"What do you think is taking Ash so long, Brock?" a worried Misty asked her friend as they waited outside the Viridian City Gym.
"I don't know, Misty. I just hope he's not in trouble," Brock replied as he looked anxiously at the two huge men dressed like Roman soldiers that stood guard outside the gym's ornate entrance door.
"Trouble? Did someone say trouble?" sneered a familiar voice.
"Oh no, I hope that's not who I think that is," Misty moaned as she turned around and found herself face-to-face with a purple-haired teenage boy, a crimson-haired girl about the same age, and a Meowth.
"Prepare for trouble!" began the female half of Team Rocket, whose name was Jessie.
"And make it double!" continued her male counterpart, whose name was James.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket - blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!"
"What are you doing here?" asked an exasperated Brock as the trio finished their Team Rocket motto.
"We could ask you the same thing," said James mockingly.
"We don't have time for your dirty tricks, so get out of here!" shouted Misty angrily.
"We have every right to be here, twerp," Jessie informed the younger redhead. "This is a Team Rocket-run gym, after all."
"Yeah, so maybe the two of you should make like a couple of Beedrill and buzz on outta here!" added Meowth.
"We're not leaving without Ash," Misty declared firmly.
"Hey, that's right. Where is the other twerp?" James wondered out loud as he looked around.
"He's inside, talking with Giovanni," said Brock.
"Gio…what business would the twerp have with the Boss?" asked a confused Jessie.
Misty, who had been trying hard to contain her rage, finally exploded. "First of all, his name is ASH! And he's not a twerp, either -- he's our friend! And the reason he's inside talking with Giovanni is because it turns out that the man is his father! And we wouldn't even be here in the first place if Ash's mom hadn't gotten killed!" Misty, finished with her tirade, buried her head in her hands and began crying. Jessie and James, who had been shocked into silence by Misty's outburst, stared at her in open-mouthed disbelief.
"Did she just say that the twerp is the Boss's son?" James asked his partner.
Jessie didn't answer. When Misty had said that Ash's mother had been killed, she had suddenly had a flashback to when she was not quite five years old. Jessie's mother, like Ash's, had also been a member of Team Rocket. Even now she could still remember the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach the day the grim-faced Team Rocket executive had come to her, telling her that her mother had disappeared in a plane crash while on a mission to the Andes. And now, the pain of losing her mother – the pain she had carried throughout her life – had suddenly returned: the lonely nights spent crying in her pillow trying to remember what her mother sounded like, her smile, her laugh, the smell of her perfume. And the despair in knowing that her mother was no longer there to console her and never would be again…
Jessie quickly turned around so no one could see the tears forming in her eyes.
"What's wrong with Jessie?" Meowth whispered to James, who shrugged his shoulders.
"I think you'd better go," Brock told the trio as he tried to console Misty.
Jessie wiped the tears from her face and whirled around. "We're not leaving. We came here to see the Boss, and that's what we're going to do." Jessie shoved aside Brock and Misty and made her way to the front door of the gym. "And while we're in there, we'll check on the twer…Ash." Brock and Misty exchanged surprised glances at Jessie's statement. "Come on, James. Meowth." The two followed behind her as she pushed her way past the guards into the gym.
---
Meanwhile, Jiraldan knocked cautiously on the door of Giovanni's office.
"Come in," ordered a brusque voice.
Jiraldan slowly opened the door and was immediately confronted by Giovanni's bodyguard.
"It's all right, Vittorio. Let him enter," Giovanni said as he emerged from a side door. Giovanni then indicated that Jiraldan was to follow him. Jiraldan did so (although rather nervously, especially after their last meeting) and found himself in Giovanni's library. Several books had been removed from their shelves and were strewn about the antique tables in the room. Giovanni pushed aside the open books on the desk in the center of the room to make room for the volume that Jiraldan was carrying in his arms.
"Ah, you've brought the book. Let me see it." Jiraldan placed the huge leather-bound book in the center of the desk. Giovanni opened it to the place his colleague had bookmarked and frowned. "Can you translate this, Jiri? I'm not up on my Latin."
Jiraldan bent over the book and began to read while Giovanni hovered over his shoulder, repeating every word.
"The sorcerer Matteo Peccati, also known as Maldiavolo, possessed a ring in the shape of his faithful Pokémon, Kadabra. All who saw it say that the jewel on its head bewitched their Pokémon, causing them to be possessed by demons."
"Demons?" scoffed Giovanni. "What nonsense."
Jiraldan continued. "These demons made the Pokémon perform many cruel acts. Some said that the demons came from Maldiavolo himself and the ring was how he controlled them. During the Feast of the Harvest in the year 1406, several women swore that they saw Maldiavolo's eyes begin to glow as red as blood and then he uttered a strange incantation, likely invoking the Prince of Demons. A stone wall then collapsed, killing two men and their Rapidash. Several of the men standing nearby tried to pursue Maldiavolo, but he uttered another demonic incantation and none were able to touch him."
