Chapter 53: ...If It Makes You Happy
It was difficult for the ex-couple to know how much time had passed as they sat under that tree near the beach. If they were to guess, it must have been close to two hours. They half-expected Ash's group to appear in a dinghy with the rest of their crew, bobbing up and down along the waves, struggling the entire time.
...What they saw instead was anything but! Clearly, Meloetta had gone above and beyond with her task because not only did they see Ash and the rest of their group, but Cynthia and Officer Jenny! In fact, Cynthia had put the word in that something serious was happening on Leonid Isle and after a few calls, a military force had been deployed!
The first thing that the duo saw over the horizon of the ocean was a ship that appeared tiny from where they were. It was only when they saw about a dozen other ships of the same caliber did they realize just how large the rescue mission really was.
They saw frigates and combat ships of all sorts, each armed with cannons and weapons on their decks and hulls. They saw how each rescue ship carried soldiers in uniforms who firmly held rifles in their hands and handguns on their hips. They watched as fighter jets appeared over the edge of the ocean. The aircrafts flew above the entire naval armada before passing over the island itself.
It didn't take long for the duo to see that in the middle of the small army of sea vessels was a much smaller ship which carried Ash, Dawn, the rest of their group along with Officer Jenny.
When the first footstep landed on the island's beach, the ex-couple ran from their resting spot and frantically waved their arms and called out for them.
At long last, they were rescued.
There on the beach, Pikachu and Buneary received on-site treatment for their injuries but before they could be transported onto a ship, Ash's vessel had arrived and immediately, each trainer hysterically held their beloved Pokémon in their arms, sobbing with joy that they were alright.
And even though their trainers held them a little too tight, neither rescuee cared.
While Pikachu and Buneary were transported to a ship for further treatment and to eventually be brought back to the mainland, the rescue crew had spent the rest of the day scouring the island for any further sign of either criminal organization. They found remnants of drones and abandoned cargo, the remains of mostly broken supplies, not to mention a few downed aircrafts all along the island, each piece of evidence bearing the logo of their respective team.
Couple this with Pikachu handing over the Pokétch he had taken from Team Rocket's aircraft and the police had everything they needed in order to be on the lookout.
Strangely, there were no sightings of any of the island's Pokémon or Victini. Several soldiers had actually reported that the place felt quaint and peaceful yet they had an underlying urge to simply complete their task and then immediately leave.
Ash's crew had departed for the mainland before anyone else and when all was said and done, the remainder of the rescue team left as well that very night.
As their ship sailed the high seas, Pikachu and Buneary were placed in different rooms for treatment. Luckily for the mouse, the only injury that warranted concern was the arm he had accidentally cut whilst in that escape pod. After the nurse applied some disinfectant and bandages, Pikachu appeared fine, not unlike how he typically looked after he had gone through a tough battle.
The real challenge came when the nurse said that people could come in to see him. The floodgates opening, his friends rushed in, some stumbling over each other just to ask the first question.
Of course, Ash was the first one to plow through and repeatedly asked his starter if he was alright.
That didn't stop the mountain of questions that followed. And so, Pikachu began to explain everything that had happened since this morning. The reactions of the others was nothing short of stunned incredulity.
"(Oh man! That's insane!)" Oshawott squealed, his flippers on his cheeks.
"(Tell me about it, how did you two go from a simple game of hide-and-seek to...this?)" Snivy asked, an eyebrow raised and her arms folded over her chest.
"(No idea...)" Pikachu muttered, looking elsewhere.
"(Tsk, well case and point: we're never taking our eyes off you guys.)" Emolga half-joked.
Snivy merely shook her head and pinched the bridge between her eyes. "(I swear, it's like you and Ash are magnets for trouble.)"
Pikachu merely scoffed and rolled his eyes. "(Hey, we didn't go looking for trouble...this time.)"
"(But still...you both managed to fight everyone off? All by yourselves?)" Pansage asked, a look of wonder across his face.
Pikachu shook his head and shrugged. "(Sort of...we did get a lot of help from Victini and the others.)"
"(Still!)" Scraggy beamed, jumping side to side from one foot to the other. "(That's AMAZING! You didn't even have your trainers there to guide you!)"
Pikachu looked back and blinked at the younger Pokémon. Oh yeah...that's right.
Huh...
Come to think of it, neither of them had so much as mentioned being unable to fight without Ash or Dawn. It was almost as if...they knew what to do no matter what.
Oshawott clicked his tongue and looked away in annoyance. "(I really wish I could've had a super cool power boost...!)" He grumbled before his own imagination took over and his eyes began to sparkle with a fierce excitement. "(I would've looked sooo cool!)"
Everyone chuckled before Ash took a step forward.
"Seems like no matter where we go, trouble always manages to find us. Right buddy?" The young trainer asked to which Pikachu sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. Ash's smile didn't falter and he clenched a fist and held it in front of his face. "And you managed to handle the whole thing by yourselves! You're getting really good at stopping bad guys!"
Pikachu gave an amused snicker but before he could say anything back, his eyes noticed something unusual in the empty air around them.
"(Huh?)" The electric mouse muttered, blinking as he saw the translucent figure shift back and forth in midair.
Confused, Ash looked to where his starter was staring and saw the figure too.
"Wha...? Oh, hey Meloetta!" He beamed to which the figure stopped moving around.
Everyone paused as Meloetta's figure came into full view. When she became visible, the sprite nervously fidgeted with her hair.
Pikachu's confused look quickly morphed into a wide smile. "(Oh hey!)"
Meloetta stopped playing with her hair and looked over at him.
"(Hey Pikachu...)" She quietly said. "(...So...are you okay then?)"
Pikachu eased up a little before giving the sprite a wave of his paw. "(All good over here!)"
Meloetta gave him a gentle smile and nodded before looking away.
"(Where'd you go?)" Snivy asked, her paws now on her hips. The mythical singer turned to face her.
"(I was checking on Dawn's group.)" She said.
Pikachu's ears pricked up and he leaned forward a little. "(...How is she?)"
Everyone turned to face him and he nervously looked amongst them.
Meloetta in particular gave him the tiniest of impish smiles and when she did, Pikachu blushed, knowing that she was the only one in the room who truly knew the underlying meaning of his question.
"(She's going to be fine, a little injured but she just needs some rest.)" Meloetta gently said, her grin not faltering for a moment.
Steam practically coming off his cheeks, Pikachu slunk back a little to hide his completely reddened face. Thankfully, nobody else in the room seemed to have taken notice.
