Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Two years, one month, and twelve days.

That was how long it had been since Ingo had first woken up in Hisui. That was how long Ingo spent feeling like an outcast, despite living with the Pearl Clan. Sure, Irida had accepted him and he proved himself by becoming Sneasler’s Warden, but that never stopped the whispers. He heard the doubts being whispered when they thought he wasn’t looking. From both the very few in the Pearl Clan and from almost everyone in the Diamond Clan. He couldn’t really blame them though; in a budding culture like the ones in Hisui, anything out of the ordinary was suspicious until it could be explained.

But therein lies the problem: Ingo wasn’t sure he could be explained. He had no memories of where he came from or if he even had family or friends to speak of. And the supposed culprit of his arrival, the space-time rift, was something that no one was close to explaining or figuring out.

As a result, Ingo isolated himself, even more so than the other Wardens. A majority of the Pearl Clan was friendly, sure, but the suspicion and slight unease their gaze held weren’t worth it. He ended up spending more time with Sneasler than anybody else, which wasn’t bad at all. The tall Lady Noble looked scary and cold, but she truly had a kind heart. But even so, he couldn’t help but feel lonely.

But all that changed when Lady Irida came to Ingo with news that a mysterious newcomer had been quelling the frenzied Nobles. They were a new researcher for the Survey Corp and apparently had been a big help to both clans. Their next assignment was to help calm Lord Electrode and would need Sneasler’s help to get there. They made the journey to Jubilife City and a young girl, no older than 15 approached them.

“Hello, Kuri!” Irida greeted.

“Hey Irida,” The girl, Kuri, responded brightly, before looking at Ingo.

“This gentleman is Warden Ingo, who serves Sneasler,” Irida introduced. “He’ll be the one to guide you to her domain. Ingo, this is Kuri.”

Ingo tipped his hat to her, “Pleased to meet you, Miss Kuri,” Ingo greeted.

“You too,” Kuri responded politely with a nod.

“I understand that you need help from my Lady Sneasler to meet Electrode,” Ingo said before pointing. “The Coronet Highlands is a perilous journey, but with me, at the helm, we will have a safe commute to Lord Electrode. All aboard!” He announced, getting the usual weary glance from Irida.

However, instead of looking confused, Kuri just giggled, “I don’t think there are any trains around this area.”

“You…understood my expression?” Ingo asked, lowering his arms. “That’s because Kuri is a lot like you,” Irida answered. Ingo and Kuri looked at her, “What do you mean?” Kuri asked. “Ingo just appeared one day, from who-knows-where; and from what Sneasler told us, he fell from the sky just like you did.”

“Is that true?” Kuri asked, eyes wide.

“It is,” Ingo nodded. “I remembered falling and then passing out in a frozen wasteland; luckily, Sneasler rescued me and brought me to the Pearl Clan.”

“Do you remember how you got here?” Kuri asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” Ingo shook his head, pinching the brim of his cap.

“Ingo woke up with no memories of where he came from or who he was,” Irida explained.

“I see…” Kuri looked at Ingo. “Guess we’re in the same boat.”

“I’m hoping that you two will be able to help each other out,” Irida said. “In any case, I wish you luck on your journey!”

Journeying with the Galaxy Team was definitely different than with the Pearl Clan. The caravan dropped them off at a small base camp at the entrance of the Coronet Highlands, which wasn’t far at all from Wayward Cave.

Once Professor Laventon gave Kuri a talk to prepare her and sent them off, it was just him and Kuri. The young girl almost immediately began to attempt to make conversation, which definitely caught Ingo off guard. No one from the Galaxy Team was this open towards other members of the clans, let alone himself. He honestly had no idea how to respond to her, so much so that Kuri eventually backed off.

“Sorry, am I talking too much? I’m just really excited, you know? Because…I thought I was alone, but now…I’m not, you know?”

The implication of what she meant by not alone made Ingo’s heart swell. It was hard enough for him to be an adult with no memories here, but to be a child? Poor Kuri was probably more scared than he was. “How long have you been here?” Ingo finally spoke.

“About…two months,” Kuri answered. “You?”

“Two years, one month, thirteen days,” Ingo recited.

“Oh…wow,” Kuri’s eyes were wide. “And…you haven’t remembered anything in all that time?”

“No,” Ingo shook his head. “I have dreams sometimes…but nothing clear. What about your memories? Lady Irida said you still remembered some things.”

“Oh! Yeah, kinda,” Kuri answered, looking at her feet and swinging her arms back and forth as they walked. “I remember that I’m from the future, and that people and Pokemon live together happily, not like here where everyone is so…afraid of them. That’s the strangest thing to me.”

“I know what you mean,” Ingo nodded. “I may not remember anything about myself, but Pokemon…they aren’t terrifying to me as they are to others.”

“Exactly!” Kuri exclaimed. “Yeah, some of them are pretty mean, but most of them are really sweet once you get to know them! Did you know that until I came along, Professor Laventon had never once petted his own Pokemon? I had to do it first!”

A smile pulled at Ingo’s face, “It seems we come from similar worlds, after all, Miss Kuri.”

“Yeah, maybe! And you can just call me Kuri,” The girl said cheerily.

Their small talk lasted until they reached Wayward Cave, where Warden Melli was waiting for them. Ingo could quickly tell that Kuri was not on good terms with him, as her scowling face and clenched fists spoke volumes. Not that Ingo could really blame her; he wasn’t sure himself how on earth Adaman was able to put up with him. Melli went on about how he believed that the Pokemon’s frenzied states were a gift from Almighty Sinnoh, simply due to the fact that it makes them stronger.

That seemed to really irritate Kuri, “Are you serious?! Do you even care if Electrode or some other innocent Pokemon get hurt?!”

Melli scowled, “Hmph, and what makes you think that’s any of your business? You should do us both a favor and scurry back to that village of yours.” And with that, Melli turned on his heel and entered the cave, leaving a growling, red-faced Kuri behind.

Ingo sighed and shook his head, “Such a selfish outlook; these frenzies are clearly causing the Nobles suffering as well.”

“He just refuses to admit that he’s wrong!” Kuri huffed. “I’m not gonna let him stop me from helping Electrode!”

“Shall we press on, then?” Ingo asked.

“You bet!” Kuri nodded.

They ventured into the cave, being met with pitch-black darkness…wait… “This is odd…” Ingo murmured as Kuri tensed. “The torches that keep this cave lit are gone.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out who was responsible for this; the Pokemon who lived here never once touched the torches. Ingo started forward, “Well, there’s no need for concern; I know my route, and I’ll conduct us to safe-”

Ingo was stopped suddenly as hands suddenly grabbed his arm and he looked down to see Kuri standing close at his side. Ingo raised his eyebrow and Kuri flushed slightly. “I’m uh…not a fan of the dark,” She admitted sheepishly.

“Don’t you sometimes survey Pokemon at night?” Ingo asked.

“Yeah, but that’s outside! There are stars and the moon! In caves it’s all pitch black and cramped and…!” Kuri tightened her grip on his arm, hiding her face with a whine. “Just…can we hurry?” She may be strong enough to quell frenzied Pokemon, but she was still just a child...

Ingo slowly reached over and gave her a pat on the head, hoping to comfort her. “...Very well; take care not to come uncoupled from me.” They began their slow trek, Kuri matching Ingo’s pace easily despite her two-handed grip on his arm. “Is there anything I can do to make this journey more comfortable for you?” Ingo asked after a few moments of silence.

“Just…talk about things,” Kuri mumbled. “I never got to ask about your memories and things, so…”

Ingo nodded in understanding, turning his gaze back to the path ahead. “Well, I know I said that my memories are missing, but that’s not entirely true,” He started. “There are certain things that I remember, but not in full.”

“Like what?” Kuri asked, peeking up at him, her grip becoming a little less tight.

“Well, I recall that I had a partner, a precious one,” Ingo said. “Its name escapes me…but I remember it wielded flames with mastery; if only it were here, it could-” Ingo sensed something and stopped.

“What is it?” Kuri asked.

“Please forgive the unscheduled stop,” Ingo said softly. “I detect an Alpha Crobat to our right.” Kuri tensed. “I propose a track change in the interest of safety; come along.”

Kuri nodded in agreement and Ingo steered them to the left. “So, uh, did you have any other Pokemon besides your partner?” Kuri asked, seeming a bit more relaxed.

“None that I can remember,” Ingo shook his head. “But…there is another I recall; a man who looked…like me. I think we would battle together and discuss Pokemon.”

“Battle together?” Kuri asked. “Like, as a team?”

“Yes…” Ingo hid a wince. “‘I like winning more than anything else’...those words flashed through my mind just now…” Kuri hummed in thought as they reached a more open area where through the darkness, they could see what looked like a pond.

“We’re nearing the exit,” Ingo said, feeling Kuri deflate in relief when something caught his eye. “Are those…?”

“What?” Kuri followed his gaze to a corner where a bunch of unlit torches were sitting in a group.

“It seems we found where Melli hid the torches,” Ingo remarked, gently freeing himself from Kuri. “I should put these back where they belong; this darkness is too perilous to leave unattended.”

Kuri straightened. “I’ll help.”

Ingo blinked, “Huh?”

“Here, I can at least give you some light; I feel pretty dumb that I didn’t think of this before.” Kuri took out a Pokeball and released a sleepy-looking Typhlosion. “This is my partner, Charcoal,” Kuri said. “He’s a bit on the lazy side, but he gets the job done. Mind lighting up the place a bit for us, Charcoal?” The Typhlosion, Charcoal, blinked tiredly and yawned, but obediently stood up straight and purple flames emerged from his neck. Ingo’s breath caught in his throat as the flames flickered, illuminating the cave.

“Warden Ingo? You okay?” Kuri asked.

“Typhlosion…” Ingo said softly. “Those flames…”

Kuri blinked, “Oh! Yeah, Charcoal is a fire and ghost type, that’s why they’re purple.”

“Fire…and ghost…” Ingo’s head began to throb. A shadow appeared in his head in a strange shape, but emitting those same purple flames. That shape…it wasn’t a person…a Pokemon? Could it be his partner?

