KIRBY ALL-STARS
A young woman is thrown into another galaxy, and wakes up to find herself in Dreamland on Planet Popstar! Realising that the characters from the Kirby franchise that she loves are real - including the loveable 'pink demon' himself - and armed with a mysterious pendant that grants her equally as mysterious powers, it eventually becomes apparent to her why she ended up in Dreamland and just where she belongs!
~ Parental Warning ~
The following chapter contains:
. Infrequent violence
. Low-level adult themes
Reader discretion is advised.
CHAPTER TWO
Pirate Panic!
It was another beautiful morning in Dreamland, just like it had been two days ago.
And, just like that morning . . .
"ESCARGOON!"
The castle walls practically shook at the king's loud voice, and that same Waddle Dee who had been on patrol two days ago stumbled again.
Escargoon was sitting at his desk, calmly writing a letter to his dear mother about the recent events (with … some minor edits), but now he sighed. "Here we go … in three … two … one — "
Dedede burst into the room and immediately crash-tackled Escargoon. "WHERE IS SHE?!" He yelled, grabbing the poor snail roughly.
It then occurred to Escargoon that neither one of them actually knew where Emma had ended up after the events of yesterday. They had been tied up for most of the afternoon and evening with Moh, the incredibly persistent Monster that Night Mare Enterprises had sent over to get the money that they owed; it was hard to argue with a smaller but nonetheless lethal version of Bridezilla, who had screeched so much that Escargoon realised that her name might stand for maid-of-honour or, even worse, matron-of-honour (meaning that she might have a Monstrous husband who could show up). It had taken awhile to work out a payment plan (mainly because Moh kept trying to bite them), and even longer for Escargoon to try and rewrite their budget for the next few months to compensate for this - at the same time, Dedede had hacked his way into the Nightmare Network to binge watch some sappy romance movies, much to Escargoon's annoyance, because Dedede had told him to take notes, and the only thing worth noting about those sorts of movies was that it was just complete and total nonsense.
It seemed that, after hours of watching the characters in those movies try to find their true loves, Dedede had realised that his supposed true love was actually nowhere to be seen.
"What's wrong now?" Came a voice from the hallway, and both Dedede and Escargoon turned to see Tiff standing there with her hands on her hips, looking annoyed.
"You wouldn't happen to know where Emma is, would you?" Escargoon asked her, remembering how Emma had left with Tiff and Tuff to go and get her glasses. "Help me . . . " He added, in a small voice, as Dedede's grip tightened on his neck.
Tiff eyed them. "Such a priority." She muttered sarcastically.
Dedede dropped Escargoon, and glared at Tiff. "Well . . . ?"
Tiff sighed. "Emma is fine, and she is in the same place that she's been for the last eighteen hours; settling into her new home - with Kirby." She added, and then sidestepped as Dedede (who had pretty much just trodden on poor Escargoon) went hurtling past her.
"HOW DARE HE!"
"Help!" A small voice yelled, from the outskirts of Cappy Town, and everybody in the vicinity turned. Honey came running into view, looking as terrified as she sounded. "Help!"
"What is it, Honey?!" Buttercup asked, immediately concerned.
"Pirates!" Honey cried. "There's pirates! In the bay! Coming here!"
"Pirates?" Buttercup's husband, Chief Bookem, repeated, narrowing his eyes. He stepped into the light, and his police badge on his chest gleamed. "Ha! Not likely! I won't have no good hoodlums like that in my town — !"
He was suddenly cut off when something small slammed straight into his face, a sharp beak digging into his forehead and making him fall back.
"Igara!"
Bookem groaned, as he hit the ground.
"Bookem!" Buttercup cried in a panic.
"Actually," a new voice said, and everybody looked, even as Bookem's attacker - what looked like a small bird - flew onto the shoulder of the new speaker. "This place now belongs to me . . . "
Dedede was breathing heavily from his sprint down from the castle and all the way to Kirby's house, where he was greeted by none other than a slightly disgruntled Tokkori.
"Alright … you . . . " The king said angrily. "Where … is … she . . . ?"
"Ha!" Tokkori rolled his eyes. "It's about time someone came to get my house back for me! Now, see for yourself!"
He allowed Dedede to open the door.
Inside, Emma and Kirby were both fast asleep on the bed, currently unaware of anything except whatever they were dreaming about.
Tokkori flew over and landed on the blue and yellow star-print sleeping cap on Kirby's head.
"Poyo-poyo . . . " Kirby murmured. "Poyo … chips!" He suddenly cried, throwing his arms up, and causing Tokkori to fall to the ground next to the empty boxes from last night's fish and chips from Kawasaki's.
"I've been trying to wake them both up for ages!" Tokkori proclaimed.
"P Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney . . . " Emma muttered in her sleep.
"What's a wallaby?!" Tokkori rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he went on, as he flew over to the new desk. "Maybe you'll have more luck in waking them up, King Dedede!"
It was at this point that Emma's eyes flew open, and she sat bolt upright to see Dedede standing in the doorway - he had just been glaring at the sleeping form of Kirby, but now he looked at her.
She gasped, and suddenly pointed out the door behind him. "Look! A distraction!" She cried.
"Where?!" Dedede immediately turned to look, but saw nothing. He turned back around, to find that Emma had set the world record for changing clothes.
She didn't seem to notice that her nightgown had landed on Kirby (who was still asleep), as she nervously smoothed out the skirt of one of the new dresses that she'd gotten yesterday (the town seamstress, a Cappy named Madam Synger who Emma had never heard of, had been so thrilled with the 'challenge' of designing outfits for an 'alien', that she had waived the cost of everything). The Star Pendant gleamed in the morning light against the light red material of the dress, as she tried to calm herself down from the horror at having been seen in her pyjamas by Dedede.
Dedede blinked a few times. " . . . Pink looks better on you than on Kirby." He told her. Kirby, that little puffball, being housemates with MY true love, and even having a fish and chips dinner with her!
"Uh … thank you . . . ?" Emma replied. Hmm … when Mabel read my fortune yesterday, she said that I might get a strange compliment from somebody … then again, she also said that I might step into the role of one of my childhood heroes, which is a little harder to figure out . . . "Umm … why are you here?"
"I was worried about you!" Dedede told her. "I didn't know where you were — "
"What?" Tokkori interrupted him. "And, it took you all of yesterday afternoon and last night to realise that she wasn't there?"
"Quiet you." Emma and Dedede told him in unison, before turning back to face each other.
Tokkori just rolled his eyes again. "This is even worse than When Sarry Met Hally . . . " He muttered.
"I — umm . . . " Emma swallowed. "I … never intended to m-make you worry … i-it's just been … a lot to take in . . . " She paused, and then added: "But, I'm okay now, so let's do our best together, King Dedede!"
