Chapter 41: Surf Riders Soaking Up the Sun
ENTRY NO. 18
WORD HAS COME DOWN FROM THE HIGHER-UPS.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE ORDER TO DISPATCH TO LEONID ISLE AND MEET UP WITH ALPHA SIX.
THE TEAM IS OVERJOYED TO FINALLY SHOVE OFF AND LEAVE. IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CONTINUALLY CAMOFLAUGE THE CARGO SHIP. WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING LOW ON POWER TO DISGUISE IT, SO SOME OF US HAVE TAKEN TO CONCEALING THE EXPOSED AREAS WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE ARE STILL EXPECTING OUR SCOUTS TO RETURN WITH THE LATEST ASSETS IN ORDER TO FULFILL OUR QUOTA.
T-5 HAS BEEN INFORMED OF OUR ARRIVAL AND WE WILL RENDEZVOUS TO MEET UP WITH THE AIRSHIP.
CAPTAIN ERIC JOHNSON (GAMMA-7), OVER AND OUT.
The next day, the gang was training as they usually did when Dawn suggested that they take a break to visit a deserted island. At first, Ash was quite reluctant to go but when the possibility of seeing a special onix came up, he was all ears and the next thing anyone knew, they were all on their way. It didn't take them very long to reach the island and they stopped by its beautiful shores.
As Cilan and Pansage were preparing lunch, the others decided to enjoy their free time.
On the idyllic beach stood Pikachu who had started building a sandcastle alongside Pachirisu, the loquacious little squirrel continuing to describe every little detail of their adventures since leaving Sinnoh.
"(And then we got lost near Fortree City!)" Pachirisu said as he patted down the sand that composed his sandcastle. The squirrel's creation was made complete with around a dozen or so seashells decorating the walls.
"(Oh yeah?)" Pikachu muttered as he worked on the base of his own sandy structure.
"(Yeah, we were wandering for like three days but could you believe it? We were right next to the city the whole time!)" Pachirisu declared as he waved a seashell in the air.
"(Yikes! Well I've definitely been there!)" Pikachu chuckled as he eyed his creation for any current flaws.
"(And then after that we-huh?)" Pachirisu mumbled as he curiously looked around the sand before he frowned. "(Aww, there's no more shells! Be right back!)" He quickly said before scurrying off.
Left sitting alone on the sand, Pikachu sighed. He'd almost forgotten how energetic the kid was. Looks like further adventuring hadn't mellowed him out whatsoever.
As Pikachu started to scoop more sand, he heard someone else approach him from behind.
"(Hey man.)" Oshawott said as Pikachu looked over at him. "(You haven't seen Meloetta anywhere have you?)" He asked, eyeing the beach left and right.
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Pikachu merely pursed his lips. "(Nope, can't say that I have.)"
Oshawott grit his teeth and mumbled under his breath. "(I should probably find her before that jerk does.)"
Frowning a little, Pikachu continued to stare at him. "(He's not a jerk Oshy.)"
"(Yes he is!)" The otter yelled, whipping his head in the mouse's direction. "(He thinks he's sooo much better than me! Well, I'll show his old butt what for!)"
"(...You do know that Piplup, Buneary and I are all around the same age right?)" Pikachu muttered, somewhat unamused.
Oshawott blinked at him before something clicked in his mind. "(Oh yeah. Well...Buneary's not old to me! And...and neither are you! J-Just him...)"
"(Mhmm. Yeah sure. That makes sense.)" Pikachu sarcastically replied with a grimace. "(Actually, I think Meloetta is older than all of us so-)"
"(SHE'S NOT OLD EITHER!)" Oshawott screamed, his face becoming progressively redder.
Pikachu flinched a little at that. "(Sheesh, okay. The point is that the four of us are adults Oshy.)"
"(Yeah, so?)"
"(So...all this flirting from you is probably not going to do much if you're still too young.)"
"(Well...I'm pretty mature for my age so that makes up for it!)" Oshawott muttered as he turned away to fold his arms over his chest.
"(Uh-huh. Is that why you're butting heads with Piplup then?)" Pikachu flatly remarked.
"(Hey, he started it! And he's supposed to be an adult like you said!)" Oshawott yelled, looking back at the mouse.
"(Hey, I didn't say he's in the right either!)" Pikachu chuckled, putting his paws up in defense.
"(Hmph!)" Oshawott scoffed before looking elsewhere. "(You don't like it when I flirt with Meloetta, you don't like it Piplup does it...there's no winning with you!)" He whined. "(I bet you want Meloetta all to yourself!)"
"(I don't think so Oshy.)" Pikachu said, rolling his eyes.
Oshawott blinked as he looked off into the distance before a rather devious smirk appeared on his face. He took a step towards Pikachu and gently nudged his shoulder.
"(Oh that's right, my mistake!)" He whispered into the rather confused mouse's ear. "(You're already spoken for aren't you buddy boy?)"
"(Huh?)" Pikachu muttered, his ears twitching a little. "(I don't know-)"
"(That Buneary girl right? She nuzzled you in front of everyone! You didn't even have to flirt with her or anything! She just came over to you and did it!)" Oshawott declared, his voice becoming more energetic and filled with emotion.
His face reddening a little, Pikachu rubbed the back of his head. "(O-Oh that? Well y'see...w-we did have a...I-I mean we dated a while back but-)"
"(See? I knew it!)" Oshawott yelled. "(And she's still crazy about you after all this time?!)" He screeched before he leaned forward and grabbed Pikachu's shoulders and shook him. "(What's your secret Pikachu?! Tell me!)"
"(Oshawott! Stop shaking me!)" Pikachu yelled, already becoming dizzy.
"(She came to you! What's your strategy?!)"
"(We're not-!)"
"(I MUST KNOW TO GET MELOETTA TO LOVE ME!)"
"(STOP!)" Pikachu shouted, immediately prompting the Water-type to cease shaking him.
"(Oops...sorry.)" Oshawott sheepishly muttered. Then he laughed awkwardly as he sweat-dropped.
Panting, Pikachu shook his head to clear his vision. He looked up at the otter who was still nervously chuckling and he gave a sigh. "(Oshawott, Buneary and I aren't dating anymore. I think that was just her way of breaking the ice after not seeing each other for so long.)"
Oshawott dumbfoundedly looked at him. "(...Her way of breaking the ice is to walk up to you and nuzzle you?)"
"(Y-Yeah?)"
"(Only you. Because I haven't seen her do that with anyone else.)"
"(W-Well, she-)"
"(And again, you didn't go to her. She came to you. Didn't take much to do that in front of everyone. anyway..)" Oshawott muttered, shaking his head.
"(I-I...look...)" Pikachu finally said, his cheeks feeling on fire at this point! "(We're just friends now.)"
"(Just friends?)"
"(Just friends.)"
