Chapter 27

Serena's heart freezes in place, and her eyes widen in fear at the sight of Ash's screaming at the top of his lungs as the unknown Pokémon on top of him squeezes the life out of him. Whatever this angry Pokemon wants with Ash, it's clear to Serena that it wants to cause the poor boy she cares for pain. She reaches into her backpack, takes out Braixen's Pokeball, and gets ready to throw it when Brock suddenly grabs her arm, stopping her.

"What are you doing?" she asks. "That thing is hurting Ash!"

"No, it's not," Brock says calmly. "Can't you see it's hugging him, and Ash is happy to see Primeape?"

Serena looks at Brock in confusion and turns her head to see he's right. The strange ape-looking Pokemon stands up and cheerfully hops from one foot to the other while Ash laughs and wraps his arms around it.

"Hey, Primeape, good to see you," Ash giggles.

"Prime...ape?" Serena asks as she takes out her Pokedex.

"Primeape, the pig monkey Pokemon," it says. "If you make eye contact with this evolved form of Mankey, it will chase you forever."

"Chase you forever? Is that why it came after Ash?" Serena asks.

"No, Serena, this Primeape is mine," Ash answers.

"What? This Pokemon is yours?" Serena asks, surprised.

"Hey, Primeape, wait up!"

Everyone turns around to see a tall, muscular man and a young woman running over to them. Ash, Pikachu, and Brock smile, immediately recognizing them.

"Hey, Anthony, Rebecca!" Ash calls out.

"Wow!" Brock shouts with hearts in his eyes. "Rebecca is even cuter than I remember!"

Brock begins to run over to the girl only to have two arms wrap around him from behind. He turns around to see Serena holding him back with a sympathetic look.

"Brock, remember when we talked about you acting creepy?" She asks. "I'm afraid this is one of those times. Please take a deep breath and greet her calmly but nicely."

Brock whimpers, wanting to run after the woman out of habit, but he sighs in defeat and takes a deep breath before turning to Rebecca, who just caught up with Primeape with Anthony and greets her with a friendly smile.

"Rebecca, long time no see," he says with Serena smiling, satisfied with her friend's changed demeanor. "How has it been with you and your father?"

"Oh, it's been going great," Rebecca answers happily. "Ever since Ash won the P1 Grand Prix with Primeape, Daddy has been at home with our family all the time now, and we couldn't be happier. My mother and I can't thank you two enough."

Brock blushes and looks away, scratching his nose in an attempt to play cool.

"Oh, well, you know, we did our best," he says, chuckling nervously.

Meanwhile, the tall, muscular man walks over to Ash and his Primeape with a hearty smile.

"Well, what do you know?" He says. "Long time no see, Ash. It's good to see ya."

"Good to see you too, Anthony," Ash says as he and Primeape break their hug to face the man. "Have you been training Primeape hard?"

"You bet," Anthony says with a grin. "With the help of my Hitmonchan and me, Primeape has gotten stronger than ever. Though, it's clear as day that it misses you more than it's ready for the P1 Grand Prix again."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Ash chuckles as Primeape starts to hug him tightly again.

Serena, meanwhile, looks down and sighs worriedly.

"Why do so many of Ash's Pokemon like to inflict some kind of pain on him to display their affection?" She groans to herself before turning to Anthony. "Excuse me, but what is this about a P1 Grand Prix?"

Anthony, Rebecca, and Primeape all turn to the honey blonde girl, realizing they haven't noticed her.

"And who might you be, young lady?" Anthony asks.

"I'm Serena," Serena introduces.

"Nice to meet you," Rebecca says kindly. "I'm Rebecca, and this is my father."

"Anthony's the name," Anthony says proudly. "And to answer your question, Serena, I'm talking about the Pokemon Number One Grand Prix that takes place right here in Celadon City. It's a competition where each trainer can compete with only one fighting Pokemon that happens every year."

"That's right, and four years ago, I won the competition against Team Rocket with Primeape," Ash adds. "Then, I left it with Anthony so he can train it to become a true champion."

"Primeape!" Primeape shouts proudly.

"Wow, that's incredible, Ash," Serena says, impressed with Ash's accomplishment before turning to Anthony. "So what are you all doing here?"

"This year's P1 Grand Prix is tomorrow, and Daddy is going to compete with Primeape," Rebecca answers.

"You are?!" Ash shouts with a bright smile.

