Author's Note: Before we begin, I'd like to note a couple of things:

1) Ingo remembered some parts of his life before Hisui but not all of them, and he forgot a lot of what he remembered so there may be some inconsistencies between what he recalled in previous chapters and what he remembers in this one.

2) This chapter shows the clans in modern day. It is not meant to be commentary on indigenous people, racism, or colonization. Those themes are central to what I study irl but I do not feel this fic is the place to address those things and I do not intend to. That being said, Emmet is kind of rude to the clansmen here but that is because he is worried about Ingo, not because he is ignorant.

"What do you mean no?"

Emmet faced a gate alongside Drayden, Elesa, Skyla, Cynthia, and Looker. Before them stood a man that Emmet found vaguely familiar. Lucian was his name, if Emmet recalled correctly. He was a Psychic-type trainer, a member of the Sinnoh Elite Four, and, apparently, a clansman. And currently, he was an obstacle.

"I can't let random people into clan grounds just because they want to," Lucian told them, voice almost as flat as Emmet's. "Especially right now."

"Because you have a Warden," Cynthia supplied.

"Yes. Because we have a Warden. Someone very important to our dying culture, I might add."

"I am Emmet. I am not a random person. Your Warden is my brother."

Lucian raised a brow. "Warden Ingo was born over three hundred years ago."

"We have reason to believe Warden Ingo is a time-traveler," Looker spoke up, flashing his Interpol badge. Emmet found it annoying but he was glad he did it. "Specifically, he's a Battle Facility Head from Unova."

"Think about it, Lucian," Cynthia said. "Most of the questions we have about Warden Ingo could be explained by time travel."

"Questions you have," Lucian corrected. "Not everyone's as big of a history buff as you."

"You should know who Warden Ingo is, Lucian. A lot of what we know about him was written by your direct ancestor! He was-"

"I know who he is. I got a crash course history lesson when he arrived," Lucian said, voice taking a note of exasperation. Looking at Emmet, he continued, "And I'm pretty sure that man isn't his brother."

"What?" Emmet squawked. "I am Emmet. We are twins! Identical twins! Anyone with eyes could tell we are brothers."

"I've seen him. You're not identical. A lot of people look a lot like their ancestors."

"Yes. Because that is how genetics work. But genetics also make twins look the same!"

"Why don't you think Warden Ingo is our Ingo?" Elesa asked far more calmly than Emmet ever could.

"He doesn't look like him for one thing," Lucian started, pointing in Emmet's direction. "This one's taller and they have pretty different body types. Plus, he's Unovan. Warden Ingo doesn't even know modern Ransein. He's Hisuian through and through."

Emmet felt his hope wavering. Lucian was right. That didn't sound like Ingo. The two were identical in most physical ways and Ingo certainly wasn't Hisuian. "Just let me see him. I can prove we're twins."

"I'm sorry," Lucian apologized and Emmet didn't think he really was sorry. "It's not my call to make. The elders-"

Lucian was interrupted by the sound of a Pokéball opening. "Chandelure!"

"Chandelure?" Emmet stared at his brother's Pokémon a moment before the ghost tore past Lucian and sped into the village before them. "Wha- Hey! Chandelure!"

Chandelure ignored Emmet's calls and flew down the village streets. Making a split second decision, Emmet pushed past Lucian and ran after her. "I am Emmet! I am sorry about this!"

Emmet heard his friends and companions calling out after him but his mind was solely focused on Chandelure. She was fast, faster than Emmet, when she wanted to be. And she certainly wanted to be. Emmet couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her this animated. When Ingo had disappeared, probably. She'd been very upset then. Her flames had dimmed these past few years. Emmet would be overjoyed to see her this motivated if he weren't afraid of losing him in the sea of buildings. It'd never happened before and Emmet didn't want to start now, especially with Ingo within grasp. This Warden character had to be him! Emmet didn't know what he'd do if he wasn't.

Emmet rounded a corner and he saw him.

He saw the coat first. It was the same one he wore, only black. Ingo and Emmet normally updated the design every year or so but Ingo was still wearing the same one from the day he left. Emmet too. He couldn't bring himself to ask Elesa to design a new one without a matching pair. He'd at least had copies to swap out though. Ingo hadn't and Emmet could tell. It was tattered, absolutely shredded in some places, but it was the same coat. Emmet would know that coat anywhere.

