The Summer at Orange Ocean
It was a bright and sunny day, and Tiff Ebrum sat on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the ocean sparkling in the sunlight beneath her. Her sandy hair blew softly in the light breeze, and her green eyes were strangely disfocused. She was thinking hard, and when she began to think, she seemingly got swept into another world.
"Such a relaxed and peaceful afternoon is weird," she said suddenly. "Dedede must be up to something. I'd better go see if he's doing anything." Despite her decision to check on King Dedede, Tiff stayed where she was, for another thought countered this. Why not enjoy the afternoon? These days are short, sweet, and few. She lay down and smiled. Nothing to stop her from relaxing and enjoying the day....
"Hey, there's that Ebrum kid," Tiff heard King Dedede say from another cliff. Tiff groaned. She should have know that if she wasn't going to look for King Dedede, he'd come find her, and undoubtedly order another monster. Tiff sat up and looked around. King Dedede and Escargoon were driving up in the tank stamped with Dedede's logo. Tiff got up.
"Hey, where d'you think you're goin', kid?" Dedede asked in his usual hot-tempered voice. "Thought you an' that Kirby might enjoy a little battle." Dedede laughed.
"Actually, I was enjoying this nice day until you came and interrupted me!" Tiff snapped angrily. Dedede smiled. He's always trying to get me mad, just because I protect Kirby! Tiff thought. That jerk! I wish I could have a break from him bugging me all the time!
"Well now, maybe your little brother would like to substitute?" Dedede asked. Tiff shook her head. She knew that Tuff was belligerent enough to get Kirby into a fight just because he felt like it, and that he wouldn't know what to do if Kirby got hurt. Besides, she was more important than Tuff. She could call the Warpstar.
"Well, I'll be ready to order a monster, just in case you change your mind." Dedede drove away laughing.
Tiff sat back down, discouraged. Dedede could always come and ruin a nice day. Suddenly she got up. What if Dedede was going to order a monster right now? She should be there to help Kirby! Tiff ran through the vast green fields to Kirby's house. When she got there, Kirby was sitting outside the door, rubbing his head. Tokkori was standing in the door.
"And stay out!" Tokkori yelled as he slammed the door in Kirby's face. Tiff ran over to Kirby.
"Don't worry, Kirby, it's okay," Tiff said soothingly. Kirby mewled happily. Tiff was always there to be his friend, always there to help him.... Tiff smiled as she saw Kirby smile a sweet smile of trust. How Kirby trusted her... it was good to know that she had a friend that trusted her.
"Hey, Kirby, want to go see Tuff? You could play that game with the rubber ball," Tiff suggested. Kirby jumped with joy, squeaking his approval. Once he had stopped jumping, Tiff grabbed his hand and led him across the beautiful green fields. The grass was still wet with dew. Kirby and Tiff got to the door of the castle and saw Fololo flying back and forth, like he was pacing. Suddenly he noticed them and floated over.
"Hey, Tiff, Tuff wants to see you. He's in the courtyard. It's really important," he said, somewhat nervously.
"Must be important, if you're not with Falala," Tiff replied. "What is it?" Fololo shook his head.
"I don't know. All he said was that it was important. Falala said she's helping your parents with something. I don't know what it is, but she must have been really rushed if she didn't tell me. We trust each other more than anything!" Tiff smiled admiringly at Fololo's loyalty to Falala.
"Well, if it's that important, I'd better go. See you," Tiff said.
"I'll go see what Falala's doing!" Fololo said. Tiff and Kirby headed towards the courtyard and Fololo went towards Tiff's family's room, in the other direction. When they got to the courtyard, Tuff was pacing in front of the fountain. He was looking very serious, yet from years of knowing Tuff, Tiff could tell that he was very happy about something. Suddenly, Tuff looked up and saw Tiff and Kirby standing there. He ran over to them.
"Tiff! There's something really important! Mom and Dad told me to get you!" Tuff said. He sounded somewhat grave, yet there was an unsteadiness in his voice that suggested hidden joy that was trying to break free.
"What is it?" Tiff asked. It must be really important to have everyone so excited, Tiff thought.
"That's the thing! I don't know! Mom and Dad just said... well, they said they thought we'd like it, and that it was very important. They also said that they didn't know exactly how to tell me, and that you'd accept the news better than I would." Tuff seemed disappointed that his parents didn't trust him. "They said that you could tell me, though! C'mon, Tiff, go see what they want, then come tell me!"
"Alright, I'll go ask Mom and Dad." Tiff ran out of the courtyard and down several hallways to get to her family's room, Kirby running after her, confused as ever. Tiff burst into the room and saw her parents sitting on the couch. They looked up, startled at Tiff's sudden entrance.
