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#Ingo at his own funeral
dragonofthedepths · 2 years
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YOU WEAR BLACK TO FUNERALS 19.5.22
Ingo is dropped back into his own time and unknowingly wanders into his own funeral. Everyone keeps stopping him and offering their condolences, saying how sorry they are for his loss, and Ingo is getting increasingly confused.
But, well...
While Ingo's been gone Emmet has not been coping well, stress and grief piling up and pulling at the coners of his lips until it is no longer uncommon to see the younger Subway Boss frowning anymore. And Ingo has been practicing volume control while in Hisui, in order to avoid causing avalanches, or alerting wild pokémon… or just plain scaring the living daylights out of his clanmates.
Honestly everyone just assumed Emmet's idea of black formalwear is a black version of his subway uniform…
No one realizes what's going on until Elesa catches Ingo trying to sneak out and drags him back to a quite room to prepare, because she opens the door to find Emmet already inside.
Day (342/100) of my #infinitedaysofwriting @the-wip-project
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liminal-lucidity · 1 year
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When Ingo returned, there was no fanfare. No big explosion of activity, the world bending around the shape of a man who had departed from it many years ago. No. Ingos return was punctuated by the sharp caws of crows and a chilling breeze. He finds himself in the middle of a Field- A Graveyard, he notes from the many uniform rows of headstones. He feels a little unnerved by Arceus' choice of location. It was a tad morbid, in his opinion. Letting his eyes wander, he takes in the dew covered grass and silvery grey sky. He can't see far into the distance, with the faint fog rolling around. It's morning, he thinks. The birds are loud and the wind is chilled from several hours of night just passed. With nothing better to do, and nothing immediately jumping out at him, Ingo decides to explore his new surroundings. He is dressed as he was before they ascended Arceus' stairway, Tattered black coat over a well worn pearl-clan uniform. He can feel the familiar weight of the Warden Band on his wrist. His shoes disturb the peace of the grass as he wanders, no particular direction in mind. Its peaceful. Ingo couldn't say he minded too much if this ended up being his final station after all- killed instead of returned home.
He's not sure how much time passes- Minutes? Hours? - But eventually, he comes across something New. A figure bundled at the foot of one of these never ending headstones. Dressed fully in white, the places where he meets the ground muddied brown. He's kneeling at this stone, curled over fully so his head is resting on the dirt below. He's facing away, but Ingo already seems to know he would not find a smile on the mans face. The sight of this new man sends a spike of heartache through Ingo, and he doesn't even register his feet carrying him forward until he comes to a stop just a foot away. Closer now, he can hear the broken sobs tumbling from this man in white. Each sound another spike through his heart. Ingo wished for nothing more than to ease this man, the instinct pulling its-self over any worry he had previously. ''Hello..?'' The words are out before he can stop them, a little louder than intended, and filled with concern. The Man in White stiffens, as if holding his breath. Waiting.
''Are you Alright, Sir..?'' His question seems to break some tether in the man, and he whips around still on his knees to stare at Ingo with wide, glassy silver eyes. The minute their eyes meet, his brain explodes. Time Stops. Emmet. That is Emmet.
His little twin, His smiling man in White. Kneeling at a Grave with no inkling of his smile to be seen. Ingo cannot help but let his eyes roam over Emmets entirety, as if he were some starving man. His Brother, How could he EVER forget his Twin, the other half of his Soul? Emmet is likewise inspecting Ingo from his spot on the ground- though his expression seems to break the longer he does so. His face crumples, and a loud sob tears itself from his throat. ''No. No, No, No- Please, This is some cruel joke, some- some- .. What have I done to deserve this torment?!'' The words pitched higher as he continued, grief seeping into every syllable. It made Ingo ache to see his brother so distraught, and he stumbles the last could of steps closer before he too falls to his knees in the dirt, hands fluttering around Emmet nervously. His actions do not get the reaction he expected however, Emmet rearing back with a soft scream, falling on to his backside and scrambling back until his back his the Headstone. ''I- I'm Sorry. I'm Sorry! Please- Is it because we couldn't find you?! Did I not try hard enough? I looked every-everywhere, I Promise!'' The words tumbling from his brother made Ingo pause, head tilting to the side in question as he tried to work out what exactly was happening here. Emmet seems terrified of him, arms up to shield him as he stuttered out please and apologies that made no sense. Seems he needs a new track- His twin is too upset right now to listen properly. So he leans himself back onto his knees and sits straight. Although it pains him to do so, he averts his eyes, instead finding a patch of ground to divert his attention to. He forces his body to relax itself, to exude a comfortable and relaxed attitude. He places his hands on his knees face down, clearly visible. He is banking on his newly unlocked memories, and prays they work. It takes a few minutes, but eventually, Emmet appears to relax. Mirroring Ingos own calm, just as they used to do as children. He could see the man inching closer out of the corner of his eye, to settle just out of arms reach. He takes a risk and lets his eyes flick up again. His brother has wrangled himself into a half composed state, face still messy and red from crying, but his breathing is clearer, Eyes no-longer as wild as they were. He flinches a little when he notices Ingo has directed his gaze on him again, but doesn't panic like before. The silence seems to wrap them in their own bubble, their own breathing the only thing that punctuates the peace. Eventually, Ingo breaks and he tries to keep his voice as soft as possible as he repeats his question from before. ''Emmet. Are you alright?'' It pulls an ugly half laugh from the man, and he scrubs at his eyes hard before trying to answer. His tone is Incredulous, harsh. It makes Ingo uneasy, so unlike how he remembers his Brother. ''Am I Alright?? My Dead Brother who I have not seen in over 10 years appears in front of me and asks me if I am alright??''
Dead. Emmet thinks he is Dead. Him. His eyes flick to the Gravestone behind his twin, a sick feeling bubbling in his stomach. Already knowing the words that would be there does nothing to lessen the punch of seeing your own Grave. 'Ingo Nobori Grey Brother and Beloved Subway Boss His Tracks will lead him to Victory 19xx-20xx'
It stuns him for a Moment, and he fights down the impulse to throw up. It makes his hair stand on end, the feeling of WRONG permeating every breath. He screws his eyes shut and forces his head to turn back to Emmet before letting them open again. His Twin looks confused, and a little concerned, and it makes the unease filling his lungs retreat a little. Even when facing a possible ghost of his departed Brother, Emmet could not help but worry it seemed.
It takes another Moment for Ingo to feel like he could speak without his voice shaking. ''Emmet. I-I am not Dead. I have been derailed, for a long time. It is a long story, that I am happy to share. I have found my way Home. I never stopped trying.'' He lets the words linger in the air, able to physically see his brother processing them by the warring emotions on his face. Disbelief, Hope, Anger, Relief. Movement catches his attention, and he sees Emmets clenched fist thwack his thigh, hard. Overwhelmed, then. Without thinking, Ingo reaches forward- catching the fist on its way back for another hit. He holds it firmly, but still lose enough that the other could pull his hand away. He lets his thumb run over knuckles, his own fingers gently unworking the tight fist to tangle them with his brothers own. Another Ugly laugh, breaking into sobs has him focusing back on Emmet, the mans other hand having reached up to pull his cap over his face as he cried. ''It really is you- Am-Am I dreaming? Are you really here?'' The words bubble up from his sobs, the hand in his squeezing tightly, as is afraid of slipping away. Ingo watches his Brother fall apart and decides he cannot restrain himself any longer. He pulls on their joined hand, pulling Emmet forward as he himself moves to meet him half way. He pulls him close, his free arm wrapping around him full in a tight hold. His Brother melts into him, head burying into his shoulder and arm wrapping around Ingo in turn. He feels Emmet shake apart in his hold, tears of his own rolling down his face silently as he finally gets to hug his Brother. He tilts his head down to bury his face in Emmets hair, his body swaying them both in a soothing rhythm. He grieves for the time he has spent away, not even aware that his Brother was alone. He grieves for Emmet, who looks so run down, so worn and ever so tired. He grieves for his lives, both of them, the people he's lost and the people he's forgotten. ''I am Here, I am Home, Emmet. I'm so sorry it took me so long to get to you''
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manchasama · 2 years
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which twin would koala cling to the other during reunions though. and what scenario would make that funniest? Ingo crashing his own funeral? Ingo waking up in his own proper bed and unthinkingly getting up and making coffee on autopilot? Ingo showing up at work and just autopiloting into the train he would normally have done, or being basically pushed into one by the depot agents while just sitting there like ??????? ?????????????? this is all very familiar and all but what do I do in here?????????
