In Castle Dedede, a penguin king was opening his eyes for the first time that day. After so many days of being bed ridden, he was finally free to carry on his normal routine. He stepped out of bed and dressed himself in his usual kingly robes. However, something felt off…
(watch?v=UPB2K0bmQeU)
Dedede decided to ignore the feeling. He walked down the hallway, when suddenly a group of Waddle Dees began to stare at him. The looks upon their faces showed utter shock and disbelief.
"Was I out so long they thought I kicked the bucket?" Dedede thought.
The strangeness only continued once he passed by Parm and Memu's apartment. Their mouths were opened in utter shock as well. Fumu had to do a double take and Bun rubbed his eyes.
"Feh. They're just upset because I'm back to being the king." The penguin king thought and smirked.
However, the true surprise awaited him when he reached Escargon and Bandana Dee. When he met his two closest staff members, he was expecting a joyous greeting. Instead, he was treated to seeing Escargon's paled face. Bandana Dee's eyes were wide in horror.
"What? What's wrong?! Everyone's been acting weird! Now you two?!" Dedede shouted in confusion.
Escargon tried to answer, but the action proved to be too much. The snail fainted on the red carpet of the throne room. Dedede turned to Bandana Dee, who could only point at the penguin king and shout the following.
"The end! The end is NIGH!" Bandana Dee scrambled down the halls screaming the phrase.
"I don't know what's going on…but I'm gonna find out."
The king of Dreamland decided to seek the one person in the castle who would tell him point blank what was wrong. The penguin roamed the halls looking for the blue masked knight, and he wasn't in his room or outside training.
Dedede was starving, so he figured he might as well go to the kitchen since he couldn't find Meta Knight. Once he arrived in the kitchen, he found the blue knight sitting at a table about to eat a bagel. He lifted his mask slightly, only enough to take a bite.
"So that's how he eats with the mask on…" Dedede thought, then remembered why he wanted to find the knight in the first place.
"Sir Meta Knight." The penguin king walked into the room.
The blue knight looked up from his bagel. He stared at the king for a few moments, then set the bagel down. Meta Knight folded his hands on the table, not tearing his attention away from Dedede.
"Yeah yeah, I know. Something is wrong with me apparently! But what is it?!" Dedede demanded.
Meta Knight's eyes flashed green for a moment. "…You haven't noticed?"
Dedede gulped. "S-Sir Meta Knight…what's going on? Sir Meta Knight?"
The blue knight still remained quiet. The penguin king began to shake. Was it so bad that even Sir Meta Knight couldn't tell him what was wrong?
"Sir Meta Knight! Tell me what's wrong with me!" Dedede couldn't take any more of the tension.
"Your Majesty, there are times when actions speak louder than words. This is one of those times." Meta Knight hopped off of his chair, then retrieved a mirror and gave it to the king.
The king of Dreamland looked into the mirror only to scream at the sight. He dropped the mirror as his startled cry was heard across the castle.
-
Somehow over the time the king had been bedridden, his skin had turned to a sickly color. His arms looked much thinner and seemed weaker. His clothes felt much more loose.
(watch?v=joTZ0qcAa7w)
In the next ten minutes, all the castle staff arrived at Dr. Yabui's clinic. Dedede may not be the nicest person in the galaxy, but they were still worried for his well being. Bandana Dee was hyperventilating as he stood next to the king.
"Hey, kid." Dedede said slowly. "If this doesn't go away, then there's something I want you to do for me…"
"It's not gonna come to that!" Bandana Dee shouted in worry. "But if it does, I promise to bury you under the nicest most beautiful tree in Dreamland, Great King!"
"What?" Dedede crossed his now thin arms. "I was gonna say that if Dr. Yabui couldn't do anything about it, you guys were gonna have to do something about it. What did you think I was gonna say?" He gave Bandana Dee a suspicious look.
"Oh um…heh heh…Dr. Yabui! Are you having any luck with those books?!" Bandana Dee yelled.
"Well, I may have found something…" Dr. Yabui hummed.
Well?! Out with it! Tell us what's wrong with our king!" Escargon yelled.
"Very well then. Side effects include lethargy, irritability, inattentiveness, and hunger." Dr. Yabui explained.
"Sounds like regular Dedede to me." Bun said, then Memu shushed him.
"I wasn't finished. That was stage one, this is stage two." The doctor cleared his throat, then continued.
