#pmd lost tracks of time

[mod-jazzy]

Today is February 8th, the day many years ago I joined the PokeAsk Community and then never left! It comes back like a disease

I met lotta people I even met my partner through here lotta good lotta bad yet I still exist Wrow !! Amaze !! What a day

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Ingo woke up in a strange world with almost no memories of who he is or what his past is. What he does know is: his name is Ingo, he has a mission he needs to carry out, and he was definitely a human and not a Sneasel. He meets a strange wanderer named Sneasler who brings him to the Pearl Guild, and the two eventually come across an unusual rescue request.

Author: @teamconductors, @pokelec 

[casualsnickers]

round. friend-shaped. iconic, dare i say. in the world's weirdest polycule. also, could he be anymore obvious as to his mission being a trap? "i was simply testing your strength, my fellow explorer" YOU'RE A TERRIBLE LIAR. super pmd kept him as a bastard man and i wholly appreciate it.

been thinkin about dusknoir and his less-than-optimal history with the player

i do feel like dusknoir should've been given more screen time pre-betrayal as there was never really any backstory as to him being all-knowing and wise. that and the fact that he just never came off as being inherently trustworthy during my initial playthrough of the game. big hulking ghost type... and he's also a warm, jolly fellow? something's not adding up here.

in my own version, dusknoir isn't a famous pokemon nor is he world-reknowned. he's strong, he's knowledgable and he's intimidating. he's been in the past plotting and scheming the same amount of time the hero has. and after all, you don't need other team members to become an explorer.

word would probably reach him via travel about the time gears going missing and he'd immediately scour every inch of the continent for info, eager to throw hands with grovyle only to run into officer magnezone who's investigating the case alongside their fellow magnemites. dusknoir would make up some believable excuse that he's a hobbyist explorer looking to catch grovyle to bolster his own reputation and after explaining what he knows, chief magnezone would take him back to treasure town to have him work exclusively with the wigglytuff guild. it's magnezone who spreads the rumor that dusknoir is well-traveled and intelligent.

dusknoir is both thrilled and exasperated as he now has more access to information via chatot (who actually has the history, skills, documents and reputation of being a head of intelligence) and via wigglytuff's connection to other groups- that, and he now has to work harder to conceal why he's really trying to stay ahead of the guild in tracking down grovyle. he'd be damned if somebody gets their hands on that detestable lizard before he does.

he just lurks around treasure town, mostly in the guild discussing possible locations for the time gears. sometimes, he's gone on solo missions. sometimes, he's in the town buying things. it's understood that he's literally just there to reap the social reward of capturing grovyle and nobody makes a big deal about him just showing up and helping. talking to him is completely optional- he still puts on the fake jolly voice and is very social- but he doesn't really take notice of burr or watts since they're both just guild apprentices doing mundane tasks... that and one of them eats rocks.

one day, he tells chatot that he needs to take a break to reservice his equipment and is pointed specifically in burr's direction to get his wonder orbs repurposed; something only the wigglytuff guild knows about. it's canon that nobody really knows where wonder orbs come from nor how they get their power; they simply exist. same thing with wands, scarves, looplets, etc. not even dusknoir knows the deal with where dungeon items come from or why they replenish themselves.

to dusknoir's knowledge, the only person he once knew who could tinker with wonder orbs without breaking them was grovyle's lost partner... the one who's orbs grovyle still uses to escape being caught. the one who's been conveniently off the radar for some time yet. dusknoir takes the time to ask burr to repurpose his wonder orbs and as she does, he recognizes that she and grovyle's partner share the same name, the same mannerisms, and the same way of actually disenchanting and enchanting orbs (via heat, pressure, and a bit of footprint rune know-how). it's when he catches watts casually making a joke about burr's amnesia to another apprentice does he finally begin to put the pieces together.

the issue with the water float arises. marill & azurill come to the guild looking for hero & partner and make a big scene. almost immediately, burr quietly pinpoints that it's in amp plains (via the dimensional scream ability) and leaves with watts to go and retrive it, dusknoir tagging along because he's familiar with the luxray clan lore and because he has no idea how burr would be able to pinpoint the water float's location so quickly having overheard her.

he comes in handy for the luxray pack and for chasing off team skull once they're found out. the three of them take the float back to town and deliver it back to the marill brothers only for dusknoir to take them both aside later and question their abilities. watts is completely ordinary apart from his relic fragment but being the talkative one, he persuades burr to tell dusknoir about her special ability and to keep it a secret that burr is actually a human.

it's a done deal after that and dusknoir immediately begins laying the bait for both grovyle and his amnesiac partner.

[teamconductors]

A Day Off: A PMD Lost Tracks of Time AU

Summary: During a weekend where the Battle Subway has shut down for maintenance, Ingo offers Mono a train trip, and Emmet wants to spend time with her at Nimbasa's amusement park.

Background: This is for the Swap AU (forgive the old art). After the events of LTOT, Sneasler is turned into a human and is sent back in time to Unova before Ingo got taken to Hisui.

In terms of timeline, this is after Sneasler aka Mono has established herself as a trainer, is roommates with Elesa, and got a job at the Battle Subway out of pity (or so she claims).

This is a long one. It could've been split, but I didn't want to.

Also, for clarity: Mono is Sneasler's name as a human. Everyone knows her as Mono, but the narration uses both Mono and Sneasler for her. Is that confusing? Maybe. But I'm too lazy to change it.

"Unbelievable," Sneasler said. She wished she figured out human technology by now. Perhaps if she had, she wouldn't have entered Gear Station at the typical early morning time and saw signs blocking the entrance to her workplace.

"Good morning, Miss Mono!"

"Morning, Ingo." Sneasler turned to see Ingo, who lacked his black Subway Boss coat and hat but still wore his button shirt and pants. "I know I'm here because I messed up, I guess. But why are you here?"

"I need to make sure that maintenance occurs as smoothly as possible!" Ingo said. "That said, I only need to do periodic checks. After I complete this first morning check, would you like to accompany me for a train ride around Unova?"

"Just you? Emmet's not coming?" Sneasler almost asked about Elesa but stopped herself upon remembering that she left Nimbasa for a fashion show.

"Since I accepted the responsibility to watch over the Battle Subway, Emmet decided to try alternate routes for his weekend. We work together and have many common interests, but we don't always need to be a two-car train."

Sneasler turned her head so Ingo wouldn't see her cringe. Before she was kidnapped out of her time, Emmet had gotten better about going on separate missions without Ingo. But the literal and metaphorical scars remained. Once in a while, Emmet would suffer a panic attack if Ingo - or Eelektross or even her - were away for too long. He hated that it was still an issue, and so did she. One day I'm gonna kick Arceus' ass for the pain they caused, she thought.

She shook off the mental damage to continue her questioning. "Are you gonna be okay being gone from the station for a while? How long's the trip?"

"Less than two hours! We will return to Gear Station by the end, and there are no stops in between. This is purely a scenic trip!"

"...Okay. Why me?"

"Does there need to be a reason?" Ingo's eyes widened. "Wait, do you have another activity scheduled?"

Sneasler shrugged. Had she known, she could have at least slept in - though that's easier said than done, considering her recent insomnia. "Not really. Sure, I'll do a train ride."

"Excellent! Allow me to finish what I need to, and we will be off!" Ingo sped-walked past Mono before she could ask where she should wait.

---

Sneasler didn't wait long for Ingo. He led her to the wing of Gear Station she seldom visited beyond the her first day in Unova and ended up on a train. Unlike the Battle Subway's trains, they offered plenty of benches and tables for guests to rest at. She and Ingo took a car with no one else in it. Ingo chose a table, and Mono sat across from him, putting her basket next to her on the bench.

"Did you make that basket? It appears well-made and well-cared for," Ingo asked.

"Uh, thanks. It's... an heirloom," Mono said. This is going be a painful ride, isn't it?

The journey began. They started underground, but soon they popped out of a tunnel near Driftviel City. It was Sneasler's first time outside of Nimbasa. The mining city vaguely reminded her of the dungeons near Cobalt Coastlands.

Ingo interrupted Sneasler's musing. "Is something the matter, Miss Mono?"

Sneasler realized she had been staring at him. "Uh, no! I, uh, haven't been sleeping well. That's all."

"Oh, I'm sorry that you've been having such roadblocks. Is there anything I can can for you? Does your schedule need to be changed?"

"Nope, my work schedule is fine." Much to her chagrin, Ingo and Emmet trained Sneasler well to wake up at dawn. Even before then, she preferred mornings and daylight to night. "Don't worry about it, alright?"

"My job is to transport talented trainers to greater heights, and that includes the trainers helping us as well. On that topic, how are your pokemon doing? If I remember, your current team is a Croagunk, a Riolu, and a Whirlipede."

"Wow, you actually remembered that?" Does he usually remember different trainers' teams like that??

"Well, you only recently became a trainer, am I correct? Our guests who have battled against you certainly couldn't tell! You've been performing fantastically so far!"

Croagunk, Whirlipede, and Riolu fight well on their own. I'm just there pretending to guide them. "Got lucky, I guess."

"I don't think it's luck, Miss Mono."

I found Croagunk after he got abandoned by his trainer. Riolu was a stray on the outskirts of Nimbasa and needed a home. And meeting Whirlipede was an accident.

"Please do not discount yourself."

I'm not a trainer. I'm not supposed to be here.

"I think your journey has only just begun."

One of the doors opened. An Audino with a cart walked to Ingo and Mono's table. On top of the cart sat a kettle and bowls with colored packets, tiny cartons of liquid, and small sticks. On the secondary shelf were stacks of cups. "I have coffee!"

"Miss Mono, the coffee is complimentary. There's also a dining kart if you'd like to fuel yourself." Ingo took the cup Audino offer him. "Thank you very much," he said to the pokemon.

"Uh, thanks." Sneasler accepted her own cup. She stared at the dark liquid inside as Audino placed cups with packets and tiny cartons and a couple sticks on the table. She brought the cup to her nose and sniffed.

"Do you like coffee, Miss Mono?" Ingo asked as he prepared his own cup.

"Coffee, huh?" She sniffed again. It didn't smell bad. "I've seen Elesa drink this stuff, but I haven't yet."

"Really? I'm surprised."

"She's offered, but I just didn't feel like it. But, uh... here I go, I guess." Sneasler brought the cup to her lips and took in a mouthful of the liquid.

She slammed the cup to the table and covered her mouth with her hand lest she spit everything over poor Ingo.

"Are you alright?!" Ingo yelled loud enough that Audino, who left for another car, opened the door and ran to Ingo and Mono.

