Here it is, the first chapter of the story! Enjoy! --ASH-- "NOOO!!" I awoke with a start. I looked wildly around. It took me a minute to realize that I was back in the forest. May, Max, Brock, and Pickachu were sleeping peacefully next to me. I sighed in relief. That dream was so real. It was as though I really had almost.... I got up and started walking tward the spring. I was still a little shaken from the dream. I've been having the exact same dream for the past week. I havn't told my freinds about it, because I'm afraid of how they'll react. Mabey what they won't know, won't hurt them. I splashed some water in my face. I won't deny that I'm not scared. But whatever it is that's wrong with me, I got a feeling that I'll find out soon enough. But what really has me concerned most of all about that dream was the voice at the end. I have never heard that voice before when I started having these dreams, yet, somehow, it seemed so familiar. 'Crazy talk,'I told myself. 'It was only a dream, your getting yourself too worked up over nothing.'But still, even I have to admit, having the same dream for the pastweek can't be normal. It could be stress, or it could be fear, or guilt, or I could be just going crazy. Whatever it is, something isn't right, and I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen. But somehow, the feeling that I recognize most within me right now, is the feeling of...loss.. "Ash?" I jumped a foot in the air. May was standing right behind me. "Is something wrong?" "N-no,"I said. "Just a bad dream." Strange. For a moment there I thought she was someone...else. "Wan't to talk about it?"she asked concernedly. "No,"I said. "I'm ok, really." She didn't look convinced, but changed the subject nonetheless. "Are you going to do it?"she asked. I stared at her. "Do...what?"I asked. "Don't be coy,"she said slyly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." Then it dawned on me. "Oh, that. Well, I don't know...if she'll feel the same way." "There's only one way to find out,"she said. "Trust me, women are like this. They want the man to make the first move." "Damn,"I said. "You confuse me." "Hey, life's confusing,"she replied. "And we'll be stopping by her hometown soon, so you can see her and tell her, but don't come right out and say it,"she added warningly. "You should make it subtle and romantic." I sighed. "Ok, but right now, lets get back to bed." ------------- --ZACH-- Run. Nothing else going through my mind. Escape. I need to get away, need to get back. What are those things? Where did they come from? I have to get this information back to the council, if I even get out of this alive. Jumping through a forked tree, I notice that there's a light ahead of me. I jump through the trees and I notice that there are four trainers asleep in front of me. They awoke when I noisily jumped through the trees. "What are you doing here?"I said. "This place isn't safe, hurry get out of here!" "What are you talking about?"said the Youngest boy. "No time, hurry!"I yelled. Just them the thing that I was running from burst through the trees. The horrible creatures that persued me with such speed and strength it was unbeleivable. Pale as the moon, disfigured, and glowing red eyes, it made your hair stand up on end. Not even with my skills could I defeat them. "GO NOW! I'LL HOLD THEM OFF!"I yelled. They ran for it. And I turned back to the creature that apparently was the leader. "It's you and me now!" ------------- --ASH-- We ran until we reached the creek I was at moments before. "I think were safe here,"said Brock. "We need to lie low." "Who was that guy, and what were those creatures attacking him?"asked May. "I don't know,"I replied. "But we can't just stand here and let those things kill him!" "Ash, be reasonable,"said Brock. "We don't know what those things are or what they can do, so we best leave it to him." "But he was running from them!"I argued. "He'll need our help!" "He looked like he can take care of himself,"Brock shot back. "We can't make it our business." "You can't, but I can!"I said, running back the way we came. "ASH, NO!"I heard brock yell at me. I bolted back to our campsite, when I got there, a loud explosion met my ears. I dashed through the trees and saw the man in a large crater with the beast flying over him. "PIKACHU, THUNDER BOLT!"I yelled. Pikachu obayed orders and shocked the creature with intense force. But, to my suprise, the creature didn't seem effected. It turned for us instead. It started charging up a strange energy attack that I have never seen before when suddenly the same attack was launched...by the man! He seemed to be completely uneffected by the creatures attack. The creature vanished in a wisp of vapor, and the rest of them vanished with it. The man relaxed and turned to look at me. Now that I got a better look at him, He wasn't all that much older than Brock. He was wearing a strange outfit; a long, black hooded cloak that was torn in several places from the battle. He walked over to me. He was much taller up close. "Thank you,"He said in a soft, rugged voice. "No problem,"I said. "Ash!" We turned to see Brock and May running tward us. "Are you all right?" "Were fine,"I said. "This young man helped me out of a tight spot,"said the man. "I might have never been able to get a clean shot at the creature if he hadn't dis- tracted it." "Glad to see your all right,"said Brock. "Our names are--" "Brock, May, Max and Ash,"said the man. We all stared at him. "Woah,"said Max astonihedly. "How'd you tell that by just looking at us?" He grinned at us. "Normally it's rude to invade one's mind, but I think it's rather funny sometimes." "Invade our...your a phsycic?"asked Brock excidedly. "That's right,"He replied. "My name is Zacharia Jones, I am from the southern phsycic temple, but you can just call me Zach." "Cool!"said Max. "There's a temple?"I asked interestedly. "I heard about it,"said Brock. "So your actually from there?" "Yes,"said Zach. "You must be the ones that Sabrina was talking about." "You've seen Sabrina?"I asked, even more excitedly. "Yes, she left the gym to join us at the temple. She truly is a prodigal student." "So what were you doing here?"asked May. He paused for a minute, looking at me. It was almost like he was studying me. "What?"I asked awkwardly. "You look so familiar,"he said distractedly. "It's almost as if..." But he regained himself. "Come with me to the temple,"he said. "I think you'll find some answers there." There you have it, the first chapter. Hoped you liked it! And we havn't even got to the jucy part yet! Soon to come, but until then, keep a stick on the ice!