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Kirby and the Amazing Labyrinth Friend Rescue - Chapter 2: The Mirror Labyrinth!
To step back a bit, just after being dragged into the mirror world—
Kirby looked around, deep in thought. He was surrounded by a lush, leafy forest. The low-hanging branches were intricately intertwined, blocking off paths like monstrous guards. Unlike the peaceful forests of Dream Land, this forest was shrouded in an eerie feeling.
Kirby shivered, and said to himself, "I guess I should just keep going in deeper for now. I have to find some kind of clue about Magolor's friend..."
He guessed at a direction to walk in, but after only a few steps, something suddenly fell in front of his eyes. It was a bright red apple. The wind had blown it down off the tree.
Kirby loved apples. Or maybe it's more accurate to say that Kirby loved all food. His face lit up at once. "Waah, a tasty apple! Now it's miiine!"
He spread his arms and sucked in with all his might. It may have been better to pick it up and put it in his mouth normally, but sometimes, when he was hungry, he took the shortcut. He had the power to suck in everything he saw, after all.
The apple flew through the air into his mouth. But Kirby didn't notice the tiny, tiny creature hidden in the shadow of the apple.
"Mmm, yummy! ...Hm?" The smile that Kirby had after inhaling the apple suddenly fell off his face. "Mm, mm, mm—? Wh-What's, going on...?"
By the time he thought to spit it out, it was too late. Kirby had swallowed up not only the apple, but the small creature, too. And as a result—everything around him suddenly started to get bigger. The trees, the grass, and even the stones beneath his feet grew steadily in size.
No—that wasn't it. It wasn't that everything was getting bigger, but that Kirby was getting smaller!
"Wah... Waaaaaaah?!" Kirby screamed. But even as he did, he kept getting smaller. So small that even mere pebbles towered over him.
"S-Stop it—! Cut it out! Am I going to disappear—?!" Kirby clamored and rampaged, trembling violently, but fortunately, his transformation stopped before he disappeared entirely.
Still, his body was now positively miniature. Small flowers that he would usually pay no attention to now towered over him as massive blossoms.
"...What happened? I got tiny..."
Just as he had calmed down to normal downheartedness, he heard something shoot through the air with a thunderous, resonant sound. The small Kirby hurriedly hid in the shadow of a blade of grass.
First, Magolor dived into sight headfirst. Then, King Dedede thudded down onto the ground so heavily he caused it to shake. Meta Knight landed gracefully, his cape fluttering behind him. Waddle Dee dropped to the ground, too.
"Owowow... That hurt! Why'd this have to happen to me!" King Dedede shouted, rubbing his hip where he landed.
Meta Knight answered coolly, "Evidently, the mirror passage opened in midair. We're fortunate that it wasn't excessively high up."
"It huuuurts... I'm hit!" Magolor, too, was rubbing his hooded head, crouched down on the ground.
"I wonder where Kirby is?" Waddle Dee seemed worried.
Kirby leapt out from under the shadow of the grass, shouting. "Here! I'm here—! Are you all okay?"
"Huh? Did you guys just hear Kirby's voice?" Magolor looked around. However, he didn't notice Kirby down so low.
It wasn't just him. King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee all looked around, but none of them noticed Kirby.
"Right here—! Look down! Down—!" Kirby raised his voice louder, looking up at them.
"What's the deal? I hear him, but I can't see him."
"Kiiiirby, where aaaare youuuuuu?"
"Stop hiding and show yourself."
King Dedede, Magolor, and Meta Knight looked in all the wrong places.
At last, Waddle Dee noticed him. "Oh, Kirby! ...What?!"
Waddle Dee leaned over, bringing his face closer to Kirby. Kirby instinctively moved back as the colossal Waddle Dee face drew near.
Waddle Dee, in hysterics, cried, "Wh-What happened—?! How did you get so small?!"
"What are you doin', Waddle Dee? Bent over there like that..." King Dedede stooped down himself. The King's face was even bigger than Waddle Dee's. Kirby flinched. But King Dedede flinched even more dramatically. "Wh-What—?! What kind of joke are you pulling, Kirby?!"
"It's not a joke—!" Kirby screamed back, forcefully.
Meta Knight and Magolor finally took note of Kirby's presence.
"Kirby... What is the meaning of this?"
"Why'd you get sooo small—?"
"I don't know—! I just ate an apple, and somehow it turned out like this—!"
"An apple? Such as those?" Meta Knight looked up at the apples growing overhead. "They appear to be ordinary apples... So why, exactly...?"
