August 17th, First Year
"We could construct a trebuchet."
Ingo blinked, staring at his brother who was nervously fidgeting with his hands. Today was the day that everyone's tracks would align to quell Lady Lilligant. The sun had barely crested over the horizon and already, Leader Adaman, Wardens Arezu & Melli, Emmet, and Ingo were sitting in the chief's tent, consolidating their final plan of attack while forces gathered outside.
"What's a trebuchet?" Arezu piped up.
Ingo sighed. "A trebuchet is a siege contraption designed to launch heavy projectiles for far distances." He shot Emmet a tired glance. "Trebuchets mostly result in collateral damage in the form of destroying fortress walls or spreading various assorts of debris. We do not have the time nor luxury to construct one, nor would it be… efficient."
"It could launch balms," Emmet dictated. "Lots of balms. All at the same time. I could construct one. Quickly. I do have an engineering degree."
"No, Emmet. We are not building a trebuchet to fight Lady Lilligant."
"It would be funny," Emmet persisted, his mischievous smile reaching the corners of his eyes. "And it could be useful."
"No siege weapons, Emmet."
"Boo. You're no fun."
Ingo was on the fence with his supposed brother. On one hand, Emmet was turning out to be a lot like him in a way. They had talked more amongst one another on the way back from Jubilife (Ingo had finally figured out what trains were!) and Ingo had discovered some discrepancies in what the fog of his amnesia had released to him.
The man-in-white always smiled no matter how Ingo reacted to their presence or words. He could be in the grips of paranoia or fear, inches away from a mental breakdown or from gaining some key to his past and the man-in-white would surround him. Grin at him. Convince him of things that could be true in a monotonous tone that never faded nor softened. Emmet, Ingo's real doppelganger, smiled most of the time, but he could also frown and smirk and look fearful. Emmet could talk softly. Emmet could disagree and bicker with him. Emmet would tell him the truth even if it made Ingo uncomfortable or angry. And despite it all, it made Emmet more human and more comfortable to be around.
The man-in-white was rigid in their white-and-red costume like a wooden carving, always looking just behind Ingo, always serving as some pristine and concise figure that Ingo strove to match and remember. Emmet was precise, yes, but the man could also falter, not just in his words but also in his actions. Ingo didn't need to match Emmet even though the man obviously remembered their past- Ingo's past; Ingo just needed to try and get along with him.
During their trip back to the mirelands, Ingo had gotten the chance to really talk with Emmet- to truly experience who Emmet was. Emmet was… unpredictable but in a good way. His choices and beliefs were questionable at times. Ingo thought of the mystical gears in his jacket pocket that burned hot like molten lead against his side. He then let his eyes wander to the necklace of black twine around Emmet's neck. Perhaps that was something Ingo would need to work on; understanding one another would have to be a joint effort, after all.
There was a knock at the tent door. "Leader Adaman?"
"You may enter."
Two Diamond Clan rangers poked their heads into the warm tent wearing helmets and armor of leather and iron. "Leader Adaman, your requested forces are ready at your command."
"Clan Leader Irida has also sent a verbal message for you as well," piped the other ranger. They were clad in a familiar white-and-pink tunic, giving a respectful nod to Ingo in turn. The ranger cleared their throat. "Leader Irida states that she will be sending a legion of her own rangers to better assist the two acting champions." Akari, who had been sitting on Ingo's left side, looked a bit relieved at the notion.
"Excellent." Adaman stood and stretched out his back. "The forces are ready, the Pearl Clan is at our backs, and-" he flipped open the window flap of his tent "- Almighty Sinnoh has graced us with good weather." He turned, his eyes focused on some far point Ingo couldn't pinpoint. "No time for a speech. You all know your places. My wardens, suit up. Everybody else, head to your places. Warden Arezu will lead us in battle today."
The redhead nodded, a fierce determination simmering behind her eyes. "No more casualties," she swore. "This ends today."
Wind peeled at the rocky cliffs. Dark gray clouds wreathed overhead, dark river water surging through overflooded streams as Ingo, Emmet, and Akari trudged along the rocky, mountain path. It had been Emmet's idea to construct divots in the sides of the path that would channel the excess rainwater back to the lower sections of the mountains and away from the arena. A good thing too, as the good weather had gone sour rather quickly.
Emmet's Luxray plodded ahead of the group, its ears twitching as it searched the cliffs for any potential threats. Ingo warily sent out Freight, his eyes tracking his partner as it bounded ahead and easily kept pace with the large feline. Emmet hadn't caught the Luxray; rather, he had been the one to borrow a certain somebody's pokémon while they were decommissioned under Ingo's suggestion. If Emmet had a little more protection, nobody could really complain now, could they?
