Guess I'm back . . . There really isn't an excuse as to why I haven't been updating other than the fact I was watching anime. I guess I just "had" to finish Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

I decided to rename this story, change my name, and change the summary. But it's still the same story, Rising Hero. The reason being is that I haven't been on in a while and it's time for a change. Think of it as a fresh start! And my name . . . It's now Rising From Ashes because that's what's happening. I've been out of Fanfiction for a while, maybe even without a trace. And it's high time I go back, therefore I'm "Rising from ashes". But no need to worry, it's still me Lux. Think of it as a Pokemon evolving-the form of the Pokemon may have changed, but it's still the same Pokemon, right?

I renamed this the "Chosen One Trilogy" because that is what I originally planned this story to be-a trilogy.

Now, for those who still like this story, here's the next chapter of Rising-er, I mean Chosen One Trilogy: Rising!

Chapter Eight: Precognition

It was noon when she woke up.

Dawn's eyes fluttered opened and immediately felt two strong arms around her waist. She wasn't at all embarrassed by the fact that Ash's arms were around her. Dawn felt a sense of comfort when she was like this. She wouldn't exactly tell Ash straight up that she liked his arms where they were, but she did secretly enjoy it.

However, she knew that she had to get up sooner or later, so it might as well have been then. The only problem was that Ash's arms were firm and strong. With a great amount of effort—from squirming, to trying to overpower his strength, to anything—Dawn managed to break free. She was sometimes glad Ash was a heavy sleeper. She heaved a sigh and reached into her bag to grab a brush.

As with every morning, Dawn always had to deal with a bedhead. And today wasn't an exception. She couldn't expect Piplup to use Bubble Beam on her hair every morning, so she knew she had to do her own hair once in a while. Besides, the little blue penguin Pokemon was happily sleeping, and from past experiences, Dawn knew Piplup wasn't a morning person . . . or Pokemon in this case. And with that happy thought in mind, she started the eternal struggle that was combing her hair.

As Dawn was brushing and combing, she had some time in her hands to think. And of course, one of her topics just "happened" to be Ash (big shocker there). With everything that had happened so far, Dawn couldn't help but feel they were closer than ever. His bravery, his strength, his determination . . . Dawn couldn't help but applaud him for his skills and accomplishments. And because of this, Dawn's mind started to wander to the conversation she had with Lyra.

"Oh, and Dane," Lyra said, hinting for Dawn to inch closer to her. She led her someplace away from Khoury and Ash, but not far away enough to be out of sight from them.

"What is it, Lyra?" Dawn asked.

Lyra looked to her left, then to her right, like she didn't want anyone to listen to what she was about to say. Then she smirked, a wicked gleam in her eyes. Dawn nervously stepped back, scared for what could happen next.

Lyra then winked at Dawn.

"So Dane, what's the deal with you and Ash?"

Dawn still felt nervous. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, but was silently praying to Arceus that they weren't going in the direction Dawn thought they were going. She gulped, but managed, "W—what do you mean, Lyra?"

Lyra sighed. She knew that Dawn knew full well what she was talking about. In some ways, Dawn was just as stubborn as Ash. Another reason why they're perfect for each other, Lyra thought.

"Are you serious, Dane?" Lyra asked. "Just admit it: you like Ash."

Dawn knew it was pointless to argue with something she knew was true, but she said the same thing she said when there were at the Valley Windworks in a futile attempt to sneak her way out of the conversation: "What? No way!"

But the blush said otherwise. Dawn hoped Lyra didn't notice, but she did.

Lyra just sighed. "Oh come on Dane, you and I both know that what you said isn't true."

Dawn conceded. "You're right, Lyra. But what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can just wish on a star or a Jirachi for Ash to like me. I want him to like me for me. And what if I go over there and say that I like him, and he doesn't like me back? It could ruin our friendship!"

"But he does like you," Lyra defended. "I can see it in his eyes. Just trust me on this."

"I—I don't know, Lyra," Dawn said sadly. "From the way I see it, it doesn't look like he's remotely interested in me. He's all about battling and training to be the best. He's told me some of his adventures in the Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn Regions. And during those travels, he was accompanied by girl—Misty in Kanto and Johto and May in Hoenn. Sooner or later, I'll become one of those girls—one that was mentioned in his stories, and we never get to see each other again. I don't think I can handle that, Lyra. I know that we must eventually part ways, but if he says he doesn't like me, it'll get awkward between us and I'd have to stop travelling with him sooner than I would like. I want to spend as much time as I can with him before that happens."

"But if he does like you, and I know he does," Lyra countered, "you could stay with him. And from the brief time we travelled together, I can see Ash as the kind of person to depend on his friends. He values friendship, so I guarantee you he won't ever forget you. And I have a feeling he won't want to forget you."

