Author's note: Hey, peeps! Another one-shot to add to the collection! And a long one, at that! It's also one I've been wanting to do for a while.

Ha. I have to wonder how many of you stuck around after the last one-shot. 'Twas risky, but I regret nothing. Love is love in my book. Ship it regardless!

Oh and I forgot to mention. In 'One, Two, Pikachu', Robin, Ignis and Levin were a subtle reference to my favourite 3DS game, Fire Emblem: Awakening. I've played that game so many times that I've almost filled up the support log. No joke. XP

(Shameless self-promotion) If you want a lagomorphshipping story with extra fluff, I have one called A Gracious Gift! A warning, though. It's been known to give your diabetes diabetes. XD

Anyway, hope you enjoy this one-shot!

Please leave your thoughts in a review! I even accept criticism, because it helps me improve!

Quite Contrary

Dawn was beaming from ear to ear as she strolled through the forest, shopping bags hanging from her wrists. Her friends trailed along beside her.

"I still can't believe we found that market!" she said.

"Yeah," Brock replied, "and in the middle of nowhere, too."

"They had so many nice things, I just couldn't help myself!" She giggled.

Ash threw her a tired smile. "I didn't see what the big deal was, but okay," he said.

"Well, that's 'cause you don't know quality items when you see them! They were even on sale, for crying out loud!"

"(I liked them,)" Pikachu agreed from Ash's shoulder.

"See? Pikachu knows what I mean."

Brock looked at the sky. "Hmm..." he said, "you know, it's getting a little late. Maybe we should set up camp."

Ash mimicked him, looking up at the sky. "Yeah, you're probably right," he replied.

"Then I can get started on dinner."

Ash's stomach growled. He put his hands to it, grinning in embarrassment. Everyone chuckled at him.

"Hey, how about we do some training while we wait?" Dawn asked.

Letting go of his stomach, Ash pumped a fist. "Yeah!" he cried. "Training!" He ran forward. "Well, what are we waiting for?!"

Everyone chuckled again, though a bit more awkwardly this time. They still needed to set up camp first...

After camp had been set up and Brock began preparing dinner, everyone was let out of their pokéballs. They all looked excited and ready to train.

"Alright, guys," Ash said, "who's up first?"

"(Me! Me!)" Buizel cried, punching the air in front of him.

"Alright, Buizel, guess you're up!"

The weasel folded his arms. "(Darn straight I am.)"

Dawn turned to her team. "And, as for my team..." she said, then paused. Her gaze lingered on Buneary, who was wearing her orange vest.

"(... Huh?)" Buneary asked, tilting her head. "(Dawn?)"

Suddenly, Dawn's eyes lit up, She clapped her hands together. "That's it!" Diving for one of her bags, she rummaged around in it.

"... Dawn?" Ash asked.

"I bought the cutest little brooch at that last stall we saw!"

"You mean the one with the weird old lady?"

"Ash, don't be rude. Anyway! When I saw it, I just had to have it." She pulled it out, stood up and presented it. "Tada~!"

From Ash's shoulder, Pikachu inspected it. It was a red heart with a smaller black heart - about one third of the size - layered on top of it. Spreading out from the black heart was a mass of swirling black lines that twisted and curved around one another like vines. They almost covered the larger red heart and looked very artistic. The back of the brooch appeared to be gold-plated.

"... It doesn't look that impressive to me..."

Dawn huffed. "As I said, you have no taste." She walked over to Buneary and knelt down. "Hey, Buneary, do you like this brooch?" She showed it to her.

Buneary's eyes lit up. "(Oh, wow!)" she replied. "(It's beautiful!)"

Dawn giggled. "I thought you'd like it." She pinned it to Buneary's vest, surprising the rabbit. After inspecting her work, Dawn beamed. "Aww, it looks so cute on you!"

Buneary beamed back. "(Aww, thanks!)"

Standing up, Dawn pumped a fist. "Alright, so who's up first for training?"

Togekiss stepped forward. "(I'll go first, if that's alright,)" she replied.

"Alright, then, Togekiss it is!"

As the humans got into position, Togekiss turned to Buneary. "(That brooch looks lovely on you, dear.)"

Buneary beamed at her. "(Thanks!)" she replied.

"(Yeah, it's really pretty!)" Pachirisu agreed.

Piplup put his flippers on his hips. "(Almost as good as it'd look on me,)" he said.

"(Yeah,)" Buizel agreed, "(suits ya.)"

"(Hee~)" Buneary replied. "(Thanks, guys.)"

