Ingo isn’t sure why Akari takes a particular interest in his missing memory, but it renews something in his heart.

He’s regarded highly amongst the Pearl Clan, respected for his skills, but the single-minded dedication of this teenager makes him feel seen, [idk], loved even. At the end of the day, he’ll always be an outlier from his clan, and the sense of acceptance is something he’s only known from Lady Sneasler.

And Akari is a capable young woman. She challenges him over and over, trying different moves, different combinations, just in case it’s different this time. It shakes a few details loose, but they don’t make substantial progress until she renews research into the frail-looking Pokemon named Uxie.

Ingo is hesitant to allow it too close; her findings indicate that this Pokemon removes a being’s memories, and he isn’t sure he could endure a second loss of that nature. She backs off. Returns a week later with proof that Uxie can restore the mind, and not just steal it away. It’s at that point that Ingo, despite his reservations, decides that he’d rather try than back out and wonder.

But the human mind is a fragile thing, and they underestimate that fact. There’s a terrible moment where everything becomes [adj] clear, and it hurts; he’s forgotten so much, and is swiftly lost within the storm Uxie drops him into.

Akari panics and rescinds her orders to Uxie. In its wake, his mind goes quiet again, and he isn’t sure which is worse.

They wait, give him time to recollect himself, and start smaller this time, with something he was capable of recovering on his own, if only bit by bit:

The man who looks like him, who likes winning more than anything else, with the broad smile and billowing white coat. His twin brother, Emmet.

And where everything else had been too much, too fast, this is enough. Ingo can work with this. He continues to fulfill his duties to Lady Sneasler and the clan, but for the first time since waking in Hisui, he has a drive to call his own. Lady Sneasler is intrigued by the change in her Warden; [idk], even. She indulges his investigations and the odd places they lead him, laughs at him when he gets in over his head and she ends up bailing him out.

That’s the one thing about remembering that irks him: knowing there’s supposed to be someone at his side makes him liable to fall back on a person who isn’t there. He’s incredibly grateful that Lady Sneasler is willing and able to catch him in his brother’s absence.

It’s that fact that makes his findings so difficult to accept.

He had known he’s not originally from Hisui. His speech, manner of dress and unfamiliarity with their way of life all made that fact abundantly clear, but Ingo is not just away from his home region; he’s become uncoupled through time.

It takes him a week after the discovery to decide how to progress from there.

He broaches the matter with Lady Sneasler first; he’s her Warden, and it’s the least she deserves from him. To her, he confesses that, much as he loves the niche in her life she’s carved for him, he has to go back. It’s not optional. For a Pokemon so territorial, she accepts his decision with surprising grace. He should have known, at that point, that there was more to it.

In the moment, however, he doesn’t think to examine her actions beyond the surface, too relieved that she still [accepts] him, even in this. When she begins to break away on her own, he takes it as a good sign; he assumes it means she’s preparing herself for his inevitable departure.

Ingo is incredibly, incredibly incorrect.

Long after Irida has been informed of his intentions, after the wooden cuff has been doffed from his wrist, his Lady Sneasler makes a scene. She takes it upon herself not to [select] a new Warden, but to appoint her successor, and as the Clan [digests] her intentions, she falls back to Ingo’s side.

It’s the wrong side. On some fundamental level, he knows this, but it’s alright; the gap will be filled before too much longer.

And suddenly, all preparations are complete and they’re ready for departure. Akari, who had spent the weeks tending to her own affairs, declares that they’re leaving the station together, and brokers no argument. It’s a sound plan. Safety in numbers, follow the rules.

Ingo is [grateful] to have the support of the two who made him feel like a person again, especially when they arrive at their destination and it’s so much. Akari takes it better than he does, but he recognizes the rising anxiety in her, and draws her head against his chest, forcing himself to breathe evenly and rhythmically, for both their sakes. He feels the feather-light touch of Sneasler’s claws carding through his hair, but spends no time worrying for the toxic tips so close against his skin; as he tethers Akari, Sneasler’s touch grounds him, in turn.

It garners them their fair share of sideways looks. Ingo is prepared to disregard the attention, but Sneasler growls, deep in her throat, and it sends them on their way.

Once they’ve recouped themselves, [idk]. The words, as is so often the case, find their way onto Ingo’s lips even though he doesn’t know their meaning. This is Route 16, a thoroughfare frequented by cycling enthusiasts of all sorts. To the North lies Lostlorn Forest, and Marvelous Bridge to the East. They make their way West, into Nimbasa City.

For a moment, Ingo finds himself lost for how to proceed, but his subconscious leads them to a grand-looking building in the city’s heart, and he realizes that he doesn’t want to wait. Something tells him that it’s objectively incorrect to be boarding the subway from this side, but, for now, he doesn’t bother to [examine] the thought too closely.

Gliscor is, as ever, a faithful companion as they move from car to car, and Ingo is proud to show him off– proud to demonstrate the kind of battle he’s accustomed to, proud to look to his friends and be able to say that yes, this is right. This is where he belongs.

He hesitates at the door to between the 20^th car and the 21^st– not from nerves, but to temper his expectations. He’s been absent for years; there’s every chance the conduct has changed and, even if it hasn’t, Ingo isn’t who he used to be. While he truly believes there’s no reason to worry, […].

With Sneasler and Akari flanking him a step behind, Ingo opens it and steps through.

On this level, at least, his concerns have been unfounded. The person waiting opposite is his brother, still dressed in white, smile tempered in an unfamiliar way.

There’s a moment of fragile stillness as they regard one another, and then something strange happens.

“EMMET!”

It explodes out of him with a volume he hadn’t intended, and there’s a burning behind his eyes, in his cheeks, as he charges forward. He refrains from tackling his twin, but only just.

Emmet’s hand twitches up, as if to reach out, [???], “Holy shit.”

There’s a part of Ingo that [takes it as rejection but idk how to say that right]. The rest of him rankles for a different reason entirely.

“Not in front of patrons! That’s horribly unprofessional!”

This time, Emmet doesn’t rein his hands back; they find their way to either side of Ingo’s face as he [idk] a disbelieving laugh and repeats, “Holy shit.”

He’s not smiling anymore. His laughter hitches, turns into something more akin to a sob, and in a thin voice unbecoming of a conductor, he asks, “Ingo?”

“You’re not going to follow your script?” Ingo asks, teasing, breaking free of his brother’s grip to knock their heads together. His face hurts, and he doesn’t know why. “How am I expected to know that you’re Emmet if you don’t tell me?”

“I–” Emmet makes a token attempt, but it dies in his throat. He stays there for several seconds, forehead pressed against his twin’s, mouth twisted in an [?] grimace. Eventually, he gasps in a breath, and it seems to spark something; he reroutes himself, tucking his face against Ingo’s neck and his breathing hastens.

Ingo rests one hand along the back of his brother’s head and the other snakes around Emmet’s back, keeping him safely tethered. Instantly, there’s a crushing pressure constricting his ribs, and he takes the excuse to tighten his own grip.