AUTHOR'S NOTES

Does this story look familiar? It probably is. My friend, BlackPearlNamine, posted it here before I got my account. She also mentioned that it was originally written by a friend. Well, guess what? I'm that friend. I'm the original author of this story. BlackPearlNamine has taken down the original and left me to post the whole story. So you're gonna have to follow me if you want to see the rest of the story.

Keep in mind this is my first fic, and it could DEFINITELY use some improving. I would appreciate constructive criticism, but don't be too harsh.

This story also has a lot of references to certain individuals and other franchises. If you don't like a reference in this story, PM me and I might remove it. No promises.

Well, I think that's everything of importance. So just sit back, grab a bag of chips, and enjoy.

XxX

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Follow Your Heart

Prologue: In the Future

I tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for my accompaniment. He should be here any minute. But time didn't flow here, in the dark future that I was from.

Drip. A drop of rain fell on my nose. Before you could say "time travel", rain was drizzling down, getting me all wet.

"Grr… c'mon… Hurry up, you big green oaf…" I grumbled.

"What did you call me?" The voice startled me. I turned and could barely see the green outline of my friend: Grovyle.

"Oh– er… nothing. So, you've got your little time traveling pal with you, right?" I asked.

We had been planning this for so long now. Grovyle and I both hated living in this future. The sun never shone, the wind never blew, and everywhere you looked, there was nothing but gray. We wanted to change that, so Grovyle alerted his friend (which he wouldn't tell me the name of) who could apparently travel through time. With his help, we could go back to the past and change this bleak future.

"Ready for action!" The voice made me jump, because I was expecting a guy to speak. This voice was feminine with a sassy edge to it.

The sky was dark, so I could barely see the outline of Grovyle and whoever this newcomer was. But next to Grovyle, if I looked hard enough, I could see a faint pink outline of a tiny figure that appeared to be hovering.

"Um… and you are?" I asked the pink shape.

"I'm Celebi! I assume Grovyle told you about me?" she said.

"Yeah… She's the time travel Pokémon I mentioned a while ago," Grovyle put in quickly.

"I assumed you'd be… bigger," I said blankly.

"Bigger! I only need to be big enough to activate the Passage of Time, don't I?" she huffed. "Speaking of which, the Passage should be just through this forest."

I looked in front of me and saw that there was a huge wall of shadow in front of me that I could only assume was a forest.

Thunder rumbled, and a flash of lightning briefly illuminated the sky.

Then I heard something that sent a shiver down my back. A distant voice, cold, dark, and forceful, yelled something that sounded like, "They're just ahead! Don't let them escape!"

Grovyle cursed under his breath. "Our plan has attracted some… unwanted attention," he said quickly. "I'm fairly sure that there are bunches of nasty Pokémon after us as we speak. So… let's get going before they catch us."

"Right," Celebi agreed.

And before we could lose our nerve, we plunged into the forest.

Grovyle and Celebi darted ahead of me, and I struggled to keep up. I wasn't as agile as Grovyle, and I certainly couldn't fly like Celebi.

By now it was really raining. The wind ripped through my stringy black hair, forcing me to occasionally stop to brush the hair out of my face. The rain pounded hard. Thunder boomed like a cannon, and occasionally lightning streaked across the sky. I would've gotten lost if it weren't for this lightning.

Celebi acted as sort of a beacon as well, because whenever she flew quickly or made any sudden movements, she would shimmer a little bit, as if she was wrapped in a sparkly shroud.

The most unnerving part of our journey through the forest was the rustling and shouting behind us. I was sure that it was the thing– or things–that we heard earlier. I wasn't sure what they would do to us if they caught us, and I didn't want to find out.

Once I tripped over a large root and landed flat on my face. I tried to get up, but I just kept tripping as the voices behind me got closer.

No. I'm not going to let these guys take me, I said to myself as I tried to regain my footing, but by now I had lost the duo of friendly Pokémon and now had to face the not-so-friendly Pokémon.

"Up here! The human fell down!" someone jeered. His voice was loud and raspy, like a reptile. Behind me, the trees shifted, and two things emerged. I couldn't see them very well, and I was glad that I couldn't see them better.

Four more things emerged and surrounded me. I was trapped, my breathing shallow, my body sopping wet, my hair strung messily in my eyes.

The creatures began to advance, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst.

"Oh no you don't!" I opened my eyes and saw Celebi floating next to me. She touched my arm and… A white light flashed in my eyes. The next thing I knew…

"Oh! You're okay!" I found that I was in a clearing of sorts. Above us, there was a gap in the trees. I could see the stormy sky above me. Ahead was a well-weathered path and a sort of rock.

Grovyle leaned on the rock, looking relieved. "I was so worried! I wouldn't want you to fall in the hands of those guys."

"Whoa. Celebi, did you… How did you save me?" I asked.

"Well, I noticed that you were gone, and I turned back and looked for you. When I found you, I teleported you out of danger. I can do that, you know. I can teleport people and Pokémon away," Celebi explained.

"If you can teleport things away, how come you can't just teleport us to the Passage of Time?" I said.

But Celebi never got to answer my question. I heard the voices of whatever was behind me resuming. The rustling began again. Celebi just sighed.

