#reflection au

• Elesa and Drayden returning to the story

I was always planning to bring Elesa and Drayden back into the picture— Oh my God, could you even imagine??? If like they deadassedly deadass never returned??? NAAAAHHH they were going to come back.

Find him in Sinnoh, somewhere between his journey to catch the lake spirits.

A big element in the story overall, is like... Realizing you're not alone. That those people you thought you were burdening care about you, love you, and want to help you.

Emmet cutting them off with his phonecall to Elesa, was supposed to be a moment of withdrawal.

Like, you know when you're depressed, and you spiral? You start withdrawing from friends and family, isolating yourself? The reasons behind those actions can be varied, but this a very dangerous road to go down.

But a lot of the times there are people who care about you, even if you thought you were annoying to them.

Elesa's reaction would be more emotional- outright tearful. Words would be yelled, tears would be shed. But above all else, Elesa would have expressed that, had Emmet just talked to her— told her his plans- what he needed to do to give himself closure. She would have supported him, even if initially she didn't quite understand.

Drayden's reaction would be much more subdued, not as verbal as Elesa, but expressed his worry, concern, and relief in his own way. Bags under his eyes make it apparent that he had trouble sleeping after Emmet's disappearance. Not a lot of words would be uttered, but a strong, firm bug would be given. Perhaps some silent tears. Relief that his nephew is safe. He can't lose another one. Not again.

• Emmet learning to let himself live.

Emmet's side of the story is much more turbulent than Ingo's. Constantly grappling with his mental health, needing to mourn, to grieve, trying to accept, but constantly interrupting that cycle.

His determination, his certainty that he can fix things and make them return to normal, keeps him from living out his life the way he's supposed to. It keeps him from letting him feel his feelings.

He's consumed with this "step by step" manner of doing things to get things to return to normal.

Essentially, he's got major tunnel vision.

The start of that process of letting himself live in the moment again would have started after Elesa and Drayden returned and expressed their support.

Their presence would have forced to him acknowledge that— while he was setting off to enact his plan, everything back at home wasn't magically paused.

People worried about him. Cared about him.

His absence was felt.

Him leaving has consequences.

There would have been ups and downs. Moments where everything felt okay. Where he felt like he still had a family to lean on. Moments where despite that, Ingo's absence was still to much to bear. Moments where the depression consumed him so much, that not only did he not recognize himself, but where Elesa and Drayden would also be forced to acknowledge how much what has happened as affected Emmet.

Things like that.

Much like Ingo was finding his place in Hisui, Emmet too was finding his place in the world again. But where as it was easier for Ingo to move forward since he had no memories, it would have taken Emmet much more time.

• Elesa, Drayden, and Volo, trying to talk Emmet down

Emmet is essentially throwing his life away to try and reunite with his brother. While Elesa and Drayden initially support his decision in trying to get him back, eventually (most likely through Volo) they would come to learn the risks and danger in store if he keeps pushing.

Emmet will again, have to weigh the pros and cons of carrying out his mission. However, now, since reconnecting with the family that he does still have, it would have been a much tougher decision. It's much harder to throw your life away, when someone is clutching your chest, crying, begging you not to go. Begging you to think it out a little more.

Plus, he still gets to see and talk to Ingo via is reflection.

Is that really not enough for him?

But, remembering the one moment he did get to see Ingo again in the distortion realm- remembering how good it felt to hug his brother again. To see him again. To hear his voice. To feel whole...

He can't give that up.

He just can't.

• Ingo and Emmet properly discuss their plans

Ingo needs to be included in on the plan too for everything to work after all.

Everything would be sorted out. He would decide to help Akari to collect the pokemon she needed to collect to confront Arceus as well.

Communications between Ingo and Emmet would become more frequent as they need to time everything properly.

Etc etc.

However, leaving behind the life he built isn't an easy decision for Ingo to make... But one he makes nonetheless.

• Melli begging Ingo to stay

There's nothing I love more than a moment of vulnerability from a character who hates feeling vulnerable. Ingo would gather everyone up to announce his upcoming departure.