Freight swooped down from the rocky cliffs, its golden eyes glittering with unease. It circled Ingo, pointing one large pincer to a break in the rocks where the path led into the arena. Ingo swallowed, beckoning Akari and Emmet forward. "We have reached our destination," he announced as quietly as he could. "Warden Arezu will make the first move but we must be prepared to strike quickly. Akari. It is likely that we will become separated during this battle. What is your strategy?"
Akari flicked up a pokéball confidently. "I'm gonna lead with Mars. She's my best bet and my strongest partner. She's strong against Lady Lilligant so we should have no problem this time around." After a pause, she turned to Emmet and asked, "Should I lead with Agility? I know she'll move twice as fast if I stat-boost like you said, Mister Emmet; maybe I could lead in with Megahorn and keep Lady Lilligant anchored?"
Emmet's eyes immediately tracked over to Akari, brightening. "That is not a bad strategy. Yup. Not bad at all- in regular combat. Don't use Megahorn this time, though."
"What? Why not?"
"Your Rapidash will be stationed right next to Lilligant. We might accidentally hit it instead of the noble." Emmet tapped his chin with a finger before brightening. "Your Rapidash is strong. Verrry strong. Instead, focus on using fire-type moves from afar.``
"He's right," Ingo conceded. "Try to remember our battle with Lord Kleavor; approaching too closely could spell danger. I will be attacking from the sky to not draw attention to our position. Emmet, what is your strategy?"
Emmet jumped at the sound of his own name, his eyes averted to the side as he let one hand travel to the full pokéball belt at his side. "I think… I think I will have to rely on my new co-conductors." He plucked the first pokéball from his belt and released what was inside.
The pokémon within came out growling, its thick tawny and brown fur bristling as it turned this way and that, its beady eyes moving first to Ingo with confusion, then to Akari with curiosity, and finally to Emmet. The large pokémon gave its temporary trainer a disdainful sniff before nodding in approval.
"You will work with me?" Emmet asked. The dark-furred Arcanine huffed as a response, gently nudging Emmet aside with its wet nose as it went to converse with the Luxray. "That is a response I will accept. Very well. I will lead with Arcanine."
A loud blast ripped through the cliffs followed by an agonized screech. Both the Luxray and the Arcanine raced back, their fur standing straight up as they tossed the brothers onto their backs. Akari followed suit atop her Rapidash and with wide eyes, they watched as the battle against Lady Lilligant began.
In the center of the arena, Warden Arezu dodged an earth-cracking leap from her noble with practiced ease, leather armor buckling as Arezu thudded into the mud and scraped against exposed rocks. The warden dodged a wide swipe from Lilligant's sharp arms, a construct of cold, dark metal emerging to shield her body as a new pokémon- a Bronzong- released a massive wave of psychic energy that shook the trees. Adaman was not far behind, his Leafeon a blur of cream-and-jade as it charged at the noble, raking its face with its claws before leaping away. Lady Lilligant screamed out in pain, tossing up a flurry of rocks.
Almost immediately, a wave of varying attacks- lightning strikes, ice spears, poisonous needles, spears, moves, and items- struck the noble so hard that the lady was tossed onto her side wailing with senseless fury and frustration.
"This is going far better than expected," Ingo commented under his breath. He paused.
Lady Lilligant dug one leafy hand into the turf, bracing against some unknown agent. It stood drunkenly, wavering back-and-forth as its head swiveled on its shoulders. Its voice warbled, a low hum beginning to rise to a fever pitch.
"You may need these," Warden Arezu stopped him. She handed Ingo a pair of earplugs, her gaze tense. "My lady- she likes to talk and sing and her voice gets a little too loud."
"Is that… dangerous?"
"It may be," Arezu had conceded. "I've seen it make other pokémon faint at times. Best to be a little cautious, right?"
"Cover your ears!" Ingo tugged at Emmet and Akari, huddling the three of them and their mounts together as the move he hadn't accounted for pierced the heavens: Teeter Dance.
The earth shuddered. Lady Lilligant released a blood-curdling scream that forced all of its attacking opponents to stop and stare, paralyzed. The earth began to move and the skies began to clear of clouds. The thrum of footsteps, loud and heady, approached from all angles as a mass of wild pokémon surged into the clearing, all of them abnormally large and hostile. Four alphas. The pokémon surged protectively around Lady Lilligant, a massive Hippowdon throwing Warden Arezu clear while an alpha Honchcrow swooped toward Melli's team on the cliffs. The other two alphas, a Pachirisu with matted fur and a Parasect with far too many twisted limbs, formed a ring around the noble, glowing red eyes gazing around wildly for opponents.
