Jack Reeves couldn't fall sleep at all, no matter how he tried. It was the time of night where the only thing on was Paid Programming. He saw something about a frying pan called Ingenio. Whatever, he thought, as he flipped the channel. He could tell that this was going to be an all nighter.

Then, he felt something. His head started to hurt. He blacked out for 10 seconds, then woke up, realizing something.

"It's time," he said.

"Happy birthday, dear Neeeeeeeeeeessssssssss," said Ness Franklin's family and friends, "Happy birthday to yooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!" Ness smiled, and wished for happiness. Then, he blew out the candles in one swift breath. Everyone cheered.

It was the next day. The gang was celebrating Ness' birthday at The Ground Round. Ness' friends, Paula Polestar, Jeff Andonuts, and Prince Poo Mishinta, scarfed down their cake. Then they went to the bar next door. "So," said Ness, "how does a game of Nine Ball sound to you guys?" "I say," said Jeff, "let's do it." "I'm in," said Paula. "I'd join," said Poo, "but you know how bad I am at pool. I'll just have a few Sprites and watch you guys. Maybe I'll learn something." So Poo sat out while Ness, Paula, and Jeff played a game of 9-ball pool. "So," asked Paula, "What did you wish for?" "To be happy," said Ness, "In your words, senior year is hell." Ness turned to Jeff. "So, you fell off the face of the Earth, man. What's new with you?" "I'm graduating in a month," said Jeff. "Well," said Paula, "it's about time." "You're telling me," said Jeff, "ever since Snidely kicked the bucket..."

Then, someone walked into the bar and joined Ness at the pool table. "Can I help you, sir?" asked Ness.

"Are you Ness Franklin?"

"Yes, I am."

"And I assume these are your friends, Paula and Jeff, and the guy sluggin down a Sprite is Poo."

"Yeah...how do you know our names? Us saving the world is old news..."

"Not to me, it isn't."

"OK...but what's up? Why were you asking around?"

"My name's Jack Reeves."

"No kidding. Is that all? I wanna finish my game with my friends and celebrate my birthday right."

"Actually, it's urgent."

"Can it wait?"

"Never."

Ness called Poo over. "OK, what's the deal?" asked Paula. "This may be hard to swallow...but here goes. Last night, I couldn't sleep. While watching TV, I blacked out. See...I'm a psychic, too, so that happens when I get psychic messages. When I came to, I listend to the message that my mind picked up. It was a distress call from Saturn Valley."

"About 2 years earlier, I recived a call from the future. It was a state of panic. The world was coming to an end. And the caller mentioned that the one that destroyed the world was 'the last of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse--Death. They also said that the whole thing started with a distress call from Saturn Valley to me, to send Ness Franklin over immediately. They said they called you, but something happened and they couldn't contact you. So they called me to get you. I didn't know where to find you, and then I moved to Onett a year later and found you in the town directory.

"Over these two years, I did some research on the Horsemen. I even found some names. Guiness, Horseman of War..." "What I'm drinkin now," said Jeff. "Be serious, Jeff," said Paula, "He's telling the truth!" "...killed by a valiant knight in the Middle Ages. Giegue, The Beast...destoryed in 1981 by four kids just like you. Giygas, Horseman of Plague..." The kids jumped up quickly. "Giygas was a horseman?" asked Ness. "Yeah. You guys took down one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse," said Jack, "the last remaining Horseman is Godon, Horseman of Death.

"Make no mistake. Name any terrorist act within the past 2 or 3 years. Most of them were caused by special messangers of this Horseman," said Jack, "We have to move out NOW." "Why can't we finish our game, first?" asked Ness. "That's the thing, see..." said Jack, "that distress call from Saturn Valley was never answered by you guys. Because the next day, in the papers, it said you four died in a mysterious mass murder at this bar!" All of the sudden, a gatling gun rang out, nearly gunning down the bartender. A shadowy, cloaked figure stepped out from the night, and turned his gun on the kids. "I AM A MESSANGER OF DEATH," it said, "I SHALL DESTROY YOU ALL, AND YOU WILL NEVER STOP THE END OF THE EARTH!" The gatling gun opened fire.

To be continued in Chapter 2: Farewell