Angela and Kayla were not quite sure what to do or say.
They had just pretty much given up hope of surviving the fight with Mr. Torch, and all of a sudden, the two boys that standed over them appeared and one single-handedly defeated the man who almost killed them.
"You two look pretty banged up," the one who introduced himself as Brian said.
"Uh, yeah," Kayla answered, "That guy did a number on us."
"Mako?" Brian said, looking to the shorter, oriental boy.
.
Mako nodded and the two walked over to Angela and Kayla, and, holding out their hands, said together, "PSI Lifeup Alpha."
Within an instant, Angela and Kayla's injuries were healed. They stood up and shook themselves off of some dust.
"So," Kayla said, "Thanks for the save."
"Yeah," Angela piped up, "That move you used was... well it... it was cool."
Kayla gave Angela a sideways look and Angela blushed.
"Indeed, Brian," Mako added, "It would seem as though you've come to realize some of your potential after your little trance."
"It just came to me back in the cavern," Brian said, "And when we got here, I just knew that's what I had to do."
"Well, I commend you," Mako said, "I won't deny I was starting to worry about your ability to face what was to come."
"He did excellent," Angela said.
This time Brian blushed a little.
"So, Brian and Mako?" Kayla asked.
Brian and Mako nodded to her.
"Well, I'm Kayla Monotoli," Kayla introduced, "This is Angela Barker."
"Pleased to meet you both," Mako replied, "Monotoli as in the Fourside Monotolis?"
"One and only," Kayla answered.
"So how did you wind up here?" Mako asked, "Here being..."
"Twoson," Kayla answered, "We certainly didn't mean to wind up in a fight with that Torch guy, but we originally came here while following this cyborg..."
"You saw the cyborgs!" Brian gasped.
"I'm guessing you did too?" Kayla asked.
"They came from Pikor," Brian said, "From Raptorland."
"They came from far then," Kayla noticed.
"Yeah, they came out of nowhere," Brian said, "I had reason to think they were coming to Eagleland, so here I am."
"Well, they definitely came here," Kayla said, "In fact, they were targeting my family for awhile."
"Really?" Mako asked, "I wonder why they would choose your family to target when they hail from such a distance?"
"I can tell you why," Kayla said, "Their leader is none other than Pokey Minch."
"The same Pokey that fought alongside Giygas twenty years ago?" Mako gasped.
"Yes," Kayla confirmed, "I figured it out after encountering him a few times."
"You faced that whole army?" Brian asked.
"Actually, we defeated most of them," Kayla said, "And this creep named Elder Mook destroyed the rest. Only Pokey remains."
"I barely managed to defeat one," Brian said, "You two must have pretty impressive powers."
"I guess we can hold our own," Kayla said.
"So Pokey," Mako said, "Any idea what his intentions are now?"
"Not sure," Kayla admitted, "He knocked us out and took off. Before we really had a chance to figure out where he went we got mixed up in this mob business."
"Well, I guess the more important thing is figuring out why he got here exactly," Mako said, "We were all the way in Saturn Meadows just a little bit north of Summers. Brian somehow transported us here."
"Not sure about it either," Brian said, "I didn't really know where we were going, just that I had to be wherever there was."
"Trevor's last words to you were to find the others, correct?" Mako asked.
Brian nodded in response.
"Then, I guess we have two two more of the chosen," Mako stated.
"Chosen?" Kayla asked.
"You think we're chosen ones?" Angela squeaked, "You mean, like the Chosen Four?"
"That is my belief, yes," Mako replied.
"Wow," Angela breathed, "That would be so cool!"
"So you're saying all this is connected to the strange things going on?" Kayla asked.
"A new force like Giygas is trying to invade our world," Mako said, "You mentioned seeing a mook. I myself had an encounter with a being named Supreme Starman."
"A Starman," Angela said, "They were the right hands of Giygas."
"Exactly," Mako said, "And when I spoke with Ness, Paula, and Jeff they agreed that history is repeating itself."