Dawn supplied a small smile. "I guess you're right, Lyra. No need to worry, right?"

"Now that's the Dane I know," Lyra noted. "And this time there isn't a need to worry. We'd better get back before Khoury and Ash start to worry about us, though"

Dawn sighed. Lyra's right, she thought absentmindedly. Does Ash actually like me? I wish there was some way I could tell that really he does like me . . . And I wish there was some way I can tell him.

Dawn shook her head and decided it wasn't worth worrying about—at least for now. She brought out her hand-held mirror. With a final stroke of her hairbrush, and a quick check in the mirror, Dawn decided she was happy with her hair and put on her white beanie. She noticed she was still in her nightgown so she got her clothes and went into the washroom in which Dawn was grateful for.

When she changed into her usual attire, she walked out of the washroom and looked at the bed to find that Ash was still sleeping. Not wanting to disturb him, Dawn walked out of the room to find some lunch.

Pikachu, with his acute sense of hearing, heard the door open. Piplup also started to stir. The two Pokemon quickly rubbed the sleep in their eyes and decided to follow Dawn. Dawn heard steps and turned around to see the electric and water type behind her. "Hey Piplup and Pikachu, since you're up, wanna go get some lunch?"

Dawn knelt down, picked up Piplup, and Pikachu climbed up onto her shoulder.

Pikachu nodded. "Pika!"

"Pip piplup!" Piplup added.

"Sir, due to the raging snowstorm ahead, we won't be able to reach Snowpoint City in the time we expected," Number 43 said through the video phone. "If we wait the storm out, the best we could reach the city is about another day."

"Very well," Steel said from the other side. "There are mountains up ahead. Use the mountains as cover while we land. There's no point in waiting when we could be doing something. I'll make the rest of the journey on foot."

"Alright, sir," Steel's henchman said.

Steel smiled. "And remember: it's Steel from now on."

And with that Steel turned off the video phone and turned his attention toward the mask inside the glass display case. "Father, you will be avenged."

He got off his chair and headed toward his closet. If he was going to walk the rest of the way, he must be prepared for the cold, harsh weather that was sure to come. Once he opened the closet he reached for his winter coat and boots. He then went over to his desk where three Dark Balls lay. He put them on his belt except for one, which was in his hand. Steel pressed the button located on the centre of the Ball and in a flash of light, out came a black bipedal weasel known as a Sneasel.

Sneasel stretched due to being in the Dark Ball for so long. When it finished, it looked up at its master and knelt. Steel had trained and raised his Pokemon to be obedient—even before being put into a Dark Ball. "Sneasel!" it cried.

"Rise," Steel said calmly. The Sneasel, without hesitation, complied. "Sneasel, you're one of my most trusted Pokemon. You're strong—no doubt about it—but I want you to be stronger. Which is why I brought this." Steel reached for something in his pants pocket. With his hand closed, he took his hand out of his pocket. He knelt down, looked at Sneasel, and opened his palm. What lay before Sneasel was a crude looking circle with part of it curving inward. "Hold it," Steel advised, "and you will become stronger."

Sneasel nodded and took the Razor Claw. When the Razor Claw was safely in its grasp, its whole began shimmering. Just like that and the evolution process has started. Steel was witnessing the entire event as Sneasel began changing its form. When the light died down, what stood before Steel wasn't the Sneasel he remembered, but as the Weavile he knew he would assure victory with.

Steel returned his newly evolved Weavile to its Dark Ball and went about preparing for his trek to Snowpoint City. He grabbed gloves, spare Dark Balls if he planned on catching new Pokemon, and a traveller's backpack. Once he checked to make sure he had everything he needed, he stepped out of his sleeping quarters and started his way toward where the cargo was being held.

Along the way Steel saw two of his henchmen—wearing their signature outfit of all black attire. They saluted then went back to their businesses—of which included checking the engine to make sure it hadn't been frozen over, and needing to go to the little henchman's room, respectively.

He made it to the back in which consisted many wooden crates. "Lower the ramp!" Steel ordered.

Within seconds, a huge ramp slowly came down and landed softly on the snow.

Before his stepped out he gave out one more speech: "You have been my most faithful crew. Remember this day—for it is the beginning of the end. Be grateful for being part of something more—something massive. Something that will change the world. Once I leave the ship, I want you guys to go back to base. By the time I return, I want the preparations for the next phase of the plan completed. And when you have finished, feel free to take some time off. But expect to be working again within the next week."

Steel turned his attention to the relentless blizzard. "I'm one step closer to my ultimate goal."

Ash and Dawn, hands intertwined, were walking down a beach. The sun blazed, intense rays of heat and warm radiating down toward the beach. The sky was streaked with different shades of red and orange as the sun was touching the horizon, signalling that the moon would soon take over and radiate its own light and beauty. The ocean shimmered a brilliant green. A picture-perfect scenario for the young couple.

