Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ingo had learned many things since arriving in Hisui a few months ago.

He had learned how to make a fire. How to cook all sorts of soups, meats, and vegetables over it. How to make traps and fish. How to properly forage and farm. How to mend the small rips in his coat so the fabric wouldn't continue to fray from near constant wear.

While these lessons and practice had been pushed upon him so he could survive in the vast space of Hisui, Ingo had readily accepted them due to another thing he had learned.

That Hisui was incredibly boring.

That wasn't to say nothing happened. There was always something for Ingo to do or someone to lend a hand to. But none of it helped relieve the bone deep boredom Ingo always felt. There was something Ingo wanted to do, but he just couldn't figure out what it was. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch.

He thought it had something to do with the Pokemon he often saw wandering the Icelands. The Pokemon no one would let him near. For good reason, he understood. He had seen the damage one could do if it decided that you were a threat.

But Ingo was still drawn to them, still thought they could be reasoned with. Still thought they could be befriended.

He knew some of them could be. He had seen Irida with her Eevees and Gaeric with his Glalie. But those were different. They were timid species or raised along side the humans they bonded with. But Ingo didn't have that type of connection with a Pokemon, and he wasn't about to go take an egg from a nest just so he could have a Pokemon. That would be needlessly cruel and probably get him killed.

So, here he sat, in front of his tent and bored out of his skull.

Then something smacked him in the face.

“Ahh!” Ingo fell to his back out of shock. He flailed as he tried to get the thing off his face. He felt it scramble upwards and away, yanking at his hair in the process.

Then it was gone, and Ingo could see again.

He sat up, still slightly dazed from the encounter, and saw a couple of Clan members rushing towards him. One was holding a spear.

“Ingo! Are you alright?” the one without the spear said once they reached him.

“I am fine, just a little surprised,” he said, trying to flatten his hair again. “What is going on?”

“A Pokemon ran into the settlement. We're trying to get it out before it hurts anyone.”

Ingo perked up, excited for something to do and the chance to get close to a Pokemon. “Would you like some help? I would be more than willing to join in.”

“That would be great,” the other said, laying on the ground and looking under Ingo's tent, “considering it's under your yurt.”

Ingo reached back to where he had fallen, searching for his hat. He couldn't see it. Stamping down the panic that immediately rose, he noticed a trail in the snow. Likely where the Pokemon had scrambled underneath his tent, probably taking the hat with him. He looked back to the man just as he started poking his spear under the floorboards.

Ingo rushed over. “Sir, please pull the breaks! You are going to scare it further!”

The other man looked at him, confused. “That's the plan. Scare it away so it doesn't come back.”

“I think it's plenty scared right now with how it is hiding. Let me try a different track.”

The guard shrugged, pulled his spear back, and sat up. “Be my guest,” he said with a wave to the gap.

Ingo got down on his stomach and looked under his tent. In the shade, he could only make out the glint of the badge on his hat and the shape of a Pokemon trying to hide under it. Ingo thought he could make out part of a wing and a small, rounded stinger. One of the Gligars he had seen, perhaps?

“Hello, little passenger!” he called to it, trying to keep his normally booming voice soft, “I know you must be scared, but this station is not the best place to hide. Please, allow me to conduct you to a better location. I would also like to ask for my hat back.”

The Pokemon peaked out from behind the hat. Ingo could see that his earlier guess had been correct; it was a Gligar. Although, it looked much smaller than the ones he had seen, and its movements were jerky and shaky as it ducked behind the hat again with a whine.

“Are you injured, little passenger? Please give me a moment.” Ingo pushed himself back up and stood. He entered his tent, careful to step lightly as to not scare the Gligar any further and dug out a few berries from a basket.

Ingo returned to the Gligar and held one out to it. “I have returned, little passenger. Would you like this berry? It should help you.”

“Don’t feed it!” the guard hissed, “It’s just going to return for our food.”

“Then I will personally take responsibility of our little passenger here,” Ingo said, still watching the Gligar. The Pokemon poked its head out again and sniffed. It crept towards Ingo’s hand and snatched the berry from it before scurrying behind the hat again to eat. The Gligar peeked over the hat at Ingo once it had finished.

“I have more berries if you return my hat to me,” Ingo said, showing off another berry. “I promise you I will not allow any harm to occur to your cab. Passenger safety is of utmost importance after all.”

Ingo watched as the Gligar slowly crawled out from under the tent, dragging his hat behind it. In the light, Ingo could see how small the Gligar was, likely still quite young. It chirped at him and held out the hat, movements still jerky. Ingo could see a layer of frost coating the Gligar’s chitin.

Ingo took the hat and placed it on his head again. “Thank you, little passenger. As promised, I will give you more berries, however it appears that Oran berries alone will not be able to properly repair your cab. I believe I have some Aspear berries if you wish to accompany me inside.”

“You can’t be serious,” the other person said. Ingo ignored them, helping the Gligar climb into his arms instead.

“There we go,” Ingo said once the Pokemon was comfortable. He stood and turned towards the other Clan members. “I believe I have this handled now. I will keep an eye on our little passenger and let you know once he has departed. Have a good day.”

Ingo entered his tent without waiting for a response. It would likely be a retort about keeping the Pokemon they were trying to scare away, and Ingo didn’t want to hear it. He put Gligar on the bed and surrounded him in blankets. It didn’t take long for Ingo to find the berry he was looking for and hand it over. He sat on the floor next to the bed.

“Quite the hungry one, aren’t you?” Ingo said, watching Gligar suck the juice out of the berry, “I bet you are feeling much better now. You must be very strong to have withstood an ice attack that left you with frostbite and then make it here to the settlement.”

Gligar finished his berry, the frost all melted now, and grinned at Ingo.

Ingo’s heart skipped a beat at the sight as a faint verrrry strong echoed in his head. Did he once partner with a Gligar in the past he couldn’t remember? Was that what he’d been missing, a Pokemon by his side? Ingo couldn’t be certain, but it felt right. Perhaps not a Gligar now that he was thinking about it. Ingo didn’t know as much about this species as he did others he had seen, such as Rufflets and Basculins.

