Snowpoint City—or as the locals in the deep north call it, the "Winter City of Sparkling Ice Flowers"—isn't just a place; it's a test of survival. Perched at the jagged crown of the Sinnoh region, it exists in a state of eternal whiteout. The snow doesn't just fall here; it colonizes. It drifts down from the crown of Mt. Coronet in heavy, silent sheets, burying the world in a low-temperature haze that never lifts, not even in the height of summer.
To the west lies Lake Acuity, a frigid expanse of sapphire water shrouded in mist. It's the legendary home of Uxie, the Being of Knowledge, and a place where the air itself seems to hum with ancient secrets. Scientists have long puzzled over why the lake contains traces of seawater despite its elevation, but the locals don't care about salinity—they care about the "Diamond Dust." On rare, freezing nights, the moisture in the air crystallizes into tiny stars, making the sky look like it's raining crushed diamonds.
But for all its beauty, Snowpoint is a fortress. It houses the ancient Snowpoint Temple, where a titan is said to sleep, and the prestigious Trainer Academy. And, of course, it is the home of the seventh challenge: the Snowpoint Gym, currently overseen by the indomitable Ice-type specialist, Candice.
"Phew... we... we actually made it. I can see the streetlights."
Julian let out a long, ragged puff of white breath that instantly turned into a cloud of frost. His orange down jacket was caked in a layer of frozen sleet, making it stiff and heavy. His legs felt like two lead pillars, and his back was screaming from the weight of the supply-heavy pack he'd been lugging through the drifts of Route 217.
Whoosh~
The zipper of his jacket shifted. A small, warm, orange snout poked out, followed by two concerned black eyes.
"Woof, woof-woof! (Jing, stop talking and start moving! You're shivering so hard you're vibrating. Let's find a heater before you turn into a human popsicle!)"
Julian looked down at the Growlithe tucked against his chest, the puppy's internal heat acting like a literal life-support system. Julian leaned his head down, taking a deep, shaky sniff of the warm fur. It smelled like toasted cedar and woodsmoke—a sharp, wonderful contrast to the sterile, freezing air.
"Don't worry, big guy," Julian whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "As long as I've got my portable space-heater with me, I'm invincible. Besides, your head is the softest thing in this entire frozen wasteland. One sniff and I'm good for another ten miles."
He gave Growlithe a tired, affectionate rub behind the ears, then hitched his backpack higher and stumbled toward the glowing orange windows of the city.
Late Night A Hotel Room in Snowpoint
Thud.
The sound of Julian hitting the mattress was heavy and final. He didn't even bother to kick off his boots or unbuckle the backpack. He just collapsed face-first onto the duvet, his body sinking into the softness like he was trying to merge with the furniture.
"I'm... I'm done. The mission is over. Leave me here to become part of the decor..."
"Woof! (Oh, no you don't! Get up, you lazy human!)"
Growlithe, who had enjoyed a quick recovery at the Pokémon Center while Julian stared blankly at a vending machine, hadn't stayed in his Poké Ball. He had followed Julian back to the room, and now he was looking at his Trainer with a mixture of pity and annoyance. Growlithe used his head to nudge the heavy door shut, hearing the lock click, before trotting over to the bed.
"Woof, woof-woof! (Jing, you always do this! You act like a hero on the road and then collapse the second there's a carpet! At least take off your jacket—it's covered in melted snow! You're going to catch a cold!)"
Growlithe grabbed the hem of the orange jacket with his teeth and tugged with all his might. He expected a protest or a "Just five more minutes," but instead, he heard a soft, rhythmic sound.
Zzzzz...
Julian was out. Cold. The sheer mental and physical toll of the last seven days had finally claimed its prize.
"Woof~ (Seriously? You're already snoring?) "
Growlithe let go of the jacket and hopped onto the bed, peering at Julian's face. The guy looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was pale from the cold.
"Woof woof... (Sleep well, you stubborn idiot. You really pushed it this time just to keep us comfortable.)"
Growlithe leaned down and licked the stray droplets of melted snow off Julian's cheek. Then, moving with surprising delicacy for a Fire-type, he began to use his snout to nudge and pull at Julian's clothes. He knew the others were probably worried sick inside their balls. With a well-placed paw, he began to pop the release buttons on the Poké Balls clipped to Julian's belt and tucked into his inner pockets.
Four flashes of white light filled the dimly lit hotel room.
