Sorry to the guest that wants to see the links. For easier access I recommend stoping by my Archive of Our Own (AO3) story where the links actually work (I also have a functioning link to my social medias on the profile page over there), or visit my Tumblr page @Homestar1812 to see a master-list of fanart related to this story. Idk if you can follow links from this site, but I think they can be copy and pasted into a web search.
Beta read by DuplicataData. Thanks for the look over
SNOWFLAKE's TEAM ART
Guys please check the link! CreatureCave_C made this set of Snowflake's team in their really amazing, unique style and they are all so terrifyingly cute! (Buggy just makes me happy,
Today is art by JollyCrimson on Tumblr portraying everyone's reaction to the Joltik invasion of Jubilife.
EVERYONE TAKE A MOMENT AND FOLLOW THE LINK FOR CUTENESS /creaturecave_c/status/1565459684491816960?s=21t=yRt9yy4qVbxaQvou1wX8ew
If anyone feels inspired enough to make artwork/writing based on this story, link it to me so I can gush over how awesome you all are and share it
XxxxxxxxxxX
Ingo trudged onwards for several hours, having to take extra care in certain areas without Lady Sneasler's assistance. The mountain was steep with his footing hard to find. in the dim moonlight. Still, he and Snickers continued, the Gliscor hovering close overhead in case he did fall.
He couldn't stop wondering what exactly this light would lead to.
A Pokémon?
A spirit?
The thought of a Zoroark trap briefly passed through his mind.
He'd been tricked by them before, with illusions of a time he barely remembered.
This felt different.
Never has the connection felt so… strong. His Pokémon had broken him from those trances before, and Snickers was currently acting rather normal. Besides, when he thought seriously about the visions, there were always some inconsistencies. Like the man in white from his memories lacking defining facial features, always cast in shadow under a hat similar to Ingo's.
Like the one currently in his pouch.
He patted the bag lightly making sure it remained safe. After almost a decade of little progress he was sick and tired of waiting for his mind to heal. Something was happening tonight, though what the exact outcome would be remained unclear.
Zoroark illusions didn't have sounds normally either. It started faint enough to seem imagined, but as they trekked farther down the rocks, a haunting chime began filling his ears.
A familiar ring personal enough to make his heart skip a beat.
The two paused when the purple light was merely a few hundred yards away, still a bright burning flame amongst the darkness of the trees, but now easily audible. That odd chiming noise was definitely coming from it, soft and lonely but now taking on a quicker cadence.
"I-I know these sounds…" Ingo whispered, unable to stop staring. His Gliscor twitched, clearly torn between attacking this intruder or waiting for orders. He gave a reassuring pat on the tail, still eyeing the light growing brighter and brighter. A motion to stand down that Snickers easily obeyed.
The situation evocated a very odd feeling. His mind remained foggy except for odd, distorted speech, accompanied by the same chiming with a whimsical inflection.
…
"He's a she?!"
"Yes!"
The sound of soft, high pitched laughter over the distressed voice of another child.
"Did you know the whole time?!"
"U-Uncle told me. How did you not know? This is our fifth gym!"
Embarrassment, more laughter, the continuous sounds of a very happy flaming Pokémon not caring about the current subject.
"W-will you change her name to something I can pronounce now?"
"He- I mean, she has had it for so long… it doesn't feel right to change it."
"Oh well." The faceless voice continued. "I'll just keep calling her-"
….
"… Loomy…"
It was barely audible, a shaky breath passing over his tongue trying to commit the name to memory. It didn't feel quite right, but the moment was still important.
He didn't want to let any of this go.
Meeting in the middle of the small clearing, Ingo finally got a good look at this anomaly.
Slender dark curves attached to a beautiful sturdy bright base, glowing eyes and expression somehow built right into a rounded metal center. It thrilled loudly, floating around him and Snickers with flames trailing like a gorgeous train of fire.
Ingo couldn't find his breath anymore. Many emotions were flooding back to him all at once, accompanied by what seemed like years of mumbled chimes and rings.
He knew without a reasonable doubt.
This was his former partner.
He didn't know how he knew, but just seeing her form and the distinctly colored flames brought one name back to his mind.
"… Lumière?"
"Chang!" It cried back with an eager twirl. The Warden was stunned, starting to wonder if this really was a very well done Zoroark illusion. At this point it didn't matter. If it wasn't real they convinced him this fantasy was better than reality.
