A/N: Hey guys! Lena, here. So I'm deciding to work on this story again but it's been a while so I reread it. I decided that I needed to fix these atrocious grammar mistakes and awkward sentence structures so I'm reworking this story. I'm revising it because I have a hard time remembering where I was going with this story so I'm immersing myself back into it. Haha. Well I didn't want to rewrite the WHOLE thing so some of these awkward sentences will have to stay put. Anyway, enjoy the revised chapter 1!

After a couple years of meaningless traveling, I realized that I couldn't avoid coming back home, and so I did. During those years away from home, Veilstone hasn't changed much. It still has the same bright atmosphere that I used to hate about my hometown but I kind of enjoy it now. There truly is no place like home. All throughout my childhood, I felt suffocated in this city and I tried to stay away from it as much as possible. It seems, however, that the years have changed me. Whenever I look back at myself as the little stuck-up kid determined to be the best trainer, I also see all the mistakes I've made. I've done a lot of things that I am not proud of, but I know that the past is in the past; that doesn't matter anymore. I'm a whole new person now, a different Paul. Although it's true that I will never be as happy and carefree as Reggie is but I am satisfied in life. I'm satisfied with my Pokémon and with myself.

To be honest, I'm surprised that I still remember the directions to the house that Reggie and I grew up in. It was the most horrid place in my childhood. I abhorred it because it represents a family that I had and lost. It used to make me sad to see it but now, I just appreciate all the fond memories I had in this very house. When I left, I was so certain that I would not be coming back so I didn't take my keys with me, but here I am, back once again. I knocked on the door a couple of times and it is obvious that Reggie isn't home so I walked to the Pokémon center and called him. He picks up and I can't recognize his location, well, I guess he's not home then.

"Oh hey Paul, it's nice of you to call. What's up?" said Reggie with a smile.

"I'm in Veilstone, I decided that I should come back home. Where are you?" I asked

"Really? You decided to come back home? That's wonderful! However, I'm in Twinleaf right now and I will be for a while," Reggie replied with an apologetic expression

"Ugh, why are you in Twinleaf?"

"I'm helping out some of my friends here, why don't you come and join me. Just ask Officer Jenny to bring you here because it's getting dark and you don't have a place to stay."

"I can stay at the Pokémon Center…"

"NO! I forbid you to be a tourist in your own hometown, plus I really want to see you." Reggie said quickly

"Alright, fine, I'll get Officer Jenny, but where are you staying?"

"I have an apartment here; I stay in this town a lot"

"Alright then, see you soon."

"See you."

I got off the phone with Reggie; I am slightly upset that I won't be able to sleep in my own bed for another while but at least I'll see him again. To be honest, I haven't seen him in person in a long time; I seriously hope I'm as tall as he is now.

I got Officer Jenny and we reached Twinleaf in no time. It's day like these where I'm grateful that Officer Jenny gives rides because if I had to walk, that would've really been a pain in the butt. She dropped me off at the Pokémon Center and I wandered around a bit. I vaguely remember this town from my time here in the Sinnoh region. Reggie said that he would meet me at the park with the fountain at 8. It's only 7 right now which gave me time to find the park that he was talking about. Since this town isn't very big, I found the park within fifteen minutes.

It's actually very peaceful at the park; I see families relaxing and elderly couples reminiscing to each other, I also happened to see a blunette around my age. Her hair reminds me of the ocean and I feel like I've seen it somewhere before.

If I were the old Paul, I would just ignore it and continue to wait for Reggie but I'm different now. Something compelled me to go up to the girl and talk to her.

"Hey, excuse me. You look very familiar, have we met before?" I asked as I tapped the girl on her shoulder. She turns around and just looks at me; it's as if she's analyzing me.

"No, we haven't met in your dreams. Please leave me alone," she responds coldly. I look at her face for a while and I know that I remember those eyes from somewhere. Then, I had an epiphany...

"Dawn!" I exclaimed, "You're Dawn, right?"

She looks at my face carefully; her analyzing gaze makes me slightly nervous, but I'd never admit that this troublesome girl makes me nervous in any way.

"Paul..?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes! Wow, you look different! You seem different as well," I said enthusiastically.

"Things change," she replied nonchalantly. She's right about that, things do change, if this was a couple years ago she would be the one running up to me and trying to talk to me. What happened to that bubbly girl that travelled with that loser, Ash?

"What happened to you?" I asked, slightly concerned.

"Life. Look I have to go, I'd love to stay and chat but I'd rather not," she said hurriedly.

"Let me walk you home, a girl shouldn't be walking alone at night," I said

"It's barely at night," she rolled her eyes.

"But still," I insisted

"Whatever," she said as she started walking.

We walked in silence for five minutes, it's very awkward. She doesn't even attempt to speak; I really can't imagine how someone so bubbly and happy can become someone so nonchalant and cold.

"So… do you still do Pokémon Contests..?" I asked.

"No."

"Why not? It was your dream, wasn't it?"

"Most dreams don't come true so what's the point?"

I was taken aback by her pessimistic attitude. It made me slightly angry, but above all, it made me sad. What happened to the spirit of a girl who believed in dedication and willpower?

"Did something happen that changed your mind about chasing your dreams?" I asked.

"I got tired of chasing after something that doesn't seem to get any closer."

"I don't understand what you mean; you won a lot of Contests…"

"But I was getting nowhere."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you were at the peak already? To be at the top doesn't mean that you would win all the competitions, you know. Plus, I heard you won the Sinnoh Grand Festival a couple of times."

