A/N: Hey, you've reached my EarthBound story that actually has more than 2,000 words in the first chapter! Finally, I can write long!
Anyways... I'm going to try to update this story every Monday. You might think that's a crazy goal for me and you'd be right, but this time I have written this story in advance. Also it takes me like a day to write a chapter since I'm so invested in this story tbh.
Anyways, enjoy!
Two boys halted to a stop on top of a hill, looking down on the sunlight-bathed town before them. A giant billboard read "Welcome to Onett". The town was alive and active, cars flowing through the street and people running through the sidewalks.
"Whoa..." The blond boy gasped. "This city is huge!" His eyes lit with child-like wonder, mouth gaped open in astonishment.
"It's a surprise we haven't seen it before." The other spoke in a voice that was serious; a vast contrast from the blond's.
"...I-I'm guessing this is our new home?" The blond sighed, sitting down on the ground. His question was a lie: the two never really had a home since their parents died a year ago. They'd been moving about, but it wasn't easy finding someone who actually cared for them, or at least people that wouldn't hate them.
"Yeah, it is." The red-head plopped down next to the blond. "Lucas, it's going to be okay, alright? No matter what happens, we'll be together. Promise."
"...O-Okay."
"Promise."
"I promise, Claus."
Even if they were undoubtedly scared, their words comforted one another, even if they were mostly meant for the blond. They stood up, gazing down once again at their newfound town.
A spark of unnoticed electricity jumped between their hands before they walked down into the city called Onett.
The streets were the loneliest place on Earth in Lucas' opinion.
Though the streets were easily the most populated part of the town, its atmosphere didn't match it. People only strode past them, making their way towards their destinations. Nobody stopped to talk to them.
And why should they? Lucas was expecting too much of them already. Maybe it was just because obviously nobody had seen them before that he thought they might just say hello... but nowhere in the world was quite like his old home, Tazmily.
As if sensing his thoughts, his twin, Claus, spoke up. "It's okay, Lucas. At least they haven't done anything to us yet. We leave them alone, they leave us alone."
"Yeah, but..." Lucas sighed. "Why did we have to leave Tazmily, Claus?"
Claus visibly became, even if only a tiny bit, more tense. Lucas noticed he always did this whenever he mentioned their escape from their old home, even if the question or statement, like now, was rhetorical. It had been strange — no, unnerving — as the townspeople suddenly turned on them, chasing them out... He shook his head. He didn't want to bring up old memories, especially ones like these...
"I-I don't know," Claus finally replied, averting his eyes to the ground. "Don't think about it, okay?"
Lucas always knew something was wrong — this was not the energetic, hasty brother he once knew — but as always, he didn't push it any further. He knew he wouldn't get an answer: not for now, at least. Probably not for a long time. He took his mind off the matter, focusing on the town in front of them.
It was such a bright town for the mood they were in.
"It's getting late," Claus stated obviously. "We should find somewhere to stay the night."
"Stay the night" did not mean to stay in a house. It meant find anywhere that's suitable for shelter. But they were both used to this by now. Lucas simply nodded in response, and they set off to find their temporary home.
0o0o0o0
The alley seemed like an unsafe place to be at night, but in reality, it was the safest place they could find. They didn't stand out much in the darkness, plus, it was actually highly unlikely that someone would decide to walk down an alleyway in the middle of the night. That person would be as apprehensive as any sane person would about entering an ominous alley. As long as it wasn't occupied, Lucas and Claus were safe.
Usually by now, Lucas would be sleeping. But right now, he sat dead-awake, staring at the stars and the moon in the sky. Not a hint of tiredness ran through his veins. It was a strange feeling for him: he had never stayed up this late and not wanted to sleep, even when he and Claus woke up at noon and stopped traveling only hours later.
What made the feeling even stranger was a odd sensation running throughout his entire body, like a tug, pulling him to something, yet he didn't know what...
"Lucas." Lucas turned his head to the side to see his brother staring at him. Then Claus' eyes changed to a unidentifiable emotion in the darkness. "What are you actually doing still up?"