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Ingo grimaced, trying to push the pain down, “Yes…don’t worry, I just…thought I remembered something…about my partner.”

Kuri’s eyes widened, “That’s right, you said your partner wielded flames! Was it a fire type?”

“Yes, but that’s not all,” Ingo said. “Seeing those flames…my partner had flames of the same color, I’m certain of it.”

“So you had a ghost and fire type too,” Kuri mused, looking thoughtful. “But it couldn’t have been a Typhlosion, because they’re only fire-type where we come from…”

“That’s right…” Ingo felt something in his chest that he hadn’t felt in a long time with another person in this region. Being able to remember something from a different world with another person...Ingo cleared his throat, “Come on, we should get these torches back where they belong.”

“Oh, right,” Kuri nodded, trotting after him. Charcoal followed them as they went, Ingo and Kuri taking the torches one by one and placing them before the Pokémon lit them with an Ember.

As they worked, Kuri spoke softly, going over all the Pokemon she knew of, trying to narrow down who Ingo’s partner could be. “I can’t think of any other Pokemon from my home that had purple flames…I think a different kind of Marowak had different flames, but maybe-”

“Kuri, please,” Ingo stepped in as he picked up another torch. “Don’t strain yourself on my behalf.”

“But I wanna help,” Kuri protested, picking up a torch and hurrying after him. “Don’t you want to get your memories back?”

“Of course I do,” Ingo said. “But we have duties that are more important.”

“Your memories are important!” Kuri exclaimed.

“I’m not saying they aren’t- put that one right down there,” Ingo said while pointing to where Kuri should go. “Remembering one Pokemon out of many is an impossible task when both our memories are incomplete; we should focus on something less complicated.”

That seemed to satisfy her. “Okay…then let's talk about that other thing you kind of remember, the man who had your face.”

“...Very well,” Ingo relented.

Kuri put her torch down and had Charcoal light it. “You said this man looked like you; maybe…he’s a doppelganger or a twin brother.”

“Twin…?” Ingo stopped suddenly and dropped the torch he was holding.

“Warden Ingo?”

The warden grimaced as his head suddenly throbbed. He put a hand on his head and his vision blurred, and he was no longer in the cave. He was in a metal box with metal bars above him. The box was moving at a great speed, and yet he was still keeping his balance. And at the other end of the box, was a figure…the one he had seen in his dreams. The man that shared his face…his…twin…? The man’s face was shadowed by his white cap, but he had a smile on his face. His twin reached towards him.

“..go…!”

“...ngo…!”

“Warden Ingo!”

Ingo blinked and sucked in a breath. Kuri was in front of him, Charcoal by her side; he was on the ground, propped up against the cave wall. Kuri probably guided him there when he zoned out.

Speaking of Kuri, her face was drawn with worry. “Warden Ingo? Are you with us?” Charcoal whined, asking the same question.

“Ah…yes…my apologies, Kuri,” Ingo sat up straight and adjusted his cap. “It seems I was…lost in thought.”

“Did you remember something?”

“I’m…not sure,” Ingo admitted. He described his vision to Kuri, whose brows were furrowed as she took in every word.

“That does sound familiar, the metal box thing,” She said. “I think they were used to travel underground, and I remember them being fast too. And the man who looked like you…maybe he really is a twin!”

“It seems Lady Irida was right,” Ingo remarked, making Kuri look at him. “Traveling with you seems to have brought quite a few memories back.”

Kuri smiled, “Always happy to help.” Kuri helped Ingo to his feet and they made their way to the exit once the rest of the torches were lit. Kuri took a deep breath when they stepped out into the sunlight again, but her smile faded at the sight of the rift above them. “...I’ve never seen it this close before,” She commented. “It’s bigger than I thought…and we apparently fell out of that thing.”

“Indeed,” Ingo nodded and they continued their trek onwards. “If I may ask, what happened when you woke up here?”

“I woke up on Prelude Beach; Professor Laventon and his Pokemon found me and took me to Jubilife Village after that.”

“And your memories were intact for the most part?”

“...More like foggy and disjointed,” Kuri clarified. “I remember my name and what the world was like where I came from, but family, friends…I have no idea.”

“I imagine that was very frightening for you,” Ingo said, pinching the brim of his cap. “I don’t know what would have happened to me if Sneasler hadn’t saved me and brought me to the Pearl Clan.”

“Yeah, we both got lucky,” Kuri nodded. “Jubilife Village is great and all, but it feels uneasy every now and then, with people staring at me all the time, always-”

“Always looking suspicious of you,” Ingo finished, looking at her.

“Yeah…” Kuri looked up at him with wide eyes. “Do you feel that way in the Pearl Clan?”

“Unfortunately…”

“But you’re a Warden; if Sneasler trusts you, shouldn’t that be enough?” Kuri asked.

“For Lady Irida and most of the clan, it is,” Ingo said. “But to a small minority and most of the Diamond clan, I’m a disaster waiting to happen.”

Kuri nodded in understanding, “I bring in a lot of Pokemon for survey work,” She said. “Every time I drop them off in the pastures, there’s always someone looking at me, like they’re waiting for me to do something wrong.”

“And if something does go wrong, they always look to you first as the prime suspect,” Ingo continued, hiding his eyes under the shadow of his hat.

“And you know that no matter what you do, you’ll probably never change their minds,” Kuri finished, now looking sadly at the ground.

Silence fell over both of them until Kuri let out a breath, “Wow, I’ve never been able to tell anyone that before.”

“Neither have I,” Ingo concurred, lifting his cap. “I…feel much lighter…”

“Yeah, that felt nice,” Kuri said, before smiling at him. “Guess we had a lot bottled up.”

“I suppose we did.” Ingo couldn’t help but smile back.

Their journey continued without much incident, except for the occasional time Kuri crept a ways away to catch a Pokemon. She certainly was very good at it; Ingo could see why the Survey Corp put so much faith in her. It was thanks to her that they were able to get through the quarry without being attacked by the Bronzong and Bronzor from within. Ingo had suggested using the large stone as a way to sneak through, but Kuri simply said not to worry. She hid, aimed, and with a few well-aimed and timed throws with some Great Balls, all three Pokemon were safely contained, leaving the path clear.

“You certainly have a knack for that,” Ingo commented as they exited the quarry.

“I get a lot of practice,” Kuri shrugged.

They ran into Melli attempting to obstruct them again once they exited, but Kuri was not in the mood for dealing with him. "Get out of our way." A Gardevoir then emerged from her Pokeball, unprompted, and immediately threw Melli and his Skuntank aside with Psychic. Kuri clearly didn’t expect it, but she didn’t complain. “Thanks, Grace,” She said, the Gardevoir nodding to her.

“Does that happen often?” Ingo asked as Kuri recalled the Gardevoir.

“Not really,” Kuri admitted. “Grace can feel what I’m feeling so sometimes she just…does what I’m thinking.”

Ingo glanced at Melli, who was moaning in pain, his Skuntank on top of him. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but he had that coming.”

“Oh trust me, I don’t feel bad,” Kuri agreed, glancing at him. “But…we should go before he gets up.”

“Yes; onward.”

They kept traveling until they reached a sheer cliff face. “This…is the only way forward?” Kuri asked, gaping at the height.

“Yes, but with Sneasler it will only take a few moments,” Ingo said. “But…before I call her…may I ask something of you?”

“Sure, what is it?” Kuri asked.

“Ever since we started traveling up this mountain, I feel like I’ve been on the cusp of remembering something important,” Ingo explained. “And I feel like a Pokemon battle with you will help jog these memories lose. So…will you honor me with a battle, Kuri?”

Something akin to determination seemed to light up in Kuri’s eyes, “Alright,” She nodded.

Ingo nodded back and they moved so they were a safe distance away from each other. “Would you mind if we used one Pokemon each?” Ingo asked.

“Fine by me!” Kuri responded.

“Very well, Machoke, prepare for departure!”

“Gale, let’s do this!” A Machoke and a Staraptor appeared before them, and the battle began.

Despite Kuri having a type advantage, that didn’t deter Ingo. He clearly caught Kuri off guard with how agile his Machoke was at dodging most of her flying-type attacks, but the girl was quick to adapt. She and her Staraptor, Gale, were clearly very in sync, the bird Pokemon following Kuri’s orders without hesitation.

He found himself looking at Kuri as she swiped the air with her arm while calling out her next attack. “Fly up and use Aerial Ace, --fesant! ”

Ingo started as his vision began to blur. Kuri and her Staraptor were vanishing, slowly being replaced by…someone else…? Machoke cried out as the Aerial Ace hit, snapping Ingo back to reality. “Machoke, use Double Edge!” Machoke got to his feet and charged.

“Now, Agile Style!” Kuri ordered. “Dodge with Quick Attack!” Gale swooped up and behind Machoke. “Now, Air Slash!” Gale flapped her wings, sending blades of air, hitting Machoke in the back. The Pokemon cried out and fainted.

Ingo returned Machoke with a satisfied smile, “Bravo, excellent!”

“Thanks!” Kuri returned, giving Gale a congratulatory hug around her neck. “We should do that again sometimes! That was fun!” It was…it really was fun. Ingo couldn't remember the last time he had a good battle like that.

“Well, now that you have fulfilled my request, allow me to call Lady Sneasler,” He said, taking out his flute and playing a tune that included two high and loud notes that echoed through the mountain. Moments later, Sneasler appeared.

As expected, Sneasler took to Kuri easily, accepting the sound of her Celestica Flute. “This is my final stop, I’m afraid,” Ingo said. “Proceed up the mountains and soon you will find the arena.”

“Okay,” Kuri nodded and she climbed into Sneasler’s basket. “Thanks for everything, Warden Ingo.”

Ingo tipped his cap to her, “My pleasure.” Kuri closed the basket, and Sneasler began scurrying up the mountain. Ingo nodded and began heading back down the mountain.

Ingo never made all the way down the mountain. He didn’t even make it through Wayward Cave. That battle with Kuri was replaying in his mind over and over again. The way she commanded her Staraptor, the way it suddenly seemed to change in his mind’s eye to a different kind of bird Pokemon…something was trying to come to the forefront of his mind!

