"Viridian City at last." Cassie said.
"Feels like forever since we were last here." Ash said, scratching beneath Pikachu's chin.
"The home of your eighth gym battle, must be exciting." Megan said.
"You only have seven badges! Hah, I'm way ahead of you!" A familiar voice said.
"Eek! Giant Charmander!" Megan screamed, jumping behind Ash.
"Hey Cody." Ash waved.
"You know him?" Megan asked.
"Sort of, and what do you mean you're way ahead of me, you only need eight badges for the league." Ash said.
"Wait, it's not a collectathon!" Cody asked, taking off the head.
"Cody, how many badges do you have?" Ash asked.
"Fifteen!" Cody said proudly.
"He might be tough to beat." Megan said, still behind Ash.
"Seriously!" Ash said throwing a minor fit. "You face down Team Rocket several times, mainly the lady who's willing to kill, but a guy dressed like a Charmander freaks you out?!"
"I have my reasons." Megan said, straightening herself out.
"Wow, some of these are badges neither of you even have." Cassie commented, looking at the suspenders.
"So Ash, since you're here, how about a battle?" Cody asked, putting the head back on.
"Does he really need to wear that full costume?" Megan asked.
"Yes!" Cody exclaimed, raising his arms into the air. "Now come on out Mr. Mime!"
"Rapidash I choose you!"
"Mr. Mime use Barrier!"
"Rapidash use Agility!"
Rapidash sped forward only to run straight into an invisible wall.
"Okay, Rapidash use Fire Blast!"
"Mr. Mime use Flash!"
A burst of light erupted from Mr. Mime, causing the Fire Blast to be fired up and into the air.
"Rapidash calm down!"
"Mr. Mime use Psychic!"
Rapidash was lifted into the air with ease before being spun around like a top, and thrown into the bay.
"Rapidash!" Ash exclaimed.
"Rrrrr." Rapidash said, standing back up, before charging towards Mr. Mime, and then right past him.
"Where is she going?" Ash asked, seeing Rapidash stop outside someone's house to eat a flower. "Rapidash no! Return!"
"Oh brother." Cassie sighed, shaking her head.
"Not good." Megan cringed.
"Pikachu give it your best." Ash said.
"Pika!"
"Mr. Mime use Barrier!"
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
A series of psychic walls were put up between Pikachu and Mr. Mime, each one knocked down as quick as they were put up as the bolt of electricity shot through them and into Mr. Mime.
Meanwhile at the Viridian Gym
"Looks like he's learned a few tricks since our last match, I'll stop watching for prosperity's sake." The gym leader said, turning away from the monitor viewing an outside camera.
Back at the battle
"Mr. Mime, return, come on out Voltorb!"
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Voltorb use Sonicboom!"
Voltorb spun, releasing a shockwave of sound that Pikachu sped through, launching into the other electric type.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Voltorb use your Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu's shot out a burst of electricity at an incredible speed, striking through Voltorb's attack, and sending the ball crashing back
"Voltorb use Explosion!"
"Did he just?" Megan asked in shock.
"Yes he did." Cassie said. "It's kind of his thing."
Smoke slowly cleared from the area as it was made clear that both Voltorb and Pikachu were knocked out.
"Haha! Two down!" Cody said.
"Rapidash was stopped from eating someone's garden, I wouldn't count that as a win." Megan said coldly.
"No matter, time for the big guns, Charizard come on out!" Cody said.
Ash saw red as the Charizard came out of its Pokeball. How could he have been so stupid to not see what Kazor was doing!
"Dratini use Hyper Beam!" Ash said, filled with rage, his eyes flickering purple.
Dratini popped out of his Pokeball, and properly fired a Hyper Beam that nearly engulfed Cody's Charizard, and kept going, and going.
"Ash…". Cassie said frightened.
"Ash! Stop it!" Megan shouted.
"Use Hyper Beam again!" Ash shouted.
Dratini fired Hyper Beam after Hyper Beam true to his trainers commands, hitting Charizard each time just slightly.
"Ash! This is getting out of hand!" Megan screamed, trying to snap him out of it.
"Ash can't you see you're hurting Dratini?" Cassie asked, seeing the small dragon was getting exhausted.
"Charizard return!" Cody called out before rushing over to Ash.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, I just saw red, and…". Ash muttered.
"Wow, that Team Rocket really did a number on you." Gilbert said walking up.
"Gilbert get out of here." Megan argued.
"Yeah, we don't need you!" Cassie added angrily.
"I'm not here to fight, I'm here because a beam of light broke through a cloud." Gilbert said.
"Yeah, and it almost broke through my Charizard." Cody added.
"Okay, I refuse to take anything you say into consideration while you look like that." Gilbert said. "But I'm guessing that Charizard is one of the Pokemon you inadvertently helped Team Rocket get, am I right?"
"Yeah, I just got so angry that I wanted revenge." Ash said, tears dripping from his face.
"Then save it for the ones who deserve it, not Charmander boy over there." Gilbert said.
"I have a name you know." Cody said.
"And I still refuse to take you seriously." Gilbert said.
"But what if I can't control the anger, what if next time I battle it's too much for them?" Ash asked worriedly.
"Then it's a good thing you have a gym battle against an undefeated gym leader next." Cassie said assuringly.
"Guys, I think Dratini needs to be looked at." Cody said, seeing the small dragon flat on the ground with his tongue all the way out.
"No, I'm pretty sure that's just him." Megan and Cassie said in unison.
Elsewhere
"I've found you." The mysterious figure from Team Rocket's base said, having watched the beam of light in the sky. "I'm coming for you."