Do Pokémon hibernate?
The answer: yes, they do.
Just like Ursaring's pre-evolved form, Teddiursa, which is classified as the "Hibernation Pokémon".
It's said that during the harsh winter of the Hisui region, Teddiursa roam the mountains and fields searching for their favorite berries. If they're hungry and can't find honey they love, a combination of factors can make them anxious and extremely aggressive.
If a Teddiursa hasn't stored up enough fat to survive the winter, they'll seek a safe spot—be it a cave or one they dig themselves—where they'll hibernate, either for a short or long term, to conserve energy.
Strictly speaking, Ursaluna doesn't actually need to hibernate.
After all, whether it's the Timeless Woods in Kitakami or the farm at Lucas's place, resources are plentiful; you're never going hungry.
So why does Ursaluna choose to hibernate anyway?
The answer is simple—it's just a habit.
Back when it lived in the Timeless Woods, Ursaluna was your typical homebody bear. Unless necessary, it never left its den. In the endless cold of winter, when boredom struck, hibernation became a way to pass the time.
With time, this became a deeply ingrained habit; if Ursaluna doesn't hibernate in winter now, it feels unnatural.
Lucas doesn't interfere. He set Ursaluna up on a small hill at the back of the farm, helping it find a place to dig a burrow for its winter sleep.
Due to the snow, walking—snow boots or not—is a struggle. So Lucas dragged out an old sled with ropes from the storage, enlisted his thick-skinned Arcanine (who ignored warnings from Arboliva and was trying to squeeze into the chicken coop) to work as the sled dog.
Of course, Lucas knew full well he could just ride Arcanine directly.
But where's the fun if life doesn't have a bit of ceremony and silly entertainment?
After a round of dog-sledding, Lucas and Arcanine arrived in front of Ursaluna's winter cave.
He even added a warm windproof curtain to keep the cold out. The moment Lucas entered, the temperature difference was clear.
Unwinding part of his scarf from around his neck and listening to the thunderous snoring echoing in the cave, Lucas's lips curved up in a smile. No need for stealth—he simply walked to the cave's end and saw Ursaluna, fast asleep.
Right now, Ursaluna lay on its back, limbs up, snoring away with its belly exposed.
Its bed was a simple pile of dry hay, and it even had a rock pillow shaped by its own claws—Lucas could still see a bit of drool trickling from Ursaluna's mouth.
This guy really knows how to enjoy life.
Lucas didn't bother with formalities. He patted Ursaluna's belly, and as Ursaluna blinked and met his eyes blankly, Lucas grinned:
"Hey, how about an impromptu trip?"
Ursaluna blinked, tilting its head.
"Grr-rum?"
What did you say?
…
Kanto Region, Pallet Town
A peaceful, lush little town.
A light breeze drifted along the creek outside the town, sending ripples through the water.
"Pallet: the symbol of departure, pure white."
—A phrase given by the Pokémon League to describe the town.
Apparently, this was decided by group consensus after rejecting one of Professor Oak's goofy suggestions.
Lucas didn't know the backstory—he just found Pallet Town felt both unfamiliar and familiar to him.
After all, it was the starting point in the first game, the beginning of many journeys in the anime, and even living in Paldea, he would always see "Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture" reruns on TV at Pokémon Centers.
This town, which he'd never visited, still carried many memories.
Standing on a hill outside the town, he could easily get a full view of Pallet Town.
Pallet really was small—maybe only twenty or so houses in total.
And yet, a prominently red building stood out: his destination, the reason Pallet Town was so famous—
The Oak Laboratory.
Behind the lab, a towering mountain rose up, stretching out into rolling hills and plains, with a lake visible in the distance.
According to the Kanto League's official website, all of that was Oak Laboratory's backyard.
Lucas thought he was prepared, but seeing it for himself, he was still staggered.
This land area… who knows how many times it was bigger than his farm.
No wonder it's Professor Oak's place!
Marveling, Lucas was about to continue forward when he saw someone rushing toward him.
The boy muttered about being late, how drawing had made him forget to go pick someone up, and that Lucas was an "important guest of Professor Oak".
Although it wasn't snowing in Kanto yet, the weather was cold—but this guy wore a green short-sleeved shirt, dark shorts, and a headband over his parted bangs.
From this outfit, Lucas remembered the name of a character from the anime with almost no sense of presence:
Tracey Sketchit—Pokémon watcher.
He'd traveled with Ash after Brock left, and thanks to the Legendary Birds and Lugia incident, Lucas had met him once.
When Tracey finally reached the hilltop, he saw Lucas standing there.
Stopping for just a moment, Tracey ran over faster and arrived before Lucas, panting:
"Sorry I'm late!"
"It's fine. Tracey, right? Haven't seen you since the Orange Archipelago. Thanks for picking me up."
Lucas smiled, greeting him.
Tracey went a little red, flustered:
"No, not at all! I didn't think you'd remember me after all this time—"
He honestly hadn't expected Lucas to remember his name after just one interaction. For someone as overlooked as Tracey, this was touching.
"No need for honorifics, let's just keep it casual."
