#nobori: ...possibly?

[blaiddraws]

Whumptober day 11: Sloppy Bandages

a scarf works in a pinch.

anyway. ALSO a continuation of this. what do you do when your weird dad-figure is impaled and you're the only one in sight.

(he's trying so so hard to be as calm as he can for her, calmly and coherently talk her through what she needs to do, but he very much is not doing great! got impaled through his side! he is. losing blood! it hurts and he's really woozy but he's trying so hard to be calm and keep that out of his voice as much as possible.)

[cecilioque]

The Submas Designs are a lot more clever than you thought.

First lets look at the Submas overall design.  We know that the original design was intended to make the Subway Bosses look like clowns and kind of creepy (that backfired); hence the comically large shoes and exaggerated expressions. Let’s start to break down each part of the design. 

To begin, The Submas extreme expressions are a possible reference to the symbol of theatre; the mask of Tragedy and the Mask of Comedy.  The mask of tragedy is commonly portrayed frowning ( not necessarily cry) on a black base mask while the mask of Comedy is portrayed smiling on a white base masks. Sometimes these masks are gold or split black and white color.  The masks together represent the two extremes of the human psyche. Definitely the contrast we see between Emmet's smile and Ingo’s frown.

Next up, the coats.  These are obviously designed to look like train tracks.  The vertical grey lines representing the rails, the red brown the tie (the wood connecting the rails), and the buttons are the spikes that secure the track.  You can see the pattern best on the back of the Submas coat.  Looking at it you could laugh and say “I guess that makes the Subway boss themselves the train”, and you know what? You’re right.

This brings us to the most interesting part of their design, the color and pose.  Yes, there is an explanation to the silly pose too.  It’s so silly that we can just brush this whole design off as being another funny Pokemon character design; but unfortunately it’s actually thought out.  

The Submas themselves are the New York Subway. Or at least they are the personified version of it.  Let’s look at the colors again.  Black and White.  Very fitting for a game literally called Pokemon Black and White.  That alone brings us to some interesting comparisons with the game themes and pokemon.

Kudari or (Emmet in the English version) wears all white. He values routine and rules and is ultimately pretty point blank.  We can easily make that conclusion that  Emmet represents Reshiram and truth. If we break down his name we see that in Japanese it means something along the lines of “down train” or moving away/going down hill.  The different translations usually mean the same, except the name “Emmet” is a bit out of place.  A lot of people say the Submas names in English are most likely to be puns of “Ingoing and Emitting”.  But my crazy self did more digging and found that Emmet means “truth” specifically universal truth.  This name goes back to old German, Irish, and even Hebrew. All looping back to Reshiram and themes of the game. (On a funny side note, Emmet is also the Cornish word for ant; so Emmet having a Durant is really funny. ) 

Next up is Nobori or Ingo who wears a black coat and appears frowning. Despite that , his is very encouraging and excited about moving forward. This makes sense since the name Nobori in Japanese more or less means to move up/forward ( specifically up a mountain).  That’s why a lot of people believe that the poor man was eebie deebied for the pun because Warden Ingo works on Mt. Coronet. In English, Ingo is thought to be a shortened version of “Ingoing” which also aligns with not only the Japanese name but the character’s reoccurring theme of progress, moving forward, and ideals. In this sense Ingo very much represents Zekrom and ideals. 

Truth and ideals, Reshiram and Zekrom, Tragedy and comedy, white and Black.  All very good interpretations and symbolism for two funny train men. I would be satisfied with just knowing that, but no; the Submas are also a funny gijinka of the New York Subway.  This is the part the has me laughing at how simple it is and yet we just easily accepted that they were just a bit strange.

Take a look at this. This is a Zebra Board.  

Yep, it’s black and white. And do you know what? This MTA sign only appears in the New York subway.  What does it do?  These are used by conductors to indicate safety and that the train has lined up in the station. Every time the subway comes into the station, the conductor has to physically point at this board/bar to indicate that it is safe for the doors to open. The action is called "point and call" or "point and acknowledge".  This practice is used in a few other train/subway stations (such as Japan), but the black and white board is New York specific. The pose of the submas suddenly makes a lot of sense.

Other Important notes observations.

The Submas face represents the front of the train.  So their eyes are the lights (hence Ingos glowing eyes in PLA), their side burns are cow catchers ( see graphic), and the Medalion on the hat is round like a train number plate.  Another interesting thing is that the Submas use airline Captain Pilot hats like Japanese train conductors use.  The only part of their outfit that confuses me is the arm bands.  This is more of a police uniform element and not a train conductor thing.

so to conclude, the Submas are basically a reference to in game themes, Reshiram/Zekrom, Trains, and literally the New York subway

I am not an expert. These are just my observations. I could be completely wrong.  Take and add what you would like to.  If you have more to add about the design, feel free to reblog that info. I would also like to see your interpretation.

[frostfires-blog]

Traditional Symbolism in Jujutsu Kaisen Opening 4 - Specialz

[⚠️Warning: Possible small spoilers⚠️]

Hata-jirushi (旗印)

The white banners seen in the background of this scene are most likely Hata-jirushi (旗印). Hata-jirushi were the most commonly used war banners on medieval Japanese battlefields. The kanji used here “旗印” literally translates to “symbol flag”, “marker banner”, etc.… These war banners were generally simple streamers attached by a horizontal cross-piece to a shaft, unlike the later used nobori (幟) which were stiffened. Later, some hata-jirushi were hemmed on their sides and tops to better attach them to their poles in such a way that they were visible from the front. The purpose of these banners was to help identify and distinguish different army sections and regiments.  The use of them in this scene helps to set the tone of this arc which is essentially the start of a war between jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits.

Torii (鳥居)

In this panel, several characters are seen passing through a torii (鳥居). A torii is a traditional Japanese gate mostly found at the entrance of and within Shinto shrines. Torii gates are where kami are thought to travel through and are welcomed to the shrine. It is customary to walk to the side of a torii gate when passing through instead of walking down the center—as it is believed that only kami may pass through the center. The word torii derives from the term “tōri-iru” (通り入る) which roughly translates to “pass through and enter”. These structures mark the transition between the mundane, secular world and the sacred grounds of the shrine. Thus, passing through a torii gate can be thought of as “crossing into another dimension or entering into spiritual communion with nature”. Torii gates act as both a physical barrier and spiritual guardian separating the profane from the sacred within its boundaries. Therefore, it is believed that those who pass through one, are cleansed of their worldly worries and enter a realm of tranquillity and peace. Aside from their religious significance, torii gates hold other more abstract meanings such as providing good fortune, hope, purity, and protection from evil spirits. In this panel, as the characters pass underneath the torii it signifies their crossing from the physical to the spiritual world—which could refer to them traveling down the path to enlightenment or death. Since torii are also believed to provide good fortune and protection from evil spirits, the characters passing under one could be a sort of send-off ritual before the battle to ensure their safety.

Ōnusa (大幣)

In addition to more hata-jirushi, we can see an ōnusa (大幣)—also known as a nusa (幣) or a Taima (大幣)—a wooden wand used in traditional Shinto purification rituals in this panel. Ōnusa are embellished with shide (paper streamers). The wand is also referred to as a  (祓串) when the shide are connected to a hexagonal or octagonal staff. It is believed that impurities are transferred from the person or thing to be purified to the ōnusa by waving the ōnusa left, right, then left again. The usage of them in this scene adds to the traditional imagery and the idea that something significant is about to happen that will require the characters to purify their minds and steel their resolve.