"Stage two includes weight loss, muscle loss, discoloration of the skin, and then…oh…"
"What? What is it?!" Escargon shouted.
"Dr. Yabui! What's gonna happen to me?!" The penguin king shouted.
The Cappy doctor cleared his throat uncomfortably. "And then leading to expiration…"
Everyone gasped in shock. Dedede turned a pale white, then fell to the floor.
"My life! Measured in seconds!" The king of Dreamland shouted dramatically.
Meta Knight scanned over the book for a moment. He pointed at an area on the page and murmured something.
"Oh! Perspiration! Not expiration. Sorry everyone." Dr. Yabui announced.
The room seemed to relax. Dedede found the strength to get back on his feet.
"So…what sort of illness do I have?" Dedede asked, fearing the answer.
"Oh, it's really nothing. No illness. The discoloration of the skin, the loss of weight and muscle? You've been in the castle so long without properly eating or moving, that's it's effects. Quite common in your species."
"So there's nothing wrong with me?" The penguin asked.
"You'll be better after you start eating again and-"
"So all I have to do is eat and I'll be back to normal?!"
"Well some exercise is involved but-"
"UUUGH!" Dedede groaned. "Who wants to do that?!"
Then a broad grin spread on the king's face. "Wait…why not combine the two?"
The grin on his face was enough to let Fumu know that he had some crazy idea. Dedede suddenly raced out of the office when he caught sight of a familiar pink puffball. The other castle staff followed him to see what events were about to unfold.
"Kirby!" Dedede pointed dramatically. "I challenge you to a Gourmet Race!"
-
(watch?v=6G7RuTk-HRs)
"What…is a Gourmet Race?" Marx asked in disbelief.
"I was hoping you knew, poyo."
Shortly after Dedede's challenge, Kirby went to find his friend Marx. Fumu didn't seem to know what a Gourmet Race was, so he decided to ask his traveling buddy. Unfortunately, it seemed the little jester didn't know either.
Marx had once again decided to reside in a box for the night. Even though Marx had told him he was going to the hotel again, it turned out the jester had fibbed once again. His antics were really starting to worry the pink puffball.
"Well, gourmet means a connoisseur of good food or a person of discerning palate. So I assume it has something to do with food and running, you know." Marx mused.
"If it has something to do with food, poyo, then it must be good!" Kirby cheered.
"Unfortunately we have no way of knowing until the tubby penguin decides to explain himself." Marx sighed.
"Dedede! What are you planning?!" Fumu shouted.
Fumu and Bun were questioning the king as he was giving instructions to the Waddle Dee chefs. To have a Gourmet Race, one must have food after all. Even if no one knew what a Gourmet Race was.
"I told you! I'm planning a Gourmet Race!" Dedede answered angrily.
"Yeah, but what is it?" Bun asked.
Dedede sighed with irritation. "It's a race that involves eating and running. You eat while you run. That's a Gourmet Race."
"Dedede, that's a terrible idea!" Fumu said, already imagining the consequences,
"Silence! Silence! Silence! It's a good idea! I'll be getting my food and running at the same time! This king will be back to his old self before you know it!" The penguin king marched out of the room.
Escargon grumbled then shouted. "And exercising like a normal person is out of the question apparently!"
(watch?v=RZUpL0fsUR0)
Kirby and Marx were killing time by tossing around ideas for their next tour. Marx decided he wanted to see the beach and the surrounding forests. They continued to enthusiastically talk about their plans. until suddenly Escargon drove next to the two in Dedede's car.
"His majesty is waiting for you Kirby." Escargon pointed to the backseat, motioning him to get in.
The pink puffball hopped in the back seat with Marx crawling in next.
"Excuse me, just where do you think you're going?" Escargon scoffed, eyeing the little jester.
"I'm going with him of course, mhmm. You can't expect him to compete in a competition without his best friend to cheer for him, you know." Marx explained.
"And just what makes you think a common outsider is allowed at his majesty's event? You're not coming!"
Kirby frowned until Marx's lip wobbled. "Well…well…what if I make this face?"
The lavender clown unleashed his sad pitiful expression upon Escargon. It was too much, even for someone as bitter as the snail.
"Uh…fine. How much trouble could you possibly cause there anyway?" Escargon said as he began driving.
