Thanks for all the reviews! It's always encouraging to see such positive responses.
Just to let everyone know, I will answer questions in my updates, but I do not answer personal messages.
Since I got this comment multiple times, I'll start with the issue of Meta Knightmare. I noticed a lot of people say they are tired of this. The idea can have good plot lines, and I follow several exceptional ones, but I agree that it is a little overdone. I lean more towards Kirby being the monster, but I believe it is a little more complicated than that, and Kabu was simplifying matters because he was talking to children.
Storystosee: On the issue of Meta Knight's blindness, I have an explanation on why he can see. It will be in this chapter. I did not mention it in the last chapter because MK had other issues on his mind at the time.
xXSilent DreamerXx: Yeah, this site doesn't like emoticons. :( I still put Kirby face up though.
GingerGuest111: Thanks for pointing out the misspell. I fixed it in the last chapter and it will be spelled correctly in future chapters.
Only Zaroffina belongs to me. Everyone else belongs to Hal Laboratories, Nintendo, 4Kids, and Warpstar Inc.
Enjoy the story!
Episode Two: Glimpse of the Past, Part two
Even after two days, the search for the missing Star Warriors was still full on. With no sign of what had happened to their friends, the tension was becoming unbearable for certain individuals.
"Coo! Have you found any sign of them?" Tiff called out.
A large purple owl descended from his flight. "I'm afraid not, Tiff," he said, straightening several feathers that had been knocked askew by the down draft. "There's no indication or evidence of any ship in the sky, and Kine and Chuchu give the same report from the sea. It looks like our kidnapper made a clean getaway." Noticing Tiff downcast expression, he was quick to add, "Now, don't worry so much. Kirby's made of tougher stuff than that, and Meta Knight's with him, too. We'll find them, and I'm certain they'll be quiet alright in the meanwhile."
"I guess you're right," the girl sighed. "I just can't shake this feeling that something bad is going on and if we don't hurry, we're going to be too late."
"That's how we all feel," Coo responded. Suddenly, and idea came to the owl. "I'll go see if Dyna Blade saw anything. It's a bit early for her to be off her nest for long, but she has sharp eyes and might have seen movement or something similar." With that, Coo took back off into the sky.
Tiff turned to go back to the castle. The frustrating thing was that there wasn't really much that could be done at this point. They knew it was a kidnapping, and they knew who the kidnapper was, but information after that became far less clear. For all they knew, their friends weren't even on Pop Star anymore. Tiff kicked at the grass in frustration. If only there was something else she could do.
Everyone's doing everything they can do, she scolded herself. Still, it seemed as if there was little even the combined effort could do.
First you draw a circle,
( )
Then you dot the eyes,
(0 0)
Add a great big smile,
(0u0)
And Presto! It's Kirby!
There was, however, a single individual who was not working to solve the kidnapping.
King Dedede had been in a foul mood ever since the interrupted council. There was a very special way that Dedede liked things: centered on him. Ever since the discovery of the kidnapping, things had become drastically less him-centered.
Finally, he could take it no longer. "Bandana Dee!" he called out. "Get in here this instant!"
The little orange creature rushed in as fast as he could. "Yes, your highness? What can I do for you?" he asked quickly, eager not to upset the temperamental Pengu.
"Where the heck is everybody?" Dedede snapped.
"Well, sir, Bandana Dee started, "everyone's looking for Kirby and Meta Knight. I mean, they're still missing, and if those kids are right about a kidnapping, they could be in danger."
"It's been two days since all this ruckus about a kidnapping started up. Why won't anybody get the picture that those two will show up when their good 'n ready to?" The king of Dreamland fumed some more.
"But, sir," the smaller creature interjected quietly, "what if they don't?"
Dedede froze. He couldn't think of a response. Meta Knight had always been able to take care of himself, and it seemed that nothing could do Kirby any harm, so the idea that they might need help was foreign to the king's mind. However, he waved the idea out near as soon as it came in.
"That's ridiculous," he scolded. "Those two are impossible to get rid of. I should know. They'll turn up, but in the meantime, I'm getting ignored! What's a guy gotta do to get some attention!"
