while battling.”

She can't help but be impressed. “That sounds really hard. But fun! I'd like to try it sometime, I think.”

That gets her a fond look. “You'll have plenty of time to try it when we make it back.”

“I can't wait. And I can't wait to meet Emmet-” That feels weird, somehow, so she tries out, “Uncle Emmet?” which makes her dad laugh. She shakes her head and ignores him. “Anyway, I can't wait to meet him and your sister and your uncle.”

He reaches out and ruffles her hair fondly. “I look forward to introducing you. I'm sure they're all going to love you.”

She hopes that's true. She wants very much to believe that it is. The idea of having more family, her dad's family no less, is exciting. She can hardly wait until they can make it back to his home so that she can meet them.

She's a little surprised when he speaks up again, his tone hesitant. “I have a question for you.” Akari hums and he continues, “you’re under no obligation to answer if it’s something you don’t want to think about.”

He pauses, apparently requiring an answer, so she nods. “Ok.” She’s not particularly concerned, but it’s sweet that he is.

“Why don’t you have any memory?”

Akari’s brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

“I lost my memory because Giratina attacked me, but you never encountered it, so what happened to yours?”

She tilts her head. “I… don’t know.” She hasn’t really thought about it. Her lack of memory never bothered her much, especially since the vague impressions she can remember are unpleasant at best. There is someone who probably knows though, so she pulls her phone out of her pocket. “Let me see if Arceus will tell me.”

Why don’t I remember anything before

coming to Hisui?

There’s a longer than usual pause before it answers.

I suppose I can keep this from you no

longer. Do you recall what I told you when

you asked if you had requested anything

of me?

You said you couldn’t tell me. Because I

asked you not to.

That is correct. You asked me not to share

your request with you because your request

was that I take your memory.

Akari’s face must do something concerning because her dad pats her on the shoulder. “Everything alright?”

She continues to stare at the phone in her hands and answers, “I, um. I asked it to take my memory. Apparently.”

She can hear the worry in his tone now. “Why would you do that?”

“I don’t know.”

Can you tell me why?

I’m afraid that I do not know why. You

never told me. I can, however, tell you that

you were deeply unhappy when I met you,

which I suspect is the reason.

“It doesn’t know either.” She doesn’t mention the part about her being unhappy. She already basically knew that, anyway. She doesn’t know why, but suddenly her memory loss seems worse than it did a few minutes ago. Instead of simple ignorance, it feels like she’s hiding something terrible from herself.

When Ingo’s arms wrap around her, she gladly melts into the embrace, comforted by his presence. Her pets her hair gently and murmurs, “easy, Akari. You’re alright.” She nuzzles a little closer and he continues, “I… can’t imagine how you’re feeling. To want to forget everything…” He shakes his head, then rests his chin on her hair. “No matter how things must have been in the past, you’re here now. You’re safe, and very, very much loved. You know that, don’t you?”

She smiles and leans back a bit so she can knock her head against his chest. “I know. Thank you, Dad. I love you, too.” Because that really is what matters, isn’t it? Her life must have been terrible before, if she chose to forget all about it, but now it isn’t. She has a home and a family. That’s all she really needs to be happy.

Chapter Text

A knock at the door surprises Akari. She looks up and raises an eyebrow at her dad, who shrugs. He's chopping vegetables, so she crosses the tent to open it. She's even more surprised by who is on the other side, but she smiles. “Hello, Captain Zisu.”

The tall woman smiles back at her. “Why, hello, Akari. Is your dad home?”

“Yep!” She glances over her shoulder to see him approaching, wiping his hands off on a rag. She steps aside so he can talk to her.

He gives her his version of a smile. “Captain Zisu. This is a surprise. Would you like to come in?”

She nods and steps inside, then surprises Akari by hugging Ingo. He surprises her even more by hugging her back. She lets go after a few moments. “It's very good to see you. The real you.”

He looks down. “I apologize for anything I did to you while I wasn't myself.”

She shakes her head. “You don't have to apologize, Ingo. That wasn't you.”

“...Thank you.” He shakes his head. “What brings you out here?”

Now, she hesitates. “Well... As much as I'd like to say it's just a social visit, I am actually here on Commander Kamado's behalf. He wishes to speak with you, if you'll allow it.”

Akari watches Ingo visibly bristle at Kamado's name, while she can't quite suppress a flinch. Clearly, Zisu sees both reactions because she gives them a sympathetic look. Her dad growls, “what does he want?”

“To apologize.”

That gives them both pause and they exchange a confused look. It's Akari who asks, “really? That's... surprising.”

Zisu sighs. “He's a very stubborn man. Not good at admitting he's wrong, but in this case, you've more than proven yourselves. I understand if the answer is no, but I think it's a good idea to try to make peace with him.”

Akari hesitates, unsure if she's willing to believe that he's actually trying to make peace or not. She looks to Ingo at the same time as he looks to her.

He asks before she can, “what do you think?”

She shakes her head. “I don't know. I... I think making peace can't be bad, but...”

“You don't trust him.” It's not a question, but she nods. “Neither do I.”

Zisu holds up a hand. “I don't blame you for that, but if it helps, I don't think he's lying.”

“And if he is?”

“Then I will personally lock him up right next to Volo. The last thing the Galaxy Team needs is to start a war with the clans.”

Ingo holds eye contact for several seconds, before nodding. “I don't trust him, but I do trust you. I'm willing to talk. Akari,” he turns to look at her, “you can stay here if you'd prefer.”

She hesitates again, but shakes her head. “No, I... I'll come with you. He can't hurt us, even if he wants to.”

Her dad chuckles softly at that. “That's true. Is he here?”

“He’s at the camp by the Lonely Spring. I didn’t think you’d like it much if I brought him here.”

Ingo nods. “That’s appreciated. Let’s go, then.” He doesn’t sound happy, but he goes to the kitchen and dumps the vegetables into the pot he had meant for stew, then sets it over the fire. He releases Alakazam to watch it, then comes back to get dressed for a hike.

