Chapter 56: Wish You Were Here
This was it. On the cusp of victory in front of the entire world. Here they were...
...To claim the title of World Champions.
Gathering in the dressing room was Ash Ketchum with his team of six: Pikachu, Gengar, Dragonite, Lucario, Sirfetch'd and Dracovish.
The mouse watched his trainer briefly fiddle with his Dynamax Band before he got to his feet.
"Hey guys." He announced with a determined face before throwing his fist out in front of himself. "You ready? Then let's do this!"
Acting almost as an extension of the boy, Pikachu excitedly jumped atop his shoulder and did the same.
"(Yeah! C'mon everyone, gather in!)" The mouse declared.
With that, everyone, human and Pokémon, put their paws – and the leek that Sirfetch'd used – together.
Smiling wildly, Ash punched his fist in the air. "We're gonna win? Right?!" He announced to which everyone did the same.
The pep talk was then suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Dawn, Cloe, Piplup and Eevee. Happily bursting into the room, the four immediately made their presence known. As the humans conversed, Pikachu was more than overjoyed to talk to his former traveling partners.
"(I'm so excited! I can't believe this is happening!)" Piplup squealed, waving his flippers in the air.
"(Me too! You really have come so far y'know?!)" Eevee exclaimed, wagging her tail.
"(Thanks you guys! I can hardly believe it myself!)" Pikachu laughed, embarrassedly putting his paw behind his head.
Piplup paused his excited movements and he seemed to be overtaken with a sudden clarity. Then he leaned forward a little bit to reveal his slightly widened eyes.
"(Do you realize that if you guys win...you'll be the strongest? Like in the entire world? Just think about it...)" Piplup muttered, his gaze far away before he looked up at the ceiling. "(World's strongest...)"
Pikachu and Eevee merely looked at him. Not entirely sure how to respond to that, Pikachu scratched the back of his ear.
"(Yeah...I mean guess I always figured but...it's only really starting to hit me now that we're so close...)" The mouse muttered, looking elsewhere.
Eevee smiled at him. "(And of course with you being Ash's strongest, that'll mean that you will be the world's strongest Pokémon!)" She declared.
Pikachu jerked his head back a little at that. Then his mind went a little blank.
Was that really...true? Him...? The world's strongest?
It was surreal in so many ways. It had always been a far off dream yet here they were, on the brink of making their biggest milestone, not only in their careers, but perhaps the rest of their lives.
To top it off...he was still somehow surprised at the thought of it all.
He wasn't oblivious nor stupid, he always figured that by achieving this, they would – by definition – become the strongest yet...it all just felt so different now that it was right at their fingertips. An achievement that had been a dream for the longest time now truly a possibility.
Oh, it will be tough...scary even, and it will most certainly push them to a point well past their limits, more so than what they've ever been through before!
It was exciting, terrifying, and a truly arduous challenge...
...But not impossible.
And to think that it had been just over nine months since he and Ash had completed their journey in Alola, an adventure which had actually ended with them winning the league! Indeed, the victory proved to be auspicious for the partners because after trial and tribulation, battle after battle with so many people and Pokémon, familiar and new...here they were.
Steven, Cynthia and now finally...Leon.
"(Pikachu...)" Piplup began to say, the seriousness in his voice crystal clear. Both Pikachu and Eevee turned to face him. The penguin looked down at the floor and shuffled for a bit. "(I know I'm the prideful sort and...sometimes I get overly excited and stuff...)"
Pikachu raised an eyebrow at that while Eevee tilted her head.
Then Piplup looked up at the mouse with a determined gaze. "(But this time I'm serious. No matter what happens, I'll be cheering for you! So give it your all! You go out there and you kick Leon's royal butt and claim that title!)"
Pikachu blinked and for a moment, he was reminded of their time back on Solare Island in Sinnoh. How the penguin had given him a pep talk about taking the initiative and...and...
Pikachu smiled at his best friend. Then he gave him a confident wave of his paw.
"(You got it! I'll give it my all!)" He declared.
Piplup and Eevee stared at him for a few seconds. Then the penguin eased up and nodded his head.
"(Good. Because you're gonna accomplish great things as the world's strongest Pokémon!)" Piplup happily proclaimed, his flippers once again in the air.
The three of them shared a good laugh. Then Pikachu paused and his ears flicked. Perhaps it was because of that little reminder of Solare Island or simply due to Piplup's mere presence but regardless, the mouse felt his heart beating a little faster.
Resisting the urge to rub the back of his head again, Pikachu tried his best not to stammer his next few words. "(Hey uhh...is she here?)" He quietly asked.
The other two stopped their chuckling and stared at him, Eevee looking a tad perplexed. Piplup, however, seemed rather amused.
Eevee's mouth began to make an "o" shape. "(Oooh...she?)" The fox playfully asked.
Pikachu began to blush. Dammit, not now!
Piplup gave a quiet exhale and amusedly shook his head. "(The man just can't seem to help himself...hehe.)"
Pikachu swallowed hard and, unable to resist, held his own arm for comfort. He saw Piplup's expression go from amused to slightly saddened.
"(Actually...she couldn't make it.)" The penguin finally said, his voice so low that it was practically a whisper.
Pikachu felt his heart drop down into his stomach as a wave of disappointment washed over him.
Eevee herself looked quite saddened to hear that.
"(Oh...)" The dejected mouse said, his ears drooping to the sides of his head.
Piplup quickly looked back up and frantically waved his flippers in front of himself. "(I-It's not that she didn't want to come! She had an important obligation to attend to!)"
Perplexed, Pikachu looked back up and raised his eyebrow. "(Obligation?)"
Only a few blocks away from where Wyndon Stadium was, there stood a tall building that housed a photo shooting team composed of the most well-respected faces in the field. With a team of renowned hair stylists, makeup artists, directors and photographers, the projects that took place in that building were often considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience for anyone in the modeling world. Such an opportunity would of course have to take priority over anything!
...Even if it meant that a certain bunny would be unable to see the biggest moment in her friend's career.
For most models, there would be one project to work on however for Buneary, thanks to her recognition which had only become more widespread in the past year, she was scheduled to do three that day. The first was for a magazine based here in Galar which served as the bunny's best shot at modeling in other, lesser known regions. The second was a collaboration with another upcoming model and the third was for a special edition of Poké Chic magazine which was based on Sinnoh's distant past.
Arriving in the early morning, Dawn promised to return after Ash's battle and soon departed, leaving Buneary to be tended to by the staff. As everyone started setting things up, the bunny was directed to the makeup department and then to wardrobe and for her first shoot, was presented a bright orange dress, the shade of a sunset. Taking it, Buneary went off to try it on, hiding her nervous feelings from everyone else.
When she put the stunning dress on, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and had to stop herself from squealing. She looked absolutely darling in it! When she was done calming herself down, she continued to stare at her reflection. She smiled as a small spark of confidence flickered in her chest and with that, she went off to complete the first of many shoots.
