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

Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned

Chapter XXII

Saga VI- Team Rocket Saga

Chapter II- "'R' Marks the Dirtbag"

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

Tom could not help but grin to himself. "Only three more badges to go!" He 
cheered to himself. "Hey Porygon, wanna' stop in Mega City for awhile?"

"Why?" Porygon asked.

"Well, it is the largest city in this region," said Tom, "Who knows? We 
might be able to find a place to relax for a few weeks." Tom groaned, 
rubbing his leg, "Besides, all this walking is killing me."

"Fi-ne. Wha-t-ev-er."

Suddenly, Tom heard a faint scream. "What was that?" Tom asked, turning to 
Porygon. Porygon shook his head, lost for an answer. Just then, another 
scream filled the air. "C'mon, Porygon," Tom said, starting a dash in the 
direction of the scream, "we better check this out!"

The man in black held a cold, unforgiving gun to the young woman's head. 
"C'mon, bitch! For the last time, gimme' all your Pokemon, now!" He said in 
a deep, harsh voice.

"Go fuck a bottle," the woman hissed angrily, still struggling to free 
herself of the man's grasp. The man pushed his gun deeper into the woman's 
short, purple-dyed hair, his finger curling around the trigger.

Just then, the man felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to receive a 
blinding smack on his eyes. Tom had forgotten the feeling of smashing his 
knuckles into someone else's face, and he was happy to be reminded. Before 
Tom could move another muscle, the attacker swung his arm around and jabbed 
the barrel of his pistol into Tom's nose. "I don't like heroes," the man 
snarled angrily as a dribble of blood leaked from his nostril.

Suddenly, the woman wound her leg forward and drove it into her attacker's 
knee. The man yelped as he collapsed, letting the woman pull herself free. 
Without a second of delay, Tom lunged at the man's arm, wrestling away the 
gun from his hand. The gunman staggered back to his feet, placing one foot 
on Tom's leg as he tried to pry Tom off of his arm. With his grip beginning 
to slip, Tom suddeny threw himself into the man's chest, smashing his elbow 
into his nose. The attacker's head snapped backwards, stunned from the blow. 
Winding himself back up again, Tom smashed his elbow into the gunman's nose 
again, completely flooring him as Tom snatched away the gun. Tom quickly 
tossed the pistol into the waiting hands of Machamp, who crushed the gun 
effortlessly in a heartbeat.

Before the attacker could get back up, Tom tackled him in the back, flooring 
both immediately. Turning the man over, Tom pinned the criminal's back to 
the ground. What Tom saw then, emblazoned on the man's black shirt, made him 
pause. It was a large red letter "R".

Tom's momeory suddenly jarred. While Tom was lost in his thoughts, he didn't 
notice the criminal reach his hand into his pants' pocket, and quickly hold 
a small spraying container to Tom's face. With a quick movement of his 
finger, the felon sprayed Tom in the face with a quick puff of mist. Tom 
fell on his back, gripping his face in pain of the sudden burning sensation 
that was now tingling thought his face. After jumping to his feet, the 
criminal quickly fled.

Machamp knelt beside his trainer, worrying deeply as Tom rubbed his stinging 
face. When Tom could open his eyes again, able to bear the burning pain, he 
glanced at the woman who now knelt beside him. The only thing about her that 
stood put apart from her bright purple hair was her tank-top shirt, modelled 
like a Yanma face.

"Thank you, whoever you are," the woman said, helping Tom to his feet.

Tom wiped the strange liquid off his face, and looked back at the woman. 
"Ouch...no problem," Tom groaned, trying to smile. "Who was that?" Tom asked 
the girl.

"Didn't you know?" She asked quizzically. "That was a member of Team 
Rocket."

Team Rocket. Tom's racing mind suddenly froze on one memory. New Cinnabar, 
and the man who stuffed Jen's fossil at him. "Of course," Tom murmured, 
"Team Rocket!"

The girl interrupted Tom's thoughts. "My name's Sabre," She said, extending 
her hand in a gesture of friendship. Tom reached out his likewise and shook 
hers.

"Mine's Tom. And this is my Porygon," Tom said, looking at Porygon, who had 
remained silent this whole time.

Then, Porygon spoke to Sabre. "Wha-t is th-is Te-am Ro-ck-e-t?" Porygon 
asked.

Sabre sighed, and crouched down to Porygon. "It's a long story."

-End

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