(A/N) Finally didn't have homework for the first time in freaking forever, so I decided to try and put out a longer chapter. It's funny that writing lengthy stuff that surpasses like 1,500 words. It's hard. And I never realized it until now. Oh well.
Hopefully this will kinda make up for the lack of content. Happy reading(:
Kirby huffed loudly, ignoring the ache in his body begging him to stop, and continued to run down the destroyed hallway. Beads of sweat trickled down his face, one drop landing in his eye, making him squeeze it shut to try and sooth the burning sensation that erupted. Looking down the hallway, he noticed a large pile of debris from the collapsed ceiling above blocking the path. Kirby reached one of his stubby arms out to the side, a hammer materializing. He drew the hammer back and then swung it forward around his body, knocking the blockade out of his way.
Kirby slid to a stop, the hammer vanishing into thin air. Panting, he took a moment to turn and catch his breath, inhaling oxygen deeply into his lungs, and releasing it shakily.
Another person, whose body was a similar shape to Kirby's round physique, landed in front of him, its bat-like wings transforming into a cape, flowing elegantly onto the ground.
"Have you seen any of the other smashers yet?" Meta Knight questioned. Kirby shook his head in response.
"Not yet."
Meta Knight said nothing, running around Kirby and jumping up into a glide, his cape once again becoming a pair of wings. Kirby rolled his eyes at the swordsman who was becoming smaller each passing second as he flew away.
"Great talk about the plan, Meta Knight," Kirby grumbled, following the other Pop Star inhabitant.
When Kirby caught up to the swordsman, he was standing in silence, holding his sword in a tight fist. Kirby raised an eyebrow.
"Something bothering you about that wall paint?" Kirby joked. "Personally, I always thought that these walls should have been a more warm shade of-" Kirby halted in the middle of his sentence when Meta Knight shot him a dangerous glare.
"Quiet. One of them is close." Meta Knight pressed himself up against the wall, peeking around the corner.
"One of them as in one of those monsters, or as in one of us?"
Meta Knight paused, saying nothing to the pink puffball. His eyes then faded from their usual yellow tint to an emerald shade of green. "Perhaps both."
"So what should we do then?"
"Prepare to fight."
" - we really should keep moving."
Luigi's gaze rose from the forest floor up to the boy speaking in front of him. Ness had a soft smile on his face, his hat worn in its usual position, twisting off to the side. He bounced up and down with each step Yoshi took since he was riding the back of the dinosaur. The dinosaur in question remained uncharacteristically mute, leaving the only conversations to be had between the plumber and the boy themselves.
"I know Ness," Luigi began, his voice even smaller than it normally was. "I'm just worried about Mario." Luigi paused, glancing over his shoulder back down the forest path they were walking down. "Maybe I should go back and look for him."
"No!" Yoshi cried, causing Ness and Luigi to jump at the sudden outburst. The dinosaur's blue eyes were huge and wild, glistened over by what Luigi assumed to be tears threatening to pour over. Yoshi whimpered slightly. "You can't. We can't."
"You want to leave Mario and possibly some of the others behind?" Luigi's voice rose, but wasn't loud enough to cause a disturbance in the woods. The plumber glowered at the green dinosaur and trembled faintly. "Do you not care what happens to them?"
Yoshi narrowed his eyes. "Of course I care!" His voice cracked. "I just- I can't risk it. It's not safe Luigi."
"Normally I'm the scared one."
"Well it's nice you're becoming brave all of the sudden, but maybe this isn't the time."
"What are you talking about?" Luigi shouted, his cheeks gaining a red tint from frustration. "This is exactly the time to be brave! We have to stand up and save the others!"
Yoshi took a step towards the plumber, Ness jumping off his back. "How can we save someone who we aren't sure isn't dead?"
"How could you say that?!"
"I watched it!" The dinosaur yelled, squeezing his eyes shut. His entire body shook like an earthquake resonated from his core. He opened his eyes again, allowing the tears to flow freely now. "I watched Diddy Kong fall to those monsters!"
Luigi froze, that single detail Yoshi revealed clouding his mind. He's right. How can I assume that they are still alive? I didn't stick around long enough to see any of it. I ran. Luigi frowned. "I know I can't assume anything at this point. But I can hope. I can hope that my brother is still alive and fighting."
Yoshi hiccupped, wiping his wet cheeks with his hands. His directed his attention to the ground as he felt his face heat up from the embarrassment of a break down in front of his friends. He felt a hand land on his shoulder.
"I promise to not go back, if you promise me to not give up hoping."
The dinosaur hiccupped again, more quietly this time, and nodded his head vigorously.
Luigi nodded back at him and walked around Yoshi, proceeding with their trek further into the forest. Ness looked back and forth between the two before extending his hand to the dinosaur with a small smile. Yoshi returned the smile, his hand covering the small boy's one, and the two jogged down after the plumber.
