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Getting a pokemon partner wasn't necessarily a right of passage among the Pearl Clan, but after years of observation Ingo knew it was something similar. Parents or a beloved guardian, sometimes a sibling, would head out into the wilds of the Icelands. They would spend up to a week exploring, hunting down the perfect partner for their family member. A small celebration would happen once they returned home, and afterwards the child and pokemon would be seen under careful watch until they could both be trusted with each other. Children were frequently unaware of their own strength - as Ingo's sideburns had discovered - and pokemon had to learn to understand their partners as much as their partners had to learn to understand them. The average age seemed to vary between families- most frequently the child would be between the ages of five and seven, though occasionally a home-bred pokemon would be gifted to a younger child, or a parent would make the trip a decade into their child's life.
Ingo had asked Irida about the tradition early on but she'd had little information to offer. Her Eevee had been bred by her parents and she was far too young to have children of her own to track down a pokemon for. Calaba had nothing to say to Ingo except that he would know when the time was right to leave, and that the pokemon would present itself at the appropriate time. He doubted her words but knew better than to say it out loud. Instead he observed the other parents in the clan. When they left, and how long they were gone for. The shortest time he'd seen someone return was when a father had returned three days after he'd departed with a feisty Elekid. The longest had been a two week stretch when Lilla had left her children in his care, returning looking battered and bruised but proudly cradling a Riolu in her arms with a Kirlia following close behind. Ingo had helped with the celebration that night and watched with sharp eyes as she had introduced the pokemon to her daughters. Contrary to the mysticism surrounding it there was no instant connection, no meeting of the eyes that foretold a tight bond. The girls and the pokemon had watched each other with mild suspicion, with the pokemon hiding behind Lilla's legs. Ingo had held Akari in his arms, staying in case his aid was needed but also curious how a scene like this looked up close.
Unfortunately, on rare occasions the hunt was the opposite successful and there was no return at all. Irida had confessed to Ingo that Palina's father had gone looking for her partner one day and never returned. His ruined clothing had been found months later. It was a point of contention between the young girls that most didn’t speak of- Irida’s parents hadn’t had to hunt for a pokemon; Palina’s did, and had utterly failed. Ingo wisely kept his mouth shut, even when prodded for an opinion on it when it was revealed he knew. As an Outsider, some of his opinions were seen as amusing, or a way for one to decide if they did or didn’t approve of him.
As he wasn't a member of the Clan in that he hadn't been born into it, and was still only roughly accepted by them, Ingo wondered what he was supposed to do. Would the same drive to get Akari a pokemon come over him? He'd tried that twice before, coming home with a Machoke and shredded arms the first time, and an extra large, clingy Gligar the next. And though Akari very obviously adored the Gligar, there was still a connection that was missing between them. Perhaps he was overthinking it, but both pokemon seemed to be… his, rather than his daughter's. At four years old she didn't seem to care that they weren't hers as long as she got to play with them. Ingo, on the other hand, had the uncanny feeling that something was missing.
Perhaps it was a calling, or perhaps it was his own feelings of inadequacy that inevitably led him into the frozen wastes of the Alabaster Icelands to look for a companion for his daughter a third time. She had yet to reach the age of majority that children typically did when they got their pokemon, but she already suffered from having him as her father though she never seemed to realize it. He was far more accepted now than he had been when she first arrived, but some Pearl Clan members continued to ostracize him. Those that had children were teaching them, intentionally or not, to behave in a similar way towards Akari. Not only was her father of unknown origin and lacking in memory, she was also of unknown origin, had been abandoned, and was being raised by someone they trusted in the same way one might trust an injured pokemon- unlikely to injure you, but very few wanted to bring it inside and help it. Nobody made fun of her yet, but it was that yet that worried Ingo. The world wouldn’t always be so kind, despite his best efforts in making it so, and she would eventually need some help in facing it.
As he set out, wrapped tightly in a Mammoswine fur coat, he told himself that he needed to find her a pokemon this time. Something that would impress the clan enough, as well, that she would have a place with them no matter what happened to him. He rubbed his cheek gently where Akari had given him a kiss before he’d left her in Lilla’s arms. Akari didn’t mind leaving Ingo and having sleepovers now, but if she had known just how long he’d be leaving her for she’d have protested. Lying to her, even by omission, left him feeling incredibly guilty.
He considered his options for her as he trekked through the snow. Bergmites were completely out- though he was certain he could catch one, there was an unspoken rule that pokemon who shared the breed of a Noble were to be avoided unless necessary to save the pokemon’s life. He had no desire to bring her a Snorunt and risk the wrath of a Glalie in his house. A Swinub wouldn't be a bad idea except that he had no room for a Piloswine, much less a fully evolved Mamoswine, and just the thought of their shedding in the warm season made him want to itch. The first night in the wilds was spent on a shallow cave, wrapped tightly in his sleeping bag, going over potential partners. The Gabites were ruled out, as getting close to the Alpha Garchomp's territory was dangerously risky. A Lickitung wouldn't be terrible... they were soft and round, only he had the ridiculous fear she may get eaten by one. A Chansey would certainly be ideal in case she got hurt, but he’d already tried twice to find one and failed spectacularly both times…
He fell asleep, no closer to a decision than he had been when he set out.
