#ingo sees an opportunity to mess with his brother. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yanban-san · 2 years

Note

What would happen if darling were to get sick -like cant come in to work, stuck in bed, "omg this will never end" kinda sick.

Would they "poof!" the sickness away or go about it o' natural human style?

(currently recovering from covid and my discovery of your blog has revived my dead body)

Adding Necromancy to my resume, brb (In all seriousness Anon I hope you recover swiftly! Covid is a lil bitch >:( )

Tags: Poly, Demon/Monster AU, No beta we die like men

You messaged your bosses on your X-Transceiver after you'd woken up with a horrible headache and sore throat- Your whole body felt chilled with pins and needles in between bouts of burning fever, and you knew you were in no condition to go into work today. You'd hoped the scratchiness in your throat from the day before was just from some dust or cleaning fluid's caustic scent you'd inhaled too much of- Oh well. Damn it.

Ingo and Emmet were already at Gear Station; They were awaiting your arrival quite happily and impatiently-

Until they got your text. You were... ill? Sick?? How awful! Sickness was such a pain- Not that they knew what being sick was like, just that it was a nuisance for humans and made them feel terrible and, in bad cases, could be deadly.

This could not be! They would not allow some useless, questionably alive viral cells/bacteria to cause you such suffering. Emmet was already digging through Ingo's library of arcane knowledge and magic- Surely they had collected some references and spells on ending sicknesses in humans? If not, they could easily make one, though Emmet was very lazy.

Ingo however, had a different idea.

He observed you through his shadows- It was only a simple sore throat you had; And all the terrible symptoms that it brought on. Curing it would be easy to them- But what this bought of sickness really was, was an excellent opportunity for showering you with their affections- To show you they would be excellent caretakers of you in the future! What better way to show how they could tend to you then by bringing you a care package- Like the one you'd brought Emmet when he'd been out "sick" for a week. Although in actuality, he'd been being punished by his brother for his carelessness in dealing with Miss Elesa's memories- And that dumb photo he'd let her take of him exterminating some pest for their home realm.

"What do you say, dear brother?" He asked, turning his gaze to his twin, who had a rapidly growing pile of grimoires and arcane scripts beside him. A small voidal portal opened up beneath the stacks of books, sending them back to wherever they'd come from.

"A verrry nice idea. But the medicines in this world are terrible, brother-"

"That is true-"

"I do not like seeing them in pain."

"Neither do I," Ingo reassured his brother.

They would make you suffer only a little longer.

---

You spent the day in quiet agony- You really needed to go to the corner store at least, grab some sodas, cough drops, maybe some cough syrup too. But your head felt like it was splitting every time you stood up, and you were a shaky mess. The world was spinning from your headache, and you just couldn't bring yourself to get out of bed.

There was no way you'd be able to walk to the corner store without collapsing. You were rationing your almost-empty bottle of cough syrup, but your throat felt horrible. Soup would be nice too- Just some plain broth, even. Maybe you could order some takeout.

Several times when you almost managed to fall asleep, you swore you heard someone's voice shooshing you and reassuring you- And a hand or two gently stroking your hair and back. You'd bolt upright, completely awake, and- Nothing.

Just some funky sickness induced hallucinations, you reassured yourself.

But still. You needed to get something.

And your X-Transceiver beeped- ringing with an incoming call.

Station Master Ingo, the screen said.

"H-Hello?" You answered, trying your best not to sound like an 80 year old chain-smoker-

"Greetings, Miss! I was wondering- Or well, Emmet and I were wondering- We pass by your apartment on our way to our own. If we may, would it be acceptable for us to bring you... er, some medicine? Emmet quite enjoyed the gift you gave him last time, and he and I would greatly appreciate it- If you'd let us return the favor."

Oh thank Sinnoh above, you thought! You hated to pester your bosses like this- But at the same time... the offer was extremely tempting. Luckily your apartment wasn't too messy- You could receive a visitor for a second.

"If you'd like to, but please- Don't go out of the way!"

"Of course! Thank you- Miss."

And with that, Ingo hung up.

Wait- did he know what kind of cough syrup you bought?

Well, it didn't matter. Any of the normal drug store brands would be good. And maybe some plain bone broth soup from the deli that existed at the bottom of your apartment... Would that be too much to ask your bosses for? You were starving.