Akari gets ready as well and the three of them head out. It’s not far physically to the Lonely Spring, but since they have to take the trail around, it takes about an hour and a half to get there from the tent. She spends a lot of that time chatting with Zisu about the local Pokémon, which the woman seems surprisingly interested in. Her dad also weighs in on occasion, but for the most part seems content to listen to them talk.

By the time they reach the camp, Akari has almost forgotten why they’re here. The sight of Kamado watching them approach is a sharp reminder and she immediately slows down so she can stay behind Ingo. They stop a short distance away, farther than is really comfortable for conversation.

The commander opens his mouth to speak, but Ingo cuts him off. “I’ll hear you out, Kamado, but let me make one thing clear first.” Akari stumbles back a step as familiar, shadowy energy flares around him. When she looks up, his eyes are glowing red. “If you so much as think about hurting either of us again, I will actually kill you this time.”

Zisu’s eyes are wide and Kamado has backed up a few steps, but to his credit, he doesn’t go for either his pokeballs or his sword, instead raising his hands in surrender. “I understand. There’s no need for violence today, Warden.”

Akari watches with bated breath as the shadows recede and the red fades from his eyes. He still holds eye contact with the other man, looking one step from murderous, but his voice is level. “Alright. Say your piece, then.”

Kamado lowers his hands, then bows, deeply and formally. “I wish to apologize for my actions. I see now exactly how wrong I was, and how many mistakes I’ve made in regards to the two of you. While I don’t expect your forgiveness, I do want you to know that I regret everything I’ve done to hurt you.”

That’s a surprisingly straightforward apology. Akari honestly expected him to try to deflect some of the blame, and a part of her respects that he didn’t.

Ingo is still clearly angry though. “You sent a child to die in the wilderness. You called my daughter a curse. You sent a man to kill me. Twice. How can we possibly trust someone who could justify all that?”

Kamado sighs. “I don’t expect you to trust me, and I’m not going to try to justify my actions to you. I know now that they were wrong, and that I was a fool to not see that sooner.” There's an awkward pause and Zisu makes an inscrutable gesture with her hand. Clearly, he understands it because he adds, “I also wished to inform you that you are welcome in Jubilife Village. Both of you.”

Akari hesitates, looking between her dad’s still angry expression and Kamado’s surprisingly earnest one. She steps forward, between them. She still can’t meet the man’s eyes, so she keeps her gaze on the ground while she speaks. “I… don’t think I can forgive you yet. O-or trust you. But it can’t have been easy to come here, after everything. So… thank you.”

She can’t see his face, but he sounds a little surprised. “You’re welcome. I also wish to thank you, Akari, for saving my life at the temple. I know well that I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

“You haven’t.” She means to add more, but fails to come up with anything else useful to say, accidentally leaving her statement a bit ruder than she intends.

Her dad’s hand lands on her shoulder and she leans into it, looking up at him. His expression has softened significantly into a pride-filled one she’s familiar with, but hardens again when he looks back at Kamado. “I appreciate the apology, and the approval to return to Jubilife. I’ll inform Lady Irida of this and let her decide what she wants to do, but I hope that our people may be able to at least coexist in peace once again. However, I still haven’t forgiven you, and you’re currently trespassing, so please be on your way.”

Akari suppresses a laugh at the curt, yet somehow still vaguely polite phrasing. Now that the air has been cleared, she finds she’s not nearly as anxious as she was before.

Kamado just nods. “Of course. Thank you for your time, Warden Ingo, Akari.” He turns back to the camp, presumably to gather his things.

Ingo takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, visibly struggling to relax. She didn't expect him to be so openly angry, despite knowing that he has plenty of reason to hate Kamado. He's the same person who forgave Giratina only minutes after it stopped possessing him, but clearly it's a struggle for him to do the same thing for Kamado. Is it really so different just because Kamado hurt her?

She doesn't know, but she wraps an arm around him and leans against his side, trying her best to reassure him. It seems to work, at least to a degree, because some of his tension fades and he rests his arm over her shoulder comfortably. He smiles with his eyes when she says, “At least now we have one less thing to worry about.”

Chapter Text

Zisu waits until Kamado is gone, then steps forward, gesturing for them to follow. She takes them a short distance from the camp, still in sight but out of earshot, before she gives Ingo a worried look. “I thought that demon wasn’t in your head anymore?” That’s basically what Akari wanted to ask, so she nods along.

He shakes his head. “Giratina isn’t possessing me anymore, but if anything, my bond with it has only gotten stronger.”

“So you can still use its power?” Akari asks.

He shrugs. “Apparently.”

“You don’t know?” Zisu sounds incredibly concerned.

“It’s not like there was a manual for bonding with a god.” He sounds annoyed and makes an exaggerated grumpy face. “And before you ask, it doesn’t know, either. It’s been trapped in the reverse world for millennia.”

Zisu narrows her eyes. “How do you know that? Is it talking to you?”

He tilts his head. “No… not talking. But it is there in my mind still. I can feel it.”

“I don’t like that.”

“You don’t have to like it.” Ingo answers, oddly defensive. “It doesn’t bother me, which is really what matters.”

“And what if it decides to possess you again?”

“I couldn’t stop it.” Akari isn’t sure she likes how confident he is about that, especially after how hard he fought against it before. “But it won’t. I trust it, so please, trust me.”

Zisu holds eye contact with him for a long few seconds, but he wins out on stubbornness and she looks down. “Fine, but if you’re wrong about this I’m going to be very upset with you.”

He laughs lightly. “That’s fair.”

“There was something else I wanted to discuss, if you’ve got the time.”

He gestures vaguely. “Go ahead. We’re not doing anything else.”

“For a while now, I’ve been meaning to try to incorporate more Pokémon into the Security Corp. I think it would make us more effective in general, but even though I have my own partners, I have no idea how to teach others how to handle them. I was curious if you’d be willing to come down to Jubilife on occasion and lend me a hand with training.”

Ingo looks surprised by the request, but slowly nods. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. I couldn’t do it all the time, but I think I would enjoy that.”

