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Pokemon, Asylum of the Damned

Chapter LXI

Saga XIII- Master Battles Saga

Chapter III- Round Two

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Tom and Porygon Two had just left the stadium, and were walking along the 
thin path leading to the small Pokemon center beside it. "You think I 
impressed anyone?" Tom asked Porygon Two.

Suddenly, Porygon Two looked over its shoulder. "There's your answer," it 
said, quickly speeding ahead.

Tom looked over his shoulder as well, and his jaw dropped when he saw a mob 
of Pokemon fans, each brandishing their own pen and notebook, racing toward 
him. They stampeded towards him like a maddened herd of rampaging Tauros, 
with no sign of slowing down after trampling Tom to death. "Wait up, 
Porygon!" Tom yelped, running after Porygon Two to the Pokemon center.

Just as soon as they were within meters of the door, nurse Joy suddenly 
flung the doors wide open, held them in place, and yelled, "Hurry inside!"

Tom and Porygon Two sped past her, and Joy quickly slammed the doors shut 
again just as the crowd came running to the center. "Thanks," said Tom, 
weezing as he tried to catch his breath.

"It happens at least once every tournament," said Joy with a grin, leaning 
against the doors and holding them shut against the shoving mob.

Thinking quickly, Tom unleashed Machamp from his Pokeball. Machamp flexed 
his gigantic arms, trudged over to Joy, and placed his palm upon the doors. 
Joy breathed a sigh of relief as she walked towards the counter, with 
Machamp holding the doors shut.

Just before Tom could give Joy Donphan's Pokeball, she smiled and asked, 
"Can I see him?"

"Who? Oh, Moltres," Tom murmured as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, 
we sort of made a deal between us," he said. "I'd protect him from capture 
if he came to help me only when I really needed him."

"Oh," Joy murmured, heavily disappointed. Tom handed her Donphan's Pokeball, 
and Joy in turn handed it to her Chansey.

After the Chansey had scurried into the back rooms, Tom looked at the doors 
and sighed. Machamp kept the doors sealed shut, with the crowd of engaged 
fans struggling to muscle their way inside. "I'm going to have to face them 
sometime," Tom groaned.

The Chansey had just come out from the back rooms, and handed Tom him 
Pokeball again. Joy quickly slid underneath Machamp's arm, and winked at 
Tom. "You can use the back door," she said, "I'll hold them until they 
eventually catch on."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Joy," he said, zapping Machamp back 
into his Pokeball, and he and Porygon Two quickly made for the escape.

*******

Tom had evaded a swarming mob for long enough to make it for his next match. 
As his heavy music blared over the stadium, Tom looked at Porygon Two. 
"There's our cue," he said, walking into the stadium.

The field before him was a lush, grassy field, filled with damp, soggy 
marshes. "The following contest is scheduled for two falls, inside the 
marshland battlefield," came the voice of the unseen announcer. "Introducing 
first, from Halla town, winning a total of nine badges, he is the Pokemon 
League's people's champion, Tom Simms!"

The roar of the crowd was even more deafening than it was before. Suddenly, 
the crowd began to chant. "We want Moltres!" The cheered as they stamped 
their feet. "We want Moltres!" Stamp, stamp, "We want Moltres!" Stamp, 
stamp.

"I think they want to see Moltres more than me," said Tom.

"Really?" Porygon Two asked, "What gave you that idea?"

As Tom climbed the ladder to his trainer box, he said to Porygon Two, "I 
hate to have to disappoint them this time, but I've brought another Pokemon 
that I'm sure they'd like to see."

Porygon Two mulled over Tom's statement, and then gasped. "Oh no. You didn't 
bring him out today, did you?"

"After what I've seen him do before, I think it's time to see what he can do 
under my command," said Tom with a grin, glancing at the arena entrance, 
awaiting his opponent.

"And from New Cinnabar, winning a total of eight badges, Jacob Abram!"

Dressed in a plain tan outfit, Tom's tall, bold-eyed opponent took the 
field, and was quickly in his trainer box. As soon as they put on thier 
headsets, Tom heard Jacob say, "Well? Let's see him."

Tom rolled his eyes. He could tell it was going to be a long tournament. 
"Sorry, but Moltres can't come out to play today," Tom said as the referee 
prepared to begin the battle, "Why don't I let you see my other friends?"

"Then show me what you've got without your Moltres."

"Go, Ursaring!" Tom exclaimed, throwing out a Pokeball onto the field.

"Go, Xatu!" said Jacob as he tossed out a Pokeball of his own.

With a brilliant flash, Ursaring took the field, staring down the Xatu at 
the other end. "Trainers ready," the referee declared, "Pokemon ready, 
begin!"

"Ursaring, Slash!"

"Xatu, Psywave!"