You sighed, getting up- You had taken a shower earlier, but you should probably be dressed before your bosses came up. Your pajamas were not something you wanted them to see.

Afterwards, you went to your kitchenette- You didn't have anything to offer them. Darn. Well, it wasn't like they'd want to stick around or anything- They'd probably knock on your door and drop it off, or wait for you to come to the door to take whatever they'd bring you. Inviting them in to your apartment while you were sick was probably... not right?

You didn't want to think about it. Your head hurt. You'd thank them, and promise to be into work as soon as your cold was over, and they'd go on their merry way-

Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-

The knocking on your door was startling, and you couldn't help but jump when you heard the rapid fire tapping echoing through your living area. "C-Coming!" You coughed out, taking a swig of water. Maybe it would've been better to just go down to the corner store yourself, you thought-

But then you opened the door- to Ingo and Emmet both standing there, smiling as brightly as they could. Emmet's smile naturally was much wider than Ingo's, whose smile was still a frown- curling at the corners. Adorable.

"Hel-Hello, Station Masters-" You coughed out, holding open your door with your arm- When Emmet took his free hand and held the door for you, and off your body.

"Miss! We have brought you some medicine- And other things! For your sore throat!"

Ingo tipped his hat. "No need to be so formal outside of the Station, Dear- But no matter- May we come in to set these down?" He asked, lifting up the bags.

"Oh, thank you, you two! But really, I'm not feeling good- I would hate to give you two this awful cold-"

"Nonsense." Emmet responded monotonously. He found it almost insulting that you thought he'd be capable of becoming ill- He was not so weak! He put his foot forward, sliding into your apartment despite your protests-

"Er, Emmet-" Ingo added warily as he saw his brother loom over you, smiling as cheerily as ever and holding the door open. "Nonsense, brother- We cannot dump these heavy bags off with a sick person and leave them to deal with them themself!"

"I agree, brother- But still, you should not- Force your way- Into- their apartment-" And he shifted all the bags into his other hand while the now freed one grabbed at his coat collar.

You could help but smirk at their antics. They really only meant well, didn't they? And-

Your thoughts were interrupted by the smell of- soup. Really good soup.

Coconut mushroom soup? But the Alolan hangout would've been closed by this time-

"Is that... coconut soup." You asked intensely, staring at one of the bags Emmet was holding.

"Yes."

"Where did you get that?!"

Emmet's smile went crooked for a second as he thought-

"There is a place. Brother and I go to it occasionally. We get verrrry good soup there! This soup is good for you too, so we picked some up for you."

"Oh, you shouldn't have! But it does- It does smell amazing," You added. "You know what? If you two are alright with it, come on in- I won't keep you long or anythi-" And your words were cut off as you coughed again. Ingo's semi-smile vanished, replaced by a look of worry. Humans were so fragile, weren't they?

The two practically glided into your apartment, moving swiftly- Ingo insisted you at least sit down on your couch- And they brought you the wonderful, throat-healing soup- And also arranged all the medicines and treats they'd brought you for your sickness on your table. Packages of special teas, and... strange cough drops and a syrup you'd never seen before. Unlike most medicines at the drugstore, it wasn't kept in a plastic bottle- And the labeling on it looked quite old fashioned. What back-alley herbalist did they buy these from, you wondered-

"Oh, this- Emmet and I prefer a... private pharmacist for certain medicines. I apologize that we didn't pick up any er, regular medicines for you... but I can assure you, this cough syrup is excellent." Ingo stated- You studied the bottle. The syrup inside was a deep, rich brown- And it was definitely a syrup. You cracked open the bottle, smelling it-

It smelled vaguely alcoholic, but also sweet- and... like greenery.

"Try a tiny bit of it!" He encouraged. You poured barely a teaspoon of it into a dosage cup- And threw it back in your mouth, expecting the worst.

But instead of tasting horrible-

It tasted like a burn. Probably the alcohol, you realized- And then a sweet, cinnamony taste hit you-

And your throat felt like it didn't even hurt anymore. The relief was instantaneous, and for the first time all day you didn't feel the scratchy, bitey itch at the back of your mouth.

"Wow," You remarked- Even your voice sounded better!

