formerly called it's a riddle solved.

She walks into the subway station with six Poke balls in her bag and a confident smile.

"One ticket for doubles, please."

The man behind the counter hands her a ticket and Hilda accepts it, her smooth, painted fingernails gripping the small paper. "Your partner's already waiting inside the subway," he says. "Good luck!"

She doesn't need luck to win.

Over the past few weeks, she's had a variety of different partners, none of which have been much help. The incompetent—amateur, really—Trainers do nothing to assist her in the heat of battle, which is why she always loses to Ingo and Emmet in the end, expecting and receiving no help from her inept partner.

It has happened every time, but she always hopes that the next time will be different.

Her lace-up combat boots stride into the first subway car, and that's when her eyes first fall upon his: a pair of warm chocolate brown ones that flash in recognition when they see her, which doesn't make any sense because they don't know each other! The boy has rumpled brown hair and a gorgeous smile—against her will, her heart flutters. He tilts the brim of his red-and-white cap up, and gives her a strangely familiar smile.

Hilda feels like she should know him from somewhere.

"I'm Hilbert."

/

He's unlike any subway partner she's ever had.

She has finally found someone whose strength is equal to hers. Together, they are an unstoppable team. They fight as if they've been fighting with each other for years; their battle styles complement each other's so fittingly, like missing puzzle pieces finally matched together. Sometimes she calls attacks to her Serperior with a raised yell, and he quietly commands his Emboar to defend. Other times their roles are switched.

But all the while, Hilda has the growing suspicion that she's met him before.

She knows it's impossible, but there's something recognizable about his features, his battle style. The brunet boy acts like he doesn't know her either, but sometimes his gaze lingers on hers for a second too long, like he is trying to place her name from somewhere.

And there's also the fact that he's way too hot for his own good.

/

"Have we met somewhere before?" Hilda finally gathers up the courage to ask, after their fourteenth win. They're sitting in an empty train car together, waiting for the subway to reach its next destination. His arm is slung over the back of the seat and she's crossing her legs, leaning against the seat, trying to remember why he looks so dang familiar.

Hilbert frowns, his brown eyes sparking with confusion, eyebrow raised skeptically. "Yeah, in the subway before our first battle?" He says this like she's an idiot, and she shakes her head vehemently.

"No, before that. Some other time."

She's afraid he will think she's crazy, but now he looks at her more closely, considering. "You think so? When?"

"I don't...I don't—"

He leans forward casually. Above the racing of her thoughts and the butterflies in her stomach, the brunette girl notices that their faces are dangerously close together. Now she's sharply aware of her surroundings, like the screech of metal, the rush of the subway all around them, the pounding of her heart.

"Oh, I remember," he says with a smirk. "You were that girl in my dream last night."

Wait, what?

Hilda doesn't know how it happens, but suddenly their lips are touching and oh my gosh I'm kissing a complete stranger.

Whatever, she decides, and they kiss until they're both out of breath and panting, and have to break apart. She does have to admit, though, his lips sure are warm and soft, more so than she would have thought. The world becomes more focused, sharper. She leans into him, grabbing his jacket to avoid falling off the seat as the subway roars around a corner.

That's when she realizes how close they are, pressed together shoulder to shoulder. His face is tomato red, and so is hers, but they are both laughing and laughing uncontrollably. She doesn't even know what's so funny.

They can't stop.

"Well, now we sure know each other," is his only comment after the giggles have finally died away, and Hilda punches him in the arm, then leans in to press their lips together again. In the back of her mind, it occurs to her that they hardly even know each other, but she can't help it.

There's something...intoxicating about this guy.

/

On the twenty-first battle, they step into the train car and are greeted by the Subway Bosses, Emmet and Ingo.

She's so nervous she can feel her heart pounding, but Hilbert takes her hand, looks her in the eye with his heart-stopping impish grin and says, "Don't worry, we've got this!" After that, somehow she's not nervous anymore, and calls out Serperior without another second thought.

Their fingers stay locked together for the whole battle.

/

They end up winning, like they always do.

/

She hops off the subway with her mind in the clouds, a breathless feeling in her chest, a stupid smile unknowingly plastered to her face. He follows her off, and faces her as the train doors slide shut, roaring away to its next destination. They're back in Nimbasa after a night of nothing but battling together.

They lock eyes, and finally Hilbert speaks. "Those were some great battles."

"Thanks," Hilda says, trying to gain her breath back. And her heart too; he's stolen it from her. "Thanks for the great time."

"Yeah, you too." The boy pauses for a second. He opens his mouth to say something but apparently changes his mind, and instead bids her farewell as she turns to go, taking a step toward the stairs. "See you later!"

Something's missing, though. Hilda doesn't realize it until she's already halfway up the crowded stairway, but then it's too late to go back. She wouldn't be able to spot him in the sea of faces. Her heart sinks in disappointment.

Suddenly, someone shakes her shoulder. She whirls around, light-headed with hope, and there's Hilbert, panting and out of breath.

"You're back!" She tries not to sound too overjoyed, but suspects her voice has betrayed her. "So, what do you want?"

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to meet me here again, on Thursday?" A wide, mischievous grin spreads across his lips. "You're the best subway partner I've ever had," he adds awkwardly, if only to make it sound more...innocuous.

"That's exactly what I was going to ask you!" Hilda can't keep herself from beaming. "It's a date, then. Thursday." The brunet nods and turns away, giving her a small wave before leaving. Her thoughts flutter and a blush spreads across her cheeks as she lingers for a moment, watches him go.

Despite herself, she smirks, knowing he's doing exactly the same.

/

A week later in the Nimbasa subway station, when she's sitting in a chair waiting for Hilbert, it suddenly strikes her as to why he looks so familiar.

He's her reflection from across the mirror, her opposite. The missing part of her, the boy of her dreams—figuratively and literally, as cliché as it sounds.

And now, her puzzle is finally completed.

notes:

thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!