Chapter 56: Are You Mine?
As Pikachu moved forward with his own journey, he continued to silently contemplate the idea of dating others, completely unaware that a certain bunny was thinking the exact same thing no less than three weeks later after that special day in Alola.
It was only about ten minutes after setting foot in Johto did Dawn find some park tables to release her Pokémon around. Enthusiastic for the Wallace Cup, she took some time to discuss potential strategies and techniques.
About forty minutes later, she turned all of her attention to Pachirisu and Quilava. As she did, Buneary sat on one of the park tables. The bunny leaned back a little and she looked up at the lazily-moving clouds.
On the table next to her was a Poké Chic magazine. After a few moments, Buneary took her eyes off the clouds and looked over at the magazine next to her paw and she saw the front cover which depicted an espeon in some kind of regally-appearing outfit.
Buneary continued to stare at the magazine and she gently rubbed her paw over the front. She only had a little bit of time to do so when a familiar voice chimed in.
"(So are you excited?)" Piplup asked as he jumped atop the table to sit next to her on the other side of the magazine.
Buneary looked over at him and gave a little smile. "(Yeah, I can't wait to show off some new things at the Cup!)"
Piplup merely shook his head and smirked. "(No not that. I'm talking about when we finish and meet up with Pikachu again.)"
Buneary blinked at him. "(Uhh...what do you mean?)"
"(I mean when we're done with this cup, we're meeting back up with Pikachu right? Remember? You were considering getting back together?)"
The bunny merely looked at him. Then she felt her blood run cold.
Oh crap...she didn't tell him. Actually, she had confided in the others but the penguin was too preoccupied with winning Meloetta's affection that he hadn't been available.
Well that's just great.
"(Uhh...actually Pip.)" She nervously muttered, rubbing her arm as she looked away. She didn't see his face but she could tell that he was already rather confused. "(We...decided to hold off on things...for a while.)"
Piplup merely looked at her, no expression visible on his face.
With some trepidation, Buneary glanced over at him and she saw how he was clearly too dumbfounded at her comment to respond.
"(But...you two are gonna get back together...right?)" He merely asked.
Buneary momentarily looked away and then took in a deep breath. "(I really couldn't say. This modeling stuff is going to take up a lot of my time and-)"
"(Modeling?)" He interjected and then he started to shake his head whilst waving his flipper at her. "(No...nonono. You said that you were thinking about getting back together. You said it in that shop!)"
"(Pip, I wasn't sure at the time that-)"
"(And now you're talking about modeling?! So you're choosing that over Pikachu?!)" He nearly screeched, his body beginning to flail in place.
"(I'm not saying that he's not important to me Pip! What I'm saying is-)"
"(Is that you're choosing your career over him!)"
"(Piplup, it's a little more complicated than that!)"
Just then, another voice gently called out to them.
"(What seems to be the issue here?)" Togekiss asked as she landed on the very edge of the park table and looked between them with concern.
"(Oh I'll tell you what's the issue!)" Piplup shouted as he accusingly pointed a flipper at Buneary. "(She's decided that modeling and contests are more important than getting back together with Pikachu!)"
Togekiss merely looked at Buneary, then back to Piplup.
"(Oh that? I know.)" The dual-type gently said.
Piplup paused, his flipper still pointing at Buneary. "(You...you do?)"
"(Yes dear. She told me a few days ago.)" Togekiss matter-of-factly stated. "(Actually, she was looking for someone to talk to and I said that it was the best decision to make.)"
Piplup's beak hung open in complete shock. "(You...said that them not getting back together was a good idea? This was your doing? Why? Why do this Togekiss? Why do this to me...er...her?)"
Togekiss gave the penguin a more stern look. "(I didn't say that they shouldn't get back together. I suggested that she consider what was more pressing at this point.)"
"(More pressing?)" Piplup repeated, an eyebrow raised at her.
Buneary looked between them and she cleared her throat. "(I asked Togekiss how possible it would be to still be dating him while traveling and also giving this modeling thing a shot.)"
"(Uh-huh...)" Piplup replied, not sure where this was going.
Togekiss pressed one of her wings to her chest. "(And I said that if this was only regarding contests and leagues, it would be possible to travel together...but...)" She said as she sadly looked down at the table. "(But now that she's pursuing this new career, there's no telling where she would be going or how long it would take to secure a name for herself.)"
Piplup merely looked at Buneary. "(Well I mean...couldn't you try to delay some stuff? Like if it's a job in one region but Pikachu's going somewhere else, couldn't you...I dunno try to shuffle things around?)"
Buneary shook her head. "(It doesn't work like that Pip. I'm just starting out. They're not going to wait for me or reschedule things just because I want to spend more time with Pikachu. If I start turning down offers and jobs, they're just going to move on to someone else and then I'll never be able to go anywhere with this.)"
"(But...Pikachu would do the same for you...right?)" Piplup asked, briefly looking over at Togekiss hoping to find some sort of support. Instead, he just saw the bird gloomily look away.
"(He would...and I would do that for him...but the thing is that I wouldn't want him to do that. And he wouldn't want me to do that for him either. I couldn't live with myself if I told him to give up opportunities in life to be with me. That's why I told him that I had to let him go for now...because I knew eventually he would have to give up his dreams to be with me.)" Buneary said, her voice breaking a little as she looked elsewhere.
Piplup opened his beak to say something yet he couldn't really find the words to reply. Instead, Togekiss spoke up.
"(Indeed, and that's what I agreed with. At least this way, they could remain on amicable terms and because of that...)" She said as she took a step forward and extended a wing out in front of herself. "(...There will always be a chance for them to get back together but this...)" She said as she leaned forward to tap the magazine on the table. "(This won't. She may never get another chance with this unless she gives it her all. Otherwise she'll always wonder 'what if'.)"
Piplup looked down at the magazine and he saw the espeon on the front cover. Then he felt the air in his lungs leave.
Buneary looked up at the sky again. "(It's something similar he said to me when we separated in Sinnoh.)"
Both Piplup and Togekiss looked up at her.
"(Hmm? What did he say dearie?)" Togekiss asked, an eyebrow raised.
Buneary took another moment to look at a cloud and then she turned to face them, this time with a gentle smile on her face. "(He said that I can't keep wondering about the 'what ifs' in life. Sometimes, I just need to go for it.)"
Piplup's eyes widened and his breath got caught in his throat as he heard Ambipom's words of advice ring in his ears. In a flash, he felt himself transported to that cabin in Sinnoh all that time ago when Pikachu came to them about Buneary's feelings for him.
The penguin glanced over at Togekiss who nodded affirmatively at Buneary's words. Then he sadly looked down at the table.
Heh...unbelievable. From Ambipom to Pikachu to Buneary...and so here they were.
Buneary gave a little sigh and she brushed one foot over the table. "(It was something that really stuck with me you know? And now that this modeling stuff is starting to happen more and more...I dunno, I-I need to at least try. Plus a long-distance thing isn't exactly going to be the same as before.)"
"(Indeed dear.)" Togekiss replied. "(Going from a normal relationship to a long-distance one is incredibly hard and with everything going on in both of your lives...I understood that there wasn't going to be an easy decision either way.)"
A moment of silence passed between the three of them.
