Night in Viridian was mostly dark except for the city center, which was still brightly lit. The dormitory area for the Police Force was also dimly lit. After greeting the officer on duty, Heath left the dormitory and headed towards the reservoir.
"It's so dark. Trainer, why is your flashlight so dim?" Zorua, lying on Heath's head, complained. Heath glanced at her; this little guy sure was demanding.
Heath recalled that foxes are part of the canine family, and shouldn't canines have good night vision?
"You think this is a nuclear-powered flashlight? This is just a regular one. It's good enough for the forest at night." Heath retorted, this wasn't a game where the flashlight had infinite power.
"Didn't you take a big light from the dorm?" Zorua protested. Heath understood that she was annoyed because he didn't let her stay in the dorm to read her novel.
With a blank expression, Heath turned off the flashlight, opened his backpack, and took out the large lantern. He then looked at Zorua with a 'kind' smile.
"Are you sure you want me to turn this on, Zorua? If I do, you'll have to stare directly at it." Heath said with a smile. Zorua shivered but still nodded, her face puffed up in defiance.
Heath cheerfully turned on the switch.
"Ding, it's daylight, time to get up for morning exercise." Officer Rina, lying on her bed, yawned as she looked at the bright daylight outside the window.
"Huh?" Jana sat up in confusion. She remembered just lying down; how did it become daytime already?
"Ah! My eyes! Turn it off quickly!" Zorua screamed in pain, covering her eyes on Heath's head, tears streaming down from the intense light.
Heath chuckled and turned off the light, restoring the forest to its proper nighttime appearance.
"Go back to sleep; it must be Heath with the Ampharos lantern." Rina yawned, lying back down. Soon, her even breathing filled the room.
"Hehehe~" Jana climbed down from her bed with a mischievous smile, secretly lifting Rina's blanket to sneak her hand inside with a sly expression. But Rina quickly grimaced, slowly pulling her hand out.
A mousetrap.
Jana gritted her teeth as she removed the mousetrap, puzzled as to why Rina would place one in her bed. Next, Jana lifted the blanket, planning to check the layout before becoming a white pastry chef to knead dough.
But as soon as she lifted the blanket, she saw a crossbow. The lifted blanket triggered a string, sending a rubber-tipped bolt at her forehead. It hurt but wasn't life-threatening.
"Son of a—" Rina cursed, sitting up when a liquid sprayed on her face, making her fall asleep immediately.
"Want me to turn it on again?" Heath asked Zorua, who still dared to mess with him without knowing the lantern's brand.
The Ampharos lantern, specially provided to the Police Force, was incredibly bright, covering a vast area, making it feel like daytime. Its battery life was also impressive.
"No, I was wrong. Please forgive me." Zorua, teary-eyed, looked at Heath. The sudden intense light had made her eyes water uncontrollably.
"That's better." Heath smiled, turning on the flashlight and continuing forward.
After a while, Heath passed through the small forest and arrived at a slope overlooking Viridian Reservoir, which supplied water to all residents of Viridian. There was also an officer stationed there.
Heath hadn't seen any particularly great scenery so far, but the starry sky above was beautiful. Being away from Viridian, light pollution was minimal, allowing Heath to see a star-filled sky like a galaxy.
The breathtaking sight uplifted Heath's spirits, bringing an inexplicable sense of freedom. This was a feeling only those who hadn't seen the starry sky couldn't understand.
Especially city dwellers, spending their whole lives in the city was a pity, as they would miss countless beautiful scenes. That's the true meaning of travel.
Nowadays, travel involves going to scenic spots, taking photos, standing in line, and dealing with crowds, which Heath found uninteresting. To Heath, wandering the grasslands and lying down to watch the star-filled sky was the essence of travel.
"The starry sky is indeed beautiful, but you didn't come here just to see the stars, did you?" Zorua asked suspiciously.
"Of course not, probably to the reservoir." Heath waved his hand. He hadn't released Charmander and Farfetch'd yet, as he still had to climb the slope.
Heath and Zorua climbed the slope slowly. Soon, they reached the edge of the reservoir and met Officer Jo.
"Hey, Heath? What are you doing here so late?" Officer Kim asked curiously.
"I'm here to enjoy the view, Kim." Heath scratched his head with a smile. Most of the officers were older than him, so he called them all "sister."
"You sure know how to pick a spot. The view here is great, but only we usually get to see it. Such a shame." Officer Kim smiled, letting Heath go up.
Heath curiously walked to the reservoir. After climbing the last slope, he was stunned by the breathtaking view.
The starry sky above was reflected in the water, with ripples forming from the gentle breeze. The most astonishing sight was the reservoir's surface, which seemed to glow with numerous light spots, making it incredibly beautiful.
Heath reached out to touch the water, the light spots coming to his hand as he scooped the water, then falling back down with the water.
The dark night sky hid the water, making it look like Heath was holding the starry sky in his hands.
"Such... magnificent scenery." Heath admired the view, thinking it a pity he hadn't come here in the four years he'd been here.
"It's so beautiful." Zorua, on Heath's head, was mesmerized by the scenery. Such a wonderful night, such a quiet place, could it be...
Zorua glanced at Heath, recalling a novel where the protagonist confessed in such a setting.
*Chapter End*