So, been playing the new Kirby game! It's my first Kirby in about 10 years and it is amazing! And I was able to squeeze some inspirations in the chapter!
Part 7: The Super Rookie Saga
"You jerks are in for serious punishment after I get back!" Gabi snarled, she and Falco rowing toward the cliffside. The young crewmen should've expected her to bite free of her restraints after waking. When one of them went to check on Gabi and Falco, the former sprung up and grabbed him through the bars, demanding to be released. From there, it was only a matter of scaring the info out of them.
"Gabi, I'm not really sure that's setting the best example as a captain…"
"A captain's gotta be strict, don't they?! And when I rescue Nel first, they'll see how much better I am than Emma!"
"This isn't a race, Gabi, we should be working together with Emma if we're gonna get out of there!"
"I'll consider it after Emma gets totally captured and begs for my help."
"Aaaaahhh! Heeelp-" The crying voice was drowned out by waves.
"Huh?" Gabi searched around. "Is it already happening?"
"Gabi! Over there!"
"HEEEL-" A small, caged figure was flipping and bouncing in the sea.
"Th…THAT'S NEL!" Gabi dove and swam for the child, grabbing hold of Nel's cage. She furiously bashed open the lock and pulled Nel out.
"Big Sis Gabi!" Nel tightly clung onto the older girl, tears washed away by the waves. "Nel so glad to see you! Nel so scared!"
"Aw, there there." Gabi patted her bandanaed head. "It's alright, Nel. It's all over now." With the child safely on her back, Gabi swam back to the boat. "We did it, Falco! That was easier than I thought! Let's head back to the ship and report to Captain Gus with heads high!"
"Wait!" Nel yelled. "Big Sis Yamato was beat by big crocodile! Have to save Yamato!"
"That's ridiculous! Yamato couldn't lose!"
"But it true! We gotta save her…"
"Emma, Gilda, and Don are still in there…" Falco said worriedly. "They won't be able to save her by their selves."
"At least we won't get in trouble for losing Nel! At this point, we might as well call for backup."
"I'm sure they've already signaled other crewmen; we should still go in there to make sure they're okay."
"But if Yamato was beaten, we wouldn't stand much of a chance either!"
"We were literally just about to go in there!"
"That was because…" Technically speaking, whether they were saving Nel or Yamato, there was the same amount of risk. And if Emma's group wound up successful in this operation, they'd still receive praise. Probably even more since they were deeper in enemy territory. "Ugh, dang it! I can't let them take all the credit! Falco, take Nel back to the ship. I'll look for the passageway they took." After setting Nel down on the boat, Gabi dove underwater.
"Gabi!…" Falco released a sigh. "She's got her priorities straight, doesn't she?"
"Nel scared… Nel don't won't to lose her big brothers and sisters…"
"It'll be alright, Nel. We'll get more crewmen and have this place ransacked. Let's just hope those guys can hold out until then…"
Near Krookshank Prison
"Jukikikiki!" Because the purple-skinned giant only made this sound, the kids decided to call him Juki. The five rookies could only run backwards along the cliff as the giant pursued, picking up the bodies of fallen Kremlings and throwing them. The kids tumbled over in their attempts to dodge, Don and Emma shooting his knees with their gun and bow.
"Hey, you know what this thing reminds me of?" Emma asked, eyes narrowed in focus.
"Well, we did just meet Simba," Matilda answered, "so maybe it's a mutant Pumbaa."
"It looks like a Mutant Titan!" Don exclaimed. "Just like the one we saw in Dr. Clown's lab!"
"So, ye know this beastie's origins, do ye?" asked Kruckers, standing beside Juki's left leg. "Aye, we Kremlings have purchased Caesar's successful subjects. But from the sound of it, ye lot are the escapees we've heard about! And that little red-haired lassie must be the perpetrator."
"Do you realize how many children died to those experiments?!" Gilda shouted. "They were gonna turn us into monsters… Monsters like that! All so you could make them your minions?!"
"What seems to be the problem, lassie? This beastie ain't complainin'! Are ya, Juki?"
"JUKIII!" The titan dove its head into the ground, the kids narrowly evading. "Matilda, up here!" Jim ushered, climbing atop the beast's wild yellow hair with his first mate joining. They dodged Juki's hands in his attempts to grab them, and when the titan began to push himself back up, the duo slid down its back, rushing for the prison.
"'EY, Juki! Ya let 'em get past ya!"
"Juki!" Emma cast her fishing pole around Juki's horns, reeling herself and swinging up and around to the top of his head. While also trying to stomp Gilda and Don, the titan tried to shake Emma off, but she maintained a firm grip. "You don't wanna listen to those crocodiles, do ya? Get ahold of yourself! Help us get out of here!"
"Bah!" Kruckers' blunderbuss became a rocket as he launched at Jim and Matilda, knocking the kids over as he blocked their path to the prison. "I'll stop ya meself. Not that you runts would make it outta thar, anyway." The phantom Kremling fired ghostly cannonballs, and simply dodging them wouldn't be enough as they each grew ghastly teeth and gnashed for one extra attack. Matilda was unprepared for such a trick and was bit by the first one, but now that they were wary, they whacked the hungry ammo out of the air. The cannonballs would vanish after a second longer, but using her Sharpclaw club, Matilda bat one of the balls back, causing it to munch Kruckers' skeletal snout. "Nice one, Tilda!" Jim praised, leaping to stab the Kaptain. …He should've understood how pointless it would be against a skeleton.
"ARGH!" Kruckers swung his blunderbuss like a bat. Before Jim could even process the pain in his ribs, the young captain went flying past Matilda and down the cliff. "JIM! AH!" The first mate in question stabbed her cutlass into the ground when a heavy gust tried to pull her away. Kruckers' blunderbuss was the cause of this gust, sucking like a vacuum. She threw her club back to clog the vacuum, allowing her to regain herself as she ran to the bridge. "JIM! Are you down there somewhere?!"