A large chunk of his life sought him out, and he wanted her close.
She curled and gently floated into Ingo's open arms. His hands trembled, along with the rest of his body, everything just clicked at how solid and real she was. Unable to hold back an odd, raspy sound, he tried his best not to cry,
Happiness.
Longing.
Desperation.
Guilt.
All these emotions clawed under the surface bringing tears to his eyes.
Carefully, so carefully, he pulled her into a gentle embrace, Snickers still hanging on his back, but not snarling at the new Pokémon either.
It was an odd feeling in his palms. He'd been mainly touching rough dirt, smooth rocks, and warm furs for the last decade. The first actual memory he could recall touching metal was shortly after catching his Magnezone. He'd given it a pat on the side for a well done victory, pausing at the familiarity.
Now he knew why.
Cool metal and glass against skin with flames gently warming him, while his Gliscor radiated heat from his own body, warding off the cold nip of the night air against his back.
Ingo was grateful, sandwiched between the two Pokémon most precious to him. His Chandelure never protested to the wetness hitting her steel body, shedding her own tears of joy in return.
"I-I knew you were important…" Ingo muttered, unsure if he was talking to Lumière or himself. "I've forgotten so much… b-but your light… I knew your light would lead me somewhere one day… t-thank you, for finding my wayward car…"
She cried louder, burying herself further in Ingo's grasp. He started rocking her back and forth, just basking in the warmth of her flames. They directly licked against his coat and skin now, yet never once burned.
She would never harm him. He knew that for a fact.
"We will not be decoupled again."
"Ching!"
"Grrrrr!" Snickers reminded them both he was still on Ingo's shoulders, watching the two carefully waiting for new instructions.
"M-my apologies," Ingo sat up a little straighter, though he wasn't ready to release his hug just yet. "This is Lumière, my partner Pokemon before my sudden arrival in Hisui. We've worked together for… decades… I think? Yes?"
The ghost chimed in agreement.
His Gliscor still seemed on edge, but nodded along regardless.
Ingo had many questions still, hindered by a muddled mind that wasn't absorbing much around him anymore. It was odd, like his brain had encountered thick fog coverage after Lumière's arrival. Through it came a barrage of sounds, emotions, and the occasional flash of a fuzzy image.
A large metal box.
Loud clanking against tracks of steel.
Long, smooth caves all lit by Chandelure's constant presence.
They were from a far away place, where he and his brother battled many strong trainers-
Wait…
"I… I-I have a brother…" he whispered the words, still struggling through the thick thoughts bogging his mind down. It seemed wrong, but correct all at once, and he wasn't sure how to interpret the feeling. "I have a brother?" He looked to Lumière for answers. She seemed shocked by the question, bobbing up and down in confirmation. Ingo stared at his reflection warped by her metal body.
A man in white.
A man that looks like him.
The one that always smiled.
Snickers rubbed up against his cheek, finally earning Ingo's full attention. He growled sympathetically, a permanent grin ever present despite his obvious concern.
That wide smirk.
Lumière's bright purple flames.
A metal box rocking back and forth down the tracks through darkness, their immediate surroundings well lit with two men back to back.
One in black, the other in white.
The flaming Pokémon floated next to her dark trainer, while a large dark blue one levitated by the man in white.
The two were speaking, most of the words warped before finally solidifying into something slightly more understandable. They were facing off against two other people, the men constantly mirroring each other's motions.
"Let me introduce myself again," the man in black, Ingo himself, started. "I am a Subway Boss, Ingo! Well, there is nothing else to say for the person who comes all the way here. Let's have the greatest battle, better than ever before."
The lighter dressed man grinned wide, clearly excited by the matchup.
"What I do. What I say. Always the same?" He started off where the man in black stopped. "Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedules. Everyone smile!…"
Smile.
The smiling man in white.
The smiling man in white.
Who was the smiling man in white?
They battled together.
They were friends.
Rivals.
Brothers.
"W-who is he?" Ingo stroked his thumb against Chandelure's cheek, clearing away her tears. He was searching her face for answers, answers he desperately needed. "W-why can't I remember his name? H-he's important to me… my brother…" more droplets formed in his stinging eyes. Head still pounded from the revelations he's already experienced, yet there was still more.