Ingo's expression relaxed. "I'm glad it worked so well for you, dear."

You took a sip of the soup- Rich and creamy and also wonderfully soothing on your tired throat. And quite unlike the soup you were used to from your local Alolan-themed diner. It almost, you felt like remarking, tasted like the coconut soup you'd gotten when you'd been to Alola with your parents so long ago! Like the real, authentic thing- Freshly made with fresh coconuts and freshly harvested mushrooms and freshly made bone broth-

"I'd love to visit wherever you guys got this from!" You added as you took another sip of the delicious broth. Ingo and Emmet exchanged a glance- They would certainly be more than happy to take you Alola sometime, if that is what you wished for-

But you didn't want to keep your bosses late. It was after work, surely they must've wanted to head home too? And it was rather nerve-wracking having them in your apartment of all places, while you were ill-

And finally, after much goading and reassuring them that yes, you were fine, and yes, you would definitely take as much rest as needed-

You managed to get them out of your apartment.

"And Station-" "Informal." Emmet interrupted, smiling.

"-Mas- Er, what?"

Emmet repeated. "We are not at work right now- We prefer casual addressment when we are not at work-"

"-If you are alright with it yourself, of course." Ingo added rather forcefully, glaring at his brother for rudely interrupting you.

You smiled again- They could be so silly together, your twin bosses.

"Well then, Ingo and Emmet- Thank you both very much for bringing me some medicine, and the soup, and the tea. I'll be sure to recover quickly!"

"Please do- But please remember safety first!" Emmet added. "Rest."

They bid you good night- And you settled into your bed, taking the cough syrup with you to your bedside.

A proper dose of that medicine, and you'd be fast asleep and feeling better- And cured by morning.

And thus, the twins got their opportunity to take care of you- without making you suffer unnecessarily. You would spend the evening, and the whole of the next morning- And the days that followed, thinking about how sweet they'd been to bring you something when you weren't feeling well. How kind, caring- protective, nurturing- The Station Masters were towards you.

And with that, they were quite satisfied.

#Emmet X Reader #Ingo X Reader #Ingo/Reader #Emmet/Reader #Coconut soup is really good #Demon AU #Monster AU #Demon Submas #Monster Submas #Seth.anon #Seth.asks #Gawsh dangit now I want Tom Kha and I'm out of curry paste >:(

213 notes · View notes

blaiddraws · 2 years

Note

Finished watching trigun anime today, they killed off my favorite character in the last 5 episodes so now I'm sad

May I have a quick summary of your gunsmoke au so far

sure! i was devastated first time i watched the show and that happened. and it hurts every time i rewatch it as well.

fortunately i will not be killing off any characters <3

this is the second and shortened time i wrote this and it's STILL Quite A Bit Long. anyway here's a read more

emmet and ingo are a pair of twins that survived the SEEDS ships crash after an unexpected and massive solar flare basically messes with all of the navigation systems (and like. everything else.)

emmet is a bit disillusioned with humanity but he's not like. evil and murdery like knives. but he still doesn't like being around humans that much. ingo is Not like that.

eventually ingo disappears, emmet is distraught.

a strange man wakes up in the distant settlement of Pearl, and is given the name Nobori.

after a while nobori ends up wandering the planet for. decades. emmet starts hearing rumors about nobori and has a very tiny hope. but it's enough to get him to actually try searching for ingo again. since he's actually out and doing stuff he somehow (and unwillingly--) picks up a small group of stragglers that follow him around for some reason. he's not particularly a fan of this but they're helpful so he deals.

it all culminates to nobori and emmet meeting each other in the city of July. all nobori can remember of July is flashes of confusion and panic and fear and a horrible horrible light.

and emmet is. he's. confused and upset. his brother blasted his legs off-- did he really hate emmet That Much? so as much as emmet wants to find him and reunite. that ended real bad last time. so he hides himself away again and intentionally does Not try to seek out Ing-Nobori.

nobori wakes up confused once again, this time sans an arm. also a bounty on his head for destroying one of the biggest cities on the planet. wonder what that's all about ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

eventually through events emmet's weird little gang ends up taking care of this little girl-- dawn. they're not the best parents and she grows up to be self reliant far earlier than she should have.

