subway-boss-jericho

[subway-boss-jericho]

(Hammer anon)

I recall us talking about fusion and all the conflicts that come from it- this is rather to the left of that, but it’s entirely platonic and I think you’d like it =] (assuming you haven’t seen it already lol)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/61960357

Replying to this really quick so I don't forget-

oughhghhhghhhh

I am putting this in my reading list for later because it looks like something RIGHT up my alley. I've never seen this, no- I stopped browsing for fics a couple years ago just because I got busy/distracted so I imagine there's a ton of awesome stuff I haven't seen. I have a feeling based on the premise/summary on the first chapter that this fic is going to make me feel emotional in the kind of way that makes me feel Genuinely Literally Ill so I am gonna saaaave that for a day when I feel like getting annihilated for sport.

You're correct (staring at this fic so intensely trying not to open it) I imagine I am going to enjoy that fic a LOT.

In terms of my own AUs, I definitely see the connection you're making with coupled uncoupled- But from the description alone it actually hits really close to home for Half-Ghost AU which I am. Very ill about at the moment. This fic is probably going to emotionally destroy me like a drop kick to the diaphragm, thanks for the recommendation 👀👀👀👀👀

[subway-boss-jericho]

(Hammer anon) 

Emmet keeps having to remove them from the premises so their webs and nests don't block the airways, but Ingo keeps letting them back in when Emmet isn't looking

God forbid woman do anything /j 

This feels like the. Eating chess pieces meme except with bugs and air vents. It is funny thinking about him getting like. The equivalent of asthma because he likes bugs. 

Also. Is this why emmet has so many bugs. They are simply a little too silly to notice a gods blessing. 

Oh god the joltik infestation hc would be So Funny here 

On another note, and sort of corresponding to Ingo’s Very Long Bath, can ingo get functionally sick? Like rusty or have a… lichen issue (almost like mold- can they break down metal?) and in turn, if this could happen could emmet become ill? 

…I’m having the amusing thought of ingo having a mild pollen allergy. Goodbye eardrums. 

I imagine that, being underwater, ingo might gain a fair bit of plant growth going on. Or perhaps serve as a home for a few Pokémon. He probably wouldn’t quite be aware of it though… (getting off topic- I’ll get back to all that) 

their whole story is like this unfortunately and I uhhmmm,,,,,,, i havent found a way to, fix that. so I'm working on that part.

Casting eternal torment on them!!!

I’ve recently been of the mind that love with no where to go or no outlet is something on the lines of what grief is. While Emmet and Ingo Do have a place for that to go, actually being able to share it is a little more difficult now. Neither are dead (in a way that Truly matters, anyway) I can’t help but think they still might grieve a little. For what once was, maybe. Just for that familiarity. 

There is something quite terrible about realizing you will never be able to hug someone again! 

But like! They totally can and are showing the other that they care. Sometimes the most healing thing is allowing yourself to be sad with another person, knowing that they will Be There. 

[sorry been having a rough week and this hit me harder than expected] 

maybe I should push aside how I think it's "supposed" to look in order to actually mess around with how it Really looks in my head.

Sometimes it’s like that! It’s fun to doodle out some designs and such even if you know you won’t use ‘em. At least then you can figure out what you don’t want! 

the little gliscor plush/toy

Do you think that some of the children (or maybe thankful adults!) would carve out little pokeshi dolls of all the Pokémon Ingo’s do Emmet defeat as like. Trophies or something? 

(The reason gliscor is there is uh. Because I love gliscor. Would be funky to have a few random pokemon that just. Help out sometimes. Maybe the attacking ‘mon is close to a den and maternal instinct is Very Strong. 

I just think it’s kinda amusing for ingo to be fighting and cheer as a flock of murkrow to scratch at the eyes of the pokemon he’s fighting. Only to be swarmed himself a moment later) 

if AUs are songs then your asks are like the Audio Visualizers that play in my brain whenever I think about them. Does that comparison make any sense?

Yes! Ooo that is a fun comparison! It’s always lovely to bounce ideas around with people! (You have reminded me of crabulon’s theme at 4:00 skndnwjs)

Hoohg well I guess when I said it would take me longer to answer these because of school starting I was Not Kidding. Time sure does continue to pass. Hello again though!! I did not forget!! It's just taking me a while because of the energy it takes to give thoughtful answers <3 Hi!! missed you!!

This feels like the. Eating chess pieces meme except with bugs and air vents. It is funny thinking about him getting like. The equivalent of asthma because he likes bugs. 

God forbid women do anything!! I want you to know I want to draw that meme so fucking badly you're SO right. At my next available opportunity I'm doing that. And yeah, it's exactly like that. If the airways are blocked up or they start setting up too many strings in his lung-equivalent then he kind of just, coughs. Not loudly but, he gets very twitchy. He can't hold perfectly still, it tickles/itches/it's stuffy. It would take way more than they're capable of producing to actually inhibit or harm him in any way, which is why he keeps letting them back in, but Emmet knows it will build up if he lets it which is why he keeps kicking them back out. Infinite cycle.

(Edit, I did it the next day while still editing this response together)

The rest of the patented Jericho Ramble™ is below!

Also. Is this why emmet has so many bugs. They are simply a little too silly to notice a gods blessing. 

Correct, they are SO silly. Emmet does enjoy the company but he will never admit to it because at this point they're Doing A Bit and the first one to fold is the loser. This is also how Emmet eventually ends up with a shiny silcoon.

Oh god the joltik infestation hc would be So Funny here 

Yes!! Anything with joltik doesn't happen until after Ingo is recovered from the ocean and he heals a bit more from that whole experience, but I imagine they become quite the (beloved) nuisance to Emmet. Them feeding on electricity makes them a bit of a risk after his initial recovery, but after he gets back to a stable level then I imagine they bring both of them a lot of joy.

can ingo get functionally sick? Like rusty or have a… lichen issue [...] and in turn, if this could happen could emmet become ill? 

It would be extremely difficult to effect Ingo to the degree that would mimic physical sickness. I think there's a level where it's possible, but it's extremely unlikely. (That being said, after spending *checks notes* 300 years on the ocean floor, he has a lot of fucking things wrong with him. So yes he's very 'sick' when they get him out of the ocean initially. but OUTSIDE OF THAT it's unlikely!) However- Emmet can still get sick. It's extremely, extremely unlikely, but he can get sick like anyone else.

Emmet's health isn't directly tied to Ingo's current state- It's more like, Emmet cannot die so long as Ingo is alive. Any injuries or hypothetical illnesses that Ingo has are individual to him, and same with Emmet.

I imagine that, being underwater, ingo might gain a fair bit of plant growth going on. Or perhaps serve as a home for a few Pokémon.

Yes! In fact, he becomes a bit of an ecosystem in of himself, much like a coral shelf. Lots of pokemon and plants make him their home in the time he spends underwater- He's not aware of most of the pokemon, you're right, and the plants get cleaned off- But there is one pokemon that stays with him even after he leaves the ocean. A Dhelmise that has claimed him, and is actually with him for half or more of the time that he spends underwater. There's a boundary between the different sections of him, so parts like the main decks and halls remain essentially completely dry, but his vents lead directly from the outside to his lungs (with filters) so those get, very flooded. I don't know what types of pokemon would make him a home, but Lumineon and Finneon + Chinchou and Lanturn come to mind because they glow and it would be very dark inside his hull since the light from outside wouldn't reach. Aforementioned singular Dhelmise, but said Dhelmise is extremely territorial, so I imagine his internal ecosystem is actually quite peaceful and well-protected from major predators all things considered. I can elaborate more on that whole situation another time :> He's a giant fish bowl (Edit: Pokedex says that Lumineon and Lanturn are in fierce competition for food. I find this extremely funny)

Casting eternal torment on them!!!

Noooo!! No! It's only eternal torment until I figure out how it fix it!! I'm working on it!!! They'll be fine!!! Eventually!!!! I'll figure it out!!!! I'm figuring it out!!!! /lh (Jokes aside, I do have a good plot resolution that I am currently workshopping :] I'm really happy with it so far)

I’ve recently been of the mind that love with no where to go or no outlet is something on the lines of what grief is.

Ah fuck. I think you may have diagnosed me with this one. This uhhh,,, this might be the best way I've heard to summarize just about everything I write. I think this is a good way to describe the main theme I write about. which,.......... oof. that hits, DIFFERENT, hearing it from someone else. I am being perceived (wheeze)

Love with no where to go is just like grieving. It doesn't hurt very much when you have somewhere to put it, or you don't have any love to give away. But when you have excess, and all the doors are closed? where can that love go, when you have no where to put it? it builds in your chest with a torturous pressure, building and building, with no outlet. it hurts. its heavy. but you just keep carrying it, searching desperately to find someone who will accept it.

[sorry been having a rough week and this hit me harder than expected]

Yeah I mean, you just vibe checked me with the force of an uppercut to the chin so, I don't think I'm going to be able to think the same way after this one. 🤝 We are experiencing

In all seriousness, I hope you're okay. If anything I make bothers or upsets you, do please take a step back and take care of yourself. I may write angst but I want the people I know to be happy and healthy and A-OK. Especially if you're having a hard time- Never feel obligated to respond to anything if you're not up to it 👍 I've got all the time in the world, and anything you send me will always be cherished and treasured, no matter how small it is or how long it takes. 🤍

Do you think that some of the children (or maybe thankful adults!) would carve out little pokeshi dolls of all the Pokémon Ingo & Emmet defeat as like. Trophies or something? 

