#pmd arceus's wish

[sammy8d257]

Owl Time

Oliver Privy my beloved

There is in fact, other characters in this show

BUT

hear me out

owl

[pikapaws]

glacie from pmd arceus's wish >:))) u shoudl check it out on youtube (im an artist for it LOL)

[calyx-arts]

Glacie (Arceus's Wish)

Tried a little something different with my coloring and lining this go around! This cold-looking Glaceon is from a PMD project, Arceus's Wish! You should check it out!

Posted using PostyBirb

[teamconductors]

A Day Off: A PMD Lost Tracks of Time AU

Summary: During a weekend where the Battle Subway has shut down for maintenance, Ingo offers Mono a train trip, and Emmet wants to spend time with her at Nimbasa's amusement park.

Background: This is for the Swap AU (forgive the old art). After the events of LTOT, Sneasler is turned into a human and is sent back in time to Unova before Ingo got taken to Hisui.

In terms of timeline, this is after Sneasler aka Mono has established herself as a trainer, is roommates with Elesa, and got a job at the Battle Subway out of pity (or so she claims).

This is a long one. It could've been split, but I didn't want to.

Also, for clarity: Mono is Sneasler's name as a human. Everyone knows her as Mono, but the narration uses both Mono and Sneasler for her. Is that confusing? Maybe. But I'm too lazy to change it.

"Unbelievable," Sneasler said. She wished she figured out human technology by now. Perhaps if she had, she wouldn't have entered Gear Station at the typical early morning time and saw signs blocking the entrance to her workplace.

"Good morning, Miss Mono!"

"Morning, Ingo." Sneasler turned to see Ingo, who lacked his black Subway Boss coat and hat but still wore his button shirt and pants. "I know I'm here because I messed up, I guess. But why are you here?"

"I need to make sure that maintenance occurs as smoothly as possible!" Ingo said. "That said, I only need to do periodic checks. After I complete this first morning check, would you like to accompany me for a train ride around Unova?"

"Just you? Emmet's not coming?" Sneasler almost asked about Elesa but stopped herself upon remembering that she left Nimbasa for a fashion show.

"Since I accepted the responsibility to watch over the Battle Subway, Emmet decided to try alternate routes for his weekend. We work together and have many common interests, but we don't always need to be a two-car train."

Sneasler turned her head so Ingo wouldn't see her cringe. Before she was kidnapped out of her time, Emmet had gotten better about going on separate missions without Ingo. But the literal and metaphorical scars remained. Once in a while, Emmet would suffer a panic attack if Ingo - or Eelektross or even her - were away for too long. He hated that it was still an issue, and so did she. One day I'm gonna kick Arceus' ass for the pain they caused, she thought.

She shook off the mental damage to continue her questioning. "Are you gonna be okay being gone from the station for a while? How long's the trip?"

"Less than two hours! We will return to Gear Station by the end, and there are no stops in between. This is purely a scenic trip!"

"...Okay. Why me?"

"Does there need to be a reason?" Ingo's eyes widened. "Wait, do you have another activity scheduled?"

Sneasler shrugged. Had she known, she could have at least slept in - though that's easier said than done, considering her recent insomnia. "Not really. Sure, I'll do a train ride."

"Excellent! Allow me to finish what I need to, and we will be off!" Ingo sped-walked past Mono before she could ask where she should wait.

---

Sneasler didn't wait long for Ingo. He led her to the wing of Gear Station she seldom visited beyond the her first day in Unova and ended up on a train. Unlike the Battle Subway's trains, they offered plenty of benches and tables for guests to rest at. She and Ingo took a car with no one else in it. Ingo chose a table, and Mono sat across from him, putting her basket next to her on the bench.

"Did you make that basket? It appears well-made and well-cared for," Ingo asked.

"Uh, thanks. It's... an heirloom," Mono said. This is going be a painful ride, isn't it?

The journey began. They started underground, but soon they popped out of a tunnel near Driftviel City. It was Sneasler's first time outside of Nimbasa. The mining city vaguely reminded her of the dungeons near Cobalt Coastlands.

Ingo interrupted Sneasler's musing. "Is something the matter, Miss Mono?"

Sneasler realized she had been staring at him. "Uh, no! I, uh, haven't been sleeping well. That's all."

"Oh, I'm sorry that you've been having such roadblocks. Is there anything I can can for you? Does your schedule need to be changed?"

"Nope, my work schedule is fine." Much to her chagrin, Ingo and Emmet trained Sneasler well to wake up at dawn. Even before then, she preferred mornings and daylight to night. "Don't worry about it, alright?"

"My job is to transport talented trainers to greater heights, and that includes the trainers helping us as well. On that topic, how are your pokemon doing? If I remember, your current team is a Croagunk, a Riolu, and a Whirlipede."

"Wow, you actually remembered that?" Does he usually remember different trainers' teams like that??

"Well, you only recently became a trainer, am I correct? Our guests who have battled against you certainly couldn't tell! You've been performing fantastically so far!"

Croagunk, Whirlipede, and Riolu fight well on their own. I'm just there pretending to guide them. "Got lucky, I guess."

"I don't think it's luck, Miss Mono."

I found Croagunk after he got abandoned by his trainer. Riolu was a stray on the outskirts of Nimbasa and needed a home. And meeting Whirlipede was an accident.

"Please do not discount yourself."

I'm not a trainer. I'm not supposed to be here.

"I think your journey has only just begun."

One of the doors opened. An Audino with a cart walked to Ingo and Mono's table. On top of the cart sat a kettle and bowls with colored packets, tiny cartons of liquid, and small sticks. On the secondary shelf were stacks of cups. "I have coffee!"

"Miss Mono, the coffee is complimentary. There's also a dining kart if you'd like to fuel yourself." Ingo took the cup Audino offer him. "Thank you very much," he said to the pokemon.

"Uh, thanks." Sneasler accepted her own cup. She stared at the dark liquid inside as Audino placed cups with packets and tiny cartons and a couple sticks on the table. She brought the cup to her nose and sniffed.

"Do you like coffee, Miss Mono?" Ingo asked as he prepared his own cup.

"Coffee, huh?" She sniffed again. It didn't smell bad. "I've seen Elesa drink this stuff, but I haven't yet."

"Really? I'm surprised."

"She's offered, but I just didn't feel like it. But, uh... here I go, I guess." Sneasler brought the cup to her lips and took in a mouthful of the liquid.

She slammed the cup to the table and covered her mouth with her hand lest she spit everything over poor Ingo.

"Are you alright?!" Ingo yelled loud enough that Audino, who left for another car, opened the door and ran to Ingo and Mono.

Sneasler waved at both Ingo and Audino with her free hand as she swallowed. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" She looked at Audino, who had placed her feelers on her chest. "No really, I'm alright."

"Okay... But I hope what's making you sad goes away..." Audino retracted her feelers and returned to the other car.

I heard that. "Sorry, Ingo. It was just really, really bitter, and I didn't expect it. Smelled and tasted really different."

"Hm, you do run into surprises in a journey sometimes. May I try something?" Ingo pointed to Mono's cup.

"If you want it, take it." Sneasler grabbed napkins and began wiping up the coffee that splashed out when she slammed the cup down.

Ingo grabbed a packet and a tiny carton and poured their contents into the cup. "I find black coffee too bitter to fully enjoy as well. That surprises people, but I'm not sure why." He stirred the mixture together with a stirring stick and then offered it to Mono. "I added cream and sugar to your drink, which is how I like it. I hope this is more palatable for you."

Sneasler glanced between Ingo and the cup. She grabbed the cup with a delicate hold and slowly took a sip. She braced for the bitterness, but the sweetness calmed down the bitterness like a Light Screen reducing a Psychic's damage. "That's not... terrible. I don't think I'll be drinking much coffee, though."

"That's alright! You need to know what works best for you, just like how you need to know how to keep a machine well-oiled!"

Sneasler chuckled. "Everything comes back to trains for you, huh?"

"Well, trains are fascinating! The way they're made, how they work, how precisely you can make schedules and get everyone to where they want at the right time! Why else would Emmet and I format a battle facility in a series of them? On that line of thought, why did you decide to work specifically at Gear Station? You said you weren't a pokemon trainer, so was there another reason?"

He's conveniently leaving out the part of our first meeting where I said I knew them, but okay. "I... Listen, I'm not that good with technology. I can get the gist of things, but it'll take me a bit to get used to them. But... I... I have two younger brothers that love trains." Sneasler's eyes widened as soon as she registered what she just said, but she could not take that back. "And... it's really nice to hear them excited. They've shown me books about them because they think it's fun to talk about them to someone who doesn't know squat. ...For a lot of reasons, I haven't been able to see them, and the Battle Subway... reminds me of them." She blinked more frequently as something welled behind her eyes.

Ingo's signature frown softened. "I see... Well, I'm glad to have you ride with us, and I hope you see your brothers soon."

"Me, too."

Ingo and Sneasler decided in silence to watch the view as their train passed by different areas. They breezed through forests, went through mountain tunnels and over bridges, and witnessed the sky turn from orange to blue. Ingo made comments about cities and landmarks but was clearly less energetic than before.

By the time they passed through Undella Town, Sneasler groaned, making Ingo jump. "Holy rift, I made this trip so awkward. I am so sorry."

"Please do not apologize! This has not been awkward for me, but does that mean it was awkward for you?" Ingo asked, frowning deeply.

"C'mon, stop deflecting. I can't believe you've always been like this."

"What do you mean?"

"It's been a bad trip, and you know it. I can see it in your face." Sneasler pointed at Ingo and traces circles in the air.

"Really? I've been told that I'm rather stiff..."

"Compared to Emmet, yeah, but... I can still see it." Sneasler sighed. "Maybe it would've been better if you just did this on your own."

ingo hummed. "If you hadn't been at Gear Station, I most likely would have gone on this train by myself. While that would have made for a fine trip, journeys are made better when shared with others." He looked into Mono's eyes. "Miss Mono, I know that Elesa has been a great help for you, but please also know that Emmet and I are here to help you move forward to your destination!"

Sneasler rested her head on her hands. "And dramatic as ever, too. I'll never understand how you always say stuff like that so sincerely."

"My job is to transport passengers along their journeys to greater heights. Why wouldn't I be happy about what I do?"

"The more you talk, the more you keep using Dig." Sneasler laughed as Ingo got more confused. "It's not a bad thing, Ingo. Don't change that part of you, okay?"

Ingo's eyes widened. "I... Thank you, Miss Mono. I shall do my best."

The rest of the trip was quiet, but with the air cleared, they watched the scenery change in comfort. Though fascinated with the shifting landscapes and cities, Sneasler took glances at Ingo. His human face was slightly harder for her to read than his Sneasel face, but he definitely relaxed into his seat.

Ingo said something about liking train rumbling, right? I guess that's why. ...Have I ever seen him like this? My ancestor definitely didn't. He doesn't really relax on vacations either. Maybe the warden and rescuer stuff takes more out of him than he wants to say? I know he enjoys it, but that responsibility...

I really am going to kick Arceus' ass one of these days.

***

When they returned to Gear Station, Ingo left to check on the status of maintenance, and Sneasler returned to her temporary home and take a nap. She didn't know why her body hurt more than normal. She decided to blame it on her weird human body.

