Author's Note: Yeah, so I just wrote this short prologue of in Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky when your starter gets attacked by Darkrai and is separated from Grovyle...just a single, emotional bit for now, but I'll try to eventually make it into a whole story about Grovyle and your starter, pre-game in the future. (Yup I know this idea has probably already been used but I just love the Explorers games so much! :D) It might not happen, though, since I'm also working on my own original Mystery Dungeon story. Hope you enjoy this small bit of writing for now, though, if it's any good! Review please. Thanks :)

"Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa…!"

"Are…are you okay?

"No! Don't let go! Just a little longer…come on! Hang on!"

"N-n-no! I can't…hold on…!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!"

There was no time.

The blast of shadow came from nowhere, and she barely had time to think. She shoved the thin, limber body next to her aside and lunged forward as the attack slammed full force into her side. Doubling over, she gasped for breath. An immense wave of pain seared through her body, and each of her cells screamed in protest. Something…something was happening…

"NO!" cried the voice she had grown to love so much. "NO! STAR!"

She felt the hand reach out to grab hers desperately, to keep her moving along the path—and she felt as it clutched her momentarily, felt it slip away, felt the leaves on her friend's wrists brush the soft, human skin on her arms as she tumbled backward and far away from her dearest friend. Every fiber of her being was vibrating, churning and twisting unnaturally, mutating. Shock waves crashed and rippled through her like an avalanche of agony. She was becoming…becoming something new…

She felt her consciousness begin to slip. She struggled to hold on to her mind, her thoughts, struggled to fight the darkness that would overwhelm her at any second. No…it wasn't just her consciousness…there was more…it was draining…draining her entire soul…

Goodbye… she whispered inwardly, unable to choke out a sound. Goodbye, my friend… Her eyes fluttered shut, and the bright, wheeling lights and colors of the passage began to fade into black. She didn't have much longer. She was dying…fading…changing…

There was only one moment more…one moment more to hang on to herself…she squeezed her eyes shut and grasped it, used it to recall the many memories of her times with her best friend…if only they had been able to spend it in happier circumstances…they could have had years…decades…to enjoy themselves…and he…had so much potential…she pictured his face, his keen, clever eyes, gleaming with knowledge, with compassion…

You can succeed… she called out with her last ounce of strength. You can save us…I know you can…if anyone can do it… A tear forced its way through the convulsions of her rapidly morphing body and dribbled down her cheek. A last tear.

Goodbye, Grovyle…