#lady sneasler beloved

[sapphlikessubmas]

“You seeing this shit Ingo?”

I have never drawn Lady Sneasler before so here she is <3

[leonisloresmith]

Thinking about selkie au again

[fourphoenixfeathers]

I LIVE

Happy trainguy tuesday! Here's a submas doodle dump of everything i did while on my hiatus from tumblr. Oops.

First up we have a mountain cat and her warden(s). They are getting banished to nap time. There is no fighting it, Ei.

Ayyy new babymas au. This is definitely a normal babymas au and there is nothing strange going on with these boys at all. (Lie)

And another new au. Emmet in Paldea, what will he do. The short answer is make some friends. The long answer is [spoilers]. Feel free to ask me about violet au, I will be posting anything spoilery separately.

And because i have no self controls and the adhd demands new ideas constantly, there is a third. Astral au! The boys are stars.

I think that’s it! I have probably drawn more and brainstormed a lot of aus I never drew, but this is at least a couple months worth and I can’t remember or find everything in my camera roll. Anyways, happy trainguy tuesday y’all!

[supergirlytreiner]

A stroll under the night sky

[critterbitter]

SUBMAS MASTERPOST

Hello, my name is Crit (he/them.) Welcome to my SUBMAS art blog, @critterbitter! It is sfw, but please take care if you are a minor, as I’m Old. Thanks! To reach my main blog, please direct your attention to @proxycrit .

This is a masterpost of all the art and comics I’ve done for the funny train men so far. Feel free to browse and definitely feel free to comment!

(Here’s my kofi as well! If you wish to tip. If you want wips, here’s my patreon!)

All work can also be found under #myart.

Comics/Art List:

A SUBMAS spotify playlist-- Post Hisui Muppet Council

Emmet and eelektross— you and your dog get sent to feudal japan

Ingo and lady sneasler— you weigh like a bag of grapes

Emmet, meet volo

tynamo and emmet’s first meeting (they become friends instantly)

Litwick and ingo’s first meeting (they become enemies immediately)

Aftermath of training

The starters perform care on full grown men

Committing war crimes on both eel and man

Submas kids— the Snack that smiles back, litwick edition

Box shenanigans (caricatures of the children)

Emmet and litwick come to a deal

The difference in starter relationships boggles the mind

Good morning, litwick (good night, lady sneasler.)

Ingo fights his inner envy demons with the communication stick

Coat flapping

You are Beloved, Lampent. That’s all. 

A jackie at gear station

Tynamo evolution blues (this is funny)

The imposter syndrome sets in (it is no longer funny)

Library blues (elesa should be paid for carrying books)

Sassy night light

Happy eel dog

The joyful ordeal of evolution

Eelektrik boa (a gold standard!)

Lampent discovers discourse. This becomes everybody's problem.

Nimbasa trio walk and talk

Couch party (it's poll time!)

SUBMAS AU: Conventional Starters

Lampent is an umbrella, if you squint

Happy Holidays!

Eel-esa outfit (cause, you know, she dresses like an eel. Get it? Get it?)

Scheming

Master of manipulation.

They left Lampent in a Deino's Parking Lot

"These are our Exoskeletons, Elesa."

Chance meeting

Forbidden Lore Unlocked

Introducing Elesa, the New Kid from Sinnoh

Elesa and Blitzle

Outside the crowd

Volume Control

COLLAB: Forgiveness is Electric

Volume Control (Reprise)

Food Exchange

Electric starters

Homesick

Metaphorical and Literal Rat Children

Trouble starters

Snapshots: Route 3

Snapshots: Castelia City

Snapshots: Virbank Complex

Snapshots: Desert Resort

Snapshots: Route 8

Snapshots: Nimbasa City

Snapshots: Celestial Tower

Snapshots: Pinwheel Forest

Snapshots: Route 18

Snapshots: Anville Town

Snapshots: Undella Bay

Snapshots: Flocessy Ranch

Snapshots: Route 10

Snapshots: Driftveil City

Snapshots: Twist Mountain

Snapshots: Relic Passage

Snapshots: Route 6

Snapshots: Opelucid City

Snapshots: Chargestone Cave

Snapshots: Dream Yard

Snapshots: Route 1

Snapshots: Striaton City

Snapshots: Black City

WORLD BUILDING

Giratina and Arceus

[mocc-tok-flip-flop]

So it's been a while since I posted, but I got deep into the Pokemon fandom again and the train twins have now taken over! I just had to design some Pokemon forms for Emmet and Ingo!!