Then, something changed in King Dedede's expression, as if he were plotting something. He pinched Kirby in his fingertips and dropped him into the palm of his hand. His massive face rapidly drew closer, snickering. "Heheh... Looks like you're in quiiite the pickle there, Kirby."
"Eh?!"
"I don't know why, but you've made yourself mighty compact! Just one good snort from me, and I'll send you flying!"
"Ehhhh—?!"
"You've been a relentless thorn in my side up until now. Now, at last, I'll make sure you know my true power!" King Dedede took a deep breath.
"S-Stop—!" Kirby screamed, but that only seemed to cement King Dedede's pleasure. He let out his breath in one powerful burst from the nose.
"Hmph—!"
"Kyaaaaah—!" Kirby was sent flying from the King's snort, tumbling through the air.
"King Dedede, what are you doing?" Meta Knight admonished, looking stunned. "Now we've lost sight of Kirby again. I think we need Kirby's power in order to fulfill our objective here."
"Hahahahh! Who cares about him? I can solve this problem all by myself!" King Dedede laughed scornfully, but then, abruptly looked puzzled. "...So, which way do we go? Hey, Magolor. Where was your friend or whoever it was?"
"Ughhhhh! This King's not gonna cut it! I really do need Kirby after all—!" Magolor sprung up, shaking his fists above his head.
"H-Hmph! I can figure something out even without Kirby! Anyhow, we just need to head in deeper, right?!" King Dedede glanced around, wild-eyed, but they were in the middle of a forest with no clear path. There was absolutely no clue for which direction they should go.
Waddle Dee said, timidly, "U-Um, Your Majesty... I believe I'm remembering correctly that in order to go deeper, we need to pass through a mirror..."
"I know that! Right, we've gotta find a mirror!"
In this world, mirrors were the pathway to go deeper. They had to find one of these mirror pathways in order to continue their adventure.
"I'm sure it's, probably, perhaps, this way, without a doubt... maybe!" King Dedede started walking in a random direction. Waddle Dee followed after him.
"Good... grief."
"I knew I shouldn't have brought along King Dedede of all people..."
Meta Knight and Magolor, though reluctant, also followed after the King.
After being sent flying by King Dedede's snort, Kirby hit a tree and fell.
"Owowowowow... King Dedede... You're so mean!" He stood, swaying with dizziness. "I have to follow everyone... but..."
Even if he ran at full speed, in his current state, it was unlikely he would be able to catch up.
"This is a problem... I need to hurry and find some way to get back to normal..."
Just as he was letting out a sigh, Kirby noticed a hole opened in the roots of the tree. Normally, it would be so small that he would overlook it. But it was perfect for Kirby's current size to pass through.
Kirby could see a faint light from inside the hole. He tried peeking in. Apparently, a large cavity had been opened up inside.
"What is this? Could it be a secret passage...?"
Daringly, Kirby jumped into the hole. It was a much, much greater fall than he had anticipated. Frantically, he sucked in a breath. Usually, this would allow him to float with his Hovering skill, but—his tiny body was unable to hover. He ended up crashing headfirst into the end of the hole.
"Owiiiie... C'mon! Why do I keep getting hurt by everything today?!" Kirby scowled as he stood up.
He was in a massive underground tunnel. The air was cool and damp. Kirby blinked his eyes. Even though he was underground, for some reason, a light was shining from deeper down the pathway.
"If there's light... Then that must be a way out. Aaaall right...!"
Kirby bounded towards the light, breaking into a run.
On the other hand, King Dedede and his crew were still wandering aimlessly through the forest.
"Your Majestyyy... Are you sure we shouldn't start looking for Kirby...?" Waddle Dee whined.
King Dedede rebuked, displeased, "Be quiet! I'm tellin' ya we don't need him. Now shut up and follow me!"
Meta Knight spoke. "No, I agree with Waddle Dee. We won't get anywhere by walking around haphazardly."
"I'm finding us a mirror!"
"Don't be so stubborn, King Dedede. One way or another, let's look for Kirby."
"Kirby's not gonna be any use. He turned way too tiny for that!"
"That's what I'm worried about. If we don't restore him to his proper size..."
Just then, Waddle Dee said, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I hear something!"
"Hm? What's that?"
"It's Kirby's voice," Waddle Dee said, pressing himself flat against the ground.
"What are you up to, Waddle Dee? I don't hear any voice..."
"No, it's there. Listen carefully, King Dedede." Meta Knight also pressed his body against the ground. Magolor followed suit.
