Archive of Our Own ^beta

   The fight is finally over.

   This time, he's going to make sure of that.

   He recalls his Pokémon in a flash of red light, then returns their ball to his belt. Rei eyes the glowing figure of Arceus in front of him, bracing himself for what comes next.

   This time, he will not be cheated out of his victory.

   A loud crackle drifts through the air and Arceus' body starts to glow brighter. Rei winces as the burn hits his eyes, bringing his hand up to block out the light. The sound of something shattering rings out through the silence, then a warmth washes over him — the frenzy has broken. He's not sure how long the overwhelming beam of light envelopes the platform, but it feels like an eternity passes before it fades.

   Rei blinks away the colorful splotches in his vision as he drops his arm. When he does, he can see a battered looking Arceus standing a couple feet in front of him. Just as they had before. Their body is no longer glowing with the light of their frenzy, instead pure white and covered in scuff marks from their battle. They look broken, but he knows very well not to doubt their strength even in this state. He won't let his guard fall. Rei glares up at them, willing them to do something. They don't.

   Arceus' strength seems to give out a moment later and they collapse to their knees, the ground beneath them trembling. Rei stumbles, squaring his stance in an attempt to not fall as the shockwave passes under him. He can barely keep himself up. His legs feel like jelly; the adrenaline that was coursing through him is starting to wear off. No doubt he's going to collapse soon — that is exactly what happened the first time Rei beat Arceus. His lungs ache and there's blood running down his temple and his vision is starting to get blurry. It's only a matter of time… but he can't go down until he gets what he came here for. Not again. This time, Rei is getting his ticket back to his home station if it's the last thing he does!

   He's getting back to Ingo if it's the last thing he ever does…

   Rei really misses his uncle. Every day that he has been apart from Ingo has been nothing sort of torture. Every day he is forced to fend for himself and run around Hisui and fight for his life to survive. And he does all of it alone. All of it. Without Ingo, Rei has very few people to turn to. His uncle was his biggest supporter when he was in Hisui. So when he left, most of the support Rei had crumbled too. He still speaks to Akari and Professor Laventon sometimes, but he refuses to go back into the village to see them any more than once a month. He's been so lonely… Rei wants to see Ingo again more than anything in the whole world!

   It's been five years too many.

   Five whole years have passed since he was last on Mount Coronet with Ingo fighting Arceus for the first time. They won back then too — of course they did, they were the strongest trainers in all of Hisui. They were supposed to be going to Ingo's home station together but…

   Something went wrong.

   At the last minute, just before Arceus was defeated… Ingo got hit by Judgment.

   He still remembers not being able to do anything but watch in horror as the stars crashed into his uncle's body. Seeing the way Ingo crumpled under the power of the move still haunts his darkest nightmares. Rei will never forget… and the worst part is that it only happened because neither of them were paying as much attention as they should have been. They thought for sure that Arceus would go down and they were in the clear, so they both let their guard drop. That was all Arceus needed to get one more hit in. Ingo couldn't dodge in time. The move hit him full force and then he collapsed on the platform… there was so much blood. It was everywhere, staining the platform beneath his motionless form and spreading like a flood. Rei couldn't look away.

   The carnage was unbearable. And Arceus knew it too. In fact, they showed remorse after the act was done. Ingo was never meant to be in Hisui in the first place. Arceus had said he was dragged here by Giratina through a rouge distortion… Ingo shouldn't have even been in that situation — an innocent caught in the crossfire. An awful mistake. Arceus had told him then that in an effort to atone for their actions, they would grant Rei a wish. Anything in the world that he desired would be his. But Rei didn't want for anything. He knew in that moment that his wish was the only thing that could save Ingo. So, Rei used it to send his uncle home. For Ingo's life to be saved. Arceus had gladly granted it, then his uncle was whisked away to the future alone.

