Knight Errant
Part 10
*Kirby wakes up and stretches.*
Kirby: Hi everyone! Gooooood morning! Rise and shine! Today's gonna be an awesome day!
*Kirby looks around the room and notices an empty bunk.*
Kirby: Huh? Where's Spark? Spitfire's still here, and those two are always together!
*Kirby runs over to Spitfire's bunk and shakes him awake.*
Kirby: Hey, Spitfire! Wake up!
Spitfire: Huh? Kirby?
Kirby: Where's Spark? His bunk is empty!
Spitfire: It is? Oh.
Kirby: Oh? He's your brother! Aren't you worried?
*Marx goes over to Kirby.*
Marx: Let's leave Spitfire alone. We're both assigned to missions today.
Kirby: But what happened to Spark?
Marx: He's dead.
Kirby: Dead? How'd he die?
*Marx starts heading off in another direction.*
Marx: I have to get down to Hangar 2 in five minutes! Bye!
Kirby: Why is everyone acting so casual about Spark's death? How did he die, anyways?
Later
Kirby: So did you hear about Spark?
Mint: Who?
*She looks up from Kirby's ship, which she is fixing.*
Kirby: Oh. You probably didn't know him.
Mint: I get a lot of Star Warriors coming through every day. I don't get to know most of them.
*She looks flirtatiously at Kirby.*
Mint: But you're an exception.
Kirby: Gee, thanks!
Mint: So what's wrong?
Kirby: I…don't know. Something feels wrong to me, but I just don't know what!
Mint: You're just having a bad day.
Kirby: But I never have "bad days"!
*Mint giggles.*
Mint: Well, you're right about that. Who knows, maybe something will happen to cheer you up!
Kirby: *thinking* But I'm not sad, I'm confused.
Mint: I'm done with the repairs! Your engine should be able to function fully now.
Kirby: Great, thankies! I need to be going to Hangar 12 now to leave on a patrol. See ya!
Later, in Hangar 12
Kirby: Darn! Someone took my parking spot!
Another star ship that looked almost identical to his was parked in the space where Kirby liked to park. Kirby had observed that over the years, the other star ships had begun to resemble his more and more, both physically and mechanically. When Kirby had arrived, he was surprised by how different the newer models looked, but now it was getting hard to distinguish his from the very newest star ships.
Kirby: *thinking* It's really weird how all the newer ships keep looking more and more like mine, especially since mine is an older model.
*He heads to his brigade's bunk room.*
?: Kirby! Kirby!
Kirby: What is it, Flicker Knight?
Facing him was a fuzzy tannish-brown creature with large ears who was about a third Kirby's height. Kirby could tell the little Star Warrior was excited about something, even more so than usual. Flicker Knight always appeared to be on a perpetual sugar high.
Flicker Knight: It's Essy! He's dead!
Kirby: Dead?
The bold, blood red-armored figure of Commander Shaughnessy, or Essy as he was known to his troops, flashed in Kirby's mind. What would the brigade do without his leadership?
Flicker Knight: Where were you when this was announced? You need to come back right now!
Kirby: I was parking my star ship; somebody took my spot. What's your rush?
*Flicker Knight looks incredulously at Kirby.*
Flicker Knight: Sir Arthur announced that he wanted you to be the next brigade leader!
Kirby: Really? Yay!
Immediately the sadness of Essy's death was shoved aside by a rush of excitement. He was upset the Essy had died, but he was thrilled at this new opportunity.
Kirby: *thinking* Me? A commander? Wow! I didn't think I'd get that honor; I might be famous, but there are lots more experienced Star Warriors!
*he and Flicker Knight enter the bunk room.*
The other Star Warriors turned to the door where Kirby and Flicker Knight had just entered. They said nothing; Kirby had never seen the room completely silent like this. It unnerved him.
Marx: Congratulations, Kirby!
*A number of the brigade members turn and glare at him.*
*Marx whispers something too indistinct for Kirby to hear.*
*The whole brigade cheers loudly for Kirby, as if nothing had happened before.*
Kirby: *to himself* That was really weird.
