For Riny.

OutOfReach…

The bride was blushing and beautiful, and so was the groom. Well, in the male format.

With confetti and rice raining down, they looked like something straight out of a fairy-tale. Snap yelled out "Watch the Pidgey!" before taking a picture of the happy couple, guests and Pokémon. With all the excitement, and hustle-and-bustle as the new couple posed for a picture of just them two, no-one noticed the small green Pokémon slink away.

Chikorita, wearing a pale-blue dress, of sorts, hid away. How… how could he? Didn't he know that she loved him? Loved him one Hell of a lot more than that- that… Spinarak he'd just married, right? Didn't he love her? Didn't he understand? Didn't Chikori know that she'd do anything for him?

Of course he knew, an inner voice told her, but he couldn't love you. You are a Pokémon, and he is your master. That's how it is, was, and will be forever, and you can't change that.

But if he knew she loved him, why did he… DO… that?

There was no possible answer, because she wasn't Chikori, nor could he understand her like he could Pikachu. All he knew was that she had a 'crush' on him, which the squinty-eyed one had referred to as a passing phase, insulting her beyond belief. This was NO phase. This was true, at-first-sight, star-crossed Pokémon, love, and she'd never love another as long as she lived, which was a very long time.

Yeah, the signs… wasn't right

I was stupid for a while

Ten years…

Swept away… by you…

And now I feel

Like a fool

Of course, she saw and ignored the warning signs. When Chikori disappeared with Misty for hours on end, and returned with his cheeks redder than a Flareon and pink stuff over his face. When the squinty one told them to 'stop making out for one minute and start walking, dammit'. And those weird noises that came from 'their' room, and Pikachu always covered her head with a pillow and covered Chikorita's ears too…

Was she stupid? Now that she thought about it… with 20-20 hindsight… He'd never loved her. Not like she loved him. Why would he? When he became the 'Pokémon Master', or whatever that was, he had hundreds of humans in love with him, why would he want to be in love with a tiny, dumb little Chikorita?

So confused,

My heart's bruised

Was I ever loved by you?

It wasn't fair, she reasoned. For practically ten years of her life, she'd loved him, through thick and thin, good and bad, and it was all for nothing. What a waste, she thought. A waste of time, a waste of effort, a waste of herself… Typical silly girl, she scolded herself, echoing her mother's words that time when she was only about six weeks old and got a crush on the neighbouring Pidgey's son.

She was silly. A silly-Billy, who was boy-crazy and wouldn't really amount to anything except being 'the Pokémon Master's Chikorita'.

But she still had hopes and aspirations. Okay, so maybe the prospect of having half-human/Chikorita children was slightly surreal and entirely biologically impossible, but still, it was always nice to hope, wasn't it? And maybe it WOULD be rather weird if all of the glossy magazines that ladies read had centrespreads of her and Chikori kissing, but it was her dream, and she could dream whatever she damn well wanted to. Pity now that that's all they were, and would ever be: dreams. They couldn't come true now, now matter how much her heart wanted them to; no matter how often she dreamed about it, they would never happen.

Life was quite cruel to the boy-crazy Chikorita from south Johto.

It wasn't fair! He was her Chikori, not Pikachu's, not Bulbasaur's, and certainly not Misty's.

Out of reach

So far…

I never had your heart

Out of reach

Couldn't see

We were never meant to be

She could hear clapping inside, followed by a loud scuffling, then a cheer as someone won whatever had happened, then another scuffle, and another cheer. Why was everyone so happy? Chikori had obviously made a huge mistake in picking his mate. They should all be sad; like she was… but Chikori shouldn't be sad. He never should be sad. Chikori should be happy. But Chikori was happy now, so… She growled to herself. She hated contradictions, particularly when she ended up contradicting herself.

Why couldn't things have stayed the way they were? Travelling around Johto, all of them, together, and Chikori had no mate, and no interest in a mate, when she was allowed to travel on his shoulder from time to time until she realised that her Pokéball would be better, considering she fell off ten times a day, and when he would release all of his Pokémon to say goodnight, and she would hide shyly behind Cyndaquil when he said goodnight to her, and fall asleep to her dreams of him, curled up in her snug little Pokéball content knowing that she was next to him, when he left his Pokéballs next to his backpack, which in turn, was right next to his sleeping bag. And when she couldn't sleep, she would trip the locking mechanism on her ball, and Chikori would be asleep, breathing softly, and she would curl up next to him, feeling his warm breath stir her head leaf, feeling so comfortable and happy, because she was near the one person she loved, until the sun began to rise, and she would rise too, from her night-watch, and sadly touch her nose to the button of her Pokéball, to wait until he let her out again, which would probably be in an hour, when she would join the ranks for breakfast, then he would recall the rest of his Pokémon, and ask if she wanted to stay out today, and if she refused, he would get a slightly hurt look on his face, and say "Alright then," and call her back, or if she accepted, he'd give her this amazing smile, pick her up, and she would either ride in his arms, or try again to stay balanced on his shoulder opposite Pikachu, who shook her head at the crazy Chikorita, who had a blush on her face, as she clung to the soft fabric of his jacket, burying her face into the nape of his neck, happy just to be near her Chikori.

