"NO!" Giovanni screamed as he cowered against the wall and threw up his arms to shield himself from the Machamp who was advancing menacingly on him.
Giovanni gasped in terror as the voice inside his head said, Now, Giovanni, I'm gonna do to you what you did to my mom. As Machamp picked up Giovanni by the throat and began to strangle him, he struggled desperately and clawed at the Pokémon's massive hands.
"I…I told you…I didn't kill your mother!" Giovanni choked as Machamp's hands tightened further around his neck.
Maybe you didn't kill my mom, but you sent those other two that did, continued Ash. So I'm doing just what you did. I'm not gonna kill you, but I'm telling someone else to.
"You…little…bastard!" Giovanni swore as his face began to turn red.
Ash chuckled. Yep, guess I am a bastard, am I? Your bastard. And in a minute, I'll be an orphan. Ash looked directly at Machamp. Finish him.
"Ash, no!" screamed Misty as she, Brock, Jessie, and James came running into the gym. Directly behind them were Officer Jenny and the entire Viridian City police force.
"Let him go, Ash!" ordered Brock.
Ash turned and looked directly at his friend. Brock gasped in horror when he saw that Ash's eyes were blood-red.
Why should I let him go, Brock? He killed my mom.
"What's wrong, Brock?" Misty said as Brock grabbed his head and dropped to his knees.
"It's Ash! I can hear him…inside my head!"
Stunned, Misty started towards Ash but almost immediately slammed against an unseen barrier.
No, Misty. Ash told her telepathically. Stay away. This is between me and Giovanni.
"Ash, no! You can't do this!" Misty pleaded frantically as she got to her feet. "It's wrong!"
"Let the authorities bring him to justice," said Officer Jenny.
"Officer Jenny's right, Ash," said Brock. "It's not up to you to decide how Giovanni should be punished for what he did."
But…but he killed my mom, Ash's voice continued, wavering a little.
"But killing him won't make it right," continued Brock. "Matter of fact, it'll make you a murderer just like him!"
Then I guess I really am my father's son, am I? Ash said as he turned around to glare at Giovanni, who was still struggling in Machamp's grip.
"NO! No you're not!" shouted Misty, who had also heard Ash's last statement inside her head. "You're Delia Ketchum's son! And she never would've wanted you to do this!"
"Mom…?" Ash's eyes began to swim with tears as he looked down at the two rings on his hand. As he stared at the two of them side by side, his gaze fixed on the small sapphire ring on his pinkie. "Oh, Mom," Ash whispered. Then with a violent gesture, he yanked the Kadabra ring off of his finger and threw it across the room, where it landed at Officer Jenny's feet.
Ash collapsed as Machamp released its grip on Giovanni, who tumbled to the ground coughing and sputtering.
Brock and Misty raced to where their friend lay weeping facedown on the floor.
"Ash?" Misty reached down and gently touched his shoulder.
"Misty?" Ash turned over and threw himself into her arms, sobbing.
"Shh, it'll be all right now," Misty said soothingly as she wrapped her arms tightly around him and began to rock him back and forth.