Emmet still doesn't want anything to do with his brother (LIE) but once Dawn is old enough he sends her off to find Nobori and keep tabs on him. but like. don't tell emmet about anything unless it is significantly life threatening.

meanwhile two insurance girls, Elesa and Skyla, have been ordered to stick around the walking calamity, Nobori the Eclipse, to try and mitigate any damages that may occur because of him. shenanigans and fun times.

(-- at some point, not sure where exactly to first bring her in, but the gang ends up crossing paths with Zisu. ex-sheriff turned bounty hunter/hired gun, after a series of moral disagreements with the mayor of her old town led to her being kicked out. zisu isn't dumb enough to go seek out the bounty for nobori but she's also not dumb enough to take the opportunity that's presented to her hhdkshdjdjhf. but through a series of events she and nobori are forced to work Together and afterwards she decides. nah i actually like this guy he's neat :> and kinda sticks around, not necessarily always traveling with the squad but they do cross paths a lot)

and so as nobori and elesa and skyla are in a bus crossing the desert, they find some kid passed out in the middle of nowhere. dawn ends up sticking around full-time. you know for no reason in particular or anything. (and nobori cannot help but adore this weird little girl. feels oddly protective over her. this will not develop into parental feelings at all (lie))

and thus, the gang has grown and so has the propensity to chaos and shenanigans.

the "current" day story, what u see in the anime and manga, is a lot more vague than the rest of the backstory, but there's a lot of nobori running from his decades-due existential crisis, weird stuff starts happening, friend and family bonding. even More weird stuff. nobori starts getting the barest flashes of memory-- both of July and also Before. and eventually eventually eventually, emmet and nobori finally reunite and no one gets their legs blasted off.

(emmet learning that his brother has amnesia like. oh. oh . i could have avoided so much stuff if i thought of that)

OKAY. PHEW. GOT THAT ALL OUT.

basically albeit Quite Vaguely;

Nobori/Ingo takes vash's role

Emmet takes knives's role

Elesa and Skyla take Meryl and Milly's roles, respectively

Dawn and Zisu both take/share wolfwood's role, in different aspects of said role

- various other npcs such as irida and kamado and the wardens show up as assorted side characters throughout the entire thing. for example, irida is one of the kids that nobori knew way WAY back when. kamado is the mayor of the town zisu came from. rei is actually the one that made nobori's prosthetic arm, from technology he'd scavenged from a seeds ship. (it's not too advanced and doesn't have a gun in it like vash's, though). akari is rei's sibling and Dawn's grandma. drayden is also mayor of a town (specific idea there that we don't have time to get into fhdkbdjsd). volo is Some Guy who tries to sell them stuff that shows up occasionally but doesn't have plot relevance. etc etc etc

- the gung ho guns obviously,, aren't really a thing. the characters certainly exist SOMEWHERE but they're Different. and not the gung ho guns.

- bringing in backstory and minor plot aspects of the manga, but the plot is something more similar to the anime. out of 100 percent personal preference, i just liked the anime's plot better.

- yes this means tessla did exist. that was such an integral part to their backstory I'm sad it didn't get included in the anime. for people who don't know the manga. well. i do plan on making something about that eventually, so. >:)

#gunsmoke au #answered #not art #I TRIED TO BE SHORT I PROMISE. I TRIED TO BE QUICK.#unfortunately (or fortunately‚ depending on your perspective) you activated my So Many Words mode

57 notes · View notes

leggerefiore · 2 years

Note

Can we get some more bugler fics about bugler Ingo and Emmet with reader?

sure lmao

cw: poly, fem reader

Ingo was a respectable man.

Well, a hybrid, he supposed.

He watched his lady carefully as she had tea with the noble. Ingo would view his tea making and serving in a respectable manner. Leaning over to just tip the steaming liquid into the porcelain cup. The noble was a visitor of Duke Grimsley's, but he had obtained the butler's distrust by how he acted to the women and servants of the manor. The caramel coloured liquid sat beautifully in the cup while Ingo backed away. He moved to stand at your side as he intently observed the room.

The noble drank his tea with proper etiquette. You did the same, having learnt this all years ago. Ingo was elated to serve you, his childhood friend, and refused to allow any other, excluding his brother, the opportunity for such a role. It was the common manner to take a human as a personal servant, but you could not bear to part for such long periods of time from him, for he was your lover. The secret was closely guarded, held to yours, his, and Emmet's chest without any chance for such information to leak.

