Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Togepi, and Brock approached the Viridian City gym. Ash smiled as he stared at the golden building. His happiness didnč t last when he saw Gary with his cheerleaders.
ASH : Gary ! When did you arrive here ?
GARY : Two minutes before you did.
His cheerleaders started to cheer.
CHEERLEADERS : Gary ! Gary ! You can win ! Hopefully youč ll be let in !
Gary and his fans approached two guards at the door.
GARY : Ič d like to battle the leader of this gym.
The guards who wore Roman armor tapped their weapons so that the door would open. Ash tried to follow Gary, but was stopped by them.
GUARDS : Only one trainer per match.
Ash scowled. Gary found a man hidden in darkness and petting a Persian while sitting in a chair.
GARY : Ič m Gary Oak from Pallet Town and I request a match with the gym leader !
MAN : Okie dokie !
GUARDS : You will each use three pokemon. No time limit.
Gary threw a pokeball.
GARY : Arcanine ! Go !
Arcanine exited its home.
CHEERLEADERS : Gary ! Gary ! Heč s the man ! Heč ll win this match. We know he can.
The man threw a pokeball at them. A Machop escaped it.
MAN : Machop ! The girls are giving me a headache ! Chase them out of the gym !
MACHOP : Machop !
Garyč s fans screamed and ran out of the gym as Machop chased them.
MAN : Kingler !
He held a pokeball in his hand which opened thus releasing the pokemon.
GARY : Go, Arcanine ! Fire Spin !
Arcanine released a burst of fire from its mouth which surrounded Kingler. The creature collapsed. The man tried not to scream when blue energy went through his body.
MAN : Kingler, return.
The huge crab obeyed.
GARY : What was that all about ?
MAN : This gym was created so that the trainer would feel the pokemonč s pain. However, I didnč t program it for both sides.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket hung out near the Viridian gym while searching for Pikachu. They saw it with Ash and his friends. They hid at the side of the building. Jessie began imitating the voice of another Pikachu ! Pikachuč s ears moved before it ran to investigate, but Togepi waved its arms. It teleported to where Jessie, James, and Meowth were.
MISTY : TOGEPI !
JESSIE : Whoč s that pokemon ?
TOGEPI : Togepi !
JAMES : Maybe the boss will like this one.
MEOWTH : Grab it !
James obeyed.
TOGEPI : Togepi !
JAMES : Letč s give it to the boss right now.
Her partners nodded.
MEOWTH : Heč s probably winning as we speak.
The Team Rocket leader was electrocuted whenever his pokemon were defeated. He had only one more creature to use.
GARY : That Earth badge is mine ! I canč t wait to see the look on Ashč s face.
He looked at his Arcanine which had won the previous battles.
GARY : Youč re pitiful if my one pokemon defeated all of your other pokemon.
MAN : You wonč t be smiling when you see the ultimate pokemon.
He snapped his fingers which caused a hidden door in the gym walls to open. Gary stared at a creature that wore armor.
MAN : Meet the most powerful pokemon that ever existed.
He looked at the animal that stood on its hind legs.
MAN : You know what to do.
The creature nodded as its eyes glowed a bright blue. Gary was shocked when his Arcanine was mentally lifted in the air. He suffered with his pokemon when it was psychically tortured.
MAN : You and your pokemon shall die slowly and painfully in this gym !
He turned his head when Team Rocket approached him with Togepi.
JESSIE : Boss, we have a present for you.
JAMES : Itč s Togepi.
His leader turned around and started to squeal as he hugged the pokemon.
MAN : OHHHH ! IT IS JUST SOOOO ADORABLE !
Team Rocket and Persian concealed their ears as their eyes became dots. Sweat drops formed. The boss became serious.
MAN : Did you program the gym to give shocks on both sides ?
Jessie, James, and Meowth shook their heads back and forth.
JESSIE : Didnč t you inherit the gym as well as Team Rocket from your mother ?
The man nodded.
MAN : That might explain everything. She did call me a brat boy once. I endured her absences and her constant screeching at me. I still love her though.
JAMES : When are you ever going to step out of the shadows ?
MAN : My mother never showed her face so why should I ?
JESSIE : Didnč t she send my mom to the mountains to search for Mew ?
Her boss nodded.
MAN : Thanks for the pokemon. Youč ll be getting promotions and a vacation.
Togepi heard Misty calling its name and jumped off his lap and out the door.
MAN : I take back what I said about the promotions and the vacation. Now get out of my sight ! I have a battle to win.
The trio obeyed. The boss turned his chair around so that he could watch Gary and his pokemon suffer. He smiled. Togepi exited the back door of the gym and found Misty searching for it.
TOGEPI : Togepi !
MISTY : TOGEPI !