Emmet couldn't see Ingo's face at the moment but he realized why Lucian had thought Emmet was taller. Emmet and Ingo always had good posture but Ingo was hunched now, leaning his shoulders forward like he carried the weight of six years on them. Maybe he was. It wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed by a few gentle reminders to stand up straight. Ingo and Emmet would still match.

There were a few Pokémon gathered around him, two of which Emmet recognized. There was the Machamp that had carried Ingo in the video and there was that little Zorua-like Pokémon but there was also a Gliscor trying to clamber its way onto Ingo's back. Ingo largely ignored it, going on with his business as if there wasn't a hulking Pokémon treating him like a tree. Ingo was… talking to some kids? He had some instrument in his hands that he seemed to be showing them but Emmet couldn't distinguish what it was from this far away.

Chandelure rushed toward him so quickly Emmet thought she was going to crash into him. Ingo's head snapped up, a stunned look on his face, to look up at her. Emmet expected him to reach out or for Chandelure to swoop in for an embrace but neither of them moved. It was like the two had been caught in a Thunder Wave or a Glare. They were frozen, gazes locked on each other like they were staring into each other's souls.

Then Chandelure screamed and it wasn't like anything Emmet had ever heard from her before. If there was glass around, Emmet swore it would've shattered just from the pitch she reached. Her flames roared around her, scaring off the children Ingo had been talking to and illuminating the area in an unnatural, ghostly light. Emmet saw Ingo's mouth moving but if he was speaking, Emmet couldn't hear it over the screams. Why was Chandelure screaming? Emmet knew she was happy to see him. Chandelure missed Ingo more than anything. Had something changed?

Whatever it was, Emmet would need to figure it out later. He was very much somewhere he wasn't supposed to be and having Chandelure being disruptive wasn't going to help his case if he ended up getting into trouble for it. Pulling out her Pokéball, Emmet recalled her. "Chandelure, return!"

Emmet half-expected Chandelure to pop right back out. She'd let herself out before. There was nothing stopping her from doing it again. She stayed though and Emmet was relieved. He didn't know how to calm her if she started again.

"Emmet?"

Emmet looked up from Chandelure's Pokéball and met his brother's eyes. Emmet felt his throat tighten but he refused to let it silence him. "Ingo."

"Emmet!" Ingo ran toward him and Emmet barely had enough time to open up his arms before Ingo crashed into him. Emmet felt himself lose his balance but a firm hand on his back kept him and Ingo from toppling over. Emmet didn't need to turn his head to know Drayden and the rest had caught up with him. Ingo, on the other hand, was at the perfect angle to see the oncomers. Only, he didn't call out a greeting like he had for Emmet. Instead, he let out a mouthful of words Emmet knew none of the Unovans could understand.

"We can't understand you, son," Drayden told him softly. Ingo looked confused, said a few more words in that language, and tried again.

"...Can you understand me now?"

"Holy Smokescreen," Elesa spoke up. She was breathing heavily and Emmet could not blame her. Chandelure had brought them quite far, though she brought them to Ingo so Emmet couldn't complain about the distance. "Calling that an accent is an understatement."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh hey, I didn't know you spoke Galarian," a voice jumped in. This one had an accent as well but it wasn't as heavy and Emmet recognized it as more Sinnohan than Hisuian. "Is this your family?"

Ingo nodded and Emmet broke into a grin. Releasing one of his arms from its grip on his brother, Emmet jabbed a finger in Lucian's direction. "Suck it, Lucian! I told you we were twins!"

"Twins!" Ingo repeated so loudly that Emmet would've been deafened if he wasn't used to it. Ingo seemed to realize it, an expression Emmet couldn't read enveloping his face, and he forced his voice down. "Twins. I have a twin."

"Yes you do," Emmet told him, amused. "A two-car train."

"A two-car train!"

"I'm, uh, going to stop this before it gets too sad," the boy interjected. Rei, Emmet believed his name was. Rowan's researcher. "Ingo has amnesia. He's not reacting this way because he's excited to see you. He has no idea who any of you are."

Emmet's smile froze and he turned his gaze back to his brother. "Ingo?"

Ingo released his grip on Emmet and took a step back, the light in his eyes dimming. "No idea isn't quite accurate. I remembered a man in white who liked winning more than anything but I only remembered your name a few days ago."

"Days…?" Emmet murmured and he felt his thoughts screech to a halt. Ingo didn't remember who he was? Six, nearly seven years and- and Ingo didn't-

"What do you remember, Ingo?" Drayden asked, voice as gentle as it would be if he were talking to a freshly caught Dragon Pokémon. "Do you remember who I am?"

