Chapter Two: The Hero

The King and Meta Knight stared into the sky holding each other by the hand.

"Meta Knight, I don't wanna die." The King said.

Meta Knight looked over at Malice who seemed ready to strike again at any moment.

"Where are you Kirby?"

The Cappies all looked over at Meta Knight.

"Did he say Kirby?"

"Is Kirby coming to save us?"

They were all hiding within the rubble of the city. Buildings, bushes, trees. The town was near devastation. Meta Knight and King Dedede were behind a tree that was closer to the volcano than the city was. The kids began to jump up and down.

"Kirby! Kirby! Kirby!"

Malice roared loudly sending everyone back into hiding. King Dedede and Meta Knight took cover behind the tree once again and hoped she didn't see them. Malice was about the size of Dyna-Blade. She was like a reptile, but also like a bug. She had a snake like head with large dripping fangs, but small dragon-fly like wings. She was scaly and slender but had bug-like legs. A rather interesting looking creature. King Dedede was hunkered down in fear. They had nothing to do but wait. Wait to die, wait to live...Nobody knew what was next.

...

Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. The sky got darker by the second. The Cappies held each other close. Meta Knight and King Dedede were at a loss of what to do. The King was too scared to fight and Meta Knight was simply not strong enough. Things were seeming to get hopeless.

"Meta Knight" Dedede started, "I just want you know...I always thought your ship was kinda dumb looking."

Meta Knight sighed. Just when everyone was bracing themselves for the end, King Dedede looked up. He squinted his eyes and stood up.

"What is it, your majesty?" Meta Knight said. King Dedede pointed to the sky. Meta Knight looked up. All the Cappies began to look up.

From out of the dark sky they saw a twinkle. The Twinkle shined and shimmered in the dark sky. Then a cloud of smoke started coming down fast from the sky. It approached fast.

"It's a bird!"

"...It's a plane!"

Then King Dedede heard a screech. But it wasn't a screech from Malice. Oh, no. King Dedede knew that screech. It was the screech of the mighty Dragoon.

Flying down fast from the was the great Star Warrior Kirby riding on the Dragoon. He came out of the sky from who knows where and he was moving at an alarmingly fast pace leaving a trail of smoke and steam behind him. He flew down to where the commotion was happening. He flew fast right over the Cappies knocking some of them on to their knees.

"IT'S KIRBY!"

They began to jump and cheer. Kirby circled around and sped towards Malice. He had a serious, determined and focused look on his face. He was ready to fight. He flew straight up to Malice. His Dragoon stopped and he locked eyes with her. She had her new target. But before Malice could act, Kirby sped off once again fast into the distance. Everyone watched.

"That coward" The King yelled. "Where is he going?!"

Kirby was no where to be seen. The Cappies grew quiet. The air grew intense.

Malice stood up and drew out her wings and let out a loud roar. She was ready to attack. King Dedede held Meta Knight so tightly he was almost suffocating him.

Just when things got hopeless once again, Kirby emerged from behind Malice and he had Meta Knights sword in his hand.

Meta Knight looked and jumped with excitement.

"He found my sword! Way to go Kirby! Get her!"

Kirby jumped off the Dragoon and stood before Malice. He looked her in the eye. The air was still. Kirby drew out the sword and held it high. From behind the tree Meta Knight and King Dedede continued to watch. The Cappies also peered from their hiding spots to catch a glimpse of the great Kirby. He jumped high into the air and landed on Malice's back. She deeply roared in anger and lifted up her tail. Kirby then began to swipe viciously at Malice, swatting and swiping her all over. She yelped in pain. She thrust her back throwing Kirby off of her. Kirby tumbled to the ground and the sword drifted across the ground. Kirby picked himself back up and frantically looked for the sword. Malice was flying around in an angry fury. Kirby stood completely still. Meta Knight and King Dedede watched her.

"That no good Kirby! You had one job!" The King squawked.

