Caelan stood before the mission board at the Trainer Association, the quiet hum of activity around him fading into the background. The various job listings on the board were a mix of mundane errands and higher-stakes missions, each offering their own rewards and challenges.

His eyes scanned over them, feeling the weight of the decision. He had no idea where to start, but he knew he couldn't afford to be too choosy.

'Start small, work up,' he reminded himself. His first mission needed to be manageable. Something to build on, not a gamble.

He considered going for a battle-oriented job briefly, but the logical part of him knew better. Rushing into something too advanced, especially with Rattata still in her growth state, was a mistake he couldn't afford to make.

She was fine, physically at least. A few bruises still remained, but nothing that wouldn't heal quickly. However, something was different.

He only noticed it after they'd left the Pokémon Center earlier—the way she tensed when someone brushed past her or how she flinched slightly at the cold touch of the marble flooring. It wasn't like her to react so visibly to minor discomforts, and it wasn't from exhaustion either.

His first thought was that she developed some form of trauma with the cold, but she tensed at pretty much anything, so that went out the window.

A soft squeak drew his attention. He turned to see Rattata, sitting quietly on his shoulder, fidgeting and twitching even now. Her usual demeanor seemed subdued, yet she seemed to be handling the loss decently.

"You good?" Caelan asked, an eyebrow raised at her.

Rattata's eyes met his, and they stared at each other for a bit before she nodded with a huff. Then, as if reality was determined to prove her wrong, he felt her muscles flex and tense at the small gust of wind coming from the front door.

"If you say so, buddy," Still, he didn't pry. She was likely learning a new move. "Just tell me if something's up, okay?"

"Raattaa" She drawled, and he took that as an 'okay'.

Turning back to the mission board, he decided to stop stalling. Reaching out, he tapped the mission board's screen, opening the details on one of the most popular missions. Though, from what he could see, it was one of the only missions available for trainers of his rank.

✦✧✦✧✦

Issued By: Pokémon Center (Repeatable)

Mission Type: Gathering

Difficulty: Youngster

Objective: Collect 5 Bugwort from Saffron Outskirts.

Details: The Pokémon Center requires a steady supply of Bugwort for medicinal purposes. These purple wildflowers are commonly found near the treeline, in shaded areas around Saffron City. Be cautious of wild Pokémon that may covet the herbs.

Reward: 50 Pokédollars + 10 Contribution Points per bundle.

Notes: This is a low-risk mission ideal for new trainers. Bugwort is easy to find, but trainers should be prepared for possible encounters with wild Pokémon in the area.

✦✧✦✧✦

Caelan skimmed the mission details, letting the information sink in. Bugwort. Low pay, minimal risk. Not exactly the thrilling, high-profile task he wanted to dive into, but it was something.

It sounded pretty boring, but it was exactly what he needed to start building up his Contribution Points—and get a paltry bit of extra cash on the side.

He needed to accumulate a solid amount to unlock access to the F-Grade Archive—the key to learning specific moves, like those he'd been eyeing for Rattata. He needed Rattata to learn more moves so she could cover up all her weaknesses.

'It's not… terrible,' he thought, feeling a small flicker of optimism. At this rate, he could reach the required points before too long if he kept things steady. He quickly did the mental math in his head. Just fifty bundles would net him 500 points, which would—

Wait.

Fifty… bundles?

He blinked. 'Fifty bundles of Bugwort?!'

His mood crashed almost immediately as the absurdity of it hit him. He was reading so quickly he hadn't registered that he'd only get the reward if he gathered 5 Bugwort. Caelan was expecting to have to gather fifty total Bugwort, not 250.

For that, he'd have to wander around Saffron's outskirts, crouching down and digging up wildflowers like some glorified gardener, while fighting off the occasional wild Pokemon. For hours at a time, likely.

A small groan escaped his lips. "Why couldn't there be something more exciting like finding a lost Pokémon…" he muttered, rubbing his face.

Rattata let out an amused squeak from his shoulder, as if sensing his brief moment of despair. He couldn't help but chuckle at himself.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Guess we're going flower-picking."

He quickly typed in his Trainer ID before tapping the Accept Mission button with a sense of finality. The screen flashed, confirming his selection before sending the mission details to his Pokégear.

"Alright," he muttered under his breath. "First mission." He glanced over at Rattata, who still looked fidgety but had settled a little. "Ready for some fresh air?"

Rattata perked up at that, her tail flicking with a little more energy. Caelan took that as a yes.

"Caelan? Is that you?"

Yet, before he could even take a step away from the mission board, someone called out to him. Turning to his left, he watched as Ritchie slowly approached, the boy's Pichu watching from his shoulders.

"Never seen you in here before," Ritchie continued, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. "I meant, uh, sorry, you don't have to go anywhere! I just–"

Even after a week of coaching and training together, the boy still hadn't really lost all of his anxiety. If the show's version of his personality was accurate, it'd eventually fade away, so he didn't let it bother him.