*SNERK* sorry i was skimming the ask and my brain latched on to "koala hug at the funeral"
Okay so I do tend to see Emmet as the more clingy of the two, but that's not to say it would never be Ingo! I fully believe they are both silly at the heart of it<3
Ingo being a clingy koala would depend on his memory state! If he had his memories back and could remember just how lonely he'd been all that time, I could absolutely see him honing in on Emmet and just not letting go. (Emmet has no complaints no sir)
If he didn't have his memories back, but knew in his heart of hearts that this man in white is super important to him, I could also see him latching on. No one is going to separate them until he knows why his heart is so full again!
Emmet certainly has more reason to just wrap himself around Ingo forever. In pretty much any situation, he has great reason to fear Ingo vanishing. Did he see what happened? CLING! Did Ingo just vanish without witness? CLINGGGG!
That said, I adore the idea of Ingo running on autopilot and just confusing the heck out of everyone. Imagine getting a lifetime of memories back all at once, how disorienting that would be! God, even worse would be if Emmet had taken a rare vacation off, maybe off with Elesa or visiting Drayden or something.
Ingo wakes up in bed, head pounding but surroundings familiar. He knows he's got to get up and see to his warden duties get to work, right? Right. Coffee first, that would surely help clear things up. Then he could cook a quick breakfast over the fire...or wait. Not that one, right? Maybe he'd just skip breakfast entirely.
There are two steaming cups of coffee on the counter, and he's staring at them as if they hold the answers to the universe. Why two? Why two indeed. He downs them both (not one to waste things, but why did he add so much sugar to one??), and staggers back to his room to get dressed.
Perhaps his pokemon are out, and he cannot fathom why it's so strange to see Alakazam in the hallway, or Gliscor draped over the couch. (They are exploring this curious new dwelling. Ingo isn't distressed, so they're not particularly nervous.)
Once dressed and marginally more awake (though his head is still pounding, not a great way to get through a day), he gets lost in thought as he tries to figure out why things are so wrong but so right. All the while his feet are automatically taking him to gear station along his normal route. He doesn't hear the whispers or see the stares, too focused on his pounding head and fuzzy thoughts.
A shopkeeper of a store he always used to get a morning paper from calls his name hesitantly, snapping him out of his thoughts. He greets him reflexively, saying it was good to see him after so long. Then frowns to himself. What did he mean after so long? Well, he doesn't have time to dwell, as he's going to be late if he dawdles longer.
I'm terribly sorry Emmet, but the depot agents get first dibs on dog piling Ingo. He makes it to the station and halfway to the office before the first one spots him. He had a good run, but goes down under Furze's flying tackle. (He's so ecstatic Ingo is baaaaack)
After a few rounds of reunion, Ingo's brain finally kicks in and he realizes he's finally home after so long. Okay let's be real, its the agents telling him he's been gone that jogs his brain out of its overload. Either way, Ingo must know where Emmet is, since he wasn't home. They actually have that info, and Ingo is off before anyone can sensibly suggest him calling ahead first.
Let's say Emmet is helping out at Elesa's gym, just so he can be nearby. Maybe he's subbing her as boss so she can take a day off or something. Either way, there is certainly a commotion running through the gym. Some trainer is speeding through all the challenges, heading straight for Emmet. Well no matter, he's ready for a serious battle, yup!
Only the person who arrives is an out of breath Ingo who doesn't waste a moment before flying at his brother, throwing his arms around him and taking them both down in a much needed hug. Ingo has decided not to let go of Emmet for a while. Emmet is okay with this.
(Emmet absolutely heckles his brother later for the trainwreck of an arrival story. And here Ingo is supposed to be the cool one!)
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hoofpeet · 2 years
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Polar opposite of the ‘Ingo crashes his own funeral’ reunion
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entity9silvergen · 1 month
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Link to the fic.
[ID: The “If I had a nickle” meme format but Dr. Doooftensmirtz is replaced by Warden Ingo and the puppet he is speaking to is replaced by a Hisuian Zoroark so Ingo is speaking to a Hisuian Zoroark. The text below reads “If I had a nickle for everytime I’ve written Ingo attending his own funeral in one fic, I’d have two nickles. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice.” End ID]
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blaiddraws · 1 year
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okay this one is! i drew the art really quickly as a companion to the rest of the stuff under the readmore. read the stuff.
Whumptober day 5: Alt prompt, Tears
Once, years before, Ingo had been witness to the Pearl Clan's funeral and burial customs for the first time. He remarked to someone that he felt as if the ones from where he had originated were quite different, in that one would bury the deceased under a small stone with their name carved on it, near families in a group burial site, albeit with their own individual graves. The striking image of rows of stones in a small field, varying in size and shape, had echoed through his mind for a moment.
It was all he could recall, a fleeting memory that he'd forgotten within moments, but it was still notably different from the Pearl Clan's own customs, with isolated burial sites marked by certain carved poles instead.
He didn't even remember mentioning it until just now.
It was an odd feeling. There was a strange warmth near where his heart would be, that someone cared enough to remember the offhand comment he had made at the time, cared enough to follow it to the best of their abilities.
But it was also incredibly strange to look at one's own grave. A certain brand of dread, of fear and horror. 
He shuffled his ghostly limbs slightly, stiffly curling onto the ground as he continued to stare at the stone and the falling snow slowly built up on his body. He brushed the fresh snow off of the stone.
Before, he had plausible deniability. Yes, he was undeniably ghost-like now. But he wouldn't couldn't remember the events that led up to this new form of his (other than an intense, desperate terror). Perhaps something strange and magical had happened to cause his dramatic shift in form. But here and now… 
Something told him there was certainly a body under that grave. One undeniably his own. 
He had well and truly died. 
He shuddered, curling his long, serpentine body in further.
He had died. He was dead, and death was not something one could recover from. (Not back to one's original state, at least.) 
He wasn't ready, but really, who Was? 
But he had died before he was ready, and nothing he could do could change that.
He still needed to know where he came from, who the faint figures in his memories were that filled him with such contradictory warmth and loneliness. His amnesia, his place of origin. 
A faint clicking filled the air, the sound of metal on metal, and he realized he was shaking hard enough for the ghostly steel on his new form to clatter together.
He curled up as tight as he could, attempting to suppress the shaking, but it did nothing to soothe the ache in his metaphorical heart.
Even if he did somehow find his home station, he would never be able to do the things he would have as a human ever again. 