When the sun rose in the morning he packed up his things, had a small breakfast of jerky and berries, and headed out to continue his search. He surveyed the Machoke and Riolu in the chasm, narrowly dodged the attacks of a wandering Electivire, and escaped an overly eager and curious hoard of Aipom before finding himself up a tree while watching a group of Bunneary play. He thought Akari might like one, might like their softness and fluff, but after watching one deliver a strong kick to the leg of a curious Sneasel that had ventured too close decided against it. It didn't feel right, and he didn't want that sort of attack aimed towards his daughter as the pokemon got used to her. The Sneasel that had been kicked immediately began to wail its pain to the world, sending some of the Bunneary running off. The rest fled when Ingo let himself drop from the tree to investigate the injured pokemon. The Sneasel itself clearly wished to take off as well, but its leg was now set at an odd angle and it could only attempt to crawl. Those attempts were quickly given up on as the pain of its injured leg was made worse by its movement. As Ingo approached, it changed from attempting to flee to attempting to fight.
"Hush, little one, hush now." Ingo said softly, approaching low. He'd had to work on his volume after taking Akari in. His normal volume would wake her from a dead sleep faster than he could close his mouth, and nobody wanted to listen to a tired child’s wails. "I won't hurt you. Rather I'd like to help, if you'd let me. I know you were simply curious of what that little fuzzball was doing but I believe you startled it instead."
Amazingly, the Sneasel seemed affronted at the statement. It began to chitter at him, swiping out with a claw as it bared its teeth. Ingo paused at the threatening gesture before pulling his backpack around and digging through it. It took him a moment to locate the desired object before he was pulling out a slightly bruised sitrus berry. The Sneasel continued to bare its teeth but quieted in confusion. It recognized what he held but didn’t know why he was offering it.
"Well, this wasn't quite what I was expecting to use this for, but it works all the same. I can give you this, my little…" he took a closer look at the Sneasel's head, recognizing the short feather over its ear. "Ah, a little lady. Well, my lady, if you would give me the chance I'd offer you this berry for the opportunity to examine your leg. If we're not careful it won't heal well, may heal crooked, and leave you unable to climb as you're meant to. May I have your permission to try and care for it?"
The Sneasel eyed him, and then the berry, with suspicion. It was odd to look into her eyes and see a stronger intelligence there than he'd seen in most other pokemon. There was something special about this Sneasel, he was certain of it. It didn't feel like he should bring her home with him, but he also felt like she would remember this better than another pokemon being helped by a human. There was a shrewdness to her gaze that reminded him of being watched by Warden Calaba, as if she was sizing him up. He could only hope that she didn't find him lacking.
After a few minutes of quiet deliberation she tilted her head up and held out her paw, motioning for him to hand the berry over. She did so with an air of distinction, her behavior almost regal, and Ingo couldn’t help but dip his head in an echo of a bow as he handed the berry over to her. She took it with a surprising amount of care; rather than using her palms to grab it and risk cutting him with her poison-tipped claws, she sank the tips of her claws delicately into the berry to remove it from his hand. She considered the berry closer once it was in her grasp, sniffing it suspiciously before taking a small bite. Ingo waited patiently for her to decide. He stayed where he was, not even reaching for his pack. After the Sneasel had chewed and swallowed thoughtfully she apparently decided he was an alright human. She nodded at him, an allowance to approach, and Ingo offered her another bow of his head.
“Many thanks, little lady. May I examine your leg before I get started? I wouldn't want to treat a break the way I'd treat a muscle tear.” He raised his hands before miming his actions down his own leg. Again, the Sneasel watched with calculating eyes before nodding in assent.
Despite her consent, Ingo approached slowly and did his best to telegraph all his movements before making them. He spoke aloud as he worked to give her warning as well; though she seemed sufficiently distracted by the berry, she was still injured and Ingo had no desire to startle her and find himself on the receiving end of her claws.
“It appears to be a dislocation. You're a lucky one! A break would lay you up for some time. Thankfully I know how to reset your limb, but you'll need to take it easy for a number of weeks before getting into trouble again. A full month and a half, at least, two months if you can manage that. No hard running, no climbing unless necessary. And perhaps stay away from easily startled Bunnearies, yes?”
The Sneasel hissed in reply and lazily swiped at him, rolling her eyes. She hesitated for a moment before gesturing to her leg and then to Ingo.
“I can reset it, yes, if you’ll allow me. It will hurt and I would appreciate you not using your claws on me for trying to help. I don’t have any pecha berries on me, and I’m on a quest to find a pokemon partner for my daughter. I would rather not be laid up and away from her any longer than I need to be.”
The Sneasel made a curious noise and tilted her head. Ingo set a hand down on the injured leg cautiously before he began to speak.
