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"It hurts! Let go of me right now!" the man yelled angrily as Ash held his arm. Ash ignored his protests, pulled his arm away, and then pushed him back.
"It's not a good idea to attack Misty," Ash said calmly while facing the man.
"Stop interfering in other people's business!" The man clearly wasn't willing to let the matter drop and prepared to attack again.
WEE-OOO! WEE-OOO!
Just then, sirens blared through the neon-lit streets. A police motorcycle approached rapidly, and Officer Jenny skillfully stopped between them with an impressive drift.
"That's enough! No fighting within city limits! Move along!" Officer Jenny commanded sternly, directing her gaze especially toward the leather-clad man.
"Hmph! You got lucky!" The man spat out unconvincingly before turning to leave. Officer Jenny then shifted her attention to Ash and his friends.
"You three kids, it's already quite late. Don't you know that in this town, children aren't allowed to wander around at night?"
Brock, who typically would have immediately tried to charm Officer Jenny, remained silent upon hearing her stern tone. For once, he didn't dare attempt his usual flirtatious routine.
"We're sorry, Officer. We just arrived in town and weren't aware of the rules," Misty apologized quickly.
"In that case, you should locate the Pokémon Center and get settled as soon as possible. Honestly, the Pokémon Center is just around the corner from this street! I shouldn't have to handle something so simple!"
Officer Jenny's response remained stern and slightly irritable. Just as she finished speaking, shouting erupted nearby as another argument broke out. After briefly telling them the Pokémon Center's location, she rushed off to intervene in the new dispute.
"Even Officer Jenny seems extremely irritable," Misty remarked as they watched her speed away.
"It's unavoidable in this environment," Brock chuckled. Secretly, he felt relieved he hadn't approached her—she might have arrested him rather than just rejecting him this time.
"But it's so strange! If it's like this all the time, why don't they just turn off the lights and get some proper rest?" Misty wondered aloud.
"It's not that they don't want to," Ash explained, shaking his head. "This is what they call a 'lifeline town.'"
"A lifeline town?" Misty tilted her head in confusion.
"Exactly. Since the town is located in the desert, many travelers easily lose their way in the vast sands. That's why this city was built. The intense lights and noise actually serve to guide travelers."
In essence, the city functioned similarly to a lighthouse on a coastline, guiding travelers along the correct path through this ocean of sand.
The citizens of this town were, in a way, making sacrifices for the benefit of others.
"So that's it! That makes the behavior of that man a bit more understandable," Misty nodded slightly. Understanding the circumstances gave her a new perspective, and she found herself more forgiving of the irritable stranger.
"Come on, let's hurry," Ash urged. "Otherwise Officer Jenny might come back and lecture us again."
Without further discussion, the group crossed the street. Soon, they spotted the welcoming sign of the Pokémon Center.
Fortunately, once inside, the noise from outside diminished considerably, and the lighting wasn't nearly as harsh or dazzling.
Entering the Pokémon Center, the stark contrast in ambiance made Misty realize just how bright the lights outside truly were. The Pokémon Center had been specially designed to provide a calm, recuperative environment for both tourists and injured Pokémon.
The sound and light insulation worked effectively, creating a notably quieter atmosphere. The trio completed the check-in process and handed their Pokémon over to Nurse Joy for care before retiring to their room to rest.
A night of relative peace followed.
"Wow! Thank goodness the Pokémon Center wasn't as noisy as outside!" Early the next morning, after breakfast and retrieving their Pokémon, the three prepared to resume their journey.
But the moment they stepped outside, they were greeted by a cacophony of sound. The streets were already filled with pedestrians, many of whom were arguing loudly or even shouting at one another.
"Goodness! People here have been awake for hours!" Misty exclaimed.
Usually when they departed early, streets would be nearly deserted, but in this unusual city, numerous people were already up and about at this hour.
"Sometimes, even when people want to rest, they can't calm down enough to actually sleep," Ash observed thoughtfully. "Let's get going."
He knew that people who regularly stayed up late often felt exhausted initially but would become increasingly alert as the night wore on. The residents of Neon Town had likely adapted to such a pattern.
"Agreed!" Brock and Misty responded in unison. It wasn't advisable to linger in such a place for too long. The trio continued their journey, leaving the desert town behind as they entered a jungle that bordered the town's exit.
Not long after venturing into the jungle, a small figure suddenly emerged from the tall grass. A round, pink Pokémon hopped onto a tree stump just ahead of them.
It had small, pointed cat-like ears and large, sky-blue eyes. Its entire body resembled a pink balloon, with short arms, large feet, and a distinctive curl of hair on its forehead.
"Isn't that a Jigglypuff?" Misty's eyes instantly transformed into hearts upon spotting the Pokémon, clearly captivated by its adorable appearance.
Jigglypuff was a Normal and Fairy-type Pokémon. Its body was said to be filled with air, allowing it to inhale gases and expand in size.
However, Jigglypuff's most distinctive feature was its melodious voice. It possessed a vocal range spanning more than twelve octaves. The Pokémon would typically mesmerize opponents with its large eyes before singing a lullaby that induced sleep.
In appearance, Jigglypuff was undeniably cute—the type of Pokémon any young girl would adore. But from Ash's perspective, while Chansey might be considered a "pink devil" in the games, Jigglypuff was the true pink menace in their real-world adventures.
"This is perfect! I've wanted one for ages!" Misty exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she reached for a Poké Ball. "I'm going to catch it!"
"I thought you only liked Water-type Pokémon?" Brock questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Details like that don't matter right now! Go, Staryu!!" Misty called out, releasing her starfish Pokémon with enthusiasm.
The golden star-shaped Pokémon emerged with a flash of light, its central core glowing brightly as it prepared for battle. Jigglypuff turned toward them, its blue eyes widening with interest at the prospect of a challenge.
"Staryu, use Water Gun!" Misty commanded, determination evident in her voice. The battle for the adorable yet potentially troublesome Jigglypuff was about to begin.