Chapter Text
Irida will admit she wasn't entirely sure how making the mysterious man named Ingo into a Pearl Clan Warden would work. Ingo had already managed to befriend Lady Sneasler, and that was what was preventing her from getting a new Highland Warden before.
The hard part was already done.
Now Irida just had to convince him to go to the Pearl Clan settlement, get him to join the Pearl Clan, summon the other Wardens, and get the other Wardens to accept him into their ranks.
This wasn't very traditional, but that didn't matter.
It didn't matter that he wasn't a member of the Pearl clan.
It didn't matter that he gave Irida Lady's Sneasler's flute back.
It didn't matter that he was a man of few words, and seemed disinterested in everything Irida had to say.
It didn't matter that he either made loud booming noises, or was dead quiet.
It didn't matter that despite his slouched back, he still loomed over her with a scowl on his face.
It didn't matter that his strange clothes and mannerisms gave no indication of where he was from.
It didn't matter that he seems to have been living in the highlands for quite some time, even though the other Highland Warden has no idea who he is.
It didn't matter that after he left with Lady Sneasler and her kits, meaning that Irida had lost track of where he was, again.
None of that matters, because Irida will make him a member of the Pearl Clan and Lady Sneasler's new Warden. Lady Sneasler clearly cares for him, he must be good with pokemon with that Gligar listening to him, and all Highland Wardens have been a little weird. Warden Melli already proved that that could mean many different things. Ingo would fit right in.
Irida, along with the two Pearl Clan Members and her Eevee, make their way back to the camp. There the three other members Irida brought with her are waiting.
One of the members with Irida excitedly told the others about how the mysterious man, named Ingo, quite literally threw a Sneasel at Warden Melli's face. As the other members joke around, Irida writes a summons for the other Wardens of the Pearl Clan to return to the settlement. They were going to meet the newest member and Warden.
Walking back to the others, Irida hands the letter to the two members that met Ingo. She tells them to bring the letter back to the settlement so that they may summon the other Wardens.
The two seem hesitant, likely concerned about the same things Irida is concerned about. Irida cannot let that concern show. She is the leader and she needs to be confident in her decisions. This may be their last chance to give Lady Sneasler a Warden.
Irida doesn't want to disappoint Commander Kamado. She also doesn't want to deal with the Diamond Clan leader's smug face.
How Irida wanted to punch Adaman.
But that would mean war between their clans, and they couldn't have that.
Oh well.
After sending the two with the letter back to the settlement, Irida and the others search for Ingo. They keep their eyes on the sky for a Gligar and their ears open.
Travelling through the Highlands was always exhausting. The ground never stayed flat for long. That wasn't going to stop Irida, but Eevee was having a harder time. Eevee had no trouble getting through the snowy tundra of the Icelands. As they climbed higher up the mountain though, the rock started to get taller than Eevee herself.
Irida knows she shouldn't spoil Eevee, but she did feel bad after dragging her all around the Highlands these past couple of days…
Carrying Eevee for a bit couldn’t hurt. Just until the ground was a bit flatter.
Putting her Eevee under one arm, Irida wishes she had a basket like Lady Sneasler as she climbs up the mountain. Irida also couldn't help but wonder if they'd need to replace the Noble's basket. Afterall, they never found it after the passing of her old Warden.
Soon they reach an area that's less steep, not flat, but flat enough that Irida can put Eevee down. Stretching her arms, Irida looks around.
This place could be a nice lookout. There was a great view of the Highlands, and the forest next to the Highlands. There was grass and wildflowers growing along here. They weren't the prettiest of colours, at least compared to the Cobalt Coastlands. But it still added something to the brown and barren mountain.
There was also an Oran Berry tree. The berries were likely very ripe as winter approaches. Under the tree, Eevee looks at Irida and plops down on the ground.
Eevee looks absolutely adorable.
Irida only had a second to appreciate the cuteness overload in front of her before a Gligar swoops in and grabs Eevee right off the ground. Irida screams at the Gligar and tries to chase it.
Gligars don't even eat Eevees. What was this Gligar's problem?
Eevee manages to bite the pincer at the end of Gligar's tail. Gligar screeches and drops Eevee. Thankfully Irida manages to catch Eevee before Eevee touches the ground.
Irida goes to glare at the Gligar, only to find that Gligar is staring at her with a strange expression. Was this Ingo's Gligar? Did Ingo order an attack on Irida's Eevee? Or did Gligar just not see Irida?
The Gligar flies to the Oran Berry tree, now in the distance, and flies back towards Irida with an Oran Berry. Gligar attempts to split the berry in two with her pincers, but the berry is very ripe, and Gligar ends up just making two piles of juicy mush. Gligar happily offers one of the piles to Irida.
Carefully taking the berry mush, Irida tries not to gag. Gligar eats her berry mush, and looks at Irida expectantly.
Sharing food is not normal Gligar behaviour. That means Gligar learned this from someone. That also means that this must be Ingo's Gligar. Irida really needs to win Gligar's favour if she wants to win Ingo over. Or if she just wants to find him in the first place.
Irida tries to give the berry mush to Eevee. It would be fine if at least one of them eats it, right?
Eevee gives Irida a look that screams, 'nice try, but I am not eating that'.
Bringing the berry mush to her own mouth, Irida cannot believe that a pokemon that licks their own butt won't eat an overripe Oran Berry.
To cut Eevee some slack, Irida didn't want to eat the berry either.
Irida swallows the whole pile of mush. It is more bitter than usual and has a sickly sweet aftertaste that will linger unpleasantly in her mouth for the rest of the day. It was horrible, but it was all worth it when Gligar led Irida to the entrance of a small cave nearby. There were dirt tracks in front leading to a boulder that must have been pushed out of the way.
This was where Ingo and Lady Sneasler were. Irida was certain of it.
- - -
Ingo was, frankly, exhausted. It was already tiring enough dealing with the Sneasels disappearing act yesterday. Learning that the other humans didn’t understand him was rough enough, but now Ingo was being reminded that his communication with pokemon was also not perfect.
The Tall Sneasel had spent the last several hours trying to explain something to Ingo, and Ingo was no closer to figuring it out. Usually Ingo was quite good at figuring out what pokemon were saying. Were they hungry, or tired? Did they want to sneak around the very large pokemon, or fight it? Were they just playing, or did the kits actually want to murder each other?
But this?
Ingo had no idea what this was about.
All Ingo knew was that this somehow involved the people with the pink symbol, and a basket-backpack that looked big enough for the Tall Sneasel to wear.
After leaving the Moonview Arena, the Tall Sneasel took Ingo, her kits, and Gligar to a small cave hidden by a boulder high in the mountain. After making their way through a tight pathway, the group reached a sizable alcove. In the alcove was the basket, and the Tall Sneasel has been trying to explain something about it. Ingo doesn’t want to sound like a broken record, but it has been hours and Ingo was no closer to figuring out what was going on.
At least the Sneasel kits and Gligar managed to catch a nap. Then the kits woke up and were hungry.
They were at the age where they should be hunting for themselves, with Ingo or their mothers supervision, but Ingo wasn’t getting out of this one-sided conversation anytime soon.
So Ingo did the reasonable thing and sent Gligar out to catch something.
Then Gligar returned.
With an Eevee.
An alive Eevee.
And the girl, Clanleaderirida if Ingo remembered correctly.
Ingo wasn’t sure if he ever believed in the gods, or what those gods would be, but as Clanleaderirida points at the basket and starts saying nonsense, and the hungry kits pounce after the Eevee, and the Tall Sneasel’s fur stands on ends as she loudly growls, Ingo wishes he had something to pray too.