"That's right. I've taught Primeape everything it needs to know to be a true champion," Anthony says. "Tomorrow, I'm going to enter the competition so that Primeape can help me finally achieve my dream by winning the tournament at last."

"Primeape!" Primeape says proudly again.

"That's great," Brock says. "Looks like we are just in time to see you compete."

"Yeah," Ash says enthusiastically until he realizes something and frowns sadly. "But we are about to leave for Fuchsia City. Serena has a contest there, and we don't want to miss it."

Primeape looks at Ash devastated while Anthony and Rebecca look down on the floor, disappointed.

"Aw, that's a shame," Anthony says.

Serena looks at everyone, feeling hurt that they are sad because of her. She quickly takes out her tablet and looks at the ad for the contest in Fuchsia City and smiles.

"Actually, we don't need to leave right away," she says.

"Are you sure, Serena?" Ash asks.

"Positive," Serena says. "According to my tablet, we would be arriving two days early if we left now. Besides, Primeape is your Pokemon, and I don't want you to miss something so important to it. So, let's support Primeape together."

Ash looks at Serena, surprised for a moment before he smiles thankfully.

"Thank you, Serena," he says before turning to everyone else. "Alright, then we'll be there to cheer for you, Primeape!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouts.

"Primeape!" Primeape yells joyfully as it starts crushing Ash in a tight hug.

"That's great," Anthony says. "So what say we all get rooms at the Pokemon Center and catch up on things?"

"Sure, I'm sure Nurse Joy would be able to give us our room back for one more night," Brock says.

"Then let's go, team!" Anthony shouts proudly.

Thus, Rebecca, Primeape, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Serena all head back to the Pokemon Center with Serena walking behind everyone. Seeing Ash and Primeape laugh and talk along the way like the old friends they are made her smile.

No one notices, however, that Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers are walking past them on the other side of the road.

*************************************************************

Through the next few hours, Ash, Serena, and Brock talk non-stop with Anthony and Rebecca while Pikachu and Primeape play with all of Ash, Brock, and Serena's Pokemon, exuding Steelix. Anthony talks about how he was training Primeape hard with his Hitmonchan, Rebecca talks about how her father was spending much more time with their family, and Ash started telling stories about his travels since he gave his Pokemon to Anthony. Serena was shocked yet amused with how things started so rocky for Ash and Primeape when he found it as a Mankey, mentally reminding herself that he had a lot to learn about treating Pokemon back then.

Eventually, the group had dinner while still telling stories and afterward decided to go separate places with Anthony finding a place to train Primeape before the P1 Grand Prix while Ash trains his Pokemon on the other side of the courtyard, Serena practices her performances not to far from Ash while Brock and Rebecca continue to talk inside the Pokemon Center.

"Okay, Absol," Serena begins with Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, and Poliwag standing next to her. "Since we're delaying our trip to Fuchsia City, I think now would be a perfect time for you to practice your moves. If we can work fast enough, I can put you in on the appeal stage for my next contest."

"Absol!" Absol cheers, excited to be a part of the Pokemon contest with its trainer and the rest of her Pokemon.

Serena, Braixen, Pancham, and Poliwag all smile warmly at its enthusiasm before Serena takes out her Pokedex.

"Okay, so according to my Pokedex, you currently know Leer, Feint, Scratch, and Perish Song," she says. "So let's practice some of those moves, okay?"

"Absol," Absol replies, nodding.

"Okay," Serena says before she looks around and finds a weak branch on a tree. "Use Scratch on that tree branch."

Absol's front claws turn white, and it runs over and slices the branch off the tree like it was made of cloth.

"Great," Serena says before looking around and finding a soda can on the floor. "Now use Feint on that can."

Absol disappears for a moment, reappears right in front of the soda can, and swipes at it, tearing it into pieces.

"Wonderful," Serena says cheerfully. "Now aim at the sky and use Perish Song."

Absol nods and aims at the sky. It takes a deep breath and fires crimson sound waves from its mouth.

"Excellent," Serena says with Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, and Poliwag cheering. "I'm not sure how we can practice Leer since that lowers a Pokemon's defense, and I'd rather not use Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, or Poliwag as guinea pigs."

Serena scratches her chin in thought before she takes out her Pokedex and looks through the information about Absol again. Absol walks over to its trainer curiously as Serena searches.

