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“Maya. You lost one of the Snoms.”
Claudine is certain – she counts, again. One. Two. Three. Four. Maya definitely left the house with all five of them in tow this morning. One of them is missing. She purses her lips, counts again, her finger pointing at each of them in turn. One. That one sits just on the floor next to Maya's right foot, melting snow dripping from its back. Two. That one is clinging onto Maya's side, as if scaling a tree. Three. On Maya's shoulder. Four. Under Maya's arm, asleep.
Four Snoms. Maya left with five.
“Yeah, you lost one of them.”
The way Maya's face shifts from one expression to the next is amusing, but Claudine does not feel like laughing. From goofy joy at seeing her girlfriend again, over mild confusion, to the growing realisation of dread. In the end, Maya settles on horrified, eyes wide, brows furrowed, and mouth fallen open in a silent outcry of despair.
Claudine shakes her head and flicks her hand before Maya even has a chance to voice anything. She sighs, “Right. I'm getting my leggings on. Ugh, I knew I would end up out there in the snow after all.”
Behind her, in the kitchen, the oven beeps, and Claudine turns around, stomping over to it. She doesn't intend to open the door with as much force as she does, but she can't bring herself to apologise for manhandling it, and she wrangles the baking tray from the oven's depths. The cookies are perfect, and their scent wafts in the air, making her mouth water. She was so looking forward to bundling Maya up in her favourite blanket upon her return, and then feeding her some of the cookies while they are still slightly warm – a pipe dream, it seems.
Again, Claudine sighs, a hand on her hip. “Growlithe, come!”
The happy dog pokémon bounds down the stairs, wagging his tail. He looks suspiciously excited; Claudine makes a note to check later if her socks are still intact, later.
“C-Claudine...” Maya's voice is broken and barely above a whisper. Claudine knows that she must make a pathetic, pitiful sight, and she prepares herself for the slight heartbreak it will bring – but she must stay strong, not immediately fold and comfort her. It's her fault, after all. A little bit of a cold shoulder will do her good, especially about something less severe – Claudine knows this won't be a big problem to solve. And afterwards, Maya's reward will be all the more sweet. “W-what if he got lost o-or... eaten.”
At that, Claudine has to laugh, “Okay, him getting lost is an option, but he is a Snom. He can deal with a little bit of snow. And the worst thing wandering the forests around here are cubchoos – he's going to be fine. We'll find him. They're not very fast, Maya – he can't have gotten far, even if you lost him right away.”
“I didn't!” Maya insists, immediately. “I know he was still there until just before we turned around. See?”
There is hardly a second before a phone is shoved into Claudine's face; on screen, a selfie with Maya and five very happy-looking Snoms. Claudine's heart skips a beat, and she makes another mental note: ask Maya for the picture later. It'll make a lovely background for her own phone.
Maya's shoulders slump. “My apologies... I should have been more careful.”
“You really should have!” Claudine flicks her finger against Maya's forehead, then she sighs once more, “But it's not that big of a deal. Your Snoms aren't that stupid – once he notices he's alone, he'll just wait, or make his way back home. You didn't go any further than usual, did you?”
Maya shakes her head. “No. Just up to the river, then back. I was tempted to cross it, but maybe the ice isn't as thick as it looks...”
“Oh, by Arceus, Maya! Never cross a river just because it's covered in ice! Knowing your luck, you would have just ended up breaking through it and then you would have drowned!” Claudine groans and rubs her hands through her bangs. “For a Champion, you sure are an idiot. This is why they chose me for taking over the gym, you know! Ugh, I can't believe you. Fool.”
“You will help me look for him?” Maya then asks, tactfully changing the subject back to more pressing issues than her almost-demise by ice-cold water.
Claudine glares at her, but when she sees the puppy-eyes Maya sends her way, she can't help but feel all of her resolve crumble. It's not like Claudine hadn't planned on helping, but sometimes the temptation to let Maya suffer a little is just too great to resist. This time, however, she just nods, “Of course. Like I said, I just need to get into my fluffy leggings. The skirt itself is a tad too cold, no matter how long and how thick it is. Wait for me.”
Five minutes later, Claudine is toasty warm: her thick leggings are warming her legs under her skirt, and her expensive winter boots – their insides lined with the softest, plushiest wooloo-wool – do the same to her feet. When she pushes the door open, she snuggles the lower half of her face into her scarf. “Come on then. Lets go and find the straggler, alright? Growlithe, you come, too!” Claudine crouches down and pets her Growlithe, wishing to just melt into his warm fur. “You should be able to take us down Maya's adventure party's tracks, right? You're such a good boy. My fluffy good boy. Aw, I love you too.”
