"How is he?" Sir Aaron asked.

His nephew laid stretched out on the RV's bed, eyes closed and unaware of the surrounding world. The wounds that marked the younger man skin weren't severe, but they were extensive. Bruises that ranged from fresh violet to molding green. Exhaustion colored the flesh underneath his eyes. Small slices of red cut into soft pale tissue in a random pattern. The knight wasn't surprised that Riley blacked out the moment they were out of danger.

"Could be better," Amanda murmured from where she sat patching the worst of the cuts with a form of sticky modern wrappings.

Sir Aaron reached out his hand and griped his nephew's bruised knuckles. The Knight's eyes narrowed at the cuffs still on Riley's wrist. The metal was old, but clearly still in working condition. The younger man's soul flickered where it should have flared, shackles cutting his aura off from the rest. Weakening it. Those shackles were forged to keep people safe, however now they only appeared to be torture devices. He gently gripped the edges of the cuff around his nephew's left wrist with his fingertips. Tongue tip peeking through his lips, the knight set a strong but thin string of aura between his fingers. A harsh shriek echoed from the cuff before the metal warped and snapped, widening the ring enough to slip it off Riley's hand.

"Okay that's cool," Amanda said, as Sir Aaron repeated the action with the second cuff.

"He'll heal with these off of him," Sir Aaron said, already noticing some of the stress lines on Riley's face loosening.

"What were they even doing to him?" Amanda said, examining the runes carved into the broken metal.

"Draining him, cutting his soul off from the rest of the world."

"So bad things?"

"He'll recover."

"Good. Cause it's my head if he dies," She closed up her healer kit and stalked out of the bedroom.

Sir Aaron followed her shutting off the light as he went. Running a hand through his recently washed hair, he looked at Amanda checking over Riley's Lucario. The aura Pokémon curled up on the sofa with Umbreon. His wounds were also wrapped. A blue tail started to thump against the cushions with excitement, and a smile in the black snout.

"How are you doing buddy?" Amanda said, sitting on the couch's edge with a look of genuine joy.

Riley's Lucario yipped, leaping towards Amanda with lazily outstretched arms. He latched onto her middle, nuzzling her with his head. Amanda huffed, reaching out to scratch the fur between the aura Pokémon's long ears and dreadlocks.

"I missed you too," Amanda said.

Sir Aaron smiled at the scene before exiting the RV to meet with the lads. Goh was tapping on his phone, while Ash laid on the ground, splayed out like a staryu, seemingly half asleep. Pikachu, Pichu and Riolu were all running around entertaining themselves. Lucario standing as a watchman a little bit away from the group.

"Is Riley, okay?" Ash asked, not picking up more than his head.

"He'll recover," Sir Aaron said.

"So, he's going better than us," Goh grumbled.

"Goh?" Ash asked picking up on his friend's unpleased tone.

"Professor Cerise said there was a break in at the lab last night. Someone tried to get into the files, and security footage," Goh said, pressing a palm into his face.

"Did they get anything?" Amanda asked, finally joining them, shutting the RV door behind her.

"No, but they got close, and messed up the system pretty bad, Ren's pissed," Goh said.

"Well, makes sense Rocket would retaliate," Amanda sighed, "We just hit them pretty hard, by taking their only aura user in custody back."

"We can't go back to the lab, can we?" Ash said.

"Hell no. That's like walking into a trap," Amanda said, "Trust someone who had to vanish off the grid not even a few months ago. They're going to be tracking you down by looking at every bit of information about you they can get. We need to sever all ties with the lab and Vermillion city, at least for now."

"Can we even do that?" Goh asked, "Professor Cerise has been funding this whole operation from the start. How will we travel? Or get supplies."

"Don't you two get paycheck for your research-fellowships?" Amanda said.

"Yes, but it's not enough for this," Goh said, "Why don't you call your mom? She could help."

"She can't."

"Why not?" Ash said.

"She just can't okay!" Amanda snapped.

"Alright," Sir Aaron stepped in, "We can argue about this subject later, for now we need a place to rest for the night."

A quick quiet fell beyond the crowd, as they considered the few options they had.

"Amanda how far can you drive us?" Ash asked.

Amanda shrugged unsure, "I got half a tank left, maybe 250 miles?"

"Think that could get us to Pallet town?"

Riley was expecting to wake up with a splitting headache.

Seriously, living like a strung up magikarp was not an easy lifestyle. Especially, with the creepy guy who kept screaming at him about keys. They had his coat! They had his cabin keys already! He tried to tell them that, but it didn't end well for him.

So, when he woke up with only a mild pain behind his eyes, and something soft underneath him, it was rather surprising. His eyes pinched against the lights as they fluttered open. Lights? Where did the lights come from? His cell was completely pitch black at best. Eventually haze faded and his vision cleared. To his shock, Riley was currently laid out on a couch in what looked like a family's house's living room. Okay, what did he miss?

