The view from the top of the grand tower was amazing. Ryan stood upon one of the grand pillars that rose high above the conventional peak of the tower. Below stood trees and rocks and the steeple of a church, but beyond that was a great and endless ocean. Raising his arms at his sides, the vagrant felt lighter without his trench coat. The wind across his back caressed his bare skin. Stone dust had been injected into the flesh of his back, much like a tattoo that ripped and stabbed at the skin as he moved. Each letter of the large print tattoo stung as the cold breeze ripped across it. Only the stone dust font felt any pain, making the large print 'FYRE' stand out against his flesh. With his arms raised at his sides, Ryan stepped up to the very precipice of the pillar. With his eyes closed and a deep exhale, the large man lent forward. His hands above his head and his feet gently leaving the stone as he fell tumbling downward. Down, with the air rushing past him, falling from his dream.
The vagrant's body lurched from where sat, every muscle jolting as he was thrown awake. The lion cub, fox and canine that lay draped across various parts of his legs and lap bounced to standing. Two of the three looked around startled, seeking the danger and finding only three filled beds. The third, Fyr, simply sniffed at the suddenly awake man. Ryan's hand ran through the hot strands of fur on the canine's head, scratching at the skin on the back of its neck. The milky eyed, slightly wrinkled face tilted forward at the scratching, stretching it's neck and making strangely happy whimpering noises. After pulling away his slightly burning hand, Ryan stroked the necks of both the cub and the fox. At the touch, the slightly jumpy Annwn and Embeee both started, turning around only to see the large man in a ratted trench coat sitting behind them. Once they were calmed significantly, Ryan noted Leveyr perched atop a nearby wardrobe. The red hawk had a sizable violet furred rat stashed in its paws. "Come" Ryan whispered before leading the group from the room and down to the main chamber of the tower. Sitting in the large central chamber, the vagrant took his knife to the large rodent. After slicing away the skin of the already long dead creature, he prepared it for cooking. Breakfast was good, Breakfast was small. It surprised Ryan, once he left the tower after breakfast, to find the green haired woman Chuey standing on the stairs upward.
The viper lady, with her serpentine companion, walked alongside the trench coated man. He promised Fyr new smells, new places and a long journey he told her. The group would travel east along the seaside, enjoying the smells of the beach and anything they encounter along the way. The Flareon in question trotted along happily at the large man's right, sniffing at flower patches and fire hydrants as they passed on the street. Annwn walked more confidently now, using a large stick as a pretend cane in an almost parodying posh gait behind the elderly canine. The stick was not purely for spoof purposes though, the bipedal fox using it to press the sides of the blind creature ahead, gently steering it straight and ensuring it didn't collide with anything or stray away from the group. Along the path through the city, stood a large skate park with the sign 'Shalour city gym'. Both Shauna and Serena stood at the edge looking in at the collection of people gliding about on the concrete waves. Despite his feelings on the alleged sport of the pokemon league, Ryan found himself wishing the lass' the best of luck as he passed.
On the eastern edge of the city, after a small boundary field of flowers, ran a river. A thick mouthed river just as it reached the ocean. A man sat on a large stone by the water's edge, something strange about the man caught Ryan's eye though he was unable to pin it. The man wore a large hat, with a flap at the back that stretched down his neck and wet and torn clothes. In front of him was a long necked creature, it's back a hardened shell with several long spikes. But it did not seem in any way vicious as the man scratched under its chin. Without turning away, the man waved the two over, many of Ryan's companions refraining from moving too close to the waters edge as they followed him. The man upon the rock said nothing, turning to look at a strange treelike creature a little ways along the bridge before turning back to smile at the couple. After waving his hand in front of the creature's eyes he directed it to look down at the two. It's long neck swung the odd shaped head down to rest on Chuey's shoulder. While the two laughed, the man simply smiled and gestured first to it's back and then the other bank of the river. "Your pokemon wouldn't want to swim, and it would be a nice experience for Fear right?" Chuey asked, Ryan nodding his head in a rolling acceptance. With a quick thank you to the man, the group climbed onto the back of what Ryan only now remembered was called a Lapras. Fyr hung in the large man's arms, and Leyte drifted along behind the ferry creature as they crossed the wide river. With a glance back toward the man, Ryan watched as he stroked the head of a large four winged bat before nodding to him.