Marx squealed in happiness and kicked his feet. "This is the first time I've ever been in a car! It's so exciting!"
Kirby giggled at Marx's reaction to the vehicle. Even Escargon cracked a slight grin, but hid it quickly. He had a reputation to uphold after all.
They stopped at a large hill but there was no sign of Dedede. Kirby and Marx hopped out of the car, then the pink puffball dozed off on the hill. He decided if the king wasn't here then it wouldn't hurt to take a little nap.
-
(watch?v=A9dv-FYRKCU)
An unknown amount of time later, the young Star Warrior was awoken. The penguin king stood in front of him, holding a cupcake and an apple. He tossed both in the air, then ate them in one bite. Dedede smirked, brimming in confidence.
Kirby looked around to see not only the castle staff, but most of the village was there as well to watch the race. The pink puffball felt slightly giddy at the scene, eager to compete in whatever the Gourmet Race was supposed to be.
Escargon held a microphone up to his mouth. "Attention, commoners! His majesty has invited you villagers to be spectators in the first annual Gourmet Race!"
The Cappies murmured quietly amongst themselves before erupting into one question in unison.
"What's a Gourmet Race?!"
"To explain that question I'm sure everyone (including myself) is asking, the captains of the Waddle Dees will take the floor. Introducing, Commander Waddle Doo and Bandana Dee."
Commander Doo took the microphone and Bandana Dee carried a board with a few pictures on it. The Waddle Doo began explaining the rules of the Gourmet Race.
"His Highness King Dedede and Kirby will race in an obstacle course. On their way through the race, they must eat food as they run. There are three parts to the race."
Bandana Dee pointed to three separate pictures on the board. "The three areas the Gourmet Race will take place in are Pumpkin Grand, Corn Hall, and Onion Garden."
Commander Waddle Doo continued. "The race also contains a point system. Each piece of food is one point. A Maxim Tomato is worth five points. Reaching the goal is worth thirty points. Whoever has the most points at the end of the three races is the winner."
Fumu crossed her arms. "It seems simple enough, but there must be a catch somewhere."
"I think he's actually serious with this." Bun chimed in. "I think he really just wants the Gourmet Race."
"It's a terrible idea though! It's probably the worst idea he's ever put into action!" Fumu complained.
"But it does seem quite exciting." Memu added. "And all the food looks delicious."
They couldn't argue with that statement. The Waddle Dees had done a wonderful job of providing for the race.
Suddenly a voice was heard over the crowd. "Hey! Hey! Hey! I wanna be in the race!"
(watch?v=EdXTqxTWxcM)
The lavender jester scurried to the king. "I wanna compete too, you know!"
"Escargon, who is this kid?" Dedede turned to his snail supervisor followed by Meta Knight and his knaves.
"Well, his name escapes me at the moment…but I'm sure he won't cause any trouble!"
"Hey! Hey! Hey! You stole my cupcakes! So you owe me!" Marx stuck his tongue out at the king.
"Cupcakes? What cupcakes? Besides, you can't compete and that's that! This is between me and the puff!" Dedede argued.
"You! You fiendish fiend! You stole my cupcakes! My red velvet soft serve ice cream cupcakes with fudge and caramel! You dare steal them and deny your actions?!" The little jester was getting red in the face.
Dedede leaned down towards Meta Knight. "Sir Meta Knight, could you watch this lunatic kid and make sure he doesn't do anything crazy? He looks like a wild one."
Meta Knight nodded, then the king headed to the starting area. The blue knight eyed the little jester, who suddenly grew very quiet. Suddenly Marx broke into an impressive sprint and dove into the nearest bush.
Fumu stood next to Meta Knight, joined by Sword and Blade. The knight stared at the little jester trying to conceal himself, then turned to the Cappy.
"Fumu, do you know that child?"
"Yes. He's one of Kirby's friends and his name is Marx. He said he's a traveler." She answered.
Sword looked in the direction of the bush. "Is he always this…eccentric?"
"Actually, this is pretty normal behavior for him." Fumu replied.
They looked at the little jester in the bush. Every time they would look in his direction, he would try to make himself unseen. Then when the knights weren't looking, he would peek through the plant as if he was playing hide-and-seek. It was actually quite cute.
"Maybe he's shy?" Blade suggested.
"Probably. He gets nervous at the strangest times, and the only one he's really willing to talk to is Kirby." Fumu crossed her arms. "He's really intelligent for his age too."
