Several days had passed in what seemed like a fraction of the time, and if not for the calendar that Blizzard kept within her den, Frost might have lost track of the date entirely. Each day seemed like part of a standard routine, yet deviated in a way that made each feel distinct and eventful, even when very little actually happened.
The Glaceon awoke each morning, often discovering that his female counterpart was already awake, and after a brief greeting and exchange of nuzzles, he would eat a quick breakfast and go for a walk outside, relishing the crisp, familiar mountain air and the breathtaking view of the snowy mountains. Sometimes, he lingered to watch the sunrise, or did some basic stretching and training exercises, before returning to the den in time to see Glacia wake up.
The young Eevee was slowly coming around to eating semi-solid foods, and several times, Frost had caught the little one watching him while he ate. According to Blizzard, Glacia still adamantly refused second portions, but after watching Frost eat a helping of fruit, she would usually accept her own meal of crushed fruit without protest, as if actively taking inspiration from the male Glaceon. Her appetite also seemed to be growing, as she would nag her mother for feeding within a short period of time if she was only provided with one berry at the most recent meal.
There was almost always a point during the day when Blizzard would take Glacia outside the den for a few minutes, the Eevee bundled with multiple scarves to improve her tolerance of the cold environment. Frost chose to accompany them more often than not, and took silent pride in watching his daughter bounce around the snowy meadow, her tail wagging with curious enthusiasm. It reminded him of his own childhood. Playing in snow was always one of his favorite pastimes before the concept of battling captured his fascination.
The time spent outdoors was often enough to tire out the adorable ball of fluff, so Blizzard and Frost usually had time to talk once they had returned to the den and settled Glacia down for a nap. The topic varied each afternoon, but it reminded Frost of his rapport with the female Glaceon prior to Glacia's birth. He had always found her frank and honest nature, regardless of subject, very appealing. It was a mark of confidence, and even in the event that she did not want to disclose information, she said so directly, and remained firm on the matter. It didn't hurt that she was also rather affectionate, and openly enjoyed closeness. This extended even to the present day, although boundaries were enforced much more strictly than during the winter months.
"Hey, Bliz?" Frost ventured, on the seventh day of his visit. The three of them were relaxing in the central room of the den. Glacia had been so tired out from tackling snowballs that she had flopped down onto the nearest pillow the moment they had returned to the den. Blizzard had settled down nearby, and Frost had sat down beside her, encouraging the female Ice-type to rest her head on his shoulder. Conversation had been relatively minimal, and Blizzard had been in the process of dozing off herself when a sudden thought had occurred to him.
Blizzard made an inquisitive sound, and shifted slightly, if only to indicate that she was still awake, because she didn't lift her head from his shoulder.
"Have you put any thought into Glacia's social future?" Frost wondered, internally wincing at how random the question sounded when spoken aloud.
Blizzard lifted her head, the shadow of a perplexed frown passing over her face. After a brief pause, she refocused on the male Glaceon. "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you mean," she said, sounding almost embarrassed to be saying as much.
"I was just thinking that, due to the relative isolation of your den, Glacia may not have much opportunity to naturally meet and interact with Pokemon outside her immediate family," Frost explained carefully. "I'm concerned that this isolation might negatively impact her social skills, or at least limit her ability to develop healthy friendships with other Pokemon."
"Hm, that's a good point," Blizzard admitted, nodding slowly. "I will probably need to play an active role in getting the ball rolling in that sense. I do keep in touch with a few contacts on the mountain, so something could probably be arranged. Definitely something for me to look into."
"Who do you keep in contact with?" Frost wondered blankly. "I've almost never seen any Pokemon so much as passing through this section of the mountain. I doubt you get frequent visits."
"I don't," Blizzard admitted, yet her tail flicked, so the fact on its own didn't seem to bother her much. "I enjoy the peaceful isolation I have here, but I still welcome company, and offer shelter to passerby that may require it, like you."
"But who do you keep in contact with?" Frost pressed gently. If she didn't want to say, he supposed he would have to let that go, but he was still curious.
"My most frequent recurring visitor is Cusil," Blizzard answered, smiling a little. "He's a Sneasel that hails from the mountain pack, and he usually comes by to exchange resources on behalf of the pack alpha."
