Ness's POV has been divided into 2 parts.
This is Part I.
Thank you for your support.
Trigger Warning: This chapter contains disturbing themes. Approach with caution.
Porky had looked forward to this day for eons.
Days of planning, days of wishing, days of pining. Days of obsessively rolling over an imaginary faded red yo-yo in his wrinkled hands, days of feverishly whispering the name of a person who no longer existed. Days and months and years of wasting away in the Absolutely Safe Capsule, thinking about the only person he had missed from his original time, before life gave Porky another chance and set him free.
Ness, Ness, Ness.
...Ness.
It wasn't a want. It was an unsated need, pooling deep in the pit of his stomach.
And it was eating him up alive.
The one time Porky made everything his kingdom, the one time he settled for Tazmily to raze, the one person he'd turn to gloat at was never there. He tried replacing Ness with countless other toys, but they always felt wrong, or cried too easily. He'd wheezed, ordered, even screamed at Dr. Andonuts for the perfect Time Distorter to return to Onett, to snatch Ness from his home, but no matter how hard Porky flailed his fists, he could never find Ness's time.
Dr. Andonuts almost succeeded. Once. The Time Distorter had sent Porky spiraling fifty years into Onett's timeline.
Fifty years since Ness had defeated Giygas... The closest Porky had gotten to seeing his old neighbor again.
And what had first started off with Porky ready to boast and brag at Ness's frail old age had turned into a trip to the cemetery.
Under the soft glow of the Christmas candles and carolers, Porky had stopped in disbelief at the angelic monument behind Onett's church. A bleeding hero at heart, Ness had died at the early age of fifteen saving a toddler from a passing car.
Here lies Ness, a True Hero, read the grave's inscription.
Porky stared at the grave... then stared some more.
Of course Ness won. Of course he'd evade Porky forever.
Porky wanted to scream.
Then - the Dark Dragon set him free. Porky returned to Onett in a whirlwind of confusion, his memories intact, hair sopping wet in the middle of a summer storm. He didn't have his old childhood body... but he could move. As if with a mind of their own, his feet dragged him back to his old house-
And Porky arrived at the warm light of his old neighbor's porch, just in time to see a young 3rd grader Ness very much alive and whole, his entire life course to be completely changed by Master Hand's fateful offer. The windows had been uncovered. Porky had hungrily watched him like a man unable to eat his fill, until Ness's mom had turned the lights off and a yawning Ness clambered up the stairs.
And Porky knew. It was fate. Ness was meant to be his.
Just not yet.
A social kid, Ness liked to make friends at school. There were always one or two children who got a bit too close.
That was okay. Porky took care of them. It was what Porky was supposed to do, Porky was Ness's best friend after all.
For a while, Porky lay low. He took all measures to avoid his sorry excuse of a past self. He quietly founded a private toy company, racked up cash, tracked down Lucas. And after the events of Ness's adventure, Porky took care of his own family affairs, first bankrupting the father who wronged him, then disowning his screaming banshee of a mother and embarrassing loser of brother. And after hearing about the Sharks beating Ness up, Porky booted the ringleader and slid into his place.
Sometimes, Jeff, Paula, and Poo visited Ness. Usually on breaks. The Chosen Four were nuisances at best, but Porky had beaten them before, and he knew how to counter them if they overstepped their boundaries. They weren't a threat, and Porky supposed it couldn't hurt for Ness to have a few other friends his age. Just a few.
The generous decision came with its cons.
Paula confessed once.
Porky had hooked a customer up with some meth, and sent him along her way. The ice was slick near the sidewalk, and the driver would've hit Paula too, except that Ness had appeared at the last second. It was a close shave, but needless to say, when Paula backed off, Porky breathed a sigh of relief. He took closer tabs on Paula after that, tampered with her posts and mail, discarded some of her more heartfelt posts.
A year or two after Ness's initiation into the Smash tournament, Porky had amassed enough money to grab his attention. He had the funds, the means, and the facts. He knew all of Ness's favorite toys, all of Ness's favorite foods, all of Ness's favorite clothes. He knew when and where Ness liked to play baseball, knew Ness inside out like the palm of his hand.
Porky Minch was ready to be Ness's best friend.
A hot summer day after the Melee season, Porky decided to make his move. He chose Ness's favorite train set, stopped by Onett around seven at night, and waited under the bleachers in the baseball field-
Only to see Ness arrive laughing with his new best friend.
Lucas.
The train set in Porky's hands snapped. Porky had been too distracted by Paula that he'd missed his chance. He'd thrown another hissyfit that night, shattering his best wine collection. Well, Lucas would learn his lesson soon enough. As if Porky needed a reason to kill the stupid cowlick kid sooner than his expiration date. And come Subspace, he tried doing just that.
Then Ness got in the way.
They had a stare down. There had been a familiar fire burning in Ness's eyes. The same exhilarating look Ness had given Porky in their final battle before Giygas - as if Ness was seeing only him and him alone.
And Porky finally knew how to get his attention.
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~Chapter Forty-Two~
I Get a Blast to the Past
(alt. Beginning of the End)
(NESS POV PART 1/2)
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A couple of lucid dreams later, I come around in a bedroom.
My bedroom.
Weird.
When I yawn and rub the sleep from my eyes, long striped sleeves slip down my arms. When did I get dressed into my jammies? Fuck that, what happened last night? Did I magically learn how to sleep-teleport? I guess my cousin Ninten's never gonna make the roster now.
I pinch myself once in the arm.
Okay, that settles it. I'm not crazy. I'm back in Onett, with my bed against the window and the usual junk cluttered around my desk. Frowning, I slide my hand past the signed poster of a winking Venus, trace through the collage of photos pinned on my bulletin board. The smiley photos from my adventures, polaroids of Paula freezing her melting icecream cone, Poo surfing The Wave at Summers, and Jeff tinkering with a bazooka in Saturn Valley... everything's left exactly where I last left it.
Home.
Or at least, I would've guessed I was home, if it weren't for one awful feeling:
Since when did my bedroom have bars?
Toppling to my feet, I rattle the windows, but no luck there. The pane's glued shut; the glass, aquarium thick. Shielding my eyes from the afternoon sun, I squint at a sandy beachside. This looks like Summers, only if the sea had somehow turned into a hallucinogenic rainbow slushie overnight... eugh, I blame the magic cake. Summers taught me not to accept food from strangers.
To top that, I have the worst splitting headache, like the time I got brainfreeze after I ate two scoops of chocolate icecream in one go, and Lucas had to wrestle the rest of the tub away from me.
So yeah, lemme tell you. I'm not exactly having the time of my life.
Grimacing, I rub my aching temples. Shit, shit, shit. This is exactly like the time I got hungover, but worse. Sure, in the grand scheme of things, I've fucked up a few times, but in general, I like to think I'm a good kid. That I turned out okay, even got lucky with all the fucked up shit that usually happens in the child biz. I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, and I don't drink and drive. But that was before Porky injected me with... whatever shit he injected into my bloodstream.
Oh man, Mom's gonna kill me. And that's if Tracy doesn't kill me first for being a brainless retard-
Tracy.
Instantly, I'm yanking on Tracy's empathy link, but the strand slips and slides between my fingers. When that doesn't do shit, I panic and reach for others. Mom. Lucas. Even Popo. I'm literally clutching for straws, because Porky has my sister stashed somewhere, and I'm stuck here in a stupid bedroom, feeling number than a dude getting a root canal at the dentist.
Fine, whatever. I can just blast my way out. I slam my hands against the bedroom door, expecting the bars to melt, but my hands don't even steam.
What the fuck, I can't cast any of my spells!
My head spins. What kind of drug is this? How long have I been out? An hour? Two? I reflexively roll a shoulder, but the stiffness there tells me it's probably been a couple hours, and the sun looked like it was nearing the later side of afternoon.
Oh man. Of all the times I really could've used my powers, I'm powerless.
Springing into a sprint, I give the door an angry kick, but that only leaves me hopping from a badly stubbed toe.
Great, so much for that plan. When the ground spins back into dizzy circles, I'm forced to sit hard on my ass and rethink my fucking lifestory.
This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen. After that night in the dark web, I was supposed to report back to Jeff and Poo. I was supposed to go back, grab The Boys TM, then wait for the Smash Police to haul Porky screaming and wailing into a jail cell.
