Rising Hero

And I'm back! and when did post the first chapter of this story? Hopefully this wasn't too long a wait. I also want to note Behind Sapphire Eyes's review-thanks for that review, by the way ;) (I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything.) In the original version of this story, Paul had a small part. But now I'm thinking that Paul should have a bigger part. *Spoiler alert* In the original version, Brock was one of the three, but now I'm giving that role to Paul. Sorry about the spoiler.

And now on different note. Warning: Some of my chapters will be filler. But stories have that, right? And yes, this chapter is a filler chapter. I'd like to apologize for that, but even if it is filler, it sets up my upcoming plot-which I won't spoil.

Enough of my babbling; you probably want to read the chapter. I don't blame you; I want you read it, too.

And now, on with the chapter!

Chapter Two: Unexpected

After his battle, Ash decided that he and his Pokemon needed to rest. He tiredly walked down the winding road to the Pokemon Center. As he walked by, many people complimented on his battling skills, and just to say 'hi'. Dawn was walking beside him, trying to make small talk with Ash. And Ash never noticed her nervousness.

Dawn was also thinking about her future. 'What am I going to do now? The league is over. And that means Ash will be leaving soon. I still want to travel with him. I'll ask him later.'

Ash looked at his friend worriedly. "Are you alright, Dawn?"

Ash's question startled Dawn. "Huh? Oh. No need to worry, right?"

"That's when I worry the most . . ."

The stars were out. They were twinkling in the sky, winking down to the world below. There were houses and stores on either side of the two friends, lighting up the road.

"Hey Ash," Dawn said.

"Yeah, Dawn?"

"Do you think you could help me train with my combinations for a bit?"

Ash yawned. He knew he was tired. She knew it, too. And Dawn was expecting him to say 'no'. But as they say, Expect the unexpected. And that's what Ash did—the unexpected.

"Yeah sure, Dawn," Ash said sleepily.

Dawn's face lit up. "Really? Are—are you sure, though? You seem sleepy. And that battle with Paul had really drained you."

Ash yawned once more. But despite that, he smiled. "I'm positive, Dawn. What are friends for, right?"

"Alright!" Dawn exclaimed. She noticed Ash's fatigue, so she added, "Even a few minutes is fine. I want you to have a good night's sleep." 'And to spend as much time with you.'

Ash nodded, a little relieved.

"Buneary, come on out!"

The next day, as soon as he stepped through the doors of the Pokemon Center, he was crowded by anxious fans hoping for autographs. Most of them being girls screaming and were throwing themselves at him. But of course, with Ash being Ash, he hadn't one clue as to what the girls had wanted.

There were a fair amount of boys, too, who wanted tips and his autograph. At least even he knew that much, seeing as there were notepads and pens in the hands of the eager fans.

". . . And there you go," Ash said as he signed his last autograph. "Wow, I didn't think I was that popular. And why were there so many girls?"

He shrugged it off as the last of the fans scampered off to tell their friends of their encounter with the winner of the league. He needed to get to the arena where they were going to announce the winner, and to start the closing ceremonies. And Ash was needed to be there. He was the winner after all.

He started forward. He only had a chance to take one step before another crowd surrounded him. This time, however, they were reporters and journalists. There were even a couple of cameramen. They were bombarding Ash with multiple questions at once, and it was overwhelming him.

And just when he thought the mob was going to suffocate him, the champion came to the rescue.

"That would be enough!" Cynthia yelled. "There will be plenty of time for questions in the arena."

The crowd didn't look too happy, but they obliged. And soon what was left was a disoriented Ash.

"Thanks Cynthia," Ash said. "You really saved me back there."

The champion smiled. "No worries, Ash. I remembered when I won the league. I went through the same thing. And I thought that you could use a break."

It was a sunny day. Not one cloud was in the sky. A warm breeze blew from the distance. Bird Pokemon happily sang as they soared. Everything was peaceful. Not one sense that anything was wrong.

Ash just noticed that Dawn wasn't anywhere in his sight. He assumed that she was outside the center. He asked, "Hey Cynthia, do you know where Dawn is?"

"She's at the arena," Cynthia replied. "And don't think I didn't see that, um . . . scene you and Dawn had put on yesterday."

Cynthia smirked as Ash blushed. Then she innocently asked her next question: "You don't like her, do you?"

"W-what?" Ash stammered. "M-me like D-dawn? We're just friends!"