Nokotsudo (納骨堂)

In this scene, Itadori is seen standing in front of a nokotsudo (納骨堂) which is a Japanese ossuary. A nokotsudo is known as a “nokotsuden” or “reido” and is a building in which the remains of cremation are kept. Nokotsudo are generally built in the precincts of temples and are equipped with lockers to keep the remains and are occasionally equipped with Buddhist altars above these lockers to place Buddhist mortuary tablets. This scene portrays Itadori breaking down in front of a nokotsudo. This could either refer to him facing the ashes of the people Sukuna killed using his body—or perhaps more improbably the scene depicts him being confronted with the fact that his grandfather's wish has inadvertently led him down this troubled path.

Joss paper (金紙)

The rounded pieces of paper falling from the sky in this scene are likely pieces of joss paper (金紙). These are typically sheets of paper or papercrafts which are used as burnt offerings in ancestral worship as well as the veneration of deceased relatives on special holidays in Asia. Joss paper is typically printed with various representations of worldly goods such as money, houses, cars, credit cards, etc.… Joss paper is burnt at Asian funerals “to ensure that the deceased’s spirit has sufficient means in the afterlife”. In wuxia and xianxia C-dramas, joss paper is often seen falling from the scene during scenes in which the reanimated and ghostly beings invade the world of the living—which is somewhat similar to the setting in this scene with Megumi meeting his reanimated father. Additionally, it was partly Toji's pursuit of money that led to his death, taking him away from his son, so it is somewhat ironic to have joss paper raining down on him.

[P.S. A few people have been analysing this opening on other platforms, but I wanted to touch on some of the more obscure cultural nuances... I am not Japanese, so this is based off of my own research, so I apologise if I miss anything or get anything wrong. Feel free to make corrections or additions in the comments and reblogs respectively.]

[newdestination]

[Starter for @fracturedmemoria ;; Clan Meeting]

I've been working - - —–...

Grass shifts and sings in the late spring breeze, the pokeballs at his side devoid of any of his partners save for Mojumbo. They're all out and about, helping in their own ways— Goriky dutifully marching behind him with her arms full of supplies, Jibacoil and Glion watching overhead in tangled loops and twists.

...All the livelong day...

Nobori carries the tune under his breath as he divests himself of the materials he'd brought with him, settled into a neat pile with a sigh of relief. The worn stone beneath his feet crackles with dead grass and dirt— That'll have to be one of the first few things he takes care of.

"Can't you hear the whistle blowing..."

He steps over a thick slab of broken stone to thumb through the dirt layered on an old worn dias at the center of the clearing, quietly contemplative. This area clearly hadn't been used in a very, very long time— Garana seemed nervous to even be asking this of him before their arrival, beneath those steely nerves of hers. Perhaps he would have been too had he any context to have built upon, standing here beneath the eye of Sinnoh.

He's fairly certain she didn't want him here, for that matter— he hadn't even been entirely sure what this is going to be for until Tsubaki came around the day after, practically kicking down the metaphorical door about his 'duties to the meeting of the clans' and somesuch. There's certainly enough context clues to go off of from there— even he has noticed the Galaxy team's gradual encroachment on the edges of the clans, how tense the other wardens seem to be getting over the whole matter.

In some ways the introduction of another outsider group has been good for him, as much as he'd hesitate to truly voice such a thing. Brought closer into the fold in defense against a greater perceived threat, less other than the other, just enough to skirt by. Nobori has by technicality been one of them since his very first memory, but this is quite possibly the first time he's felt that was true.

Well. It's nice to be needed, either way.

Now, how is he going to clean off the tops of the arches? Maybe if he rode on Jibacoil...

Right. Best take care of that first, then. It wouldn't do to clean the floor just to dirty it all over again knocking all of the dust down.

"Would you be amenable to lending your assistance?" The returning trill of beeps and screeches is answer enough to his ears— Jibacoil drifts back down from the trees arching overhead to meet him on the floor. It's not the most comfortable perch, but between the signal rod between his legs and the bolts on either side of him Nobori feels well and secure enough. He pulls the woven bag to his front to sift through its contents as they slowly begin to rise, cloth in hand. Nothing to it, then!

"—rise up so early in the morn'..."

[allaboardsubmas]

Truth Rewritten, Ideals Realized

A/N: Wrote this for my Patreon a while ago and finally finding time to post it here! I hope you guys enjoy!

Fandom: Pokemon (Black & White, All Media Types, Legends: Arceus)

Characters: Kudari | Emmet, Nobori | Ingo

Rating: General

Summary: Emmet steps off his train alone to find an empty Gear Station, no one answering his calls, and he is not amused. Coming across his brother’s pokeballs and dozens of copies of his missing posters that claim he went missing in a maintenance tunnel makes a lot more sense when said brother wakes him up, though. He feels only a little guilty that he latches onto Ingo when he goes to inspect a maintenance tunnel with reports of strange pokemon interference. Somehow, though, he feels like he did something right.

AO3 Link: Truth Rewritten, Ideals Realized

—

If you enjoy this story then check out my Writing Commissions.

…or, if you prefer, you can just buy me a ko-fi! ☕ …or, if you have a nice allowance, support me on Patreon! 🪶

—

Truth Rewritten, Ideals Realized

Emmet would like it on record that while he was bad at what Ingo liked to call ‘reading the room,’ he was actually aware of when something was wrong. Reading people was difficult, yes, but even he could tell something was wrong in the way he stepped off the Doubles Line train and saw nothing except an empty station. 

Instead of the usual clustered groups of people and scurrying Depot Agents that did their best to keep things in order, instead Emmet saw an empty, cavernous room that vaguely reminded him of Chargestone Cave. The always filled benches were absolutely empty, the usual sound of footsteps and pokemon cries couldn’t be heard no matter how hard he strained his ears, and even the train he had just stepped off of appeared to be completely empty with no one stepping off or on. 

“This is Emmet,” Emmet said, speaking into his Gear Station standard radio and proud of himself for how his voice stayed calm and even. “To whoever managed to pull this off, good job, well done, it was verrry funny. Now where is everyone?” 

There was nothing except the low hum of buzzing static, a sound that always meant no one was on the line and no one was responding. He tried again, speaking a little louder, “To whatever Depot Agent is on the line, can you explain why the atrium and my train are completely empty?” 

This time Emmet let the silence only last a couple of seconds before he was activating his radio in the pattern that was meant to send out an emergency alert across all lines and active channels. There was no immediate response and Emmet found himself moving without thought, heading into one of the tunnels and out of view of the large, empty station where there was no movement or sound. 

At the same time, he was fumbling with his x-trans, finally getting it open and dialing Ingo's number. While the two played the occasional prank on each other, Emmet knew that Ingo would never approve of something like this against anyone, but especially against Emmet. 

“Greetings! This is the number of Subway Boss Ingo! I regret to inform you that I am unable to attend to your call, but please leave your message and I will schedule a return call as soon as possible! Safe travels!” 

“Brother-” Emmet paused to swallow a couple of times as the word caught in his throat, unable to get out through the rasp of his suddenly dry throat. “Please call me when you receive this message.” 

Ending the call, Emmet tried a re-dial even though he knew it wouldn’t work. Ingo never failed to answer his phone — especially for Emmet. If he couldn’t answer, then something was wrong. 

Quickening his pace and walking further into the tunnel, just to be safe, he looked around the edges before finding what he was looking for and ducking down into a maintenance tunnel. 

