Chapter 2: Meta Knight
As our heroes ventured on to Sky High Mountain, Kirby was thinking about Pop Star. Without the Star Portal, he couldn't get back, and he couldn't save any of his friends.
Mario: Kirby, is there something wrong?
Kirby: Huh? Oh. Well, yeah. Without me being on Pop Star, things will get out of hand and maybe my worst enemies could destroy it.
Mario: It'll be okay, we can get those Star Pieces and restore the Star Portal!
Kirby: You’re right!
?????: Not while I'm here!
Kirby: I know that voice…
Just then a dark blue ball about the size of Kirby with an iron mask, a dark black cape, and a sword appeared in front of Mario and Kirby.
Kirby: Meta Knight! I thought it was you!
Meta Knight: If you want that Star Piece, you will have to go through me!
Kirby: Something isn't right…
Mario: What do you mean?
Kirby: Well, Meta Knight's eyes are yellow, but he has red eyes now.
Mario: Well, let’s take him out!
Kirby: Right!
Boss Battle: Meta Knight
Mario grabbed his Ultra Hammer and lunged at Meta Knight with it, but Meta Knight was fast and pulled his cape over himself and disappeared. Mario stopped in his tracks and looked for Meta Knight. Then Meta Knight came from behind and slashed Mario with his sword. Kirby came up from the air and landed on Meta Knight. Meta Knight got up quickly and threw Kirby off his back. Then his cape turned into a pair of wings so he could fly into the air. Meta Knight came down and slashed at Kirby, knocking him down.
Mario: This guy is tough.
Kirby: I know. I need something to suck up. We would have a better chance then.
Mario looked around and saw a Ruff Puff float by.
Mario: Hm. Kirby, suck up that Ruff Puff!
Kirby saw what Mario was pointing at and Kirby sucked the Ruff Puff right up and transformed into Cloud Kirby. In this form he had no feet, was white, and was able to float like a Ruff Puff.
Meta Knight: You think that a cloud could beat me?
Kirby: Yes it can!
Kirby focused on his energy and shot a lightning bolt at Meta Knight.
Meta Knight: I guess that thing can attack. But it won't be enough to beat me!
Meta Knight lunged at both Kirby and Mario, but Mario acted fast and swung his hammer at Meta Knight and Kirby shot a lightning bolt at him. Then Mario finished this off with a fireball and shot it at Meta Knight, who was down after the fireball hit him. Then his eyes turned from red to yellow.
Kirby: We did it, Mario!
Mario: Yeah.
Then Meta Knight started to wake up.
Meta Knight: Where am I?
He then noticed Kirby.
Meta Knight: Kirby!
Kirby: What are you doing here, Meta Knight?
Meta Knight: I am here to repair the Star Portal.
Mario: But we are repairing it too.
Kirby: But wait, how did you know that the Star Portal would need fixing?
Meta Knight: Because... I followed you here to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Kirby: What?! But why?
Meta Knight: Well, when you left Pop Star, I saw that a shadowy figure was following you, so I followed him. But when you and the figure passed through the Star Portal, I saw a big sword coming down toward the portal. So I acted fast and made it through. But once I made it, I was ambushed by a machine and he brought me to an old enemy of yours who wants you dead. Then he used mind control to control me.
Kirby: Do you remember who was controlling you?
Meta Knight: No, I can't remember.
Mario: But I know who ambushed you.
Meta Knight: Who?
Mario: He goes by the name of Smithy! He was the one who destroyed the Star Portal, and from what I heard, Smithy isn't working alone.
Kirby: You’re right. Meta Knight, you’re welcome to come with us and save the Star Portal.
Meta Knight: Thank you, Kirby. I will join you on your quest, I also want revenge on the guy who brainwashed me!
Mario: Welcome to the team, Meta Knight.
Meta Knight: Do I know you? Are you the one called Mario?
Mario: Yes.
Meta Knight: I thought so. Also, I happen to know where the Star Piece is.
Mario and Kirby: Where?
Meta Knight: On top of Sky High Mountain.
Mario: This is going to be one long climb.
Kirby: Then we’d better get moving!
Now with Meta Knight on their side, our heroes kept on going to reach Sky High Mountain. But they were not alone.
?????: Did you hear that, Bro? It looks like Mario and two others are searching for the pieces of the Star Portal.
?????: I hear when you bring them together without being near the portal, they can give you more power.
?????: We’d better get King Dad!
Then the two mysterious people ran off.
Meanwhile at Bowser's Castle…
Bowser: Hey Ludwig, have you seen Lemmy and Iggy around lately? ‘Cause I haven't.
Ludwig: No King Dad, but I do know that this was the day they were going to see what Mario is up to.
Just then Lemmy and Iggy came running into the room.
Bowser: Where have you two been?
Lemmy: We were spying on Mario!
Iggy: We also found out that he and two other strange creatures are searching for the pieces of the Star Portal.
Bowser: You mean the ones that can give you extreme power when you’re not near the portal?
Lemmy: The very one.
Bowser: I'm going to get Jr. You four and me are going to get those pieces!
Ludwig: But what about the other four?
Bowser: They are on heavy duty grounding for stealing Jr's paintbrush and using it to paint my face. I am going to leave our Dry Bones army in charge of them and the castle.
Bowser went off to get Jr, and they left right away.
What surprises will our heroes face
at the top of Sky High Mountain? Find out in Chapter 3.
Chapter 3: Two Clouds, Five Robots, Three Heroes, and one Star Piece
Meanwhile back at Sky High Mountain, our heroes were halfway up the mountain when a lightning storm hit and it started to rain.
Meta Knight: It was sunny a sec ago, why would it start to rain all of a sudden?
Mario: I don't know, but we’d better hurry to the top before one of Smithy's goons gets there.