Elesa described her apartment as small, but to Sneasler, it was massive compared to Ingo and Emmet's old tent at the Pearl Guild. She also gave Mono her own guest room, but the train ride tired her out so much that she crashed onto the rectangular but plush couch in the living room. She fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

The ringing of a bell woke Sneasler from her dreamless nap. She jumped to a sitting position, accidentally making Riolu and Croagunk fall off her and onto the floor.

"What the?" Sneasler cursed as she looked between the two dazed tiny pokemon and Whirlipede wrapped around her basket. "When did you guys get here?"

"Came outta our balls like an hour ago," Croagunk said.

"You looked comfy..." Riolu said.

The doorbell rang again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Sneasler combed her fingers through her hair to fix it. The ends curled back up to their usual position. She opened the door.

"I am Emmet. Hi there, Mono." Like Ingo, he did not wear his signature coat and hat, but his outfit was even more unfamiliar to Sneasler. His pants looked almost like normal ones, but the shirt had some sort of colorful floral pattern she didn't expect, let alone from him.

"Hi. Uh, if you're looking for Elesa, she's outta town right now," Sneasler said.

"I know. You have the day off, and so do I. Do you want to go somewhere with me?"

"First your brother, now you?! Is this some sort of new employee ritual thing, or...?"

"Not at all. I am just curious about you." Emmet smiled even more.

Sneasler sighed. "Alright, fine, I guess. Might as well. Why not?" She turned to her pokemon behind her. "You guys gonna be okay here?"

"You're not taking them with you?" Emmet stared intensely at Mono.

"Am... I supposed to?" Sneasler paused, then she added, "Are you gonna challenge me to a battle?!"

"Not today. For you safety, it is a good idea for pokemon trainers to have at least one pokemon with them at all times."

Why am I getting deja vu? "Alright. Everyone cool with coming with?" After a set of affirmative answers, she walked back to the couch where her basket rested next to. She kept her pokeballs inside, along with her hat and coat, the Toxic Plate, and other important items. "...Wait. Do you have a pokemon on you?"

"Of course!" Emmet said.

On cue, a Jotik popped his head out of the pocket on Emmet's shirt. "Hello!"

Sneasler stared at Emmet and Jotik in stunned silence. "Why am I surprised anymore?"

---

Emmet led Mono to Nimbasa City's amusement park while marching and swinging his arms straight, which was more impressive to witness compared to when he did it as a Sneasel.

"We have arrived at Ronde-View Ferris Wheel. Ronde-View Ferris Wheel," Emmet said while pointing at Mono.

"Elesa mentioned something about a "Ferris wheel". You just go around in a circle?" Sneasler asked.

"Correct. It is not a thrill ride, but they give us a good view of Nimbasa City. Are you afraid of heights?"

"No! I'm a rock climber, and you can't be a climber if you're afraid of heights!" Unless there's a bottomless Distortion World void beneath me, but that's just common sense.

"Rock climbing? Verrrry interesting." Emmet narrowed his eyes at Mono.

Sneasler narrowed her eyes back at him. "Yeah. Haven't done it in a while, though."

"Would you like to try today? A rock climbing wall was set up here recently."

"Wait, really? A wall that you just... climb? As a human?"

"'As a human'?" Emmet repeated.

"...Well, I'm just used to regular rocks and cliffs. That's all."

The ride operator stopped the wheel and let people exit a gondola. She approached the gate that Emmet and Mono stood at. "Hello! How many people do we have?"

"Two," Emmet said. "All aboard!"

The pokeball-shaped gondolas were large enough to fit at least four humans and maybe a few small pokemon. The pokeball designs were upside down, making the white half see-through for people to look out of. Mono stepped onto the gondola and got surprised when the floor gave under her weight.

"What the hell?!" Sneasler jumped backward, hitting Emmet with her basket. He quickly caught himself instead of falling.

"Oh, don't worry, Miss! Some of these cars can swing," the ride operator said. "If you'd like, you can wait behind the gate and the next car will stay still."

"That car would be preferable for both of us, I think. Please stand by, Mono," Emmet said, pointing to the line gate.

Sneasler reluctantly stood back and took the next gondola. To her relief, it remained still when she stepped onto it. She and Emmet took opposite seats. Once settled, the operator closed the door and started the ride.

"That was embarrassing," Sneasler said. "I just wanna say, I think the moving one would be fine. I just didn't expect it."

"You are fine, Mono. As I said, I like the cars that don't move. The wheel moves us, anyway." Emmet looked to their left. "I enjoy riding trains and running the Battle Subway. But I also like rides like this because I get a change in perspective."

"Change in perspective, huh?" Sneasler watched them slowly rise above the different buildings in the city. Previously, she could only get a view like this from climbing mountains or riding on Eelektross' back (though he couldn't for long). Not to mention that she mostly saw man-made buildings as ruins, as landmarks of times long past. Here, they were new and pristine.

"Now that our trip has begun, I need to ask you something," Emmet said. "Who are you?"

Sneasler blinked at him. "Is your memory alright? My name's Mono."

"You introduced yourself as Sneasler first."

Sneasler frowned. She mentally kicked herself for confusing Ingo and Emmet so much when they first saw each other. How was she supposed to know she ended up in Unova before Ingo went missing? "It's just a nickname. I mistook you two for someone else."

"Your nickname is the name of an extinct pokemon?"

"Extinct?!" No, wait, calm down! The Nobles weren't active when humans were around. Not extinct. Just in hiding. "I mean... yeah, weird name, it's a long story. And what does it matter?"

Emmet readjusted himself and leaned forward. "I'm just curious. You had a verrrry strong entrance. What is your goal? I want to see your track is going."

Sneasler groaned and put her head into her hands. "Why are you two like this? Ingo got done talking to me about basically the same thing!"

"Huh. I didn't know that. We took different lines but accidentally converged." Emmet smiled. "But I think he gets something different out of questions than I do. We see things differently, and that makes us strong together. I want to learn more! Where do you want your journey to go, Mono?"

"I..." Sneasler leaned back and lazily stared out the window to think. Talking with Ingo started this train of thought, and talking with Emmet needed to finish it.

I want to fucking go home. But I have no idea how to do that, so maybe if I get money, I can go to the Sinnoh region, find the Nobles of this era, and get them to help me. ...If I can find them. If they can get me in contact with Dialga or someone. Could they turn me back into a Sneasler? Ingo and Emmet kinda turned back, but they kinda didn't either. And there's no way I could become like what they are now!

"Mono?" Emmet asked. "Do you not have an answer? If so, that's fine. That's a valid feeling."

"No, I... I do, it's just..." There's no dungeons here. There's no Nobles or rescue teams or anything I know. I don't know what I'm doing here. I don't know anything about being a trainer or being around humans. And just to top it all off, my body isn't mine anymore! Losing my memories would be a blessing at this point! Because at least I don't have to look at Emmet or Ingo and have them look back at me as a stranger!

The Ferris wheel stopped moving. Their gondola returned to ground level.

"Why are you crying?" Emmet reached into a different shirt pocket and offered Mono a tissue. "You really don't have to answer if you can't."

"Why do you care?! You don't even know me!" Sneasler stood up and grabbed her basket. She slammed open the cart and hopped over the exit gate. She looked down at the ground as she walked so that no one saw her tears.

She found a patch of grass and trees at the edge of the park. A shrill winding sound came from her basket, making her jump. Sneasler then nearly fall over as her basket got a heavy weight added inside that wasn't there before. After placing the basket down, she leaned on the tree and slid down to a sitting position. She covered her eyes with one hand.

"Sneasler?" Her Croagunk asked, having come out of his pokeball to face his trainer. "You wanna talk?"

"I am never gonna get used to that pokeball sound." She unlocked the latch on her basket and slapped the top off. "Why are you here?"

Croagunk popped his head out. "You're crying and stormed off from your friend and you're surprised I wanna ask why?"

Sneasler sighed. "Stop pretending you care. I only caught you so I could pretend I'm a trainer."

"You do realize that you totally are a pokemon trainer by now, between me and Riolu and Whirlipede?"

"I'm not a pokemon trainer!"

"Then what are you?"

"I... I don't know anymore, damn it! Like, I was just a Sneasel with a Noble mom. Then my mom died, I had to evolve to a Sneasler take over her title, which sounds great, but it's not! Because everyone wants you to be the ultimate rescuer with super strength and memories from past Nobles and other weird powers! And then a whole bunch of shit happened and everyone became convinced Ingo and Emmet are my younger brothers which is fine! I guess! Because pokemon and even the other Nobles started to respect me more!

"And then! AND THEN!" Sneasler took a deep breath. "Without an ounce of warning, I wake up! In a different time period! In a totally different world! I've never been around humans, I only have memories of them, and even THOSE are vague at best, and now I have to ACT like one?! I had claws for climbing, and now I have weak, soft fingers and nails that break under the slightest load! My back hurts if I carry my basket for too long which NEVER used to happen! I have to pretend to not know what every pokemon I hear is saying!" Sneasler pinched her cheeks. "And to top it all off, whoever did this to me decided to give me a face that looks like Ingo and Emmet's! But they don't know me! And they're the only people in this world I should know but I don't!"

Croagunk tilted his head to look at someone behind Mono and wave. "Hi there, Emmet."

Sneasler scrambled to standing position. Though absolutely terrified, she needed to see if Croagunk told the truth. Unfortunately for her, there Emmet stood, his face frozen and his smile open, wanting to say something but no sound coming out.

Sneasler recalled Uxie's description of when Arceus took Ingo: the world opened up below Ingo and Emmet. They were sucked down until the portal touched one of them and threw out the other. Since Arceus thought Ingo and Emmet were two of the same person, maybe they would think the same thing of her. If Arceus opened a portal right below her feet, she would fall in first and then touch the portal first and leave Emmet and Ingo alone. They're left behind while thinking they lost a weird employee. Nothing of value was lost. But that would mean she becomes a target of Chained Giratina. She could weather a blow if she was still a Sneasler, but as a weak, squishy human? She could die and be unable to return home. And Dialga would likely become upset at the time paradox this scenario would definitely make.

She would rather face an enraged Dialga than explain to Emmet what he just heard.

"...How much of that did you get?" Mono asked, voice just above a whisper.

"Not all of it, I think," Emmet said. "...Do you want another few days off? There's some new tech in Paldea. There's something about being able to feel what it's like to become a pokemon."

Sneasler's face started to turn red. "If I'm flying somewhere, I'd rather go someplace else." Namely, the Sinnoh region. "And right now? I'd rather go home. Just forget everything, okay? Forget everything I ever said, and I'm not bothering you or Ingo ever again, okay?!"

Emmet placed a hand on Mono's shoulder. "You are not the first human who wants to be a pokemon. I've thought about it when I was younger."

Sneasler facepalmed. Somehow, that's worse than if he found out the truth. But at least that means he's not paying attention to me "knowing" him. "Emmet. I'm asking a lot as someone you don't know well." She grabbed his shoulders. "But please don't tell people about this. It's... embarrassing."

"Sure." He presented the tissue that he tried to offer her before. "Once you are ready, do you want to try that rock climbing wall? Would that help you feel better?" Emmet pointed in the direction of the attraction.

Sneasler sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She took his tissue and cleaned up the leftover tears. "It might, it might not, but you'll know either way, I guess??" She grabbed her basket, surprised it wasn't as heavy as before. Croagunk returned to the ball, I guess. "Let's go. All aboard, conductor."

