Dawn broke the silhouettes of the University's campus. Long shadows cast by an optimistic morning seemed to mock Platinum and White as they followed the road off the compound on their morning run. Descending around the bend, they made their way to the park at the far end of the street. Their daily routine typically included a quick run which concluded with a short circuit of various exercises that used some of the surrounding playground equipment. Depending on time, the two would stop off at a small bakery just up the road before walking back to get ready for their first classes of the day. And luckily, it looked like today they were making good time.
Arriving at the park at a moderate jog, the two stopped by a geometric marvel of monkey bars to start stretching before continuing the regime. White kicked her leg up onto a bar and folded herself forward as she turned to address her friend who'd done the same.
"It's getting easier. Remember when we used to need a full ten minute breather?"
Platinum smiled as she caught her breath, her hands wrapping under the sneaker of her raised foot as she lengthened her lower back.
"It helps that we switched to ending on the downhill."
The two worked out their specific tight areas while daylight began to brighten. A light breeze crossed the grounds as they made their way to a small standing water fountain that allowed them to refill their water bottles. Platinum took a sip with a satisfying 'Ahhh' as the cool liquid ebbed into her system. White capped hers before initiating what had been weighing on her mind.
"Hey Platina, can I ask you about something?"
Both women made their way to an area of black top to begin their work out, Platinum giving full attention as she noticed White's expression.
"Absolutely, what's on your mind?"
"How do you feel about going abroad?"
Platinum broke out in a grin as she set-up her stance to begin a rep of squats.
"Oh! I think it's a great idea! Going to another region, exploring the local culture, plus it looks great on a resume. It shows you're well rounded."
She accented each point with an exercise as White mimicked her, a frown still planted on her face.
"You're right. All of that is right. But won't it be hard playing catch up with your course work when you come back?"
"It's all in how you structure it. Most of the classes you'll take will be considered electives, so if you plan to do your gen-eds before or after your trip then everything should balance out. Have you talked with your advisor?"
Both let out an exhale as they finished the set and repositioned to execute lunges.
"I haven't." White started her reps and both held the conversation as the intensity of the exercise took all their effort.
White knew she was dancing around what she really wanted to ask. She hoped to soundboard her concerns about leaving Black behind. Not that they were involved, but she felt something was starting and leaving might be a mistake. After the blackout, the two had texted constantly the following two days until the conversation at work. Although it had only been one night of the silent treatment, it was unusual that Black hadn't reached out like he normally would.
She straightened up before crumpling at the middle to reach for her toes, extending her hamstrings. She let a sigh escape her as she felt her muscles daring to cramp.
"Would you mind pushing on my legs?"
She laid on the tarmac, kicking her leg up as Platinum gripped her ankle, gently pushing the straightened ligament back.
White felt her position deeply and knew she had to do more self exploration. If she couldn't discern her own feelings on the matter she didn't want to try seeking advice just yet. Instead she pivoted the conversation to a more exciting aspect of the trip.
"I don't think I even asked, but are you planning on going?"
"I am actually! I'm still debating where I'd want to go. Alamos Town is supposed to be packed with history and have an active nightlife, but Altomare looks beautiful from all of the pictures I've seen. Not to mention the way the community thrives from the active waterways… It's so exciting!"
White extended a hand to be helped off the ground. In spite of herself she couldn't help smiling. It really was an exciting opportunity.
Sapphire followed the rest of her classmates from the gym to the Fine Arts Hall. Her General Physical Education class was being intermingled with the Movement for Acting class for the next week. The idea being to practice restraint and response as you read a partner's movements and work on technique for body growth and control perfect for both actors and those involved with physical education.
Sapphire's group made their way inside and followed corridors lined with posters of past productions until they arrived outside of the school's Black Box theater. Once inside, Sapphire found herself in a room that was self-explanatory. The area was a perfect square with the floor, walls, and ceiling all painted black. An assortment of acting cubes sat stacked along the only wall without raised seating against it. The one anomaly being that the majority of the floor space had been lined with mats in a hodge-podge assortment of colors.
Across from where they'd all entered, was the Movement class. They all sat scattered in the audience on one side of the room. The Phys-ed class was gestured to take the seating adjacent. Sapphire set her bag down under her feet as she took a cushioned reprieve from the trek from the gym. Her eyes wandered across the group of students they'd be sharing the time with when her eyes widened at the sight of familiarity.
White was giving her a small wave which she happily returned, but her big surprise was Ruby who, next to White, also flashed her a smile. She felt herself relax now that she had company in both camps.