The champion simply smiled. Denial—one of the first signs. Almost always a sure sign. "Whatever you say Ash."

Silence. Ash's face was still red.

Cynthia broke the silence by saying, "We should be heading to the arena ourselves. You wouldn't want to be late for your achievement ceremony."

"Right!"

And with that they were off. It was little walk from the Pokemon Center to the main stadium. Ash took this as an opportunity to ask a few questions.

"Hey Cynthia, when did you become the champion?" Ash asked.

Cynthia pondered this question before giving her answer: "That seemed like long ago, although I could remember that rigorous battle like it was yesterday. My friends and family always said I would be great. They said I would become champion. And they were right." Cynthia looked up at the sky, then continued, "But I guess that that's all I'll ever be. During my travels, people had said I was destined to be the champion."

Cynthia smiled, recollecting her memories. Then she said, "People live because they have a purpose. I live my purpose as being champ. And like I said before, that's all I'll ever be. I have a feeling you'll be destined for something else—something even greater."

The answer was . . . longer than Ash had originally anticipated. And some things that Cynthia had mentioned were unexpected. It did, however, got Ash to think. 'Destined?' Ash thought. 'Destined for what?'

Ash then proceeded to ask Cynthia more questions—like which Pokemon she used against the former champion and which Pokemon she used now. All that she said was that if Ash were to enter in the Champion League, he'd find out.

By the time Ash asked his third question, he and Cynthia had reached the stadium. They walked in and entered a corridor. As they exited through the other side, the door opened up to a large field.

To Ash, it seemed bigger than before. It looked the same as yesterday, when Ash had battled Paul. But something was different. In the middle of the field stood a winner's podium. And standing next to it was Dawn.

Dawn was glad to see Ash. She was almost tempted to hug him again. However, she remembered of yesterday's events and decided she did not want a repeat.

As Ash was walking to the middle, cheers and screams could be heard all around the stadium. If it could, the cheers were louder than yesterday's.

Ash was a little hesitant in stepping onto the podium. It was a lot to take in: large crowds cheering your name; everyone staring at you, hoping to watch something spectacular; you being the winner of a large tournament. What gave him the courage to continue was Dawn's smile . . . and the fact that she and Cynthia were dragging him to the center.

"And now," the champion began, "we will begin our closing ceremonies! And we will start with the achievement ceremony!"

The crowd exploded into more cheers. "Ash! Ash! Ash!" they were chanting. Ash himself was stunned. He had never had this much attention before. The roaring cheers grew louder by the minute.

Cynthia proceeded in giving the Winners' Trophy to Ash. The crowd died down a bit, but when Ash received his trophy, the cheers started up again. This time even louder—if that were possible.

Just then, the journalists from earlier walked in and started with the questions: "How does it feel to be the winner of the Sinnoh League?" "What are you going to do now?" "Are you going to enter the Champion League and try to become the new champion?" "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Ash being shocked was an understatement. He was completely overwhelmed. Ash didn't know where that last question came from. Not to mention unexpected. Why would ash want to go out with someone he didn't even know? But that didn't stop Dawn from getting jealous. And Ash was completely oblivous to Dawn's reaction.

A photographer then stepped in. He stepped to the front of the group and raised his hand. It made everyone silent. He then began snapping away with his camera.

Ash, again, was shocked. He just wasn't used to all this publicity. He tried to talk—say that he didn't want his picture taken—but no words seemed to want to come out.

The photographer made a devilish grin. He was there when Ash had won the tournament against Paul. And he remembered what had happened afterwards.

"Excuse me Mr. Ketchum," the photographer said. "How 'bout I take a picture next to your girlfriend?"

He knew as well as Ash that Dawn wasn't his girlfriend. He needed something to catch the readers' attention when reading the newspaper he worked at. And this stunt was perfect.

"G—girlfriend?" Ash was petrified. "D—Dawn?" But she's not—! We're not—!"

Dawn seemed just as immobile, murmuring similar things. "B—boyfriend? H-he's not—! There must be a—a mistake!"

The 'couple' was trying to protest, but the photographer simply didn't take 'no' for an answer. He led himself to the podium and took the frozen Ash and Dawn and pushed them closer together. Thy didn't really register anything that was going on because so many things were reeling in their minds.