More beyond a barrier he was struggling to breach.
He was close.
So close.
Lumière chimed softly and pulled back just enough for Ingo to release, slowly spinning around giving him a good look at his reflection in her side. It was slightly warped thanks to the roundness of her center, yet undeniably him.
Grey hair and long pointed sideburns.
Silver eyes practically glowing in the darkness, his long nose and cheek bones looking sharper than normal thanks to her harsh purple flames.
Those eyes.
His own eyes.
He'd seen those eyes elsewhere.
They'd sat across from him over a black and white table, talking about Pokémon and strategies. Granted, he couldn't remember the specifics, but there were numerous instances where they did such things.
They'd traveled to many places together too. He couldn't recall specific locations, but he knew the man's presence was always with him.
"… who are you?" Ingo looked closer at his reflection, Chandelure's flames brightening for easier viewing. He couldn't help but compare it to Snowflake's, trying to shake the thought immediately and focus more on himself.
Sure, Snowflake had a similar hairstyle and colors. His visible eye was virtually the same shape as Ingo's too, but he claimed not to know him, and his coat was the wrong color.
Despite that, he still had a similar facial structure under the scars, and with Ingo staring at his own reflection the similarities seemed so much more apparent.
He'd only really examined Snowflake in torch light, but his own reflection with Lumière flames as his only light source, they appeared eerily similar.
Flames.
A heated light that flickered and wavered in intensity.
He'd seen lights that dimmed and lightened like this long ago.
Bright lights.
Brighter than torches.
Lining those smooth tunnels.
He'd walk those tunnels, and rarely did it alone. The man in white was there too.
Always a presence.
The more he stared, the more the world around him shifted.
His surroundings flashed between the darkness of the forest to a blurred backdrop of sharp structures and blinding colors. He was standing next to the man in white again, speaking to two young teens ready for a Pokémon battle.
"Having a battle in a place like this is a little irregular," Ingo had started, voice muddled but understandable. "But this must've happened for a reason. Battling in a different place will let me see different scenery, and I might learn something, too."
He turned to look at the man next to him. His face in the reflection blending with the smiling one across from his.
Then he asked a question.
One that rang clearer than anything to cross his mind in years.
"Now, Emmet, if you have something to add, please!"
For a moment, it felt like he was more than a far off bystander to the vision, actually standing across from his doppleganger. The other man smiled wider, pointing forward with his left hand.
"Follow the rules and drive safely! We're headed for victory! All aboard!"
…
"…. F-follow the rules… drive safely… h-headed for v-victory…. a-all aboard…" he said those words before battling Akari once. Back then he wasn't sure what they meant, but it felt right to say.
In the end, they were never his words to begin with. He was quoting his brother this whole time. He was quoting-
"… Emmet…"
His mind reeled back to the question he asked the man in white.
Emmet.
He called the man Emmet.
"Emmet… h-his name is Emmet?"
Lumière chimed eagerly in agreement, floating in circles practically singing with glee. He looked down to his still trembling fingers, trying to keep his breathing steady.
That voice.
That face.
That smile.
He knew why it reminded him of Snowflake so much.
Because Snowflake and Emmet are one in the same.
"T-that's impossible… he said he didn't know me… unless…"
Unless he'd been lying.
Ingo clutched his head trying to think. Emmet knew of Ingo's amnesia, right?
Was he trying not to overwhelm his confused brother?
Or worse. What if Emmet was so hurt by Ingo's lack of recognition, he believed his own brother wanted nothing to do with him?
That idea stung the most, and he prayed the assumption was wrong.
He needed to find Emmet. His brother was alone and hurting all while Ingo wasted his time hunting a ghost.
All of this wasted time leaving his own brother in harm's way.
"Snickers! Lumière! We need to find Emmet right away!"
His Chandelure chimed, floating higher and pointing towards Moonview Arena.
She already knew where to go.
Ingo whistled once, his Gliscor already airborn waiting for his human to move.
Finally he took out his celestial flute and played a certain tune he rarely bothered with. He needed to travel quickly, and there was only one Lord capable of transporting him without delay.
Lord Braviary swooped in at his call, Ingo leaping into his hammock and hands locking on the control bar.