"(Man...) Emolga muttered, shaking her head. "(That girl is made of steel or something. All of that stuff and she only came out with an injured leg.)"
"(From what I hear, she's quite a powerhouse when she needs to be.)" Snivy remarked to which several in the room agreed in unison.
Oshawott looked at Pikachu with a rather deadpanned face before a thought clearly came to him and he zipped over to the mouse to nudge his shoulder with his elbow.
"(Heh, brains, brawn and beauty...you lucky devil!)" He snickered, giving Pikachu a rather sly look.
Inwardly panicking, the mouse frantically looked around only to see everyone giving him knowing smiles yet nobody said anything else.
Confused yet somewhat relieved that no teasing had commenced, Pikachu gave a tiny, embarrassed grin.
Over an hour of traveling on the sea had passed before anyone saw the mainland. With permission, Pikachu and Buneary were allowed to be with their trainers on the deck of the ship, a little treat and an excuse to get out of their infirmary rooms. When they saw land, everyone began cheering, happy that their entire ordeal was behind them.
The cheers turned into surprised mutterings because as soon as they could make out solid ground, they saw what appeared to be a crowd of people and Pokémon gathered around where their ship was supposed to land.
Buneary leaned forward and saw what everyone else witnessed. Curious, she uncurled her ear and carefully listened, unsure if there was some sort of event happening.
It was difficult to tell from where they were, but she could make out some words.
"There they are!" A woman declared at the top of her lungs.
"(Do you see them?! Are they alright?!)" A purrloin loudly asked.
Per Officer Jenny's insistence, both Pikachu and Buneary were put on gurneys and wheeled down a ramp off the ship and onto the ground, their next destination being the nearest Pokémon Center. While their injuries were fairly minor and treatable, it was agreed that they should spend the next few days being cared for, just in case.
When their gurneys reached the ground, the crowd of people and Pokémon began to rush over only to be halted by several soldiers and officers. They started shouting, many insisting on at least letting them see Pikachu and Buneary.
"(C'mon already! Just a peek!)" A tranquill demanded.
"Sir, if you would please just let us take a look, we owe them a lot!" A man from the crowd calmly said to a soldier who was holding him back.
Utterly bewildered, Ash's group stopped halfway to the ambulance and turned to look at the many faces nearby.
"Huh? What in the world...?" Dawn muttered.
"Yeah, pretty weird." Ash absentmindedly replied.
Both Pikachu and Buneary turned over in their beds only to see some familiar-looking faces.
"Well I guess we should get go-" Iris started to say only for everyone to hear Pikachu speak up.
"(Wait!)" He shouted before slowly leaning up to get a better look at the crowd.
"Hey, take it easy Pikachu!" Ash insisted, getting rather close to the mouse to gently touch him only for his starter to move away and point at the crowd.
"(Just a sec. Please?)" Pikachu asked, looking up at his trainer and for a moment, the two locked gazes before Ash's expression changed.
Bewildered herself, Dawn stared at them before she heard Buneary's voice. She looked down only to see the bunny give her a rather stern gaze.
"Hmm? You too Buneary?" Dawn asked.
Buneary nodded in response.
Everyone looked at each other before they turned back to the pair.
"Well...alright you guys." Ash finally said before both he and Dawn took a step forward and gently lifted them off their gurneys and down onto the ground. When the two trainers stood straight, they motioned for the soldiers to ease up on holding back the crowd.
With that, a few people and Pokémon started walking towards them. The first to come up was a girl around the same age as Ash and Dawn with rather long blond hair. Beside her was a familiar-looking minccino.
"(It's you!)" The chinchilla exclaimed, her eyes in disbelief.
Buneary smirked at her. "(Yup! Sure is!)"
"(H-How did...? I mean, what happened?! Is the island okay? What about the bad guys?!)" Minccino blurted.
Pikachu, rather proudly, waved a paw in front of himself in reassurance. "(It's all been taken care of. The island is safe and those guys...well...they won't be bothering anyone for a while.)"
Minccino merely blinked at them, unable to register it. Then she let out a sigh of relief, a paw on her chest.
"(Oh thank goodness...)" She whispered. As soon as she said that, her trainer leaned down with a smile to get a good look at the pair.
"Oh...! So this is the couple I've heard so much about!" The blonde-haired girl said with a little laugh.
Not expecting to hear that, Pikachu and Buneary looked at each other and they embarrassedly shuffled in place, looking at the ground. They stopped upon hearing other voices coming near them.
"(Man, am I glad to see you guys!)" Tranquill declared as he glided over and following alongside him was Simipour.
"(I'll say! We had no idea what to expect after getting in that escape pod!)" The water monkey said.
Then, everyone turned to see a tall and tough-looking man with chestnut hair. In his muscular arms was Purrloin who looked down at them with a smile, her tail swishing back and forth. All the while, the burly man stroked her back.
"(When we got here, we reunited with our folks, thanks to you two.)" She said before the man holding her cleared his throat.
"Some of us got wind of what was going on and went straight to the authorities." He said in a deep masculine voice.
Pikachu and Buneary paused and then turned to look at their group, particularly Cynthia.
The Sinnoh champion smirked at them. "What? You don't think I'm the only one who put the word out right?"
Then they all turned in response to the sound of hoofsteps approaching them. They looked over and saw Sawsbuck. Standing next to him was a slightly smaller doe and in front of them were two deerlings who immediately starting bounding up to the group.
When they got to Pikachu and Buneary, they started to bounce around them in a circle to which the two kept turning their heads to see.
"(Are you the ones?!)" One deerling asked.
"(The ones who saved our dad?!)" The other one followed.
"(Er...)" Pikachu mumbled, overtaken by the children's boundless energy.
"(That's them alright!)" Sawsbuck proudly declared with a smile. "(They saved me from certain doom!)"
The duo looked over and saw the smaller doe walk up to them.
"(You two...thank you.)" She said before briefly looking back at Sawsbuck. "(For saving my husband...he has a knack for getting into predicaments.)" The doe said with a little smile before she turned back to them. "(So please accept my sincerest gratitude.)" She said before bowing down.
"(Yes...thank you.)" Sawsbuck said before he too did the same.
The two deerlings stopped bouncing in front of the ex-couple and lowered their heads and closed their eyes.
"(Thank you.)" They simultaneously said.
Rather surprised, Pikachu and Buneary paused before they smiled back.
"(It was our pleasure.)" Pikachu said, bowing back.
"(Anytime!)" Buneary said, curtsying by grabbing her fluff.
"(Hey!)" A youthful voice called out and everyone turned to see Lillipup running up to them on all fours. From behind, they could see several others including herdiers and stoutlands.
Buneary's face lit up and she waved him over. "(Oh hey!)" She called out.
"(You're alive!)" Lillipup happily exclaimed as he skidded to a halt in front of them.
"(Naturally~!)" Pikachu proudly said, his paws behind his back and his eyes closed.
"(And everyone else is safe too!)" Lillipup excitedly shouted, unable to keep his enthusiasm down to a minimum. For a moment, the youth's jubilation reminded the duo of Pachirisu. Jeez, if the two of them were to meet right now, the excited chattering would never end!
Buneary smiled at him and leaned forward a little to make eye contact with him. "(You were very brave too!)"
Lillipup stopped in place and looked at her. "(Yeah...yeah I was! I was brave! Did you know that I helped the others find their trainers?!)" He happily squealed as he jumped in place.
Pikachu gave Buneary a side-glance. It was no surprise that she had such a strong connection with the little pup. She was usually pretty good with kids.
Just another thing he loved about her.
Suddenly, Lillipup stopped in place and made a curious noise as he looked up in the air. Pikachu and Buneary did the same before Meloetta suddenly materialized in front of the pup.
Not having enough time to yelp, Lillipup felt Meloetta's arms wrap around him as she pressed her face up against his.
"(You're okay!)" She exclaimed, lifting the pup a few inches above the ground with her.
Lillipup's surprised look melted into one of comfort and he hugged her back. "(And you're okay too! I'm so happy!)"
From behind, Lillipup's family smiled and watched as both he and Meloetta quickly caught up on things since they last saw each other.
Amongst everyone's chattering, Pikachu and Buneary took a moment to glance over at each other. Not really knowing why, they looked deep into each other's eyes and they both felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Then, Pikachu gave her a grin and held his fist out for her. Buneary blinked at him before making the connection and she happily fist bumped her former partner in crime.
After reuniting with the Pokémon they had rescued, it came time for Pikachu and Buneary to say goodbye and with everyone waving and thanking them, the two were put in the ambulance and transported to the nearest Pokémon Center. Just like their diagnosis on the ship, it was determined that they simply needed some rest with Buneary's leg and Pikachu's arm being the most serious injuries.
But some scrapes and bruises were far from what was secretly bothering the electric mouse. Lying in his hospital room, surrounded by his conversing friends, Pikachu slightly fidgeted under his sheets as he anxiously looked up at the ceiling.
The villains were taken care of; the prisoners rescued...
...Now comes the truly hard part.
Pikachu's mind wandered as he thought of scenario after scenario of how he was going to do it.
Firstly, where would he do it? The beach? At the villa? Well...she loves flowers, so maybe by a flowerbed?
Actually, it should be a romantic gesture right? So no friends around.
A moment alone. Together...
No distractions, no emergencies, no beating around the bush.
Just speak from the heart. That's all he has to do.
Still staring at nothing in particular, Pikachu blinked upon remembering Piplup's advice from long ago. Back on Solare Island when he was feeling apprehensive about asking Buneary out.
"(Pikachu...I know it's a tad cliché but sometimes you just need to say what's in here.)" He said, patting a flipper against his chest.
That was Piplup's advice.
...And he was right.
As quietly as he could, Pikachu sighed.
Perhaps it was the thought and buildup leading up to the moment that was so anxiety-inducing instead of the act itself. It certainly felt that way when he had first asked Buneary out.
Gosh...remembering that...it feels like a lifetime ago now.
Trying to get a little more comfortable, Pikachu sunk further into his pillow and he resigned himself to what he was about to do.
It was frightening, uncertain and intense...but he needed to do it.
He needed to tell her that he loves her.
A few days passed and the ex-couple had fully recovered and were allowed to leave. Before anyone even knew it, they were heading back to Cynthia's villa, hoping for normality to sink in when they did.
With Jervis driving the car, Ash and Dawn sat in the back seats, holding Pikachu and Buneary.
Trying to maintain his cool the entire time, Pikachu found himself often looking away or struggling to say something to the girl he admired. When the chatting inevitably started, Pikachu occasionally stole a glance at her and when he got a good look at her face, his heart began to beat a little faster and he suddenly felt the urge start shaking.
Legends above, if he was this nervous already, how in the world was he going to go through with it?!
"(And then Sam said that she'll be cheering us on if she ever sees us on TV!)" Buneary happily said, not a care in the world.
Pikachu, staring at floor of the vehicle, gave her a side-glance. "(W-Who...?)" He managed to stammer, trying not to let his voice break.
Buneary looked back at him. "(Sam…Minccino's trainer.)" She said only to see Pikachu look away and clear his throat.
"(O-Oh yeah. Well that's great to hear!)" He said with an awkward laugh.
Buneary tilted her head at him. "(Are you okay?)"
A jolt going up his spine, Pikachu stifled any sort of strange sound that desperately wanted to escape his lips. Briefly closing his eyes, he quickly composed himself and gave her a toothy grin.
"(Yup! Never better Bun!)" He declared only to turn away right after.
Baffled, Buneary confusedly looked at him. Then she shrugged and smiled.
"(Well...I can't wait to get back to the villa. I think I just want the rest of the week to be nice and quiet.)" She said.
Secretly glad that the subject was changed, Pikachu gazed out the window, watching the endless trees go by.
"(Yeah...can't wait for things to go back to normal.)" He muttered.
"(So back to traveling and training you think?)" She asked, tilting her head a bit whilst looking at him.
Still trying to act cool under pressure, Pikachu gave her another big grin. "(Yup! I wouldn't have it any other way! It's what I love doing after all!)"
"(Mhmm...)" Buneary quietly said with a little smile and she looked away. Pikachu too stared elsewhere.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, each staring out the windows, mesmerized by the rolling scenery. Unbeknownst to Buneary, Pikachu's mind was whizzing by at an even faster rate than the nature that passed them by.
In the garden...or maybe by the beach...those were good places...the only question was which one.
And...how would he say it? Well...maybe the best way was to ease into it. Yeah...he can do that. He didn't want to do something over-the-top like suavely dancing over to her with a rose in his mouth and sweeping her off her feet.
...
Actually that would be pretty smooth. But for a confession to which he had no idea how she would respond...that might be a bit much. That sort of act was something you would do if you were really sure right?
So maybe he should just go about it like he normally did? Just being himself.
Pikachu grimaced a little.
He could only surmise how her reaction would be. Would she be happy? Surprised? Would she start crying? After everything that's happened to them this past week alone, she was definitely a lot tougher than when they had first met. Back then, she would've cried from him just snapping at her but now...