Lucas wasn't supposed to get involved. My little sister wasn't supposed to get involved-
I hear something. Voices. Shouting. Swiping my desk lamp, I crouch low and press an ear against the bolted door. There's even a tiny silver of space between the hinges, enough space for me make out three shadows stomping up the stairwell. Score.
"-Fine, if you were the boss, who would you have taken?" one voice demands.
"God, what I would've given to have Samus or Zelda instead!"
"What I'd do for Zelda to sit on my face..."
"Oh yeah, she's hot. Tons of bitchy princesses on the roster who could use a good fuck-"
"Good luck with that. The only person who could stand to fuck you is your mom, ya virgin."
Protests and laughter. The three henchmen stop outside my cell.
"So aside from his favorite boy-" The sudden rap on the door makes me jolt. "...I heard the boss caught two more kids."
"Yeah, sounds about right. A special delivery. Another boy and a girl."
"Another boy, you say? What for?"
"I dunno. Probably another toy. You know, since the last of the previous batch lost it and jumped off the top floor. A shame that he barely lasted a day after his sister, but that's the business. Anyways, Master Porky doesn't care about who he fucks. He's a tad picky when it comes to his boys, but at least he can sell his girls for double."
"So about the boy... Lucas. Isn't he a bit old for the Master? He's already reached puberty-"
"I mean, he's still pretty young. Even heard he's a crybaby."
"That's adorable. What I'd pay to bend him over a table and-" One of them makes animalistic thrusting motions, and the other two laugh. Their raucous laughter makes me sick to my stomach.
"There's the girl too. Ness's sister."
"Ness has a little sister?"
"A pretty one. Maybe the boss wants to keep the sister for himself. Or hand her over to the nutjob Carpainter. You know Carpainter likes his girls young."
One man hopefully leans in. "You think Carpainter would let me mess with her too? Just for a bit?"
"I don't know. Now shuddup and stop asking me questions, you childfucker. We're not supposed to talk about this shit here-"
"Pfft, as if Master Porky could hear us-"
"You've heard the rumors about Strong. What do you think Master Porky'll do to us once he catches wind of our mistake?"
The jangle of keys cuts through the silence.
"I thought so," the henchman says, unlocking the door. "So we gotta time this right, before Big Boss Baby notices. Now on the count of three, I'm gonna open this damn door. The kid should still be clocked out, so you two nab him while I tie him to the bed, got it? One, two, thr- whaARGH!" he shrieks when I whack him with my lamp.
"He's escaping!"
"Someone grab him!"
"The turd hit me in the nuts! Oh, he's dead-"
My balance shot, I tumble into the corridor, screaming my head off for Lucas, for Tracy, but the rest of the bedrooms on this floor are ajar and empty. On my way to the main stairs, I accidentally bowl over a man in a chef's hat, who babbles, "No, no, please, I know nothing-"
"Where's Porky?" I snarl.
"I do not know, I do not know," The kitchen staff says, but points upwards with a trembling finger. The highest floor. Got it.
More henchmen stream out. Playing whack-a-mole with my lamp, I hurtle up the stairs to the highest floor, the marble tiles a cold shock against my feet. They better have my fucking shoes somewhere. Lucas embroidered those shoes for me this Christmas.
Porky stole my shoes. He sold my sister.
I'm about to punch a bitch.
"Hey kid," a surprised bodyguard rasps when I skid into the seventh floor. "You're not supposed to be here-"
I shove past him into the master bedroom.
It's empty. The lights are dim, but I can make out several toys strewn out over the golden carpet. A life-size toy train hiding in its own station, its windows dark. A baseball bat and matching gloves. Dinosaur plushies by a heavy toy chest. They're innocuous things, but my nerves fire off like crazy.
Unlike the other bedrooms on the second floor, this one has a massive bed. And when I say a massive bed, I mean mammoth. You could probably fit five walruses and Charlie Bucket's whole family on that thing, but that's as far as I can tell, because it's covered by thick dark drapes.
Then the smell hits me.
It's that smell. The same musty smell from the Karaoke bar, the same smell Popo described...
This bedroom's been used.
Disgust forces goosebumps to ripple over my arms. Shit, everything about this particular room makes my entire skin crawl. Even with my empathy link shot, whatever this place is, it doesn't make me feel too good. It reeks of terror. Instinctively, I reach out to my empathy links and tug on Tracy's, but my fingers fumble with it as if they're coated in vaseline. Still can't feel shit.
The panicked bodyguard bursts in after me. "-Boss!"
Boss?
The Alaska King bed shifts with a wheeze. "Well, this is a surprise. I was about to send someone to wake you, Ness, but you look..." Porky gets into a hacking cough. "Pathetic."
"Where's my sister?"
"I got bored of watching you sleep," Porky continues. He's enjoying this, the fucker. "You were supposed to keep me company, but you slept through the entire morning. You can make up for it later. I'm your biggest fan, after all..." He pauses. "Something doesn't look right. You aren't supposed to be out of your room... which of my stooges fucked up this time? Boris, was it you?"
The bodyguard swallows. "No, sir. I was here the whole time."
"Doing a pathetic job too," Porky wheezes. "Well, what are you waiting for? Find who messed up and string them up. Now leave us."
His eyes flickering to the lamp in my hand, the bodyguard stares at Porky in disbelief. "But sir-"
"The Ultimate Chimera always has room for seconds."
The bodyguard turns pale, swallows with a bow, then scuttles backwards like a crab. The double doors close behind him with a resounding thud, leaving me alone with an aged psychopath from My 900 LB Life.
Yeah. I'm totally having the time of my life.
"Alone, at last..." A sigh. The massive bed creaks. "Come here, Ness. I want to see your face."
"I'm staying where I am, thanks."
"I'm not giving you a choice, stupid." A creak. Through the hanging draperies, the covers shift. "If you want a fight, you don't stand a chance. Not in that condition."
"Bring it, grandpa."
"Grandpa? Is that any way to treat your best friend?" Porky gives into a hard wheeze, and several shadows creak out of the toy chest. Porky Bots. Tittering and chattering, they fixate on us with their lenses, blank and empty. "Take a good look at yourself, Ness. I'm immortal. I'm god, and you're weak. That's the way it's always been. The natural order of things..."
"Oh yeah? What if I run?"
"You could," Porky muses. His unseen eyes bore into my face. "But you wouldn't get far. There's no way off this island without my say-so. There's no one who will help you here. And you won't run. Unless you want to test my patience on the people you keep close. But I'd like to see you try. Aha. Hahaha." His wheeze devolves into an uncontrollable giggle. "Isn't it funny? No matter what you say, your words are just that... Words. You'll fall in line. My favorite wind-up toy."
I clench my fists. "Enough games. Where's. My sister."
"She's unharmed, for now. I promised her to Carpainter, but that can easily change depending on you." Porky devolves into angry hacking. Jesus, I know I've said this before, but his organs sound like a car breaking down. "All I wanted was for you to my friend, Ness. Is it that so hard to understand?"
"What we had was abusive. You don't want a friend. All you want is a Yes man," I say bitterly, and Porky wheezes.
"What's with that ungrateful tone? Are you jealous of my toys? You can't blame me for being bored, not when you kept me waiting. They make it so simple too. They're cast offs from the slums, jails, orphanages... nobodies no one will miss. All you have to do is make them feel special. Give them a few more bills. Pull a few more strings. Then make them return the favor. Sometimes... it takes some effort, but the dumbfucks, they're utterly confused and besotted. Because Kind Master Porky Minch would never hurt a fly. And who am I to complain? There's nothing wrong with wanting the bit of love I never got."
"Yeah, by fucking kids. I can't believe that you can't see how fucked up this is."
"Don't be stupid. You wouldn't understand. You never had- My mom-" Porky hacks into an angry coughing fit. "You don't know... what I've been through. You have no idea, the sacrifice I took... to get to this point. You owe me. You should be flattered. You should be thanking me for saving your life. I don't ask people to be friends often."
"It's too late for that. That ship sailed long ago-"
"Because of Lucas? I've already taken care of him."
I bristle. "You're bluffing. I watched him leave from the SkyTrain Station-"
"But he had to come back out of the SkyTrain tunnel at some point. Or did you forget that I wasn't some incompetent stooge like Neckbeard?"
Oh.