Growlithe barks in excitement and joy, pressing himself into Claudine's scritching hands and giving her cheek a lap of his tongue.
“Claudine, may we go?” Maya asks, both the tone of her voice and her eyes pleading. “I am worried about wasting any more time.”
“Yes, yes, you vexing woman,” Claudine grumbles, getting back up and signalling for Growlithe to go; he snorts noisily, spinning in a circle and then buries his nose into the snow, snuffling through it for the scent of Maya. With Maya right there, he gets a little confused at first, walking around her legs a couple of times, but then he stumbles upon one of her footprints and trots off, following the trail with a waggy tail. “See? He got it already. Let's go, then. And stop worrying, Maya – we'll find him.”
Maya looks as if she's ready to burst into tears again, “I hope you are right.”
“Of course I am. I'm always right, remember? I'm Saijou Claudine, Pokémon Trainer Extraordinaire and Gym Leader of Floralia – I can keep loads of wannabe champions off your back, so finding a little lost Snom will be easy.”
They begin their trek, leaving their cosy cottage behind and trudging through the snowy forest; it's still early in the day, and the sun is shining down on them; the world seems bright, and happy, and hopeful. No matter how miserable Maya feels at the moment, Claudine knows they will find their Snom in no time.
“What were you doing out here anyway, Maya?” Claudine asks, chuckling about the tracks they are following, the footsteps that are clearly Maya's and the tangling lines of a horde of Snoms following behind; sometimes, one stops out of the blue, and Claudine knows Maya must have picked the that particular culprit up; and whenever it happens, it only takes a little longer down the path until more and more of the Snom trails vanish. In her mind's eye, Claudine can see Maya stomping through the snow, covered in all five of her fluffy friends. “Looks like you had fun, though.”
“I was simply taking a walk, Claudine. I did not intend to do anything else. Just... explore the woods. You know I often reminisce about our days travelling the world together. Sometimes I wish someone may beat me, so I can regain my freedom and seek more adventures out there.” Maya heaves a dreamy sigh, staring up into the clear blue sky. “I adore the life we built here, and I am relieved that we can be so close together despite our different duties, but I still feel stir-crazy, when things slow down. Being out here with my friends is a delightful distraction from that. And, yes, I had plenty of fun. We all did.” Then, her shoulders slump, and she smacks her face into her palms, rubbing at it while she groans, “I am a fool! What an embarrassment, to lose one of my beloved Snom while taking a walk!”
Claudine hums, patting her shoulder. “I get it, Maya. I do. But, well... Most people settle, sometimes. At least there's only two seasons a year, so at least we got plenty of time to take some smaller holidays. I swear, though – don't you dare lose that title on purpose. You might be tied to the League by nothing but your duty as Champion, but I have an actual job here. Can't just leave on a whim, you know. And, now do as I said. Stop. Worrying. Snom is going to be alright. I bet he's having a nap somewhere, and as soon as we're by the river, Growlithe can track him down. It's just a matter of continuing down the trail from there.”
“You are right, Claudine,” Maya sighs. “I am sure it will be alright.”
“Of course it will be.”
The trek continues on, past bare deciduous trees, and the lush green pines that grow in these parts of the country; no matter the season, it's pretty, and there is life all around them. Cubchoos cross their paths, and the distant cawing of Murkrows echoes in the woods. Growlithe potters out into a clearing, raising his nose into the air to sniff at it, and then barks, signalling for Claudine that he has found something. It's not the Snom they are hoping for, but it sure is very obvious Snom activity.
Snom activity, in combination with Maya activity.
Claudine whistles, “Growlithe, stop. Come here, bud. Oh, good boy, good boy.”
The clearing seems empty at first. And while there is no wild Pokémon wandering around, the snow is clearly disturbed. Right there, in the middle of it, the footprints reach the clear outline of one Tendou Maya. Well, Tendou Maya if she were an angel, at least. And dotted all around her shape in the snow, there is the telltale roundness of the bodies of Snoms. No trails lead to any of them, and Claudine turns to Maya, raising a brow.
Maya, in all her Champion glory, blushes. “W-what is it, Claudine?”
“Just a walk, huh?” Claudine points at the shapes in the snow. “A snow angel. You got excited, didn't you? And, let me guess – your Snom were desperate to join in, and you just, what? Plopped them down into the snow?”