...All he knew was that she wasn't the type to mock and throw it back at him.
Pikachu's eyes glazed over each tree as it passed by.
This was the right thing to do...right? Sure, things could get awkward but...they already were. He was a fool...but not that much of a fool. He could see that there was still a spark because he was acting like the same lovestruck idiot just as she was for him.
Ever since they reunited here, it's just been one implication after another.
Not to mention what she had said back on that airship. Right before his escape pod took off.
"(Thank you...for loving me. Thank you...for giving me a chance.)" She managed to say, her voice becoming more and more strained. "(You're the best guy I've ever known a-and being with you and with Dawn and the others...they were best moments of my life.)"
Just thinking that made Pikachu's heart swell. She...really said that...didn't she?
He looked back at her and saw that she was still staring out the window with a faraway smile, oblivious to what was going through his mind at the moment. As soon as he saw her face, he felt his heart do a backflip, something that he hadn't felt in quite a while, certainly not before meeting up with her again.
Pikachu silently gulped and he looked away.
And as soon as he did, his eyes rested upon a most wonderous sight.
Stunned, Pikachu looked ahead through the car's front windshield and saw that they were nearing Cynthia's villa.
The mouse looked back to the window to his right and he immediately went over his options.
No question about it...forget the beach, forget the villa...he knew where he wanted to confess to her.
For two days straight, Pikachu agonized over going through with it, doing his best to build up the nerve. He wanted to do it as soon as they got home but by then, it was almost time to go to bed and the next day he tried to find an opportunity to be alone with her yet whenever he got the chance, he suddenly felt the need to say that he was busy with something.
Other times he would reiterate how excited he was about the upcoming league or discussed what other possible regions they still hadn't explored just yet. When asked, Buneary said that she had some contests and modeling jobs in different parts of the world that were coming up.
Regardless, such discussions were just another way for the mouse to not address what he was feeling deep down.
Excuses...that's all they were. By the time the second day had rolled around, he could only shamefacedly look at her.
It didn't take long for actual distracting reasons to appear. A few misadventures here, an occasional face in need of something there...same old, same old. All the while, Pikachu stole the occasional glance at Buneary and when he did, he saw her doing the same. One time, they accidentally locked gazes and he quickly looked away.
The mouse didn't know how she felt about him in that moment yet he could've melted into a puddle then and there.
Of course many times Ash would express his excitement in his future endeavors to which Pikachu would often join and comment on how much stronger they expected to get soon in this region and the next and what sort of things their journeys may hold. He tried his absolute best to act like things were back to normal and that nothing at all was plaguing his mind these last few days.
Whenever he said that, Buneary would merely smile and silently nod her head.
A little more time passed and before the group knew it, they were entering the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup.
After a series of battles, it first came down to Ash versus Iris and after Krookodile landed a good hit with Stone Edge, Ash was able to proceed.
When it was time for Ash to face off against Trip for the final round, it tragically ended with Pignite being knocked out by Serperior's Frenzy Plant, making Ash place as the runner-up of the Junior Cup.
A few hours at sunset, the group was back at Cynthia's villa.
When they stopped to watch Meloetta gracefully sing to the ocean, one of them made a sudden announcement.
"I think it's time we got on our way." Dawn said with a smile as she held Piplup in her arms.
The others, rather taken aback, turned to look at her. Pikachu confusedly stared at the bluenette as he sat upon Ash's shoulder.
"So are you two heading back to Sinnoh?" Iris asked.
Dawn turned to look at her. "No, Johto. There's a contest being held there soon."
Pikachu could only smile at her as Ash turned to speak to his former traveling companion. He watched as they discussed the Wallace Cup and how eager the coordinator was to participate in it. His grin only grew as he saw Dawn begin to express how much she wanted to use everything that she's seen so far. All the while, the others voiced their support.
Heh, always somewhere else with them. They could never seem to stay in the same-
...
Oh right.
His smile faltering for a moment, Pikachu remembered why exactly that posed a problem. Not wanting anyone to catch on, he put on another happy face as Ash took a step forward to propose a battle between them.
Trying to focus on the fight, Pikachu's expression turned determined yet inside was a torrent of emotions, mainly panic at how little time he had now.
A brief battle was conducted between Pikachu and Quilava that Cynthia called a draw to. The day almost over, everyone headed inside and soon turned in.
The next morning, everyone was having breakfast in the kitchen, the humans going on and on about what was in store for them in their futures. As everyone ate their food, Pikachu mindlessly stared at his bowl of pellets, Piplup happily munching away off to the side. Amidst the others' conversations and eating their fill, the mouse's mind was somewhere far, far away...
When breakfast was over, Dawn began to get ready to depart in the next few hours by plane. Now truly out of time, Pikachu snuck away to prepare himself in the bedroom that he and Ash had been occupying since they got here.
The mouse paced back and forth on the bed, his paws behind his back.
"Okay..." He thought. "All you have to do is get a few minutes with her...yeah."
He stopped as a horribly overwhelming wave of anxiety began to wash over him, one that was becoming all-too familiar now.
Pikachu groaned and put his face into his paws.
Uggh...why was this so difficult? It was just saying three little words!
Slowly, he lowered his paws from his face and he blankly stared at the wall.
I love you.
Simple right? Just say it again.
I love you.
Again.
I love you Buneary. I love you...
Carefully inhaling, Pikachu weighed his options. For a very brief moment, he lost his nerve and wondered if he shouldn't go through with it.
...And then he thought about that moment when he was in that escape pod, screaming her name as it departed without his consent. What she had said to him, what she was going to do and how she looked in that moment.
She was brave. One of the bravest individuals he had ever known. Compared to all of that...this was nothing.
Lost in thought, Pikachu continued to stare off into space as his mind wandered some more.
He remembered when he was in the cave with that apparition. It looked like her, sounded like her and it knew things about him that she would know...
...But it wasn't her. And the things it had said about only needing a moment...
He dwelled on that thought for a second and remembered how it felt upon seeing her form disappear in that cave.
...And how he felt when he saw her for real not long after that.
He looked around the room and his eyes rested on the letter bracelet that he had placed on a drawer that held a mirror. That's right...he took it off as soon as they got back. Given all of the training, traveling, misadventures and battling these past few days, he didn't want it getting damaged. It was a miracle that it hadn't thus far.