As she was directed in front of the bright lights, her curled up ear extended upon hearing the voice of one of the directors from behind the camera crew.
"Ahh Buneary darling! Zere you are!" A woman with black hair named Gretchen proclaimed as she excitedly walked towards the bunny with her arms extended. She was followed by her codirector, a blond-haired man named Glenn.
Buneary smiled and shyly waved at them. They were a strange duo and given the number of faces she's met over the years, that's saying a lot! Both spoke with accents of ambiguous origin to the rabbit, not to mention that they sported some of the strangest outfits Buneary had ever seen. They both wore small, rounded glasses with hair in a sort of bob cut. Glenn wore a long-sleeved striped shirt with a black jacket while Gretchen proudly wore a dark blue turtleneck and purple pants.
As they approached her, Buneary briefly glanced to the side and saw none other than Hermione, the judge and woman who helped kickstart her modeling career all the way back in Sinnoh. As she made eye contact with the woman, she gave a little smile.
Glenn flailed his arms in the air and got down to the bunny's eye level. "Ahh yez, it's zo good to zee you!" He happily declared as he gently reached out to shake the bewildered bunny's paws.
Stunned, Buneary merely looked at the eccentric man whose hand she continued to shake. Snapping out of it, she courteously returned the smile.
"(Glad to be here! I can't thank you enough for this opportunity!)" She giggled.
Gretchen smirked and gently pushed her glasses closer to the bridge between her eyes. "Heh, you zink you're a star now? Just wait and zee! The world...she's going to love you darling!" She exclaimed; her arms thrown up to the heavens.
Buneary nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "(Well...I'll do my best!)"
The three were interrupted when Hermione walked forward and leaned down a little. "Buneary, I just wanted to know how proud of you I am. I always knew you had potential and today, you're going to show everyone just what you're made of!"
Lightly blushing, Buneary shuffled in place, her foot gently sweeping the smooth floor.
It was true. This past year was quite eventful regarding her career. Constantly doing gigs with widely recognized names and appearing more prominently in magazines and fashion advertisements, the bunny had managed to really make a name for herself.
Still, to call herself a supermodel was a bit of a stretch. Despite that being her new nickname amongst her friends, the girl had yet to be featured on the front of a magazine or appear in one of those glamorous fashion shows. She always imagined herself going down those runways...
Regardless, her agent had really emphasized that doing these three jobs were vital to cementing her status amongst the most renowned. Assuming that everything goes well, she might finally be able to live up to what Dawn had predicted way back in the Orange Islands when they got that call.
In all that time, she really focused on her career and when it came time for contests and leagues, she tried to make that work too. As her star began to rise, so too did her ability to reschedule modeling jobs, a luxury that she hadn't been granted access to until only recently.
"(Gee...thanks Hermione!)" Buneary quietly said, unable to look the woman in the face.
Hermione smiled and tilted her head. "Well, I'll leave you all to it!" She said before moving back and allowing the crew to get in place.
"Yez, yez!" Gretchen announced before turning around and waving to everyone else. "Alright, ze day isn't getting any younger! Let's get zis show on ze road eh?"
The two directors quickly rushed to their spots behind the photographers and looked around to make sure everything was set. When each crew member announced their readiness, the photoshoot began.
"Okay Buneary, just act natural. Remember, you're ze new face in Galar! Just act like yourself. Zo give us something graceful!" Glenn directed.
Buneary looked from side to side and then at the directors. Taking a moment, she took in a breath and with that, she lifted her head up and made a graceful pose with a dignified face. She had practiced for hours with Dawn and the rest of her crew for a variety of poses of different themes: grace, determination, flirtatious, sultry, and on and on. They carefully went over each one to use for when the day came.
"Ooh now zat's a graceful pose alright!" Gretchen proclaimed, her hands on her cheeks.
"Yez, yez it is indeed!" Glenn excitedly shouted. "Make sure to capture it!"
The sounds of shuttering cameras immediately began to ring out and the room was filled with the constant flashes of light.
"We cannot lose momentum! Let's zee your determined pose Buneary!" Gretchen commanded.
Buneary eased up on her pose and assumed another one. This time she got into a more battle-ready stance. The cameras didn't stop taking pictures as the directors continued to shout commands and instructions for what to do next.
About ten minutes of nonstop posing passed before the two directors called for everyone to cease what they were doing. Needless to say, they were quite happy with what they got.
"Oh my! Zis just might be my best work yet!" Glenn exclaimed, dramatically crying into a handcloth.
"Yez, mine too!" Gretchen followed, wiping a tear away with a tissue.
When the shooting wrapped up, Buneary was directed back to the hair and makeup crew who did their absolute best to make her look immaculate once again.
Over half an hour later, she was directed back to wardrobe and was presented with a flowing baby blue dress. Buneary held back a gasp and her mind flashed back to the dress she had worn to the gala in Sinnoh all those years ago.
"Stunned I see!" The stylist laughed upon seeing the bunny's reaction. "It certainly suits you!"
"(I-It's-!)" Buneary managed to say before something caught her eye from the side. Both she and the stylist turned their focus on someone walking up to them.
Buneary blinked and she immediately recognized the familiar face.
"Oh Fantina! You're right on time!" Gretchen proclaimed, practically running over to the Sinnoh gym leader who turned to face her.
"Gretchen my love! It's been too long!" Fantina happily said, grabbing ahold of the director's hands and kissing each other on the cheeks.
Buneary smiled and her eyes drifted down to a female froslass that accompanied her.
"Oh, and you must be ze star!" Gretchen beamed upon seeing the dual-type.
"(Hee~! You're not wrong!)" The dual-type chirped with a wave of her arm.
"Francesca! Please get miss Froslass ready for her big shoot!" Gretchen commanded to a pink-haired makeup artist. Then she looked back over at Fantina. "C'mon dear, you zimply must fill me in on what you've been up to!" She laughed and pulled Fantina away from them.
Francesca walked over to them and looked over at Froslass. "Alright ma'am, I'll get you ready in no time!"
Froslass smiled and she began to make her way over when she spotted Buneary. She stopped and pointed at her. "(Hey, so you're the one Fantina's been talking about all week right? The model from Sinnoh?)" She asked.
A little startled by that, Buneary took a moment to think of a response. "(Er...I...guess so?)"
Froslass smiled at her. "(Well you're making quite a name for yourself back home. Everyone in the modeling world is talking about you!)"
Buneary merely looked at her, completely baffled.
Everyone? Was that...really true? She figured that things were going well but to go from that to being so recognizable was...well it was hard to even describe really.
Feeling bashful, Buneary put her paw behind her extended ear, being careful so as to not mess up the hair stylist's hard work.