"Hmmm, it says here that you can learn Double Team," Serena says intrigued. "Maybe if I can train you to learn it, we could make a really beautiful spectacle with a Double Team and Perish Song combo, Absol."

"Absol!" Absol says, enthusiastic of Serena's idea.

Serena turns to the rest of her Pokemon and asks, "What do you all think?"

"Pancham!" Pancham says, giving a thumbs up.

"Braix," Braixen says with a simple nod.

"Sylveon," Sylveon says cutely.

"Poli, Poli," Poliwag says, bouncing.

"Great," Serena says happily. "Now, I just need to think of a way to teach you the move. Perhaps he could -"

Suddenly, Serena's thoughts are interrupted when she hears an explosion. The honey blonde girl and her Pokemon turn around and see from a distance that Ash is training with Gabite and Boldore. The two Pokemon are standing on opposite sides of the field while Ash and Pikachu are standing on the sidelines.

"Boldore, use Rock Smash!" Ash orders.

One of Boldore's front legs glow red-orange, and it charges at Gabite.

"Gabite, fend Boldore off with your own Rock Smash!" Ash commands.

Gabite's arm glows white, and it charges back at Boldore. The two attacks clash, and Gabite and Boldore lock arm and leg, trying to overpower the other. After a few seconds, the two Pokemon back away, accepting they are at an impasse.

"Now, Boldore, use Flash Cannon and Gabite, use Dragon Rush!" Ash shouts.

The two Pokemon prepare their respective attacks before they fire at the same time, causing the two moves to explode on impact.

"Alright, now for something tricky," Ash says confidently. "Gabite, use Draco Meteor and Boldore, use Rock Blast to defend yourself against the spheres."

Serena and her Pokemon look at Ash, confused as Gabite prepares to use Draco Meteor. The cave Pokemon fires its attack, and the sphere flies high into the sky before it explodes into several spheres heading straight for Boldore. Boldore looks up to the best of its ability and starts firing several stones at the meteors. Unfortunately, one lands right behind it, and it explodes, sending Boldore off its feet and landing upside down. The ore Pokemon starts kicking its legs into the air in panic, struggling to get up.

"Oh no," Ash says, running to Boldore's side. "Gabite, help me get Boldore up."

Gabite nods and starts helping Ash turn Boldore over, but the poor Pokemon is still panicking. Serena realizes that their strength isn't enough and turns to her Pokemon.

"Braixen, Pancham, let's help too," she says.

Braixen and Pancham nod and follow Serena with Sylveon, Poliwag, and Absol following behind. The honey blonde girl kneels in front of Boldore while her Pokemon take positions beside Ash and Gabite.

"It's okay, Boldore," she says softly while petting Boldore's head. "We're gonna get you standing up again. Just please calm down and stand still so we can help you."

Ash turns his head, noticing what Serena is doing. To his amazement, Boldore slowly calms down and slowly stops kicking its legs in the air. Serena smiles warmly and turns to Ash.

"Let's lift on the count of three," she says.

Ash smirks and nods back at Serena.

"Right, together on three," he says with Gabite, Braixen, and Pancham nodding in agreement. "One...two...three!"

Together, the two teenagers and the three Pokemon try to lift Boldore with all their might. Even Pikachu, Poliwag, Sylveon, and Absol come in and try to help. It takes a moment before they manage to lift Boldore up to its side and push it to its stomach. The ore Pokemon gets up on all three legs and cheers happily before walking over to Serena and climbs on top of her affectionately.

"Looks like Boldore wants to say thank you," Ash says with a smile.

"Oh, you're very welcome, Boldore," Serena says, flattered.

"Bol, Boldore," Boldore says gleefully before getting off of Serena.

Ash walks over to his Pokemon and kneels down to pet it.

"Sorry about that, Boldore," he says. "I guess that was a little too tricky for you."

"Boldore," Boldore groans sadly.

Ash frowns as Boldore walks away from him and finds a spot to lie down on the grass. He stands up and looks at his Pokemon sympathetically before turning to Gabite.

"Let's take a break," he says.

Gabite nods and finds a spot to relax. Serena notices Ash looking worried for Boldore and turns to her Pokemon.

"Everyone, why don't you go play for a little while," she suggests.

Her Pokemon nod and run off to play while Serena turns back to Ash. She walks over to him while Pikachu hops on his shoulder with the same worried look.

"Ash, what's wrong?" She asks.

