THE TRIAL OF CHAMPIONS
Ash, Brock, AND Misty gazed round in awe as they slowly made their way through the streets
of Fang. Huge cheering crowds lined the streets. Stalls and tents were erected everywhere
they looked. As the trio stared in wonder, a large man walked down the street. He was wearing
leather armour, and had a violet scarf tied round his arm. As soon as the townsfolk saw the
scarf their cheering doubled.
"Hey" Brock yelled to a man standing at the nearest stall. "What's going on? Is that guy
a celebrity or something?" The man stared at Brock like he was insane.
"Of course not" he yelled back. "He's a contestant in the trial of champions"
"What's the trial of champions?" Ash asked.
"It's a tournament" the man replied. "Every year, contestants are sent into a labyrinth
in the big hill over there". He pointedto a huge hill in the distance. !Anyone who can
successfully navigate the maze is rewarded with a purse of 10,000 gold peices"
"Wow!" Ash cried. "10,000 gold peices just for getting through a maze? How can I enter?"
"Just come with me" the man replied. "I'll take you to Baron Sukumvit. He handles all
registrations." The man lead the trio through the thronging streets towards a large tent.
Inside, a giant of a man sat at a large table, with an open book in front of him. The man
stared at Ash, Brock, and Misty. He slowly rose to his feet, and Ash gasped. He was at
least 8 feet tall. The man glared down at the trio, and Ash began to back away slighty.
Then the man suddenly let out a loud, booming laugh, and held a hand out to Ash.
"Welcome to Fang" he said. Ash hesitantly shook the man's huge hand, noticing that
each finger was adorned by a large gold ring.
"I am Baron Sukumvit. I presume you three want to enter the tournament?" Ash nodded.
"That's great" the man said. "I was worried we would only have three contestants this
year. Now, what are your names?"
"I'm Ash, this is Brock and Misty" Baron Sukumvit muttered to himself as he jotted
the names down in the book.
"Excuse me" Ash said. "please could you tell us who the other contestants are?"
Sukumvit nodded.
"The other three contenders this year are called Chaindog, Red Lotus, and Gary Oak"
Ash's mouth fell open.
"Gary's entering?" Brock grinned.
"Looks like you'll have some competition, Ash."
Baron Sukumvit gave a scarf to each of the three kids.
"These will inform everyone of your status as a contestant." Sukumvit looked at
Pikachu, which was riding on Ash's hat.
"And I'm sorry, but no pokemon are allowed into the labyrinth. You can leave them
with me at the start of the contest in three days time."
During the next three days, the gang enjoyed Fang's greatest hospitality, and were
treated like demi-gods. On the day of the tournament, they were awoken at 5.00 in
the morning by a knock on the hotel door and a man's voice saying "your trial begins soon.
Please get dressed and be ready in 20 minutes" Opening the door, they saw a small man,
eagerly beckoning them to follow him. He lead the through Fang, eventually arriving
at the large hillside.
Ash stared at the entrance to the labyrinth. Two great stone pillars flanked the black
doorway. In each was carved ornate writings, writhing serpents, demons and deities, each
seeming to scream a silent warning to those who would pass between them. All six contestants
were assembled. Ash recognized the man with the leather armour, and Gary. The third was
a woman, dressed in a very revealing leather something. Baron Sukumvit stepped forward, and
Ash handed Pikachu and four pokeballs over. Sukumvit smiled.
"Here's how it works. You six will be divided into two groups. Gary and Red Lotus will
go first. You, Brock, Misty, and Chaindog will follow half an hour later." Six guards
stepped forward, handing a sword to each contestant. Ash stared at his, nervously.
"I'm not sure about this" he said. Gary laughed.
"That's right Ash, quit! you know I'm going to win this thing, so you should give up!"
Ash glared at him.
"I'll never give up! I can beat you any day!"
"It's time" Sukumvit announced. Gary and Red Lotus stepped forward. After saluting the
crowd, they dissapeared in to the inky darkness, followed half an hour later by Ash
and the gang.
watch for the next chapter, "Gore Galore"! It's not for the faint-hearted!