Dedede was positively thrilled by the last part of what she'd just said, and declared to the closest person, who happened to be Escargoon: "Did you hear that?! She said we is gonna be together!"
"Get a grip, sire!" Escargoon urged him. "We've got a potential problem!" He added.
"Huh?" Dedede paused, suddenly realising that Escargoon had actually followed him, in the armoured vehicle, no less.
He had even brought Tiff along with him, for some reason, and now she hurried to the doorway and said: "Pirates invaded Cappy Town! They hurt Chief Bookem and wrecked and robbed the town and they're still causing chaos!"
It was Kirby's turn to open his eyes quickly and sit bolt upright, as the nightgown and his own nightcap slid off of him.
"Poyo." He said, immediately on edge.
"Right!" Tiff nodded, leading the way back over to the armoured vehicle. "Let's go! Escargoon will drive us!" She added.
"Hey!" Escargoon himself immediately said. "I never said that!"
"No, I did." Tiff replied. "Let's go."
She glanced behind her. "Emma, are you coming?"
Emma only hesitated for a second, before she nodded. "Umm … but … is there enough room?"
"We'll make room." Tiff replied.
Which meant that she, Kirby, and Emma had to sit at the back of the armoured vehicle, and Escargoon was in the driver's seat with Dedede riding shotgun.
And, at the very first jostle, Emma found herself nearly losing her grip on the sides of the armoured vehicle, she found her arms moving forwards instinctively, and . . .
Okay, this works, awkwardly . . . Emma thought, as her arms looped around Dedede's shoulders, and he just reached up and put one of his hands over hers, like it was perfectly normal.
She was almost relieved when they finally reached Cappy Town, although her emotions instantly turned to worry when she saw the state the town was in.
Smashed windows, holes in the walls, and the road had even been torn up in some places. It was also like a ghost town. Where was everybody?
It was so different from the place that Emma had seen yesterday, that she was at a loss for words, until they passed by the police station, and she found herself saying: "I hope Chief Bookem's okay . . . " I met him and his wife yesterday, they were so nice … like everybody, and now something like this has happened . . .
Tiff was silent, too, until she suddenly leaned forwards, jabbed Escargoon in the shoulder, and said: "Turn right here - they'll be a Samo's Bar."
"What makes you so sure, Miss. Backseat Driver?" Escargoon asked irritably.
"Because they're pirates." She said bluntly.
The heard the pirates before they saw them.
Shouts and the occasional crash could be heard coming from Samo's Bar and, as the armoured vehicle pulled up outside, Tuff came running up to them.
"Tuff! What happened?!" Tiff exclaimed, as she jumped down to the ground.
"The pirates wrecked Samo's Bar and drank all the liquor!" Tuff cried. "They're demanding more, and until they get it … they're holding some of the Cappies hostage! They even got Mum and Dad!"
Tiff, Kirby, and Emma all gasped in unison and, before Dedede or Escargoon could say or do anything, those three all followed Tuff into the bar.
And, got their first good look at the pirates.
They were somewhat similar to Dedede, in that they were big and bird-like. Their feathers were a lot scruffier-looking, and ranged from brown to grey. They all wore pirate garb … in fact, everything about them just screamed 'pirate' - including the fact that they were clearly drunk, but still demanding more alcohol.
There were only about nine or so of them there, but that was enough.
They were slouched over, playing cards, and complaining loudly.
One of them, who also wore a striped shirt that didn't quite hide his red belly and had an eyepatch over his right eye, was currently threatening the bar owner, Samo.
"I-I told you!" Samo was terrified. "I haven't got any more alcohol! You drank it all . . . "
"Our captain's gone to verify that little claim of yours!" The pirate in the striped-shirt pointed towards the doorway leading to the store room, before he reached out and pushed Samo up against the bar behind him."And, if it be a lie, then we'll pull out your gypsy girlfriend's eyelashes one by one!"
"No!" Samo gasped.
But, Emma had had enough, and she moved before she even had time to think about what she was doing or what the consequences were likely to be.
She had taken exactly five martial arts lessons in her life and, in those five lessons, she had learned one thing - that she had almost zero athleticism. However, she had learned a little more over the course of her life, like the fact that somebody - especially a drunk somebody - wasn't likely to see a small figure coming, and the fact that his right side was his blind-spot was also a bonus. And, her being so small meant that it was actually easy enough for her to get between him and Samo, and then . . .
Everybody in the bar froze as the pirate with the eye-patch went flying across the room, landing near to another pirate wearing an eye-patch - he had one deep red eye and silvery feathers, and he glanced up but didn't say anything.
"Whoa … she just sort of hit that pirate, but, he ended up all the way over there!" Tuff gaped. "Was that like when she used the pendant?" He asked his sister, who shook her head.
"No," she replied, noticing that Emma was starting to get the look of someone who was already second-guessing their decisions, as all of the pirates in the vicinity were now looking at her. "She's not wearing it … that was just her . . . "
"What's with that red-haired wench?!" One of the pirates called out. "Does she even know who we are?!"
"I don't know and I don't care!" Emma suddenly snapped, and Tiff was surprised to hear that her voice wasn't shaking and that she wasn't stammering - in fact, there was an angry blush across her face … in fact, she was furious. "Because, no matter who you are, if you cause so much destruction, drink all of the delicious wine, and threaten and harm the townspeople who were so kind to me, then expect to be met with resistance!"
Somehow, it was less surprising that those words were met with derisive laughter from many of the pirates who were present.
"What, from you?!" One of them called to her.
"Or, do you mean one of those kids?" Another added.
"Or, the pink beachball?" A pirate who was playing cards with some of his mates spoke up. "I call." He added, pushing a few coins into the centre of the table.
"Hey, how about that snail there?"
"I reckon I could take out the fat penguin!"
The pirate that Emma had sent flying was picking himself up, and now he said: "If it's her, I'll take her on . . . " He was wiping away a thin trickle of blood from his chin, where he'd accidentally bitten his lip after being struck unexpectedly. "I won't be caught off-guard again . . . " He added.
"I get the beachball, then!" Another pirate called.
"Don't even — !" Dedede began, but Tiff cut him off.
"Good luck taking her on, because she's like Kirby!" She declared loudly. "A Star Warrior!"
"Tiff!" Emma gasped, just as the silver-feathered pirate suddenly stood up.
"If they be Star Warriors," he said, in a low voice, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword that he carried at his hip, and the other one grabbing the shoulder of the pirate that Emma had hit. "Then, you best be leaving them to me." He looked at Emma. "Now … Kirby?"
Emma just stared at him.
"Poyo!" Called Kirby from the doorway.
The silver-feathered pirate's one eye flickered over to Kirby. "Apologies." He said, and then looked back at Emma. "So … you attacked one of me mates . . . "
"F-for attacking one of mine!" Emma was back to stammering. Some of her anger had worn off, and she was watching the pirate with the sword apprehensively.
