The air was still on the Anistar pier. Near the cafe at one end, even the fish in the water didn't dare move. The young girl, Shauna, crossed her arms uneasily against her parker as her eyes drifted sideways to the woman beside her. Chuey also sat at the table beside her. While not easily intimidated, this woman was silent and apparently unwilling to move too much either, not even to move the streak of green hair out of her face. The most she moved was to lean down and lift up the old red and white ball of fluff that was sitting at her feet looking at the third person. It yipped quietly but licked her cheek and settled into her arms as the woman very slowly patted it. The only person outside the cafe who was left standing, struck an impressive silhouette. He felt to everyone who could see him, a full foot taller than the 6'2" he already stood at. The man simply stared at the nearest Television screen, his bottom jaw moving from side to side. While the grinding of his teeth was not audible to anyone, the very act of it seemed to set several people nearby on edge. Looking across the table, Chuey noticed something human-like, but not human, sitting with them. A fox-like creature that stands on it's hind legs, with enough fur to appear to be wearing a thick robe. It's hands sat on the table, holding a small bronze and black orb. It's head had sunk as it looked at the large man, hands obviously attempting to hide the orb from him. After about a minute, the large man finally spoke. "I have to check." He didn't move, his head didn't turn and he didn't blink. It was simply words to start with. "I have to call Grandfather. Even if only to know that he is well." It was clear the man wanted to move, but his body was too locked still to respond. "If Flare is there, he needs to get out. Stubborn old man..." When his head did move, it almost snapped sideways. So sudden was it that the three who had watched him so transfixed, started slightly in their seats. The jolt resulted in the old ball of fluff licking Chuey's arm reassuringly. Or was it looking for reassurance?
"You." The large man's voice was calmer, but still instilled a slight fear in those who heard it. He was looking at the waiter who had served their table, and whom not minutes before was having fun helping fyre sniff a fish. The waiter seemed to cower slightly as he shook his head. With a slight excuse the waiter dashed inside to fetch a phone for this man. The Lioness over by the one table rolled onto her back submissively at Ryan's tone. With that exception, no-one moved until the Waiter came hurrying back out with a phone. It wasn't a snatch. If anything, the larger man's hand simply waited for the phone to be placed in it before lifting to dial. The first number was almost automatic. 10-58-21-99-73. The dialtone began. He stood there unmoving, staring out at the sea with the phone to his ear. Unbeknownst to the large man, at the other end of the line, the phone wasn't ringing out in an empty house. People moved around the room near the phone. One stopped to look at it and even considered picking it up. But his partner dissuaded him from doing so. Instead they continued their raiding of the home. Rearranging the furniture as they saw fit. Once the weapon was fired. This would be their home. Eventually the large man hung up, and instead dialed a different number. 10-58-56-35-14. "Come on Abby, pick up. Pick up." He'd begun to sound slightly nervous. Granma always answered if Grandad couldn't. And the pokemon center was always manned by someone. Almost a minute stretched by with the large man staring out at sea with the phone held to his ear, before finally it was answered. He could hear the shushing of people as a sweet young voice carried down the line. He had called the Geosenge Pokemon Center she informed him. Unfortunately, due to the fact that the ultimate weapon was soon to be fired, the voice claimed, pokemon centers were now obsolete. His eyes widened as his brow furrowed angrily. The city of Geosenge was now property of Team Flare, and it's beautiful rustic views will forever be appreciated by the chosen few. Before the large man could even respond, the call ended. He was left staring out to sea, holding a silent phone to his ear, grinding his teeth together once again. His arm swung around and thrust the phone back into the hands of the waiter, before he turned back to face the group at the table. The rock underneath the table was the only sign of the pool of magma, that seems to have curled up on itself in concern.
