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Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned

Chapter XLII

Saga IX- Phantombadge Saga

Chapter IV- Old Wounds

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Tom was still muttering underneath his breath as he and Porygon Two left 
Double City. "Aw, c'mon Tom," Porygon Two sighed, "Just get over it 
already."

"Porygon, as long as I'm a trainer, I swear that I will never pit you 
against another trainer like him again," said Tom solemnly.

Porygon Two sighed. "Well, thanks anyway, but there's sometimes no avoiding 
of people like that," it said.

"You could have been damaged beyond repair if I hadn't pulled you out when I 
did," Tom said blankly.

"Well, I suppose I do owe you something for that," said Porygon Two, "But 
still."

Tom sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Maybe d'you think he was a bit upset?" Porygon Two asked.

"Why do you say that?" Tom asked in return.

"I dunno," Porygon Two muttered, "When he spoke, he sounded a bit, well, 
uneasy, don't you think?"

"Unstable more like it," Tom muttered. "I swear, if he continued any longer 
than I had let him, I would have sent his ass to jail."

Tom suddenly shivered. "What's up?" Porygon Two asked him, sensing Tom's 
disturbance.

"I just felt something," Tom muttered, "Like a chill."

"Gastly!" Came a deep, haunting voice from behind both of them. Tom and 
Porygon whirled around to find a large black circular Pokemon floating 
behind them giving off an eerie purple glow around it. Tom quickly pulled 
out his Pokedex.

"Gastly, the Gas Pokemon," the Pokedex spat out blankly. "Gastlies are 
composed purely of spiritual energy, most likely the undead souls of dead 
Pokemon. On of the rare ghost-types, Gastly's body is impervious to normal- 
type attacks. Ghost types have been known to exhibit extraordinary psychic 
powers, so approach with caution."

Tom put his Pokedex back in his jacket pocket and grinned. "Gastly!" The 
ghost Pokemon exclaimed cheerfully.

Tom only snickered to himself as he reached for a minimized empty Pokeball 
on his belt. "Porygon, Psybeam!" Tom commanded.

Before the Gastly could react, Porygon Two's eyes began to shine a bright 
blue, and it immediately shot out a blast of energy from its beak at the 
Gastly. The Gastly gave one quick startled yelp before the Psybeam crashed 
into him, spinning the Pokemon in circles in his spot. Instantly Tom 
enlarged his Pokeball and wound his arm back. "Pokeball, go!" Tom cheered, 
pitching the ball at the Gastly. The Pokeball smashed into the Gastly's 
forehead, zapping the Pokemon inside and dropping to the ground.

Second after silent second passed as the Pokeball violently rocked on the 
ground. When the ball finally stood still, Tom gave a cheer of triumph. 
"Gotcha!" Tom jovially exclaimed, scooping up the Pokeball before it 
vanished into the air, "Say hi to the prof. for me!"

"So, Mr. Expert Pokemon Catcher," Porygon Two said, "Where're we headed 
now?"

Tom shrugged and wiped off the sweat that his forehead had accumulated. 
"Well, I s'pose we could try to get some badges out of the country," he 
said, "We're pretty close to the border and it's a pretty damn long walk 
back to Yorin town and onto other gyms we haven't visited yet."

"What about that one in Canyon City?" Porygon Two asked.

"Naw, I heard that one's for real tough trainers," Tom said, "I think I'll 
pick off the easy ones."

Porygon Two snorted in laughter. "Turning down a challenge? That's not like 
you, Tom."

Tom shrugged. "Maybe I've changed."

Porygon Two sighed. "Yeah, I guess that is a good strategy," he said in 
submission, "A badge is a badge."

"And with about a few weeks to go until Pokemon League starts, and me with 
one badge left to go, who needs the extra hassle?"

"Well, I guess you're right there," Porygon Two sighed. "Well, alright, ya' 
big sissy, let's pick off the weaklings."