“My daughter? She’s four. She’s lovely. Someone… well. She’s adopted. But I adore her, I love my daughter immensely. She’s brave and has always known what she wants; maybe I spoil her a bit too much, but there isn’t much else I can offer her… she seems to prefer my company to anyone else’s, apart from perhaps my pokemon, and trying to convince her to go on her first sleepover was a challenge. She had thought I would be coming with her. Ah, do you know what a sleepover is? It’s an activity where you-” Glancing up and finding that the Sneasel was still looking at him with interest, and therefore sufficiently distracted from her leg, Ingo quickly twisted and pushed the limb back into its correct position and placement. The Sneasel shrieked in surprise and, just in case, Ingo braced himself for the sting of claws cutting into him. Instead he received what could only be described as scolding chatter. He leaned back and raised his hands.
“I apologize, but it’s best to do that maneuver when you’re least expecting it. If you tense it makes things worse.”
Though the Sneasel seemed to still understand, she still was quite obviously displeased. She used one claw to point at Ingo and then at her leg, eyes narrowed and teeth bared as she continued to chitter at him. Ingo nodded along without arguing- to let her get out her frustrations seemed to be the best course of action. What finally got her to quiet was digging in his backpack and pulling out an oran berry, holding it out to her as consolation. The sitrus berry had been finished, leaving her claws sticky, and she eyed the oran berry with mild suspicion before gently grabbing it.
“Again, I’m sorry. I hope this conveys my apologies and well wishes.” He hoped it would help make her feel better as well.
While he repacked his bag, ensuring everything was once again where it should be and unlikely to get mixed up, the Sneasel watched him as she slowly ate the berry. She even shuffled closer to peek into his bag, digging one claw in before Ingo scolded her and removed it. She huffed and bared her teeth, but kept her paw to herself afterwards. When he had finished packing he looked up- the sun was still high in the sky, but beginning to make its way down towards the mountains. He frowned in concern. It had already been two days, and he was no closer to finding a partner for his daughter. He wasn’t even sure which pokemon would suit her best.
“I need to get going. As I said, I’m on a journey to find a pokemon partner for my daughter. Are you well enough to be on your own?” Ingo asked the pokemon. In response the Sneasel stood up, taking a couple wobbly steps, before Ingo decided the answer was no. “Hmm… How about you come with me? I know someone who can keep an eye on you for a little bit, until you get strength back in that leg. They work out here with a large Braviary, you’ve likely seen them flying around.” The Sneasel had looked suspicious at first, but at the mention of the large Braviary they nodded and reached out to grab Ingo’s coat sleeve. The obvious agreement could not have been missed, and Ingo could only offer a small smile. Apparently even the wild pokemon knew of the Wardens.
“Alright then. Give me just a moment-” He stood up with a slight groan, his knees popping. Ingo knew he was in decent shape and still youthful - he was certain he hadn’t seen thirty years yet, even if he couldn’t remember his birthday - but his body protested on occasion. His joints would pop, his muscles would ache, and his head would get light and fuzzy. When he’d brought it up to Calaba she’d only told him to eat more and drink more water.
He lifted the backpack and swung it over his shoulder, securing it as he would when he carried Akari, before crouching down and holding his arms out. Despite her agreement the Sneasel still looked wary, shuffling towards him with narrowed eyes. Ingo patiently waited for her to crawl into his arms, gently securing her as if she was his own child, and waited for her nod.
“All right, my little lady. All aboard! We’re on track for a Warden!”
In the end they were found by the Braviary Warden. Ingo had figured as much- Lady Braviary enjoyed keeping to the skies, and her eyes were as keen as any other of her kind. She would see him long before he ever saw her.
He heard her cry and turned as a shadow raced towards him. Though most residents of Pearl Clan would scatter at the approach of a dive-bombing Braviary, Noble or not, some instinct told Ingo to stay where he was. To run would set off her prey drive, but he also knew she was no threat to him. The dive-bomb was not an attack, it was simply the fastest way to the ground. In his arms the Sneasel called back, wiggling excitedly. Ingo readjusted his grip as the sound of wings catching wind hit his ears, a few strong gusts forcing him to step back or fall down. When he opened his eyes once more, the air once again still, the Diamond Warden was slipping off the dark Noble’s back with a smile.
“Mr. Ingo! A pleasure to see you again. Still collecting stray pokemon, I see.” They greeted.
“It’s good to see you again as well, Warden Balath. You’re not entirely wrong, but this one I’m not keeping.” Ingo bounced the Sneasel on his hip to indicate her. She was staring at Lady Braviary with an almost frighteningly fixed gaze. “She got kicked quite well by a Bunneary earlier and I stopped to help.”
Balath looked at the Sneasel and then at Ingo, their gaze calculating. Ingo ignored it. For all Balath was cordial, they had a way with words that could tear someone to shreds, and their expressions were nearly as sharp. He’d seem them scold merchants for leaving known trails and young hunters for getting too close to the Alpha Garchomp’s territory. He wasn’t sure what they were looking at, or what they were looking for, but he didn’t want to interrupt. When a small, knowing smirk emerged upon their face a shiver ran down his spine. Ingo didn’t know what it meant, and while he didn’t think Balath meant any harm there was something in that expression that hinted Balath knew something Ingo didn’t.
“A little lady, hm? I’m sure she’ll remember it in the future.” Balath said. They sounded amused- another thing Ingo didn’t like.