Naturally, there were rumours about a possible affair with your butlers, but Grimsley, a husband in name only, seemed apathetic to them. He knew, as well, but he cared not for what you did. The Duke was in much the same situation as you, preferring an improper lifestyle contrary to his position in society. He often left, going out to gambling halls and brothels. It was rare he was actually in the manor. Ingo did not mind, the ring hidden under his white glove was more than enough for him. He would be the one to give his lady children, not the Duke, who lacked interest.

“My dear, may I say that you must have a patient heart,” the noble speaks to you, tea cup clinking against the saucer, “I could not bear such a monstrosity at my side constantly. How do you do it?” Ingo felt offended, but the emotion never reached his face.

Cool, calm, collected. That is what made Ingo a wonderful butler, alongside his aptitude for nurturing and understanding.

“… He is quite an excellent butler, if you can look past his inhuman features,” you explained with a polite, yet dry tone, “Dependable. Kind. Harsh. I rely on him for much. I would dare put forth he acts more like a husband than Grimsley does occasionally.” The noble laughed at the supposed joke, blissfully ignorant to the truth.

“Ah, I see. I just would get annoyed with the slime trail,” he explained, “Why, your butler must spend half the day cleaning up his own mess. How annoying that must be.” Ingo gazed at the hardwood floor of the sitting room that you all currently inhabited. No slime was presently on the floor as he had got better control, able to hide if under his uniform. “If only I had got to you before the Duke, I would have been a much more attentive husband,” the noble offered, “My dearest Lady, you would never have to rely on disgusting creatures such as hybrids for affection.”

Both you and Ingo felt a shared annoyance between yourselves. Ingo grasped the edge of the sofa you sat on while your tea was set onto the saucer. You did not need an attentive husband, as you already had two adoring ones.

The noble left by the late afternoon, leaving you alone with the servantry and yourself in the manor. You took dinner in your room, with your butlers bringing the meal and serving it to you, Emmet having tested it for poisons before you ate. The twins joined you at the table, both lax from the reassurance of the locked door. It was a moment where you three could be open to each other about your love and relationship.

“I should be thankful for Grimsley leaving us to our happiness,” you spoke, patting some sauce away from your face, “Someone like that noble would never accept my relationship to you two.”

“Ingo told me all about him,” Emmet huffed, the Shelmet he captured for himself ready to be eaten, “How verrrrry annoying. If he doesn't mind his business, I might have to intervene.”

“Emmet, I already told you to leave it alone,” Ingo scolded his brother, “It is best we act content with what we have. It's already risky enough with what you did in the servant's quarters.”

Your memory was brought back to that night where Emmet had invited you to his private room. Taking the route through secret hallways, you eventually found yourself comfortably in his bed. Ingo was not calm when he found you together the next morning, but you did not care any more. He was just as guilty as Emmet, despite how he acted. Honestly, you did not think a human could appease as well as they did.

“No fun, Ingo,” the younger twin whined, “All work, no play. Ingo would have never married if you weren't for you.” The older twin flustered and stared at his brother with a green-tinted face. Your meal had gone forgotten as you watched the brothers bicker with a warm heart.

Your situation was unconventional, but you were happy to be married to your childhood friends. They always sought to guard and serve you, keeping you content and smothered in their secret love. Often, however, you wished to be open about your love for them. Proudly married to your bugtlers with a family of noble hybrids started. It was impossible, you knew. Society was just unprepared for such a showing.

Ingo looked ready to wring his brother's neck when you gently grasped his hand and pecked a kiss to his cheek, settling him down. Emmet giggled at his brother's reaction, then demanded your attention for himself.

Yes, you were quite content with your life.

#ingo x reader #emmet x reader #ingo/reader #emmet/reader #ingo x reader x emmet #ingo/reader/emmet #pokehybrid au

75 notes · View notes

mass-piplup-outbreak · 2 years

Text

End of the Line - Chapter 6

[first] - [previous] - [next] read it on ao3! if you like this fic, please reblog!

Chapter 6: Return Emmet finds out.

