EarthBound/Mother fanfiction by James

Chapter One
-The Midnight Nation

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....Ness!

"Ness lets go! Come on Psi guy it's time," said Tracy.

The girl kept shaking her brother into consciousness until he responded.

"...Is it time?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah," said an excited Tracy, "come on you're gonna love it!"

"I know two people who aren't, when they find out," he said as she pulled him from the couch.

"They don't need to find out, let's go," said Tracy as she thought of her parents, who were again enjoying the summer somewhere “Dull”.

"......You go ahead," said Ness, "I'll catch up."

Tracy had just grabbed her purse when she froze. "Ness…" she said suspiciously, "don't chicken out on me. You've never come before. You told me you'd do it."

"I said I'd catch up," he responded, still drowsy.

"It's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a bunch of people having fun," she said.

"I'll catch, up," he said sternly.

"You're going back to sleep aren't you?" accused Tracy.

Ness sat down on the couch, "No."

Tracy stared at him for a few seconds. "You know, this is silly," she said with a hint of attitude, "the boy who saved the world, twice, is afraid to come out and have some fun."

Ness set the alarm clock by the couch to go off in ten minutes.

"What are you doing?" asked Tracy.

"I'll be there in a little while, all right?"

Tracy continued, "Everybody's doing this but you, don't you ever feel weird?" Then, she remembered something. "Paula's gonna be out there."

Ness opened his eyes for a second, then closed them and leaned back on the couch. ".....Just go ahead of me Tracy."

"Fine," said Tracy with obvious anger. "I'll tell Paula you couldn't come. I'm not going to bother locking up, if anyone comes in just blast them or whatever it is you do."

The footsteps stopped and the much louder sound of the door followed them. After the slam, Ness closed his eyes.

*Ness: I mean, what does she need me for anyway? She's been to those things before without me. Every other time she's gone was without me. "I'll tell Paula you couldn't come," as if that'd make me get up and run after her. Heh. Little siblings...

She convinced me to go to this thing, so she made me stay up late last night and sleep earlier today—so I could wake up at midnight with her and the rest of the strange people in this part of the world and go party. On the streets. It's this summer, Saturday night ritual they got goin' called "The Midnight Nation," or something silly like that.

It happens in Onett, Twoson, Threed, and Fourside. Due to a grant from the mayors of each city, certain streets are closed during these hours. Also, movie theaters and other places have staff working, buses are available later than usual, and cabs are easy to find. I'm not sure what everyone's actually doing out there, but it started after we...defeated Giygas three years ago. I've heard that some twenty-something's can be seen, but it's pretty much a teenage thing. My mom is going to have Tracy's head when she finds out she's been going alone—and staying out past...four I think. I remember hearing her come in once. I wish I'd never agreed to go with her before they left for that boring vacation. These are fairly safe parts. That's why everyone's allowed to go to this thing. Not that parents can stop everyone who isn't. I don't even want to imagine how it gets in Fourside.

............I know Paula wouldn't believe any of the exaggerating Tracy's about to do, but still........I'll go, but only because I told her I would this time. Unlike that angry little thing, I've got a conscience.*

As Ness reaches the door and pulls, he finds it's locked. After a brief pause, he chuckles to himself, puts his red cap on, opens the door, and heads down the street after closing it.

Chapter Two
-Back in the day

Walking down the streets of Onett isn't easy. Not when you're the hometown hero. Almost everywhere he goes, Ness finds an extra long greeting, or an annoyed look from someone who's not exactly thrilled to see him. Finally, he encounters a familiar face.

"Nessy Ness, where you been boy?" A former member of their now disbanded club is speaking to him.

"....Hey what's goin' on David?" says Ness.

"Not much, not much. I don't see you around these days. Except when you beat that alien in Twoson. That was the first time I'd seen you in awhile."

Suddenly, the music around them got louder. Ness turned and saw a lot of people. Running, yelling, smiling, holding drinks, holding hands, and just talking. People his age. Ness turned back to David, "I don't know I just, I'm not into this sort of thing," he said.

"Really? " David stared for a second. "I remember when you were winning those games for our team. You still play don't you?"

Ness almost felt guilty, "No not anymore."

