Author's Note: I wrote this for the Summerfest Festival, but I guess it got cancelled or I missed it or something. So I'll post it here instead. Also, I'm using the lines as those star/time passes signals. Why don't they work here? Must find better alternative...
South of Summers
A Beautiful Day...
"...And as a gift for your heroic efforts," Mayor Pirkle grinned ear to ear at Ness and his comrades. "I present you all with an all inclusive, one week vacation to Summers!"
The throng of Onett citizens cheered as their homeboy hero took the podium. "Uh, thank you everyone. Thanks for all your support. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. And, um, to all the kids out there, you should stay out of trouble." With a hesitant nod, Ness retook his seat beside Paula.
"This is all very elaborate," she remarked humbly, fingering the medallion the four had each received. "It's not like we did anything that deserved so much recognition..."
"Just saving the world like every other teenage kid," Poo remarked, completing his examination of the pendant. "Jeff, can you tell if this is real gold?" He brought the disc up to the light. "It sort of looks like gold, or partially at least. What do you think?"
"Probably not," Jeff concluded after a moment of observation. "Perhaps it's copper, or bronze maybe. But it's difficult to tell just by the eye."
"...A private helicopter will be taking all of you there," Mayor Pirkle waved into the direction of the aircraft, parked on the road adjacent to the Town Hall. "It's ready to go as soon as you are."
Suddenly, an unusually large figure emerged from the shadows and hopped into the pilot's seat.
It was Pokey, back from his blowing defeat by Ness.
"See all you suckas later!" With a hotdog in hand, he threw the helicopter into gear and directed it toward the ocean. As Pokey descended over the water, without warning, he lost control of the machine and went into a nosedive. He and the helicopter plunged into the ocean, ending the life of such an annoying nuisance.
However, the residences of Onett were sympathetic.
"That poor helicopter," one uttered. "It had such a good life. And to go out like that..."
"Oh well," her companion shrugged. "At least it took down that awful eyesore Pokey out with it."
The Mayor flinched in his stance, his dark moustache twitching from side to side on his upper lip. "I guess we'll have to send for a replacement from Fourside."
Ness stepped up. "No need Mr. Mayor!" He turned to his friends. "Let's get ready!"
The four barrelled onto the street, aware of, but disregarding, an oncoming truck in their path. It screeched its breaks and honked its horn while the driver screamed profanities at them, but they weren't concerned.
"Ready everyone?" They all nodded. "PSI Teleport B!" and before long, Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo were spinning uncontrollably. The civilians on ground watched in marvel as they took off into the sky like a couple of comic book heroes.
A moment later, Ness and his friends landed in a large heap on the Summers road.
"Ah! Watch out!" Paula's outburst saved the group from another inevitable demise. They rolled out of the route of a motorist just in the nick of time, clustering into a pile on the sidewalk.
"What do you guys want to do?" asked Ness after dusting himself off.
"We should probably check into the hotel first," Jeff proposed logically.
"I agree," Paula put in. "We've been carrying these packs around for ages. It'll be nice to be able to get rid of all the junk in our bags." She slipped her backpack from off her shoulders and discarded the superfluous items into a nearby trash bin. "Never again will I unearth a mouldy month-old peanut butter and cheese bar in the bottom of my pack."
"Or run the risk of a bottle rocket accidentally going off when it's still in your bag," Poo added, recalling the incident with a shudder.
Jeff fiddled with his glasses uncomfortably. "Yes, an accident..."
After cleaning and discarding all their unneeded things, the young heroes headed for the hotel, a tall and luxurious building on the west side of town.
"Hello, I am Mr. Monotoli," the man at the front desk greeted them. "Do you have a reservation?"
"Hi, sir! Remember us?" Ness smiled warmly, relieved to see a familiar face.
"Oh... oh yes, I do recall," the senior answered after a moment.
"What are you doing here?" Ness inquired, genuinely curious.
"I quit my job as the elevator operator," Mr. Monotoli elaborated. "I purchased this hotel with the money I had left. Quite the witty move, if I do say so myself."
