A Springtime Birthday

May 30th. It is one of those gloomy, muggy days that signifies the transition from spring to summer. Castelia's Central Park is the place to be to escape the greyness of city life and the greyness that clouds the sky. Families and couples roam the verdant fields as pokémon scurry about. Children engage in battles of water-filled weapons to fight the stifling heat. With bright, flushed faces and vibrant voices populating the park, it feels like a perfect blend of spring and summer, sunny and saturated.

May 30th. Fifteen years ago something very special happened not too far from here.

"...Happy birthday, dear Bianca, happy birthday to you!"

Cheers and claps echo throughout the secluded area of the park as Bianca blows out the candles of her ice cream cake.

"Ok, let's hurry the fuck up and eat this before it melts!"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Quiana scolds. "Birthday girl gets the first piece."

Despite the order of the cake having been placed before Quiana became an acquaintance, she is the most adamant about indulging the birthday girl. The orange cake is decorated with icings of Bianca's pokémon; even Fern, who she gave back to Quiana, has a spot on the cake.

Andrea has to admit that it is odd for someone they're just getting to know to be celebrating with them—especially someone that a pokémon chose over you.

As if sensing Andrea's fleeting bitterness, Bernie walks over to her and greets her for the first time since he joined Quiana. She smiles and rubs his head.

Maybe N is right? Maybe I am selfish?

She shakes herself of the thought. No; what matters is that she's doing what's best for her pokémon and trying to cope with her bruised pride.

Bernie dashes from Andrea's touch and hops up and down as he greets his former team members. Kai and Gardenia wave back and introduce him to Victini. Thankfully, Andrea's friends had agreed to find a private area to sit so that Victini could stretch its limbs outside of its poké ball without being noticed by any strangers.

Quiana passes Andrea a plate with a piece of cake on it. She thanks her and beams at the decoration of Bianca's munna on her piece of cake. Andrea takes a bite, using one of the green plastic forks they bought at the convenience store near the park. She hums in approval. "Damn, I forgot how much I love praline pecan ice cream!"

"It's so good!" Bianca moans through a full mouth. "Thank you guys so so much!"

"No prob! Just wait until you open your presents!"

Bianca gasps. "Oh, forget waiting! Let's do it now!"

"What the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets," Quiana quips. She reaches into her yellow backpack and hands the girl a rectangular package.

"Um," she continues, voice faltering, "so, even though I barely know you, I feel like I've changed a lot because of you," Quiana smiles, gesturing to her new short haircut as an example. Her dark, bouncy hair hovers around her head, seemingly defying gravity. "And for the better! You were the one who convinced me to leave Team Plasma and begin a new life. I can never thank you enough for that, but I still want to try! So uh, hopefully you, you know, like your gift!"

Bianca lunges at the girl and wraps her into a grateful hug. "That was so beautiful...How are you even human?!"

The teens chuckle at Bianca's precise comment. Quiana is a little more mature than most of them; perhaps years of hardship forced her to grow more briskly than her peers.

Bianca pulls away and lifts the lid of the wrapped box. She gasps at the sight of what lies in sight.

"You didn't!"

"What is it?" Hilbert exclaims, hovering over the cake to try to catch a glimpse of the gift.

Bianca holds up a pair of apricot sandals with a tall wooden heel.

"These are from Elesa's boutique! How—"

"I told you Team Plasma members make bank!"

Bianca hums. "Well, I suppose if it's used for a good cause…"

Cheren rolls his eyes as Hilbert and Andrea burst with laughter.

"Where does Team Plasma get—"

"Oh! Maybe now I can be as tall as Drea!" Bianca exclaims. She slips out of her flats, straps on the heels, and stands up on shaky feet. She smooths out her tangerine-colored dress and walks over to Andrea. "Come on! Get up!"

Andrea shoves one more bite of cake into her mouth as Bianca pulls at her wrist. She stands up, glances at the top of Bianca's head, and brings up her hand and ruffles the girl's blonde hair.

"Almost."

Bianca pouts. "I hate being short!"

"You call that short?" Quiana sighs. "I'm not even five foot!"

"And I'm not even that tall!" Andrea adds, truly sympathizing for both girls.

"Whatever, can I give Bianca my gift now?" Hilbert interrupts, fiddling with a green envelope.

"Ugh, Hilbert, you can be so impatient sometimes!" Bianca huffs, sitting back down onto the grass. "But I won't stop you from giving me another gift."

