Lucien had thought the blizzard would end quickly, as it usually did.
But this time, it lingered, sometimes easing, sometimes returning with even greater force.
Days turned into weeks.
Clay harvesting and brickmaking were forced to stop, and the entire territory sank into stillness.
By February, the blizzards showed no sign of letting up.
The residents huddled in their wooden homes, gathered around crackling fireplaces with their families and friends. Only when the winds calmed did they venture out to shovel away the snow that piled higher each day.
Thankfully, they had stocked enough food before the storm hit.
The silos were full; supplies would last them through the long, frozen season.
Even the wild Pokémon were quiet, their usual energy dulled by the endless cold.
Lucien passed the days indoors. When he wasn't calling Anna over to continue her lessons with Zorua, he stayed home with Dratini, Snivy, and Minccino, waiting for the storm to fade and for spring to return.
Man and Pokémon alike weathered the winter together.
The Snover, as Ice-type Pokémon, were naturally unbothered by the cold.
Still, when the blizzards howled the loudest, they would huddle beneath the eaves alongside the village children, watching the white world outside with quiet wonder.
It had been two months since the Snover had joined the settlement.
Over time, they'd grown close to the locals, especially to a six-year-old brother and sister who lived with their mother near the town's edge.
Inside their small wooden house, the woman sat at the table with her children and their three Snover companions.
The table was simple but full: a pot of steaming oatmeal, slices of brown bread, a few grilled fish, and bright berries that the Snover themselves had cultivated.
In front of the Snover sat a pile of plump, frost-touched fruit.
It was lunchtime. The siblings clapped their hands in delight.
"I'm eating!"
"Me too!"
Then came the happy sound of spoons clinking and children laughing.
The woman at the table couldn't help but smile softly.
"Eat slowly," she chided gently. "If you're still hungry, there's more in the pot. George, Peppa, don't forget your oatmeal."
Then she turned to the Snover.
"You three as well, eat up!"
"Sno~ Sno!"
The Snover chimed back cheerfully.
A gentle expression crossed the woman's face.
Her husband had perished in a blizzard the year before. Since that day, Peppa and George had rarely spoken. The once-lively siblings had gone quiet, hollowed by grief.
But ever since the Snover came into their lives, the house had grown bright again.
Now, laughter filled the kitchen. The children smiled. The magical beasts played. For the first time in months, warmth had returned to her heart.
Meanwhile, in another cabin, Simisear crouched by the hearth, roasting a pile of ripe berries over open flame.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Ryan said, giving the Fire-type a big thumbs-up.
"Bak~!"
Simisear carefully set the freshly roasted fruit in front of Ryan, Pidove, and the others.
This was one of its favorite treats back when it lived alone in the wild, so now, it wanted to share that joy with its friends.
"Huh? You roasted these for me?" Ryan asked in surprise.
Simisear grinned and nodded, her fiery tail flickering happily.
Ryan chuckled, taking one of the still-steaming fruits. "Well then, I won't say no!"
He took a bite. The sweet flesh was perfectly soft, the warmth spreading from his tongue down to his stomach. Within moments, the winter chill in his body eased away.
"Bak~!"
Seeing Ryan's delighted expression, Simisear let out a pleased cry. She grabbed a few more fruits from the basket and began roasting them again, her flames burning evenly.
Ryan watched in silence for a moment, his heart swelling with warmth that had nothing to do with the fire.
He suddenly threw his arms around the Fire-type. "You're amazing, Simisear! Thanks, buddy!"
The Pokémon froze for a moment, startled—then scratched the back of her head shyly, a sheepish grin tugging at her lips.
"Bak…"
And across the territory, scenes like this were quietly unfolding.
After lunch, Megan and her younger brother Chris dragged a wooden tank closer to the fireplace. Inside, several Magikarp swam lazily through the shallow water, their orange scales glinting faintly in the firelight.
"Alright, Magikarp," Megan said, smiling. "Now you won't have to worry about freezing!"
The six Magikarp blinked slowly, clearly unimpressed by the arrangement.
Then, without warning, one of them sprang into motion, launching itself upward in a glorious Splash.
Splash!
Water flew everywhere, droplets raining down across the floor. The fish landed on the wood with a wet smack, flopping helplessly like a bright orange ribbon.
"Ah...Magikarp!" Megan cried, half exasperated and half amused.
She quickly scooped it up and plopped it back into the tank, shaking her head.
"You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days…"
Still smiling, she scattered a handful of chopped fruit into the water.
"Alright, time to eat!"
The Magikarp began splashing again, leaping and wriggling with bright energy.
It was a sign of happiness, a lively, joyous movement that filled the cabin with water droplets and laughter.
Megan yelped as another splash soaked her sleeve.
"Hey! Stop jumping, or I'll leave you alone next time!" she scolded, though her tone carried more amusement than anger.
At once, all six Magikarp froze in the water, staring at her with comically wide eyes before settling down.
Satisfied, Megan laughed softly. "That's better. Eat up, eat up!"
As she watched the Pokémon nibbling at the floating fruit, her smile lingered.
Maybe… these creatures weren't as frightening as people once believed.
Perhaps, she thought, they could truly live together.
And so, like tiny seeds beneath thawing snow, the first shoots of trust began to take root in the hearts of the people.
That winter, in Lucien's territory, something new quietly began to grow, a bond between humans and Pokémon.
The blizzard finally broke at the end of February.
Day by day, the relentless snow eased, and soon the world began to soften under the sun.
Ice cracked along the riverbanks, water glittering in the early light. Fresh shoots of green pushed through the slush, and tiny wildflowers unfurled in the underbrush.
In the forests, in the sky, along the rivers, and across the plains, movement returned.
Wild Pokémon, having endured the long winter in hidden dens, emerged once more to stretch their wings, run, and sing.
By early March, though the air was still cold, life had returned in full.
Standing on a hill overlooking his territory, Lucien watched the awakening land with Dratini coiled beside his boots and Snivy resting proudly on his shoulder.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
The fields, the forests, the homes, the people, all had endured.
A quiet smile curved his lips.
"Spring's here," he murmured.
They had done it.
They had survived their first winter together.
...
Stones PLzz
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