Ingo didn't think twice about the matter. "Alphas!" he spat. "We must align our tracks and join the fray!"
"Shifting gears!" Emmet called. An affirmative phrase; one that Ingo remembered being casually thrown within a moving compartment of metal and electricity. Emmet summoned out a massive Yanmega, climbing atop the dragonfly pokémon's back before recalling his Luxray. "I'll intercept that Honchkrow!"
"Be careful!" Ingo called in turn. "Alphas are far more dangerous than their regular-sized counterparts!"
"Understood!" With a raucous call and a flash of translucent wings, the alpha Yanmega had leapt up the cliff face with Emmet astride its back, swooping into the air and away toward the cliffs where the alpha Honchkrow was chipping away at the cliff, sending men falling to their deaths.
"I'll take down that Parasect!" Akari yelled over the sounds of battle. "I want revenge!" The girl rallied her mount and strode toward the center of battle, her hair blowing in the wind as the sun finally petered onto the battlefield. In the light of the hot sun, Arceus' chosen looked like a brand of fire.
That left Ingo with two choices: the Hippowdon or the Pachirisu. His decision was made when Freight tugged him furiously into the air, pointing one pincer at the large behemoth that had sniffed them out. The alpha Hippowdon shoved at the cliffs, sending large boulders and waves of dust down where Ingo had been only seconds before. This was going to be a battle Ingo hadn't ever experienced in all his time in Hisui.
He flipped himself around, Freight accommodating so that the warden was now astride its back. Freight dragged him higher and higher until they had a wide view of the battlefield. "Boxcar, time to depart! All aboard!"
The three touched down a distance from the alpha, Boxcar- Ingo's Tangrowth- surging forward as large tendrils of vines protruded from its body. The Hippowdon snarled, snapping at the spare vines and leaves with its teeth as if sensing that it was at a bad matchup. It raised its body up and slammed into the ground, huge chunks of sharpened rocks stabbing into Boxcar's body. Wordlessly, Coach released itself from its pokéball, slamming into the alpha with a metallic fist. Something crunched. The Hippowdon was tossed back a few paces, snarling with rage.
"Decouple!" Ingo called. Boxcar knocked away the sharp stalagmites buried in its chest, wrapping a handful of thick roots around the rampaging Hippowdon as it began to siphon energy from the beast. Coach quickly moved to defend its partner, waiting for Ingo's signal to strike. "Full steam ahead!"
With a grunt of acknowledgement, Coach ducked under the alpha's outstretched claws, slamming another solid fist into the creature's belly and another to its face, sending the alpha sprawling onto its back. Again, Ingo called for his team to decouple. Alphas never went down that easily. Never without taking something or someone with them.
Ingo was thrown off his balance as the earth shuddered again beneath his feet. He watched, paralyzed, as Akari and her Rapidash were both sent flying through the air only to slam painfully into a cliff. Flames from the Rapidash's mane shot up the cliffside, illuminating Akari's figure as the girl scrambled clear, a large bleeding gash visible on her leg.
Ingo wouldn't be able to assist as tied down as he was but he knew of one way he could help. "Freight," he called, his voice cracking. "Get our passenger to safety!" He turned his eyes back to his own battle, a twinge of guilt making his fingers twitch as his partner pokémon raced off to defend Akari. What he couldn't do, he would have to make up for by defeating the alpha and recoupling with the others as soon as possible. It was all he could do.
The alpha Hippowdon tanked all of Ingo's hits, striking back with the force of a high-speed freight train as it lashed out at Coach, forcing the bulky pokémon to the ground before snapping the fighting-type's leg with its jaws. Ingo quickly recalled his injured partner, Boxcar resuming the battle as it ensnared the alpha with another wave of vines.
Ingo dodged as a wave of sharp stones cascaded toward him, one hand moving to his pokéball belt. Nearly all of his remaining pokémon would be stopped in their tracks by the alpha. He could summon Parlor but it would be a slow, arduous battle. Still, Ingo had a job to do. He stilled as Boxcar was tossed back, the great goliath tumbling back a hair from striking him. The alpha Hippowdon roared, scraping its feet through the wet mud as it fixed its beady eyes on Ingo.
