Chapter Text
Drayden adjusted the hat on little Emmet again. He knew the boys didn't like their ears covered, but he didn't trust the neighbors to watch them. Maybe he was being stubborn, but he can't miss another gym leader meeting. "Boys you have to wear the hats or you can't go on the train." Drayden sighs, he can't let them ride his pokemon either because they were too small. He has barely been taking care of these boys for a month.
The twins looked up at Drayden, each one holding one hand. "Uncle Drayden, what's a train?"
Drayden frowns of course these two were 5 at most, and didn't travel much. "Well a train is a big metal machine that can take you places faster than running. I even heard some people are trying to make it so you can battle on them too."
Ingo looked over to Emmet then back to Drayden. "Why can't we fly? Mommy liked flying."
Drayden is happy the boys can't see his frown under his beard. "It's not safe, and you both are too little to ride my dragons." He closed his eyes trying to fight off the tears. He really missed her and wished he didn't cut contact over something so stupid.
Ingo goes to ask another question and Drayden watches both boys' eyes widen as the train comes down to the station. The train comes to a screeching halt as the whistle blares.
Emmet points to the train and pulls on Drayden's hand. "Yes yes Emmet that's a train."
Ingo shouts, pulling on Drayden's other hand. "Train train."
Drayden pulls both boys closer as they try to run ahead of him. Ok they liked trains he can work with that, he can pick up some books and maybe even conductor hats if it meant the boys would hide their ears. "Careful, and Ingo inside voices." He helps them over the gap and they find a spot to sit. Both boys had their faces glued to the window.
Drayden watched Ingo and Emmet point out the scenery to each other. Emmet didn't speak, and he didn't know if he could or couldn't because of being half pokemon. Ingo was loud enough for both of them. He sinks back in his seat this last moth has been a whirlwind, the twins showing up covered in blood riding on a Zoroark. He swallows Ingo telling him mommy and daddy wouldn't wake up, and the loud bangs were gunshots from poachers. He had to identify his sister in the morgue. He was barely coping.
He stopped talking to Abby after a horrible argument, she stopped him from becoming champion. He lost it and yelled at her calling her names, and telling her she deserved the demotion. She probably took the demotion because she was expecting the weight gain wasn't fat, it was because she was pregnant. He wished he could take it all back, he wished he could just see her again, maybe meet her husband and ask how she had half pokemon children. He sighs looking back at the twins. He wished he could have been a better brother.
"Uncle Drayden?" Ingo was tugging at his sleeve.
"What is it kid?" Drayden sighs rubbing his eyes.
"Can we ride the train while you work?" Ingo and Emmet looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Not until you're older boys." Drayden smiles, trains he can do trains. "How about after my meeting we get you both conductor hats. Like the people who run the train wear." Just focus on making the boys happy he can do that.
Ingo's and Emmet's eyes sparkle. "Ok uncle Drayden." The two continue to watch the world move outside the window.
……
Drayden sighs as he approaches the meeting room Emmet and Ingo were holding each of his hands. He enters with a sigh. "Boys behave ok, and I'll even get you little trains to play with."
Emmet nods
"We will, uncle Drayden." Ingo holds Emmet's hand and they move off to the corner with the small carved dragons Draydon gave both of them to play with.
"Well looks like the rumors are true, your sister ran off leaving you with her problem." Clay chuckles looking back at the twins who are staring at him. He doesn't realize they can hear him.
Drayden scowls under his beard, and takes a deep breath. "My sister is dead, Clay."
Clay's smirk fades as quickly as it appears. "She didn't run off?"
"No She didn't, I identified her body a few weeks ago." He looks back to the boys who stared at him. "Look, just don't say anything about her, the twins really miss her."
"Did they…." Clay stops seeing a nod and pales. "Shit I'm sorry. The rumors got it really wrong, her husband?"
"They both were using their body as a shield to protect the twins." He shifts uncomfortably as the other gym leaders eavesdrop on their conversation and start to whisper to each other. "Look, let's just get this meeting done with, I don't want to keep them out too late."
"Right of course. Sorry Drayden, I spoke out of turn." Clay sighs. "Are they good with pokemon? I can release one of the little swinub I'm raising up."
