Just For Kicks
Out of all the residents in Dreamland, Marx was probably the most misunderstood.
Yes, he was dressed like a jester. It was also true that a jester's job was to make people laugh. The little jester doesn't have any arms, and living with that fact alone was enough to make him slightly depressed. That's why he wanted to be a jester in the first place: to make people smile when they were down.
People laughing at him whenever he would fall and couldn't get up wasn't in his job description.
It never failed. If he fell then someone was bound to laugh at his futile attempts of getting back on both feet. Marx wanted to make people laugh, but not if it was at his misery!
That was what had happened today. Marx had fallen on his back when he was trying to reach an apple from a tree. He slipped off his beach ball, then fell onto the ground. Marx was on his back and could only see the clouds in the blue sky, but he could hear cruel mean-spirited laughter.
The little clown struggled to get up, but only succeeded in rolling on his stomach. Now he could see his tormentors, a Poppy Bro. Jr, a Bronto Burt, and a Waddle Doo. The Poppy Bro. Jr seemed to be their ringleader.
"Aw, look at this! No matter how many times you see it, it never gets old!" The Poppy Bro. Jr pointed.
"It's so pathetic. It almost makes me feel bad for him. Almost." The Bronto Burt chuckled.
Marx mustered the coldest, iciest, most hateful glare he could summon, which resembled an angry kitten. The bullies weren't perturbed.
"Aww, I think he's getting angry. That's so cute." The Waddle Doo snickered.
"Hey, Hey, Hey. Can't you three be grievances somewhere else?" Marx muttered.
"You don't have to be so hateful!" The Poppy Bro Jr. pretended to look hurt. "Maybe that's why nobody bothers to help you."
Marx growled.
"Hey, tell you what. If you can find a way up by yourself, we won't bother you anymore. I promise." The Poppy Bro. Jr smirked.
Marx knew it was too good to be true, but he was still going to try getting back upright. The lavender jester rolled toward the tree and tried to lean against it. He found himself in a sitting position, now all he had to do was stand up. At least it would have been that way.
The Poppy Bro. Jr pushed Marx back onto the ground. "No, you're using something to help you up. That's against the rules."
"I found a way up by myself, so it's fair you know?!" Marx yelled, then rolled back to the tree and sat up again.
This time the Waddle Doo and Bronto Burt knocked him down. The little jester tried stand up for the third time, but when the Poppy Bro Jr. pushed him down Marx bit his hand.
"You little brat!" He recoiled from the attack.
The Poppy Bro. Jr picked him up by his hat and held him in the air, fist iches from his face. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't punch your lights out."
"What are you doing to my friend?" A voice came from behind the group of bullies.
The three slowly turned around to see a very unimpressed Halcandran. His hands were crossed and the expression on his partially covered face could only be described as tranquil fury.
The Poppy Bro Jr. stuttered. "Ah…hey Magolor. We didn't know you were here…We were just playing with, uh Marx, right guys?" The other two quickly nodded.
Magolor wasn't buying it. "Put him down."
"This was his fault! He bit me and I didn't even do anything! He's a fre-"
"Put. Him. Down. NOW."
Marx was slowly released on his feet. He quickly scurried behind Magolor.
"Aren't any of you ashamed? No, don't answer that. You're not sorry at all. Maybe sorry you were caught, but not sorry for what you did." Magolor scolded.
"You're lucky you have that Halcandran to protect you." The Poppy Bro Jr. glared in Marx's direction.
"All of you go home! You're lucky the Lor Starcutter is being repaired or I would fire you all from it's cannon! Now beat it!" The angry Halcandran pointed.
The three slowly shuffled away. The Poppy Bro Jr. turned around and mouthed the words, "I'll get you." to Marx, only to quickly turn around when Magolor mimed out a cannon firing with his hands. As soon as they were out of sight Magolor turned to Marx.
"Did they hurt you? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, I'm fine…really I am." Marx sighed.
"No, you're not fine. Come on, let's go back to the Lor Starcutter. I bet you'll feel better after some tea and cake."
The two sat down at their makeshift table, a large box, inside the Lor Starcutter. They had an actual table, but Magolor felt bad that it was too high for Marx, so they used a sturdy box instead. A slice of lemon cake and a cup of tea for both was in front of them, only Marx's cup had a straw in it which Magolor always supplied.
"Mag, why do they do it?" Marx asked suddenly.
"Well…" Magolor thought. "It's probably because you're cute."
"I'm not cute!" Marx stuck out his tongue, only proving Magolor's point. "What does being cute have to do with it?"
"You look so tiny and harmless. In nature, beasts generally hunt after smaller, weaker, and cuter creatures."
"You make those guys sound like savages when you say it that way, you know?" Marx hummed.
"They are savages…and as much as I would love for them to be the first test subjects for the Lor Starcutter's new cannon, I can't lay a hand on them." Magolor sighed.
"Besides, you should enjoy being cute. The ones that aren't tormenting you give you sympathy." Magolor reached over and slightly pinched Marx's cheek.
"Stop it, Mag!" Marx pouted. "I don't want sympathy. I just want them to go away." The little jester sighed.
"Mag, it isn't fair, you know? We try so hard to get along with others, but when we're hurt, if we act out we're seen as the bad guys." Marx sighed again.
