Mother X: Father

by Tatsurou

Ants in Pants

With the Key to the Shack in hand, Ness wasted no time getting there to open it back up. The entertainers who had been eager to get into the rather ramshackle structure to change were most grateful, though kept their distance and stayed out of the group's way. The shack had a rather large hole in the back wall, providing a perfect path to the caverns behind.

Once they were inside, Moondancer spoke up. "Be careful, Ness," she cautioned gently. "Caverns like this cause PSI waves to rebound and collect, leading to animals and constructs within becoming much stronger than those encountered outside in the same area, and the narrow passages concentrate them into large groups."

"Got-YAH!" Ness screamed out, leaping back to dodge the attack of a large Rowdy Mouse that tried to bite him, quickly knocking it away with his bat. "Got it," he agreed.

"Not all such creatures will be easy for you to notice," Buzz Buzz pointed out. "The slugs will be little threat, since their own bodies will hold them back. The ants, on the other hand..."

Ness shivered violently. "You don't need to warn me about ants," he spoke up nervously. "I read Leningen vs the Ants. The last thing I'm going to do is underestimate PSI amplified ants." He moved forward carefully, keeping his eyes on the ground and swinging the bat at anything that moved.

Moondancer took the time to look around as they made their way through the caverns. Unfortunately for her hopes, it seemed caverns everywhere in the Sol system were much the same, save the color of the rocks. Stalactites, stalagmites, unexplained ropes leading to different floors, inexplicable gift boxes with helpful items, and stray animals that weren't quite animals trying to kill the explorers.

The black ants they encountered didn't look quite like ants, however. They were more...antoid if anything, having a rough ant shape but being far too brightly colored where they weren't black, and somewhat larger than normal. Thankfully, their larger size made them less agile than ants normally were, and less durable. A single swing from the bat was often enough to take down one of them...though they generally arrived in groups of two or three. When Ness was lucky, the other ants would just attempt to bite him as he struck their comrades. When he was unlucky, they released pheromones that summoned more of their comrades to the attack.

The one time Ness started to get overwhelmed from sheer numbers, he turned to run to get room to regroup. Moondancer used a PSI Shield to cover his escape, letting the Antoids bang against it for a time until they lost interest. She then moved to check on Ness. "You okay?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah," Ness confirmed as he used his PSI to heal himself from the bite wounds he'd received. "Just...wish I had a way...to hit groups at once so they can't overwhelm me like that."

"I'm certain that desire will awaken into a skill before too long," Buzz Buzz allowed as the group moved on.

Thankfully, halfway through the caverns the group stepped out onto a middle plateau halfway up, with no stray animals wandering about. The only creature of any sort on the grassy plateau was a tiny butterfly that sparkled in the sunlight. "What is that?" Ness asked in confusion, trying to keep away from it.

"That's a magic butterfly," Moondancer explained. "I read a file on it once. In areas that have been artificially amplified with PSI energy, they spawn. They're actually ordinary butterflies naturally attuned to PSI energy, and they infuse that gathered PSI energy into any PSI talented individual they encounter to release their burden, then move on to gather new energy."

"So...it's not going to hurt me?" Ness asked nervously.

"No," Buzz Buzz confirmed. "It will help you - all of us - relax."

Trusting his friends, Ness walked up to the butterfly...which promptly released its gathered energy into them, replenishing their minds and helping them to relax. Smiling, Ness waved to the butterfly as it floated off free of its burden, then led the way into the caves at the other end of the plateau, continuing higher.

After a short climb up several ropes, the trio reached a final opening guarded by a creature surrounded by a glittering spark of light, glowing with power that defied perception. "What is that?" Ness asked in confusion.

The spark seemed to turn towards him, and started to unfold. "So you're Ness," it spoke calmly. "You come seeking Your Sanctuary...but it's mine now." The creature fully unfolded into a Gigantic Ant that towered over the group, scattering several Antoids as it did. "Take it from me...if you dare!"

The light flared, surrounding the group and locking them in so there would be no escape. Ness quickly took a battle stance as Moondancer surrounded herself and Buzz Buzz with a defensive barrier.

"Don't bother," the Gigantic Ant told the pony as it lunged for Ness. "I have no interest in you."

Ness dodged as best he could, but while he could evade the lunges of the Gigantic Ant, it made the Black Antoids harder to track, and they were able to get several painful bites through. Striking the ants one at a time did no good, as one of the Antoids that stayed standing called one to replace it as soon as one fell. "Stop it!" Ness cried out angrily. "This isn't fair!"

