Prologue 1- Plant the Seed

Mana. What was it? Was it more than a power source? Why did it cause Pokémon to behave like this?

They fought over it. Fought wars. They killed each other, just for a chance at more power.

Why?

I never imagined I’d end up this way. Caught in a world of strife.

And I was one of the many Pokémon who were the key to fix this. We’re the ones who turned the gears of change. Together.

Rich dark trees surrounded me on all sides as I rushed down a corridor. Four floors down and I thought it was over!

But of course it wasn’t! If I wasn’t out of this Mystery Dungeon quickly, this mission would be another failure!

This was a Mystery Dungeon in a mountainside forest, so as far as the eye could see, there were massive coniferous trees that stretched on for kilometers in an almost endless labyrinth.

Normally I wasn’t scared of this Mystery Dungeon, all of the Pokémon that lived here were usually the least of my concern. It was the outsiders who gave me a run for my money.

As I ran my foot nearly tripped over a root buried in the soil and grass. My muscles and tendons loosened and I leapt into the air, far over the path before me, parallel to the swath of branches that hung low around me. “Let’s try it fer old time’s sake!” I reached out to them with my fingers.

And it stung. With a grunt I nursed my sore digits. “If only that wasn’t an impenetrable Mystery Dungeon wall!” I groaned. “‘S ain’t fair!”

I supposed I was naturally a great climber as a Treecko. An escape into the thick brambles would be nice but wasn’t an option anymore.

“Mystery Dungeons were a double edge,” my Captain’s advice echoed in my head. “You found your foe easy in here. But just as easily your foe found you!”

There was a shrill cry that pierced the air. “She’s caught me!” I gasped.

A volley of brown feathers struck the ground where I just was from a Gust of wind. Straight into the soil. Nearly took off my satchel too!

“You ain’t getting away!” the Pidgeotto behind me screeched.

It was like a butter knife through my Pa’s loaf of bread! The light-blue smoke of mana radiated off them stronger than any I’ve ever seen before.

Mana was the power we used to access our full potential as Pokémon. We used it for moves, abilities and evolution all across the Hemisphere. But something’s wrong with that Pokémon!

This is the fourth outlaw I’ve run into today! But she wasn’t on the bounty board! I took in a bit of the Normal-type Mana around me and thought of my options. Blend in! With a burst of white speedy energy, I shot through the air with Quick Attack to get a boost. With the new energy, I pivoted to the side and hurried down another gloomy path.

I’ve got to get outta here! Captain Obstagoon told us to take as many missions as possible in this Mystery Dungeon and get rich quickly.

But I’m in over my head, doing this by myself. I lost my Escape Orb in a Mystery Dungeon yesterday. Of course, I also don’t have a badge that could warp me out of this Mystery Dungeon because Mercenaries don’t have them. I wished I joined a normal Rescue Team or something anything but this!

“You think you can hide from me just because you are a Sentinel!?” the Pigeotto roared.

In this Hemisphere, everyone was either a Keeper or a Sentinel- both with responsibilities.

“Keepers are supposed to monitor mana and each other! Sentinels are supposed to watch over y’all and set everyone straight!” I yelled back.

“You’re just a weak, insensitive brat!” she taunted. “Can’t sense my amazing, overpowering presence that leaves weak Keepers begging on their knees!”

Of course the Pigeotto’s that type of Keeper! I opened my mouth but shut it as I heard the rustling behind me get louder. She’s nothing noble like the Keepers in my family or in the Mercenaries, they’d never do something like this!

But this was the real world. Sentinels and Keepers weren’t always noble. None of them were. I knew it well.

“Just because you don’t have a Keeper presence doesn’t mean I won’t find you!” In a flash, she rammed into me and knocked me off my feet. The Pigeotto’s beak jabbed into my side with her Tackle and I cried out.

“Take this!” With a grunt, I shot at her with a Quick Attack and barely pushed her talons off the dirt. She pulled me by my black, green, and gold flannel jacket- a type of uniform Mercenaries wore to distinguish ourselves.

Shoot!

“You Mercs think you can take me now that I’m strong?” She held me down and spread her now glowing wings.

I struggled under the Pigeotto’s grasp until I heard a whoosh through the air and ducked. “Nope!”

“I’m what a real Keeper looks like, little Treecko, unburdened by the chains of-”

“Enough!” a large brown and white figure crashed into the Pidgeotto with a torrent of huge rocks around them, sharp as a Stone’s Edge.”You disgust me! You terrible excuse of a Keeper!”

The stone shook the earth in a mighty boom and exploded into tiny pieces. Dust filled the air and my nose.

I scrambled backward to avoid the wave of boulders as they tumbled away from the two Pokémon. My savior was a Midday Lycanroc.

They had on a scarf with blue, green, and grey stripes, an odd triangular Platinum Rescue Team Badge, and a grey saddle-bag.

With a gasp, the Pidgeotto collapsed to the ground. She remained still as the Lycanroc restrained her wings with some netting, then sniffed her. They saved me!

I slowly stood up. “Thank ya so much!” I cried.

“No problem,” they replied with a grin and reached into their bag. Soon an Oran Berry and a small set of bandages fell into my hand. “What’s your name, Treecko?”

“I’m Linus,” I replied.

“So why were you out here, Linus?”

