A/N: A whole thing of Riley. I was a big NERD when his episodes hit the anime (yay, two!) and wrote this leading up the release. Kind of a challenge, but don't recall posting them. Think what you like. I hope its a bit 'out there'. *Note* Riley is sometimes referred to -as- Sir Aaron, and sometimes as a singular entity, and sometimes as a reincarnation with his powers. I have no idea what was going on through this but yeah...

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. never will.

Ancient Steps

885 Words

He was running.

Nothing chased him but the wind licking at his heels like an angry spirit, dismayed by his lack of faith. The first storm in years shook the sky with mighty tremors that unbalanced the youthful mans careful steps, but did little more damage than picking off the hat and tossing it like a Frisbee in the wind blowing north. All around the Pokemon stared with beady eyes, none which seemed close to the domestic kind. An awakened age old respect brewed in each ones eyes; a strange alluring kind of look that sent the young man into an unsettled panic.

Looping the Islands rougher path the man in question dug his hands into the gravel and hoisted himself up, sure that the wind buffeting him from behind proved to urge him onward faster, than hinder him. Wiping aside the muck clinging like a bad dream to the soles of his shoes, he shot off again, breathless, but alert. Sounds he passed off as mere coincidence made themselves known again in grating howls that chilled him down to the core of his blood. Heart pounding in effort to submerge the fear he felt the youth dragged himself the last few stretches up and gazed upon the open sky; its majestic blue now tainted with a horrendous shadowing grey and repeating streaks of lightning. As expected the top lay deserted; small evidence of his books lay tucked underneath a rocks shadow as if to mock his intuition that someone waited for him. Gasping for breath he stumbled now, making it close to the edge and allowed his body give out, now that he reached the top; palms slick with dried blood and caked with gravel transformed into unpleasant grime mixed with natures sustenance. Panting the head raised as if automatically beckoned by the descending shape; its smaller form giving him reason to speculate this meeting as one of fate. Through the pouring rain filling his mouth droplets at a time he asked:

"Why can't I remember!? Why am I the only one who doesn't have a past! Amnesia…that's…bullshit!"

The head drooped, shame written on his face. Something he can't confirm telling his emotions that it was unjust to yell. This wasn't the time nor the place to bring his insecurities to light. With the shape touching Iron island's floor a hat carried in its arms dropped to the ground where it lay as a symbol of peace. Too distraught to notice it the man in blue found his hair shifting soundly to the left as he looked at the Pokemon with a small desperate plea.

"Stop lying to me…stop avoiding my question….would it kill you to admit the truth? I…I…." Hands came up on either side of his head to clutch at the spiky hair, bunching it tightly in his hands until it physically hurt. An entity of vibrant pink and milky white known to the world as the rarest Pokemon only made small mewing noise and circled him three times before hovering by his face, eyes rounder than before.

He felt the paw on his cheek and instinctively reached out to draw the Pokemon closer. The fur was pleasant to the touch, soft and groomed to perfection. As a partial breeder he envied the glossy coat but the whole of his inquiry became seamless to the weight of his greed for answers he felt were well deserved. Easing back to sit properly he waited out the cold rain biting his skin with each felled drop, numbing all but his eyes and sensation of the Pokemon in his arms. He waited out the cracking thunder overhead that boomed with an unearthly power in its voice that blew out his ears until all that could be heard were the waves thrown, and the quiet sounds of breathing.

In the hours to come he knew an answer wasn't coming. Regularly he asked all that bore ears to hear the world for reason, but they grew deaf around him that he reluctantly stepped down. As the sun came up and the clouds retreated with their blood-curdling screams of agony nestled back into the deepest section of the puffs of gray, the man of unknown birth watched with a hopeless expression. The guardian of all Pokemon in the world lay in his arms, sound asleep with its form curled up on his lap and tail wrapped around his arms.

"I have many a question Mew. I will have answers when the time is right you continue to tell me…but…." When? When will the time be right? He wordlessly look at the rising lump as it inhaled and exhaled evenly. Behind him his shadow moved with him, observing the clear skies with a hat pointier than his present one, and a cape that blew fondly in the imaginary wind. His age was one of speculation, his body young and youthful, but his wit and mind were sharp with intellect he ought not to possess. His reflexes were second to none and the powers at his fingertips were ones of unknown origin that no two people possessed but the very Pokemon it derived from.

Who is Riley?

With eyes slipping close he murmured to the legendary, "I will retrace my ancient steps one day."