From Ash's shoulder, Pikachu smiled. It'd been really nice of Dawn to give Buneary her new brooch. Especially since it didn't look cheap, by any means. Though even he couldn't deny that it looked good on the rabbit. As Buizel and Togekiss moved into position by their trainers, Pikachu decided to join in on the complimenting. Jumping down, he walked over to Buneary.

As he reached her, he smiled. "(That brooch looks really good on you, Buneary!)" he said.

He expected a warm smile in return. Perhaps even a happy giggle. So, when she turned to him with a glare so venomous, it could burn skin, he took a step back in shock.

"(Who asked for your opinion?)" she snapped.

Everyone paused, their eyes widening.

Pikachu blinked. Then blinked again. "(... H... Huh?)"

"(That's right. Nobody.)" She turned away and huffed.

The other pokémon stared at her.

"(Uh... Buneary?)" Piplup asked.

She smiled at him. "(Yeah, Piplup?)"

There was a pause. Then Piplup started flailing dramatically. "(Just what the heck was that?!)"

"(What was what?)"

He pointed towards Pikachu with his flippers. "(That!)"

She turned towards the mouse, glaring again. "(Oh, him... Well, nothing he says is of any value, so...)" She shrugged, turning away. Suddenly, she smiled again. "(Let's go watch Togekiss' practice match!)" She hopped towards where Dawn was.

Everyone stared after her. Pikachu was sure his brain had malfunctioned in his confusion. Just what was going on?

After a moment, Piplup turned to him, flailing angrily. "(Alright, Pikachu, what did you do?!)"

"(I... I didn't do anything!)" he replied.

"(You must have done something!)"

"(But... But I didn't!)"

Pikachu racked his brain for some sort of clue. Had he done something? He certainly didn't remember doing anything...

"(Did you say something mean to her?)" Pachirisu asked.

"(No, I... don't think so...)"

"(Well, she's really angry at you for something!)" Piplup cried.

"(Yeah...)" Pikachu's ears drooped.

Pachirisu smiled. "(Well, don't worry!)" he said. "(Whatever you did, just apologise and everything'll be okie dokie again!)"

Piplup calmed down at this. "(Yeah, he's right,)" he agreed. "(Buneary won't be able to stay mad at you for long. Just apologise!)"

"(Y-Yeah...)" Pikachu replied, "(okay...)"

Pikachu tentatively approached Buneary, who was watching the battle excitedly. Normally, he wouldn't ignore a practice match - especially since there was so much he could learn from them - but talking to his rabbit friend was considerably more important right now.

He forced on a smile. "(Uh, Buneary?)" he said.

She turned to glare at him. "(What do you want?)" she snapped.

He flinched. He really wasn't used to these acidic responses from her. "(Well, uh...)"

"(I'm trying to watch Dawn's match.)" She turned away again. "(So, get lost.)"

He paused, watching the back of her head sadly. "(Look, I'm... sorry.) She half-turned to face him, still glaring yet saying nothing. "(I don't know what I did or said, but... I'm sorry.)"

She was quiet for a moment. Then she turned away again. "(I don't care.)"

"(But-)"

"(Do I need to repeat myself? Get. Lost.)"

Feeling cold and hurt, Pikachu slowly backed away. "(Wh... What did I do...?)"

She tensed. "(Existed.)"

He felt something pierce through his heart at that comment.

Taking shallow breaths that were strangely painful, he continued to back away from her.

When lunchtime rolled around, Pikachu couldn't help but glance sadly in Buneary's direction. Normally, the rabbit would be very quick to sit near him whenever they ate. Now, however, she'd made sure to sit at least twenty feet away from him.

What was even worse was that she was happily chatting to Piplup and Pachirisu, as if she hadn't torn his heart out and trampled all over it. It was as if she didn't care...

Piplup and Pachirisu, however, looked incredulous as they spoke to her. Occasionally, they would shoot each other glances, then look back at Buneary. The rabbit either didn't notice or didn't care.

Eventually, after Piplup began to freak out, Buneary looked up, locking gazes with Pikachu. He held his breath in anticipation.

After a moment, though, she scowled and turned away, leaving Piplup and Pachirisu staring, wide-eyed, at her.

Feeling a crushing weight on his chest, Pikachu looked back down at his food, appetite gone.

Over the next couple of days, little changed. Buneary would be warm and pleasant to everyone else, but cold and aggressive towards Pikachu. He had no idea what he'd done wrong. He'd tried numerous times to apologise, but every time he'd been shot down. It was as if she really hated him now...