   Rei still doesn't know if Ingo made it safely. Doesn't know if Ingo managed to survive the trip or if he ended up back where he came from. All he could do was hope. That hope was the only thing keeping him going after Rei woke up back on Mount Coronet five years ago with Arceus' voice in his ear telling him to do it all over again. The only driving force in his efforts to complete the Pokédex and quell frenzies all over again. Rei struggled through all of it alone, having fled the village after Ingo left.

   It had taken him a year to 'seek all Pokémon' with Ingo's help the first time and it had taken him another five to do it all over again by himself. But at last, Rei did it. At last, he can join his uncle in his home station. All of his struggle is finally over and Rei is going to fight like hell to make sure he's on his way home after this.

   As his uncle would say: full steam ahead!

   Rei won't back down!

   He blinks against the blurriness in his vision, focusing his glare on the white figure in front of him. Arceus' head has lifted now, squinting red and green eyes focused on him. Both of them already know what Rei is going to ask for. There's no point in beating around the bush. Rei takes a step forward, opening his mouth to make his demand. He only gets one step before his legs give out under him.

   Footsteps pound against the platform, then something big and fuzzy catches him just before he hits the ground. Two clawed arms are wrapped around his torso now, a worried face leaning down to meet his eyes. "Snease!?" She leans closer to sniff at him. "Sssneeea!"

   Lady Sneasler has been anxiously hovering behind him since they got here — well, she's been hovering over him since Ingo disappeared, really. She wasn't allowed to participate in the battle due to being an ex-noble Pokémon, but that didn't stop her from helping him back up whenever he was knocked down. Lady Sneasler was just as determined to get back to Ingo as he was, so they teamed up and have been working together since. Rei drags one of his hands up to scratch just below her chin. Her worried expression softens a little and she lifts him back up onto his feet. Once his feet are planted, she steps back a little. One of her arms remains hovering over his back just in case he falls again. Rei smiles at her as he pulls away. "Thank you."

   "Llller!"

   Arceus clears their throat.

   Both Rei and Lady Sneasler turn to Arceus as they start to speak. "Thou hath completed mine task again and now thou hath bested me in battle… I promised thee a gift the last time thou won against me, so I shall grant thee another… though I hath an idea of what thy wish may be."

   Rei throws a glance towards Lady Sneasler and she nods at him. They're both ready. Before coming up the mountain, they spent four days gathering all of Ingo's stuff. They'd gone to the village for the stuff in the Training Grounds, then all the way to the Icelands for the stuff in the Pearl Settlement, then finally they went to Ingo's hut in the Highlands to gather up the rest of it. All of his stuff is packed in Lady Sneasler's basket alongside a couple of her eggs while Rei's is packed in his bag. They have everything and have said their goodbyes. Now all they have to do is go to the future to find Ingo. Rei nods back at her.

   Then he takes a deep breath and turns to Arceus. "I want you to send Lady Sneasler and I to where my uncle is. I want to go home."

   Arceus shifts in their spot on the ground, head bowing and eyes closing. It's impossible to tell how Arceus is feeling — their face is always void of emotion — yet somehow Rei is certain Arceus is smiling now.

   "Of course. Thou hath been a fine champion, Rei." They pause, lifting their head and opening their eyes as they turn to face Lady Sneasler. "And thou hath been a fine noble. To both of thee, I wish the best. May thy paths remain unblocked and thy journey to Ingo be an easy one. Goodbye Rei and Lady of the Mountain. Until thou greet me again in undying life."

   With that, Arceus' eyes start glowing again. The same way they did when they sent Ingo back to the future. Rei leans his weight into Lady Sneasler as the world around them slowly fades away.

   Okay! Emmet should have everything! He'd spent the past four hours running from store to store to pick up all of the stuff he needs for their birthday tomorrow. He'd bought the snacks and the cake and a last minute present for Ingo and has not had a break since this morning! Emmet is sure his brother is also in a similar state of frazzled-ness, given that Ingo was tasked with getting the house ready for tomorrow. Ingo had become somewhat of a clean freak during his time in Hisui, so he was adamant about getting the house clean enough to have guests over!

