Chapter 38: Green with Envy
High on a mountain stood the castle of King Dedede – a self-important structure that reflected its owner. The castle was made of yellow bricks. Pink ribbons wrapped around the towers like candy cane stripes. Two moon crest shaped windows resided at the top of the tower. They were like malicious eyes, frightening away unsuspecting visitors.
Inside, King Dedede strode through the yellow brick halls in high spirits. It was like he had been blessed by good fortune. Life was perfect. Stress and worry had been banned to the dark, dreary dungeon beneath the radiant establishment. The king was an overweight penguin-like creature dressed in an elegant wardrobe; his long red robe slid across the carpet. He adjusted his red cap, which had a golden rim; sitting on top was a fluffy white ball.
Stitched to the back of his robe was a blue 'peace sign.' This was his emblem – one would find it etched into anything that was his property. Ahead of him were two guards holding spheres. They were part of a species called Waddle-Dees. Their body structure was akin to Kirby's: short and round, with stubby hands. They had tan faces with red rose cheeks, orange skin, and lacked a mouth (although they were able to speak somehow).
The Waddle-Dees lived in the castle as the king's staunch, royal servants; and he was abrasive towards them, flinging insults off his tongue like a slingshot. Sometimes, if he's in a cantankerous mood, the king would flatten them like dough with his massive hammer. But their mental stability didn't collapse before his tyranny. They continued adhering to him without question (which means they were desperate or insane; either option seemed viable).
The two guards saluted their king as he strutted by, not even acknowledge their presence. This was a step up from him yelling at them. Dedede reached his throne room, where two more Waddle-Dees greeted him. He walked over to his throne, sat down, and let out a pleasant sigh, grateful to have such a wonderful life.
As if on cue, a Waddle-Dee wearing a bow tie entered, pushing a large silver trolley filled with plates of breakfast food. It was a feast: French Toast, waffles, bagels, sausage, eggs, potatoes, just to name a few. A pleasing aroma filled the throne room, which made the guards' stomachs growl like a famished bear. Yet, the king waited with patience as the trolly pulled up to him. With a gentle flick of his yellow glove, he dismissed the Waddle-Dee.
Dedede wrapped the napkin around his neck, cut a small piece of sausage, and prepared to eat it. Then, he dropped the proper facade and started devouring everything with his gloved hands. The sounds of smacking lips echoed through the room. He took huge bites, and chewed with his mouth open.
And the guards had to watch every disgusting detail of food being broken into slimy pieces.
"I've been inspired," one of the guards said, wincing. "Who needs to eat, anyways? I don't need those nasty nutrients in my body."
Their non-existent ears were blessed with the sweet melody of an untoward burp.
The second guard struggled to keep his own food from escaping. He turned to the first one, and asked, "Can I join in on your new regimen?"
Another Waddle-Dee entered the throne room. What separated him from the others was his blue bandana. Resting on his back was spear. He was the king's royal advisor – a title of dubious honor; sometimes he wondered if it was worth hanging on a wall, or tossing into a dollar item bin. Still, he was cursed by absolute loyalty to his king, and carried out any assignment on command.
He was looking through a notepad. There was concern in his chestnut-colored eyes. Whether from its contents or how the king would react to the news, he wasn't sure. His thoughts were interrupted by the obnoxious chewing of the king. He glanced up to see an entire plate sliding into his giant beak. Such a genteel monarch.
"Sometimes I wonder if being too loyal is bad for my health." Bandana cleared his throat. "Good morning, your majesty."
The king glared at his loyal servant for being interrupted. He responded while full of eggs and sausages, showing every chewed detail as if they were spinning around a garbage dispenser.
"Sir," Bandana said, uncomfortable, "if you value your servants' stomachs, please, swallow."
Dedede gulped so loud that Bandana felt like the food hit his stomach. After wiping his beak with a napkin, the king said, "Now, what were ya sayin'? Was too busy gorging myself. You know how I feel about being disrupted during gorging time."
"Understood," Bandana said with a nod. "I was wondering if you got a good night sleep?"
The king's smile widened to unnatural lengths. Just seeing the king so delighted was unnerving. The Waddle-Dee's were used so used to yelling.
"The best sleep in a long while!" Dedede placed both hands behind his head, and sat back in the throne, staring at the ceiling in contentment. "Heh, a king could get used to having good dreams every night." He sat up, reaching for something on the trolly. "In fact, I'm so confident that nothin' will go wrong with this new arrangement that I'm going to drink this here orange juice slowly while you read today's reports."
"Um, okay," Bandana said, raising an eyebrow from that unusual statement. He glanced at his notes, all the while ignoring the king's slurps. "I bring some urgent news. Our lookout crew discovered that Kirby has four of the seven Star Rod pieces in his possession."
Dedede stopped mid-sip. The elation had been washed over with panic. For a moment, it looked like he was going to spit the drink onto Bandana. Instead, he swallowed it, and roared in his face with relenting fury that sent the hapless Waddle-Dee flying into a wall. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER, YOU MORON!?"
"Huh," one of the guards said in surprise. "I was expecting the king to do something else with that orange juice."
The king tapped the arms of his throne in a rapid motion, trying to quell the nervous tingle crawling through his shoulders. "Okay, okay. Stay calm. There's no way he can find the others."
"I'm afraid there's more bad news," Bandana said, as he approached the king again with hesitant steps. "It seems he's not alone. Three strangers are accompanying him."
The king's face went blank, as if overstimulated with too much vexing information. Bandana leaned back in fear, foreseeing an even worse response. And his intuition was correct, as the king stood up, hefting his hammer with a threatening glare.
"This better be rounded off with some good news, pal," Dedede said. "Or else you'll be losing a few inches."
Fearful of a colossal headache, Bandana scrambled through his notes for anything scribbled with positivity. "Oh, the royal minions are holding a bake sale today."
Dedede raised his hammer; it was like a cotton ball made from rage covered his ears.