Catch myself

From despair

I'd drown if I'd see you here

Keeping busy

Every day

I know I will be okay

But now I'm

Curled on the sofa, next to Pikachu and Noctowl, in Chikori's house in Pallet Town, she remembered the smell of that weird sushi stuff all the humans ate, and the contrasting scent of Pokémon food, when Chikori had burst in through the front door, grinning like a loon and with Misty's hand firmly gripped in his own. She sighed, slightly repulsed at what they were doing. Why was he denying himself? He obviously loved her, didn't he? It was sickening watching him waste huge amounts of his time with her.

Chikori's mother came into the room. "Oh, hi, honey!" she trilled, drying her hands on the apron she wore, and smiling at her son.

"Hey mom," he replied, "Um, how long would it take to get Brock, Tracey and the Professor here? I, erm, I mean Misty and me," he quickly added, responding to the sharp dig in his side from Misty's elbow, "have a, um, sort of an announcement to make,"

Chikori's mom nodded, as Chikorita watched from her new perch on the arm of the couch. Why was he acting so secretive? Ash had never been able to keep secrets from anyone for too long, unless it was really serious. Something between he and Misty couldn't possibly be that serious, could it? Nah. No way. He, dragging Misty by her hand, flopped onto the couch, before grabbing both her and Pikachu into a hug, then scratching both Pokémon by their ears. "How've you two been?" he asked, smiling, "You been behaving yourself? You weren't any trouble for my mom and Mimey, were you?"

Both Pokémon innocently shook their heads, and Chikorita tried to get closer to Chikori, by walking over Misty's lap to get to his. When she passed Misty, she received a tickle behind the ears, but her leaf caught on something cold and hard. Humans weren't cold. Unless maybe it was cold outside, yeah, that's what it was. It was just cold… in June. Right?

So confused

My heart's bruised

Was I ever loved by you?

"So what's the big news?" Brock asked, taking a cookie from the table, breaking it into two before giving half to Ninetales, and popping the other half in his mouth.

"Yeah," Tracey added, "You wouldn't have dragged us all the way here for nothing, now, would you?"

"Zu-Zuuuuuuuu!" Azumarill agreed.

Ash wiped his forehead, before grabbing Misty's hands in his own. "Um, uh… I, er, we, um, Misty and me… We're kinda, um, tying the knot-" Mrs. Ketchum squealed, "Oh, my baby boy!" then fainted.

"Mom! Is she okay?"

"She's fine," said Professor Oak, as he helped her up. "Keep going,"

"Uh, well, um, Brock, Trace', we were kinda-"

Misty butted in, "Would you two be the best men?"

Both Brock and Tracey's jaws dropped. "Sure!"

"Of course!"

"And, um, Professor?" The aging scientist looked up to Ash from where he seemed to be loosening Deliah's collar but it could have been considered as something else, considering the Professor's track record throughout Pallet Town. "Um, would you give Misty away? Please?"

"I'd love to,"

Out of reach

So far…

I never had your heart

Out of reach

Couldn't see

We were never meant to be

This… this couldn't be happening. Chikori… and Misty? No, it wasn't possible. He was hers, no-one else's, hers. They were destined to be together, and no-one could change that. Blood pounded through her ears as she tried to comprehend what he was doing and why. Why would Chikori do this to her? It didn't make sense, couldn't make sense. She jumped off of the couch, tearing through the kitchen and out of the Pokédoor and into the garden, feeling an unfamiliar prickling in the back of her eyes.

Tears.

That's what they were.

Tears.

She'd never cried before. Especially not over a human. But, here she was, with salted water pouring down her face in the middle of Deliah's cabbage patch, crying over a human.

How could he? Why would he? He knew she loved him, he knew that they should be together. Everyone should know that! It should just be Ash and Chikorita, not Ash and Misty. She was more deserving of him. She cared about him, she didn't yell at him and slam mallets into the back of his head for no apparent reason, did she?

"Are you alright?"

