In the city of Fourside, Ness and Jeff wander around.
"Okay, we're going to barge into the Monotoli building, kick Monotoli's butt, and get Paula back, right?" said Ness.
"No, Ness, that is the stupidest idea I've ever heard."
"What?"
"If we, two young teenagers, barge into a place like that, they'll either throw us right out or arrest us."
"You're right... there's got to be another way..."
As they ponder what to do, they notice a crowd in front of Boris' Bar. What were they looking at? Ness and Jeff get a closer look and see...
"Mr. Everdred!"
" ... Ness… Is that you, Ness? Everything's so blurry that I can't see you… You're Ness, right?"
"Yeah! And this is Jeff."
"Um... hello."
"Carpainter of Happy Happy Village had been secretly holding on to something strange. I stole it and brought it to this city, hoping I could sell it… A wise old guy called it the Mani Mani Devil. It was this ominous-colored figure thing. That Monotoli tricked me and took it from me. He tricked me, a thief!"
"Monotoli..." Ness fumed under his breath.
"And not only that, since I knew the secret about it, he tried to get rid of me. He's getting the devil's power from that figure. Listen, I'll only say this once, so pay attention. Check the counter in the bar..."
With that, Everdred loses consciousness, and... gets back up and runs off. Despite everyone's weirded-out reactions, Ness and Jeff enter the bar... in disguise. They wore a huge trenchcoat and fedora with Ness as the face and Jeff as the legs. The fedora was worn overtop Ness' baseball cap and he wore Groucho glasses.
"Welcome to Boris' Bar, how may I help you?" the bartender said.
"Uh, I just need to look behind the counter," said Ness in a deepened voice.
"Sorry pal, I can't allow that."
"But you must! I drink only the finest alcohol you have, and I have to find it to specify an order!"
"Okay."
The boys check behind the counter and see... we don't know what it is, but... okay, long story short, Ness and Jeff end up in a weird alternate dimension that looks like Fourside, except as if it was rendered in neon. Jeff wiggles Ness off of him, and the disguise comes off with Ness.
"Pant, pant... geez, Ness, you should've gotten a regular hamburger today instead of a double! Pant... wh-what is this place?"
"I have no idea, Jeff."
This strange world is the last place you would want to end up in. It is so weird. Every tree, shrub, and building is in neon, there are inantimate objects moving around, and the people are about as normal as an elephant talking in human language riding a bicycle in the Tour de France. Geez, even that last part is weird. Do you guys reading get where I'm getting at? Anyway, our heroes stumble around, getting chased by rogue fire hydrants and weird paintings. Eventually, they come across a building, enter, and end up back outside.
"How is this possible?" Jeff cried.
Ness and Jeff find another building, and this time, end up in a strange room with no way out.
"Well, there's no way out of this crazy room," said Ness. "I guess the only solution is to use PK Rockin on it."
"Why, hello there!" a voice said.
"Who said that?"
"I did!"
"I can't see you!"
"Sweet! I love Moonside!"
"MOONSIDE?" Ness and Jeff said in unison.
"You wanna meet my friend?" the invisible man said.
"Maybe?" Ness answered.
"Good!"
The invisible man takes Ness and Jeff with him, and sings a pretty bad song.
"Oh-oh, I am a man with a golden tooth, my eyebrows are connected... Let's make music together, baby!"
"Man, this guy needs to take lessons," said Jeff.
Eventually, they all come across a sailor.
"Hey buddy, let's ditch these yo-yos and go get some bourbon!" said the invisible man.
"Good idea, man!" said the sailor.
The two men leave, and Ness and Jeff couldn't be more bewildered.
"That... was... weird," said Ness.
Just then, he feels a surge of evil energy.
"Ness!" Jeff called out.
"Hrrgh... I feel something... follow me..."
Jeff follows Ness to where the source came from. It came from the Mani-Mani Devil, who has an old man in front of it.
"Aah! Don't do anything to me! I am... I am not Monotoli!"
The old man ran off.
"The liar," said Ness. "You were in front of this statue..."
Just then, the statue flashes, and Ness shields his eyes.
"Uh-oh, Ness? I can't move!" cried Jeff. "I think that statue paralyzed me!"