I know some people aren't as into stats and abilities, but I really wanted to sit down and hash out their strategies and movesets. They're subway masters AND ridiculously strong and skilled trainers, so I wanted to make sure that their Pokemon forms also reflected that! So if you're into that (or learning how Hisui changed their partnership) it'll be under the Read More below!

Let me know if y'all want to see more of these guys! I have even written their Pokedex entries and figured out their habits and natures! (Also, just because I thought it was funny, now Ingo is the one who's weak to Earthquake)

Ok, so the first thing I determined were general specialties! Ingo, despite his intimidating appearance and his fighting typing, is actually a better special attacker. I imagine that the twins play up the perception that other people have for them: Ingo is indimidating and Emmet is friendly, so Ingo is actually a sneaky special attacker and Emmet is a surprise physical attacker!

Their base stats reflect this, and I put their total around evolved starter range to make sure they're viable for competitive battling. As for typing, it was mostly based on various Pokemon they have on their teams, but I kinda wanted to make them partially types suited more to their counterpart, so Electric for Ingo and Steel(?) for Emmet? It's not perfect, but I HAD to make sure Ingo shared a typing with Lady Sneasler so they can be friends in Hisui. And Emmet is a Bug type because Emmet.

I agonized over their movesets and abilities for a long time, but I really wanted to show that they are a Duo, Please Do Not Seperate. So their moves and abilities help to cover each other in a double battle! Ingo has the absolute beast of a move Boomburst (both because he's loud and because it's a 140 base special attack with no downsides) so he's got Brick Break to make sure that there's no screens or shields blocking his big finishing move. Workup helps with all of his moves and since it boosts physical and special, it works to hide his little-known special attack specialty until it's too late.

I had fun with Emmet's moveset! Not only does he have Reflect to help cover his beloved brother's weaknesses, but in the case they're fighting a singles battle he's got U-Turn to effortlessly switch into his brother's big finisher move. I waffled between Reflect and another move that would reduce special defence (set up even better for Ingo's finishing move), but ultimately decided I liked Emmet shielding his big brother better.

I also want you to know that for his move Attack Order, Emmet literally commands a small battalion of Joltiks who like to hide in his coat. Verrry cute.

Of course, the codependency doesn't stop at their moves! Ingo's ability literally reduces the damage that Emmet takes when they battle together, and Emmet's Volt Absorb ability means that Ingo can always heal up his little brother if the Joltiks don't heal him first.

And now we get to the sad part. During their separation, both of them change, as now they no longer have each other to rely on in battle. Ingo changes out his Brick Break for an Aura Sphere, as when fighting solo (and sometimes multiple opponents) he doesn't have time for a lot of setup and is best on relying on his special attacking rather than trying to play the long game. His ability also changes to Defiant, to reflect his heightened need for fighting and his determination to find what he knows is missing (YES I know technically abilities can't really change but THEY'RE SPECIAL OK and it was sadder this way).

And oh boy, while Emmet can pretend he's fine as much as he wants, his changes truly show how much Ingo's loss devastated him. There's no-one left to switch with, so he trades his U-Turn for a more aggressive Lunge instead. And even worse, his new ability, Anger Point, will boost his attack once he hits half health. Which means that now he will try to get hurt and stay hurt, since now his brother can no longer heal him :(

Sorry for so much rambling, but I got suuuuper into designing these guys! The actual designs are alright, but I still think they need to be more distinctive somehow. Might go back and tweak it a bit later, but I'm happy with it for now. Why are they weird kangaroo things with hooves? Idk, but they look cool and that's what really matters~

[leggerefiore]

i see your 'sawsbuck ingo (and emmet, should he be there) would have beef with wyrdeer/you riding wyrdeer' and raise you a solution: bear. ursaluna is Right There. or lady sneasler, maybe, but mostly ursaluna bc what, deerly beloved, are you gonna throw hands with a bear? this big puppy?? (thats a rhetorical, please dont throw hands with big bear puppy)

djdjand Sawsbuck Ingo trailing behind you and Sneasler dejectedly. She meows at him and he just nods. Her Warden is a funny little guy.

I think he might try to pick a fight with Ursaluna before realising what a terrible idea that is and then whining that he really is faster than them.