"With banana cream pies!" Bandana braced himself.
The king froze from that statement. He could never turn down sweets. The prospect of filling his stomach with pies managed to subdue the dander, but not the anxiety. He slumped into his chair; his right foot jittered uncontrollably. He didn't want to be plagued with misery again. It was the worst sensation in the world.
"This can't be happening," Dedede said. "Kirby always has to ruin my plans. I wanted to be rid of these nightmares I've been having."
Even Bandana showed sympathy towards the king's plight. Although, he admitted, his methods for obtaining a good night sleep were unjust. Still, what could he do? Trying to call the king out on his wrongdoing would mean being sandwhiched between the ground and a hammer.
"I can round up some of our best warriors to take them out," Bandana said.
"And what? Watch them fail again? No thanks." Dedede formed a sinister smirk. "This calls for some serious action. Get me our newest recruits!"
"The Meta Knights?" Bandana asked. "Do you think they're up for the task?"
"Of course they are," Dedede said, confident. "They're easily my best soldiers! Bar none! They'll wipe that disgustingly cute smile off his face. I can't wait!" He rose from his seat. "Gonna need a celebratory banana cream pie for this one! Go fetch all of the pies from the bake sale."
"But, your majesty," Bandana said, "we need to pay for them."
Dedede gave him a pleasant smile. "Hey, the fact that the royal minions are in my presence is payment enough. What do they need money for?"
"Well, to function normally in society would be a valid reason, your highness."
Dedede looked irked. "That was a rhetorical question! Being in my presence also requires keeping your mouth shut. Ya dig?"
"But we don't even have mouths."
"Better get those pies while their fresh out of the oven!" Dedede said, losing his patience.
Still in danger of a headache, Bandana saluted the king, and quickly dismissed himself from the room. Dedede sat back in his throne; half of himself was stuck behind a disquieting gate. He didn't want to experience those nightmares again. They were too much for him to handle. It served as a reminder for his past failures – how someone was always watching him. Even with a castle full of servants, he didn't feel safe.
He exhaled. It would be okay, he thought. The Meta Knights were recent addition to his troops. In battle, they've proven themselves unstoppable. Especially their leader. He was cold, reserved – someone who wouldn't strike without hesitation. They were his best chance at ridding this world of Kirby forever.
Suddenly, he felt a cold breeze slide across his shoulders. A voice whispered, "Seems like you weren't expecting that little pink puff ball to make such quick progress."
"What do you want?" Dedede asked, both annoyed and unnerved by the unknown force's presences.
"Just making sure you don't squander our deal," the voice said in a menacing tone. "Keep the Star Rod pieces away, and I promise that your dreams will be wonderful. What, you're not enjoying them? I could take it back if you're not satisfied."
"No, no!" Dedede said, nervous. "It's just, you don't have to worry, okay? I'll make sure to squash him! He's a little pipsqueak, that's all. And, whoever his new friends are, I'll squash them, too!" He went through his pocket and pulled out a card containing the Star Spirit Misstar. "Besides, I have new friends, too."
Not too long ago, a monstrous being from another world named Bowser visited his castle. After a long conversation, the two formed a strange bond with each other. Dedede remembered receiving nothing but praise for his self-centered attitude – to be all commanding of his subjects.
Bowser's words returned to give him encouragement: "I like you, Triple D. You got a strong heart with an ego almost as good as mine. Building your castle on a mountain is inspiring to narcissist everywhere. Actually, narcissists only get inspired by themselves. You get what I mean! Here, take this star spirit and keep it safe. Once I grant you the power to control the Heartless, you'll be unstoppable."
Dedede gripped the card with revitalized resolve. "Time to show Kirby how unstoppable I've become."
"If you say so," the voice said. "I'll begrudgingly put my trust in you. Best live up to your title of unstoppable. Or else HE will enter your dreams again."
Dedede saw a giant dark blob looming over his castle. It moved closer, consuming the ground around him. Those white empty eyes were fixed on him; they lead to a gateway of oblivion. A place where you can only hear your heartbeat forever. The blob grew taller, more foreboding, and soon pulled Dedede into the endless darkness.
Dedede shuddered, trying to forget the intense night terrors that invaded his sleep. "These Meta Knights better not mess this up! My beauty sleep is in their hands!"
The voice vanished into the shadows, satisfied with how things were progressing.
The group continued following the small line of light emanating from the star piece. On occasion, Kirby would exchange a delighted smile with Sora. Seldom did other people join him on a quest. It was nice to have company. Especially these three. Something about them was…different. He couldn't explain why. But it wasn't bothersome. They were amiable; it was an invitation to make new friends.
Everyone noticed the line expanding to the size of a walnut. They were close to another star piece. The grass giggled in the form of swishes as the group hurried through them. But a dark barricade in the form of the Heartless brought them to a halt.
Sora sighed. "Another day means more Heartless to slay. Won't be too hard. Especially with our new friend Kirby!"
"Poyo!" Kirby said in a courageous tone.
Yoshi frowned; his head was still stuck in a jealous cloud. He was efficient at defeating Heartless, too. It seemed he would have to remind everyone of his skills. He stuck his tongue out to grab one, but Kirby intercepted him by inhaling the Heartless first. Yoshi glared the puff ball; Heartless are free real estate! Aggravation startled trickling through the jealous cloud.
Kirby noticed a red flying Heartless launch its spell at him. He rolled left, opened his mouth, and swallowed the monster whole. Kirby closed his eyes; he focused on the Heartless' essence spinning through his stomach. Energy spiraled outward into the rest of his body. A ring of fire appeared below his feet, and consumed him into a flaming wall.
Sora gasped in horror. "Kirby!"
When the wall vanished, Kirby emerged unscathed. His skin had taken the form of the raging red flames. He wore a twisting tiara, with a blue circle shaped emblem in the middle. Fire burst from the tiara like a majestic torch.
"W-What just happened to you!?" Sora asked, bewildered.