Porky gasps, tickled silly for breath. "Poor weak crybaby Lucas... He didn't look too good, stabbed in the side. Let me guess, poisoned knife? Got into a bar skirmish with Neckbeard's right hand boy? After you two took care of Neckbeard too. Shame. Neckbeard paid well for my goods, but I took what I wanted... and I didn't even want the Egg of Light in the end..." The bedposts shake with his deep belly laughter. "Face it, Ness. Lucas could barely stand when my men caught him. He looked so betrayed... I have you to thank for that."
My breath glues to my throat, but I swallow it down. "You're bluffing," I say again, but it sounds more like a croak. "If you had him, you would've shown me. That's what you did when you kidnapped King in third grade-"
Suddenly, Porky guffaws. "I can't... I can't believe you still remember that. How much of a pussy do you have to be to hold your dumb dog over my head?" When his crazy wheezing dies down, and the bed stops creaking, Porky continues. I can still hear the laugh in his voice. "If you wanted to know, it didn't take much to break him. Not when I had you. Even begged me to fuck him instead. I'm not surprised. He's a chink, getting fucked up the ass is in his true nature. Once a rice queen, always a rice queen. But don't worry, I'll bring Lucas to you once he's ready. I'm sure you'll be dying to see the modifications I've added-"
I snap.
Lunging forward, I raise my lamp over my head and-
SNAP.
The sickening sound of breaking bone hits me. The lamp in my hand slips and smashes into the floor. With a titter, the Porky Bot responsible for the ambush retracts its hands.
Then in stunned shock, my right leg buckles under my weight.
Above me, Porky wheezes with laughter when I hit the ground, writhing and winded for breath. "You idiot, didn't you think I would've seen this coming?"
The corners of my vision turn blotchy with pain. Fuck, I can't move-
My right leg- it's-
Porky kicks me over. "Oh get up, Ness," he wheezes. "As funny as it is to watch you wriggle yourself silly on my floor, I don't have all day for your tantrum. Did you finally get it out of your system? Or do I have to drag your sister out?"
"What do you mean, get it out of my system?! You broke my fucking leg!"
"Insurance. Nothing personal."
My throat feels hoarse. "You're crazy. You can't do this-"
"Of course I can. You can deny it all you want, but I know you best, Ness. You'd do anything for your friends and family. I told you you'd regret turning me down, and Lucas had to pay the price for your stupidity. I'm sure you won't make the same mistake twice, but I had to break your leg, just in case. Now, you can't run. You can't teleport. You'll stay and keep me company... for however long I want." When my head rings with his words, Porky wheezes with laughter. He sounds delighted. "I'm glad you could make it tonight. The night of my final victory... in a few hours, I'll be hosting the biggest dinner party you've ever seen. Agree to be my friend. Do as I tell you. Then at midnight, I'll let your sister go. But if you make me unhappy, if you pull that stupid stunt again..." His deranged smile widens. "I know some men who would happy to have their way with her."
Fucking psycho.
I don't have much of a choice, do I?
It hurts like hell, but I manage to get the words out, "This isn't over. You're going down."
Porky only gasps harder in my face, his bots shuddering from the force of the wheeze. "If I had a dime for every time someone said that to my face and lived, I'd be a poor man. Now quit yammering and let Boris set your leg. I'm giving you a tour of my fabulous beachside mansion."
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~oO0Oo~
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Well, so much for my last words.
Yanking me around by the collar of my shirt, Porky drags me around like a prized luxury poodle.
Me? I'm higher than a kite and sporting a limp worse than Duster. The last time I've broken a bone this badly was in sixth grade, and that's from falling out of a tree. At least Porky's pumped me full of pain meds, but that only means that my chances of casting magic in the next few hours are slim to none. And with all his bodyguards flanking us on all sides, I know better than to try.
Porky's tour proves to be a bragfest. We pass all sorts of gaudy overpriced shit, and Porky boasts my ear off, describing each one in excruciating detail. First a private theatre, plastered with more red-inked Polaroids of me on my adventure. The kitchen swathed in blue tiles, with a basket full of decorative fruits chipped from diamond. His library full of degenerate collections.
"You publish Nesscas doujins?" I gag.
"No, I own these. Pork Publishing Corp? Like I said, I'm your biggest Earthbound fan. Not surprising, since I'm the protagonist of the Mother Series," Porky wheezes, patting the nearest packed bookshelf of Doki Doki Lucas with a hefty hand. "Sex sells. I might hate Lucas's guts, but mindless Nesscas porn is obligatory if you want to sell doujins like hotcakes."
"Why the fuck-"
"Ness, you were just too stupid to play your fanbase right. The fanbase is the easiest way to milk cash. Choose the most popular gay ship, let the the fans drool over all the yaoi. Throw in another gay ship like LuClaus or Clausten, and you'll sell double-"
Blah blah blah, I tune out most of his rant.
"...and if you want to please the pathetic fucks who cry and whine about all the homo, fuel the fire. Sell another story that says NESSPAULA GOOD, and watch the entire fandom melt down on social media while you rake in the profits. The fandom doesn't think for itself, it's a hivemind, so all you need to do is set the shippers against themselves while you point and laugh. It's great. People squeal like pigs when they get splashed with a bit of mud, and I don't even have to do anything. In the end, no one notices that I'm the one profiting off the views, the dumbfucks-"
"I don't know what surprises me more. That you're publishing fake porn of me, or the fact you think of my sex life more than I do."
"Well there's the real deal, but I don't store that here. But there are people who get off on that stuff," he says, holding up a hard drive.
My stomach lurches. "Is that-"
"Did I sell your attention?" Porky wheezes. "This has all the blackmail material of everyone who ever worked for me. Past, present, future. Everything... Including Strong's footage of Lucas." He waves the hard drive in my face, taunting me in the most infuriating manner possible. "You want this, don't you? Then you might wanna be careful, Ness. This hard drive is the only evidence left of my deeds, because until you had the bright idea to pop in, I destroyed all my computers and wiped all trace of my transactions."
"So why are you showing me this?" I demand. "There's nothing stopping me from grabbing that thing and going to the police-"
"Nothing but your sister's life."
"You're a monster."
"That's not very nice. I'm only one-sixteenth black." Porky breaks into a punchable smile. "You see, Ness? You always like to act the hero, but you can't play the part. No matter what you do, you're always a step too late. Like right now. I showed you a ticket out, but you won't take it, because you care too much about the people I have hostage. And let's have a heart-to-heart, you and me: don't pretend like turning me in will change lives. You've seen people like Neckbeard and Carpainter. Apprehending me won't do anything. I've only been successful, because there's always been a demand for this stuff. Even if you take me out, you can't stop human nature."
"It'd still make a difference," I say bitterly. "And don't frame your shitty excuse as human nature. I honestly couldn't give a rat's ass about your true nature- I just care that you're fucking people over and acting like this is all just some big joke. Enslaving and sodomizing kids? Killing people just because you grow bored of them? I've only heard about a fraction of the stuff you've done, and frankly, it's disgusting."
"Don't be so fucking sensitive, Ness. I just told Strong to rough up Lucas a bit- boys being boys and all," Porky wheezes, flippantly waving my words aside with a hand. "We didn't expect anyone barging into us that night, so I told Strong to take his time with the interrogation while I cleaned up the crime scene. But I guess Lucas pissed him off, because Strong lost his temper and shot your fag friend full of holes. It's okay. Strong paid for his disobedience. And I'll have plenty of time to torture Lucas for as long as I want. No wonder Lucas cracked... Tons of people have already tortured him for me. Ordinary, everyday people. Your toxic fanbase."
"You leave my fans out of this. Not everyone is as twisted as you-"
"That's what you like to believe. But the cowards on social media who yell the loudest about you are the craziest of them all." Porky's eyes turn gleeful. "I wasn't the one who held the dagger. I wasn't the one who posted all those nasty comments about your queer relationship. I wasn't the one who normalized the fetish of shipping you two together for the sake of cheap jerk-off material. I wasn't the one who forced my headcanons onto other people, bashed everyone else down for disagreeing, destroyed your fandom out of vanity and arrogance. Your idiot fans did that perfectly well by themselves. I only helped. You see, with enough mainstream popularity, my doujinshis can influence your public image. Especially after Subspace-" A happy fit of coughing. "I bet my doujins damaged Lucas's rep, portraying him as the bottom bitch all the time-"
"Go step on a lego."
