Colorflyers danced in the morning sunlight as I waited outside the nest. Part of me wanted to chase them just for fun, but another part didn't want to disrupt their frolicking. Before I could make up my mind, the male yellow emerged and said, "Ready?"

"Yup," I replied. "Let's fly."

I took him by the stem and flew towards the Spice Grove. A myriad of colors passed beneath us as we crossed flower after flower, ranging from radiant daisies to lush sorrels. And of course there were plenty of Pellet Flowers in the mix, too. "Looks like the season's in full swing," said the yellow.

"No kidding. It's quite the spectacle," I replied, observing the multitude of Colorflyers and Nectar Spirits. I even spotted a few Garden Keepers, likely drawn to the bloom. Or perhaps they were the ones responsible for it? "So what did you tell the blue?"

"Remember the Dark Demon from two seasons ago?"

"You mean the one that almost ate me and sent the forest into chaos? Yeah, vaguely."

"We never got around to figuring out its patrol route, so I told the blue we were taking care of that. He didn't question it."

"What about the white?"

"She actually offered to take my place, because of her fancy eyes and whatnot. I told her it was my turn to be flown around, and she just rolled her eyes and said okay."

"Smooth," I chuckled.

There was a brief pause before the yellow said, "Hey, Pink?"

"Yeah?"

"Why're you being so secretive about this anyway? Why not just announce that you're leaving and that you want a one-on-one with both of them?"

"I don't know, I just… I just don't want to make a big thing out of it," I muttered.

"It kinda is a big thing, Pink."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but I don't want to draw more attention to it than necessary. Despite all the complaining I've done, leaving this group is gonna be hard, so why make it worse by sombering the mood?

"Ah, I get it. You don't want to spoil their bliss."

"Yeah, exactly," I said, though in reality this was only half-true. I obviously wasn't worried about the blue's "bliss" because it was his idea to begin with; I was just waiting on him because I didn't trust him to keep a secret. I half-expected the yellow to realize this, but instead he said something unexpected:

"Y'know, he's gonna be bummed when he finds out."

I blinked. "…The blue?"

"No, I'm talking about my imaginary friend… Yes, the blue!"

"Why would he be bummed? It was-"

"His idea. I know. But you know he's taken a shine to you. Otherwise, why would he have suggested it?"

"Because he wants to get rid of me, perhaps?"

"If that was the plan, then why hasn't he questioned you about it? He's unaware that you've taken his advice, so as far as he knows, you've chosen to stay. And yet he hasn't so much as commented on the matter. Is that what you'd expect from someone who wants you gone?"

My eyes widened slightly. "Er… Hmm…"

"He admires you more than you realize, Pink," the yellow said reassuringly. "Believe me, he does."

"Um… Okay…" I mumbled, not wanting to explore the topic further. The yellow must've sensed this, because he didn't speak again until the Berry Plants started to appear. "We're here!"

I gradually descended as we arrived at the Spice Grove, and as always, a crowd of trapmin came running to meet us. However, it wasn't until I had almost landed that I noticed something different. Normally their limbs, stems and traps were a bright green, but now they were a deep red. This combined with their natural orange gave them an eye-catching—if not somewhat jarring—appearance. "Yellow? Why do they look that way?"

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this before," he said, sounding just as baffled as I was. "Look, there's Foxtail. She'll explain this."

Huh. So I'm not the only one who gave him a gender, I thought. I placed the yellow on the ground in front of Foxtail, and the other trapmin immediately formed a circle around us. "Pink! Yellow! You've returned!" "Do you need our help again?" "Where are the others? Are they still alive?" "You should've come sooner! You just missed our breeding season!"

"Breeding season?" I asked aloud.

The trapmin suddenly fell silent, as if they realized my gap of understanding. It was then that Foxtail finally began to speak. "Pink, Yellow. It's good to see you two again. I don't know what brings you here, but surely you're wondering about our appearance?"

"Indeed we are," said the yellow. "We're not here for anything urgent, so go ahead and fill us in. Also, the others are doing fine."

