Holding his arm in pain, Ryan looked to the east and west. The rising moon silhouetting the group of paramedics and police heading from the small town toward them. Certainly he needed medical attention, but the police are also looking for him. Wincing, the large man rose, whistling once before turning to stagger westward. At the whistle, the small group of pokemon that had been following him, joined Ryan's side. Even the little lion cub followed intrigued. The large lake to their right sported a strange castle nestled upon an isle in the center, a large bridge reaching to the mainland. The castle bore no banners or signs, but Ryan recognized it. That was the Battle Chateau, a highly exclusive club for the fabulously wealthy. The better a pokemon trainer you were once you obtained membership, the higher your rank. Rank was often measured using antiquated noble titles, just as the Battle Barracks used antiquated military ranks. Remembering his pain and almost collapsing for it, Ryan felt Annwn's little arms propping him up, struggling against the weight. After the Braixen barked to the others, the Ape held the man from the other side, and two large talons grabbed his shoulders to pull him up. He could feel the heat on Annwn's hands as they rubbed over his cut's and bruises. The warmth helped his blood to flow more naturally, and seared his wounds where they were open to the air.

After stumbling up some small stairs, Ryan collapsed only a couple meters into a small cave. The sign nailed to the rock beside the entrance read 'Connecting cave/Zubat roost'. It was darker than when most people passed through, with the moonlight shining very dull and only about a meter in the entrance. Slumping down against the rock, Ryan pulled a small cord from where he'd found himself. The small golden coin spun on the end of the short but thick cord. "Annwn, Come" he whispered, the fox trotting over more steadily on it's little legs. It lowered its head as the vagrant silently slid the amulet coin over it's ears to sit on it's neck. The Braixen gave a happy little bark before settling to sit on Ryan's right side, eying the other pokemon as the man did. The Lion cub watched Ryan curiously for a moment, the mane atop it's head glowing red and shedding a small ring of light around it. It almost looked like furry fire. With his legs outstretched in front of him and his back against a wall, Ryan tapped his thigh. The hawk settled down between his knees and the cub inched a little closer, sniffing at the man's outstretched hand; covered partially by fingerless wooly gloves. After he pet it a little, the small pokemon curled up by his leg. "Tomorrow, I'll have a go at seeing how hard it is to teach each of you things. But first I need to rest."

Standing by the lake edge, Ryan peered over at his reflection. In the water, looking up at him was not his own face. The face of a creature unique and strange, thin and yellow. The longer he stared the more it seemed to distort, becoming more and more like the vagrant looking down. Ryan watched as the ripples passing the creature shimmered clothes onto it. At first a white button shirt, then a simple prisoners outfit followed by rags and finally a trench coat. Frustrated with the horrible reflection, Ryan slapped the water, waking him instantly.

His eyes snapped open as quickly as always. The morning sun was breaching the cave entrance enough that the smoother stones inside lit the entire entryway. There Ryan sat, back against the wall with a large fire red hawk curled between his legs, a warm lion cub curled against his left leg. Annwn the fox quietly snoozed to his right, and a gorgeous young woman with green streaked brown hair, slumbered against his left shoulder. It took the vagrant a moment, rubbing his eyes and yawning, before he realized what was going on. Chuey, the viper woman from Lumiose city, was leaned against him in the damp and warming cave known as 'Zubat Roost'. It was difficult to squeeze his way out of the cluster, holding both Annwn and Chuey where they were as he shifted his legs from around the hawk and cub. The red ape stared at him for a moment, before moving over to help reposition Annwn and the lass. Once Ryan was finally standing, the two were left laying on the stone floor, heads pressed against each other gently.

The large man ran a long fingered hand through his hair. Bringing his hands together to press fingers against each other. First the pointer finger of each hand was pressed against each other, the other fingers forming fists that were painfully pushed together. Then his middle finger of each hand was pressed together, followed by the ring and finally the pinkie fingers. Each of his slightly more than five inch long fingers bent somewhat painfully as he absentmindedly worked them, his thoughts elsewhere. "You don't make this easy do you?" the corner of his lip curled in frustration. "If you wake and I'm here, I'm a creep" he shivered silently, his fingers aching as he repeated the process. "If you wake and I'm here asleep, I'm lazy" The vagrant glanced left and right, looking to both entrance and exit of the small tunnel. "If you wake and I'm not here, I'm an asshole" His tongue ran across his teeth as he silently glared at the woman. "Oh let's not forget, if I leave you here; something may attack you in your sleep" The man's shoulders tensed as he lowered to crouching for a moment, finishing his finger exercises. "And if I take you with me, it's kidnapping. I can't win here can I?" Annwn's eyes flitted open, tongue lolling happily out the side of it's mouth when it noticed Ryan standing nearby. "shh, come here" he smiled, whispering as he stroked the air with one finger.

The pokemon woke and shifted a little while Ryan knelt down and scooped the exhausted young woman up in his arms. Draping one of her arms over his shoulder he held her with his arms as a seat. Moving slowly and gently he headed to the rear exit. "I'll have to settle for moving you. Not far of course, but somewhere safer" His foot kicked a small aerosol can as he walked. Pulling his hand away from holding the lass in his arms, Ryan pointed to it, and was quickly handed it by the small Ape. 'Pokemon Repellent' it read. An idea almost instantly sprang to mind, the vagrant handed the small can back to the ape and whispered "Find more", hoping that even if it didn't understand, Annwn would. Thankfully the red ape did understand the command, it happily collected seven more empty cans of repellent from the surrounding area.

When he emerged from the exit of the small tunnel Ryan was faced with a fence guarding a small cliff edge. The main path ran off to his left and along the cliff side. A rusted metal fence, many pieces falling off it, ran along the edge of the path. It appeared more likely to give an infection than any protection. Following the path a ways, the vagrant encountered a small alcove. The crevice was sturdy and large enough for a person to curl up and sleep in. Gently he lay Chuey down in the alcove. The large man then looked amongst the pokemon following him, to the hawk. He held an empty can out sideways, taking one of Leveyr's talon's in hand to slice the top off it. "People use these until they stop spraying. But that doesn't mean they're empty" he smiled, cutting three more open before laying them out in a little border around the alcove where the sleeping lass lay. "A little of the liquid will still be coating the inner wall. Annwn, gimme heat" The Braixen's head cocked lightly to the side as it warmed it's hand. With the vagrant's direction, the small fox pressed it's hot little hands against the sliced tins for a moment. "Heating the tins starts the residue evaporating. Annwn, gimme fire" he grabbed a small blade of grass, holding it out to Annwn. When the blade was alight, the large man gingerly used it to light the gas beginning to flow from each can. With the four little metal candles guarding the young woman, he straightened himself and carried on down the path.