"Arctina."

At the call of her name, the glalie turns to face Glaciari and the other elders approaching her at the mouth of the cave. The snorunt have just been put to sleep.

"Yes?" Arctina shrinks back at the grim faces they share.

"We have a special mission for you." Glaciari leers into the distance. "There has been a tragedy. The transcendent jewels have gone missing."

Gawking, Arctina blinks and shakes her head. That is impossible. They need those so that the children can become froslass. Without evolving, they cannot perform the choreography to complete the opera. The children have already mastered the lyrics, which proves their devotion and is prerequisite to the elders presenting them with the transcendent jewels. The children ought to evolve any day now. "How? What should we do?"

"They were hidden by the Gorged Gorge, as you know. From what we could glean, a number of sableye have begun calling it home." Elder Chillena, second in command to Glaciari, speaks in her usual monotone. The jewels laid buried deep in the same spot as it had in the past, the children never daring to prematurely evolve after that night. "They must have been stolen away. Most likely already eaten by those dastards."

Glaciari slowly blinks. "We need them now. Do you understand, child?"

Arctina, who had been nodding the entire time the froslass spoke, nods one final time, almost bowling over. "Yes."

"I've sent the other elders to scour the mountain for more transcendent jewels, but time and again, they found only air. All that remains to search is the Gorged Gorge itself." Glaciari pets Arctina gently. "I am sending you to investigate. Do not return until you find six transcendent jewels. The other elders need to scavenge for food. Our stock runs low. And I suppose I must act the guard until then. If I must."

"Understood!" Arctina runs the instructions through her head again before turning away. "I'll be back!"

"You are not allowed to fail," Glaciari says before returning to the cave. "Be quick."

Pride swells in Arctina's chest. She will make sure she saves the opera. It must be performed by gorgeous froslass. She will find the transcendent jewels before the next day, even, so that she does not shirk her duty as the clan's guardian and force them on Glaciari. They can leave everything to her.

Off she goes to the Gorged Gorge. It is somewhat familiar to her. It lies in the ravine below where she and the other children found themselves cornered by some time ago. Infested by rogue pokémon, the elders never scavenge here for meals. They claim it exists solely for the sake of its own gluttony, and once you enter, you either die or become a monster.

Arctina floats on a cliff's edge overlooking the Gorged Gorge in no time. It is relatively close to their cave, after all. She maps out what she can in her head before diving into the thick of it. The transcendent jewels emit such brilliance that she will know if one lies near by instinct alone, so she hides in the shadows as she passes through the main path with her head up.

Arctina can smell it: the earth is soaked in blood. Bones and rotting limbs litter the ground. Crunching sounds off nearby, and when Arctina hides behind a boulder and peeks around, she sees various small pokémon swarming a now-unidentifiable corpse, eating it away into nothing.

The bloodlust is palpable. From a distance away, she hears the howling and clashing of battle. The heads of several breloom soar through the air and tumble before her. A harsh, dark gale blows through the ravine and sends them flying as slices in Arctina's ice armor take form.

On edge, Arctina creeps away deeper into the gorge. As proud as she is of her strength, she cannot help but shiver. She has not even run into battle yet, but she knows that she must leave if she values her life.

A single annihilating beam shoots through the gorge and illuminates everything. It misses Arctina by a snowflake's width and lasts for far too long. She gulps and slowly turns to the source.

A strange pokémon she has never seen before stares her down with an excessive amount of pink eyes. It points what must be one of its arms at her, smoke rising from the hole in it. It simply floats there with seemingly no intent to move.

Then all of a sudden, the body spins around, head stationary. "YOU… WHO… DIE…"

It can just barely speak. Arctina tries to hold a conversation, but no words come out. She trembles as a blinding light charges in both of its arms. Its body continues to spin and Arctina desperately floats up. Just as she moves, the gorge is cloaked in a stunning orange-tinted light.

Arctina gawks, frozen in place. Below her, two hyper beams raze everything in an impressive radius as the pokémon's body keeps spinning in place. In maybe five seconds that last beyond an eternity, the attack winds down and the pokemon hangs its head, lifeless.

This thing… Is it truly a pokémon? It is surely a monster from an unknown, faraway land. The chasm walls are carved cleanly where the hyper beam struck. The stones in its way are nonexistent. All nearby trees crash down, a section of their trunks eliminated. Surely, they must be the only two pokémon alive in this area of the Gorged Gorge. Arctina weakly floats away.

