-1Lilacs

Disclaimer - It's a DIS-claimer. What more do you need to know?

Summary - Hikari searches for the cause of her recent Contest failures, with some help from Satoshi. Pearlshipping. Twoshot.

Author's Notes - This is a present for my good friend hiikari. :3 She e-mailed me the beginnings of the Advanceshipping fic she dedicated to me that she might post here and the story looks awesome. (even more so because I'm an Advanceshipping freak) She even used the dub names for me 'cuz I'm a dubbie. So in this fic I used the Japanese names. Lol.

I was a bit confused about Glameow's Japanese name. Is it Nyaruma or Nyarmar? I used Nyaruma, so correct me if I'm wrong.

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Hikari fingered the satiny material of the orange ribbon resting in her palm, fastened with a dulled gold clasp. She could faintly make out her reflection in the worn metal, her expression one of worry and disappointment.

Aside from this ribbon, she only had two more to her name. At this rate she would never qualify for the Shinou Grand Festival. She would never live up to her mother's standards.

She averted her gaze from the taunting ribbon, staring out over the city from the balcony of the room she and her friends were staying at in the Pokemon Center. Several neon signs blinked and flashed, lighting up the slushy snow with shades of pinks, greens, and turquoises.

She sighed, listening to the angry beeps of car horns and the skidding and squealing of tires on pavement as cars, trucks, taxis, and buses navigated through the city streets. The noises of the constant activity taking place - leaving her behind to sulk.

One defeat wouldn't have caused her to feel this way. This was the fourth consecutive defeat since…her last victory, in fact. The only evidence of which being the black-and-white polka-dotted ribbon safely tucked away in her ribbon case, all of her confidence resulting from her win gone.

What was wrong with her? When she had begun her journey, she was ready to take on the world - or the Shinou region, at least. She was the daughter of a legend, and wholly determined to prove herself as a Coordinator.

What had gone wrong?

She felt herself tearing up and becoming flustered, clueless as to what was causing her distress. This was yet another sleepless night she had spent pondering her failures that were becoming increasingly common.

Something was missing. She lacked her mother's special flair, the one that won over the audience every time. Of course, she had been told that she was cute, but apparently being just cute didn't cut it.

She and her Pokemon didn't have the right chemistry. They were rarely on the save wavelength, and as a result her appeals usually ended up looking like she had frantically made them up right there on the spot.

Hikari found herself biting her lower lip as she often did in such situations. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her pajamas and sniffled quietly.

Her thoughts drifted to Nozomi and Nyaruma. They were such an amazing pair, and at times it seemed like they could read each other's thoughts. They worked together perfectly - obvious champion material.

Where had Nozomi learned to be such an amazing Coordinator? She supposed some people were just born excellent.

Lucky bitches.

"Hikari?" Hikari whipped around, surprise evident in the widening of her misty blue eyes.

"S-Satoshi!" She sputtered. "What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't sleep." Satoshi replied simply. "I came out here to get some fresh air and clear my head."

Hikari was so tired she couldn't bring herself to comment on his last few words. "Oh," was all she said.

Satoshi sidled up to her and joined her in looking out over the city. All was silent as they listened to the various sounds.

Satoshi cleared his throat suddenly, and Hikari jumped.

"What are you doing out here, Hikari? Same?"

"U-uhm, kind of," replied Hikari vaguely. Satoshi didn't pursue the subject but instead tilted his head back and looked up at the stars, barely visible through the city smog.

"Great place for stargazing," he remarked sarcastically.

Hikari, lost in thought, replied with a simple "Mmhm."

Satoshi averted his gaze to his distant-seeming friend.

"OK, what's really up with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're all quiet, you seem sad, and you're thinking hard - don't hurt yourself, by the way." Hikari ignored his slam, instead wiping away a tear that had formed and begun to trickle down her cheek. Satoshi saw this and softened, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"Kari?" He said, using her special nickname. "You can tell me what's wrong. I might be able to help." His tone was a bit awkward. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't good with crying girls.

Hikari broke down and buried her face in his shirt, sniffling. Satoshi stumbled backwards but Hikari still clung to him.

"What's wrong with me, Satoshi?!?" Hikari cried.

"You tell me," Satoshi muttered. Then, in an audible tone, he nervously shushed her and attempted to comfort her. "Um…it'll be alright…"

"No it won't!" Hikari said. "How could someone related to a Coordinating champion suck so much at Coordinating?"

"You don't suck at Coordinating!" replied Satoshi after a few moments of processing what she had said. "What makes you think that?"

A picture of Nyaruma and Nozomi appeared in Hikari's head, along with the other Coordinators that had defeated her in the past. Satoshi's friend Haruka…that Shuu guy…that weirdo named Haari…

"Satoshi, my last win was…forever ago."

Satoshi searched for what to say. Truthfully, he had no clue. "Um…maybe you're distracted? Maybe someone or something else is the problem?"

"Distracted…?" Hikari considered this. Quite a few people had been on her mind lately. She had been pressured because of Ayako and Nozomi, and… She pulled away from Satoshi and stared up at him, taking in his reassuring expression, his messy hatless black hair, and his kind eyes. She hoped that he would think that the pinkish color that suddenly stained her cheeks was a result of some neon motel sign.

"Y'know," She continued, turning away so he wouldn't she her blush, "I think that that's the problem."

"Well…who do you think distracts you?"

Hikari was caught off guard. "Pikachu!" She squeaked quickly.

"Pikachuu distracts you?" Satoshi asked, looking at her oddly.

"Yes - I mean, no." She sighed and turned back to him. "Actually, I think you do."

"Me?" Satoshi said dumbly.

"Yes." Hikari confirmed shyly.

"Why?"

"Well…I want to do a good job to prove to you that -" She hesitated. What was she trying to prove, exactly? She didn't know herself. "To prove that I-I'm special too, just like Kasumi, the gym leader, and Haruka, the amazing Coordinator."

Satoshi just stared at her for a few seconds. Then he pulled the unsuspecting preadolescent girl into a hug. Hikari blushed furiously; thankful that Satoshi wasn't looking at her face.

"You're so weird sometimes, Hikari," Satoshi laughed as Hikari nervously placed her arms around his neck. "Of course you're special to me! Just as special as Kasumi and Haruka."

As if it were possible, Hikari blushed more.

"R-really?" She said disbelievingly.

"Of course!" Hikari bit her lip again, this time from embarrassment.

"Thanks." She said softly. Satoshi smiled at her. Then he yawned.

"Well, I'm feelin' pretty tired now. I guess I'll go to sleep." He walked back over the sliding glass doorway to the room. "You coming?"

"I'll be right there." Hikari said distantly, now staring out at the busy city that didn't seem quite so intimidating to her anymore. Satoshi said something in reply but she didn't hear him. The sign nearest to her, previously unlit, flickered to life with a flash of pink.

Somehow, she decided, everything would be alright.

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Author's Notes - Remember, there will be a second part!