August 10th, First Year

"Well, we can't just waltz into Brava Arena; the lady will kill us."

"It's the most straightforward strategy," Ingo argued. "Should we approach from these tracks here-" he pointed at a narrow impasse between two steep mountain cliffs to the north of their encampment, "- we will be able to take Lady Lilligant by surprise. I will be the conductor of this effort- right at the head, so to speak."

"What is it with you and deliberately putting yourself in danger?" Melli moved Ingo's hands away from the carved wooden crown piece on the paper map, instead sliding it back toward two other wooden pieces in the back. "Let me help," he begged quietly. Mournfully. Ingo wasn't too much of a fool not to notice the way Melli's voice had softened upon his last words- as if the man were afraid that they were being listened to. "Skuntank and I- we've been making an effort in growing stronger. I've even called upon my other pokémon for this. I want to help. I want to be of assistance."

"I thought you didn't want to get involved?" Ingo turned to face the other man, watching as his fellow warden refused to meet his gaze.

Melli scoffed, pushing a stray lock of hair out of his face as he carefully went back to considering the mud-stained parchment board before them. "As if I would let you take all of the glory," he sniffed. "Now look here. This impasse- the one you're so dedicated on entering through- it's prone to landslides. If one gets triggered by another storm-" Melli dramatically squashed the piece under his palm along with the two remaining pieces, "-that's the end of your little brigade. Instead, try approaching from the grotto up in the hills." Melli moved his piece back to a small dip in the terrain south of where Brava Arena was marked. "There, we have the upper ground and can attack from above."

"I would have to disagree with you, Melli. Some tracks, no matter how dangerous, must be cleared for an optimal chance at victory. Having the higher ground doesn't guarantee a sure victory in the same way headlights do not see all interruptions on a track. Lady Lilligant's spores, when coupled with the chance of aggravating her and placing ourselves near her frenzy, would prove deadly. We must take all precautions to stay as far away from our passengers as possible."

"And you don't think attacking from up high would serve that purpose? We have archers, Ingo. It's not just the pokémon wielders that will be present in this fight."

"This isn't the highlands, Melli," Ingo rumbled. "Lady Lilligant is a fighting-type. They make short work of cliffs, especially those that aren't vertical in stature. What then if the noble leaps up to our position? We could easily be derailed. Lady Lilligant has been containing herself in her arena only due to sheer luck. We can't risk luring her out to wreak havoc on the new camp by Cloudpool Ridge. The clan has already been forced out of their home station by the lake. Risking that status could mean potentially destroying access to medicine and trading routes."

The two wardens sighed, frustrated, as they removed the wooden pieces from the board once more and set them back at the edge. Planning for the upcoming quelling of Lady Lilligant was getting them nowhere. Ingo would propose one method and Melli would immediately shoot it down all on the lines of safety to himself. Ingo could care less as to whether his own life was at jeopardy; he was looking at the big picture- protecting the people. The two wardens braced themselves as a humid wind entered the tent.

"What's the status?" Leader Adaman demanded. The younger man carefully sat himself between the two of them, his eyes narrowing at the position of the pieces. He removed the thick cloth around his face and nose, wiping sweat from his brow as his dark eyes swept along the board. "Nothing yet, I presume?"

"Adaman," Melli started, his voice hoarse with irritation and desperation. "We've been plotting and planning for hours now. We have an idea, but we can't make up our mind what the best advancing layout should be. We keep butting heads. What do you think is better? My plan or the old man's?"

Adaman blinked coldly at his subordinate, one hand paused over a poorly carved Rapidash. "A little more respect for your fellow warden, Warden Melli."

Ingo waved him off, a faint smile on his face at his friend's antics. "Warden Melli and I share quite a few things in the highlands. It's only a teasing gesture, Clan Leader Adaman. Do not look too much into the matter. May I show you the first strategy that we came up with?"

"Please."

Ingo adjusted the pieces, going back-and-forth with Melli to explain each method and what the results and risks may or may not be. He found his fingers twitching involuntarily, irritation flaring at the reality that neither of their strategies were without fault in the end. Somebody would get hurt on his watch and to Ingo, that fact alone was both insufferable and something he wouldn't take lightly.

After a moment, Adaman clicked his tongue. He carefully moved his hand to take the pieces, his thumb stroking the wood grain. "…If I may?"

"The board is yours," Melli grunted.

Adaman took a few of the carved pieces and moved them swiftly to the steep cliffs where Ingo's strategy took place. He then moved another handful to the gorge where Warden Melli's plan took place. To both of the wardens' surprise, Adaman began to delicately place each and every piece in a triangular formation, placing one sole piece up close to where Lady Lilligant's position was marked with an ink splatter. "I have another strategy; one that incorporates both of your ideas." Adaman pointed to the first group near the cliff where a large carved Ursaring figure reared up onto its feet. "Here's Warden Ingo's position. Warden Ingo, you carry the most pokémon with you so I am going to put you in a position so that you can exercise power over our opponent. You'll be the mark of the bear. As such, you need to be able to get a jump on Lady Lilligant and most importantly, you need to strike fast and strike hard. I can pair you with Young Akari and Young Rei as support seeing as how the Galaxy Team seems to raise the strongest pokémon wielders in the region. Does that sound fair?"