"Ah'm alright!" Jim called up, having landed on a bundled fishnet. "Got a bit of pain in me rib, but I'll be back up in a jiffy!"
"He'll 'ave a hard time with that!" Kruckers set fire to the bridge with his gun's rocket, forcing Matilda to run all the way across it. She cut the end of the bridge to keep the fire from spreading to the flagpole tower, but now she hastened to find a new route to the prison.
Inside the prison
The Raccoon Pirates divided into pairs to fend off the Krookshank guards. Nugget commanded her army of Neeks to bite the guards, and the Kremlings' problem would only exacerbate after the Jolley-Rogers freed the Neverland Pirates. "AAAH!" Nugget's violin solo was cut short when a cage suddenly snapped her inside.
"Paraparaparapara!" A giant armadillo with a manic smile and hanging tongue raised his horrified prisoner. Known as the Plated Prancer, Sillydillo was a trap master who loved to catch worthy prey. "I got one! Parapara! How much is your bounty, para?"
"I don't have a bounty, you big-eyed creep!"
"Ah, man! But I bet the raccoon boy is worth a lot! Let's see if I can-"
"LET NUGGET GO!" Mali slapped the armadillo, her hulking hand bending his head sideways. She gripped Nugget's cage and struggled to tug it out of Sillydillo's hands, but the creature won the struggle and rolled away, bowling Mali over. She pushed up and used Gas Rocket to catch up, jumping onto the rolling armor and struggling to hold it in place. Sillydillo keeled over, knocking Mali off and dropping the cage, but he wound up squirming on the back of his shell. "Nugget!" Mali swiped the cage up… but found only a stuffed figure of Nugget inside. "Huh?"
"SURPRISE!" Sillydillo sprung up with the real cage in hand! "Parapa! Try ta find her!" Silly spun and swiftly wove a life-size doll of himself together, with Nugget's cage inside it. He began to dance and swing the doll around rapidly, Mali rocketing over him as he began to ricochet around the walls. When he came spinning back to Mali, the giant grabbed the arm of his doll and used his own momentum to swing and slam him against the wall. Once he was stopped, Mali crushed his stomach with a punch. The child took the doll away and tore it open, but to her disappointment, Nugget wasn't inside. "Try this one!" Sillydillo threw a replica doll toward Mali, knocking her over. "Or this one!" He threw another to force her back down. "Here I come!" Sillydillo curled up and bowled over Mali's body himself. Growing furious, the child pushed herself up.
With a blood-hurdling "PARAAAA!" Sillydillo charged again, but was squeezed firmly in Mali's hands. Her young palms were scraped by his rapid spinning before he finally decided to slow down, uncurling upside-down as Mali squeezed him in a hug. "Para?"
"HIYAAAAAH!" Mali Gas Rocketed skyward, spun, positioned her legs in a sit, and SLAMMED the animal headfirst into the ground in a suplex! His body wobbled on the back of his shell as he lay unconscious.
"Up here, you git!"
Mali faced up at a hanging ceiling cage. "Nugget! When did he put you up there?"
"When you were crying like a baby, now get me down!" Mali leapt up once more and tore the cage off its chain. She tugged it open and let Nugget onto her scraped hand. "Hmph…thanks for saving me, I guess."
"Hehehe." Mali softly hugged Nugget to her chest. "It's what friends do."
"Now, get me my violin! I've got a rat army to lead!"
"MALI, LOOK OUT!" Laruta cried. "BEHIND YOU!"
"AAAAH!" A giant boot kicked Mali away like a doll on the floor. "Kunyunyunyun! Kunyun!" A female Mutant Titan danced with glee after her successful attack. Kunyun grabbed Sillydillo off the ground and bent him into a ball, batting him toward Mali, but Jason jumped to kick the ball off course.
"Who the heck is this lady, an Amazon?!" Isabelle wondered.
"I dunno, but she sure don't look bright!" Christina rocketed up and punched the titan's stomach. To her satisfaction, it left enough impact to bend Kunyun's stomach in, the giant stumbling backward and crushing a wall of prison cells. Kunyun swatted Chris away, but Laruta asked Isabelle to throw her high enough to Gas Rocket toward Kunyun's face. "Kunyu!" Snot was shot to blot the titan's eyes.
"Now it's my turn! Mali, throw me!" Jason leapt for the giant to grab and throw him toward Kunyun's head. "Oi! Beastie!" He grabbed the right horn of Kunyun's head and forcefully wriggled it. "Take us outside!" The beast aimlessly thrashed and smashed everything around her.
"Everyone clear a path!" Isabelle yelled, the crews running from Kunyun's footfalls. "I don't think Jason's studied giant-taming! Except Mali, but she was already tame."
"Leave her to me!" Nugget began marching in place to the strum of her violin. "Oi! Big bum! Over here!" Entranced by the violin, Kunyun directed her blinded gaze to its source. "That's right! Follow me!" Nugget rushed in the direction of the exit. "You're going to be my first lieutenant!"
"Mr. Roger, take one of these." Having recovered her supplies, Laruta dropped a salt tablet in a glass of water and gave it to Jolley Grandad.
"Gulp…bah! Ay don't need help from no lubber…"
"'ey, they're springin' out of prison, they're pirates as far as I'm concerned!" Dad said, carrying the elder on his back. "Now 'urry up! We've got a son ter find!"
