Heroes of Dreamland, Book 1: Kirby and the Monstrous Lightning (OLD)

World 3 Level 3- Creative Teaching Methods

Meta Knight had been telling the truth when he said the small ones would slow them down, she quickly discovered. They didn't cover nearly as much ground as they should have been able to. In Bandana Dee's case, it wasn't really his fault. Being just a Waddle Dee, he didn't walk very fast. Air-hopping, he could go much faster, but Kirby wandered off after another imaginary snack every few minutes, keeping them stuck on the ground.

Sakura sighed as the sun set lower in the sky. "We haven't even gone ten miles. We should've gone at least twice that, if we were flying. How long till we get to Cookie Country?"

Meta Knight's eyes had been an irritated orange since soon after they had left the castle. Now, he glared at her, and answered, "At this rate, three days. Are you sure you do not want to take the two small ones back to the castle and choose someone else to accompany you?"

She nodded firmly. "My mind is made up. The two mini-us have to come with us."

He sighed. "I can only be so long-suffering, my friend."

"You don't have any plans of abandoning us, do you?" she asked him, a bit anxiously.

His eyes softened to a normal yellow for a moment, then returned to orange. "Of course not," he huffed, drawing his cloak around himself.

Kirby walked past them and off the path toward a few tiny fruit bushes. "Strawberries, poyo..." he murmured, practically drooling.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Sakura moaned. Inhaling Kirby and picking up Bandana Dee, she plowed ahead as quickly as she could.

Meta Knight chuckled. "At least we are now making slightly better time." She glared at him, unable to answer.

Eventually, Kirby fought his way out of her face. "Yuck, poyo!" he groaned, making an awful face.

"Pay attention to what we're actually supposed to be doing," she ordered him. "Or I'll put you back in there."

Kirby stuck his tongue out at her and flew up into the air, putting as much distance between him and her as he could.

Shaking her head in frustration, she huffed, "No wonder Waddle Dee never take road trips. It's miserable."

Sighing, Meta Knight took the pack from Bandana Dee and took flight. "I am going to scout up ahead, catch up as quickly as is possible." She could've sworn she heard him add to himself before he flew away, "I will expect your arrival sometime tomorrow."

Thanks for nothing, Meta Bozo, she thought, offended. As soon as he had left, she set down Bandana Dee. How can I possibly make them go any faster? she thought, discouraged. Then, she got an idea.

"Hey, do you two want to hear a story?" she asked, cheerfully. If this doesn't work, my name is Blade, she thought to herself with a mental chuckle.

Kirby flew back eagerly, Bandana Dee nodded.

"All right, then," she started. "Once upon a time, there was a young Star Warrior and a Waddle Dee. They were a lot like you two, in fact. They were on a grand adventure, going to save the world." She paused. Already, the two little ones were riveted.

"To start their journey, they went and spoke to the wise old Cappy in town. They asked, 'What should we do first?'

"The Cappy answered, 'Go down the path that goes out of town. Now, be sure to go as fast as you can. There is a huge, hungry monster out on that road, and if you go too slow, it will catch up to you. Beware, for this is the biggest, scariest monster in all of Dreamland, and he has set many traps to slow travelers down all along the road.'