It was a quiet little store, the man behind the counter looked up at Ryan's entrance. Obviously content Ryan was of age, the man returned to his reading as the homeless man began to quietly browse the store. With three fire pokemon following him, the clerk appeared about to raise an objection, but quietened down at Ryan's quick glare. Itching slightly, Ryan stopped to bend each finger back on the shelves, as he had done at the bridge. With the time to think he decided that a simple bottle of whiskey would likely be the easiest. Snatching a rather high proof bottle from the shelf, the vagrant began to hobble from the store. At this display of blatant theft, without even the sense to hide what he was taking, the clerk finally spoke up. His quiet but demanding tone rang through the vacant store, only to be met by a whisper from the man in filthy clothes. "Gimme fire" words quiet enough to be a whisper, but loud enough the clerk could hear them. Small flames began to flit from the mouth of the man's gold and red dog. "Fire in a liquor store, not a good mix. Ciao" Ryan waved over his shoulder, leaving quietly with his single bottle of whiskey. "Good boy" he whispered once outside, the Fennekin's fire fading as Shauna spotted them.
The young brunette skipped over to the door of the liquor store, her friends nearby gossiping amongst themselves. Ryan considered asking how everything was with them, but if she wanted to tell she would. Smiling, he cracked open the bottle and took a small gulp as she approached. Shauna didn't notice the man in the store behind her friend lock the door quite shakily. Ryan only heard it, and found it somewhat amusing. What else was he to do? He needed something to drink and there was nothing else safe around, even the river was dirty. The young lass, smiling up at him, chimed happily "I'm staying at the pokemon centre tonight. Apparently that's where all the pokemon trainers stay!" Ryan sighed and nodded, shuddering secretly at her misplaced enthusiasm. "The letter acts as a Trainer ID until I can get to the lab. Where are you staying?" Ryan looked around a moment before pointing to the wall of a building under an awning. The young lady was horrified, he couldn't be serious could he? A heavy cloud was drifting from the south. He could sleep in the main room of the center, surely? Why would anyone choose to spend the night in the cold rain? As she began to raise her objections, the tall man lifted his hand, this conversation was over. He would speak to her in the morning.
Once Shauna had passed through the doors of the pokemon center, Ryan slumped down at the edge of the building, right where he had indicated. The small gold and red canine, Annwn, curled up at his feet. The red robin continued to sit on his shoulder, though moved to his finger when it approached. "You're not going to leave me alone now are you" he whispered to the small bird, which hopped down from his finger to investigate his cauterized wound. "Since you tried to help me by the river, if you stick around I'll call you Leveyr" The robin tweeted happily in response, likely simply happy he was talking to it. After he stroked the little birds head a couple times it settled in to snooze on the large shoulder despite the sounds of a number of people shouting at the small red monkey running around. With a clap of his hand and a slap of the ground beside him, Ryan summoned the monkey back to him. "You're going to either stay close to me, or go home. No middle ground here" At his tone, the small red monkey plopped down beside him quietly, eying everyone who appeared interested in approaching. Accustomed to resting on hard stone, no sooner had he placed his head against the wall with his eyes closed, had Ryan succumbed to sleep.
He stood upon the stone path, a thousand people lined up before him. Each person faced the same way, with the others standing to their left and right. The tall man held out his bag to each person as he walked down the line. Many people; young and old, men and women, dropped letters into the bag. Thousands of envelopes drifted peacefully down to lay upon the pile within. One man fought, he refused to release his envelope, struggling in place as chains formed on his ankles and wrists, binding him where he stood. The pain and fear in the man's eyes were as clear and bright as the midday sun, tears began to form as Ryan snatched the letter, dropping it in the bag before continuing down the line. At the end of the thousands of men, women, and children, stood a single little girl. She was not part of the line, but stood at the end of it all the same, her brown hair and giddy smile, not to dissimilar to Shauna's, blinked up at him. The wandering vagrant lay the bag of letters on the ground before her, smiling as the very land around them dissolved to nothing. Much blood was on his hands, blood and pain he had to live with.
A hand gently shook Ryan awake at the shoulder. Opening his eyes, the vagrant looked up at both a happily panting dog and a young woman standing higher than it. Shauna's grin was immense, a little plastic bug's head between three of her fingers. It's two large green eyes more reflective than it's bronzish carapace, it's pincers formed a loop designed to hang the small plastic token off a button or necklace. When she let it go, the little beetlehead swung down on the loop she stored it on. "I beat the gym" she chittered excitedly, "It wasn't the kind of rush I was told. But I can understand the appeal". Ryan smiled and nodded, denying the young ladies outstretched arm. "Are all gyms themed like that one? It was so cute!" She plonked down beside him smiling and obviously quite proud of herself. "Why don't people like bug pokemon? They're cute!" Ryan chuckled, taking the offering the small ape passed to him, chewing on the toasted apple as the young girl beside him continued. "I won money from those fights, they called them 'trainer dollars', they can only be used for trainer supplies, food and drink right?" She seemed to prattle excitedly.
After the quick breakfast, Ryan stood, pulling Shauna up beside him. The next leg of the journey to Lumiose was the northern road from Santalune. Again the path should take about a day. A woman at the exit gate smiled and offered Shauna a pair of roller skates upon seeing the badge hanging on her neck. Commenting on her lack of balance she giggled and turned the offer down. The northern path was flowery and well maintained, the many pokemon a symbol of the thriving ecosystem. "So how did you enjoy the Trainers room in the center?" The tall man snickered, looking down at the lass beside him.
"It's a big room with little hammock looking things on the floor. I couldn't sleep" She shrugged, following the comment with a mumble how she couldn't sleep, whilst petting the little red robin sitting on her shoulder.
"I've always prefered the street myself. Never set foot in a pokemon center." Ryan shrugged, the small red monkey climbing his back to sit on his shoulders as they passed a large garden filled with purple and orange flowers.