Chapter 5

The next few days, everyone tended to their duties in the name of preparing for Dark Matter. Fumu threw herself into the books she obtained from Curio, studying every single tome word by word, page by page. Though the others were helping her by reading some of the books, she had been given the lion's share of the reading - after all, she was the fastest reader and was the most familiar with the topic of Popstar's archaeology.

The three knights and Shieldmaiden did not remain idle either, studying their own share of the books in an attempt to obtain any information possible. They narrowed their search somewhat by matching Shieldmaiden's power tracker with the supposed location of the relics. Just by cross-referencing in that manner, they were able to narrow down their search by quite a bit until leaving behind a few promising candidates.

Studying was not the only thing the Star Warriors did. In between breaks from reading, they redoubled their training efforts. The castle courtyard rang with the clash of steel on steel as the three knights traded sword blows, trying to shake off the inherit rustiness that had set in from years of peace in Dreamland. Though Sword, Blade, and Meta Knight trained often, Shieldmaiden could not attend their sessions. Her presence in Dedede's castle was still unknown, and it was decided between all of them to keep the hot-headed and impulsive king from knowing as much as possible.

King Dedede remained oblivious, going about his day while tended to by his Waddle Dee servants and Escargon. However, as time wore on, he began to grow suspicious. Though not the most perceptive citizen of Dreamland, he was very familiar with the daily goings-on in his castle and recognized that something had recently changed. The three knights were acting shifty, either training noisily enough in the courtyard to disturb his morning sunbathing sessions or hiding away for hours in their rooms without so much as a peep.

"Something's going on, I just know it!" King Dedede muttered to himself, sprawled out on a lounging chair. The king was trying to relax on his castle balcony, but was becoming increasingly bothered by the faint clashing of steel echoing upwards from the courtyard below them.

Escargon, who was dutifully rubbing his yellow feet, paused to look up at his rotund king. "What could it possibly be, Your Majesty? Nightmare has fallen, and there hasn't been a single sign of trouble around for ages. It's actually been kind of dull."

King Dedede kicked Escargon with his right foot. "Did I say you could stop rubbing?"

Escargon blanched before focusing on the King's feet again, fearing the wrath of Dedede - or more accurately, his hammer. "No you didn't, your Highness. I'm rubbing, I'm rubbing!"

King Dedede snorted, gloved hand nervously drumming on the armrest of his lounge chair. Not a few seconds later, he sprang up quickly enough to knock Escargon off balance.

"I can't STAND it!" The king declared. "I KNOW they're up to something. Escargon!"

Escargon teetered slightly and fell forward, catching his own fall with his arms.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" The snail questioned wearily.

King Dedede folded his arms, looking down at Escargon with a scowl.

"I want a full search performed of Sword, Blade, and Meta Knight's rooms. Sneak behind them and try to listen in, see if they say anything fishy. I am allowing them the most generous privilege of living within the walls of my castle, so their privacy is forfeit. After all, those are MY rooms."

"Y-Yes, Sir" Escargon responded.

Personally Escargon thought the King had gone nuts, and was perhaps imagining a reason to be upset because things had been quiet for so long he maybe wanted something to happen. However, he knew voicing his opinion on the matter could turn Dedede's anger on him instead. The last time that happened, King Dedede played a game of croquet with Escargon's shell as the ball and his large hammer as the mallet. Escargon's shell was still sore behind that one.

The snail slinked off at Dedede's command. The pudgy king watched his servant go, turning towards the edge of the balcony afterwards. He walked over to its edge, peering downward. From the view of this balcony, he could witness everything that was going on in the courtyard. He saw the three knights as well as Kirby, paired off into two groups and mock fighting each other in repetitious training drills; Sword and Blade, and a short distance away Sword Kirby and Meta Knight.

King Dedede's eyes narrowed. "I'm onto you..."