🥺🥺🥺 awwhhhh that's SUCH a cute idea!!! I love that. I never thought about that before, but I definitely think that should happen. They would be so emotional about it too. Emmet is trying so hard to maintain a cool persona but then some kid runs up to him and hands him a little handmade doll and I feel like he might just burst into tears to be honest.

The reason gliscor is there is uh. Because I love gliscor.

*Nodding* A delightful edition

Would be funky to have a few random pokemon that just. Help out sometimes. Maybe the attacking ‘mon is close to a den and maternal instinct is Very Strong. 

I feel like it's definitely likely due to simply how aggressive wild pokemon are in Hisui, but at the same time most gigantamax pokemon are between 70 and 120 feet tall. Which is HUGE. I still think there would be some defensive pokemon like you're saying, but I have a feeling the large majority will be fleeing for their lives kfjsdhgsdkh

(You have reminded me of crabulon’s theme at 4:00 skndnwjs)

I have provided the link for everyone so they can see this. That's exactly correct and you understand the vibe perfectly. Also you have great taste

I am SO sorry it took me so long to answer this one! And I still have to go answer the other one too (intense nervous sweating) so that's my bad! It is harder to build the energy to type responses when school is taking most of my energy in a day. Shocker I know /j But anyways!! Nonetheless!! Thank you for the ask :D It was a pleasure read and respond! I wrote most of my responses at different times so I hope it still reads coherently enough >>;

I'm gonna go read over the other one now to start working on a response to that one :> Not sure how long it'll take me but it will happen eventually

Have a great day!! Thanks for the ask! 🌠🤍

[subway-boss-jericho]

:D!!! THE STICKERS ARRIVED!!

I still have to get an Etsy page set up- I have a couple of friends who have experience to help me out! And I also still have to tackle college for this last semester so time will probably escape me- but!!! THEY'RE HERE!!!! :D AAAAAA

Not the best pictures because the lighting here is a little wack but!! AAAAAAA THEY'RE REAL!!

I am not going to put a bajillion tags on this post because I don't wanna push any kind of promo or whatever until I have a shop properly set up, but !! I am, so excited. I can barely contain myself. These are the normal 4-inch stickers and I'm working on saving up for the holo 5-inch ones now :D I decided to get them printed matte, not sure if gloss would have been better, but I can probably do a mix of both when I reorder :> !!

[subway-boss-jericho]

(hammer anon)

I FORGOT TO MENTION THE DRAWING IM SORRY

I love it yes we are laying on the floor having a ball. Yup! I love catting about ideas and aus and how relationships in a situation change and evolve. verrry fun!

(adore your style btw)

Answering these three all at once because I wasn't sure how to answer them meaningfully separately!

No worries! You didn't need to mention the drawing haha. I just did that one for fun <3 which it was! I'm really happy you like my art 🥺 I definitely used to be very self-conscious about it but I'm starting to finally level out and have a bit more confidence, but nonetheless your kind words are thoroughly appreciated!

[Drawing by Hammer Anon below, aforementioned anatomical heart is on the page so if that bothers you do not read further! imo its not that bad though]

These are great!! No worries about the heart thing, I've drawn a few for unrelated art projects in the past so it doesn't bother me. I LOVE the drawings you have here!! I am particularly inspired by the top left with the four ventricles, extremely cool. I don't think I'm going to make Ingo's core ♥ shaped but the layout with the pipes goes so hard

Also the bit with the spinal cord 👀 I Did Not Think Of That. that fucks like hell. I am taking so many notes. You 🤝 Me - putting organ adjacent things in that mech

The silly doodle on the right actually reminded me of something I drew for a very rough animatic a while ago-

Emmet does actually have to do maintenance on his core now and then, although far less frequently than anything else aboard. Ingo is generally unconscious for that though because That Is Not Something He Wants To Be Awake For, Thanks. It doesn't hurt though.

Not much to say about that! Just wanted to throw that in there for you, it reminded me of your doodle. Emmet can actually touch it and Ingo can feel it, but he's not exactly slapping his hand on there every hour of the day. It feels weird! usually reserved for sparse moments of closeness

Thank you for the asks!!! I appreciate them a ton! I see your other two in my inbox still and I am definitely going to get to them, but now that college has started it's probably going to take longer in between answers. Nonetheless!! Thank you for talking with me and listening :DD It's very fun

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

Status update :]

Howdy! I've been answering a lot of asks lately but I figured I should check in and let y'all know how things are going :>

Steady tracks chapter 2: Not, yet 😔 Unfortunately I've burnt myself out on writing the last couple of weeks I think, so I haven't been able to finish it over winter break like I'd hoped. However! We are currently at (checks notes) 13,500 words! I'm in what I plan to be the last section of the chapter and if I could give an estimate based on my knowledge of my writing habits, I'd guess that I have at least 5k words left before I finish. Bear in mind it could definitely be shorter or longer

Stickers! I thought they would arrive by now but I figure they had some production shuffle struggles with the holidays and all. They are shipping!! :D So they should arrive soon!! I don't have an etsy page set up yet so I definitely need to get on that soon, but I'm very very very excited!! I will hopefully be able to keep up with my part-time job over the semester, so those holographic stickers might be closer than I thought! I dunno, I'm just really excited. I haven't done anything big like this in a long time 🥺

College! Starts on Monday! This is my last semester!! So I will graduate in May

Nearly done! I have 17 weeks and then I'm freeeee! Although, it is extremely funny to me that steady tracks chapter 1 is from before I started college and chapter 2 will drop either during my last semester or more likely just after I finish. That's fuckin hilarious. I have executive dysfunction can you tell /j

So! I probably will not be posting as much as I have the last few weeks, but it's hard to say. I've been having an amazing time getting to answer all the asks I've been getting and it's really nice to know people have been seeing and enjoying my stuff!! My deepest gratitude to everyone who's sent me asks the last four weeks 🥺 You made my winter break so fun

That's all from me for now! Hopefully you'll see me before May but who knows! It's been a pleasure :D And more to come in the near future!! Yayy!! Yippee!!

[subway-boss-jericho]

Hello! Your aus are always so fun i love them!! I have a soft spot for the reflection au since i love me some dimensional crossovers and counterparts interacting!!

Gwuh I blinked and an entire week and a half slipped through my fingers. HII THANK YOU!!! I've been thinking about this ask every day since you sent it :D I wanted to draw this for you! Which is why it took so long I recognize you when I see you in my notes :D you have a very memorable screen name

I am SO glad someone likes the reflection au! It's one of my smaller ones but it's grown to be one of my favorites. I LOVE crossovers, crossovers are my SHIT, so I'm thrilled to be in good company :D

I'm really really happy that people are enjoying my AUs! I think about! Literally nothing else on a day to day basis! Thank you for enabling me ksjdghsdg I hope I can keep making you smile!!

Reflection AU Masterpost

[subway-boss-jericho]

(Hammer anon) 

Hi =] 

It's worth mentioning that the twins did have a pretty solid understanding of what they were signing up for

That good to know! I think I’m just very used to arceus offering people a deal and then Not Explaining the Consequences (very… fae coded I suppose lol). It’s very sweet that despite all this they still agreed. Ingo wants to help people!! Of course he does. Every time I look into their in game quotes I’m always taken aback at how supportive and kind they both are. Like. Ingo is Nothing but encouraging and so so happy to see people succeed and grow. It makes sense that that sort of care would carry over to protecting the people he cares about (and even those he might not know!). Emmet is very similar- while he may be more to the point and use less words, he’s still super encouraging and kind! Even when he wins he still encourages you to come back and try again and again- he loves winning more than anything but even when he loses he’s still super happy! 

I think that’s sort of character for them has faded in and out over time, and it’s super nice to see it. In the end, both the twins are fundamentally kind people that want others to grow. 

… I forgot where I was going with that! Something something you are doing a fantastic job representing that with this story and how they act/ the decisions they make.

he has to made more of an effort to be kind and understanding and patient and gracious than he fucking wants to.

Customer service attitude sneaks up on him even without running a subway /silly 

There is. So much here I could gush over (how much emmet cares for ingo, how much he respects his brother and his want for others to understand and acknowledge him as well)  but the. They love encourager so much and want to help each other and although they struggle to find ways to do so, and cannot use the methods they used to, they still find ways to support and help each other though this. They still have eachother’s backs no matter what- even after such a huge shift in tracks. 

There is something verrry sweet about that. (A real “would you love me if I was a worm over 120 ft mechanical bearing bond comprehension / a magical mechanic that can make metal float?”) 

It’s funny to imagine Emmet being at the end of his rope talking with someone, and ingo just. Walking up to them and the other person hurrying away. (Well. It’s funny if you don’t think about it to much) 

That trust IS earned, that kindness is repaid.

I have many thoughts of the twins being kind no matter what. Even with nearly every odd turned against them and forever changed, they are kind. And, eventually, that kindness is returned. Love that message- it’s a hard one to internalize but it’s so worth spreading. 