Maybe it was something else that felt familiar to Ingo. Gligar’s smile had drawn him in. He knew he didn’t smile much, not in a way that the others in the Clan noticed at least. Maybe he knew someone else who smiled? Or perhaps another Pokemon?

It didn’t matter what it was that refused to surface, Ingo knew he liked his little passenger regardless.

Gligar clicked at Ingo, bringing him back to the tent. He held his claws out, opening and closing them.

“My apologies, little passenger,” Ingo said, shaking his head to clear it, “My thoughts like to make unscheduled departures. Would you like another berry?” He held out another Oran berry.

Gligar held the berry in his mouth as he crawled up Ingo’s arm and down onto his lap. He curled up and sucked on the berry.

Ingo hovered his hand over Gligar for a moment before lowering it to pet the Pokemon. Gligar briefly tensed, then leaned into the hand, making a clicking purr.

“I am glad you are feeling better, little passenger,” Ingo said, feeling Gligar’s breathing level out but the purr become louder, “Please let me know when you wish to leave, and I shall conduct you properly.”

Truthfully, Ingo didn’t want the little Gligar to leave. But he wasn’t obligated to stay just because Ingo had helped him. He probably had others who missed him and a home to return to. Ingo couldn’t make him stay just because he wanted some company.

But Gligar had come to a human settlement when it was hurt. Maybe it was just the closest place to hide, but maybe he had no where else to go. It was obvious that Gligar was still quite young. Perhaps it was still learning how to fend for itself. Perhaps he would want to stay with Ingo.

He would offer Gligar the choice. He wanted the Pokemon to stay, but if Gligar wanted to leave, then Ingo would let him. A Pokemon chose you as much as you chose the Pokemon.

“Are you sleeping, little passenger? I wish to ask you something,” Ingo whispered.

He was met by soft chittering.

“Would you like to stay here with me?” he continued, “I can provide you food and shelter if you wish. We can partner with each other and reach even greater heights together. I think that would be nice. But only if you wish to join me on this track. If you do not, as I said before, let me know when you wish to leave, and I shall conduct you accordingly.”

Gligar was still for a moment. Ingo held his breath, waiting for his decision. Eventually, Gligar shifted and tucked in closer to Ingo’s stomach with a chirp.

“Does this mean you wish to stay?” Ingo asked hopefully.

Gligar chirped again and nuzzled his head into Ingo’s hand.

Ingo laughed. “Well then, little passenger, welcome aboard! I feel as if I am missing something to make our coupling official, but I suppose we can figure that out later. For now, you should rest. You are still recovering.”

With another chirp, that was notably sleepier than the others, Gligar relaxed under Ingo’s hand and fell asleep. Ingo, stuck on the floor until his new friend awoke, tilted his head against his bed and pulled his hat down over his eyes.

A nap did sound pretty good right about now.

Chapter Text

With Gligar by his side, Ingo found that Hisui wasn’t as boring anymore. He could travel farther throughout the Icelands and explore more of his new space. The other Pokemon would often stay away from the two of them, not wanting to fight if they didn’t need to.

There were a few Pokemon that would still try to fight them, despite Ingo’s best efforts to avoid them. Most of them were far too strong for Ingo and Gligar and they would need to run away. But there were a few that Gligar could battle against, which he would do so gladly. With every victory, Gligar would swoop back on top of Ingo's hat and chitter excitedly, as if telling him all about it.

It was fun travelling and exploring with a Pokemon by his side. It felt familiar, like he’d done this before. Did he have a Pokemon waiting for him at his original home station? Were they being taken care of in his absence? Would they like Gligar if he decided to return with him if Ingo ever found a way home?

But Ingo couldn’t dwell on those thoughts right now, not when their regular was following them.

Out of all the Pokemon that liked to challenge Ingo and Gligar, it was the Machops by the hot springs near Avalugg’s Legacy that did it the most often. They wanted to test their strength and show off to their friends, which was as cute as it was admiral.

There was one Machop in particular that came by nearly every time Ingo and Gligar walked past. It had never won against Gligar, but it was determined to always try again. Ingo admired that determination, and he and Gligar would always accept its challenge.

“Hello again, challenger!” Ingo said as he turned to face the Machop, “I take it you wish to battle once again?”

The Machop stamped its feet in excitement and took its usual battle pose.

Ingo laughed, looking up in Gligar's direction, even if he couldn't see him past his hat brim. “What say you, little passenger? Do you wish battle?”

Gligar chittered back and swooped down to face the Machop.

“Very well then!” On impulse, Ingo swung a hand out, pointing, and grabbed his hat brim with the other. He wasn’t sure why he did that, but it felt right. “Full steam ahead!”

The battle was longer than they typically were, with the Machop dodging many of Gligar’s attacks and even managing to land some strong hits on him.

“I see you have been training, challenger!” Ingo called over the match, “Don’t let up, little passenger!”

A few more attacks were exchanged. Then, Gligar was knocked to the ground and gave a cry of surrender. Machop had won.

Even though he and Gligar had lost, Ingo still felt excitement swell in his chest. “Bravo!” Ingo cheered, clapping, “You have reached the destination called Victory! I hope you continue on to greater goals! Now, if you will excuse me, I must make sure my little passenger is alright.”

Ingo crouched down to Gligar, who was now sticking out his tongue dramatically and pretending to be dead. He looked a little rough, but nothing a few berries wouldn’t fix. Ingo took one from his pouch and held it out to Gligar. He took it and ate it quickly, sitting up and reaching for another one afterwards.

“Alright, I will get you another,” Ingo laughed, grabbing another berry, “Please eat this one slower or you will give yourself the hiccups again.”

Gligar took the berry and ate it a little slower than before.

Movement to his side caught Ingo’s attention. He looked over to see Machop sitting on the snow next to him. Ingo held a berry out to them.

“Would out like one as well, challenger? You took some hard hits during that battle too,” Ingo asked.

Machop sniffed the berry in Ingo’s hand and took it gently. They shoved it in their mouth, getting juice all over their face, and chewed happily, wiggling their feet side to side.

“I am glad you like it, challenger,” Ingo said, taking out a berry for himself.

The three sat for a while, enjoying their snacks. Gligar and Machop chittered with each other in between bites.

