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[Ingo couldn't possibly care less himself. He'd rather Emmet make the choice, so he can't possibly mistake what his brother wants. But, well...]

I...well. I'm not sure. [...] The poison rain is still happening, is it? I think there are other things going on in the city, but I am not entirely sure. Gladion is well, at least, though Rindo has not been by recently.

[Rindo doesn't always stay here, though, so he isn't sure if you can make anything of that.]

[Emmet nodded as he listened to Ingo.]

[But he can tell Ingo is stumbling a little.]

[TELL. CLAN. FRIEND. I. MEET.]

[Tell him about someone Emmet should meet one day if he ever gets the chance!]

Ah. Well...I have told you about Irida already, I suppose. And certainly Palina.

[So who's left...]

Have we spoken much of Warden Gaeric? He is Lord Avalugg's Warden, and the one of us whose territory is nearest to the Clan settlement. He remains among them more often than not, for that reason, and is the primary guardian of their boundaries. He is a quite...outgoing fellow. Oh, I do believe I told you about the time he engaged me in his exercise routine! But he is also quite kind. He's actually quite good friends with the nearest Diamond Warden, Sabi! She is only a child, about Lian's age, so it would be a bit ridiculous to carry on a feud with her, but I always respected him for it all the same. She is very distant from her own clan, so he has been looking out for her, since Lord Braviary chose her. Warden Mei has done the same for Lian, to a degree...he's rather less willing to accept such attention. Luckily, Calaba is not so far from him...

[Emmet thought for a few moments and got up and headed downstairs. He quickly came back up with something that was wrapped, a while ago in fact, there was some dust on it and the wrapping paper might look familiar from the Birthday party.]

[It was obvious Emmet wanted to give it then, but something held him back. But he did die once, what if he dies again and stays dead? What if Ingo finds the wrapped painting but never actually gets it?]

[He held it out to Ingo.]

Emmet...?

[Ingo gets up to follow him downstairs, but returns to the couch when they meet on the stairs. Alright, it was just a quick trip!]

Oh - [He reaches out - he's still holding something in one of his hands.] ...oh, that's right, how foolish of me.

[Stupid! He pries his fingers open and hands it over - it's Emmet's locket! Judging from the stiffness of his paw and the impressions left on his pads, he's been clutching it for quite some time.]

Here, trade. What is this? A leftover birthday gift?

[Emmet takes the locket and smiles a little, he is glad Bucky did bring it to Ingo. He was glad Bucky did that.]

[He nods, he has been worried about giving Ingo the painting Worried what sort of reaction it might get from Ingo, but...better do it now instead of Ingo maybe never finding it.]

[Ingo does that annoying thing where he very carefully unwraps the gift in such a way that he can fold up the paper for later re-use, like someone's grandpa! It takes way too long!

When it's done, he holds up the painting to look at it. Something in his chest seems to...crack.]

Oh. Oh, this is beautiful - ! Where did you get this?

[He thinks he'd know by now if Emmet were a painter!]

[Yeah, no, Emmet isn't. Emmet's own art style is that he has been quite happy with his skills since he was nine and never decided to improve.]

[COMMISSIONED.]

[Well, the person was giving away paintings. Emmet had to force a tip on the delivery boy. Artist vehemently refusing to accept one.]

It's...it's lovely.

[Ingo's voice was already slightly strained, like that little monologue was the most he'd spoken in a while, but now he's choked up. It's a beautiful painting: Hisui, some of the people he's left behind, but Emmet's there as well.

He doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve any of them.

What right does he have to pine over his Clan? They'd be ashamed, now, to have any association with him. But...he can't let go. He hasn't been able to let go as he should. His stomach aches - selfish, selfish. He shouldn't keep this. But he has to, it'd be horribly rude not to!]

[Emmet could practically hear what Ingo was thinking.]

[Emmet is avoiding looking into Ingo's face.]

[Emmet's presence is what decides him. It does not matter what Ingo thinks or feels. The only thing that matters is Emmet. He swallows, so that he can keep all conflict out of his voice as he says:]

Thank you, Emmet. I will treasure it.

[If holding it to his chest feels a little too good - well, he'll find some way to make it up later.]

[PEARL. CLAN. IMPORTANT. TO. YOU. TO ME.]

[Emmet had often worried if he seemed jealous of Ingo's connection with the Clan because they shared a part of Ingo's life that Emmet will not- have not]

[How sometimes, Emmet knew he probably seemed like he would simply tell Ingo to cut them off if they somehow upset Ingo and did not care about it.]

[But that is always easier said than done, because they were important to Ingo, and so they would be important to Emmet.]

I - yes. Yes, they are. I am...glad that you can...feel close to them as well. Clan is important.

[His words are stilted. Both because he's trying to keep any of his negative emotions out of his voice (he presses the bottom edge of the frame into his stomach, a silent reminder to himself to shut up for once) and because...well, he isn't exactly sure how to verbalize what he feels, about Emmet and the Clan together. He's not sure what he does feel.]

They were my family for a long time. It is...nice to imagine my families meeting. Though of course it will never happen.

[For...any number of reasons, really.]

[Emmet looked down again and moved to sit on the couch. Just hearing Ingo brush it off as never happening- just stung.]

[Ingo sees the reaction, but doesn't quite follow the cause. He's not wrong.]

Well - with any luck it will not. I would not wish for anyone to come here.

[And there's really no other chances for it. Ingo might return to the future, in some hypothetical reality where they all get to go home one day, but he certainly won't be dragging the entire Clan behind him.]

[While Emmet was thinking if Ingo didn't come to the future, you could bet your last Pokedollar Emmet would go to the past.]

[Again, a case of Emmet thinking too much.]

[Ingo would love if Emmet came to the past temporarily! But he'd never ask him to stay there long-term.]

In any case...let me put this downstairs where it will be safe. We can hang it later.

[You wanna come with? He's literally just going to go put it up on a shelf, where none of the Creatures are going to jump.]

[Emmet nodded and moved to follow Ingo.]

[Once it's set up carefully, Ingo looks around the room for a moment. Since Emmet's here and all, he will have to hang it up, however little he's done to earn such a thing...]

Perhaps over the bed. But some other time.

[He doesn't really have the energy to go find tools and do that right now. Back upstairs!]

[See this, this is Emmet staying within arms reach of Ingo.]

[Back to the couch! Ingo sits down heavily, ignoring the food and drink that he set out; it was all for Emmet anyway. Except the tea he poured himself, which even then he doesn't especially want.

Wordlessly, he gestures for Emmet to join him.]

[And without a further word, Emmet is already on the couch trying to twist himself around Ingo.]

[Back to the way they were, then!

...which means Ingo is probably supposed to talk again. Dangit.]

The moon still isn't back. I don't know if anything is happening with that. I have not looked at the network for some time.

[Emmet expected Ingo not being on the network. He sighs and signs something against Ingo about how he bets next month a giant creature will come from the sea and attack Bavan or something.]

Ah, perhaps it will. Why not?

[Ingo doesn't even care if it does, at this point.]

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