Before Kirby could answer, a warrior Heartless threw its spear at him. The puff balls released a stream of fire from his mouth like a dragon, disintegrating the spear in an instance. Everyone watched in astonishment as Kirby transformed into a ball of fire and dashed at the Heartless like a comet, burning it into a crisp.
"It not that impressive," Yoshi said, feigning disinterest. "Anyone can light their head on fire with match."
Spinning around, Kirby saw a blue flying Heartless shoot ice spells from its mouth. Kirby held out his stubby hands, which turned into burning fists. He jabbed the first one, twirled backwards to avoid number two, and threw a punch towards the ground to destroy the last one. Kirby launched one of the fireballs at the Heartless, making it shriek from the burning pain. Its ice-cold skin started to melt from the overwhelming heat.
Taking the opportunity, Kirby flashed for a fleeting second; he reverted to his original form. A star bounced out from behind him, and popped out of existence like a bubble. He inhaled the blue Heartless next. Sora was enthralled by Kirby's powers. He almost wanted to become a spectator in this battle, and witness what Kirby would do next.
The puff ball was encased in a sheet of ice. His body shivered for a moment. Then, he glowed again, shattering the glass with a burst of light. He reemerged with light blue skin, wearing a purple circlet around his forehead. On top of the circlet were sharp, blue gems that reflected off the sunlight.
A group of Heartless surrounded him. He exhaled an icy cold wind that froze every single one.
It then dawned on Luigi: "Oh, I see! He can copy the powers of enemies he swallows!"
"You're one of a kind, Kirby!" Sora said, beyond impressed.
Kirby responded with a modest blush. The others finished off the defenseless, frozen Heartless. Meanwhile, Yoshi noticed that cloud becoming darker and thicker. Why was he feeling so miserable? He and Kirby appeared similar – they were both young and loved to eat. But Sora was seeing Kirby as a better version.
The thought made him even sadder. No, it can't be true. Get that out of your head! They are best friends forever. Nothing can come between them.
Yoshi had yet to realize that his jealous behavior was a reflection of someone that Sora once considered a close friend.
More Heartless soon manifested to override their victory. But thanks to Kirby's assistance, they managed to keep that achievement on course. His array of copy abilities proved invaluable. At one point, he transformed into a Shadow Heartless. Kirby's skin was black as the evening sky; he had antennae on the top of his round head; and his eyes were coated in the menacing yellow hue of the dark creatures.
Some of the Heartless tried to ambush Kirby from overhead, but he merged into the ground, and scurried away from them. Distracted, the Heartless had little time to react as Sora's blade cut through them like a machete. But more appeared in their fallen comrade's wake, undeterred. Sora gritted his teeth; their tenacity was a nuisance.
Taking a different approached, Sora decided to summon their new ally: the two-dimensional man. His unpredictable attack patterns proved valuable in debilitating the Heartless' vigor. The man held a bucket full of oil, and heaved its contents right at the Heartless, splashing on their faces; their yellow eyes hissed in pain from the harmful chemicals swirling around inside.
Everyone stared at the man, mystified by his odd methods. But questioning it now would be impolitic since he basically handed them their advantage on an elegant, stainless tray. And so, they finished off the remaining Heartless. Once the commotion was stifled (the man returned to suspended animation), the air echoed with the sounds of the group's shallow, tired breathing. Such a delightful sound.
"They will not let up today," Sora said, leaning over in exhaustion. "That's okay. We won't either."
Luigi winced in pain. "Tell that to my feet. They're not gonna listen. I gotta rest them for a few."
"Aw, don't tell me you're suffering from the agony of 'defeat,'" Sora said with a weak smile.
Luigi stared at him in disdain. As if being afflicted by fatigue was unpleasant enough. "Every time a pun is uttered, a brain cell makes an attempt to jump out of my ear."
"Wow," Sora said. "Probably your most glowing review of my comedy yet."
Luigi chuckled. "Comedy, he says." He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Let's just rest before we continue. I'm sure we're going to have a lot more encounters today."
"Fair enough," Sora said. He turned to Kirby and Yoshi. "You guys alright with that?"
The two responded with a nod. Sora and Luigi sat in the grass, feeling the aches and pains disperse into the soil. Yoshi glanced at Kirby, still plagued with the sickening sensation of jealousy. Once again, Kirby captivated everyone with his amazing eating prowess. Spotlights were placed on him, leaving Yoshi behind as a secondary character in a play.
Riding this train of thought just upset him again – the tracks were uneven, leading to an uncomfortable, bumpy ride. Perhaps he needed a distraction to brighten his mood. His stomach answered with a suggestion in the form of growling. Food is always the perfect diversion, he thought.
He felt something press against his stomach, and looked down to see Kirby was listening to it with intrigue. "Ooooohhhhh!"
"Hey, Yoshi's tummy not a seashell!" Yoshi said, as he pushed Kirby backwards.
But the pink puff ball misconstrued the dinosaur's surly gesture as a sign to play. He responded by giving Yoshi's nose a light tap. "Bap!"
"And my nose not a button!" Yoshi said, growing annoyed. He tried tapping at Kirby's face, only to realize the puff ball doesn't have a nose. Kirby laughed in jubilation. "You win this round with your lack of nostrils."
Kirby's expression became curious as he leaned to the right of Yoshi, noticing something behind him. The dinosaur spun around to see a giant apple resting near a tree. His jaw dropped from its sheer size. It vibrant, red skin radiated amidst the shade provided by the leaves. Saliva started to build in the two's mouths; any moment it would burst like a dam.
"Now THAT's an apple!" Yoshi said, amazed. "That might somewhat fill Yoshi." He heard scrambling feet rustle in the grass to his left. A pink blur sped past him, planning to feel the apple's luscious skin slide through his mouth first. Dismayed, Yoshi shouted, "Mine!" and chased after Kirby.
