Chapter 24: Shot Down
Kirby turned vertical just in time. The warpstar shook under the barrage of cannon fire.
Kirby yelled into his phone, "They're shooting at me! What do I do?!!"
"WHAT?!" answered Gooey.
"THEY'RE SHOOTING AT ME!!!"
"WHAAAAAAAAT?!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! THEIR SHOOTING AT YOU IS TOO LOUD!!!!!"
"Just great," said Kirby and terminated the connection.
Kirby flew the warpstar above the Halberd so that he would no longer have to be hanging from a vertical surface. This was a mistake. The giant cannon on top of the Halberd locked onto Kirby and launched a giant bomb at him.
The explosion threw Kirby from the warpstar and he landed on the front deck of the Halberd. Hurt, but not badly, Kirby got up and got ready to fight.
There they were, the "soldiers". Kirby inhaled a Meta Blade and became Sword Kirby! Kirby used his Sword ability to slice and dice his way through the "soldiers". Soon, they were running away. Kirby chased after them. They were all piling through a large entryway. Kirby ran as fast as he could, but just as the last one got through, a metal panel slid itself over the opening. Kirby was blocked!
Kirby banged on the door. Then he tried slicing it with his sword, but he just broke his sword and lost the ability. Inhaling didn't work either.
All was quiet.
Then more voices came from the phone.
"Kirby's been locked out!"
"That sure was close."
"Captain, this may be as good a time as any to ask you what our plan is."
"I'll conquer Dreamland with the Halberd!" said the squawker and Kirby almost laughed at the fact that the "squawker" was the captain.
"How? Dark Matter has already done so."
Captain: "Yes. Sir Meta Knight, what exactly is your plan?"
Meta Knight: "Dark Matter has already corrupted almost all the major powers in Dreamland. With the Halberd, we will be able to eliminate all those that remain. Then, we will destroy Dark Matter and claim our title as saviors. With our newly gained respect, we will alienate King Dedede and use the Halberd to perform a hostile takeover."
People cheered.
"By powers you mean like Kracko, right?"
Captain: "Yeah, I'd just love fry that eye once and for all!"
Meta Knight: "Then it's settled. Our first target... Grape Garden!"
More people cheered.
"Those idiots!" exclaimed Gooey. "You cannot destroy Dark Matter with pure wrath and fire! Without the star rod, a battle like that would destroy Dreamland!!! Kirby, you must stop this at all costs!"
"Okaaaaaay," replied Kirby, "but I need to get through this d—"
"Kirby," interjected Gooey, "something just occurred to me. I was reminded of it by that conversation."
"Yeah?"
"Was the pupil of Kracko's eye a slit?"
"No!" Kirby's eyes widened.
"I wonder why Dark Matter hasn't gotten to Kracko yet. Either that or Kracko and Dark Matter have worked out some sort of deal. Hmm..."
"Uh, Gooey, I hate to interrupt," interrupted Kirby, "but could you get me a warpstar through this door?"
"Well, are you on the outside of the ship?"
"Yeah."
"Then I can, but I can only take you through the door. You see, if a warpstar goes into as big a machine as this, it is bound to destroy something and I'm sure you don't want everything you touch to explode. That would kill you. The destruction of the Halberd must be done in a different fashion. I'll send the warpstar."