Emmet’s alarm goes off early on Monday morning, which is very surprising for Ingo, who has yet to remember alarm clocks. It takes a moment, but Chandelure is eventually able to convince him that, yes, everything is fine, there’s no emergency, please stop panicking. In retrospect, it’s a rather embarrassing moment for Ingo, but he decides to lay the blame on Emmet for choosing such a loud and obtrusive sound for his alarm.

The morning routine that Ingo watches Emmet go through is familiar, yet distinctly incomplete. Funnily enough, Ingo finds himself falling into step with Emmet’s one-sided dance. He shuffles along the right side of the hallway, as if someone is going to pass him by on his left hand side.

Ingo slips into the bathroom as his brother brushes his teeth, only to pause when he realizes that his toothbrush is gone. He blinks in confusion, as if awakening from a daze. Why did he think that would even work?

There’s a pep to Emmet’s step, an eagerness that Ingo hasn’t seen since… well, not in any of the memories he has now, at least. He puts more effort into his breakfast than anything else Ingo’s seen him do this past month. To be fair, though, it’s important to fuel oneself properly at the beginning of the day, so perhaps his quickly scrambled eggs should be considered a good sign.

“It’s a verrrrrry important day today,” Emmet explains to Archeops, who’s stationed on his shoulders in a not-so-subtle attempt to steal his food when he isn’t looking. In an act of kindness, Emmet offers a few pieces of eggs to his Pokémon. His smile grows even wider as he watches Archeops swiftly devour the scraps. “We should all be prepared before we leave the station.”

Archeops happily chirps in response, a sentiment only furthered when Emmet scratches the underside of its beak.

It warms Ingo’s unbeating heart to see Emmet doing better. Seriously, he’s no monster. Ingo felt his brother’s anguish tenfold, every tear he cried and every shaking step he took forward. Nobody would want their loved one stuck in a state such as that.

However, Ingo can’t help but recall everything he heard about life in Hisui after his death. His presence, while important to many people like Irida, Zisu, and even Sneasler, was ultimately one they could live without. Watching Emmet function perfectly well without him makes his head ache, like a half of a whole, playing pretend at what it really is.

Emmet wouldn’t just forget about him… would he?

“I’m relieved you decided to join us at work today, Chandelure,” Emmet smiles at his brother’s Pokémon, who goes stiff at his undivided attention. “It’ll be just like when I used to borrow you! Yup, just like before.”

Before, huh?

“Chandelure,” Ingo suddenly says. “Forgive me for not remembering this, but… what is Emmet’s job, exactly?”

‥

Elesa is waiting for Emmet at the staff entrance for Gear Station with a to-go cup of coffee in each of her hands, which is a pleasant surprise. With a smile on her face, she hands one to Emmet, who graciously accepts it. He sighs at the taste of the warm, bitter drink on his tongue. Ahhhh, just how he likes it.

“Thank you, Elesa.” Emmet holds the paper cup with both of his hands, the heat practically bouncing at the tips of his fingers. “It’s nice to see you.”

“Likewise.” Elesa raises her drink to him before taking a sip of her own. If Emmet had to guess, she has something a bit sweeter in her own cup, but nothing near the sugary mess that Ingo would always order. “You’re early. Sit with me for a while.”

Any reason Emmet would have had to argue disappears the second she asks him to stay. Perhaps everything that’s happened these past few weeks has put his own habits into perspective. Ingo doesn’t get to spend time with their best friend anymore, so he shouldn’t squander his own opportunity. He leans against the brick wall, on the opposite side of the door to Elesa. Chandelure floats by his side, just as it has since their trip to Sinnoh.

“How have you been doing, Emmet?” Elesa asks. “Are you ready for your first day back?”

Absentmindedly, Emmet drums his fingers along the side of his coffee. “I am Emmet. I am feeling… better. It still hurts.”

He’s not lying. Every second of the last six years has been painful, like being ripped apart over and over again. Even now, the aching remains, a reminder that he’s always going to be missing a part of himself. Emmet is never going to understand how Ingo fell through time or why he never tried to find his way back, but at least he’s put those questions to rest.

“Yeah?” Elesa swirls her own cup around. “It feels so strange that it’s all over now. He was gone for so long, but I guess I always thought he would…”

Emmet’s smile falters just the slightest bit. “I thought so too.”