"Ok but first," he begins, "I wanna say that, like, it's so crazy we've known each other our whole lives?! So like, thanks for putting up with me for that long. You've always been a super awesome friend, so like, happy birthday and shit."

"Thanks, Hilbert!" Bianca shuffles over to the boy and gives him a hug. "I always had so much fun getting into trouble with you behind Cheren's back!"

Cheren sighs, shaking his head at the thought of how many shenanigans the two have gotten into without his knowledge.

Bianca squints as she peels open the bulging envelope. Bianca pulls out the contents and, with a toothy, child-like grin, showcases them to her friends. It is a gift card to her favorite fast-fashion store and a tepig charm.

"This is so awesome! I'm putting this on my cross-transceiver right now," she gushes, already fumbling through her bag. It takes her a couple of tries to loop the charm through the charm holes of the cross-transceiver, but when she succeeds she beams with pride. Then, she grabs her wallet from her bag and places the gift card into an empty slot. "I can't wait to go shopping! Thanks so much Hilbert!"

"Glad you like it!"

"Ok, I'm next!" Andrea grins, eager to give Bianca her gift. "You know Bianca, I've gotta say that I'm a little upset I'm not the only one you've gotten into trouble with. But I've done things that Hilbert was too scared to do so I guess I win!"

"Hey!"

"Hilbert, please; it's rude to interrupt people," Andrea teases. She turns back to Bianca and continues, "Anyways...even though we haven't known each other for our whole lives, it really feels like we have, cause, like, I can tell you anything! You're so supportive and sweet and funny and I'm so lucky to have you as a friend. So you better enjoy your birthday!"

"Aww, Drea!" Bianca all but tackles the girl into a hug. "I'm really lucky to have you, too…"

They remain holding each other for a few seconds longer before Andrea breaks away. "It's not much, but I hope you like it."

Bianca takes the gift bag. She begins burying through layers of tissue paper. Her eyes widen as the last piece of tissue paper floats away from her hands, revealing the gift at the bottom of the bag. She picks it up and turns it around in her hands.

"Wow! It's one of those instant cameras!"

"Yeah!" Andrea grins. "I know you like to decorate your journals, so now you can put pictures in it."

"Drea, this is so awesome!" Bianca smiles. "Thanks so much! We should all take a picture with this later today. But first...Cheren!"

Cheren clears his throat. "Uh, right. Here you go."

"Whaaat?" Andrea cries. "You're not gonna say anything?!"

"Andi, you know I'm not much for sentimentalities—"

"Speech, speech, speech!" Hilbert yells, and soon, Andrea is joining in on the chant. Bianca and Quiana share secretive glances and giggle under their breaths.

"Alright, alright! Fine," Cheren sighs. "But don't come for me if it's not good."

Hilbert and Andrea smirk at each other knowingly, because 1) it is going to be good, and 2) in the off chance it isn't good, they absolutely are going to come for him.

"Bianca…" Cheren begins. "Honestly, where do I begin...We've been friends for as long as I can remember. And for as long as I can remember, you've always had the tendency to get on my nerves."

"Boo!" Andrea jeers, hands cupped around her mouth.

"Alright, I'm stopping."

"No!" Andrea shouts, trying to suppress laughter that threatens to spill forward. "Please, I'm sorry!"

"You had your chance."

"But Cheren!" Bianca sighs. "I want to hear the rest of it…"

Cheren immediately regrets glancing over at Bianca. Despite her crestfallen expression, her green eyes glimmer with hope. He finds himself at a loss for words; the gears in his head halt at the observation of her rosy cheeks and...is that lipstick?

Hilbert clears his throat. Cheren whips his head around and glares at the boy. "Anyways. Bianca. Even though we sometimes don't get along, I...I really care about you. I want you to know that."

"Of course I do, Cheren!" Bianca grins. "We're, like, best friends!"

"No, but really," Cheren stutters, feeling his cool facade melting away in the sweltering heat. "You mean the world to me, and I...I, um...I hope we never grow apart."

Andrea's jaw drops at Cheren's lapse of character. In the near distance, Hilbert mirrors her expression. Even Quiana seems surprised, or uncomfortable, like she is an intruder of a private moment. Bianca's blinks come to a halt as her mouth slackens.

"Anyways, here." Cheren reaches his arm across the cake, handing Bianca a tiny box. She takes it and, with trembling fingers, opens it.

