Author's note: Yo! Long time, no see! :D
Been a while, hasn't it? Well, guess what! This fic has been entirely fixed up, from top to bottom!
Narrative and dialogue have been polished! Brand new scenes have been added! And, most importantly... nothing has been taken away! So you can still get the same AGG experience you've always had!
Last time, on 'A Gracious Gift'... Pikachu wants to confess his love for Buneary, but he fears he can't do it by himself! Fortunately, the Professional Organisation of Pokémon Speech Therapists and Reformers (a.k.a. POPSTAR) is here to help!
Hope you enjoy!
(Also, fun fact: a lot of this was already written and sitting on my laptop for ages. It's only now that I've gotten back to it and finished it. XD Whoopsie!)
Chapter Thirty-eight: Techniques
Just like he'd been told to, Pikachu breathed in deep through his mouth. As he did so, he brought his paws, which were face-down, up to chest level.
Immediately, he was struck in the head with a paper fan. He yelped.
"No, no, no!" Jessamine scolded. "I said breathe in with your nose, and out with your mouth!"
"(S-Sorry...)" Pikachu replied, rubbing the spot where she'd smacked him.
He got into position again. Holding his paws face-down in front of him, he lifted them up to chest level, slowly breathing in through his nose.
Gently, he lowered them to stomach level, breathing out through his mouth.
He felt the paper fan smack him again.
"No!" Jessamine yelled. "Push down, I said!"
He rubbed the sore spot again. "(Sorry...)" he replied.
"Stop smackin' him, Jess!" Meo scolded. "... And, by dat, I mean Jessamine!"
Jessamine folded her arms. "Not my fault he's not doing his deep breathing properly..." she replied grumpily.
Jamin heaved a sigh. "I wish you'd take your own advice..." he lamented. "You need it more than he does..."
She smacked him with the paper fan.
Sighing, Pikachu got back into position. He breathed in through his nose, gently raising his face-down paws. Once they were at chest level, he overlapped them and gently pushed downwards as he breathed out from his mouth.
"Good, good~!" Jessamine praised, beaming. "You're getting it!"
"Good show!" Jamin praised, also beaming. "Keep it up~!"
"Yeah!" Meo agreed, giving Pikachu a thumbs up. "Yer gonna go far, kid!"
He smiled at them, pleased that he'd actually managed it. "(Thanks,)" he replied.
Jessamine pointed the paper fan at him. "Now give us another one!" she said sternly.
He eyed the paper fan warily. "(Y-Yeah, sure.)" He got into position to do it again.
After a while of doing his deep breathing exercises, Pikachu had been told that he was ready to move onto step two: meditation.
Sitting on the grass, he sat as cross-legged as he could manage - which wasn't easy, due to his bulky body - and pressed his thumbs to his index fingers, as instructed.
"(Like this?)" he asked.
"Dat's poifect!" Meo replied, his hands proudly on his hips. "Now just do as we told ya!"
"(Okay.)" Pikachu closed his eyes, slowly breathing.
Clear the mind, he'd been told. Think of nothing. Feel nothing. Slow the breathing down to a minimum. Drown out everything, until there was a void of calming nothingness in his head.
His ear twitched slightly when he heard whispering from POPSTAR. He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but he did hear the words 'Pikachu', 'chance' and 'not yet'.
Were they talking about his chances of actually succeeding? Of actually calming himself down enough to properly confess to Buneary, without stuttering, stammering, or saying something that sounded nothing like what he was trying to say?
It made sense, since he most certainly wasn't ready yet. Hopefully, he did at least have a chance, though. He didn't want to be a hopeless cause, after all.
... Oh, whoops. He'd forgotten that he was supposed to clear his mind.
He shook his head to clear it, breathed in deep and tried again.
After a while of meditating, Pikachu had been told that he was now ready to move onto step three, though POPSTAR hadn't yet said what step three was.
"Okay!" Meo said happily. "Now dat yer all calm and focused, it's time to warm up yer vocal chords!"
(My... vocal chords?)" Pikachu asked.
"Yepperooni! Now, repeat after me." He held up a finger. "'De t'in snow in Sinnoh falls in slow-mo, as de wind blows.'"
Pikachu stared. "(Uh...?)" But wouldn't that sentence sound completely different in pikachu language? "(Um, the thin snow in Sinnoh... falls in slow-mo, as the wind blows...)" He paused. "(So... how does that help me?)"
Meo laughed. "I'm only messin' wit' ya! It's a joke! A jape! A way to loosen ya up from bein' so stiff!" He waggled a finger at him. "I'm tellin' ya, ya ain't confessin' to nobody, unless ya can keep a cool head on ya!"
"(O-Oh. Right...)"
"Once you're done messing around, Meo..." Jessamine grumbled from where she was sitting.
"Maybe we can get on with things!" Jamin urged from where he was sitting next to Jessamine.