"Figured I'd be at the Battle Club?" Caelan shrugged, finishing his sentence for him. "I've got a weekly battling quota. As long as it's filled, I don't actually have to be there all day."

"Oh," Ritchie replied, his nervousness slowly fading. "So… what are you doing here? If you don't mind me asking, I mean."

Caelan glanced at Rattata. "Realized we've been stagnating. So I'm here to get enough Contribution Points for access to new moves. The F-Grade Archive won't open itself, y'know?"

Ritchie looked around Caelan at the mission board, staring at the mission he'd just confirmed. Since it was one of those semi-permanent ones, it hadn't gone off the screen yet.

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Then he grinned, suddenly amused. "Gathering mission, huh? I didn't expect that from you. What's next? You gonna become a florist?"

'Was that a joke?' Caelan's eyebrows raised. 'That's new.'

Calean snorted. "Hardly. But it's either this or bounty missions, and I don't like the sound of forcefully capturing wild Pokémon just for a buck."

"Fair enough," Ritchie's smile faded a bit, a touch of seriousness slipping into his tone. "Quick heads up, though—there's apparently been a flock of Spearow hanging around Saffron. They've been going after any trainers who get too close to their nesting grounds. So, you might wanna stay on your toes."

Caelan absorbed the warning, his brow furrowing slightly. "Spearow? Why hasn't a ranger or something dealt with it, yet?"

"That's the thing," Ritchie replied, lowering his voice. "Rumor has it they're being led by a Class 3 Fearow. And that it knows Whirlwind. Three trainers have already gone missing as a result."

Caelan's eyes narrowed in thought. 'A Level 30+ Fearow?' That wasn't something he'd expected. A Pokémon like that could cause serious problems, especially if it had a whole flock backing it up with a coordinated move like Whirlwind.

'Though, don't the rangers use that stylus thing? I don't see why Whirlwind would bother them at all. Maybe they're different here.'

"Figures," he muttered under his breath. "Can't even go gather flowers without running into trouble."

Ritchie chuckled. "Yeah, well, you might wanna rethink taking missions while its still out there. Class 3's no joke, especially for trainers like us."

Caelan considered it for a moment. On one hand, the idea of running into a powerful Fearow wasn't exactly appealing, especially with Rattata still recovering. On the other hand, he really didn't have any better options besides saving up and buying TMs.

Which, according to Nurse Joy, he really didn't want to do.

"Thanks for the heads up," he said, deciding to stick with the mission for now. "I'll try not to go too deeply into the forests."

Before Ritchie could respond, a loud, mocking laugh echoed through the hall. Caelan turned around to see three men swaggering toward them, all with a rough edge to their appearance—scrappy, unruly, with smug expressions plastered on their faces.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," the leader sneered. "Thought you'd be long gone from this shithole of a city, didn't you? With a Pokémon finally on your side, you could finally be someone, right? But here you are, slumming it up with the rest of the rejects."

Caelan narrowed his eyes, staring at them in concentration. One of them was a bald fat man with a goatee. The other lackey was an ugly short guy with a bowl-cut. The one in the middle, a lanky narrow-eyed man with scars criss crossing his face, was obviously their leader.

They stared at each other for a few tense seconds.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Caelan asked bluntly.

The leader's smug grin faltered slightly, clearly caught off guard by Caelan's lack of recognition. His scarred face twisted in annoyance as his two lackeys shifted uncomfortably, exchanging confused glances.

"You don't remember?" the leader hissed, his voice laced with disbelief. "After all that humiliation you put us through? We cornered you, what—two weeks ago? Tried to take that pathetic little Rattata of yours?"

Caelan's blank expression remained unchanged. "Yeah, doesn't ring a bell."

The two goons stifled a snicker, but the leader shot them a glare, silencing them instantly. He turned his attention back to Caelan, his frustration palpable. "Oh, you're gonna regret not remembering us, kid. We made you sweat back then, but now? We're far more... equipped, you could say."

'Did they finally manage to snag themselves a Pokémon?' Caelan's eyes darted between the three thugs, unimpressed. 'These guys must really have nothing better to do, huh?'

"I don't have time for this," he muttered, taking a step forward. "I've got a mission to do."

The leader's sneer twisted into something more malicious. "You're not going anywhere, not without a little compensation. That little rat gave us some very serious injuries, y'know? So how about you pay for the damages?"

Ritchie stepped forward, already sizing up the situation. "Back off," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Stop being a nuisance and get out."

The gang's leader scoffed, eyeing Ritchie like he was more of an annoyance than a threat. "And who's gonna make me? You? Two rats aren't gonna make a difference."

Before anyone could say another word, another voice cut through the tension.

"If you're really that desperate to get pummeled, I can arrange that for you."

Fiona stepped out from… somewhere, her arms crossed with an unimpressed look on her face. She locked eyes with the leader, her demeanor a complete 180 from the day before. "We can make this a three-on-three any time." she added, raising an eyebrow.

