Submas/PLA Fic: Electric Trains are the Future Chapter 2 - An Additional Coupling
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The second chapter of Electric Trains is live! I’m still working on building a backlog of chapters for before I go back to work, so it will be a few days before I post Chapter 3.
Chapter Summary: Ingo deals with flashes of familiarity and awakened memories as Elesa figures out what she is doing in Jubilife. Chapter Word Count: 2240
Read it below the cut, or the entire fic on AO3! I cross-post all chapters, but it’s easier to read the entire thing on AO3.
Ingo wasn’t exactly sure what to think of this new passenger on his line. She was very pretty, and something about her seemed to make his heart ache slightly, like whenever he thought about the man who smiles or the Pokemon with flames. As Kamado was walking up, he tried to give this Elesa a soft smile, like the ones he had learned to give Akari when she was feeling down after a bad day on an expedition.
And was left entirely perplexed when she just giggled and said he had “Skitty Mouth”. It’s not his fault he can’t smile properly and always looks like a Skitty, let him try! Not that he knows what a Skitty is, or why he would have trouble smiling. He’s been able to do it many times before whenever he battles Akari.
But for now, Kamado was here, and he expected their attention. This was likely a safety check. An unknown passenger, possibly a fare dodger (fare? But Jubilife is free to enter?) to their life that needs to be assessed. While Ingo and Kamado have clashed before on the latter’s xenophobia, he has gotten better about only checking on unscheduled arrivals.
He should probably pay attention.
“Questions? No problem,” Elesa says, quickly composing herself with speed and grace that leaves Ingo wondering if she has practiced this. (Of course she has, she gets asked questions non-stop and thi-) What? Whatever, he needs to focus.
“Bren told me you seem to be an acquaintance of Ingo,” Kamado asks, looking over to Ingo with a short nod of acknowledgement before refocusing on Elesa. “Is this true?”
“Ingo and I have known each other for ages,” Elesa says with an award-winning smile (who’s giving awards for smiles?) before sighing and dropping the look. “He also disappeared three years ago out of nowhere, and we’ve had no idea where he went.”
Three years would line up with when he unexpectedly changed tracks. He’s been a Warden for over two years, and has been here for just over three. Kamado also knew this from the few times they’ve talked about his memory loss, and nods quietly before he asks his next question. “And how did you find him here? Did a villager write out to family, and you heard through that, or did someone specifically call for you?”
Elesa freezes in place like a Deerling in the headlights (A what in the what? Also how did a Deerling get on the tracks?), and before she says anything Miss Akari steps forward. “I… Kind of brought her here? With Dialga and Palkia?” Her hands were behind her back and head hung low, expecting to be admonished heavily. “I tried to get Ingo’s brother, I think, but grabbed her instead?” Was the smiling man his brother? And why was Akari going to these lengths for him?
Kamado looks at Miss Akari with an expression that he only gets around her - Unsurprised, tired, and possibly contemplating leaving the island altogether. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he finally finds the words he wants to say, “Considering that Dialga was involved, then you must’ve also reached out through time. Which explains some of Ingo’s… Oddities.” With a sigh, he looks back to Elesa. “Ingo is one of the best battlers in this region, and I’m sure if you know him you are surely at his caliber?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say his caliber exactly, he and Emmet are Champion Level and I’m just a Gym Leader,” Elesa says, waving off the idea. Champion? Gym Leader? Thinking of those words fills Ingo with a feeling that he finds hard to place. Nostalgia? No, he doesn’t think that’s right. Those aren’t positions he’s held before, he was a (---) Boss. A “What” Boss?
Ingo comes out of his thoughts to Elesa explaining what a Gym Leader was, or at least the tail end of it. “And at the end of the Gym’s challenge, which varies by the Gym, they face the Leader and hopefully earn a League Badge,” she says with practiced ease. “We have different teams for different levels of badge in Unova, but some places have a single team per gym. I’m right in the middle of the region, so I mostly end up just using the one team except for people that start in Nimbasa.”
Nimbasa, Lit By the Flash of Lightning! The center of entertainment in all of (---), and home of the (---) and Big stadium. All of this enters Ingo’s head immediately, causing him to straighten his posture slightly. He catches sight of Miss Akari giving him a smile and a victorious look. She seems to be happier about his look of recognition more than remorseful of the fact that she just kidnapped his (---)friend.
(---)Friend? Thinking more about it, Ingo does recognize Elesa. The way she talked was incredibly similar to his own, even more so when she spoke Galarian. Hell, they had the exact same accent somehow, even though Ingo could feel that his own was subdued.
Ingo reaches up and pulls the cap down over his eyes, trying to drown out the talking now. He wanted to listen, but his mind was racing, and if he didn’t drown it out he wouldn’t be able to focus on what was going on within him. Battling Akari always knocked something loose in his cab, but Elesa seemed to be laying down new tracks entirely.
He was so efficient in drowning them out that it took Miss Akari poking his cheek to bring Ingo back to the group. “All systems are in order, and safety checks have been completed!” He had shouted without intending to, causing Elesa and Miss Akari to giggle and Kamado to simply raise an eyebrow. He looks between them, obviously lost on what had actually been discussed, and Kamado decides to just continue the conversation with Elesa.
“So, with your skills in battling, I am willing you offer you a spot in our Security Corps under Zisu over here,” Kamado gestures to Zisu, who was putting away some of the equipment from earlier in the day and gives the group a polite wave, holding several sandbags in her other arm. “Unless of course you would rather apprentice under one of our merchants in the village, though this would leave you less likely to find employment.” He looks over at Ingo with a small smile poking out under his moustache. “Normally I cannot promise housing if someone is unable to contribute, but I’m sure you’ll be able to find accommodations.”
