Disclaimer: I don't own PMD TDS. PMD 2/EoS belongs to Nintendo, Pokemon Company and other respective owners.
Title: Our Dreamy Big Adventure
Summary: It is our great little adventure. Our unreplaceable adventure, just the three of us – Player, Partner, Grovyle. Set after events in PMD 2/EoS.
It had been months since Piplup and Chimchar beat Primal Dialga and Darkrai. Lot of things had happened. Piplup treasured every countless journey he had.
Chimchar was energic as always. He always looked forward for expeditions they would go through. Who knows they would find treasures with diamonds and pearls. Throughout those adventures, Piplup learnt new things that he couldn't compute in the past. They had this 'Perfect Teamwork'. No Monster House and Dungeon Bosses could stand against them ever since they defeated countless legendary pokemon along their ways.
Even his journey with Chimchar was surely the best, he couldn't just forget his old companion – Grovyle. With no memories in the first place, Piplup merely judged his old companion as criminal. After learning the truth, he began to recollect their time together little by little (mostly because Grovyle told Piplup their past during their adventures to break up tense of thinking the dark future too much). He knew pretty much how it and Grovyle used to be Perfect Combination like Piplup and Chimchar now. But the penguin pokemon recalled that everyone in the future was erased if they changed the history. Sometimes, Piplup hoped that Grovyle was restored like he did. Now they had Dialga in team Pokepals's, maybe Piplup could beg for Grovyle's return. However, was that possible?
"Hey, Piplup, ready for another adventure?" asked Chimchar.
"Sure do!" Piplup gave a determinate look before going out from the Bluff.
They stopped by the crossroad to check their map. Since it was going to be dangerous, Piplup suggested Chimchar to add one or two pokemon in their party. But they were confused. Who should they call?
"Chimchar! Piplup! C-come-here! We've got something to tell you! Go to the Guild!" Chimecho approached them before they called her. Both of them questioned at first until they hurried themselves to the Guild. Maybe there was some trouble?
In Guild, they climbed down to sublevel two – the central area and found the area a little crowded than usual. When Wigglytuff noticed their appearance, all of pokemon there make a room. They revealed the Wood Gecko pokemon stood there. Overjoyed, the three of them shed tears. "Grovyle! Grovyle!" Piplup and Chimchar jumped to the green pokemon and have it a hug.
Grovyle hugged them back, "Ah, Piplup, Chimchar. It has been a while, hasn't it?"
"Both Piplup and I really miss you! Even I can't substitute you, we've been a good team!" Chimchar admitted.
"I'm really glad to meet you again! I-" something that just struck Piplup was, "wait! How did you get here?"
Chimchar and Piplup released themselved from Grovyle's embrace. Grovyle answered, "I don't know. By the time I woke up, I was at the crossroad. Wigglytuff found me during his morning walk. The future is alright now, so I don't have anything to worry about. But, how I ended up here is concerning."
"Speaking of which, Grovyle's here means the three of us can do our big adventure! You know, just the three of us." Suggested Chimchar out of blue.
"That sound great!" Piplup agreed. "How about you, Grovyle?"
"Maybe we get to know something along the way. I'm in." Grovyle decided after he deeply thought of it. Piplup and Chimchar cheered. For now, they could do their trilling adventure with Grovyle. It'd turn out interesting like last time.
"Um," Chimencho interrupted. "I don't want to interfere the joyous reunion but we've got mission that you – Team Pokepals – can do." Chimencho handed the mission's information.
Client: ?
Objective: Capture the wanted criminal, Aggron.
Place: Zero Isle North
Restrictions: None
Reward: 2500 Poke + ?
This mission was truly odd because it didn't have much detail like typical job summaries. "It is very a weird job summary indeed. It has been on the board since this morning. It wasn't there last night. Who could have done that?" questioned Chimencho.
"It's our job to find out. But it might be a trap." Wigglytuff commented.
Considering this mission might lead to Grovyle's appearing here, they took the job. "Don't worry! We'll solve this mystery in ten seconds flat!"Chimchar confidently assured.
"Good luck Team Pokepals!" Wigglytuff smiled to them.
"Yes."
It was very challenging for them to venture Zero Isle. But they needed to do it. They needed to combine their power, especially when they were in pinch. They moved on from floor to the other floor, still no sign of Aggron so far. Unfortunately, they encountered Monster House instead.
"Hydro Pump!"
"Fire Spin!"
"Leaf Blade!"
But the Monster House were too strong. So they combined their power. It was the combination move they used against Sableye in Hidden Land – Hydro Pump, Fire Spin and Energy Ball into one. All of them were KO'd, they moved on to the next floor.
Aggron was spotted! He ran away but was attacked by Piplup's Hydro Pump, Chimchar's Flamethrower, and Grovyle's Bullet Seed before he could succeedly escape. As Aggron collapsed, a Tyranitar appeared. Tyratinitar was quite pleased with Aggron's defeat. It was revealed that Aggron was explorer while Tyranitar was the wanted criminal who was rivalry with Aggron. So Tyranitar was the one who stick that job summary on the board?! Just for someone could beat Aggron?! Feeling guilty, team Pokepals helped Aggron by defeating Tyranitar.
The battle against Tyranitar was quite vicious since it sent out Monster House to aid him. Despite all of his efforts, team Pokepals were victorious. With all problems solved, Magnezone arrested Tyranitar while team Pokepals apologized to Aggron for what they did. Truthfully, Aggron blamed and thanked them until giving them a reward.