Ash and Dawn decided to sit down and watch the sun set. Dawn inched a bit closer to Ash and rested her head on his shoulder. Ash, blushing furiously, made his own move: putting an arm around her, feeling her warmth, and not wanting to let her go. They sat there in silence. And fortunately for Ash, it wasn't an awkward one. They just sat there, in peace, without a care in the world now that they have each other.

"Hey, Ash?" Dawn said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad."

Ash blinked, confused—as always. "Glad about what, Dawn?"

"That you're here with me," Dawn replied. "There have been so much things that happened. Things like Team Galactic. And it was great that we saved the world, but I just wish we could relax sometimes, you know?"

"But we do," Ash countered. "When we're travelling, we take breaks from time to time"

Dawn smiled at Ash's denseness. She closed her eyes, savouring every minute that they were together, wishing that it wouldn't have to end. "That's not what I mean, Ash. I mean take the time off, just the two of us."

Just as they were about to lean in—and make it the perfect moment Ash and Dawn have been waiting for—everything changed. From the position they were in, to where they were. No longer was it the picturesque landscape and scenery. Instead of a beach, they were standing in what looked to be a cave. And they weren't sitting anymore, or in the loving embrace they had come to enjoy. Ash was holding hands with Dawn, who was to his right. But his expression he wore . . . it wasn't the loving one he would give Dawn. It was one of determination mixed with anger. And to his left was—Paul? They were side by side, facing an unknown enemy, Pikachu, Piplup, and Electivire in front of them. The laughing stopped, the figure pulled out a Dark Ball, and released the Pokemon inside.

Once the usual flash of light died, the expressions on the heroes' faces were the same—the look of pure shock filled their faces. What stood before them wasn't at all what they expected. They had been expecting Tyranitar or Scizor or Weavile. A quadrupedal Pokemon stood in front of the group and their Pokemon. Worst of all, Ash and Dawn had saved it once before. What stood was none other that the Alpha Pokemon itself—Arceus.

But it wasn't on Ash's side, despite having helped the deity of Pokemon.

"Arceus!" Ash yelled, releasing his grip from Dawn. "Why aren't you on our side? I helped you, remember? I'm Ash Ketchum, and that's Pikachu, my partner. Don't you remember me?"

Arceus, for a split second, hesitated, but then roared at Ash.

The unknown figure laughed once more. "It's no use! Once a Pokemon has been captured by a Dark Ball, its consciousness ceases to exist! It's now under my complete control." The figure's red eyes glowed with hatred. He looked straight at Ash and smiled. "I know how to take you down—by destroying everything you hold dear! Arceus, use Judgement!"

Ash, Dawn, and Paul flinched. They didn't know if their Pokemon were going to make it. They were going against the god of all Pokemon. How could they possibly stop something as powerful as Arceus?

The wheel-like object attached to Arceus's body began to glow and a bright orange orb appeared on top of Arceus's head. Instead of shooting it in the air and then exploding to many rays of destruction, it shot out one concentrated beam of pure energy.

But what shocked Ash more was the fact that it wasn't directed at him. It was directed at . . .

"Dawn!" Ash yelled.

But it was too late. The beam hit Dawn was deadly accuracy. "Dawn!" Ash cried, not believing that it was happening. He ran to her side, not caring about anything—all that mattered was her. Tears of sadness falling from his eyes, but he didn't care. Ash hugged Dawn's dying figure.

"Dawn," Ash said, tears still streaming down his face, "stay with me. You're going to pull through—I just know it! You have to, Dawn, you just have to!"

Paul was there, too, but his eyes focused more on the enemy. He was protecting them from Arceus.

"No, Ash," Dawn said softly, her face also stained with tears. "There's no time. My time's up, but yours isn't. You have to save the world—not just for me, but for the all the people. Fight so they can live on." Dawn coughed. She held out a hand and placed it on Ash's watery cheeks. "Keep—keep smiling, Ash. Let the sun shine again. And know that I—that I lo . . ."

Her hands went slack, and he couldn't feel her pulse anymore. Her body no longer moved.

Fresh tears were rolling down his face, his heart beating just as fast. There was no way this was it for her. There had to be another way! She couldn't just . . . die.

Ash was still gripping onto Dawn's motionless body. He let all of his emotions—anger, frustration, devastation, everything—out in a single, piercing scream: "Dawn!"

"Dawn!" Ash screamed, his face covered with sweet and his heart racing. He looked around frantically to make sure Dawn was safe and sound. He then felt two soft hands gripping his own and found Dawn with worry clearly evident on her face.

Ash's breathing was still heavy, but a little more controlled. He looked into Dawn's eyes, just happy that she was safe.

