Chapter 22: Race Against Time
Resting above the ocean was a large metal bridge that lead to K. Rool's Fortress. Upon crossing it, Sora and his friends were greeted by a hexagonal door, which was being held prisoner behind a giant padlock. However, another pressing matter halted their progression like a blockade in the road; their team was shorthanded. They looked over the bridge to see Yoshi standing on the other side of it, looking trepid.
"Yoshi, you coming?" Sora asked.
Luigi rubbed his forehead, exasperated. "Mama-mia. Don't do this now."
He walked back across the bridge; his shoulders lowered with each huge step.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked.
"He's afraid of water," Luigi said. He walked behind Yoshi, and started pushing him across the bridge.
The dinosaur did everything in his power to fight against Luigi. "Stop! Me no go over water! Dinosaurs it favorite food group."
Sora felt sympathetic towards him. Phobias were irrational – a string of thoughts that flew aimlessly through the mind like birds; they were difficult to bring under control.
"Geeze," Sora said. A troubling realization occurred to him. "How does he bathe?"
Luigi grunted as he managed to move Yoshi a few feet. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to!"
Meanwhile, the Kongs decided to unveil the perfect, indisputable method for unlocking the door: have DK smash everything to pieces. As DK touched the padlock, however, he felt an incredible surge of electricity flow his body, causing every muscle to convulse as if a giant hand was giving him a violent, painful shake.
The electricity knocked DK straight onto the ground. Everyone ran over to check on him.
"You okay, big guy?" Diddy asked, concerned.
DK sat up, shaking his head. Despite being ruffled, the shock didn't deal any significant damage. His body was an indestructible fortress; even attacking from the inside would not make it crumble DK glared up at the door, mumbling in confusion.
Dixie sighed, discouraged. "Looks like K. Rool had enough foresight to DK proof the entrance." She felt a nervous pang in her stomach. "Now what do we do? Tiny is probably scared in there. We need to get in!"
"Well, there is a lock," Diddy said. "But who knows where the key is."
Sora started to shuffle through a library of ideas; every book he glanced through yielded blank pages. Every challenge on this journey seemed to be getting more difficult. Sometimes Sora wished he'd gotten a magic wand instead of a Keyblade; life would be less cumbersome with a wave of your wrist.
Wait a minute! The Keyblade!
Sora scrambled through his memories until he heard Yuffie's voice say: "Did you know that the Keyblade can open all sorts of locks? Give it a try the next time you see one."
He wondered…
"Let me try something," Sora said as he summoned the Keyblade.
He pointed it straight at the door. For a moment, nothing happened. Sweat trickled down his cheek. Whether from the heat or nerves, he wasn't sure, but he hoped his plan would work. To his relief, a small beam of energy hit the padlock, which unlocked it, retracting the chains around the door. Then, it fell onto the ground, producing a large banging sound.
The Kongs were mesmerized by Sora's method. They've accepted him using magic, but being able to unlock any door seemed inconceivable.
"Sora, how did you do that?" Diddy asked.
"It's a long story," Sora said. "Let's go!"
Realizing the question was immaterial, the Kongs hurried into K. Rool's lair. Sora started to follow, but turned to notice Luigi had gotten Yoshi about halfway across the bridge (an achievement in of itself).
"Would you two hurry up?" Sora asked, growing annoyed. "We have no time to lose!"
Knowing a pulled muscle was inevitable, Luigi used all his strength to push Yoshi across the bridge, and they hurried into the cold, industrial underbelly of the fortress.
The sounds of K. Rool's thunderous snoring echoed throughout the room. With progress at a crawl, the king decided to take nap. Along with the rest of the crew. Everyone was sprawled out on the floor, in a deep sleep, having pleasant dreams; being awake, working under the cold, merciless eyes of K. Rool was the nightmare.
But soon the nightmare resumed, as a loud alarm blared in everyone's ears. K. Rool jumped out of his sleep, looking around the room in panic. The king's heart pounded against his golden chest in fear; he had a suspicion as to who set off the alarm.
Upon bringing up the monitor, his worst fears came to light: Sora and his friends were hurrying through the wide metal corridors of the fortress. Already, he could see his plans fade away into a fog of failure. He wouldn't let them succeed, not after coming so close to finishing Blast-O-Matic.
Panicked, he pressed a few buttons on his chair, bringing up the computer room on the monitor. Some Kremlings still had their foot placed in a puddle of unconsciousness.
K. Rool yelled into speakers. "Wake up, you idiots! Those fools are here! Activate the machine!"
The furious tone of K. Rool's voice woke everyone up, although some were still drowsy, and unable to think clearly. They started running around the computer room in an uproar, frightened and confused. The chief technician hurried to the monitor, and was met with less than stellar news.
"Your vileness!" the technician said, trembling in fear. "The machine hasn't been properly tested yet! We need more time!"
