"Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokemon. A Hitmonchan is said to possess the spirit of a boxer who had been working towards a world championship. This Pokémon has an indomitable spirit and will never give up in the face of adversity."
Ash knew the moment he'd seen the Pokemon that he wanted it. It came seemingly out of the blue, punching the air with what Ash can call the aura of a champion.
"Pikachu, you ready to get us a new friend?" Ash asked, only to receive silence from his Pokemon. Ash looked at the Electric Mouse and sweatdropped at it feigning ignorance. With a sigh, Ash sent out Wartortle.
"Let's get us that Hitmonchan" Ash declared, Wartortle crying out with gusto mimicking his trainer. The Pokemon had been on the sidelines for a while, he couldn't wait to battle once more.
Hitmonchan heard Ash and Wartortle and was now facing the duo.
"Wartortle, use Water Gun!" Ash commanded and Wartortle blasted a jet of water at Hitmonchan. The Pokemon reared its fist back and furiously punched at the Water Gun cancelling it. Then it charged. Ash called for a Withdraw and Wartortle sank into its shell. Hitmonchan's fist collided against Wartortle's shell with minimal effect.
The Pokemon looked mildly impressed.
"You can do better than that" a voice suddenly called out and Hitmonchan jumped back. A man with brown hair and a long chin came forward. The Hitmonchan charged forward again, fist reared back. Wartortle went back into its shell at his trainer's command and was ready to brace the hit.
The fist hit the shell like last time, but this time something peculiar happened. Slowly frost began to spread from where Hitmonchan hit Wartortle until it encompassed Wartortle entirely. But Wartortle broke free almost immediately.
Now the trainer looked mildly impressed.
"That is a well-trained Wartortle you have there" the man complimented.
"So is your Hitmonchan" Ash said somewhat dejectedly. He really wanted to capture that Pokemon.
Suddenly a girl jumped out from behind the trees and stood between Ash and the man.
"Father!" the girl exclaimed. "Please come back home."
The man's face hardened.
"I have already told you, Rebecca, I won't quit until I become the P1 Grand Prix champion."
Then he turned to Ash.
"You seem like a capable Pokemon Trainer. If you have a Fighting type Pokemon, come take part in the competition. I'd love to see how you've trained your Fighting type Pokemon."
And with that being said the man and his Hitmonchan jogged off, leaving a distraught daughter and a thoughtful Ash.
The girl suddenly turns to Ash.
"Do you have a Fighting-type Pokemon?" she asked.
"I do. But it's with Profesor Oak right now" Ash answered.
The girl fell to her knees and bowed to Ash.
"I request you! Please defeat my Father!"
To say that Ash was not nervous would be a lie. He was surrounded by strong-looking trainers, all of whom had Powerful-looking fighting-type Pokemon.
Ash had Primeape, and Primeape was strong.
But…
The first match of the tournament was between Ash's Primeape and a Machop belonging to some youngster. The moment the bell was sounded, Primeape charged, not listening to a thing Ash was saying.
Yes, Primeape did not like taking orders from Ash one bit.
Machop easily overwhelmed the Pig Monkey Pokemon with its continuous use of Karate Chop before grabbing Primeape by the leg and tossing it out of the ring with a Seismic Toss. Primeape went flying and would have hit the wall had it not been for Ash who caught him. Well, less caught and more a pillow for Primeape to land on.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked his Pokemon. Primeape stared at Ash for a moment before its eyes were filled with tears. Ash rubbed Primeape's head. "You're a strong Pokemon and we can beat that Machop if we work together" Ash whispered to it. Primeape looked, even more, teary-eyed somehow.
The countdown began and Primeape jumped back in, looking confident and ready to fight.
Machop came in with a Karate Chop and Ash commanded Primeape to counter with a Karate Chop of its own. Primeape obliged and overpowered the Machop, following it up with a swift Mega Punch to knock the Pokemon out.
Ash and Primeape climbed up the ladder until they faced their greatest opponent in the finals, Anthony and Hitmonchan.
"I was right in my assessment, you are a great Pokemon Trainer and your Primeape is strong," Anthony said with a smile, "but it will be Hitmonchan and I that emerge as the victor today."
"We'll see about that!" Ash exclaimed.
Both Trainers stood on opposing ends and both their Pokemon charged when the gong was sounded. There was a popping noise and Ash noticed his Wartortle coming out to watch the fight. Hitmonchan and Primeape fought through the exchange of fists, Hitmonchan varying between Thunderpunch, Fire Punch, Ice Punch and Comet Punch, while Primeape fought back with Mega Punch. Hitmonchan was stronger, but Primeape was putting up a great fight.
Alas, it wasn't for long.
Primeape tired out faster than Hitmonchan, not being used to such a high pace fight. Hitmonchan knocked Primeape out with a Comet Punch.
Primeape was still upset about the loss, teary-eyed and pouty. Ash tried to comfort his Pokemon but to no avail. Anthony approached Ash after the finals.
"Well fought, Ash," Anthony said with a smile. "You've trained Primeape well."
"The whole credit is on Primeape" Ash said with a smile, "I haven't had much of a chance in training Primeape. He's my newest addition to the team."
Primeape looked at Ash with teary eyes before hugging his trainer.
Anthony on the other hand seemed a lot more interested now.