Meanwhile off to the side, a crewmember had taken a remote control and was idly scrolling through channels on a television that rested on a wall.
"(W-Well...I uhh...thanks?)" Buneary nervously chuckled.
Froslass' smile only grew wider and she went over to the makeup crew and sat in a chair. "(Heh, you'll see. Once our collab is done, I'll be the most recognizable Ghost-type in the world!)"
Buneary's nervous giggling eased up and she gave the girl a more confident gaze. "(You're gonna do great!)" She declared as the makeup crew started working their magic. Buneary nodded her head and her gaze momentarily wandered off to the side. "(I'll have to try extra-hard to catch up with...uhh...you...)" She said, trailing off as something caught her attention.
The crewmember who was flipping channels had finally settled on something that caught the attention of everyone in the room.
The Masters Eight Tournament.
A chill immediately went up the rabbit's spine as the announcer introduced the first person: Ash Ketchum. And who was walking alongside the Kanto trainer? None other than the most familiar-looking to the girl: Pikachu.
Buneary silently gulped, her eyes glued to the screen. She had been so caught up in everything that she'd completely forgotten that the entire world was watching one of its most important events!
Her heart skipped a beat when the announcer introduced Ash's opponent and the reigning monarch: Leon.
As the voices around her began to tune out, Buneary's breath got caught in her throat and she held a paw up to her chest to calm herself down.
Okay...just don't watch. Keep focused on the job at hand. Yeah...besides, they can handle themselves well enough...right?
...
...For a moment she wondered if he was wondering where she was.
Then her eyes widened upon realizing something.
In a moment of both surprise and shame, she couldn't remember if she had mentioned that she was doing three jobs away from the stadium at the same time as his battle. One job would've been quick enough, maybe two...but three? If she was told in advance she might've turned it down but the offer for the final job was sort of sprung on her at the last second and her agent had emphasized how this could be the one. Her big break.
She wanted to slap a paw up to her face although she didn't want to mess up the makeup department's work.
She really shouldn't be surprised. With all of the craziness of managing two careers and slowly but surely making a name for herself in both, it was no wonder that she had been so caught up that something like this was she hadn't had a chance to tell him.
Actually, now that she was thinking about it...when was the last time they'd even talked? It was probably at least a month ago. The last she remembered; Dawn had said to Ash that she could make it to watch his battle yet she also mentioned that Buneary might have another important job lined up around that time.
She guiltily sighed. It was all pretty depressing really. Pikachu himself had become so preoccupied with his specialized training and making progress through this Master Eight Tournament thing that he himself had become too busy to stay in touch.
Buneary gave a frustrated exhale. The burden of trying to achieve your dreams...
Welp...hopefully she could distract herself from the tournament and perhaps even her own thoughts when the cameras get rolling again.
Thankfully, preparing Froslass didn't require as much time as Buneary. The dual-type's natural beauty only needed some touchups here and there and the lack of actual fur or hair meant that she was in front of the cameras before anyone knew it. As Froslass started conducting her shoot, Buneary – now in her dress – anxiously watched the tournament from the side, trying her best not to make a sound regardless of how difficult it was.
Things got off to a rocky start for Ash as Leon sent out his cinderace and used Scorching Sands to land a hit on Pikachu while he himself didn't suffer any injury from Thunderbolt thanks to his Libero Ability. Immediately, Pikachu was recalled as was Cinderace and the showdown continued with Ash's gengar and Leon's inteleon.
The next few minutes were nothing short of panic-inducing for the rabbit as she watched both sides duke it out, one opponent getting an upper hand over the other. Just when Ash's Gengar Gigantamaxed, Gretchen and Glenn called Buneary over to start the collaboration. With trepidation in her heart, Buneary silently gulped and hopped over in front of the photographers.
"Alright darlings, it's time for ze collaboration of ze century!" Gretchen announced from behind the lighting crew.
"Give us a show! Let's start with zay...something cutesy and flirtatious?" Glenn suggested, clapping his hands together.
Both Buneary and Froslass blinked at him and then glanced at each other.
Buneary blinked and her mind raced back to the many weeks she had prepared for something like this.
Cutesy and flirtatious...cutesy and flirtatious...
Okay...cutesy and flirtatious...got it!
Buneary smirked and with that, suddenly took a step back and performed a backflip and bounced in place before she gave the cameras a wink. Then, she gave the gentlest of Ice Beams to produce a frosty heart from her mouth and directed it into the center of the backdrop.
Similarly, Froslass twirled back and extended her arm outward and when she did, a Powder Snow was released in the form of a star.
The shuttering of cameras once again filled the room as the two moves reached center frame and momentarily combined before dissipating altogether.
"C'est manifique!" Fantina cried out as the two directors squealed in delight.
"Yez it eez!" Glenn proclaimed, his accent somehow thickening in all of his excitement.
"Please keep going!" Gretchen happily commanded, motioning for someone to bring her another tissue to bat away more tears.
Buneary briefly looked over and saw the back forth between Ash's Gengar and Leon's Inteleon continue only to see Inteleon take a hit from Max Ooze and was promptly knocked out. Unable to hold it back, the bunny gasped upon seeing how quickly things were happening...and in Ash's favor no less!
Feeling a little more confident, Buneary gave the directors a determined smirk and then made her next pose.
Evidently, the rabbit's ease wasn't long for this world because soon after she had completed her collaboration with Froslass, both competitors were down to some of their last Pokémon. For Ash, all he had was Pikachu while Leon still had both Cinderace and his starter: Charizard.
Not only that, but things got crazier when during Pikachu's battle with Charizard, the legendary Pokémon called Eternatus appeared! The rabbit barely had enough time to put on her third outfit to witness the legendary creature restore the two opponents' Dynamax Bands. With that, the battle continued and as the crew started setting up for the third photoshoot, Buneary momentarily looked at herself in the mirror.
She was wearing a bright green dress with a flowing bow tied around her extended ear of which, was long enough to drape down the center of her back. Around her chest, the dress was dark green and sported a second bow. The makeup crew had also taken the added step of putting two little green stars next to her right eye. As outlandish as the overall outfit appeared, the crew insisted that it was an accurate portrayal of what the ancestors of Sinnoh wore. Apparently, it was worn by royalty during the winter solstice festival in what was once called the Hisui region.
The crew had even used a special spray to de-poof the bunny's fluff so she could better fit into the dress.
Taking her focus off the mirror, she watched the battle continue between Cinderace and Pikachu. The girl held her breath for the longest time before she saw Cinderace finally go down.
Evidently, the exhale she let out was loud enough for everyone to look over at her. As soon as she noticed, her face practically turned into a tomato and she nervously rubbed the back of her head.
"(Uhh...just...warming up over here!)" She bashfully chuckled, her cheeks feeling like friggin' hellfire!
Gretchen merely smirked and clapped her hands together. "We're just about ready! Let's finish things with our best attempts yez?"