There was something different about him; he wasn't drunk, and he held himself together with a calm kind of confidence.
He said: "But, it be different for a Star Warrior - like you." He added, pointedly.
"I never said that." Emma said in a slightly-constricted voice.
"So, then," the pirate with the sword looked towards the doorway again. "It's this Kirby that I should be crossing blades with?"
"You'll do no such thing!" Emma and Tiff said in unison.
"What's your problem with Star Warriors, anyway?!" Emma added.
The pirate with the sword looked right at her, but didn't get a chance to say anything because, just then, the pirate that Emma had hit spoke up again.
"If this wench isn't a Star Warrior, then ye shouldn't stop me from returning the favour — !" He began, but he was cut off by a deep voice coming from the doorway to the storeroom.
"Neither one of ye need to be threatening such a lovely lass." There was a calmness to his voice, but it did nothing to quell Emma's rapidly rising nerves.
This pirate looked very similar to the rest of them, but he had a long beard, and wore a captain's jacket and hat, leaving no questions about who he was.
Dedede, it seemed, didn't care, and he immediately latched on to Emma's arm and said to the newcomer: "Hey! She's my lovely lass, so back off, Beaky!"
"That be Captain Beakbeard of the Bad Dream Pirates to ye, landlubber!" The pirates' Captain responded, with a calm smile on his face that didn't extend up to his scarlet eyes.
A pink bird who was about the same size as Tokkori, but was wearing a miniature pirate hat, landed on Beakbeard's shoulder.
"Igara!" She said.
Dedede was unimpressed, as he drew himself up to his full height, and said: "I also don't care who you are! I want you out of my town!"
To everyone's surprise, Beakbeard said: "Very well, then. Just as soon as we get the last thing that we came for."
"Which is what?" Tiff and Tuff said in unison.
"Not more wine, I hope." Emma murmured.
"Samo said there's none left." Dedede reminded her.
"Just one more crisis." She realised, although she was about to discover that the overall crisis was going to get a whole lot worse.
"It be me new bride," Beakbeard proclaimed, and his red eyes gleamed dangerously. "That be ye, lass!" He added, pointing at Emma, who instantly froze as if the captain had somehow made it so that she couldn't move, although she suspected that it might have been the fear. "Alright, lads! Get her and return to the ship!"
Looking back, it really didn't surprise Emma that a pirate would try and steal another man's woman (even though she technically wasn't Dedede's girlfriend … yet?), but, that didn't make the situation any better as the other pirates (with the exception of the one with the sword) all leapt up, and swiftly advanced upon her.
"No way — !" Dedede began, just as the pirate that Emma had hit reached them.
In a second, a dagger was unsheathed, and Dedede's arm was sliced in to, before the king was all but shoved aside.
"King Dedede!" Emma cried, as many sets of hands roughly grabbed her arms.
"That's the king?!" One of the pirates who was holding on to her taunted.
"Tell ya what," one of the card-playing pirates smirked slightly. "Why don't we make him resemble the king of hearts?"
For whatever reason, Emma immediately almost freaked out, and stopped resisting. "No!" She cried, looking at a couple of the pirates before looking at their captain, who was watching her. "Please, don't — !"
Beakbeard laughed; it was a slightly chilling sound. "I like a lass who be knowing when she's beaten! Alright, lads, ship out!"
Tiff, Tuff, Kirby, and Escargoon were all pushed against the wall as the pirates exited Samo's Bar, dragging poor Emma along with them and leaving so quickly that no one had time to do anything.
Before leaving, though, one of the pirates threw his cards down on to the ground, and Tiff picked them up and began sifting through them.
"Oh." She suddenly said, in an odd voice.
"What is it?" Tuff asked her.
Tiff showed him four cards, they depicted four kings, of spade, clubs, diamond, and heart - all of them were birdlike and very regal, and held swords.
The king of hearts had his sword going through his head.
Tuff nervously tugged at the top of the strap of his suspender.
Escargoon had gone over to Dedede, looking concerned. "Sire, are you okay? Let someone — "
Dedede was breathing heavily, with his head bowed so that they couldn't see his face. "Forget me!" He said, somewhat roughly; he then looked up, revealing fiery and furious eyes, and shouted: "I've never been so angry before in all my life! How dare those fish-fingered fiends steal my girl!"
"Yeah, now we have to rescue her, too." Tuff realised.
Dedede was still angry. "Where did they take her?!" He wondered, glancing around the area, and his eyes came to rest on Samo.
"They mentioned that their ship is docked at the western shore," the bartender told him. He looked worried. "They took Mabel and many of the other Cappies, too — "
"I don't care about them, I care about Emma!" Dedede exclaimed. He turned to Escargoon, and ordered: "Escargoon! Drive us to the shore!"
"And again . . . " The snail groaned quietly. What am I, the chauffeur?
"Yeah!" Tuff cheered. "We'll all go!"
"Poyo!" Kirby agreed.
I should start charging for my services. Escargoon sighed. He glanced at Tiff, who was looking thoughtfully at the cards in her hand. "You too?" He guessed, and was surprised when she shook her head.
"No," she said. "I have … to do something." She didn't say what it was, but just added quietly: "I'll call the Warp Star for you, Kirby … Kirby?"
Kirby had gone over to Dedede, who didn't look too happy at the Star Warrior's close proximity to him.
"Hey, what are you — ?"
"Poyo!" Kirby leapt up, and grabbed something off of the collar of Dedede's coat. "Poyo!" He said again, a little more insistently, now.
"Hey, that's Emma's pendant that she got from Meta Knight!" Tuff recognised the purple stone with the silver embellishments.
"She can't really fight without it . . . " Escargoon noted.
"What about that one guy?" Tuff said.
"He was drunk." Escargoon, Samo, and Dedede all said in unison, and Tuff cringed.
"He'll probably need a cold compress on his head, for the inevitable hangover and where he bit his lip." Samo added.
"But," Dedede said, as he took the pendant back from Kirby and went over to the armoured vehicle. "If he or any of them have hurt my precious Emma, then they'll need more than just that, because I'll kill them all til' they're dead!"
"Sire, you can't kill someone until they're dead, that is killing them." Escargoon told him.
"This is different!"
"Right, right . . . "
"Ouch . . . " Emma complained, as she was tossed down unceremoniously onto the wooden floor of a place that could only be described as the brig. Of the Bad Dream Pirates' ship - the Sand Star, which turned out to be an absolutely huge galleon that made Emma think of a combination of One Piece, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, and Pirates Of The Caribbean. She had thought about those things as she was led through a maze of corridors; anything to take her mind off of the terrible predicament that she was in. She had started resisting again, once they were closer to the shore than to Cappy Town, and had almost overturned the long-boat on the way over to the ship, which may have been why the pirate with the red belly (who had been in the same long-boat as her, and was apparently called Redbelly) hadn't been too gentle when he'd thrown her into the cell.
