Author's Note: This fic is complete so updates will be regular. This is the first multi chapter Pokémon fic I've written in about five years as well as the first Submas fic I've written. That considered, I think it was a bit ambitious but I hope you enjoy.

I got the idea for this when I was several months deep in a Submas hyperfixation and having a hard time paying attention in one of my classes. It was essentially about different types of illusions, why they worked, and how the brain reacted to it. So, I decided to try applying those concepts to a Hisuian Zoroark Ingo, which I didn't know was a thing until long after I started this fic. I did not do well in that class but I passed and that's probably thanks to this fic.

The focus shifts pretty dramatically in the second half though. Until then, enjoy some Ingo trying to figure out how to be a Pokémon.

Warnings for this chapter: post-major character death, dead body, panic, nausea, distress

It was familiar and that was the strange thing. How could waking up remembering nothing but a name be familiar? Memory loss directly contradicted familiarity. It made no sense, yet, Ingo knew his name and nothing else and it felt like he'd done this before. He was nearly certain of it. If only he could remember.

He remembered more than it seemed though. Instinct told him how to feed, how to sniff, and how to amble around on four furry paws yet his mind told him that was all wrong. It offered no alternatives, no answer to what it was supposed to be like, but that secondary gut instinct was still there, like a little voice following Ingo around wherever he went. Actually, that comparison sounded pretty right, even if Ingo had no idea why.

It wasn't bad though. Ingo was a big brother. That felt right but even if it didn't, having two playmates made for a lot of fun. Their mother and father called the three of them Tom-Pup, She-Pup, and Runt. Ingo didn't like that all that much. He had a name, even if he wasn't old enough to tell anyone yet, and he was sure his siblings did too. They were more than just boy, girl, and… Well, he supposed his little brother got the worst out of the three of them. He didn't seem upset by it though and joined in Ingo's games as earnestly as any other Pokémon his age so Ingo didn't complain once he found his voice. And he did find his voice.

Howler, his mother called him. It was a nice name but it wasn't Ingo. When the time came for Ingo to pick his own name, he wouldn't pick it. He didn't mind his mother and father calling him that in the meantime. It was uncustory, according to the older members of the pack anyway, but none of his packmates would question how their Alpha raised his son. He was the eldest pup, afterall. He may very well lead them one day. That too felt familiar but Ingo couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Wait, finger? He didn't have fingers. He wasn't an Aipom. Ingo was a Zor- wait. No. That wasn't right. It was all coming back. He wasn't Ingo, Zorua and eldest son of the Alabaster Iceland's Alpha Zoroark. He was Ingo, Warden of Lady Sneasler and- and- a… His head hurt. That too felt familiar. He'd lost his memory before. Ingo was certain of that now more than ever. He'd lost his time before being a Warden before but it was so close now. He couldn't give up quite yet.

"Pup?" his mother called out. She was across the clearing by the den, busy cleaning up Ingo's sister while Ingo and his little brother played. Their father wasn't around, out hunting with the pack, and Ingo was largely aware of that for some reason he couldn't fathom. Maybe he could if his mind wasn't so occupied. He needed to remember this.

"Big brother?" Runt took a few steps toward him, tipping his head to one side with concern. His words triggered something in Ingo's mind and it all came rushing back.

"Subway Master."

"What?"

He was a Subway Master. That was what he was trying to remember earlier but that didn't really matter. He had a brother too! How had he forgotten him? A little brother with white fur except he wasn't like Runt. He was- He wasn't a Zorua. He was a human. Except, he was a Zorua. He wasn't supposed to be but he was.

"Pup?" He was called for again. The voice was deeper this time, more throaty. It made Ingo's tail stiffen and his fur stand on end. He'd never done that before. The sound of his father coming home from a hunt was always exciting. He was just starting to eat meat and the first few bites of a fresh Stantler were the greatest joy of his short life so far. But now, there was only fur. "My little howler, are you alright?"

He was in a Zoroark's den. He was surrounded by the dangerous Pokémon that had terrorized the Pearl Clan for ages. He needed to get out. He shouldn't be here. He should be- he should be… Where was he supposed to be? He'd been going somewhere. To Lady Sneasler? No, that wasn't right. He was in the Alabaster Icelands. What was there? There were the Zoroark and- oh right. The Pearl Settlement. He'd gone to check in. He hadn't, apparently. Lady Irida would get worried. She always worried when Ingo stayed out after sunset, after the Zoroark's hunt began.

