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Lady Sneasler watched Ingo change the splint on the Gligar. It snapped at him.
“Now now.” Ingo lightly flicked at the Gligar’s nose. “Bitey girls don’t get berries.” He held the Gligar up like a human baby and cooed. “And you want berries, don’t you? Don’t you? You’re so cute.”
Lady Sneasler watched her Warden laugh as the Gligar made a decent attempt to bite his nose off.
“You’re a ferocious little girl,” he murmured. “I feel like you would take well to battle training. Perhaps we’ll work on that after you get better, hrm?” His fingers delicately palpated the area where the Gligar had broken a bone. “Yes, that’s healing nicely. Just one moment, baby.” He carefully massaged in a mix of leeks and Sitrus berries.
She was almost awed. Despite the Gligar making every attempt to ferociously escape from what she had to recognize was a deadlier predator, her Warden simply took it all in stride. She couldn’t think of anyone else who would do that. And to speak of battle training? That was interesting.
Lady Sneasler swung out of the cave as Ingo started to wrap the Gligar’s wing again. She had work to do. Ingo needed more wood to fix her old Warden’s home (and oh, she should have forced him back to the Settlement sooner, when she’d noticed the drafts, the lack of maintenance) and Ingo was so remarkably bad at cutting it himself.
His hands could wrangle a Gligar, but not chop wood. Oh well. Hers would just have to handle it.
Ingo held Gligar aloft. “Now, I want you to flap as though you are attempting flight. We need to build that muscle back up!” He ran a short distance, and the moment she flapped her wings he paused everything to coo and give her a treat.
“Gliiiii,” she chirped.
“Yes, you’re learning so well!” Ingo booped her snoot. “Let’s go again, yes?”
He lifted her back up, and continued the trend of flap, treat, repeat until he was quite exhausted and so was she.
Ingo let himself flop onto the ground and carefully arranged Gligar on his chest. “There you are. Comfortable?”
“Grrr,” she rumbled, and Ingo watched as she fell asleep right on top of him.
Oh, it felt like his heart was gripped and shaken. She trusted him now. She was doing so well! Ingo was so proud of her, and he could not even take her little snappy hands in his and tell her that right now because then she would wake up and that would be illegal. He could not disturb her at any costs.
Ingo lay there and counted her little breaths, one after the other after the other.
She was healing so well.
He hoped she’d stick around. It felt wrong, not having a partner of his own. Lady Sneasler was wonderful, but… it wasn’t the same. And Irida has said it was quite disrespectful to try and train his lady.
(She had seemed to like it, though. Maybe when Ingo didn’t have someone coming by to check on him every few days he could train his Lady again.)
Ingo yawned. Perhaps he would sleep as well. He had done rather a lot of running, against the advice of Warden Calaba. But it was important to help Gligar heal.
Just a little nap. Ingo pulled his hat forward to protect his face from the sun.
… Yes.
…
…
Ingo jolted awake all at once. Gligar wasn’t on his chest, where had she gone?
Ingo pulled himself to his feet and —
There was a thump against his back and a weight pulling at his head.
“Gligar,” Ingo said slowly. “Are you trying to eat my hair?”
“Gliiiigligligli,” he heard her laugh around his hair.
“My hair is not for eating, passenger!” Ingo reached back and wiggled her mouth open before swinging her around to his front. “Naughty baby.” He squatted down and picked up his hat, which went right back on his head. “Naughty babies get tossed, yes they do.” Ingo gave her a light toss into the air.
“Garrrrrrr!” Gligar floated back down to him, and for a moment her smile made Ingo ache, loss and grief stabbing at his heart.
He still caught her and pulled her in close.
“You’re a very good baby,” he told her solemnly. “You are. And when you’re healed, if you want, I’ll teach you to be the deadliest baby in the Highlands. Not the Icelands, though. You shouldn’t go there. You’re very weak to ice, baby. Follow your safety checks.”
“Gigar.” Gligar stuck her tongue out. “Llllllll,” she said solemnly.
“Yes, yes. Let’s get something to eat, hm?” Ingo moved her to his shoulder and set off back towards his house. He was a bit hungry, now that he thought about it. “And you do not have the stomach of a grown man. So you must be also.” Ingo pet her head softly.
It was nice to have someone to talk to.
(Again?)
(Was it again? Another person—a smile— who?)
(Ingo’s head hurt hurt hurt—)
Ingo wound his arm back and threw.
Gligar screamed in delight and circled in the air before pulling in her wings and diving, claws out, towards the target.
“Aerial Ace! Strong!” Ingo saw her tuck her wings even tighter the instant before she hit the log.
It wobbled for a moment and then split.
“Gligar!” Ingo beamed at her. “Super bravo!”
He held out his arms and she launched into them from the ground. She had gotten so strong in battle and in movement!
He was certain that she’d be able to swing herself up for her own Aerial Aces soon, but it was fun to throw her, and she liked to be thrown.
Maybe he was a softie. It sounded right. He could almost hear someone calling him that.
Gligar climbed up him and cooed.
“Yes, dear.” Ingo held her close. “I’m okay. Would you like to practice Mud Bomb now? You can get all dirty.”
She batted at his face.
“Yes, yes.” Ingo touched their foreheads together. “I’m okay, darling. Training will help.”
He saw Lady Sneasler appear out of the trees and lean against one.
“Don’t you want to impress my Lady?” Ingo hefted Gligar up in his arms. “We can do just one more Aerial Ace, okay? To show off.”
She nodded, but Ingo got the distinct sense she wasn’t impressed.
Didn’t matter. As long as she had fun. Ingo wound her back again, and threw her up.
Lady Sneasler watched Ingo rummage in rocks.
“It can’t be that hard to find one Razor Fang,” he muttered loud enough to be heard clear around the cave. “She’s ready for it, and as a Gliscor I can teach her moves to counter the Ice-type weakness, it’ll be a wonderful one month anniversary if I can just— find! A single fang!” He swung his borrowed pick axe again.
Lady Sneasler’s ears flicked back with irritation.
“Maybe I should have asked Warden Calaba for Lord Ursaluna’s help.” Ingo sighed. “Oh well. I will find it.”
She didn’t understand why he was so invested in this. The little Gligar was already one of the deadliest of her kind that Lady Sneasler had ever seen. She did not need to be a Gliscor. There was no current conflict.
Lady Sneasler had never seen a Warden raise up another pokemon like this when there was not some kind of human conflict.
But Ingo was doing it, and in all his training he emphasized not to harm humans. Again and again. And the way he taught the little Gligar would not result in permanent injuries to other pokemon, either. Pain, yes. Exhaustion. Fear, occasionally, to drive others off. But he did not train her to hunt, neither humans nor pokemon.
(She still knew how. Lady Sneasler saw her catch and eat plenty of pokemon and then go begging to Ingo for food as though she was starving.
Lady Sneasler approved of that. Ingo had some of the best treats she’d ever had. But it was hilarious.)
Hrm.
Was this what her Warden enjoyed? He certainly seemed the happiest he had been (except when caring for her) teaching the little menace.
There were a lot of pokemon that got injured, limped on a while, and then got eaten. Maybe Ingo would like to train another one? Lady Sneasler could snare a pokemon and bring it to him. And it would be incredibly amusing to watch the reactions from other humans.
... And she worried.
She worried.
Lady Sneasler made her decision and marched off. She would find another injured stray for Ingo, and he would like it.
Ingo had a ball of vines dumped into his lap. “Uh? Lady Sneasler, why have you brought me plant life?”
“Sneas,” she said, with a wave of her hand to indicate she was ready to accept praise.
Gligar peered down at the ball from his shoulder.
Ingo supposed Tangela vines did have some medicinal qualities, but...
“Tannnnn...”
Oh! Ingo nodded. “I see! Thank you for bringing this passenger to me, Lady Sneasler.” Ingo carefully cradled the ball and moved over to his small medicinal shelf. “Let’s see... I think you could do with a fertilizer bath, hm? I did get some bone powder to help grow a few roses, and I can’t imagine that will hurt you. And obviously some potions. But a nice fertilizer soak sounds excellent right now, hm?”
Ingo continued to murmur his plans even as he tuned himself out. He got his big pot down, and filled it up with a mix of water and potions. The fertilizer he would have to go get and add, but first.
He very carefully put the Tangela into the pot, facing upwards.
“There you go, darling. Take it easy, and I’ll be right back.” Ingo gave her a very light pat to the vines as he glanced at Gligar, now perched on the shelf. Oh dear. He recognized that look. “Gligar, no.” Ingo signed the word as he said it, and then scooped her up anyways. “That Tangela is not food. Come with me and I will give you a little berry mash snack, hm?”
Gligar scampered back up to his shoulder. Ingo was fairly certain that she wasn’t pushing him to find a Razor Claw sooner only because she still fit nicely on his shoulder.
That was fine.
There was no one around to have a good battle against, after all.
Ingo sighed as he scooped fertilizer and some of the good rich dirt in his garden into a bucket. Maybe he would do the soak, and then let the Tangela plant itself in the dirt for a bit? Caring for grass types was a bit hazy, in his mind. But none of that seemed wrong, and he could water that dirt with the potion water, so.
Close enough!
Ingo tromped back inside.
“Hello, passenger!” Ingo raised a hand to wave. “Please remain seated! I will be right with you.” He walked over slowly and set the bucket next to it. “If these are not tracks you wish to follow, I will not force you. Especially because I will admit I have no real sense of how to care for you! So I will only be able to handle the basics. But I hope this will help you!” Ingo fluffed the dirt aimlessly. “... Yes. And I will water you with the potion water.”
Ingo put the bucket of soil right next to Tangela and then backed away.
Hopefully she would be able to move herself, if she did not want to be touched.
The vines moved quite slowly, but Ingo watched as the Tangela shifted to the other pot.
“Bravo!” Ingo tried to keep his voice quiet, but based on Gligar’s displeased chitter and the way the Tangela flinched, he quite failed. “My apologies, passenger. I’m afraid I am simply quite loud. I am going to water you now, okay?”
