Snowstorm

A lodge near Route 217 . . .

"All travellers are advised to stay indoors. The peculiar migration of Snover and Abomasnow has caused a frigid blizzard to brew near route 217. For those who still wish to face the perils of harsh snow it is advised you whear thick layers of clothing and have a fire type Pokémon at all times to accompany you."

I watched the report as I held a mug of hot cocoa I had been given as I waited for the blizzard to subside

"Reid, looks like this blizzard won't stop anytime soon. You'd best stay here for the night." Bel, the keeper of the lodge had advised me. I was regular here, I'd always stop by when I travel to Snowpoint.

"Sorry Bel, I really have to go the professor is going to kill me if I don't catch a Swinub for his research. The herd will leave today so I really need to get a move on."

"Oh is that so? Just keep safe okay. There have been a lot of disappearances lately near this route. Some people who stayed here never made it Snowpoint though."

"Kay' Bel I'll keep out of trouble." I replied jokingly, though it was troublesome that people were vanishing.

I got up and placed the half-empty mug on the table and searched my pocket for a poke ball the professor had given me just for this trip. I released the creature hidden within the capsule and it was a Cyndaquil, its flames burst in enthusiasm upon being summoned.

"Cyn?" it seems like he was asking if I was his master

"I think I'll call you Fry" I remarked, maybe because his flames would be enough to fry an egg.

"Cyn!" he replied gleefully and proceeded to nudge my leg.

"Well let's get a move on Fry" I smiled to the little Cyndaquil as we ventured out into the cold.


It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Apparently the professor had taught Fry a newly discovered move "Flame Charge" so he was constantly enveloped in flames. He gave me respite but I had to keep a good few feet away from him or I'd get burned. He was quite hyper for a Cyndaquil, he would hop instead of just plain walking, and apparently he loved melting things so much that he wanted to make lots of patches in the snow. I found it funny because the way he hopped, maybe he was a Spoink in a past life. I let out a chuckle which halted his hopping for just for a brief moment.

I tried keep my attention on the road and not on Fry. The storm had grown stronger, maybe we were near the migrating Abomasnow? Well that would mean that we were near the grasses were Swinub foraged. Well at least we were near our goal and a step nearer to another cup of cocoa.

"Fry, how are you faring out there?" I joked the little Cyndaquil but it just kept mum, looking apparently worried. It had stopped hopping around and just walked; only he would just always keep looking behind us like something was following us. Maybe he could see things I couldn't?


I just stared at him while we walked, he didn't even notice me looking at him, and he'd just keep looking at the invisible thing behind us.

Then I bumped into a solid block of ice, I fell on my back and it was freezing, Fry got startled and lost his concentration on maintaining the flame, it went out with a puff of black smoke then we felt the full force of the blizzard.

"Fry, Flame Charge quick!" I ordered the little guy. It took him a while to light his flame. Without his flame the snow obscured my vision, but was it just me or did I see a young woman in the snow?

"Cynda!" he finally burst, I was relieved but when I inspected the block of ice I had bumped into it was a Swinub encased in ice. I was shocked but was it really a Swinub or was I just hallucinating? I peered closer into the ice and it was the Pokémon I'd been searching for, its face bore and expression of pure shock.

"Fry, try thawing it out" Fry melted the ice with its ember but the little pig was long gone. We got it out but its body was just limp. Fry started to shed tears, but I held his little paw. He looked at me still crying.

"Well at least you did your best buddy. We couldn't save her but she's in a better place now." I smiled at him we and buried the little Swinub in the snow. I searched my bag for the pokeflute I'd always bring along to wake my Pokemon from their sleep or the other way around. Though I knew the little guy wouldn't wake up I still played. I've found its tune quite soothing so maybe this song would bring peace to the Swinub's soul.

Once I finished the song I gently placed the flute back into the bag and tried to get a poke ball since maybe other Swinub were nearby, and then I felt a paper cut. I was shocked then I saw what the culprit was, it was the letter the professor gave me that I've never bothered to read. It had the word "URGENT" stamped on it. I asked Fry to intensify his flame and I sat down to finally read it though one would find me silly to read a letter in the middle of a snow storm.

"Reid, regarding your Cyndaquil. I have given your Cyndaquil the move Flame Charge to hopefully aid your trip but apparently he knows Sunny Day so-" i stopped reading after so.

"So Fry, you knew sunny day all along?" I stared in disbelief at him as he gave back a sarcastic look.
"Well it can't be helped, Fry use Sunny Day!" I sighed and ordered him.

The sun starte to show its face and the snow started to subside and I could feel the heat surging through my body, but the next sight would haunt me all my life. Near the makeshift grave I've made for the Swinub there were more solid blocks of ice. It seemed like it stretched far onwards. Chills ran down my spine, i just kept thinking who might have done this to all these Pokémon. I walked on with Fry trailing behind me. Everywhere I looked there were bodies of Pokémon encased in ice. Delibird, Medicham, Swinub, Piloswine, Abomasnow, Snover, Meditite, Sneasel, all of them befell the same fate as our little Swinub friend. Then we reached a cave etched at the base of a mountain. It had this ominous feeling, but something beckoned me to enter. That was a fatal mistake.

Upon entering the cave Fry started shuddering and then everything went pitch black.



"Flame Charge!" I ordered as I tumbled in the darkness. It took a while but when Fry lighted the cave, I saw similar coffins of ice, as the ones those Pokémon were trapped in, only this time they were people. I recognized one of them, it was Andi another of Prof Rowan's aides. She'd been sent to gather information near this area but she never came back. She seemed shocked, but I could do nothing for her. I payed my respects and noticed a stick lying nearby her.I had Fry light it as I ventured deeper into the cave. They cave walls were lined with different people, young and old. Judging by the appearances of some they might have been frozen for decades now though they never physically aged. I wondered who or what could have decided the fates of these people and Pokémon but the dreaded answer came all too soon.

"Cyn!" I heard Fry's scream followed by loud thud on the cave wall and shattering ice.

I quickly turned towards him then I saw him lying limp on the floor, he was smashed into one of the ice statues and it shattered to bits. He was bleeding and was panting heavily. I rushed to his side and tried to get bandages from my bag. I heard a sudden blast of energy from behind me. I quickly turned back to Fry but he was encased in ice. I was shocked at the sight, I tried clawing him out but my fingers bled, the ice was too hard. He was too weak to produce his own flame now. If I didn't do something he was doomed to suffer the fate of the others we'd just passed by.

I tried to reach for my Pokémon maybe they could help me but the next thing I knew my hands and feet were frozen solid. I was panicking, then I saw a silhouette of a young lady wearing a kimono at the corner of my eye, maybe she could help me!

"MISS PLEASE HELP US!" I turned around and called to her, it was too late when I noticed her floating.

"Nooooo! It's a Fro-!"