Still looking down at the table, Piplup swallowed hard. Then with some conviction, he looked up at Buneary with a more calmed expression. "(Okay...look...)" Both of his friends turned their attention to him. "(I'm still not crazy about it but...I understand why you decided this.)"
Buneary stared at him for a moment and then she sadly nodded her head. "(Thanks Pip...)"
Piplup then took a step towards her. "(And if you're gonna give this modeling thing a shot, I'll be damned if anybody in the group complains!)"
Buneary, slightly taken aback, gave him a nervous chuckle. "(Er...Piplup I appreciate your enthusiasm but-)"
"(Not buts!)" Piplup declared before he tapped a flipper to his chest. "(Your heart is on both modeling and contests and as your good friend and future godfather to your children, I will not let my pride and desire to perform get in the way of your new career!)"
Now doubly-shocked by his comments, Buneary merely looked at Togekiss only to see that the bird was just as perplexed.
"(So here's what we're gonna do.)" Piplup said with determination clear in his voice. "(Any time that you get a modeling job, even if it's some random small thing, you're taking it and we're all going. And if anybody even so much as complains...!)" He said before he flexed his muscles and tapped his forearm.
The other two merely looked at him for a second.
Then they started to laugh.
"(Dearie me!)" Togekiss giggled. "(I don't think anybody is going to take issue with her career but I appreciate your consideration!)"
"(Yeah Pip!)" Buneary laughed. "(But really I couldn't ask for you all to follow my-)"
Piplup then waved his flipper at her. "(Nuh-uh missy. You have the potential to have an amazing career and you're jumping on it and we're gonna support you one-hundred percent!)"
Togekiss managed to catch her breath and with a smile, she put her wing out forward. "(I agree! You can include me in this!)"
Piplup raised a flipper to the heavens. "(Yeah! And Pachirisu and Quilava will no doubt support you too and Mamoswine...)" He said before he looked over to see the Ice-type asleep in the grass a ways off. "(...He's asleep, but I'll say 'yes' on his behalf!)"
Buneary looked between them and she couldn't tell if she wanted to laugh more or if she felt like tearing up.
"(You guys...are the best you know that?)" She said, her eyes watering a little.
"(Heh...I know.)" Piplup proudly said with a nod.
Then, Togekiss leaned forward to wrap her wings around the both of them in a great big hug.
Not long after the trio's little talk, the group started the journey through the region and soon, the very talented team participated in the Wallace Cup. In the end, they managed to land in third place against some truly humbling competition.
It was there in that region where Buneary secured another modeling gig, this time for a local magazine where the audience was described as even more stingy than Sinnoh. Before Buneary agreed to the job, Dawn had a long discussion with the bunny's agent who made it abundantly clear that much of her future in the modeling world depended on how successful this particular shoot was. The most frustrating part of it all was that it would take several months until Buneary's issue would be released.
When the photoshoot was done, the group began what would prove to be a rather trying time to get Buneary's career off the ground.
Indeed, the life of a starting freelance model proved to be a difficult one. More often than not, the bunny found herself in photos with other Pokémon or off to the side promoting some item in an ad or having an appearance in a commercial that literally lasted a few seconds. According to her agent, it was imperative that she continued to take any and all jobs that she was offered or to seek them out as it was the best way to put herself on peoples' radars. Still, such a commitment proved difficult as it meant immediately traveling to wherever she was called to, even if it was on extremely short notice. From one region to another and then back to the previous region and then to some other random place for a few days.
Well...needless to say that it made traditional journeying impossible.
Thankfully, the entire group encouraged for her to keep going, being more than willing to hold off on contests for the time being.
And for every job she was offered, there was no discussion of guaranteed continued work or for something more long-term. As is, the girl was working until she got her big break yet the only hope she had was her work in the Johto magazine.
Months passed and when at long last the final gig was completed, the pool of small gigs seemingly dried up. Now...there was nothing left to do but wait for how successful the Johto magazine's photoshoot would be and to see if the bunny's hard work was going to pay off.
With the pressure dialed up a notch, the team returned to Sinnoh for a much-needed break. From Sinnoh to Hoenn to Unova to Johto. Four entire journeys – not including traveling for Buneary's modeling jobs – that resulted in coming rather close to victory, the young coordinator sought advice from her mother. Several days of discussions followed and the blue-haired girl decided to take on a more personal journey. After all, if she were to keep the same team, she would need to make sure that they were at their absolute best for their next contest and perhaps she herself would need to find inspiration for new techniques and strategies. This, coupled with the fact that no calls had come in for more modeling jobs for Buneary made it an ideal time to take some time for self-reflection.
With no intention of adding other members to her team, Dawn decided to travel somewhere that would feel quite foreign to her. And so, after a few days of staying at home, the bluenette set off for the Orange Islands with no particular destination in mind. Unlike several other regions, the archipelago had no official contests to speak of yet it was teeming with all walks of life.
One long plane trip later, the team found themselves on one of the islands, ready to start a journey that Ash, Pikachu and their friends had undergone long ago.
The expedition itself started out fairly slow as the young coordinator had little understanding of what to do or where to go at first, given the fact that for the first time, she didn't have a contest hall to head towards.
The crew started their adventure on Mandarin Island North, a metropolis that proudly displayed skyscrapers that were seen from miles away. Actually, Dawn found herself spending more time there longer than anywhere else given how much the city had to offer and the many new faces she came across every day. Indeed, she saw folks from all over the world, some having the same exact idea as her and were in the middle of their own personal journeys. It took close to a month for the young coordinator to move on to the next location, which was Mandarin Island South, the largest island in the chain yet it was bizarrely more of a desert setting.
Staying for days or up to a few weeks, the team randomly went from one island to another, sometimes taking a boat, other times hitching a ride with another trainer. They stopped by Valencia Island and met Professor Ivy who amusedly reminisced about Brock's internship although she never gave the reason for why he had left. They traveled to Navel Island and admired its enormous mountain of which, rose above the clouds. After that, the gang went to Golden Island and bore witness to the inhabitants' worshipping of a giant golden meowth statue.
They continued to zig-zag across the islands but things only truly changed about halfway through their journey when they stopped by Moro Island. There, Dawn's crew met up with a Pokémon trainer named Mieke. The spunky twelve year old with chestnut brown hair tied in a ponytail was shopping at the same store as Dawn. After being in the building for about five minutes, the brunette soon took notice of the girl's questions to the owner of ribbons and emblems. Curious, the trainer inquired Dawn about it and soon after, the two began to travel the archipelago together.
A native of the Kalos region, Mieke demonstrated a drive and passion the likes of which the coordinator hadn't seen since Ash and Iris. As the two shared their experiences thus far, Dawn was shocked to hear that Mieke's first journey in the Kalos region ended with her as the league's runner-up, a feat more impressive than Ash's, at least to her recollection. Definitely more so than how he had performed in his first adventure.
From Kalos in second place to Hoenn in fourth place to Sinnoh in third place, the slightly older trainer certainly demonstrated the potential to make it far. Not only that, but she was definitely no stranger to traveling the world. Mieke's parents, a wealthy couple who shared the same zeal of adventure as her, often took her on trips to different regions when she was little. At the age of six, she was given her first Pokémon, an eevee she named Buddy who had accompanied her ever since.