"Don't feel too bad, Ness. It was in Lucas's future to lose to me, and I only helped him find it. He had it coming after all." Porky pats me on the back like we're just talking business. "All this talk about Lucas is making me sick. Now shut up and follow me to the elevator. You're starting to piss me off."
The tour progresses in a similar manner, with Porky's mood fluctuating like a metronome. Throughout the whole tour, his mood swings grow worse whenever I don't give enough satisfactory responses to his stuff. I can't tell if he's genuinely trying to impress me, or put me down.
For crying out loud, Porky's even got himself his own luxury toilet. Mini Porky statues line the red carpet walkway, "peeing" into the moat, and at the end of the private chamber lies an elevated toilet seat, plated with gold like a medieval throne.
Porky calls it a toilet "fitting for a king."
I tell him he's full of shit.
Turning red, Porky motions at his bodyguard, and I see stars in my vision when Boris slams a fist down on my head. Either way, I get the message loud and clear- shut your fucking mouth, or your sister gets it.
So as much as it sucks, I shut up and put up with it.
Instead, I reach for my empathy links, or try to cast a spell, but my PSI is shot, and whatever my empathy link's doing, it's stuck in some sort of funk. Great. I'm too drugged up to shoot fire, and too miserable for my empathy powers to work. I glance every now and then for any sign of Lucas or Tracy, but my heart sinks when I get no clues. Porky's not that dumb.
Fuck.
This can't be how it ends. I can't just give up. I want to say that I haven't given up yet, but honestly, Porky's got me pretty good.
I haven't felt this useless since my final battle against Giygas.
Gloating and rubbing his victory in my face, Porky shoves me into yet another chamber, this one full of half-naked women in brassieres. As soon as the bodyguards open the double doors, the women pour over us and squeal with delight, knocking over themselves to touch Porky like he's the Prime Minister of Whales. "Eeee- We've missed you, Master Porky!"
Whatever I was expecting, it wasn't this.
"Ness, this is my exclusive fan club," Porky gestures towards the giggling women, and for some stupid reason, my face turns hot. "Unlike you, I have so many people who love me, I can choose who can join my fanclub. Only perfect 10s allowed, all with great ass-ets... heh heh."
One woman pouts, crouching at his elbow. "Master Porky, Master Porky, we kept asking the mean security guard for you, but he kept saying you were busy-"
"We've been so lonely," another woman agrees with a purr, tracing her finger over Porky's massive leg. "Sleep with me tonight?"
"No, me!"
"I'll tickle you under your chins," one giggles.
"Settle down, ladies, there's enough of me to go around," Porky wheezes, and members of his "Fan Club" fawn over him, melting into puddles of goo-goo ga-ga. Barf. I don't know what's worse, that Porky apparently has a chin tickling fetish, or that I know the truth behind his Victoria's Secret Harem.
I say the quiet part out loud. "You brainwashed them."
Emerging from his sea of slaves, Porky wheezes into his pink plush arm chair. "Don't be rude. Ask the girls themselves. Ladies?"
"Master Porky, brainwash us?" A woman gasps.
"Well if he brainwashed me, then it's with his stunningly good looks," another member says, and the rest of them dissolve into giggles. "Master Porky's right. Don't be lame, little boy."
As if to validate their words, Porky waves a hand to the side. "Well, there you have it. I know it's hard, but don't be too jealous of me, Ness. You're ruining the mood."
I don't know why, but underneath, something angry and hot builds up inside. Like a soda bottle about to take off under pressure.
"No, you're wrong. You brainwashed them," I repeat. "You kidnapped them. They never asked for it too. You took whoever you wanted, whenever you wanted, just like the Sharks. You say that they're your Fan Club... Are you bullshitting me? They don't know you. They don't love you. They've never even heard of you, Pokey."
In a split instant, Porky's face turns dark. "Don't call me that."
The pressure builds. "You say you know me best- well, news flash. Guess what, you sicko? I know you too. I know what your fucking parents did to you. I know your mom was a nutcase, and your dad was an alcoholic who beat you every night. What your parents did to you was wrong, but you know what? That doesn't excuse the messed up shit you pulled here, you cracked egg-"
"Shut-" Porky begins.
"No, you shut up. You don't get to fuck someone over whenever you feel like it, then get to play the victim card when you get caught red-handed-"
"Shut up, shut up," Porky screams, pounding his fists against his armchair, frothing at the mouth. He looks almost childish, like a kid throwing a tantrum in the icecream aisle. "Shut the fuck up, NOW-"
"You can't do whatever you want just because your mom never loved you!"
The dam bursts. My anger explodes into an uncontrollable frenzy of magic, streaming through my fingers into a freakshow-
Shit-
Tracy.
Horror cuts off the little control I have over my emotions. Just as quickly, there's a tug in my gut, and the flow of magic halts like a tight faucet.
As if breaking free from a daze, the members of the Fan Club blink and stare at me. Then, grabbing their temples, they collapse onto the floor, screaming and wailing and covering themselves with whatever they can find.
I choke when a fat fist drags me backwards by the collar of my shirt. "Grab the Happy Happy pills," Porky spits at his bodyguards. "The women are getting hysterical again-"
"Yessir!"
When we're a floor down, Porky shoves me down the last flight of stairs. Unable to stop myself, I roll like a DK barrel to the first floor. Aching all over from the one-way trip, I barely have time to breathe when Porky hoists me up by the roots of my hair. Again, not an experience I recommend. If Porky were in Smash, he could seriously give Kumatora a run for the most painful grab in gaming history.
"Get your fat hands off me-"
"Maybe you don't get it." In the most patronizing tone possible, like a teacher telling the dog not to pee on the floor, Porky wheezes, "You're supposed to be happy, Ness. I'm being nice to you."
"Wow, you broke my leg and fucked a bunch of kids, you're so nice," I snap. "Look, if I'm such a pain, why don't you just brainwash me too? You won, you've got me, now call my sister and Lucas off-"
"You're lucky that I'm your best friend-"
"I don't want to be your friend, you delusional ass!"
Porky's smile freezes on his face. My crazy meter spikes up.
"...I see why you're acting up," Porky says softly, his eyes lighting up with mania. "Let me show you something."
Shit, I've really blown it this time.
Yanking me along, he doesn't even slow down on the stairs, even when I stumble down the last few because of my clumsy cast. "Ooh la la, have you packed on a couple pounds? You need to stay in better shape, Nessie," he wheezes gleefully, and I bite back an unflattering retort before it can leave my mouth. I've already done enough damage. Tracy would be lucky to see the end of the day.
We cross over the first floor. My hands start to sweat when we approach the basement.
"Porky," I manage. "Whatever... whatever you're planning- don't hurt her-"
"What are you blathering about, you idiot?" Porky wheezes as he turns the corner into the kitchen, aggressively snapping his fingers. Catching their attention, his bodyguards stand at attention. "You five, wait outside. I'll be showing Ness here the ah... Porky Minch hospitality."
The kitchen bustles with activity. We pass a crew of cooks huddled around the fish station, slapping salmon onto their cutting boards and descaling them into fillets. Another chef carefully pipetts canary-yellow cream onto a plate of cupcakes, each decorated with a chocolate stamp of Porky's face. Upon seeing us, the staff purposely avert their eyes, glued to their work. They're all busy for Porky's dinner party tonight.
Startled by our arrival, the head chef almost drops his cigar from his mouth. "Boss. Uh, what brings you here-?"
"What's taking you bozos so long? I ordered two medium-rares half an hour ago. Or did Boris fuck up again?"
A frown creases the chef's forehead. "But sir, I thought you didn't like-" his eyes land on me, and everything clicks. "Ah. Dinner for two-?"
"Just bring us the food, useless," Porky wheezes.
With a nod, the head chef claps his hands. "Cherri, Barten, fire up the kitchen! Two medium rares for the boss. Don't fuck this up!"
"Oui, chef!"
The kitchen scatters into a frenzy. Clearly everyone here thinks Porky's a lit gasket ready to blow. Not that Porky's ever been a stable person to begin with.
Just as the relief sinks in, that Tracy's safe for the time being, another man bursts into the kitchen. "Master Porky, bad news. We still haven't heard back from the ground team about the b-" He abruptly backpedals upon seeing me.
Instant statue.
Minus the background clatter and sizzle of the kitchen, we could probably hear a penny drop.
"Hold on," I start slowly. "You're one of Strong's men... from the Onett Police. You attacked Lucas in Tazmily Village."