“I did not drop them, Claudine. I would never drop my Snoms,” Maya huffs, crossing her arms as if Claudine had just spoken the grandest offence in the history of offences. “I placed them into the snow. Gently.”
“Oh Arceus, you're so damn cute, Maya,” Claudine giggles, pulling her phone from her pocket and snapping a couple of photographs of the clearing and the traces of Maya's fun, just in time before Growlithe snuffles through it and ruins the scene. “Adorable. Remind me to come next time – don't wanna miss out on seeing this in the future.”
Maya immediately looks as if all of her birthdays have come at once, her eyes sparkling with tentative, excited joy. “You will come out with me? Even in the snow?”
“Yes, Maya, even in the snow,” Claudine smiles with a shake of her head. “I just said so, didn't I?”
“My apologies, it is just lovely to hear. I know you do not enjoy cold feet.”
“I don't, and you will owe me the biggest cuddles for coming with you. Today, too, by the way. I'm not suffering through this for nothing.”
Maya chuckles. “Of course, my love. The biggest, longest cuddles you could ever wish for.”
“Good. I'm looking forward to it.” Claudine can't wait. She wants to snuggle on the couch, enjoy the crackling of the fireplace, and watch a sappy, romantic movie so badly, all with a tin of freshly-baked cookies. Even if they won't be warm any more, they sure will be tasty, and that's all that counts. “Anyway, let's go. Your tiny friend isn't here, so he must be further up.”
“I told you, Claudine, he was still with me just before I turned around. I highly doubt we will find him before we reach the river,” Maya explains, trudging after Claudine as they make their way through the clearing and back into the forest proper. “Ah... I hope he did not decide to make his way across the river. I know these woods are safe, but you know what lies in wait beyond it.”
Claudine rolls her eyes. “Yes, Maya, I know. In addition to the Cubchoos, Snom might come across some Piplups, or – the horror! – a Vulpix. It'll be fine.”
Onwards they go, the snow knee-high in places; Claudine is glad for Maya's tracks, because they make things much easier, though she doesn't always succeed placing her own feet into Maya's prints. Growlithe can only do so much, his body not quite strong enough to even out a path for them to tread on. Ugh. That's her own fault; she should've brought Empoleon with her. That would've made things easier. Or, even better, get Arcanine instead of Growlithe, because at least then they could've just sat on his back. Oh well, in hindsight, many things could've been done better. Now they're here, and Claudine simply has to accept that fact.
It does not take long to reach the river from their home, but in the snow, they can't move as fast as they can during spring and summer. But they're still faster than a little grub, so Claudine isn't worried. It's safe around here, and if any of the many rangers patrolling the woods came across a lost Snom, they would know who it belongs to – they aren't native here, and Maya is well-known for her love for the critters, after all.
They are not far from the river when Claudine finds the next signs of Maya's walk, and this time, she comes to a sudden stop, and her brows knit into a deep furrow. Growlithe, too, stops, tilting his head to the side as he stares at what they found; there, on the ground before the roots of a mighty, bare oak, are sculptures in the snow. Well. At least Claudine assumes they are sculptures – from afar, the things look lumpy and uncanny, and she can't quite make out what they're supposed to be. It's clear they aren't natural, though, and since there are no other tracks here, Claudine knows they are the result of Maya being struck by... artistic inspiration, for lack of better term.
“Maya. What's this supposed to be?” Claudine mumbles, taking a step closer to the snowy abominations. There is eight of them; five small, one slightly bigger, and two very big ones. As she comes closer, she realises that the two big ones, at least, are supposed to be snowmen. “Some sort of ritual site?”
“Is it not obvious?” Maya chirps, skipping past her to make her way in the middle of the sculptures. She stretches out her arms, and the way she beams at Claudine is making her sway on her feet, having suffered a critical hit from Maya's cuteness. “It's art, Claudine! It is a shame it is only temporary, but I call it 'Family'.”
“'F-Family'?” Claudine gawks, and with horrifying dread, she realises that there is a reason there are exactly eight of these things. She walks up to Maya slowly, daring to join her in front of the two snowmen, which quickly turn out to actually be snowwomen. “Oh.”
Maya's grin grows. “Yes! We turned out rather well, did we not?”
