With Ingo finally back home, it was as though everything was back to making sense in Emmet's life. Things had been so difficult with him gone, running the subway without the second half of his two-car train was beyond dreadful. Dull. Droll even.

But now he didn't have to worry about that because Ingo was back for good. And sure, his memories may have been a bit wonky at times since his return, but Emmet didn't even have to worry about the amnesia as Ingo had mostly solved that in the past before returning to the future.

Which was good, because Emmet didn't know the first thing about helping someone with memory loss.

So instead of having to tell Ingo about all the things he forgot, he got to enjoy the many different adventures that his brother had endured during his time in the past. Emmet enjoyed it, yup, because after not hearing his twin's voice in literal years he liked to soak in as much of it as he could now.

Ingo had always been a verrry good storyteller, his voice was practically made for it. Unlike Emmet, who did not have the patience or energy to describe longwinded plots.

His twin had just finished recalling when his adopted daughter- daughter! Emmet was an uncle! Unfortunately, he wouldn't get to meet the girl for some time, not because she was stuck in the past but because she did not live in Unova- had overcome her final Path of Solitude.

"Wow," Emmet remarked once Ingo was done. "She must be quite the battler!"

"She is," Ingo's voice was proud, and he spoke fondly, "We celebrated for the entire day after placing down the final stamp."

"It is funny that you were able to build a family in the past," Emmet noted. He had certainly developed nothing of the sort in his brother's absence.

"Yes, well," Ingo closed his eyes and stroked his beard in thought. "I have my wife to thank for that. Before her, I had no experience with childrearing or even a fatherly bone in my body."

"Ah the wife, that makes more sense, yup," Emmet smiled before his and his twin's words caught up with him. "Excuse me, wife?!"

Ingo blinked. "Have I not mentioned her?"

"No?!" Emmet felt as though he were losing his mind. His brother? Getting? Married? Inconceivable! There was no way that he had enough game in ancient Sinnoh to get a wife.

"I could have sworn I told you about her," Ingo said, before loudly going, "Please allow me to rectify this at once!"

"Yes. Please do," before Emmet keeled over in shock.

"My wife was the very first person that I met while in Hisui," Ingo placed a hand over his heart. "Kind to a fault, she ensured that I wouldn't die from the cold. Strong as well, as she could carry the full weight of a person in her basket. And her poison rivaled no other-"

"Wait," Emmet interrupted. He had heard these descriptions before, "You're just describing that Pokémon you had to take care of. The one called Sneasler."

He expected Ingo to laugh and say that he had just been punking Emmet before revealing his true spouse, but his brother nodded and said, "Yes, exactly. My wife."

Something broke inside Emmet's head. It may have been his brain.

"You didn't marry a Pokémon," he denied. His brother was not that kind of person! Just the idea- gross! Yuck!

"It was quite common back then," Ingo countered. "Especially for Wardens and their wards. It was part of the initiation ceremony even, as we needed to prove our dedication to our roles by swearing we would be devoted to no other."

"You're lying," he said quickly. He did not trust his twin, nope. This was just a prank. It had to be.

"What do you think this is called," Ingo pointed to the adornment he wore on his wrist.

"A bracelet," a band even! There was no other name for that type of jewelry.

"This is called a Warden's Ring, given to me during our wedding ceremony," Ingo said, voice spoken as though he were a teacher trying to get a point across to a not particularly bright student. "The era I was in was a well-recorded time in Sinnoh's history. Many books have been written about the subject if you wish to fact-check me."

"I don't believe you." Refused to believe even!

In response, Ingo picked up a book that Emmet hadn't noticed at all from the coffee table. Prepared as though he had been waiting for this exact moment, he flipped it open to a section. Ingo cleared his throat as he spoke, "There once were Pokémon that married people. There once were people who married Pokémon. This was a normal thing because long ago people and Pokémon were the same."

"What?" Emmet snatched the book out of his hands, eyes darting to look at the lines of text that he could not read because it was written in Sino. "It doesn't say that!"

"Why would I lie to you?" Ingo asked, (while lying to Emmet).

"You-" he floundered. "But you did not bring back Sneasler with you." Surely if they were married- he hated even thinking along those lines!- then he would have brought his- it was like pulling teeth!- wife along.

