mist on the grass

[offtracks]

Who: Ingo and Emmet
What: Exploration of the Middle Forest
When: Late April
Where: Middle Forest
Warnings: Hallucinations, dissociation, minor injury

[The middle forest, much like the time they explored the northern end, is blanketed with fog almost as soon as they enter the shadows of the trees. Ingo ignites his flames, as usual, but it's little use. Purple light refracts off the thick mist, as well as the faint red glow of Emmet's eyes and markings.

It's a little spooky. Ingo tries to keep his eyes off them. Telling Emmet about his experiences with Zoroark was probably, overall, a good thing to do. He's not longer lying to him, even if only by omission. But it probably makes some of his less-than-kind responses a little more obvious...]

I am sure any marks we leave will simply change again, but we could make an attempt anyhow.

[Today's another scouting mission, more than anything. Ingo's more relaxed about that than about rescue missions, but their strange experience in the forest last time still has him keeping a sharp eye out, as well as he can.]

Comments

[outbounds]

Hmm, no. It isn't. Not a memory, really. More of a pattern, more of something ingrained. But it does mean that it's there. That is what I mean by you remember, even if you don't.

Just have to figure out how to get to it when you want.

[ Easier said than done, obviously, and Emmet has no business making that sound as confident as he manages to, but. Well, that's for both of them to try to work on now, isn't it? ]

[offtracks]

Ah! Like the battle tracks!

[The speech and pointing and all that. Ingo's never considered that those kinds of muscle memory might carry over to interactions with others.]

Yes, that is the difficulty, isn't it...

[outbounds]

... There is no rush. Like I said.

[ Emmet didn't sit all the way back up when Ingo did, but that just means he has a better angle to bunt his head against Ingo's side again now. ]

You are you. Ingo is Ingo. I am Emmet. Everything else follows from that.

[offtracks]

[The headbutt warms him rather more than he would have expected. Ingo blinks at Emmet for a second, then carefully lays down again.]

...very well. I suppose you would be the expert.

[outbounds]

I am! I am Emmet and I know these things.

[ Chirped out. If he is playing it up just a bit then what is wrong with that? They both could use it after that trip. ]

Which is why you should listen to me more. If you are unsure, anyway.

[offtracks]

Oh, is that so?

[Again, the impulse to be a little sarcastic comes out of nowhere. Ingo doesn't try too hard to tamp it down, after what they just discussed...but he does feel uneasy enough to append:]

I suppose you are right.

[outbounds]

[ It's fine, he will roll with it with a snicker. ]

Yep. Because I am the smart twin, obviously.

[offtracks]

And I am the handsome twin?

[how did he even know that's the cliche dichotomy]

[outbounds]

According to the popularity contest they held in that one magazine a few years ago, apparently.

[ they look the same how do different placements even make any sense, ]

[offtracks]

...what?

[He's taken off-guard; he didn't think there was anything serious to it.]

I thought that we were identical?

[outbounds]

We are! Outside of the colors.

[ He rolls his eyes. ]

But we do act different. So maybe that has something to do with it.

[offtracks]

[They do, but what has that got to do with it? That sort of thing has always been slightly mystifying to Ingo, though.]

Why the colors, anyhow? Is there some significance to them?

[They've even ended up sort of black-and-white here...]

[outbounds]

Black and white? Hmm. Well. They sort of do have meaning in Unovan culture, yep. Goes back to the old stories of the Twin Heroes and the legendary dragons of Unova.

[ Some things just kind of end up leaning into the theming whether they do so intentionally or not. Black City and White Forest are absolutely doing it on purpose though. And with the subway ... well, it's at least a little bit a branding thing. Identical twins, contrasting yet complementary, in Unova of all places? Just imagine if they hadn't gone with it. ]

But also, I just like the color.

[offtracks]

I would get too dirty...

[At least, he certainly would in Hisui. Maybe not in Unova? Either way, even if he's accepted the ratty state of his coat and hat (far better than not having them at all), Ingo thinks he'd be bothered if dirt were that visible on him. Maybe that's why the black...?

