Volkner was still sulking the following week when Flint came by to visit his gym. Flint knew before Volkner even spoke that he was sulking, because the gym had been renovated for the umpteenth time. He smiled fondly.

When Flint made his way through all the levers and switches, though, Volkner was smiling. "Hey!" Volkner greeted. "How're you going, dude?"

"Good, man." Flint slapped him on the back in greeting, but looked bemused. "You seem chipper," he said.

"Sure am! Hey, you coming to Whitney's party tomorrow night?"

"I sure am. Didn't know you would be, though." Flint was looking at him strangely. "You don't even know Whitney."

"No, but I know you. And I know Jasmine. And you were both invited. Ergo I'm coming."

"Well that's great! I mean I've been trying to get you to come for weeks, so… great, I guess!" Flint was thoroughly confused.

"Terrific! We can all travel there together as a group, I've spoken to some of the other people going and we're gonna all get a ferry then maybe the Magnet train once we get to Johto. Candice, Maylene and Roark are all in, think Gardenia might be too, and Fantina said she'd let me know. Oh yeah, and out of the Elites Aaron and Cynthia are both in, not sure about Lucian. And you of course."

Flint was looking at him like he'd grown a second head. Maybe he had, and that head had taken over. Nothing else would explain why Volkner was saying what he was. "Who are you, and what have you done with Volkner?"

Volkner crossed his arms defensively. "Nothing. Just being social."

"Exactly."

"Hey!" When Flint's skeptical expression didn't fade, Volkner finally relented. "I saw how much you love talking to people, and everyone loves you, so… you know, I figured maybe I should be making more of an effort. That's all."

"Oh." Flint blinked. "Who knew beneath your brooding and mysterious exterior you're really a social Butterfree?"

"Shut it, you."

The night of Whitney's party arrived and Flint's consternation only grew more. He thought it was nice that Volkner had organised for them all to go as a group, but beyond that he hadn't really expected much to change. Making an effort and coming out of your shell was one thing, but this… well, this was something else. He glanced over at Volkner with a frown.

He'd bounded over to Candice and Maylene immediately and given them both big hugs, complimenting Candice on her beautiful dress. That was fine, thought Flint. Volkner knew and liked them both, and indeed the four of them often hung out together. Likewise with Roark, Volkner had always been on friendly terms with him. Gardenia he knew less well but she was relaxed and pleasant and they were fellow gym leaders, so that wasn't too weird either.

But here he was gushing over Fantina's contest talents and insisting she teach him French phrases, then when he got the pronunciation wrong the group all laughed uproariously together. Flint joined in the laughter, feeling a little awkward. They were all gym leaders, he supposed. Maybe they knew jokes he didn't. But no… Flint frowned. That didn't explain why he'd beamed at Aaron and Cynthia, hugged them both, then tickled Vespiquien's belly good-naturedly.

"How's the League going?" he asked Cynthia, turning around in his seat on the train to smile at her.

Flint's frown deepened. Volkner knew how the League was going. He'd spent all day with Flint who had told him how it was going. Ranted extensively about how it was going, in fact. What was Volkner playing at?

The train finally arrived in Goldenrod and the group made their way to the Radio Tower, which Whitney had booked out and decorated specially for her birthday. Flint nudged Volkner. "Look, it's DJ Mary!"

"So it is!"

"We should go say hi!" Flint was rocking back and forth on his heels in excitement.

"We should!" Volkner agreed, marching over there.

"C'mon, it'll… wait, what?" Completely thrown by Volkner's agreement, Flint had no choice but to tail behind Volkner, arriving when Volkner had already introduced himself. "And this fine gent here is Flint, a member of Sinnoh's own Elite!"

"Elite Four that is," Flint beamed, reaching out to shake Mary's hand, then the hand of Mary's husband, whose name he didn't catch. Silently, he cursed Volkner. Usually he was excellent with names and always sure to pay attention to whom he was talking, but Volkner had really thrown him off his game.

"How does it feel seeing the Radio Tower looking like this?" Flint asked them, looking around. Mary laughed. "A little weird," she confessed. "On the whole though, I like the decorations. Maybe I'll have to ask Whitney if she'll leave them. It will definitely make coming into work more exciting."

They all laughed. "Maybe we should ask Whitney right now," said Volkner. "Certainly we should wish her happy birthday at least." He started to make his way across the room towards her. "I'll be back," he called over his shoulder. "Can't wait to hear more about life as a DJ!"

With that he was gone, leaving Flint blinking after him. He wasn't really going up to Whitney, was he? What on earth would he say to her?

Apparently he was. Flint watched, bewildered, as he hugged Whitney enthusiastically, wished her a happy birthday, and complimented her on a wonderful party.

Whitney beamed back at him. "Thank you so much Volkner! I'm so excited you made it!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" He turned to the people Whitney had been talking to previously. "Morty! Falkner! Good to see you! How are you going?" He shook their hands and patted them on the back in equal measure. "Many good challengers lately?"