It was just as Waddle Dee had told them. For some reason, Kirby's voice was coming from under the ground.
"Heeeeyyyyy! Heeeyyyyy everybodyyyyyy! Can you hear me? If you can hear me then answer meeeee!"
Magolor replied, "Kirby! Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Yeah. There's a secret passage underground! Everyone hurry up and get down here. I found a mirror so we can go deeper!"
"Is that true?!" Meta Knight swiftly stood up to stab his sword into the ground. "I see. It seems to be a hollow cavity underneath us. If we all cooperate, we should be able to dig a hole..."
"C'mon, who's got time for all that?! Leave this one to me!" As soon as he spoke, King Dedede was already swinging down his trusty hammer. With just his hammer and his innate strength, King Dedede could break apart the hardest rock. Several blows to the ground later, and all of a sudden, a large hole had opened up beneath them.
First King Dedede, then Meta Knight, and finally Magolor and Waddle Dee all fell down into the underground passage, one after the other.
The tiny Kirby bounced up and down as he spoke. "Wah! That was dangerous! Watch out! You were thiiis close to crushing me!"
"Kirby, where is the mirror located?"
"Here, this way!" Kirby headed to the front to lead the group. They followed the passage until the end, where they found a small mirror.
This was a portal to a deeper world. It was emitting a glow, as if it were inviting the adventurers inside.
Magolor clapped his hands in delight. "Uwaah, I knew you could do it, Kirby! I can't believe you found the mirror in a place like this! You're amazing!"
"It's because I turned small! I don't think I'd have noticed it if I were my regular size."
"Heheh, sounds like it's all for the best that you became so tiny. Better stay that way, then." King Dedede laughed mockingly.
Kirby shot him a sullen look as he responded. "No way! I'm too small this way. I won't be able to eat anything! I want to go back to normal already!"
"Whatever the case, let us continue," Meta Knight said, clutching his sword.
Kirby regained his high energy, running towards the mirror. "Okaaaaay! Let's go! Me first!" he shouted, jumping inside.
"Wait! That's cheating!" King Dedede followed close after. Meta Knight, Magolor, and Waddle Dee were not far behind.
The instant Kirby passed through the mirror, mid-trajectory, he tumbled onto the ground. In the rebound, a very, very small something was sent flying out from his mouth.
The small thing looked up at Kirby, raging in a shrill voice. "Unnnnnbelievable! What do you think you're doing, you glutton?! Slurping me right up along with your apple!"
Kirby blinked, looking around. King Dedede and the others tumbled in after him. After seeing their size, he cried in joy, "Waah, I'm back to normal! Hooraaaay!"
"Hey! Are you even listening?!" The small creature was seething with anger, ramming its tiny body against Kirby.
Kirby looked down at it, apologizing, "Sorry, sorry. I guess I accidentally inhaled you."
"You're hopeless! Who do you think I am?! I am the great Minny! Just because I'm a little guy, that doesn't mean you can go around trying to make a fool of me!" The small creature left in a huff.
Meta Knight said, "Minny? I've heard the name. A very powerful will in contrast to such a small body. I suppose Kirby must have obtained the Mini copy ability by accident after unknowingly swallowing him."
When he said copy ability, he was referring to the mysterious power that Kirby possesses. If Kirby inhales someone else, he can absorb some of their features and special abilities, making them his own. There are many offensive-oriented abilities with special techniques such as Fire and Sword, but no one ability is going to be useful in every single situation.
"A copy ability that doesn't do anything except turn you really small... That's enough of that! That's the one ability I'm never going to inhale again!" Kirby shuddered, remembering how King Dedede had sent him flying with just a snort.
Waddle Dee smiled and said, "But you only found the underground passageway because you were so small, right? It's all thanks to him!"
"Yeah... I guess. Let's go, Waddle Dee!"
They joined hands, starting to run off together. But behind them rose a thunderclap known as King Dedede.
"Waddle Dee! You've been acting mighty suspicious this whole time. You and Kirby really are..."
"Eh... Huh?! Oh, n-no, it's not like that!" Waddle Dee hurriedly shook his hand free from Kirby's grip.
King Dedede closed in on Waddle Dee, looking terrifyingly imposing. "You've been making friends with Kirby behind my back, haven't you?! Which means you've been betraying me, haven't you!?"
"N-No, I haven't. Kirby is our enemy."
"Weren't you just holding hands with him?"
"I just thought we shouldn't let him run off on his own! I was capturing him!"