An idea popped into Bandana Dee head. "Well, sir, I know you're confident they'll return on their own, but the people of the surrounding areas aren't so certain. Why don't you take this time to show your great leadership by leading your own search party? That way, the people can be confident that Kirby and Meta Knight's case is being looked into, and they'll have to listen to you."
"No, no, that'll never work," Dedede grumbled. Suddenly, he brightened up. "I know exactly what I'll do! I'll take this time to show my great leadership by leading my own search party! That way, the people can be confident that Kirby and Meta Knight's case is being looked into, and they'll have to listen to me!"
"Brilliant idea, sir," Bandana Dee said, turning to go back to one of the search parties.
"It certainly is," Dedede grinned. "I thought of it, after all!"
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Meta Knight struggled to move as the cracks continued to circle the yellow orb. However, whatever had been used to keep him unconscious had also partially paralyzed him, so he could only watch while being able to move only a little.
Kirby, meanwhile, had wrapped himself in the older Puffal's wing, trying to hide himself from whatever was coming out. He whimpered, wishing that this would end.
The cracks expanded, and with a sudden jerk, whatever was in it stood up and started walking around with the top part of the eggshell still on its head. Not very well, however, and soon the creature walked right into a wall, and the rest of the shell was knocked off as the creature fell back with a startled "Poyo!"
The duo were startled by what they saw. What had hatched from the egg was a Puffal! The little one was smaller than even Kirby, and was yellow with orange-gold feet and blue eyes. "Poyo," the hatchling repeated as it got up from the fall.
This revelation emboldened Kirby, who eagerly walked over and picked the newcomer up. "Kaabii!" he squealed, delighted in this new discovery.
The little yellow one, however, protested being picked up. After letting out a clamor of poyos, the baby proceeded to squirm free from Kirby's arms. With that, the little one rushed behind Meta Knight.
At this point, however, more cracking sounds arrived. One by one, each of the orbs, now obviously eggs, hatched, revealing a baby Puffal the same color that the egg had been. There were seven in all.
Much to Kirby's disappointment, though, the newborns did not pay him much heed, choosing instead to flock around Meta Knight. The older Star Warrior noticed his displeasure. "Do not worry," he called, moving what little the chemical allowed him to. "They are new hatched infants, so they are imprinting. They will play soon."
This was true. Infant Puffals, when they first hatch, must imprint on at least one adult. This is when the baby recognizes his or her parents. Kirby, though older than them, was still much too young to be considered an adult, and thus the babies rushed over to the only adult present.
Meta Knight then noticed the pile of berries that Kirby had brought in. Why, those were Pep Berries! Where on Pop Star had Kirby gotten those?
He would have to worry about that later. "Kirby, did you bring those in here?" he asked. When the younger Puffal gave the affirmative, he continued. "Why don't you try giving some to our little friends here? I'd bet they'd enjoy it."
Recognition dawned in the little Star Warrior's eyes. Enthusiastically, he grabbed a berry from the pile and offered in to the closest baby, a little brown one with lighter brown feet. "B'wee?" he asked.
The baby looked at the berry for a moment before deciding to eat it. Delight glowed in the little one's eyes, and before long, all seven eagerly clamored around Kirby to be fed.
Kirby handed out the fruit, happy now that he had the little ones' attention. He looked up, and noticed that Meta Knight, though propped up, was still laying where he had originally been. "Medikni 'kay?" he asked. "B'wee?"
"No thank you, Kirby," the older Puffal answered. "I'll eat later." He was too nervous to eat. Pep Berries. He had the only supply of those left that weren't on Popopo, and they certainly weren't at his base. If this place was Popopo, however, then they were in more danger than he initially thought.
He did his best to portray a calm outlook, but what signs he saw made this very difficult. There were many things he did not understand about this circumstance.
First among them was his sight. He had only recently discovered that his mask was off, yet he could see clear as day. It was as if he had never been caught by Nightmare.
Secondly, there was the babies. That these were Puffals, it was clear. Six little boys and a little girl. That part wasn't what was bothering him. What was bothering him is the lack of knowledge of where they came from. Puffal parents are extremely protective of eggs. Seven of them, all alone and left with a stranger, would be cause for alarm. Normally on Popopo, the attempt to get near a single egg would result in an attack by the whole family.