Sora and Luigi watched in amused silence as the two raced towards the apple, and reached it at the same time. They stood on either side of the plump fruit; it was sandwiched between ravenous eyes. Yoshi and Kirby stared each other down, unmoving, unblinking. Seems they did share something in common: their passion for eating. Neither one was willing to share. They wouldn't be satisfied until the apple had a comfortable spot in their stomachs.
Sora leaned in, as if captivated by the suspense. "Oh, man. This is going to be interesting."
"I'll say." Luigi gave a teasing smile. "Hope we all don't implode from them inhaling it at the same time."
It was a showdown of the endless eaters. The entire world seemed to be frozen. Only a light breeze brushed through the trees, as if they were murmuring in anticipation.
"This apple only big enough for one stomach," Yoshi said in a low, serious tone.
"Poyo," Kirby said in the same voice.
Their hearts pounded fast; it drummed back and forth through their ears like a seesaw. They squinted at each other, refusing to blink. Anxious sweat slid across Yoshi's nose. Seconds felt like minutes. Neither one moved. Yoshi was starting to become irked because his eyelids started to hurt from too much squinting.
Kirby opened his mouth. Yoshi wrapped his tongue around the apple, but Kirby started inhaling. The dinosaur struggled to retract his tongue. A game of tug-o-war had ensued. Yoshi's feet struggled against the suction, but he refused to quit. Sora stood up, entangled by a thread of enthrallment. Luigi just rolled his eyes at the boy.
Kirby increased the pressure. Yoshi tried sticking his feet into the dirt, but it was too hard. Kirby moved closer. They were in proximity of each other. Yoshi never loosened his grip. He felt the heat of Kirby's mouth, and pulled his head back, to little success.
Then, Yoshi's mouth ended up inside of Kirby's.
A bitter taste from each other's saliva scratched against their tongues. They pulled away, coughing out the residuals.
"Ugh!" Yoshi said between coughs. "Whatever-you-are-germs!"
Luigi stood up, chuckling. "Welcome to my world."
"Playtime's over, you two," Sora said. "We have star pieces to find."
Yoshi hurried over to Sora, looking innocent. "Kirby the one playing! Not me!"
"Poyo!" Kirby said, defensive.
After everyone was calm, they continued their adventure. It was peaceful. Which put everyone on edge. Any moment the Heartless may ambush them. But nothing ever happened. They soon found their spirits intertwined with the tranquil atmosphere. Until they approached a dark, unsettling forest. Luigi's composure struggled to stay afloat that calm line.
Didn't help that Kirby pointed to the forest in excitement, indicating that the star piece was there. Most likely in the part where light was nonexistent. Where they would be unable to defend themselves from abominations with unnatural features that swayed in the shadow
Luigi gulped in fear. "Please tell me this is an enchanted forest. I want this to be a whimsical walk."
The forest's entrance responded with a trembling howl.
"Think I'll go take a whimsical walk somewhere else," Luigi said, preparing to leave.
Sora placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Relax. This won't be bad. We just need to stick together, move cautiously through the forest, and everything will be—"
Kirby became irritable. He hated waiting around. Actions were far more articulate than words. At least, in his opinion (although that might stem from his lack of vocabulary). He ran over to Sora, grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards the entrance.
"Okay, okay!" Sora said, laughing. "We're coming! Slow down!"
The two were consumed by the entrance's large oval-shaped maw; they would travel through its massive digestive tract, where unknown dangers await.
Luigi knew waiting behind would be unwise. Especially if the Heartless attacked again. With a reluctant sigh, he said, "Let's go, Yoshi. Least we can be scared together, right?"
He noticed Yoshi in deep thought. Despite his best efforts, the envy continued growing like thorns. Kirby still held the attention. There had to be a way to yank it from his little pink arms. Yoshi sifted through small, bland grains of ideas until gold appeared. He would impress everyone by collecting the star piece before Kirby grabbed it.
"Sometimes Yoshi's brain makes miracles happen!" Yoshi said with a wide, enthusiastic grin.
Luigi stared at him in confusion. "Yoshi, are you—"
"Come, Luigi!" Yoshi said, placing a tight arm around him. "Time to seize the day!"
Before Luigi could speak, Yoshi held him between his arms like a log, and ran into the forest.
The temperature decreased from the omnipresent shade. Cracks of light managed to illuminate the forest from being swallowed by the darkness. Although the light from the star piece served as a makeshift flashlight. Still, the group remained vigilant as they passed endless rows of tall trees, moved low branches aside, and stepped over roots.
Luigi's eyes darted back and forth like ping pong balls, watching for any signs of monstrous silhouettes masquerading as shadows.
"Seems quiet so far," Sora said; his demeanor was easygoing.
"Stop saying stuff like that out loud," Luigi said, anxious. "No good ever comes from that. Quick, somebody knock on wood. There's plenty around us."
Kirby noticed the stream from the star piece growing wider. His eyes brightened along with the piece; the next one was close. Not wasting anytime, he hurried deeper into the forest's digestive track.
"Kirby, wait!" Sora said. "He isn't the patient type, huh?" He noticed Luigi narrowing his brow at him. "That look better mean I have mustard on my face."
Before Luigi could reply, he noticed Yoshi chasing after him. Sora tried calling out to him, but the dinosaur refused to listen. Pride had hushed any sense of rationalization.
"What's his hurry?" Sora asked.
Luigi shrugged. "Dunno. Was acting weird before we entered."
"Did you forget to take the crust off his sandwiches again?" Sora asked, giving him a stern look.
"No, I remembered." Luigi was worried. "We better catch up with them before they do something rash."
Kirby and Yoshi arrived at a wide opened area. It took a second for their eyes to adjust to the incoming rays of sunlight. Ahead of them was a large, light-colored apple tree with a bushel of leaves on top of the branches. In the middle of the trunk was a long, nose-shaped branch. Kirby noticed the beam pointing right at the tree. He assumed the piece was somewhere around it.
"Poyo!" Kirby said with enthusiasm.
