Chapter 2: The Proposition

At Cranky' hut, Cranky Kong was at his table creating potions from the book he was reading from. He took a tube full of some blue chemicals, and a tube full of the red chemicals, and mixed them together. The chemicals changed into a different color, and bubbles started forming. Cranky Kong scratched his head, and looked back at his potion book for further instructions. He, then, took a tube full of the green, and mixed it in with the purple. Once he did that, the inside of the hut exploded. Few minutes later, Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong came running into the hut to see what had happened.

"Cranky! What happened?! We heard an explosion?!" Donkey Kong yelled.

"Are you okay?!" Diddy asked loudly.

Cranky Kong came from underneath the table while wiping off some of the rubble off of his face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just gotta remember not to mix purple with green. Unfortunately, I'm old. You young'uns wouldn't understand. You all would be busy playing these video games all day, and never know life. Someone has to tell ya, and that someone would always be me. Good old Cranky Kong; the guy who never gets a break from your journeys. Instead, I'm with you all every day. It ticks me off. Why can't I get peace, and quiet around here?! Everyone and everything has to be loud, and obnoxious! What's up with that?! If you all were like me, you would feel the same way," Cranky ranted on. Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong looked at each other in confusion. Actually, they both looked at each other wondering when Cranky Kong was going to shut his mouth or at least change the subject.

"So...uh...how's Dixie? Any better?" Cranky asked.

"I don't think so," Diddy answered, "I saw her at the tree crying. She's still in mourning mode."

"She'll move on. She's still hurt. We all are. I really did not expect for that to happen to Tiny Kong two months ago. The only good thing about is that she was there to save us," Cranky said in a low tone. Bluster Kong stormed into Cranky's hut angrily. His fists were balled up, and his feet kept on stomping. The way he came in caught Donkey Kong, Diddy, and Cranky off guard. Junior came running behind Bluster.

"It wasn't my fault, you nitwit. Everybody here knows that I like wood," Junior shouted.

"It is your fault! Those were my barrel orders. If I don't get them out on time this evening, I can kiss my promotion goodbye," Bluster shouted back at Junior.

"A promotion for what? From being a jerk to a dumb furry idiot?!" Junior hollered.

"Enough, you two! What in monkey's name is going on here that you both have to come over at my hut to fight about?! Cranky said angrily.

"Is that stupid Klaptrap allowed here on Kongo Bongo Island? He's been driving me crazy! I wouldn't even dream of bunking in with him," Bluster said. "What?! Are you kidding me? Who in their right mind would bunk with you?," Junior chuckled.

"Not with an ape that still lives with his momma," Diddy laughed. Everybody started to laugh at what Diddy Kong said. Bluster wasn't amused at all. He crossed his arms, and pouted at them to get them to stop, but that didn't work. They were still laughing at him. Dixie Kong heard the laughter from outside, and walked in. Donkey Kong spotted her while he was still laughing. He signaled everyone to stop all of it, and stay silent.

"Hey guys. Whatcha laughing at?" Dixie asked.

"We were laughing at the guy standing next to ya," Diddy pointed at Bluster.

"How do you feel, Dixie Kong?" Donkey Kong asked worryingly.

"Okay, I guess," she sighed. "Well, why don't you come swing some vines with me and Diddy Kong? It might make you feel better don't ya think?" Donkey Kong suggested. "Thanks, DK, but...it's not going to stop me from hurting...I miss her too much..." Dixie said sadly. Junior thought for something to say for her to cheer up. Dixie Kong walked in a slouching way, and sat in Cranky's old chair.

"She's not here anymore," Dixie responded.

"Hey! Remember what she said to you before she passed away, Dixie Kong? She said...she will always be in your heart," Junior quoted Tiny Kong. Dixie Kong thought about it until she realized that her sister did say that to her at the Grey Mountains. She said it for Dixie not to cry for too long. Cranky Kong walked over, and placed his friendly hand on Dixie's shoulder. "It's true, Dixie. She may not be here physically, but she is here spiritually. You may not understand it now, but I guarantee you that if you do, you will be able to feel her in your heart, and you won't feel so torn," Cranky said. All she did was sigh, and agreed to what he said. While that was going on, things weren't looking so good back at the dark canyons. In K-Rool's underground lair, two Kasplats ran to King K-Rool to report some news. King K-Rool was scouting out his window in his bedroom with both hands behind his back.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!" one of them yelled.