"You exchange resources with the Sneasel pack?" Frost repeated, arching his eyebrows incredulously. Blizzard stifled a giggle at his reaction.
"Yes, it's actually a very valuable arrangement," Blizzard answered, once she had recomposed herself. "They've established a fairly impressive network of contacts across the mountain, so anything I may want or need, they can get for me."
"Like what?" Frost pressed, a mixture of bewilderment and fascination fueling his inquiries at this point, temporarily forgetting about the original concern.
"Well, I got my calendar for this year back in December," Blizzard said, gesturing vaguely towards the back of the room, where she kept the annual calendar. Frost blinked once, but made no comment. "I also got those scarves for Glacia through their network. Well, I got them more in case of sheltering a non-Ice-type in my den, but same difference."
"But what do you give in exchange? I'm drawing a blank on what sort of resources you'd have that they'd want, if they can get you almost anything that you request," Frost said, frowning. "It just seems like they could get what you have on their own."
Blizzard practically beamed with pride. "There is apparently a demand for my ice sculptures," she said, gesturing this time to the den entrance, the outside of which was flanked by a pair of incredibly gorgeous ice crystals, and Frost recalled the beautiful, artistic design of the female Glaceon's territory emblem hanging over the cave den. It did not surprise him in the slightest that such breathtaking and durable crystalline designs might be desirable among Pokemon, or even humans, living on Mt. Coronet.
"Fair enough. So what's your basic idea for Glacia? Asking the pack to arrange a playdate?" Frost asked, hoping that his tone didn't sound overly sarcastic. He really wouldn't be in a position to criticize the notion of an Eevee befriending a Sneasel, although his relationship with Lin was more akin to student and master than friendship.
"If not among their own members, then perhaps by getting in contact with other local Pokemon who may have someone around her age," Blizzard said, then tilted her head towards him. "Thoughts?"
"Sneasel are rather scrappy Pokemon by nature," the male Glaceon said carefully. "Perhaps not the ideal first friend of a kit her age, unless she takes to battling with the same enthusiasm that I did."
"She might. It would run in her blood," Blizzard giggled. In response to Frost's blank look, she smiled. "You forget that I am also an experienced battler. Perhaps not on, say, Astrid's level, but I was no slouch."
"I forget because I never knew," Frost argued blandly. "It's not like we had much opportunity to spar or battle during my stay here."
"True, we had other ways of staying fit," Blizzard giggled. Frost did the bizarre mixture of a smirk and a wince, resulting in an expression that conveyed neither. A short silence fell between them, and they both observed the sleeping Eevee with matching expressions of fondness. "Oh, Frost?"
"Hm?" the male Glaceon glanced back at Blizzard, only to discover that she was wearing a slightly morose expression.
"It's been wonderful having you around again, even temporarily," she said quietly, forcing a small smile on her face. The look made Frost's insides squirm. Clearly, Blizzard had already realized that he was likely to depart again, even if he hadn't said anything to suggest as much. She could read him way too well.
"I know. I want to try to visit more often, or at least for longer periods of time, like this one," Frost said, giving the female an awkward nuzzle. "But I am starting to feel like I've been away from my current companions too long. The trip up here took longer than expected, and I've lingered longer than planned."
"I understand, I really do," Blizzard assured him. "But you know...if you ever change your mind about staying here with us, permanently...you're welcome to."
Frost nodded slowly. "Noted...but I worry you may be restricting yourself unnecessarily. I detest the notion of you pining for me and dismissing future suitors in the hopes I'll re-evaluate my current feelings for you."
Blizzard rolled her eyes. "Little fear of that. My love life is definitely on hiatus as long as Glacia's living here. Or at least until she gets a suitor."
"Arceus forbid," Frost deadpanned. Blizzard cast him a look that was equal parts amusement and disapproval. "I'll be sure to prepare a screening exam for any male that so much as looks at her funny."
"Aw, you're a protective father," Blizzard giggled.
Frost snorted, but his tail flicked in agreement. "I'd just want someone who'd take the obligation to their mate seriously, and not just bolt after- oh, shut up," he grumbled, noticing the incredulous look the female Glaceon was giving him.
"I'm teasing, I'm teasing," Blizzard insisted, nipping Frost's ear playfully. "I think it's kind of sweet that you care so much. Glacia really looks up to you."