'Well' is not quite the way Claudine would have described the snowy version of herself, even if pressed. It sure is her, she can recognise that, but, well.. flattering is something else. The same goes for Maya herself – their heads are wonky and uneven, and the sticks Maya had used to add details such as her hairpins and Claudine's headband look more as if these snowy version of themselves had been assaulted by a group of angry Cacturnes. Maya did find a couple of berries, somehow, so at least Claudine's eyes are sort of the right colour, although they are also quite off-center.
“U-uh, yes, we look great,” Claudine says, because she would never tell Maya that she doesn't like her art, not when she's so passionate about it even with her lack of skill. Besides, no matter how... awful it may seem to other people, Claudine finds it endearing, and it only makes her adore Maya more. “It's cute. And, um, who's this down here?”
Crouching down next to Growlithe, the two of them find themselves in front of the slightly smaller snow...thing. It has black, beady eyes made from pebbles, and a couple of tufts of hair on its head and its butt – Claudine assumes it's the thing's butt, at least – made from the branches of a pine tree. The longer she stares at it, the more confused she gets. Until, suddenly, Growlithe whines and Claudine understands.
“It is Growlithe, of course!” Maya trills, squatting down beside them and petting Growlithe – the real one – on the head. His tail wiggles with joy, and he throws himself into Maya's arms. “Couldn't make a family portrait without your beloved friend, hm?”
“Huh. Yeah, makes sense,” Claudine mumbles, and, yes, now that she knows, the weird snow creature does bear some resemblence of Growlithe, even if she has to squint to see it. Her gaze wanders to the other lumps on the ground, and all is clear. “And these are the Snoms, right?”
“Correct!”
Four lumpy piles of white, a weird carpet of pine needles stuck in their backs to somehow attempt to recreate their furry coats, and then, a fifth one that takes Claudine's breath away. That one, that one single Snom, is perfect. It looks so life-like she thinks, for one brief moment, that they finally found their quarry, until she realises that one is made from snow and ice too. She points at it. “That one is different.”
“Indeed it is.” Maya puffs out her chest in pride. “The Snoms made it all by themselves. It was a delight to watch. Took them a while, which is why I succeeded in creating the rest of the family with such ease, and then I still had some opportunity to watch them work. It was quite the sight!”
“I... Yeah, I bet it was. Huh.”
Maya is so, so cute. Only she could create Snom horrors out of snow, see a perfect replica of one beside them, and still find her own work wonderful. It's so easy to love Maya, because who wouldn't love a girl like this?
Overcome with those feelings, she grabs Maya by the collar and yanks her towards her. “Come here, you.”
Sometimes, a kiss is the only way to give form to this kind of stuff, and Maya is always happy to indulge her in her desires for a smooch. But as much as Claudine wants to kiss her silly right now, there are more pressing issues at hand.
“You are infuriating. I love you,” Claudine grumbles, rising to her feet once more and pulling Maya up with her, “I swear, I want to smother you in kisses. You're too adorable for your own good. Prepare yourself for later, Tendou Maya. I will have those lips of yours all day.”
Maya laughs, “Very well, Claudine. You know it would be my pleasure.”
“Stop talking like that. No charming me in the middle of nowhere, when one of your buddies is missing,” Claudine huffs, holding onto Maya's hand and dragging her off again. Growlithe happily follows after them, no longer leading the way but rather playing in the snow, his tail wagging with the speed of light. “Come on, now. We're almost there. No more distractions.”
The river is as frozen as Maya had said, its clear blue waters an icy-white that glitters in a myriad of colours whenever the sun reflects on it. It's so pretty, and a part of Claudine understands why Maya had been drawn to it earlier that day. But Claudine isn't a fool – she knows how easy it is to get trapped by these desires, and risking her life for some foolish endeavour to play on the ice is definitely out of the question.
The more important thing is the circle of tracks by the shore, where Maya had taken a rest with her party of Snoms and clearly decided to play around with them. All the way here, they had followed her tracks leading forward, and beside them, they had constantly been accompanied by those very same tracks leading back. But as Claudine stares at the flattened area, she realises that something is... off.
Her feet carry her forward, and she ends up in the centre of Maya's and the Snoms playground, spinning around in a circle, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed. When she catches Maya's eyes, she gestures around her. “There's no tracks leading away from here. And there were no tracks splitting up from the trail back home, either.”
Maya looks at her, and for a moment, her face is blank. Then, her eyes widen in terror, “Oh no. Claudine. What if a Pidgeot swooped in?”
Claudine waves her off, “There's no Pidgeots left. They've all migrated by now.”