"Sounds like a fascinating fellow," murmured Giovanni.
"Maldiavolo was finally brought to justice in 1408 at the hands of those whom he had terrorized for so many years." Jiraldan looked up. "The townspeople finally had enough and burned his house down. When he tried to escape, they tore him and his Kadabra to pieces."
"So what happened to the ring?"
Jiraldan turned his attention back to the text. "After his return to his master, the Prince of Darkness, the ring was buried with its owner, where it remained until this past year." Jiraldan flipped to the front plate of the book. "This book was written in 1699." He then flipped back to the page he was originally reading. "A farmer named Giacomo Giordano digging in his field unearthed the bones of Maldiavolo and his Kadabra. He placed the ring on his own finger and was then taken ill with demonic possession. When he removed the ring, his health returned. Fearing the demons within the ring, he took it to his priest for exorcism. Today it resides in the church of San Gianelli."
"So what happened to the ring after that?" Giovanni asked impatiently as Jiraldan closed the huge volume.
"I'm coming to that," Jiraldan said as he looked around the library. "You said you had a copy of…ah, yes. There it is." He removed a small book covered with red leather and gold binding from a nearby shelf and began searching through the pages until he had located the one he was looking for. "After the siege of San Gianelli in 1818, the ring of Maldiavolo turned up in a museum twenty-seven years later and remained there until 1921, when it mysteriously vanished and was presumed stolen."
"And then it turns up sixty years later in a street vendor's stall on some obscure little island. What a fascinating story," Giovanni said as he reached into his pocket and produced a small box. "And now it belongs to me."
Jiraldan gasped in awe as Giovanni opened the box to reveal a gold ring in the shape of a Kadabra's head. "What? How did you…?"
"You won't believe this, Jiri, but my son brought it to me an hour ago," Giovanni grinned.
"Your son?"
"Yes. Turns out that Delia Ketchum's son is mine as well. And when he came to me to tell me the good news, it turns out that he was carrying this in his pocket. Now how's that for an amazing story?" Giovanni picked up the ring and held it to the light. The crystal in the Kadabra's forehead began to shimmer with a silvery glow. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured.
"You know, there's another legend about this ring," Jiri said as he stared at the crystal, which was now starting to glow a pale blue. "It says that only the descendants of Maldiavolo are able to control the forces within the ring. Anyone else who possesses it who is not a descendant of Maldiavolo will die a horrible death."
"The curse of Maldiavolo?" smiled Giovanni.
"Well, something like that," Jiraldan said nervously as he replaced the book in the bookshelf.
"Do you want to hold it again, Jiri?" Giovanni offered the ring to him.
"Uh, no thanks, Giovanni. I'd better be going." He picked up his book and headed for the doorway.
"What's wrong, Jiri? Afraid of the curse?" Giovanni playfully teased.
"I don't know, Giovanni, but there may be something to that. I mean, Delia Ketchum had the ring and she got killed. Professor Oak killed himself shortly thereafter."
"Well, if there is a curse on this ring, then I guess I'm safe," Giovanni smiled as he replaced the ring in its box. "After all, I am the descendant of Maldiavolo Peccati."
---
"Are you sure Vittorio said that the twerp was in the south wing?" whispered James as he and Meowth followed Jessie down the darkened hallway.
"Yes, James! Now shut up and follow my lead," she hissed as the three rounded a corner and saw a Team Rocket grunt standing guard at the doorway at the end of the hall. "We're here to relieve you," Jessie told the guard.
The guard snorted. "Yeah, you expect me to believe that the Boss sent three screw-ups like you to guard the kid? Don't make me laugh."
Jessie seized the smirking guard by his shirt and shoved her face into his. "Well, you'd better believe it now, mister! The Boss specifically asked us to come down here and guard his son."
"I believe his exact words were, 'at least this is one job that we can't screw up'!" added James helpfully.
"Why don't you go take a coffee break?" Jessie said as she released her grip on the flustered guard and grabbed his keys.
"And don't come back," Meowth finished as the Team Rocket grunt stormed down the hall. As soon as the guard was out of sight, Jessie tried the keys in the lock until she found the one that opened the door to the bedroom. The trio peeked inside and saw Ash lying unconscious on the bed in the middle of the room. At the sound of the door opening, Pikachu (who had been sleeping at his trainer's side) looked up and growled at the sight of Team Rocket.
"Whoa, looks like someone roughed up Pikachu and the twerp," Meowth observed as the three drew near the bed where Ash lay. As Meowth hopped on the bed, sparks started crackling from the electric mouse's red cheeks as it stood up to protect Ash. "Hey, take it easy, Pikachu," Meowth said as he backed off. "We're not here to hurt ya'. We came here to bust ya' outta dis joint."
