Kanto Turns Crimson

Note: This is a revised and re-written version of my original When Worlds Collide series and saga. This contains more detail, an improved plot and a very much improved style of writing compared to my previous work. Support is appreciated through reviews and favorites.

The world could never live at peace with each other. War would break out even with the brightest of minds, and the human need for improvement and desire will destroy all we ever loved within seconds. You would always hear the stories of the great individuals of the past; heroes and heroines who changed the world and wrote their names into the history books. Children and even the elderly generation would tell the tales of the old, however none would ever make sense to a certain portion of the community. Children may grow up wanting to emulate heroes, but what is their true destiny? Do they want to fight for their own supremacy, or just be sat down with nothing but the dreams of another life they cannot have? There was a particular man who had led the life of frustration and failure, and from a boy learned that his heroes would never be him. He instead decided to twist his own destiny, and forge something completely new out of the unexpected. Using all powers of education and the mysterious world they lived in, anything was possible, but you had to fight and sacrifice to get there. His family were left distraught and lost, but he would rise above all once again from the ashes left behind.

Celadon City was cold that one night as the street lamps around its famous Department Store flickered on and off due to poor maintenance. The city had been under curfew for the past month due to the threats and amount of robbery at night despite its daily beauty and romantic water fountains and parks. The night time would lead to wild Pokemon ravaging the bins and destroying houses and infrastructure mercilessly. Local Police had no idea what was causing this to happen, but the thirst of food had driven many families home early, and even some would leave the City for good. There would always be an air of discomfort in the modern day, and despite investigations, nobody knew what would happen. However, something would change sporadically on this particular night as the wild Mightyena and Rattata were nowhere in sight The City took a deep breath collectively before chaos struck; nobody knew that its end was approaching.

Screams and cries broke the silent night as the Celadon City Department Store exploded into a fiery inferno. Enrapturing the surrounding houses and landscapes, the trees caught fire burning to the ground in a riddled mess of black ash. Smoke bellowed from all around as several individuals stood from afar at what they had just caused. Dressed in traditional black robes and thin gear, they all took out a Pokeball each. The red and white ball reflecting the flames ahead of them as they collectively released their powers from within into the air.

Their leader called, his voice rough and jagged due to the oncoming smoke: "Crobat, use Sludge Wave. Spread the fire!"

The Bat Pokemon screeched loudly as the other members called the same demands. Each flapped their four small purple wings as they glowed green releasing a thick wave of Sludge into the oncoming fire. Explosions ensued as they doubled back, following their trainers into the bushland and forests of the south. Celadon City would never be the same again, and the images of dying humans and Pokemon would be written in history as the worst event Kanto had ever seen. As each of the members dashed away from the fire, keeping to the shadows to avoid detection, one still remained staring at the chaos caused. His face could be seen as emotionless, but a slight wry smile was etched into his face. Adrenaline was rushing into his body as he looked around at everything burning, and the destruction caused by such a simple instruction.

He raised both his hands into the air, as if carrying the world, and cried at the top of his lungs: "Where are you now, Red? The world is dying, and yet you have disappeared once again!"

There was no response apart from the crackling and bellowing of smoke ahead as the man chuckled maliciously, returning his Crobat to its Pokeball as he turned around. He touched his earpiece and muttered, wandering into the forest after his men: "Still nothing from Red, he is still hiding."

The response was quick as it buzzed back into audible words: "Understood sir. What are your next orders?"

"Gather the Gym Leaders, force them out. If they want Kanto, they have to obey me. Understood?"

He crouched down behind a tree knowing that his plan was foolproof, and not a single soul in the world could stop him now. He had connections, experience and power beyond many, and soon this Region would bow down to a true leader. A leader that won't make the same mistakes as those pathetic Champions in the past. This was the rewriting of his own destiny, and one he would succeed at last after years of failure and destruction. From nothing to what he was now, a true journey and something that would be etched into history once and for all.

The reply came quickly once again: "Understood, the Gym Leaders will be brought down. Anything else you need, Giovanni?"

Giovanni smiled again to himself: "Nothing for now. Continue."

…

Fire and dark smoke sent a signal of discontent and tragedy to the different sections of the region. The Kanto Government could only look at the floor as their reign of power was soon crumbling in the face of International Tourism and the weight of the Team Rocket organisation. The attack on Celadon was pre-warned, a message had been received over a month ago but the Prime Minister failed to react. He never believed such attacks would happen, and now a cold hand of reality slapped him hard across his face. Ignoring the Press and the Media Companies or individuals gathered outside of his Embassy in Saffron City, he stood up and glanced out of the window at the half wrecked Department Store. Chalked black as Fire Fighters and their Pokemon continued to extinguish it, but what would happen now?

His assistant behind spoke, her long brown hair frizzled due to exhaustion and stress: "Prime Minister, Kanto needs a response. Team Rocket is back, and everybody knows it. We have to react to this."

The Prime Minister shook his head and turned around frowning. The lines on his forehead were deeper than ever before as he reached into his pocket and took out several notes of Pokedollars, and threw them on the cold wood table. He responded quietly as he retreated to the shadows of his office: "I cannot do anything. I am retrieving my money, and leaving Kanto. We cannot defeat Team Rocket."

His assistant slammed her fists on the desk as he jumped in shock, she spluttered: "If you are not going to take command then Kanto will send a team of powerful trainers to stop them. We have defeated Team Rocket before, haven't we?"

The Prime Minister chuckled to himself before reappearing from the shadows and speaking loudly now, his muscles flexed and face frightened: "We have never defeated them. The only chance we had last time was a young miracle trainer known as Red. He defeated them twice! TWICE! You can send what agents you want, but you won't win."