Outside
Matilda climbed down the flagpole tower and regrouped with Jim just as they were faced with a line of penguin archers. They loaded fish onto their bows and loosed: the mates shared a smirk and opened mouths, swallowing each fish that landed in! Matilda had mastered the trick Jim taught her well! Knowing their attacks were useless, the Tucks turned to flee, but Matilda jumped one and stole its bow and basket of fish. The Tucks tagged in with a trio of burly green Sharpclaws. Matilda shot fish from her new weapon… only for the fish to soggily slap against them before falling. "Uh, starting to question the point of this weapon."
"Oi, dinos! Over here!" A crab drone spun past the bare parts of the Sharpclaws' armor, drawing a bit of blood from their scales. The dinos tried to swat the drone out of the air, only to suffer laser bullets to the eyes.
"Max and Ed!" Jim exclaimed, running to stab two of the dinos' ankles.
"Hurry this way!" The two followed the Shorescrubbers through an alley, their drone soon to follow. "What's the situation?"
"Not very good! We couldn't get into the prison, and he burned the bridge there!"
"Don't ya worry, kiddies!" Kaptain Kruckers landed in their path, the kids startled into a halt. "I'll take ye there and throw in a free knock-out to boot!" Kruckers sprayed an icy mist from his gun, freezing the ground at their feet. The barefoot pirates frantically danced back and off the chilly surface, but Matilda was able to stand her ground. The pirate sprayed ice directly at Matilda, but this gave her an idea: she shot fish through, their squishy bodies turning solid as they banged Kruckers' head. The kaptain raised his gun to block any further shots, but Matilda aimed for the ankles instead. His boney right foot snapped off as Kruckers bounced on the left, but Max's drone, Claw swooped down to ram Kruckers' head and spin it. Matilda leapt right onto his blunderbuss and forced it out of his hand. "OI!" Matilda scrambled up and fled the croc. "Give that back, ye little scamp!"
"Have a taste of your own medicine!" Matilda shot a puff of ice, but Kruckers leapt through and swiped his tail, batting Matilda into the wall. Jim ran to pull her up into a run, and Claw struggled to hold back the pursuing pirate. "Uh-oh!" A horde of Krunchas came charging from ahead. "How does this thing even work?!" Matilda saw a dial on the back of the blunderbuss, turning it between cannonballs, a swirly design, and fire. "This must be the rocket one! Maybe we can use this; guys, grab onto me!"
"How is that a rocket?!" Ed questioned as they hugged onto Matilda. "If anything, it looks like a—HOOOORRRN!"
A press and hold of the trigger sent the four rocketing to the air! Matilda instinctively flailed the gun about, resulting in a more rampant flight trajectory. "Give it to me! Let me try to handle it!" Max cried.
"I can't hand it over like this!"
"How are we going to land?!" Jim asked.
…
King K. Rool cocked a nonexistent brow at the distant, wild rocket. He raised a communicator. "Uncle Kruckers?"
"Aye, nephew?"
"Is that a band of rookies playing with your blunderbuss?"
"That they be."
"Well, they'll crash eventually. Did you take care of those brats at the prison?"
"Ay'm sure Juki has-"
"Oi, Kaptain Kruckers!" another Kremling called. "We've got a situation! The prisoners are-"
"Ye BETTER not say they all escaped!"
"… …Okay. I won't."
"YAHOOOOOO!" The Raccoons and Jolley-Rogers rode the back of the prancing Kunyun up the waving road! A stampede of Neeks led the front, carrying Nugget on their backs. Twin Gray Krushas waited at the end of the road, so Nugget let Kunyun go first to crush them. The strong Kremlings were able to restrain the titan's hands, so Jason and Chris both hammered down on her hands, contributing enough force to flatten the Krushas. They returned to the head to help keep Kunyun under control, observing the town from atop the cliff. "You don't suppose that's the exit, do ya?"
"Can this big lassie carry us all the way there?" Jolley Dad asked.
"I dunno, but we might wanna run!" Ralph pointed. "THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!"
"Jukikikiki!" The massive purple boar was certainly a cause for concern. The charging beast blocked the right route along the cliff, so the kids followed the left. Not even the Kremlings would take chances against the giants, so they dove off the cliff.
"Wait! Heeeey! Are you guys friendly?!"
"Who said that?" Isabelle turned back. "…Hey, there are people on that one's back!"
"Take it easy, big guy!" Emma ordered, tugging her fishing pole to slow the boar. They followed Kunyun at a close, but steady pace. "Did you guys just break out of that prison?"
"Yeah!" Isabelle called. "Who are you guys?"
"I'm Emma! This is Don and Gilda. Listen, do you guys have a girl named Nel with you?"
"No, we don't. We didn't find anyone with that name."
"Hey, there's someone in the way!" Laruta yelled. Where all other Kremlings cleared a way for the giants, only Lord Rodrik was bold enough to stay standing, the walrus clueless behind his sunshades.
"If he wants to get trampled, so be it." Christina shrugged.
Rodrik took a deep breath… though it was more of a yawn, and put his mouth to the reed of a horn. A cluster of spiked ice exploded into existence, the pirates screaming as Kunyun was impaled by the spikes. "'Guess we can't take that road." Emma said. "Hurry, climb onto ours! We're gonna jump down!"
"At least this one has more room!" Shimmy said as the large group leapt to Juki's back. Emma steered the titan into jumping off the cliff, crushing its way across several wood buildings and whatever unfortunate Kremlings lived within. "By the way, anyone know what that little rockety thing is?"
"Those are the other allies we met!" Gilda realized. "I'm not sure what they're doing, but maybe we should-"
The end of the giant's rampage came more abruptly than expected. A shockwave of a punch socked Juki dead in the jaw, his riders flying off in separate directions. As the rookie pirates groggily recovered from the impact, they heard a familiar laugh. "Mweh heh heh har…" Jason awoke first to meet the eyes of King K. Rool. "I can't say I didn't expect you to escape, but getting this far has exceeded my predictions a little bit." (Play "Roar of Dedede" from Kirby Forgotten Land!)