With his other hand he touched his face. It was wet. Was it—was it . . . tears?

Dawn looked at Ash's broken form. He looked so defeated. She didn't want to make Ash anymore grieved and heartbroken than he already was, but she had to know—what had caused this?

"A-Ash?" Dawn asked quietly. "What happened?"

But Ash was more grieve-stricken than he was letting on. The dream he just had—it had shaken his entire core. He answered, in broken sentences: "I—Dawn . . . you're safe! I . . . I—"

Dawn released her grip and hugged him tight. And that's when he broke down. No longer was he the boy Dawn looked up to. It was as if daggers were stabbing his heart—it had hurt him so much. And Dawn didn't want to see him that way. She wanted to see him for what he really was: brave, capable of overcoming anything set before him.

Pikachu and Piplup kept their distance. They, too, never saw Ash this way. Even after all of the years Pikachu had known him, he had never acted this way. Not when Celebi was captured with a Dark Ball. Not even when they had thought Darkrai had passed on. Something must have happened while Dawn and their Pokemon were gone. But as far as she knew, Ash was in their room sleeping.

Sleeping . . . Dawn thought. Then it clicked. That must be it!

"Ash?" Dawn said gently and soothingly. "What happened? What did you dream?"

Dawn then felt a weight off her shoulder—literally. Ash lifted his head from Dawn's shoulder, leaving behind a trail of tears.

Ash's breathing was more even at that point. He decided there was no point in hiding from Dawn. She was his best friend. She had the right to know.

He spoke quietly and slowly: "You. Me. Paul. In a cave. Unknown figure. Dark Ball. Arceus . . ."

"Ar—Arceus?" Dawn repeated. She pondered on the subject. She then said, mainly to herself: "How does Arceus play into all of this?" She thought of all the words Ash had just said. All of things wouldn't be enough to make Ash break down. There must more to it. "What happened after that, Ash? Please, you got to tell me!"

"Then . . . then—" Ash tried to tell Dawn but the words were stuck in his throat. At the mere thought of Dawn being disintegrated by Arceus's Judgement made Ash bawl once again. And that's when she broke down. She just couldn't stand seeing Ash like this. Even Pikachu and Piplup had tears in their eyes.

"Pika . . ."

"Pip . . ."

"Ash," Dawn said. "You got to tell more! What happened after?"

Ash sobbed, but managed, "Y-you. Arceus's Judgement."

"Ash, please," Dawn begged. "Please speak properly. I want to know."

"Arceus attacked you!" Ash blurted, the daggers piercing in his heart hurting even more. "He . . . He attacked you, Dawn. Then . . . Then—!"

She pieced the information together. She was afraid of the answer—and she was certain she knew what it was—but she asked, "Did—did I die, Ash?"

Ash remained silent. And that was enough for Dawn. "Oh, Ash!"

They stayed there, in an embrace full of sadness. It was a bad day to rain . . .

"I couldn't . . ." Ash whispered. "I couldn't let that happen, Dawn. I can't afford to lose you—not after what I had just dreamed. It would be . . . It would be too much on my heart. I just can't let it become a reality."

"And the worst part was . . ." Ash continued. "The worst part was that I couldn't do anything to stop Arceus or the man cloaked in darkness. And you said to—to keep smiling and keep the sun shining. Just like what my dad had said in my other dream."

"And that's why . . ." Ash said. Dawn looked up at Ash. "And that's why you can't continue."

"What—what do you mean, Ash?" Dawn asked. She didn't want Ash to say what she was secretly fearing he'd say.

"That you can't travel with me anymore. It's too dangerous."

At that point, the blimp had landed. They were now in Sinnoh. He untangled himself from their embrace, took his bag, grabbed Pikachu, and ran out the door, tears flying as he ran.

Dawn just sat there, her own heart struck by the same daggers. Fresh tears were welling up in her eyes. A line of the prophecy echoed in her mind:

. . . and the world turned to ash . . .

And that's the end of the chapter. I'm sorry if it's not the action/adventure you guys were hoping for. However, I do plan on make the next chapter more action-oriented.

I also plan on revising The Promise to make it better. You know, grammar, spelling-that sort of thing.

Please review, it makes me a better author. If I made any mistakes, I would really like to be informed so it would highly improbable that I make it again. And I'm sure the next chapter will come faster, that much I can promise.

On a side note, since it's summertime, and I'm easily bored, I was wondering if there is any good anime to watch that you guys would recommend. You know, to keep me occupied and perhaps get inspired to write more? Oh, and I do know how to play the guitar, so if there are any good songs you want me to try and learn, that would be great, too. Again, due to boredom, I will play my guitar.

Anyway have a good summer everyone!

Sincerely

~Lux (Rising From Ashes)