A Ball is a Dance Party but Formal.
"So, are you guys coming with me to the party?" Elesa asked the twins as they ate their take-out meals.
"Sure! It'd be an honor, thank—"
"Do we have to—?" The twins spoke simultaneously but with clashing and opposite statements—a rare oddity, as they are usually in perfect sync.
"Emmet! Elesa is kindly asking us to accompany her. I would consider it rude to decline her invitation," Ingo reprimanded. If Emmet sulked, it didn't show; his ever-present smile only grew wider. Though he is the embodiment of havoc to Ingo's embodiment of order, he didn't mean to be dismissive. He corrected his previous statement.
"You're right! Apologies, Elesa. We'll gladly escort you, even if I deeply dislike dance parties and frivolous people." Elesa snorted and burst into laughter at Emmet's blunt answer, but that was just like him! Emmet always spoke his mind, which often meant you'd get roasted whenever you spoke with him. This contrasted with his ever-formal and exceedingly polite twin, Ingo. Their silly dynamics were both adorable and fun.
"That's not nice," the serious brother retorted.
"Oh, but it is true! And she knows it because she's still laughing uncontrollably." Ingo looked at Elesa, who was indeed still laughing her heart out.
Elesa wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling. "Oh, Emmet, that's so you! I wouldn't have it any other way! Besides, I need both of you there to make sure the party stays interesting. Otherwise, it'll just be a boring networking event. Oh, I know! Ingo, you can be my dance partner! And Emmet, you can keep everyone entertained with your Pika-witty commentary. It'll be Absol-utely amazing!"
Ingo looked even more mortified. "Me? Dance partner? I'm afraid, Elesa, my dancing skills leave much to be desired."
Emmet interjected, "Now, who's the one talking about being rude to Elesa's request, eh, big brother?"
"Aw, sweetie! Don't you worry about that. Dancing is just a formality! Besides, I don't expect Em here to dance; we both know he'll just stand there in the middle of the room, not moving."
"I am Emmet. I hate dancing, but I enjoy Pokémon battles." Ingo exchanged glances between his brother and Elesa, taking a deep breath, his face flushing slightly.
"Emmet is right; I am being impolite. Elesa, it would be my pleasure to be your dance partner, though I must admit my skills are quite lacking. However, I shall endeavor to do my best for you," he stated solemnly. Then he turned to Emmet. "Just please promise me you won't inconvenience the guests by challenging them to battle like you did when Gym Leader Burgh visited Elesa's last runway show."
"I am Emmet. I like Pokémon battles. Burgh is a fellow Bug-type connoisseur, and we rarely get to see him. I had to battle him on the spot."
This garnered another burst of laughter from Elesa. Ingo let out a sigh of resignation, grabbed his food, closed his eyes, and murmured, "Ah, fair enough. But do promise me you'll be discreet about it."
The next day, Elesa made her way to Gear Station. She had the day off and wanted to visit her favorite twin friends, the famous (or rather infamous to some) strongest duo, the Subway Bosses. She was thrilled to have convinced them to join her. This wasn't the first party she had dragged them to, but this particular time, she was ecstatic for them to attend. Plus, some exposure and PR wouldn't hurt anyone from time to time. It would benefit their business as well! And no, this had nothing to do with the fact that sometimes these parties felt like chores to keep stakeholders happy, establish and maintain connections, seek and keep sponsors, and overall sustain her networking efforts.
She was used to seeing big names at these glamorous parties: the City Mayor, executives, board directors from her agency, and even the highest-ranking executives of the Unova National League Association. And no, this wasn't related to the fact that she got bored rather easily at these events either. While she loved being in the spotlight and was well aware that these events were necessary to maintain her reputation and keep her job running smoothly, she often grew bored. After she was done with the agenda—meeting, greeting, and all that—there was rarely anyone she could truly relate to or enjoy herself with. Without all the pressure of being "on the job", just having fun.
She had her friend Skyla accompany her occasionally, but Elesa was aware of her dear friend's demanding schedule. Just like her, Skyla had to manage two active careers as both a Cargo Pilot and a Gym Leader. Elesa often ran into other Gym Leaders and Elite Four members, fellow trainers like her, but her relationships with them were rather surface-level. It wasn't that she didn't like them; it was just that she couldn't hang out with them. These people had their own agendas, objectives, and social circles to attend to. Each time she was with the twins, however, she could truly relax and have genuine fun.
She arrived at the main lobby and called Ingo through their Xtransceiver, but the call never connected. 'That's quite odd. Ingo always picks up. I'll try Emmet.' she thought, dialing Emmet, who picked up after the third ring.
"Hi, Ems! I'm here at the station with lunch! Do you mind picking me up, or should I ask one of the depot agents to escort me to your office?"
"I am Emmet. Hi, Elesa! Thank you verrry much! I'll come get you. I'm super close to the lobby anyway!"
"By the way, I tried to call Ingo, but he didn't pick up."
"Oh! He's down in the tunnels conducting safety checks for Line Four. Please stay where you are; I'll be there shortly to assist!"
He disconnected the call before she could respond. Elesa brushed it off; it wasn't uncommon for Emmet to be straightforward and hang up once he felt the conversation was complete. A few minutes later, Emmet arrived to escort her to his and Ingo's shared office. As she set the food on the desk, she asked Emmet about Ingo's whereabouts again. He replied with something unintelligible, his mouth stuffed with food.
"Sorry, what was that? Did you say he was still in the tunnel on Line Four?"
"Mhm-hm! Yuph."