"All the more reason for me to try to be around as much as I can," Frost sighed. "With that in mind, I intend to remain for the rest of today, and perhaps depart sometime tomorrow morning, if that is agreeable."
"Sounds fine," Blizzard said. Of course, Frost hadn't expected her to voice an objection. She was fairly unambiguous regarding her preference for him to stick around, but she was good about not pressing the matter too much.
Glacia shifted in her sleep, distracting the adults briefly from the conversation, but the Eevee settled down again, her breathing remaining steady and uninterrupted. Even so, this prompted a lull in conversation, giving Frost a little time to just think things over.
It was beginning to feel like top priority to reconnect with Shadow and Leaf at the earliest possibility. He had already been gone for much longer than expected, and he hadn't given them a timeframe for his return. In the wake of the Eterna Forest situation, he wasn't sure what they were going to do for the future, and restricting them in one area, vainly waiting for him to return, seemed like a cold move on his part.
Frost's eyes drifted to the calendar at the back of the den. By his count, it had been just over two weeks since he had left the younger Eeveelutions, and that wasn't factoring in the time it would take for him to travel from the mountains back to the Eterna City area. He wasn't even sure the next time it would be convenient, or feasible, to visit Blizzard's den again.
"Do you have significant dates marked on this?" Frost wondered abruptly, wandering over to the paper chart and examining it more closely. Each of the numbered squares were marked with a simple black line to indicate that the date had passed, but he didn't see any other indicators or labels, at least not for the month of April. He knew from his original stay that Blizzard at least kept a black marker on hand to mark the calendar, but their species' paws lacked the dexterity to really write legible notes.
"I mark them with a black dot, but it's up to me to remember the significance, so I do it sparingly," Blizzard answered, joining him at the calendar and carefully flipping the pages back to the month of January. The female Ice-type then pointed her paw to a distinct black dot in the corner of the square labeled with the number seven. "Like that, see?"
"Fair enough," Frost mused with a smile, briefly glancing at the other pages as he flipped them back to April. After a thoughtful pause, he looked ahead to the month of May. "Oh? You already have my birthday marked on this?" he wondered, genuinely taken aback to discover that the sixteenth numbered box of the month already contained a black dot identical to the one seen on the first page.
"One of our early conversations touched upon birthdays," Blizzard reminded him with a smile. "I had mentioned my birthday being in July."
"That's right, July twelfth," Frost murmured, and his female counterpart nodded. "And that segued into a discussion of births relative to heat season," he continued, and then chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "I almost forgot how bizarrely frank our conversations tended to be."
"It was always nice to get a fresh perspective on things," Blizzard giggled. "Your parents must have raised you to be openly inquisitive about any subject. That's the approach I intend to raise Glacia with."
"I agree wholeheartedly," Frost said seriously. "That is also how I would prefer to raise and educate my kits. Encouraging them to get open and honest information on any subject, taboo or otherwise, from their parents and mentors, is far superior to sheltering them, or scolding them for their curiosity."
Blizzard's smile brightened. "It's a relief to confirm that we share a similar vision in how to raise Glacia," she said, briefly looking over at the sleeping Eevee. "She should be waking up shortly."
Frost smirked briefly, and followed her gaze to the Eevee kit. Sure enough, Glacia was beginning to stir, then shifted her positioning more drastically, in a futile effort to get comfortable enough to doze off again. Blizzard was at the Eevee's side in an instant, licking her daughter's ears affectionately, as if to reassure Glacia that her mother was nearby.
"Hey, Bliz, I'm back!"
The sudden call from outside the den jolted Glacia awake, and both Blizzard and Frost flinched, the male Glaceon swiftly taking a position between the other two Pokemon and the den entrance. A moment later, a familiar female quadruped stepped into the den. It had dark skin mostly covered with snow-white fur, and sparkling green eyes. A distinct, scythe-like horn adorned one side of its head, and its paws wielded vicious-looking claws, to saw nothing of the rows of razor-sharp teeth visible when she grinned. The Absol blinked upon noticing Frost.
"Wait, you're still here?" Astrid marveled incredulously. "I thought you would have left a couple days ago."
"And I didn't expect you to return at all," Frost retorted stiffly, although he relaxed his defensive stance.