“Hopefully she remembers not to startle Bunneary as well…” Ingo shook his head and then cleared his throat. “In any case- I’m currently on the hunt, and this one needs looking after I can’t provide.”
“What are you hunting? I don’t normally see you out with the hunters, not with your…” Balath gestured to all of Ingo and he sighed.
“Not hunting hunting. I’m not looking for food for the clan. I’m looking for a partner for Akari.”
“Oh my! Is she that old already? Time has truly flown, praise Almighty Sinnoh!”
“Not quite, but soon. In a year or two she would be more of age, but it felt right to do so now. Just in case…” Ingo shrugged, and Balath nodded. They, as much as he, knew how the Pearl Clan was.
“And with you as her father… yes, I understand. If it feels like it’s the right time, then it must be. So you need me to keep an eye on this one?” Balath reached out for the Sneasel, smiling when she hissed at them and pulled closer to Ingo. “I believe she’s already grown quite fond of you.”
“She would be welcome to stay were I not bound to be out another few days. And if not for the frowning of keeping a Noble’s kin.” He rubbed the Sneasel between her ears gently. “With you I know she’ll be in safe hands, though. Her knee was dislocated from the kick. I managed to put it back into place, but she should stay off of it for a while longer.”
“Oof, a knee dislocation. I’ve known several of those myself. Hard landings.” Balath flinched. “Now I know when storms are coming, though, even before my lady Herself!” The pair chuckled in mutual understanding before Ingo bounced the Sneasel one more time upon his hip as if she was a human child.
“Alright, little lady. I’m going to hand you over. No more hissing, behave for Warden Balath and Lady Braviary, alright? Stay off that leg and heal up so you might go climbing all over as you're meant to do.” She pulled closer one more time as he tried to pull her away, squeezing him. Balath chuckled once more and reached out.
“Don’t worry, little lady. You can take him back when the time comes.” Balath said. The Sneasel eyed them before cautiously releasing Ingo. An odd statement, but he didn’t argue. She pointed at him and chattered something, and Ingo nodded.
“I won’t forget you, of course. If you ever see me out upon the Icelands, feel free to come say hello as well.” He offered. Pleased, she nodded and began to hang onto Balath instead. The Warden returned to Lady Braviary, whispering something to the Sneasel. Lady Braviary nodded at Ingo before crouching to allow Balath to mount. Ingo nodded in return.
“Be safe, Ingo! I’ll keep an eye on this one for you. I hope you find a partner for your daughter soon!” Balath called, moments before Lady Braviary took off. Ingo waved them off into the setting sun before pulling his coat tighter around himself. He looked around before heading off for a nearby rise. It was getting chilly, and he hoped to find another cave to rest in for the night.
With a scant amount of luck, Ingo was able to find a cave. It was shallow and dipped heavily to one side, but it was enough to get him away from the worst of the night’s chill. A storm had kicked up as he’d found the cave, and he was glad to be out of it. He set himself a low fire for some heat before breaking out his sleeping bag, keeping an ear on the entrance to the cave. Fire was a help as much as it was a hindrance out here. While it would warm him, it might also draw more curious pokemon to his location- or perhaps, what might be worse, a person. Pokemon tended to steer clear of a location once they knew a person was there, if they weren’t aggressive. One could never tell with a person. Wariness could only keep him awake for so long and eventually Ingo closed his eyes and readied himself to sleep. He curled up within his sleeping bag, allowing the fire to gradually die, and did his best to keep warm.
This was night two of him being gone. Two full days without his daughter nearby. Already he missed being home, hearing Akari’s soft breathing in her bed. She babbled in her sleep sometimes, and there were many nights where he had sat on the floor beside her just listening to her converse in her dreams. Those quiet moments in the night were precious to him, a balm that soothed an ache he carried deep within. He could practically hear her now, a quiet sound on the wind. He closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the sleeping bag- the sooner he found her a partner, the sooner he could return to her. Hopefully the next day would bring her a partner and he could return to her.
For all he tried to sleep, it evaded him. Perhaps it was the chill, or the reminder that he was still gone and might be for longer, but despite his heavy eyes slumber would not come. He tried to count pokemon, counting his breathing, meditating, shifting positions… anything he could think of that didn’t include leaving the bag itself he attempted, but got no closer to his own rest. Perhaps it was a sense of malaise, or perhaps it was the idea that he was still hearing a voice on the wind. He had thought it was just thoughts of his daughter reminding him of her, but as he stayed awake longer he realized that was not the case. He hesitated to go out- anything making noise this late into the night surely wouldn’t be friendly. It was as he was deciding to ignore it for good, about to cover his ears, that the voice turned from noise to words.
“-elp…”
Ingo paused. He turned over slightly, listening. The storm covered the majority of it, but he was quite certain he had just heard the word ‘help’. Perhaps it was a trick of the mind? Human brains, he knew, sought patterns and recognition anywhere they could find it. Perhaps it was just a pokemon good at mimicking a human voice…?
