#bukiset

[kachikirby]

GranEssex Chronicles: Chapter 2 - Adjustment

It was the day after Meta was brought aboard the GranEssex and Kurabe felt it was time to get him used to the ship and her crew.

"Meta, allow me to introduce you to Mercury."

To her, there was no better person to start that with then with the vice-captain of the ship, Mercury. There was one problem with this, though: Meta still seemed wary about her, despite showing much curiosity about the metal woman yesterday. Mercury herself could also tell that the child was wary as well, so she decided to show off her specialty. The woman's body began to morph into a different form, becoming a silver copy of Kurabe. This instantly grabbed Meta's attention with his hesitance dropping a little.

"How did you do that?!" He said in amazement.

Mercury gave a soft chuckle. "I am a Limet, a race of shapeshifters. I can become anything-"

She then morphed into an exact copy of Meta.

"Or anyone. I have my limits, of course, there's a few things I can't copy, and some transformations use up a lot of energy. When I run out of energy..."

She then morphed into a small silver blob.

"I revert to my original form."

His curiosity further piqued, the child picked up the small blob, which was roughly the size of his foot.

"Is this how you really look?" He asked.

He then gave the blob a light squeeze. "You're so squishy..."

Internally, Mercury was trying to remain calm. Not only did she not like being in her original form, she also didn't like being squeezed. But if it meant getting Meta to warm up to her, she would just have to deal with it.

"Squishy... squishy..."

Admittedly, Kurabe was much too entertained by the child's amusement to say anything.

"...what's this?"

He gave a slight squeeze to the blue, diamond-shaped object within the blob. That's when Mercury shot out of Meta's hands and transformed back into her preferred appearance.

"That was my core. My heart, in other terms. I'd appreciate it if you don't do that. Ever." She uttered, clenching her chest with her face a bright red color.

The child gave a silent nod, shuddering from how sudden the action was. It was then that Kurabe stepped forward and spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Meta. I should've mentioned that you can squish any other part of her but her core."

"You have nothing to feel bad about, kid." Mercury said, her composure regained. Though she did shoot Kurabe a glare as well.

"I... I'm sorry..." Meta uttered, looking down at the floor.

"I said it's fine. You didn't know. Just be careful from now on." Mercury then placed her hand on Meta's head.

There was a moment of silence.

"...why do you stay in that form? You're a lot cuter and squishier in your true form..."

Mercury's face became a shade of crimson. She was never good at receiving compliments like that.

"I just prefer this form. It's what makes me Mercury and not just another Limet..." She murmured while covering her eyes with her hat.

"It's also because you like to be tall." Kurabe said with a slight smirk.

"That's irrelevant, Kurabe." Mercury said with a pout.

The warrior only laughed in response. "Well, I have to go do some work now. You two get along now and enjoy your tour of the ship!"

This made her student concerned and confused. "Sensei, what are you going to do? You never told me anything about what's going on..."

"I have to fill out some paperwork to allow you to become my student and stay on this ship. I also have to do some negotiations with my colleagues..."

There was a moment of pause, as if the child needed to process this.

"I understand, sensei." Meta said, sounding somewhat worried upon hearing that. He then received a pat on the head from Mercury.

"It'll be fine, kid. No one's a more forceful-, I mean, skilled interrogator than her." She said with a slight laugh.

"Are they really that bad?" The child asked.

"Stubborn is a better term."

Kurabe gave a shrug as she said that. "Anyway, I'll check on you later, Meta. Listen to everything Mercury says, there's no one more reliable than she is."

"Ok." The child nodded in understanding.

"Good, I'll talk to you two later."

With that said, Kurabe closed the door to her room, leaving just Mercury and Meta in the hallway.

"Now I suppose I'll show you the most important facility first. Our first stop will be the command room.

Meta nodded in response and began to follow after the woman.

---------

As the two walked Meta kept noticing crewmates wearing similar armor doing all sorts of different tasks.

"Ms. Mercury-" He suddenly asked.

"Please, just Mercury."

"...Mercury, who are those people? I figure they're other crewmates."

"Those are the Bukisets. They're normally armored mercenaries, though the ones here are under the direct command of Kurabe... and me when she isn't around."

Meta looked back at the armored mercenaries.

"How many of them are there?"

"There are eight of them on this ship."

"Are they all named Bukiset?"

"Yes, all of them are named Bukiset."

"How do you tell the difference between them then?"

"Small details. While each of them are very similar to one another, it's the small differences that make each one stand out. For example, the one sweeping the floor over there is left-handed, all the others are right-handed. The one polishing the windows over there always drinks orange juice even if orange flavors don't mix well with the food we serve. There are several others, but those are just a few examples. Being able to point out small details like that is a very important skill to have, Meta. Make sure to keep that in mind."

"I know... I had to be like that back when I was living on my own..." The child uttered with a sigh.

"Then you already have experience. Good, that'll make teaching you easier. Now come on, we're almost there." She seemed to grab his stub and drag him the rest of the way there.

Wherever this woman was taking him, she seemed to be very excited about it.

---------

After a few minutes, they arrived at the command room.

"Alright this is the command room. Think of it as the main base of operations. We meet here for strategy meetings, giving out orders, and contacting and receiving calls. When she's not filling out paperwork or training this is usually where you can find Kurabe."

This made the child scratch his head a bit. "Then what's the purpose of her room?"

"Everyone has their own rooms. Mainly for recreational purposes or just to sleep. She prefers to handle paperwork and personal matters in her room."

"Personal matters?"

"Matters that pertain only to her. Like when her mentor just wants to talk with her, for example. Everyone's entitled to privacy, you know?"

He looked at her curiously. "I see. Privacy wasn't a thing back on that planet."

"Well, now you have it here." She replied with a slight laugh.

"So that room I slept in last night…"

"Yup, that was your personal room. If you want, one of these days I could help you decorate it to make it more personalized for you."

The child didn't really understand how they would do that when he didn't know what to do to make it more personalized for him, but he agreed to it anyway. After hearing that, Meta went off to look around the room. There was a large table in the middle of the room with various chairs against it and several large monitors on the walls. Some of these were blank screens, and others seemed to just project security footage from elsewhere in the ship. There were also several expensive-looking gadgets, likely for contacting people outside of the ship. Not to mention the room itself was massive, likely to fit the entire crew into this room. Such a large size also made the child feel small.

"…doesn't she ever get lonely sitting around in a big room like this?" The child suddenly asked.

"Maybe, but she usually isn't alone. She's always accompanied by someone, usually me. But now you also get to fill that role."

"What do you do in here?"

To the child, it didn't look like there was much to do inside this room if no meeting was going on.

"If there's no meeting going on, we use room to give out commands. Notice the communication device right there? It's connected to every speaker in the ship. This room is entirely for function. Now let's head to our next destination. I think you'll enjoy it."

Hearing that made the child excited.

---------

While Meta was on his tour, Kurabe was in a meeting with the rest of the Grand Five. The Grand Five is the five greatest members of the organization, led by General Z, the leader of the organization as a whole and more importantly, Kurabe's mentor.