"Fair?" the Gigantic Ant hissed out cruelly. "I was called to this spot to claim its power, granted a destiny beyond what I could imagine...and you come to steal it away and complain about fairness?" The ant stomped the ground, sending several rocks crashing down from the ceiling.

"I...said...STOP!" Ness screamed out as his PSI suddenly flared, pushing rocks and ants back. Dashing forward, he focused his PSI into his hands and thrust forward. "KIAI!" he screamed out.

Moondancer's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets as Ness unleashed what she recognized as PSI Shockwave Alpha. But...but the Geeg took the power to use PSI Kiai away from humans when they created Shockwave! she insisted silently. How could Ness use it?

A question for another time? Buzz Buzz suggested as the unleashed wave of power destroyed the Gigantic Ant's cohorts. For now, don't you think we should help Ness?

"My friends...my friends!" the Gigantic Ant screamed out. "How dare you-" Its words were cut off as Ness' bat slammed into its jaw, driving its mandibles into its head.

"Shut up!" Ness snapped out before taking another swing.

SMAAASH!!

The ant's skull caved in from the blow, smashing it to the floor as it shrank back down into an ordinary ant, which quickly scurried away. Ness panted for breath as he leaned back before falling to his knees.

"...well done," Moondancer offered warmly. "You seem to have managed yourself quite well."

"Next time...you help," Ness managed to gasp out.

"...I will," Moondancer allowed. "I will help train you, until you're strong enough and experienced enough I feel confident in your leadership. For now, let's step through to the Sanctuary."

Nodding, Ness led the way out of the caverns.

Atop the highest plateau, a massive human-shaped footprint was embedded in the ground. As the group approached, music filled the air. As the music ended, Ness and Moondancer felt refreshed...

...and just for a moment, Moondancer thought she saw Giegue wiping vegetable mush from his face, his eyes smiling.

Comments

[ShadwSonic]

Moondancer took the time to look around as they made their way through the caverns. Unfortunately for her hopes, it seemed caverns everywhere in the Sol system were much the same, save the color of the rocks. Stalactites, stalagmites, unexplained ropes leading to different floors, inexplicable gift boxes with helpful items, and stray animals that weren't quite animals trying to kill the explorers.

Yep, sounds perfectly normal to me!

[Cozybro]

Looking at the cover from the feature page, I legitimately thought this was about Mewtwo.

[F14m3rz]

Ness shivered violently. "You don't need to warn me about ants," he spoke up nervously. "I read Leningen vs the Ants. The last thing I'm going to do is underestimate PSI amplified ants."

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine, even if you would be a bit streamlined.

"Yeah," Ness confirmed as he used his PSI to heal himself from the bite wounds he'd received. "Just...wish I had a way...to hit groups at once so they can't overwhelm me like that."

Wait... you're not Level 8 yet? I'd at least imagine you're Level 10, if not 9. Of course, I took the Onett House Challenge and got to around Level 14, so maybe I'm not thinking straight.

Moondancer's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets as Ness unleashed what she recognized as PSI Shockwave Alpha. But...but the Geeg took the power to use PSI Kiai away from humans when they created Shockwave! she insisted silently. How could Ness use it?

A question for another time? Buzz Buzz suggested as the unleashed wave of power destroyed the Gigantic Ant's cohorts.

Anyone else getting Force Awakens vibes?

[Starcat5]

I just came across a video that... I have no words. Spoilers abound, but it introduces something that has changed my perception of Earthbound. Or at least Mother 2.

[Dirty Bit]

Liking how detailed the game's mechanics are here

[Ota-Con]

Yet another great entry. And as a coincidence the ad at the end after the chapter just so happend to be for an ant exterminator. Got to love happenstance

[Frogace55]

"I...said...STOP!" Ness screamed out as his PSI suddenly flared, pushing rocks and ants back. Dashing forward, he focused his PSI into his hands and thrust forward. "KIAI!" he screamed out.

So Psychic Kamehameha/Hadoken... Good....

[KeybladeWieldingBrony]

This is just a theory but i'll but spoiler tags up anyway.

So at this point it's pretty much confirmed that Ana is Ness' mom & Theodore is Teddy, i'll put up a revised version of my theory later on down the line, but please let know if hit the nail on the head.