#It's a submas AU it counts!!!!!!!

[blueisquitetired]

Employees of the Celestic Railway Network

(A faeU piece!)

Wondering why there hasn’t been much art on my account lately? It’s because of this! I was working on it for five months straight!!!!!

But it’s done now! Woo!

If you like this picture please please reblog it. I don’t normally ask, but this took me hundreds of hours so I would appreciate the support.

Anyway, character info and world building under the cut-

Warden Gaeric, Warden of the Icicle Line

Species: Human 

Of all of the creatures in the grand realm of Hisui, humans are debatably the strangest of all. Beings that are not pokémon nor fae, but something else entirely. Humans have almost no natural magic, yet are able to live and thrive anyway thanks to their natural adaptability. Their bodies naturally absorb and convert the energies of local pokémon, fae, and environments in order to better match them, and they learn things at a rate not seen in any other creature. Despite their lack of magic, they are able to grow and thrive in almost any environment, and many have made Hisui their home.

While Warden Gaeric might boast larger than life strength and power, he’s still as human as they come, not even bothering to practice simple spell casting. He doesn’t need magic to do what he does, and he takes a certain amount of pride in that fact. Hard work has gotten him this far, and he doesn’t see it letting him down anytime soon. 

(Although there is a running theory that he is blessed with the human oddity dubbed “Main Character Syndrome” or “Plot Armor”. Such claims cannot be proven though, as it isn’t a widely understood phenomenon, so it remains as just a theory)

Warden Melli, Warden of the Zap Line

Species: Human

Warden Melli immigrated to Hisui as a young adult, and has since never gone back, seeing no reason to return to the mortal coil. His skill with a needle and thread impressed Subway Boss Adaman so much that he was originally hired to mend and charm uniforms- but was quickly promoted to warden when Lord Electrode was taken by his dramatics. Nowadays, his embroidery skill is mostly used for protection spells and charm making, something he is extremely proficient at. Unfortunately, despite being a master spell caster in his own right, the temperamental nature of the medium causes him to disvalue his own skill, viewing it as “not real magic.”

Despite that though, he still is responsible for most of the charms sewn into the uniforms of his fellow human wardens.

Warden Palina, Warden of the Flame Line

Species: Selkie

Selkies are a subspecies of the poké pelt line of fae, a fae type that is mostly known for its ability to switch between the form of a humanoid and a pokémon- but only if they have access to their magic hide. A poké pelt whose skin has been stolen will find themselves unable to transform and unable to do most magic. This has caused most of their myths and legends to revolve around a malicious third party stealing their pelt and hiding it away somewhere.

The Selkie sub species in particular are known to transform into certain water types- specifically pokémon such as dewgong and spheal.

Palina is one of the more senior wardens, despite being a relatively short lived race. (Only living for around 100-200 years- similar to a human) Her long wardenship is due to the fact that she has served two separate lords. A rare thing indeed, as most new nobles will choose a new warden upon their ascension.

Of course, she isn’t one to brag about such a thing, and is much more likely to sing praises for her lover and husband- Warden Iscan. Famously, the two met when she got caught in Warden’s Iscan’s net- back when he was living in Galar and had never had any real encounter with the fae. Still, despite that, the two hit it off, falling in love and marrying. The couple are known for being annoyingly lovey dovey, Palina going so far as to let Iscan carry her pelt for her while at work as a sign of trust and love.

Warden Iscan, Warden of the Splash Line

Species: Human

Warden Iscan may have spent his entire life in Galar if not for his meeting with his future wife- an event that changed his life forever. Formally a fisherman from Hulbury, Iscan’s secret love for trains and general disinterest in fishing in general made moving to Hisui with his new love an easy choice to make. A choice made even easier when Lord Bascilegion chose him as his warden.

He builds and collects model trains in his free time, storing most of them in the unused Splash Apartment.

Warden Sabi, Warden of the Sky Line

Species: Delphi*

The Delphi are an extremely long-lived race (living for several millennia, and likely unable to die of old age) with the ability to see into the future. Not much is known about the delphi as they tend to keep to themselves- but considering their strong magic and fantastic abilities, that’s probably for the best.

For all intents and purposes, Warden Sabi is basically a baby. Barely 100 years old, with an expectant life span in the thousands, it’s a miracle her family let her leave their house- much less hold a job. Yet hold a job she does, even if her actual job description is nebulous at best. She enjoys getting up to mischief and practicing her fledgling future sight powers- mostly in the form of little “prophecy of the week” cards that she hands out. 

Still, she shouldn’t be underestimated, and her advice should be heeded. The future might not be set in stone, but she can see the changes in the tide of time far clearer than anyone else.

*(While most of the species of fae seen in FaeU are modified versions of actual myths and legends, Delphi are an original creation. Many fae have the nebulous ability of “seeing the future” but I couldn’t find any specific species that fit what I was looking for. Thus, the Delphi were created.)

(The name is in reference to the Oracle of Delphi from Greek mythology)

Warden Mai, Warden of the Mind Line

Species: Satyr

Satyr are a species of humanoid fae adorned with horns and hooves- known for their culture of singing, drinking, mischief, and general merriment. This has given them a reputation of being cheats, thieves, and layabouts, something that causes many to inherently distrust them.

They are also closely linked with nature and song, and can be powerful spell casters with enough practice- but their inherent abilities leave much to be desired.

Warden Mai used to be quite the rebel when she was younger. Sick of the expectations and pressures of her peers and parents, Mai ran away from home as a teenager. Unfortunately, her rash temperament and attitude made it hard for her to hold a job for longer than a year at a time. Thankfully, with the support and guidance of the former Lord Wyrdeer she ended up finding herself and mellowing out quite a bit, now being a well adjusted adult.

She plays guitar in a band and does some spell casting recreationally- but refuses to play the flute or seriously learn magic. Apparently, her mother’s intense pan flute lessons were one of the factors that originally drove her to running away. Because of this, she plays her Celestic flute like a train whistle and gleefully cackles any time she startles someone with it.

Warden Arezu, Warden of the Meadow Line

Species: Pixie

When most humans think of fae, their minds usually fall to pixies- a common race of small winged faerie. Their curiosity and mischief often leads them to wander into the mortal coil for brief periods of time, leading to millions of sightings and thousands of myths and legends. 

Coming in at on average six inches tall, pixies aren’t a very powerful race naturally, and tend to stay in groups. If you see a pixie on their own, there's a good chance a group of them is hiding nearby, often egging the singular pixie on.

Some powerful, practiced pixies may leave their communities to live among other fae- but these pixies tend to learn growth magic early on in order to increase their size. Increasing in size is often uncomfortable and makes it harder to fly, but being taken more seriously by others, and more easily interacting with the world around them is a trade off many pixies find favorable.

While the Celestic railways can be ridden by fae and humans of any sort, its passengers by in large consist mostly of city fae- a type of fae that has grown accustomed to iron and smog, making their homes in large communities and towns in a similar vein as humans. Which is what makes it all the more impressive that Warden Arezu is not a city fae.

