Interlude 1 Part 2 Bury the Hatchet

3rd Person POV

---

A small envelope holds a letter.

 

Inside this envelope is a letter addressed to:

All requested Keepers to a League-Bound Organization.

 

Forwarded from:

 

The Chief of the Bristberg Mana Research League.

 

The Coordinator of the Bristberg Mana Research League.

 

All Rescue Team Members and other members of the Bristberg Mana Research League.

 

A new mandate from Tiger and Dragon of the Keepers Committee.

 

Attention all Mana Research Leagues, Rescue Teams, and League-Bound organizations located and stationed in the Constellation Continent!

All able-bodied and able-minded Keepers, of any status, Domestic, Stray, and Feral, shall go to any League or other League-Bound Organizations they were summoned to within two to four weeks of their agreed contract. If not, then the Wicked Blow Police Department will be called and the Keepers will be left at their fate. Other prospective League Pokemon must find their way to their summoned League as soon as possible, as Sentinels are always needed.

 

If any Keeper of a League or League-bound Organization suspects another Keeper from anywhere to be unlocked please alert the Keepers in the Chief or Coordinator position.

That is all for now, may the Eternal Lord grant you his power.

---

There was a forest to the northwest of Bristberg, the teal-colored mountain heartlands of the Constellation Continent. This entire region, named Hunter’s Plains, had homes of various sizes sprawled about a vast distance, making it called a village. On the western side, the foliage blended into dark brown and orange-colored sandy bases of numerous mountains; this was considered the outskirts and less ventured side of the village. In the empty wildland, there was a shack nestled by a pond. 

 

This shack had two beds, a table, and some chairs, with a fire pit outside. Inside two Pokemon lay on each bed, facing the ceiling. An Axew and an Espurr, two Keepers the Bristberg Mana Research League needed. 

 

Two Pokemon that two humans, soon to be Pokemon needed. They were Keepers who the world needed. 

“Hatchet,” the contralto voice of the Espurr said to the Axew across from her. “We need to start taking our Keeper responsibilities seriously,” she then sat upright on her bed, brushing her dark grey-furred chest. “This means looking for things on our own, like Wicked Blow or the mana artifacts, we’re Keepers just like the others in the League,” the Espurr had the same grey fur on her muzzle, and snout.

“Yea yea I know Kobi,” Hatchet, the Axew replied before he rolled over on his side to face her. “Living here and staying local isn’t gonna cut it anymore,” the Axew ran his claws over the unique thin dark green stripe marks on his torso and his head.

“It can be life or death when we make mistakes,” Kobi explained, opening a small saddlebag with her forepaws. “Or if we don’t understand our roles in society, to restore and maintain the balance.”

“I’ve known this longer than you, we’ll be fine,” the Axew waved his claw. “Once I go get us some more seeds and berries it’ll be okay to head out,” Hatchet sighed, narrowing his light red eyes as he rummaged through his satchel. “We’ll be fine.”

The Espurr across from him sighed, closing her saddlebag. “Are you sure?”

“Maybe,” Hatchet stretched. “Anyway with that new mandate, I guess we’ve really gotta play our part outside of the village.”

“But y-… our parents never told me anything about that,” Kobi groaned, gingerly dropping to the floor on all fours. “First Team Vanguard’s mana artifacts research, and now this,” she got up on a stool adjacent to the sole table of the shack. “Do I have to figure out everything myself?”

“You shouldn’t have to, don’t sweat it,” the Axew turned to face Kobi. “Ma and Pa didn’t tell me about mandates for League prospects, it was a Keeper from over the orange and tan mountains in the west,” Hatchet winced before yawning. “From New Withered Savannah.” 

 

“Oh,” the Espurr on the table narrowed her eyes when her companion winced. “Hey,” she faced the Axew. “What’s up with you?”

 

Hatchet stared past her, and out the window. “I’va been having these crazy mood swings,” he placed his arms under his chin. “And then way too many bad thoughts, what do you call them?”

 

“Intrusive,” Kobi answered.

 

“Yeah, intrusive thoughts,” the Axew looked down, his eyes darting left to right. “Could this have something to do with the balance?”

 

“Well the balance hasn’t changed much since five years ago, during the Disruption,” the Espurr grumbled, her tail lowering. “It’s not the balance, it’s you. Your presence is the thing that’s changing day-to-day.”

 

“Oh, it has?” Hatchet’s eyes widened for a second. “Well, I think this may have something to do with my dreams then.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kobi blinked at her ‘brother’.”Nightmares or something?”