Ash stays silent for a moment before he says, "Boldore has been acting pretty down lately. It's been acting hard on itself whenever it messes up on a move when training. It's been like this since its battle with Erika's Victreebel."

Serena turns to Boldore with a sad look, seeing the ore Pokemon looking down.

"Is it sad that it lost so quickly to Victreebel?" She asks.

"Yeah, and probably Sabrina's Alakazam too," Ash says. "I think it's discouraged how it hasn't done a whole lot in battle since we left Pallet Town. I've noticed it was distended when it learned that Quilava evolved into a Typhlosion. I think it thinks that if it evolved like Typhlosion, Gabite, and Servine, it would feel better."

"Really?" Serena asks. "Can it evolve?"

"Well, yeah. A Boldore can evolve into this large rock Pokemon called Gigalith," Ash answers.

"Gigalith?" Serena asks curiously before opening her Pokedex and typing in the name.

"Gigalith, the compressed Pokemon," her Pokedex says. "Gigalith's attacks, using compressed energy from its core, are powerful enough to destroy a mountain."

"Powerful enough to destroy a mountain? That's incredible," Serena says.

"Yeah, it sounds pretty awesome," Ash says with his eyes still fixed on Boldore. "The thing is I don't think it wants to wait until it's powerful enough to evolve. I guess after a couple of losses, it wants to just gain that kind of power right off the bat. I'm trying to get it to be patient, but it doesn't want to wait."

Serena frowns sadly and turns to Boldore and says, "I can't imagine what that's like."

"I can," Ash says. "I remember wanting to evolve Pikachu into a Raichu to win a badge."

"Really?" Serena asks, shocked.

"Yeah," Ash answers while turning to Pikachu, who is still on his shoulder. "It was when I was trying to get my badge at Vermillion City. Remember, buddy?"

"Pikachu," Pikachu says, nodding.

"Isn't Vermillion city the place May and Max were going when we left Cerulean City?" Serena asks.

"Yup," Ash says, smirking. "And I hope Max and his Pokemon do a better job facing Lieutenant Surge and his Raichu than we did."

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu says in agreement.

"Why? What happened when you face him?" Serena asks.

Ash runs the back of his head and says, "His Raichu beat Pikachu pretty badly. We didn't stand a chance."

Serena looks at Ash, surprised as he continues his story.

"Back then, I only had the two badges that I got from Brock and Misty's sisters without winning a battle, so I still didn't earn a badge the right way before by this point in my journey," he says. "The Nurse Joy who was treating Pikachu, offered me a Thunder Stone so that Pikachu could evolve into a Raichu. I offered it to Pikachu, but it knocked it away with its tail, stating that it wants to face Raichu just the way it is. I honored its wishes, and so we faced Lieutenant Surge again and won. It turned out that, as powerful as his Raichu was, he evolved it too early. It didn't have the speed it would have gained if he waited until his Pikachu was at a higher level before evolving it into a Raichu. Because Pikachu is smaller and faster, it had the upper hand, so we used it to beat Raichu and win the match."

Serena smiles, hearing about Ash winning the badge.

"Over time, I learned how evolving didn't always matter for a Pokemon, not just with Pikachu," Ash says. "Bulbasaur, for example, had a chance to evolve into an Ivysaur, but it didn't want to because it was happy the way it is. From then on, I took a different approach to work on making my Pokemon as strong as they can possibly be whether they evolve or not. If they do, then that's great, and if not that's great too."

"Pikachu," Pikachu says.

Serena nods in agreement before turning to Boldore.

"So, you're okay with Boldore wanting to evolve?" She asks.

"Absolutely," Ash answers. "If that's what Boldore wants, then I'm willing to help it all the way. I just wish it wasn't so down over losing those battles and my other Pokemon evolving. Becoming strong can take a long while for a Pokemon. That's why I gave Primeape to Anthony so that it could become a better champion."

Serena hums in thought and asks, "Do you know how Boldore can evolve into a Gigalith?"

Ash's eyes widen, and he scratches his cheek.

"I haven't a clue," he answered. "It could be through training like I'm trying to do right now, or it could be something like needing a specific stone or getting stronger at a certain area. Maybe Boldore is one of those Pokemon that evolves through trading like Jessie's Gourgeist. I just don't know. Right now, all I can do is keep training so that it'll get better in battle."