Oshawott stared at him for what felt like a long while before speaking up again. "(...You still like her don't you?)"
His ears fully extending upwards, Pikachu sweat-dropped. Then he gave the otter a rather surprised look as he felt a chill go up his spine. "(Wha...huh?)"
"(Ohhh yeah. Definitely still like her!)" Oshawott said with a rather smug grin.
In a panic, Pikachu waved his paws in front of himself. "(Th-That's not-!)"
Before he could finish that sentence, Oshawott wrapped an arm around Pikachu's shoulders and gave him a rather sly smile. "(Hey, hey, hey! Don't worry about it!)" He said in a hushed whisper before taking a step back, turned away and patted himself on the chest. "(You may not be as suave as me, but I know attraction when I see it!)"
"(You just asked me for my advice...)" Pikachu muttered, his ears drooping to the sides of his head as he flopped forward onto the warm sand.
"(Look I'll tell you what, because we're buds, I won't flirt with her anymore 'kay?)" Oshawott said, giving Pikachu a side-glance.
"(Thanks.)" The mouse muttered before getting up and looking at the otter. "(Besides, aren't you competing for Meloetta's affection? Flirting with another girl is a big turnoff you know.)"
Oshawott appeared confused, then a tad embarrassed. "(Well...I like to keep my options open!)" He said with a shrug.
Pikachu blinked at him. "(Options? You know they're not things right?)"
"(Of course I do! It's just that if things don't work out with one girl then-)"
"(Not. A good. Idea. Oshawott.)" Pikachu sternly said.
The otter scoffed and looked away. "(Killjoy...)" He pouted before he saw someone in the distance and his expression changed. "(Still...being around your ex for a few days? Jeez buddy...that's rough.)"
Pikachu looked to where Oshawott was staring and saw Buneary sitting in the shade with Emolga and Snivy. The bunny was in the middle of a conversation and strangely, for two Pokémon that she had just met, they seemed pretty engaged with whatever she was talking about. Emolga looked particularly taken by the topic of their discussion while Snivy looked...well...less annoyed than usual. Actually, she seemed pretty comfortable being there so that was a good sign right?
Pikachu smirked upon seeing that. Guess he shouldn't be too surprised at his ex. She was always pretty good at socializing and making friends, even if she was a tad shy at times.
"(Actually, it hasn't been bad at all.)" Pikachu remarked, still watching Buneary talking to the others. "(We talked and hung out...it's like nothing's changed at all.)"
Oshawott looked over at the mouse and studied his face. Then he looked back at Buneary who appeared to be laughing it up with her new friends.
"(Well...guess I'll keep looking for Meloetta then.)" Oshawott muttered. "(By the way...)" He said, turning to face Pikachu. "(I think I saw a surfboard around here. Looked like it was your size too.)"
"(Oh yeah?)" Pikachu replied, genuinely curious.
"(Yeah. You said that you've been dying to get in the water, so if you wanna give it a go...just a suggestion.)" Oshawott said with another shrug. "(Anyway, I'm off. See ya!)"
Pikachu waved as the otter walked away in search of the sprite who was probably invisible for that very reason.
The mouse leaned forward to scan the beach.
A surfboard huh?
Pikachu cheered as he cruised along a small tidal wave. Just as Oshawott had said, the little wooden surfboard was the perfect size for him! The sea breeze blowing through his fur and the sun shining on his face...what a way to spend the day!
Feeling the tidal wave crashing right behind him, Pikachu continued to maneuver the board as the water curled overhead and created a tunnel. Leaning forward, the mouse got as close down to the board as possible and at the last second, he escaped the splashing water. With that, he steered the surfboard to the top of the tidal wave and for a moment, he was airborne! Spinning in the air, droplets of water flickered around his form before he angled the board down the side of the wave. Off in the distance, he could hear some cheering.
As they watched the electric mouse continue to surf along the water, Pansage applauded and continue to shout praises from next to Cilan.
"(Whoo-hoo! You go Pikachu! Show those waves who's boss!)" The Grass-type cheered, waving a utensil in the air.
From nearby, the little group of Buneary, Emolga and Snivy looked over and saw the monkey continue to whoop and holler.
"(He's really excited to see some surfing isn't he?)" Emolga muttered, her paws on her hips.
Snivy quietly mumbled something to herself.
Buneary, however, smiled at him. "(I think it's nice! Pikachu has his own cheerleader!)"
Practically sliding over, Emolga nudged the bunny's shoulder, a rather devilish smirk on her face. "(Aside from you right~?)"
"(Emolga...)" Snivy grumbled only for the glider to whip her head at her.
"(Hey, I said no teasing Pikachu! Anyone else is dibs!)" Emolga retorted before turning back to a rather confused Buneary. "(I'm right aren't I? About you cheering him on?)" The flying squirrel asked, excitement clearly in her eyes.
"(I uhh...)" Buneary muttered before Snivy stepped next to her.
"(You don't have to answer that.)" The grass-snake said.
"(Tsk. Let a girl get her scoop will ya?)" Emolga grumbled.
"(No it's okay.)" Buneary nervously chuckled as she held her arm. "(Yeah, I did. We used to date.)"
"(Really...?!)" Emolga said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Snivy merely rolled her eyes.
"(Mhmm.)" Buneary replied, nodding her head.
"(Guess I'm not too surprised. After all, you nuzzled him in front of everyone!)" Emolga laughed.
Buneary blinked at the squirrel before her face began to redden and she looked away. "(Oh...yeah. Guess I did...)"
"(Hey I'm not judging! From what I've seen and heard, Pikachu's quite the catch!)" Emolga said with a wink. She took a step forward and gave a much more gentle smile. "(But what about now? Are things okay between you two?)"
Her heart thumping a little harder in her chest, the bunny quickly took in a breath of air. "(Yeah, we're okay. Pretty good actually.)" Buneary said, turning to fully face the two as Pikachu continued to ride the waves in the distance.
"(Well that's good.)" Snivy said, her voice soft, which was surprising given from what everyone's said about the grass-snake. She looked away and gazed elsewhere though it was clear that she was listening to them talk.
Buneary took in a quick breath. "(Yup! It's kind of like nothing's changed at all! I mean, we were hanging out, catching up and then we were joking and laughing!)" She beamed, a paw up to her cheek as she relished remembering how smooth everything was going.
"(Sounds to me that you still have some feelings for the guy am I right?)" Emolga asked, tilting her head a little.
"(Well...)" Buneary muttered, holding onto her fluff, her blush darkening. "(I-It's...not a 'no'.)"
Snivy merely nodded her head.
"(Well just between you and me...)" Emolga said before leaning forward to cup a paw around her own mouth. "(I haven't seen him so much as look at another girl.)"
Buneary appeared somewhat surprised yet there seemed to be a hint of relief behind her eyes.
"(Really...?)" She asked, leaning back a little.