As they didn't find any clue to the riddle, the three decided to take a rest and continued their daily routine – exploration, doing jobs in Guild, and capturing outlaws. It was really a fun journey. It was as if the three's combination was unbeatable.
Grovyle too had a blast with them. Though how he ended here still lingered in his mind. They didn't recall how many weeks since Grovyle was here. They hadn't learnt anything so far. It was fine this way. They'd get to know something, he hoped. But leaving them again would be painful. They might ask Grovyle to stay since the future was perfectly fine. Either way, it was confusing.
"Nice job, Grovyle. I'm okay thanks to you!" the fire type cheered.
"Uh, yeah, I'm glad you're not injured." Grovyle said.
From his expression, Piplup realized something wrong with Grovyle. At the same time, Piplup didn't dare to ask. When they reached the final room in the dungeon, Piplup was about to ask but the boss of that place assaulted them. The boss was a Gabite. It would be tough since they didn't have a dragon or ice move. Anyway, they attacked with all their might. However, they failed? All of them collapsed by the time Gabite finished Piplup off.
"Energy ball!" a green orb hit Gabite, knocking it out. Piplup turned to the helper. It was Celebi they encountered back in the future.
"Celebi! You're here?" Piplup was shocked. How could she be here too?
"It doesn't matter. Let's finish Gabite off! He can't stand a chance now!"
"Right!"
They defeated Gabite with the move they specialized by few hits. Celebi and Piplup overjoyed. The moment Grovyle and Chimchar getting up, they were surprised seeing Celebi here. Well, they shouldn't have, considering she was associated with time. Grovyle inquired few things about his departure here. Celebi, instead of answering, led them back to Guild. This confused them but they just followed her because of her "you'll see" constant response.
As they arrived in Wigglytuff Guild, they were surprised by Wigglytuff's special guest – Dusknoir. Chimchar and Piplup had trauma before Grovyle and Celebi calmed them and explained what happened back in the future. Chimchar and Piplup were relieved after hearing the truth.
Wait, that didn't explain why the three of them was here, right?
Anyway, Piplup was glad the fact that Dusknoir became a good guy and they defeated Primal Dialga together. Although he felt his stomach turning, he wondered why – seeing Dusknoir, Celebi and Grovyle's conversation? With the three of them here, they would probably going back to the future because the future needed them. No! He didn't want that to happen.
"I guess this is it?" Grovyle blurted out then turned to Piplup and Chimchar. "Thank you." The moment he said it, everyone was gone. Their surroundings turned into pure white. It was just the two of them. However, Grovyle was getting farther.
"Why? You're saying it like you're leaving." Piplup tried convincing himself not to believe this.
"Look Piplup. I'm so glad to be with you and Chimchar too, and travelling you really brings back memories. You may forget it but those meaningful experiences together are still inside you."
"Grovyle…" Piplup sobbed. "What can I do without you?"
"You have Chimchar and everybody else in Guild. You are not alone. You and Chimchar… are the best team I've ever seen, even better than we two did."
Piplup continued to snivel, "B-but, I can't see you anymore. I don't even know whether I'm still alive when you are Grovyle in the future. I might be not a Piplup anymore."
"You are you, no matter what happened. Even we're far away, I will still remember you. Our meaningful memories made us connected by heart. Don't forget that."
"Grovyle! GROVYLE!" he was getting farther as Piplup cried his name.
"Piplup, wake up!"
Piplup scanned his surroundings. He was in Sharpedo Bluff. Chimchar woke him up whenever Piplup overslept. However, all of those events were… dream?
"You're pretty sweating, Piplup. Are you okay? I hope you don't get more Nightmares after the incident with Darkrai."
Darkrai? Ah, yes, Piplup and Chimchar had beaten him with Cresselia and Palkia's help. Today would be typical and trilling expedition.
"It seems that we can evolve now."
"H-huh? What do you mean, Chimchar?"
"Well, you know. We finished everything we should do. I think we should evolve into strong pokemon. So there will be no difficulty facing new risky dungeons. We might change but I'm still me the way how you're still you."
Right, Groyvle and Chimchar are right. I am me. It doesn't matter whether I'm a human or Piplup. I'm still myself.
"Yeah, right! Let's go, Chimchar!"
"You're okay, Grovyle? You're like having a long dream." Asked the Grass and Psychic type pokemon.
"Oh, Celebi. Nothing. I just miss Piplup and Chimchar. I even had a dream of them."
"Oh, anyway, Dusknoir and I will be waiting for you." Celebi left Grovyle as the Wood Gecko pokemon gave a deep thought of his dream.
No matter how you changed. You're still you,Piplup. You, Chimchar, and I… yes, we are really the best team. You two so far always stated no good without me. No matter where you are, our memories won't disappear. Even if you forget, our feelings are connected.
[BONUS]
In the future, Grovyle was hugged by an Empoleon and Infernape. They were that Piplup and Chimchar from team Pokepals, he knew it. It seemed that Piplup evolved twice at Luminous Spring and eventually became an Empoleon. And so is Chimchar, who evolved twice into an Infernape.
The moment Grovyle embraced them back, they disappeared, turned into ashes and flew away.
Both Piplup and Grovyle woke up, believing their dreams are connected like their feelings.
A/N: considering this is a fic, I should have use 'he' or 'she' pronoun instead of 'it' (pronoun 'it' sounds too formal). Since there are just a lot of pokemon here (and no human), I decided to use pronouns 'he' and 'she'.
Ahh yes, I miss Grovyle. Maybe a little dream would be good. (whether you think it was dream or not, it's up to you). AND AHH... the feels!