[Bruno: Another evolution mid-battle, huh? Why does Black Ash always have his Pokémon evolve right in the heat of combat?]
[Leon: I don't think it's coincidence this time. When Charmeleon evolved before, it was triggered by the opponent's evolution—it was a reaction. But this time with Primeape, it was clearly planned.]
[Leon: Fighting-type Pokémon are born for battle. What better stage for evolution than the P1 Grand Prix itself?]
[Cynthia: Exactly. In the white world, Ash's Primeape evolved out of pure anger—rushed and unstable. But here in the Black World, the evolution was perfect—completely in control.]
Not every evolution that happens in the middle of a fight is a good evolution. If it happens at the wrong time—say, you start glowing mid-match and your opponent doesn't pull their punch—that one careless hit could do real, lasting damage. Still, one had to admit—there was nothing cooler than evolving right in the middle of a battle.
In the Black World—
After unleashing Close Combat, Primeape's relentless assault left Hitmonchan unable to stand. The P1 Grand Prix Champion was decided—the title went to the first-time participant, Ash! Ash leapt onto the stage and hugged Primeape tightly, both grinning from ear to ear. His goal in entering the tournament had been twofold—to knock some sense into Anthony, and to help Mankey evolve.
He wasn't sure about the first one, but the second goal was a complete success. And on top of that—they had a golden championship belt and a cash prize. No more tightening the belt for meals anytime soon! Truly a win on all fronts. A short while later, Ash and Primeape stood onstage for the award ceremony, basking in the cheers of the crowd. For Primeape, this was his very first real competition, and he loved every second of it—the lights, the roars, the applause. Ash could feel his Pokémon's excitement; he smiled, rubbing the tuft of fur on Primeape's head.
"How is it? First time on the big stage, first victory, hearing the crowd cheering your name—feels good, right?" "All of this came from your own hard work—the endless training, the determination to never give up. You earned every bit of this." "Pri-mape!" Primeape nodded eagerly, punching the air with enthusiasm. He wanted more of this—more battles, more cheers, more glory. Ash chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll get the chance. We're heading for an even bigger stage now." The Indigo Conference—a tournament countless times grander than the P1 Grand Prix, broadcast to the entire Kanto region. That was where they'd truly shine.
After the ceremony, Anthony approached Ash. He praised Primeape's potential, saying that if Ash handed him over for training, he'd make Primeape a true champion of the fighting circuit. Ash gave him a look that was halfway between disbelief and pity. "Are you kidding me, old man?" Anthony blinked. "Huh?" Ash folded his arms. "You just got beaten by this Primeape that I trained, and now you think you'd train him better?" Anthony: "…" "And besides," Ash continued, "if your so-called 'Fighting Championships' are all like this—no entry limits, anyone can join—then even if Primeape won ten, a hundred of them, what would that really mean?" "Beating random amateurs isn't glory. It's empty pride." "Primeape wants to grow stronger, to reach brighter stages. If you could help him achieve that, I'd gladly agree. But you?" "You abandoned your family just to chase a title like this. Why would I trust you with someone as important as my Primeape?" With every word, Anthony's face darkened, shame flooding his heart. Ash was right. How could a man who couldn't even care for his own family be trusted to care for someone else's Pokémon? The P1 Championship he'd been so proud of sounded almost laughably hollow now. "You can say I'm a bad father," Anthony muttered bitterly, "you can say I'm not as good a trainer as you—but don't you dare call the P1 Grand Prix a meaningless contest! It's the dream stage of countless fighters!" Ash blinked. …Was this guy deaf?When did he not call it meaningless? He just said it was open to everyone—which, honestly, made it sound meaningless.\
And that wasn't even the point! Ash sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever. I'm not giving Primeape to you." "I'll take him to the Indigo League, and we'll stand on the Champion's stage and raise that trophy together." "If I handed him over to you, he'd just fade into mediocrity." "And not only would that destroy Primeape's future, it would destroy yours too, Anthony. Go home. Look into your daughter's eyes—the ones filled with hope and longing—and remember what really matters." With that, Ash returned Primeape to his Poké Ball, turned, and walked away with Misty and Brock.
Anthony turned after them—and saw his daughter, Rebecca, standing quietly behind him, her eyes brimming with tears and hope. They seemed to say— "Come home, Dad." Anthony froze for a moment—then rushed forward and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry… Daddy was wrong…"
[Ash: Haha! A happy ending all around! Anthony realized his mistake, and Black Ash kept his Primeape—perfect outcome!]
[Misty: You've got some nerve laughing, Ash! Look at Black Ash—so clear-headed, so rational! That's what we call awareness!]
[Brock: Exactly! Black Ash laid out a dozen solid reasons. If you'd thought of even one of them back then, you never would've handed Primeape over in the first place!]
[Ash: H-hey, don't put all the blame on me! You guys didn't stop me either!]
[Misty: …]
[Brock: …]
Yeah. They really hadn't. Maybe deep down, they'd just assumed Ash would never actually give Primeape away. And when he did—their brains must've short-circuited for a moment. Yes… that had to be it.
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