"Really?"
"O-Of course." Waddle Dee glanced over at Kirby out of the corner of his eye. He looked very sad.
When Kirby noticed that look in his eyes, he jumped up, shouting, "You'll never catch meee! Nyah-nyah!"
"Ah, hey, wait, why you—!" King Dedede followed after Kirby as Kirby ran away.
"I'm sorry, Kirby..." Waddle Dee mumbled, downhearted.
But Magolor responded to the mumble. "Hehehe... You sure are cold, Waddle Dee."
"...Huh?"
"I can't believe you would say something like that, no matter how scared you say you are of King Dedede! I feel bad for Kirby!"
"..."
"I wonder. Are you really Kirby's friend, or not?" Magolor smiled as he turned to follow after Kirby.
Waddle Dee tightly clasped his hands together. He could barely stand how tormented he felt, but he had missed his chance to respond.
"...Kirby and I are the best of friends!" he said, just to hear himself say it out loud, before running after the others.
The group continued to find mirror pathways, and continued to go deeper and deeper. The mirror labyrinth has a complex design, and can't be traversed straightforwardly. Not to mention, each of its areas is teeming with danger. There may be a wasteland that stretches out as far as the eye can see, but there is also a mountain encased in ice and snow. And also a haunted mansion full of surprises behind every corner. And also an area on the ocean floor, with fish swimming all around.
No matter where and how far they went, they could not find a single clue about Magolor's friend.
"Aahhh, I'm fed up already! We're never gonna make it to wherever the heck it is we're trying to go to!" King Dedede had lost his temper at last. He crossed his arms and sat down in protest, his attitude demonstrating that he would not walk one more step as he shouted, "I quit! I'm going home!"
"Your Majesty... You aren't going to get the feast if you leave now..." Waddle Dee said.
King Dedede fixed him with a frightening glare. "You really are a glutton. A glutton for punishment, more like! You really want that feast that much?"
"What? No! I didn't mean me, I meant Your Majesty..."
"Be quiet, Waddle Dee. Are you tryin' to say that I'm such a glutton that I'll let myself be dragged along into anything just for a feast?"
"N, No..."
"Don't think I'm like Kirby! You really are on Kirby's side after all..."
"No—! You are not a glutton, Your Majesty." Waddle Dee bowed profusely in apology.
Meta Knight said, "That is enough of taking your anger out on your subordinate, King Dedede. If you wish to go home, no one is stopping you. You'll simply have to retrace our steps all the way back, alone."
"Mmph..." King Dedede made a face.
How many areas had they just wandered through without a clear path? They'd repelled countless traps and enemies along the way to get where they were now, but they had only managed to do so by combining their strength. It was clearly going to be impossible to backtrack alone. Even King Dedede, in all his hubris, could understand that much.
"Aahh, this is such a pain! I never should have listened to anything Magolor said after all!"
"That's so mean...!"
Just as Magolor was beginning to protest, Kirby returned from scouting the area. "Hey everybody! I found a mirror that looks kinda different from all the other ones we've found so far!"
"What?"
Everyone focused their attention on Kirby. He continued, giving his report with enthusiasm. "There's a big mirror in the cave up ahead. It's way more fancy and pretty than the others we went through."
"Really?!" King Dedede stood up, full of energy, his previous complaints forgotten. "All right, no question that's the one that's gonna get us to the center of this labyrinth. You've done it, Kirby. You've earned my praise."
"C'mon, this way!" Kirby led the way, and the group followed him into the cave.
Just like Kirby had said, this mirror was different from the ones they had passed through before. It was big enough that they had to look up to see the end of it, and the frame was extravagant. They could feel a strange power emanating from it, as if they were liable to be sucked in just by looking at it.
"I see. So this is the real deal. That means... if we just go through here, then I'll finally get that feast!"
"It's too early to celebrate, King Dedede," Meta Knight warned. "However ornate it is, that doesn't automatically mean we'll reach our goal through it. Don't let your guard down."
"Hmph! I'm sick of listenin' to you preach at me!" King Dedede was the first to jump into the mirror.
"Oh, no faaair! I'm the one who found the mirror!" Kirby followed immediately after.
"Heheheheh..." Magolor laughed under his breath. "I sure hope it is the goal! I'm exhausted. I couldn't possibly walk another step!"
"For as much as we're here to rescue your friend, you're acting like you're on a field trip, Magolor." Meta Knight gave him a sharp look.