"Well, look who's all eager for Round 2!" Christina smirked.
"Don't attack him, Chris." Jason ordered.
"What're you talking about?!"
"Did you already forget how we wound up here? We ain't ready to beat him!"
"Hah hah ha ha ha! And here I thought you'd both come flailing fists at me like wild animals. To be honest, I hoped for more from the Pirate King's son."
"Er…the who now?" Jolley Dad asked.
Emma gasped. "Wait, now that I take a good look at you, you ARE the Sunny Fist's son!"
"And with that, I'd like to propose a deal with you, boy." Kaido said. "In the next few minutes, I'll be knocking you all out cold and throwing you all back in prison. But, I'll be willing to let you, Jason, go free… if you promise to bring your mother to meet me."
"Ew, I ain't letting you date me mum!"
"I wish to battle her, you nitwit! I thought facing Yamato would give me the spark I need to awaken my full potential, but she was feeble. It's clear now that I must face those of Emperor status… and in turn, become an Emperor myself. Who better than she whose fist shines as bright as the sun? Your crewmen will stay my prisoners, but if your mother gives me a satisfying battle, I'll be willing to set them free! You have my promise."
"I don't think I can do that. Me mum would be off her knockers if she knew I left me crew with you."
"Then you'd rather become enslaved with them? Don't think I'll be letting you out to see your precious sunlight."
"A good captain and a good Sector Leader never leaves their crew behind. And yeh, Oi know I like to run ahead and get on with the adventure, but I know these blokes will always be behind me. I couldn't face Mum after leaving them with you."
"Is that your only reason? Just doing as your mother instructed? Is that why you became a pirate in the first place? Ha ha ha har! Parents are such manipulative monsters, aren't they? They bring you up under certain lifestyles and expectations and want you to follow them. They want you to continue what they once had. Tell me, Jason… if your mother didn't try to brainwash you with her philosophy, what do you think you would've-"
An arrow flew at Kaido's left eye, the king quickly swatting it down. "Where's Captain Yamato?!" Emma demanded.
"And here we have the extras." Kaido glared at Emma. "Sniff, sniff…your aura smells a little fresh, too. And that hair… I could swear I've seen it somewhere. Who are you, girl?"
"I asked you where Yamato was!"
"Oh, she's just up there. Caged like the beast she is!"
"?!" The trio whipped up at a higher ground where Mesogog overlooked them. A long cage was balanced on the dino's right arm, Yamato curled up, chained, and collared inside it. "What are you three doing here?!" the horned woman shouted. "I thought I told you to stay out of this, Emma!"
"I'm sorry, Captain! I just didn't trust Kaido to hand Nel over easily!"
"Then you should've waited outside! They threw Nel out to—AAAGH!" The collar electrified her.
"Shock collars." Mesogog smirked, pressing a claw to a button on his hip. "Best thing animal-kind invented. If you kids want her, you should face me for a change. I am feeling a bit peckish~"
"OI! INCOMIIIIING!" Mesogog turned, shocked to find Jim's group diving toward him with Kruckers' blunderbuss. Because of their aimless driving, Mesogog couldn't predict their target; if it were himself, Mesogog was positive he could tank it, but their target wound up being Yamato's cage. Not only were the four kids flung off from the impact, haphazardly tumbling down to the lower ground, but the cage bounced right off Kaido's head and smashed open.
"JIM LAD!" Dad screamed. "Matilda, too?!"
"Mum! Dad! Everyone!" Jim ran to meet his parents in a hug.
"Max?! You, too?!" Isabelle exclaimed.
"Looks like you made it out without our help!"
"HUR!" Yamato dealt a breakdance kick at Kaido's foot, but he stomped her shackled ankles down.
"So, you still got a bit of fight left! But it'll take more than that—augh!" A cannonball hit the back of his head. Curious who the next reckless runt was, he turned to Matilda, holding his uncle's blunderbuss. "And what do you think you're doing with that, lassie?"
"Teaching you a lesson!" Matilda shot more balls, her body reeling back with each blast. The misaimed balls merely bounced off Kaido's belly, the king smiling teasingly as he approached her. Matilda stepped backward in fear and helplessness.
"Oi, pick on someone your own size!" Jason threw a Light Fist at the king, diverting his attention. Kaido lunged, Jason dodging his fist, but Laruta was there behind him, ready to blast a puff of gas over the croc's head. Christina threw a fireball to make it combust, the kids seizing this chance to run. Team Emma grabbed Yamato and carried her, joining their allies on the race to the shore.
"So, you're Matilda, huh?" Isabelle asked. "Jim told us a lot about you!"
"Did he now?"
"This ain't the time for catching up!" Jim said. "Let's go before HE catches up—WHOA!" A shockwave came surfing along the ground, the crew stumbling as Yamato was flung forward.
"Captain Yamato!" Emma crawled to her. "I'm so sor-" Her apology was cut short as an airwave sliced off her left ear. "OOOOOW!"
"That's enough running away." sneered the Nyakuza Empress as she and Rodrik marched forth, the former's claws shimmering.
"Wanna go at it next?!" Christina launched at the Empress with a fire torpedo, but the catwoman dodged in a flash and swat Chris to the side.
"Don't!" Gilda cried. "Those two are Rodrik and Empress! They're two of the Kremlings' best officers!"
"Yah, and like, we'll take this chick back." Rodrik spat hunks of ice that the kids struggled to smack away, and even those who evaded were scared back by Empress's slashes. Yamato screamed as she was once more electrocuted by her collar, and once the shocking stopped, Rodrik grabbed and threw her further from the kids' grasp.
"Damn you!" Don cocked his shotgun and shot Empress's forehead, but the bullet seemed to bounce off and only bruise her. The cat pounced Don and pinned him down, impaling claws through him, and she whipped aerial slashes at the kids who tried to save him.
