"So… that's the second sanctuary… Lilliput Steps..." mumbled a blonde lady, who stood beside a red-capped boy. Both stood in front of a spring green field that was fraught with tiny footsteps.
"Another footstep-related one? Not surprising…" Ness spoke as he pulled out his Sound Stone. It glowed a bright yellow for a good moment, before a soothing fragment of a melody played. Afterwards, Ness froze. He thought he saw a vision of a baby in a red cap. It was strange… that baby looked just like him…
"Hey! Ness! You ready to go?" Paula asked.
"O-oh, yeah, sure," Ness nodded, snapping out of his trance, glad to have got that out of the way. The two spent the next half hour passing through the Restless Death Cave, the cave they had to pass in order to reach Lilliput Steps. No moles, bats or bears attacked… for now.
"Do you want to rest in Happy Happy Vil… I mean, Peaceful Rest Village?" Ness offered.
She shrugged, and shuffled a little on her feet. "Yeah, I guess so."
Ness nodded, remembering there was an offered inn in the village. He led Paula there. But unbeknownst to them, there was a tiny mole that had been stalking them.
Ness was relieved that the prices for a night in the Peaceful Rest Inn was very cheap. That way he had enough of his father's allowance for tasks tomorrow. He brought Paula to their room, feeling tired out.
"Man, I'm beat…" he sighed, but then turned to Paula, knowing that she may be feeling the same thing. "Sorry if that battle with that big mole thing was too much," he apologized, looking down.
Paula waved a hand in dismissal, letting out a sigh. "No need to apologize, Ness. Everything was fine."
"That's good," he rubbed the back of his head, letting her get comfortable in her bed while he did the same.
"Ah..." She stretched out on the bed and let out a small moan of relief, looking up at the ceiling with a smile. "This feels nice… when was the last time we used a bed, Ness?"
"Days ago, I think… though last time, you had a bed in your home, and your dad forced me to sleep on the old couch in the den," Ness remembered, feeling comfortable to be in a bed like this too, at least. He knew Paula's dad to be overprotective towards his daughter, and thus pretty distrustful towards Ness.
"Mm… only a few days ago? Feels way longer than that…" Paula's head turned to Ness.
"I can probably agree… having to deal with UFOs… robots… exploding trees… a giant Happy Happyist Cult that tried to do with us… it all adds up to some really long chapter," Ness sighed, thinking back on all of this. They both at least made another friend in that chapter, known only as the Apple Kid.
"Chapter?"
"Yeah…" Ness sighed, holding his head, "This journey of ours is like a really long novel, to be honest. One with a completely confusing plot. I already made it past the first chapter… only to be thrown out of Onett by the police. And then when I was in a really critical condition, you came along to help me out. I can't describe how thankful I am to you."
Paula's smile grew just a little. "I can say the same to you, Ness. But regardless, you're welcome."
Ness smiled back at her. That smile however turned into an open mouth, as he yawned.
"Sorry, I'm too tired out there… so, uh, night," Ness smiled a little more before his head plopped to his pillow, his eyes slowly closing shut.
The blonde was quick to follow, mumbling a small goodnight before drifting off herself. But not before bringing out a small, brown stuffed bear from her bag and bringing it around her arms.
Ness had an eye open to notice this. Paula let him know that she had, and adored, a teddy bear since as a small tot. She had never let go of it since. But she was thirteen years old, and she still likes that stuff…? Ness was unsure why. He sighed and then fully fell asleep.
The night went peacefully from there. No more dilemmas in the village followed. As the sun rose in the dawn of next day, Ness was awake to grab the news headlines. One of the hotel workers handed him a newspaper, waiting for Paula to wake up so they could read the news together. He knew she liked reading, just since they met. Still, Ness thought Paula deserved a good long rest after that long sanctuary crusade.
Unfortunately for her, the strong sunlight beamed right to her eyes in a matter of minutes.
"U-ugh…" she groaned in frustration and rubbed her eyes. How she hated intense sunlight…
"Oh. Morning, Ness…" she mumbled, looking to him.
"Morning, Paula… look at this," Ness greeted, but immediately insisted as he approached her. One line in the front page interested him.
"During his life sentence to prison, Mr. Carpainter spoke: "Looking back, Happy Happyism was a mistake. I was out of my mind. I cannot apologize enough." Carpainter is now given a chance of parole despite his life sentence to prison."
"Wow. We're really making that big news," Paula pointed out in awe.