Sneasler waved at both Ingo and Audino with her free hand as she swallowed. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" She looked at Audino, who had placed her feelers on her chest. "No really, I'm alright."

"Okay... But I hope what's making you sad goes away..." Audino retracted her feelers and returned to the other car.

I heard that. "Sorry, Ingo. It was just really, really bitter, and I didn't expect it. Smelled and tasted really different."

"Hm, you do run into surprises in a journey sometimes. May I try something?" Ingo pointed to Mono's cup.

"If you want it, take it." Sneasler grabbed napkins and began wiping up the coffee that splashed out when she slammed the cup down.

Ingo grabbed a packet and a tiny carton and poured their contents into the cup. "I find black coffee too bitter to fully enjoy as well. That surprises people, but I'm not sure why." He stirred the mixture together with a stirring stick and then offered it to Mono. "I added cream and sugar to your drink, which is how I like it. I hope this is more palatable for you."

Sneasler glanced between Ingo and the cup. She grabbed the cup with a delicate hold and slowly took a sip. She braced for the bitterness, but the sweetness calmed down the bitterness like a Light Screen reducing a Psychic's damage. "That's not... terrible. I don't think I'll be drinking much coffee, though."

"That's alright! You need to know what works best for you, just like how you need to know how to keep a machine well-oiled!"

Sneasler chuckled. "Everything comes back to trains for you, huh?"

"Well, trains are fascinating! The way they're made, how they work, how precisely you can make schedules and get everyone to where they want at the right time! Why else would Emmet and I format a battle facility in a series of them? On that line of thought, why did you decide to work specifically at Gear Station? You said you weren't a pokemon trainer, so was there another reason?"

He's conveniently leaving out the part of our first meeting where I said I knew them, but okay. "I... Listen, I'm not that good with technology. I can get the gist of things, but it'll take me a bit to get used to them. But... I... I have two younger brothers that love trains." Sneasler's eyes widened as soon as she registered what she just said, but she could not take that back. "And... it's really nice to hear them excited. They've shown me books about them because they think it's fun to talk about them to someone who doesn't know squat. ...For a lot of reasons, I haven't been able to see them, and the Battle Subway... reminds me of them." She blinked more frequently as something welled behind her eyes.

Ingo's signature frown softened. "I see... Well, I'm glad to have you ride with us, and I hope you see your brothers soon."

"Me, too."

Ingo and Sneasler decided in silence to watch the view as their train passed by different areas. They breezed through forests, went through mountain tunnels and over bridges, and witnessed the sky turn from orange to blue. Ingo made comments about cities and landmarks but was clearly less energetic than before.

By the time they passed through Undella Town, Sneasler groaned, making Ingo jump. "Holy rift, I made this trip so awkward. I am so sorry."

"Please do not apologize! This has not been awkward for me, but does that mean it was awkward for you?" Ingo asked, frowning deeply.

"C'mon, stop deflecting. I can't believe you've always been like this."

"What do you mean?"

"It's been a bad trip, and you know it. I can see it in your face." Sneasler pointed at Ingo and traces circles in the air.

"Really? I've been told that I'm rather stiff..."

"Compared to Emmet, yeah, but... I can still see it." Sneasler sighed. "Maybe it would've been better if you just did this on your own."

ingo hummed. "If you hadn't been at Gear Station, I most likely would have gone on this train by myself. While that would have made for a fine trip, journeys are made better when shared with others." He looked into Mono's eyes. "Miss Mono, I know that Elesa has been a great help for you, but please also know that Emmet and I are here to help you move forward to your destination!"

Sneasler rested her head on her hands. "And dramatic as ever, too. I'll never understand how you always say stuff like that so sincerely."

"My job is to transport passengers along their journeys to greater heights. Why wouldn't I be happy about what I do?"

"The more you talk, the more you keep using Dig." Sneasler laughed as Ingo got more confused. "It's not a bad thing, Ingo. Don't change that part of you, okay?"

Ingo's eyes widened. "I... Thank you, Miss Mono. I shall do my best."

The rest of the trip was quiet, but with the air cleared, they watched the scenery change in comfort. Though fascinated with the shifting landscapes and cities, Sneasler took glances at Ingo. His human face was slightly harder for her to read than his Sneasel face, but he definitely relaxed into his seat.

Ingo said something about liking train rumbling, right? I guess that's why. ...Have I ever seen him like this? My ancestor definitely didn't. He doesn't really relax on vacations either. Maybe the warden and rescuer stuff takes more out of him than he wants to say? I know he enjoys it, but that responsibility...

I really am going to kick Arceus' ass one of these days.

***

When they returned to Gear Station, Ingo left to check on the status of maintenance, and Sneasler returned to her temporary home and take a nap. She didn't know why her body hurt more than normal. She decided to blame it on her weird human body.

Elesa described her apartment as small, but to Sneasler, it was massive compared to Ingo and Emmet's old tent at the Pearl Guild. She also gave Mono her own guest room, but the train ride tired her out so much that she crashed onto the rectangular but plush couch in the living room. She fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

The ringing of a bell woke Sneasler from her dreamless nap. She jumped to a sitting position, accidentally making Riolu and Croagunk fall off her and onto the floor.

"What the?" Sneasler cursed as she looked between the two dazed tiny pokemon and Whirlipede wrapped around her basket. "When did you guys get here?"

"Came outta our balls like an hour ago," Croagunk said.

"You looked comfy..." Riolu said.

The doorbell rang again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Sneasler combed her fingers through her hair to fix it. The ends curled back up to their usual position. She opened the door.

"I am Emmet. Hi there, Mono." Like Ingo, he did not wear his signature coat and hat, but his outfit was even more unfamiliar to Sneasler. His pants looked almost like normal ones, but the shirt had some sort of colorful floral pattern she didn't expect, let alone from him.

"Hi. Uh, if you're looking for Elesa, she's outta town right now," Sneasler said.

"I know. You have the day off, and so do I. Do you want to go somewhere with me?"

"First your brother, now you?! Is this some sort of new employee ritual thing, or...?"

"Not at all. I am just curious about you." Emmet smiled even more.

Sneasler sighed. "Alright, fine, I guess. Might as well. Why not?" She turned to her pokemon behind her. "You guys gonna be okay here?"

"You're not taking them with you?" Emmet stared intensely at Mono.

"Am... I supposed to?" Sneasler paused, then she added, "Are you gonna challenge me to a battle?!"

"Not today. For you safety, it is a good idea for pokemon trainers to have at least one pokemon with them at all times."

Why am I getting deja vu? "Alright. Everyone cool with coming with?" After a set of affirmative answers, she walked back to the couch where her basket rested next to. She kept her pokeballs inside, along with her hat and coat, the Toxic Plate, and other important items. "...Wait. Do you have a pokemon on you?"

"Of course!" Emmet said.

On cue, a Jotik popped his head out of the pocket on Emmet's shirt. "Hello!"

Sneasler stared at Emmet and Jotik in stunned silence. "Why am I surprised anymore?"

---

Emmet led Mono to Nimbasa City's amusement park while marching and swinging his arms straight, which was more impressive to witness compared to when he did it as a Sneasel.

"We have arrived at Ronde-View Ferris Wheel. Ronde-View Ferris Wheel," Emmet said while pointing at Mono.

"Elesa mentioned something about a "Ferris wheel". You just go around in a circle?" Sneasler asked.

"Correct. It is not a thrill ride, but they give us a good view of Nimbasa City. Are you afraid of heights?"

"No! I'm a rock climber, and you can't be a climber if you're afraid of heights!" Unless there's a bottomless Distortion World void beneath me, but that's just common sense.

"Rock climbing? Verrrry interesting." Emmet narrowed his eyes at Mono.

Sneasler narrowed her eyes back at him. "Yeah. Haven't done it in a while, though."

"Would you like to try today? A rock climbing wall was set up here recently."

"Wait, really? A wall that you just... climb? As a human?"

"'As a human'?" Emmet repeated.

"...Well, I'm just used to regular rocks and cliffs. That's all."

The ride operator stopped the wheel and let people exit a gondola. She approached the gate that Emmet and Mono stood at. "Hello! How many people do we have?"

"Two," Emmet said. "All aboard!"

The pokeball-shaped gondolas were large enough to fit at least four humans and maybe a few small pokemon. The pokeball designs were upside down, making the white half see-through for people to look out of. Mono stepped onto the gondola and got surprised when the floor gave under her weight.

"What the hell?!" Sneasler jumped backward, hitting Emmet with her basket. He quickly caught himself instead of falling.

"Oh, don't worry, Miss! Some of these cars can swing," the ride operator said. "If you'd like, you can wait behind the gate and the next car will stay still."

"That car would be preferable for both of us, I think. Please stand by, Mono," Emmet said, pointing to the line gate.

Sneasler reluctantly stood back and took the next gondola. To her relief, it remained still when she stepped onto it. She and Emmet took opposite seats. Once settled, the operator closed the door and started the ride.

"That was embarrassing," Sneasler said. "I just wanna say, I think the moving one would be fine. I just didn't expect it."

"You are fine, Mono. As I said, I like the cars that don't move. The wheel moves us, anyway." Emmet looked to their left. "I enjoy riding trains and running the Battle Subway. But I also like rides like this because I get a change in perspective."

"Change in perspective, huh?" Sneasler watched them slowly rise above the different buildings in the city. Previously, she could only get a view like this from climbing mountains or riding on Eelektross' back (though he couldn't for long). Not to mention that she mostly saw man-made buildings as ruins, as landmarks of times long past. Here, they were new and pristine.

"Now that our trip has begun, I need to ask you something," Emmet said. "Who are you?"

Sneasler blinked at him. "Is your memory alright? My name's Mono."

"You introduced yourself as Sneasler first."

Sneasler frowned. She mentally kicked herself for confusing Ingo and Emmet so much when they first saw each other. How was she supposed to know she ended up in Unova before Ingo went missing? "It's just a nickname. I mistook you two for someone else."

"Your nickname is the name of an extinct pokemon?"

"Extinct?!" No, wait, calm down! The Nobles weren't active when humans were around. Not extinct. Just in hiding. "I mean... yeah, weird name, it's a long story. And what does it matter?"

Emmet readjusted himself and leaned forward. "I'm just curious. You had a verrrry strong entrance. What is your goal? I want to see your track is going."

Sneasler groaned and put her head into her hands. "Why are you two like this? Ingo got done talking to me about basically the same thing!"

"Huh. I didn't know that. We took different lines but accidentally converged." Emmet smiled. "But I think he gets something different out of questions than I do. We see things differently, and that makes us strong together. I want to learn more! Where do you want your journey to go, Mono?"