Akari can’t quite contain her excitement and grabs his arm, startling him. “That’s great!” Helping people bond with Pokémon was exactly what Arceus wanted them to do. She looks at Zisu, having suddenly made up her mind about something. “There’s a professor in Jubilife working on a Pokédex, right?”

The woman gives her a confused smile. “Yes. Professor Laventon. He’s been working on his research for a few years now.”

“Can I meet him?”

“I… don’t see why not?”

Now her dad matches her excitement, clearly seeing where she’s going with this. “That’s a wonderful idea, Akari!” To Zisu, he explains, “Akari has been researching the Pokémon of this region.”

“Oh! You must like Pokémon a lot, then.” Zisu gives her a bright smile. “Just like your dad, aren’t you?”

Akari ducks her head. “I guess.”

“Well, I’m sure Professor Laventon will be thrilled to talk to you. He’s very enthusiastic about his work.”

“I look forward to meeting him.” Akari is a little surprised to find that she means it. Although the idea of going to Jubilife is still frightening, it’s far less so now that Kamado has apologized and she knows Zisu. Not to mention, helping the professor with his Pokedex actually sounds like it could be fun.

She looks up to see her dad looking at her with pride in his eyes that seems somewhat unwarranted for the situation. Still, when he ruffles her hair fondly, she leans into his side, content to bask in the affection. “We will have to plan a visit to the village soon, then.” To Zisu, he says, “I'll send you a message when we have a more specific plan. I'll also work on ideas for training.”

Zisu smiles. “I look forward to it.” She looks past them. “It looks like everyone is ready to go, and we should probably not hang around any longer since, as you pointed out, the commander is trespassing. It was good to see you both.” She smiles at Akari. “I enjoyed talking with you. I hope you'll come visit me with your dad sometime.”

Akari grins back. “I will! Hopefully soon!”

They both watch as Zisu returns to the other Galaxy Team members and they all set off. Kamado glances their direction only once, then quickly looks away, obviously not comfortable with them still. Once they're out of sight, Ingo glances up at the cliffs that separate them from home. He looks back at her with a mildly mischievous expression.

Akari picks up on his thoughts immediately and bolts for the cliff, climbing up to the first flat spot quickly and turning around. She scrunches her face at him. “Are you coming, Slowpoke?”

Her dad laughs and reaches up with his left hand for a handhold. “I'm coming. There's no need to be in such a hurry.”

She turns back to the cliff and starts upward again. “Yes there is! I want to get to the top faster than you!”

She hears him laugh again closer than she expected. “You and Emmet are going to get along just fine.”

She climbs up onto another ledge and starts up the next section, moving even faster. “What do you mean?”

She glances to her left, seeing him right beside her as he answers. “He enjoys making a competition out of anything he can. He often says he likes winning more than anything, although I know that's not actually true.”

“He must be fun to battle, then!”

"He is." He pinches his eyes at her as he lets go with his left hand and grabs a higher hold. The way he climbs is somewhat awkward, holding his right arm against his side since it can't support his weight. Even so, he's apparently still faster than her.

She grumbles, reaching up for another hold, “how are you so good at this?”

“Practice.”

“I've got practice! And two arms!”

Her dad snorts, glancing down at her with an amused expression. “I have two arms.”

“You know what I mean!”

He hauls himself over the last ledge and turns, offering his hand, which she takes so he can haul her up as well. He still looks entertained and gestures in the direction of their tent, which is much closer now because of the shortcut. “Lead the way, little Garchomp.”

She shoves his arm lightly as she passes by. “Yeah, yeah.”

She smiles at the sound of him laughing as he follows her. It's nice to be able to relax and just enjoy spending time together. It feels like it's been a long time since that was possible. They're going to have to figure out when they're going to Jubilife, but for right now, all they need to do is get home.

Chapter Text

Akari is nervous as they approach the gates of Jubilife, tucking herself under Ingo’s arm in a futile effort to hide from the people she knows will be watching her. It helps that the Security Corp folks at the gate smile at her as they pass through. She knows they’re nice, at least.

The village itself isn’t as big as she expected it to be, although it is larger than the clan settlement. There are wooden buildings instead of tents and a decent amount of people out in the streets. Her dad leads the way to the largest building in town, which he tells her is called the Galaxy Building.

There are more guards posted at the entrance, but they’re allowed to pass without issue. The inside is expansive, with wide halls and large offices. Ingo heads for the one on the left, knocking on the open door frame to get the attention of the man inside.

The man jumps, too absorbed in whatever he’s reading to have noticed their approach. A boy also jumps to his feet from where he has been resting in a chair facing away from the door. When he looks at them, his wide eyes don’t quite cover for the fact that his hair is sticking up at an odd angle and there’s a line of drool on his chin. He was definitely asleep.

The professor stands and steps around his desk, giving a polite, if slightly awkward, bow. “Good afternoon, sir, miss. Is there something I can help you with?”

Ingo answers politely, “good afternoon, Professor Laventon. I'm Warden Ingo of the Pearl Clan and this is my daughter, Akari.” The professor’s eyes widen, clearly recognizing at least one of their names, but he doesn’t interrupt. “We were hoping to speak with you about your Pokédex research.”

That causes him to look even more surprised, but he answers evenly, “of course. Although, I’ve heard that you both possess quite a talent for Pokémon taming, so I’m not sure what assistance I can offer in that regard.”

Akari steps forward. “We don’t need any help with taming Pokémon. Or, well, anything really. I wanted to talk to you about your Pokédex. I’ve, umm…” Ingo pats her back encouragingly. “I’ve been working on a Pokédex of my own. I was hoping we could… compare notes, I guess.”

Laventon’s eyes widen even more before a bright smile breaks out on his face. “Oh, how wonderful!” He obviously sees the confusion on her face because he excitedly explains, “it’s so rare to find a kindred spirit in researching Pokémon, especially one so young! I would love to see what you’ve discovered, and of course, you’re welcome to my research as well.”

The boy looks a little more skeptical. He asks, “why would you be creating a Pokédex? That’s kind of weird.”

