Work Text:
The meter-deep snow blanket shone as the morning Glaseado sun's rays brushed against the pale surroundings of the mountain's peaks, the icicles off the occasional sign and settlement dripped their melting water down onto the neat winter mat, otherwise undisturbed by a human's foot. The pinks and oranges danced and faded along as the sun continued its ascension through the slopes of Paldea's highest points. This spectacle could hardly ever be noticed by anybody, save for the occasional hiker, as no sane person would be up and awake at this hour...
... except for someone who hadn't even closed their eyes yet.
The young Gym Leader admired the quickly-shifting scenery through a small window as he sipped on his hot cocoa in the warmth of a blue comforter. He'd given up on sleep a few days ago after his night terrors intensified to an unbearable degree... what was he to do, feel his entire body's weight slamming against an icy path as he watched his vision being clouded in red by his bleeding head?
He shook himself... no, of course not! This isn't the time to picture his most vulnerable moment! He can't do this while he's fully conscious!...
... he sighed, and panted, and grunted, and cried.
...
... the sunrise. The sunrise is nice.
He pushed the glass door with all his might resting in the weight of a metal cane he firmly held onto with his right hand. The snowy path crunched below him as he left his boots' trail upon exiting the large gym. He gazed upon a melting snowman slowly dripping its frozen fabric away as the sunlight hit into its disfigured head. Grusha sighed... he felt a wave of melancholy wash over him. The figure had no face, only two loose twigs sticking out of its torso. Perhaps he could make this blizzard inferno more inviting, if only he had the right resources...
...
His ears arched up as a faint cry could be heard only a few feet away, the light echo of a random Pokémon that Grusha immediately recognised – a Cetoddle, quite possibly the most common denizen of the untamed snowscape. He chucked his cane away and ran towards its direction, falling to his knees and making a feet-first introduction with the round critter.
— Hey there, little buddy...
... he pushed himself upwards with as much strength as his weakened body could pull off. The wild Cetoddle recognised his struggle and offered to help pull him up. He knew of their kindness; he knew that, without their cuddly nature, he'd be resting in a coffin deep underground. Grusha held the legged whale's hand and helped himself onto his weakened feet. Normally, he'd oppose the millions of hands people would extend to him – he couldn't stand displaying his weaknesses... and yet, one lone Cetoddle wasn't going to pity him and rub his career-ending nightmare into his face like the press always would... it'd just clap along and jump on its stubby legs as it chirped in joy.
— Happy to see me, aren't you? Well... I'm glad to see you, too...
He gently rubbed the top of its greasy head, letting it fall back into his mitten. He loved Cetoddle, he'd trained one since he could remember... to Grusha, those round balls of blubber and joy were like little siblings to him, little siblings he'd cherish each and every single one of them whenever they'd come his way.
...
... he grunted and fell onto the Pokémon... ah, that's right. He threw his cane away again...
...
... the Cetoddle could probably carry him back.
— Hey, you guys like building snowmen, right?
The bulbous mon cocked its body from side to side as it watched Grusha roll a tiny snowball through the landscape. He was slow, his back arched and aching. He grunted as he straightened his torso and glared over to the Cetoddle's curious expression.
— Do you... want to build one?
The wild Pokémon cried and clapped at the ex-athlete's request and immediately began its construction job. The boy watched as its fingerless hand pushed his pre-built snowball along the road, slowly but surely growing in size as more and more crystals attached themselves to the base of the soon-to-be-snowman’s body. In spite of their size, Cetoddle were quick on their feet, having evolved with all sorts of muscles to sustain their weight, but their fat layer also helped. Grusha carefully seated himself onto a nearby bench, watching as his new pal cheerfully rolled the snow-boulder up and down the nearby slopes, making sure not to lose its control. After it had reached around 70cm in height, the Pokémon resumed its play, this time working on the figure’s torso.
— Would you mind picking that up for me?
He motioned towards his cane, now buried under a thin layer of ice. The cetacean bobbed itself upside-down before picking the cane up and handing it over to him. The young Gym Leader lamely attempted to push himself up once more, only to fall back onto the bench with a loud thud. He groaned and pushed again, only to be met with the same fate. Instinctively, the Cetoddle dragged him by his left arm as he forced himself onto his feet, finally managing to rest in his cane.
— Thanks, Cetoddle…
He smiled and limped towards the Gym building, pushing its glass doors with an angry sigh. As his vision adjusted to the dim, artificial lighting, Grusha scanned the interior for any souvenirs or berries to decorate the mon’s sculpture with, hoping to improve its otherwise barren appearance. He picked his Rotom Phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight as he rummaged through boxes located in various storage rooms of the building’s upper levels, managing to pick up a couple of materials from local Pokémon, as well as a Nanab berry.
“... I might have some clothes from back when”... the boy scurried off to his bedroom and ravenously browsed through his closet drawers before pulling out a knitting set and a handful of woolen scarves. They all came with all sorts of patterns and colours, mostly appearing to be either blue or lime. He pondered for a minute before choosing a rainbow-patterned scarf with a slight fade effect and grinned… he’d never tell, but this was one of his favourites. He could still feel the needles in his scarred hands running along and shaping all of his yarn as the monitor beeped his pulse… one of the few memories Grusha held dear to this day.
Upon limp-running back outside his eyes came face-to-face with a perfectly circular snow figure and its smiling creator squealing with pride. He cautiously squatted down to match the Pokémon’s height and fell into its embrace, rubbing its back and whispering congratulatory remarks…
— It’s… it’s great, I’m really proud of you, Cetoddle…
He sat there, nestled up in the mon’s arms and looked up towards its brand-new creation. Cetoddle’s eyes fell upon the bright scarf the ex-athlete held, as well as a pack of dark materials to decorate it with. The cetacean helped Grusha up before nabbing a couple of materials and resuming their friendship’s product. The two carefully attached stones and feathers on its body, weaving it a slick cloak; he firmly stuck the Nanab berry onto its face, giving it a pretty, pink nose; he picked up two thick evergreen twigs and let Cetoddle shove them in with all its might. Finally, the two each grabbed a scarf’s end and began wrapping it around the sculpture’s neck as neatly as possible.
— Look… it’s really pretty, don’t you think?
Cetoddle rapidly grabbed Grusha and swept him off into a bearhug, its large tears immediately staining his fleece jacket. The ex-athlete sighed and pulled his mittens off, hugging the critter back and rubbing its back as gently as a mother’s touch. The wild mon immediately reacted with a nuzzle and an even tighter restraint on his slim body. His arms kept comforting his friend as the two remained locked next to their icy, yet heartwarming work on a very eventful Glaseado afternoon.