"I..." Sneasler leaned back and lazily stared out the window to think. Talking with Ingo started this train of thought, and talking with Emmet needed to finish it.

I want to fucking go home. But I have no idea how to do that, so maybe if I get money, I can go to the Sinnoh region, find the Nobles of this era, and get them to help me. ...If I can find them. If they can get me in contact with Dialga or someone. Could they turn me back into a Sneasler? Ingo and Emmet kinda turned back, but they kinda didn't either. And there's no way I could become like what they are now!

"Mono?" Emmet asked. "Do you not have an answer? If so, that's fine. That's a valid feeling."

"No, I... I do, it's just..." There's no dungeons here. There's no Nobles or rescue teams or anything I know. I don't know what I'm doing here. I don't know anything about being a trainer or being around humans. And just to top it all off, my body isn't mine anymore! Losing my memories would be a blessing at this point! Because at least I don't have to look at Emmet or Ingo and have them look back at me as a stranger!

The Ferris wheel stopped moving. Their gondola returned to ground level.

"Why are you crying?" Emmet reached into a different shirt pocket and offered Mono a tissue. "You really don't have to answer if you can't."

"Why do you care?! You don't even know me!" Sneasler stood up and grabbed her basket. She slammed open the cart and hopped over the exit gate. She looked down at the ground as she walked so that no one saw her tears.

She found a patch of grass and trees at the edge of the park. A shrill winding sound came from her basket, making her jump. Sneasler then nearly fall over as her basket got a heavy weight added inside that wasn't there before. After placing the basket down, she leaned on the tree and slid down to a sitting position. She covered her eyes with one hand.

"Sneasler?" Her Croagunk asked, having come out of his pokeball to face his trainer. "You wanna talk?"

"I am never gonna get used to that pokeball sound." She unlocked the latch on her basket and slapped the top off. "Why are you here?"

Croagunk popped his head out. "You're crying and stormed off from your friend and you're surprised I wanna ask why?"

Sneasler sighed. "Stop pretending you care. I only caught you so I could pretend I'm a trainer."

"You do realize that you totally are a pokemon trainer by now, between me and Riolu and Whirlipede?"

"I'm not a pokemon trainer!"

"Then what are you?"

"I... I don't know anymore, damn it! Like, I was just a Sneasel with a Noble mom. Then my mom died, I had to evolve to a Sneasler take over her title, which sounds great, but it's not! Because everyone wants you to be the ultimate rescuer with super strength and memories from past Nobles and other weird powers! And then a whole bunch of shit happened and everyone became convinced Ingo and Emmet are my younger brothers which is fine! I guess! Because pokemon and even the other Nobles started to respect me more!

"And then! AND THEN!" Sneasler took a deep breath. "Without an ounce of warning, I wake up! In a different time period! In a totally different world! I've never been around humans, I only have memories of them, and even THOSE are vague at best, and now I have to ACT like one?! I had claws for climbing, and now I have weak, soft fingers and nails that break under the slightest load! My back hurts if I carry my basket for too long which NEVER used to happen! I have to pretend to not know what every pokemon I hear is saying!" Sneasler pinched her cheeks. "And to top it all off, whoever did this to me decided to give me a face that looks like Ingo and Emmet's! But they don't know me! And they're the only people in this world I should know but I don't!"

Croagunk tilted his head to look at someone behind Mono and wave. "Hi there, Emmet."

Sneasler scrambled to standing position. Though absolutely terrified, she needed to see if Croagunk told the truth. Unfortunately for her, there Emmet stood, his face frozen and his smile open, wanting to say something but no sound coming out.

Sneasler recalled Uxie's description of when Arceus took Ingo: the world opened up below Ingo and Emmet. They were sucked down until the portal touched one of them and threw out the other. Since Arceus thought Ingo and Emmet were two of the same person, maybe they would think the same thing of her. If Arceus opened a portal right below her feet, she would fall in first and then touch the portal first and leave Emmet and Ingo alone. They're left behind while thinking they lost a weird employee. Nothing of value was lost. But that would mean she becomes a target of Chained Giratina. She could weather a blow if she was still a Sneasler, but as a weak, squishy human? She could die and be unable to return home. And Dialga would likely become upset at the time paradox this scenario would definitely make.

She would rather face an enraged Dialga than explain to Emmet what he just heard.

"...How much of that did you get?" Mono asked, voice just above a whisper.

"Not all of it, I think," Emmet said. "...Do you want another few days off? There's some new tech in Paldea. There's something about being able to feel what it's like to become a pokemon."

Sneasler's face started to turn red. "If I'm flying somewhere, I'd rather go someplace else." Namely, the Sinnoh region. "And right now? I'd rather go home. Just forget everything, okay? Forget everything I ever said, and I'm not bothering you or Ingo ever again, okay?!"

Emmet placed a hand on Mono's shoulder. "You are not the first human who wants to be a pokemon. I've thought about it when I was younger."

Sneasler facepalmed. Somehow, that's worse than if he found out the truth. But at least that means he's not paying attention to me "knowing" him. "Emmet. I'm asking a lot as someone you don't know well." She grabbed his shoulders. "But please don't tell people about this. It's... embarrassing."

"Sure." He presented the tissue that he tried to offer her before. "Once you are ready, do you want to try that rock climbing wall? Would that help you feel better?" Emmet pointed in the direction of the attraction.

Sneasler sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She took his tissue and cleaned up the leftover tears. "It might, it might not, but you'll know either way, I guess??" She grabbed her basket, surprised it wasn't as heavy as before. Croagunk returned to the ball, I guess. "Let's go. All aboard, conductor."

A short walk later, Sneasler saw what Emmet talked about. Calling it a wall for climbing would be generous at best. It was maybe 15 meters high, adorned with candy-colored rocks, and surrounded by soft-looking mats.

"You sure it's for adults? Adult humans?" Sneasler asked. She imagined her mom using a wall like that to teach her how to climb.

"Of course it is." Before waiting for a reply, he walked to the line.

Oh. He just wants to try climbing. That's why he's still hanging out with me. May as well join him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Sneasler sighed and followed behind Emmet.

Different humans - some kids, some adults - stepped up for the opportunity to climb. They wrapped straps around their waists, which connected to a pulley and then to the operator's pokemon, a Sawk and a Throh. Some people didn't reach the top, but those that did rang a bell hanging there next to some Pidoves. The human running the area had a remote connected to a couple timers. Even small pokemon were allowed to give it a shot, though she noted that none of them were natural climbers.

"We're next. All aboard!" Emmet said as the gate opened to let them in.

"Do you know how to climb, Emmet?" Sneasler asked. The mats squished under her feet, confirming her suspicion of being soft.

"No, but trying could be fun!" Emmet smiled even more.

"Whoa, you already have a harness?" The operator asked, looking at Mono.

"Unbelievably, yes," Sneasler said. When she woke up in this world, she wore the coat and hat the twins gifted her and her basket that still contained the Poison Plate. All the other clothes she arrived in were already on her person: the shirt with a fluffy collar, pants, boots, and fake gemstone decorations. She didn't even know what the harness was until Elesa explained it.

The operator hooked her and Emmet to the safety system and then gave them tips for climbing that Sneasler did not listen to. She stared at her hands. This isn't gonna end well. There's too many humans around looking at us. Is it because of Emmet? I haven't tried climbing with this body yet, but I hate not having my claws. Is this how they felt in their Sneasel bodies?

"Uh, miss? Don't you want to take off your backpack?" the operator asked.

"Nope." Sneasler readjusted her basket for stability. "You ready, Emmet?"

Emmet nodded. "Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedule. Everybody smile!"

As soon as Emmet began reciting his mantra, Sneasler joined in without even thinking about it. When she realized what she was doing, she turned her head to Emmet, who stared back with wide eyes as he kept going. Sorry Emmet, you've said it so much that it burrowed into me.

"Check safety. Everything's ready! Aim for victory! All aboard!" Emmet and Mono finished together. The operator wisely decided to start the timer right then.

Sneasler jumped and grabbed two rocks. She tapped her nails against the colored rocks protruding from the gray wall, hearing and feeling an unnatural hardness and hollowness. Her fingers couldn't dig into the material. She placed her feet on two rocks, and even though she couldn't feel them through the boots, it was sturdy enough to support her weight.

One foot up. Her leg extended, and she grabbed higher rocks. Another step gave her more height. And another. The colored rocks looked like child's play, but they provided a clear, stable path despite their strange and varied shapes. Her body was weaker, but it possessed enough strength to keep her grip and climb at a steady pace. Even as the steepness increased, she was too focused to let it slip her up.

Before she knew, the bell hanged right above her head. With her feet and hands firmly planted, she grabbed the rope and rang the bell for all to hear.

"YES! I can still climb!" In Sneasler's elation, she lost her grip on the wall. She half-expected a certain ghost's Psychic to catch her, but instead, a tug on her harness indicated that the operator's pokemon held her rope, letting her hang in the air. Below her came claps and cheers, but she looked down to find one person in particular.

"You won! That was fun! You did great, Mono!" Emmet near-shouted. He managed to climb halfway up the wall, which Sneasler did not expect, given his thin frame. He let go of the wall without an ounce of fear.

When they were lowered and touched ground, the operator ran at Sneasler. "You climbed that wall in 15 seconds! That's a new record! What's your name, miss?"

"Uh... Mono." I could've done it in half that time if I was still a Sneasler.

"Thank you for climbing with us! Here's your prize!" The operator reached into a pack connected to his belt and pulled out four tickets.

Sneasler snatched the pieces of paper. "Free... Casteliacone... voucher?" She looked at Emmet. "The hell's a Casteliacone?"

"It's a soft serve ice cream. You can get them in Castelia City, which is south from Nimbasa City," Emmet said.

"Oh. Nice." She turned to the operator. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

After Mono and Emmet left the rock climbing area, they found a bench next to a dedicated space to let their pokemon roam. Besides the Joltik from his pocket, Emmet also let Archeops, Durant, and Crustle. Croagunk and Riolu hanged out in their own area, but Whirlipede ran with Archeops for a race - which Sneasler overheard.

"Do you feel better now, Mono?" Emmet asked.

"Kinda." Her fingertips turned red and tough from the exertion. She turned her palm around to stare at the design of her fingerless gloves. "...Sorry for getting mad at you."

"You're not the first. But that climb was amazing. I was hoping for a competition, but I completely lost. It was so fun!" Emmet said. "Yep. You're definitely someone I want to watch for more than one reason. These are the only three pokemon you have?"

"Yep. I have my hands pretty full right now. Why?" she asked, but she already knew what his answer would be.

"When you find a fourth, you should try working for me on the Doubles Line."

