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After leaving Dark City, Ash and his friends continued their journey, soon entering a desert region.
During their travels, they had crossed numerous grasslands and forests, but this was their first time traversing a desert. Fortunately, this particular desert wasn't especially vast, and the current weather wasn't too hot.
"I'm exhausted!" Misty complained, panting slightly as they trudged uphill. Despite being accustomed to outdoor travel, walking through desert terrain was undeniably more challenging. "Brock, how much longer until we reach that city you mentioned?"
"It should be just ahead!" Brock replied, also somewhat short of breath. The desert was like that—even when distances weren't as far as they seemed, the actual journey took considerably more time than usual.
"Huh?" Ash, who was walking in front, lifted his head and gazed at the horizon. "There's light over there!"
Since night had fallen, the illumination was particularly noticeable against the dark sky. Hearing Ash's exclamation, Misty looked up and spotted the bright lights soaring skyward. Soon, all three of them reached the top of the sandy slope and finally discovered the source of the mysterious glow.
"Wow! Is this a town?" Misty exclaimed in surprise as they looked down the slope. There, nestled in the middle of the desert, was a city radiating colorful neon lights despite the late hour.
Several powerful searchlights beamed upward into the night sky, making the settlement unmistakably visible across the vast desert expanse.
"We've finally arrived," Brock said, gazing at the town before them. "This is Neon Town, a settlement in the desert!"
"Let's go!" Ash called out eagerly. Finding a town in the desert, especially at night, meant they wouldn't have to camp outdoors. Without hesitation, he slid down the sandy slope, with Misty and Brock following close behind.
After descending the slope, they quickly arrived at the town's entrance. From a distance, it hadn't seemed particularly remarkable, but upon entering, they were immersed in a world of dazzling brightness.
"So the lights we saw were neon signs! No wonder it's called Neon Town—it's so extravagant!" Misty commented as they walked along the town's main street. Despite being situated in a desert, the settlement boasted numerous colorful establishments that operated at night. The entire town gave off the atmosphere of one massive nightclub.
"I've heard this place is widely known as 'the city that never sleeps,'" Brock explained.
"Why is it called that?" Ash asked.
"Because it's bustling with activity 24 hours a day," Brock clarified. He had never visited before, but had read about it in his travel guide.
"Is that so?" Misty said, looking around. "Speaking of which, even though it's nighttime, once you enter the city, it feels like daytime!"
"This atmosphere feels... uncomfortable," Ash remarked, his tone measured.
The entire town was incredibly noisy, making even his eyes feel strained from the excessively bright lights. The cacophony of sounds was constant. In most other cities, such a commotion at this hour would surely provoke complaints from residents.
"Does it?" Misty responded, not feeling particularly bothered. She didn't care for lifeless cities anyway.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"What are you doing?! I didn't win the jackpot again!" someone shouted.
"Hey, hey, if you're done, move aside quickly! Others are waiting to play!" came another voice.
"Watch where you're going! Pay attention when you walk!" yelled yet another person.
Just as Misty spoke, loud noises erupted around them. They had just passed a game arcade when they heard the commotion inside. Not only in the establishments but also on the streets, numerous people seemed to be arguing about various issues.
"Why is everyone quarreling?" Misty asked, looking around in confusion.
"Isn't it obvious? Don't you think this city is too bright and noisy?" Ash responded.
"I guess it is a bit... does that have something to do with it?"
"Of course it does. There's serious light pollution and noise here, 24 hours a day. People definitely aren't getting proper rest. Over time, that makes tempers flare, and even minor issues can trigger arguments."
Ordinary people become irritable after extended periods without adequate rest. In a place like this, where the environment remained so stimulating around the clock, even with opportunities to rest, the quality would be poor.
Lack of sleep easily affected one's mood, but taking poor-quality rest could make someone even more irritable. For example, if you finally had a chance to sleep but were awakened just after dozing off, you might feel murderous toward whoever disturbed you.
"That's true. Thankfully, we'll only be staying here for one night! Ow... that hurt!" Misty nodded in agreement. Going without proper rest would indeed be uncomfortable.
While turning her head to talk to Ash, she accidentally collided with someone—a man wearing leather clothes who was now rubbing his chest with an annoyed expression.
"What's this? Where did this wild girl come from, walking without using her eyes?" the man snapped after regaining his composure.
"Excuse me! You obviously bumped into me!" Misty retorted. She had a fiery temper herself, and though she hadn't been paying attention initially, the man's tone immediately provoked her anger.
"You've got some nerve, little girl. Let me teach you a lesson!" The man raised his fist, preparing to strike Misty.
Misty hadn't expected him to resort to violence so quickly. Clearly, she had underestimated how short-tempered people in this town could be.
Just as the man was about to swing, Ash caught his arm mid-motion. Though the stranger appeared to be in his twenties, the effects of poor rest in a place like Neon Town had taken their toll—he looked relatively thin and weak.
Ash, on the other hand, had been traveling extensively. With his physique, he could lift a Larvitar with one hand and easily overpower ten ordinary people.
Misty sighed with relief when she saw Ash intervene. As she looked at him, she felt a warmth in her heart that made her almost too shy to maintain eye contact.