A short walk later, Sneasler saw what Emmet talked about. Calling it a wall for climbing would be generous at best. It was maybe 15 meters high, adorned with candy-colored rocks, and surrounded by soft-looking mats.

"You sure it's for adults? Adult humans?" Sneasler asked. She imagined her mom using a wall like that to teach her how to climb.

"Of course it is." Before waiting for a reply, he walked to the line.

Oh. He just wants to try climbing. That's why he's still hanging out with me. May as well join him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Sneasler sighed and followed behind Emmet.

Different humans - some kids, some adults - stepped up for the opportunity to climb. They wrapped straps around their waists, which connected to a pulley and then to the operator's pokemon, a Sawk and a Throh. Some people didn't reach the top, but those that did rang a bell hanging there next to some Pidoves. The human running the area had a remote connected to a couple timers. Even small pokemon were allowed to give it a shot, though she noted that none of them were natural climbers.

"We're next. All aboard!" Emmet said as the gate opened to let them in.

"Do you know how to climb, Emmet?" Sneasler asked. The mats squished under her feet, confirming her suspicion of being soft.

"No, but trying could be fun!" Emmet smiled even more.

"Whoa, you already have a harness?" The operator asked, looking at Mono.

"Unbelievably, yes," Sneasler said. When she woke up in this world, she wore the coat and hat the twins gifted her and her basket that still contained the Poison Plate. All the other clothes she arrived in were already on her person: the shirt with a fluffy collar, pants, boots, and fake gemstone decorations. She didn't even know what the harness was until Elesa explained it.

The operator hooked her and Emmet to the safety system and then gave them tips for climbing that Sneasler did not listen to. She stared at her hands. This isn't gonna end well. There's too many humans around looking at us. Is it because of Emmet? I haven't tried climbing with this body yet, but I hate not having my claws. Is this how they felt in their Sneasel bodies?

"Uh, miss? Don't you want to take off your backpack?" the operator asked.

"Nope." Sneasler readjusted her basket for stability. "You ready, Emmet?"

Emmet nodded. "Follow the rules. Safe driving! Follow the schedule. Everybody smile!"

As soon as Emmet began reciting his mantra, Sneasler joined in without even thinking about it. When she realized what she was doing, she turned her head to Emmet, who stared back with wide eyes as he kept going. Sorry Emmet, you've said it so much that it burrowed into me.

"Check safety. Everything's ready! Aim for victory! All aboard!" Emmet and Mono finished together. The operator wisely decided to start the timer right then.

Sneasler jumped and grabbed two rocks. She tapped her nails against the colored rocks protruding from the gray wall, hearing and feeling an unnatural hardness and hollowness. Her fingers couldn't dig into the material. She placed her feet on two rocks, and even though she couldn't feel them through the boots, it was sturdy enough to support her weight.

One foot up. Her leg extended, and she grabbed higher rocks. Another step gave her more height. And another. The colored rocks looked like child's play, but they provided a clear, stable path despite their strange and varied shapes. Her body was weaker, but it possessed enough strength to keep her grip and climb at a steady pace. Even as the steepness increased, she was too focused to let it slip her up.

Before she knew, the bell hanged right above her head. With her feet and hands firmly planted, she grabbed the rope and rang the bell for all to hear.

"YES! I can still climb!" In Sneasler's elation, she lost her grip on the wall. She half-expected a certain ghost's Psychic to catch her, but instead, a tug on her harness indicated that the operator's pokemon held her rope, letting her hang in the air. Below her came claps and cheers, but she looked down to find one person in particular.

"You won! That was fun! You did great, Mono!" Emmet near-shouted. He managed to climb halfway up the wall, which Sneasler did not expect, given his thin frame. He let go of the wall without an ounce of fear.

When they were lowered and touched ground, the operator ran at Sneasler. "You climbed that wall in 15 seconds! That's a new record! What's your name, miss?"

"Uh... Mono." I could've done it in half that time if I was still a Sneasler.

"Thank you for climbing with us! Here's your prize!" The operator reached into a pack connected to his belt and pulled out four tickets.

Sneasler snatched the pieces of paper. "Free... Casteliacone... voucher?" She looked at Emmet. "The hell's a Casteliacone?"

"It's a soft serve ice cream. You can get them in Castelia City, which is south from Nimbasa City," Emmet said.

"Oh. Nice." She turned to the operator. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

After Mono and Emmet left the rock climbing area, they found a bench next to a dedicated space to let their pokemon roam. Besides the Joltik from his pocket, Emmet also let Archeops, Durant, and Crustle. Croagunk and Riolu hanged out in their own area, but Whirlipede ran with Archeops for a race - which Sneasler overheard.

"Do you feel better now, Mono?" Emmet asked.

"Kinda." Her fingertips turned red and tough from the exertion. She turned her palm around to stare at the design of her fingerless gloves. "...Sorry for getting mad at you."

"You're not the first. But that climb was amazing. I was hoping for a competition, but I completely lost. It was so fun!" Emmet said. "Yep. You're definitely someone I want to watch for more than one reason. These are the only three pokemon you have?"

"Yep. I have my hands pretty full right now. Why?" she asked, but she already knew what his answer would be.

"When you find a fourth, you should try working for me on the Doubles Line."

"...When? Not if?" Sneasler turned to Emmet and raised an eyebrow.

"Correct. And when you get stronger, you should face me in a battle - after you face 20 trainers first, that is." Emmet smiled even wider.

Sneasler sighed. "You really were always like this, too, huh?"

"Yes? One day, you should also tell us why you act so casually with me and my brother!"

"I said you needed to forget that!" Sneasler once again promised herself to kick the butt of Arceus and whoever is responsible for her predicament.

[benchspkmnirlhub]

Welcome!

I'm Bench, and this is an OOC hub for my Pokemon IRL blogs.

I'll be using this to share behind the scenes stuff about my blogs, along with sharing stuff about potential new blogs, OOC posts about community stuff, writing off-screen stuff for some of my blogs, and more!

Below the cut is a list of all my Pokemon IRL blogs, along with important details about them.

I hope you all find this blog useful!

@wingsofachampion - A blog about a Tropius from the PMD world, who woke up one day in the mainline Pokemon world. She thinks humans are the coolest things ever, and is trying her best to find her way in a world filled with them. She has been adopted by Concordia of @lovenpeace-pkmn, and refers to her as "mama 2". She also has a biological mother, an Aurorus, who forbids her from using her "special name". - Very Active

@goldenrodchef - A blog about a human named Gen, who was summoned to the PMD world, and turned into an Oshawott-Sobble hybrid. He managed to return home, but has yet to regain his human body. He frequently struggles with his inhumanity, and desperately wants to be human again. He also tries his best to help others who have been turned into Pokemon. - Very Active

@zoruascanbetrainerstoo - A blog about a Zorua named Illanero from the PMD world, who woke up in the mainline Pokemon world, and decided to become a trainer. After becoming champion of Hoenn, xey received a strange connection orb that encouraged xem to become champion of even more regions. OOCly, this blog is an excuse for me to play through the mainline Pokemon games. - Quite Active

@interregionalgyminspections - A blog about a gym inspector who, with his Absol friend, goes around to make sure various gyms across the mainline Pokemon world are up to code. - Quite Active

@askthelonelyninetales - A dual Pokemon IRL/Pokeask blog, about the Ninetales from PMD Rescue Team. She is very, very lonely. - Somewhat Active

@amewwayofliving - A blog for a Mew who quit their job in the legendary pantheon to live a human-like life. They are having some difficulties, due to being a legendary psychic floating cat. - Quite Active

@obletadetective - A blog for a Servine who's very inspired by Herlock Sholmes from Great Ace Attorney. He also lives in an original PMD world, that's very steampunk themed. He has trouble paying rent. - Slightly Active

@sentretofcreation - A blog for a Sentret who's actually the Arceus of Gen's world. They're very friendly, and try their best to help anyone they can. - Somewhat Active

@great-thief-yatagarasu - A blog about Kay Faraday from Ace Attorney, but in a Pokemon world. Not a Faller, but has the Ace Attorney events adapted to fit a Pokemon setting. Takes place in the same world as @bigtittylawyer. - Somewhat Active

@tacklrnews - A blog about a Pelipper from the PMD world who writes news articles. This blog writes articles about stuff happening on people's blogs in the Pokemon IRL, Pokemon RPC, and Pokeask communities. It is also open for co-authors, should anyone wish to help me write articles on various happenings. Currently there is one co-author, run by my friend Melmy. - Inactive (For now)

@gildedgaggle - A blog about a quintet of internet friends who decided to make a blog together. This was my first official Pokemon IRL blog. - Inactive (For now)

@teamgardeners - A blog about my protagonist team from PMD Gates to Infinity. Contains major spoilers for that game, so be warned. Will sometimes be referenced on some of my other blogs. - Inactive (For now)

@worldsaverscouncil - A blog about my protagonist teams from PMD Rescue Team, PMD Explorers, and PMD Super. Contains major spoilers for those games, so be warned. Will sometimes be referenced on some of my other blogs. - Inactive (For now)

@pearldiamondandplatinum - A blog about the protagonist trio from the Sinnoh arc of the Pokemon Adventures manga, being Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. They haven't finished their journey yet, and will progress through it as the blog goes on. - Inactive (For now)

@ask-professor-cedar-pmd - A blog about a professor-in-training who ended up in the PMD world, and decided to start researching mystery dungeons. My very first Pokemon IRL blog, from before Pokemon IRL was an established community. - Inactive (For now)

@pkmnirlblogboosting - Not an in-character blog, but an OOC resource to help people get their blogs off the ground, and for people to find blogs to follow.

[ifbench]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

So, here we are. It's been over three years since the last PMD game, and almost 8 since the last one that wasn't a remake. Where does this leave us? Will we ever get another new PMD game? I don't know. Personally? I have hope that the series isn't dead. That one day, we will get another. But I can't say for certain. But even if this is the end…what a legacy PMD has left us with. Five lovely games, each with their own story to tell, their own joys to be had. Sure, some may be better than others, but they all carry the spirit of PMD within them. Rescue Team is a story about finding yourself in a foreign world, of finding home in the unlikeliest of places, of how even when the rest of the world is against you, you'll always have some people who believe in you. Explorers is a story about overcoming impossible odds, of staying true to oneself, of shining bright at world's end, of how if your legacy is still remembered, in a way, you'll still be alive. Adventure Squad is a story of finding joy in the little things, of how even simple acts of kindness can turn around the hearts of a whole village. Gates to Infinity is a story about holding onto hope even in the most desperate circumstances, of friendships that never truly die, of kindness begetting more kindness, of changing the world for the better, one step at a time. Super is a story of learning who you truly are, what makes you yourself, of how negativity is a necessary part of life, of globe-spanning friendships, of entrusted hope, of how you can do amazing things, of how it's ok to need help. Each one has its own, unique take on PMD. Each one has its own themes, its own joys it wants to share. Each one complements the rest, and all together? They make something truly wonderful. While it's possible that PMD might never return, that attatchement we have to it? That love we have for our partners? That joy we have when we remember our favorite moments from it? That will never truly fade. It might be buried, might be forgotten, but it will never truly die. It will always be there, waiting to return. In a way, PMD will never end. Like Special Episode 5 of Explorers teaches us, if our legacy is remembered, then we're still alive, in a way. Our spirit still shines bright, still affecting others. As long as we continue to cherish PMD, it will never die. I'm crying so hard as I type this all. I love PMD. I love it with all my heart. I think a good way to show why PMD will never truly die is to take a look at the fanworks made for it. There are hundreds, if not thousands of fanworks created about PMD. Comics, fanfics, askblogs, and more, all telling their own stories about PMD. All created because of love for PMD. Silver Resistance. Victory Fire. Hands of Creation. Warped Skies. Quenched Torch. Legends Legacy. Shatter. Daily Life in Pokemon Paradise. Flake-N-Rudy. Askanotslownotking. Free Fiction. The Dreamstone. Places We Call Home. Galaxies Above. On Borrowed Time. Fledglings. Liberators of Fate. Sierra 10. Flowerbeds. Irau's Journal. Psychic Sheep. Zero the Hero. Path of Valor. Even those of us who aren't telling full stories, those of us who make fanart, those of us who make fanmusic and remixes, those of us who just gush about PMD. We're all keeping PMD alive. To everyone who has ever made any sort of PMD fanwork, discussed their love for the series, or even just recommended it to a friend. To anyone who has ever helped keep PMD alive. Thank you. Even if we never get a new PMD game, it will never truly die, as long as we continue to cherish it. Thank you all so much.

