********************** Pokemon: (-AD-) Chapter X Saga III-Infernobadge Chapter III-How'da ya get your *KICKS*? ********************** After two days of travelling, Tom and Porygon finally made it to New Cinnibar City. The two were walking towards the city when Tom saw a small border house gaurding the city limits. Standing there was a tall, green-haired woman dressed in a blue police officer uniform. One tiny little fact Tom couldn't ignore was the very short skirt she was wearing. When Tom and Porygon approached the border house, the officer stopped them. "Hold it," she said. "Are you carrying any Hitmonlee's with you?" She asked. "Uh, no," Tom answered, a bit lost. Tom looked on her nametag on her chest, reading Corporal Jenny, "Why do you ask?" "There's been a stray Hitmonlee running around here," Jenny replied placidly. "So?" Tom asked. "It's been running amok in our city. Destroying everything it runs into." "Really?" "Naturally we've tried to battle it to weaken it, but it's much more powerful than we thought," Jenny sighed. Upon noticing the Pokeballs around Tom's belt, Jenny asked, "How good of a Pokemon trainer are you?" Tom smirked. "Pretty good. I'm totally undefeated," he grinned smugly. "Bu-t you-'ve on-ly had fi-ve batt-" "Shhh!" Tom quickly and quietly hushed Porygon. Porygon groaned subtly and muttered under its breath. "Really?" Jenny asked. Tom flicked his eyebrow with his fingertip. "Yep! No one can touch me-!" "He-'s on-ly had fi-ve batt-le-s," Porygon cut in. "Shut up!" Tom quietly hissed through the corner of his mouth, "Shut up!" "Beginners luck, I guess." said Jenny, silently chuckling. "Anyway, we're hiring any trainer who can subdue this Hitmonlee. The reward is five thousand dollars-" When he heard the reward money, Tom's brain drowned out Jenny's voice. His mind was immersed within a sea of imaginary paper money. "Five thousand," Tom metally chuckled to himself, "That's more money than I could make in years!" Tom quickly snapped out of his daydreaming and asked Jenny, "Are you serious?" "Serious," Jenny said firmly. "Well? You want the job?" Jenny asked. Tom never said yes quicker in his life. **** Tom and Porygon wandered the deserted streets of Ash, looking around for the rogue Hitmonlee. "Any sign of him?" Tom asked Porygon. Porygon simply shook it's head. Tom sighed. "Damn it," he cursed, "We gotta' find him!" "To hel-p the ci-ty?" Porygon asked. "No- well, that too. The money mostly," Tom grinned. "I wi-ll as-sume you are jo-kin-g," Porygon said plainly. "Hey, I don't like looking for this Pokemon either, Porygon," Tom said, "It's not like he's just going to pop out of nowhere and-" Tom ended his statement abruptly when an apple flew by his face, barely missing it by a few inches. Tom turned to see the Hitmonlee had struck again, this time kicking over an apple stand. Tom reached under his jacket and pulled out his five Pokeballs and let them all loose. "Khan!" "Quil!" "Machop!" "Caaaaaw!" Tom's Pokemon gave their respective war cries. Pinsir clashed her claws twice as Porygon drove forward. "Hey! Hitmonlee!" Tom called. Hitmonlee turned, and stared at Tom and his Pokemon. "Yah! I'm talkin' to you!" Tom challenged. "Khan!" Kangaskhan roared. "Lee! Hitmon! Lee!" Hitmonlee laughed cruelly. "He do-esn-'t thi-nk t-oo we-ll of y-ou," said Porygon. Tom was unhindered by Hitmonlee's threats. "Pinsir! Seismic Toss!" Tom ordered. Pinsir ran at Hitmonlee, and before Hitmonlee could do anything, Pinisr had him in her grip. Swinging her head around, Pinisr slammed Hitmonlee down on the steeet with a wincing thud. As soon as Pinisr bent over to take Hitmonlee for another toss, Hitmonlee rolled backwards and kicked Pinsir in the face, knocking out a tooth. Pinsir staggered backwards and fell over as the Hitmonlee kicked himself to his feet. Realizing that this Hitmonlee was at a much higher level, Tom zapped Pinsir back in her Pokeball. "Go! Kangaskhan!" Tom commanded. It was then that Tom noticed that a large crowd had gathered around him. Tom felt their eyes burning into him and expecting a success fuelling Tom's desire to win. Kangaskhan charged forward and aimed a Comet Punch at Hitmonlee, smacking the rogue Pokemon in his cheek. Hitmonlee backflipped skillfully and quickly after the stike, and as soon as his feet thouched the ground, the Hitmonlee sprung at Kangaskhan with a Double Kick aimed right for Kangaskhan's face. Hitmonlee's attack hit with amazing velocity, smashing Kangaskhan's jaw, knocking him over flat on his back. "Khan," Kangaskhan muttered in defeated, blood dribbling from his broken gums. Tom recalled Kangaskhan. "Dammit," Tom muttered. "Alright! Doduo! Machop! Full scale assault!" Tom commanded. Doduo and Machop raced towards Hitmonlee, only to be kicked back by his Double-Kick and sprawled on the streets. Tom recalled his two defeated Pokemon and turned to Porygon. Before Tom could open his mouth, Porygon backed away. "Aw c'mon! please?" Tom pleaded. Porygon shook his head, and backed away further. "Coward," Tom muttered, about ready to give up. The Hitmonlee shrugged, turned around and walked away. Tom hung his head in defeat, senisng the crowd's disappointment. "If Jen were here, she'd be loving this," Tom thought to himself. Tom looked at the one empty pokeball on his belt, and thought it would be nice to have a Hitmonlee in it. Tom caught a sudden gleam in his eye. "Hey! Hitmonlee!" Tom shouted to the retreating Pokemon. The crowd, which had begun to disperse, now began to reconvene. Hitmonlee turned to see the feeble human's position. "You think you're so tough, huh?" Tom jeered, "Well try me!" Tom shouted. A voice from the crowd shouted, "What are you crazy, man?" "Sssh!" came another voice, hushing the first. Tom held out his hand in a fist and extended it towards the Hitmonlee. "Take your best shot!" Tom challenged. Hitmonlee didn't waste a second. With blinding speed, the Pokemon rushed at Tom, readying his foot for a Jump Kick as he leapt in the air. Mere seconds before Hitmonlee's attack hit, Tom opened his fist to reveal a minimized Pokeball. Hitmonlee's foot kicked the Pokeball, and was zapped inside upon contact. Tom was sent skidding a few feet backwards onto the ground. With the crowd's awe with Tom's capture of the Hitmonlee, it wasn't until a few seconds later that they noticed Tom clutching his left hand in pain. ***** Nurse Joy had just finished bracing and bandaging Tom's broken left hand. "You really should be more careful," Joy scolded. Tom tried not to let his hand writhe as Joy wrapped it up in the brace. "So, when do I get the five thousand dollars?" Tom asked. "The money?" Joy asked. "You did it for the money?" "Sure," Tom replied casually, "Why else?" Joy was angered. "You mean you didn't care about why the Pokemon was rampaging? Or how it felt?" She asked. When Tom didn't answer, Joy scowled. "Mr. Simms, If you're to be a real trainer, you've got to realize there's more in training than just money," Joy said sternly as she continued to wrap up Tom's hand. -End