"Nice to hear," said Foxtail. "Anyway, these are our breeding colors. Our breeding season just came to a close though, so we'll be back to normal in a day or two."

"Breeding colors? Breeding season?" I asked. "I've never heard of such things."

"Ah, of course. I forgot that it works differently with you. Well, how's about I show you what I'm talking about?"

Foxtail turned and walked off, motioning for us to follow. The yellow and I exchanged a silent glance before doing so, and soon we were led to the center of the Spice Grove. Located there was a patch of earth surrounded by several other trapmin, among them being Rosebud. Upon seeing us, she raised her stem and said, "Pink? Yellow?"

"Hey Rosebud," I said. "What's that you're looking at?"

Rooted in the ground was a cluster of tiny bright-green nubs, numbering around twelve and resembling diminutive leaf buds. Rosebud opened her mouth to speak, but Foxtail beat her to it. "You're looking at the next generation."

"Generation?" the yellow and I asked in unison.

"Here's how it works: Every Season of Flowers, our bodies change color to let us know that it's time to breed. Once this change takes effect, our traps produce a grainy powder called pollen. When pollen is released into the air and makes contact with someone else's trap, it locks shut and creates a few seeds. When the seeds are ready—which usually takes three or four days—the trap opens up again and we collect the seeds for planting." He turned to the nubs. "And here they are! Nice and planted!"

"So that's how you reproduce!" said the yellow.

"Yup. We can't use our normal abilities during this process though, so the breeding season only lasts for a few days each year."

"Each year? So you won't be able to do this again until next year?" I asked.

"That's right. There's already plenty of us though, so not everyone participated this time." He turned to the patch again. "All there's left to do now is wait for the seeds to grow."

"They're so… puny," I muttered, staring at the little dots that would presumably become traps. "How long have they been buried?"

"Since the crack of dawn," said Rosebud.

"Since dawn?!" I exclaimed. "They should've finished growing a long time ago!"

"What do you mean?" asked Foxtail. "Normally it takes around fifteen-to-twenty days. One morning isn't nearly enough time, unless you know of a shortcut…?"

I scratched my head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Sorry. I didn't know it worked that way with you. It's very different with Onion pikmin."

"Well, how long does it take for an Onion seed to grow?"

"A few seconds."

Everyone stared blankly at me when I said this. Even Foxtail, who was usually calm and collected, had his mouth agape. "You're not serious, are you? You're totally pulling our stems, right?" asked Rosebud.

"How is that possible?" asked Foxtail.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "This has always been the norm for me, so…"

The trapmin started to murmur amongst themselves, and I was beginning to regret bringing this up. Thankfully, the yellow came to my rescue. "It probably has something to do with the Onions," he said. "Onions feed their pikmin with raw energy, so it's likely that they 'supercharge' their seeds before expelling them so they'll grow faster.

"Hmm… I suppose that makes sense," said Foxtail.

The murmuring ceased, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that we've educated each other, how's about we get down to business?"

"Certainly. What is it that you want?"

"A private conversation."

"So what do you want to talk about?" Foxtail asked. I had flown him to a low-hanging branch at the edge of the Spice Grove, leaving the yellow to fraternize with the other trapmin. I had a lot on my mind, so I took a moment to sort my thoughts before speaking. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you perceive me and my friends? Not as individuals, but as pikmin?"

Foxtail scratched his cheek, then grinned. "To be frank, I find you flowerfolk intriguing. Not just because of your respective abilities, but also because of your connection to these Onion beings. I've never seen one myself, but everything I've heard about them is quite awe-inspiring. Like how they can contain endless numbers of pikmin, or how they can apparently produce seeds that instantly grow. I've never really understood why you and your friends wanted to leave them, to be honest."

"I didn't, and neither did the red," I said dryly. "We were left behind by mistake, and the others found us later on."

"I see… Well, it was lucky of you to land in the blue's company."

In some ways more than others, I thought. "So you've never understood his reasons, huh? Did he not tell you?"