I have my own PMD fanworks, if anyone wishes to check them out.

Eternal Shadows, a PMD story taking place post-Super, about a human-turned-Oshawott who wishes to return home.

In Tandem, a hybrid PMD and trainerfic, about a PMD Tropius who wishes to become a trainer in the human world.

Then, Then, and Now, a hybrid Rescue Team and Legends Arceus story, of a protagonist who goes through both.

A Comprehensive Guide to Items, a guide to items in the PMD world, and how they work, written in-universe by the Rescue Team partner.

A Way to Reunite, a Gates to Infinity oneshot, about an alternate epilogue if the Worldcore didn't exist.

Day of Heroes, a oneshot celebrating the four main PMD games. The protagonists and partners of each game celebrate a holiday dedicated to them, together.

I also have a variety of PMD askblogs.

@ask-team-searchlights is an askblog for the cast of Eternal Shadows, and @ask-world-savers-council is an askblog for the cast of Day of Heroes. And @adventuresquadharvest is a new askblog I started today, for giving love for Adventure Squad.

If you decide to check out any of these, I hope you enjoy.

I'm also always available to chat about PMD! I have a bunch of headcanons and worldbuilding about the series that I'd love to talk about more! Feel free to either approach me in DMs, ask me on this blog, or contact me on Discord! My username there is ifbench, same as here.

I hope you've all enjoyed my PMD rambles. Thank you for listening.

[hannahp0calypse]

Reverse Unpopular Opinion meme

Pokemon :3

like a lot of people my age/generation/whatever, pokemon is Pretty Important To Me in terms of its influence on my life, creativity, interests, etc. pokémon ruby is one of the first games i remember really losing myself in, and probably the main reason i ended up growing up into A Gamer. a friend of mine in primary school showed me pokémon romhacks and the tools used for them, and some of the earliest times i poked at anything gamedev related was using those tools.

i'm a fan of when pokémon related stories get into the travelling, the adventure. the fantasy of this world to have the freedom to go out and explore and take risks but know you'll always have something to fall back on. at it's best, pokémon really is about the childlike wonder of discovering just how big the world is and how that innocence and hope is what propels people forward into the future.

not quite a positive statement, but i wish there was more pokémon stuff that went into weirder variants of the setting's core concepts. legends arceus' isekai story is a good example - same with the PMD series, the orre games, hell even pokémon conquest. the pokémon themselves have a broad appeal, with so many different mons that there's something for everyone, and that means there's a lot of space to play in how you use them, where you put them, how the player relates to them, etc.

i have this whole pokémon fan setting in my head for a ttrpg campaign i wanna run someday, about a medieval fantasy war story with pokémon as a major setting element. yeah, i could just come up with my own monsters to catch and use in the setting, but pokémon work as a "common language" so to speak in getting certain ideas and concepts across. that shared language of experience and nostalgia is a good foundation to expand upon.

also i can't make a post about what i like about pokémon without a) recommending the fangame Pokémon Tectonic - it's one of my fave pokémon games i've ever played, and i think if you enjoy the competitive-style teambuilding aspects of the main series or have ever wished the main games were just a bit more challenging you'll enjoy it too. and b) saying Fuck Nintendo. absolute scumbag company. make pokémon public domain Now

[cyberdragoninfinity]

What do you think about the mythical Pokemon? I love those silly little guys but God I wish they were better incorporated into games outside of being event distributions

ANSWERING IN THE TRULY BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS QUESTION: A VERY SPECIFIC TIER LIST

unfortunately I can't say I'm the Biggest fan of Mythicals, largely in part cuz, yeah, so many of them are so Go Girl Give Us Nothing that it's hard to get attached to them! :( but also I just, uhhhhh Really Don't Like Pokemon That Look Like Little Girls for the most part. it's weird that's a recurring design element with Mythicals dfhghjdf why are half the Mythicals either A Little Girl or Kind of Just Some Guy That The Text Gives No Real Reason As To Why Theyre a Mythical Legendary Pokemon Anyway. (tbh idk how i feel about the Legendary/Mythical split. it feels like it would have more Oomph if more of the Mythicals.....Felt so special and rare and powerful.)

it really is a shame they on the whole, especially in later gens, don't get incorporated into the games very well or very much (or even. have lore. at all. stares holes into zeraora.) Even the event distributions used to at least let you Go To a New Area (hypothetically, if you could ever actually get The Event Item To Do the Event) and experience a different part of the region or whatever, and that kind of thing was so cool! When I was a kid getting to go catch Victini at Liberty Garden RULED. reading about that weird island in FRLG where you could get deoxys felt like stumbling upon a strange secret within the game. It really has an element of mythos to it, and then Gen 6/7/8 was just like. Here's a Mystery Gift Code From Gamestop. Bye.

(thank you based Gen 9 for not only giving Pecharunt a pretty hefty dose of lore as far as Mythicals have been going, but making him the star of a wholeass game story epilogue. I really like when Mythicals actually have personality to 'em, and oh my god that little cunty peach has SO much personality. He's a little asshole!! THANK GOD!!!)

there really is so much you can potential do so much with the concept of a Mythical and it would be really nice to see Pokemon games do a little more with them! Like...yeah there's the movies theyre in but I feel like actually interacting with them in game is a different (possible even more fun) beast. Hell, It's part of why Legends Arceus kicks ass--what a treat it is to see a Mythical Pokemon being given space to be cool as fuck and to interact with you and have Real Narrative Weight in the story. And Celebi from PMD too!!!! LET MYTHICALS BE ACTUAL CHARACTERS. IN THE ACTUAL GAMES....PLEASE....PLEEEASE

[tiffanylilalayorlestron]

Mmm. So I've been watching a silent playthrough of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Sky while I work recently and it churned up an AU idea that I can't get out of my head. I'm sure it's been done before but the potential for a story will not leave me alone.

So, the human from PMD Sky, the one from the future, who jumps back in time w/ their partner Grovyle, gets batted around in that time storm and separated, right? Same old, same old.

HOWEVER.

Instead of getting transformed into a Pokemon and going on their adventure in the Mystery Dungeon world, Arceus (the old goof) senses an opportunity and plucks the human from their current place outside time and space claw machine style, and throws them head first into Hisui, right smack dab into the events of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Why pick a random qualified human from the real world when a different one has basically offered themselves up to the task?

Hero, who is still somewhat memory-less (and also, Arc Phone-less since I'm sure phones are rather hard to come by in Primal Dialgas apocalyptic time period), is now forced to play the confused and unknowing savior of Hisui at the behest of some mysterious unknown force, battling it out with crazed nobles and weaving their way through the ranks of Team Galaxy.

I like the idea that Hero IS qualified for it. They more than have the survival skills necessary to brave the Hisuian wilds, learned from a lifetime of navigating the harsh world of a post apocalypse, constantly on the run. Do you think they find it weird that Pokemon can't talk? What do they think of other people, other humans? They can't remember anything, but I'm sure they get feelings.

Imagine the uses the Dimensional Scream would give them. What does it feel like when the peak of Mt. Cornet opens and shrouds the entire sky in an undending red? Imagine their witnessing of a crazed Origin Form Dialga, the primal, unexplained fear that would well up within them upon witnessing the extreme power of the entity who threw their entire world into paralysis. Do you think being a part of Team Galaxy, of helping people in Hisui, of working towards a greater goal to help people would feel familiar? They may not remember working with the Planetary Exploration Team, but do you think when they talk to Adaman and Irida or Rei or Akari they get this warm, familiar feeling? That they're reminded of someone, but they can't quite remember who?

Do you think saving a different world, when so much of their life has been about saving their own, has any effect on them?

Who knows? But, finally, when it's all over, when all of Arceus' herculean tasks have been completed. and Origin Dialga has been calmed. The plates collected, Volo defeated and Giratina soothed at last. When the Pokedex is finally done, everything is back to relative peace and normalcy, and Hero ascends above the peak of Mt. Coronet, Arceus returns their memories and grants Hero's wish. It sends Hero back.

(Do you think, upon encountering Arceus and regaining their memories, they would beg the deity to save their own world?)

It sends Hero back to exactly the same moment it took them from. Amidst a roiling time storm, spiraling between fractals of whens and wheres with no idea where they'll come back.

For the second time in their life Hero, who is now a Pokemon, awakens on a beach confused and alarmed by an overwhelming sense of familiarity that they just. can't. place. Alongside this terrible sense that something is deeply, deeply wrong, that something incredibly important is missing. Like this exact thing has happened before. But they can't remember when. In fact, they can't remember anything!

Because wouldn't you know it!? Their memories are gone. Again.

Cue Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky!

There are so many similarities between PMD:S and Legends Arceus. Waking up with no memories on a beach outside an unfamiliar town by a stranger who recognizes your skills and asks you to join their team? Joining a community, tasked with exploring, learning and helping others who need it? Meeting different interesting folks and Pokemon across the world and befriending them? Time travel shenanigans? Meeting a helpful stranger who ends up betraying you and you find out they were, in fact, just the pawn of a much more powerful entity who was the true cause of the current state of the world? Like, besides Darkrai and Arceus in Sky and Legends respectively, even the legendary Pokemon that are focused on are the same too. < and I'm aware that's because PMD:S was a gen 4 game and Legends Arceus takes place in ancient Sinnoh, but like, still.

Do you think the Hero sees themselves in Grovyle at all? Someone in an unfortunate situation being accused of and punished for something they didn't do, and despite all that still striving to help? Do you think they're surprised by Dusknoir's betrayal? When the truth comes out on those stockades, do you think Hero takes it in stride? Do you think that Hero sees Rei and Akari in their partner? That nervousness slowly diminishing over time as the two work together? That need to be dependable?

Lots to think about.

Anyway, all this is because I like the idea that a Hero who put up with Kamado's shit would absolutely NOT put up with Chatots.

[artistibatt]

I want to draw out a PMD team that are actually evil instead of antagonistic like Team Double Trouble and Team Spectacle.