"Where is Red, we can find him? He can help us again!"

"Red has been gone for over a decade, Betty. He has no interest in us, and why should he? I'm here for my wages, I don't care anymore."

Betty shook her head, giving up before turning away and slamming the door shut behind her in anger. Walking down the busy corridors, the lights flickering on and off above her, she knew something had to be done and a certain group of individuals had been found and called. But would they listen? This Government had always been a profit making machine, and was partially why the local Indigo League and various Gyms had closed down. There was no funding, and the Region had collapsed long ago on the International Level. Nobody would want to help them now, and no matter what Gym Leaders were called or past Elite Four Members, this trainer named as Red seemed to be the sole hope. She had never heard of the name before, erased from the records, but why was he not here, and was he really such a strong trainer. She snickered to herself at the thought of a mere trainer defeating a criminal organisation, but what if it was true?

She reached the end of the corridor and paused as her name was called to one side as she turned to the reception desk. A frightened young intern was working as she passed another letter across the desk as other workers and staff brushed their way past desperately to their offices. Betty glanced down and saw the Team Rocket logo at the top left corner as she briefly read the message, her mouth widening in shock. Letting the paper slip to the floor in horror, she turned away and took out a PokeNav from her pocket to immediately ring those who were needed. Team Rocket were close to unstoppable and she began to speak rapidly with panic in her voice as sweat appeared around her neck.

The young Intern had only been there a week before disaster struck at Celadon City, and curiosity took over her body. Reaching over the desk, she grabbed the dropped letter and flipped it over. She gasped in shock as one sentence of writing was there, darkly coloured and bolded intensively, it read:

TEAM ROCKET WILL ATTACK SAFFRON CITY WITHIN A WEEK

YOU CANNOT STOP US

…

More letters were being flown around the Kanto as Homing Pidgey were used, tortured and bred to serve, as they delivered information throughout. Team Rocket was moving quickly, a transition that would increase speed like a chain reaction. Celadon City one day, Saffron City next and eventually the Elite Four, perched high above at the Indigo Plateau, would succumb to destruction. Giovanni would own Kanto very soon, and the resources and power available to him would allow the world to fold into Team Rocket.

One particular Gym Leader had fought off many attempts from Team Rocket to take him under a new control as he rejected them. Viridian City would fall eventually, but Blue would not let that happen. He had been a Gym Leader for many years now, after his failure as a Champion compounded, his life seemed to completely fall apart. From the birth of his son, and the subsequence depressing passing of his wife, his life had seen both the light and darkness of the world. Team Rocket was the definition of evil, and he had once faced off against them but failed yet again. A life of failure, or one of unparalleled experiences? It was always an interesting debate he had with himself as sleep never came easy with a mind so different and curious. However, the decision had been made, and he knew he had to leave to protect what he had left.

His son, Rod, had recently turned eleven years old, and was the only thing left in life that gave him hope. From bringing him up alone with the Viridian Gym, and letting him witness and learn from the many battles he had against Pokemon Trainers, he knew that this child had talent. He understood battling more than any other young trainer Blue had ever battled at the Gym, and he always knew that he would be a great trainer. However, Rod had been kept back a year from leaving on his journey, and Blue wanted him to use that extra year to learn more, to gain the extra step ahead of the competition and to skip the easy mistakes trainers make. They rush out, and end up giving up within a month due to the journey being too difficult. It takes time to train Pokemon, to gain their trust and to earn a relationship, but Rod was special beyond belief. He gave all Pokemon a chance from the beauty of a Lopunny, to the Sludge Pokemon Grimer, Rod had the ability to gain their trust. Blue knew he was ready to travel, but his mind turned dark knowing that he would have to leave first. Team Rocket wanted him, but they were unaware of his son's upbringing and ability, and things had to stay that way. Blue had to abandon home, and let Rod travel and learn without the tragedy of Team Rocket in his life.

That early Kanto Morning, the smoldering smoke and ashes from Celadon City Department Store in the background, Blue sat at his desk for the last time. He wrote a quick letter to his son before he awakened to resume, what he knew as, a normal life. Every letter pained Blue's heart beyond belief, and memories of raising his son flashed through his mind causing tears to appear around the eyes of someone so strong to the world. He grabbed his six Pokeballs from the drawer below his desk, but then drew a seventh from deeper within knowing it was time.

Blue stood up, leaving the note on the desk with a small Pokeball shaking slightly next to it before taking a PokeNav out of his pocket. He called his desired contact, with uncertainty in his mind, but knowing it had to be done.

He spoke softly: "Professor, I am leaving home. Please come by and given Rod his first Pokemon. He is ready."

The response was abrupt: "Understood, Blue. I'll head out now. I knew this day would come, and you are doing the right thing."

"This is all for Rod. It has always been for him."

Blue hung up the PokeNav before crushing it in his hands to avoid detection as he grabbed a small rucksack below the desk and took out a Pokeball from his pocket. He walked outside, taking a last look at the empty streets of Viridian City as the morning sun began to enlighten and warm the world around him. Sunflora began to call in the distance as local Pokemon sprang into abundance, but even they knew the world was faltering around them.

Blue threw the Pokeball in the air crying: "Fearow! We are leaving! Use Fly!"

The large Beak Pokemon screeched loudly as it glowed white as Blue jumped on its back and disappeared into the clouds high above the world. Tears sprinkled the world below from his eyes knowing that he may never see his son again. He continued by yelling: "Rod! You can do this, be the best person you can be!"

The sun had risen by the time Blue had reached the outskirts of the Kanto Region, and Fearow screeched once again, its cry echoing around the world ahead as they vanished into the distance…