Ingo moved slowly and carefully and sprinkled the water over the Tangela after mixing in a bit more potion. Perhaps he should take them outside? Sunlight was important. But he wouldn’t be able to protect them quite as easily like that, and his windows…
They did not deserve the name and Ingo felt quite firmly about that. Yes, technically the stretched and scraped hide let in light, but it wasn’t windows. Maybe he could get Lady Sneasler to help him punch a hole in an exterior wall and then cover it with shutters.
Agh. Ingo sighed.
“How do you feel about sitting outside with me?” Ingo looked around for something he could bring outside. “That way you get sunlight. Water, dirt, sunlight, that’s what you need to regrow your vines, yes?”
Ingo moved slowly as he picked up the bucket and Tangela. It didn’t flinch back, so Ingo decided to believe that was a good sign. He knew, deep in the bones of him, that pokemon could see your heart. He hoped it made up for his exterior appearance and noise.
It seemed to, for pokemon.
A pity humans didn’t have the same kind of vision. Ingo tucked the Tangela bucket under one arm, picked up his most recent attempt at woodcarving with the other, and went to sit in the sunlight.
Calaba claimed it was good for humans. Ingo did not agree. The sun protection slime was horrible.
He would simply have to suffer through it.
Ingo tilted his cap over his head as Gliscor played with Tangela in the garden. He wasn’t entirely sure what the game was, but when he’d stopped it the first time they’d both looked at him with the saddest eyes, and. Well. He was a sap.
Maybe Tangela would also be interested in combat training. Two was not a full team, but Ingo did not mind that. And whatever had happened to her, Ingo was certain the least he could do before giving her the chance to go free was to teach her some self-defense.
Ingo stared up at the worn cloth of his cap.
It felt —
It felt a bit wrong.
There was supposed to be someone with him. Someone to train his pokemon with him, someone to share the —
Epic highs and lows of battle facility training!
—with.
Ah, and now he was crying at the faint memory of the flat voice.
He felt Tangela creep into his lap, and heard the thump of Gliscor landing nearby.
“It’s okay,” he said. He felt rather undermined by his voice cracking. He put his cap back properly on his head. “It’s okay, dears. I’m fine.”
“Scorrrr.” Gliscor nudged into him, and clambered into his lap. Tangela squeaked displeasure and moved into the crook of his arm.
“I am,” he insisted. “Please. Have fun. I want you both to be friends, and friends have fun together.”
Gliscor nudged his cap off his head and started to nibble at his hair.
“Gliscor…” Ingo hefted her up. “Please. I do not need a haircut.”
Gliscor wriggled, and Tangela took the opportunity to reclaim his lap. Luckily, this distracted Gliscor from the attempted haircut, and Ingo watched them roll back around into what was going to be the garden.
When he got the energy to plant it.
Or when someone was scheduled to come by and he finally got a burst of frantic energy. Either way! Who knew what would happen first! Ingo didn’t! He could not get his brain to realize that he had to plant his own food no matter how much it was explained to him.
Ingo looked at Tangela, romping around in the dirt.
Surely a Tangela would know how plants worked? Did pokemon plant things? He didn’t know.
Ingo dropped his head into his hands.
He was going to have to ask Melli.
Ingo hated this, actually.
Ingo dug in the dirt as Melli chattered at his side. He was attempting to absorb the information that Melli was giving him, but it just wasn’t sticking. And he didn’t have paper to write it down on.
“I’m sorry, Warden Melli.” Ingo jabbed his trowel into the dirt again. “I will probably have to keep on asking you for help. Is there anything I can trade with you? I do not want to take you for granted.”
“Hmph!” Melli flicked his hair back. “It takes kids years to learn and remember all of this. I’m not even trying to teach you anything, because that would be foolish, and I’m not a fool. That’s deep enough, get the yam sprouts in now.”
Ingo carefully planted one of the sprouts he had been given and smoothed the dirt around it. Now time for another. So many yams.
“Besides, look at your Tangela.” Melli jabbed his trowel in her direction. “She’ll pick it up quick. Did you know they propagate themselves? Once she realizes what we’re doing she’ll copy us. Unlike your menace.”
Gliscor chittered happily from her perch on a rock. “Scorrrrrr.”
“She’ll probably bring you meat, if you let her. And you’d better, I don’t know what you were thinking.” Melli shook his head. “Evolving her.”
“I was thinking she would like to, and that it would give her access to a wider range of pokemon to train against in the wild.” Ingo shrugged, and planted another yam. “That’s it.”
“You’re strange.” Melli sighed. “But if I ever have trouble with a wild pokemon, then that’s what I’ll ask you for in return, hm?”
“I’d be happy to help you train your Stunky before there’s any problems at all!” Ingo beamed at Melli. “It would be my pleasure, and that way you would be able to have a first line of defense, yes?”
“Ah... maybe. Garden first! No distractions.” Melli lightly whacked him on the shoulder. “Call your Tangela over, and have her watch what we’re doing. She’ll pick it up. Diamond keeps a knot of Tangela just for planting season.”
“It would be quite nice to have someone else to remember it all...” Ingo waved a hand to get Tangela’s attention, and signed come to her. She trotted right over, and Ingo reached out and patted her. “And to help. The wheat is going to take forever, isn’t it.”
“Well, yes, winter wheat is quite a pain to tend along, but... This is what you have time for. But what’s really going to be hard? Getting some fruit trees going. They’re delicate, and it’s hard to keep pokemon from digging up those tender shoots.” Melli sat back with a hum. “Actually, I bet your Gliscor would be good for helping with that. Have her watch the garden with your Tangela. And if you can pick up wool or roving from a merchant, you can weave a net to hang above the garden that will help even more.”
Ingo grimaced.
“You don’t know how to spin yarn either, do you.” Melli sighed. “Well. You’ll find something you remember to trade with.”
“... Hopefully.” Ingo hadn’t remembered anything, really. Anything that was unrelated to pokemon, at least.
Ingo watched as Tangela began to imitate his and Melli’s movements, rather than thinking about that further. He should make a hand-signal for planting out of the language he knew, and teach it to her.
She was adapted to this place, and so was Gliscor, and if Ingo could remember nothing but pokemon, he could at least build a team to help with that. If there were enough members of a pack adapted to the land, they could balance out one who was not, surely?
He just had to build the right team. The right team, and make sure that he had his own valuable role, or he would not be able to live with himself.
He could not be dead weight.
Ingo patted Tangela where she curled up next to him under the blankets. The snow blanketed everything, and it made Ingo horribly, horribly aware that all the food he had was what was in his storage caves, and the wheat sprouts still growing under the snow. He had to eat a handful of those a day, he had been told. He had to make sure he mixed fruits with the meat and the wheat and everything else.
There was so much he had to do. Had to remember.
He was just... cold.
He gently patted Tangela again. Gliscor lay by the banked fire, sleeping happily. His jar of yeasty flour sat there also.
Tangela had sprouts. Ingo thought, faintly, that that might mean she was going to evolve soon.
He wasn’t sure if he had the food for that. It was a horrible, hollow thought.
Ingo yawned.
He’d just sleep a bit longer, instead.
He was quite tired, after all.
Lady Sneasler was unhappy. Her Warden had the winter sickness, but now it was spring, and he still had it. But he was alive, so he could heal. Ingo sat in the garden, and she watched as his newly evolved Tangrowth planted the garden. It was haphazard, but she didn’t see any reason that it wouldn’t work.
Her Warden ate, and her Warden slept (far too much) and her Warden groomed her, and her Warden helped her, but no. He was not there. His hands and mouth were silent. She needed a way to jolt him out of the sickness.
She needed another stray.
Lady Sneasler turned and walked off.
Ingo jolted as something was dropped on his lap. It was freezing, and bleeding, and yellow.
Lady Sneasler patted his head.
... Yes. He knew what to do. Ingo stood, and cradled the pokemon to his chest. He had Aspear berries still. He would take them, and mash them, and mix them with honey. That should help. Yes. And then potions, what he had left. And then...
Then he would go from there.
Ingo took them inside.
It did not take long to warm a mash, and he cradled the... Abra?
He cradled it against his chest as he did so. He wondered where Lady Sneasler had gotten an Abra. He wondered why the Abra had not simply teleported away. Ingo wondered a lot of things, and his brain creaked into gear again. There were tracks he knew and he would do his best with them.
The Abra swallowed. That was a good sign.
Ingo gently coaxed the mash down its throat, a bit at a time. It was hard. The Abra did not want to swallow, but Ingo continued to put a small spoonful in its mouth, and carefully rub its throat to coax the food down.
“Shh, darling.” Ingo made nonsense noises as he worked. “Shh. I’ve got you, and I’m going to do my best to help you now, okay?”
The Abra continued to not make noise. Ingo could not decide if that was a bad sign. He knew that an Abra was Psychic, which, for all he knew, meant they did not make noise, and relied on psychic emanations.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to feel any of those, right now.
He felt like the chill of the winter had settled in his bones and it numbed him to everything else.
But he had something to do, now. Something he was good at. It helped.
Ingo spooned the last of the mash into the Abra’s mouth and took out a potion bottle. He hadn’t been able to explain what a spray bottle was to anyone in such a way that they could make one, so he would have to soak a cloth and carefully dab the wounds with it. Much less... Much less efficient, he thought. But it would still help, and that was what was important.
Ingo couldn’t quite remember how he got through everything, just that he did. He got the Abra cleaned and tucked in his softest blankets by the fire.
Once he had done that, he realized he had more energy.
He should go help Tangrowth with the garden. But he did not want to leave the Abra alone, either, so he opened the door and whistled for Gliscor.
“Gliiii!” She swooped out of nowhere and right into his face.
“Ow,” Ingo complained from the floor. “Hello, dear. Please watch the Abra by the fire— come get me if they wake up, okay?” Ingo signed the same command, watch and guard, and hoped that the combination would help Gliscor understand the fairly new type of task. She nuzzled up against him, and Ingo scritched under Gliscor’s chin for a bit before he started to slowly maneuver himself up.