It had even gotten to the point where the humans had noticed. The other pokémon would ask Buneary why she was being so mean to Pikachu, yet her answer was always vague and bitter. Dawn would tell her that she really should make up with him, yet she would always refuse. When Team Rocket had captured him, he'd heard her say 'Let them keep him' while turning away. In a desperate attempt to repair their friendship, Dawn had tried to get Buneary to help, but she'd refused.

He just didn't get it and it hurt more with every passing day.

Sure, he'd fallen out with pokémon before, though never for very long. None of them had ever hated him to this degree, either. The worst part of it, though, was that it was Buneary.

He never thought that she, of all pokémon, would hate him... and he didn't even really know why she hated him.

It stung. A lot.

At the counter of the Pokémon Centre - after the usual incident with Brock and Croagunk - the three humans carefully slotted their pokéballs into the waiting trays for Nurse Joy to take. Pikachu jumped down onto the counter, eyeing Dawn's pokéballs with a feeling of melancholy. Would Buneary ever speak to him again? He didn't know and that actually scared him.

After their trip to the healing machines, the pokémon were returned to their respective trainers, all but one back in their pokéballs. Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and sat there quietly.

"Dawn, was it?" Nurse Joy asked with a smile.

"Yeah, that's me," Dawn replied.

"I just have to say that your buneary was wearing the most adorable brooch on her vest!"

Pikachu's ears drooped at the mention of his friend.

Dawn smiled back. "Oh, thanks! I bought it at a market stall!"

He still considered her a friend, even if she didn't return the sentiment anymore...

"Well, you made a very good purchase. I know a thing or two about jewellery and that's a fine quality brooch." She paused. "Hmm. I wonder if I've seen it before, though. It seems strangely familiar, somehow."

He only wished he knew what he'd done wrong...

Suddenly, Brock grabbed Nurse Joy's hand. "Not as familiar as the feeling in my heart around you!" he cried.

The breeder's tirade continued on, confusing the nurse, embarrassing Ash and Dawn and angering Croagunk, but Pikachu wasn't even paying attention anymore...

That night, Pikachu lay awake. All around him were the peaceful snores of Ash, Dawn and Brock, but he continued to stare at the ceiling, consumed by his thoughts.

He'd been hoping - praying - that Buneary's anger would cool eventually. That whatever he'd done to make her hate him would become water under the bridge. That hadn't been the case at all.

He always tried his best to be friendly to other pokémon. Always made sure to keep the peace. So why... why... did she hate him?

As he continued to stare at the swirling patterns on the ceiling, he couldn't help remembering the past.

The way she would always beam at him. The way she would wrap her arms around him, or gently nuzzle her face against his. The way she would compliment him for the slightest thing. His heart would always beat that little bit faster, both in embarrassment and appreciation.

... He missed it so much. So much that his head was starting to hurt.

She'd had a crush on him, hadn't she? Everyone had always said so. Brock, Dawn, May and quite a few of the pokémon. What had changed?

True, he'd never returned her affections, but that wasn't because he disliked her. Definitely not. She was cute and nice enough. He was just... bad with that sort of thing. Having someone flirt with him made him nervous. It'd never happened before, so he'd had no idea what to do about it when it actually had happened.

Even from a young age, romance had never been a priority in his life. Currently, the thing he wanted most was to help his trainer become a Pokémon Master. They'd become so close in their time together that Ash's dream was also Pikachu's dream.

Maybe, one day, he'd be ready to settle down, but certainly not at the moment.

... Saying that, he had to wonder what it would have been like, settling down with Buneary. Holding her hand, cuddling up to her, maybe living together in Ash's house. Romance may not have been his forté, but that sounded oddly... pleasant.

... Then he realised that this wasn't possible anymore. Not now that she hated him.

The crushing weight returned. She hated him. She hated him. She hated him... and, now, he'd never even be able to return her affections...

He paused. Wait. His eyes widened. Did she... could she... hate him because he'd never returned her affections?!

... Of course. It made so much sense. He'd never shown any sign of liking her back romantically, so she'd swung the other way and hated him, instead. As payback for never liking her, maybe?

Sitting up, he looked over at Dawn's yellow bag, which was sitting in the corner of the room.

... Well, there was only one way to find out.

In a bright flash of white light, the sleeping form of a brown rabbit appeared on the carpet.

She wearily blinked herself awake. "(Huh...?)" she mumbled. "(Wha...?)"

Pikachu put down the pokéball. "(Hey, Buneary,)" he said.

She spun around from her place on the floor, squinting at him. When she saw him, she only squinted harder.