Most of Warden Arezu’s life was spent in a small pixie community deep in a hidden woodland. She was curious and social, and eventually her limited social circle and never changing circumstances drove her to explore the world as a whole, eventually leading her to the Celestic Rail Network. While she isn’t a train fan by any stretch of the imagination, she still thoroughly enjoys how the rails bring in fae from all corners of Hisui, each with stories to tell and fashion to share.

Eventually, she dreams of opening a hair salon, but for now, wardenship suits her just fine.

Warden Calaba, Warden of the Earth Line

Species: Human

Warden Calaba is old- older than any human has any right to be. How old remains a mystery, one that most doubt she will ever indulge. But with that age comes knowledge, years of healing and potion brewing knowledge that far outstrips what anyone would expect of a human like her. 

Still, she is long overdue to retire, and Subway Boss Irida and Adaman have been gently trying to encourage her too for years now. She refuses though, stating that she will man her post until she is able to impart her knowledge onto another being, or when Sinnoh tears her soul from her body. Considering she has scared off every apprentice she has ever taken, most are betting that it will be the latter.

Warden Lian, Warden of the Insect Line

Species: Human

Lian has lived on the Celestic Rails most of his life. No one was surprised when the current Lord Klevor chose him as his warden, as he has been the station darling since he was a toddler. Still, he takes his work seriously, doing his best to fulfill his duties and be the best warden anyone could ask for.

In his free time, Warden Lian enjoys collecting and perusing rocks- especially ones of the magical variety. He dreams of one day using them to become a spell caster, but his young age and lack of mentor has made the adults around him implore him to wait a few years. For now, he researches, collects, and dreams.

Subway Boss Adaman, Conductor of Time

Species: High Fae (Formally a dryad)

High Fae are less so fae and more so demigods, fae who’s power far surpasses any natural being. There are very few high fae in existence, and each one is fundamentally unique. Some high fae are born that way, but many are elevated from their lowly status by major legendaries or other such beings.

Dryads are a common nature fae, most well known for their unique connection to foliage. Each dryad is born from a certain plant, (usually trees) and will live for as long as that plant does. If the plant withers and dies, so will they, leaving them as extremely fragile beings. Dryads will often conceal the location of their linked plant for safety reasons.

Subway Boss Adaman was born as an unremarkable fir dryad a very, very, long time ago- when Hisui was untamed and dangerous, without a respite to be seen. He spent most of his early years living a fairly uneventful life, (as uneventful as life could be back then) save for his regular interactions with a local frost sprite, one which quickly grew into a fierce rivalry. Said rivalry slowly transformed from begrudging respect to close friends- overtime becoming an extraordinarily deep bond.

Of course, the two's lives changed forever when, on a stint to the mortal realm, they came across a train station. Adaman was blown away by its consistent and accurate timing and wished to bring that stability to Hisui. He eventually ended up pitching the idea to Dialga- who absolutely adored the plan and granted Adaman the powers of a high fae. (Specifically, power over time)

Nowadays, Adaman runs half of the Celestic Rail Network with his partner Irida, keeping the time in the railway stable and making sure the trains run according to schedule. (There are many rumors of what became of his original fir tree, as his relationship on it is no doubt different than it was from before he became high fae. Subway Boss Adaman has never commented on it though, so rumors will continue to speculate) 

Subway Boss Irida, Conductor of Space

Species: High Fae (Formally a frost sprite)

Nature sprites, not to be confused with pixies, are common fae found often in strong natural settings. It’s said when an aspect of nature’s magic coalesces en mass, it forms a sprite of that aspect. These are, in some ways, the most common type of fae, as the sprite genus covers millions of subspecies. They come in all forms and fashions, but by and large are relatively weak, only having mild magic relating to the aspect of nature that they are composed of.

Frost sprites are, unsurprisingly, sprites born from the essence of frost.

Subway Boss Irida was never long for the world- but she kept going anyway. Despite her relatively low life expectancy and naturally weak magic, she managed to live long past her years by moving with the seasons and living in a perpetual winter. Inevitably, she settled in a mountainous fir tree forest where it was snowy year round- and inevitably met a local dryad. 

Of course, her life changed forever when she and the dryad visited the mortal plane and beheld a train line for the first time. Irida was blown away by its ability to cross vast spaces safely and efficiently and wished to bring that stability to Hisui. She eventually brought the idea to Palkia- who eagerly signed off on the plan and gave her the power of a high fae. (Specifically, power over space)

Nowadays, Irida runs half of the Celestic Rail Network with her partner Adaman, keeping the space the railways run through stable and making sure the trains are able to reach where they are headed. (There are many rumors of the exact nature of her and Adaman’s relationship, as the two are close enough to be lovers if they so desired.  Unfortunately, neither party are willing to comment on the matter, so rumors will continue to speculate) 

#blue’s art #submas fae au #blue’s writing #warden gaeric #warden melli #warden palina #warden iscan #warden sabi #warden mai #warden arezu #warden calaba #warden lian #pokemon irida #adaman pokemon #submas au #It's a submas AU it counts!!!!!!! #this took forever #and is the best thing I've ever drawn so far

[blaiddraws]

guy and his giant bat son. watch out! :)

art for @rwyvernarts 's Schrodinger's Cat au. which i thoroughly enjoy. also their designs for the CREATURES. oh man it goes so hard. especially gliscor LOOK at that thing

#pokemon #submas #ingo #submas au #warden ingo #gliscor #blood #full disclosure i have no idea if his gliscor ends up being an alpha. or even being that big at all #but you must understand i NEEDED to draw this‚ you see #recs #I've had people tag this as body horror. is this body horror?? does this count as body horror?????

[critterbitter]

What do you know- I'm trying out the askbox *eyes*

anyway I just wanted to say that high-key I think I'd follow any content you make at this point bc your art brings me so much joy. That doesn't tend to happen super often since i am,,,, very much so a hyperfixation-focused person HAHA

regardless I'm not exactly quiet about it but I adore your art and I look forward to each new time you post :D

I WISH i had the capability of pumping out art like you do bc man while I love to draw and have so many ideas all the time picking up the pencil is Hard Dude.

Also! In a recent post you mentioned the whole Twin Dragons AU and HC that people love to have- I'd be super curious as to your opinion on it!

-( ╹▽╹ )

I SEE YOUR TAGS AND IM.

I’ll have to slow down at some point on that Submas Grind, but the hyperfixation throes are REAL. Thank you for inhabiting the tunnels with me! People that tag and cheer artists on are the real mvps of the art economy.

As for twin dragon aus!

I’ve always seen Emmet as more zekrom esque, and Ingo more reshiram esque. Is it cause the typing matches their starters? Maybe, hehe.

Ultimately though, the guys are too multifaceted for me to easily split them into truth and ideals.

I also see the legendaries as Eldritch Abominations Beyond Understanding, so having the dragons in my iteration become the twins would, uh, have consequences. The funny goofy story would dip into horror territory instead. (Reshiram demands only truths, and anything not Absolute will burn. And zekrom’s ideals are beyond human understanding, and trying to understand the mad tangle of thunder would drive somebody insane.)