"Sorry to disappoint," Astrid replied with a nonchalant shrug, then focused past the male Glaceon to the other two females in the den. "I brought a guest, hope you don't mind!"
"Uh..." Blizzard began, but her uncertainty evaporated as a second Pokemon hastened into the den. It took Frost a few moments to identify the Pokemon, largely in part due to the heavy travel cloak draped around the second Pokemon's shoulders. It was a yellow, bipedal Pokemon with thin, lanky arms and legs. Its tail was far bulkier, at least from what Frost could see protruding from beneath the travel cloak. The Pokemon's face ended in a narrowed snout, and its paws ended in sharp claws that might have rivaled Astrid's, if not for the impression that they served more for dexterity than combat.
In spite of the heavy cloak draped around the Kadabra's body, it was immediately apparent that the cold air was nowhere near to its liking, as she was unambiguously shivering, although her violet eyes were steely focused.
"Ooh! A/C!" Blizzard practically squealed, rushing over and nuzzling against the Kadabra affectionately. Glacia uttered a squeak of confusion, obviously not nearly as trusting of the bipedal Pokemon as she was towards Astrid.
"That's enough," the Kadabra interjected firmly, and pale blue energy surrounded the female Glaceon, gently moving her back, so that they were no longer in contact. "Your fur is freezing," A/C explained, drawing her travel cloak more tightly around herself in a vain effort to protect her temperature-sensitive body.
"Oh...right, I forgot you really hate the cold," Blizzard said, smiling apologetically, but she seemed perplexed. "Why did you come out here, then?"
"Oh, that's my fault," Astrid supplied brightly, her tail wagging. "I might have let slip about your little cutie here."
"She's met me before," Frost said dismissively, knowing perfectly well that he wasn't the one Astrid was referring to, but it was worth it just to see Astrid's bemused expression. "Yes, I know you meant Glacia. Still, even I know A/C detests cold, considering she's the one who brought me to the area the last time I visited."
"Could we please go somewhere warmer to catch up?" A/C pressed, making every effort to keep her teeth from chattering as she spoke.
"Um...is it safe to Teleport all of us? Glacia's still pretty young," Blizzard said, biting her lower lip uncertainly.
"I can manage," A/C assured her. "But to be extra sure, I could hold her."
It took a few moments to coerce Glacia into letting A/C approach her, even with both of her parents nearby, but they managed it in the end, and Frost even had the foresight to engage the bundle of fluff in a game of "peek-a-boo" so that her eyes would be covered at the moment A/C Teleported, although it came at the cost of Frost having his eyes open and having the flash of light delivered to his eyes at point-blank range.
When the spots faded from his vision, he could see that they were within a different cave den. Books were scattered around the den, similar to the haphazard arrangement he had seen the last time he was here, yet he still found it to be much tidier than Blizzard's organized chaos of a den.
The surrounding air was much warmer in comparison to Blizzard's, almost to the point of Frost finding it uncomfortable, a sentiment that Blizzard visibly agreed with, although she made no comment on the fact. A/C must have set Glacia down on arrival, because the Eevee was wandering around and sniffing at everything, her expression a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
"You have a very nice den," Blizzard remarked, settling herself down and smiling at A/C. The Kadabra had removed her travel cloak before sitting down in a cross-legged style near the back of the den.
"Thank you," A/C replied, her voice regaining her usual serene tone now that they were out of a cold environment. "I'm happy to see you are doing well, Blizzard. Astrid mentioned your recent addition, but it's only proper that you elaborate on the details."
"Okay!" Blizzard said brightly, her tail swishing with pride. "Come over here, sweetie," she called to the Eevee. Glacia's ears twitched, and she bounded over to her mother, looking up at her expectantly. "A/C, this is Glacia. Do you want to say 'hello', cutie?" Blizzard said, nudging the Eevee affectionately.
Glacia chirped, and A/C bobbed her head politely in response, then refocused her attention upon Blizzard.
"She's adorable. How old is she?" the Kadabra wondered.
"Just a couple months," Blizzard answered with a smile. "She hatched this past January."
