The afternoon sun shone down on the Icirrus Wetlands, turning the pools of water a dazzling gold.
In the distance, reeds swayed gently in the evening breeze with a soft rustle. A few Stunfisk poked their heads out of the mud, took a curious look, then quickly burrowed back in.
Xia You sat on a fallen log, slowly eating a pastry Cheryl had made. She had whipped up the pastries before they set out that morning, and they still held a trace of warmth. Sweet without being cloying, they melted in his mouth and tasted delicious.
Everyone enjoyed them.
Langley sat a short distance beside him, hugging her knees, looking rather dispirited and just a little... embarrassed.
Of course she was dispirited.
Of course she was embarrassed.
She had lost again in that last battle.
One Dragonite had swept all three of her Pokémon, and they had not even managed to seriously injure it.
It would have been strange if she could still be cheerful after that.
Xia You glanced at her, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Can you tell us now?"
Langley raised her head. "Tell you what?"
"Why you keep looking for Dragon-type Trainers and challenging them, of course," Dawn said with a smile.
Langley herself had said before the battle began that if they could beat her, she would tell them why she did it.
Actually, Xia You was not particularly interested. He had merely asked in passing while they rested and ate.
It was just something to talk about.
Langley froze for a moment, then lowered her head and fell silent for a long time.
So long that Dawn thought she would not answer.
So long that Cheryl offered her another pastry, which she refused with a gentle wave.
So long that a breeze