*********** Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned Chapter LI Saga XI- The Pokemon League Saga Chapter VI- Round Five *********** Jen was still fuming one hour later. "I still can't believe I lost," She grumbled to Tom as she let her finger bat around the straw in her cocktail. "Everyone loses sometime or other," Tom said, resting his elbows on the table. Sitting at a table in the near-vacant Pokemon League Trainer lounge, Tom bought Jen a cocktail in an effort to console her defeat at his hands two days ago. "It's not 100 percent likely that I'm going to win the League on my first go anyway," he said. "No one does," Jen said, "And no one will. There's guys in the League that have been going at it for years." "You'll never get anywhere with that attitude," Said the voice of Sabre from beside them. Tom and Jen turned their heads to see Sabre, Jason and Laura stop at their table. Tom rose from his seat. "What're you doing here?" Tom asked. "I've come to tell you some good news and some bad news," Sabre replied, "What do you want first?" Tom shrugged. "The bad." "Bad news is Larry took out half the S.W.A.T. team," Sabre said. "Good news is we've finally got him." Tom breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good news indeed," he said. Tom took a quick glance at Jen long enough to see a look of confusion on her face. "Oh, Jen, this is Sabre," Tom said. Jen stood up and looked at Sabre. "Hi," Jen said for lack of anything better to say. "And this here is Jason," Tom said, glancing quickly at Sabre's blocky partner. Upon the introduction, Jason extended his hand to Jen. When the two shook hands, Jen found her small hand to be completely lost in Jason's paw. "And who's that?" Jen asked, looking over Sabre's shoulder at Laura. "Oh, her," Tom said with a bit of a scowl, "That's Laura." Laura met Tom's grimace with one of her own. "We also came by to wish you good luck, Tom," Jason said quickly, eager to shift the mood. "Yes, thanks, Jason," Tom said, shooting Laura one last glare. **** On his way to the Pokemon Stadium, Tom stopped in at the Pokemon Center. "Tom," Said Joy as soon as Tom entered the Center, "Just who I wanted to see." Tom walked over to the counter. "Yeah?" He asked. "The Pokemon you left in Canyon City," Joy said, "They're fully recovered." "Wait, didn't the Joy in Canyon say they'd be out for a month?" Tom asked. "Well, your Pokemon aren't the low-level types we're used to," Joy admitted, "They recovered a week early." "Where are they?" Tom asked, eager to see his six absent Pokemon again. "They're still in Canyon City," Joy replied, "But you can transfer them here," she said, pointing to a Pokeball Transfer station in the corner of the Pokemon Center. Tom walked briskly over to the station and dug out three Pokeballs. Placing them on the Transfer pad, they instantly vanished. A second later, they were replaced by three more in front of him. Stuffing two into his coat pocket, Tom opened the only one left in his hand. As soon as the emerging Pokemon took the shape of Porygon Two, Tom knelt down and ran his hand over Porygon Two's smooth head. "Porygon!" Tom cheered, "How are you?" Porygon Two blinked. "Much better, thank you very much," Porygon Two grumbled. "Look, I'm sorry what happened in Canyon City," Tom groaned. "Yeah, I know you are," Porygon Two muttered, "But it hurt one fuck of a lot!" Upon hearing Porygon Two's foul language, Joy shot Tom a glare. Tom quickly glanced at Porygon Two. "How is everyone else doing?" Tom asked. "Fine," Porygon Two replied. After taking a short look around, Porygon Two asked, "So what'd I miss?" "I got into the League," Tom said, "And I just beat Jen to get into round five." "That all?" Porygon Two asked. "Larry's been taken care of," Tom said, "He won't give us any more trouble." "Thank God," Porygon Two sighed with relief. "Sabre and Jason are here as well," Tom said, "As well as Laura." "Laura?" Porygon Two asked, "What the hell is she doing here?" "She was supposedly here to help Sabre and Jason," Tom replied. "So now that Larry's out of the picture," Porygon Two said, "I suppose Sabre, Jason and Laura are too?" "Nope," Tom said, "Sabre and Jason are sticking around just to watch me in the League. I don't know why that bitch Laura is still here though," Tom muttered. Joy shot Tom another glare. "Language, Tom," Porygon Two teased. "Like you've got a clean mouth either," Tom muttered. "I don't have a mouth," Porygon Two said quickly. "Just shut up." **** A few hours later, Tom was standing atop his trainer stage, facing another opponent. Kangaskhan stood tall on Tom's side of the plain battle field, being stared upon by the enemy Heracross. Both Tom and his opponent were down three Pokemon each, knowing that thier victory or defeat was just one round away. Even though both Kangaskhan and the Heracross were visibly worn down, their resolve to batter their opponent senseless remained intact. "Trainers ready," the referee called, "Pokemon ready, begin!" "Kangaskhan, Mega Punch!" Tom ordered. "Heracross, Mega Horn!" His opponent commanded. Just as the Heracross lowered his horn and charged at Kangaskhan, Kangaskhan wound back his arm and threw a vicious punch at the charging Pokemon. Kangaskhan's knuckles smashing onto the Heracross' horn was brutal enough to break Heracross's horn in half. Heracross screeched in agony as his horn fell to the ground. "Kangaskhan, give him another Mega Punch!" Tom commanded. The last thing the Heracross saw was another knuckle-lined punch aimed straight for his face. "And the winner of this match is Tom Simms!" came the voice of the announcer into the Heracross's head before he blacked out. -End......? **********