Chapter three
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Donkey Kong wandered through the Lost Mangroves, his path marked by the destruction of the toppled ship. The air was thick with the scent of salt and the distant cries of seabirds. The lush, overgrown vegetation gave way to a clearing where the remains of ancient ships lay scattered, their wood rotting and covered in moss.
"Well, this is a fine mess," Donkey Kong muttered to himself, surveying the wreckage. "Where could they be?"
Determined to find his friends, he ventured forward, stepping carefully over the broken planks and twisted ropes. The first obstacle was a fallen mast blocking his path. Donkey Kong grunted as he lifted it, muscles straining, before tossing it aside.
He was about to step forward but stopped just as he realised a big bush of thorny brambles were all over the ground. There didn't seem to be anyway to cross without getting thorns in his feet, but then Donkey looked up. He saw some light green moss growing on the rocks above him.
I bet I could make it across if I climb on that moss! Donkey Kong thought to himself. With a swift jump, he gripped the moss above him and slowly edged forward, not daring to look down. When we got to the other side, he accidentally landed on a Wild Wendell, sending the shocked turtle into its shell.
"Let's keep moving," he said to no one in particular, his voice echoing through the desolate shore.
As he continued, he came across an enormous ship, that wasn't as destroyed as the others. He climbed onto the moss to get up to the ship. Then he landed onto the unstable deck. The ship's deck beneath his feet creaked ominously. He had to balance carefully on the unstable planks, avoiding the gaps where the wood had rotted away.
The ship was filled with penguins and Donkey Kong made sure to stay out of sight from them. He leaped onto crates being carried by the ship. A sudden splash from the water caught his attention. He turned just in time to see a Snaggles, its sharp teeth gleaming, leap at him. With a swift punch, he sent the creature flying back into the sea.
"These waters aren't safe," he muttered, wiping his brow.
He pressed on, navigating through the wreckage with caution. The sun beat down, and the sound of waves crashing against pthe hulls of the ships provided an eerie soundtrack to his journey. He encountered a group of Hootz, the owl-like creatures swooping down at him. Donkey Kong deftly dodged their attacks, grabbing a barrel and hurling it at them, scattering the flock.
"Can't waste any time," he said, determined to find his friends.
Soon, he came across some Tucks, who had not noticed him yet. Donkey Kong was still curious what these creatures wanted with him. He wanted answers. So he leaped at them. Two of them ran for their lives but Donkey Kong managed to pin one down. The terrified penguin yelped and struggled against Donkey Kong's hold, but that only made him hold onto him tighter.
"I know your the ones who took over my island." Donkey Kong growled. "Why?" Tucks seemed hesitant at first, but then spoke. "Lord Fredrik wanted more land. Our old island was too small." He said.
Donkey Kong raised an eyebrow. "Who's Lord Fredrik?" "He's our leader." Tucks answered. "Well, then I'll just have to deal with him." Donkey Kong then let go of Tucks, and he ran for his life. The Donkey kept going.
The path ahead led him to a section of the ship that had sunk into the sand, creating a steep incline. Donkey Kong climbed carefully, using his strength to pull himself up. At the top, he found a large cannon, half-buried in the sand. He glanced around and noticed that parts of the ship were still intact, offering a precarious path across the wreckage.
"This should lead me closer," he thought, stepping onto the tilted deck.
The next challenge was an underwater segment. Donkey Kong took a deep breath and dove into the clear, blue water. He swam cautiously, aware of the potential dangers lurking below. As he navigated the underwater passages, he had to avoid sharp coral and the snapping jaws of more Snaggles. He found pockets of air trapped under the wreckage, allowing him to catch his breath before continuing.
Emerging from the water, he shook himself dry and continued on foot. The shipwrecks became more densely packed, creating a maze of broken hulls and tangled ropes. Donkey Kong had to climb, swing, and crawl through the debris. He encountered more enemies: Monocle Monica, who buzzed quite loudly (which was annoying) and a whole lot more of them. The giant dragonfly's charged at Donkey Kong.
"Bzzz... get out of out territory!" They yelled. "I don't know how to!" Donkey yelped. But the Monica's didn't seem to care. DonkeyKong spotted a nearby barrel and chucked it at them. "Take that!" Then he leaped onto some rocks and managed to lose them.
Donkey Kong soon came across this small ship thingy that had a wooden deck and springs underneath. Donkey Kong leaped onto the tiny ship and tried to figure out how to get it to start. Then he slapped the deck of the ship and not only did it bounce him up very high, but it opened the gate that had been closed.
The small ship started sailing, quite slowly. Donkey Kong sat on the deck, watching the horizon. Diddy, Dixie, Cranky... where are you? He thought sadly. Then his expression hardened. I'll find them soon. Hopefully.
Donkey Kong's thoughts stopped when suddenly he heard an ear-splitting noise that was getting louder and louder. He turned around and realised there was a ginormous spinning and spiky plane engine breaking everything in its path. And it was about to chop of Donkey Kong's head. Frantically, the big ape ducked, hoping the engine wouldn't touch him.
As his little boat sailed right through the spinning engine, the sail and the wooden pole that had been holding the sail, were ripped off from the boat and sent into the water. Donkey Kong could just barely feel the tip of the blades inches from his skin. When he heard the noise getting softer, he looked up and realised he was past the engine now. The ship stopped sailing due to having no sail. "Glad I didn't lose my head today." Donkey Kong muttered.
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