VERY IMPORTANT NEWS BELOW!!!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Just a heads up before we start with the chapter. I will be changing this fanfic's name to "A New Journey Together." I don't really understand what to do with the title right now, "If Words Meant Anything," because it doesn't really make sense with the story. The next time I update, that's what this fanfic will be called, so watch out!

VERY IMPORTANT NEWS ABOVE!!!! ⬆️⬆️⬆️

Dawn's POV

"So, what does he look like again?" The purple Mienshao named May asked me.

We all had split into groups to search for Paul in the forest. Ever since I was successfully captured by Crystal, we decided that the first thing that we'd do the next day was set out to look for Paul. Me and May went one way, Ash and Serena another, and then Drew and Crystal. May told me that Drew was Crystal's first pokemon. Ever since he was a baby riolu to now.

"His name's Paul. He's a Zorua but has purple fur instead of red," I explained.

"That's weird. I thought that shiny Zorua had blue fur," May said.

"Well, he's not a shiny. He's got strange fur like me. Shiny Skitty are salmon colored while I have dark blue fur."

She nodded and we kept searching.

I shouted out his name multiple times, but every single time it was met with silence. May would search on the ground while I jumped through trees. May kept commenting about how unfortunate the forest fire was since we saw the burnt trees. I agreed and randomly wondered about what happened to the other pokemon.

"Paul!" I shouted on a high branch.

My eyes searched the other trees and the floor. There was no sign of him. Or any other pokemon around.

Is he searching too? Or did he abandon me...?

That thought hit me as hard as Waterfall. What if he did? Maybe he just needed food and shelter so he stayed with me... What if all we went through meant nothing to him. What if our friendship wasn't real?

I climbed down the tree and too May who was looking through a couple bushes.

"Did you find anything, Dawn?" She asked me as she turned around.

I shook my head. "We should probably get back now. Crystal told us to wait outside of the Pokemon Center when the sun starts going down," I said.

May nodded and we set back off in the direction we came from.

As we were walking, May gasped.

"Look at that huge tree!" She exclaimed.

I turned to look at what she was talking about and saw my old home.

"The Fire must've been really strong to be able to burn that..." May muttered.

"This used to be my old home. Before the fire, that is..." I said.

I walked towards the tree and into the hollow. When I walked in, the first thing that I noticed was the lack of berries. The last time that I was here, I left some berries for any other pokemon to eat if they found the hollow. A few berries were gone from the pile.

"Maybe someone was in here..." I muttered.

I looked around the empty space some more and my eyes landed on Paul's bedding. I walked over to the bedding and sniffed it, trying to see if I could at least smell his faint scent. But what I smelled shocked me. I smelled Paul's scent, but it was fresh. Or at least, recent.

I sniffed it repeatedly. It was recent all right. That means that he had used this bed!

"He could still be in the forest!" I gasped.

I ran out of the hollow and passed May.

"H-Hey, Dawn! Where are you going?!" She shouted after me as I ran, her following behind.

"I found his fresh scent in the cave! He could be here still!" I shouted over my shoulder and darted to the right.

A familiar scent filled my nose as I followed it. Paul's scent led me around trees, through bushes, and over rocks. He had stopped so many places and walked so far. If his trail was still going on like this, is he really that far away? Am I getting closer?

I kept running, sniffing at the air every few seconds. I couldn't lose this trail now. Not when I'm so close. It was getting darker and May was somewhere far behind me. The faint jingling of Paul's sooth bell in my scarf rang and echoed in my ears as I panted. I could feel and hear my heart beating loudly and quickly. Even though I was out of breath, I didn't stop one moment.

"Over there...! Over... there!" I kept muttering to myself whenever the scent kept changing in direction.

Where was he going?

I burst through the trees and bushes and my eyes widened as I collapsed on the floor roughly. I was so out of breath that I couldn't even het up.

May came through the trees a few moments later.

"Dawn!" She gasped.

She knelt down besides me as I was still breathing quickly.

"Are you okay? What happened?" May asked.

I slowly picked myself up into a weak sitting position. I stared out onto the scene before me.

The sun was setting and on the horizon. The sky was a deep and light orange and navy blue and stars danced in the air. Just like that day before the fire. I was staring across an open windy field. There were no trees or bushes. Just tall blades of grass.

"I... I...!" I cried as tears leaked from my eyes.

"T-The scent's gone! The wind must've c-carried it away and we w-wouldn't even be able to find him in that!" I exclaimed as I looked down and let the tears fall.

May stayed quiet and watched as I sobbed. I chocked on the tears in my throat. I watched as they dripped onto the floor.

Plip

Plop

Plip

Plop

The wind made mesmerizing patterns on the grass, making an illusion of waves on the ocean. I frustratedly wiped the tears off of my face. There's to use in crying. It doesn't get anything done.

I stood up, or at least tried to. As soon as I put pressure on my right hind led, I let out a surprised yelp and fell to the floor as pain flew up my body from my leg.

"Dawn!" May said as she helped me up.

She picked me up in her arms and said, "It looks like you sprained your leg. Come on, I'll carry you back."

I didn't resist as May kept a gentle grip on me and walked back into the forest and back to the Pokemon Center. The view of the field got smaller and smaller. The sun was still setting, and the wind was still flowing.

Paul

Time Skip~

Apparently, I had fallen asleep while being carried by May. I woke up as she softly shook me awake. I sleepily woke up as I saw the center up ahead. It had turned dark out now. The sky was barely lit and the stars were clear in the sky.

As we got closer, I saw everyone waiting outside worriedly. Ash and Serena were looking out at the forest, Crystal was pacing back and forth and so was Drew. Crystal looked up in our direction and said, "There you are!" Her saying a that caused everyone else to look in our direction.

We came to a stop in front of them, May still holding me.

"Where have you been!? I was so worried!" Crystal exclaimed as she hugged us both.

"I-I thought I found him... but... I lost it..." I said quietly, looking down.

They all gave me a sad and sympathetic look. May slowly moved her arms and put me in Crystal's.

"She sprained her leg earlier so I carried her the rest of the way back," May soda quietly, not wanting to break the mood.

"Alright," Crystal replied. "What happened?" She asked, directing the question to me.

"...I found his scent trail and it led me to an open, windy field. I lost his scent after that," I said.

Crystal silently nodded and thought for a moment.

"Which way was the field from here?" Crystal asked.

May turned and pointed northwest.

Crystal let out a satisfied, "hmph."

"Alright then. Our next stop is Rustboro City."

Just to let everyone know, this region is Hoenn. So... yeah. Thanks for reading. Please take note of the news above. Also, here's what Crystal looks like.

It's probably different than the description because I can't really describe clothing, so sorry about that. My idea of her was to have different colored eyes too. I'm also not that good at drawing, so sorry about that too. Anyways, thanks for reading! Please vote, comment, and share. Ciao!

P.S. It just crossed my mind, but can anyone tell me when Ikarishipping day is? I never knew... Hope you like the music too! I'm going to try to add music every so often.

~Crystal

Word Count: 1528

3/24/18