From: Roberto Perez-Vila <RobfromVoid@prodigy.net> Subject: [PW!] Freeing Clayface From Captivity Date: Thursday, September 16, 1999 5:59 PM Having successfully escaped from the abandoned Laboratory on Cinnabar Island, Luthor the Slowpoke is resting behind a bush on the north end of the Island. He wakes up. He remembers that he has two new enemies - the female human super hero and the lab coat wearing Rocket scientist who wanted to kill him. "They'll get what's coming to them." Luthor straightens out his front legs and stretches his back ones, trembling from the joy of being alive another day to carry out his evil, but slow moving plot for world domination. That's when he remembers the most recent addition to his army of minions. Luthor stands up on his hind legs and pulls a chained Pokeball off his belt. He drops it to the ground. "Clayface, break the bonds that hold you. Show off your awesome strength!" Luthor stares at the chained Pokeball for a minute, waiting for at least a single wobble. Nothing happens. "The Pokeball has weakened his resolve. Clayface is going to need some assistance." Luthor throws another Pokeball to the ground. This time, a flattened blue Tentacool appears. The Tentacool blinks at the dawn's early light, "<Why did you> Cool <me before> Tentacool? <Don't you know I need my> Tent?! Tenta <you're such a> Cool Tent <hole!>" He then mumbles incoherently. Luthor doesn't know what the Tentacool is talking about and doesn't want to know, "Dr. Octopus, I witnessed your Acid attack. Though it can't compare to any of Clayface's attacks, I order you to spit Acid onto this chained Pokeball, so that Clayface can terrorize this world like he does the comic book world!" Luthor lets out a slow maniacal laugh... Dr. Octopus glares at Luthor, "<THIS> Tenta <in the> Tentacool?!" He pauses for the Slowpoke to answer, but continues when he doesn't, "<Fine! I'll use my Acid attack>, Tentacool..."The Tentacool shrinks down, then spits a stream of Acid out. Instead of ejecting towards the Pokeball, however, it goes towards Luthor... ...but the Acid swerves in mid-air and lands on the chained Pokeball. The metal chains begin to fizzle underneath the toxic attack, ever so gradually. Dr. Octopus screams out, "<What the> COOL <happened?! I aimed it at YOU! Your kind is> Tentacool <to> Tenta <only after> Cool <seconds! Even if you> Tent <it coming, you shouldn't have been> Tenta <to> Tentacool <to it! How can it be?!>" The Tentacool shakes his flattened head. Luthor responds immediately, "I'm sure you have doubts on how I was able to divert the Acid with my mind in time, since Slowpoke are slow to react. Well, due to your *predictable* nature, not only did I know that you'd send an Acid attack my way, but I also thought up this entire explanation a few seconds ago, to reply to your *predictable* question." "<Predict THIS!>" Dr. Octopus lashes out at Luthor with one of his tentacles, and stings the wily Slowpoke on the forehead! Dr. Octopus snickers, "<What a> Tentacool! <You're just> Tenta <I'm not> Tacool <eighteen, or else you'd> Cool Tent <after every four steps you'd take!>" Luthor furrows his brow for a moment, then uses his Confusion attack on his own Tentacool. Dr. Octopus collapses to the ground, but doesn't faint. Luthor smiles, "Time for some important business." Luthor stares at Clayface's Pokeball until the chains fully dissolve under the Acid. At that moment, he nudges the Pokeball on its button with his nose... The Pokeball snaps open, a red beam is ejected, and it forms into a pile of purple grime with eyes and a mouth. Clayface, the silly looking Grimer, lifts his two oozing arms up. The ugly Pokemon gurgles, "Grrrriiiimerrrr!" After a few seconds, Luthor's hopeful smile becomes a disappointed frown, "How can this be? The almighty Clayface sure has let himself go. You're just a large pile of purple manure now! I'm going to have to whip you into shape, slime." "Griiimerrr?" Clayface asks without changing his facial expression at all, stuck in a constant smile. Luthor shakes his head in disbelief, "You don't seem as menacing as you do in the comic books, but perhaps your incredible shape shifting ability will make up for it. Clayface, Mimic Dr. Octopus." Clayface continues to smile, without reacting to the command in any way. "Mimic THAT, grime for brains!" Luthor raises one paw off the ground and points at his flattened, weakened Tentacool. For once, the Grimer understands what is required of him. He slides next to Dr. Octopus, leaving a trail of purple slime wherever he steps. Clayface Mimics the Tentacool. The Grimer temporarily learns Dr. Octopus' Acid attack and simultaneously becomes an exact replica of the Pokemon. Clayface the Tentacool bellows, "GRRRIMERRR!" Luthor stares, his maw clenching tighter and tighter in frustration, until he snaps, "You horrible excuse for a shape shifter! You Mimic a Tentacool and don't know how to speak Tentacoolese? Worse, your report states that you retain our Poison type no matter what you become! What use are you to me in your present state, Clayface?" Clayface thinks... and thinks further... and thinks some more, his Tentacool body already melting back into purple ooze. After a whole minute of deep thought, the Pokemon responds, "Grimer." Luthor falls over, slower than most others do when reacting to an unexpected response, "There might still be hope for you, Clayface. I read in a comic book that all you need are chemicals so you can Mimic longer. I don't know where to find these chemicals, but I did overhear the people in that lab speak of a tree that might help you. Apparently the tree is a scientist somehow, and it lives to the north, across the sea. I will demand that the tree help me on my quest." Clayface, now fully a Grimer once again, gives Luthor a big slimy hug! Luthor backs away when he notices the hug. He uses a Confusion blast to send Clayface reeling. Since he hurt both of his Pokemon, Luthor recalls them, and slowly starts working his way towards Cinnabar Island's northern beach. -Luthor