(I’m a huge tma fan. Can you see it? Man.)

((Also N’s a scary mofo for summoning reshiram. I’m digging directly into the whole “twin heroes have a civil war and it destroyed unova” backstory that pokemon set up, and the more I think about it the stronger my dread mounts at the idea of Zekrom OR Reshiram casually flying overhead.

But this is also just how I see the legendaries of the pokemon world! Lugia sinks islands. Groudon covers towns. Arceus loves the mortal world, and mourns because its immortality only brings grief. Giritina hates, because it’s the ghostly remains of every one of Arceus’s mistakes given drive, banished into the distortion realm. Normal stuff!)

You sly dog, you got me monologing! But here’s the tldr: Not sure i’ll ever make my own serious Dragon AU that follows my internal world building for pokemon. I’m too attached to my favorite trope: “the smallest people can still initiate the biggest of changes”, and I’m too attached to my other favorite trope: “legendaries are actually gods and you Should Be Frightened.”

So that’s why, in this essay, if the trio gets turned into pokemon, I’d make them route 1 run of the mill rats. Because rats can do whatever they want.

(Plus, patrats and pachirisu aren’t banned from the subway battles last I checked.)

If i had to make a goofy crack dragon au though, I think this would be the result:

The whole story would just be the trio and historians trying to figure out what the hell the twins got turned into, and concerns of other people becoming pokemon as well. So far, people are convinced they’re a paradox version of an archen. (I mean…)

(Alternate take of THAT, where elesa gets turned into a victini.)

#long rambling talk under cut! #click at your own peril #ask #mailbox #i have feelings for forces of nature that shape the pokemon workd #benevolent gods. apathetic gods. malicious gods…. mMMz #pokemon #guess this counts as submas! #submas #nimbasa trio #my two hot takes on the twin dragons au #critterbitter #critterbitter screams into the void #myart

[esprei]

Emmet month - Day 3: Alternate clothing

bringing back my future!Emmet design for this one (original future!Emmet post)

#submas #subway boss emmet #subway boss kudari #subway bosses #monthofemmet #my art #i don't really quite count this as an au although i technically could i guess #...i have tons of emmet aus and only one of which where he has a completely different outfit #...the others are still him in his normal subway boss uniform #anyways i'm getting sidetracked #does anyone remember emmet + gloves (and ingo + gloves)

[raisans-art]

Drew another commission for @ingo-ingoing-ingone from his fic Always by Your Side!

Emmet… he’s fine I’m sure

Elesa’s there I’m certain it’s fine! Yeah, no he’s …. He’s doin great.

Anyway Enjoy!!

#submas #submas au #emmet #subway boss emmet #elesa #gym leader elesa #submas fanfic #submas conjoined au #tw hospital #tw amputation #I’m sure not having legs and your conjoined brother counts as a form of amputation #otherwise I have no idea how else to classify his utter lack of a body

[fraycreations]

and now, for your viewing pleasure, the nimbasa transit authority proudly presents: emmet, on ice!

repostober pt 2: joke that stemmed from the emmetsicle au because of this exchange (angst under the cut)

#submas #subway boss emmet #does this still count as angst lol #the au is angsty but this art isn’t #repostober #not oc #old art

[noelle-bunnie]

creatures have found their targets...

false ingo and false emmet are twins, or seem to act like twins, despite being nothing alike.

false ingo is seen doll-like but staring into his many eyes causes paralysis and vivid hallucinations. false emmet is the only one not effected by the eyes.

false emmet is a mechanical animatronic with limbs that can extend up to 10 times its original length. there is a compartment in his chest that false ingo can be stored into during travel.

#pokemon #submas #ingo #emmet #subway boss ingo #subway boss emmet #false ingo #false emmet #false trains au #tw: eye contact #tw: eye horror #horror #tw: body horror #idk if false emmet's extended neck counts as body horror #just incase :V #also i am aware i colored the pokeball looking thingys on the hats wrong... whoops

[ace-trainguys]

What if I posted the draft of the prologue to a fic of an au I haven't talked about on Tumblr. For a Halloween treat.

It's not edited up to where I want it. That and because this is only the first part of this au and it will be a long while before I write the rest is why I'm not posting it on ao3 yet. But if you would like a little something spooky, here is:

Heart of the Subway, part 1: Descent

Ingo sweeps his flashlight out in front of him. Even though Chandelure floats beside him, it is the proper safety procedure to illuminate the path ahead. The sensor that went offline is rather deep in the maintenance tunnels, but it shouldn't be too far now. Ingo hums to himself and Chandelure whistles along.

He reaches the next intersection and pauses. Instead of the two branching paths he was expecting, there are three. Ingo consults his mental map- he had been certain he was going the right way, but he must have made a wrong turn. A rare occurrence - one that hasn't happened since Ingo and Emmet became Subway Bosses, in fact. But that's the only explanation for the discrepancy. Each tunnel has the even shape of a man-made structure - no chance of a subterranean pokemon causing mischief.

All three paths slope downwards.

"Chandelure," Ingo murmurs. "Have I made a wrong turn?" She, too, knows these tunnels well. Chandelure chimes in confusion, confirming that she is also in the dark. Ingo had presumed as much - if she had noticed something wrong, she would have stopped him earlier. But he had to ask. "Very well. Let us retrace our steps."

Ingo turns around and heads back the way he came. He could have sworn that this tunnel had a slight downward slant when he had originally gone through, but he must have been mistaken. It's certainly sloping lower now.

Sooner than he expected, he reaches another intersection. It's wrong. There should be an opening to his left, and an opening forward, but there are four tunnels splitting off. This is not the way he came, but how could he have ended up somewhere else?

"Chandelure, do you sense anything?" Ingo asks. If it is a trick by a ghost, she will certainly be able to tell. When he doesn't receive a response, he turns and finds the space beside him empty. "Chandelure?!" He calls, but only his own voice echoes back to him. His loyal partner would not wander off and abandon him, but her purple tinted light is gone. Where is she? Ingo whips around to the direction he came from and-- it goes down.

No, no, he definitely descended coming this way. Did he get turned around? Which way did he come from? He shines his flashlight into the other tunnels, but all four slant deeper into the earth.

That's not possible. It-- the direction he came from, he went down. He didn't hear anything. Nothing could change the tunnels so silently.

It feels like a dream, but Ingo bites the inside of his cheek and feels pain. He's awake.

Ingo pulls out his radio and gets blasted by static. No matter how he tries to tune it, the results are the same.

Ingo... does not know the protocols for a situation like this. But he cannot simply stand around. He picks a tunnel and descends.

After several yards, Ingo turns and shines his flashlight back. The tunnel does not appear to be going back up like it should. He shudders and turns around again. What a horrible optical illusion, he tells himself, and desperately tries to believe it.

As he walks further and goes deeper, he begins to see cables run along the walls. He shines his flashlight on them, and though they are in line with the electrical wiring used in the subway, their placements and directions do not make logical sense. Ingo is intimately aware of how messy the wiring of the subway system was when he and Emmet began their careers. It was one of their highest priorities to repair when they became the bosses. It would make sense that there could have been wires they missed when doing the power system overhaul, so deep in the maintenance tunnels, but... these cables dip in and out of the walls in a way he's never seen before.

