The day of the P1 Grand Prix came around. The arena that served as the location for the event was packed with spectators from locals to those who were willing to commute to see the fights live. There were also cameras set up to broadcast it all over the region, so it was turning out to be a major event.
Lights around the arena dimmed and obscured the audience before the lamps above focused on the stage that had been set up in the format of a traditional boxing ring. The canvas was designed to be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of any Fighting-Type Pokémon and it had scaffolding outside of it that supported several spotlights that all shone down on the ring. Last was the display overhead that would capture the action up-close for the audience, never letting them miss a single frame of it.
In the center of the ring stood three individuals. The first was Nurse Joy, brought on as the resident medical expert during the competition to oversee the combatant's health as a ringside physician. The second was the President of the Pokémon Enthusiasts Club, someone who was often brought on for competitions within Kanto and Johto and possessed a wide scope of expertise. The last was a veteran Ring Announcer who had been there since the earlier days of the competition and thus was considered the face of the P1 Grand Prix itself.
Dressed in a white suit with a microphone in hand, the Ring Announcer looked around at the audience beyond the dark veil before holding up the microphone. "Ladies, Gentleman, and Fighting Enthusiasts of all ages! Welcome to the P1 Grand Prix, sponsored by Silph Co! It's been a year since the last time we gathered all the fiercest Fighting-Type fighters in Kanto to duke it out and see which one reigns supreme. And this year we've got some old faces and new ones ready to take their shot at becoming the P1 Grand Champion!"
At the prompt, Nurse Joy and the President held up the championship belt for all to see. The response they received was a loud roar from the crowd. It was almost deafening and spoke of just how many people were in attendance and their excitement for the upcoming bouts.
"Out of all the contestants that wanted entry, we've narrowed it down to the sixteen who passed the preliminaries. Now these boxers, kickers, and brawlers will take the stage in an elimination match to determine who is the best among the best. So let's get ready to rumbleeeeeee!"
They then went on to explain the rules of the match. Each match was set into three-minute rounds, during which time the opponents would either try to either knock down the opponent for up to a ten-count or render them unable to fight. The combatants could not hit the opponent when they were down, and grappling was limited to three seconds. Last, all techniques utilized against an opponent must be physical-based and certain moves, such as Double Team or Sand Attack, were banned since they went against the spirit of the competition.
"Now with the rules out of the way, let's welcome our first two combatants!" The Ring Announcer called out as the other two left the stage and made their way over to the commentator booth. "First up is a returning competitor from last year and Black Belt from the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, Noboru!"
On the floor just outside of the stage, a panel in the floor slid open and revealed a lift that brought the first combatant into view. Spotlights shined down to showcase a large man with dark and spiky hair that had a martial arts bandana tied to his head. He wore a well-used Gi that had the sleeves torn off, revealing burly arms that he flexed to show off.
"And opposing him is a first-time entrant, but a well-known figure to the people of Kanto. The former Gym Leader of Pewter City Gym, Brock!"
And with that announcement, Brock emerged from below on the opposite side of his opponent. His posture was rigid as he stood with his arms crossed, the image of stalwart stone that was unshakable. It earned him a rippling wave of applause considering his already existing renown as a Gym Leader.
"Two will enter the ring and one will walk out with their head held high as they move on to the next round. Trainers, send your pokémon into their corners and get ready to rumble!"
In Brock's corner, Primeape appeared full of vim and vigor. The Pig Monkey Pokémon bounced up and down twice before twisting his body around as he searched for his opponent until Brock tapped him on his shoulder. He reined in his excitement as his trainer made a calming gesture.
In Noboru's corner emerged a tall, humanoid figure that stood even taller than his trainer. Gray flesh was stretched tight over thick muscles that made up its body with red stripes lining its limbs. The Machoke flexed proudly and showcased its might, standing with his chest puffed out and sporting a grin.
"Have you fought a Machoke before?" Brock asked Primeape as the Pig Monkey Pokémon let out a low growl. The response he got was a shake of the head. "They hit hard, but they're slower than you are. Take advantage of that, but don't let them grapple you or you'll get thrown. Okay?"