The current name is Team World Destroyer (named by the leader). Said leader is a Type: Null named Void. Their teammates are a Mewtwo (no name rn) and a Porygon-Z (name could be Zero)

The story I have so far is that the three were created in a facility or lab to take down Arceus'. The three escaped though. Void is obsessed at taking down Arceus still because they were created for that purpose and heard their creators always talk about that as well wanting to create a better world.

Mewtwo was weakened to a point the mew that they were cloned from (they have a sibling-like relationship) makes fun of them. Void promised to help Mewtwo get their power back, in return Mewtwo helped them. They genuinely do care about Void as well.

I haven't thought much about Zero except that they're more of the brains of their operation.

I also had other ideas of them hiring the now lousy 3 to steal items, trying to find jirachi to force them to grant their wishes, looking for Victini so they would win, etc.

Another idea was that Arceus had scattered their plates to protect them from pokemon who would want them. (Thought of this after watching the Arceus and Jewel of Life movie)

That's about it for now

[ero-keixx]

Ok so here's a rating of all the legendaries from my most favourite to least favourite.

Notes

~

- I am excluding legendaries from SWSH, USUM, and SV because I haven't fully played those games. I played Sword but got bored with it and gifted my copy of it to my brother and I never touched SV and USUM and don't have the money for them :/ (well.... except for USUM I just don't wanna play that one. I do REALLY wanna play SV tho, I just can't afford it).

- Some XY and SM ones may not be on this list as well but that's because I don't even fully remember them/didn't know they existed until I looked. And I have all of XY blocked out from my memory except for the 3 main legendaries. Same for SM, I really only remember the story in SM. Anywayss, let's go!

1. Suicune! 4Ever was one of my favourite Pokemon movies as a kid and I just really love it's design. I also first played Crystal when I was 13 and using a GB emulator on my phone. I LOVED it! So I got some childhood nostalgia tied to this reasoning.

2. Reshiram. The BW/BW2 games are my favourite games in the entire series. I have tons of nostalgia for the games and are both the second/third Pokemon games I ever beat when I was 10. I hold all of Gen 5 dear to me.

3. Entei. The first Pokemon movie I ever watched was 3 and it was the first movie that ever made me cry. I remember when I was 6 I lived right next to a Family Video (R.I.P.) and they had a free kids movie section. Me and an old friend picked out Pokemon 3 and watched together and it made me SOB. I dealt with severe abuse starting when I was only a few months old that worsened at the age of 4. I was still going through the worse of it. I saw a lot of myself in the main little girl and I desperately wished I had a Entei that protected me. So there's a lot of sentimental reasonings for it.

4. Celebi. Again, 4Ever was one of my favourite movies as a kid so that's why. I also cried while watching that one when I was 7/8.

5. Ho-Oh. So Heartgold was the second Pokemon game I ever owned (it was the 3rd or 4th game I ever played) and it was the first Pokemon game I ever fully beaten. I got the game for my 9th birthday. One of my aunt's bought it for me while my mom paid for SoulSilver which I ended up gifting to my friend after she asked for one (I didn't care and still don't, I have no preference for either I adore both HG and SS).

6. Dialga. Diamond was the first Pokemon game I ever owned and the 2nd or 3rd game I ever played. I sadly never beat it, I got stuck at one of the cities with that pokemon pageant thing and then my copy of the game got lost. Idk how it got lost because I took care of my belongings but at the time my cousin was living with my family and he had a habit of stealing stuff and giving them away so it's most likely that happened but I can't say for sure. I wasn't able to touch another Sinnoh game until I was 16 where I got Platinum for my birthday.

7. Darkrai. So fun fact, as much as I adore the PMD games my favourite Pokemon spin offs are the Ranger games with Shadows Of Almia being my favourite. I got it for Christmas when I was 7 and was ADDICTED to it (so was my mom, she loved "stealing" my DS when I wasn't around and played it lol). And it's design is just cool as fuck it gives me Shadow The Hedgehog vibes.

8. Victini. I LOVED the BW movie when it came out. I remember watching it live on CN. And I was obsessed with Victini as a legendary when I was 11.

9. Latias + Latios. I first watched heroes when I was 10/11 and I ADORED it.

Ok so for the rest of these I don't have any sentimental reasoning as to why I like/dislike them the rest is just based off of the design.

10. Mew.

11. Shaymin.

12. Cobalion

13. Virizion (my dumbass keeps reading it as Verizon, like the phone company lmao)

14. Arceus

15. Lugia

16. Giratina

17. Rayquaza

18. Groudon

19. Kyogre

20. Xerneas

21. Manaphy (gonna be honest I didn't even know this was a legendary until now)

22. Phione

23. Jirachi

24. Cresselia

25. Azelf

26. Mesprit

27. Uxie

28. Articuno

29. Type: Null

30. Silvally

31. Raikou

32. Meloetta

33. Cosmog, Cosmoem, and Solgaleo/Lunala (Idk where to put each so they're all going in this spot)

34. Deoxys

35. Keldeo

36. Terrakion

37. Zapdos

38. Moltres

39. Palkia

40. Zekrom

41. Kyurem.

42. Heatran

43. Yveltal

44. Zygarde

45. Necrozma

46. Regirock, Regice, and Regigigas. I don't like the designs they creep me out.

47. Mewtwo. The design is unappealing to me. It's iconic but I don't like it :/.

48. Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus. I HATE these designs they piss me off and idek why they just do.

Ok that's my entire list and again if I don't have any on here that's not from SWSH and SV it's most likely because I don't remember them/didn't know they existed. I have played both XY and SM (I beat XY but I never beat SM cuz I couldn't beat Kukui). But the thing with those games is that I was dealing with a lot of mental stuff and trauma while playing both. I blocked out XY mainly because I didn't like it and also I was suffering from severe depression and SM was blocked out due to the fact that I was going through trauma while playing it (I only remember the starters, characters, and story). So a lot of the Pokemon and legendaries from those games were wiped from my memory.

I probably shouldn't have made this list due to these facts but I mostly wanted to share my favourite legendaries (1-28 are my faves, 29-35 I'm neutral on, and everything below I just don't like, design wise anyways).

[sammy8d257]

One last new art before I'm dragged kicking and screaming into Finals Week prep for my last semester of my MBA

The "How to Hold" meme featuring Arceus's Wish's squishiest boi, Josh the Oshawott

[01turnkill]

2024 Media Post Time - Master

3. Pokemon Violet (Replayed)

Last year my Nintendo Switch tragically broke while I was playing Splatoon 3... No idea what was wrong with it. I even learned how to take it apart and put it back together but it was really really lost and the bad thing about that is I lost all of my Pokemon save data that is stored on the console. Pokemon games are some of the only games that do not back up save data to the cloud so... it was lost. I am lucky Splatoon 3 backs up data because Splatoon 2 doesn't.

Since I know Violet will have about a year more raids and events before there's nothing more, I really wanted to play it and make a team again. I missed out on the Walking Wake and Iron Leaves raids. I also thought this would be the perfect time to get the DLC though I haven't played through it yet. When I do I'll make another media post about it.

I finished Violet on release and did a lot of shiny hunting and grinded raids for a couple months before going to do other things. Finished the dex and everything... so it was pretty troublesome to do it all again. Originally it took me about 120 hours before it was freeplay mode. What was lost.. 2 shiny Vaporeon, 2 shiny Veluza, 2 shiny Ceruledge, 2 shiny Iron Valiant, 1 shiny Slowbro, 1 shiny Magneton, 1 shiny Magnezone...and more I must have forgotten about. I even had 3 shiny Veluza at one point but decided to surprise trade one away. I love having multiple of my favourite things.

This time I wanted to play quickly while also finishing the dex, and managed to do it in 45 hours with the help of a couple friends and a lot of surprise trading. I skipped most of the dialogue and didn't explore like I did originally.

I really like this game! I have a few criticisms but I am going to be somewhat of a defender of it. Don't get me wrong it has the worst performance, the kind I expect from me playing anything on my laptop, and it was made for the console so there isn't an excuse. On the Switch Lite which I borrowed to play, the NPCs in all the towns don't even load in before their dialogue. I once waited 30 seconds for the Poke Center nurse to load in just so I could heal.

Regardless it's very fun. Lots of optimisations and quality of life changes that we saw in Legends Arceus. While it removes specialty NPCs I don't miss it....

Somewhat on that track, this game lacks a reason to go back to the towns and cities apart from sandwich ingredients. I wish there were special events or battles to participate in or something like that, more like the battle cafe or even a daily puzzle or a proper game... Lots could be done.

The story is something I really love in this game. Just like in Legends Arceus the character focus was really strong and it makes it feel a lot like PMD in those ways.. It's also a little harrowing just the implications of everything and very existential the way all time travelling stories tend to be. I've got a big sci fi bias so of course I liked that a lot. Pokemon does do sci fi but this was in a different way. The false professor and the genuine professor. I love mixed consciousness and robots like that. To make it better I'd want more quests to do with area zero investigating throughout Paldea outside of the occult books (which are cool though).

Anyway basically I hate the warriors of mid, Pokemon SV are good.

[calyx-arts]

Fury of Ice

What's with me and trying to experiment with my style with this specific character? I dunno, but I just really like Glacie from Arceus's Wish!

[psiioniicarts]

possession au time baybeeeee

instead of just hearing the voice of Dialga in his head, poor little Adaman gets a lot more than he bargained for when a Dialga driven mad by the distortions in time and space, primal Dialga, seizes control of him. now, driven into a state of senseless fury, a possessed Adaman keeps meddling with the player’s attempts to fix the rift in the sky…and it’s up to them to face off with him in a guardian style boss match…and hopefully save both Adaman and Dialga in the process

my inspiration is I just think normally calm and laid back characters driven into a state of feral rampage while they struggle to regain control is…neat :))

[teamconductors]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Lost Tracks of Time, Chapter 26

Summary: Ingo wakes up in a strange realm of light.

Author’s Note: Something that I mentioned in a tumblr ask from a while ago is that Ingo’s inclusion in Legends Arceus felt detached from the game’s narrative and served to only create retrospective angst. And that part of the purpose of this fic was to give purpose to Ingo’s presence in the game. Well… this chapter shows what I mean.

CW: Gore, Body Horror. The relevant section will be denoted with five asterisks instead of my normal three. If this sounds familiar, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. (For the non-AO3 people, this chapter’s title is “Ingo’s Path of Solitude”.)

Thank you @furiouskettle!

(Shippers DNI)

At the Galaxy Expedition Team’s training grounds were two strange humans. One was a young girl, and the other was an old-appearing man. Both wore clothes torn up from countless pokemon battles. Both bore numerous scars – the girl’s from calming frenzied Nobles, the man’s from a near-deadly attack he didn’t recall. And both were skilled in catching, training, and battling with pokemon.

Akari and Ingo stood in front of each other at the center of the training field. Zisu and other security corps gathered to watch the battles. They started their battles at midday, and the sky turned orange for their last one.

“This is our final stop. Let Gallade’s Path of Solitude begin!” Ingo said.

Akari nodded with determination. She and Ingo turned on their feet and took position on opposite sides of the court.

Ingo took out a pokeball. “Gardevoir, get ready for departure!” He turned and threw the pokeball to let out his Gardevoir. Ingo took his natural battle stance, holding onto the brim of his signature cap while pointing forward. He wasn’t sure why he liked doing it, but he did.  