"You've met the Chosen Four!" Angela gasped.
"My father was one of them," Mako answered.
"That's why you look so familiar!" Angela exclaimed, "You're Poo's son! That's so awesome! I've always wanted to meet him and the others!"
"Well, I'm afraid you won't be meeting my father anytime soon," Mako said dryly, "Supreme Starman killed him."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kayla said.
Angela's face dropped. She felt as though someone knocked the wind out of her. She wasn't sure what to say or do. The news didn't seem to want to process in her brain.
"That is why I set off to find Ness," Mako said, "My father was going to do just that before he was killed. Jeff theorized that there may be a new set of chosen kids to fight the battle, and a call from a friend of his in Summers about Brian confirmed it. Now the two of us have been brought here to you two who have also been fighting against the forces of evil."
"So we really may be chosen," Kayla said, "This is intense."
"It would be best then if the four of us teamed up," Mako said, "Compare notes and figure out what we should do."
"I can fill you in on all that we've seen and know so far," Kayla offered.
"As will I," Mako said.
The two began discussing what has happened. Brian stepped away and over to Angela.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"What?" Angela started, "Oh... yeah, I guess so."
"You seem really affected by Poo's death," Brian noticed.
"It just... really baffles me," Angela admitted, "I've grown up learning about the Chosen Four. I've read all about their journies and what they've done to save us all. The fact that one of them is now dead? I feel like... like..."
"Like you've lost someone from your own family," Brian finished, "As much as Mako has."
"Yeah," Angela said, "I know it sounds selfish."
"No," Brian protested, "It sounds natural, and it says a lot about how much you can care for someone you don't even know."
Angela smiled again, "Thank you. That was very nice."
Brian smiled too, and the two seemed sort of lost for a moment.
"Brian, I asked if you think we should try and find Pokey or not," Mako said.
"What?" Brian gasped.
"Well, Kayla and I have been talking about it, and it seems as though Pokey may be the easiest adversary to target for now, seeing as we have very little information on Elder Mook, Supreme Starman, or this Georg that Kayla encountered."
"Yeah, I guess Pokey would be the best one to try and find," Brian agreed, "It is why I came here in the first place. He needs to pay for what he did in Pikor."
"But where would he go?" Kayla asked.
"Oh!" Angela gasped, "I just realized!"
"What is it?" Mako asked.
"It makes sense at least," Angela went on, "Why Pokey would go through this horrible transformation and what would motivate him the most."
"Which is?" Kayla asked.
"His hatred of Ness," Angela declared, "His mind is bent on that. This 'primary objective' he keeps referring to has to be that. He's going to go after Ness."
"That would not be good," Mako said, "Ness is injured right now. Supreme Starman attacked him with something that cannot be healed with PSI. He'll recover eventually, but right now he is in no condition to fight anyone."
"And Pokey is headed his way right now..." Kayla said.
"We can't waste anymore time!" Angela cried, "We have to go to Onett right now!"
One by one, Angela, Mako, and Kayla turned to Brian.
"What?" Brian asked, "I'm supposed to decide?"
The others looked at each other. They weren't really sure, but for some reason they sub-consciously turned to Brian for the answer.
"Well, okay," Brian said uncertainly, "If Ness isn't able to fight, then we can't let Pokey get to him first."
"I can't teleport us there," Kayla said, "I've never been there."
"But I have," Mako replied.
"A fellow teleporter," Kayla complimented.
"It's settled then," Brian said, "Off to Onett."
"I didn't realize how far this place was before," Robert commented.
"It is quite a trek," Jeff admitted, "We should be getting close now. I believe Stonehenge is just beyond those trees there."
Robert and Jeff had been hiking through the woods for close to a half hour. Luckily the sun broke through the clouds so it wasn't as bitterly cold as it was when they first set out.
"I just remain concerned about that kid Michael," Robert mentioned, "To think of what those guys might be doing to them."
"Stonehenge is not a friendly place at all," Jeff said, "But you would do yourself best to try and not worry too much. Just remain focused on what you intend to do."