"What is the problem?! She has escaped?!" King K-Rool roared.

"No no no. Nothing like that sir. We do not have anymore of the blue matter. So, it will be impossible to give her the injection tonight without it. Any other ideas?" One of them asked. King K-Rool paced back and forth near the window, using his brain to come up with another idea since the first one wasn't what it seems. "I knew something like this would come up...uh...hmm...this isn't going the way I want it, but it will all be alright. I want you two to bring Tiny Kong to me," K-Rool commanded his henchmen. They both went to the dungeon that held Tiny Kong captive. Tiny was in the dungeon fast asleep on the cold ground. Her back was leaning against the wall, and her head was hanging down. She jerked a couple of times to keep herself up. The beeping sound of the dungeon door woke her up, and the two Kasplats came in with black metal chains. Tiny Kong wanted to fight, but she also knew that it would not make sense to do so if it would get her killed in the process. She scooted back to get away,but they grabbed her anyways. They took her to the King's room, and pushed her into the doorway. King K-Rool could smell Tiny's scent in his presence, and he quickly turned to her.

"Looks like you were sleeping, princess. Did you have a nice dream?" K-Rool asked. Tiny Kong turned her head, and made the decision not to respond to his questions. K-Rool saw that she wasn't going to speak, so he continued on. "I have a proposition for you, Tiny Kong. It seems that I will have to let you go," he said. Tiny Kong perked up. "Really?" Tiny reacted. "Yes. It's like this. I will let you have your freedom from me if you make a deal by going back home, and bring the crystal coconut back to me" K-Rool explained. Tiny Kong's happiness was deferred. She had to give away the crystal coconut in order for her to have freedom. Being back with her friends sounded exciting, but with their crystal orb in place, it doesn't seem thrilling. King K-Rool was waiting for her answer by tapping his feet on the ground rapidly.

"...No..." she responded.

"No, you say? K-Rool asked.

"I'm not stealing the coconut from my friends to satisfy you, K-Rool. I rather take my freedom, and get out of this dump," Tiny Kong snapped at him.

"When you say no, your freedom has been taken. If you want it that bad, I suggest you get it!" K-Rool yelled.

"No! I'm not doing it!" Tiny yelled back at him.

"Fine. If you don't want to, so be it. Kasplats, kill her-"

"Wait! Wait! Please...I'll...I'll do it," Tiny said with disappointment. K-Rool wasn't sure if that was a real answer she dished out there. He grabbed her by her straps, and pulled. "This better not be some sort of bluff, little girl. I will destroy you, and your so called friends if I find out that it is. I don't do lies. Do you know what happens when someone lies to me?" K-Rool questioned her. Tiny's heart was pounding hard, and she was trembling. "You know...I rather for you to be surprised than for me to demonstrate it to you." K-Rool let go of her straps, and Tiny let out a sigh of relief. K-Rool signaled his troops to go on out of his room while he deals with her.

"So, here's how this is going to go. I'm giving you a few weeks. That should be enough time to mingle with your losers, and take that crystal coconut away from Donkey Kong. If you fail to bring me back the power source, I will have your friends killed along with you. If you do bring in the crystal coconut...well...you'll be getting a reward from me," K-Rool said. He put his hand under her chin while she tears up in fear, and directed her face close to his. "Blow this up if you want to, but I recommend that you do what I say or else I will show you no mercy. Is that clear?" Tiny Kong directed her eyes to the ground because she was already afraid of looking at him straight in the face, and his deep evil voice was killing her; however, she did nod to show him that she agreed, but it wasn't enough for the king. He jerked her a few times to get her to say what he wanted to hear. "You can do better than that, sweetheart. I said is that clear?!" he bellowed in her face. With tears rolling down, she soft spoke him.

"Yes, my lord," Tiny said with a quivering voice. K-Rool chuckled, and aimed his mouth to her right ear. "That's better. Remember, a few weeks is all I'm giving you. Other than that, the deal is off. I want that crystal coconut, Tiny. Whether you have to kill your friends, or not," he whispered in her ear. Then, he licked her neck, and it gave her a frightening chill. Tiny did not like this at all. The thought of stealing and killing DK and the others would put her to misery, but if this was what she had to do stay alive forever, it was a daring choice she had to make.