Ingo's eyes flickered up and down, studying Drayden's face and demeanor. "...You're the Deino man."

Drayden's eyebrow raised as Emmet's heart sank. "Deino man?"

"I am Emmet. Drayden doesn't have a Deino."

"I actually caught one recently but I don't think that's what Ingo means."

"I don't know what a Deino is," Ingo responded, sounding frustrated. He glanced over his shoulder, drawing Emmet's attention to the trio of Pokémon who were watching. Machamp was standing off to the side, Gliscor clinging to his back and Zorua tucked into one of his hands. "You know what I mean, right?"

"Gli! Gliscor!" Gliscor answered excitedly, a huge grin spreading across his face. "Gli gli gli, gli gli gli, gli glig gligscor score score score!"

Gliscor was tipping his head back and forth with each syllable. Machamp, seeming to pick up on the rhythm, began tapping along. "Machamp ma ma champ-ma-ma-ma. Champ champ champ-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma…"

"Ru zor zorua-ru-ru!" Zorua howled, not quite matching the tune but clearly trying his best.

Ingo pointed at them weakly and glanced back at Drayden. "The Deino song."

"Are- are you talking about I've been working on the railroad?" Drayden asked and Ingo's face lit up, or at least as much as Ingo's face could light up, as he nodded. Drayden looked a bit faint. "I used to sing that for you and Emmet when you were kids. You two liked that it was about trains and Pokémon. It was the only way to get you to stay in the bath."

"Rei has an MP3 file of the song on his Arc-Phone," Ingo explained, gesturing at the kid. "It never sounded right. I remembered there was someone else who sang it better."

"I don't remember showing you that…"

"You remember what an MP3 file is but not your Dad-Uncle?" Elesa asked, her voice somehow carrying both laughter and horror. Ingo started to look in her direction before going rigid and snapping his gaze back to Drayden.

"I'm your mother's brother," Drayden quickly explained. "Your parents died when you were pretty young so I took you in. You don't have to start calling me Uncle or Dad if you don't want to. I didn't know my sister had kids until she died and you were old enough that calling me anything but my name felt strange so you didn't."

"I don't… not like it?" Ingo responded thoughtfully before finally looking at Elesa. He took a few steps in her direction but they were aimless, like he was just drifting on still water's surface. "Are you… my sister? Our sister?"

Elesa's lips tightened. "Not quite."

"Wait, I know this." Ingo looked back at his Pokémon. "Gliscor, what- what was it when I told you when Zisu and Melli were fighting?"

Emmet had no idea who Zisu and Melli could possibly be but Gliscor certainly did. "Gli! Gli gli scor!"

"Right." Ingo turned back to Elesa looking thoughtful. "I remember thinking my best friends were supposed to get along. Are you my best friend? Or our best friend, I guess. Mine and Emmet's."

Elesa beamed brighter than a Flash. "That's right. Yeah. The three of us are best friends. They call us the Nimbasa Trio."

"Nimbasa Trio. That sounds familiar." Ingo looked pleased before his eyes shifted over to Skyla, Cynthia, and Looker and he looked crestfallen again. "I have no idea who any of you are."

"Oh, we've never met," Cynthia responded, putting her hands up in a surender. "I guess you could say we're coworkers."

"I'm Skyla!" Skyla introduced with a wave. "We're friends but I don't expect you to remember me. We're not super close. I train Flying-type Pokémon! I helped everyone get here."

"I'm called Looker. We've never met and you've probably never heard of me," Looker explained and flashed his badge again, much to Emmet's annoyance. "I'm with the International Police. I'm here to figure out what exactly happened to you and young Rei here. Speaking of which, is there someone less public we could talk?"

Ingo looked contemplative. "I was given a tent to stay in. We could go there."

Looker said something but Emmet didn't hear it. Ingo had said he was given a place to stay. Not that he had a home. Ingo didn't have another home here. It was selfish but those few little words melted away the fear Emmet hadn't realized he had.

The Unovan group ended up getting kicked out of Looker's little meeting. Lucian too but Emmet didn't care about him. He didn't really have any reason to be there anyway. Then again, Emmet didn't think Cynthia did either and she still got to stay. Emmet did and he was more than a bit peeved Looker thought he could exclude him. Ingo was his brother. Even if Interpol decided something should be classified, Ingo was going to tell him anyway. Emmet didn't think Ingo was going to tell Looker much anyway. Rei had a whole stint about letting cops into private property and Ingo seemed to hang onto his every word.

