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kelpiemomma · 2 years

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Besides Volo, I think it was Laventon who figured out what Akari had become before everyone else. As soon as Kamado had let him go into the field to do survey work with Rei again he went, actually venturing into the Fieldlands besides his aid to look for her. They used a couple pokemon to try and locate Akari but they only found a couple of her items and her satchel, scattered amongst pokemon and across the territory. It wasn't hard to determine she was dead from that.

But Akari, and a couple other survey members (i... may be making OCs for other survey members), had run into Zorua and Zoroarks before. Rei, with his limited team, kept clear of the ice caverns in the Alabaster Icelands but those who were confident enough (or overconfident) would explore cautiously and had run into the fox pokemon a handful of times. Akari had even caught a Zorua, though it had appeared so miserable that she set it free after a couple days. Laventon, therefore, had documentation that Zorua and Zoroarks were less 'mindlessly aggressive' and more 'highly territorial' and incredibly familial. They were staunch protectors of their companions and family. Their markings would differ amongst the eyes, there were slight differences in the shade of red and the size of their mane (believed to be a signifying factor of leadership in some way), and their gems were not a universal development except in that they were always in the same general area- which were arms and legs.

And he knew, having been in Hisui for a few years at this point, that infrequently there would appear a Zoroark that was... different from the rest. Their color scheme would be a far cry from the usual red (or even from the infrequent purple of the shiny coat pattern), they were almost never found in the Alabaster Icelands, they seemed to have a higher hunting instinct, and they had gems in the oddest places. One Zoroark had them on it's ears, another had dozens of tiny ones scattered across its face like freckles. Frequently they would have an odd marking somewhere on their body. The most odd, and concerning, aspect of these Zoroark was that they couldn't be caught. Pokéballs would bounce right off of them, no matter the type, and set their hunting instinct on the person who had tried to catch them. These Zoroark had to be knocked out to get away safely, and frequently needed to be put down for the safety of travelers.

So Laventon had this knowledge. He knows what normal Zoroarks are like, and he's seen the odd ones as well. So when Volo starts talking about a Zoroark frequently found in the Fieldlands that seems to be hunting him... Laventon makes note of it. There hasn't been a sighting of a wandering Zoroark since before Akari's descent from the sky, and he wishes she were around to examine it for him. She took detailed notes that were helpful, even providing little sketches, and he missed her additions to his research. He takes Rei out to the Fieldlands instead and they look for the Zoroark because Laventon still wants to see it, to document it. They don't find it on the first trip, or the second, and Kamado - returned from his attempt to fight the frenzied Sinnoh, injured and unable to walk - orders Laventon to stop using Rei for "walk in the park" survey missions, they need to figure out how to fight what's in the rift and quickly! Laventon reluctantly, having no choice, dismisses Rei from his immediate duties as Laventon's direct assistant. He continues going out into the Fieldlands, examining and exploring with one or two other people around. New survey members, young adults who immigrated recently.

It's while they're descending the mountain towards the spot where they can find Magikarp - someone had just reported a new Magikarp pattern besides the shiny variant that Laventon wanted to see - that Laventon finally spots the new Zoroark anomaly. He stops at first because he's excited- it's been a long time since an anomaly appeared, and even longer since he saw one in person! Oh, the notes he can take as long as they keep quiet! He's got his notebook pulled out, already jotting things down, when he takes a look at what he has written and takes another look at the Zoroark.

Even from where they're standing he can tell it appears young- perhaps freshly evolved? It's a little awkward on it's feet, having stumbled a couple times. He notices it seems to favor one leg, that it's fur color is a dark steel color instead of the usual red, and instead of a ruff of fur around its neck appears to be-

A scarf.

He stops writing and takes a closer look at it. It's walking away from them, at an angle since it's across the shore, and he doesn't like what he sees. The hair is not as voluminous as a standard Zoroark's, and he can see what appears to be singular strands hanging down before it's ears. It walks favoring it's right leg, much like Akari did when she exerted herself too much- the alpha Octillery attack had taken its toll on her. The gems did not sit in an uncommon position, but it was the scarf that made it all click. The red scarf that matched the color of the one Akari had been given as part of her survey corps outfit, that she had taken with her into her exile. He couldn't see it's eyes from where they were, especially when it turned and all they could see was its back, but he now has the sinking suspicion that those anomaly Zoroarks were not simply different types. He had heard the stories of the Pearl and Diamond clans, about how those who died full of malice returned as a Zorua or Zoroark, but it had never clicked before that they might not return as a normal Zoroark. Of course there were those anomalies- now that he thought about it, they matched up with exiled members of Jubilife or people who had gone missing.