… you are giving me fic ideas. (Not necessarily related to this au but)

No one else has heard him speak since the change, but Emmet listens, and Emmet is thrilled at every opportunity he has to hear him.

( ╥ ᴗ ╥)

I swear I had more to say here. This is just very sweet and I want to gesture at it with strong emotion (love listening to people talk. It’s so nice to hear them just speak. I’m sure for emmet and ingo it’s. So much.) 

they'd also be able to train and grow and continue to push eachother to greater heights, even if one of them is warden and the other isn't.

“You grow stronger by matching yourself against a strong opponent. Please do your best and run toward the destination, an even higher state."

“Winning against us is a milestone in your life. You can rack up more and more. Please move on toward an even greater goal!"

 “it was very fun! You want to win, and I don't want to lose. That's real. When we clash in battles, I feel very excited!"

“We won, but I am not really satisfied. I can tell that you won't give up. Because you will be much, much stronger. That's why we are waiting for you to come back!"

Yeah I think so too. 

I can just imagine how they would encourage each other to keep getting stronger- even when far away from one another. Better combinations! New strategies! Just for the next time the other visits. 

no special interest in trains (yet,)

I know the focus had been mostly on the getting used to everything in huisi but I would Love to hear about adventures in the future. I will. Ask specific questions in another ask! But feel free to ramble about anything so I can ping some ideas around =] 

Emmet can solve nearly every problem… monster or a tragedy or a weapon.

Not quoting that entires sections here as it’s rather long- but ough. I Know I keep going back to “the relationship they have is so sweet” but you are Killing me here. Emmet knowing he can take care of ingo… finding his new form buetiful thanks to the gifts he was given… being there and letting his brother rapid fire informations and rambles and thoughts… ingo being able to make his brother feel safe, being able to feel and sense him in ways that he never had before…

Seeing the other hurting and wishing with all their heart to comfort the other. Just doing their best to make sure the other knows that they are there for them, no matter what. 

they made me realize I have autism.

Yeah. Yup. I have the braking suspicion that a Lot of people had that realization (I! Also had that realization.) 

Ingo does mention that he thinks he recalls him and emmet used to “battle and discuss Pokémon, I think” so it makes sense they would do the same here! Even if ingo himself is the “Pokemon” lol. 

The most successful way Ingo finds to help Emmet sleep is actually by giving him his own room aboard.

https://imgur.com/a/7wKhc3Q

(This is a link to a drawing- You can totally post it on your answer tho!) 

Just a sketch- fighting the combination of executive distinction + other ideas in my head + wanting to keep some of the other stuff a surprise 

I know! I skipped a lot of details (trust me I am chewing on All of them- I just may not have known what to add / not had anything to comment about it) but man I. Am shaking this around like a chew toy. 

Hiii :DD Hi welcome back!

I think I’m just very used to arceus offering people a deal and then Not Explaining the Consequences

Mhhhhm. That's a common fandom trope, and one that I'm frankly not very fond of. I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about how Arceus is handled in fandom and I don't want to get into all of them right now, but broadly in all my AUs where Arceus is involved, I try to write it sort of like a benign background grand master. It orchestrates these events and conclusions, but tries to avoid getting directly involved where possible. In my AUs, Arceus is actively avoiding being malicious whenever it is present and everything is done for a reason.

So in the case of Mecha AU, where it is directly getting involved in a drastic way, I want to actually give it a chance to have a character in the story than just being a 'deus ex machina.' (HAH. double pun) Most of that is through nuance, which is why I've been quick clarify that Ingo and Emmet knew what would happen and why I made Arceus' blessing so specific. It comes back as an key character later in their story, although that's a tale for a different time. Mainly, it's just really important to me that Arceus actually gets to Be a character instead of a plot point. It has motivations, goals, and a personality.

Every time I look into their in game quotes I’m always taken aback at how supportive and kind they both are. [...] Something something you are doing a fantastic job representing that with this story and how they act/ the decisions they make.

🥺 That actually means more than I can say. I've noticed that this particular trait does often get either overlooked (especially in?? Emmet's case??? for some reason??) or otherwise written in a way that doesn't quite feel right to me. I'm glad that this specific trait comes across in my work because i care about it a lot and it's the thing I focus on most when attempting to create anything about the twins.

I don't feel like I get it right all the time either, to be honest, but I do try my best. The way they're written canonically is so compelling to me but gamefreak please..... they have so few lines.... there is so little to work with. God knows I'm going to stretch it as far as I can but pokemon is just kind of Like This (vague gestures towards stories with a young target audience and casts way too large to thoroughly develop each arbitrary character)

In the end, both the twins are fundamentally kind people that want others to grow. 

(To summarize: This ^)

[Jericho-Typical ramble below:]

Customer service attitude sneaks up on him even without running a subway /silly 

It does!!!! It does and he HATES it!!! I think they should be nice to him and give him a break. I also think Emmet should get to go to a rage room as a treat.

They still have eachother’s backs no matter what- even after such a huge shift in tracks. [...] There is something verrry sweet about that.

THEY DO!!! THEY DO and it's SO important to me.

They would still love eachother if the other was a wurmple. If Emmet was a wurmple he could live in Ingo's lungs with the rest of the wild wurmple colony (JOKE) (But not entirely. because. Ingo does have a couple of stowaway bugs in his vents now and then. He's so big that if he sits very, very, very still, they'll climb on him like he's any other mountain or building. Emmet keeps having to remove them from the premises so their webs and nests don't block the airways, but Ingo keeps letting them back in when Emmet isn't looking) <- He can get away with this because bug types are known to have fewer brain cells (intensely affectionate) so they don't immediately clock him as giant living threat

[Doodle from a few years ago]

It’s funny to imagine Emmet being at the end of his rope talking with someone, and ingo just. Walking up to them and the other person hurrying away. (Well. It’s funny if you don’t think about it to much) 

Actually, since Emmet tends to stay nearby him and Ingo can reach very far, MY funny visual is Emmet just. TOTALLY pissed at somebody. and Ingo reaches over with his claw to drag Emmet away by the collar of his coat. This is not realistic. He probably just lets Emmet climb onto the inside edge of his claw and carries him off, but the first option is a lot funnier to imagine.

I have many thoughts of the twins being kind no matter what. Even with nearly every odd turned against them and forever changed, they are kind. And, eventually, that kindness is returned. Love that message- it’s a hard one to internalize but it’s so worth spreading. 

I feel a sappy kind of complicated feeling that I'm not quite sure how to put into words other than, y eah 🥺

The one thing that has never failed me is being kind. If nothing else succeeds, I am a firm believer that being kind cannot be completely overlooked, even in the face of fear, uncertainty, and anger. Kindness heals a lot more than people realize, even if you're directing it at other people. So, in stories I write, I also find it hard to write characters who are genuinely kind and caring in conflict with the people around them ksjdhgsg Call it a flaw, it probably is one, but man im a sap for kindness as a universal mediator.

… you are giving me fic ideas. (Not necessarily related to this au but)

:D!!! I'm thrilled to hear it!! If you ever write anything do let me know!! I love when my work can inspire other people to create things of their own, genuinely makes me so happy.

( ╥ ᴗ ╥) love listening to people talk. It’s so nice to hear them just speak. I’m sure for emmet and ingo it’s. So much.

I didn't have a lot specific to add to this but it reminded me of one of the first drawings I did of the Engineer and Mecha Ingo (This is from 2022) and I guess today is art day because I really wanna share some of the doodles I've made over the years of these two

Emmet IS in this drawing he's just very very small.

This makes me want to draw something new between the two of them. A quiet conversation or something with Ingo talking while Emmet listens. I'm not sure if/when I'll have time but it would be really nice 🥺

I know the focus had been mostly on the getting used to everything in huisi but I would Love to hear about adventures in the future. I will. Ask specific questions in another ask! But feel free to ramble about anything so I can ping some ideas around =] 

Ohhhhohohohh......... This is not a good topic to let me ramble about anything. We've been mostly talking about Hisui so far, but the majority of my time with this AU until the last year or so was spent hyperfixated on Post-Hisui. I would say that just as much of the story takes place after Hisui as it does in Hisui, and I think the most important note about their "adventures in the future" is that, getting to that future is the hard part.

The Engineer, as previously mentioned in the main masterlist, falls into a coma not long after Ingo sinks into the ocean. Ingo... Does not. or, not right away. Emmet's sleep is very... different. And specific. It's unnatural. Forced. And, if you'll recall from that same initial post, Emmet will not die as long as Ingo is still alive. He's functionally immortal.

But that means that Ingo is still there, at the bottom of the ocean. He has internal oxygen stores. He has onboard water and power. He doesn't need to "eat food," necessarily. He can last for a long time without any external help, in large part because he can't move. (Half buried in the sand, the weight of the ocean is too great.) He's not using up the normally vast amount of energy he requires to function.

And he waits. and waits... and... ...The worst part is, Ingo doesn't have any point of reference for what is going on outside. He doesn't know what the people of Hisui are doing, he doesn't know where Emmet is. He doesn't know that Emmet falls into an unshakeable sleep right on cue alongside his own internal systems shifting to a power-saving hibernation.