Rocks of various size suddenly carve out of the stone wall on their own. They home in on her and send her crashing into the opposite wall. She leaves a dent, and her eyes instantly dart to the strange pokémon. Its eyes point at her, active once more.

Taking a sharp gasp, Arctina shoots out consecutive ice shards. They send it reeling long enough for her to escape. Whether it gives chase, she cares not. She only needs to go far, far away and survive. She rips herself out of the wall, leaving chunks of ice armor behind, and sets off.

She rams into someone before she can correct her course. They had popped out of nowhere. Rather, they fell from the sky. Another pokémon Arctina has never seen: a large dragon on all fours with a sweeping tail, bared fangs, and red wings as big as its body.

One roar from it is all it takes for Arctina to know she will die from only a lazy swipe of its claws. The sheer volume stuns her and forces her heart to a stop. When she comes to, its tail comes for her from the side. It smashes through a humongous boulder without slowing.

Arctina closes her mouth, vomits a blast of winter, then forces her jaw open. Teeth lined with frost, tears betray her pride as a guardian as she takes the crashing tail in her mouth and clamps down on it.

It screeches and swings its frosted tail about, slamming Arctina into everything in the way. It smashes her into the exposed bedrock, and she leaves a deep red splat every strike. The world stops spinning only when she feels immense heat on her face. She cracks her eyes open to be met with a fire in the mouth of the beast, which she is held in front of.

Her whimper does not come out only because she is still biting on the tail. She releases a muffled scream as she forces her jaw closed. The rough, tough hide finally gives way and her teeth connect. The instant they do, she pulls away and spits the disgusting flesh out without hesitation.

Another ear-piercing screech follows and extinguishes the fire in its mouth. Arctina bashes her iron-hardened skull into its tiny head and spews frost breath on its wings. And as its tail, gushing blood near the tip, swings again, she abandons the fight to flee.

Fortune seemingly rewarding her cowardice, the pokémon with the many eyes appears, apparently chasing after her, and drives into the dragon. They steal each other's' attention from her, so Arctina runs away.

She desperately looks around and finds a deep crack in the wall. She slows down, squeezes in, and hyperventilates. "This is the worst."

Her conclusion will not change, even if she has only encountered two pokémon. She was not even sure if the first one she met was a pokémon, and the dragon had even less manners than it! It did not even attempt a conversation, only diving straight into battle.

"This place is wicked," Arctina repeats to herself like a mantra as her breaths slow. "Our mountain truly is the only safe haven in this world."

Indeed, the Gorged Gorge is not part of their mountain. Despite occupying land on the actual mountain, it stretches out onto the plain at the base of it and is considered the world beyond. Their clan used to live closer to the peak, farther from the gorge, but the warming weather brought dangerous forces to their original locale. It chased them out and forced them to call their current cave base, despite such proximity to the hellscape dubbed the Gorged Gorge.

"I must hurry." Arctina steadies her heart, yet her body refuses to leave the cover of the recess in the wall. She gulps and trembles, but cannot move a step outside. The blood trail she left leading to her current position reminds her to freeze herself over, but she cannot bring herself to do even that.

Several scratches tickle the bottom half of her body. It must be her injuries reminding her she is still alive. But it transforms into a flurry of slashes that dig into her rock core. Something stabs deep into her underside and rips away a chunk of her being. Dangerous crunches resound. She cannot stifle the earth-shattering scream coming from her very soul.

Several pinches where the scratches just were carve out pieces of her core and steal them from her. She holds her breath, whimpering like a child even in her thoughts, eyes completely clouded with tears, as she whips her body down to see. She blinks her vision clear and makes out purple imps with brilliant eyes, drool pouring out from behind their jagged teeth as they trace the bottom of her bare body with pointed fingers.

With a pathetic yelp, Arctina finally bolts from cover. She travels far enough to float above the river running through the gorge. In her reflection, she sees four of those purple imps hanging off of her body by their teeth, sucking and chewing her core with delight.

She cannot even scream, mind completely empty except for unvoiced, anguished wails. She simply dunks herself into the river, forcing the pokémon to separate from her. The warm river rapids shooting into her and lodging sediments in her wounds do not even register.

Elder Chillena warned of sableye, who devour stones. These gremlins must be them. Arctina shivers at the thought.