"(Yup.)" Emolga replied with a shrug. "(And trust me, I've seen enough flirting from Oshawott to tell by now.)"
"(You've also done enough flirting to know.)" Snivy muttered, still looking away.
"(Shut it!)" Emolga hissed, briefly looking back at the grass-snake who merely scoffed.
"(Well I gotta say...that's a relief.)" Buneary sighed, a paw over her chest. "(I mean, don't get me wrong, I only want what's best for him and all but...)"
Emolga smiled at her before something caught her eye. "(Say, uhh-)"
"(I mean, I haven't flirted with any guys so that must be a good sign right? Yeah!)" Buneary beamed, both paws on her cheeks now.
"(Say, actually-)" Emolga managed to mutter before she was cut off again by the ecstatic bunny.
"(Hee~! He's too much of a sweetheart to be a flirt! I can't wait to just go up to him and be all like-)"
"(Hi there!)" Pikachu said as he walked up from behind, the little surfboard under one arm.
Buneary squealed and jumped a foot in the air before turning around to look directly in his eyes.
"(Pikachu?!)" She gasped in-between breaths, her heart going a million miles an hour.
"(Hey!)" The mouse gently said with a little smile. He looked over and saw Emolga desperately holding back laughter while Snivy appeared a tad surprised. Guess she didn't notice him until just now either.
"(How long were you standing there?!)" Buneary asked, her cheeks turning pink.
"(Just now.)" He nonchalantly said. Emolga fully turned away to conceal her giggling fit.
"(Oh. Okay.)" Buneary replied, finally getting her nerves under control.
"(Just wanted to know if anyone wants to give surfing a shot.)" Pikachu said, his smile returning.
"(I'm more of a land 'mon.)" Snivy replied.
"(Yeah, and I'm more of an open-air kind of girl.)" Emolga said in-between breaths.
"(Oh...alright.)" Pikachu quietly remarked, his ears drooping a little.
Buneary merely looked at him. He actually seemed disappointed to hear that. Well in that case...
"(Hey.)" She said to him, waiting for the mouse to look back up at her. "(I'm fine with water. Plus I can't fly sooo...)"
He continued to look at her before his smile returned. "(Wanna try it out?)"
Buneary giggled. "(Count me in!)" She beamed before something occurred to her and she reeled it back a little. "(But...I don't really know how.)"
"(Oh.)" Pikachu replied, his sad tone returning.
Snivy looked at them and scoffed. "(Tsk. Just share the board. Show her how it's done Pikachu.)"
"(Oh yeah, that's a great idea!)" Emolga said with a smile before pausing to look back at the Grass-type. "(I can't believe I'm agreeing with you on that...)"
Both Pikachu and Buneary smiled at the suggestion.
"(Oh, that sounds good!)" Buneary beamed.
"(Yeah! But...)" Pikachu said, holding up the little wooden surfboard. "(I don't think this can hold the both of us.)"
Both of them hung their heads in disappointment.
Emolga rolled her eyes at the display. "(Listen...)" She said, as the two looked at her. "(If I fly around and find a bigger board, would that work?)"
The two looked at each other before smiling.
"(Just hold on tight okay?)" Pikachu gently said as both he and Buneary balanced themselves on the larger red surfboard that Emolga had found just a ways down the beach.
"('Kay!)" Buneary nervously replied, though behind her slightly frightened tone was that of exhilaration.
"(Okay, here it comes!)" Pikachu declared as they saw a tidal wave form in the distance. "(Let's get closer.)" He said as he started paddling forward. Within a minute, they stopped and waited.
"(It's getting pretty close!)" Buneary said, hugging the mouse's sides a little tighter.
"(Hold...)" Pikachu replied, eyeing the wave as it got nearer to them.
"(Just say 'when'!)" She shouted, burying her face into his back.
"(Hold...!)" Pikachu remarked, his body getting into the proper position.
"(Eep!)" Buneary squeaked as she felt the water around them begin to move a little more.
"(Now!)" Pikachu declared as the water began to carry them and with that, they started to ride alongside the wave.
Buneary gripped him even tighter and squeezed her eyes shut. "(Is it happening?!)"
Pikachu laughed. "(Yup! You can open your eyes now!)"
Trusting him, Buneary hesitatingly eased up and did just that. It took a moment to register what she was seeing but when she did, she realized that the tidal wave was carrying them! They must have been several feet above where they were a few moments ago!
"(Woah! This is incredible!)" She happily squealed, easing her grip on the mouse's body.
"(Yeah! Victory, thy name is Pikachu and Buneary!)" Pikachu declared as the wave carried them higher.
After a few minutes, they managed to travel down the water's side and back down to the shore's level.
Although he didn't see her face, Pikachu felt Buneary hug him from behind.
"(That was so awesome!)" She exclaimed. "(Let's go again!)"
Chuckling at the eager display, Pikachu eyed the sea. "(Gotta wait for another wave to come by...!)"
Thankfully, the two didn't have to wait long as another one began to form. Soon after, the two were traveling along it as well, but this time Buneary was cheering just as loud as Pikachu. At one point they looked to the side and on the beach they saw Oshawott happily running along the shore with a toy shovel. Close behind was Axew who giddily chased him past a little sandcastle.
About an hour passed and when they were done with the next few waves, the once docile bunny was fervently demanding for more.
"(C'mon, let's try a big one this time!)" Buneary urged, carefully eyeing the ocean.
"(Well, we just have to wait for a big one then.)" Pikachu laughed; a tad surprised that she had taken such a liking to the activity so quickly.
"(Ooh! There's one!)" Buneary shouted, pointing to what appeared to a much larger wave forming on the horizon. Indeed, it was much more impressive than anything they had surfed on so far.
Pikachu looked at it for a moment before giving her a side-glance. "(I dunno Buneary...that one seems a bit much.)"
"(I think we'll be fine! We're surrounded by Water-types so there's nothing to worry about!)" She excitedly said.
"(Well...)" Pikachu muttered, watching the rather massive wave begin to form.
"(C'mon, please?)" She asked. The beseeching in her voice was enough for Pikachu to look back at her only to see the biggest, most pleading eyes he'd ever witnessed!
"(Er...uhh...)" He stammered, watching as those eyes of hers began to swallow his very soul and he felt himself getting lost in them.
"(Please Pikachu...?)" She pleaded, her voice breaking a little.
His heart thumping a little harder in his chest, the mouse knew he couldn't resist that look.
"(...Okay.)" He finally said only for Buneary to lean back and smile at him, her expression returning to normal.
"(Great!)" She brightly beamed.
Pikachu amusedly rolled his eyes as he looked forward. This girl he swore...
It didn't take long for the large wave to approach them and just like before, they got into position.
"(Aaaannd...)" Pikachu muttered, waiting for the right time. "(...Now!)" He declared as they started to move the board to the side and began riding alongside the wave.
