From: RobfromVoid (RobfromVoid@prodigy.net)
Subject: [PW!] An Inescapable Prison
Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon
Date: 2000/06/07
"I loathe her..." mumbles the Slowpoke sitting on the flower-covered bed
in Erika's room in the Celadon City Gym, "So what is keeping me from
attacking her?! What is it about her?! She's just another human... not
even a super villain! Sure, she may seem like Poison Ivy... but where's
the blood-lust and toxic lips?! I should have attacked her with my
Psychic powers a long time ago, but I sit here, powerless, unable to
even leave this accursed complex... not because she's trapped me, not
because she's made me her prisoner, but because I can't say 'no' to her.
Why don't I just lash out? What has she done to me?!"
"Parras Paras Parrrrassss." The Paras next to the Slowpoke offers his
explanation, but since the Slowpoke doesn't understand the language of
the Paras, it goes unheard. He pats the Slowpoke on the back with one of
his claws, "Parrras."
"Luthor does not want your pity, Parasite!" The Slowpoke swings his paw
at Paras the Parasite, knocking the pathetic Bug Pokemon off the side of
the bed. Luthor shakes his head, "Nor do I want Bane's. That fool has
sided with the female humans - those who physically imprisoned me, as
well as the one who placed me in an intangible, inescapable,
inexplicable prison."
Parasite clings to the bed sheets with one claw, trying to pull himself
back onto the bed, "Paaraas! Paaaraaaaaas!"
Luthor's eyes show their anger as he declares, "I will not be subjected
to this torture for another moment. I'm storming out of here, Parasite,
and you're coming with me. We'll leave Bane behind since he's allied
with the enemies, and together we'll form a new army. We may have lost
Poison Ivy, Dr. Octopus, Clayface, and now Bane, but you and I can still
recruit new villains into our army. Our first objective will be to
destroy this 'Erika' human for making a mockery of me! She will...
pay... for her... crimes... against..." The tension in Luthor's eyes
disappears as he sees Erika glide into the room, and he's not able to
finish his thought. His jaw falls slightly ajar, and Luthor's
countenance quickly relaxes into that of the archetypal Slowpoke, "...
hi."
Erika is covering her slender figure with a simple but colorful flowery
dress that depicts various flowers in full bloom which ends just below
her knees. Her short blue hair is let loose, and her lovely smile is
focused on the Slowpoke, "Were you saying something about me? I think I
heard my name mentioned as I was walking in..." She helps Parasite onto
the bed and sits down next to the two Pokemon, placing Luthor on her
lap. She runs her fingers down his back, "What were you saying?"
"I was saying that... THAT..." Luthor's eyes twitch and his voice wavers
as he tries to voice his anger, "... you're... You've been forcing me to
stay here, and I think... No, I demand... I mean, LUTHOR demands that
you... you... Let me... him leave!"
Erika blinks, expressing her surprise at the Slowpoke's request. She
stops petting Luthor and raises him up so he can see her sincere eyes,
"You know that you can leave whenever you want, Luthor! I've been
telling you this all along. The last thing I would want to do is keep a
Water Pokemon away from his natural habitat. I've been taking care of
you for a while now, and if you think you're ready to leave, by all
means do so. I'll help you and your Pokemon friends to the exit..."
"No, wait!" Luthor shakes his head, "That's not what I wan... what
Luthor wants. You've treated... I'd like to keep... could you come
with... I don't... Luthor doesn't even know what he wants anymore! I've
become a pathetic super villain." Luthor hangs his head in shame, "Just
hand me an umbrella and call me the Penguin."
Erika frowns, "Now, Luthor, stop saying you're a super villain! You're
one of the nicest, gentlest, most peaceful Water Pokemon I've ever had
the pleasure of meeting. You've never done anything evil to me ever
since the day I found you..."
"Stop!" Luthor protests, cringing in Erika's arms, "Your words are
daggers to Luthor's ears! Luthor is very evil! Extremely evil!"
"Not the Luthor I know." Erika places Luthor on the bed, rubs the
Slowpoke on the back with one hand and rubs Parasite's mushrooms with
the other. Both Pokemon appreciate the massages, but only the Paras
shows that he does by purring. Erika leans next to Luthor's ear and
whispers, "Once you've figured out what you want, tell me. I'd stay here
with you, but I have to take care of my Gym Leader duties. Good luck,
Luthor!" She kisses Luthor's forehead and leaves the room.
A few minutes after Erika's gone, Luthor opens his mouth and mumbles, "I
loathe her. Or... could it be that I... love her?"
-Luthor