Ingo couldn’t help but be a little sad once their impromptu picnic was finished. Ingo had taken a liking to his regular challenger and would miss them once they parted aways again. He was sure they would cross paths again, but it would be nice for Machop to join them. Gligar seemed to like them too. Maybe Machop would like to come with them.

Before Ingo could ask, however, Machop stood, gave a little cry, and ran off back towards the hot springs.

Ingo waved, trying to mask his disappointment, as he called, “Farewell, challenger. I hope to see you again!” He sighed as he stood and held a hand down for Gligar to climb up. “We should be going as well, little passenger.”

Gligar clicked at Ingo and patted the ground.

“I suppose that we can stay a little longer.” Ingo sat back down. “I was hoping to ask if our regular challenger wished to join cars with us. Another time, perhaps.”

Gligar jumped in front of Ingo, chittering and flapping his wings rapidly.

Ingo tilted his head. “I’m afraid I do not understand, little passenger.”

Gligar deflated slightly, then something caught his eye. He perked back up and flew off.

“Little passenger!” Ingo called, “Where are you going?”

Ingo stood and turned towards where Gligar had gone. Running back from the hot springs was Machop, face still covered in dried berry juice. Gligar landed on their head, covering their eyes. Machop laughed and pushed Gligar off their face. Once they could see again, they ran over to Ingo and called up at him.

“Hello again, challenger,” Ingo said, “Why have you returned so soon?”

Machop hummed at Ingo and grabbed the bottom of his coat. Gligar, still on Machop’s head, pointed a claw forward and gave a series of trilling clicks, a mimicry of Ingo’s ‘all aboard’.

“Do you wish to come with us, challenger?” Ingo asked, hopeful.

Machop nodded with a grunt.

Ingo’s eyes squinted slightly, his own version of a smile. “You were just saying your own farewells, was that it? Very well then! But before we depart, let’s get you cleaned up. Your face is still covered in juice.”

Ingo crouched back down and used some of the water from his water skin to dampen the cuff of his sleeve. Less than ideal, but he could live with a wet sleeve until they got home. After a second of wiping down Machop, who squirmed like a fussy child the whole time, they were cleaned up.

With that, Ingo stood and pointed in the direction of his tent. “Now then, next stop: the settlement! All aboard!”

With another car on the tracks, Ingo led the way back to the Pearl Clan. At this rate, he was going to get a reputation. Oh well. He liked having Pokemon around and two wasn’t even close to a full team. Although, if Ingo wanted to partner with more Pokemon, or if Gligar and Machop wanted to evolve, it would get quite crowded in his tent.

Ingo was sure there must be something to hold his Pokemon. A place for them to rest and made for easy and compact travel. Something that fit in his hand. Ingo could almost feel it, smooth and round, a weight at his hip. Maybe he would ask around later.

For now, he had a tent to return to and dinner for three to make.

Chapter Text

Perhaps Ingo should have prepared better. Or at least paid attention to where he was going.

He just wanted to explore further than the Icelands. So, he had packed enough for a few days travel and set out for the Highlands. It took a grand total of one hour after arriving for Ingo to find an entrance to one of the many tunnel systems. He had gone in without a second thought.

With Gligar and Machop running around as they always did, the Pokemon that resided in the tunnels caused little trouble. Which was lucky for Ingo as he was immediately lost in his thoughts the moment he walked in. There was something familiar about being underground, the slight metallic tinge to the air, the rumbling from the Onix and Steelix moving above.

This all led to Ingo and his Pokemon getting quite lost.

Ingo tried to find the way out, but it wasn’t working. They just ended up going in circles and deeper in the tunnels.

It was easy to tell his Pokemon were tired. Gligar had fallen asleep on his hat, a place he was starting to get too big for, and Machop was slowing down. He didn’t want to tell them that he had gotten them lost. That would do nothing but give Machop unneeded stress.

“I believe a rest may be in order,” Ingo said instead once they reached a circular opening. There were a few Nosepass standing at the far end, but they were calm Pokemon for the most part. As long as they didn’t bother the Nosepass, the Nosepass wouldn’t bother them. “Let’s take a break for a little while.”

Ingo sat against the nearby wall, Machop following with a thump and leaning against his side. He couldn’t keep dragging his Pokemon around when they were so tired. There had to be a better way to travel with Pokemon, somewhere they could rest while Ingo continued on. He was sure of it, but he hadn’t seen or heard about anything like that.

There was a small hum from Ingo’s side. He looked down to see that Machop had fallen asleep as well. Ingo wrapped his arm around them as he tucked them under his coat.

“Now what?” he wondered aloud.

Ingo tried to pull out a bit of food, hoping to at least refuel a little while he sat here, but managed to spill half of his bag’s contents in the process.

“Great,” Ingo huffed in defeat. One of the Nosepass from across the opening turned to look at him.

Holding the bit of dried meat he was planning to eat in his mouth, Ingo started repacking the bag as best he could with one hand. Nearly everything was packed when the Nosepass started walking over.

Ingo froze, not wanting to startle the Pokemon. While Nosepass would typically run off or freeze if scared, there was always the chance one would lash out. Ingo couldn't risk that with both of his Pokemon asleep.

The Nosepass stopped in front of the remaining berries and bits of crunchy salt on the ground. It looked at them carefully, then picked up the crunchy salt and munched on it.

Ingo let out his breath. “Were you just hungry?” he asked, taking the food from his mouth, “Feel free to enjoy those berries and salt. As you likely saw, they fell from my bag, but you can have them.”

The two ate in silence as Gligar and Machop continued to sleep. They must have been exhausted. Ingo felt awful for pushing them so far, but he really thought he would be able to get them out. He had let them down.

Ingo finished his snack and sighed, “You wouldn’t happen to know the way out of here, would you?”

The Nosepass looked at Ingo, then turned and pointed down the way Ingo had entered from. He was afraid it was going to leave them as it waddled off, but it paused just as it reached the entrance of the tunnel and looked back.

“Are you planning on showing me out?” Ingo asked. The Nosepass pointed back towards the tunnel.

Ingo managed to stand and readjust his bag without disturbing Machop or Gligar. He then crouched to pick Machop up. They stirred a little as Ingo set them on his hip.

