PMD2: Explorers of Fate

PMD2: Explorers of Fate
Prologue


    The sun began to rise, revealing a small town placed at the edge of a forest near the sea. The salty water reflected the sunlight, causing it to sparkle brightly. Pokemon started wandering through the town, going about their usual day-to-day activities.
    A purple feline with a red jewel on her forehead stepped out of a Pikachu head-shaped hut, stretching and yawning. Walking through the town square, she stopped near the edge of the ocean and smiled.
    /Hey there! Today’s a nice day, isn’t it? Kind of reminds me of that day so long ago…when I first met Carlos. Oh! You must be wondering who I am. Sorry for being so rude. My name is Sandra./
    A Blastoise came to shore and Sandra hopped onto its shell. The turtle Pokemon started swimming out to open sea. Sandra stood up tall, her violet eyes shimmering with joy.
    /As I’m sure you can tell, I’m an Espeon. But here’s something I bet you don’t know. I’m actually the leader of a famous Exploration Team! …Okay, so I’m only the co-leader but who cares?/
    Up ahead, Sandra could see another land mass appearing. A town was barely visible on the far shore, only recognizable by the bluff shaped like a Sharpedo.
    /I used to be a coward, afraid of nearly everything. But Carlos changed that. He gave me the courage to form an Exploration Team, my ultimate dream. One by one, my fears faded into nothing. Even my worst fear was conquered thanks to him./
    A memory appeared, the edges blackened by age. An Eevee was sinking in the water, paralyzed by fear. Air bubbles ran from her nose and mouth, her eyes wide in terror. The bubbles shot toward the surface as a shadow, shaped like a Pikachu, peered into the water.
    /That fear prevented me from doing a lot of things. But now that it’s gone, it seems like nothing can stop me. My fears no longer put me against the world. Carlos freed me./
    The Blastoise stopped in the shallows of the far shore, allowing Sandra to hop off. The Espeon walked through the shallows and onto the sandy beach, shaking her paws dry. Looking up, she saw a young Riolu and an old Lucario waiting for her. The Riolu ran toward her and smiled, laughing as she hugged Sandra. The Lucario nodded in greeting, his eyes firmly shut.
    /These two are members of my Exploration Team. No, Carlos isn’t one of these two. He left a long time ago… Anyway, the Riolu is Auraline. She hatched not long after Carlos left. The Lucario is her father and Carlos’ best friend, Lucar. He’s blind but he’s powerful./
    As the trio proceeded up the path toward town, something leaped from the trees and landed in front of them. Standing up, he revealed himself as a Grovyle. He nodded to Sandra and joined them as they entered the town.
    /This is Grovyle, a fellow member of my Exploration Team. He had an especially strong bond with Carlos and knew him long before I did. Grovyle was once our enemy, but now he’s a close friend of mine and one of the strongest members on my team./
    Entering the town, Sandra left her companions and headed toward the bluff. Stepping onto the familiar cliff, she pulled aside the leaves and went down the hole leading to their old base. Stepping into the hollowed-out base, she watched the ocean from between the stone teeth of Sharpedo Bluff.
    /And this is Sharpedo Bluff, where Carlos and I made our Exploration Team the best. I could’ve never made it this far without him. I’ll never forget him./
    Another memory appeared, the edges also blackened. A Pikachu stood in the center of a lava-filled cavern, surrounded by golden light. He was fading. Sandra cried, tears pouring down her face. She was losing him…again! “Carlos!”
    The Pikachu turned to her and smiled. “Bye, Sandra. I love you.”
    “Carlos!” The Espeon jumped, landing at the center of the light. But she was too late. Carlos was reduced to dozens of tiny golden spheres of light, all floating toward the ceiling and vanishing. He was gone.
    /The moment Carlos left, Grovyle returned. It was so sad. Without Carlos, the two of us grew a bit closer. But it would never be the same without Carlos. I miss him./
    Sandra suddenly smiled, tears in her eyes.
    /I could tell you about it. How Carlos and I first met, all the adventures we had, the friends and enemies we made, how we saved the world twice. Do you want to hear it? It all began last year, at this very beach below me…/