Ingo looked up at his father. He looked concerned but Ingo couldn't see anything other than his daunting red eyes. Red eyes were a sign of danger. That was one of the first things he'd learned in Hisui. Red eyes meant alphas and alphas meant danger. Getting close enough to see an alpha's red eyes was already far closer than anyone should be. When you saw an alpha's red eyes, you ran. You were probably too close to get away unscathed but a slim chance of survival was better than no chance.

But this alpha was his father. His instincts, the ones that stood on the foreground of his mind, told him that. The ones lurking in the background, however, urged him to move and Ingo found himself running.

"Pup!"

Teeth snapped at him. Whether it was his father or another pack member, Ingo knew they were just trying to grab him by the scruff. Knowledge and belief were not synonymous though. He knew they were just trying to keep their pup from running away but Ingo's panicked haze told him it was an attack and reacted appropriately.

Shadow Sneak was the first move any Zorua pup learned. It was in their nature, being Ghost Pokémon and all. Their ability to hide and slink quickly was what allowed them to survive the harsh Hisuian environment and all the dangers it held. Ingo had never trained to use the move, he hadn't even known that he knew how to use it, but slipping into the shadows felt like second nature and Ingo was out of Zoroark territory, or at least farther than he'd ever been.

No one followed him, though Ingo could hear their howls in the distance. Not as loud as him, he noted, but Ingo didn't feel the usual flash of pride he normally felt. It was cold, especially this late at night, and he hadn't eaten. His little Zorua body hadn't known hunger yet and he'd tired himself out something mighty with that Shadow Sneak. His human side refused to succumb though. He needed to- what was it he needed to do exactly?

The need to escape was fading now that he was far away and now Ingo needed to figure out what to do next. He really should be prioritizing getting a meal and shelter but the memories were flooding in too quickly for Ingo to ignore that part of him. He had business regarding his human life to take care of. He'd been on his way to the Pearl Settlement but why? He couldn't remember, not yet at least. The details of how he'd become a Zorua were rather fuzzy.

That was rather alarming. Ingo was a human. He shouldn't be a Pokémon. That was impossible. Ingo wasn't just any Pokémon though. He was a Hisuian Zorua, a Ghost-type. Ghosts types were, well, ghosts. Had he died? Had his spirit found its way into a Zorua egg? That sounded far fetched but it was the best Ingo could think of. He didn't want to think to deeply into that though and it still didn't answer his question as to what he should do right now. Maybe he should find Lady Sneasler. Or Gliscor. Lady Sneasler would know how to help him but Gliscor would be able to cheer him up and he could really use that right about now.

Gliscor, Ingo abruptly realized, traveled through the Icelands in his Pokéball. A Pokéball Ingo couldn't possibly have on his person at the moment. Where in the name of Almighty Sinnoh could it be? Assuming he was right about dying and Almighty Sinnoh hadn't just decided to play a sick prank on him, his body had to be somewhere, right? Oh, that was a horrifying thought. A wave of nausea spread through Ingo's little body, making his head go light and his nose quit doing its job of taking in air. He sat down, ignoring how cold the nighttime snow felt against his tail, and opened his mouth to try to catch his breath.

He wasn't going down that train of thought again, that was for sure. Hey, trains! That was another- oh, ow. The memories made Ingo's head hurt and that was the last thing he needed right now. He needed to find his- er, Gliscor's Pokéball. He didn't know how well those things were insulated but Ingo had been a Zorua for a long time. Hopefully Gliscor and the rest of his team were alright in there, or at least freed themselves and gone back to Lady Sneasler, the Pearl Settlement, or even the Dojo at Jubilife Village where the rest of his Pokémon were.

Ingo tried sniffing the air. Zorua were skilled hunters and relief on their noses. Growing up a Zorua had made sniffing around as natural as walking, even if his human side couldn't make heads or tails of what he was smelling, but Ingo didn't know what he was looking for. He didn't know what his human self smelled like or how his Zorua mind would interpret it, and that was assuming there was even something there to smell. The longer Ingo wandered, the less hopeful he became.