"I may win, but I still wasn't getting anywhere. There was no purpose after winning, it was a dumb dream."

"Dreams are never dumb. Your dream even came true, why are you so upset?"

"I kept winning so that meant I can't ever lose, I always have to practice, practice, practice. It's not a way to live. When I gave up that dream, something in me snapped. I was lost; I didn't have another dream to chase. I took a short break and just decided to relax and by the time I looked up, everyone was already ahead of me."

"What do you mean they were ahead of you?"

"Ash became Kanto Champion and settled down with Misty in Pallet Town."

"Did you like him..?"

"No. That's not what I meant. Everyone already accomplished their dreams. May became one of the best coordinators and she settled down with Drew. They're currently traveling the world."

"I still don't understand why you think that they are ahead of you."

"Everyone eventually accomplished their goal, like me, but they kept moving on with life. They've all settled down with someone and are beginning a new chapter of their lives. Each one of them has something to look forward to. I don't."

"Why not? You can easily find someone to settle down with."

"But everyone that I know has a girlfriend and other people want to date me to simply be with the Grand Festival winner."

"I think you have a good and happy life, I don't understand why you can't see and appreciate that."

"You can't have a happy life without some sort of sorrow because a person without sorrow does not understand happiness."

"Your attitude has changed because you can't find a boyfriend? Is that it?" I asked sarcastically.

"You don't understand…"

"No you're right, I don't understand. I don't understand how someone can changed this much because she can't get a damn boyfriend! Dawn, you're only, like what, 17? Do you really want to find a boyfriend just because everyone else has one? You need to continue your dream until you feel that you've accomplished it. You took a break that allowed others to reach their goals and find love but you didn't even finish that and you want to be where they are at right now? That's ridiculous!"

I was almost screaming at the end. I can't believe her. Of all of her qualities to keep, she kept her airheadedness. At least she used to have faith and bubbliness to combat that stupidity; now she just has nothing. She interrupts my mini-rant about her stupidity, "So you want me to go back to coordinating? Everyone else already stopped and retired. I can't go back…"

"YES YOU CAN!" I'm honestly getting more and more annoyed with this girl; some things never change, I guess.

"NO I CAN'T! Don't you see? I've lost the childish spirit to fight. Do you know the reason I took that break? I loved coordinating and I didn't want to take the break but I did because my dad came home. After he was gone for so long, he came back…"

Oh shit, any time someone brings up an absent parent, things go bad, "Dawn…" I began to say.

"I'm not done yet. He came back but he was dying. He was dying of cancer. He didn't tell us so I ran back home ecstatic that my dad was home. A week later, he said that he was having difficulty breathing and needed to go the hospital. We sent him to the hospital and they said that it would be his last day. My dad knew this and he apologized for not telling us but he wanted to be a family again even if it's for a short period of time," she was crying. Now I feel really bad for pushing her into admitting this.

"Why did you give up coordinating though..?" I asked. I mean, we've already came this far and if I'm going to hell for making this girl cry, then I'm going to hell; I don't see why I shouldn't continue.

"I don't want to be like my dad! He was so immersed in training Pokémon that he neglected his own family and never got to really enjoy the happy family moments," she admitted as her tears started to subside.

"I'm sorry…" I said. I really didn't know what else to say.

"Whatever, we're here," she replied, she reverted back to the cold Dawn I saw at the park.

"I'm curious but why did you say that I didn't know you from my dreams at the park earlier..?"

"I thought you were another one of those guys using that pick-up line."

"Oh…" I said, kind of awkwardly. Suddenly a door opened and Reggie appeared. He looked as surprised as I did.

"Paul! What are you doing here? We were supposed to meet at the park," he said, surprised.

"Oh, umm… I was walking Dawn home," I replied.

"You guys know each other?"

"Yeah, we met a couple years ago."

"Oh, well… uhh surprise! You guys are neighbors now," Reggie said with a smile.

"WHAT?!" screeched Dawn.

"Oww, Troublesome, that hurt my eardrums," I said.

She looks at me with disdain (and I mean DISDAIN… if looks could kill, I'd be stone cold by now) and quickly walks into her house. Reggie and I look after her, stunned. I slowly walked towards Reggie's apartment. It is REALLY nice; I wonder how Reggie is able to afford this.

"PAUL! Wow, you're really tall now, aren't you? You're as tall as I am," Reggie said with a big smile.

"Umm… actually, I think I'm taller," I said while raising my left eyebrow.

"Details, details! Anyways, are you friends with Dawn?"

"Somewhat, although I was a jerk to her when we were younger…"

"You were a jerk to everyone."

"True."

"Be nice to her, okay? She has a lot going on and she seems very torn apart"

"I feel like she's being a drama queen, I mean she gave up her dreams just because she wants to settle down after what happened with her dad, but their circumstances aren't even the same!"

"No, Johanna, which is her mom, and I believe that there's something she's not telling us"

"What are you suspecting..?"

"Something worse must have happened. We both doubt that it's because of her dad, she was already kind of spaced-out before she found out about her dad. Anyway, you must be tired, let me show you to your room."

The room Reggie gave me is really cozy and nice. However, I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking of what he said. I feel that he may be right. I kept analyzing every part of our conversation but eventually, I feel myself drifting asleep thinking of the blunette with crystal blue eyes which mirrored her currently frozen heart.