Disclaimer - I do not own EarthBound or any EarthBound-related objects. I do own the Shadow Man, because he is not EarthBound-related.

Chapter 12: The Battle Beyond the Titans

Flashback From Previous Chapter:

"Congratulations, fools!" A huge voice boomed over the room. The voice of the Shadow Man. "I am impressed that you made it this far, but you will never even reach me, let alone defeat me! Hoohoohoohahaha!" "Oh yeah?!" Paula yelled into the thin dusty air. "Says WHO?!?" "Ah, the girl. Quite a feisty one, isn't she? No matter, she'll find out says who. My loyal and trustworthy servant, that's who! Go forth, and defeat that snivelling scum of an enemy!" Suddenly, a figure appeared. It was dark, but it seemed to be the size of a normal person. But anyone from the distance knew who it was. "No." Paula stammered, staring at the person in front of her. "No.it can't be!" This figure was wearing a baseball cap, and had a baseball bat in his hand. And a smile of bone-chilling evil.

***Flashback ends***

(A/N: In this chapter, Ness is sometimes referred to as (Ness?) because of the uncertainty if this is Ness.)

(Ness?) stood in front of his friends, completely changed to the core. Evil as evil. "What have you done?!" Paula screamed. "He saw the light.or rather, the darkness, and realised the error of his ways, I suppose.hehehe." "No.NESS!!" Paula screamed at (Ness?) (Ness?) simply said "I will only fight the strongest of you." He simply raised his hand and said "PSI Rockin' Omega". The attack blew back everyone. Except the one person who was determined over any to save Ness. Paula. "Humph. I see you are strongest to resist my attack. Very well, little girl. If you are the strongest, we shall begin the battle.

***Battle Scene!***

***cue dramatic (but not final) boss music here, whatever you think suits***

Paula dodged around as (Ness?) threw lots of PSI Rockin' Alpha's at her. It took all she was worth. In the end, though, her anger rised and she actually deflected a PSI Rockin' Alpha back at (Ness?) with her Holy Frying Pan. It knocked him half sideways, but he got up. "Humph. PSI Flash Beta." (Ness?) then used. It startled Paula, but her confidence overcame it. "What?" Even (Ness?) seemed surprised. "No matter. I can dish out worse pain. PSI Rockin' Beta!" A PSI Rockin' Beta blew Paula off her feet, leaving Ness to dash in with his bat. Paula's instincts made her body fend it off with the Holy Frying Pan. "Your confidence and skill overwhelms me, young girl, but no-one can defeat me! PSI Rockin' Beta!" (Ness?) yelled This time though, Paula dodged it. "It's time to show you my own firepower! PSI Freeze Sigma!" (Ness?), not expecting this, was copped fully and actually frozen. Paula used this opportunity to whack at (Ness?) as much as she could. He soon broke free. "ARRRGH!" (Ness?) screamed. "Your insolence has cost you dearly! PSI Rockin' Sigma!!" Paula almost ran up the wall in order to get away from it. She charged and hit (Ness?) as hard as she could in the head. "Grrr! Head injuries are no match for me! DIE!! PSI Flash Sigma!" However, Paula's confidence again overcame it. "What?! This girl is immune to PSI Flash Sigma?! Impossible! But you will DIE! DIE!! DIE!!!" (Ness?) screamed running up to Paula, and scoring a home run on her head. She flew to the side and conked out. "HAHAHA! You all fall under the mighty spell of Trigas! If you will not join, you will die! Prepare.for your ultimate.loss!" Ness held his hands up. At the same time, Paula regained consciousness. "PSI." Energy started crackling at (Ness?)'s fingertips. Suddenly, an odd figure came into view. "Princess?" Paula looked closer, and indeed, it was the Princess. "Rockin'. "I have travelled with you in shadow. In our darkest hour, it is time to reveal my light. PSI Reflect Shield Omega!" "Omega!!!" A shield came over Paula and the Princess, shielding them from the danger. (Ness?) threw, but failed to realise that shield before he'd thrown it. His attack bounced off the shield back at him, and hit him square in the face. "ARRRRGH!! No one makes a fool out of Ness!! BE GONE, FOOL!" (Ness?) actually crashed through the shield. Paula ducked, but the Princess was whacked backwards into the corridor. Paula couldn't believe it! The girl who had just saved her had been whacked 50 metres backwards. Paula started to get angry.very angry.so unbelievably angry with this.this thing that had taken Ness. The power of PSI Freeze peaked.and overflew, as her power went beyond normal. "What?! The girl is going crazy! I must kill her before she uses that power! PSI." But before (Ness?) could finish, Paula put her hands in front of her and yelled enough to raise the roof. "PSI Glacial Freeze Omega!!!" A huge glacier swept down from nowhere and almost literally buried Ness. The glacier surrounded him, and the coldness easily damaged him beyond belief. He was frozen, but only for a while. ***End Battle Scene***