Two little eyes popped out from under the shell, looking at the large man. Fyre sniffed in the man's direction, milky eyes apparently looking directly at him. Chuey could feel water beading down her forehead, and from the look of Shauna, it wasn't an isolated event. The air around the big man had begun to shimmer, like the air just above a baking asphalt road. A slight creaking could be heard from the pier-boards as he walked over to the table. Apparently he couldn't see what was going on around him. Shauna jumped off her seat and at least two full strides away from the table as steam started seeping up through the gaps in the boards beneath Ryan's feet. Chuey, still holding the fluffy Fyre, also stepped back as some of the steam began to burn her exposed skin. The large man seemed not to notice the waves of steam rolling up him, or the shimmering air around his frame. His face was naught but pure, unmistakenable rage. A couple people had run over to see what was going on. The newspaper one person was holding started turning slightly golden at the edges as the paper slowly curled in on itself. "Annwn" He said, looking straight at the fox-like, human-like creature. "I need to go home." His voice was strong and deliberate. A thin veil for the anger beneath. "Take. Me. Home." The creature nodded, closing it's eyes. As it did, Ryan felt the air around him force itself against him. Desperately it tried to crush him, but the large man wouldn't let it. And once he blinked, the scene around him changed. He was standing on the beach of Cyllage City. Chuey and Shauna were several paces behind him, Chuey still holding Fyre tight to herself. Leveyr, the large crimson bird, circled overhead. While the others simply stood in a line between the large man and the two women. A wave washed in, the water passing where he stood for most of the beach, but disappearing as it neared a metre around him. Instead, he was surrounded by a thin mist of salty steam. His head turned northbound, looking in the direction of Geosenge Town. Looking to home. Though many of the stones of Menhir trail blocked his view of the buildings, one thing stood out to him. A great crystalline spire reaching skyward from the center of town. A beautiful pearlesent structure. His nose wrinkled up as his lips snarled and his brow furrowed. The large man let loose a heavy roar before charging northward.
This time, the large man didn't let his memories of walking the route guide him. His legs were not wandering along leisurely of their own accord. Each powerful stride was purposeful and driven. He could vaguely recognise the sounds of a group following him. But right now he had a one track mind. He easily jumped the low, broken walls as he sprinted northward. The enormous Menhir stones lining the route were arcing out at him. Bolts of energy connecting him to them as he ran past. Or was he arcing at them? He didn't think about it until finally his concious mind caught up with him. Standing in one position with the grass underfoot shrivelling and dying around him, brilliant flashes of light as energy arcs from his back to the stones around him, and from each stone to each other. He turned on his heels to look south, back at those who were following him. Only now did he see the people clinging to the stones or the walls behind him. Shrivelled and dying people and pokemon, drained of all that they are. Each time the floating gothic Chandelier drifted close enough to one of these dying creatures, the creatures would scream as if caught between two magnets ripping them apart. Chuey, Shauna, Embeee, Annwn, Blargg and Fyre all looked visually tired as they followed them. He took three strides back to them. Passing close to a weakened person he looked down. The sickly hand was pawing pathetically at his pants leg. The man, whom Ryan recognised as the Geosenge Cafe owner, looked up at him. The man's hair was dissolving as if being burnt away, and as he opened his mouth the strange energy arced out of him and into the large vagrant's leg. At the same time, another arc of the energy launched from Ryan, to the nearest large stone. He stepped backward. What if this happened from him being close to the others? Right now, he was far too angry to care. The only thing that might have made him worse, would be to have seen Shauna's face just after he turned away. She looked close to throwing up, and already appeared to not have slept for four days straight.
