BEFORE YOU READ: 

Pokemania I and the PFFL is a fighting tournament whose intent is
to harmlessly poke fun at the decidedly (and delightfully) weird
world of Pokemon fanfiction, particularly its SI and Mary Sue
aspects... though we are not limited to those. 

The 16 contenders for this tournament were chosen based purely on
popular vote.  New characters beyond those sixteen will not be
admitted until such time as we choose to hold another tournament,
and another vote to determine who *those* sixteen contenders will
be. The match outcomes are also determined by vote, and a ballot
for the upcoming card can usually be found posted at our
homepage, along with the tournament's brackets.  All readers 
are invited to cast their votes regarding the outcome of future
matches.  The show's writers, however, do not vote in said
ballot, and make no decisions regarding the outcome of matches
save in the cases of a tie vote.  

You may send comments and criticisms to the writers via e-mail: 

Alicia Ashby: aashby@roanoke.edu 
Tim McLees: silvertooth@i-plus.net

Enjoy the show! 
______________________________________________________________
     
     Lord Garrick and his nemesis Ashura summoned their
respective auras of violet and black power. Tenchu, now free of
poison but still battered from his previous fight, stood
defiantly before his master as James drew his pokeball. Back at
the arena's edge, Adauchi let his rifle drop to the floor to draw
his Glocks, stepping methodically towards Dario. Finally, Sailor
Pikagirl summoned her electrical aura before launching herself
towards Crystal Dagger, who swiftly drew her long sword as the
mass melee began...

     "Mah stars and garters..." JR sighed as the carnage ensued
below his press box. "I've no idea where to begin to describe 
this battle. It's pure madness, is what it is..."
     "Lord Thinker and his security forces are trying to clear
out the stands as quickly and safely as possible." Tony added,
his usual gusto absent. "Looks like some of the other PFFL
contenders are lending a hand to put a stop to this insanity!..."
     The unlikely trio of Ben Masters, Messila and Ryan Edgerton
helped along the stands to usher the incoming throngs of panicked
civilians through the gates. Snorlax and Weedle worked together
to guard the trio from stray energy bursts, Ben's bear Pokemon
with his broad girth, Ryan's bug with a large shield of
webbing... until an unannounced Sludge Bomb splashed onto
them both, knocking them down. 
     "And the Partnerz in Kryme are choosing a *real*
inappropriate time to wreak their vengeance." Joey condemned,
regarding the new arrival of Felixman, Ded, and Skye Dream. Their
massive spiked mascot Nidoking leapt from the arena floor to the
bleachers to engage the trio of Pokemon.
     "Looks like Lord Garrick has succeeded in at least one
thing, ladies and gentlemen," Jim Ross intoned somberly. "He's
single-handedly brought this fair tournament to a state of
pandemonium..."
     
     On the other side of the war-torn arena a petite,
silver-clad form rushed through the archway into the stands. The
girl ninja drew her paired katanas... and paused silently as her
gaze passed across the auditorium. Arina Ketchum lowered her
blades with a heavy sigh letting them drop to the floor. The two
daisho immediately morphed back into glowing forms of Pidgey and
Rattata... but then, in a sudden burst of light, they reverted
back to their usual colors. They both looked up with surprise at
their young master.
     "Sorry, guys. This is exactly what Lord Garrick wants us to
do," Arina informed then somberly, yanking her face and hair free
from her cowl. She then yanked something from her belt pouch.
"There's only one way I can stop this fight." Arina then opened
her hand and unfolded the cloth object she had removed from her
satchel: A weathered Pokemon League cap. The moment she put it
back on, her attire reverted in a flash to her usual denim jeans
and t-shirt. With one last smile back to her Pokemon companions,
now joined by Pikachu, she rushed down to the floor of the
Pokemon Stadium...
 
