Authors note: Last chapter Kirby and Shadow Kirby were at the gate of King Dedede. Their goal is to find the missing Apple juice. Read and Review, as the mystery unfolds.

CH.2: Suspicions

Kirby approached the castle edging his way along the stone wall. Shadow Kirby did so as well, but he tripped over a protruding block. Kirby cast a worried glance over to him, but Shadow Kirby waved off the pain and continued on. "Be careful, you could've-."

"If I had, then you would've gone on. There would've been no loss if I were to be captured." Shadow Kirby pressed on and Kirby cast his eyes down wondering if what he said was serious. Kirby and Shadow Kirby reached the main door around the time the sun was setting.

"Stand back, I got this one!" Kirby brought out his mallet like hammer and with it gripped tightly in his pink hands swung it into the wooden bracing of the door. The door swung open and Shadow Kirby stepped in. The castle was huge, highly decorated and had paintings of King Dedede everywhere!

"I bet he has the apple juice," Shadow Kirby said, "someone who likes himself this much must have a reason to want apple juice." A sudden tremor in the ground sent the heroes of Dreamland into the air; puffing in air to stay afloat. King Dedede was riding his motorcycle down the carpeted steps and yelling loudly:

"Guards…where are those blasted insects? Someone has broken the door…argh what I'd do for some good security." King Dedede was a round fellow, resembling a kind of duck or mammal. Kirby anxiously looked around the room watching for security, while Shadow Kirby seemed interested in King Dedede's whereabouts.

"You let them have vacation a week ago, remember?" Stepping out of the shadows was Kirby's ally/enemy Metaknight. He was similar in shape to Kirby and wore a visor over his face. King Dedede roared at the news, though in the back of his big head there was some confirmation.

"This is not good, I have my door opened, my guards are out picking cherries, and the valuables I have may be in danger! Metaknight, protect the valuable room, and-and you shall be awarded an extra week off." With this King Dedede reared on the back wheel of the motorcycle and roared into an adjoining room.

"He has yet to give me my other weekend off," Metaknight sighed and pulled out his sword of yellow. When 15 minutes had passed and not a single soul made a peep, he left the room with a contented sigh.

"Ahhhhhh!" Both the heroes had held their breath for far too long and fell face first onto the ground. Getting up in wobbly fashion they proceeded to the stairs where tire marks were evident. "Let's go…that way!" Kirby pointed up, while Shadow Kirby pointed in the direction where Metaknight had went.

"King Dedede needs to be questioned, whether he has the apple juice or not is still a mystery." Shadow Kirby shook his head, he clearly thought differently.

"That won't work, we need to get to the room and steal back what was stolen. Barging into King Dedede's room and interrogating him…that is asking for trouble."

"Do you want your apple juice back?" Shadow Kirby turned his back, but found his head nod. "Well then, the main question is, why barge into a safe protected by Metaknight himself? Both of us have no weapons, so why risk the injury? And what if the apple juice isn't there?"

"I don't know…I just can't see any real evidence in the fact that King Dedede knows what's in his safe. I'm going to look in the safe; you can tag along if you like-."

"Hey…that is no fair. I pointed you in the direction of Dedede's, I suggest you give me some credit. After all, I have had more dealings with Dedede, then you, so apparently I must know what I am doing." Shadow Kirby seemed doubtful and Kirby rubbed his eyes.

"Ok…let us do things…your way." Kirby led the way up the stairs, their little feet made practically no sound on the carpet. The door to King Dedede's room was cracked, so the two peeked in to see King Dedede enjoying a sip of-

"Ah…a relaxing weekend alone, I have been saving you for a special occasion, this seems about right." Kirby kicked the door open and wall kicked over to King Dedede. "Kirby…what in blazes are you here for? Were you the one that broke-?"

"Enough King Dedede!" Kirby put his small arms to the small of his back and paced the room. "Where were you today during the apple juice crisis?"

"What Apple Juice crisis? I was here all day due to the road being dug up," King Dedede protested, he was agitated and clearly upset by the blame. Blast, why must I always be the one to be given the accusation for a crime, although it has happened-

"You saw us on the road with the apple juice and decided to ride your bike right past us and steal Shadow Kirby's apple juice! Not only that, but the apple juice delivery truck was robbed as well, care to explain that!?"

"I-I…well, that is to say-." Kirby stole the bottle in King Dedede's hand and popped the cork. Still staring at Dedede he poured the content into a glass, the crystalline water smelled familiar. As he sipped a little he pulled back and gave Dedede an accusatory stare. "Alright…it's apple cider! But I can tell you I did not-."

"Well Kirby…we were wrong. Which means that if you had listened to me we would've-." An explosion rocked the castle and the three occupants in the room pushed each other in the threshold as they proceeded to the safe. Eventually Shadow Kirby saw some loose carpeting and came to a halt. "Guys…the stairs aren't what you call safe-."

"My safe is being robbed, how dare you say what is safe and what isn't," King Dedede declared and as he pushed forward he noticed the carpet too and would have agreed with Shadow Kirby, but Kirby was the last down and bumped into them.

"Ouch! Ooof! My hand! I'm sick!" Their complaints on the roll down were more, but most were too muffled to understand. King Dedede landed on the two and bounced to his feet leaving the two flat as pancakes.

"Kirby…that hurt." After inflating into their normal size the two limped into the safe to find a wide eyed Dedede in there. The safe was robbed, and the contents inside were gone as well.

"My apple cider…I had plans for a party," both Kirby and Shadow Kirby gave each other confused looks.

"You had plans for a party," Kirby said giving Shadow Kirby a glance, "then King Dedede was planning a celebration. The delivery truck had a robbery before, this is causing my head to spin." Yet the one person who wasn't in the room was at the moment the key suspect in the three cases. "Hey…where did Metaknight go?"