"Full speed ahead! Follow Chandelure!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
Ingo soared above the mountainside, Sun finally rising to illuminate the greenery below. His Chandelure led the way, following Emmet's soul like a beacon.
She could track souls of loved ones, something his only recalled midway through their flight
He wanted to make a note, but couldn't in his current position without falling.
He hoped to remember it for later, but any stray thoughts were being replaced with one single goal.
The sky was clear, giving them a good view of all activity down below.
Rhyhorns waking for their morning grazing, the Alpha Steelix emerging from the rocks that everyone avoided, and Gravelers kicking up dust clouds in their never ending roll up and down the mountain. Lord Electrode was out and awake in his arena, but Snowflake and Melli were nowhere in sight.
His heart pounded faster at the possibilities. Why wouldn't they be with Electrode?
They should be in the arena.
It wasn't safe outside of the arena!
He tried to remember his brother was with Melli. Melli would keep him safe.
Though it did little to calm his nerves.
Lord Braviary circled when Lumière took a sharp turn, heading lower towards the graveyard. They were nearing the Primeval Grotto when he finally spotted a flash of purple. Melli was in a tree with a familiar little Sylveon, working together in an attempt to free a Voltorb lodged between several branches. If Melli was here, that meant his brother-
"EMMET!" Ingo shouted, eyes drawn to his red and pink coat. Emmet was facing the other direction, working with his Sneasel breaking apart rock shards.
Breathing.
Safe.
His brother was alive and safe and here!
"EMMET!" He bellowed louder, getting the younger to jolt. Ingo forced Braviary into a dive, unable to hold off any longer. The Lord pulled up before hitting the ground, Ingo only waiting until they slowed enough not to break anything upon landing. He leapt down, his horrified Chandelure catching him with Psychic before he face planted.
"Lumière, release!"
She dropped him immediately, the Warden falling the last few feet with a grunt. He hit the ground in a sprint, tripping right into his twin. Ingo didn't care, wrapping his arms around his other half in a tight hug.
His back stung horribly from the impact, but any pain was superseded by the relief of finally holding the one he'd lost for so long.
His family.
His younger sibbling.
His Emmet.
He never wanted to forget that name again.
Emmet was here.
Warm and alive and safe.
"Emmet! Emmet, I'm so sorry! I forgot myself for such a long time, and I left you to suffer alone…" He could feel hot fluid streaking down his face again, headache forming from his last few emotional outburst, but unable to stop. Relief and sorrow were both wracking his frame, making his breathing frantic and shakes uncontrollable.
This was his brother.
His other half.
HIS TWIN.
How could he forget his own brother?
He'd seen him multiple times over the last several months, yet never made the connection.
A foolish blunder he wished to rectify.
"I-I still lack many of my memories, but I promise I won't leave again. I-I won't abandon you. I'd never abandon you. Our two car train will never decouple again!"
Emmet made a noise.
Actually, he was making a good deal of noise, and struggling against the elder's tight grasp. Ingo was a lot stronger then Emmet, the younger having a difficult time getting free.
"L-let go!"
Ingo finally loosened his grip enough for Emmet to escape, clumsily scooting backwards trying to create distance. His coat was disheveled in the struggle, hood knocked back and bandage loose around his face.
His visible eye was wide with fear, mouth pulled in a tight line barely resembling a smile.
The Sneasel looked between them, hair raised and scrunched low. He kept flinching, trying to decide between intervening or not.
"E-Emmet-"
"I am Snowflake." It was said with such clipped bluntness. Like an absolute truth, but Emmet was wrong!
This was a prank. A cruel joke. Emmet had to remember something. They'd encountered eachother before, but there was an explanation for him not saying anything.
In the medical ward at Galaxy Hall, Emmet was still recovering. His mind was just scrambled and he didn't recognize Ingo in that instance.
What happened at Lady Sneasler's cave… he said they didn't know each other, but it was likely a mistake due to low visibility. Or Emmet was just confused, still being under Lady Sneasler's poison!
And ten days ago when they accidentally crossed paths with the other Wardens present…
His stomach started to sink.
What if his theory was true?
Did he truly hurt his own brother by not recognizing him sooner?
"Emmet-"
"Snowflake."
"E-Emmet," it came out raspy, like his voice was starting to fail. "I-I never meant to hurt you. I-I am so sorry I didn't recognize you sooner." His frown deepened, trying to hold back more moisture forming in his eyes again.