Yoshi walked in front of him with a self-assured smile. "Stand aside my pink golf-ball shaped friend. Me get piece. Yoshi can handle annoyance of branches in his eyes."
Kirby titled his head in confusion from Yoshi's strange behavior, and watched as he marched over to the tree. The dinosaur searched around the trunk, unable to catch a glimmer of light from the missing star piece. He rubbed his chin, perplexed. It had to be here, he thought. Unless Kirby made a mistake (which he wasn't against the idea). Or, maybe it was closer than he realized….
"Hey!" Sora shouted. Yoshi and Kirby turned to see the others had caught up with them. "You guys shouldn't run off like that! It's better that we stick together!"
"But we find star piece," Yoshi said. "Using his incredible 'ducking' skills" –(he meant to say deductive)– "me have figured out that star piece inside tree. We need to break it open."
The others faced the tree. Something about it seemed unsettling. It might be the fact that a pair of hollow eyes appeared on the trunk, staring at the group with malicious intent. A mouth formed under the nose-shaped branch, which curled into angry lips. The tree focused its attention on Yoshi, furious at the idea of being dissected like an animal.
"Yoshi," Sora said in an uneasy tone, "someone might have a very strong opinion about your plan."
"Who that?" Yoshi asked, oblivious to the vicious tree lurking overhead.
An apple fell from the branches, landing on his head, causing him to rub it from the pain. He picked up the apple, confused.
"Behind you!" Luigi said.
Yoshi turned to meet the livid, hallow eyes of the tree. The dinosaur reeled back in terror. Trying to put on a friendly smile, Yoshi held out the apple. "Want this apple? Me trying to cut back on sugar."
It replied by roaring right in his face, terrifying the dinosaur.
"Yipe, yipe, yipe!" Yoshi said, running away like a frightened chihuahua. He hid behind Sora, whimpering. "Why is it so mean?"
A dark aura surrounded the tree. Its eyes and mouth became jagged with anger. A cold breeze started circulating through the vicinity. The tree unleashed another roar that made the leaves shudder from the sheer capacity. Heartless appeared in front of the tree, forming a dark barricade around it.
Everyone prepared to fight. The only way they'd reach that tree was to smash through the protective wall like a bulldozer. Kirby swallowed one of the spear Heartless, copying its abilities. A ribbon with red and white stripes appeared from behind Kirby, and twirled around his head like an elegant dance, forming a hat. A golden rim with a blue gem appeared on top.
Kirby opened his mouth to expel a red staff with golden edges. Sora knew trying to decipher the impossible would lead to a massive, painful drum solo in his head. Instead, he'd focus on his expertise: slaying Heartless. Kirby clashed the tip of his staff with a Heartless' spear. He then swung with the opposite side, only for the Heartless to block it with the dull side.
Next, it tried thrusting the sharp side straight at him. Kirby grabbed both edges, held the middle part straight to his face, and caught the attack. The Heartless then swung the dull part inward, but Kirby leaned backwards. He then rammed the staff into the creature's stomach; the staff glowed a bright red, and extended, pushing the Heartless into a random tree.
Kirby swung his long staff into the other Heartless, knocking them onto the ground. Before they could recover, Sora forced them back into the earth with a Gravity spell, and finished them off with swift strikes. He turned his attention to the tree next, and ran straight for it, gripping the Keyblade's hilt with both hands.
The tree exhaled a massive surge of wind that pushed against Sora. For a tree, it sure had some powerful lungs. No matter how much he struggled, Sora could not fight against the wind, and ended up flying straight into Kirby, who reverted into his normal form.
Luigi was next to try, hoping to strike before it unleashed another burst of air. He was intercepted by a giant, falling apple. Luigi stopped, looked up, and saw more raining down on him. He knocked a few away with his hammer, and leaped back to avoid a few more. Despite their size, the apples were harmless. It was about as inconvenient as a road detour.
Luigi couldn't help but laugh. "Are you kidding me!? Watch out, guys! Or else he'll make us become health conscious."
His laughter was like loud buzzing; it was grating, and only aggravated the tree further. Upon shaking its branches, the tree released small, blue, metal balls with two eyes. Around them were eight golden spikes. Luigi screamed in horror, and dove onto his stomach, avoiding the prospect of becoming a human honeycomb.
"Mama-mia!" Luigi said, exasperated. "When will my moment of alleviation come!?"
Yoshi curled into his egg form, and Sora swung him straight into the tree's forehead, making it wince in pain. As the dinosaur spun backwards, he burst from his egg, wrapped his tongue around the tree's nose, and pulled himself into its face, delivering a headbutt. Its branches shook in rage from the unrelenting pain.
Yoshi ran forward, preparing to strike with his shield. A root stuck itself out of the ground like an extended nail, just inches away from the dinosaur's nose. Yoshi's heart burrowed into his stomach from the close call. Something below his feet started to rumble. He jumped backwards, avoiding another root.
Kirby came up with an idea to abate this lethal nervous disorder. He gathered a few apples and inhaled them. Upon spitting them out, they took the form a large star, which collided with the forehead. For a moment, the tree became dazed; its vision spun around like wheels. But the tree was able to discern Sora approaching him from within the disarray of watercolors.
It prepared to unleash a burst of air again. Luigi used his Blizzard magic to seal the mouth shut in a frozen, egg-shaped prison. Sora focused his energy on the Keyblade, encasing it in a vibrant golden glow that made the darkness reel backwards, terrified. He slashed at the tree, cutting the fabric of darkness that held it together in half. The darkness ascended into the sky, where it was enveloped by the blistering light from the sun.
Everyone waited to see how the tree would respond. It was calm – the incomprehensible anger fluttered away with the darkness. They noticed the ice covering its mouth had shattered; it spat out a small yellow star, which landed in Kirby's hands.
Sora leaned in to see it, and was pleased. "Alright! Another star piece! Making progress!"