“Sorry, challenger. We are setting off again, but you may continue sleeping,” he whispered down to them. Machop hummed again and went back to sleep.

Ingo walked up next to the Nosepass, resituating Gligar and Machop so they wouldn’t wake. “Well then, trusty compass, lead the way.”

Ingo followed as the Nosepass led him through the tunnels. It was slow going between the Pokemon stopping at every intersection to determine which way to go and its little legs. Eventually though, they rounded a corner and Ingo could see the outside in front of them.

They stepped out into the sun. It was beginning to set, painting the cliffs orange.

“Bravo! You have led us to the exit perfectly!” Ingo praised. “Thank you for your help, trusty compass.”

Nosepass rocked side to side.

“I should set up camp,” Ingo said, looking around for a place to do so.

There was a relatively flat area that was shielded nicely by some cliffs not too far away. Hopefully Gligar and Machop would wake when Ingo made dinner. He didn’t want to stay up too late because his Pokemon couldn’t fall asleep after having such a long nap. Although, with the day they had, he might not need to worry about that too much.

Nosepass still hadn’t returned to the tunnels. “Would you like to stay for dinner, trusty compass?” Ingo offered, “It’s the least I could do after all your help.”

Nosepass grumbled in acceptance at him.

“Very well. Let us depart then. All aboard!”

Ingo had mostly set up camp when Gligar woke. He was still obviously tired, laying on top of Nosepass and chattering with him. Machop woke once dinner was cooking and watched the fire as they sat against Nosepass, joining in on his and Gligar’s conversation.

Dinner was eaten quickly, as Ingo expected. By the time the sun had completely set, Gligar and Machop were asleep again, curled up together in the little tent. Only Ingo and Nosepass were still awake.

They may have only met a few hours ago, but Ingo knew he would be sad to see Nosepass go. He provided a nice calmness that the other two Pokemon lacked with their young age. As Ingo busied himself with bedtime preparations, Nosepass simply watched instead of jumping all over him or trying to prove he wasn’t tired.

Soon enough, Ingo was finished his tasks and he couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore. He sat next to Nosepass and gave his head a rub. He couldn’t help but feel like the stony dust that stayed on his hand was a well known occurrence.

“Well, trusty compass,” Ingo said, “I believe this is farewell. You probably wish to return to your home. Thank you again for all your help.”

Nosepass pressed into Ingo with a low rumble.

They sat like that for a while, watching the stars, neither making any indication of wanting to leave. Ingo couldn’t help but hope that maybe Nosepass wanted to stay.

He had to ask.

“Trusty compass,” Ingo said softly, looking over at Nosepass, “would you like join our little group? I must tell you though, we are simply visiting this station and will be heading back to the Icelands in a few days. But if you wish to join us, we would be more than happy to have you accompany us.”

Nosepass rumbled in delight and wobbled from side to side, bonking into Ingo a few times.

“Well then,” Ingo laughed, “Welcome aboard, trusty compass! I am sure the others will be delighted in the morning. Let’s rest out engines for now though, it is getting awfully late. Would you like to join us in the tent or do you prefer to stay outside?”

Nosepass waddled into the tent. Ingo entered, closed the flap behind him, and watched Nosepass settle next to Gligar and Machop, falling asleep quickly.

Ingo wasn’t far behind.

Chapter Text

It turned out that Ingo was right about that thing to make travel with his Pokemon easier.

After a few trips to and from the Highlands, Ingo had run into a few people who said they were part of the Galaxy Team. One of them, Captain Zisu she had introduced herself as, had a couple of red balls hanging from her hip. She was happy to explain them when Ingo asked about them. She had even given him a few for his Pokemon and brief instructions on how to make them.

Ingo was glad his Pokemon liked their Pokeballs, even if only Nosepass really used it during travelling. The slight weight of the Pokeballs at his hip were comforting in a similar way his coat and hat were. Something familiar.

Ingo was back in the settlement now, keeping an eye on his Pokemon as they played with the kids who had wandered over. They looked to have started a snowball fight, Gligar dropping snow from the sky and Nosepass acting as cover for one of the kids. Machop didn’t seem to fully understand the game and was trying to hit the balls out of the air.

Ingo sat away from them, practicing carving out an apricorn. He didn’t want to waste the few metal clasps he had on lackluster Pokeballs, so practice was essential. The one he was working on was beginning to look like a strong candidate so far.

“Hi, Ingo. What are you doing?” Irida said, causing Ingo to jump and his knife to slip. “Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Ingo took a second to compose himself, making sure he wasn’t hurt and the apricorn wasn’t damaged, before answering, “It is alright, Lady Irida. I did not hear your arrival over the kids’ game. I’m just practicing some carving myself.” He put away his carving things and stood up. “What brings you to my station?”

Irida fanned herself idlily. “I just wanted to see how you’ve been settling here in the Pearl Clan. I’ve also heard of your trips to the Highlands. Do you like it there?”

“Oh, yes! The Highlands are quite enjoyable. That’s where our trusty compass joined cars with us.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” Irida said. It seemed like there was something else on her mind, but Ingo thought it would be rude to ask. “That’s your third Pokemon, right?”

“Indeed he is, Lady Irida. My little passenger and challenger joined me prior to my trips to the Highlands,” Ingo said, “We make quite the team, if I do say so myself.”

Irida opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a shriek. Ingo looked over to see the kids hiding behind Nosepass and Machop trying to attack Gligar, who was gearing up for an attack of his own.

“GLIGAR! MACHOP!” Ingo shouted, causing both attacks to fizzle out, “What are you doing?”

The two Pokemon ran over to Ingo, calling out to him as if tattling on the other. They stopped in front of him and continued their chattering, now with added pointing and gestures.

Ingo crouched down to them and waited for them to finish. “I don’t care who started it. You both know the rules,” he said once they stopped, “No battling without supervision. If you cannot follow the rules, I will have to ask you both to return to your seats. Is that understood?”

Both Pokemon nodded, looking at the ground. Ingo stood back up.

“Alright, you may return to your game. But no more fighting. You are scaring the other children.”

The Pokemon looked surprised and looked back to the kids, who were starting to leave the relative safety of Nosepass. They ran off towards them, trying their best to apologise. The game started back up quickly.