Magolor shook his head as he responded. "What are you talking about, Meta Knight? Now let's get going and save my friend!" Magolor followed Kirby and the others into the mirror.
Kirby looked around, deep in thought. He was surrounded by a lush, leafy forest. The low-hanging branches were intricately intertwined, blocking off paths like monstrous guards. Unlike the peaceful forests of Dream Land, this forest was shrouded in an eerie feeling.
Kirby shivered, and said to himself, "I guess I should just keep going in deeper for now. I have to find some kind of clue about Magolor's friend..."
He guessed at a direction to walk in, but after only a few steps, something suddenly fell in front of his eyes. It was a bright red apple. The wind had blown it down off the tree.
Kirby loved apples. Or maybe it's more accurate to say that Kirby loved all food. His face lit up at once. "Waah, a tasty apple! Now it's miiine!"
He spread his arms and sucked in with all his might. It may have been better to pick it up and put it in his mouth normally, but sometimes, when he was hungry, he took the shortcut. He had the power to suck in everything he saw, after all.
The apple flew through the air into his mouth. But Kirby didn't notice the tiny, tiny creature hidden in the shadow of the apple.
"Mmm, yummy! ...Hm?" The smile that Kirby had after inhaling the apple suddenly fell off his face. "Mm, mm, mm—? Wh-What's, going on...?"
By the time he thought to spit it out, it was too late. Kirby had swallowed up not only the apple, but the small creature, too. And as a result—everything around him suddenly started to get bigger. The trees, the grass, and even the stones beneath his feet grew steadily in size.
No—that wasn't it. It wasn't that everything was getting bigger, but that Kirby was getting smaller!
"Wah... Waaaaaaah?!" Kirby screamed. But even as he did, he kept getting smaller. So small that even mere pebbles towered over him.
"S-Stop it—! Cut it out! Am I going to disappear—?!" Kirby clamored and rampaged, trembling violently, but fortunately, his transformation stopped before he disappeared entirely.
Still, his body was now positively miniature. Small flowers that he would usually pay no attention to now towered over him as massive blossoms.
"...What happened? I got tiny..."
Just as he had calmed down to normal downheartedness, he heard something shoot through the air with a thunderous, resonant sound. The small Kirby hurriedly hid in the shadow of a blade of grass.
First, Magolor dived into sight headfirst. Then, King Dedede thudded down onto the ground so heavily he caused it to shake. Meta Knight landed gracefully, his cape fluttering behind him. Waddle Dee dropped to the ground, too.
"Owowow... That hurt! Why'd this have to happen to me!" King Dedede shouted, rubbing his hip where he landed.
Meta Knight answered coolly, "Evidently, the mirror passage opened in midair. We're fortunate that it wasn't excessively high up."
"It huuuurts... I'm hit!" Magolor, too, was rubbing his hooded head, crouched down on the ground.
"I wonder where Kirby is?" Waddle Dee seemed worried.
Kirby leapt out from under the shadow of the grass, shouting. "Here! I'm here—! Are you all okay?"
"Huh? Did you guys just hear Kirby's voice?" Magolor looked around. However, he didn't notice Kirby down so low.
It wasn't just him. King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee all looked around, but none of them noticed Kirby.
"Right here—! Look down! Down—!" Kirby raised his voice louder, looking up at them.
"What's the deal? I hear him, but I can't see him."
"Kiiiirby, where aaaare youuuuuu?"
"Stop hiding and show yourself."
King Dedede, Magolor, and Meta Knight looked in all the wrong places.
At last, Waddle Dee noticed him. "Oh, Kirby! ...What?!"
Waddle Dee leaned over, bringing his face closer to Kirby. Kirby instinctively moved back as the colossal Waddle Dee face drew near.
Waddle Dee, in hysterics, cried, "Wh-What happened—?! How did you get so small?!"
"What are you doin', Waddle Dee? Bent over there like that..." King Dedede stooped down himself. The King's face was even bigger than Waddle Dee's. Kirby flinched. But King Dedede flinched even more dramatically. "Wh-What—?! What kind of joke are you pulling, Kirby?!"
"It's not a joke—!" Kirby screamed back, forcefully.
Meta Knight and Magolor finally took note of Kirby's presence.
"Kirby... What is the meaning of this?"
"Why'd you get sooo small—?"
"I don't know—! I just ate an apple, and somehow it turned out like this—!"
"An apple? Such as those?" Meta Knight looked up at the apples growing overhead. "They appear to be ordinary apples... So why, exactly...?"