Finally, there was their location. Meta Knight was not clear on it completely, but all signs seemed to point to them being on Popopo itself.
Popopo was the home planet of the Puffal species. Though he had been born there, circumstances had happened so that Meta Knight had not been raised on it. However, he did know of the legends of the planet. Especially of the Legends of Warning.
These legends had been written for multiple purposes, one of them being warnings. The foremost in the blue Puffal's mind was the story of the first year of Tinkuru Popo, the first Puffal Leader, and the origin of the copy ability.
The legend went like this: when the world of Popopo was new, all the creatures on it, great and small, were allies. They lived together in peace and harmony, and all ate from the berries that grew from the Pep Trees that were so common on the planet. One of the creatures among the first chiefs was Tinkuru Popo, the white Puffal.
Now, Tinkuru Popo was a good leader, but he was prone to boasting. When it became clear that his tribe, small though they were, was the most prosperous tribe of the planet, he began to brag of their greatness. Nova, one of the oldest and wisest creatures in creation, was sent and warned Tinkuru Popo that this arrogance would be the undoing of his people, but the Puffal chieftain did not heed the warnings.
Now, as this was happening, the other creatures gathered and discussed what to do about their Puffal problem. One of these creature, a monstrous beast known as Wolfwrath, had hated Tinkuru Popo for a long time, and brought up now his solution. All creatures, be they of land, water, or sky, would turn against the Puffals, and attack and eat them at any opportunity.
So it went. This sudden attacks came and hit the tribe so suddenly that Tinkuru Popo had no time to prepare his people. Many were killed in the attacks. Finally, when it was clear that the Puffal people could take it no longer, the white Puffal cried out, begging for the lives of his people.
The Creator heard this cry, and answered. All those who had participated in the attack were struck witless as punishment, and turned completely into the monsters they had behaved as. Furthermore, as an attack struck, Tinkuru Popo found that he had been given a single strong defense. When he stood in front of a smaller enemy and inhaled, he could copy all his foe's strengths and turn them against the aggressors. So the Puffal species lived, but all the world was their enemy.
This tale had been told by all elder Puffals to their youngsters, and the message of the fable was clear: beware the creature of Popopo. Meta Knight knew this message well, and if he were on Popopo, without Galaxia and with eight small children to defend, then their chances were slim.
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Hope was growing thin among the searchers. A small group, formed by Adeleine, Ribbon, Lololo, Lalala, and their friends Rick the hamster and Phan-Phan worked at clearing out the rubble from the destroyed building.
"Careful there, mate," Rick said, as he went over to help Phan-Phan lift up one of the fallen walls. "Wouldn't want to get flattened out trying to get this on your own."
"Thanks," the elephant-like creature responded. "Why are we doing this, anyway? Didn't Tiff and the others already search here pretty thoroughly?"
"Yes, they did," Ribbon responded, "but it is way too easy for something to go unnoticed in all the confusion. We're here to make sure no stone goes unturned until we are certain that we have found every clue that is to be found."
Phan-Phan nodded sagely. "Ah, I see. So what does a clue look like?"
"Anything that looks like something that shouldn't be here," Adeleine responded. "Could be a footprint, or a piece of cloth. Something like that."
"Would this work?" Lololo asked, and he lifted up what he had found. It was a small metal canister. It had a spray nozzle on the top and had clearly been activated, as it was empty of all contents. It also had a faint imprinted picture on the side.
"That's perfect!" Ribbon cried, and the small group huddled around to get a closer look at the object.
"What's that?" Lalala asked, pointing to the unclear pictogram.
"Let me see if I can highlight it," Adeleine said, taking the canister. Using a bright paint, she traced the pictogram, until whatever it portrayed was as clear as day. It was a capital C with a spear going through the center, and a gun crossing the spear at the top.
"I've never seen that image before," Rick muttered, "but I'm certain that Kirby never had anything like this before. Wonder what that symbol means?"
The group sat and though for a while. After some time, Lalala spoke up. "We might not be able to recognize this symbol, but I bet I know who'll know about it," she cried. "Kabu! If anyone in Dreamland will be able to recognize where this came from, it'll be him!"
