The Frostleaf Festival belonged entirely to this little town.
Every winter, as the year drew toward its end, a herd of Kangaskhan passed through Frostleaf Town in search of warmer ground.
The townspeople welcomed them with food from the year’s harvest, while the Kangaskhan brought whatever odd little treasures they’d gathered during their travels—Berries, seeds, shed scales, Evolution stones, sometimes even abandoned Pokémon Eggs they’d found along the way.
Jun had understood that much when Nurse Joy first explained the festival.
Looking through the infirmary window now, he realized the explanation hadn’t come close.
The distant cheers from Field One told him that the championship match had already begun, but Jun barely heard them.
His attention stayed on the streets outside, where people and Kangaskhan were greeting each other like friends who had spent an entire year waiting for this exact day.
A young Kangaskhan scrambled out of its mother’s pouch and hurried through the snow carrying a flower that had long since wilted.
Only a few petals remained, but the little Pokémon held it with both hands as though it were priceless.
Its destination was an elderly woman in a wheelchair.
The woman broke into a smile the moment she saw it.
“Kan!” The little Kangaskhan proudly presented the flower.
The woman accepted it with both hands, admiring the battered thing as though she’d been given the most beautiful bouquet in Galar, then reached beneath the blanket covering her lap and produced a small handmade Kangaskhan doll.
The youngster’s eyes lit up.
It hugged the toy against its chest while the woman added another gift—a broad sun hat that was much too large for it.
She settled the hat carefully over its head to keep the falling snow away, then opened her arms.
The Kangaskhan stepped closer instead of jumping into her lap.
It seemed to understand that its friend wasn’t as strong as she had been the year before.
They hugged gently.
Jun didn’t know whether either of them would be here next winter.
The woman was old, and a year was a long time for a wild Pokémon traveling through dangerous country.
For now, that didn’t matter.
Farther down the street, an office worker dragged a case of beer out into the snow for another Kangaskhan.
Within minutes, the two were sitting on a blanket drinking together while the man’s wife returned from home with food and the resigned expression of someone who’d seen this exact nonsense before.
The man eventually tried to offer a sip to the baby in Kangaskhan’s pouch.
His wife slapped his hand away.
Kangaskhan did the same thing from the other side.
The two looked at each other and burst out laughing while the man stared down at his drink, thoroughly betrayed.
Near one of the streetlights, another Kangaskhan stood facing a Hoothoot perched above it.
Neither seemed to know what to do at first.
After several seconds of silent staring, Hoothoot plucked loose one of its feathers and dropped it down.
Kangaskhan examined the feather, then carefully removed one of its own loose scales and offered it in exchange.
No ceremony.
No explanation.
Just two Pokémon deciding that they had something worth giving each other.
Jun leaned against the window frame, watching all of it in silence.
He’d never been particularly fond of talking endlessly about bonds, friendship, or the wonderful relationship between Trainers and Pokémon.
Words like that became cheap when people repeated them often enough.
Out there, nobody needed to say them.
A soft tapping against the glass pulled him from his thoughts.
Jun looked over and recognized the young Kangaskhan he’d seen approaching town earlier.
Her pouch was still empty, and snow clung to her shoulders after the long journey.
She was staring directly at the bandages around his arm.
“Kan?” She reached into her pouch and produced a slightly bruised Lum Berry, then tapped the window again before holding it toward him.
Jun recognized it immediately.
Lum Berries were useful for treating status conditions in Pokémon, though eating one wasn’t going to magically close the wound in his arm.
Judging by Kangaskhan’s expression, however, she seemed completely convinced that she’d found exactly what he needed.
Jun opened his mouth to politely refuse.
Nothing came out.
The Berry had clearly been stored for a long time.
Part of its skin had already begun to soften, yet Kangaskhan had carried it through the entire journey instead of eating it herself.
Something tightened unexpectedly in Jun’s chest.
Nurse Joy glanced between them with a knowing smile and opened the window.
Cold air rushed into the infirmary along with a scatter of snowflakes, and Kangaskhan immediately stretched one enormous claw through the opening.
“Kan~~” The Lum Berry rested carefully in her palm.
Jun took it.
“Thanks.” He bit into the Berry before he could think too hard about it.
The flesh was sour, unpleasantly soft in places, and nowhere near the quality of anything he’d willingly feed Ralts.
He ate every last piece.
Only afterward did Jun remember that the festival wasn’t supposed to be one-sided.
The townspeople gave something back.
He immediately reached into his backpack.
“Wait.” Kangaskhan had already begun turning away, apparently satisfied simply knowing that he’d accepted her gift.
Jun caught the tip of one claw with his good hand.
