CHAPTER 25: WAR
WARNING: Timskip! This chapter takes place six months after the last one
It was a calm, cool spring day. The scents of April were in the air lke dewy grass, blooming flours, and lightly drawn clouds. It would all seem like the perfect setting for the untrained eye.
That's where the line must be drawn. The world wasn't perfect and nobody was more aware than the students of Kirby High School. Since that fateful day a ways back, things had gotten much more rigid in trems of the educational structure. Meta Knight was the new principle and the curriculum had but one fundamental: SURVIVAL.
Dedede and Taranza spared with one another in the gymnasium. Dedede used his hammer expertly, while Taranza punched with six-times the power thanks to his limb assets.
Magolor sat in a corner with Knuckles Joe and relaxed. Tuff was there too and he was running laps around the place and getting faster and faster with every run. Mr. Rick was timing Tuff and was very satisfactory on his face due to tuff's increasing speed and velociry.
Adeleine was reading a book and the other kids were on the bleachers working on their school training.
Meta Knight walked into the gynmain with Sword and Dave by his side. He seemed to smile behind his mask as he observed how all the kids was doing. He did seem a bit disgruntled about Dedede's progress though.
"I'm disappointed in myself," said Dedede with a long exhausted sigh. "When we had the crisis that way back, I could not fight back. Even now I still seem to have very little experience in handling opponents in this tiny body." Dedede used to be a good warrior, but now he was so out of his element that it wasn't even funny.
"You are indeed trash," said Magolor like a total jerk.
Dedede growled, but didn't care much because he knew Magolor was always like this.
Taranza saluted to Meta Knight as he approached. Everybody and Meta Knight still thought taranza was kind of a nerd. At least he and Joe got saved by Meta Knight that one fateful night when Kirby got the snot kicked out of him.
"Speaking of witch," said Dedede aloud. "How is Kirby doing?"
Meta Knight sighed deeply and turned away. "He is still not waking up… We may need to use a defibrillator." He then left the room.
Dedede was gonna cry, but the training made him too tough. He went back to his room.
Now that the entire planet was on the verge of a perilous war, Kirby High School had been converted into a training academy for warriors, the same type that Star Warriors had trained in in the early ages.
Due to school bein a house for training with less math, clubs, and prom, most rooms that were non-academic were converted to living quarters with cots and dressers. The kids learning lived here until they were prepared to join the Dreamland army, which unfortunately was mostly made up of King Dededes Waddle Dees.
Dedede lawed on his bed and popped in his airbuds. He listed to Gorillaz from their latest album and went to sleep with the sweet sounds of 2D in his mind, lulling him to slep like a baby penguin.
Escargoon knocked on his door and Dedede left him inside. "I'm proud of you, sire. You are really being someone who can make Dreamland better. I never thought you'd learn discipline."
Dedede gave his snail guardian a rising eyebrow. "Shove a sock in it, Escargon! I know you can't wait for me to die in the frontlins to so you can steal the thrown still!"
Escarfoon took his hands out and sweated profusely. "I am totally over all that, Sire!" he reassured with a genuine look of apology. "That was before you became so mature. It's like this you is more grown up than the grown up you!"
Dedede examined his strong arms, he wasn't as fat as usually, even for his penguin genetics. He could tell he was actually becoming nobler now. He seemed happy for once in his life.
"I'm proud to be your righthand man, Sire," said Escargoon with a salute," said Escargoon. He almost looked like he was crying. He gave Dedede a kind fatherly hug and left the room. Dedede waved "good-bye".
Right as Escargoon slid out the door, Knuckle Joe came barreling in and slammed his schoolwork on his bed next to Dedede's. "Yo!" said Dedede.
"No time to talk, I gotta do this history report quick!" said Joe in educated exhaustion.
"A paper? Why?" said Dedede. He thought all normal school was eliminated in favour of working for the correct army strengths.
"Well, some of us aren't gonna end up as fighters in the army. Some of us are going to be weapons analysts and stuff."
Dedede was ashoked to hear Knucle Joe of all people say something like this. "But even before the war, you were the best fighter anyone ever knew in this school. You won, like, five karate torments."
"Yeah, but a lot can change, Dedede. As it turns out, I'm more reliable with my mind as I am with my fists. Mr. Curio says I will most likely be chosen to work in the labs and repair weapons and vehicles."
Dedede thought somewhat sadly about this. He knew he himself was going to fight hand-to-hand with the enemy, but he had never once thought about all his friends' position.s
"I might never see Adeleine again…" Dedede said sadder.
Knuckle Joe let out a snarky laugh that was not too mean. "It's okay, she still never forgave you back then so she won't miss you. You ought to at least say your sorry before one of you dies though."
Dedede thought even sadder things after he heard Knuckle Joe say that. But it was so true. They might not have as much time together as previously thought. Dedede slid his earbuds back in and helped Knuckle Joe with his homework.
Meanwhile, Escargoon was in the hallway listening to what Dedede and Knuckle Joe were talking about. He smiled and went down the hall to the cafeteria.