Without really thinking, Pikachu got off the bed and jumped atop the drawer and he picked up the bracelet. Eyeing it closely, he rubbed it between his fingers. A strange comfort going through him, he put it on his arm. Then he looked down at the floor and he realized that the anxiety was fully gone. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath and in that moment, all he saw in his mind was her smiling face.
Pikachu slowly raised his head, a strange sort of determination beginning to shine through his eyes.
A second chance...he was given a second chance.
Pikachu's furrowed his brow and he clenched his fists.
He was going to do it. At long last, he had the opportunity and the courage to be honest with himself.
Here's his chance.
Pikachu began to puff his chest out and he turned around.
And he wasn't going to waste it.
Not allowing any sort of doubt to cloud his mind or heart, Pikachu hopped off the drawer and he made his way to the door and with a strange excitement, opened it.
...Only to stare directly into Buneary's pretty eyes.
They stayed perfectly still, unable to break their gaze.
After an eternity, Buneary spoke up.
"(O-Oh...! H-Hey there...)" She whispered, looking away and rubbing her arm, a light pink blush dusting her face.
A chill going up his spine, Pikachu also turned away to hide his reddening face.
"(H-Hey yourself.)" He stammered before clearing his throat. "(I...uhh...was actually gonna come find you.)"
Buneary perked up a little and she gave him a side-glance. His words had evidently reached her on some level. "(...Really?)"
"(Yeah, you wanna...go somewhere?)" He nervously asked.
"(...Sure.)" She said before fully turning to him. "(Where to?)"
Pikachu merely looked at her before smiling.
"(Not much further right?)" Buneary asked as she and Pikachu walked through the trees that surrounded Cynthia's villa. The mouse had been leading the way for the past few minutes yet never saying what their destination was.
"(Only a few more steps I promise.)" Pikachu replied, excitement clearly in his voice as he parted a bright green bush.
As soon as Buneary got on the other side, her rolled up ear uncurled to the sound of rushing water. She stood in place, making sure that she was hearing things correctly.
Was that what she thinks it is?
As soon as Pikachu saw her reaction, he gave a rather proud smile and he motioned for her to keep following him.
It was only when they got past a few more trees did they finally get a look of what the cause of the noise was.
There in the middle of a family of emerald trees was a small waterfall, the crystal clear water cascading over slate grey stones into a small pond before it moved downwards and formed a river. With the canopy of trees protecting the surrounding area, the spot they stood on was the only place where the sunlight broke through.
Standing between lush foliage, Pikachu and Buneary silently watched the waterfall endlessly perform its task of transporting the life-giving liquid.
Buneary's paws slowly went up to her mouth as her eyes widened in wonder.
"(Oh Pikachu...it's so beautiful...!)" She quietly squealed.
Pride filling his heart, Pikachu smiled and looked down at the ground, hoping to not let all of the excitement get to him too quickly. He bashfully put his paws behind his back and he brushed a foot over the grass.
"(I figured you'd like it.)" He finally said before looking up at her only to see that she hadn't broken her gaze from the sight.
Buneary finally turned to him with the brightest grin he'd ever seen on a Pokémon.
"(Hee~! I didn't know this was nearby!)" She giggled.
Pikachu nervously rubbed the back of his head and looked away. "(Neither did I...until I saw it on the way back.)"
Buneary blinked at him. "(You mean when we got back from the island?)"
"(Yeah.)"
"(...Huh.)"
Not really knowing what to say next, the two went back to watching the waterfall for almost thirty seconds.
"(...So Johto huh?)" Pikachu finally said, his gentle voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
"(...Yeah.)" Buneary quietly replied, her voice possessing just the subtlest traces of sadness underneath.
"(Well...it's a pretty nice place...so I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun.)" Pikachu said, trying to sound optimistic.
"(Mhmm.)" Buneary merely muttered, not taking her eyes off the sight.
Slightly less sure now, Pikachu shifted a little from where he stood and once again, he rubbed the back of his head.
"(And hopefully you won't have any more crazy stuff happen like this week.)" He joked, giving an awkward laugh.
Slowly, Buneary turned to look at him. She didn't smile nor laugh with him. Instead, she merely looked him up and down. When he noticed her reaction, he felt a sudden urge to start shaking.
Oh no...did he do something wrong? Had he said something that he shouldn't have? Great...just great! He hadn't even eased into things and already he'd-!
"(You're still wearing the bracelet...)" Buneary whispered, still eyeing him.
Standing as still as a statue, Pikachu merely gave her a dumbfounded look.
"(Huh?)" He mumbled before he saw that she was looking at the arm that was rubbing the back of his head. Finally understanding, he lowered his arm and saw that he was indeed still wearing the letter bracelet that she had rescued from the island. "(O-Oh yeah...! Guess I am!)" He half-heartedly chuckled.
Buneary tilted her head at him before she took a step forward. "(Can I ask you something?)"
Easing up on the nervous laughing, Pikachu tried to compose himself. "(Er...yeah, what's up?)"
She looked at him for a moment before her expression turned curious. "(Why did you leave it behind?)"
Taken aback by that question, Pikachu merely stood there in silence.
"(Leave it behind?)" He asked back.
"(Yeah...)" Buneary said, her paws on her hips. "(When I landed on the island with Meloetta, we found the bracelet next to my vest on the shore. It didn't look like you dropped it so...why did you leave it there?)"
Pikachu slowly looked down at the bracelet on his arm and he remembered his rationalization in that moment. It was strange, he wasn't afraid to speak up but for some reason, he couldn't look her in the face.
"(I just...)" He said under his breath and right then, Buneary could see an immense amount of sadness flash in his eyes. "(I thought you were...you know...)"
"(...Yeah.)" Buneary quietly replied, her expression easing up a little.
"(A-And I still had your vest. I just thought that...I don't know...if I was going to leave something of yours behind then I would leave something of mine behind too.)"
"(...But why?)" She gently asked.
"(I...)" Pikachu managed to say before taking in a shaky breath. "(I figured that it was something to memorialize you. Because I thought...)" He continued before his voice failed him. Pausing for a moment, he tried again. "(...I thought I lost you Buneary.)"
Buneary eased up some more and she seemed like she wanted to say something. Instead, she merely looked away and nodded her head.
"(I see.)" She quietly replied.
Pikachu swallowed hard and he gently caressed his bracelet. "(This bracelet...it's important to me Bun. Do you understand?)"
"(Yeah...I do.)" Buneary whispered, still watching the waterfall.
Although she wasn't looking at him anymore, Pikachu felt his heart racing, knowing what he was about to say. He continued looking at his bracelet, contemplating on what it represented.