"Fly-ah? (What's going on? Why is it so quiet—oh my Arceus, Julian!)"
Sylveon was the first to materialize. She took one look at Julian's sprawled, motionless form and her ribbons shot out in a panic, hovering over him as if checking for a pulse.
"Leafeon-flo! (Growlithe! What did you do to him?! I've never seen him look this wrecked!)"
Floette zipped over, her blue flower glowing faintly as she hovered centimeters from Julian's forehead, checking for a fever.
"Jia-gei-gu! (Is he okay?! Did something happen on the last stretch?!)" Togetic landed on the pillow, her wings fluttering anxiously.
"Woof, woof-woof. (Relax, relax! He's just sleeping,)" Growlithe explained, sitting back on his haunches. "(He's been a total martyr for the last four days. He wouldn't let me walk because he didn't want me wasting energy on internal heating. He wouldn't let you guys out because he was worried about the frostbite and the psychic drain from the blizzard. He basically carried all of us through a mountain pass on pure spite.)"
"Leafeon-flo! (That idiot!)" Floette huffed, her tiny face scrunched in anger as she touched Julian's cool skin. "(He's fine, just completely drained. But we can't let him sleep in these wet clothes. He'll be sick by morning.)"
"Fly-ah! (She's right. Move over, I'll help,)" Sylveon said, her ribbons becoming dexterous as she began unbuckling the heavy backpack.
"Jia-gei! (I'll help with the jacket!)" Togetic chimed in, using her beak and small hands to help pull the heavy orange down jacket off Julian's shoulders.
The scene was a flurry of coordinated Pokémon effort. Floette used a gentle Psychic to lift Julian's torso just a few inches, allowing Sylveon and Togetic to slide the damp outer layers off him. Once he was down to his thermal undershirt and pants, they realized the bedsheet underneath him was already soaked from the melted snow.
"Fly-ah! (The bed is a mess. We need to dry this out or he'll be sleeping in a puddle.)"
"Leafeon-flo! (Leave the heavy lifting to me!)" Floette focused, her eyes glowing bright blue as she lifted Julian entirely off the bed, holding him suspended in the air with a steady telekinetic grip.
While Julian hovered like a human balloon, Sylveon used her ribbons to whip the wet sheets off the bed. She propped the damp fabric up over a chair and used a controlled, low-intensity Mystical Fire—not to burn, but to radiate a dry, intense heat that sucked the moisture right out of the room.
"Jia-gei-gu~ (I'll handle the food,)" Togetic chirped. She flew over to the discarded backpack, her head disappearing into the main compartment as she rummaged for the specialized Pokéblock containers. She knew everyone—especially Growlithe—was starving.
Growlithe, meanwhile, didn't join the chores. He had a different mission. As soon as Floette lowered Julian onto the fresh, dry side of the bed and pulled the heavy comforter over him, Growlithe burrowed right in. He curled his warm, furry body against Julian's side, acting as a living hot-water bottle to raise Julian's core temperature.
"Mishimishi! (Wait! What about me? What can I do?!)"
Carbink, the newest member of the team, was hopping around the foot of the bed, her sapphire eyes wide with a mix of awe and a desire to be useful. She watched her seniors move with such practiced coordination that she felt a little left out.
"Jia-gei-gu~ (Carbink! Come here!)" Togetic called out from the desk where she had managed to line up five bowls. "(Help me push these footrests over to the bed. Once the others are done drying things, we can all eat together right here so we don't have to leave Julian's side.)"
"Mishimishi! (On it!)"
Carbink beamed, her rocky body thudding against the carpet as she used her surprising strength to shove the room's ottomans and small chairs toward the bed.
By the middle of the night, the room had transformed. The wet clothes were steaming gently on the rack, the bed was dry and warm, and the five Pokémon were finished with their meal. One by one, they drifted back toward the bed.
Sylveon draped her ribbons over Julian's legs, finding a comfortable spot at his feet. Floette curled up on his shoulder, her tiny breathing syncing with his. Togetic nestled into the crook of his arm, while Carbink found a cozy spot on the floor right next to the bed, her diamonds glowing softly in the dark.
Inside the circle of his partners, Julian's breathing finally leveled out. The shivering stopped. The pale look on his face was replaced by a healthy, warm glow, courtesy of Growlithe's constant furnace-like presence.
They had arrived. Snowpoint was cold, the Gym was intimidating, and the journey ahead was steep—but in this small hotel room, surrounded by the family he had built, Julian was finally home.