Ingo is alone under the water for a very, very long time.

That's all I'll say for now. I'm very ill about it and I don't want to ramble too long when you've mentioned sending a different ask about it another time. Ingo's time under the ocean is, a lot, and none of it is happy.

Seeing the other hurting and wishing with all their heart to comfort the other. Just doing their best to make sure the other knows that they are there for them, no matter what. 

No matter what happens now or in the future, this is what their relationship is based on. As much as that love and care is the thing that fuels them, it's also one of the things that hurts the most. They care SO much, more than anything, yet sometimes they care so much that it aches. their whole story is like this unfortunately and I uhhmmm,,,,,,, i havent found a way to, fix that. so I'm working on that part.

I can't quote that whole section either because it really is so much, but I keep rereading it too. It does give a very good perspective into how both of them feel and the experiences they're having. In a way, I think it does a better job than most of my other explanations.

[The most successful way Ingo finds to help Emmet sleep is actually by giving him his own room aboard.] https://imgur.com/a/7wKhc3Q This is a link to a drawing- You can totally post it on your answer tho!

[Drawn by Hammer Anon]

DUUUUUDE!!!! THIS IS SO CUTE OH MY GOSHHH 😭😭🥺 I've been staring at this all evening. This is so lovely and sweet and peaceful... I especially love how you've personalized Emmet's space here. He looks so comfortable in the hammock

The way you've drawn his core is extremely fascinating to me but does make sense based on my extremely limited description. Mentally noting this down for later I didn't give a good description of Ingo's core, but this is what it was ""supposed"" to look like:

I put ""supposed"" in quotations because while this was my first idea from years ago, it also feels extremely lackluster, so I've been wanting to redesign completely it for a while. But also holy shit please if anyone knows what that ^ shape is called I spent SO long trying to look it up with no results and I really don't want to just call it the Fruit Gusher Shape because surely there's an actual word for this kind of twelve sided shape (ignoring the bottom side-view drawing don't worry about that one)

Anyway

The funny thing is, I HAVE tried to draw Emmet's room several times, but your sketch is actually closer to how it looks in my head than any of the drawings I've made. This is because. All fictional locations in my brain operate on dream logic and generally have incomprehensible non-Euclidian structures. So genuinely this is exactly how I envision it when I talk about it.

The room is rectangular (longer than it is wide) in my head but this ^ was for a school project with specific requirements. Again, really don't like how Ingo's core looks here so I'm thinking of redoing it entirely/almost entirely. I like the closer/more cramped/more homey vibe of the sketch more than the digital one.

The way you drew it actually makes me really happy, and I'm thinking maybe I should push aside how I think it's "supposed" to look in order to actually mess around with how it Really looks in my head. You got the computer terminal basically perfect, and I love the addition of the pearl clan banner + the little gliscor plush/toy. Super lovely 🥺

I know! I skipped a lot of details (trust me I am chewing on All of them- I just may not have known what to add / not had anything to comment about it) but man I. Am shaking this around like a chew toy. 

All good! 🤝 I definitely do the same when I'm not sure what to add. Rest assured I have been regularly coming back just to reread everything and hrhghthhh. Yeah. Good. I fully understand. I wouldn't call your ask chew toys because those aren't my thing but like, if AUs are songs then your asks are like the Audio Visualizers that play in my brain whenever I think about them. Does that comparison make any sense? Maybe not. Point being: metaphor for a sensory stimuli I like

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

HAMMER ANON I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D PUT A SUPER ADORABLE DRAWING AT THE TAIL END OF A LONG ASK, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE FANS WAITING (ME, THE FANS IS ME, I REALLY WANNA SHOW EVERYBODY THIS SKDJGHSD)

[subway-boss-jericho]

(Hammer anon)

take as much time as you need I will also be over here kicking my feet like a school girl <3

This is how I envision our conversations in my head

[subway-boss-jericho]

(hammer anon)

(still about mechanical dreams)

one of the twins would have been trained to be her warden, but then... All that.

This is actually really interesting- (I know it’s like a throwaway detail but I have the tendency of picking apart everything) I can’t help but wonder which twin would be trains for that… if they were ever worried about that day. Presumably post blessing they are. Very co dependent (co dependency enforced by God. Sorry I just had that thought and laughed) but how different was it before that? Obviously there is a deep bond of love and trust, so were they apprehensive if one was going to be warden? was the other planning on moving with them? … is this blessing also taken in part because this way they will never be separated? sorry! Spitballing!

then with that there is also. How did their relationship shift before and after the blessing? As events go on and people turn away from them? Is there at any point where the two fight? (Probably not due to what the other did, just from the stress of the situation). I imagine this would be difficult to answer in a few sentences tho lol. (As you’ve said- this is such a complex au. Ooooh it makes playing in its sandbox so much fun though!!)

pokemon will not come near him.

Freaking. Killing me with this detail. I have So Many Thoughts about it I can’t even articulate them. Terrible. Other than: damn that’s just One More Constant that they no longer have.

depending on if you hc them with autism and/or what traits they have due to that, such a drastic change could be Devastating. Not even mentioning all the other stuff shifting around them. Worst nightmare scenario.

and he cares more about prioritizing his brother.

KILLING ME

They've lost virtually all forms of physical contact that they ever had, and need to relearn from scratch how to find new ways to show and receive affection/care.

Ok for the record this Sucks. But also thinking about. When they do find a way to share affection. Ingo complementing/encouraging his brother when he’s feeling down… Emmet fixing something that maybe wasn’t important or painful but just because it was a little annoying to ingo… that small joy in making the other feel heard and loved. That must be everything.

(I have so many thought about this btw. I am simply unable to do much more than gesture desperately at them rn. They care so much…)

[his] most frequent option is using the many many computer terminals onboard to send text messages

this does give me the idea that, once the whole. Ingo sinks to the bottom of the ocean and they are eventually saved is over, could they install like. Holograms? Sort of like what you see in XY when calling people. Just so he can make a small body of his old self inside and talk like that. …if he can even decide his attention like that. Could he use a PA system? Then again you might run into “ingo used boom burst it’s super effective” deal again.

If Ingo is hurt or in danger, Emmet gets sent a burst of energy like a motivator to go and solve the problem.

This is!! Incredibly interesting actually! You’ve already said the Engineer would have increased energy reserves (in the initial post about it) and plus this… it’s sort of sounding like emmet would be vibrating in place if he had nothing to do sjdnebdjjs

on that note- I really hope he sleeps! Even if it’s like. Less than a normal human. I imagine insomnia might be an issue though (heightened energy + stressful situations ≠ sleep) … now I am imagining ingo trying to find ways to get his twin to bed lol.

he needs the support of others to set him up before he can charge forward.

Idk if you mean to but this hits Incredibly Hard. I mentioned the whole “ingo’s sense of responsibility backfiring here” and this just about sums it up. Verrry good character growth opportunities depending on how you swing it! He might not have been Completely dependent before all this, but he still might struggle Needing the help with others to do things. It’s just such a fun concept to me.

mmm yup. Still rotating this. You have infected my brain!! /pos (this is a common occurrence)

(I know it’s like a throwaway detail but I have the tendency of picking apart everything)

I can't express enough how this is like my favorite part and this level of reading into things is what I have been dying for

Very very long yet somehow still Jericho-typical ramble beneath the cut. fuck I love mecha au

I can’t help but wonder which twin would be trains for that… if they were ever worried about that day. Presumably post blessing they are. Very co dependent * but how different was it before that? Obviously there is a deep bond of love and trust, so were they apprehensive if one was going to be warden? was the other planning on moving with them? … is this blessing also taken in part because this way they will never be separated?

I hadn't actually thought about it much before your ask, but I think they would have been okay either way. We've gotten elaboration on their characters thanks to pokemon masters ex and I think the way they see eachother as not just partners but perfect rivals would also apply really well in this situation. I think both of them WANT to be warden, but no matter which it ended up being, neither would be super upset. Whichever wasn't Warden to Sneasler would have a lot more freedom to explore, raise their own team, and choose their own direction in life. They'd be able to spend time together, but they'd also be able to train and grow and continue to push eachother to greater heights, even if one of them is warden and the other isn't.

And, you're right, one of the only reasons they even made the decision to accept their blessings so quickly is because their continued closeness was essentially baked into it. (I think that some parts of this were done intentionally, in part to appeal to them, but in part as a kindness for them specifically.) They really were picked because of how close they are. No one would be able to do it alone (gestures to Ingo,) but there's a level of intimacy and dedication you would need to follow someone into this especially painful fire (gestures to Emmet).

As the Engineer, Emmet could make sure that Ingo was always safe, or at least, that he could always heal him/fix him. As the Steel Titan, Ingo could be Emmet's shield and sword, standing between him and anything that might try to hurt him. They could protect eachother and take care of eachother, come what may. And if they just, let this burden fall to anyone else, they can't guarantee eachother's safety. Not like they could if they said yes.