He feels like his deerly duties are being replaced by other pokemon 😔

Let him carry you around a little bit.

[waywardstation]

Tbh if Goldi is Sneaslers sister it def recontextualizes her kidnapping Ingo.

To sneasler Ingos like a friend/confidant/beloved servant(?)

To Goldi, he's like a trophy or piece of jewelry/toy she stole from Sneaslers room.

Might be a reason she got passed up for being a noble.

That was sort of the issue before - Goldi wants everything that Lady has, and to Goldi, that includes her warden. He is simply something connected to her title!

But if they are sisters, this could really help highlight why Lady was fit to be a noble, and Goldi was not. Lady understands that this just goes deeper than having power and a position. It comes with responsibility as a ride Pokémon, and a relationship with a beloved human - a friend. And Lady wanted that. She wanted to help humans and have that connection with them.

Goldi did not. She saw it as a position of power, and an attachment that takes care of her as she pleased.

It’s obvious why Lady as a good fit for the position, and Goldi was not.

[iam-emmet]

//What am I doing with my life??

//this is basically a 'the story thus far' except it's set up like a bad infomercial

Are you bored with your life? Wanting to try new things? See new places?

No?

Well, who cares. Arceus sure doesn't. Congratulations, you've won a great trip to the wonderful land of Ancient Sinnoh! Don't worry about the people you left behind, you won't even be able to remember them anyways!

Welcome to Hisui, the historical name of the beloved Sinnoh region. Here you will learn to fight pokemon thrice your size in hand to hand combat, solve ancient feuds, and cope with the fact that almost everyone here hates your guts!

Just remember to trust your instincts, and if they say don't take the cold medicine, there's probably a good reason for that.

Along the way you will get a phone and contact people from The Future! This includes the twin brother of your soon-to-be adoptive parent (more on that later), as well as the leader of an evil team, and a bunch of other random people.

But not everyone hates you! You have the Warden of Lady Sneasler and some random kid on your side! And let's not forget the blond fuck-face who lives in the walls.

Oh no, it seems you've been sent Back to The Future. Now you're out of time twice! Unfortunately you're also wearing a modified version of an evil organization's uniform so you have to dodge Officer Jennys until you make it to the subway station some rando you met on the internet works at. Luckily, he's actually not a creep and he's your adoptive uncle. Not that you realize that, it's not like him and your dad look basically identical. Not at all...

But that's boring, so now you're going to a private school you probably broke into until a Dragonite decides to carry you off to another region. Whatever, you don't care. You've been displaced so many times it'd be weird if it didn't happen.

[We interrupt this program to give you: Emmet gets to not have to deal with anything bad as his twin didn't go missing. Dumbass decides to eat a weed brownie and is paranoid the weed monster wants to eat his joltiks]

It's fine, you get to catch this cute pokemon. You're smart enough to not eat its 'wish granting mochi' so nothing bad happens-

Oh look, your uncle finally caught up with you. He also hasn't slept in a week and is stupider than usual. Oh no he ate the mochi. Oh wonderful, he's possessed. Now you have to deal with your guardian completely delirious and convinced his brother is back when he's clearly not. It's definitely not scary to watch someone interact with something you can't see.

[We interrupt this program to give you: Welcome to Wonderland, Emmet spends the entire time absolutely blasted out of his fucking mind]

Your time has been cut short as some other God got bored of your existence. Goodbye, fuck you, no one needed to remember you anyways. You're now living in the Who-knows-where Place and get to watch the boy version of you deal with your problems instead. Also your dad went AWOL but we're not entirely sure what he's up to at the moment.

[We interrupt this program to give you: Alternate Emmet got Winter Soldiered after trying to get Ingo back from (where he thought he was) in Team Plasma and Akari didn't get isakaied]

You've actually interacted with that guy before, but you had more problems to deal with than an alternate universe version of your uncle being brainwashed.

That's all we got so far, but aren't you so glad you were chosen for this shitshow?

[@thetraveleroftime]

[hehe-hoho-ohno]

For the ask game:

🤡 What’s a line, scene, or exchange you’ve written that made you laugh?

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

🤡.

In Two Car Train there's a running gag of having silly dialogue tags, especially for Gaeric.

“Lady Sneasler warmed to him quickly as well.” Gaeric did a squat for absolutely no reason.

“Is that so? Maybe you are from Jubilife after all!” Gaeric did a celebratory squat.