Sensing Tracey was about to blurt out "Mr. Lucas," Lucas cut him off.
He thought it was odd; the students at the Academy were one thing, but why did so many people close to his own age always call him 'Mr.'? It was like aging him for no reason.
Tracey just nodded:
"Alright, Lucas, let me show you to Professor Oak."
"Sure."
Lucas nodded and followed Tracey toward Pallet Town. Along the way, he curiously asked whether Ash had set off to a new region or was staying in Pallet.
Tracey looked pained:
"At this time of day? He's probably still sleeping in."
On instinct, Lucas checked the time on his battered phone.
—11:00 AM.
Figures. That kid's gone back to being himself!
…
Pallet Town was truly small. In just over ten minutes, they arrived at Oak Laboratory.
Tracey pushed open the lab's door expertly, revealing a bright, open space.
Oak's lab wasn't as Lucas imagined a lab should be: sterile white walls packed with cold instruments and test tubes.
Instead, it felt more like the home of a learned, cultured old man, filled with book-lined shelves, sofas, and a cozy tea table.
Clearly, the owner enjoyed life.
But was that really true?
Just as Lucas changed into guest slippers at Tracey's suggestion, he caught a whiff of something from a back room. He and Tracey, whose face had gone dark, exchanged significant glances. Of course—they both knew what this meant.
At that moment, inside his study (often seen at the end of the anime), Professor Oak was sneakily watching over a bowl of carefully-covered instant noodles, grinning with satisfaction.
"Heh heh, just enough time to make a bowl of instant noodles while Tracey picks up Lucas!"
Oak was delighted with his little scheme. Looks like he's still sharp as ever.
Even though Tracey had been bribed by his grandson Gary and always watched him, Oak still found a way.
Oak rubbed his hands together with barely-contained excitement, carefully preparing to lift the lid.
Just thinking of the glorious smell waiting under that lid made him hum in anticipation—
BAM!
Just as Oak was about to lift the lid, the door swung open with a bang, freezing him in his tracks.
He turned—sure enough, there was Tracey, face as black as the bottom of a pot, and Lucas, snapping photos to send to Gary.
"I can explain!"
Oak's yelp could be heard all the way to the backyard, where Bulbasaur was whipping Heracross (who wouldn't stop trying to suck its sap) in frustration.
The aftermath? Oak looked at his forgotten, soggy, ruined noodles, almost in tears. All he wanted was to eat some instant noodles. What was so wrong about that?
"Professor, as I keep telling you, you shouldn't eat foods high in fat and salt. You really need to take care of your body."
"And yet every time there's no one around, you sneak instant noodles or seafood… Should you really be eating those at your age?"
Normally in awe of Oak, Tracey was shockingly strict here. Oak, crushed by the atmosphere, could only nod, stupefied. But he didn't promise to stop. The look on his face said he'd definitely try again.
…
Professor Oak finally invited Lucas into the living room, mentioning that Delia (Ash's mother) had insisted on preparing a big meal to thank him. Everyone could see how much Ash had changed after his special training in Paldea.
Pallet Town had celebrated Ash's Silver Conference win with a big party.
Lucas was more than happy—he was curious to taste the "legendary" home cooking that the anime always raved about.
Knowing Lucas couldn't escape now, Oak enjoyed some of his special tea and chatted. Only after this did Oak, Lucas, and Tracey head to Ash's home.
…
From the outside, Ash's house was a classic detached home surrounded by pretty flowers. It exuded a warm, inviting charm.
A Mr. Mime was sweeping the entrance, and waved as they approached.
"Bari!"
Cheerfully, Mr. Mime put down its broom and ushered them in.
"Hello, Mr. Mime."
Oak waved, gesturing for Lucas and Tracey to follow.
No need for guest slippers in Ash's home. As they entered, they just about collided with Ash, who was scrambling out of bed in his pajamas, hair a total mess.
Oak & Tracey: "..."
Lucas: (￢_￢)
Behind their backs, Mr. Mime flashed a devious smile.
Seeing Oak and Tracey, Ash was unfazed—one had watched him be late to his own starter Pokémon selection, the other was a former travel companion. But Lucas was different: the instant Ash saw him, he stiffened.
Crap! Fell back into lazy habits as soon as I got home!
In Paldea, staying at Lucas's farm, he'd needed Pikachu's Thunderbolt to actually wake him up on time.
And now here he was, caught red-handed.
Truthfully, Lucas didn't care. He wasn't Ash's dad and couldn't be bothered to police his sleeping habits—he'd occasionally slept in too.
It was Delia, hair cascading and apron on, who stepped out of the fragrant kitchen sighing:
"No matter how much I call you, you wouldn't wake up. Now the guests are here—hurry up and go freshen up!"
Ash glanced at Lucas, saw nothing threatening in his expression, answered with a meek "Mm", then shuffled off to wash up.
Delia smiled apologetically to the three:
"Please have a seat, the food is almost ready."
"Thank you, Delia."
Oak nodded and confidently led the way to the living room. He and Delia were old friends, so he was familiar with the place.
…