When Izuku woke up he had a feeling in his gut that something was going to happen, he didn't know whether it was good or bad. Cinnamon seems to be feeling it as well and maybe Drake too, but he's not sure.
Izuku looks in the mirror as he runs a brush through his hair, it's a little hard because he doesn't have the right brushes for his hair type, but he's working on that, it's a lot longer than it was when he first got here which is to be expected, he's been here for about a month and a half he thinks.
But looking at the length of it… well he looks more like a his dad just with his moms hair colour, brushing the top back and pulling the sides near his temple back and tying it into a small bun to keep the top back, and pulling the handful of hair the grows in front of his ears to rest near his collar bone.
Smiling, he turns to his team, "How does this look?"
He gets a variety of agreements and nods, putting on the cap he recalls his team before pointing at the Unowns.
"You know the rules?"
Noooown-! They bob up and down.
"Alright, just making sure."
Tying his boots up, he stretches as he leaves his house. He had just shut and locked the door when he heard someone walk up behind him. He turns to speak with who he assumes is Akari but stops short as he catches sight of the owner's coat.
The man stops as well, in what feels like shock. Izuku slowly looks up and-
"Ingo?"
He's older, which should be obvious he's been missing for a couple years, but he looks a lot older than he should, even with accounting stress.
Looking into his eyes Izuku doesn't see any recognition, except wait, there it is.
"Izuku? How-", the older man winces and brings a hand to his head, and Izuku can hear the clicking of gears come from his quirked arm, a sign of stress.
"I got kidnapped by god." Izuku blurts out.
"Wha-", Ingo gasps out slightly hysterically, but Izuku cuts him off by giving him a hug.
Ingo huffs, sounding weary, before wrapping his arms around Izuku. Giving him a tight squeeze before Izuku pulls back.
"So, Pearl Clan?"
"Yes, Lady Irida was kind enough to allow me to join her clan after I fell from the wormhole… I have forgotten a lot, but we can speak on that later. I was asked by Commander Kamado to fetch you."
While Izuku would like to talk about the apparent memory problems his pseudo uncle has, he is already on thin ice with Kamado (not that he thinks that will change much), so Izuku agrees and the two of them head off, briefly saying high to Beuregard and his Partner, taking notice of a Leafeon that was resting by said guard.
Upon entrance to Komado's office they were greeted by Adaman before Kamado got to what Izuku's mission was.
"You must go to the Coronet Highlands to quell another frenzied noble- Electrode, Lord of the Hollow." Kamado looks to Adaman as the clan leader carries on where the elder left off.
"Lord Electrode has a propensity to store up electricity in its body, then unleash it. But since Lord Electrode became Frenzied, those electrical outbursts have become giant blasts."
Kamado nods with a deep hum, "We'll be enlisting the Pearl Clan's aid in securing you safe passage to Electrode's seat." he nods over to Ingo who was standing of to the side idly looking at things around Kamado's office, "I sent him to get you this morning, I'm glad-"
"N-NO! You don't have permission to go up there-!" A voice- who Izuku thinks is Bagin, a guard- shouts from downstairs.
"Oh save it!" Izuku looks outside the office as Adaman rubs his temples in annoyance, "As if I'll be stopped by the likes of you! Now, out of my way!"
A man walked up the stairs, long pale purple hair and deep violet eyes, dressed in Diamond Clan attire.
"Hey ho, Bossman Kamado! I thought it might have slipped your mind to send me an invite, so I took the liberty of stopping by anyway."
"Melli! Where are your manners? We're having an important conversation!" Adaman spoke up, annoyance barely hidden in his voice.
"Well, there's your issue right there, Adaman! How exactly do you intend to discuss Lord Electrode without me- his Mighty Warden- here to weigh in? You have that brainless moron here but not me?" he gestures at Ingo, who just stares back, Izuku has half the mind to defend his pseudo uncle but holds back.
Adaman sighs, "There's no more to discuss. We've already asked Izuku to quell the Lord of the Hollow. And Warden Ingo," Izuku sends a quick look at Ingo and catches sight of the Warden band on his wrist, "Is here to help Izuku navigate the highlands."
"Awww, come on! Is it ME you're trying to humiliate or our entire clan?" he whines before side-eyeing Izuku, "Besides, do you really think this flimsy little noodle can quell Lord Electrode?"
Now Izuku is offended on his own behalf, and Ingo levels a glare at Melli.