     Weedle and Oddish fired off a tandem attack of String Shot
and Vine Whip to wrap around the arms of Nidoking. Effortlessly,
the Poisonous Bad Ass lifted the two small Pokemon into the air,
flailing his powerful arms and launching them for distance as he
broke their binding.
     "FELIXMAN! BEN! Stop this!" Arina screamed as she rushed
down to the base of the stands. "This brawl is exactly what the
League Emperor wants!--" The young girl's pleading was cut off as
Snorlax charged in to tackle the spiked Pokemon, sending both
heavyweights to the ground with a earth-shaking crash.
     Arina panned the battlegrounds, noticing the other
skirmishes throughout the arena. Her "father" Satoshi was engaged
in an impromptu battle against James, his Tenchu blasting away
ineffectively against the mutated, multi-eyed Poison Pokemon
Hakking. Sailor Pikagirl and Crystal Dagger sparred violently
together elsewhere, while Adauchi and Dario traded gun shots at
one another. Finally, she gazed upon the focal point of this sea
of carnage: Ashura and Lord Garrick lashing at one another with
flares of psychic energies and dark lightning.
     "Father! Gary! You shouldn't be fighting, this is
pointless!" Arina cried out to the combatants. They leapt away
from one another and landed simultaneously. The two mystic
warriors braced themselves, focusing their elemental might
through their powerful auras. Seeing her chance she rushed 
forward to where the Pokemon battle ring once was to intercept
the two elemental masters....
     ... just as Ashura and the League Emperor fired off their
combined strength at one another. The dark-cloaked Assassin froze
abruptly with Arina's scream, a second after his and Garrick's
energy blast collided, with the young girl directly in their
crossfire. Ashura scrambled forward to catch Arina, her body
glowing with foul power and her eyes locked in wide shock. The
mass melees throughout the auditorium came to an abrupt stop
as all eyes turned to the center of the arena floor...
     
     "Ladies and gentlemen, this is most unsettling...." PFFL's
senior announcer Jim Ross uttered after his lengthy silence.
"This war seems to have come to a close as violently as it
began."
     "Guys, she's not moving..." Tony breathed, legitimately
distraught.
     Joey Styles just looked down to the still form of Arina then
back to his WWF cohort. As the proverbial rookie of the team, he
shuddered to think how it felt to witness such a debacle twice...
     
     "Arina?..." Ashura whispered to the still girl in his arms.
The normally-stoic Assassin recoiled back in fright as, with a
slight spasm, Arina's body solidified into black stone. The
cloaked warrior stumbled as her obsidian body slipped 
onto the ground. 
     "Hmph... pathetic," Lord Garrick snarled, flexing his clawed
grey hand. "Slaying your own daughter to quell your rage..."
     "Quiet, tyrant! I'll undo this foul magic!" Ashura shouted
back at him, summoning wisps of black electricity to his opened
hand. With a flourish, he thrust his open palm into Arina's
chest, the shocking burst trickling with no effect across her
stone flesh.
     An eerie silence consumed Pokemon Stadium, except for the
hums of electric power and Ashura's increasingly desperate roars
of rage that followed each blast that the Assassin launched into
Arina Ketchum's still form.
     "Ashura, please..." Satoshi's voice called from behind him,
as he felt a pair of hands grip each of his shoulders.
     "GET OFF ME!" the outraged Ashura screamed as Satoshi and
Sailor Pikagirl pulled him away from Arina's body, flailing
violently to his knees. "This *wasn't* supposed to happen!... She
should have stayed back at Pallet Town where it was *safe*... she
could have been *anywhere* but here..."
     "She could have, but she *chose* to fight with us...."
Sailor Pikagirl intervened, fighting back a sob.
     "Arina chose to fight *for* us, Ashura," Satoshi added,
putting a hand on the trembling warrior's shoulder, blinking the
tears out of his own eyes.
     Ashura merely remained on his knees before the dark statue
that was once, in another lifetime, his daughter, his head bowed
low. From the recesses of Ashura's pitch black hood, a pair of
tears dropped, splashing lightly on Arina's obsidian chest.

     A different kind of aura illuminated Ashura, a soft white
glow in lieu of his usual indigo glare of power. Soon too, his
counterpart Satoshi was emitting the glow, followed by the
Pikachu senshi. From there, each of the other contenders who,
only moments before, had been brawling with one another, were
giving off the same warm light. Even Garrick's guard, Crystal
Dagger, Dario, and James, were sharing in the experience,
overcome by the repercussions of their newfound alliance. The
combined near-divine aura hung across the arena's floor like a
light fog, trickling a path towards the center of the battle
ring, embracing Arina's form.
     "Folks... this may well be a miracle in the making." Tony
breathed. "A legend among the Kanto Islands, the Winds of
Water--OW!" Joey rammed an elbow into the former WCW announcer's
ribs, earning an annoyed glare as he nursed his injured side.
     "Knock it off, Tony," Joey sniffled, clearly caught up in
the moment. "This is, like, profound and stuff..."