“There’s a difference between plagiarism and inspiration.” Station boogied grumpily

🥺.

Unsurprisingly, I'm a sucker for soft sibling interactions. Platonic affection, my beloved

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

I now want to see "Bloodmoon"-esque variants of the other Ride/Noble Pokémon. (I'm very partial to the idea that Bloodmoon Ursaluna is actually Ride Ursaluna in particular-so you could do all sorts of fun things with that concept.)

[ For example: "Old Conductor Sneasler", a Sneasler who has survived the ravages of time and dwells in the depths if Mount Coronet. Her claws have developed a metallic quality-to the point that her signature move "End of Line" deals both Steel and Poison damage, and she has a variant of the Steelworker ability. Old Conductor Sneasler is said to be searching for a dear friend-commonly believed to be her dear Warden, who vanished ever so long ago. ]

Among Pokémon there is a vast difference in lifespan, generally corresponding to type and physical composition. Prime Steel types can persist until their mechanisms rust or turn brittle, which of course can be forestalled a long ways by regular maintenance; Prime Ghosts seem able to persist indefinitely, or at least, until they run out of some undefinable will and dissipate.

This is all background to add context to the statement that very few Pokémon truly live forever.

But something... happened. Or, must have happened, though nobody's entirely clear what, or when, exactly. During the second Rift Crisis, the second coming of the Almighty, when the region was once more suffused with divine power—the Pokémon that bore its blessing, the Nobles, they simply... stopped. Stopped aging, stopped dying. The ten that had been present then, persisting indefinitely. Succession over time is the norm, leaving the humans of the region at a loss for how to react.

But while their lifespans paused, they, time did not. Ursaluna wandered slowly, already ancient when it was frozen, slowly changing into something not quite like what it had been before. Basculegion has not been seen in an age, but its kind can grow indefinitely throughout their lifespan, so perhaps it has something to do with the tales of leviathans off Sinnoh's western coast. Kleavor guards and cultivates its forest, same as always, and Lilligant its vast mire-garden, beloved by the people of the region. Braviary soars ever higher, its watchful eye over the entire region from above. Electrode is said to have buried itself and put down roots, as only the most ancient of its kind ever did.

The Lady Sneasler of that age was known as something of a problem child, in her past. Raised without a Warden by a Lord with old wounds in his heart, when it came time for her to take up the mantle, she did not exactly settle easily into the role. Even in adulthood, she was known to be flighty and haughty, with ears only for those vanishingly few humans who earned her respect.

So perhaps it is surprising, then, what she became. But now she guards Mount Coronet, and the structures therein, with a religious dedication. Unfailing and watchful, the ghost-guardian of travelers and the devoted, final caretaker of the most sacred place in the region. It is the last task she was ever given from the first person to earn her respect. So she will persist for as long as there is a mountain to guard—no matter what desires of her own may remain hidden in her heart.

She learned that, after all, from the best.

[critterbitter]

dear gosh I'm obsessed with how you draw the sillies. ingo and emmet are so perfectly characterised and i can't imagine them any other way. your dialogue is phenomenal. the Pokemon are so wonderfully realised characters too, litwick/lampent/chandelure sassy nightlight beloved (ft. lady sneasler), and the Big Eel Doggo 🤩 i love you draw the othere too, lint roller the archeops!!!! trubbish shenanigans! elesa and her menace pizza rat!

you so perfectly thread that line between goofy and genuinely heartfelt. the little scenes of emmet and his eel in the rain and other such shenanigans next to emmet's anxieties and impostor syndrome culminating in that beautiful gorgeous wonderful evolution. sassy lamp and the genuine care and devotion she has for her rice cracker bland tasting trainer. oughhhhhhh

also?? your comic composition and your expressions and your colours and all of that are so good too

they're so silly and they're also so real. literally you're one of my favourite submas creators WHERE DID YOU COME FROM (i am hit with a train and dragged further into the black hole)

fantastic. no notes. love what you're doing, and i'm thrilled to see what you do with them next!

best wishes - @doodlejoltik

ah MAN thank you so much for the kind words and reblogs! The fact you catch so many little details I litter about my comics brings joy into my shriveled little human hands.

As for context, I came from the BOTW and dnd fandom from instagram! Art under cut!

(I drew these guys. So much. Linktober 2021 was my first foray into comics. I am glad to say I've evolved since drawing submas in 2023.)

