From: Karnivax <karnivax@my-deja.com> Subject: [PW!] Stable Ground Date: Sunday, August 15, 1999 7:20 AM Warning! Impromptu Zelda: O.o.T. Reference! "WHAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa-" *WHUMP* "-iyyite!" Sorry, couldn't resist typing that... ^^;;; S.P.C.P = Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pokémon. --STABLE GROUND-- Part 1 by Karnivax "Panopticon...come in..." The cyborg Velociraptor that was High Templar Panopticon, concealed in Viridian City beneath the light-bending aura produced by his personal cloaking device, activated his comlink and responded, "Ssspeak, massster. I am bound to hear." "First of all, a brief commendation...your successful capture of Phoo the Cockroach was impressive indeed, Panopticon." "Yesss, it wasss quite a feat," recalled Panopticon, grinning proudly. "How faresss my latessst catch? And, for that matter, how faresss young Bradley, and even Proteusss?" "The successfully reconditioned David Bradley and his partner Goliath are currently on the bi-monthly Clefable and Wigglytuff hunt." "Ah, I remember fondly the time when I wasss in charge of thossse huntsss," Panopticon responded. "I never grew weary of ssslaughtering thossse missserable balloonsss." "And Phoo has been sent to Cerulean City to retrieve the brilliant scientist and engineer known as Bill..." Panopticon gasped, "Bill? Then...the Dessscensssion isss nigh?" "Indeed," the enigmatic master laughed. "His technology will be one integral component of the process in which I will at last manifest myself upon the mortal plane. The other integral component will be a host body for me to occupy...a body which you, Panopticon, will have the honor of finding. I expect you to start searching as soon as possible." Panopticon's mouth went agape at the thought of his master at last walking the earth. He fell silent, envisioning the even further future...the time when his master would carry out phase two of his grandiose scheme, the time when everything would at last be brought full circle. "And as for your final inquiry...Proteus gave up trying to capture the elusive Doppler, and is currently exploring the Underground Dungeon near Cerulean City, where Mewtwo is seeking solace. Mewtwo's own immense powers betray him...he leaves equally immense psi-prints. He is about as well-hidden from us as the proverbial elephant hiding behind a blade of grass." "I do not intend to ssseem like I am contradicting you, massster," Panopticon began, "but do you truly think Proteusss can defeat Mewtwo? Mewtwo isss a legend among mortalsss, after all..." The master sighed, "Before I answer you, let me say that for future reference, Panopticon, if you wish to be insubordinate...please dispense with the snivelling. I speak to you as I would to an equal. Why do you not return the favor?" "I apologize. The mechanical half of my brain ssstill dominatesss over the organic half...I have not been entirely freed from the bindsss of the insssipid programming given to me by the foolsss in Sssilph," Panopticon explained. There was a long pause before the master continued, "To answer your question, I will need to explain a few things to you. Now, I am certain you have heard the story of Mewtwo's early days - the story of his creation at the hands of a few overly ambitious humans on Cinnabar Island, the story of his being purchased by Giovanni of Team Rocket, the story of his brief uprise against the human race. For a while I believed Mewtwo would serve our cause, albeit unwittingly - in which case our job would be made significantly more facile. But I have been watching Mewtwo lately, and it is evident that he has lost his way... "You see, I regularly scout human colonies, looking for any sapients or Pokémon who have exceptional psychic potential or unique powers. One day in my searching I ran afoul of a young psychic human named Icy and his mate Sara, both of whom had been transformed into Pokémon...both of whom would have remained in Pokémon form for the rest of their lives, were it not for the impromptu intervention of Mewtwo." "A psssychic named Icy...? You never sssent Proteusss or I to capture anyone named Icy," Panopticon pointed out. "In an odd way, Panopticon, I found it much more amusing to simply let the machinations of the couple's respective minds play themselves out. It was the first