"(Oh, it's you.)"

"(Yeah. Listen, can we talk?)"

"(I have nothing to say to you.)" Standing up, she moved towards where her pokéball was.

He stood in front of her, blocking her path. "(Well, I have something to say to you.)"

She snarled at him. "(Get out of my way.)"

Ignoring the pang in his heart, he placed his paws on her shoulders. She glanced down at them, looking offended.

"(I've figured out why you hate me... I'm... really sorry.)"

She struggled in his grip. "(Get off me!)"

"(I'm sorry I... never returned your feelings.)" She paused for a moment to glare directly at him. "(I just...)" His ears drooped. "(I never really knew how I felt... and I still don't. It wasn't because you had no chance... It was because I just... Because I'm not very good at this kind of thing.)"

She continued to glare at him silently for a few moments. "(... You think you're so great, don't you?)"

He blinked. "(Huh?)"

"(You. Being so nice and considerate.)" She raised her voice to a mocking pitch. "('I'm so sorry, Buneary~')" Her voice went back to normal. "(Pfft. You make me sick.)"

He blinked again. "(... Huh?)"

"(You think you're so great, with your potato-catching and your modesty and all your strength and speed!)" She began to flail under his grip. "(Urgh, you're so infuriating, I just wanna punch you!)"

Whatever explanation he'd been expecting, that certainly hadn't been it. "(... Huh?)"

"(Just get off me!)" She pulled away.

Snapping out of his confused trance, Pikachu grabbed her vest. "(Hey, wait!)"

She continued pulling. "(No! Get... off!)"

"(No! This is the only way you'll listen!)"

"(I don't wanna listen!)"

"(Buneary!)"

"(No!)"

Pulling away with all her might, she managed to slip free of the vest. The momentum, however, caused Pikachu to fall backwards and hit the floor.

"(Owww...)"

Suddenly, there was a gasp. "(Pikachu!)" In a flash, Buneary was by his side. "(Oh, my gosh, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?)"

His mind slammed on the brakes, screeched to a halt, then crashed into a wall all at once.

He blinked stupidly up at her concerned face. "(... Uh?)"

"(Hmm, you look okay...)" She grabbed his paw and pulled him into a sitting position. "(Sorry I made you fall over.)"

He continued to stare. "(... Uh?)"

She blinked. "(You know, 'cause of the vest?)"

"(... Uh?)"

She tilted her head at him. "(Hey, are you okay?)"

"(Wh... Wh...?)"

"(What?)"

This must be a dream. That was the only thing he could think. The only reason he could fathom why this would be happening.

"(You're acting really strange...)"

He gave a broken laugh in response, but found he couldn't say anything.

"(Um...)" She placed a paw to her mouth, blushing awkwardly.

There was a tense silence.

"(... A-Anyway...)" she continued, "(I'm sorry about the vest. Again.)" Grabbing the vest, she gave it a gentle tug.

Silently, he released it.

As she began putting the vest back on, he suddenly found his voice. As well as a small sense of hope.

"(So, you... don't hate me anymore?)"

The vest back in place, she glared at him. "(Pfft. You wish.)"

The hope was immediately squashed.

Saying no more, Buneary pressed the button on her pokéball and was pulled inside. All was quiet in the room, as Pikachu stared at the pokéball.

After a few moments, mind blank, he returned it to its place in Dawn's bag.

The next morning, Ash, Dawn and Brock - with Pikachu on Ash's shoulder - wandered downstairs to the lobby, only to be met by Officer Jenny.

"Excuse me," she said, "are you Dawn?"

"Officer Jenny!" Brock cried excitedly.

"Yes, that's me," Dawn replied curiously.

"Nurse Joy tells me your buneary is wearing an... interesting brooch. May I take a look?"

"Oh, of course." She pulled out Buneary's pokéball and clicked it open. "Come on out, Buneary." In a flash of light, the rabbit materialised on the counter.

"(Hey there!)" Buneary said cheerfully.

Walking over, Officer Jenny leaned closer and squinted. "Hmm..." she said.

Buneary tilted her head. "(Huh?)"

Officer Jenny stood upright again. "Yep, that's definitely one of them."

Nurse Joy beamed. "I knew it!" she cried. She turned to Ash, Dawn and Brock. "This morning, I realised why the brooch looked so familiar... so I called in Officer Jenny to confirm it."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

Officer Jenny turned to them. "It's one of a set of something called Contrary Brooches," she replied.

"Contrary Brooches?" Dawn asked.