Laventon swats at him with the papers in his hand, missing wildly. “Rei, don’t be rude. That’s no way to speak to a fellow researcher.”

He looks appropriately admonished and mumbles, “sorry.”

Akari stifles a giggle at the way they interact. “It’s ok. It is a little weird.”

Laventon smiles at her. “Now, where would you like to start? We typically organize by the territory a Pokémon can be found in, but we can just as easily sort by type.”

Akari starts to answer, but a polite cough from Ingo draws her attention. Once she’s looking at him, he pinches his eyes. “Will you be alright here? I’m supposed to meet Captain Zisu at the training grounds.”

She glances back at the other two only briefly before nodding. “I’ll be alright.” Truthfully, she doesn’t like being in this building, knowing that Kamado probably has an office here, but Laventon and Rei seem fine so she can handle it for a while.

“Ok. If you finish up before I do, the training grounds are down at the end of the main street. I trust you can find your way. Have fun.”

“I will!” She watches as he leaves, then turns back to the others. “Sorting by territory is fine.”

Akari spends the next few hours comparing Pokédexes with them. Laventon’s has a lot more detail on the habits of Pokémon in the wild, while Akari tends to have more information on the physical characteristics that they possess. He and Rei are very impressed when she explains that she’s actually caught most of these Pokémon to study them. Laventon also has more complete entries on the Pokémon in the Fieldlands, and almost nothing on the Highlands and Icelands. Between the two sets of data, there’s very nearly a complete Pokédex for the whole region.

When afternoon rolls around and both her and Rei’s stomachs start grumbling, the professor insists on stopping for lunch. He sets a kettle on the fire in the corner of his office and pulls out bread and dried berries and meat from a cupboard, which he shares with them. He explains that normally they could go to the restaurant across the street to get mochi but the owner was apparently badly injured during the red sky and hasn’t recovered yet. Akari doesn’t mind, although she’s never tried mochi and would like to sometime.

While they eat, Rei asks her, “you’re really good at battling with Pokémon, right?”

She doesn’t ask where he heard that, just nods. “Yeah.”

He looks unsure of what he wants to say, eventually coming up with a somewhat desperate, “how?”

She tilts her head. “What do you mean, how?”

“I mean, I’ve got Pokémon, but they don’t listen to me.”

Akari hums. “Dad’s probably the better person to ask. He’s better at explaining that kind of stuff than I am.”

Rei looks down. “Ok. Thanks.”

“Why don’t we go ask him?”

His head pops up and he waves his hands. “We don’t have to! I don’t want to interrupt whatever he’s doing with Captain Zisu. Let’s just focus on the Pokédex!”

Laventon chimes in, “nonsense, my boy! This is important to you and there’s someone in town who can help. We ought to take advantage of the opportunity!”

“Yeah!” Akari agrees enthusiastically. “He’s helping train the Security Corp with Pokémon anyway, so it’s basically the same thing he’s already doing.”

Rei looks uncertain still, but nods in agreement. “Okay…”

Akari is about to jump up but Laventon insists, “tea first,” so she settles back down and accepts the steaming cup he hands her. It tastes different than the tea anyone in the clan makes and she wrinkles her nose slightly at the bitterness.

He laughs and offers her a small bowl. “You might like it better with a little sugar.”

She gratefully takes the spoon and adds a large scoop to her drink, then hands it to Rei so he can do the same. When she tries it again, she finds the drink much more tolerable. They spend a few minutes simply enjoying the tea in companionable silence. She finds herself wishing that she'd been able to meet them sooner. If only she'd been allowed into Jubilife, she could have been working with them on Pokedex research this whole time.

Chapter Text

Once they’ve all finished their tea, they stand and Laventon leads the way out of the office and the building itself, stepping out into the street. He turns right and they follow him to the end of the street.

Akari knows where their destination is before they reach it by the sound of a battle ringing out from it. As they pass through the gate, they step to the side to watch with the surprisingly sizable crowd that’s gathered. In the middle of the area is a delineated battlefield, with Ingo standing on one side and a man in red on the other.

Her dad is commanding a Pokémon she’s never seen, to her surprise. It’s a Staravia, which appears to be decently strong and follows his commands unhesitatingly. Opposing them is a Shinx, which should have type advantage but is clearly not paying full attention to its trainer. The battle is over in just a few more moves and the man slumps his shoulders in defeat.

Despite his apparent despondency, Ingo claps his hands and says, in a loud, enthusiastic tone, “your battle was not bad at all! You were more in sync with Shinx this time. Keep working at it and I’m sure you’ll be a formidable trainer in no time.”

Akari smiles at how genuinely excited he sounds and the other trainer actually perks up at the praise. Even so, he complains, “yeah, but you’re not even using your own Pokémon and it listens to you perfectly.”

Her dad laughs and pets the Staravia, which has returned to his side. “Which is why it’s important to learn to bond with a Pokémon. I’ve only known Staravia for a few hours, but she trusts that I won’t lead her wrong. You will have to build that bond with your own Pokémon over time. As you become more confident in your skills, it becomes easier to build their confidence in you.”

The man nods and steps away. “Thank you, Warden Ingo.”

In the lull that follows, Akari steps forward, saying, “It looks like you’re having fun.”

When her dad sees her, his eyes light up and he pinches them happily. “I am! How are things going with the Pokédex?”

“Good! We’re actually here so Rei can ask for your advice, though.”

“Oh?” He turns to Rei, who shrinks back slightly, visibly intimidated. “It’s nice to meet you, Rei. What can I help you with?”

He ducks his head, hiding his eyes under the brim of his hat. “It’s just, um. I’m having trouble with my Pokémon. They don’t listen.”

“I see. What kind of Pokémon do you have?”

“A Pikachu and a Mime Jr.”

“Tell me about them.”

Rei hesitates. “Well um, I haven’t had Mime Jr. very long so he’s a little… anxious, I guess? I’m not really sure. And Pikachu just doesn’t like me. He doesn’t listen to anything I tell him.”

“So you said, but what is he like?”