Ingo needed to stay strong for his brother's sake. Yet, his expression remained the same. No familiarity or recognition. He believed Emmet's fury would be the worst outcome, but this somehow surpassed it by a long shot.
They needed to talk. It was all a simple misunderstanding.
They couldn't both suffer from amnesia!
"P-please, we are going somewhere quiet and safe, and we'll discuss this further." He carefully stood up despite the aching cramps from his back muscles, shuffling closer and reaching out for Emmet's hand.
The younger scrambled to his feet, jumping at Chandelure blocking his escape path. She was twirling in the air, chiming happily and flames trailing in a beautiful light display.
She waited for a greeting that wouldn't come.
Emmet tried backing away, already forgetting Ingo's presence. They accidentally collided, the elder grabbing Emmet's shoulders when he flinched. He violently tried pushing away, nearly tripping again.
"Emmet! You'll hurt yourself-" The Warden released at the flash of black followed by torn fabric fraying from his sleeve.
Everything happened in a flash.
That thieving Sneasel had several strips of black cloth stuck to one claw, eyes somewhere between horrified and defensive. Any confidence he had in that action fell when a bright flame struck his chest. Lumière used a Will-O-Whisp attack, ready for vengeance. She roared, fires burning hot and bright like some sort of demon. His Gliscor charged in with a loud snarl right behind her, landing an X-Scissor attack directly on the Sneasel's chest with his poison stinger.
The resulting squeals got Emmet moving. He yanked his Sneasel out of Lumière's warpath, curling on top of him when Snickers came back for another attack.
"Lumière! Snickers! HAULT!"
His Chandelure stopped immediately, Snickers barely pulling up in time to avoid a direct hit. Ingo rushed forward, hands extended, needing to check his brother for injuries.
His world briefly flashed white from a hard impact.
The solid punch to his eye sent him tumbling backwards. The hard fall was jolting, sending horrible cramping up his already sore back. His ears wouldn't stop ringing, Ingo holding his face trying to regain a semblance of balance.
Everything felt slower.
Quieter.
The Warden really looked at his brother this time, realizing the face bandage fell completely off, his smile was replaced with an angry thin line. He hadn't seen the scarring in full daylight before, and the sight was far more jarring than in that dimly lit cave.
One eye glared at him furious, the other not reflecting light like it should.
Dead.
"I am not your brother!"
The words felt like a kick to the gut. Ingo watched him shocked, still trying to process.
"E-Emmet-"
"I am Snowflake! I don't know who Emmet is, but he is NOT me!"
"B-but… you're my brother-"
"Melli is the only brother I have! Nobody else! Now leave me alone!" He grabbed his limp Sneasel and bolted towards a small cave guarded by the local Alpha Probopass.
Wait!
"Emmet stop! There's an Alpha-"
A large solid object flew right for him, Lumière managing to block it before impact. He whirled around in time to see that formerly trapped Voltorb hit the cliffside with a cry, letting off a good amount of charge before falling still in a daze.
The incident completely took their attention, until another Pokemon used Ingo's head as a springboard, forcing him forward from the impact. Caboose came down gently on the ground before giving a very confused Ingo one final glare. Emmet's Sylveon was angry, growling low with raised hackles before finally rushing for her human.
"What are you DOING!?" Melli landed on the ground, jumping the last five feet from his tree perch and storming over.
Ingo tried ignoring him, more focused on Emmet passing right behind that Alpha. It turned just in time to see him, but he managed to enter the cave before getting attacked. Same with his Sylveon.
He avoided harm on his own…
"Don't give me the silent treatment! What was THAT ABOUT?!" Melli grabbed Ingo's collar, Lumière forcing the two apart before an actual punch was landed
Ingo stammered trying to find his words. This was not how things were supposed to happen.
It should have been a loving reunion, not an absolute rejection of any familial ties.
"I-I… h-he's my brother-"
"You heard him just now!" The younger man snarled, jabbing a finger at Ingo accusingly.
"B-but he has to-"
"He forgot his former life, idiot! Much like you did, but that isn't an excuse to force something like that!"
"But I didn't-"
"I'M TALKING! YOU'RE LISTENING!" The force behind Melli's words silenced him immediately. "If you didn't wanna hurt him, you'd have left before any Pokémon got involved!"