He realized, as he sat there on the floor with her, that he was …
His shirt didn’t fit.
His coat didn’t fit either, and that was even more distressing. It was too loose, bunched up and draping weirdly and just— too big.
Ingo realized it was harder to lift Gliscor than it had been at the beginning of winter, and couldn’t stop the bitter chuckle from exiting his mouth.
“I haven’t been taking care of myself, have I?” He leaned his forehead into hers. “I’ll do better. But in order to do that, you have to let me get up.”
Gliscor seemed to get heavier. He was quite impressed.
“I need to make sure Tangrowth is planting the right things in the gardens, Gliscor.” Ingo continued to scritch her. “And then tomorrow we can go hunting, yes? You bring back your kills and I will prepare them for the two of us.” He didn’t like to do it. He had only done it a few times before winter.
That had been a mistake. He would have to get used to it now. He would put on the clothing Pearl had so graciously gifted to him, their Warden—
(and it had sounded like sacrifice, a life given up in service, and gone forever from the world)
(and it had sounded like home, a task shouldered between two people with delight)
and put his own away, because he did not know who he would become if his own sleeves were stained with blood.
They were already stained enough.
Ingo did not even know the former life he was getting tattered and ripped. He couldn’t remember it. He couldn’t.
He tried.
But.
If he did not survive, it would never come to him.
Ingo patted Gliscor again, and with an effort set her to the side.
“Watch the Abra,” he said firmly, his hands moving in sync. “Come get me when they wake. Do not fake-hunt them. They are a guest in our carriage. Be polite.” Ingo stood, ignoring the new creaks and aches as he did so, and went outside.
Maybe he would invite Melli over again. He could cook…
He had survived. He had survived despite no memories of how to do so. He was alive, despite the odds against him.
If that did not warrant a celebration, he did not know what did.
Ingo grimaced as the wind ruffled his hair. Perhaps he would cut his hair first, though. His hair was entirely too long, and he needed to wash it, and —
Ingo was going to go jump in the river. He went back inside just long enough to grab a bucket, his knife, and soap, and then left.
The river called him. It was going to be freezing. And he was going to be clean.
Ingo was fished out of the river one hour later by Lady Sneasler. He got the distinct impression that she thought he was being idiotic. But he was clean, his hair was short, and through very careful knife work he had his sidelocks back into shape.
He wasn’t sure why that shape mattered! Only that it did.
But he was clean.
He’d just have to go back later to clean his clothing.
Ingo carefully put Abra into the baby carrier he had jury-rigged out of two shirts. “Okay, baby! We are going to visit Warden Melli. Please be polite to him.” He checked himself over.
House: sparkling clean.
Foods and what he needed to cook them: in his bag.
His yeasty concoction: in his bag.
He was prepared.
Time to get going.
Ingo went outside and met with Lady Sneasler, who had kindly agreed to guide him to Melli while Gliscor and Tangrowth continued to watch the garden.
“All aboard!” Ingo dropped into the pose that felt right, one arm to the side and the other pointing straight out. “All passengers are now aboard for the trip to Moonview Arena! Aim for victory!” Ingo set out west. It seemed right, and Lady Sneasler did not pick him up and turn him, so it was fine.
Walking made him get out of breath much faster than he would have liked. Ingo made a mental note. He needed to remember to still exercise in winter. That seemed unfair. He would have to remember to eat, and to not hibernate, and to exercise, which would take even more food, and Ingo felt quite bone certain that this was all bullshit. Surely.
Regrettably, it was all he had. Ingo patted the top of the Abra’s head lightly. “Sorry about the negative vibes, baby.”
Abra’s tail flicked, and Ingo felt a small sense of confusion.
“It’s okay, I don’t understand me either.” Ingo kept on walking despite his legs’ complaints. He was not currently accepting feedback, thank you, body. The way to get strong again was to just keep on going, he was pretty sure. And if it wasn’t his legs would tell him that tomorrow and then he’d figure out a new plan.
Or they’d tell him today, but that was okay, because he was a stubborn bitch and he was going to throw a party just for him and Melli, and then he would have to convince Melli to take his yeast away for a week, or Ingo would have to eat it all right in front of him and then Melli would yell. Melli would probably yell anyways but at least then Ingo would not have to make a whole new yeast colony.
Mmm. That could be delicious though. Almost like pizza! No one knew what pizza was either. He’d have to make one. If he could find tomatoes. And he could make cheese, probably. How complicated could it be? You took milk, and you let it go bad.
He’d just have to catch something capable of making milk and then milk it. And then let the milk go bad. Hopefully the right way. Maybe he would ask Melli! Melli would know.
Ingo raised a hand as Moonview Arena came into view.
“Warden Melli! How does one go about making cheese?” He heard a loud squawk from the Arena and cheerfully looked up at Lady Sneasler. “I suppose he is at home, then! We have good timing.”
Ingo saw Melli race out of the entrance of the arena and waved again.
“Warden Ingo, there will be no cheese making!” Melli came to a halt before Ingo. “No! That is advanced. You don’t even have any pokemon you can— what is that?”
“Hm?” Ingo looked down. “Oh, this is Abra.”
“Where the fuck did you get an Abra? And at this time of year?” Melli shook his head. “It’s still got freeze burns, did you go to the Icelands?”
“Oh, no.” Ingo shook his head. “Lady Sneasler brought my newest passenger to me!”
“At least it’s not a herd of Stantler,” Ingo heard Melli whisper to himself. “It could be much worse.”
“I would not move a herd of Stantler into the Highlands! That would likely cause ecological devastation, and I certainly do not have the proper assistant to herd them.”
Melli’s glare softened with confusion. “What are you talking about? There are Stantler in the Highlands. They normally stick to the Wayward Wood, but they are here.”
“Is that so? I have not seen any,” Ingo said, only half-paying attention. Herd them…there was a pokemon that was skilled in that matter, wasn’t there? Some sort of herder…herder…herrrrrrderrrrrr…
(Ingo’s head hurt again)
(Why did it do this why did he hurt hurt hurt—)
Abra chirped, and the hurt washed away into exhaustion as a foreign presence pressed on his mind.
“Thank you, passenger.” Ingo sighed. “... My apologies, Warden Melli! I just wanted to bring over some of the spring foods. So we can celebrate! We survived winter.” Ingo hefted his backpack a bit further up his back. “I’ll cook!”
“No. Absolutely not. Show me what you’ve brought, and I will cook.” Melli shook his head. “You forget! I’ve seen your cooking. And smelt it. If we’re to celebrate, I will do the cooking.”
“It’s hardly my fault that I don’t know how to cook with the ingredients that are available to me.” Ingo shook his head. “I make a mean omelette. Fried egg. Soft boiled egg. Lots of eggs. Many different ways. And if I just had the right potatoes, I would make excellent potato dishes. I know it.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Melli pulled at Ingo’s backpack. “Off. I will do the cooking. And you can watch and learn. Along with your new menace.”
“She’s not a menace.” Ingo patted the Abra’s head. “And she hasn’t healed enough to decide if she’s staying or not. So she’s not my menace.”
Bubbles of delight popped against Ingo’s brain, and he couldn’t stifle a giggle. Abra made a raspberry noise, and even more delight surrounded Ingo.
“Yeah, no. She’s your menace.” Melli shook his head. “Three pokemon… Well. At least you’ve got a hunter, a gardener, and a helper.” He pointed at the Abra. “You need to be his brain. He doesn’t have one.”
“Yes I do.” Ingo poked Melli in the side, and then shrugged out of his backpack. “I have a brain. I just don’t have all the same brain parts you have. Brain memories. Skills!” Ingo snapped his fingers. “That’s the word.”
“Well, you’ll get there.” Melli sighed. “… I’m glad you’re alive, Warden Ingo. You’re right. That’s worth celebrating. Come on.”
Ingo beamed. “Also, I need you to keep my yeast for the next seven days.”
“What?”
Ingo watched Abra hover around the cabin as he attempted to get smoke from the smoker out of the window. “This would be much easier with tubes,” he told her. “But I don’t think they have the right tubes, here. Or fans. But look! Now we have smoked meat.” Ingo gestured at the box, full of smoky Magikarp, and signed food.
Abra floated over and gasped without noise, hands going to her mouth.
“I told you the meat was still in there!” Ingo kissed the top of her head. “And look! There it is!”
Abra trilled happily, and bounced from side to side in the air.
“Yes!” Ingo had an idea, and covered his face with his hands. “Where did I go?”
He could feel the concern tapping against his mind. He held the position for one, two, three—
“Peek a boo!” Ingo revealed his face with flair.
“!” Abra Teleported.
“Oh, no, baby.” Ingo covered his mouth and tried to muffle his laughter. “Oh, no, it’s safe baby! I promise!”
Abra Teleported back in and looked around. Ingo opened up his arms, and she darted in.
“I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Ingo patted her head gently, and held her close. “No more peek a boo. Okay. Let’s go see if the grain porridge tastes good now, hm?” He sighed. “I wish we had rice. I miss rice.”
He felt a bubbly pop-pop-pop as Abra tried to console him.
“It’s okay,” he said, a bit glumly still. “Warden Melli explained. And besides, I might be able to trade for the little bit in the Mirelands, this winter.”
Ingo knew now that rice had to be flooded, and that in order to appreciably farm it the clans would have to change so much of the landscape, and they didn’t like to do any farming, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He wanted magically appearing rice. What he had was wheat.
So, so much wheat.
Ingo sighed. He needed to find a trader and start to barter for a more familiar potato, before he got melancholy over rice.
— After he put away the jerky.
Ingo folded his arms with a sigh. “Kadabra.”
His rebellious teen stared back at him, and moved her arm closer to the honey.
“Kadabra, do not take the honey.” Ingo infused all the authority he could into his voice. “If you take the honey, you will get no treats for the next week, and I will make you responsible for replacing it.” Ingo raised an eyebrow. “Do not make me use my power.”
“Brrrrrr.” Hungry want honey Ingo now. Mine mine my honey.
