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[noterminalcalledend]

[One day in Unova, the sky opened up.

And dropped out a muppet of a man in tattered conductor's clothing. He hits the ground amid a crowd and instantly a lot is going on. Some people rushing to help him up, to check for injuries. Some calling the police. Some recording the rip in the sky.

And others recording the man, tweeting out that amazing thing that had just occurred.

holy shit a guy fell out the sky

ITS RAINING MEN?! HALLELUJAH???

I can't believe my theory that Ingo was buried in a landfill has been proven wrong like this #FindIngo #FoundIngo???

@ TrueCrimeRoyals TOLD YOU HE WAS ALIVE DUMBASSES

@ SubwayBossEmmet please see this

@ SubwayBossEmmet YOUR BROTHER WWAS FOUND

Somewhere, Emmet's phone is screaming with notifications and calls]

Comments

[likewinning]

[ As he is a professional first and foremost, Emmet makes sure to have his phone on silent when working.

That, and the reception was patchy at best down in the Battle Subway, so he doesn't even get an inkling of something going on until he finishes out his latest route, waiting for the car to pull into its final stop at Gear Station. Emmet's xtransceiver immediately starts blaring, and he rolls his eyes and silences it before reaching out to take his phone out and see what the fuss is all about.

What he sees has him stopping dead in his tracks.

With a rushed excuse to the nearest depot agent that they seem to accept all too readily, Emmet pushes past a small crowd and rushes up the stairs to Gear Station proper. ]

[noterminalcalledend]

[And Ingo, despite people trying to stop him? has been making his way to the nearest subway entrance. He's not very steady on his feet, the fall absolutely busted him up

But who cares about that.

There's someone he needs to see. In spite of pain. In spite of the time that has past. In spite of everything.

He knows that if he gets to the subway. If he gets to Gear Station.

If he just gets to Gear Station....

Then everything will be okay. And until he sees that person he really doesn't care about the people following him and crowding him. The constant flash of pictures. Someone sticks a microphone in his face, asking something??

But he keeps pushing through]

[likewinning]

[ The crowd inside Gear Station seems — busier? than usual. Emmet can't tell exactly, only that he feels a bit more claustrophobic than usual. Which is strange, really, since he spends most of his time these days in a small train car fighting with large monsters, but that never felt overwhelming.

This, though — this does. He can see people looking in his direction, leaning over to whisper to one another, cell phones lifting up to snap candids of him. It's different. This isn't about him, the Subway Boss. This is about him.

Emmet swallows hard, pushing past them to head to the surface. The location of all the tweets he'd been tagged in wasn't far. If he just—

Stops.

And stares at the crowd, at the masses surrounding something — someone? — like some sort of analogy that he can't even fathom at this moment because his brother is there.

He thinks, anyway. ]

Ingo—?!

[noterminalcalledend]

EMMET

[And he's shoving people aside, running with a limp towards him, tears already streaming

The cameras and phones and crowds and pain and confusion all easy to block out in this moment]

[likewinning]

[ He wants to cry so badly, but the flashes from cameras and the murmurs from the crowd keep jarring him back into reality, adrenaline kicking in. Emmet muscles through the crowd to meet Ingo halfway, pulling him in for a hug. ]

I am Emmet. I am here. I am . . .

[ His grip tightens a bit, hand shaking. ]

[likewinning]

[ The following morning, Emmet turns his phone back on after charging it all night, only to be greeted with a metric shitton of messages.

He rolls his eyes and deletes anything that isn't from his close friends, then briefly glances around online to clear out his notifications. He'd be more impressed with how many think pieces popped up overnight if they weren't focused on him and his brother.

Fortunately, the nice hospital staff have brought in breakfast and also got a razor et all at Emmet's request, once he'd clarified by pointing to Ingo's beard.

'cause that's gotta go. ]

We can do it before breakfast or after.

[noterminalcalledend]

...

My beard??

[already cutting into his breakfast sausage]

[likewinning]

You look like you're fifty.

[noterminalcalledend]

Good.

It goes with the time travel. It will make me look like a man out of time.

[sorry gotta eat

Takes a bite and closes his eyes in bliss]

Sweet Arceus.

[likewinning]

[ d-deflates. ]

But we are twins . . .