The route felt familiar though and the buzz of memories returning was prickling the back of Ingo's mind. Soon, his paws seemed to know where he was going without him telling them to. Wherever he was, he'd been here before and it was enough to penetrate this mental fog. Had he traveled this path frequently? He felt like he should remember something like that. Then again, he couldn't remember many things he thought he should, like his human brother's name. Or maybe this was just the place of his most recent human memories?

Unfortunately, it was the latter. Ingo expected to smell it before he saw it but he didn't. The freezing cold of the Icelands prevented that. Instead, his body remained perfectly preserved for Ingo to stumble upon. He gagged almost immediately. It was a horrifying sight, truly, to see his own body dead on the forest floor. He didn't let himself look at it longer than necessary. He knew he really should try to figure out how he'd died at the very least but knowing he truly had died was more than enough for now. Safety was the priority right now. It always was.

Ingo nosed his way to his belt and found the rows of Pokéballs he kept there. Eyes squeezed shut and ears flattened against his head, Ingo jabbed out with his paw six times in quick succession and released his Pokémon in a burst of white light.

Gliscor was first because he of course he was. He was Ingo's first Pokémon in this strange land and he always would be. Ingo was thrilled to see him but the moment he appeared, Ingo wished he hadn't been the first. He hated that he had to watch the realization dawn on his beloved Pokémon's face.

"I-Ingo!" Gliscor cried out, lunging toward Ingo's human body. Ingo found himself surprised he could understand his Pokémon, though he supposed he should've expected that, but he shook the thought out of his head quickly. "Ingo, wake up!"

Ingo's other Pokémon appeared shortly after. Probopass and Machamp were first, Probopass immediately shoving Alakazam in the body's direction when she appeared and Machamp shaking Ingo by the shoulders with his large hands. Classic first aid, Ingo recognized. Had he taught Machamp that? It didn't matter. It wouldn't do anything. Nor would Tangrowth's efforts to draw energy from the surrounding plants to pump into Ingo's fallen body. Even frozen, it was clear Ingo was long gone.

It was Magnezone who noticed the Zorua first. "Hey. Did you do this?"

Gliscor whipped around with the fury of an alpha Pokémon but Ingo couldn't find it in himself to be afraid. This was Gliscor. He could never hurt him. Logically, Ingo knew he could and probably would but his heart refused to believe it, no matter how hostile Gliscor looked right now. He should probably do something about that, shouldn't he? Not knowing what else to say, Ingo barked, "Gliscor! Safety checks!"

Gliscor froze, shock spreading across his face. "Ingo?"

"Take- take my coat," Ingo ordered, trying to keep his voice from wavering. He kept his eyes locked on Gliscor, trying desperately not to look at his body. "Your typing makes you far more vulnerable to the cold than anyone else. My coat is probably frozen but it'll block out the wind at least."

Gliscor didn't move. He merely blinked a few times, gaping at the Zorua before him. "Ingo?"

Jerkily, Ingo nodded. "I'm not sure what happened but I believe I'm dead."

Alakazam slowly raised a spoon. "Ghost Pokémon are born of the spirits of the dead and his mind feels like Ingo's…"

"Our trainer is too stubborn to die," Machamp said almost proudly and ambled over to Ingo, scooping up his little Zorua body in his large hands. He quickly frowned, glancing around at the snowy terrain and the rest of the team in concern. "What does that mean for us now?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you would," Ingo admitted, trying his hardest not to snuggle down into Machamp's palm. It was so warm compared to his tiny self. He'd been out alone for so long. "I'm only… Actually, I don't know how old I am but I'm still a pup. I don't think I should be alone in the Icelands."

"Safety checks," Alakazam agreed. Ingo glanced to the side to see her using her powers to shake the ice off Ingo's coat and drape it over Gliscor. He was sitting on Tangrowth's head, which was pretty smart actually. That way both of them were sheltered a bit. Ingo wished he'd thought of that. "I don't think it's safe for you to visit the Pearl Settlement in your state. Lady Sneasler is our best bet. Probopass?"

Probopass grunted, wordlessly telling them to follow. Before they could get far though, Magnezone called out, "Wait, what about Ingo's body?"

"What about it?"

"We can't just leave it."

The group hesitated. They were clearly waiting for Ingo's answer but he couldn't bring himself to speak. After a moment, Machamp suggested, "I could carry it. I have enough hands."