She looked back curiously as he dug through the Pokémon accessories left behind by the previous Jun and found a green ribbon.
Using only one hand made tying it awkward, but he eventually managed to secure the ribbon around one of her claws.
Kangaskhan raised her hand and stared at it.
“Kan?” The bright green stood out against her brown hide.
Jun wondered whether she’d dislike it.
Then she smiled.
This was her first trip to Frostleaf Town.
She hadn’t come here as a baby tucked inside another Kangaskhan’s pouch, and until today she’d never received one of the town’s festival gifts.
Now she had one.
Kangaskhan touched the ribbon with one claw, admiring it from several angles while Jun found himself smiling back.
Beside him, Nurse Joy watched the exchange until Indeedee quietly tugged at the hem of her uniform.
“Dee…” Something in Indeedee’s expression immediately caught her attention.
Nurse Joy looked more closely at Kangaskhan.
Her smile disappeared.
“Wait…” She stepped toward the window, eyes moving from Kangaskhan’s posture to her abdomen.
“She’s pregnant.” Jun straightened.
Nurse Joy’s expression grew more alarmed the longer she looked.
Before she could say anything else, Kangaskhan swayed on her feet.
Her knees buckled.
Jun was through the window before he had time to think about his injured arm.
He landed awkwardly in the snow and reached her just as Nurse Joy climbed out behind him.
Kangaskhan had collapsed onto her side, breathing hard.
Nurse Joy dropped to her knees without caring about the snow soaking into her uniform.
One hand moved across Kangaskhan’s abdomen while the other checked her temperature and pulse.
Indeedee appeared beside her with a stethoscope before she even had to ask.
Jun stayed back far enough not to interfere.
After several tense seconds, Nurse Joy’s face tightened.
“She’s about to lay her Egg.” “Now?” “Now.” Nurse Joy pulled on a pair of medical gloves.
“She’s young, this is her first time, and she’s already exhausted from traveling through the snow.
Moving her could make things worse, so we’re doing this here.” Jun looked around at the freezing street, then back at Kangaskhan.
“What do you need?” “Hot water.
As much as you can get.” Jun nodded once and climbed straight back through the window.
Outside, Nurse Joy began working to ease Kangaskhan’s breathing and tension while Indeedee stayed close beside her.
“Indeedee, Aromatherapy.” “Dee!” A gentle fragrance spread through the cold air as Indeedee moved nearer to Kangaskhan.
By the time Jun found a basin, hurried footsteps came from the infirmary entrance.
Marnie had returned with Morpeko in her arms and Ralts beside her.
“Ra-ru~!” Ralts immediately ran to Jun and jumped into his arms, beaming with the unmistakable pride of someone returning from a victory.
Jun caught her with his left arm and gave her cheek a quick squeeze.
“You won?” “Ral!” Judging by Marnie’s calm expression, the final hadn’t given them too much trouble.
With Morpeko and Ralts entering in good condition—and Marnie having grown up around a Gym—Jun hadn’t expected otherwise.
He would’ve liked to hear exactly how it went.
The Kangaskhan outside made that wait.
Jun grabbed the basin and climbed back through the window.
“Ralts, I need your help.” Her excitement faded as soon as she saw Nurse Joy kneeling in the snow and Kangaskhan struggling beside her.
Jun filled the basin with clean snow.
“Fire Punch.
Just enough heat to melt this and warm the water.” Ralts understood immediately.
“Ra.” Flames gathered around her fist, much gentler than anything she’d used in battle.
She held her hand above the snow while Jun shifted the basin carefully, melting it little by little instead of letting the water become too hot.
Marnie stepped through the window after them, Morpeko still in her arms.
Her eyes widened when she finally understood what was happening.
“She’s laying an Egg?” Nurse Joy didn’t look away from her patient.
“Soon.” Marnie had apparently never seen anything like this either.
For once, she didn’t have a useful command or observation to offer.
There wasn’t one.
Nurse Joy knew what she was doing, Kangaskhan had to endure the rest, and everyone else could only make things easier for them.
Marnie recovered first.
A crowd was already beginning to gather, including several concerned Kangaskhan from the herd.
She took Morpeko with her and started clearing space around Nurse Joy, asking spectators to move back and guiding the other Pokémon far enough away to give the young mother room.
Jun remained beside Ralts, keeping the water warm whenever Nurse Joy needed it.
The green ribbon was still tied around Kangaskhan’s claw.
Every so often, it shifted against the snow as she squeezed her hand shut.
[End of chapter] Jun’s Pokémon Research Notes: Frostleaf Festival Memories become treasures.
Friendship is what makes them worth keeping.