[noterminalcalledend]

[Ingo has been busy despite being homebound and wheelchair bound. He had basically taken Emmet's phone as his own until their new ones arrived. A lot of mail had been sent. He did a few phone interviews with newspapers of good reputation. He navigated the questions alright. His odd story was helped by the fact that it was matching Akari's. She had her own Hisuian sneasel that made it easy to believe. He turned down many requests for photos--he was not ready for the rigorous ordeal of a photoshoot not to mention his injuries. Injuries which of course he was pressed to describe.

He released a few videos of the baby sneasel onto Twitter, letting the powerful pokemon enthusiasts community do the work of drowning out the true crime community.

Not to mention sating some of these newspapers with pictures of a hisuian growlithe, exclusive to them of course. No reason to not be strategic.

He's done a pretty good job of releasing some of the outside pressure being placed on the subway boss household. After all he was very polite and over the phone his expressive voice wasn't diminished by his often intimidating expression.

His initially large appetite has diminished though, instead often bent over his tablet arranging this or that.

After all there's things aside from media to take care of. Ordering new work uniforms for himself and Emmet--this way they'll still match for sure. His coat was too frayed and damaged to save. Taking note of what has been neglected in his absence and picking those things back up. The paperwork on making him undead is holding up some things but. A lot has been done and Ingo seems to be taking the work mostly in stride

There's a lot of Hisui pokemon here now to help distract Emmet]

[likewinning]

[ Emmet allowed Ingo to take his phone after that night and it . . . helped. A lot, frankly. Part of him still felt bad about having Ingo take on so much, but it was how it used to be before everything happened.

So in the meantime, he's shuffled around the apartment, working on making things more functional again. The kitchen got thoroughly sorted through first, with Emmet tossing out anything that was old and sitting in the pantry for way too long. Anything he didn't get in the first grocery order was snapped up with the next one. All of the pictures had been turned back around as well; whatever Ingo couldn't reach, Emmet got. There were even a couple he'd just put away because it was too painful, only to now put them back out in their proper place.

He'd also gotten started on his room, which . . . wasn't saying much, really. Mostly, he'd gathered up the stacks of mail and brought them out to their living room where he could sit near Ingo and sort through them, only keeping what was really necessary.

It helped that there was a Hisuian Growlithe to distract him. ]

Who is a good boy? You are!

[noterminalcalledend]

[bless these pokemon

Ingo is taking a break from his tablet, reaching for his water and popping pills]

Can we open up a window?

[likewinning]

Of course!

[ He gets up and goes over to do just that, stretching while he's at it. ]

[noterminalcalledend]

Thank you.

Are there strangers outside?

[likewinning]

[ A few weeks have passed since Ingo was unceremoniously dumped out of the sky and back into Unova. Legal stuff is going well enough thanks to their lawyer. And Emmet is on leave from the Battle Subway for the forseeable future, much to his chagrin.

Not that he doesn't enjoy spending time with Ingo — he does, verrrry much so. It's just that while Ingo has other things to attend to, like physical therapy and whatnot, Emmet is left to his own devices. And that hasn't been the best thing for him these last three years.

So it's no surprise that he comes back one afternoon after having dipped out to check on a few things over at Gear Station looking rather harried. ]

Ingo! I am home.

[noterminalcalledend]

Emmet! Look, I've graduated to a cane--

What is it?

[likewinning]

A cane? Really?

[ goes to flop on the couch, looking over in Ingo's direction. ]

[noterminalcalledend]

[stepping over from the kitchen with his cane, glass of water in one hand]

Yes.

But that is of little consequence presently. What is troubling you?

[likewinning]

Not at all. That is best news I have heard today. It opens up many more options for you.

[noterminalcalledend]

[WE! ARE IN! ALOLA!

they dropped their stuff off at a hotel and picked up their VACATION THREADS. which are alolan shirts--one in bright yellow, the other bright purple. Ingo is wearing sunglasses and a big straw hat. though he does also have on pants and boots despite the weather--gotta take care of that leg. tho he seems very energetic as he maneuvers down the nearest route on his cane--being outside absolutely has hyped him up]

It appears there are many pokemon here!

[likewinning]

There are, yes! It is verrrry exciting!

[ already checking out apps on his phone to see what's in the area. ]

[noterminalcalledend]

[letting lil lady sneasel out, watching her scamper]

[likewinning]

She seems to be enjoying herself.

[noterminalcalledend]

She must have been longing for the outdoors.

So what can we expect here?