It was only when the creature stopped on the opposite bank that Ryan realized what had been bothering him. "Did you notice what that guy was wearing?" He asked the woman with the green streaked hair. She shrugged, helping him lift each of the pokemon from the creatures back and onto the sandy bank. "Look" he nodded across the river "a singlet and pants. He's soaking wet" She shrugged, the man swinging his legs round to the other side of the rock, the strange tree creature helping him down onto the sand. "He should be freezing." But the vagrant's train of thought was interrupted by a sudden squeal of pain and quick crunching sound. Snapping his head to the side he watched as the last few tentacles were sucked into the large creature's mouth. The lion cub began angrily growling at the long necked creature, yipping and snarling. The large man dropped to his knees, rubbing the neck of the slightly larger than average cub. It grumbled and continued to snarl at the creature, fiery drool leaking from the sides of its mouth. Without a word, Chuey pressed a red and white sphere against the large creature, causing it to vanish in a flash of red light. "Everyone has to eat" Ryan whispered to the cub, looking from it to Chuey, the small ball making a distinct dinging sound. "It's horrible, but everyone has to." he held the small furry creature close, stroking it gently for a moment. When all seemed calm, Ryan stood before Chuey. "Could you not let that out while she's around?" The woman nodded, understanding exactly why but turning to look at something behind her compatriot with wide eyes.
Turning around, Ryan was impressed to see the change Embeee had undergone. Her body was longer and raised higher from the ground. Her legs were longer and her mane, composed of fire like hair, was as long as her body. The lioness stood proud, ignoring the fluffy blind canine sniffing at her side. Annwn seemed to be measuring the large creature with his stick. Finding her to be almost 1.7 meters tall at the top of her head, as tall as most horses. Plunging his hand into her mane, Ryan scratched at Embeee's head before leading the group away from the beach. Up a slight hill from the sandy path was a long wooden fence. Penned into the large yard were a collection goats, each with a grassy back and long curved horns. One of the largest goats, paced along the fence line near Chuey. The woman was standing beside a strange ostrich-esc animal with three heads. Each of the heads watched the pacing creature, it's legs stamping in anticipation. With a wicked smile, the lady leaped onto the back of the tri-headed bird, grabbing at some fur behind one neck and ushering it over the fence. As soon as it landed upon the other side, both the bird and the goat were off. A quick dash around the perimeter. But seeing the prey flee, triggered a primal urge in the lioness, who bounded over the fence and after the two racers. Unwitting of the situation, or perhaps too old to care, Fyr simply sat by the fence sniffing some dandelions, sneezing as he sucked some of their fluff into his nose.
There are collars on each of the grass-backed critters, a house nearby and a boundary fence. Ryan would happily let her chase down and kill wild game. It's simply the natural way. But these aren't wild, they're someone's family, someone's lively hood. Throwing himself over the fence, the large man began bounding across the field after the other three. Annwn stood at the fence, hands on one of the wooden beams as he peered through at the spectacle. Ryan was fast, but really only as fast as the average man. He trailed far behind the chase ahead, watching smoke billow from the lioness' hungry mouth. Chuey's bird kept pace with the goat, reaching back and pecking at Embeee whenever she got close enough. Two large sets of talons clamped down on the vagrant's shoulders. Strong, powerful wings lifted him off the ground. The same speed feels so very different without the ground beneath your feet. The tips of each claw dug into his skin as he was hurtled through the air and finally dropped onto the Lioness' back. She staggered under his sudden weight during her lunge. He wasn't fast, he wasn't overly strong, but he was heavy enough to stop her should he choose. Ahead he watched Leveyr, almost the size of a man, gliding away with small drops of blood glistening on it's talons. Annwn smiled, watching as the Flareon beside him began running in circles, yipping excitedly. He'd heard the whole scene, even if he couldn't see it.
Forcing all his weight down, his hands burning as he pulled on Embeee's hair, the vagrant grinded the lioness to a halt. Almost as one would ride a horse, Ryan gently kicked her sides and turned her head by moving the fiery mane. A small ledge nearby was not guarded by the wooden fence, instead acting as a natural barrier. The equine sized lioness easily mounted the ledge, being slowly steered away from the paddock of grassy goats. Once certain they were far enough away, Ryan swung his left leg over her side, sliding down onto the ground beside the lioness. With the weight suddenly lifted from her, Embeee grumbled, nudging the vagrant's side with her muzzle. "It's okay" he scratched at her cheeks. "You were doing what came natural" his hand ran through her mane.
Looking back at the ranch, Ryan watched as Annwn trotted across the field. The enormous Leveyr, once such a small red robin, glided gracefully toward him, a happy bundle of fur held gently in its claws. Fyr's nose was going crazy, sniffing wildly at the air rushing past him. Annwn was the first to reach Ryan and Embeee, a large smile on his face as he pointed his stick up at Fyr. The canine glowed oddly for a moment, Leveyr's claws releasing him midair. The happy Flareon rolled in the wind as he slowly drifted down into Ryan's arms. "Good Boy" the vagrant smiled, reaching down to scratch the fox's head between it's ears. The lioness nuzzled his side with her muzzle again, springing a thought to mind. "You liked being ridden didn't you?" he asked, looking into her large eyes. Her long, very hot tongue, slathered across his face. "It could be dangerous for me to ride you, I might be too heavy" he looked down at Fyr in his arms. "But if you promise to be careful, you can carry Fyr?" he held up the milky eyed canine, who barked eagerly at the mention of his name.