As he continues going deeper, he encounters cables drooping down in loops from the ceiling. An egregious safety hazard in five ways he can count off the top of his head. No one must have been in these tunnels in decades.

The wires grow thicker on the walls, running in all directions. Yet it is quiet - no hum of running electricity, despite the forest of cables. The only sounds Ingo can hear are his own careful breaths, and his rapid heartbeat.

It is not long before the cables have grown so thick that the walls are no longer visible. Ingo nearly trips before he realizes there are wires reaching out of the floor as well. He trains his flashlight and eyes at the ground, stepping carefully around the growths.

The tenuous beam of light hits a slab of solid metal. Ingo raises it to view an ancient door, wires twisting around every inch. Thick cables have entirely replaced the walls and floor - and a quick look upwards confirms the ceiling is covered as well. He swallows his dread and turns the doorknob with a shaking hand.

Immediately after stepping through, the door closes behind him with a sense of finality. The chamber he has entered is much wider than the tunnel he was in previously. Cables twirl and flow all around, congregating in a massive pillar in the center. Ingo realizes with a start that he can see outside his flashlight’s meager view - the whole room is filled with a dim sourceless light.

When he returns his eyes to the central pillar once more, he feels–

welcome happiness home

What…?

Ingo finds himself relaxing despite the incongruous nature of the emotions. It doesn’t make sense to feel this at home in such a strange, alien location, and yet. It’s as if he’s sitting on the couch, one arm around his brother, surrounded by their pokemon. Comfortable, safe, warm.

He can’t hear anything, but he can almost feel a noiseless sound. A pulse. Gazing upon the monolith of intertwined lines, he gets the sense that these wires, despite the lack of electricity flowing through them, are not lifeless.

He is suddenly, indisputably sure that this is the heart of the Unovan subway system. There is no logical evidence, nothing that could have led him to this conclusion, but he is certain.

Ingo is awestruck. Nothing could have prepared him for the power and life that the core of the subway emits. After all these years, all the effort Ingo and Emmet put into restoring a run down transit system - seeing that it has blossomed into something like this makes him want to laugh and cry. It was worth it.

The corners of his eyes pinch, his version of a wide smile. He wonders if he should feel reverence, in the core of the place he and his brother dedicated themselves to, but instead he’s filled with love, love, love that is not his own. Ingo realizes that it’s the subway itself, communicating with him in pure emotions, and he laughs. His own joy is reflected back at him. He loves and adores the subway, and it seems it loves him back.

With a noise like leaves rustling in the wind, cables shift in the pillar, opening a small entrance. Ingo feels a gentle pull forward, an invitation to enter the heart. happy closer appeal. Ingo notices he’s taken a step closer without realizing it.

He steps back and plants his feet firmly to the ground. Come come come. No, Ingo will not do anything blindly. Love safety stay happy, the subway croons wordlessly, yet he feels himself start to sweat.

Suddenly he’s sure that if he enters the heart, he will never be able to come back out.

Comfort love safety. It’s not bad, down here. Pleasant, really. The subway loves him. He could be happy, nestled securely in the heart.

But he cannot do this. To stay here would be abandoning his responsibilities. It would mean leaving his job and his passion behind. Never seeing his friends or his pokemon or his brother again.

Negative false reassurance. Still there still there

Ingo shakes his head and shudders. He doesn't understand how staying here could be anything other than abandoning everyone. He tries to turn back around and--

He can’t move.

Despite the subway’s faith confidence trust, Ingo feels his breathing speed up. It won’t let him leave. It won’t-- he doesn’t want this but he can’t even lean backwards.

Ingo shivers, and thinks of Emmet alone. Not knowing what happened to his brother. Worrying about Ingo. Worrying Ingo left him, falling into those old self doubts. Ingo promised he would never leave. He promised - and in a burst of frantic energy, he turns and manages to take a step away.

No love safe comfort stay stay STAY

Ingo struggles to take another step, while a whispering rasp hisses behind him. As he pushes his frozen legs as hard as he can, he spots squirming black shapes approaching in the edge of his vision. Cables reach out to him, wrapping around his arms, ever so gently. More circle his wrists, his legs, his feet, his chest, his neck, with extreme care. Like handling fine china, like holding a precious treasure, the wires cradle Ingo, embracing every inch of him. Ingo’s terror and panic fight the calm safe love, but he can’t move at all in the wires’ tender hold.

Paralyzed, Ingo can do nothing as the cables begin to drag him into the heart. He tries, he desperately tries, but he can't even twitch a finger. He can't move, he can't move, he will be stuck down here for the rest of his life and he will never see his brother again-

adoration safe calm belonging stay

Drawn into the subway's heart, a path made specially for him, all Ingo can do is scream "EMMET!"

Then the wires fall back into place, as if the entrance was never there at all.

No– stop- what's going on? He doesn’t want this! He can't move! He doesn't -

Home safe belonging love love love

the pressure, it's everywhere- he's being crushed, he - air? Is he breathing? He can't move, he can't move- help-

Calm safe peace secure

What is that sensation- running through him, he's never felt something like that, he doesn't understand- rumbling stopping and starting, in him - pinch and itch and drag on parts a body doesn't have, how- he doesn't want this, please stop-

Right belonging acceptance

There's no color- How is he seeing so much at once - too much, it's too much, he can't- make it stop, please-

Rest reassure love

It doesn't hurt but he doesn’t understand- he's not supposed to be– he is supposed to be…what is he supposed to be?!

Right correctness cherished belonging

help, he can't– it's so quiet- this is too much, he can't–

Reassure calm love adoration

He can't- he can't…

Acceptance belonging home

H-help… Em… met…

Belonging belonging belonging

He...

Calm safe belonging

…

Calm.

He calms.

Emmet is doing paperwork in his and Ingo's office when the lights flicker off for a second. They're back on almost immediately, but Emmet groans regardless. The subway's backup generators prevent essential functions from shutting down, but a power outage, no matter how brief, means there are many safety checks that must be run.

Emmet blinks, and places a hand on his chest. Nothing happened other than the lights going out, but he feels like something is different. He can't put his finger on what or how, exactly, but…

Hm. He'll have to ask Ingo if he felt it too after he gets back.

#submas #qed's writing #writing #fanfiction #ingo #emmet #submas au #heart of the subway au #I edited a little tonight but I'm under the weather and I hit my limit #does this count as a cliffhanger? #in my opinion the first part is the spookiest but there'll be more spooky later too #psychological horror I think #I'm gonna keep quiet about what happens next and pretend to be mysterious #(unless I change my mind which is a possibility)

[divatheeva]

Uh-uh, Dracula don’t suck! Dracula scrape with his fangs and lick up the blood. Like this!