Ingo blinked. "It is reasonable," he hummed. "Miss Akari, Young Rei, and I will serve as the main antagonizing force. Of course, any available ranger that you can put under my guidance will be a great help. We will couple near the cliffs and- I'm assuming- wait for your command or for…?"

"Another force," Melli finished, his eyes lighting up as he began to understand the details.

"Right." Adaman gestured at the second group of pieces, the ones near the gorge. At the head of that group was a carved figure of a Gyarados. "Melli, your group will focus on whittling down Lady Lilligant's health and draining the noble of its strength to fight. You will be the mark of the dragon. You must attack from afar and if need be, flee." Adaman reached across the table to grasp Melli's shoulder, his brown eyes fittingly grave as his voice lowered. "Melli. Your group will be closest to the camp. If you become targeted by Lady Lilligant, you'll regroup with my own group. On no account should you attempt to flee south or regroup with Ingo. I'll lend you a few rangers that have partnered with pokémon of their own. Please, please, please focus on using long-ranged attacks. The goal is for your group to move back-and-forth on the cliff while indirectly antagonizing the noble. If all goes well, Lady Lilligant will be too busy with group number three to focus on you."

Melli blinked. "I thought… You want me to stay on the sidelines?" Melli's voice was soft. Low. Nothing at all like how the boisterous man usually projected.

"Correct," Adaman replied almost instantaneously. "You must lead the second group. You are a warden; thus you hold the most respect and authority. You've coordinated dangerous trips through the highlands before; I'm counting on you to conduct my rangers through the hills and demonstrate the same drive, command, and attention-to-detail that you've exemplified in the past. I've also requested that Warden Arezu begin assembling balms to pacify her noble. It helped with Lord Kleavor- I've no doubt that it'll work this time around, too. All you need to do is coordinate your strikes so that you don't hit Ingo's group nor my own."

Ingo started forward. "You're joining in as well?"

"Of course I am," Adaman retorted, seeming to take offense to Ingo's shocked tone. "Lady Lilligant is taken care of by the Diamond Clan. It should be our responsibility to tag in and assist. If I don't, I might as well resign as Clan Leader. Granted, my group won't be of as much help as yours, Warden Ingo, but we'll do our part in making this attack as quick and painless as possible."

"So, what will your group be focused on?"

"It's simple." Adaman took the pieces of his group and shoved them up close to Lady Lilligant where a figure of a Stantler charged. "My group is the charging group. I'll take some of my men, some tipped spears, and pokémon alike, and we'll directly get Lady Lilligant's attention. The mark of the stag. My aim is to keep her around Lake Valor to minimize any potential damage that could come if she rampages further."

"No," Ingo was quick to argue. "Not only is that focus foolhardy, but it would ensure that your team would either be mangled or even worse, killed."

"I have to agree with Ingo," Melli backed him up. "You need some kind of defense before you decide to get flattened under Lady Lilligant. Spears and powerless humans won't stand a chance."

Adaman grinned. "I have a defense." At his words, a tiny creature stirred in his lap, poking its head over the table to blink sleepily at the two men. "I have Leafeon."

Ingo withered. "…Elaborate."

"Gladly." Adaman procured a leaf blown in from the storm and laid it beside his own piece. "You want me to generate a defense to guard my team? Gladly." He then ripped apart a piece of paper and showered them around and over Lilligant's piece. "The plan is, we engage, encircle, and restrain Lady Lilligant. Leafeon will strike at a distance and ensnare the lady while a few of my men will focus on attacking from the front. We'll act like pesky gnats; we'll dive in when we can and fall back when we must. Melli- your group will do the most brunt damage while staying out of the fight. That'll allow Warden Ingo to show up with his team and counter the noble with a dangerous blow. One so powerful and swift that it'll stagger Lady Lilligant." Adaman took all of the pieces and moved them right up close to Lilligant's marker. "What's one noble pokémon against thirty men with a pokémon apiece? If we can stagger Lady Lilligant and then attack at once, we stand a good chance at winning this fight without suffering any casualties."

Ingo began to shiver with anticipation. "If your groups can incorporate status afflictions into the mix- perhaps make a team of flying or psychic-types- perhaps bring ice-types into the mix?" Ingo nodded enthusiastically, his mind whirring as he considered the endless possibilities. "Bravo, Leader Adaman! Super bravo! It's not the safest method, but it's certainly promising! Well done!"

Melli gawked, removing his fingers from his ears. "Really? Just like that? One additional group from Adaman and you're praising him left and right? Unbelievable," the man grumbled. "I better have at least ten different people in my group before I do anything as absurd as putting myself in harm's way."

"I'll see to it," Adaman promised. "I plan on asking the Galaxy Team for assistance. They have capable pokémon wielders in their ranks. If I can manage to rope in a few strong wielders, then we'll have a key position and then we can finally make the mirelands a safe place to live in again."

"That would be nice," Melli agreed. "All of my clothes are practically soaked through from this never ending rain."

"Then it's agreed?" Ingo began. "You will send for the Galaxy Team, Clan Leader Adaman?"

