His brother was dying, and there was nothing Emmet could do about it.

Every action to take had already been [taken]. The challenger since neutralized by the partner he’d blindsided, then pinned beneath Eelektross’s furious bulk; the knife confiscated and guarded by Haxorus, who whined [anxiously] at the frantic humans passing through the car.

There was precious little help the onboard medic could provide, absent [idk], and Ingo wasn’t making her job any easier, continuously turning away to stifle his faltering breathing against Emmet’s chest. Every time he was pulled away for an attempt at [treatment], there was another spot of blood to add to the growing collection; while she hadn’t given up, it had gotten to the point where the [medic] had accepted that the movement was doing more harm than she could mitigate, and that he wouldn’t be complying with her any time soon.

All Emmet could do was hold him steady and hope in vain that, somehow, they’d lost a half hour between the Nimbasa and Virbank stations.

And in the face of all logic, it turned out that something was listening.

Without a [gradual] slowdown or lurch to a stop, all movement ceased; like headlights illuminating a track’s obstruction, existence narrowed down to one point in the sudden darkness. Subconsciously, Emmet curled an arm tighter around Ingo’s shoulders.

ONE HAS A PROPOSITION FOR THOU BOTH.

“We don’t have time for this.” / “If you mean to assist, assist. If not, return us so we may seek aid.”

THOU ART CORRECT; THINE TIME IS SHORT, SO IT IS BEST SPENT LISTENING. / ONE REQUIRES A HUMAN AGENT; A TEACHER OF SORTS, TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT BONDS BETWEEN HUMANS AND POKEMON CAN [ACCOMPLISH]. THOU REQUIRE DIVINE INTERVENTION. WOULDST THOU CONSIDER COMING TO A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AGREEMENT?

“Help him. I will play at being your ‘agent’. But only if you save my brother.”

APOLOGIES, BUT THAT IS NOT HOW OUR AGREEMENT MUST PROCEED. IT IS THE ACT OF [sending him back], [it’s all thee/thou, so it indicates to Ingo to specify], THAT WOULDST ALLOW ONE TO TAMPER WITH FATE. TO SEND THOU IN THINE TWIN’S STEAD ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.

[…]

Though heedless of the blood that blossomed along his shirt at the motion, Emmet was incredibly careful as he helped maneuver Ingo upright. There was a wet-sounding gasp at the new position, and he could only hope it wasn’t from the pain of it.

“I will find you.” He said, dipping to press his forehead to his twin’s, “Wait for me.”

In lieu of a verbal answer, the hand on his forearm gave a bracing squeeze.