It was less maintained than their main lines, but it was quiet and out of the way and there was no risk of a rogue train coming through and snatching him up if this was some mass kidnapping attempt by Team Plasma. That didn’t explain where all his passengers had gone, though. 

Shaking his head, Emmet walked further down the tunnel as he tried to contact someone — anyone — through both his radio and his x-trans. There was no response on his radio and his x-trans refused to connect to anyone, Emmet getting nothing but automatic messages attempt after attempt. 

“I am Emmet and I am fine,” Emmet said firmly to himself. While the situation was horrifying on so many levels, he was still a Subway Boss. If something was wrong with Gear Station then it was his duty to fix it. Especially if it involved why he couldn’t contact Ingo. 

Reaching for his belt to throw out one of his partners, he froze in his tracks completely as he saw a grouping of pokeballs on the ground in front of him. They weren’t his — he could feel all of his still on his belt — but they were still familiar. 

Dropping to the ground to check, Emmet had half the thought that they were dropped or hidden pokeballs from some theft attempt and they would maybe be able to tell him what had happened, or at least give him an idea of what was going on. 

He then went still at the first pokeball he picked up, his fear a physical force that almost had him collapsing because there, on the front of the pokeball, slightly off-center, was a small sticker of a train, worn and aged and half-falling off. It was the same sticker that Emmet had on the ball of his Eelektross. It wasn’t his pokeball, though.

It was Ingo’s. 

“Ingo?!” Emmet’s scream bounced off the walls and earned him absolutely no response, his fear now crawling up to settle in his throat and make him gasp for breath as he fumbled for the button on the pokeball he was holding, missing the mark again and again as his hands shook. “Ingo, where are you?!”

Nothing but silence answered him and Emmet choked out something that was between a swear and a sob. He didn’t bother to mumble reassurances to himself, instead gathering up the rest of the fallen pokeballs and gently clipping them onto his belt with the others. 

The one with the train sticker he kept in his hand. The one with his brother’s Chandelure he held tightly to his chest with enough force for his fingers to ache. He didn’t loosen his grip. 

For as much as they shared their pokemon and saw them all as their family, their starters were still theirs. Emmet had a bond with his Eelektross that Ingo never would, and similarly Ingo had a bond with his Chandelure that Emmet would never quite understand. 

Chandelure was also a ghost pokemon. Ghost pokemon formed bonds with their trainers — strong ones. If something happened to Ingo, then something would have happened to her. 

Emmet told himself, very firmly, that she was still inside her pokeball and that he had just been too panicked to open it properly. It wasn’t empty. It wasn’t because if it was empty — if she was gone just like Ingo — then- Well, then-

“Ingo?” Emmet knew his call was weaker this time, but it didn’t stop him from stumbling further down the tunnel, looking around in the dim lighting as if his brother would suddenly reappear and tell him that everything was alright and it was simply a practical joke by the Depot Agents that had gotten out of hand before he could put a stop to it. 

The sound of crunching paper broke the silence in the tunnel like an Explode, Emmet feeling his heart damn near stop as he stumbled back and looked around wildly only to see that it had come from him stepping on a piece of paper. 

“Dirty,” Emmet mumbled, staring down at the paper and feeling his smile finally drop completely. “The maintenance tunnels should not have debris.” If he said it firmly enough, he could make it all seem like a normal problem that could easily be solved. 

Shifting his grip on the pokeball, Emmet bent down to quickly swipe the paper off the ground before standing back up and trying to uncrumple it with one hand. He was a little surprised to see it was a Missing Person poster — and one that looked very recent, at that. Did this maybe have something to do with why Gear Station was empty and abandoned? 

His eyes flicked to the date, first, confirming his suspicions of it being new when he saw it was marked for today’s date. Walking a few steps closer to one of the emergency lights, Emmet tilted the paper so he could see the face of the person on the poster even as everything in him screamed for him to not. 

Missing: Subway Boss Emmet Trevithick 

Last Known Location: Subway Boss Emmet was doing an inspection of Maintenance Tunnel 3B when he failed to report in and answer any calls from both the Depot Agents and his brother Subway Boss Ingo Trevithick. Upon investigation of his last known location within the tunnel, all of his pokemon were found in their pokeballs with no trace of the Subway Boss near them. 

Physical Appearance: Subway Boss Emmet is known to wear- 

Ripping his eyes away Emmet threw the poster away from him, stumbling as he tried to walk backwards as quickly as he could, as if the paper was an angry Serviper ready to snap. 

“Ingo! Brother! Where are you?!” Fumbling to try and open Chandelure’s pokeball again, Emmet felt sick when he looked down and saw that the train sticker was now perfectly set in the exact center, the key difference to show that this was Eelektross’ pokeball. “Ingo?!” 

His haste caused him to step on something that ripped his balance out from under him, Emmet grunting as he hit the ground and landed on what felt and sounded like a pile of papers. He wasn’t surprised when he managed to get to his knees and saw they were more missing posters, but this time instead of a smiling face it was a frowning one and where there had once been white there was now black. 

Every missing poster around him looked out at him with Ingo’s face, all of them proclaiming that his big brother was missing. The pokeball in his hand rattled, as if the pokemon was trying to get out, and Emmet forced his frozen body to look down just enough to see that it was once again Chandelure’s pokeball. 

Emmet dropped the ball as if it had burned his hand, knowing he was screaming for his brother and yet unable to tell what he was even saying anymore as he just screamed-

“Emmet!” 

Jolting and reeling, it was only Ingo holding him by his shoulders that kept him in his chair from where… he had fallen asleep at his desk? No. That couldn’t have all just been a dream. Right? 

A sharp shake of his shoulders had him snapping his attention to his brother, who was looking at him as if he was two seconds from calling for an ambulance. “Fine,” Emmet blurted out. “I’m fine. I’m- I’m okay.”

Ingo quietly watched him for a few seconds longer before pointedly looking at where Emmet’s hands were latched onto Ingo’s arms, forcing his brother to be unable to move away. Emmet hated how he couldn’t bring himself to let go. “Forgive me, but I don’t think that’s the truth. It’s also not like you to fall asleep at your desk of all places.” 

Well, that was true. Emmet hadn’t even remembered dozing off! The last thing he remembered before that twisted, confusing nightmare had been him working on some paperwork. 

Emmet felt Ingo tap his shoulder twice, a quick little check-in that Emmet couldn’t help but relax into. “I am okay. Just… bad dream.” Ingo’s expression made it clear he wasn’t going to let that be the end of it.

Emmet hesitated, chewing over what he wanted to say before starting to speak, the sound of the door opening cutting him off. “Bosses! There you are!” One of their agents was sweeping in and looking rushed, Emmet firmly reminding himself that they were at work and they were Subway Bosses. He could panic and worry over abandonment issues later. “White Boss you’re due on the Doubles line in a couple of minutes. Black Boss, we need your help with a… problem?”

Finally letting go of Ingo, Emmet stood up and grabbed his coat to put on, hating how a part of him just wanted to walk back over and cling to Ingo like they were children and he believed Ingo could protect him from everything. If he was honest, he still believed that some days. “What sort of problem needs my attention?”

“We’re not sure. We’re getting reports of some sort of pokemon interference that’s causing electrical problems, but they can’t see anything on the cameras so far. No other high level battlers are available right now and we didn’t want to rush into anything.”

“Of course.” Ingo grabbed his own coat from where it was slung over his chair, slipping it on and giving Emmet a quick look that meant they would be talking more about his dream later. “Where is the interference coming from?” 