As was typical of traveling with someone, Dawn and the rest of her team quickly got to know Mieke's group. Aside from Buddy, there was youngest of the group, Wooper, followed by the ever jocular Bidoof and the musically-inclined Chatot, the latter of whom reminded Dawn's group of Meloetta.
Indeed, things had certainly picked up for the bluenette but unbeknownst to either trainer, there was something else to consider off to the side.
It was sometime during the second week after Mieke had started traveling with Dawn when they had stopped at Sunburst Island, a place renowned for its high-quality crystal glass goods. There, a certain bunny was enjoying her time on the beach, soaking up the rays of the sun while the others were either playing in the water or lounging in the shade. Although they weren't going to contest halls like before, they were constantly testing out new techniques and moves, each one more dazzling than the last. Inspired by the surfers they kept coming across, Dawn was ironing out the details for a new technique that utilized Piplup's Whirlpool while having someone else surf across it. Perhaps Buneary could make a surfboard made of ice and use that...?
Heh, it's not like she was inexperienced with surfing after all...
Smiling to herself, Buneary laid on her back and took in the gentle warmth of the sun. She put her paws behind her head and wondered what crazy thing this island had to offer given that each place they had gone to had something exciting to it.
She closed her eyes and was just about to go off into her own little world when...
"(Hey there.)" A male voice called out from a few feet away.
Buneary opened her eyes and she turned her head to see the eevee named Buddy sitting nearby with a little smile.
"(Oh hey! What's up?)" She said, retuning his grin.
Buddy shrugged. "(Eh, not much. Just enjoying the day off before we get ourselves into another crazy adventure.)"
Buneary blinked at him. "(Really? That's funny, I was just thinking that.)"
The fox looked amused and he smirked at her. "(Oh really? Heh, great minds right?)"
Buneary giggled and nodded her head. "(Yeah, I guess so.)"
There was a silent pause between them, the only other sounds from the ocean and their friends chatting and playing all around them.
Buddy looked over at the sea. "(So...)" He quietly said, causing Buneary to look at him again. "(You guys are just explorin'? Before we met you I mean.)"
"(Yeah, Dawn wanted to do some soul-searching and learn more stuff before we get back to it.)"
"(Ahh, I see.)"
"(What about you? Aren't the Orange Islands like...different with its league or something?)"
Buddy glanced back at her and snickered to himself. "(Yeah, the league here isn't the same like the other regions. I guess that's why Mieke decided to check it out. Something different y'know?)"
"(Yeah, makes sense.)" Buneary gently said as she looked off at the ocean.
"(But it's sort of strange. From what I've heard about Dawn, you guys sound really strong in contests.)" Buddy said.
"(Hmm?)" She asked, giving him a side-glance.
"(I mean, making it to the final round on your first journey? That's really impressive!)" He gently said with an equally-soft smile.
"(Well...)" Buneary nervously said, trying to find some sort of excuse to counter that yet she couldn't find one.
"(And it sounds like you keep getting closer to winning the whole thing too.)" Buddy said, looking elsewhere.
"(We got third place in Hoenn and second place again in Johto. So I'm not really sure how much better we're getting if I'm being honest.)" Buneary said, clear disappointment in her voice.
Buddy looked back at her. "(Hey, I'll bet you've had some stiff competition! I'm sure after this journey, you'll clear everyone out no problem!)" He declared with a wave of his paw.
Buneary slowly turned her focus back on him and she felt her cheeks warm a little.
"(I...well...thanks!)" She nearly blurted out of sheer nervousness.
Buddy smiled back and saluted her.
About a week went by as the two trainers stayed on Sunburst Island, finding out that there was an onix made of glass crystal, a sight that was far more impressive than when they had visited the onix island back in Unova!
All the while, Buneary found herself accompanied by Buddy and the two began to slowly but surely know more about each other.
She found out that, while he didn't hate going in his Pokéball, the starter preferred to be on the outside. He told her how he had already seen much of the world and that he had been to regions that she had never even heard of. Places like Fiore and Almia, regions that she didn't even remember seeing on a map. After leaving Sunburst Island, the group stopped by Murcott Island which was home to many rare Bug-type Pokémon. There, Buneary bore witness to Buddy's fighting skills as Mieke battled a paras. Utilizing moves such as Shadow Ball and Charm, the battle was over in under a minute with Mieke proudly showing the Net Ball that she used to catch the Bug-type.
Continuing from there, the group became increasingly more confident and at times, felt daring enough to venture to less populated islands, occasionally battling a less-than-friendly face or getting into some whacky situation. At one point, everyone was being chased by a cast of krabbys and kingslers, having accidentally stumbled into their territory during the mating season. Desperately running downhill, Buddy accidentally tripped and went rolling. He would've crashed at the bottom if not for Buneary who quickly hopped ahead to catch him and cushion his fall. Landing on top of her, he nervously thanked her for "saving his life" and they made a frantic rush towards the beach to get off the island.
Later on, the two found themselves talking again, this time about all of the potential evolutions Buddy could evolve into. To Buneary's surprise, the starter revealed that he had no desire to evolve, expressing how he already likes the way that he is. He seemed equally-surprised when Buneary shared the same opinion. At the end of their conversation, she suggested that he consider getting his paws on an Everstone.
While their conversations were always friendly, Buneary had already seen the signs. It wasn't like the guy was subtle about it. At one point when they were talking about their most impressive feats, he made a guess that her boyfriend is very proud of her. When she countered that she didn't have a boyfriend, his smile brightened a little.
Granted, she wasn't the only one that the fox was talking to. In fact, it took only about a week for him and Piplup to start discussing things like they were brothers or old friends who had gone through thick and thin together.
Buddy quickly showed himself to be somewhat of the proud type, albeit not nearly to the same degree as Piplup, but certainly more so than what the bunny was used to seeing in others. He talked with Togekiss and regaled her with tales of far off lands and the wonders and sights of Kalos. The normally proper-acting bird was absolutely ecstatic to hear of such descriptions and insisted that the group travel there for their next journey. For the others like Pachirisu, they immediately warmed up to the guy, with the young squirrel giving him various nicknames like "Buster" or "Buck" or even "Mr. Flufflytail".
On the other side, Buneary got to know Bidoof's sense of humor, always cracking jokes whenever he could, even if they were only funny to him. With Chatot, she talked about her experiences with Meloetta and how the mythical sprite would always sing, even in situations where it wasn't called for. The colorful bird was mesmerized and expressed a desire to have met her. Even with Wooper, Buneary often found time to play with him, the little Water-type showing the same boundless energy as Pachirisu and soon, the two were constantly chasing each other whenever they were out of their Pokéballs.
After a few weeks of traveling together, the time finally came when Mieke's starter made his move. Staying on the beautiful Ascorbia Island, the two once again made conversation, this time about their futures. Near the edge of a cliff, they sat upon a log that had a nice view of the rest of the island.
"(So any idea where you'll go from here?)" Buddy asked.
"(No clue. Dawn said that we might head to Kanto but then again, Togekiss wants to go to Kalos.)" She said with a shrug.
"(Kalos eh?)" Buddy replied with a smirk as he looked at her.
"(Yeah, I wonder what gave her that idea...!)" Buneary laughed to which he joined her.
"(Hey, I'm sure she'll enjoy the fancy art and stuff over there!)" Buddy chuckled.
Buneary proudly looked away and smirked. "(Well...she wouldn't be the only one. I know a thing or two about that stuff myself.)"