Lucas was at a loss for words. He paused, then gave a small shrug. "...I don't know," he admitted.
"Then go to sleep, for goodness sake! You never even stay up this late when we only walk for like two hours."
"I'm not tired."
Claus blinked. "Something's wrong with you."
"Onett's a strange place, I-I guess."
"No, I mean seriously." Claus crossed his arms. "Well, I guess it's good you haven't exerted yourself, but this isn't normal for you."
"Not much is normal." Lucas rested his head on his knees, which were curled up to his chest. Claus sighed.
"I guess you're right." Claus seemed to give up his argument, gazing up at the sky.
"...Why are you up?" Lucas asked. Claus looked at him silently.
That was different.
"Alleyways are dangerous places," Claus suggested, which was obviously a lie.
"You wouldn't have let us stay here if that was true."
"Dang it Lucas, why do you have to see through everything I say?" Claus sighed. "Look, we don't know this town yet. I'm just observing."
Lucas stared for a moment. It still didn't sound super convincing, but it was useless to press for further information. His twin could be unbelievably stubborn, and that was a lot of the time. It was probably nothing, anyways: just him being overly-concerned about every little thing. He'd been like that since... "the incident". He sighed.
"Well, goodnight." Lucas shut his eyes.
"Goodnight."
Lucas feel asleep with the tug still pulling at his whole body.
0o0o0o0
"Lucas! Come on!"
An impatient voice pierced through Lucas' empty mind. All at once he was transported to what felt surreal yet lifelike, the new city surrounding him.
"Lucas, we don't have all day! What are you staring at?"
To his surprise, the voice didn't come from his ever-impatient brother. It came from a boy in a yellow and blue striped shirt and red and blue hat, motioning quickly for him to come over.
Lucas had never seen this person in his life. He'd never even seen someone who looked remotely close to this new person.
So why was he in his dream?
"W-What is it?" He stammered, staying glued to the spot.
"Lucas, its nothing dangerous." The boy rolled his eyes, as if he knew Lucas inside and out. "Why are you so nervous all of a sudden?" The mood drastically changed, the boy studying him oddly. Lucas was suddenly hyper-aware of everything around him: a stray tree to their right, the street to the left of them, and the skeptic stare the boy was giving him. He was aware of himself fiddling with his hands, and he self-consciously stopped it.
"I-I... I don't know you," Lucas stammered, eyeing the other boy nervously. The boy's stare only turned more incredulous.
"Did you get amnesia or something, Lucas?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. "I'm Ness. Remember?"
Lucas' surroundings faded away, and suddenly, he was in the alleyway again, staring at the wall in front of him. He started to calm his breathing.
What was that dream? And why was the tugging from yesterday getting even stronger?
"You okay?" He looked over to see Claus looking at him, a twinge of concern in his eyes.
No, scratch that. It was straight-up worry.
"I'm fine." Lucas sighed. "Just... a dream."
"Just?" Crossed arms and a raised eyebrow came from Claus. "Seems different to me."
Sometimes their ability to see through the other's lies and excuses were annoying, especially when you were on the receiving end of it. But Lucas couldn't bear to hide anything, or even worse, lie. And lying to his own brother was a terrible offense to him: he doubted he could manage it in a million years, not even for eternity.
"It was... surreal," he admitted. "It felt like it was happening in real life, yet it was unfocused... and someone I've never seen in my life was my 'friend'..." He sighed, curling his legs up to his chest. "Am I going crazy?" He asked shakily, staring at the ground.
"No, you're fine!" Claus exclaimed. "I-It's just a dream, Lucas. You can't be insane because of a dream."
"But dreams draw from things I've seen before... and an unfamiliar person was there, talking to me."
"Are you sure?"
"I would've recognized them. We... haven't really had many friends s-since-"
"Good point," Claus interrupted, saving Lucas from retelling bitter memories. "Well, in any case, you're fine. Stop worrying so much."
"But-"
"In any case," he started, his voice a flat tone, "we should find something to eat and drink soon. I'm starving."