Also please don't apologize! I don't want you ever feel the need to apologize for talking with me about my stuff! I love hearing all your thoughts, it brings me joy to no end

(co dependency enforced by God. Sorry I just had that thought and laughed)

It's funny! It's very funny! until you spend too long thinking about it! and then it's very, very, very sad! <- It's me I've spent too long thinking about it

then with that there is also. How did their relationship shift before and after the blessing? As events go on and people turn away from them? Is there at any point where the two fight? (Probably not due to what the other did, just from the stress of the situation). I imagine this would be difficult to answer in a few sentences tho lol. (As you’ve said- this is such a complex au. Ooooh it makes playing in its sandbox so much fun though!!)

(It's complex and emotional and not to play favorites but Mecha AU is in rotation for my top 3 favorite AUs and it hasn't moved out of the rankings since its creation)

Well, before the blessing, they were pretty close to the twins how we know them. Younger, with unfortunately no special interest in trains (yet,) but generally just thrilled they both have someone to talk to about pokemon battles who cares as much about understanding/befriending pokemon as they do. (Eachother)

After?

It's..... strange.

They depend on eachother now. It's not the same. Ingo is relying on Emmet to make sure he'll be awake when tomorrow comes. That's, different. Emmet has to navigate all of the clan's social expectations himself. That's, hard. Ingo doesn't get to talk much anymore, but when he does, he's careful to whisper. He, misses when Emmet could encourage his loud and long-winded enthusiasm. Emmet doesn't get to hold his twin's hand anymore, or, not in a way he can feel. That's, upsetting.

Emmet can solve nearly every problem Ingo ever has. That's so comforting to him. Ingo can enforce every boundary that Emmet needs held, that's empowering. Emmet can see the way electricity moves and breathes in every one of his brother's circuits and pipes and veins, that's so awestriking and beautiful. Ingo can feel the way his brother's heart beats, quiet and small, when he's within his hull. That's so softly bittersweet. Emmet can keep up when Ingo's thoughts race across the screens in messages so fast few can even read them, that's funny but also exciting.

Ingo can hear his brother crying, but he can't hold him anymore. Emmet can see the way Ingo carries himself, afraid of hurting every living thing that comes close it him. Ingo can tell when Emmet isn't taking care of himself, pushing himself too hard or refusing to stop when he's hit his limits. Emmet can hear every single word they say about his twin behind his giant back, as if he's dead or gone or a monster or a tragedy or a weapon.

There's only so much either of them can take before someone's patience runs out, and they're both afraid of pushing others away more than they already have. When the tension snaps, it's cold, and hard, and quiet, and neither of them mean anything hurtful they say, but they're so upset hurt tired stressed angry scared numb anxious that they can't hold it in anymore. I do think they fight, or argue. I don't think it's often, but I do think when they fight, it hurts. Because they don't have any of the familiar comforts they used to have- can't give any of the comforts they used to give. apologies are hard, and awkward, but genuine and quickly accepted.

And they find a way to keep going.

(The twins getting into a fight isn't any noteworthy plot point. It's just something that, happens now and then. People lash out when the stress gets to them, and things are especially hard for them early on in particular. It doesn't feel 'safe' for them to get genuinely angry at anyone, especially not Ingo, so when they get well and truly upset, their twin is usually the only one to see it or know. Or, in the unfortunate case, the only one for them to direct their anger towards. That being said, they put in the effort to work it out, and usually any fighting is not from a genuine place of hurt but from the circumstances around them or other external factors. They love eachother very much and nothing is changing that.)

Freaking. Killing me with this detail. I have So Many Thoughts about it I can’t even articulate them. Terrible. Other than: damn that’s just One More Constant that they no longer have. depending on if you hc them with autism and/or what traits they have due to that, such a drastic change could be Devastating. Not even mentioning all the other stuff shifting around them. Worst nightmare scenario.

Yes absolutely they've got autism all over them, they made me realize I have autism. They're absolutely autistic in all of my AUs, I honestly forgot that's technically a headcanon.

YEP!!! There goes one of their SPECIAL INTERESTS!!! The unforeseen consequences of that are devastating for them, although they do find other ways to cope and! Good news! Way Later, after Ingo is recovered from the ocean- In modern day, even many wild pokemon have been domesticated to a much greater extent, and therefore it is far easier to train and raise pokemon around Ingo :] also he gets claimed by a Dhelmise and it's not leaving even by force so that's gotta count for something /lh

However! Interesting thing that does help! Ingo technically counts as a dynamax pokemon to some extent! You can imagine how many long, outwardly incomprehensible conversations they have speculating, strategizing, and talking about Ingo and what he can do. Probably one of their favorite topics of conversation at least when they're doing hypotheticals.

It's also worth noting that their pokemon don't necessarily abandon them either, it just becomes harder and harder for Emmet to take care of them, especially alone. And he's absolutely going to make an effort to try and get them to be near Ingo too, although I'm not sure right now how well it works per say. I think he might at least make decent progress, or try at least.

Ok for the record this Sucks. But also thinking about. When they do find a way to share affection. Ingo complementing/encouraging his brother when he’s feeling down… Emmet fixing something that maybe wasn’t important or painful but just because it was a little annoying to ingo… that small joy in making the other feel heard and loved. That must be everything. (I have so many thought about this btw. I am simply unable to do much more than gesture desperately at them rn. They care so much…)

These are all great and important ways they do show affection ;; yeah. Another fun noteworthy one is Emmet's ability to not just repair Ingo but also create things. Tinkering and machinery becomes a second special interest of his, and one of the ways he shows affection for Ingo becomes creating upgrades for quality of life. Things like, for example, mobile communication with Ingo. That doesn't happen until after they fish up Ingo from the sea, unfortunately, but he has blueprints for prototypes still surviving in his room. I'm failing to think of other specific examples, but Emmet and Ingo talk about what kinds of things might be nice to have, and Emmet can try and invent them if he has the resources available.

Ingo tries to support Emmet in turn by helping him get whatever resources he can, or even sometimes using nonessential parts from himself to let him tinker for fun.

There are others, but that one is especially fun.

this does give me the idea that, once the whole. Ingo sinks to the bottom of the ocean and they are eventually saved is over, could they install like. Holograms? Sort of like what you see in XY when calling people. Just so he can make a small body of his old self inside and talk like that. …if he can even decide his attention like that. Could he use a PA system? Then again you might run into “ingo used boom burst it’s super effective” deal again.

Speaking of inventions and upgrades, I hadn't thought of that one before! I think a hologram is possible, although I'm not sure how often Ingo would use it. He could dedicate that kind of attention to it, but it would take a lot of concentration.

I've had a PA system suggested in the past, but my current thoughts on that are a no. I think Ingo would have too much trouble trying to separate the PA from speaking, as in, he would struggle to use the PA system without accidentally talking aloud anyway. He's still human, a human in a mechanical body, so I think that particular thing would be hard for him to adapt to. Especially because of the way his voice would reverb off the insides of the rooms and walls.

on that note- I really hope he sleeps! Even if it’s like. Less than a normal human. I imagine insomnia might be an issue though (heightened energy + stressful situations ≠ sleep) … now I am imagining ingo trying to find ways to get his twin to bed lol.

He does functionally need less sleep, but the heightened insomnia is also not great admittedly. He does try to sleep at least, but at first it is quite hard because he's actually very anxious.

The most successful way Ingo finds to help Emmet sleep is actually by giving him his own room aboard. Behind the main deck, right in the center of his chest, there's a room with a large door in the shape of an inverted triangle. This is the room where Ingo's core is- His heart. No one is allowed inside except for Emmet, and there's no way to open it from the outside.

Emmet has a hammock set up inside next to the terminals, and eventually decorations hung on the walls and a rug on the floor, too. It's his room. Ingo's heart is in the back, a large... hexagonal shape that I don't have a word to describe. And he's essentially grown conditioned to get sleepy after listening to the sound of Ingo's heart beating for long enough. The mechanisms shifting in and out, the room glowing a subtle indigo with each pulse, and the very very dim light.

The atmosphere is very specific, and now Emmet associates it with sleeping, so he sleeps aboard Ingo and Ingo watches over him. They were both relieved by the fact that it works, and it's their nightly routine.

He might not have been Completely dependent before all this, but he still might struggle Needing the help with others to do things. It’s just such a fun concept to me.

Talked about the first half of this on the other post, but this half is absolutely correct. It's uncomfortable to suddenly be relying so much on others, especially when he had hoped to be able to handle a lot of this himself too. He's unused to all this attention, and it's very... Weird. He's not sure exactly how to feel about it or what to even do about it.

Glad to have infected your brain! My brain is unfortunately no better and they plague me every waking hour. I hope you enjoyed this ramble, this one is long!! I tried to sprinkle in a couple of extra things you didn't ask about too, there's so much fun here with dynamics and abilities and new normals.

Thank you for the ask!! <3 Happy new year again!

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

(hammer anon)

(mechanical dreams) it sounds like! Nether of the twins are having a very fun time! it is interesting that ingo literally cannot take care of himself and Needs other to run him (this could be a cool allegory and/or an interesting foil to his want to take responsibility of things) but yeah. That would require a Lot of trust that must be hard to come by =[

I wonder what it’s like to have a bunch of people walking around inside you doing things… or is it like flys on a hippo? Barely noticeable?

oh and! (Taking some inspiration for Please can I be colorful and free? (a fantastic fic highly recommend)) the dynamic with Volo (who is Very Angry and (presumably) wants the twins Gone and a distrustful Kamado who is incredibly paranoid about these particularly powerful twins… a traveling merchant who has “heard” all sort of rumors… that! Probably doesn’t go well for anyone.