Buddy looked back at her, somewhat surprised. "(Really? But you said that you were a wild 'mon before right?)"
Buneary's grin grew a little wider. "(I was. I moved around a few times, making a new burrow here and there. One day, a group of college students made camp nearby where I was staying. They stayed there for weeks. Something about getting in touch with nature.)"
Buddy tilted his head a little at her. "(Ohh...so did they capture you?)"
"(Nah, I stayed hidden in my burrow but they always kept talking about a lot of things. Politics, society, music...stuff I'd never heard of before.)" Buneary said before her gaze moved down to the grass beneath them. "(Then they'd start drinking and smoking these weird cigarettes and then they'd start talking about artsy stuff. There was this one girl who always spoke Spanish and she brought their textbooks that had all of these pictures. So one night, I got curious and looked through it. Immediately, I was hooked! It was something I'd never given thought to at that time!)"
Buddy began to smirk at her. "(Heh, so from then on you became like an art connoisseur? You must've impressed all of your friends in the wild!)"
Buneary's smile softened a little and she gently shook her head. "(I tried to explain things but they didn't understand any of it. How could they? Out there we lived day-by-day so nobody gave it any thought. So I just kept watching and listening to those college students as much as I could before they packed up and left.)"
Buddy's ears drooped a little and he gave her a sympathetic look. "(Oh, that's too bad nobody really quite got you.)"
For a moment, Buneary's smile brightened up. "(Well...it definitely impressed one guy I knew but that was a long time ago.)" She whispered before she quickly looked back at him, fully determined to change the subject. "(But yeah, Kalos or Kanto it seems.)"
"(Well wherever you go, I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park like usual.)" Buddy calmly said, looking back at the view.
"(Thanks, same to you. I'm sure you'll lead the charge and be champions in no time.)" She cheerily replied.
Buddy gave an amused chuckle. "(D'aww~ You're so sweet you know that?)"
Buneary giggled again. "(I aim to please!)"
There was moment of silence before Buddy spoke up. "(What if...what if we go with you? To the next region I mean?)"
She looked at him and then put a paw up to her chin in silent contemplation. Immediately, she was reminded of Brock and Ash's other friends and how they sometimes did just that.
Buneary shrugged again. "(Sounds good to me! Who knows? Maybe we'll keep traveling for a long time.)" She laughed. For a moment, she thought of mentioning her modeling career and how unpredictable it was but upon seeing the fox's hopeful smile, she refrained from doing so.
"(Well...we can only hope right?)" He quietly asked.
Buneary gave him a big, bright smile. "(Hee~! I'd certainly like it!)"
Buddy stared at her for a moment before he leaned forward and nuzzled her left cheek.
"(Me too..)" He whispered.
She didn't move yet she felt her face significantly warm up.
"(I...er...)" Buneary mumbled as she felt Buddy's face break contact with hers. She was so surprised that she barely even registered that he was studying her face.
"(Well...I should...probably get back to Mieke.)" He nervously said as he got off the log. "(S-See ya...)"
With a final wave, he walked off.
"(Yeah...see ya...)" She muttered, staring off into space.
About an hour passed and Buneary was sitting with Piplup and enjoying fruit snacks after having practiced some new techniques. Off to the side, Mieke's group was still in the middle of training for one of the strange gyms that dotted the archipelago.
As Buneary chewed on an apple, she briefly looked over at the other group and took notice of both Bidoof and Chatot staring in her direction. When she briefly made eye contact with them, they zipped their gazes elsewhere yet they seemed to be talking to each other in hushed voices.
She blinked at that and slowly looked down towards the ground, her mind very far away. Sitting next to her and happily munching on an orange slice, Piplup hummed to himself.
"(Man, I dunno about you, but I'm really nailing this whole "Whirlpool-surfing" thing!)" He happily exclaimed. "(The looks on people's faces when they see it!)"
His words breaking the bunny out of her strange trance, Buneary glanced over at him. Then she gave a light huff. "(Heh, easy for you to say, you're not the one making the surfboard.)"
Swallowing a portion of his snack, Piplup shook his head. "(Hey, you wanted to be the surfer so I mean...)"
"(Yeah...I guess so.)" She quietly said, looking down at the grass.
For a moment she remembered that day back in Unova when she got hooked on surfing with Pikachu and they got way in over their heads.
"(Maybe you can make your ice-board a little thinner. You know...to help with maneuvering it on the water.)" Piplup said while nonchalantly twirling a flipper.
Buneary, still looking down at the ground, frowned and quickly looked back at him. "(Pip...)" She firmly said and then waited for the penguin's attention. "(I have a...weird question.)"
"(What's up?)" He asked, putting the orange slice off to the side.
Buneary turned her head away and stared ahead. "(So...Buddy...he's...well I mean, he's a nice guy right?)"
Piplup tilted his head at her. "(...Yeah?)"
Buneary gulped and chose her next words carefully. "(A-And he's pretty cool too...r-right?)"
The penguin put a flipper up to his chin in contemplation and he stared up at the trees. "(I mean...yeah sure. And he looked pretty strong as far as I can tell.)"
"(So...he sounds like a great guy then?)"
"(Well yeah...I can't see a reason to say otherwise.)"
"(Mmm...)" Buneary muttered, holding the apple in her paws a little more firmly.
"(What's with the questions? You got a crush on the guy or something?)" Piplup asked with a smirk before nudging her shoulder. Then he laughed for a few moments but when he finally paused to see if she was joining him, he only saw her silently stare at the ground.
"(Umm...)" She mumbled, a light blush on her face.
"(Eh...?)" Piplup whispered to himself. Then out of sheer disbelief he shook his head and waved his flippers in front of himself. "(Woah, woah, woah, hold on...are you saying-?)"
"(Not me...)" Buneary interjected and then took in a deep breath. "(He does.)". Piplup furrowed his brow and looked over at Mieke's group only for the bunny to quickly turn her head to him. "(Don't look at them...!)" She whispered in a hushed voice.
"(Oh sorry...!)" He said under his breath and then looked back at her. Then he leaned forward a little. "(But how do you know?)"
"(He made a move.)"
"(Him...?)"
"(Yeah, he nuzzled me.)"
"(Really?)"
"(Mhmm...)"
Piplup looked as though he was about to say something else but he stopped himself. Then he appeared to contemplate his next words.
"(So...what do you think? Are you gonna give him a chance then?)" He finally asked.
Buneary pursed her lips and grit her teeth. "(I don't know...)"
Piplup put his flippers on his hips and he looked at her with sympathy. "(Well, is there any reason not to give the guy a chance? Like, is there something wrong with him?)"
"(Not that I know of.)" She quietly said.
"(Then, why...?)" Piplup started to say before he trailed off. Then his face fell upon realization. "(Oh...I see.)"
Buneary blushed again and she fiddled with the apple in her paws. "(Yeah...)"
Piplup merely looked at her as his mind went elsewhere. Secretly, he wanted to yell at the top of his lungs to not pursue anything.
...Then he remembered their little talk with Togekiss.
He swallowed hard...nobody said that being a good friend would be easy...
...If only Ambipom were here to help him out but since it's just him, he'll need to decide what's best for the confused bunny instead of what he himself wishes.