Serena nods before turning to Boldore with a sympathetic look. She then smiles and walks over to Boldore, who turns to her curiously as she kneels down beside it.

"Don't worry, Boldore. You'll get better," she says. "Take it from me. It takes a lot of practice to get as good as you want to be, but you won't get better if you keep being down about yourself."

"Boldore," Boldore sighs.

"You know, Quilava may have evolved into a Typhlosion, but it wasn't easy for it to do that even when it had the type advantage," she says. "It almost lost to Gloom until we started cheering for it, telling Quilava not to give up until it's over. That's a saying Ash told me when we were little, and he forgot about it until we met again in the Kalos region. I took it to heart since that day, and I started to put it into practice when I became a performer. But making it to the Master Class and facing Aria took a lot of time. The first time I lost hurt me real bad, but after being comforted by Fennekin and Pancham, I kept going. So, give it time and don't give up. You'll evolve someday. Just trust Ash and don't give up until the very end."

Boldore still looks down for a few seconds. Finally, it stands up and turns to Ash with a firm stance.

"Does that mean you're ready to keep going?" Ash asks.

"Boldore," Boldore replies happily.

"Alright, then let's try that move one more time," Ash says excitedly.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheers from Ash's shoulder.

"Boldore!" Boldore shouts while Gabite runs over to join them.

Serena smiles and turns around to head back to her Pokemon until she hears Ash's voice.

"Thanks, Serena," he says. "You're the best."

Serena stops walking and turns her head only to see that Ash has already looked away from her and has gone back to training with his Pokemon. She smiles and blushes lightly, before going back to walking over to her Pokemon.

"Make his Pokemon as strong as they can be, huh?" She says to herself. "I wonder how much stronger Primeape will turn out to be in his eyes tomorrow."

*****************************************

The next day, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Serena went back to Celadon City Hall with Anthony, Rebecca, and Primeape early in the afternoon. Already dozens of people are coming inside and taking their seats while Ash and his friends wishes Anthony and Primeape luck.

"This is it, Primeape," Anthony says proudly. "This time, we're going to win. I can feel it."

"Primeape!" Primeape shouts.

"Good luck, Daddy," Rebecca says, giving her father a kiss on the cheek.

"So, you and Primeape have competed in the last couple of Grand Prix?" Brock asks.

"Sure have," Anthony says. "But every time someone gets the better of us during the last round and takes the belt. But we've learned from our mistakes, haven't we?"

"Prime," Primeape growls.

"Are you sure, Daddy?" Rebecca asks. "I heard there's a new competitor from Kalos that is pretty tough."

"Ah, tough, smough," Anthony says with a wave of his hand. "Whatever this person's Pokemon has in store, we can take them. Right, Ash?"

"Right," Ash says nothing before turning to Primeape. "Now Primeape, I don't know how much you've learned since I left you in Anthony's care, but if there's anything I want you to take from me before you go it is don't be afraid to dodge or study your opponent's fighting pattern. But more importantly to never give up until the very end."

Serena smiles fondly at Ash for taking her example with his own advice before she steps in and says, "And don't forget to have fun."

"Yeah, Serena's right. Don't forget to have fun," Ash says.

"Pikachu," Pikachu says.

"Primeape," Primeape says, nodding and banging its fists together.

"All contestants, please proceed backstage," a voice says from the speakers.

"Well, it's showtime," Anthony says. "Come on, Primeape, let's win us a belt."

"Prime," Primeape snarls eagerly as it follows the tall, muscular man to the backstage.

"Alright, gang, let's find our seats," Brock says.

Everyone nods in agreement as they walk over to find a spot in the front seat of the hall where the stage has already been changed into a large fighting platform. They wait for about ten minutes before the lights turn off and they hear an announcer coming from the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this year's P1 Grand Prix tournament," he says.

The crowd roars with thunderous applause before the announcer continues.

"We have a great competition for you today," he says. "Now, without further ado, let's start with our first match of the day with Joseph and his Machoke versus Anthony and Primeape."

"Yeah! Go, Primeape!" Ash shouts.

"Good luck, Primeape!" Serena calls out.

"You can do it!" Brock yells.

"Pika, Pi!" Pikachu shouts.

"Go get 'em, Daddy," Rebecca calls out.

Primeape enters the platform with Anthony staying behind in the corner while a tall teenage boy with short, black hair stands on the other side of the corner with a Machoke. The two sides wait until the bell rings, and a referee shouts, "Fight!"