"The captain wants ye to stay in here until ye simmer down!" He told her, locking the cell door with a shiny golden key on a big keyring. "So, be good and keep quiet!" He added, before he turned and walked away. "That goes for all of you!"
"That goes for all of you." Emma mimicked him quietly.
"I heard that!"
"Good!"
"Emma?" Came a soft voice from behind her, and she turned, to see that she was not alone in the dim cell. "So, they got you too, huh?" The speaker was Buttercup, who sounded worried, and, rightfully so.
Emma nodded, as her eyes travelled over to the Cappy who was next to Buttercup; it was Chief Bookem, who had his head bandaged beneath his police cap.
Mabel was also there, thankfully with what appeared to be all of her eyelashes still in place. She was sitting next to Spikehead, and appeared to be comforting him.
Professor Curio, the owner of the antique shop, was also there. So was Madam Synger, the dress shop owner. And, Biblio, the book shop owner.
There were non-Cappies there, as well, including a pair of gleaming eyes in the dark corner, which might've belonged to a small dog or something.
Chef Kawasaki was also there, and … a man and a woman who could only be the parents of Tiff and Tuff.
Emma tried not to stare. She hadn't gotten a chance to meet Lady Like and Sir Ebrum yet. Why oh why did it have to be happening here, like this?!
She quickly looked back over at Bookem, when he coughed a bit.
"A-are you okay?" She asked him. "T-Tiff said that you got hurt, but … not how . . . "
Bookem sighed. "Some chief of police I am … I let my guard down for onesecond and I get taken out by a pink version of Tokkori!"
His wife patted his arm reassuringly.
"Y-yeah, I saw her . . . " Emma glanced around at the rest of the captives. "And . . . ?"
"I could not foresee that they would take an interest in my abilities … or, perhaps not, for when I stepped in to stop them from terrorising Samo, they smashed my crystal ball." Mabel spoke up. "And, before I knew what was happening, I was tied up and dragged off."
"I got hurt protecting Honey." Spikehead said, tilting his chin up.
"Th-that was very brave of you," Emma said quietly. "Both of you . . . " She added.
"What about you, though, Emma?" Spikehead spoke up. "Can't you just transform like you did the other day and . . . ?" He mimed slicing with a sword, and whatever the creature in the corner of the room was made a small noise that sounded like 'owo'.
Emma shook her head, staring down at her feet and wishing that she'd thought to put shoes on. "I-I wish I could, but … I don't have my pendant with me . . . " I see … it must've come off when I had to grab on to King Dedede when we were on our way into Cappy Town . . . "It's really … the only way that I was able to do what I did the other day, and help to t-take out Bridezilla … I m-mean, I hit that fella out there wh-when he threatened Samo . . . " She watched as Mabel's black eyes lit up, slightly. "B-but, that was nothing, and n-now I have to marryCaptain Beakbeard . . . "
"WHAT?!" Mabel, Spikehead, Bookem, Buttercup, Synger, Biblio, Curio, Kawasaki, Lady Like, and Sir Ebrum all yelled.
"I TOLD YOU ALL TO KEEP QUIET!" Redbelly yelled from nearby.
On the western shore, Dedede, Escargoon, Tuff, and Kirby (who was standing on the Warp Star) all peered through the bushes, out into the bay.
"There's the pirates' ship . . . " Escargoon whispered.
"Poyo." Kirby nodded.
"That's where my Emma is." Dedede realised, glaring at the galleon that was flying a Jolly Roger.
"Poyo, Emma." Kirby agreed.
"Mum and Dad are there, too." Tuff added.
"Poyo, poyo." Kirby said hastily. "Poyo?" He added questioningly, because Escargoon appeared to be trying to calculate something.
"It makes sense that they'd be here, actually," the snail was saying thoughtfully. "I mean, there's a couple of reasons why nobody really swims on this coast, one of which is the steep drop-off that's perfect for anchoring a large ship like that, and only about two-hundred yards out . . . "
"So," Dedede didn't care about the numbers - he could tell just by looking at the ship that it wasn't exactly anchored close to the shore. "How do we get across there?"
"We swim across, of course." Tuff replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Dedede gave him a sidelong glance, and then scurried over to the cliff edge and peered into the water, only to discover another reason why no one liked to swim at this coast.
"No way!" He cried, as the huge and unmistakable shape of a very large shark cruised casually by.
He could hardly forget what had happened when he and Escargoon had been chased by Kine's toothy friend, Joe.
Escargoon was remembering that, too, although he still said: "But, sire, what about Emma?"
"Yeah!" Tuff nodded. "And my parents, and everybody else!"
"Be quiet, kid, he doesn't care about them."
Dedede was thinking hard about this. "How do I rescue Emma without becoming shark food?" He glanced at Escargoon. "How did that guy in Vast Navy Ocean do it?"
"You mean Carson Jake?" Escargoon tried to remember the one movie that they'd watched the previous night that hadn't been a romance film.
"Yeah, yeah, when Jackie or whatever her name was hanging there." Dedede said. "How did he save her?"
"He didn't." Escargoon replied flatly.
"Oh." Dedede went back to thinking. "Right, so how am I gonna rescue my girl?" Aurgh, it was so much easier before, when she was actually here! I complimented her … I let her hold on to me in the car … I protected her . . . His arm gave a dull ache, and he glanced at it, before looking over towards the sand.
Kirby was currently standing on the Warp Star, and teaching a bunch of crabs how to do some little dance routine.
"Hai!" Kirby finished up the dance and posed, along with the crabs, and then realised that Dedede was now staring at him. "Poyo?"
Tiff was running, not even sure if she was on the right track or not. After all, there was no guarantee that Meta Knight was even in the castle. Perhaps he was off doing more shopping at Shy-KEA, or something?
"But, I have to try!" Tiff declared out loud, as she sprinted down a corridor of Castle Dedede, dodging around a Waddle Dee and then leaping over a fallen suit of armour. "Oh, Meta Knight, where are you?!" She cried.
"Tiff?" Came the voice of Sailor Waddle Dee, and Tiff was so relieved to see him there that she ran straight over to him. "What's going on — ?" He was cut off when she clasped her hands out in front of her, her eyes somewhat bright all of a sudden.
"Please, you have to take me to Meta Knight!" She begged the startled Waddle Dee. "It's an emergency! Emma … and my parents — !" The tears were suddenly very clear in her eyes. "They're in big trouble!" My brother might even be in over his head right now, as well! Oh, why did I ever let him and Kirby go to the shore with Dedede and Escargoon?!
"Kirby!" Tuff was saying, right at that very moment in time. "Escargoon's signalling that he wants to go higher!" He told his friend, as the Warp Star wobbled dangerously.