K. Rool glared at him with the angry eyes of a thousand suns. Staring any longer into them was a death sentence.
"You're out of time, chief," K. Rool said. "I have run out of patience with all of you! I'll do this myself!"
K. Rool pressed a few buttons. The stomach on the fortress opened, revealing a metal arrowhead pole. Wrapped around it were three bass rings. K. Rool stared at the island, leaning forward as if to grab it. His emotions zig-zagged like a fighter jet that had lost control. One push of a button and life would change forever.
But there was no hesitation. It was his. Not even a friendship could restrain his desires.
The technician fell on his hands and knees, begging. "Please, master! If you do this now, we'll all be destroyed!"
Logic refused to answer.
"No!" K. Rool said; his voice was so loud that even the alarm whimpered before it. "I've waited long enough! Prepare to enter perpetual darkness, Kongs!"
K. Rool slammed on a giant red button. The Kremlings dove onto their stomachs, unable to witness what would ensue. K. Rool listened with glee as the Blast-O-Matic hummed louder and louder. This feud was over. He'd spend of the rest of his days subjugating the jungle.
But then, it stopped. The computer monitors went black, including the king's own screen. K. Rool blinked in bewilderment. A minor inconvenience, he thought; it was a hinderance that would correct itself momentarily. Soon, something appeared on screen. The background was dark; there was a red pixelated girder near the bottom.
Two pixelated characters akin to an eight-bit video game were on the girder. One was K. Rool, who was laying on the floor. Small yellow birds flew around his head. The other was Snide, who was continuously hitting him over the head with a hammer. Upbeat, triumphant music played through the speakers, which was interspersed with sounds of Snide laughing.
Giant text appeared over the characters, saying in big caps: "SMELL MY TOES YOU OVERSTUFFED HANDBAG."
K. Rool slammed his first on the throne. Any second his rage would explode, dispersing throughout the room.
"Why that slime ball of a weasel!" K. Rool said. "He hacked our system! His laughter is going to deteriorate into cries of anguish when I'm through with him!"
"Sir, the machine has been stalled for fifty minutes," the technician said over the loudspeaker.
"Well, do something about it!"
"I-I'll try, your majesty," the technician said, a nervous wreck.
K. Rool slid back into his throne, feeling the weight of the dilemma pushing him further down into the seat. But he refused to fail. His island was calling for him to come home. It was a part of his life, and he refused to let it die at the hands of some ignorant primates.
"I suppose it's time to put Plan B into action," he said, letting out a sinister smirk.
Heartless and Kremlings tried to intercept the group, but they met the same painful, sometimes humiliating, defeat. At one point, DK was confronted by a group of Kremlings. His coconut gun's ammo had been depleted. He noticed the Kremlings grinning at each other in confidence. DK's eyes narrowed, as if saying: "You guys seriously thing you've beaten because I ran out of ammo."
To remind the Kremlings of his immeasurable strength, DK's flexed his muscles. The Kremling's grins faltered into quivered lips of concern.
"He's got BFGs!" one Kremling said.
He noticed everyone giving him disgusted looks, as if he had said something inhumane. Even one Kremling cried out, "My delicate ears!"
The Kremling rolled his eyes, sighing in annoyance. "I mean Big Fury Guns, guys! Geeze! I'm not that crude!"
DK picked up one of the Kremlings and tossed him into the pile, knocking them all onto the ground.
Luigi ran over to one of them and grabbed him by the collar. "Okay, you! Tell us where our ship is! And this weapon of K. Rool's! Better speak up, or else you won't like what those 'BFGs' will do to you!"
The Kremling looked over at DK, who made his huge grin. He placed two fingers on the palm of hand, and pretend to continuously kick the Kremling. Not wanting to be on the receiving end of a giant foot, he revealed their locations. Unfortunately, the scale of satisfaction teetered, as the ship and the computer were in two separate areas.
While hesitant in leaving the team, Luigi knew reacquiring the ship would be ideal, especially if itcould help them in their fight against the Kremlings and Heartless.
"Yoshi and I will go find the ship," Luigi said. "We'll meet up with you later."
Sora nodded. He trusted Luigi's judgement. "Okay. Be careful!"
The teams went off in two separate directions. Sora and the Kongs continued their crusade through the dark, metal corridors of the fortress. Just when the tunnels seemed endless, they saw a giant room come into view. As Sora and DK entered it, a blue forcefield appeared behind them, and the Kong kids ran into it, knocking them onto the ground.
Sora and DK hurried over upon noticing the shield.
"You guys okay?" Sora asked.
Diddy – whose hat flew off – sat up, with one eye closed, and rubbed the side of his head. "Ugh. Least they could warn us before putting up a diabolical forcefield to weaken out team."
