Okay, so I think SpecialShipping is pretty overrated :P Just my opinion. And I absolutely love LuckyShipping, but when's it ever gonna happen? T.T

I don't own Pokémon.


lucky charm

[ only this time, it's not working for her ]


Her name is Green, and she's a different kind of girl than most. When it comes to boys, she's the expert, and she knows it all too well.

She's a flirt with long silky brown hair and eyes as turquoise as the sea, with strawberry pink lips and a smile that can launch a thousand ships. A slender, svelte figure with curves and everything a girl could want. She's like a lucky charm, one that never fails to attract boys.

She can act cute and innocent, or she can go sophisticated and elegant, or (her favorite) flirty and show-offy, or just plain girly. Flirting is like her second nature—it's only a natural instinct for her, after all. And without any effort, without trying, Green can master any type of boy, from the unsuspecting friendly guys to the cold and silent ones, like Blue Oak with all his indifference and "pesky girl" comments. She knows, deep down inside, that Blue likes her anyway. She's always been able to know what guys are thinking; it's a special skill of hers.

But there's one exception to all of that. Red.

He's a strange one, that boy. The first time Green saw him, she knew there was something different about him. She also couldn't ignore the fact that he was pretty cute, even among the dozens of attractive boys she's seen so far. Now best friends and things have come a long way since then.

She can't deny her feelings for him. Just the thought of Red makes her heart beat ten times faster and butterflies invade her stomach. She desperately struggles to hold onto her composure when she catches sight of his warm amber eyes that have the power to melt her with just one look. And unlike all the other boys, Green thinks she really loves him. She wants to reach out and smooth down his messy black hair, shoved so carelessly beneath a cap; she wants to claim him as her own.

Those are her deepest wishes, but fantasies only come true in that distant dreamland where Yellow doesn't exist.

There was a time, when they were both kids, that Red became all flustered and embarrassed at Green's flirting. But now he doesn't even react to her attempts to charm him over, only grins like it's an old joke between them, like they're just friends and nothing else.

What hurts more than anything is that she knows Red is not the unsuspecting type of guy. She sees him with Yellow all the time, and now he's the one smiling and laughing and flirting. Sometimes he even acts like that when Green is standing right next to them, and it takes all her willpower not to scream and tell him to stop torturing her like this. Instead she just turns away, an ache in her heart, pretending nothing's wrong even though everything is.

Green watches their relationship grow from the day Yellow first saved Red at Cerise Island. It starts as a playful, teasing friendship but quickly becomes something more than that. Of course she, of all people, would know. The brunette can't help noticing the slight blush on Red's face whenever he talks to the blond girl, and how he's always willing to touch her, even if it's something as simple as putting his hand on her shoulder.

Whenever Yellow's name is even mentioned, the black-haired boy gets something in his eyes, a sparkle of...what? Green already has a feeling she knows what it is, although she's too stubborn (and secretly afraid) to admit it.

But sooner or later, you have to accept the truth. And when you're sixteen, you eventually realize that the most quixotic dreams won't ever come true. The day comes when Red asks Yellow out (with encouragement from the other Dex Holders) and they start dating. Their new relationship delights everyone but Green, who feels that Red has betrayed her—although he was never hers in the first place. Everyone else says Red and Yellow were destined to be a pair, and the brunette smiles a fake smile and agrees, all while her heart breaks inside.

The next day is Saturday and it's always a tradition for Red and Green to have lunch together at café in Viridian on Saturdays. It's just a way for friends to hang out, and she normally looks forward to these weekly meetings. This time, though, her heart sinks at the thought of seeing Red again.

As she arrives, she sees that Red has brought a guest with him.

Yellow.

Green stops right in her tracks, but manages a half-hearted smile and waves at the other girl. Apparently she didn't hide her surprise well enough, because Red says, "I thought Yellow would like to have lunch with us too!" He's oblivious, not noticing anything as usual. So is Yellow. Looks like Green is the only one who can feel the tension in the air.

"Oh," she replies simply and takes a seat tentatively, wondering if she is wanted here or not.

As she predicts, the lunch goes terribly (for her, at least). Red and Yellow are chatting like nothing's wrong, and as usual they can't stop talking. Green pretends that everything's fine as she takes a small bite of her croissant, but inside she's screaming. This is our tradition, having lunch together! Not yours and Yellow's!

Finally she can't stand it anymore. "Why am I here?" she snaps, rising to her feet. "Or am I just invisible to you guys?"

Red looks confused. "What do you mean?" When she gives him a withering look, he just shrugs, grinning like he's unaware of her sharp tone.

"You're my friend, of course. That's why you're here." He says it as if it were obvious, as if she were blind and he is the astute one, and Yellow's staring at her with a puzzled look. "And so is Yellow," Red adds, his eyes sparkling as he smiles at her, puts an arm around her shoulder and whispers loving words in her ear.

She watches Red lean down and press his lips against Yellow's. And for some reason, Green is hit with the thought that they are making fun of her, torturing her by taunting "you're single" and worse, that "oh, we're a couple now."

Red will never return your feelings.

The truth was there all along.

As she watches the couple act so sickeningly lovey-dovey, suddenly Green's heart completely shatters until all that's left is an empty spot in her chest. She can't stay here anymore. Mumbling a good-bye (to Red), she leaps up and flees, tears leaking from her eyes as she runs from the only boy she's ever truly loved, leaving behind a perplexed Yellow and a completely bewildered Red.

Forget about lucky charms. She was cursed, destined to love the one boy who didn't return her feelings. Her heart twists and a small, dry smile forms on her lips as she realizes the irony of it all.

She, Green, the expert on boys, just lost her love to Yellow. A hopelessly childish and awkward and shy girl who pretended to be a boy, who doesn't know the first thing about love. This is the one battle she'll never win.

She doesn't believe in love, anymore.