"Yes well," Ingo's eyes began to water, and Emmet started to panic. Both because he did not like making his twin cry but also because if his twin was crying then it meant he was being serious. "Her responsibilities to Hisui were too great for her to leave her station. I am just thankful that the Pearl Clan didn't force a divorce upon me when I had to go, letting me keep my ring in remembrance... excuse me, thinking about how I had to leave my wife and children behind brings me great sorrow."

Ingo set the book aside and stood up, pulling out a handkerchief while he did so. Small tears slipped past his eyes and he wiped them away.

"Ingo..." Emmet reached out a hand, sorry for his twin. Even if he did not get- and refused to understand- Ingo's... decision that he made in Hisui, clearly his brother was saddened by those he was forced to leave behind.

"Pardon me, I think I shall go wash my face," and Ingo turned to head toward their bathroom.

Unbeknownst to Emmet, Ingo's tears were actually of the Krookodile nature, because once he was out of the living room they immediately dissipated and a Skitty-like grin curled up the edges of his frown. He wiped away the remaining streaks on his cheeks before fishing out his Xtransceiver and once safe behind the bathroom's closed door went directly to the contact he was looking for.

He idly swung back on his heels as he waited for the call to connect and was rewarded when it was answered not even one full ring in.

"Yes?" his accomplice asked appearing on the screen. "Is something the matter?"

"I should like to ask a favor of you," Ingo posed, looking nonchalant as he inspected his nails.

"Another one?" she frowned. "So soon after I lent you that book from Canalave Library?"

"Indeed. Thank you for that by the way," he tacked on, minding his manners. "This next favor is one that requires some time so I'd like to cash it in sooner in preparation."

"Well," the figure on the other end of the call shifted, but Ingo could detect a glimpse of curiosity in her eyes. She knew just as much as he did that their relationship was one based less on favors and more on an, how should he phrase it? Ah yes, an exchange of valuable information and objects. And she was quite fond of those. "Color me intrigued. What is it that you require?"

"With your wealth of knowledge on the history and customs of Hisui, I was hoping that you could fashion me a false marriage certificate between me and my ward," Ingo said. "Emmet is by no means dumb and I would wager that he's going to investigate my claims in due time. Having that on hand should throw him off for longer."

"Hmm," she flipped back some hair that slipped over her shoulder. "And what would I get out of doing such a thing? If discovered that I forged documents of that nature my reputation could be at stake you know."

"If it's a high price that you're looking for, then you need not worry," Ingo fished out two pokéballs from his pocket. Her eyes locked onto them immediately. "I have here in my hands one of Sneasler's kits and a Hisuian Zorua pup, both of which I have raised myself from when they were eggs. You may have one if-"

"Both," she quickly interrupted him, eyes alight with the sort of look a collector may get when spotting a rare and out-of-production collectible. "You will trade me both in exchange for the certificate."

"Deal," Ingo agreed just as easily. It wasn't a loss on his end, he had practically smuggled in an entire Pokédex worth of Pokémon upon his return to the future. "The more ancient looking the better."

"What? Do you take me for an amateur?"

"Of course not Champion Cynthia," Ingo gave her one of his rare- and not mischievous- smiles. "I know an expert when I see one."

"Flatterer," Cynthia teased, but not harshly. "I'll get you that fake certificate as soon as those two appear in my PC box."

"I'll make haste to the nearest Pokémon center in that case."

"Good," she nodded then looked around suspiciously. "This call never happened."

"What call?" was how Ingo signed off, ending the transmission without a farewell. She had been his partner in crime from the beginning and expected the abrupt hang-up.

Ah, what a wonderfully pleasant woman, Ingo remarked! Certainly, luck was in his favor that she secretly had a propensity towards pranks much the same as he.

It was a shocker how well they worked together, like a house on fire even, considering her ancestor was that bothersome merchant whose name Ingo had forgotten.

Although... if he found himself thinking about it, she did have quite a few of the same features as he. And there had been that one time, with the woman in that ancient-looking retreat, so perhaps-

Oh, he was getting distracted. Emmet was likely wondering when he would come back to the living room by now.

Ingo quickly went to the sink to splash water onto his face, hoping to sell his act once more.

And back onto the stage he went! While an unfortunately placed rock may have robbed him of his memories for a brief period of time back in Hisui, the desire to lie to his sibling for the shits and giggles would certainly never go away.