He had no beating heart, no soft flesh, no warmth of his own; only the steel and the ghostly limbs of his new form. 
The faintest recollection of energetic, full-body hugs, where it felt like he was being crushed in the best way as the other swung him around in the air, clawed at his heart as he realized he would never feel that again. 
The very basis of human interaction, that need for physical contact and affection, was now completely lost to him forever.  
He let himself cry, then, as best as this form could even as there were no real tears (and how depressing was that? He would never be able to shed a single tear again, whether it be from happiness or sadness). 
A low, distinctly inorganic keening filled the air, the creaking of metal as it was stressed, screeching and wailing. Odd hissing metallic twangs interspersed throughout, as if imitating a human's sobs.
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sapphireclaw · 2 years
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We’ve all heard of ‘Ingo crashes his own funeral’
I raise you:
Ingo crashes his own MURDER TRIAL!!
He has some CHOICE WORDS to say to whoever had the RIDICULOUS idea that Emmet murdered him, oh boy they better run cause he has an alpha Wyrdeer and he’s not afraid to use it.
Brought to you by: Sapph doesn’t know how to stop starting new fic WIPS.
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cutekittenlady · 1 year
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I just now realized that any scenario involving ingo returning at his own funeral/after everyone assumes he's dead implies that there was a signed death certificate. MEANING he's legally dead. MEANING that Ingos return would be made all the harder by having to go through the process of reversing his own death certificate. MEANING he wouldn't be able to work.
How does one even go about reversing a legal death certificate? I can't imagine it's a quick process. I mean, would Ingo be legally dead for months or even years after his return? Like, what does that situation look like???
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autumn-sweet-fae · 2 years
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Enjoy this little fic I wrote instead of working on my Wanted AU 😅
-
Ingo was not Lady Sneaslers first warden.
She had one other before him.
Her first warden had served her mother before her, and so was there when she hatch into the world. They watched her grow from a little sneaslet to a proper sneasel, and with her mothers passing, they were there to support her when she evolved into the Noble Lady Sneasler.
Her warden loved and respected her, as all wardens should, and she of course adored them. They had been with her all her life and she was happy to have them. Even as the trek though the mountains got harder on their knees and back, she would just gently help them into her basket and carry them the rest of the way. Sometimes they would fall asleep in there and she’d just keep them with her until they woke up. They would laugh about it and thank their noble for taking such good care of them.
And then, one winter morning, they were gone…
It wasn’t a sudden death, Calaba had seen the signs in her dear friends health months before, but there was nothing to be done. On the day of the funeral Young Irida lead the other wardens in laying their friend to rest with the entire village in attendance. Even some from the Diamond clan came to pay their respect.
Lady Sneasler did not leave her den at all that day.
The noble did not show herself for nearly two weeks, ignoring any flute that did not sound like her wardens song, though she knew she would never hear it again. Once she had finally appeared, to the Pearl Clans great relief, she ignored any non-warden human who so much as tried to be friendly with her. She knew the clan wanted to give her a new warden, but just she couldn’t accept another.
Weeks went by, then months, then a year, and still she ignored or rejected any human Irida or the other wardens tried to introduce to her. She could still be a noble on her own, she can manage her territory and her fellow sneasels. She can still carry humans up the mountain and protect her charges from alphas. She didn’t need anyone else.
Then one dark freezing night, she found a strange human who needed her.
She had heard from one of her older children that there was a strange human found in the snow not too far from where they were. Concerned it may be one of the other packs of human who were less resistant to the cold then the Pearl Clan was, she hurried after her young.
The odd man that she found was injured and alone, dressed strangely and not nearly warm enough for the Icelands, and seemed very disoriented. He didn’t seem scared of her at all when she approached and was more confused then anything. He clearly had been attack by something, most likely a Zoroark if Sneaseler’s nose was correct, and yet he still greeted her respectfully. Very strange, but a little endearing.
He was shaking from the cold and didn’t seem to have much strength left at all, so she bundled the stranger into her basket. He didn’t resist her manhandling, and seem to be drifting out of consciousness by the time she close the basket’s lid, which was very concerning. 
She knew she had to act quickly before the frostbite set in, and yet she hesitated to take him to the Pearl Clan, knowing how territorial they could be toward strange outsiders. She didn’t think they would leave him to die, but still, she needed to take him somewhere warm and safe and the Pearl settlement didn’t feel safe. So she deftly shifted corse, leaving the Iceland’s behind and starting the familiar climb to her den.
Upon her arrival she laid the human into her nest and ordered her children and den mates to keep the unconscious human warm as she gathered him food. They all followed suit, both out of respect for her and curiosity for the odd human she chose to bring into their home. She set off immediately after, on search for aspear berries for the frostbite, sitrus berries for his injury, and some pecha berries too in case any of the kits accidentally poisons him.
She brought this human into her nest, so now he was hers, and she will not let him die.
-
Irida was worried for Lady Sneasler.
She has been worried for the noble for over a year now, as she has refused to accept any Warden they offered her. Its getting to the point that the Diamond clan has started questioning if they should be the ones to give her a warden, a suggesting Irida refused to entertain.
And yet doesn’t mater how qualified the person is, or how well Sneasler knew them, she rejects every single one.
But that’s not what currently has the young clan leader worried at the moment, not entirely at least.
What has Irida so concerned is that for the last three days Sneasler has not been seen by anyone at all. When she had been informed that morning of the absence she assured the elder that this isn’t uncommon behavior for the Lady of the Highland. She was a very independent pokemon and might simply be busy. But still, it was better to play it safe so after doing her usual morning duties to the clan, Irida played her celestial flute in Sneaslers melody.
The noble does not answer.
Irida tries again at a high volume. Still no response.
Worry and unrest ripples throughout the clan the longer their blessed noble is unresponsive to the leaders summons, whispers growing among them. Has she been injured? Taken ill? Died?
Irida inwardly curses herself for not pushing the issue of finding her a Warden farther with Lady Sneasler. She knows the bond between warden and noble cannot be forced but to allow the pokemon to go so long without a proper caretaker was foolish of her. A clear sign of her inexperience as a leader. If something has happened to their Noble, it will be her guilt to carry.
In a few short hours Irida is hiking her way up the highlands herself determined to reach the lady’s den. The assistance of lord Braveairy had been a great help to reach the upper highland so quickly. Once she finally arrived she enters the Ladies cave cautiously, fearing the worst, and soon hears the sound of a voice. A human voice.
She rushes deeper in, a command for Glaceon to attack at the tip of her tongue, and stumbles right into a bizzarre scene. There’s a man she does not recognize sitting in the center of the Nobles personal nest, covered in the lady’s latest litter of sneaslets who are all either pawing at him for attention or curled up asleep. Sneasler herself sits right by his side and is currently pushing a petcha berry into the man’s face despite his polite yet slurred protest.
Sneasler quickly notices Irida’s arrival while the stranger falls into a daze without the pokemon’s prodding. The man is then suddenly yanked out of view as Sneasler pulls the man into herself as if to hide him from Irida. She hisses at the unexpected guest in a way near identical to how the Lady can be after a new hatching.
The young leader has no idea what to make of this, but the way the sneaslets cling to the man and his noticeable sluggish behavior, she’s certain the man must be suffering from severe poisoning. The fact that he’s still even conscious can only be because of the petcha berries Sneasler was feeding him.
After assuring the noble that Irida meant no harm to her new… friend, she made sure to stress that this man is in desperate need of medical attention in the village. Sneasler seemed hesitant at first, then realized the man seem to be trying to escape from her hold for some time now, but had none of the strength or hand eye coordination to do so.