-Winters

Far away in a usually cold country, a certain genius is resting his head on a desk. The tension builds as he continues waiting for his dad to return. Finally hearing the keys do their job, Jeff pulls his head up and prepares himself. The door opens.

"Dad I'm quitting mechanics," are the first words he speaks. The first words. He knew there'd be many more.

"...What?" is the expression of Dr. Andonuts, popular engineer of, well many things.

His talented son speaks, "I've..." Jeff shakes his head a bit, "given it a lot of thought...and I'm just getting bored dad. I've done mechanics almost all my life..."

"Given it a lot of thought," the Dr. interrupts, "Jeff I've known many mechanics who've almost quit, and after they've given it a lot of thought, they realize they can't give it up!"

Jeff is silent. He knows not to try reasoning too much with his light-hearted father.

"......So you must not have given it a lot of thought, you must have given it a little thought."

"...Dad..."

"Furthermore, I suppose this has something to do with the project I've been waiting two weeks for. You told me you'd have it finished a few days ago. Where is it?"

Jeff sighed and looked up at his dad, "I'm trying to tell you...."

"What is going on with you Jeff? You're slow on projects, you're barely speaking......you're, you're trying to leave mechanics, and you're behind in your school work."

Jeff's face looked angered and bewildered at the same time, "...It's summertime dad...."

"...Oh. Well when it was school time you probably were behind weren't you?"

"No," said Jeff in a defensive tone as though it were an absurd question. "Look let's stick to the point, I..."

"Jeff..."

"Dad!"

There was a bit of silence hanging over the uncomfortable feeling in the room. Finally, one of them spoke.

"...This has something to do with that young lady doesn't it?" An accusing finger reached towards Jeff for a second or two.

After a pause, Jeff decided on an answer, "No it has nothing to do..." His cell phone rang. "Hold on...

"Hello? Piper," Jeff said in a low voice as he looked up at his dad.

Dr. Andonuts stared, then left the lab.

*Jeff: I knew he wasn't going to take it well. I, I just knew he'd put up some opposition. But I've done mechanics almost all my life. I'm discovering that there's more out there. A person's passion, a person's dream, is a nice thing, but sooner or later you've got to try something else. He wouldn't even let me explain why—not that I was prepared to. My life has been about one thing: education. Maybe now I just want to live. Things are different now. Things are changing. The WORLD'S changing!

Ness, Poo.....we're all dangerously close to having thin beards. My friends at Snow Wood are all talking about their plans for the future. Good thing I've been able to talk my way out of THAT conversation. "Oh I plan to be down there at my dad's lab doing the latest paperwork on the latest invention. Or somewhere else doing the same thing." They'd all laugh. Well, maybe not. I guess that's what they expect of me. But maybe I don't want that image anymore. I CAN do other things.

Snow Wood. Good old Snow Wood. Piper said they really are having a party of some sorts over there and she'll be there in about an hour. At least it's the coolest boarding school in the world, even if I am getting tired of it.

"Don't you dare show up before me. I don't want any of those girls out there near you."

Heh. Maybe it IS her I'm running to. Maybe it's.....no, no, no. Don't want to say that word just yet.*

-Twoson

*Paula: ...................

.......................................

"If, the boy's love is true......."

'Sigh'—oh man. I'm hating this.

"If, the boy's love is true..........the boy will surely come to you."

This silly poem is making me so uncomfortable. Wish she hadn't given it to me. Wish I hadn't taken it. I don't think I can read the rest.....at least not while thinking about him. So what if it's summer. That's no excuse to do wild and crazy things. But SOMEONE has to do something about this. I think. I mean we're.....no wait. Don't. Don't define the relationship. That's something we've never done. We're close. That's it.

I should do this on my own. I should think about what it is I like about him, and THEN look for answers—to whatever the question is.

I remember the first time I met him. That cool hair cut. That nice black hair. The cute cap. The smile........never liked the yellow backpack much. I mean yellow? Come on. Good, I found something I DON'T like about him too. That's...a plan. I guess.

