Chapter 032: Then It’s Settled

The nighttime forest was filled with beautiful melodies, with the chirps of bugs and calls of birds echoing everywhere. Though such sounds weren't unfamiliar to Dawn, who grew up in a small town, hearing them in the wild felt uniquely special.

"Can't sleep…"

Tossing and turning in her tent, Dawn couldn't drift off. Maybe it was the thrill of traveling, or perhaps it was the events of noon. Her argument with Ash and Nando's words about his future dilemmas were etched deeply in her mind.

For the former, she felt a twinge of regret. She knew she'd just been throwing a tantrum, which wasn't like her. Even with Kenny and the others back home, she'd never acted this way. If she had to pinpoint a reason… aside from the excitement of traveling making her bolder, she couldn't think of anything else.

Turning over, she glanced at Piplup, fast asleep beside her, inexplicably maintaining its proud, chest-out posture even in slumber. Dawn sighed, then quietly slipped out of the tent to clear her mind outside.

…

"Hm?"

To Dawn's surprise, as she stepped outside, she spotted Ash's silhouette in the distance. Pikachu was slumped on his shoulder, seemingly asleep. What's Ash doing out here? Curious, Dawn slowly approached him.

…

Under the moonlight, Ash gazed at the night sky, lost in memories of the past. His "reunion" with Nando today, and Nando's words, stirred nostalgia. While traveling back to Sinnoh through time was thrilling, he felt his mindset hadn't fully adjusted yet.

"Still too immature…"

Forget Pokémon training for a moment—when it came to daily life, he couldn't fathom why he'd bickered with Dawn at noon. Logically, his mentality should be mature enough by now. He shouldn't be getting into spats with her, right? Was it because it had been so long since he'd had such experiences? Ash couldn't help but wonder.

Before crossing time, to earn the title of Pokémon Master, he'd spent an incredibly long period secluded in Mt. Silver. During that time, he'd cut nearly all ties with the outside world, immersing himself in endless training. Barely a week after his retreat, he'd gone straight to the Pokémon Master Challenge, rushing off without even saying goodbye to his old companions.

If the first half of Ash's journey was filled with laughter and joy, the second half was marked by the solitude required to reach the top. Today, perhaps because he'd felt a familiar spark, he'd gotten caught up in teasing Dawn…

"Ash, what are you doing out here this late? Can't sleep?"

"Hm?"

Lost in his thoughts, Ash hadn't expected Dawn's voice from behind. Turning, he saw her looking at him awkwardly, as if she had something to say.

"Yeah, a bit restless…" Ash scratched his head. "Didn't some stuff happen at noon? I've been thinking about it, so I'm not sleepy yet."

"That stuff…"

Dawn's body stiffened. To her, Ash must be thinking about her tantrum, right? And why not? She'd been so unreasonable. Even Dawn herself couldn't stand it once she'd calmed down.

"I'm sorry! I was way too out of line back then!"

"Huh?"

"?"

After Dawn apologized, Ash let out a puzzled sound, and Dawn, hearing it, echoed his confusion with her own question.

"So… what were you thinking about?" Dawn asked nervously.

"I was just thinking about what Mr. Nando said. By the way, Dawn, you couldn't sleep over that little thing?"

"What do you mean, little thing?! It's a big deal! If I didn't clear it up, I'd feel guilty!"

"So… ugh, fine. If we keep talking, it'll turn into another noon mess."

"True…"

Dawn nodded in heartfelt agreement, then naturally sat beside Ash, joining him in stargazing.

"So, that's all you wanted to say? Nothing else?"

"Nope… I think…" Dawn hesitated, unsure of her own thoughts.

Hearing this, Ash pressed, "So there's something else you want to ask?"

"Yeah."

Dawn nodded. Under Ash's gaze, she finally voiced the question that had been nagging her. "Do you think it's normal to argue while traveling? It feels kinda childish."

"We're kids, aren't we… Uh, never mind."

Halfway through, Ash caught Dawn's sharpening glare and dropped the joke, answering her seriously. "Arguing over different views while traveling is totally normal~ Honestly, you're pretty tame, Dawn. Back when I traveled in Kanto, one of my companions was a straight-up violence maniac. Whenever we clashed, I was the one who ended up in trouble."

Ash finished with a theatrical wince, clutching his head as if expecting a hit. Seeing him like this, Dawn finally burst into a happy laugh, visibly relieved.

"Phew~~ If that's the case, I'm good~"

"Good about what?"

Ash asked, watching Dawn stand and stretch with a relaxed expression.

"This way, I can argue with you without worrying~ After all, no matter how bad it gets, it won't be worse than what you went through before. So, no pressure!"

"Who gets relieved about arguing? That's weird…"

"No problem, no problem! I've got a solution!"

Dawn raised her index finger, wagging it lightly in the air, and said:

"From now on, every time we fight, we'll come out of our tents that night to apologize, like tonight~ That way, there won't be any grudges, right?"

"Huh? Your brain's wired so…"

"It's settled, then! I'm off to bed~ Good night~"

Dawn, genuinely pleased with her clever idea, skipped back to her tent.

Watching her retreating figure, Ash could only smile helplessly. This was the Dawn he knew—carefree and a bit scatterbrained, yet surprisingly thoughtful, always getting upset or cheerful out of nowhere.

"Such a handful, huh, Pikachu…"

"Pika~"

Pikachu, draped over Ash's shoulder, shifted slightly and murmured in response.