"Yeah. ...so I guess now we better get back to Twoson. The next sanctuary, I hope should be at the next town…" Ness put away the newspaper as he got set up, same did Paula.
"Next town? You mean Threed? You know it's infested with zombies and ghosts, right?" Paula questioned.
"Yeah, I remember that… we'll find a way through that," Ness assured in reply. He had already heard the news about it a couple of days ago.
"Right… well, let's get going," Paula nodded and put her teddy into her backpack.
Once they were properly dressed and fully set up, the two left the Peaceful Rest Inn and made their route to the river outside of the village.
Ness and Paula recognized Peaceful Rest Valley all too well. The river, the trees, the cabin at one section of the valley. But neither were aware that they were being watched. That was, until they were in a forest part of the valley.
Paula thought she heard a rustling noise that came from a bush. It was a weird rustle, however.
"Did you… hear something?" Paula asked.
"No, why?" Ness looked to her.
"I thought I did…" Paula looked back. When her eyes were fully focused on the bush… out popped the little brown, mischievous mole, and two follower moles.
"H-huh?!" Ness was flabbergasted.
"More moles…?! They don't live in here! Did they follow us from Lilliput Steps?!" gawked Paula.
"I thought all moles would be tame when we beat their leader! It worked for the weird ants at the Giant Step cave!" Ness blurted out, confused just by this.
"I guess those moles haven't given up on us," Paula pulled out a thick looking frying pan, her grip tightened on the handle. Ness already had his Sandlot Bat out.
The right mole dove for Paula, who just swung her frying pan at it. When she batted that mole away, however, the leading mole got her on the back, where her brown backpack was. It tackled her down, while its claws, at random, opened up the bag, letting several of her items spill from it and fall into a small heap, especially the teddy.
Paula got back on her feet and hit the leading middle mole with her frying pan to keep it away from her stuff. The mole who was on the left went for Ness.
"PSI Paralysis Alpha!" Ness stuck out a hand to the left mole. That mole suddenly stopped on its tracks, with a shocked look, and literal shocks enveloping its body. It stayed here, completely numb. Ness tossed up the mole, and then swung his bat.
SMAAASH!
One easy homerun flung the mole away, right into the clouds.
"Two down…" he sighed, seeing the unconscious right mole. Paula stood, quickly gathering her stuff into the bag and picking up her teddy with her arms.
"Great. But where's the other one…?" Paula clung to her teddy, confused. Silence took over from there as the two looked around. The leading mole must have escaped… or something...
The silence broke as the leading mole hopped from behind the same bush it hid in before. With a light roar, it leapt for Paula's teddy bear. Ness noticed a little late.
"P-Paula, look out!" Ness yelped.
SLAAASH!
Paula was frozen. A few raging slashes led to the demise of the stuffed bear. Torn up, and its white fluff showing, which Paula believed was as sickening as literal blood. The parts of the teddy fell from her arms. Its head and left arm was torn clean off, while a giant, gaping slice was on its belly.
"T...teddy…" she mumbled, looking down, her eyes like little dots. The mole just stood there, laughing, like it was some practical joke of revenge.
"Paula? D-dude…?" Ness gasped. He then saw what he hated to see in Paula… a look of total despair.
"NO!" Paula wailed loudly, her eyes shut and her fists tightened. Ness looked at her, and the teddy, in horror. He didn't know she was THIS attached to her bear.
The mole just stood there, just as confused by this presumed strange relationship. Just then, Paula's eyes opened and looked to the mole. Behind her now developing tears that began to fall, there was a demonic glare. The mole stood in shock, like its offence had shrunk to a tiny fraction upon seeing her scowling look.
"You… YOU JUST MURDERED MY BELOVED TEDDY!" she screamed, her hands lit on fire. Her eyes were too; burning with profound rage.
"D-dude!" Ness could do naught but watch, in surprise, "Paula! Calm down, man-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP! I'M GONNA RIP THAT MOLE'S GUTS STRAIGHT OUT!" Paula literally shouted coldly at Ness. Ness himself was paralyzed with fear. He never saw Paula like this, until now. She drew her attention back to the small, lowly mole.
"You little monster!" Paula let out a hand at the clawed critter, "Let's see how you like the feeling of DEATH! PSI FIRE BETA!"
As if she had literally become a demon, a great blast of fire burst out of her fingers, which, in a slightly explosive impact, engulfed the mole.
The mole squealed and ran in circles, and then away from the scene, hopping about like a burning lava rock. Paula sank to her knees, and continued to let her tears fall.
