Chapter Text
Emmet Tamadensha wakes up, once again, in a world without his brother, and Unova doesn’t fall apart.
And he will not allow it to, regardless.
He leaves the television on and lets one of Iris’ interviews make noise in the house. He picks up the call on his XTrans and listens to Hilbert rant about his many, many petty squabbles with Reshiram, Zekrom, and some green haired young man Hilbert never lets him know the actual name of. Drayden uses a daily update on Ingo’s pokemon as an excuse to learn how to take XTrans photos. Daily is quickly becoming hourly. This is fine.
Elesa has taken Ingo’s spot during today’s break and it seems like this is going to become a habit. She brings different food she found on the way, and Emmet decides to appreciate this hard work by eating pokeblocks in front of her, one at a time, and power walking away when she tries to get him to stop.
Burgh doesn’t call, but when has he ever? No, Emmet simply finds violently spray painted Leavannys on the subway walls next to elegantly scrawled love poetry, and Unova commuters are so desensitized at this point they don’t even blink. Three of them were hidden in Castelia Station.
(Like, sweet Arceus above, fine. They’ll go watch that horror movie Emmet kept accidentally putting off. He can take a hint.)
It seems Victini and Jirachi have taken over Gear Station’s shrine today. Tanzaku cover almost every surface of the bamboo plants next to the small wooden shrine, all wishing for Ingo’s safe return.
Jirachi, wishmaker, who can bring forth even the impossible. Victini, muse of victory. As if Ingo’s return was not a desperate miracle or unsung tragedy, but a battle in and of itself- a battle that could have been won. And Nimbasa would know, of course, that Emmet likes winning more than anything else.
He will not resign himself to this reality, half a house with half a life and half a mind. He will see this Truth for what it is now, but he will not allow it to be his future. He cannot accept this. He will not accept this.
He has lived his entire life a two-car train. He will not take this severance lying down. He will see his brother again or he will find where their tracks stopped for good.
But he hopes, still. He wants. For every impossible inch his hair grows, for every pang and chill dancing across his hands, he prays.
Emmet gets home at 12:15 AM. He’s ready to sleep by 12:30.
(He thinks of something impossible.)
He gives Ross a bracing pat on the head, walks up to his mirror, and smiles.
“I am Emmet,” he whispers to his reflection. “I am a Subway Boss. I like Double Battles. I like combinations of two Pokémon. And I like winning more than anything else.”
His smile wavers.
“I don’t know if you can hear me right now, but I miss you. And I love you. And when I see you again, I will- I will never let you go. Not now, not ever. Because I will see you again.” His voice hardens. “I will see you again.”
He steps back from the mirror.
“Good night, nii-san.”