"Cool yer butts, you two," Meo replied, glancing at them in mild irritation, "I'm gettin' to it!" He looked directly at Pikachu, taking on a more professional air. "Alright. Now dat yer all loosened up, it's time to move onto step t'ree! Practice!"
Pikachu's eyes lit up. "(Practice?)" he asked eagerly.
Meo beamed. "Yep! Practice! Now, what we're gonna do is: I'm gonna stand here..." He stood directly in front of Pikachu. "And you're gonna pretend I'm Buneary!"
Pikachu stared. "(Pretend... you're Buneary?)"
"Yep! De deal is, you're gonna pretend I'm her and practice yer confession on me. So start confessin'!"
Pikachu continued to stare. "(... Um...)"
"What? If ya want confidence, ya gotta practice!"
"(Uh... I guess...)" Wow, this felt really awkward, but he supposed he had no choice. He stared intently at Meo, concentrating. Trying his best to picture the brown and cream rabbit that he loved so much. "(I... I...)"
... It was no good. No matter how hard he stared, he couldn't envision her. His ears drooped in defeat.
Meo looked thoughtful. "Hmm... no good, huh?"
Pikachu shook his head. "(No, sorry...)"
"Well, no worries!" Jessamine said with a smile, as she jumped to her feet. "I'd have trouble confessing to his ugly mug, too!" She grabbed the sides of Meo's mouth and tugged.
"Hey!" Meo replied angrily.
Jamin nodded sagely from where he was sitting. "I agree, he is a bit on the homely side..." he said.
... Pikachu wasn't going to say it out loud, but he kind of agreed. No offense to Meo, but he didn't exactly look like your typical human. A bit more... cat-like in appearance, maybe?
Meo slapped away Jessamine's hands. "Maybe you two'd like a matching set o' scratches for dose comments!" he retorted.
"(Guys?)" Pikachu said cautiously. "(Please don't fight...)"
Meo let out a huff of air through his nostrils. "Fine, we won't fight... but I get free scratchin' rights later..."
... What did he even mean by that? Pikachu had no idea.
Meo suddenly beamed at him. "Anyway! Since I'm too much of a cutie-pie to resemble yer sweetheart, I got anodder idea! A Plan B, if you will!"
... Yeah, Pikachu wasn't going to test his luck there. Instead, he'd let the comment slide.
"(Oh yeah?)"
"Yep! Close yer eyes for a bit! And no peekin', 'til I give de all-clear!"
"(Uh, okay.)" Pikachu closed his eyes and waited.
There was a lot of rustling. He could only imagine what sort of thing he'd be in for when he opened his eyes, but he'd keep his word and not peek.
Eventually, Meo gave a satisfied sigh. "Okay, now open dose peepers!"
He did as he was told. He immediately gawked, his mouth falling open, when he saw Meo dressed in a buneary costume.
Meo twirled on the spot and posed, winking at him. "Tada~! Whaddaya t'ink? A cutie patootie, if ever dere was one!"
"(Um... why are you dressed like Buneary?)"
"Why am I dressed like dis? To help wit' yer confessin'! Duh! Now den... to help get ya visualisin' it better..." Meo put his hands to his face, giving Pikachu an adoring smile. "Hey dere, snugglebutt~!" He wiggled his hips back and forth, apparently trying to look cute. "Ya wanted me for somet'in'~?"
... Pikachu couldn't believe he was seeing this. "(... Sn... Snugglebutt?)"
"Yeah! My little cuddly snugglebutt~!"
Pikachu blushed slightly. "(But... Buneary doesn't even...)"
He was cut off when Meo moved over and nuzzled him. He felt a cold shiver go up his spine.
"Did my big, strong man need to say somet'in' to me~?"
... How on earth did Meo expect this to work?
"Why's he not going for it?" Jessamine asked curiously, as she sat back down.
"A little shy, perhaps?" Jamin asked, tilting his head.
"(N-No, I...)" Pikachu replied, "(just... think this is too awkward...)"
Meo pulled away, giving him a overly heartbroken expression. "Whaddaya mean it's awkward?!" he cried. "Am... Am I not good enough for ya anymore?!"
... Oh brother.
"(N-No, I... I just...)"
Suddenly, Meo's demeanour changed. He put his hands on his hips and frowned at him. "Now look here! I'm here, doing you a solid, by dressin' up like yer goilfriend! So de least ya could do is be grateful and play along!"
"He's right, you know!" Jamin said with a beaming smile.
"It's all for the practice~!" Jessamine added, also beaming.
"(I... I guess so...)" Pikachu replied. He paused as he realised something. "(... Where did you even get a buneary costume, anyway?)"
Meo waved a hand dismissively. "Don't sweat de details of where de costume's from." He beamed. "Just worry about how de costume's gonna be used!"
"Let's just say we're well stocked!" Jessamine said happily.
"An outfit for every occasion~!" Jamin added just as happily.
"(Uh, okay...)" Pikachu replied.
"Now..." Meo said, "from de top, buddy boy!"
"(R-Right.)"