Yoshi lowered his head in disappointment. This wasn't the success he foresaw. He wanted to claim the star by himself – to be a bigger hero than Kirby. Once again, Kirby seemed to cross the finish line first, holding the trophy of praise between his hands. But Yoshi refused to be dust that trailed behind him. More opportunities would present themselves, and Yoshi would claim them without hesitation.
Everyone heard moaning. The tree started to recover from the battle.
"Ugh, what happened?" the tree asked, lightheaded. "Why am I in pain? Were those chipmunks having a mosh pit inside me again?"
His vision soon returned, and he came across the most frightening sight imaginable – an entity of incomprehensible power that make the most stalwart individual wither into a crumbling mess.
And his name was Kirby.
"Hiiiiiii!" he said in a cheerful voice.
"Kirby!" the tree said in alarm. He stammered in panic, trying to conjure the appropriate words. "I-I had nothin' to do with it this time. Wasn't going along with any of the King's ridiculous schemes. Please, I gave you all my apples as a peace offering. Don't beat me up again!"
"I think you're a few steps behind us, pal," Luigi said, raising an eyebrow at the tree's behavior.
"You're the one who attacked us," Sora said. "Don't you remember?"
The tree took a moment to recuperate from the sudden jolt of fear; it soon powered down with the hit of a serene switch. At ease, he mused over Sora's claim, unable to find a reel spinning in his mind of their encounter.
"Not at all," the tree said, innocent. "Last thing I remember was seeing the King walk up to me. Then, these strange creatures showed up. Can't remember beyond that."
Sora eyed Luigi, who responded with a nod. Seems that confirmed their suspicions. And if they don't stop Dedede and the Heartless soon, the affable citizens of Dream Land would lose more than just a restful sleep.
"So the king must've used those creatures to brainwash you into attacking us," Sora said, with a hint of revulsion.
"Seems like beating you up rectified that problem?" Luigi said, unable to believe their method worked.
"So violence DOES solve everything?" Yoshi asked.
"No!" Luigi said, lowering his brow. "Don't be crazy."
Sora rubbed his head in guilt realizing that the tree had no control over his actions. "Sorry we had to do that. We were kind of on the defense."
"I suppose that's alright," the tree said, understanding. "Just as long as my apples weren't harmed. Some new ones grew in yesterday."
An awkward silence hit the ground faster than the tree's apples did.
Sora rubbed his shoulder, and let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "Yeah…about that…"
The tree focused his gaze on the ground, where a copious number of fresh apples lay in ruin.
"Nooooooo!" the tree shouted in dismay. "My precious apples! They brought out the color in my branches. Why!?" He broke down into uncontrollable sobs, overcome with intense sadness.
Everyone stared at the tree, once again donning awkward silence around their bodies like a tight vest. They couldn't even begin to contemplate a proper response.
"I think we should leave and let this tree mourn his almost significant loss in peace," Luigi said.
"Good idea," Sora said, eager.
Sora, Kirby, and Luigi snuck away while the blubbering continued in earnest. Yoshi slowly walked back towards a bush, sliding into it as if being absorbed by the leaves. He crawled out the other side, and ran to catch up with others. This was an unpleasant part of their journey that could be scribbled away with a fountain pen. Although the obnoxious sounds of bawling would linger like an obstinate child.
It wasn't too long before the group found the exit to the forest. Luigi was especially relieved to be sauntering through the sun's warm veil again. Or glance up at the clean blue sky, sprinkled with fluffy white clouds like marshmallows to a hot drink. They found themselves in another large field, where the pupils would shrink in intimidation from its sheer size, uncertain what to process first.
But the group had a cheat sheet to expedite their search. Kirby pulled out the star pieces. Everyone watched as a beam of energy rocketed straight into the sky, piercing through the clouds.
"Up there?" Sora asked, incredulous.
Kirby nodded. It sounded more ridiculous after receiving confirmation. Where on earth could the star piece be in the sky? Better yet, how would they get up there?
Luigi gave a sad sigh, as if he saw this predicament as a minor inconvenience. "If only we brought a magic P Wing along."
"A magic what now?" Sora asked.
Kirby thought of an idea, and pulled out a gray cell phone in excitement; on the tip of its antenna was a yellow star.
"Where did you get THAT from?" Sora asked in surprise.
"Beats me." Luigi winced. "As long as its sanitary."
The star on the antenna grew twice its size. It started spinning around, producing radio noises like a satellite.
"Maybe he's using it to get us ride." Luigi relaxed. "Good. I could use a break from walking so long."
Kirby waited in anticipation for something to appear from out of the sky. The others were just as curious to see. But nothing happened. Kirby looked at his phone, puzzled. He shook it first, then started pressing buttons.
"Is something wrong?" Sora said, as he and Yoshi leaned over to assist. "Bad reception?"
"Have you tried turning it on and off?" Yoshi asked with a teasing grin. Kirby frowned at him. "Me joking! Ugh, why do Yoshi bother!?"
Ignoring Yoshi, Kirby tried waving the phone in a frantic motion. Luigi noticed a shadow starting to form in the grass. Looking up, he saw a giant star fly right towards him at blinding speeds. He had no time to move away from it. His legs were cemented in dread.
"Mother," Luigi said in a low, timid voice.
The star knocked him into a tree. He fell onto the ground; his vision was spinning with multiple patches of the same grass. The others hurried over to help him.
"Are you okay!?" Sora asked, as he lifted him onto his feet.
"Did anyone catch the number of that star?" Luigi said in a daze. "The driver's gonna owe me dentures after this."
After giving Luigi a minute to recuperate, Sora and Yoshi approached the star in awe. It hovered above the ground, in a sideways position. Sora felt like his childhood fantasy partially came true, as he always wanted to touch a star in the sky. He never expected it to approach him instead.
"What is this thing?" Sora asked, while admiring the star's simple details.
"Warp Star," Kirby said.
