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Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned

Chapter XVIII

Saga V- Voltbadge Saga

Chapter II- Run Away

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Everything was perfect. Not only had she gotten a new badge, but also was 
now two badges away from being able to enter the Pokemon League. With a big 
smile on her face, Jen walked into the Ionica Pokemon center. Yet when she 
saw Tom, slumped down on the lounge couch, she was shocked.

He looked absolutely horrible. He barley looked like the cheery, optimistic 
Tom she had met before. He now had his face buried in his hands, hardly 
showing any visual vital signs. Porygon was beside him on the floor, and 
strangely, his ever-constant shape seemed sad as well. Porygon backed up so 
Jen could sit down by Tom. "Tom?" she asked, yet Tom was unresponsive. 
"Tom?" she asked again.

Then Tom looked like he was about to say something, but instead he let out a 
heavy sigh. "You tell her, Porygon," He mumbled. Porygon nodded, and drove 
away to the adjacent corner, beckoning Jen to follow.

After Porygon told Jen about the whole episode where Machoke utterly 
disgraced Tom in his battle with Ampre, Jen sat back down by Tom. "Don't 
feel bad, Tom," she said trying to heal Tom's shattered pride. "If it makes 
you feel any better, practically every trainer has a problem Pokemon."

Tom sighed again. "That little ungrateful..." Tom's words trailed off into 
an incoherent mutter.

"To tell you the truth, Tom," Jen began, "My Clefable's been acting up too. 
Seems as though she doesn't like being bossed around too much." Tom looked 
at Jen. "This one battle I...we...had on the way here, I...guess I was...a 
little too harsh on her." Jen sighed. "I think she hates me now," Jen 
groaned.

"At least she hates you," Tom said, "I swear my Machoke loves to screw with 
me."

Jen paused. "There's got to be some kind of solution to this...."

************

When Jen and Tom's Pokemon were treated and had recovered, they made their 
way outside to a park for some lunch. "Hey Tom," Jen said, "how about you 
let me have your Machoke awhile," she paused to swallow a mouthful "...and I 
give you Clefable for awhile?"

"A trade?" Tom asked.

"Yeah. Maybe with a little time apart from us, they'll eventually tolerate 
us."

"Hey yeah, that might work, Jen."

"Thanks."

Tom quickly chugged down his soda, and then let Machoke out of his Pokeball. 
Jen quickly wiped her lips with her paper napkin, and let out Clefable. Once 
again, Clefable's eyes met Machoke's. "All right Machoke," Tom said calmly, 
"You're Jen's now." Machoke looked at Tom in a strange way.

"Choke...?"

"You too, Clefable. You go with Tom," Jen said with the same tone as Tom 
had.

"Fable...?" Clefable asked confused. Then almost simultaneously they both 
burst out in laughter.

"The-y sa-y th-at no hu-man-s te-ll th-em wha-t to do." Porygon said, 
translating Machoke and Clefable's words.

Jen groaned. "Now I do know she hates me."

Then, with lightning quick movement, Machoke shoved Tom backwards into Jen. 
Tom and Jen landed on the ground with a thud, and Machoke and Clefable ran 
off. "Clefable!" Jen blurted, shocked and surprised. Jen pushed Tom off of 
her, got to her feet, and ran after Machoke and Clefable. But alas, Machoke 
and Clefable were well ahead of Jen, and she soon dropped to her knees 
exhausted. She then put her head in her hands and cried. When Tom finally 
caught up to Jen, he was winded and near breathless. Tom knelt beside Jen, 
and looked over the horizon, after their departed Pokemon.

-End

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