Dangerous And Cold 2: Call Of The Spirit

The Staff

Crusher whistled a happy tune as he cleared out the boxes in the attic with Pickle.

"Wow! Who knew you had so much stuff up here!"

"I know, right?! It's amazing!" Crusher giggled.

"Ooh, what's in this box?" Pickle asked.

"Hmm?" Crusher glanced at the box. "Huh, never this before,"

"Well... open it!"

"Okay, okay!" Crusher opened the box and took out a long, wooden staff. "Woah..."

"What is it?"

"It's some kind of staff," Crusher replied. "Huh... let's go ask Grammy. I think she's making ice flowers in the garden."

The duo made their way down the attic to find Grammy at the garden. She looked up at them with a smile.

"Hello, dears! How is the attic coming?"

"Going great, but then, we found this," Crusher handed the staff. "Do you know anything about it?"

As Grammy looked at the staff, her smile became sadder, and Crusher frowned.

Did he say something wrong?

Or was it him at all?

"Grammy...?"

"This staff... where did you find it...?"

"In a box in the attic." Crusher replied. "Why? Do you know who owns it, Grammy?"

"This... was your father's."

"My... father...?" Crusher was taken back. He never knew anything about his father before.

But, the thought of his evil mother made him shudder.

He just had to ask.

"Was... he anything like Mother...?"

"The opposite, actually," Grammy smiled. "He had tips of snow in his tires, but his heart was as warm as the sun itself,"

"He sounds amazing... was he a wizard?"

"A spirit wizard of snow, yes," Grammy nodded. "He was powerful and respected by all,"

"Wow..." Pickle gasped.

"Grammy... whatever happened to Father...?" Crusher asked.

Grammy sighed. "No one knows. After your birth, he just... disappeared,"

"Oh..." Crusher felt his stomach drop. "Did he... leave because of me...?"

"Heavens no, Crushy!" Grammy shook her head. "He was so excited to see you, but just a few days after you were born, he disappeared without a trace,"

"But why?"

"I myself don't know," Grammy sighed. "All was left was this letter," She handed a letter from her tires.

Crusher held the letter in his own tires and opened it.

["To my Ina-yuki,

Listen to me. Find me.

"Love, your father, Jokul"]

"Jokul?" Crusher blinked. "Is that father's name?"

"A very original one at that." Grammy chuckled.

"But... how am I supposed to find him?" Crusher wondered. "Other than his staff, there's no trace of him!"

"Hmm…" Grammy gave it a thought. "Perhaps you can use your own magic to do so,"

"How can I do that?"

Gramm smiled and guided his other tire to staff. "Use both tires and focus. Find him. Just as the letter spoke. As a spirit, you would be able to find him through listening for him,"

"Okay... here goes..."

Crusher closed his eyes and concentrated, gripping the staff with both tires. He felt himself get lose into a void of icy blue and white before a voice beckoned him.

"Ina-yuki…"

"Dad?!"

He gasped, eyes opening to find himself back with Grammy and Pickle, with the green truck looking surprised.

"You okay?"

"I… I think I heard him…" Crusher hissed. "I… I heard Dad… he… he was calling out to me…"

"Really?! Did you sense where he was?!"

"I… no…" Crusher sighed. "but at least I know that he's still alive. Maybe… Maybe I'll be able to find him,"

"Let's try! And we'll have our friends help too!"

"You think they would help me...?"

"Of course they would!" Pickle nodded. "We just have to tell them this time, so they don't get mad like LAST time,"

"Right. Come on, I think they're at the garage! Bye, Grammy!"

"Good luck, dears!" Grammy waved them off.