Ingo found a quiet corner in the cave and took a deep breath. Coming to dark, quiet places underground always calmed him and helped him focus. He tried to remember the bird Pokemon he saw for a moment.

Staraptor’s plume vanished, its white feathers became brown, its neck extended and its body slowly became skinnier. The name was rattling in the back of his head when he noticed the shadow standing behind it, where Kuri would be standing. This shadow was taller than Kuri, hair tied up in a ponytail and tucked into a hat. The shadow remained a mystery, while the bird Pokemon let out a cry and took flight.

Suddenly, he was back in the metal box, facing the shadow and the bird Pokemon. He was in a battle…yes, that was what he did back home! He battled, constantly, he loved battling. He loved waking up knowing that a string of challengers were coming to see them (them?), numerous Pokemon Trainers of different skills, and…!

Ingo sucked in a breath as his head throbbed, forcing him to his knees. Too much information? That was the most he had remembered since…ever!

Ingo held his aching head, taking deep breaths, willing the pain to go away while holding desperately to the memory he had just unlocked. Pokemon Trainers…that term, that title…that held great significance in his world. Always striving to become stronger, working together with their Pokemon who they loved and cared for more than anything…a far cry from how people and Pokemon interacted here. Well…with the exception of Kuri and himself.

Ingo sat himself down against the wall, waiting patiently for the pain to subside. It took longer than he would have liked to admit, but once he was able to stand without seeing stars, he made his way back the way he came. It was still daylight; Kuri was likely going to face Electrode any second now. He needed to see her again, to make sure these memories were real.

By the time the arena came into view, a bright light had erupted from the center. Ingo arrived and spotted Kuri. She was breathing heavily and was covered in dirt, leaves, and twigs, but she was still standing. And Electrode was no longer glowing brightly; she did it.

“Noooo!” Melli dramatically fell to his knees. “I agreed to make those accursed balms! Now Almighty Sinnoh’s blessing is lost forever!”

“If that was a blessing, then Electrode must be a non-believer,” Adaman said smugly and pointed to where a giggling Kuri stood. The large Noble was nuzzling her happily, making her hair stand up a bit from the static electricity he was producing.

Ingo stared at the sight when his head throbbed again. He blinked, and suddenly Kuri and Electrode were gone, replaced with new figures. The same twin from his vision stood in Kuri’s place while Electrode was now a bulky but lanky figure. The creature nuzzled his twin happily, the man with a bright smile on his face. It was so familiar…this man was so much like him and yet…!

Ingo blinked and sucked in a breath, his vision returning to normal, his head only slightly aching this time (thankfully). It happened again…! A nearly perfectly clear memory! And all because he met Kuri…

Kuri looked away from Electrode to give Melli a smug look, causing the Warden to flush bright red and grind his teeth. Ingo coughed into his fist, hiding a laugh, and Electrode finally rolled away from Kuri. He chose that moment to step in. “It seems I’ve arrived, right on schedule.”

“Warden Ingo!” Kuri exclaimed happily.

Melli groaned, “What did you bother coming back for?!”

“Only to say that I recalled some things after Kuri did the honor of traveling with me,” Ingo said easily.

Kuri’s eyes seemed to sparkle and moved closer to him, “You did?! What did you remember? Tell me everything!”

“Alright alright,” Ingo chuckled, nearly missing Adaman’s shocked look, murmuring, “Has he ever laughed before…?”

Ingo recounted his newfound memories and Kuri seemed to brighten with every word. “Yes, I remember that too!” She exclaimed once he was done. “Pokemon Trainers were everywhere! I wanted to be one so badly as a kid, I-” Kuri blinked. “I think…I was about to become one myself, just before I woke up here…maybe.”

“I’d have never thought such a world could exist,” Adaman said fondly. “Wherever you two come from, it must be a wonderful place.”

 Kuri accompanied Ingo back down the mountain towards the base camp. Kuri spent a good part of the trip brushing dirt off her and picking twigs out of her hair. “Are you sure you aren’t injured in any way?” Ingo asked.

“I’m sure, I’m just shaken more than anything from all those explosions,” Kuri reassured him. “You don’t have to worry.”

“It’s never wrong to worry,” Ingo said. “Safety first and always.”

“Right,” Kuri giggled. She swung her arms back and forth again as they walked. “So, Pokemon Trainers…was that the biggest thing you remembered?”

“It was,” Ingo nodded. “Seeing you command your Staraptor made me think of a trainer commanding a similar bird-like Pokemon, back in the metal box.”

“The metal box again?” Kuri asked. “That place must be important if you’re always remembering it.”

“Perhaps, though I’m in no hurry to remember anything that significant now; my head still feels as though it had a collision with said metal box.”

Kuri looked worried, “Oh, are you okay?”

“I’m in perfect working condition, don’t worry.”

“Hey, safety first and always,” Kuri responded smoothly, giving him a nudge.

A chuckle escaped Ingo; he couldn’t remember the last time he had such a pleasant conversation with someone. “Well played.” Kuri smiled brightly, and Ingo felt a pulse in his head; already? He barely hid a grimace and touched his head.

“Another one?” Kuri asked.

Ingo nodded, “It’s small…I’m alright.” Kuri nodded and left it at that; the pain quickly subsided.

“You know…I get memory flashes like that too, sometimes,” Kuri said.

“I’m almost envious of you,” Ingo replied. “I’ve been here far longer and only now they have started to resurface.”

“Could I visit you?” Kuri suddenly blurted out, making them both stop and Ingo looked at her in confusion. “I mean, I know you have Warden duties and I have survey work but…would it be alright if I, you know…came to see you? Maybe every now and then?” Kuri suddenly looked shy. “It’s just…hanging around you, it…it makes me feel…safe.” Ingo’s eyes widened. “Rei and the Professor are great and all, but I can’t really talk to them about these things or these dreams I have or my memories, but you…you’re the first person I’ve felt comfortable around right away, so…”

“Kuri…”

“So, would it be alright? I could…help you decipher more memories, if you want,” Kuri wrung her hands. “We could help each other.”

A smile pulled at Ingo’s face, “...I would like that very much; thank you Kuri.” The girl beamed.

Ingo couldn’t help but remember another smile in the back of his head.

After that day, Kuri seemed drawn to Ingo. When she had the time, she would always seek him out, whether it was in Jubilife Village or the Coronet Highlands. Not that he could blame her; finally finding someone that shared their situation would be cause for excitement for anybody.

Kuri was always so lively, despite spending days and days wandering Hisui and studying Pokemon. Whenever she visited, she would start up a conversation without fail, talking about new Pokemon she caught, training, battling, anything she could think of. Ingo would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy her company; in fact, he enjoyed it immensely to the point where it was the highlight of his week.

Sometimes they would discuss their memories too. Every now and then, one of them would have a dream or faintly recall something in the back of their minds and talk about it down to the last detail. Kuri had even started keeping a small journal, documenting both her and Ingo’s memories and any visions they had. Things Kuri remembered, things Ingo remembered, things they both remembered that overlapped, all of it was hastily scribbled into the tiny book.

Even though they didn’t seem to get them anywhere in terms of remembering things fully, Kuri remained optimistic. She also seemed fully bent on figuring out who Ingo’s partner Pokemon was. “I bet once I get more info in my Pokedex we’ll be able to figure it out!” She had said.

Seeing Kuri so happy and determined made Ingo happy; it also made one particular memory flash much more consistent. The shadow of his twin. The smile he always wore when he appeared in Ingo’s dreams was identical to Kuri’s, and it wasn’t hard to put together that the personality likely also matched. And yet, he still couldn’t remember anything beyond that. It was definitely frustrating, but Kuri seemed to have the cure for that too: training.

Kuri adored training with Ingo, and Ingo adored battling; it was definitely a win-win for both of them. Everyone in the Pearl Clan agreed, when Ingo battled, he was in his element. It was like he became a completely different person, and when battling with Kuri, that was amplified.

When they were practicing at the Training Ground under Zisu’s supervision, they almost always drew a crowd. And every time, the metal box always appeared, but it didn’t hinder his battling. It almost felt natural; he could almost feel the metal box’s movements and speed, even though in reality, they were on solid ground. Slowly but surely, the image was getting clearer; if only he could remember what this box was called…

That question remained on his mind as their latest battle finished, Zisu telling them to call it a day.

“Did you see the metal box again?” Kuri asked as he healed up Gale with a Hyper Potion.

“Was it that obvious?” Ingo asked, giving his Gliscor a berry.

“You get this kind of distant look in your eyes when you remember something,” Kuri said. “So, did anything change? Did you remember anything about your twin?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Ingo said, straightening up as he stood. “Perhaps my mind is trying to remember things little by little; it could take a while.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Kuri said, returning the Staraptor to her Pokeball. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon, Warden Ingo.”

“I certainly hope so,” Ingo said. “And please, just call me Ingo.”

Kuri beamed in her usual fashion. “Okay…see you next time, Ingo!” She waved and ran off towards her home. Ingo waved after her, feeling warmth in his heart.

For the first time since waking up in Hisui…Ingo felt wanted.

Chapter Text

Kuri bounced on the balls of her feet, eagerly waiting for the caravan to get ready. It had been about a month and a half since she had calmed Electrode and after lots of hard work, it had finally happened. Kuri was finally qualified to go to the Alabaster Icelands. She was so excited that Rei swore she was going to burst.

A brand new place to explore, brand new Pokemon to catch, what’s not to be excited about? Plus, she could finally visit the Pearl Settlement and Ingo’s actual home! She could finally visit him rather than wait for him to come to Jubilife Village! She couldn’t wait!

Professor Laventon bundled her up in some warm clothes and soon the caravan was off.

Ingo was waiting when Kuri finally made it to the Pearl Settlement, diving down on the Noble Braviary. She had already gotten Sabi’s permission; he didn’t expect anything less. “How are the Icelands treating you?” Ingo asked as they walked through the settlement.