Kirby blinked. "Poyo?"
Up in the crow's nest of the Sand Star, were the ship guards, who had been told to be on the lookout for anything suspicious.
Their names were Gary and Saul, and they were identical twin brothers with yellow eyes and feathers so dark that they were almost black. The only way to really tell them apart was that Gary always wore a blue armband on his left upper arm, whereas the armband that Saul wore was red.
"The captain said that we're to be on the lookout for a group of maybe four or five, and that we'll know them when we see them." Gary said presently. "Whatever that means . . . " He added, rolling his eyes.
Saul had a pair of binoculars pressed up to his face, but he now lowered them and said: "Hey, Gary, check this out." He handed his brother the binoculars.
Gary looked, and quickly located what his brother had spotted.
It was … a bizarre sight. To say the very least.
What looked like a pink beachball was riding a flying yellow star, and a little kid in shorts clung to the pink guy's back. Hanging off of one of the points of the star was a portly blue penguin dressed in regal attire, whose weight might have been contributing to the flying star's lack of balance. And, clinging to one of the blue penguin's feet was a purple hand, whose owner was currently submerged in sea water and pointing furiously upwards with the other hand.
Gary lowered the binoculars. "That's just sad." He observed.
"Aye." His brother agreed. "We don't even need to alert the captain - these landlubbers are pathetic. They're not gonna be the heroes of this story."
There was the click of a lock, and everyone in the cell looked up. Redbelly was back, accompanied by the silver-feathered pirate with the sword who glared at them all as if daring them to try and escape.
"Alright, girlie," Redbelly told Emma. "The captain be ready for you, now." He threw a bundle of materiel to her.
"What's this?" She said.
"He wants you to wear it." Redbelly replied.
"I will not." Emma replied straight away.
"Then you'll be getting married naked." Redbelly informed her.
SLAP!
Redbelly, the side of his face now as red as his belly, all-but slammed the cell door shut.
He turned around.
The other pirate looking at him and then he said: "You deserved that."
"Shut up, Silversword." Redbelly muttered, rubbing the side of his face as Madam Synger came over to help Emma into the dress.
"It is a good material." The seamstress commented.
"But that's not really the point now, is it?" Emma muttered, as she transferred the one thing in her dress pocket into the pocket of the new dress - it was Mabel's laminated business card, and not her glasses, but she supposed that that was better than her glasses potentially getting lost during this whole scenario.
"Oh dear," Lady Like said, somewhat sadly. "First you are pursued by King Dedede, and now this pirate captain!"
"I know which one I prefer." Emma whispered.
"Chin up." Mabel told her quietly. "Remember what I said yesterday?" Emma nodded. "So, just think about which of your childhood heroes you could emulate . . . "
Which of my childhood heroes has the skills to get out of this situation? Emma wondered, as she was led out of the cell by Silversword (Redbelly sat across from the cell, glaring at her). Dixie Kong? No, she saved somebody else from pirates. Sailor Moon? Did she ever take on pirates? Madeline? No, wait, those weren't really pirates, it was a pageant or something . . .
"Good luck, Emma!" Spikehead called to her, interrupting her thoughts.
"Emma?" Silversword repeated, pausing at the steps that led down to the brig.
"Y-yes — ?!" She squeaked.
His grip tightened on her shoulder, and he said nothing, as he continued to lead her up the stairs, but he stopped about halfway up when she dared to speak again.
"A-are you the f-first-mate?"
He hesitated, and then he nodded. "Aye. Ye be smart." He added, unexpectedly.
"It's just-just intuition." She stammered.
"Even so . . . "
"O-k-kay . . . " She hesitated, and then said: "Why do you hate Star Warriors so much?!" Hey, maybe he'll push me down the stairs for daring to ask such a thing. I can't very well get married with a broken leg … can I?
Silversword sighed. "Ye be asking too many questions, but, I'll talk if ye promise to shut up about it."
Emma swallowed, taking note of the fact that he of course still had his sword with him, and nodded once.
"I wasn't always Captain Beakbeard's first-mate." Silversword told her. "Before then, I used to be a member of the Galaxy Warrior Army," and, here, his grip tightened almost painfully on Emma's shoulder, but that wasn't why she gasped quietly. "Fighting against a great force of chaos."
"Wh-what changed?" Emma whispered.
Silversword glanced at her and then, with his free hand, reached up and briefly lifted up his eyepatch, to reveal a scar over the space where his eye should be.
Emma froze.
"I was injured in a battle," Silversword told her, as he replaced the eyepatch. "Had my eye stolen by a powerful ally of our greatest enemy … nearly failed to protect what he was actually after … the Star Warrior overseer of our unit had to step in, and he deemed me unable to continue to serve, and so I . . . "
"So you became a pirate . . . " Emma realised. The words that Silversword had been saying were so raw, so clear … she could almost picture everything that had happened to him.
"I left immediately . . . " Silversword confirmed. "Alone, in pain, hating myself … the captain found me and took me in. I be in debt to him, that's what ye have to understand if you're to be the captain's wife."
"But, I don't want — !" She began, but he cut her off.
"Ye don't want to see the captain when he be angry," he warned her, his one red eye gleaming. "When he loses control … he be capable of sending every last one of us straight to Davy Jones's locker … he be more than meets the eye … Emma . . . "
The state room was a fairly large room, with the wall opposite the door having floor-to-ceiling windows. The wall to the right had bookcases lining it in the same fashion, and the wall to the left had portraits on it … a very large one of Captain Beakbeard himself, one of the ship that they were on, one of what looked like the scary castle on the hill from Solitaire, one of an opulent blue sapphire necklace, and … Emma did a double-take, as she recognised the portrait of Captain Kick and his bird Lord James Coleet.
There was a portrait of everything but the kitchen sink … oh, no, wait - there was even a painting of that, too.
She then turned back, as Silversword finished telling Beakbeard about what had happened, and the captain laughed.
"This young lass will make a fine wife!" He said, smiling confidently. "Ye be needing to be feisty to be a pirate!"
Somehow I don't think that he's going to accept the 'I can't marry a man I just met' line. Emma thought. She gritted her teeth, and said nothing, trying to remember what Silversword had told her about this guy, but unable to shake off the apprehension at the other information that he'd given her … about what might happen if Beakbeard lost his temper . . .
She then happened to notice that the pink bird who reminded both her and Bookem of Tokkori was sitting on the back of a chair behind the desk, and that she appeared to be glaring at Emma.
Beakbeard noticed this, as well. "Don't ye be minding Stellar, lassie." He told Emma, as the pink bird turned her head away pointedly. "She'll just have to get used to not being the only female around here!" He then laughed again.
Emma dug her fingertips into her palms, wanting nothing more right now than to run screaming from the room.