Sneasler huffs in frustration. She had been trying to help her new charge as much as she could and yet it still wasn’t enough. But, she does trust Irida to keep her word, and agrees to bring him down to the Pearl Clan for farther aid.
After removing the clinging sneaslets, Sneasler assist the wobbly stranger out of the nest. The prolonged exposure to the babies poisen has clearly left him greatly disorientated so Irida helps him find his footing, catching his elbow so he can steady himself. It’s only then that the man seems to finally notice her company, although his eyes seem to have trouble focusing on her face.
He is very polite but is stubbling his words and doesn’t seem capable of controlling his volume either. His way of speaking is also very foreign, having apologize for his ‘poor maintenance’ and his ‘unexpected derailment’. However she does get his name out of him, Ingo, but he claims not to remember anything else. She hopes that only a temporary effect of all the poison. She tells him clearly that she’s going to take him to the Pearl village for help and he thanks her for her kindness before promptly collapsing.
Sneasler catches him, shushing her babies who all cry out, worried for their new friend. Sneasler very gently helps him into her basket for the journey back to the village, taking great care not to jostle him in a way that reminds Irida of how she use to assist her former warden. As Irida walks out of the cave alongside her Noble, she gets the feeling that this strange man might be here to stay.
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My Submas Fics: Masterpost
I know a lot of you are here for the fics so I'll make it easy for you. Please let me know if any links break or if you find any typos or anything anywhere! I am happy to fix them
All my fics are also cross-posted to AO3!
All of these are fluff with happy endings and NONE ARE FOR BLANKSHIPPERS. BLANKSHIPPERS DNI. THAT SHITS GROSS
*pokemon legends arceus spoilers
In Which They Needed Cosmic Help* - completed
Word Count: 24,000
Chapters: 19
CWs: blood, grief
Summary: Ingo never really knew what to do at parties. This was an important celebration, the Pokedex had just been completed, after all. The Gods were conquered. He didn't expect a sudden appearance of a familiar face because of an almighty deity, though. Or the things that came after.
Twinkle, Twinkle - completed
Word Count: 2,200
Chapters: 1
CWs: hypothermia
Summary: Emmet was just confused. What had that Pokemon been? And why was he in the middle of a blizzard now? Is Ingo here?
Happy Birthday, Emmet - completed
Word Count: 1,900
Chapters: 1
CWs: blood mention
Summary: Emmet had hated that phrase, those two words, ever since Ingo had left. This year, though, it seems he might have a great present.
Surprise Passenger - completed
Word Count: 1,100
Chapters: 1
CWs: blood mention
Summary: A normal day in the Subway goes awry.
Ingo Jojo's His Own Funeral - completed
Word Count: 2,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: panic attack
Summary: Ingo's back, and Emmet needs help. He knows what to do.
Traitors in Our Midst *- completed
Word Count: 10,200
Chapters: 7
CWs: violence, blood, injury, panic attack
Summary: This was the last straw. That damned man had gone too far this time, and everyone knew it. Ingo was pissed. He wasn't going to let this go easily, for Akari's sake or his.
Little Trains - completed
Word Count: 2,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: none
Summary: Ingo and Emmet are going to visit Uncle Drayden with their mom! But it's really far. How will they get all the way to Opelucid City?
Lost In Time... Again* - completed
Word Count: 13,500
Chapters: 4
CWs: blood, violence
Summary: Akari went through the portal on accident. Now she's in a weird tunnel and it feels wrong. Wait, is that Ingo? No, but he looks a lot like him. Emmet heard about a weird Pokemon in the subway tunnels. While investigating, he sees a girl that confuses her for his brother, which made sense as they were identical - except that he disappeared six years ago.
Submas Sickfic - completed
Word Count: 3,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: illness
Summary: Ingo noticed something was off with Emmet that morning before work. He should have known the issue, really.
Wordplay - completed
Word Count: 5,700
Chapters: 2
CWs: panic attacks, grief, mentions of blood
Summary: Ingo knows that phrase, "I am _____." It's so familiar to him. It starts with an EEEE sound. He should remember this and he knows it...
Emmet's Adventures in Babysitting* - completed
Word Count: 24,000
Chapters: 11
CWs: graphic panic attack, disordered eating
Summary: It was the two year anniversary of Ingo's disappearance when the police determined the missing persons case went cold. Nimbasa was going to have a funeral for his brother who very well may not have been dead. Emmet couldn't take it. He decided to travel the regions himself to search for his brother - and ends up with some companions he had not bargained for.
Emmet Gets Verrry Lost - completed
Word Count: 1,900
Chapters: 1
CWs: hypothermia, concussion, cursing
Summary: Emmet looked around. How had he gotten out here? This was weird.
Extended Family - completed
Word Count: 6,300
Chapters: 5
CWs: graphic violence, blood, panic
Summary: Emmet went to introduce himself, but one of the time travelers looked at him funny. "Ingo?" That was all it took for Emmet's world to turn on its axis.
Reconnecting the Lines* - completed
Word Count: 9,000
Chapters: 5
CWs: none
Summary: Emmet saw things when he slept last night. Things he could not understand. Despite his confusion, there was one verrrry logical conclusion to this dream. Ingo was alive.
Schoolyard Bullies - completed
Word Count: 1,600
Chapters: 1
CWs: bullying, crying, mild violence
Summary: Ingo and Emmet had never been what someone would consider ‘popular kids’. In fact, their schoolyard days were verrry rough.
Ingo's Jacked Now - inspired by this meme I made
Word Count: 1,200
Chapters: 1
CWs: swearing
Summary: Emmet and Ingo visit Chargestone Cave after his reappearance and Emmet realizes some things about his brother.
Language Barriers - completed
Word Count: 5,000
Chapters: 2
CWs: none
Summary: Ingo was not from Hisui. As such, he had been taught the language by someone who spoke both.
Thrown Home Again* - completed (art of Ingo by me)
Word Count: 40,000
Chapters: 9
CWs: character death, grief, past injury, mild body horror, blood mention
Summary: Ingo woke and followed Sneasler, as she wished him too. Until a space-time rift dragged him through an odd world, its ruler saying it was returning him to his rightful place. Will he remember his past self?
Surprise Adoption* - completes
Word Count: 25,000
Chapters: 11
CWs: grief, ghosts
Summary: Ingo held the crying Dawn in his arms as he considered his options. He made up his mind right then and there. As her self-appointed uncle, she could stay with him and Emmet as long as she needed.
The Diary of Warden Ingo *- completed
Word Count: 38,700
Chapters: 5
CWs: eating problems, panic, anxiety, vomiting and blood mention
Summary: My name is Ingo. This is all I remember. I was given this book in order to collect my thoughts and organize my time in Hisui. Hopefully using this, I can regain some memories.
How Elesa Girlbossed Her Brother Back *- completed
Word Count: 4,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: eating disorder, grief
Summary: Elesa has two surrogate brothers. One disappeared and the other lost his ideals. She found the first, who had lost his truth. She never let something like that stop her before.
Meet Burger - completed
Word Count: 1,200
Chapters: 1
CWs: birth defects (while Pokemon breeding)
Summary: Emmet, while trying to breed for the perfect Galvantula, runs into something all Pokemon breeders eventually experience.