He still has all of that, but things have changed. This, just isn't three years ago, not anymore. We've all met others, and grown apart somewhat. That conversation we had in The Lost Underworld was the first time all four of us had gotten together....to talk, in a while. We're all growing. I'm turning more toward myself these days. Hey, for me it's always been that way. Maybe it has for them too. But him, I mean he's so shy and quiet. I probably couldn't even read his mind if I tried. Oh enough of this. They're playing my favorite song—for the moment. I'm just going down there. If he comes, he c..................... ..........What was that? I thought I just sensed something. Not a positive one like him.......but something dark.*

The shy and quiet Ness continued through the crowded streets of Onett. Thinking about baseball. Thinking about the past. He smiled to himself, "I never had any of the concerns and issues I have now, back then," he thought. "Back then Saturday meant going to practice.....or playing a video game." He kept slipping by people with his head down.

"Not preparing for the last year of school, and wondering what you're going to do afterwards. Not hearing other kids talk about taxes, and being ashamed that you don't know how to do them yet."

"Hey hero," yelled someone.

Ness kept walking.

"I said what's up hero?"

Ness turned and saw Frank Fly, standing on a corner with a few friends. ".....Oh, what's up Frank?" Ness replied with a smile.

"Come on over here for a minute," said the older boy.

-Dalaam

"…Sometimes I wish I could go back to being a little boy," said a teenager in a country where it was barely evening.

"...But then we wouldn't know each other," said the girl at his side with a smile.

They were sitting outside of a beautiful temple, playing with the grass.

"I know that......I just meant, my heart longs for the past sometimes."

The girl didn't look at him, "Everyone's does…but do you think that means moving backwards is better than moving forwards?"

The boy sighed, "Well I guess it depends."

"On what?" she asked.

"On how happy you are," he replied.
"By that I don't mean I'm not happy with you, it's just that..." He rested on his elbow.
"Next year they're going to call me King Poo, and I don't know if I'm ready for that."

There was silence.

"So basically you're telling me you want to run. To run away from it all," she said.

"No I..."

"I thought you were stronger than that. I know you're stronger than that."

"It's just that....a few years ago the future didn't seem as scary as it does now," said Prince Poo.

There was silence.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"…Is that why you've been spending so much time alone lately?" asked the girl.

Poo looked away.

"I've come to see you, and I've gotten, 'His highness is meditating now, he will see you soon.' "

Poo remained quiet.

"Do you know how embarrassing that's been for me? Because I thought we talked about everything."

".....Meditation is..."

"No one meditates anymore Poo," she said.

"Yes, they do," he replied.

They looked away from each other.

After a few moments, she spoke, "Well then, run away, if it's really what you want. You're far away right now anyway—but I'll miss you."

With that she stood up and walked home.

".........We never used to argue like this before," said Poo to himself, a minute later.

*Poo: Oh if I could live my life back in the day.*

-Twoson

"Why the long face?" asked a familiar voice.

Paula looked up and saw it was Tim, a boy from school who also lived in Twoson. "Hey Tim," said Paula from the fence she was leaning on.

"........Well that's a warm greeting," he said, "whatever have I done to deserve it?"

"Nothing," Paula said, "I'm just.....thinking about something."

Tim gathered his courage, "....I hope it's not that Ness guy," he said with a laugh.

Paula turned back to him slowly.

"I mean, he's starting to rub off on you. You're not smiling either," Tim chuckled.

".......I'm not thinking about Ness Tim, not right now anyway....." Paula hinted, polite as ever.

"Well good then," said Tim, "let me get your mind off of whatever it is you're thinking of and get you a drink. I'll be right back." He hurried along.

Paula saw a few other boys staring at him as he went, then looking back at her for a second.

"Hmmmmm," Paula thought.

-Onett

"He's still quiet," said one of the boys hanging with Frank. They all laughed a bit while Ness got embarrassed.

"Well you see that's just some people's way," said Frank, "but you'd better open up a bit more pal or that girl is gonna leave ya."

"Who...oh you mean Paula," said Ness.

"That's right," Frank continued. "Women walk if you're like that—sooner or later—I know 'cause I was once a quiet young man myself."

"Man, don't listen to this crazy mug," said another one of the boys. "Women leave you 'cause you're too loud Frank."

They all laughed.