"Great," Paula muttered under her breath. "Just another way to swindle a new population of people out of their life savings." Jeff and Poo chuckled to themselves.
The bellhop at hand picked up their bags and escorted them to the second floor.
"It's a bit small for four people," Paula scrutinized after quickly surveying the undersized room.
"Ahem. Well," the bellhop cleared his throat and held out a flat open palm.
"Yah, high-five buddy!" Ness slapped his hand, and then proceeded to close the door in his face. The bellhop, still yet to earn a single dollar of tips from the group, stomped off and muttered a death threat aimed at the four.
"Okay now," Ness began after tossing his bag into a corner. "What do you guys want to do?"
"Go shopping," Paula suggested immediately.
"Enjoy the beach," Poo said simultaneously. They both glared at each other challengingly.
"Actually," spoke up Jeff. "I need to go shopping too. Poo broke my protractor when we were landing in Summers."
"I wouldn't dare to lay a finger on your precious protractor!" Poo argued.
"You didn't lay your finger on it," Jeff agreed. "You slammed your whole body on it. I want you to pay up six dollars to replace it."
"Six dollars!" Poo repeated, flabbergasted. "But those things cost five dollars!"
"Yes, but that's if you don't count in the pain and suffering."
"Pain and suffering?" Ness echoed Jeff's words. "Come on, seriously."
"I am serious," Jeff insisted. "And in our now overemphasized legal system, I could probably sue you and acquire almost double of what I'm rationalizing with you now."
"Jeff, we're on vacation," Paula pleaded. "Don't pull something crazy like this to ruin it."
"Whatever, I don't care," Poo dug out a ten dollar bill from his robe and tossed it at Jeff's feet. "There. Use the change to... buy yourself a girlfriend or something."
The recipient of the money picked up the cash note, bewildered. "But you can't get a hooker for just five dollars..."
"All right, let's go," Paula cut in quickly, watching Poo's eyes blaze with fury. "Jeff and I can go shopping while you and Ness go chill on the beach, okay?"
"That sounds fine," Ness consented before a word of protest could be said. "C'mon Poo, let's hit the sand and the surf."
"Isn't it nice to shop on such a beautiful day?" Paula beamed. "Especially with an obscene amount of money?" she patted the wad of bills in her pocket with content.
"I suppose so," Jeff shrugged, kicking a pebble on the stone walkway. He looked up at the first shop in their path, cleverly titled 'Shop'. "Let's stop in here."
The two friends entered the store. Paula went over to the shelves to browse, while Jeff took the chance to speak to the shopkeeper.
"Excuse me," Jeff said timidly. "Do you sell protractors?"
The man in the Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses looked repulsed. "Protractors?" he repeated. "Of course not, kiddo! This is Summers! There's not a single use for a protractor in Summers. There are no schools here. This is paradise!"
"How can you call a place with no schools paradise?" Jeff demanded to know.
The shopkeeper lowered his sunglasses to give himself an unobstructed view at the young fellow. "Oh. I see you're one of those ner- um, bright students who enjoy classes."
"I love school," stressed Jeff passionately. "I love it so much, that I even live at school. I go to the highly acclaimed Winters Boarding House."
"Look kid," the man pounded his fist on the booth in front of him. "I'm not here to chitchat with you. You either buy something or get out, because this place isn't for lookers and window shoppers!"
"What are you talking about?" Paula placed an island bracelet on the counter for checkout.
"Eh, nothing," Jeff waved a dismissive hand. "Are you ready to go yet?"
Paula paid for her purchase and took the small plastic bag. "Yeah, let's go."
As Paula and Jeff exited the shop, an eccentric-looking person came ran to them. "Hey!" he shouted unexpectantly. "You're invading my private space!"
"You wanna fight!" Paula dared him. The trio were engaged in battle.
Crazy Drunk Partier confronts Paula and Jeff! Crazy Drunk Partier attacks! Just missed!