“Freezing, but all the Pokemon here are amazing!” Kuri gushed. “There are so many ice types; I’ve never been happier to have Charcoal with me!”

Ingo nodded, “And how about Lord Avalugg?”

“I already got the food he likes,” Kuri said. “Warden Gaeric’s making the balms right now; he says I’ll need a lot of them.”

“You will,” Ingo nodded. “Lord Avalugg is much bigger than the others.”

Kuri frowned, “The ones I’ve caught here aren’t THAT big.”

“You will see,” Ingo said. “I certainly hope it doesn’t come to having to use them though.”

“Warden Gaeric said that Avalugg hasn’t been hurting anyone,” Kuri admitted. “I guess I’ll just have to wait and meet him to see.” She smiled. “When I’m done, I can show you all the new Pokedex entries I’ve made!”

“That sounds wonderful,” Ingo nodded. “I’ll look forward to it.” After that, Kuri left on Wyrdeer, and Ingo retreated to his hut to escape the cold. A few hours passed with no consequence; that was something you got used to in the Icelands. When he stepped outside, he heard the happy chatter of the villagers, talking about how the survey corp girl was helping them. Ingo smiled; that seemed to be Kuri’s trademark. She always went out of her way to help those in need.

According to Professor Laventon, more and more Pokemon were becoming integrated in Jubilife Village ever since Kuri arrived. Kuri was always eager to help; hopefully, that wouldn’t come back to bite her. He was snapped out of his thoughts when a loud roar pierced the air. Ingo stepped outside along with half of the clan and another roar was heard; it was coming from the arena! Avalugg was frenzied! Ingo felt his heartbeat spike as fear began to take hold. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to go and check on her; safety first, after all!

Ingo left his abode and quickly made his way to where Avalugg resided. As Ingo drew closer and closer to the arena, the ground shook more violently. He could hear Avalugg roaring in the distance, making his worry only grow. Lord Avalugg was the very definition of a gentle giant, but even he didn’t know his own strength sometimes! Ingo didn’t want to think about how dangerous he would be to approach when frenzied!

He finally reached the arena, seeing Lady Irida, Lord Adaman, and Wardens Gaeric and Sabi, all watching intently. Ingo’s heart jumped to his throat from the sight. Little Kuri was standing on a large mound of snow, facing the giant glowing Noble, dodging and running left and right on her small platform to avoid Avalugg’s relentless attacks.

His fear reached a tipping point when the girl failed to roll in time and an icicle shattered against her back. “KURI!”

The other spectators jumped at the realization that he was there but Irida quickly composed herself and put a hand on his arm. “She’ll be alright, Ingo; have faith in her.” Ingo wanted to protest, but managed to stay composed. Charging in there like an unannounced train car would just make everything worse. Kuri may be a child, but she was stronger than she looked. She would make it to her victorious destination, no doubt.

After what felt like an eternity, Kuri threw the final bag of balm at Avalugg. Everyone shielded their eyes as the light dispersed from Avalugg and the tense air seemed to vanish. Avalugg had been quelled. Ingo sucked in a breath as an exhausted Kuri swayed, stumbled, and nearly fell off the mound, but Avalugg quickly caught her on his nose. The massive Noble tenderly moved forward towards the entrance to the arena and lowered his head. Ingo quickly moved as Kuri slowly slid off Avalugg, collapsing into his arms, clutching a light blue stone plate to her chest. Avalugg had definitely put her through the wringer; she looked like a trainwreck.

“Get her back to the field camp,” Irida said, breathless.

Ingo nodded and managed to get out his flute while supporting the half-conscious and nearly frozen Kuri. Thankfully, Sneasler appeared in record-time, allowing Ingo and Kuri into her basket, Irida saying she and Adaman would meet them in Jubilife Village. Ingo held Kuri close as she shivered and curled into him and after a ‘full speed ahead’ from Ingo, Sneasler swiftly made her way to the Snowfields Camp.

Needless to say, Professor Laventon was absolutely frantic the moment he saw Ingo climb out of the basket with Kuri in his arms. Ingo was ushered into a caravan, Kuri still nestled against him, and Rei quickly appeared at their side with blankets.

Once they were a good distance away from the Icelands, a wrapped up Kuri finally stirred and opened her eyes to a relieved Ingo, Rei, and Laventon. “...Is Avalugg okay?” She asked softly. Ingo couldn’t help but smile.

He decided to spend the night in Jubilife Village after helping Kuri back home. He looked up at the rift as he headed towards the training grounds, feeling relief fill him at the sight of it looking smaller and nearly closed. It was almost over.

Kuri was jolted awake by a loud crack. She bolted upright, her heart pounding from the sudden scare. Was it storming? Kuri got up and peeked out the window, only to open it fully in shock. The sky was multiple shades of red, blue, and green; far from normal! Kuri just about threw on her clothes and stumbled out of the house, straining to see Mt. Coronet. The rift was bigger than it had ever been! What on earth happened?!

“Kuri!” Rei ran up to her.

“What’s happening?!” Kuri exclaimed.

“I…I don’t know!” Rei protested. “We should go to Headquarters; Professor Laventon and Cyllene are already there!”

“Right!” Kuri nodded and ran after Rei, barely catching a glimpse of Ingo nearby, who was also looking in confusion at the sky. Little did they both know that things were about to go downhill, and fast.

“Consider yourself banished from this village until you can explain why these calamities keep befalling us!”

Kuri felt herself grow completely numb. She barely heard Adaman and Irida loudly protesting Kamado’s actions. Cyllene took her shoulder and swiftly steered her out of the room, having volunteered to escort Kuri out of the village. She thought she saw Kamado whisper something to a guard just before he shut his doors behind her, but she paid it no mind.

Kuri exited the building with Cyllene by her side, where Rei and Professor Laventon were waiting. Cyllene explained the situation, as Kuri was too stricken with shock to even speak. “But…no…there’s no way!” Rei protested. “Kuri didn’t do anything, she couldn’t have!”

“This can’t be right!” Professor Laventon exclaimed. “Just what is Commander Kamado thinking?!”

“Orders are orders,” Cyllene said firmly before turning to Kuri. “Now, follow me.”

“But-” Cyllene silenced Rei with a glare; people were already gathering, forming a path to the village entrance. This time, everyone was glaring at her. Kuri bit her lip, barely keeping tears back as she began to slowly follow Cyllene. Rei and Professor Laventon followed behind her, both downcast and confused. The stares pierced Kuri like a Pin Missle from all sides. The whispers were louder, the doubt was now palpable and thick like it had been building up from the moment Kuri first arrived.

“Wait!” Kuri looked over her shoulder to see Ingo try to make his way towards her through the crowd and the whispers grew louder.

“Wait, didn’t he fall from the sky like her?”

“What if he’s part of this too? They could be working together!”

“They’re super friendly with each other; I bet they are!”

Ingo was soon surrounded by scared and angry villagers. “Are you doing this too?”

“What…?”

“You trying to save your accomplice?!”

“You both turned the sky red, didn’t you?!”

“I just want to talk to her!” Ingo tried to move again. “Kuri!”

If Kuri wasn’t panicking before, it went into overdrive when she saw some guards part the crowd and approach Ingo. “Warden Ingo, under orders from Commander Kamado, you’re under arrest as a suspect for the space-time distortion.”

“No!” Kuri made to run over, but Cyllene swiftly stopped her with an arm across her chest. “Ingo! INGO!”

“Quiet! We have to go,” Cyllene said sharply.

“No! I have to help him” Kuri yelled, struggling against her hold and calling to the guards who were pinning Ingo to the wall, cuffing his wrists. “STOP! He has nothing to do with this! LET HIM GO!”

“Interfering will only make it worse,” Cyllene hissed. “Worry about yourself until you’re out of here.”

“She’s right, Kuri, they’ll just arrest you too!” Rei exclaimed despite the tears in his eyes, pushing her along.

“Ingo!” Kuri reached out as Ingo was shoved away, their eyes locking for a moment. Professor Laventon turned her around, a sad look on his face as he forced himself to look away. Once Ingo was out of sight, Kuri seemed to stop struggling, soft sobs overcoming her as she was escorted out of the village and to the Fieldlands Camp.

Kuri sat at the edge of a cliff overlooking Obsidian Falls, knees to her chest and her face buried in her arms. How could this day have gone so wrong so fast? She hadn’t stopped crying the entire time. Even when meeting with Lian and Mai, her eyes refused to stay dry. Now she truly felt like she was at her lowest point. She was no longer part of the Galaxy Team, neither the Diamond nor Pearl clan could help her, Laventon and Rei were probably on thin ice with Kamado from just associating with her, and Ingo…

A muffled sob escaped Kuri; Ingo was locked up, arrested for something he didn’t do. Even if Kuri somehow was the cause of all this, she wouldn’t want Ingo to get blamed either! She had to help him…

‘Helping people won’t solve this; it still got you into this mess, didn’t it?’ A voice in her head said.

Kuri shook her head; helping people was all she had. She lived for it, thrived when she did it. Now one of the people she cared about more than anything needed it, and there was nothing she or her Pokemon could do.

Cyllene’s words to her echoed in her head. ‘Worry about yourself until you're out of here.’

Kuri lifted her head as they seemed to ring clearer. Maybe…she could still help Ingo without directly doing it herself. Kuri got to her feet, wiped her tears away, and pulled out her flute, playing Sneasler’s tune. Moments later, the Noble appeared before her. “Sneasler, please, you have to go to Jubilife Village!” Kuri begged, her voice cracking.

“Snea?” Sneasler tilted her head in confusion.

“It’s Ingo, he’s in trouble!” Sneasler perked up. “They’re blaming him for something he didn’t do; please, help him!”

“Sne!” The Noble nodded without hesitation and shot off in the direction of the village. Kuri took a deep breath as Sneasler disappeared; now she would just have to trust and wait.