"Well, I call it cheating," Dixie said as she stood up in hurry. She ran over to the shield and started pounding on it. "Let us in, you mean Kremling! I want my sister back!"
DK tried to punch the force field, but was surprised to see it not even budge an inch. Sora gritted his teeth in frustration; K. Rool had a trap for them, and they walked right into it, not using enough forethought.
And sure enough, K. Rool's laughter echoed throughout the room. "It's no use, Donkey Kong. You and your little friends can't escape! You honestly thought you can waltz into my lair the same way your miserable grandfather waltz onto my island and took it for himself?"
"He never did!" Sora said. "You just had a hissy fit because everyone liked him more than you!"
"Stay out of this, you little runt!" K. Rool said with a furious bellow. "I didn't ask for your opinion! Either way, you can't stop my machine! Soon I will turn all of you into Heartless!"
Sora gasped in shock. "Heartless!? So you want to control the Kongs!?
"My, how perceptive you are," K. Rool said in a condescending tone. "Indeed. Why destroy the Kongs when they could be my servants? They will suffer for the rest of their lives!"
Everyone was appalled by K. Rool's plan. He had committed abhorrent acts in the past, but the idea of relinquishing their own volition into his slimy green hands might be the worst offense. It was horrifying to imagine: a hollow puppet forced to feel their limbs pulled in every which way forever.
"You're sick!" Diddy said.
"And you have the honor of being my first victim, Donkey Kong," K. Rool said in delight. "Isn't that wonderful?"
DK growled in anger. He wanted to ram his fist straight into K. Rool's mouth, and watch every tooth fall out like a hailstorm.
"Don't be livid," K. Rool said. "At least you won't get to see what I do to your precious family. Behold! The instrument of your demise!"
A large, green jet-propelled robot hovered into the center of the area. The robot's engines continued to hum as it loomed over the group. Its chest contained three lights; right below them were two reels that acted as the heart, keeping the electricity flowing through its body.
However, Sora found the head off-putting; it appeared akin to a human, was coated in silver, wore sunglasses, and had a perpetual grin. Sora didn't know if he should be initiated by this robot; he thought it looked like an eccentric game show host stuck in a floating trash can.
But Dixie was shocked upon seeing it. "Not that hunk of junk again!"
"You've faced this thing before?" Sora asked.
"Indeed she has," K. Rool said. "Bratty little Kong dismantled its poor big brother. But now, KAOS 2.0 is looking for revenge."
KAOS extended its arms, revealing boxing gloves attached to each hand. Sora and DK assumed their battle positions. To them, it was nothing but a miserable pile of circuits and wires. They weren't intimidated.
"No problem," Sora said. "He's going to join his big brother in the scrap heap!"
"Oh, I forgot to mention," K. Rool said. "Like the previous version, it also requires cerebral energy to function properly. Of course, I wouldn't use my henchmen – they make Donkey Kong look like a rocket scientist."
Diddy thought he was going to spontaneously combust from that burn. "Ouch."
"No. I thought I'd use two individuals you might happen to know," K. Rool said.
Everyone froze in horror. The terrible realization seeped into their skin like ice cold water. They didn't want to believe it. K. Rool had to be bluffing.
Diddy felt his tongue sting as he tried to form the words. "Y-You didn't…you couldn't have…Tiny and Candy?"
K. Rool responded with maniacal laughter. Dixie's warm, cordial demeanor exploded like firecrackers. She couldn't bear the thought of her little sister trapped in KAOS' dark innards, frightened, forced to wear wires like a marionette. Her thought drifted into a cyclone of anger. Dixie slammed her fist against the forcefield, in hopes of breaking it through sheer will alone.
Tears started streaming down her face. She could never forgive K. Rool for hurting her sister. Despite all her efforts, the forcefield refused to shatter.
Diddy restrained her. "Dixie, we can't do anything! There's no way to break through!"
"But…I…can't stand by and do nothing," Dixie said; her voice was trembling with panic. "I need to help her!"
"Don't worry, Dixie," Sora said. She turned to him. "I'll save your sister. You have my word."
Sora's reassuring tone brushed against Dixie's ear like a gentle breeze. But, at the same time, she felt helpless. Big sisters are supposed to protect their siblings, she thought. It wasn't fair; it was like being trapped in a shed, forced to watch the events unfold through a tiny hole, unable to make a difference.
But she felt Diddy squeeze her arm. Sora's influenced had reach Diddy. She could see the reassurance in his eyes. They didn't flicker with uncertainty; instead, they remained unmoving, filled with optimism.
"Yeah," Diddy said. "They got this. We gotta put our faith in them."
Sighing in defeat, Dixie said, "Okay."
Sora heard DK's furious growling. The Kong stared right at the robot, feeling the same pain as Dixie.
"Go on," K. Rool said. "Use your mighty punch to destroy my creation."