In that moment, the tugging Lucas had been feeling for the past day had escalated in force, compelling him — no, almost making him move towards the direction it was pulling him in. It led towards the wall in front of him. But wait, now it was changing direction...
Almost subconsciously, he stood up, following the pulling sensation throughout his whole body. His walk turned into a run as the force began to shake him, and he whirled around the corner-
And he collided with something, then the ground. He landed on his side, the impact stinging his hands. Why had he done this, anyways?
But the pulling feeling had now became a buzzing in his limbs, stomach: everywhere, like he was right next to the source of the pulling sensation in the first place...
"Lucas?" Came Claus' voice, and footsteps came closer to Lucas. "Lucas, what the heck-"
"I'm fine." Lucas sat up, shaking his stinging hands.
"That's the second time you've said that
in two minutes, and last time you were lying." Claus narrowed his eyes at him.
"No, seriously, I am this time."
"Lucas..."
"Uh..." A voice interrupted them, and Lucas looked over. "Sorry for getting in your way."
Lucas stared shocked at what he realized. This person...
Was the same one he saw in his dream.
"I-It's my fault," he murmured, trying to not seem like he was a crazy person. Embarrassment flooded through him, and there was no doubt that his face was flushing pink. "I-I'm sorry..." He wanted to bury his face in his hands. This person — "Ness" — probably thought of him as a total klutz or airhead. Not that it really mattered, but... it was so... demoralizing.
"No, it's okay." The boy smiled. "Everyone messes up once in a while." Suddenly, his face turned into a confused one. "Hey, I've never seen you around before... What's your name?"
"None of your business," Claus snapped. Of course, a response like that was to be expected of Claus: hasty and maybe even a little bit rude.
But trusting someone was a hard thing to do after all they had gone through.
"It's okay." Claus' eyes widened in surprise at Lucas' intervention. Usually, Claus would do all the talking, since Lucas never talked unless he had to... but right now was one of those moments. He couldn't explain why, but he felt they were safe, that this "Ness" person could be trusted. Lucas took a deep breath. "I'm Lucas, and this is my brother Claus."
Claus stared at him skeptically at his introductions, as if saying he didn't approve of his decision, which was probably exactly why. Claus could be protective at times like this — well, a lot of the time, actually. Lucas gave him a look that hopefully said "it's safe".
"Ness." His head went back to the new person. A shiver ran through him: Ness' response had perfectly confirmed his dream. But why had his dream showed this person? Out of the hundreds of other people he had seen in his life, his mind chose one he hadn't seen before...
"Where do you guys live?" Ness interrupted his thoughts once again. Lucas swallowed nervously, glancing over at his brother, knowing the question had to have hit an unwelcome memory.
"W-We don't... really have a home..." Lucas trailed off, looking at the ground. "W-We're orphans..."
"Yeah," Claus spoke up, seeming to have snapped out of his thoughts and hopefully remembering that Lucas hated talking to people he didn't know. "So?"
The only problem about having Claus being a spokesperson was that the two of them had two completely different trains of thoughts and solutions to a problem.
And Claus' tended to be worse ones.
"So? You guys don't have a place to live! Or eat! Or... anything!" Ness exclaimed. "Onett doesn't have a place for you two to go... Hey, follow me!"
Suddenly, Ness was up and running, monitoring for them to follow. Claus still had a skeptical look on his face.
"Are you sure about this?" Claus asked in a tired manner.
"We have no other shot, Claus," Lucas answered softly, looking in the direction Ness had run off in. "We have to try."
"I don't know why you're putting so much trust in him... But you're right, as much as I might hate it." Claus sighed and extended his hand for Lucas to pull himself up from the ground, which he did just so. "Let's follow this person."
They ran, catching up to Ness. And all the while, Lucas had only noticed one thing.
When Ness had run away from them, the buzzing had turned back into the pulling sensation, and when they caught up, the buzzing returned.
Was Ness causing this strange buzzing? Or was it just Lucas' imagination?
There was no time to wonder as they sped off into a neighborhood, running past houses and people to an unknown destination.