Ingo honestly had no idea that Jubilife Village had a dungeon. Considering it was located underneath the Galaxy Team Building, he supposed many others didn’t either. That didn’t make it any less unpleasant to be thrown into one of the many dark cells below. Ingo shifted and winced. His arms ached from being bound behind him; the metal cuffs were tight and constantly rubbing the skin on his wrists.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been down here; the red sky made telling the passage of time impossible. It was neither light nor dark, but he assumed it had been a good many hours. His heart ached that Irida had yet to make an appearance; did she think he was to blame too? Ingo shook his head; he couldn’t think like that. Lady Irida trusted all of her Wardens, including him. She wasn’t present when he was arrested, and neither was Lord Adaman; was it possible that they didn’t know? Ingo didn’t want to think that Kamado would stoop that low, but after seeing Kuri exiled, he supposed it was very possible.

Kuri…poor, sweet, innocent little Kuri… Almighty Sinnoh was a cruel being if he truly intended for this to happen to her. She did as she was told, helped everyone she could, and it was all for nothing. Ingo bit his lip at the thought of her out there alone. At least she had her Pokemon with her (unlike his, which were confiscated), but he doubted they would do much against whatever was causing the sky to change. He shuddered to think about how any wild Pokemon would be affected. Would more frenzied Pokemon appear? More space-time distortions?

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became for his friend. Ingo had truly grown to care for this child in the few short months they had known each other, he would even go as far as to say he loved her. And now she could be in danger and he was stuck in here! Ingo gave his bonds one more vain pull before slumping, his head low. What was he going to do now…?

“Snaww!”

Ingo’s head shot up at the familiar cry. He looked around until he spied the barred window above him where a Noble Pokemon was gazing through. “Sneasler!” He exclaimed softly. Sneasler held her claws in front of her mouth, gesturing to keep quiet as she easily sawed through the bars. The Noble quietly jumped into the cell and approached him. “Sneasler, what are you doing here?” Ingo whispered as his cuffs were sawed off by her sharp claws.

“Snea snea!” She pointed to the now open window and then to the basket on her back.

“You’re helping me?” Ingo asked, rubbing his sore wrists. Sneasler nodded, and Ingo felt relief fill his chest. “How did you know I was here?” Sneasler gave a knowing smile and realization hit him. There was only one other person who could have possibly sent Sneasler here.

“Very well, all aboard!” Ingo climbed into the basket. “Full speed ahead, Sneasler! We have to find Kuri!” Sneasler nodded, climbed the wall, and leaped out of the window.

After what seemed like hours, Sneasler arrived at their destination. Ingo climbed out of the basket and took in the sight of a small cottage, with a small farm and a table set up outside. “Ah, our other lost friend has arrived.” Ingo turned to see that a woman with silver hair and a black dress was sitting at the table, along with Kuri, who was nursing a cup of tea with red-rimmed eyes.

Kuri perked up, just about dropping her teacup, and her eyes filled with tears, “Ingo…!” She barreled into his chest.

“Kuri…” Ingo’s arms instinctively wrapped around her, feeling his tunic grow slightly damp.

“You’re okay…” Kuri whispered.

“I am, thanks to you and Sneasler,” Ingo said, placing a comforting hand on her head. “I’m glad you’re safe as well.” Kuri nodded, refusing to let go. All Ingo could do was soothingly rub her back; the poor girl had been through so much in such a short time… Ingo easily recalled feeling the same way shortly after he first woke up in Hisui.

“I didn’t do it…” Kuri whimpered softly.

“I know,” Ingo responded. “Don’t think for a moment that you’re responsible for this, Kuri.”

Kuri sniffed, “I got you arrested…”

“You did no such thing,” Ingo said firmly, pulling away slightly and looking down at her. “That was Commander Kamado’s decision, not yours.”

“He’s right, lost one,” The woman stood and walked over to them. “Fear makes humans do reckless things; Kamado should know better than to let that cloud his judgment.” Kuri nodded and wiped her eyes, but she still remained attached to Ingo, like he would vanish if she let go. Ingo looked at her sadly, carding his hand through her hair under her bandana, the action feeling familiar yet bittersweet.

“Let us go inside,” The woman offered. “We have much to talk about.”

The Red Chain. Something that could bind the world with the help of three mythical Pokemon of the three lakes, according to the woman, Mistress Cogita. It was definitely a plan that could work, but the danger involved was more than Ingo would allow Kuri. Of course, he knew he couldn’t stop her, but after everything that had happened the previous day, Ingo wasn’t going to let Kuri out of his sight if he could help it.

“Uh, no offense, but I don’t think you’ll last long without any Pokemon with you.” Volo had said when Ingo said he was coming with them.

“Snawwr!” Ingo smiled as Sneasler appeared behind him, looking mildly offended.

“I’ll remind you, that I never leave the station unprepared,” He said.

“Fair enough,” Volo relented, holding his hands up in surrender. “Although, it would be nice if we had more help from some kind souls…”

“Quite the opportunist, aren’t you Volo?” The three of them turned to see Adaman and Irida walking towards them.

“Adaman…!” Kuri breathed in relief.

“Lady Irida!” Ingo exclaimed.

“Oh Ingo, are you alright?” Irida asked, approaching him and looking him over.

“I’m…fine, my lady,” Ingo replied.

“I’m so sorry, if I had known Kamado would arrest you like that…!”

Ingo and Kuri blinked, “You didn’t know…?”

“He’s got some nerve, going behind both our backs like that,” Adaman said stiffly. “If the sky wasn’t red right now, both of us would probably do something foolish.”

“I hate to admit it, but you’re right,” Irida sighed. “Under any other circumstances, arresting one of my wardens would be a crime, just…ugh, the audacity of that man!”

“Lady Irida…” Ingo couldn’t help but feel touched by Irida’s sudden protective urge. “It’s wonderful to see you, but shouldn’t you be with your clans?”

Adaman waved his hand, “We were able to calm them down, and the other Wardens are watching their Pokemon closely; glad to see you’re doing the same.” He nodded to Sneasler. “Unfortunately, we can’t openly help you.”

“The Commander is already on thin ice with me; if we were to undermine his orders it would only make things worse for all of us.”

“I understand,” Kuri nodded.

But Adaman smirked, “Long story short: if we want to help without drawing attention, only one of us will be helping.”

“I’m going back to Jubilife Village,” Irida said, her eyes fiery. “I’m going to have a good long talk with Kamado.”

“Yikes…” Volo muttered under his breath.

“So that means you’re stuck with me,” Adaman said with a grin. “Let’s get to those lakes.”

It took nearly two weeks to travel to all three lakes, but Kuri had done it. She had passed the trials and gained the blessings of all three lake Pokemon. Kuri was exhausted, but she kept going, her Pokemon strong by her side. They then went to the Shrouded Ruins, and soon, with the help of the three Pokemon of the lakes, the Red Chain was in hand. Now came the hard part: returning to Jubilife Village. Thankfully, Kuri was able to convince Ingo to stay behind this time, as she didn’t want to risk him getting arrested on the spot.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Ingo asked, gripping her shoulders.

“I’ll be fine,” Kuri said, sounding more like herself than she had when she was exiled. “I’ll meet you at Mt. Coronet before you know it. I promise.”

Ingo still looked worried, but he relented, “Promise me you’ll be careful,”

Kuri smiled and went in for a hug, “I promise.” Kuri meant it with all her heart, especially with how tightly Ingo was holding her. 

Kuri took a deep breath as the village came into view. She dismounted from Wyrdeer who snorted and nuzzled her slightly. “Thanks…” Kuri said, giving him a pat. “I’ll be okay.” Wyrdeer nodded and Kuri ran towards the entrance. Thankfully, as she drew closer, she could see that the streets were empty; everyone was probably hiding in their homes in fear of what could happen next. Good; the last thing she wanted was to get mobbed. Kuri hurried through the gate, barely realizing that she had passed Rei who was on guard.

“Kuri?!”

Kuri skidded to a stop and whirled around. “Rei!”

“Y-You’re back!” Rei exclaimed. “H-How, why, what about-”

“I think I figured out a way to fix this!” Kuri said breathlessly. “We need to get to headquarters, fast!”

Rei blinked but quickly understood, “Right, c’mon! Everyone left is in the building!” They began running towards the building, just as a forlorn Professor Laventon was exiting.

“Professor!” Rei called.

Laventon looked up and his expression became one of shock at just who was running towards him. “Kuri?!”

“Professor!” Akari waved happily.

“She’s back!” Rei called.

The Professor ran over and met them halfway. “Oh, my dear Kuri…!” Laventon pulled her into his arms with lightning speed. Kuri stiffened in surprise before relaxing into the hug. Laventon pulled away and held her face, his eyes wet, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” He asked, frantically looking her over.

“I’m fine,” Kuri nodded.

“You have no idea how worried the Professor was about you,” Rei commented with a smile.

“Of course I was, but not nearly as worried as you,” Laventon returned. “I don’t think you’ve slept a wink since she was exiled.”

Rei flushed bright red. “I-I was not!” He squeaked. Professor Laventon gave him a knowing look. “S-So what?” Rei blurted out, his eyes becoming glassy while Kuri smiled tearfully. “My best friend was all alone out there, anyone would be worried, so don’t-”

Kuri took initiative and darted forward, pulling Rei into a hug. “I missed you too…” Rei froze for a few seconds before just about collapsing into the embrace, tears falling from his eyes. Laventon promptly pulled both children into his arms, and Kuri felt like she could melt with happiness right there and then.

After a few moments that Kuri wished would last a bit longer, Laventon pulled away, wiping his eyes. “We should join Cyllene in her office,” He said. “She’s buried in work with the Commander gone.”

Kuri perked up, pulling away from Rei, “Gone?” She asked, fear rising.

“Yeah, he got tired of waiting,” Rei said. “He took the Survey Corps and started for Mt. Coronet.”

Kuri grimaced; this was not good. “We need to hurry,” She said. “I think we can fix this without hurting whatever Pokemon is behind this.”

Ingo had to admit, climbing Mt. Coronet, while the space-time rift was so big, was a bit jarring. Actively running towards danger went against safety protocols, but in this case, he had no choice.

“Well well well, look who it is,” An irritatingly familiar voice called out.