Buneary stopped her nervous laughter and looked at the directors. Her adrenaline at an all-time high, she merely nodded her head and got back to her usual spot in front of the cameras. As soon as she did, she looked over and to her complete astonishment, she saw Pikachu running upside down on the arc that covered the stadium! Her mouth hung open as she watched the mouse dodge and pirouette away from Charizard's devastating attacks!
As she watched Pikachu descend back to the ground, the mouse's tail began to display a familiar glow. She watched in complete awe...then in absolute horror as she watched Pikachu's Iron Tail completely miss Charizard who in turn landed a blow with Fire Blast.
Standing on all fours, Pikachu stared down his opponent as he panted his lungs out. Every muscle in his body was screaming for him to stop and that last hit made his very being feel like it was collapsing in on itself.
But he won't give up. No. He can't. This was it. The culmination of everything that he and Ash had ever been through! Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar...it's all led to this one moment. So close to victory and yet...it all felt so far.
His opponent felt relentless.
And he felt...like he was keeling over.
Things went dark as soon as he hit the ground yet the last thing he heard was his trainer screaming his name.
Unbeknownst to the mouse, not too far away, a certain rabbit was shrieking his name as well.
"(NO! PIKACHU!)" Buneary screamed at the top of her lungs, her paws up to her mouth and her eyes as wide as they could go.
Everyone in the room went silent save for some surprised gasps.
"Eh? Buneary darling what's wrong?" Gretchen asked, an eyebrow raised as she watched the bunny stand as still as a statue, her focus glued onto the television.
Froslass blinked at her and then followed the bunny's horrified gaze. She saw as the television showed a pikachu collapsed onto his side. The dual-type looked back and forth and she furrowed her brow.
Then...Buneary took a step back and stumbled, nearly falling over herself.
"Woah! Are you okay?!" Glenn cried out from behind the photographers.
Both Hermione and Fantina watched the display in shock and they whispered to each other. Then Hermione pointed at the television screen.
"Ah yes, I forgot to mention that that's the pikachu she used to date..." The occasional judge said to the pink-haired gym leader.
Fantina put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my...la pauvre fille!"
Froslass jerked her head back a little at that as she stared up at her trainer. Then she looked back and saw the devastated rabbit who looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.
Buneary stared down at the floor, her heart practically breaking in two.
They had come so far...and now at the precipice of victory...it was over.
She grit her teeth as she felt a wave of sympathy come over her and she looked up at Pikachu's fallen form. The world around her completely tuned out yet she could tell that the directors were calling out for her.
The only thing that she felt in that moment was a strong urge to go to him. To comfort him, hug him, and tell him how proud she is of him. She...sh-she...
...She couldn't find it in herself to finish this job...
Standing in front of the lights and cameras, so close to showing everyone what she could do...Buneary merely squeezed her eyes shut and held back tears.
He floated in the void, a place he was no stranger to. The place in-between consciousness and the real world, life and death.
And then, he opened his eyes and looked out into the endless iridescent white world. Before he could even register where he was...he saw his friends' faces...faces that he hadn't seen in quite some time.
Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Butterfree...everyone was here.
Still lying down, Pikachu looked around and saw all of his friends cheering for him.
"(C'mon man! You can do this!)" Buizel declared with a fist pump.
"(Yeah, show them all who's top mouse!)" Ambipom cheered, bouncing from one foot to the other.
"(Heh, I always knew you had it in you.)" Greninja said with a little nod.
The mouse continued to look between them and for the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a familiar-looking girl off to the side, holding her fluff as she always did.
She didn't say anything. She just smiled and gave him a loving stare with those famous sparkling eyes of hers.
As the cheering of his friends past and present filled the void, Pikachu turned his head to see none other than Ash himself.
The young trainer looked down at his partner and smiled. "You see, Pikachu? Everybody's backing us up!"
Pikachu looked up at him. Then he smiled.
He was right...they were right! He can't give up just yet! As long as he's breathing, then heaven knows that he'll give it his all!
Then...he started to rise.
His iridescent world rapidly fading, he felt himself transported back to reality and his vision cleared to see Leon and his Charizard staring him down.
Taking just a moment for himself, Pikachu got back on all fours and unleashed the most powerful Thunderbolt he could give!
"(Huh?)" Buneary wondered aloud as she and everyone else watched the television screen to see that Pikachu had gotten back up! Not only that, but he was completely enveloped in a brilliant golden energy as the entire stadium rocked from his power. Occasionally, a spark of dark electricity appeared around his form.
Buneary gasped as she watched the sheer power dancing around the mouse's body. It was something that had only been matched by what she had seen on that island back in Unova...
Intimidating, powerful, beautiful...
...That was him...that was Pikachu.
And so here they were...the mouse and the dragon.
As she watched the man she had once called her boyfriend rise and give his opponent a confident smile, a spark of pure determination arose in her chest.
What was she doing...? This was ridiculous! For her to stand there and think that she couldn't finish a simple modeling job...meanwhile look at him! Facing off against the best of the best, pushed beyond his limits and yet he was getting back up! Ready to show the world what he's truly capable of.
If he could do something like that...then...
...Then she could handle this!
Buneary's expression turned confident and she turned to face everyone.
"(Alright everyone! Let's finish this thing!)" She declared.
The crew turned their attention from the television, completely bewildered by the bunny's sudden change in demeanor.
It started off with surprised mutterings before they all gradually appeared to recognize her resolve.
"She's right! Let's wrap this up shall we?" Hermione confidently said from off to the side.
Simultaneously, Gretchen and Glenn blinked at the star of the show before they quickly shook their heads to clear their thoughts.
"(Yeah! Let's bring this thing home Buneary!)" Froslass cheered from near her trainer's leg.
"O-Oh yez! Of course!" Gretchen exclaimed.
"Let's get zis finished and make you a star!" Glenn announced.
Buneary took only a moment to look back at the television screen and saw Charizard's body enveloped in bright flames. Right then, Ash commanded for Pikachu to use Thunderbolt while Leon ordered Charizard to use Fire Blast.
No longer letting any sort of fear or anxiety into her heart, Buneary tilted her head upwards and let out a cool breeze courtesy of Ice Beam. Everyone gasped in awe as small ice crystals began to form in the air above her. Taking a moment to give a graceful bow, Buneary jumped and twirled into the newly-made snow, the sparkling crystals following her and enveloping her body in a heavenly embrace.
Smiling to herself, Buneary briefly saw how Pikachu and Charizard collided with each other in a bright display of sheer power.
She continued to smile. There they were. Both of them giving it their all.
Then without missing a beat, Buneary performed a pose in midair and for a moment, she looked to be one with the snow.
"YEZ! There it eez!" Gretchen exclaimed at the top of her lungs.
"Capture it! I want a million photos!" Glenn declared, tears running down his face.