Escargon looked through Sir Meta Knight's room first, careful not to disturb much as the moody knight was almost as scary as King Dedede. Aside from his delicious candy stash and a few spare masks, the snail found nothing of interest...until his eyes fell upon some books. He knew that the Star Warrior was an avid reader, but something compelled him to look through the pile and see if anything stood out.

"Fables, legends, science, space travel, ..."

His purple hand avoided the dusty pile of books on Popstar's relics that were stacked off to the side, digging deeper into the books closer to Meta Knight's bedside instead.

"Ship engineering, war stories..."

The snail picked up one particularly thin magazine and peered at its contents with narrowed eyes before fumbling to quickly replace it, face turning red as a fire engine.

"Um, yeah. That's it. Nothing to see here. Next!" Eyes bugged, Escargon spun on one 'heel' to exit the room as quickly as possible.

Escargon next walked through the castle, using his flexible eye-stalk to constantly look over his shoulder as he made his way to Sword and Blade's room. He arrived outside of the door and tugged on its hinge.

"Locked. Hah! Stupid" Escargon sneered, fiddling through a large key ring for the set that unlocked their door.

"I've never seen this door locked during daylight hours", the snail muttered to himself. "Maybe King Dedede was right after all..."

Escargon opened the door and peered inside.

"Blade, is that..." Shieldmaiden asked, her voice trailing off. Her eyes widened within her helm as she saw that the person who unlocked the door was most definitely not a Star Warrior.

Escargon stared at her, jaw dropped, eye twitching.

"Y-y-y-y-YOUR MAJESTYYYYYY!" The snail screamed, throwing his hands up in the air and running off.

Sword Kirby flew through the air, his blade pointed high. Meta Knight dodged the blow at the last second, turning quickly to face his opponent and counterattack. The two had been training for a while and, as they both tended to do, they became a bit less interested in mere training drills so much as they were focused on besting each other. Meta Knight noted King Dedede on the balcony above them, and could practically feel his glare bore into him even from the great distance between the two. When he saw the King suddenly turn with his hammer raised and run off into the castle with an unnatural speed for one so large, he slowed in his combat just enough for Sword Kirby to get a good blow to his mask.

"Oof..." Meta Knight said, staggering backwards and holding his head with a gloved hand. That blow made his earholes ring.

"Kirby, stop!" Meta Knight commanded, pointing upwards at the balcony. "King Dedede just ran inside with his hammer up."

"Poyo?" Kirby asked, lowering his sword slowly.

Meta Knight's cape lifted and rippled as if blown by an unseen wind. It then appeared to rip apart in a split second, two bat-like wings spreading out from the cape's fabric.

"Let's go."

The two Star Warriors hurried back inside the castle, Meta Knight by air and Kirby by foot. Sword and Blade watched the two's sudden movement and followed behind them, knowing that the two wouldn't break training and run like that unless something serious happened.

Meta Knight's throat ran dry; he felt his stomach drop. He had a bad feeling he knew what caused the King to react so strongly. He ran to Sword and Blade's room, the other three behind him, all skidding to a stop at the room's entrance. In the doorway stood Shieldmaiden, shield raised defensively, as King Dedede stood before her with his hammer raised high.

Escargon's head popped up from behind the king's robe, starry-eyed and blushing slightly as he looked upwards at Dedede. "Your Highness, you...you saved me..."

"Shut up!" King Dedede roared to his cowering servant. He then turned to face the group of warriors, pointing his hammer threateningly at them.

"YOU. What the hell is this?!" King Dedede growled. "Who is this crazy Kirby-looking thing and why is an uninvited guest in MY castle?!"

"My deepest apologies, King Dedede" Meta Knight said with his gloved hands out in a palms up gesture. "We rescued this one from a doomed ship. She was injured, and we brought her here to recover."

King Dedede folded his arms and glared at the smaller creatures, unconvinced. "She was well enough to say hello to Escargon. Seems plenty healthy to me..."

Blade piped up, voice cracking from nerves. "We only wanted you to see her after she was completely healthy, in order to properly introduce...your new mercenary!"