“Warden Melli…” Ingo tensed as the Warden stepped out from behind a boulder, flanked by his Skuntank.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here,” Melli commented. “Last I heard, they threw you in some dungeon.”

“I don’t have time for you right now, Melli,” Ingo said stiffly. He tried to walk past, but Melli blocked his way.

“Tell me, do the Survey Corp know that you broke out?” Melli asked smugly. “I don’t think they’ll be very happy to hear they lost their prisoner.”

“There are more important things to worry about right now,” Ingo said. “Let us pass,” Sneasler growled in agreement, making the Skuntank back off.

Melli rolled his eyes. “Fiiiiine, be that way; we’ll just wait for that little noodle girl instead.” Ingo’s eyes narrowed. “I mean, if you’re here, she must not be far behind. Once that little grunt shows her face, Skuntank and I can get some proper revenge before we turn her over.”

Ingo straightened and grabbed Melli by the front of his tunic, pulling him close. “Listen closely; threaten me all you want,” Ingo said dangerously. “But if you so much as lay a finger on Kuri, I’ll derail you before you can even blink. Am I coming in clear?”

Melli, now a frightful shade of white, swallowed and nodded, “L-Loud and clear…!”

“Good,” Ingo released Melli, having lifted him a few inches off the ground. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we can’t afford any more delays. Full speed ahead, Sneasler.”

“Snea!”

Melli took deep breaths, a hand on his chest as Ingo walked past him, back straight and head held high. He watched him go, in bewilderment at what just happened. “Was he…always that tall?”

When Ingo arrived at the summit camp, he saw Rei and the Professor already there, looking worriedly at the path ahead.

“Oh, Warden Ingo,” Laventon exclaimed when he spotted him. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

Ingo nodded, “Where’s Kuri?”

“She already headed up there,” Rei said.

Worry descended on Ingo; she must have used Braviary and Wyrdeer to find a faster route. He nodded to Sneasler, “I’m going after her,” He said, starting up the path.

“Oh, Warden Ingo!” Rei ran up to him. “Here, Kuri said you might want these back.” Four Pokeballs were in his hands; his Pokemon.

“Thank you, Rei,” Ingo said gratefully, taking them and storing them in his jacket. “Full speed ahead!”

“Snea!”

Kuri’s heart was pounding as she stood in a small area in the middle of the tunnel, confronted by Beni of all people, saying it was time to put a stop to her. Were the situation any different, Kuri probably would have laughed, but something was keeping her on edge. “I…I don’t understand…”

“Simply put, I’m the one Kamado turns to when he doesn’t want to get his hands…dirty.” Kuri’s heart leapt into her throat; there was no way he meant… “You’ve seen my smoke bombs before, yes?” Beni asked, his eyes gleaming. “Well, this is how they’re meant to be used!” He threw one down, and suddenly, the old chef was replaced with a tall, intimidating figure in white garments, covering his face.

“No hard feelings, Kuri,” Beni said. “But it’s time we got rid of you, once and for all.” Kuri didn’t even hear the rapid footsteps and didn’t even have the chance to grab a Pokeball. The moment she turned, the glowing eyes of a Gallade were lunging towards her, blade arms at the ready. Kuri only had time to stumble to the ground and-

Klang!

Gallade’s blade was blocked by another; specifically, by a pair of long, keen claws. “Snawr,” Sneasler growled, before easily pushing the Gallade away, standing protectively over Kuri.

“As long as I’m here, I won’t let any of you harm Kuri.” Ingo said, stepping forward from the tunnel.

“Ingo…!”

“Go, Kuri,” Ingo ordered. “I’ll be right behind you.” Kuri nodded, getting to her feet, and hurried past Beni. The ninja growled, moving to intercept her, but Sneasler quickly moved between them.

“Your fight is with me,” Ingo said, adjusting his cap. “Kuri must reach a very important destination; I’ll make sure nothing delays her arrival.”

“Very well,” Beni sneered, pulling out a Pokeball. “I’ll just deal with her after you.”

“We’ll see about that,” Ingo replied, pulling out his own Pokeball.

Beni was certainly no pushover, and it didn’t help that he wasn’t afraid to play dirty. Ingo found himself commanding two Pokemon at once as Beni’s Pokemon all seemed to be hiding in the darkness, waiting to strike. Ingo’s focus had never been sharper; he managed to take out Beni’s Mismagius but at the cost of his Tangrowth. Machoke, Gliscor, and Magnezone were holding their own decently well, but Beni’s Gallade was more swift and agile than he was prepared for. At one point, he saw a Sneasler scurrying away from the battlefield towards the exit. It took one precious second to realize that it wasn’t his Sneasler.

“Lady Sneasler!” Ingo yelled pointing to the tunnel. The Noble quickly intercepted the regular Sneasler, their claws immediately clashing like rapid swords. Lady Sneasler slowly but surely pushed her double back towards the battlefield. Kuri didn’t seem to be in the cave anymore; as long as he kept Beni contained here, she would be safe.

“Enough!” Beni’s voice pierced through the air as he threw down another smoke bomb, vanishing. Ingo looked around frantically for any sign of him when a puff of smoke came from the side.

Suddenly, Machoke was floating in blue energy, and blue eyes could be seen through the obscurity. He had a Gardevoir too?! Gardevoir slammed Machoke to the ground, easily defeating him, and then turned her attention to the Warden. She raised her hand and Ingo cried out as he was lifted into the air, his arms stretching to the side against his will. With a flick of her wrist, Gardevoir pinned him to the wall. Ingo cried out in pain, feeling the psychic energy start to crush him.

“I never trusted you or that brat,” Beni said, stepping back out of the darkness. “Kuri, bringing all those Pokémon into our village, and you, with your battles and training; we should’ve known it would all lead to this,” Beni stared through him. “I don’t like to eliminate anyone other than my target, but it’s clear you’ve left me no choice.”

“Please…!” Ingo grunted. “Don’t do this…Kuri…she’s just…a child…!”

“Adult, child, it makes no difference,” Beni said. “Kamado gave me an order, and I’m following through with it, no matter what it takes. Even if it means cutting that brat down.”

“No…!” Ingo struggled.

Beni pointed at Ingo. “Gallade. Psycho Cut.” The Pokemon’s arms lit up and he ran towards a now defenseless Ingo. Sneasler yelled in anger, but Beni’s Sneasler kept her pinned. Ingo shut his eyes as the attack drew closer and closer and-

“Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!”

A yellow blur of electricity collided with Gallade, knocking the Pokemon away. “Pika pika!” The Pikachu cried triumphantly. Gallade flew right into Gardevoir, causing the Psychic to end and Ingo fell to the ground.

“Warden Ingo! You okay?”

Ingo turned his head to see Rei running towards him. “Rei…!”

The boy stepped in front of him, looking fiercer than ever. “I may not be as good at battling like you or Kuri…” Rei clenched his fist. “But I’ll do whatever I have to to keep you from killing my friends!”

Ingo got to his feet, “Sneasler and I will finish these two,” He gestured to Gardevoir and Sneasler. “I’ll leave the Gallade to you.”

“Got it!” Rei nodded. “Ready Pikachu?”

“Pika!”

Ingo glanced at Rei and felt his head start to ache, so he quickly looked away. This was no time for remembering lost memories! “Gliscor, Aerial Ace!” His Pokemon got up and zoomed at the Gardevoir.

“Mystical Fire,” Beni ordered. Gardevoir summoned an orb of fire on her hands and powered it up before shooting a large stream of flames.

“Block it with Stone Edge!” Ingo commanded. Gliscor quickly slammed the ground with his claws, making stone pillars appear, stopping the flames. “Magnezone, use Thunder!” Magnezone charged up and shot the attack from the other side of Gardevoir, but she easily dodged it. “Keep going!” Ingo ordered. “Tri Attack!”

Magnezone fired off attack after attack, but Gardevoir just nimbly dodged like a dancer. Out of the corner of his eye, Ingo spied Lady Sneasler finally defeating her doppelganger; it was time to finish his opponent. He looked up at Gliscor, who was attached to the ceiling in the darkness, lying in wait. The next Tri-Attack missed, making Gardevoir step back one more step. “Thunder, once more!” The cave was lit up with a bright light as the Thunder shot out, but missed.

Ingo didn’t miss a beat. “Now, Flash Cannon!” Magnezone swiftly fired the attack. Gardevoir was caught completely off-guard, taking the brunt of the attack. She staggered and Ingo found his opening, “Gliscor, Cross Poison!” The Pokemon flew downward and landed the attack right on Gardevoir’s back. The elegant Pokemon cried out in pain before collapsing in defeat.

Now it was just down to Gallade.

Rei grit his teeth; he had been trying to land a Thunderbolt, but Gallade was just too fast. “Um, use Quick Attack!” Rei tried. Pikachu’s speed increased and that seemed to help him keep up with Gallade, the two of them landing fast but small hits on each other.

Beni just sighed. “Thunderpunch.” Gallade’s fist crackled with electricity, and he quickly stopped Pikachu in his tracks. He struck Pikachu right in the stomach, making the mouse choke in pain.

“Pikachu!” Rei yelled as his Pokemon slammed into the wall and fell to the ground.

“Finish it, Gallade,” Beni said calmly. Gallade activated Psycho Cut and charged at the cornered Pikachu. Rei felt panic start to build up, flashes of a wild Shinx zooming towards him with the intention to injure or worse. He squeezed his eyes shut, hearing Pikachu call out to him for help.

‘ Trust your Pokemon,’ Kuri’s words from their very first battle echoed in his head and the memory vanished. Pikachu needed him…he needed him to trust him to win this! Rei opened his eyes as Gallade was mere feet from Pikachu. “Use Iron Tail!” Pikachu grinned and obeyed. His tail blocked the Psycho Cut with ease. “Push him back, as hard as you can!” Pikachu growled and struggled against the tall Pokemon, but eventually managed to send him back a few feet.

“Psycho Cut again,” Beni ordered.

“Use Quick Attack!” Agile Style!" Pikachu ran around Gallade, easily avoiding the attack with his speed until Gallade could barely keep up.