Who was he kidding? When Marx said 'we' he really meant himself. Nobody dared to mess with Magolor since he found out he had retained some of the Master Crown's power. The Halcandran was far from powerless, but Marx kept nothing from his wish on NOVA. Marx was dependent on Magolor, and though the Halcandran didn't mind helping Marx at all, the little jester couldn't help but feel somewhat ashamed for being so weak.
The next day, it happened again. Marx had slipped on some wet grass and landed on his back, accompanied by the cruel laughter.
"Well, look at who it is." The Poppy Bro Jr. smirked. "Where's your Halcandran buddy? Not so safe without him, huh?"
Magolor was sleeping in late. He had worked all night to repair the Lor Starcutter and he still needed some parts. Marx decided to do him a kindness and get the parts for him. Only fate had different plans for Marx today.
Marx struggled with all of his might to get up. They could only laugh at his efforts.
"Why are you even trying? Just give up. Just stay there on the ground where you're supposed to be. That's just how life is for you, and how it's always gonna be." The Poppy Bro Jr. stood over Marx. The other two nodded in agreement.
Marx felt his eyes tremble. "Maybe…maybe I will just stay here, you know? I'll just lie here forever…"
"See? Now that's a plan. Just stay there and you won't get hurt. Maybe." He snickered.
Marx looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the lyrics to a song began forming in his mind.
"Is this really my life?
Is this how my story ends?
Being in this body
seems like a battle that I cannot win.
Maybe I should lay my head down slow
And sleep until it's all over.
Is it going dark
For the jester boy named Marx?"
The three snickered, unaware of Marx's inner conflict. The bullies were relishing in their assumed victory over the little jester. Suddenly, Marx leapt to his feet in one second.
"HECK NO!"
The three delinquents hopped back in surprise, staring at the suddenly singing boy that was depressed only moments ago.
"Darn it now!
This isn't how I'll go!
I'm gonna kick it!
I'm gonna kick life's butt.
And kick it. To win it."
"What is he doing?" The Bronto Burt whispered nervously.
"I…I think he's singing…" The Waddle Doo answered, just as bewildered.
"I'm gonna take life's name.
And spit on it!
And kick it!
Life can just go eat it!
Cause this is my game!"
The Poppy Bro Jr. began laughing again. "Out of all the things I've ever seen you do, this is the stupidest and most pathetic!"
"Shut up Bro!" Marx glared.
"Huh, why?" He asked mockingly.
"I'm not just gonna lie here
And waste away.
You better shut up Bro or I'll kick you shut.
Today's my day!"
Marx gave the Poppy Bro Jr. a slight kick, although it was enough to make him fall on his bottom.
"Okay, man. Just be cool!"
"And I'm not gonna cool!
Cause I'm piping hot!
Shut up Burt! Shut up Doo!
You're not gonna see me rot!"
Magolor had just woken up and noticed Marx was missing. He floated outside the Lor Starcutter to look for his friend. A while later, his attention was grabbed when a Bronto Burt was suddenly hurled over the Halcandran's head.
Magolor turned to the direction the Bronto Burt had been flung from. He saw Marx and the Poppy Bro Jr. from yesterday.
"Oh no…" Magolor floated to the scene, only to be very surprised when the Poppy Bro Jr. was sent sailing overhead like the Bronto Burt.
"Marx…are you okay?" The blue robed alien asked.
"Ma-go-lor!
Stop telling me to enjoy
Being cute
And get off of that…shiiiip!"
"You know I can't take you seriously when you sing like that." Magolor stated.
The Halcandran was suddenly punted like the others, much to his surprise. "Aaaaah!"
"Shut up!
All of you make me sick!
I'll fix you with my kicks!
I'm gonna reconstruct my self worth.
Or I'll hit you all with bricks."
Magolor picked himself up after Marx seemed to be finished with his outburst. The Bronto Burt had been hurled into a bush. The Waddle Doo was lying on his back in shock, while the Poppy Bro Jr. was dangling from a tree by his yellow hat.
The little jester who had caused all their painful landings was breathing heavily, his eyes were opened wider than usual.
"Marx, do you feel better now? Are you okay, now?" Magolor asked slowly, disregarding the fact the jester had kicked him moments ago.
Marx's heavy breathing slowed down. "Mag…what happened?"
"I think you just had a teeny meltdown. You kicked everyone, including me."
"I'm sorry Mag…I guess I went a little bit out of control, you know…but would it be bad for me to say that it felt good?"
"It's okay. And no, I don't think it makes you bad at all." Magolor comforted his friend while observing the effects of his kicks.
"Something tells me you won't have any trouble from these juvenile delinquents anymore. Do you want blueberry pancakes for breakfast?"
"You know me so well, Mag." Marx skipped next to his best friend as the two were heading to the Lor Starcutter.
"Wait!" The Poppy Bro Jr. yelled, still hanging from the tree. "You aren't just going to leave me dangling here, are you?! You kicked me up here!"
Marx giggled. "Hey, Hey, Hey. Tell you what. If you can find a way down by yourself, I won't kick you again…maybe."
Magolor clapped, impressed. "Will you ever cease to amaze me?"
Author's Note: This was a oneshot idea that I had last night and I just had to write it. Just so it's clear, this oneshot is not canon with Kirby of the Stars: The After Story. Although I kind of wish it was... And yes, it was fun to write this.