"Your right," Ribbon said. "Let's go get the others. Once we're all gathered, we'll go to Kabu Canyon and ask about it."
The others of the group nodded, and turned to go gather together the remainder of their search party.
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"Now, all you here listen up!" King Dedede declared to the small group of people in front of him. "I want all of your eyes front and center!"
It was a motley crew that Dedede was speaking to. Mostly formed of Waddle Dees, the crew was spotted here and there with Cappies and a few other creatures that the Pengu King could impress into his small group. As it is with most impressed groups, the people forming the small gathering were interested in going elsewhere.
As such, King Dedede was having a difficult time holding their attention. "As I was saying," he continued once he thought he held their attention, "I'm afraid I have some of the most tragical news that you'll ever hear. Meta Knight and Kirby have disappeared!" He paused, waiting for the gasps and cries of dismay.
Only one voice spoke up. "We know!" a Cappy called out from the center of the crowd. "I was on my way to help Mr. Curio's search party when you grabbed me!"
"Well, now you're in a better group!" King Dedede retorted. "Now, do we have anyone here who actually saw what happened?" When no one spoke up, he started again. "So we don't know what the kidnapper looks like, but we do know what Meta Knight and Kirby look like, so I want you all to fan out and look for any clues that seem to point to where they've been taken and bring them back here. I'll be here doing the most important job! You're all dismissed for now!"
He turned back to the castle. He really did mean it when he said he had another job to do. He had to see if there was anything his two cohorts could do.
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Meta Knight waited until he was certain that the little ones were asleep until he made his move. He wanted to have a look around the area, to get an idea of what they would have to deal with. However, the nest would be the safest place for Kirby and the babies, so it would be best to wait until they were asleep before slipping out.
Finally, the time came. All of the little ones were asleep. Even Kirby lay in a light doze. Taking his chance, Meta Knight moved quietly towards the entrance of the nest. He had almost made it out when a small voice spoke up.
"Medikni, poyo?" Kirby said questioningly. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, but was determined not to go back to sleep until he understood what was happening.
"Go back to sleep, Kirby," the blue Puffal responded quietly. "I'm going out to get an idea where we are and to see if there is anything dangerous out there. You need to stay here."
"Kaabii come," Kirby said in a determined voice. He was not afraid and wanted to make it clear to his mentor that he wasn't.
Meta Knight shook his head in response. "I know you aren't afraid, Kirby. And I'm sure you could handle yourself against whatever we would find out there. However, these little ones are another story. They would be unable to defend themselves if they were attacked, so I need you to stay here and make sure they stay safe. You can do that for me, can't you?"
Kirby turned back to the sleeping babies. It was true that they couldn't fight back. At this point, they probably wouldn't even be able to fend off a Waddle Dee. The outside seemed to beckon with excitement, but it would be important to keep the babies safe. "Poyo stay," he said finally as he went back to his former position.
"Thank you." Meta Knight smiled as he faced away from the young Star Warrior. He was impressed by his student's maturity. He was growing more and more each day.
With the matter now settled, the blue Puffal spread his wings and took to the skies. There was a light wind prevailing, but it wasn't enough to hinder his flight. As such, he was able to focus on the strange surroundings.
The area seemed to be a lush, almost jungle like atmosphere. Thick trees grew a large canopy over the floor, and it took Meta Knight a while to pierce its cover to get a higher look. When he reach above it, he was surprised by what he saw.
The entire area was enclosed! It was a large segment of area with no visible walls, but when he looked to the sky, he could see no moon or stars. There was merely a black covering, with large lamps hanging from it, which undoubtedly would bring the "day".
Zaroffina's last words came to his mind. She had wanted something. "You," she had specified. So this is what she had meant. They were in a large cage, for who knows what purpose. He, Kirby, and, without a doubt, the newly hatched as well, were just some set of animals to be locked up.
Anger flooded his system and his eyes turned blood red. "Where are you?!" he roared as he flew against the invisible walls of the enclosure. "I know you're watching me! What do you want with us?! Answer Me!"