His Chandelure and Gliscor both snarled at the accusation, Skuntank finally getting away from his hiding spot with his Growlith friend and stepping between them.
"He doesn't like being crowded or touched, and you don't have permission for that, creep! Who do you think you are?!"
"I am his twin brother!" Ingo finally managed a full sentence, Melli tensing. "I… I don't remember many things about my past, but something has become clear to me! Snowflake is my twin brother, Emmet, and I will protect him from further harm!"
"Harm? Harm?!" Melli barked a harsh laugh. A completely dry one with no amusement behind it. His false smile turned into a snarl.
"YOU WEREN'T EVEN AROUND FOR HIS ARRIVAL!"
His heart stopped cold in his chest, realization finally hitting like an angry Golurk.
"Where were you instead of doing your job that day?! Off prancing around in Jubilife having a grand time! Meanwhile, Snowflake gets mauled on YOUR SIDE OF THE HIGHLANDS, and I'm the one that had to do YOUR JOB instead! Sinnoh almighty, he might still have two working arms if you'd been there to intervene sooner! You have NO RIGHT to call him your brother!"
Ingo couldn't breathe.
Couldn't speak.
Because it was all true.
"I-I-"
"Nobody wants to hear it! How about, instead of spewing your o' so "wise words" all the time, actually put some pride in your position and SERVE. YOUR. NOBLE!"
He couldn't make eye contact anymore, face dropping to his filthy hands, droplets of fluid hitting the dirt between them.
Not brought on from joy this time.
"If you really care about Snowflake's feelings, then do us both a favor and LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
"…. Y-you're right…" Ingo's voice cracked hard, little more than a whisper.
The quietest he's ever spoken.
"… J-just… Please, t-take care of him."
Melli huffed, marching off for the cave Emmet found refuge in, with Skuntank and Growlith following right after.
Snickers snarled after him, unhappy his warnings were going ignored. Lumière turned immediately towards her human, looking over the two tear marks in his clothing. No actual wound to the skin.
That Sneasel did it as a warning to back off.
A true friend to Emmet when Ingo could not be.
A real family.
His body felt as heavy as his mind and stomach, any attempts to crawl into hiding thwarted by his back locking up. Instead he fell to his side despite the resulting jolt making him groan in agony.
He wasn't going anywhere, and he didn't care either.
Ingo laid on the cold hard ground, hat brim blocking most of his view and hiding the tears falling like waterfalls.
His head hurt.
His back arched.
His heart shattered beyond repair.
Failure.
Fraud.
Useless.
Ingo left the Highlands because he'd developed a stupid fantasy of teaching the settlers about Pokémon. He wanted to help break down the barriers built on misunderstanding and fear, but at what cost? He left his Lady and her kits in harm's way, and allowed his brother to get attacked.
Emmet lost part of his eyesight and mobility in an arm, both important for even functioning out here.
Though he shouldn't call him Emmet anymore.
Because of his mistake, he'd lost all privileges of having a brother, and Emmet had a new name now.
Snowflake.
A new name for his new life.
Without his twin.
Ingo would remain in solitude, only serving his Lady and forever hermiting from the rest of Hisui. A suitable punishment for one who's biggest mistake was leaving his duties to be around people again.
He just wanted to contribute in some way, but he only caused Emmet unimaginable pain.
Disfigurement.
Loss of limb function.
Ingo had spent ten years in Hisui, gaining some scars along the way, but never suffered anything that severe.
It wasn't fair. If anyone were to get attacked, it should have been himself!
Yet he wasn't the one that paid the price for his own failures.
Now he'd serve his penance for such a sin.
Eventually he'd lost the energy to keep sobbing, hiccups dying down despite still feeling like garbage. Lumière and Snickers were both watching over him, ignoring all attempts to make them leave. The ghost Pokémon floated over the two protectively, while Snickers laid on top of Ingo gently nibbling his hair.
Lady Sneasler didn't intervene until late afternoon, walking up to his prone form and the two Pokémon watching over him. Ingo didn't even offer a greeting. He didn't even deserve to be in the Lady's presence, much less anyone else's.
Failure.
Foolish.
Slothful.
He didn't react when Lumière moved him to Lady Sneasler's basket with Psychic, or protest at the severe twinges of pain even the slightest of her jostling caused his injured spine.