Gossip* - completed
Word Count: 1,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: swearing
Summary: The other Subway Boss reappeared and he's a little...weird. (POV of unnamed Depot Agent)
Rusted Wheels - completed
Word Count: 2,500
Chapters: 1
CWs: none
Summary: Ingo has been home for a month and is settling in well. He still remains worried about Emmet.
Wounded Renegade* - completed
Word Count: 16,000
Chapters: 6
CWs: thoughts of suicide, self-destruction
Summary: Giratina had lost. It was wounded and alone. What was it supposed to do now?
The Sound of Silence - completed
Word Count: 3,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: panic attack
Summary: That sound had to be incorrect. Emmet removed his hearing aid, waiting for the confirmation yet again, only to find something he had not expected.
You Don't Have To Do That - completed
Word Count: 1,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: masking
Summary: Ingo was acting verrry not Ingo. Emmet needs to remind him how to act like Ingo again.
Wye Junction* - in progress
Word Count: 16,000 (so far)
Chapters: 7/?
CWs: grief, panic attacks
Summary: Emmet goes about his daily business as Electrode's Warden. Ingo refuses to give up on his missing caboose.
Emmet Meets Archen - completed
Word Count: 2,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: mentions of blood
Summary: Ingo and Emmet are playing when Emmet trips on a weird rock. Wait, is this a fossil? Could they revive it?
Subway Boss Jenny - completed
Word Count: 3,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: death of parent, grief, blood mention, graphic death
Summary: The twins have very fond memories of their mother
Close Call - completed
Word Count: 6,000
Chapters: 2
CWs: graphic violence, stabbing, injury, blood, hospitals
Summary: It was just a normal night. Then again, anyone living in Unova needs to prepare for unexpected happenings, especially if you work in public transit.
Close Call 2.0: Electric Boogaloo - completed
Word Count: 4,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: graphic violence, stabbing, knives, injury, body horror, gore, blood, hospitals, overstimulation, panic attack, I do not hold back with this one, its essentially the first Close Calls with more blood and gore, please do not read if you're squeamish
Summary: Ingo got a lil hurt by someone. Emmet loses his mind. (Hurt/comfort, everything turns out alright in the end)
Never Far Behind - completed (collab with @pixelchaos00)
Word Count: 2,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: graphic violence, stabbing, knives, injury, mild body horror, blood, revenge fic
Summary: Emmet was abandoned, alone. Ingo found him - and was not going to allow this to slide.
Scrapyard - completed
Word Count: 2,000
Chapters: 1
CWs: mild violence
Summary: Ingo took out the trash every night as long as Emmet did the dishes. One day, he met a new friend in his dumpster.
Elevated Railways* - completed
Word Count: 72,000 (longest)
Chapters: 28
CWs: disordered eating, mentions of blood, hinted minor character death, angst, mild violence
Summary: Ingo has been in Hisui for two years when two children fall from the sky - with wings like his. Did they come from the same place he did?
Casting Pearls Before Time - in progress
Word Count: 9,000
CWs: none
Summary: Six months after his reappearance, Ingo encounters someone he thinks he knows. Issue is, he can't remember anything before being found in Sinnoh by the rescue team.
A Father's Resolve - in progress
Word Count: 7,000
CWs: none
Summary: Ingo returns after a decade - with two extra cars in tow. Years later, his kids are swallowed up by time in the same way he was. Will he be able to find them? Will they be able to make it out alive?
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randomwriteronline · 2 years
Text
[...] While there are records of his funeral from various Pearl Clan sources, it is likely that it was done more as a symbolic ritual than an actual funerary ceremony: as read in Captain Zisu's journal, "members of the Clan came to rely us the news of his departure towards the South of the continent, although by their tone, faces, and use of their words one could have assumed he had instead left for the world of the dead". Furthermore, thanks to several clues contained in a handful of varied accounts (the sources of which range from inns to frontier guards to travelers' journals), historians have managed to not only identify the warden, but also trace an approximate map of his wanderings through the Johto region.
Unfortunately, further information threads die out after his itinerary briefly stops in what is today Azalea Town. The last account we have of him, the note of a guard signaling his departure westward, presumably heading for today's Ecruteak City, makes it highly unlikely that he remained in the village or eventually retraced his steps. Leaving history just as abruptly as he walked into it, what became of the mysterious Yamahito remains up to speculation. [...]
One day, a few years after the Lady's passing and when her oldest Sneaslet had long taken her place and grown past the grief, Ingo woke up to see the land stretch before him, and the feeling of being trapped that he had never managed to shake off of himself since he had first awoken in Hisui seemed so strong that he suddenly had the urge to split his back right open in the middle and emerge from it like a Dustox from a Cascoon.
He talked to Irida of this, voice wavering, after years of never letting any of it surface.
She, who had had Almighty Palkia Ruler of Space personally speak to and through her, understood.
They held a funeral for him on the day of his departure - not because he was dead to them; but because like the dead he would have never returned.
It was not a proper traditional funeral, of course. It was early in the morning, before breakfast, because he would have had to leave early. He attended it as his own corpse, perfectly still as he ought to be, sitting upright instead of laying, so they would have remembered not to burn him.
To bid goodbye and pay respects it was tradition to hover a hand above the departed's chest, to respect their space, and only close loved ones could touch them if they wanted. On his own request, Ingo was allowed to be touched, or hugged, or kissed, if they felt they had been close enough, on his head. He had to bow it for a few children so they could smack their palms on his hair, and he bowed it for the oldest of the wardens in respect for her age, and because recently her arms had started to hurt if she raised them too much.
Calaba didn't make a fuss of it. She only lamented that she had to see another boy go before her; then she kissed his head.
Palina did not say anything, because she remembered she had been rude to him when he first arrived and was afraid he had not forgotten that. She noticeably eased the tension out of her shoulders when she saw he didn't hold a grudge at all; then she kissed his head.
Gaeric had the warmest hands he had ever felt on his head and shoulder, and he seemed to tremble slightly even though the cold was far from an issue for him. He muttered a blessing for safe passage; then he kissed his head.
Lian, who was no longer a kid now, hugged his entire head and cried a little. He slipped a two stone pendant in his hand (Thunder and Dusk, the ones he liked so much for no reason); then he kissed his head.
Irida kneeled beside him and held his head in her warm hands. She didn't say a word. She looked sad. She looked hopeful. She kissed his forehead gently.
Ingo cried - the dead cry too, when the snow on their face melts in the flames.
Then once the songs and the music and the tears were done and everybody had left to go eat in honor of his travel he got up, left his tunic and warden bracelet where they could see and fetch them, wrote his thanks in the snow, grabbed the bag they had made for his journey as a last gift (with provisions and a warm blanket, as it is tradition to give to the dead), and walked southward.
He walked southward and he never stopped walking southward.
He emerged from a cave into a warmer land and walked eastward, towards the sea, and stayed in a village that was absolutely covered in Cheri trees, and that was called Cherrygrove rather fittingly. He followed the shoreline and visited, out of curiosity, ancient ruins that reminded him of the Temple of Sinnoh. He stopped at a town sorrounded by flowers; he was told that if he had a wish, he should have gone west, where the leaves of the trees were gold and amber, and scaled the tower to ask for a blessing. If he wanted to go there, there would have been a forest to pass through.
He wandered those woods for a long while before he realized he had gotten lost on purpose. Not looking where he went, dragging himself along, making turns with no rhyme or reason. He didn't even remember how he had gotten to this little shrine in the middle of nowhere.
He was so tired.
He looked at the green being before him, barely seeing it. Its wide blue eyes seemed curious as it tilted its head.