Then, something changed in King Dedede's expression, as if he were plotting something. He pinched Kirby in his fingertips and dropped him into the palm of his hand. His massive face rapidly drew closer, snickering. "Heheh... Looks like you're in quiiite the pickle there, Kirby."
"Eh?!"
"I don't know why, but you've made yourself mighty compact! Just one good snort from me, and I'll send you flying!"
"Ehhhh—?!"
"You've been a relentless thorn in my side up until now. Now, at last, I'll make sure you know my true power!" King Dedede took a deep breath.
"S-Stop—!" Kirby screamed, but that only seemed to cement King Dedede's pleasure. He let out his breath in one powerful burst from the nose.
"Hmph—!"
"Kyaaaaah—!" Kirby was sent flying from the King's snort, tumbling through the air.
"King Dedede, what are you doing?" Meta Knight admonished, looking stunned. "Now we've lost sight of Kirby again. I think we need Kirby's power in order to fulfill our objective here."
"Hahahahh! Who cares about him? I can solve this problem all by myself!" King Dedede laughed scornfully, but then, abruptly looked puzzled. "...So, which way do we go? Hey, Magolor. Where was your friend or whoever it was?"
"Ughhhhh! This King's not gonna cut it! I really do need Kirby after all—!" Magolor sprung up, shaking his fists above his head.
"H-Hmph! I can figure something out even without Kirby! Anyhow, we just need to head in deeper, right?!" King Dedede glanced around, wild-eyed, but they were in the middle of a forest with no clear path. There was absolutely no clue for which direction they should go.
Waddle Dee said, timidly, "U-Um, Your Majesty... I believe I'm remembering correctly that in order to go deeper, we need to pass through a mirror..."
"I know that! Right, we've gotta find a mirror!"
In this world, mirrors were the pathway to go deeper. They had to find one of these mirror pathways in order to continue their adventure.
"I'm sure it's, probably, perhaps, this way, without a doubt... maybe!" King Dedede started walking in a random direction. Waddle Dee followed after him.
"Good... grief."
"I knew I shouldn't have brought along King Dedede of all people..."
Meta Knight and Magolor, though reluctant, also followed after the King.
After being sent flying by King Dedede's snort, Kirby hit a tree and fell.
"Owowowowow... King Dedede... You're so mean!" He stood, swaying with dizziness. "I have to follow everyone... but..."
Even if he ran at full speed, in his current state, it was unlikely he would be able to catch up.
"This is a problem... I need to hurry and find some way to get back to normal..."
Just as he was letting out a sigh, Kirby noticed a hole opened in the roots of the tree. Normally, it would be so small that he would overlook it. But it was perfect for Kirby's current size to pass through.
Kirby could see a faint light from inside the hole. He tried peeking in. Apparently, a large cavity had been opened up inside.
"What is this? Could it be a secret passage...?"
Daringly, Kirby jumped into the hole. It was a much, much greater fall than he had anticipated. Frantically, he sucked in a breath. Usually, this would allow him to float with his Hovering skill, but—his tiny body was unable to hover. He ended up crashing headfirst into the end of the hole.
"Owiiiie... C'mon! Why do I keep getting hurt by everything today?!" Kirby scowled as he stood up.
He was in a massive underground tunnel. The air was cool and damp. Kirby blinked his eyes. Even though he was underground, for some reason, a light was shining from deeper down the pathway.
"If there's light... Then that must be a way out. Aaaall right...!"
Kirby bounded towards the light, breaking into a run.
On the other hand, King Dedede and his crew were still wandering aimlessly through the forest.
"Your Majestyyy... Are you sure we shouldn't start looking for Kirby...?" Waddle Dee whined.
King Dedede rebuked, displeased, "Be quiet! I'm tellin' ya we don't need him. Now shut up and follow me!"
Meta Knight spoke. "No, I agree with Waddle Dee. We won't get anywhere by walking around haphazardly."
"I'm finding us a mirror!"
"Don't be so stubborn, King Dedede. One way or another, let's look for Kirby."
"Kirby's not gonna be any use. He turned way too tiny for that!"
"That's what I'm worried about. If we don't restore him to his proper size..."
Just then, Waddle Dee said, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I hear something!"
"Hm? What's that?"
"It's Kirby's voice," Waddle Dee said, pressing himself flat against the ground.
"What are you up to, Waddle Dee? I don't hear any voice..."
"No, it's there. Listen carefully, King Dedede." Meta Knight also pressed his body against the ground. Magolor followed suit.