"I intend to, yes. I'll need to correspond with Clan Leader Irida and Commander Kamado. Perhaps the former will even be able to lend some rangers of her own. Once I get word from them- if they agree- then we'll start immediately."

Ingo stood from his position. "Then allow for me to hasten the path. Parlor, I require your assistance." In a flash, Ingo's Alakazam appeared leisurely beside him, extending its clawed hand as if having overhead their entire discussion. Adaman quickly wrote up two letters and with another flash, Parlor disappeared. "And now, we wait."

Ingo exited the safety of the tent, unsurprised to see Akari waiting for him. The girl fiddled with the cloth wrapped around her nose and mouth, just like the kinds that everyone else was wearing. It was a means to protect from the floating spores; a precaution that Melli had come up with after Akari had initially fallen ill.

Without a word, the two left the warmth of Adaman's tent toward the tall imposing wooden fence of the camp. The girl had enlisted his help days ago in preparing her team for the upcoming fight. He had to say, Akari and her team were making good progress. Not only had the girl regained a little more confidence in the way she commanded her team; she had developed her partners so well that she had managed to defeat Freight, a pokémon that had virtually no existing weaknesses to those on her party. Granted, Ingo had six pokémon on his team and Akari had had to use all three of hers to combat Freight alone.

"What are we going to practice today?" Akari hummed, her dark eyes fixed on the spore-covered trees.

"I think we'll continue working on your double-battle strategy." Ingo led her around a few tents, making room as they squeezed under a canopy that would lead to the outside world. He paused. Somewhere, under the sound of drumming rain was the unsettling sound of buzzing wings.

Ingo pushed Akari behind him, one hand locking on Freight's pokéball. A frenzied pokémon? A bug-type, that much he knew. What bug-types make their nests in the mirelands? He ambled farther, noticing Akari copying his movements as the young girl released her Glameow for protection.

The buzzing picked up and changed in pitch. Its owner, something large and wide, emerged from the willow trees. With unblinking red eyes, the pokémon floated closer, mandibles clicking, wings humming, before it touched down paces in front of him. It leaned down and with one free arm, gestured at something caught in its mouth. A paper.

"For me?" Ingo rasped. His answer came in the form of the pokémon leaning toward him, one clawed hand extending the paper for Ingo to read. Who had partnered with a Vespiquen? An alpha Vespiquen. A surprisingly tame one, at that. Ingo took and unfurled the letter, beginning to read its contents:

Ingo, this is Emmet. Can you please recouple with me in Jubilife Village as soon as possible? I've discovered a few things subjects that I believe are best discussed in person. There are other issues of matter that I believe you might want to hear so I'm routing Milk to you with this letter (Milk is the Vespiquen most likely in front of you). I hope it reaches you. If it does, please send Milk back with another letter so I know whether to expect you or not… I hope you come. Things have been… unpleasant on my tracks. I'm aware that you still believe that I'm some kind of Zoroark; I'm not. Chandelure can vouch for me like she did last time. Emmet.

Ingo stared at the letter for a few minutes. Hadn't Emmet gone missing almost a week or two ago? He… he hadn't really been too caring with him, had he? How had Emmet gotten all the way to Jubilife? Why was he even in Jubilife? Wouldn't they have mistaken Emmet for himself? Ingo clicked his tongue, scrounging in his jacket pocket for a piece of charcoal. Under the cover of Vespiquen's wide wings, he scribbled a hasty "en route" and handed it back to the large bug-type.

"What's going on?" Akari asked, confused.

"It seems I'm being requested in Jubilife Village."

"Right now?"

"Yes."

Akari shrugged, recalling her Glameow. "Well, it'll give us a chance to stock up on items and maybe even ask Captain Zisu for some secret move lessons." After a moment, she asked, "Who sent the letter?"

"…My brother."

August 12th, First Year

The road to Jubilife was loud, bumpy, and teeming with merchants. Ingo didn't bat an eye when Akari left his side to mingle with Volo, the Ginkgo Guild merchant that she had quickly made friends with. When the young girl told him that she would catch up later, he had nodded and continued on his tracks toward the center of the village. While he didn't particularly have anything against the merchant, Akari was grown and had no need for his interjections as sharp as they could be.

He did pause when he noticed a pink and yellow shape ambling near the wooden bridge to the village entrance. The creature had no legs, arms, or tail to speak of. Its long neck arched to stare at the wide village gates, letting out a distressed croon before huddling back as if afraid to enter. In a quick motion, it plucked something from its body- a feather- and left it atop the bridge railing before vanishing into thin air.

Ingo paused. He turned to the nearest merchant, about to open his mouth and ask whether they recognized the pokémon before he stopped. There was nobody else on the bridge with him. He closed his mouth. With the softest steps he could manage, Ingo wandered closer to the feather to inspect it. It glittered pink and yellow, shiny like translucent metal in his hand. He pocketed the feather; odd but with the uncertain times they were in, Ingo supposed that such a thing like an interesting feather would go unnoticed. He would make a note for Rei to investigate the pokémon further whenever he had the chance.

Jubilife Village was just as it had always been. Busy. Teeming with people. Young children ran about the cobbled streets, laughing as they attempted to poke one another with long sticks. Men and women alike wandered from building to building, either leaning inwards for private conversations or talking loudly about their daily troubles. Ingo navigated around another departing wagon full of trading goods only stopped by the quiet murmur of his name behind a large shady tree.