Akari also took a battle stance – her feet wide apart for balance and arms ready for attacks – and took out her pokeball. “Go, Gallade!” She threw the ball and let out her pokemon. Gallade and Gardevoir bowed to each other.

“Gardevoir, use Calm Mind,” Ingo said.

“Gallade, use Sword Dance!” Akari said.

Both pokemon used their buffing moves, with Gallade seemingly dancing as his arm blades sharpened and Gardevoir closing her eyes and breathing careful breaths. Ingo noted that Gallade finished his move faster than Gardevoir did, though they started at the same time.

“All clear! Gardevoir, use Moonblast!” Ingo pointed to Gallade. His strategy for this path was simple, relying on a Gardevoir with strong defenses to attack with a supereffective fairy-type move.

Akari’s eyes widened. “Gallade, use Shadow Claw!”

Gallade’s arm draped itself in shadows. He ran forward as Gardevoir charged her attack. Gallade wound his arm back as Gardevoir unleashed the ball of pink and blue energy at her opponent. Gallade struck the orb, dispersing the energy that still struck his body, and he proceeded to strike Gardevoir as well.

Ingo noted that both pokemon took similar amounts of damage. With Gallade outspeeding Gardevoir, the battle would easily win in Akari’s favor if they kept going. He may want Akari to win, but he wouldn’t make it easy. “Gardevoir, clear the way and use Hypnosis!”

Gardevoir’s eyes glowed as she stared down Gallade. The opponent stiffened before relaxing his posture, the drowsiness taking effect.

“C’mon, Gallade! Shake off that sleep! Use Thunder Punch!” Akari said.

“Gardevoir, use Shadow Ball!” Ingo said.

Gallade’s arm charged up with electricity. He stared down Gardevoir with half-lidded eyes and ran straight at her, though with less speed than his previous attack. When he got close, Gallade’s drowsiness took over him and vaguely hit Gardevoir at her side. Gardevoir threw down her Shadow Ball on Gallade’s head. The shadows exploded like a burst water balloon on the grounded pokemon.

“C’mon, Gallade! I know you can beat them! One last Shadow Claw!” Akari shot her fist up to the sky.

“We are approaching our destination! Use Moonblast!” Ingo said.

Gardevoir prepared a Moonblast larger than half of her body. Gallade’s eyes opened, and he jumped back to attention. Gallade jumped and formed a Shaodw Claw while in the air. He dove to strike Gardevoir through the attack. Pink and blue energy collided with the shadows. The Moonblast exploded in Gallade’s face, but he struck Gardevoir in the chest. Gallade landed and slid past Gardevoir on his feet, forming a trail in the dirt.

Gallade panted but remained standing. Gardevoir collapsed and fainted. Zisu and the Galaxy Team members cheered for their survey corps member.

“Excellent! Bravo!” Ingo said as he pointed to Akari and the ground. He walked to his pokemon. “You performed well. You more than earned a rest.” Ingo recalled Gardevoir to her pokeball. He stood up again to face Akari. “Gallade has reached the destination called Victory! And with that, we reached our final stop in the Path of Solitude you wished to visit today. Allow me to stamp your pokedex.”

Akari smiled and presented her completed pokedex to Ingo. Ingo took out a stamp set from a bag hidden by his signature coat. The young survey corps member had 4 out of 6 pokemon complete their paths, so Ingo stamped the entries for Carnavine, Toxicroak, Raichu, and Gallade. He hoped to see if Eevee and Empoleon could complete their paths in the future as well.

“Do you actually have a path planned for every pokemon, or are you bluffing?” Akari asked.

“Of course I have schedules for each pokemon! Why would I lie about such a thing?” Ingo asked.

She raised a brow at Ingo. “So, you have an idea on how to challenge Dialga and Palkia? And Giratina? And Arceus?”

“I even have a route laid out for Arceus, yes,” Ingo said.

“You are… incredible,” Akari said, though Ingo thought she was going to say a different word at the end. “Okay, that’s enough battles for now. I’m gonna get some potato mochi!”

“That sounds delightful, Miss Akari. I hope you enjoy them.” Ingo thought of his route next. He was borrowing some of the Galaxy Team’s pastures for some of the pokemon he trained for the Paths of Solitude, so he needed to inspect them. After that, he needed to feed his team, and then he could feed himself.

Akari interrupted his thoughts. “Wanna join me, Ingo? I can get Beni to make you mochi!”

Ingo was taken aback from the pleasant surprise. “Hm… Very well. I think I can make an alteration to my schedule for you!”

Akari led Ingo to the Wallflower. She waved to Laventon and Rei, who met at their usual table, but she led Ingo to a different table off to the side of the restaurant. Trees and the building itself provided shade. Ingo hoped she just wanted to speak in private and didn’t want to sit separately for a more sinister reason.

“Is there a particular reason for this meeting, Miss Akari?” Ingo asked.

“Well… uh, yeah...” Akari briefly turned her gaze away from the man. “…Ingo, are you happy here?”

“Hm? Am I happy here at Jubilife Village? Because I am! Miss Zisu has been treating me well, even with us sharing the same battlefield.”

“No, I meant… I meant here in general. Hisui. This time period. All that stuff.”

“What brought this on? Is something wrong?”

“Well… I come from a different time, and so do you. I’ve been thinking about if there’s anything at “home” for me, so I’ve been wondering about you, too.”

“I appreciate your concern, Miss Akari. But… as I mentioned in the past, I don’t remember much before my arrival in Hisui. I… don’t even recall if I had a family, so I have little reference to compare this time to.”

Akari frowned. “That makes sense, I guess, but that doesn’t quite answer me. Ingo, Are you happy here?”

Ingo took a moment to think about how he’d respond. Even though he loved his position as a warden and battle conductor, there was something about the environment that prevented him from enjoying them fully.

Most of the Pearl Clan simply tolerated him; no one would say it directly, but it was a feeling he could not shake off. Pointing was considered rude, but Ingo did it out of instinct. His difficulty controlling the volume of his voice contributed to his unfavorable image. He especially received strange looks and condemnations, even from the typically affable Clan Leader Irida, when he began making and using pokeballs to carry his pokemon instead of letting them roam in the Space Almighty Palkia created for them. Even with how dangerous pokemon proved to be in this environment, he found himself more at ease around them than around humans at times. Several clan members warmed up to Ingo after a couple years, but he still heard remarks when others thought he couldn’t hear them.

And that was to say nothing about the permanent feeling that something was missing from his life. It wasn’t just about losing memories themselves. His pokemon, Lady Sneasler, former Warden Jove, the current Wardens, Clan Leader Irida, Miss Akari, Miss Zisu, all were great friends and allies. But there were holes in the railroad track of his life in need of spikes that he could not find.

But he couldn’t tell Akari that. “Simply put, I take pride in completing my duties. Caring for Lady Sneasler, representing the Pearl Clan, and conducting battles for you and others are all important to me. Because I can fulfill those duties and help you, I feel content.”

Akari gave Ingo a look of uncertainty. Ingo wondered if something in his mannerisms conflicted with the words he gave her.

“Here’s your potato mochi,” Beni said as he presented two plates, one for each time traveler. “Let me know if you want any more.” He left without another word.

“Thank you, Sir Beni!” Ingo said. “Oh, how much do I need to help pay for the meal?”

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s on me,” Akari said. She picked up a mochi and bit into it. Though she clearly enjoyed the treat, Ingo could tell something was not all right with Akari.

“Are you feeling homesick, Miss Akari?” Ingo asked. He wanted to talk for a short time longer to let his food cool off. “You mentioned before that you remember your home from before you fell from the sky, correct?”

“Yeah, that’s right. About remembering home, I mean. I’m… not homesick.” Akari gave a side glance that let Ingo know not to press the issue further. “But I was wondering… if you wanted to go home?”

Ingo hummed as he thought over Akari’s question. “I’m… I’m quite unsure. Though I am grateful for your concern, it is nothing to worry yourself over. All I ask is for you to enjoy our battles and that you reach greater heights on your journey!”

“…Right,” Akari said. She resumed eating her mochi, and Ingo began eating his.

***

Ingo found himself in a realm of light. He last remembered healing his pokemon but did not recall falling asleep at any point. He had to be dreaming. Though a mostly white space, strange tones of colors shifted between each other in a rainbow kaleidoscope. He stood upright despite the absence of a visible floor. He was not even certain if his sense of direction was correct, a strange sensation for him.

“Greetings, Human. Welcome to my realm. What is thy name?” A voice spoke from all directions and reverberated in Ingo’s head.

Though apprehensive about what this being of light needed from him, Ingo still had to maintain politeness. “Good day. I’m Warden Ingo.”

“Ingo, thou shalt soon find thyself in a world strange for thee. My mission for thou is…”

The rainbow lights collected in front of Ingo. Ingo shielded his eyes as it got brighter. Once the excessive light subsided, what was left was Arceus, the Almighty pokemon Akari caught.

“To live thine life at home in peace,” Arceus said. Their voice still manifested an echo in Ingo’s head.

Ingo stared at Arceus in disbelief. “What a peculiar mission! What brought this on?”

“Thou art aware that I am the one who sent you to Hisui?” Arceus asked.

“I… had suspicions, but I had no track to follow to decisively conclude that.” Akari mentioned in the past that her mission to Seek Out All Pokemon came from Arceus themself. Considering all that happened in the past few years, Ingo had little reason to doubt her. But he did not believe that he himself was sent by Arceus as well. Not until then.

“And thou art aware of Akari’s accomplishments? That is because she took over the role I had given thou.”

Ingo stared at Arceus. A sinking feeling took over him. “…Could I please ask to you elaborate?”

“Yes. Thou knoweth the story of Akari, her appearance into a strange land and purpose to “Seek Out All Pokemon”? That was thine original mission. That was my purpose in transporting thou into this time. That was thine purpose.”

“…In summary, you gave me a journey and destination to reach… and I failed?” Ingo asked after several seconds in piecing together his sudden grief. Ingo’s train of thought followed as Arceus laid down the tracks. He was supposed to have rescued Hisui from Volo and his inane plot to destroy the world? The sick feeling in him worsened by the second. It was not an image he ever expected for himself. But Arceus’ claim was a nightmare. His duties meant everything to him. He had a responsibility to every single passenger and guest who came across his path. Failing even one was not an option as a Warden.

“No. Thou hast succeeded but not in the way I intended.”

White light obscured and took over Ingo’s vision. He saw in a void of shifting days and nights Akari. Instead of her Survey Corps uniform, she wore a strange shirt and short pants. Above her was Ingo. Ingo noted that this version of him had an intact coat, white formal shirt, and blue tie, meaning this was him before he arrived in Hisui. He quickly realized he was watching himself and young Akari travel backwards in time.

And above both humans was a Deep Shadow. It dived toward Akari with glowing red eyes and an aura of lethal intent. Akari braced her impact, unable to do anything else.

“I WON’T ALLOW YOU TO HARM A PASSENGER!” The Ingo in the vision dove toward Akari.

The Deep Shadow tried to strike Akari. Ingo took the strike at his chest, shredding his white shirt. Akari gasped, as though she didn’t expect the man to appear. She watched in horror as the man fell far faster than she was and left behind a trail of blood orbs. As Ingo disappeared, the Deep Shadow turned to try and attack Akari. Then the Deep Shadow disappeared in a blink of light that outshined the surroundings.