Adaman quickly turns to Kamado, "Commander, I'm sincerely sorry for this headless interruption!" before bowing.
Kamado shakes his head, "Pay it no mind. It seems even the Security Corps personnel I trained myself cannot stop one so capable as Warden Melli."
Melli preens not so subtly.
"That being said…"
"Yes?"
"It is clear that the Security Corps needs even further rounds of training from me later." Kamado grounds out.
(Izuku's glad he's only being trained by Miss Zizu, even if she's a taskmaster on her own.)
Adaman looks at Melli, "Hear that, Melli? The Security Corps will sob themselves to sleep tonight, thanks to you. The commander's sumo moves can send even boulders flying!" He not-whispers at Melli.
"Humph!" Melli dismisses him and turns away, even though Izuku knows that's not an exaggeration.
Kamado brings them back to the point, "Now now, that will do. Izuku, you have your orders. See to it that Electrode is quelled." They all ignore Melli's grumbling of 'LORD Electrode'. "Warden Melli, of course we would appreciate your help if there's anything you might assist with."
Izuku nods before the four of them are sent out of the office.
Adaman pulls Melli away for a quick chat while Izuku brings Ingo with him to talk to the professor.
"Izuku, how are you my boy?" Laventon smiles.
"I'm good, just brought someone for you to meet."
"Oh?"
Izuku nods, gently pulling Ingo into the room, "This is Ingo," a wave, "He's a Traveller like me."
"Really?!" He quickly hurries over, "I see you were picked up by the Pearl Clan? How did that happen?"
"My Lady- Lady Sneasler of the Rise- found me a brought me to the Pearl clan in the Alabaster Icelands, where I was cared for until I could work around and help the Clan and was eventually chosen as my Lady's Warden."
"OH! And how did you know Izuku, at least I'm assuming you knew him?"
"Yes, I knew Izuku from before we ended up here… Though my memory is cloudy."
Izuku nods, he plans on talking to the quirked man about that later. Though it's at this point that Laventon noticed the metal poking out of the man's right shoulder and breaking through his coat.
"What's this?"
"Ah… It's my Quirk."
"Quirk?"
Izuku burst out excitedly, "Y-Yeah! It's like a power that people have in the future! Kinda like Pokemon types!"
"Really!?"
Izuku nods, even though he doesn't have a quirk himself, he still loves to talk about the quirks of his loved ones, especially his pseudo uncles.
Both Ingo and Emmet's quirks are related to both the Legends of their region and the trains they love so much, with Ingo naming it after an electric train and having a deeper connection to Ideals. While Emmet naming his after coal trains and being connected to Truth.
While only one arm for both of them is metal, and the metal scales on their backs and metal freckles on their faces, they can use the element attached to them through the entirety of their bodies.
Unlike his dad who has a mutated throat, lungs, mouth, and nostrils for his quirk. Or his mom who's quirk only works through her hands.
Ingo stood off to the side idly playing with the Rowlet and Oshawatt while Izuku and the professor geeked out about quirks. Now that he's gained a reminder of the past he hopes his memories will come back easier. Hopefully Kadabra will be able to help more, he knows they were rather upset that they couldn't help before.
"Ingo."
He looks to the professor.
"While it was lovely to meet you, I have to get along now. I hope to talk to you more later."
"Of course." Ingo turns and follows Izuku out, watching as the younger one writes in a notebook. Smiling, he steers Izuku towards Adaman and his fellow warden who are heading outside.
By the time they are outside Izuku has put the notebook away and is paying attention again. The Leafeon that was sleeping near Beauregard was now sitting beside Adaman who was speaking to Melli in hushed words.
"Fine!" Melli throws his hands in the air and stalks off towards the training grounds.
Adaman sighed before speaking, "Izuku, would you mind having a battle?"
"No, having a battle sounds good."
Adaman nods before the three of them, plus Leafeon, head to the training grounds, "Thank you."
When they get there, Ingo walks to stand beside Melli, who takes a few steps away from him.
"Melli, make sure you watch closely, now!" Melli turns away.
Adaman faces Izuku as the Leafeon beside him jumps forward with a cry.
'Well, if this is to prove to Melli that he's good enough…'
Izuku pulls out a Poke-ball and releases Cinnamon.
Tryaaaahr-!
He almost laughs as the Leafeon looks back and glares at both Melli and Adaman.
"Leaf Blade!"