“Please, help me… It’s cold…”
The worst part was the voice was young. With Akari already in his thoughts, now the voice was sounding like hers. He told himself it wasn’t her, that she was safe at home with Lilla and the twins, but… but. It could be a pokemon. It probably was a pokemon- what family would let their child get so far away from them in a storm? But then there was the nagging what if. What if it was a child? Stranger things had happened. By Sinnoh, his own child had been dropped off in the middle of the night by a stranger no one else had seen, a night he would still swear was lit by a moon that everyone else said hadn’t existed. What if this was like that?
“It’s so cold… I’m so cold… please, anyone? Please, help?”
He groaned quietly.
He couldn’t do it.
He couldn’t stay inside the cave, pretending he wasn’t hearing a voice from outside. He was not so callous that he could hear someone calling for help and not investigate it, especially as it had clearly been calling for some time. He emerged from the warmth of his sleeping bag, pulling his coat around himself tightly. The fire had died and so he relit it, taking out the portable lamp he’d brought with him. He had exceedingly good vision at night, despite a moon or lack of one, but the storm would block his sight. A little extra light wouldn’t go amiss.
With the fire set to guide him back and the lamp lit to guide him forward, Ingo set out. The storm had died down some, but snow was still coming down heavily. Wind buffeted him as he tried to follow the voice. It had, unfortunately, gotten quieter. He squinted as if it would help him hear better, trying to follow it.
“Mama… ‘s cold…. I’m cold, Mama… help me…”
Was it… crying? Tears in this weather would do nothing but encourage the skin to freeze. Ingo moved quicker, following the sinking voice. It was some distance from the cave, beneath a solitary tree, that he saw something curled up. The voice was still coming from it, though much quieter now, and with the wind, snow, and his own squinting Ingo was having a difficult time determining what it was.
“Hello,” He greeted after coming closer, “do you need help?”
The figure jumped, looking at him with suspiciously bright eyes. The shadows around it seemed to shift before he realized he was looking at a young, light-haired child. She looked suspicious, and her clothes were thin- far too thin for the weather. How had she stayed warm? The child stared at him warily before nodding.
“‘S cold,” she said, “an’ my mama’s gone.”
Abandoned? In this weather?
Ingo swallowed his rage and held out his hand.
“We can find her tomorrow. For now, let’s get out of this storm.” The girl hesitated, glancing around. He couldn’t fault her for that- a strange man emerging from a storm after she had been left behind, offering her shelter? He would hope Akari would also be suspicious. Stranger danger was very real, even when those strangers were infrequent. “I won’t hurt you, I swear it. I’m out here on a mission for my daughter back at home. For now, I’m resting in a cave. It’s not much, but it’s an easy exit if you need one.” He offered the information, his teeth chattering together between words. It was only growing colder, the lamp provided light and not warmth, and he hoped to get back to the fire soon. “It won’t be much warmer than this, but it will be warmer. No wind, no snow.”
It was that that got the girl’s attention, drew her trust for the time being, and she reached out and hesitantly grasped his hand. Ingo pulled her towards him gently.
“Do you mind if I carry you?” He asked. “It will be quicker that way.” The girl hesitated again before nodding, and he swiftly lifted her up just as he would Akari. He hesitated for a moment before tucking her into his jacket. She allowed it, curling up tighter in his arm. “Alright then, young lady. All aboard! We’re traveling the tracks to warmth.” He turned, marching back the direction he came. There was something odd about her weight, and the distribution of it, but a gust of wind encouraged him to forget it for the time being. With the snow still falling it was difficult to find his tracks, but he managed. When they returned to the cave they both were shivering, and Ingo quickly set her in front of the fire before feeding it. Were it just him he would leave it low; as an adult, he could deal with a little chill and discomfort. With a child, however, he would build it for more warmth. There hadn’t been any signs of pokemon while he’d been out, and he hoped they were also hunkering down and out of the storm.
“Here,” he said, “you take the sleeping bag. It’ll be warmer for you. I have a spare blanket to use.” It would be much colder for him, but he would rather her take something more comfortable. He could simply sleep closer to the fire, and feed it as he dozed. He felt he wouldn’t be getting much sleep the rest of the night. The girl still seemed dubious, but she nodded and crawled into the sleeping bag. She did so oddly- face first, before awkwardly turning around within it. Perhaps she was just unused to such a design? As her head popped out, Ingo pulled the second blanket closer to him. An uncomfortable night, and it was looking like an expedition cut short once again, but that simply meant he was all the closer to returning to Akari. He drifted into a light sleep, dozing but unable to truly rest with the additional, unknown, passenger.
It was still dark when Ingo opened his eyes next. He had never been one to sleep in late, even when he had first arrived, unless there were extenuating circumstances. He glanced over to the sleeping bag, noting the softly breathing lump within, and shuffled over to the fire. Embers burned lightly at the very base of it, and he cleared away some of the old, burned wood before replacing it. He was careful as he relit the fire, keeping it low. The storm had died down and the smell of smoke, while alarming to some pokemon, might draw others in. There was no breeze to clear it out now that the outside was still. He was pulling out his rations when the lump in the sleeping bag began to move. He watched from the corner of his eyes until surprise drew his entire gaze to the emerging form.