Unable to stop himself from shaking in place, he slowly looked over at her.
"(Bun...)" He started to say, his voice getting caught in his throat again and his insides squirming. "(Th-There's something I need to say.)"
"(Me too, Pika.)" She calmly said, still looking elsewhere.
"(Y-Yeah?)" He nervously asked, taking a step towards her with his paw holding his bracelet-wearing arm.
"(I...)" Buneary started to say before she looked over at him and it was in that moment did he realize how calm she appeared yet at the same time, he was witnessing a look that was more somber than anything he'd seen in quite some time.
"(What is it...?)" Pikachu asked, feeling like he was going to pass out right then and there.
"(I'm...scared.)" She finally said, shamefacedly looking at the ground.
Not really expecting to hear that, Pikachu eased up a little. "(...Scared? Of what?)"
Buneary took a deep breath and looked back up at him. "(That when I leave...I don't know when the next time I'll see you again.)"
Pikachu merely watched her with sympathy. His heart broke as he saw a profound look of sadness appear on her face.
"(Bun, of course you'll see me again.)" He said, trying to sound as chipper as he normally was.
Buneary simply shook her head and she squeezed her eyes shut. "(You don't know that.)"
"(Sure I do! I mean, we met here didn't-?)"
"(This time was just random luck. Who knows when the next time will be? It could months or...or even years!)"
Pikachu shut his mouth, unable to respond to that. She wasn't wrong, granted nothing was really stopping them from pausing their journeying and coming to visit the other but such a thing would interfere with their own respective goals. It had happened with former traveling friends like Misty and May but only very rarely.
"(Bun...I...)" He muttered, looking down at the grass.
"(I know...we'll keep in touch. A-And I know that you mean that...and don't get me wrong, I love talking over the phone whenever we can but...)" She said, the shame and embarrassment clearly in her voice and she stared elsewhere as her blush began to return in full force. "(...But I miss you Pikachu.)"
Pikachu's ears pricked up and he immediately looked up at her. "(Huh?)" He muttered, watching as she nervously began to shift one foot over the other as she grabbed her fluff, a sight he couldn't remember seeing in quite some time.
"(I missed being with you, going on crazy misadventures and...and...)" She said before she locked gazes with him. Then, in a truly nostalgia-inducing moment, she hid her face in her fluff.
Pikachu stood perfectly still. He felt his heart warming as her words reverberated in his head.
She...missed him that much?
He shakily inhaled and right then and there, he decided to follow Piplup's advice from long ago.
"(Buneary...)" He said, waiting for her to respond in some way.
"(Hmm...?)" She muttered from behind her fluff.
Pikachu put his arms behind his back and he looked down at the grass, kicking a small stone away.
"(I...feel the same way.)" He said and he looked over to see Buneary slowly but surely lowering her fluff.
"(What...what was that?)" She nervously asked, peeking over her fluff to lock gazes with him.
Pikachu gave a little smile at her. Then he walked over to her and gently placed a paw on her cheek, causing her to lower her fluff all the way down.
"(I said that I feel the same way Bun. Ever since we reunited.)" He whispered.
They stayed in complete silence for a beat as Buneary stared deep into his eyes.
"(All this time?)" She finally asked.
Pikachu continued to give her the warmest smile and he removed his paw from her face and placed it on her shoulder. "(Yes. I've missed you too...in a way that keeping in touch can't match up with.)"
"(Pika...)" She squeaked, her paws now up to her cheeks.
"(Yeah...in fact I uhh...I-I think I...)" Pikachu started to say, his heart pounding against his chest. He nervously gulped and looked away, preparing himself for saying what he never thought he would say in his life. "(You're special to me Bun...in fact y-you-re so special that...that I...I-)"
Suddenly, before he could finish his sentence, he heard Buneary sniffling. Startled, he looked over at her and saw that she was wiping a tear from her eye, clearly holding back from breaking out into sobs.
"(Oh...what's wrong?)" Pikachu asked, slightly panicking. He leaned over to place his paw over her cheek again.
Stifling her cries, Buneary composed herself and quietly sighed.
"(You're...you're special to me too Pika. And...and I hate that we have to do this again. Going our separate ways I mean.)" She finally said.
Her words immediately reaching his heart, Pikachu felt his entire body tingle and a strange wave of relief wash over him.
"(I know...but before we do, I just wanted to say that...that...)" He said before he grit his teeth in frustration.
Damn it, why was this so hard?!
On the precipice, he opened his mouth to say more only for Buneary to jump into his arms and nuzzle her face into his chest.
"(Why did we have to keep pushing down what we felt for so long?!)" She cried. Absolutely stunned, Pikachu instinctively rubbed her back before she looked up with wettened eyes and locked gazes with him. In that moment, her eyes stared straight into his soul.
"(Bun...)" He quietly said.
"(I love you Pikachu...)" She whispered.
...
...
...!
All at once, Pikachu's body went numb and his head swirled.
Wh...what?
Did she...really just say that?
As he looked back at her, that cozy feeling returned. The feeling that he was somewhere comfortable and safe like being by the fireplace during a snowstorm.
It was the same feeling that was anything but strange to him now.
Looking down at her, Pikachu's agonized heart felt at ease and in that moment he experienced nothing but bliss.
He gave her a warm smile. "(I love you too Buneary.)"
Pikachu saw her visibly surprised by that and her mouth hung open in slight shock.
"(What did you say...?)" She asked, her vulnerability palpable.
Pikachu's smile only grew. "(I said I love you too! I...I have for a while now.)"
Buneary continued to stare up at him, not breaking her gaze from his eyes. Then, she squealed and quickly leaned forward.
Pikachu's ears went straight up as she pressed her lips against his. Perhaps it was by sheer habit or some strange instinct within, but he immediately found himself pressing back and holding her close.
Noticeably, no electricity came from his cheeks as they locked lips.
They stayed like that for some time. For Pikachu, all of the pain, worry and sorrow that he had felt for the past week faded like the evening sun.
He was here...with the girl he loved.
The girl who loved him back.
This is where he wanted to be. Right here with her in his arms.
Unfortunately, no matter how heartfelt the confession may have been, the lack of oxygen forced them to break the kiss. When they did, they merely hugged, not saying a word.
After about a minute, they broke away yet they still held paws.
Buneary's paw returned to her cheek while Pikachu's free paw rubbed the back of his head. All the while, they proudly wore crimson blushes.
"(Teehee~!)" Buneary giggled, absolutely over the moon. "(Pika this is unbelievable! I mean...when did you find out?!)"
