After an unknown amount of time, Xinhai slowly opened his eyes as his consciousness gradually cleared.
His vision sharpened from a blur, revealing a brilliant orange-red so vivid it seemed almost unreal.
He froze for a moment, his gaze passing through the sparse branches of the canopy toward the western horizon.
There, the sun had already sunk close to the horizon. No longer dazzling or blazing, it had become a gentle orange-red disk, hanging quietly at the edge of the sky.
The entire sky had been dyed a rich orange-red, spreading from the western horizon all the way overhead. The clouds were rimmed in gold by the setting sun, layered upon layer like burning brocade spread across the heavens.
The clouds came in all sorts of shapes—some resembled a soaring Pidgeot, some a swimming Gyarados, while others looked like enormous blooming flowers. Beneath the sunset, they appeared especially magnificent.
Sunlight pierced through gaps in the clouds, forming shafts of golden light that slanted down upon the earth, bathing the treetops, grass, and distant road in warm hues.
"So beautiful..." Xinhai murmured.
He remained still, quietly watching the fiery clouds and feeling the last warmth of the setting sun.
The orange-red light fell across his face, hands, and clothes, coating everything in a soft golden glow.
Only after quite a while did Xinhai emerge from that absorbed state.
He lowered his head and looked at Eevee curled up on his knees—the little one was sleeping deeply, its fluffy tail covering its nose as it let out faint snores.
Charmander and Axew leaned against either side of his legs. Their long, steady breathing made it clear that they were still sound asleep as well.
He reached out and gently stroked Eevee's back, then looked over at his other companions. Once he confirmed