     Arina's dark solid flesh began to grow pale and soften,
until it was restored to a healthy pink glow. The girl inhaled
sharply with new life, then opened her eyes slowly to see the two
young men hovering above her.
     "... hey dads." she uttered, smiling awkwardly at Satoshi
and Ashura.
     "Hey yourself," Satoshi welcomed, glancing over to the still
shrouded warrior. Ashura pulled down his hood to reveal his
tear-soaked face, smiling in spite of himself.
     "Welcome back, young one..." Ashura comforted.
     "Preposterous!" The grey League Emperor finally interrupted
with a snarl. "The Islands' *noble defenders* reduced to
blubbering fools. My soldiers... SEIZE THEM!"
     But James, Dario, and Crystal Dagger merely returned his
order with icy, silent indignation.
     "I said SEIZE THEM!" Lord Garrick shouted once more to his
unmoving minions. "Very well... I'll just finish each and every
one of you *myself!"
     With that, the robed Emperor ascended high above the arena
floor and raised his clawed left hand above his head, summoning a
crackling globe of gold and violet light, rapidly increasing in
size.
     "If we're going to stop him, now's the time!" Ashura
proclaimed, looking over at the other two Ketchums.
     "Ready when you are!" Arina beamed back to the grim warrior.
     "... do you still feel up to this, Arina?" Satoshi asked the
young girl in concern.
     "I have to be, Ash... you boys ready?" The trio parted as
their respective Pokemon familiars scampered forward to take
their positions before them.
     "Pika!" the legendary yellow mouse agreed.
     "Pi," Shadow Pikachu agreed, nodding grimly.
     "Ten," Tenchu added, emitting a proud smirk to his
counterparts.
     "You're not gonna defeat us today, Lord Gary..." Satoshi
taunted skyward, placing a hand on Arina's shoulder.
     "Face my secret strength..." Ashura hissed, placing his
gloved hand on the girl's other shoulder.
     "Behold the power of friendship!" Arina cried out
triumphantly, just as all three electrified mice emitted a single 
combined glow of might...
     "KETCHUM DYNAMIC SPECIAL!"
     "CHUUUU!..."

     The League Emperor's crimson eyes snapped wide open as he
was engulfed in the trio of yellow, black, and golden electrical
beams. Following the dazzling explosion of the rodent warriors'
combined attacks, Lord Garrick still remained aloof, albeit
barely. His once regal grey robes were reduced to an array of
tattered cloth, his hair now freed from his ruined cloak, a wild
mane of dark brown hair. His trembling face was still hidden by
the slightly loosened bandages as he glared down painfully at the
mass of heroes below him...
     "You have proved yourselves... worthy, champions," Lord
Garrick growled. "But mark my words, you have yet to see the last
of the League Empire..." He then shot down a clawed finger to the
two young men supporting Arina Ketchum. "Especially *you three!*
You Ketchums will pay dearly for meddling in my affairs!"
     Lord Garrick cackled evilly as he teleported away in a flare
of violet light, prompting the PFFL contenders and remaining
bystanders to cheer victoriously.
     
     "WHOO HOO! We did it! That's showing him, Dads!" Arina
cheered leaping about with her yellow Pikachu in her arms.
     "We couldn't have defeated him without you, Arina," Satoshi
reminded her.  
     "Hee..." The girl blushed back, putting her arms behind her
head. The two Ketchums paused in their celebration, turning to
see Ashura and Shadow Pikachu standing grimly off to the side.
The dark assassin held the large silver championship cup easily
in his right hand, glowering at them.
     ... then with, a knowing smile, he hefted it up to hand it
to Satoshi, who stumbled slightly under its deceptively heavy
weight.
     "You've earned it... *this* time," Ashura smirked. "But I'll
be back for it next year. Count on it."
     "I wouldn't expect anything else--" Satoshi began to reply,
finally managing to stand back up with the formidable prize... to
find himself talking to a pair of empty spaces.
     "How *do* they do that?" Arina wondered.
     "Pi*ka*."
     "Chu," Pikachu and Tenchu responded, sharing a shrug.
     
