Rising Hero
Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry, I've been busy. That's all I'm going to say, 'cause I just want you guys to read this new chapter.
Thanks for the reviews, guys!
Chino23: Just assume they at breakfast, okay? I loved your review. It cracked me up!
I've noticed Pikachu and Piplup weren't mentioned in the last chapter (Maybe even the chapter before that) and I'm sorry for that. I made sure the two starters are in this chapter.
And now, on with the chapter!
Chapter Five: Destiny
"Dad!"
This startled both Dawn and Lugia. Sweat rolled down Ash's face. His breathing uneven, his heart pounding.
"Ash, what's the matter?" Dawn asked.
Ash was too petrified to answer. What he just witnessed . . . That dream . . . it felt so real. "D-dad!"
Dawn was worried. "Ash, what about your dad?"
"It—it's nothing." Ash didn't want to tell her what he had dreamed about. It might scare her, too. "No need to worry. It was just a dream." 'I hope.'
"Ash, I know that whenever we say that, there is a need to worry," Dawn said. "Please tell me."
They were almost at their destination, but they were still in open waters. Lugia knew they were close. He started seeing the dark clouds still swirling. The light started dimming. Fortunately, Lugia knew where they needed to go.
His breathing was more even now, but that didn't mean he was any less frightened. He never, ever dreamt about his dad, much less one that marked his death. Something was amiss. But he knew he couldn't keep anything from Dawn. He said, "I . . . I'll tell you once we land."
Thunder boomed. It frightened Dawn so much that she yelped and grabbed onto Ash—tight. She felt safe when she was with Ash. She didn't know why, but that's the way she felt. It's not like she planned on holding onto Ash; it just happened. Ash, of course, was surprised by the sudden event, but he didn't say he didn't like it. And neither did Dawn.
Lugia said telepathically, We should be at our destination within the next thirty minutes. And because of the unpredictable weather patterns that are happening, I suggest you hold on tight.
The self-proclaimed lord stood up from his throne. He looked at one of the many statues of Arceus once more. "I'll have my prize in no time."
He started to walk to the end of the room. As he walked, he took some time looking at the architecture of the room: the beautiful columns; the statues of Arceus, each crafted by hand, and all in detail. He was more focused an elaborate painting that was hung at the halfway point of the room.
This painting was painted by a prophet. This prophet was none other than Ash's ancestor, but the lord did not know of it. He just knew that it was connected with his fate.
The painting was divided into for sections—each one depicting a different event. One the top left—the first section—depicted an unknown figure in Mt. Coronet standing before one of the most powerful Pokemon in all of the Sinnoh Region—and possibly the world. The figure was holding what appears to be a Poke Ball, but the colour scheme was different. A Dark Ball. The figure was staring at Arceus, hoping to catch it.
The second section on the top right depicted three figures with an unknown item. Even the lord didn't know what it was. But what he did know was the item was some sort of instrument. A piccolo? No. A flute maybe?
The third section was on the bottom left—the section below the first one. This was a little more . . . scary. Dark clouds hovered overhead, an ominous aura looming. Thunder could be heard and rain was falling hard. Four figures stood this time, each with determined faces. Three of the figures stood side by side facing the fourth. Three Pokemon stood behind the group of three. The lord couldn't identify who those people were, but he could tell what the Pokemon were with them. A Piplup, a Pikachu, and an Electivire. There were two boys and a girl. He wondered who the trainers were.
His eyes drifted to the last section of the painting on the bottom right. A smirk crept on his face. This was his favourite part of the painting. Two figures were on their knees. The third of the group wasn't there. It was as if he vanished. The fourth figure was towering over the group of two—a boy and a girl—and he appeared to be laughing.
"It has started," he said. He turned his attention away from the painting. He forged ahead, walking to the end of the room.
The dark clouds were still looming. Ash and Dawn were still on Lugia's back, flying through the black sky. We should be there any minute, Lugia said.
