Hey guys and gals, This is chapter three. It gets pretty emotionally intense and I'm not going to lie. While writing this chapter I had tears in my eyes. It was a very trying experience for me. As Always. I Do not own Pokemon or any subsidiaries therein.

Reprecussions

Red sat stoic on Misty's bed. He hadn't said a word in hours. None of them have. He was still unconscious when they arrived at May and Misty's dorm and required Officer Jenny's assistance to get him to her room. They laid him in the bed and thanked her several times. "Don't worry kids, we'll get the son of a bitch responsible for this. I promise you that. On the life of my beloved Arcanine, we will get him."

"Red, are you ok," Misty looked at him tenderly. She saw the heartbreak in his eyes, even in his state of shock. He still had Ash's blood on his hands, he was staring at them like they we're some foreign wonder. Misty shook his leg lightly. "Red, sweetie?"

"I'm fine" He didn't even look in her direction. He didn't need to. It broke Misty's heart to hear his voice sound so flat and dead. The Red she knew was always so perky. This was not Red. May sat in her favorite chair with her legs pulled up to her chest, her head between her knees. She was crying so hard that Misty was sure she would puke. "I'm just happy I got the chance to tell him I loved him before he...before he..." Red broke out in harsh tears. They fell to his hands wetting the dried blood.

"Red they're going to get the bastard"

"YOU DON'T GET IT MISTY, ASH IS FUCKING DEAD, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY CATCH THE KILLER OR NOT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BRING HIM BACK, I'M THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK DELIA IN THE EYE AND TELL HER HER BABY BOY IS DEAD. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MISTY. THE WORST PART HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET" his outburst caught May and Misty by surprise they had never heard him so much as raise his voice, yet here was, yelling at the top of his lungs. At them. the outburst caused them both to start crying again. Red looked at them and hit his knees. "I'm sorry guy's, I don't want to make you feel worse. It's just, I feel so... dead." He looked at them his brown eyes were swimming with tears.

May crawled towards him having vacated her seat. "Red, it's fine, we understand. We hurt too and we'll help you as best we can, we need each other more than ever."

"You guy's, I'll be back, I have something I have to do" Misty stood up and grabbed her keys off of their desk before walking to the door.

"Where are you going Misty?" May looked towards her concerned.

"I've got to go get someone, someone that deserves to know." And with that she left the two alone in the room and began heading to her car.

-a few minutes later-

Misty pulled up in front of Ash's and Red's apartment and parked. She took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves and stepped into the blistering cold. "How very apropos that it should feel like this after what happened" she said to herself walking towards their door. As she placed her hand on the knob she was struck with the thought of the first time she ever came over. As the memory flooded her mind her throat closed with grief. She turned the handle and forced herself over the threshold. She greeted the familiar site with a tear in her eye. The gray light of a passing car flooded the room throwing twisted shadows on the wall. She flicked the light switch and began walking towards the couch. "Pikachu, come on out buddy, it's just me." She patted her leg like Ash used too. Pikachu came out and hopped directly into her arms.

"Pika pika pikachue" Pikachu nuzzled Misty's neck, he could tell she was upset but he didn't know why.

"Pikachu, I need you to do me a favor, I need you to bring me Ash's Pokebelt as well as Red's okay buddy?"

"Pika" Pikachu hopped out of her arms and ran to Ash and Red's room, Misty heard the sound of Pikachu shuffling through various items. He returned a few moments later with Red and Ash's belt.

"Come on buddy, we're going back to my place" Misty picked Pikachu up and carried him back to her car. She locked the door and took another quick look around the apartment.

-A few minutes later-

Red heard the sound of Misty open the door but he couldn't raise his head from May's lap, there just wasn't enough life in him. After Misty had left he broke down again, May had been kind enough to hold him until the sorrow had worked it's way through him for the time being. He hadn't left her lap since that moment. She had been patiently petting his hair for awhile now. Which only served to remind him of Ash because he used to do the same thing. Red felt something small poke his back. "Pika pika, pika," Red looked over to see Ash's pikachu with a concerned look in his eyes. Red began crying again and pulled Pikachu close sobbing into his fur.

"Pikachu, I'm so fucking sorry, I wasn't able to help him, can you ever forgive me?"

"Red, I haven't told him yet, I figured it would be best if we told them all together" Misty handed Red the belts, "I just...I figured they deserve to know as well."

"Thank you Misty, I almost forgot" He smiled weakly at her and began releasing the Pokemon one at a time.

