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Having one’s Pokémon out during maintenance checks in the tunnels was a mandatory safety check, especially enforced when patrolling the older parts of the subway. Tunnels that, while not being used, still had some exposed electrical equipment or perhaps populations of Pokémon living in them.
This particular case happened to be an issue with some wiring that was messing with the lights and systems in a station nearby. The twins had worked out where the malfunction was most likely happening (and bemoaned once again how frustratingly old the systems were) and set out to fix it.
While Emmet did know quite a bit about electrical engineering, that particular area was where his brother really shined. But Emmet had nothing of particular importance going on and it was getting late. He didn’t want either of them heading home alone.
And so, he walked slightly behind his brother, carrying the lamp as Chandelure bobbed over Ingo’s shoulder and Eelektross happily wiggled by his side.
He thought it would be a quick fix. Maybe he’d get to laugh at ingo loudly declaring how horrible the wiring was and how they “really needed to get it fixed! How is anything supposed to get done if these keep breaking down! Honestly, Emmet, why do we keep putting off changing them?” Despite knowing exactly why they kept putting it off.
He wasn’t expecting the world to shiver before them and rend itself apart- for his brother to cry out as he slipped-
Eelektross didn’t hesitate to lunge forward, reaching out with its claws to snag Ingo’s coat at the last minute- or maybe a minute too late. Emmet struggled against the force pulling him into the gash that was reality, the only thing keeping him from tumbling down and knocking Ingo in was Chandelure, metal arms wrapped securely around his waist.
For a split second, if he could think, he might have found it funny that is was each other's partners that sought to protect the other.
Emmet called out to his brother, whose face was slowly being consumed by the bright lights and heavy winds, whose hands clawed at the gravel to slow his fall, at Eelektross, his dearest friend, pulling with all its might to get Ingo to safety.
He watched as his brother's hands slipped, as his two best friends slipped in the crack of reality and disappeared.
He didn’t know when the storm stopped. When the world stitched itself back together.
He was found two hours later, inconsolable and wrapped tightly around the silent Chandelure.
The space between timeworldsspace was not kind. It was not a place for mortals to tread.
Eelektross didn’t mean to let go, for it and Ingo to go flying off in different directions. But not even it could withstand the emptinessfullness of the space Between.
A man falls and becomes a warden. A Pokémon tumbles to the ground many months later.
The last thing Ingo was expecting when he walked through the gates of Jubalife was a crowd of shouting security corps members frantically tossing out pokeballs- full and empty. Ingo couldn’t quite see what had them all in a kerfuffle but was quick to run over- if it was just another alpha silcoon he was going to have to talk with Zisu. Again.
Whatever it was appeared to be hiding under the bridge crossing the stream, and it only took him calling out once before the guards quickly waved him over.
“There’s some strange pokemon under there Warden- we're not quite sure what it is but it’s huge. Someone saw it approaching the children.”
“I see,” Ingo mentally cataloged all the water types he knew of- but the ones that traveled down here everyone was quite familiar with. Big and unrecognizable…
He pulled out Magnezone’s pokeball and held it at the ready, slowly approaching the bridge. The security corps members quieted down a bit, backing up as the Warden stepped into the stream.
Ingo cringed at how wet his socks were getting and crouched lower, looking under the small bridge.
He couldn’t quite make anything out, other than some sleek skin shimmering under the faint light. Two red eyes peeked up at him, making him tense. They weren’t glowing though- only reflecting the light, so it probably wasn’t an alpha.
Still, the long sleek form wasn’t like anything Ingo had ever seen. And yet… he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew what it was.
Before Ingo could even call out to it he was bowled over by a streak of dark blue and yellow, huge teeth and a wide open maw lunging for his head as thick arms wrapped around his middle in a crushing grip-
Oh.
Ingo laughed as he threw his arms around the Pokémon, holding on just as tightly as the long form of it wrapped securely around his middle. The wide open mouth lovingly attaching itself to the side of his face in a huge kiss.
“Hello!” Ingo shouted, “I know you!” It wasn’t a question, even if the exact name of his friend was missing. Odd, he knew that this Pokémon was his friend, and yet was also certain that it was not his partner.
It was someone else’s- the man that looked like him?
“Uh…warden?” The nervous whisper form one of the security copse members brought him back to the present, “you… alright?”
“Quite fine,” Ingo reassured, “I suppose it misled us all quite a bit- ah, my friend, I’m getting rather soaked. Would you terribly mind letting me get up?”
For a moment the large Pokémon simply hugged him tighter, but eventually loosened enough to let him stand. Ingo’s coat was dripping with water and he was going to be miserable about it later but right now he was just endlessly happy to have met someone that so clearly knew him.
“You two… know each other?” One of the guards asked as Ingo stepped up the slope out of the water.
“I suppose so!” Ingo felt his eyes pinch, patting the Pokémon’s side. It finally let go of his face and nuzzled into his chest, yellow markings lighting up in a pattern Ingo knew ment it was excited. Fascinating. “I am terribly sorry my friend, but I have lost much of my memory and do not quite recall your name.”
The Pokémon blinked at him, and then shoved its face into his chest again. Ingo hugged it back tighter, “I’m very happy to have found you as well. How did you get here?”
He couldn’t help but wonder… could Ingo find his way back home? To where his family must be? His partners?
But the pokemon just shook its head, grumbling lowly in apology.
“You don’t know either. That’s alright,” Ingo patted it, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Ingo!” A familiar voice shouted, “you know that beast?!” Despite the harsh words it was said in such a friendly tone, Ingo could not hear it as anything but the compliment it was.
Zisu was always impressed with Ingo’s ability to befriend any Pokémon. Most people were too afraid to even approach ones larger than a blitzle.
“I do!” Ingo turned towards her, “however I must ask… What exactly caused all this panic?”
One of the guards spoke up, “I kept seeing this… long shadow when I guarded the gate. I didn’t know if it was some kind of wurmple or something so I… didn’t say anything. But it just kept appearing and then…”
“I saw something swimming in the water,” the woman by the pastures wrung her hands, “I got a little nervous, but then I saw it approaching the children and… I’m just glad no one was hurt.”
Ingo blinked, “Eelektross wouldn’t hurt anyone, despite appearances,” he tilted his head, “…Eelektross..?”
The Pokémon in his arms wiggled happily, letting go of him to float a few loops and spark in excitement.
“Oh! That is your name! It is wonderful to see you again, Eelektross!”
He was quickly wrapped up in a hug.
It was… really nice, actually. He couldn’t wait to introduce Eelektross to the rest of his team.