Ash and Dawn were talking throughout the rest of the flight. But Ash was evasive. Whenever Dawn mentioned anything related to his father, he'd just say something about battling. And Dawn was interested in what he dreamt earlier in the flight. She didn't want to pressure Ash into telling her, but she was curious. But Ash said he'd tell her later.
There it is, Lugia said. We're here.
Once they landed, Ash started soaking in his surroundings. He remembered his adventures in the Orange Islands. He got off of Lugia first.
He looked at his surroundings more carefully. He noticed everything seemed familiar. He saw three islands not too far from were he was standing. To the right he saw a little shrine where three orbs were in. He then saw a Slowking on top of a cliff, just ahead of him. He replayed the events that had happened during his Orange Islands journey.
"Disturb not the harmony of fire, ice, or lighting, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash," Ash started. He didn't know where it was coming from.
Dawn got off of Lugia. "Huh?" she questioned. "Ash, what are you saying?"
Ash continued, "Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fall, and thus the earth shall turn to ash."
"Uh, Ash?" Dawn was kind of freaked out. "Where are you getting these words from?"
Lugia just stared at him. Pikachu and Piplup looked at him with confused looks.
"Pika?"
"Pip?"
"O Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea."
"What was that about Ash?" Dawn asked. "What were you saying?"
"I—I honestly don't know Dawn," Ash answered. "It's just I've been here before, and . . ."
He didn't finish his sentence. Then the memories flooded into his head. The three legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and they were in the skies fighting. An airship. Lawrence III. Three orbs—the treasures of the islands. The Chosen One. A talking Slowking. The quelling of the birds. Lugia's song.
Lugia stepped in. What Ash just recited, Dawn, was the last prophecy of Shamouti Island. He was the Chosen One. He had helped with the quelling of the titans. There's a new prophecy, and I wanted Ash to help me, and the world, once more.
Ash nodded. "Lugia's right. I was the Chosen One. I'm not sure what will be happening this time, but what I do know is that I'll help."
I, myself, have yet to read the new prophecy, Lugia admitted, but I know I need help.
"Well then," Dawn said, "what are we waiting for? I wanna know this so-called prophecy."
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.
"Piplup!" the blue penguin added.
They trekked up the hill where a Slowking was looking grimly at the stone tablet. He heard footsteps and turned around. He greeted, "Hello again, Ash."
Ash realized that this was the very Slowking he had met before. "Hello Slowking. I'd like to introduce you to Dawn."
"Hello Dawn," Slowking said. He bowed. "It is a pleasure."
"Likewise," Dawn answered. "And I'd like you to meet my partner Piplup."
"Piplup!" Piplup said. He waddled over to Slowking. He extended his wing for handshake. Or maybe it was a wing-shake. Slowking shook hands (?) and said, "A Piplup. We don't see a Pokemon like you."
Dawn suddenly realized he was talking. "How are you talking?"
Slowking just laughed. "You'd be surprised by how many people asked that. And to be honest, I really don't know how I was talking."
"Oh," Dawn said.
Slowking looked behind the two trainers and Lugia. "So that's where you went, Lugia."
Lugia nodded. I needed help. I know of a danger that's going to threaten the world.
Slowking just had a solemn expression. "Ever since the storm clouds appeared, I knew something was coming. And I knew it wasn't going to be good."
"So," Ash said, "where is this new prophecy. Lugia just told us a new prophecy had just been predicted."
Slowking nodded. "It's right behind me."
Ash, Dawn, Pikachu, Piplup, and Lugia stepped forward and started reading.
" . . . Divided, and they will fail," Ash ended. He turned to rest of the group. He saw the faces. Fear was evident. "I know this won't be easy, especially the part when it said the world shall turn to ash. But I know we can overcome this."
Ash looked back at the stone. The first line just stopped glowing. He said, "Hey guys, look at this. The first line's not glowing anymore. Is it supposed to be that way?"
"I'm not sure," Slowking answered. "It was glowing when you guys arrived. I'm not sure what it could mean."