     "Yes! That's giving that ruffian what for!" James nodding
with approval at the festivities around him.
     "Damn right. We're all the villains this League needs,"
Dario replied, uncorking a bottle of champagne.
     "Quite true, Dariani," Crystal Dagger retorted, "And we
three are truly the best rogues in... this... business...."
     The femme fatale's remarks trailed off as she and her
partners now noticed the bitter glares they were now receiving
from Ben Masters and Messila, along with Team Revelation and the
Partnerz in Kryme.
     "Methinks we should make a strategic withdrawal..." James
suggested.
     "I'm on it," Dario nodded, summoning his dark steed
Nightmare. "Just be careful getting on--" the one-eyed mercenary
hopped nimbly onto his steed, giving his leader an annoyed look
as he mounted. "-- and *watch the hands*." Crystal Dagger merely
unlatched one of her Pokeballs and brought her Scyther into
existence, casually hopping onto its arms.
     "Very well then!" James proclaimed triumphantly. "Then for
now, Rocket United is blasting off again!" The rogues rode off on
their respective mounts, a shimmering field appearing around them
as Nightmare's Teleport activated.
     "Oh, shut up..." Crystal Dagger finally groaned.

     Back at the commentators' desk, the intrepid trio of
wrestling announcers exhaled a heavy sigh of relief and sank back
into their chairs.
     "Well HOLY CRAP..." Joey wheezed. "That was officially one
of the most extreme brawls I've seen in a while. But hey, the
good guys actually won in the end!"
     "They most certainly have, Styles." Jim Ross agreed. "A
momentous tournament, a breathtaking brawl for the title, and a
stand off against the sinister Lord Garrick... but the contenders
of this league stood strong together! And... we have our first
PFFL Champion! In the familiar guise of Satoshi!"
     "Truly, Satoshi's soul burns brightly this day, and the
legend of this trainer shall never die," Tony proudly noted. Jim
Ross... was less than impressed. He removed his headset as the
former WCW announcer continued. "But who knows what challenges
await our champion in the future? Perhaps, even now, a new soul
awaits across the horizon--"
     "That's it, Tony. I'm getting out of here," JR interrupted
bitterly, placing his headphones on the desk and walking off
screen.
     "But I wasn't done...."
     "Schiavone, you are *so high*," Joey added as he turned off
his mic and exited the booth in the opposite direction of Jim
Ross, leaving Tony alone at the desk...
     "Huh. Well..." Tony stammered, looking over at the
now-vacant chairs. "I suppose I'll be bidding you farewell,
viewers! On behalf of myself, Jim Ross, and Joey Styles: Good
night, and we'll see you next season!"

     Pokemania closes with an image of Satoshi hefting the PFFL
Championship cup onto his shoulder, flanked by Adauchi and Arina
Ketchum, looking towards him with approval. Pikachu and Tenchu
also frolic before the two Ketchums. Just behind the victory
celebration, Ashura and Shadow Pikachu walk off into the
distance, continuing their lonely journey until next they meet
their multiversal counterparts....

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AUTHORS NOTES:

Tim: HOODY HOO! *_* After a couple years and some kick ass
stories, the first season of Pokemon Fan Fic League. Story and
match-wise, this was a raving success. We couldn't have pulled it
off, however, without you, The Readers. You gave us a lot
of interesting matches and ballot results to work with, making
for a kick arse fighting fic series. See y'all in PFFL 02!

Alicia: Yes, I dig the whole votefic thing. Give us a little time
to cobble a new ballot together, and we'll be ready to do the
whole thing over again!

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All characters appearing within this story are *not* the property
of PTB Productions.  PTB Productions lays no claim to any
licenses or trademarks in the making of this fic, and means no
offense to anyone.  This story is written in the spirit of
good-natured comedy, and it is our sincere hope that you will
read the original works these characters came from.  You might
just be surprised!  

The PFFL itself, however, is the creation of PTB Productions, all
rights reserved.  
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