"What is he doing?" Startled, Flint looked away from Volkner to see Jasmine standing next to him. Her eyes were focused on the same thing his had been a second ago. "Since when was Volkner buddy buddy with Morty and Falkner? I've been trying to get them to hang out for years!"

Flint could only shake his head. "You should have seen him with DJ Mary. He's out of control."

"Jazzie!" It was Whitney. "Tell me about your friend! Do you think he's interested in me?"

"Flint?" Jasmine looked startled. "I mean, he's right here, you could -"

"What?" Whitney looked at Flint, wrinkling her nose. "No silly, not Flint. Your other friend." Ignoring Flint's protests and Jasmine's blank expression, Whitney continued. "Volkner of course! He came up to me and hugged me and said happy birthday and that I looked nice and all these other things! And he was soooo sweet, I had no idea he was interested! I mean he's always seemed so brooding and silent, which is cute and I'm into, don't get me wrong…" Maybe it was Flint's imagination but he could have sworn she peeked a glance at Morty when she said that. "… But I never thought he'd be interested! But now he's being so nice to me suddenly and all interested in talking to me." She giggled. "I mean, what other explanation could there be?"

Jasmine sighed. "We're not sure, but he sure is weirdly social today."

"Do you think I should ask him on a date?"

"No!" The words were out of Flint's mouth before he could stop them.

"Why not?" Whitney looked offended.

Why not indeed? Flint had spoken out of instinct, felt a lurch in his gut at the prospect of Whitney and Volkner on a date. But what was the big problem exactly? "He's not interested."

"And how would you know?" Whitney crossed her arms. He was talking to me earlier."

"He was talking to everyone earlier," Flint grumbled. And boy did it make him cranky. He wondered why. Although he loved his friend the way he was, he'd often privately thought that it would be good for Volkner to be a bit more social once in a while. And now that he was, it was doing nothing but irritating Flint. What was going on?

"He really was, Whitney," Jasmine said, apologetically. "Not that you're not super cute and he wouldn't love to go on a date with you, but he's being more social with everyone. We think maybe he's turning over a new leaf."

"Well his new leaf is stupid," said Whitney, stamping her foot. In that moment, she mirrored Flint's sentiments exactly. Volkner's new leaf was stupid.

He wanted the old Volkner back. The brooding, cranky, sulky, quiet Volkner who wouldn't leave Flint's side at parties, for all that he pretended he wasn't following him. The Volkner who didn't smile often, and when he did most often it was for Flint, and it made Flint's heart pound every time. The Volkner who prized his alone time, and when he made time to see you it meant you were important to him. The Volkner who chose his words carefully and didn't engage in idle small talk.

The Volkner who was gone and replaced by some overly confident, annoying loudmouth full of bad jokes. Flint narrowed his eyes. That position was already taken. By him.

"Get your own thing, Volk," he muttered.

Frustrated, he marched over to the drinks table, hoping another drink might ease the tension in him. He didn't know why he was feeling so cranky. Usually he loved parties and welcomed the chance to talk to everyone. Tonight it seemed loud and overwhelming and he didn't care what anyone had to say.

Volkner bounded over to him, beaming. "This champagne is excellent, isn't it?"

Flint didn't want to hear it.

"Finally have time to talk to me, then?" he sulked.

"What?" Volkner looked confused, and justifiably so. Flint knew he was being ridiculous, but now that he'd started, he wasn't about to stop.

"I'm just saying… you're talking to all these people you don't even like."

"Who says I don't like them?" Volkner looked offended.

"You do!" Flint was outraged. "You say that Whitney is too giggly and ditzy, that Morty is weird, Fantina's a snob… do you want me to go on?"

"Well I only said that because I didn't know them." Volkner folded his arms. "Now I'm making the effort. I thought you'd be happy."

"You thought I'd… how could you think I'd be happy? You're ignoring me for all these people you don't even care about!"

"How do you think I feel all the time?" Whether it was the alcohol or Flint had touched a nerve, Volkner's voice had risen slightly and it was all Flint could do to stare at him.

"What?"

Volkner looked away. The silence stretched between them, tense and awkward, until Flint finally broke it. "I didn't know you felt that way." His voice was low, by contrast, and it drew a sigh from Volkner. His anger had ebbed as quickly as it had come.

"You're the most social guy I know, Flint. You talk to everyone, it's crazy. I'm just trying to be more like you."

"Why?"

Volkner pursed his lips, ran a hand through his hair, and said nothing.

"Volkner?" Flint pressed the point, voice quiet.

"Everyone loves you, Flint. Why wouldn't I want that?" Volkner still wasn't looking at him, and Flint had the feeling Volkner wasn't telling him the whole truth.

He frowned. "You've never cared before what other people think."

"… I care what you think."

It was so soft Flint almost missed it. By the time his brain had pieced together Volkner's words Volkner was gone and Flint was left blinking after him, bewildered and oddly unsettled. Well then, he thought.

Time to get drunk.