Extra:

"INGO." The door to his bedroom was slammed open and Ingo did his best not to startle at the sound, too busy brushing the fur of one of the many Sneasels that he snuck back to the future.

"Yes, brother?" he looked up and was greeted by the sight of an incensed Emmet standing in his doorway, a shadow covering his front as the hallway light illuminated the haunting picture.

"You are a liarrr," his brother hissed, pulling out a very familiar book.

This time in Unovan.

Shit.

"I am Emmet and I bought this book to try and understand your time in Hisui, yup," Emmet said removing his hand from the door. He had slammed it so hard that he left behind an indent in the shape of a handprint. He stalked closer.

If Ingo didn't have multiple little kitties sleeping comfortably on his lap, he would have lept up and jumped out of the window to escape this confrontation. He had a good run, a nice life full of trains and Pokémon battles, but it looked as though his time on this mortal coil was up.

"And do you know what I ended up reading," Emmet shook the book at him, grin tight and manic. "Sinnoh Folk Story Three! And do you know what it's translated as into Unovan?"

"Emmet-"

His twin cut him off and flipped the book up in a flurry of pages before landing on the section he desired. Emmet slammed his pointer onto the page and tapped it furiously, "There once were Pokémon that became very close to humans. There once were humans and Pokémon that ate together at the same table. It was a time when there existed no differences to distinguish the two."

Ingo started to sweat. "Brother."

"Ingo," Emmet's eye twitched. "Where is the mention of there being Pokémon and human marriage in Hisui? Where?"

He sighed dramatically, before sliding off the Sneasel he had been grooming so that he could raise his hands above his head in surrender. "It seems as though the jig is up."

Emmet hitched his arm back as though to throw the book at him, but they both knew he wouldn't follow through considering all the innocent Pokémon surrounding Ingo.

He would make sure to give them plenty of treats later for being his shields.

"Weeks! You had me and Elesa believing you were married to a Pokémon for weeks!" Emmet hollered instead of pitching the book straight at his head.

Ingo chuckled, even though he knew he was in imminent danger. "Yes. I truly did not think that I would be able to fool you all for so long."

"And that marriage certificate!" Emmet started to pace angrily, and would likely wear down a trail in his carpet from the way his feet padded against it. "That's not real either, is it?!"

"Not in the slightest," Ingo answered, watching him go back and forth. "I have many associates in Sinnoh who helped me keep the ruse going."

"Ugh!" Emmet stopped moving with one last stomp. "How can I trust that any of your stories about Hisui were true? I bet you made up Akari just to get me excited about being an uncle as well!"

"Oh, no Akari is real," Ingo nodded, stroking his hand down a Sneasel's back, watching as he purred in response. "She was the one who brought me back home after all in the end."

"Well," Emmet deflated slightly before blowing out air. "At least you didn't lie about that."

"Yes, I could never lie about my beloved daughter," he agreed.

"So. Since she's real when is she going to visit," his twin asked, seemingly willing to let the whole thing go. Ha ha, funny joke, whatever, let them move past this.

Unfortunately for Emmet, Ingo wasn't on the same page as his twin in the slightest.

"Well, right now her other parent has custody of her," Ingo shrugged, trying to hold back another round of laughter.

He knew that it wasn't a good idea to mess with Emmet so soon after his previous prank had been revealed, but what kind of older sibling would he be if he didn't take as many potshots as he reasonably could?

And besides, this one was actually the truth. Somewhat. Perhaps it had a touch of hyperbole.

Emmet, gullible as ever, didn't notice the scheming energy radiating off of him, and asked, "Oh? And who would that be?"

"Arceus of course," Ingo said, taking immense delight at the way that Emmet stilled. The twitch of his eye seemed to make a return as well, and Ingo continued to bolster his statements, "It was rather rough taking care of a demigod eldritch teenage girl, but I will admit it has been a pleasure seeing her growth... the child support from the god of all Pokémon isn't all that bad either."

Emmet must have decided that the yowling of the Sneasels was worth the price of strangling Ingo as he threw the book to the side and tackled his brother, resulting in a flail of limbs and kittens. And intermittent cackling for Ingo as well as Emmet throttled him. His twin had had enough!