"Machoke, use Low Kick!" Joseph shouts.

"Primeape, use Mega Kick," Anthony says.

Machoke runs over to Primeape and attempts to trip Primeape only for the pig monkey Pokemon to jump high into the air and land on Machome's head foot first.

"Machoke, get up and use Brick Break," Joseph shouts with an uneasy look on his face.

Machoke gets up, and its hands turn white before attempting to punch Primeape only for it to dodge each punch.

"That's it, Primeape," Anthony encourages with a grin. "Stay on defense. Wait for him to tire out before finishing him off."

Primeape continues to dodge Machoke's every attack. Finally, as Anthony predicted, Machoke's attacks start to grow weaker and slower. Primeape takes advantage of this by pounding and kicking its opponent repeatedly.

"There Primeape goes with that Thrash attack," Ash says.

"Yeah, and it looks much stronger than before," Brock adds.

Primeape stops using Thrash, and Machoke gets down on one knee. Then Primeape's right boxing glove turns white, and it lifts its arms high into the air before thrusting it hard on Machoke's head.

"Whoa, Primeape knows Karate Chop too?!" Ash exclaims with stars in his eyes.

"Yeah, it learned to do that a couple years ago," Rebecca chortles.

"That is so awesome!" Ash shouts excitedly.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouts in agreement.

Serena giggles at Ash's excitement before turning to the fight just in time to see Machoke fall flat on its face with swirly eyes. The bell rings and the referee steps in.

"Machoke is down for the count! Primeape wins!" He declares.

The crowd cheers while Primeape does a victory dance, and Joseph helps his poor Machoke out of the ring. Ash and Pikachu cheer as loud as their lungs are capable of before the announcer introduces the next match.

"Wow, Primeape has gotten so much better," Ash says.

"Pikachu," Pikachu says.

"Yeah, that Machoke didn't stand a chance," Serena says as the next match starts.

"True, but there's still one more round after this before the final round," Brock says.

"I know," Rebecca says worriedly. "And I'm still concerned about the new competitor that I heard about."

"Don't worry about it," Ash says confidently. "Primeape and Anthony are going to win this, no doubt."

"Pika!" Pikachu shouts as the match ends with a Hitmonchan taking down a Hitmonlee.

"And now, our next match is Jimmy with his Machamp against Stan with his Gallade!" The announcer says.

"Gallade?!" Ash and Serena both shout surprised.

"But I thought Gallade is only a Psychic-type Pokemon," Ash says.

"Yeah, but it's a fighting type too," Brock says. "This one probably only knows fighting moves, so it counts."

Ash and Serena stare at the Gallade on the platform looking ready to fight. Behind it at the corner is an old man with balding gray hair and a cocky grin on his face. Rebecca looks at the man worriedly as the bell dings to start the fight.

"Machamp, let's start things up with Brick Break," the teenager named Jimmy says.

All four of Machamp's fists turn white, and it charges at Gallade. The superpower Pokemon throws several punches at its opponent at quick speed only for Gallade to dodge every single one of them just by moving the top half of its body. Eventually, the blade Pokemon makes one wrong move, and one of the bottom fists lands a hit on its stomach. Jimmy smiles excitedly only to look in confusion to find Gallade barely looking like it was hurt at all.

"I see. So this is why you were worried about Stan and his Gallade, Rebecca," Brock says, crossing his arms.

"Yes, it's just as I feared," Rebecca says.

"What do you mean?" Serena asks.

"Gallade has an advantage against Machamp," Brock explains. "Because it's part Psychic-type, the fighting attacks will only cause half of the damage it would have caused if it was used against a pure fighting type like Machamp or Primeape."

Stan grins from his corner and looks at his Gallade, saying, "You know what to do."

Gallade grins and with great speed zooms over to Machamp until they're close to each other and starts attacking it fiercely, causing Machamp to get down on one knee. With its opponent weak, Gallade gives Machamp a firm kick that sends its opponent hitting its back against the corner hard before finally dropping its head with swirly eyes.

"Machamp is down for the count! Gallade wins!" The referee declares while ringing the bell.

Ash, Serena, Pikachu, Brock, and Rebecca stare in shock while the rest of the audience applauds excitedly.

"Wow, that Gallade is so powerful," Ash says.

