In a garden filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, Cynthia was sharing drinks and cheerful conversation with a beautiful blonde, blue-eyed woman.
Not far from them, Milotic and Serperior were entwined affectionately.
Cynthia raised her wineglass with a smile. "Lina, it really has been ages since we last met. You've been so busy since becoming the Ice Country's Champion."
Lina blinked and sighed. "Yes, I only just managed to make time to see you today, sis. I really hope nobody comes to disturb us.
"You'll have to go easy on me in the Masters Eight arena, sis."
Cynthia smiled and was just about to speak when a fierce gust swept in. Windblown sand filled the sky, leaving both Cynthia and Lina with mouths full of dust.
"Champion, bad news!"
The Dragon Tamer, clad in a black cape, dismounted from Dragonite's back and hurried over to Cynthia.
Cynthia lowered her eyes to her wine, now full of sand, and felt an irrational anger steadily welling up.
Lina felt the same way across from her, but her temper was worse. She slammed her wineglass down with a crack and glared furiously at the Dragon Tamer.
"Huh? What's wrong..."
The Dragon Tamer was rather bewildered. Although he felt sorry for blowing the two Champions' hair out of place, he was reporting a matter of global importance. Surely there was no need to explain which mattered more?
Were they really going to hold such trivial things against me?
Cynthia wiped the dust from the corner of her mouth and forced down her anger as she told the Dragon Tamer to continue his report.
Seeing that Cynthia had not lost her temper, Lina naturally restrained hers too, unwilling to be outdone.
The Dragon Tamer reported solemnly, "The latest news indicates that an extremely severe natural