"Yes. Each one does something different, but they all have the power to reverse emotions."

"Reverse emotions?!" Ash, Dawn and Brock all cried at once.

Pikachu blinked. "(Reverse... emotions?)" he asked.

"The one your buneary is wearing turns love into hatred," Officer Jenny said. "Specifically, romantic love."

Pikachu's eyes widened in shock.

Dawn gasped. "That explains why she suddenly hates Pikachu!" she cried.

"And why it didn't affect her other relationships..." Brock added.

... It also explained the previous night, when she'd gone from hating him to caring about him and back to hating him again. It had only happened after he'd pulled her vest off...

"Originally, people bought it to help them get over bad relationships..." Officer Jenny explained, "but the power is so easily abused that it was outlawed. I'm afraid I'm going to have to confiscate it."

"That's fine..." Dawn replied.

Turning to Buneary, the policewoman gently unpinned the brooch. There was no obvious change in the rabbit's demeanour, but Pikachu couldn't help but wonder. After all, she'd taken her vest off before in the last few days - in order to keep it clean while training - but he'd always made sure to avoid her during those times.

"Now, where did you get this brooch?"

"I bought it at a market a few days ago."

"Tsk. That means the seller will be hard to find... Well, give me a description and I'll see if we can track them down."

"Alright. Well..."

It was here that Pikachu zoned out, his eyes still on Buneary and hope starting to bloom in his heart. Could it be that she... didn't hate him anymore? Curious, he leapt onto the counter and tentatively approached her.

"(Uh... Buneary?)" he asked.

She turned to him and smiled. "(Yes, Pikachu~?)" she asked.

Relief exploded from within, spreading outwards like a warm blanket. He smiled gently back at her. "(... It's good to have you back, Buneary.)"

She blinked. "(Huh?)"

"Alright," Officer Jenny said, "I think that's all the info we'll need. I'll get my team right on it."

Suddenly, Brock leapt forwards, grabbing her hands. "Ever-so diligent and dedicated!" he cried. "You'll capture her, like you captured my heart!" He motioned towards Nurse Joy, who was still behind the counter. "Like you have both captured my heart, because you're the two perfect girls for me!"

Officer Jenny stared at him incredulously for a few moments. Then, without a word, she freed her hands and quickly pinned the brooch to his vest.

In a flash, Brock was glaring at her. "You two disgust me." He glared at Nurse Joy. "You, always helping pokémon..." He glared back at Officer Jenny. "And you, always catching criminals..." He folded his arms and turned away. "You both think you're so great..."

Everyone was staring at him, including Croagunk, who had popped out of his pokéball to Poison Jab him, but now looked unsure about what to do.

"And another thing!" he continued, flailing his arms angrily. "All your sisters and cousins! Why must you all look so similar, yet so different?! The length of your hair and eyelashes! They're not the same! It's infuriating!"

Sighing, Officer Jenny quickly unpinned the brooch, before Brock could object.

Instantly, Brock grabbed her hands again. "Keep my heart under house arrest! Cure me of this bad disease! Just don't expect me to choose!"

Finally deciding on a course of action, Croagunk Poison Jabbed him.

"Do you see now the power of this brooch?" Officer Jenny asked as Brock was dragged away. "Not only does it reverse emotions, it alters memories as well. It cannot be allowed to roam free."

"(Oh, wow...)" Buneary said, "(and I was wearing that brooch...)"

Pikachu chuckled awkwardly. "(Yeah, I know...)" he replied.

She turned to him. "(Wait, was I... acting like that?)"

Pikachu rubbed the back of his head. "(Well... yeah... You said some pretty mean things to me, but I guess you didn't really mean them...)"

She gasped, her paws flying to her mouth in horror. "(Oh no! Wh-What did I say?)"

"(Oh, you know, just... that you hated me and... wished I didn't exist and stuff...)"

Her eyes began watering. "(Oh no! I'm so sorry! I'm so, so sorry!)" She leapt forwards and embraced him. "(I could never hate you! I'm so, so sorry!)"

Wow. Being hugged by her felt nice. Really nice. He'd always been embarrassed by it before - especially since she'd always do it in public - but, after the last few days, he was just glad to have it back. He never thought he'd miss it so much once it was gone.

He gave her a comforting nuzzle. "(It's okay, Buneary. I forgive you.)"

She hugged tighter. "(Pikachu...)"

"Aww, how adorable~" Nurse Joy said.

... Darn it. He'd forgotten that the nurse had been standing nearby this entire time.

Ah well. He supposed he could indulge in the hugging. Just this once.

The End