“I’m proud of you,” Elesa says, and by the look in her eyes, Emmet knows she means every word. “He would be, too.”

Emmet quickly shuts his eyes, trying to force down the tears that he feels welling up. Today is supposed to be a good, happy day! He can’t cry here, right outside the door of all places! He takes a deep breath and sighs.

“I know.”

Elesa glances at her Xtransceiver. “Ah, look at the time. We both gotta get going.” She gives him a quick, half-hug with her free arm. “Text me later, alright? I wanna hear about your day.”

“Okay.” Emmet waves as she begins to make her way down the street. This early in the morning, there are only a few commuters that pass them by. “See you later?”

“Later Emmet!” Elesa shouts, before turning a corner and disappearing.

That leaves Emmet and Chandelure standing in front of the back door. Emmet takes another sip of his coffee, hoping that it’ll be enough energy to push him forward. It’s the first day of the rest of his life, and he only needs to figure out how to live it.

“It’s different now,” Emmet states. He still stands to the side of the door, as if someone is going to walk in alongside him. There’s a cold, empty space between himself and Chandelure.

Thinking about it is too much, and without any hesitation, Emmet pushes the staff door open. The sole Subway Boss has returned to the station, alone as he has been for the past six years. Alone as he’s going to be for the rest of his life.

The staff room is mostly empty, save for a few Depot Agents milling about. Hank and Josh are sitting at the table, while Jackie is frantically cleaning up a monstrous mess someone made in the microwave.

“Hey boss,” Josh nods in Emmet’s direction when he walks in, causing the other two agents in the room to turn to him. A sudden burst of fear strikes Emmet square in the chest, reminding him of how Haxorus used to bite him when it was just a little Axew. They’re all looking at him. He hasn’t seen any of them since the funeral, he doesn’t need them saying anything about that.

Instead, their smiles are familiar, like it’s just any other day at the subway.

“Welcome back.”

‥

Eventually, Emmet is going to have to figure out what to do with the Single and Multi trains. The lines are still active, but for six years, the challenges they would pose to trainers have been indefinitely put on hold. It’s actually been really bad for business, but in Emmet’s mind, nobody could take Ingo’s place. By the end of the first year without his brother, it seemed that everyone had an opinion about what he

should

do. It always ended with them running away after he absolutely tore into them; the mere suggestion that Ingo wasn’t coming back was one he would not entertain.

Now, Emmet can’t avoid that conversation much longer. The Battle Subway was Ingo’s pride and joy, and it would be a shame to let it fall from grace just because he’s gone. Maybe he could ask some Gym Trainers to step in. Elesa and Skyla would definitely make the time for it, and so would Cilan and his brothers. He could even go higher in the league! The Elite Four! Champion Iris! That would make Gear Station something special, wouldn’t it? A random battle with famous trainers from all across Unova?

It’s a great idea, but in all honesty, Emmet isn’t ready for it. Just a few more days, please. Let the subway stay as it was when Ingo was still here for a little while.

The Doubles train is especially active today. During Emmet’s leave, all battles at the subway had come to a screeching halt. It makes sense that there’s a buildup of trainers just itching for a chance to face him. Well, it would be rather rude to keep them waiting.

Shauntal is an unusual sight at the Battle Subway, even on the busiest of days. Emmet has only met her a handful of times, usually in passing. It’s been at least a year since the last time he saw her, he thinks it might have been some League conference Elesa had asked him to attend with her.

So to battle such a revered member of the Elite Four, who usually had her head stuck in her notebooks, was a rare treat for Emmet.

“The lone Subway Master stands between myself and the way forward,” Shauntal narrates, and Emmet tries not to take offense at her blunt language. “Only a shadow left to accompany him.”

Emmet glances to his side, where Chandelure floats in the corner of his eye. “As a ghost-type trainer, I did not think you would refer to Chandelure in such a way.”

Shauntal suddenly stiffens, her eyes landing… to the side of Chandelure? “Ah, right. I often forget that there are those not acquainted with my own sight.” She straightens her glasses. “I’m not speaking of your sweet little ghost. I’m talking about the spirit that seems to have latched onto the two of you.”

Emmet’s heart stops.

What?