She wouldn't reply. He was, after all, a human. She would never let a human see her cry. Especially not Chikori. She always wanted to be strong for him. She was his brave Chikorita, who loved him and would do anything for him, and would never do anything as babyish as to cry…

"Don't cry. You should be happy!" Ash kneeled down, and scooped her into his lap, drying her tears with the corners of his shirt, "because we're gonna move out of my mom's, and we'll have this huge house with a great big garden with all sorts of flowers for you and Bulbasaur, and you girls can play hide-and seek and-" he faltered, noticing that his talking wasn't doing anything to halt the flow of Chikorita's tears. "What's wrong, Chikorita?" he sighed, "How come you're so sad all of a sudden?"

"I think she has a little crush on you, Ash!" Brock's teasing voice echoed through Ash's mind when he remembered the day he caught her, and he frowned. So that was why Chikorita was crying… Man, that wasn't right. It was bad enough that she'd been angry at him, but he just thought that maybe it was because he'd been ignoring her because he'd been so 'busy' with Misty, and he meant to make up for that, but… Chikorita loved him, and all he'd done was brush it off as a crush. How dense was he? "C'mere", he muttered, hugging the crying little Pokémon tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just didn't realise…"

"Chikori…"

"But," he started, and Chikorita cringed. She hated when people added in a 'but'. She'd never had a good 'but' in her life. 'But's' were bad. Very, very bad. This was a bad 'but'.

"But, I love Misty, okay? We're friends, Chiko', but that's all, okay? We're best friends, just like Pikachu and me are,"

She shook her head vehemently. She didn't want to be 'friends' with him any more. She wanted to be with him. But she looked at him, and his eyes had turned to begging, like a tiny puppy, "Please, can't you be happy for me?"

So much hurt

So much pain

Takes a while to regain

What is lost

Inside

And she had. Tried, that is. She could never be truly happy for Chikori. She wasn't just jealous, she was hurt. But she had sworn that she would do anything for her Chikori. So, she put on a charade of chirpiness for him, as she helped with the wedding plans, fixing balloons around the reception, passing various packets of icing, sugar and flour from one end of the kitchen to the other while Brock painstakingly baked a cake, helped Snap fix up his tripod and film, and Tracey with his watercolours and oils, while trying to keep how hurt she was under the mask of a smile.

It was even worse when she got fitted for her dress. Both Ash and Misty had decided that they wanted, as well as Daisy, Lily and Violet, who had demanded that they be bridesmaids, that their Pokémon would be either pageboys or bridesmaids themselves. Squirtle, Charizard, Heracross, Kingler, Pidgeot, Staryu and Cyndaquil all looked adorable in their tuxedos (specially made fire-proof ones for Charizard and Cyndaquil), and Bulbasaur was embarrassed at her little blue frilly dress which stopped her from rolling in the mud like she usually did. Pikachu and Starmie wore a little pink dress each, and Chikorita's was aqua, and she hated it. Frills did NOT suit her, yet all the adult female humans cooed, saying she was so cute! It took a LOT of self-restrain to stop herself from whipping them all into next week. And she'd been shoved into a hard pew at the front of the Pallet church, and watched, painfully, as her Chikori promised to love someone else forever, 'til death they do part, and a huge ache ripped up her chest when he kissed his new bride for the first time, because… because it wasn't her…

And so, Chikorita was sitting in the gardens of Viridian Hall, where the reception was being held, all alone, because that was probably the way Destiny wanted her to be.

She didn't want to be inside, because inside was where Chikori was, and he was the last person or Pokémon she wanted to see at the moment, thank you very much.

Maybe she was right. She was meant to be alone…

And I hope

That in time

You'll be out of my mind

I'll be over you

People were starting to leave now, she realised. Footsteps followed footsteps, and beeps from taxicabs or growls from car ignitions echoed as they left the grounds of the reception.

Thank Houou, she thought. The day was almost over. It had been a nightmare for her. She'd had to sit, wearing this STUPID dress, watching HER Chikori proclaim his love but… but not to her…

It was like a wake-up call.

It was impossible.

Always had been, and always would be. Because he loved Misty, and now that she thought about it, he always had. Particularly after they'd been through Goldenrod, and Chikori's voice had started to change. Those 'arguments' they'd had; the way he watched her when she was sleeping; the way he held her when she cried; the way he spoke to her; the way he looked at her sometimes…

How could she have been so blind?

Because she was in love with him, she reasoned. And love is blind. Plus, being in a Pokéball practically 23/7 had its disadvantages.

But… watching him, looking so handsome in his suit, with his hair all wild, repeating his vows to someone else… was so painful… and hearing the priest tell him to 'kiss the bride', she wished with all her might that it was her in the white dress, and not…

And now I'm

So confused

My heart's bruised

Was I ever loved by you?

There were only a few people left now. It was a late summer evening, so the sun wouldn't set for at least another hour.

Another hour until she could go to sleep, and pretend this was all just a horrible dream…

Yeah, right. Until she woke up the next morning to a broken heart.

Fantastic.