Pikachu paused and looked at her, his head as light as a feather. "(Hmm? Find out what?)"
"(You know...)" She said, twirling her free paw in the air. "(When you discovered your...feelings.)"
Understanding what she meant, Pikachu's mouth made an "o" shape and he nodded his head. He took up a contemplative pose and glanced up at the sky.
"(I guess...I guess it would have to be when I was on that island.)" He quietly said, looking at her with a somewhat somber expression. "(Right after I thought you...you know.)"
Buneary stared back and merely nodded her head. "(Oh...right.)"
Pikachu furrowed his brow a little, something bugging him in the back of his mind. Then, he waved his free paw in the air. "(Actually...if I'm being honest...I think it was probably before then. I think...)" He said, putting his paw up to his chin to really make sure. "(...I think it might have been back in Sinnoh...after that snowball fight.)"
Buneary tilted her head at him, obviously trying to remember. Then, her eyes widened a little and she made a surprised sound.
"(Ohh...I remember now!)" She blurted out. "(At the ski lodge!)"
"(Heh...yup. Guilty as charged.)" Pikachu nervously chuckled as he scratched the back of his ear. He could feel his cheeks heating up with every passing moment.
Buneary giggled. "(Seems like kind of a random moment to start feeling that way Pika~!)" She teased, cuddling into his side.
His heart beating against his ribcage, Pikachu nervously gulped. "(W-Well I mean...you won the game all by yourself a-and you did that really cool thing when you spun and were throwing snowballs everywhere...!)" He said, the excitement building as he remembered the event in more detail. The mouse's gaze sparkled with a fierce sense of pride. "(You went up against like five of our friends and you took them all out! You were even gentle with Pachirisu!)"
Her blush only darkening, Buneary smiled and looked away. "(Well...I wanted to win for us. They ganged up to take you out after all! And Pachirisu...well I mean he's just a kid sooo...)"
Beaming, Pikachu wrapped an arm around her, causing Buneary to squeak with surprise. "(And that's the reason why! You knew when to ease up and you went at it with everything you had! Plus you looked really cool when you did it!)"
Gushing, Buneary shook her head. "(Oh Pikachu, you flirt~!)"
Pikachu closed his eyes, his heart warming at her jubilation. He gently nuzzled his cheek against hers.
"(I mean, there's a ton of other reasons why I feel this way, but that was the day I knew~)" He whispered, his words only making her giggle even more.
Pikachu then opened his eyes upon coming across a thought.
"(How 'bout you Bun?)" He asked to which she stopped giggling like an idiot and looked back at him, breaking the nuzzle.
A moment passed before she started to shuffle her legs, one over the other.
"(Oh...uhh...)" She muttered, her blush showing no sign of fading. "(I-I guess it was the time you helped everyone out.)"
A tad perplexed; Pikachu merely tilted his head. "(Hmm? When was that?)"
Buneary closed her eyes and put her paws up to her chest, fondly remembering. "(Right after Chimchar joined your group. After he had his breakdown, you went to talk to him and...you cheered him up.)"
"(Oh...)" Pikachu whispered. His confused expression faded upon remembering that day as well.
"(Yeah...)" She quietly said, looking off elsewhere. "(And he wasn't the only one that day either. You helped Pachirisu and Happiny too, remember? You told Pachirisu you were gonna help control his electricity and you taught Happiny how to share.)"
Not really knowing why, Pikachu embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head. "(Yeah...I guess so. But why then? It sounds like a pretty typical day to start feeling differently.)"
"(But that's just it Pika.)" Buneary said, looking back at him. "(It was because it was so typical that I felt differently.)"
"(Huh? I don't-)"
"(Pikachu...we go on all sorts of adventures. Heck...we just went through the craziest one yet. I've seen you perform some of the most impressive moves I've ever seen and I've watched you take down opponents of all sizes, some of whom were pretty nasty folks.)" She muttered, looking up at the sky in remembrance. "(So the fact that you went out of your way to help others when there wasn't an emergency just...I dunno, I guess it showed me that you don't need a crazy situation to be the same amazing guy that I saw catch that potato.)"
Pikachu blinked at her, not expecting that at all. "(Bun...I-I don't know what to say.)" He quietly said, rubbing his arm.
Buneary looked down at him and smiled. "(For me, it just showed that we could have a life together y'know? It doesn't have to always be misadventures and out-of-this-world situations.)" She said, waiting for him to look at her. "(I love you for who you are, not what you can do.)"
Pikachu's already reddened face became hot to the touch as all the blood rushed to his cheeks.
"(I-I...)" He stuttered, not expecting so much praise in one sentence.
A life together...
Wow. Now THAT was a thought...
Pretty satisfied with the mouse's reaction, Buneary smirked and put her paws on her hips. "(Well anyway, that's when I knew~!)"
Pikachu closed his eyes, hoping that in doing so, his heart rate would slow to a reasonable pace.
Well if that's how she feels...
"(So...)" He whispered before he started to take a few steps towards her.
"(Huh?)" She muttered as Pikachu wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a hug.
"(So are we back? I mean...are we back together then?)" He asked. Buneary, her face resting on his shoulder, merely blinked in response. "(We'll have to tell the others then. Ash is gonna have to change up some of his plans but we can do this I'm sure.)"
Buneary, her face still on his shoulder, continued to look ahead. Her face turned serious. She was so caught up in the moment that only now was she coming upon another realization.
"(Pika...)" Buneary gently replied, only for the mouse to keep talking.
"(Some of the others are gonna be really surprised!)" He chuckled, holding her a little closer. "(Of course after Ash finishes the league in this region we can meet up with you and Dawn in Johto since she's got the Wallace Cup.)"
"(Pikachu...)"
"(And then after that, we'll need to discuss where to go next since Ash will insist on going somewhere with a league and-)"
"(Pikachu...!)" She said a little more firmly, tapping his back to get his attention.
"(Oh...! Sorry! I'm getting ahead of myself over here!)" Pikachu laughed as he eased up on the hug although he didn't fully let go. Loosening his embrace, he looked straight into her eyes. "(A lot of stuff is gonna change right? But as long as we're together...)" He whispered as he placed his paws on her shoulders.
Buneary gave him a gentle smile that oddly appeared to have a faraway sense of sadness behind it. She rested her face onto one of his paws for a moment and she stared back up at him.
"(I love you Pikachu.)" She quietly said.
"(I love you too-)" He started to say before she put a paw up to his lips to shush him, much to his surprise.
"(And because I love you...)" Buneary sadly whispered before she moved back to fully break away from his embrace. "(...I have to let you go for now.)"