She ran over to it and hugged it.
ASH : The back door is open !
Misty looked annoyed.
MISTY : No ! Really ?
Ash ran up to the open door with Pikachu following him.
BROCK : Ash ! Wait ! It could be a trap !
Ash couldnč t hear him. The man turned around when the boy approached him. He stood up.
MAN : How dare you trespa.... !
He gasped.
ASH : Are you the.... ?
He noticed Gary and Arcanine at the mercy of the psychic pokemon.
ASH : Gary !
MAN : I am the gym leader.
ASH : What do you look like ?
The man walked out of the shadows. He wore a red suit. His pupils were tiny. His black hair was slicked back.
MAN : I am Giovanni.
ASH : Why do you have a British accent if your name is Giovanni ?
GIOVANNI : Anything can happen in an English dub of an anime.
Ash stared at him as memories formed in his mind. He recalled a man holding an infant and smiling. The person had the same slicked back hair and wore the exact red suit as Giovanni. Ash gasped.
ASH : Youč re.... !
The boy continued to stare at Giovanni.
ASH : Why did you abandon me, Dad ?
GIOVANNI : I inherited this gym from my mother. I didnč t want to leave you behind. However, she meant a lot to me. She still does.
He paused.
GIOVANNI : Soooo, how has your mother been doing ?
ASH : Well, she and Professor Oak are always together.
GIOVANNI : Are they married ?
ASH : I donč t think so.
He was surprised when Jessie, James, and Meowth approached him again.
ASH : Team Rocket ?!
MEOWTH : What is our boss doing talking to dat twerp and dat Pikachu ?
ASH : Our boss ?
He gasped.
ASH : MY FATHER IS THE LEADER OF TEAM ROCKET ?!
His eyes became filled with liquid as he remembered the smiling family man again.
JESSIE : Why are you out of the shadows, sir ?
Giovanni turned his head slightly.
GIOVANNI : Didnč t I tell you to get out of my sight ?
JESSIE : Yeah.
JAMES : We were bored.
MEOWTH : Why did you reveal yourself ?
GIOVANNI : Canč t an estranged father see his son in person ?
JESSIE : Weč ll be leaving now.
She, James, and Meowth exited the gym again.
GARY : Hey you up on that balcony with Ash ! Tell your pokemon to stop torturing me !
Giovanni and Ash displayed their tongues while pulling their eyelids. Ash looked concerned when he stared at his father.
ASH : Please quit Team Rocket and return to Pallet Town with me.
GIOVANNI : I canč t go home with you. My wife hasnč t seen me for quite awhile. Besides, according to you, she loves Professor Oak. I also canč t disrespect my mother.
ASH : What kind of mother would pass an evil organization to her son ? Are you going to do the same to me ?
Giovanni nodded.
ASH : Ič ll never lead Team Rocket !
GIOVANNI : Donč t disrespect me, child !
ASH : I arrived here to get an Earth badge.
GIOVANNI : You mean this ?
He removed a pin in the shape of a leaf from his suit.
ASH : Yoink !
He snatched the badge and ran off with it !
GIOVANNI : YOUč RE GROUNDED !
He watched Ash leave. He looked at his tortured opponent. He snapped his fingers which caused the pokemon to ease Arcanine and Garyč s suffering.
GARY : Itč s about time ! What were you drinking when you decided to have Ash as your loser son ?
Giovanni snapped his fingers again which caused Gary to feel the pokemonč s wrath.
GIOVANNI : Ash may have stolen my badge, but I wonč t tolerate any insults.
GARY : You steal pokemon so what if he takes your badge without your consent ?
Giovanni was quiet.
GARY : Like father like son !
GIOVANNI : What is that supposed to mean ?
GARY : Youč re both loooosers !
Giovanni growled. Ash met Misty, Togepi, and Brock at the side of the gym.
BROCK : What happened in there ?
Ash showed off his Earth badge.
BROCK : The gym leader must have been easy to defeat.
ASH : Heč s my father !
MISTY : Really ? Ič d like to meet him.
ASH : Uhhhh, actually....
He looked back at Viridian gym.
ASH : I stole the Earth badge !
Brock and Misty gasped.
MISTY : Ash ! How could you ? Youč re just as bad as Team Rocket ! They steal pokemon and you steal badges !
BROCK : Wouldnč t you rather win a badge rather than steal it ?
ASH : My father had it right in front of me.
MISTY : ASH KETCHUM ! YOU RETURN THAT EARTH BADGE NOW !
ASH : OK ! OK !
He and his friends went through the back door and found Giovanni sitting. The Team Rocket leader looked ahead, but noticed his son from an eye corner.
GIOVANNI : Is there anything else you want to steal ?
ASH : Here.