“Do not worry. I sent the attacker back to their original time. As thou saw, not only did thou receive a lethal strike and lost thine memories as a result, but thou was also sent back years earlier than I intended,” Arceus said. “And this allowed Akari to enter the time period without issue.”

Ingo’s vision returned to the world of light. “So that’s the cause of my injury…” He brushed a hand across his torso, feeling the tunic’s cloth but also the scar underneath. “I am glad that I helped Akari even back then.”

“Yes, but that is not all. I used Future Sight to gain a vision of alternate timelines in which thou arrived at the intended time. The first Warden for Sneasler would perish a year prior to thine arrival, resulting in a great obstacle in thine duty to Seek Out All Pokemon.”

“Jove was supposed to die?” Ingo asked. His thoughts answered his own question, as he recalled an avalanche the two avoided. If Jove was by himself that day, he might not have noticed the signs and gotten away in time…

“The same problem would have occurred if I only sent Akari. While thou was sent to an unintended location, it allowed Akari a smoother path on her mission.”

“If I may ask, why are you telling me all of this? And how does this relate to “living my life at home”?”

“Thy hast fulfilled thine duty and more. Therefore, if thou wishes it, I can return thee to thine original time.”

“Almighty Arceus, while I sincerely appreciate your generosity, I have a duty in Hisui as a Warden. I do not feel comfortable departing from this station when no replacement is left to carry my duties, including maintaining Sneasler’s condition, taking care over my pokemon, and conducting battles.”

“If thou dost not wish to stay in thine realm permanently, thou can return here as well. What if I returned thou to the same time as thou hast left? For thine allies, it will be as though you never left.”

Ingo hummed. “That would ease my mind slightly, but…” He recalled Akari’s musings about her home. “Is there anything left for me in that station in my original time?”

“There is thine brother.”

Ingo’s heart skipped a beat. “…I had a brother?”

“That is correct.”

“I had a family…” Ingo’s heart made up for the skipped beats by picking up speed. “…If I am able to return to my station in Hisui without any schedule changes, then I would like to see my origin station then.”

“Noted. Allow me to bestow upon thou a gift.”

Ingo felt something on his right wrist. The Sneasler bracelet was gone, replaced by a white, unnaturally smooth bracelet. He felt a weight on the back of his wrist. A small square of black was surrounded by white and gold detailing.

“This is a watch,” Arceus said. “Use it to tell me when ready to return.”

Ingo found himself pulled off the ground. He floated up toward Arceus as the lights around him intensified. Ingo crawled into a ball to escape the lights’ painful effects. And then he vanished in a blink of light and colorful sparks.

*****

Ingo fell up through the time tunnel. The strobing light and darkness dotted by glittering stars brought a strange sense of familiarity and dread within him. Though Arceus’ words already encouraged him to escape his duties for a moment, he mulled them over again to make sure he made the right decision. Akari was correct in her assessment that Ingo was not completely satisfied with his life, but he questioned if he will be able to return to Hisui without a single change in schedule.

More pressingly, was there really someone waiting for him at the end of the route? Was it a reward for succeeding in saving the world, or was this a complicated ruse to get rid of him? Only certain people in the Pearl Clan and Galaxy Team tolerated him and his strange mannerisms that not even he could explain. Then again, it would be strange to employ an Almighty pokemon like Arceus to do such a thing. But the thought would not depart from his mind. Not matter how much he tried to help others, not even Arceus would think it was enough. Or was Ingo doomed to always be missing something in his life?

But he heard a voice that stopped his destructive thoughts in its tracks.

“Ingo! Ingo!”

Ingo looked up to see who called his name. His eyes widened. It was a blip of white that came from among the dark. For some reason, nothing about the man’s appearance surprised him. Tears tried to break out from his eyes. It was the fellow that he shared a face with. It was the man who liked winning more than anything else. Arceus was right. Ingo had a family.

“Emmet?” Ingo said without thinking.

Emmet reached out to Ingo. “Ingo! I am Emmet! I found you! I finally found you!” Ingo did the same.

Ingo’s joy left the station when he saw a familiar Deep Shadow above Emmet.

The next moments occurred in fragments. An extremely sharp pain radiated from Ingo’s neck. Warm red liquid oozed onto his hands. Red liquid flew from the back of Emmet’s head. Emmet wasn’t moving. Ingo tried to scream for help, but nothing resembling his voice came out.

Ingo reached out one hand toward Emmet. Ingo’s fingers fused together, and the skin hardened, forming two claws. The same thing happened to Emmet. Emmet’s skin turned teal. The blood stopped trailing from Emmet’s head. Ingo saw something red poke out from Emmet’s ear. Emmet’s eyes closed, and he seemed to shrink and disappear into his coat.

Ingo feared the worst. Ingo found himself able to scream again. He didn’t recognize his own voice or the sounds he made. Something itched under the skin of his left ear. Pain collected in the middle of his forehead and over his heart. Ingo’s hat obscured his vision, as did his coat that flapped in the tunnel’s wind.

Ingo’s consciousness began to fade as prickling, stabbing pain overtook his nerves. It reminded him of a Sneasel’s poison, a sensation he grew accustomed to from working with Lady Sneasler but manifested hundreds-fold in strength. He finally got relief over the missing segments of his mind. Ingo finally reunited with his family, but it lasted for no longer than a minute before complete derailing.

“Warden Ingo, thou hast professed thine unsatisfactory feelings.” Arceus’ voice rang in Ingo’s head as his vision went white. “Consider this thine second chance, this time with thine sibling as an apology for separating thee. Ingo, rescue the Deep Shadow and prove thyself!”

*****

In the present, Ingo opened his eyes. He wasn’t certain of what he expected to find when he woke up, but the bed he laid on was soft and comfortable, tempting him to stay asleep. But Ingo had places to be, so he refused and sat up.

Ingo realized he was in the Pearl Guild’s infirmary. His coat, cap, and bag all hanged on a clothes stand nearby. A wet towel was tied over his head, which he concluded was for his gem. Based on his dreams, he quickly concluded that he somehow regained his memories from before he became a pokemon.

He heard snoring and saw Sneasler sleeping next to him. She sat in a chair and laid her head on Ingo’s bed. Next to her was the trains history book Emmet got from Laventon.

“Hey, Ingo!” Gaeric said. “You finally woke up! Wow, you were really tired, but makes sense. Rest is important for getting strong.”

“”Finally” woke up?” Ingo asked. “How long was I unconscious for?”

“You were out for about a week,” Gaeric said.

“A week?!” Ingo’s yell shook some of Gaeric’s jars of medicinal herbs and berries.

Sneasler snapped out of her nap. The fur on her face was matted and had a flat spot from Sneasler laying her head. “Huh? What? …Oh, hey, Ingo.”

“Good day, Sneasler!” Ingo said. “I’m surprised Emmet isn’t here.”

“He and the other two are doing missions today,” Sneasler said as she stretched.

Ingo’s ears stood up. “Emmet is performing rescues without me? That is excellent! His anxiety has been terrible. I need to congratulate him once he returns!”

“Cool. Let me just make sure you’re all good before you leave,” Gaeric said. “Let me see your forehead.”

“Ah, of course. I should note that I am not experiencing any dizziness like my previous injury,” Ingo said. He untied the towel from his head. Though Ingo’s gem still possessed the cracks from his old injury, it showed no signs of further propagation or desire to turn to dust.

“That… is a lot better than I expected,” Sneasler said.

“That is a relief. I suspect this resulted from taking a slower train to regain my memories,” Ingo said. “I feel bad for Emmet, though. His express train resulted in numerous issues for him…”

“Well, I put on the salve before any damage happened, but whatever you say. Let me just finish my stuff,” Gaeric said.

After Nurse Gaeric finished checking Ingo’s vitals, he was satisfied with the results and allowed Ingo to leave the infirmary. He and Sneasler walked out and went towards the twins’ tent. Sneasler grabbed the book she borrowed and placed it in her basket.

“Sneasler, I noticed that you were reading Emmet’s book,” Ingo said as he put back on his coat and cap. “Are you interested in trains, too?”

“No…” Sneasler said. “I was just bored and grabbed the closest book I found…”

“You can admit that trains are fascinating! I remember more things about them now, so if you wish, we can talk about them together.”

“Nah, I’m good. I’m not as nerdy as you two.”

“But you have said “all aboard” with Emmet and I back at Mt. Coronet! In fact, I recall you saying it with us multiple times!”

“Y-You’re imagining things.” Sneasler had to admit that her tone was not convincing.

“While I am thinking of it, I am unsure if Emmet has mentioned this, but Emmet and I barely kept ourselves on the tracks while we were inside Giratina’s mind. The Red Chain was affecting us, and… Emmet and I nearly lost ourselves. But then we heard your boarding call.” Ingo smiled. “Sneasler, you saved us from derailing and crashing. I can never thank you enough! Thank you for rescuing us, Sneasler!”

Sneasler’s cheeks warmed. She felt a hand up in front of her mouth and turned her gaze away. “Well… Yeah, it’d suck if you made all the way here and lost to some idiots like Team Wish. You don’t need me to tell you that.”

“We did. We absolutely did.”

Ingo and Sneasler made it to the tent. Ingo plopped onto his haybed and gazed up at the theory board he and Emmet made. It appeared that they wouldn’t need it anymore.

“So, do you actually have all your memories back?” Sneasler sat down next to Ingo.

“That is a good question, but it might be a better idea to explore once Emmet, Chandelure, and Eelektross return. For now, I want to see how much I remember about trains!” Ingo said.

“…Oh no,” Sneasler said.

“Where to begin?” Ingo grabbed the brim of his hat. “Perhaps with a simple definition? No, perhaps not, since you already know what a train is. How about different types?”

***

Emmet held onto Chandelure’s thin metallic arms for dear life as the ghost pokemon flew, their flames lapping at Emmet’s cap and ear feather.

“How can you even tell he’s awake from this far…?” Eelektross asked as he followed his partners. His question was in response to Chandelure’s reason for their extreme speed.

Palina, taking sentry duty as normal, noticed her gaze drawn toward blue flames in the distance. The outpost’s binoculars confirmed her suspicions. “The guests are Emmet, Chandelure, and Eelektross! And my goodness, they are coming this way hot! Open the gate, Lian!”

“I’m workin’ on it!” Lian tried to open the gate as fast as he could with stubby arms. He got the gate halfway up when Chandelure and Emmet squeezed through the opening. He paused and heard the excited pokemon zoom through the main halls to a destination Lian had a feeling he knew. Eelektross followed them with apologies that faded as he chased after them. Lian kept forgetting how long Eelektross’ body was and was reminded as the pokemon took 5 seconds to fully pass through the gate.

“…Now, the Normal and Super lines are similar in structure and share personnel, but Emmet and I personally ensure that each trainer’s team is appropriate for the line they are set to work in!” Ingo said to Sneasler, who nodded along.

“I AM EMMET! I AM HERE!” Emmet was literally thrown through the tent’s entrance. Sneasler jumped into action to catch him and prevent the tent’s collapse from the Sneasel projectile.

“Emmet! What a surprise! You arrived ahead of the schedule,” Ingo said.

“Oh, thank Ar- actually, no, I’m not gonna thank that bastard. Emmet! Ingo has been talking about trains for an hour!” Sneasler said.

“Is that so? My apologies, Sneasler. I did not expect my infodump to last that long!” Ingo said.