“Maintenance tunnel 3B.” 

“...was doing an inspection of Maintenance Tunnel 3B when he failed to report in and answer any calls from both the Depot Agents and his brother…”

“I will come with,” Emmet blurted out, startling both his brother and the agent, moreso when he latched onto Ingo’s sleeve and refused to let go. “I- I will join the Doubles Train once we’re certain the interference is dealt with. It is a fresh run. It will take time for any trainers to reach me. Ramses can cover train operations and I will switch with his train to Anville tonight.”

Emmet knew he was only making Ingo worry more about him, but everything in him screamed that he could not let Ingo go without him. Thankfully, his brother knew him as well as he knew himself, and Emmet felt some of his tension ease out of him when Ingo linked their arms together. “Yes! Emmet and I will go together to ensure this isn’t a ploy by remnants of Team Plasma or anything similar. Please inform Ramses of the change in schedule and we will depart momentarily.” 

The agent nodded before giving both of them one last look and leaving the room. Ingo, the amazing and wonderful person he was, shifted to clasp their hands together before pulling him along. Emmet gripped his hand tightly and managed to whisper out a quiet, “Thank you.” 

“We are a two-car train,” Ingo said firmly, pulling Emmet up to walk beside him. “Whatever problem arises we will solve together. Yes?” 

Emmet couldn’t help his laugh, nor his teasing, “Well said. Bravo!” It earned him a light shove from Ingo’s shoulder, their hands still intertwined as they went forward together. 

Somehow, Emmet felt like he had won at something.

[roaringdargon]

I'll go ahead and drop this after sitting on it for so long for @spr-ingo. This is for "Alternator" (AU). A PLA AU based on Yu-Gi-Oh. Feel free to have fun with this idea if you want to do another version.

It is something that has been stewing in my brain for a while but has gotten a bit too big for me. I'll see if I write anything for it. So here it is. Have fun! What spurred this idea was thinking that Emmet would be pissed if some spirit kept possessing him to fight pokemon battles.

Nameless Warden AU

Premise:

This is an au based of the original Yu-Gi-Oh plot. There was no chosen hero sent by Arceus in this timeline. Ingo is still accidentally transported to the past by unknown means. It's coincidental. He is without any prior memory. And is gifted the name Nobori(because it is convenient). Is this plot convoluted to get to a desired scenario? Yes!

In this universe Wardens hold a bit more blessed power in their assignments. The Warden bands(or other catalyst I am open to changing this) connect them to the blessed pokemon and act as a catalyst for Almighty Sinnoh's power. It's not game breaking power but it is things like the ability to be somewhat in tune with the land and its pokemon or predict the future. It's not important. The point is that these artifacts are a direct connection to the primordial powers. Which one is entirely based on who they believe in/ wish to commune with. It is very personal.

Nobori/Ingo is chosen by Sneasler and comes into possession of a sacred band. He is not as adept with the power that is bestowed upon him because he hasn't had as much time with the clan's religion, but he was the only accepted choice. He is still great at his job with his talents with pokemon and instincts so it becomes less of an issue.

Shit hits the fan while Volo spins his web. It is a trial with many injuries, but the Wardens are able to work together and calm the Nobles from their frenzy. Warden Calaba gets injured, her sacred band goes missing and Ursaluna is dying. Volo gets a hold of the item. And uses that to further tap into Giratina's power usurp the Almighty. He manages to frenzy both Dialga and Palkia which destabilizes the Wardens' connection to their chosen deity.

To summarize how the situation is solved: Ingo is less connected to Palkia than his other clan mates and was always more open to the idea of multiple higher beings as it just made sense. He realizes(through various means not touched upon) there must be a larger power other than space, time, and distortion. If he could appeal to this being he could have the power to stop this and possibly contain the distortion in a similar way to how Volo had detained the two Sinnohs. He is able to gain the approval and link to Arceus(a very hard being to appeal to. See Volo) and, through great effort, seals Giratina and the distortion world away using the power of his soul. Volo is seething, of course, that this Nobody has gained approval of Arceus and is using that power to seal them away.

Much like with the Pharaoh in Yu-Gi-Oh it is sealed with his entire soul and his name (which nobody knows not even him) is the key. Ingo's soul, now with amnesia x2, is sealed in his Warden's band artifact as a spirit. His true name is already unknown to everyone, but lore keepers erase his given one as well as many depictions of him from records as well just to be safe. Volo is definitely the Bakura of this plot and was similarly placed in the stolen Ursaluna artifact.

Ingo has been gone 4-7 years. I haven't decided.

The Future:

(warning: it/it's pronouns used briefly due to lack of knowledge. Evolves to they/them then he/him)

Emmet is given a strange box by an old friend of his brother's, Shauntal, who stated that she bought this in Sinnoh from an antique shop because that's just her hobby. They saw each other while at a party that Burgh dragged him to. She says she just feels like it should belong to him, which would be weird if it was not a completely normal thing for her to do. So he accepts with little thought. It's a puzzle box. Perfect he loves a challenge. He feels possessed(metaphorically) to solve it that night. Finds the strange band and wears it with no thought as if he has always had it.

After a while Emmet starts noticing that he is losing time. It's mostly on the Singles line when he is tired and the battles are boring anyway so he pays it no mind, but then It happens once on the Doubles and that is a step too far. He investigates his footage and sees that he is still battling, but with a strange slumped posture and a dour look. The strange thing possessing him is doing well. Even if it makes him look a bit feral. So he is being possessed. He knows that the only change to his person has been that item that was given to him. He doesn't really want to get rid of it for some reason, but it is interfering with his work. He visits Shauntal and demands she uncurses the object. She is surprised that there is such a strong spirit there in the first place. It was dormant and weak when she gave him the box. They must really like him.

They communicate with the spirit and determine that they are just as confused and aren't malevolent. Emmet sets some boundaries that they can stick around as long as it asks before battling in his stead. Heck he might even let them on some occasions like on the boring ass singles line.

TLDR Emmet gets a new spirit friend and learns how to be close to someone again. Slowly the spirit relearns who he is thanks to his new friend.

Also Cynthia uncovers some Hisuian artifacts, including a certain stolen one, so watch out for that.

---

That's the gist of it. There are other versions I was playing with, but this is the one I am liking the best now. Also so many ways that this story can continue that I haven't really thought of.

[belltrigger]

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW YOUR SBMS VERSIONS of "Kiss" and "Surprise" <3

-Send me a “Kiss” and I’ll write a drabble about their first kiss

-Send me a “Surprise” and I’ll write a drabble about one character discovering something surprising about the other

Hiiiiiii Iyod! Thank you for requesting from me! 🥺 I hope you enjoy what I came up with. I had to think what I consider to be "my version" of Sbms, and I think this closest to what I think is "them."

Title: Our First Home Word count: 2330 Synopsis: The first time the twins move into their own space, they can kiss without worry of someone catching them. Dynamic: NoboKuda

~~*~~

Setting down a large box labeled 'bedroom,' Nobori cast a satisfied look around the room he stood in. Wanting to bring all the boxes in from the moving truck, he'd settled on placing everything in the living room. His twin, however, had decided instead to poke through particular boxes and had already started placing things around their new home.

It was difficult to understate just how excited the both of them were to finally have their own place together. On their pokémon journey as children, he and Kudari had traveled far and wide, settling down wherever they could. Sometimes they camped, sometimes they stayed with distant relatives, sometimes they boarded with people offering a place to rest. Each one offered their own interesting experience, and for a time they continued to explore even after they should have returned home.