"Teddy…" she whimpered, picking up the fluffed up and torn up bear.
Ness worriedly ran up to Paula, trying to help her stand up. "Paula…?"
Paula, although obediently standing up, was silent at this point. Her arms cradled the ripped teddy, refusing to let go. Ness looked back to where the moles were. Whether the leading one went to dive into the river to put out the flames on them, or just burned to death, he didn't care. The mini mammal had it coming. He began to lead Paula to a safer section of the Peaceful Rest Valley meadows to help her fix her newfound emotional scar.
Paula and Ness were at a safe meadow now, just near an idle oak tree. The pieces of the teddy scattered on to the grass as Paula dropped down again, balancing with her hands on the ground.
Ness got onto his knees and looked over the pile of fluff that was the teddy… if corpse wasn't the proper word for it. Yep, Ness thought, that bear was clearly torn apart like wet toilet paper.
"(How could I let this happen…?)" he held his head. He regretted doings loads of stuff, and letting loads of stuff occur. This was no exception.
"I bet you're gonna blame me for this, huh…" Ness finally decided to let it leak from his mouth.
"...no…" she mumbled out, "It's… not your fault… it's… I…"
She sounded like she was about to break up any moment now.
"Dude… I knew how much you cherished that teddy of yours…" Ness tried to assure, his hand reaching to her arm and shoulder. But she brushed it away.
"Sure…" she sniffled, "Sure, you did."
Ness tilted his head, as her head lifted up slightly.
"Before you came… that teddy was one of the only friends I could keep with me. The preschool kids were of great company, too…" Paula's heart lifted upon remembering the friends at preschool. But then her heart sunk again, "But I could never get along with the people outside of the preschool. All I could ever come across are reporters, bullies and thugs, perverts, and even just plain prissy girls who act like they waste time buying clothes at the Noosnow store..."
"There's nothing wrong with people being girly… right?" Ness tried to assure.
"Right… but that's the thing. Those girls would just mock me all because I'm not like them. And even just because of my PSI. Same for bullies, obviously..." Paula was hesitating to even speak further because of those bad memories.
"That's why I kept that teddy with me from till today. All I really wanted in life since my toddlerhood was to help and defend others. Teddy was the most I could defend since then. But... now…"
Paula buried her face with her hands. In no more than a second, did Ness hear the heart breaking sounds of her sobbing.
"Paula…" he whined out, reaching to her again, "Don't cry… please?"
"I can't stop… I just…" she sobbed further, too much to even properly speak anymore. Ness was heartbroken just to hear her cry at all. He brought her to him, embracing her, his arms resting around her back while her face was buried to his chest. His shirt was getting wet from absorbing his friend's tears.
"I…" he gulped, "I sort of know how you feel… about your loneliness. I mean… you met Pokey…"
Paula lifted her head up. "Yeah…?"
"I doubt this is just as sad, but…" Ness sighed, "I've happened to be lonely too as of recently. Back in Onett, I've had past friends since kindergarten who had moved away, changed schools, or for some reason or another, I had lost touch with."
Ness held his own head. "The only people I could really keep as friends was Pokey's family… which was another problem. His parents are abusive and always raging about losing loans to dad, or something, and Pokey was just a school bully. Picky was, and still is, the only sane member of the family."
"Even so. My family were pretty much my only true companions. And when that stupid meteor hit the suburbs, I had to leave it all behind… I can't return to them, now," Ness muttered, looking down, almost as depressed as Paula, now.
"...m...mh…" Paula moaned, but then she brought Ness closer in her arms. Her sobs were lighter, but Ness could probably tell she had some sympathy for him… as much as he was extremely sympathetic to her.
Paula sniffled. "Ness… did I ever tell you… you're the first person outside of my family I've met that I can relate to?"
"No… but I'm glad that that's true…" Ness smiled a little, "And you know… I realised something from you. Hardships just happen, randomly or by mistakes. And you just have to fight through those hardships to keep earning happiness…"
Paula couldn't find a reply to that. She didn't know she taught Ness this. The most she knew to have taught Ness was all of the basics of PSI which she herself studied.
"I… well… you're right…" she sniffed, wiping her eyes.
"Thanks…" he chuckled a tiny bit, but then Paula looked down sadly again.
"But… what about teddy? Can we not... you know... fix him?" she asked. Ness looked back down at the pile of fluff that was still teddy.
"Well… I…" Ness tried to think. There had to be something to cheer her up. But then, he had an idea, "There should be a Toy Repair Shop around Twoson, right?"