Tom weakly laughed. "Knock it off already, you're making me feel bad."

"And I can make you feel a whole lot worse," came a voice from behind Tom.

Tom and Porygon Two looked over their shoulders and nearly froze in shock 
when they saw who had addressed them. "You!" Was all Tom could manage to 
exclaim when he whirled around.

"Glad you remember me," replied the tall blocky man dressed in the Team 
Rocket uniform who had spoken to him, aiming a pistol straight at Tom.

"Larry!" Porygon Two gasped.

"How'd you get back with him, you little punk?" Larry grumbled, shifting his 
eyes to Porygon Two.

"I'm not telling!" Porygon Two spat out defiantly.

"Look Larry," Tom breathed, "I don't want any more trouble from you-"

"-You should have thought of that when you sent me to prison!" Larry 
snarled, clicking the barrel of his gun with his thumb of the hand that held 
it. Tom's hand began to slowly wander to under his trench coat when Larry 
shot him a glare that halted him. "Say goodbye, Tom," Larry chuckled 
cruelly, pulling the trigger.

Tom squeezed his eyes shut as soon as he heard the gun fire. A second later, 
he still clamped them down. Tom edged one eye open and found a bullet 
hovering motionless in the air in front of him, centimeters away from his 
face. Tom shot a sideways glance at Porygon Two, and found his cybernetic 
companion's eyes to be glowing with a blue light. "Caught it!" Porygon Two 
announced.

Larry only sighed and kept the barrel of his revolver aimed at Tom. "Why 
don't you be a good boy and hand over the rest of your Pokemon?" Larry 
offered.

"You and what bullet?" Porygon Two sharply spat out.

"The one that I have waiting in my gun," Larry replied.

"Liar," Porygon Two snarled. "That gun's empty."

"How so?" Larry asked confidently.

"I have X-ray vision, dumbass," Porygon breathed. "Not only do you have a 
cracked lower rib, but that gun's unloaded. You just bluffed and wasted your 
last bullet."

"Fucking Porygon," Larry sighed loudly and tossed the gun over his shoulder. 
"Look kid," Larry said, glaring at Tom, "I'm a nice guy. Really. What say 
you just give me all the Pokemon and money you have, and maybe I'll let you 
live? How's that sound?"

"You're full of shit," Tom growled back. "Porygon can take you out like 
nothing."

"Not if he's taken out himself," Larry quietly chuckled. Larry put two 
fingers to his mouth and loudly whistled. Instantly, a flashing red blur 
whizzed between Porygon Two and Tom. The blur picked up Porygon Two as it 
passed and smashed it into the ground beside Larry's feet. The blur stopped 
at Larry's side, revealing itself to be a Sizor.

"Let him go, Larry!" Tom demanded.

"You and what army?" Larry laughed back. Just as Tom's hand went underneath 
his trench coat to reach for his Pokeballs, Larry nodded to his Sizor. Sizor 
clutched Porygon Two firmly by the beak and began to squeeze, driving a yelp 
from Porygon Two. Tom froze on the spot. "You even think of trying something 
like that, and I'll have Sizor here destroy every bit of programming this 
little punk has."

"Don't worry about me, Tom!" Porygon Two squealed, "Kick his ass!"

Porygon Two gave another yelp when Larry shot his heel into Porygon Two's 
side. "That's enough out of you! I should have dismantled you when I had the 
chance!"

Tom was still frozen to his spot, beginning to break a slight sweat as he 
glared angrily at Larry and the Sizor. "Don't just stand there Tom!" Porygon 
Two yelled, "Get him-!"

Porygon grunted in pain when Larry sharply kicked him in the side again. Tom 
took a deep breath and regained his composure. "Larry, it's me you want, not 
Porygon!" Tom declared.

Larry raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Yeah? And.?"

"Let Porygon go. Keep him out of this! This is between you and me!"