"Yeah well, look I've got to roll out," said Ness, "but I'll see you all later." They all slapped hands with the town hero, and watched as he walked away.

"You know he probably doesn't mean that, about catchin' up later. Somethin's up with that man," said one of them.

"I guess he's goin' through something," said Frank. "We all are."

"Yeah but you can't let......"

Without warning, a presence that had not been seen on earth for three years, appeared in front of them. A robot called the Octobot, which had suddenly arrived via some form of teleportation.

"What?" all of them ran as one, in different directions. "NESS," yelled Frank.

The boy by that name was very busy however, keeping up with the ones that were materializing before his eyes.

The crowd screamed and dispersed quickly, as Octobot after Octobot appeared on the scene.

"........," was all Ness got out. He was stunned into silence, nervousness, and anger all at once, as he knew that once again he'd have to protect the world from invasion.

-Twoson

Around twenty minutes after her first drink, Paula was feeling much looser when she had her fifth. "Heh, heh, heh.....this, is SUCH, a good party," she said.

Tim was a bit confused. "Paula are you feeling all right?"

She clapped her hands on his arms, "I'm feeling betterrrrrr.........than I have in a long time."

He looked her in the eyes, "Okay. Cool. But......"

"Paula?"

They both looked towards the call. "OH," said Paula, "oh this, this is my........Ness's older sister Tracy. Tracy wacy," she laughed.

"......I'm his younger sister Paula, you know that."

"Whatever," Paula said as she slapped Tracy's shoulder and turned back to Tim.

"........How much have you been drinking Paula?" Tracy asked.

" 'Bout....ten cups," Paula laughed.

"......Really," said Tracy. "I get the feeling there wasn't just soda in that bowl," she said while looking at Tim suspiciously.

"Hey I didn't touch it, I......Oh great. It was probably.......oh, I'm gonna get him!"

"You do that," said Tracy as she took Paula and led her away, "come on girl, you need a trip to you know where."

Ten minutes later, just as a new song started, Octobots materialized in Twoson, and began terrorizing everyone who was awake.

Again crowds of people screamed and ran, dropping their drinks where they stood. Others, who happened to be enjoying themselves too much to notice, were pried away as they laughed up a storm. Tracy ran outside of the theater where she was waiting for Paula, and saw what was causing the racket.

"What in.......I've got to get Ness," she said to herself. Tracy pulled the purse from her shoulder, tightened her grip, and ran toward Onett, past several who were running in the opposite direction.

A few minutes later, Paula came outside, still out of it, "Hey what's......goin' on here?" she giggled.

Chapter Three
-But we talked about this

Ness had just arrived in Twoson when he heard his sister scream.

"Oh," she said with relief when she saw him materialize, "I thought you were one of them."

He pulled her up and received a quick hug. "Ness you've got to get down there."

"Seen Paula?" he asked quickly.

"She's....kind of out of it," Tracy said. "The soda got spiked, what's going on?"

"I.…I don't know," he replied.

"Did you guys kill that thing or not?" she asked, referring to the more recent battle with Giygas.

"I don't know," Ness replied defensively. "Look I've got to get going. Go back home—it’s safe there."

Thunder crashes down into the city of Twoson, as a Psi powered, carefree girl has begun attacking the many robots she's found there—or at least trying to. Many people, who are still scurrying about and hiding from the Octobots, find themselves also in danger from this reckless attack.

"Hee, hee," laughs Paula, "I shouldn't use this one, I can't control it. I'm gonna hurt someone. HA!"

As many of the robots scurry toward Paula from behind, she turns around and stops two of them with her 'freeze' attack, while Psi fire connects with the others a few seconds later.

"Oh no nooo.....," she says, "that's not nice honey." Seconds afterward the ones standing helplessly before her are destroyed. "AAhhhh....I'm enjoying this!" Several more of them have appeared on all sides of her now.

"I'll fight you all," she shouts, then laughs, "you can't beat the queen of Twoson. Kneel." They all prepare to fire on her.

"......I said, KNEEL," she shouts as a huge wave of mystical fire sends a few of them flying.

