Prologue

Klang! Klang! Klang!

The dull, metallic footsteps echoed through the courtyard outside my window. I felt a pang of guilt reminding me that I was mostly to blame for our current situation. I took a big risk, and now we all were going to pay the price. Clarence, I'm sorry…

Funny thing about taking risks; you always assume that they with go in your favor, plan on it even. But, while you acknowledge the chance that things won't go your way, you choose not to think about what happens if that's the outcome.

Just why is that?

Is it because ignorance is bliss and we are better off not knowing. Is it because you're always told that if you don't worry about it, everything will be just fine? Or, is it because the human mind cannot handle the fear that even though it has done everything in its power to keep itself alive, one unlucky turn of events can still result in death?

I don't know. I probably will never know. Especially if they keep me locked up in here. I rattled the numerous chains they used to bind me.

"Hey!" a female voice called out from an adjacent cell. "Some of us are trying to sleep here."

"What's the point? We'll all be dead sooner or later," I called back. "The whole point of this fortress is so they can kill us off, one by one, slowly and painfully."

There was an audible splash outside, but since I was tethered to the floor by yet another chain, I couldn't look out my window to investigate.

"Speaking of slow and painful, that's you're metal friend out there for execution, right?" my neighbour asked.

"Yeah..." I replied.

"Do you know how they're going to execute him?"

"No," I admitted.

"He's been shackled to the ground, and that splash you just heard, that was a guard dumping water on him. Now they're just going to leave him there. You seem smart. You figure out what's going to happen."

Another pang of guilt rang through me as I realized what she was implying. "They're going to rust him to death." I'm sorry Clarence... I'm so sorry...

"It'll be a few weeks before it kills him, but he'll be in agony the entire time." My neighbour let out a sympathetic sigh. "Poor kid." There was a long pause. "So, how did you and him end up here?" she asked sounding genuinely curious.

"It's a long story," I replied, "and I'm not in the mood to tell it." If only my arms weren't chained. I could probably forced the sorry excuse for a cell door I have, rescue Clarence, and then we could get the hell out of here.

"What if I said I could get you and your little friend out of here?"

Honestly, that spooked me a little. Then again, most of the prisoners in this fortress would do just about anything for that. "How do I know you're not bluffing?"

"You'll just have to take that chance and trust me," she said. "Besides, if you don't your friend out there is going to die."

She had me right where she wanted me. "Well, when you put it that way it seems I don't have much of a choice," I began reluctantly. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Yep, everything."

"Well, that's a lot of subject matter to cover. I don't even know where to start."

"Start from the very beginning, because, as I said before, I want to know everything."

"Before I begin, I just want you to know that I'm not exactly your average guy."

"I know. You're half human, half swampert. Right?"

That time she legitimately scared me. There was no way she could have known that.

A heart is like a bit of metal. It's strong and durable.

But, leave it exposed to the elements too long without the proper care and it tarnishes.

It rusts.

It becomes brittle, and loses its shine

and, if left long enough, it rusts away to nothing.

...

BroadBlueSky presents

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rusted Hearts

Here is my first fanfic. I've had bits and pieces of this coming together for a while now and between KinglyShadows' PMD: Ripples of Consequences and ScytheRider's Silver Resistance and a whole bunch of other PMD fanfics I thought, "If they can do it, then why can't I?" Besides, if I didn't get these ideas out somewhere my head would have probably exploded.

So, if this prologue has piqued your interest write a review to tell me why. Also, constructive criticism would also be nice as then I know what to fix and/or work on in the future. So if anything doesn't look right don't be afraid to let me know.

On one final note as this fanfic goes on please guess, speculate, estimate and predict anything you think will/might/should happen. I just love it when people do that kind of thing. You know? And don't be afraid to ask question if something is not explained clearly. Anyway, thanks for reading.