"...When? Not if?" Sneasler turned to Emmet and raised an eyebrow.

"Correct. And when you get stronger, you should face me in a battle - after you face 20 trainers first, that is." Emmet smiled even wider.

Sneasler sighed. "You really were always like this, too, huh?"

"Yes? One day, you should also tell us why you act so casually with me and my brother!"

"I said you needed to forget that!" Sneasler once again promised herself to kick the butt of Arceus and whoever is responsible for her predicament.

[doubleddenden]

Gen 3 is up for review

Gen 3 was the soft reboot that set Pokemon on the track it's currently on, and the starters sort of reflect that, while still having a lot of great design sensibilities and awesome creative liberties that really make them stand out among their peers. They're all phenomenal and can easily be worked with, and all deserve to be a "favorite" imo. 9/10, weirdly sporty and really matching the adventure vibes hoenn presents.

Time to break down... it, that is

Yes I did purposely go for Ash's. And why not? That stick takes an already great design and adds even more swagger to it. A classic little guy, and a classic friend- but the kind that you trust to keep it real with you. The color choices are really fun, the versatility is great, and all in all, Treecko is just great, but certain art helps it more than others. 8/10, with the stick becoming an easy 9.

Oh yeah and yall weirdos will immediately see this as PMD Grovyle. The character Grovyle is one of the most dark and interesting characters within the entire franchise, and I do feel like that adds to a lot of people's love for it- myself included *somewhat.*

But for the normal Grovyle NOT from pmd, it's kind of a weird middle stage for me. Certainly not bad, but the lack of an actual tail definitely takes me out. Still, other than the leaf on its head and its tail, you can easily see the gap between Treecko and Sceptile brought together. A 6/10 by itself, whereas pmd grovyle is a 9.

This is just an ordinary Sceptile, and I think that's probably the coolest you can get for it. Like there's "cool" like previous starters like Charizard, Blastoise, Typhlosion, and Feraligatr, and then there's "smack a jukebox" cool like Sceptile. I'd say this is the first actually cool grass starter. It's a confident design with great details that make it stand out, even the tree tail that is both a little out of place and cool at the same time. So what's the catch? Well, look at it's arms. Clearly this Pokemon was meant to use Leaf Blade as it's signature move, but for some forsaken reason, it's now a special attacker- it's still an incredibly cool one, but something was definitely lost with the transition from early gen to gen 4 type and stat mechanics. Otherwise though? Just a great design overall. 9/10, with Ash's almost being a 10 for beating that bitch ass Darkrai, but then it loses a point for it's weird cuck arc it had in the Battle Frontier anime when a Tropius stole the Meganium it liked.

This entire line is probably one of the best grass starters you can possibly get. 8/10

It's a cute chicken. It's kind of hard to find talking points about it, it's a cute chicken and definitely an early sign of what was to come from starter marketing, with a big head and tiny body. The colors are a nice blend and... yes, that's it. Its a friend. 8/10. I like it.

Now Combusken- I think this is the first middle stage evolution I truly dislike. It's not... bad? It's just... not good. I think it's design is decent at showing off it's new fighting type, for sure. But, the head and thighs, and certainly the tail feathers, just don't work for me. Cock and balls out of 10, aka like a 5.

Okay, I know I have a disdain for humanoid starters, but Blaziken was the first and the first to do it RIGHT. See this is the thing- there are no bad angles on this guy. No, he just aura farms no matter how he appears. This is a Pokemon that screams leg use, and the creative liberties taken to avoid a literal chicken while still looking serious and cool are not appreciated enough. Cool colors, cool design, I especially love how it's head wings just spread out while fighting. Brave Bird and Blaze Kick just feel CORRECT on Blaziken. 9/10.

The line isn't really consistent to say the least, and you're also stuck with Combusken for a weirdly long time for my tastes. The transition is kind of symbolic of humans, though. Cute as a kid, ugly as a teen, cool as an adult. 8/10, probably one of the best fire starters around.

Oh there he is. THERE HE IS! The kip himself! That's not just a friend, that's a BUDDY! I didn't come to appreciate him until my teen years, but god, he's just a perfect little boy. The colors are immaculate, the design is a creatively cute and cool blend of random amphibious animals and land critters, and it's a creative way to turn an animal you wouldn't begin to even THINK of being a starter and making it one, which I REALLY wish gf would do again. 9/10.

I'm gonna say it, the hate on Marshtomp is forced at best and 3d pilled at worst. Yes in 3d it looks like it forgot there was a test today, but in 2d and sprites? That's just a cool guy. Maybe not the most immediately identified as an animal, but as a monster? God, it works. The colors aren't as great as Mudkip or Swampert, but it's a fine enough pokemon as is and kinda sporty. I feel Marshtomp is a really good match for game May tbh. 8/10.

Swampert is a divisive pokemon- there are those who think it's cool af, and then there are those that are stupid, inept, and WRONG. It's a monster first and foremost, which I think is the best way to go about pokemon design. It's an overall fun and creative design that really matches the vibes of Hoenn itself: adventures on the land and sea. The pads and sails are just a great addition as well, especially the colors, which help accentuate some colors and make others pop. The typing is fantastic until you meet a single grass type, and it's movesets are fun as well. This used to be my favorite water type until Samurott rolled up. Yeah, 9/10.

The Mudkip line overall is what I feel is Pokemon's strongest suit: monsters. Not a furry oc or an avant garde art piece you need an art history masters degree to understand and "get," it's a monster that just gets cooler as it gets bigger, and honestly you don't need to know it's supposed to be based on axolotls to enjoy them. This is the kind of starter I really miss tbh. 9/10

Gen 4 will be next

[doomerguy]

my pmd oc rosé

she's lost track of her age and may not fully comprehend death, i think time must pass differently for ghost types & legendary pokemon. she's capable of her own type of kindness for the few friends she has but is mostly burnt out and doesn't always see the point in reaching out or helping others. she has fun manipulating situations to cause trouble and drama for others without consequences to herself.

i think gengars in general have a bad reputation but are for the most part playful tricksters who don't mean any harm, while rosé is genuinely spiteful and takes joy in being an asshole. rare but not impossible for her to warm up to someone, when she does she takes slights against them very personally and seeks revenge for them whether they really want her to or not

[firel-makes-music]

This is Route 888- the new Plains theme for PokeRogue. As usual, all the biome themes are composed with the Explorers of Sky soundfont, so many old fans should feel right at home- especially with this track being so friendly and welcoming in its own right! Like the sound of a great journey beginning- or perhaps, just waking up to another day, ready to resume your own journey. Of course, PokeRogue's little story is cyclical by nature- but its innocence aims to feel both new and nostalgic at the same time. The track actually went through THREE complete iterations before landing here! That's right- there's actually an older version of this that instead went a bit more bluntly for the throat of nostalgia, and ultimately, I'm glad we didn't use it.

While it sounds much more adventurous, and like the beginning of a grand adventure, it didn't really fit PokeRogue, or the vibe of the game as a whole, really. I like it, make no mistake, but it just wasn't for this game. Perhaps I'll donate it to a romhack or fangame someday. Maybe PMDO needs tracks? That aside- the actual practices of the piece we wound up using. The flute duet is, naturally, the core of it- wandering, whimsical, sitting firmly in C natural major to keep that upbeat, catchy, warm and fuzzy feeling. And of course- it's a constant march! With a drumline inspired straight out of R/G/B/Y's own Route music. Route 888's title is, of course, just a cute nod to the infinite nature of the game. You're going to be seeing this place- a lot. So sit back and chill, catch a few furrets, and enjoy your time in the Plains before you go to more sinister places and unearth your past- and your future.

At first, I was hesitant about the pizzicato string backline, because it was repetitive and simple, but in practice it actually makes it feel like it's limited in just the right ways to sound *right*. Many of the lines loop simply, opting instead to let it stay simple while the shifts in melody drive the piece entirely. Acute listeners (That's you! You're acute!) might hear some similarities to the practices of Generation 4's music specifically, PMD aside; Indeed, I did a direct study on many of the motions taken by Platinum's soundtrack, so bits and bobs of this sounds very natural in comparison to Platinum's routes, as well.

I didn't initially settle on the flutes being a duet- that was actually a suggestion given to me by a friend who doesn't even do music. Stretch the ending notes, pan 'em, and boom, instant improvement. I wish I had something sciency to tell you on that one but like. It's there. Listen to it. It gud.

Coming up next is a sharp turn to the extreme, with my brief write-up on Twisturn Volcano. Don't get lost in the floe...

[workfestival]

Assorted PMD Teams based on random pokemon related stuffs

Team Bounty / Bounteam

Mamoswine, Seismitoad, Luxray, and Trapinsh (Trapinch)

Hunters who track down whoever they're pointed to.

They utilise their type composition when hunting; Seismitoad can make it rain, Luxray can use Thunder, and the team will be immune to the thunderstorm's spreading electricity.

Mamoswine and Seismitoad are long time partners from previous teams.

Luxray was the most hesitant for Trapinsh to join; Trapinsh's favourite teammate is Luxray.

Team Trove / Collectiers

Shiny Sandshrew, Yanma, and Wooper

Exploration team searching for treasures to share with everyone!

Though able to search earth wind and sea, the pokemon you'd expect to be the most helpful usually isn't...

Wooper gets distracted when swimming, getting lost in the feel of the current until he is truly lost.

Yanma is very weak and unable to carry many treasures. Trying to lift her teammates is also out of the question.

Sandshrew's scales are brittle due to her shininess, so she's safer running than rolling; she is significantly slower when running.

The Rolling Guild

Okok this one is based on ZaneGames' pokemon quiz lore. Yes I'm serious. This is made with only 2 characters known, if/when more join they will be included in the guild even if I don't come back to add.

This is a corrupt, mob-like guild. Teams that join or ally with them are offered protection for loyalty.

Headed by the Snom Boss. Do not call him the Snoss. His personal team is comprised of his protection (Jack the Reva, a Revavroom) and advisor. Each have teams that answer directly to them.

Snoss' most loyal team are Team Spy, a reconnaissance team lead by Bergess the bergmite.

Billy the Capsakid heads one of the teams within the guild, a "rescue" team that are just as capable at putting others in danger as they are at saving them.

[01turnkill]

2024 Media Post Time - Master

3. Pokemon Violet (Replayed)

Last year my Nintendo Switch tragically broke while I was playing Splatoon 3... No idea what was wrong with it. I even learned how to take it apart and put it back together but it was really really lost and the bad thing about that is I lost all of my Pokemon save data that is stored on the console. Pokemon games are some of the only games that do not back up save data to the cloud so... it was lost. I am lucky Splatoon 3 backs up data because Splatoon 2 doesn't.