There was no child. Not anymore. Light hair had turned into a red wisp, fading into silver closer to a rounded head. Pink-tipped ears poked out, followed by a round foreheadhead and narrow nose. He watched as the pokemon yawned and stretched, their front paws pushing forward as they trembled from the stretch. The pokemon - a Zorua, he realized - shook itself out before stepping fully out of the sleeping bag. She must not have realized her shape had shifted, because the young pokemon waddled over to the fire and set herself down close enough he worried her fur might singe, her eyes mostly shut. Ingo returned to pulling out his rations as if he hadn’t seen anything, his mind racing.
He couldn’t recall any signs of the child being a Zorua the night before, but it… made sense, didn’t it? There was no way a human child would have survived for so long in that storm in such thin clothes, but a pokemon with fur certainly could have. She must have noticed his approach before he noticed her and shifted forms to try and keep herself safe, but she must not have a good grasp of it because it had worn off overnight. As for her mother, either she had been abandoned or… she had been left behind unwillingly. He knew that anyone else in the Pearl Clan would have been fleeing the cave, belongings abandoned, at the sight of believed bad luck. But glancing at her from the corner of his eye, Ingo knew he couldn’t. She wasn’t doing anything, she wasn’t being aggressive, and though his arm ached with the memory of his first true interaction with a Zoroark, that had nothing to do with this little pre-evolution. He portioned out some food for her and set it on a piece of cloth to her side before taking a seat by the fire himself. The Zorua snuffled but didn’t yet move.
“You’re looking a little more pale than last night… and a little furrier.” He said as he took his first bite. The way the young pokemon visibly jumped would have been funny if he didn’t understand her fear, skittering away from himself and the fire and back to the sleeping bag. It moved for a moment before a human child stuck their head out, long silvery hair draped in front of her face once more.
“Not furry.” She said, as if he hadn’t actually seen her.
“No? Well, it’s fine with me if you are. Some of my best friends have been furry.”
The child was clearly hesitant to emerge from the sleeping bag once more. Ingo waited patiently, keeping his gaze turned away and his body language as non-threatening as he could be. The Zorua line was not one looked upon fondly, and he wouldn’t be surprised if this little one had already had negative experiences with humans.
“I won’t hurt you, little one. I wasn’t expecting you to be a pokemon, but perhaps I should have been. No human child would have been able to survive in that storm as long as you did. It must have been cold and lonely. We should try to find your mother today and reunite you. I’m sure she’s worried sick.” Sinnoh knew he would be if his daughter had gotten lost in a snowstorm. There was no response from the Zorua, though Ingo heard some sniffling. He said nothing but tucked the information away. Apart from the sound of a small mouth chewing, the cave was quiet until Ingo finished his breakfast.
“Alright,” he said as he stood, “I’ll pack everything up and then we’ll go to look for your-”
The sound of bolting footsteps stopped him, and when he turned to look the child was gone. He frowned but didn’t chase after her, instead packing only enough for a day trip. There was something else on his mind now, secondary to a pokemon partner for Akari but still important to him. He left another set of rations wrapped up by the sleeping bag just in case the Zorua returned, putting his backpack on and setting out.
Naturally with all the snow it was difficult to find the direction he had gone the night before. He had to stop and put himself back in the cold weather, closing his eyes to remember the directions his body had turned. When he reached the general area he looked around and tried to determine which would have been the way a little, lost Zorua would have taken.
He spent the rest of the day wandering, staying in the general area but gradually increasing his distance away. He kept his eyes peeled for pokemon but apart from the occasional hint of red from the corner of his eye there were none. That was more odd than anything else to him. There were very few places in the Icelands that found themselves completely void of any and all signs of pokemon, even signs of simple travel as groups and solitary individuals migrated. When the sun began to set again he headed back to the cave, noting that the rations had disappeared.
There was no storm that night, but also no returning Zorua. When the sun rose he headed back out once again, expanding his search. Just as it had been the day before he saw red wisps from the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure if those wisps were the Zorua watching him, or perhaps others of her kind. Despite the idea, and despite his own previous interaction with a mad Zoroark, Ingo continued on as if nothing was amiss. He hadn’t brought a single one of his own pokemon with him - which he was now regretting - and he wasn’t so foolish as to believe he could scare off a Zoroark on his own. If they chose to attack he only hoped his body would be recovered, and that his love for his daughter would be relayed through the years.
Nearing the end of the day he finally found what he was looking for, covering his eyes with his hat as he sighed.
Pokemon did not avoid an area without good reason, and it seemed the death of a Zoroark was a good one. He climbed down the ravine carefully, fearing that one slip would send him into an early grave beside the pokemon. What he saw when he finally reached it broke his heart. Arrows were embedded into the pokemon’s back, the shafts still protruding. The fact that each one was in the creature’s back spoke volumes. Fear of the unknown was strong, and fear of Zoroark was even stronger. He could imagine that whomever had used these arrows had simply seen a Zoroark and attacked first. Why the pokemon didn’t attack in return, especially with a pup at its side, Ingo didn’t know. Perhaps they had been too far? Or maybe there had been too many people?