He deserved this.
He deserved all of this.
Even when they'd arrived at Sneasler's den, he couldn't even manage to greet the little ones. Her youngest kits were already growing so big, clumsily racing over to see the sad state their human friend was in. Lady Sneasler forced them silent with a warning growl, adjusting her Warden so she could hold him close and groom his hair.
He didn't protest.
He didn't have the right to say anything.
"Snea!" The young twins rushed over to Ingo, carrying several funny colored sticks as long as he was tall. They kept passing them over for his approval, upset by his lack of response.
Bringing himself to even grunt acknowledgment was too much effort.
The twin Sneasels.
Together.
Happy.
A two car train.
He grabbed his hat and hid behind the fabric, not wanting to defile Emmet's with his disgusting fingers.
His Chandelure and Gliscor both stayed close, trying to provide their own source of comfort. Ingo couldn't accept it. It felt nice and that alone seemed like a horrible crime on his end.
He didn't deserve happiness.
A path of solitude.
That was the punishment he'd suffer, for ever letting his precious brother down so horrifically.
This is what he truly deserved.
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
Snowflake collapsed to his knees when he finally entered deep into the cave, looking over Stoker's injuries. Ingo's Gliscor used a bug type move, super effective against his small friend. The burn wasn't helping either, a deadly combination specifically made to hurt Stoker.
"It's not so bad," he forced his expression to stay as level as his voice. "I have just the thing! Melli made it himself. It feels verrry nice on burns!"
Stoker just whimpered in pain, flinching away from his hand initially. Snowflake quickly fished out a rawst berry and some salve.
"Here you go. You'll feel better with this," he made sure Stoker was at least nibbling the fruit before gently applying medicine, using even less pressure at the hiss of protest. He still had issues about contact, and the amount he'd handle varied day to day.
Snowflake related on a very personal level, so he always tried to go slow, especially after what just happened.
Stoker feared Ingo greatly, yet he willingly attacked to try and protect his human. It was touching, an act that made Snowflake's heart swell.
"… thank you for helping me. I know that was difficult to do, yet you did it anyway."
Stoker looked away, trying not to act touched by the praise until Snowflake rubbed his favorite spot by the armpit, earning a loud purr for his efforts. The weasel completely melted, allowing his human to finish bandaging the injury and return him to his Pokeball without much complaint. Carefully Snowflake collected Stoker's pouch from the ground, holding it close to his chest.
He felt wrong.
Violated.
Confused.
Pacing past the Nosepasses not acknowledging his presence, Snowflake tried to process what he'd just experienced.
Warden Ingo assaulted him, claiming they were brothers and tried to take Snowflake away. Even when he protested, Ingo remained persistent, and was willing to use force. At least until Stoker interfered.
Why, though?
It made no sense.
They'd only interacted a few times, yet the elder man was so convinced.
Desperate.
Hurt.
He looked devastated at Snowflake's rejection, and that caused his chest to burn even more.
Why was this bothering him so much?
Ingo was at fault, and there's no way they were related.
He'd remember having a brother… right?
Snowflake looked into a large shard of shining red stone stuck in the cave wall. A warped, stretched reflection stared back at him.
Lip with a permanent upturn in one corner.
One eye drooping lower than the other in a constant state of looking tired.
A torn and missing section of ear.
One iris that didn't reflect any light.
Criss-crosses of lines and pits marring both sides of his face, primarily clustered on the right. Some sections were damaged so badly not even portions of his sideburn would grow back.
Permanently lopsided and scarred.
All he could see were scars.
Stepping away from the nightmare in the rocks he shuffled to the other side of the cave, collapsing near several fossils poking through the rocks.
He didn't want to see himself anymore.
Or anyone for that matter.
He pulled his hood far over his face until the fabric stretched and the pressure made his scalp ache. He tried to calm his mind after seeing his reflection for the first time in months.
The sight made him ill.
"Breee!"
"Caboose!" Snowflake opened his arm for her to enter, the Sylveon licking his cheek and wrapping her ribbons around his hand and chest. He welcomed her calming energy, utilizing her presence to try and understand why Ingo would do such a thing.
How could he mistake him for anyone familiar? Snowflake was just a big scar at this point, and couldn't see anything familiar between them other than hair and eye color.