"Ingo."

The warden turned. "…Emmet?"

The man in question poked his head out from behind a massive twisting willow tree, a big grin on his face. "I am Emmet. I'm happy you came."

Emmet's appearance was… different then the last time the two had been close to one another. Emmet's hair had recently been cut, a faint trace of stubble around his jaw and neck. His old clothes- the buttoned shirt, stiff pants, and Gingko Guild getup- had been traded out for a tasteful silver and white-trimmed haori and hakama much like Ingo's own; the man had even copied Ingo's jika-tabi boots. Apart from Ingo's cropping beard, their differences in clothing color, and Emmet's perpetual grin, they could certainly pass as twins.

Ingo's fingers twitched at the notion. "You look… better. What happened to your old clothes?"

"Swapped out," Emmet replied quickly. "Too dirty. Didn't fit right."

"Uh huh," Ingo replied, doubt clear in his voice.

"Where is Chandelure?" Emmet asked.

"She is within her pokéball."

"Verrry good," Emmet hummed. After a moment, he squinted at something to his right. "We should talk somewhere more private. I have many things to tell you."

Ingo rolled his eyes. "Lead the way."

Emmet didn't make any attempt to grab his hand or steer him around like a derailed caboose, something Ingo found himself wishing for. Instead, his twin stayed in front of him the whole time, barely talking until the two had cut through the swathe of village stalls toward the Galaxy Team Headquarters. To Ingo's surprise, the two guards out front gave Emmet a polite wave before ushering the two of them in. Once inside, Emmet took him to a secluded room on the right wing of the building; a wing that was- to Ingo's knowledge- unused.

"Take a seat," Emmet hummed once Ingo was inside. His twin was quick to close the door, pulling the curtains open before taking a seat directly opposite Ingo in the big room they were in. Once Emmet was settled, the man crossed his ankles and took a deep breath. "We have a lot to talk about now that we're alone together."

"We were alone back when I first found you," Ingo retorted, his skin feeling clammy and warm.

"And you thought I was a Zoroark. You were going to kill me," Emmet replied tersely. He took a long drink of whatever was in his mug. "I am not a Zoroark. I am your brother-" Emmet reinforced, setting down his mug "-and I came here looking for you so that I could bring you home."

Ingo fixed the man across from with a wary stare. "I'll never stop believing that you are one," he murmured. Even then, looking at that grin, it was too easy to remember the first time he had been tricked. Being cold out in the icelands. Foolishly falling asleep. Dreaming of home and of a man that looked almost identical to him.

"I am Emmet," his twin restated. "Let my actions be my words, then. If I ever attack you, then you can kill me." Emmet sipped his beverage. "I was also attacked by something that looked like you. I don't think you're a Zoroark."

"Ah, but the local populations don't hunt you for sport."

Emmet frowned at that. "...Correct. They don't... I also don't believe that the actions of one pokémon dictate that all pokémon of that species are the same. That would be verrry incorrect, wouldn't it?"

"Emmet."

"Ingo."

Ingo pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, sighing as he briefly removed his hat. "How did you do it?"

Emmet's gaze moved to the heavy doors of the room. "Celebi," was what he muttered, clasping his fingers together. "I had to travel all the way to Johto to find Celebi, a legendary pokémon that can travel through time." Emmet let out a long sigh, his pale eyes tracing the rays of the sunlight as they spilled across the floor. "It was… not easy."

Ingo hummed. He had a feeling that there was something important that Emmet wasn't telling him. "How did you know of my whereabouts?"

Emmet's smile grew tighter, his eyes narrowed with discomfort; a sign that Ingo was probing in the right places. "You won't like that answer. Nnnope. I'm not sure if I can tell you that piece-"

"Emmet-"

"I'm not being malicious, Ingo-"

"Emmet."

"It's against my will, brother."

"Against your will?" Ingo questioned slowly. He took a sip from his own mug- green tea, surprisingly- and tented his hands in front of his face. "What is? Telling me the truth?"

"…Yes. Before you get angry-"

"Which I already am."

"-I've taken some… precautions." Emmet moved around the desk and pulled out a stack of papers that were inked to every corner with scrawls and complex diagrams. "In a book. I saw you in a book. In the future. Our future. One you shouldn't have been in. I've learned. Been thinking, really. A way to get information to you that will stick. I'm pretty sure I've figured it out. Here."

Ingo carefully took the papers Emmet extended to him. There were words. So many words. Not bulletins but precise, neat paragraphs about… a train. The beautifully-rendered picture next to the walls of paragraphs was neat. Clean. It had even been shaded, too. The papers went on and on about a specific model of an underground train that could reach blistering speeds while still being able to remain steady to any riding passenger.

Some paragraphs also had accompanying pictures, but drawn with rough charcoal sketches. One was of a 'subway car' pulling up beside a 'platform' lined with people. Another was of a diagram displaying the web-like structure of where the 'subway car' could travel. Another still was of a circular building named 'Gear Station'. One subway route had been highlighted and a string of numbers and letters had been bolded.