When Xatu folded his wings across his chest, Ursaring raised her paw, and 
lumbered towards Xatu with her claws flexed and ready to slash away. Xatu 
only closed his eyes, quietly chirped once, and thrust his wings open. A 
sudden blast of energy roared out from Xatu's body, smashing against 
Ursaring. Ursaring was knocked onto her back. wincing as she hit the soggy 
ground. Growling and grumbling, Ursaring trudged back onto her feet as Xatu 
crossed his wings again.

"Xatu, keep blasting her with Psywave!" Jacob ordered as Ursaring steadily 
marched towards him.

Xatu chirped quietly again, and then flung his wings open at Ursaring. 
Another blast of psychic energy smashed against Ursaring, with Ursaring 
crossing her arms in front of her face, staggering as the vicious wave of 
energy pushed against her. As Xatu continued to thrust wave after wave of 
energy at her, Ursaring kept steadily advancing, and Xatu began blasting 
energy more and more rapidly, beginning to sweat heavily as Ursaring kept 
forcing forward through the murky swamps. And when Xatu's wings finally 
tired, Ursaring was in front of him, paw stretched to the sky, claws 
gleaming in the sun's rays. With no energy left to even move, Xatu could 
only squeeze his eyes shut and wince as Ursaring brought her paw down, 
slashing Xatu across the cheek. Xatu was battered to the ground immediately, 
and gave a tired, defeated groan.

"Xatu, return," Jacob muttered, zapping Xatu back into his Pokeball. Within 
moments, Jacob had another in his hand, and he unleashed the Pokemon inside.

When the Swampert materialized on the field, Tom grimaced. Ursaring had 
already bent herself over, resting her hands on her knees, huffing and 
weezing from her battle before. Thinking quickly, Tom zapped Ursaring back 
into her Pokeball, and looked at Porygon Two.

"All right, I'll go," said Porygon Two, driving out onto the swampy field.

"Trainers ready, Pokemon ready, begin!"

"Porygon, Double-Edge!" Tom commanded.

"Swampert, Hydro Pump!"

As Porygon Two sped forward at Swampert, the Swampert took in a deep breath, 
and then lurched forward, spitting out a torrent of water at Porygon Two. 
Porygon Two tilted itself onto its side, letting the Hydro Pump sail past it 
as it closed in on Swampert. With a savage lunge, Porygon Two sent its beak 
smashing into Swampert's chest, right beside Swampert's left shoulder. 
Swampert howeld in pain as he staggered backward, cradling his arm as 
Porygon Two prepared to strike again.

"Porygon, Tri-Attack!"

"Swampert, Body Slam!"

Just as Porygon Two's beak and feet began to glow, Swampert threw himself 
forward, smashing his body upon Porygon Two. Porygon Two gave a weak yelp as 
Swampert's body came crashing down on him, crushing him into the marshy 
grass. When Swampert rolled off of Porygon Two, Porygon Two could only 
manage to pull himself out of the murky mashes before collapsing in defeat.

Tom broke a sweat. He knew Moltres would not be too happy to be called to 
help him again so soon, and he was left with only one more Pokeball. As 
Porygon Two weakly drifted back to Tom's trainer box, Tom bit his lip as he 
unleashed the Pokemon inside. "Go, Rhydon!"

As the massive frame of Rhydon materialized on the field, Porygon Two weakly 
groaned. "This won't be pretty."

With his Swampert still nursing his bruised shoulder, Jacob recalled his 
Pokemon and set another loose onto the field. "Go, Solrock!"

The Pokemon that took shape on Jacob's side of the field looked like a 
spike-covered meteor, hovering gently above the ground. "Trainers ready," 
The referee announced, "Pokemon ready, begin!"

"Solrock, Sunny Day!"

"Rhydon, Mega Punch!"

As Solrock began to glow brightly like the sun, Rhydon only grumbled and 
remained still. "Rhydon, Mega Punch!" Tom insisted.

"Rhy," Rhydon muttered stubbornly.

"Come on! Mega Punch!"

Rhydon growled, and then turned around to face Tom. Holding his arm high 
into the air, Rhydon stuck up his middle finger at Tom and sneered.

"Solrock, Flamethrower!"

The sudden stream of flames that shot from Solrock's body blasted upon 
Rhydon's armor-like back, scorching his rocky skin black. Rhydon groaned, 
scratched his charred skin, and glared at Solrock. And with a tightly 
clenched fist, Rhydon charged towards Solrock, throwing a vicious punch into 
the middle of Solrock's body. Solrock skittered backwards, smashing into the 
stand of Jacob's trainer box. Solrock bounced off of the thick metal stand 
with a crash before dropping to the ground.

"And the winner of this match by two falls," The announcer declared, "Tom 
Simms!"

-End

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