Relationships need to be built back up from square one, and Emmet is forced to do a lot of that heavy lifting himself.

this is! Ok I’m shaking this particular point because ingo Literally did this Because he wanted to be responsible and now his little brother has to handle So Mich all on his own because being there with him Actively Makes It Worse. Ough.

It takes a long time for anyone to treat Ingo like a proper person

That stress along with. This. Man is Not having a good time (and he can’t even pretend like nothing happened like Emmet sorta can. He is Forever changed into an Incomprehensible Machine that literally only One Person and understand. His ideal backfired so horrifically (except for battles)

then there is Emmet himself! Who is having to juggle politics and go though complex social interactions and say that No they Won’t hurt anyone but then having to turn around and defeat Pokémon so powerful they might as well be natural disasters. And!!! Having to take care of his brother!! Be the only one who can repair him for a good while! Be, quite possibly, the only person who treats him like a person. Perhaps even the only one who interacts with him At All for a while. And where once he could listen to his brother ramble on about things, now he is met with near silence. Just text messages. God I can’t even imagine.

yeah. Both of them are. Not doing too hot.

ok I’m rotating this so much oh and! Every time I see you respond to my asks I also get really excited and happy =D

it sounds like! Nether of the twins are having a very fun time!

Yeahhh :[ It's, pretty rough. On one hand there are definitely some highs, but the lows are very low. They've had their entire lives flipped upside down, and nothing is ever really going to be the same.

(Typical ramble below)

it is interesting that ingo literally cannot take care of himself and Needs other to run him (this could be a cool allegory and/or an interesting foil to his want to take responsibility of things) but yeah. That would require a Lot of trust that must be hard to come by =[

I do need to clarify, Ingo isn't entirely unable to take care of himself. There are still a lot of things he can do to take care of himself, and he is capable of being very energy efficient when he isn't moving around, but the main thing is that he can't be Fully self-sufficient because he's simply too big.

And yeah, it really is interesting for him. It's worth mentioning that the twins did have a pretty solid understanding of what they were signing up for, even if they couldn't have fully comprehended the implications until they were In The Situation. Ingo knew other people were going to need to take care of him before he said yes- Hell, he knew Emmet was going to have to do a lot of it himself. But more than anything, more than necessarily wanting to take responsibility, he wanted to be able to protect Emmet. (And the other people he cares about.) I mainly wanted to clarify it since you bring up the responsibility thing multiple times, although I'm pretty sure you also reached a similar conclusion ^ somewhere in your second ask (which I will answer as soon as I can.)

Ingo wanted to take the ability to keep people (Emmet specifically) safe into his own hands. He wanted to be able to directly confront the problem, and carry the weight of keeping everyone safe. He wanted to be the one on the front lines, the wall between the coming threat and his loved ones.

I'll talk about it more in a bit, but Emmet also chose to be the Engineer for similar but opposite reasons. It wasn't about assuming responsibility for the Entire Situation- They both knew they were going to need to carry it together. This isn't how they wanted it to turn out, but it's not "their ideals backfiring horrifically," at least not to the extent you're picking up on.

I wonder what it’s like to have a bunch of people walking around inside you doing things… or is it like flys on a hippo? Barely noticeable?

At first? Horribly uncomfortable. It's something he needs to acclimate to, and early on it's, rough. You're walking that perfect balance of how it actually feels- With the assistance of his internal systems, Ingo can keep track of everyone aboard, where they're going, and what they're doing with a relatively high level of precision. On the other hand, it's not especially noticeable when he isn't focusing on it. If someone was walking along the outside of his chassis, like on his arm or something, he might not even realize they're there without his ability to detect vibrations. Said seismic sense is how he's able to locate people onboard, as well as detect the approach/arrival of dynamax pokemon. If people are walking around he can feel them so long as they're immediately nearby or onboard, but if he's especially overwhelmed, he can dampen or mute that ability.

But physically? There aren't a lot of things that affect him. His sense of touch and pressure are... not dull, but not sensitive enough to pick up on most normal-sized things.

the dynamic with Volo (who is Very Angry and (presumably) wants the twins Gone and a distrustful Kamado who is incredibly paranoid about these particularly powerful twins… a traveling merchant who has “heard” all sort of rumors… that! Probably doesn’t go well for anyone.

I think I was actually reading Colorful and Free earlier this year, it's really good yeah :D I didn't finish it but it goes really hard. It made me really stressed out and always made my emotions go 📈 so I had to put it down (wheeze) and I haven't had the time/energy to pick it back up yet

Anyways! Yeah. I mean, on one hand, Kamado isn't ever near enough to Ingo or Emmet to actually cause them direct harm, but the bad blood.... It makes it extremely hard for them to win the trust of the people, just in general. Even from the clans. That kind of flagrant distrust and hostility stigmatizes people, even if they don't fully realize it.

Volo is absolutely trying to sabotage them, but I am not sure exactly how yet. He's certainly not going to roll over and let this happen.

[Relationships need to be built back up from square one, and Emmet is forced to do a lot of that heavy lifting himself.] this is! Ok I’m shaking this particular point because ingo Literally did this Because he wanted to be responsible and now his little brother has to handle So Mich all on his own because being there with him Actively Makes It Worse. Ough.

Again, already went over this, but they both knew- Emmet knew -that this would happen to some extent. Ingo wasn't expecting to be able to assume all responsibility, the point of the deal as it was presented to them is that they would both need to play very different, wholly integral roles in preventing this whole thing from turning into a full-scale natural disaster. However, you're right, Ingo hates that his choice (both of their choices) have put Emmet in such a tight and upsetting position.

And to continue with your next point-

[It takes a long time for anyone to treat Ingo like a proper person] That stress along with. This. Man is Not having a good time (and he can’t even pretend like nothing happened like Emmet sorta can. He is Forever changed into an Incomprehensible Machine that literally only One Person and understand. His ideal backfired so horrifically (except for battles)

-Emmet HATES that his choice (their choices) made it so that Ingo has been completely socially ostracized and feared!! Ingo is so compassionate and caring and kind and no one is listening to him when he tells them that Ingo is still the same kind, caring person he always was! They're to afraid, confused, wary, uncomfortable, or stressed to catch back up to speed and remember that this is a real human person who just sacrificed any normalcy (read: his life) to protect them!! He's so fucking MAD!! But he can't BE super outwardly mad about it all the time because then no one is going to want to cooperate with him! They're not going to listen to him if he's just pissed and hostile all the time. He still gets to be mad about it, don't get me wrong, but he has to made more of an effort to be kind and understanding and patient and gracious than he fucking wants to.

Ingo is hurt by the fact that this blessing has separated them, because he wishes he could back Emmet up and carry some of that with him too, but he can't. Emmet is hurt because he can't stand that everyone is treating his twin with horror or hostility. He doesn't mind needing to be the middle man, even if it's stressful, but he hates that he needs to be because people aren't making an effort to empathize or understand Ingo without him. Ingo just wishes he could help, in some way, beyond the literal physical duty he signed up for.

And the truth is, he can, at least in part. As much as they've changed and as separated as they have been, they're still together. Ingo can still listen to all of Emmet's frustrations and help him problem solve. He can still help him escape from tense situations, even if his help is perhaps more effective than he wishes it was. Emmet can still talk to him and be his friend and return all the kindness Ingo isn't getting from others ten-fold. ^

then there is Emmet himself! Who is having to juggle politics and go though complex social interactions and say that No they Won’t hurt anyone but then having to turn around and defeat Pokémon so powerful they might as well be natural disasters. And!!! Having to take care of his brother!! Be the only one who can repair him for a good while! Be, quite possibly, the only person who treats him like a person. Perhaps even the only one who interacts with him At All for a while.

And over time, those relationships are slowly rebuilt. That trust IS earned, that kindness is repaid. It's hard, and painful, and it's so, so exhausting, but both of them working together slowly helps them reconnect the relationships they lost and unite people from all walks of life for one cause. They do make friends, others do learn how to repair or take care of Ingo, the people around them learn how to adapt and adjust and help. Even if it's hard and takes time, they aren't alone. They won't be, and both of them make sure of that.

And where once he could listen to his brother ramble on about things, now he is met with near silence. Just text messages. God I can’t even imagine.

It is hard for them to adjust. It's hard for Emmet to face so much silence, to carry conversations on his own without Ingo's more proficient ability in that area. It's hard for Ingo to watch silently, with so many thoughts, so many feelings, yet unable to speak them. But they both catch up to speed- they reconnect with eachother very quickly in the absence of outside help at first.

When they're alone or far enough away from other people, Emmet is the only person Ingo will speak to aloud. With hushed tones, as quiet as he can make his voice go. No one else has heard him speak since the change, but Emmet listens, and Emmet is thrilled at every opportunity he has to hear him.

<3 Thank you for the ask!! I'll get to the next one as soon as I can! (and happy new year!!)