The penguin gave her a light sigh and he scooched a little closer. "(Buneary...you're not being unfaithful by dating another guy. You said it yourself, you're both giving each other a chance to live your lives right?)"
"(Yeah...I-I know...)" She replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"(So...there's a chance right over there.)" He said, pointing at the fox in Mieke's group.
"(It's just...weird. I don't know how to explain it.)" She shamefacedly whispered.
"(Buneary...)" Piplup gently said, putting a flipper on the bunny's shoulder. "(Pikachu's one of my best friends. It's not a betrayal for him or anyone else if you want to give somebody a chance. And besides, it's not like we know when the next time we'll see him and Ash again. As much as it pains me to say...and it really, REALLY pains me to say it...nobody expects you two to never date someone again.)"
A few moments of silence passed between them before Buneary took in a shaky breath of air.
"(Yeah...I just...needed to hear it.)" She finally said yet sadness was still present in her voice.
Piplup gave another little sigh. Then he nodded and took his flipper off her shoulder. "(Trust me, I want nothing more than to see you two reunited and all but...I also want you two to be happy. And if dating someone else is what does it...I'll be supportive.)"
Buneary nodded her head and she continued to stare elsewhere.
"(I'll think about it...)" She quietly said.
Piplup didn't say another word and only gave her a soft, understanding smile. Then they sat in silence to finish their snacks.
As Piplup chewed his food, he suppressed the urge to grimace.
Ugh...karma better be real because he just went against something he'd worked so hard to build on...
The next day, the crew set out for a new island which turned out to be a good thing as it was an excuse for Buneary to stay in her Pokéball and silently contemplate what had just happened. Standing atop a tall mountain surrounded by endless green fields, Buneary looked out into her virtual world. Pursing her lips, she folded her arms over her chest and she stared straight up at some floating clouds.
So there was no doubt...the guy had his eye on her.
She gave a little sigh as she watched the pearly clouds lazily move along that azure blue.
Well now the question was...should she give it a shot? He knew that she wasn't seeing anyone at the moment and she'd be lying if she hadn't considered the starter quite handsome. Plus, there wasn't anything fundamentally wrong with him. Good-looking, brave, worldly and kind...what's not to like?
As Buneary watched the clouds go by, she briefly saw Pikachu's face amongst them. She gave a low groan and looked out at the virtual land.
What was she worried about? It's not like they hadn't agreed that this was how it was going to be for a while. For all she knew, he could be out there with another girl right now so her dating this guy would only be fair right?
Buneary took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. It was funny, she'd never really had a guy fall for her like this. Sure there was Oshawott, but that was definitely different. This guy...she couldn't really find a reason not to at least give him a chance. Granted, she had pined for Pikachu for months before he had asked her out so this was all moving a little faster.
She snickered a little herself. Having someone else crush on her...was this how Pikachu had felt with her in the beginning? It was...strange...but not in a bad way.
Opening her eyes, Buneary's face turned determined.
Well, it's not like sitting here alone is going to do anything.
Not wanting the confidence in her chest to disappear, the bunny pumped a fist out at the virtual sky.
Okay...she can at least try to give it a shot!
Early the next day, the crew arrived at their new destination: Seven Grapefruit Islands. True to its name, the eastern isle was renowned for its grapefruit which was often made into many different snacks. About an hour after arriving on the shore, the group stopped at a quaint little restaurant and everyone got a seat before they began to check out what it had to offer.
"Hmm...let's see..." Mieke contemplated aloud, holding the menu close to her face.
"I think I'll go for the muffins." Dawn said, tracing her finger over the options. "Pink Grapefruit Buttermilk Muffins...I wonder what that's like."
"Kind of surprised that you're not looking at the salads Dawn." Mieke chuckled.
"Hey, I'm practically on vacation!" Dawn protested. "I'll eat healthier when I'm actually competing!"
Sitting on the table next to each of their respective trainers were Piplup and Buddy who were given their menus, these having more specific options for their palates. Aside from having fruitier-tasting pellets, the two looked over a few choices that stuck out.
"(So how's uhh...training going?)" Buddy asked, glancing up from his menu to look at the penguin.
Piplup, still not taking his eyes off his food choices, merely nodded his head. "(Oh it's going good. A couple of new ideas here and there.)"
"(New ideas for everyone?)"
"(Yeah, Dawn's trying to combine some of our specific moves for new techniques.)"
"(That's good...I can only imagine what Buneary's is going to be. Maybe ice-themed?)"
"(Yeah probably.)"
"(Well maybe...I can ask her myself?)" Buddy quietly asked, looking elsewhere.
"(Hmm?)" Piplup muttered, staring up from his menu.
The Normal-type, immediately noticing the penguin's stare, jolted a bit and nervously laughed and waved his paws. "(I-I mean, I'm just curious y'know? It's just an interesting topic of conversation!)"
Piplup blinked and continued to stare at him for what felt like a long time. Then he quietly took in a deep breath. "(Well...why don't we bring her out right now?)" He finally asked.
"(Er...huh?)" Buddy mumbled, immediately halting his nervous chuckling.
Piplup gave him a little smirk. "(Yeah man, why don't we just bring her out right now?)"
The Kalos native began to blush a little and he looked around the table. "(I-I mean, r-right now? She'll need a menu, right? It might be too-)"
Not allowing Buddy to finish his panicked ramblings, Piplup turned and waved his paws to get his trainer's attention.
"(Hey Dawn! Over here!)" He yelled.
"Hmm? What is it Piplup? Something the matter?" Dawn asked, as she and Mieke looked over at the penguin.
"(Hey can you uhh...)" Piplup started to say before another thought came to him. Drats, how was he going to ask this? He wasn't as good with impressions like Pikachu was.
"Sounds like he wants something right away Dawn." Mieke muttered, still staring at the Water-type. Off to the side was the girl's horrified Normal-type who frantically shifted in place.
"(N-No, no!)" Buddy yelled, sweat-dropping as he waved his paws in front of himself, his face progressively getting redder. "(He's just excited about the food is all!)"
Piplup paused and he put his flippers on his hips. Then he closed his eyes and gave a frustrated exhale. Both girls tilted their heads at him.
"(Well...guess there's no choice.)" Piplup muttered to himself before he grabbed both of his hips and stretched them out a little. Then he attempted to imitate Buneary's habit of hiding behind her fluff.
"Hmm? What's that Piplup?" Dawn asked as she looked at the penguin.
"I think...he's doing charades?" Mieke wondered aloud.
Piplup grit his teeth. Damn, he's gotta try something else. It didn't help that he didn't have ears to imitate the bunny's.
"(It's me! Buneary!)" Piplup shouted in a high-pitched voice.
Mieke blinked at that. "Huh...kind of looks like your other Pokémon Dawn." She muttered.
"Huh? Really?" Dawn asked, looking over at her friend and then back to her starter. "Like who? Doesn't look like anyone I can think of."
"(Oh, what a shame!)" Buddy nervously laughed with a paw behind his head.
Piplup inwardly sighed. Dammit, what else was there to-?
"Here's your complimentary waters." The female waitress with auburn hair said, putting the glasses down on the table.
Piplup looked at the glass of water and saw some ice cubes floating in them. Then his eyes widened a little.
Without any hesitation and still holding onto his imitation, then penguin leaned forward and used a gentle Ice Beam on Dawn's glass of water, frosting the glass.