I peeled the skin off the Oran and took a bite of the Berry. “I was trying to leave this Mystery Dungeon when all of a sudden that Pidgeotto outlaw attacked me.” I pulled back my torn flannel jacket.

“So you must be a Mercenary,” the Lycanroc sat down.

“Yeah, but I’m no good by maself.”

“No good by yourself, eh? Well, I’m not good by myself either. That’s why I’m in a Rescue Team.”

I finished eating the Oran Berry and sighed as the healing properties went to work. The sting vanished, but the dull ache on my side still lingered. “What were you doing with your Rescue Team, Lycanroc?”

“We were researching the conditions of this Mystery Dungeon and others.”

“Ooh, that’s mighty swell!” I lit up. “I’va always wanted to just go researchin’ and not worrying about getting requests worth the most poké.”

“Yeah, we don’t make much money in our Rescue Team,” the Lycanroc sighed.

I glanced down at my side and applied the bandage to the wound. “Ya don’t do requests or missions?”

“This was a request. There have been reports of a suspicious Pokémon nearby, so we League Pokémon had to split up to cover more ground.”

“The League huh, I’ve always wanted ta join.”

“The town of Bristberg isn’t too far from this Mystery Dungeon,” they said.

“Ah, yeah. Bristberg,” I sighed. My eyes slowly widened as I glanced at their triangular badge. “Hold yur Horseas, that mountain settlement has a League!”

The Lycanroc brightened with a chuckle. “Oh, I forgot to mention it. I work on a Rescue Team for the Bristberg Mana Research League.”

“So ya League Rescue Team Pokémon don’t just research Mystery Dungeons! Ya also catch outlaws!”

“Yes. Could you write something down for me?”

“’Course.” I watched as they pulled out an assortment of objects.

“This outlaw was one of the suspicious Pokémon,” the Lycanroc got out a small notepad and charcoal pencil.

“How’d ya know that? Is it training from ta League?” I asked as I grabbed the pencil for them.

Their ears folded down as they prodded the Pidgeotto’s side. “No. I’m also a Keeper, a Pokémon sensitive to the shifting of mana.”

“Uhuh. Ya can probably tell I’m a useless Sentinel.”

“That’s not true. Sentinels have provided stability and have been quite the force to be reckoned with.”

“What’cha want me to write down?”

“Another Pokémon outlaw clad in a black and white striped scarf.” The Lycanroc looked side to side. “The scarf also had a patch of two black claw marks. A Keeper with a worrying presence. End.”

I jotted down everything word for word and returned the notepad. “Hope ya ain’t mind my Torchic Scratch writing.”

“Don’t worry. My Inteleon friend, a Pokémon with five fingers, has worse writing.”

“If ya say so.”

“These notes will be just fine.”

I shivered as a brisk gust tore through the forest. “Do ya think we could head on out?”

The Lycanroc attached the netting on the Pidgeotto to something on their saddle-bag and stood up. “Yeah, the stairs are back this way.” They turned around. “Let’s get out of here.”

We headed back through the hallway I ran through and went the other way, into a large empty clearing. Thankfully, the stairs were all the way in the back which meant I could finally leave!

“So those are notes for the League, huh?”

“Yes, and any other organization who supports us. By the way, I’ll need you to come with me for a more detailed report to the Chief if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind, just wondering if y’all could tell my old boss I quit.” I wrapped the flannel around my waist and followed the Lycanroc.

“Our Coordinator can arrange that,” the Lycanroc explained. “Gonna hand in your last requests for the Mercs, eh?”

I nodded.

“I remember when I handed in my last Expedition assignment, back then I was still supporting the League. I just didn’t know it.” They sniffed the ground as their tail raised.

“Our Mercenaries support your League… Do you think I could join you?” I asked as I took the first step up the natural Mystery Dungeon staircase, one made of dirt and lined with stone.

“With me?” The Lycanroc followed me up the stairs and we exited the Mystery Dungeon.

“Well, on any Rescue Team the League has.” I pulled on my ragged flannel and looked at my satchel. “But I understand if you don’t want another useless Sentinel like me.”

“Linus, you aren’t useless, normally I don’t sense anything from Sentinels. And usually I only sense a regular presence from other Keepers. Well, not from that Pidgeotto, we’ll have to figure that out later. But I sensed something special from you.”

“Yur just saying that to make me feel better-”

“I’m dead serious. I’m especially sensitive to mana for some reason. There’s so many things we don’t know about Sentinels and Keepers. And having you along would be a needed addition. My teammates would agree.”

In the distance there was a Boltund wearing a three-tone scarf like the Lycanroc, one who paced around the entrance of the Mystery Dungeon. “Are they with you?” I asked.

The Lycanroc gently nudged me. “Yeah, and soon you can too.”

“So can I join the League?”

“Well, you’ll have to pass the Entrance Exam.” They added.

“Oh drat.” I rubbed the back of my head.

“But don’t worry, I’ll get some help for you. It’ll be a lotta hard work, as long as you do your best I know you’ll do just great.”

“My best huh? Maybe I could get my younger brother Hatchet and my younger sister Kobi to join me along with some other Pokémon. We could be Team Swift Claw!”

“I have a better suggestion.” The Lycanroc wagged their tail as we approached their teammate.

“Oh yeah?” I smiled.

“Team Sharp Claw.”

This was only the beginning. The beginning of our journey. Together.