"Don't tell me we ain't even strong enough for YOU chumps!" Jason punched a Light Fist at Rodrik's face, but his sunglasses were a perfect shield as the walrus sent him flying with a punch. Jason landed directly in Kaido's grasp.
"RAH HAH HAH HAH! Did you get cocky because you beat a few of my lower officers?" Kaido chortled. "This is what true pirates are, kids!"
"There's… nothing we can do…" Ralph choked back his fear. "…? Hey, someone's taking Yamato!"
"Huh?" Empress craned her head back. A small, brown-haired figure in a soggy jacket was running while dragging Yamato along the ground.
"G-GABI?!" Gilda screamed.
"Huff, huff! Don't worry, Captain Yamato! Nel is safe and sound! All thanks to me!"
"Gabi… Nel is safe?"
"Yep! And you'll be safe soon, too! 'Cause any moment now, the Marzipans will-"
"AAAAH!" Gabi stopped and turned: Mesogog had grabbed Emma by the neck, sniffing the bleeding spot where her ear used to be.
"Keep her alive, Mesogog. There are a few things I want to ask her." Kaido said, blowing Mali off her feet.
"At least let me bite off a hand… or a leg…"
"LET EMMA GO!" Gilda grabbed Don's gun and frantically, but hopelessly shot bullets at Mesogog's head. The Sharpclaw kicked the green-haired girl in the face, breaking her glasses.
"Tch…serves her right." Gabi grit her teeth, turning away from her crew. "Stealing my thunder… I'll just tell the captain…" What would she tell Augustus? That she left those three to die? Well, Yamato took priority anyway, right? She was more important. Gabi wanted to keep going with this logic… but couldn't move her feet forward. Why? They were about to risk their lives, anyway. Sure, Augustus would be distraught over losing three kids, but with Emma out of the picture, Gabi was sure to become his fav-… Did she really want to win like that? Win because she left Emma and her friends to die? Well, it's not like she could do anything better, anyway. What did she have to gain by risking her life, too?
Emma stamped a boot into Mesogog's open jaw, but as soon as his teeth clasped it, she quickly withdrew her foot. "PLAH!" Mesogog spat the boot down. "The leg it is!"
"RAAAAH!" Gabi came bolting in Yamato's kanabo in hand, leaping to bash Mesogog's arm. "Huh?!" Not only did this not budge him at all, but the dinosaur grabbed her in his free hand.
"Gabi, what're you doing?!"
"Trying to save your life, stupid!"
"Then you'll get eaten in her place! Time to chow down!"
"You ought to fix your diet."
What came with this feminine voice was a slash to Mesogog's arms, too fast to see coming. He was forced to drop the girls, hastening to defend from his attacker: a tall, thin, blonde woman with thick legs rested on stone platform sandals, wearing a ragged blue dress. Her feet whooshed at Mesogog's head with inhuman speed, the dino unable to find the right positions to bring his hands as the stone footwear struck him.
"MISS KOHAKU!" Emma beamed.
"HAAAAAR!" A huge, muscular man with long blue hair hurdled a spear straight into Rodrik's back. Though he withstood the injury, Rodrik was stunned by the ambush, leaving him open to a powerful punch from the Imuchakk giant. "Chief Hinahoho?!" Don gasped.
"Damn!" The Empress spun to defend herself from a frosted kick: the Winter Rabbit, Carrot bore a cute smirk as she swarmed the cat with snow. "The Marzipan officers?!"
"It seems we took a bit too long." Kaido said, continuing to squeeze a squirming Jason. "Captain Augustus would make a good opponent, but I still believe your mother would be better. So, I think I'll keep you-"
"Go, Jim!" Matilda lifted her captain and threw him at the back of Kaido's head.
"HAR!" The brave young lad stabbed his cutlass right into Kaido's left eye.
"Jim!" Mum gasped.
"…" Not even Jim could believe what he'd just done… but the fact was his sword was lodged into Kaido's eye. King K. Rool, the legendary Animal King, the former Pirate Emperor… "You must really want to die, boy." The king flapped his other hand to smack Jim away. The force wasn't enough to knock him out, but enough to blacken Jim's eye.
"CAPTAIN!" Isabelle dashed, grabbed Jason's ankles, and swiftly yanked him from Kaido's grasp while the king was distracted. However, Kaido merely leapt after with a belly thrust and blew the couple down, pinning his foot atop the Shandian.
Ralph, Max, and Ed ran to Yamato amidst the confusion. "Maybe we can shoot these things off with our drones!" Ralph said.
"That's gonna hurt her, won't it?" Ed asked.
"If you have something, just use it!" Yamato pled. "I can handle a little pain!"
"If you say so!" Max and Ralph activated their drones and shot lasers at Yamato's collar and cuffs. She winced ever slightly when the stray shots hit her, but the ogre kept true to her word and endured.
Matilda changed the blunderbuss's settings and tried to spray red gas at Kaido, but it failed to have any effect. "AY'LL be takin' that back!" Kruckers jumped her from behind, easily tearing the gun from her hands and bashing Matilda down. "Here's how ya use it, lassie!" But before he could get a shot off her, a bullet blasted his skull instead.
"No one raises arms against that lubber but me!" Grandad snarled, his son supporting him as they evaded Kruckers' fire and countered with his own blunderbuss.
At last, the Droners were able to free Yamato of her shackles. "Thank you!" Her flames reigniting to life, Yamato blasted at Kaido, his palms raised to catch her fists, but it was enough to push him off and free Isabelle. Yamato jabbed a horn at his already-wounded eye, then flipped forward to stamp a flaming foot onto his head.
"Hey, has anyone seen Shimmy and Silica anywhere?!" Laruta questioned. "I feel like they disappeared as soon as we got off the giant!"