"Hey! Piplup! What was that for!" Dawn exclaimed out of surprise.
"Oh, I didn't know he could use Ice Beam. I thought only Buneary could do that." Mieke amusedly said with a smile. Her irate look fading, Dawn glanced back at her friend, only to see her continue to talk. "Actually, he kind of looks like her the way that he's standing right now."
"Eh?" Dawn muttered before staring at the penguin. A moment passed and Piplup made firm eye contact with her. "Oh...Piplup do you want Buneary out here with us?" She finally asked.
"(Yes!)" Piplup exclaimed, releasing the grip from his hips and waving his flippers in the air. "(About time!)"
"(N-No!)" Buddy shouted, shaking his head and sweat-dropping, although nobody took notice.
"Well alright then...!" Dawn said with a smile before reaching to grab the bunny's Pokéball. Holding it in her hand, she opened it and a bright red light shot out from it and the bunny materialized on the table next to Piplup.
"(Hi there!)" Buneary declared with a wave of her paw. She looked over and saw Piplup's smiling face and Buddy nervously staring elsewhere. "(Hey Pip, hey Bud~)" She giggled.
"(Hiya!)" Piplup cheerily said.
"(H-Hey...)" Buddy stammered, nearly shaking in place.
Smirking at the sight, Piplup walked over to Dawn and tugged on her arm before pointing at the two Normal-types.
"Hmm?" Dawn muttered to herself before she looked at what the penguin was implying. Staring between the bunny and the fox, her eyes widened a little. "Oh I see, you want them to have a table of their own?"
"Ohh..." Mieke said, a hand over her mouth.
Buddy began to blush as Buneary blinked at her trainer. Then she saw her teammate give her a rather devious grin.
A few minutes later, the two Normal-types were sitting a few tables away from their trainers, each staring at their own menus. Occasionally, they gave each other a quick glance before focusing on their options.
About a minute passed of nothing but silence before Buneary decided to break the ice.
"(So...anything look good?)" She gently asked.
Buddy looked up from his menu and then stared back at it. "(Umm...yeah. Actually, everything does.)"
Buneary gave him an amused snicker. "(Yeah, I guess so.)" She said before her eyes drifted over something that really caught her attention. "(Ooh...how about this?)" Buneary asked as she turned the menu over to the starter and put her paw over what she saw.
Buddy squinted a little. "(The grapefruit yogurt parfait?)"
"(Yup! I think I'll get that!)" She cheerily said.
Easing up a little, the fox smiled and looked at his own menu. "(Let's see...I think I'll have the grapefruit ginger chia seed pudding.)"
"(Good choice, good sir!)" She laughed.
He chuckled with her and any tension that was originally between them had immediately evaporated.
"(So how are the new techniques going?)" Buddy asked.
"(Oh you know...a few steps forward...)" She replied, making a brushing motion with her paw.
"(And more steps backwards?)" He asked to which she nodded. He chuckled again. "(Yup...that's how it goes alright.)"
"(Dawn's really trying some crazy ideas. Like she's trying to combine Pachirisu's electricity with Quilava's fire attacks. It's gonna look great once we can solve the...y'know...mass destruction part and all.)" She laughed.
"(Pachirisu eh?)" He snickered and shook his head. "(That kid's got a lot of spunk. You know he's given me like three nicknames?)"
"(Hee~! Yeah! You're really lucky, most of us only get one!)" She giggled.
"(Oh yeah? Did he give you one?)" He asked with an amused smile.
"(Yup! Mine is Cherry, on account of my favorite food being cherry tomatoes.)" She said with clear mirth in her voice.
Buddy laughed. "(Oh that's a good one! I think of all the nicknames he's given me; I like Buck the best.)"
Buneary tilted her head at him. "(Buck? But you look more like a Buddy or a Bud to me!)"
Buddy gave her a little huff and turned away. "(Well Buck sounds tougher...)"
Buneary suppressed her smile from growing any wider.
Well...things were going pretty good so far. It was funny, he showed enough confidence to nuzzle her yesterday yet here he was, barely able to keep his cool around her. If there was one thing to take away, it was that he had definitely demonstrated more confidence than Pikachu ever did...at least enough to be more forthcoming with his feelings so quickly.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to-
"Alright, are you two ready to order?" The waitress asked, her voice almost startling the duo.
"(Huh? O-Oh right...I'll have this.)" Buddy said, pushing forward the menu and putting his paw over his choice.
"Grapefruit ginger chia seed pudding...good choice sir. And what about you ma'am?" She asked, turning her attention onto Buneary.
"(This for me please.)" She happily said, pointing to her choice.
"Grapefruit yogurt parfait, perfect choice for a date." The waitress said with a smile before taking the menus away. The two Normal-types merely looked at her with surprised eyes. "I'll have these out for you in a minute!" She cheerily declared before walking off.
They sat there in silence, neither willing to look at the other. The awkward tension returning, Buddy made the bold move of clearing his throat.
"(Ahem...so yeah Buck sounds tougher. I think it'll make me look stronger in battles y'know?)" He said, nearly stammering.
Buneary finally looked back at him and saw his reddened face. "(Er...yeah...whatever works for you I suppose!)" She brightly replied, trying her absolute best to ease the poor guy's nerves.
Well he definitely seemed to care more about what others think than Pikachu ever did that's for sure...
"(Yeah...Buck the champion...I like that!)" He said with a proud smile as he appeared to envision himself in some flattering way.
Buneary wanted to amusedly roll her eyes.
Heh, it was no wonder why he and Piplup got along so well, both being the proud sorts and all. Actually, it was nice, she hadn't seen the penguin connect so well with someone since Pikachu. He...umm...really gets along with everyone...
Buneary frowned a little as Buddy continued to look elsewhere. Not wanting the starter to notice her expression, she stared off to the side.
Huh...
Then the waitress returned with their grapefruit-based snacks.
"Here ya go! Enjoy!" She said brightly before walking away.
"(Man I'm starving! This looks great, I can eat ten of these!)" Buddy proclaimed as he eyed which pudding cup he wanted to eat first.
Buneary smiled again and she grabbed a spoon to carefully looked over her own snack.
The fox also seemed to have Pikachu's appetite so seeing something like that brought a strange nostalgic feeling to her.
It was only when her spoon was about to make contact with the top layer of her parfait did the bunny come across a startling realization. Pausing with her spoon hanging in midair, she stared out into space.
A moment later, her vision came back to her and she saw Buddy scarfing down a pudding cup and moaning in ecstasy.
She felt her heart beat a little faster and she silently gulped. Then she scooped up some of her snack and put it in her mouth. The heavenly taste of the sweet dessert made her anxious nerves feel a little at ease.
Later that night, everyone had decided to mix things up and sleep in a hotel. With Mieke's group sleeping in a room down the hall, Buneary laid awake in her Pokéball. This time, she had the virtual world set to an endless green field, trees in the distance so far away that they seemed impossible to reach.
Lying on her back and staring up at the sky, the bunny contemplated what she had realized during her date with Buddy.
The more she thought of his qualities...the more she compared him to Pikachu. In fact, the more she got to know the guy, it just reminded her of what she saw in that silly mouse.
Buneary took in a deep breath and exhaled.
