"I want you to tell me where Giovanni is NOW!" Ash shouted at the middle-aged woman at the desk.
Giovanni's secretary, who was already furious about being bossed around by a smart-aleck kid, replied coldly, "He's at the gym, but…"
Ash dashed down the steps and ran as fast as he could into the darkened gymnasium. "WHERE ARE YOU, YOU SONOFABITCH?!" Ash shouted at the top of his lungs.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jessie asked as she caught up with him and grabbed him by his jacket. "Are you crazy?"
"The Boss will kill you for calling him that," James gulped.
"Then at least I'll be with my mom again!" Ash retorted as he pulled away from Jessie's grasp and ran to the middle of the floor where the Pokemon battles took place. "GIOVANNI!"
"I'm right here, boy," Giovanni sneered as he flipped a switch and the proscenium where he stood was suddenly bathed in bright light.
"Come down from there, you bastard!" Ash yelled. "Come down and fight like a man!"
"What's all this about?" Giovanni said as he regarded his son with narrowed eyes.
"It's about this!" Ash held up his hand and Giovanni gasped at the sight of the sapphire ring sparkling on the boy's right pinkie. "And this!" Ash reached into his pocket and pulled out the box that contained the Kadabra ring.
"Where did you get that?" Giovanni demanded.
Jessie, James, and Meowth, fearing their boss's wrath, quickly ducked under the bleachers surrounding the gym.
"It doesn't matter! All that matters is that you killed my mom, you sonofabitch, and I'm gonna make you pay!"
Giovanni's face twisted into a cruel smile. "Is that what all this is about? Well, I hate to disappoint you again, my son."
"Don't call me that! Don't ever call me that again!" Ash screamed at the man whom he utterly despised.
"Fine. But I didn't kill your mother, if that's why you came here."
"Liar! You're a liar!" Ash shrieked.
"No, I'm not!" Giovanni shot back. "If you came here searching for the truth, then I'll give it to you. And the truth is that I didn't kill your mother. Matter of fact, the two that did kill your mother have been taken care of." Jessie, James, and Meowth went cold with fear at Giovanni's last statement. They had heard tales before of errant Team Rocket grunts that had mysteriously disappeared and had been "taken care of". "Those two idiots I sent to get the ring from your mother got careless. All I asked them to do was bring me the ring back from her."
Ash felt sick. "Then you did kill her! You sent them to kill her!"
"No. Gabe and Angelina even had specific orders not to kill your mother, but they panicked and ruined everything. Rest assured, they won't be making that mistake again."
Now Jessie, James, and Meowth felt sick.
"So you see, Ash," Giovanni continued, "I've done your job for you. I've avenged your mother's death. So now you owe me."
"What? What do you mean?"
Giovanni pointed directly at Ash. "You will take your place beside me as heir to the Peccati family name and heir to Team Rocket and all it stands for. Matter of fact, that ring that you're holding is part of your heritage."
Confused, Ash opened the box and took out the Kadabra ring. As the crystal in the Kadabra's forehead began to sparkle silver, Giovanni smiled.
"Yes, Ash, that ring. I'll bet you didn't know that you were descended from a sorcerer, did you?"
"Sorcerer? What are you talking about? You're mad!"
Giovanni laughed. "No, I'm not mad. But they say that the man who owned that ring was. His name was Maldiavolo -or should I be more specific- Maldiavolo Peccati. And true, he really wasn't a sorcerer. He was a very powerful man. One who knew how to control Pokémon and make them do his bidding. And he did it with that very same ring that you're holding in your hand." Ash stared at the ring as the crystal began to glow a soft violet then a bright electric blue. "Only the descendants of Maldiavolo can control the power within the ring. You and I, Ash -- we are the descendants of Maldiavolo. And together we can rule the world." A horrified Ash watched the crystal glow a deep green. "Think about it, Ash. All Pokémon will do your bidding."
Ash's lip began to tremble as the ring began to sparkle a brilliant yellow. "My mom," he whispered. "She and Professor Oak died because of this ring. And Tracey might, too." He put the ring back into its box. "And that's why I can't let you have it."
Giovanni's face contorted in fury. "You foolish brat! You're throwing away power that men can only dream of!"
"I don't want that kind of power, Giovanni. And I don't want you to have that kind of power, either." Ash turned and began walking towards the door of the gym.
"Nidoking, stop him!"
Ash whirled around as Giovanni tossed a Poké ball and the giant purple dinosaur-like Pokémon appeared with a roar. Pikachu leapt off of Ash's shoulder.
"I don't care if you are my son," Giovanni said menacingly as he descended from the proscenium. "I will kill you if I have to in order to get that ring back."
"Then that's what you're gonna have to do, Giovanni."
Giovanni smiled when he saw the challenge in his son's eyes.
"Too bad, Ash. You would have made a strong leader."
Ash smiled at the compliment. He then took the ring out of the box and slipped it on his finger beside the ring that had been his mother's.
"Come and get me, Giovanni."