"That concludes my report on yesterday's mission. Now, on to the primary subject of today's meeting, the child, Meta. I would like to request permission to take him in as my student and allow him to live on the GranEssex."

General Z looked at his old student with an impassive expression, which then turned into a small smile.

"I don't see any reason to not allow this. If he truly is as powerful as you say, Kurabe, then I can't think of anyone better suited to teach him."

Kurabe smiled at this, but her smile faded when her "rival" spoke up.

"With all due respect, general, I have to disagree. According to her report, this "Meta" she is talking about is a child."

This was Reedy, the Silver Tactician. He was a Limet like Mercury and the head strategist of The Organization. In Kurabe's opinion, he was also a huge pain in the ass.

"Yes, but that has not stopped us from recruiting children before, has it?" She seemed to glare directly at him.

"No, but we've never sent children into war zones before either, Kurabe. I know you; you go overboard with all of your students."

"Experience is the best teacher at times. There's some things that are better learned on the battlefield than in a simulator or training room."

"Young Kurabe is correct."

This old-sounding voice came from Bio Raiden, known as "the Lightning Shinobi" and grandmaster of the Bio ninja clan. "It may be true that he is a child, he also grew up on Opasnost Star, the planet nicknamed "the death trap planet". He has lived in a war zone. He would be safer under Kurabe's watchful eye."

"I understand that and agree with at least getting him off that planet. What I disagree with is bringing him into war zones and traumatizing him more than he more than likely already is."

Reedy gave a matter-of-fact reply, pushing up his glasses.

"Speaking of which, it is quite irresponsible of you to not have him undergo a medical exam or a psychological evaluation, Kurabe. Though I guess that's a given due to how sloppy and spoiled you are."

"That's an awful lot of assuming you're doing, Reedy. For starters, I just met him yesterday. Do you really think I'd have enough time for either of those exams?"

"What were you doing during that time you could have been administering them? Taking a nap? Training extensively? Or did you simply forget about it?"

"I was busy trying to get him to warm up to me so I could gain his trust and he wouldn't try to attack or anyone else on my ship whenever we administered those tests! Also, when did I say I would be throwing him into a war zone instantly? That's just something you came up with."

Reedy only replied with an irritated sigh and pulled up a series of notes, presenting them as if it was evidence. "Every student that has quit learning from you has said that. Besides, that contradicts with what you said about experience being the best teacher and battlefields."

The warrior only gritted her teeth before quickly responding. "There's no contradiction. I said I wouldn't do it instantly. I still need give him that psych test and medical exam. Not only that, but I need to actually teach him how to fight properly. Once I believe he's ready, that's when I'll place him onto the battlefield. Also, every student that quit? You mean all five of them compared to the thirty that didn't? Reedy, I know exactly what this about. I get it, you're a father and don't like seeing children in pain. But, you have no reason to doubt me as a teacher."

Reedy sighed before folding his hands in front of him. "How do we know you're going to follow through with that promise? You're an impatient woman."

Before things could escalate, the final member of the Big Five spoke up.

"Reedy, I understand where you are coming from. However, you are being quite unfair. Kurabe does have the tendency to be hot-headed and impatient, yes. However, she never breaks a promise either."

Reedy seemed to groan, as if he knew that he couldn't deny that. The final member was a powerful mage named Momo, the Hidden-Fanged Witch. She was the head of the magic division of The Organization and usually the voice of reason in the Big Five, especially when it came to Kurabe and Reedy's arguments. Under normal circumstances, she is very soft-spoken and kind. However, all the other members know that there's more to the mage than what's on the surface.

"Let's bring this to a vote." Z said before any more debates could break out. "Momo, you go first."

"The child is a Star Warrior, correct? Then I have no doubts in Kurabe's ability to teach him. Though I would like to show him a bit of magic, if that's ok with you. I vote yes."

Z nodded at the response. "Reedy?"

The Limet became silent, as if he either refused to agree or he was thinking about it. Noticing this, the general decided to give him time to think.

"Raiden, what do you think?"

"I have no objections. Young Kurabe has proven herself time and time again. My vote is yes."

Z nodded before turning to his former student.

"Kurabe, do you promise to devote yourself to this Meta?" He asked with a deadly serious tone, much different from his initial kind one.

"I promise." She responded, her tone equally serious.

Z's kind smile returned. "You know my answer then. Reedy, have you come to a decision?"

The final member replied with a sigh, thankfully lacking any of his earlier exhibited hostility.

"Kurabe, allow me to ask you one single question: Why exactly are you so desperate to let Meta become your student?"

The warrior glared at him with a serious look in her eyes.

"He was abandoned on a planet where only the strong survive. He might be a sweet kid, but he unfortunately has a warrior's bloodlust. I already see a lot of myself in him, both the good and the bad. As a fellow Star Warrior... no, as another orphan who was lost for a long time, it's up to me to look after him. He was already on the path to becoming a knight the moment I met him. It's up to me to make sure he thrives as one."

Reedy stared at Kurabe, trying to analyze her to see if she was lying. No... all he saw was a woman who desperately wanted to watch over a child.

"Kurabe, if you screw up, I'm taking him away from you." Reedy finally said.

"So, is that a "yes"?"

"It's not a no." He uttered under his breath. His screen then turned off, signifying that he left.

"...you think one of the kids was messing with his device again?" Momo asked, Kurabe giving a slight chuckle in response as Raiden let out a sigh.

Z cleared his throat, immediately gaining everyone's attention. "Kurabe, as you now have a new student, here's your new assignment: I want you to spend as much time training him as possible, so you'll have two months of being off-duty. Don't worry about pay, this'll be a S-class mission, so you'll be compensated accordingly. Any objections to that?"

"I have no objections to this, sir." She then stood up and gave a bow of respect. "Thank you very much for this opportunity."

She was grateful that she kept her eye visor on at this time, as she began to feel her eyes water.

---------

It didn't take Meta long to figure out that the place Mercury was talking about was the training room.

"Alright, we're here, Meta. Welcome to our training room."

The child looked around wide eyed at the large area. Various exercise machines were lined against the wall, but there was one thing that caught his attention completely.

"Mercury, what's with those robots?"

"These are robots used for combat training."

"Can I examine one?"

Upon seeing Mercury's confused face, Meta elaborated.

"Sometimes while scavenging for supplies, I would come across different types of machines. They always fascinated me." He seemed to utter shyly.

"Oh... then go ahead. Take as much of a look as you want."

The child quickly got to work. The training machines were about the same size as Mercury, and each had a symbol on the chest. This symbol presumably being the symbol of The Organization.

"Mercury, how powerful are these machines?"

"The strength of these machines vary based on whatever symbol you see on the front of the robot. It's based on the classification system used by The Organization."

"Classification?"

"The organization classifies missions, groups, and individuals with a ranking system. F rank is the lowest. F rank subjects are usually of no threat. Then E rank, then D, C, B, A and finally S rank. S being the most dangerous."

The child looked at the woman in interest. "Has sensei fought all of those?"

"Oh, definitely. I have as well. Would you like to fight one for yourself?"

