Chapter 3: The Leftover
Popopo sat at home. He always avoided occasions that involved large crowds. His shyness caused him to go into a panic when he was surrounded by people. He didn't talk much and his worst fear was public speaking.
It was now just a bit after midday. Popopo looked at the sun's position and realized that now would be a good time to take today's afternoon nap.
Once he had reawakened, he went outside to find his friends. Upon leaving his house, however, he realized that no one else was outside. Vegetable Valley seemed deserted. But, that was nonsense. Everyone couldn't have just disappeared. They probably all got back a bit late from that meeting at the castle and were only now taking their afternoon naps. Just to be sure, he walked over to Vavava's house and quietly looked in the window.
Vavava's bed was empty. Popopo didn't understand. King Dedede surely wouldn't have kept them this long.
He went to each of his friends' houses in turn, checking inside, looking everywhere. No one was home. Everyone, it seemed, had missed afternoon nap! This was serious.
Gathering up what little courage he had, he went to Castle Dedede to investigate. The journey took a number of hours on foot.
When he arrived at the castle, he found that the drawbridge was up. That didn't present much of a problem, though; he simply inflated himself and floated over the walls into the courtyard, which was completely devoid of Dream Landers.
His anxiety rose sharply. Where was everybody? He floated up the castle wall, listening for any noise from the inside. He heard nothing, and his flight instead revealed to him that all the windows and openings to the world outside the castle had been sealed off. All his friends... All the Dream Landers must be trapped in there!
And with that, Popopo went into severe panic. He landed on the ground outside the castle walls and began running back towards home, unable to keep himself from imagining being trapped in an immense crowd for all eternity. He couldn't run the entire way, but no calming reassurance came to him on this return journey, so he remained terrified the whole time.
He made a final dash for his house as soon as he saw it in the twilight after the sun had set. He rushed inside and under the covers of his bed, shaking and breathing hard.