"Tiff!" Lady Like exclaimed. "We didn't know you'd be so... excited."
"What- is- the- surprise?" Tiff panted.
"Well, Tiff, it really has a good end and a... an end that we weren't sure you would like or not," Sir Ebrum said slowly and cautiously. It was unlike him to think that much about putting things into words, even when explaining things uneasily explained.
"Well, what's the good news?" Tiff could use some cheering up today.
"Tiff, we haven't just been doing nothing for the past few months. We've been watching you, and you seemed too stressed. King Dedede is stretching your tolerance, and we feel that you need a break," Lady Like said slowly.
"If you think I'm going to pack up and leave Kirby to fight without me, you're mistaken!" Tiff shouted angrily. Kirby looked up at her, startled. Kirby had never seen Tiff this angry, but never before had her parents tried to take her away from something she was so devoted to.
"Sssh! This is supposed to be secret!" Lady Like whispered.
"Exactly. See, it's already planned. You, Tuff, and Kirby are going to sneak out of here and take a vacation," Sir Ebrum said. "If King Dedede finds out about this, he'll be sure to send monsters after you, so we need to keep it secret."
"So where are we going on this secret vacation?" Tiff was really excited about finally having a break from King Dedede yelling at her all the time, but she hid her excitement.
"Well, we decided to send you somewhere safe. It's a bit far, but you'll be safe there. We think you'll like it. It's near the Orange Ocean, just on the shore. The whole town is a beach."
"Where are we staying? A resort? Does it have roomservice?" Tiff couldn't help the quiver of excitement in her voice. Lady Like and Sir Ebrum exchanged nervous glances.
"You're not staying at a hotel, sweetie," Lady Like said.
"Then where are we staying?"
"We... we know someone who lives there."
"Who lives there? Is it a friend of yours?"
"No... Tiff, we don't know how to tell you this...."
"What is it? Just tell me!"
"Oh, Tiff... we didn't know how you'd take this...."
"What?"
"You have a cousin."
(Author's Note: I have to put a little disclaimer in here, just because I don't want to get sued when I have no money. I don't own Kirby, Tiff, or anyone else. They belong to Nintendo and HAL, and the anime belongs to 4Kids. I only on my own fanchars, most of which will not be in this fic. This is sort of a warm-up for my next fic, so please, comments and critics welcome, but no flames, please.)
It was a bright and sunny day, and Tiff Ebrum sat on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the ocean sparkling in the sunlight beneath her. Her sandy hair blew softly in the light breeze, and her green eyes were strangely disfocused. She was thinking hard, and when she began to think, she seemingly got swept into another world.
"Such a relaxed and peaceful afternoon is weird," she said suddenly. "Dedede must be up to something. I'd better go see if he's doing anything." Despite her decision to check on King Dedede, Tiff stayed where she was, for another thought countered this. Why not enjoy the afternoon? These days are short, sweet, and few. She lay down and smiled. Nothing to stop her from relaxing and enjoying the day....
"Hey, there's that Ebrum kid," Tiff heard King Dedede say from another cliff. Tiff groaned. She should have know that if she wasn't going to look for King Dedede, he'd come find her, and undoubtedly order another monster. Tiff sat up and looked around. King Dedede and Escargoon were driving up in the tank stamped with Dedede's logo. Tiff got up.
"Hey, where d'you think you're goin', kid?" Dedede asked in his usual hot-tempered voice. "Thought you an' that Kirby might enjoy a little battle." Dedede laughed.
"Actually, I was enjoying this nice day until you came and interrupted me!" Tiff snapped angrily. Dedede smiled. He's always trying to get me mad, just because I protect Kirby! Tiff thought. That jerk! I wish I could have a break from him bugging me all the time!
"Well now, maybe your little brother would like to substitute?" Dedede asked. Tiff shook her head. She knew that Tuff was belligerent enough to get Kirby into a fight just because he felt like it, and that he wouldn't know what to do if Kirby got hurt. Besides, she was more important than Tuff. She could call the Warpstar.
"Well, I'll be ready to order a monster, just in case you change your mind." Dedede drove away laughing.
Tiff sat back down, discouraged. Dedede could always come and ruin a nice day. Suddenly she got up. What if Dedede was going to order a monster right now? She should be there to help Kirby! Tiff ran through the vast green fields to Kirby's house. When she got there, Kirby was sitting outside the door, rubbing his head. Tokkori was standing in the door.
"And stay out!" Tokkori yelled as he slammed the door in Kirby's face. Tiff ran over to Kirby.