"Uh-huh!" He nodded enthusiastically.

"Then let's start off with something simple. I'll have you fight two F rank and one E rank at the same time. Sound good to you?"

After seeing another nod, Mercury walked over to the wall and pressed a button on it. Then a part of the wall opened, revealing various training weapons.

"Pick whichever you'd like."

Meta walked up to the stash of weapons and inhaled a sword, gaining a purple hat. Other than inhaling, this was the inherent ability of all Star Warriors, known as the Copy Ability.

"Ah, you went right for the sword? How interesting."

"It's close enough to the sticks I normally use." Meta breathed in and out, his eyes becoming sharp and focused. "I'm ready."

"Good luck."

Mercury pressed a few buttons on a remote, activating three of the machines.

The two F ranks rushed forward with their claws, only for Meta to swing his sword horizontally, the sheer force of the swing tearing the robots in half. The E rank began to fire its gun arm from a safe distance. The child jumped up high and landed right behind the machine, thrusting his sword straight through it. He had defeated the machines in just under one minute.

"How impressive... though I guess that's expected from a Star Warrior like you."

Meta's eyes were still sharp. "Bring on the next one." He uttered.

Mercury shook her head. "No, this was just a taste of what's to come. You'll have plenty of opportunities to train later."

The child only pouted in response as his eyes lost all their previous sharpness. Suddenly, his stomach growled, causing his cheeks to turn bright red.

Mercury gave a laugh as she took his hand. "Come on, let's get lunch."

---------

The cafeteria amazed the child Meta. After years of needing to scavenge for food and water, a place like this was almost unbelievable. Before Mercury could say anything, she was cut off by the child shouting.

"C-can I have all the food I want here?!" He exclaimed immediately with his eyes sparkling.

"Not all of it. You need to leave some for the rest of the crew." She said with a chuckle. "But you can choose whatever you want."

"But I don't know what I want! There's sooooo much good stuff here!" He exclaimed.

"Then it's a good thing you're going to be here for a long time." said Kurabe as she walked in through the door. "You'll have plenty of opportunities to try everything, Meta. Don't be in such a rush."

He still looked unsure about what he wanted to eat. Kurabe decided to do things herself and got a plate full of food for the puff.

"It's all good, Meta, so enjoy it, and please remember your table manners."

The child paused for a moment to think about what she had said.

"So... no inhaling?"

"No inhaling." She firmly nodded as she placed the food in front of him.

Meta looked at the dish for a moment before immediately eating everything on it. He absolutely loved every bite he took. Before now, all he had to eat was what he could find, mainly beef jerky. While he did find other things he could eat, they were either scraps or moldy. While he could eat the scraps, they weren't that filling unless he ate a lot of them. Not only that, but he also learned the hard way that he couldn't eat moldy food. As a result, he sometimes went to sleep hungry. That why this place was simply amazing. He could eat whenever he wanted!

Suddenly, he felt a pat on his head.

"Take your time, Meta. No one's going to take it from you." He looked up to see Kurabe quietly stroking his head.

With a nod, Meta kept eating until eventually his plate was cleaned off completely.

"So, what did you think?"

"This was great! Though I think I liked that chicken you made yesterday more."

His mentor gave a slight chuckle. "Well, thank you. I'd be happy to make other dishes for you sometime."

She then looked at Mercury, who had also finished eating. "Mercury, inform the crew that we'll be taking off in one hour."

"Right away, Captain."

As the vice captain saluted and walked away, she turned her attention back to Meta.

"So, what do you think of the GranEssex?"

The child seemed to hesitate in his answer for a moment. "I... I like this place but... it makes feel strange..."

"Strange how?" She asked, in a concerned tone.

"It makes me want to smile... I've never felt like that before."

The warrior smiled in response. "That means you're happy, Meta."

"That... so?" He uttered quietly. "I think I like it..."

Kurabe gave a slight hum. "Well, I hope you continue to feel that way-"

She was suddenly caught off-guard by a hug from the child. She briefly looked at him in surprise as she heard a few quiet sobs escape from him.

"Meta?"

There was silence as she placed a hand on his head and stroked him softly.

"...thank you..."

---------

The hour of prep time has passed and the GranEssex was ready to take off. Meta was now in his room, looking at the planet he lived on for one last time. He felt the ship rumble and leave the ground.

"I suppose this is goodbye..." He uttered with a sigh.

"I assume you wanted to just say goodbye to it one last time?"

He turned around to see Mercury standing in the doorway.

"Not really. This was my home, but I don't feel sad about leaving it."

The woman gave a nod as she entered the room. "Yeah, after hearing Kurabe describe it, I can't imagine you'd ever want to go back here again."

"No. I hated this place, but it felt necessary say goodbye to it."

"Ah, I understand that." The woman nodded upon hearing that.

The two simply stood in silence as the ship continued to fly up through the atmosphere. Suddenly, Meta squeezed Mercury's hand.

"Hmm? Something wrong?"

"...you're a lot better when you're squishy."

A bright red blush immediately shot across the woman's face.

"Y-you want squishy, huh?" Mercury uttered.

She then ripped off a small part of her body, which quickly regenerated.

"Here, kid, it's a stress ball."

The child took the blob and squished it in his hands. It was just like when he was squishing Mercury in her true form this morning.

"Thank you, Mercury!"

"No problem, kid! I hope you enjoy your time here!"

Meta nodded and went back to looking at the planet he once called home. Now he had a new home. A home he needed to protect. Suddenly, a wave of tiredness surged throughout his body. Mercury seemed to notice this as well.

"I'll let you get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, Meta!" She said with a smile before heading out of his room.

"Then... good night..." Meta replied quickly.

"What a strange phrase. Hopefully, I'll get used to it." The child thought to himself.

He then walked over to his bed and got underneath the blankets, curling up into a slight ball. It felt... warm. He let out a satisfied sigh.

"Good night, Meta." said Mercury's voice. Hearing this made him slightly jump awake.

"M-Mercury...? Where are you?" He uttered, tensing up.

"You know when someone says good night, you aren't supposed to wake up, right?"

Meta noticed that her voice seemed to be coming from the stress ball she made. He silently blinked in confusion.

"But how...?"

"I can talk through any part of my body, even if that part is separate from my main body. Now get some sleep, kid, no doubt Kurabe's gonna push you to your limit tomorrow."

He gave a nod in response. "Alright. Good night again, Mercury."

Meta quickly fell asleep soon after, dreaming about his new life with his new family.

---------

Extra: Toyhouse Pages for Appearing Characters

General Z

Reedy

Momo

Bio Raiden

[weirdmarioenemies]

If you're even vaguely familiar with Kirby, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that one of the most iconic abilities is Parasol. It's a unique ability, it gets a ton of merch, and it's cute, to boot!

But when you think about it, there's not a whole lot of enemies for Parasol, is there? There's a lot of enemies that hold Parasols, there's the Parasol itself, which may or may not be sentient, but Parasol doesn't bring a wide variety of enemies to mind like, say, Fire or Spark might.