“I apologise for them, Lady Irida,” Ingo said, turning back to her, “Those two are still young and don’t always know how to calmly sort out their disagreements. They are also quite competitive.”

“Do they do that often?” she asked, looking a little shaken.

“No, they usually get along quite well. But as I said, they are still young, so fights are bound to happen.”

“Well, you have a handle on them.”

“It’s not hard if you listen to them,” Ingo said, “It can be difficult at first, as Pokemon communicate in different ways. But with patience, it can come easily.”

Irida hummed in thought. “I might ask you for some help with my Eevees then,” she said after a moment, “They’re a handful when they get going. Especially now that the oldest’s evolved into a Glaceon.”

“Has she now? Bravo! I will have to congratulate her next I see her. But I would be more than happy to help, Lady Irida. Just tell me when.” There was a tap against Ingo’s knee. He looked down to see Nosepass starting to nod off next to him.

Ingo crouched down again. “Hello, trusty compass. Are you getting tired?”

Nosepass rumbled quietly.

“Oh yes, those two can be hard to keep up with,” Ingo said with a pat, “I am glad you know when to rest your engine.” He held out Nosepass’s ball to him. “Would you like to return to your seat or for me to conduct you back to the tent?”

Nosepass tapped his ball a disappeared in a flash.

“Rest well, trusty compass,” Ingo said to the ball before replacing it on his belt.

“What is that?” Irida asked, a note of disdain in her voice.

“It is a Pokeball!” Ingo said, standing up, “I’ve learned about them recently and they are quite useful in transporting Pokemon.”

Irida frowned. “You’re limiting their space with those things.”

“There’s no need to worry, Lady Irida,” Ingo reassured, “They can release themselves whenever they please.”

“Well, I still don’t like them,” Irida huffed, crossing her arms.

Ingo bit his tongue about how he thought Irida was wrong. He couldn’t really explain his trust behind the contraptions, and he didn’t want to push his already slightly tentative acceptance.

“Then don’t use them,” he said instead, “If it helps, I asked my Pokemon if they wished to be captured before doing so. I would never capture a Pokemon that did not wish it. Unless it would benefit them or others in a way. If the Pokemon was injured or stuck in a dangerous location and needed help, for example. I would release them as soon as it was safe to do so in that case.”

“I guess that’s something,” Irida sighed, “Just don’t let the elders see them. They won’t be as understanding as me.”

Ingo nodded. “I will keep that in mind, Lady Irida.”

There was another tug at his coat. Ingo looked down to see Machop looking blearily up at him, Gligar resting on their head.

“I think it’s time for us to return to our station, Lady Irida,” he said with a tip of his hat. He crouched down and gave Machop and Gligar their choice of Pokeball or being carried. Gligar climbed up onto Ingo’s head while Machop grabbed his arm. Ingo laughed and readjusted his hat so Gligar wouldn’t fall.

“Alright, up you go,” Ingo said, placing Machop on his hip and standing with a groan, “You’re starting to get too heavy for this, challenger. But I suppose that means I just need to get stronger. I hope to see you again soon, Lady Irida. Have a good day.”

“You too, Ingo,” she laughed, “I see your reputation around the Clan is right.”

Ingo tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean?”

“You act a bit like a father towards your Pokemon.”

Careful not to disturb Gligar, he looked down at Machop, who was resting peacefully against his chest. “I am afraid I don’t I understand,” Ingo said, looking back up at Irida, “I’m just carrying these two back home as they are too tired to walk or fly and do not wish to return to their Pokeballs.”

“Sure.” Irida sounded skeptical.

“I- I need get this one to a proper bed before my arms give out,” Ingo said, feeling his face start to heat up, “They have gotten much heavier these last few weeks. Goodbye, Lady Irida.”

“Bye, Ingo,” Irida said, “But if you could stay around the settlement for the next couple days, I want to introduce you to someone.”

“Not a problem. I was not planning on taking another trip for another few days anyway. I look forwards to meeting them.”

With that, Ingo left to his tent.

Chapter Text

Ingo was a Warden.

He had barely even been here a year, but he was a Warden now.

He still wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened. Irida said she wanted to introduce Ingo to someone, then a few days later he was standing before Lady Sneasler. Ingo had already ran into her a few times around the Highlands, the large basket she carried made her stand out, and he thought she was quite friendly. This continued to be the case that day, as Lady Sneasler immediately started bugging Ingo for scratches when she saw him.

This, apparently, was not normal.

According to Irida, Lady Sneasler was typically much more standoffish, that she tended to carry out her duty as a Ride Noble then leave others alone, that she had refused every other person Irida had presented as a potential Warden without a second thought. She never got close to people unless she had to, much less actively begged to be manhandled.

So, after some convincing that he wasn’t taking the position from someone else and that, even if he was new to the Clan, he was more than capable and qualified to take the position, Ingo accepted.

He also got to live in the Highlands, which might have been what pushed it over the edge if he was being honest.

Wardenship wasn’t as complex as Ingo thought it was going to be. It mostly just involved a few extra tasks as he walked around the mountain side and making sure the people traveling through were safe. Well, the later job was more self-appointed, but it made sense to him. Passenger safety was important and as the Warden of the Ride Noble of the area, Ingo took it upon himself to ensure it.

Most obstacles and dangers were easily avoidable and preventable with the proper knowledge. They were predictable. Even things like potential rockslides became easy to spot if you knew what you were looking for. Between all his trips and now living here, Ingo had become well acquainted with the area.

The space-time distortions were another matter.

They showed up with little to no warning. The only real indication of the distortions was a shift in the air and a tint to the sky, which could easily go missed. They weren’t confined to the Highlands either. Ingo heard from his fellow Wardens that the distortions were appearing in other parts of Hisui too. The Pokemon that appeared inside were dangerous, hostile, and many times unrecognisable to anyone but Ingo, even if he still wasn’t certain how he knew them. Thankfully, they would leave with the distortions.

At least, they usually did.