time I had ever become sufficiently curious to learn for myself what thoughts pervaded in the minds of sapients when they were not my mindless servitors. But as I soon discovered, the most prevalent thoughts going through the mind of a typical human are of nourishment, rest, and...ugh...reproduction. "But as I was saying, Mewtwo played an integral role in returning the sickeningly amorous pair, Icy and Sara, to normal. From Mewtwo's random act of kindness, I asserted that he had at last gone soft. He would unwittingly serve our cause no longer. "To test my theory, I psychically gauged Mewtwo's level of power, careful so as not to let Mewtwo prematurely learn of my existence. It became obvious that Mewtwo's fighting prowess had been dulled by his years of solitude and pacifism...his power level was a pathetic seven thousand." "Hmmm...hardly a match for Proteusss'sss limit of twenty thousssand," Panopticon realized. Somehow, Panopticon expected Mewtwo to be much stronger than Proteus. After all, he had heard his master refer to Mewtwo as the greatest threat posed to anyone on the mortal plane. "Indeed. You see, I want Mewtwo to serve our cause. And if I have to bring him into my custody and brainwash him to gain his assistance, then so be it." "Massster, have you consssidered the possssibility that Mewtwo wasss hiding hisss true power level when you ssscanned him? Sssuch an ability isss not unheard of..." "That will be enough pessimism, Panopticon. Even if Mewtwo had been concealing his true power, my faith that Proteus's power will be greater remains unbroken." Panopticon sighed heavily, angered that Proteus was being given the more interesting missions. "I believe I will go sssearching for a hossst body for you now," Panopticon said, changing the subject. "Perhapsss I ssshould begin my sssearch in the Sssafari Zone..." "Very well, but know that I will not be able to teleport you there," said Panopticon's controller. "All of my power is currently being used to sustain a psionic dampening field around the Underground Dungeon that will prevent Mewtwo from teleporting to safety once Proteus finds him. You will have to find some way to get to Fuchsia City on foot." "Not a problem, massster." Then Panopticon turned off his comlink. He deployed his rollerblades, fired up the boosters on his feet, and started blading south toward Pallet Town at full speed. Meanwhile, Kyle, Jessica, and their team of Pokémon - Torrasque, Thanatos, Espio, and Cathode - arrived at the front entrance to the Viridian City Gym, a location Kyle knew all too well. It was the spot where he had first met the buff Team Rocket member David Bradley and his earthshaking companion, Goliath the Golem. Kyle knocked on the door, and found that this time the door was unlocked. He led Jessica and the four free-roaming Pokémon into the building, then down the long main hallway that was made of glistening marble, and finally into the gym area itself. The bleachers were basically empty. A few Rockets were sitting in the upper rows of seats and getting drunk. David and Goliath were nowhere to be found. "Is there a Gym Leader in the house?" Kyle bellowed. One of the Rockets who was not drunk out of his mind got up from his seat in the bleachers and descended to the arena. "Hold on a sec," the Rocket grunted. He staggered into a back room. Minutes later, the Rocket came back, followed by the well-groomed Viridian City Gym Leader, Giovanni. Giovanni took his position at one side of the battleground, then glanced at Kyle. "I am certain you have been here before," Giovanni remarked, in what sounded like an Italian or Brooklynese accent. "I trust you have the seven other badges this time?" "Of course!" Kyle reached into a pocket on his denim jacket and revealed the seven other trainer badges, one by one. Giovanni grinned. "Excellent." --STABLE GROUND-- Part 2 by Karnivax Giovanni removed a Pokéball from his clean black jacket. "I am sure you will not mind if we skip right to tbe main event. My usual opening act - the ground Pokémon training stylings of the questionably stable David Bradley - has been A.W.O.L. for quite some time." "Nah, I don't mind at all," Kyle responded. He took the Pokéball containing Leviathan the Dragonite off his belt, then tossed the sphere into the battlefield. "Dragonite, go!" Leviathan appeared in the