As if not comprehending the situation, the man continues staring at me. Then his face turns ashen. "Master Porky."
"Yeah, what," comes the noncommittal wheeze.
"Isn't this...?"
"Ness, the one and only. Don't worry, he won't bite. I've made sure of that. He might bite you though, if you get too close. Ahaha."
"What..." The man's eyes flicker to Porky's hand on my shoulder. "What exactly is he doing here?"
"Figure it out yourself, genius," Porky wheezes.
If possible, the man's face turns paler than a sheet. "This... This is insanity," he whispers. "Master Porky, you have to let this kid go-"
"Are you scared, Captain?"
"Me, scared?" The man breaks into a hysterical laugh. "W-Well, you can't blame me! This kid's the reason half the roster's apparently gone up in arms...! Master Porky, I suggest you drop him off somewhere, or maybe choose another ki-"
"Would you rather take his place?" Porky says quietly, his tone suddenly unnerving.
The man clams up. His forehead beads with sweat.
Silence.
"Exactly. I call the shots here," Porky wheezes. "I order, you follow. And I suggest if you want to remain Acting Captain of the Onett Police force, you obey. Don't make me repeat myself. Go find out what's taking my men so long in the sewers. The last thing I want is a fucking rat running around when I'm trying to host my dinner party. Just catch the pest. Oh, and if it insists on being a nuisance-" Porky drags a finger across his throat. "I'll take it dead."
"Yes, boss."
"One more thing." Porky enters another coughing fit. We wait several seconds as Porky regains his breath. Jesus, it's like waiting on an Alzheimer's patient in the COVID ward. "...interrupt my playtime again, and I'll chop your balls off."
The captain swallows, then salutes himself out.
As if on cue, the chef arrives with food. Two buttered steaks with several sides for Porky, and a bowl of mashed potatoes for me. Not that I feel like eating.
"Fucking disgusting. You're lucky I'm hungry and have nothing else to eat," Porky wheezes, and as if used to the backhanded compliment, the chef gives a curt bow, and shoves it. "...Ness, what do you think? I get to dine on the finest steak... while all you get is mash. What was it your mother said? Not your favorite food? Too bad." Porky wheezes harder, as if from an inside joke. "You might be a pussy, but I don't trust you with a knife. I don't trust your trash taste in food either. It's horrid. Fitting for a loser like you."
"Says the person with a rat infestation."
Porky gives into an fit of coughing, and stabs at his steak. Red juice spurts out. "That's none of your fucking business."
I cross my arms. "Well, unfortunately for you, it is. What's your big plan, Porky?"
"Don't be daft. I'm milking out your defeat."
"Yeah well, I'm calling your bluff. There's got to be something bigger. You've always had a bigger plan in my adventure. You set Carpainter and Monotoli up to take the fall along the way. You even set us up to think that Giygas was the real threat, before you escaped into Lucas's world."
Pleased by the insinuation, Porky chews on his steak like a cow on its cud. "I guess so."
"So I'm just supposed to believe that you're gonna let my sister go. Tonight. No strings attached. Even though she's seen too much? And Lu-" My throat closes up. "The Smashers... they're gonna know I'm missing at some point. You can't cover this up forever. What's your end game?"
"Even if I had one, do you think that I'd just tell you?"
Well, it was worth a shot.
Catching my expression, Porky guffaws with delight. "Don't worry, Ness. I'll monologue all I want when it's too late. You'll find out soon. You'll play a very... special role in my end game."
Real reassuring, coming from a child molester.
I scowl at my broken leg. If it hadn't been for this stupid cast, I would've stood a chance. I could've saved my sister. I could've saved Lucas. I could've beaten Porky, filched his hard drive, and teleported home.
Shit, I didn't even get my shoes back. They were the last thing I had of Lucas too.
My eyes threaten to prickle.
But if he's lying brainwashed somewhere, then at least I know how to reverse it. I just have to control my empathy powers. Somehow. And once I find where Tracy is, I can escape with her too.
Then Porky would be finished for good.
That thought gives me hope. Suddenly my stomach growls, painfully aware that I haven't eaten for a whole day. Hungry, I shovel some mashed potatoes into my mouth, and noticing the vigor, Porky wheezes.
"Yes, that look in your eyes... I was right. I knew you'd fight back. My other toys weren't like you. They broke too easily. But as long as you know your place, I'll let your sister go-"
Dream on, Porky. Because whatever you're planning, I'll turn the tables on you.
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
.
.
.
Mind games have never been my thing.
With all his lies and his unpredictable mood swings, Porky makes Neckbeard's mindfuckery look like child's play. Where Neckbeard was cold and calculated, Porky's straight up unhinged and one step away from the loony bin. I wouldn't have even called my foray into the Dark Web a success either. If it hadn't been for Lucas and Ashley, we wouldn't have made it out alive. We escaped Neckbeard by the literal seat of our pants.
But Porky's words earlier have sown suspicion. He acts pissy-er than usual every time I bring Lucas up, and for a hot second, back in the kitchen, he even looked disturbed.
There's a pretty good chance that Lucas is alive. And somewhere in the city.
It's a huge maybe.
But if I'm right... that changes everything.
Ignoring all odds, assuming Lucas made it out of the SkyTrain tunnel alive, he'd have to have known that something happened. I told him I was gonna teleport home. I had a match with Pittoo scheduled in the morning. Hell, even if Lucas didn't connect the dots, if I no-showed, someone would've asked him for my whereabouts. On top of that, I was supposed to have met Poo at the SkyTrain Station with Jeff at noon. Whatever the time is, it's definitely past noon now.
Even if Lucas is knocked out for the count, the Smashers are already on my tail.
Chills crawl up my spine. His attitude cavalier, Porky didn't seem the least bit fazed by potential discovery. Maybe he's confident that the Smashers can't find this place in time. Or maybe Porky knows he can't escape detection. He doesn't plan to cover everything up, because he doesn't need to.
...My head hurts.
Like I said, I don't do mind games.
But whatever's happening, one thing's for certain: Porky's got something big planned tonight. If I escape with Tracy, it's gotta be during the dinner party. Ideally, I'd call Porky's bluff on Lucas too, but I'd have to know about Lucas's status for certain before we plan our escape. Leaving Lucas behind with Porky isn't even an option.
My heart sinks. Even with the odds in our favor, Tracy's too vulnerable in this world, I can't run, and Lucas is probably in worse condition. Hell, if worst came to worst, I'm gonna have to fight the henchmen off myself, and hopefully buy Tracy enough time to escape with Lucas. And that's assuming we have a free boat waiting on the harbor. Even if Porky doesn't have Lucas hostage, none of us are getting off this island without a fucking boat, and I don't see any of Porky's henchmen willingly handing us one.
That's a lot of what-ifs.
And while I'm an optimist, believing that we can pull this off is nothing short of delusional. There's no fucking way we're getting off this island in one piece. Tracy would probably get shot the second I take a step towards the front door. And if Lucas is here, I can't protect him at the same time.
I can't think of any way I can keep them safe.
Porky's right. We're fucked. We're completely and utterly fucked. This place is a mousetrap, and we've nicked the cheese.
I swallow. So what now? Do I just sit here and wait for the Smashers to find me? I shove my hands into my pajama pockets, but remember I left my phone behind, charging in Jeff's apartment. That's great. Why do I forget my stuff every time I need it?
Speaking of which...
I instinctively reach for my nonexistent shoulder straps. "...Where's my bag?"
"It's getting shipped along with my second shipment of stuff. A few people have been getting suspicious about the Blue House, so I'm moving the rest of my stuff out with the dinner guests," Porky wheezes. "If you want your bag, there's several copies in your closet. Same cheap brand and all."
"My bag was handmade-"
"Whatever, same thing. I tracked down the maker, and paid the bitch double for replicas. Same with your clothes. It was a pain, but I paid them extra not to tell."
He's got that sociopathic look in his eyes again. The unblinking stare. Like he's about to shoot up a school. Something about being stuck in my stupid striped pajamas makes the chill spread to my bare feet. "How long have you been stalking me?"
"I've been watching out for you. Like I said, pig's butt, I'm your best friend. I'm all you've got."
"Wow, gee. What tipped it off?"
"Don't make me break your other leg," Porky wheezes, his bodyguards prodding me up the stairs when my pace slows.
"I'm not done yet. You're the reason Jeff lost his dad-"
"Doctor Andonuts was an old fool."
