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Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned

Chapter LIX (Hey hey hey, get that picture outta' your mind...)

Saga XIII- Master Battles Saga

Chapter I- The Last Road

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With a heavy yawn of boredom, Jen crossed her arms and rested her chin in 
their folds on the table. The small shot glass was now but a shell of it's 
former self, and Jen was beginning to wish it full again. The sun was 
shining brightly upon the outside patio of the small restaurant, and Jen 
began to wonder if she could live with her decision.

"Hey Jen," Came a familiar voice from outside the gates beside her table. 
Jen turned her head to see Tom walk by, smile and nod at her, with Porygon 
Two at his side.

"Tom!" Jen cheered, quickly standing up and running to the gates. "Where've 
you been?"

Tom stopped, and so did Porygon Two. "Around," Tom shrugged.

"Hey, where's your jacket you always have on?" Jen asked.

"Ditched it," Tom said, rubbing his arms in the black tank-top. "You haven't 
changed much, though."

Jen stroked the back of her head, showing off some of her new shoulder 
length-hair. "Nice stripe," Jen commented.

Tom ruffled the blonde streak in the middle of his hair. "An old idea of 
mine," Tom said.

"What've you been doing all these months?" Jen asked, "I've been trying to 
call you on you cell."

Tom patted the slight bulge in his pocket. "I guess I didn't get reception 
there," Tom hummed.

"Where were you?" Jen asked again.

"Out," Tom hummed.

"Well, no. Really?" Jen cut in sarcastically.

"Really," Tom said, "And I was just on my way to register for Pokemon League 
again."

Jen sighed. "Well, have fun," she said.

Something struck Tom as odd. "You're not gonna'?" he asked. "Have you 
already registered?"

"No," Jen sighed, "I'm not going to Pokemon League this time."

Tom almost shivered. "Why?" He asked, almost disappointed.

"Eh, I just couldn't handle it anymore," she said. "I've offically retired."

Tom felt like he had been hit in the stomach. "B- Why?"

Jen rested on the top of the fence. "Too much running around all over the 
place," Jen said. "I never really was the moving type of person," she said.

"What about your Pokemon?" Tom asked.

"Oh, they're fine at home," Jen said.

"Home?"

"In Double City," said Jen. "Angus is a really nice guy when you get to know 
him."

"Angus?" Tom asked, surprised, "You're living with Angus?"

"Of course not!" Jen suddenly burst into laughter. "Well, not yet, anyway," 
she said, extending her hand to Tom.

The shiny diamond strapped on her middle finger made Tom's jaw drop. "Well-" 
Tom stammered, staring at the ring, "I- er- congrats, Jen," Tom squeaked.

"Wow," Porygon Two muttered.

"So, what are you doing here in Tower City?" Tom asked, still shaken by 
Jen's engagement.

"Angus and I just came to see if you were still alive," she said.

"Angus is here?" Tom asked.

"Well, he's at the hotel now," Jen said. "We were just getting ready to 
leave. We thought you wouldn't show for Pokemon League."

"You gotta' be joking," Tom grinned. "Of course I'd be there."

"Well, have fun," said Jen.

"Sure you don't want to come watch?" Tom asked.

"Naw," Jen said, "Angus and I have got a Gym to run."

"Well, I suppose that's too bad," Tom said with a sudden grin, "I've got 
quite a surprise for everyone at the League this time."

Jen's curiosity was immediately hooked. "Oh?" she ventured, "What?"

"Well, if I told you now," Tom smirked, "It wouldn't be a surprise then, now 
would it?"

"Come on, stop teasing me," Jen whined, "You know I can't take suspense like 
this."

"Sorry, can't do here," Tom chuckled. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"I see you're still a loveable jerk," said Jen.

"I see you're still a loveable hothead," Tom replied.

"I see you two still can't have a conversation without some degree of 
arguing," Porygon Two cut in.

"Shut up," both Tom and Jen ordered. Porygon Two turned his head away and 
muttered.

"Well, if you're going to register," said Jen, "you'd better hurry up," she 
said. "Registration closes in a few hours."

"Yeah, I noticed," said Tom. "Hey, keep an eye on me in Pokemon League, 
huh?" Tom asked as he and Porygon Two took off.

"You know I will!" Jen called back.

As soon as they rounded the corner of the street, Tom muttered, "Lucky 
Angus..."

******

Something still bothered Tom later that day. Sitting on his bed at the 
trainer hotel, Tom read over the rulebook again for the fifth time. A lot of 
things had changed in the League since he last read about it, and the point 
about the total removal of the Elite Four really stuck in his mind. Reading 
over the schedule again, Tom began to wonder how he would fare this time.

***

ROUND ONE: The first round will be held on a desert-themed field. Artificial 
heat lamps will be present, so please come prepared. The match itself will 
be three one-on-one contests, and the victor will be the one who scores two 
falls from his opponent, and will advance to round two.

ROUND TWO: The second round will be held on a marshland-themed field. 
Artificial rain sprinklers will be present, so please come prepared. The 
match itself will be three one-on-one contests, and the victor will be the 
one who scores two falls from his opponent, and will advance to round three.

ROUND THREE: The third round will be held on a artic-themed field. 
Artificial snow machines will be present, so please come prepared. The match 
itself will be three one-on-one contests, and the victor will be the one who 
scores two falls from his opponent, and will advance to round four.

ROUND FOUR: The fourth round will be held on a nature-themed field. Natural 
grass and vegitation will be present, so please come prepared. The match 
itself will be three one-on-one contests, and the victor will be the one who 
scores two falls from his opponent, and will advance to round five.

ROUND FIVE: The fifth round will be held on a normal field. The contest will 
consist of a series of three one-on-one battles, and whoever is the first to 
score two falls on the opponent will advance to round six.

ROUND SIX: The sixth round will be held on a normal field. The contest will 
consist of a series of five one-on-one battles, and whoever scores the most 
falls from the opponent will advance to round seven.

ROUND SEVEN: The seventh round will be held on a normal field. The contest 
will consist of a series of six one-on-one battles, and whoever scores the 
most falls from his opponent will advance to round eight.

ROUND EIGHT: The eighth round will be held on a normal field, in a 
sudden-death contest. The first trainer to score a fall from the opponent 
will advance to round nine.

ROUND NINE: The ninth round will be held on a special land-mine field, which 
have various marble-sized explosives buried underneath the surface. The 
contest itself is scheduled for three falls, and the victor will advance to 
the final round.

FINAL ROUND: Due to the increase of registered trainers in recent months, 
the Pokemon League has created a special three-way contest, where three 
trainers will battle one another at once, with two Pokemon of each trainer 
on the field at once. The contest will be held on the land-mine field, and 
will be scheduled for two falls for each trainer. No Pokemon may be switched 
in or during the battle. The victor will advance to challenge the current 
Pokemon League champion for the title of the Undisputed Pokemon League World 
Champion.

***

Undisputed Pokemon League World Champion. The mere thought of having that 
title under his belt made Tom want to giggle like a little schoolgirl. 
Instead, he giggled like a biding Spearow, ready to tear something and 
someone to shreds.

And in just two days, he would face roar of the crowd, the army of flashing 
cameras, the watching eyes from around the world, and the fights of his 
life...

-End

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