"Don't worry, Kirby, it's okay," Tiff said soothingly. Kirby mewled happily. Tiff was always there to be his friend, always there to help him.... Tiff smiled as she saw Kirby smile a sweet smile of trust. How Kirby trusted her... it was good to know that she had a friend that trusted her.
"Hey, Kirby, want to go see Tuff? You could play that game with the rubber ball," Tiff suggested. Kirby jumped with joy, squeaking his approval. Once he had stopped jumping, Tiff grabbed his hand and led him across the beautiful green fields. The grass was still wet with dew. Kirby and Tiff got to the door of the castle and saw Fololo flying back and forth, like he was pacing. Suddenly he noticed them and floated over.
"Hey, Tiff, Tuff wants to see you. He's in the courtyard. It's really important," he said, somewhat nervously.
"Must be important, if you're not with Falala," Tiff replied. "What is it?" Fololo shook his head.
"I don't know. All he said was that it was important. Falala said she's helping your parents with something. I don't know what it is, but she must have been really rushed if she didn't tell me. We trust each other more than anything!" Tiff smiled admiringly at Fololo's loyalty to Falala.
"Well, if it's that important, I'd better go. See you," Tiff said.
"I'll go see what Falala's doing!" Fololo said. Tiff and Kirby headed towards the courtyard and Fololo went towards Tiff's family's room, in the other direction. When they got to the courtyard, Tuff was pacing in front of the fountain. He was looking very serious, yet from years of knowing Tuff, Tiff could tell that he was very happy about something. Suddenly, Tuff looked up and saw Tiff and Kirby standing there. He ran over to them.
"Tiff! There's something really important! Mom and Dad told me to get you!" Tuff said. He sounded somewhat grave, yet there was an unsteadiness in his voice that suggested hidden joy that was trying to break free.
"What is it?" Tiff asked. It must be really important to have everyone so excited, Tiff thought.
"That's the thing! I don't know! Mom and Dad just said... well, they said they thought we'd like it, and that it was very important. They also said that they didn't know exactly how to tell me, and that you'd accept the news better than I would." Tuff seemed disappointed that his parents didn't trust him. "They said that you could tell me, though! C'mon, Tiff, go see what they want, then come tell me!"
"Alright, I'll go ask Mom and Dad." Tiff ran out of the courtyard and down several hallways to get to her family's room, Kirby running after her, confused as ever. Tiff burst into the room and saw her parents sitting on the couch. They looked up, startled at Tiff's sudden entrance.
"Tiff!" Lady Like exclaimed. "We didn't know you'd be so... excited."
"What- is- the- surprise?" Tiff panted.
"Well, Tiff, it really has a good end and a... an end that we weren't sure you would like or not," Sir Ebrum said slowly and cautiously. It was unlike him to think that much about putting things into words, even when explaining things uneasily explained.
"Well, what's the good news?" Tiff could use some cheering up today.
"Tiff, we haven't just been doing nothing for the past few months. We've been watching you, and you seemed too stressed. King Dedede is stretching your tolerance, and we feel that you need a break," Lady Like said slowly.
"If you think I'm going to pack up and leave Kirby to fight without me, you're mistaken!" Tiff shouted angrily. Kirby looked up at her, startled. Kirby had never seen Tiff this angry, but never before had her parents tried to take her away from something she was so devoted to.
"Sssh! This is supposed to be secret!" Lady Like whispered.
"Exactly. See, it's already planned. You, Tuff, and Kirby are going to sneak out of here and take a vacation," Sir Ebrum said. "If King Dedede finds out about this, he'll be sure to send monsters after you, so we need to keep it secret."
"So where are we going on this secret vacation?" Tiff was really excited about finally having a break from King Dedede yelling at her all the time, but she hid her excitement.
"Well, we decided to send you somewhere safe. It's a bit far, but you'll be safe there. We think you'll like it. It's near the Orange Ocean, just on the shore. The whole town is a beach."
"Where are we staying? A resort? Does it have roomservice?" Tiff couldn't help the quiver of excitement in her voice. Lady Like and Sir Ebrum exchanged nervous glances.
"You're not staying at a hotel, sweetie," Lady Like said.
"Then where are we staying?"
"We... we know someone who lives there."
"Who lives there? Is it a friend of yours?"
"No... Tiff, we don't know how to tell you this...."
"What is it? Just tell me!"
"Oh, Tiff... we didn't know how you'd take this...."
"What?"
"You have a cousin."
(Author's Note: I have to put a little disclaimer in here, just because I don't want to get sued when I have no money. I don't own Kirby, Tiff, or anyone else. They belong to Nintendo and HAL, and the anime belongs to 4Kids. I only on my own fanchars, most of which will not be in this fic. This is sort of a warm-up for my next fic, so please, comments and critics welcome, but no flames, please.)