DK lowered his fist. K. Rool had outwitted him. For the first time in his life, he felt helpless. No amount of punching would save them. They were at K. Rool's mercy. Guilt constricted his chest. He wasn't just angry K. Rool – he was angry at himself. For failing. The anger festered in his heart. It grew like wild thorns. He felt it consuming him. He kneeled over, clutching his chest from the pain.
K. Rool was overjoyed. "Yes. Let the darkness in. Use its power to become stronger than ever before. And maybe you can save your beloved Candy."
Sora saw a dark aura surround DK's body. It was the darkness; the same darkness that took Riku from him; the same darkness that separated him from his island; and the same darkness that made Kairi vanish in his arms. He wouldn't lose another friend to the its' sharp claws.
"Don't listen to him!" Sora said. "That's what he wants! You can't let the darkness win! Your heart is stronger than anything else!"
The room became smaller. His friend's voices were muffled by his self-doubt. Everything started to vanish before his eyes. He was lost in the abyss. And perhaps that was his fate. DK closed his eyes, preparing to be cradled by the darkness' frozen arms.
But a voice penetrated the emptiness; it belonged to Cranky.
"Listen to your friends," Cranky said. "They'll guide you to a happier future."
DK opened his eyes. Surrounding him were balls of light. He could sense his friends glimmering within each one. They were there to guide him through the hard times. He was never alone. Reaching for the light, he felt the darkness dissipate, and his inner strength bellowed from within his soul.
He stood up, pounding his chest, howling into the sky. The entire room trembled from his unyielding confidence. Everyone cheered for their friend; the true king of the jungle had returned.
"You did it!" Sora said.
"That's my big buddy!" Diddy said.
"How!?" K. Rool shouted in anger. "No one can withstand the power of darkness!"
"Guess you underestimated what the heart can do," Sora said. "And that's why you won't win, K. Rool!"
"Fine!" K. Rool said. "Then I guess I'll have to take a more direct approach!"
KAOS swung both fists at DK, but he caught them in his palms. Then, DK snapped them off the robot's limbs as if they were celery.
K. Rool sighed in annoyance. "Should've seen that coming. Well, let's see you try to stop this!"
KAOS opened its mouth, unleashing a wave of electricity that hit DK, shocking him from head to foot. Despite the pain surging through his body, DK fought through it. Sora hurried over to help, but a Power Wild tackled him to the ground.
"You guys sure know how to ruin someone's day!" Sora said, struggling against the creature's claws.
When the attack subsided, DK kneeled over, but immediately rose to his feet. He refused to quit. KAOS struck again, increasing the output. DK shouted in pain. Also overcome with the urge to rescue his friend, Diddy started banging on the forcefield. Still, DK's own will supported him like a crutch. Even when KAOS ceased firing, DK continued to trudge through the pain.
"Why won't you perish!?" K. Rool said, bellowing in disbelieving rage. "Why!?"
KAOS unleashed an even bigger surge, which was strong enough to knock DK into the forcefield. This time, he struggled to keep his balance, feeling exhausted from the constant attacks. DK's spirit might be indestructible, but he was still made of flesh and bone. Even the most built of physique would eventually shatter. And knew it, too.
"One more should do it," K. Rool said. "Say good-bye, Donkey Kong!"
KAOS prepared to fire the fatal attack. Sora felt his heart racing. The adrenaline burst through his arms, allowing him to knock the Heartless off him. With a furious swing, he cut the Power Wild in two, destroying it completely. KAOS discharged the electricity. Sora leaped in front of DK and caught it just in time.
The incredible surge pushed against the boy, but he stood his ground.
"I won't let you hurt my friends over your stupid revenge!" Sora said.
He sent the electricity right back at KAOS. As a result of the overwhelming energy, KAOS' circuits exploded, resulting in a power surge. The behemoth of a robot soon deactivated, becoming nothing more than a lifeless shell of scrap metal. KAOS crashed onto the ground, shaking the entire room from its excessive weight. The reels on its chest ceased spinning, like a heart taking its final beat.
Silence filled the room. Even K. Rool couldn't articulate the proper words on what just occurred.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," K. Rool said. "Bah! No matter. It's not like you can save your island, anyway. I win regardless. Farewell!"
The forcefield vanished in front of the young Kongs' eyes, and they joined Sora to make sure DK was alright. His fur was ruffled from the constant shock. After taking a minute to catch his breath, he stood back up, feeling a bit fatigued, but was still in the fight. He gave everyone a reassuring 'thumbs up.'
Diddy thought he was going to collapse from massive relief. "Thank goodness! No hunk of junk can ever take you down!"
"You never cease to amaze me," Sora said, patting DK on the arm. "Still standing after all those shocks."
DK turned to Sora with a warm smile. What happened next was unexpected – he pulled Sora into his huge arms, giving him a hug.