"Yeah" Sword added, too quickly for the king to retort. "We brought her here because we knew that another powerful warrior could be useful in defending the castle."

King Dedede glowered at the group, arms folded. Behind the King's robes, Escargon silently sneered at the knights and mouthed "bullshit."

"What do I need another warrior on our payroll for?" King Dedede asked with a snort. "Nightmare's been gone for years! Dreamland's crime record is at an all-time low, thanks in no small part to my incredibly prosperous leadership. There's no need for any more protection here."

Shieldmaiden shook her head. "But there is! Your Majesty, a great danger is soon going to threaten you and your kingd-"

Sword interrupted her frantically. "Yes, a great danger! Y- uh, your villagers are going to revolt!"

The king paused, beak opening slightly. He glared at Sword. "Say what?"

"Don't you remember the tax hike?" Blade chimed in, sensing Sword's angle and running with it. "We've seen it and felt it, but it's hitting those who don't make much cash pretty hard. Everyone in Pupu village is getting madder and madder, and soon they may get the courage to storm the castle and take their money back by force!"

Meta Knight looked up to the King, his mask giving the false impression of a completely straight face. "Why do you think we have been training, Sir? It is our goal to protect you, after all."

Of course, the Cappie's real reaction to the steep and admittedly unfair tax hike was to grumble over their morning paper, with a few of the most "rebellious" holding signs outside of city hall politely asking for it be reverted. The Cappies were among the most apathetic group of people Meta Knight had ever seen. Still, he knew King Dedede didn't know that. The spoiled King rarely set foot in Pupu village, let alone actually interacted with any residents, considering them mere commoners who were beneath him.

King Dedede gulped. He did remember hearing about the protests a short time ago, as Fumu had brought it up to him several times. He had no idea it had grown to the level of an angry mob, though. He remained silent as terrible visions flashed through his head; the Cappies bowling over his Waddle Dees and storming the castle's gates. Each town member standing in a long, snaking line to the door of his treasury while Escargon handed them their taxes back and then some, one by one. His treasury, once bursting at the seams without the pressure of debt from Nightmare, shrinking down as the wallets of undeserving peasants grew fat instead. Suddenly, the offer of another guard's services was quite tempting.

The King hid his fear behind a smirk, resting with one arm on his hammer. "Tell you what. I'm feeling generous today! I could always use more protection, being such a valuable target, so if you agree to follow my orders to a T you can stay here as one of my soldiers. Your duties would involve protecting me, my treasury, my possessions, my Waddle Dees, my castle, my garden, my food stores, my wardrobe...oh, and I guess Escargon if he's in trouble."

"Of course, your Majesty", Shieldmaiden nodded readily "And thank you. It would be an honor to serve you."

Meta Knight exhaled slowly, having held his breath for so long that he began to feel dizzy. Sword and Blade slumped slightly in their armor as well, visibly relieved. Kirby tilted his head from one side to another with the sword still in his hand, frowning. He had no idea what the fuss was about or why everyone was so tense, but if King Dedede raised his hammer at Shieldmaiden he'd have no choice but to act.

"Good. It's settled, then!" King Dedede stated, letting out a hearty laugh.

Escargon frowned deeply from his place behind the King, glaring daggers at the Star Warriors. King Dedede turned and walked off, Escargon trailing behind him. The snail looked up at his King, hands on his hips. Despite the "threat" of the Cappies somewhat justifying the Knights' odd behavior, the snail felt like something else was wrong.

"Since when do Meta Knight and his goons care about the protecting the King's treasury?" Escargon thought to himself. "King Dedede was lucky if they even stepped in to protect his hide from Demon Beasts! They're all full of it...they don't give a damn about anything in this castle but Parm's kids and their precious little Kirby. His Majesty was right to be alarmed..."

The snail stroked the his green cheek whiskers as the two walked down the hall.

"I'm keeping my eye on them."