"Guys...I..." Red began choking on his words as he looked at the Pokemon he and Ash had loved and spent so much time with. "I remember when you guy's joined our motley crew, Charizard, you were my first Pokemon. Pikachu you were Ash's. What I am about to say...It may well kill me, but I have to for your sake." He looked each Pokemon in their eyes, they remained respectively quite and still at the site of tears in Red's eyes. He sniffled to clear his nose and took a deep breath before he tried to continue. Misty and May released their Pokemon as well. The room seemed to close in on them.

Pikachu placed a paw on Red's hand and nodded reassuringly. Though Red could see that Pikachu was hurting, he was strong enough to deal with what came next. "Pika Pi"

"Thank you Pikachu." Red took another deep breath. "Guy's Ash is...Ash...is...Ash is..." He was struggling to make the words come out but they just wouldn't escape. "ASH IS GONE" Red collapsed in a heap, unable to bear looking them in the eyes as the news sank in. "I'm so fucking sorry, there was nothing I could do. You have to believe me. Please Arceus just give him back to us." He wailed loudly his fist pounding on his head trying to rip chunks out of his hair.

The air was sucked out of the room as the news sunk in. "Pii pii pii" Pikachus voice was weak as the small mouse Pokemon tried to hold back the tears. But he couldn't. He jumped into Misty's arms and buried his face into her chest as the tears began flowing from his black eyes. His ears we're turned down as he felt his heart break for the boy that he loved.

Charizard layed his head on Red's back as his eyes betrayed him. He managed to let out a small weak "Char" before he let his emotions flow onto Reds back in big salty tears. The rest of the Pokemon turned towards each other, each trying to comfort the last. Togepi held on to Mistys leg to avoid collapsing. Glaceon curled into Mays lap, long frozen ice lined her cheeks wherever a tear hit. The only one who couldn't cry was Misty, she had to hold it together as long as she could. She held Pikachu close as he became racked with deep sobs.

"I'm sorry you guy's Red's right, there was nothing we could do for him, Ash took off from the group, and by the time we found him it was too late. I'm so sorry you guy's. Ash is dead" Misty took a deep breath expecting an outbreak, but they seemed to sob quitly over the loss of a dear friend. Pikachu reached into a bag Ash had given him should he ever get lost and pulled out a picture of his beloved trainer. He held it close to his chest and allowed the sadness to wash over him for a moment before taking a look.

The picture showed Ash and Pikachu at a beach, Pikachu had an Ice Cream cone on his head and Ash was laughing hysterically at him. Misty and May were on either side with a big grin on there faces as well. It was bittersweet, because it was such a happy memory, but it made him sad because he knew he could never have another moment with Ash. He felt his heart break all over again as fresh sobs made sparks fly from his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry" said Red his face resting on his arms. His head hurt terribly from a mixture of pressure and the beating he gave it. He was vaguely aware that Charizard was still sobbing on his back. Then the world went black.

-The next morning-

The group sat, staring at one another. They don't remember falling asleep but somehow, someway, they did. "Guy's, I have to go see Delia today and tell her, I can't put this off."

"Red, we're coming with you. For support." Misty held his hands protectively between her own. Pikachu had opted to go back to his Pokeball to be alone with his thoughts.

"Yeah Red, we aren't allowing you to go this alone, no way in hell." May chimed in her voice was raw and cracked from the night before. "We're coming with you" She tried to smile reassuringly but it came out as a choked grimace. Red turned to them, his eyes though normally bright and vibrant, were set back in their sockets and dull, devoid of life and emotion.

"Thanks you guys, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you." He proceeded to give them both a soft hug before standing up. "We should probably head out now, If we do we can probably make it to Pallet town just after noon."

"Yeah, lets head out" Misty grabbed her keys as the group exited the Dorm with Ash's belt in hand.

-Several hours later-

The group pulled into the drive after riding in silence for several hours, the only sound was the hum of whatever was playing on the Radio, to the best of her recollection she couldn't think of a single song that played during the drive, she was too wrapped up in her own head. They got out of the car and stretched making their way to the door. Mrs. Ketchum was in the garden tending to flowers when the group got closer. "Oh, hello Red, hello girls," Delia looked at them and smiled sweetly,

"Hey Mrs. Ketchum"

"Whats wrong you guys?" Delia stood up looking at them with real concern in her eyes.

"Delia" Red stepped forward and took her hands in his. "Delia, I have news. Ash, is dead. He tried to stop a mugging and..." Delia glared at him with venom n her eyes.