But, before she could, Stellar suddenly cried: "Igara?!" In alarm.
And, Emma understood why, because even she could see the massive black cannonball heading towards them, that suddenly crashed through the window and destroyed the chair and desk - it would have hit Stellar, too, had the little bird not quickly flown up and perched on one of the green crystals on the low-hanging chandelier, which swayed about dangerously as the ship shook.
She, Emma, Beakbeard, and Silversword all stared at the cannonball, ruined furniture, and scattered papers in silence.
And, then, they all looked up as a second cannonball flew past the shattered windows … only to be inhaled by none other than Kirby, who was riding on the Warp Star.
"What in Neptune's name is that thing?!" Beakbeard growled.
"It's Kirby!" Emma gasped. He's here!
"The Star Warrior . . . " Silversword said quietly.
"So, that young lad be a Star Warrior . . . " Beakbeard was still speaking in a low growl.
"Aye." Silversword confirmed. "A young one, but, he be a Star Warrior nonetheless … there be no mistaking it now, not with that Warp Star . . . "
Beakbeard was silent for a moment, and then he suddenly turned. "Right, then, ye come with me, Silversword, while I sort out this … annoyance. Stellar, ye stay here with my bride." He added, and then he and Silversword left, closing the door behind them.
About five seconds passed, and then Emma and Stellar exchanged a glance, before Emma bolted over to the door and tried the door handle.
"Locked!" She realised in despair. There's gotta be a way out of here! Kirby and the others need to focus on rescuing the others and defeating these pirates, not on rescuing me! She tugged at the door handle.
"It's not going to wo-ork — !" Stellar said, in a sing-song voice, perching on the cannonball (which hadn't damaged the floor nearly as much as it had damaged the furniture and windows). "The door's locked from the outside, igara! The captain has one master key!"
"One?" Emma repeated, pausing in her attempts to try and pick the lock with one of her pearl earrings.
"There's one other master key," Stellar confirmed, looking smug. "And, guess who has that one!" Her smirk grew, as Emma groaned. "It's Redbelly! You know, guy who you've hit twice now today?"
"I know who he is!" Emma snapped, deciding against using her earring since she might break it, and instead trying the door handle again. "Between him and the horrible captain, this really IS a nightmare!" And, it's only my third day here!
"Hey!" Stellar was immediately on the defensive. "He's MY captain, and you don't know a thing about him! Not like I do!" She added.
"Then why don't YOU marry him?!" Emma asked her, but was surprised by what came next.
"I would … if I could . . . " Stellar said softly, in a completely different voice. "But … you see … I owe him a great debt . . . "
Just like Silversword. Emma thought as, once again, the words of a pirate began to paint a horrifically clear image in her mind.
"I come from a land where eating animals is … well, it happens a lot." Stellar informed her. "More than you might expect. I lost my whole family, all of my friends … even my best friend, Fen … that way . . . " She sighed. "Until the captain stole me and I became a part of his crew … we're crew mates. Nothing more, and … nothing less … I still miss my family, though . . . " She added, in an even softer voice.
"I-I know what you mean . . . " Emma told her, stammering slightly because there was a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. She had not expected that kind of backstory from this sassy little pink female version of Tokkori. "S-Stellar, that is so sad — " She said in a voice full of nothing but sincerity, although this only seemed to jolt Stellar back to reality.
"Igara! I don't need your pity!" The bird cried angrily. "And stop trying to escape!" She added, seeing that Emma was now trying to use Mabel's laminated business card to bypass the lock on the door.
"Come on!" Emma complained, jiggling the card into place between the lock and the doorframe. "It worked on … Nanna's front door, and on the study door, and — hey!" She suddenly cried, as Stellar came swooping down and grabbed the card away from her. "Stellar!"
With a 'hmph', Stellar tossed the card out the broken windows … it then arced around and started heading back.
"Igara?!" Stellar cried.
"The card's gone and boomeranged on us! Yes! For we are one and free!" Emma cheered, as Stellar gaped, and then . . .
The card hit Tokkori, who had just appeared out of nowhere, and bounced off of him, falling back into the ocean.
"No!" Emma gasped.
"Ha!" Stellar laughed. "How do you like being girt by sea now?!"
"I don't! I want to abandon ship!" Emma complained.
"Then why don't you?!" Tokkori called to her. "Everyone else is up on deck fighting, and you should be helping!"
"I'm locked in this room!" Emma tried to lower the pitch of her voice. Why was it always a case of high-pitched or stammering?! "There are only keys that can open it - the captain's got one!"
"Next!" Tokkori declared. "That guy gives me the creeps!"
"Hey!" Stellar focused her attention now on Tokkori, angry that he had insulted her beloved captain.
"The other one's being held by a pirate with a r-red-belly, of the same name!" Emma said hastily, because she knew, she just knew, that Stellar was getting ready to attack.
"I don't care what his name is!" Tokkori replied, as he turned to go. "The sooner I get that key off of him, the sooner I've done my part and can escape!"
"I won't let you!" Stellar immediately flew after him.
Emma ran to the window and called out: "Make sure you free everyone else from the brig first! Tokkori, you have to free the others first!" She then paused, and wondered if the window was her way to go. If worse came to worst, she reasoned, then, she could always swim, just like the business card . . .
She looked down, in time to see said business card disappear into a massive set of jaws.
Emma loved sharks. She always had. They were beautiful and amazing creatures. She'd been on cloud nine to touch a bamboo shark in the touch pool at the local aquarium. Her favourite shark was the great white, and she suddenly realised that this could very well be her first time ever seeing one in real life.
And, if she ended up in the water, then, it was going to be the very last time that she ever saw one, too.
She backed away from the window.
Kirby was currently surfing around on his Warp Star. No matter what the pirates did, they just couldn't seem o hit him.
"Bring out the homing cannonballs!" Somebody yelled.
"What about these three trespassers here?!" Somebody yelled back, as a small brown monkey scurried by with a bag of gunpowder strapped to his back.
"Bring out the ship guards!"
Gary and Saul took this as their opportunity to jump down from the crow's nest, landing impressively on the deck in front of Dedede, Escargoon, and Tuff.
"You landlubbers can't hope to defeat us!" Saul had unsheathed a pair of twin cutlasses, which gleamed in the sunlight and so did his yellow eyes as he stared down Dedede.
"Aye," Gary agreed. "We're Gary and Saul, the guards of the Sand Star!"
"You're gonna be seeing stars by the time I'm done with you!" Dedede proclaimed, holding up his hammer. "It's hammer time!"
"Well, isn't that something?" An extremely old pirate remarked. He had white feathers and spoke with a slight wheeze, and hadn't really done much except for comment on what weapons everyone was holding; it seemed that, now, it was Dedede's turn to get a weapons review. "That there looks like more of a mallet than a hammer, but, still with plenty of power from the looks of it … probably imbued with certain traits that make it easy to swing around and possibly even provide some form of buoyancy, without detracting from its overall power, but . . . "
Dedede, with his hammer in his hands, charged at Saul.
