Chapter 14: Digression One
"That Kirby... I'm sure it was the Dream Lander that came here before. This is an imminent threat that cannot be ignored. But I am not yet strong enough to take care of it myself."
[incomprehensible reply]
"No, we cannot risk alerting the populace, or worse the rest of the solar system. The fewer who know I am here, the better. I will be able to possess others more easily if the element of surprise is on my side. It is unfortunate, but the only way to counteract this threat without creating others is for me to build strength as quickly as possible and then go after the Dream Lander myself. I must outmatch his fast pace. Organize the alphabet's latter half. We will begin immediately."
Glunks were positioned at the entrance to the cave. These were green sea anemones, with red tentacles and little eyes on their sides. If someone passed over them who wasn't supposed to, they would open fire with the guns they concealed in their tentacles. A small shark sped over them into the cave. The shark had a gray back and a white belly. The Glunks recognized it and remained motionless.
The cave was huge, and deep underwater. It had blue walls made of stone, from which green seaweed grew in every direction.
"Kirby's here!" the shark was shouting. "Kirby touched down in Orange Ocean!"
The two occupants of the cave turned to face the shark. One was a killer whale much bigger than the shark, and the other was an enormous, and enormously rotund, blue whale. This whale had a blue back and tail, while its belly and flippers were white. It also wore something similar to a sailor's shirt, custom fitted to its large shape, and complete with short sleeves for its fins. This outfit was white with a blue collar. The whale also sported a red scarf, tied around it below the collar, and a conspicuous brown pipe that never left its mouth.
The orca replied, in a low, rumbling voice, "Kirby? He is here already? This is bad news. Sweet Stuff is not back yet."
"Go, Acro," said the giant whale, addressing the killer whale. Its voice was high and distant, not matching its size. A few bubbles rose out of its pipe and floated upwards. "Tend to business."
Acro sped out of the cave in an instant.
"Hey!" The shark flailed a bit. "What about me?"
"You stay," said the giant whale.
"But I can swim just as fast as Acro! I can get there! I can help!"
"I made a promise."
"Come on. This mission's too important for—"
"You can't help here," interrupted the giant whale. "She died this way."
"Oh, right. Yeah... fending off a shipment. I know." The shark now wore a very glum frown.
"Stay here, Joe," finished the giant whale.
He then rose upward and broke the surface of the water. Although the cave was far underwater, it had trapped a large air pocket. A wooden dock had been constructed there.
"Flotzo," said the giant whale, addressing one of the two beings on the dock, a small, reddish-purple octopus.
"Here for ya," replied Flotzo in a low, yet sort of squelching voice.
"Assess and report."
"Will do, Boss."
"Cawcun," said the giant whale, addressing the other of the two beings on the dock, a white pelican with little neck and huge eyes.
"Yeah Boss?" replied Cawcun in a low, yet sort of squawking voice that didn't fit his somewhat silly appearance.
"Tail."
"You got it."
Flotzo and Cawcun dove into the water and departed.