"Heh, heh, heh," she laughs, not even caring about the others. As they are on the verge of blasting, a mystical wave of color connects, destroying them on the spot. Paula turns her attention toward Ness, who looks at her strangely.

"Ness, you...what are you doing here?" she asks quietly. Ness looks around, and sees that there are no Octobots left.

"Where's your cap Ness? That cutie little red cap," Paula points at his uncovered head teasingly. She laughs at him.

Ness remains quiet and still. Then he starts walking toward her.

"Uh oh he's making his move," teases Paula.

Ness arrives, and extends his hand with a smile.

Paula takes it and giggles, then looks up at him. "WHOOOOOOOO," she yells as they teleport.

-Winters

Suddenly his phone rings again, and Jeff awakens to answer it.

"Hello? Piper. What! What do you mean 'being attacked?' Okay! Okay I'm coming! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

With that Jeff hangs up, throws the phone on the table, and runs for the room upstairs. He quickly selects two of his custom made blasters, and runs back downstairs. After throwing a jacket on, he stops at the door, and runs back to the table to pick up his phone. Outside, the man by the river sees him running in his direction.

"Slow down there son or you're gonna fall in this river," he says with a laugh.

"I need to get up north quick," Jeff says.

"Hop in," says the man. Via the motorboat service, Jeff begins heading toward some of the most disturbing news of his life.

-Fourside

"Yeah, I'll take it," says Ness.

In a hotel lobby, Ness walks by Paula, who's sitting quietly in a chair, and heads to the ATM machine. Paula smiles at the man at the counter, who grins back and turns to the computer. A minute later, Ness is walking back toward the counter. The employee looks up at him, then notices Paula is still smiling at him. He gets a bit nervous, even though she is a pretty girl. "Heh," he turns to Ness, "I'll bet those ATM fees are driving you mad huh buddy?"

"Yes they are," replies Ness as he pays the charge of a one night stay.

"Okay," says the man, "here's the key, and if you want to go out to the party anytime you know you can do that."

"Thanks. Come on Paula," calls Ness.

She slowly gets up as Ness comes over to her, and they walk up to the room.

Inside, Ness sits her down and explains himself. "Look I didn't want to endanger your folks, or my sister, so I figured we'd better stay here, in case those things come looking for us."

Paula is silent.

"We know nothing's happening in Threed, but I think Fourside would be a better place to fight. I mean, I don't know what's goin' on."

Paula kicks off her shoes.

"I'd ask you to contact Poo, or maybe Jeff...but I don't think you're in the proper condition right now."

Paula crawls into bed, and seemingly goes to sleep.

Ness looks at her, then walks over to the window and opens it. He takes in the sight of what's been going on below, noticing that the mood has calmed down a bit. He knows why. He thinks about his sister, hoping she went home like he had said. Then he decides to give her a call.

As Ness turns around, he gets quite a shock. Paula is up and staring at him.

"Why don't you like me?" she asks.

"…What? What do you mean Paula?" is his response.

"Don't answer a question with a question," she says shaking her finger.

"...We're very close," Ness said with a smile. "You're my closest..."

"Ah, ah, ah...the D-word," she interrupted. "Don't…DEFINE...our...relationship," she said with each step.

"Polly you...need some sleep," Ness smiled.

"I NEED.........to talk with you," she said correctively, marching towards him.

"But we......." Ness stopped. He sat down in front of the window. "Okay sit down," he said quickly and quietly.

Paula did.

"…Do you remember that time, that day we talked about this?" he asked.

Paula shook her head.

"Well I do," he said with a smile.
"We had a lot of laughs, talked about the future, decided that we always wanted to be close........and then we sort of left it at that."

Paula stared at him in silence.

"Then, when I was walking away, I........said that you looked nice in what you were wearing.....and you, smiled and said....do you remember what you said to me?"

Paula shook her head.

"You said, 'Don't ever change Ness, 'cause I like what I see too.' "

Paula was quiet. So was Ness as he looked away.

"........Anyway, I'm sure you'll remember in the morning," he said.

"Ness," said Paula.

Ness turned to her.

Paula started giggling, "Where's your red cap?" She kept on laughing.

".......Okay, you gotta go to sleep now," he said as he stood up.

