Riley's eyes darted around the room, "We don't have much time."
Ash sat up, rubbing his head. He blinked as he remembered what happened. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The others were safe, that's what mattered. He shakily stood up, but stumbled. Riley grabbed his arms and steadied him.
Ash looked over at Riley, his father. Something occurred to him, "W-what are you doing here?" Ash asked, his voice was raspy and dry. It felt like he hadn't eaten or had a drink in days. He realized that's probably what had happened.
Riley studied him, "I was captured, like you. Now I want to know what happened to you, you seem unsurprised about your predicament."
Ash tried to speak, but instead he started coughing. It was a dry, hard cough. Riley placed a hand on his shoulder and helped Ash sit down. Riley went over to the door and grabbed a canteen.
He opened the lid, handing it to Ash, "Drink this."
Ash thankfully took the water and chugged it down. It was gritty, but he didn't care. Riley took the canteen back and handed Ash a large roll. The roll was slightly burnt and flavorless, but Ash was too hungry to care.
"T-thanks," Ash muttered, he glanced at Riley, "W-what about-t y-you?" Riley wasn't eating anything.
Riley sat next to Ash, "They only bring food and water by one time a day, if they're in the mood. They only brought enough for one person today, even though you're here, but I'll be fine."
Ash broke off part of the roll and tried to hand it to Riley, but his father turned away as if he were ashamed, "No, you eat it all. I'm fine."
Ash blinked, then proceeded to eat the roll. Riley stood up and started pacing. Ash noticed the back of his shirt was shredded. The it was stained with red blood, and fresh scars showed through the ripped shirt. Ash winced.
"W-what hap-happened to your b-back?"
Riley regarded him, "This is what happens when you don't comply with them. I noticed you have similar injuries on your back."
Ash's brow furrowed, trying to remember, "I-it happened before I was t-taken. I w-was protecting P-pikachu."
"Was the Pikachu captured as well?"
"N-no."
"Good," Riley muttered, "Then there's still hope."
"W-what didn't you do?" Ash asked.
Riley was snapped away from his thoughts, "Uh?"
"You said that you're scars w-were from not complying with them. What didn't you comply with?" Ash clarified.
Riley turned away, "I... They... They asked where you were. I told them that I didn't know. But..." He paused, then shook his head, "It looks like... they figured it out."
"I don't k-know how they did it. I made sure it looked like I was still in Kanto, but they cornered me in some random forest in Unova! I just don't g-get it!" Ash said, frustrated.
"Did they get any of the legendaries that were with you?" Riley asked, changing the subject. Ash shook his head.
Riley turned towards him, "What legendaries did you manage to gather?"
"Um... Celebi, Shaymin, and Victini. Oh, and Meloetta joined us, but then I was... captured."
"Where are they now?"
Ash blinked, he didn't know long he had been out, but he was tired. Half of him wanted to sleep. The other half of him want to... To live his life how it had been before he had learned of the prophecy. Traveling with Pikachu, winning badges, catching Pokemon, making friends...
"Well?"
Ash gathered his thoughts, "Celebi managed to do the Time Lapse. Pikachu, Grace, the legendaries... They all went through. I held off... our 'friends' while Celebi took them through the Time Lapse."
"Grace?" Riley asked.
"Um... I... She's a girl that Pikachu befriended. I had Celebi send her through the Time Lapse as well, I didn't want her to get hurt. She was pretty young," Ash didn't want to go through the whole 'Abandoning Pikachu to protect him' and 'Pikachu tracking him down with Grace' story.
Ash could practically see the gears turning in Riley's mind.
"Do you understand how a Time Lapses work?" Riley asked, Ash shook his head, so Riley continued, "Well, they are different from regular time travel."
Riley thought for a moment, then closed his eyes, holding his hand out in front of him. After a moment a ball of blue aura appeared. Riley opened his eyes, and then stared at it. After a moment the sphere formed itself into a long, narrow line.
"Imagine that this is Time," He said, gesturing to the aura, "Past," He pointed to one end, "Present," He pointed to the middle, "And future," He pointed to the other end.
"A Pokemon like Celebi can travel across time. It isn't that difficult, for they go from one point to another. But a Time Lapse is different. Its..." He twisted his fingers, and the line of aura was bent into the shape of a 'U'. "It literally bends Time."
"What do you mean?" Ash asked, confused by his explanation.