It charged forward only to be tossed upward into the cliff. A great big serpent with dusty brown scales and great black tusks slammed into the alpha, blood spraying into the air as the new pokémon viciously tore into the Hippowdon with a fury akin to a rampaging brooding Garchomp. It seized the Hippowdon by its leg as the goliath fell, repeatedly slamming the large creature's skull into the dirt to the point where Ingo heard its neck snap. The great serpent then retreated dutifully back to Ingo's side, a pair of dark red eyes staring down at him as blood dripped sticky from its maw.
Should I be afraid of you? The serpentine-pokémon gave him no time to ponder that question before the great beast surged forward again, striking with such a swift power that it tore up the earth as it passed, its axe-like tusks digging into the alpha Hippowdon's face. Ingo paused. A friendly pokémon? On my side? He shared a confused look with Boxcar who was slowly regenerating on the wayside.
"Ingo!" Emmet landed harshly beside him, his clothes littered with ash, dust, and drops of blood. He was grinning though, his twin's eyes awash with the excitement of battle. "I'm here to help! I-" Emmet paused, his eyes widening before a wide smile split his face. "Haxorus!"
"Yours?" Ingo asked, dumbfounded.
"Yours! Switch back!" Emmet called forward a Croagunk and an Eevee, his eyes fixed on the Yanmega as the dragonfly pokémon ripped and tore at the Hippowdon's face with its sharpened mandibles alongside the Haxorus. "Croagunk, Rain Dance! Eevee, Helping Hand!" The Croagunk immediately began to drum along the ground, Eevee stilling as a wash of energy rose and settled over the three battling pokémon from afar. The sky clouded over once more, heavy beads of rain pelting the clearing. "Just like old times! Ingo!" Emmet called.
"Yes?"
"I will focus on stat boosts! You focus on attacking!"
"Full steam ahead, then!" Ingo moved to cover Emmet, his mind shuddering as he took in the large pokémon before him. Haxorus. My Haxorus. Its brown-and-gold scales rippled with anticipation as it fiercely countered the alpha Hippowdon, slamming it back down into the dirt. Ingo's command formed itself involuntarily. "Haxorus! Aqua Tail!"
Haxorus turned to face him, its eyes shining as it nodded. The great pokémon pulled the water from the surrounding mud, slamming its tail into the Hippowdon's face at point blank range. Emmet's Yanmega immediately backed the Haxorus, using its broad wings to sweep any and all water toward the dragon-type in preparation for another Aqua Tail. Smart pokémon.
"Croagunk, Ice Punch! Eevee, keep using Helping Hand!"
The Croagunk immediately launched itself into the air, taking up a fourth position around the alpha Hippowdon as it landed a devastating blow to the alphas face. Thick ice encased the Hippowdon's face and spread like creeping mold across its ears, eyes, and throat. The beast clattered from side-to-side, blood dripping from its battered body as it struggled into a fighting position.
The Yanmega fluttered backward, summoning a large gust of wind to blow forward yet another wave of storm water as Ingo's Haxorus swept it up with its tail. Like one unstoppable force of water, ice, and dirt, the Haxorus slammed its tail into the alpha's face once more, the five battling pokémon hidden beneath walls of dark swirling water. Light flashed. The Hippowdon was thrown clear into the cliff, buried by a sudden onslaught of falling rocks and debris. When the dust cleared, the creature did not move again.
"Safety checks!" Ingo yelled, stopping Emmet from moving. He plucked a heavy leaden ball from his bag, hurling it at the incapacitated alpha. He stilled as the wind carried the ball aloft with a piercing whistle: a definitive catch. Emmet's Yanmega raced back to the brothers with the contained alpha, its wings twittering as it looked back-and-forth between the two brothers for approval. Ingo gave the massive bug a pat on the head before accepting the pokéball. "One down, two to go."
The skies writhed overhead as the sun began to rear its ugly head. Light pierced through the veil of clouds to shine down onto the arena. Lady Lilligant paced a frantic dance in the center, its battered body regenerating in wisps of steam as around it, Adaman and Arezu's team circled and jabbed at it, a cage of vines moving around the arena like a twisting serpent.
"Should we decouple again?" Emmet asked quickly.
"No. Let us switch tracks to better assist Akari." Ingo reeled back only a fraction of a second, Freight carrying him higher into the skies alongside Emmet and his Yanmega as the alpha Parasect sent up a flurry of mold and paralyzing spores. On the ground, Akari stood against the gale, cloaked by her alpha Beautifly as the great bug redirected the deadly spores into the sky.
"Chandelure, get ready to depart!"
"Arcanine, to the platform please!"
The two brothers intercepted the great Parasect, Chandelure and Arcanine working in tandem to inundate the horrible creature before them with fire. The Parasect screeched, backing away on its twisted legs.