"No no if you do that then they'll want Haxorus to join, and I can't release her in this small space." He watches the twins stare at the pokeballs around his waist. He shakes his head at the boys who return to playing with each other.
"Look again I'm sorry, my kids are teens. I think I can scrounge up some clothes from their childhood if that will help." Clay sighs.
Drayden sighs. "Alright yeah, they need more than what I have for them."
……
Ingo shouted. "Whoooo whoo." Mimicking the train whistle as they departed and Emmet was smiling bigger than he had seen before. They held onto the small toy trains as they wore their conductor hats with pride.
Drayden sighs. "Ingo inside voices please." The meeting was cut short, and all the other gym leaders swarmed the twins with questions and showed off their pokemon. The twins were having fun but they still had energy even after the little gift shop. He stifled a yawn and headed back to town. "Boys stay together, we're almost home." He pauses as Emmet pulls on his sleeve. "Emmet, what is it?" He looks at what he is pointing to and it's a tiny Joltik. "Oh it's Just little Joltik, and by the egg shell on its back it looks like they just hatched."
Drayden isn't quick enough to stop Emmet from picking up the baby Pokémon and holding it close.
"Emmet careful that's a baby don't squish it." Drayden frowns, the mother must be close too. "Come on put them down, you're too young for your first pokemon."
Ingo shouts, pulling Drayden's attention away from Emmet as his eyes are moved towards a Galvantula that looks ready to pounce and Drayden has his hands on his pokeball before he hears Ingo shout again. "Mommy's web Mommy's web." He watches the twins run towards the large spider who chirps looking now harmless.
Drayden sighs in relief. That was Abby's pokemon, how could he not see it, she still had the weird markings on her back. "Wait Emmet put the joltik down, that's her baby." He runs up to the twins who are petting the large spider the joltik has nested under Emmet's hat. "Emmet you can't keep the joltik."
"Ticket." Ingo interrupts Drayden. "Emmet wants to call her Ticket."
"Well Ticket has to go back to her mom. When you're older and in school you can get your first pokemon." Drayden stumbles back as both twins glare at him, and he can't tell if he is stunned because they are using a pokemon move or because they look upset.
Ingo looks back at the chirping spider. "Web says she wants Emmet to have her." Emmet proceeds to puff out his cheeks and pull off his hat showing that the tiny Joltik has fallen asleep in his hair using one of his large Zorua ears as a makeshift pillow.
This was a losing argument, Drayden knows this, he was very thankful this wasn't Sunny, because that flareon would burn him if he even disagreed with Abby he wouldn't know what she would do if he said no to her kids. "Alright fine but no battling till you're in school, and Ingo this isn't an invitation for you to get a pokemon too." He sighs watching the large spider lay on the ground, she was an old girl, that was probably the last egg she would lay too.
Ingo frowns. "But Web…" he huffs and holds Emmet's hand as they return to Drayden. "Uncle Drayden lady Web says we can't take her with us."
Drayden frowns. "How about you two take Ticket and go home. I'm going to stay with Web ok, I'll make dinner when I get back."
The twins share a look but nod running over the hill back to the house. Drayden summons his Haxorus to follow them which she does happily.
Drayden crouches by the spider. "You were already an adult when Abby caught you too." He frowns. "You wanted them to have your daughter to keep safe." He watches the old pokemon chirp sadly. "I know I can't understand you like they can, but I know you aren't going to make it back from wherever you came from." He pets her rough fur. He finally lets himself cry sitting next to the dying spider. "I hate myself, I hate I was too stubborn to just say sorry and reconnect and now it's too late."
The large spider chirps again sadly. Drayden watches life slowly fade from her eyes, as she finally curls up. "I'm sorry you couldn't pass with her by your side." Drayden wipes his eyes. "I'm sorry I can't bury you. I'm sorry I can't help you." He frowns hefting the giant spider into a tree. "I can at least hide you so the boys won't find your body before the birds will."
Drayden sighs, just one foot in front of the other. He had to keep going for the twins. They don't have to know about this; they've already seen death. They don't need another one on them.