Ash, Brock, AND Misty gazed round in awe as they slowly made their way through the streets
of Fang. Huge cheering crowds lined the streets. Stalls and tents were erected everywhere
they looked. As the trio stared in wonder, a large man walked down the street. He was wearing
leather armour, and had a violet scarf tied round his arm. As soon as the townsfolk saw the
scarf their cheering doubled.
"Hey" Brock yelled to a man standing at the nearest stall. "What's going on? Is that guy
a celebrity or something?" The man stared at Brock like he was insane.
"Of course not" he yelled back. "He's a contestant in the trial of champions"
"What's the trial of champions?" Ash asked.
"It's a tournament" the man replied. "Every year, contestants are sent into a labyrinth
in the big hill over there". He pointedto a huge hill in the distance. !Anyone who can
successfully navigate the maze is rewarded with a purse of 10,000 gold peices"
"Wow!" Ash cried. "10,000 gold peices just for getting through a maze? How can I enter?"
"Just come with me" the man replied. "I'll take you to Baron Sukumvit. He handles all
registrations." The man lead the trio through the thronging streets towards a large tent.
Inside, a giant of a man sat at a large table, with an open book in front of him. The man
stared at Ash, Brock, and Misty. He slowly rose to his feet, and Ash gasped. He was at
least 8 feet tall. The man glared down at the trio, and Ash began to back away slighty.
Then the man suddenly let out a loud, booming laugh, and held a hand out to Ash.
"Welcome to Fang" he said. Ash hesitantly shook the man's huge hand, noticing that
each finger was adorned by a large gold ring.
"I am Baron Sukumvit. I presume you three want to enter the tournament?" Ash nodded.
"That's great" the man said. "I was worried we would only have three contestants this
year. Now, what are your names?"
"I'm Ash, this is Brock and Misty" Baron Sukumvit muttered to himself as he jotted
the names down in the book.
"Excuse me" Ash said. "please could you tell us who the other contestants are?"
Sukumvit nodded.
"The other three contenders this year are called Chaindog, Red Lotus, and Gary Oak"
Ash's mouth fell open.
"Gary's entering?" Brock grinned.
"Looks like you'll have some competition, Ash."
Baron Sukumvit gave a scarf to each of the three kids.
"These will inform everyone of your status as a contestant." Sukumvit looked at
Pikachu, which was riding on Ash's hat.
"And I'm sorry, but no pokemon are allowed into the labyrinth. You can leave them
with me at the start of the contest in three days time."
During the next three days, the gang enjoyed Fang's greatest hospitality, and were
treated like demi-gods. On the day of the tournament, they were awoken at 5.00 in
the morning by a knock on the hotel door and a man's voice saying "your trial begins soon.
Please get dressed and be ready in 20 minutes" Opening the door, they saw a small man,
eagerly beckoning them to follow him. He lead the through Fang, eventually arriving
at the large hillside.
Ash stared at the entrance to the labyrinth. Two great stone pillars flanked the black
doorway. In each was carved ornate writings, writhing serpents, demons and deities, each
seeming to scream a silent warning to those who would pass between them. All six contestants
were assembled. Ash recognized the man with the leather armour, and Gary. The third was
a woman, dressed in a very revealing leather something. Baron Sukumvit stepped forward, and
Ash handed Pikachu and four pokeballs over. Sukumvit smiled.
"Here's how it works. You six will be divided into two groups. Gary and Red Lotus will
go first. You, Brock, Misty, and Chaindog will follow half an hour later." Six guards
stepped forward, handing a sword to each contestant. Ash stared at his, nervously.
"I'm not sure about this" he said. Gary laughed.
"That's right Ash, quit! you know I'm going to win this thing, so you should give up!"
Ash glared at him.
"I'll never give up! I can beat you any day!"
"It's time" Sukumvit announced. Gary and Red Lotus stepped forward. After saluting the
crowd, they dissapeared in to the inky darkness, followed half an hour later by Ash
and the gang.
watch for the next chapter, "Gore Galore"! It's not for the faint-hearted!