Akari darted behind the brothers, a fierce tailwind blowing all spores back to the Parasect. "Stay in front of me!" Akari yelled. "That thing's spores stick like glue! Venus, Silver Wind, let's pick up the pace!"
Venus fluttered forward, its colorful wings gleaming despite the storm as it picked up the dust sending a great gale of tumultuous wind forward, its colorful scales piercing the husk of the Parasect like tiny, glittering needles. Its move done, Venus retreated and began to pick up the tailwind once more.
"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" Whipping past Chandelure, the Arcanine surged forward and caught the great Parasect with its long claws, tearing chunks out of its exoskeleton as it pried apart the shell and breathed fire onto the creature's face and legs.
At Ingo's order, Chandelure took up the other side, swiftly firing off a Will-O-Wisp before flaring to life, its violet flames turning white as it burned at the Parasect's moldy shell. Ingo nearly did a double take as the alpha caught flame, falling onto its side as it wreathed in pain. He stopped to catch the great beast, his heart racing as the wind lifted the ball with a swift whistle once more. Three down. "Emmet, can you handle the alpha Pachirisu?"
His question was cut short as the trio was surrounded by Arezu's group, the redhead flashing them a grateful glance before sweeping them back. "That rat has been taken care of already! Regroup! We need to take down Lady Lilligant before she calls for help again!"
"Understood!" Ingo and Emmet called in synchrony. As a three-man unit with the two brothers in the front and Akari in the back, they conjoined with Arezu's team and circled to the other side to stand with Adaman's team.
The clan leader was taking a brave stand, his Vaporeon and Leafon taking turns holding the noble at a distance. When the Leafeon's wall of vines and leaves ended, Vaporeon would send up a wall of mud, pushing the great noble back against the cliff where Ingo had emerged from earlier.
"Adaman! We're ready for the final blows!" Arezu yelled. Then, without another word, she turned and yelled something at her Bronzong. The metallic pokémon soared into the sky and released a blast of psychic energy that shook the clouds and, to Ingo, sounded awfully like a gunshot. Bags upon bags upon bags of balms began to rain from the cliffs, pelting the noble from every direction.
"Akari!" Ingo yelled. "Can you couple with Emmet and I and use the same strategy from before with your tailwind?"
"On it!"
"Yanmega, Vespiquen, you two assist as well!" Emmet demanded.
The three flying-types took to the skies, starting a series of devastating gusts that ripped the dust, gravel, and blankets of mold from the ground. With Vespiquen's help, a steady gust encircled the entire arena like a delta stream, the alpha focusing on redirecting the balms to strike the most sensitive areas. In the harsh gale, Lady Lilligant turned, its sightless eyes narrowing with hatred as it poised on one foot, readying a leap.
"Shifting gears!" Ingo yelled. "Chandelure, Sunny Day!"
"Arcanine, Fire Blast! From afar, this time!"
The two pokémon readied their moves, pausing as Lady Lilligant sprung to life. It began to thrash and twitch and seize, the golden aura around its battered body becoming harder to look at.
Arezu gasped in horror. "Victory Dance!" she yelled. "That's bad! Really bad! We need to hurry this up! Don't let her get off another one or we're all done for!" The warden called over her shoulder, a Purugly running up to the fight. "One last move!" the warden cried. "We need to get this done!"
"On your right!" Adaman thundered. "Arezu, you call for the final move!"
"Ready!" Ingo sounded off, Emmet right beside him.
"Let's end this!" Akari joined in.
Lady Lilligant continued its breakneck dance, pausing only to catch its breath before it poised again. Spores, leaves, mud, dirt, and loose scales began to swirl around its spindly legs, rising into the air like a spawning dust devil.
"Now!"
At once, Ingo and Emmet moved in tandem, Chandelure washing the battlefield in a terrifying white flame as Arcanine followed suit, its striped pelt aflame. All three flying-types, Yanmega, Beautifly, and Vespiquen, sent down blasts of air in flurries, tossing up clouds of dust and dirt. Balms rained down from the heavens once more, each exploding in a shower of flames as they made contact with the noble. Leafeon moved to ensnare the noble in place, whimpering as flames licked at its pelt, Vaporeon sending up a wave of water to assist.
Flames crackled. The noble screamed. After moments of listening and waiting, Ingo froze. The wind was whistling. A storm of burning leaves, sharp like needles, tore out of the flames, exploding in every direction as though attempting to revenge shot each and every last living thing in the arena. Freight shot out around Ingo, covering him with a massive black wing. Ingo looked instinctively at Emmet, his heart sinking as the wave of leaves descended upon his unprotected brother in a fury.
