Caelan strolled down the street, his steps light with anticipation. For perhaps the first time, he felt like a kid acting his age. Both sides of him—Nolan and Caleb together shared an excitement for the place they were headed to.

And who could blame him? It was his first time being allowed in the store, a place he'd be visiting constantly in the coming years. A place that any true trainer would know like the back of their hand.

The combined hum of activity, the vibrant colors of the building's front, and his own general giddiness made for a palpable excitement in his heart.

It was the Poké Mart.

Rattata, perched comfortably on his shoulder, watched with a huff of amusement. To her, the Poké Mart was just another place, but he knew she couldn't help but indulge him when he was acting so uncharacteristically eager.

While he'd been shopping around for his Pokémon, he hadn't actually walked into the official Poké Mart before. All of his food came from either normal pet stores (because yes, normal animals existed), or through marketplaces like earlier.

As they approached, Caelan's eyes were drawn to the display in the window. Among the various items, a few shiny Dive Balls caught his attention. He paused, peering at the high-tech Poké Balls with a hint of curiosity.

Dive Ball

Starting at 1,000$

See inside for details.

His eyes widened at the price tag. '1,000 Pokédollars for one ball?!' He scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "That's insane," he murmured under his breath. "Who needs a specialized Pokéball that badly?" He stared at the Dive Balls for another moment before shrugging.

"I guess if I ever end up catching a Water-type, maybe. Still, it's not like I'll be going around forcing Pokémon into battles," he told himself.

He was not going to spend that amount of money to try and force a Pokémon with a high-tech ball like the games. Caelan wasn't sure how the general public felt about doing stuff like that, but he at least wanted his Pokémon to be his friends before he traveled the world with them.

That just seemed like common sense, if he was honest.

The only practical reason he could think of for using such a Pokéball would be to make the inside of the ball more comfortable for the Pokémon. A Dusk Ball, for example, would be a nice habitat for a Pokémon used to the dark, like Zubat.

Rattata flicked her tail, unimpressed at the ball. She couldn't read the number, but he doubted she particularly cared as she seemed content to stay outside of her Pokéball at all times.

Caelan glanced at her and gave a small smile. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He pushed the door open and stepped inside. The bell above the door jingled, and he took in the store's bright lights and bustling energy.

Inside, the air was cool and filled with the faint scent of cleaning supplies mixed with the tang of freshly unpacked goods.

The Poké Mart felt even larger inside than he'd imagined, filled with trainers browsing shelves stocked with everything from Pokéballs to healing items, berries, and specialty gear. The scent of fresh goods and the hum of quiet chatter gave the store an almost welcoming feel, but the prices plastered on the walls kept that excitement subdued.

He was actually here. Maybe it wasn't much to anyone else, but entering places only trainers frequented, like this, always made him feel like he belonged. For Nolan, it was a novel experience he'd longed for as a child. For Caleb, it was an affirmation of his progress.

Caelan took a moment to absorb the sight of the shelves stretching out before him, stocked with essentials that every trainer knew they'd need one day. He felt the rush of potential in the air. Today, he wasn't just some outsider peeking in—he was a part of it.

"Alright," he muttered, feeling his nerves settle as he picked up a shopping basket. "Let's see what they've got."

Rattata perched on his shoulder, ears twitching in quiet observation. Her curious gaze swept over the aisles, but she was more focused on Caelan's mood, feeling his quiet enthusiasm.

He wandered down the first aisle, glancing at shelves stocked with healing items and trainer essentials. Potions, Antidotes, and status recovery sprays filled most of the space. It all looked much more professional and sleek compared to the stuff he'd been picking up at regular pet stores or the occasional marketplace. He plucked a Potion off the shelf, turning it over in his hands.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"50 Pokédollars," he muttered, weighing the item in his hand. "Seems reasonable enough."

Potions might not be flashy, but they were necessary, especially if he wanted to avoid unnecessary trips to the Pokémon Center. He tossed a few into his shopping basket.

The next aisle was stocked with healing items for status conditions: Antidotes for poison, Paralyze Heals, Burn Heals, Ice Heals. He paused, considering whether he should grab one or two. 'I don't really encounter fire or ice types very often…'

His hand hovered for a moment before he decided to play it safe, picking up a few Antidotes and Paralyze Heals. It was better to be prepared, as the Pokémon from the common forests usually could inflict either of those status effects. 'You never know when the unexpected could happen,' he reasoned.

From there, Caelan wandered to the training section. This was where his real interest lay—items meant to boost Pokémon performance and enhance their skills. He spotted a Silk Scarf hanging from a hook and remembered how Dr. Hayworth had mentioned it could be useful for sharpening Normal energy control.