“I don't... really know? He just seems annoyed with me all the time.”

Her dad hums thoughtfully. “Alright. Why don't you battle Staravia and I? That will help me get a better feel for the situation.”

“You don't have to. I don't want to waste your time.”

“Helping someone is never a waste of time. You have nothing to worry about.” He says it very gently, clearly picking up on Rei's anxiety.

Rei just nods and walks to the other end of the battlefield. He sends out Mime Jr. first, while Starvia glides out from where she'd been sitting next to Ingo. He calls out a move first, though his voice doesn't carry much confidence. “Zen Headbutt.”

The little Pokemon does as he's asked and lands a hit on Staravia, though it doesn't do much damage.

Ingo calls out next, “Aerial Ace!”

Staravia is clearly a lot stronger and the hit knocks Mime Jr. out. Rei already looks defeated but he recalls his Pokemon and sends out Pikachu. “Quick Attack.”

Pikachu looks over his shoulder at him, then just sits down, completely ignoring him.

“Aerial Ace again.”

Pikachu doesn't even try to avoid the attack, but he does strike back, ignoring Rei's call for Quick Attack again to use Thunderbolt.

The super effective attack causes Staravia to falter, but she obeys Ingo's command of, “Quick Attack, then Aerial Ace again.”

Pikachu looks surprised for just a moment, then goes down to the second attack.

Rei sighs and takes out his pokeball to recall his partner, but Ingo holds up a hand. “Leave him out, please. I've got healing items.” He digs in his satchel and pulls out an Oran berry, which he gives to Staravia, then a healing potion in a little bottle. Perfect for fixing up his exhaustion.

He sits cross-legged on the ground in the middle of the arena and lifts Pikachu into his lap so he can help him drink the potion. Rei approaches, but hangs back, cautioning, “be careful. He might shock you.”

“Duly noted.” Ingo makes no attempt to change what he's doing, clearly unconcerned about the possibility of a shock.

As the Pokemon finishes drinking the potion, his eyes flicker open, then widen at the sight of a person holding him. As Rei predicted, his cheeks light up with electricity, which causes Ingo to jolt involuntarily. He doesn't flinch though, instead gently rubbing the top of his head with his left hand. Akari can see the way his right hand is still twitching, clearly more affected by the shock due to the already existing nerve damage, but he ignores it. He speaks to him in an admonishing tone. “Now, that wasn't necessary, was it?”

For the second time, he looks surprised. This time, he almost looks frightened. Clearly that has worked to scare people off before and he's not quite sure what to do now. Ingo keeps petting him, switching locations until finally, he finds the spot under his jaw that makes him close his eyes and lean into the attention.

Looking pleased with himself, he continues to dole out affection on the creature while Rei watches with his mouth agape. He takes another Oran berry out and gives it to Pikachu to chew on, then stands up, encouraging him to climb up onto his shoulder while he eats. Finally looking at Rei again, he asks, “have you ever tried learning what he likes and what he doesn't?”

“I... no.” The boy hangs his head, ashamed.

Her dad reaches out and pats him on the shoulder. “It's alright. You wouldn't have come to me for advice if you already knew what you were doing. From what I can tell, he doesn't like to be surprised and he has a fairly aggressive personality. He wants you to be more confident and isn't patient enough to wait for you to learn.” He glances sidelong at Pikachu as he says, “you both have things to work on. I would suggest familiarizing yourself with him a little more, as well as with the types of moves he can learn and what they can be used for so that you have the confidence to use them in battle knowing that they will work. Now, if I might suggest another exercise, I'd like to battle with you again, but this time, I'll walk you through what you should do.” He addresses Pikachu again. “As for you, I need you to be a little more patient with your trainer. He's doing his best, but he's never going to learn if you don't give him the chance to make some mistakes.”

Rei takes a deep breath and looks up, meeting Ingo's eyes for the first time. “I'd like to try again.”

Chapter Text

Once he's healed his Pokemon, Rei takes up his position on the battlefield again. Pikachu jumps down from Ingo's shoulder to stand next to him, but he sends out Mime Jr. first, just like last time.

Staravia glides out again and Ingo says. “Alright. Last time you started out with Zen Headbutt. Can you tell me why that might not have been your best move?”

“Because... Mime Jr. isn't very strong?”

“Correct!” He sounds excited enough that Rei smiles. “He listened to you, but he wasn't able to do enough damage to Staravia for the move to have mattered in the long run. Knowing that, what do you think is you is your best course of action?”

Rei hesitates a moment before asking, “Hypnosis?”

“Yes! If you can inflict drowsiness on Staravia, not only will any further attacks cause more damage, there's a chance that she'll be unable to fight back, giving you more opportunities to take charge of the battlefield.”

“Right.” Rei nods, staring to look excited. “Hypnosis!”

Mime Jr. follows his directions and the affect on Staravia is obvious as she begins to sway in the air.

“Good. Aerial Ace!”

Staravia shakes herself and attacks through her drowsiness, which Rei cringes at. The attack takes down Mime Jr. again, but now he's in a better position than he was at this point last time. Pikachu runs out onto the field as Mime Jr. returns to his pokeball.

“Now, you have a clear advantage in this battle,” Ingo explains. “Not only are Pikachu's electric attacks super effective, but Staravia is still drowsy. Assuming Pikachu listens to you- and it is very important that you assume he will- you're in a very good position. What do you think your next move should be?”

Rei is faster with an answer this time. “Thunderbolt.”

Even as Ingo says, “yes!” Pikachu is already following the command. The attack once again causes significant damage to Staravia. The corners of Ingo's mouth twitch upwards. “Aerial Ace!”

Once again, she fights through her drowsiness to attack, and seems to land a critical hit because Pikachu cries out and flinches back. Rei flinches, too.

“It's alright. No need to panic when something unexpected happens. You're options just became a little more limited. Now, do you think that another Thunderbolt is going to be enough to take Staravia down?”

Rei chews his lip for a moment. “I... don't know. Maybe? But another attack will definitely take Pikachu down so unless she can't attack because of the drowsiness...”