"Sora save Donkey," DK said. "Th-Thank you."
Sora felt an appreciative warmth push against his spine. It was a good feeling. He needed it for a moment; to channel out the negative energy around him, and be reminded that he was fortunate to have made some great friends on this journey.
"Anytime, pal," Sora said. "Anytime."
"Hey, we have more saving to do!" Diddy said, growing anxious.
The four hurried over to the immobile KAOS. DK removed KAOS' head, rummaged inside of it, and pulled out a young female Kong that was somewhat smaller than Dixie. She wore a multicolored beanie, blue overalls with a flower imprinted in the middle, and had two golden pigtails.
Overwhelmed by a rainstorm of emotions, Dixie ran over and held the young Kong in her arms.
"Tiny? Tiny?" Dixie asked, giving her sister a gentle shake. "Are you okay? Please speak to me."
The little Kong weakly opened her sky-blue eyes. "D-Dixie? What happened?" She looked around the area. "Where are we?"
None of those questions matter. Dixie's eyes were blinded by tears of joy.
"Oh, little sis!" She hugged Tiny with all her might, refusing to let go. "You're okay!"
Regaining consciousness, Tiny asked, "Are you crying?"
The two pulled away for a moment. Dixie chuckled as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"What gave it away?" she asked.
The two embraced each other again. DK removed another Kong from KAOS. She was an adult, with long blonde hair, pink shorts, and a pink tank top. Like Dixie, he held her in his arms, looking on in concern.
"Candy?" DK asked.
She opened her eyes, and smiled upon seeing DK's familiar visage.
"DK?" she asked. "Is it really you? Or did K. Rool just suddenly get a lot handsomer?" DK grinned in response. "Yep. It's you alright. No one I know has a big stupid grin like that."
The two locked eyes with each other, pressing their foreheads together. Words couldn't explain how elated they were to be together again. Their love was strong, and reuniting only seemed to further enforce those feelings. They were lost in a world of pure joy.
Diddy noticed something peculiar about Sora's face. "Dude, are you blushing?"
Sora gave the couple the biggest smile; and it wasn't just because he was happy for them. Their infatuation with each other reminded him of….someone – someone that elicited strong, uplifting feelings.
Realizing what he was doing, Sora tried to come up with a poor excuse. "N-No! I've got sunburn! We've been out all day."
"Huh." Diddy gave a playful roll of his eyes. "Funny how it showed up just now."
As DK pulled away, Candy noticed a serious glare in his eyes. "Everything okay?"
DK turned his attention to Diddy, getting his attention with a mumble.
"What's up?" Diddy asked as he walked over to DK.
The two started speaking in their monkey language. Sora was startled when, about part way through the conversation, Diddy started jumping up and down, screeching at the top of his lungs in protest. DK's serious glare didn't falter. It was as if Diddy was screaming into a wall; nothing he said could make it budge.
DK's stare only intensified, which made Diddy feel uncomfortable. He had never seen DK act this grave in front of him. All he knew was the fun-loving DK that would laugh, smile, and take him on wild adventures. But DK wasn't laughing anymore; he was doing what a proper ruler should do: make important decisions. Lowering his head in defeat, Diddy strolled over to the others.
"Uh, what just happened?" Sora asked, confused.
"He wants me to leave with the other Kongs," Diddy said, disappointed. "While you two continue through the lair."
"How come?" Sora asked.
"DK doesn't want K. Rool to hurt us anymore," Diddy said. "He's going to make sure he stops good ol' fatso once and for all. He may be my best buddy, but he's still our ruler. I need to respect his judgement. Well, judgement by DK standards."
Diddy felt a sense of guilt clamp at his feet. He didn't want to leave; they were a team. Inseparable. They were invincible together. It was like a knife had cut through them, splitting their strength in two. Was it a bit upsetting to hear? Without a doubt. But he knew DK was only enforcing this decision out of love for his family.
DK placed a giant hand on his shoulder. Upon glaring into DK's eyes, Diddy could tell he was entrusting this important task onto him. Diddy felt a resurgence of confidence.
DK mumbled something to him.
"Don't worry," Diddy said. "I'll get them to safety! You can count on me!"
DK patted his little buddy on the shoulder. After saying their good-byes, Diddy escorted the other Kongs to the exit. DK felt a partial release of stress ascend into the heavens. He didn't have to worry about their safety anymore, and could focus on the forthcoming battle.
As the other Kongs headed for the exit, Tiny asked, "Who's that guy with DK?"
"Let's just say he's almost as big a hero as DK," Diddy said.
Candy chuckled. "Wow. That's quite a bold statement."
"Hey, I said 'almost,'" Diddy said with a stern tone in his voice. "No one's a bigger hero than DK." He looked back at him, smiling. "He's the best."