She could hear even more footsteps, but didn't even bother to hide.

Hopefully, Chikori and his… 'wife' had already gone on that honey holiday, or whatever it was.

Chikori's wife. Lugia, how would she be able to refer to Misty like that?

Out of reach

So far…

I never had your heart

Out of reach

Couldn't see

We were never meant to be

"Hey, where've you been, Chiko'? We've all been looking everywhere for you!"

Chikori. She looked up, feeling her cheeks start to prickle with blush, and instantly forced down the reaction before it had a chance to show. She didn't want to blush in front of him. It'd make her seem desperate; pathetic. She was far too proud to let him see that. Pokémon are like their trainer, they say.

He petted her around the leaf on her head, making her coo slightly, releasing a rosy scent. "How come you ran off?" he asked, and was he… concerned? About her? She didn't reply, but snuggled up against his chest. He chuckled. "You missed the bouquet throw," he teased, "There was a real handsome Bulbasaur who would have been perfect for you!"

Ignoring him, because she wasn't interested in no dumb Bulbasaur, only in him, she snuggled closer, until she felt warm metal against her skin when he petted her, and turning around, she was confronted with his newly acquired wedding ring.

Just because he was married didn't mean she couldn't love him, she realised. It'd be just like on TV. Right? Only she wouldn't be doing all that freaky kissing stuff with him. She could just be there whenever he needed her, right?

Whenever he needed her. That sounded good…

About a minute later, another Chikori-type person had walked next to them, with Pikachu on his shoulder, and an Azumarill bouncing at his feet.

"Take care of her, okay Trace'?" Chikori said, passing her, reluctantly, into Tracey's arms.

"Sure, no prob," Tracey smiled down at Chikorita, and turned away. Chikorita made pleading eyes as Chikori watched them leave.

"Hey, Tracey, hold up."

"Hmm?" Tracey paused and turned around.

"Pass Chikorita here a minute, would ya?"

"Um, okay,"

Chikori lifted her up, and held her in front of him. "You're a good friend, Chikorita. Thank you," he whispered, just so only she could hear. Then he did the most unexpected thing ever. He held her a little bit closer and kissed her on her cheek, before passing her back to a bemused Tracey.

"See you guys in two weeks!" he called, before… before Misty came out, in her pretty white-and-blue dress, and wrapped her arm around his waist, and he did the same to her as Tracey bundled practically every Pokémon there into his small car, before driving off towards Pallet Town.

Chikorita touched a paw to her burning cheek, and smiled.

Out of reach

So far…

You never gave your heart

In my reach

I can see…

"Okay guys! Everybody out!" Tracey yelled, as the sun started to set over the Pokémon Laboratory. "Come on! If you guys aren't fed in an hour, you'll have to wait until morning, because the closet has a time lock!"

That did it.

Pokémon after Pokémon poured out of Tracey's minute car in an endless, impossible troop, and straight up the steps into the lab. Tracey winced when he heard a window break. He was glad that Gary had buggered off to Pumello for a week, although he pitied his homelands for having to suffer THAT arrogant bastard for another week. Although, he was ALSO sorry that it wasn't a permanent vacation… contradictions, contradictions…

Putting the car back into gear, and driving it back around to the garage; a small flash of green caught his eye.

"Hey, Chikorita!" he said, smiling as he looked through the back window to reverse, but she didn't reply. "What's wrong?"

She still had her paw against her cheek, with a bewildered smile and a burning blush across her face. Grinning, Tracey turned the car off. "Come on. You should eat, before Snorlax gets everything in the lab,"

"Ko?"

He opened the back door for her to get out of the car, and Chikorita stared up with crimson eyes at her chauffeur.

He… he was CUTE!

Damn cute!

Of course, not as cute as Chikori… was he?

More importantly… was he single?

Even more importantly, she had exactly two weeks.

Tracey looked on, bemused, as Chikorita skipped chirpily out of the car, before locking it and, sucking in a deep breath, following her inside to the bedlam that was formerly the Pokémon laboratory.

Chikorita was grinning through her food, earning very strange looks from Cyndaquil.

Tracey didn't stand a chance with HER around!

There's a life out there for me…

T h e E n d . . .

~Tsuzuku?~

Gah. Why'd I make her have a crush on Tracey? More goddamn competition… o

Oh well. By the way – I know that Chikorita evolves in around episode #200, but I like Chikorita better than Bayleef, so she stays as Chiko-chan, k?

Usual disclaimer applies.

PLEASE review, I'm begging you! See? I'm on my knees begging, and if you DON'T, then I can't be held responsible for the Demon Egg-bastard's actions. Please! No matter HOW much you thought it sucked!

Peace and many Pichu be with you all through summer! (Or winter, in Archaic and Trish's case!)