“Do you remember what I did during the last turn of our previous battle?”

Rei tilts his head. “You...” His eyes widen. “You used Quick Attack to be able to attack twice in a row!” Even before Ingo can answer, he calls out, “Pikachu! Quick Attack, then Thunderbolt!”

Pikachu gleefully follows both commands and in moments, Staravia falls. Ingo takes a pokeball from his belt and recalls her, then claps his hands. “Very good! That was impressive improvement from just one battle!”

Rei ducks his head. “It's only because you were telling me what to do.”

Ingo shakes his head, crossing the battlefield to pat his arm. “Don't sell yourself short. You came up with the correct answers on your own, you just needed a little time to think about it. Not to mention, your confidence has already begun to improve. You're going to be a strong trainer in no time.”

Captain Zisu approaches from where she had been watching this impromptu training session play out and pats them both on the back, causing them both to stumble. “This is great! Not only are you helping the Security Corp, but the Survey Corp as well! I knew asking for your help was a good idea.” She turns to smile at Rei. “And hey, don't hesitate to come by and train with us if you need the practice.”

He looks surprised. “Oh, um. Thanks, Captain Zisu.” He glances back at Akari and Laventon. “I should probably um... go.”

Akari snorts at his awkwardness, but Ingo stops him. “Pull the brakes for just a moment, Rei.” He flicks the latch on Staravia's pokeball and offers her a healing potion from his satchel. Once she's feeling better, he gestures to Rei. “How do you feel about going along with Rei here?”

Staravia looks him over, then makes a happy chirp.

Rei's eyes widen and he waves his hands. “No, you don't have to give me your Pokemon. It's really alright.”

Ingo waves his own hand dismissively. “She's not mine. She belonged to one of the Security Corp recruits, but he wasn't treating her well and ended up quitting this morning. As much as I'd love to take care of her, I already have six- er, well. Seven Pokemon of my own, so I'm afraid I can't offer her the attention she deserves. You would be doing me a favor by taking her.”

He hesitates. “But... what if I can't take care of her right either?”

“I'm sure you can. You may not know exactly what you're doing, but you're trying. I'll be here in the village once a week to help with training, so if you have any questions I'll be able to help.”

“Oh. Well, then... Ok. I'll take her. Thank you.”

Ingo pinches his eyes as he hands the pokeball over. “You're very welcome. I hope you'll come by and train with me again some other time.”

Rei nods and walks away, heading for the exit to the training grounds without waiting for either Akari or Laventon, who shakes his head at the boy's retreating form. He turns to look at Ingo and smiles brightly. “Thank you, sir. That was very good for him, I think. He's been struggling with his Pokemon for a long time and I simply didn't know how to help him.”

“I'm very happy I was able to help.” He glances around at the somewhat dispersed crowd and the sky, which is starting to turn orange, then back to Akari. “Do you want to stay and continue talking with Professor Laventon, or start heading home?”

She turns to the professor. “Could I come back and talk to you about the Pokedex again next week?”

He smiles. “Of course you can, dear girl. I look forward to it very much!”

She nods. “Me too!” Turning back to her dad, she answers his question. “Lets start heading home.”

“Alright. Give me just a moment to talk to Zisu and I'll be ready.” He walks away to do just that and Akari watches, content to wait.

“I wish to apologize.”

She looks at Laventon in surprise. “What for?”

“I know how Commander Kamado has treated you and your father. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that I wish I had thought to intervene before things became so severe. I hope you can forgive us.”

She smiles at him. “You're not the one who sent me out into the wilds to die and called me a curse.” He cringes at the reminder of exactly what Kamado did. “There's nothing to forgive you for. It's not your fault he decided to do terrible things.”

His smile is a little sad, but his tone is almost awed. “You truly are an exceptional girl, Akari.”

She ducks her head. “If it helps, I haven't forgiven him. Dad hasn't either. I don't know if I ever will, but I'm glad he let us come here. I'm glad I got to meet you.”

Before he can answer, her dad comes back and pats her on the shoulder. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yep!” She waves to Laventon and follows him out of the training grounds.

The man calls after her, “it was lovely to meet you! I look forward to chatting with you again.”

She waves again. “See you next week!”

She and Ingo make it out of town and up to the foothills of Mount Coronet before the sun finally reaches the horizon. At this point, they stop and make camp. Technically, they could have stayed in the village, but they don't need to discuss it to know that neither of them would have been comfortable with that.

As he begins to cook their dinner over the fire, her dad says, “Zisu told me they're holding a midsummer festival in the village. They're planning to invite both of the clans to attend, since they both typically hold their own festivals. Apparently it's also meant as a celebration of the space-time rift closing.”

Akari hums. “Are we going to go?”

He laughs. “If you'd like. I think it might be fun.”

She nods. “Yeah! I think we should go.”

“Alright. It's not for a couple weeks, so I'll let Zisu know we're coming next time we're in Jubilife.”

As they eat dinner and settle down for the night, Akari finds that she's looking forward to it. Even if it's held in Jubilife, a festival will be a lot of fun.

Chapter Text

For the next few weeks, Ingo and Akari visit Jubilife once a week. Ingo continues to help with the training of the Security Corp and Rei, while Akari discusses the Pokedex with Professor Laventon. The second week, she tells him that several people have asked for her help finding Pokemon for themselves, so they do their best to seek those out before they have to go back. She also has a much clearer idea of what she needs to find for her Pokedex, so they try to work on that as well. It's a lot to balance, especially with his own Warden duties to keep up with, but its worth it to make it one step closer to home.

He also spends as much time as possible with Giratina, giving it as much chance to experience the world as he can. He's a little surprised that Akari hasn't asked about their disappearance immediately after they returned from the reverse world, but he's a little glad for it. He doesn't want to worry her unnecessarily if he can avoid it.

The moment they had set foot in the real world, Arceus transported them to what he assumes is its own realm. It was not happy about him bringing Giratina with him, but he'd argued vehemently against its continued imprisonment. Arceus eventually agreed, but it imposed several conditions. First, if it caused any issues with space-time, or if it hurt someone, not only would it be punished, but he would be as well. Ingo agreed without hesitation, but he knows that his daughter wouldn't be happy about it.