"Emm-"
A horrible stabbing sound echoed through the clearing. Emmet was thrown to the ground, obscured in shadows as blood dripped onto his once-white clothing. He stared blindly at the figure above him, a glint of recognition gleaming in his eyes as Emmet's protectors ripped the spindly leaves out of their thick fur and feathers.
"I know you! Both of you!" Emmet cried. "How did you two get here?"
Ingo paled. Standing protectively in front of Emmet, their dark black fur and mottled feathers dotted with dust and blood, were the strange Zoroark from the Icelands- the very same one Ingo was convinced he had killed- and Jaku's Mandibuzz which had abandoned him long ago. The black Zoroark snarled fury at Lady Lilligant, bundling Emmet behind it as it carefully constructed a protective force field, catching another wave of inbound leaves as they crinkled against the invisible wall and turned to ash. The rest were deftly caught by the Mandibuzz as it sent them straight up into the air where they fluttered down gently.
The skies above cleared, the clouds pushed to the edge of the skies as Lady Lilligant emerged from the fire storm, its whole body awash with flames of gold and white. It gave one last shuddering cry, sinking to its knees in the dirt. A blinding white light emanated from its body and as the great noble looked to the sky, the light encased its body like a second sun. The golden light Ingo knew to be defeat washed over all the rangers and wielders in the arena, warming Ingo's skin as it vanished, leaving behind a battered and near-dead Lady Lilligant.
Arezu paused for a heartbeat before breaking into a sprint, encasing her noble in a hug as she wailed into its chest. "Lady Lilligant! You're okay again!"
Around her, the many rangers of the Diamond and Pearl Clan came together, all looking onward as Adaman approached. "Is our lady back to normal?"
"She's battered, but with a lengthy recovery, she'll be okay," Arezu replied tersely, gently cradling the leafy pokémon's head in her arms. The warden took a deep breath. "It never should've had to come to this in the first place. I'll do better! Be better!" Arezu turned, regarding all of the people around her, whispering something into Adaman's ears as her leader bent down.
Adaman nodded. "Lady Lilligant is now quelled!" he announced. Before the masses could relax, he added, "Diamond Clan! Lend me your ears! I want all of you to regroup with your team leaders! Take counts! Team Leaders, if any of your rangers are missing, tally them up and send word back to Warden Melli on the cliffs! Pokémon wielders! If your pokémon are injured, stay within the arena! Do not leave! You will regroup with Champion Akari!"
Ingo was thrown out of his thoughts as Emmet elbowed him in the side. "What is it?"
"Earth to Ingo," Emmet snickered. "I think the rest of your clan is waiting for you."
"For me?"
A handful of Pearl Clan rangers began to swarm around Ingo expectantly, backing away at the sight of the black Zoroark as it sniffed curiously at Emmet. It regarded Ingo coldly, snarling at him with one red claw raised. Emmet patted the large fox-pokémon in turn, flinching as the Mandibuzz placed its short beak on Emmet's shoulder.
"No. Baaad Zoroark. Ingo's a friend."
Ingo cleared his throat, his eyes finding no other figure of authority in the crowd. "I suppose I must take charge then," Ingo rumbled to no one in particular. "Pearl Clan!" he began. "I am unsure what your orders are for the time being!" He made eye contact with Adaman. "If you need maintenance on your cabs or on your partner's cabs, please couple with Young Akari of the Galaxy Team! If you are missing any passengers, please take accountability, perform your safety checks, and recouple with Warden Melli of the Diamond Clan on the cliffs! If your orders are to return to the Pearl Settlement, please do so at your earliest convenience!"
A lot of Pearl Clan members stared uneasily at Emmet before dispersing, some sticking around to stare at the strange Zoroark. And so, Ingo thought it was now his turn to address the newest passenger to the group.
"Emmet?" Ingo began.
His brother, who had quickly taken to both of the new pokémon, looked up, a familiar grin on his face. "Yes, Ingo?"
"Is this passenger… yours?" Please don't let it be his, Ingo prayed. Please don't tell me that I accidentally charred one of my brother's beloved pokémon to death… And wasn't this… thing dead? Chandelure's Overheat should've killed that creature by all means.
"Nnnope! Not mine. He's in the same league as my borrowed pokémon." At Emmet's words, the Arcanine, the Mandibuzz, and the black Zoroark happily reunited with the Zoroark in a mess of fur and feathers. "Seems like they're friends. Yup. Must belong to Burr. I've met her Mandibuzz before. Not the Zoroark."