The Next Morning
Kirby: Hey, wake up everybody! Today's gonna be another awesome day, so rise and shine, and get ready to go on your assigned patrols!
*A silvery, armadillo-like Star Warrior raises his hand.*
Kirby: What is it, Baxter?
Baxter: We don't have assigned patrols. You haven't assigned them to us yet.
Kirby: Oh, oopsie! I'll do that right now-thanks for reminding me! You can go-
Brigade Member 1: You were supposed to assign the patrols last night!
Kirby: Sorry! I'm still new to this whole "commander" thingy! I guess today you can do whatever you want.
Brigade Member 2: What?
Brigade Member 3: We can't do that! We'll all get in trouble!
Kirby: Okay, okay! You can join up with another brigade for today if you really need something to do! *to himself* This is really hard work!
A Week Later
Kirby: Hello, everyone! Today's the big day! I've been assigned to lead you to Splash Star to help with the war effort! We've been fighting NightMare Enterprises there for almost a year now, and our forces there need help! Sir Arthur wants our brigade specifically to land the winning blows in this war! Well, not really. I just made that part up. But whatever! Let's go!
At once the brigade broke out into loud cheering. Minutes passed before it was quiet enough for Kirby to think.
Kirby: *thinking* They really like me now! I haven't even done anything to deserve it, either!
The newfound praise baffled Kirby. He thought about asking Marx to explain, but some unknown instinct stopped him.
Later, in the Hangar
Kirby: Okey-dokey, troops! Instead of using our normal star ships, we'll be doing something a little different! I've been given permission to use a battleship! Follow me!
*The other brigade members see the battleship.*
Brigade Member 1: Kirby, what have you done?
The battleship, formerly a sobering dark gray, now donned bubblegum pink paint. Pastel rainbows and stars covered the sides, and on the front in yellow paint were the words "Star Smiler".
Kirby: Isn't it great? I'm happy to see you like it, too! The original color was so boring, so I painted it pink! I changed the name too- the Star Smiler is a much better name than the Star Striker!
*The brigade members start muttering amongst themselves as they head into the ship.*
Kirby: It's great you're all so excited! I am, too!
*He goes to the helm and closes the door.*
Kirby: Is everyone in? We'll be taking off now!
*Kirby unsheathes Galaxia and raises it up.*
Kirby: Star Warriors, to battle!
After the Battle
Brigade Member 1: Hooray! We won!
Brigade Member 2: Just look at them now! Run back to Nightmare, you scum!
Kirby: Awesome job, everyone! Hugs all around! I knew we could win!
Kirby looked proudly over his brigade. They had won their first battle with Kirby in charge! A surge of pain coursed through his arm where a monster's lance had pierced him. He'd get it fixed when he returned to the Star Warrior's base.
Brigade Member 3: Kirb-sir, could you help me out?
Kirby: Sure! What is it, Fletcher?
Fletcher: I lost my sword in battle, and it's still somewhere in the battlefield. I'd look myself, but you already told me to go to the infirmary. Could you find it for me? It has a blue and red hilt-
Kirby: Of course I will! Marx, you can come with me!
An Hour Later
Marx: I'm not seeing that sword anywhere. Are you sure it's around here?
Kirby: We're in the middle of the battlefield. That's where Fletcher said he dropped it.
Marx: I'm going to retrace our steps. Maybe it's closer to the battleship.
*He heads off.*
Kirby: Okey-dokey! I'll keep looking around here.
Later
*Marx runs over to Kirby.*
Marx: Sir!
Kirby: You can call me Kirby. What is it? Did you find Fletcher's sword?
Marx: We've got more important things to worry about! The Star Smiler is gone!
Kirby: Someone stole it?
Marx: Sort of-the brigade's mutinied!
Along with Part 7, this is one of my favorite parts of the story. I had so much fun writing this part.
Coming up next:
What a predicament Kirby's gotten himself into this time! At least it wasn't his fault...well, not directly. How is he going to get himself out of this one? Find out in the next installment of Knight Errant!