"Ha!" Paula huffed confidently. "This guy is so pathetic! We completely roll right over people like this! He's going down!"
"Wait Paula!" Jeff shouted. "I don't have a weapon! I've completely forgotten what to do!"
Paula's eyes grew round. "Oh no! I forgot about that! What are we going to do now? We're doomed!" Without their laser guns and frying pans, Jeff and Paula found themselves unarmed and helpless.
Paula is on guard. Jeff is on guard.
"Use your PSI!" Jeff hissed urgently. "Don't you remember how to use your PSI? Flame him or freeze him or something!"
Paula concentrated her mind, but nothing came out. Instead, Paula decided to pray with her whole heart. A terrible, heaven-rending sound engulfed the three.
"I don't feel so good..." Jeff moaned, clucking his stomach. The affects of the prayer had given him the unfortunate side effects.
"Me neither," Paula groaned. Fearing defeat (and feeling funky), she threw a defensive punch into any direction.
"Ow!" Jeff wailed as he hit the ground.
The Crazy Drunken Partier attacked again, this time unluckily striking Paula squarely on the face. She went down too.
"Paula... Paula..." Jeff whispered hoarsely, the loudest sound he was capable of at the moment. "Are you okay?"
"I'm tired... I'm hurt... I don't feel well... I just want to sleep..." she grumbled, her face resting on the cool stone that structured the sidewalk. Succumbing to her injuries, she accepted her fate closed her eyes.
"Paula... Paula!" Jeff cried out. "You can't give up! Paula...?"
The sound of his voice, fading softer and softer with his weakness, was drowned out by the dim of the traffic. Surrendering to his physical inability as well, he shut himself down. His last thoughts paralleled those of Paula's; the disbelief that two of the strongest powers in the world couldn't even hold their own against that surprise attack.
Lying on his beach towel, Ness had never felt so contented. It was the first moment in a long time that he had the time to actually relax. He took full advantage of this situation.
"It feels good to have nothing to worry about anymore, doesn't it?" Ness sighed with satisfaction. "No more thinking about sanctuaries, or Giygas, or anything. It feels really great."
"Yes, it does," Poo emptily commented, his eyes fixated on the pretty young blondes with nothing but a skimpy bikini on. Her, and many alike dotted the shoreline, giving Poo all the eye candy he could ever dream for. As the eldest in the group of four, his desires at times seemed a little misunderstood.
"How do you think Paula and Jeff are doing?" Ness mused, stretching his arms above his head.
"I'm sure they're doing fine," Poo amused Ness with conversation.
With his hands behind his head, Ness closed his eyes and blocked out all the noises surrounding him. What could be better than a refreshing nap on the sun kissed shores of the ocean?
A loud ringing disturbed his tranquility. Forcing his eyes open, he pulled his receiver phone out from the safety of his shoe (everyone's 'secret' hiding place). "Hello..." he groggily answered the caller.
"Yes, I'm looking for Ness?" the voice on the phone said.
"Yeah, that's me," Ness sat up. "Can I help you?"
"I have two patients at the hospital-- Paula and Jeff-- and they claim that they are your responsibility."
Ness arched an eyebrow. Maybe this was the case during their journey, but certainly those two could manage by themselves now that the greater evil was destroyed. "Um... I guess so. What happened?"
"It's not for certain. But we need you to come to the hospital immediately." The caller hung up with a 'click'.
"Huh." Ness ended the call. "What could have happened to those two?" he wondered. But rather than dwell on the subject, he decided not to waste time, and began to gather his things. "Poo... Poo!"
"What?" Poo snapped rather abruptly, Ness's voice interrupting his concentration. He had given up on looking at the women on the beach and was trying to meditate to pass the time.
"We have to go to the hospital," Ness tossed his towel over his shoulder. "Something happened to Paula and Jeff."
"Oh..." Though in a minor state of shock, Poo quickly followed suit.
Author's Note: The conclusion of this fic will be posted up shortly. I hope you liked it so far. Please review, because your thoughts are greatly appreciated!