#vampire zisu AU #i guess this counts as Blaidd’s AU?? #warden Ingo #submas #Pokémon #captain zisu #hehe. hehe. funny Billy and Mandy reference

[cuz-reasons]

Summary: Akari comes for a visit

I once again had too many ideas and had to split up chapters

#submas #subway boss ingo #subway boss emmet #wing au #i keep poking at things and adding scenes #and now this fics like 70k words #which is WILD to me cuz i never thought id pass the word count for my 52k word fic #and ive got a couple other fics that im slowly working on thatll prolly come close too #all this to say little me is likely thrilled with how much ive written #cuz i was that kid trying to hand write novels in notebooks #anyways #hope you enjoy!

[onestepbackwards]

Saw the submas soulmate idea of being able to see colors once you meet your soulmate, and how in a situation where you are both Ingo and Emmet's soulmate meeting with Ingo only revels half the colors of the world. When I saw that I couldn't help but think of how that would make Emmet's reunion with his brother (and meeting their shared soulmate) rather interesting. So have this tiny fic/idea thing. I'm just picturing Emmet in Nimbasa all alone. His world is nothing but grayscale completely void of all colors. His brother is gone, and all of his searching has amounted to nothing. Most have given up on Ingo coming home, and while Emmet still has hope that one day Ingo will return that hope dies a little bit with each passing year. He hasn't even thought about finding his soulmate during this time. Finding their soulmates was something that the brothers has always dreamed of doing, but he can't bring himself to do it. He can't even find his own twin what hope does he have in finding his soulmate? Days blend together until one day he hears a voice call out to him. A voice he feared he would never hear again. "Emmet!" And when he turns around he sees Ingo there. Happy, and so clearly relived to see Emmet. By Ingo's side is you, and when Emmet gives you a quick glance suddenly his world explode into color. He can see the different colors that make up the evening sky and the setting sun. He can see the blue that makes up the Gear Stations symbol on Ingo's hat. He can see the flashing colors on the farris wheel of the distant theme park. While he's trying to process it all he can see his soulmate have a moment of startled realization, but while Emmet is still processing everything his soulmate recovers a lot quicker. "So you are my other soulmate," They say. 'Other?' Emmet can't help but think, but that thought leaves his head when Ingo runs to him and yanks him into a hug. Emmet melts into the hug, and clings to his brother. His brother is back. His brother is finally back. After clinging to each other for a while Ingo breaks the hug slightly although he doesn't let go. He only separates to gesture for Emmet's soulmate to come over. "Emmet," Ingo says. "This is my soulmate. Well, our soulmate I suppose." "Nice to meet you," They say. "It's nice to know what the color blue looks like now." Emmet didn't have a way with words. Not like how Ingo did, and in his overwhelmed state said skill might as well have been nonexistent. Instead of saying anything he only reaches out to them and gently takes hold of their hand. He gently pulls them toward both him and his brother, and once they were close enough he quickly included them in the hug. They quickly hug him back clearly understanding that he needs a moment. Ingo is quick to hug them both while Emmet clings to the both of them. His soulmate is here. His brother is back. There are questions that need to be asked. Things that need to be figured out. But they can worry about all of that later. For now Emmet is content to cling to his soulmate and brother, and just be happy to have both of them in his life.

THIS IS SO SWEET 😭😭😭💕💕💕

Thank you so much for the treat!! I am devouring this 😩🥰

#i’ve reread this 3 times and counting #soulmate au #pokemon soulmate au #submas #pla #warden ingo #subway boss emmet #other’s writing #other’s work #submission #zed.talks #ask #anon #long post #i love this

[blaiddraws]

an emmet doodle on the submas aggie last night as well! absolutely one hundred percent an undertale reference btw <3

#this actually counts as #utsubmas #especially considering i was thinking about it while drawing this HXKDHSJDBDN #pokemon #submas #emmet #submas au #submas aggie

[fourphoenixfeathers]

You thought gunsmoke was gonna be my only anime crossover doodles for the day, but SIKE! There's more! Kabaneri au upon thee!

(Zisu is reading a shopping list bc the Koutetsujou is stopping in Clamberclaw station for a restock before they head to the mirelands)

Ingo: *does anything*

Zisu:

Also, i have decided that Ingo and Zisu get married (!!!!) shortly before Akari's arrival, so I have updated Zisu's design with a pearl clan logo in the sleeve.

Memes i based the first pic on under the cut! :>

#pokemon legends arceus #submas #ingo #zisu #dojoshipping #kabaneri au #MY WIEF IS SOF #they are just so cute... #new emotional support ship #they are married! i wonder what marriage traditions in hisui are like... #i know ingo hasnt known her for very long bc zisu is only in the station for a few days every month #but its the apocalypse #you hold on to those you love with everything you have #imma say. ingo has been a warden for. two and a half years? and hes known zisu for almost that if you count the months he forgot #it 2.5 years reasonable? #i can change that if i need to #rae art

[ingo-ingoing-ingone]

Well, it's Monday! XD

I decided I wanted to figure out how these guys looked, and this definitely was a fun challenge. I think I did get better, for sure!

So yeah. Take sleepy guys from the conjoined submas AU!

Sketch under cut

You can see I fixed some stuff when digitizing it lmaoooo

#submas #submas conjoined au #submas positivity #emmet #Ingo #shirtless #submas mantit monday #even if they're twigs it COUNTS #it's about having fun and body positivity for all shapes #including atypical ones lol #(I think in the teen and early college age years they probably would need body positivity quite badly) #man summer would be so hot if you couldn't escape another persons body heat lmao #but winter would be nice lol #the scars on their belly are from appendix surgery and surgery to fix their insides when they were babies #they'd be pretty faded but still present #but since this is just linework I wasn't gonna play around with opacity lol #anyways. take them #not the first time I've drawn them but the first time I drew their whole body WELL

[robocatfan]

Caught

(Aka something that I started to write at 12 am in the morning because I wanted some Borrower! Submas situations :V. Also @quietlywatchingwritingreading I think you might like this)

Normally, Ingo wouldn’t have gone out borrowing in the middle of the day. It was just too dangerous because of the presence of so many passengers in the station, as well as having to worry about the workers since they had access to the more private areas.

But unfortunately, circumstances made it so that today became an exception. Winter was approaching, and with it came cold and snow, so he and his brother had to go out borrowing more than usual in order to have enough supplies for that time.

Carefully, Ingo peeked from the outlet he was hiding behind and listened carefully. He could hear the sounds of the humans passing through the station, but those were far and there was no sound coming from the room. Good.

Still, he stepped in with caution. The fact that there wasn’t any sound didn’t mean that someone couldn’t be present in there. After scanning his surroundings and confirming that yes, the space was currently empty, he let out a small sigh of relief.

Now to go find what he was looking for…

The borrower pulled out his crotchet hook from his bag as he walked towards a small table, before launching it at it. After making sure that it was properly lodged in, Ingo started to climb the makeshift rope tied to it. When he reached the top he took a moment to pause and check his surroundings once again. The coast was still clear. For now.

Ingo looked at the things in the table. There were some materials like paper clips , a pen and some stamps that would normally be his and his twin’s targets on a trip. But today he wasn’t looking for those, and instead he focused on a transparent zip bag that was twice his size containing a mass of white fluffly stuff; cotton.

