Crimson Tears
Chapter Twenty: Last Thing Left
"Aiko…" Misty sighed in a heartrending voice looking at the dead child.
"You knew him?" Richie asked curiously.
Misty flipped her braid back and fixed Richie with a piercing stare. Richie took a cautious step backwards. He cast his arms up in the air and smiled awkwardly.
"Sorry I asked!"
Misty's gaze softened and she took a seat on the snow next to the child. She placed a gentle hand on his head and pushed back his bangs tenderly.
"Yes. Aiko. I babysat for him and his sister one day when they lived back in Cerulean. Their parents were friends of Lily's. We had real fun that night. Pillow fights. Midnight movies," Misty got a dreamy look in her eyes. "It was the best time I had since Ash disappeared."
Misty fought back her tears and hugged Aiko to her chest, "No. Aiko. Please."
Tears leaked down her cheeks. Pikachu and Richie could only watch sympathetically. Something fell off his limp body. Richie jumped back. Pikachu sniffed at it cagily.
Misty held Aiko in her arms lightly and stared down at the jacket almost fearfully, "That's Ash's isn't it?"
It took a long moment of hush before anyone spoke. Richie cleared his throat and put a comfortingly hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sure Ash just… I mean… He must of just put it on Aiko because…"
Misty looked down at the blue and white jacket like it was a death symbol.
"Asa…" She whispered.
"Huh?" Richie asked cocked his head sideways doubtfully.
"I dunno how I know but you have to trust me," Misty said quickly staring down at Aiko as she spoke. "But Ash is with a girl named Asa now. If we find her we find Ash."
"Okay. Lets go," Richie nodded.
He leapt back onto the snow speeder. Misty looked down at Aiko one more time.
"Thanks Aiko." She whispered.
Pikachu tugged the jacket over to Aiko and laid it back over the child's resting form. It climbed up into Misty's lap and away they went snow kicking up behind them. The bits of snow and ice stung Misty's face without a helmet but she ignored the pain.
"Ash. Asa. Please stay out of trouble."
Ash walked past the many empty buildings. The death of Aiko still printed painfully in his mind. He wondered who his sister could be…
Ash leaned back with his arms behind his head looking up at the stars that slowly twinkled out from under the blanket of clouds that shielded them away. Ash let out a small sigh. Most of the city ruined. He hadn't found a single person alive but he found who he guessed must have been Aiko's parents. That memory also tortured him.
Ash clenched his numb fingers.
"Cassidy will pay for the harm she has caused..."
Ash shivered violently. He didn't realize how much he would miss his balmy jacket. He glimpsed the collapsed and burning building looking for a safe place to rest for a bit when a bloodcurdling scream cut through the silence like a knife. Ash blinked several times and ran towards the source where the scream came from.
He spun about a corner almost being slammed into the opposite wall. He ducked just in time as the girl's foot swung over his head.
"Die Cassidy scum!" She hissed throwing another punch at him.
"What?!" Ash stuttered.
Delia looked off at the cloudy night sky.
"Please… Jeffery please protect him. He is all I have left."
The door checked opened behind her. Delia spun about quickly coming face to face with Lily. Lily's eyes were full of compassion and she held two cups a hot cocoa.
"For me?" Delia asked.
Lily nodded and held one of the mugs out to her. Delia quickly wiped away her tear drenched face on her sleeve and took the mug gratefully,
"Thank you, Lily."
They both took a seat on the porch step. They looked out on to the sky. Delia didn't even touch her cocoa. Lily gave her a anxious look.
"You know that isn't poisoned."
Delia let out a light laugh, "I'm sorry. I'm just- just-
"Worried. We all are Mrs. Ketchum. But Ash will be Ash. It is terribly hard on him to see something horrible happening that he can't stop."
"Yes," Delia gave a sideways smile. "His father was exactly the same way. I was too, that is... until Ash was born."
Her eyes filled with crystal like tears. They spilled down her cheeks. She cringed and hid her face in her hands. He mug fell and cracked opened spattering its contains all over the deck. Lily placed her mug down carefully and quickly reached Delia's side.
"You should be proud, Mrs. Ketchum."
"I am," Mrs. Ketchum whispered. "But when me and Jeffery were raising Ash… I thought we could always be there. That I would always know that he was safe. But… lately that is always the farthest thing from my mind because I know he couldn't possibly be safe…
"Ash. He grew up without his father and I had to try my best to be both parents. But I just can't seem to keep his feet on the ground."
"Ash never was meant to have his feet on the ground, Delia. He is a very special boy, you just have to share him with the rest of the world," Lily smiled.
Delia nodded, "I guess I am being a bit selfish."
There was a scuffling sound behind them. They turned to see three characters heading towards them. They looked exhausted. They were slumped over and their eye lids drooped.
"Water… warmth… food," Jessie whispered before collapsing with the rest of her team in front of them.
"Team Rocket?!" Lily exclaimed, "I thought that Cassidy killed all the remaining members!"
"Oh the poor dears! We have to help them!" Delia cried. "They are in need of medical attention!"
Lily gazed over Delia as she hustled to help Team Rocket into the house. She seemed to have her old spunk back, "That's our Delia…"
To Be Continued…
Please r + r!
Okay! Again a short chapter but hey, school is taking away my writing time!
So sue me… I'm kidding!!
