Princess Dawn and Dialga: An Ikarishipping Story

Saying Goodbye

The next day Dawn woke up with nervous butterflies in her stomach. She was supposed to join her family outside to send the knights-in-training off and wish them good luck. She got on her nicest dress and joined her family outside. Still tired, she watched as each boy walked past them, bowing to each member of the family. A boy with tan skin and dark hair, a white boy with raven hair, and a few others she recognized while watching Paul.

Finally, Paul was the last one to pass them, the end of the line. Dawn's eyes started to tear up. Either Paul hadn't seen the tears slowly trickle down her face or he wasn't paying any attention to it, he bowed to each member of the family as instructed to do.

Right before he boarded the ship, Dawn sprinted to him hugging him and not letting go. The tears were streaming down her face now. "Dawn!" Her mother called out. Paul tried gently pushing her off of him, but she clung tightly to him. "Princess, I have to go."

"No! I won't let you leave!" Paul sighed. "Dawn," that got her attention, he never called her 'Dawn', "I'll be back in 11 years," he said with surprising gentleness. Dawn knew that would feel like forever, but somehow he made it seem like he would only be gone for 11 days. She wasn't ready to let go, but she let him board the ship.

Clinging to her mom, she sobbed silently. Chloe looked like she was on the verge of tears as well, but she held it in. Dawn wanted to be as strong as her, so she sniffled and wiped her tears away.

Everyone waved the boat goodbye, and Dawn found Paul on the ship. She waved furiously. Chloe's gesture was small and simple, but anyone could tell that she was going to miss the knights. And Dawn knew which one she was going to miss in particular. The thought almost made her giggle, but then she realized how much she was going to miss Paul and started to cry again.

She didn't remember what happened next. All she remembered was crying on her bed with Chloe by her side. Everything else that day was a blur.

Before Dawn knew it, she was sitting at the table eating dinner with her family. Her face was splotchy and red, but the crying had stopped. She was a hard expression. Before she was even done with her dinner, she excused herself from the table. Chloe had already left, but Dawn wanted her back. She needed someone to comfort her.

Getting into her nightgown, she sat on the windowsill, her knees propped up. She hugged her knees and watched the garden. It was so peaceful and quiet now. She didn't like it at all. She started to think about Paul. She sighed. She knew he didn't love her, so why did she try so hard? Why should she put so much effort into loving someone who didn't even care? She shouldn't, and she wouldn't. Deciding to try and take her mind off of Paul, she went to her desk and drew the mysterious creature the teacher had taken away. Again, she knew she knew it, she just didn't know how. Dawn frowned. If her teacher had been that upset when she saw the picture, then more people would have the same reaction.

Dawn may have only been 6, but she was smart. She loved solving puzzles, and seeing the expressions on people's faces when she solved near to impossible ones. Dawn took the picture and hid it under a loose floorboard.

Daw tried drawing the creature again, but it ended up turning into Paul. She started crying again, but she sniffled and made her expression hard again. "Princesses Don't Cry," she said firmly to herself.

Dawn grabbed a sharp pencil and crossed out Paul's eyes. Then she made an X where one's heart is. He didn't love her, and it hurt...it hurt like pain. She didn't like this feeling. How much love had Dawn shown to Paul, just to get turned down many times? Dawn decided she wasn't going to let anyone see her weak, and she wasn't going to love Paul anymore, he didn't deserve her love. She wouldn't let anyone see her this miserable.

Dawn got up and stood on top of her desk. "Today, I won't let anyone get the best of me! I won't let anyone make me vulnerable! From this day on...I WILL STAND FOR MYSELF! I WILL FIGHT FOR MYSELF! I WILL NOT LOVE ANYONE AGAIN!" Dawn clapped her hands together and laughed.

Bouncing down on her bed, she fell asleep with thoughts of swords and the strange creature instead of sugar plums and fairies.