CHAPTER IV: Captain Strong
As the young hero stepped from the cave and into the bright sunlight, a policeman approached. His face was red, and the veins on his neck bulged horribly. He was obviously mad about something.
"What the heck are you doing here, kid?!" He raged.
Ness stared back with wide eyes. "Well, you see, there was a bee who..."
"I don't give a rat's behind about bees, you little ruffian!" He screamed. "Don't you see the sign???"
"Sign...?"
He looked to his left. A large sign said "DO NOT ENTER" In big, bold, red letters.
"....oh."
"Get your butt down to the Onett Police Station tomorrow, you small excuse for a turd!" He yelled, and ran off.
Ness looked a bit injured, and made his way home. The sun was seeking its bed.
"Ness..."
He mumbled in his sleep.
"Ness..."
"Who is it?"
"I am a friend you have never met before...I am contacting you through telepathy..."
"Who...?"
"My name is Paula...Ness...come to Twoson...Giygas is on the move..."
"Giygas? Crud and muffins! I hafta get down there!"
"The road is blocked, Ness...you must go to the police station and...get...past...oh no! Who are you?! Get away from me!!!"
He popped awake screaming.
What was that voice? he thought.
He woke up early the next morning, and strolled south to the Onett Police Station. He took a deep breath and shoved open the door.
A very large, and very muscular officer was standing next to the door. He looked down on the small-seeming Ness.
"You that little punk who went into Giant Step?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"Um...yeah...listen," Ness said carefully. "I really REALLY need to get to Twoson...like, RIGHT NOW, and I was wondering if you could un-block the road, please?"
The officer let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Un-block the road?" He asked. "For a little kid? Come with me, son."
The officer led him down a long hallway, and into a stark empty room. Ness faced the policeman.
"What's going on?"
The cop chuckled again. "My name is Captain Strong," he said cruelly. "And these are the top fighters of the Onett Police Force!"
As if on cue, five cops rushed into the room, taking karate stances.
"If you want to go to Twoson," Strong said. "You have to go through my men and I!!!"
One cop advanced quickly. Ness didn't bother to take out his bat, but rather put one hand on the ground, and kicked up with one foot. The cop received it in the jaw, and fell back moaning.
"Anyone else?" Ness asked, his bat coming from the starched ring on his backpack.
Another officer leapt forward, swinging a wicked chop. Ness parried with his bat, and launched a quick counter-assault. Three quick strikes, and he was down.
The third came at him slowly. This cautious one actually got a hit in. Ness grunted as a punch caught him across the face, used the momentum to turn, and struck hard on his opponent's unguarded torso.
The fourth cop attacked all out, swinging, kicking and punching everywhere he could. Ness received three kicks to the shins, and one to the shoulder, all in rapid succession. He grunted and groaned, then blocked the next punch sent his way, spit out a wad of blood, and knocked his small head into the policeman's stomach. He coughed and fell.
Ness whirled to the next cop.
The officer held out his hands.
"No way," He said. "Not me. I'm gonna call for my boss!"
He ran from the room.
It was just Ness and Strong.
"All right, kid," Strong said. "You did good...but now it's time for my..." He drew himself up, and spoke in a loud voice. "Super Ultra Mambo Tango Foxtrot Martial Arts!"
Ness cocked a brow. "I beg your pardon?"
The captain wasted no time, however, and launched a vicious assault at the young boy. The first punch caught him in the stomach. Ness doubled sharply, and Strong delivered a double fisted slam to his spinal cord. Ness nearly screamed.
"PSI Lifeup," He mumbled, as he rolled away. He turned on his heel, and attacked with a wicked strike.
SMAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!
The T-Ball bat struck Captain Strong with a sickening thump. The cop coughed twice, regained his balance, and attacked again. This time, Ness was ready, and the officer's deadly chop was "caught" on the bat.
A swift, knifing hand struck the young hero in the gut. He grunted, and back-rolled away.
"Jeez," He said to himself. "I need time to charge my PSI...but that guy's too fast!"
As Strong attacked once more, Ness leapt backwards, using his PSI to hurl himself to the other side of the room. He extended his hands, the now-familiar tickling sensation building at the back of his mind.
Strong leapt for him. The world around them seemed to wiggle and blur, as if it all took place underwater.
Ness' cry rang out. "PSI PARALYSIS!"
The raging captain froze in place, a look of confusion on his face as he struggled to move. Ness leapt out, and struck Strong full in the face with his bat.
And it was over. A few teeth rattled and rolled across the wooden floor.
Ness took a defensive stance as Strong rose, freed from the paralysis. He shot the young boy with a look of sheer venom, and clicked open his radio.
"Click...whirr....Strong here," He said into the radio. "Joe, 'ya there?"
"Click...crackle...yes sir, Captain sir..."
"Click...yeah, I want you to open the road to Twoson for a kid coming your way...a kid in a red cap named...what is your name, kid?"
He grinned roguishly. "Ness."
"Let a kid named Ness through, Joe...all right...Strong out...click..."