Kirby: Mario's right, let’s get moving.
As our heroes ignored the rain and kept on moving, they finally made it to the top only to find a large gray cloud with spikes all around it and with one eye at the center of the cloud.
Mario: What is that thing?
Meta Knight: Kirby has fought this guy one too many times! He goes by the name of Kracko! He must be causing the storm.
Kirby: I know every one of his tricks. I'll take care of him!
But before Kirby could attack, a big, yellow, fluffy cloud with two red eyes and arms came.
Kirby: What is that?!
Mario: Huff N. Puff, long time no see.
Huff N. Puff: Same to you, Mario! But I have no time for you! Rumor has it that the Star Portal was destroyed, and I’ve come looking for the pieces so I can become more powerful!
Then Kracko spotted Huff N. Puff.
Kracko: You’d better get out of here before I zap you to death!
Huff N. Puff: Ah! If you zap me, I will only become more powerful! But with the Star Pieces in my control, I would become super powerful!
Kracko: Then I guess we will have to fight head to head to see who gets the Star Piece! No powers, just me tackling you, and you with your fists!
Huff N. Puff: Bring it!
Then Huff N. Puff and Kracko began to fight. But the fight was stopped right away because everyone saw a big ship up in the sky with red, black, green, and pink robots with tall bodies and arms, along with a yellow robot with a big thick body.
?????: We are powerful.
?????: We live for disaster.
?????: We are the best fighters in the universe.
?????: We love to destroy things.
?????: We wear cool clothes.
?????: WE ARE...
All ?????: THE AXEM RANGERS!
Mario: Mamamia! They all got new bodies and bigger axes!
Meta Knight: Who are these Axem Rangers?
Mario: They work for Smithy, and I'm guessing that they are here for the Star Piece.
Kirby: But what are their names?
?????: I am Red!
?????: I go by Black!
?????: They call me Green!
?????: My name's Yellow!
?????: I go by the lovely color Pink!
Red: You’re right, but also wrong, Mario.
Mario: What are you talking about?
Green: Well, we are here for the Star Piece, but...
Black: We already have it!
Kirby: WHAT?!
Black: That’s right! I used my teleporting power to teleport right where the Star Piece was when you guys were talking to these cloud beings! See?
Black showed everyone a bright blue Star Piece.
Huff N. Puff: Why you little!
Yellow: We also have an upgrade on our ship, Blade!
Pink: Not only can it fire the breaker beam, but it has a powerful ray that can fuse monsters together!
Red: Now watch and learn while I use our new beam to fuse these clouds together!
Red took aim at Huff N. Puff and Kracko, and fired the beam. Then there was a big flash of light, and when the light cleared, everyone could see Huff N. Puff's body and arms, but he had grown spikes all around his edges. He had his regular red eyes, but also a third eye right above those eyes to form a triangle. That eye was changed from yellow to black.
Red: May I introduce you to Kracko Puff!
Mario: Mamamia!
Green: Kracko Puff! You take care of these guys while we get back to Smithy!
Kracko Puff: Yes Masters!
Red: Good. Rangers! Move out!
Axem Rangers: Right!
The Axem Rangers flew away while our heroes prepared to deal with Kracko Puff.
Meta Knight: There is no escaping! We have to fight.
Kirby: This is our only choice.
Mario: Let’s do this!
Boss Battle: Kracko Puff
Meta Knight changed his cape into wings and flew up to slash Kracko Puff with his sword, but Kracko Puff acted fast and shot a lightning bolt at Meta Knight, sending him down to the ground. Mario grabbed his Lazy Shell, tossing it up and kicking into Kracko Puff, who took a massive amount of damage. Kirby just stood there looking for something to suck. He then had a thought. After Mario launched his Lazy Shell, Kirby sucked it up and transformed into something that Mario had never seen before.
Mario: What in the world is that?
Meta Knight: It appears that Kirby has gained a red night cape with little pictures of wings on it. It looks like Kirby has transformed into Lazy Kirby.
Mario: But he isn't doing anything.
Meta Knight: You are right, Mario. Whenever Kirby sucks up something that is lazy, he will fall asleep. But while asleep, when touched, Lazy Kirby will pass on sleepiness to his opponents.
Mario: I just hope that Kracko Puff goes and attacks Kirby.
Kracko Puff didn't hear a word Meta Knight was saying, as he lunged at Kirby, but fell asleep after he touched him.
Mario: Now’s our chance!
Mario grabbed his Ultra Hammer and kept whacking the daylights out of Kracko Puff. Meta Knight also kept slashing him with his sword. Then Kirby woke up and coughed up the Lazy Shell, which hit Kracko Puff, knocking him out.
Kirby: What did I miss?
Mario: Well, you sucked up my Lazy Shell and fell asleep, but when Kracko Puff attacked you, he fell asleep and me and Meta Knight beat him up. Then you woke up and finished him off by spitting up my Lazy Shell.
Kirby: Sorry, I thought I would transform into something good.
Then Kracko Puff woke up.
Kracko Puff: You think you beat me? Well think again.
Kracko Puff pulled out a button and pushed it, causing the floor under our heroes’ feet to open and they fell into a pit. Then the pit closed and was covered with rocks.
Meta Knight: This isn't good.
Mario: I know, there are spikes coming toward us.
Kirby: What?!
Mario was right, there were spikes coming out of the wall toward our heroes.
Kirby: What are we going to do?
Meta Knight: ...! Both of you, grab my feet. I am going to fly us out of here!
Mario and Kirby grabbed Meta Knight’s feet, and the masked warrior turned his cape into wings and flew as fast has he could to the top.
How will Meta Knight break the rocks when he reaches the top? Will our heroes make it out safely? Find out in chapter 4.