"I guess you use this to get around," Sora said. He saw Kirby hop onto the star, and pat the surface. Sora grinned. "Yeah! Course I want to ride it! Looks like it'll be fun."
Yoshi clambered onto the Warp Star without delay. "Me call shotgun!"
"But there aren't any seats," Sora said.
Once everyone settled in, Sora glanced down at the ground. It was such a strange, yet wonderous sensation to be floating; words weren't sufficient. You felt as light as a leaf, drifting through the air without a care in the world. Sora couldn't wait to ascend into the sky, feeling the gratifying force against his stomach, like a carnival ride.
But there was still a vacant spot on the Warp Star. Right away, everyone knew who was missing, and turned to see Luigi staring at them with reluctance in his eyes.
Sora sighed in aggervation. "Will you get on? It can't hurt you if you're sitting on it."
"There's no seat belts on this thing," Luigi said, anxious. "You sure it's safe?"
"Safe or not, we don't have a choice." Sora shot a glance at the forest. "Unless you're okay with walking all the way back."
Luigi opened his mouth – a defense never presented itself. Not only would walking alone through the forest be panic inducing, but he'd have to contend with the tree's unintelligible angst again. Defeated, he placed both hands in his pockets, grumbling to himself in frustration. Kirby walked over, giving him a comfortable pat on the arm as he guided him to the Warp Star. With preparations complete, Kirby commanded the star to soar into the sky. The group felt the rush of wind press against their faces.
They accelerated and plowed through the clouds' thick white sheets. Small droplets from the clouds brushed across their skin. It was exhilarating; adrenaline moved with the speeds of a raging river. Once they cleared the clouds, the group were greeted by the vast, endless sky. Everyone was amazed by the sheer scope. Sora felt like a giant; the world seemed small from where he stood.
For a moment, Sora had forgotten about the troubles that plagued him. Everything around him was empty. There was no complicated noise; just hollow, peaceful silence. Life could be simple. And beautiful.
It was something he would never take for granted.
Dedede's thunderous footsteps echoed throughout the throne room as he paced back and forth. It was so loud that the guards thought his feet were pounding against their heads. The king was waiting for Bandana to return with news about the Meta-Knights. Each heavy step released a wave of apprehension; they couldn't afford to waste time. Not with the prospect of the nightmares slithering into the king's subconscious again.
His nerves were alleviated when Bandana entered the room. "About time! You know how long I've been pacing back and forth? It's because of your dawdling that I'm standing up and actually WALKING! Me? Exerting myself? You should be ashamed!"
"Sorry about my tardiness," Bandana said, bowing. "I've just informed the Meta-Knights, and they should be here anytime now."
As if on cue, a person wearing a skull mask and Viking helmet entered the room, shoving Bandana aside. "Out of the way, shrimp."
"Shrimp?" Bandanna mumbled. "But we're the same size."
"Beep! Beep!"
Bandana leaped out of the way to let a red droid-looking creature hovered right by him. A knight wearing purple armor, donning a moon crescent on his helmet entered next, admiring the fine details of the throne room.
"Diggin' the vibes of this place," he said. "I'd kill to have a sparring room like this."
Trailing behind the purple knight was another warrior dressed in purple armor, dragging a mace across the ground, leaving an irritating scratching noise in its wake.
"Don't mind me." The knight nodded towards his mace. "This one's new. Getting used to its weight." He then dragged the mace across the carpet, shredding away at the bright red fabric as if it was a carrot.
"Hey, I just cleaned that!" Bandana said, angered. "For crying out—never mind."
The four knights separated into two lines, and stood on each side of the ruined carpet. They turned to face one another.
"Ooh, such coordination," Dedede said in glee. "Now those are some loyal subjects."
The knights bowed as their leader walked through the door. To many, he was a silhouette that walked among the transparent. His past was concealed behind a circular silver mask. But, to his comrades, they've peered into that enigmatic window, and saw a stalwart leader; his resolute never ebbed before oppression. No matter what command he bellowed, they would follow without a second thought. Their loyalty to him was absolute.
He was a swordsman that had no concept of defeat. His skills were unmatched. Many received only a small, bitter taste of his power before collapsing into the dirt. And they would stay there, face first, afraid to provoke him by starting into his glowing yellow eyes.
His purple cape slid across the carpet as he approached the king. Resting on his left hip was a sheath; it carried a sword with two jagged edges on each side. This was his trusted weapon; it had shredded through the overconfident, claiming victory time and time again.
He kneeled before the king, speaking in a deep, yet soft, voice. "Good afternoon, my liege."
"Ah, Meta Knight," Dedede said. "Looking peppy as usually, I see. So, how have you been enjoying my humble abode? Pretty fancy right." He smirked in pride. "Bet you ain't got nothin' like that back on your own world."
"Sir, words alone cannot express how appreciative we are for you letting us stay at your castle," Meta Knight said, sincere. "Your generosity is estimable."
Dedede's ego expanded from being nourished with praise. "Hey, you're my number one soldier, M.K. Aside from moi, we need some more muscle around here." He flexed his muscles. "My guns can't carry the weight alone."
"What weight?" Axe Knight (the one wearing the skull mask) asked, whispering to his companions. "The one that protrudes from his abdomen?"
Dedede raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What's he yammering about?"
"Pay no mind to him," Meta Knight said. "He's just as grateful for your hospitality. How may we be of service?"
"I've got a job for you boys." Dedede's expression turned grave. "One that's of the utmost importance! My beauty sleep is depending on you!"
"Hmm, sounds urgent," Meta Knight said, feigning intrigue. Why? Because of what he said next: "So you want us to dispose of Kirby, I presume."
Dedede shouted, "No, I want you to dispose of Kir" –he was startled– "what? H-How'd you know I was going to say that?"
"I think everyone is aware of your animosity towards Kirby," Bandana said with narrow eyes. His mind was thrust into a bunker of unpleasant memories.