Since I know Violet will have about a year more raids and events before there's nothing more, I really wanted to play it and make a team again. I missed out on the Walking Wake and Iron Leaves raids. I also thought this would be the perfect time to get the DLC though I haven't played through it yet. When I do I'll make another media post about it.

I finished Violet on release and did a lot of shiny hunting and grinded raids for a couple months before going to do other things. Finished the dex and everything... so it was pretty troublesome to do it all again. Originally it took me about 120 hours before it was freeplay mode. What was lost.. 2 shiny Vaporeon, 2 shiny Veluza, 2 shiny Ceruledge, 2 shiny Iron Valiant, 1 shiny Slowbro, 1 shiny Magneton, 1 shiny Magnezone...and more I must have forgotten about. I even had 3 shiny Veluza at one point but decided to surprise trade one away. I love having multiple of my favourite things.

This time I wanted to play quickly while also finishing the dex, and managed to do it in 45 hours with the help of a couple friends and a lot of surprise trading. I skipped most of the dialogue and didn't explore like I did originally.

I really like this game! I have a few criticisms but I am going to be somewhat of a defender of it. Don't get me wrong it has the worst performance, the kind I expect from me playing anything on my laptop, and it was made for the console so there isn't an excuse. On the Switch Lite which I borrowed to play, the NPCs in all the towns don't even load in before their dialogue. I once waited 30 seconds for the Poke Center nurse to load in just so I could heal.

Regardless it's very fun. Lots of optimisations and quality of life changes that we saw in Legends Arceus. While it removes specialty NPCs I don't miss it....

Somewhat on that track, this game lacks a reason to go back to the towns and cities apart from sandwich ingredients. I wish there were special events or battles to participate in or something like that, more like the battle cafe or even a daily puzzle or a proper game... Lots could be done.

The story is something I really love in this game. Just like in Legends Arceus the character focus was really strong and it makes it feel a lot like PMD in those ways.. It's also a little harrowing just the implications of everything and very existential the way all time travelling stories tend to be. I've got a big sci fi bias so of course I liked that a lot. Pokemon does do sci fi but this was in a different way. The false professor and the genuine professor. I love mixed consciousness and robots like that. To make it better I'd want more quests to do with area zero investigating throughout Paldea outside of the occult books (which are cool though).

Anyway basically I hate the warriors of mid, Pokemon SV are good.

[teamconductors]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Lost Tracks of Time, One Last Stop

Summary: Ingo and Emmet continue their adventures through present day Unova, past Hisui, and future Sinnoh.

Author’s Note: One year ago, on February 20th, I wrote and published the original PMD LTOT oneshot on my personal tumblr. It was inspired by @furiouskettle’s art of Ingo and Emmet as Sneasels in a PMD world. I never expected the fic to get as much attention as it did, but I’m glad it did. I got to tell a full story two funky dudes screwed over by Arceus that reunited, got a sister, saved a legendary pokemon, and now casually time travel between three times.

So I needed to make something for the anniversary, right?

(As always, bl*nkshippers DNI)

In a world with only pokemon, there was Eterna Town. Near the Pearl Guild and Eterna Forest, the town acted as a near-mandatory stop for rescue teams before they set out on missions. Among the teams that frequent the hub was Team Conductors. The co-leaders knew the importance of preparations, which was why they petitioned to have the town as a stop for their subway system.

The team visited all the shops to ask for permission to build a station, though many of the conversations consisted of Ingo explaining what a subway was and why they wanted to build one. The Kecleon brothers gladly accepted the idea of more business. Gimmighoul also jumped at the potential for more customers for their bank. Rampardos’ Apprisal and Kangaskhan gave their approval after an even longer explanation of trains from Ingo. Decidueye hesitated since he didn’t know how much space they would need and if it could interfere with his training dojo’s space, but he relented upon seeing everyone else’s signatures.

Lastly, there was Alcremie’s café and bakery. She was a nervous person, so the idea of her little shop getting more attention made her nervous. Ingo and Emmet decided to give her some time to think on it, and they ordered drinks for the team.

“Um…” Eelektross’ body barely fit inside the café, and he had to loop it along the walls to avoid running into other pokemon. He held his smoothie with his claws, trying to put just enough pinch pressure to hold and not break it. “I’ll… eat outside…” He left the building with Chandelure, who decided to stare at their trainer while floating next to their friend.

Ingo sighed as he sat down next to Emmet and across from Sneasler. The three sat in a corner of the cafe where they can talk more freely. His body visibly relaxed. “Bravo, everyone…”

“Your voice is rough,” Emmet said.

“You didn’t have to explain what subways were to everyone, Ingo. I think most the folk here would’ve said yes,” Sneasler said.

“But they deserve to know what the project is about!” Ingo said. “Getting permissions to make the Battle Subway didn’t make us this exhausted.”

“The train station was already there. We only had to worry about train cars strong enough for pokemon battles,” Emmet said.

“You have a good point, Emmet,” Ingo said. “For now, let us rest until Miss Alcremie makes her decision!”

“Uh, yeah. That’s why we’re still here,” Sneasler said.

“Also, Sneasler, did you want to hear about previous trips to the other stations?” Ingo asked.

“Sure. Anything good happen?” Sneasler asked. She sipped her smoothie.

“We told Elesa everything,” Emmet said.

Sneasler gasped while drinking, resulting in her breathing in liquid. She lurched forward and coughed to clear her throat.

“Are you alright?!” Ingo jumped to standing position to help Sneasler.

After a few more coughs and a brief pounding of her chest, Sneasler regained control of her breathing. “You WHAT?!”

“That was a joke… Sorry, Sneasler,” Emmet said, looking away from her due to guilt.

Ingo sighed. “Because we felt terrible for not being able to tell Elesa why we can turn into Sneasels, we decided to construct a plausible story to show her to almost the right destination of truth. It was tricky to craft something believable since we can’t tell her about the future, but we tried.”

Sneasler raised a brow. “And? How’d that go?”

***

In a café on the outskirts of Nimbasa City, thee pokemon trainers met for coffee. The sun had not yet peaked over the horizon, as the three wanted to meet before most people awakened for the day. The three chose a meeting time so early not only to avoid interference with their schedules but also to allow them to talk more openly without worry of anyone eavesdropping them. Wild Minccino swept the outdoor grounds of the café, avoiding the pokemon of the trainers eating breakfast at their trainer’s feet. Ingo and Emmet sat opposite to Elesa.

Elesa stared at her half-finished latte. “Let me see if I got this right. Ingo got sent to Hisui by Arceus itself to save the world, but either of you could’ve been taken.” She looked at Ingo. “You lost your memories while protecting the other trainer sent to save the world, and that’s what you were like when Emmet found you.”

“That is right,” Emmet said.

Elesa continued, “And then, after the world was saved, this Volo guy tried to get revenge on you two, and that’s why Giratina had you turn into Sneasels? To protect you?”

“I suppose that explanation streamlines the events well,” Ingo said.

Elesa took a sip of coffee. “You two need to get better at lying.”

“What… made you arrive at that conclusion?” Ingo asked.

“Call it a gut feeling,” Elesa said. “Plus I know you too well. You’re not the best liars. Well, something tells me you weren’t entirely lying. The first half sounded about right, but the second half… Some of the pieces don’t fit right.”

“Busted,” Emmet said. His grin grew wider.

Ingo sighed. “As always, your intuition is quite admirable. I am truly sorry, Elesa.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna hold it against you. From the way Giratina talked about things, it sounds like I’m not supposed to know anyway, no matter how much I want to,” Elesa said.

“I am sorry,” Emmet said, his smile lowering enough for Elesa to notice. “I… wanted to clear your train of thought from worrying.” He wanted to put some of Elesa’s mind at ease after all the troubles he caused her and all she did to care for their pokemon in their absence.

Elesa smiled. “I appreciate it. But you two, promise me something.”

“Yes?” Ingo and Emmet said.

“As soon as you’re allowed to tell me what really happened, please do. Because it sounds like you had fun,” Elesa said. “Oh, speaking of…” “Elesa turned and checked around the area.

After staring in confusion, Ingo and Emmet realized what she was doing and scanned their surroundings.

“The station is all clear,” Ingo said. Emmet nodded in agreement.

“Well, I can trust it if you two do. So!” Elesa sat up, and her eyes brightened. “How’s your transformation training going? You said you’re working on it, right?”

“We made excellent progress!” Ingo said. “Emmet and I can carry out transformations on our own accord and complete them within 5 seconds!”

“They are weird to watch,” Emmet said. His gaze drifted away from Elesa and Ingo. “I am Emmet. I am still sorry you saw it.”

“What, am I the only one who’s seen it happen?” Elesa raised a brow at her friends.

“Unfortunately, this is correct,” Ingo said.

“Don’t forget about us,” Eelektross said as he placed his head on Emmet’s lap. Emmet smiled and petted Eelektross’ head.

“As if we could forget!” Ingo said as his Excadrill approached for pets as well. “I apologize to you as well, my pokemon.”

“One day they’ll stop apologizing,” Archeops said. Galvantula, Durant, and Crustle nodded in agreement.

“And what about the interpol? Are they off your backs yet?” Elesa asked.

Ingo sighed. “Despite us staying on course to deny any recollection of where and when we went, the people there are rather persistent in finding out the truth…”

“We are lucky they haven’t found our spike maul and rail spike yet,” Emmet said.

“I mean, you did disappear for a month and then jumped out of a window. Hard to get a flashier entrance than that!” Elesa said. “Maybe we can just tell them some Beheeyems abducted you or something?”

Ingo’s and Emmet’s hearts jumped at the mention of a Beheeyem. Of all the pokemon to mention…

“Changing our story’s track would draw more suspicions than we already have,” Ingo said, frowning deeply. “We will ensure that the international police arrive at a destination that will satisfy their curiosity.”

“I think you will. You guys are smart. Let’s just hope Arceus doesn’t get any funny ideas and try to kidnap anyone else!” Elesa laughed, but then she stopped at once. “Oh, wait, you said there was another trainer that went with you, Ingo. Never mind then.”

“We will figure it out,” Emmet said.

The sun peaked over the horizon and through the trees. Elesa held up a hand to cover her eyes. “That’s my cue! I’m gonna go for a jog before the chill morning air warms up. It just gives me an energizing jolt. Wanna come with?”

“Thank you for the offer, but Emmet and I should depart for the Battle Subway,” Ingo said. “Are all of our passengers ready?”

Ingo’s and Emmet’s pokemon all gave their trainers affirmations of readiness.