Sword laughed a little. "He looks so small and harmless. King Dedede was overreacting. He looks like such a nice kid."
The dark green knight waved to Marx. "Hey, it's okay. Come over here. There's no reason to be afraid."
Marx peeked from his hiding place, then ducked behind the plant again with a tiny yelp of surprise. He showed no signs of leaving the bush anytime soon.
Meta Knight's eyes flashed green for a moment, signifying deep thought. Fumu took notice.
"Sir Meta Knight, is something wrong?"
The blue knight's eyes returned to their usual yellow color. He turned away, then replied.
"Most likely it's nothing to worry about."
Fumu wasn't very satisfied with his answer, but she couldn't force an answer out of Meta Knight easily, if at all. The race was beginning and she could see Kirby and Dedede stand at the starting line. She sighed and resigned herself to watching this ridiculous race.
-
The Waddle Dees were setting up the cameras for the race, as well as the monitors. Dedede and Kirby waited at the starting line. The king was growing impatient. The Waddle Dees gave the signal that the work was finished.
Armin scurried beside the starting line carrying a paper noisemaker. He was chosen to start the race, an honor that he was quite elated to have received.
The Waddle Dee looked at the noisemaker. "What does it do?"
"You just pull that string there." Dedede pointed.
"Oh, this one?" Armin curiously pulled the string.
When nothing happened after the string was pulled, Armin looked at the end of the noisemaker in confusion. Then an explosion of confetti burst from the end of the object, startling the poor Waddle Dee.
"Aaah!" Armin fell on his back due to the shock.
(watch?v=o6VVhpqLbsg)
Kirby and Dedede took off in a surprising amount of speed in Pumpkin Grand. The two ran beside each other until the pink puffball passed the penguin king. However, Dedede was right behind Kirby.
Mayor Len looked at the monitors, impressed. "His majesty is quite fast with the proper motivation."
"Yeah, I didn't know that he could be that quick. Still, he's gonna have to do better to beat Kirby." Bun added.
The two competitors then ran into the food. Kirby gobbled up everything in front of him. Watermelon, hot dog, orange, ice cream, candy…nothing edible was safe. They began to run up the small hills of Pumpkin Grand.
They jumped into the air to catch the suspended food, how the Waddle Dees managed to do that, they didn't know. Then the two competitors ran into a series of blocks. Dedede weakly lifted his hammer to smash the blocks, while Kirby inhaled them to pass.
The pink puffball jumped and inhaled a Maxim Tomato, still inches ahead of Dedede. He could see the finishing line just a few yards ahead. He sprung into action and with a burst of speed, crossed the finishing line.
The penguin king repeatedly stomped his feet and swung his arms. "No fair! No fair! No fair! I will beat you! Victory will be mine, Kirby!"
"He's just a sore loser." Bun snickered.
Kirby and Dedede, along with the Waddle Dee crew, made their way to Corn Hall. Armin waddled to the starting line and held another noisemaker.
"King Dedede sire? This won't explode in my face again, will it?" Armin asked worriedly.
"It won't if you hold it away from your face!" Dedede answered.
"Okay!"
Armin cheerfully pulled the string and held the noisemaker away. Then the object propelled itself out of the Waddle Dee's hand, and exploded somewhere in the crowd.
"MY EYE!" A random Cappy yelled.
Kirby and Dedede took off, racing on the second course with new enthusiasm. Kirby took the lead once again, then a small hill entered his vision. Dedede dashed and performed an impressive jump over Kirby's head, putting the penguin in the lead.
The pink puffball picked up speed as they went down the hill, allowing him to pass Dedede, The penguin gaped, then returned to his somewhat serious expression. Several smaller hills were in their way, making Kirby lose his place in lead.
The king of Dreamland hopped over the small hills with ease, surprising with his stature and weight. They ran until they reached a ladder. Rather than climb it while carrying his hammer, Dedede resolved to inflate himself and float upward.
The young Star Warrior rapidly climbed the ladder, but Dedede was already ahead of him, eating all the treats spread out for the race.
"Come on, Kirby! Go a little faster!" Fumu shouted.
Kirby heard his friend's voice and picked up speed. He could see the finishing line, and he was so close to Dedede. The pink puffball dashed faster, but suddenly everything seemed to be falling.