It had been during one such excursion that he and Kudari had finally revealed their growing feelings for each other. With all of their time together, it hadn't come as a surprise to either of them, but it had been freeing to finally share what had bloomed in their hearts. However, even with the confession, they'd been too shy and nervous to do anything more than they usually did beyond stare into each others' eyes more. They already held hands often and slept in close contact - such a thing had never seemed out of place when they were younger, and it became a comfort neither one wanted to lose as they got older.

They never pushed the romantic expectations of their relationship while away from home, and it became nearly impossible to do so when they returned. Kudari firmly believed it was none of their parents' business who they were interested in, and thought it quite obvious anyway. Nobori, for his part, felt nervous to share something so personal with anyone other than his chosen person. He also felt it was an obvious conclusion that they would only grow closer with how compatible they were, and that they were not beholden to anyone to explain that.

Even so, this created an inability to express their deepened affection. Nobori became increasingly aware that the anticipation was for them both to find a separate lover and move to another location with that person. There was teasing from some of their friends to find the *same* lover, with the implication that many people would enjoy "the thrill" of twin lovers. Nobori was grateful, then, that Kudari did not reveal their relationship then, as his twin had expressed he wanted to when they spoke later. But it became more and more common to be asked what their plans were.

Finally, Kudari announced to anyone who asked that they were going to find their own place on their own terms! It gave the impression that they would continue as they had been, but his precious younger twin threw himself into deciding the perfect place for them to live together. Although he had absolute faith that Kudari would make good on his promise that "Nobori deserves the best," it was an absolutely monumental task to hunt for a place for them to live. One that Nobori couldn't allow his twin to do on his own.

With their combined efforts, they found the perfect apartment. More than anything, Nobori wanted Kudari to be as happy as possible. While Kudari searched for homes that Nobori would most enjoy, Nobori wanted to make sure Kudari's home needs were more than satisfied. It was almost like a fun little game, he thought. Kudari would excitedly buzz when he found a promising lead he thought Nobori would like, and Nobori naturally responded in kind.

Kudari had long wished for enough room to expand their pokémon team, and even to be the one growing them from their eggs instead of discovering them in the wild. Having their own place would allow him to devote as much space as he wished to that pursuit. It was a fun idea that Nobori enjoyed as well, and he knew he would appreciate a devoted approach if they wanted to be the strongest battlers out there.

Feeling a nudge at his shoulder, Nobori pulled himself out of his thoughts and fond memories. Lampent floated there, humming with curiosity, clearly wondering why he stood there staring at the massive pile of boxes and not moving. Reaching up to gently pat Lampent, he assured his dear first pokémon that he was simply taking in their change of scenery with the appropriate wonder and joy. Lampent did not seem to understand exactly what he meant, but seemed satisfied that he was alright. Once his safety was assured, Lampent calmly floated off to explore and possibly stake a claim on a sleeping spot.

Watching his pokémon partner hover down the hallway towards the rest of the apartment - no, *their* apartment- Nobori smiled. During the time it took to finalize the apartment contract and other such important factors, he had never let himself stop to think about the reality he and his beloved brother would find at the end of the process. If he gave himself the pause, he would have been driven to distraction out of giddiness, leaving the paperwork to his brother. And paperwork was Kudari's least favorite thing. But here, now, with the boxes of their belongings right in front of him, it was finally hitting that it was all real and finalized.

He and Kudari had their own place, where they were free to be as close as they wished.

Feeling warmth flutter in his chest at the thought, Nobori stepped through the piles of boxes to follow Lampent. Earlier, he'd been content to approach the furnishing of their new home in a different way from Kudari. His twins eager smile every time he popped back into the living room for a new particular item he wanted to place always brought a smile to his own face. But the need to be by Kudari's side had slowly been building as they worked separately, and he felt it was time to reunite.

Stepping down the hallway, he passed the two rooms that had been assigned as their individual bedrooms. Kudari was in neither, and he was not in the bathroom or dining room either. Lampent had found Eelektrik and was trilling and bobbing around as they both investigated the room that had been designated as a playroom.

Although his brother was not in any of the rooms he visited, he slowed at the entrance and allowed himself a moment to daydream. Each and every room had the potential to build great memories, and he was filled with limitless wonder over what he and Kudari could do together. What he hoped someday become memories rose to his mind: his twin at the bathroom sink, glancing at him through the reflection with light in his eyes; Kudari stepping out of his bedroom for help with his tie; a sleepless Kudari bursting into his bedroom with news of his success in breeding the perfect egg. Shared smile upon endless smile as they lived each day occupied his thoughts.

Finally, Nobori found his way to the kitchen. Hearing Kudari softly humming a pleased little tune, his voice was accompanied by a gentle clicking sound in random intervals. Unable to determine what could have been causing the sound, Nobori stepped fully into the kitchen. There, in front of the fridge and back to the doorway was his precious beautiful twin, placing things onto the fridge door's surface. The sight of Kudari turning to him was better than any of his daydreams - none of them had made his breath catch or his heart beat speed up. But Kudari's smile, easy but radiant, temporarily distracted him from his original purpose for entering the room.

They had found the perfect place to live together, but anywhere Kudari was would be home to Nobori. No matter what city it was within, whether large or small, permanent or temporary, he would never care as long as Kudari was by his side. Smaller places just meant he was closer to Kudari. Larger places meant they could gather more things as proof of their happy life. Cities would be close to their desired work. Towns and villages would allow them to be closer to wild pokémon to train against. A residence that was *theirs* would gather memories, and an ever-changing one would allow them to cultivate the experiences with greater flexibility. In fact, he would be hard pressed to find a singular complaint when-

"Nobori?" Kudari's little chirp of his name brought his attention back to the present, to the kitchen of their new home. Kudari stood expectantly with his hands at his side, eyes slightly narrowed in fondness as he understood exactly what Nobori was thinking. They were always so in sync, yet another thing he cherished about their relationship.

Still, Nobori felt the words coming from his mouth. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

Eyes closing completely, Kudari laughed brightly. "There's a lot to think about. But that can wait until we've unpacked, right?" Turning back to the fridge, he returned to what was making the clicking sound. Peeking around his twin's shoulder, Nobori finally discovered what it was that he was doing.

Magnets! A variety of different magnets were already smattered over the front of the refrigerator in a fanciful pattern. With a cursory glance, Nobori spotted one shaped like a joltik next to a litwick, some large blocky magnets in the shape of letters, and one shaped liked a train engine. A closer inspection drew his attention to two clay magnets, seemingly hand made, with the first character of each of their names painted on them. A heart magnet was placed boldly between them - such a thing could have never been on such public display anywhere else they'd stayed.

Nobori felt his heart speeding up, silently thankful that Kudari had thought this so important as to set it up immediately. Kudari's hands continued to busy themselves, and Nobori pulled his attention to the other magnets Kudari worked with. These were slightly different - black letters on white rectangles with singular words or short phrases printed on them. Mixed in amongst the longer words were individual letters as though Kudari had mixed together various kits.

'Kudari loves Nobori. Nobori loves Kudari. Together we make the perfect two-car train. Kudari will stay with Nobori forever." And then it was punctuated with yet another heart.

His twin fiddled with it some more, but kept going back to the same phrases. When Kudari reached forward to once more change the shape of the sentences, Nobori reached out and placed a gentle hand on his. Curious, Kudari lifted his eyes from the fridge as if requesting approval from Nobori over his attempts. And, perhaps, a little bit of Kudari believed it still inappropriate, despite being in their own home now. Nobori would not hesitate to soothe his fears.

