Con Man and Princess [ IkariShipping/Paul x Dawn ]

music & boxes

Dawn was furious, facing the Ikari boys. She was fixed into a combination of yelling and sobbing, "It was my life you played with. Telling me I was someone else and letting me believe it. What is this?"

Paul asked, "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere that's far from you and your scheme to torture an old woman who merely misses her family. People like you deserve every bad hand life gives you." Her words stung like poison to Paul. "Both of you."

He tried to run after her, with a mere, "Dawn—"

But she ignored him, "What a fool I was. To fall into the trap you sat. Like any girl fool enough to believe she was the Grand Dutchess Platinum Berlitz. I admired the way you were proud of who you were despite your circumstances. You taught me to be the same and the whole time you were tricking me. Tricking history. Save it for your next Platinum." She was almost out of the room when her voice softened to a mere embarrassed whisper, "Pardon me your highness."

This was the Ikari boy's cue to leave.

Dowager Empress Cynthia Berlitz has entered the room, demanding, "I think History demands we play this game until the end."

Dawn offered a nervous, "Please be seated."

"There's no need. I shall be brief." And she was, "Who are you?"

"I believe I am the youngest daughter—"

There was venom in the Empress's voice as she raised it, "Spare me my family history!"

Dawn murmured, "I didn't think you'd be so cruel."

"I am old and impatient. Kindness has become a luxury."

"I remember my grandmother being the kindest woman I've ever met. She smelled of pecha berries."

Cynthia dismissed this. "It's a common enough scent."

But Dawn came back with a passionate, "Not hers. The perfume came from Galar, made especially for her in a box of polished olivewood." Dawn sat down, feeling much more confident with the situation.

"How dare you sit without my permission." Dawn gasped and quickly stood up, only as Cynthia eased. "Alright sit, you have my permission." She began to pace, "Who was my favorite lady in waiting?"

"You didn't have one, you kept dismissing them."

"It was a trick question. You're clever, I'll grant you that." The Dowager Empress moved extremely close to the girl, explaining directly to her face, "I'm trying to see the resemblance - I don't trust my eyes. But you are interesting."

"You should wear spectacles," Dawn admitted. But suddenly she drew back knowing that was the wrong thing to say, "I'm sorry!"

"I admit there is some similarity."

"Thank you!"

"I said some!" There was another pause, until Dawn interrupted her again. "Name the three—"

The blunette questioned, "Why don't you want me to be here?"

The answer was simple and precise. "You Platinums always disappoint me."

"If you give me a chance maybe I won't."

Cynthia overpowered her, "I don't believe Platinum exists."

But Dawn was on to something, "You don't want to believe it."

"What was your mother's full title as Empress of all of Sinnoh?" Cynthia dismisses.

This struck the blunette, she began to find a few tears in her eyes. "She was mama to me, to all of us!"

"You all cry at some point. Do you rehearse?Tears will get you nowhere," The Empress explained.

"Why did you come here?" Still sobbing, Dawn was beginning to become angry.

"Your young man told me you weren't part of his scheme."

Dawn claimed, "He's right."

"He very much believes you are my granddaughter. He says you've come to believe it yourself."

Dawn agreed, "I believe it with all my heart but I can't be her unless you recognize me."

"You can't be anyone and less you first recognize yourself," Cynthia was wary.

"I know."

"You are not platinum. You have killed me as much as they killed my family." There was a pause between the two. "Do you know what it means to lose everything, young lady? My son, his children, everything I loved. And for what? The good of Sinnoh?" Cynthia voice was raised again, along with her temper. "I'll ask you one last time, young woman, and be very careful what you answer. Who are you?

"I don't know anymore. Who are you?"

"The woman who remembers everything the way it should've been, and nothing the way it was."

"Do you remember this?" Dawn remembered that she had the small music box on her person and pulled it out to reveal it to the old woman. "You gifted this box to me, do you remember the melody?"

The old woman's eyes almost popped out of her head, she was in complete shock and was spiraling even faster as the blunette began to sing it to her. It was an enchanting melody that was incredibly haunting as well. Dawn's voice almost echoed through the room, until the Empress joined her, in tears. She whispered, "My darling Platinum." Her wariness had subsided, and Dawn's had to. They were both here for a reason, they had found each other.

Unedited again, but I feel like this story is just finally cooking with gas. A few more chapters left!!