Emmet didn't like having to stay away from Ingo after he just got him back but he got to meet some of his brother's new Pokémon so it wasn't all bad. He was surprised Ingo had a new team but he supposed he could understand. Even if these guys weren't his partners, Emmet was glad Ingo had some Pokémon to keep him company

"Maybe Chandelure was jealous Ingo caught more Pokémon," Emmet said aloud, running a hand over the Zorua's back. The little guy had taken to Emmet's lap and was now wagging his tail happily at the slightest ounce of attention from his trainer's brother.

"Maybe," Elesa agreed from where she was scratching Gliscor's head, "but she isn't really the possessive type."

"If that is a ghost pun, I will scream."

"There's a lot we don't understand about Chandelure but Elesa's right. She's not the jealous type," Drayden input. "Emmet has a point too though. Chandelure has a very close bond with Ingo and her Ghost-typing probably gives her insights into things we can't see. We'll just have to wait until Ingo gets the chance to talk to her."

"You think the Zorua's a Ghost-type?" Skyla asked, reaching a hand into Emmet's lap to try to give the Zorua a scratch but, not for the first time, her fingers were met by a tiny paw batting her hand away. "Rude little guy."

Emmet grinned. "He just has good taste."

"Ruder!"

Emmet stuck his tongue out at her before looking back to the Zorua in his lap. "I think he might be. He looks Normal but also kind of Ghosty? If I had to guess, that's what I'd say his type is."

"I was thinking that too," Skyla agreed. "Think Chandelure sensed him on Ingo?"

"Ingo wouldn't bond with another Ghost-type Pokémon."

"He might if he doesn't remember."

Emmet's smile fell. He let out a sigh. "I can't believe Ingo has amnesia. And in the past. Do you think he was even trying to get home?"

"He did get home," Drayden pointed out and Emmet felt a stab of guilt. "I'm sure he did his best. Living in the past must've been difficult."

"Ingo was always better at camping than I was when we were on our journey," Emmet said quietly. "He never had to do it alone though."

"Machamp!"

"I guess a Pokémon with four opposable thumbs is pretty good," Elesa giggled, making Machamp preen and Gliscor give his teammate a glare. "Hey, we should Smoogle the Pokémon that Ingo… What'd Cynthia call it? I remember Ingo's a Warden but I don't remember anything else."

"Ingo's probably in Sinnoh history books," Emmet realized aloud. He shuddered. That was weird to think about. Ingo had a whole life before either of them were even born, a whole life that people like Cynthia studied. "I don't want to think about it."

"Yeah. At least if Ingo was in another world like those Fallers Looker talked about, we'd know it was all separate but Ingo probably had some kind of impact on the modern world," Skyla mused and Emmet wanted to cover his ears. "We should probably ask instead of Smoolging though."

"I am Emmet." Emmet couldn't imagine Ingo sitting around in the past doing nothing. Even if Cynthia hadn't recognized him, it just wasn't the type of person Ingo was. "I agree."

Skyla opened her mouth to keep talking but the rustling of the tent flap opening interrupted her. Drayden and Skyla were on their feet immediately but Emmet and Elesa remained seated. The ground in front of this weird permanent tent wasn't comfortable but Emmet felt no need to put up appearances for whoever came out. Especially when he realized it was just Looker.

"I've gathered all the information I need for my report. We're fairly certain Ingo isn't a Faller but we have resources for people like him," Looker explained, passing something to Drayden. His card, Emmet assumed. "Don't hesitate to call. For Ingo or Rei. They both have some long legal battles ahead of them."

"Legal battles?"

"Ingo's legally dead," Looker reminded, "and reviving dead people is kind of a pain. He also never actually died in Hisui so he has a full legal identity here as well. Rei too. A second one, I mean. With Rei's mother dead, you could probably declare Ingo Rei's legal guardian on technicality. I don't know if that's something they want but they traveled through time together. I doubt they want to split up now."

Drayden nodded without saying anything. Emmet couldn't read his face but he could imagine what he was thinking. Ingo found himself a kid. That was weird to think about. They were going to have to make more room for the plane ride home.

Emmet didn't see Looker leave but Rei was suddenly back, startling Emmet back to reality. "Mr. Emmet?"

"I am Emmet," Emmet responded reflexively. "You do not have to call me mister. Just Emmet is fine."

"Sorry," Rei apologized even though he didn't have to. "I wanted to talk to you about Dad's amnesia."

Emmet froze. Thankfully, everyone else voiced what he was thinking. "Dad?"