BOTW aside, Pokemon's always been a hyperfixation for me, but only creature design wise (except for the adventure mangas. I LOVED that pokemon manga.) Submas sorta hit me like a speeding train because it gave me the frame work for a sibling and found family dynamic, and a lot of this iteration of Ingo and Emmet's personalities are from my own experiences OR from the deep abyss where I keep my braincells. Anyways glad to ramble! Thank you so much for the kind words-- and I'm excited to see where the submas train rot takes us. Onto new tunnels! All aboard! Yippee!

[itsnightslashtime]

SO! UM. UPDATE. ON THE. BLEEDING UNCLE SITUATION.

I found the hospital we're all at right now and I finally got to meet Miss Elesa! Or. Our version of her anyway. Could have been under better circumstances but!!

Okay so um. Tiny's sad. Lemon refuses to leave the room Uncle Emmet's in. Lady Sneasler tried to carry me back home when we met halfway and I got her, her kits, and my team all situated. Orincce is back home helping wrangle the Sneaslets. Pudding is home watching the stowaway. Sugar and Spice are currently providing emotional support. Jam is in his Pokeball, because a large Garchomp isn't a good idea in a hospital. Amaranth, my dearly beloved, is unfortunately on her last legs and has to stay in her ball because I really REALLY don't want anyone to take her from me. And Taffy is providing a nice warmth while I dissuade anyone from asking about him.

Oh, and Uncle Ingo has a Sneasler feather out of his head now.

Emmet is currently in the Emergency Room. I am verrrry worried. If you do not know what is going on, Emmet has grown a second set of arms, and when said arms appeared, they tore out of his sides.

This is why I left the Gear Station in such a rush.

[white-hyacinths]

you ever draw fanart of ur own fic

[smashwolfen]

I really love how you draw the baby sneasels! The little, slightly shriveled feathers really sells the idea that they just hatched!

Thank you very much nfjdknrkek!

Yes you noticed the ear! That was 100% intentional, just thought it'd be cute to have the lil ear feather be curly from being hatched recently :D

I imagined they pop up as they get a bit older, kinda like a corgi or German Sheppard ear popping up as they age!

[janekfan]

Fugue

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

@coramatus! I BLAME YOU!

“Lady, wha–?” The Pearl Clan leader rubbed the sleep from her eyes, stepping aside as the large Noble pushed her way impatiently past, removing the basket from her back with gentle claws. The human crept closer, face twisted up in confusion, but the Sneasler didn’t have time for any of that. Not now. Not when.

Panicked mumbling. Murmured names, unfamiliar names she’s heard before, as her Warden shivered insensate among tangled blankets.

The young female gasped, ripping Sneasler away from memories tinged with panic. She was out of her depth. Being a Noble sometimes meant asking for help. When needed. The humans have always been eager to serve and they had a soft spot for her strange warden.

“Ingo? Hey, hey.” Soft. Soothing, interspersed with the wheezing, the crackling that had worsened over the last few days. But he’d insisted it was nothing. And she’d listened. Foolish.

”I am well, Lady. Just need to rest and repair. I shall be back on track in no time.”

She should have known.

“My Lady?” Worry was making her careless, robbing her of much needed focus. “We need Calaba, and she’s in the Mirelands.” Steel hardened her voice and the Leader was already pulling on warmer clothes, celestica flute held loosely in her fingers. “Will you be alright here until I return?” Sneasler tossed her head, plume fluttering as she drew back her shoulders, baring a hint of fang at her doubt. “Of course, Lady.” The door opened under a human hand, flute already lifting to pursed lips. Sneasler protected the basket from the biting cold while, haunting, the melody resonated in her ears.

Braviary then.

A rush of wings.

A clipped conversation in worried tones.

Then nothing but the howling wind.

Irida pushed Braviary hard, desperate to reach the Mirelands before the blizzard hit in earnest, while explaining why over the wailing gale. There was still the return trip to make, and who knew what Calaba needed to pack in order to be prepared. Ingo’s snow-white, nearly translucent face flashed in her memory. Mighty Sinnoh, if Sneasler hadn’t brought him down when she had.

No. Don’t think like that. It’ll help nobody, least of all her most peculiar Warden.

“Faster, please. If you can.” Voice pitched above the roar, Irida asked for even more. She would apologize later and lavish him with gifts and offerings befitting his station. For now, focus on getting to Calaba and back.