   Emmet thought that was a little silly. It's not like they're having any strangers in their apartment or anyone who is going to judge them for any uncleanliness around the house! They only invited their friends and their family. Emmet could just battle any one of them if they insult their apartment! Oh, but Ingo's mind wouldn't be changed, so Emmet was kicked out of his own home and sent on his mission.

   To be fair, that was already his plan. Emmet needed to pick up his gift for Ingo without being suspicious, after all. Oh and he is verrry proud of the gift he got. It cost him a pretty penny, but Emmet managed to get his hands on a model train made of Sinnoan tumblestone and Pecha wood! It's one Ingo has had his eye on for many, many years — even before Hisui! Emmet can't wait to give it to him. Ingo is going to be suuuper excited!

   Emmet almost wants to crack and just give it to him as soon as he gets home, but he will be patient! Their birthday is tomorrow. That isn't such a long wait. It's absolutely nothing compared to how long Emmet waited for Ingo to come home…

   Ah, but there's no need to be dwelling on those thoughts now. Emmet should focus on the present! That is the only thing he can change anyway.

   Emmet drags in a deep breath as he rounds the corner onto the next block. There are people bustling about as they always are, rushing around and knocking into his shoulders as they move down the street. Emmet doesn't pay any of them any mind. Having lived in Nimbasa for many years, he's used to the foot traffic. It's not like any of them will deter him from reaching his destination anyway! Emmet is only about five minutes away from his building; almost home.

   He hums a tune to himself as he strides past storefronts with big bold letters on their signs and some with pretty lights strung up in the windows. There are people in there too. Tons of shoppers spending their money on whatever interests them. Emmet lets his eyes follow a few people as he walks past. He always finds people's shopping habits so interesting. Funny what people end up buying…

   "Trosss!" A tail shoots out in front of him, hitting him square in the stomach. Emmet grunts as the wind is knocked out of him, head whipping back to the space in front of him. He looks up just in time to see cars rush past him on the street. Ah. He'd almost walked right into oncoming traffic. Right. Maybe Emmet should be paying more attention… he straightens up, a bashful smile finding its way to his face as he turns to Captain.

   His partner is hovering in the air beside him, a tired look on his face. He must be so sick of Emmet's spaciness. Oops! Emmet moves the bags in his right hand to his left, then reaches up to pat Captain's head. "Thanks, buddy. I am Emmet and perhaps my hands aren't on the wheel right now." Captain huffs in response, but nuzzles into his hand anyway.

   The two of them stand there like there for another minute or two before the crosswalk sign turns green and the cars in the road stop. Captain floats forward first and Emmet follows after him as they cross the street.

   He's lucky he brought his partner with him today! Captain is great at keeping him on track when he's about and about like this. Oh, and he's great at holding bags too. Right now Captain has the snack bags hanging off of his tail and the cake held in his front fins. Verrry helpful! Emmet will have to give him extra treats when they get back to the apartment! Today has been an eventful day for the both of them.

   Once they cross the street, Emmet turns to his left and starts down that sidewalk. Though the sidewalk itself doesn't stretch very long before the gates to the park appear up ahead.

   He glances over at Captain. "Do you want to take the shortcut through the park? It may be more perilous, but it would be faster, yup!" Emmet would prefer to be home sooner rather than later, but Captain is carrying the cake which is arguable more important than his impatience. So, he will let his partner decide. In the meantime, he steps to the side so people can pass by the two of them.

   Emmet taps his foot against the ground as he waits. Patience has never been a strength of his…

   Captain floats around him, pausing to look back at Emmet. He nods towards the gate. "Eeel-tross!" Perfect! Emmet smiles at his partner as he turns back around and starts heading towards the gate. Short cut it is! Then once they get home, Emmet can show Ingo the snacks they got and get the cake situated and then they call all finally relax! Oh, Emmet is so ready to relax…

   He walks through the gate after his partner and takes a breath of the fresh air. Emmet really loves the park. All the trees littered around the area are orange or red or yellow and the colors blend into such a pretty picture. There's a small playground on the left side of the park, children running around and laughing as they play together. A few people are also walking the paths too, but there are far less people in the park then there are on the streets.