This stuff would be useful to make some coats for themselves and give warm in their den. Right after pulling his hook from the table, the borrower approached the bag. He had to jump a bit in other to unzip it, but apart from that he had no problem in getting inside it and pulling out some cotton; not enough that the humans would notice, but just so that he didn’t need to get more soon.

But as he put the stuff on his borrowing bag, his ears lifted, picking up a sound: footsteps. And unlike the ones coming from the humans wanting to board the trains, this one was so close that it practically muffled the ones farther in the station and was getting louder by the moment.

It was coming here.

Ingo’s body shook, and he practically slammed his bag shut before dashing out of the comparatively giant zip bag. His hurry and fear made him fall awkwardly out of it, but that was far from his biggest concerns as he scrambled to get up and run.

But there wasn’t enough time to put his hook to climb down and hide, since seconds later he heard the jingling of keys and saw the door handle turn. Thinking quickly, the borrower looked around before his eyes settled on a small box and he immediately bolted to hide behind it an instant before the door finally opened and a human stepped in.

Ingo instantly curled his tail around his body and covered his mouth, not daring to make a sound as he heard the human walk close. This spot was too much in the open for his comfort, barely hiding him from the giant, and he was sure that if he made any small action he would be spotted immediately.

He didn’t turn his head to look at the human, but he could sense that they were already in front of the table, looking at the stuff. Suddenly he remembered that he forgot to close the bag with the cotton, and he mentally cursed himself as he heard it’s wrinkling when the employee grabbed it and murmured, clearly confused as to why the thing was open.

For a moment, he hoped that the employee would go outside to call their companions and that would give him enough time to get down and escape. But that hope was immediately shattered when he heard a hum and his hiding spot was suddenly moved, leaving the borrower in the open as a shadow loomed over him accompanied by a sound of surprise.

He had been spotted.

Ingo’s body was completely frozen in fear, and he didn’t dare look back at the human, not wanting to meet is terrifying gaze. Everything screamed at him to run, to get away immediately. And he wanted to do so. But he found himself unable to move, absolutely terrified.

That was, until the shadow shifted a bit, getting away for an instant. He dared to look behind him and spotted the human grabbing a small container and freezing when their gazes met. He knew exactly what they wanted to do. And he bolted.

The human gasped at his sudden movement, but Ingo didn’t pay attention to it one bit, pulling his hook on the table as fast as he could before climbing down like his life depended on it. When he was a bit close to the floor he jumped off and dislodged his hook in a swift motion before barely dodging a giant hand trying to grab him.

The outlet in which he came inside was fairly close, and the borrower hoped that he would be able to get to it and get away from danger. But as he got a bit close, a giant leg stomped right in front of it, making Ingo yelp in surprise and hastily turn around.

Thinking quickly, Ingo decided to go for the still open door. But in his panic he miscalculated the distance that was separating them, and when the human noticed his plan an it only took a few steps for them to get to it and close it.

The borrower felt a cold shiver on his body as he paused and looked up, up at the human. He was cornered. Then he remembered that the human had moved and the outlet was now clear. He still could escape! If he was careful..

Not taking his eyes off the employee, he slowly took some steps back. For a moment the human just stared, probably trying to predict what this tiny creature would try to do next. Then, they also took a step towards them. Ingo gulped, but tried to not show his nervousness as he moved back again.

He risked a quick glance at the outlet to confirm that yes, it was open, before looking back at the human. After q moment in which neither he or they had changed their positions, he took his chance.

This time, the human was far enough from it that even when they sprinted at him, he arrived at the spot without much trouble. But just when he was climbing inside, he felt himself getting pulled by the tail, making him wince in pain. Turning around with tears forming in his eyes, he noticed the human grabbing the fluffy end of the tail with is fingers and then it pulled again, partially getting him out.

Ingo immediately tried to get his tail free, but when he fully turned to do so the human used the opportunity to lower a hand as big as him and warp their long and strong fingers tightly around the borrower.

Said borrower gasped in surprise and tried in vain to grasp the floor. But the strength of something so small was nothing compared to that of a being who was giant compared to them, and so he was lifted up without much trouble.

Ingo could only stare as the floor was getting more and more far away the more he was going up, and when he instead looked at his captor, and then the realization hit him; He had been caught.

He had heard many stories about how others of his kind felt when they were grabbed by a human, how much terror and fear they felt as they were in the hands of danger. But none of them prepared him from what it felt like when one was actually in said situation, and the only thoughts in his head were those of panic and a big desire to get out and hide in the walls immediately.

Seemly unaware of the pure terror that was overtaking the borrower as he tried to shuffle and get out of their grip, the human stared at him, their expression a mix of curiosity and wonder. Experimentally, they moved their fingers a bit to caress Ingo, who only shivered and teared up more in discomfort as he was being touched.

Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw the human grab the container again, and his eyes widened as he let out a gasp.

No, no , NO-

As the dreaded thing came closer, he tried everything he could think of to get out. He kicked, he tried to push the fingers from his body. He even tried to bite the hand, but because of the gloves his captor was wearing that only resulted in him getting his mouth full of cloth. But the hand didn’t even yield, instead only tightening its grip on him as he was lowered into the plastic container.

Finally, when it did let him go, Ingo was already inside the container, making him fall with a small thud and closing the item with a lid before he could even get up.

The borrower looked at the the ground below him, then at the lid that was now covering the only possible place where he could escape, and then at the human, at which point he scrambled at one of corners of the container, breathing heavily as he pressed himself on the wall, trying and failing to stay calm as his mind went cold and his body shook at the situation he was currently in.

The employee only stared at their catch before putting the container down on the table and leaving the room, leaving poor Ingo to slowly process the fact that he was now in big, big trouble. And there was nothing he could do about it.

#ma stuff #pokemon #submas #subway boss ingo #ingo #submas angst #does this count as angst? #submas au #giant/tiny #g/t writing #g/t fearplay #g/t #g/t sfw #borrowers #borrower au #‘Poor Ingo’ I say as I put him in terrifying situations

[sapphireclaw]

If you don’t mind me asking, how does the reunion between Ingo and Emmet go?

Time to write a reunion fic woop woop here we go

(Tw for depressing thoughts and a panic attack. This was meant to be more light hearted but oops I made it emotional hurt/comfort. I’ll have to write an alternate version that’s sillier)

AO3 link

That Time Emmet’s Missing Brother Came Back Home After a Month but Turns Out He was Dead the Whole Time (and also he’s like 329 years old now)

Starting today, Ingo had been missing for over a month.

30 days.

They say that the chances of finding a missing person dwindle into slim to none after 48 hours.

It had been 725 hours and 37 minutes since Ingo disappeared from the subway tunnels without a trace.

The search was still going (Emmet was no longer allowed to join the search parties), but he knew that with time people would give up on finding a living man, and reduce the parties to a few individuals and cadaver Stoutlands.

Emmet refused to think about that, though. It had only been a month. A month without Ingo. A month of hell. But Ingo was still out there. He had to be.