"No kidding," Brock says with a nod. "That Close Combat, Brick Break, and Low Kick combo was flawlessly executed. Machamp barely hurt it while Gallade took it down like it was nothing."

"Then Primeape and the other competitors might not stand a chance against Gallade," Serena says worriedly.

"Oh, I knew Daddy should have been concerned about this Stan guy," Rebecca says fearfully.

"Don't count Anthony and Primeape out yet," Ash says optimistically. "They're going to win this tournament no matter the challenge. I know they will."

The first round ends with a young woman's Hitmontop beating a boy's Tyrogue. Thus the next round starts with Primeape against Hitmonchan in the first match and Gallade against Hitmontop in the second match. Fortunately for Primeape, it's able to put its training with Anthony's Hitmonchan to beat the boy's Hitmonchan and win the match. Unfortunately, Gallade overpowers Hitmontop as easily as its first opponent. Thus, Brock, Rebecca, and Serena's worry starts to grow while Ash and Pikachu choose to stay confident.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the moment you've been waiting for!" The announcer says energetically. "It's the final match between Anthony and Primeape, the P1 Grand Prix veterans, against the newcomers, Stan and Gallade. Who will win?"

The crowd roars in excitement as Anthony and Primeape appear from one side of the stage, and Stan and Gallade appear from the other.

"Go, Primeape! Show them what you're made of!" Ash shouts.

"Pika, Pi!" Pikachu exclaims.

Serena looks at Ash, concerned that he might be acting too confident about his Pokemon's chances as the two fighting-type Pokemon enter the ring.

"Let's get this fight started!" The announcer says, and the bell dings.

Primeape charges at Gallade and starts throwing several punches at its opponent. Gallade evades most attacks with ease, but Primeape manages to land a few hits against the blade Pokemon, which does little damage to it.

"Come on, Primeape! Don't hold back!" Anthony calls out. "Stay on the offensive!"

Primeape doesn't hesitate to obey Anthony as it throws as many punches as possible. Meanwhile, Stan gives an amused smirk as he watches the pig monkey Pokemon try to hit his Pokemon with little success or affect. Finally, he sees Primeape begin to tire and grins.

"Gallade, now," he calls out.

Gallade stops dodging and suddenly catches one of Primeape's fists with its hand. Primeape and Anthony stare in shock for a moment before Gallade starts punching its opponent fiercely. Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Brock, Rebecca, and Anthony look in shock as the blade Pokemon beats Primeape with vigorous speed.

"Primeape!" Ash calls out.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu shouts.

"Come on, Primeape, don't let up!" Serena shouts.

"You can do it!" Brock yells.

"Come on, Primeape, don't let this chump get the best of you," Anthony calls out.

But Primeape can barely focus on what is going on at the rate that Gallade is hitting it repeatedly with great force. Finally, Gallade kicks Primeape in the stomach, and the pig monkey Pokemon is sent flying off its feet and hitting the post. It falls down in a sitting position, struggling to stay conscious.

"Well, I must say Primeape put up a decent fight," Stan says. "Unfortunately, it's time to finish this. Gallade, Low Kick."

Ash's heart sinks as Gallade prepares to kick his Pokemon.

"Come on, Primeape, don't give up!" He shouts. "Remember what I said; don't give up until the very end! You're not down yet, so fight back with everything you've got!"

"Yeah, Primeape, Ash is right," Anthony calls out. "Remember we've been training to show Ash how you've gotten so strong over the last four years. So, come on now, don't give up. This is your chance. Show us what a true champion you are!"

Primeape groans in pain as Gallade charges after it. The pig monkey Pokemon starts shaking its body as a means to snap out of its daze.

"Primeape, dodge now!" Ash screams.

The raven-haired boy's words ring in the fighting Pokemon's ear, and its eyes snap open. It sees Gallade's foot just a couple yards away from its face, and it quickly moves its body away, causing Gallade to hit the post. The blade Pokemon winces in pain and lumps away with its foot swollen.

"Oh no, Gallade!" Stan shouts in realization.

Anthony grins and shouts, "Way to go, now get back on the offensive!"

Primeape bangs its fists together before ferociously hitting Gallade with several punches and kicks. The psychic-and-fighting-type Pokemon tries to dodge them, but its stance has become weak and sloppy with its injured foot. With a force uppercut, Primeape knocks Gallade off its feet, sending it falling down on the ground. Stan watches in horror as Primeape grabs Gallade by the foot and head, carries it to the top of one of the posts, jumps up, and throws it into the ground, knocking it out.