"And Nobori will stay with Kudari forever," he assured, and the barest flicker of doubt that Kudari had harbored instantly vanished amidst the love and cheer in Kudari's eyes.

"Yeah! I am Kudari. I've wanted to put these up forever!" Pointing excitedly to the handmade magnets, he grinned. "I made these so long ago. But I wanted to surprise Nobori when I could display them for real."

It truly had been a surprise, for he'd never noticed Kudari making them. "Yes, we can now display whatever we want, since it's our house!" The moment a mischievous sparkle lit in his twin's eyes, he quickly corrected himself. "Though-! We must decide together! That means we will not be changing all the decor and appliances to be joltik themed." He had no choice but to chuckle as Kudari puffed his cheeks out in a fake pout. "There must be at least one or two litwick themed appliances for your aesthetic to be accepted. This is my one and only term."

Of course, he knew that Kudari's love of joltiks would never go that far.

...Right?

But Kudari was laughing again, stepping away from the fridge to wrap Nobori in a tight hug. "I am Kudari. I will show you just how good joltiks will look through the entire apartment." He squeaked when Nobori hugged him tighter in refusal. "Okay! Okay. No apartment full of joltiks!"

The daydreams that he'd been having combined with his laughing, squirming brother in his arms welled a sudden urge into Nobori's heart. Something they'd never been brave enough to do before was no longer a taboo. This was their home, and they could do as they wished.

So Nobori did as he wished.

He waited until Kudari stopped wiggling in his arms, looking to him with curiosity and perhaps something more. And when their eyes locked, Nobori leaned in and kissed Kudari. Feeling the buzz of excitement shiver all the way through his twin, he relaxed when Kudari pressed against him. Of course, there was no chance that Kudari would not reciprocate the kiss; Nobori knew that Kudari felt the same as he did, and yet the chance of bashfulness getting in the way was not completely out of the question. More than once, Nobori had lost his nerve when wanting to kiss his twin before. He could only imagine Kudari had gone through the same trouble.

But finally, they were able to kiss without concern. Seizing this chance, Nobori pulled back, only to try at another angle which earned him a pleased murmur from his younger brother. There was plenty of time to find the perfect way to kiss his other half, and he relished the possibilities there. All the things he could do with Kudari, now that the nerves had been banished, now that they had their very own place, were limitless.

And he and Kudari always strove to push past their limits.

[kharmii]

Found some oooooooold Submas art on Zerochan, just because I want to fill my blog with the aesthetic of these twins as much as possible. Found a bunch of old art here on Tumblr too. Be prepared to be inundated with beautiful, black and white twin goodness.

Nobori (Ingo) - Pokémon - Image by Pixiv Id 337286 #980086 - Zerochan Anime Image Board

Subway Masters - Pokémon - Image by Pixiv Id 10285380 #2163525 - Zerochan Anime Image Board

Subway Masters - Pokémon - Image by Pixiv Id 10285380 #2163539 - Zerochan

[ghostypetrainer]

you mentioned that Ingo is popping in and out across time/space and other dimensions right? so does that mean Ingo could plausably pop into some of your other alternate timelines? could Paradox!Ingo end up in Stargo's Paldea and just have a heart attack seeing his goth phase all over again? could he end up in Ultra Nobori's Alola and just see himself as a smurf? so many possibilities...

Yup! It doesn't happen that often, but he's definitely been blipped into Ultra Space at least once (and came back with a Kartana, classic Ingo), and he's managed to be mystery dungeon'd at least once (at least he turned back into a human afterwards...).

So it's not common, but it does happen!!!

[slimeywooper]

Labmas AU - Unintended Consequences

Chapter 16 Part 1 - Event Horizon

CW: Abandon all hope ye who enter here. Cursing in this first section.

You get ready quickly today, aiming to arrive at the laboratory a little early. The faster this experiment gets done, the sooner you can hang out with Kudari. After discovering he and Nobori aren't going to live long, full lives, you want to prioritize how you spend your free time, so you can be with them as much as possible. Dipping into the cafeteria, you grab a breakfast sandwich, quickly devouring it on the elevator as you head down to the laboratory. Making your way through the reception area, you wave at Marcello and scan your badge. Stopping by the locker room, you pick up your lab coat. Fully prepared, you take the next elevator to the third floor, where Colress said he would meet you.

Standing by the kennels while typing on his tablet, Colress looks up as you approach. "You're ready for the day, I see. It's slightly before the scheduled time, but Frank and Alvis are mostly done with setting up, so it shouldn't be an issue for you to begin now," he explains. "I'm eager to get started, myself. Let's retrieve your partner and commence with the experiment." Walking to Kudari's room, he punches the passcode into the wall panel, opening the door.

Kudari steps out, wearing a tie with a light blue dress shirt, and you can smell that he has applied aftershave or cologne. It appears he is really leaning into a professional look, and radiating an excitable energy. This gives you a hopeful feeling that today's job will go well, with him taking it so seriously. If all goes as planned, maybe Colress will even give him a genuine compliment later, though you aren't going to hold your breath for that to happen.

Upon seeing him, Colress sighs, "I hope you had fun dressing up, Kudari. As I said yesterday, the two of you will be delivering Pokemon to Frank on the second floor. I need you to grab a couple from the kennels and take them to experiment room B-3. It doesn't really matter what species, just as long as they are manageable." Holding up a pointer finger, and giving Kudari a look, he warns, "No Joltik!" Lowering his hand, he continues, "Most everything is set up, so you can go ahead and bring the Pokemon to their destination. In the event Frank needs more specimens, you two will return here to collect them." Finishing his directions, he adds, "I'm going to be monitoring for any irregular fluctuations on the computer in my office. Let's get to it," before turning on his heel and walking away.

Once he's out of sight, Kudari exclaims, "As if we would use Joltik for such a dangerous experiment!"

"We'll just grab the first small Pokemon we see," you recommend, motioning with your hand for him to follow. As you are both walking towards the kennels, you smile at him and mention, "By the way, you look really nice. That shirt brings out your eyes."

"Thank you," he mutters, face turning a bright, pink hue.

There are two little cages stacked nearby, for transporting the Pokemon. Colress must have grabbed some from the supply room and placed them here for you. Observing the Pokemon in the kennels, the first ones to catch your eye are a Chimchar and a Patrat.

Pointing them out to Kudari, he immediately suggests, "I will take the Fire type. They are dangerous, I do not want you to get hurt."

"Are you sure? I know you don't really like them," you comment, tilting your head.

"I am positive. They can be very nasty and cruel!" he informs you. Grabbing one of the cages, he brings it over to the kennel with the Chimchar. When he opens the door, it jumps out at him, crawls over his shoulder, and hangs off the back of his neck in a playful manner. "Nasty and cruel!" he repeats, as you help him unlatch it's arms from around his neck, suppressing laughter as you do. After getting it into the cage, it's locked inside, and you move on to the Patrat, bringing the other cage over and transferring the Pokemon with no trouble.

"Well, that wasn't too bad," you say, snickering from the way Kudari pouts at you. "Let's bring them to Frank. Hopefully after this, we can hang out for longer today." Walking to the elevator with one cage each, you both ride up a floor, and head for room B-3. After entering, you spot the back of Frank fiddling with a device.