Ever since he was forbidden from joining in on the search, Emmet took to lazing around his their apartment. The Battle Subway was closed, and he’d been forced to take leave from work. He felt lethargic and empty with nothing to do. Had been since Ingo never emerged from the tunnels to walk home with Emmet.

That was Emmet’s current state. Draped across the couch in a daze while his Pokémon attempted to get him to eat the food Elesa had brought him yesterday. Elesa’s support was much appreciated, but not always welcomed. Emmet didn’t need a caretaker. Elesa’s efforts would be better off aimed at finding Ingo than taking care of a depressed couch potato.

“Drilll...”

Speaking of potato...

Emmet sighed, lifting his face from the cushions to look over at his and Ingo’s shared Pokémon. Excadrill was standing near Emmet’s head, holding out a cold stuffed potato skin, pinched delicately between his steel claws. How he got into the Pokémon-proofed fridge to get at the leftovers, Emmet had no idea. Still, he couldn’t help but feel touched by the effort.

“Thank you, Wilbur.” Emmet murmured, offering the ground and steel type a weak smile as he took the cold food from him. Wilbur grunted happily, returning Emmet’s smile with one of his own. He seemed pleased with himself as Emmet took a bite of the potato, and soon left his trainer alone to eat.

The food tasted like ash in his mouth.

How pathetic was he? A grown man that couldn’t even eat properly without being babied by his own Pokémon. Not to mention Elesa having to bully him into completing other tasks a human needed in order to function.

Before Emmet could spiral further down such self-depreciating thoughts, there was a faint knocking at his apartment door. He looked up from his food, startled, and stared at the door. Who could possibly be visiting so late at night? Elesa had checked on him just yesterday. The thought of her visiting again so soon grated on his nerves. He didn’t need a babysitter.

The knocking came again, sounding more impatient this time due to Emmet’s inaction.

“I am Emmet, and I don’t feel up to socializing, Elesa. Please depart at once!”

There was a beat of silence, and Emmet could practically feel the hurt he caused. immediately, guilt slammed into him like a speeding bullet train.

Elesa was just trying to help, like any good friend would in his time of hardship. Pushing her away would do nothing but harm their relationship.

Even with the guilt eating at him, Emmet did not take back his words. It was true that he wasn’t in the mood to socialize. As much as he loved his dear friend, Emmet could only take so much in his current state before he risked suffering a shutdown. The only person he wanted to see right now was-

“...Emmet? Can you let me in, please? I don’t have my keys...”

Ingo.

That was Ingo. The voice was quiet, uncharacteristic of his brother, but undoubtedly his.

Emmet moved faster than he ever had before in his life, scrambling off the couch and nearly braining himself on the coffee table as a result. The subway boss practically ran on all fours to the door, never quite regaining his footing but desperate to reach his brother.

There was a split second after he grasped the doorknob and hauled himself up where Emmet suddenly froze. Doubt began to creep up his spine as he stared blankly at the wood inches in front of his face.

What if this was just another dream?

What if this was just another layer to his suffering. Emmet was no stranger to the occasional auditory hallucination, but never before had he experienced one quite as realistic as this. If he opened the door and there was no one standing on the other side, Emmet was sure that he’d break.

Another round of knocking jolted Emmet from his spiral yet again, making his ears ring with how close to the door he was standing.

If this was a hallucination, then it was a verrry convincing one.

Before he could doubt himself further, Emmet twisted the doorknob and thrust open the door. He did not blink as he did so, trusting his eyesight above his hearing at this point.

There in the hallway stood Ingo. Emmet couldn’t help but drink in the sight of his brother.

He looked different. His coat was ragged and torn, and he wore an odd pink garment under it. His face looked like it had aged years in the single month he was gone. Littered with scars and a few stress wrinkles. How verry strange.

Emmet stared at Ingo for what felt like ages while Ingo stared back.

Then, Ingo blinked, and Emmet caught the flash of purple light in his pupils, like the reflective tapetum lucidum of a nocturnal Pokémon.

Ah.

This was not Ingo, then.

An impostor.

A shapeshifting Pokémon playing a cruel trick on a grieving man.

Emmet felt faint, but mustered the strength to slam the door as hard as he could in the trickster’s face before it could cause more damage to his already fragile heart.

Or, at least he tried to.

A worn boot stopped the door from closing all the way, and the Pokémon was quick to wedge half of its body into the crack provided.

“Wait! Wait- wait- wait- Emmet it’s me, it’s Ingo!”

Verrry impressive. It even sounded like Ingo.

Emmet didn’t dignify them with an answer, and instead pressed the entirety of his (albeit slight) weight against the door, hoping the intruder would give up in trying to worm its way into the apartment. The thrashing impostor did eventually retreat back into the hallway, and Emmet was able to close and lock the door triumphantly.

Releasing a shaky breath, the man slowly slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Adrenaline still pumped through Emmet’s veins, and his legs felt like jelly. At least he could now breathe.

It was short-lived, however.

Emmet let out a shriek when a transparent arm suddenly passed through the door right above his head, quickly followed by the rest of the Ingo-lookalike. He could only watch in horror as It pulled itself through the solid wood as if it weren’t there, as if invading Emmet’s sanctuary was the easiest thing in the world.

Scrambling backward, Emmet realized that he didn’t even have time to grab his Xtrans to maybe call for help before the creature was upon him.

The cruel visage of his brother loomed over him, eyes glowing purple and white in the dim light.

“Emmet- Emmet, please calm down. Let me explain.”

Calm down? How could he possibly calm down when he was most definitely about to lose his life. Poor Elesa would surely be the first to find his body in the morning-

“Oh, for the love of Almighty Sinnoh, you’re not dying, Emmet.”

It could even perfectly mimic Ingo’s distinct exasperated tone of voice. How awful.

“I’m not mimicking anything. I am not a zoroark, Emmet. Or a ditto. This is real. Look-“

Emmet flinched when he felt a cold hand grasp his wrist. He chanced a look up at the impostor, and felt his heart ache at the worried look upon their face. It looked just like Ingo did when he was trying to help Emmet down from a panic attack. Concern and love showing clearly in his eyes even if his expression didn’t change...

“That’s it, Emmet.” Ingo the impostor murmured gently, cold fingers rubbing soothing circles against his knuckles. “Just breathe deep for me. You’ll be back on track soon.”

Oh. He actually was having a panic attack, wasn’t he? And this... Pokémon was doing an admittedly amazing job at helping him recover from it.

Emmet closed his eyes. For just a moment he let himself believe that it really was his dear brother comforting him. He had no idea what was in store for him at the hands of this impostor. It wouldn’t hurt to indulge for a second, right?

“You are verrry good at this.” Emmet croaked.

The impostor (Ingpostor, Emmet thought hysterically) snorted a sad little laugh.

“Of course I am. I’ve had plenty of practice. You were a very anxious kid, Emmet. Don’t you remember?”

The familiar voice was a pleasant rumble close to Emmet’s ear. He didn’t even notice Ingo? the impostor get closer. There was now an arm around his shoulders as well as the hand still rubbing circles into Emmet’s skin. It felt so nice. It had been much too long since he’d felt his brother’s soothing presence.

