Update: I am back after years of setting this story aside! I always did intend to finish it and still do intend to finish it. I am going to start here and refamiliarize myself with the story and characters as well as edit it and make it a better story in general and update as I go!

Hello lovelies! It has been forever since I've posted anything on this site… Seriously, go look; I have a grand total of two not-so-great stories that I wrote years ago.

But I'm back as a much better writer and a long story planned! It will have about 40 chapters and though they're all mostly planned, I can't promise on a weekly update, but I'll try ^_^

I'd like to send a huge thanks to Kuro Ao no Neko for helping me out with this story. I am pretty terrible at writing battle scenes so she has been aiding me any time I need one written.

(She's such a wonderful person ^_^ You guys should all go and check out her stories!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any characters you recognise.

Without further ado, enjoy!

…

Mischief - Prologue: The Guild System

"Thank you for joining us for the six o'clock news. Today is January 10th and we're just waiting outside the World League Hall as the Champions make their final vote on the Guild Debate, and determine the fate of all upcoming trainers." a reporter said dramatically into the camera.

I remember sitting tensely, watching the television with my family as the Guild Debate came to its climax. This was the first time I really bothered paying attention to the news or the world around me in general. At nine years old, I knew all about the Guild Debate, having studied every aspect, read every article, and visited as many online forums as possible.

"The Guild Debate", so it had been dubbed, began after an incident involving two underage trainers and a tournament going horribly wrong.

A young boy, angry that he was about to lose a match, ordered his Rhydon to attack the other trainer. Its Stone Edge attack killed the girl almost instantly. The grizzly scene was unforgettable. Sometimes, even now, when I close my eyes I can see the small figure, mangled beyond recognition. In a fit of rage and sorrow, he girl's Voltorb used an impossibly powerful Self Destruct.

The resulting blast destroyed the entire stadium, leaving hundreds of people and Pokémon dead. Only a handful survived and thousands more that had been watching the tournament live were left scarred for life. The tragedy made international news, beginning a wave of discontent.

A few weeks later, a ten year old boy was horribly burned by a high level Charizard he received in a trade.

Not long after that, an Eevee was admitted into a Pokémon centre, half dead from malnutrition.

Just days afterward, a Ponyta was reported to have died from exhaustion after its trainer, a twelve-year-old child, forced it to sprint from Pewter City to Lavander Town without rest.

More and more stories arose of children being maimed or killed by Pokémon or Pokemon being mistreated by their young trainers. Each incident was highly publisized and before long the public cried out for change.

It became the greatest controversy of our time. Many believed that children were not strong enough or mature enough to handle Pokémon and should kept away from the entirely. Others argued that Pokémon should be freed from human oppression completely and that all trainers should release their Pokémon. Others still, argued that their current way of life had worked for generations so there was no reason to change anything and that parents should just raise their children better. It seemed everyone, trainer or not, had an opinion.

The debate went on for months, with no visible end. It was then that Professor Acacia proposed his Bill 133: The Guild System.

The idea was to turn every Pokémon Gym into a Pokémon Guild run by the Gym Leader. Every trainer would be registered under the guild depending on their place of residence and when a child turns ten, instead of acquiring a license and a Pokémon, they would have the choice to be registered in a guild. There they could learn how to properly raise, care for, and battle Pokémon using specially bred and trained Pokémon that would only attack a human when ordered to by the Guild Leader.

When the child turns eighteen, they would be tested on their battling skills and general Pokémon knowledge. If they pass, they will receive a Junior PokéLicense and a Pokémon. With it, they may begin their journey to raising a strong team and collecting the eight gym badges. Once all eight are acquired, they will be registered as a fully-fledged guild trainer and be eligible to challenge the Elite Four and the region's Champion.

Acacia also proposed that the guild trainers take on missions and assignments to help better the world and maintain the guild. He suggested everything from bounty hunting to visiting schools and letting the children play with their Pokémon.

Soon after its proposal, all the international Champions and Professors met to discuss Bill 133 or the "Guild System". Over the next year, it was written, debated, revised, and debated again until finally, it was complete and the final debate day was scheduled. All the Champions, Gym Leaders, and Professors gathered at the Inter-regional Champion Hall in the World League Stadium to cast a final vote.

My heart raced while I waited, more than anxious to know how it would end. I was one week away from turning ten and getting my first Pokémon, but this could change everything. If it passed, my journey would end before it even started and I'd have to wait another eight years to have a second chance.

The doors to the hall opened and the Champions, Professors, and Gym Leaders of all regions exited. Immediately, questions flew from the mouths of hundreds of journalists and reporters, making any single voice impossible to be heard. Blair, the International Champion, stepped forward and called for silence. As the roar of the crowd fell into a quiet hum, his icy blue eyes scanned the assembly of cameras.

"In a nearly unanimous vote… [I shifted nervously as he paused] …we have decided to pass Bill 133," he said dramatically, then gave a toothy grin at the disbelieving silence. Suddenly, there was a huge uproar and onslaught of questions. "Now, now!" he called over the noise to hush everyone. "I will call for questions in a minute. I want to say a few things first."

The crowd was silent once again.

"Thank you. The PokéWorld is now going to be run on the Guild System proposed by my dear friend Professor Neo Acacia, the world's leading expert on Poké-Human relations," he gestured to a tall, olive skinned man who smiled brightly at the cameras and gave a small wave. "This change," the Champion spoke again, "will begin to take effect Monday morning."

Unable to help themselves, the reports once again flew into a whirlwind of questions.

"I wasn't finished yet!" Blair called and the crowd once again settled itself. "Good."

"Guild zones have been planned out for every nation and will be posted in every Pokemon Center, PokeMart, and Gym worldwide. Within the next week, every trainer and upcoming trainer must visit the gym of which zone their place of residence falls into to register under the guild. Upcoming trainers must be ten years of age by June 26th of this year. Also, I would like you all to note that, with a few exceptions, nothing much will change for already licenced trainers. There is no obligation to participate in guild activities or missions. Now, questions?"

"What will happen to all the Pokémon of the underage trainers?" one reporter asked.

"Underage trainers will be allowed to keep their Pokémon, but they will be required to attend the Guild Schools this autumn."

Many questions were asked and answered, but I don't really remember any of them. I just remember feeling numb, like my entire existence had just washed away.

That one decision changed my whole life. I was so excited to get my first Pokémon. I had been crossing off the days on my calendar for months. I had decided I was going to choose Treeko as my starter and I was hoping I would find Growlithe and maybe a Ralts that I could raise into a big strong Gallade just like my big brother's.

But none of that mattered now. That life had been ripped away from me.

…

Thanks for reading! I know this chapter is short, but it's just the prologue. I promise the others will be longer ^_^ I'd be ever so grateful if you'd stick around for Chapter 1: Fated Meeting

Bye for now!