Ingo wanted to point out that Kamado should be offering shelter regardless of helping the Galaxy Team, but he also didn’t want to turn Elesa away. “I may not have the largest station, but Elesa is welcome to stay with me, regardless of what she ends up doing.” She gives him a smile which he is sure she returns, but she just mouths skitty when he does. He knows how to smile, why is she reacting that way? He huffs and deepens his frown at her, narrowing his eyes in spite.
“Come on, Ingo, smiling was always Emmet’s forte,” she teases, and this time he catches the name amongst the rest. Emmet. Smiling. The man in white? He looks away for a moment, down at the dirt of the battlefield to think, though apparently part of his reaction made Elesa think he was bashful because she continues to talk with Kamado for a moment.
Was this Emmet the man in white? Why does he constantly see him in the mirrors if he truly is someone else? He couldn’t look at his own face without thinking of The Man in White, to the point where some nights he thought it was visions of his past. But no, his name was Emmet. He was someone… Important to Elesa.
After a moment, he feels Miss Akari bump up to him, and he turns his head to her. “You ok, Uncle Ingo?” She was looking at him with a little bit of worry on her face. “You keep looking upset.”
“Oh, not at all!” Ingo says quickly, leaning in and trying to keep his volume low to not interrupt Elesa as she figures out her working arrangements. “In fact, I’m glad to have her here, I’m just…” He strokes his beard for a moment, dropping his hand from his cap. “The fog has lifted a bit. I remember home somewhat, but the people she’s talking about have not come to board.”
“That’s great!” she says with excitement, giving Ingo a quick hug before both turned back to the conversation next to them.
Elesa and Kamado seemed to be wrapping up their talk, when she suddenly had a new question. “Do you all have a fashion store, or at least a clothing store?” Ingo felt the blood rush from his face as he paled. Please no, Hisui is not ready for your style, Elesa. “Or at least a hair salon? I do clothing design in my off-time, and love working with hair.”
“We have a clothing store, though it is fairly traditional,” Kamado says very diplomatically, apparently not a fan of her big, fluffy look. “We do have a hair salon, and the Warden working there does like to experiment with hair. She may be happy to work with you.” Ah yes, throw her to Arezu. That won’t cause too many issues, and would expose her to a lot of the villagers in a way that would help them relax around her. Smart move.
“Oh, that sounds like a Karrablast,” Elesa says with a smile, though the pun goes over Kamado’s head. Despite only getting a flash of the little bug in his head, Ingo lets out a quick laugh, and Akari seems to have caught it as well next to him and grimaces at the pun. “Would I be able to do both the security work and hair dressing? They both sound fun.”
“As long as you don’t shirk Security work, we allow any Galaxy Member to have extra jobs and hobbies to do as they please.”
“Perfect! Then I’ll join up, and go check this hair salon out,” Elesa says with a wide smile that Ingo could tell was mostly to help end the conversation. Kamado clearly got the signal, gave a curt nod to everyone there, and walked back to his office, audibly muttering that the Clans should’ve taken their Gods so that they wouldn’t cause him headaches and eat his crops. Akari let out a breath, and Elesa relaxed. “Haven’t had someone question me with intent like that in awhile.” Turning to the pair, but focused on Ingo, “Could use a tour around town, if my boy will take me?”
Her boy? “I’m at the end of my day, so I would be glad to conduct you through Jubilife’s various stations.” He looks over at Miss Akari, giving her an admonishing look. “With the premier guide, I’m sure it’ll be a smooth ride.” The young Surveyor sighs and droops downwards, knowing that Ingo will be holding this over her head for the next few days.
Elesa simply smiles and swings her arm out as an invitation for them to lead the way. Ingo grips the brim of his cap and barks out his normal spiel, “Be sure to remain coupled to your fellow passengers, and do not cross the yellow line! We will be passing several interesting stations, but the day grows long and several are shutting down, so stops will be limited! Remember to do your safety checks, and follow me!” Putting both hands behind his back, he leads the pair out of the Training Grounds down Flaoro Main Street.
True to his word, the shops were all closing up. While Hisui was coming out of winter, the sun was still setting fairly early and many people preferred to be in their homes during the dark. So while Ingo was able to show Elesa the Wallflower, where she could get food, and the hair salon, where she could meet Arezu, there weren’t people to converse with, and the train kept rolling.
They simply took a lap around the river, crossing the bridge by the pastures and then walking back towards Canala Avenue, before Akari bid the pair farewell and supposedly went to her home, though Ingo could tell she was planning to go elsewhere. With a sigh, he turns to Elesa and nods. “Off to my home, then. It’s at the end of the road by the security station.”
“Lead the way then, Ingy,” Elesa says with a yawn, the squeak at the end causing Ingo to smile (surely!) a little, not even bothering to dwell on the pet name she just said with it. “God, it was already a long day before showing up here, I could crash instantly.”
Ingo led the way silently for a few moments before speaking up. “Would you be able to tell me more about Emmet before we sleep? The name keeps eluding me when I try to apply a face to it.” His voice was soft, much softer than he intended. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she didn’t hear him, but she then popped up at his side, leaning forward so that he could see the smile on her face as she answered.
“Of course, Deerling.”
She still laughed and muttered skitty when he smiled, but Ingo honestly didn’t care anymore.