Riley thought for a moment.
"During a Time Lapse the Pokemon that is doing the bending uses all of their power. They cannot time travel again until the Time Lapse is over. The Time Lapse ends when the Pokemon completed their goal, this applies to everyone that traveled with them."
He pointed back to the 'U' shaped aura, to the curved part, "This piece of time is bent and distorted. Anything else that tries to time travel cannot get past this part." Then he pointed to the two parallel parts of the 'U'.
"These two pieces of time are now running parallel," He pause, "What I mean by that is that the time is flowing at the exact same time. Under normal time traveling the creature can return to the same moment of time the left, but not with a Lapse. The point of time they traveled from and traveled to are now happening at the same time. If Celebi and the others are there for ten days, then tens will past here. If they are there for a year, then a year will past here."
He sat down next to Ash, "If any of the time travelers die then the Time Lapse is over. The other members remain trapped in the time. Of course Celebi could time travel again. But if Celebi dies... They'll just have to find another way to travel through time. Time Lapses are a risky way to travel. I don't know if sending a young girl was the best idea. Especially without someone that knows what they're doing."
"Pikachu knows what to do. He may not understand fully what's going on, but I know that he will understand. And as for Grace- I don't what would have happened to her if I hadn't send her through with the others. They may be risky, but a Time Lapse is the only way to collect one of the legendaries, and we didn't have any other options." Ash replied.
"And what Legendary is that?"
"The Pokemon of Beginnings," Ash muttered.
"Hmm... Do you know the location of any of the other legendaries?" Riley asked.
"Um, I have found the Spring of Manaphy. There is a Manaphy there, and several Phione there as well. It's located north of Pastoria City, and west of Lake Valour. I was planning to go there after I got Meloetta, but then I was captured."
Ash drew his knees up to his chest and put his head in his hands, "Ugh, why does have to go wrong!"
Riley placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, "Don't worry, it will only get worse."
Ash regarded his father, and rolled his eyes, "Thank you for those encouraging words, Dad," Ash said sarcastically.
"Unfortunately it's true. I'm afraid our time here won't be pleasant, and there won't be anything we can do. They will question you and get information in anyway possible. It will be your choice if you comply with them or not."
"What did you do?" Ash asked.
"Hmm?"
"Did you just sit through their questioning? What did you do?"
Riley got a far off look in his eyes, "It depends on how you look at it."
Ash got a confused look in his eyes.
"But I told complied once they threatened my Pokemon."
"Wha..."
"Enough Riley," A cool voice said, "I believe that's all information we'll get out of the boy."
Riley nodded and stood up, walking away from Ash, wiping his hands on his pants.
The wall in front of them flickered, and then the illusion vanished. It revealed a window on wall. Through the window Ash could see a small room, just a room with a table with various equipment, and there were three men. There was a man wearing black clothes with a black cloak. His hair was a dark pale green, along with his eyes. His skin also pale.
Two men stood on either side of him, also dress in black, but less elaborate. The man was in middle was obviously the leader. This man stood up a strolled towards a door in the other room, the men behind him. A moment later the door to cell opened, lock clicking.
The three men entered the room, and Riley strolled over to him.
"Very good Riley," The leader said coldly.
Riley looked him in the eye, "I expect you'll hold to your end of the bargain, Zan," Riley said with equal coldness.
The leader, Zan got a glink in his eyes. With the smallest smirk Zan said, "Of course."
Zan snapped his fingers, and the wall behind Ash flickered, and the illusion vanished, revealing yet another room. Unlike the first room it was empty, besides the two Pokemon.
There was a female Lucario and a female Pikachu. A metal band went around the Pikachu, binding her arms and tail, pressing them against her body. She was also gagged, and two disks covered her cheeks, with wires running from them, stopping any electric attacks.
The Lucario's wrists and ankles were clasped together with similar metal bands. A muzzle clamped her mouth shut. The Lucario's aura sensors [~the black ear-looking things on Riolu's and Lucario's head~] each one had a ring on it, with a familiar looking blue stone on it. The Pikachu had one on her ears as well.
"Penny. Aerin," Riley muttered, his eyes getting a flash of sadness in them.
'Master Riley,' Aerin, the Lucario said sadly, her voice echoing in Riley's and Ash's mind, 'What have you done?'