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Tuff and his friend Poppy Bro. Jr had been going through the main courtyard to rejoin Tiff's group. They had been speaking with several of the members of the adults' groups. It wasn't hopeful. No one had found any evidence to point to where the duo had been taken. The two boys were about to bring Tiff the bad news when something else caught their eye.
It was King Dedede, walking quietly past the few people still out and about. When he thought no one was looking, he walked over to a tapestry and pulled on the long rope hanging next to it. The wall the tapestry was hanging on then flipped, and the king stepped through the opening before the wall flipped back.
Seeing this, Tuff grinned. He grabbed Poppy's arm and rushed over to the tapestry. "Did you see that!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, I saw it," Poppy said, disapproval clear in his eyes, "and I think we should stay out of it. Old trap doors give me the creeps. Come on, let's go join Tiff, she's waiting for us."
"You go if this scares you," Tuff said as he grabbed hold of the long rope, "but I'm gonna have a look. My sis can wait. Besides, all we have is what we already know. We might get something good in here." With that, he pulled the cord as hard as he could and ran down the opening.
Poppy looked nervously. Finally, he broke, and headed down the tunnel after Tuff. "Alright," he called as quietly as he could, "but only quickly. I don't want to get in trouble!"
As the two boys walked down the tunnel, they could hear voices. King Dedede's was the loudest. "What do ya mean you don't have any clue what happened?! What on Pop Star am I paying you for?"
"You don't pay us anything," a calmer voice answered.
As the boys got closer, they got a clearer view of the scene. They were in some sort of laboratory, and King Dedede was standing with two other people, a tall purple snail and a white and blue alien creature in a coat and scarf.
It had been the snail who had spoken, and he continued as he shined a beaker. "We weren't there to see what happened and there had been no evidence to hint as to what sort of machinery took them. Beside, even if there was, it wouldn't be much use to us. I might be good with machinery, but I still need more than a second hand account to go on, and Magolor's area of expertise is not exactly, um, here enough to really be much help."
"I resent that remark!" the white alien, Magolor, snapped. "Just because you don't understand my magic doesn't mean it doesn't work!"
"Maybe magic in general," Escargoon responded drily, "but your magic never seems to work."
"Come on, guys," the Pengu really did not have time for another magic vs science debate. "There's gotta be something you can do that can hint about where those two might have gotten to? You know enough about these sorts of things to have some ideas!"
"Well," Magolor, piped in, "if we can get out to have a look see at the destruction, I might be able to come up with-"
Dedede's eyes went wide. "And have all those Cappies find out you two are still here? Absolutely not! Not after your incident with those enchanted balloon animals, and that serum of yours!"
"You test one little chipmunk with Behemoth Serum and suddenly you're marked for life," Escargoon muttered under his breath. "I don't even see why you're so eager to get them back. I thought you'd throw a party the moment the Kirby vanished."
"I'm not eager to get them back," the Pengu snorted. "I sick of all this nonsense, but nobody will listen to me. If getting those two back gets everyone else back to paying attention to me, then then that's what's gonna be done!"
"Well, I'm sorry, your highness," the snail said calmly as he put his beaker away. "I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do for you."
"Fine!" Dedede snapped before storming out. "I'll see if my Waddle Dees have found anything then. Those guys are far more helpful than either of you, anyways!" With that, the king of Dreamland marched out and went back out the trapped door.
When it was safe to, the boys ran out as well. Tuff couldn't help but snicker when he spied Dedede again, trying to explain to his Waddle Dees that, no, Kirby was not related to plums in any way. "That goof Dedede couldn't find a piece of paper that was attached to his beak."
"Maybe not," Poppy said wearily, "but that could have been dangerous, and we didn't find anything out by it! We shouldn't have done something as risky as that."
"What do you mean, 'didn't find anything out'?" Tuff asked, a sly grin appearing in his face. "We found out Dedede's been keeping secrets. We'll want to tell Tiff and keep an eye on this. It could help us later."
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Tiff had been close to giving up. Days of searching had led to no development, and every day that they found nothing was a day more likely that they'd never find their friends. She had been searching the beach side with Ado and Chuchu the octopus, but nothing was coming up. She was about to announce the time to head home when Ribbon's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Tiff! Ado! Chuchu! We found something!"