The two looked down and saw just how high up they were. It was actually somewhat intimidating as they could barely distinguish who was who from here!
Feeling a bit nervous, Pikachu tried focusing on propelling them forward. So far so good, just keep at it and-
They felt the water tug their surfboard a little.
Then again.
When it did it for the third time, Buneary pressed her whole body up against Pikachu's back.
"(Pika...what's that?)" She nervously asked as the surfboard began to sway a little.
"(I got it. Just need to keep steady.)" Pikachu replied, his face determined as he tried to maintain balance.
For a little while, it looked like it worked...
...That is until they felt the water from the top of the wave begin to loudly crash behind them. Buneary squealed into Pikachu's back and she shut her eyes as they tried their best to outpace it. Soon, the water began to form a tunnel just as it usually did but unlike before, the sound was near deafening to the point that it felt like the tidal wave was roaring at them!
"Not good! It's too much!" Pikachu worriedly thought as he eyed the opening to the tunnel which only looked to be getting smaller and smaller.
"(We're not gonna make it!)" Buneary screamed, her grip on him tightening.
"(Just hang on!)" Pikachu declared as both he and her leaned forward and squatted as much as they could down on the surfboard.
It got to the point where the top of the curling water was just above their heads!
Finally, at long last, they shot out from the tunnel just as the water crashed behind them!
Their surfboard propelling out like a missile, both Pikachu and Buneary looked down to the beach and saw Piplup and Oshawott in the middle of a shouting match on the shore. No doubt it was another argument over Meloetta, who by now was off to the side hanging out with Togekiss.
Normally it would be something to laugh at...
...If it weren't for the fact that the surfboard began to wobble back and forth, neither occupant able to control it.
"(We might have to make a break for it!)" Pikachu declared as he took note of how far up they were. It was not so high up that they couldn't safely land but they would need to time it just right.
"(What?!)" Buneary shouted back in disbelief.
"(I can't control the board anymore!)" Pikachu yelled as the surfboard moved in one direction before sharply turning in another.
"(Wait, I'm not ready!)" Buneary exclaimed as she saw Pikachu preparing to jump.
"(No time, it's now or never!)" Pikachu proclaimed as he quickly turned his whole body to the side of the surfboard.
They could feel the waves violently tug the board and in a few moments, there'd be no saving it.
"(AHH! PIKACHU!)" Buneary screamed, flinching as the water roared around her.
"(NOW!)" Pikachu proclaimed as he crouched down a little. "(JUMP!)" He shouted as he pushed himself off the board and high into the open air.
"(Wait up!)" Buneary squealed as she awkwardly did the same and propelled herself right before the surfboard was swallowed by the wave.
For a moment, the two were gliding through the air, fully able to see everyone playing alongside the beach down below. They could see Oshawott and Piplup angrily parting ways in opposite directions. Downside the beach were Emolga and Axew around a sandcastle, enjoying the lovely day.
It was strangely nice, at least to Pikachu anyway as he glided through the air. The clear weather, their friends having the time of their lives and the refreshing sea breeze going through his fur. He could see some of their friends stop what they were doing to watch them, surprised looks on more than a few of their faces. Indeed, from up here, it was like they were legendaries flying through the-
Pikachu's ears pricked up as he heard squealing from nearby. He whipped his head over to see Buneary beginning to tumble through the air!
"(HELP! I LOST CONTROL!)" She shrieked as her body began to fall forward in an uncontrolled spin. Pikachu gasped as he saw her begin to descend towards the beach!
"(Bun!)" He shouted as he began to angle his body in her direction. Flattening his arms against his sides, he quickly moved through the air as Buneary continued to plummet.
"(AAHHHH!)" She screamed as she managed to catch a glimpse of the beach coming closer. She squeezed her eyes shut and braced for impact...
...But instead, she felt something wrap around her body, particularly from under her legs and around her upper back. Her eyes shot open and she realized that she was no longer tumbling uncontrollably down to the ground
She was...descending at a steady pace...?
...And in somebody's arms no less.
Buneary looked up and saw Pikachu's determined face, his focus clearly on making a good landing. She blinked, watching how his yellow fur absorbed the sun's gentle rays and in that moment, his whole body appeared to glisten and sparkle. Buneary stifled a gasp as she felt her face warm up at the sight of him.
Before she could say anything, she felt him hug her closer to himself and a second later, they landed on the beach, his feet hitting the ground with a loud thud. She squeezed her eyes shut as soon as it happened and she hugged his body, burying her face into his chest. Right after they landed, she could hear several of their friends gasp and mutter in confusion.
Then there was silence and Pikachu eased up on holding her so closely. When he did, she too released her grip on him and once again looked up at his face.
When he realized that they had safely landed on the beach, he looked down at her and they locked gazes. He saw that she had her paws up to her cheeks as he continued to hold her bridal-style.
Still staring, they both saw the other's face progressively redden.
"(Umm...hi.)" Pikachu managed to say, slowly inching his face away from hers.
"(...Hi.)" Buneary squeaked before shaking her head and clearing her throat. "(I-I mean...nice job landing there.)"
Taking a moment to register her reaction, Pikachu tried to collect himself. "(Er...yeah, no sweat. Couldn't let you fall could I?)"
"(Umm...I-I-)" Buneary stammered before they heard mutterings from nearby.
"(Jeez, couldn't be more obvious if they tried...)" Oshawott whispered to Emolga who was standing just a foot away and covering her mouth with her paws in a clear attempt to stifle her giggles.
"(Bet he did it on purpose~)" She whispered back in-between laughs.
Both Pikachu and Buneary looked over to them, horror dominating their faces. Then they looked back at each other and immediately realized that Pikachu was still holding her.
"(Pikachu?)" Buneary gently said.
"(Yeah?)" He replied, looking back at her.
"(You can put me down now. We're safe.)" She nervously giggled, tapping his shoulder.
Blinking at her, realization hit him and his already pink blush began to redden.
"(O-Oh yeah! Of course.)" He blurted before gently putting her down, allowing her to get on her feet. When he did, he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"(Thanks!)" Buneary chirped as she stepped away.
"(No prob!)" He awkwardly laughed with a dumb smile before suddenly both Oshawott and Emolga zipped over to them.
"(Yeah, amazing work Pikachu~!)" Emolga sang, leaning up against him, her voice sickly sweet and her paws up to her face. "(Scooping her up like a superhero and saving her life!)"
"(I...)" Pikachu managed to say before Oshawott nudged Buneary's arm, causing the bunny to look over at him.
"(I'll say! What a guy am I right? He could've seriously injured himself, but he risked it to save you!)" Oshawott said with a wink and a sly smile.
"(Right...)" Buneary muttered as she watched him. She glanced over at Pikachu who by now was rubbing his arm and looking away, obvious embarrassment plastered over his face.