The sableye who were not latched onto her wade through the shallow river and leap at her. She bawls and fails to even think of dodging. The parasites climb over her and crunch on her ice armor. The ones in the water rise to lick at her exposed bottom half. Disgusting savages.

As they ravage her body, Arctina desperately tries to come up with something, anything to get away. Blood gushes from deep within her core, and she sheds tears unwittingly.

A menacing gale blows through the gorge, not unlike the one from earlier that decapitated the breloom. It flings the sableye off her and something shoots them down one by one. The wind blows Arctina away. Nothing in this lifetime could express her gratitude for this serendipity.

She lodges into the stone wall a good distance away before falling face-down. Arctina tries to rise, but can only roll over on her side. "I need to continue…" she can barely utter.

Returning to where the sableye are is the last thing she wants, so Arctina rolls away. But something inexplicably pulls her back. "No, please don't…" she begs herself.

But it draws her back. Something resonates with her soul and she just knows: the transcendent jewels are near.

Gulping just once, Arctina collects herself and reminds herself of her purpose. She is the guardian. She will protect the clan. She yields to no opponent. She is to gather transcendent jewels and return home to help save everyone. That is all.

I'm such a fool, she thinks. What was she doing, crying and running like a child? The Gorged Gorge? It is a mere playground. She could have defeated those pokémon and then some. Obviously.

Yes, she would be victorious in any battle.

Correct.

Because she is the guardian.

And even if she did lose, even if she did die, it would be her own fault. She would have deserved it for being such an improper, unworthy guardian.

But of course, that would never happen. Because she is the true, sole guardian of their clan.

Chuckling at her own foolishness, Arctina freezes her body over several times. She fills the new, bleeding holes of her core with ice and does not stop adding more protective layers to her body until she runs out of energy.

Satisfied, Arctina darts her eyes around for anything to refuel her instantly. She spots a rotting corpse and rolls herself over to it and feasts. The soul it leaves behind is the color of blood. Believing Shivian deserves better, Arctina leaves it behind as she switches gears to chase the sensation of the transcendent jewels.

Saving her energy for battle, Arctina continues to roll along the uneven ground. Her horns make it a challenge to go straight, but she persists. Closer and closer, she can feel it right there.

"Perfection. Make sure to wash all the blood off," someone says.

Arctina can barely make it out as she rolls. She stops to observe and gasps at the sight: two froslass floating by the river. Something beckons her toward them. They must have the transcendent jewels.

Arctina boldly rolls closer, stopping shy of the water. The two froslass pause to look at her. The noticeably older one drops a purple body into the river, in her hand two shining blue gems. She dons an elaborate cloak of ice with various colorful stones woven in it, reminiscent of the garb donned by the prima donna during the Frozen Opera.

The younger one steps in front of the other and glares Arctina down, clumsily holding her hands in fists, but her face is too cutesy to be menacing. She might be prettier than Elder Glaciari.

"Uh, hi." Arctina makes herself float. She is now certain: these two have the jewels. She can tell not only by sensation, but by the splendid gems shining in the moonlight, embedded in the ornate cape. "I'm Arctina."

"Hold." The older froslass steps ahead, touching the other on the back as she passes, and approaches the glalie. She freezes the gems in her hands to her cloak. "What do you want from us?"

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"Uh, the transcendent jewels." Arctina eyes the gems.

The froslass hugs the cloak and backs away. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Please!" Arctina throws herself back to the earth and grovels. "We can save everyone. We just need those gems from your cape. I'll do anything!"

"Oh?" The older froslass puts a hand to her mouth and raises her brow. "Do you come from above?"

"Yes…" Arctina hesitantly answers, assuming the froslass means from outside the gorge. How long must they have been here?

"Are there more of you?" The older one forces Arctina to look at her with her hands.

Arctina does not answer. She should be wary. But the transcendent jewels takes precedence above all.

"Which ones do you need?" The older one adopts a serene smile and shows off her cape. Arctina cannot help staring at the transcendent jewels near the very end of the gaudy adornment. Gems like those from the bodies of the sableye from earlier attach below them. "These? I can offer you them."

"Really?" Arctina's face lights up.

"Yes. But in exchange, please bring us home with you." The froslass hugs herself. "It is rather terrifying living here. Would you be so kind as to save us?"

Arctina tries to think like Elder Glaciari. She ought to kill the two, steal the jewels, and return home. But as she glances at the younger froslass, she thinks of the Frozen Opera. They have only six frost maidens, including the prima donna. They used to have seven. This froslass is utterly stunning. Can she not be a frost maiden, too?