arena, then did a few quick stretching exercises. He turned his language translator up to full volume, then crossed his arms and waited to see what Giovanni was planning. Giovanni casually flipped the Pokéball he was holding into the arena. "You are limited to three Pokémon for this battle," Giovanni announced. "For my first Pokémon, I choose Nidoking." A purple, vaguely reptilian beast that was almost as massive as Leviathan materialized and trundled into the center of the battlefield. "Nido, nido king," the creature snarled. It waved its bulky tail from side to side. "Lookie here," Leviathan remarked. "Poor little lonely dinosaur- wannabe wants some attention." Kyle ran one hand down his own face. He had thought Leviathan's ego problem had been solved back in Celadon City. "Levi, if your ego gets out of control this time, I swear I'll have your scaly orange ass in a sling..." "Is that a threat?" Leviathan chuckled. "Damn straight," Kyle replied. Leviathan leaned his head back and guffawed, "No pun intended here, but you slay me! You - a scrawny little adolescent human - are threatening a beast of legend that is much taller than you, much heavier than you, and could Thunderbolt you into a crispy critter in the blink of a nictitating membrane!" Without even looking at his target, Leviathan shellacked Nidoking with an Ice Beam, freezing the purple beast in a solid block of ice. Giovanni, trying to hide his astonishment, called back the helpless Nidoking, then pulled another Pokéball from his jacket. "That's gratitude for you!" Kyle grunted at Leviathan, ignoring the fact that the Dragonite had just taken Nidoking out of commission in one hit. "I rescued you from abandonment when you were just an egg, I was the first thing you saw when you hatched into a Dratini, I raised you from birth to above level seventy, and you repay me now by being an arrogant jackass?" Leviathan responded with a cocky grin. "Yeah, sounds about right." He turned away, then muttered under his breath, "Buttpipe." When no one was looking, Giovanni sent out his next Pokémon, a hefty Rhydon. Leviathan heard the bipedal rhino coming, and this time turned to face his opponent. The Rhydon was just a few inches taller than Leviathan, and several hundred pounds heavier. "Use your Water Gun. Do you think you can handle that, Levi?" Kyle growled. "I'll do it, but only because I was going to anyway," Leviathan responded. From his mouth, he squirted a powerful stream of water right at the slow Rhydon's face. The Rhydon flailed about wildly, momentarily blinded by the water. Then Leviathan froze the Rhydon's feet to the ground with an Ice Beam, and started repeatedly tailwhipping the immobilized stone beast in the face just to toy with him. "Why? Why is he such a jerk?" Kyle said softly. "I know why," Jessica responded. "You said he was past level seventy, right? Well, until you get an Earthbadge, Pokémon you own that are stronger than level seventy generally aren't too obedient." "Well, unless these badges are really magic talismans in disguise, I honestly don't foresee that creep Leviathan starting to be obedient again just because I won an Earthbadge," Kyle pointed out. "I wouldn't bash Leviathan, Kyle," Torrasque remarked. "He may be an arrogant jackass, but right now he's checking Giovanni's team in to the Smack Down Hotel." "That is about to change, my squamate friend," Giovanni very calmly said to Torrasque. Giovanni recalled Rhydon, then produced a third and final Pokéball. "Kangaskhan, show this so-called 'beast of legend' the value of obedience." From the third Pokéball came a scaly brown Pokémon which looked like a cross between a kangaroo and a tyrannosaur. It shambled toward Leviathan and raised its giant fists. "Kanga kangas khan!!!" the creature roared. It slammed its fists together. "A male Kangaskhan..." Jessica commented, noticing the beast's lack of a pouch. "Males are three times as rare as females." "Indeed. I went to great trouble to acquire this Pokémon," Giovanni remarked. "Granted, Kangaskhan does not exactly fit in with my theme of ground Pokémon. But, as they say, variety is the spice of life." He grinned from ear to ear, seeing that Leviathan had no idea what attack to use against a normal-type Pokémon. "Kangaskhan, Comet Punch!" Giovanni ordered, taking the opportunity. Kangaskhan charged and