Chapter 13: Just Ducky

Kirby entered the guestroom and went to the door that was marked "Our room. Please wait for admittance." Under that note, Kirby noticed one that read "We are currently working in the packaging room." The notice went on to advertise Royal Shipping, Lololo and Lalala's company.

There was another door that had the words "Packaging room" on it. Kirby entered that one. Inside was a HUGE room filled with mountains of boxes. Between the mountains were small paths. Kirby wanted to fly up to the top of one of the mountains to see if he could spot Lololo and Lalala, but the high air pressure in the room prevented him from doing so.

Kirby took a deep breath and shouted, "Lololo! Lalala! It's me, Kirby! The Star Warrior! I've come for information!"

Kirby then heard this reply, said in unison from opposite ends of the room, "You do not have permission to be here! Get out now! If you don't, we will be forced to eliminate you!"

"That's not a very good idea!" Kirby shouted back. "I only need a few moments! If you do not comply, I will be forced to... well... force you to!"

"No Dreamlander is allowed in here and no Dreamlander that has entered here has ever left here alive! You will be no exception!"

Suddenly, two boxes started racing toward Kirby, one on either side. Kirby had nowhere to go! Kirby inhaled one box and shot it into the other one to reveal Lololo and Lalala behind them. They immediately turned around and started running away.

Kirby went after Lololo. He turned the corner and a box smashed into him. The impact threw him against a wall. He got up to see another box coming and inhaled it. He shot it back and it narrowly missed Lalala, who turned a corner to evade it.

The packaging room was like a maze and Kirby had no idea how to navigate through it. Every bit of it looked the same and attack could come from any direction at any time. Lololo and Lalala must have known every nook and cranny of this place.

Kirby considered inhaling one of the boxes in the stacks, but thought better of it. If he did, they would all come tumbling down on him probably killing him.

Another box hit him in the back. Kirby turned around to find the pusher, but he or she was already gone. Then Kirby turned back around to make sure no one was sneaking up on him. He had one momentary glimpse of brown before that box hit him as well. Kirby bounced off walls and was hit more times, he didn't know how much more he could take of this, so he began running wildly down the paths while sucking in at the slightest movement. He rounded a corner and saw Lalala coming with another box. He waited for her to come close before he inhaled the box. He then quickly spat it out and it hit her hard. She flew far and slammed into the wall, unconscious. Kirby spun around to make sure no one was sneaking up on him. Since no one was, he shouted, "Come on Lololo! You're next! Show me what you got!"

Another box rounded the corner and Kirby got ready to inhale it, but from behind it he heard, "Here's what I got! Your promised parting gift of Gordos!"

Kirby immediately found out what a "Gordo" was. Out of the bag popped a little black ball with eyes and white spikes. Kirby sucked in, but the Gordo was unaffected! It jumped up and hit Kirby right between the eyes. Kirby fell back, dazed, and he heard Lololo laughing at him while many more Gordos poured out of the box, going for Kirby. Kirby screamed and started running again.

Kirby thought that this was as good a time as any to call up Gooey for advice. He did so and shouted, "Gooey!!! Help me!!! I'm in Lololo and Lalala's packaging room!"

"Oh shoot! Not there!" Gooey replied. "I've been there due to business reasons. That place is impossible to navigate through!"

"Tell me something I don't know!"

"You must be fighting Lololo and Lalala, judging by the noise."

"Just Lololo. I already dealt with Lalala."

"Listen to me, Kirby. This is important. Do not let them release any Gordos!"

"They already have!"

At this point, Gooey said something profane.

"What?!" shouted Kirby. "I'm not familiar with that word!"

"Kirby! Run from the Gordos! Although small, Gordos practically define the term 'invincible'. They cannot be hurt, killed, put to sleep, or even inhaled! I doubt even Crash would do the trick! Just focus on defeating Lololo! I can't help you any more than that!"

"What's in the boxes?"

"No clue."

"Okay. Gotta run, literally!"

Kirby hung up and started running from the Gordos that had rounded a corner near him. He had gotten an idea. He inhaled one of the boxes out of the nearest mountain and it started to lean toward him. He quickly started running away with the box still in his mouth. The mountain toppled over and Kirby made it out of the way just in time. He spat the box back at the fallen boxes and it opened up one of them to reveal... boxing equipment! No, not equipment for making boxes. Equipment for the sport of boxing! Kirby inhaled them and became Fighter Kirby! Fighter Kirby began punching in all the boxes, revealing all kinds of stuff. Kirby found something he liked. It was a flame-thrower! Fighter Kirby became regular Kirby and inhaled the flame-thrower to become Fire Kirby! Fire Kirby began torching the boxes and many mountains were turning to ash when Kirby heard a voice cry out, "No! Stop! Don't ruin our perfect packaging!"

Kirby stopped and said, "Come on out and tell your Gordos to stop or I'll lay waste to your boxes!"

"Stop, Gordos, stop! Why are you out of your boxes?!"

"You sent them after me!"

"Why?"

"I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK YOU THE SAME THING!!!"

"I... don't... know."

It suddenly dawned on Kirby what was happening. He remembered the only words he had ever heard King Dedede say: "Kill spare." Lololo and Lalala must have been possessed by Dark Matter! That would explain their sudden obsession with killing and the signs that said "Only Dedede and relatives are allowed." Their unwillingness to have their wares destroyed must have allowed them to overcome Dark Matter's power!

After clearing things up a bit, Kirby told Lololo and Lalala the story so far. Then he asked them where the second piece of the star rod was hidden.

"I hope it's not in one of those boxes," he said.

"For all we know, it might be," they replied. "We don't remember any of the time during which we were being controlled."

"Just great," said Kirby sarcastically. "It would take forever to find it in there!"

"We do have a lead though," they interrupted. "There is a place back down in Butter Building that would be typical to hide something in. We had been hearing noises down there for a while before Dark Matter came. He might have been preparing it. We will give you directions."

"That sounds more like it!" replied Kirby.

"Very well," said Lololo and Lalala, still in unison. "Here is a map. We will mark the vault and the most direct route."

It was quite a long one, Kirby thought.