"Woah...cette fille est gracieuse..." Fantina muttered, completely captivated by what she was seeing.
Hermione merely smiled and nodded her head.
Froslass watched with widened eyes, unable to say anything.
For Buneary, the moment lasted forever and somewhere deep in her heart, she felt content. This is who she is, here on full display for everyone.
Just like how Pikachu was showing what he was truly made of.
When she finally landed back on the floor, she looked up at the television and saw Pikachu and Charizard break contact. She watched Pikachu's confident form backflip onto the ground a few feet away while Charizard stumbled backwards.
She witnessed the dragon furiously unleash a column of fire into the air.
...And she watched as Charizard fell backwards, completely unconscious.
As the crew around her began to thunderously applaud the pose she had just performed, Buneary silently watched as the referee proclaimed that Charizard had been knocked out.
Her eyes widened as Ash Ketchum was declared the winner.
It was over...
They did it...
They were...the World Champions.
Buneary tilted her head as the announcer declared that a new monarch had been born and watched as Ash graciously hugged Pikachu, completely overcome with joy.
She smiled, the feeling not fully hitting her just yet. The screen focused on the two as the crowd erupted into cheers that were almost deafening.
The camera began to focus on Pikachu and as it did, Buneary's smile faltered. As the screen focused on the handsome mouse's face, her heart skipped a beat.
Then a strange compulsion came over her.
She had to go...right now!
Froslass approached her with a friendly wave of her arm. "(Buneary! I have to say, that was absolutely incredible the way you-!)"
"(I have to go.)" Buneary firmly interjected, her eyes still on the television screen.
Taken aback, the dual-type merely stared at her. "(Eh...? What do you mean?)"
Buneary slowly turned to make eye contact with her fellow model and she gave a serious look. "(I need to get to Wyndon Stadium.)"
"(But...why? So soon?)" Froslass asked, completely dumbfounded.
"(I just...need to see my friends.)" Buneary replied, the frustration clearly rising in her voice.
Froslass merely looked at her and then turned to see the television and saw how the focus was on Pikachu's face. Then she eased up a bit and made a sound that conveyed a sense of realization.
"(Oh I get it...)" Froslass finally said, still watching the television.
Buneary began to blush and she shuffled a foot across the floor as she looked down. "(So yeah...I need to go.)"
Froslass turned to face her. "(But it's too far. You'll need a car.)"
Buneary turned away to hold her arm. "(Well...I don't know what to do.)"
The dual-type tilted her head at the rabbit. Then she gave a little smirk and grabbed ahold of her arm, much to the bunny's surprise.
"(I got an idea! C'mon!)" Froslass declared as she pulled Buneary away.
"(Wha...?! Hey!)" Buneary squeaked as Froslass led her to Fantina. As soon as the gym leader saw her, she gave the widest of grins.
"Buneary! That was absolutely stunning!" She declared; her arms raised to the heavens. Froslass waved at her trainer to get her attention. Fantina paused and confusedly looked at her. "Eh? What is it Froslass?"
Froslass made a gesture at Buneary and then pointed towards the exit.
Hermione approached them and folded her arms. "I think they're saying that they need to leave."
Fantina looked back at the black-haired woman. "You think so?" She asked before looking back at the Pokémon models. "But to where?"
Hermione gave a little smirk as she looked over at Buneary. "Wyndon Stadium. I think I can take a guess why."
Buneary looked away, her face hot to the touch.
Suddenly, Fantina clasped her hands together and put them up to her cheek. "Je l'aime! Comme c'est romantique!" She squealed before easing up a little. "You can take my limo; I'll go with you!"
Both Buneary and Froslass smiled at her and nodded their heads.
"Hey! Where eez everybody going?!" Glenn called out as he walked across the room followed by Gretchen.
Fantina gave them a big grin. "We're heading to Wyndon Stadium, Buneary wants to see her friend."
"Oh? So zoon?" Gretchen asked, a little surprised.
Hermione smiled and shrugged. "The life of a supermodel am I right?"
Gretchen and Glenn looked at each other before they started laughing.
"Well...alright then! We're done here anyway!" Gretchen said.
Buneary took a step forward and then bowed her head. "(Thank you all so much for the opportunity!)" She said.
The two directors did the same.
"Thank you Buneary." Gretchen said with an enthusiastic smile before pointing at the bunny and then to the cameras. "Zis...your talents...will be a wonderful thing to share! You're about to take the world by storm!"
Smiling from ear to ear, Buneary looked up at them, waved goodbye and she, Froslass and Fantina quickly made their way out the door. Everyone else started to wave goodbye at them when all of a sudden, Glenn made a strange sound.
"Oh! Wait! The dress!" He called out.
Fantina waved back at him. "We'll bring it back I promise! Au revoir!"
With that, the three headed out of the building and got into Fantina's black limousine that was parked on the curb.
As Buneary got in her seat, she looked forward, a strange mix of nervousness and excitement coursing through her body.
About twenty minutes later, the limo pulled up to the stadium and the three occupants got out, taking a moment to gaze at it in awe. Then they started rushing to the nearest entrance. When they got in, they looked every which way to see where the new world champion would be.
Let's see...Ash and the rest of his crew are probably in their dressing rooms or backstage. After another ten minutes had passed of frantically looking around, they came upon a red velvet rope with two burly security guards. Next to them was a sign that read "Participants beyond this point only."
Peeking around a corner, Buneary furrowed her brow. Then...she got an idea.
Looking up at the other two, the rabbit motioned for them to come closer so she could whisper something to them.
The two male guards, both standing over six feet tall, had their arms crossed over their chests. One of them looked over to the side, something immediately catching his eye.
"Eh...?" He muttered to himself as he and the other guard saw Fantina and Froslass twirling from around the corner. The two watched in astonishment as the they danced, gracefully spinning in place and seductively waving their arms in the air.
"What...uhh...what's this?" The other guard asked, mainly to himself.
Fantina smiled and held out her hand to one of them. "Bonjour mes beaux hommes! You have been blessed with watching Fantina's newest coordinator move!"
Froslass smirked and twirled in place.
One of the guards blinked at them before he gasped. "Fantina?! From Sinnoh?!"
The other guard briefly looked back at his colleague before returning his gaze to the now pirouetting duo. "Oh yeah! You're right, it is her!"
"Oui! Now behold our latest snow dance!" Fantina declared before she motioned for Froslass to come closer.
Taking a rather generous leap forward like a ballerina, Froslass let out a gentle Powder Snow straight above them all which quickly began to thicken the air.
The two guards muttered incoherently in absolute wonder as the two performers became silhouetted and started gently twirling around them both.
Unbeknownst to the two men, a little bunny bolted right past them and down the concrete hallway.
"(And then, and then...!)" Piplup gushed, waving his flippers in the air as he walked next to Pikachu down the stadium hallway from their dressing room. "(And then you ran upside down and were dodging attacks left and right!)"
