"Welcome one! Welcome all! Welcome, Master Lucas, to the grand test to see if you are worthy of basking in Master Porky's glory!" said the host we encountered up the stairs.

"Now what?"

"Just a simple game you must play. The rules will be explained in the game. But as a personal tip, may I use the words 'indulge' and 'humour'?"

"Huh?"

"He means barely lose, doofus."

"Thank you, Kumatora."

The first game was a Whack-a-Mole. Poor moles. But to get to Porky, I had to barely lose to the robot sentenced to be my opponent. He hit ten moles. I hit nine, and then did nothing. This is humouring the guy?

The second was a race across two bridges with hazards popping up along the way. I got to the very end easily, and waited for the robot to get to the end, in which I let him win by a nose.

The final game was balloon inflation. The first to pop the balloon wins. I tried my hardest to inflate the balloon slightly slower than the robot, but it was tricky. I managed it.

The only thing between us and Porky was a giant pig robot.

Come in, Lucas. Except… I set this thing to kill whoever tries to enter. So long!

The N.K. Cyborg suddenly attacked!

This fight wasn't too big a deviation. But it hit like a truck. I couldn't keep my concentration long enough to conjure shields. Luckily, Ness handled that part. The N.K. Cyborg was totally scrapped, but not before it fired its End of the Century Beam… right at me…

Ana took mortal damage!

I couldn't believe it. Ana stepped in the way of the attack. Just to save me.

"Ana!" I called out.

"Lucas. Go. I told you. Get to the final Needle. Pass on your heart."

"But…"

"Lucas. What do I have left? Everyone here goes home to something worthwhile. I left Ninten here. There isn't anything for me in my time."

"But…" I started, before Ana pulled me into a kiss.

"Now go. Save what you live for."

"Ana…"

"Leave, or its PK Thunder."

"Gone."

We next encountered a room with a river. On one side was a line-up of mismatched items. Ness smiled. He knew each and every one.

"The Runaway Five's Bus, Tessie, a taxi, telephones from my adventures, the Sky Runner, mysterious statues of a pencil and an eraser, Pokey's helicopter, Dungeon Man, a bus, an ATM machine, that yellow submarine, my rental bike, a Phase Distorter made by the Mr Saturns, Pokey's spider mecha, and the black and white sesame seeds!" he cheered.

"Pokey?"

"Sorry, Porky."

"Oh. So much from your adventures…"

"And now my old next door neighbour's going down!"

"Agreed!"

"The beginning… of the end… The end… of everything…"

All eyes were narrowed at the speaker. Master Porky Minch. Ruler of New Pork City. Self-proclaimed god. Next target of a hearty dose of PK Love Ω.

"Let's be friends. I'm Porky. I'm really just this meek little boy. Please dote over me more. Please talk to me like good boys and girls. You know, just like me."

"Not. A. Chance. In. The. Fires. Of. Hell. It. Self," I told him, speaking as if I was talking to some slug with beneath-human intelligence. A small move, and a childish one. But it was fun. Kumatora lives a good life.

"That's not very nice, now is it? Actually… I'm not very nice either."

BOM!

Porky exploded. Five more replaced him.

PORKY 01 and his cohorts suddenly attacked!

The Porky bots had about equal intelligence with… well… each other. They spent most of their turns doing stupid things instead of attacking, but did explode and summon more useful allies. And they just kept spawning. This fight was probably unwinnable. If it wasn't for…

All of a sudden, some guys rushed into the room!

It was the DCMC!

Baccio jumped out in front!

"Tonda Gossa! Dramatic climaxes are when unruly dudes like us get to shine!"

Shimmy Zmizz jumped out in front!

"Seems this Master Porky guy was trying to use us to brainwash everyone… I say it's high time we screw up his idiotic plans!

Magic jumped out in front!

"Hah! We ain't gonna let this Porky freak have his way!

OJ jumped out in front!

"We're gonna make you pay for all the bad stuff you've done! Get ready! It's punishment time!"

"Lucas… this is it. This is finally it," someone said. It was Dad. The thought made me smile, but I wasn't ready to turn. Mom. Claus. Ana. Tazmily. These were the people I raised my PSI to fight Porky for.

"Have we cornered Porky… or not?" Wess asked. Duster smirked slightly.

Bronson. Alec. Lighter. Fuel. Dr Andonuts. These are the people who followed behind them. They gave me the courage to stand against Porky… and him the fear to come out of hiding.

*cough* *hack* *wheeze*

"Come a little closer… so I can see your face better… Oh, is that what you look like? I was the one who brought you here. A traveller who has journeyed to and from past and future. I'm the most clever, most charming, and most trouble-making boy ever…

"…Master Porky Minch!"

Descending from the ceiling was a machine. In its centre was Porky. For real. Time travel had not helped him. His hair was white, and he appeared to be both an old man and a child. His next ramblings confirmed it. …After criticising the decision of the White Ship. He also taunted us about the Dragon.

He then claimed the seventh Needle had finally been located, and that the Masked Man was on his way. He told us where to find the Needle 'to make the game interesting'. He then gave himself a head start. Moments later, the floor beneath my feet gave way, and an elevator we were standing on fell to where the Needle was. Kumatora, Duster, Boney and Dad were the others on the elevator.