>>1743708
I wouldn't believe that being the reason, personally.
Development was shifting a little around the time Chickpea was scrapped. He had a character ID (cookie2013), face sprite, and standing portrait sprite, but nothing else. Also, it didn't jump straight from Buckwheat to First Choco; we still had Poinsettia in the middle (who had to be released for the holidays).

Jelly Bean's playable-animation assets are complete; Chickpea's never got started.