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At the top of a cold, snowy mountain, a little Snom wandered alone through the dark winter night. It would stop here and there to scratch at the ground. A fierce storm had blown through just the other day and sealed away all of the delicious, recently-fallen snow beneath a layer of thick ice. Everywhere the little Snom looked, it was the same. With a sad sigh, it gave up its digging. No matter how hard it tried, it just wasn’t strong enough to break through the ice. So it crawled away, searching far and wide for even a single snowflake to eat.
As it crested a hill, the Snom looked down at the nearby town full of humans that sat far below in the valley of two mountain peaks, and was dazzled by what it beheld. The sleepy settlement had undergone a magnificent transformation since last the little Snom had seen it. From its previous unassuming form, it had evolved into something magical. Under the veil of night, it now shimmered with a rainbow of festive lights as though stars had fallen from the sky to stud the streets and houses.
The little Snom’s heart fluttered with hope. If there was one thing it knew, it was that light usually meant warmth, and that warmth would mean soft, melty, tasty snow. Elated, it made its way down the slope to investigate as fast as its little legs could carry it.
(art by CassiferLynn)
Down in the town, the streets were positively bustling with humans and Pokémon alike. They strolled by in pairs or groups, carrying armfuls of bags and stacks of boxes in every shape and size imaginable. Smiles and laughter were all around, as were - the little Snom noticed gleefully - an abundance of seasonal treats. Children gripped bags of candy tightly in their fists as they toddled after their parents, couples took turns sharing bites of baked goods, and street vendors hawked freshly roasted nuts, yams, and fish skewers. Snow or not, the Snom was sure to find something delicious to eat here.
Crawling along down a busy sidewalk, the little Snom had to dodge and weave between heavy winter boots on its search for snacks. Even among the other wild Snom, it had always been the runt of the litter. And so it had to be wary not to be trod on in such a dense crowd of humans. It was hard going with a Snom’s stubby legs, and it wasn’t long before it had to scuttle over to the side and rest beneath a window sill.
“Row roww!” A terrifying roar sounded out.
Snom jumped in fright, its heart racing at the slavering panting of whatever beast had snuck up right behind it. Frozen in fear and still exhausted from the obstacle course that was the sidewalk, all it could do was turn on the spot, trembling, to face the threat.
“Aruu?” There sat a Greavard, staring at the Snom from behind the curtain of matted fur that covered its eyes. Its horrid, slimy tongue lolled out of its mouth as it panted, and the flame atop its head danced menacingly in the night air. A shiver ran down the little Snom’s spine.
On the pavement in front of the Greavard sat a dog bowl holding a fruit cake bigger than the Snom’s entire body. The cake’s delectably moist crust shimmered in the swaying glow of string lights and the Greavard’s candle. It was topped with a heaping helping of gooey, white frosting that smelled heavenly and sinfully sweet all at once; it reminded the Snom of its snow-capped mountain home.
The Snom’s tummy growled even more fiercely at the sight of such a feast than the dog had at the intrusion. The Greavard tilted its head, and Snom began to shake all over for fear that it would take the gurgling of its hunger pangs as a challenge. Despite its terror, though, the little Snom just didn’t have the strength to flee. It waited for the Greavard’s attack, squeezing its eyes tightly shut. But no attack ever came. Instead of flashing its fangs and chomping down on the defenseless little bug, the Greavard nudged the bowlful of cake towards it. When the Snom merely stared up at it with pitiful, wet eyes, the ghost hound nudged the bowl again with its snout.
Confused but dreadfully hungry, the little Snom inched forward ever so cautiously towards the gleaming cake. To its surprise, the dessert was full of familiar fruits given new and fanciful forms: candied Oran and Sitrus peels, thinly sliced Chesto, dried and diced Aspear and Apicot, and glacé Cheris. The spicy aroma wafting from its crust was familiar too. The entire cake must have been liberally soaked in Figy juice and topped with Navill berry frosting. It was a cornucopia of wild nuts and fruits squeezed into one, glorious bundt.