Looking around confusedly, he shifted his hands, pressing against the plush cushions to sit up…and oh his shoulders did not like that one bit. Soreness erupted from the joints, in a burning dance. Riley hissed through his teeth at the feeling but pushed through in it, shifting himself backwards to lean against the couch arm. Whoever found him took great care in his recovery. His clothes had been swapped for a clean soft grey T-shirt and black sweatpants. Along with setting him up on a makeshift bed, they had cleaned and patched up the worst of the cuts. Perhaps he should be more concerned about being kidnapped for a second time, but this was already much better treatment then the last time, so he wasn't too concerned.

Something soft and fluffy stirred at his feet. Riley looked down and sighed in relief. Lucario was curled up into a ball at his feet. His tail twitched as the Pokémon dozed. Lagoon blue eyes drifted to the floor next to the couch with a puzzled expression. An umbreon laid there on the plain rug. Their red eyes looked right at Riley with a calm expression. At first, he believed this was simply the homeowners' Pokemon, but those eyes. There was something familiar in those eyes. If they were brown rather then red…

"Veevee?" Riley murmured in surprise.

His pondering was proven right. The umbreon's ears perked up and her tail gave a small, pleased flick. Black slim legs propped the dark type, and she gently pranced over to where he laid. A cold nose nudged at his hand and Riley couldn't resist reaching out and petting the ebony head.

"You grew up," Riley murmured, earning a pleased squeak from Umbreon.

"She's not the only one," A vaguely familiar voice spoke from far away.

Riley nearly jumped at the voice. His lagoon blue eyes darted over to the attached kitchen nook, and his breath stilled when he saw just who was sitting at the breakfast table.

She really changed. The image of his sister, a little girl with wild hair and bright grey eyes, was slowly erased as he took in the vision of her grown-up. Her hair was cut shorter than he remembered and had cyan dyed streaks running through it. The wild nature of it was on full display, rather than the pigtails mother used to dress her in. The dirty jean overalls and dresses were traded out for black jean pants, ebony leather jacket and navy colored shirt. Along with a set of blue metal rimmed glasses, and a face full of makeup.

Never in Riley's life did he think his sister would embrace the goth esthetic, but he wasn't going to stop her from expressing herself. She really did grow up to be beautiful.

"Mandy," Riley breathed, a jolt of excitement in his heart.

"Riley," She returned bluntly.

"I-I…it's been so long…"

"Yeah, thirteen years is a long time," Amanda said, before taking a sip from the mug on the table in front of her, "Don't worry you're still taller than me if you and uncle look identical down to the genome."

Riley's brows furrowed at that. Uncle? Both of his parents were only children.

A chuckling came from the nearby staircase, drawing attention towards it, "I believe she's referring to me."

If Riley's eyes blew any wider, they would pop out of his head. Descending the stairs was a face he had only seen in two places. The mirror and really old paintings. Now this couldn't be his reflection since that was impossible. However, the only other option…

"The idiots still asleep?" Mandy asked, before noticing a small yellow mouse trying to crawl into her mug, "Hey, get out of there coffee is not for you," She scuffed the disgruntled Pichu and snatched her mug away.

"Only Goh is, Ash is getting dressed, and Madam Delia will join us soon, and how the jest of insulting them is amusing still escapes me."

There was only one explanation for this.

"I'm still drugged, aren't I?" Riley groaned rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hands.

"They drugged you?" Mandy asked.

Riley opened his mouth but didn't get to answer, as suddenly he was shoved over with and excited hug by a teenager who bolted down the stairs faster than anyone could react.

"You're OKAY!" Ash screamed with joy.

"Pi pika chu!"

Riley huffed a pained laugh, "Hello Ash…You've gotten bigger."

"Finally got my growth spurt," Ash smiled, "Are you okay?"

"Little sore," Riley winced, and Ash backed off…thought there was little relief as all the shouting woke up Lucario and suddenly Riley's lap was filled with a very happy bipedal puppy dog who was too old these shenanigans.

Ash ran off to the kitchen, leaving Riley with a deadman.

"Are you well?"

His tongue was suddenly stuck to the roof of his mouth. Just don't say anything stupid Riley.

"Aren't you dead?" Riley squeaked, and his inner voice slapped their own face.

Mandy snorted, "His death was greatly exaggerated," she said flatly.

"That's one way to put it," Ash laughed.

Sir Aaron chuckled, "Yes, I am alive. For that you can blame Mew and many magical rocks. I didn't think you would recognize me."

Riley shrugged, "Well, I've been studying you for several years. After all you were the only genetic link that mom could find when my abilities popped up."

Sir Aaron smiled, "Well, I look forward to getting to know my nephew when this is all over then."

Nephew? Oh fuck they were family!

Mandy cleared her throat, "While that was so sweet it made me want to throw up, can we back track? They drugged you?"