Kirby looked over at him. When he glanced over he noticed the sword. It has fallen just a few feet behind where they were hiding. They must have not noticed it was there because their eyes were locked on Kirby. Kirby looked up at Malice for a minute and quickly tried to think up a plan. He needed to move fast so he prepared to run toward the sword. Just before he could take one step Malice landed right in front of him. She drew out her wings and exposed her dripping fangs to put fear into Kirby. She dipped her head down low to his level and roared loudly into his face. The roar was so intense it almost blew Kirby away. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and covered his face with his hand. He began to drift backwards slightly. When he opened one eye and caught a glance of King Dedede. Malice swung her tail at Kirby. He quickly jumped and dodged it and the tail swung hitting a nearby tree. She yelped in pain and Kirby quickly ran and took cover behind a large rock. Kirby once again looked over the the King. He began to wave at him. The King looked around panicked. He shook his head in disapproval.

"Kirby stop it! What do you think you're doing!" He said. Kirby turned around and began to make pointing motions behind him. The King looked around confused.

"What do you want from me?!" He said. Meta Knight followed Kirby's pointing gestures and turned around and noticed the sword.

"Your Majesty! The Sword!" He said. They both turned around and saw the sword laying on the ground. Meta Knight hobbled over to it.

"Your Majesty, you need to go give this to Kirby!"

The King's jaw dropped.

"Are you kiddin' me! I ain't going out there! I don't wanna be no pin-cushion for those fangs!"

Kirby was staring at both of them. He was getting ansty with impatience. He knew he didn't have much time left.

The King took the sword. "Here, I got an idea!" He then took the sword and threw it towards Kirby. The sword flew through the air but unfortunately it hit a tree and fell back to the ground once again. Kirby sighed and shook his head. King Dedede shrugged at Kirby who was looking at him in anger.

"Sorry!" He yelled.

Malice turned around and looked at King Dedede. He went as pale as a ghost. He froze and looked nervously at Meta Knight.

"You think she saw me?..."

Malice flew to King Dedede and landed in front of him.

"Yeah, I think she saw you." Meta Knight said.

She bared her fangs at him. The King fell to his knees.

"Please take whatever you want! I wanna live!" He pleaded.

Kirby watching from afar took this as the perfect opportunity to retrieve the sword. He ran and grabbed it while Malice was distracted. Malice drew in closer and closer to King Dedede's face. She exposed her fangs and opened her mouth wide and let out a hiss.

"Your Majesty move! She's going to bite you!"

"Bite me?" He looked up and saw her fangs. They were long, slender and thin. They had a weird liquid just dripping from them like a running faucet.

Meta Knight shoved King Dedede out of the way and Malice collided into the ground in a failed attempt to bite him.

"Your Majesty! Get out of here it's not safe!" The King looked over at Meta Knight. His mask was cracked, his cape was tattered and burned but he was still so heroic. He slowly got up and ran faster than he had ever ran before. He noticed Kirby was gone. He went and hid behind the rock Kirby was previously hiding behind. He panted in exhaustion and looked behind him. Meta Knight was alone. Malice was more angry than she had ever been. Meta Knight stood his ground. The King sighed.

"Oh, Meta Knight. Get out of there..." He watched as Malice approached Meta Knight. He bravely stood tall and held his head high.

"HIIIIIYYYYAAH!" Kirby emerged from behind her holding the sword up high. Meta Knight looked up in shock.

"Kirby!"

He dived down and stabbed Malice right in the neck with the blade. She hissed and thrashed in pain. Kirby ran and grabbed Meta Knight and tossed him over to where King Dedede was. He nodded at him.

"Go get em Kirby!" Meta Knight said.

With a smile, Kirby ran back to the monster as she was stomping about. The Cappies began to run away in fear. The buildings began to crumble and the ground was shaking. He eyed her tail, her prime weapon. While she was distracted he ran behind her and to everyone's surprise he completely severed her tail clean off her body. Meta Knight and King Dedede watched in awe. Malice fell to the ground. Blood was leaking out of her body all over the ground. Kirby stepped in it.

