Much to Ash's chagrin, he's dragged off to Goh and Chloe's school so he can take part as part of the former's presentation about his personal friend. As the three head off, Eevee takes notice of a girl and her Glaceon—another of Eevee's evolutions—hanging about the school fountain. One presentation later, the same girl, named Regina, enters the classroom as a new transfer student, but the poor thing is very shy and distant. Soon, the whole school learns that her Glaceon, Mirche, is very protective of her, and it's such odd behavior that has resulted in Regina's presence in Vermillion City in the first place. As Chloe tries to reach out, Regina fears the worst as Mirche is sent to Professor Cerise's lab to figure out what's going on with the Ice Type.
The episode contains the following tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch: When Regina is called to the teacher's office, Chloe fears that the newcomer will be expelled. It turns out that all she wanted to do was help Regina settle in and tell her about the school.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Regina is very antisocial and refuses to have much contact with people out of a deep-rooted fear that they'll reject her. Thanks to Chloe, Goh, and Ash refusing to leave her side, she warms up by the episode's end.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Regina's asocial behavior, close attachment to Mirche, extreme discomfort in getting overwhelmed with questions, profuse apologies towards her classmates upon them getting frozen, fears of not being able to make friends given Mirche's freezing of everyone, and the fact she thought she was going to get expelled when the teacher took her to her private office is played similar to a child with autism or neurodivergent behavior. The fact that her parents had even seen specialist (in relation to Mirche) to try and figure out what's causing this hammers the similarities home.
- Embarrassing Nickname: As a child, Regina was called the "Ice Queen" by a bunch of bullies. Mirche didn't appreciate such behavior in the slightest.
- Grew a Spine: Invoked on Regina's part, who not only stands up to her parents and defends Mirche, but resolves to become stronger so her Pokemon won't have to hurt itself trying to protect her.
- It's All My Fault: Regina breaks down crying when she learns Mirche is hurting itself protecting her, convinced her failure to tough out the insults bullies dish at her is pushing her Pokemon too hard to try and defend her, and that she's a terrible friend to it. Chloe, Ash, and Goh point out that she's not to blame; if anything, the fact that Mirche is defending her in such a manner proves she has a true friend in the Ice Type.
- Kids Are Cruel: Zig-zagged throughout the episode. The kids Regina is introduced with in her childhood are seen mocking her for no apparent reason, and when Mirche freezes Chloe and Goh's classmates, they distance themselves from her rather quickly. However, they're more receptive to her by the end thanks to Mirche and Eevee's combined use of ice-powers to make a snow fort.
- Shout-Out: The Ice Queen seen in the picture book bears a strong resemblance to Elsa, who herself is An Ice Person.
- Undying Loyalty: Mirche will not tolerate anyone mocking Regina. Those who dare to wind up being frozen alive by its Icy Wind. However, it's Deconstructed when it's shown that doing so repeatedly, even for good reasons, is causing it to be unable to regulate its body temperature, and it will become fatal if it doesn't stop.
