"Gary! It's really you—you actually found the Cetoddle!"
Luna's excited voice rang through the snowy air as she dashed up the mountain path, her breath forming curls of mist. Behind her, a tall man with icy-blue hair followed at a steady pace, leaning slightly on a snowboard tucked under one arm.
Gary turned, smiling slightly. "Huh, Luna? Didn't I tell you to stay in Frost Village?"
Before Luna could answer, the man's calm, cool voice cut in. "Articuno?"
The man—Grusha, leader of Glaseado Gym—stopped dead in his tracks as the magnificent bird swooped overhead, trailing shimmering frost. His pale eyes widened slightly in wonder. "So it's true. My sister wasn't exaggerating."
At his side, Luna grinned triumphantly. "See, I told you, brother! I really saw someone who tamed Articuno!"
At lunchtime, Luna had bolted up the mountain to tell him she'd seen a Trainer with Articuno. As Gym Leader of the Glaseado Gym, Grusha knew every serious rumor in this region, and tales of Articuno occasionally drifting across the northern skies were hardly new. The legendary bird migrated around the world; naturally, it sometimes passed by Glaseado Mountain.
Still, hearing about it and seeing it were different things. Seeing Articuno perched calmly beside Gary forced him to accept that his excitable little sister had been telling the truth.
The three of them stood quietly for a moment, the snow falling in soft, endless waves.
Gary glanced at Grusha—more closely this time. The man's right leg was slightly stiff when he moved, although his balance remained impeccable. Gary remembered hearing stories of the Glaseado Gym Leader's tragic accident.
"You're a snowboarder, right? I heard about an accident during a competition years ago," Gary said gently.
Grusha exhaled, smiling faintly. "Yeah. A Cetitan ran onto the course. I dodged to avoid hitting it and… well, my right leg paid the price. It healed, but not enough to go pro again. Now I teach and run the Gym instead."
"See, big brother? I told you someone had an Articuno, but you didn't believe me," Luna said smugly, pointing right at the blue bird.
"All right, all right, that one's on me," Grusha admitted with a faint, rueful smile. "I shouldn't have doubted you. Forgive me, okay?" His voice, usually so cold in battle broadcasts, was unexpectedly gentle with her.
Watching this soft side of the infamous Ice‑type Gym Leader made Gary feel slightly off‑balance. On TV and in official matches, Grusha was distant, almost frozen; here, he was all quiet warmth and indulgence toward his sister.
"Um… are you two okay there?" Gary ventured.
"I'm fine," Grusha replied. "My sister just said she wanted to try catching a Cetoddle that can travel on snow. I brought her up to look around. I didn't expect to run into you too."
Hearing that, Gary realized he'd misunderstood Luna earlier. She hadn't been trying to tag along recklessly to watch him; she genuinely wanted to capture a Cetoddle of her own.
Grusha's ace Pokémon was a powerful Cetitan. As Gym Leader of Glaseado Gym, he was intimately familiar with every Ice‑type on the mountain—including the different herds of Cetoddle and their typical territories.
Naturally, if Luna wanted to catch one, he wouldn't point her toward a weakling with poor potential. Of all the places to search, this small family group they'd found together was one of the most promising.
Luna seemed to realize Gary had caught on. She avoided his eyes for a moment, then marched boldly over to the Cetoddle Gary had just caught and waved.
"Hey, Cetoddle, long time no see!" she chirped. Then she looked at Gary. "Did Gary catch you already?"
The Cetoddle wiggled happily and nodded, indicating that, yes, it now belonged to this human.
"If you want a Cetoddle, try the other two," Gary reminded her gently. "This one is mine."
"I know, I know. I'm not that selfish," Luna huffed.
She walked up to the towering Cetitan mother and tilted her head back to meet its gaze. "Miss Cetitan, I want to catch a walking Cetoddle too. Would you be willing to let me have one of your children?"
The Cetitan looked down at Luna, then sideways at Grusha.
"Cetii…"
With a soft rumble, Cetitan nodded.
Seeing how easily the mother agreed a second time, Gary couldn't help suspecting that while Cetitan had maternal instincts, they weren't particularly intense. Her duty seemed focused more on guarding her territory and ensuring the calves survived their first few months than on forming deep, lifelong bonds.
If she'd had any inner monologue, Gary imagined it might be something like: What a lucky day. First one calf goes with a strong Trainer, now another with a local kid. One less mouth to watch. If one more responsible human wants the last one, even better.
Luna lit up. She grabbed Grusha's sleeve and dragged him closer.
"Brother, she agreed! Which one should I choose?"
Grusha studied the remaining two Cetoddle with a practiced eye. Years of experience as both a Trainer and a breeder—plus his own ace Cetitan—gave him a good sense for potential.
After a moment, he pointed to the one the system labeled quasi‑Elite potential. "That one," he said quietly.
Luna nodded, took a Poké Ball from her brother, and caught it with shining eyes.
The remaining calf watched his siblings disappear into Poké Balls, then glanced up at Gary with something like lonely confusion. All of his brothers and sisters had been chosen. He was the only one left.
"Brother, that last Cetoddle looks so pitiful," Luna said softly. "Why don't you catch it too?"
Grusha rubbed his temple. He already had a fully trained Cetitan and no shortage of Ice‑type Pokemon's. Strictly speaking, he didn't need another Cetoddle—but leaving it behind alone in this half‑empty home did tug at him a little.
Luna saw his hesitation and stepped in. "If you don't mind, I can take the last one," he offered. "I already have its brother, after all. I can raise them together."
Cetitan eyed Luna, then looked at the last calf and back again. After a brief pause, she let out another soft rumble and nodded.
"Ceti."
Just like that, all three of her children had found human partners. Cetitan watched as the final calf happily allowed itself to be captured, then turned and slid away across the snow, leaving the humans a bit stunned by how quickly she accepted their departure.
Gary couldn't help but sigh. "So much for deep maternal love," he muttered under his breath.
Still, he knew better than to judge a wild Pokémon by human standards. In a place like Glaseado Mountain, survival came first. Affection existed, but it was brief and often practical.
He released his champion‑potential Cetoddle once more.
"Come on, Cetoddle," he said gently. "Say goodbye to your family properly."
"Cet!"
The little Pokémon obediently waddled over to where Cetitan had paused for a final glance back. It rubbed its head against her leg and called out. She responded with a low, approving hum before continuing her slide into the deep snow, disappearing over a drift with surprising grace for such a massive body.
The other two Cetoddle chirped their farewells as well, then turned back toward their new Trainers.
"Let's capture your Cetoddle too," Grusha said, handing Luna a second Poké Ball for the quasi‑Elite calf. She accepted it eagerly, cheeks flushed with cold and excitement.
Soon, all three young Cetoddle were safely in Poké Balls—one for Gary, two for the siblings.
"I can't wait," Luna said, bouncing from foot to foot. "Once my Cetoddle gets bigger, I'll be able to ski anywhere on the mountain!"
Because grown Cetitan could "swim" through snow, a trained one made an excellent living sled. With enough training, a walking Cetoddle could be just as practical for transportation.
"Gary, we're going to head back down now," Grusha said, tucking Luna's Poké Balls into the safety of her coat pocket.
"Wait a minute," Gary called.
Both siblings turned.
"Is something wrong?" Grusha asked. Luna also tilted her head, clearly puzzled.
"I know you're the Gym Leader of Glaseado Gym," Gary said. "I'd like to challenge you to a battle."
Luna gasped. "You want to battle my brother? Really? That's awesome!"
Before Grusha could even answer, she nodded for him. "He'll accept! Right, big brother?"