Believe it or not, there actually are a few enemies that give Parasol that neither HOLD a Parasol nor ARE "just" the Parasol...but they're wholly exclusive to a few games, and have not had a proper reappearance in the games since the SNES era. So, let me introduce you to all of them! Maybe there will even be some you like, or wish would come back!

But first, an honorary mention...

Name: Parasol (Kirby's Dream Land)

Debut: Kirby's Dream Land

You know it, you love it, it's...Parasol?!

That's right! Before it became the ability we all know and love, Parasol actually debuted in the same game Kirby did, which you might note did NOT have copy abilities! Like Waddle Doo and Sir Kibble, this is a classic example of an enemy that had an ability based around it, rather than vice versa.

I want to talk about specifically its iteration in this game, which is a bit different compared to future entries. First off and most noticeably, its appearance is wholly different! The hood is smaller and shaded but with no discernable pattern, the handle is thinner and the hook itself looks more rounded! Secondly, all Waddle Doos and Dees will let go of their parasol once they land, with none spawning while holding them or keeping them when they land anyway.

And another thing: you can't even dang inhale them when they're being held! The Waddler in question will be swallowed, but the Parasol will drift away or, in the Extra Game, even hone in on you! I told you they were debatably sentient! It actually does that in a few future games like Kirby's Adventure, but not nearly as commonly as it did in the original Extra Game. So strange!

OKAY OKAY time for what the post promised you now I promise. Hold my hand (and your Parasol) as I take you through The Parasol Enemies That Time Forgot:

Name: Floaty the Drifter

Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 2

"Floaty the Drifter", not to be confused with Floaty the Cell Core, is such a wonderful name. "Floaty" would already be a sillily obvious name on its own, on par with names like Flamer and Chilly and Cappy, but adding "the Drifter" makes it even moreso. Is that its species? Its title? Is Floaty an individual? Probably not, we see multiple of them in the same level and often, and this is not like Vividria where it's canonically an individual that just so happens to be fought in pairs for gameplay, but it's funny to consider. Imagine if they followed through with other enemies, like "Spikey the Poker", "Burnis the Scorcher", "Elec the Trocuter"…

Floaty the Drifter actually acts as the main provider for Parasol in this game, wholly replacing the titular object itself except for when Kirby uses it. On its own, it doesn't do much floating OR drifting, instead hopping around in its own little world, kind of akin to Cappy, but it lives up to its name when a Waddle Dee holds it, in which...it will just act like a normal Parasol! Wholly and entirely. Even when dropped, it flies off rather than initiate its normal grounded behavior. I think I've heard some of them fly at you when released, but I can't think of any instances of that, and that's still a Parasol behavior anyhow.

As you can tell, Floaty the Drifter's claim to fame is in its unique design, bearing a single mischievous eye and a stark green coloration only seen in artwork. In fact, despite being a one-off mook, this would even grant it its own role in the anime!

Floaty the Drifter, or just "Drifters" as they're called here (I guess it is a species!) are bought by King Dedede in the episode "Escargoon Rules" to attack Escargoon and his mother after presumably being "I'm With Stupid"’d all day. I did not watch the anime! According to the wiki, they're about as fragile as you'd expect a swarm of umbrellas to be, as while they swarm towards and wrap around victims, they are easily KO'd by Fire and knocked away by Kirby's own Parasol ability.

You might be wondering why, exactly, Floaty the Drifter even has one eye in the first place, considering that its role is largely the same as Parasol. To answer that, we'll have to move on to the next creature to feature:

Name: Jumpershoot

Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 2

I bet you never expected an ability like Parasol to have its own, dedicated midboss, did you? And such a sophisticated one, at that! It's even one of the few Kirby characters with toes, for the freaks in the audience!

As you may have guessed, Jumpershoot and, to a lesser extent, Floaty the Drifter are both based on the kasa-obake, perhaps one of the most ubiquitous yokai! And this is despite not really ever having appeared in folktales, if ever. I was always under the assumption that the kasa-obake was a tsukumogami, an umbrella after it had lived for 100 years, but apparently even this isn't set in stone, either!

Jumpershoot first appears in Big Forest, the second world of the game, and guards Coo because...some reason! I don't think it's ever mentioned why the Animal Friends are kidnapped, they kind of just are! And as for Jumpershoot, does he work for King Dedede? Dark Matter? I don't know how employed midbosses are. Mr. Frosty is on the Halberd once.

Our favorite umbrella attacks by jumping and gently falling towards the ground, then makes a rapid, Tornado-like spin around the room that, after a bit, repels attacks! Then, rather than dropping Stars, he throws his own sandal at you that you can shoot back at him! Don't worry, it regenerates, so you don't have to feel guilty for robbing him of footwear!

I really really like Jumpershoot. And apparently, so did Shimomura, because he reappears in Kirby's Dream Land 3, acting much the same but with more detailed sprites! He's such...a cool character, you know? You wouldn't expect a Parasol midboss to be a yokai, of all things, especially one that acts so rowdy! I love him!

Sadly, as much as we'd all love to, there is no game where you can play as Jumpershoot. Tragic, but true! But...you can get a taste, a crumb of its rapid spin attack by having the Parasol ability while riding Coo, which makes Coo spin around invulnerably just as he does! And while he would later find himself joining the foray of midbosses abandoned after Kirby's Dream Land 3, Parasol Coo still appears in Kirby Star Allies, so his soul is still with us...

This would be the end of the road for Jumpershoot, in terms of games, but luckily for Jumpershootheads, he would make one final appearance in a piece of Twitter art, joining a medley of other monsters by spooking Channel PPP! He's still got it!

Sadly, this wraps up the Jumpershoot section of this post, and thusly we have no more Dream Land 2 Parasol enemies to speak of. But don't worry, we still have more parasolic beasts in the next title...

Name: Sasuke

Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 3

Although Floaty had a cute design, it's rather appropriate that the enemy that replaced the Parasol of Kirby's Dream Land would itself get replaced in Kirby's Dream Land 3, isn't it? But Sasuke is no mere living umbrella!

Sasuke's design might bring to mind Bumber for our veteran readers, and its behavior is much the same! It drifts down slowly and steadily, and starts walking back and forth on whatever block it lands on, just like Parasol Waddle Dee, but its hat never detaches, so it will never not give Parasol! Personally speaking, though, I think Bumber is MUCH more cute and memorable...sorry, Sasuke! At least you will always have Naruto to confide in.

Sasuke also made an appearance in the anime, where he's built a lot more like Lololo & Lalala. Here, he draws a gun at King Dedede and Escargoon, an

Name: Klinko

Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 3

The oddest Parasol appearance in both looks and functionality, and our final Parasol giver, is Klinko! It looks like it would give Cleaning if anything, with its hat reminiscent of a besom! It doesn't even drift down slowly like every other Parasol enemy does at some point–in fact, while it hops around, it doesn't share any traits with the Parasol ability at all, and is the only Parasol enemy like that! So, why does it give Parasol, then?!

The answer is: it's not wearing an old broom, but actually a straw umbrella, because it's based on yet ANOTHER yokai! Shimomura seemed to think yokai were the future of the Parasol ability, and who wouldn't!