“Elesa, thank you for continuing to ride with us despite all of the mayhem we caused,” Ingo said. His frown changed to a smile long enough for Elesa to notice.

She smiled. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better.” Elesa recalled her pokemon to their balls, save for Zebstrika. “C’mon, Zebstrika! Race you to the gym!” She disposed of her empty coffee cup and jogged with her pokemon at her side.

***

Sneasler chuckled. “Kinda sucks you can’t say shit to her. I wanna meet her.”

“Sadly, Almighty Giratina and Mighty Dialga raised an excellent point. Knowing about the future can be dangerous, and I can only imagine how worrying it would be to find out that no living humans exist in the future, even if the destination is rather far,” Ingo said.

“Maybe we can find her reincarnation,” Emmet said, pointing a finger up.

Ingo’s eyes widened. “Emmet, is that a possible destination?”

Emmet shrugged. “Several humans from Hisui and our home time reincarnated. I do not see why it is not.”

“Hm… I think I would rather try and find an alternate path that would lead us to explaining more things to our Elesa. She can keep secrets, but I understand Mighty Dialga’s hesitation,” Ingo said.

“We can deal with that later. Anything else good happen that won’t make me choke on my drink?” Sneasler asked.

Ingo and Emmet proceeded to tell Sneasler about different battles from the Battle Subway, including a multi-battle against two regional champions. In truth, Sneasler could barely keep up with Ingo’s and Emmet’s excitement over giving an exact play-by-play of the battle. Battles with trainers were different than the battles she knew, but it made her wonder about what it’s like to trust someone that much for decisions in a fast-paced battle.

“Okay, that’s enough.” She worried that Ingo really would throw out his voice with his multiple infodumping sessions that day. “What about in Hisui? Anything good that I don’t remember yet?” Sneasler asked.

“I am getting better at being a warden,” Emmet said. “My pokemon are getting verrrry strong. I am almost ready to battle Ingo!”

“You are always welcome to train with me, Emmet, regardless of the strength of your team!” Ingo said.

“No. I meant in a serious battle.”

“Very well, then. Perhaps we can battle next time we arrive there!” Ingo hummed before continuing. “Oh! Emmet met all the other Wardens of the Pearl Guild!”

“It was strange,” Emmet said. “Knowing their reincarnations made it weird.”

“But they accepted Emmet with open arms!” Ingo said.

“Wait, before you continue, I need to know. Emmet, did you meet Melli yet?” Sneasler asked.

Emmet’s smile grew wider. “Yes. I do not like him.”

“Yeah, I figured. What was that like?” Sneasler asked.

“I have to say, Emmet did extremely well to maintain his duty as a Warden and restrain himself!” Ingo said with complete sincerity.

“He said he was better than us because his ward only needed him. He called Ingo a bad warden!” Emmet’s smile grew so wide that his face hurt.

Sneasler sighed. “Yeah, sounds about right. When I remembered him, I asked Electrode about that guy, and she said that the Lord Electrode from then really liked him. I don’t get it.”

“Warden Melli has his… faults, but he sincerely cares for his Ward and maintenance of the Coronet Highlands,” Ingo said. “Emmet challenged him to a battle for the comment, though.”

“I won. None of my pokemon fainted.” Emmet sipped his iced tea in satisfaction.

Sneasler laughed. “Nice. Anything else good happen?”

“Hm… Oh! We had an unusual mission right before we returned to this station!” Ingo said.

***

Several centuries in the past, there was the Coronet Highlands in the Hisui region. Toward the northern region of the area, two human-shaped people kept their watch over the area for the safety of both humans and pokemon.

Emmet pulled on the neckline of the Pearl Clan tunic. While glad to be accepted into the clan that accepted his brother, the tunic worked well to keep him warm. Too well. But he had to wear the uniform for his job, so he continued wearing it even if he was more comfortable in the cold.

Ingo looked at Emmet and fidgeted with his own coat. He felt his Arc Watch vibrate. He rolled up his sleeve slightly to see the screen. As long as other clan members weren’t around, he used the watch’s map to keep an eye on mass outbreaks and massive mass outbreaks of pokemon. The vibrating notification only occurred when a Space-Time Distortion formed.

Emmet sniffed the air and scanned around the highlands as much as he could. He saw a bubble of chaos in the distance near Fabled Spring. “There is a distortion. I am still curious. Why are there stable Space-Time Distortions in Hisui?”

“Well, seeing as Miss Akari has captured Mighty Dialga, Mighty Palkia, and Almighty Giratina at this point, perhaps this is their method of thanking her for saving the world,” Ingo said.

“That sounds weird.” Emmet stretched his arms and shoulders. “I want to visit the distortion. I want to battle strong pokemon.”

“…Emmet, I need you to confirm something for me.” Ingo swiped on the watch screen, turning the two-dimensional map into a projected three-dimensional one of the Coronet Highlands. A wide purple circle represented the distortion, which was expected. “Can you confirm what I see on this map?”

Ingo pointed at the irregularity, which was a single blue dot inside the circle.

“I see the dot,” Emmet said. Though he wore his familiar smile, he was not pleased. “I am Emmet. I am certain it is a passenger.”

“That is what I feared. The blue dots represent our clients for our rescues in the future, but to think we’d see that marker here… Emmet, we must depart for Fabled Spring!”

“Yes. FULL SPEED AHEAD! NO BRAKES!” Emmet began his run down the hill, his arms held straight behind him.

“Emmet, please be cautious as you traverse down a slope!” Ingo ran after his brother.

Emmet and Ingo ran down the Sacred Plaza along a well-trotted path. They passed the graveyard and entered Bolderoll Ravine.

“GET OVER HERE!” Three Graveler curled into balls and chased after the twins.

“This is not good,” Emmet said, glancing at Ingo to make sure his brother would be alright.

An alpha Golem roared, knocking Ingo and Emmet to the ground. He needed no other information than to destroy the humans that entered their territory. The alpha joined his Graveler friends and rolled to crush Ingo and Emmet.

Ingo grabbed his cap, which flew off when he fell. “EMMET! PULL NO BRAKES!” His extraordinarily loud shout made the Gravelers and Golem wince, buying him and his brother precious time to pick themselves up and continue running.

Ingo and Emmet approached the river that led to Fabled Spring. Because mountains and hills surround the spring, the only entry possible without the use of a climbing pokemon like Lady Sneasler was to follow the river. They approached a bridge that led to another part of the highlands.

When they stood on the bridge, Ingo and Emmet grabbed out one pokeball each. “Time to depart!” they both announced. They threw their pokeballs to the river. Out came Ingo’s Magnezone and Emmet’s Crobat. The pokemon turned and saw their humans chased by an avalanche of angry Golem and Gravelers and instantly knew what to do. The two wardens jumped with absolute confidence that their pokemon would catch them before they plummet into the water. Ingo flopped onto Magnezone while Emmet grabbed onto Crobat’s tail. Crobat squeaked from the weight, but he kept his human above the water.

Golem and his Gravelers screeched into a halt on the bridge before they could fall into the water. Though unsatisfied with the outcome, the humans left their territory. They turned to roll back to Bolderoll Ravine.

“Excellent! Bravo!” Ingo said to their pokemon.

“You’re… heavy…” Magnezone said with a strained but monotone voice. They were not used to their human riding on them.

“Oh, I apologize. We are close to our destination.” Ingo pointed forward to the distortion down the river. “Please bring us to the space-time distortion!”

“Are you serious?!” Crobat asked. Going to the distortion did not surprise him; Emmet beelined to a distortion whenever one appeared. He was just surprised since Emmet normally did not ask to carry him across long distances.

“I am Emmet, and he is Ingo. We are always serious,” Emmet said. “Thank you for your service.”

Magnezone and Crobat reluctantly flew toward the distorted Fabled Spring. On a typical day, the Fabled Springs was a flat area of the highlands defined by the sparkling spring that ran through it. Clefairy and other strange but beautiful pokemon gathered in the area, further lending to its graceful atmosphere. At that point, however, there was barely enough land next to the river that the pokemon can drop the Wardens off outside of the violet, swirling barrier. The fairy type pokemon were also absent, hiding from the distortion.

“Thank you, my pokemon! We shall provide you more treats once our mission is complete,” Ingo said as he recalled Magnezone into its pokeball.

“I will do the same,” Emmet said. Crobat nodded and returned to his pokeball as well.

“Once we return to the future, we need to reward Eelektross and Chandelure more for carrying us around places,” Ingo said. “Emmet! Are you ready for departure?”

“I am Emmet. I am ready.”

Ingo braced for impact as he passed through the distortion barrier. The difference in the air was immediate. The Coronet Highlands bared a sharp coldness only outdone by the icelands. Within the distortion, the air instead was warm and thick. Emmet pulled on the collar of his tunic to let out some heat. Instead of the graceful, flat fields the twins knew, the distortion warped the landscape into peaks and valleys. Items like evolution stones, colored slab shards, and even futuristic TMs were scattered around. Lightning sparked and stretched across the swirling violet sky that blocked out the sun.

“Ingo, where is our passenger?” Emmet asked. He began surveying the landscape like he intended to cross a street.

“They should be in the center of the distortion, but given the landscape changes…” Ingo looked up to confirm the map’s information. The map indicated an especially large shift in the center that resulted in a small mountain. Indeed, a grassed mound taller than the ruined pillars near Lord Electrode’s Seat protruded from the spring river.

“How do we get up there?” Emmet asked.

“Allow me to reach our passenger! And please watch my surroundings for me.” Ingo may not have claws while in his human-shape, but his experience climbing as a Sneasel made it easier to climb as a human as well. It helped that the mountain was not too steep to realistically need assistance from someone like Lady Sneasler. Within a minute or two, he reached the top to see who the rescuee was.

“Sir Rei!” Ingo picked up and held the teenager in his arms.

“The Pikachu?” Emmet asked.

“Well, you’re not wrong, but this is the original Rei. We need to transport him to one of the Galaxy Expedition Team’s camps. Thankfully, his injuries do not seem severe, save for his loss of consciousness.”

“Okay. Where is the nearest camp?” Emmet asked.

“That would be...” Ingo pulled up his watch map and focused on the lower section of the Coronet Highlands. “Hm. The summit camp is objectively the shortest distance, but the uphill incline may impact our method of travelling. There is another Galaxy camp near Lonely Spring, which has a more straightforward path but is also a longer distance. On saying that outloud, our path is clear. Let’s depart for the summit-!”

Emmet pulled Ingo backwards by the collar of his tunic. Where Ingo once stood, a Flamethrower blew and would have charred Ingo.