"ALL ABOARD THE WAGON TRAIN!" As if on cue, Shimmy and Silica came riding on the former's miniature train, which had several wooden wagons attached.
"I figured we would need a quick getaway," Silica said, "so I snuck us away to look for things to carry us. We already had the train in her cube, after all."
"No complaints from me!" Jason said. "Everyone! All aboard!"
Leaving the Marzipan officers to keep distracting the Kommanders, the rookies leapt into the wagons as Shimmy quickly sped off. "Until next time, my ugly twin!" With a rocket-fueled kick, Yamato launched away from Kaido and onto the back wagon.
"KRUCKERS!" Kaido dropped on all fours.
"AYE, Brother!" Kruckers leapt onto his back. "I mean, nephew!"
The king pranced after the wagon like a wild animal, stunningly fast for someone his girth. Shimmy put full throttle to her train and maneuvered around all the hazards she could. Yamato, Chris, and Jason shot their bending at the would-be Emperor to slow him down while Grandad and Emma shot down Kruckers' cannonballs. "Good thing I used up all the rocket fuel in that gun!" Matilda said.
"We're almost at the sea!" Shimmy called. "I installed the main train with tubes, but I dunno how well the wagons will hold!"
"I'll try to sing for sea spirits to carry us!" Gilda said, her face bloody from Mesogog's attack.
I can help with that! I know a few Sea Monkeys! Trella signed.
"Are you a Ghost Whisperer, too?"
Trella nodded happily. Both girls joined in half-silent harmony. Several pairs of peaceful, ghostly eyes were seen along shimmering parts of the sea, serving as a bridge to carry the train to the crocodile's jaws. Beyond them, the Marzipan ships were at war with the patrolling Kremling ships. However, Kaido was just as good a swimmer as he was on land, Kruckers beginning to charge a stronger shot. "I think it's time to stop holding back." Emma glared. "First comes Rock!" She punched her palm and pulled hands back. "Rock…Paper…" Kruckers' cannonball fired, "ROCK!" Her fist met the heavy lead and stopped it in its flight. "Ouch…" But her knuckles still bruised.
"Hah, so you're a fist-fighter, too!" Jason smiled.
"I'm studying Haki, but I think I'm better in the Observation department."
"Yeah, you're just good at everything, aren't ya?" Gabi scoffed.
"Hey! Ain't that the Young Sunny?!" Shimmy yelled.
In the distance past the warring ships, two other vessels seemed to be tugging the train-ship with rope. "That's our yacht!" Max exclaimed. "And the other one is the Deer-fox Hikers'!"
"Looks like they have our escape all charted out for us!" Ralph said.
Their great escape had not gone unnoticed by Itomimizu and his Camera Lakitu, and by extension, all the anxious pirates of Scurvy Sands. "What an astounding turn of events, folks! The rookies have joined forces to flee the ravenous jaws of Animal King K. Rool! They've cast aside their hatred and united in a newfound friendship!"
"GO, JIM, GO!" Cursed Katie cheered.
"Hurry, Matilda!" her mum cried.
"Those are some crazy kids…" a certain sunshaded man said.
"Blast it all!" Grandad cursed, trying to shoot directly into Kruckers' blunderbuss. "Me depth perception's a bit off!"
"Let me, Grandpa." Matilda offered. The elder growled and begrudgingly passed her his gun. "The trick to gunplay is to keep both eyes open…"
"SCRA! SCRA!" Kruckers' dark-red parrot, Screech dove directly for the girl's sockets. "Ye won't ruin me brother-I-mean-me-uncle's plans! SCRAW!" However, a brighter red parrot impaled its talons into Screech's stomach first.
"Scrawk! And you won't hurt my family, scraw." Squawk said.
A well-aimed shot sent Matilda's bullet straight up Kruckers' oversized gunhole. The next pull of the trigger blew the weapon up in the skeleton's face, Kruckers falling off his brother.
"HURRY, GUYS!" Hilda screamed. "We have your ship charged with a boost!"
"I won't be outdone by these wretched rookies!" Kaido vowed, contributing every last ounce of strength to his speed.
Isabelle strummed up a Song Road to steadily lift the train to the air, but feared Kaido would catch up. Yamato was about to attack him… until she noticed Jason had been charging his fist, absorbing as much as the sunset as she could. However, rather than throw the fist, he grabbed hold of Jim's raised cutlass and channeled his light up through it. Emma grabbed it from the other side and channeled whatever she could of her Haki. "Sunnyyyyy…"
"First comes Rock. Rock…Paper…" The cutlass grew in the form of a bright, golden slit.
"AAARGH!" Kaido burst from the water, teeth set to gnash the three rookies.
"SWORD/SCISSOR!" The force was just enough to hold back Kaido's assault, enough so that their train could made it onto the Young Sunny.
"NOW!" Abel screamed, immediately stomping the ship's boost. The train blasted ahead of the ships pulling it, causing them to haphazardly rotate and be pulled along. The train flew many yards from the pursuing king. As Kaido watched them sail into the sunset, the hair of Jason, Jim, and Emma waved in his direction, a shadow cast over their victorious smirks.
"Wait for uuuuuuuusss…" Falco cried, scurrying to speed their ship after them.
"Hur…" Kaido began to lose the reason to chase them. By the time he caught up, another Emperor would be there to stop him. He wouldn't mind another good battle… but as far as this one went, he lost. "This year's rookies were very promising. I can't wait… to face them again." (End song.)
Scurvy Sands
A fair distance west of the fortress was the true finish line of the Dead Man's Race: Scurvy Sands itself. They could hardly believe all this chaos took place so close to where they started… but even more surprising were the crossbone fireworks and jugs of grog swaying in the air. "LADIES AND GENTLE-PIRATES!" Ollie Day cried. "LET'S HEAR IT… FOR OUR WINNEEEEERS!"