Bandana remember climbing into bed, sinking into the mattress, unleashing the hardships of that day into it. He pulled the blanket over him, prepared to be snatched into the loving arms of sleep….when loud snoring shattered the tranquil sound barrier. Bandana sat up, letting out a miserable groan.
After Dedede snored again, he said in his sleep, "Kirby, Kirby, Kirby, that's a name that I hate."
Bandana's mind escaped the bunker, returning to the present. He sighed. "I know all too well."
King Dedede explained the situation to the Meta-Knights, making sure not to omit a single detail. He was confident that their combined strength would overwhelm Kirby. It seemed that he didn't need to worry anymore; he had thwarted his perpetual nightmares for good. Until he remembered something crucial.
"He's not alone," Dedede said. "There's been reports that three strangers are accompanying him."
Meta Knight nodded. "I'm aware. I did some reconnaissance on Kirby and his new friends. Things are worse than I have anticipated. Dreamland may be in grave danger."
"W-What do you mean?" Dedede asked; his worry had returned, far more aggressive.
"Much like us," Meta Knight said, "these visitors hail from another world. One of them wields the fabled Keyblade."
Dedede paused to absorb this information. Any concern was now submerged in a fit of obnoxious laughter. "Oh, no! Not a Keyblade! Don't let him unlock my door with it. Bah! You kidding me? Why should I be afraid of a weapon with such a stupid name?"
"What even is a Keyblade?" Trident Knight (the one with the moon crescent) asked. "A key shaped like a blade."
Mace Knight scoffed at him. "No, dimwit! It's obviously a blade shaped like a key."
"Oh," Trident Knight said. "Now it all comes together."
"Your skepticism is warranted for such an innocuous name," Meta Knight said. His tone remained calm. Yet, a small sound of concern fluttered through his throat. "But having traveled to many worlds myself, I've heard of its power. A weapon of equivocal origin – it is said to bring devastation to many worlds. Kirby probably doesn't realize it himself. He has befriended someone who may just shattered the very existence of this world."
Dedede froze. Fear washed away the vestiges of humor. "Well, that doesn't sound silly when you say it like that. Alright! If this Keyblade guy is just as bad as Kirby, then take them both out!"
"It shall be done, your majesty," Meta Knight said with another bow. There was an intense glow in his eyes. "Once my blade is drawn, their fate will be sealed."
"Good, good," Dedede said, delighted. "My crew will prepare our finest aircraft for you to pilot. Blast those punks out of the sky. I don't care how you do it. Just get it done. You have twenty-four hours, and twenty-three of them are already gone."
The knights glanced at each other from that confusing statement.
Bandana slumped his shoulders, sighing. "Was it really hard to just say one hour?"
"I was trying to be clever," Dedede said, pouting. "It was clever, wasn't it?"
Bandana pat his back in encouragement. "Yes, it was very clever, sir."
"Sucking up ain't gonna win you any points," Dedede said. Bandana ceased rubbing. The king frowned. "Did I ask you to stop?"
With a roll of his eyes, Bandana resumed rubbing.
"Thank you for your assistance," Meta Knight said. "We will avert the destruction of this peaceful planet. You have my word."
"Words ain't gonna get the job done," Dedede said, growing impatient. "Move your butts! All of you!"
Bandana escorted everyone to the exit. As Meta Knight approached the door, he heard the king say: "Relax. These guys are professionals. They'll take care of Kirby and his friends. Just don't get rid of my pleasant dreams."
Meta Knight turned his head somewhat to see who Dedede was addressing. There was no one else present. A small flicker of suspicion drifted across his yellow eyes. Every story has two sides; right now, Dedede's kept his chapters filed in a compartment of secrecy.
"Let's not linger," Meta Knight said, as he and his comrades walked at a brisk pace through the halls. "We will be heading out immediately." He was prepared to face his adversaries with stone faced confidence. But a reluctant rope had wrapped itself around his companions.
"Sir, if I may speak on behalf of the crew," Axe Knight said.
Everyone came to a halt. Meta Knight spun around to face him, and spoke with compassion in his voice. "Of course. You are my most trusted allies. Every word from you matters."
"Much obliged," Axe Knight said. Another reason he admired Meta Knight so much; he showed just as much respect for them. "The King's reasons for having us undertake this mission isn't exactly noble. We're basically preventing everyone in Dreamland from getting a sound sleep."
"I'm aware that his majesty isn't exactly benevolent towards his subjects," Meta Knight said.
Mace Knight smirked beneath his helmet. "So is that your delicate 'Meta Knight way' of saying he's a no good, rotten, selfish slob?"
"Perhaps," Meta Knight said, chuckling. "I don't like the king's intentions any more than you, my friends." He turned back towards the halls, clenching his fist, keeping the depths of his emotions restrained. "But I want to meet Kirby and this Keyblade wielder. There's something I must know."
"What's that?" Trident Knight asked.
"No time to explain," Meta Knight said in rushed tone. "Let us head towards the ship."
Javelin Knight (the hovering one) moaned. "Aw, why do we have to use the king's ship? It probably smells like him."
"We should use the Halberd," Axe Knight said.
Meta Knight hushed them, waving a stern hand. "Keep your voice down. Nobody must know of its existence. Many have tried to gain control of its unparalleled power. That's why it remains hidden underground. Could you imagine if the King commandeered it?"
"With his lack of discipline?" Axe Knight asked, already imagining the horror show. His body shook with dread. "It'd be like giving a baby a smorgasbord of explosions. You know what? Disregard that suggestion. It sounds worse than this Keyblade person."
The Meta Knights continued towards their vessel, preparing to rip off the last page of Sora's adventure.
If you wish to support my work, please visit my YouTube page: channel/UCTt8bVl63VokPqhTXg2xRKQ
Check me out on social media:
Twitter: kingdomkey23
Facebook: kingdomkey23
Instagram: kingdomkey23
Deviantart: kingdomkey23
Twitch: kingdomkey_23
Discord: Send me a message
Cover Artist's Twitter: jitart1