So, Rudy was decidedly against teaming up. That meant Pierre had to look elsewhere for a partner. After his sparring session, he received a few offers to join existing parties, but he politely declined, saying he wanted to make his own party from scratch. He considered hanging around the outpost and hoping to encounter another pokemon coming to register, but after five minutes of sitting in the lobby, he was too bored and restless to continue. So, he set out into the city.

Kyber City truly was a marvel to look at. Everywhere he looked, Pierre saw something new. He browsed the various shops he came across, went to a diner and bought a burger that was larger than his mouth, and then as he sat digesting in the booth, he wondered if he should start looking for a place to sleep.

Many inns and hotels were tied with the adventurer's guild, and offered large discounts for adventurers, sometimes even providing rooms for free. Pierre had been counting on that when he left his village, and so he didn't have enough money to last very long if he had to rent a full priced room. The clock on the diner wall told him it was 5pm. The adventurer's outpost was open 24/7, so if he could just find someone to register with, he could then get a room somewhere that was still open for reservations.

Pierre set out from the diner, roaming the streets once again, trying to come up with some sort of idea. Eventually, he found himself in a residential area, with blocky apartment buildings lining the streets. He paused as a voice caught his attention.

"I just don't know what to do…"

Pierre turned to see a couple of older women walking down the other side of the street. From the mushroom hat and the thick glasses, one was clearly a Parasect. The other, with her green and yellow outfit accented by a red zig-zag, was likely a Kecleon.

"I'm really worried about him, but I don't really know him all that well, you know?" the Parasect continued.

Pierre turned away. Whatever this lady was lamenting about, it wasn't his business. He had his own problems to solve.

"Well, if you don't do something, who will?" Kecleon asked.

Pierre stopped. Would an adventurer just keep walking when they hear someone in need?

He turned, crossed the street, and approached the two women. "Excuse me," he said, causing them to turn, startled. "I couldn't help but overhear… Do you need help with something?"

The two looked at each other, then Kecleon said, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"I want to help," Pierre insisted. "I'm an adventurer. Well, almost an adventurer," he admitted.

"What does almost mean?" Kecleon asked suspiciously.

"I… don't have anyone to register with me. But I will! So, you can trust me."

The Kecleon lady still seemed unconvinced, but Parasect said, "I actually think you could help." Pierre brightened eagerly as she continued. "You see, my neighbor… We were never really all that close, but I would say hi to him every now and then and chat sometimes if I saw him on the bus, you know, that sort of thing… Well, he hasn't come out of his apartment in days. I'm really worried about him."

"Why don't you go visit him?" Pierre asked.

"I-I don't know… I guess I'm just kind of shy… If he turns out to be fine, I'd be so embarrassed. I feel like he'd get annoyed at me. He's always so… straightfaced." Parasect looked away.

"Hmm… Well, I can go visit him for you," Pierre offered. "I won't tell him you sent me."

"That would help so much," Parasect said, relieved to pass the burden to someone else.

Pierre smiled. "Leave it to me!"

After being directed to the correct apartment, Pierre stepped up to the door and knocked. No one answered. He knocked again. After another minute of waiting, Pierre began to knock continuously on the door until finally it opened.

"What?" the man on the other side asked in annoyance. Pierre looked at him.

He was a couple inches taller than Pierre was, with disheveled white hair that was swept upwards and brick red eyes. He was wearing green pajamas, and from the look of him, he'd been wearing them for the past few days at least. Without much more to go on, it was impossible to tell his species.

"Jude?" Pierre asked.

"Yes?" the man answered.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I know you?" Jude asked irritably.

"I'm Pierre!" Pierre said brightly, holding out a hand.

Jude didn't take it. "What do you want?"

"I came to check on you."

"Why?"

"Well… uh… someone was concerned that you were… I dunno…" Pierre hadn't actually thought this conversation through all the way, he now realized.

Jude sighed. "I'm fine, okay?" He began to close the door, but Pierre put a hand to it and pushed it back open.

"How come you haven't left your apartment for so long?" He asked bluntly.

"That's none of your business," Jude snapped. "Get out of here."

