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

~Present Time~ Shadows, Shams, and Shards

Shadow's POV:

"S'kura? You in there?" Just like with every other room I've called into today, there's no answer. "S'kura, if you're there, please come read to me. Also, I kinda wanna talk to you... I've been so grumpy today, and since Mama's not here, I was hoping I could talk to you about it." Still no answer. "Okay, I'll check somewhere else, since you're not here either. I wish I could find you."

Sighing, I pull the door of the empty, dusty, sneezy room closed. Most of the day today I've been hiding by myself and looking at pictures in books, but then I started to feel lonely. Of course, everyone's too busy for me, and for some reason, I really don't want to be around Kirby right now. I've felt pretty mad at him today, but I don't know why. That's part of why I want to find Sakura, so I can talk to her about this weird grumpy, pouty feeling, and the other part's so I won't have to be lonely anymore. But I can't find her anywhere, like she just disappeared.

After I've checked a couple more old rooms that no one ever uses or even opens, I finally give up. I'm not gonna find my big sister anywhere, I guess. Maybe I'll just have to be lonely today.

Feeling pretty mad out of nowhere again, something that's been happening every once in awhile for weeks now, but more and more the past few days, I start looking around for somewhere to hide. I wanna be alone again, where no one can find me. All by myself.

It takes me awhile to decide on a hiding place, but I finally open one of the empty rooms that actually has some sunshine shining in through the window, sit down on the bare carpet in the sunny spot, and open the book I've been carrying around. This one doesn't have enough pictures to tell the story, though, so I get really bored really fast. Too bad I can't read yet except for a few names.

Sighing, I drop the book beside me on the carpet, which makes a bunch of dust puff up into my nose, making me give a huge sneeze. "Stupid book," I mutter at it, pushing it away from me hard across the carpet. "Go away." Flopping back onto my back, I stare up at the ceiling, pouting just because I feel like it. "Why do all books have to be full of dumb old words? It's not fair to people who can't read. Just because they don't know what all those stupid lines and curves and slashes and stuff mean, they can't enjoy the story. All stories should just be in pictures, or at least have a lot of pictures."

For a minute, I'm quiet again, but then I whine, "And whyyyyy is everyoooooone always too busy for meeeee?" I don't care if no one can hear me. That's probably a good thing. Whenever I get like this, I try to be alone, because I don't want to bother the others. They shouldn't have to put up with me acting like this. Actually, I don't even know why I act like this. There are just times when I do.

Just then, someone laughs at me really quietly from somewhere not too far away, making me pout harder. "Whoever you are, go away. I wanna be alone."

The laughing continues, getting loud enough for me to recognize it as Dark Sakura's giggles. "You silly little guy, nya... Just lying there pouting about not being able to read. If you want to read so bad, why don't you just learn, nya?"

Sitting up, I glare over at her where she's sitting on top of a single table in one corner, the only piece of furniture in the whole room. "Aw, shaddup. It's not that easy. You're lucky you just poofed into the world already knowing how to read. Not all of us were copied old enough for that."

Her giggling stops as she glances over at me pityingly. "Just because you were copied from someone weak doesn't mean you have to share their weakness, nya. You're a Mirror Worlder; you were meant to be strong from the moment you came to be."

Looking away, I shake my head. "That's not true. There are strong Dreamlanders and strong Mirror Worlders, sure. But there's also weak Dreamlanders and weak Mirror Worlders. I'm a weak Mirror Worlder. Kirby's dark side is weak, so I'm weak. And that's a good thing... right? I mean, this way I don't want to hurt people all the time like you or Dark Meta Knight."