Arctina makes a tentative choice. "Very well. Follow me."

She will take them back to their cave and meet with Elder Glaciari. Whatever she decides, Arctina will follow. And if there is any sign of potential trouble, she can just kill them.

"Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!" The older froslass embraces the glalie. "I am Agnice."

The younger froslass shyly tugs on the others' sash. The older one chuckles and says, "This is my daughter, Frozy. Please excuse her; she cannot speak. But I assure you, she is as grateful as I."

Arctina smiles and nods. "Okay, then. Let's go now!"

They cannot leave the Gorged Gorge fast enough. The three float up together. Frozy awkwardly ambles at the rear until Agnice takes her hand and pulls her along. Arctina holds her breath and keeps all her senses alert as they rise. When they finish scaling the stone wall, she sighs and feels as if she's used a lifetime of luck escaping the gorge without any issue. Dawn is upon them, the transcendent jewels reflecting the very essence of the light.

"This way." She leads the way, making sure to never completely turn her back to them. "We're not far from my home."

"That is wonderful!" The older froslass pulls her cloak close. "You said you needed some of my treasure? These, correct?"

"Yes." Arctina's heart swells. They are so close to perfecting the Frozen Opera. They frost maiden candidates will become full-fledged frost maidens upon evolving. How delightful.

"Five?"

She counts the gemstones again. One, two, three, four, five… Arctina recounts several more times, and her heart sinks deeper every cycle. Five jewels for six snorunt? She needs to find one more. But she does not want to return to the gorge. They cannot conjure one out of thin air.

Agnice only has five transcendent jewels. Arctina scans the rest of the cloak, and finds no more than the five clustered just before the hem. How can this be?

"Is that you, child?"

Arctina jolts at the voice. They arrived before she knew it. "Elder Chillena?"

"You have guests?" The grim, yet proper froslass peers behind the glalie. "What of your task?"

Cursing in her head, Arctina wishes they had not made it back so quickly. Her mission is incomplete. "I, well…"

Shame overcoming her, Arctina slowly looks to Agnice as mother and daughter come up from behind her.

Chillena slowly nods, eyes locked on the newcomers, then on the cloak. "I shall fetch Glaciari."

Eyes shut tighter than ever, Arctina waits as the elder disappears inside the cave. How could she be so foolish? She disobeyed her orders. She returned without six transcendent jewels. She is such a failure!

"Arctina." Glaciari says as she steps outside. She floats up to the glalie while side-eying the two froslass. "If you are here, I can surely assume one thing, correct?"

Unable to hide anything from Glaciari, Arctina points her chin at Agnice and Frozy.

"Ah." Glaciari pets Arctina's head with the force of that dragon's tail. "Instead of transcendent jewels, you bring outsiders?"

"Is this not what you want?" Agnice sheds her cloak as Frozy takes it in her hands. Frozy spreads it open as Agnice gestures at the gems.

Glaciari freezes, mouth agape. A sizable lump goes down her throat. She rubs her eyes, which land on the transcendent jewels only once before they dart between the two newcomers, and blinks several times. Her lips purse, then tremble before ultimately blooming into a beautiful smile. "We are saved."

"Huh?" Arctina drops her jaw. "But, there aren't enough jewels. We need one more. I didn't complete your task. I'm so-"

"Enough." Glaciari slaps her hand over Arctina's mouth. "We have enough transcendent jewels. Even zero would be satisfactory. You needn't worry, child. In fact, you have truly saved us all."

Arctina, unsure as to whether or not this was reality, watches as Elder Glaciari warmly approaches Agnice and Frozy and joyously embraces them together.

----------------------------------------

Rehearsal begins once the children wake and have eaten the breakfast the elders, having secured a decent stock of food in the time it took her to fumble her mission, provide them. Elder Glaciari, Agnice, and Frozy had slipped inside the cave without the children seeing them to talk more and have yet to emerge.

Arctina watches the snorunt warm up before Chillena taps her on the back. "Glaciari calls for you two."

Shivian stands by the elder's side, huffing and tapping her foot. As Chillena leaves, Arctina smiles at Shivian. The snorunt scoffs. "You look disgusting."

Shivian marches into the cave without another word. Arctina trails after her, running through a gamut of facial expressions to try to find one she thinks Shivian will be more receptive to. Shivian stops walking for one second to say, "Now you're disturbing."