They'd met before too, and Ingo never said anything about potential relations. Surely if they knew each other, he would have said something back then.
And that name.
'Emmet.'
It made something in his chest burn.
Familiar in a vague way he couldn't give detail.
Why would he know that name?
What did he know before waking up in Hisui?
Thinking hard, he tried reaching for anything, even the smallest nugget of information. His brain had to know something. Anything locked away like the odd words he'd say without knowing the meanings.
Yet the only memory to flash in his mind involved teeth, pain and red. That horrible biting pressure and a putrid smell.
All before his true brother stepped in and saved his life.
Melli.
The man that stayed by his side through his recovery, and put up with all of his weird mannerisms and insecurities. Sure, Melli grumbled and complained all the time, but never forced Snowflake to get rid of the Pokemon he claimed to hate, or make him talk about a past he didn't recall.
Melli was his brother.
Ingo was not.
At this point, he wasn't sure if "friend" would be appropriate after what just happened. That whole incident left him feeling so weak. Despite the minutes ticking by, his heart wasn't settling much.
Residual tingling from that contact still had his skin crawling.
Ingo knew he didn't like being crowded or touched. He'd made that clear when Lady Sneasler kidnapped him, and his wishes were respected. Back then the most Ingo did was bandage Snowflake's wounds, and he never tried forcing a deeper examination, always conceding to the other's limits.
Now he just tackled him without warning? Tried to crush his lungs while mumbling who knows what and crying in his ear?
It left him so confused, offended and… guilty.
He felt guilty for leaving that sad man crying in the dirt.
Was he not clear enough about not wanting to be touched without permission? Perhaps the man forgot? He didn't want to demonize Ingo if the fault was his own. The man was so nice before this happened.
Patient.
Understanding.
Easy to talk with, using both words and his hands.
It was nice having someone like that around, but not if it meant this… oddball behavior.
"… Snowflake?" Melli caught up with his friend, looking disheveled yet relieved. Smelli and Coal followed right behind, sniffing him and making sure all was well.
Snowflake gave the two reassuring pats, staying quiet until Melli took a seat next to him. The Warden seemed more shaken than Snowflake, and it was almost comforting in a weird way.
"I had a few words with Ingo. He won't do anything like that again, if he doesn't want to be sprayed in the face at least." The Warden gave Smelli a pat on the back, getting a growl of agreement.
"Thank you, Melli. You are the best brother I could ask for," Snowflake smiles, though Melli just looked away. "Is something wrong?"
"N-no! Of course not! It's just…." He paused, fingers twitching against his knees. "Did you want a… uh, hug or something?"
Snowflake blinked, unable to hold back a small laugh.
"Well! I won't offer any in the future then!"
"S-sorry, it just seems unusual for you. I don't think you've ever asked that before," he held his arm up placatingly. "I don't want one right now… but if you ever need one, just ask first."
Melli should know he was one of the few people allowed in his personal space bubble, if he asks beforehand of course, but he wanted to make sure it was clear.
The younger man just huffed. "As if I didn't know that! You let all the Pokémon sleep in the tent despite having barely any room to move! And through all of that, you somehow manage to steal all my blankets at night, and we're on separate bed rolls! Clearly you don't mind!"
"Because you keep kicking them on me in your sleep. I don't steal them."
"Lies!" Melli barked, Snowflake snorting in amusement. "Maybe I wouldn't kick them off if we didn't let all these fire types in our tent!"
"Cooper won't sleep in the Pokeball though."
"Maybe move her blanket outside then?!"
Snowflake actually pondered the possibility for a moment. "You might have a point. I'll ask her when we get back to Moonview!"
"… unbelievable!" Melli groaned, huffing and making to leave the cave. "That Voltorb is out of the tree! I don't need to be here any more!"
"Hey! Don't leave without me!"
"I'll leave you with Lady Sneasler and Ingo! Then I'll have more space to sleep again!"
He continued ranting, Snowflake just grinning and following behind with their Pokémon.
He had the greatest brother anyone could ever ask for, regardless of what anyone said.
XxxxxxxxxxxX
To the guest that has been binging chapters and commenting today wishing for lots of Ingo angst, to them I now ask...
Are you not entertained?
I wish I could reply to guest comments on this site, but doesn't allow it XP