"CS-ALE077K032. LTS – 15:45." As he spoke the strings of letters and numbers, his head began to ache.

"You know what it means," Emmet encouraged him. He sat back down in his chair, pulling it closer so that their feet were nearly touching. "Picked this up from somebody we know," Emmet all but whispered. "A good way for remembering things you've missed."

Ingo blinked. "...Interesting. Let's see here." The answer to the cipher almost spilled off of his tongue. "CS- code silver. Missing person," Ingo found himself stating matter-of-factly.

"Correct. Keep going."

"AL. A-Line. Coordinates E and K, due south on the transit grid by seventy-seven points… and west by thirty-two points. LTS – last time seen- a quarter to four in the evening." The ache at the base of his head worsened to the point where Ingo was hiding his face in his hands. Emmet's own hands, warm and gentle, settled around his shoulders as if holding him steady.

The subway tracks. The darkness. The oppressive heat and steady shudder of wheels on tracks. A dented metal door and himself tucked haphazardly into the command seats, a red-hot panic filling his entire body. The rumbling of the subway car around him. The bright white lights. The intercom. The tangle of depot agents parting around him like a sea, Emmet at his side as their shoes clicked on the linoleum floors. The two of them, facing one another.

"I'll take a look into it," Ingo had declared, adjusting his hat- his tidy hat- Chandelure chiming in as the two of them stepped onto the deactivated line. Ingo had his Xtransceiver up to his face, sighting Emmet's own soot-stained one reflecting cheekily back at him.

"Be safe!" Emmet had waved at him. "Tell me if you find anything!"

The glow of soft blue lights in the darkness marking the emergency exits and ladders. Ingo walking and Chandelure only a pace or two behind him. The click of his shoes against the concrete floor. A message from somebody he didn't know. Something plastic wedged in his hands. Light. Cracks of light. A web of terrifying light all around him. The warped tracks. The warped concrete subway tunnel walls. The feeling of eyes on him. Chandelure's metal arm snagging on his coat, yanking him backwards. The sensation of being weightless and ice-cold. And then, silence.

Ingo was brought back by Emmet enveloping him in a bracing hug, the tall brim of his stained jacket collar keeping Ingo in the dark as turbulent thoughts raced through his mind. The fall. The empty void. The burning of his limbs. Of his face. Of his mind. The beady eyes of something unfathomable watching him. Reaching to him. Touching him. And then, silence once more. And then, the snow and the frost and the treacherous cold.

Tears slid involuntarily down Ingo's cheeks, dripping into the fabric of Emmet's shirt as Ingo let himself be hugged. He remembered. After all those months pondering about his arrival to Hisui, finally, he remembered the barest of threads and it was all because of a string of numbers and letters written ever so carefully from a man that Ingo thought he despised. "…Emmet?" he croaked, his voice hoarse.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Emmet's hug was tighter. Warmer. Unyielding but gentle, nonetheless. Ingo hadn't realized how much he had missed it and how much his own mind had misconstrued in the absence of memory. He clutched onto Emmet's back as tightly as he could, never wanting for the sensation to be over- the sensation of not being completely and utterly alone. With a happy trill, Chandelure emerged from her pokéball and wormed her way into the hug, her steel arms encircling the three of them.

"I knew you were in there somewhere, Iggs."

"But… how?" Ingo pulled himself free, ignoring the strange fearful prick in his arms and legs being this close to his twin. "How did you- I thought it wasn't possible-"

"Legendary pokémon can't regulate what's not obvious," Emmet laughed. "I had help. From an unlikely source." Emmet's gaze flickered to the brick walls of their room. "How much do you remember?"

"Just the fall, mostly," Ingo murmured. "There are a few pieces here and there but none that really confirm at which time they occurred at. I think I remember clearly what a train car is now if that is of any meaning to you."

Emmet nodded. "That's grrreat! But I can think bigger. Better. I will help you regain all of your memories. It will take time, though. Try it yourself. See what you remember," Emmet cheered, handing Ingo a quill. "Label the diagram. The one with the branching lines."

Hands shaking, Ingo began to scribble on the paper in the same letters and numbers that Emmet had, but this time, his were more narrowed. Precise. Some even had symbols within them that he couldn't recognize but felt right to his hands.

Emmet's gaze swept over the paper. "Well done. Verrry good job, brother. You remembered all the subway lines. Yup. You even managed to label Gear Station correctly."

"All of these things are from my past?"

"Our past," Emmet corrected him, still having not let go of him. "Remember: we are a two-car train." Emmet pushed the stack of detailed documents toward Ingo. "Keep these with you. You won't forget them. Don't lose them."

"I won't," Ingo vowed. After a moment, he reclined back in seat, Emmet making space so that only their shoulders and knees were touching. "How did you get to Jubilife? What happened two weeks ago back in the mirelands?"

"Kidnapped," Emmet mumbled. "I was fine. Taken care of. Escaped. Now I'm here."

"Kidnapped by a pokémon?"

Emmet grimaced before snatching up a piece of paper, writing in a way so that Ingo could read over his shoulder.

"If false… detain information? Emmet, are you writing more strings of code?"

"Yyyup."