Pikachu sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and he amusedly rolled his eyes. "(Yeah...guess I did.)"
Piplup squealed even more upon reliving that moment. "(Oh man! It was the craziest, most awesome thing I've ever seen! I couldn't have made it look cooler myself!)"
Pikachu gave a light chuckle. Huh...guess if he of all 'mons was admitting it, he must be serious.
Walking nearby were Ash and Dawn, the former carrying the giant golden trophy that was given as a status of his newfound title.
Smiling as she continued to walk, Dawn looked over at her former traveling friend. "Well Ash, it looks like you've reached the end of your journey in this region huh? And what a way to end it too!" She cheered.
Ash chuckled at that. "Yeah! We'll probably be heading out soon and then...well who knows? The world is just waiting for us to journey through it!"
His friends merely laughed and shook their heads. Look at that, world champion and he's still as full of life as he ever was!
Dawn suddenly paused and excitedly clapped her hands together. "Oh! How about we celebrate before you go? A nice dinner sounds good to me!"
Stopping in place, Ash turned to look at her and then chuckled. "You know me, I'm always up for food!"
Both Pikachu and Piplup smiled in agreement.
"Where's a good place? It's gotta be somewhere special right?" Dawn asked, putting a finger on her chin in contemplation.
"I hear Sazon's is great! They have all sorts of stuff!" Ash replied.
"Sounds fancy. I hope it isn't too expensive." Dawn laughed.
"No problem! World champions get to eat for free! Plus, they gave me a black credit card with the trophy. They said it had unlimited credit, whatever that means." Ash cheerily said.
Pikachu merely watched them from a few feet away. It was true...well mostly anyway. Upon being given the trophy, Ash was given the Obsidian Card, a credit card that had a credit limit in the hundreds of thousands of dollars which was practically unlimited credit to them as far as they were concerned.
Not only that, but essentially every world champion was allowed to collect royalties from their newfound status. No sooner had they receive their trophy than did people start talking about sponsorships, contracts, and things the likes of which neither of them really understood nor cared all that much.
To them, it more or less meant that they never really had to worry about money anymore, not like the boy was much of a major spender. Strangely enough, there were some mentions of the mouse being entitled to some of those royalties given how he was part of the winning team. Such a thing was quite surprising to hear but then again, he had definitely seen Pokémon working regular jobs, seemingly without typical trainers, before so...
"Well in that case, I vote for Sazon's!" Dawn exclaimed, raising her hand high into the air.
"(I second that!)" Pikachu followed, raising his paw.
"(Third!)" Piplup said, raising his flipper.
"Sounds unanimous!" Ash laughed, looking at his friends. Then he got a slightly mischievous smirk and leaned over to Dawn. "If you're going somewhere fancy, you need to try fancy food. I hear their sautéed Slowpoke tails are incredible!"
Slightly surprised, Dawn jerked her head back. "Their sautéed what? Why would anyone make that?"
Still holding the massive trophy, Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Don't look at me, I'm not the chef, but I hear they're really good. Low in fat and all that."
"I mean...if you say they're good..." Dawn muttered looking away for a moment. "What about...huh?" She said, trailing off upon seeing something off to the side.
Everyone merely looked at her before a voice rang out.
"(Well, well, well~)" Buneary confidently said, her paws on her hips as she stood several feet away.
Everyone turned to look at her before they gasped.
When Pikachu turned around, he nearly jumped in place. "(Buh...buh...?)" He muttered, goosebumps going throughout his body.
"Buneary? What are you doing here?" Dawn wondered aloud.
Buneary merely huffed and nonchalantly twirled her wrist. "(Tsk, I heard a certain somebody made quite the accomplishment...!)"
Pikachu blinked at her and he eyed her up and down. What...was she wearing? Some kind of...renaissance festival dress?
"Oh...did you finish your photoshoots?" Dawn asked with a little smile.
"(Mhmm!)" Buneary replied before she slowly looked down. Then she locked gazes with Pikachu. When she did, he silently gulped.
"(H-Hey...Buneary.)" Pikachu managed to squeak, his throat feeling particularly dry in that moment.
Buneary's expression softened and she gave a faraway smile back. "(Hi Pikachu...)"
Everyone stood there in complete silence for a beat before Dawn leaned over and gently nudged Ash's shoulder. Then, without saying a word, she pointed at the two and motioned for them to leave. Ash took a moment to look at her before he got the message and he smirked as he stared down at them.
"Hey uhh...Piplup. Can you please help me carry this trophy?" The world champion asked, causing the penguin to look up at him.
"(Huh?)" Piplup muttered.
Ash pretended to struggle getting a grip on the massive award. "Well this trophy is sooo heavy...I need someone super strong to help me get it to my hotel room!"
Piplup blinked at him before he gave a proud smile. "(Oh...well of course! Never fear, Piplup is here!)" He declared before he looked back at Buneary. "(We'll catch up in a bit 'kay? Duty calls!)"
Buneary giggled at him, a paw covering her mouth. "(Hee~! Sure Pip!)"
With that, Dawn and Piplup started walking down the hallway, followed by Ash who began whistling a jaunty tune, the large trophy now resting comfortably in his arms.
Standing in the middle of the hallway, Pikachu and Buneary briefly locked gazes. Then they simultaneously looked away from each other, one of them shuffling a foot over the shiny floor.
"(So how have you...?)" They both quietly said at the same time. "(Oh! Sorry! You go first! No, you!)"
They paused. Then they started to snicker before laughing.
A couple seconds passed and the awkward tension was gone.
Catching his breath, Pikachu once again looked the rabbit up and down. "(So, you mind telling me what this whole getup is?)" He asked, motioning to Buneary's extravagant dress.
"(Huh?)" Buneary muttered before she looked down and realized that she was still wearing the green outfit! Blushing a little, she put a paw up to her cheek. "(Oh! Uhh...it was for one of the photoshoots. It's supposed to be based on ancient Sinnoh history.)"
Pikachu's mouth opened in a silent "o" shape and he nodded his head. "(Well...it looks really good on you!)"
"(Thanks~!)" She practically sang as she quickly made a rather fabulous pose.
They stood there in silence again before Pikachu nervously rubbed the back of his head. "(So...how'd you hear the big news? You got here pretty quick!)"
"(I was watching you on the T.V! We all were!)" Buneary chirped, causing the mouse to pause.
"(Really? The whole time?)" He asked.
"(Yup! You really scared us all at the end, what with the whole "fainting for a moment" thing.)" She laughed.
Pikachu started to blush and he looked away and rubbed his arm. Buneary tried holding back a large smirk, having seen that reaction from him more times than she could remember.
"(Y-Yeah...I uhh...kind of surprised myself with that. If I'm being honest.)" He practically squeaked.