"Oh, he's told me alright. I understand perfectly well what his goal is, but I don't understand why he chooses to pursue it. Don't get me wrong—it's good to be witty and creative, especially if your survival depends on it. But the blue and his followers knowingly made their lives difficult to force themselves to be better, and that's just… not worthwhile. I can't be too hard on him because he's the reason the Spice Grove even exists, but…" He grunted and shook his head. "Let me put it this way: If I could have a flying beast that fed me and kept me safe at night, I'd be elated. Even if it meant losing a little luster."

"I wholly agree. That's why I'm returning to Onion life soon, though I don't intend on losing my luster."

"You… You are?" he asked, blinking in confusion. "Does that mean you found your lost Onion?"

"No, I found a different one. I'll have to change color to join it."

Foxtail smirked. "You're talking about a warmongers' Onion, aren't you?"

"Astute as ever," I smirked back. "Let me fill you in on a thing or two."

I told him about everything that had happened after the war ended, from the fusion of the Onions to the new generation of harlemin. By the time I had finished, his eyes were wide with fascination. "So you basically raised a whole colony of pikmin?"

"I did have some help, of course. But yeah, basically."

"And when you join them, you're going to continue raising them?"

"Exactly. And they're going to raise me, too. Pikmin are team players, after all."

"See? I knew you'd accomplish great things!" he grinned. "And you probably thought I was talking out of my trap."

"That's… a weird saying. But yeah, I kinda did," I admitted. "It's all coming together though, isn't it?"

"Yes, it most certainly is. Now, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"Do your friends know that you're leaving?"

"The red knows because he's coming with me. As for everyone else, I've been telling them one day at a time. I've already informed the two yellows, and now all that's left is the blue and the white."

"I'm guessing you're saving the blue for last?"

"No, the white's going last."

It was subtle, but I could see a flicker of surprise in Foxtail's eyes. Likely because he had been wrong for once. "Why her?"

I looked away. "Because… Because there's something I'm really not looking forward to telling her. Something that will change her whole world." I closed my eyes, then looked back at Foxtail. "But it's something she has to know."

Foxtail titled his head, a hint of worry on his face. "This 'something'… Will it have consequences for the whole group?"

"Definitely. And I don't want to be around for that."

"That's a bit cowardly of you," he said flatly. "But everyone deserves the truth. Whatever ensues, your friends will get through it."

"I know they will," I muttered, though I hardly believed it. Deep down, I wanted to tell Foxtail what the blue had done, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He had so much reverence for the blue, and I didn't want to be the one to destroy that. But if I couldn't tell him the truth, then how would I tell the white?

I supposed I would find out the hard way.

"Do you want to go back?" Foxtail asked.

A sigh crawled out of me. "Yeah. I do."

I flew Foxtail back to the center of the Grove, where the yellow and the other trapmin were waiting. Upon landing, the yellow asked, "Ready to go?"

"Sure am," I answered, trying to suppress my unsettled feelings. "Thanks for having us, everyone."

"Before you go," said Foxtail, "I have a question for both of you."

"Yes?" we both asked.

"Why don't you have names?"

The yellow and I looked at each other, then back at Foxtail. "No particular reason?" he said with a shrug. "It's just never been the case with us."

"I literally never thought of such a thing before I met you," I said.

"Well, I think that should change," said Foxtail.

"For what reason?" asked the yellow.

"Because it expresses your individuality. Also because I'm sick of calling you by your colors. I mean, what am I supposed to do if you all turn pink?"

My eyes narrowed. "Foxtail, I don't think-"

"I kinda like the sound of that," the yellow interrupted.

"…You do?" I asked.

"Sure, why not? I don't see any harm in it, and it would make communication a little easier, wouldn't it?"

"Well…"

"So you want one then?" asked Rosebud.

"Yes, yes I do," said the yellow. "Any suggestions?"

"You should call yourself Sparkshine," said a trapmin.

"How about Thunderbreeze?" said another.

"I say Starflower!"