Ingo wasn’t sure where else the Magnezone frantically flying around the cliffs could have come from. He had been trying to follow it to make sure it wasn’t going to harm itself or its surroundings, but he often lost sight of it. It was difficult to follow something that didn’t need to worry about the terrain around a mountain. At least it hadn’t damaged anything yet.

Having rounded a boulder, Ingo finally caught up to the Magnezone again. He stayed out of its sight, as he had been doing all day, not wanting to startle it. He just wanted to make sure it had calmed down enough to not be a danger.

It seemed to have mostly calmed down, only a few stray sparks flying off it now. Nothing too strong if they were to hit something. At worst it would feel like a strong static shock, a little painful but ultimately harmless. Satisfied that any immediate danger had passed, Ingo turned to leave the Magnezone to its own devices.

Then it whined and he froze.

It didn’t whine like any other Pokemon, more of a quiet buzzing sound that Ingo felt was familiar in multiple ways. It made sense, this Pokemon clearly being less organic in nature, that it would sound different too. But despite this, he could easily read the emotions behind it.

The whine was a sad, lonely, and scared whine.

Ingo couldn’t just leave it here.

He turned back around and slowly walked out from behind the boulder. “Hello there,” he called out.

The Magnezone spun to face Ingo, then came zipping right towards him.

Ingo took a step back out of surprise. Gligar released himself. The Magnezone froze, then floated downwards slightly, as if curling in on itself, with another sad whine.

“Wait a moment, little passenger!” Ingo said, stepping forwards, “I believe our metallic friend is simply lost. Am I correct?”

The Magnezone buzzed, hopeful, and inched closer.

“You see, little passenger, nothing to be worried about. Thank you for your attentiveness anyhow.”

Gligar chittered at the Magnezone, who buzzed back. Seeming content, Gligar returned to his ball.

“Well now,” Ingo said, closing the distance between himself and the Magnezone, “My name is Ingo. Can I conduct you home?”

It buzzed sadly, nudging its face into Ingo’s chest.

“Did you come from a distortion then?” Ingo asked softly.

It whined and drooped even further towards the ground.

“I see,” Ingo said. He placed his hands under the lip that stuck out around Magnezone. “We are much the same in that way.”

Magnezone looked up. Ingo smiled down at them.

“It is true, my metallic friend,” Ingo said, moving one hand to pet the top of Magnezone’s head, “I may not remember how I arrived, but I am also not from here. I was lost and confused, but I was taken in by a group called the Pearl Clan. They helped me feel welcomed here, but I still wish to return to my home station one day. Would you like to join me on these tracks?”

Magnezone buzzed happily, sending a small current up Ingo’s arms. It felt so familiar.

“Hey, that tickles!” Ingo laughed. “Well, since you’ve agreed so excitedly, welcome to the team, my metallic friend!”

Ingo dug a free Pokeball out from his bag and held it out to Magnezone. Before he had a chance to explain what it was, Magnezone tapped the ball and let themself be caught.

“Huh,” Ingo said as Magnezone released themself, “Do you already know what a Pokeball is?”

They buzzed an affirmative, then tilted, confused.

“They are new here. Not many know what they are,” Ingo explained, “Although, I find them quiet familiar even with my amnesia. If you know what they are as well, perhaps we really are from the same place.”

Magnezone nuzzled in close. Ingo gave them a pet.

“It will be alright, metallic friend,” Ingo sighed, “One day, I am sure our tracks will lead us home. In the meantime, how about we take a break here and I can introduce you to the rest of the team?”

Ingo was glad that the other three liked Magnezone. Gligar was pleased that he had someone to fly around with now, while Machop seemed excited at the prospect of a new battle partner. Nosepass looked like he was thankful that Magnezone wasn’t as rowdy as the younger two, settling in closer once Magnezone made it clear they didn’t want to fly around right now.

While Magnezone looked glad to have found a group here, Ingo could tell they were still upset at their displacement. He could relate, but he was telling the truth to Magnezone. One day he would find a way back to his home station.

Him and Magnezone both.

Chapter Text

After a few months of being a Warden, Ingo decided that he should probably explore the other areas of Hisui. Sure, the Highlands were nice, but there were other places to see, other Pokemon to battle.

And battle they did! Gliscor and Machoke even managed to evolve. Ingo was just glad he remembered that Gliscor would need a razor fang and managed to find one before he got too annoyed that he wasn’t evolved when Machoke was. Nosepass seemed content to stay as a Nosepass for now. Though, being able to be carried around my Machoke probably influenced that.

Ingo had just finished his visit to the Coastlands and was traveling back through the Mirelands when Zisu stopped him. She had visited the Highlands a few times, but it had been a while since they had seen each other. After a quick Pokemon battle, Ingo won but it was close, she invited him back to their campsite for a break and to heal up their teams. Ingo was glad to accept.

After a while though, Zisu asked for his help. She had reason to believe that a Pokemon was getting into their food supplies and wondered if he had any ideas on how to deal with it. While general suggestions, like keeping the food high up, were good, Ingo decided that figuring out what Pokemon was the culprit would be best. That way they could figure out more specific solutions.

Soon enough, Ingo and Zisu were crouched behind some rocks, watching the food supplies.

“When did you say the Pokemon appears?” Ingo asked quietly.

“Sometime during the afternoon, we think,” Zisu said, “We’re usually pretty busy then and there’s less food in the chest than there should be by the time dinner rolls around.”

Ingo glanced up at the sun directly above their heads. “We might be here a while.”

They were, in fact, there a while. Ingo had to let his Pokemon wander due to how antsy they were starting to get. Being the oldest, Nosepass was put in charge and given orders to send Magnezone if things got too hectic.

Just as Ingo was starting to get fidgety himself, the culprit made itself known. A small Tangela came waddling up to the storage bin, not a care in the world to its surroundings. It used a couple vines to crack open the chest and take a few berries. It then sat down and began eating, feet and vines wiggling happily.

“Oh, it’s adorable,” Ingo couldn’t help but say.

“Ingo, may I remind you that it’s eating our food,” Zisu said.

“Right, of course,” Ingo said, slowly coming out from behind the rocks, “Quiet now, Captain Zisu. We don’t want to startle it.”

Slowly, they approached the Tangela, who had returned to the chest for more food. Once they were within the Tangela’s reaching distance, Ingo stopped and pulled out one of his own berries.