Primeape thumped his hands against his chest in a show of bravado. "Ape!"
The bell rang to signal the start of the match right as the opposite trainer finished advising Machoke and both pokémon immediately rushed in to deliver the first blow. Machoke's powerful legs leaped forward with one arm chambered and his folded hand shrouded in a veil of power. It was a Karate Chop meant to slam right down on top of Primeape's skull for a critical blow right out of the gate.
However, the Pig Monkey managed to get out of the way at the last moment. Machoke's blow was avoided as the entirety of the floor quivered, leaving a gap in his defenses for a single moment. Primeape immediately took advantage of it and sprang forward as white light coalesced around his foot. "APEE!"
It was Mega Kick, taught to him via Technical Machine after Brock had asked to borrow Gina's to give Primeape a substitute to using his Rage. The Superpower Pokémon's arms came up to guard its head as the technique slammed into it, resulting in all of that built-up power detonating. It was enough to send the larger of the two staggering to the side from the force of the hit, showcasing just how strong of a blow it was.
"He's light on his feet but his range is short!" Noboru shouted from his corner. "Get into your stance!"
Machoke took a rooted fighting stance like a martial artist, creating a straight line with his body. One arm was chambered while the other was extended. Then he taunted his opponent. "Ma-ma!"
The vein on Primeape's head bulged and he began bouncing up and down in anger before lunging forward to deliver a flurry of punches. But each of the punches was blocked with Machoke's extended arm before the other came around. Then the Pig Monkey Pokémon found himself trapped within the powerful grip of the Superpower Pokémon and Brock's warning about being grabbed resurfaced in the simian's mind.
"Vital Throw!" Upon receiving the order, the Superpower Pokémon didn't just toss Primeape. He leaped as high into the air as he could, dragging his lighter opponent into the air with him. Then he swung the simian overhead before flinging him down as hard as he could.
"EEK!" Primeape's world flashed as he hit the ring hard enough that he felt every bone in his body ache before ricocheting over the ropes of the ring. The only thing sparing him from the impact with the hard ground outside of it was the relatively softer body of his trainer, who had cushioned the fall with his flesh.
"Oof, that was close…" Brock said as Primeape scrambled off him and helped him onto his feet before making an inquiring noise to see if he was okay. Of course, Brock had taken worse in his line of work. There were times he had literally been squeezed between a rock and a hard place, so that was nothing. "Listen, but don't let him bait you into a straightforward attack again. That stance only works if he can follow your movements. Okay?"
The Pig Monkey Pokémon nodded before hopping onto the corner and climbing back into the ring before the count ended. The Superpower Pokémon had returned to his corner and was being instructed by his trainer, slightly nodding his head. The pair waited until the referee cleared them to go at it again and signaled the bout to resume.
The two rushed in once more towards the center where Primeape bound overhead and tried to slam a Karate Chop on the Superpower Pokémon's skull. The trained fighter was fast enough to avoid it by ducking down. That allowed the blow to sail past his body to land on the canvas of the ring behind him.
Still in a low position, Machoke swept his leg around for a Low Kick meant to punt the primate away in retaliation. Primeape leaped on over the extended leg and then kicked off the arm that came around to try and snatch him once more. That put them back at a distance to observe one another before charging back in once more.
The exchange between the two continued in skirmish after skirmish until the final minute of the match arrived. Both sported small injuries and scratches from their exchanges, panting as their snouts flared. If there was no winner by the end of the round, it would have to be up to the judges to decide—something that neither combatant would settle for it seemed.
"Finish it in the next blow, Primeape!" Brock said, giving the order to put everything into a single decisive strike. "Focus Energy!"
"You too, Machoke!" Noboru ordered as he held one arm up and braced it. "Give it all you got!"
Instantly, the two Fighting-Type Pokémon's bodies were tinged with a scarlet hue as steam wafted off their frames. Machoke roused his fighting spirit with a battle cry. Primeape stomped the canvas and pounded at his chest. They gathered all their might in dedication to the next blow before they rushed in to deliver it.
