Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
AN: Please keep reviewing! I know this is a short filler, but it's important to set up future events. Next chapter will be the battle with Brycen. Please send in either OCs for the Cup or old trainers from the Anime who should be competing. Oh, and does the format of the Cup make sense?
Chapter Twenty One
Ash, Brock, Gallade, and Pikachu were in their way to Iciruss City. They had recently left Driftveil City where Ash earned his ninth coin. Brycen, the leader of the Iciruss Gym, held the tenth and final coin in his hand. All Ash had to do was beat his ice type pokémon, and he would be eligible to enter the Commissioner's Cup. Ash was very excited and was practicing with his various fighting and fire types along the way to Iciruss.
-Line Break-
For the third time this year, the various champions found themselves in the conference room of the Pokémon League Tower. It's not that it wasn't a nice room. The room was actually very comfortably and exquisitely furnished. It was just that the champions had things to see to in their own respective regions. It didn't help that the Commissioner was late for this meeting: the third one in a row. Eventually, Gowly entered the room as certain champions were becoming restless.
"Sorry I'm late everyone. How are you all doing?"
Most of the champions responded by nodding their heads and answered in the affirmative. Lance was the only champion who didn't move. The second in command of the G-Men knew what Gowly was going to talk about.
"Ok." Gowly remarked as he sat down and pulled out a laptop. "The agenda for today consists of two points: safety at the tournament and the actual format of the tournament. Should we start with safety then?
The champions nodded their heads.
"Right, safety is our top priority. Let me begin by saying that preliminary battles will be held in this tower, and final battles will be in the Battle Coliseum. All security will be focused on the final battles. The tower is heavily guarded and only has one entrance. Anyways, for the finals, I want you all will sit in the first row. You will also pick one elite four member to come with you. He or she will sit in the last row of the Battle Coliseum. Rangers will be spread out throughout the stands."
At this point Diantha interrupted. "Why only one member of the elite four?"
"Good question. I don't want to leave the individual regions unprotected. If you and the elite four left Kalos, it might be an invitation for a resurgent Team Flare. Leaving residual elite four members shows that both this island and the regions are protected. Anyways, your jobs, along with the rangers, will be to protect the spectators. Leave Team Rocket to myself and the G-Men. Once all the civilians are safe, you can then help us battle Team Rocket. Am I missing anything?"
"Targets," Lance spoke up.
"I almost forgot. Try to target admins and officers in Team Rocket. We want to capture them and interrogate them. They'll be wearing distinctive clothing. But again, that's only after you've moved the civilians to safety. Any questions?"
The various champions shook their heads.
"Ok. Moving on to the format of the actual tournament. There are currently about one hundred people with all ten coins, one hundred people with nine coins, and one hundred people with eight coins. Based on that data, the first 256 people to get all ten coins will be admitted to the Cup. Since each leader must submit a form online when they hand out a coin, we know exactly which trainers have which coins. Once the last trainer gets his or her coin, we notify all gym leaders to stop handing out coins. Understand?"
"So basically there will be 256 competitors on a first come first serve basis?" Steven spoke up.
"Precisely. Once the tournament starts, our computers will randomly sort the trainers into sixty four groups, four trainers per group. Every member in the group will face every other member. You'll get three points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. The winner of each group will be determined by whoever has the most points. Questions?"
"Will this be one on one or three on three or…" Alder trailed off.
"Two on two with no substitutions. After that, we'll have sixty four competitors. Each trainer will be assigned a random partner and we'll have a double battle. That brings us down to sixteen. Then the partners will face each other, which brings us down to eight. The remaining eight will battle in a traditional battle tree similar to the pokémon world tournament. Those battles will be in the Coliseum. Questions?"
"You keep forgetting to tell us if the battles will be three on three or six on six or…" Diantha trailed off.
"Right. Sorry. I have a lot on my mind. Group matches are two on two. The double battle will be two on two with each partner having one pokémon. The partner versus partner battle will be three on three. The remaining battles will be six on six. And then my battle against the winner will also be six on six."
"Are you worried you'll lose?" Cynthia spoke up for the first time.
"To you or to the winner?" Gowly joked. "I think I'll remain Commissioner after this tournament is over. The battles will be close, but I'm pretty sure I'll win in the end. Is that everything?"
The champions nodded their heads, but no one spoke up. Finally, Lance announced, "I think we're done. Can I just add one thing?"
"Sure."
"When you guys pick your elite four member, try to pick someone who is calm and responsible. Try to avoid the hyper elite four members. This is serious business after all."
The champions responded to Lance by nodding.
"Anything else," Gowly asked.
No one spoke up.
"That means that this meeting is adjourned. I'll see all of you back here for the start of the tournament then."