“Hello, little Tangela. I don’t believe that’s yours,” he called out to it. The Tangela froze, then slowly, guilty, turned towards them. Ingo could hear Zisu holding back a laugh. It then every so slowly pulled its vines out of the box, watching them unblinking the whole time. It was still holding a berry.

“May we have that berry back please?” Ingo asked, extending his arm. “I would be willing to trade this berry for it.”

The Tangela continued to stare at them for a minute, then snaked out the vine holding the berry towards them. It dropped the berry and snatched the one Ingo was holding, yanking its vine back and eating the berry quickly.

“There you go,” Ingo said as Zisu grabbed the discarded berry. “Now, I know these berries are easy to get, but they are already someone else’s. You will need to find food elsewhere.”

The Tangela waddled up to them. Before Ingo could do anything, it started trying to rummage through his pockets for more berries.

“Ah! No, not from me!” Ingo said, failing to hold back laughter as he tried to escape, “Plea-ease stop! That, that tickles! Ca-aptain Zi-i-su, he- HA!”

The Tangela didn’t stop. Zisu didn’t help, instead laughing at his predicament. Ingo collapsed to the ground, unable to hold himself up anymore, gasping for breath between laughs.

Thankfully, just as it was starting to get painful, the tickling stopped. Catching his breath as the last few laughs left his system, Ingo looked up to see Tangela being held by Lady Sneasler. She had found another berry and was eating it.

“Thank you, Lady Sneasler. At least someone around here cares about my well being,” Ingo deadpanned.

“Come on,” Zisu laughed, helping Ingo back up, “You were fine.”

“I was a victim of a terrible and vicious Pokemon attack,” Ingo joked. “Honestly, I’m lucky to be alive right now.”

“Oh, of course,” Zisu played along, “The Pearl Clan was almost down their newest Warden.”

A beat passed before they both broke into laughter.

“As fun as this afternoon as been, Captain Zisu, I believe I am wanted back at the Highlands,” Ingo said once they calmed down. “I hope to see you again soon!”

“Yeah, you too!” Zisu said, “And just call me Zisu! No need for the ‘Captain’ stuff. You aren’t even in the Security Corps.”

“Are you sure?” Ingo asked. “I do not want to be rude.”

“Yeah, I’m sure! Don’t worry about sounding rude. I don’t think you got a rude bone in your body!” Zisu laughed, giving Ingo a slap on the back. He barely managed to not get sent back to the ground again. “Hey, Why don’t you come by Jubilife Village sometime? It’s just past the Fieldlands. We’ve just set up a proper battle grounds and I’m sure the rest of the Security Corps would love some extra training.”

Ingo couldn’t deny the excitement he felt at the promise of more battles. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Zisu! I will be sure to add your station to my itinerary next time I visit Warden Lian.”

Lady Sneasler, no longer holding Tangela, started tugging on Ingo.

“It appears to be my departure time. I’ll see you again, Zisu!” Ingo called out, being dragged further away.

“See you later, Ingo!” Zisu called back with a wave.

Ingo managed to escape Lady Sneasler’s grasp for long enough to call for his Pokemon. Once everyone was either in their Pokeballs or following along, they headed back the Highlands. Ingo couldn’t help but be a little sad about not being able to say a proper goodbye to Tangela. He also realized he and Zisu never actually discussed how to prevent her from getting into the food storage. He’d send Gliscor or Magnezone with a letter later.

Right as they made it to Wayward Cave, Ingo saw Lady Sneasler’s basket jostle strangely.

“My Lady, do you have anything in your basket?” Ingo asked before they entered the cave.

Lady Sneasler made a confused sound and removed the basket, placing it on the ground. She and Ingo leaned over it as she opened it.

“It appears we have a stowaway,” Ingo said, looking down at Tangela. Said Tangela immediately started reaching up towards Ingo and wrapping her vines around him. “I don’t have anymore berries. You already took them all.”

That didn’t stop Tangela from once again going through every single one of Ingo’s pockets once he had lifted her out of the basket.

“No! Not a-a-again!” Ingo gasped between involuntary laughs.

Ingo was only freed once Magnezone found some berries and, after some convincing, got Gliscor to help bring them over.

“Now then,” Ingo said, brushing himself off and pulling out a Pokeball. He could already tell Tangela wasn’t going to leave them alone any time soon and, reluctantly, she had grown on him. “You are welcome to stay, stowaway, but you need to stop tickling me every time you are hungry. Would you like to join our team? Simply tap the ball and allow yourself to be captured. You can also release yourself whenever you wish.”

Tangela looked up at him. Then she looked at Magnezone, then at Gliscor, then back at Ingo as she finished her berry. She looked down at the Pokeball, then tapped it, disappearing in a flash of light and a click of the ball. She released herself and immediately started eating more berries.

“Bravo! Welcome to the team, stowaway!” Ingo cheered. “You are quite the hungry one, aren’t you? You and little passenger will eat me out of house and home. Please try not to give yourself a stomach ache. Now, let’s return to our home station. Would you mind carrying our stowaway, Lady Sneasler? That way she can continue her meal.”

They were almost home when Ingo froze in sudden, months late, realization.

“Lady Irida was right. I have become a father.”

Chapter Text

Ingo was glad he had taken Zisu up on her invitation to visit Jubilife Village, even if some of the battles were, to put it politely, lackluster. Although, that should have been expected when Zisu was becoming less of a challenge to beat. The five Pokemon certainly didn’t help either when the majority of the Security Corps only had one or two.

Other than the battles, the rest of the village was shaping up nicely. Construction on the large brick building had recently finished and a number of shops had opened nearby. While he didn’t buy anything, Ingo enjoyed looking at their wares. There was also a photo studio that was still in the process of being set up and Ingo had to admit some physical evidence of the past sounded nice.

Eventually, Ingo said his goodbyes to Zisu and her Pokemon and started to make his way back to Grand Tree Arena. He had promised Lian earlier that day that he would join the young warden and his Goomy for dinner before heading back to the Highlands.

Instead of dinner, however, Lian ran up to him looking worried.

“Ingo! Ingo, you gotta help me,” Lian called, running down the path.