'Riley...' The Pikachu, Penny, her muttered, her voice in the Aura Guardians' head.
Riley wiped away a from tear from his eye, looking away. Two Beheeyem teleported next to the two Pokemon. Each one laid a hand on Riley's Pokemon's head, they used Teleport to teleport out of the room.
"Well Riley, they will be unharmed, for now. Thank you for your corporation. You too, Ash," Zan said, looking between the father and the son.
"What's this?" Ash growled.
Zan smirked, "You want some answers? Very well. How did we know you were in Unova, that would be Riley's doing. He also provided some wonderful information on the Prophecy and the legendaries," Zan felt his smile growing by seeing the look on Ash's face, "He has been the most wonderful source of information. He volunteers information that we don't even ask for. For example they information on the Time Lapse," Zan's gaze met Ash's, "And plenty information on your Pikachu, weaknesses and such."
Ash glared at Riley, who was staring at the ground. Ash might be able to understand giving up information when going through... their 'questioning process'. But willing giving out information that could, no would, lead to Pikachu's death... That was... inexcusable.
"Is this true?" Ash snarled at Riley. Riley shrugged and smiled sadly.
"Sometimes we have to make choices. I prefer to stick to what's best for me. Currently our situation puts us as enemies." Riley replied calmly.
"Why you-!" Ash leapt forward, but something grabbed him by the upper arm. He was slammed against the wall and found himself looking at an very angry Zoroark. The Zoroark raised his free hand, claws glowing.
The Zoroark struck Ash on his shoulder. Ash cried out.
"Oh my, I am very sorry," He said in a not-so-sorry tone, "You may be after your father, but Zoroark doesn't take too well to be people lunging in my direction."
Zan said nothing as Zoroark struck Ash a few more times, then he said, "Enough."
The Zoroark stopped, dropping Ash to the floor. Ash groaned, clutching his bleeding shoulder. He glared at Riley and Zan.
The Beheeyem teleported into the room. One laid a hand on Ash, the other on Riley. Then with a flash of white they teleported out of the room. When their vision cleared they were in a room similar to the first one, except this one wasn't for questioning.
Riley watched as the Beheeyem teleport away, and then went over to one corner and sat down. Ash glared at him. This man gave away vital information that could get Pikachu killed! Ash screamed to himself.
Riley leaned back and closed his eyes.
How dare he take this so calmly! "Why you-!" Ash let out a stream of words that would have made his mother faint for a week.
Riley raised an eyebrow, but kept his eyes closed, "I don't think you should be talking like that."
"That's all you have to say?" Ash screamed, "Why are you doing this? What happened to the Riley that saved me from the Flash Cannon? The Riley that fought against Team Galactic? The Riley that was willing to risk his life to stop the bombs from destroying an island? What happened to that Riley?!"
"Hmm... I have learned something from my travels. Guilt holds back. When you live a life to help others you only hurt yourself. I help certain people: Me, Aerin, and Penny. Anyone else is too far for me to care about. No one can save the world, you can only save yourself. That Island was Aerin's birth place. She would have protected it with her life. So of course I would to. It's not everyday one sees their long-lost son about to be killed by a Flash Cannon, I wasn't going to let you die. Besides, the prophecy would've fallen back on me. And for the bombs, if they Aura Shield would've fail I would have just protected me and Aerin as the bombs went off."
"So in other words you just would've let me and my friends die?"
"Somethings have to happen. Why should you care? You're going to the other way. So dying shouldn't be a problem for you."
"I... I hate you! I can't believe I fell for everything you said!"
"I have never lied to you. Everything I told you was the truth. Now try to get some sleep, I have a feeling tomorrow won't be an easy day." Riley said.
"Don't tell me what to do! I'm done listening to anything you say!"
Riley shrugged, and out a small flute. Closing his eyes he placed it on his lips and began to blow. A strange tune out of it. Its long weaving notes made Ash's eyelids droop. As the song continued Ash began to feel tired. Laying one head against the wall he slipped a painless, dreamless, deep sleep.
A/N: So Riley was looking pretty fatherly, could he be feeling regret for what he did?
NOPE! He was just getting information out of Ash for Zan! WHY RILEY? WHY?
We get a glimpse of the prophecy and learn that PIKACHU MIGHT DIE! Wha?
Riley, that traitor... And his Pokemon don't seem to happy with him either!