“It is not your honey, it is our honey. And if you eat it all, I will not be able to make honey cakes for you later.” Ingo raised his other eyebrow. “You love honey cakes. So do Gliscor and Tangrowth. They will be very upset with you if you eat all the honey.” Ingo stared at her.
Kadabra stared back.
Ingo was not going to lose the staring contest. He was too good for that. He sighed, and flexed the mental muscle he had discovered shortly after his arrival to Hisui.
Kadabra plopped onto the floor.
“Aaaa!!! Ka!” Kadabra shook a spoon at him. Not fair! Ingo let me go!
“It’s not my fault you can’t float at level one.” Ingo walked over and plucked the jar of honey from the shelf and put it in his coat. “Are you going to be polite now?”
Kadabra glared at him and Teleported.
Ingo sighed. “My rebellious teen daughter…” He put the honey back. He really needed to figure out a way to train her. Either that, or figure out how to evolve her. He had a vague sense that Abras were sweet, Kadabras were just smart enough to cause trouble, and Alakazams were smarter than some humans.
He wasn’t sure if that was right, though. Besides, surely he should be able to train Kadabra into some level of partnership. Gliscor and Tangrowth had benefited from the partnership, growing smarter and better able to understand him, and although Ingo was not certain of the mechanics behind that—
(Look at this paper. They think we are all psychic. Who’s going to tell Caitlin she’s not special?)
— his head hurt.
Ingo tried not to tear up. No matter how frustrating it was, Ingo did not have the time or energy or water to waste on crying when he didn’t even know why.
That reminded him. He needed to boil more water. He needed more containers to hold it in, as well, more rocks to polish smooth and open and make lids for.
Ingo dragged himself outside. First he would get more water. Then while it boiled he would consider the conundrum of how to make more containers. Perhaps he would teach Kadabra Psycho Cut. That should be able to cut rock. Then he would have more water containers. Maybe he would even have enough to hold rendered fat.
That would be nice. If he had enough, and stored it in the ice Lady Sneasler brought him from the Highlands, he could have enough fat to deep fry things.
He could deep fry a potato. After he found one. Warden Melli did not know of any potatoes as pale as he was on the inside. The Gingko trader had promised to look, though. And bring a few back. Ingo could trade the rendered fat for potatoes. And the containers, if he made them well enough. Little polished rock containers… those would probably be good barter. He’d just have to convince Kadabra to help him with them first.
And find some good rocks.
Ingo whistled for Gliscor, and went to search for rocks.
Ingo was aware that he had told Warden Melli he would tell him before he went anywhere near Jubilife village. But Ingo had gone to look for him, and not found him, and he’d left a note, so.
Ingo just needed to trade for some rice. He’d heard that Jubilife had committed crimes against the local environment, and while he was quite against this as a general rule, now that they had already done it he wanted part of it.
Right next to a beach, even. He wondered how they managed to flood the fields without salt. He had some of the polished rock containers, light and tough, and the merchant had liked them, so probably the village would as well. And Ingo would finally have gifts to give in return when Lady Sneasler took him into the village!
Right. Ingo also needed to get nail files for the Sneaslets. Yes. Nail files. Rice.
Oo, that was a lovely patch of leeks. Ingo veered off the path and began to carefully harvest them. He needed a lot of them. Ingo thought about the pokemon he’d begun to train for fun in the Highlands. He’d hoped that he’d get ideas for better ways to train Kadabra while he did so, but what he had ended up with, over the past few months, was numerous pokemon he would be quite happy to take into battle. But they had no desire to stay with him, so that was fine.
He’d even found a Stantler! Well out of calfing season, though. No cheese. Very sad.
Ingo braided the leeks together and put them into his pack. The Probopass alpha had been quite helpful at cutting the rocks, and they gleamed in his pack.
Ingo wandered more. He was aware that he was not going in a “straight line” or indeed any kind of efficient one, but the Fieldlands was full of unharvested material and he needed it. He had big storage caves to fill. He’d have to come back here more!
Ingo stared across a field of flowers, and breathed in the air. Beautiflys danced in the air around him, and he was quite grateful they were smart enough to not start any trouble.
In the distance, he saw a glow, and he watched in awe as a flock of Shaymin flew off into the sky.
Gracidea flowers, then. No wonder it smelled so good. Ingo closed his eyes and let that image dance across his mind, the graceful lines and wonderful flight of the Shaymin.
Beautiful.
“Who goes there?”
Ingo winced. So harsh. And in such a lovely moment.
“Who goes there!”
Ingo sighed and opened his eyes. There were people in front of him. In an unfamiliar uniform, he noted. They had one pokemon each with them, and seemed uncomfortable with even that. That was not right.
There was something to remember— people whose pokemon had not liked them—
“I am simply enjoying the day,” he complained. “This is not claimed territory. Who are all of you, to ruin it?”
“This is our territory. Identify yourself, and remove yourself.” The uniformed (soldier?) in front of him jabbed a spear towards him, and for some reason Ingo could not place that made him bristle.
“I am—” he stuttered, his hands failing to complete his sentences. “I am— I am a Subway Boss, one of— and you have no authority here—” He shook his head and his hands. No. That was not right. “This is no one’s territory. The beach is Jubilife’s, and the land outside of it is for all. I checked.”
“Then you checked wrong, and you are trespassing.” The (guard?) stepped closer. “We will take you into custody and inform the clan leaders of this trespass.”
“No.” Ingo shook his head. “No, no, that’s not— I have to get back, I have things to do, you have no posted signs to indicate trespass or, or—“
His head hurt. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t right, something was wrong. He was missing something.
“Bidoof, take him down.”
“No.” Ingo spoke firmly, and everyone froze. His head hurt. Unruly passengers. Where was his backup? “Pokemon are not for hurting people— my head my head—”
There was a flash in front of him.
“Kaaa! Dabra!” Mine not yours don’t hurt him don’t hurt him bad girl!
There was another flash, and Ingo sank to the ground, holding his head. It.
It hurt.
There were hands on the side of his head.
Ingo okay? Ingo good now? Kadabra is a good girl, gets honey? Her mind tapped against his, worried and attempting to soothe him.
“Kadabra is a very good girl,” he forced out. “Very good. Verrrry?” He winced. No. That wasn’t right. That wasn’t supposed to be him. “Just… just let me drink some water. And I will make you honey cakes, even.”
Oooo honey cake Kadabra very good girl. Here water drink water. Important. Kadabra floated a cup in front of him, and Ingo drank. It tasted fine. It was probably from his pre-boiled water. It would be nice if he could remember what water was safe. Wouldn’t have to bother boiling all of it.
Ingo pressed the cup to his forehead, and let the chill soothe the ache.
“Yes.” Ingo reached out and hugged Kadabra with one arm. “Water is very important.”
He breathed.
Perhaps next time he would wait for Warden Melli. The man clearly had a point about Jubilife.
He’d have to make that up to him, somehow. After the honey cakes for Kadabra.
Yes. After honey cake. Honey cake most important.
Ingo waited for Warden Melli in the Moonview Arena. He wasn’t sure what scents Warden Melli liked most, but he had decided that it was really impossible to go wrong with Leppa berries and some that smelled like Electrode wood.
(He was never going to tell Warden Melli that he had harvested old husks of Voltorbs and Electrodes for that. He didn’t need to know!)
He had even gotten Kadabra to help him carve Diamond signs into the polished obsidian containers. She was becoming very helpful, when he caught her in the right mood. Ingo also hadn’t been sure if Warden Melli would prefer his perfume in liquid or solid, and had decided on solid.
Ingo rubbed at the lid of the Leppa scented ointment nervously. He did not think this was overstepping. He just hoped Warden Melli wasn’t going to laugh and tell him that everyone knew how to make their own perfume, of course, and he certainly didn’t need any of Ingo’s.
It wasn’t a very useful skill, though. So perhaps. It could be useless enough that no one else would know how. He certainly hadn’t managed to make candles. He had a vague sense that they were not supposed to slump over when placed in sunlight.
Ingo sighed. He was overthinking this. He had made a gift for a friend, and now he just had to wait for that friend to show up, and then he could apologize for most definitely worrying the man.
And the Sneaslets hadn’t managed to eat the attempted candle, so.
“Warden Ingo!” Melli finally came into sight. “What the fuck were you thinking, going to Jubilife?”
“I did not make it there,” Ingo protested. Step one of apology failed. “I did not make it anywhere near there. I was rudely accosted in a field of flowers and nearly forced at spear point back there, but I did not go.”
“Didn’t— what the hell does that mean?” Melli threw his hands up in the air, and a Zubat startled off of his hat.
“Oh! Warden Melli, did you acquire another partner?” Another Poison-type…but there was nothing wrong with a theme, especially when their secondary typings made them each immune to one of their shared type’s weaknesses. Perhaps a new partner to train alongside would make it easier to convince Melli to battle him…
“Huh? Yes, this is Zubat, she’s precious, and you are not going to distract me. What does that mean?”
Right. Ingo was trying to apologize, which should start with explaining. “Kadabra teleported me back.” Ingo sighed. “I… had a moment. She quite kindly rescued me. Are Irida and Adaman aware that Jubilife is attempting to claim more of the Fieldlands?”
“Yes, and no one wanted you to have to face them alone!” Melli stamped a foot and Ingo identified the tenor of it as upset for him, not at him. “Please tell me you didn’t introduce yourself.”
“It’s… a bit hazy, now.” Ingo sighed. “You know how I am.”
“Well.” Melli sighed. “Please wait for me, next time. Alright? No one wants you to get hurt because of those idiots, and they don’t know you’re a Warden!”
Ingo held up his braceleted wrist in mute protest of that statement.
“Any Zorua could fake that, nevermind a Zoroark.” Melli strode across the final distance and sat next to Ingo. “We don’t want you speared. You’re a Warden. Can you imagine the rage Lady Sneasler would fly into?”
“She’s quite amenable, really.” Ingo blinked at Melli’s scoff. “She is!”