"Oh, okay. That's a shame; I brought lunch for all of us to eat together. We'll save it for him. By the way, with all the excitement I forgot to mention something about the party."
"Sure! What about it?" Emmet exclaimed, excitedly munching on his food.
"The dress code is Black Tie, and it's not just a party—it's a ball!"
"A…ball?" The term confused Emmet. He raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled at Elesa. He even stopped munching as he tried to understand what she was referring to. Elesa, noticing the visible confusion on her friend's face, replied:
"Yes! A ball is a dance party but formal, you know, like in the movies!" Elesa was excited about this particular party; the Publicity and Modeling Agency she worked with and City Hall would host an event to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Unova National League Association. Nimbasa City, being the entertainment hub of Unova, was chosen as the perfect location for the event. It would be a major gathering, drawing people from all across the region, it would be a grand, glamorous event. Plus it was a great opportunity for the twins to get some spotlight as well. However, there was another, secret reason she was so excited about the upcoming event. A very private reason but she wouldn't reveal that to Emmet.
"Like in the movies? Do you mean those super old black-and-white films? That's quite old-fashioned for a party."
"Aw you meanie! Is not that old fashioned. But yes, That's right! It's like those glamorous movies! They're celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Unova National League Association. So, make sure you have a nice suit to wear! Don't let your outfit be a Gloom at the party!". Emmet wasn't quite thrilled but he knew things like this was one of Elesa's passions, not to mention her job. He could tolerate one of those posh events for the sake of his friend. Besides, if they're all together it would be more fun! They continued eating and chatting for a while until Emmet rose to resume his shift
"Well, thank you verrry much for the lunch, Elesa! I'm all fueled up! I'll get back to work now. Those safety checks won't perform themselves! Let's go!" Emmet put on his trademark white coat and stomped toward the door, but Elesa stopped him.
"Emmet, wait! Do you think Ingo will be back soon? We saved this food for him, remember? I don't think it's appropriate to just leave it here."
Emmet turned back to her; a wide, mischievous smile spread across his face. "Don't worry about that. You can leave it there. I'll make sure he gets it. I'll escort you back to the Lobby. Full speed ahead!" Elesa agreed and followed Emmet's lead until she remembered she didn't have her purse with her.
"HEY! Emmet, wait! I need to grab my purse. Hold on!" She hurriedly went back to the office to retrieve it and caught up to Emmet at the doorstep. "Thank you! Ok, let's go" she glanced one more time at the office before leaving, a small smile crossed her lips, she continued to follow Emmet. Once in the lobby area, Elesa waved goodbye to her friend as he dashed off to resume his duties.
As the doors of the Gear Station closed behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling of slight disappointment. For some reason, while walking through the bustling streets of Nimbasa City, the once vibrant atmosphere seemed a little less cheerful. She felt a bit silly; she had hoped to share details about the ball, especially the dance, with Ingo. After all, she had convinced the serious twin to be her dance partner. She stopped briefly and glanced up to the beautiful clear sky. Her thoughts gathering inside her head like the big, puffy clouds pushed by the gentle breeze.
Ingo and Emmet were an interesting pair. They were exceedingly good at Pokemon Battling and customer service—polite, eager, and committed. You'd think out of the two, Emmet would be the extroverted one always wanting to mingle with others, but in reality, he got exhausted dealing with people rather quickly. He enjoyed his job and was happy helping others there, but outside of work and Pokémon battles, he preferred to spend time at home with his brother and dear Pokémon.
Ingo, on the other hand, was more serious-looking, polite, and formal to the extreme. He had difficulty emoting, particularly with smiles. One would think he was the introverted one, but unlike Emmet, he was dedicated to people both in and outside his job and Pokémon battles. He would always go above and beyond to help others both people and Pokémon. He liked to be among people, was incredibly enthusiastic about everything he did, and had a heart of gold. Not to mention, he always wholeheartedly laughs at my bad puns and jokes, which is incredibly amusing and kinda cute. She smiled at the thought.
She had never seen Ingo dance; well, as a matter of fact, neither of them dance, as far as she knew. Emmet was not one to take to the dance floor, and considering how easily Ingo agreed, maybe he was a bit more willing to try? She wasn't quite sure, but she was glad he had accepted, even if her request was born out of selfishness. As the streets of Nimbasa City buzzed around her, Elesa took a deep breath, trying to shake off the shadow of her Murkrow-ing disappointment. Still, there was no point in dwelling on it. Besides, there'll be time to catch up later! Smiling to herself, she decided to make the most of her day off. With a renewed sense of purpose, she headed out to enjoy the vibrant city, determined to find joy and excitement in whatever the day had to offer.
Later that evening, Ingo made his way into his—and Emmet's—office. He was exhausted and didn't even realize how late it had become. As he hung up his coat, something caught his eye. He approached the desk and found a paper bag he didn't remember placing. 'Ah, Emmet! How many times do I have to remind him not to leave misplaced items on the desk?' Ingo prided himself on keeping things orderly and pristine, which meant he often had to clean up after his younger twin brother. He inspected the bag and caught a faint, delicious aroma of food. His stomach rumbled in response; with everything going on, he had forgotten to eat lunch. 'I wonder if Emmet forgot to eat his lunch again?' Ingo grabbed the bag, and as he did, something fell out. 'A note?' he picked it up and read its contents.
Ingo, unlike his brother, had a hard time emoting, especially smiles. Yet, as he read the note, a gentle little smile tugged at his lips. The note, though simple, brought a quiet warmth to his day. It was a small gesture that made him feel unexpectedly content, brightening what had been a long, tiring day.