"Oh." Despite how silly it was writing coding on literal pieces of paper, Ingo found himself understanding a lot of what the code was meant to do. It was a sequence of additive commands, the first check checking to see whether a value 'captorPresent' was true or false. In the codes Emmet presented, it was always set to 'true'. Once 'captorPresent' was checked as being 'true', it would toggle a series of additional commands. A handful of them made Ingo a bit nauseous like 'loosenRope', 'callforHelp', and most worryingly 'feignSleep'.

On another piece of scrap paper, Ingo started his own code. Emmet began to set the values. In a few short minutes, the two brothers had essentially created a working secret script that didn't require physical speech at all, something that would certainly trigger a certain deity to rear its head.

Ingo had asked as to whether Emmet's captor was still somewhere looking for him; Emmet had set that value first to false and then to true. Ingo had asked for a value of how dangerous his captor was; Emmet had given him two values. The first was nine, the second was one; Emmet pointed to each, one after the other. The captor used to be incredibly dangerous but now they weren't. Ingo frowned and wrote a new variable: 'captorLocation'. Emmet hesitated to write the answer as coordinates. After pausing, he put down his quill, rose from his seat, and wordlessly beckoned Ingo to follow after him.

Emmet's lead was slow. Quiet. Tentative, almost as if he didn't want to show Ingo who his captor was. Ingo was furious. Angry at how swift they were at capturing his brother. He was mainly angry at himself for his lack of care when it had been needed most. His brother that had been attempting to help him get his memories back the whole time and Ingo had simply not cared enough to do anything. He felt his hands instinctively move to his pokéball belt, tempted to have them instead land at the saber on his hip. He cooled that intrusive thought immediately; violence would be a great derailment of his own character.

They circled back to the main hall, ducking into the medical wing which was mostly still and empty apart from a few moving curtains and boxes of packaged herbs. Near the back of the room in the darkest corner was a cot. Ingo approached closer, his hands balled into fists.

The person in the bed was hooked up to numerous contraptions, things he knew to resemble modern IVs, but these were crude. Badly made. Not quite suitable for medical use. The disfigured person in the cot was swaddled with bandages, some brown with old blood, others fresh as though a nurse had only just come to change them out. The person, whoever they were, was thoroughly unconscious. But to his surprise, some of the thicker bandages had scrawls of writing on them; words of encouragement.

Something sniffled. An oblong pokémon with large beady red eyes lay across the lap of the injured person, sniffling as it stared at the two brothers. Violet flames ebbed from its back as it curled protectively across its injured trainer. It looked to Emmet in surprise, waving one stubby paw as if saying 'hello'. It then moved and rubbed its smooth body against Ingo's outstretched hands before dutifully returning back to its spot atop its companions's chest.

"A Quilava?" Ingo turned to Emmet. "Emmet, this was your captor? Whatever happened to them?"

"Yes and no. They were my captor. And they were… verrry badly injured," Emmet replied. He shook his head and made to usher Ingo out. "They're not a threat right now. Leave them be." The worried undertone in his brother's voice left little room for Ingo to argue as the two men stepped away from the door only to run into Captain Zisu.

"Hey, hey hey! It's Warden Ingo and… also Warden Ingo?" The much taller captain bent down, looking only at Emmet. "Wait a minute. Ingo rarely smiles." The woman then blanched and backed away. "Oh, I forgot! You're Emmet! Sorry about that."

"No offense taken," Emmet replied cheerfully.

"How are you two acquaintances if you don't mind my asking?" Ingo asked dubiously.

Zisu smiled. "Rei vouched for him a few days back when he and Yuki ran into him with a large group of Diamond Clan members. We thought he was you! Gave us quite a fright. Apparently he's your twin!"

"That would be correct," Ingo hummed. That explained it.

"Anyway, long time no see!" Before Ingo could back away, Zisu pulled him into a hug, playfully tugging at his hat before letting him go. "I was just about to come looking for you. Commander Kamado is still leering over Adaman's letter. Don't worry; he's got nothing yet."

"That's just as good. I might ask whether The Wallflower is still open. I feel as though I have much to reflect upon and remaining stationary and refueling would seem to be the best option."

"It is, as a matter of fact." Zisu chuckled and playfully elbowed Ingo in the side. "Finally taking care of yourself, I see." She smiled at Emmet. "Somebody's finally got an effective influence in their life. Oh, wait! Are you two gonna grab lunch together?"

"We are indeed."

Zisu grinned, idly passing them by on her way to the staircase. "Well, you two have fun then-"

"You aren't going to join us?" Emmet asked, tilting his head.

Zisu adopted an almost excited grin. "You're inviting me?" she all but squealed. "Well isn't this just wonderful! I get two homebodies for the day, Ingo is actually taking care of himself for once- shockers-"

"I beg your pardon?"

"- and I'm even being invited to sit and hang out with you guys. Oh, I feel so flattered!"

Emmet's grin, a bit too tight on his face, nodded. "…Yes. Would you like to accompany us?"

"Of course I would! Let's get going before Beni closes shop for the day. I'm starving." Zisu pointed a finger at Emmet accusingly. "Training your little gremlins really takes a toll on me. Ingo, you should compensate me by buying my food."

