Ch.3 Cabbage Cavern Chaos

"Where are the other two? I hate when they leave me alone with-"

Tuffy glared at Sheeby, and she backed down. He took out a pair of goggles and a snorkel.

"Come on! Stop complaining and do something useful for a change!"

Sheeby pouted angrily.

"I am useful."

"Yeah, useful at driving me nuts!"

He dived in. Sheeby took out her own gear, and stuck her tongue out at Tuffy's back. She glanced back at the mirror hoping the others would hurry, then dived in after him. Blippers immediately homed in on the Kirbys, but one blast of water sent them off. Tuffy swam steadily onwards, and if he was afraid in any way, he didn't show it. Presently they came to a tunnel with walls covered in spikes. They knew their way around, but even still, Sheeby felt uncomfortable.

"Tuffy?"

"Yep."

"…Never mind."

"Suit yourself. You're not scared, are you?"

"Of course I'm not scared! Do I sound scared? Do I look scared?"

Tuffy's answer was a snort of laughter. Sheeby opened her mouth to reply, but Tuffy had already hoisted himself out of the water. Sheeby followed, relieved.

"Come on, scaredy scarfy. Up here!"

"Don't call me that! I'm not scared!"

"Prove it."

Sheeby caught up with Tuffy on a ledge over looking a cave. In the far corner, a Bonkers held his hammer ready. Tuffy looked relaxed, almost bored.

"Well, go on. Prove you're not scared."

Sheeby gulped, but looking back at Tuffy smirking at her, she held her head high.

"Fine. Piece of cake."

She jumped lightly down. The Bonkers thundered towards her at once, hammer raised.

"They should be far enough in by now."

Kirby produced his own scuba gear and Geeby took out his. Geeby had abandoned his UFO power; it was going to disappear anyway was his excuse.

"Fishy fishy fishy. I'm so fishy so fishy so fishy today!"

Geeby ran into the water, not bothering to jump. Kirby jumped in after him, to keep him out of trouble. Geeby was making faces at a Blipper. It looked at him in a confused way then swam off, occasionally looking back.

"FISHY! COME BACK!"

He would have gone after it, but Kirby held him back, and pointed up. There was a gap in the ceiling. Gladly, they climbed out. Geeby shuck himself dry. Kirby got most off Geeby's water in the face.

"Geeby! Oh well, I suppose we'll be going back into the water later. Hey, do you hear something?"

They listened closely. A scream drifted through the humid air.

"Come on! We have to find out where it's coming from!"

Kirby ran, still dragging Geeby away from the water. As soon as he realised what was happening, he out ran Kirby.

"Wait for me!"

Geeby dithered at the last corner.

"Huurrry… "

"I'm coming! Go ahead!"

Geeby disappeared. Kirby skidded and was about to round the corner, when something dropped from the ceiling. It was a sword. Just a plain sword that you would get from a Sword Knight, but a weapon nonetheless. Kirby took it and continued on his way. The first thing he saw was Geeby blowing a raspberry at the Bonkers, Tuffy ramming into it as hard as he could and Sheeby backing against the wall, powerless. He rushed forward and drove the sword into the Bonkers' leg. It roared and slammed its hammer down. Kirby jumped nimbly out of the way and slashed at its arm. Now it was getting really mad. It stomped heavily and Tuffy took his chance and rammed into its unprotected back. It moaned, then collapsed. Kirby discarded his sword, swallowed it and took the Hammer power.

"Sheeby, are you ok?"

Sheeby got shakily to her feet.

"I...I think so."

Tuffy wheeled up. He looked worried.

"Sheeby, I'm so sorry. You weren't meant to get hurt."

Sheeby smiled.

"You're gong to have to say more than that, Tuffy."

"...You weren't scared. There, I said it."

Sheeby gloated, but thenm a look of embarassment crossed her face.

"Well, actually, I was a teeny tiny bit scared."

Suddenly, the whole room rocked. The Kirbys were thrown on their faces. A trapdoor opened underneath them and they slid into it. The tunnel they travelled through was rocky and uncomfortable. It was dark when they finally got to the end of it. They dusted themselves off and looked around, but could see little in the gloom. Tuffy rammed into the wall, which was what he did when he was waiting for something to happen, and getting impatient. Sheeby and Geeby were shuffling closer together for safety. Kirby held his hammer high.

"We're in Odious Oceans."

"Thanks for the running commentary, Mr. Obvious."

Something was moving under the surface. Tuffy stopped moving and glanced expectantly around. Sure enough, there was a great rumble and a small something poked out of a hole in the wall. Kirby ran towards it with Tuffy, and started whacking it with the hammer. It vanished, then appeared in one of the holes in the ceiling. Geeby flew up to it and blew a puff of air at it. The thing suddenly grew larger, and Moley emerged form his underground den. He started throwing bombs at the Kirbys, but whenever they tried firing them back he vanished. He came up behind Sheeby. She tried to jump over him and nab one of his bombs, but she was hit hard by a bomb. She winced in pain and landed on Moley's back. she clung on tightly as he waved a paw around head, trying to swat her off. Tuffy's eyes narrowed and he transformed into a wheel once again. He jumped in midair and landed on the Moley. He knocked Sheeby off and confused Moley in the process. Moley started growling and shaking his head violently, thinking Sheeby was still on him. Sheeby chased after a bomb and swallowed it. She adjusted her little blue hat and glared at the Moley.

"You're going down, Mister."

She hurled bombs at him in a steady flow. Tuffy, Kirby and Geeby retreated behind her. She was really mad now, she had taken a running leap and smacked Moley right in the face with a bomb. The others looked at each other nervously. Sheeby was going crazy with anger.

"TAKE THAT! AND THAT! AND THAT! I'LL TEACH YOU TO FIGHT BACK! NOT SO BIG NOW, ARE YOU, CHUMP!"

And Moley was shrinking. His eyes were crossed and he swayed as he slowly collapsed back into his hole. Sheeby was breathing heavily. A mirror shard and a musical note appeared above the vanquished Moley. Sheeby snatched them out of the air and turned to the Kirbys behind her.

"That's him taken care of. Where to next?"

Tuffy was staring at Sheeby as if seeing her in a whole new light.

"That was...amazing."

Geeby's eyes were bugging out, though no one knew whether he was faking or not.

"WOOOOOWW..my hero."

Kirby looked a little flustered, but then he shook Sheeby's paw hurriedly.

"Yeah...well done. You fought, em...fast?"

Sheeby smiled proudly.

"It was nothing."

Geeby whistled and their Warp Star flew up to collect them. Kirby and Tuffy seperated to let Sheeby on first. Kirby and Geeby got up next, then Tuffy, still in awe of Sheeby. Kirby directed the Warp Star to the Hall of Mirrors.

"Next stop Hall of Mirrors!"

"Then where?"

"Moonlight Mansion. It's nearest."

Tuffy and Sheeby opened their mouths to protest.

" And then we'll go somewhere fun."