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

This post goes out to hammer anon only because it's probably going to take me an intense amount of time to answer both of these asks and I want you to know that this is basically the best thing that's ever happened to me so write that down. If anyone else following me is curious: If you have ever or ever plan to send me an ask about my AUs, I would go to war on your behalf

[subway-boss-jericho]

(hammer anon)

I HAVE BEEN BUSY BUT I AM BACK

so! Mechanical Dreams! Is this set during PLA timeline? (As in the. The beginning) and if so, what are some of the relationships between them and the members of the clans we know? And, of course, does either of them bond with Sneasler? They can’t be wardens obviously but! Seeing as they are a lot more friendly with Pokemon than most…

then there’s also their own relationship. I cannot imagine it’s easy to suddenly have a sibling that is 120 ft tall (at least) and by contrast have a sibling that is depth and blood and tiny and vulnerable coming with you on this incredibly dangerous fights. I’d think they would both become a lot more defensive of the other.

oo now I’m thinking about how they would communicate (post blessing). Would ingo be able to talk? Would that be incredibly loud? Could he like. Ping emmet on a device? Do they have some kind of psychic bond? And on a much more angsty note: does ingo feel pain (this being a feature so he can point emmet where he needs repairs. There is! A lot of him to get hurt!)

and!!! The freaking!! Jobs they have to do. You mentioned in your drawing (very lovely btw loved the expression) that Emmet will put on his clan tunic to feel more like himself and less like the Engineer. Does ingo have anything similar? Is there a space where the two of them can calm down (without the whole “there two guys are blessed by god and have saved us” thing coming up)?

whoops this is particularly long- I really love this au and have more to poke/wonder about but I will. Send in another ask later kdndnsnsbj

oh! Hope you are having a fun holiday season!

HIII HII WELCOME BACK :D hii killing me with hammers anon <3 No worries! I've been busy with holiday stuff myself so no worries at all! Every time I see you in my inbox it makes my day

Mechanical dreams! ohh boy I am so not even slightly normal about mecha au get ready for the storm this will probably unleash

Putting the read more here because this post is going to be Very. Long.

Mechanical Dreams! Is this set during PLA timeline?

Yes! It's set in the past, around the same time as the PLA games are! This AU basically fully diverges from canon events very early on, but the main thing that stays consistent are the characters and the setting! Essentially, what if the giratina fuckery caused Darkest Day part 2 (if you don't know the what the darkest day is it's from Sw/Sh) instead of the time/space distortions

if so, what are some of the relationships between them and the members of the clans we know?

Relationships and characters! Hoo boy there is, a LOT. I don't have a whole lot of super elaborate dynamics just from the number of characters there are to talk about, but a lot of the wardens, prominent jubilife characters, and the various leaders are important and Do have opinions on the shit going on. Irida is... Under a very specific, heightened level of tension. She's the one that has to kind of, has to mediate the sudden, impossibly huge shift in the power dynamics between the major players in Hisui.

Feelings about the twins, broadly, are very complicated. Most of pearl clan were, bare minimum, acquainted with them- if not friends or close friends. Diamond clan, you'd have less who explicitly know them, and similar vein with jubilife. Still, I think they'd at least be noteworthy faces, since they're twins. Easy to recognize.

Ingo is made to be manned by a crew. He's too large to be fully self-sufficient, and Emmet can't handle all the work alone. It takes a lot of trust, but eventually folks from each walk of life become members of his crew. He becomes this sort of unifying force that brings together the people of the region- at first, hesitantly. They have to help, or they don't want to work with eachother, or what have you. Jubilife is the last to agree to work together in a scene that lives vividly in my head.

Irida is ultimately proud of their decision to take on this responsibility, even though it's put her under a lot of pressure as the "leader." Irida would end up a member of the crew Adaman is largely fascinated by the whole thing? But I think is more open to the prospect of it being a blessing from Sinnoh, and therefore more interested in cooperating for the greater good here. Adaman may or may not end up on the crew, it could go either way. You'll have to keep in mind that everyone is experiencing levels of confusion, disbelief, and fear. Calaba is sick of this shit :tm: I think she's just exasperated at this point. This doesn't make a lick of sense to her and she's not going to try. She's going to keep her head down and do her job. It should go without saying that Iscan is freaked the fuck out. I think it takes him a while before he can even be in sight of Ingo without trembling like a leaf. Emmet intimidates him, like this. Palina, I think her feelings are complicated. I feel like she would have known the twins better than other wardens, and the sudden change, I almost wonder if she feels like she's lost them. Like they're different people now- when they really aren't. Palina would end up being a crew member. Lian is, to say the very least, extremely out of his depth here. I think he may have been close to the twins- looking up to how they're able to connect with pokemon. For that reason, I think he would be more willing to extend an olive branch. He reconnects with Emmet faster, but I think he comes to accept Ingo as well, even if he doesn't understand him. Lian is a crew member. Gaeric I will be first to admit I don't know much about. I didn't finish the game (yes you can clown me its been years i have no excuse) so I don't have a strong grasp of his character. From what I've been able to glean, he values power to some extent? I'm not sure how he would feel about the twins being blessed. They weren't particularly physically exceptional before their blessings (they're twinks) but I'm not sure where Gaeric would stand on them since the strength they've been given isn't technically "their own." Jury's out on Gaeric, but I think he would ultimately join the crew. I don't have a lot of opinions about the diamond clan unfortunately, I have not thought a lot about what they'd think. I think there's some extremely mixed feelings. Diamond and Jubilife are broadly very uncomfortable with the upset in the power dynamic, since Ingo and Emmet are both from the pearl can.

Kamado is extremely distrusting of everything surrounding the twins, but struggles to present overt hostility due to the innate power play going on here. He is the number one source of conflict between the Twins earning the trust of Jubilife. Laventon- unfortunately, this is so far above his paygrade. I think after the initial shock and confusion passes and he can hold a proper thought, he would be extremely interested in trying to understand what's happened to Ingo and how he works. He would bridge the gap by trying to speak with Emmet first before ever coming near Ingo personally. They grow close, but I don't know if Laventon is ever a part of the crew itself. He assists through his research on the pokemon in the region and his insights from Galar into the dynamax phenomenon/darkest day. Cyllene. Oh it is hard to figure out what's going on with Cyllene. The most important thing to note is that, not only does she end up a member of the crew, but she ends up being the one in charge of the whole operation. I don't know how we get from point A to point B, but essentially she steps up to fill the void Kamado has foolishly left and repair burnt bridges between Jubilife and the clans- But in particular, the twins. She's responsible, authoritative, precise, controlled, and direct. Cyllene is the Captain, and is virtually the number 1 in command, aside from instances where Emmet's word goes. Don't know how a hypothetical Rei or Akari would fit in here. There is no "PLA protagonist," so I'm not sure what would happen to our trusty foil. For the time being I haven't thought about it, so don't worry about them.

.......Okay that's everything important I can think of? oh. Volo. I fuckin forgot Volo, that's hilarious. Volo, to say the absolute least, is outraged. The events past the initial blessing of the twins include him trying to make this as horrible as possible, lashing out at them for "stealing his chance" to meet Sinnoh.

I think that's everything then. TL;DR: Tensions are high, and so many bridges have been burnt. Ingo got turned into what may as well be an eldritch horror to them, and Emmet has to act like the mouthpiece for both of them for a while. Relationships need to be built back up from square one, and Emmet is forced to do a lot of that heavy lifting himself. It takes a long time for anyone to treat Ingo like a proper person because of how barely they can comprehend his existence like this. Some of them talk about him like he's died, others struggle to see him as a person instead of a Pokemon, and some of those more familiar with budding technological advancements see him more akin to a giant metal ship. It's, hard. and has a lasting psychological affect on both of them.

And, of course, does either of them bond with Sneasler? They can’t be wardens obviously but!

I don't know about their relationship with sneasler. I think one of the twin's parents- father? -was sneasler's warden, and one of the twins would have been trained to be her warden, but then... All that. There's a good chance they know customs, but I don't think they would have gotten super close. I think she is familiar and friendly with them, but, the blessing changes everything.

Seeing as they are a lot more friendly with Pokemon than most…

They ARE a lot more friendly than most, with pokemon... And unfortunately, it comes back to bite them, emotionally.

As a result of Ingo's transformation, pokemon will not come near him. He has a certain amount of this, aura of intimidation. With the state of wild pokemon in the time period of PLA, virtually all pokemon avoid Ingo like the plague. He's impossibly big and overwhelmingly dangerous. It doesn't matter how friendly or gentle he presents himself as, pokemon are scared of him. Emmet goes where Ingo goes. He is rarely anywhere but beside him, except in the case of running errands or trying to act as a middle man. He is the only one of the two who can try to take care of/acclimate their pokemon teams to him, but it doesn't, go, great. Emmet, broadly, has to stop training pokemon past a point. It just, doesn't work out, and he cares more about prioritizing his brother.

In the future, after, a lot of this shit, this eventually changes. But not in the time of PLA and Hisui.

then there’s also their own relationship. I cannot imagine it’s easy to suddenly have a sibling that is 120 ft tall (at least) and by contrast have a sibling that is depth and blood and tiny and vulnerable coming with you on this incredibly dangerous fights. I’d think they would both become a lot more defensive of the other.