   It's much less stressful to cross through! Emmet will take any amount or relief he can get after such a long day! Well, technically the day is not close to ending yet. The sun is still shining and there are still quite a few hours left before nightfall. So plenty of time to himself once he's home with his brother. Oh and maybe he can convince Ingo to have a couple Pokémon battles with him! It's been a while since they were able to do that.

   Ah, he's getting distracted again. Reroute!

   Emmet blinks a couple times to pull himself out of his head. When he's present enough, he realizes that they're about halfway down the path back to the apartment. Shouldn't be too much longer now! Emmet can feel his smile growing as he looks to his right. The big oak tree in the middle of the park stands there, the vibrant red leaves rustling in the breeze. Emmet's feet pause in their tracks as he takes in the sight. He's always loved that tree. It's beautiful, especially in the Fall!

   In his college days, he used to sit under that tree with Ingo and Elesa all the time. He has many fond memories of the study sessions and the picnics and the general hangouts they've had there… good times. Oh! Maybe he should bring Ingo back here sometime soon? He has been trying to take Ingo places where they spent a lot of time at since Ingo came home — since pictures just don't cut it sometimes. He doesn't think they've hit the park yet. Maybe it will jog some more of Ingo's memories! He should ask when he gets home… it would be fun to come back to spend time with his family.

   A low buzz draws his attention back to the path ahead. Captain is hovering there now, impatiently buzzing at Emmet. Right, again with the distractions! At this rate they're never going to get back home. Emmet takes a moment to lift his arm, turning his wrist to look at his watch. It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon! Geez, he's wasting time loitering about. No more time for detours! Full steam ahead!

   Emmet lets his arm fall as he moves to start walking again. Nothing is going to keep him from getting home now! Captain turns to keep floating down the path too.

   "Ingoooo!" Someone shouts from somewhere behind him, the voice sounding like it's rapidly approaching him.

   Emmet's eyebrows furrow and he whips around back around. Who is calling for Ingo?! Almost as soon as he turns, something large and purple comes rushing at him. Emmet's heart drops to his feet, panic racing through his system. He doesn't even have a chance to run before the blur slams into him and they both go tumbling onto the ground. Emmet grunts at the wind is knocked out of him for the second time in the last thirty minutes. Captain cries a moment later, then there are footsteps rushing towards him.

   He doesn't even try to move, staring up at the clear sky as his head spins.

   Captain enters his field of vision a couple moments later, concern evident in his features. He coos at Emmet, then hisses as his eyes focus on the strange purple thing wrapped around him. Emmet follows his gaze, eyes landing on the… is that a Sneasel? No… Sneasels don't look like that. Well, whatever this Pokémon is, it's currently hugging him like it's life depends on it. Emmet doesn't know what to do. He's never been hugged by a strange Pokémon.

   So, against his better judgment, Emmet pulls one of his arms out of the hug and pats the Pokémon's back. The sound of rushing footsteps pulls him out of his thoughts, but he doesn't get a chance to process the sound before a stranger is looming over him — a young boy wearing the oldest looking clothes he's ever seen. Like Ingo's… wait a minute. Is this the person that was calling for Ingo?

   The boy is panting as he stares down at Emmet, tears glistening in his eyes. Oh, he looks sad… the boy sniffles, rubbing at his face. "Uncle Ingo? Is that you?" His voice is quiet and wavering and…

   DID HE JUST SAY UNCLE?!

   Emmet blinks, mouth opening and closing as he tries to figure what he's supposed to say that that. This boy… uncle?! Ingo never told him about this! Emmet is so confused! "I… am Emmet. Who are you?"

   The boy frowns and his eyebrows furrow. He looks confused for a moment, then some kind of realization dawns on him. A smile spreads across his face and the tears start to slide down his cheeks. "You must be the man in white! Oh, Uncle Ingo talked about you a lot… I'm Rei. We knew each other in Hisui. Ingo kind of uh… took me under his wing and-" the boy — Rei — is cut off as the Pokémon on top of Emmet finally lets go. It lifts it's head. Then it tilts its head at him. Rei laughs a little. "Lady Sneasler, this isn't Ingo."