The amefurikozō, unlike the kasa-obake, has a bit more concrete lore, being children that appear in and sometimes cause rainfall, hence why they wear straw umbrellas. This is true of Klinko, too, as it appears in cloudy stages or stages with heavy snowfall! Its Japanese name, Kinko, might also suggest some relation to the separate yokai Yukinko, a child associated with heavy snow, which could also explain its tendency towards icy levels.

It's easy to see why such an unparasolic enemy would not be used any further, but I kind of like them more for it. They're an anomaly! Sure, this is essentially just Floaty the Drifter's hopping behavior, but the lack of any other Parasol attributes than just wearing an umbrella really make it stand out to me! And that's the beauty of these enemies—the longer Parasol goes without any new enemies, the more these guys will always stand out, and that's wonderful, I think!

What do you guys think? Is the time right for some of these guys to make a comeback? Is Parasol better with the limited enemies they use now? Or should they make new ones? Tell me! I can't do anything with your suggestions but I have nothing better to do than read them!

[almightyhamslice]

Kirby's Dream Land 3 stage 2-4, Gamugaeru and Kogamugaeru's stage!

Gamugaeru is the caretaker and custodian of the large temple the stage is set in! She and her daughter Kogamugaeru live there and take care of the place (Kogamugaeru doesn't do much now since she is very young, but she'll inherit it when she is older), making sure the temple stays clean and that the algae patches on the walls are well maintained/not overgrown. They're a pair of anthropomorphic common toads. I guess kinda mermaid ish but not really honestly. Just funny toads!

However, due to the latest Dark Matter invasion, the temple has become something of a target. Usually visitors and wildlife come and go as they please and Gamugaeru leaves them be, but now the temple has been invaded by Bukisets and seized by Captain Stitch. The Captain took advantage of the distraction caused by the Dark Matter forces and captured Kogamugaeru, stranding her on a ledge on the temple's highest floor, far from the water below, and locking her there with a barrier that can only be pierced by the Needle ability. He did this because he wanted a stronghold or hideout of sorts. The temple isn't his, but he thinks it ought to be.

2-4's temple itself is incredibly large and incredibly old--it doesn't even have true windows, just dark areas that have walls and light areas that have pillars. The structure is already somewhat of a maze that only the toads know by heart, but everything becomes much more difficult to navigate in the dark rooms, where some doors are hidden by the lack of light. It's those doors that are the most important! Inside the last secret room is Captain Stitch's stolen lair, where Kine and Kirby challenge him to a fight!

They find Kogamugaeru in the next room and free her. She isn't hurt, but her skin is getting dry. How could it not be! She's been out of the water too long. Kirby and co. run her under the waterfalls in the next room, then bring her back to her mother. Gamugaeru is so relieved her daughter is safe and healthy. She thanks Kine, gives him a Heart Star, and says goodbye as the 3 friends move on to another stage.

Regarding Gooey, you may notice that he has the necklace in this stage! This is because he used the Stone ability to explore secret rooms, so as to not waste Kine's Spark ability. He didn't really like doing it, but it was the best option. Ironically, Gooey might actually be kind of afraid of the dark!

[chickenpeep77kirbyau]

Popstar and its creatures intro and part 1

Planet Popstar's shape is somewhat different in this au than in the canon. It is rounder with five enormous mountains in a peculiar mountain range that circles the planet almost perfectly. Popstar is an unusual world; not just because of its slightly flattened shape. Its weird, though its not the only planet to have environments so shaped by a high saturation of magic. Magic zones are irregularly occuring, leading to a variety of magic levels on and around the planet. Its known as a weirdness magnet. For some reason strange things are just pulled towards it, leading to an unusual amount of events happening. Interdimensional portals are unusually common here. The foliage growing here is a range of yellows oranges and reds. It has three native sentient species: waddle dee, cappy, and the woods. Here are some critters that live on Popstar:

As Popstar has a relatively high wormhole density, who knows how many of these are actually native. Earth creatures such as chickens and boars have settled here.

Noddy: Chill friend that can nap all it wants. Most predators leave it alone due to its flesh containing narcoleptic toxins. They are particularly abundant around a mysterious place called the dream fountain. It is a place rich in telepathic crystals. Experiments suggest that during sleep the noddies interact via some sort of hive mind. What are they up to? Who knows?

Minny: A smol creature that uses its tail as a third leg.

Shelt: Uses the pointy tip of its shell to compete with each other and scare off predators.

Whippy: Uses its tail to whack prey.

Chip: Silly jumping ferret snake thing.

Wappa: Lives in snowy environments.

Dale: Cave dweller that has a light producing organ on its head.

Slippy: Semi aquatic critter that somewhat resembles a frog. Relative of the bubble head and hot head. Its hard to catch due to the slick oily substance produced from its skin.

Bubble/hot head: Two similar organisms. One produces a gross oily frothy substance, while the other produces flammable oils that it ignites with its fire magic.

Pteran: Flying critter with a long stiff tail fin.

Gip: Flying critter that can shoot small magic based projectiles at predators.

Leap: Flying critter with big dexterous lips.

Schnoz: Pig like thing

Bigger Schnoz: Bigger pig like thing with a flail tail

Dice: Comes in non magic and ice magic using varieties.

Bohboh/Fuufuu: A pair of similar species. One uses fire magic and the other ice magic. Makes big gusts of temperature altered breath using an expandable throat pouch. Can also levitate when needed.

Kapar: Semi aquatic critter whose males have a shiny crest on their head. Territorial and will attack with magic based blade projectiles.

Polof: Creature resembling a rabbit.

Bun: Rabbit resembling creature with strong ear muscles it can use to rapidly punch things.

Boxboxer: Bigger heftier ear muscles to really punch things. Ears include a pair of pseudo thumbs.

Sir Kibble: A critter in a metallic shell. A tendril on the top can spring forward, bringing a sharp blade down on what's in front of it.

Bukiset: Another shelled critter. The two holes in the top of the shell resemble eyes in their placement, but are actually the nostrils. The line underneath resembling a mouth is a single eye wrapped around the front of its face. The actual mouth is a beak right below the eye. They can use tools wow! (This is one of my favorite au redesigns)

Wizzer: A critter resembling a clam. Its single eye can project a beam attack to attack prey and encroaching threats.

Como: Superficially resembles a spider, but its not. It attaches a silk thread to a high object before bungee jumping down to grab a prey below it. It might also spit webbing.

[plucky-belmondo]

Dark Choco gets...

Bukiset from Kirby's Dream Land 3!

They're these little knights that actually wield different weapons! (and yes, even a broom)

imagine if DevSisters made DC use a broom as an April Fool's joke- xD

Since I've been seeing posts like this lurk around: Reblog this with at least one of your F/Os, and I'll assign them...a random Kirby enemy!

example:

(Main/mini bosses will not be included! Will close when I feel like it.)

[aeon-knight]

did this meme on twitter :]

[theternalflare]

Hands you more doodles(7)

[askdeleine]

Does Magolor sell quality art materials or do you else where to get art supplies?