Arctina hangs her head and sighs. "I'm sorry."

The two continue deep inside, passing the statue of Fridgette on the way. In the heart of the cave, three froslass lay in wait. Glaciari and Agnice laugh together like old friends. Glaciari lovingly rubs Frozy's head. Shivian's face twists at the sight.

Glaciari straightens up. With her usual air, she approaches the two children and simply says, "Shivian, you are relieved of your position as prima donna."

Shivian and Arctina gawk at the sudden bombshell. Unblinking, Shivian sharply demands, "Repeat that."

Glaciari does. "You are no longer necessary, Shivian. Someone else will act as the prima donna."

"Who?" Shivian spits. She yanks on her mother's sash.

"Frozy will assume the position."

The aforementioned froslass hides behind Agnice as eyes set on her. Arctina's jaw drops as she slowly darts her eyes around all the pokémon in the room. "Um… Why am I here?"

"Because-"

"I refuse to accept this!" Shivian wildly shakes her mother. "This is nonsense! What manner of-"

A single strike to the cheek crumples Shivian to the ground. Glaciari dusts her hands and resumes her sentence. "Because now you will especially watch over Frozy. The prima donna is to flourish after all, correct?"

"Yes." Arctina nods and hesitates to help Shivian under the gaze of her mother.

"And you, child." Glaciari glares at Shivian. "You will be a provisional frost maiden. We have built the foundation for a perfect opera utilizing six frost maidens, one the prima donna. We do not have time to integrate another seventh. We can feel a change in the air. The Frozen Gigant will be upon us faster than we expected."

"But why can't she be the provisional frost maiden? She is the outsider! I am the only one worthy-"

A strike to the top of her head sends Shivian to the dusty ground face-first. Elder Glaciari presses the snorunt's back and grinds her face into the earth. Arctina winces in solidarity.

"Frozy will save us. That is absolute." Glaciari releases Shivian. "She is the only one who can."

"No, I can!" Shivian forces herself to her feet. "I will! You taught me everything. I was born to-"

"I did not raise you to be so uncouth." Glaciari throws her daughter back to the ground, digs her in, and gives a wry chuckle. "Until you purge that selfish arrogance from your very being, you will not even be allowed to participate in rehearsal. You as the prima donna, above Frozy? You dare to invoke Their wrath?"

"You… You didn't raise me at all!" Shivian explodes, overcoming Glaciari's strength to run at her mother and punch below the waist. "I'm the prima donna! I-"

A sharp crack echoes through the cave. Elder Glaciari withdraws her hand as Shivian's cheek grows red. Void of emotion, Glaciari carries her daughter away by the foot. Approaching the small alcove Arctina once used as her sleeping space when she was a snorunt, Glaciari dangles her daughter. "Do you wish to join her?" Glaciari points her chin at Fridgette. "Hmm, I do not even remember her name."

"It's not fair…" Shivian manages to say through tears.

"When I release you, you best have cooled your daft head."

With a swift toss, she throws Shivian in. She rolls a boulder in front of the opening and freezes it in place as Shivian wails like a newborn. It muffles to nothing once the frost sets and Glaciari returns to them.

"As I was saying, you will now prioritize Frozy as you protect us."

"Um, what about…" Arctina meekly glances at the alcove.

"Forget about that worthless cretin." Glaciari smacks Arctina and forcibly guides the glalie's face to her. "Frozy is our prima donna. She is all that matters."

With a hearty laugh, Agnice says, "You are too kind to us!"

"The opera will succeed with this generation. We will be saved, and we have Frozy to thank." Glaciari lovingly takes Frozy's retreating hand in hers, almost kneeling. "But child, you've run yourself ragged."

It takes a few moments for Arctina to realize Glaciari refers to her. "Oh?"

"I do hope you know the true purpose of a guardian," Glaciari floats up to her and says.

"To protect everyone?" Arctina tilts to the right. This came out of nowhere. She only ever did as she told once she grew out of being a dumb child, so she never truly thought about it. She is the guardian. That is all that she knows and all that she is.

"It seems I was correct. You truly are the only fool who does not know a guardian's ultimate duty. Even the youngest of you have known from the start." Glaciari stifles a chuckle as she begins to pet Arctina. "Your head has always been in the clouds."