"Ew!" He ran and wiped his foot off in the grass. He looked over at her. She was unable to get up. He jumped and landed on her head. He stabbed her right thru the skull. King Dedede covered his eyes.

Kirby leaped and stood before Malice looking her in the eye. She was weak, she was panting. She laid on the ground with her arms drawn out in front of her. She was powerless it seemed. Kirby looked deep into his eyes. She looked at him as if she were asking for mercy. Kirby walked up to her face. She tried to get up but the beating she had just taken was too much for her. With one last long, drawn out sigh Malice's life ended. With the stabbing through her skull and removal of her tail, she was gone. Kirby walked up to her and poked her face. There was no reaction or movement. She was dead.

Kirby turned around and saw the dozens of Cappies looking at him.

"Is...is it safe to come out?" One said.

Meta Knight and King Dedede slowly emerged from behind the rock. Kirby smiled and ran towards them. He ran up to Meta Knight and hugged him with joy.

He laughed.

"Good job Kirby! You saved us all!" He said.

All the Cappies cheered and ran forward to Kirby. They lifted him up and threw him in the air in celebration.

"HIP, HIP, HOORAY!" They chanted. King Dedede watched in annoyment and scoffed.

"Well, I coulda done that too if I had Meta Knight's stupid sword." He turned around and began to walk away. Kirby glanced over at him from up top the crowd. He jumped down and hurried up to catch up with him. King Dedede turned around.

"Well, know what do you want you little twerp?" He said. Kirby frowned.

"You almost got me killed!" He yelled. Kirby backed away slowly. Meta Knight approached him.

"Your Majesty, he saved your life. Don't you think you should thank him?"

Kirby smiled at the King. He had large, hopeful eyes. They had a twinkle in them that no one else had. There was just something about Kirby's smile that made you happy inside. The King rolled his eyes.

"Oh, fine! Thanks Kirby..." Before the King could turn around to walk away again Kirby ran up to him and hugged him tightly. He sent him to the ground. Kirby laughed and smiled as he held the King close.

"Get off me you little nightmare!" He yelled. Meta Knight laughed.

"Come, on your Majesty. You know you can't hate Kirby forever. He's a hero."

"Yeah, yeah I know! We've all played the games!" King Dedede barked. The Cappies all cheered and rejoiced for Kirby.

Kirby smiled and soaked in all the love and appreciation. He then quickly ran up close to Malice's body and picked up Meta Knights sword. He took it back to Meta Knight.

"Thank you, Kirby." He nodded.

It was truly a scene of happiness in Dreamland. What was seemingly about to be the end of their days was now a time of joy, and bliss. Everyone was smiling laughing, and enjoying being able to be out of hiding.

"It's so great to have a hero like Kirby around!" One of the Cappies said. The King scoffed.

"Alright everyone! Time to go home! We got some re-building to do!" He yelled.

Meta Knight shook Kirby's hand

"Well, Kirby thank you once again for saving us. We couldn't have done it without you."

Kirby blushed.

"You should stay for a while!" He added.

"Nah, Kirby don't need us for nothing!" The King yelled.
"Go, on Kirby go take your star dragon whatever you call it and go on somewhere and do something! You got bigger and better things to do than stick around here." The King said.

"Your Majesty!" Meta Knight shook his head.

"Well what he supposed to do here!" King Dedede said.

Kirby looked around and saw Malice. He walked up a little closer to her. There was an apple on the ground. He smiled and ran up to pick it up.

Meta Knight laughed.

"I guess all that fighting must have made him hungry!"

Kirby ate the apple that was on the ground. He smiled and rubbed his tummy.

The King looked over at him. Something didn't feel right. He had a bad feeling in his gut.

"Kirby, why don't you get away from her..." He said.

Kirby looked at him. Suddently Malice blinked her eye. Kirby was still standing there.

The King's blood went cold.

"KIRBY WATCH OUT!" He yelled. All the Cappies turned around at Kirby.