Snom looked up at the Greavard, who merely sat and panted excitedly. Well, the little Snom figured, if it was at the ghost dog’s mercy either way, it might as well go out with a full stomach. Leaning in, it took a hesitant nibble of the fruit cake. Immediately, all fear melted away into sweet, chewy deliciousness. The Snom chowed down in earnest, overcome by the harmony of flavors playing on its tongue. The Greavard happily dug in as well, each taking huge bites from either side until they had, between the two of them, polished it off completely.
The Snom burbled in contended bliss, its tummy finally quietted. The Greavard gave a big yawn and a stretch before settling down for a nap. It waved an ear with a dopey smile as the little Snom gave its thanks and bid farewell, waddling away with its belly full of cake so that its new friend could rest in peace.
Toddling along the lamp-lit streets of the town, the Snom found the going much easier with a full stomach. It wasn’t as agile as had been before meeting the Greavard and its cake, but it seemed the crowds had died down just a little while it had been busy snacking. It had no problem meandering down the same sidewalk that had been as stressful as a slalom for it earlier in the evening.
As it looked around, taking in the lights and decorations hung from every storefront and lamppost, the little Snom spied a beguiling sign. Swinging over the door of a café surrounded by al fresco seating, it was a wooden board carved into the shape of a teacup filled to the brim with a fluffy, white topping that just had to be freshly shaved ice. The Snom drooled at the thought of washing down the fruit cake with a cold cup of glacial runoff.
“Ireeree, ireeree~.” An airy, lilting chime sounded out.
Snom turned, ready to hustle through the café door past whoever had opened it in search of a refreshing beverage, only to realize that it wasn’t the bell over the entrance at all. It was an Indeedee sitting at one of the smaller outdoor tables with her male counterpart. She motioned the Snom over with a tinkling giggle as her partner harrumphed and went back to enjoying his drink. Curious, the little Snom crawled over.
With her napkin, the Indeedee gently brushed crumbs of fruit cake from the corners of Snom’s mouth.
“Ireeree~! Ree-ree?”
Snom stared, transfixed, at the cup in the male Indeedee’s hands. The ceramic’s tan glaze and the delicate handle perfectly matched the design of the wooden sign hanging above the shop’s door. The male huffed, scowling at the intrusion. But when he looked into the little Snom’s big, pleading eyes, he knew that even Arceus itself would not have been able to turn it away. Still obstinate, he lowered his cup for the Snom to sample his drink.
Taking a sip, the little Snom was treated to a panoply of flavours it had never even dreamed of. Soft, sweet whipped cream melted into milky chocolate that had a surprisingly bright, refreshing pop of peppermint in it. The taste and texture reminded the Snom of its favourite freshly fallen snow.
“Pweeeoo~!” the Snom chirped.
Even as the Snom was still marvelling over the wonder of this flavourful revelation, the female Indeedee offered her cup in turn. The Snom excitedly took a sip, wondering what new tastes it had to offer, only for its mouth to pucker instantly at the flash of bitterness. The drink had a similar chocolatey base to the first, but instead of sweetness cut with mint or Navill cream, it had the astringency of a cup of black coffee.
Desperate to wash the taste from its mouth, the little Snom licked despondently at a patch of ice between the bricks beneath the table. With another put-upon huff, the male Indeedee - its cheeks pink and lips pouting - offered the Snom its cup once again. The Snom gratefully took a second sip to rid itself of the mocha’s lingering semi-sweet aftertaste. The female demurely covered her mouth with her hand to conceal her tittering, but her laughter wasn’t the only amusement ringing out. At the larger, human-sized table next to them, both of the Indeedee’s trainers had noticed the Pokémon’s antics. They cooed and giggled as they snapped photos of the trio with their flip phones.
Giving a satisfied sigh, the Snom basked in the warmth of attention and cocoa. With its belly once again empty after walking all over town in search of more treats, it was time to head out yet again. While one of the drinks it had tried had been quite delicious, the Snom had definitively determined that the white foam atop the cups was not, in fact, snow. Saying farewell to the pair of Indeedee, Snom continued on its way.
All throughout the night, the poor, little Snom had been disappointed to see the town’s well-swept walkways, and now that it was getting late, it was finding the lack of leftovers downright disheartening. Surely the lights and foot traffic would have softened it enough to eat, had it been left out. Instead, everything had been pushed off into lawns where it had piled up and been frozen over by the storm, just like everything up on the mountain.