“To you. She can be an unholy terror. Not that Lord Electrode can’t!” Melli blew out his breath in one big puff. “They all can. We balance them. And if Jubilife killed you…” Melli stared into the distance and shook his head as Zubat returned to his hat. “She’s fast, she’s sharp, and she’s poisonous. I would lay even odds on Jubilife surviving if they ran. Assuming she didn’t make her case to other Nobles and get help.”
“… If you say so, Warden Melli.” Ingo held out the first jar. “Here. A gift. For the worry I caused you.”
“Ah?” Melli took it from him and turned it around in his hands. “This is a very nice jar. Did you carve it yourself?”
Ingo shook his head. “I polished it. Kadabra did the cutting, and the lid.” He watched Melli try to take it off. “Here. Rotate it.” Ingo demonstrated the screw motion.
“Oh! That’s quite impressive. Wouldn’t just spill everywhere if it dropped— is that perfume? How in the name of Almighty Sinnoh did you get that?” Melli looked at him in shock.
“Ah… I made it.” Ingo realized that he had hunched his shoulders. “If you do not like the scent, I can make a different one?”
“Sorry.” Melli held up a hand. “Explain this. You barely knew how to cook, but you know how to make perfume? Do you have any idea how few people— of course you don’t.”
“Some of us don’t know basic survival skills but can recite exactly how to make perfume to cope. We exist,” Ingo said. It had a good rhythm.
“I think you’re entirely singular, Ingo.” Melli held the jar up to sniff. “Ooo, Leppa.”
“… No, I think…” Ingo’s head drove an ice pick into him. “I’m not… supposed to be…”
“Ah— Warden Ingo. Tell me about this? And the other one?” Melli reached out and put a light hand on his shoulder. “I’d love to hear about it. And if you don’t mind making more, I can take them anywhere you want to trade for whatever you want. Especially if you can make them for hands. Cracking hands need lots of fats, and a little scent makes the process more pleasant.”
Ingo focused on the hand on his shoulder. “I… yes, I think I can do that, I don’t see why not, especially if people do not mind bringing me the fat and oils to render for it…” He’d have to get another pokemon to help him, he thought, as his mouth ran off with how he had done it.
Someone muscular. Good at crushing oils out of things.
Hm.
He’d just have to take a little trip out to the Coastlands.
After he explained perfumery to Melli.
Lady Sneasler followed her Warden to the Coastlands. It was an excellent trip for the kits, who got to see new sights and smell new smells and scamper up him in fright every time they got even a bit startled and leave her alone. Truly, being Arceus-blessed was amazing. She got help with childcare. Lady Sneasler laughed at all the other Sneaslers who did not know the magnificence of having a human around to take care of their kits for them.
It wasn’t like the male Sneaslers could be counted on. Lady Sneasler knew that to everyone else her babies were yummy little snacks and competition. But to her Warden, they were precious babies, although she could only leave them with him for so long or he would spoil them.
Ideal situation. Everyone should have a Warden to partner with them their whole life. Who needed any other partner, honestly. And the thumbs were excellent for scratching all the unreachable spots. Lady Sneasler plucked one of her young from her Warden’s head and started to lick them. She wasn’t sure what they had fallen into, but they stank.
“Thank you, Lady Sneasler.” Ingo continued to trek forward. “If you see any injured pokemon with grip strength, please let me know!”
“Snawr.” She nodded. She hadn’t realized her Warden could make the stinky things that humans liked. Well, he hadn’t used any of it on her, so it wasn’t that much of a lapse of judgment. He hadn’t even tried.
Smart man.
He had even realized ahead of time that he needed a new baby! She was very proud of him. And he’d lasted months.
Lady Sneasler inhaled the air deeply. The weather would take a bit to turn yet.
Late summer, she thought humans called it.
It was a good day to watch her kits fail to swim and fish them out as she laughed.
Ingo stocked away even more wood. He went through a lot of it, so he did not feel bad about this, and Machop seemed to quite enjoy chopping it. It got her trained and got Ingo lots of firewood for this winter, which he rather felt he was going to need. He sighed. It would be nice if he had pokeballs. When he had attempted to explain them to Melli, though, the man had said he’d never heard of them.
But he had gone to Jubilife and gotten Ingo multiple sacks of rice in trade for the perfumes and frankly, Ingo was certain Melli was a better haggler than Ingo was ever going to be.
Calaba had come by and watched him like a hawk as he made a batch of hand ointment. He wasn’t entirely sure why. He was being very careful to not use anything poisonous. Or itchy. Or anything he thought smelled bad, which did encompass a fair amount, he would admit.
It was nice to have something to do, though. And when the trader came back with the potatoes, Ingo would have a good and proper barter system set up.
Mmm. Ingo rubbed at his forehead. He was going to need to expand the garden.
He was going to need to expand the garden, and in a week or so Lady Sneasler’s kits would be ready to leave, and Gliscor and Tangrowth were getting too used to fighting each other, so Ingo really needed Kadabra to pick up on battle training, because he did not want to push Machop to evolve yet. It was important to make sure pokemon did not evolve too early, he remembered that.
… Perhaps he could just make more ointment and trade it for help with his garden?
No. Ingo did not want that many other humans in his space. He would simply ask the pokemon he had made acquaintances with. And then he would make sure to set aside part of it for their use. Yes. That would be fair.
But he should make more ointments and perfumes anyways to trade for extras for winter. He— worried. This winter he could not let himself slip away as he had last winter. Hopefully having four pokemon about the house would help with that, but… he did not know. If he had enough food so that he did not have to worry, it would help.
Ingo poked at himself. It did not feel right to say that he had anxiety. He wasn’t the one with anxiety. He felt that quite firmly. But he was feeling it, still.
(It clawed at his heart, right next to where his memories should be.)
… who was supposed to be— no. No. Ingo had things to do. He could not lose a day to one of his moments, he could not let himself wander down that path.
Maybe in winter, he thought bitterly. It would pass the time. He certainly couldn’t be bored if he spent every day with a headache and no sense of the passage of time. Winter hadn’t bothered Gliscor or Tangrowth— or it hadn’t until he had retreated into himself. Ingo recognized, in retrospect, that they had been quite bothered by that. If the same held true for Kadabra and Machop, he would not need to worry about leaving them mentally for smaller periods of time.
They were used to his moments, as well.
When his brain gave up the ghost, when the pain came over him without warning, when he could do nothing but hold onto what he knew to be true: he was Ingo, he had a duty, and he had had a home.
Ingo clutched at his coat reflexively.
He could not lose it. He could not lose his hat. He could not.
He needed them.
Tangible proof, in the sieve of his memories, that he had loved and been loved, had a home that made him a coat that had fit him perfectly, that still managed to have amazing textures and wonderful weight and swish.
Ingo could not remember where the clean water sources were.
He was certain he would not remember he had a home, without them.
Ingo dragged his hands down his face and knuckled at his eyes. He had things to do. Yes.
Maybe he could teach Machop how to mill the grains. That would be nice.
Yes.
(Remember. Remember, Ingo. You have to survive. You have a duty. There is a home out there for you.)
He wished it would come to him.
Ingo laid down on the floor and wished the voice in his head knew how to make candles, not just perfumes. It didn’t help. The voice kept on chattering away, cheerful, probably female, and very, very interested in perfume. Why was his brain doing this to him? He just wanted to try and make a candle while he was stuck in his house. He didn’t deserve this. He was sure.
Ingo sat up. Fuck it. No candles. Time to continue to teach Machop pressure therapy.
Ingo very silly, Kadabra informed him solemnly. Need a hug?
“I would love a hug.” Ingo opened his arms. “I would always love a hug from you.”
Upset at big-ice-loud for hugging. Kadabra hugged him carefully.
“Gaeric is an exception.” Ingo sighed. “Humans are an exception. Humans have no sense for people who feel like they need to claw off their skin if they get touched. You do. So. You can hug me without asking, because you know that.”
Hmmm. Prank.
“No,” Ingo said hastily. “No, Kadabra. Can you help me show Machop some deep tissue massage techniques instead? Please?”
Kadabra blew a raspberry at him. Boring.
“I am very boring.” Ingo patted her head. “Besides, right now it is winter. In the spring, we can think of a good prank for him. Okay?”
Kadabra considered this. Ingo did his very best to keep his mind blank.
… I will remember. Spring.
“Yes. Spring.” Ingo stood up and picked her up off the ground as he did so. “Now! Machop, dear, we have a new lesson for you.”
Machop looked up from her intent staring match with Tangrowth. Ah, Ingo had accidentally given Tangrowth the win. He would have to make it up to Machop later. Perhaps he would try to make noodles again. She had quite enjoyed kneading them, and he could almost definitely get her to roll them out.
Noodles… that would be good.
No getting sidetracked! Ingo shook his head to try and dislodge the distractions. Lessons.
Could make noodles instead of lessons. Kadabra dangled from his arms, just a bit. Yummy yummy.
“… Yes, we could do that.” Ingo looked at his wrist. Still empty. He looked out the window. No light, but that didn’t mean anything. “Alright. Noodles, and then lessons, and then sleep.”
Ingo stared at the storm outside and could not decide if it was an early spring or late winter storm. This probably did not matter, except to him. It was freezing, it had cold particulates from the sky, and he could see lightning in the top of it. Concerning. He would have to make sure there were no new leaks.
He squinted into the storm, as much as he could. The lightning… It didn’t seem right.
Ingo closed the door.
“Friends, I am afraid we may not be able to harvest any new sprouts today,” he announced. “It is… quite concerning outside!”
Gliscor had just opened her mouth when there was a sound like a —
(Ingo! Ingo, no, grab my hand!)
— tear.
Ingo? Ingo bad noises outside. Kadabra’s mental voice filtered into his head.
Ingo felt like a scrambled omelette. He heard a thud.
Ingo! Her hands shook his shoulders. Ingo, attack, please!
“I am awake,” he managed. “Maintenance— needed— situation report, agent—” no. Ingo gritted his teeth. He did not know what those words meant, but as much as they wanted to leave his lips, they were not the right ones for this situation. “What attack?”