Dawn was quiet. The world shall turn to ash. That part kept returning in her head. She wasn't sure about all this and what it could mean. But she said she'd help Ash, and she wasn't the kind of person to break her promises. She looked at Ash, and she just couldn't hold in any longer.
"What was your dream about, Ash?" Dawn asked. "You said you were going to tell me."
"Right," Ash said. "Lugia, Slowking, you guys might want to listen. In my dream I was 5 years-old again . . ."
"I . . . I'm so sorry Ash," Dawn said. "I—I didn't know."
"Well, I had to tell someone," Ash said honestly. He smiled. "I needed to tell someone."
Dawn smiled back.
Then Slowking said, "What I want to is why you dreamt that."
Ash nodded. "I was wondering that, too. I would never dream about my dad. Especially the day where I last saw him. That was a nebulous dream. What could it mean?"
I'm not too sure, Lugia said. But I fear it is connected to this new prophecy.
"I was thinking the same thing," Slowking agreed. "You said you would never dream about your dad. What I'm thinking is that it seems peculiar. I have a feeling your dream is more than just a dream."
"Maybe," Ash murmured.
"And there one other thing I was wondering about," Dawn said. "What did your dad mean when he said, 'Keep the light shining through'?"
"We're going to find out," Ash answered.
The lord stepped out into a huge room—a hanger. There was one thing in the hanger: an airship much bigger than Hunter J's. He looked at the airship in front of him.
"Is everything ready?" he asked.
A group—his crew, probably—saluted as he walked to them. "Yes sir!" one answered.
"Perfect," the lord. "Open the hanger doors."
He entered his ship and headed for the control room of the ship. He watched as his crew entered and took their places on their seats. He smirked.
The crew started the ship. The engines roared to life and the ship hovered. The ship moved forward and into the open skies.
"Set course for the Sinnoh Region."
The group was still talking about the prophecy and what it could mean.
"So you think I'm the Chosen One?" Ash asked.
Lugia nodded. You were the Chosen One before. I'm assuming you're the Chosen One now. And there is no other trainer I trust besides Ash. And I noticed something familiar about this prophecy and the one before it.
"What?" the group said.
Lugia continued, Look at the fourth line. It says 'the world shall turn to ash'. Wasn't this line in the first prophecy?
Slowking widened his eyes at the sudden realization. "That's right."
Dawn was confused. "When did the last prophecy take place?"
"Four years ago," Ash answered. "When I was eleven years-old."
"Four years ago?" Dawn questioned. "But the world didn't turn to ash. If it did, then we wouldn't be here standing, right?"
Prophecies often have double meanings, Lugia said. And the world did turn to Ash.
"I still don't get it," Dawn said truthfully.
"I was part of the first prophecy, and I didn't know what it means," Ash said. "I didn't get it then, and I don't get it now."
Lugia and Slowking exchanged glances. Both had sighed. Then Slowking spoke up. "What it means is—"
He was interrupted by what appears to be an earthquake. The ground was shaking and Dawn was losing her balance. Ash noticed this and grabbed onto her.
Not far from where the group stood was an airship. It looked similar to the one Hunter J had, and it was much bigger. The ship flew to the east—to the Sinnoh Region.
"What is that?" Ash yelled. The engines made so much noise that they had to yell just to be heard.
"I'm not sure, Ash!" Dawn replied. "It looks like a giant ship!"
The ship flew off into the distance, and it was quiet once more.
"Where is it going?" Ash asked. "It just flew off to the east."
Is there anything to the east? Lugia asked.
Dawn paled. "S-Sinnoh. My home region."
And there you have it: chapter 5 of Rising Hero.
And as always, tell me what you think. Anything you like? Anything you hate, that I could fix for next chapter? The mistakes I may have made?
Please review!
If you have any ideas, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'm always looking forward to new ideas!
Is the plot still mysterious? I would hope so. If you want to find out what happens next, stay tuned!
Sincerely,
~Lux