Author's Note

Dawn's Point-of-View

I waved my arm side to side above my head until the boat was a dot on the horizon. Then I realized that my arm was aching, people were staring, and Piplup was looking up at me sympathetically. I smiled despite the film of tears on my eyes, holding them back, knowing Ash wouldn't have wanted them to fall.

"[It'll be alright, Dawn. We'll definitely see him again.]" Piplup chirped. I got the gist of it. Over time, I'd come to understand what he was saying. After all, I'd learned from… from…

I blinked back tears. "You're right, Piplup. Thanks." I breathed deeply, then turned on my heel and started the walk home.

It wasn't a particularly long walk. But the monotony of each step and the weight of Piplup on my head dropped me into a trance. When I saw my house in the distance I ran for it enthusiastically, throwing open the door.

"I'm home, Mom!" I yelled.

Mom came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and smiling warmly. "Hey, Dawn. You're just in time for dinner."

I grinned. "Hear that, Ash? You can stuff your face full of Mom's wonderful cooking." I turned around for Ash's reaction, to find – nothing. It hit me for the second time that day like a ton of bricks. This time I couldn't stop the tears. I turned back to find Piplup concerned and Mom with a soft, understanding look in her eyes. But she didn't really understand – no one could.

"Listen, Dawn – " I didn't listen. I ran past Piplup and my mother and into my room, throwing myself on the bed and burying my face in my pillow, sobbing, trying to block everything out. But the image of a black-haired boy wouldn't let me. I heard the door creak open and felt Piplup's soft form snuggle against mine. My mom's soft footsteps followed, and I felt her weight depress the bed slightly. I turned my face in the opposite direction.

"Do you want to talk about it, Dawn?" Mom asked softly, rubbing my back soothingly.

"He – He was my best friend. And I just – I just let him go." I whispered, still not really believing it.

Mom's hand stopped on my back. Still dazed from shock, I didn't protest as she gently turned me around onto my back, face up on the bed. Then she carefully turned my face to meet her eyes. "He still is your best friend." She said emphatically. "He may have left you in body, but you guys have such a strong friendship. No matter where – "

"That's not the point, Mom," I cut in, still upset but feeling a little more levelheaded. "We've journeyed together since the very beginning. His gym battles, my contests, there wasn't really a difference. It was our journey – together." I felt a little bad for excluding Brock, seeing as he'd been there the whole time, too, but I had to be honest with myself about where my feelings were directed. "And I loved it, every second. I didn't want it to stop. It didn't have to, either. I could've gone with him back to his hometown and we – we could've done something together from there, but I just let him go. I could've, but I – I – "

Mom gripped my shoulders. "You what? You could've ignored Buneary's opportunity in the Poké Chic Magazine? You know you couldn't have done that to her. And even if you'd thought of it, Ash wouldn't have let you do it, either. Even if Buneary might've wanted to go with Pikachu herself."

I felt slightly better hearing her say that, and the reference towards Buneary's crush on Pikachu lightened the mood. Still…

"You're right, Mom. I guess I just wasn't ready to part with him after everything we went through together. I mean… Mom, you raised me. You taught me how to walk and how to speak and how to write. You gave me a home and most importantly, you were always there for me. Ash was kind of the same way. I started my life as a coordinator completely clueless, and he taught me how to get on my feet and communicate with Pokémon. We traveled together and trained together and he was there for me at all my contests."

I looked to my mom, feeling a little vulnerable after being so open. She was looking back at me, obviously understanding but a little shocked. She pursed her lips, then smiled.

"What?" I asked miserably. "You think that's funny?"

She laughed softly. "No, of course not, Dawn. I think it's beautiful that you had a relationship like that with him. But you're not sad. You're frustrated."

"Huh?" I asked, bewildered.

"You're frustrated because the way you see him isn't the same as the way you think you see him. It's that clash that's upsetting you. I'm sure part of it is that he left, but you're mature enough to understand you had to part ways. What you don't really understand is why that's hurting you so much." She said sagely.

I stared at her. What she was saying sounded so right, but my brain literally couldn't figure out what the implications of it were. "I – I don't understand."

She smiled. "Well, that's the problem, isn't it? Are you feeling a bit better, at least? Want to have some dinner?"

My stomach grumbled. She laughed, and I tried to, too, but honestly it only reminded me of Ash.

Mom was kind enough to avoid the topic of Ash throughout dinner. She asked about my travels with questions tailored to skirt Ash, and I appreciated that. Right now Ash Ketchum was nothing but the source of a major earthquake in my system, and I needed a break from how bad it was shaking me.

After dinner Glameow entertained Piplup while I helped Mom with the dishes. When we finished we both crashed on the couch and turned on the TV.

"And the recent Lily of the Valley conference has boasted better viewership than there's been in years, folks!" The reporter said. I felt the familiar pang, and I looked to Mom, but she was watching obliviously. "The battles were fast-paced, heated bouts of power play. I tell you, the trainers that come here are better every year. This year, the Final Four consisted of Ash Ketchum, Tobias – " Ash's picture flashed on screen, and I caught my breath as Mom's eyes widened and she scrambled for the remote. "Tobias did win the conference, but I tell you, folks, this Ash Ketchum character is one hot topic. He was the one competitor in the entire conference who not only bested Tobias' Darkrai, but also Tobias' second legendary Pokémon, Latios. Honestly, he should have been in the top two, but unfortunately for him the bracket worked out against his luck. Too bad, I say. Let's take a look at his battle – " Mom finally found the remote and switched to a channel showing old contests.

There was a momentary pause.

"Do you want to – "

"No."

"But – "

"No."

"Alright."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Of course, Dawn."

I lost myself in contests for a while. But the stress and shock of the day caught up with me. I said goodnight to Mom and made my way upstairs. I smiled at the sight of Piplup wrapped up in the covers, already asleep. I grabbed some pajamas and made my way into the bathroom to change. Once I'd finished I looked at myself in the mirror. I struck my victory pose, and held it for a second. Then, unable to stop myself, I tried Ash's victory pose. I smiled softly to myself, thinking that Ash always had a bit of a flamboyant flair, and that if I'd grown up with him I might've convinced him to become a coordinator. Then I laughed, dropping the pose and shaking my head. To imagine Ash as anything other than a trainer – it was impossible.

I switched off the lights and found my way to the bed, pulling some of the covers away from Piplup. Once I'd settled in I looked up at the ceiling. It was nice to have a warm bed, but it certainly wasn't as good as camping out with your friends, or… sleeping under the stars… with Ash.

I remembered how I used to sleep in my tent when I began my journey and how eventually I abandoned it to sleep outside with Ash. I started sobbing all over again.

There was suddenly a flash of light and the unmistakable sound of a Poké Ball opening. A shape made its way over to the bed and under the covers with me, embracing me tightly. I smiled through my tears. Ambipom. Ash's Pokemon. He'd traded her to me for Buizel.

Ambipom held me in her embrace, rubbing my back with her hands soothingly. She then said something which I shouldn't have been able to understand, seeing as Piplup had been my first Pokemon and I still didn't understand him completely, but I did, and perfectly.

"[Ash never really leaves his friends. He's with you now in spirit, and I know you'll definitely see him again. You will. Trust me.]"

And I did.