Don’t know. Big. Scary. Kadabra helped him stand up.
Ingo swayed. His sense of balance was… off. “Right. We will have to enter the outdoors, then.”
Okay. Kadabra remained by his side.
Ingo tried to think of a strategy, but another thud shook the walls, and he decided that he was simply going to have to wing it. “Gliscor, when I open the door, Earth Power right outside.”
Gliscor nodded.
“Tangrowth, I want you to keep an eye out for any approaching pokemon, and if they are friendly, allow them to shelter in our car.” Ingo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Machop… I will direct you as needed. Kadabra, I want you to scout. Look around. Tell me if you can find what made that noise, and report back.” He looked over at her. “… You are my emergency escape plan, dear. If we cannot defend this position—”
The walls shook again.
“—then I will ask you to Teleport us all to Lady Sneasler’s cave.”
Ingo spared a thought for Lady Sneasler. But she was blessed, and he was not, and he would do no one any good by getting killed trying to help her.
“Ready?”
His pokemon nodded.
“Right. Go!” Ingo threw open the door and ran out after the rest. There was a large pokemon about to charge again, and Ingo felt quite certain that it should not be here. “Rampardos— Gliscor, second Earth Power!”
The Rampardos stumbled at the first shaking of the earth, and fell on the next, and Ingo looked around. The snow was melting out of season, and there were pokemon all around.
Something had gone very wrong.
The sky was red.
Ingo could not do anything about that, but he could calm the raging pokemon. “Over there! Machop, lead the Bronzor to Gliscor! Gliscor, rely on Fire Fang over Earth Power.” He needed to teach Machop something to overcome Psychic, he should have done it earlier—
Oh. Warden Melli.
Ingo was not religious, he did not think. But he hoped Melli’s Almighty Sinnoh was watching over him now.
As he watched, there were flashes of static and things began to appear on the ground.
(Littering is against the rules!)
Ingo tried not to listen.
He could not afford to be anything less than present now.
“Kadabra!” She teleported next to him. Big dome big bowl over Highlands. Angry red wrong. Things! She held up—
Ingo snatched the packet from her. “Dragons. Instant noodles? Bravo! Please find all of these you can and put them in the food cave!”
Oh! Food treat yes. Call if you need me! Kadabra Teleported away again.
Ingo realized, sheepishly, that that was not the most important thing he could have had her do. Oh well. It was done.
“Gliscor, come back! Tangrowth, we are going down the hill to calm any Rhyhorn and Rhydon!” Ingo held Gliscor to his chest and started to jog. “Machop! Scout. If you see anything, yell!”
“Chop!”
They all ran off. Ingo would have to ask if this was normal for winter, and he had just missed it last year.
He hoped that was the case.
He didn’t want to consider the other possibility.
Ingo limped in his door with a groan. “I wish we had hot springs,” he griped. “Hot anything. Alright. Line up for potions.” He should have a pack ready to go, in the future. Laden with potions and treats so that he could heal his pokemon outside of the house. And some food. Yes. Day packs for travel.
Ingo took down his biggest potion bottle and dumped it into the rock trough of dirt and water. “There you go, Tangrowth. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Taaaaaann.” She patted him on the head.
“Thank you, dear.” Ingo turned to the newly evolved Machoke and handed her a much smaller bottle. “Drink this, please, while I get potion onto your siblings. Sibling.” He looked around. “… Oh dear. Kadabra?” He raised his voice and called back into the storage area. “Kadabra? Please tell me you are here and did not exhaust yourself during that strange storm, dear, because I really will never forgive myself if you got hurt—”
I am fine, Ingo.
Ingo blinked. “You sound different.”
Kadabra made a noise in one of the caves. I found a strange cord— I will be right out, I am just getting everything organized.
“Organized…” Ingo stood there for a few moments and then decided that whatever had happened, Kadabra was clearly fine, and he could find out what had happened after he got potions into and on Gliscor and Machoke.
That did not take as much time as he had hoped. Ingo stared at one thoughtfully. Would it work on his aches and bruises? It couldn’t hurt, surely?
A hand plucked it out of his hand. Do not. You have your own medicine.
“Yes, but it’s the worst and the caliber of what I need right now will affect me mentally,” Ingo said automatically. Then he processed the hand. “Oh!” He looked up. “You grew up without me!” He sniffed. “You’re so big now.”
I am not that much taller, I was just hovering higher to reach the high shelves— please do not start crying! Alakazam lowered herself.
“You’re all grown up now,” Ingo wobbled out. “I remember when you were this big.” He held his hands up to indicate her as an Abra. “Are— Are you still going to stay? I realize that I do not exactly have anything to pose an intellectual challenge, and I know that you quite chafed against my rules as a Kadabra, and I would not want to hold you back, and you certainly shouldn’t feel obligated to stay here—”
Ingo. Alakazam hugged him. I am not leaving. I am sorry that I evolved without you there. I did not know it would make me evolve, it just… felt like something I should pick up. It called to me, and I thought it would at least be interesting for you to look at. She paused, and Ingo could feel embarrassment. Also, I thought it might be a weird type of noodle.
“Thank you for not choking on a weird noodle,” Ingo managed. “Don’t feel bad. I’m very proud of you.”
Now I can help you with more. Alakazam patted his back. I am not leaving. I already checked on Warden Melli, and he is fine. Lord Electrode protected him.
“Oh.” Ingo nodded. “Very smart of you. Yes. Thank you.”
You’re welcome. Will you take medicine if I stay up and make sure that nothing happens while you’re out of it? Alakazam sounded perfectly reasonable, but Ingo still drew back and squinted at her.
“You’re rummaging in my head to figure out why I do things and won’t do other things.” He sighed. “I’m not going to have any privacy ever again, will I.”
You are very bad at articulating your needs and concerns. I remember hearing Warden Melli tell you this multiple times. Alakazam seemed quite unrepentant.
“I do not have the energy to argue this right now.” Ingo considered. “… I will take a small dose, just in case the sky breaks again. And I will eat something before that. So it won’t hit me as hard.”
You could make the noodles you were excited about. Alakazam started to float them both back to the storage.
“… Yes.” Ingo sighed, exhausted. “Yes. I’ll only have to boil water. And everyone else… I will get out the jerky, and roast yams with the same fire. Yes.”
“Kazam.” Alakazam nodded, and Ingo…
Ingo was very, very glad that she was not going to leave.
“No, it absolutely the fuck was not normal.” Melli tried to scoff, but Ingo could tell his heart wasn’t in it. “We’ve— well. There have been smaller ones, before.” He looked at Ingo for a long moment. “… The prevailing theory is that it is the true Almighty Sinnoh and the false one warring. If you bring this up to anyone else, I said nothing and I will pretend you made this whole conversation up.”
“Rude,” Ingo said mildly. “Using my mental issues against me. What is it you absolutely never said?”
“I don’t understand how this can still be happening, if that’s the case.” Melli shook his head. “… The true Sinnoh should have won already. Being a god, and all.”
“Ah. And the other, by definition, being a pretender.” Ingo nodded. “I understand. This conversation never happened. Alakazam?”
I will remind you. Alakazam did not look up from dodging Melli’s Zubat’s attempts at Bites.
“I can’t believe you have an Alakazam now.” Melli huffed. “And that she decided to stay with you. You’re a lucky man, Warden.”
“I know.” Ingo crinkled his eyes up in a smile at Melli. “I am alive. I have friends. I am quite lucky.”
“Next thing I know you’ll have figured out how to evolve your Machoke.” Melli sighed. “… Although maybe that would be good, if we are to have such large manifestations of the godly war, now.”
“Zubat evolves into Golbat, who evolves into Crobat upon attaining a deep bond with either their trainer or another wild pokemon.” Ingo stroked his chin. He needed to shave again. After he figured out how not to cut himself. “And, of course, your Skuntank is already quite magnificent.”
“Oh, no.” Melli looked at Ingo with horror. “No, I am not going to start evolving all my pokemon. Zubat is a darling little girl who does not need to go through your combat training.”
Ingo politely did not point out that she was already doing that, playing with Alakazam.
“Besides! I don’t have room for something with such a large wingspan! And she knows it!” Melli slapped his hand on his knee. “Do not give her ideas! You already gave sweet Skuntank ideas, and look at him now! You can practically see his musculature under the fur! It’s not right.”
Ingo obligingly looked at Skuntank. He did not see anything wrong. But he politely did not point it out again.
“Argh. Look, I’m going to be going to Jubilife in a week or so, Adaman wants me to see if I can pick up any gossip. Or at least he did last fall, and you know they’ll have more to say after that winter.” Melli flicked a finger at Ingo. “If you happened to have any requests, I could be magnanimous enough to get them for you.”
“I do have some perfumes you could trade.” Ingo pondered the matter. “Leftover rice?”
“I do not understand how you eat all of that.” Melli shook his head. “If Almighty Sinnoh wanted us eating rice, it would grow here naturally.”
“There is a little natural rice,” Ingo pointed out. “Agriculture is not inherently horrible, you know. You have your own garden. Pearl and Diamond both practice some cultivation.”
“It is the way they do it in Jubilife,” Melli hissed.
Well.
Ingo could not argue that.
That did not mean he did not yearn for foods no one in Hisui knew, and thus would require Jubilife agriculture. Although he doubted that anyone knew how to make the strange packages he knew as instant noodles.
Anyone on this side of whatever that odd storm had been, at least.
“…On this side?”
Ingo sighed deeply as the expected headache set in.
“Hey, Ingo. On this side of what?”
Ingo did not know.
Ingo wandered the Highlands with his Lady by his side. There were still a few pokemon from the storm, and the two of them had to practice some amount of culling, as much as Ingo disliked it. They were not meant for the environment, and leaving them to run rampant was unlikely to cause anything good. Besides that, the storm had caused new rockfalls and sent streams down new passages, and it all had to be known so that Lady Sneasler and Ingo could ferry people around the Highlands.