She gasps. "Cheren, how—"

"I have a lot of money saved. It's—It's really not a, uh, big deal or anything."

Quiana peers at the item, gasps, and snaps her gaze over to Cheren. She remembers seeing the item at Elesa's boutique when she went to buy her present for Bianca.

"What is it?" Hilbert and Andrea press.

Bianca draws out the object from the tiny box. An emerald pendant pressed into the shape of a heart dangles from a gold chain.

"Woah!" Hilbert's eyes bulge at the sight of the luminous stone.

Bianca cannot take her eyes off of the necklace. "I love emerald…Cheren, I—I don't know what to say except—"

"It's nothing. Really."

"Can you help me put it on?"

Cheren bristles, but obliges. He shuffles over to the girl and takes the necklace from her. His hands tremble, causing him to struggle with the necklace clasp. He curses under his breath as he once again misses the hoop. Finally, he fastens it; his hands hover near her neck as if he expects the necklace to fall apart. Bianca slowly turns around to face him. The emerald heart hovers right above her ivory collarbones. Cheren cannot tear his eyes away as he watches her chest rise and fall with every breath she takes.

"So? How does it look?"

Cheren inhales, willing his eyes to meet Bianca's curious gaze. After a mere second, he averts his gaze. "Great. Great."

Her arms are around him in an instant. "Thanks Cheren. I'll wear it for forever."

Bianca smells like citrus, a fresh presence that revitalizes, like the fresh lemonade she would make from Nuvema's lemon trees on humid summer days. Or even the orange zest her mom would sprinkle on ice cream when they were kids. Citrus: a simple scent from simpler times, times that were light and airy. With the passage of time the taste sours, shocking the tongue with sharp pins of sensation that tighten the jaw and water the eyes. But Cheren still finds himself reaching for more, longing to grasp at the sweet that hides underneath the veneer of an acerbic sting.

"So, uh, are we gonna eat this cake, or like...cause it's gonna melt…"

Hilbert's inquiry is met with silence.

"Ahem. Hello? I'm talking to you guys."

Cheren releases his hold on Bianca and glares at Hilbert as he mockingly clears his throat.

"The cake?"

"Ah! The cake!" Bianca exclaims. "Whew. Ok, we're gonna have to eat all of this before we go mini-golfing...somehow."

Hilbert grins, puffing out his chest. "My time has come."

Despite Bianca's assertion otherwise, she's actually fantastic at mini golf. Cheren and Quiana struggle with it, but they aren't terribly bothered by their lack of skill. Hilbert and Andrea, on the other hand, get frustrated quite easily, and take it very personally when they're the last ones to make the hole.

"You know what," Hilbert drags his club across the floor, scooting the ball into the hole. "There. Let's go."

Andrea snickers while the others try their best not to tease him. At the next hole, Andrea hits the ball far too hard and almost hits someone in the head. Because this is the third time Andrea's almost hurt someone, the group of friends decide to cut the game short.

"So who won?" Quiana asks.

"I think Bi—"

"Oh I dunno, I lost count," Hilbert interjects, feigning a nonchalant air.

"Well, what counts is that we had fun!" Andrea's tight-lipped smile twitches as she gives her friends a thumbs-up.

Cheren rolls his eyes. "Can you two not be sore losers for once?"

"Says the guy who has a breakdown every time I beat him in a pokémon battle!"

"Guys!" Bianca whines. "No fighting on my birthday!"

Cheren and Andrea resort to sending each other fatal glares because what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets.

And what the birthday girl wants is to go to see a movie and have a nice, agreeable time there.

The vintage movie theater isn't too far from Central Park and the mini-golf course. The large building pops out amongst the monochromatic buildings of Castelia: complete with a massive marquee and fluorescent lights, it stuns visitors and locals alike. Located in the older part of the city, surrounded by niche shops and restaurants, the theater draws not only tourists, but also eccentric and offbeat figures that long for a taste of the past.

"The musical theater in Nimbasa kind of looks like this," Quiana notes. "I've never been, but I used to look at lots of pictures when I was younger."

"After we've explored Castelia to our heart's content, we'll be there in no time at all!" Bianca exclaims.

Quiana bounces. "I'm so excited! I love Castelia, but I've wanted to audition at Nimbasa's musical theater ever since I was small!"