Mario's hand became encased in a bright red flame, and he launched himself into the air, bringing down his fist onto the back of the neck of a beast. It made a choking noise, falling to the ground with a thud. Mario jumped off of it, performing a quick back flip and landing cleanly on the floor. He breathed out heavily, wiping his gloves on his denim overalls.
Pit landed next to him, his fingers pulling back on his bow, an arrow ready to be fired. "Is it dead?"
His question was answered as the beast fell apart; it's body dividing into single black particles, fading away.
The angel returned to a relaxed stance, his arrow dissipating. "That would be a yes."
"Where are they all coming from though…?" Mario's voice carried off, and he cast the angel a concerned look. Pit merely shrugged in response.
Mario started a light jog, Pit gliding smoothly in the air next to him. "Who knows," Pit then chuckled. "We should stop calling them things and maybe label them. 'Things' is so overdone."
Mario grinned. "They almost look like lions, minus the manes and eyes, right?"
"Oh!" Pit cried out, doing a corkscrew in the air. "That's exactly what the look like!'
"Alright," Mario nodded, pumping his arms back and forth faster in order to catch up with his companion. "They are the lions now."
"It's a shame really," Pit mused. "Lions are such majestic creatures. But those things are definitely not majestic by any means. They are just as vicious though- maybe even more."
"Doesn't matter. They are a threat all the same."
"I know."
Mario and Pit rounded the corner, both skidding to a complete stop as a lion snarled at them, baring its dagger-like teeth. Mario powered up a fireball in his gloved hands, throwing them one after another towards the lion. The lion jumped up, briefly running across the wall before slashing its claws at the two smashers. Pit raised his shield, the force of the attack pushing him backwards a couple feet.
"Do we have a plan?" Pit cried out, looking to Mario for direction. The plumber bit his lip.
"Attack. That's all that matters right now."
Pit pulled back on the string of his bow, shooting an arrow. "You don't have to tell me twice."
Mario laughed out loud, although it came out more forced and sarcastic. "I sure would hope not."
Pit flapped his wings a few times, gaining altitude, before turning into a nose dive towards the beast. Pit swung his double swords, skimming the surface of the beast and swooped back upwards. The lion snapped its jaws at the angel, missing by a few feet. Mario threw another fireball at its legs. The fireball connected with its target, sizzling and crackling as it made impact. The lion hissed loudly, swiping irritated at Pit who maneuvered with ease through the air.
"Is it just me or is this getting easier?" Pit mocked, ducking his head as another paw swatted above him.
"Watch yourself, Pit," Mario warned. "We've fought a few of these things already. We know their moves by now. But that doesn't mean they don't have more in store for us."
Pit grinned as his sword made impact again, producing a deeper cut than before. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, plumber."
As soon as the words escaped his mouth, the lion fired a blinding energy beam from its mouth. The beam curved through the air, striking Pit on the back. The angel cried out, twisting erratically in the air, finally crashing to the floor.
"Pit!" Mario began to run towards his fallen comrade. The lion roared, swiping another clawed hand at Mario. The plumber gasped as the paw made contact, throwing him back towards the wall. Mario felt his back meet the bricked wall, his bones faintly cracking, the wind knocked out of his gut. The plumber collapsed on the ground, wheezing as he lifted his head to face the angel.
Pit laid on the floor on his stomach, his eyes shut in a relaxed fashion.
Shit. Mario swore to himself when he noticed that the angel was unconscious.
The lion stood over the motionless boy, dark particles separating from its body and covering the boy. The particles melted into the flooring, and the spot where Pit laid a moment ago was now barren.
The lion turned to face Mario, who was struggling to stand. It began walking slowly towards him, in a taunting manner, like a predator about to capture its prey. Mario felt a lump form in his throat, a cold sweat encasing his body. The lion was about to lunge forward, but instead burst apart, its body fading away.
Mario relaxed slightly, coughing. He was pulled to his feet, his arm being positioned over the shoulders of another person.
"Don't push yourself," a gruff voice directed, practically lugging the injured plumber down the corridor.
"Thank you Donkey Kong," Mario wheezed, his legs dragging on the floor. His head rolled lazily to its side, the pain in his back and ribcage becoming apparent.
Donkey grunted in response, his head facing forward as the two made their way towards the exit of the hallway.
(A/N) And there you go.
I don't plan on going into detail on every single person right now and their grand escape. Too much details that I don't have available. But hey- Kirby finally turns up! And so do a few of the others!
I also got tired of recycling 'monster' and 'beast,' so I decided to give the the monsters a name- hence the Lions. Kinda look like one, just much more threatening and creepy looking I suppose.
I'm gonna try and spit out another chapter within a few days. Might not happen though. I need some time to think haha.
I hope you all liked this kinda lack-luster chapter. Please leave comments and reviews and whatnot, and thank you!