The previous day's events still lingered in his mind as Caelan fastened his bag, tightening the strap over his shoulder. He hadn't slept all that well the previous night—probably a mix of soreness from all that walking and anxiety. After his encounter with that aggressive Sentret pack, the idea of going back to the forest felt… off.

But he still had a job to do.

Rattata, always alert, glanced up at him as if sensing his hesitation.

"It's just nerves," Caelan muttered, shaking his head as he adjusted his gear. "Besides, if they try that again we'll just take out the scout and run."

The eerie feeling, though, was persistent, like someone was watching him. He glanced out the window, seeing the forest edge bathed in the early afternoon light. But he couldn't let something like a little anxiety delay him any longer. He'd already procrastinated all morning—If he didn't get this done, he never would.

"Let's head out."

He made his way down the quiet path toward the woods. Rattata trotted beside him, ever watchful, her whiskers twitching at every shift in the breeze. Despite the familiar path, Caelan couldn't shake the sensation of eyes on him. He kept glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting to spot a lurking figure. But no one was there.

"Probably just nerves," he muttered under his breath, though the excuse did little to ease the weight pressing down on him.

The outskirts had always been a bit unsettling, but this time, it felt different. It felt personal, like something—or someone—was watching his every step. He brushed the thought aside. He couldn't afford to get distracted by paranoia, not when he still had a job to finish. Bugwort was waiting to be collected, and the quicker he found it, the quicker he could leave this place behind.

Besides, if he wanted to be a Pokémon trainer, he couldn't be afraid of a forest of all things. Slightly dangerous wildlife was like was half the journey, for Arceus' sake!

'Three... Two... One.... Fuck it!'

Caelan took a steadying breath and stepped forward, the trees closing in around him as he entered the forest once again.

Rattata's ears twitched, picking up the subtle sounds of the wild, but she stayed close, her small form alert and ready. They ventured deeper into the thicket, the familiar scent of moss and earth surrounding them.

Still, the feeling of being watched wouldn't leave.

He tightened his grip on the straps of his bag, forcing himself to focus. There was no point in dwelling on it. Not yet, at least.

Caelan pushed further into the forest, his unease ebbing slightly as familiar landmarks came into view. The shadows of towering oaks and tangled roots wrapped around him, but this time, he had a clearer destination: find the Bugwort and get out. He rounded a bend in the path, stepping over a low-hanging branch when a soft thump sounded from above.

He stopped, looking up.

Dangling from a tree limb not far ahead was the very same Pineco he had run into the day before. Its rough shell blended into the leaves, but its curious eyes peered down at him. Caelan felt a faint sense of relief. At least this was something—or rather someone—he recognized.

"You again," Caelan said, raising a brow as Pineco continued to hang upside down. "I guess this is your spot?"

Pineco blinked slowly in response, giving the impression that, if it could shrug, it would.

A small grin tugged at Caelan's lips. It was strange how he almost felt comfortable talking to this Pokémon. "You wouldn't happen to have seen any Bugwort around here, would you?" he asked, rummaging through his bag until he pulled out a singular wildflower he kept with him. He held it up for Pineco to see.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Pineco tilted its head to the side, studying the Bugwort for a moment. Then, with a soft rustle, it lowered itself from the tree using a string of silk, landing neatly on the ground. It gave a little nod.

Caelan blinked. "Wait… you've seen it?"

Pineco nodded again, its entire body bobbing with the motion. Caelan's hope spiked—this could save him hours of wandering around aimlessly. "Can you show me where?"

For a brief moment, there was silence between them. Pineco's round form shifted slightly, as if contemplating the request. Caelan scratched his head, realizing something rather obvious.

"Uh, right. You don't exactly… walk, do you?"

The awkward pause stretched a bit too long, but before it could get worse, Pineco spun around and shot a thin line of silk at the nearest tree, swinging upward with surprising agility. Caelan watched as the small Pokémon propelled itself into the canopy, traveling from branch to branch with ease.

