Chapter 4: Sticky Indeed
Popopo waited for a long time. At first, he wouldn't even think. At second, he thought about what he should do. At third, he thought he should wait for something to happen. Popopo didn't know how long he lay there. It is possible that he may have slept for part of the time, but his sleep was without dreams (we'll get back to that much later).
Of course, something happened (if nothing happened, we wouldn't have a story). A loud sound was coming from somewhere. It was a speaking voice. The voice had a very smart-alec-like tone and it was saying the same thing over and over.
This is what it was saying: "Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? If anyone is there, then pick up the phone! Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? If anyone is there, then pick up the phone!"
The voice said its message again. Popopo reached out from inside the pillowcase and picked up the phone by his bed.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hello! Thank you for picking up the phone," the voice replied. "If you want to talk to me, pick up the phone on your front porch."
"Huh?" replied Popopo.
"Hello! Thank you for picking up the phone," the voice repeated. "If you want to talk to me, pick up the phone on your front porch."
Popopo didn't bother replying and went to his front porch where, sure enough, there was a cell phone waiting. The phone was white and had a little yellow star for an antenna.
Popopo picked it up, pressed the talk button and said, "Hello?"
"Hello!" replied the voice. "Wow! It sure is great to hear a Dreamlander's voice! Hi! Are there any more of you?"
"No," replied Popopo.
"No? So you're the only one that isn't trapped. Hmm..."
"Who're you?"
"Eh? Oh, the name's Gooey! You'll be needing my help."
"..."
"Not much of a speaker, are you? If you're wondering why I'm called Gooey, then it is because I am here to help you get out of a sticky situation! Ha, ha!"
"Where're you?"
"I'm surprised you haven't asked me if you can trust me yet. I'll save you the trouble by telling you, at the risk of being clichéd, that I'm all you got. As for my whereabouts, wouldn't you like to know! Just think of me as your guide that's looking down on you."
"You see me?"
"Well... No, actually. The phone you have in your hand is your key to the door of greatness and I mean that figuratively. No, I'm not God. I'm just the head of a company that makes something that you have probably never heard of. I call them warpstars and they're going to revolutionize transportation as you know it."
"Help?"
"Ah. I see you want your friends back. Well, my other job is to take over if ever there is an emergency and boy is there an emergency. No need to worry, however. I will send a warpstar right over to take you into King Dedede's castle."
"Teleportation?"
"No. I wish it was, but my warpstar will probably take out a wall to get you in. It should arrive right about... now!"
A big, yellow, flat, star-shaped thing latched onto Popopo's feet and carried him off towards Mt. Dedede.