He showed the Earth badge to Giovanni who took it back.
ASH : I was desperate to get a badge so I resorted to stealing. Forgive me.
GIOVANNI : Just donč t do it again. By the way, youč re still grounded.
ASH : How can you ground me if you lead Team Rocket all of the time ?
Misty and Brock hid their pokeballs.
MISTY & BROCK : We donč t know you, Ash !
BROCK : Our ex companion ! The son of the Team Rocket leader !
ASH : Knock it off you two !
PIKACHU : Pika ! Pika !
Ashč s friends looked at Gary who curled into a ball.
MISTY : How long has he been like that ?
BROCK : I imagine for quite awhile.
GIOVANNI : What are you going to do now, Ash ?
ASH : Ič m not leaving this gym until I get the Earth badge so that I could compete in the Pokemon League.
GIOVANNI : Oh ?
Just then, Officer Jenny entered the gym.
OFFICER JENNY : You ! The guy wearing the red suit ! Youč re under arrest for leading Team Rocket and for not paying child support !
GIOVANNI : Who told you ?
He gasped when Jessie, James, and Meowth appeared behind her !
GIOVANNI : How dare you betray me !
JAMES: You gave Team Rocket a bad name when you fathered that twerp.
GIOVANNI : How dare you call my son a twerp !
Officer Jenny noticed Gary.
OFFICER JENNY : Tell your pokemon to stop hurting that boy this instant !
ASH : Actually, Ič m enjoying watching Gary being beaten by a pokemon.
OFFICER JENNY : Youč re a lousy father for not supporting your son !
GIOVANNI : Ič ve been sending checks ever since I left my family.
ASH : My mom burned them all, Dad.
OFFICER JENNY : Youč re still under arrest for leading Team Rocket.
GIOVANNI : I canč t abandon my son again.
Ash looked at Jessie, James, and Meowth.
ASH : What will you do when your boss is in jail ?
JESSIE : James and I will marry and Meowth will be our pet.
She, James, and Meowth pulled down their eyelids.
TRIO : Nyah ! Nyah !
Officer Jenny prepared to arrest Giovanni.
GIOVANNI : Traitors !
JESSIE : Look on the bright side, former boss. Youč ll have company.
GIOVANNI : Oh ?
OFFICER JENNY : Youč ll be sharing a cell with Butch and Cassidy !
GIOVANNI : What ?!
MEOWTH : You always did like dem better dan us. You bailed dem out of prison.
GIOVANNI : The only reason why I freed them was because they were more useful than the three of you ever were. I canč t stand Butchč s awful voice.
ASH : Wait ! Donč t arrest my father !
OFFICER JENNY : His organization tried to steal your pokemon several times.
ASH : He was a good father before he became a part of Team Rocket. He inherited it from his mother.
Officer Jenny looked at Giovanni.
OFFICER JENNY : Whereč s your mother ? I need to arrest her for starting Team Rocket !
GIOVANNI : Leave her out of this.
OFFICER JENNY : Youč ll have plenty of time for mother and son bonding in jail.
Giovanni looked at Ash.
GIOVANNI : Take care of Persian for me while Ič m in prison. I dread hearing Butchč s terrible voice.
Officer Jenny put the hand cuffs over his wrists.
OFFICER JENNY : Youč ll get used to hearing it since youč ll be in jail for life !
JAMES : Itč s been nice knowing you. TEAM ROCKET : JUST KIDDING !
ASH : What about my Earth badge, Officer Jenny ?
OFFICER JENNY : What about it ?
ASH : I need it to compete in the Pokemon League. If my dad goes to prison, who will be the new gym leader ?
OFFICER JENNY : Viridian City gym will be shut down.
ASH : How will I win the Earth badge ?
GIOVANNI : You could always steal it like you did last time.
OFFICER JENNY : See the poor example you set for Ash by stealing pokemon ?
A sweat drop formed near Giovannič s head. Gary looked around the gym.
GARY : Where are my cheerleaders ?
His fans had spent most of the day in a tree in order to avoid Machomp. Giovanni extended his shackled palm which contained the Earth badge.
GIOVANNI : I hope you win in the Pokemon League.
JESSIE : Say hello to Butch and Cassidy for us.
Officer Jenny left with Giovanni after he gave the badge to Ash. He no longer controlled the pokemon which ceased Gary and Arcanineč s agony. Ash looked down at the ground as tears fell on it. He recalled various memories of his loving father before he became boss of Team Rocket. He and his friends exited the gym. A woman had watched Giovanni through TV monitors. She was nearly hidden in the shadows of a small room. Her long hair was dark. Her dress and high heels were red. Her stockings were black. She smiled.
WOMAN : My good for nothing son may be gone, but Team Rocket isnč t.
THE END.