‥

Shauntal returns later that day, after the Battle Subway is closed and most of the Depot Agents have left for the day. They meet in the office that Emmet used to share with Ingo, which is the most private place at Gear Station.

The two of them sit on the floor, Shauntal with her legs crossed and Emmet with his knees drawn to his chest. These carpets definitely weren’t laid under the assumption that anyone would be performing a paranormal ritual while sitting on top of them, if Emmet’s constant fidgeting is anything to go by. Honestly, bad design. From her bag, Shauntal pulls out two items: a fancy pen and a rather nice looking journal.

“I picked this up from a nice little shop on the way here,” Shauntal explains, tapping the journal. “All of mine have at least something inside, so I thought you’d want something fresh.”

Emmet nods as Shauntal places the book in front of them both. She uncaps the pen with a Click! and leaves the top in the crook between the pages.

“This model is supposed to be easier for ghost-types to carry,” she explains. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for a spirit.”

It’s at that moment that Ingo realizes what they’re doing.

Shauntal places the pen horizontally across the top of the notebook. “How long have you been a spirit?” she asks the open air. Emmet sits next to her, nervously pulling at the edges of his right glove.

Ingo isn’t sure at first if he should entertain this. Nobody has acknowledged his presence for years, and he isn’t sure that he remembers how to be seen. If not in a literal sense, then a metaphorical one. The way Shauntal is looking at him, squinting like he’s a figure in the distance, is already disturbing enough.

“Come on,” Shauntal encourages him. “Think of it as Emmet getting to know you.”

Ingo has the distinct feeling that Emmet already knows everything there is to know about him, but…

But…

When he looks at Emmet, Ingo can’t help but feel… lost. Like there’s something he should remember, but it’s behind some door he doesn’t have the key to. It’s a frustrating feeling, one that he’s well acquainted with. All of his answers lie just out of reach, and nothing he can do can bring him any closer to them.

Maybe that’s why he’s here. Maybe Emmet is the missing key.

Ingo sits down on the floor across from them and picks up the pen with much more effort than he’d like to admit. He’s pretty sure that Emmet gasps, but all of his attention is on trying to remember how to hold a pen, especially one that seems to sap the strength right out of whatever’s left of him. As carefully as he can, he writes out his answer.

A long time.

“Would you look at that,” Shauntal remarks, but Emmet’s too busy staring at the shaky letters on the page. He keeps blinking, as though they’ll disappear at any second. Ingo can barely remember how he used to write when he was alive. He wonders if his handwriting changed after he left Unova.

Shauntal resumes her questioning. “And how did you die, exactly?”

Well, Ingo thinks that one’s rather rude. He doesn’t just go around asking her about terrible things that happened in her life, now does he?

Hurt, he writes. With Emmet here, that’s all he’s willing to say on the matter.

“An unfortunate death,” Shauntal says, frowning slightly. “How long have you been following Emmet?”

A month.

Ingo can see the gears turning in Emmet’s head. Surely, Emmet must remember where he was a month ago. One doesn’t just forget a day like that.

“Can you think of anywhere you may have picked up a spirit such as this one?” Shauntal whispers to Emmet.

If he hears what she said, however, he does not show it. “Why are you following me?” Emmet suddenly asks. “What do you want from me?”

Ingo is shaking now, but not out of fear. There’s a numb, buzzing sensation in his hand that’s slowly spreading up his arm. Chandelure whispers something behind him, but he tunes it out.

Know, he writes. Remember.

Emmet looks pale, and he’s so still that he may as well be holding his breath.

“Just one more question, for now,” Shauntal assures Ingo. Maybe she can see that he’s barely keeping himself together. “What is your name?”

The pen falls from Ingo’s hand before he can finish, accidentally smearing the ink. He feels like he’s unraveling, like whatever’s left of him is about to fade into nothing. He leans back into Chandelure, and from just that brief contact, a ghostly chill spreads through his body. It grounds him, calms and stills his frenzied nerves.

When Ingo opens his eyes, Emmet is staring straight at the notebook, at the letter “I”.

“Ingo?” he says, almost as if he doesn’t believe it himself. “Is that you?”

#submas #warden ingo #subway master ingo #subway master emmet #fanfic #twin spirits #rav's writing

139 notes · View notes