Viridian City song is kool, besides the point this is like the day after the last chapter. and if you get lost in Giovanni's long speech sry.
"Who knew that after all our journies that we would end up back here huh Brock?" Ash said to Brock who was sitting next to him in the van across the Viridian Gym. Dawn sat to his left while Jackie and Hinata sat up front with binoculars, the kids were grouped around some video screens that showed the front, back, sides, even top of the gym.
"My first trip to the Kanto region is to save the world, what a drag." Dawn said slouching.
"Look there they are!" Ash said and pointed to the middle monitor. It showed the front of the gym and slowly approaching where four cloaked figures, the most obvious was Meowth who was smallest of the four, Pikachu was once again held in the glass container. They all approached the gym doors which were unguarded, Lance pushed open the doors and they all walked in. There was no more video but they could still hear with the listening devices they planted on Team Rocket.
"I got a bad feeling about this, for Team Rocket headquarters this place is lacking Rockets." Hinata said from the passenger seat.
"Lance knows what he's doing, lets give him a few minutes he said he'd give us the signal when they met the Rocket Boss." Jackie said in the driver seat looking in the binoculars. Ash, Dawn, and Brock listened closely to the headphones. They first heard Meowth.
"Greetings your bossness have we got a surprise for you!" Meowth said.
"Here you are after all our hard work it's that Pikachu we've promised you." Jessie spoke.
"It's not only cuddly but packed full of unimagineable power!" James said.
"Who is that with you?" A voice said obviously gesturing towards Lance.
"That's the grunt you sent to pick us up." Meowth said nerviously.
"I don't recall sending anyone, then again it couldn't be that your traitors and that person is actually Lance of the Elite Four." Ash nearly dropped the headphones when he heard that. "Seize them!" the voice ordered. Fighting could be heard but in moments all they heard was static.
"Jackie! Hinata!" Ash yelled. The two Rangers sprang into action rushing out their doors, Ash popped open the back doors only to be met by Butch and Cassidy. There were at least twenty Rockets around the van with a few Nidokings, Golbats, and Rhyhorns. Jackie and Hinata already had their hands up as they came around to the back.
"Master Giovanni wants to see you." Butch said.
"Where's my Pikachu?" Ash said angered.
"Don't worry your little rat is fine for now just do as we say and it'll stay like that." Cassidy anwsered smugly. They were led into the gym where Lance and Team Rocket were also being held with their hands above their heads.
"Well well well, I finally get to meet the infamous Ash Ketchum." said a voice coming from a balcony. Everyone looked up to see Archie, Maxie, and Cyrus were already standing along the ledge. A chair swivled revealing a clean cut man with a Persian on his lap. "I am Giovanni leader of Team Rocket." Ash paid little mind towards his introduction concerned only because he hadn't seen Pikachu yet.
"Where's my Pikachu?" Ash asked.
"You mean this Pikachu?" Cyrus asked holding up Pikachu still in it's container. It was unconscious sitting in it's container.
"What did you do to it?" Dawn yelled.
"The rat wouldn't shut up..." Maxie started.
"So we made it shut up." Archie finished laughing.
"You guys are gonna pay." Ash announced.
"Oh but that's why your here," Giovanni started, "you see you have been the downfall to each and everyone of us here," he said gesturing towards his 'partners' "but today that changes, you see you've always had the help of some outside factor whether legendary," Giovanni pulled a box with a black button on it out from his pocket, upon pressing it the entire gym wall to his left opened revealing the legendary pokemon he had caught with black cables around them, their eyes were glowing red. " or just plain pathetic help." he gestured towards Lance and Team Rocket. "But now you won't have that chance," he snapped his fingers and the grunts dragged Dawn, Brock, Jackie, and Hinata towards Lance where they were forced to their knees. "you see even with all the 'appearences you've made none of us have challenged you to an actual Pokemon battle, and as a Gym Leader I find that quite alarming. But now you'll have the chance to prove yourself, you will face Archie, Maxie and Cyrus in a One on One Pokemon battle, only after you beat them will you deem yourself worthy to challenge me in a Three on Three battle. So what do you say?" he leaned on the rail obviously pleased of his plan's unfoiling.
"What if I refuse?" Ash asked.
"Then your friends will pay the price." Giovanni gestured towards Ash's friends surrounded by Rockets.
"Fine I agree." Ash said.