“Of course, Warden Lian. What is the problem?” Ingo asked.

Lian slowed to a jog as he led Ingo to a different part the forest. “There was one of those bubbles earlier, so I went to go look. I just wanted to see if any of those, uh… Evolution stones! That’s what you called them. I wanted to see if any were left behind. But when I got there, it wasn’t done yet, so I waited for it to finish. At one point a Kadabra wandered into it, which I thought was weird because they don’t usually come up this far, and when the bubble disappeared, there was an Alakazam and now it’s scaring all of Lord Kleavor’s Scythers and it won’t leave.”

They arrived at a clearing just as Lian finished his explanation. Hiding behind a tree, Lian silently pointed out where the Alakazam was.

The Alakazam was floating back and forth across the clearing, holding its spoons tightly and close to its head. Every so often it would stop for a moment, teleport to different section, then continuing its pacing. It looked upset, scared almost.

Ingo didn’t want to upset it any further by trying to start a battle with it. He also didn’t want it to immediately teleport away, worried for its wellbeing as he was. Alakazams were psychic types, which were usually more open to communication. He could probably reason with it, try to calm it down that way.

Ingo motioned for Lian to wait, then stepped out from behind the tree.

“Hello there,” he called out as he walked closer, “My name is Ingo. I just want to make sure that you are alright.”

The Alakazam didn’t react, just continued pacing the length of the clearing. Ingo reached its path without any reaction from it, watching it go back and forth.

“Alakazam, can you hear me?” Ingo asked.

That seemed to get its attention, as the Alakazam froze right in front of him. It seemed to struggle to focus on him, but after a moment, it managed to.

“There we are,” Ingo said softly, “I believe that Alakazams can communicate psychically with humans. Can you tell me what’s wrong? I would like to help.”

The Alakazam hesitated briefly, then carefully extended its hands out. Gently, Ingo took them and-

Hundreds of voices voices VOICES. Sounds and voices and noise. Loud loud LOUD. TOO LOUD. TOO LOUD. TOO LOUD.

Ingo could feel himself tense as the Alakazam’s emotions flooded him. They were messy, but Ingo was able to pick out a few of them. Anxiety, panic, restlessness. They were a familiar mixture of feelings, ones that reminded Ingo of his initial arrival to Hisui. When everything was still so new, and everyone was asking a million question that he didn’t have the answers to.

“Alakazam, it is okay,” Ingo said, trying not to let its emotions bleed into his words, “Try to just focus on me.”

The noise and panic started to quiet as the Alakazam drifted closer to the ground. Ingo guided it down further as he sat.

“Come, join me on the ground. I think it would do us both some good,” Ingo said, still feeling tense. “If you could please give me a moment before we continue.”

Ingo let go and took a second to shake out his arms and hands rapidly. Once the feelings of discomfort finally left, he returned his hands around the Alakazam’s.

Confusion.

Ingo laughed slightly, a little embarrassed. “I suppose that was quite strange. It is just something I do occasionally to make myself feel better. It is either that or yell, and I only do that away from others.”

The Alakazam took its hands back. It slowly began to copy Ingo, arms bouncing up and down. Then it sped up, shaking out its arms as quickly as Ingo did as it kept a tight hold on its spoons. Ingo couldn’t help but smile as he watched.

“Feeling better now?” he asked once Alakazam finished and returned her hands out for Ingo to take.

Enjoyment. Calm. Tired.

“I am glad to help,” Ingo said, “I heard you recently evolved. Was your earlier panic due to that?”

Agreement. Embarrassment. Guilt.

“No need to feel bad about that, quiet one,” Ingo reassured. “You appear to be young. I imagine this has been unexpected and stressful. Is there anyone I can conduct you back to?”

Alakazam curled into herself with a soft whine.

Sadness. Loss. Grief.

“I see,” Ingo said, finding his own voice starting to get choked up. “I am sorry to hear that.”

Alakazam took her arms back and held them close. She curled up further and leaned forwards, pressing her head against Ingo’s chest.

Oh, she must had been quite young, just recently evolved into a Kadabra even. He had seen Cyllene’s Abra do the same thing with her earlier that day. It was cute then. Now it just made Ingo upset at how someone so young could be left with nothing.

Ingo pet Alakazam softly and wrapped his other arm around her. “Would you like to join cars with me, quiet one? I live in the Highlands with the rest of my Pokemon. There are not nearly as many people around there, so I imagine you may prefer it. I can tell you about it and the rest of the team if you wish.”

Agreement. Enjoyment. Sleepy.

“Alright, I can do that,” Ingo yawned, “Just don’t make me fall asleep, okay?”

Ingo rambled about whatever came to mind, continuing to pet Alakazam and swaying back and forth. It felt nice to just talk about anything. He couldn’t help but feel it was especially familiar to do so in order to help calm someone down. It felt a little too personal to say aloud with Lian nearby, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Alakazam could tell anyway.

Speaking of the young warden, Ingo glanced over to where Lian was hiding to see him watching closely. Ingo gestured Lian over with his head as he kept talking. He crept over, a few Scyther following close behind, and sat nearby. They stayed like that for a while, Ingo talking gently and the others listening closely.

“Ah, she’s asleep,” Ingo eventually noticed. He slipped an empty Pokeball out of his bag and tapped it lightly against her head. The tell-tale fireworks shot up soon after. “Sleep well, quiet one. I am sure you need it.”

“How’d you do that?” Lian asked.

“What? Use a Pokeball?”

Lian shook his head, his hat following a second behind the motion. “No, calmed it down like that. And talked to it and understood it.”

“I would be more than happy to explain over dinner,” Ingo said, standing up and offering a hand to Lian, “If you are still willing to have me. I understand if not, it is starting to get late.”

Lian jumped up, frightening the Scythers and causing them to fly away. “Yeah, of course! Also, sorry for spooking ya, Scythers!” The Scythers were quick to forgive, playfully poking and prodding Lian before flying away again.

“Well, if that is the case,” Ingo pointed the way they had came, “lead the way, Warden Lian. All aboard!”

With the sixth and final Pokemon on his belt, Ingo had a full team and the unshakable, and only a little reluctantly accepted, reputation of fatherhood.