It was just as Waddle Dee had told them. For some reason, Kirby's voice was coming from under the ground.
"Heeeeyyyyy! Heeeyyyyy everybodyyyyyy! Can you hear me? If you can hear me then answer meeeee!"
Magolor replied, "Kirby! Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Yeah. There's a secret passage underground! Everyone hurry up and get down here. I found a mirror so we can go deeper!"
"Is that true?!" Meta Knight swiftly stood up to stab his sword into the ground. "I see. It seems to be a hollow cavity underneath us. If we all cooperate, we should be able to dig a hole..."
"C'mon, who's got time for all that?! Leave this one to me!" As soon as he spoke, King Dedede was already swinging down his trusty hammer. With just his hammer and his innate strength, King Dedede could break apart the hardest rock. Several blows to the ground later, and all of a sudden, a large hole had opened up beneath them.
First King Dedede, then Meta Knight, and finally Magolor and Waddle Dee all fell down into the underground passage, one after the other.
The tiny Kirby bounced up and down as he spoke. "Wah! That was dangerous! Watch out! You were thiiis close to crushing me!"
"Kirby, where is the mirror located?"
"Here, this way!" Kirby headed to the front to lead the group. They followed the passage until the end, where they found a small mirror.
This was a portal to a deeper world. It was emitting a glow, as if it were inviting the adventurers inside.
Magolor clapped his hands in delight. "Uwaah, I knew you could do it, Kirby! I can't believe you found the mirror in a place like this! You're amazing!"
"It's because I turned small! I don't think I'd have noticed it if I were my regular size."
"Heheh, sounds like it's all for the best that you became so tiny. Better stay that way, then." King Dedede laughed mockingly.
Kirby shot him a sullen look as he responded. "No way! I'm too small this way. I won't be able to eat anything! I want to go back to normal already!"
"Whatever the case, let us continue," Meta Knight said, clutching his sword.
Kirby regained his high energy, running towards the mirror. "Okaaaaay! Let's go! Me first!" he shouted, jumping inside.
"Wait! That's cheating!" King Dedede followed close after. Meta Knight, Magolor, and Waddle Dee were not far behind.
The instant Kirby passed through the mirror, mid-trajectory, he tumbled onto the ground. In the rebound, a very, very small something was sent flying out from his mouth.
The small thing looked up at Kirby, raging in a shrill voice. "Unnnnnbelievable! What do you think you're doing, you glutton?! Slurping me right up along with your apple!"
Kirby blinked, looking around. King Dedede and the others tumbled in after him. After seeing their size, he cried in joy, "Waah, I'm back to normal! Hooraaaay!"
"Hey! Are you even listening?!" The small creature was seething with anger, ramming its tiny body against Kirby.
Kirby looked down at it, apologizing, "Sorry, sorry. I guess I accidentally inhaled you."
"You're hopeless! Who do you think I am?! I am the great Minny! Just because I'm a little guy, that doesn't mean you can go around trying to make a fool of me!" The small creature left in a huff.
Meta Knight said, "Minny? I've heard the name. A very powerful will in contrast to such a small body. I suppose Kirby must have obtained the Mini copy ability by accident after unknowingly swallowing him."
When he said copy ability, he was referring to the mysterious power that Kirby possesses. If Kirby inhales someone else, he can absorb some of their features and special abilities, making them his own. There are many offensive-oriented abilities with special techniques such as Fire and Sword, but no one ability is going to be useful in every single situation.
"A copy ability that doesn't do anything except turn you really small... That's enough of that! That's the one ability I'm never going to inhale again!" Kirby shuddered, remembering how King Dedede had sent him flying with just a snort.
Waddle Dee smiled and said, "But you only found the underground passageway because you were so small, right? It's all thanks to him!"
"Yeah... I guess. Let's go, Waddle Dee!"
They joined hands, starting to run off together. But behind them rose a thunderclap known as King Dedede.
"Waddle Dee! You've been acting mighty suspicious this whole time. You and Kirby really are..."
"Eh... Huh?! Oh, n-no, it's not like that!" Waddle Dee hurriedly shook his hand free from Kirby's grip.
King Dedede closed in on Waddle Dee, looking terrifyingly imposing. "You've been making friends with Kirby behind my back, haven't you?! Which means you've been betraying me, haven't you!?"
"N-No, I haven't. Kirby is our enemy."
"Weren't you just holding hands with him?"
"I just thought we shouldn't let him run off on his own! I was capturing him!"
"Really?"
"O-Of course." Waddle Dee glanced over at Kirby out of the corner of his eye. He looked very sad.