Hearing the younger Water-type snickering, Buneary held back from giving a concerned frown. She opened her mouth to speak up only for the mouse to beat her to it.
"(Well of course I did.)" He said, his voice surprisingly confident. Everyone turned to look at him. "(...A-And I would do it again.)"
With all of the focus now on him, he gave a dry gulp and continued to look elsewhere.
Glancing between Emolga and Oshawott, Buneary noticed how astonished they both appeared to be in that moment. Guess they weren't expecting an upfront honest answer from him huh?
Emolga leaned back and gave the mouse a smug look. "(Heh, you wouldn't need to do that with me. I can fly after all!)"
"(And I can swim!)" Oshawott laughed to which Pikachu scoffed.
Giving a rather mischievous grin, Emolga leaned over to whisper into the mouse's ear. "(So I guess it's just for the really special 'mons then~)"
Buneary looked between all three of them. Steeling her nerves, she walked over and brushed Emolga aside, much to the squirrel's surprise.
"(Tsk, oh lay off him would you?)" Buneary muttered as she stepped next to Pikachu who looked almost as surprised as his two friends. In fact, he appeared completely floored when she gently grabbed his paw and gave him a smile. "(Thanks for saving me. Really.)"
Clearly doing his best to get over all of this sudden attention, Pikachu lightly shook his head and returned her smile. "(N-No prob!)"
"(C'mon...)" Buneary implored as she began to pull him away by his paw. "(Let's go...I think I can help you with your sandcastle!)" She laughed.
"(Uhh...y-yes ma'am!)" Pikachu chuckled as he followed behind her.
Watching the two of them go off, Emolga and Oshawott merely looked at each other.
"(Is anyone gonna tell him? I think he's in denial.)" Oshawott asked, an eyebrow raised.
"(Nah. I'm sure Romeo over there'll figure it out for himself.)" Emolga said with a grin as she watched them sit down along the beach and work on improving Pikachu's sand structure.
"(I thought you said you weren't going to tease him about it.)" Snivy muttered, suddenly appearing between them like a ghost. Her unexpected arrival caused both Pokémon to reel back in surprise.
"(Hey, woah!)" Emolga gasped, only to be met with Snivy's stern gaze.
"(You made a promise.)" The grass-snake flatly said.
"(I wasn't teasing! I was gushing! Big difference!)" Emolga yelled back.
Snivy snorted in response and looked away. "(Yeah right.)"
"(I was! Honest! It was genuinely nice for Pikachu to save her like that! I'd bet my apples on it...again!)" Emolga shouted.
Oshawott confusedly looked between them for a beat and then shrugged.
"(Got it Pika?)" Buneary asked as she patted down some much-needed sand on the wall of their impressively-large sandcastle.
It had been about twenty minutes since they came back from the water and already they were making a monument impressive enough to gloat about.
"(Almost...)" Pikachu replied as he smoothed out the edges of one side of the structure, carefully placing some wet sand to fill in some noticeable cracks. "(Aaaand done!)" He beamed as he took a step to look back at it.
Indeed, the sandcastle towered over them, complete with a balcony and some indents to simulate windows. Couple that with some colorful seashells courtesy of Pachirisu and it was quite a spectacle to see!
Buneary laughed before getting a good look herself. "(Hee~! Alrighty, I hereby declare this the Castle of the Gods!)"
"(Nice work!)" Pikachu laughed as he put a paw up for a high-five to which Buneary eagerly accepted. As soon as they did, wet spackles of sand from their paws flew in random directions, some getting on each other's fur.
"(Oh...whoops!)" Buneary giggled.
Pikachu smiled at her before glancing back at their creation, taking only a moment for him to realize something.
"(Oh hey!)" He blurted, causing Buneary to look back at him. "(I say it needs a flag at the top!)"
The mouse motioned towards the pointed roof of the sandcastle and Buneary stared at it for a bit.
"(Hmm...guess you're right.)" She said, her paws on her hips. "(Don't know about a flag, but would a shovel do?)"
"(Works for me!)" Pikachu beamed.
"(Cool, I think I saw Oshawott holding one a little while ago. I'll be right back!)" She said before turning to hop down the beach.
Giving her a thumbs up, Pikachu returned to carefully eyeing for any imperfections. Heh, if it really is the best sandcastle in the world, it would withstand the test of time and proudly remain here for generations! Eons and eons will go by of people and Pokémon walking by, wondering who built such a wonder to the world! There should be a plaque of their names proudly displaying their geniu-
"(Yo Pikachu!)" Quilava shouted from a few feet away, causing the startled mouse to flinch in surprise.
He turned around only to see the stout being accompanied by Pansage, Oshawott and Scraggy. The mouse eased up and waved over to them.
"(Oh, hey guys!)" Pikachu replied.
"(Whatcha up to?)" Pansage asked, eyeing the rather large sandy structure.
"(Just making a sandcastle.)" Pikachu said, briefly turning around to pat some sand into more small cracks.
"(Wow, by yourself?)" Scraggy pondered aloud, particularly taken by the balcony of the structure.
"(Nah, Buneary helped a lot. Actually, she came up with the designs.)" Pikachu replied, taking a step back to look for any other imperfections.
From behind, he could hear the others mutter something before someone took a step forward.
"(Sooo I gotta ask...what the heck man?!)" Quilava shouted.
"(Yeah, I meant to ask before, but what gives?!)" Oshawott passionately followed.
His ears pricking up in response to that, Pikachu perplexedly looked over at them only to see everyone give him the same dumbfounded stares.
"(What...?)" The mouse muttered.
"(The whole 'catching her on the beach' thing? Care to explain that?)" Quilava asked with a smirk, his eyes subtly showing equally-strong amusement.
Pikachu's body went stiff as a board and a pink blush began to form on his face. "(I-I...that was just-)"
"(Oh, that was really cool! Jumping from a big tidal wave and landing perfectly on the beach!)" Scraggy beamed.
"(Not to mention, saving his girlfriend in his arms!)" Pansage exclaimed, his paws up to his face.
"(Heh, real sweet alright...)" Quilava snickered before zipping over to the rather embarrassed mouse and gently elbowed his arm. "(Mr. Casanova over here!)"
Oshawott scoffed and looked away. "(Bet he did it on purpose...I can't believe you won't share your secrets with those who need it!)"
Horrified, Pikachu looked between them and noticed how – with the exception of Oshawott – everyone was smiling at him.
"(Get real! Unlike you, he genuinely feels for that girl!)" Scraggy remarked to the otter.
Oshawott merely scoffed.
"(But I-!)" Pikachu blurted before Pansage shrugged and interrupted him.
"(Don't know about that, but he still saved her in the most showy, romantic way possible!)" Pansage declared.
Still standing next to Pikachu, Quilava chuckled. "(Heh, yeah.)" He said before leaning forward to whisper into the mouse's ear. "(Seriously, did you really plan it out? How'd ya do it?)"