Each of the instructors began explaining what the day was going to look like. The easiest transition for both collections of students to enter this hybrid class was by beginning with stage combat. Each student was to partner up with an individual of the same gender and square up to follow the demonstrated choreography. Slow at first until they were comfortable with the movements. The end result was to have a fluid fight scene by the end of the hour.
At the command to pair up, Sapphire and White instinctually came together to find a spot to work in.
"Hey roomie!" Sapphire grinned, her snaggletooth on full display.
"I'm Red! Nice to meet ya!"
Red extended his hand happily as Ruby took it.
"I'm Ruby. It's a pleasure. Where do you think we should practice?"
The two looked about as the pairs began distancing themselves. Red's eye caught White whom he recognized from Green and Blue's study group. He jerked his thumb in her direction.
"Let's head over here!"
And before he got a response he strode across the matted floor.
"White right? I'm Green's friend, Red! Remember?"
His index finger resting on his chest as he introduced himself.
"Red, I remember you." She laughed. "When you and Green dated you walked her to our library study sessions all the time.
Red rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as White covered her mouth realizing the sensitivity of the subject.
"Yeah you're right." Red shook himself out of his head. He'd been on good terms with Green and there wasn't any reason to feel awkward about it.
"Is it alright if we practice near you guys?"
Ruby had caught up to Red and tactfully changed the flow of conversation. His eyes met Sapphire's as she came side to side with White.
"Fer sure! More of us practicin' means we can help each other out!"
"Awesome. I like the way you think!" Red clenched his fists excitedly as the demonstration began.
Each position was mapped step by step as Red and Ruby found themselves circling each other. Ruby as partner 'A' was on the offensive while Red as partner 'B' was in charge of reacting. He focused as he anticipated each motion from Ruby, dodging here, taking an exaggerated gut punch there. He found himself having more fun as they practiced.
A half and hour in the duos were now allowed to move at half speed as they worked their way through the full sequence, Red weaving and absorbing imaginary blows as Ruby gracefully aimed each gesture with intention.
"Hey you should consider acting, your facial reactions are fantastic!" Ruby grinned as they finished their sequence for the fourth time.
"No way, really?" Red panted, wiping his brow. He meant to make any faces, he was just enjoying the practice.
"Really Ruby!? I want to see!"
White had come over with Sapphire in tow. Red and Ruby nodded to each other as they set up for the start of the choreography.
They began the steps. Half speed forgotten as the two played to their audience. Ruby throwing a decent punch that grazed Red's cheek, Red whipping his body violently to the side as he 'sold' the effect of the hit. His hat flew across the mats as Sapphire and White gasped. The final movement was a knee to the gut as Ruby grabbed Red by the shoulders.
Part of the exercise had been that partner 'A' held no power in the grapple. It was all reliant on 'B's ability to direct the follow-through of the motion to sell the illusion. But the duo had abandoned the half speed pace, they were in the thick of the performance, and rather than wait for Red to bow toward his knee and spring off of his own volition, Ruby yanked Red's torso directly against his rising kneecap. The muffled 'whump' of the two bodies colliding exerted a hack from Red as the wind was knocked out of him.
Ruby's body froze in horror as Red held his stomach, doubled over as he held back the urge to vomit. White rushed in and put a hand to his back as Sapphire's eyes were locked on Ruby in surprise.
Green tapped her chin as she stared at the events board. Her eyes darted between the three choices of Alamos, Laruse, and Altomare. She scanned the lists of those who had already registered, looking for anyone familiar to stick out to her, but alas, no one yet. She clicked her pen absentmindedly as she continued running over her personal ambitions for what she wanted out of an experience abroad as a voice sounded behind her.
"It's a tough choice huh."
Green turned to see a girl looking at the board as well, her lanyard embellishing a key card indicating she was part of the R.A. staff. She smiled while scrunching her nose in contemplation.
"It really is. I just can't choose!"
The girl laughed before letting out a long sigh.
"It will be fun regardless. Seeing a new place, making new memories…"
"Are you going to go?"
Green asked earnestly as the girl gave a pained smile.
"No I can't. Contractually I need to stay so I can keep working. But next year I will! No doubt!"
Green empathized with her. She looked crestfallen as she defended herself. But before she could offer any words of apology, the girl had begun digging in her bag.
"I have an idea. If you can't decide where you want to go, how about a game of chance!"
She pulled out a pad of sticky notes and propped them against the board as she wrote the name of each town on a separate note.
"Now what you'll need to do… Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't ask your name!"