“Thank you, Emmet!” Ingo said. He and Emmet faced the pokemon that spawned from the air: a Magmortar, a Toxicroak, and an Alakazam. Alakazam manifested orbs of psychic energy and launched them to Ingo. He barely jumped out of the way in time. He turned to shield Rei from the dust and grass kicked up from the attack.

“Huh, this feels familiar,” Emmet said as he dodged another Flamethrower from Magmortar.

“Emmet, I cannot battle these pokemon while escorting Rei!” Ingo said while running away from Alakazam and Toxicroak.

“I am Emmet. I will assist you!” Emmet pulled out two pokeballs and threw them toward Ingo. His Garchomp and Porygon-Z popped out and took defensive positions between Ingo and the wild pokemon.

Toxicroak tried to Poison Jab Emmet, but his Garchomp rushed over and used Earth Power to break up the ground beneath them. The distorted area made chunks of ground float up, obscuring Toxicroak’s vision.

Meanwhile, Porygon-Z followed Ingo and used Shadow Ball on the Alakazam. Magmortar engulfed Porygon-Z with his Flamethrower. Porygon-Z shook off the remaining flames and continued shaking as it countered with Tri Attack, paralyzing the Magmortar. Toxicroak tried to butt into the battle with Rock Smash, but Garchomp used Outrage and charged into the Toxicroak as well as the Alakazam.

“We are approaching our destination!” Ingo said. He and Emmet were almost at the edge of the distortion, only diverting from their straight path when the ground shifted in an attempt to trip them.

“You did well!” Emmet said as Porygon-Z and Garchomp recalled themselves into their poke balls. He turned to check on their opponents, but the three hostile pokemon vanished, seemingly replaced by a Sheildon and a Rowlet. “Verrrry strange.”

The Wardens jumped through the violet barrier. The cold air hit their faces like an Icy Wind. The landscape was the same as when they last left it.

“Are you alright, Emmet?” Ingo asked.

“I am Emmet. I am okay, as is my team,” Emmet said.

“Excellent! And let me say bravo to your pokemon as well! ... Well, perhaps we should wait until Sir Rei gets proper medical attention.”

Emmet nodded. The two took off running north to the nearest Galaxy Expedition Team camp. Upon arrival, the Survey Corps members retrieved Rei and had him rest at their tent. They prepared medicine to aid Rei’s healing process. Ingo and Emmet sat on a fallen marble pillar.

“Ingo, I had a thought. Do you know what the distortions remind me of?” Emmet asked.

“Hm? I might know, but please tell me!” Ingo’s eyes widened.

“They are like mystery dungeons.”

“Huh. Could you explain the connection?”

“Guildmaster Irida said that mystery dungeons came without warning. They are dangerous and changed the land. Items and hostile pokemon appear randomly, too.”

“…Huh, what an interesting connection! Now that I think of it, Mighty Palkia mentioned stabilizing the mystery dungeons from the Distortion World merger. Hm… do you think we could arrange a meeting with Mighty Palkia about this?”

“Hm… If we do, could we ask them to not form any mystery dungeons in our subway system?”

“Oh! Emmet, that is brilliant! Sneasler said that there shouldn’t be any risk of a dungeon forming, but a meeting would likely ensure it! Let’s embark on that journey after we finish today’s work here!”

***

“In sum, we applied our experiences in the mystery dungeons to distortions in Hisui, and we even rescued a passenger! Isn’t it astounding?” Ingo asked.

“I love how casual you guys are about meeting legendary pokemon,” Sneasler said. She took a bite of her salted puffs she purchased during the story.

“Were you listening, Sneasler?” Emmet asked.

“Of course I was! I’m glad you got to apply your knowledge and shit.” Sneasler paused. “…Wait, you guys came straight here after that rescue?”

“Yes, but only after Sir Rei regained consciousness and his team was healed,” Ingo said.

“…Have you guys taken a break? Or gone on vacation or something?” Sneasler asked.

Ingo frowned further. “We have not. Since we can travel between our duties, it has been easier to-“

“The time travel crap should mean you have more time to take a vacation!” Sneasler pointed to Ingo.

Ingo closed his eyes to think about what Sneasler said.

“A vacation is a good idea,” Emmet said. “A change of scenery would be nice.”

“Great!” Sneasler clapped her hands once. “So I was thinking-“

“I have a better idea.” Emmet’s smile grew wider. “Sneasler, battle us.”

“…What?” Sneasler asked.

“Sneasler, battle me and Ingo. If you win, we all go on vacation,” Emmet said.

Sneasler blinked. “Or… you know… we can just go on vacation without a battle.”

“Battle us, Sneasler.” Emmet leaned in closer toward Sneasler.

Ingo hummed. “I would feel bad about temporarily abandoning our duties so soon after we began planning construction of the subway. But if it was part of an agreement based on the outcome of a battle, how can I argue against it?”

Sneasler groaned loud enough to attract some head-turns from other customers. “You two are ridiculous… Didn’t we already battle once or twice?!”

“I want a battle where you are not trying to kill us,” Emmet said.

“Emmet, that was rude,” Ingo said.

“Guys, I’m still a lot stronger than you.” Sneasler crossed her arms.

“We fought Arceus and won,” Emmet said.

Sneasler opened her mouth to retort, but she found no argument to beat Emmet’s. If they managed to beat Arceus, then maybe a battle against them both wouldn’t be as one-sided as she feared. “…Okay. So I beat you and we all go on vacation. Dare I ask what you want if you two win?”

Ingo and Emmet shared a look and began thinking. Ingo spoke. “Then we immediately contact Almgihty Giratina and Mighty Dialga to see if we can tell Elesa more than we can now and ask Mighty Palkia our questions about where mystery dungeons originate from!”

“I like that idea,” Emmet said.

“I regret asking,” Sneasler said. “But that’s on me. Alright, alright, alright! Fine! You two will get your battle.”

“Excellent! Let us depart for an appropriate battlefield!” Ingo finished the rest of his drink in one gulp. Emmet did the same.

“Oh, I have a good place in mind,” Sneasler said.

***

In Eterna Forest, there was a grand tree that was cutdown, leaving behind a massive stump. The Noble pokemon used the stump as a meeting table for official business, but there was a clearing next to the area.

“You know, this is kinda a meeting place for the Nobles,” Sneasler said while taking off her basket. She flipped the basket over, letting the two Sneasels tumble out. “Kleavor’s Seat is near, too.”

“Oh! Is our battle going to interrupt his business?” Ingo asked.

“Nah. He’s out doing Noble pokemon stuff,” Sneasler said.

“Maybe we should clean up after…?” Eelektross said.

“Eh, it’s fine. It’s not the first a battle was here. Remember the whole frenzying thing from the past? This was where that Akari girl battled the Kleavor from back then.” Sneasler pointed to the ground.

“Appropriate,” Emmet said.

“Alright, you two. Let’s do this, I guess.” She took off her basket and coat and gave them to Eelektross and Chandelure. Remembering that Anthe the Tailor modified her gray conductor’s cap to reduce damage taken from psychic-type attacks and knowing Emmet would want to use Psycho Cut against her, she began taking it off.

“Pull the brakes! Wear your uniform during a battle!” Emmet said, pointing at Sneasler’s cap.

“What, the hat? I’m already stronger than you. I don’t need to wear this for our fight,” Sneasler said.

“Sneasler, when Emmet and I battle others, we operate at our best because that is what our opponents deserve,” Ingo said.

“This is a serious battle. If a battle is not serious, it is not fun,” Emmet said.

“Just listen to them… please…” Eelektross said. He had curled into a coil on top of the giant tree stump, and Chandelure rested on top of his body. Though they wanted to battle, too, they decided to leave this one to their trainers.

Sneasler rolled her eyes and groaned. “On my ancestors… Fine!” Sneasler slapped her cap back on. She spread her feet and held her claws up in a battle stance. “Serious battle it is. Now do your thing.”

Ingo nodded. “This will be a two-against-one battle. Will Emmet and I cover each other’s weaknesses? Or will your strength overwhelm us? I look forward to finding out!” He pointed to Sneasler and the ground.

Emmet stood and mirrored Ingo’s pose. “Follow the rules and drive safely! We’re headed for victory!”

“ALL ABOARD!” The three said.

Ingo Bulked Up while Emmet Honed his Claws. Sneasler noted their buffs and took the time to get a running start. Poison seeped her claws. She yelled as she charged the Sneasels. Ingo Quick Attacked into Emmet to get his brother out of the way of the Dire Claw.

Sneasler hit the ground where they once stood, her claws digging in slightly. “Shoulda seen that coming.” She pulled her hand out and collected herself. Ingo and Emmet ran at her with Quick Attack and Psycho Cut, respectively. She took Ingo’s attack to her stomach and held her arm up to tank Emmet’s. Her feet slid, leaving a trail of dirt in the ground, but she did not topple. With her other hand, she swung and used a single Aerial Ace on them both.

“She truly isn’t holding back! Bravo!” Ingo said after he recovered from the supereffective attack. He jumped backwards for space and ran around Sneasler. He prepared a Drain Punch but waited for an opening.

“The hell are you doing?” Sneasler asked Ingo. Despite the distraction, she kept her eye on Emmet, who got back up and jumped above her. Sneasler held her arms up to block his Psycho Cut. Emmet landed the attack, then a whistle manifested from nowhere into his hand. The whistle fweeted, which made Sneasler realize he used Beat Up. She turned to see Ingo teleport due to Emmet’s summoning attack. She hit Ingo’s Drain Punch with her Dire Claw. Though Ingo managed to regain some health from Sneasler, an unnatural drowsiness loomed over him.

Emmet saw his brother struggling to stay standing. He knew the attack wasn’t enough to make Ingo faint, so he deduced that Sneasler’s Dire Claw inflicted Ingo with drowsiness. Emmet needed to give his brother space to recover from the status condition. He Ice Beamed Sneasler in the chest. She crushed the ice crystals with a few strikes of her claws. Emmet used another Ice Beam, this time aiming at her feet. Ice covered Sneasler’s feet.

“Shit!” It was much harder for Sneasler to break ice that low while also keeping her eye on Emmet. She struck the ice once and then looked up. Emmet used Ice Beam again. Ice frosted her legs and chest, limiting her movement even more. She wasn’t fully frozen, but it was enough to cause some worry when Emmet ran at her with another Psycho Cut. Unfortunately for Emmet, though, her arms were still free. Sneasler Drain Punched Emmet in the face, making him fly and hit a tree.

