Work Text:
It was the camera app on his new Xtrans that was Ingo’s favourite part about it.
Don’t get him wrong, he loved a lot about it. The fact that he could call or text Emmet or Elesa or his parents and talk to them pretty much whenever he wanted was great. He had already spent hours on call with his mom talking about anything they thought of. He texted his dad more often than called since his dad tended not to know what to say on the phone. He also texted Emmet and Elesa more than called them, but that was due to them having jobs and already talking to them in person everyday, in Emmet’s case, or close to, in Elesa’s case.
There was also the internet app, another place he frequented. When he had nothing better to do, he would just search up random things he was curious about and spend the afternoon reading and watching videos about anything that looked interesting. It had proven to be the best way to relearn everything he possibly could about trains.
But the camera app. The camera app was so exciting. Just the simple fact that he could take a picture anywhere at any time was amazing. He didn’t need to go to a certain place and pose and wait for the picture to develop. He could just take one and have it.
They weren’t physical pictures. But that just meant he could take more. He printed out the really good ones to display in his room or around the house, but there was something nice about the slightly blurry ones, the one taken in the moment, the ones taken in rapid succession that when swiped through fast enough made something close to a video.
And the videos. Recorded movement and sounds of his Pokemon, his friends, his family. The little sounds that Crustle and Excadrill made when talking, Emmet’s laughter, his parents joking around as they made dinner. Just so many little moments Ingo could see and hear that made the simple fact that he was finally home feel all the more real.
He had so many pictures and videos now. So many precious memories all saved in the little device on his wrist, able to be looked back on any time he wanted to.
Ingo was worried he was getting annoying about it though.
He knew Emmet wouldn’t say anything about it. He had already opened up to him about his amnesia and how he tended to rely more on physical proof of the past over his own mind. He knew Elesa wouldn’t say anything either. She had even been enthusiastic about his picture taking when he first started.
But Ingo was still worried he was annoying them. He could just be getting in his head again, but he could also not be. So, he slowed down on the picture taking. He let more things pass him by without taking pictures of them. He hated it, but he didn’t want to bug his family.
He hadn’t even taken any pictures during his walk around the park with Emmet and the Pokemon. He had even watched as a subway train drove past them and on its way probably to Driftveil or Mistralton City if Ingo had to guess.
“Are you alright, Ingo?” Emmet asked, knocking Ingo out of his staring at the train.
“Yes. I am fine,” he said, “Why do you ask?”
“You didn’t take a picture of the train,” Emmet said, “or anything else today.”
“Maybe I just didn’t want to take any pictures,” Ingo said, looking down the path again.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true.” He started walking again.
Emmet put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Ingo.”
“Yes?”
“Is something wrong? Do you want to go home?”
Ingo shook his head. He didn’t want to bother Emmet with his dumb problems. “I’m fine.”
Emmet squinted at him, clearly not believing him. “Would you rather talk later at home?”
“Nothing is wrong!”
Emmet held his hands up in surrender. “Alright. I will stop. Just know that you can talk to me about anything, okay? Or Mom or Dad or Elesa.”
“Yeah…” Ingo took a breath. “Sorry for my outburst.”
“Sorry for pushing.” Emmet have him a light nudge as he continued walking down the path. “Now, let’s go. There are still more tracks to follow, and I think our Pokemon are getting bored waiting for us.”
They finished the trail around the park and found a bench to sit at. A few Pokemon decided to return to their balls, but the rest continued their playing a bit away in the field.
Ingo watched them, wanting to take a picture or a video of them. Possibly both, if he could get away with it before Archeops say and ran over to hog the lens. But again, he didn’t want to be annoying with his constant need to take pictures.
“Ingo,” Emmet said, interrupting Ingo’s thoughts again, “I can hear you overthinking something from here. Are you sure nothing is wrong?”
“Noth-” Ingo cut himself off and took a breath. “It’s nothing. Just getting in my head again.”
“Is it about your picture taking?” Emmet asked.
“Is it that obvious?” Ingo mumbled, resting his head on a hand.
“Well, you have been taking less pictures recently,” Emmet explained, “I thought it was because you were getting over it. But it is not that. You want to take pictures. I can see you start to bring up your Xtrans before lowering it again. Why aren’t you taking pictures?”
Ingo huffed again. “I’m afraid I am being annoying.”
“You are not. Do not worry. It is nice to have so many pictures of us now. We didn’t before. Never saw the need to.” Emmet took a breath. “It was rough when you were gone and I noticed that. Most pictures I had of you were promotional. They are not the same.”
“So, it would be okay if I took a picture of our Pokemon?” Ingo asked.
“Of course!” Emmet laughed. “Take as many as you like!”
Ingo did just that. He took a bunch of the Pokemon playing and even a couple of Emmet. Emmet didn’t notice at first, then laughed and gave him a smile when he did.
Looking though the mostly blurry pictures, Ingo spoke up again, quieter this time, “Thank you for reassuring me. Pictures are… important to me.”
“I know,” Emmet said, leaning against him to look at the pictures, “You have said.”
Ingo shook his head. “It is more that than.”
Emmet was quiet as Ingo tried to figure out if he wanted to say more. He got to the pictures he had taken of Emmet, pausing at the first one. Emmet was looking away, laughing at Machamp throwing Archeops into the air out of frame.
“I have a fear,” he settled on, “I feel as if it is an irrational one, but I can’t help but also feel it is a very real possibility.”
“What is it?” Emmet prompted once Ingo fell quiet again.
Ingo swiped to the next photo. It depicted the same scene, but now blurry as Emmet turned to look at him.
“I am afraid I will forget everything again,” Ingo whispered, “Pictures help reassure me that even if I do, I will not be alone. That I will be able to find my memory cars again. That I had a past at all.”
Emmet wrapped his arm around Ingo. “I do not know how to help with that fear, other than say that you got through it once. I am sure you can do it again if it comes to that. But if pictures and videos help you, then take as many as you want. As many as you need. Do not worry about being annoying. Just maybe do not take pictures of strangers.”
“I would never without their consent, Emmet, come on,” Ingo said, giving his brother a small shove. “But thank you. Your words always help me.”
“That is why I say them.” Emmet gave Ingo a quick squeeze, then stood up. “Now, what do you think about a snack. I think I saw a chip truck when we were walking. We can get some fries.”
Ingo closed the photos app and stood. “Sounds like a plan.”