The trio looked up. Ribbon, along with Rick, Phan-Phan, Adeleine, Lololo, and Lalala, was hurrying over to the beach side, carrying a small canister. "Take a look at this," the fairy declared, handing the canister over to Tiff.
"A can?" Chuchu declared, more than a little annoyed. "Kirby's life might be depending on us, and you want us to focus on a can?"
"Not the can itself," Lalala responded. "Look at the imprint!"
Tiff looked closely at the mark. "I've never seen this before."
"Neither have we." Rick motioned towards the nearby canyon. "We were going to ask Kabu if he's ever seen it before. If anyone can help us, it's him."
"Good idea," Tiff said, handing the canister to Ado, who slipped it in her art bag. "Let's go find Tuff and Poppy and then we'll go ask Kabu."
However, it was unnecessary to go looking for the two boys. They came running up the beachside at that moment, running and calling out to the small group. "Hey! We found something out!"
"We did too!" Tiff called back. "You tell us first!"
The two boys explained everything that saw and heard while eavesdropping on Dedede. Tiff frowned. "So King Dedede's been hiding these guys, huh? Well, that certainly is suspicious, but we'd better keep it to ourselves for now. If things get stranger on that end, we'll investigate further."
"Now, what did you guys find out?" Tuff asked. Ado explained the canister with the strange mark that was found in the ruins. "Now that we're all together," she finished, "we're going to ask Kabu if he recognizes the mark. If he does, than this little can might lead us right to the kidnapper, and by connection, Kirby and Meta Knight."
"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Chuchu asked as Phan-Phan placed her on his head. "Let's go ask!" With that, the group headed to the canyon.
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Meta Knight was still demanding answers when panel in the wall slid out behind him, revealing Zaroffina. She was standing behind a glass pane, but could be seen and heard clearly. She was putting her hair, which was now clearly a wig, up on a stand. "My," she said, a sly look appearing on her face. "You're one of my most persistent catches yet. Most would have passed out or given up by now."
"Who are you and what do you want with us?" the knight asked, his eyes never changing from the rich red hue.
The woman smiled, and pulled a scarf over her head and face as she answered. "Right to the point, aren't you? Well, alright, I'll tell you. As you've probably guessed, my name isn't really Zaroffina. What my real name is no matter to you, but you may know me as The Collector. I find rare, endangered creatures and add them to my collection. It's quite vast by now."
Meta Knight's eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed again. "A poacher."
The Collector laughed. "I suppose you could look at it that way. However, I prefer to think of myself as a connoisseur."
"You still haven't answered part of my question." The Star Warrior was growing more and more frustrated by the minute. "Why do you want us? Kirby and I aren't rare, and since you found those eggs, I'm sure you're aware of that fact."
The Collector smirked. "You are only partially right there. You weren't rare. Not a few weeks ago, you weren't, but now you are." Meta Knight's eyes widened again, and his opponent gave voice to his thoughts. "That's the other part of my job. I collect rare, valuable creatures, and when I can't find any, I find creatures to make rare and valuable."
The pieces came together in Meta Knight's mind, and a look of mixed horror and rage came in his face. "All of Popopo…thousands of lives…you destroyed them all!"
She calmly shrugged. "Not all of them. You found those seven eggs. It was difficult in getting them. I did get lucky though. The little green and white ones are twins, which meant I had one less stop to make."
"You monster!" Meta Knight cried. "You fiend! You're no better than Nightmare himself!"
"I was a bit hasty in the destruction of that world," she admitted. "I didn't observe long enough to find out about that imprinting problem. Lost two of the eggs to that. Real shame, they were fine specimen, too." She casually tossed one of the scarf ends over her shoulder and began reapplying her lipstick. "That, to answer your question, is what I want you for. I can't lose any more of my specimen, and since an adult is necessary to keep the infants alive, I grabbed the first I could find. Your little pink friend was just a bonus."
She calmly looked up when Meta Knight did not respond. Upon seeing his eyes, she laughed aloud. "So, that serum I used to fix your eyesight didn't hinder that little trick of yours, huh? Judging from your stance and past comments, I would say that red denotes anger. I'll have to keep track and see if that trait is present in any of the others."