Melli, who has grown attached to Ingo, of course doesn't want to see him leave. He's his friend. One of the only true friends he's felt he's had in years.

He would cry, beg him to think about this-

But Ingo knows he has to return home.

His adventure of self discovery is over. But he couldn't be more grateful that Melli was apart of it.

This will tear Melli up inside. But there's nothing he can do if he wants to leave.

The plan was to have them give each other something to remember them by— a reminder that the time they spent together was real, and will never fade.

• A battle with Arceus

You know the battle with Arceus in PLA? Where that shit is like PURE CAP???

Yeah, that's what Ingo and Emmet would have to face to reunite.

Those who would take part in the battle would be: Ingo, Dawn/Akari, Emmet, and Volo.

Emmet of course, would tell Elesa and Drayden to stay behind. He doesn't want them risking their life.

This is his fight.

And his alone.

• Volo's death

HEHEHEHAHAHAHA

Ok listen

There is nothing

NOTHING

I love more

Than immortals being forced to face death.

This was going to happen during the battle with Arceus. That bitch be throwing METEORS and blasting LASERS at you bro

SOMEONE was gonna die.

And Volo, who had vowed to protect Emmet to the very end, would have done just that.

The blow he took would have been very obviously fatal for any normal person, but Emmet, assuming he'll be fine since he's immortal, doesn't think much of it once Volo gets back on his feet.

But it was Giratina's power that granted him immortality. Of course a blow from a being above even Giratina would result in his death.

He would have fought to the very end, holding on to every string he had until he lived to see Arceus taken down.

After that, seeing the battle through, he'd feel relief, before falling to his knees. And then fully onto the floor.

Though, between Volo and Emmet, Emmet would be the one unwilling to accept Volo's death. Volo, having lived for so long, would be content with leaving. Even happy, knowing he made a friend, and is dying with memories to hold dear. Emmet helped him truly live. And now, he's helped him finally rest, and reach peace.

His body would crack, like porcelain, and then break into orbs of light that float towards the sky...

I actually have a blurb I wrote, I planned out this scene in detail at one of my work breaks, but I need to find the notes, I lost track of them since I moved.

• Akari's death

This was tentative, but very likely to happen. I had it planned in my head since chapter 9.

At first it was for shits and giggles.

Because in PLA, Akari never makes it home. She just stays in Hisui.

So I thought "what if she doesn't make it home here either cause he isn't fucking dies"

Which- was a joke to myself because I saw the Arceus fight and I just went "THAT'S A CHIIILLLD ARCEUS, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO FUCKING KILL HER?"

Then it was an idea that became much more real as I thought of what the weight of truly facing a god would mean.

I think I wanted them both to lose something very great in order to be together again.

So as to ask the question: was the cost greater than the reward?

To lose a life that's touched yours so closely, to change the course of history for your benefit-

Is it worth it?

Unlike Volo, Akari would have a body to bring back. She would be put to rest, and given a proper funeral.

Crazy shit I know.

I really don't know how this would've been received, but shit, I wanted to do it snfkdjdndn.

• Emmet Spiralling... Again.

I'm a big fan of things coming full circle.

After all is said and done, Ingo and Emmet get to go home together, yes...

But it's not the same.

Ingo is here... But he's been heavily affected, shaped by the environment he lived in for years.

The "normal" that Emmet was trying to return to, no longer exists.

And trying to get back to something that's no longer attainable, he's lost two lives, and affected countless others.

Now that the illusion of achieving his "normal" is broken, so is he.

He spirals, and spirals, and spirals, until he too, contemplates jumping off of those train tracks.

Until he too, is wishing for a different, a better life.

But instead of letting it stew, now, with two lives worth of experience, Ingo would have hugged him close.

Reassured him.

Things may be different now .

But that doesn't mean life isn't worth living.

Volo and Akari may be gone.

But they would want him to live on. Enjoy the life that they laid down theirs for.

And Ingo himself may be different.

And he may still have a lot of growing and adjusting to do.

But he's not leaving him.

He's right there.

They can never truly leave each other.

They are two parts of the same puzzle.

They are halves of one whole.

Even when he is gone, he will never truly be separated from his mirror image.