Because Dedede was fired up to the point of inattention, and because Saul also had slightly more experience than him in such matters, the result was that Saul disarmed the king in an instant.
"A weapon is only as powerful as the one who wields it." The old pirate finished up matter-of-factly.
The hammer arced over the side of the ship, and fell towards the water, where it hit one very unfortunate and now very angry sea creature on the head.
But, Dedede was angry, too.
"That was my favourite hammer!" He shouted, and grabbed the closest thing handy - which happened to be Escargoon.
"Oh — !" The old pirate was surprised, as poor Escargoon suddenly found himself being used to slam into Saul, who could honestly say that this was a first for him - he had never been disarmed by a snail, before.
Just then, Kirby surfed down to where Tuff was standing, accidentally cutting one of the ropes tying up a sail.
As the rope fell by Tuff's feet, he suddenly had an idea. "Kirby, grab the rope!" He said, and Kirby was quick to comply, as Saul was slammed into Gary and the two brothers suddenly staggered towards them. "It's time to make these two walk this very conveniently-plank that's right behind us!" He said, and so they stretched the rope out between them, and Gary and Saul both fell overboard.
"Man overboard!" One of the pirates yelled.
"Gary!" Saul cried, struggling to stay afloat.
"Saul!" Gary was having just as much trouble trying to swim.
"Ha! I guess you can't teach old sea dogs how to swim!" Tuff declared, as he and Kirby exchanged a high-five.
"Sire, why are you trying to kill me?" Escargoon asked in a daze, still reeling from having been used as a makeshift hammer.
"I'm not trying to kill you, I'm trying to kill them!" Dedede rolled his eyes. "Sheesh . . . "
"Captain!" A pirate with brown speckled feathers suddenly cried, as Beakbeard had indeed just come up on-deck, alongside Silversword whose gaze was suddenly on Kirby. "They defeated Gary and Saul with a rope and a snail, and that little pink guy on the star dodged all of our homing cannonballs and tried to eat our powder monkey!"
The little brown monkey from before dashed by them, heading below deck and screeching in a panicked way.
Beakbeard's eyes were flashing dangerously, now, and Silversword quickly moved the speckled-feathered pirate out of the way.
"Allow me to take on the Star Warrior, Captain."
"Do as ye like, Silversword," the captain said, in a low and dark voice. "Just don't be getting underfoot … I be in the mood where I could kill anyone, including you . . . "
Silversword was silent, but remained calm. No . . . He thought, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Ye haven't lost total control yet, Captain . . .
Both he and Beakbeard unsheathed their swords in unison.
Escargoon, Tuff, and Dedede all froze.
"The first-mate wields a weapon befitting his name," the old pirate from before said, from where he was sitting on a nearby crate. "A cutlass that gleams in its own light, far more brightly than either of young Saul's two swords. Silversword's had it ever since his days before he became a pirate." He didn't seem to be affected by the glare that Silversword now gave him. "Now, our captain's weapon of choice," he gestured to the large and scary-looking blade that Beakbeard held. "Is called The Monica. Try saying it with a 'd' in place of the 'the', and, you'll get the picture. This sword was passed down through his family. It's a falchion, with a hilt in his favourite colour of red, and a wicked blade so dark that it is practically black … legend says that, under certain circumstances, you can see just how many have lost their lives to this cruel sword's bloodlust - because that's when the blade turns red, wouldn't you know?!" He laughed and wheezed away, even as a few of the pirates rolled their eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, right then, Old Tom!" Somebody called.
"I'm Old Tom!" The pirate with speckled feathers snapped. "He's Real Old Tom!"
"Why is your grandpa allowed to be up on deck when there's weapons about?" A dark brown-feather pirate asked him.
Old Tom just shrugged. "He's taking over for Dead Tom!" He reminded them, pointing to the nearby wall next to the stairs leading up to the quarter deck, where there was a suspicious silhouette surrounded by what looked like ash. "Hey, don't look at me! I didn't tell him to test the homing cannonballs out on himself!"
Tuff was gaping, and then he suddenly turned sharply.
"Wait!" A voice shouted from where Tuff was looking.
And, suddenly, Meta Knight appeared; he had his wings out and was flying towards them, but, it wasn't him who had spoken.
Tiff was clinging to his back, looking a little bit scared but determined, even as Meta Knight stopped to allow her to jump down onto the deck beside her brother.
"We're here to help!" She told him.
Meta Knight landed on the deck between them and the pirates.
He and Silversword locked gazes.
Silversword's face hardened. "Meta Knight." He said, in a voice of cold fury.
"Silversword." Meta Knight replied.
"Wait, you know him?!" Tiff guessed.
Meta Knight nodded, but didn't look at her; he kept his eyes trained on Silversword.
"Kirby and I will take on these pirates." Meta Knight said, and then he unsheathed Galaxia.
Real Old Tom took one look at the golden blade that was crackling with white electricity, and let out a gasp before he fell off of the crate and collapsed to the deck.
"Is he dead?!" Tuff had to know, sounding horrified. Aaah! I just saw someone die!
"Father!" Old Tom was mortified.
"Ha!" One of the other pirates said, as he went over to check, but he stopped and pointed at the son, first. "You are Real Old Tom now!" He was suddenly swept off of his feet and fell to the deck, courtesy of Real Old Tom's cane.
"I'm still alive, you impertinent little whippersnapper!" The old pirate said impatiently, as he climbed back on to the crate. "But, I'll tell ya, it's an honour … just a real honour . . . " His gaze lingered on the sword in Meta Knight's hand. "To be in the presence of Galaxia … listen well, you young ones … that there is the strongest blade in the universe, and that knight there is the one chosen by the blade itself to wield it … let's see if he can stand up to our captain, though — "
"No." Silversword suddenly said firmly. He had never once torn his gaze away from Meta Knight. "This one . . . " His hand gripped his own sword's hilt. "Be mine . . . "
"Fine, then." Beakbeard said, in a voice that indicated that he was very swiftly running out of patience. "Then, I'll take the life of his prodigy."
"So," Real Old Tom intoned. "It's the fearsome Captain Beakbeard and his First-Mate Silversword, versus the infamous Sir Meta Knight and his prodigy Kirby." Real Old Tom nodded. "Who will fall, and who will stand triumphant? This is a battle for the ages . . . "
"Can you just go and join your father or something?!" One of the pirates called in exasperation, and then had to duck when Real Old Tom threw the crate at him. "Yikes!"
"Hey, Tuff!" Tiff whispered to her brother, all of a sudden. "Come on, while they're all distracted by this, let's go and find Mum and Dad and the others!"
"Yes!" Tuff said quickly.