Larry nodded at the Sizor again. "If he so much as squeaks, kill him," Larry 
instructed his Sizor, looking at Porygon Two.

Larry, wearing a confident smile on his face, looked at Tom. Tom took off 
his trench coat, put all of his Pokeballs into the pocket, and tossed it to 
the ground, revealing his slightly built body underneath his black T-shirt. 
"I don't want to fight you Larry," Tom growled, "But I will if I have to!"

Larry suddenly snorted a laugh. "What, you're gonna' try to fight me?" He 
jeered. "You gotta' be kidding!"

Tom grimaced and glared angrily at Larry. Then with hardly more than a 
heartbeat later, Tom sped off towards Larry with his fist clenched tightly. 
As soon as he neared his foe, Tom swung a wild punch at Larry. Larry 
effortlessly caught Tom's punch in his monstrous hands and held Tom's fist 
tightly. Then, with hardly a thought, Larry pressed his other hand against 
Tom's chest, released Tom's fist and violently shoved him. Tom was sent 
sailing backwards through the air as Larry sinisterly chuckled to himself. 
Tom groaned as he landed roughly on his backside, tumbling onto his stomach 
before the momentum of Larry's push wore off. Tom wearily rose to his feet 
again, moaning as he rubbed his neck.

Suddenly, Larry took off charging towards Tom. Just as Larry neared him, Tom 
quickly thrust his skull into Larry's nose, driving an explosion of blood 
from Larry's nostrils. Tom groaned and rubbed his head as Larry staggered 
back, holding his nose and then he sneezed. As soon as Tom had recovered 
from his own Headbutt, Larry was standing tall in front of him. Before Tom 
could even blink, he found him neck held to Larry's side, wrapped up in 
Larry's muscular arm. Larry cruelly snickered to himself as he squeezed his 
arm around Tom's neck, driving a gasp of pain from the young man. Tom 
struggled and shook his body with all his might, but found his efforts to be 
fruitless, and he remained in Larry's death-like grip. Tom felt the blood in 
his head becoming trapped where it was, and he suddenly began to feel his 
strength ebbing away. Tom took another gasp and collapsed to one knee. Larry 
chuckled and tightened his headlock around Tom, driving another groan from 
him.

Suddenly, Tom brought his fist up to Larry's ribs. When the blow connected, 
Larry's body froze as a sharp blast of agony rocketed through his body. 
Larry grunted heavily, realizing that Tom has capitalized on his injured 
ribs, subconsciously loosening his headlock on Tom's neck. Again, Tom thrust 
his fist upon Larry's chest, again driving another groan from Larry, and 
again loosening his headlock. Now with his proper blood flow and strength 
regained, Tom grasped both of his hands together to form one giant fist, and 
viciously swung it into Larry's ribs. Larry yelped in agony and released Tom 
from his grasp, staggering backwards and holding his ribs, breathing 
heavily. Realizing Larry's moment of weakness. Tom gave a war cry as he 
rushed in on Larry and delivered a fierce punch to Larry's already bloody 
nose. Larry's head snapped backwards, bending the rest of his body backwards 
as well. Purely on impulse, Tom reformed his double-fist and smashed it into 
Larry's sternum. Larry was sent to the ground from Tom's attack with his 
breathing like that of a rabid wolf. Tom took time to groan and rub his sore 
neck from where Larry had held him, allowing time for Larry to weakly 
stagger back to his feet and look at his Sizor, who was still holding 
Porygon Two. "Sizor! Let's get out of here!" Larry barked at him.

The Sizor looked at Porygon Two briefly, and then at Larry again. "Sizor!" 
The Sizor hissed, releasing Porygon Two from his claws and dashing off into 
the air. The Sizor made a swoop towards Larry and picked him up by his 
shoulders, carrying himself and Larry into the air and vanishing.

As soon as it was released, Porygon Two dashed towards Tom. "Tom!" It 
exclaimed, "Are you alright?"

