In the Black World—
Ash and his friends were on their way to Celadon City, taking their time as they traveled. Just as they were about to arrive, a mischievous Monkey suddenly leapt out from behind Ash, trying to snatch the red-and-white cap off his head.
But Ash, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, tilted his body slightly and dodged the sneak attack with ease—then grabbed Mankey's arm and lifted it effortlessly in front of him. Misty and Brock froze for a few seconds before they even realized what had happened—a wild Mankey had tried to ambush them! "You naughty little guy, what are you trying to do?" "Maaankey!" "Oh, you want my hat?
Sorry, can't give it to you—this hat means a lot to me." That cap was one Ash had sent over a thousand postcards to win as a child. Only a hundred of them existed in the whole League.
"Maaankey!" Mankey clearly didn't care what Ash was saying. It thrashed and kicked wildly, trying to break free. But all its struggles were in vain. Ash blocked every blow with relaxed ease. On his journey, it wasn't just his Pokémon who trained hard—Ash himself had been training nonstop.
If anyone were to lift his shirt, they'd be shocked to see the ten-year-old already sporting a firm eight-pack. His height and build were more like that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old, and on top of that, he possessed the Aura. A mere Mankey couldn't possibly escape his grip. "You really want my hat, huh?" "Maaankey!" "Alright then, let's battle. If you beat Pikachu, you get the hat. But if you lose—you'll be my Pokémon, deal?"
Ash's smile turned "kind," but his eyes revealed his true intent. That's right—he wanted to capture this Mankey. There was a familiar spark within it, one that resonated with him. That was why he hadn't let it go. Mankey, too naive to realize the trap, accepted. And then… it was knocked out cold by Pikachu's Quick Attack in less than a second.
The last thought in Mankey's head before losing consciousness was: How can that electric rat hit this hard?! Little did it know—Pikachu had been training under eighty pounds of weighted gear, and with its speed-boosting Quick Attack, the impact was terrifying. After capturing Mankey, Ash decided to send Pidgeotto back to Professor Oak. Pidgeotto was still a bit away from evolving, and Ash already had a set training plan ready for it. Even back at the lab, it could keep up its training. Still, Ash planned to tell Professor Oak about its habits and diet — and if possible, to give Pidgeotto a nice massage once a week.
[Lance: Huh? Black Ash's Mankey didn't evolve!]
[Bruno: That might not be a bad thing. A slower evolution allows for deeper foundation and stronger potential later. Rushing it could actually harm long-term growth.]
[Ash: Uh…] Why does that sound like he's talking about my Charizard?But he's not wrong… Charizard was the smallest one back in the Charicific Valley.Though last time, when they battled in the Smoke Gym, Charizard seemed noticeably larger.Once he starts training with that Ancient Charizard Method I just got, his size and power will definitely surpass even the biggest of his kind!
Back in the Black World—
After capturing Mankey, Ash and his friends finally arrived at Celadon City. Compared to the previous towns, Celadon was much more prosperous. Upon hearing about the city's famous perfumes, Ash—before Misty even mentioned it—took the initiative to lead her straight into the most renowned perfume shop in town. "Um… is this really okay? Ash, don't you still have to challenge the Gym here?" "Hehe, it's fine! The Gym isn't going anywhere.
After all that travel, everyone's tired. We can take a little break, right? We'll go for the challenge tomorrow." "Besides, Misty, you like perfume, don't you? You're a girl, after all!" "Pika~ pika!" Misty blushed slightly at the doorway. They had come to Celadon for a Gym battle, yet here they were—in a perfume boutique. But Ash didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he even comforted her about it. Pikachu nodded approvingly beside him. Brock… Well, he was already staring at the shop's beautiful salesladies, completely dazed.
As they entered, the elegant shop assistants immediately surrounded Misty, enthusiastically recommending various fragrances. It was obvious who the real customer was. Ash didn't rush them—in fact, he carefully picked out two bottles he thought best suited Misty's personality.
The shopgirls couldn't stop complimenting his eye for taste. When it came time to pay, Ash stepped forward without hesitation. Brock also bought a bottle—don't ask why. Let's just say he was… persuaded by beauty. As they left the store, Misty carried a small bag of perfume, her cheeks flushed with soft pink warmth. She hesitated, then asked shyly, "Ash… why did you suddenly decide to buy perfume for me?" "Hm? Oh, nothing special. We've been traveling together for so long, and I've never really given you anything. You're a girl, and yet you've been trekking through forests and mountains with us—honestly, I feel kinda bad about that.
You could've been riding your bike instead." "I've actually been thinking about getting you something for a while, but never found the right thing. So, consider these perfumes a little thank-you gift—for accompanying me on this journey!" Ash said with his hands behind his head, tilting back with a relaxed grin. Misty felt a tiny pang of disappointment. So… it was a friend's gift after all? But even so—her heart was fluttering. After all, this was the first time Ash had ever given her a present, something meant just for her.
[Misty: Uuugh! See? Look! Black Ash has emotional intelligence! I'm literally dying of envy! 😭]
[Brock: I know, right? Our Ash acts like a block of wood around girls, but Black Ash—he's smooth!]
[Sabrina: Even when he dealt with my other self, Black Ash showed such consideration."]
[Erika: Same with me. He was never rude or dismissive like the Ash in our world."]
[Erika: Seriously, Black Ash knows how to appreciate a woman! Unlike someone who once said 'perfume is just a way to lure men'—I still haven't forgotten that, Ash!"]
[Caitlin: Honestly? Misty's already falling for him. No—she's completely fallen! Black Ash really does have that unique kind of charm that draws women in."]
[Ash: S-stop… stop it already! I'll change, okay?! I'll learn from Black Ash, alright? Both in training and in dealing with people!"]
Author's Note:
Heh… not sure if this little touch of romance felt awkward to read.
If it did, I can tone it down in the future—those who get it, get it.
Dark Ash is walking the harem route,
and eventually, the regular Ash will too~
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