“Now finish it!” Rei yelled, suddenly remembering that he had a type advantage. “Play Rough!” Pikachu ran back towards the Gallade at top speed and began glowing pink. Gallade's eyes widened and Pikachu collided with the tall Pokemon. The little mouse zoomed all over the Pokemon, attacking here and there until Pikachu leaped away and the Gallade toppled over. Beni had been defeated.

“Bravo, Rei! Excellent!” Ingo exclaimed.

“We…we did it…” Rei breathed. “Pikachu, we…!”

“Pika pika!” Pikachu ran over and jumped into Rei’s arms, catching the boy off-guard, but making him laugh happily.

“We actually won! Kuri was right, we can do it!”

“Pikachu!” The mouse agreed joyfully.

Beni vanished in a puff of smoke without a word, but Ingo allowed himself to relax. He had no more Pokemon; Kuri was in no danger from him. “Come on, we have to catch up with Kuri!”

“Right!” Rei and Pikachu nodded, the mouse moving to his trainer’s shoulder.

Ingo and Rei ran through the tunnel until the summit came into view. As they drew closer they could hear the sounds of loud noises, like moves clashing.

“What’s going on up there?!” Rei exclaimed.

Ingo shook his head. “I don’t know; let’s hurry!” They rushed up the stone steps and skidded to a halt at the sight before them. Adaman, Irida, and Kamado were a little ways ahead of them, and at the very back, in a small clearing, was Kuri, facing down a…!

“Is t-that a P-Pokemon?!” Rei stuttered, his Pikachu moving to hide behind him.

“Could that be…Almighty Sinnoh?!” Ingo exclaimed. And Kuri was battling it…oh no, Kuri was battling it! Ingo found himself moving closer to the battle just so he could size up Kuri. Thankfully, she seemed uninjured. Almighty Sinnoh didn’t seem frenzied or aggressive, just battling as regular wild Pokemon did. Kuri currently had Ezili, her Floatzel, on the battlefield. Almighty Sinnoh roared and began charging an attack in his mouth, and Kuri commanded a Hydro Pump to counter.

As the two attacks collided, pain struck Ingo’s head. He grunted and staggered on his feet, leaning against the nearest pillar. What on earth…?! Ingo clutched his head with one hand, supporting himself against the pillar with the other; his vision blurred, the images of Kuri and her Pokemon blending together.

No, not again, not now…!

Shadows replaced the beings on the battlefield. The temple around him shifted slightly but barely changed. Almighty Sinnoh was replaced with a giant black mass, and Kuri took a new shape once more. It was the same shadow as the one he usually saw in the metal box. A young girl, maybe a bit older than Kuri; he could see it now. Hair in a ponytail and tucked in a hat, but commanding a water Pokémon that walked on all fours, nothing like Kuri’s Floatzel. Yet the setting was nearly identical…what was going on?!

Ingo’s vision flitted back and forth between reality and memory as Kuri switched her Pokemon once they got too tired. Kuri’s Pokemon all constantly morphed into shapes of Pokemon he couldn’t recall but desperately wanted to! Why did he have such an intense memory as this one?! The metal box and his twin all at least made sense in the long run, but this…?! This was an unknown track and he was barreling down it at top speed!

Finally, Almighty Sinnoh let out another roar, looking quite winded. Kuri saw her chance. “Grace, use Aura Sphere!” Gardevoir took aim and fired, the move hitting true. The large black Pokémon staggered, clearly winded. Kuri then threw a purple Ultra Ball, and the large Pokémon flew inside. The ball shook once…twice…then clicked.

The battle and Ingo’s vision faded, leaving the Warden nearly breathless and reeling as the pain left as quickly as it arrived. How on earth did he have a memory like that?

Kuri walked up to the platform and picked up the Ultra Ball, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Did she do it? Was the world saved? No…the sky was still red, so what-

The ground shook again, harder this time. Kuri barely heard Adaman say that the Pokémon, Dialga, was warning them about another Pokémon being frenzied and was coming for them. Kuri looked straight up above her, seeing a portal open once again.

A large white foot began to emerge above her head. Kuri barely found the will to stumble back down the stairs, clutching Dialga’s Pokeball as a large white Pokémon landed before her. It was similar to Dialga, but also completely different. Kuri’s legs shook underneath her as the Pokémon looked around before its eyes fell on her.  The pearls on its arms lit up and began charging an attack. Kuri found herself frozen as the Pokémon raised its arm to strike.

“KURI!” Someone grabbed her by the back of her uniform and yanked her away. She was pulled to someone’s chest as they took cover behind one of the pillars while the attack scorched the floor where Kuri was just standing. She then saw the tattered black coat and snapped out of her shock.

“Ingo?!”

“We have to go!” Ingo urged. Kuri nodded and they ran out of the temple where the others were waiting. Kamado ordered the Survey Corp to retreat and every ran back down the summit as fast as they could. Once they made it back to the summit camp, everyone just about collapsed from exhaustion as their adrenaline ran out.

“Is everyone alright?!” Laventon began fussing over everyone, meaning Kuri and Rei. “Rei, you scared me half to death! You take off without a word and suddenly the ground is shaking?!”

“We’re fine, Professor,” Kuri said. “I mean, another Almighty Sinnoh is rampaging around the temple, but we’re fine.”

“Another Almighty-!” Laventon shook his head, running his hands over his face, looking very stressed. “Don’t you ever run off like that without warning again, Rei!” Laventon lightly scolded.

“Sorry…” Rei mumbled. Even Pikachu looked a bit sheepish.

Laventon sighed and pulled the boy into a hug, “You kids…what am I going to do with you?”

“You should be proud of him,” Ingo spoke up. “It was because of Rei that we were able to defeat Beni.”

“Wait, Beni?!” Laventon exclaimed. “He…battled you?!”

“He did,” Ingo nodded. “He was after Kuri. And if Rei hadn’t shown up when he did, I probably wouldn’t have survived either.”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Adaman said, waving his hands, looking suspicious. “What do you mean by ‘you wouldn’t have survived?'” Kuri shuffled her feet and shuddered at the memory, prompting Ingo to put an arm around her, while Rei sent a glare to Kamado, who at least had the decency to look guilty.

Irida and Adaman slowly turned to him, both of their expressions slowly turning to ones of disbelief and rage. “You didn’t…” Adaman said softly. “Tell me you didn’t actually try to…!”

“I…” Kamado said softly. “Made a rash decision-”

“RASH DECISION?!” Irida exploded. “Kuri is one of your own! And not only that, she’s a CHILD! And you were willing to stoop so low as to order for her and anyone who aided her to be killed?!”

“I swear…if a giant frenzied Pokemon hadn’t just appeared and nearly killed us all, I would declare war on you here and now,” Adaman said venomously. “I don’t know if our relations can ever be the same after this.”

“For once I agree; congratulations Kamado, your reckless and terrifying behavior has brought our two clans together in the worst possible way,” Irida said stiffly.

Kamado swallowed thickly, “...I owe all of you a sincere apology,” He said. “I…let my fear and my past blind me to reason, and we all could have been eliminated because of it.” He looked at Kuri. “I don’t expect forgiveness from any of you,” He glanced at Ingo, as well as the two clan leaders. “But at least allow me and the Galaxy Team to aid you in stopping this calamity.”

Silence fell over everyone until Kuri finally spoke up. “...Okay,” She gave the briefest of smiles, but it was clear that any forgiveness would have to be earned. But it wasn’t the time for arguing; they had work to do.

Two days. Two days longer than anyone would have liked, but they did it. With the help of Lian and Professor Laventon, they were able to come up with a Pokeball design that would calm and capture the rampaging Pokemon. When the glowing, red Pokeball was finally done, it was a sight to behold.

Kuri couldn’t help but feel warm as she held the Origin Ball in her hand. It was kind of beautiful to her. It was created thanks to Adaman’s connection with Dialga, Irida having the foresight to grab the broken pieces of the Red Chain, and the resources of Professor Laventon and Rei. The Diamond clan, Pearl clan, and Galaxy Team all came together to make their last hope for quelling this new Pokemon (called Palkia, as they learned from Mistress Cogita). Who would’ve thought it would take the world nearly ending to bring everyone together like this. They took a caravan up to the summit camp this time, and soon, Kuri, Ingo, Rei, Laventon, Adaman, Irida, and Kamado were all back at the entrance to the temple.

Ingo could see that Kuri was tense and for good reason. He took her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, making her look up at him. “It will be alright,” He reassured. “We’ll be right beside you.” That brought a smile out of her. They entered the temple, and Palkia was standing in the arena, waiting for them. It seemed like he hadn’t moved. But the moment he saw Kuri, and the Ultra Ball in her hand, he got down on all fours and started shining with a golden light. Kuri threw Dialga’s ball, but the light was already flashing dangerously.

“TAKE COVER!” Kamado bellowed.

Adaman and Irida dove behind some pillars and Ingo’s instincts took over. He grabbed Kuri and hunched on the ground, covering her as best he could. Laventon shielded Rei in a similar fashion to Ingo, all of them squeezing their eyes shut and clutching each other as the light enveloped them, blowing the entire roof of the temple away.

But…nothing happened.

Silence seemed to fall over them. “Dialga…!” Ingo opened his eyes to see Kuri peeking out from his hold and he followed her gaze. Dialga was standing in front of the four of them, having shielded them from any damage from the attack.

Dialga looked behind him and locked eyes with Kuri, who nodded, moving a little more away from Ingo. “Do it, Dialga!”

Dialga turned back to the light and charged up his Roar of Time. The attack flew out and hit the wall of light, and Palkia was revealed…but in a completely different shape. His arms had vanished, he sported four legs instead of two, and a strange shape encircled his middle. He looked somewhat familiar, but Kuri didn’t have time to think about it. Everyone got to their feet as Palkia reared up like an enraged Rapidash, letting out an ear-piercing roar. A bright light came over them, making them look up at the sky.

Fear squeezed Kuri by the throat as a giant ball of fire flew towards them. As if on cue, her Gardevoir emerged unprompted. “Grace! Get everyone out of here!” Kuri screamed over the noise. Grace nodded and her eyes glowed. All at once, everyone except for Kuri was lifted up with psychic energy.