His prices are so over the top! An’ his stuff isn’t even that great of a quality. If I’m in a pinch I’ll make my own, otherwise I usually get my supplies from whatever village I’m closest to at the moment. My favourite art shop, though, is the one from where I grew up. It’s run by a Bukiset couple and I go there all the time when I’m visiting my family. Plus I get a sort-of discount ‘cause I’m a local (or ex-local, technically, but it still counts) - I spent all my time and pocket money in there when I was a kid.

[linkandorf]

Burning Bukiset!

Bukiset is a very interesting enemy. Buki is Japanese for weapon, meaning Bukiset’s name basically means weapon set. Bukiset can carry eight different weapons, one for each copy ability. This is the Burning Bukiset, which carries a flaming sword that can shoot out fire. I like the fake smiley face, where the ‘smile’ has its actual eye. Of course, that’s a design that’ll pop up much later in Magolor’s boss fight.

[kachikirby]

GranEssex Chronicles: Chapter 1 - Unmasked Origins

It was supposed to be another standard-issued mission: Head to a planet known for its high crime rate and eliminate a notable criminal group. What Kurabe wasn't expecting to find was that her target was already eliminated, by, of all things, a child. The child was clearly a Star Warrior just from appearances alone. He was dark blue in color, had piercing white eyes and was wielding a stick with a stone tied to it.

"This gang was a class-A planetary-level threat. Did he seriously defeat all of them by himself?" Kurabe thought to herself as she approached this unknown person.

"My name is Kurabe. I'm with The Organization. I was sent here to deal with this group, but I see you already dealt with them." She said diplomatically.

The child just stared at her.

"I'll need to take you in for questioning. Come along peacefully and-"

Kurabe was cut off as the child dashed at her, swinging his makeshift club. She quickly blocked it with her left sword, Rubis, but was surprised by how powerful the attack was, even being pushed back a bit by the force. Though she noticed one thing: he had very little skill in combat and most of his attacks were slow and sloppy. Still, he had incredible potential. Potential that excited her. Just as she had that thought, her other sword, Grenat, was knocked out of her hand by another blow. Thinking fast, Kurabe quickly traced a rune and teleported behind the child, knocking him out with one quick karate chop to the head.

"I'm sorry, but this was the only way." She whispered as she wrapped the child in her cape and began to carry him back to her battleship.

As she stopped to pick up the sword Grenat, Kurabe noticed he was covered in cuts and bruises. Most likely from the fight with the gang. None of the injuries seemed fatal but they would need to be treated quickly to prevent a potential infection.

"Should I have Bukiset...? No, it would probably be better if I treated him myself..." She thought.

There's no doubt that the child would be intimidated if too many people crowded around him at once, making him much more difficult to deal with.

---------

Soon they reached the ship and was greeted by the GranEssex's vice captain, Mercury.

"Welcome back, captain. How did the mission...go? What's with the kid? Are they alright?" The woman uttered in surprise upon seeing the bundle.

"Outside of a few cuts and bruises, he's fine. Actually, he's the one who eliminated the mission targets, so you can submit it as completed."

Mercury just looked at her in shock, but quickly regained her normal expression. "I'll get the med kit."

"Yes, please do. And take it to my room."

As her subordinate began to leave, Kurabe began to think back on the emotions she felt from the child while fighting and carrying him back. At first glance, it was a mismatch of unsure feelings, but she could now pick out a single one: fear.

"Who would leave a child on a planet like this?" She wondered. She could always ask him when he awoke, but she doubted that would be much help.

Kurabe walked to her room and set the child down in one of her chairs. Mercury quickly arrived with the med kit in hand.

"Do you want me to handle it, Captain?"

"No, I can handle it. Besides, I think having too many people around him will make it more difficult to talk to him."

"Understood, I'll leave you to it then." The woman said and left, leaving Kurabe alone with her thoughts and the child. Quickly she walked over to the sink and filled a bowl with water.

"...alright, first is to clean the area with mild soap and water to prevent infection..." She thought, attempting to recall what she remembered about first aid.

---------

While cleaning him up, Kurabe felt... off for lack of a better term. Why was she so concerned for this child? Sure, she didn't like seeing children hurt, but this was different. Could it be because they were the same species? Her mentor had once told her about how Star Warriors tend to feel a certain closeness to each other. Before she could question that feeling more, the child began to wake up.

"Good morning." Kurabe said as kindly as she could.

The child's eyes widened in fear, likely due to not knowing where he was. Then his eyes focused on Kurabe, and they became sharp again.

"Calm down, there's no need for any of that." She said with a glare, causing the child to loosen up, but still on guard.

"Where am I?" He asked.

Kurabe was caught off guard by his jaded tone.

"A child shouldn't sound like that..." She thought and then cleared her throat.

"You are on my battleship, the GranEssex. I brought you back here to treat your wounds and ask you a few questions."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"And you are?"

"Kurabe. I doubt you've heard me. And what's your name?"

He was hesitant to reply to her for a moment, but then decided to give in.

"...Meta." The child quietly replied.

"Meta..." Kurabe repeated with a slight hum.

"The name suits him..." She thought to herself as she began to put away the med kit.

"What were you doing on this planet, Meta? I sincerely doubt it was by choice." She then asked in a soothing voice.

He gave a questioning gaze towards her. "I live here."

"What about family?" She asked, dreading the obvious answer.

"...what's that?"

"You mean you don't have any parents? Not even a guardian of some kind?"

The child shook his head after thinking for a moment. "...I don't know. I live on my own."

"Then he's an orphan..." She thought with a slight sigh.

"Let's change topics then. Meta, why were you fighting those men and why did you attack me?"

"...they attacked me first and I didn't want to die. And you looked like you would hurt me, too..."

"Well, I wasn't going to."

The child slightly gritted his teeth before speaking. "I've heard that before. My entire life I've struggled to stay alive. Many people have pretended to be kind just to hurt me."

Hearing that broke the warrior's heart. Gently, she took one of his stubs in her hand, as if to comfort him. Then, she removed the visor that covered her eyes, showing a gentle, sympathetic expression.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What about now? Do you feel like I'm threatening now?"

She began to feel a warm, trusting feeling in her hand as he looked at her silently.

"No, but why? I attacked you. Why are you being kind to me? Do you just pity me?"

Admittedly, even Kurabe didn't have an exact answer for that.

"It's because I saw potential in you as a warrior."

"What does that mean?" He asked, all of his previously shown hostility replaced with confusion.

"I am one of the greatest warriors in the galaxy. The fact that you impressed me with your strength says enough."

Despite those words coming out of her mouth, Kurabe knew there was more to it than that. There was this other, alien feeling she was starting to develop, and she didn't know why.

"...I could tell you were powerful when we clashed." Meta admitted. "Stronger than me."

The warrior gave a nod in understanding. "Meta, do you wish to become stronger?"

"I need to become stronger. Living on this planet taught me one thing: only the strongest thrive. That's why I named myself Meta. To be strong and durable like metal."

"But even metal can break and bend without reinforcement, no?" Kurabe responded quickly.