This had to stop before Emmet’s heart broke beyond repair.

“I am Emmet. You are not Ingo.”

He felt the arm around his shoulder tighten, but not uncomfortably so.

“I am. I swear I am, Emmet. I’ll prove it to you, if you’ll let me.”

Hm. That is not what Emmet expected them to say. They were putting their heart and soul into this charade. Why?

“How?” Emmet said instead.

“Like this,” that painfully familiar voice replied.

Then, the impostor began to hum.

It was a tune Emmet knew verrry well.

A Lullaby for Trains.

Their mother used to sing it to them, before she passed away. The song was dear to the two brothers, and they would often sing or hum the tune whenever they were in dire need of comfort. So many nights spent huddled together under the blankets in each other’s arms. Unsure where one twin began and the other ended. All they knew was the soothing melody and the presence of each other.

It was something they shared just between them. Not even Elesa had ever witnessed the twins at their most vulnerable.

Ingo (because it really was Ingo, wasn’t it?) wasn’t even halfway through the song before Emmet burst into tears.

He was on the other in an instant. Ingo felt cold to the touch, but Emmet didn’t care. He wrapped his arms around his brother’s neck and snuggled against his chest as if he were a small child again. Ingo in turn snaked his arms around his twin and gave him a proper hug. Despite the sudden track change, Ingo kept humming the lullaby without stuttering once.

By the time the last few notes floated through the air, Emmet’s breathing was under control, and the implications of the whole situation dawned on him.

“I am Emmet... you... you are Ingo.”

“Mhmm.” Ingo hummed. A pleasant rumble against Emmet’s ear.

The younger twin slowly extracted himself from the embrace, though only enough so that he could look up at his brother’s face.

This time, Ingo didn’t look nearly as weathered. The scars were gone, and so were the wrinkles. His hat and coat were in pristine condition. The pink garment was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the usual crisp white button-up and blue tie. The only thing that remained of the haunted-looking version of his brother he had seen at the door was the odd purple-magenta shine he could still see in Ingo’s eyes. Had he imagined his haggard appearance before?

“What… what happened to you, Ingo?” Emmet hesitantly asked. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Sure enough, Ingo’s frown deepened, and he averted his eyes.

“Ah… the story of my derailment is a long one, full of twists and rough tracks. Are you sure you want to hear it now? You look exhausted, Emmet.” Ingo took in Emmet’s admittedly less than pristine condition with concern.

Emmet did not like that. He felt ashamed of himself for letting his health fall to the wayside while Ingo was missing. He was quick to distract his brother from scrutinizing him further.

“Please, Ingo. I am Emmet and I need to know what happened to you. Full speed ahead, do not hold anything back. I can handle it.”

After all, he’d only been missing for a month. Aside from what turned his brother into… whatever he is now, not many other life altering things could have happened in that time, surely?

He was only gone for a month, after all.

.

.

.

… or not.

Ingo spun his tale like a Galvantula painstakingly weaving its web.

A dark god trapped under the thumb of a madman. His dear brother thrown headlong back in time and space by accident. Losing his memories yet always knowing that someone was missing. Becoming a warden. Meeting another displaced passenger, but without knowing anything other than his new station, did not return with them. Becoming sick and unable to recover. Ingo… dying…

Ingo had to stop his tale and help ground his younger brother before he could spiral into another panic attack.

Ingo had died.

Ingo had died alone hundreds of years and thousands of miles away from his true home.

“That can’t be right.” Emmet croaked, once again clinging desperately to Ingo. “You’re right here, not dead! I’m touching you right now!” He patted his brother’s chest for emphasis. “You couldn’t have died. You’re obviously not some ghost Pokémon!”

There was a long bout of silence. All that could be heard was Emmet’s breathing. Not Ingo’s.

Emmet’s heart dropped to his stomach. He pulled away so he could once again look at his brother, but Ingo was avoiding eye contact.

“Ingo?”

The older twin drew in a shaky breath.

“Giratina felt terribly for having caused my derailment, and prevented my spirit from fading into obscurity. They offered me a gift. An opportunity to see you again.” Ingo turned to meet Emmet’s eyes. His own shining with an unearthly glow.

Ingo took his brother’s hand in his own and slowly brought it up to his chest, where he pressed it against his sternum.

Just as Emmet feared, he felt nothing beating under flesh and bone. Only an odd sort of humming. It was almost electrical. It was most certainly not a heartbeat.

Ingo was quick to explain further.

“I am what Giratina calls a Distortion Ghost. An inhuman being made of antimatter. This was the only way I could see you again, Emmet.” Ingo’s grip on his hand tightened, and Emmet could feel him shaking, “My memories had just returned to their proper station. I had to get back to you. I couldn’t bear the thought of you never knowing what became of me. I waited centuries to see you again. I know I’m not human, I know my existence is unfathomable and terrible, but I’m still me, Emmet. I promise I’m still your brother. Please believe me.”

Emmet realized with a start that Ingo was crying when a drop of glowing magenta liquid landed on his hand where it was still pressed against his brother’s chest. He looked up at Ingo’s face, heart breaking at the terrified look in his eyes. Eyes that were leaking a luminescent substance in place of tears. Ingo was trembling, and he unconsciously pressed Emmet’s hand harder against his sternum.

Oh.

Oh no.

Ingo thought Emmet was afraid of him. He was scared that Emmet might not accept him as he was now.

That wouldn’t do.

Emmet splayed his fingers against Ingo’s chest, feeling that strange thrumming energy just beneath the surface. With a deliberating hum, he gave his brother’s chest a couple of firm pats before drawing his hand away. Ingo released the grip he had on Emmet’s wrist easily enough, staring over Emmet’s shoulder instead of directly into his eyes. His whole expression screamed trepidation.

“I am Emmet. You are Ingo.”

He said it with such finality that Ingo met his gaze again, eyes wide.

“We are a two-car train, you and I. Nothing in this world or the next will change that. I may not understand what all this-“ Emmet gave Ingo’s chest a firm poke, “entails, but know that I will be with you through it all. Because I am Emmet, and you are Ingo, and I would love you with all my heart even if you were a walking, talking patrat.”

With that blunt declaration, it was Ingo’s turn to burst into tears.

Emmet simply held his brother as he shook and sobbed against him in a reverse of their positions just a few minutes earlier.

How lonely, how daunting it must’ve been, Emmet thought sadly, to have to wander the earth for centuries in a new and terrifying state, waiting for the day he could reconnect with his other half.

Well. Hopefully now that they were coupled once again, they could help each other come to terms with their new situation. Godly interference or no, Emmet was just happy to have Ingo back.

It didn’t matter that he had no heartbeat. It didn’t matter that his eyes glowed. It didn’t matter that he cried strange purple tears. New state of being aside, this was still undoubtedly Ingo. Here in his arms again.

And that’s all Emmet could have asked for.

#wandering spirit au #submas #fanfiction #submas au #writing #ghost ingo #sapphireclaw’s art #writing counts as art right #hurt/comfort #reunion fic