Sora and DK nodded to each other. Time was a rapid stream that never ceased; it only moved forward, which is what they needed to do. They hurried to a nearby elevator at the end of the hall.
The frantic sounds of keyboard strokes pounded on the chief technician's eardrums. Various screens flashed before his eyes. Trying to deactivate Snide's hack was like trying to solve the world's largest Rubik cube. For the first time. Nothing seemed to work. It didn't help that his associates were yammering in his ear, offering frivolous suggestions:
"Did you try pressing CTRL, ALT, DELETE? That usually does the trick."
One of the Kremlings snickered. "Dude. Try ALT-F4 and see what happens."
"Please tell me my high score is still there."
"Quiet!" the technician said, aggravated. "If anyone should be shouting in my ear, it's his majesty. You idiots are no help!"
Reversing Snide's hack seemed impossible. The technician was about ready to quit, but with one keystroke, the time changed to one and a half minutes. He sighed in both relief and annoyance; not what he preferred, but it would suffice. The other Kremlings stared at him in awe.
"How'd you do that?" one Kremling asked. "You must be a genius!"
All he did was press a few random buttons. Dumb luck prevailed in the end. But heck if he wasn't going to bask in the glory. "Why, yes. I am a genius. That's why his lordship put me in charge of this operation."
BANG! The door opened so hard that it flew across the room. Everyone turned to see Sora and DK standing where the door once shielded them from the outside world. Once again, DK cracked his knuckles with glee; it was like entering a room full of punching bags. Terrified, the Kremlings turned to the technician.
"If you're such a genius, then tell us how to stop them!" another Kremling said, trembling in fear.
The technician pretended to ponder. "Hmm. Gonna need to sit in the thinking chair for this one. Because I'm really smart. Be right back!"
He bolted for the emergency exit. The other Kremings followed suit. Sora pulled out the blueprint, hurried over to the computer, and searched with frantic eyes for the switch. He soon discovered its location by a square shaped door that was bolted shut.
"It's in there!" Sora said. "Can you remove the hatch?"
DK wrapped his fingers around it and started pulling. Sora gazed up at the monitor; his shoulders tensed in dread as he saw the timer was around thirty seconds now.
"Man, why does it always come down to the last minute? Hurry, DK!"
The Kong tore open the lid, allowing Sora to crawl into the computer; he made his way through a dimly lit jungle of wires. Thankfully there was enough light to help guide him. Moments later, he saw the emergency power switch, and scrambled for it. A Heartless appeared, pulled on his legs, and stopped him from grabbing it.
"Scram!" Sora said.
The machine started humming louder. In his mind, he could see the countdown getting closer and closer. He struggled against the Heartless, wiggling and turning to unlatch it from his legs. The humming was deafening. He couldn't even hear his own voice straining as he reached for the switch.
Any second his friends would be gone – nothing but lifeless shells of their former selves. He saw Kairi in the cave – pale, meek, deprived of her kind, upbeat spirit. Sora wasn't going to let anyone else suffer the same fate. He stretched his arm out as far as possible, ignoring the pain, grabbed the switch, and pulled it downward.
The mechanical humming slowed down until it became a whisper that faded into nothing. Every light turned off, and the computer monitors went pitch black.
It was over.
Sora collapsed onto the ground, overcome with exhaustion, but was glad to have stopped the machine. The Heartless vanished. He took a few moments to catch his breath. DK's excited hoots filled his ears. It was a pleasant sound. After the brief respite, Sora crawled out of machine, only to be lifted into the air by DK.
"Whoa!" Sora laughed. "Easy!"
DK swung Sora around, expressing his eternal gratitude for the assistance. Their laughter filled the empty, miserable fortress. After placing Sora on the ground, DK cracked his knuckles, and went to work destroying the machine. Pieces of metal soared through the air; wires were torn apart; and computer monitors were shattered.
K. Rool watched the carnage unfold, alone in his throne room, silent. His hopes and dreams – gone in an instance. Seething, unrelenting malice quivered through his skin. The pain in his chest returned, amplified tenfold.
"All this time, all this effort, was for naught." Nothing else mattered anymore. He didn't care if his aspirations came to fruition. A singular, insidious thought looped through his mind:
Revenge.
With the computer dismantled, DK smirked, admiring his handywork. Sora ran over and faced him, overjoyed.
"We did it!" Sora said. "Now your island is safe again."
At least, that's what he wanted to believe. Sora noticed a solemn expression on DK's face.
"But we're not done yet, are we?"
DK nodded.
"Then let's go take care of K. Rool."
K. Rool's plans may have been turned into piles of worthless scraps, but his resilience remained intact. He pressed a few buttons on his throne, leaned back in the seat, and ascended into a hole in the ceiling. Soon, he arrived in a dimly lit control room; his only source of light was the computer monitors in front of him. Some showed images of the island, while others displayed radars.