"Huh?" Kirby turned around..lMalice wasn't finished. Kirby screamed and turned back around in an attempt to run away. Before he could take off, Malice grabbed Kirby by the feet with her talons. He fell to the ground. He tried to grab anything he could and dug his hands into the ground.

Meta Knight grabbed his sword and ran up to her. Malice drug Kirby by his feet to her face. She then exposed her fangs and sank her teeth into Kirby's face.

Meta Knight stopped and dropped his sword. The King went pale.

..."No!" He yelled. The Cappies watched in horror.

Malice's fangs were deep into Kirby's skin. He was paralyzed in fear. The color began to drain from his body. His eyes lost the glow to them and finally he was released from her fangs and he fell to the ground. He had two small black holes from the bite. They were glowing. Kirby was as white as snow. His eyes closed and he fell face down into the ground. Meta Knight charged to Malice and to ensure she was gone for good with the last bit of strength he could recover he cut her head right off her body. Knight watched her closely to make sure she was dead for real. The decapitated monster was officially dead. The King ran up to Kirby. The Cappies ran up to see the commotion.

"Stay back! Give him some air!" Meta Knight prevented them from getting any closer.

King Dedede looked incredibly flustered. He kneeled beside him and put his hand on Kirby.

"Kirby?...Kirby!" He shook him and Kirby did not wake up. He looked at Meta Knight nervously.

"Wake up Kirby! Snap out of it!" He shook him and Kirby was as lifeless as Malice it seemed. King Dedede observed the bite marks. They were glowing black puntures right by his eyes. They were small, but deep. They were throbbing.

"Meta Knight..." He started. "That thing...it bit Kirby."

Meta Knight kneeled beside Kirby.

"I know...I saw...we all saw."

King Dedede turned around and saw the dozens of Cappies who were witnessing what was going on here.

He looked at Kirby once again. He was unconscious and his skin was very pale and he was very cold to the touch.

"He ain't dead is he?" The King yelped. The Cappies gasped. Meta Knight smacked him.

"Your Majesty! Don't scare them!" Meta Knight held his face close to Kirbys 'heart'.

"Kirby isn't dead."

The King sighed in relief.

"Yet."

"What?"

Meta Knight stood up.

"Your Majesty, we need to get him looked at right away. This is very serious. Who knows what kind of venom she infected him with. He needs a doctor right away before it's too late. He doesn't look too good..."

The King nodded. He took off his robe and wrapped it around Kirby and picked him up. He turned him around hiding his face so nobody would see it.

They turned and faced the ground. The Cappies looked at him with sad eyes. One small child stepped forward.

"...Is Kirby going to be okay?" She said.

The King and Meta Knight exchanged glances. Kirby was being held tightly in Dedede's arms. With no words, Meta Knight and King Dedede charged off into the crowd, making their way to the city hoping the hospital would still be there. The Cappies watched as they ran off with Kirby.

Meta Knight looked at King Dedede.

"Your Majesty...You seem very worried." He said.

The King looked at him. He had an intense look in his eyes. He kept looking forward with no response and continued on.

From the distance Meta Knight spotted the Dreamland hospital.

"There it is your Majesty! Let's hurry!"

With no time to lose, and a hero in jeopardy the duo of Meta Knight and King Dedede rushed to the hospital in hopes to save Kirby. The sky began to clear out and the sun began to shine. They stopped for a brief moment to catch their breath.

Meta Knight looked at King Dedede.

"How does he look?" He said.

The King uncovered Kirby's face. The bite marks had faded with dried up liquid around the edges. Kirby was still out cold.

"He don't look to good...Not good at all."

"Then we need to keep moving!"

The King nodded and they carried on.

The King had a million thoughts going through his head.

Was he worried about Kirby? Was he scared for him?

All he knew was that they weren't losing Kirby.

King Dedede was prepared to do anything and everything in his power to save Kirby from whatever was going to happen to him.

Why?

King Dedede himself didn't even know.