"Then to… kill all our enemies?" Arctina pathetically guesses. "Oh, no wait, duh. To make sure the Frozen Opera is performed with no issue!"

"No. To lay down your life for us." Glaciari beams the smile she only shows Shivian. "Beyond simply protecting us, you will offer your soul to the Frozen Gigant upon completion of the Frozen Opera."

Arctina only blinks.

"Our respect to Them will be laid bare. A precious life is the only true expression of our gratitude to the blanched paradise They shall usher in." Glaciari strokes the glalie's head. "Your life will end with the opera. You ought to be honored. You are the only guardian, after all."

Absorbing everything just said, Arctina deeply nods. It is so obvious. How could she not have guessed her truest purpose earlier? "Yes, Elder Glaciari. I will fulfill my duty, I promise!"

Glaciari continues to shower her in a welcomed warmth. Arctina relishes in the touch until the froslass pulls away and looks at her expectantly. "Then you must take care. Know now that you are not allowed to die, no matter what. Not until the opera. Even if you venture to the Gorged Gorge. Our sole, precious guardian."

"Understood!"

A single clap rings through the cave. Agnice says, "My, how deep your clan is!"

"Our elegance belies our robust tradition." The two share a mirthful laugh. They truly fit well together, despite knowing each other only in as much time as it takes for rehearsal to reach its first break.

Internalizing the new knowledge, Arctina finally takes one long, relaxed look at Frozy. Her first judgment was correct: Frozy is a delicate beauty. It is hard to take her eyes off her, even as the froslass hides behind her mother.

When Frozy manages to lock eyes with Arctina, she further shrinks into Agnice's shadow, but maintains a piercing glare at the glalie. She looks like a pouting child. Arctina finds her just as charming as Shivian.

"Let us be off." Glaciari motions for everyone to follow. "We shall join rehearsal."

Arctina trails behind them, shooting a look at the closed-off alcove as she moves. Glaciari retreads her steps to stand before Arctina and delivers a mighty punch to the top of the glalie's head. A chunk of ice breaks off and crashes to the ground. Arctina sheepishly laughs and faces front.

They exit the cave and approach the children regrouping after their break. Glaciari grabs the other two froslass' hands and guides them forward. "Children, listen well." Glaciari nods at the other elders. "We have two new additions to our family. Let us welcome Ms. Agnice and her daughter Frozy."

A polite applause sounds off as the children eye the newcomers and chatter amongst each other. Glaciari speaks again. "Frozy will be our new prima donna, the frost maiden of prophecy. She will guide us to salvation."

The typically dire eyes of the elders light up. They approach the outsiders. And with the approval of their elders, the children join in and crowd around Frozy.

"That is enough for now." Glaciari ushers the children away. "We must rehearse, yes?"

Scampering away, the snorunt assume formation. Arctina hears Elder Chillena ask, "Then we shall hold the Night of Transcendence tonight?"

"Correct. Ensure everything is in place by dusk." Glaciari turns and bows to Agnice. "I cannot offer enough thanks to you."

"Oh, you. How could I not help out?" Agnice giggles, running her hand over her gaudy cloak now stripped of transcendent jewels. "In truth, it is you who have saved us."

"Oh, you." They laugh together again. The two are much too similar.

"By the by, would it be possible for me to be referred to as 'Elder' as well?" Agnice holds her hands together. "'Ms. Agnice' does not have quite the same ring to it."

"Impossible." Glaciari's face turns to stone. "The title of elder is bestowed only upon frost maidens who have completed a Frozen Opera. It is tradition."

"Oh? But-"

"It is tradition."

"I see…" Agnice grips her cloak with a wide smile. "How silly of me!"

"As long as you understand." Glaciari turns and offers her hand to Frozy. "Now then, shall we begin? I will personally teach you all you need to know for the opera, dear."

Frozy tugs on her mother, who speaks for her. "Oh, how could we intrude? You need only impart the lyrics to Frozy. She will rest her voice until necessary, and when the time comes to perform, she will sing an immaculate anthem. That is the only image of herself she wishes to impart on you all. She is quite the genius. I hope you can understand."

Frozy scratches at her throat and sighs.

Agnice bows while fiddling with her cape. "She is also terribly shy. My, even when it was only us two scraping by in the gorge, she would sing only when I was out of earshot. I had to hide myself to hear her, but I assure you, anything she sings is an angel's song. She does not require any practice."