"Still quite young, then," A/C murmured, observing the Eevee kit with rapt interest. She had taken one of the spoons clipped to the belt at her waist and was twirling it idly in her paw, as if she struggled to remain completely stationary for long periods of time. Glacia watched the spoon's movements in turn, visibly awed by the show of dexterity. "I do not mean to pry, but I also would like to avoid making undue assumptions-"
"It's me," Frost deadpanned, before the Kadabra could finish. Astrid immediately giggled, and Blizzard smiled, while visibly resisting the urge to roll her eyes. A/C merely nodded, making no effort to persist in her inquiry. "I can already tell that's going to be an aggravatingly common question among Blizzard's peers," Frost lamented. "Who's the father? Who's the father? Are you two siblings?"
A/C cast a knowing look in Astrid's direction, while visibly fighting an amused smile. The Absol seemed entirely oblivious to the jab at her expense, but even that observation was starting to feel like old hat in Frost's eyes. For that matter, the Absol wasn't even paying attention to the conversation, her head instead cocked to the side as if listening intently to something that no one else was aware of yet, and her eyes kept drifting towards the entrance of A/C's den.
"Is something the matter, Astrid?" the Kadabra wondered, taking note of the predator's peculiar behavior.
"Do you normally get visitors out here? I think someone's coming this way," Astrid said, her tail wagging. She paused for a moment, and her tail wagged faster, like a puppy being offered a treat. "Yup! Definitely someone coming. Should I ambush them?"
"Please don't," A/C insisted firmly. "I offer a small variety of therapy and meditation services when I have days off. It could be a potential client, or even an acquaintance of mine."
"Never pictured you as much of a social Butterfree or whatever," Astrid giggled. In spite of the Kadabra's objection, she moved nearer to the den entrance and peered outside. "Ooh, hey Shadow!"
"You've got to be-" Frost blurted incredulously, before catching Blizzard's warning glare, and the expletive died at the tip of his tongue. "...kidding me," he finished weakly. By this point, Glacia was looking around in concern, conscious of the shift in mood taking place, but without any of the context. With a small whine, the Eevee cuddled close to both of her parents, requiring Frost to stroke her fur placatingly, while Blizzard draped her tail around the kit.
Sure enough, as Astrid retreated from the entrance, an ebony-furred Espeon and a young Leafeon stepped into the den. Both appeared slightly hassled and travel-worn, but in relatively fine spirits. Shadow stopped in his tracks upon noticing how occupied the den was, whereas Leaf's ears perked up.
"Hello, it is good to see both of you again," A/C said softly, offering the two Eons a welcoming smile that seemed to melt the tension in Shadow's stance. "I apologize if my den seems overly crowded at this time, but you are welcome to make yourselves comfortable if you wish."
"Uh...thank you," Shadow muttered, his eyes darting briefly at the other Pokemon present, before doing a double take on seeing Frost. "Wait, when did you get here?"
"A couple of minutes ago," Frost deadpanned. "The timing is so impeccable as to be completely absurd."
"Let's do introductions!" Astrid suggested, her tail wagging with excessive enthusiasm, considering that almost everyone present knew one another already. Frost was about to comment on that very fact, but Blizzard stepped forward gracefully to approach the other Eeveelutions.
"Hello," she said pleasantly, carrying herself with natural poise and confidence. "My name is Blizzard. I was raised on the same team as Astrid and A/C, a few years ago."
"Oh...hey," Shadow mumbled awkwardly. Frost had little doubt that the Espeon was connecting the dots in his mind, and the reason for his discomfort was all-too apparent. "I'm Shadow," the Espeon added hastily, and then looked back towards Leaf, wordlessly urging him to introduce himself.
"I'm Leaf!" the younger sibling supplied brightly. This was answered by a squeak from Glacia, drawing the Leafeon's attention. "Hi, little Eevee! What's your name?"
Glacia chirped happily, her tail swishing. Leaf seemed momentarily confused, and Glacia chirped again, more loudly. The Leafeon answered with a squeak, almost identical in pitch and consistency to Glacia's efforts at communicating. To Frost's growing astonishment, Glacia squealed in delight and began squeaking and chirping more rapidly than usual, occasionally bouncing on the pads of her paws. Leaf listened, occasionally interjecting with a few chirps and squeals of his own, with the most notable difference being that he also used gestures to punctuate his sounds.
"...your brother is fluent in kit-speak, Shadow," Frost deadpanned. "He knows how to communicate with words...but he's talking to Glacia in kit-speak. I am so done right now."