Then Kirby realized, everything wasn't falling. He was the one falling. In his haste to outrun Dedede, he had tripped on a rock in his path. He could hear the sound of the Waddle Dees cheering as the king crossed the finishing line.
"Hehehe! I told you victory was mine!" Dedede said with a smug look on his face.
"Not so fast, Dedede!" Fumu pointed a finger. "There's one more track after this. Then we'll see who the winner is in this ridiculous race!"
"So bring it on, tubby!" Bun called.
"Hold it!" Commander Doo pointed his paw, interrupting Dedede's attempted mauling of Bun. "Before the final race, there's one more thing that must be done."
"And what would that be?" Fumu asked, crossing her arms.
Comander Doo cleared his 'throat'. "INTERMISSION!"
-
(watch?v=RZUpL0fsUR0)
Kirby was drinking a bottle of water to wash down all the food he had eaten. His feet were slightly sore, but he tried to stay in high spirits. It was a tie at the moment, and the final track would determine the winner. He just had to stay positive.
"Hey, Kirby! How's it going, buddy?" A familiar blue blob greeted.
"Gooey, poyo! You came!" Kirby cheered with glee.
"Of course I did! I wouldn't miss my best buddy compete!" Gooey plopped down next to him.
"I'm still here…" A voice emanated from a bush that had suddenly approached them.
"That's so cool! They have mobile plants here?" The blue blob said excitedly.
"It's me, Gooey." Marx popped out of the bush, slightly irritated.
"Hey, Marx! What are you doing in that bush?" Gooey asked.
"…Hiding." The little jester answered.
"From what, poyo?" Kirby questioned, curiosity growing.
"There's this blue knight…he won't stop staring at me…it's unnerving, you know?" Marx sank lower into the plant.
"Sir Meta Knight? Marx, that's silly, poyo. Why be afraid of him?"
"Kirby. That guy could knock me to kingdom come in a matter of five seconds. I'm smarter than I look." Marx huffed.
"Wow, Marx. This is a little wild even for you." Gooey laughed.
"Yup, I'm full of surprises. Now I'm gonna go somewhere else with this bush before he comes back. I was never here, nope nope." The little clown tip toed away from the two, along with his disguise.
Suddenly the intermission bell rang, signaling the final race.
"That's the bell, poyo. I better go." Kirby said.
"Do your best buddy! I have full faith in you!" Gooey cheered, nudging him to the starting line.
-
Kirby and Dedede stood at the starting line, both filled with anticipation and anxiety. This was the final track, otherwise known as Onion Garden. Armin appeared with the noisemaker.
"Here we go!" Armin pulled the string, this time pointing it toward the ground so no one would get hurt. The object shot confetti, then rocketed somewhere into the air out of Armin's paw.
(watch?v=o6VVhpqLbsg)
The racers began sprinting down the track. Kirby took the lead as he ran up a slope, then dove a small distance. Below, Star Blocks were in their way. There was a small space just big enough for Kirby to squeeze through, while Dedede was busy destroying them with his hammer.
The pink puffball ran through the space, eating the goodies spread out on the track. He floated up the wall next to him, narrowly avoiding the spikes around him. He continued to float across a body of water, then dove down to the ground again.
He bypassed another group of Star Blocks, buying him some time to get ahead of Dedede. He floated up another wall, only for the penguin king to appear from behind him. Kirby deflated and jumped down the other side of the wall.
The next part of this race required him to swim. Kirby rapidly threw on a snorkel mask and paddled through the water. He arose from the pond and dashed down the track, gobbling food left and right. He could feel the food and water slosh around in his stomach, but he tried to ignore the feeling.
He floated up one more time against another wall, Dedede was on his tail. Kirby flapped his arms as fast as he could, the finish line in their vision. Kirby deflated and ran as fast as his feet would allow. Dedede ran alongside him.
"You're not gonna win, Kirby!" The penguin king ran faster.
The pink puffball jumped into the air and slid on the ground. Dedede tripped and caught Kirby in his grip during his fall. The young Star Warrior was accidentally flung and a cloud of dust appeared.
When the dust cleared, Kirby had fallen behind the finishing line, with Dedede face down in front of the line. Kirby had won.
The Cappies and Kirby's friends cheered wildly, while Dedede threw a tantrum in the background.
"No fair! No fair! You cheated! You must have tripped me! I demand a rematch!" The king shouted.