Bianca grins. Soon, the teens are situated in reclining leather seats with plenty of snacks and drinks to satiate their idle hands.

The theater darkens. The curtains roll back. Orchestral instruments swell as the screen lights up in technicolor glory, the title of the film plastered in front of a painted lake. Then the credits roll in front of the scenic backdrop.

"Wait," Andrea leans into Bianca's ear. "Why are the credits happening now?"

"All old movies have the credits at the beginning!"

"Oh. That's weird."

"Wait a second...Brycen Brooks...That name sounds familiar…"

"Oh!" Hilbert exclaims, leaning over Andrea to answer Cheren, who sits on the other side of Bianca. "Isn't that Gym Leader Brycen's grandpa?"

"That's it."

"Ok, now shhh!" Bianca urges as the credits fade.

The white highlights of Brooks' features glow against the black shadows of the room he occupies. Submerged in memories, he laments the days with his past sweetheart; no matter what life tried to throw at them, they always found their way back to each other.

The audience is transported to when they first met. The scene begins in black and white, but when the two meet, color slowly fades into the scene. Naturally, such special effects are poorly executed, but it's a valiant attempt nonetheless, especially for an older movie.

The movie is about halfway through when Andrea feels movement by her side. She glances over, glances back to the screen, glances over again, and does a double-take. Bianca rests her head on Cheren's shoulder; his arm is wrapped around her shoulders, giving Bianca more space to lean on him. As subtly as humanly possible for Andrea, she taps Hilbert's shoulder and motions over to the two. Having inadvertently caught Quiana's attention, Quiana and Hilbert look over at Bianca and Cheren. Hilbert and Andrea quietly high-five while Quiana smiles, shaking her head. It seems too cliché to be real, she thinks.

Truth be told, Cheren didn't really mean to get into this situation. He simply wanted to be more comfortable, so he moved his arm…around Bianca.

Now that he thinks about it, it doesn't sound very believable. Funny how an initially selfish action ended up benefiting Bianca's comfort as well, and now...well, here we are.

As the movie continues, poor Quiana slips into the danger of becoming a fifth wheel, because now Hilbert is wondering if he should make some sort of move on Andrea; after all, if Cheren can do it…

Hilbert chances a glance at the girl sitting next to him. Utterly immersed in the film, Andrea stares at the screen with wide eyes. The washed out light from the screen reflects on the surface of her face; she glows in the dark theater, transforming her into a misunderstood being from another world.

Andrea is slipping away from him. Despite their closeness and fair share of fond moments together, he feels their connection cooling off, the potential of something more fading away like a morning mist. What changed? Has so much happened since that fateful day they left Nuvema? Hilbert wants to capture that mist, return to the way things were. But for now, he will let it slip through his fingers; there will be a better time, he thinks, maybe when we're alone again.

The music swells. Hilbert snaps out of his thoughts, gaze focusing back onto the large screen. Once again, the star-crossed lovers have found each other.

The actress' eyes shine with tears. Her co-star gives her a bright, charming grin that seems to say "I've finally found you." They say nothing, for everything has already been said. The man takes her into his arms and kisses her. They hold onto each other for dear life, afraid that if they break away they will be separated again. The camera pans out, watching the couple from above before fading to black. Cursive letters sprawl across the screen, announcing the end of the film.

The curtains close and the lights fade in. Bianca sits up straight and stretches, causing Cheren to retract his arm from her as if he had been burnt.

"That was so cheesy, I fucking loved it," Andrea says.

"Me too!" Bianca holds her hands to her cheeks. "I was worried they weren't going to end up together."

"Really?" Quiana asks.

"Yeah! The couples never end up together in any of the old movies I've seen."

"That's sad."

"I know!" Bianca cries.

"So, what now?" Hilbert, already standing up, asks.

Bianca hums in thought and, after a few moments, brightens. "The art museum."

Everyone was a little surprised Bianca wanted to visit the art museum. But if there's anything Andrea's learned from her friendship with Bianca, it's to expect the unexpected.

Bianca marvels at every work of art they come across, but she especially loves paintings featuring soft, translucent flowers, women in dresses that flow with the wind, and pokémon painted with vibrant oils.