"I see." On one hand, Ingo's heart sank. He had made a bad decision to anger a Zoroark; especially one that shared the same level cap as Emmet's "borrowed" team. On the other hand, it was another dangerous, strong-leveled pokémon kept out of Jaku's reach. "I… Emmet, if you may."
"Hmm?"
"Can you recouple with Young Akari and Adaman? I must… address these new passengers. In private."
"...Oh." Emmet looked first at Ingo, then at the Zoroark and the Mandibuzz who were shuffling behind him, and then at Haxorus who came stalking up to them. "Okay. I'll take Haxorus with us. Didn't know you had her. I'll be waiting for you." After a beat, Emmet added, "Don't take too long."
Soon, Ingo was left alone with the two pokémon. It glared down at him, its fur bristling. The Mandibuzz only shuffled on its legs, its body tense and its eyes narrowed. If he wanted two rogue cars off the tracks, he would need to align the correct rails first. Ingo cleared his throat. "I greatly apologize for what happened in our previous encounter," Ingo began. "I… I mistook you for something else," Ingo made the smallest of bows toward the Zoroark. "Something… dangerous. I let my emotions and prejudices get the better of me." He then turned to the Mandibuzz. "I apologize greatly for abandoning you in the icelands. I did not understand your intentions nor did I mean to neglect you in any fashion. Both actions performed by me were… wrong."
It felt wrong. To apologize. To apologize to either of them. He hadn't truly done any harm to the Mandibuzz; it had willingly left its pokéball to tend after its injured friend. And despite Emmet's words- that blaming an entire species for one lone pokémon's attacks on him was morally wrong- it still left a bad taste in his mouth going so low as to apologize to a pokémon for simply acting to protect himself.
Before Ingo could move, the vision of the clearing was swept into one that was devoid of all light and shadows. Instead, he stood across from the black Zoroark in a field of snow. It regarded him coldly, its eyes never once leaving his face as the environment changed around him. Ice fields. The depths of a snow pit. Icy caverns. Night in the Alabaster Icelands. Spruce trees. Ingo paused, grimacing as something like an icy hand wrapped around his torso and squeezed. The illusion was over in a matter of seconds with Ingo gasping as the Zoroark picked him up off the arena floor. It still glared at him, but it huffed, looking pointedly away at Emmet's retreating figure.
"Were you… did you?" Ingo paled. The lithe fox had paged through his memories as though reading a picture book. It looked unimpressed. Ingo swallowed but before he could speak, the Zoroark ambled off, trailing behind Emmet with a dark look in its eyes. The Mandibuzz instead gently rested its beak against Ingo's shoulder, clicking its tongue as it swept him along out of the arena.
By the time they had all made it back to Cloudpool Ridge, Ingo was sweating. Rangers weaved through the camp, taking advantage of the daylight as they hauled injured friends into expanded medical tents. To everyone's relief, the carpets of mold and dangerous spores had dissipated, leaving the trees mutilated but mold-free at last. Ingo took off the mask around his face, taking a deep breath as he hadn't done in months.
There were a handful of casualties. Most suffered puncture wounds. Others suffered burns or scratched eyes. Emmet's presence by his side was comforting like retreating into the warmth of his hut on a freezing cold day in the highlands. One of the Pearl Clan rangers had brought Ingo a letter from Lady Irida: a ban lift. He could go back to helping Akari quell nobles with no risk to his title as warden. Emmet wasn't happy about that fact. Ingo… Ingo didn't know what to feel, now that he had experienced a higher limit of what frenzied nobles could do.
He listened idly when Akari reappeared, her and Warden Arezu speaking excitedly about the use of the Meadow Plate, a topic that caused Emmet's smile to widen ever so slightly when it was brought up.
After the sun had finally sunk over the horizon and the camp grew quiet from the fatigue of the fight did Ingo retreat to the tent set aside for him. The Zoroark had no pokéball so instead, it had curled up at Emmet's back beside his Electabuzz, feigning sleep. Ingo knew better from the prick of its ears that it was still listening.
It had taken his brother only a few minutes to fall asleep before Ingo could rise again. Chandelure dropped from the ceiling to follow him out with a curious but quiet chime. The woods were silent and cold. Ingo knew his destination. He knew his purpose. He fiddled around with one of the Time Gears in his pocket, his hands shaky as he made his way to Lake Valor. The same dark black aura wreathed around the lake like a bad omen.
Ingo… Ingo didn't know what to do. Quelling the nobles was something that wasn't his job; it was Akari's.
"IT WAS ORIGINALLY YOUR OWN DUTY."