"You forced Doctor Andonuts to do all your fucked up shit."
"To be fair, Doctor Andonuts mostly did it of his own accord," Porky wheezes, and gestures at his bodyguards to stay outside his personal chambers. The men hastily scatter like skittles, and the doors groan shut behind us. Great, now the nausea's back. "The loony old man came up with everything. All it took was a little persuasion. Thanks to him, I even have this." Porky gives what looked like a life-sized toy train a pat. The smooth metal roof of the caboose echoes from impact with his knuckles.
My stomach twists with recognition. "That's-"
"My own SkyTrain. Made from the Phase Distorter. Well, Time Distorter. The very first SkyTrain in existence... Your nerd friend should be thanking me. We only have SkyTrains, because of me. Because of what his father did for me. My SkyTrain's only good for one use, but that's one more than I'll need. Andonuts served his usefulness... though I didn't foresee him trying to backstab me in the end. Me... the greatest, most charming boy alive-" Porky hacks like a chain smoker. "But in the end, he failed. The old fool tried to trap me in the Absolutely Safe Capsule... but I broke free. Now he's dead, and I live with the last laugh."
"Doctor Andonuts isn't dead. You left him insane for life-"
"He's alive? Well then, I'll kill him next time." Porky grips me by the shoulder. "...Ness. You've been on my mind. Even in my dreams," he breathes, and the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Jesus, this makes me seriously uncomfortable. This has gotta be how Lucas feels around pedos wanting to fuck him.
"Now I have where I want you," Porky continues. "Here, under my palm."
I clench my fists. "Enough talk. You've shown me your illegal time machine and your whole damn tour of the place. I've waited long enough. Show me my sister."
Porky hacks into a coughing fit. "You're being rather bold... for a loser. Do you want me to break her leg instead? Or would you rather Lucas take her place-"
"Lucas isn't here, is he?" I interrupt, looking him in the eye. Porky shuts up. "...I knew it. So where's my sister, Porky? Is she with Carpainter? Or did you make that up too?"
Porky stares at me.
Then his mouth stretches into a grin, his expression twisting like playdoh.
"Let me tell you a bedtime story, Ness," he says softly, his stare unblinking. "You asked me before... about Lucas's brother. You want to know... what I did with him?"
"What did you do with my sister?!"
Porky laughs. It's a hysterical wheeze, punctuated by serious hacking. Like a smoker on his last set of lungs. "His name... I don't care. Never liked Lucas. Never cared for redheads either," Porky gasps, tears streaming down his face. "But Lucas's brother... he was the first kid who reminded me of you. Pathetic. Lame. My men found him bleeding his guts out by some cliff. At first, I mistook him for Lucas. I made Dr. Andonuts patch him up... to look like my favorite TV show. Astroboy...? You used to like that show. We watched it together in my room on Fridays, after school. Creative, huh? I had to think of something to cover up that awful hair-" Porky wheezes some more. "He was... difficult. He screamed and fought back. Just like you. He didn't want to be my friend at first. But that... that didn't matter. I made him mine. My first toy... He cried for his mom the first time I touched him-"
"Fuck you." I'm shaking. "You're the reason Lucas lost his family, and you're just sitting here laughing about it while I'm asking you what you did with my sister, you sick fuck-"
"-He couldn't take it anymore, and he broke. He was much happier to be my slave after that... it's always easier on them when my toys agree to do my bidding. But I lost my fun. It got boring. My toys broke too quickly. None of them had the same fighting spirit you do..." Porky wheezes with helpless laughter. "Isn't it funny, Ness? Isn't it grand? I fooled you the same way I fooled Lucas. I told Lucas he killed his own brother. He believed me... even when I lied. I told you that Lucas was here, and you fell head over heels for it, you dummy-" Porky changes his voice into a mocking simper. "You better behave, or Lucas gets it. You better behave, or I'll hurt your sister. See? I can play you like a fiddle." Porky shakes harder, his triple chins rolling. "You're right, Ness. Lucas isn't here. Tracy is, but I haven't handed her over to Carpainter... yet. But so what? Your sister might be safe for now, and Lucas might not be here, but it's only a matter of time until my men catch him. Lucas's brother died a fag, the same way Lucas will, servicing me. But if you make this easy for me, I might gift Lucas to you instead. Your very own toy. Ahaha-"
"You're lucky Lucas isn't here, because he'd kick your ass to Saturn Valley-"
"It doesn't matter anymore. Don't you get it, Ness? It doesn't matter if Lucas comes or if Lucas goes. Because I finally have what I wanted. You." Porky's eyes turn hungry. "I wasted... so many years trying to replace you. Trying to forget you. But then, I realized- the pills don't work. None of my toys make me happy. Boys. Girls. None of them helped. They were boring. I outgrew them." The uneven smile stretches across his cheeks. His fingers shake uncontrollably like he's on a caffeine overdose. "But you... you're different. You make me feel sane. Even after I won, when you died- I felt like I lost. It didn't matter if I won, if I didn't have a loser like you to brag at. Because you... you and your stupid goody-two shoes face had to die early-" Porky's grip tightens on my shoulders. "I know... I know you can make people feel better. I've seen you do it. With that power... You can make me feel right. You can make me feel alive. So I'll keep you in the Absolutely Safe Capsule with me. I'll be your best friend. And in return, you... you'll make me happy. You'll keep me happy. Forever."
"...What?! Do you even know how my empathy powers work? Because that's not how they work-" I begin, but ignoring me, Porky closes in like a predator, forcing me to back towards the bed.
Awesome. This is fucking fantastic.
I don't like where this is headed. "Porky- Whatever you're thinking, I'm warning you right now. This is a really bad idea-"
"It's okay, Ness." Porky's pupils expand, drunk from deliriousness. His breathing turns heavy. "I know how to make you happy..."
The sick feeling continues to pulsate through me in uncontrollable waves. I take a breath, but the world distorts like an El Salvador painting. The carpet turns gooey under my feet. The wallpaper oozes and melts into a thick puddle.
Suddenly, Porky jerks his hand back from my shoulder as if stung. His own shoulders shake. "What... What did you do to me?" he groans, clapping his hands over his face. Inky tears start to spurt from his eyes like running mascara, streaming down his cheeks and staining his palms black. "F-Fuck, why do I feel like this? Stop. St-Stop..."
Scrunching my face against the urge to empty my guts over the carpet, I sway like a drunkard when my bad leg flares up. The floor roils under me in nauseating waves. It won't stop. It can't stop. I can't stop. God, this is like being a pregnant lady and getting the worst case of morning sickness, ever.
Spasming onto the floor, Porky dryheaves, clutching his right leg as if it were broken. "Ness... You idiot, you complete imbecile," he manages through his wheezing. "I said... I could make you happy. Is this how you repay your best friend?"
"I told you. You're not my friend. Friends don't pull this kind of shit on each other," I spit out, hobbling to my feet. "I gave you enough second chances. Now give back my sister, or else, I will make you."
He laughs when I round on him.
"Are you turning on me? Me, your best friend?!" His voice turns hysterical. "After everything I've done for you?"
Balling up his fists, Porky inhales for breath, and screams for his bodyguards.
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
.
.
.
Ness doesn't even have time to twitch a finger when Porky's bodyguards barge in, tackling him to the floor and cutting off his distress. As the hallucinations fade into a lingering sensation at the pit of his stomach, Porky screams his bodyguards aside, spittle flying from his mouth. Ness only cries out once, when a furious Porky stamps on his broken leg out of spite, but Ness still glares at him through watery eyes, full of disgust.
Those eyes unnerve Porky.
"Lock him up. I don't want to see his stupid face," Porky spits out, and in seconds, the bodyguards stream out, dragging a struggling Ness back into his bedroom cell. He's thrown inside, and tranquilized again for good measure.
It takes forever for Ness to come round a second time.
But when he sees Porky's gleeful face, Ness doesn't say anything. He doesn't respond or say shit, not even when Porky taunts him and spits insults about his mom, his sister, his friends-
Crossing his arms, Ness just gives Porky a hard stare, and faces the wall.
Ness is IGNORING him.
Like Porky doesn't exist.
Nothing Porky does grabs Ness's attention. So he flies into a petty rage, and stomps away. It's not working the way it should. It doesn't make sense. He's the winner now, Ness should be the one grovelling at his feet, Ness should be the one begging for forgiveness, Ness should be the one apologizing for leaving him behind.