   Those words have shock painting Lady Sneasler's features as she scrambles off of him. The Pokémon bows once at him, then moves to stand at Rei's side with a bashful look on her face. Emmet laughs a little at them. Oh how nice it is to be mistaken for Ingo again. "Nope! I am Emmet. Ingo is my brother. We are twins, yup!"

   "Oh! Then it makes sense that you two look the same, huh?" Rei's face falls a little bit. "Sorry but… can you take me to him? I know you don't know me, but…" the boy's face crumples into tears. He sniffs, trying to blink away his tears to no avail. "It's just been so long! I miss him!"

   Emmet sits up.

   Isn't he far too familiar with the feeling of missing Ingo.

   He throws a glance towards Captain, then looks back at Rei and Lady Sneasler. Maybe it's not a good idea to allow a stranger to come home with him, but Emmet feels inclined to believe Rei. He might as well take him to see Ingo. If Rei really has been missing his brother, then he's sure Ingo has been missing him too! Emmet will do both of them a favor.

   He plants his hands against the ground and pushes himself up. Once he's on his feet, he salutes Rei. "I am Emmet and I can take you to Ingo, yup! If you promise to tell me everything about Hisui."

   Rei perks up, his sobs getting a little louder. "Really?"

   Emmet nods. "Yyyyup! What I say and what I do is always the same!"

   "Then let's go!"

   "Damn it!" Ingo groans, tossing his controller onto the couch beside him. He fell off the island again! He doesn't understand how he keeps falling on the wind trial. Flying is just so difficult with the wind rushing around every island. Well, that is the point of the trail, but it's still incredibly annoying! Ingo is just trying to complete his candle run in piece, but it seems he won't be doing that any time soon. Uggghhhhh.

   Ingo doesn't understand why Emmet likes this game so much. His brother had all but forced him to play it earlier this year and now Ingo is invested in the game. He likes the cool costumes he can buy, but getting the candles to buy them feels so impossible at times! Why can't he just get the cosmetics without spending hours grinding for candles? It's so annoying…

   Oh, but candle running is better than worrying about the state of the apartment.

   He's spent the last couple hours cleaning and then re-cleaning and then walking around the apartment to make sure everything looked clean enough. It was maddening and probably not good for his health to be worrying like that, so Ingo decided to take his mind off of it by doing something else.

   Sky: Children of the Light happened to be that something else. And to be truthful, it has done wonders in distracting Ingo from his own anxious thoughts about the house. So far he's finished running through the Vault of Knowledge, Daylight Prairie, and the Golden Wastelands. That only leaves three more locations to finish running and then he should find something else to occupy his time.

   Ingo leans back against the couch, turning and looking towards the kitchen. He'd spent a whole hour trying to clean it… but is it clean enough? Maybe he should get up and go check again just to be sure. Ingo moves to get up. He doesn't get very far before Lavender comes darting towards him. "Chaaaan! Lure!" She scolds him.

   Ah, right. She's not going to let him leave. Lavender is one of the major reasons why Ingo stopped wandering around the apartment. His partner had caught him in the bathroom wiping down the counters again, then she forced him to drop his cleaning supplies and go into the living room. Now he feels like he's being monitored! Any time he tries to get up and do anything, she comes over to force him to sit back down. Ingo appreciates her dedication to her 'keep Ingo from stressing himself out’ duty.

   He smiles at her, settling back down onto the couch and holding up his arms for her. "Thank you, my friend. Helpful as always, my dear." Lavender coos at him, floating down into his arms and nuzzling against his chest. The warmth of her glass settles something within him and he finds himself relaxing under it. "Oh how I love you, Lavender. I missed you so much in Hisui." Ingo leans down, planting a kiss near one of her eyes. Lavender continues to preen under his attention, her metal arms looping around his neck as her eyes start to flutter closed.