The second condition was that it would only be allowed to wander the world freely as long as he was accompanying it. Which means that it has a limited time to experience the world. Ingo knows that his own lifespan is pitifully short in comparison to how long Giratina has spent imprisoned in the reverse world. He tried to argue with Arceus about it, but the god of distortion stopped him before he could anger the creator. It's probably for the best that it did, but he still doesn't like it.

He may not be able to do much about Arceus's judgement, but he can make sure that it enjoys the time it has out in the real world. His own Pokemon get along with it surprisingly well, after a brief period of tension. It warms his heart to watch them play together as much as it does to watch it learning about the world around it. There's absolutely no doubt in his mind that bringing it with him was the right choice.

The week before the festival is to be held, Ingo meets back up with Akari at the gates of Jubilife so they can start making their way home. She smiles when she sees him, then tilts her head. “What do you have?” She gestures to the parcel in his hands.

He crinkles his eyes. “A surprise.”

Her eyes light up. “What kind of surprise?”

Ingo laughs. “You'll have to wait until we get home to find out.”

She jitters in place. “What are we waiting for, then?”

He laughs as she takes off out of the village and follows at a more leisurely pace. Akari's excitement persists through the whole trip home, even if she tries to get him to show her early several times. When they finally reach their tent, she turns and grins at him expectantly.

He can't help but make a serious face and tease, “dinner first.”

Akari's face scrunches up. “Come on!”

He laughs. “Alright, alright.” He holds out the parcel for her. “Take a look.”

She immediately unties the string and unwraps it, then tilts her head at the contents. She picks up the first piece of clothing and sets the rest aside. “It's beautiful.” He watches as she runs her fingers over the designs in the fabric, taking in the detail. Ingo had commissioned the kimono's design to look like Gastrodon, so it's decorated with wavy patterns in pink and brown with yellow trim. Finally, she looks up at him. “What's the occasion?”

He pinches his eyes. “It's for the festival. Zisu told me that people dress up for it so I asked the clothier in town to make this for you.”

She takes out the matching pair of trousers and casual sandals and looks over them as well. “I love them. Thank you!” She sets them aside and throws her arms around him. “Thank you.”

He pats her back. “You're welcome.”

She looks up and gives him a bright smile. “Can I try them on now?”

“They're yours. You can do whatever you'd like with them.”

“I'm gonna try them on.”

He huffs a laugh. “Alright. I'm going to start making dinner, then.”

He turns away, going to the kitchen to chop vegetables and berries, as well as some cured meat, all of which he puts in a pan to fry. He waits until Akari comes up behind him to turn around, and smiles at the sight of her dressed up in her new kimono.

“Looks good. Do you like it?”

She smiles, but there's an edge of anxiety to it. “Yeah. It's really great. Thank you.”

Ingo furrows his brow at the clearly faked enthusiasm. He wipes off his hands on a rag and pats her shoulder. “What's wrong?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing. I really like it.”

“Akari...”

She hangs her head, avoiding looking him in the eye. Her right hand comes up to rub her left arm awkwardly. “It's got shorter sleeves than I'm used to.”

Oh. He slowly takes her left hand and lifts it, rubbing his thumb gently over the point near her wrist where her electrical scar starts. Since the sleeves of this kimono only go to her elbow, the entire, branching scar is visible. “I didn't think about that. I'm sorry, Akari.”

She shakes her head. “No, it's ok. It's just...” She trails off.

“Believe me, I understand.”

Her eyes fall on his own arm, currently covered by the sleeve she made for it, and she gives a humorless laugh. “I know.”

He lifts his other hand to cup her cheek. “Do you want to know what someone very wise told me?”

She raises an eyebrow. “I- I guess?”

He smiles with his eyes and swipes his thumb across her cheek. “She said that even if something is uncomfortable, pretending it isn't part of you doesn't make it go away. She said she wouldn't avoid my scar because I couldn't.”

Akari's eyes widen slightly and she gives another, slightly wetter laugh.

She seems at a loss for words, so he continues on, “I know how hard it is to accept it as part of yourself, and how uncomfortable it can be to let others see, but know that I love you, scar and all. No one thinks any less of you because of it.”

Her voice is very small when she answers. “Th-thanks, Dad.” She wraps her arms around him and buries her face in the front of his kimono.

He pats her back. “How about this? I won't wear my sleeve when we go, that way we'll match.”

He feels more than hears the choked laugh that gets in response. “You don't have to. I don't want your arm hurting.”

“It will be fine for one night.” He does wear it more often than not, but it's not as though he never takes it off.

She takes a shaky breath and headbutts him gently. “Ok. Thank you.” She stays there for a few minutes and he's perfectly happy to comfort her for as long as she needs. Eventually, she lets go of him and steps back, rubbing her eyes.

He goes back to the food he had begun to prepare and brings the pan over to the fire. Akari quickly changes back into her usual clothes, then comes over to sit next to him. He leans over and knocks his head against hers. “You know, I've remembered a lot of things that aren't necessarily just about my life. Did you know that an electrical scar like yours is called a Lichtenberg figure?”

She tilts her head. “I didn't know there was a name for it. Are they... very common?”

He hums. “I don't know if I would say they're common, but you're not actually the first person I've known with one.”

“Really?”

She sounds almost hopeful, which he takes as encouragement to keep talking. “Yes. I worked with a man who survived a severe electrocution from faulty wiring during the construction of a station in Nimbasa. I met him long after it happened, but he still bore the scars.” He gestures to the side of his face, the location of said scars. “He was an excellent Depot Agent. Reliable and trustworthy.”

Akari makes a sort of thoughtful hum and leans into his side. “That's... actually really nice to know. Thank you.”

“You're very welcome.”

He takes the pan off the fire and dishes up food for them both. He's glad that he was able to help her with her anxiety. He wishes she'd never been injured in the first place, but since she was, this is the very least he can do for her.

