Chapter Text
Loud rumbles filled the air of Chargestone Cave. Followed by the sounds of heavy crashes. Opal grabbed Emmet's sleeve and tugged on it. "Come one. We need to find Jenri and Ingo and get out of here. I have a bad feeling this part of the cave isn't structurally sound." She said, fighting down the panic vile that was slowly creeping up into her throat. Emmet nodded as he set the small Dusk Stone down he had picked up. "I couldn't have said it better myself." He agreed, quickly following after the younger woman as they retraced their steps to the fork.
The sounds only got louder. And before Emmet could protest, Opal had darted down the tunnel his twin and her cousin had taken. Dust kicked up in his face, caking his lungs as he chased after the girl, his foot occasionally going over a rock that caused his ankle to do the weird jello thing. He saw a purple glow and the dusty peach hair of Jenri. The bright silver of his brothers eyes as they locked eyes. A thousand words unspoken in a matter of seconds before a large rock came crashing down.
A loud scream of anguish left Opal's mouth as she tried to move the large boulders that separated them from the Subway Boss and Champion, her body shaking as she tried to pull away the large rocks herself. Emmet walked up beside her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “It may be easier to use our Pokemon to move the boulders.” He suggested gently, trying to stay calm for the distraught female. As much as he wanted to be panicking, he knew he had to stay calm and strong for her, otherwise they'd both be useless messes in an unstable cave. Opal sniffled as she nodded, grabbing for her pokeballs. He frowned as he noticed the blood smearing off her fingers and onto the white surface of the premier ball she used. But he didn't say anything, knowing his words would fall onto deaf ears. Steelix materialized in front of the rubble and began to carefully move the large rocks out of the way, Opal dashing through the small passage as soon as it was created, Emmet crying out for her to stop, but as expected she didn't seem to hear him. Steelix created a larger hole for the larger male to go through, Emmet quickly going into the cavern.
Opal was kneeling down, clutching Jenri’s messenger bag against her chest as she stared at the cave wall. Neither his twin nor his friend were anywhere to be seen.
Seven months had passed since Ingo and Jenri vanished in Chargestone. Opal would frequently go into the cave for days on end, searching for any sign of her cousin and boyfriend. Emmet would go with her whenever his schedule allowed him to. Without Ingo there, his work load had doubled and some days he allowed himself to drown in it to try and mask the void that was created by the absence of his twin. He watched helplessly as Opal drifted further and further away, her once cheerful and carefree demeanor was gone. In it's place was a distant and blank one. She didn't make the same jokes anymore, didn't laugh as frequently anymore. Emmet's heart broke for both her and Ingo. If his twin saw his love like this, his heart would shatter. Opal sat across from him on the Subway, her eyes dull and exhausted. Her nails were cut short, dirt compacted under them. Her comfortable day to day clothes were replaced by jeans and a baggy tee-shirt, her sneakers replaced by work boots. Emmet himself had lost some weight, his clothes hanging limply on his figure.
“Have you heard anything?” Opal's quiet voice tore him out of his thoughts, her eyes looking at the ground as the train swayed side to side gently.
“Nothing…Watcher is pulling every string and bribe he can get to help us try and find them.” He sighed softly, rubbing his face. “How are you faring?” He asked, looking up at her. Opal shrugged a little as she continued to look at the floor.
“I've been better.” She said honestly, mindlessly spinning a ring that was on her middle finger. “I've looked above and below the cavern where they vanished…I don't think there's a single spot in the cave I haven't explored.” She chuckled bitterly. “How about you?”
Emmet shrugged a little, mirroring her earlier motion. “I've been trying to keep on top off all the work…some days it's easier than others.” He sighed.
“I could help you.” Opal said softly.
Emmet blinked as he stared at her, genuinely not expecting that from the girl. “I…Are you sure? It's rather tedious at times.” He asked, not having thought of her the type to want to do paperwork. Opal nodded as she finally looked up at him. “I'm sure. It's been 7 months. I have faith in Walker and his capabilities to figure out where they are. Besides, I don't think Ingo would be very happy with you not getting back to the apartment until 11-12 at night and leaving again at four to do the same thing. And they both would kill us if they saw the laughable messes we've become.” She added, trying to smile. It came out as a painful grimace.
Emmet smiled and nodded as he gazed across at his friend. “I would love your help. I'm certain both Ingo and Jenri would be very relieved that we're still trying to act normal.” He said, watching her nod in agreement.
Opal had moved into the shared apartment three months before the disappearance of his twin and her cousin. For the first few weeks after they went missing, she'd sleep on the couch. Until a stray Purrloin broke into the house and used her hair as a play toy. Then she began to sleep in Ingo’s room once more. The few times Emmet had gone in to set something down, he had noticed the sleeping bag on the floor. He took notice that the bed was exactly how it was the morning they left to explore the cave, and his heart broke piece by piece. He had lost his twin, but she had lost her closest family member and her lover. He couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she was experiencing currently.
Opal gave Emmet a small smile as she got up when the train stopped. “I'll see you tonight. I'm going to hang out with Iris for a bit.” She said softly, grabbing her purse and getting off the train, leaving Emmet to finish the commute home in his own thoughts.
Five years. Five years before they had any semblance of closure.
Opal slammed open Emmet's office door, her eyes wide as she held a letter. Emmet jumped in his seat, dropping his pen as he stared at the woman. “Opal?” He asked, watching her walk over to his desk. She slammed the letter down on the desk, her chest rising and falling quickly as she fought the tears welled up in her eyes.
‘Return to the Cave where this all began. I'll show you where they went.
V'