Rumbling in her chest, Sneasler paced in the uncomfortably small space. After unfolding her human from the basket and churring away his breathless, half-formed questions, she’d tucked him into the Pearl Leader’s nest, arranging the many warm things to her liking before stirring up the remaining embers with a claw. The new wood she added caught quickly and before long she was far too warm even as her Warden still shook with chills. Breaths wet and labored and uneven, he leaned into the back of her massive paw when she laid it over his hot, hot forehead. Nervous, she groomed him, brushing back sweat soaked strands of silver-white hair tinged orange in the reflected light of the fire with a sandpaper tongue.

“M’mmet...” She could hear the crackle of dry leaves when he breathed. The damp in his chest was worsening and there was already precious little room.

Where was the female? If she didn't return soon and with help– What if the storm blew them off course? No. Braviary was strong. He would fly fast and true.

"Derail that train of thought, Lady. You are worrying over delays and detours that have not yet come to pass."

Whatever her human meant by that, it was a comfort. She wished he would say it now, notice her like no one else did when her mind ran away with itself. The cry she made out of frustration roused her human and he coughed painfully, reaching out for something (someone) she couldn’t provide. Instead, Sneasler nudged his arm back into the nest, nuzzling his flushed cheek in a way she hoped would soothe until the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow and Braiviary’s departing call drew her back to the moment. A blast of cold air hit her back just as relief punched her hard in the chest. The humans were back, the humans would fix this, fix him.

The relationship between Warden and Noble was complex, deep in a way Irida knew she would never fully understand and never more clearly illustrated than in the sight before her. Sneasler was crouched low, purring against Ingo’s side and whispering softly in her language whenever he made sounds of discomfort. She didn’t stop in her ministrations, merely turned toward them with hope brimming in her red eyes. Calaba approached with caution, asking the Noble first if she could see her charge and bowing respectfully when the giant Pokemon shifted to make room.

“Warden Ingo?” Gently and under Sneasler’s careful watch, Calaba felt for his pulse and touched the backs of her fingers to his face. “Can you hear me?” She knuckled his chest and didn’t even flinch when Sneasler growled at her Warden’s groan of pain. “There you are.” Glassy silver gleamed in the firelight at her soft praise. “Do you know where you are?”

“Ca…” Oh, and his voice was so small as he glanced around the unfamiliar room. She nodded, feeling under his chin firmly. His throat clicked with a heavy swallow. “I, I don’ remember.” He paused to catch his breath, wet dry lips. “Apologies.” Blown pupils rolled up under fluttering lids.

“None of that, young man.” She stepped away, hand lingering on his shoulder. “Sit him up for me.” Irida was thankful for Calaba’s no-nonsense attitude because she certainly didn’t know what to do here. Illnesses like these… well in this harsh landscape, once the wet collected in a creature’s lungs like this there was little to be done. Ingo whined low in his throat at the touch of cold hands on his feverish skin and Lady Sneasler growled in warning, narrowed eyes flashing like Gengar's Curse.

“We’re going to help him, you have my word.” Irida continued, pulling his lax weight forward and holding him there when he threatened to topple backwards. This was bad. Head hanging limp, chin touching his stuttering chest, Ingo's vacant eyes were half lidded and limned in deep shadows. How’d she let this happen on her watch? Irida startled when Sneasler settled on the bed next to him, ears pitched forward in watchfulness as the medicine woman divested Ingo of his coat and tunic, tugging uncoordinated limbs out of his black undershirt. His Noble didn’t look convinced, and probably wouldn’t be while her Warden was so confused and upset. “I promise.” Irida took Ingo’s hands, squeezing gently and running her thumbs over the back of each until gradually he settled into his delicate trembling.

“Hush, both of you. I need to listen.” Ingo shook in the relatively warm air of the tent while Calaba thumped her fingers on his back seemingly at random, ear pressed close, frown etched in stone and face unreadable. The Noble fidgeted beside her Warden, supporting him as he collapsed ever sideways by inches, quaking fingers winding into her coarse fur while enduring the examination.

“Wan‘Mmet…wha…whe–!!” A fit of coughing stole away whatever he’d been trying to say along with the air in his body and it was only Irida’s firm grip on his shoulders that kept him from curling inwards. The man in white. Was that the name he’d been searching for? Was that who he was asking for?

