#007 - Fixing A Hole
(Pokémon and related elements ™,©1995-99 Creatures/GAME FREAK/Nintendo. )
Storyline, art by Robert H. Magnusson

Ray inspected the damage the droid and the collective water jets had caused to the wall of his club. "This is TERRIBLE! The club's in SHAMBLES, and we haven't even BEGUN the lightweight finals!"

He came back in and slumped into a chair, next to Jiggs, his deejay. "Everyone in the CITY'S here for this tournament, and now, thanks to that stupid Rocket droid, it won't be HAPPENING, Joey..."

"Well..." Only Jiggs' best friends called her Joey, and Ray certainly qualified. Without him, she had no idea what she'd be doing, but that's an entirely different plot...

Ray suddenly was beset by a mild migraine. He turned to face Cyrus, who had directed his aura at him just to get his attention. "Hey, are we just going to sit around and TALK, or are we going to hold a TOURNAMENT?!"

"Sorry, Cyrus, but without a club or gym to host this tournament, there IS no tournament. It'll take WEEKS to repair that droid's damage to the club...!"

Marrilyn had a thought. "HEY! Maybe CHAMP will loan us HIS gym!"

"Sorry, Lyn, not in a million YEARS."

Chue suddenly rushed back in with the communicator. "Well, consider THIS the squared millennium - Champ's on the phone right NOW!"

Ray took the phone and begin to talk to the heavyweight champion of Pokémon City. "B-but CHAMP, I thought you didn't WANT to use your gym for this - !"

"Things HAPPEN, Ray." Champ was in the middle of putting on his fighting armor, light enough to remain within tournament regulations. It was just for show, really, as few were able to get a serious strike through to him in the first place. "Chue told me all about what happened to your club, and if you think I'm just going to stand aside and miss my chance to defend my heavyweight title..."

He looked at his boxing glove, his other obviously off so he could hold the phone, and grinned. "...Besides, it might even be FUN to defend on my home TURF."

Almost before Ray was off the phone, Jiggs was giving the cheering crowd the great news - "The tournament's moving to CHAMP'S GYM, starting TOMORROW!!"

Of course, not everyoAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHH!!! HOW COULD THIS HAVE POSSIBLY HAPPENED?!" As Sandy looked in on her boss, he was filled with uncontrollable rage, his water jets blasting holes in the ceiling. "My POKÉ DROID - TRASHED by a little GIRL, and one who doesn't belong in Club THUNDER in the FIRST place! How can you POSSIBLY explain this?!!"

Percy was shaking with fear almost as much as his boss was shaking with rage. "W-w-well-l, t-the tourn-rnament ISCH open-n to all t-t-types..."

"SILENCE!" Sandy just closed her eyes as a pained wail filled the air. When she opened them, Percy was on the floor with a black eye, still shaking. "Sorry, Percy, I just had to get that out of my SYSTEM. Oh, and consider yourself on JANITORIAL duties from now on."

"Oh thank you! Thank you thank you thank you..." Percy struggled to his hands and feet and bolted out. Once he had the chance, he guessed he'd have to clean the ceiling first...

The boss stood, arms behind his back, staring at the wall as Sandy finally stepped in. "SANDY, I need you to..."

"Find out all we can about the Marril girl? Right AWAY, boss."

The boss just barely looked toward her with a sneer. "Never interrupt me again, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He looked back at the wall. "Now then, I need you to find out all we can about the Marril girl... right away."

"Already ON it."

WHUMF!

"8... 9... 10!!"

As Cyrus looked up from the mat in Champ's ring, he saw Chue's arm being hoisted into the air. "And the semifinal winner - CHUE!"

He just sighed. "Tough kid... aspirin, anyone...?"