"There are a lot of Pokémon hunting right now," Tangrowth pointed out, "and it's a long trip. We need you ready to protect Ingo."

Ingo wanted to protest that he didn't need protecting but Machamp literally had him in the palm of his hand right now. He was cold, hungry, tired, and very small. "Tangrowth is right. My, um, body has been fine for this long. We can figure out what to do about it once we're all safe."

Machamp seemed displeased but didn't protest. "Take our Pokéballs at least, Magnezone."

Magnezone nodded and activated its magnets. Pokéballs flew from the crumpled form and suctioned themselves to Magnezone. Ingo felt a flash of relief wash over him. He hadn't thought of that but he really should have. He was grateful his Pokémon were making such good judgment calls tonight when he could not. Ingo trusted them with his life but right now, watching them take charge of their safety like this, Ingo felt infinitely better.

The journey was long and unpleasant, even being carried by Machamp, but Ingo didn't dare complain. His Pokémon were doing their best and there best was a lot better than Ingo's best. Probopass was taking the lead, directing the group exactly where they needed to go. Alakazam and Magnezone stuck to the edges, using their powers to scan the area for dangers. Tangrowth and Gliscor huddled in the center, clearly wishing they could do more to help but understanding they needed to stay safe from the cold. Machamp took up the rear, holding Ingo in one hand and keeping himself ready to spring forward in the event of an attack. He'd trained his Pokémon well, it seemed.

Other trainers didn't do that, Ingo noted absently. Zisu and Rei were the only ones he knew who trained Pokémon like he did and Ingo couldn't recall a single time he'd seen their Pokémon work together like his did. Then again, he couldn't recall much but this felt important. Before he'd died, he'd trained his Pokémon to work together for a reason. He hadn't known what that reason was but death seemed to have swept away some of that barrier locking him away from his memories. There was some reason training his Pokémon this way had felt so natural.

Ingo was a Subway Boss, he remembered that much. But, he also remembered he was the boss of the Singles Line. He specialized in single battles. Why did he train his Pokémon to work together then? Was there something he was missing? There had to be.

The first light of the sun was just beginning to peak over the mountains of the Coronet Highlands when Ingo and his team began to near Lady Sneasler's den. Briefly, he wished they'd thought to take his flute to summon her but Ingo had never needed it to call his Lady and he didn't need it now. Tipping his head back, Ingo let loose a howl far louder than any Zorua his size should be able to muster. "Lady Sneasler!"

Lady Sneasler was scaling down the mountain in a heartbeat, practically throwing herself off it. Alakazam, Magnezone, and Probopass split from the group, using their levitation powers to intercept her. Lady Sneasler came to a halt and Ingo could tell they were talking about something, probably him, but he was too exhausted to try to eavesdrop. He could see Lady Sneasler's expression clear as day though and he watched the confusion, surprise, and concern melt over it all at once. When she finally looked his way, Ingo knew she knew he was him.

"My poor Warden," Lady Sneasler murmured as she neared. Machamp raised a hand, offering Ingo to his Lady very delicately. She accepted him, carefully taking him into her paws. "What did they do to you?"

Ingo didn't know how to answer that. He wasn't even sure what she meant. "I don't know what to do. I was in a Zoroark pack and my body is back at the Icelands and now-"

Lady Sneasler held up one claw to his snout, shushing him. "Quiet now. You've had a long night. Come, rest in my den. All of you. I will take care of everything."

Like when Machamp had picked him up before, a wave of calm washed over Ingo. His Lady's words were no empty promise. If she said she would take care of it, she would. Ingo let his body go limp as Lady Sneasler carried him up to her den in the cliffside, his Pokémon trailing behind. She set him down gently in the center of her nest, settling him into all the soft things she'd collected over the years, and soon Gliscor was curled up beside him. He was cold, even colder than Tangrowth, but Ingo didn't mind. Alakazam and Machamp were joining them. They'd warm them up plenty. And with Magnezone and Probopass watching the entrance, they had nothing to fear. Finally, Ingo could sleep.

When he woke, Ingo had his cap, Warden's bracelet, and Celestica Flute back. Lady Sneasler had done as she said she would. With that thought, Ingo let himself drift off again. Things would be okay now.