He likes it too, he thinks. But his relationship with his old clothes goes so much deeper than aesthetic tastes that he's never even really thought of it like that.]

Our Pearl Clan uniforms are lighter. Not quite white, sort of a pale pink. [.....] I have not heard of the Twin Heroes.

[Sounds rather like their stories of the singular ancient hero. Unova's so far away, though; he's not surprised he doesn't know their legends.]

[outbounds]

It is a lot of work to keep it all looking presentable. Yup. But that is why it looks more impressive to a challenger. And those impressions matter. Because we represent more than just us.

[ Oh, so it's psychological warfare.

But also he would prefer to not look like a mess at any hypothetical league or battle facility or other work related meetings since that would reflect back on Nimbasa, the subway, Unova, pick any depending on context. ]

As for the Twin Heroes. Explaining the black and white thing might be easier with the pearls ... But, okay.

Legend has it that the legendary dragon, alongside the twin heroes, brought Unova into being long ago. The twin kings ruled together for a while, and everyone was happy, everything was fine. Until it wasn't, and they began to argue. The older brother sought Truth, and the younger brother pursued Ideals. Neither could agree on which of them was right, or how to decide on it.

The dragon couldn't decide either. So it tore itself apart. One side for each brother, and the shell they left behind. Those are the legendary dragons we know today. Reshiram, the white dragon, embodies flame and truth. Zekrom, the black dragon, is the same for lightning and ideals.

[ That's not the end of the legend, obviously, but it does explain the black and white thing. Sort of. ]

[offtracks]

[That is...already rather more involved than the ancient hero's legend! Ingo can tell that Emmet isn't even finished yet! The conflict between notions of Truth and Ideals seems a bit silly, but not really any more so than Space and Time. Though - ]

Irresponsible. [To allow their fighting to impact their Pokemon friend so terribly! But, never mind that.] Aren't I older than you?

[Should the colors be the other way around? Well, maybe they didn't pick it just because of that. Ingo doesn't find that he especially wants to wear white anyhow; it would just feel weird.]

[outbounds]

[

Bats lightly at Ingo. ]

We are not the kings. And we are not trying to be them. But white and black are important because of them. And then we ended up preferring one or the other.

Buuuut. [ All right, bet. ] If you really think you should. You can start wearing white if you want.

[offtracks]

[WHY ARE YOU BATTING]

We aren't even imitating them or something?

[They're twins in black and white, the connection had seemed fairly direct!]

I do not care about doing it now! It just seemed as though we were!

[outbounds]

[ Because he knows where that thought was going and it was incorrect, therefore. ]

Black and white are important because of the dragons, less because of the kings. But it is the kings who are the reason the dragons are the way they are. So it is still kind of because of them.

Anyway. If we were really trying to copy them then we probably should have swapped partners.

[offtracks]

Maybe! But it is like yin and yang. Each must contain some essence of the other!

[Or something like that? It's probably entirely unrelated.]

Anyhow. I do prefer the black.

[outbounds]

Something like that. They do have to balance out.

[ And how, considering how the rest of the story goes. ]

And fine. You can keep your black then.

[offtracks]

I think I really am a bit darker than average for a Typhlosion...

[Or maybe he's just imagining it? It's not a significant difference, anyway, not like that one Ponyta with the weird flames.]

[outbounds]

... I would not be able to tell you. About me or you, actually.

[ Maybe this is just how the Hisuian forms look, how's he supposed to know. ]

[offtracks]

I am not sure about you, either. I see more of Typhlosion, since Akari's first partner is one!

[Also like. White is white, he thinks? Maybe the reds are different, but he couldn't be sure. His words trail into a large, toothy yawn - he is still tired, but that talk was probably important to have!]

[outbounds]

[ Yawns being contagious, Ingo's spurs Emmet into one of his own. Huh. Right. ]

Hmm. I've been keeping you up, haven't I? Go take that nap you were wanting earlier.

Will still be here later.