"He won fairly! You're just being a sore loser." Fumu said.
"Not so fast!" Commander Doo called out.
"We still have to tally up the points. This is a Gourmet Race so the food counts too." Bandana Dee added.
"That's right!" Dedede cheered up. "You still haven't won yet, Kirby!"
Armin arrived with a score board and a microphone. "Kirby won the first race, so that's thirty points. Dedede won the second, another thirty. Kirby won this race, so another thirty to him…"
The Waddle Dee began to tally the amount of food and added it to their scores. "Dedede ate 120 points worth of food…"
Everyone gasped in surprise. Dedede smirked in triumph.
"What about Kirby?" Fumu and Bun asked.
Armin looked at the board and began to tally, then gasped.
"Well, out with it!" Dedede demanded.
"Kirby…has 180 points worth…adding it together with his wins, he has a total of 240 points…"
(watch?v=JsiKpv4SEh8)
Fumu and Bun picked up Kirby and cheered. He had won. His friends gathered around to congratulate his victory. The penguin king sulked at his loss.
"No matter what it is…I just can't beat that kid…" Dedede sat down.
Bandana Dee grabbed the king's arm. "It's okay, Great King. You'll always be a winner to me."
Dedede smiled for half a second, then gave him a soft pat on the head. Suddenly Dedede clutched his stomach, Kirby did the same.
"You that sore of a loser, Dedede?" Bun asked.
"Ugh…it's not that…" The penguin king mumbled, then belched.
"Fumu, poyo…my tummy hurts…" Kirby whimpered.
"I feel sick…" Dedede started to turn slightly green.
"See, this is why I thought this stupid race was a bad idea." Fumu rang. "I knew you would get sick."
"Then why didn't you say anything?!" Dedede squawked.
"You wouldn't let me say anything."
"That never stopped you before!" The penguin clutched his stomach again as Escargon and Bandana Dee led him into the car. Then to add injury to insult, the noisemaker from before fell from the air and smacked into Dedede's head. The king muttered a soft 'ow'.
"Uuuh…" Kirby belched, then hiccupped.
"Wow, I'm really glad I didn't compete now, you know?" Marx added.
"Come on, champ. We'll make sure you get home." Bun said as he and Fumu lifted him into their arms.
Gooey and a bush free Marx followed by closely, making sure their friend got home safely. Marx turned around to see the blue knight staring at him again. He gave a soft yelp and scurried faster. Meta Knight's eyes glowed green.
"Sir…" Sword said softly. "Is there something wrong…something you're not telling us?"
"…" Meta Knight began to walk back to the castle in silence. His two knaves followed him, slightly worried but remained quiet.
-
(watch?v=bPR_te_ODPQ)
The next day, Dedede had returned to his old self. He was back at his original weight and his arms were thicker as they were weeks ago. His skin was no longer pale or green, but his original healthy blue color.
The king had decided to hold a castle meeting for all staff. Puzzled, everyone entered the throne room, hoping it wasn't another crazy event. The king began to speak.
"I have called everyone here for an important announcement." Dedede cleared his throat. "I have learned something."
A few in the room gasped. It was rare that his majesty ever learned something, and now they were brimming with curiosity. Dedede began to speak again.
"Sir Meta Knight, I would like you to write down this important lesson so that any of you may remind me, should I ever attempt to make the same mistake again."
The blue knight nodded, waiting for the king to tell what he had learned. King Dedede coughed slightly.
"This is what I have learned." Some leaned closer in curiosity.
"I have learned to never eat ice cream, then a whole roast chicken, and try to wash it down with pudding and pancakes. It leaves a weird taste in your mouth afterward, and I'm still feeling the pain after swimming!"
Fumu face palmed while Memu and Parm sighed. He hadn't learned anything at all!
Dedede looked at the blue knight. "Sir Meta Knight, please don't try to repeat my mistake. It's something I don't want anyone to experience…"
The penguin king awaited Meta Knight's response to his 'lesson'. After a pause, the blue knight replied.
"Your Majesty…I will try to remember your words for future reference…"
Author's Note: ...What on earth did I just write? So the Gourmet Race is done and that means that besides the filler chapters, the rest of this arc will most likely be fairly serious. Especially the end of the arc if you know what I mean... Ilove how Meta Knight is being so casual about all of the strange events going on around him. Then again, he's probably used to it.