Mostly Lady Sneasler. But Ingo could clear some obstructions more easily than she, and those he couldn’t, his team could. They moved trees and used extra rocks to set streams back on their paths as Lady Sneasler directed them, and if Ingo kept on making spring cleaning jokes there was at least no one around to hear him.
(No one to groan, not even an echo of one. Ingo missed the complaints, and it did not take long for him to cease to joke.)
“Hey, ahoy!”
Ingo jolted at the sound of another human and looked over at Alakazam. “Dear, I think I am hallucinating now. That’s concerning, yes?”
No, I heard them also. Over there. Alakazam spun him to someone climbing down a cliff.
“Oh! Hello!” Ingo couldn’t see any clan insignia. Quite strange. “Do you require direction? I or my Lady can provide!”
“Ah! You’re a warden, then?” Ingo realized he could hear the lack of capital letter. “Hi! That’s great! I’m Kew, standing in for the Survey Corps! With Jubilife!” They slid down the last few feet of the cliff and walked up to him with a grin. “Nice to meet you!”
“Ah— Alakazam?” Ingo looked to the side, and moved his hands in report and Melli.
Yes, I will tell Warden Melli. Alakazam shot a glare at the surveyor and Teleported.
“I am the Warden of Lady Sneasler.” Ingo held out a hand. It felt right. “Warden Ingo. You are quite far from Prelude Beach!”
“Oh! Handshake! Sure!” They shook his hand. “Yeah, I’m just here to help remap the area. The Commander offered Jubilife’s assistance and sent me right out!”
Ingo noted that they did not say the assistance had been accepted. “Well, my Lady and I are working on setting things to order. I am unsure how accurate any map would thus be.”
“Ah, that’s okay.” Their smile stayed on their face. “I won’t bother ya, but I saw someone and thought I’d say hi! Well. I saw your pokemon, first.”
“Mm. Yes.” Ingo was aware that they had arrayed themselves behind him. “… You said standing in for the Survey Corps. What does that mean?”
“Oh, well. Normally I’m part of Security, but that’s not what I’m doing here today.” They seemed quite firm on that. Ingo…
Ingo hoped Alakazam would get back soon.
“Ah. I suppose that explains how you made it so far with no pokemon, then.”
“Ah, not quite!” The person raised a fold of their jacket. “See? Although I haven’t seen you around the Village, so I guess you wouldn’t know.”
“Pokeballs!” The exclamation came out of Ingo without checking in at the brain station at all. “Do you have any spare for trade?” They didn’t quite look right, but they were still recognizable, and far closer than anything else.
“Umm… yes.” The human eyed Ingo strangely. “… How did you know that?”
“Sometimes I just know things,” Ingo said vaguely. “Again. I can trade in food, medicines for your pokemon, perhaps something else if you bring it up. But I would quite like a set of my own.”
“… Yeah, I don’t have any spares on me.” Ingo was still being watched. Suspiciously? He couldn’t tell. Maybe. “If you don’t mind coming to Jubilife, I could get you a good few. Maybe even teach you how to make them.”
“Ah…”
“Absolutely not,” Melli snapped as he burst out of the trees with Alakazam at his heels. “Your Commander was told that Jubilife’s assistance, while appreciated, was not needed. Why are you here? Who gave you right of passage?”
“When the Commander says to jump, you do.” The Security Corps member— oh dear, Ingo had already forgotten their name— raised an eyebrow. “We don’t argue with our leaders.”
“What a wonder you had the courage to break Clan edict, when you can’t even argue with your own leader.” Melli stomped forward in high dudgeon. “Out! Or I’ll have Alakazam send you out!” Melli paused, and a grin spread over his face. “Actually. Alakazam?”
Of course, Warden Melli. Alakazam raised her spoons. Goodbye, trespasser. Please remember we used no sticks.
There was a flash, and they disappeared.
“… I really was hoping to learn how to make pokeballs,” Ingo said sadly into the silence.
“Get your Alakazam to steal the knowledge out of someone’s head, then.” Melli sighed. “And for future reference, they’re not allowed outside of the Fieldlands. Too much skulking around.”
I already took the knowledge. We will need to battle Warden Sabi for her Magmortar’s help with smithing the metal. Alakazam left Melli’s side. Thank you, Warden Melli.
“Of course.” Melli nodded. “Any time.”
“I do not think they— well. No.” Ingo grimaced. “They wanted to be a threat, but they hardly were. They only had two pokemon, and I frankly doubt anyone on this continent could beat my team and me in a battle.”
“Yeah, if they only used pokemon.” Melli pointed at where the person had been. “They had a sword, Ingo. You do not. Do you know any hand to hand?”
“Ah… I believe I know some wrestling? Or at least I have wrestled with wild pokemon and it seemed somewhat familiar?” Ingo frowned. “Although it was just for play.”
You do not know wrestling. You know dirty sibling moves. Alakazam nodded wisely. That is why pokemon with siblings can stand up to you.
“Mm.” Ingo shrugged and did his best not to consider why he would know that. “… I will get a sling? I could learn how to use one fairly easily, probably?”
“A sling could work.” Melli stared at Ingo, sizing him up. “You should work on cliff climbing and running, more. Better to not even have a confrontation. And your pokemon could definitely help you get away.”
“I already do plenty of cliff climbing.” Ingo gestured at his bracelet. “Lady Sneasler would hardly let me not. It already tore my gloves to shreds.”
“…Ingo.” Melli stared at him. “Ingo, please tell me you have gloves for warmth.”
“I would prefer not to lie to a fellow Warden,” Ingo said weakly. “It’s fine! I keep them in my pockets. And my sleeves are fur lined, so I can just tuck them into my sleeves.” Ingo rolled up the sleeve of his tunic, beneath his coat, to demonstrate.
“At least Pearl knows how to handle warm weather gear. But you tell your Leader to get you some proper gloves!” Melli flicked a hand around him, at the drifts of snow still in the shade.
Ingo hissed and tucked his hands under his armpits.
“No! No hissing. You need gloves. It’s a miracle that you haven’t lost any fingers yet.” Melli leaned forward and flicked Ingo’s nose. “Gloves. Or I’ll tell Adaman Pearl isn’t properly outfitting a Warden.”
“You wouldn’t.” Ingo startled out of his hiss. “Melli. No.”
“Melli, yes. Get gloves and show me proof that you have in the next few weeks or I will tell.”
“You are the worst.” Ingo shook his head. “Fine. I have to go to the Icelands anyways to battle Sabi. But I will be back, and I will train your Zubat.”
“No!” Melli put a protective hand on his hat. Oh, that was incredibly sweet, letting his Zubat sleep in his hair. “She is my precious darling. My sweet baby. She will not be tainted by your devious ways.”
“She doesn’t have to evolve if she doesn’t want to,” Ingo pointed out. “She can get stronger without that. Just talk to her. Besides, move mastery is quite important, especially if you want her to carry messages.”
“I— why would she be carrying messages, goodbye. I was in the middle of polishing Lord Electrode and I have to get back to that. Alakazam, please take me back.” Melli turned from Ingo and held out his hand to Alakazam.
Okay, but we all know you’re dodging the question. Alakazam took his hand and disappeared in a flash.
Ingo let himself snicker.
He knew that to be a Warden was to put your Noble before all else, but to be a Clan Leader was to put your Clan before all else. It seemed, to him, that there would not be hard feelings about it if both people in the relationship had to put another first.
(It felt wrong to be alone. It could never feel wrong to prioritize his pokemon above other humans, to have a duty that should go above all else, but it felt wrong to be alone in it. There should be another—)
Ingo traversed the Highlands. He needed to check on all the areas he had helped pokemon cultivate a bit extra out of the land, he needed to harvest his own food and medicinal supplies, and he needed new scents.
He also needed to see if a distortion was going to appear today. The easiest way to do that was to go high up, occasionally. He was not interested in them, not really, especially since none since the first had dropped more of the strange food he recognized, but Irida had asked him to, and Ingo owed her. Ingo would owe her for the rest of her life. For taking a risk, for taking him in, for allowing him to meet Lady Sneasler— for his survival. Ingo would look for distortions, for her. No matter how much they hurt his head.
Hrm. Ingo could probably split this duty with Warden Melli. He was quite certain that Adaman would have asked the same thing of Diamond, after all, and if they could do this on a schedule, it would be more efficient.
Ingo swung himself onto a tree branch and sat. His pokeballs rattled at his side, and he put a calming hand on them.
“I’m in a tree, dears. Please do not release yourselves. If all goes well, we can go train against the Alpha Goodra later today.” Ingo tapped a finger to his chin. “And maybe the Rhyperior, after. Or the Gliscor. Yes? Does that sound good?”
Three pokeballs rattled and fell silent. The fourth remained silent, so Ingo supposed Alakazam was still napping. Good for her.
Ingo took a deep breath, and moved to slide down the tree again. No distortions yet, but much ground left to cover.
At least he was far more fit now than he had been when he landed in Hisui. Otherwise he would never be able to do this.
Ingo landed, and began to walk again.
Much to do.
Ingo was walking towards the Sacred Plaza when he paused at some strange movement. It was out of the corner of his eye, and he was uncertain exactly where it came from, so he stopped, as he had learned to do, and waited to see it again.
A Nosepass staggered out from behind a ruined wall. It was going in circles, Ingo noted. Not a good sign. If it was sick, Ingo would need to do something about it, before it could spread to the rest of the Highlands—
“Iiiiiiite!” A Magnemite wailed from the back of the Nosepass, covered in sap. “Magnemite!”
“Nosepass! Passpasspass—”
Ingo walked forward. That was not an illness— that was a problem he could fix. He was uncertain how a Nosepass and a Magnemite had come to be stuck together, but it was at least fixable. “Passengers! Please calm yourselves!”
The Nosepass and Magnemite kept twirling.
“Magnemiiiite!” The Magnemite released a burst of electricity, wide and painful.
Ingo shrugged it off. “Passenger. Calm yourself. I am going to free you.”
“Ite!”
Ingo shuddered as another burst of electricity went through him. “Please, passenger—”
“Gliscor!” Gliscor burst out of her ball and displayed herself menacingly above him.