Cinnamon tanks the hit, flaring the fires around their neck to protect their throat.
"Ember!"
Two spits of fire hit the ground forcing the Leafeon to choose between getting hit with debris or the flames. Leafeon cries out as a rock hits just below his eye.
"Iron tail!"
Leafeon is quick to run close his tail glowing before gaining a metal like sheen, jumping up the grass dog Pokemon slams his tail into Cinnamons side.
"Grab it!"
The Leafeon seems to realise it's mistake immediately, Adaman too, as Cinnamon croons and opens their mouth, a deep purple flame spines within their maw. Leafeon looks like its seen the face of god and realised he's dead.
Yeah, Izuku would feel that way too, to bad this is a fight (Izuku makes a note to get Leafeon an apology gift).
"Will-O-Wisp!"
RAAAAAH-!
The purple flames charge out and hit Leafeon point blank, when the flames stop Cinnamon drops Leafeon who is smoking a little.
Adaman and Melli stand awkwardly looking at the poor grass type while Ingo claps his hands.
"Bravo! Good fight!"
Izuku smiles, it's been too long since he's heard Ingo.. well at all. Izuku pulls out a burn heal, and moves to help Leafeon, which spurs Adaman to go help.
After that, Adaman stands and talks to Melli in hushed tones before the two humans and one Pokemon leave with a few goodbyes and see you later.
Ingo turns to Izuku, "Would you like to head out now or wait til tomorrow?"
"Well, I wanted to head to the Fieldlands for the day, Bell is close to evolving I think.. I talked to Warden Calaba and Lord Ursaluna, and they agreed to help find the stone for Bell to fully evolve after that."
"Bell is your Teddiursa?"
Izuku nods, though he wonders what Pokemon Ingo has… due to his team being left in the future.
"And your Typhlosion? Looks different than what I think they should."
"Yeah, Professor said that's due to the wormhole, he thinks Oshawatt and Rowlet will have different final evolutions as well."
Ingo nods, and the conversation quiets as they leave Jubilife.
Ingo walks with Izuku idly glancing around as Izuku releases his team, the Luxio and Eevee run off ahead with the Teddiursa watching them intently, and Typhlosion walking with them letting out agreeing snorts or grunts to Izuku's mumbling.
It's… been a really long time since he's heard this, and he can't help but relax.
He's missed so much in only a couple years…
...
They're halfway to the Mirelands when they stop for the evening. While they don't have any tents, as that's kind of hard to outrun aggressive pokemon while carrying a tent, it doesn't matter because it was looking to be a clear night.
Ingo had released his team, allowing them to stretch about halfway through the day
Although they stop for the night, Izuku stays up for a bit longer after sundown to catalogue some nocturnal Pokemon in his Poke-dex. Some Pokemon he catches, commenting about how they looked sick or a couple of Zubat who were protecting their eggs from a trio of Luxio's.
The eggs- which couldn't be put into Poke-balls- were gently wrapped in Ingo's jacket which has already been used to hold many clutches from his Lady, as a makeshift nest for the two Zubat who will be staying with them while they travel and wait for the egg to hatch.
Honestly, with the amount of small or injured Pokemon in the pasture he should have expected this.
Ingo sighs, the sun shining over the hills, a heated huff off air is puffed into his face. Sitting up Ingo looks around, the Pokemon are spread around them, Izuku is sitting and Ingo thinks he's having a conversation with his Kadabra while he cooks up breakfast…. The rest of the Pokemon slowly stirring, even the two Zubats are nibbling at some berries while they sit around their eggs.
Izuku smiles as Ingo sits near him after a good stretch.
"Good morning."
"Mornin'"
They don't talk much after that, just some minor talk about what path they were going to take as they start packing up, and a promise to teach Izuku how to hunt later, as only eating plants isn't that healthy without the proper vitamins and Izuku can't always buy the jerky in the market or from the clans.
It's while they are walking through the MIrelands that they are attacked by a horde of Paras, Izuku, keeping the Zubat safe while Ingo protects the eggs. Izuku gasps as Paras swipes at his leg, before it's tackled by a glowing ball of anger and protectiveness.
There's a loud roar followed by about a dozen panicked squeaks as the remaining Paras skitter away.
"Bell!" Izuku yells out excitedly jogging up to Bell who evolved into Ursaring, "Look at you!"
Bell cheerfully rumbled as the other cheered around her, even Ingo's Pokemon seemed to be giving their congratulations.