Paula's face lifted up in realization, wiping her face fully dry with her left arm. "None that me or my family would know of… but we can find one…?"
"Yeah, yeah, of course!" Ness smiled and nodded, and then he grabbed her wrist, surprising Paula."
"Let's go!" he insisted before he took off.
"Whoa, whoa! Slow down, man!" Paula called as Ness practically dragged her away, running off with her.
It was hours, but the time spent was worth it. At one street of the town of Twoson, there was a toy repair shop right there.
"Yes! Here's one," Ness smirked. He entered inside, bringing Paula suit. Inside was like any average toy repair shop, like a practical garage of toys. On the till was a man who looked to be middle aged, hence the grey-ish hair.
"Oh, hello. What can I do for you, young lads?" the middle aged shopkeeper questioned.
"Can you fix up this teddy?" Ness set the fluffed up teddy on the till for the man.
"Oh, dear… this shouldn't take too long, but won't be quick, either…" the man claimed, seeing the wreckage of the teddy.
"It's okay. Just do what you can. And thanks," Ness replied, letting him work away at it. He turned to Paula.
"I would have done that myself… but I suck at repairing stuff," Ness apologized, looking down.
"Fair enough…" Paula shrugged. But her frown was starting to disappear…
At least an hour passed. As Ness waited on a chair, Paula sitting beside Ness, the man came back.
"It's finished. It just needed some stitching up, and a little more fluff," the man presented the brand new, stitched up bear.
Paula's heart literally exploded in joy.
"Teddy!" she squealed, like she had another personality change. This time, that of a fanatic. She took the bear and snuggled it tight, "Thank you, sir!"
"You're welcome…" the man replied in awe. He actually liked the sight of this, knowing how pre-teens can still cherish memorable toys like this, "That'll be $85."
"Wait, what? 85?!" Ness gawked.
"Pfft! Nah, I'm just pulling your tail," the man laughed, "Sorry, that'll be $9.99."
Ness sighed in relief, and handed a $10 bill to him. "Thanks again. Keep the change."
The shopkeeper paid and bid farewell to, the couple left the shop.
Outside, Ness and Paula stood just near the shop entrance. The repaired and stitched up bear was still in Paula's arms, as she turned her head to Ness.
"Ness… I don't know what to say… just… thank you…" Paula quietly spoke, still happy about having her teddy saved.
"No problem… I couldn't leave the poor thing to rot. I know you wouldn't, either. Whenever we part ways, after this whole adventure's done with, you'll still have this to cuddle to," Ness smiled.
"Right," Paula beamed a smile back, as she looked to the teddy. She snuggled to it.
"Those five things that mean so much to me. I hope never to lose any of them…" she whispered to herself.
"Wait, five?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Teddy… your parents… the kids… uh, who's the fifth?"
Paula just stared at Ness, her eyes narrow. "...Is that supposed to be a question?"
"Uhh, yeah?"
"The fifth is standing right in front of me…" she smirked.
Ness looked around. No one in sight… but then he froze. His cheeks turned red in realization as he looked back to Paula.
"...oooh!" Ness laughed in embarrassment.
Just then, at a sudden surprise, Ness was immobilized by Paula's arms as they wrapped around his body, pulling him close. She rested her head on Ness' shoulder.
"Aw, shucks…" Ness' cheeks blushed even redder. He tried to get over it, but to feel Paula's smooth body was just enticing. He let his arms gently wrap around her. Teddy stayed rested on Paula's right arm through the lasting hug.
Paula kept her sweet smile as her mouth leaned on Ness's shoulder. She wanted to plant her lips on his neck to show even more gratitude, but she didn't know if Ness would really accept that… would he?
After a moment, she let go of Ness. Ness recovered from his giant blush, as he and Paula smiled to one another.
"Oh, and, uh… I'm sorry…" Paula looked away.
"...what for?" Ness raised an eyebrow.
"How I reacted. ...it was a little overboard, wasn't it?"
"Ohh," he just laughed a little, "Don't worry about it."
Paula placed her repaired teddy into her bag, praying for no bad things to happen to it again. Ness lay his hand on Paula's. "So… how about we pay a visit to your dad? Just to let him know we're planning to drive into Threed… well, somehow."
"Of course!" she grinned, happier than she ever could be at this summer. Her hand intertwined with Ness's as they went ahead together. And thus, both were prepared to continue fighting through galactic enemies, and their hardships.