Andrea and Hilbert, after spotting a sign for an exhibit dedicated to Unova's legends, dash away from their friends. They are scolded by security long enough for Quiana, Cheren, and Bianca to catch up to them. A flash of green catches Bianca's attention, causing her to stop in her tracks. She turns, coming face-to-face with a large painting featuring a boy and a girl on a swing. The girl has her arms wrapped around the boy's neck, her coy gaze meeting his fond one. The hem of her transparent dress swirls, almost capturing the boy's ankle, as the two bask among the beauty of a lush forest.

The others walk into the next exhibit. Cheren is about to join them when he notices Bianca looking at a painting. He walks back to join her.

Bianca senses his presence. "I think this is my favorite so far," she says, without taking her eyes away from the painting.

Cheren leans in to peer at the information card. Le Printemps. Springtime. A romantic painting from Kalos.

Cheren shakes his head. "You...are completely hopeless."

She turns to him, ready to protest, but he is smiling. She's unsure what to make of his smile, softened by an emotion she can't place. It reminds her of her childhood, and the days spent at the playground near Nuvema. She would board the swings and beg Cheren to push her as high as he could; she wanted to fly. One time she tried to jump off mid-air, only to end up hurting herself. Cheren was right there to comfort her and take her home. After that he was more cautious, never quite pushing her as high as she wanted to go. Cheren's always been a serious boy, but there was once a lightness evident in his concern, an urge to be playful hidden underneath a quiet exterior. Now this child-like happiness is almost completely hidden, only unveiled in minuscule flashes of vibrancy like right now, as he smiles at her with a gentle warmth.

"I guess I am, huh?"

He looks at her. Bianca stares into the painting, lips quavering. His heart stops. "I—I was only kidding, you know."

Bianca whirls around to face him. She waves her hands in a reassuring gesture. "No, I know, it's just…"

"Something else?"

She nods. "But it's stupid."

"I'm sure it isn't, but if you don't want to talk about it—"

"It's just…" She exhales through her nose. How is she supposed to phrase the image of a wilting flower sprouting up in the height of spring? "Um, it's silly cause I'm like, only fifteen, but sometimes I miss being a kid…Everyone says changes are good, but sometimes they really suck, you know? Like, what if things aren't as good as the way they were?"

"I...understand."

"Really?"

He nods, turning back to the painting. "Of course. In the past, we didn't have as much to worry about. Now we have to take care of ourselves and carve out our own paths. That's all we can do, really."

Bianca giggles, a bitter taste lingering on her tongue. "That sucks."

"There's a freedom to it, though," he turns to her. "Being able to decide what you want to do...It...it's hard, but if you're strong enough to handle it then there's nothing that can stop you."

"Or if your dreams are strong?"

He falters. "I...never thought about it like that."

"Yeah. It's like Drea said...As long as I want something, it shouldn't matter if I'm super strong."

Cheren's heart pounds at the urge to hold her. "But you're stronger than you think."

Bianca smiles, eyes downcast and wan.

"Hey," he rests his hand on her arm. "I mean it."

She jumps at his touch and stares at him with bulging eyes. She gazes back towards the ground, and when she looks up at him again, a wide smile is gracing her face. But Cheren can see through the cracks of such a veneer, and he knows his words didn't reach her.

"Thanks Cheren! Let's go catch up with the others."

He nods, his hand sliding down her arm in defeat. They glide through the Unova legends exhibit upon not immediately spotting their friends. After wandering through the whole exhibit, they find their friends in the next exhibit crowded around two men. One of them is a familiar face.

Bianca and Cheren approach. "Hey guys!"

Andrea, Hilbert, and Quiana turn around. "Hey! About time you guys caught up," Hilbert smirks, sending a knowing look Cheren's way.

"We ran into Burgh and his boyfriend, a writer for The Castelia Times!" Andrea explains. Bianca walks over to her and the two exchange warm smiles. Bianca leans on Andrea's shoulder. Cheren's gaze hardens as a strange force constricts his heart. Mouth stretched into a tight line, he looks away, instead opting to focus on the painting behind Burgh.

"Is that…"

Burgh moves out of the way, revealing a painting titled Pinwheel Forest, painted by none other than Burgh himself.

Hilbert's mouth drops. "Woah,"

"Holy shit," Andrea mutters as she, Bianca, and Quiana gaze at the painting.

Cheren peers at Burgh.

"I know what you're thinking…" Burgh begins. "But it was Mateo's idea to come and visit...again."

The man next to him laughs, rubbing at his bearded chin and looking up at the ceiling. "If I remember correctly, you didn't do much to protest!"