“You didn’t stop him?” Emmet asked Sneasler.

“You. I don’t need your logic,” Sneasler said. “Also, why did you fly in here??”

To answer her question, Chandelure also flew into the tent and straight into Ingo’s arms.

“Good day, my Chandelure,” Ingo said as he petted his pokemon’s head. “I apologize for worrying everyone. But several memories have returned to me during my rest.”

“Yep. The Arc Watch told us,” Emmet said.

“Do you… remember everything now?” Eelektross asked as he poked his head into the tent.

“Hm, a good question for certain. I doubt that an average person with no memory issues would remember all the details of their life at once,” Ingo said.

“I want to test it,” Emmet said. “Are you ready to start our journey, Ingo?” He pointed at Ingo and the ground.

“Journey?” Sneasler asked.

“Yes, I am prepared! All aboard!” Ingo pointed at Emmet and the ground.

“This is our first stop: Can you name all the pokemon we had before we came here?” Emmet asked.

“Let me think.” Ingo hummed. “Well, there’s Chandelure and Eelektross, of course. Then there’s Excadrill, the twin Haxoruses, Crustle, the twin Klinklangs, Garbodor, Durant, Galvantula, your many, many Joltiks…”

Chandelure and Eelektross followed along and nodded as Ingo listed off pokemon.

“There is also Archeops, Escavalier, Accelgor, Gliscor, Machamp-“

“Please break,” Emmet said. “I do not recognize those last two pokemon.”

“Yeah, neither do I…” Eelektross said.

Ingo sported a confused stare into the distance. “…Oh! I appear to be confusing our teams in Unova with my team from Hisui!”

“What are the other pokemon?” Emmet asked, curious to what pokemon Ingo raised on his own.

“Well, I mentioned Gliscor and Machamp. There is also Tangrowth, Alakazam, Magnezone, and Probopass. But that was only my main team. I trained several more pokemon for the sake of helping trainers through battles. I altered my team and trained numerous pokemon to craft the perfect opponents for each trainer that boards!”

Emmet’s ears perked up. “That’s like the Battle Subway.”

“Well, I was the only person running the battles instead of employing other trainers to fight first and there were no trains, but yes!” Ingo said.

“Here is our next stop: how did we meet Eelektross and Chandelure?” Emmet asked.

Ingo grabbed the brim of his cap. “…They were our first pokemon, though at the time, they were Tynamo and Litwick. When we turned 10, our parents gave us pokemon to start our journeys. Tynamo was given to you because you liked the strategic advantage of an electric-type pokemon with the ability Levitate.

“But Litwick was not supposed to be my first pokemon. A Litwick followed me around for days before our tenth birthday. Our parents were worried, but I wasn’t. When Emmet and I exchanged birthday gifts to the other, he gave me a pokeball to catch Litwick.” Ingo cracked a smile. “And Litwick became my pokemon with no delay.”

“Is that right?” Sneasler asked Eelektross and Chandelure.

“That’s… correct,” Eelektross said. He was the only witness to Chandelure’s gushing over Ingo being a cute kid. Eelektross noted how quickly Chandelure shrugged off the implication of Ingo’s family not liking them.

“Alright, now I see the course you’re taking!” Sneasler said. “Yo, Ingo. How did you meet my ancestor from Hisui?” Though Sneasler’s memories of Hisui were still spotty, she recalled her ancestor’s meeting of the strange warden well.

Ingo hummed as he thought. “That is a bit more unclear, probably due to my state of mind.”

***

Ingo woke up shivering. The landscape and sky were white. Red liquid pooled around him. Sharp pain radiated across his entire chest. He faded in and out of consciousness, as the pain both tried to make him faint and keep him awake. He couldn’t stop groaning, but his noises of pain were drowned out by a snowstorm raging.

“Someone! P-Please help me!” Ingo said. His groaning turned to crying. His body wanted to quit on him.

But he saw a light at the end of the tunnel, which took the shape of a tall humanoid figure with long claws and a basket on her back.

Ingo found himself getting picked up. The figure held him in her arms and began running. The pain did not let up once, but even though blood continued to pour from his wounds, he found warm safety in the tall stranger’s arms.

“Who is that?!” another figure said. It was a human. “Don’t worry, Sir. Please hold on, and we will help you.”

Ingo’s consciousness finally faded as the human began wrapping something around his torso.

When he woke up again, Ingo noticed something wrapped around his torso. He no longer shivered, as he was in a cave with a campfire nearby. Dried leaves and branches littered the cave. The only notable feature of the cave was an altar. He could see in the corner of his vision a mortar and pestle, shears, and berries and strange leaves next to his body.

Sitting next to Ingo was an elderly man. His violet hair was kept up in two ovular buns and had a moustache to match. He wore a pink tunic with a strange symbol, fluffy pants stuffed into white boots, and a long scarf. Next to the human was a long pokemon with violet and pink claws. The pokemon stood over both men, keeping her eye on the injured stranger.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” the man said. “Don’t try to stand or sit up yet. Your wounds are still healing. I’ll get you to a better healer once the storm clears.”

Ingo tried to sit up before remembering the man’s order. “Thank you for assisting me!” He saw the man and the pokemon jump when he spoke, indicating that he spoke too loudly. The cave echoing his words likely made it worse.

“Don’t thank me,” said the man as he recovered from the loud noise. “Thank Lady Sneasler. She was the one who saw your dark coat and smelled your blood in the storm.” He gestured to the pokemon.

The pokemon brought her hand up to her mouth and snickered in pride.

“Then thank you, Lady Sneasler! Thank you for guiding me to a safe station,” Ingo said.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, what in the world attacked you? I’ve been a Warden for a long time, and I’ve never seen gashes like that, not even from an alpha,” the man asked. “There was no poison, no burns, nothing but a strange injury. What happened?”

“I… I have no clue.” Ingo hummed. His stare dozed off to the distance as he tried to backtrack events in his head. “I can’t recall what happened. I… do not even know my location. What station are we at?”

“The Coronet Highlands, specifically Lady Sneasler’s Seat. And let me ask, who are you? You’re not in the Diamond Clan or Ginkgo Guild, are you?”

“Who am I? Who I am is something I’m not certain about. I remember nothing from before you found me…”

“Do you have a name?”

“My name? My name… My name is… Ingo. My name is Ingo!”

“Ingo, huh? I’m Warden Jove from the Pearl Clan. Lady Sneasler here is my ward.”

“Thank you, Lady Sneasler and Warden Jove!” Ingo didn’t smile, but he was sure his gratitude came across.

Lady Sneasler walked to stand behind Ingo. She dropped and sat down, dragging the injured human’s head onto her lap.

Jove’s default fettered demeanor gave way to confusion. “Lady Sneasler? What are you doing?”

Lady Sneasler licked Ingo’s hair. She even picked at his hair, trying to clean him and make him look good.

“Is there something wrong with my head?” Ingo asked.

“Other than the amnesia, no, there isn’t… Lady Sneasler, is now really the time for grooming?” Jove stared at the Noble pokemon.

Lady Sneasler rose her free hand and shooed off Jove’s question. She loved Jove’s confused expressions.

“Well, I’m glad that Lady Sneasler took a shining to you. I guess we’ll figure out what to do with you once you’re better,” Jove said.

“Very well then! I hope to return to proper operating condition soon.” Ingo wasn’t completely sure where his words came from, but it made his thoughts easier to explain. Lady Sneasler’s grooming and the strange sensation it created took Ingo’s mind off his dire wounds, even as Jove’s anesthetics wore off. Ingo felt a little less afraid.  

***

“It now occurs to me that it was Chained Giratina that gave me those near-fatal injuries,” Ingo said. “I fear for what would have happened had Lady Sneasler not notice me in the cold. To returned to our main route: instead of perishing, I spent a couple years in the Pearl Clan and displaying my talent with taming pokemon. With Lady Sneasler’s and Clan Leader Irida’s approval, Warden Jove trained me to become a Warden – Lady Sneasler’s new Warden. Does that line up with your knowledge, Sneasler?”

Sneasler felt stuck something in her throat. “Y-Yeah, you got it. Did you have to mention the cleaning part, though?!”

“Of course! It was part of the circumstances of our meeting!” Ingo said.

“Ugh…” Sneasler didn’t want to admit that Ingo had a point. Recalling her ancestor’s perspective of the meeting reminded her of how much the old lady “took a shine” to the amnesiac, depressed Ingo. It was almost embarrassing to recall.

“We approach our final stop.” Emmet pointed again at Ingo. “How did we become friends with Elesa?”

Ingo paused to think. “…It was while Battle Subway was being constructed, am I correct? Elesa acted as both model and gym leader in Nimbasa City, and she wanted to test us. To be truthful, her aura intimidated me, but we both ended up battling her! I faced her in a singles line, and you faced her on the doubles line. I lost my battle, but you won yours, Emmet.”

Emmet shook his head. “I did not win. And I thought you did?”

“Shit, you have faulty memories?” Sneasler asked.

“…No, wait, didn’t both of you lose? I do remember underestimating her team…” Eelektross said. He looked over and saw Chandelure’s confused expression. “… And you remember winning. Of course, you do.”

“Perhaps our poor collective memories of the event mean that who won or lost doesn’t matter,” Ingo said. “I remember enjoying our battle! She was fun to adapt my strategy against!”

“Mm-hm! I had fun, too!” Emmet said. His smiled quivered. “…I miss Elesa.”

Ingo nodded in agreement. “I think it’s fair to conclude that my memories have returned…” His stare drifted to the distance.

“What’s on your mind, Ingo?” Sneasler asked.

“It… appears that Emmet and I are in a strange situation with no possible resolution. I now remember my duties as a Subway Boss, which is to guide others to their destinations and goals. Similarly, my duties as a Warden are to not only take care of Lady Sneasler but also to help others with matters about pokemon. But here I am, unable to fulfill either purpose.” Ingo began fidgeting with his sleeves. “But my duties here as a pokemon rescuer are just as important! All three roles are important! I cannot stay here, but staying in any one location would leave the other two locations empty.”

Emmet nodded. “I want to return to our origin. I want to see Elesa. I want to see my other pokemon. I want to have fun battles again as a trainer. …But I agree that I don’t want to leave you behind.” He pointed at Eelektross, Chandelure, and Sneasler when he said that.

Sneasler sighed. “You guys are talking about time travel. I mean, it’s obviously possible, but we’d need to meet with Celebi or Dialga, which is… easier said than done.”

“What a predicament you are in,” a familiar voice said. Ingo, Emmet, and Sneasler jumped from surprise.

“Giratina?” Ingo asked. “Are you present?”

“They’re right here,” Emmet said. He pointed to a large pot of water. In the pot, instead of seeing a normal reflection, the water showed the image of Giratina in the Distortion World. He and Ingo surrounded the pot.

“What are you doing in their water??” Sneasler asked, looking over the shoulders of the Sneasels.

“I can observe your world through reflections,” Giratina said. “Let me see if I got this right: you two wanna return to your old times for stuff while also coming back here when you want?”

“That is well put, yes,” Ingo said.

“What, you plan on talking to Dialga or Celebi or something?” Sneasler asked. “Because what they want is more time travel shit, and they’re the ones who can do that, right?”

“No. You won’t need those fools to help you.” Giratina smiled. “After all, you have me. I owe you my life. I know exactly how I can help you.”