The Superpower Pokémon intended to use an empowered Karate Chop. The act of concentrating so much power into a narrow area was what made the technique so fierce to begin with. There was no doubt that if the blow connected while Machoke was pumped up it would end things instantly.
At the same time, the Pig Monkey Pokémon's foot was where it gathered its might. The Mega Kick was his strongest attack by far. If he scored the hit with Focus Energy backing it, then would end things there as well.
The only problem was the fact that Machoke had the advantage in terms of reach. His arms were longer than Primeape's shorter limbs, so the point of contact would be at his end. There seemed no doubt that victory was guaranteed for the Superpower Pokémon as he swung down to end it all…
"Now, roll into it!" Primeape threw himself forward at Brock's command. His shorter stature and rounder body being lower to the ground made him more capable of maneuvering beneath his opponent, who had already committed to an attack. Slipping under the stroke that could split stone, Primeape then sprung up using his arms and slammed his foot at his opponent's bare chest.
A bright flash illuminated the impact. The mass of muscles that was Machoke buckled as the power of the Mega Kick was unleashed. He went sailing into the ropes, which stretched themselves tight before snapping back, and ended up toppling forward.
He didn't get back up. The count was agonizingly slow as it went from one to ten. But the referee called the match as soon as it was clear Machoke was out like a light even at the final count, and the stadium was filled with the roar of the crowd.
"Prim..." Primeape took it all in with surprise until Brock called him over and they returned to the lift. The cheers followed them until they reached underground once more, away from the cameras and crowd.
"Nice job, but it'll get harder from here on," Brock warned even as he settled a hand on top of the Pig Monkey Pokémon's head. "You still up for it?"
The simian nodded eagerly. "Ape."
"In that case, let's go visit Nurse Joy to get the clearance for the next match." There was a brief window between the matches where the judges and observers would replay the footage and provide commentary for the crowd and audience. During that time Nurse Joy would make sure that the pokémon in question could continue to battle without risk of permanent injury.
It was as they were heading to where she was stationed that they came across Anthony and Hitmonchan in the passageway. "Saw your fight on the screen in the locker room. Gotta say, ya impressed me. We might be in for some real competition when we make it to the finals."
The brackets of the tournament had placed them on opposite ends. That meant for the two of them to meet, they would have to overcome the rest of their competition. If they succeeded, then they would meet each other on the canvas during the final match—with one earning the P1 Grand Prix Championship Belt.
"We'll look forward to it," Brock stated, looking over to Primeape for confirmation. The simian nodded as well, thumping his chest. "Just don't underestimate the other competitors. If I recall the brackets, you're going against a Poliwrath next. They're pretty strong."
"We've already got a plan for that." Anthony glanced over to the Punching Pokémon, who held up a gloved fist. Lightning briefly crackled and snapped, showing that he knew Thunder Punch. "Anyways, don't go losin' before we get a crack at ya in the ring."
[-oOo-]
Grand stared at the television screen with razor-sharp focus through the smoke drifting up from his cigar. He was watching the 'highlights' of the previous match being displayed with commentary from the judges. The input from them was mostly secondary to his insight from being an old hat when it came to the competition.
Primeape didn't have a refined fighting style, with some of the speculation being he was a recent capture floating about. That made it paradoxically easier and harder to deal with. Freshly caught pokémon often fought more off instinct rather than discipline and thus they tended to double down on a situation or flee from it, meaning that it was easier to trip them up. But it also meant they could react unexpectedly or chaotically, which could be the deciding factor in a match.
In contrast, a trained fighter had habits and responses ingrained into it and thus if you could recognize and respond to them, you could gain a leg up. But if someone read you before you could do the same, you'd be in the same boat. They could also adjust to a situation with input from their trainers and work from there.
Primeape, from Grand's standpoint, seemed to be closer to the first type. Those types never really lasted in the competition because either they'd break the rules enough to get disqualified or get taken out by a more skilled trainer. In fact, he'd nearly tripped up with Machoke getting the Vital Throw in.