And most of them had been ordered to be put down, due to their dangerous habit of hunting humans out of their territory, by Kamado. Kamado who had already ordered Akari's exile once, when she had done nothing but what he asked, ordered, required to stay in Jubilife.

One of the newbies asked if they should try to catch the Zoroark, as they'd never seen one before, but Laventon quickly put a mic on it. He guided them around the Geodude, had them clear away the Buizel, and then set them to work on fishing in the Magikarp so they could check them. And if his notebook fell into the water while he wrestled one to show them how it was done? If a page that he'd started writing went missing inside a Magikarp's mouth? Well, no one else would know.

And the knowledge haunted him. Knowing the truth of the new Zoroark, the one that hunted Volo. That was /hunting Volo./ If he had more proof he would have brought it up, but at the same time- she had been exiled. He would have to prove Volo had killed Akari, and then try to encourage people about why they should care when she had been a sky-falling stranger who destroyed the sky later and was exiled. Instead, he did his best to dismiss Volo's claims. Quietly, saying that Zoroark didn't hunt humans, only protected their territory. Reminding the village of Kamado's injuries and what was more important, a single stray pokemon or their commander? He kept the truth hidden, uncertain of who to tell, because who would believe him? Cyllene was busy, so busy, as she was now essentially in charge with Kamado incapacitated. Zisu had her hands full with the guards. Marie was defiantly holding onto the pokemon that Akari had brought them, insisting that they weren't on orders to attack. Rei was struggling and suffering with the weight of his new duties falling solely onto his shoulders without a little sister figure to share them, to lighten the load.

It wasn't until Volo's death that Laventon figured out who he could tell. When the merchant's body was brought back for the Ginkgo Guild to claim, with Warden Ingo following in not long after for supplies, Laventon knew. Akari had spoken fondly of the amnesiac, had found a kinship with him, and he knew that Ingo had kept an eye out for her since the news of her banishment. Laventon didn't have much time- outsiders were hardly let in now, everyone in high alert between the sky and the attack. He approached Ingo with a random object he'd grabbed.

"Warden Ingo! So glad to see you again! Here, I have a gift for you since it's been so long." Laventon quickly put the item into Ingo's hands, taking advantage of the proximity to lean in just a bit further and lower his voice. "You need to find the Zoroark, Warden, before anyone from Jubilife does. It's not a normal one, it's-"

He couldn't say anything else as an uproar came from Volo's body. People yelling about dangerous pokemon, about the sky causing them to go mad, about Volo warning them, they needed to track this thing and put it out down before it killed someone else! Laventon swallowed in dread. Would the Warden believe him if he said it was Akari?

"Please, capture it if you can. It is not a normal Zoroark." He implored. Ingo nodded, cautious and confused but nodded all the same. Laventon knew that he was an honorable man, that he would catch the pokemon if he could. He worried, though, about what it might mean if she was caught. They hadn't been able to catch what must have been human-souled Zoroarks in the past. Because they were human, still, somehow? Or something else? If Akari could be caught, was it truly going to be Akari, or had Laventon ignored Volo's warnings because he thought he saw a familiar face where there truly wasn't one?

#Pokemon legends Arceus #Professor Laventon #Akari #Volo #Zoroakari #Zoroakari au #Long post #Laventon is the one who puts the pieces together first #He doesn't like what he sees and does his best to protect Akari anyway #I think it would be fun if what he gave Ingo to grab his attention was a pokéball #That ended up being the one used to catch Akari later #Because after this Ingo hears the villagers chanting 'get the pokémon' or something and goes to investigate #Which is where the reprise animation comes in #Laventon doesn't hear back from Ingo immediately and frets #And then when he does hear back the news isn't great anyway #Was the zoroark killed? Was Ingo killed? Was he too late? Had something gone wrong?#Sorry for any spelling errors I am on mobile

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