His blush completely overtaking his face, Pikachu took a step away from the fire-stout and felt his back press up against the giant sand castle. "(I-I didn't plan anything! She fell and I-!)"
"(And you figured here's your shot so you held her bridal-style all the way down to safety.)" Oshawott said, twirling his flipper around in front of himself. He sighed before his expression turned gentle. "(Gotta say though...I have to respect the strategy.)" The little otter muttered, giving the mouse a sly smile before he started smarmily applauding. "(Bravo Pikachu, bravo!)"
"(Yeah, cool way to show your interest in her!)" Scraggy beamed, bouncing from one foot to the other followed by Quilava and Pansage cheering alongside him.
Seeing them all applaud for him, Pikachu let out a frustrated exhale. "(She fell and she needed help. That's all guys.)"
"(Mhmm. And I'm not a total stud muffin!)" Oshawott grumbled.
"(But seriously, that's your ex right? The one you always call on the phone?)" Pansage asked, raising an eyebrow.
Feeling goosebumps all throughout his body, Pikachu gave a dry gulp. "(Y-Yeah, she is.)"
The others merely looked at each other before nodding in agreement. Before the completely embarrassed mouse could fully melt into a puddle, a bright voice rang out from down the beach.
"(Hey Pikachu! I found a shovel!)" Buneary said and immediately, Pikachu noticed that Axew was following her.
When she finally reached the group, everyone smiled at her, even Oshawott whose face reddened a bit.
"(Speak of the devil...)" Quilava chuckled under his breath, causing Pikachu to nervously shuffle in place.
The mouse cleared his throat and waved over to her. "(H-Hey, we have some visitors!)"
When Buneary walked up to their group, she looked between the faces that were less-familiar to her. As she did, Axew walked around her and smiled.
"(Hey there!)" Pansage chirped as he zipped over to eagerly shake her paw. "(I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Pansage, nice to meet you!)" He laughed.
Pikachu tilted his head at the display as Buneary giggled at him.
"(Hi there! I'm Buneary! Likewise!)" She beamed as Scraggy approached her.
"(And I'm Scraggy, the pleasure is all mine!)" The dual-type said with a wave of his paw.
Oshawott blinked at them before he made a strange noise, causing Pikachu to look over at him in concern. The little otter appeared a bit surprised at something before he shuffled over to her.
"(Ahem.)" Oshawott said before she turned her attention onto him only to see the Water-type politely bow to her. "(Excuse me, I don't think I've introduced myself either.)"
Pikachu jerked his head back a little and raised an eyebrow. Huh?
"(Tsk, flirted with her before even introducing himself...sounds about right.)" Scraggy muttered to Quilava.
Irate, the otter shot daggers at him. "(Shut it!)" He quickly said before turning back to Buneary and put on a more polite expression.
Raising a paw up to her mouth, Buneary let out another giggle of which was so full of mirth that Pikachu felt something in his chest do a somersault and he silently gulped in slight anxiety.
"(Hee~!)" Buneary laughed before curtsying, using her fluff as a skirt. "(Charmed! And it's alright, I'm sort of used to that. Ever since the modeling stuff, I've seen it more than a few times.)"
The little otter extended his flipper towards her. "(Well anyway, I'm Osha-WHAT?!)" He suddenly blurted, staring at her with the most wide-eyed expression any of them had ever seen on a Pokémon!
"(Hmm?)" Buneary muttered as she looked at him only to see the Water-type whip his head back at Pikachu who looked equally-dumbfounded.
"(M-Model?!)" Oshawott squeaked as he slowly looked back at her. "(You...were a model...?!)"
Realization hitting her, Buneary smiled at him. "(Oh, yeah! Actually, I still technically am, I'm just waiting to hear back from my agent.)"
Oshawott's mouth practically hit the ground and he stood in place, completely shocked. Indeed, it was so jarring that after a while, Buneary waved her paw in front of his face yet she received no reaction.
At first, everyone looked at him in concern. Suddenly, Scraggy started to snicker and soon the dam broke with everyone else laughing at the sight.
"(Gee, I guess you blew his mind there!)" Scraggy snickered.
Buneary started to laugh herself when suddenly, she felt something tug on her fluff. She turned her head and looked into the pleading eyes of Axew.
"(Can I put the flag on?)" He asked, staring up at her with the biggest eyes.
A little caught off-guard, Buneary stared back at Pikachu who merely grinned at her. She looked back at the young dragon before putting on a gentle smile.
"(Of course you can! Here, lemme help you.)" She chirped as she handed the shovel to him to which he eagerly took. "(C'mon, grab my paw.)" Buneary softly said, extending her arm forward.
Axew put his clawed-paw in hers and she led him to the base of the rather large sandcastle. All the while, Pikachu watched them. He didn't want to say it out loud, but somewhere deep in his chest he felt oddly warm.
When Axew got a good look at the sandy structure, Buneary let go of his paw and stood behind him before gently grabbing his sides.
"(Huh?)" He muttered, looking behind himself to see what she was doing.
"(Okay, we're gonna jump up there. Ready?)" Buneary said with a grin. The little dragon seemed confused at first before he put on his brave face and gave her a determined nod. "(Alright, on the count of three. One. Two. Three!)" She declared before the two of them squatted down a little before jumping high into the air, courtesy of Bounce.
They managed to land on a small balcony jutting from just below the pointed top of the sandcastle. As soon as they did, Buneary carefully lifted Axew up and the young dragon happily put the shovel in place, giggling the entire time.
Down below, everyone smiled at them...
...Except for Oshawott who continued to stand in place, facing the opposite direction with the same shocked expression. He didn't even move as Buneary and Axew landed behind him and caused his entire body to hop in place like a statue.
"(There, perfect!)" Pikachu proudly said as he looked up at their new "flag".
"(I'll say! Isn't it great Oshawott?) Quilava replied, he too observing the new addition to the sand castle only to be met with silence. "(Oshawott?)" The stout asked, turning to look at the Water-type.
Everyone looked over at him and immediately some tried to hold back their laughter.
"(Oh dear, guess we should help him out.)" Scraggy said.
Pansage put a paw up to his mouth. "(Yeah, maybe a change of scenery would help. Oh! I know!)" The grass-monkey chirped while raising a finger. "(The smell of Cilan's food will bring him back!)"
Quilava chuckled at him. "(Yeah, I guess that might work. I'm getting hungry so I wanna be first in line.)" He said before he walked over and grabbed Oshawott and started dragging him away as one would do with something heavy like a filing cabinet. The otter's feet left a trail in the sand and Pansage walked behind them, laughing the whole way.
"(Yeah, same.)" Scraggy replied before turning over to Pikachu and Buneary. "(You coming with?)"
"(Is Oshawott broken?)" Axew asked, his paws up to his face.