Ingo looked into them. He was so tired.
"I want to go home," he confided in the small god, voice watery, exhausted.
The spirit nodded.
He felt himself blink; then the shrine was still there, but the forest and its protector had gone. Looking around himself he found cultivated fields and an unfathomably quiet, empty night.
He was so tired.
He began walking again.
He needed not trace the shoreline, this time; the roads were paved and clear. He passed a town, passed another one, passed a third one on a bridge. He walked into the fourth one and let his heavy legs drag him between muscle aches and hunger pains to a door.
He knocked weakly - remembered where the key was, but tried opening first. The door gave in. The stairs seemed like somewhere he should have gone: he waited a moment, barely able to stand, to muster up the strength to move.
A light turned on. He heard its click, saw it bathe the opposing wall with its bright brilliant shadows.
"Who's there?" asked a rough voice he had never heard before.
"Dad," he replied, and his voice seemed strangely boyish. "It's just me."
There was a pause. A man he had never seen before emerged from the top of the stairs and seemed to pale when his yellow eyes fell on his haggard frame, as if he was looking at a ghost.
Ingo, hunched on himself, famished, exhausted, about to fall to the ground, looked up at him.
"Can I sleep in your house tonight?" he just asked weakly.
The man walked down the stairs carefully, eyes fixed on him. His hand cupped Ingo's cheek careful and unsure as if fearing it would have fazed through the figure before him: Ingo leaned into it.
The man pulled him in the gentlest of bone crushing hugs, pushing his head against his shoulder. Ingo snuggled into the warm neck despite the coarse beard and the sobs wrecking the chest welcoming him home, and felt so comfortable and safe in those arms that he fell asleep.
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dittydipity · 2 years
Text
anyway thinking about ingo finally smiling in pla. emmet in modern day nimbasa letting his own constant smile slip. ingo's snow-covered coat getting more tattered until we see more of the pale pearl clan uniform than the coat itself. a funeral being held in modern times after ingo's been missing for long enough. emmet in black.
▲▽ becoming ▼△
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bellafragolina · 2 years
Note
Angst Anon
I fear that there was a miscommunication
That ask was originally for the dead s/o with Ingo who was asked to be sent back.
That he could fine motivation in searching as a means of grieving.
I do believe this might be too much. I am afraid that I am not "responsible with the angst card"
What you have instead wrote was fantastic 👏 do not get me wrong. I am the one at fault here.
I will try to be clearer next time.
I AM SO SORRY!! I got the asks mixed up and didn’t realize what you were referencing!! I’ll be better next time I promise!!
🍓🍓🍓
Ingo dedicates himself to finding a way back. He picks up where you left off, discovering all the Pokémon that exist across Hisui. Laventon is grateful, but he worries the Warden is taking on too much. With his Warden duties, the Pokédex, and planning for your funeral, he doesn’t know when Ingo even sleeps (he doesn’t, his nightmares of losing you won’t let him)
He also looks into you. He wishes to bring back your memory, tell people of your strength, assure you family that you were loved and strong and so wonderful. Give them closure, since he knows they won’t ever see you again. He writes down all he can remember, everything you've told him about your family, your home, everything you could remember
When he finally manages to best Arceus and return home, his own memories reinstated, he retrieves his list and starts to search. It's another thing to distract him from the grief of you being gone, really gone. He wants to meet your family, tell them how he loved you, apologize to them for not protecting you. He wants to see the place you grew up, lay you to rest where you were stolen from.
But everything he searches falls short. Elesa and Emmet lend a hand as well, but they find no mention of you, of your family, of the place you claimed to came from. It's infuriating, and Ingo's struggling to understand why this is so hard. He lost you, can't he have this one last thing, his only last connection to you?
He tries to think of why this would be. Were you from a time further in the future than him? But wouldn't there be ancestors of yours, your last name floating around somewhere? Were you wrong about your name? Were you wrong about everything? That seems unlikely too. He wasn't wrong about Chandelure or Emmet, and you had the same infliction as him.
He recalls your jabbering about your pets, how excited you were to remember them. A Dalmatian, you claimed to have one. A spotted dog. There's no record of those. He tries to look up what a parakeet is. No record. You had whined out for Japanese food once. Nothing.
It strikes him that nothing you knew exists here. You weren't from here. You were from somewhere farther away than this world. Another world, somewhere he couldn't reach.
And he never would. You were well and truly gone from everything but his memory, his already failing memory. Ingo tries to remember how you laughed, and cries when all that comes up is your smile, half blurred by time.
Please, he begs Arceus, end his misery
🍓🍓🍓
Is this right??? I'm so afraid I'm gonna mess it up again! If I did, please let me know! I'll fix it as soon as possible I swear! I'm sorry again! I'll keep better track of the order of my asks next time!!
<3<3<3
~Renee
68 notes · View notes
esprei · 2 years
Note
for the "Ingo the Funeral Crasher" :
I bet once he's up again Ingo will apologize for crashing into this gathering; totally unaware that it's his own funeral. Everyone looks at him like they've seen a Ghost. (well they're not entirely wrong here)
Either when Emmet (and Elesa) tackle him into a hug he slowly realizes what's going on but now it's reunion time!
(also I also bet that once things calm down Arceus gets a visitor, one who doesn't like their dark sense of humor)
I usually keep my opinions to myself because of not wanting to bother the people with them but I want you to know that I adore your artstyle. It's so nice and beautiful, with a lot of attention to detail. It's brimming with effort! The expressions you draw are also very nice and beautiful!
Every time your art shows up on my dash/timeline I smile, feeling a little bit better in times I don't feel that well. Thank you for that. And thank you for sharing your nice art around. I'll always look forward to see it.
Please take care and remember you're awesome!
(sorry... this got way too long but I just wanted you to know how I love your art and much joy your art gives me and I hope you don't mind me getting a bit overboard with it.)
OMG this is so funny i love that additional comedic effect of Ingo just... standing up like nothing happened and everything is fine, like he didn't literally just crash into his own funeral alfkjsdflkjsdf (i'm thinking about doing a followup so i might take some inspiration from this if that's ok)
and omg thank you so so much! your words are super kind, i appreciate this more than i can convey here!! ;w; (that goes for anyone who sends kind messages, a lot of times i feel like a broken record just saying thank you and that i'm not conveying my appreciation well, but it does mean a lot!) you're awesome too, thank you for taking the time to send this!
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hoofpeet · 1 year
Note
I appreciate how many aus you have because it creates this sort of evolutionary chart of universes hinging off deebying. Like, once ingo gets deebied he can in no specific order:
Invent trains
become his own namesake
fuck his way through sinnoh so much that half of sinnoh is related to him
Be his own ancestor
Invent top surgery
Beat up god
Start a cult
Die and become a dog
Die and get his remains mixed up with a sneaslers and get revived as a weird furry mix
Die and learn how to respawn
Adopt a child
Adopt a dog
Get symbolically married to a pokemon
Make people in the future think people in the past married pokemon seriously
Invent the modern day zorua by letting his dog fuck around
Almost kill emmet through twin telepathy poison
Invent pizza
Meet god
Invent train stations
Interrupt his own funeral
Start the myth that zoroarks will rip people's dicks off
Be carried around in a basket
Become a trophy husband
Revive extinct sneasel varieties
Introduce the new york accent into the hisuian phonetic landscape
Like i don't even think that covers every au you have even. So much possibility.
