Mankey thrashed and flailed in Ash's grip, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
He tried to kick Ash, but Ash casually swung him twice, spinning the poor Pokémon around until he was dizzy and wobbling on his legs like jelly.
"I say," Ash tilted his head, brow furrowed, "why'd you ambush me? I didn't do anything to you, did I?"
Ash honestly had no clue about Mankey's habits in the wild, he was just confused about why a random Pokémon would suddenly pounce on him out of nowhere.
Brock came over, arms crossed, wearing that "encyclopedia mode" expression.
"Wild Mankey are kind of like Spearow," he explained. "They love ambushing passing Trainers or Pokémon for no reason. They just… enjoy causing chaos."
After hearing that, Ash looked at the Mankey in his hand with an incredulous face.
"So besides Beedrill and Spearow, there are more Pokémon that just randomly pick fights?"
Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But it's strange… Mankey usually travel in groups, kind of like Spearow or Beedrill. Why's this one by itself?"
"Hocha!!" Human! Put me down!
"You ambushed me, and you still want me to let you go?" Ash frowned. "Your target was my hat, right? That's very important to me, and I'd be in serious trouble if you took it!"
His sharp instincts told him Mankey's eyes had been locked onto the red-and-white cap on his head from the start.
That hat wasn't just a keepsake, it was also the key for Pikachu to enter his special partner form. Losing it would be a disaster.
So no, Ash wasn't letting this slide easily.
"Hocha!!" It just looked nice, so I wanted to take it! What's wrong with that?!
"Oh, you've got taste, I'll give you that," Ash rolled his eyes, "but why are you acting so proud about trying to steal it?"
This little thief wasn't just bold, he was righteous about it!
"Hocha! Hocha!" Put me down and let's battle! If I lose, I'll walk away! If I win, you give me your hat!
Ash blinked. "What kind of logic is that? If you lose, you don't lose anything, but if I lose, I give you my hat? That's not a fair bet! Gambling means both sides have stakes!"
Mankey's round eyes darted side to side as he thought hard, then he thumped his chest.
"Hocha!" If I lose, I'll become your Pokémon!
Ash's eyes lit up. "Oh? Using yourself as the stake? Alright, deal."
He was actually quite amused by this Mankey.
Sure, the guy talked like a bandit at first, but he was quick to adjust once he realized his logic was flawed. That showed decent intelligence and a sense of fairness, something Ash respected.
He quickly scanned the Pokémon before him with Insight Eye:
Species: Mankey
Gender: Male
Type: Fighting
Level: Advanced High
Ability: Defiant
Moves: Scratch, Low Kick, Seismic Toss, Swagger, Cross Chop...
Stats:
Physical Attack – B (A)
Special Attack – D (D)
Defense – D (C)
Special Defense – D (C)
HP – C (B)
Speed – B (A)
Ash's grin widened.
Two A-rank aptitudes, one B, and the rest hovering around C and D, but the key stats were in exactly the right places.
As a pure Fighting-type, Mankey relied heavily on close-range attacks and raw speed. High attack and high agility were perfect for his species, he didn't need bulk if he could hit hard and fast.
And to top it off, an Advanced High-level wild Mankey was extremely rare. For a Pokémon in the wild to reach that point, it had to either be incredibly talented or have fought and won countless battles to gain that much experience.
Either way, this little guy was a gem.
But what really made Ash want to catch him was his personality.
He might act rashly, but he wasn't stupid. He'd realized his mistake, corrected it, and even offered a fair deal afterward.
A smart, bold, and battle-hungry Pokémon? Yeah… that sounded exactly like someone Ash would get along with.
"Alright, then," Ash said, loosening his grip. "We'll fight right here. Win or lose, I'll make sure you get something to eat after. Fair?"
He released Mankey, who dropped to the ground, rolled twice, and sprang back to his feet, keeping a cautious distance.
"Hocha! Hocha???" You're… actually a nice human! Wait, how can you understand me?!
Ash froze for half a second. "..."
Alright. He took back everything he said about Mankey being smart.
They'd been talking for a full five minutes, and it was only now that Mankey realized Ash could understand him?
"Hocha!" Never mind! Doesn't matter! Come on, let's fight!
Mankey shook off the confusion, pumping his fists eagerly. The sight of Ash's hat, and the delicious aroma of Brock's cooking, filled his thoughts with excitement.
He had planned to swoop in, snatch the hat, grab a quick bite, and escape into the trees.
Instead, he'd been caught before even touching the prize.
Still, this human wasn't bad, he caught him fair and square and even offered to share food afterward.
If he won, he'd enjoy a meal and borrow the hat for a while, and then return it.
Mankey was already picturing his glorious victory, him standing tall, flipping Ash's hat into the air, catching it coolly, and returning it with a grin. Oh yes, it would be perfect.
Meanwhile, Ash was crouched down, considering which of his partners to send into battle. After a moment, he raised a finger and pointed decisively.
"You're up, Charmeleon!"
"Char? Char!!"
Charmeleon froze for a split second, eyes wide in surprise. Usually, in a situation like this, Kirlia would've already leapt forward before Ash even called her name. It had practically become her reflex.
But this time, it was him.
