From: "Rob" <robfrompw@yahoo.com> Subject: [PW!] [SST] The Rogue And The Punisher Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2004 5:21 AM Finally alone in the S.S. Tidal Pokemon Center as it sails towards Slateport City, Nurse Marcia is able to tend to a matter she'd been meaning to address since she boarded the S.S. Tidal when it left Slateport City quite a few days ago. The matter, however, has been rather annoyed by her tending for the past half hour. "You cannot fool Luthor, Rogue," the prone Slowpoke on a stretcher in the small room scowls at the blue-haired nurse sitting in a chair next to the stretcher, "You think that just by dying your hair blue, you can deceive Luthor into thinking that you're a nurse? Admit it - your hair used to be red! Is this not true?!" Nurse Marcia rolls her eyes, tired of the Psychic Pokemon's accusations, "Yes, I used to dye my hair red, but that has nothing to do with anything I've said. Believe me, Luthor - my name ISN'T Rogue, I AM a nurse, and I'm NOT trying to 'thwart your plans'. I'm just trying to help you. If you don't let me touch you, I won't be able to find out if your mental illness stems from a physical disorder. I promise I won't absorb your 'incredible psychic powers' and use them against you." "AH-HA!" Luthor finally reacts to the fact that Nurse Marcia said 'Yes', "Your hair WAS red, as Luthor so cleverly speculated! You will not get the best of Luthor, Rogue - neither you nor your mutant friends. Now, save me the trouble of making your head explode - give me my Lure Ball so that I may leave this place." Nurse Marcia jots down a note on the clipboard she's been using to keep track of her observations on Luthor, "You're able to speak in the first person too, huh?" After thirty-nine seconds of mental processing, the Slowpoke expresses outrage, "Of course Luthor can, foolish mutant! It would be ridiculous for Luthor to always address himself in the third person. Luthor's addressing himself in the third person is supposed to strike fear in the hearts of Luthor's opponents, but if Luthor overused referring to himself in the third person, it would lose its novelty. Why, it would even run the risk of making Luthor sound comical. Luthor desires that one day all the nations of all the planets that house life in all the universes that exist will bow before Luthor in fear, not laugh in his general direction! To that end, Luthor is extremely careful not to excessively say his own name. What in this world would make you think that Luthor was unable to speak in the first person?" Nurse Marcia narrows her eyes at the Slowpoke on the stretcher, "Well, I've been talking with you for over thirty minutes, and you've only said 'I' once. And I'm counting your rant against referring to yourself in the third person." Luthor considers Marcia's observation for a long while in contemplative silence, wondering if he should stop referring to himself in the third person. He wonders if anyone has ever perceived his behavior as comical instead of fear-inducing... Shrugging off his worry as utterly absurd, the psychotic Slowpoke shouts, "GIVE LUTHOR HIS LURE BALL!" "Luthor?" When a female voice poses that question from just outside the Pokemon Center, Nurse Marcia turns her attention to the half-closed door leading into her room just as the voice asks, "Why does that name sound familiar?" The door creaks open and a green-haired teenage girl dressed in a skimpy black bikini enters the room. The newcomer makes a face of disgust when she sees the pink Slowpoke on the stretcher, despite the fact that he doesn't react to her arrival at all. She mutters to herself, "It's that hick girl's Slowpoke. I didn't know SHE was on the ship... heh, I bet she's wearing one of those full-body swimsuits from the 1920's." "Can I help you?" Nurse Marcia asks, bothered by the interruption, especially since the girl didn't address her when she stepped into the Pokemon Center. "I sure hope so, considering you're the only Pokemon nurse on this ship." The green-haired girl enlarges a Fast Ball she's holding in her right hand. "We meet again, Punisher," Luthor remarks, only now having processed that someone recently entered the room, "Release Parasite at once so that he may use his superior ability-absorption powers against Rogue - I am confident that he will be able to defeat her at her own game." "Hah, yeah right. Unless her game is fainting after one hit, there's no way Parasite will beat her." The bikini-clad girl snaps her left fingers in front of Luthor's face. Still sitting, Nurse Marcia jots down another note on her clipboard and asks, "I take it you know Luthor... Punisher?" "The name's Roxie," the punk teenager replies, "I've only met him once before, but you don't tend to forget a talking Slowpoke, no matter how retarded it is." "Roxie, huh?" Nurse Marcia comments, "My mom thought about naming me Roxanne when I was little, but she settled on Marcia." "That's great," Roxie remarks with noticeable sarcasm, "So anyway, how about you make with the nursing and heal my Paras?" She finally pushes the button on the Fast Ball she's holding and a fainted orange Paras appears on the floor of the Pokemon Center. The Bug Pokemon is wearing a yellow Focus Band. "Luthor is NOT retarded!" The Slowpoke's argument isn't helped by the fact that he defended himself so late. By the time Nurse Marcia has administered a Revive to the Paras on the floor, Luthor gasps in horror, "Parasite! What mighty superhero was capable of defeating you, of all villains?!" "Paras, Parrras..." Parasite the Paras speaks with a weak voice. He's surprised to see his former master again, but he doesn't show it since he's still recovering from the Earthquake attack that knocked him out yesterday. He remains sprawled on the floor, barely moving. "I can't believe it," Roxie shakes her head in disgust at the weak Paras at her feet, "Parasite's so weak that even after spending a night in his Pokeball and receiving medicine the next day, he STILL can't stand up. And to think - when I caught him, I thought he was the strongest Paras in Johto's Ilex Forest because he didn't faint after one hit like the other Paras did. Clearly, I was wrong. Look, Marcia, when you give that stupid Slowpoke back to his stupid Trainer, feel free to give her this Paras too. I think it'll suit her well since she's a loser just like him." Roxie tosses her empty Fast Ball at Marcia and abruptly leaves the Pokemon Center. Figuring that the Paras is better off with her than with such a rude Trainer, Nurse Marcia doesn't bother chasing after Roxie to return the Bug Pokemon or the Fast Ball. Besides, Luthor appears to know the Paras from somewhere, so she guesses Parasite might be able to provide some insight into Luthor's insanity. Looking at the Fast Ball she just caught then down at the three Pokeballs occupying the three slots on her belt, Nurse Marcia remarks, "I think I need a bigger belt." -Marcia (( NS: I'm a bit off schedule, but the S.S. Tidal will still dock at Slateport Harbor on 2/20/2004. ))