Just as it tried to puzzle out why humans would do this, a tiny snowdrift at the head of an alleyway caught the Snom’s eye. Perhaps not all was lost! It scuttled over to inspect the morsel’s pristine surface for dirt. Once it was convinced that - while it was but a nibble - it was a perfect specimen, it opened its mouth wide to gulp it down in a single bite. Before it could snap up its prize, however, a mouse-like Pokémon even smaller than the Snom itself walked right up and stuck both of its sooty paws into the snow, scrubbing them clean with the now-ruined snack.
Snom deflated, resting its weary head on the pavement. The first snow it had found all night was now half-crushed, half-melted, and speckled grey with motes of ash. It couldn’t be mad, though. The little mouse was too cute, and obviously just a child. It didn’t know any better. The Snom moped as all hope of satisfying its rumbling tummy fluttered away like a snowflake falling in reverse.
Looking up with its beady, black eyes, the tiny mouse held out a now-clean paw and gently grabbed one of Snom’s spines. Following along, confused yet aimless, the Snom allowed itself to be led a block over to where two more mice were standing in the halo of light beneath a street lamp. Larger than the first, they looked at Snom with blank, inscrutable expressions. One held a chunk of cheese, the other a thick cut of salami. Snom glanced up and saw that the store they were standing outside of was a deli, its windows displaying a host of charcuterie.
“Chip chip, chiree~.”
The adult holding the cheese broke off a crumb and offered it to the Snom. Its partner followed suit, offering up a hunk of the salami. The little Snom happily took both samplings in its mouth and savoured them together. The cheese was briny yet sweet and melded perfectly with the smoky meat.
“Pwee!” the Snom cried joyfully. The creaminess of the cheese belied a pleasantly tangy aftertaste. Mixing with the earthy, gamey flavour of the salami, it was left with a lingering hint of anise in the afterglow of deliciousness.
Feeling a tap on its shell, it turned to see the smallest member of the Maushold, holding up a candied Pamtre berry. The Snom was touched. All night, it had been searching high and low for just a single bite of snow, and while it hadn’t succeeded in its hunt, it had run into so many kind and generous Pokémon on its way. It had been introduced to flavours it had never known and invited to fill its empty belly without any expectation of payment in return.
Eyes glistening with tears of joy, the little Snom carefully leaned in and nibbled off half of the nutty, buttery, candied berry. The little mouse broke the other half into thirds and shared it with its parents. The four enjoyed their small, simple meal together in companionable silence, their mouths, bellies, and hearts all full. In the town square across the way, a band started up a jolly tune from where they had set up in a gazebo. Children sang along with their siblings, parents, and Pokémon; couples danced under the romantic glow of street lamps and string lights; and for the first time since it had wandered into town that cold and lonely night, the little Snom felt right at home.
The bell above the deli’s door rang suddenly, startling the poor Snom something fierce. A stout man with a black, bushy mustache and brown skin stepped out into the cold to shake out his apron. The man looked down at the four Pokémon, and after a pause to process just what he was seeing, his eyebrows jumped up in surprise. The little Snom panicked; it was like a Fire Spin was closing in on it from all sides. Where had the Maushold gotten that food? They wouldn’t have just randomly picked a deli to eat outside of if they’d brought it from elsewhere, and if they belonged to the mustachioed man, they would have been inside on such a cold night.
Just as suddenly as he’d appeared, the man turned and went back inside. Trembling, the Snom looked to the Maushold, hoping they had an escape route in mind. But the family of three simply stared at the door, their button-like eyes unblinking. It was so in its own head that the Snom jumped even higher when the bell above the door rang a second time. Reappearing, the man did not brandish a broom or bat at his uninvited guests, but knelt down and smiled kindly at them.
“Çam sakızı, çoban armağanı.”
One by one, the man gave each of the Maushold members a colorful, little cube covered in white powder. For a moment, Snom was convinced that they were ice cubes carefully wrapped in a layer of frost. That was, until the man turned and set down a small, clear bag in front of the Snom. It contained a variety of the little cubes in as many colors as the lights strung up about the town and was tied closed with a blue and white ribbon.
