Lambency (Ingo x Reader)

2. The End of a Dream

"Welcome to the Battle Subway! Pleasure to meet you. Is it your first time travelling with us?"

"Thank you for riding the Battle Subway today, and make sure to conduct your safety checks! Now then, all aboard!"

Before you even realise it, you are already inside the car driving on the tracks at full speed.

The wagon is full of promising trainers and strong Pokémon fighting each other.

Everyone looks motivated and happy. How exciting!

You are holding close to your heart one of your Poké Balls.

"You don't look so good today, (Name). Is something the matter?"

You look up, and your eyes lock into his.

When did you sit?

The car is empty.

Where did everyone go?

"Good morning, Ingo.", you reply shyly.

His presence comforts you.

Surrounds you with warmth.

"I was under the impression that you've had a lot on your mind, lately. You know the rules, though. My brother said that everyone must smile while onboard."

"But I don't feel like it."

"Oh, is that so? Hmm, in that case, would you care to spend some time with me? I'm sure we can figure out a solution during our journey."

"Yes, please. I'd love to. Say..."

You stand up, feeling somewhat nervous.

"Ingo, will you have a Pokémon Battle with me? If I win--

ǝ̸̶̶̵̶̷̷̵̶̸̷̴̸̷̨͚̦̺̘̱̬̹̻̯̦̞̦͓̣̱̪̘̲̭̦̳̱̘̩̩̻͍̩̃̿̄͒̊̈́̓̂͌̌̄̈̈́͛͒̄̈͗͒̚̚͝͠ͅʇ̸̸̸̶̸̶̷̶̴̴̵̵̸̡̬͉̳̤͍̻͕̥͉͚̼͎̼͚̪͓͉̖͇̖̹̆̈́̊̍͛̈́̊͊̊̃̋̀̊̂͐̐̋̍̔́͊̽ͅɐ̵̸̴̷̶̴̵̵̷̵̴̴̴̶̶̸̸̴̵̷̷̴̶̸̶̸̶̵̵̴̷̡̢̨̧̨̛͈̥̰̻̼̞͈̥̘͉̥͔̱̘̱̬̪͕͖̺̼̱̬̱̯͇̹̭̹͔͕̺̩̺̪̩̘̘̥̖̗͔̳͓̜̤̦̬̃̓̑̔̃̈̿̈́̾̈́́̌̌́̆͛̽͌̅̍̏͂̈́̽̀̔̉̓̂̀͗͆̈́͒͐̈̍̊̔̓́͑̅̔̈́̀̆̉̋̽̉̉̽̀͆͂̚̕͠͝͝͝͠͠͠ͅͅͅp̸̷̷̴̸̷̸̶̵̵̸̸̸̴̴̸̶̷̴̵̵̵̷̷̶̵̴̴̸̷̶̧̨̨̨̛̤̳̬̮̮̳͉̩̳̖̻͕͎̪̼̻̞̼͉̙̮̜͈̹̼̰̱̮͍̺͎̹̦̳͉̩͇͓̻̱̦̯̹̼͎͚͋̀̊͂̈̇̉͐̂̑́̅̏̂̒̿̒̍́̇̌͛̅́̏̈́̍̎͌̈́̀̎̆͗̽̏̂̉͊̈́̅̾͑̈́͆̄̅̽͛̑̈̇̉̍̍̿̕̕̕͘̚͜͜͜͝͝͠͝ͅ ̶̵̸̴̶̸̷̸̶̷̴̴̶̴̵̷̸̵̨͚̗͇̭̭͓͔̜͎̪̳̻̣͍͕͙̰̣͉̭̜͈̜̬̱̓̓̄̋̔̉̌̑̔̏͗̑͂̂̾̈́͌̔͛̌̋̈́̔͌̽̐̿̅̕̚͘͘͜͝͠ͅɐ̵̷̵̵̸̸̵̵̸̷̶̷̸̵̷̵̵̵̶̶̵̴̴̸̵̸̵̵̸̧̧̧̢̢̧̨̢̡͉͈̩͖͓͉̼̦̮̤͇̗̻̞̰̻̘̱̳͎̭̠͓̻͇̦̩̝̭̳̦̰͍͙̖͖̘̥̫̹̺͙̯̘͇͔̪͕̼̥̖̇͂̓̄͐̄̓̅͋́̍͂̒̾̈́̃̈́̀̈́͌̂̀̐́̀̀͒̋͋͊͗̓́͂̀̑̒̊̉͒̌̉̌̌̐̂͊̚̕̚͠͝͠ͅͅ ̷̶̶̷̴̵̸̴̸̶̴̷̷̶̴̸̸̵̴̶̴̸̵̶̸̴̴̸̷̶̴̸̴̶̸̸̡̨̡̧̨̛̛̖͔̗̱͕̪͍̫͇̬̩͎͎͉̞̼̩̲̱̻̥̲͕̼̹͚̳̖͇͎̱̯͕̜̫͚̯͓͔̖̟̮̮̯͙̼̼͎͎͇͎͈͙̗͇͇͛̂̈́̉̒̎̽͑͒̽̎͑̍͆̇͐̒̿̊̋̊̄͗̅͐́̔̒̅͊͆̓̊̓͂̐̿͒̉̉͂͆́̊͗͂̓̈́͗͒̈́͂̄̾̄̍̆̀̓̒̐́̏͗̀͌̃̎͑̏̐̅̾̚̚̕̕͜͠͝͝͠ͅư̷̵̸̴̷̶̸̸̶̵̸̸̷̸̷̵̵̵̸̶̷̷̷̸̶̵̷̴̵̸̵̴̴̶̴̶̵̸̷̸̧̨̧̹̼̩͈͚̳̘̗̭̫͎̦̬̲͍̱̻̹̳͓̱̩̥̮̣͈̘͉̲͍̫̤̰̤̟̖̞̭̩̺͕̗͚̬͔̝̣͕͕͈̺̤̗̺͖̲̲̼̠̬̝̞͉̞̓̆̈́̈̑̇̓̍̽͌͛̀͑̌̎̎͌̂͑̌̒̑̀̌͊̓͌̐́͂̋̌͐̎̀̋͒̽̈́̈́͑͌̈̃̇̈́̀͂̀̆̀̓̆̓̊̇̽̃̓̓͊̉̿̅͋́̀̓̍̀̇̍̓̊͘͘̚̚͘̚͜͜͠͝͝͝͝ͅǒ̸̶̶̶̸̸̸̶̸̶̸̵̶̸̵̷̴̵̴̵̴̶̶̵̵̸̶̴̴̷̧̨̢̢̡̨̨̢̡̡̝̝̗̺̜̘̝̫͕̯̥̜̪͖̤̱̟̬̤̬̪̫̟͈͎͙̜̗͉̝̘͈̣͇̰͔͖̳̲̿̄́́̑͂͐̅̓̀́̀͛͊͗͗̓͛̉̀̏͒͗̐̓̈́̀̈́̇͐͐̍̀͌͐͆͑̀̈̀͌̓̈́̄͋͗̉͆͘̚͘̕͜͝͝͝͝͝͝͠͠ͅ ̶̵̸̵̶̸̴̴̶̶̸̷̸̷̸̶̴̸̶̸̸̵̸̵̴̸̷̵̵̴̸̴̵̶̵̶̸̵̸̸̸̸̢̨̡̧̢̡̡̛̤̻̳̞̠̜̣̯̼̼̞̰͙͔̜̮̗̪̹̳͚̥̖̫̻̮̘̟̰̙͚̝̙͚̭̭͕̳̜̣̥̯͈̣͖̟͖̗͈̖̜̞͔̯͚̬̯̰̣̙͎̹͉͓̠̈́̈̏̔̓̈́͐͛̃̄̉̇̍́͐͋͒̀̄̈́̎̃͐͑̊̑̈́̑̆̉̔͆̈́̈́͌̂͑̽̀͂̊̅́̓͆̅̇̍̎̽̈́̈̊͌̍̀̍̌̌̍̀͊͒̀͑͘̕͘̕͘̚̚̕͘͜͜͜͜͝͝͝ǫ̸̵̷̴̷̶̶̴̷̧͙̰̩̣͙̝̲̞͈͔͍̼̂͐́̉̋̊̋͂̌́̂̑͋̈́̊̿̓͠ͅͅɓ̴̴̸̷̷̷̴̸̷̴̴̷̸̢̧̫͈̘͚̣̬͔̥̼͇̼͓͎̹͍̺̣̽͒͆̓̉̉́̇́͌͌͐̑̾̉͑͌͒͗͐̈́͆̅͗͘̚͝ͅ ̴̴̸̸̵̷̶̵̶̴̴̵̵̵̴̶̷̧̢̨̧̨͔̜̤̯̙̘̘͓̘̯̝̙̟̬̦̙̝͍̣͙̰̭̯̯̞̯̱̆̋̐̋́͆͗̿͂̔́̐͐̋͐̐̈́̅́͒̌́̈́͛̇̅̿́͘͘̚͝ͅş̷̸̶̸̴̶̴̸̶̴̴̴̶̷̸̴̴̶̷̵̵̶̸̢̡͇̘̲̤̹̩̪͍̤͓̝͙̼̪͓̖̲͔̖͔̺͇͓̫͖̻̠͕̋̈́̅̄͊̐̈́̄̔̆͛̾͐̋̓͆͂̆̂̐͑̋̍̏̔̍̀͒̄͗̄̉͑͗̄̃̽͗̐̔͌̒͒̚͘͘̕͜͜͝͝͝ͅ,̴̸̴̷̸̶̶̵̵̵̵̷̵̶̸̷̵̶̴̵̴̶̸̷̵̶̵̶̶̷̴̷̶̸̨̢̡̧̡̨̨̢͓͉̰̦̻̲̭͙̖̫͖͇̭͍͍̜̥̩̙̼͉̩̞͔͍̪̺̼̺̩̜͔̣̙̹̥͖̟̘̟̜̯͍̟̙̺͖̱͖̘͔̱͚̭͔͈̪͊̐̿͋̎̈̽͊̀̂̿́̓̂̀͑͛͂̃̽̌̒̂͂̑̽̔́̆͗̊̏̾̊̀̽͆̓̍̉̆̅́͒̐̊̈́̾̔͗̄͑̿̑̾̕̕̚͜͝͝͝͝͝ʇ̵̶̶̷̴̶̸̸̵̴̴̶̶̸̷̴̶̴̴̸̶̷̵̸̴̷̵̴̷̵̸̷̵̵̴̵̷̴̴̸̵̶̵̶̴̷̧̢̧̨̨̧̨̛̛̛̛̳̳͕̰̬̰̤͎̦̙̩̹͔̭͇̯̠̫̘̩͉̫̬͓͔̠̙̥̥̬̥̟̜͈̲̯͔̳̜͇̺̺͍͔̠̦͍͙̘͓̟͍̖̺̫̺̝̯̭̮̥͖̥͕̪̗̻̖̤̫̜͎̣̳̣͇͈̪̯̖̗͈̤̯̖̲̈̾̓̀͌͐̔̔̓̈́͗̒̐͛̓̐̏̓͒̀͂̽̔͋͋̄̀̑̅̀̅̋̍̽̀͛̀̃̐̑͌̔̒̏̂̄̓̈́̆͊́̽̂̀̎͒̒́͐̊̎͂̀̀̓͋̂́̽̾́̓͘̕̕͘̕͘͝͝͝͝ͅǝ̷̶̷̶̷̸̸̸̴̷̷̵̵̵̶̴̷̸̴̵̴̷̷̷̶̷̶̴̵̴̵̶̸̨̢̧̨̢̡̛̛̫͎̰͙̱̙̺̳̻̩̮̖̥͕̯̠͙̬͈̺̺̳̪̞̜̝̩͎͉̫̳̻̖̳̳̲̯̟̯̼̥͖̟̲̬͙͇͙͇͉̝̝͖̩͖͚͉̤̻͖̖͈̬͎̫̗̱̏̽͊̅̒̉̈́̊̍̀͒̓̑̎̋̊̇͂́̀̓͋̊̽̎͗̑͛̒̉͑͊̊̆̑̽̐̾̈͋̑̈́̀͘͘͘͘͜͝͝͠͝ͅḷ̶̎́¡̸̥̜͂"̶̯̍