Well, that warm feeling fizzled died quickly at the withering glare his sister sent him. When did she learn to do that?

Riley bit his lip, "I thought they did. A lot of weird things happened."

Mandy hummed but didn't look convinced.

"You don't believe me?" Riley raised a confused brow.

"I don't believe a lot of the things you say," Mandy grumbled, "We need to talk about our next move, while we got Riley out of Rocket's clutches, we still have done anything to stop them from…oh I don't know something big bad and dangerous."

"Amanda is right," Sir Aaron spoke, "While Team Rocket's goal appears to be complete the ritual for Arceus, we still know nothing about Anwir's involvement in all of this."

"Anwir?" Riley spoke up.

"Creepy other uncle," Ash said, as the toaster popped up a warm Pop-tart, "He wants us all dead," the teen said with a full mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Sir Aaron chided lightly heading towards the kitchen.

"Tea is in the microwave uncle," Mandy said no looking up from her phone.

A look of slight surprise came over Sir Aaron's face, but he nodded with a soft smile, "Thank you Amanda."

If Riley were more focused on the scene in front of him, he'd pay more attention to the interactions, but that name was messing with him.

"Anwir doesn't have white hair, does he?" Riley said.

The movement in the kitchen stopped, with the exception of Mandy who didn't react.

"You saw him?" Sir Aaron asked.

"I think he interrogated me. He wanted to know where some kind of key was," Riley said.

"Key? You mean the thing guys at the temple wanted?" Ash said.

"What guys?" Mandy raised a brow.

"Oh, did I not tell you. Goh was freaking out, so I activated a time flower and we watched some dude in a feathered hat, get pissed off about seven keys getting smashed so he cut off one guy's head and impaled another one on to a table," Ash said.

"That calmed Goh down?" Mandy asked.

Ash shook his head, "No, no it didn't."

"Keys?" Sir Aaron's eyes lit up, "That's what Anwir wants."

"What? Oh did you just an eureka moment?" Ash asked.

"I-I believe I don't know that term, but if Anwir is looking for a Key, then he's most likely trying to get into the inner sanctum, back at the Temple," Sir Aaron said.

"That's why he followed us there, he might have thought we could've opened it," Mandy murmured, "So we got a motive."

"What's the inner sanctum?" Riley said feeling very lost.

"It was the inner most chamber of the Aura Guild main settlement. Due to the large amount of Aura that naturally flowed from it, it was believed that Arceus was born there," Sir Aaron put down his tea mug and began to pace, "Anwir must be trying to get into the Sanctum to preform the ritual there."

"Well, he'll need a lot of luck, all seven of the keys were destroyed," Ash said.

Sir Aaron froze in his pacing, "Seven? There's supposed to be eight."

A heavy silence fell upon the room.

"Uh oh," Ash said, swallowing "Where does a magical Key go missing too?"

"Anywhere in the world after centuries," Mandy said.

Riley cleared his dry throat, "I'm still very lost, but what would these Key's look like. Anwir was pretty sure I knew where it was."

Sir Aaron began pacing again, "They were simple charms, merely interprets of Arceus's ring, made of pure gold and embellished with emeralds."

"Simple?" Many raised a brow, "Those sound expensive."

"Pure materials are easier to use as a conduit for aura," Sir Aaron said.

Riley tuned out the conversation for moment. The description of whatever these keys were, while vague. Rang a silver bell in Riley's mind. The memory was old and faded but it was there.

"Mandy, you had one," Riley said, bring the conversation in the room to a standstill.

"What?" His sister said flatly.

"You had one, a gold necklace of Arceus' ring."

Mandy shook her head, with a nervous laugh, "No I don't."

"Yes," Riley nodded, "You did, Grandma gave it to you I remember, said it was supposed to be passed down through the women of the family."

Mandy bit her lip refusing to say more.

"Amanda?" Sir Aaron prodded.

Mandy sighed, "Okay, fine I did. I don't have it anymore though. Mother gave it away a few years ago. Besides we don't even know if that's the charm we're looking for."

"It's too much of coincidence," Riley said, "We need to at least check."

"Amanda, you said your mother gave it away," Sir Aaron said, "To whom?"

Mandy rolled her eyes, "I know to who, but she won't give us the necklace."

"It's a long shot, but one we need to take. Where is this person?" Sir Aaron said.

"Ryme City," Mandy clicked her tongue, "Well, Riri looks like you and Lulu, while have top come home after all, sorry to disappoint."

With that Mandy stood from her chair and stalked out of the room. Riley looked after his sister with confusion. Why did it seem like she was pissed off?

Ash looked at him with a grin that made Riley scared, "Lulu and Riri?"

"Don't ask," Riley groaned, while Lucario wilted in his lap.

A/N:

Okay there might be a few issues with this, My shift is about to start and I didn't have time to properly edit it.

We're going to Ryme city people!