The Snom reached out and felt the bag carefully with its mouth. Immediately, it knew they weren’t ice cubes after all; the bag wasn’t the least bit cold. But there was a lovely scent wafting from the contents that reminded the Snom of a Roselia’s flowers. Snom marveled at the bag, sparkling in the warm glow of street lamps lining the avenue.
Giving the Snom a gentle pat on its shell, the man returned to his shop. Looking back to the Maushold, Snom watched as the adults each popped their treats - big as their heads - whole into their mouths. The trio bowed, then scuttled off down the nearby alley. Just before they disappeared out of sight, the youngling stopped, turned around, and waved to Snom, nearly dropping its dessert. Catching it before it hit the ground, it popped the cube into its mouth and hurried after its parents, its cheeks bulging.
As the little Snom sat and admired its gift, a light snow began to fall. If it kept up through the night, there would be a big breakfast waiting on the mountain in the morning. The Snom yawned. It was full, content, and oh so sleepy after so much excitement and adventure. It had been a wonderful night. Now, it was time to go home.
On its way out of town, the little Snom passed through the square where the band was still playing. It was easier to avoid the crowds here by crawling through the flower beds; even though they were barren, the humans still didn’t seem to walk on them. Snom marched along to the rhythm of the music, chirping in time as it carefully balanced its gift between the spines on its back.
Peeking out from behind a clump of bare bushes, it checked to see if the coast was clear. If it made a break for the edge of town now, it could sneak away without any trouble. Crawling as fast as its little legs could carry it, the Snom left the cover of the flower bed and scuttled across the bricks for the park exit.
On a bench near the gate sat a human, about the same age as most of the couples strolling arm-in-arm up and down the roads lined with shops. Only, this one was alone. They watched the others dancing and playing in the square with a forlorn gaze that the little Snom knew all too well. It had often looked on as the larger Snom gobbled up the best bits of snow on the mountain with the same look. From time to time, it had even looked down on this very town the same way, wondering what it might be like to have an owner who would lovingly give it its own snow to munch on. Even as early as that very night, it had felt much the same before the glow of the town had sparked hope in its tiny heart, inviting it in.
It knew what it had to do. The little Snom swerved, turning away from its path to the gate and onto a direct course to the lonely human. Crawling over, it climbed the leg of the bench up onto the seat beside them. When they looked down and noticed the wild Snom, it slid the bag of candy off its head and nudged it towards them.
“Pweeoo, oowee!” it chirped.
(art by CassiferLynn)
At first, the human merely blinked in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the Snom and its offering. Their nose was red as a Cheri berry, and tears welled up in the corners of their eyes. Scrubbing their face on the back of their sleeve, they gave the Snom a bright, blushing smile. The Snom burbled happily as the human patted it on the shell.
Untying the ribbon from the bag, the human looked between it and the Snom, then reached out and gently tied it in a loose bow around the little grub’s neck. Snom chirped, jiggling back and forth as the bow whimsically flopped and fluttered. With a laugh, the human reached into the bag and pulled out two of the cubes. They held one out to the Snom, which it excitedly snapped up. The flavour was heavenly. It tasted exactly as it smelled - floral, sweet, and light as a feather. The texture was a firm, chewy goodness that the Snom rolled over and over in its mandibles until its mouth was covered in the powdered sugar the cube had been dusted with.
For a long while, the two sat and enjoyed the sweets, neither in a hurry to finish and leave.
“Thanks for sharing your lokum, little guy,” the human said between bites of candy, giving the Snom a little scritch on the top of its head. It looked up at them with its mouth full of sticky, rose-flavoured delight. The two gazed into each others’ eyes, and felt the spark of kindred spirits. “Do you have an owner? If you’ve got nowhere to go, how about coming home with me? It isn’t big, but it gets kinda lonely all by myself.”
The little Snom chirped around its mouthful of lokum.
And so the pair sat, enjoying their snack as they listened to the jolly tunes of the band still playing as snow lightly dusted the ground around them. After they had finished the last of the sweets, the two got up, tossed the bag in a bin, and headed home together.