As per usual, the Subway Boss looks at you with an indecipherable expression.

He slightly tilts his hat to acknowledge your request and announces in a clear, enthusiastic voice:

"I accept your challenge, (Name)! I will choose your next destination based on your talent!"

"What will you do if my brother wins instead?", Emmet abruptly interrupts behind you.

You turn around and see him looking above your shoulder at the Poké Ball clutched in your hand.

"I... I don't want to think about it.", you admit. "I'm only focused on victory right now."

"I feel you! I like winning more than anything else. That's why I won't interfere, but just this time. There can't always be a two-car train.", he smiles brotherly at you.

He pats the top of your head and strikes his signature pose:

"Follow the rules. Keep smiling! Follow the schedules. Aim for victory! Check safety and... Don't fly too close to the sun, (Name)."

You utter a yelp as the blast throws you to the ground and a powerful flash flares up.

A deafening sound of metal rubbing against the roaring engines.

The subway is being torn down to pieces by a mysterious force.

"Can you hold on to your principle?"

"Ingo!", you call, unable to locate him in this hell.

"Ah. It was not bad at all."

"WAIT, ING--"

The speed is pushing you towards the back of the ripped-up carriage, and you are desperately trying to hold onto anything you can grab.

"INGO! EMMET! WHERE ARE YOU?", you plead.

"What is it you wish for?", a deep voice echoes within your head at that moment. "I will fulfil your wish, but on one condition:

̷̩̔́๔̶͉̘̦͔̽̍ₑ̸̛̦̩̈́̔̀ₑ̴͖̩̱̙̳̦͒͑͐̒͊͠ᵣ̸͓̘̝̤̊̂̊g̶̲͈̊̌̓͆̽̅͌ ̷̢͔̬̳͎͚͕̤̑͐̚͜͝y̴̛̭̱̠͚̳̞̓́̔̀̌͊๒̶̫̩͚͛̀͘ ̴̛̩̂̋̊̅̔͝๔̷̧̛̒̀͐͂̃͑̓ₑ̷̙̭̜̄ₘ̵̨̞͈̤͗͐͗̈́̐̍̒͘͝ย̸̅̽̀͊ร̸̻́̅́͠ภ̴̡̳̻̤͑̀́͂̓́̈́̚๏̴̢͊̉c̷͕͓̬̼͕̳͓̋͐͒́̉̑̍͘̚͜ ̶̨̩͓͕̠̯̊̋́̔͜ͅₑ̸̛̭̹̭̺͉͓͍̐̚ₘ̴̳͎͖̼͔̠̅̈́͊̒̀͛๏̶̨̩̜̦̹̟͊̽̒̕c̴̝͉͋͗̄̉̓̕͠ₑ̷̲̯̙̪͗๒̵̧͚͍̬̜̤̎͒͐̌̂ ̵͖͙͕̰̝̼̆̒̀͐̈́́ͅf̶̛̱͈͕̙̜̟͛͊͑̔͜ɭ̸̙͔̈́͂̕ₑ̶̤̒́̍͛̊͒́͊̕ร̶̨̘͖̠̭͑̈́ᵣ̴̢̛̜̬̪̣͎̽́̂̂̓ย̴̢͕͎̜̺͙̟̻̻̇̉̅̉̓̑̅̓͐͝๏̵͋̈́̈́̊̕y̸̰̥͓͚͈͑̂̋̇̂͐͋̋͠ ̶͎̹́̿̌̌͠ₜ̵̢̡̜̯͔̟͇̪͙̈́̓̚͠ₑ̷͈͉͉͆̽̐͛͑̏̾̓̀́ɭ̶̢͓̩̘̪͕̂̐ ̴̫͈͇͉̭̝̺̼̜̍͐̓̚๔̵͙̒͐̏̒͒̉͒̆̕͠ภ̷̻̘̓͆ₐ̸̢̠͚̥̑̀͐̽͑͑̄̐̓ ̵̞̳͕̉̊͐̓ₕ̷̦̒̈́̄̏̓̉ₜ̷̢̠̟̫͚̜͙̯̀̉̂ย̷͍̅̓ᵣ̵̣͎͔̥̥̬̄̇̏͑͝͝ₜ̵̧̘͎̰̟̤̌͑͒͊̍̓̚ ̸̡̩̪̥̩̎ₑ̷̙͔͕̟̰͂̊͗ₕ̷͚̅ₜ̸̣̰͍̙̦͈̪̣̜̹̿̈́̃́̕ ̴̧̩̟́̿̋̆͒̕͘͝͝ₑ̴͔̱̩̺̝̪͉̽̔̉̉̚͘ᵣ̷͉̟̐̇͘̚ͅ๏̴̓ภ̴͕̓͊̂̓̀̓ģ̷͙̥̒̎̄̏̈́͛̚̕ᵢ̴̧̹͙̹͈̦̭̬̤̿̍͒̍͠ ̸̨̛͍̲̻̇̔̆ₜ̸͔̥̱̼̥̟̱̂̆̓̌๏̵̻̋̋͋ภ̷͉͈͉́̔̄͒̆̀͛̑̾͘ ̷͍̜̋̎͛̌̈́̋̇͗ₜ̴̧̫̈́̽̏̃̂͌̃̕͘ร̴̙̥͎̤̒̿̓̔̅͠͝ย̵̢̧̪̯̽ₘ̵̥͍̝͓̥́̉̍͝ ̵͔̪͆̌̽̄̊̆͝͝ย̴̨͈͍̺̑͆̂̆̒͝๏̷̨͙͎̻̓̏̐y

or else, I will scorch you."

*

(16 April 2022)