"No, that's on me! I'm Green."
"Crystal, but everyone calls me Crys." She gave a grin over her shoulder as she began folding up each sticky note.
"So Green, if you'll follow me, let's head outside really quick."
The two exited the commons and stopped at one of the planters with a gnarled aspen poking up from the brick enclosure. Crystal took all three folded notes and pressed them against the flat surface of the masonry with a finger each.
"Now when I take my fingers off, whichever one survives the longest from a gust of wind, is where you'll go."
She looked apprehensively back at Green seeing a large smile beginning to grow.
"Oh! I LOVE this! It's as if the winds of chance are deciding my fate!"
Crystal grinned back as she made a decision and picked all three folded notes up.
"Then take fate in your own hands! Just press them hard and I'll count you down."
Green giddly took the options from her and copied Crystal's previous attempt, each note weighted by a different finger. A distinct wind picked up behind them as Crystal cleared her throat.
"3… 2… 1! Let 'em go Green!"
Green gingerly rolled her finger tips up and off the papers to avoid any condensation sticking them to her person as a breeze tempted each piece to flutter tauntingly. The far right nose-dived off the planter, the one in the middle was swept up in the wind current, leaving the far left to jitter close to the planter's edge, but remain on the surface.
"That's the one! That's it right?" Green asked as she made a grab for it.
"I think it is. It's the last one left!"
Green turned to face Crystal and slowly, methodically began to unfold the sticky note. It's adhered edges proved more challenging to open from the pressure that had kept it together, but one final pull and the note opened.
"Hey kid, you're alive right?"
Gold crouched down and waved a hand in front of the girl's face. The shade of the tree overhead made the breeze that came through feel ten degrees colder as a chill ran up his spine. Silver hovered behind him shaking his head in disdain.
"Leave her alone. Look, she's breathing. Probably just fell asleep."
"Yeah but look at her, I bet her parents are worried sick. I'm gonna wake her."
Gold put a hand on the girl's shoulder and shook her slightly as Silver took an apprehensive step back.
"Hey kid… Hey wake up… C'mon."
Her eyelids blinked lazily as she groaned, smacking her lips. All at once her eyes shot open, and upon seeing both Gold and Silver crowded over her she shrieked loudly, forcing a hardened palm against Gold's chest sending him sprawling backwards trying to catch himself.
"EEEAAAAHHHHHH! STOP! HELP!"
She hastened to stand up while Gold rubbed the back of his head, Silver looking around wildly as people all across the courtyard were now looking at them.
"Geez! CALM DOWN!" Gold fumed as he looked up at the frightened expression before him. "You looked like you'd passed out or somethin'! We just wanted to make sure you were okay!"
Silver grabbed Gold under the armpit and jerked him to a stand.
"I told you to leave her alone. I'm so sorry we disturbed you."
He gave her a pleading look as Gold shoved him off, readjusting his hat.
"We're not leaving until we contact your parents. A University is no place for kids to be loitering around."
Silver bit his tongue, shaking his head at Gold's misplaced sense of righteousness. The girl's expressions softened before her head dropped to one side, her body expressing that of confusion.
"I'm not loitering. I go here. This is my school."
The three stood in silence as no one knew how to read the situation. The moment broken by a boy running over, his spiky hair unmoving in the continuing wind as he approached the group.
"What's going on here. You're Yellow right? Red's friend?"
The girl looked over and gave a bewildered expression at the newcomer.
"I am…. I am! You must be Blue right? His roommate?" The pieces came together quickly as she gave a grin.
"Is everything okay? What happened?" Blue's eyes shifted to Gold and Silver with the prior remaining dumbfounded. Silver regained composure, attempting to rectify the situation.
"We were heading back to our dorm when we saw this girl collapsed under the tree. We wanted to assure she was okay. Then one thing lead to another and she woke up and we caught her by surprise. That's it, end of story."
He stuffed his hands back into his jacket pockets. Gold nodded along with each descriptor.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to worry anyone, I just… fall asleep a lot. Especially here, it's such a nice spot." Yellow laughed nervously.
"So you DO go here then?" Gold reiterated, his hands coming to a clasp behind his head.
"I sure do." Yellow smiled back.
"Then it's just a big misunderstanding. No harm no foul!" Gold shrugged as he began walking off. "Sorry about disturbing your nap!" He waved over his shoulder.
"Glad you're okay. I'm sorry.. for both of us." Silver concluded as he gave a nod and followed his roommate.
"That was unusual. Are you okay?" Blue asked, redirecting focus to Yellow while she hitched her backpack over her shoulder.