“Noctowl?”
“Only hunt at night.”
“U-um... W-what about a pack of Lycanrocs...?”
Claudine groans. “No, Maya, Snom wasn't snatched up by Lycanrocs, either. They would've left tracks, too. You've got such a thick head, Maya. It's time to use it. The only thing that could've happened is that we either just missed Snom – which I think is most likely – or that Snom somehow managed to evolve and fly off somewhere. Considering you're not training these guys, I highly doubt that, though.”
“I kept an eye out, though,” Maya said, sounding more and more crestfallen. “I am certain I did not miss him.”
“I don't think we could've, really. There's no way Growlithe wouldn't have noticed a Snom slipping by, either.” Claudine looks around, trying to find a sign of their missing friend, and finding nothing. Huh, weird... “Growlithe, come here.”
Growlithe bounds over to her, as joyful as ever, barking and growling playfully. He runs around Claudine's legs, then spins on the spot before plopping his butt on the floor and watching her expectantly.
Claudine snorts, leaning down to scruff the fur of his neck. “Look, buddy. You gotta take this seriously now. We're looking for Snom. He's missing. That's no good, right? I need you to find him for us. It should be the freshest Snom scent around. Can you do that for me, buddy?”
Another spin, another bark, and Growlithe jumps up on her, licking her face.
“That's my good boy,” Claudine laughs, gently pushing him off her. “Go on, then. Go, Growlithe! Find Snom!”
And with yet another joyful bark, Growlithe is off, snow flying through the air as he speeds through it, and Claudine knows he's got Snom's scent. He dashes towards Maya, ready to bound down the path they took here, and Claudine is just about getting ready to race after him, when, suddenly, he... comes to a skidding stop, right in front of Maya. He barks up at her, spinning in circles, then all around her, and Maya, confused, follows him with her eyes, finding nothing.
“Huh? G-Growlithe, please,” she begs, “We need your help, boy. Please help us find my Snom...”
Growlithe does not stop, only spins faster, bellows louder. It's weird, and a little unsettling, but the longer Claudine watches, the more confused she gets, just like she had when she had looked at the snowy Growlithe Maya had made. Until, just like before, she just... gets it, and she doubles over, holding her tummy as she starts to laughs.
Maya, bewildered, stares at her with wide eyes, and then squeaks, incredulous, “W-whatever is so funny, Claudine?”
“Maya, you are such a fool!”
“E-excuse me?”
“Hang on,” Claudine snickers, trying to calm herself down as she trudges over to her girlfriend. She stands in front of her, unable to stop herself from grinning, and then raises a hand, spinning her index finger in a circular motion. “Turn around.” Maya, still so baffled, obeys, frowning as she slowly spins around. And as soon as her back is turned towards her, Claudine stands on her tiptoes and vocalises a victorious, “Aha!” before reaching up into the fur-lined hood of Maya's thick winter coat. “Would you look at that. All this drama, and our friend was with us all along.”
“H-huh?” Maya looks over her shoulder, and her eyes go wide like dinner plates at what she sees peacefully sleeping in Claudine's hands. “Oh! Snom!”
Claudine laughs, handing the critter to her girlfriend. “No wonder Growlithe didn't take this seriously at all. There was never any missing Snom. Just a very sleepy one who found himself a lovely bed to slumber in.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Maya near-wails, hugging her Snom tight, and even though the rest of the journey hadn't bothered him, he soon begins to stir, all wrapped up like this, chirping happily as he realises he is in Maya's arms. “Oh, I was so worried. All for nothing. Goodness me.”
“Heh, you had a reason to be. I mean... I was talking a big game but finding one tiny Snom in a forest this big could've easily turned into a problem,” Claudine admits, shuffling closer to wrap her arms around her big oaf of a girlfriend and the Snom cradled in her arms; Growlithe does his best to join in, snuggling up to their legs. “But look, it all turned out okay, in the end. Everyone is happy, safe, and healthy, and we're together.”
Maya first presses a kiss against Snom's soft head, then presses another against Claudine's lips. “Thank you, Claudine. I apologise for being so anxious. I would have panicked much more without your support.”
“Don't worry about it, Maya. That's what partners are for, right? To stand by each other's side and help each other.” Claudine gives her the warmest, fondest smile. “Now how about we get some snow angel pictures done together? I know you've been dying to make some with me.”
The way Maya smiles at her is worth her freezing feet, and the red tips of her ears and her nose.