   He guard is lowered… maybe Ingo should mess with her a little bit. That might take his mind on how much dust as accumulated in the kitchen in the time he has been away from it and the counters that need wiped down again and- nope! Ingo needs to reroute! Mess with Lavender is a go! Ingo coos at her, planting a few more kisses on her glass. "Oh don't you remember when you used to hate my guts, Lavender?" As soon as the words leave his mouth, Lavender's eyes snap open and she leans away from him.

   She narrows her eyes at him. "Luuuure. Chan-chan!" Lavender protests. Ingo laughs a little.

   "Yes, I know we're friends now. Oh but there was a time when you refused to even be in the same room as me, no? Or am I misremembering?" Ingo can feel the corners of his mouth quirking up as Lavender rolls her eyes at him. She pouts, unwinding her arms and holding them up and away from him.

   "Chande!"

   He opens his mouth to respond to her annoyed retort, but doesn't get a chance to get a single word out. The front door is slammed open and both of them jump. Ingo's head snaps over to face the doorway while Lavender turns around in his hold.

   The sight that greets them is Emmet in the doorway with Captain hovering just behind him. Emmet's eyes are wide and wild as he stares at him. He opens his mouth, glances at the tv, then his eyes narrow into a glare. Emmet straightens up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Were you playing Sky without me?"

   Ingo glances at the screen, then back at Emmet. "Nooo?" Obviously the evidence is right in front of both of them and can't be denied, but Ingo will be damned if he admits to playing without Emmet. Nope! Ingo is innocent on all counts. But that's not important right now. Emmet just slammed the door open! There has to have been a reason for him to do that. So, Ingo will change the subject to that. He lets Lavender go and she floats up into the air, then he rises from the couch. "Nevermind the game, is there a reason you've pulled into the station with such haste?"

   Emmet blinks at him, the jolts as if he's been shocked. "Right! I am Emmet and I have big news!" With that, Emmet walks into the apartment and motions for something outside. Ingo's eyebrows furrow as he stares at the doorway. What could Emmet have up his sleeve now?

   He watches someone step out from behind the wall, followed by a large purple Pokémon.

   Tears flood Ingo's eyes as he stares at two of his biggest regrets. Rei and Lady Sneasler are standing in his doorway. They're in the future! They're… they're here. How are they here?! Ingo tries to say something, anything, but all he can get out is a sob. Rei doesn't seem to be faring any better, tears sparkling in his nephew's eyes. "Rei? Lady-" Lady Sneasler comes barreling into the room and Ingo opens his arms wide to catch her. The two of them go tumbling to the floor and Ingo laughs as she squeezes him. "Oh! Oh thank the dragons! Thank Arceus or Sinnoh or whoever!" Ingo hugs her back as tight as he can. "Oh how I missed you both," he sobs into his lady's fur. She just coos at him and nuzzles his shoulder.

   He hears the door click shut a couple moments later, then there are footsteps racing towards him. Ingo manages to shift Lady Sneasler a little so he can catch Rei in his other arm as the boy flops on top of him. He hugs both of them close. "I don't know how in the world you got here, oh but I- I'm so happy!" Ingo can't stop the tears from flooding down his cheeks. "So happy…"

   "Arceus let us come back! I had to- to do the Pokédex again, but I did it and we're here!" Rei wails back. He buries his face into Ingo's shoulder, tears soaking into his shirt. He doesn't care. He's too busy being over moon about the fact that they're here.

   Ingo doesn't have to feel guilty for abandoning them anymore.

   His family is complete now.

   "Hey." Comes Emmet's voice above them. Ingo lifts his head from Lady Sneasler's chest to find his twin looming. Emmet smiles, wide and bright with sparkling eyes. "I am Emmet. May I join you?" Ingo laughs a little, nodding.

   That's all the invitation his twin needs. Emmet crouches down, then flops on top of all of them. The weight is a little uncomfortable, but Ingo wouldn't have it any other way. There is nothing that makes him happier than having his family in his arms.

   Ingo smiles through his tears, heart full At long last.