"No wait, wait," said Paula frantically as she got up. "...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"No you didn't hurt my feelings Paula, you just gotta get some sleep now. I'll call your parents and…"

"No don't go!" she said loudly.

"Okay," he replied. "Just go back to sleep and we'll finish talking tomorrow, after we find out what's going on."

"I wanna talk some more tonight," she protested as they reached the center.

"Paula..."

"Ness!"

There was silence.

Then, Ness closed his eyes and concentrated.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Helping you get to sleep," he said calmly.

"No, no, no....Ness, Ness don't do it," she warned.

"Paula…"

Suddenly, a blue flash arose from Paula's feet, and covered her body. Ness's eyes noticed, and he opened them quickly, but it was too late for him to stop his Psi.

Ness's power of hypnosis was deflected...and it affected him instead of her.

"I......" said a weary Ness as he stumbled about, "you've got that thing mastered don't you?"

Suddenly, he fell to his knees, then the rest of him hit the floor. He rests there, feeling intoxicated as he tries to just fall asleep.

"Yeah well, you've been improving your powers too haven...haven't you?" said a finally drowsy Paula as she also stumbled a little before collapsing. "You know Ness," she said getting sleepy, "…I think maybe that wasn’t just soda I drank."

*Poo: If I could help it, I'd never hurt anyone I cared for ever again. But unfortunately, it's not that easy.

Your desires and theirs are bound to clash, and when that happens, someone's got to be willing to meet the other half way. As if life weren't complicated and painful enough. Why do we have to keep making it worse by fighting? Questions like this have been asked by many before, and there's not going to be a difference in the world if I find the answers today. Heh, ‘the world.’ My only responsibilities, ever, were supposed to be to my country. I mean, I've enjoyed saving the Earth, I'd do it again, but......there's just so much demand in my life. I thought that one person understood that but..........all I ever do is complain. Maybe I am weak.*

The door rattled for a few seconds, then opened. "AAHH....oh...." she said from the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I was looking for Ness and it was unlocked," said Prince Poo in her language.

"Don't worry about it," said the smiling girl as she closed it. "I'm not sure where he is. I left him in Twoson after the attack started."

"Attack?" Poo looked a bit more serious. "What attack?"

"You didn't know about it?" she asked.

"What attack?" Poo repeated.

"There's been some robots tearing up the city down there, I waited until it was over, then saw Ness take Paula somewhere. Teleportation...you know."

Poo sighed a frustrated, tired sigh. "You may not be safe here, where are your parents?"

"Out of town," she said.

"Well then," said Poo, "I want to take you to Dalaam, for tonight."

Tracy was already smiling. "...Sure," she blushed, "I got nothin' better to do."

Poo walked toward the door.

"I, I mean even if I DID..." Tracy said. "Oh boy, shut up...shut UP," she thought to herself.

"You should leave Ness a note," said Poo as he reached the exit.

"RIGHT," said Tracy as she headed for some paper.

When the note was finished, she met Poo outside, locked up, and faced him. "I really appreciate this, I'm Tracy," she said as she extended her hand.

"I remember," said Poo. "Now just relax..."

"Wait," Tracy said, "why did you want to see my brother anyway?"

Poo chuckled, "...........Girl trouble."

They teleported.

-Winters

Jeff can't believe his eyes. About half of the school he practically grew up in.......has been annihilated. The sad face of Snow Wood stares back at his. Firefighters rush in and out. Suddenly, a hand touches his shoulder. Jeff yanks away from it, then sees Piper staring at him.

"Jeff," she says quietly.

"I'm, I'm sorry. What happened?" he asks as he gives her a hug.

"It, it was a bunch of robots," she says sobbing, "far more sophisticated than anything..."

Jeff opens his eyes in silence and faces her. "Robots?" he asks.

"Yeah," she continues. "........But.....there's something else Jeff...."

"Was anyone inside when it happened?"

"Everyone got out, but......there's one more thing Jeff."

"What?" he asks.

"Their.....leader was......"

"....Who?" asks Jeff brushing away one of her tears.

"...............I'm sorry," says Piper.

With that, she pulls her hands from behind, and reveals a red cap.

"........Ness?"

-To be continued