Was this to be expected with any guy she dated from now on? Constantly comparing them to the man who stole her heart all that time ago in Sinnoh?
And not only that...but even more disconcerting was the fact that she realized...
...That she still loved him.
The bunny grimaced and she turned to lie on her side, the virtual grass being moved by a gentle breeze.
This wasn't fair...not to her or to Buddy. She still wasn't over a guy who – for all she knew – was probably wandering the world with another girl hanging onto his arm. And if she tried continuing things with Buddy, all that'll happen would be her constantly seeing Pikachu's qualities in him, comparing the two and wishing that he was here by her side again.
Buneary groaned and put her paws up to her face.
Great...just great! Here was this amazing guy that was traveling with them and really liked her yet she just couldn't get on board! Was it selfish to reject him in the vain hope that maybe...she and Pikachu...would...?
She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. Then she slowly opened them again and stared into her virtual world, contemplating it for minutes on end.
Nearly another hour passed of the bunny agonizing over it all. At long last, her reprieve came when she realized...that she wasn't ready...at least not yet.
Trying to get a little more comfortable, Buneary looked up at the clouds again.
"(So that's how you feel huh...?)" Buddy muttered to himself, his ears drooping down to the sides of his head. It was just after the group had woken up and both he and Buneary were standing in the hallway between their rooms.
"(Yeah...I'm really sorry Buck.)" Buneary quietly said, looking elsewhere while holding her arm for comfort.
"(Well...I can't say that it doesn't sting, but if that's how it is then...that's how it is.)" Buddy said with a sad smile. Then he looked down at the ground.
Buneary stared at him and she felt a twang of pain in her heart. "(Trust me...it's...I-I mean it really has nothing to do with you...I...)" She stammered before embarrassedly looking down at the floor.
"(Hmm?)" Buddy wondered aloud as he stared up at her.
"(It's just...I got out of a really serious relationship some time ago ago.)" She gently said, turning to look the fox in the eyes. "(And if I'm being honest...I still think of him. It just...wouldn't be fair to you.)"
"(Wow...I'm sorry to hear.)" Buddy gently said with a sympathetic look.
Buneary merely shook her head. "(If this was at any other time in my life or maybe a little later...)"
"(It's okay, I understand.)" He quietly said though the sadness was still present in his voice.
They stood in silence for a bit before Buneary dug deep down to gather the strength to say something else.
"(Look...)" She finally said, waiting for the fox to turn his focus on her. "(How 'bout if we meet up in a few months...we can give it another shot?)"
The fox's ears stood up and he tilted his head at her. "(...Really?)"
"(Yeah, I mean...I'm willing...are you?)" She asked.
He stared at her for a few more moments before he smiled. "(Yeah...but what about...y'know?)"
Buneary merely looked at him and then gave a light sigh. "(He's got his own life and I have mine. I'm focusing on the future...but I need a little bit of time.)" She said before gathering the strength needed to say what else was on her mind. "(And I need to tell you, this can only really work if you can accompany with us. My career is...sort of unpredictable when it comes to traveling.)"
Buddy merely cocked his head to the side a little. Then he gave a rather jovial smile. "(Yeah! I'll take you up on that! And it's no problem to travel with you, Mieke's more about journeying than actually winning leagues anyway.)"
Buneary momentarily looked at him before she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Smiling back, she held her paw out. "(Deal...it's a future date then!)"
Laughing, Buddy raised his paw to shake hers.
It didn't take very long for Dawn's exploration of the Orange Islands to reach an end. Over a month later, Mieke had made it as far as the Pummelo Island gym against the supreme leader known as Drake. Cheering from the sidelines, Buneary and the others watched as each side gave it their all. It finally came down to Buddy against Drake's dragonite which in the end, was a shockingly close battle.
After a constant back and forth between the two sides, with one last good hit courtesy of Dragonite's Dragon Rage, the Normal-type fell and the match was called in Drake's favor.
And in the end, although she had lost, Mieke proudly shook the leader's hand and he wished her well on her future journeys. When she and Buddy returned to Dawn's crew, Buneary hugged the fox and told him how proud she was of him.
With her main reason for exploring the archipelago finished, Mieke announced that she would be returning to Kalos.
And so, getting on a plane the next morning, Dawn's party bid farewell to their traveling friends, both Mieke and Buddy's forms disappearing into the air and above the clouds.
Still, just because their friends had left didn't mean that the bluenette was quite finished adventuring the region. Two days later, the crew found themselves on Cleopatra Island. After checking her map a few times, Dawn figured that there were only a few more places to see before they were to reach the final island: Tangelo Island, which was a tad ironic given that the place was usually a starting point for trainers here.
When the group arrived to Cleopatra Island, it was a mostly unassuming lush place yet when they ventured further inward – to their immense surprise – they found a cabin that was built for weary trainers to rest. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, the gang settled in for their time there.
As another little surprise, it turned out that that there was a sunflower field next to the cabin, a wooden fence erected around it. When Dawn put away her things, she and Piplup gathered on the back porch. There, the bluenette released the rest of her Pokémon to enjoy the rather lovely day.
From there, they ate watermelon and joked and laughed while some others played games and chased each other. Sitting on the porch next to Dawn, Buneary enjoyed her snack and watched as Pachirisu climbed one of the large sunflowers while Quilava chased Piplup. Meanwhile, Togekiss explored the open air from above while Mamoswine took a nap nearby.
Having changed into a yellow tank top, short jeans, flip flops and styling her hair into braids, Dawn smiled as she chewed her snack.
A few hours of fun had passed and it was already nighttime. By the time the sun had fully dipped, everyone headed inside...
...Everyone except for Buneary who continued to sit on the porch and looked at the stars that surrounded the moon.
Absolutely lost in the endless twinkling lights, the bunny's mind jumped from one topic to another. She thought of what region they might possibly visit or how strong she'd become along the way and what new challenges awaited them.
She went over what had happened these past few months and she thought of Buddy, his impressive worldliness and how much potential he and his team had shown. She reminisced about how whenever she tried giving things a chance with him she thought...of...
...And she thought of how maybe...just maybe...there might be a chance that she and Pikachu would-
Buneary nearly jolted in place as she heard Dawn's excited voice from inside the cabin.
"Really?! Oh that's so great!" She squealed.
The bunny looked back inside and she saw Dawn holding a telephone that sat next to the bed. Buneary raised an eyebrow at the sight. Given how much they've traveled, there were only a few people who knew where they were right now...
"Okay, I'll tell her right away! She's gonna be so excited!" Dawn exclaimed before hanging up the phone and she quickly walked over to where the bunny was sitting.
Buneary looked up at her and blinked.
Her smile only growing brighter, Dawn leaned forward with her hands on her knees.
"I just got off the phone with your modeling agent...!" She beamed.
Buneary gave her an intrigued look. Her agent? What did he want at this hour?
"He just talked to that Johto magazine company...your photoshoot was a major hit!" Dawn cheerily exclaimed. "You've gotten calls for five more modeling jobs! You're being offered contracts for steady work!"
Buneary jerked her head back a little at the bluenette's words.
She...was getting more work? And longtime work no less...?
"You're gonna be in more magazines in other regions! Isn't that great?! The CEO of that company was very impressed with our performance in the Johto league! She says that you have the potential to be a superstar Buneary!" Dawn giggled.