"Your Primeape has a lot of raw talent then," the fighter said, licking his lips. "Say Ash, would you like to leave Primeape in my care? I think I can whip him up into a Prix champion and a fine fighting Pokemon."
Ash stared at Anthony for a while before looking at Primeape. The Pokemon was still teary-eyed.
"I want to be a Pokemon Master" Ash began, a hand on Primeape's head. "And when the day comes, I want Primeape to be by my side. I thank you for the offer, but I'd like to be the one to help Primeape reach its best.
Primeape began to bawl, clinging to Ash.
Stepping into the vicinity of Gringey City, Ash noticed how Pikachu had begun to grow weary and was letting out small sparks from his cheeks. Ash rushed to the Pokemon Center.
"It's a cold," said Nurse Joy apathetically.
"Well maybe you should help my Pikachu then" Ash snapped at her, worry and anger his prime emotions at the moment.
Nurse Joy snapped her book shut, still as apathetic as before.
"Sparks coming out of Pikachu's cheeks are an early symptom of a cold in Electric rodent Pokémon. I suggest you leave Pikachu here for the night, and he will be fine in the morning."
Before Ash could complain, the power went out in the Pokemon Center. That seemed to stir the nurse. She quickly picked the phone up and tried to call but to no avail. All power seemed to be cut off.
"This is bad. We have Pokemon in Intensive Care" Nurse Joy muttered to herself, the apathetic look now fully gone. She turned to Ash with pleading eyes. "Can I ask you to go and check at the Power Station to see what's wrong?" she asked.
Ash could never ignore the plight of sick Pokemon, even if the one asking was the worst nurse Ash had ever had the displeasure of meeting.
Ash entered the Power Plant and found no one there. With a frown, he continued forward, Pikachu on his shoulder. Ash did not trust the Nurse with his Pokemon. Suddenly a shadow descended from the ceiling and Ash jumped back in fright. Ash quickly pulls his Pokedex out to see what this odd thing is.
"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokemon. Magnemite floats in the air by emitting electromagnetic waves from the units at its sides. These waves block gravity. This Pokémon becomes incapable of flight if its internal electrical supply is depleted."
Ash noticed how the Magnemite seemed to float closer to Pikachu, much to Pikachu's annoyance.
Before Ash could say anything, a nasty smell entered the corridor. Ash turned around when the grating fell off the ceiling, followed by several sludge looking Pokemon.
"Grimer, the Sludge Pokemon. Grimer's sludgy and rubbery body can be forced through any opening, however small it may be. This Pokémon enters sewer pipes to drink filthy wastewater."
Ash took a step back when he heard something shout and broke into a run when the Grimer began to attack. The Grimer chased Ash into what was the Control Room, where the Plant workers were hiding. With the workers' help, Ash bolsters the door and they explain that the Grimers were the reason for the power out.
"So if we can deal with the Grimers…"
Before Ash could finish his words, the doors fell off their hinges with a bang and the Grimers rushed in. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and hit the Grimer with Thunderbolt. The bolt of lightning went from Grimer to Grimer, but not all the Grimer were hit. Those not caught in the attack threw balls of sludge at Pikachu.
But Magnemite jumped in, attacking with some kind of sound-based move that blocked the sludge. Magnemite then knocks off the ceiling grate in the room and more Magnemites come floating in. Ash realized some of the Magnemites were connected, three of them in a bunch.
The newcomers join Pikachu in attacking the Grimer, successfully scaring them all off. Even the ones blocking the water flow.
But one remained, larger than the rest. Ash realized this was the Pokemon he'd heard.
"Muk. The Sludge Pokemon evolved form of Grimer. From Muk's body seeps a foul fluid that gives off a nose-bending horrible stench. Just one drop of this Pokémon's body fluid can turn a pool stagnant and rancid."
"So it was you making the smell" Ash muttered before ordering Pikachu to use Thunderbolt. The Magnemite from before joins in with Thundershock, the combined move knocking the Muk out. Ash threw a Pokeball at it and caught it after three shakes, the Pokeball being sent to Professor Oak right away. It would no longer be a problem.
Now outside the workers thanked Ash for his help. Ash meanwhile noticed that Pikachu was looking a lot better.
"Your Pikachu's body probably became magnetized" one of the workers explained. "When an electric mouse builds up too much electricity, its body becomes magnetized and it seems as though it has a cold" the man added.
"So the Nurse Joy didn't know any better," said Ash angrily.
"The Nurse Joy in this town is… well she's something" the worker chuckled nervously.
The Magnemite from before floated out of the Power Station and then came over to Pikachu as if to check up on him. But then it seemed to lose interest and turn to Ash with what Ash assumed was a smile.
"That Magnnemite hasn't been here the longest. Some trainer released it and left not long before you arrived. I think it's taken a shine to you" the same worker explained.
Ash looked at the Magnemite with a smile.
"Do you want to join my team?"
Magnemite nodded and Ash pulled out a Pokeball. The Magnemite bumped its head against it and was captured instantly. The Pokeball was sent to Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Just a note to let you guys know what Pokemon Ash is currently carrying and which Pokemon he has at Oak's lab:
In Party: Wartortle, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Gengar, Primeape.
At Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Krabby, Magikarp, Golbat, Pidgeotto, Magnemite, Muk