Burgh flushes. "Aha, what can I say except that I appreciate art?"

"Wait a sec, is this new?"

Burgh nods. "Inspiration shone down upon me like the sun's rays after we hunted down Team Plasma! I couldn't have painted the shadowy nooks and gleaming sunlight had it not been for the courage you displayed during your near showdown with one of the big bosses!"

Andrea gapes. "Really?"

"Yup."

"That's awesome!"

Mateo stifles a chuckle as Burgh preens at the praise. "Thank you, but like I said I couldn't have done it without you."

"Burgh told me all about the adventure that inspired his painting; I'd love to cover a story like that," Mateo nods, shoving his hands into his pockets and pulling out his business cards. He passes them around. "If you have any interesting stories about Team Plasma, you should contact me."

Cheren glances at the card. Sure enough, The Castelia Times' symbol, a drawing of Skyarrow bridge, rests in the top left corner.

"Oh! Well actually—"

"Thanks! We'll let you know if anything cool happens," Andrea interjects. Next to her, Quiana's shoulders slacken as she breathes a sigh of relief.

"O-oh, right!" Bianca giggles sheepishly.

"Well, if you kiddos don't mind, we'll be on our way," Burgh says. "I believe we have a reservation we have to get to."

"Wait!" Andrea exclaims. "I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Well, like, let's just say someone caught, like...a really powerful pokémon...like, a legendary one. Would they be able to use it in gym battles?"

Burgh hums in thought. "Funnily enough, I don't think there are any rules forbidding the use of such pokémon...probably because it's unlikely that would ever happen!"

Andrea grins. "Awesome."

"Alright, well, it was nice running into you guys. Hopefully I'll see you all at the gym soon!"

"You can count on it!"

Not too long after Burgh and Mateo leave, the teens decide to follow suit. As they leave the exhibit, Cheren turns around, trying to catch one last glimpse of Le Printemps. But it is too many exhibits away. He is stuck with the memory he has of the painting and the memory of Bianca's wonder upon seeing it.

Despite the setting sun, it is hot outside. Spring is fading into summer, cool breezes stilling and warming, as if settling into place after a long journey. Whatever changes the spring birthed linger along with the breeze, for better or for worse.

It is dark by the time Bianca has finished shopping, which includes her urging her friends to try on and buy new outfits. The teens exit the mall a few dollars shorter than they were before, but with a newfound contentment that comes with the decline of an enjoyable day.

As they approach the pokémon center inn, Andrea spots a donation table for abused and neglected pokémon. Out of the corner of her eye Quiana stiffens, shrinking behind Bianca. Andrea squints at the table, finally noticing the infamous insignia of Team Plasma plastered onto the banner.

Hilbert holds the door to the inn open for the girls. Wondering why they linger, he looks over their shoulders and catches sight of the table.

"Is that how they get all that money?" He asks.

Quiana ducks her head. "I hope not."

Andrea turns away from the table, glowering. She storms into the inn.

Bianca sighs and turns to Hilbert. He shrugs and follows Bianca and Quiana into the inn. Everyone regroups in the elevator. The trip to their floor is dragged out by stifling silence. Cheren, having missed the whole ordeal, is taken aback by this, but ultimately says nothing.

After Quiana joined them, the teens rearranged the room situation; the girls stay in one room, and the boys in another. Nonchalantly, they bid each other goodnight. Bianca hugs the boys, lingering in Cheren's arms notably longer. Her heart leaps in her throat at the feeling of his lips skimming the crown of her head. They are both red when they pull away from each other and do nothing to acknowledge each other nor the teasing gazes their friends send their way.

Back in the girls' room, Bianca pulls out her journal, glitter pens, and instant pictures from her bag. She flips open her journal to the next blank page and begins to decorate. So immersed is she in drawing that she almost doesn't notice the tension hovering in the room.

"How much do you know about Team Plasma?"

Bianca's pen stills. She glances up from her journal to see Andrea sitting up in her bed. Quiana, who is across the room, stiffens, and slowly turns to Andrea.

"I—I—Not much, I think."

"But you would tell us what you know if something came up, right?"

Quiana glances away. "Maybe."

"Why wouldn't you?" Andrea presses.

"Drea," Bianca whispers, eyes wide and scolding.

"It's fine," Quiana says. She fidgets. "I...gave an oath to secrecy."