He couldn't help but laugh. "Of course. That works too."

Pineco paused, glancing back at Caelan, and motioned with its body toward the deeper woods. It was clear enough that it wanted him to follow. With a quick nod, Caelan signaled Rattata, who was already watching the treetops, and they both followed Pineco's swift, swinging path through the forest.

Despite the earlier tension, things were looking up.

✦✧✦✧✦

Caelan stared at the scene before him, his brain struggling to process it. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

Pineco had led him straight to its colony, a small grove nestled deeper into the forest. The air was still, quiet except for the faint rustling of leaves above. His eyes swept over the area, and sure enough, there it was—patch after patch of Bugwort, growing in clusters around the base of trees and between rocks.

But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was the dozens of Pineco scattered around, clinging to branches, nestled between boulders, and hiding within the Bugwort patches. Their rigid, spiky shells made them look like they were just part of the forest, but Caelan knew better. These Pokémon were living bombs.

No wonder no one had been picking from these patches. Approaching Bugwort growing in a field of Pineco was like strolling through a minefield with a blindfold on.

Pineco, who had been hanging from a low branch next to him, looked back proudly as if to say, Here's the spot!

A bit of paranoia whispered that this was a trap, and that he should run for the hills. But the majority of his mind agreed that this Pineco was pretty chill. If it wanted to hurt him, it could've blown him up at any moment, so what was the need for an elaborate scheme?

Caelan rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Rattata who stood tensely at his side, clearly sensing the danger as well. "Great," he said, keeping his voice low, "Bugwort everywhere... and the only thing keeping people from taking it is the very real possibility of getting blown to bits."

Pineco seemed unfazed by the comment, bobbing up and down slightly in what Caelan assumed was enthusiasm. It hung there, patiently waiting for him to do something.

"Right..." Caelan took a step forward, cautiously eyeing the other Pineco. "Could you, uh, make sure we don't get accidentally blown up?"

Pineco's demeanor shifted, its bobbing movements growing more animated. It swung closer to Caelan, then pointed toward the colony, then back at him. Caelan frowned, unsure of what it wanted.

With a sudden burst of determination, it moved toward the closest Pineco in the colony, bobbing and weaving as it made its way over. Caelan watched as Pineco began to gently tap its shell against the others, communicating with them in its own way. The other Pineco observed, their rigid forms a mix of curiosity and caution.

After a moment of animated gestures, Pineco returned to Caelan's side, clearly eager to show that it meant no harm. It gestured toward the patches of Bugwort, then nodded at Caelan, encouraging him to approach.

"Do you want me to, just, go for it?" Caelan asked, trying to piece together Pineco's intentions. "And they won't attack me for grabbing a couple flowers…?"

Pineco nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on its branch.

"Alright, let's do this," Caelan said, taking a deep breath. He moved toward the nearest patch of Bugwort, aware of the Pineco watching him. He knelt down, gingerly touching the vibrant stem.

The Pineco inched closer, their expressions a mix of intrigue and trepidation. Caelan continued to pick the Bugwort, hoping to show them that he was friendly and meant no harm.

Rattata inched closer to Caelan, eyes wide and alert, as if ready to defend him at a moment's notice.

As he worked, the little mediator Pineco hovered nearby, occasionally glancing back at the others to ensure they were still watching. Slowly, a few more Pineco began to move closer, curiosity overriding their initial wariness.

"That's it," Caelan encouraged, feeling a small sense of victory as one Pineco cautiously approached him. "See? Just gathering the flowers, nothing more."

Pineco bobbed in agreement, a look of pride evident in its movements as it watched the colony begin to open up, trusting Caelan a little more.

With the tension easing, Caelan focused on the task at hand, carefully picking Bugwort while Pineco kept watch, ensuring its colony understood that he was not a threat. As he gathered the plants, he felt a strange camaraderie beginning to form with the...

...The living magical pinecones. Who were known for exploding at a moment's notice.

He let out a small chuckle, a sense of disbelief and amusement bubbling up. 'What a weird day,'