gave Leviathan a rapid round of jabs to the muzzle. Leviathan backed away and rubbed his aching snout, still wondering what to do. Kyle offered no help, figuring it was about time Leviathan got his comeuppance. "Something wrong, Levi? You look nervous," Kyle noted. Leviathan scowled at him. "Dizzy Punch!" came Giovanni's next command. Kangaskhan started whirling like a top at blinding speed for several seconds while a flustered Leviathan watched helplessly. Kangaskhan spun Leviathan's way, then landed a hard left cross on the Dragonite's chin, nearly breaking his jaw. Bleeding from the mouth but not willing to go down, Leviathan tried to backhand Kangaskhan out of the way. Kangaskhan blocked the attack easily. "Kangas, khan..." Leviathan's opponent chuckled. And then, out of nowhere, Jessica - not wanting to see Leviathan get beat into a bloody pulp - desperately shouted, "Leviathan, Thunderbolt!" Leviathan winked. "Anything for a lady," he replied. He charged up a dangerous electric current in each hand and then struck the surprised Kangaskhan with two bolts of lightning. The now blackened and smoking Kangaskhan flew backwards and landed at Giovanni's feet. "So you listen to Jessica, but you won't listen to me?" Kyle shouted at Leviathan. "I don't get you..." "No one gets me!" Leviathan said, confidence restored. "I'm the wind, baby!" He beckoned for Kangaskhan to attack. "Consider yourself 'gotten,'" Giovanni said. "Kangaskhan, Mega Punch!" Kangaskhan got up from the floor and started whirling his right forearm like a fan blade. Then he dashed toward the beckoning Dragonite and hit him with a giant uppercut that literally sent him through the roof. Moments later, Leviathan came back through the roof and slammed to the floor right next to Kyle with a THUD that shook the whole building. "Arrogant quasi-dragon defeated by kickboxing evolutionary disaster. Film at eleven..." Leviathan murmured, shortly before blacking out. "Finally," Kyle remarked, and happily called back the fainted Pokémon. Jessica glared at Kyle, rather miffed that he had just stood by and watched his own Pokémon get pulverized. "Kangaskhan is a normal- type, right? I have just the thing. Gengar!" Kyle looked up at Thanatos, but the Gengar was not at all interested in fighting. He was busy tuning his ghostly guitar. "Gen, gar gen," he answered. Kyle sighed heavily. "On to plan B. Machamp, I choose you!" Kyle then unleashed the four-armed terror known as Ares. "Mega Punch!" Giovanni again commanded. Kangaskhan wound up and charged at the vain Machamp, planning to go with a left uppercut this time. But just as Kangaskhan threw the punch, Ares grabbed hold of his opponent's left arm and performed a sacrifice throw. Kangaskhan hit the ground right in front of Kyle. "Ares, Seismic Toss!" Kyle yelled. "Champ, champ, ma champ," Ares chanted. He lifted the weakened Kangaskhan up off of the ground and then heaved him roughly fifteen feet into the air. Before the creature could land, however, Ares hit it directly in the gut with a Low Kick. The fighting-type attack was more than Kangaskhan could handle. Upon landing, he tried desperately to get back up. "Kangaaa..." he wailed, as he attempted to right himself. But ultimately, consciousness failed him. "I went easy on you, boy," Giovanni laughed, as he called back Kangaskhan. "I think you just can't admit I whooped you fair and square," Kyle shot back. He recalled Ares. "Perish the thought," Giovanni responded dryly. He tossed an Earthbadge to Kyle, as well as a T.M. "The Earthbadge is a small price to pay to later hear the story of how you were crushed by the Elite Four." "How do you figure?" Kyle queried, as he put the badge in his jacket and the T.M. in his backpack. "Simple. The Elite Four never goes easy on anyone," Giovanni answered. "It has happened a hundred times before...a trainer like you will defeat me, then they will go about thinking that defeating the Elite Four will be just as easy. But when they actually meet up with the Elite Four, they are given quite a rude awakening...heh heh heh..." Then Giovanni returned to the back room from whence he came, contemplating sending one of his female devotees in Team Rocket to bring Leviathan to him. Dragonites were much too difficult to legally acquire, after all... The Team Rocket members that were sitting in the