The air was flooded with the hollers of raving pirates. A wave of relief washed over the rookies as they returned to shore with ease. They braced themselves for hordes of pirates young and old to raise the kids to the sky. "MATILDA!" A certain two pairs of hands tore the girl away, crushing her in a hug.
"Mum! Dad!"
"Matilda, we saw everything on the tele! What in blazes were you doing, how did you wind up there?!"
"I-I-I'm sorry! I got the announcer guy to take me to Jim, but we got attacked by crocodiles, and I, um…"
"Matilda helped me save my family!" Jim Lad marched to the family with pride. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she's a stubborn old one. But we couldn't have made it out without her."
"Matilda, we brought you here to let you WATCH the race, not to get killed by crocodiles!" Mum stated. "Now, I think it's time to go home." The couple began to drag her away. "And I think we need quite a lengthy break from all this pirate nonsense!"
"What?! Wait, can't we at least stick around for the party?!"
"No! We're going home this minute, and you're going to catch up on your studies."
"B-but, I… Jim…" Matilda faced her friend with sorrowful eyes.
"Please, wait!" Jim pled.
"Oi, clear the way! Clear the way!" The crowd of pirates seemed to be frantically running apart from the parents' path. "Important person coming through, important person!"
"Why, thank you," Matilda's dad said, "but I wouldn't call us all that… important?"
It dawned that the sudden excitement wasn't for them: it was for the tall, strong, red-coated man with dark-blonde hair and sunglasses, the stick of a lollipop hanging from his mouth. Jason's crew knew full well who it was… but the lubber parents were a little baffled. "Sir, could you please excuse us? We're trying to get through." Mother requested.
"Why are you in a hurry to leave? This girl is one of the winners, after all."
"She was never meant to be part of the race!"
"Well, the broadcast says otherwise. A girl who raises her gun to a big-name pirate like K. Rool is a pirate herself."
"And just who the devil are you?!"
"Captain!" Yamato jogged up in excitement. "Captain Augustus!"
"Wot?!" Jim gasped. "You…y-you're the…th-the Gourmet King… aren't you?" (Play "Promise of That Day" from Cold Steel III.)
"Howdy, kid!" Augustus ruffled Jim's hair through his bandanna. "Saw that little team up you did with Emma and Jason! Pretty bad stuff! Are you a lightbender, too?"
"N-no, I, uh…"
"Oh, our Jim Lad's a spry little 'un, I'll tell ya that much!" Jolley Dad boasted. "Heh, we let him be captain for this race! And he did a marvelous job!"
"Heh, I wouldn't say that, heh…" Jim blushed, glancing at the ground.
"Papa, this boy cut K. Rool's eye!" Yamato exclaimed. "He was incredible! And the way that girl wielded a gun was superb! I think they'd be perfect additions to the crew!"
"EXCUSE ME?!" Matilda's parents screamed.
"NOT ON YER LIFE!" Grandad thundered. "There is NO WAY I'm signin' me soul to a bloody Emperor's crew! No way, no how! Tell him, Jim Lad!"
"Er…y-yeah!" Jim sported a brave face. "We're free pirates! We ain't lookin' to make big names and empires, we just wanna have good, fun adventures! We ain't no Emperor's servants!"
"Ha ha ha! Well, that's fine then! I have too many kids to manage, anyway! And speaking of, where might…"
"DADDYYYYYY!"
"THERE she is!" Augustus dropped down and opened his arms for his tiny daughter to jump in.
"Daddy, Nel was so scared! Big Sis Yamato got beat up, then a giant man threw Nel out to sea, but then Gabi saved Nel, then Gabi went to save Yamato…"
"Hehe, it's true, Captain!" Emma took Gabi's right hand, her positive smile enveloping Gabi's vision. "Gabi saved me, too! I would've lost a foot if not for her!"
"Heheheh…" Gilda laughed awkwardly. "I guess she did come through when we needed her…"
"AWE, you guys are too much~" Gabi boasted, blushing. "I mean, I couldn't betray Captain Gus's trust, after all. That would just be silly, haha!"
"That's dandy and all, but… who won the race?" Ollie Day asked. "We can only have one crew in first place."
"Well, me and Jim grabbed the last flagpole!" Matilda reasoned.
"That's true…oh, yeah!" Jim withdrew a ball from his pocket. "I snagged this from the top of the pole, but it's not a compass…"
"Ah, the skull with the wind 'stache." Augustus observed the symbol on the ball. "The mark of the freest pirate ever known… If I recall, this is usually found on the last flagpole along with the compass. I guess this means you win the race."
"WOOHOOOOOO!" Jason screamed. "You did it, Jim!"
"I KNEW you could do it, boy!" Jolley Dad cheered.
"Perhaps now I'll get to be on Pirate Radio!" Mum hoped.
"Stand and take a bow, my rats!" Nugget instructed.
"Well, as this year's winners," Ollie began, "you're entitled to whatever you want of the losers! Perhaps you want tonight's dinner, new crewmen, or their finest boozes?"
"Well, I…I'm not sure I want…" There was only one thing Jim wanted… and so, his half-squinted gaze fell to Matilda. His best friend stared at him questionably. "Er…hey, can someone get me a barrel?"
"Here you go." Ratface Rodney rolled one over.
"MATILDA!" Jim planted his foot to the barrel, acting as bold as he could. "W-Will you… go sailing with me?!"
"…Khh…hahahahahaha!" Matilda could only giggle at his dramatic demeanor. "What, did you rehearse that or something?!"
"Errrr…" Jim began to think Isabelle's suggestion may have been a bit too flamboyant.
"Haha!" Matilda tore out of her parents' grasp and took Jim's hands. "Absolutely!"