“It’s alright, you’re okay.” Across from her, the Noble mimicked her sounds in a chirruping tongue, nuzzling his temple and holding him fast. Calaba crushed ingredients from her satchel in the mortar and pestle she’d brought and the scent of Gentle Mint wafted from the bowl in her ancient hands.

“Hold him still.” Not without care, Calaba smeared the remedy over jutting collarbones, offering him a sip of warm water from the kettle over the fire when he was able to breathe again, eased by the crushed herbs. As quickly as she paused, the woman resumed her examination, pinching the skin over his ribs, smoothing her fingers over old scars, checking his eyes, mouth, and ears before finally settling him back in the bed, propped up on several pillows and Lady Sneasler. “How long has he been ill?” Irida didn’t know. She’d been busy with her duties preparing for the storm and hadn’t had the time to visit her Wardens or their Nobles. Sneasler held up a huge paw. “Three days?”

“Snea.” A firm confirmation. Calaba held her chin in thought, brow furrowed.

“So fast.” Irida covered her mouth with both hands, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes.

“Warden Ingo isn’t the only thing thin in the mountains.” Again, the Noble agreed. “Being unused to the thin air, this probably happened too quickly for him to realize and by then it was too late.” Sneasler made a mournful sound. “Even small ailments can be cause for concern for the unwary.” Outside, the wind picked up. Calaba began unpacking. “He can’t be moved; not in this cold.”

“Of course.” Of course she would gladly give up her tent if it meant Ingo would recover.

“I’ll stay through the worst of it.”

“He’ll be okay?”

“We’ll know soon enough.” Deft, practiced hands began slicing leeks into even pieces and Irida did her best to help, sparing a smile when smoothing a cold cloth over Ingo’s closed eyes resulted in a sigh of relief.

The humans worked through the night, plying her Warden with teas and tinctures made of familiar ingredients combined in unfamiliar ways. A sticky paste of leek and berries and various mints wrinkled her sensitive nose when it was spread across his skin but she had to admit it alleviated the pain and made his breathing easier. In the heat of the den, he was a brand against her, matting her own fur with sweat and burning up under her claws where she pet his head. Humans weren’t meant to burn this bright and she feared he’d burn entirely away at this rate. But her presence was a comfort, that much she knew, so she kept up her purring, her careful touches, while both healer and leader worked to save him. It was late morning when they were satisfied enough with his condition to sleep themselves.

Sneasler heard him first, felt him shaking against her, and scented salt in the air. She licked the tears from his face, thrumming in what she hoped was a comforting way, but they kept coming. Faster and faster, breath hitching until he’d worked himself into such a frenzy he risked choking.

“Ingo, Ingo. Shh.” The human Irida leavered him up, pressing him close as he scrabbled to hold onto her, hold onto someone, even if they weren’t who he wanted, needed.

“Where…where, he promised. Promised me.” His sentences were broken into fragmented pieces where he gasped for air in between words.

“I know. He’d be here if he could.” Of that much they could all agree. She held him upright when he began losing strength, slumping into her arms as his own fell to the sides, chin resting on her shoulder as he wept. Sneasler groomed his face while the healer bustled around, collecting different mixtures and readying them.

“Why? Why isn’t he h’here?” Irida met her eyes briefly, reflecting the agony of being unable to help.

“I’m so sorry, Ingo. I wish I knew.” Carefully, the last thing her Warden needed was an accidental poisoning at this stage, Sneasler cradled him in her claws, folding him up and letting him cling to her fur.

Someone was missing.

Someone who should be here and wasn’t.

Someone who’d promised.

”We’re a two car train.”

And what did that mean? And where was he? When Ingo felt so awful and sick and couldn’t breathe and he should be here. Merciful Sinnoh, he was so dizzy, his head ached, his whole body ached, joints screaming, chest burning and tight and it was so hard to breathe. The arms holding him weren’t right, none of this was right.

Where was he?

Soft swipes of a scratchy tongue distracted him though he couldn’t stop sobbing like a small child for the person he was missing. The voices around him weren’t right. He was exhausted, wheezing desperately through cough after cough after cough and why couldn’t he breathe?

Where was he?

He was pulled away from the wrong, gathered up. Held, held, held and he wound trembling fingers into familiar fur.

Where was he?

A warm rumbling relaxed his pounding heart without his permission. A cold nose, a damp tongue bathing his hot face, unsticking the sweat-damp hair from his forehead so gently as though he might break.