Truly surprised, Buneary merely hung her mouth open.
Wait...wait what?
Was this really happening? She was going to be...a star?
"(I...I...)" Buneary stammered, truly at a loss for words.
Dawn's smile only became brighter and she closed her eyes and tilted her head. "So how 'bout it? You just might be a supermodel Buneary! Would you like that?"
Buneary tried to say something at first yet her mouth could only produce random noises. Then, having a moment to regain her composure, she smiled back at her trainer and jumped into her arms.
"(YES!)" Buneary exclaimed, holding back from crying out of joy.
Dawn laughed and hugged her beloved rabbit. "Sounds like a plan! All of your hard work is finally paying off! I'll set up a meeting first thing in the morning!"
The two held each other for a few more seconds before Buneary opened her eyes and saw her teammates in the doorway watching them.
"(Awesome job Buneary!)" Piplup said with a fist pump.
"(I must say, I'm quite proud of our little superstar!)" Togekiss proclaimed, wiping a tear away from her face with a wing.
"(She's gonna be a world famous model! I know someone famous!)" Pachirisu exclaimed to the heavens whilst jumping in place.
"(Heh...impressive, very impressive!)" Quilava snickered with a proud smile. Just as he said that, Mamoswine appeared from around the side of the cabin. The stout looked at the large Ice-type and he leaned back to whisper his next words. "(Does this mean that we aren't going to Kanto then?)"
Mamoswine merely shook his head. "(I guess not. Looks like we're heading back to Sinnoh first.)"
Quilava gave a pouty face before quietly sighing. "(Well...alright then.)"
Mamoswine nodded in response. "(Still...good for her. It's not every day that you get an opportunity like this.)"
"(True...)" Quilava replied as he looked at his teammate with a smile.
Then, Piplup made a surprised noise. "(Oh! Wait a sec! We can't just stand around; we need to celebrate!)" The penguin declared, causing the rest to look over at him.
"(Ooh! A party?!)" Pachirisu exclaimed before he started to rush back inside. "(I'll make the cake!)"
Togekiss immediately followed in after him. "(Darling! Please allow me to help! Last time you put the cake and the frosting in the oven!)"
"(I call getting the drinks ready!)" Piplup declared as he too headed inside.
"(Tsk...c'mon man, we'll handle the music.)" Quilava said to Mamoswine as he followed after the penguin.
Mamoswine amusedly rolled his eyes as he started to walk around the cabin. "(Fine by me, just nothing too death metal-sounding.)"
As everyone started getting things ready, Dawn released her hug and she smiled down at the rabbit.
"Looks like everyone's celebrating, ready to head inside?" She asked.
Buneary looked up at her. She wanted to say yes yet...for some reason she couldn't.
"(Actually...)" The bunny said with a gentle smile.
Dawn tilted her head at her. "Hmm? You wanna stay out here for a little longer?"
Buneary nodded her head.
Dawn merely gave her a little grin. "Well...alright. But not too long 'kay? Everyone's waiting for the center of attention!" She laughed before she headed inside.
Buneary continued to smile at her trainer and when the bluenette closed the door behind her, the bunny turned back, eased up and looked up at the night sky.
She was really going to do this...be a star...
...A supermodel. It was all so surreal...
Smiling to nobody in particular, Buneary's eyes carefully traced over the bright stars that were millions of light years away. For a moment, she wondered how something so far away was able to be seen and experienced right here with her.
She tried to remember what she was thinking about before the big news...
Ah yes, that's right...
...Him.
Upon thinking of the mouse, Buneary's smile faded a little. She wondered how he was going to react to the news.
...Well he'd be happy for her of course. Over the moon even!
She chuckled and shook her head.
Life was funny...never in a million years did she think that as a rabbit living in the forests of Sinnoh, she would eventually travel the world, see the most incredible things and become world famous...
But here she was.
And to think, if she hadn't stumbled upon Ash's group that day and seen Pikachu catch that potato...she wouldn't be sitting here.
Her smile fully disappeared and she continued to watch the sky, unable to shake off something that had been on her mind for the last few weeks.
Pikachu...that amazing, silly doofus she had once called her boyfriend. The guy who was routinely going up against bad guys, having been through so much in life yet always held a heart of gold.
The man she had said she loved.
...
...The man that she still loved.
Buneary's eyes focused on the stars closer to the moon.
She wondered where he was and what he was doing this very moment. Was he having the same thoughts as her? Or had he found someone else to love and was happier than ever? Given his focus on training and traveling, perhaps he found a girl who could be by his side through the entirety of it?
The bunny lightly balled up her fist a few times.
And just what was she going to do with herself? After what she had thought and felt when giving Buddy a chance? There was nothing really wrong with the guy. Okay, he was a tad more prideful and self-conscious than Pikachu and whether or not that Piplup-level of confidence was a turn-on or turn-off was something that she still questioned.
But he was still a great guy with a bright future.
So then why did it feel so off to give him a chance?
Buneary's gaze drifted from one star to the next before she stared directly at the moon.
As she watched the bright celestial body, it finally began to dawn on her.
It was because he wasn't Pikachu. It's as simple as that...
Buddy was a great guy, amazing even...but it just wasn't the same.
He may have been a strong battler like Pikachu, he may have accomplished things just as impressive as Pikachu...
Buddy had seen more of the world than Pikachu...
...But he wasn't Pikachu.
She wasn't looking to find happiness in someone else and to start things anew...
...She was looking for that silly mouse that she had grown so fond of.
Buddy wasn't the man she loved; he was only someone who resembled him.
Buneary felt her heart warm as she thought of her beloved mouse's face and she got lost watching the surface of the moon.
From behind, she could hear her friends joyously shout and fiddle with the music while others yelled instructions on how to bake a cake.
On the surface, the future supermodel looked calm and collected yet deep down was a torrent of swirling thoughts coupled with conflicted emotions.
Okay...so she still loved him. And chances are...he still loves her wherever he is. And yet...
The bunny heard her beloved friends excitedly talk about where they would be heading next thanks to her illustrious new career.
Her chest began to feel heavy. She had wanted to give this modeling thing a shot.
...And now it looks like she was getting her wish.
Buneary frowned a little as she continued to stare at the sky.
She wanted to pursue contests. So she did in Johto. She wanted to continue her new career in modeling. So she did anywhere they offered jobs. Johto and all of those small jobs had led to her being noticed and so here she was. Ready to grab the world and swing it around.
And if she had decided to not pursue her goals...to not give it her all...
She thought of Pikachu's face.
They decided to pursue their own dreams, to live their lives and give it their best shot.
From keeping in touch, she had learned about Pikachu's progress in Kalos and how he was now in Alola, stronger than ever before.
Knowing him...it wouldn't be long at all until he won a league and before anyone knew it, he would be going and facing even greater opponents. New lands and stronger trainers...
Who knows? It probably wouldn't be very long until he really did become the very best. But he needed to put everything he has into it just like she was doing for her own dreams.
Her eyes focused on the moon again and upon remembering that silly mouse's face, her face warmed a little and her heart started beating a little harder in her chest.
She loved him. And for now...she wasn't ready to give her heart to someone else. Not yet.
Feeling a distant urge to cry, Buneary merely gave a little smile and she got lost in the moonlight.
She only wondered if somewhere out in that great big world...he was doing the same.