Ingo’s eyes widened in fear. “Kuri, what are you…?!”

Kuri nodded to Grace and all the humans in the ruined temple were flung out, landing safely in the snow. At the last moment, Kuri rolled out of the way of the ball of fire just in time, ending up in the arena where she battled Dialga, where Palkia now stood. The diamond on Dialga’s chest glowed, and a blue barrier surrounded the area, keeping Kuri and Palkia in, and everyone else out. Good; better to keep Palkia from causing as little damage as possible.

She blinked as she spotted Dialga outside the barrier, frowning in confusion until Dialga’s diamond glowed again. A tall basket appeared beside Kuri…it was full of balms. Kuri looked at Dialga and understood; battling wasn’t just going to solve this. Palkia had to be calmed, like a frenzied Noble.

“Alright…” Kuri picked up the first balm of what was sure to be many. “Let’s do this…!”

Ingo’s heart was pounding as he and the others hurried back into the temple, taking cover behind the now ruined pillars. All they could do was watch as Kuri faced down the giant Pokemon, Charcoal at her side. He had no idea where she had gotten those balms from, but now wasn’t the time to question things.

Everyone was tense as they watched the bout. This was so much more nerve-wracking than watching her tussle with the regular Noble Pokemon. In fact, Palka’s attacks made all the Nobles’ frenzied states look like minor aggression!

“Kuri!” Ingo couldn’t help but cry as she barely dodged another ball of fire from the sky. The thing was using it to make rings of flames to distance himself from the girl.

“C’mon, Kuri…!” Rei muttered to himself.

For the most part, Kuri seemed to be doing well…until she wasn’t. All it took was one miscalculated dodge, and Kuri rolled right into the pink flames.

“No!” Laventon cried. Palkia found the opening and pounced. Irida clapped her hands over her mouth as a ball of fire exploded right behind Kuri making her scream in pain, the explosion throwing her off her feet. Palkia glared down at her, and released a pulse of energy from his body, hitting her dead on.

Ingo swore his heart stopped beating as Kuri slammed against the barrier and crumbled to the ground.

“NO!” Rei screamed. Kuri lay prone on the ground, unmoving. Charcoal bolted over and crouched by her side, nudging her and whining. This couldn’t be…! This couldn’t be where the line ended! Ingo’s vision wavered, and he thought he was about to pass out when the ruins from before flashed in his mind. He honed in on Kuri’s fallen form; why was he remembering something now?!

“ Get up!”

Ingo blinked as a voice echoed in his head.

“Get up!” That voice…it was his own! This never happened before!

“Please, get up!” Another voice joined in, sounding so close he almost thought someone was right next to him. “You’ve got to get up!”

A tall brighter shadow replaced Palkia, similar to the black one from before, but this one was nearly white. Ingo could see others alongside it. All of them standing menacingly over a fallen girl.

“ Get up ---------!”

Ingo clenched his fists, focusing on the real figures, “Get up…!” He rasped, catching everyone’s attention. “Kuri…get up!” His voice grew louder. “You have to get up!”

“Kuri!” Rei joined in. “Get up! C’mon, you’ve got to get up!”

“You can’t be done, Kuri!” Adaman yelled. “Get up!”

“C’mon, get up!” Irida yelled.

“Please, Kuri, please get up!” Laventon begged.

“Get up!” Kamado's crisp voice cut through the air. “Are you a Galaxy Team member or aren’t you!? Get up!”

“C’mon --------! You can do it!”

“Full speed ahead!”

Everyone’s cheers and cries filled the air, Ingo’s ears ringing from the ones in his head and the ones around him.

By some miracle…Kuri stirred.

Charcoal started and quickly moved his head under her, helping her sit up. “Charcoal…” She whispered. “Everyone…” Palkia roared again and Kuri stared at it, feeling energy fill her once more. “I’m not…done with you…!” Kuri balanced on Charcoal as she slowly rose. “I’m not gonna let you…destroy Hisui!”

Kuri’s hands went to her belt and grabbed all five remaining Pokeballs. She summoned her entire team, all of them brimming with energy, ready to fight. Palkia began his barrage of attacks again. Her Pokemon scattered across the arena and Kuri dodged perfectly. “Alright everyone, we’re finishing this! Together!” Kuri said to her team. Her Pokemon all cheered in agreement. “Alright! Let’s go!” Palkia unleashed a wave of energy, and Kuri leaped right over it, getting bags of balm ready.

“Redstone, use Bug Buzz!” Yanmega filled the air with green soundwaves, throwing Palkia off balance.

“Ezili, use Ice Punch!” Floatzel ran up and uppercut Palkia.

“Grace, use Dazzling Gleam!” Gardevoir shot a powerful flash, making Palkia roar and stagger backward.

“Gale, use Brave Bird!” Staraptor flew into the air, surrounded itself in pure energy, and hit Palkia right in the center.

“Jupiter, use Thunder Fang!” Luxray ran up and bit one of Palkia’s legs, making the Pokemon roar as paralysis took hold.

“Charcoal, finish it! Strong Style! Infernal Parade!” Charcoal roared and pelted the Legendary Pokemon with giant ghostly fireballs.

Kuri wasn’t far behind, throwing balm after balm. Finally, she threw one more, and Palkia finally fell to his knees. Kuri got out the Origin Ball, threw it, and red light enveloped Palkia as it opened, eerily similar to the Red Chain. Palkia vanished, leaving the ball behind, which fell to the ground.

It shook once…twice…three times…and clicked. It was over.

Kuri let out a breath like a weight had been lifted from her chest as she picked up the Origin Ball. She looked up and smiled as the red sky above them slowly vanished, revealing the afternoon sun. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since it had changed, but she didn’t care. Her Pokemon swarmed her happily, making Kuri laugh while holding the Origin Ball closely.

Dialga moved forward and Kuri smiled, reaching out. Dialga stared for a moment and then slowly lowered his head, meeting Kuri’s hand and feeling the gratitude from her. Dialga met her eyes and seemed to give her a nod before raising his head and dropping the barrier.

Kuri recalled all her Pokémon, including Dialga, before she was nearly tackled by Rei throwing his arms around her neck. “Don’t ever do that again…!” He mumbled into her scarf. Kuri just sighed in relief and deflated into the hug before Laventon came and enveloped both of them in his arms. Once they were released, Adaman ruffled Kuri’s hair and Irida gave her a hug as well.

Not long after, Ingo found himself being hugged by Kuri, and he easily returned it. “We did it,” She breathed.

“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Ingo replied, pride seeping into his voice. “Bravo, Kuri.”

Medical personnel tended to Kuri’s injuries in the caravan. Ingo was thankful that they had decided to come along this time rather than wait in Jubilife Village. Night had fallen by the time they reached the relieved village, and poor Kuri and Rei were practically asleep on their feet. They had barely slept a wink since this whole ordeal started and their exhaustion was palpable. Laventon scooped Rei up into his arms, the boy instantly falling asleep, and Ingo got Kuri on his back.

The girl’s eyes were nearly closed as her head lay heavily on his back, her arms hanging over his shoulders. Ingo smiled fondly as he walked towards Kuri’s abode. “Are you feeling alright, Kuri?”

Kuri nodded, “Jus’ tired…” she murmured.

“Well, sleep as long as you need; you’ve earned it.”

Kuri hummed, “Finally done…can focus on memories now…”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Ingo said, peeking at Kuri over his shoulder. “These events shook many more memories loose.”

Kuri perked up as best she could, “They did?!” She exclaimed. “What did you see?”

Ingo chuckled as Kuri’s eyes refused to remain open. “I’ll tell you all about it when you wake up.”

“No, no, I’m awake…!” Kuri shifted on his back, probably trying to wake herself up. “I’m awake, you can tell m…” She cut herself off with a yawn, making Ingo snort.

“Your engine is running on fumes.” He remarked.

“No, it’s n…not…” Kuri slurred, already nodding off.

“Yes, it is,”

“Noooo…”

Ingo pushed the door to Kuri’s house open with his foot and made his way towards her futon. “The station is closed for the night,” Ingo said, carefully placing Kuri down and removing her shoes and bandana. “We’ll resume our regular schedules in the morning,” Kuri whined and shook her head, but she gave up the moment her head was lowered onto the pillow. She was so stubborn, just like him (what?). Ingo covered her with her quilt and nestled into it, a content and peaceful smile on her face just like his (wait). Ingo stood and quietly headed back to the door.

“‘Night Ingo…” Kuri mumbled.

“Goodnight, Em-.” Ingo stopped himself, the door still open. “Goodnight, Kuri,” He quickly amended (though he doubted Kuri heard it) and shut the door.

What…was…?

Ingo barely bit back a yell as the pain hit him, so intense that he just about keeled over. Somehow, he managed to crawl to the side of the house so he wouldn’t cause a scene. He bit the sleeve of his jacket to keep himself from screaming, feeling like his head was going to explode. That name…the one he had nearly said…what was it? The more he dwelled on it, the more his head felt like it was going to split open.

Too much, too much, too much, STOP!

Ingo forced himself back to the present, focusing on Jubilife Village and Kuri, and the pain slowly subsided. Ingo leaned against the wall of Kuri’s house, breathing heavily; none of his memory flashes had ever been that intense before. The battles at the temple had made him remember too much, to the point where it was painful. And all because he nearly said the name Em-

Ingo sucked in a breath as his head pounded and he brought himself back. Why did remembering that particular name hurt so much? This name was important, he could feel it, yet his mind clearly didn’t want him to remember!

Maybe…it was too soon? Yes, that had to be it. He couldn’t jump ahead of schedule, he had to stay consistent. His memories were like a slowly moving steam train that was slowly building momentum, nothing like the metal box that moved at top speeds (why did he compare them like they were the same thing?). He couldn’t force the engine, he had to stoke the fires and take it slow. Ingo managed to get to his feet and get himself to a guest house, letting his own exhaustion lead him to get some sleep.

The dream of his twin that night was clearer than it had ever been, despite remaining a mystery.