Where…?

A roughhewn cup pressed against his lips, crisp, warm steam cleared his mind and something sweet and hot flooded his mouth.

“Just sleep, Ingo.” The answering chirp seemed to agree this was best. “It’ll be okay. We’re here.” Another mouthful was coaxed into him. “Just sleep.”

If you insist.

Sneasler was proud.

A lesser being would surely have succumbed to this. Not her Ingo. He fought. Unyielding and uncharacteristically quiet. But he was so tired, an empty vessel in her claws where he’d remained since waking in a panic days before. The human named Calaba was silent, preparing the next doses of medicine and Leader Irida was checking on the rest of the clan now that the worst of the storm had passed.

Here in the leader’s den, it was a bad night.

Her human was uncomfortable and sore, twisting weakly in his troubled sleep, fingers knotted in the blankets over his chest in a vain attempt to relieve the pressure drowning him. The old female approached and Sneasler tipped her Warden’s pale face towards her, counting the drops poured on his tongue, daring to hope that this would lower his fever and eventually, hopefully, it would begin to break. Ingo needed a break or this would be the end of him. Sneasler nudged his cheek, hissing through her fangs at the heat in him, somehow higher than before, and when heavy lashes parted there was no recognition there. His gray eyes, slightly crossed, unfocused, passed through her, looking, no doubt, for the human in white.

“Here Ingo, drink this down.” A wrinkled hand helped guide him away from his futile search, attempting to draw his attention. “Do you know me, young man?” Roaming eyes caught on the shadows, got stuck there while Sneasler’s heart caught in her throat.

“Snea?”

“Ingo?” The quiet expanded to fill the den, broken only by the raspy inhale-exhale of the human in her arms as he puzzled. One beat. Two. Too many. His mind was already wounded, what if this stole away the rest of him? He blinked hard, coughed, met her gaze again.

“Nnh…Lady?” A familiar hand reached for her, scratched under her chin and traveled behind her ear in that way she liked. “You’ve been working too hard.” The old healer chuckled in disbelief.

“And it’s your fault.”

“A’ah.” This time the flush painted high in his face had little to do with the fever.

“Indeed. Drink this.” He held his head when sitting up sent him reeling but was able to hold the cup on his own. Exhausted, Ingo followed Calaba’s directions, subjecting himself to her examination without complaint. “Long way to go, but you’ll mend.”

“Ingo?!” The Pearl Clan Leader startled them all, surprising her Warden into hacking around the tea choking him. “Oh thank sweet Sinnoh.”

“Lady Iri–”

“And YOU.” She grabbed him by his shoulders and glared like an angry Zoroark. “Don’t do that to us again!”

“I–”

“You scared us half to death.”

“I am so–”

“Not to mention how difficult finding a new warden would be at this time.”

“Of cour–”

“Caused us so much trouble.”

“It won’t–”

“Happen again! It better not.” Irida took a deep breath, tugging the blankets up and smoothing them over his arms. “Or there’ll be worse coming for you.”

“Yes, Lady Irida.” He accepted the broth pressed into his hands next. “I must apologize. By the time I realized what I’d so foolishly allowed to happen I was in no state to help myself.” He glanced up into Sneasler’s face. “I am certain it is you, dear Lady, who I owe thanks to most of all.” Embarrassed, she looked away, growling out an order to eat and recover while her traitorous purring gave away the happiness and relief welling in her chest.

Ingo allowed the fuss, sensing how his close call worried the ones he felt closest to. He couldn’t help feeling as though someone was missing, that another smiling person should be beside him, chiding him for overworking (only to turn around and do the same days later). But like all the vague notions he had about himself, the feeling stayed locked behind the same wall he’d run into when first he woke in this strange place. He’d tried to excuse himself once realizing he was taking up his Leader’s bed but she wouldn’t hear of it and honestly, he didn’t have much fight left in him to protest. He was tired. Not in the bone deep, desperate way he’d been before, but tired nonetheless. Calaba’s medicines took the edge off the aching in his chest and the urge to cough, but had the unfortunate side effect of making him even sleepier and once he’d made the mistake of yawning, Lady Sneasler wasted no time in pushing him down like he was an unruly sneaslet. She licked the side of his head, once, twice, no doubt standing his unwashed hair on end, but as he slipped out on a tide of friendly, familiar voices Ingo couldn’t find it in himself to mind.