#trainer ingo

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This is a legitimately fun idea with a lot of potential.

Like whether you choose to make this an au where N is either still involved with team plasma or otherwise has already left it there's a lot of drama to be had. Pluuuus if one includes his ability to speak to pokemon it could lead to some verrrry interesting moments where N manages to get crucial information but has to come up with lies of HOW he got said information due to not quite trusting the twins with the fact that he can speak to the mons.

Core to this idea has always been that one of the first things that happens is that after their friend(s) goes missing, Emmet pops up with a lead and then joins the kids' party as they travel around and try to find a way to either go to the past, or to otherwise bring their friend(s) home... But not before Emmet kicks their asses in a 2v1 trainer Double Battle! A theme that I think would be good to explore would be that of cooperation. Ever since one of their friends has gone missing, the other two of the Diamond, Pearl, Platinum trio are unable to work harmoniously together anymore. This is reflected in battles that the two end up having against Emmet throughout the story. The first time, they are entirely dysfunctional and Emmet easily sweeps them. By the end of the story, they're actually able to beat Emmet, showing how their relationship has improved and grown. Emmet, being a Double Battle specialist is actually a great teacher when it comes to the kids learning how to better work together and cooperate. All of this inclines me to want two of the kids to be in the future/present while one is in the past... But who?

Whatever happens Diamond and Pearl must not be on a team together in one time while Platinum is on her own in the other. They're best childhood friends. They're closer than two peas in a pod. They have a shared dream and a standup routine together! Even if the two got amnesia, I can't imagine there being any substantial conflict between the two that could last the duration of the story and wouldn't be solved immediately. And besides, Diamond and Pearl are perfectly fine with Platinum going out and doing her own independent thing when she needs to while the two of them continue to stick together. This wouldn't be much different from that. They just have about 150 years keeping them from one another! (Though actually, I think that Diamond and Pearl would trust Platinum to figure out what's going on and be able to get herself home, though they are certainly still going to try finding a way to the past for themselves to try and help!)

My gut tells me to go with Pearl and Platinum in the present while Diamond gets sent to the past. I think that this works better from a thematic standpoint. As each of the kids takes after one of the Lake Spirits, Diamond who represents Emotion being in the past to get people to understand and become friends with Pokemon while also quelling the frenzies of the Nobles actually makes a lot of sense (add to that the fact that the balms are basically snacks and like... Yeah, Diamond would do that. Quell the frenzies of these massive Pokemon by having a picnic with them). Diamond's absence meanwhile is felt by Pearl and Platinum as they tend to butt heads as their emotions run high and there is no one to mediate between the two. I can easily see the kind of tension and conflicts that Pearl would have with Emmet as their personalities clash. Emmet could never fulfill the kind of role that Diamond had in this dynamic, and Pearl may not realize it, but he may slightly resent Emmet for that... But on the other hand, Diamond would be terrible at trying to complete the Pokedex, even if he knows that completing it is his ticket home, and I really have no idea what kind of arc to give him. Like, does Diamond really need to grow that much...? He's a pretty fulfilled character. And also where I can immediately see the kind of dynamic that Pearl and Platinum would have with Emmet, I don't know what kind of dynamic Diamond would end up having with Ingo, nor what they could do for one another to grow into better more fulfilled people.

Meanwhile I think that Pearl being sent to the past and Diamond staying in the future/present could be more emotionally resonant. Pearl and Emmet actually have a fair bit in common in terms of personality, so Pearl would do a lot to remind Ingo of Emmet, even if he can't remember his brother. Meanwhile I imagine that a lot of Emmet's arc has him trying to figure out his own emotions and how to deal with them, while also learning how to be more considerate of others and their feelings. Diamond could do a lot to help him out with that! But then again, the dynamics of the future/present party would probably be less interesting as Emmet can very much fulfill the role that Pearl did in their group. Also I have no idea what the dysfunction between Diamond and Platinum would be that's making them work together so poorly.