Heroes of Dreamland, Book 6: Kirby and the Fountain's Fate (OLD)

~Present Time~ A Not-so-Normal Day in Dreamland

Kirby's POV:

Today has not exactly been a great day so far. It all started last night, when I had a kinda weird dream where everyone else was eating strawberry shortcake, but I couldn't find a piece for me anywhere. And then, once I woke up and started looking around for someone to play with, everyone was either busy or not interested. Bandana said he just wanted to hang out and read by himself for awhile, Shadow murmured something about just wanting to be left alone for now, I can't find Sakura anywhere, and Meta Knight seems super grumpy, even for him. Fumu's busy studying again, and Dedede and Escargoon never want me around, so I didn't even try with those three. Like always, the Waddle Dees are too scared of me to be my friends, (although I swear that I haven't swallowed a single one of them since my trip to Floralia last spring, and then it was only if they just wouldn't get out of the way no matter how many times I asked politely,) and Waddle Doo is always way too busy telling them what to do to hang out with me.

To tell the truth, everyone's been acting all grumpy and stick-in-the-mud-y. It's even making me feel a little bit huffy myself, so huffy that I didn't even feel like flying. I ended up leaving my Dimensional Cape at home today. Since it seems like a not-so-great day, I decided to do what I always do when I'm having a not-so-great day: take a trip to Kawasaki's.

As I push aside the curtain and walk in, I can see that it's as empty in here as always. Kawasaki got tired of being so lonely all the time, especially after Fumu, Tuff, and I quit coming in so often, so now there's a big tank of tropical dreamfish just across from the entrance. Actually, that probably pulls in more business for the chef than anything else, since a lot of Cappy kids like to come in and watch the fish and maybe buy a glass of juice or something.

Even I like to come in on my rare days off and watch the shimmering, glowing fish swim around the big tank in lazy circles. They come in all colors, and are the size and shape of the koi in the pond in the Star Warriors' Garden. (They're not in the Fountain of Dreams; they're in a pond that's dug into the ground on the other side of the Garden.)

Just as I sit down at one of the tables and give a grumpy sigh, Kawasaki comes bustling out of the kitchen with a huge grin on his face. "Kirby! You haven't been in here for months now! Where ya been, little buddy? It's the middle of the afternoon so business is even slower than usual, but I'm sure I've got some leftovers for you around here somewhere if you're hungry."

Smiling a little bit, I point out with a shrug, "When am I ever not hungry?"

"That's sure the truth," the Cappy chef agrees with a jolly chortle before turning and bustling back into the kitchen at the back of the restaurant. "I made a big pot of curry and rice, but no one came in today. Should I bother with a plate, or just bring you the whole thing?"

"How about both?" I call after him, my grin growing just a little bit. "I have learned a few more manners since I came to Cappy Town, silly." Suddenly, I hesitate a bit. "It's not your super-spicy curry, is it? Even here in Dreamland, that stuff could almost give ya nightmares..."

He comes hurrying out of the kitchen again, carrying a big pot of curry in his hands while balancing a bowl on his head. "I'll go grab the rice out of the rice cooker in a second," he tells me and then sniffs at the curry. "Nope, this isn't the super-spicy kind. Had to check real quick; I don't measure anything. A true cook has to trust his instincts! My good old teacher Shitake taught me that."

And he wonders why nothing he makes ever comes out well... I'd say something, but if he got too good at cooking, there wouldn't be as much unsold food for me to enjoy whenever I come to visit.

Once he brings me the rice and I've spooned out a bowl and started to eat it, Kawasaki sits down across the table from me and comments, "You seem kinda not-as-happy-as-usual today, Kirby. Something bothering you?"