The only difference was that when Ingo looked at her, there was no trace of familiarity in his eyes.
In her letter, Miss Irida briefly mentioned that Ingo was not a native of Hisui Region and had lost a significant portion of his past memories upon arriving here.
This means Ingo might very well be from a future world like them. The question is whether he's from a more distant future or if staying here for a longer time has led to his aged appearance.
Ingo quickly noticed that Cynthia had been observing him since a moment ago.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Sorry."
Cynthia smiled very naturally.
"I just felt that Mr. Ingo looks a bit like a Trainer I met overseas before, so I took a few extra glances."
"Is that so…"
A subtle change finally appeared on Ingo's calm expression.
"That's quite a coincidence."
He didn't immediately end the topic and after a moment of silence, slowly said, "I can't remember much from before; occasionally, I can only recall some very fragmented images."
"Some people live with Pokemon, and others communicate through Pokemon battles, which must be a place completely different from the current Hisui."
"So many years have passed, I've never managed to connect those scattered images nor found the direction I should go back to. Gradually, I'm almost accustomed to life here."
Though he spoke very calmly, Ash could still hear the bit of sadness that was hard to completely hide.
Ingo has lived in Hisui for who knows how many years.
For someone who can't even confirm where they truly come from, this feeling is probably much more severe than merely losing one's way.
Cynthia was silent for a moment, her tone softening a bit.
"Memories from before are important, but what happens here after you arrive is also part of your experience."
"As for a way back, not finding one now doesn't mean it will never appear."
"Since this world can make someone arrive in a completely unfamiliar place, who can guarantee that there won't be another path home in the future?"
Ingo's expressionless face moved slightly and finally showed a forced smile.
"Thanks for the good words, young lady."
Cynthia: "..."
Young lady?
The term almost made her frown on the spot.
When she met Ingo in Unova before, they both communicated as equals.
Now, Ingo is obviously much older than in her memory, and she's been relegated to a junior role with just one phrase, "young lady."
This feeling is indeed a bit strange.
Ash didn't notice Cynthia's inner struggle at this moment and quickly took the initiative to bring the topic back to business.
"Warden Ingo, Miss Irida said you are responsible for the Mount Pokemon of the Coronet Highlands, and if we are to head to Moonview Arena, we might need his help, right?"
"That's correct."
Ingo took out the Celestica Flute and while preparing to summon the Mount Pokemon, informed them of the specific situation here.
"The terrain of Coronet Highlands is much more complicated than the areas you have been active in before. Peaks and cliffs are everywhere, and many areas have no paths through which you can normally pass."
"The Mount Pokemon in charge here is a Sneasler, who excels in climbing. No matter how steep the cliff, as long as there's a place to grip, it's no different from a normal road for him."
Ash suddenly thought of a quite practical issue.
"How do we ride?"
"In the box."
Ingo's answer left Ash momentarily stunned.
"Box?"
"Yes."
Ingo explained, "There is a box on Sneasler's back specifically for carrying people, and at most, two people can fit inside."
"Once you sit inside, Sneasler can carry you while climbing the cliff. Even if there's a lot of movement outside, the people inside won't be easily affected."
"The box wasn't made by the people here later. It's been there since Sneasler became a Mount Pokemon, and no method to normally remove it has been found. Therefore, people prefer to understand it as a part of the power granted to the Mount Pokemon by the Venerable Sinnoh."
Hearing this, Ash and Cynthia both had slightly odd expressions.
A Pokemon with its own box?
Wyrdeer handles speed, Ursaluna can find treasures, Basculegion can move swiftly across the sea, and now in the Coronet Highlands, the Mount even comes with its own passenger equipment.
The Mounts in Hisui Region really are more unique one after another.
However, Ash carefully thought about it and found another issue.
"Mr. Ingo, is Sneasler mainly responsible for climbing mountains?"
Ingo understood his point after hearing.
"You mean, you think Sneasler's abilities aren't as outstanding compared to the other Mounts?"
Ash awkwardly touched his nose.
That was indeed his thought.
Wyrdeer can quickly cover ground, Ursaluna's special treasure-finding ability has already helped them obtain quite a few good things, and Basculegion directly solved the problem of crossing the sea.
In comparison, just climbing mountains doesn't sound as impressive.
Ingo wasn't upset and instead pointed toward the endless mountain peaks.
"Take a close look at the terrain here first."
Ash and Cynthia observed in that direction for a while, with Cynthia being the first to notice the problem.
"The peaks are too dense."
The mountains in the Coronet Highlands don't stand independently; many places are as dense as trees in a forest.
One mountain ends, and right next to it is another, taller peak, leaving only numerous narrow valleys and rock crevices in between.
"Simply using a Flying Pokemon would only allow passing over the peaks, but many valleys and mid-mountain areas are covered by other peaks, making it impossible to observe directly from above."
"Exactly."
Ingo nodded and said, "Moreover, many ores and herbs grow halfway up or near the cliffs."
"Normal Flying Pokemon can take people to heights but can hardly allow people to stay long-term in those narrow and steep locations."
"Some distances between valleys even make it challenging for large Flying Pokemon to spread their wings. At such times, Sneasler is more suitable than those who can only fly."
Ash took another look at the surrounding mountains, realizing the explanation made a huge difference.
Sneasler's abilities might not be particularly outstanding elsewhere, but in the peak-intensive Coronet Highlands filled with cliffs and narrow rock paths, Sneasler indeed has access to numerous locations inaccessible to others.
This was also an issue they encountered when using Garchomp for flying before.
"I see now." Ash nodded, "Then please, Mr. Ingo, let's have Sneasler come over!"
"I only handle the summoning."
Ingo placed the Celestica Flute to his lips.
"As for whether Sneasler is willing to acknowledge you two, that's up to his own judgment."
The two had heard this many times before.
Each Warden responsible for a Mount Pokemon seemed to always provide a similar preface before formally introducing them.
The long melody soon spread throughout the mountains.
A few minutes later, a slender figure suddenly appeared on a near-vertical cliff in the distance.
The Pokemon didn't follow a normal mountain path but instead moved quickly downwards with limbs clinging to the rock wall.
The black and red claws could precisely grip tiny crevices in the rock with each step, reaching the nearby Heights Camp within a few breaths.
"Sneasel!"
Sneasler leapt down from the last rock, landing steadily in front of everyone.
Its body was elongated, with arms and legs noticeably longer than a typical Sneasel.
The black and red claws stood out, with most of its face covered in purple and a yellow diamond pattern on its chest.
This is a Pokemon that never appeared in modern times, a branching evolution of Sneasel—Sneasler!