Chapter Text

Akari and Ingo hike to the clan settlement the day before the festival so they can travel to Jubilife with everyone else. The following morning, Akari gets dressed up in her new kimono and they go out to meet everyone. Several of the other Wardens are already present by the time they arrive.

Palina smiles when she sees them. “Akari, you look so nice!” The woman is wearing a fancy white and pink kimono in a similar style to her own.

Arezu steps up beside her. “Ooh, can I do your hair?”

She stares at the woman for a moment, thrown off by the offer. “Umm... sure?”

“Yes!” She seems genuinely excited, though she stops to wave a hand at Ingo. “Your daughter looks so nice and you didn't get dressed up at all?”

It's true, but her dad huffs in offense. “Does it really matter if I'm dressed up?”

“Of course it matters.” Akari turns to see Melli approaching. “But I'm not surprised you don't understand that.” He's dressed in a robe patterned in blue diamonds and his hair is styled up. “Don't worry, though. I expected this. Come with me.”

Ingo looks like he's going to argue, but instead he just sighs. “Yeah, alright. I'll be right back, Akari.”

She laughs. “Have fun.”

He throws a slightly grumpy look over his shoulder as he follows Melli away. Akari giggles again even as Arezu gestures for her to follow her. She spends the next half hour or so sitting very still and chatting with the Wardens while Arezu works to bring a wavy style to her hair which she says matches her outfit. No one so much as mentions the scar on her arm. She knew they probably wouldn't, but it's still a relief.

By the time Ingo and Melli come back, most of the other Wardens have gathered. He's wearing a black kimono with red trim, with his usual black and red coat over it. He's still wearing his battered hat as well, but it looks like his hair has been trimmed neatly. As he promised, he's not wearing the sleeve she made for him, so the burn scar across his right arm is in full view. He gives her his version of a smile when she jogs up to him.

“You look nice!”

“Thank you.” He seems slightly embarrassed, though she's not totally sure why.

Irida and Adaman arrive soon after, both dressed in complex, ceremonial outfits, just in time for everyone to leave. They're not the only ones going. Many people from the settlement are going as well, so the group traveling to Jubilife is quite large. It's evening by the time they reach the village, with the sun tinging the sky orange.

There are paper lanterns set up all along the streets, with food stalls and other various sources of entertainment. People are already crowding the streets and their group only adds to it. Although the crowd is more than she would usually be comfortable with, the atmosphere is warm and happy and Akari finds herself caught up in it.

She takes Ingo’s hand and tugs on it. “Let’s go, Dad!”

He laughs and lets her pull him around to the various sights. They get fried dough from a food stall to eat while they watch the people dancing and laughing around them. Once they’re finished, Akari insists on trying out all the little games of skill that are set up. She’s quite good at the ones that involve throwing things.

There are performers scattered around, and she darts from one to another excitedly, watching a musician, then a dancer, then a puppet show, then a fire eater. There are even Pokémon incorporated into some of the shows, which she’s happy about.

As the night goes on, things only seem to get more and more lively, but eventually a call goes out to head down to the beach, so they join the crowd going that direction. When they arrive, Melli waves them over to where the Wardens are gathering. They’ve laid out a large blanket to sit on, where Akari and her dad join them. Mai passes him a small cup and fills it from a small bottle. She offers one to Akari too, but Ingo shakes his head. She shrugs and goes to offer some to Palina and Iscan as they arrive.

“What’s that?”

“Sake.” She hums in understanding as he takes a sip and wrinkles his nose. “Not my favorite.”

Melli leans over, getting in his space. “What, do they have better alcohol in the future?”

Ingo huffs a laugh. “I couldn’t say. It’s different, at least.”

The conversation has gained the attention of several others and Palina says, “I suppose a lot of things must be different in the future.”

Her dad tilts his head in thought. “Yes and no. Technology has changed, and people have become closer with Pokémon, but things aren’t really so different. The town my brother and I grew up in held a festival on midsummer every year, and it was quite similar to this one. The bigger picture was different, of course. It was a celebration of the twin dragons who live in Unova. But the details were the same. Friends and family gathered together to spend time and share space together. I don’t expect that’s something people are ever going to stop doing.”

“That's… really comforting, actually.” Palina looks and sounds very touched by his statement. “I worried… well, I don’t know exactly what about, but I’ve been worried about you two. When you go home.”

Akari shares a glance with Ingo, who’s clearly as surprised as she is. Before either of them can say anything, Gaeric agrees, “yeah. It’s nice to know that things aren’t totally different where you’re going.”

“Y-yeah.” Lian looks like he’s on the verge of tears. “That way maybe ya won't forget us.”

“Oh.” Ingo’s eyes are misty now, too. “I could n-” He cuts himself off, presumably as he remembers that he forgot about his own family. “You’re all so important to me. I will always carry the time I spent here with me, and I will never forget you. Not willingly.”

Akari feels the breath catch in her throat, but she forces herself to speak through it. “I-I won’t either. I promise. Y-you’ve all been so k-kind. I’ll never forget any of you.” She may have willingly forgotten her past and her blood family, but she makes a promise to herself too, that she will keep the people she met here in her heart forever.

A call startles all of them and they turn to look toward the waterfront. Several people, both she and her dad included, wipe their eyes as they focus on the boats that have floated out. Akari watches with some confusion as a quick spark lights on one of them, then goes out.

A moment later, she jumps when an explosion rings out above them and a shower of green sparks spreads across the sky. When the second firework goes off, she feels a grin spread across her face. They’re beautiful.

Ingo lays an arm over her shoulders and she leans into him, glancing at his face. When the flashes of color light it up, she can see that there are still tears in his eyes, but they’re pinched at the edges and corners of his mouth are turned up slightly. She nuzzles her head against his side and focuses again on the fireworks.

She understands how he feels. Leaving here, leaving these people who have shown them all such kindness, isn’t easy. But for right now, all they can do is enjoy their company while they still can.

Chapter Text

A few weeks after the midsummer festival, Akari receives a message on her ArcPhone.