Charmeleon's surprise quickly turned into excitement. With a fierce roar, he jumped in front of Ash, his tail flame blazing brighter as he faced the small but fiery opponent before him.
Kirlia, sitting off to the side, let out a quiet snort, not of annoyance, but understanding.
She knew Ash's intentions perfectly.
Mankey wasn't weak, but his fighting style was purely physical. Against her Psychic-type abilities, the outcome would be one-sided. She wouldn't gain anything from such a fight.
Charmeleon, on the other hand, loved close combat, the perfect match for a brawler like Mankey.
Of course, Charmeleon was blissfully unaware of all that. He just thought Kirlia had generously let him have this one.
On the battlefield, Charmeleon flexed his claws, green energy beginning to shimmer along them.
Dragon Claw.
Ever since evolving, he had started to master Dragon-type moves.
Even though he wasn't a Dragon-type himself, he loved the feeling of raw, explosive, up-close power.
Dragon Claw and Metal Claw, those were his signature techniques, the ones he used when things got personal.
With a deep growl, Charmeleon lunged forward, his claws slicing through the air with an emerald flash.
Mankey met him head-on, its claws glowing white as it unleashed a flurry of Fury Swipes, aiming to overwhelm Charmeleon with speed.
But no matter how fast Mankey struck, Charmeleon's attack carried sheer brute force.
The clash was short and brutal.
Dragon Claw shattered through the barrage of swipes, smashing straight into Mankey's chest.
With a heavy thud, Mankey was sent flying backward, tumbling through the grass before skidding to a stop.
Ash watched calmly.
That one hit alone showed the difference between their levels. Even with the weighted vest slowing Charmeleon down, Mankey had no chance in a straight fight.
Charmeleon exhaled sharply, twin puffs of smoke escaping his nostrils. He tilted his head slightly, smirking.
"Char…"
That look of disdain hit Mankey like a spark in a powder keg.
He was the strongest Mankey in his troop, the undisputed alpha!
And now he was being mocked?!
A surge of heat and fury exploded within him. His body began to glow, the light growing brighter and brighter until it engulfed him completely.
Ash's eyes widened.
"Wait, this is… evolution?!"
Charmeleon blinked in surprise as well, stepping back a bit as the dazzling light intensified.
Moments later, the radiance faded, and in Mankey's place stood a taller, bulkier, and far more intimidating figure.
A mane of fur surrounded his head like a storm cloud, his limbs thick with muscle.
The long tail was gone, replaced by black metal cuffs around his wrists and ankles that clinked faintly when he moved.
"Primeape!" Ash exclaimed. "He actually evolved mid-battle… what a fighter!"
Ash's face grew serious. Evolution meant not only a level-up but also a significant boost in base power.
Even though Primeape's level was now only Advanced Peak, his stats had jumped dramatically, and Charmeleon still had his training weights on.
This fight was about to get real.
"Charmeleon!" Ash called, his voice firm. "Be careful! This isn't the same opponent anymore!"
"Char!!"
Charmeleon's flames flared up as he roared back, sending a jet of fire spiraling into the sky. His fighting spirit ignited like a blaze in the wind.
Charmeleon grinned, a confident gleam in his eyes as if to say, "If it was that easy to deal with, it wouldn't be fun, would it?"
After evolving, Charmeleon could clearly sense the change in his opponent's aura. Primeape's presence was much heavier, sharper, more dangerous than before.
Likewise, Charmeleon didn't rush in right away. Both stood perfectly still for several tense seconds, their gazes locked like two predators testing one another.
"Charmeleon, Dragon Claw!" Ash finally called out, unable to contain the excitement in his voice.
Charmeleon roared and surged forward. Emerald energy condensed around his claws once again as he swung fiercely toward Primeape.
Primeape reacted instantly. He met the blow head-on, his fists blurring into a flurry of strikes. The air cracked with every punch as countless afterimages filled the space between them.
The two attacks collided. Charmeleon's powerful Dragon Claw, previously unstoppable, was actually deflected by Primeape's barrage of fists!
Before he could recover, several heavy blows landed squarely on Charmeleon's body, forcing him back a few steps, bruises already forming on his scales.
Ash's eyes narrowed. "That's… Close Combat! Charmeleon, get some distance!"
Primeape had just evolved, yet he was already using such a high-level Fighting-type move. This wasn't an opponent to underestimate.
Charmeleon hesitated for a heartbeat, frustration flashing in his eyes. Just moments ago, this same opponent had been flattened by a single hit, now he was being told to retreat? That stung his pride.
But Ash's command cut through the fire in his chest, and Charmeleon obeyed. He leapt backward several times in a row, landing lightly on his feet and creating distance between them.
Ash smirked slightly. "You want to go punch for punch with him, don't you?"
"Char!" Charmeleon nodded fiercely.
"Then take off your weights," Ash said, his voice steady but filled with excitement. "Show him your real strength."
Charmeleon's eyes widened, then lit up with wild delight. He reached up, slashed across the straps of the vest with his claws, and let the weighted gear drop to the ground with a deep, echoing thud.
The sound made the nearby leaves tremble.
Primeape froze mid-step. His gaze flicked from the dented earth to the now-unburdened Charmeleon, and his expression twisted into disbelief.
'That thing… had been on him the whole time?'