"You are only complaining because they're stronger than your own pokémon," Emmet just as brightly.

"Not true! Ingo, back me up here, will you?"

"No comment."

Ingo requested his usual once they arrived; hearty sweet potato and white rice porridge with chopped radishes, pole beans, and Magikarp thrown into the mix. Zisu looked at his order, her eyes narrowed, before she ordered something even grander: white rice with a few slabs of venison, sided with a cup of ginger paste, strawberries, and miso soup.

"Mine's better," Zisu boasted, picking up a strawberry to inspect.

"I'm sure it is," Ingo shot back, mixing his porridge. He glanced at Emmet and then at Beni who had been waiting for Emmet to order. "Can you make my brother the same dish that I ordered?"

"Only if you've got the money to pay," Beni responded in his deadpan voice.

Without a word, Ingo fished a pouch of coins from his pocket and gave Beni what was due. "I think that ought to suffice. Thank you, Beni." Once the cook had retreated, Ingo gave a fuming Zisu a victorious smile.

"What's so funny?" Emmet cut in.

Zisu swallowed a mouthful of her food, pouting. "You know, your brother gets paid pretty well for a hermit. Ridiculously well if I might add. You're not from here, right? What you guys are eating- what we're all eating, really- most people can't afford it."

Emmet blinked. He stared at Ingo's food and then at Zisu's. "…People can't afford to eat oatmeal?" he asked incredulously. "I get the meat part, but really? This stuff is all over the place back at home."

"Really?" Zisu marveled, turning to Ingo. "You really must come from a different place. I struck up some small talk with Emmet back when he first got here, and he mentioned some bits and pieces. What's a 'microwave' and how do you cook so fast with it? It takes Beni nearly half an hour. No, no, no. Don't tell me. I don't want that cursed knowledge. Keep it to yourself."

"Okay…?"

Zisu leaned in, depositing a strip of venison onto Ingo's plate much to his own annoyance. "Here, have some protein. Eat something other than fish. Anyway, I'm full!" she declared loudly. "I think I'll just go back to the dojo. You know, train some more pokémon. Leave you two in peace. Have fun."

Emmet watched the lady retreat before fiddling with his hands. "I like her but I'm happy she's gone. Now I can actually talk to you."

Ingo recoiled, nearly spitting out his food after restraining himself from laughing. "Emmet, that's rude!"

"What? It's the truth," his brother mumbled around a mouthful of food. Emmet swallowed, carefully setting down his utensils. He pulled out the paper again, moving to the opposite side of the table so that he could continue their line of code from before. After a few lines, Emmet, seemingly satisfied, turned it around for Ingo to see while passing his stub of charcoal.

These lines of codes were loops; feedback loops. Each of them were separate due to activating once the previous one had exhausted itself. The first was titled 'captorLoop'. It came first and with the way that Emmet had set it up, it would just keep looping over and over and over. Forever.

Ingo pointed at the word 'captor' before pointing again at the Galaxy Team Headquarters. Emmet nodded and then pulled out something else; something teal and shiny. It was a painted clay gear inscribed with striking patterns and indecipherable words. At its introduction, Emmet rewrote the old code so that now, new variables and conditions were present; 'if absent' and 'gearPresent'. The way the code worked, if 'captorLoop' was flowing, whenever 'gearPresent' was set to be false, the loop would stop working almost immediately. If 'gearPresent' was set to be true, then the loop would keep going.

Ingo discreetly asked as to whether 'captorLoop' was currently set to negative. Emmet nodded and then brought out a few more similar gears. Emmet then pointed to the second loop beneath the first: the one titled 'brotherLoop'. Ingo pointed to himself; Emmet nodded.

Ingo took over at that point, instead writing in script instead of code. His first string was: CG: FF = . He left the rest for Emmet to fill in. Emmet penciled in a quick 'T'. Ingo blinked. They were in danger from somebody they knew?

In a flash, his frown deepened. He only knew of one person that had directly antagonized both of them in the past in a memory that the Lustrous Orb has once dredged up from the recesses of her memory. One person that had confessed to wiping his memories. With a simple 'J', Ingo added in a new variable and set it to equal 'captorPresent' instead of its old true or false values. Emmet was visibly sweating but after a moment or too, he marked a hasty 'T'..

"Why are you protecting them?" Ingo asked calmly. Why? Why would Emmet defend them? They are bedridden but it doesn't excuse them from their own actions. If he wasn't so hung up on following the directions of his brother- if he had known- Ingo's hands shook. He didn't want to think about that.

"They haven't hurt me," Emmet immediately began.

"They hurt both of us," Ingo snapped. "I got my memories wiped and you were kidnapped-"

Emmet was quick to shush him, gesturing instead to the paper but Ingo was done listening at that point. He marched back into the Galaxy Team Headquarters and into the medical wing, staging Coach at the door so that Emmet couldn't intervene. He'd be damned if he would let the person addling his mind go unscathed.

He shoved aside the curtains and dust-covered machinery, staring at the bandaged form lying still in the bed. Their Quilava was still curled up on top of them, curiously cocking its head to the side as Ingo approached.

"Ingo, listen to me!" Emmet called through the gap in the door. "Please, stall your engine! Let me in! I can explain everything!"