The Paras who had been bothering them are long gone by this point and they are able to continue on their way, the two Zubat now taking advantage of Bell's now larger frame and hiding among her fur with the bear Pokemons' permission.
They stop at the sludge mound to show Bell to Ursaluna who takes it well, only huffing well meaningly before wandering back off again, and then their off, heading to the Coronet Highlands.
They don't get harassed by any other wild Pokemon, probably due to the amount in their double party. (they never said that Paras were smart… and they seemed to have been very threatened by Ursaring.)
They stop around two or three for a late lunch break, Ingo taking a moment to ask Kadabra and Lola to get a few fish pokemon. The two ended up catching a couple Magicarp, river variety so they were a bit smaller with more greyish scales.
Izuku was a little uncomfortable but understood the need, so he watched as Ingo prepared the fish to be cooked, Lola and Kadabra went off to get more for the rest of the Pokemon and the two Zubats got more berries as the only bug Pokemon near them at this moment were Paras and no one wanted to eat that.
Then they continue on their way.
...
"Flamethrower!"
A jet of flame hits the Parasect that had been following them for around thirty minutes before it decided it wanted to attack them, the big parasite pokemon screeching as it scurried away as fast as it could.
"He gone now?"
Izuku hums, nodding as he pats Cinnamon for doing a good job.
They were about an hour away from entering the edge of the Mirelands and should reach the Highlands sometime after lunch tomorrow. Tonight Izuku plans to talk to Ingo about his amnesia problem, hopefully it's solvable, it probably is as shown by his recognition of Izuku himself.
As they set up for the night, they check up on the eggs with the Zubat watching as they work, cooing nonsense at the eggs. Hopefully the egg hatch into healthy baby bats. Bell and Drake were digging up roots to add to Ingo and Izuku's medicine collections, Ingo himself was cooking their meal for the night while Izuku made some potions/ pastes for his empty bottles.
"What do you remember?"
"I… I remember a Pokemon, my partner, they had flames like your Cinnamon does.."
"Chandelure.. They were your starter… the first Pokemon you caught, and a ghost and fire type."
Ingo hums, looking at Cinnamon, memories slowly overlaying the variant pokemon, "Yes. I see them now… between my Lady and Cinnamon I can remember them slowly, sarcastic but kind in a silent way."
Izuku nods, "Yeah, out of all your Pokemon I think they were the only one not entirely stressed.. But I think that's because of the bond you two had."
Ingo thinks about it before nodding, yes he remembers that now, the bond formed as an effort to stay alive as a young litwick. He thinks of it, feeling the twinge at the strained bond, but he can feel it.
Some of the stress that had built up in his shoulders is released even if he feels a growing headache. He knows he is still missing a lot but talking with someone that knew him from back then has helped a lot.
They don't try to unlock any more, mostly talking about Chandelure, and Ingo is happy with that and promises to get to the other memories another day.
...
Emmet sighs as he finishes some paperwork for the battle subway, luckily it wasn't much as most of the subways employees are competent and are able to do their own paperwork and file it, Emmet just has to deal with the paperwork for the League.
Last year he had to fill out some request forms to take Ingo's team with him and was lucky to have them approved, much like Inko did when Hisashi went missing, so his reaction is only a small jump when Chandalure's ball burst open to allow the Pokemon out.
"Chandelure wha-" he stops as the Ghost Pokemon wraps one of their curling arms around his.
Now this isn't that new of a thing, Chandalure would latch onto him due to the connection that Emmet had with Ingo due to being twins, there would always be a cold spot because of that… but now.
There is a subtle warmth barely noticeable, but when Chandelure has been doing this ever since Ingo disappeared… he notices, the warmth pulses like a-
Emmet jolts and grabs onto Chandelure, his other hand going to a pulse point on his neck.
-it's a pulse, a pulse different to his, a pulse that Chandelure shouldn't be able to give off.
Emmet's eyes blurred as tears gathered, desperately grasping at Chandelure as they grasp back, it's so faint but it's there. So different to the cold metal that usually sucked the warmth from the living that he's felt for the last two years.
Emmet pulled Chandelure into his lap and curled around them as tears fell from his eyes.
Oh how the two of them must look, Emmet smiling and crying, Chandelure's flames a brighter blue than they have been in years.
Emmet doesn't care what they think, his brother's alive, that's all he cares for right now.
'Thank the Dragons.. I can only hope the others are alive too.'