"Of course." Glaciari glances at her fellow elders, who all nod in agreement. "How marvelously modest! She truly is the one the legend told of!"

"Isn't she?" Agnice laughs as she rapidly strokes the gems on her cape.

"Very well. Please do watch over us to learn our hymn. Feel free to join or interject whenever you so desire." Glaciari smiles at Frozy with the radiance of the sun. Arctina did not think her capable of such an expression. "I will teach you the words to the aria tonight."

Glaciari and the elders float off to resume rehearsal. Agnice follows them with intrigue, sighing all the while. Arctina remains beside Frozy on the sidelines. The elders are acting so differently now!

The glalie shoots a glance at Frozy. She truly is mesmerizing. Arctina jolts when she realizes Frozy stares at her as well.

Backing away just a bit, Frozy's narrowed eyes dart all about the glalie. The shattered, weathered, bleeding mess that is her body. Perhaps this is what disturbed Shivian earlier, not her smile. Arctina hopes that is the case. This also must have been what prompted Glaciari to tell her what she did. Arctina had not even realized how damaged the Gorged Gorge left her, pain washing over her after leaving it only now.

Thanking the stars that today is rather humid, Arctina freezes the moisture around her. Reinforced by fresh frost that bloats her size larger than ever, she beams at Frozy. "Don't worry about me! My job is to worry about you!"

Frozy grabs for something close to her that is not there and hugs herself. But upon rehearsal resuming from the opera's start, she turns her head to watch. The opera begins with the choir vocalizing in harmony, which weaves into the first verse they sing with all their hearts, begging the Frozen Gigant to harken to their one wish.

"As I bow to you, all my faults are but angels in the snow. Though unworthy, I dare sing to reach the you lost in a blizzard," Arctina says in monotone in time with the snorunt. When Frozy eyes her warily, she giggles. "I know your mom said you like to practice alone, but I'll help you learn the lyrics. I know them back and forth!"

Frozy grimaces as she stiffly nods. Arctina wants to make nice with her since Elder Glaciari approves of her, but she is not making it easy. Though something Agnice said earlier tickles at her mind: Please excuse her; she cannot speak.

For the sake of a welcoming introduction to the clan, Arctina holds her tongue. Perhaps she misconstrued or misremembered the words.

A subtle rustling catches Arctina's ear. It seems Frozy has excellent alertness as well as the froslass whips around and fires off an ice shard into the bushes. Arctina charges ahead and headbutts the would-be assailant repeatedly. In her flurry, she sees that the pokémon has a fist out, which it unfurls to release splinters of ice.

No matter. Arctina disposes of them effortlessly; they are a single, stupid enemy, a much-welcomed change from the gorge. Frozy's assist made meting retribution easier by distracting them, but it was unnecessary. She drags the corpse back to the clearing and finds Frozy still on edge.

"Hey, relax!" Arctina gasps and comes up with a good idea. Though she is not too hungry at the moment, she consumes the body as if she were starving. It would not be right to make the prima donna stand before a corpse. She does not even bother paying enough mind to discern what manner of pokémon it is, whether by sight, taste, or mouth feel. All she cares of is the soul laid bare atop the earth.

Coating it with a crisp rime, Arctina picks the soul up with a divot in her ice armor and presents it to Frozy. "Leave the dirty stuff to me! All you need to do is enjoy this!"

Finally dropping her awkward battle stance, Frozy floats up so close to take the soul instead of extending her long arms. She should use them if she has them, Arctina thinks as she looks down at her armless self, puffing her cheeks out.

Frozy marvels at the frozen soul in her hands. The soul itself emits a beautiful spectrum which the ice shell amplifies with all its faces. She runs her hands over it as she gawks at Arctina. She moves her mouth as if to say, Why?

Such selective mutism makes Arctina wonder how Frozy will fare as prima donna. Bashing her own head against a nearby boulder, she banishes the thought. How dare she question the prophecy and the judgment of the elders?

"Eat it!" Arctina bites the air for emphasis. "Only prima donnas get to eat souls, so you're super lucky! They're delicious… I think? They must be!"

Frozy stares at Arctina's face instead of digging in to her snack. Specifically, her mouth. Arctina realizes fresh blood yet to freeze over coats her lips and a bony limb juts out from between her teeth. With a sweep of her tongue, she cleans herself up and offers a clean grin.

Holding the frozen soul to her heart, Frozy offers Arctina a modest, yet warm smile.