Man's been thru it .....😔 I like to think this all happened in the same timeline and he's trying to explain everything to Emmet
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Text
End of the Line - Chapter 5
[first] - [previous] - [next] read it on ao3! if you like the fic, please reblog it!
Chapter 5: Memory Emmet does one last thing for his brother.
Nimbasa Times Subway Boss Ingo Quietly Declared Dead Last Friday
Newly revealed documents indicate that at the beginning of last week, a petition was filed with the Castelia Records Office to declare Subway Boss Ingo legally dead. One of two masters of Nimbasa’s famous Battle Subway, Ingo has been missing since he failed to return home one night six years ago.
The evidence that Unovan courts saw to support the petitioner's claim have been sealed from the public, but they came to the decision last Friday that Ingo is most likely deceased. This declaration officially closes the missing persons investigation, which detectives have claimed was a cold case from its outset.
“It’s a difficult situation.” Elesa, leader of the Nimbasa City Gym, said in a statement to the Times. “We’re trying our best to get through this.”
Subway Boss Emmet, Ingo’s brother and the individual who filed the petition, declined to comment.
Emmet is doing fine. Thanks for asking. Everything is perfect in his life. Never been better, actually. Things are going great! Spectacular! Super-duper!
That’s what he reminds himself of repeatedly, the entire, silent walk. Chandelure follows him, a blur in his peripherals, behind him and to the left. It’s done this everyday since… since… since. He nervously runs his fingers over the edges of the small, cardboard box in his hands. He’s fraying the fibers, but that’s not going to matter in a bit, is it?
It’s raining, hard, and Emmet regrets not bringing an umbrella with him. Chandelure should be fine, its flames aren’t entirely real to begin with. But he’s soaked to the bone, one of his few non-uniform jackets pulls tightly around his body. The weather said it was supposed to be sunny. That was why Emmet chose this day. Ingo used to like it when it was nice and warm outside.
Just one more in the ever-growing list of failures.
Elesa is waiting for him outside the propped-open gates, as is Skyla. It’s been a few months since Emmet’s seen the two of them together, but that’s due to the fact that Emmet hasn’t seen many of his friends lately. They came to his apartment and dragged him out to the park, if only to let their Pokémon run around a bit. He feels a twinge of guilt, knowing all of his moping and searching led them both here, today.
“Hey, Emmet,” Elesa extends her umbrella, offering him some respite from the rain. “Are you doing alright?”
Emmet gives her a look.
“Right, yeah,” Elesa nods, hastily.
“What did you end up bringing?” Skyla asks, nodding towards the box.
It was strange that Emmet ended up talking it through with Skyla, of all people. Not to say that the two of them aren’t friends. In fact, they’ve known each other since they were kids on their Gym Challenge. On the rare occasion the four of them camped together, he and Skyla would stay up for hours, speaking only of theoretical type match-ups. He hasn’t exactly made time for her recently, not unless she forces herself into his schedule.
But Emmet hadn’t known who else to ask. Elesa was handling every aspect of her lifelong friend’s funeral that he couldn’t, and Ingo isn’t exactly around anymore. It was a pleasant surprise, but not at all shocking, that she responded to his message.
Wordlessly, because his throat feels like it’s closing in on him, Emmet hands Skyla the box. She glances up at him curiously, and when he nods, she carefully parts the flaps at the top.
Inside are the shards of Ingo’s mug.
He expects their pity. Oh, Emmet. Poor, poor Emmet. What a sad sight he is without his brother. What’s he supposed to do now that he’s on his own? He must be so lonely…
Instead, Skyla places a hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Emmet,” she whispers to him.
The sentiment rings true in some deep cavern inside of him. Everything has been awful, ever since Ingo disappeared. For the first time in a while, Emmet allows himself to consider that, just maybe, it could be less awful.
“I know,” Emmet says. He glances past his friends, towards the small, gathered crowd in the cemetery. He and Ingo were never the most social people.
“You ready?” Elesa asks him, taking his hand into her own.
Emmet bites the inside of his cheek, squeezing Elesa’s hand. The answer is obviously no, he’s never going to be ready for this. Not even in a million years. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but horrifyingly enough, it did. Ingo is gone, and Emmet is still here.
He doesn’t want to say goodbye.
Without answering, Emmet enters the graveyard. Elesa trails after him, careful to keep her umbrella over both of their heads. Skyla trails behind them, but strangely enough…
“Chandelure?” Emmet stops, calling out to his brother’s dear Pokémon. It’s anxiously hovering at the threshold of the cemetery, as if there’s a boundary he can’t see. “Are you departing with us?”
The Ghost Pokémon whispers something quietly. Ingo always understood what his Pokémon were trying to tell him, a task that Emmet struggled with. That stark reminder of how much less he is than his brother is the last thing he needs today.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” Emmet forces the slightest smile to his face. “You can wait here. We will return shortly.”
Chandelure looks away from him for a moment, as if listening to something that Emmet can’t hear. Coming to a decision, it silently creeps back, away from the gates. It’s the littlest of choices, just a small decision, yet he can’t help but feel betrayed.
Emmet takes a deep breath. He nods, turns around, and walks back into the graveyard. He tries to ignore the feeling of a pair of eyes burning into the back of his head.
Ingo sighs, sticking his hands in his pockets and staring at the sidewalk by his feet. Even being in proximity to the graveyard makes him sick, but he couldn’t get that gnawing, scratching anxiety out of the back of his mind. There was no way he could let Emmet go there alone.
What if Ingo forgets Emmet again the second he’s out of sight? The rational part of himself knows he’s being ridiculous, but he can’t help but remind himself that it’s happened before. He’s just barely been able to scrape together a few memories of his brother, how could he bear losing all of that again?
Chandelure nudges Ingo’s back, pushing him out of the slouch he found himself in.
“My posture isn’t of much consequence anymore,” Ingo remarks, lightly patting his Pokémon’s side. Chandelure nuzzles into his hand, and its expression tugs at something that’s just out of Ingo’s reach.
“You’ve done this before,” Ingo’s eyes narrow as he tries to dredge something from his fragmented past. “You were… smaller, I believe.”
Chandelure quickly and enthusiastically nods, which brings a warmth to Ingo’s chest. He may be missing a vast majority of his memories, but at the very least, they are not lost to him.
Ingo can hear the voices behind him, but he chooses not to focus on what they’re saying. Chandelure is a good enough distraction, resting contentedly in his lap as he idly passes his fingers through its flames. It got dangerous to do this at some point, didn’t it? But it’s nice and warm now, and Ingo can just close his eyes and pretend.
They stay there for a long time.
When he opens his eyes, Ingo catches sight of someone walking by him. Confused, he turns his head to see a young woman, peering through the metal bars of the gates. A strange, gray Pokémon rests on her shoulder. Nobody has noticed her presence, yet.
“Looks like our tip was good, Cinccino,” the woman whispers to her Pokémon, smirking. “This is going to make a great scoop.”
“Chandelure,” Ingo taps his companion’s side. “Wake up, there appears to be a disturbance on the tracks.”
Once Chandelure sees what Ingo does, he can tell that they’re filled with the same fiery anger. How dare someone try to monetize his funeral? Is this how the press has been treating Emmet the whole time he’s been gone?! No wonder he’s in such a state! It’s a wonder that he’s been able to escape their sights so far.
Chandelure flies over to the woman, pushing her away from the gates. It glares at her, flaring its candles menacingly.
The woman clicks her tongue. “I see. It seems like this graveyard has a guardian. It shouldn’t be too hard for us to clear away this busybody, right Cinccino?” In response, Cinccino jumps between its trainer and Chandelure, chittering angrily at the other Pokémon.