"How dare you Red" Her hand struck out hard and fast at Red, he didn't try to turn away as her hands connected, the stinging pain set his jaw. "HOW FUCKING DARE YOU RED." her hands continued flying leaving welts all over Red's face as she slapped him. Hot tears began to sting her eyes. "That is not something you joke about." Reds eyes became angry. As he grabbed Delia's hand in mid-strike.

"You know, me better than that Delia. I LOVED your son, you look me in the eyes and tell me I'm joking." He had fire in his voice that Delia had never heard. "I LOVED ASK KETCHUM, maybe not the same way you did, but you look me in the fucking eye and you tell me you see any hint of condescending in them." His words were enough to put the fire out in Delia's eyes and it was quickly replaced with sadness. "How dare you even think of me taking Ash's death easy enough to make a joke about." His eyes began swimming as he and Delia embraced. "I'm so sorry Delia, I promised you once that I would protect your boy and I failed you." Red began crying on Delia's shoulder as he struggled to hold her up.

"Red, it's fine, it isn't your fault, I know how Ash is" her eyes leaked onto Red's lapel. She could smell Ash on him. "How did he...well..you know." She looked at Red worried. He gave her a description of last nights events up into Ash taking off from the group and them finding him. "Delia, I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect him."

"Red" she put her hand out and placed it tenderly on his cheek. "Red, I know you loved my son, and I'm so sorry for slapping you. You guy's probably hurt just as much as I do." She wiped a tear away from her eye. "Hell, you may well have known him better than I did, but I do know how fiery he was. And at least he died in the arms of someone he loved as well." Delia reached into her pocket and pulled out a sealed envelope. "Ash sent this to me a few weeks ago, he wanted me to hold it for him until you guys came over here for Christmas, but Arceus knows that under the circumstances, I'm sure he would want you to have it." She looked at the envelope and handed it to Red with a smile on her face.

"T..Thank you, Delia" Red opened the envelope slowly and reached inside. Whatever he closed his fingers around brought fresh tears to his face.

"Go ahead, I'm sure you need it more than I do right now Red"

"Thank you Delia" He reached back in and pulled out a ring. He choked hard as he slipped the ring on his finger. "Ash, you sappy bastard" He choked again as he watched the sun bounce off his ring. He hit his knees and sobbed as Delia took his hand.

"Red, I would have been honored to call you a son in law." She smiled at the young man in front of him. "And with your permission, I would still like too."

"Yes" Red looked at her and kissed her cheeks lovingly. "I have something for you as well." He looked at Misty and May who had kept their distance to allow Red and Delia a moment of much needed closeness. "Misty can you bring me Ash's belt please?"

"Misty, so nice to see you"

"Hello Delia, I'm so sorry" she handed Delia the belt with Ash's prized Pokemon.

"No it's not your fault, It's not any of your faults. If anything I feel worse for you, yes it hurts to hear that my boy is gone, but, I wasn't there either, I didn't have too see it, I know it sounds selfish but in a way I'm grateful. It's messed up but at least I won't see the image of him like that, at least not the way you guys had too." She reached out and stroked Red and Misty's cheek. "May come here sweetheart." May walked slowly towards the rest of the group. "May you were always so beautiful, I'm very glad that you and Misty found each other." She stared at the two approvingly. "And I'm also very glad that you two got to spend such good times with my boy"

"Delia, me and May aren't a couple"

"Oh really, I'm sorry, it's just, you two make such an adorable couple."

"Ash said the same thing last night" May's eyes began overflowing.

"May, which was your favorite of Ash's Pokemon?"

"Why Delia?"

"Well, you guys knew him better than myself, so it would be cruel for me to keep all of his memories to myself." She looked at the group in front of her. "Red, I know he would want you to have Pikachu" she tossed the ball to him. "He's the Pokemon that meant the absolute most to Ash"

"Delia I can't"

"No arguments Red. I mean it." Red wrapped his fingers around the ball containing Ash's beloved Pikachu. "Misty, you like water Pokemon so I want you to have Ash's Lapras" she reached to the belt and pulled Lapras's ball off and tossed it to Misty who kissed it tenderly. "May, I want you to have Ash's Totodile, He's very passionate and will make a wonderful partner for you." She smiled and handed May the ball. "I'll keep the rest for the time being. If you guys ever need anything feel free to stop in." She stood up and walked back to the garden.

"Delia"

"If you'll excuse me, I kind of need to be alone right now"

"Okay Delia, we'll take off. Just please be careful."

"Oh I will." And with that she entered the house closing the door.

Ok guys, Chapter three down. The next chapter may do a small time jump to Ash's funeral. As always, reviews and constructive critisism is always appreciated. Thank you and Arceus bless