The child became silent upon hearing this, as if acknowledging that she was right.

"And my training would be the reinforcement to your metal."

There was a moment of silence.

"Can... I have time to think, please?" Meta asked, quietly.

Kurabe was pleasantly surprised by the sudden politeness.

"Take as much time as you need to think." She replied with a smile.

Then she heard a slight growl coming from the blue puff, whose cheeks seemed to redden in embarrassment.

"You must be starving. Wait right here." Kurabe said, leaving to grab something for the child to eat.

Meta looked around at the room he was in. It alone was nicer than anything else on this planet. Could he obtain something like this if he stayed with Kurabe?

"Do you like sweets?" The warrior suddenly asked.

Meta looked at her curiously. "Sweets? Is that like jerky?"

"No, it's quite the opposite of jerky, actually. It's... well... try it for yourself." She placed a plate in front of him at the table.

While Kurabe knew it was chocolate fondant, the child clearly had no idea what it was. Meta took a hesitant bite and his eyes widened. It was without a doubt the best thing he'd ever eaten. Almost immediately, he began to scarf down the rest of it quickly... by inhaling it. Kurabe chuckled at this.

"So, I take it you enjoyed it?"

She received an enthusiastic nod in response. Kurabe smiled. Underneath the initial antagonism was a sweet kid, though it pained her to know that such a kid was abandoned in the first place. Maybe... even if he didn't want her to train him, he could still stay here. At least he would be safe on the GranEssex. Then her thoughts turned back to what she was thinking about earlier. Why exactly was she acting like this? While yes, she was interested in Meta's potential as a warrior, but that doesn't explain all of her actions. Usually, she would just drop them into training instead of doing everything she just did.

"Miss Kurabe..." Meta said snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I think I would like to stay here. If that's fine with you..." He uttered, averting his gaze shyly after asking that.

"Of course." She simply replied.

It was then that a thought crossed her mind: did she want to be his mother? No, that can't be it. That's when she noticed something: Meta was crying. However, it wasn't out of sadness, rather it was tears of joy. Acting completely on instinct, Kurabe wrapped him up in a hug.

"...Miss... Kurabe...?" The child uttered in confusion.

"Not "Miss". It's "sensei" … and think of this as me welcoming you into my family."

The blue puff managed to wipe away a few of his tears while in her grip.

"Sensei, is this... what family is?"

"That's something you'll need to decide for yourself, Meta. But, I'd like to try being your family."

The child became silent for a few minutes.

"I don't know what family is but... ok..."

The warrior gave a slight sigh. "To put it simply, a family is a group of people that trusts, supports, and loves each other."

"But what is love?"

Admittedly, Kurabe didn't really know how to answer that at first. How would you explain something as complex as that to a child? That was when she thought of it.

"Love is... something that's different for everyone, Meta. It's not something that can be taught. Only learned in time."

The child only pouted.

"For someone who's really powerful, you're awfully clueless about a lot of things..."

Meta then felt Kurabe tighten her grip and quickly looked at her eyes in response. She was still smiling but her eyes were promising something else. Something very painful.

"What was that, Meta?" She asked in a sweet but deadly tone.

The child shrank back with fear. "N-nothing..."

"That's what I thought." She said, loosening up her grip.

"She's really nice, but she's also really scary when she's angry..." He thought to himself.

---------

For the next few hours, Kurabe showed Meta around her room. While she didn't have many things for the child to play with, there were a lot of things he seemed to be interested in looking at. Her desk. The various photos on the walls. Even the soft, cushiony sofa. But the thing that seemed to interest him the most was the large bookcase.

"It's probably because he never saw anything here on that planet..." She thought as Meta admired the wall of books before immediately pulling him away when he attempted to climb it.

"It's dangerous to climb that, Meta. If you're interested in reading something, I'd be happy to grab it for you."

It hadn't crossed her mind until now. Was he even able to read?

"Meta, not to be rude, but can you read?"

The child shook his head in response. "No. Never learned how, never saw a need for it."

She should've known.

"Would you like to learn how?"

Admittedly, there was probably no real choice in the matter if he wanted to become her student. The Organization wouldn't want an illiterate warrior on the battlefield.

"I'd rather not bother you, sensei."

"You say that, but you want me to teach you, don't you?"

Hearing that made the child avert his eyes as a slight blush appeared on his face.

"Y... yes..." He squeaked.

The warrior gave him a pat on the head.

"We'll start after dinner then."

The child gave a nod in understanding.

As Kurabe began to make dinner, she felt Meta silently watching her from the table. It appeared that he had mellowed out quite a bit since they first arrived on the ship, but his guard still seemed very much up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, getting a slight jump from the child in response. He then said... something. It was more of a mumble than anything.

"Please don't mumble. I can't understand you otherwise." The warrior gave a sigh.

A moment of silence.

"Sensei... what is family to you?" The puff asked.

"This crew for starters. Especially my second in command, Mercury. We've had each other's backs for a long time. Then there's my mentor, who is like a father to me. Even if he's a stubborn old fool. I guess in simple terms, family is the people I refuse to let go of. People I wish to protect."

Meta nodded in understanding. "Then what is love to you?"

"Love is when you'll do anything for the person you love. Regardless of if it's romantic or platonic. You'll understand more when you're older."

Her student then pouted at that. "But how do I know if I feel love? This is really hard..."

"Love is a complicated feeling, Meta, and it's something that just doesn't happen overnight. Trust me, when you feel love you'll know what it is."

After hearing that, the child seemed to understand. Then there was a knock at the door.

"I'll be right back." She said while opening the door. "What is it, Mercury?"

"I just came to check in on you. How's the kid?" The woman asked, looking into the room.

"He's doing fine. In fact, he's my new student." She said with a strange sense of pride.

"What? He agreed to becoming your student already?" She then gave a slight whistle. "That was quick. So, anyway, what's for dinner?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, Mercury, could you-"

"Give you some space? Yeah, I figured. I'll just eat with the Bukisets." The woman gave an understanding nod.

"Thank you." Kurabe replied with a smile.

"No problem. I'll check up on you two later. You two have fun then!"

With that, Mercury walked away.

"Was that the Mercury person you mentioned?" Meta asked.

"Yes, that was her."

"I see." He said, clearly curious about the silver woman.

Kurabe gave a smile. "I'll introduce her to you another time. For now, I should finish making dinner."

The child nodded, excited to see what food she was making. Hopefully, it was as good as what she made for him before.

---------

A half hour later, Kurabe placed a plate in front of Meta.

"Sensei, what is this?" He questioned after sniffing it.

"It's called chicken parmesan."

He then picked up the long noodles on the side and stared at them in curiosity.

"And that's spaghetti. I hope you enjoy it."

She then sat down at the table and began to eat her own plate of food, noting that the child was now staring at her. He then took two of the utensils and began to copy her movements with them to eat. As Kurabe watched Meta eat, she noticed he was on edge, like he was used to being on high alert. While it would be useful for the missions he'll no doubt take, it didn't make it any less sad.

"Meta, you can relax. This ship is incredibly safe, so please relax just a little."