He turns, acknowledging you and Kudari, beckoning you further inside. Taking a look at the Pokemon, Frank comments, "You brought a Chimchar…"

"Yeah… is that an issue?" you ask hesitantly.

Shrugging, he states, "It's from a different region. Probably more expensive to import. But that's not my problem. Set them both in the corner." Peering around the table, he exhales in mellow frustration, "Damnit Alvis. He forgot something. I'll be back."

"No Problem," you chirp after him, as he leaves. There are already different supplies around the room on the various tables, including the apparatus where the Ultra Wormhole is supposed to open. It is almost an exact copy of the one that summoned the portal you walked through, but much smaller. You lift the cage with the Patrat, taking it to the corner he had mentioned, then walk back to grab the other cage from Kudari, putting them next to each other.

Now alone, Kudari approaches you cautiously, grabbing your attention by making the same clicking sounds he was using to converse with the Joltik and Emmet's Galvantula, Spindly.

"Hey, Kudari, what's up?" You turn around to face him.

He doesn't answer you, instead continuing his clicks, this time with more desperation. You notice his abdomen vibrating rhythmically, and his pedipalps spasming at timed intervals.

"I don't know what that means. If you can't tell me, can you at least write it down? They probably have a pen and paper around here somewhere," you offer.

His face is visibly becoming upset, breathing heavily. The clicking continues, as he holds out his hand, palm up.

You feel terrible, informing him, "I'm sorry, I can't understand you," while shaking your head and glancing from his hand back to his face.

In an instant, his eyes well with tears and he starts to scream. Lashing out, he begins destroying the room, instruments flying everywhere. You duck out of the way, covering your head. The caged Pokemon start matching his frenzy, making a cacophony of different shrieks. Frank pokes his head back in, and upon seeing the chaos, continues on his way. Kudari picks you up, hastily exits the room and starts running, just as he did when he was playing his game. You curl up, attempting to become as small as possible, willing yourself not to make a sound. He rushes for the generator room, and using the staircase, arrives on the third floor, carrying you to his place, quickly entering the code into the wall panel. When the door closes behind the two of you, he takes you to his web, gently placing you on it. Smiling down at you, a few tears still falling from his eyes, he grabs your hand, and tenderly puts it on his cheek.

"Don't be afraid, little one. I would never hurt you. Let's leave, just like we talked about! We can escape! What Frank is working on, that's our ticket to getting out of here!" He hesitates before continuing, "Even though we're different, that doesn't mean we can't be together! I've never courted anyone before, so my Galvantula instincts took over. I had an urge to talk with you in my tongue, I couldn't control myself." Now speaking so fast you can't get a word in, he comments, "They're surely on their way to retrieve you. I won't let them take you for long. We should make a plan. Eventually no one will come between us. No Dr. Colress, Team Plasma, or Nobori, just us."

Feeling overwhelmed from all the information you are being told, you state, "Kudari, wait, I'm not sure what's going on. Where is all of this coming from?" There are many more questions running through your mind, but you settle for these to start.

Growing sheepish, Kudari explains, "The other day when you nipped me, I knew it was love. Initially, I thought it might have been a mistake, that I had imagined the intention behind it. But then we talked about leaving together, so it must have been real! You were worried you hurt my throat, but I'm fine. I've been picking the scab so it doesn't heal. It needs to stay open so I always have a reminder of your confession." He leans into your hand. "When you told me yesterday that we would talk about it, I knew you were ready to hear mine, as well!"

Is that how he interpreted your actions? Not you desperately trying to escape, but some kind of love declaration? You are feeling absolutely horrible for the pain you are about to put him through when you explain your reaction. Have you been unknowingly encouraging him with what you've been saying? Meaning things in an innocent, platonic way, and Kudari taking them to have romantic implications? From the corner of your eye, you see Nobori now stands behind him. Yet again, he has come to rescue you.

Placing his human half over you defensively, Kudari turns his head and snarls in his direction. Releasing your hand, he tightly wraps his arms around you, pulling you close. "Leave us alone, Nobori. I'll come back and clean the mess I made. Just don't take them. Leave them here to await my return." He kisses the side of your temple. "It's no use trying to talk us down, we have already decided to leave!"

Nobori puts his hands up in a surrendering gesture, to show he means no harm, saying, "I'm sorry, Kudari. I should have sensed your confusion, but I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts and feelings. My acute awareness of the varying shifts in (Y/N)'s emotional state signaled something was wrong, so I came as soon as I felt it. Let's not be rash, we can discuss this."

"There is nothing to discuss! I already told you, we are leaving here together." Looking back down at you, eyes filled with an optimistic luster, grinning ear to ear, he implores you, "Tell him, (Y/N)!"

With a startled expression, you slowly shake your head. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to give you that impression. When I was so high up, I was terrified. You weren't listening, so I did the only thing I could."

A perplexed look overtakes his features, "B-but, yesterday, when we were talking, you said you wanted to leave with me!"

"Yes, I would like to leave here, but I meant as friends! Not in the context of escaping together, as a couple! I also stipulated it would take time, and not to be disappointed if…" Trailing off, you look to Nobori. He doesn't offer any encouraging words to back you up, but is watching for Kudari's next move intently.

Searching your face for the truth, Kudari recognizes the mortified look on you, and begins hyperventilating. You close your eyes and brace yourself for a violent episode, but it doesn't come. Glancing back up at him, he appears shattered. Soft hiccups soon evolve into loud weeping. Releasing you, he crawls onto his web. He isn't angry, he's devastated.

"If you need my help—" Nobori begins.

"Just leave me be, Nobori! You've already done enough harm!" he yells, devolving into more wailing.

The intense scene is interrupted by an angry proclamation, "God-fucking-damn it! I knew something like this would happen." Standing in the doorway, watching the conversation unfold, is Colress. He exclaims, " Of course I was correct. When am I ever wrong?" Voice rising, he announces, "Everyone out! Leave Kudari to his misery for now. I'll deal with him later."

Gently stepping down from Kudari's web, you whisper, "I'm sorry," placing a hand on his forearm.

He jolts at the contact, glaring at you. "Just go," he utters, sorrow dripping from his voice.

Giving him a sad look, you make your leave with Nobori and Colress following, the door shutting after them.

Someone forcefully grabs your shoulder, spinning you around. It's Colress, wearing a livid expression. "This is exactly the type of thing I wanted to avoid. Know that it was you that forced my hand. Leave. I can't stand to even look at you right now," he hisses.

There's nothing you can say… he's right to be upset by this, even if you didn't do it intentionally. Walking past the both of them, you head to the elevator. You hadn't realized Kudari even felt such emotions. Not that he couldn't, but he came across as so young, it never entered your mind that he would have any interest in someone romantically, least of all you.

In a daze, you slowly make your way back to your dorm, not bothering to drop off your lab coat, once again bringing it with you. How did things get so bad? One day everything is looking optimistic, then the next, all your hopes are destroyed. If you had realized sooner that Kudari was harboring a crush on you, maybe this whole ordeal could have been prevented. When the door closes, you walk to the bedroom. Sitting down on the corner of your bed, you begin to think about what comes next.

Surely this was it… he's not getting anymore chances. Colress said it himself, depending on how bad he was, this could be his last opportunity. And with the way Colress looked at you, and the words he spat, that gave you your answer. What Kudari did was really bad. Destroying Frank's experiment, opening his own door with the passcode, then trying to think of a plan of escape with you. There wasn't any coming back from this. Hopefully, Colress only heard the very end of the conversation, and didn't actually hear the part about wanting to leave the laboratory, or see him opening his own door. That might lessen the severity of the punishment he's likely going to get. The best you can hope for is still being allowed to visit Kudari in his room, but after today, would he even want to see you again?