"What is there to explain?" Ingo retorted angrily, his hands shaking with frustration. "You were kidnapped! Imprisoned against your will! What could you possibly have to say that would even make me reconsider exacting my revenge?"

Chandelure appeared from her pokéball, effortlessly using her psychic powers to move Coach physically from the doorframe. Emmet pushed his way through and blocked Ingo from proceeding further, his eyes reflecting Ingo's own confusion.

"You are angry. I understand that. But I have the most reason to get revenge and I haven't." He set his hands on Ingo's shoulder, gently pushing Ingo away from the mess of bandages and medicines that was Emmet's captor as he was led into a dusty old armchair at the side of the room.

"Why not?" Ingo growled. "I would have."

"No you wouldn't," Emmet argued. "You're not a vengeful person. You never have been." Emmet pulled up his own chair, his gaze flickering to the cot. "I am angry… but I believe that attacking them while they are already defenseless and decommissioned would be wrong. They have already suffered… horrifying injuries."

"Elaborate."

Emmet bodily turned away. "Torn in half." Barely a whisper. A suggestion. "Almost bled to death trying to claim one of these." Emmet fetched one of the teal gears from his pocket, wincing when one of his fingers rubbed against a groove that had old blood etched into it.

Ingo took another moment to regard the person in the cot in the dark corner. Tucked away. Unnoticeable. So utterly blanketed with bandages and attached to fluid systems that it was hard to tell where which limb started and ended. Too many medications strewn about their bedside. Too many blood-spotted rags and dirty instruments suggesting that some kind of surgery was necessary. And surgeries here have a high risk of being fatal.

"For what purpose?"

Emmet stared at him sadly. "The documents. Read the documents, Ingo. All of them. I can't tell you out loud but… well… I am waiting until Burr wakes up. They have been unconscious for a verrry long time. Too long." In a quieter voice, Emmet added, "I hope we weren't too late."

Ingo took off his cap and fixed the ruffled hair around his face, tapping one finger errantly against their forearm. "So let me see if I have this story of yours correct. As it were, due to our confrontation or something akin to that manner, Jaku stole you away from the Cloudpool camp and kept you confined in terrible conditions."

"...Yes."

"It would also seem as though in some manner, they became mortally injured. Despite being imprisoned by them, you brought them here to be healed and you await to question them when- if- they awaken."

"It goes a lot deeper than that, but yes," Emmet confirmed. "Read the documents Ingo. I know this looks bad. I am still angry about what they did to me. Their reasons weren't just. They weren't justified. At all. They captured me due to a potential possibility." But then Emmet faltered. "But I understand the need for secrecy, even if it's aggravating." Emmet reached across the verge and captured Ingo's hands in his own. "Will you let me handle this on my own?" he asked.

Ingo didn't like it. He didn't like it not one bit. If Jaku had managed to play him like a violin, what was stopping her from doing Emmet the same? But regardless, there wasn't really a way in which Ingo could object. Emmet knew more than him when it came to Ingo's predicament. "...I will let you handle things by yourself, Emmet. But on one condition."

"Which is?"

"The gears. The objects that she was collecting. Let me have them. I will safeguard them until she is well enough and when she has proven to no longer be a threat to either of us."

"Brother, that's not fair. Burr doesn't have a choice. What if I asked you to stop collecting the Old Verses?"

"I haven't kidnapped anybody nor have I deliberately lied to a person in my best interests," Ingo bit back, extending a hand. "The gears, Emmet. You were so adamant that they were against us in the past. Why change your mind now? It seems rather strange that you would flip your beliefs so quickly."

"I still don't believe that she's not against us in some way," Emmet grunted, "but they are working with us. To go home. For all of us to go home. And they nearly died for it, too." Emmet pulled out his cluster of gears, holding out a vast majority for Ingo to hold. He kept one for himself. "This is an act of trust," Emmet warned. "You trusted me so now I will trust you. I will keep the biggest one."

"What's the significance?"

"This one is the key; the others are extras. You don't need the key and neither do I." When Ingo didn't respond, Emmet leaned in closer, his voice low and fretful. "Ingo, I wouldn't have brought them to have their cab repaired if I didn't think there was something to gain from extending them the benefit of the doubt."

"Fine. Fine, I will let this go… but only if you answer one question of mine. Just one. Can you do that for me, Emmet?"

"Sure."

"Jaku spoke before that they knew what our purposes here were. It was from a dream that I regained from a specific artifact. Do you know what they were talking about? Can they also wipe your memories as well?"

Emmet shook his head. "No. Burr can't wipe my memories- they tried a handful of times. They never mentioned anything about that during the time that they were keeping me hostage. They kidnapped me because they were afraid I would tell you too much. You would have to ask them when they wake up."

The two brothers were interrupted as the doors to the Galaxy Team Headquarters were flung open. Boots clicked on hardwood floors, an entourage erupting into the main hall as voices began to pick up. Ingo got to his feet to check on the commotion, coming face-to-face with Warden Lian and a bruised Rei.

"What's going on here?"

"Gramps!" Lian cried. "Oh good! You're okay! Leader Irida sent out a note checkin' up on all us wardens. Listen to this; Lord Ursaluna is frenzied!"