Chapter 104: The Abandoned Monkey's First Battle
After the match, Ash left the competitors' preparation area and saw his mother, Professor Oak, and Misty approaching, chatting and laughing.
"Mom, Professor Oak, why are you here?" Ash asked, somewhat surprised.
"I came to see if you're comfortable living here, Ash," Delia replied.
"Mom, the treatment for Trainers in the League Contest is very good."
"Ash, congratulations on making it to the Top 16! Pallet Town's last hope rests on you!" Professor Oak said with a smile.
Professor Oak's words made Gary, his grandson, quite displeased. Gary protested, "Grandpa, I also advanced to the Top 16!"
"Oh, well then, Gary, you do your best too. If you two can take both first and second place, that would be something truly worth celebrating."
Facing Professor Oak's expectations, Ash himself had no problem. "Professor, I will do my best."
But whether Gary could make it to the finals, that was hard to say.
After all, when he got careless, he was truly thoughtless.
Later, Ash and the others had a meal meticulously prepared by Ash's mother at a restaurant. There, Ash met Ritchie, the rival who ended idiot's Indigo Plateau Conference in the original story.
In some ways, Ritchie was a pirated version of idiot, as both of their main Pokémon were yellow rodents, and their bond was equally deep.
Time flew by, and another day passed.
Although there were no matches that day, Ash and Ritchie worked together to thwart a scheme by the Team Rocket Trio.
Honestly, Ash couldn't understand why these three were so bold. During the Indigo Plateau Conference, all the Jennys from the Kanto region were there on official business. How dared these three cause trouble in such a setting?
He wondered if Giovanni knew that he had such a valiant small team under him.
Ash could assert that other Team Rockets members wouldn't dare to cause trouble in an area swarming with Jennys; even if Giovanni came, he'd probably have to pretend to be a philanthropist.
The next day, Ash faced his Top 16 battle, and just like in the original story, his opponent was Ritchie.
"Ritchie, I hope we can have a match without any regrets!" Ash said to Ritchie.
"Ash, I'll give it my all! You'd better be careful!" Ritchie replied.
In the stands' aisle.
The Team Rocket Trio were hawking drinks and snacks, and when they saw Ash and Ritchie in the arena, they gnashed their teeth in anger.
"Why is it these two Ashs' match?" Jessie gritted out.
"Who cares whose match it is, let's make some money, Meow!"
"That's right, Jessie, hurry up and sell! Our funds are seriously low."
Originally, these three had planned to make a move on Ash today, but considering the strength of Ash's Pokémon and the fact that their funds were only enough to create items specifically for Pikachu, they chose to give up.
"Now, we are about to begin the third match of the Indigo Plateau Conference's Top 16 to Top 8. The competitors are Ash from Pallet Town, and his opponent, Ritchie, is a Trainer with extensive travel experience. This is a battle between two outstanding Trainers; let's look forward to it!"
"For the first round, I'm counting on you, Annihilape!"
"Go, Barbie!"
This was the first time Ash had sent out Annihilape for a match, and Ritchie's chosen Pokémon was a Gym Beginner Butterfree.
"Wow, Trainer Ash has sent out Annihilape, the Primeape evolution discovered just two months ago!"
"According to the data provided by Professor Oak's Laboratory, Primeape needs to use Rage Fist to evolve. Looking at the condition of Trainer Ash's Annihilape, Trainer Ash has trained it exceptionally well!"
Listening to the commentator, the entire stadium erupted. This was Annihilape's first battle in the public eye, and the outcome of this battle would have far-reaching implications!
"Butterfree, use Sleep Powder!"
"Annihilape, Phantom Force!"
Just as Butterfree was spreading Sleep Powder, Annihilape vanished into a shadow, disappearing from public view, then suddenly reappeared behind Butterfree and landed a punch.
This punch sent Butterfree straight to the ground.
"Barbie, are you okay?" Ritchie watched anxiously as Butterfree struggled to get up.
Seeing Butterfree shakily stand up, Ash commanded, "Annihilape, Body Slam!"
"Come back, Barbie!"
Ritchie pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled Butterfree before Annihilape's attack landed, then sent out Charmander: "Charmander!"
Charmander immediately unleashed Flamethrower.
"Annihilape, Screech!"
Annihilape opened its mouth and let out an extremely piercing roar. Ritchie's Charmander couldn't bear it, stopped its Flamethrower, and covered its head with its two small paws.
"Annihilape, now! Thunder Punch!"
"Charmander, dodge quickly!"
Annihilape's fists crackled with lightning, and Charmander clumsily dodged with its short legs.
Seeing Charmander in a bad situation, Ritchie shouted, "Charmander, Dragon Claw!"
Charmander's two short arms extended with gray energy blades, intending to directly confront Annihilape.
"Annihilape, the moves I taught you before, you can use them in battle too," Ash reminded.
Upon hearing this, Annihilape's stance changed, and it started with a Double Palm Strike, aiming at Charmander's head.
"???"
Ritchie was puzzled; what kind of strange fighting style was this?
Seeing this unfamiliar fighting method, Charmander instinctively raised its hands to protect its head.
However, as soon as it raised its hands, Annihilape's mouth curved slightly upwards, then it suddenly changed its move and delivered a Heart-Striking Elbow, sending Charmander flying three meters away.
"Charmander is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising his flag.
"So powerful! Is this Ash?" Ritchie was sweating from Annihilape's offensive.
Not only was this Pokémon rare, but its fighting style was also so strange.
Meanwhile, the audience members all thought Annihilape was using its own unique fighting skills.
And so, a beautiful misunderstanding was born.
"Rain, I'm counting on you for the last round!"
"Ritchie, your last Pokémon really is Pikachu!" Ash said, looking at the styled Pikachu facing Annihilape.
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