Heroes of Dreamland Rewritten, Book 1: Stars Amidst Lightning

Chapter 15

Kirby Dee|カービィディー

Trying not to panic, I follow Meta Knight out from the crowded woods into a mostly-clear area covered with a meadow and scattered trees here and there. No wonder he's been so grumpy, distant, and dreading lately. He's probably already expecting me to fail. Really, I don't blame him. I don't think I'm going to succeed at this, either. Killing something... I really don't know if I can do this...

As soon as we spot the pack of Poppy Bros., Meta Knight jumps into action, leaping at a Poppy Bro Sr. and getting a few swings in before it pulls a bomb out and throws it at him, which he dodges and then retaliates to with one seamless movement.

While I'm watching him, kind of awed at the way he seems to almost dance around the enemies, something explodes right behind me, sending me flying forward several feet right onto my face.

Oh, yeah, Kirby Dee. Great plan. Stand there and gawk at your teacher in the middle of a monster hideout without even trying to protect yourself.

Getting up with a groan, I remember the situation, going on to yelp and barely manage to avoid another bomb, thrown by the same Poppy Bro Junior. I didn't even know that the little ones had bombs; from what Kirby told me, they mostly just ride around on giant apples and get in the way.

Feeling afraid, confused, and kind of sad, I pick my sword back up and stare at it for a long moment. I know that I'm supposed to let the monster make the first move, but did the bomb-throwing count as making a move? Should I wait for it to attack again? Or should I fight back now?

Am I even able to fight back?

Again, it throws another bomb at me, which I'm just barely able to dive away from. After a too-long second of hesitation, I run at it, only to have it jump right over my head and out of the way. That's weird... why are the Juniors acting like Seniors?

Then it hits me... Maybe they're doing the same thing I am at the moment. Maybe I'm their test.

Again, a bomb goes off right behind me, sending me flying forward again. When I jump back up, starting to feel pretty tired and weak, there's several Poppy Bros. Juniors right behind me. Great, I'm easy pickings, apparently. Well, duh, when I'm compared to Meta Knight, of course I'm easy pickings.

Honestly, this is not going well at all.

Afraid of failure, I run at one of them that's cornered itself by a tree. My sword comes within inches of its face. It's an easy enemy, from what Meta Knight's told me. In monster lessons, he informed me that it only takes one good hit from a sword to make this species pop and vanish. It'd just take one swing, and then it'd be gone.

But just as I'm about to drive the point of my sword through the little monster's face, I freeze. I can't do it. I just can't. Something about the monster seems familiar. There's a voice at the very edge of my thoughts, a voice that I can't give a name or a place to, but it says to me, "We're not going to become monsters; I promise. Our freedom has to come someday!"

Who would that be? A fellow Waddle Dee that I've forgotten? But why would the Poppy Bro make me think of that?

Spotting my hesitation, the Poppy Bro quits cowering and throws another bomb at me. I'm just in front of it, so it hits me at full force, causing a ball of fire to appear around me for a split second.

Giving an angry shout, I pick myself back up and run at it, very nearly driving my sword through it a second time. But the monster makes me freeze when in reaction, it cowers and begins to shudder, looking up at me with pleading, frightened eyes.

Sucking in a breath, I hesitate, lowering my sword. "I'm sorry. I—"

At my little act of kindness, the Poppy Bro's face changes to a wicked, heartless grin. Before I can react, it throws another bomb at me, right into my face, driving me back several feet even if it doesn't knock me over, and surrounding me with flames (which really do hurt) once again.

Greatly weakened, I can hardly move. With a shudder, I see that my gloved paw has turned gray just like the rest of me probably also has, which basically means that I'm about to be a goner. One more hit, and I'm done for.

Desperately, I force myself up and try to pick my new sword up again from where it fell beside me, but I just can't. I'm too weak. How am I ever going to be a hero when I can't even kill one Poppy Bros. Junior?...

With a groan of pain and despair, I fall against a tree and faint.