Haaaa fuck. Their relationship is... so complicated. There are so many layers and facets to it that I don't know if I can break it all down coherently right now. But, no, it's not easy for Emmet's twin to suddenly be an untouchable mountain of metal and electricity, and it's not easy for Ingo's twin to suddenly be an ant-sized speck so small and breakable to him. They've lost virtually all forms of physical contact that they ever had, and need to relearn from scratch how to find new ways to show and receive affection/care. To say that they both become more defensive is quite possibly the understatement of all time, but more than anything, they're at least glad that they have the tools to protect eachother.

How can I summarize it... Ingo is scared of himself to an extent, because he doesn't want to hurt Emmet. Emmet is under a lot of pressure, because it's virtually all on him to ensure that Ingo stays healthy and happy. The technology he's made of essentially doesn't exist in their era, so Emmet is the only person who understands it all well enough to fix anything that might get broken. It's tense, it's hard. They're under a lot of pressure, and they're trying so hard just to make sure that nothing cracks. They care about eachother SO MUCH, which is their greatest strength! But it's also the thing that causes them the most pain.

oo now I’m thinking about how they would communicate (post blessing). Would ingo be able to talk? Would that be incredibly loud? Could he like. Ping emmet on a device? Do they have some kind of psychic bond?

Several of these! Ingo can speak, but as you noted he is loud. He discovers this very fast! And, essentially, chooses to virtually never speak in favor of other modes of communication. He can speak, but he chooses not to. His alternative, most frequent option is using the many many computer terminals onboard to send text messages. He can ping Emmet using this exact thing, so you're on the right track there, but he can also relay communication between people onboard and otherwise use it to speak with anyone else who can see a screen.

They don't have a psychic bond per say, but there are other connections between them. Emmet does get different kinds of reactions from types of signals/warnings on Ingo's system, mainly in the form of like, what essentially constitutes as an adrenaline rush. If Ingo is hurt or in danger, Emmet gets sent a burst of energy like a motivator to go and solve the problem. I don't know if either of them actually know consciously that this happens, or if they do, they don't figure it out until later.

And on a much more angsty note: does ingo feel pain (this being a feature so he can point emmet where he needs repairs. There is! A lot of him to get hurt!)

I suppose this question qualifies as "angsty" but it really is a reasonable assertion. Yes, as I implied a couple times already, Ingo does feel pain. It's worth noting that it takes a lot more for him to actually feel any kind of pain or otherwise sustain an injury, but that's likely a given. If some of his plating gets scuffed or dented, he probably won't even notice. Same thing for a small breach or tear. Something needs to hit him, hard, to actually make him feel something. Large wound, deep laceration, intense blunt-force trauma. It's going to take more than a couple scratches to make the 120'-400' mech buckle, but it's going to take a lot more than a wound to keep him down, too.

and!!! The freaking!! Jobs they have to do.

Almost all repairs are post-battle, although there are some things that can be addressed mid-fight on occasion. Most of the job of the crew is to maintain him, get him fuel, and otherwise set him up to do his job. He's already larger than most all Dynamax pokemon by Several Hundred Feet, but he needs the support of others to set him up before he can charge forward.

Like those little pull-back toy cars.

Another important thing is helping him coordinate himself. Everyone tasked to help essentially assistant-pilot him, scout information, and read the state of battle helps him outsource a lot of the heat-of-the-moment stress into something more manageable. He doesn't feel comfortable or familiar with his own body after taking on this form, so especially for the first few battles, having someone else like. Co-pilot on the controls to help him move and fight is really necessary. Emmet handles it until aforementioned other crew comes along, such as Cyllene and Irida.

You mentioned in your drawing (very lovely btw loved the expression) that Emmet will put on his clan tunic to feel more like himself and less like the Engineer. Does ingo have anything similar? Is there a space where the two of them can calm down (without the whole “there two guys are blessed by god and have saved us” thing coming up)?

His options are, unfortunately, very limited. He's too large to hide almost anywhere, and most "safe" places are those near inhabited places, which also aren't ""safe"" for him to unwind/be around/(many people also are either wary, hostile, or scared of him at first).

The icelands is close to home, which is definitely the "safest" place, but as you mentioned it comes with a lot of emotional + mental baggage. He also doesn't like the cold, especially now being made of metal. Hard to warm back up.

When searching for respite, I think the twins go back to where they were first blessed near the temple of Sinnoh. The mountains can help shield Ingo from distrustful gazes and otherwise give him what is virtually the only privacy available to him. But, there's also an outcropping near the temple where Emmet and Ingo first sorted things out post-blessing, before returning to pearl clan, and that spot holds a significance to them. If Ingo was going to "hide" anywhere, it would be there.

unfortunately, there is virtually no normalcy for Ingo after receiving his blessing. The closest he gets to respite is replaying old memory files from before that day, which feel so close to when he first experienced them that it serves as a comfort sometimes.

whoops this is particularly long-

You're speakin to the fuckin king of rambles. Welcome to the castle (wheeze)

To say the absolute least. I have a lot of thoughts about them. This story is. so hard to tell. because almost all of it is exclusively in my head and it is SO complicated. There are so many problems and struggles and complications, and man. I love it.

Thank you for your super thoughtful ask <3 I love talking about mecha AU. I've been writing this for. dear god. a number of hours that should probably not be as big as it is. I LOOOOVE the mecha au. I've spent months hyperfixating on it in the past. I have so much yet it's hard to elaborate without prompting because of ^^^^ all the above complexities- It's hard to pin down what I should talk about.

Thanks for the ask as always! It means everything to me! Happy holidays/new year!

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

I’d absolutely Love to see emmet from mechanical dreams fixing something on his brother! Or even just them talking!

Feeling a little art blocked- I think 'cuz I haven't drawn much the last couple of weeks -So this took a bit longer than intended

Couldn't think of anything specific for him to fix that would be fun or interesting, unfortunately! Nowadays he doesn't have to do much but upkeep maintenance. I'll see if I can draw more of them soon! I'm real glad you like them!! 💕 It could be fun to doodle him setting up the PC system in modern day, or patching up some bigger wounds from when the dynamax wars were still happening. Lots to try, just need time to get out from this funk

Emmet often wears his Pearl Clan tunic when not around other people/when he doesn't need god's magic hammerspace pockets. It's more comfortable, and more familiar. Reminds him of the good times. He can be "Emmet" instead of "The Engineer."

Mecha AU Masterlist

[subway-boss-jericho]

Everyone! Thank you so much for all the support!!

The place I'm ordering through had a sale, so I wanted to say that both 4" non-holo stickers are being printed! I don't know when they'll arrive exactly, but it should be within the next two weeks :D After that I'll send progress updates + start working on figuring out how to set up an Etsy store. I'm not sure how shipping will work out yet or if international shipping will be available either, but I'm gonna do my best to make it affordable if I can!

I need to save up for the holo stickers, so I wanted to ask:

I can't afford to order both at the same time- at least not any time soon -so if you have a preference for which one you would want, let me know! Ideally I would like to sell both at the same time, separate or together, for the buyer to choose, but it'll probably take a hot minute before I can get there.

Thank you for reading, and again, thank you so so much for your support!

Stickers! Sygna Suit Stickers!

(Shitty picture of my hand, pen, and phone for scale. This was printed on standard printer paper as a test so this is not the actual quality either. The first picture is the 4" tall, non-holo sticker size, the second one is the 5" tall, which would be holographic.)

This is an interest check! I am planning to print and sell stickers (probably though etsy!) of the above illustrations of Sygna Suit Ingo and Emmet! Please reblog if you would be interested in buying one of these or you think they're cool!

I already put in an order for the 4" non-holographic stickers, but the larger 5" holographic stickers are a lot more expensive to produce so I wanna put feelers out to see if anyone wants one! Prices are still kinda estimates, so if you think those numbers should go higher/lower, please let me know!

I'm not great at captions! I can't think of anything else to write here! uh! ,,,If you want me to tag you when they're actually for sale I can do that also!

Have a good day and thanks for reading!

[subway-boss-jericho]

Stickers! Sygna Suit Stickers!

(Shitty picture of my hand, pen, and phone for scale. This was printed on standard printer paper as a test so this is not the actual quality either. The first picture is the 4" tall, non-holo sticker size, the second one is the 5" tall, which would be holographic.)

This is an interest check! I am planning to print and sell stickers (probably though etsy!) of the above illustrations of Sygna Suit Ingo and Emmet! Please reblog if you would be interested in buying one of these or you think they're cool!

I already put in an order for the 4" non-holographic stickers, but the larger 5" holographic stickers are a lot more expensive to produce so I wanna put feelers out to see if anyone wants one! Prices are still kinda estimates, so if you think those numbers should go higher/lower, please let me know!

I'm not great at captions! I can't think of anything else to write here! uh! ,,,If you want me to tag you when they're actually for sale I can do that also!

Have a good day and thanks for reading!

[subway-boss-jericho]

o/ Anyone have any drawing prompts I could use for my AUs? I'm gonna be offline all day doing christmas eve stuff and my only companion will be my sketchbook. No promises I'll make something for sure but it would be appreciated to have some inspiration!