I couldn't bear to end "Destined Explorers of Legend" on a light note. Here's a bit of suspense that will leave you readers itching to see what happens in the sequel!
-.-.-.-.-.
Far beneath the surface of the eastern ocean, far from any island, far from any source of sunlight… that was where the Jellicent Kingdom could be found.
In the dark void of the crushing abyss, the Kingdom was like a shining beacon of light. The city was made from rock and coral, and lit by strange, glowing crystals whose power source was shrouded in mystery. Wild deep-dwellers such as Huntail, Gorebyss, and Skrelp approached the dazzling source of light, expecting to find a meal, but were beaten back by the numerous guards that protected the city.
Underneath a great undersea mountain was the immense castle in which the royal family lived. The castle was huge, and was positioned underneath an enormous rock overhang that projected from the mountain. The palace actually extended into the rock, where a series of caves with air pockets served as the top-most floor. Although made of the same basic materials of rock and coral like the rest of the buildings, the palace instilled a feeling of awe and wonder to the many dwellers that swam about the city.
At the bottom-most floor, which was submerged in the black water like most of the castle and illuminated dimly by the glowing crystals, two tentacled royals swam silently down a deserted corridor. Although they couldn't tell because of the perpetual lack of sunlight, they could instinctively tell that it was the dead of night. Every other Pokemon in the castle was asleep – or nearly every other.
The door was pulled open upon the knock that resulted from the slightly smaller one of the couple's tentacle hitting the hard stone. When the door had opened, the sole inhabitant of the room beyond gazed upon her visitors with surprise.
"Hello again, my old friend," Lady Sapphire greeted with a warm smile. The Alomomola broke into a similar smile and bowed deeply. "It has been so long, Princess!" she replied in a kind, motherly voice. "I never expected you to pay me a personal visit at this hour so suddenly!"
Neptune smiled as well and swam slightly forward. "Sapphire has told me so much about you," he said. "She often says that you were the best nanny a girl could ever have."
The Alomomola blushed heavily and ducked her… um, 'head'. "She said that?" she said bashfully. "Well, isn't she a dear. Sapphire was the sweetest little girl I could have hoped to meet. She still is, I see," the fish added with a wink.
Sapphire giggled. "Oh, stop that," she laughed. When she had calmed down, she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "We've come to check up on 'it'."
The disc-shaped Water-type's heavy-lidded eyes grew wide. "Oh, it is doing as well as can be!" she assured them, beaming. "It is indeed coming along very nicely. It won't be long now~!" she added happily.
"Might we take a quick look?" Neptune asked, and the Alomomola nodded furiously. "Of course, of course! Anything to be of service, sir," she twittered, moving aside. Neptune and Sapphire both spared her a smile before floating through the doorway.
The Alomomola smiled knowingly before swimming out and closing the door behind them. She knew the two would prefer being alone.
The room was small and dark, with only two dim light-providing crystals embedded in the walls. It was almost bare, save for one feature – a small, goblet-shaped pedestal. Perched on the pedestal was a bowl-shaped container, giving the artifact its goblet shape.
A sleeping Chinchou perched on the edge, snoring quietly. Its lanterns were blazing with light, providing a bright illumination for the center of the room. Not only did its lanterns generate light, but heat as well. Heat was definitely important.
For inside the bowl, swaddled in soft kelp and seaweed, was a single egg. Its shell glistened softly in the light of the Chinchou's lanterns, and was patterned in swirling pink and blue. It sat there in its nest innocently, a sight to make even the hardest heart melt.
Sapphire and Neptune smoldered at the sight of the egg as they drew closer to watch over it. The blue Frillish silently wrapped a tentacle around his wife's waist as she lovingly regarded the egg – their egg.
"This is our future, my princess," Neptune said softly, holding her close. "And it is more than that – it is our child, a little Frillish to love and call our own. We are going to be parents!"
His excitement radiated out into the water, stirring it the slightest bit. But Sapphire was so in tune to her husband's feelings that she could indeed detect the imperceptible vibrations. The water seemed to be charged with excitement.
Lady Sapphire's gentle, loving gaze lingered on the egg, a warm smile spreading across her face. But within the warmth, there was a tinge of malice.
She had planned for this egg to hatch on a special night. And when it did, not even the Guardians would be able to keep her from taking the Shards and seizing the world in her grasp.
"Soon, my child," she whispered, reaching out to stroke its shell tenderly. "Soon, you and your family will no longer have to hide beneath the murky depths of this ocean. When your father and I put our plan to action, the entire world of Pokemon will be ours."
The soon-to-be-mother's eyes sparked with their signature evil glint as she touched her unborn child once more time.
Its only reply was a shudder.
-.-.-.-.-.
And there we have it – the most evil family of four in Pokemon history is about to become five.
This is definitely not the end of our story – the Shards have yet to be recovered and the Windchaser and Co. has yet to arrive at the Isle of Eternity! And we can't just leave Barn and Elf, who have just had their dreams come true!
Not to mention the OCs that you readers entered but haven't made an appearance yet! Sorry if they didn't get to appear in this story, but some will be in the sequel, I promise!
Nigel and Bolt are still out there, planning who knows what, and the three remaining gangs are scrambling to retrieve the rest of the Shards. And what could Lady Sapphire be planning?
Find out all of this, and more, in… "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Destined Explorers of Peace"!