Ingo paused. A thick pressure had descended upon his shoulders but it was comfortable. Calm, even, like the waters of a spring rippling through smooth river rocks. Chandelure looked around the clearing confusedly before looking at something just over Ingo's shoulder.
"…I beg your pardon?"
The pressure- Ingo recognized it as Palkia- stayed at his back but the voice softened to a rumble. "THE FRENZY OF THE NOBLES IS NO ACCIDENT. WAS NO ACCIDENT. YOU WERE DESTINED TO FIGHT THEM ONCE. THEY ARE INTENTIONAL BUT THEY DO NOT COME FROM US."
"From… you?"
Palkia did not laugh, nor did it directly agree with him. It pondered for a moment, a light buzzing sound filling Ingo's head. "YOU ARE UNCERTAIN OF YOUR FUTURE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE YOUR TASK AHEAD IS SHROUDED IN MIST AND FOG. IT IS NOT."
"Then what is my task?"
"YOU HAVE ALREADY RECOGNIZED IT, MY CHAMPION. YOU WERE THE FIRST; THE INTENDED. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR AN INTERVENTION, YOU WOULD HAVE THE JOB OF ARCEUS' CHOSEN."
"I would-" Ingo paused, his mind doing somersaults as he began to pace in front of the edge of the distortion. "You mean to tell me that I am supposed to be quelling the nobles?"
"INDEED." Before Ingo could interject, the pressure forced him to stand still. "THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT. THE RENEGADE EMERGED FROM THE DISTORTION WORLD AND RIPPED OPEN A TEAR IN THE FABRIC OF TIME AND SPACE. IT… AFFECTED YOU BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN CROSS TO HERE. YOU WERE STOLEN FROM OUR INFLUENCE, DOOMED TO WANDER IN A WARPED SPACE WHERE NOT EVEN I COULD REACH YOU."
"And you can reach me now?"
Palkia growled. "NOT AS I WISH IT. SPEAKING TO YOU NOW REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF POWER."
"Then may I ask you a question?" Ingo began. "Just one."
"YOU MAY."
"When we first spoke, you commanded me to collect the Old Verses. I understand that they are artifacts connected to you, but- they don't have a power of their own apart from traveling swiftly across the land. I must ask- what is it that you require me to do with them?"
There was a long silence from Palkia. So long that Ingo had begun to wonder whether the god's power had petered out and he was just talking to himself. But then the silence waned. "THE OLD VERSES ARE TEMPLATES; THINGS OF WHICH TO CREATE FROM. YOU HAVE YET TO AWAKEN THE POWER YOU NEED TO USE THEM." As if sensing Ingo's thoughts, the deity continued. "DO NOT FEAR, MY CHAMPION. THE POWER WILL COME TO YOU AFTER TIME FINISHES ITS MARCH."
Ingo paused, one hand cradling a time gear. "This is regarding these… ancient things, yes?"
"THAT IS CORRECT. TIME AND SPACE EXIST IN TANDEM. THE DISCORD OF ONE LEADS TO THE DISCORD OF THE OTHER. I AM AWARE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING LONG ENOUGH, MY CHAMPION, BUT SOON, IT WILL BE YOUR TIME TO ACT."
"One more question."
"ASK."
"If the Old Verses are templates to create from then what is the power to use them? Is there some sort of object that I must also find or will that come in due time?"
Palkia snorted. "AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, TIME AND SPACE EXIST IN TANDEM AND APART FROM ONE ANOTHER. ONE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT THE OTHER. THE KEY YOU REQUIRE IS WITHIN REACH BUT BY ATTEMPTING TO IMPEDE TIME, YOU ALSO IMPEDE YOURSELF. HEED MY WORDS WELL, CHAMPION. YOU HAVE BEEN BROUGHT HERE TO RIGHT MISTAKES THAT NEITHER I NOR THE OTHER GODS CAN. SHOULD YOU WORK TOGETHER, YOUR TIME HERE WILL SHORTEN CONSIDERABLY."
"I- thank you, Palkia."
"SEE TO THOSE ARTIFACTS," the space-god growled. "THEY WERE NOT MEANT FOR YOU NOR THE OTHER ONE- YOUR TWIN- TO MAINTAIN. RELINQUISH THEM TO THEIR PROPER CHAMPION."
Ingo nodded. After a few moments, the pressure on his back had waned leaving him alone in the cool night air with Chandelure again. He once again let his fingers trace over the indents in the time gears, a burning sensation building in his throat. If Palkia commanded him to, then Ingo would do as the deity asked.