"I'm fine, honest." She grinned, letting her eyes follow the two boys as they continued away. "Just a little surprised that's all."
"I can imagine. Are you hungry at all? I was on my way to lunch if you want to join me."
"That would be great!"
The two started toward the cafeteria.
"Thanks for coming over by the way, it's nice to finally meet you! Do you also play Pokemon?..."
Diamond and Pearl sat in the broadcasting room pouring over a notebook that was riddled with scribbles. The late afternoon was hazy in the studio, making the atmosphere tiring as they both tried to push past the urge to yawn and continue their work.
"We always have the cooking segment to fall back on if nothing else." Pearl noted as he drummed the eraser of his pencil against his temple slowly.
The two were attempting to brainstorm new ideas for segments of their show. They realized after the semester ended, they'd have larger programming blocks due to a lighter class load.
"How about an interview segment? We bring in a random everyday average Joe and ask them about their week. Call it 'Campus Community Crash Course'."
"Dia, people will have tuned out by the time we finish saying the name. Not to mention finding a guest for a minimum of three times a week would be strenuous on it's own. We just need something different but interesting."
The two continued alternating scanning the notebook of ideas and vocalizing their thoughts as Platinum slipped into the room, pulling a chair up to their workspace.
"Alright Lady what's the most exciting thing you can think of 'GO!'" Pearl ejected as she settled in.
"And hello to you too. Hmmmmm." Platinum muled her thoughts as she pulled her homework from her bag to work on until the broadcast started, smiling to Diamond who gave her a gentle wave.
"Well right now all I can think about is where to study abroad."
Pearl and Diamond caught each other's glance instantly. Pearl began.
"So about going abroad."
"So about going abroad."
"There's a ton of places one can go."
"Without a doubt."
"And each place has its own style, community, and culture."
"That doesn't sound right."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean culture? I hardly know her!"
Platinum uncharacteristically snorted into her hand as Diamond and Pearl grinned at one another. Pearl continued on as an idea struck him.
"Dia, I bet you're feeling left out since you won't get to go."
"Go where?"
"Abroad you dummy!"
"Oh that."
"Wouldn't you like to see the sights?"
"Yes"
"Know what's popular elsewhere?"
"Of course!"
"Then why don't you go?"
"Why don't YOU go?"
"I get homesick."
"We'll I'm pretty sure it's sick of you too."
Pearl winked as he looked over at Platinum to get her attention.
"So how about instead we ask our expert in the field about her experience! What was it like being abroad, Lady?"
Platinum looked between the two puzzled, her expression shifting gradually into surprise, and resting on fear as she shook her head in protest.
"Oh I can't! I couldn't possibly perform! I wouldn't know where to begin!"
Pearl's gaze faltered as Diamond gave a sympathetic smile.
"It's okay. We wouldn't want you to do anything that would be uncomfortable."
"But it's really easy too!" Pearl interjected. "It's just like an interview. We'd ask you questions and all you need to do is answer honestly. No bits, no jokes, just a straightforward recount of your events of the week."
"It would be as if you're the audience stand-in for those of us who couldn't go on the trips." Diamond added quietly, his eyes not meeting hers.
Platinum looked down at her hands clasped on her lap as her mind raced. It would be a fun way to implement everything she'd recently become interested in through working with the two boys, but it added another responsibility on top of her workload she'd need to do once she arrived. Not to mention she'd never been a great storyteller and didn't want to ruin the show Diamond and Pearl had worked so hard to cultivate.
"How about this…" Pearl stated, interrupting her thoughts. "Let's do a test interview right now. A precursor to what it would feel like once you're there. How about it, Dia?"
"As long as Lady's okay with it."
They both returned their eyes to her as she resumed her glances back and forth. She took a breath and resolved herself. There was no harm in trying it.
"I think that's a good idea. Let's try."
Another one down. I'm realizing I may have some character bias for certain individuals so I promise I am trying to share the narrative with everyone I've introduced. Once I split the cast up between those abroad and those on campus I can structure the narrative in an alternating way that lets everyone retain more focus. But first we need to build up to it! I've tried setting somethings in motion here that I'm very excited about!
Zero Slash One - Thank you for the feedback! I know it's easy to get lost in a character's tropes, especially a few of the characters who's subtle distinctions get overlooked by archetypes. I'm attempting to balance everyone and not pigeonhole them in one dimensional personalities so I do appreciate the feedback. It's a good reminder =)
And as always everyone, thank you so much for reading! -REN