"Matilda!" her mom rasped. "You can't be serious!"
"Mum, Dad… I'm sorry I ran off without telling you. I was frightened… I almost died… but this was the most exciting day of my life. When the teacher asked us what we want for a career… I wanted to be a pirate, and I still do. I want to keep having adventures with Jim! I want to sail in the sky, scale up a mountain, all the things we can't do in boring Dull-on-Sea! I…I want to be a Jolley-Roger!"
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Isabelle drawled out in exasperation.
"No! There's no way we can allow that!" her dad shouted. "What about your education?! Your family?! Your…"
"To be fair," Isabelle began, "voyaging around the world would get her tons of experience and education. She could even sign up for KND and say she's going on expeditions. Schools do allow that, as long as they write reports."
"I can still drop by home for important days and stuff." Matilda reasoned. "Just like Jim always does! Come on, guys… please?"
"But… you…" Their daughter was truly set on doing this. The parents would always feel warmed by the delight on Matilda's face whenever Jim's crew offered to take her on a voyage. She felt nothing but gloom and boredom whenever these pirates weren't around… No matter what safe and relaxing jobs Dull-on-Sea offered, they just couldn't compare to the excitement these pirates offered. Simply learning about the world in school was nothing to seeing all its amazing places firsthand. "…What do you think, dear?"
"I, um…suppose we can allow it… for a little while. As long as you promise to stay out of danger!"
"YAAAAAAY!" Jim and Matilda embraced in a hug; the parents sighed at her dodging of the question.
"Hold on, we ain't done makin' demands, yet!" Nugget reminded. "You lot are actually Marzipan Pirates, aren't you?" She pointed at Emma and Gabi. "Which means we get to ask something from YOU!" She whipped toward Augustus.
"Alright, kid… what do you want?"
"Your hat and coat! NOW!"
…
Nugget put on a violin sonata for all the rats and pirates to dance to, decked in her new oversized hat and coat. Mali's back was a perfect stage for her, whether the giant was okay with it or not, and Nel happily swung from Mali's nosehairs. Trella and Gilda put on a little song by the candles, and Isabelle, Max, and Matilda exchanged in girl talk. Christina and Silica sat by their lonesomes in a corner, and when Gabi came to pester them to get up and dance, Christina punched her unconscious. Emma shared dinner and stories with Sector GF; she formally introduced herself as Emma Freecss, and that she grew up on Hyrule's Outset Island.
"Oi, where's Jason?" Jim asked, struggling to hold up his many necklaces and gold goblets. "I was wantin' to share a swabbies' dance with him!"
"He said he was going to the bathroom a while ago." Ralph answered. "Sure is taking a while."
…
Jason had noticed a peculiar flicker of light on the hill behind town, making up a quick excuse to go see it. There upon that dark hill, watching the vibrant party from afar, was his mother. Two cups were set on a rock, which Sheila Dimalanta proceeded to fill with Flurp. "Congrats on finishing your first Dead Man's Race, Jason! Did ya 'ave fun?"
"I did, Mum." Jason sat beside her and took his drink. The Rising Sun told his mom about the islands they visited, the friends they made, and their encounter with K. Rool.
"So, 'e calls himself Kaido now. Nah, what'm I sayin'… he's gotta be a different person. But y'know Kaido used to be another pirate, over 200 years ago. Ah think the old K. Rool was inspired by him… and I think this new one is his son."
"Yeh… When we fought, Kaido said somethin' to me. He said that parents are manipulative, and something about making their kids continue what they had. 'ey, Mum… would you still love me if I weren't a pirate?"
"Of course I'd love ya, Jason!" She slapped his back, forcing out a burp. "Ah mean, I guess part of me was hopin' you would be… but just livin' long enough to raise a strong little cobber like you is better than anything I could've hoped for. And if you told me right now that you didn't wanna be a pirate… well, Ah guess Oi'd have to cut down on sailing time! But as long as ya kept bein' a good boy, Ah'd be fine with it."
"Well, Ah think me mates've had enough pirating for one week." Jason blushed. "I think we wanna head home and rest like lazy landlubbers. And after we are, we're gonna have another adventure!"
"You sure learn faster than me, Little Sunny! You'll make a darn fine captain someday. But, there's one thing that's irkin' me…"
"Wot?"
"You told Kaido you weren't gonna leave your crew behind. So, why aren't ya with them right now?"
"'Cause it looked like you were calling me in private! And it ain't like we're in danger, anymore!"
"Well, convo's over!" Sheila lightly punched his head. "Go down there and be with your maties!"
"Ha ha!" She was right, of course. An adventure is most fun with mates to share it with, and the same was true of parties. "Ah don't remember if I apologized for the bandit business, anyway. Better get down there before the party's over!" Kicking up to his feet, the young captain raced down to the town of torchlights where his friends partied!
"That's me cobber!" Sheila grinned, chugging down the rest of the bottle and letting out a hefty burp. "…" She pondered a little on Jason's conveying of Kaido's words. It's true that she and the other parents wanted to steer their kids along the path of KND operatives. But without all that nudging, would they have chosen differently? Still, it's not like a few from Sheila's generation didn't give up the office and leave at some point. Some of these kids might decide the same after a few bad experiences. It couldn't be helped… The universe needed new heroes, a new band of talented kids untainted by bad experiences. Sheila was certain this was the best course for them; whether they stuck with it or not, these kids were saving lives, improving their selves, and making friends. Jason was not only a great pirate, but a brave and wise hero.
Sheila wondered why Kaido said such a thing, though. Just what was his upbringing as the next K. Rool? She wouldn't mind asking him directly… but, if Jason took after his mother's pirate preachings so enthusiastically, then perhaps Kaido truly loves doing what his father did. And if so, Sheila hoped their kids could put him in his place someday.