Caelan scrunched up his nose. 'Where the hell did she come from?'

The leader's bravado faltered completely now, faced with not one, but two other trainers. He cursed under his breath, his narrow eyes darting between Caelan, Ritchie, and Fiona. He clearly knew a losing battle when he saw one.

"You got lucky today, kid," the leader spat, backing down with a scowl. "But don't think this is over."

"Ahhhhhh. I am terrified," Caelan replied flatly. He was not in the mood for this.

With that, the group turned and slunk away, shooting glares over their shoulders as they went. Caelan let out a small breath, relieved his day wasn't going to be ruined twice in a row.

"Thanks, I guess," he said to both Ritchie and Fiona, though he focused mostly on Ritchie.

Ritchie just grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Of course! What're friends for?"

Caelan blinked at Ritchie's casual statement, the word 'friends' hanging in the air longer than it should have. It wasn't something he often heard directed at him, and he wasn't quite sure how to react to it. He glanced over at Rattata, who was still alert but gradually relaxing, her fur smoothing back down.

"Yeah," Caelan muttered, his voice quieter, almost more to himself than anyone else. "Friends."

Ritchie's grin remained wide, oblivious to Caelan's internal pause. Fiona, standing a little off to the side, crossed her arms, her expression softening slightly as she glanced at Caelan. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable with what she was about to say.

"Look, about our battle the other day," she began, her words coming out in a rush. "I kinda thought you were, y'know, like... some bigshot trainer. I mean, Ritchie told me you work at the Battle Club, and you were all serious and intense. Soooo I figured you had tons of experience and probably a whole team of strong Pokémon."

'Has she been watching me and waiting for a good time to pop up?' Caelan remained silent, his expression neutral, as she paused, fidgeting awkwardly.

"And then... well, when you sent out a Rattata, I thought you were mocking me. Like, 'Oh, here's this little weak Pokémon, and I'm still gonna wipe the floor with you.'" She let out a frustrated laugh. "I thought you were showing off—like, who uses a Rattata in an official battle unless they're trying to prove they're better?"

She rubbed the back of her neck, clearly embarrassed as her words began to ramble. "But then I thought about it later—way later—and I should've realized... you had the Rattata on your shoulder the whole time! You weren't showing off, you were just... with your Pokémon. I totally didn't even register that."

Fiona groaned, shaking her head at herself before continuing, "And then I looked you up and found out you're younger than me and that was your first official battle. And Rattata isn't even some throwaway Pokémon; it's your only one! I felt kinda bad, like... I dunno, I didn't mean to be that tough on you," she continued, her words spilling out faster now, as if she needed to get them all out before she lost her nerve. "I guess I just—well, I'm not trying to make excuses, but I thought you were more, uh, seasoned, and I—"

Seeing as she was starting to repeat herself now, he opted to cut her off.

"Save it," Caelan interrupted, his tone calm but firm. He shook his head lightly. "It's fine. Really."

Fiona paused mid-babble, her brow furrowing. "I'm just saying, I—"

"I know. Still, I said don't worry about it," Caelan continued, finally glancing her way. There was no malice in his voice, no frustration—just a quiet certainty. "It was my first official battle. It didn't go my way, but that's all. As you can clearly see, I've got more pressing things to worry about."

Fiona seemed a little taken aback by his indifference but nodded, stepping back slightly. "Alright, then," she muttered, clearly unsure of what else to say. It was awkward, but Caelan had meant what he said—there were no hard feelings, not over something as minor as that, at least.

He would get into hundreds of battles in the future. A few losses wouldn't mean he hated whoever initiated it.

Annoyed, sure. Enough to warrant a formal apology? No, it wasn't that serious.

Ritchie, sensing the tension, tried to break the silence with a lighthearted chuckle. "Well, at least you're handling things better than I would've. I would've started overcompensating for my loss with excessive training."

Caelan snorted. That sounded exactly like something he could see himself doing if he was still just Caleb. But the shining optimism of Nolan's part of their soul made stuff like that seem silly.

Plus, Ritchie was clearly just joking. He'd already lost pretty badly against Caelan and Fiona but all he did was seek guidance on how to do better next time.

"Anyway, I've got to finish this job," Caelan said, turning to the exit. "Thanks again."

Ritchie nodded, and Fiona watched him for a beat longer, perhaps still trying to gauge how much he really meant it. But when Caelan didn't offer anything more, she finally gave a small nod of her own.

"Good luck," Fiona said, almost too quietly for him to hear.

Caelan didn't stop walking. He simply raised a hand in a half-wave and kept going, Rattata swaying her tail as her own goodbye.

"Alright, let's get to it," Caelan said with a sigh, pulling out the internet on his Pokégear as he searched up images of the Bugwort he had to find.

He was not going to hunt for 50 bundles of a flower he didn't even know the look of.