"It is my business, because someone asked for my help!"

"Well I didn't!"

They were now fighting for control of the door, but Pierre was stronger, and managed to shove it open all the way, causing Jude to stumble backward. "Just tell me why you're stuck in here and I'll go!" Pierre insisted.

"I don't want to leave, alright? Let me just rot in here by myself!" Jude shouted.

Pierre was silent for a moment. "Why would you want to do that?" he asked gently.

Jude sighed. It was clear this crazy person wouldn't leave unless he told him. So, he said, "My friend was severely wounded, and it's all my fault. Now she won't talk to me, and the guilt is pressing down so hard that I…" He pulled his arms close to his chest. "I just don't want to go outside, alright? I don't want to do anything. So leave me alone."

Pierre stood for a second, then said, "How did she get hurt?"

"We were… We wanted to be adventurers. We registered with the guild and set off on our first mission. But then we were attacked on the way there. I… I panicked. I couldn't think. I just froze up. She lost an arm trying to get us both to safety." He looked away, face pale with the memory.

Pierre stared at him, then his eyes grew wide. "You're an adventurer?"

"I was," Jude corrected.

"You can register with me!" Pierre exclaimed.

"What?" Jude looked at him as if he suddenly sprouted a second head.

"I want to be an adventurer, but I need a second person to form a party! You can form one with me!" Pierre explained.

"Are you– Did you hear anything I just told you?"

Pierre grabbed Jude by the wrist and began pulling him to the door. "Yeah, you messed up your first mission. But that doesn't mean you can't try again! So, let's go to the outpost!"

"I didn't just mess up! I froze! I caused my partner to lose a limb!" Jude protested as he was dragged from his apartment onto the street. "Why would you even want me on your team when I'm a liability?"

"It's only natural to be afraid when you're facing something stronger than you for the first time," Pierre shrugged. "But now you know what it feels like, so you won't freeze again. Plus, even if you do, it's alright, because I'm strong." He turned to look back at Jude as he pulled him along towards the adventurer's outpost and gave him a wide grin.

Jude simply stared at him, unable to form a response.

"We're here to register as an adventuring party!" Pierre declared, slightly breathless. He and Jude had practically run all the way to the outpost, and now stood in front of the desk, which was now being manned by a Gumshoos with blond hair and a brown frock coat.

"Right… Names and species?" the Gumshoos asked as he pulled out the registration binder and began filling out a new page.

"Pierre, Toxicroak," Pierre answered before turning towards Jude.

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" Jude muttered before responding, "Jude, Roserade."

Pierre's expression brightened. "Wow, you're a Roserade? That's awesome! You're already fully evolved!"

Jude looked away, trying not to smile at the compliment.

"And what is your team name going to be?" Gumshoos asked.

Pierre looked to Jude, who simply shrugged. "Uh…" Pierre said. He hadn't thought of a name.

"You can change it later if you want," Gumshoos added helpfully.

"Well, we're both Poison-types, so… How about Toxic… Team Toxic Petal!"

"Works for me," Jude replied blandly.

"Alright." Gumshoos wrote down a few more things, then heaved the binder closed and smiled. "Congratulations, boys. You're now officially adventurers. Your ID cards and badges will be ready for pickup tomorrow morning. And… maybe put a bit more pride into your outfit when you come back," he added, glancing at Jude.

Jude blushed, then turned around. "Let's go," he said.

But Pierre didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Jude's wrist and ran out of the lobby, bursting out into raucous cheers. "We're adventurers!" he exclaimed, dancing around Jude as the Roserade looked on exasperatedly. "We're adventurers! We're adventurers!" he repeated in a singsong tone.

"Yeah, yeah," Jude sighed and smiled softly. He couldn't help but feel his spirits lifted by Pierre's infectious joy. "I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Pierre stopped. "About that…"

Jude looked at him.

"Do you think I could… stay at your place?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Pleeeaase," Pierre begged, giving Jude his best puppy-dog eyes.

Jude sighed and relented. "Alright, fine… I guess if we're gonna be adventurers together, we should get used to spending time together."

"Yes!" Pierre cheered. "Let's go home!"