Buneary's paws flew up to her cheeks and she smiled so wide that she closed her eyes. "(Hee~! It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen!)"
Pikachu looked back at her, completely taken aback by that. "(It...it was?)"
"(Yes of course! The way you got back up and then your whole body lit up and you rushed forward!)" She beamed, going off into her own little world, unaware that the mouse's face was only turning more and more scarlet. "(And then you collided with Charizard and the whole stadium lit up! It was the showdown of a lifetime!)" She cheered before easing up a little. Then, her smile faded a bit and her expression became more forlorn. "(I just really wish I could've been here to see it myself. I'm really sorry Pikachu. I should've been here.)"
Pikachu tilted his head a little at that. Then he gave her a comforting little grin. "(Heh, don't worry about it Bun. You had a really good reason for being somewhere else!)" He said, once again motioning to her unique dress.
Buneary gave an amused scoff and she slowly looked back up at him. Another moment passed between the two.
Then, Buneary put her paws on her hips. "(Look at you...the World Champions.)" She finally said, her infectious smile only growing warmer. "(I'm so proud of you Pikachu.)"
His heart beating out of his chest, Pikachu fought back the urge to shake in place.
"(Th-Thanks. And you're one to talk! On your way to becoming a supermodel, you're really something else Bun!)" He laughed, hoping that his jovial demeanor would somehow hide the blush that was overtaking his face.
Buneary giggled, one paw on her cheek and the other dismissively waving at him. "(You're too kind~!)" She laughed before she opened her eyes in a sudden realization. "(Do you realize...that since Ash is the World Champion...you're pretty much the world's strongest Pokémon...?)"
Pikachu paused and he merely stared at her. "(Y-Yeah...actually, that's exactly what we were all talking about right before the match!)"
Buneary gave him a proud smile and she shook her head. "(Well it's true after all!)" She said before she looked elsewhere. "(Though...I'm not surprised at all. I always knew you'd be the best, Pika~!)" She quietly muttered, waiting for the mouse's stunned gaze to focus on her. Then, she eased up and gave him a little wink.
"(B-Bun...)" He stammered, his heart about to burst from his chest upon hearing her nickname for him.
Then, she gently reached out and grabbed his paw.
"(C'mon, everyone's waiting for us!)" She laughed, feeling him shake in place.
"(O-Oh right...!)" Pikachu stuttered with a dumb smile before his confidence began to return. "(Yeah, let's get dinner!)"
"(Hee~! Let's go!)" She said brightly before gently pulling him down the hallway.
They never let go of each other. Not even when Buneary suggested that they make a quick detour and thank Fantina and Froslass for helping her out.
Not even an hour later, the group was dining at the fancy establishment called Sazon's where the staff brought each of the five-course meals in meticulously precise fashion. Sitting next to each other, Pikachu and Buneary spent nearly the entire evening laughing and talking, often catching up on things and all the while, the others watched with silent smiles.
True to its reputation, the meals were exquisite with names in languages that none of the party understood. The dinner ended with the crème de la crème: the dulce sifonia. Made from caramel, frozen creamy fruit, nuts, spices and even vegetables, the strange dessert tasted sweet at first before turning spicy and the entire experience was accompanied by soft jazz music performed by a live artist.
Occasionally, Pikachu and Buneary stole glances at each other and at one point, they locked gazes before quickly looking away. If they were to compare this evening, they would've brought up the restaurant on Solare Island.
When it finally came time to pay, Ash showed his ID and the check was cleared. Even if it wasn't, it would've been a drop in an ocean of money for the boy now.
When dinner finally ended, Dawn accompanied Ash to the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel, the five-star establishment that was far fancier than any place the trainer had stayed before. It was there in the lobby that Dawn took a moment to admire the extravagantness of the building before Ash suggested that she get a room for the night, courtesy of his new credit card. After a little bit of convincing and emphasis on the near-unlimited funds he was granted, the bluenette agreed.
A few minutes later, Dawn was standing in her room, gushing over how nice it was. The picturesque view from the balcony only made her fawn over everything even more. Funnily enough – due to the tournament bringing in so many people – the only rooms available were ones with two beds in separate rooms.
"Wow...! It's just incredible! Much nicer than being in the tents outside, right Piplup?" Dawn squealed, looking down at her starter.
"(Hmph, indeed.)" Piplup replied with an eager nod.
"Oh! I've got to send my mom a photo! She'll be so excited that we're staying somewhere so fancy! And I've got to take a picture of the view from here!" Dawn exclaimed, putting down her traveling bags to look for a camera.
Pikachu smiled at the sight. Then he looked over and saw Buneary doing the same. They locked eyes and this time; they didn't look away.
Unbeknownst to them, Piplup had taken notice and he silently looked between them.
"Oh...I know it's in here somewhere..." Dawn muttered, rummaging through her bag.
"Hey, doesn't your Xtransceiver take pictures? Why not just use that?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow as he watched the girl struggle.
"I left it at home!" Dawn protested, holding up her arm to reveal that she was wearing her Pokétch instead. "I need to find my camera! I-!" She said before she took notice of Piplup's frantic waving.
"(Hey, over here!)" The penguin practically shouted at her, causing everyone to look over at him.
"Huh? What's wrong Piplup?" Dawn asked.
Without saying another word, Piplup pointed at Pikachu and Buneary who dumbfoundedly looked at him. Dawn blinked at her starter and watched as the penguin made a sweeping motion out of the room.
The girl paused for a few seconds. Then she saw the penguin give her a stern gaze before his eyes briefly shifted to something that was right behind her. Dawn looked over and saw Pikachu and Buneary standing rather close to each other. Then it finally clicked and the bluenette gave her starter a warm smile.
"Ohhh...I see what you're getting at!" She laughed with a wink.
"Eh? Get what?" Ash asked.
Dawn giggled as she started to get up. "Ash, how about you show me the rest of this hotel? Looks like these two will need to catch up!"
The others merely looked at her, completely stumped. Pikachu and Buneary looked at each other before staring back at Dawn.
"But...why leave them here? Can't they come with-?" Ash started to ask before Dawn got really close to his face.
"Just trust me. They deserve it." Dawn quietly said before she grabbed his arm and with that, they started heading to the door. "We'll be back, be good alright?" She happily said as they opened the door to step out into the hallway.
Following behind them was Piplup who likewise waved back. "(Don't cause too much trouble 'kay?)" He laughed and he stepped out with the door closing behind him.
Then they were alone in the hotel room.
"(That was weird...)" Pikachu muttered, still staring at the door.
"(You're telling me...)" Buneary followed. Then she eased up and stretched her back. "(Welp, I better get out of this dress. I need to return it tomorrow.)"
Pikachu looked at her. "(Oh yeah?)"
"(Mhmm.)" She replied before she looked around the room. "(You know...this is a pretty impressive hotel...)"