Falling back on the bed, you try to plan for tomorrow. You have to meet with him, and explain that everything was just a huge misunderstanding, and there was never any intention to cause pain. Even if you have to grovel on your hands and knees to get him to see how earnest you are, you'll make him listen. Sniffling, your eyes start to water. He didn't wear a tie and cologne for work, he wore it for you. If you hadn't been so oblivious, you could have stopped it right there, before even getting the Pokemon. How could you have been so blind? He's the only other person you've been spending time with, besides Nobori, and you still failed to read him.

Quietly crying, you turn over and crawl to your pillow, hugging it as you sink further into misery. It is moments like these that make you wish you could close your eyes and never wake up.

[blaiddraws]

GOOD MORNING i started thinking about gunsmoke au Scenarios. one of which included the possibility of zisu wearing nobori's coat. (he's the closest in height to her). and then i REALIZED

[a-land-lacking-sleep]

Day 18: Heat of Battle

(Another WIP!)

Ingo clasps his hands together, his right arm up straight and his left hand grasping his right, then gives it a solid shake to sign a shouted ‘Bravo!’ to Red. ‘Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you! Let me introduce myself… I am the Subway Master Nobori. What can I see after winning, winning, and winning? Where is my destination?’ While he had started off slow, the mixture of muscle memory and excitement of the coming battle sped his hands up, betraying his emotions as easily as his voice. ‘I’ve kept thinking, and I’ve learned one thing. That is, you cannot know what happens after winning without winning. Therefore, I will exert every possible effort to battle with you.’ “All aboard!” Ingo shouts to finish the script.

Anyone who would theoretically step into the car would be able to feel electricity filling the air as the pair both reached up for their hats in sync, gripping the brims in mirror imagery as Ingo spins to launch his Pokeball and Red swings his arm out to command his Pikachu.

“Gliscor, hit the tracks and lay Stealth Rocks!”

Pikachu, meanwhile, had been gathering electricity around itself to prepare to launch when Red’s voice cuts through the air. “Switch course, Iron Tail!” Already poised low, Pikachu disperses the electricity into air around it and launches forward, through the pointed stones launching from Gliscor, the steel sheen already covering its tail. Ingo brings his hand up, but pauses and winces, seeing he’s too slow to react as Pikachu’s tail slams down hard onto his Gliscor, slamming the bat against the floor with a thud.

There was a brief pause in the action as Pikachu waited for Gliscor to move, which amounted to an annoyed flick of his barbed tail. Gliscor pushes himself up, and locks eyes with Pikachu, his smile growing wider as green, poisoned saliva drips down his chin onto the floor. Pikachu falls back in shock for a moment, and Ingo takes the chance. “Stone Edge, Agile, followed by Protect!”

Gliscor, still hunched over on the floor, leaps forward at Pikachu, both pincers coming down onto the floor of the subway with incredible force. And with speed that only a well-trained Champion could react with, Pikachu leaps away from the stone pillar that forms where it had stood. A slide of Red’s foot is all the command needed for Pikachu’s next move as it quickly forms a surfboard made of electro-magnetic energy, and summons a wave of water from the aether, threatening to swallow Gliscor in the Surf. 

But the water parted around the scorpion bat, leaving a madly giggling Pokémon with clicking pincers. “Gliscor, converge your tracks! Earthquake!” With his cackle reaching a fever pitch, Gliscor slams his stinger into the floor of the car, twisting it and causing the entire car to shake. Ingo stands straight in his position, unmoved by the normal rattling of the train car being amplified by his Pokémon’s attack. And in kind, Red stands there, swaying slightly as he rides the waves of tectonic force.

[unovanhunny]

Are Nobori and Kudari vulnerable to holy things? Perhaps Emmet's cross brushes Nobori's back during sex, leaving a nice mark there. Perhaps Ingo uses holy water on Kudari thinking it will banish him and instead it hurts him, and now Ingo has to nurse him back to health and feels guilty. So many possibilities

Yes! They are! They aren't affected by the hallowed ground the church is on, they can come and go freely. But specific holy and blessed objects can indeed hurt them. In the beginning, the priests did try to shoo the demons with the holy objects but after seeing someone with the face of their twin in pain, they both refrained from anything further. And this is before they give into temptation. That's not to say that things don't happen by accident (complete accident that the cross Emmet wears has left small marks and burns across Nobori's skin, he refuses to take it off and he's Not careful about it.)

[timelord-emmet]

Question! Whyyyy do TL Nobori & Kudari exist? Like what's their motivation? What happened in their time line to make them this way? Orrrr do we have a sort of time loop going on?

—Rando Anon

Truth be told i made them for funsies , just thought the concept was cool but once i drew Kudari it started slowly developing which is why i created the FracturedTimeLine from where they come from.

The more i think on it , the more i realise there’s multiple ways this could be done , though leaning towards the FracturedTimeLine be a parallel universe or possible mirror verse to the Original TimeLine.

I’m still working on it and probably be a bit since i’m still doing the story for the Original TimeLine i just haven’t gotten around to adding more just yet .

Patience is all i can ask for and i’m glad ya like these boys :3

[darlingemmet]

Emmet's probably practiced his delivery of "Nii-san~" to make it hit his clients as hard as possible Ingo doesn't stand a chance

Ingo is like 'I am getting called Nii-san like Nobori in my Johotian Animes.'

[belltrigger]

Sharetober Inspiration: Snow Country by Kenji Kawai, Nobunaga's Ambition Online OST.

@feroluce! This is a dual inspiration! Your thoughts and ideas and stories are always amazing. I love reading through them; the way that you connect lore and realistic responses (especially in tragedies) is just so wowowow!

So! The music I attached just gives me such strong Nobori vibes after he's arrived in Hisui. The song has always given me really complex emotions - I feel like there's a mix of melancholy and wonder, of being faced with a beautifully inhospitable landscape. Something about the music feels like it occurs at night; a person standing in a completely dark house, possibly a traditional Japanese castle-like structure, but the snow completely covering the landscape glows brightly in the moonlight.

I go absolutely bonkers when I think about Nobori knowing how to play the flute.

Is this a skill he's always had, a musical talent that he enjoyed quietly back when he still lived in Raimon? Did he learn the flute because it allowed him to mimic Litwick/Lampent/Chandelure's cries better? He knows his partner can understand his words and feelings, but isn't it nice to try and emulate their sounds as well? Does he play for Kudari, helping his brother relax after a long day. Kudari talks about liking to sing in Masters; do Kudari and Nobori duet together?

Or, is it something he's picked up in Hisui, something that required dedication in order to distract himself? He's already so good at battling, and while he can always improve his skills, whatever made battling so fun seems out of his reach right now. But this, learning something new, pulls his mind away from his loneliness, his despair at not understanding anything about his situation, his ache for something that's missing.

Does he play for the Man in White that lurks at the edge of his memory. Does he hope his haunting melody will draw that Man's form out of that endless white that stretches to the treeline? Will it even be recognized as him reaching out when he doesn't even know himself? Would that Man know him, even like this, even in this music that stumbles with his slowly numbing fingers.

And if not? Who is he playing for? Is it for himself? Is it for those that allowed him to stay with them, even though he knows nothing but how to battle?

The thoughts are overwhelming, so he just lets himself be lost in the song that he plays to the cold winter night.