Upon hearing that, the child seemed to understand, as he began to loosen up a bit. Then, to her own surprise, he inhaled the rest of the food on his plate.

"...Meta, I'm glad that you seem to enjoy my cooking, but please use utensils and take your time when you're eating." She said with a sigh.

"...can't you inhale, too, sensei?"

"I can, but I prefer not to. I'll have to teach you about table manners it seems." She said in amusement.

The child nodded and continued to do his best to copy her movements while eating.

Then, he seemed to speak up again. "That red sword you have..."

"Interested in swordplay, are you? Don't you worry, Meta, I'll be teaching you in the art of swordplay."

His eyes instantly lit up upon hearing that. "Really!?"

"Of course. You are my student now. It's my duty to make you as strong as I can. Both in body and mind."

"Thank you so-" The puff cut himself off, as if realizing something.

"Wait, I didn't I say I would think about becoming your student?"

"You agreed to it already, haven't you?" She replied with a slight smirk.

There was silence, as if Meta was thinking about everything that had been said and retracing every conversation. Suddenly, his cheeks began to turn red again in embarrassment.

"Can... can you really teach me about swords, sensei...?" He uttered shyly.

"I won't just teach you about swords. I'll teach you everything."

The child tilted his head in curiosity. "Everything?"

"Everything."

Before he could make a response, she spoke up again. "Well, we should probably make this a formal decision. However, I'll warn you about this now, Meta. My training can get pretty intense. Some of my previous students quit because of it. A few have even died. Are you sure you would like to become my student?"

The child seemed to hesitate.

"Don't worry. You can still live on this ship if you have second thoughts."

After hearing Kurabe say that, he then became quiet once again.

"You said that I'll become even stronger after your training, right?" He asked. "I've lived on this horrible planet long enough. I'm sure that nothing you throw at me can make me quit."

The warrior replied with a chuckle. "Brave words. But something tells me you'll be able to back them up. Well then, Meta, allow me to formally make you a member of my crew. Welcome to your new home."

The child gave a smile, the biggest that Kurabe had ever seen up to this point. "Thank you so much, sensei!"

"You're welcome, Meta." She replied warmly, noticing that Meta was now struggling to stay awake.

"Perhaps we should start our lessons tomorrow. Let me go set up a bed for you."

Seeing a nod, she hopped down from her chair and began to clear off the table.

"I believe we have an open room next to mine. I'll let him stay there..." She mused as she headed towards the room. "It's usually reserved for guests, but I think he can keep it..."

---------

When Kurabe returned, she saw that Meta was already asleep. Not having the heart to wake him, she picked him up and carried him to the bed she set up in the room next to her personal cabin. Though when she tried to walk away after placing him down and pulling a blanket over him, he unconsciously grabbed her.

"Don't want me to leave, do you?" She uttered with a slight chuckle. "Alright then, I guess I'll stay here with you for a bit."

Kurabe removed her eye visor and laid down in bed with Meta, making sure not to disturb him.

"Good night, little knight."

There was no verbal response, but the quiet, satisfied sigh was all she needed to hear as the child leaned closer to her.

---------

A short time later, Mercury was looking for her superior. She was slightly worried due to not finding her in her personal cabin like she said she would be. Then, she noted the extra room positioned close to said cabin. It looked like the door was unlocked.

"Hey, captain, are you in here?" She asked quietly while opening the door.

The only thing Mercury could hear was the soft breathing of the sleeping Kurabe and Meta. Opening the door a bit more, she noticed that the child was curled up close to her superior, who had laid an arm over him as if to reassure and protect him. At first, Mercury was surprised at this scene. But then, she gave a slight smile.

"Never in a million years would I think that she of all people would have something like a motherly instinct..."

Quickly, she grabbed an extra blanket from the closet and laid it over them with a slightly excited humming.

"Things are definitely going to get more interesting around here..."

---------

Extra: Character Toyhouse Pages

Kurabe

Mercury

[boke-chan]

I misunderstood that until recently

[kachikirby]

For the character development ask game...

1, 34, 37, and 41 for Kurabe, Mikuto, and Katsumi?

Thank you for the ask! I'll get to answering!

Kurabe my bf and I have briefly discussed what animal she would be. We said she would be a coyote or wolf, any kind of animal that lives in a pack because of how protective she is of her family. I think she would just be completely confused if she somehow woke up as one of them tbh. Mikuto would be a sloth because he's slow and tends to nap a lot, pretty much like a sloth. HIs first reaction would just probably be falling back asleep. Thinking about Katsumi, she would probably be a cat because she has the vibes of jumping onto counters and pushing shit off. She would do that if she became a cat.

34. Kurabe has last thought about stealing one of Mercury's towels from her bathroom because the Bukisets were behind on laundry and she didn't have any clean towels. Shortly after she thought of that, the Bukisets returned with more so she didn't need to do it. Mikuto last thought about stealing Kurabe from her job to spend time with him. He thought it was too much work and didn't. Katsumi last thought about stealing a large pack of lolipops from a store that had booted her out for her behavior. She did it anyway.

37. Kurabe would probably want to live in... hmmm... I'd say 1980s Japan or around the era where there was a ton of Kaiju films. It wouldn't work because she'd probably find it boring when she realizes they aren't as common as they think. Mikuto wouldn't really care, but I'll put him in the 1960s because of his natural hippie vibes. It wouldn't work for him because he'd just sleep through everything. Katsumi probably also wouldn't really care about time period, but I'll put her in the 1980s or 1990s Japan. The disaster part comes in when people assume she's cosplaying as Saki Asemiya or Jotaro Kujo.

41. Kurabe does keep a journal of sorts. She doesn't have any secrets per say, but she has a few doodles, writings, and letters from back when she was dating Bebebe that she would probably strangle anyone if they happened to see it. Mikuto doesn't have a diary, it's too much work for him to keep and he would rather tell other people his feelings instead of hiding them. Katsumi does have one as well. She hid it in an old hard cover book to make it look unassuming. I like to think that at least one of the secrets she'd have in there is that she thinks the Lady of Shadows is cool.

[linkandorf]

Ice Bukiset!

This Bukiset has a little ice sword. He can throw big chunks of ice. I wonder if Bukisets get to choose which weapon they use. And if they do, why choose what they choose? Am I putting too much thought into an obscure Kirby enemy? You betcha.

[linkandorf]

Spark Bukiset!

This Bukiset has a cute yellow wand. He throws lightning bolts as an attack. I feel like this Bukiset has the best color coordination, as the electricity matches his eye color. Truly the most fashionable weapon choice.

[linkandorf]

Parasol Bukiset!

This Bukiset has a white and red Parasol, very similar to the Parasol Kirby uses. Bukiset will open up the Parasol, spraying a bit of water outwards. Seemingly harmless, but we all know how ruthless Kirby is with the Parasol so... Also there’s only one more Bukiset after this.

[linkandorf]

Needle Bukiset!

This Bukiset holds a large lance that has the ability to extend forward. I guess it’s not technically a lance, but it looks like one. The Needle Bukiset has the biggest weapon, but I don’t think that represents anything too special.