Standing perfectly still, Pikachu couldn't even register what she had just said.
"(I...but you said-)" He managed to say before he saw her shake her head.
"(I meant it. I do love you...but it isn't right to make you decide between us and your dreams.)" She somberly replied.
Feeling as if somebody had punched him right in the stomach, Pikachu suddenly found it hard to breathe.
"(B-But I'm not asking that!)" He blurted, taking a step forward. "(We can make it work out, it's just that one of us has to...to put things on hold for a little while.)"
As soon as he said that, it suddenly began to dawn on him what she meant.
Looking back at him, Buneary nodded her head. "(You see what I mean? Pikachu...I know you; I've known you for a while now and your goals of being stronger and fulfilling Ash's dream...I know that it's what you still want.)"
"(I...)" Pikachu muttered only to see Buneary give him a more resolute look.
"(Be honest with yourself, do you really think you're ready to give up traveling and training with Ash at this point in your life?)" She firmly asked. "(You've been talking about it nonstop since we got back here.)"
He looked at her and then to the ground. Was this actually happening? One moment things were great and now...
...
And as to her question...
Pikachu grit his teeth and closed his eyes for a few seconds.
It was true, he still wanted to continue what he's been doing all this time: traveling with his best friend, becoming stronger and seeing the world. That dream hadn't magically faded upon realizing his feelings...and she knew it.
True, he was mostly talking it about it this past week to cover up what he was truly feeling underneath but even then, he wasn't lying. And as for her...it's not like contests and modeling opportunities were going to wait up for her. Heck, for the modeling stuff, her career was just beginning and if she were to slow down now...
"(But...)" He squeaked, tears forming in his eyes. "(But I love you! And when I...when I thought I lost you, I didn't think I'd ever get another chance to tell you! I was scared because I didn't really know what you would say and I was afraid of how you'd take it.)" He said, his gaze floating down to the ground as his ears drooped to the sides of his head. "(And...I knew it would change things for me. I was being selfish, choosing myself over a future with you...)" Pikachu muttered before he squeezed his eyes shut and he shook his head. "(But you're here! I can right my wrong and choose you!)"
Unable to stop himself, Pikachu felt tears beginning to escape his eyes again and go down his cheeks. He only managed to stop when he felt Buneary's paw hold his chin and slowly made him look up at her.
"(Pikachu...)" She gently said with a little smile. "(...That's ridiculous.)"
"(Huh?)" He managed to mutter, baffled at her reaction.
"(You wanting to pursue your own dreams isn't selfish at all. I understood back in Sinnoh and I understand now. I'm not holding anything against you for it...so stop being a silly mouse and beating yourself up over nothing.)" She replied, her inviting smile being all that he needed to feel safe again.
"(You...don't?)" He finally asked.
Buneary shook her head. "(I would never ask you to give up what you love to be with me. That is selfishness. I love you and I want it to be perfectly clear: if pursuing your dreams means us not being together for a little while...then it's okay.)"
Wiping some pesky remaining tears from his eyes, Pikachu tried to look at her through his blurry vision.
"(But...we can try to make it work out.)" He managed to say, attempting his best not to stutter.
"(Maybe...)" Buneary said before she took a step back and looked elsewhere. "(And then again...a long-distance relationship might not work.)"
Unable to say something in that moment, Pikachu merely swallowed hard. It was true, a long-distance relationship wasn't like a band aid for this sort of thing. It wasn't a magical, be-all and end-all cure. Such a thing could actually backfire and make things a million times worse.
Upon hearing her words, the mouse was reminded of why they hadn't tried such a thing after leaving Sinnoh. Plus, they did just admit that they missed being with each other rather than simply staying in touch no matter how often it was.
Buneary gave a quiet sigh. "(Our paths are leading us to other places Pikachu. But you know what...?)" She said before glancing over at him. "(It'll be alright. We can still love each other and not be with each other...at least just yet.)"
Pikachu took in a deep breath to compose himself. "(Are you sure?)" He sniffled only to see her nod her head.
"(Pikachu...I want you to live your life.)" She said, causing the mouse to merely look at her in awe. "(If being with Ash and traveling the world makes you happy, then do it. Meet new faces, see exciting places, get stronger and do your best to be the best.)" Buneary declared, a fierce determination returning in those famous eyes of hers. Then, to his surprise, she started to ease up and with a sad smile she looked down at the ground. "(...And if you meet someone else that you feel strongly for...then give it a shot.)"
His heart sinking into the pit of his stomach, Pikachu nearly gasped from the shock of it all.
"(Bun...! I would never-!)" He blurted before she once again shook her head.
"(Tsk, tsk Pikachu...)" She half-heartedly laughed, waving her paw at him. "(You think I'm just being dramatic but I mean it. If you meet someone along your adventures where you think it can work out and she treats you well...don't worry about me okay?)"
"(Buneary...)" Pikachu sadly said, one ear drooping again.
Buneary walked off to the side and held her arms out. "(We both deserve happiness Pikachu. We have our own dreams to pursue.)" She declared before she lowered her arms and looked back at him with a determined smile. "(...And if it means that we need to go our separate ways or even meet others...then that's how it has to be for now.)"
Unable to come up with a response, Pikachu defeatedly looked down. "(I...)"
Buneary gave him another sad smile before walking up to him. Then she held his face in her paws, slowly lifting him up to look her in the eyes. "(If we decide that we want to be with each other more than anything else...then it's truly meant to be.)"
Pikachu stared deep into her eyes and despite her words, he oddly still felt a warm comfort. This girl...the girl he'd been through so much with, one region after another, always by his side in some of the toughest times...the girl he loved.
That was her. Holding him and making him feel like the most important individual in the world, worthy of all of the compliments and affection that she was capable of, even while she was saying something like this.
A girl who was considerate, kind and understanding...what in the world did he do to deserve the affection of someone like her?
Arceus only knows...
Pikachu swallowed hard again and he finally nodded his head.
"(Okay...)" He whispered before he started to tear up again and he saw her join him. "(And the same goes for you too Bun...I want you to live your life and be happy. A-And if that means that you meet someone who treats you well along the way...don't let me stop you.)"
The waterworks now fully coming through, Buneary gave him a shaky smile. "(Th-Thanks...I...I uhh...)"
"(I know...)" He said with a sad grin. "(I love you Bun.)"
Getting closer, Buneary pressed her cheek against his. "(I love you too Pika.)"
Without saying another word, they embraced, silently crying in each other's arms as they stood near that quaint little waterfall.