"Sire, we should go too!" Escargoon told Dedede, as they watched the two siblings run off. "We could find Emma!"
Dedede's eyes widened. "Let's go! No way I'm letting one of them be the knight in shining armour!"
Escargoon rolled his eyes. "Seriously, sire . . . ?"
They followed the siblings below deck.
The door swung shut.
Beakbeard moved faster than Kirby could have ever anticipated, and suddenly The Monica gleamed and sent the Warp Star spinning away into the distance, much to Kirby's horror.
"I've got a score to settle with you, Meta Knight." Silversword was saying, as he and Meta Knight faced off. "I've never forgotten what you did to me, and for naught!" His sword slashed, but Meta Knight blocked the attack with Galaxia.
"What happened was a result of your own decisions!" Meta Knight reminded him, pushing him back and then blocking again when the sword slashed from his left. "Your decisions alone … led to that failure!"
"You've got some nerve," Silversword told him. "Bringing up my failure … when yours was a hundred times worse! And," he moved in for a third strike, and this time Meta Knight felt a lot more force behind it. "Now you be here, training the new wave of Star Warriors?! You deserve to watch him die by Captain Beakbeard's blade!"
In the waters below, Gary and Saul had been thrown a life ring by one of their mates.
Gary was staring up at the fight, and chuckling darkly. "Heh, they're dead-meat now."
"Uh, don't look now, Gary," said Saul, whose eyes were on something different. "But, so are we!"
Gary naturally looked, and then froze when he saw the huge grey triangular fin coming towards them.
"SHARK!"
The terrified scream came from outside, but it was ignored by Tiff, Tuff, Dedede, and Escargoon, as they hurried through the maze of hallways that were below deck. It was hard enough to navigate without worrying about what was going on out there.
"Just how big is this ship?!" Tuff suddenly said.
"I feel like we've been walking for hours." Escargoon complained.
"It's only been five minutes, Escargoon." Tiff informed him. "Still … how are we gonna find everyone?"
"I just want to find my Emma." Dedede said stubbornly, as they rounded a corner, and . . .
"RUN!" Yelled the familiar voice of Tokkori, and they all looked to see him flying at breakneck speed towards them, carrying a large keyring in his talons. "Run for your lives! The pirates are after me!"
"Then, why are you running towards us?!" Escargoon exclaimed. "Now they're gonna chase after us as well!"
"The pirates are coming!" Tokkori said again, as he reached them.
"Okay, what pirates?" Tiff asked him, peering past Tokkori and expecting to see him being chased by, like, thirty or so pirates. "All I see is a pink you — "
"Igara!"
"Oh, she's a girl." Tiff inclined her head, briefly. "My mistake. I see a pink bird who's cooler than Tokkori."
"Hey!" Tokkori complained.
"I still won't allow you to free them!" The pink bird was now properly in view.
"Ohhhh, she's got a pirate hat on, Tiff, look!" Tuff cried, pointing. "And, there's that guy from Samo's Bar!" He added, as Redbelly appeared around the corner.
"Give me back those keys, ye yellow-bellied version of Stellar!" The pirate complained. "They're the only thing that makes me an important character!"
Stellar turned to him slowly, her dark blue eyes piercing into him.
"During this event!" Redbelly explained.
"First you liken the radiant me to that land-loving yellow canary," she said. "And then you think that they'll hand over the keys just so you can feel important?!" She laughed derisively. "Igara! You just don't want them freeing that woman because she hit you twice, isn't that it?!"
Redbelly glared at her with his one eye. "Just because ye be the captain's little pet — " He began.
Stellar's face instantly coloured. "Igara! I am not a pet! I am his comrade! My role in this is much more important than yours!"
"Then, how about we be testing that out, hmm?" Redbelly said suddenly. "Whoever be getting the keyring off of that annoying little canary be the winner, aye?"
"Aye!" Stellar agreed instantly, and the two of them turned to face the trespassers … just as all five of them suddenly dashed off, for while the argument had been taking place, Tiff had called the others together quickly and come up with a plan.
"Igara!"
"After them!"
"Okay," Tuff said, a few minutes later, after he and Escargoon had stopped running and Tokkori had slowed down as well. "We just have to find our way back up to the deck … somehow . . . " He added, somewhat uncertainly.
"This place is like a maze!" Tokkori pointed out. "I bet even the pirates sometimes get lost down here, too! Maybe we should ask for directions?!"
"How ridiculous!" Escargoon crossed his arms, just as a door nearby to them opened, and they all froze.
"Hey!" Said an annoyed voice, and a pirate with golden-brown feathers (which were very shaggy on his head) leaned out. "Like, seriously, will ya keep it down?! We've all got major hangovers in here, man . . . " He groaned. "I am on a one-way trip through Painsville! Population … uh . . . ?"
A series of groans sounded from the darkened room behind him.
"Try a cold compress on your head." Tuff said to him. "And," he was suddenly struck by inspiration. "Do you know how we can get back up to the deck?"
"Yeah, sure," said the hungover pirate. "Just go left twice in the direction you were going, then the stairs are on the right."
"Jeez, thanks a lot!" Tuff smiled at him. "We were totally lost down here!"
"Yeah, this place is like a maze - half us were here when the ship was christened and we still get lost." The pirate replied.
Tokkori laughed. "Ha ha ha ha! Still sounding so ridiculous now, snail-boy?!"
"Oh, shut up . . . " Escargoon responded grumpily.
"IGARA!" A voice suddenly yelled from down the hallway behind him. "There you are!"
The pirate with the hangover groaned again, and held on to his head.
"Cold compress!" Tuff reminded him hastily, as he and Escargoon began running, with Tokkori flying behind him, still carrying the keychain.
"Yeah, will do … thanks, little shrimp . . . "
"Your captain will not be marrying Emma, anymore than he will be taking Kirby's life!" Meta Knight told Silversword, as the two of them traded blows, their swords slicing and clanging together in an intricate and deadly dance.
"If the captain's wish be to marry that Star Warrior, then I'll not be the one to stand in his way!" Silversword replied.
"Emma is NOT a Star Warrior!" Meta Knight said suddenly, as his eyes turned brilliant red.
Silversword remembered well, that when Sir Meta Knight's eyes did that, then it was absolutely certain that the knight was angry. Meta Knight was a man who had fought in many battles. The mask that he always wore meant that only the emotions that he chose to show could be seen, by all but a select few who knew him well. He was unyielding and unquestionable, and Silversword knew that.
He decided to challenge his former overseer's words, though, even as Beakbeard and Kirby took their battle topside (although, it looked more like Kirby was just trying to get away from the pirate captain). "Then, tell me what she be! What be the power that drew the captain to her in the first place?! Who is she?!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This chapter was never meant to be in two pieces, but, it was just a bit too long, otherwise . . .