As she turned to leave, she called back one last time. "By the way, I wouldn't try escaping. You're unarmed, in an alien territory, and have no way of getting back to Pop Corn. Such unrest would be…bad for your health." With that, the panel slid shut.
Left alone once more, Meta Knight sunk to the ground. Popopo, a huge populated world, was destroyed, and its destroyer held no more remorse than if it were an ant hill. Now, he, Kirby, and the little ones were literally the last of their kind. This was the second time such a shock had hit him.
After a few moments of mourning, the Star Warrior pushed himself up. Kirby and the babies still needed him. He'd look for a way out of this abominable prison, but he'd keep quiet on why they were there. The others were too young to understand such horror. He alone would bear that burden.
He took a few deep breaths and allowed his eyes to fade back to white. After that, he flew back.
(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)(0u0)
Kirby sat up straight as he waited in the nest. He was eager to show Meta Knight how good a Star Warrior he was becoming, and keeping watch over the smaller Puffals was the perfect opportunity. He'd make sure nothing bad happened.
There was another part to the young Star Warrior's excitement. All his life, he had been the littlest of all his friends. While it was nice that the other children played with him, at times it was frustrating to be the littlest one in the group. There were times he wished he wasn't always the youngest one.
Now, however, he wasn't the littlest anymore! With these babies, he could be the cool older kid now! There was so much he could teach them. He'd show them how to fly, and inhale, and copy. This was going to be so much fun!
Kirby opened his eyes and glanced over at the small pile of Puffal hatchlings. The little red one had somewhat slipped out of the pile and was laying upside down, sucking on his little nub hand. Eager to interact with the babies, the fledgling Warrior toddled over and set the baby back in the pile right-side up.
He turned to go back to his post, proud of his babysitting skills, when he spotted the reason for the previous disturbance. The yellow one had woken up and, eager to get out moving, was toddling towards the opening in the nest.
Kirby went up to the little one. "Poyo, no," he said as he moved the struggling baby back to the pile. "Ye'lo Kaabii stay, poyo."
The baby did not approve of being told where he was to stay. "Poyo!" he squealed. The minute Kirby set him down, he dashed away again.
"Poyo, no," Kirby repeated firmly, placing the baby down again and sitting in front of him so that he could not escape again. He held a stern look and crossed his arms as best he could to make it clear that he would be listened to. "Medikni say stay, poyo!"
The infant frowned and imitated Kirby's sever look. "Poyo poyo poyo!"
This surprised the pink Puffal. Deciding to try again, Kirby made another face, squinting his eyes and pressing his tongue against his lower lip. Much to his delight, the infant again imitated the face back. "Poyo, good, poyo!" Kirby praised. "Now t'is!" He pulled his face down and stuck his tongue out.
The game went on this way for quite a while with Kirby making a face for the infant to imitate. After a while, another of the babies, the blue one, woke and took notice of what was happening. "Poyo? Poyo poyo!" she exclaimed before getting up and seating herself nearby and joining in the game.
Kirby prepared to continue when the sound of flapping wings signaled Meta Knight's return. Eagerly, the pink Puffal ran to greet his elder. The two babies followed close behind.
"Medikni!" Kirby cried as he ran up. "Kaabii poyo Kaabiis play!"
Meta Knight gave a small smile. "That's nice, Kirby." He slumped down against the side of the nest and closed his eyes.
This concerned the pink Star Warrior. "Medikni 'kay? All safe?" he asked in a concerned tone of voice.
"Huh? Oh, yes, Kirby. There's nothing out there but plants. I'm fine, just a little tired. Just let me rest for now." Meta Knight leaned back and started to doze.
Kirby, still worried but respectful of his mentor's wishes, settled down nearby and started amusing the babies again. As he dozed, the elder Star Warrior smiled, thankful for such a good student, and silently promised the youngster that he would not allow him to rot in this cage.
To be continued…
Author's note: Time to give credit where credit is due! The Tinkuru Popo legend had several inspirations. The name itself came from the original Japanese name for Kirby, and his description is from his original American artistry. The story itself was inspired by the creation story in one of my favorite books, Watership Down (warning: not for little kids!) Furthermore, El-ahrairah from the same book inspired Tinkuru Popo's personality.