“Nosepass!”
Ingo saw his future even as Nosepass and Gliscor both unleashed Earth Power.
Lady Sneasler was going to be so upset.
...
Ingo blinked up at the sky. He hurt. His bones ached. He felt tingly all over, so there must have been more electricity.
“Sneas!! Sneasler, Sneasler rrrrrrrrrrrrr!”
Ingo closed his eyes again. He... hurt. But he should probably get up. Even if he didn’t want to.
He is awake, Lady Sneasler. Alakazam’s hand moved from his forehead. There will be no permanent damage, I believe, although I would appreciate your help in making him take a few days of bedrest.
“M’okay,” Ingo said muzzily. “Don’t need bedrest. Just going to lie down a bit more.”
“Alaaaa.” Bullshit. I’m getting Calaba to check your bones.
Ingo tried to sit up, and failed as Alakazam used her power to hold him down. “That’s cheating.”
If it’s not cheating when you do it, it’s not cheating when I do it. Alakazam sighed. I will take you home.
“No, no. I need to help those pokemon first.” Ingo tried to sit up again. “It’s not their fault they’re distressed. I would be too, if I was glued to someone else. No matter how much I liked them. No— get along shirts. Bad. But it can be fixed, we just need peanut butter... Get... get the gum out...”
I will make sure Lady Sneasler does not kill them and they do not continue to suffer being stuck together, Ingo. But please. Your brain has been rattled, and you need to go to sleep to help it heal. Alakazam’s hand moved. Go to sleep, dad.
“Okay,” Ingo agreed.
He did not want to concern her, after all.
Alakazam put her hands on her hips and stared down the Nosepass and Magnemite. You will have to apologize, she told them. And not hurt him again, or I will let Lady Sneasler kill you. And she would not feel bad about it. Rampaging pokemon had to be put down, and to her, this was about the same.
She just would not tell Ingo. He was... soft. This was not bad, but it meant that his team had to be prepared to make the harder decisions for him, because they did not live in a world that would treat him kindly for it.
So Gliscor hunted, because Ingo could barely bring himself to kill even the pokemon sent mad by the distortions. Tangrowth managed the garden, and made sure Ingo never knew everything she did to ensure his garden was not plucked bare by pokemon that knew he would never hurt them. And despite Ingo’s firm teachings that they were not to harm humans... Alakazam knew that Machoke would, if needed. Humans were much, much less durable than pokemon, after all. It wouldn’t be hard.
Alakazam could do it, even. Easily. Human brains were so open, looking for bonds with everyone they saw, even if most humans denied it and hid away from pokemon.
She wasn’t looking for another bond. But Ingo had looked after her, and now she would look after him, and he was too trusting.
Alakazam sighed, and sat down on the floor. When he wakes up, he will know how to get the two of you unstuck. She was careful to use images, and simple words, the way Ingo had talked to her as an Abra and then a Kadabra. Clear cause and effect.
Ingo was so good at it. She... wasn’t.
Nosepass and Magnemite seemed calmer, though. So Alakazam left them to sit under Gliscor’s watch and went to watch over Ingo. His brain did not need any more shocks. It already had areas locked down behind golden chains that burned into his mind. She worried all the time about what would happen if anything tore.
She worried. Someone had to, since Ingo would worry about everyone but himself.
Ingo carefully worked more oil between the Magnemite and Nosepass. It was a pity that no one knew what peanut butter was, or indeed what a peanut was, but Ingo had the vague idea that it was really the oil that mattered, when it came to working through a stick. So he kept on slowly, slowly working his very oily hands into the goop. It was quite strange. Netted and green. He suspected that human hands had been involved in its manufacture.
It made the state the Nosepass and Magnemite were in quite cruel, and Ingo was going to have words for whoever had made such a sticky thing when he met them. And it would be when, if they were in the Highlands.
Ingo would make sure of it. He would not allow such cruelty. Not in his home.
“You’re both doing quite well, you know!” Ingo patted them, one at a time, and left his oily handprint on each of them. “Very good. I appreciate it, and I want to make sure you know that. It must be very hard to have someone getting his hands all over you, after whoever did this to the two of you. But you’re being so, so good, and when I’m done I will give you both treats.” Ingo paused. “Er... I don’t have any batteries. I’m... I’m not quite certain what those are, even. But I will figure something out for you, Magnemite.”
“Sssss,” Nosepass muttered.
“Yes, yes. Do not worry. I will have rocks for you, that will not be hard. I will just need to find something for Magnemite...” Ingo sighed. “But first. This. And then a shower for all of us after, or at least a wash. Lots of soap. But my hands should be nicely moisturized for the next forever.”
Ingo considered how to feed a Magnemite and began to realize, with growing panic, that he had no idea how to even begin to go about it. What if that was how it had ended up weakened and stuck to a Nosepass? That it was starving? How was he supposed to help with that? He didn’t even remember what batteries were, let alone how to obtain some.
Okay, I am getting Warden Melli. There has to be someone with a mouthless pokemon who can help. Alakazam patted his head.
“Don’t bother Warden Melli.” Ingo looked up at her. “He has much to do, just as I do.”
Melli would be much more upset if you work yourself into a fit when he could have helped. Alakazam squeezed his shoulder. I will be right back, and if he is doing anything he cannot pause, I will not interrupt him.
“Well... okay.” Ingo nodded. “As long as you’re polite.”
You put entirely too much stock in being polite. Alakazam Teleported away before Ingo could manage a rejoinder.
“I do not,” he muttered. “Being polite loses you nothing and can gain you everything.”
He went back to the work of unsticking the two pokemon.
She wasn’t there for him to gripe at anyways.
With a few final movements, Ingo finally popped Nosepass and Magnemite free.
“Ah! Bravo!” Ingo clapped his oily hands together. “Now, if you don’t mind, I will scrape the rest of this off of you.” Ingo looked at his own hands. “... And then scrape it off myself. Somehow.” At least he’d had the foresight to put his cap and coat away for the moment.
Warden Melli! Alakazam called out immediately as she appeared in the Moonview Arena. Are you busy?
“I am, thanks.” Melli looked up from polishing Lord Electrode. “Why? Is Ingo in trouble?”
Ehhh. Alakazam wobbled a spoon back and forth like her dad wobbled a hand. He is panicking about how to feed a new pokemon that he is helping. It is a Magnemite, and it does not have a mouth.
“Hm.” Melli continued to polish. “You should try Warden Arezu. Lady Lilligant’s Warden. She has a Bronzor, and Bronzor doesn’t have a mouth either.”
Alakazam nearly teleported away. She was nearly tricked! But she was too clever. Wait. Warden Melli.
“Mmhm?” Melli bent to his labor. Alakazam could sense the feelings of industriousness that rolled off of him.
Warden Melli. Voltorb don’t have mouths either.
“They photosynthesize! It’s completely different and I can’t help.” Melli polished harder. “Go ask Arezu!”
You’re dodging the question! Voltorbs can’t only get energy from photosynthesis! Alakazam whizzed a spoon through the air and smacked Melli on the forehead. When you’re done with your duties, you will come help Ingo.
“Maybe they do only photosynthesize,” Melli huffed, rubbing his forehead. “Have you considered that? Lord Electrode’s children are exceptional in every way, so it only makes sense—“
The math doesn’t work, Warden Melli! Alakazam shook her head. Do you want me to show you the math? I can show you the math. Step by step. I will explain it until you understand it. I know that they have to be eating something besides sunlight.
“Fine!” Melli threw up his hands in exasperation. “Fine. I will go help Ingo after I am done, and that will take as long as it takes, menace.”
Okay. If you do not show up by some time tomorrow I will abduct you. Alakazam teleported away.
Ingo stared at the distortion in front of him and sighed. Well.
“Are you all ready, dears?” Ingo looked back at his pokemon. “If you’re not, just let me know.”
His team roared their affirmation, and with a wince and a spike of pain in his head Ingo stepped into the distortion. It would get Magnemite the electricity they needed, and Ingo wanted to scavenge.
Besides, they made for very effective training, and he wanted to bring Nosepass and Magnemite up to the standard of the rest of the team. There was something that felt right about having six pokemon on him.
... It wasn’t quite right, but it was close enough, and Ingo thought that was the best he was really ever going to get.
It was the closest he was ever going to get again, was what he thought in the darker moments. But his pokemon did not let him stay in the darker moments for long. He had less and less of them.
(He had more and more. But they did not let him slip. So Ingo did not realize.)
Ingo scooped a cord off the ground and slipped it into his pocket. He had a vague idea that Machoke normally evolved the same way as Kadabra, and if a cord had worked for one, it should work for the other.
He already had a Thunder Stone, so he did not need to worry about that.
Ingo clambered up a tree and, once he was situated, began to direct his pokemon in battle.
It was an important task. Ingo was happy to do it.
He just wished that distortions didn’t hurt him so badly, rip at his mind and make it hurt. He knew it worried Alakazam every time he stepped into a distortion, and he did not like to worry her, but—
But you do it anyways, because it is your duty. Focus, Ingo. Alakazam appeared by him and put a hand on his forehead, and for a moment the pain ceased. Please. Be here, and now. It should make it hurt less.
“.. Alright, dear. If you say so.” Ingo did his best. Bark under his palms, rough and scratchy, Machoke fighting a Bastiodon and a Magnezone, Magnemite backing up Tangrowth under an onslaught of Onix and Gyarados.
Ingo shuddered.
The present.
(He didn’t want to be here.)
(He didn’t know where he wanted to be.)
The present.
“Machoke! Switch off! Tangrowth, take Machoke’s opponents!” Ingo immersed himself in the call and response of pokemon battling. It was the only time he enjoyed the present, and he knew it, and so if he must— then this is what he would do.
Perhaps he could train a set of Alphas for his theoretical battle facility, next.
From there, he would just have to see where it went.
For now, there was training to attend to, and the Highlands to keep safe.
Ingo would just have to keep himself busy.
(Until—)
(Until what?)
(He did not know.)
(Perhaps he would find out.)