But Ness doesn't want to be his friend.
Porky doesn't understand.
This is exactly how his mom taught him to love other people after all.
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
.
.
.
After screaming at my face and demanding to speak to my manager, Porky doesn't return.
I like to think I'm impervious to his insults, but truthfully, they cut me deep. Because while Porky's no longer my friend, his betrayal stings. He knows what gets under my skin too well. It reminds me too much of a quote he once told me long ago, face-to-face, in my own Magicant.
If you refuse me... I'll say something that'll cut you like a knife.
The skyline slowly darkens into evening. Flecks of color from fairylights dot the beach, bouncing off my windows, no doubt decor for Porky's fancy pedo party.
My right leg stabs with pain. The painkillers are wearing off. Fuck if I know what else Porky plans to do with me.
I know I should feel relieved by the close shave, but I don't.
I just want to go home.
At some point, I watch what looks like a pirate ship descend from the sky, mist rolling off its sails. It lands in the dock with barely a ripple. Only one person leaves the plank. The moon illuminates his blue tux.
Outside, Porky greets him.
Carpainter.
They chat. Porky doesn't seem happy. After what looks like a heated talk, Porky stomps back into the mansion. Carpainter trails after him, but not before turning to the ship and closing his fist. As if on cue, his blue blue cult lower the plank, and assist guests and baggage onto the sand. I watch a little longer, but give up when I catch no glimpse of Tracy.
I don't know how long I've been resting my head against the wall when Boris returns.
"Get up. The boss wants you," he says, escorting me out with a horde of bodyguards. When we step into the top floor, I'm surprised when we swerve away from Porky's bedroom and into the farthest chamber down the hall.
This chamber's just as huge as Porky's bedroom, but the similarities end there. Laced with gold thread, the inside of this chamber is blindingly bright like a cathedral. Painted in irony, the colored glass murals depict sacred images of Porky: Porky on a cross, Porky on a throne, Porky on the toilet in the pose of The Thinker.
Except for a heavily-studded throne at the very end of the chamber, there's nothing else.
The sheer vastness of the room puts me on edge. It's too empty for comfort. Deceptively empty for comfort.
Porky's lazing on his throne when we show up. For the third time today, the bodyguards hurl me inside, and I eat another faceful of floor. The entire room shudders when the doors slam shut behind me.
"...Pitiful," Porky wheezes. "I warned you. I warned you when the rumors of you dating Lucas leaked out. I warned you that you'd regret turning against me. That wasn't very cash money of you, Ness. You chose to side by a faggot. And you chose to be a faggot."
"Yeah, the same way you chose to be a good person."
Porky ignores me. "I've been doing some thinking... You brought up my mom earlier." Underneath his bangs, he fixes his eyes on me. The blue in them seem large. "Did you really know? What my mom was like? She almost drowned me in the sink once... because the black eye my dad left me didn't fade in time for school. My parents blamed me for ruining their lives. Nothing I did could make them happy. They cared more about their appearances in society... So I made sure to tear them down when I returned a powerful man. I knew they would see sense one day... much like you." A shudder. Another wheeze. "Originally, I was going to bring you to my dinner party. I was going to show you off to my friends. Then I was going to take you inside the Absolutely Safe Capsule with me. But you made me angry. You refused me. And no one refuses me." In a coughing fit, Porky slams a fist against the throne. "...Fine. You want a fight? I'll give you a fight."
"Let my sister go."
"I'm getting there. Hold your horses, Nessie," Porky wheezes. "Like I said, I'm a business man, Ness. Charming, kind, considerate, everything you're not... you don't deserve this second chance, but I'm willing. So here's a new deal. A fair fight. If you win, you get to leave and take your sister home. None of my men here will stop you. If they do, I'll take off their heads. But if you lose-" Porky wheezes harder from laughter. "I'm trapping you inside the Absolutely Safe Capsule. Alone."
A bad feeling sinks into my stomach. "You keep talking about this stupid capsule, but I have no idea what it is-"
"The Absolutely Safe Capsule," Porky repeats impatiently. "You should be scared. It's the ultimate cage. The thing Lucas sentenced me to all eternity inside... The thing Dr. Andonuts created for me and for me alone... pathetic, cowering Dr. Andonuts. Except the doctor neglected to mention one itty-bitty fact. You see, once closed, the Absolutely Safe Capsule can't ever be opened-" Porky enters another angry coughing fit. It sounds like he's hacking his lungs out. "I wanted the Absolutely Safe Capsule, but Lucas had to show up last minute, and the old coward Andonuts found his spine. For the first few hours, I drifted through time and space, giggling at your demise, but then I realized... I couldn't ever leave. Not even to use the bathroom. The pain, the humiliation, the sheer audacity of those years wasted... I will hand that burden to you." Porky fixes his beady eyes on me. "I can't imagine the stupid look on Lucas's face when he realizes I've imprisoned you inside instead... But that's if Lucas comes back for you. Aha. Ahaha."
I scowl. "What about your pedo party? Won't your guests tattle on you?"
"Carpainter's feeding them poisoned wine... and my Porky bots will take care of the rest. No one will talk. No one will know that I was here. No one alive will know that this island was mine before I sold it to a friend. Except for you. But inside the Absolutely Safe Capsule... no one can hear you scream. No one will know how you feel. And soon, everyone will forget that you even exist. The final party... Ness. You asked me about my monologue moment. Well, here it is." Porky leans over. "...This is my endgame. If I can't have you, no one can. So you'll take my place. You'll rot away inside the Absolutely Safe Capsule for all eternity, while I treat myself to an extended vacation. A bit more... time travel. Thanks to you, I've realized my mistakes. I can't let Lucas live this long. So I'm going back to the past. I'll follow Lucas's dad back home from our first consultant meeting. I'll kill Lucas before he gets the chance to meet you, and frame Flint for the murder. Then I'll befriend you early, so you can't refuse me. I'll even be nicer to you too. Not that that matters. You won't even remember this talk."
"Are you serious? You're going to try your luck on this timeline, again?! You might even destroy it!"
"Not my problem. I'll live," Porky wheezes. "But I'm a generous man. Ness, if you give up now, if you promise to behave and be my friend... I'll let you come quietly. I'll take the Absolutely Safe Capsule with me. We'll escape into another dimension. I'll raise a new kingdom. I'll promise you earldom. I'll promise to leave your family and friends alone, I'll promise to leave Lucas alone, and I'll promise never to return to this world. For a loser like you, the choice is obvious. Give up."
"I'd rather kick your ass a thousand times."
"Then have fun stuck inside the Absolutely Safe Capsule, loser. Who knows, I might even visit you when you cry... that is, if I remember." With a wheeze, Porky presses a button on his throne, and it descends like an elevator. "...So long, gay bowser."
"Where are you going?"
"I said you'd be fighting. I never said you'd be fighting me."
I lunge forward, but too late, Porky's throne sinks out of sight. By the time I reach him, something else has replaced the floor tile.
The Absolutely Safe Capsule.
The intercom crackles to life. "Don't be so surly, Ness," it wheezes. "Your opponent is an old friend of yours. You two had a rocky relationship... ahaha-"
The ground shakes. A shadow stretches over me.
When I see my opponent, my stomach drops to the floor.
Fuck.
Grazing the ceiling with its head, a stone statue of Porky towers over me. The size of a woolly mammoth, it opens its mouth into a ghastly wail that blows the hair out of my face.
"You remember my King Statue? Well good luck fighting it without PK Flash, loser. Oh wait, you're PSIless! Guess you'll have to pray to faggot hell now," Porky gasps with laughter, before the statue cuts him off, slamming its fist against the intercom.
Me, in my pajamas. No powers, a broken leg. One sister to save.
Against a ten ton statue that wants to crush me to dust.
Maybe I shouldn't have pushed my luck.
Author's Note:
Happy New Year! This is another two-parter (20k+ words, rip me), so brace yourselves.
╰(*´︶`*)╯
Unlike last update, I'm going to spend a bit more time on the second half of the chapter (chapter name: "It's Over"), because the resulting content can either make or break the story. So far, I have ~10k written, and am very satisfied with what I have, but still have several scenes I need to write before marking PART II complete. But next chapter (PART II) will finally close Porky's plot arc, so I'm excited about that.
