We just stood there, staring, not daring to move. Cream Puff floated in front of us, gazing with its cute little eyes. It was almost hypnotic.
"Master."
"Y-Yes, Cream Puff?"
Cream Puff did a happy sort of dance. "Master."
"Come here, Cream Puff."
Cream Puff floated closer. Escargoon took a few steps backwards. I held out my hand and my monster landed.
"Good Cream Puff," I whispered. It purred. I turned to Escargoon. "It's alright, Escargoon. I've got it under control. It won't hurt us."
"I'm not going anywhere near that beast."
"Fine. Suit yourself."
Thankfully, Cream Puff sat calmly in my palm until Tiff, Tuff and Kirby returned with an old bird cage. Tiff gasped when she saw the monster in my hand.
"Erika, be careful!"
"It's OK, Tiff. I'm its master. It won't hurt us."
"Master," said Cream Puff.
Tuff approached us slowly, holding the open cage in front of him when he reached us. I tried to place Cream Puff inside, but it floated away and over to Tiff.
"Don't worry, Cream Puff," Tiff whispered. "We won't hurt you. Be a good little monster and get in the cage."
Cream Puff refused, and to show it, the 'good little monster' bit Tiff on the arm. She squealed.
"Tiff!" I cried, running towards her.
Tuff dropped the cage and rushed to his sister's side. "Are you OK, sis?"
"Poyo?"
Tiff didn't respond. I looked at the bite mark; it was deep indigo, almost black. Her eyes were turning blood red. She opened her mouth and two long fangs suddenly shot out. As she began to growl, we all screamed and leapt backwards.
"What's happening to her?" Tuff wailed, his voice shaky with fear.
"WHY is this happening?!" I cried. "This didn't happen when it bit me and Escargoon!"
"Poyo poyo!" Kirby pointed to Cream Puff. It's fangs were showing, They were tipped with some kind of purple venom. It suddenly flew at us, fangs bared, but Tuff quickly grabbed the cage and held it up. Cream Puff crashed straight inside the cage. Tuff took out a padlock and clipped it onto the cage. The deadly monster snarled and hissed and thrashed around wildly, determined to escape.
"Take it back to the castle," Escargoon ordered. "Get a knife from the kitchen. You know what to do next. And be quick about it!"
Tuff didn't need to be asked twice. He rushed off as fast as his feet would carry him before Cream Puff got any worse. As for Tiff, she was advancing towards Kirby.
"Poyo! Poyo poyo!" Kirby yelled. Tiff stopped for a second and began to shake her head as if she were in pain.
"She heard Kirby. I think she's trying to fight off the venom effects," I said. "Come on, Tiff! You can do it!"
My encouragement had no effect. After a few moments, Tiff stopped shaking. She leapt at Kirby and sank her teeth into his head. Kirby screeched.
"POYOOOO!"
His eyes faded to red. Two little fangs emerged from his mouth. He was a venom monster now. I screamed. I had no idea cute little Kirby could look so deadly.
"Run, Erika!" Escargoon tried to escape but I grabbed him by the tail.
"We can't just leave them here!"
"Why not?!"
"We have to stop them from reaching Cappy Town!"
"For how long?!"
"I bet that the effects will wear off as soon as Tuff kills Cream Puff."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Oh, I don't know. It always happens in movies."
"This ain't a movie, kid!"
"It's worth a try! Or are you too scared?"
Escargoon hesitated. Kirby and Tiff were getting closer every second.
"Alright," he said eventually. "I'll help you."
-x-
Meanwhile, Tuff had just arrived at the castle. He tried to go into the kitchen but was stopped by Waddle Doo.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I have to get a knife."
"You're not allowed in the king's kitchen."
"Escargoon said I could."
"Where's your proof?"
Tuff held up the cage containing the snarling Cream Puff. "I have to kill this monster to save my sister! Now let me in!"
Tuff pushed past Waddle Doo and began opening all the drawers, frantically searching for a knife. Eventually, he found a really big, sharp one. Perfect.
Tuff held up the knife to Cream Puff and took a deep breath. "Sorry, Cream Puff, but I gotta do this."
-x-
Somehow, Escargoon and I had managed to get ourselves into a pretty bad mess. We were standing on the edge of a cliff outside Whispy Woods, and Kirby and Tiff were only getting closer.
"I told you we should have gone left," I complained, "but no, you had to insist we go right."
"Oh, be quiet, before I push you down the cliff."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"You wanna bet?"
I hesitated. "Y-Yeah. I dare you."
I didn't think he would, but I freaked out when he grabbed me by the shoulders. I didn't show it though. I tried to keep a cool composure as Escargoon prepared to throw me off the edge. And if he dared to try, he was coming with me.
It didn't happen. Escargoon suddenly let out a yelp and squeezed his eyes shut, as if he were in pain. I looked past him, fearing the worst. Kirby has his teeth deep in Escargoon's tail. There was no escaping now. I knew that as soon as Escargoon turned into one of them I was going to get bitten too. He still had hold of my shoulders. There was only one way to escape and that was to jump down the cliff. I wasn't brave enough to do that. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and awaited my fate.
And waited.
And waited and waited.
"...Erika?"
I gasped and flicked my eyes open. "Escargoon? What's going on? You didn't get turned into a monster."
Just then we heard groaning from behind us. Tiff and Kirby were sitting on the grass, rubbing their sore heads. They had returned to normal.
"Kirby?" said Tiff, helping him up. "Are you OK?"
"Poyo."
"Tiff?" I called.
"Erika! Escargoon, what are you doing to her?!"
"She wanted me to throw her off the cliff!"
"I did not!" I yelled, shaking his hands off me.
"You did too!"
"I did NOT!"
Tiff sighed. "Please don't start arguing again."
"Oh, Tiff!" I suddenly realised something. "If you and Kirby are back to normal, Tuff must've killed Cream Puff!"
"Back to normal? What are you talking about? Where IS Tuff, anyway?"
"He caught Cream Puff and took it to the castle to kill it."
"And just in time," Escargoon added. "I almost got turned into a Cream Puff vampire too. I could feel my teeth growing." He poked one of his teeth. They didn't seem any pointier.
"Hey, guys!"
We all turned around. Tuff had found us!
"Tuff!"
"Hi, sis! Are you OK?"
"Of course. Why?"
"You got turned into a monster!"
"A monster?! How?"
"Cream Puff bit you."
"Then you bit Kirby," I continued.
"And Kirby bit me," Escargoon finished.
"You saved us, Tuff!" I cheered.
Tuff was silent for a few seconds to let this sink in. Then he leapt up and down and yelled, "Yeah! I did save you, didn't I! I'm a hero! Three cheers for me!"
We cheered. More than three times, and not just for Tuff; we all cheered for one another. Well, Kirby went 'poyo poyo poyo', but we knew what he meant. And with that, the Poyo Posse headed back to the castle, laughing and chatting like we were all best friends.