"This isn't over yet," K. Rool said as pressed a few buttons. "I'll just use my King Kruiser to blast those Kongs to smithereens!"
Sora and DK entered the throne room, noticing it was deserted.
"Where'd he go?" Sora asked.
The two heard mechanical whirring overhead. Something was happening up there, so they braced themselves for the worst. They heard what appeared to be a jet engine roaring. Sora caught a glimpse of the monitor, and saw an airship in the shape of crocodile fly straight for the island.
"Shoot!" Sora said. "He's getting away! How are we going to catch up with him?"
Another violent rumble shook the ground beneath their feet.
"What now?" Sora asked, growing aggravated, sensing another issue on the horizon.
Another ship flew in front of the screen; its familiar bright, multicolored coat not only brightened the screen, but Sora's spirits.
"Yes!" Sora said. "They found the ship! Come on!"
The ship descended towards the entrance to the fortress. Luigi wanted to lean back in his seat; it felt like being home again.
After scrutinizing the cockpit for any signs of damage, he hit the intercom button. "Everything looks good up here. How's it down there?"
"Perfectly functional," Telly-Vision said. "We're ready for takeoff!"
"Not yet," Luigi said. "Sora's still in there. We need to help him."
"Look!" Yoshi said.
They saw Sora and DK exit the building. DK stopped upon looking up at the ship, staring in at its design. To him, it seemed fantastical – like something conjured from a dream. Its bulk and size were also intimidating. But he was with his friends; there was no reason to be scared.
Luigi and Yoshi exited the ship, and reunited with the others.
"You made it!" Yoshi said.
"No time to chat!" Sora said with an urgent tone in his voice. "K. Rool's getting away on his ship. We have to go after him. Who knows what he'll do next!"
"Hop in," Luigi said. "The ship needs a fly around anyways."
Sora noticed DK was hesitant to board with them.
"Don't worry," Sora said in a gentle, encouraging tone. "This ship's safe." He muttered under his breath, "Safer than the minecarts, that's for sure."
Having not been led astray by Sora's words so far, DK nodded in compliance, and followed them onto the ship.
K. Rool's airship hovered over the beach, in search of any Kong that had the misfortune of being in its path. To the king's delight, he spotted Diddy and the others strolling at a casual pace through the sand. After Sora and friend's ordeal in the mines, more Kremlings were placed on guard duty, so the Kongs had to take a detour.
It seemed safer, they thought. Nothing but warm sand beneath their feet and crashing waves murmuring in their ears. But the gentle sounds were drowned by a fierce engine snarling, preparing to strike. The Kongs looked up to see the King Kruiser approaching them.
"Run!" Diddy shouted.
K. Rool smirked in joy as he hovered his fingers over the controls. "Fresh monkey meat."
Before he could fire a missile, his entire body jolted against the wall. The ship started to lose its balance, but K. Rool steered it back into position. Enraged by the interruption, he looked to his left, seeing the Labo Ship adjacent to him. Inside, he could just make out Luigi giving him a threatening glare.
Some say that glare induced insomnia out of fear.
But K. Rool wasn't intimidated. He was far too angry of their constant meddling. "Stay out of my way!"
The Kruiser rammed straight into the ship, knocking it back a fair distance. Luigi gritted his teeth as he struggled to regain control. DK sat in the backseat, squeezing Sora as if he were a teddy bear.
"I…can't…feel…my…lungs…" Sora said.
Luigi managed to regain the ship's balance. With an overzealous smirk, he said, "Ha! That's it!? This baby has taken worse than a little push! Bring it!"
"Why he get like this whenever he at wheel?" Yoshi asked, sighing in annoyance.
Luigi tried to ram K. Rool again, but the Kruiser flew above him. The hatch opened below the Kruiser, dropping red barrels labeled 'TNT.' Steering as fast as he could, Luigi avoided the incoming blasts. He retaliated with a laser blast; K. Rool titled the ship to avoid it. An intense chase ensued throughout the outskirts of the jungle.
The Kruiser titled every which way, avoiding the ship's incoming blasts. K. Rool performed a loop-de-loop, and appeared behind the Labo Ship. The Kruiser rammed right into the ship's backside, sending it spinning through the air. Luigi spun the ship around until it faced the Kruiser. He fired another blast, but the Kruiser ascended into the air.
Then, K. Rool tried to ram into them from above, but Luigi hit the acceleration, just missing the full impact. Luigi titled the ship, allowing it to turn around completely. The next shot he fired hit the Kruiser's tail, causing it to lose balance. K. Rool slammed his fists on the controls; every second he was descending an elevator of misery. Nothing was going right anymore.
It got worse, as Luigi spun the ship around, and rammed right into the Kruiser's side, sending it flying towards the jungle. K. Rool could only scream in terror as the trees started getting bigger.