"(Yeah but I'm sure you've been to fancier places Miss Supermodel!)" Pikachu laughed.
Sharing in his mirth, Buneary chuckled with him. "(Heh, not really. Some places were nice but not like this.)"
"(Yeah...Ash and I stick out like sore thumbs around here I guess.)" Pikachu said with a smile, rubbing the back of his ear.
Buneary didn't take her eyes off him. Then she put her paws on her hips. "(Tsk, look at you. The World Champion and living in fancy hotels and eating at expensive restaurants! Definitely a long way from eating pellets at camp right?)"
Pikachu paused and stared at her. "(Hey, I still do that! We'll probably be doing that in no time after this!)"
Buneary's smile faltered a little bit. "(Oh yeah, I meant to ask...what are you gonna do now that you're...you know, the world's strongest and all?)"
He paused, unable to find the words. Then he crossed his arms in silent contemplation. "(Hmm...I guess we'll just be traveling for a while. There's still plenty of the world to see.)"
"(I see...)" She said, hearing the mouse echo his trainer's words.
Pikachu huffed and uncrossed his arms to give her a little smirk. "(And what about you? Off to do more photoshoots someplace far away?)"
Buneary gave him an amused eye roll. "(Dunno. It's probably gonna be either Alola or Johto. Actually after this, we'll probably go back to Sinnoh to rest up for a while.)"
"(Yeah, and Ash'll probably want to go back to Pallet Town soon.)" Pikachu quietly said.
"(Sounds like we're both taking a break from things.)" Buneary quietly muttered as she looked down at the floor.
A few moments passed between them. Then Pikachu spoke up again.
"(But hey, I'm sure I'll be seeing you on the front covers of magazines by then!)" He nervously laughed.
"(Yeah, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you on the news and stuff. After all, you're a celebrity now!)" Buneary excitedly replied.
The two shared a laugh and when they eased up, they merely gave each other half-lidded eyes. Then Buneary spoke up again.
"(But seriously...I'm really proud of you Pika.)" She gently said, the sincerity in her voice clear. "(You were really something else out there y'know?)"
Pikachu held back a proud chuckle and he took a step forward. "(Thanks Bun! And I'm really proud of you too! A top-notch contest battler and also a supermodel?! How do you pack so much talent in one little bunny?)" He laughed.
Buneary took a step forward. "(Tsk, please! It's nothing compared to defeating the undefeated World Champion!)"
Unaware of what they were doing, the two simultaneously took another step closer and before they knew it, they were mere inches away from each other.
Pikachu, feeling his face starting to warm, stared into her eyes. "(I...uhh...I'm glad you came by when you did Bun.)"
A noticeable blush beginning to form on her face, Buneary looked back into his eyes. "(I'm...I'm glad to be here with you now Pika...)"
They started to move closer and instinctively reached up to place their paws on each other's cheeks.
Perhaps it was the emotions from such an eventful day or simply due to a faraway longingness, but what they did next surprised even them.
They locked lips.
Buneary gave a small squeak as she eased into the kiss and she wrapped her arms around Pikachu's neck.
Pikachu, at first unbelievably nervous of what he was doing, took charge and wrapped his arms around her back.
They stayed like that for a while, releasing all of the pent up confusion and frustrated feelings that each had been wrestling with this past year and a half.
And now here they were. Traveling the world, each on their own journey and pursuing their own goals...
It had all led to them being here in this room together at last.
Suddenly, as if the two had shared the same thought, they both opened their eyes and realized what they were doing!
Simultaneously, they broke the kiss and stepped away, their blushes completely overtaking their faces at this point.
"(O-Oh! I'm so sorry Pika! I-I don't know what came over me!)" Buneary squealed, lifting her fluff up to her face as she turned away.
"(Y-Yeah, me too...sorry Bun...)" Pikachu muttered, looking elsewhere as he held his arm.
They silently stood in place, each not daring to look in the other's direction.
Silently gulping, Pikachu motioned towards the door. "(So uhh...I-I better get back to my room!)" He nervously laughed, his face feeling like it was emitting steam!
Buneary sheepishly shuffled her foot over the floor. "(Y-Yeah, and I better get this dress off too.)"
"('Kay, so I'm just gonna...)" Pikachu bashfully chuckled, pointing to the door as he took a step back.
"(Okay...I'll see you later then.)" Buneary quietly said, looking away.
"(Okay...bye Bun...!)" Pikachu said, an intentional brightness to his voice to mask his obvious embarrassment.
"(Bye...)" She squeaked as she quickly turned to walk into the bedroom that her party was merely using to put their stuff in. For a moment, she remembered that Dawn had taken her bag with the rest of friends' Pokéballs with her. Right then and there she felt rather alone.
Then she started to slowly close the door though not all the way.
She stood there in complete silence, staring down at the floor.
Just what...was that?! What did she just do?!
Breathing hard, Buneary lifted a paw up to her chest to calm herself down. Did she just forget about their little agreement? They were focusing on their own careers at the moment, this was totally out of bounds!
...
Although...Pikachu did kiss her back...
Did he...want this too?
Her paws now down by her sides, she felt them twitch as a sudden urge started to come over her. Without giving it so much as a second thought, she turned around and started to walk back to the door to open it. Then she paused and closed her eyes.
Maybe she shouldn't go after him. After all, this was how it had to be for now, right? To focus on their own things for a while? They shouldn't just give into temptation whilst in the middle of their journeys...
Buneary turned back around. Yeah...they should just stick to doing their own thing and-
The bunny straightened up as she heard gentle knocking on the bedroom door. Curious, she looked back and opened the door to reveal Pikachu. She blinked at him.
Pikachu suddenly clapped his paws together and then opened up his arms.
"(We're technically on pause for our journeys...does that count?)" He confidently asked, apparently coming to the realization then and there.
On pause for their journeys...well...he wasn't wrong...
Her entire body beginning to feel warm and her head in the clouds, Buneary merely stared at him, her eyes full of a lust that she hadn't felt in quite some time.
"(Oh it counts...)" She finally said.
Once again sharing the same thought, the two immediately wrapped their arms around each other and locked lips.
Then they made sure to close the bedroom door behind them.
At long last, they were together again. Even if it was for just this one night.
But it was truly a special night to remember.
Author's Notes:
Major, major shoutout to Dirty98 and his fic "The Lago Family". If you're looking for more of a feel-good Pikabun story, definitely check out his work! It's cute, it's family-friendly (until it's not haha) and it's Pikabun from a dedicated shipper! So go and give it a read! Now. Right now. Like, right this second. His, shall we say, humor, really helped shape up this pretty eventful chapter! Not only that, but I hear that whoever edited his works deserves an award or something. :)
Anyway, our favorite ex-couple finally got a reunion after all this time. What could this mean, where could this go from here? Only one way to find out, on the next episode of About Her!
-Carson55