Rei's eyes went comically wide before he buried his face in his hands. "Don't tell Dad! I mean Ingo! Sinnoh, I need to stop doing this."

"It's alright, son," Drayden said slowly, looking just as confused as Emmet felt. "Looker said Ingo may be your new legal guardian. I imagine Ingo wouldn't be upset by the title, especially if he's considering adopting you."

"Ingo doesn't think of me like that. Besides, he doesn't need more on his mind," Rei said defeatedly. "His dumb friend Melli made a joke about how Ingo was like my dad forever ago and I keep saying it by accident but I haven't said it in front of him yet so please don't say anything! I think I want to stay with him. I don't know where else I'd go and I don't want to scare him off."

"Ingo doesn't scare easily," Drayden soothed and Emmet was glad he was here. Emmet wasn't good at this emotional stuff. If it were just him, he'd probably be freaking Rei out more. "We can keep a secret though."

Rei relaxed. "Thank you."

"What were you saying about Ingo's amnesia?"

"Right! Um, he has it?" Rei scratched his head. "Sorry, I didn't really think about what I was going to say before he came out here. Cynthia's asking Ingo history questions, by the way, so you can go back in if you want but I thought you guys would want to know more about his memory before really talking to him."

"I am Emmet. I would appreciate that verrry much." Emmet paused. "I'm afraid I won't know how to interact with him."

"Ingo's probably thinking the same thing. So, um, Ingo had amnesia when I met him. I'm not really sure how he got it and I don't think the clan does either," Rei began. "It's- oh, I smoogled the word for it earlier. Retrograde amnesia? That means you lose existing memories, but smoogle said it affects newer memories more which isn't really what Ingo has. He doesn't really have the symptoms of dissociative amnesia either."

"Something for the doctors to figure out later," Emmet said and then winced. Ingo said he didn't know what a Deino was so he probably didn't remember modern medicine either. That was not something Emmet was looking forward to reintroducing him to. "What doesn't he remember?"

"Lady Irida told me Ingo could only remember his name when he showed up and even then he wasn't super sure of it. He couldn't remember how he got there, where he was from, if he had anyone with him, or anything like that. She said he didn't know Ransein either but I don't know how true that is. Hisuian Ransein is pretty different from modern Ransein but it's not that hard to learn if you have the foundation."

"Ingo and I took some Ransein in school," Emmet offered, "and we learned more as adults. Comes in handy at the subway."

Rei nodded. "That makes sense. I took Galarian in school and learned more since I had to deal with a lot of foreign trainers at the lab. Um, anyway, yeah. Ingo doesn't remember anything from before he arrived in Hisui. Lady Irida told me he was hurt when Lady Sneasler brought him to the camp so they thought it was a concussion for awhile but last year… How do I say this? Ingo got hurt pretty bad. No one saw him for a year and we thought he was dead. He just kind of showed up again one day though and he said his amnesia got worse. Like, he forgot about the clans and the Galaxy Team and everyone."

Emmet didn't know who a lot of the people Rei was talking about were but he felt for them. He knew what it was like to lose Ingo. What these people felt couldn't compare but they'd lost Ingo too. Emmet knew how much it hurt.

"Ingo's amnesia actually got a lot worse after that. He gets these lapses in his memory how?" Rei explained. "He didn't get those before I don't think."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes he just seems kind of confused, like he isn't sure where he was or what he was doing. I don't know. It's not really a big deal," Rei went on. "Sometimes he just does weird stuff though. Like, um… Remember when he asked Gliscor about Elesa? Sometimes he just talks to his Pokémon like he expects them to answer. I mean, they can answer but that was a really specific thing to ask a Pokémon, don't you think?"

"Some people can understand Pokémon but they're usually Psychics or sometimes Channelers," Drayden said thoughtfully. "Ingo's never showed any signs of being anything like that."

"Elder Cabala said it probably happened from living with just Pokémon and no memory for a year." Rei shrugged. "I'm not super worried but I thought you should know."

"It is good to know," Emmet told him with a nod. "Is there anything else?"

"I don't think so. I mean, sometimes he says stuff that doesn't make any sense but Ingo always does that. Like when he talks about tracks and safety checks. You said something about subways though so I guess that has something to do with what he remembers from before Hisui?"

Emmet had a realization. "You have no idea who Ingo is, do you?"

"Um, no? Ingo doesn't know he is so he never told me."

Emmet grinned. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. "Let me tell you about a little something called the Battle Subway…"