Chapter Seven:

Off to The Mushroom Kingdom...

With Dante fully recovered, Donkey Kong took the Koopa down to Cranky Kong's house, which wasn't too far from DK's residence. When they got there, they found Cranky resting in his rocking chair, his hand clutching the handle of his own cane. Even when he wasn't walking, it seemed like the old monkey never let go of his cane, except for when he went to bed.

Cranky Kong was slightly surprised to see a Koopa on the island, especially the likes of Dante, but the elderly gorilla didn't make a fuss about it, allowing DK and Dante to fill him in on why the latter was here.

After he'd listened to his grandson and Dante's story, the elderly Kong was wide-eyed with surprise, especially at the mention of a giant monster with a long, giant tail lurking in the ocean.

"WHAT?!" Cranky exclaimed, "DID YOU SAY THAT CREATURE HAD A LONG SPIKY TAIL?!"

"Exactly!" Dante nodded, "But I don't know what kind of creature that was. Do you know exactly what it could have been?"

"Yes, I do." The old man replied, "The creature that sent you here is the god of destruction."

"The god of destruction?!" Dante echoed.

Cranky nodded. "A god from another world which has been slumbering on the ocean floor ever since it arrived in our world. Based on what I've heard, this god will wake up one day to punish the people of the Mushroom Kingdom and send them back to the stone age. And if this thing has awakened, you better go warn the Mario Bros and the princess about 'him,' Dante."

"Sure, I'll do that." Dante agreed grimly.

"Donkey Kong, take Diddy with you as well." Cranky then instructed DK, "This story needs more supporting characters to assist the heroes, right?"

"You got it, Cranky." DK grinned and pumped his fist.

"Hey, DK. Did that ape just break the fourth wall?" Dante asked aloud.

"STOP THAT MINDLESS BABBLING AND GET OUT OF HERE!" Cranky shouted, "You don't have much time! You must get to the Mushroom Kingdom as fast as you can and warn the Mario Brothers before that thing comes ashore and unleashes its atomic power!"

"Right, we're on our way!" DK nodded.

Obliging the old man's order, Donkey Kong and Dante departed the house. When they were away from Cranky's residence, Dante tapped DK on the shoulder and asked, "How are we going to get to the Mushroom Kingdom? My boat is smashed and I don't think any of your Kong Cannons are gonna get us there."

"Don't ya worry about that." DK flashed a thumbs up, "I know a way for us to get there, but first, let me make a call to Diddy."

The gorilla told Dante to stand back and the Koopa took several steps backwards, watching as DK beat his torso in a tough manner. Donkey Kong took a very deep breath, and then, he hooted as loudly as he could. He hooted so hard, birds flew into the sky and leaves fell from the trees along with many delicious-looking yellow bananas onto the ground.

A confused Dante watched, wondering what DK was trying to do. He kept hooting and pounding his strong torso, then he stopped and a silence settled in the woods, even though Cranky Kong yelled at them from a distance; "WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE, YOU WHIPPERSNAPPER?!"

'Cranky old man.' Dante thought.

DK winked at the Koopa and, seconds later, they heard a whooshing noise, and looked up to watch as a squat gorilla in a red shirt and a Nintendo hat flew in with a rocket on his back. The small monkey landed and waved to DK with an optimistic smile.

"Long time no see, Diddy." Donkey Kong pat Diddy on the shoulder.

"Ya called me, DK?" Diddy asked, "What can I do for ya?"

"We're about to head off on a quest to the Mushroom Kingdom. You want to join for old time's sake?"

Diddy jumped up and down with glee. "Oh boy, I'd love to tag along." He replied happily.

"Plus, we need a ride." Dante told Diddy, "We can't use the Kong Cannons and my boat's in bad shape."

"Dante?!" Diddy exclaimed, "Wow, I didn't think I'd be seeing you."

"Long story short, a giant monster is lurking in the seas near the Mushroom Kingdom..." DK explained quickly, "We need to hurry since the monster may be the legendary God of Destruction and there might not be much time left before it rises from the depths and annihilates the land. It's imperative that we warn the Mario Brothers and fast."

"Got it, got it!" Diddy nodded, "Let's get going. And I know how we can get a ride..."

Diddy hopped on DK's back and the latter turned to Dante, flashing a thumbs up. Dante and the two Kongs got moving and made their way through the jungles, avoiding pitfalls with DK carrying Dante a few times, and making sure they didn't disturb any of the animals that were helping themselves to a yummy meal.

Every now and then, Donkey Kong and Diddy swung from vine-to-vine while Dante climbed over rocks and small platforms, with some occasional assistance from Diddy and his rocket. They ran past a lake, jumped over a hole, and carefully avoided the crocodiles lurking in the area near the waters.

They moved fast, and the trio ran to the beach on the other side of the next inch of the jungle. DK pushed through the last brush of leaves and his feet touched the sand of the seaside, creating a footprint in the ground.

He and Diddy ran towards the pier and Dante ran as quickly as possible to catch up, even as his knees wobbled and his forehead beaded with sweat.

"Ok." Donkey Kong nodded to Diddy as they stopped near the edge, "Ya know what to do, Diddy."

"You got it, DK." Diddy nodded.

He climbed off the strong gorilla's back and pulled out a whistle from his pocket. Diddy put it up to his lips, and blew it as hard as he could until it seemed to carry all across the beach and the water rippled.

Dante stopped next to Donkey Kong, and stared out at the ocean, then he looked at Diddy before he put away the whistle as he wondered what that was meant to do. For a long period, they stared at the ocean with Dante slightly confused. For the next couple minutes, both he and the Kongs were on a wait and watch basis as they observed the ocean.

The wait was not a long one.

Water splashed and something jumped out before diving back in. The water rippled and a fin came towards the pier. Seconds later, a dolphin rose from the ocean and pulled up beside the dock as it made a squeaking noise.

"Hop on, Dante." Diddy said gleefully. He jumped on the back of the dolphin and DK joined him, despite his stature.

Dante shrugged and bottled up his confusion, he'd seen plenty of odd things in his life, but it was best to roll with it. There was no time to waste, he climbed onto the dolphin with the Kongs and the mammal sped off across the ocean, leaving Kong Island behind.

Donkey Kong hooted proudly and the dolphin swam through the water as fast as possible, racing towards the Mushroom Kingdom...