Whatever the case was, it didn’t matter. Ingo had grown used to the gore that came with life in such a rugged place, and he didn’t flinch as he carefully removed the arrows. It was nothing less than respectful, he thought, to free her body of what had killed her. He couldn’t help but note that the heads and fletchings didn’t match those of the Pearl Clan, leading to the smallest hint of relief. His group wasn’t the cause of this death, at least. He would hang onto them and return them to the clan, just in case. If whoever had killed this Zoroark was brave enough and bold enough to do so, it might spell trouble in the future.
Bringing the body back up proved to be an awkward affair. The capsules Ingo had begun to make regularly - but still very quietly and covertly - could only catch and carry a living pokemon. Unfortunately, the deceased were beyond its capabilities. He couldn’t carry it with one arm either- he was a decent climber, but not like that. And there was no chance that even if he had a pokemon it could help him, as the ravine would be too narrow for a flying type to land. His only option would be to tie the body to himself and carry it up. An option that was going to be awkward to say the least.
By the time he made it back to the top of the ravine night had fallen, he had fallen more than once bloodying his hands, knees, and fingers, and he was scraped up but alive. He sat for a moment to catch his breath before untying the Zoroark from himself, turning and almost falling back into the ravine at the sight that awaited him.
A group of Zoroark had emerged from the trees in the short time he’d turned his gaze away, surrounding him in a semi-circle. They stared at him and the body he held, the emotions in their eyes nearly unreadable. His heart leapt to his throat as he noted the raising teeth and the ears going flat, their wispy fur beginning to stand on end. It wasn’t just Zoroark either, but several Zoruas lingering around as well. The air was tense, and Ingo simply prayed that they had seen him pull the body up, and that they wouldn’t take their vengeance out on him. He lifted the body gently, closing the distance halfway before setting it to the ground as carefully as he would a child.
“I don’t know who killed her,” he said, “but I found these.”
He pulled out a few of the arrows from his backpack, showing them to the gathered band before leaving them beside the body. With nothing more to say or do he stepped back until his heel nearly brushed the crevice. A couple of the Zoroark approached, sniffing at the body and arrows. As he watched, one picked the arrows up, looking at them closer before walking away with the weapons still in paw. More Zoroark approached the body, touching and sniffing and making small, soft noises. A few of the Zorua also approached before one of the surrounding Zoroark lifted the body, carrying it away without a backwards glance. As if Ingo didn’t exist- something he dearly hoped for. Gradually the eyes on him faded as each pokemon followed the procession away. When the last Zoroark and Zorua had vanished, Ingo hurriedly returned to his campsite.
It wasn’t until he returned to the cave that the entirety of what he’d done the last few days hit him, and he collapsed upon his sleeping bag without even starting the fire.
Rather than searching for a pokemon for his daughter, he had spent the last two days searching for the missing mother of a Zorua, had presumably found her deceased in a ravine, and when he had carried out her body - he didn’t even know why he had, just that it had felt like it was the right thing to do - there had been a group of Zorua and Zoroark that could have easily taken his life in return. They hadn’t, and instead had carried off the body for reasons unknown. Perhaps a burial, or some sort of memorial? Several types of pokemon had their own sorts of ‘culture’ after all, though he knew such thinking was uncommon among the clans. What in the name of Sinnoh had he been thinking? He should have been focusing on his daughter, not the despairs of a random pokemon. Now he would, once again, be returning empty-handed. Ingo sighed and stood up, preparing himself for his last night out. He needed to return to Akari. Perhaps he would find one on the way back to the Clan.
When he woke up after a night of fitful rest, there was a warm lump on his chest. Ingo could feel the lump’s sides rise and fall as it breathed, and he frowned. He couldn’t recall having any pokemon enter the cave and join him, but clearly one had. He pulled the sleeping bag up slowly to allow light in, his eyebrows raising in surprise when he saw a pale form of wispy fur resting on his chest. He didn’t want to wake it up, but he knew he had to get moving in order to get back to Akari by the end of the day. He laid his hand upon the Zorua’s back, noting how much larger his limb was compared to the pokemon, and gently shook her. Her red eyes opened slowly, the little thing stretching and yawning before it looked at him.
“I am sorry to wake you, little one, but I have to. I need to get going. It’s time I return to my daughter.” He said.
The Zorua stared at him for a moment before giving a heavy sigh, as if his waking was a major inconvenience, and slithered off of him onto the floor. Not long after soft snores floated into the air once more. Ingo stared at the Zorua for a moment before he stood. He didn’t know why she had returned, but he didn’t have the time to focus on it. He dressed, packed, and destroyed the remnants of the fire. The Zorua remained asleep and he hesitated before turning and heading out of the cave. It must have gotten lost again, recognized him and the cave, and decided to take cover for the night.