"Why." Paula asked herself, "Why won't Ness come back to us?" She thought as hard as she could. "I've done everything I can to save him, but he won't return! What can I do now?! Now that every option has been used?!?" A low moaning sound echoed throughout the entire room. It seemed to remind Paula of something. "No.there is one more option.it seems like it won't work, but without any other options, what have I got to lose?" Paula knelt down and prayed. "Please!" she yelled as loud as she could. "Please aid us! We need help, we need strength, and we need care! Anyone who can hear us, give us aid! Please save Ness!" Power ruptured through Paula's hands and broke (Ness?)'s prison. "Hoohoohoohahaha! You have released me, young Paula! What have you to say now?!" "You.you remembered my name." Paula said, shocked at the fact. "ACK!?! But what difference does it make, Paula, you'll still be dead." A moaning sound went around the room, as if trying to ask for help. Paula again lent down, with (Ness?) just bursting out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! That's rich! You kneel to God, your last hope? Or do you kneel to Trigas, Supreme Ruler of the Universe?" Ignoring (Ness?)'s laughs, Paula just screamed, "ANYONE!! ANYONE WHO CAN HEAR ME!! HELP ME! HELP NESS! HELP US ALL! GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO BREAK THE CURSE!" Power again ruptured through Paula's hands, and floated in a tiny white sphere against her. "HAHAHAHAHA! You expect to defeat me with a tiny white sphere?! Now I've seen it all!" Suddenly, another tiny white sphere ran into it. Then another tiny white sphere ran into them. And another. And another. And another. And another. These seven spheres were nothing else but the goodness of the party from earlier. Though they could not aid in the battle, they could offer their good will for aid. "What? What is this?" (Ness?) looked puzzled at the white sphere, as if he didn't know what it was. Suddenly, a light beam shone out of it. It shone onto the floor, then slowly went forward until it shone onto (Ness?)'s foot. He screamed. The pain of this light was unbearable. It shone up his leg, and into his heart. He screamed until he turned blue. Paula stood back, horrified at the scene. (Ness?) was screaming, as the ball moved closer and closer to him, he screamed louder, as if trying to release his pain through his vocality. Paula could do nothing but stare, as the ball finally touched (Ness?) and covered him. He basically screamed murder, but the moaning voice around the room stopped. The rest of the party had finally managed to reach Paula, but she never noticed. The ball of light however, after minutes of (Ness?)'s agonizing torture, is disappeared, and (Ness?) crumpled to the ground. Paula ran over to him. "Paula?" (Ness?) asked. She replied with a frying pan to the head.' "Damn it Trigas!! How long do I have to suffer with Ness as evil as he is?!" "Ouch.uh.Paula?" Ness asked, in a more normal tone. "I'll never forgive you, Trigas!!! I'll kill you myself, for making the only one person I love under YOUR control!!" Ness slowly walked behind the raging Paula, in a fit of worry and anger. Ness simply said, "I never knew you thought that way about me." Paula simply turned around and yelled, "Well, you should have!! And." She took a closer look. Ness just managed a goofy grin and a shrug. This time Paula replied by hugging him, and kissing him on the cheek at basically the same time. She never noticed the group behind her, giving smiles. "Paula? What's got into you? Was it something I said?" Ness asked. "No, it's pretty much several things you've done." Paula replied. "Awww.isn't that sweet?" Jeff asked. Paula instantly rocketed into the air. "Oh, for God's sake!" Ness yelled at him. "You just scared her onto the roof! .You saw everything that happened, didn't you?" Everyone nodded. "BOO!" yelled something behind Ness, causing him to rocket into the air. "That was amazing, Paula! I've not seen even Ness manage a power like that!" Poo stated, complimentary. "You must have achieved a power rating beyond anything I've ever seen!" Dr. Andonuts stated. "Hmmm." Jeff thought aloud. "Ness should be reaching the ground right about." A huge whump nearby echoed through the hall. ".now." "Oh, hahaha. Very funny." Ness moaned. "I'm glad you saw it my way!" Paula replied. "Well, I don't think that we have the time for pleasantries, it's time to move on and defeat Trigas!" Ness boldly led the way. "There's no way he's getting away with this. I'll make sure he's dead!" Paula charged forth." "This idiot is trying to destroy the scientific universe! If he does that, he'll have to get past me!" Jeff hurried after them. "Since I met these people, I would go to the ends of the earth to make sure they stay safe. Now I am about to go there, but I'm not afraid. Here I come!!" Poo stealthily ran forward. "Boing! Mr. Saturn must free other Mr. Saturn's! Can help destroy Universal Destroyer thing, ZOOM!" Mr. Saturn bounced along. "My scientific genius proves that we're doomed, but my beliefs say we can do it." Dr. Andonuts boldly jogged along. "Trigas has betrayed his younger brother, and my ally, Giygas! Either he or me is going down!" Pokey ran forward. "I now understand these people's true plight. I will do my best to aid them." The Princess followed after wards.

Meanwhile, in the Shadow Man's chamber.

"WHAT?!!?!" The Shadow Man yelled. "They've FREED him?! He was my LAST defence! Now I must face him alone." "But sir!" the huge army yelled behind him, "We must help you destroy the Apple of Enlightment's Chosen Four!" "I said now I must face him ALONE!" The Shadow man yelled, waving his hand and destroying every one of his guards. "The true battle, shall now begin. I, Trigas, master of all, shall destroy them! Giygas! I shall become one with you!

(A/N: The final battle is coming! With the Chosen One's reunited, the only obstacle is the evil Shadow Man. Can they finally defeat him and save the world? Or will Trigas defeat them, and smite the universe? You can at least review and urge me to continue this story.)