Crimson Tears

Chapter Eighteen: The End Of The World

Cassidy walked slowly into the dim lit room, beaming.

"What is that you are bothering me with, Cassidy?" Giovanni snapped while stroked his Persian gently. "Have we attacked Cerulean?"

"I have not found a reason to, sir. We have got the Crimson Tear," Cassidy grinned holding up the red stone.

Giovanni's eyes twinkled with excitement. He caressed his Persian a bit more forcefully. The cat let out a growl of annoyance.

"Really? Is... is that it?" The man stuttered. "I can't believe it!"

"Well, believe it, sir," Cassidy grinned.

"Cassidy. You have pleased me more then any of my other members," Giovanni said calmly cracking his knuckles. "I will be sure to pay you fully for this. How else can I repay you?"

"Well, don't thank me just yet… There is a slight problem," Cassidy smiled tucking the stone into her pocket.

"What?" Giovanni frowned.

"I want to keep it."

She fired two shots from her gun leaving a ringing silence in the air. Cassidy turned and blew the smoke off the tip of her pistol.

"Too bad people didn't know to disband Team Rocket it only took two shots."

And with that she walked out of the room laughing.


Cassidy sat up on a hill looking down at the Team Rocket base in the distance. She counted down.

"Three… two… one."

The base exploded in the back that made its way to the front. Cassidy watched it burn with a slight smirk on her face, "They would of only of got in the way."


Time had passed slowly for the world. Months passed like years. Many towns were abandoned as since they were easy targets for Cassidy and her small gang to strike. People made trivial camps full of survivors as others tried to continue their life as normally as possible

Ash and gang were hidden up in the hills above Saffron. It was now late December and Christmas couldn't of been more gloomy. The group sat about the radio and heater listening to news of the world falling apart. It was now a known fact Ash was alive. He was the one who had appeared at Cerulean City and helped evocate the city before Cassidy attacked. The whole world wanted to know why he didn't come sooner.

Ash sat farther away from everyone looking out at the window of their cabin. Pikachu sat sleeping in his lap as Ash stroked his soft fur. Ash hadn't been really sociable after Cassidy got the stone. He seemed to think it his fault. Misty turned a chair nearest him backwards and took a seat besides Ash.

She stared at him for a few minutes before looking away. She gazed out the window and muttered, "What you looking at?"

An answer didn't come right away, but Misty waited.

"A dying world," Ash muttered. "And I am to blame for their suffering."

Misty looked back to Ash to see him roughly rubbing his face with his sleeve. Misty shook her head.

"Ash… It wasn't your fault. If it was anybody's fault it was mine," Misty whispered kindly.

Ash gazed back to her. Their eyes met and a sense of forgiveness flowed between them… Ash turned away,

"Yeah right. Misty made a mistake?" Ash smirked gazing over at her out of the corner of his eye.

Misty folded her arms across her chest and leaned forward on the back of the chair. She smiled, "Hey. Nobody's perfect."

Ash didn't answer her. He turned back to the window, watching the snowflakes fall.

The radio fizzed on the New Year's eve. Everyone sat about it as Ash sat away. He never liked listening to it anyway. And now that the world was ending that wasn't going to change.

"And so the crisis at Salem City is continuing to build. Attempt to find to source of the attacks are impossible…"

Ash gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms causing them to bleed.

"Cassidy…"

"Isn't… Salem isn't that far from here, is it?" Tracey asked.

Everyone looked up to hear the door slam.

Ash was gone…


"Ash no! Come back!" Delia cried after her son. He sped off on the snow speeder kicking up snow behind him. Pikachu stood at Delia's side looking somber.

'Ash…'

To Be Continued…

Please r + r!

This one is short too…

I thought it would be longer. Oh well.