“Do you wish to fight them, Chandelure?” Ingo asks, tilting the brim of his hat downwards. When Chandelure does not budge, he feels the corners of his mouth ever-so-slightly tilt upwards. “Very well then. It’s been some time since we were able to battle together. This will be a very enlightening experience.”
Battling with Chandelure is right, in the exact same way that finding Emmet was. It only serves to cement the conclusion that Ingo came to not that long ago. This is where he belonged. This is where he belongs.
With half-remembered instincts, ingrained in him both years and centuries ago, Ingo shouts, “All aboard!”
And the next thing Ingo knows, they’re in the Pokémon Center. He looks around, trying to make sense of what just happened. They were just about to battle that Cinccino, how in the world did he end up here?
Emmet is standing at the front counter, quietly speaking to the nurse on duty. Elesa and the other woman, who Ingo still doesn’t recognize, are seated around the lobby, chatting amongst themselves. The nurse hands a Poké Ball back to Emmet, one that Ingo has started to recognize over the past few weeks.
“Give it some time to rest,” the nurse suggests. “A few hours, at least.”
Did they lose? For some reason, a defeat like that is even more crushing than any Ingo can recall. And speaking of his recollection, why can’t he remember the battle? When did he even get here?! His memory is tricky enough as it is, and now he’s losing time, of all things!
Emmet nods, holding the Poké Ball close to his chest. “Thank you,” he manages to choke out, before he quickly retreats back to his friends.
Elesa is quick to receive him, jumping to her feet. “Hey, Emmet!” she tugs at his sleeve, stopping his beeline out of the Pokémon Center. “Skyla suggested we all go out to eat. Are you hungry?”
Nervously, Emmet passes Chandelure’s Poké Ball between his hands, like a scale compares two separate weights. Now, Ingo knows that Emmet was so anxious this morning that he skipped breakfast, and unless he ate something at the funeral or on the way to the Center, he must be starving. He may not remember much, but such hesitance from his brother to a simple question seems wrong.
“Where did you want to go?” Emmet asks, his words slow and deliberate.
“We were thinking the deli a few blocks over,” Elesa smirks. “We went there last fall, remember? You loved their grilled cheese.”
What in the name of Almighty Palkia is a grilled cheese, and why does Ingo miss it so much?
“You are enticing me,” Emmet notes, abruptly shoving the Poké Ball into his pocket. “Fine. I will join you.”
Elesa cheers, yanking Emmet into a tight hug. He mumbles something about needing to breathe, but Elesa either doesn’t hear him or doesn’t care, just lifts him up and spins him around. Swords, was she always this strong?!
Finally, Emmet manages to wiggle out of her death grip. Only partially, however, as Elesa manages to hold onto his wrist. With a grin on her face, she drags him out the door of the Pokémon Center.
“Come on Skyla, we’re going to lunch!” Elesa shouts over her shoulder.
Skyla pops up from her seat. “Yes! Lunch!”
“Elesa!” Emmet yells in protest, tripping over his feet to keep up with her.
Trailing behind the three of them, Ingo finally gets a glance at his brother’s face, and he realizes that he’s smiling. It’s tired and strained, but it’s a real, genuine smile. For the first time since he returned from Sinnoh, Emmet is truly and genuinely happy.
Of course Ingo is glad. He would be an even worse brother than he is now if he wasn’t. But as he walks out onto the steps in front of the Pokémon Center, watching his brother and their friends leave him behind, he can’t help but feel…
Empty.
At the end of a verrrry long day, as the sky is beginning to dim, Emmet returns to the apartment that he shares with no one. He kicks off his shoes, leaving them scattered around the living room. His leftovers are tucked safely into the fridge, and he’s already planning to reheat them for dinner tomorrow. With a deep sigh, he collapses onto his couch and stares up at the ceiling.
The funeral was… good. It was fine. Emmet’s been to funerals before, but never for anyone so important. Frankly, he’s just glad that it’s over with. He did this last big thing for Ingo, and now, he gets to…
He gets to…
Keep living. Probably.
The silence in his apartment is eerie. These past six years, Emmet has only grown to hate the quiet. It was never like this when Ingo was around. Even in the dead of night, Emmet would sometimes wake up to the sound of his brother stumbling to the bathroom or the kitchen.
He blindly reaches for the remote, flicking on the television and letting whatever channel was on last run. It’s a cartoon that features talking Pokémon, one Emmet remembers being old even when he and Ingo were kids.
Idly, Emmet pokes at the frame of one of the turned-over photographs above his head. He knows which one this is by heart: first day of engineering school. Was that really thirteen years ago? He remembers the day like it was yesterday. Elesa went out of her way to stop by before their classes started, and she insisted on taking a picture of the two of them before she let them go. Emmet had his arms wrapped around his brother, and Ingo stuck his fingers up behind his head. Rude.
Would it hurt so much to turn it back around? The last picture he saw of Ingo was today; Elesa picked out a nice one on Emmet’s behalf. And before that were those dreaded sepia photographs of the Warden, a man Emmet is not so sure he knew as well as he did his brother. Was it better to remember Ingo as the person he was? Not the person he became? If they’re both Ingo, then how different can the two of them really be?
Before he can come to a decision, Emmet feels something rumble in his jacket pocket. Ah, right. He pulls out the Poké Ball and clicks the button, allowing Chandelure its freedom once again. The Pokémon is frantic for a moment, hurriedly looking for something that Emmet can’t see. It isn’t how he remembers it acting after battles in the past, but he supposes it’s been a while.
“Chandelure,” Emmet says, and it pauses its panic for him. They might as well get used to listening to each other now. “I-” He clears his throat. “I wanted to thank you. What you did was… good.”
Ironically enough for a Fire type, Chandelure seems frozen in place. After a second passes, it relaxes, leaning ever so slightly to the side. Emmet can’t help but find its tilted stature strange.
“There is a question I have for you,” Emmet continues. “My leave is over next week. I know we have battled together before, but you have refused since…” He tugs at the edge of his sleeve, wrapping the fabric around his thumb. “Today, you battled again. Do you want to keep battling?”
Chandelure blinks at Emmet, staring at him with its blank eyes. He’s gotten used to it after it evolved, but in moments like these, he still feels unnerved.
“It’s alright not to answer,” Emmet assures it. He stands, ready to make his way to bed, but his attention is caught by a slip of paper falling out of his lap. Shoot, he must have dislodged it from his pocket when he pulled out Chandelure.
“Chandelure, did you hear what I said at the funeral?” Emmet asks as he snatches the paper back up. His brother’s Pokémon shakes his head, which is the answer he expected. “If you want to see, I wrote it here. I know you miss him, and I do too.”
Chandelure floats over Emmet’s shoulder, carefully keeping its flames away from his hair and clothes. Maybe it’s just the comparison of having an incredibly warm Pokémon on one side of him, but oddly enough, his left shoulder feels almost freezing.
To appease his apparently eager audience, Emmet unfolds the paper. A pinprick of a tear is already forming in the corner of his eye. He already knows what he wrote. Though it may be short, he labored over every single word in his eulogy. If there was any chance at all that Ingo could hear him, Emmet wanted him to know that no matter what happened that took him so far away, he still cares.
I am Emmet. My brother Ingo was my best friend in the world, and now he is gone. I searched for him for years. When I finally found him, I was too late. His track has ended, and mine continues.
I will always remember the time we spent together.
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