Squawks slept in Cranky's bed, fighting off the exhaustion crawling through his body. Cranky checked in on him every so often. Still breathing, he thought. Good. He could never live with the remorse if something happened to him. Or any other animal in the jungle. K. Rool had become something monstrous: cold, unfeeling, and merciless.
A part of him could never forgive K. Rool for all the suffering he had brought upon the jungle. But another part of him wanted to search deep within the king's murky soul for that friend he knew long ago. He was in there, Cranky thought. Alone and scared. He needed that guidance to be liberated from the malice.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden earthquake. He hurried out of the bedroom, noticing Isabelle had covered her head with the journal.
"What the heck was that?" Cranky asked. "That sound startled me so much, my dentures almost fell out!"
Isabelle glanced at the Wii Stream. "Well, K. Rool tried getting away in a ship. The others managed to blast it down."
"Is that so?" Cranky said, rubbing his beard in thought.
He opened the door, noticing smoke rising into the sky. The crash seemed to be nearby, he thought. That optimistic part of him tugged at his arm. Maybe it's not too late. Maybe there's…still a chance for wounds to heal.
"Cranky?" Isabelle asked in concern.
Cranky sighed, submitting to his conscience. "There's something I need to do. Stay here with Squawks."
"B-But it's too dangerous!" Isabelle said, standing up in surprise. "Let the others handle K. Rool!"
"No," Cranky said; his voice was calm, yet stern. "I can't ignore this feeling in my heart. I need to go. I'm not going to tell you again. Stay. Here."
Before Isabelle could open her mouth, he slammed the door shut. She sunk back in her seat, contemplating the dilemma. He sounded adamant in going. She would never disrespect someone's wishes. With a skeptical sigh, Isabelle turned back to the Wii Stream, hoping she wouldn't regret her decision.
Cranky hurried through the jungle: "I hope I'm not too late."
K. Rool shook his head to regain composure. The controls were damaged; sparks flew out from the computer monitors. He sighed; everything he worked towards was gone. His troops had retreated, the Blast-O-Matic was destroyed, and he was cornered by DK and his friends. He was alone. And maybe that was his fate. Reliance on others made him weak.
All he needed was the darkness. It gave him all the strength he ever needed. And he would use that power to eradicate the Kongs. He plummeted straight into the catacombs, letting himself be consumed by the darkness. Ahead of him was a blunderbuss stored in a glass case. He smirked.
After landing the ship, everyone hurried over to the Kruiser. They had arrived in the heart of the jungle. And it was quiet. The gentle breezed circulated through the area. Light barely cracked through the leaves. Finally, K. Rool stepped out of the Kruiser, holding his blunderbuss, staring at the four with seething hatred. An aura of darkness had surrounded his body.
Yoshi growled at him. "It over, you big bully!"
"Wait!" Sora said, putting his arm out in front of the dinosaur. "Something's not right with him. I see it in his eyes."
K. Rool glared at DK; his resentment grew to dangerous levels. But his own sanity was deteriorating from the darkness. Before his eyes, DK transformed into a different Kong – someone he thought was his friend. Someone he could trust. But in the end, he was betrayed. It was the worst feeling to experience.
"I took you in," K. Rool said, enraged, "and this is how you repay me? By taking away everything I cherish!?"
"Not K. Rool." DK repeated the strange chant from earlier. "Not K. Rool."
Luigi glared at him in confusion. "Not K. Rool."
K. Rool held his gun upward. Suddenly, the cliff behind him exploded, as if invisible dynamite had been ignited from within the earth. As the dust settled, K. Rool continued to stare at the group, emotionless, unresponsive.
Luigi gulped. "M-Maybe we should go. A little anger management can go a long way for a guy like him."
He started to run towards the ship, but ran into a Heartless barrier.
"Ouch," he said in a flat tone.
Sora was trying to figure out how K. Rool made that wall explode. What kind of magic did he use? But as Sora continued staring at where the mountain once was, he noticed something.
And it was moving.
DK couldn't wait any longer. He lunged straight for K. Rool, but an unseen force knocked him straight to the ground. Sora squinted his eyes; he saw an outline of a large creature. Its growls were high-pitched, unnatural. A familiar chill brushed through Sora's skin.
A Heartless.
K. Rool leaped onto the creature, appearing as if he was hovering in midair. He pointed his blunderbuss straight at the group, exhibiting a dark, sinister smile, craving the sounds of their anguished cries.
"Afraid you won't be leaving, "K. Rool said in a low, cold tone. "Not until I'm the last one breathing."
A/N: Over fifty follows and favs. Wow, guys! Thank you! I can't even begin to tell you how appreciative I am! Even after all this time, you still are invested in my silly little story. As thanks for your support, please visit my Deviantart page for a sneak preview of a chapter from ACT II. Keep on being awesome!
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