"It's over!" The referee declares. "Gallade is down for the count! Primeape is the winner!"

The bell rings one final time. Anthony gets on the platform and starts celebrating with Primeape. Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Brock, Rebecca, and the rest of the audience roar with thunderous applause as the referee puts the golden belt around Primeape. Rebecca sighs with happy tears in her eyes to see her father looking so thrilled to have accomplished his dream. Primeape turns to where Ash and Pikachu are seated and makes a victory pose to its trainer. The raven-haired boy and his Pikachu cheer for Primeape at the top of their lungs, and Serena secretly glances at him, so glad to see the boy she cares for being so happy for his Pokemon.

*************************************

Eventually, the cheering dies down, and people leave the hall just like at the end of Celadon City's Pokemon contest. Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Brock, and Rebecca meet up with Anthony and Primeape outside of the building with Rebecca running to her father for a tight hug.

"Oh, Daddy, I'm so happy for you!" She exclaims.

Anthony chuckles with his mouth closed and says, "Thanks, Rebecca. It really feels great to have finally accomplished my dream."

"Yeah, what are you going to do now that your dream is fulfilled?" Brock asks.

Anthony chuckles nervously and scratches the back of his head.

"Good question. I have no idea," he admits. "I guess I could train Hitmonchan some more so that it could win the Grand Prix next year, but as far as a new real goal, I have no idea."

"Well, I hope you find that new dream soon," Serena says.

"Yeah, meanwhile, I'll keep pursuing my own dream to become a Pokemon Master," Ash says confidently.

"Atta boy, Ash," Anthony says. "In fact, since you're aiming to compete in the Indigo League again, why don't I give Primeape back to you? I betcha you'll win a lot of battles with a true champion in your team."

Ash's eyes light up, and he turns to Primeape, asking, "Would you like to come back with me, Primeape?"

"Primeape!" Primeape responds gleefully.

"Awesome!" Ash says before scratching his chin in thought. "Since Typhlosion has fully evolved, I think I'll send it back to Professor Oak so that you can be a part of our journey."

"Primeape!" Primeape shouts joyously.

So, the group heads back to the Pokemon Center, where Ash sends Typhlosion's Pokeball back to Professor Oak's laboratory while Anthony gives Ash Primeape's Pokeball. Then Anthony turns to Primeape and gives it a sad smile.

"Well, Primeape, it's been a blast," he says. "Thank you for all your hard work and for making my dream come true. I'll tell Hitmonchan that you said goodbye."

"Goodbye, Primeape. We'll miss you," Rebecca says while hugging the Pokemon.

"Prime," Primeape says sadly while it hugs Rebecca back.

When the two part, Primeape turns to Ash, who smiles at it with its Pokeball ready.

"Alright, Primeape, welcome back to the group," he says.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu happily says from Ash's shoulder.

"Primeape!" Primeape shouts happily before it goes back into its Pokeball.

Ash looks at the Pokeball, and his smile grows before turning to Anthony and Rebecca.

"Anthony, Rebecca, I want to thank you for taking care of Primeape," he says.

"Don't mention it, Ash. It was our pleasure," Anthony says with a grin. "Be sure to give it your all at the Indigo League with Primeape."

"I will," Ash says.

"And Anthony, good luck with finding a new dream," Serena says.

"Thanks, Serena," Anthony replies.

"Well, we better get going," Brock says. "We don't want to miss Serena's contest at Fuschia City."

"Understood," Anthony says with a nod. "Take care, everyone."

"Goodbye," Ash, Serena, and Brock say together as they start to leave while waving to Anthony and Rebecca. When the coach and his daughter are out of sight, the three trainers and Pikachu turn their heads and begin leaving the city.

"Well, as much as I enjoyed staying in the city, it's good to be back on the road again," Ash says.

"You said it, Ash," Brock agrees. "Are you ready for your next contest, Serena?"

"I hope so," Serena says. "I still have a lot of practicing to do with Absol, and I hope we will be ready in time."

"Don't worry. You'll be ready before you know it," Ash says encouragingly.

"Pikachu," Pikachu says from Ash's shoulder.

Serena smiles and Ash sweetly, happy to see him in bliss with his old Pokemon back. As the group head their way to Cycling Road, Ash looks up in the sky and imagines all the battles he's going to have with his long-time friend.