"Me, too. I got to take this thing out quick. PK ROCKIN!"
Ness destroys the Mani-Mani Devil with his PSI, and... somehow, they end up in a completely different location.
"Jeff, I think Moonside was just an illusion. But we still can't get up or move. PK HEALING!"
Ness and Jeff are bathed in a stream of light. And they find out that they can move again.
"It worked!"
Jeff sees some boxes along with the destroyed statue.
"Ness, these boxes contain imported wine. Are we in...?"
Ness and Jeff exit through the door to find that, yes, they're still at the bar.
"Hey, you kids aren't allowed in here!" the bartender said.
The boys are booted out of the bar.
"Ow, my coccyx," said Jeff.
"Jeff..."
"Ness, it's a bone at the bottom of the spine..."
Just then, the Receiver Phone rings and Ness answers.
"Hello?"
"Ness, it's me, Apple Kid. I just invented something called the Gourmet Tofu Machine. It makes many different flavors of tofu. The only problem is, right now, it can only make strawberry-flavored tofu... So, I'm having the machine delivered to you via Escargo Express. It's coming Neglected Class. Hopefully, you'll get it soon. Yeah, everything is..."
Kaboooom!
"Uh, I'vegotsomeproblemsheregottago, bye!"
Apple Kid hangs up. Just then, the deliveryman came.
"Whew! I just got here from the Dusty Dune desert. There was this sunbathing guy, and he told me about a cave with lots of monkeys... or was it orangutans? Anyway, he said... well... uh... I forgot. Yup, I forgot... actually I forgot the stuff I was supposed to deliver, too. I think it was some weird machine to make strawberry tofu. Yeah, I forgot it at the desert... I'm not going back that way, so don't ask me to get the package... I mean, it's your package, right? So YOU go get it! Go on, get out of here. Maybe that thing I forgot is important to you... So... have a good time in the desert!"
Ness, exasperated, says, "WHAA-!"
Cut to Dusty Dunes Desert. Ness and Jeff have found the entrance to the Monkey Caves, and they go underground. Just then, a monkey appears.
"Hey little guy," said Ness.
Just then, some more monkeys appear and take Ness and Jeff with them to their leader, Talah Rama.
"The truth of the universe travels the cosmos like a grain and like a wave and speaks to the universes known as man. Your coming here, my waiting here… It was all pre-destined truth. A boy in a baseball cap, a psychic girl, a genius boy, and a prince from the Far East… When these four forces meet, the twisting cosmos will breathe calmly once more. Do you understand? It doesn't matter. Proceed as you wish, and take this strange object with you."
Ness got the Gourmet Tofu Machine.
"The adventure that lies ahead won't be easy. I'll give you a special skill to help you move through space as you wish. Learn the skill from the monkey over there... Would you like to learn this special power?"
"Yes," Ness answered.
"Ha ha ha. That's wonderful! Speak to the monkey over there."
"Kyakyekyai kya (I'll teach you teleportation.) Kyakyakya (Let's go outside.)"
The boys and the monkey are now outside.
"Kyakya Kyokyo (Ok, I'll do a teacher's demonstration.) Kyakyakyak Kyakkya (If you learn this, you can go anywhere you've been previously.) Kyakkyaki kiki (You can go there instantly.)
Kyakki Kyaki (This skill can't be used in a room or underground, though.)"
The monkey initiates PK Teleport by running very fast, and comes back.
"Ukkie (I went to Fourside and returned.) Kyaakyakkya (I showed you the basic, straight course, but you can also build up enough speed while turning, if you have enough room.) Ukkikie '(Ok! Why don't you try it, young man!)"
Ness starts running faster and faster.
"PK TELEPORT!"
Ness vanishes with twin trails of fire, then comes back.
"Kyaho! (Great! Okay, the teacher is going home now.)"
The monkey goes back to the monkey caves.
"Jeff, take my hand and run as I run."
Ness ran as did Jeff.
"PK TELEPORT!"
The boys teleport and end up back in Fourside.
"Well, there's no choice, Jeff. We have to save Paula, and in order to do so, we must infiltrate the Monotoli building."
"But how, Ness?"
Just then, a maid comes up to the boys.
"Hi, I'm Electra. I kept asking around for Strawberry Tofu, but..."