Both Pikachu and Buneary laughed and the bunny placed a paw on the little dragon's shoulder.
"(Hee~! A little, but he'll be fine!)" She giggled.
"(Yeah, you know how he is. Just give him a few minutes.)" Pikachu said with a smile.
Axew looked between them before his grin returned. "(Oh, okay! I want food too, so I'll see ya!)" He beamed before running down the beach to join the others.
With that, the two sandcastle engineers were left alone.
Pikachu scoffed and shook his head, holding back a chuckle. "(Sorry about that. They were all eager to meet you.)"
Buneary looked over at him and smiled as she waved Axew away. "(It's no problem! They all seem pretty nice...or at the very least interesting.)"
Pikachu took a moment to look at her, the sun bouncing off her fur, giving her a rather shiny appearance. Indeed, the sunrays only seemed to enhance her natural beauty...
Immediately trying to clear his thoughts, the mouse looked up at their sandcastle.
"(That was really nice of you. Letting Axew put the shovel up there I mean.)" He said with a smile as she followed his gaze.
"(Thanks! He wanted to know what everyone was up to. He's a sweet kid.)" She remarked.
A moment of silence passed between them as the gentle sea breeze coursed through their fur and the warmness of the clear day graced them with its pleasant feel.
"(...You're really good with kids you know that?)" He gently said, still looking at their creation.
Buneary took a moment to understand what he had just said and glanced back at him, surprised to hear that. She saw that he was still looking elsewhere and she opened her mouth to say something but held her tongue and instead, slowly smiled at him before looking back at the sandcastle, the warmness in her heart matched only by that of the sun's rays shining upon them on that beach.
She continued to carefully eye their sandy structure, taking note of the many creative liberties they had independently made yet all of it seemed to come together so well! There was the balcony that Pikachu had carved out, the windows that she herself had made, the seashells decorating the wall courtesy of Pachirisu's influence, and of course, the crème de la crème: the cute little sand shovel atop the pointed tip of the castle! Yes indeed, it was quite neat how the open air around it bent and moved around the little red shovel and-
Both of them gasped as they noticed a familiar-looking floating figure.
"(D'AHH! Meloetta!)" Pikachu exclaimed, jumping a foot away. As soon as he did, the sprite materialized into view and she looked down at them, the semibreves that made up her hands placed on her face.
"(Oh dear, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!)" The mythical Pokémon squeaked as she floated above them.
"(What are you doing being invisible and all?)" Buneary asked, tilting her head as she looked up at her.
Floating down in front of them, Meloetta looked around the area. "(Oh, I uhh...just sort of needed some time to myself.)"
Pikachu smirked at her and put his paws on his hips. "(Uh-huh. Does 'time for myself' mean escaping from two certain Water-types?)"
A light blush forming on her face, Meloetta squeaked and looked away. "(I-It's not that I don't appreciate the attention and...affection...I just don't want them to fight over me anymore.)"
"(Heh, knowing Piplup...)" Buneary snickered.
"(And same with Oshawott...)" Pikachu remarked, rolling his eyes.
"(So do you think ummm...)" Meloetta nervously muttered, lightly tapping her "hands" together.
"(Hmm?)" Pikachu wondered aloud, tilting his head at the display.
"(...Can I be around you two for a while?)" The floating sprite finally squeaked.
Buneary blinked at her before giving a warm smile. "(Well, I for one say yes!)" She declared, tapping her chest with a paw.
Pikachu looked over at her and grinned. "(Yeah, I say yes to that too!)" He said with a shrug.
The floating mythical Pokémon beamed at them before she shyly reeled it back. "(Thanks! I uhh...don't know some of these folks very well.)"
"(You mean Dawn's group?)" Pikachu asked only to see Meloetta embarrassedly nod her head.
Buneary looked at her before she was struck with a sudden thought. "(Oh! I don't think I introduced myself!)" She quickly said before taking a step towards her. "(I'm Buneary, nice to meet you!)"
Meloetta curiously stared at her before her smile returned. "(Oh yes I remember! You're the one who nuzzled Pikachu yesterday!)"
Genuinely caught off guard by that, both Pikachu and Buneary jerked their heads back a little.
"(I-I uh...)" Buneary stuttered, a pink blush coming over her face.
Meloetta put her "hands" up to her cheeks and appeared to go into her own little world. "(Ohh...it was so romantic! It was the sort of stuff I only heard of in the stories that Ridley would tell me!)"
"(Well I mean...)" Pikachu muttered, scratching the back of his ear, a blush of his own dusting his cheeks.
"(So anyone that Pikachu likes is a friend of mine! Especially someone that he loves!)" Meloetta declared, taking her "hands" off her face and smiling at them.
Pikachu cleared his throat, his face feeling like a thousand suns at that moment! He didn't dare to look at Buneary and instead focused his attention on the effusive sprite.
"(A-Actually Meloetta, we're not really umm...together.)" He managed to say only to be met with a rather perplexed look by the mythical Pokémon.
"(But...you nuzzled yesterday...and you didn't look unhappy about it.)" She questioned.
Rubbing her arm, Buneary looked up at her. "(It's just that...we haven't seen each other in a while so...I guess...uhh...)"
"(It's complicated.)" Pikachu quickly followed.
Meloetta tilted her head at them. "(So...you're not together then?)"
Pikachu shook his head. "(No, we're not. I mean, we did date back in Sinnoh but-)"
As soon as he said that, Meloetta flew straight towards him, stopping mere inches from his face. She had the biggest smile as she floated in place.
"(But you're still sorting out your feelings after so long of not seeing each other!)" She squealed before backing away and waving her arms in the air. "(Oh, it really is like a fairytale! Romantic feelings stay alive even after so much time has passed!)"
His already pink blush darkening, Pikachu's mouth was held agape. Morbidly curious, he shakily looked back at Buneary only to see that her face was of a scarlet shade.
"(Umm...sure Meloetta.)" He finally squeaked.
Buneary – although clearly just as embarrassed as he was – gave a rather amused smile.
Meloetta then began to twirl in midair. "(That's what I hope to experience one day! Real, honest-to-goodness romance! Not just-!)"
Before she could finish that sentence, all three of them heard distant yelling by where Cilan was cooking.
"(And I'm telling you, my Aqua Jet is more impressive than any Bubble Beam!)" Oshawott yelled.
"(Oh you know what, I knew someone who used Aqua Jet a lot in battles and contests...wasn't too impressive!)" Piplup loudly retorted.
The three awkwardly sighed and sagged their shoulders, sweat-dropping on the sides of their heads.
"(So yeah, you can hang with us.)" Buneary finally said, clearly holding back a chuckle.
Meloetta returned her smile before looking at their sandcastle again.
"(Oh by the way, what's that? A little project you're working on?)" She asked before gently floating around the structure and carefully analyzing it.