"Cloudflare! Go with Cloudflare!"

"Goldnugget?"

"I like the sound of gold," said the yellow, prompting everyone to be quiet. "How about… Goldenrod!"

"That… actually fits," I admitted. I found the name ludicrous, but somehow it was very appropriate.

"I think it works too," said Foxtail.

"So it's settled then! From this day forth, I shall be known as Goldenrod!"

Good grief, wait until the others hear about this, I thought.

"Pink, it's your turn!" said Rosebud.

I flinched. "Whoa now, I never said I wanted a-"

"You should definitely call yourself Spicebloom!" she interrupted.

I raised my brow. "Spicebloom?"

"I agree," said Foxtail. "That's a good name for you."

"I'm not so sure," I mumbled.

"Oh come on, Pink!" said the yellow. "It suits you perfectly! Really captures your inner red!"

He was right, about the "inner red" part, at least. And I supposed it would be kind of nice to have a name all to myself. Still, I wasn't entirely keen on the prospect, so I opted to avoid it for now. "I'll think about it. Now can we please go?"

"Whatever you say, Spicey," the yellow teased.

I squinted my eyes at him. He was this close to walking home.

As I flew us back through the forest, the yellow asked, "So did you get what you came for?"

"Absolutely. I know I wasn't too fond of them at the beginning, but I'm really glad to have met them. So thanks for introducing me."

"You're welcome! They really are a fine bunch, aren't they?"

"They are. But I've gotta ask," I began. "Are you sure you don't want to live with them? I know you said you want to take care of yourself, but you obviously enjoy them a whole lot. Besides, living with them doesn't necessarily mean depending on them. Perhaps you could help them in ways the blue did, or-"

"Pink?" he said suddenly.

"What?"

"It doesn't matter whether or not I'm dependent on them. I just prefer to live with my own group, and you do, too."

I looked down at him. "What do you mean?"

"You've been with us for half a year, and at any given time, you could've joined the trapmin yourself. But you chose not to."

My stem went stiff, and for a split-second, everything felt frozen. I tried to speak, but my mind was a blank.

"Don't tell me that it never occurred to you, because on the same day you met them, your friend asked why we don't just live with them."

And yet he chose to stay with the group anyway, I thought. "I… I don't know what to say for myself, Yellow…"

"It's fine. I understand," he said softly. "Some instincts are difficult to overcome. Even for outliers like us."

I nearly dropped him when he said that. I wanted to say I didn't know what he was talking about, but I knew damn well what he meant. This instinct we both felt—the desire to be with what we considered "our own kind"—was what turned us away. I had always known this on a subconscious level, but it wasn't until just then that I realized how powerful it was. Time and time again I had almost met my demise in this forest, forced to evade and outwit beasts that we could never hope to fight. But I had been aware from the beginning that the trapmin could fight them, and masterfully at that. Hell, I had also recently learned that they could process pellets into food, and thus reduce the toils of foraging. And yet, in spite of all this, I had only ever gone to them as a last resort.

A frigidness filled my body as the realization sunk in. All the hardships I had faced. All the struggles I had endured. All the near-death experiences I had suffered. I had chosen all of it… All for the sake of an instinct…

…A stupid, primitive, accursed instinct…

"Oh, and Pink?" the yellow asked, shattering my thoughts.

"Um, yeah?" I blinked.

"My name is Goldenrod now! Remember that!"

"…Right."

I suddenly became aware of how tense my face was, so I decided to think about something else. Formerly I had found the trapmin's differences to be alienating, but now I found them to be intriguing; just as Foxtail felt towards my differences. They were a divergence from most pikmin, but there was nothing wrong with that. And they were all good 'min who had done nothing to warrant judgment. Besides, during the seed conversation, I had momentarily felt like a "divergence" myself. It was all relative.

Perhaps there were other kinds of pikmin out there. Pikmin that would challenge my preconceived notions as the trapmin had. If there were, I hoped to run into them sometime.

Three pikmin down. Two more to go.

…

…

…

…I had chosen this…