"Strawberry Tofu?" said Ness. "Well, we have this machine that makes it..."
"What? You have a tofu maker? May I have it?"
Before Ness could answer, Electra took the Gourmet Tofu Maker.
"Now I can make Strawberry Tofu for my guests... You are so kind, I'll make some for you. My room's on the 48th floor. Follow me!"
Ness and Jeff follow Electra to the 48th floor by taking the elevators inside the building. Eventually, they come across a cute cozy room. Electra starts up the Gourmet Tofu Machine and it creates some Strawberry Tofu. Ness and Jeff sample some.
"How is it? This stuff is said to be a popular snack in the big city, and this is exactly what Master Porky wants."
"Surprisingly, Miss Electra, this is delicious, and..." Ness says before nearly choking on his tofu. "MASTER Porky?"
"Oh yes. He gave me a job and this cute little room!"
"Well, we gotta go see Monotoli about something now. Where is his room?"
"To the very left. Be careful of these robots!"
"Robots?" said Jeff.
As Ness and Jeff head to Monotoli's office, they are approached by a Sentry Robot.
"PLEASE STATE YOUR CODE NUMBER."
"C-code number?"
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
The Sentry Robot fires a Pencil Rocket at the boys, but they dodge and run towards Monotoli's office. They make it, but are stopped by another robot. A Clumsy Robot, if you will. It fired lasers, which were harder to dodge than the Pencil Rockets. Ness and Jeff are at wit's end, when all of a sudden, some guys rushed into the room! It was the Tonzura Bros.! Lucky quickly ducked behind the robot!
'I flipped the switch, and it stopped."
"Ha ha ha hah... Geez, what a loser robot. It was so easy to stop!"
"That was quick thinking!"
"Thanks guys," said Ness.
"No problem, boys. We owe your for paying off that debt for us twice. Hey, do you hear something in the next room?"
"Paula!"
Ness and Jeff burst into Monotoli's office.
"Stop! I'm not going to fight at all! Honest!" Monotoli pleaded.
"Ness!" said Paula. "You finally made it here."
"Are you okay, Paula?" Ness asked.
"I'm fine. I believed you'd come and save me. Mr. Monotoli isn't really a bad person. Take some time to listen to him."
"Just look at these skinny arms. See my thin body? And my hair is completely white. Now that the Mani Mani Devil is gone, I have no power at all! I apologize for kidnapping Paula. I haven't harmed her in any way… and she was truly a nice girl. I will tell you everything I know now. The Mani Mani Devil shows people illusions. It then increases the evil in their hearts and brings forth the devil's power. I was so afraid of that power that I hid it in the storeroom in Boris's bar, where I went to look upon it on occasion. There were mysterious words inside the illusions, including your name, Ness. Things like, 'Stop Ness by your own hand!' And, 'Do not let them go to Summers!' And, 'Do not let them see the pyramid!' I don't really understand why, but someone apparently doesn't want you children to go to Summers. I also heard things like, 'The devil… Gyiyg…' Apparently, the devil's side doesn't want you going to Summers. Which means, of course, that you probably SHOULD find a way to Summers somehow. Summers is across the ocean. You can use my helicopter. Allow me to open the way to the heliport."
Monotoli pushes the stuffed bear out of the way and reveals a switch to press, which opens the heliport.
"I'm exhausted now. I'm sure you children can manage to right things on your own. It appears that that is your fate, Ness! Well, goodbye, Paula. Please be careful on your way."
"Thank you, Mr. Monotoli."
When the trio got to the heliport, the helicopter was already gone! But who would've taken it? Why, Porky, of course!
"Ness, you brain-dead moron! Struggle all you want, but you're still too late! Bye-bye! Now that old Monotoli is a nice guy again, I have no more use for him. I sure am glad to take his helicopter, though!"
Porky flies off in the helicopter.
"That Porky..." Ness seethed.
Just then, Paula felt dizzy.
"Oooh... "
"Paula?"
"I was a little dizzy, but now I'm okay. To get to Summers... we need to go back to Threed. Yep, somehow I know that's where we must go."
And they did. The trio asked for one more ride with the Tonzura Bros. in their bus to get back to Threed...