'Tempting,' he thought. But the price tag—3,000 Pokédollars—made him wince. 'Not today.'

He moved further down the aisle and found something a bit more his speed: a sleek, compact timer designed to track and monitor speed drills during training sessions.

'Could be useful for interval work,' he mused, thinking back to a conversation he had with Dr. Hayworth about the importance of timing to build reaction speed and endurance.

He grabbed the device and placed it in his basket. It wasn't expensive, but it was a practical purchase.

As he moved further down the aisle, he spotted a row of small vials containing stat-boosting supplements. Each one promised a temporary increase in strength, speed, or stamina during battles. He paused, examining them for a moment, but ultimately decided against it. They were a bit gimmicky, and he'd prefer to focus on long-term growth for Rattata rather than quick fixes.

Instead, he picked up a couple of bottles of Protein—actual long-term vitamins that would help with building strength over time. He could use these to complement the Macho Brace training, giving Rattata an edge in endurance and power. 'Better to make her stronger over time than rely on temporary boosts,' he thought.

Rattata sniffed at the bottles, probably uninterested in whatever powder or pills he was buying.

"Don't worry," Caelan said with a smirk. "I won't make you eat anything weird without your approval."

He continued down the aisles until he reached the food section. His eyes lingered over the Normal-type food selections, finally settling on a bag of 'premium blend' food, specifically marketed for omnivores like Rattata.

Turning it over, he examined the ingredients list, his eyebrows furrowing. It was vague—"high protein blend, essential vitamins"—nothing really descriptive. Far sketchier than he'd like, but they really didn't have any better options.

'At least it's better than normal rodent food…' he thought, begrudgingly tossing it into his basket.

"I'll make you something way better myself when we're a bit richer," he muttered to Rattata, whose nose twitched in mild approval.

After adding a few more essentials to his basket—a pack of berries, an assortment of Apricorns, and some other dietary needs—he continued on his merry way.

Wandering, he eventually made it to the back of the store, where more specialized gear caught his eye. Behind the glass counters were items like evolution stones and TMs, but those were way out of his current price range. He did, however, notice a small, well-worn book titled "Battle Techniques for Competitive Trainers" sitting on a nearby shelf.

His curiosity piqued, Calean picked it up, flipping through the pages. At first glance, it seemed like any other guide on battling, filled with standard advice on positioning, timing, and understanding a Pokémon's natural abilities.

Novice stuff, really. He almost put the book down and walked away.

But then, in the more obscure sections, something caught his attention. Instead of simply focusing on attack patterns or defensive stances, the book subtly hinted at something else—a way to tap into a Pokémon's natural strengths and unique characteristics. It wasn't just about learning existing moves but tailoring techniques to suit a Pokémon's physiology.

One passage, in particular, stood out to him: "A Weezing, with its toxic gases and unique body structure, thrives in the art of misdirection, making moves like Poison Gas not just a tactic, but a natural extension of its form. Any other Pokémon that is capable may learn it, but they will never reach the same heights as Weezing would."

This sounded like one of those things his knowledge from Nolan wouldn't help him on. A Pokémon's move being stronger because it was the same type? He knew that. That was S.T.A.B: The Same Type Attack Bonus.

But a Pokémon's move being stronger purely because it was physically aligned with that move? It wasn't revolutionary, but the fact that it was something revealed so casually made him feel as though the book held common sense he wasn't privy to as an uneducated trainer.

'Maybe this'll have hints to corroborate my Aura theory' he thought, tucking the book under his arm.

With his basket full and his budget stretched thin, Caelan made his way to the checkout counter. The clerk at the register greeted him with a friendly smile, scanning the items as he placed them on the counter.

"Looks like you're stocking up," she commented as she rang up the items.

"Yeah, just trying to stay prepared," Caelan said, handing over his trainer card.

Before she finished ringing him up, the receptionist paused and pointed to something behind her. "Have you considered getting one of these?" she asked, pulling out a sleek, compact bag from the shelf. "Silph Co.'s latest Trainer Bag. It's bigger on the inside, perfect for all your gear."

Caelan eyed the bag with mild curiosity. It didn't look like much—just a regular, albeit stylish, trainer's bag. But as she opened it to show him the inside, his eyes widened. The interior was far more spacious than the exterior suggested.

He took the bag from her hands, marveling at its craftsmanship and the clever use of space. The idea of having something so functional and stylish was enticing.

As he explored the bag's spatial technology, Caelan was struck by its almost magical quality.

'How does this even work?' he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. 'It's like they've managed to bend space itself to fit everything inside. I knew technology was advanced here, but this is something else.'

He turned the price tag over and blinked. The amount was far more than he had expected.

A chuckle escaped him as he muttered, "Guess we're going broke again."