bleachers started pelting Kyle with trash, so Kyle and company quickly exited the building. Once outside, Kyle was eerily silent. Torrasque expected Kyle to be rejoicing that he had finally collected all of the badges. But all Kyle was doing was holding all of the badges in one fist and showing a smug grin. And then, just before Kyle could send out Grendel the Aerodactyl to shuttle him and Jessica to their next destination, Jessica backhanded Kyle in the face. "Owww! What was that for?!" Kyle demanded. "The S.P.C.P. should hear of that little performance," Jessica answered. "You just stood there and watched your Dragonite get the crap beaten out of him! You didn't lift a finger to give him help when he needed it most!" "But...but...you saw how he was acting!" Kyle protested. "What difference would it have made if I had given him orders or not? He doesn't want my help any more." "The point is, if you *had* helped him out, he might have a little more confidence in you as his trainer. Besides, he was obviously pretty receptive to help when he was fighting Kangaskhan. He even took an order from me!" "You really have faith in Leviathan?" Kyle said. "What say I trade him to you then?" Jessica was taken aback. "You don't really mean that, do you? I mean, you raised him from birth, right? How could you be so willing to just give him up, just like that?" Kyle paused. His shoulders drooped. "Because I want what's best for him," he admitted, staring down at the ground. There was a long silence. Jessica was more than a little surprised by Kyle's response. She realized she did not really know him as well as she had thought. Espio put one hand on Kyle's shoulder. "You sure you want to do this? I mean, think about what you're trading. You're trading a Pokémon that can use ice, electric, and water attacks. Not to mention the fact that, physically speaking, Dragonite's strength is greater than that of any other Pokémon in the entire ga - er, I mean world." "How do you know that?" Torrasque queried. "My parents used to hang around with Dragonites all the time..." Espio responded. A tear rolled down from one of his green eyes as he was suddenly forced to think about his parents and the horrible fate that had befallen them. "Chuuu," Cathode whimpered, starting to recognize sadness. "I'm sure about this," Kyle responded to Espio's question. Kyle held out the Pokéball containing Leviathan. Jessica too held out a Pokéball. "Well...I can offer you a water and ice Pokémon for Leviathan," she said, rather uncertainly. Part of her was feeling jubilant that she was receiving a Dragonite, another part of her was feeling guilty because the same Dragonite evidently meant a lot to Kyle. "...Here's Seaclamp, my Cloyster." With little fanfare, Kyle and Jessica exchanged Leviathan and Seaclamp. "I know you'll take better care of Levi than I did," Kyle said to Jessica. Kyle attached Seaclamp's Pokéball to his belt. "Come on, we've got an Elite Four to trounce," he halfheartedly added. He released Grendel, then recalled the apterous Espio. Jessica put Leviathan's Pokéball on her belt and then climbed on to Grendel's back. "Wait, Kyle, hold on before we go anywhere," Torrasque interrupted, as Kyle sat down atop his trusty Aerodactyl. "Remember our return trip to Cinnabar a while ago?" Kyle nodded. Torrasque continued, "Remember how your dad showed me the project he was working on at the laboratories?" Kyle nodded again. "Well, I was told that in two weeks the project would be complete. And two weeks have long since passed." "Oh, I remember now," Kyle said to Torrasque. "Dad was working on essentially creating a female version of you. What's wrong, Torrasque? You're not satisfied having mated with Jessica already?" Torrasque glowered at Kyle. "For the last time, I did *not* -" "I'm not convinced," Kyle shot back. "You and Jessica were two hopelessly drunken Scythers sleeping in the same bed. Do the math." There was a pause as Kyle returned Torrasque's glower. "But anyway, I guess we can make a quick stop at the lab..." Then he ordered Grendel to take off for Cinnabar Island. I'm planning on doing an NC thread where Espio meets the real Espio... ^_^ --K * A * R * N * I * V * A * X-- "Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the former." --Albert Einstein Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.