To spare some confusion, I like to imagine that the Phase Distorter = Time Distorter, and that the Phase Distorter was a prototype of the Time Distorter (another reminder that the Time Distorter was used to create the SkyTrain, and made Jeff absolutely loaded).
My final plans for the remaining chapters:
-PART II (Ness's POV), chp 43
-Another Lucas POV, chp 44
-Another Ness POV, chp 45
-Another Lucas POV (maybe?), chp 46
-Another Ness POV (maybe?) - CONCLUSION CHAPTER RIGHT BEFORE EPILOGUE, chp 47
-EPILOGUE (Ness's POV), chp 48
So at most, we'll have 5 chapters left (ending on chp 48), and at the very least, we'll have 3 (ending on chp 46). I'm aiming for the latter, but kinda like these double chapters - I want to make sure that the plot isn't too rushed, and that it's wrapped up neatly at the end. I'll keep you guys posted as I write :)
As thanks for the wait, I have more DLC content that I scrapped a while back (a small blurb about Strong's encounter with Lucas), so I'll put that here under the review responses.
Happy reading!
*A refresher on some key devices in EB/MOTHER 3:
-Pork Bean: A hovercraft-like vehicle. Resembles a tiny pink/white spaceship.
-Absolutely Safe Capsule: Designed by Dr. Andonuts, Jeff's father. Made to be impenetrable. However it comes with one flaw: once inside, the occupant can never leave. It seals anything or anyone inside for "eternity". At the end of MOTHER 3, Porky shut himself inside, thwarting Lucas and co once and for all.
-Phase Distorter: A time machine. Porky uses this to escape from Ness's timeline in EB, and land in Lucas's in MOTHER3. Note: this device is mentioned in this fic as the prototype for the SkyTrain, making Jeff rich and famous.
*In MOTHER 2, "If you refuse me, I'll say something that'll cut you like a knife" is one of the lines Porky says to Ness, if you talk to Porky in Ness's Magicant
*In MOTHER 2, a photographer takes pictures of Ness and co throughout his adventure. I like to think that Ness received all these photos/Polaroids after defeating Giygas (and that Porky made copies of them so that he could make his movie of Ness in Mother 3)
*In the beginning of MOTHER 2, if you speak to Ness's mother with Pokey in your party (and select STEAK as Ness's favorite food), she says,
"You're hungry already? Why don't you have some Steak? Pokey, you don't like steak do you? T-O-O B-A-D!"
*In Mother 3, the name of the song that plays in Porky's fan room is called "Rain, Followed by a Harem." If you talk to the women here, one of them giggles and says that she tickles Porky's chins.
*In Mother 3, Porky has a toilet dungeon in his Empire Pork Building. At the end of a dungeon IS a corridor of mini Porky statues peeing into a moat, leading up to a single toilet at the end.
*In Subspace (and Mother 3), you fight a boss named the King Statue. Though fighting this boss is optional in Mother 3, only two attacks can be used to defeat it: PK Flash (which has a chance of an INSTANT KO), and a New Years Eve Bomb (which has a chance of reducing its massive HP to 1).
Review responses:
POBERTEII: I'm flattered that you love my satire, especially since I feel like my satire's too direct and "in your face"! I have a friend who writes excellent subtle satire, so it's my dream to write like them; unfortunately, I'm a blunt person, so subtle satire takes more effort :) And thank you! As someone who was all like "hell naw" at nesscas at first, reviews like yours make me very glad I gave this pair a chance, because I enjoy writing character dynamics/inner psych of the characters. I think this is the selling point of the story so far :) And I don't blame you for disliking nesscas, because I was there before, and it's such a damn shame to hear that most nesscas fics are stuffed with "Yaoi/porno" cliches, because after writing this story for 4 years+, I've found that this pair has the potential to be something great. Dorky, but great.
Reddy: HELLO YEW! yes blease steal my brain, for I have no brain cells left to give :D But I'm glad that you like the concepts I'm covering, because I'm very passionate about them, and believe they're not discussed enough in society. I could always tone it down, but I always end up posting what I have, because I don't want to coddle my readers, and because I trust that you guys can handle the content (and mostly because I write what I want to write). That said, despite the nature of these themes, I'm very strict about keeping this fic rated T (in terms of no explicit gore/sex/whatever scenes), which has definitely worked in my favor, and is an interesting creative exercise within itself.
Forestfire34720: No worries, dude! Bayonetta has a time power called Witch Time, which I believe can slow/stop time momentarily (never played any of her games, so I can't give more info T-T). And glad you enjoyed the chatroom! It was a pleasure to write :) And you're right; Ninten, Ana, and Lloyd have not made appearances in this fic (and probably won't; I had a scrapped scene with Ninten, but it didn't work out). Also, I love Luigi too, and it hurt to write him with such disrespect ;-; As for your other questions... they'll become relevant for PART II :)
Conna: I'm glad that you think I have a strong sense of atmosphere. Though I'm writing to improve my English (and sucked ass in those classes LOL), I've been told that I'm an engaging storyteller, so maybe that's why... though im not 100% I buy this, because I have a crippling fear of public speech :') Your critique about the apple makes perfect sense, and it's nice to hear, since I felt the same way; to be fair, I forgot that the Apple of Enlightenment was a thing while writing the last chapter - I need to replay EB, since I only played one run haha! Sadly, Carpainter will play less of a role than I originally intended, because Porky's been hogging all the spotlight. T-T
Anon: Happy to hear that! I hope you enjoy this chapter too :)
Maximize: Hello yew! I fixed the mistakes :D I hope this chapter sheds more light on the timeline/time paradox shenanigans! It's flattering (writing-wise) that you think I write from personal experience when it comes to the underworld topics, but I promise I'm in the same boat as the average joe. I have watched multiple documentaries to fill my knowledge gaps though, so that could've helped. I have (thankfully) never been trafficked myself, nor known anyone who has been a trafficking victim. I also hope this chapter answers questions on why the rest of Porky's junk was on the SS Lardna (since he mentions it was stored at the Blue House, though it is a rather weak explanation), and I like to think the pedestals were labelled, so Lucas saw the ASC missing right away :) And hey, Porky DOES gamble... with the lives of his victims B) Too bad those aren't taxable!
I def understand your concern, and I hope the Ness-Claus parallels make more sense in this chapter. Lucas and Ness's relationship will also be further expanded upon in the remaining chapters... that is, is they make it out of this alive B) But I agree that Lucas is a clever character (maybe not book smart like Jeff!), and that it's under-utilized in many fics (including mine ahaha)! I'll leave predictions of Carpainter's fate in your hands :)
Guest: I originally finalized the DUAL POV structure for this story for the reasons you described, and mainly because I preferred 3rd person. :D And I think your observations on Porky and Ness's relationship is very shrewd; it's definitely an abusive relationship, and you had impeccable timing because I planned on covering that this chapter :)
MiraLavenzia: Thank ye kindly for your words! :D And no worries; when I went to school, I was young for my grade. Generally for my classes, it wasn't unusual to see people who were plus/minus 1 year of the average intended age (i.e. one year younger, one year older). That's why Ness and Lucas being in the same grade (despite their age) makes sense in this fic. It's definitely not conventional, but it happens not too rarely. I hope that helped :)
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(CAPTAIN STRONG'S POV, EXTENSION OF CHP 36)
Short blurb that was scrapped
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Lucas doesn't last long.
Behind him, Tazmily Village burns.
Even with two bullets in him, and drugged from gas, Lucas punches Strong off him, and almost knocks two more men out during his interrogation.
Then he's back on the run.
It's a generous statement. Lucas's run is more of a slump, dull and sluggish and lethargic. He dodges as many of the bullets as he can, before he's forced to retreat to the well. They hunt him remorselessly. The police cheer and congratulate Strong when he shoots Lucas again in the arm. Lucas jerks, his reaction time shot. They're frenzied animals thirsting after his blood, whittling him down with cuts and scrapes from close shots.
Lucas finally falls after another bullet to the thigh. He doesn't scream or shout. Creepy fuck. Strong knew the boy was weird in the inside.
Even as his leg stutters underneath him, Lucas crawls upright. This time, there's a raw desperation in Lucas's eyes that betrays his composure. As he instinctively reaches for a spell, fingers stained with blood, Strong hoists up his gun.
For a split second, their eyes meet.
And with a wild grin like he was enjoying some kind of sport, Strong shoots him through the chest.