"(Yeah! Just something we made for fun!)" Pikachu replied.
"(And to brag about!)" Buneary said with a smirk, her paws proudly on her hips.
"(Can I help?)" Meloetta brightly asked. "(I have a couple of ideas!)"
Pikachu and Buneary looked at each other before turning back to her and shrugged.
"(Sure! Go for it!)" Pikachu laughed.
Clapping her "hands", Meloetta floated down and sat on the edge of the sandcastle's balcony. Pikachu was quite impressed. Huh, either she doesn't weigh much or she has excellent control of her floating ability.
"(Okay! I hope you don't mind some suggestions! And while we're at it, you can tell me more stories about your adventures!)" She proclaimed.
Buneary amusedly raised an eyebrow. "(More stories?)"
Pikachu rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "(I may have told her some stuff...before we all met up this week I mean.)"
Meloetta shyly rubbed her arm and looked away. "(...And I might have been listening to some of you talking yesterday.)"
Buneary looked between them before raising her paw to her mouth to hold back a giggle. "(Well okay, I can tell you about some stuff from Sinnoh that'll dazzle you!)" She proclaimed, waving her paws in the air for dramatic effect.
Meloetta's eyes sparkled and she let out an excited gasp. Pikachu rolled his eyes in amusement and looked away. Oh boy, he could only imagine what she was going to share with their new friend.
"(And then I got into the ditto-cannon...)" Buneary said, her voice rising with each passing word. Meloetta leaned forward a little from where she was floating in anticipation.
"(And then...?)" The sprite mumbled, her eyes fully on the bunny.
"(...And then I told him to fire! And BOOM! I shot out like a cannonball towards Team Rocket!)" Buneary declared, her head raised to the sky.
Completely shocked, Meloetta, leaned back and put her "hands" on her cheeks and gasped. She looked over to where Pikachu was, seeing him pat down some sand at the base of the sandcastle.
"(Is that true Pikachu?!)" The floating sprite squealed; her voice filled to the brim with disbelief.
Pikachu held back a chuckle and paused to look at her. "(Yup, all true! She really did that!)"
Meloetta gasped again and turned to look back at Buneary. "(Then what happened?!)"
Returning to his task at hand, Pikachu smiled to himself. Heh, looks like they were becoming very fast friends indeed. Nothing like some good stories to break the ice he supposed. And the best part was that none if was exaggerated or made up!
A minute passed of Buneary retelling their little run-in with Dante the ditto and all of the fun the gang had with that.
"('WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!')" Buneary yelled, mimicking the trio's voices and extending her arms to the sky to emphasize what it looked like.
"(Woah!)" Meloetta shouted, her eyes as wide as they could go. "(You beat them?!)"
"(Well, I had some help...)" Buneary said with a smirk and a shrug.
"(Wow...and then what happened?)" The sprite asked.
Buneary blinked at her before taking on a contemplative pose. "(Oh uhh...let's see...they got blasted off, I kissed Pikachu for the first time, we had to un-paralyze everyone and then Dante-)"
"(Wait...WHAT?!)" Meloetta screeched, leaning forward again, her voice loud enough for Pikachu to look back at them. "(He kissed you?!)"
Buneary merely looked at her and a moment passed before she realized what she had just said. Feeling her face warm up a little, the bunny gave a dry gulp before trying to act cool about it.
"(Actually, I kissed him.)" She laughed, twirling her wrist nonchalantly.
Meloetta – still with the most shocked look on her face – blinked and then slowly turned around to Pikachu who continued to watch them. Locking gazes with him, the sprite covered her mouth. The entire reaction caused the mouse to nervously shuffle in place as he felt another blush coming on.
"(Pikachu...is that true too?)" Meloetta quietly asked, still maintaining the same pose.
His face practically turning into a tomato at this point, Pikachu cleared his throat. "(Er...yeah. She sure did!)" He nervously chuckled.
His response earned another stifled squeal from the musically-inclined Pokémon. If one would look closely, they would see tears welling up in those light blue eyes of hers. Unable to hold it back anymore, she arched her body back and excitedly waved her arms, her face up at the heavens.
"(Oh, that's sooo sweet!)" She proclaimed. "(I can't stand it!)"
The two nervously laughed at the display.
"(Heh, yeah. It was a pretty wild day.)" Pikachu managed to say, his cheeks feeling hotter with each passing second.
"(Pretty good misadventure all around I must say!)" Buneary proclaimed, her face fully becoming pink.
Clearing his throat, Pikachu shrugged. "(So I would say that-ACK!)" He suddenly gasped as Meloetta quickly grabbed him and twirled him around in midair. Surprised, Buneary put her paws over her mouth as she watched the joyous sprite spin the mouse towards the tree line.
"(I'm in a fairy tale! I love it all so much!)" Meloetta squealed.
"(Hey, woah!)" Pikachu squeaked, the centrifugal force reminding him of a few memorable moments from Sinnoh. Indeed, the constant motion made his eyes water a little.
Before long, Meloetta came to a halt, continuing to float in the air and held him tight.
"(You wonderful man! Treating her like a princess, and her always being there for you!)" She laughed, some tears of her own beginning to form.
Not really knowing what to do, Pikachu chuckled and hugged her back. "(We have our moments!)" He laughed.
"(Oh, it's so cute I could just...JUST...!)" Meloetta squealed before letting Pikachu go with a gasp and a light thump. She started floating higher into the air until she assumed a much calmer expression, as if she had come to some sort of epiphany. And with a smile plastered on her face, she began to sing. "(At last~! My love has come along~!)"
Astounded, the ex-couple once again looked at each other before turning back to Meloetta, her stellar voice gracing the beach. It wouldn't be long at all before everyone else noticed her performance and a certain otter and penguin would come rushing over to fawn over her.
Holding back from devolving into a giggling fit, Pikachu and Buneary sat down, the radiant rays of the sun gently caressing their fur. Somehow, the brilliancy of the bright light made Meloetta's performance ten times better and only served to make the two even more comfortable sitting on the soft sand of that beach.
Perhaps unconsciously or out of sheer habit, they both slowly but surely started to inch closer to each other as they watched a crowd form around Meloetta who continued to sing and float near the edge of the ocean.
Author's Notes:
Took a while to get this one done but I'm proud of it! Funny how if you were to tell outsiders of all of our ex-couple's little adventures, it kind of, sort of, sounds totally insane. XD
Anyway, I want to give a shoutout to Dirty98 and his fic "The Lago Family"! If you're looking for a genuinely sweet story and some lighthearted fun, give it a read! Reading it helped form some ideas for this chapter. As a side note, whoever proofread Chapter 4 sounds like a really cool person. :)
Dirty98 has also written "Growing Pains" which takes place during this time in the story and is a fic I kept thinking about as I wrote these chapters out so give that one a read too!
Alrighty, hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you soon!