 

“No, much better than that; I had a Dream Mark,” he explained. “It’s still a tad bit blurry right now, but this means I’m going to meet another Keeper soon!”

 

“Really, I remember you explaining those! I had one too!” the Espurr across from him jumped over to the bedside. “What’s a Dream Mark look like for you?”

 

“First two days ago I saw lots of yellow fruit, like Pinap and Sitrus Berries,” Hatchet grinned. “Then the next dream they came back, this time heaps of them were in the dream,” he paused to open his claws, spreading his arms wide. “And then just last night there were these glimpses of a yellow Pokemon talking to me!” 

 

“Wow, I had dreams that started last week, first it was just brown and light blue blobs, some sort of strong breeze that felt so real,” Kobi explained, brightening her eyes. “Then it became clear over the next few days it was a specific town, I understood it was a place with a massive river and tons of brown rocks,” the Espurr put on her saddlebag. “Pebble Creek matching this description to the tee.” 

 

“What about the Pokemon?” 

“I know for certain they are a light brown rock-type, I remember the taste of each type of Keeper, rock-type is like cocoa,” Kobi grinned. “Yours should be like a nice sour berry.”

 

“I see, thanks for reminding me,” Hatchet grinned before he reached over to pick up his satchel. “Anyway these Keepers are bound to help us and we will help them, which means we’ll have to make sure it’s safe for them.”

 

“And that leads into your plans?” Kobi questioned, getting on the floor once again.

 

“Maybe, I’m planning on going back home to work on the building of the grain silo and the fruit preserve,” Hatchet sighed.  “Then I’ll head south through the mountainside little Mystery Dungeons to Ventura Woods before I reach the Bristberg Underpass and that Mystery Dungeon.” 

 

“Mine is to hurry over to Pebble Creek,” Kobi answered. “Then train the Keeper and then use Team Vanguard’s research to look for the artifacts.”

 

“Who are they, this Vanguard ya keep mentioning,” the Axew placed a claw on Kobi’s shoulder. “How’d ya get their research?”

 

“They were a legendary Rescue Team. Dad gave it to me,” the Espurr narrowed her gaze, darting her eyes back and forth. “It’s kinda complicated, Hatchet.”

 

“What did you find?” 

 

“By reading their findings I found leads on two separate locations of some mana artifacts.”

 

“You said that they were nearby where you need to go and where I want to go, correct?” Hatchet rubbed at his arm strap.

“Yeah, one by Pebble Creek where I’m heading off to find the Keeper of my Dream Mark,” Kobi said as she used Psychic to pull out a dungeon map of the Continent from her saddlebag. “These three Mystery Dungeons are possible sites: Stoneskip Hill, Timberreed Seep, and Mist Ravine.”

Her brother peered at the map before tracing a line through the three dots.

“And the other in either Needlemaw Peak, Brittlesand Sierra and, Twistbolt Summit,” the Espurr pointed. “They are Mystery Dungeons that count as the shortcut to Bristberg.” 

“Alrighty, that sounds fine by me,” the Axew laughed before leaning towards the window. “As long as you take me with you that is.”

 

“Nope. Not gonna happen.”

 

“Why not? There might be dangerous ferals!”

 

“Most of the time ferals don’t approach me,” the Espurr sighed.  “And I’m not going through too many Mystery Dungeons by myself.”

 

“Exactly,” her brother grabbed her foreleg. “I’m coming with you!”

 

“No, you don’t seem to understand where I’m coming from, my Dream Mark is specific,” Kobi growled. “It calls me to a town where I’ll find another Keeper- your Dream Mark is vague, you can find plenty of yellow things on the way to Bristberg.”

 

“But then why don’t ya just come with me after you find your Keeper?” the Axew begged. “I can leave early and go through all across Hunters Plains fighting ferals and we can forget about those artifacts till were in the League-”

“I’m going to be researching the Vanguard’s findings, something you should be doing,” the Espurr sighed. “And teaching the Keeper I will find. You should try to do the same, not worrying about ferals.”

 

“But what if Wicked Blow finds ya?” Hatchet pestered.

 

“Stop trying to change ta subject, you know both of us can’t miss the appointment with the League!”

 

“But-“

 

“You’ve known how to read much longer than I have,” Kobi grumbled. “The Wicked Blow Police will get us! Not just the normal Pokemon Police, we’ll be treated like those bastards again!”

 

“Okay,” Hatchet lamented. “After our family finishes that construction project I’ll go to Bristberg, to tell them what you’re up to.”

 

 

“Thanks,” the Espurr smiled, opening the front door. “I’ve got to leave right away so I can try and hurry back before the four weeks are up, take care now!”