However, the trainer was a different story. He didn't expect a Gym Leader to show up in a competition like this, but despite him not having a background in training with Fighting-Types he'd picked up on Machoke's weakness and given his monkey the win. Grand supposed it came from his tenure facing off against all kinds that he had such good insight, but that could prove a problem in the long run.
His eyes drifted over across the room to the Kicking Pokémon. Hitmonlee was observing the screen as well to draw his own conclusions, separate from that of his trainer's. The two hadn't been on the same page in a while now for the same reason—disappointment.
Every pokémon entering the Grand Prix had a certain number of times they could enter. In a way, it was a lifespan of sorts where they had a chance to shine on the stage and claim the glory of the title. Trainers could always enter new pokémon but, since most were hobbyists who had devoted themselves to training one in particular, it was rarely done.
Hitmonlee was in his final terms, with this being his last shot at the belt. They'd come closer than ever before last year, only to have that opportunity swiped from them by Anthony and his Hitmonchan. They had both been around the block a few times, and their pokémon had clashed time and again to one-up each other. But their last had been rougher and a slip up caused Hitmonlee to take a blow that caused some lasting injuries that forced them out of the competition and into second place.
The Kicking Pokémon had blamed Grand for his tactical calls. Grand had blamed him for not reacting in time and hesitating. Their coordination and teamwork had withered and died. If they stepped into the ring and fought with Anthony's slugger fair-and-square, they weren't going to be walking out with their heads held high.
That was why when the offer came for a little help from Team Rocket, they didn't refuse. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, but they didn't have a choice. If they were going to go out, it needed to be in a blaze of glory with that belt in hand. Then at least they could part ways knowing it wasn't all for nothing.
Besting a Gym Leader in the ring might make a nice feather in our cap at the end.
[-oOo-]
The matches continued. The combatants waged their martial abilities against one another, taking advantage of the fighting styles that were drilled into them by their trainers. And one-by-one they fell until the final four were eventually decided: Brock, Anthony, Grand, and Koichi.
Brock and Primeape prevailed against their competition, a Karate Master who brought with him a Machamp. It had been to their advantage, perhaps unfairly so, considering Brock was well-aware of how to deal with that pokémon due to prior experience. Namely how gaining the extra set of arms inhibited its peripheral vision, allowing Primeape to run rings around him due to being faster and attacking from blind spots.
Now that they had cemented their place in the finals, the pair returned to their Locker Room to watch who their eventual opponent would be on the television feed: Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee.
…There was so much noise. Even from below ground they could hear the riotous cheering as the two combatants emerged onto the ring and took their corners. It was deafening coming through the screen, so he could only imagine it was a cacophony on the surface.
It spoke of their experience that neither the Punching Pokémon nor Kicking Pokémon broke their unwavering gazes. Normally so much auditory feedback from so many directions would hinder the ability to process information. There was a reason that Gym Battles scarcely had large crowds observing them. But to the veterans of the ring, it didn't even reach their ears.
How could it when nothing out of the ring existed in the same world as the two of them?
Brock had seen the look within their eyes many times. The gazes of pokémon and their trainers who had conquered every Gym but his. Challengers who'd overcome every hurdle in their way with blood, sweat, and tears for a chance of entering the Indigo League. Now the ultimate obstacle stood before them in the form of a stalwart boulder that refused to budge. Their only choice was to break through if they wanted a shot at greatness.
Both of those pokémon saw one another in that light. It made sense given how long these two had been participating in the P1 Grand Prix. They were both veterans that had a rivalry, where one had defeated the other at such a cost that they lost their own chance at the title. Even with another match waiting ahead of them, their vision was only on the obstacle in front of them.
There was no crowd. There was no noise. Their minds couldn't spare thought for anything else if they were going to give their all to overcome the obstacle in front of them.
"Watch closely," the former Gym Leader advised the Pig Monkey Pokémon as they sat next to one another on a bench. He'd been given a few fruits to sate his appetite for the time being, both as a treat for his efforts and a reward for his good behavior. "This match is going to be different from the others."
Primeape bobbed up and down in acknowledgment. Then he shoved the banana into his mouth before fixing his gaze on the screen in anticipation. "Priiii…"
Then the bell rang.