With one final head shake, Ingo broke through the drowsiness. Emmet was in dire straits from that direct Drain Punch. He needed to get an opening for them to have any chance at defeating Sneasler. They played defensively due to the difference in strength, but that needed to change if they wanted to win. Emmet used Hone Claws again, and Ingo used Bulk Up. Ingo then charged to Sneasler with Quick Attack. Emmet did the same with Psycho Cut.

The next minute was absolute chaos for Sneasler. She knew they overwhelmed Arceus by attacking with no time to breathe, but to see it in action against her was something else. Ingo switched between Quick Attacks and Drain Punches, darting front to back, left to right. Emmet switched between Psycho Cut and Ice Beam, narrowly dodging Ingo to strike her. Whenever Sneasler hit one twin with an Aerial Ace or Dire Claw, the other would attack her right back. Worse still, Emmet’s Ice Beams kept repairing the ice anchoring her to the ground.

Their flurry of attacks dented Sneasler’s health, but her endurance and noble strength kept her upright. After one last Drain Punch, Ingo took a deep breath to prepare his secret weapon for powerful opponents. It was Emmet’s suggestion, where he made a comment of shame for not thinking of it sooner. 

Ingo Screeched. His yell echoed through Eterna Forest, causing several bird pokemon to fly out in surprise.

“HOLY SHIT!” Sneasler, who had broken off the ice from her legs, covered her ears. Ingo’s voice ringed in her ears. With Sneasler caught off-guard, Ingo and Emmet used Drain Punch and Psycho Cut on Sneasler, breaking her free from the ice cementing her to the ground but also making her tumble. To her surprise, she struggled to get back to her feet. It seemed that the twins were winning, but on closer inspection of them, their legs shook, and their breathing was labored.

All three of them were close to fainting.

Ingo and Emmet needed one more push. Emmet ran ahead while Ingo stayed put to Screech. He saw Sneasler’s body tense from the noise, but she continued running to Emmet. Sneasler’s claws glowed white, and she swiped at Emmet, who jumped to hit her in the head. Her attack landed, stopping Emmet’s momentum. She continued running to Ingo, her claws still glowing white. Ingo Quick Attacked into her body. She swung and struck him right on impact.

Sneasler fell to one knee and allowed herself to breathe with her full body. Meanwhile, Ingo and Emmet bounced along the ground from the force. The edges of both their visions were dark, but instead of the darkness overwhelming them, it retreated.

“That was… False Swipe!” Ingo said as he helped Emmet to his feet. He didn’t consciously pause in the middle of his sentence to take a breath, but he did.

“Alright, that’s enough. We’re done here,” Sneasler said.

“This is… an… early… stop!” Emmet said between breaths.

“None of us… fainted!” Ingo said.

“Are you serious??” Sneasler asked. “You’re both barely standing…! I don’t wanna make you faint!”

“But…” Emmet wanted to refute Sneasler’s argument.

Ingo placed a hand on Emmet’s shoulder. “I understand, Sneasler. We went full speed ahead in our battle, and that’s more than enough.” In truth, Ingo wanted to keep battling until it could officially end. But for the sake of their teammates, he needed to put their health first this time. “Thank you for fighting at full strength with us!”

Emmet nodded. “That was a verrrry fun battle! Let’s fight again sometime!”

“Yeah, yeah… Just eat up please…” Eelektross approached the exhausted pokemon with several oran berries in hand. Chandelure followed behind with Sneasler’s basket hooked around their arms, the basket itself dangling and avoiding any spillage of contents thanks to its cover. They also held Sneasler’s coat on the other arm.

Sneasler consumed her oran berry in two bites and took her basket and coat from Chandelure. “Also, Ingo… Never use Screech again, holy shit. You’re loud enough as is. I saw those two recoiling.” She pointed to the other two members of Team Conductors.

“Oh! Is that true?” Ingo asked Chandelure and Eelektross.

“Well…” Eelektross twiddled his claws. “It was sorta like when you made announcements on the speakers for the first time… It’s been years since I last heard you at that volume…”

“I apologize for hurting you!” Ingo bowed. “I will be more careful about using that attack in the future!”

Chandelure shrugged. Ingo began learning the flame language they used to communicate to Eelektross and told their trainer that they were fine.

“It may have been “fine”, but I still want to ensure that our passengers are not harmed,” Ingo said.

Emmet finished nibbling his oran berry. “I still like the move to lower an opponent’s defense.”

“Yeah yeah yeah…” Sneasler rubbed her ears.

“So… since the battle reached an early stop, who won?” Emmet asked.

“I did.” Sneasler picked up the twins by scruffs of their necks and held one under each arm.

“Sneasler, what is the meaning of this?!” Ingo flailed to try and escape.

Sneasler tossed the Sneasels up. Chandelure tossed to Sneasler her basket. “We’re going on vacation now, got it?” She slapped the cover off her recently-emptied basket just in time for Ingo and Emmet to fall straight in.

“Bravo! That was an excellent throw!” Ingo said as he shuffled to a more comfortable position in the basket. He grazed his claws across the woven grass, and a bump underneath the bottom indicated it still held the Toxic Plate.

“We have been kidnapped,” Emmet said. He and Ingo felt the basket rumble as Sneasler put her basket on.

“Do you know a… good vacation spot…?” Eelektross flew to walk beside Sneasler. Chandelure followed closely behind him.

“Hm, not really… Maybe I can ask Electrode or Arcanine or something,” Sneasler said.

Eelektross sighed. “Anyplace that’s a change of scenery should work…”

As Sneasler and Eelektross tried to figure where to go, Ingo and Emmet quietly enjoyed the feeling of the basket’s shakes as Sneasler walked. Ingo preferred taking train rides for his vacations, and Sneasler’s basket replicating the repetitive motion with ease. Emmet preferred changes of scenery, so he listened attentively to his family’s conversation. Most importantly, however, Ingo and Emmet had peace.

[smilepebble]

this game is everything to me. (for times played, psmd is only second to miiverse)

[sneasels-in-a-trenchcoat]

Finally got around to drawing the boys as Sneasels for @pokelec​‘s pmd au Lost Tracks of Time! I’ve reread it many times and its just so good, please give it a read!

[pokelec]

man I still love this

@pokelec’s fic lives in my brain rent-free

more: 1 (2) (3)

[wherefore-whinnies]

7. 8. 9. 10. 11 for the music ask game!!

ty for the ask and also the ask game my brain is definitely going at like 500 miles a minute after this. is this what people mean when they say brain light up

7. What's an OST that you heard a lot as a child?

man when I was a child we didn't yet have such newfangled things as "YouTube" and such so I couldn't simply play music on demand. I had to google the track and sort through hundreds of sketchy links and ultimately not find what I was looking for. or search it on freakin SHAREAZA that we used before limewire. when I wanted to save video game music I would open the game in an emulator and then open audacity and have it record from audio out or something and I would have to turn the volume really loud to make sure it was recorded at a nice volume and inevitably my computer would do something to make the audio stutter at some point so I would be stuck forever with a version of the track with small audio glitches. all this to say I guess I had some questionable quality tracks from PMD Red Rescue Team on my computer including one of the best ones ever Great Canyon. you love to hear it.

8. Share with us one of your all time faves!

ok in an effort to pick something that not everyone has heard a bunch of times before I will go with Battle of Eight Beat from Disgaea:

it's kind of simple I guess but it's also very nostalgic for me because I played this game the summer before I went to uni. I really really really like the part at 1:36, honestly it's what really makes the track for me and the whole reason I rate it as highly as I do. I mean the whole thing is pretty banger but that bit in particular is just 👌👌👌

9. What's a piece you could listen to on repeat?

LIKE ALL OF THEM??? HELLO??? am I not supposed to listen to music on repeat?!?! ok ok for a track that I always listen to on several loops, My Castle Town from Deltarune:

it is so pretty and relaxing. I started using it as my go-to piece to calm down from The Anxieties and Horrors after a time when something very loud and scary was happening at my house and my friend put My Castle Town on repeat on the music bot for me. it is very helpful!! highly recommend. unfortunately it doesn't help me fall asleep though but I play it on repeat a lot while trying to fall asleep anyway. heavily prefer the bits where it's just piano, the part that has another thing in the background are kind of distracting and unnecessary imo.

10. What's your favorite work with lyrics?

Lost in Thoughts All Alone is the actual answer but I already said that before. I listen to God-Shattering Star while suffering through a 150-second plank. I like Edge of Dawn too. I want to think of something more original but I'm not sure there is any, I tend to prefer not having lyrics in my video game music.

11. What's your favorite instrumental work?

I have absolutely no clue what is my favourite but for variety's sake I offer The End of a Thought from Tales of Symphonia:

I love this track so much I love the different variations on Kratos's motif and it is just so intense and cool. I actually got obsessed with this track and listened to it dozens of times before I ever actually got to the point in the game where it plays so when I got there I was kind of underwhelmed by how it sounded coming from my TV lol.

[ultimateumbreon33]

pokemon mystery dungeon lost tracks of time (submas post legends arceus pmd au) makes me want a mystery dungeon fangame so bad, i cant believe ive never seen one before

im gonna be pretty busy for a while but i may fuck around and try making sprites for them

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

Also, I really like how, if I'm interpreting this correctly, you have the Rescue Team and Explorers protagonists as siblings! I think that's really cool!

Yeah! I cannot remember how exactly I hit on the idea and I was like well, that would explain how easily Gardevoir got him to leave to help another world if his own world is terrible, and then when he chooses to stay in that world, there’s no one to miss him back where he came from because his twin also acquires amnesia…

I one time tried to write a fic, without knowing where the plot was going, that crossed their worlds back over so they could reunite. And then I thought no, I like my Explorers content with a side of melancholy, so maybe I just leave it like that: Grovyle never tells Crystal about her lost brother because she doesn’t remember and what’s the point in telling her about a grief she can’t remember, so she never finds out, and Cody has no way to find out either, so they live out the rest of their lives with no idea about this deep connection they have with a twin that has been severed.

…on the other hand, since then, they released a PMD game that says that their separate worlds are actually just different continents, so it’s totally plausible that various teams start trekking out across the sea to visit other parts of the world and one human-turned-Pokemon is introduced to another continent’s local curiosity of their own human-turned-Pokemon, and Crystal and Turtwig, and Cody and Leafish, are just like huh that’s wild. What are the chances.

And then Crystal and Turtwig get back home and tell Dialga about it and Dialga sifts through all of his memories of Times Yet To Be That Will Never Be When I Went Mad, because he’s a god and can have memories of whatever timestream he wants, and he digs up a memory of Dusknoir reporting on the human who is working against him and tracking down the Time Gears—

And Dialga sticks his head into their home on the bluff in the middle of the night and is like “CRYSTAL YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS SHIT”