Astro.

When Riley came back to Veilstone, I didn't know how much time had passed. That really cliché thing had happened, where every day starts to run together. You would think that's a myth, but hell no, it absolutely does.

I had been moved into a different room(drugged up, naturally, because who's gonna wanna move a conscious Astro?), chained up again(naturally, still electrified), hooked up to a bunch of machines that monitered me. I looked like a dying hospital patient. Almost every day, a different grunt came in and fed me pokemon food, because I couldn't be trusted to feed myself.

Most importantly, ever since that first day, I didn't see Cyrus. I didn't see Riolu, either, but I could feel his aura. I never found out what they did to him during that time, besides experiments; I saw him only once or twice before we escaped, and I would never ask, because those have got to be some shitty memories for the poor kid.

The day I felt Riley's presence in the city, I knew I had my one chance. I wasn't stupid; obviously by then, I knew he was training to use aura. I knew that this was my only chance of escape. I closed my eyes, slumping to the ground. A grunt hadn't come in to feed me yet.

I focused, trying to do that thing Riolus can do. You know the thing, that all Pokedexes talk about; where a Riolu can make others feel what they're feeling. Emanation or something, I don't give a shit.

The effort of focusing so hard gave me a headache, but I was so used to them, I didn't care. This was all I could do to get my message out to Riley, that I was right there.

To be perfectly clear, don't get the idea that I had any plan for after that. I didn't. I had not one frigging clue what I expected Riley to do.

I must've spent hours trying to alert him, according to Riley's description. By the way, dunno if I said this before, but sorry for making you feel like shit that day, dude.

{Hell, I would've suffered another few hours of headache and nausea over you sending that [expletive deleted]in' building toppling over me.}

Anyway, a few hours later(supposedly), the grunt came to feed me. She tried shoving pellets of food in my mouth, but like usual, I refused.

"Open your mouth, shorty! I can't do my regular duty 'til you eat this crap!"

"Hell no, you eat that rubber shit!" For all that Team Galactic had broken my will, I still frigging hated pokemon food. To this day, won't eat it.

The bowl-cut bimbo muttered something into a microphone in her collar, and the chains shocked me. It was just a weak jolt, so I grit my teeth together and beared it for a few seconds.

"I'm. Not. Hungry," I lied.

Another few jolts later, and I caved. I let her shove those rubbery shit-pellets down my gullet, and then she left. I was glad to be rid of her.

I could still feel Riley in the city. He was still there. I knew he was. I had to reach him, I had to.

"Riley!" I tried shouting. "H-help us!"

I slumped against the chains. Riolus aren't suppose to be able to do things with aura until they evolved, and I already had the stamina of a wet paper towel. I was tired.

"Don't take a nap, you damn baby," I chided myself. "Focus. Focus. Focus...!"

Maybe I thought Riley could call the cops or something. Assuming the police could actually do shit, because Cyrus was pretty filthy rich.

I spent a few more minutes trying to channel my telepathy at Riley. His presence became stronger. He was in the building, at least!

"R-Riley!" It was hard to keep the connection to Riley. "We're in here! Please, Cyrus, he-"

The chains around my paws electricuted me again, a stronger jolt coursing through me. I grit my teeth, and a pained groan escaped my throat.

"Riley!" I was losing my grip. My head pounded in pain from the effort it took, and I heard blood rushing in my ears. "RILEY!"

"Astro, you've been resisting when you've been fed." Cyrus had entered the room. The electric shock had stopped. I hung my head and panted. My heart beat hard and fast in my chest. "Explain yourself."

"Was that even necessary?!" I shouted. "Do you seriously have to-gah!" He turned the switch again, shocking me worse than before. "Motherfu-knock that off, you power tripping sadist!"

Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. After a few seconds, Cyrus turned it back off.

"Are you trying to protest, somehow, by not eating?" Cyrus asked simply.

I knew better than to bite back this time. "I wasn't hungry."

"You are lying."

"You don't know that."

Cyrus almost said something else, before the announcement from the last chapter played on the intercom. My spirits soared.

"Riley!" I didn't mean to say his name aloud. It just happened.

Cyrus raised his eyebrows in astonishment. Then, that astonishment turned to anger. "That boy that was with Amber!"

In a huff, Cyrus left me alone in the cell and closed the door behind him. He had much bigger fish to fry than an insubordinate experiment.

Outside, I could both sense and hear the panic. The kid was rampaging through on...on something, anyway. Practically destroying the building. That didn't sound like Riley's style, but it most definitely was him.

Somebody locked the door of the room. I start praying to whatever deity Pokemon are supposed to believe in.

Please let Riley make it to me...he can do it...I know he can...bring me home to Amber...please, dear God, I beg of you, bring me home...

Something huge and metallic crashed through and destroyed the door. I curled in on myself and screamed.

I opened my eyes, and for the first time in months, I was happy with what I saw. Riley had ridden his evolved Aron, straddling it with his body pressed against his ridged back to keep from being thrown off. Lairon grinned and reared up when Riley got off, howling happily.

"Ri-Riley!" I gasped. "Oh my God, you heard me?!"

"Hell yeah, I heard you. I can't believe it..." Riley came over to me, and began unhooking me from all the machines that had kept track of my vital signs. He gently pulled electrodes off of my aura sensors, electrodes I hadn't known were even there...

"Did you see...do you know where-?"

"I found him on my way up here. He's safe in his pokeball." Riley sounded so relieved. He grabbed my paw and the glove covering it, until the chain restricting me was pulled taut. "Lairon! Eat this."

I shook my head. "They're electrified! Lairon'll be sho-!"

"Steel is strong against electricity. He'll be fine." As Lairon lumbered over, Riley put his other hand between my ears snd rubbed my fur with a relieved smile. "You will, too. I promise."

Lairon munched on the iron chain, breaking it down the middle, then ate the half connected to my paw. He was specially careful around my wrist, making sure not to eat my paw as well. When the chain was gone, Riley pulled the glove off of my paw.

"One down." He threw the glove almost out the hole where the door was. "Hang on, Astro..."

Cyrus appeared in the doorhole, red-faced, flustered, and furious, a large, horned, black and red dog pokemon at his heels. Riley had his back to them.

"Houndoom, use Will-o-Wisp! Do not let that boy escape alive!"