Pikachu stared intently at Meo, furrowing his brow in concentration. He tried not to imagine the dwarf-sized man inside a stitched-together buneary costume. Instead, he tried to picture his girlfriend. Her lovely brown eyes. Her silky brown fur. Her puffy cream-coloured fluff. Her radiant smile.
... Okay, well, he could just about imagine it was her. If he squinted.
"Okay, ya imaginin' it good and proper? Den lay it on me!"
"(... Alright.)" Pikachu gave a sharp inhale, then released it slowly. Well, here went nothing. "(... I... love you.)"
Wow, that felt awkward. He could feel his insides squirming from the cringe. If it would help him in the long run, though...
Meo shook his head. "Naw, naw, naw. Dat's no good. Ya gotta really lay it on me! All romantic-like!" Putting his hands to his chin, he leaned into Pikachu. "Now tell me how much I mean to ya, babe~"
Jeez... this was so uncomfortable. Sighing, he decided he'd try his best, anyway.
"(I... I really love you... Buneary.)"
"No, no, no!" Jessamine snapped, making him jump. He looked over to where she was sitting to see her scowling at him. "From your tone alone, I can tell that was a poor excuse for a confession! I could do a better one in my sleep!"
"It did sound rather lackluster..." Jamin added, a thoughtful hand to his chin. "Even without Meo translating for us..."
Jessamine slapped her hands on her folded legs. "It has to be poetic and beautiful, and come straight from the heart! So say it like you mean it!"
"(Uh, okay...)" Pikachu replied awkwardly. Honestly, Jessamine kind of scared him, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
She waved her arms around dramatically, looking like she was in one of those Shakespeare plays that Pikachu had seen on TV. "Tell her she's the light of your life! Your shining star!" She clenched a fist, glaring at him. "The reason you wake up in the mornings!"
"Here, here!" Jamin cheered, clapping enthusiastically.
... That was a bit overdramatic, Pikachu thought, but still...
"Right!" Meo agreed with a grin. "So den..." He nuzzled against Pikachu, once again giving him that cold shiver up his spine. "Ya wanted to say somet'in' to me, honeybuns~?"
... Honeybuns? Good lord...
It had been a long evening of Pikachu practicing his confession. How many times had he tried it now? He wasn't even sure.
Regardless, POPSTAR were finally smiling and nodding, so he supposed he'd gotten somewhere, at long last! He couldn't help but smile at the thought, even though he'd worn himself out a bit.
"Well den!" Meo said happily, still dressed as a buneary. "Now dat you've managed an adequately satisfactory confession..."
"One that's probably the best he can do, let's be honest..." Jessamine said with a smirk.
"(Hey...)" Pikachu replied, his ears drooping in displeasure.
"It's time to move onto step four~!" Jamin said, beaming.
Jessamine and Jamin stood up, then all three spun around and posed. "Psych yourself up!" they all said at once.
Pikachu blinked. "(Psych myself up?)" he asked.
"Yep!" Meo replied. He pointed directly at him with his buneary paw. "Psych yerself up for what yer gonna do! Put all yer heart and soul into it!"
Jessamine raised a clenched fist into the air in determination. "'Feel the adrenaline flow through you!" she cried.
Jamin also raised a clenched fist into the air. "You're going to confess your love, and you're going to do it right!" he declared.
Pikachu stared. "(Uh...)" he replied unsurely.
Meo beamed. "Come on, say it wit' us!" he said. He also raised a clenched fist into the air. "I'm gonna confess my love, and I'm gonna do it right!"
Pikachu awkwardly raised his own clenched fist into the air. "(I'm gonna confess my love, and I'm gonna do it right.)"
"Louder!" Jessamine snapped.
He raised his voice a bit. "(I'm... gonna confess my love, and I'm gonna do it right!)"
"A bit louder~!" Jamin said.
He raised his voice a bit more. "(I'm gonna confess my love... and I'm gonna do it right!)"
Whoa. What was this strange sensation flowing through his veins?
"One more time for de folks in de back!" Meo said.
Pikachu took another sharp inhale. He clenched his fist so much tighter as he raised his voice even more. "(I'm gonna confess my love, and I'm gonna do it right!)"
Wow. He could really feel it now. His muscles were pumping blood, and he was more ready than he'd even been before! He could do this! He could definitely do this!
"Well, if that didn't sound enthused," Jessamine said, grinning and clasping her hands together, "I don't know what will!"
"He sounds ready to me~!" Jamin said, beaming.
"Well, in dat case..." Meo said, tearing off the buneary costume and revealing his fancy suit underneath. He threw the torn costume over his shoulder. "It's on to de fifth and final step! Ya ready, Pikachu?"
Pikachu's eyes widened. Oh, gosh, the final step already? He'd come so far in such a short amount of time! Maybe he did have it in him to be a decent boyfriend, after all!
Maybe he actually could pull this confession off!
He nodded enthusiastically. "(Yes!)" he replied. "(I'm ready!)"