Tom moaned and rubbed his neck again. "I think so," he groaned.

Just then, Tom heard a voice call him from behind. Tom and Porygon Two 
whirled around to see a large black van barrel down the road and come to a 
screeching halt beside them. The passenger side door sprung open and Sabre 
leapt out of the van. "Tom, have you seen Larry?" she asked between spaced 
panting breaths.

"I just got in a fistfight with him, Tom replied, rubbing his chin, "But he 
ran off after I beat him to a bloody pulp."

"You wish you did," Porygon Two muttered.

"What? I gave him a nosebleed. That's bloody pulp enough," Tom said to 
Porygon Two. Porygon Two only sighed and Sabre groaned.

Jason came out of the driver's side of the van and hopped to Tom's side. 
"Are you all right, Tom?" He asked, equally winded as Sabre.

"I'm fine," Tom replied. "Larry and his Sizor flew off thataway," Tom said, 
pointing into the sky.

Jason nodded and dashed back to the driver's side of the van as Sabre 
climbed into the passenger seat. "Call us if you run into him again!" Sabre 
instructed as the van crept forward.

Tom waved Sabre off. "Will do!" he called out a reply as the van disappeared 
back down the road.

As soon as that van vanished, Tom walked over to his trench coat on the 
ground and picked it up. Dusting it off, Tom put the coat on again and 
sighed. Pulling out his Pokedex, Tom opened the cover and pressed the little 
white button beside the screen. Instantly, the pocket containing his 
Pokeballs flashed. Tom put the Pokedex back inside his pocket and reached 
into his Pokeball pocket and pulled out a minimized Pokeball. "I think I'll 
train my new Gastly a bit, huh Porygon?" Tom asked aloud.

"Sure, whatever," came Porygon Two's apathetic reply.

Tom shrugged, maximized the Pokeball and opened it up, creating a flash of 
light that formed into Gastly. "Gastly!" The Pokemon cheered.

No sooner had Tom released Gastly, the three of them heard another voice 
call out Tom's name from behind them. The trio spun around to see Jennifer 
and Angus dashing towards them. As soon as the two were at their side, Jen 
gasped, "Tom, are you okay?"

Tom looked at Porygon Two, then at Gastly, who returned his stare back to 
him. "I'm fine," Tom said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Gengar foresaw danger coming to you sometime soon," Angus replied in the 
same grave voice.

Tom only glared at Angus. "I thought you didn't care if things were living 
or dead," Tom growled at him.

Jen quickly stepped between Tom and Angus and turned to Tom. "Shut up, will 
you?" Jen quietly hissed at Tom.

Tom was taken back by Jen's defense of Angus. "He tried to kill my Pokemon!" 
Tom hissed a whisper back to Jen.

Tom and Jen continued their hissing war, completely failing to notice that 
Angus and Gastly were gazing at each other.

"Well maybe he's already experienced death, Tom!" Jen hissed at Tom.

"Well maybe that's no reason for him to try and kill-!" Tom growled back.

"Maybe he wasn't-!"

"Jen, look," Angus said suddenly, still staring at Gastly. "It's him!"

Tom and Jen immediately ceased their bickering. Jen's eyes instantly flew to 
the Gastly in joyful disbelief while Tom's eyes flew to Angus in confusion. 
"He's who?" Tom asked.

"Raticate!" Angus cheered, breaking his monotone voice.

"Gastly!" The Gastly cheered back, floating to Angus and embracing him with 
his gaseous body.

Jen sighed happily. "I guess your Gengar was right about him being here 
somewhere."

Tom and Porygon Two looked at each other dumbfounded. "Um, what's going on 
here?" Tom murmured a question.

Jen sighed. "Maybe that's for us to know and-"

"No, it's okay, Jennifer," Said Angus, reverting back to his deep voice, 
"I'll tell him on the way back to Double."

-End.. for now.. Mwuhahahaha..

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