"It's true," James reassured the little yellow Pokémon. "We came here to help." As Pikachu eyed Team Rocket skeptically, James and Jessie bent over and peered into Ash's face.
"Jess, you don't think he's…"
"Well, there's one way to find out." Jessie seized Ash by the shoulders and began to shake him violently. "Hey, twerp! Wake up!" When the throttling didn't produce the desired response, Jessie began slapping Ash's face repeatedly. "I said, wake up!"
"Geez, she's gonna kill him if he doesn't wake up," observed Meowth.
On the fifth slap, Ash's eyes flew open. "Hey! What are…" Ash was then seized by a fit of coughing caused by Vittorio's choke hold nearly crushing his windpipe.
"Hooray, Jessie! You did it!" squealed James happily.
"What…what are you doing here?" asked Ash as soon as he got his breath back.
"We came here to help you escape," Jessie said as she helped him to his feet. "Now let's get out of here."
"The coast is clear," announced James as he peered into the hall.
"I don't get it. Why are you doing this?" Ash asked as they silently made their way down the hall to the gym entrance.
"Because you and I have more in common than you think," Jessie replied. Even though she would never admit it, she felt sorry for Ash because she understood all too well how it felt to lose a mother. "And besides, we couldn't take your friends' whining about how they were worried about you. This was the only way to shut them up." Jessie pointed to a massive door to their right. "Okay kid, there's the door. Now get moving."
"Be sure to put in a good word for us the next time you talk to your dad," James said as he waved good-bye.
"My dad? How did you…?" Ash then remembered something and frantically dug into his pockets. "Oh no! The ring! He's got the ring!"
"Ring? What ring?" asked Jessie.
"Hey, twerp, you're going the wrong way! The exit is over here!" called Meowth as Ash started running in the opposite direction.
"I've gotta get that ring back!" Ash shouted as he dashed up the steps back to Giovanni's office.
Jessie, James, and Meowth shrugged their shoulders and followed Ash.
"What do you want?" Giovanni's secretary asked the boy that came flying up the steps.
"I…came…" Ash panted as he tried to get his breath back.
"Since this twerp…I mean, boy, is the Boss's son," explained Jessie as the rest of the Team Rocket trio came up behind Ash, "Then he can go wherever he likes. And since the Boss assigned us to be his son's personal bodyguards, then we go wherever he goes."
Ash, James, and Meowth gave Jessie a "what in the world are you talking about" look.
Jessie gave them a "play along" look back and continued. "And since he wants to go in his father's office, then you'd better shut up and do what he says."
"Uh, yeah," Ash spoke up. "Because I'll tell Giovanni…" Jessie quickly nudged him in the ribs. "I mean, my dad…" Ash nearly choked on the words. "If you don't let me in."
With a dirty look in Ash's direction, the secretary reluctantly opened the door to Giovanni's office.
"So where is dis ring, kiddo?" asked Meowth once they were inside.
"I dropped it under this chair," Ash said as he dropped to his knees and began searching for it.
"Do you think the Boss could've put it in here?" James asked, pointing to the safe in the far corner.
"Probably," Jessie said as she tried to figure out a way to open it.
"But we don't have the combination," Ash said dejectedly.
"Not yet," Jessie smiled as she looked at James. "Do you remember the day the Boss left us in charge of the gym?"
"How can I not, Jessie?" James replied. "We nearly destroyed it. And that nasty little Togepi…"
"Don't whine about that now," Jessie hissed as she began searching through the drawers of her boss's desk. "Help me look for a small green book."
"Like dis one?" Meowth asked, holding it up in his paws. He had found it in the bottom drawer.
"That's it! The book with all the important numbers the Boss told us about." Jessie snatched the book from Meowth's paws and fumbled through it until she found the page she was looking for. "Aha!" She began turning the dial back and forth on the safe until it clicked open.
Ash pushed her aside and searched through the contents until he found a small velvet box. Everyone gasped as he opened it to reveal a ring with a gold Kadabra on it.
"Hey, what's this?" James asked as he picked up the ring that was sitting next to the box.
Ash started trembling as he took the ring from James and realized what it was. "It…that's my mom's ring. It's the ring Professor Oak gave her for her birthday last year."
"But what's it doing in here?" asked Jessie as she shut the door of the safe.
"They said that when they found her, her ring was gone," Ash said in a trembling voice as he choked back the tears that were forming in his eyes. "That means that Giovanni…he…he killed my mom."
Jessie, James, and Meowth stared at Ash in disbelief as the boy looked down with swimming eyes at his mother's ring. Suddenly, the look of despair on the boy's face was superceded by one of angry determination. He furiously wiped away the tears from his eyes, jammed his mother's ring on his finger, and shoved the box that contained the other ring into his jeans pocket. "Come on, everyone," Ash ordered in a cold, harsh voice. "I'm gonna make that bastard pay for what he did to my mom."