"Something else that's on my mind is what Michael told me to do when I escaped," Robert went on.
"Which was..." Jeff said.
"He told me to find Kayla Monotoli," Robert said.
"Gelgerade Monotoli's granddaughter?" Jeff wondered aloud.
"So you've heard of her," Robert said.
"By reputation," Jeff answered, "Or rather her family's reputation. I'm sure you've heard of the trouble Fourside has faced in the past due to that family."
"You sound as though you have little respect for them," Robert noticed.
"I suppose I just don't fully agree with the city's readiness to forgive Monotoli so quickly. I understand and sympathize with the manipulation that was put on him, but he still was the one who initially desired more than what he deserved."
"Well, regardless Michael seems to feel I should find her," Robert said.
"She'd be all the way in Fourside," Jeff said, "True I can get us there, but I just don't see what good it would do."
"Is that it up there?" Robert asked.
Jeff quickly darted behind a tree and looked. The stone arrangements that made up Stonehenge hadn't changed one bit since he first walked by them twenty years ago.
"So, now that we here," Jeff said, "I suppose it is time to figure out what exactly..."
But he was suddenly interrupted by a bang, and in an instant, Robert and Jeff saw the figure of Supreme Starman emerge from the entrance and soar off into the sky.
Ness pulled the shades away from his window and looked out into the sky. He couldn't help but to think about Mako and whatever danger he may encounter wherever he was. Ness shoved the shades away, and then winced when he accidentally hit his healing wound with his hand.
"And that's why you should still rest," Paula advised, walking in the room.
"That's only because I hit it," Ness reasoned, "I can do this now without it hurting."
Ness rotated his arm around and stretched it back and forth. It felt a little stiff but he didn't feel any pain.
Paula wasn't as impressed though.
"You still need to wait for it to completely heal. You know it's not a completely natural injury. You can't risk triggering some other PSI that's inside it."
"Yes, yes," Ness said impatiently, "We all realize my obvious incapability to do anything right now."
"That's not what I'm saying, Ness," Paula said.
"Well, it's how I feel," Ness barked, "Look at me! I'm not too old yet. I'm in good shape and my PSI abilities are greater than when I defeated Giygas, but it all seems pretty much worthless now, or at least that's what others say."
"It's what we know, Ness," Paula said, "I mean, the fact that you aren't up to your full potential just right now."
"Well, I can't take it anymore," Ness said, "I can't just sit by while all this is going on and do nothing about it. I have to help."
"How are you supposed to help like this?" Paula demanded.
"I don't know," Ness replied, "But I have to try."
He began to leave the room.
"PSI Barrier Beta!" Paula gasped.
Ness walked into the invisible barrier that Paula created on his doorway. He slowly turned around and looked at Paula.
He looked as though she had just viciously slapped him.
"What did you do?" he asked slowly in a voice that barely sounded like him.
"I can't just let you walk out there and get yourself hurt," Paula reasoned.
"So you're going to keep me prisoner in my own home?" Ness asked, "You're going to use your abilities to control me?"
"That's not what I'm saying!" Paula cried.
"You think I'm so pitiful now that the world can just walk all over me?" Ness continued, "I saved the world and this is what I get in return!"
"Will you stop twisting my words around!" Paula demanded.
"Well, that's me right now I guess!" Ness yelled, "All lost and twisted!"
"Stop it, Ness!" Paula yelled, "I don't like hearing you talk like this!"
"Well, guess what? NEITHER DO I!" Ness roared.
He spun around and thrust his hand out at the doorway.
"PSI ROCKIN' ALPHA!"
Paula's barrier shattered under the force of Ness' attack.
Ness stormed out of the room.
"Ness, stop!" Paula yelled, "Ness, you come back here right now!"
Paula heard the slamming of the front door.
"Oh... god..." she whimpered.
Christian sat on his floor playing with his action figures.
"Get 'em, daddy," he whispered with a smile.
He took the hero action figure, named Ness, and knocked the enemy action figure across the room.