Tao's Destruction Part 2

'Yes, Treecko... I'll be back before you know it. Don't worry.' With this Cam the Charmander, leader of Team Spirit, stepped outside his house, closed the door and stretched his body. Ahh. That felt good. He flexed his arms and looked around. Going out of the house early was just part of his morning routine, and seeing the sunlight gleam off the ice and creating beautiful colours only made it better. Sorbet's party had seemed like only yesterday, and Cam was still in a cheery mood. He smiled again and stepped out of the doorframe, at which point half a metre of snow fell on him.

After a couple of seconds the Charmander's head popped up in the snowdrift and looked at the pile around him. He shook some snow off his head and focused. Even early in the morning, his flame was going strong enough to melt a patch around him.

Carefully, Cam looked up at the roof. There was a gap in the snow on the roof, where it had just fallen on him. But the snow wasn't that thick last night, was it? What could've happened overnight to cause-

'KKYYYYUUUUUU!!'

The sound wasn't a shout, but an all-encompassing roar that caused uneasy vibrations in Cam's stomach. He looked in the direction of the roar but no-one could be seen due to the faint icy mist that was gathering in the centre of the village. Figures could be seen running in it like shadows, but the distance of Team Spirit's house from the town made it impossible to see clearly.

'KKYYYYYUUUUUU!!!'

The roar came again, and with it a blast of cold wind and some snowflakes that struck Cam's side. He shook himself down and looked back in the direction of the village, from which snow and ice seemed to spreading slowly.

Something told Cam that serious things were about to happen, although they might not be as bad as what was already happening.

He turned back his house and pushed the door so hard it slammed on the other side. 'Treecko! Misty! Come with me!'

'But-'

'Now!'


---


It was later that day.

Cam, Treecko and Misty were nervously stood together in the middle of town. All around them Pokemon were running, calling, looking for friends, trying to find a way out of the danger. The icy mist was less thick when you were in it, and the trio could at least see for a decent distance.

'Daddy?' Misty said nervously.

'Yes, Misty?' Treecko replied, keeping his voice as steady as he could.

The Pichu looked up at Treecko. 'We'll be fine, right?'

Treecko smiled. 'Of course, dear. Of course.'

'But Mr Ice Dragon looks scary...'

Cam and Treecko risked a look behind them. Mr. Ice Dragon did look scary. He was in the centre of the town roaring and occasionally firing icy blasts. At his feet people mulled around trying to attack, or failing that run away. You wouldn't have thought the same Sorbet had just organised his communal birthday party.

Cam turned back to the other two. 'Yeah, he does. But that's ok, see? We'll be fine. If there's anything we can do, we'll do it. If there isn't, we'll keep safe. We hardly got jobs in the Merchants by being cowards, right?'

Treecko smiled in return, far more genuine than his previous one. 'Right.'

Misty looked at Cam for a second, then gave the cheery, slightly cheeky smile that Cam and Treecko knew her for. 'Right!'

'Ok then!' Cam said cheerily. 'Something's going to happen soon enough, I reckon, and when it does we'll be ready. We'll be able to move away from here soon, don't you worry.'

And behind them a voice called 'Hey, you! You three! Bit of help?!'