The trek back towards the clan was clear, pokemon keeping their distance from him when he passed. It was odd, as he was quite certain they were watching him, but he paid it no mind. They did not approach, and he knew that he stood no chance of approaching them either. Midway through the day he had stopped, sitting down to have lunch for a brief moment, when a howl caught his attention. It was relatively close and as he listened it grew closer. He stood as the sound of snow crunching under foot hit his ears, uncertain of what was approaching and unwilling to be caught off guard. A pale streak emerged from the trees and Tackled him, sending Ingo to the ground with the wind knocked out of him. He struggled to regain his breath as the Zorua from before sat on his chest and howled, the sound turning into a wail in the middle as she transformed into a child.
“Left!” She said, “Left me! Left me!”
Oh, Sinnoh.
“I- assure you- it was not- without- best inten-tentions.” Ingo wheezed. Childish feet kicked his sides in retribution despite his words.
“Left me! Left me! Left me!” She repeated. When Ingo finally got his breath back she was still howling the words. He pushed himself up slowly before putting his hand over her mouth with a sigh. Fangs dug into his fingers but he didn’t flinch, only patted her head with his other hand.
“It was not… intentional. Well. It was. But not the way you’re thinking, little one,” He sighed. “I did not know you were planning on joining me, which I must try to dissuade you from. I am going to a human settlement, and they are not fond of your kind. You would be in danger if they were to find out about you.” As he spoke she quieted, though she still glared at him with large, teary eyes.
“No leave.” She demanded once his hand had been removed.
“I cannot take a Zorua into-”
“No leave!”
“You can’t come-”
“NO LEAVE!”
“It’s not safe!”
“NO! LEAVE!” She seemed to explode out of her human disguise, turning back into a Zorua and sinking her fangs into Ingo’s sweater. He shifted his grip to try and remove her but the little creature could not be budged, no matter how insistently he pulled. He gave up, pulling her close and trying to ignore the tears streaming down furry cheeks.
“You need to listen, little one. It is not safe where I live. They do not like Zorua, and I can’t walk in with another child. They already think I stole the one I have, I do not think they would believe I found one missing a mother.” He sighed. The Zorua, recognizing that he was no longer trying to be rid of her, finally released her grip on his clothing. “Do you understand? You can’t-”
Her form shifted again. Quadrepedal, round, and with short, dark fur. It looked… familiar to Ingo though he couldn’t place it. After a moment she turned back into a human.
“Not be Zorua. Be something else. Be safe. Stay.” She insisted. She looked into the forest for a moment before turning large, wet eyes up to Ingo’s face. “No mama. Mama gone. You… want to leave too?”
He shouldn’t. Ingo knew he shouldn’t. This little thing was manipulating him and they both knew it. But he couldn’t help and think of Akari, of what life would be like for her if he was gone, if she tried to bond to someone who saved her and then left her behind.
And he sighed again.
“Fine. You may stay. But! You cannot be a Zorua around others, outside the house, or…” He gave a list of rules that he knew he would have to go over again. The glee that lit up the child’s face, the way she wrapped oddly weighted arms around his neck, he knew she wasn’t listening.
She was back in the form of the strange pokemon when Ingo returned to the Clan. As if she had known he would be there, the instant he stepped foot into the village Akari was running for him and crashing into his legs like a ♐︎❒︎♏︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎❒︎♋︎♓︎■︎. Lilla was not far behind her, smiling with relief. He picked up his daughter, listening to her babble with delight until she caught sight of the pokemon that rested on his shoulder. The pair of them stared at each other, the gaze uncanny.
“I see you found something!” Lilla said as she came within ear shot. Akari and the Zorua had yet to say anything.
“Yes, I… I’m not sure what kind of pokemon it is, exactly. A fire type of some sort… which you can never go wrong with in the Icelands.” Ingo replied, looking between the two. Had he made a mistake?
“Don’t let Gaelic hear you say that. He’s still stripping whenever he gets the chance, trying to insist that it’s what Lord Avalugg would want.” Lilla made a face that Ingo matched. Gaelic was in line to be the next Warden for Lord Avalugg when the current one retired, and for some reason had decided that meant he had to endure the cold weather in as close to the amount of clothes as the Lord wore- which meant as little as possible. The worst thing was, he had reached the point where he did barely need any clothes, and had begun to insist that the weather wasn’t that bad. Irida had started trying it out, but nobody else entertained him.
As he considered the next Warden Akari reached out towards the long snout of the Zorua currently wore. For a split second, Ingo feared the Zorua would react poorly and bite her.
“Akari-” He began, only for the Zorua to lean its narrow face into his daughter’s hand. Akari grinned with her gapped teeth and looked at him.
“Mine?” She asked.
“Yes,” Ingo replied in relief, “yours.” Akari squealed in delight and began to squirm until she was let down, her partner hopping down to be beside her.
“Sister!” Akari pulled the pokemon into a tight hug, leading both Ingo and Lilla to suck air in between their teeth.
“Akari, gentle, baby.” Ingo knelt down to loosen her arms, only to find that the disguised Zorua was snuggling back into his daughter. Apparently she didn’t mind the squeeze, or the title of sister. He knew that he would have to explain the truth to Akari soon, and the rules, but for now… she had her pokemon. Finally.
“Come along, darlings,” Ingo stood up once again, finding the eyes of Akari and her new partner pleading with him, as if he was going to separate them, “we’re going home. Dad needs a nap.”