Kirby Honey

Panther Zora's Stone Spire

As Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee ran down with gusto towards Panther Zora's Stone Spire that replaced Castle Dedede they found themselves staring at the dark gritty structure. Dedede spun his hammer again to make sure he was not being tricked and the barrier was destroyed and was happy to see it was.

"Thank goodness for that, ain't that right, Bandana Dee?" Dedede asked him as they looked at the daunting entrance of the Stone Spire. "It's great, sire. Now we're going to wait for the others." Bandana Waddle Dee replied as the others came in running.

"Took y'all long enough," Dedede remarked as Meta Knight came with Kirby, Honey, Natsuko, and Seiji following just behind pointing to the dark entrance.

Everyone looked at the entrance, they were scared of what was awaiting on the other side but knew this was the only way to go. "So this is it." Honey observed as she peeked into the entrance.

"We cannot afford to not take action, we must enter the Stone Spire and face whatever threat that may lurk in their head on." Meta Knight told everyone as he brandished Galaxia once more.

Kirby, Dedede, and Bandana Waddle Dee nodded firmly with determined expressions while Honey, Natsuko, and Seiji nodded with Seiji looking more nervous compared to the two.

"What're y'all waiting for? Let's get goin'!" Dedede told everyone as he and Bandana Waddle Dee jumped into the entrance while the others followed behind.

Everyone looked around them to see that it was dark with a few candles that were hanging on the wall against smoothly chiselled bricks that looked like they were grey with a purple hue. "Where's the way? I can't even see." Dedede told everyone as he swung his hammer.

Meta Knight came with Galaxia which glowed as if it were a torch. "I imagine this is the way we need to go," he told everyone pointing to the next door that was wide open. As they approached it the environment around them seemed to become brighter.

"I was planning on bringing my torch, but I guess that's now unnecessary," Honey remarked as they continued walking. The way was now narrower as if they were in a corridor. Below everyone's feet was a purple carpet and the candles on the wall transformed into a panther that was leaping at them with the light coming from the fire that was burning from inside their jaws.

"What has she done to my castle?!" Dedede asked the others looking terrified at where it had gone until he heard a familiar whimper in the shadows.

Dedede rushed to the source of the noise to see a sad Waddle Dee tied to a ball and chain with a broom in his stubby arms. Bandana Waddle Dee and Kiryb ran in as well distressed to his allies in chains.

"What happened to ya?!" Dedede asked the Waddle Dee looking terrified as if someone hurt them as he removed the Waddle Dee's chains. The Waddle Dee looked shaken yet relieved to see Dedede back as tears of relief gathered in his eyes. "Sire, it's horrible, they... they locked us all and forced us to slave away... Escargoon's also g-gone." the Waddle Dee was shaking in between sobs and extreme sadness.

"Ya need to get out, I'm not sure what they plan to do to y'all, but I don't think it's pretty," Dedede told him as he pointed to the end. "Thank you, sire!" the Waddle De replied looking relieved as he ran waving goodbye to Kirby, Bandana Waddle Dee, and everyone else.

"Hey, where did that Waddle Dee go?!" one of the Panthers shouted as his pupilless eyes appeared from the darkness to see the Waddle Dee having left and the ball and chain on the ground.

"We'll get you for this!" the Panther shouted aiming his rifle at Dedede. "You folks need to learn some manners around my subjects."

Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee lunged themselves at the Panthers and managed to defeat them before the other arrived to help as more Panthers rushed in with golden bullets bouncing off the walls. 

Despite the massive barrage of bullets, the group managed to advance with Meta Knight and Natsuko quickly dispatching the Panthers while Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, Kirby, and Honey fought dealing massive blows to the Panthers and turning their attacks on them.

As the group continued advancing they found more Waddle Dees that were caught in balls and chains sweeping the floor, they were all pleased to see Dedede free them from their imprisonment. As this happened, more Panthers came out of the darkness and stuck back only for them to be easily defeated.

The group advanced quickly until they faced a flight of stairs, they turned around to see a large pool of purple liquid coming at them.

"What's that doin' here? What's she tryin' to do?!" Dedede asked terrified as to what he was seeing. "Quickly! We must go!" Honey told everyone as she ran up the flight of stairs with Kirby just beside her.

As they ran up the stairs they could hear the purple liquid bubbling as if it were lava. More Panthers came don as well this time armed with Maces and other mell weapons. "They sure aren't making it easy, sire." Bandana Waddle Dee told him.

Kirby nimbly dodged one of the Panther's swings with Honey as Meta Knight slashed the Panthers in front of him with Galaxia while the two fought and attacked the Panther with the mace who crumpled up into foam.

Despite the purple liquid approaching, the group managed to climb up the stairs with surprisingly little resistance with the purple liquid bubbling before it stopped completely and continued bubbling like lava.

"I ain't gonna touch that, I don't wanna burn anything I've got," Dedede told everyone as Bandana Waddle Dee dipped his spear to see that the tip burned off as if it were fragile as he replaced the spear with a new one.

The group soon found themselves near a bright red door that was made up of metal. Just as Dedede was about to rush in he heard a familiar voice. "Sire... sire, is that you?"

Dedede jumped into the air for a moment recognising the voice and seeing a snail-shaped shadow that revealed itself. "Escargoon?! What happened to ya?" Dedede asked him looking relieved to see a friend as he hugged him tightly.

Escargoon looked relieved and had tears flowing from his eyes. "Oh, sire, it's been horrible! We've been tortured and forced to work against our will!" Escargoon told Dedede as he tried to comfort him.

"Now now, Escargoon, we're behind your back. What's been going on?" Dedede asked him.

"That Panther Zora witch that came enslaved us all, she's just behind that door and transformed herself into a stone statue."

Dedede looked at the door emboldened to free not just the Waddle Dees he saw along with Escargoon but also the entirety of Dream Land. "We'll clobbah that there Panther Zora good, Escargoon."

"We're right behind you, your majesty. You're a hero to us all!" Escargoon replied looking much better than before. "Oh come now, lil' ol' me a hero? Surely you're jestin'."

"Yeah, we'll help too," Honey told Escaroon as he got close to him. Escaargoon was taken aback having never seen her until now. "Who's that?" he asked Dedede.

"Oh, that's Honey, she's the traveller who decided to come with us. She's fought Panther Zora before and doesn't like her very much." Dedede explained to him.

Escrgoon looked around to see Seiji and Natsuko as well as surprised to see them. Meta Knight and Bandana Waddle Dee introduced them to Escargoon while Kirby waved hello to him.

"Good to you all, I don't know what's exactly waiting behind those doors but I can't imagine it'll be easy," Escargoon told everyone as he slowly walked away before he looked at the group one more time.

"I'll clobbah that there Panther Zora for good!" Dedede told him as they all entered the door.