The gate to Geosenge had several people waiting at it. They seemed to be in generally better health than those south of them. Three Police officers stood between the small crowd and the town beyond. Shauna and Chuey passed him by. A look exchanged between Ryan and Chuey had her continue to lead his group of pokemon up to the gate to try and get through. The large man stayed on the road, standing between two large rocks, with wings of arcing energy spread out behind him like a glorious angel of light. "We can't let you through." The youngest police woman said to the two new additions. "We know you want to help but this is a task for the authorities." Ryan's lips pursed as he listened from a distance. "All locals have been evacuated, don't worry." The large man relaxed visibly, his wings weakening to half-brightness. "Please. We're only doing our job. You are welcome to wait around the gate, but we can't have you going back out there" The officer looked out past them at the large man, a bewildered look on her face at his appearance. Beyond the guards, Ryan could clearly make out three human-sized creatures. Golden in colour with large, star-shaped heads. The creatures wore brown armourments that looked increasingly familiar the more the large man stared at them. The creatures held a spoon in each hand, that they ran across a shimmering field of light in front of them. A barrier seperating the town of Geosenge, from the trainers on Menhir trail. Slowly, the arcing of energy from Ryan to the stones slowed to an end, allowing him to approach the gatehouse. Silently he took Fyre from Chuey, patting the ball of fluff as its little tongue flicked against his chin. A beak'd head nuzzled against the large man's cheek, strengthening his resolve a step further.
Cradling Fyre in his arms, the large man walked to the shimmering barrier, looking out past it into the town. Chaos. Utter and undefinable chaos was beyond. Hundreds of pokemon warred between themselves. All the people wearing police uniforms that he could see had their backs to him. They were all hiding behind walls or cars, directing their pokemon and taking shots with their pistols at the opposing force. "How many officers are in there?" He asked aloud to no-one in particular. A male voice responded from behind him, there were fourteen police inside, and these three outside. He didn't turn around, his fingers were twitching as if the large man was counting. Almost a minute passed before he spoke again. "Seventy Three. There are Seventy Three Flare cultists in there." More police were on their way of course, but was there time. It was as if he was watching the season finale of a television show for all he was able to help from where he was. "Oh" He continued when a large black canine, as tall off the back as Embeee, rounded a car to face an officer who was reloading. "Make that 13 officers" He sighed as the creature grabbed the man's throat in its mouth, shaking and biting down on him. The scream was easily audible even through the shimmering barrier. "Looks like your side is outnumbered Officer." Despite his anger, Ryan kept his voice calm and informative. "I'm guessing the twenty-seven Growlithe are yours" He watched the little red and orange dogs rushing around burning Flare members and their pokemon. "Same with the Nine Herdier and Six Mienshao and Arcanine" He began simply reciting the numbers of each kind of pokemon he could see. "You're against Fifty Mightyena at least. Fourty Five Golbat" He was counting quick as he could. Almost reciting a census of the battle. "45 Liepard, 35 Houndoom, 35 Manectric, 30 Scraggy. I guess we're fucked aren't we? 30 Swalot, 25 Croagunk and Toxicroak, 15 Scrafty, 10 Elecktrike, 10 Gulpin, and 10 Houndour." He shook his head, watching the wave of darker pokemon crashing against the police pokemon.
It had precisely the effect the large man had intended. Every trainer who had resolved themselves to sitting outside the town to wait for the problem to be cleared, was on their feet and shouting at the three officers. One even threatened to attack the pokemon that were creating the barrier. They weren't going to sit there and just give up. "Officer" The large man circled back around the police to stand with the trainers facing them. "We can help. You all know that. And standing here, all you're doing is trapping your colleagues in there and not helping them." His face was white and serious. Even fyre, in his arms, had turned to bark repeatedly at the officers, scalding them for not helping. "We're losing. Because you won't let us help." It was too dangerous they would say, public safety was the number one priority. "And if you lose, keeping us from helping would be for naught!" A couple of the other trainers were shouting louder. One brought up that he had just gotten his seventh gym badge, he can hold his own in a battle. "Right! Shauna!" He called over to her. "You have seven badges too don't you?" She nodded fervently, showing the police all seven. The large man didn't want the pokemon making the shimmering field to be hurt, they could be of use in the battle. They refused. More and more exacerbated he became at their stubbornness, until finally; "I'm a battle barracks General!" He yelled at them. "I could snap those things necks with my bare hands and just let us through. I AM BEING NICE AND LETTING YOU CHOOSE TO STEP ASIDE" The air around him shimmered more again. And apparently, this was the final straw, as the wall went down almost instantly. With the path clear, the reinforcements spilled into the battle.