"We'll worry about that later. For now, just know that I can't. Okay? Oh! That reminds me, the Passage is close. We're almost there!" she said.

I looked at the two Pokémon. "All right. So… let's go."

Celebi and Grovyle flitted through the dark woods, leaving me behind to tromp through the woods. In a matter of minutes, my blue shirt and jeans were stained and ripped, and I had many cuts and bruises all over me. The rustling behind me continued, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, but I evaded the creatures as best as I could. I luckily didn't lose Grovyle and Celebi again, which was good.

Eventually the trees began to thin and the ground began to rise up. Before long there was a small plateau up ahead of us.

"The Passage of Time should be just up this plateau!" Celebi informed.

"So we're gonna have to climb, then," Grovyle muttered.

"Yep," Celebi confirmed. "But I have complete confidence in you!"

"…Uh huh," Grovyle said, unconvinced.

"C'mon! All we have to do is climb!" Celebi said brightly.

That was easy for her to say. Celebi could just fly up. Grovyle and I had to get to the top the hard way, climbing up the steep, rocky sides of the plateau.

At first it was easy. But then my hands started to throb. A few minutes later, I realized that I had blisters on my hands. Every time I grabbed hold of a chunk of rock, a pulse of pain shot through my hand. The rain didn't help either.

"They're climbing up the plateau! Get them!" We were about halfway up when we heard the deep voice commanding the creatures below. We were pretty far ahead of them, but I knew that could change in an instant.

"We're almost there!" Celebi said to us for the billionth time.

"You said that ages ago!" I complained.

"Well, this time, I mean it!"

"We've still go a long way to go!"

"Don't think negative or we're all dead!"

We didn't talk for the remainder of the hike.

Finally we reached the top of the plateau. Ahead of us, there was a white tunnel shimmering with light.

"This is it. The Passage of Time," Celebi said.

I stopped and looked at my two companions for a little while.

"You do know what may happen if—" Grovyle began.

"Oh I know. And I'm sure Emile knows, too," Celebi interrupted.

I nodded. "I know the risks. But if it's to change this world…" I let that thought sit there for a moment.

"I trust you'll be okay, Celebi?" Grovyle said, breaking the silence.

"Yep. I'll be fine," Celebi said.

The voice below us yelled something. It now sounded as if it was much closer.

"You guys should get going before they get here. And, Grovyle?" Celebi said, turning to my friend. "Never, ever lose hope."

It was too dark to tell, but I thought I saw Grovyle blush.

"You too, my dear Celebi," he said.

"Safe travels." And with a flash of white light, Celebi vanished.

Grovyle looked at me. "All right. We should go straight back to the past once we step into the Passage. I know this will be awkward, but I think we should hold hands so we don't get separated. Time travel is a risky business, you know."

It was my turn to feel embarrassed. "Yeah. Okay. Sure," I muttered.

Grovyle clasped my hand. "Ready?"

"Ready."

And taking one last look at the dark world, we stepped into the portal.

As soon as we stepped in, I felt like my head would explode. We were hurtling forward at a zillion miles per hour, watching a blur of images streak by. I kept a tight hold on Grovyle's hand, despite the nausea.

After a little while, I almost dared to hope that we'd safely make it to the past with no rough spots. Then Grovyle and I would set out to make things right…

But then everything darkened. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, as if the storm had followed us into the Passage.

"Ack!" I said in surprise.

I could tell Grovyle was surprised as well. His grip faltered for a second, and I thought that I would get separated. We seemed to slow down a little.

"What's this?" Grovyle said.

Lightning illuminated the darkness, and suddenly I was aware of a spherical blob of darkness hurtling towards Grovyle.

Fear closed up my throat, making it hard to breathe. That blob of darkness would definitely hit Grovyle, and it would severely injure or even kill him. Then I would be without a guide in the world of the past. And I needed all the help I could get.

"Look out!" I cried.

"What?" Grovyle said. But he was too slow. Instantly I knew that he would get hit with the shadowy ball. That wouldn't be good.

Before I knew what I was doing, I yanked Grovyle's arm and pulled him across, thus switching sides with him. I was vaguely aware that the blob was about to hit me, but hopefully I would survive. After all, I couldn't die at a time like this.

BLAM! The blob exploded at my side and sent an intense pain through my body.

"Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa…! Are…are you OK?!" Grovyle said, realizing what happened.

I winced. "I-I'm fine!" I didn't think that Grovyle was convinced, though. And quite honestly, I didn't believe my words, either.

"No! Don't let go!" It was only then that I realized that I was starting to slip free from Grovyle's grasp. I felt the pain flood my body and I began to lose consciousness. "Just a little longer… Come on! Hang on!"

My mind felt like bursting. Everything was going black. For a scary second, I lost Grovyle's grip and began to drift away. I clawed feebly around, and then I felt Grovyle. I held on to his arm with all my strength, but no… I was slipping away…

"N-n-no! I can't...hold on...!" I yelled weakly. And it was true. I could barely hold on, and it was only a matter of time before…

I completely lost Grovyle. I felt myself falling… falling… Pain took over my body… I could barely move… Everything was going black…

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I screamed. But now no one could hear me… I was alone… falling… fainting…

Everything went black.

XxX

Whew! One chapter done, way too many to go... I'd better get writing!