The photographer gripped Ash's arm and wrapped it around Dawn's waste. Their faces were completely priceless. And not to mention redder than a ripe tomato. The photographer angled his camera, adjusting it accordingly. "Perfect," he said. He took the picture.

The crowd was cooing and making "awwwwwwww" sounds. One yelled, "Congratulations!" but Cynthia felt as though the fan wasn't talking about winning the league. She, as well as the fan, smirked.

Without further embarrassing themselves, Cynthia intervened. "I believe that is enough."

She somehow managed to get all the reporters out of the arena. It might have had something to do with her Garchomp. I guess that's why Cynthia took out her Poke Ball and returned the land shark Pokemon.

"We will now continue the rest of the ceremonies!" boomed Cynthia.

"Hey Ash," Dawn said. "What are you going to do now?"

Ash needed a break from the hoarding fans and the persistent journalists. So right after the league was officially over, Ash walked out of the stadium; he seemed surprised because no one was following him. But Dawn did.

They were on top of a hill near the main stadium. Ash was thinking of what to say, of what his reply was going to be.

But that wasn't all he was thinking about. He was think about Brock, who had left right at the start of the league. He needed to go back to Pewter City for family reasons, and to assume the gym leader position once more. His father needed a break; his mom had to take care of the rest of Brock's siblings; and Forrest—one of Brock's brother's—wasn't old enough for the gym leading role yet. That had left Brock with with one choice: to go back to Kanto. "I'll be back," he had promised. "Hopefully soon, too. Best of luck to both of you. Ash, with your league. And Dawn with, you know." He smirked, shook hands, and embarked.

Ash was thinking of something else as well. He kept replaying what had happened yesterday in his mind over and over. Ash though, 'Why would Dawn do that?' Not that he minded . . .

"Hello, earth to Ash!" Dawn said as she was waving her hands frantically in front of Ash's face.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Dawn. I guess that I have a lot on my mind right now. What was your question again?"

"I said," Dawn started, "what are you going to do now?"

"I'll just head home," Ash replied. "If you want, you could—"

"Can I come with you?" Dawn asked abruptly, interrupting Ash. A tint of pink could be seen on Dawn's cheeks. She hoped that Ash didn't notice. She chose her next words carefully: "Y—you know, so I could see the Kanto Region . . ."

"Sure, Dawn," Ash said with a smile. "I was just about to ask you that."

Dawn felt her face heating up. "Oh."

Ash then stood up. She offered a hand for Dawn.

"When are we leaving?" Dawn asked.

"First thing in the morning."

"Lugia, where are you going?" Slowking asked no one in particular.

Slowking saw the water's great guardian arise from the depths of ocean. He saw the legendary Pokemon, Lugia then fly off in the distance. Lugia's destination, however, was unknown to the Water/Psychic Type. The only one—or Pokemon—that knew where Lugia was going, was Lugia.

Slowking dreadfully looked back at the stone tablet. "If my guess is correct about what the prophecy means, the Chosen One will need all the help he can get. If something powerful like Lugia were to rise, our world must be in more danger than I fear. O Chosen One, please show yourself soon, and help us."

Slowking read through the prophecy once more. And more specifically, the fourth line. ". . . and the world shall turn to ash. I wonder . . ."

Even if it was somewhat of a filler, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope that you guys liked the PearlShipping moments I added in there. And no need to worry! More moments will come during the course of the story. I'm sorry that Brock won't be in this story as a main character, but I might make him have a cameo. Remember the end of the first chapter? Remember the legendary I mentioned? I thought the hints were obvious enough: The Orange Islands; the second Pokemon movie; a Pokemon that stays underwater rather than above the surface. Well, I thought it was obvious. And where is Lugia headed? And I'd like to tell you this: prophecies often have double meanings. And what are those meanings? Only way to find out the answers is to stay tuned!

And please review. I can't stress this enough. I want to know the mistakes I made, all the improvements I can make so I can make an even better chapter 3 and onwards. Constructive criticism is encouraged; flames and negative comments, however, will be respected. Not that I'm asking for flames or anything-I'm not! Just explain what you don't like, and I'll happily try to fix it.

And just a heads up: Valentine's Day is coming up! And how does that involve me, you may ask? This coming Monday-Valentine's Day-I happen to have no school. And to celebrate this, and the day itself, I'll be making a fluffy and cute (I hope!) one-shot. So, look out for it! And you can bet that it's PearlShipping!

Sincerely,

~Lux