"So? You're not a part of Team Plasma anymore...right?"

"N-no, I'm not, but…" Quiana's eyes dart around the room. She dashes to the window and closes the curtains. "It's just...it always felt like...like I was being watched, and…" she gulps. "I still feel like I'm being watched, and...and Arceus forbid something terrible happens because I said something I shouldn't have."

"That's terrible!" Bianca gasps.

"Shit, I'm...sorry," Andrea concedes, hands clenching into fists.

"It's fine. You have every reason not to trust me."

"Maybe we just all need to get to know each other better," Bianca offers. "After all, we've only known you for a few days."

"How long have you guys known each other?" Quiana.

"Since I moved here from Hoenn when I was ten," Andrea answers. "I've known Cheren for longer because my mom and his parents were friends, and they'd come to visit us sometimes. When my mom wanted to move, she decided to move to Nuvema so I'd have a friend."

"Wow, Hoenn?" Quiana exclaims. "I heard it's beautiful."

"It is," Andrea answers, a tinge of sadness taunting the pit of her stomach. Hoenn always reminded her of her dad, of a family that was complete. "But for some reason, Unova has always felt like home." And that's the truth; despite the happy memories of Hoenn, she's always felt a pull to Unova, the place where she was born, like something was calling her.

Quiana hums in thought. "That's funny. Maybe Unova has something special in store for you."

Andrea smiles softly. "Yeah. Maybe."

"Where are you from, Quiana?" Bianca asks.

"Virbank," she says. "I didn't even leave that part of the region until about a year ago when my grandma sort of forced me to go on a journey!"

"Oh wow."

"I mean, it's not like I didn't want to go, but as the only family member she has I felt like it was my job to stay with her, you know?"

"Totally."

The concept of having a grandparent is so foreign to Andrea that she's almost shocked whenever someone mentions having one. She can only hope that her maternal grandparents are still alive, and that one day she'll visit them in Floccesy and maybe get an idea of what the hell happened after she was born. Her dad never even mentioned his parents, so it's unlikely she'll ever find them. She bites her lip, stopping herself from asking either of her friends what it's like to have grandparents.

Luckily Bianca changes the subject. "I've never even been to another town without my parents until I started this journey! It's a little scary to be on my own, but I feel free. And I have my friends right by my side!"

Andrea grins. "Yeah! Except Cheren seems to think he's the only one that can take care of you."

"Oh, you know Cheren," Bianca waves a lackadaisical hand through the air.

"Speaking of which…"

Bianca's face reddens as Andrea mockingly recounts the events of the day. This segues into a conversation about childhood crushes; funnily enough, both Quiana and Andrea had a crush on the Princess of Eindowak.

"Hell, I still have a crush on her! She's gorgeous," Quiana gushes.

Andrea chuckles and rubs her neck. She might still have a tiny crush on the Princess, but she wasn't about to tell anyone that.

"Drea, are you still training with Hilbert tomorrow?"

"Yup," Andrea answers nonchalantly, not meeting Bianca's gaze. "Which means I have to get up early. So goodnight!"

"You're not getting away with it that easily!" Bianca jeers.

Andrea indulges the girls for a few more minutes. But truth be told, talking about Hilbert doesn't fluster her the way it used to. Naturally, Bianca notices this and reassures Andrea that it only means they're growing closer, and thus more comfortable, around each other.

"That makes sense, but…"

"But?"

Andrea sighs. "Nevermind. I need to sleep." She flips onto her other side, facing away from her friends, and brings the blankets over her head.

Bianca's words make sense, she thinks, but they don't feel right. If anything, she feels like she's growing further away from Hilbert, despite spending more time with him lately. She finds it funny she didn't think of him at all during the movie they saw earlier, except for when Bianca and Cheren were cuddling—and even then the idea of cuddling with Hilbert didn't appeal to her.

She screams into her pillow. Bianca and Quiana jump, but do nothing to provoke Andrea, especially since she's made it clear she doesn't want to talk.

Eventually, after Bianca and Quiana are ready for bed, Bianca turns off the lights. She crawls under the covers and is almost immediately lulled into sleep by memories of the wonderful day she had. But thoughts of Andrea keep her up for a little longer, as she can't help but wonder what's going on with her friend; usually conversations about Hilbert get her riled up, but not angry.

A lot has changed in these past couple months, she thinks, before drifting into a smooth sleep filled with dreams of color and warmth.