When Kirby noticed that look in his eyes, he jumped up, shouting, "You'll never catch meee! Nyah-nyah!"
"Ah, hey, wait, why you—!" King Dedede followed after Kirby as Kirby ran away.
"I'm sorry, Kirby..." Waddle Dee mumbled, downhearted.
But Magolor responded to the mumble. "Hehehe... You sure are cold, Waddle Dee."
"...Huh?"
"I can't believe you would say something like that, no matter how scared you say you are of King Dedede! I feel bad for Kirby!"
"..."
"I wonder. Are you really Kirby's friend, or not?" Magolor smiled as he turned to follow after Kirby.
Waddle Dee tightly clasped his hands together. He could barely stand how tormented he felt, but he had missed his chance to respond.
"...Kirby and I are the best of friends!" he said, just to hear himself say it out loud, before running after the others.
The group continued to find mirror pathways, and continued to go deeper and deeper. The mirror labyrinth has a complex design, and can't be traversed straightforwardly. Not to mention, each of its areas is teeming with danger. There may be a wasteland that stretches out as far as the eye can see, but there is also a mountain encased in ice and snow. And also a haunted mansion full of surprises behind every corner. And also an area on the ocean floor, with fish swimming all around.
No matter where and how far they went, they could not find a single clue about Magolor's friend.
"Aahhh, I'm fed up already! We're never gonna make it to wherever the heck it is we're trying to go to!" King Dedede had lost his temper at last. He crossed his arms and sat down in protest, his attitude demonstrating that he would not walk one more step as he shouted, "I quit! I'm going home!"
"Your Majesty... You aren't going to get the feast if you leave now..." Waddle Dee said.
King Dedede fixed him with a frightening glare. "You really are a glutton. A glutton for punishment, more like! You really want that feast that much?"
"What? No! I didn't mean me, I meant Your Majesty..."
"Be quiet, Waddle Dee. Are you tryin' to say that I'm such a glutton that I'll let myself be dragged along into anything just for a feast?"
"N, No..."
"Don't think I'm like Kirby! You really are on Kirby's side after all..."
"No—! You are not a glutton, Your Majesty." Waddle Dee bowed profusely in apology.
Meta Knight said, "That is enough of taking your anger out on your subordinate, King Dedede. If you wish to go home, no one is stopping you. You'll simply have to retrace our steps all the way back, alone."
"Mmph..." King Dedede made a face.
How many areas had they just wandered through without a clear path? They'd repelled countless traps and enemies along the way to get where they were now, but they had only managed to do so by combining their strength. It was clearly going to be impossible to backtrack alone. Even King Dedede, in all his hubris, could understand that much.
"Aahh, this is such a pain! I never should have listened to anything Magolor said after all!"
"That's so mean...!"
Just as Magolor was beginning to protest, Kirby returned from scouting the area. "Hey everybody! I found a mirror that looks kinda different from all the other ones we've found so far!"
"What?"
Everyone focused their attention on Kirby. He continued, giving his report with enthusiasm. "There's a big mirror in the cave up ahead. It's way more fancy and pretty than the others we went through."
"Really?!" King Dedede stood up, full of energy, his previous complaints forgotten. "All right, no question that's the one that's gonna get us to the center of this labyrinth. You've done it, Kirby. You've earned my praise."
"C'mon, this way!" Kirby led the way, and the group followed him into the cave.
Just like Kirby had said, this mirror was different from the ones they had passed through before. It was big enough that they had to look up to see the end of it, and the frame was extravagant. They could feel a strange power emanating from it, as if they were liable to be sucked in just by looking at it.
"I see. So this is the real deal. That means... if we just go through here, then I'll finally get that feast!"
"It's too early to celebrate, King Dedede," Meta Knight warned. "However ornate it is, that doesn't automatically mean we'll reach our goal through it. Don't let your guard down."
"Hmph! I'm sick of listenin' to you preach at me!" King Dedede was the first to jump into the mirror.
"Oh, no faaair! I'm the one who found the mirror!" Kirby followed immediately after.
"Heheheheh..." Magolor laughed under his breath. "I sure hope it is the goal! I'm exhausted. I couldn't possibly walk another step!"
"For as much as we're here to rescue your friend, you're acting like you're on a field trip, Magolor." Meta Knight gave him a sharp look.
Magolor shook his head as he responded. "What are you talking about, Meta Knight? Now let's get going and save my friend!" Magolor followed Kirby and the others into the mirror.