Anyway

Inspired by:

“Manager Kirby!”

Assistant Waddle Dee trudged over; a clipboard clutched tightly to his chest with an especially exasperated look on his face. 

“There you are! Do you have any idea how much work there is to do?”

“Work?...Right, work! What’s first on the agenda, Assistant Waddle Dee?!” Kirby beamed.

Assistant Waddle Dee let out a long, peeved sigh, before shaking his head. He adjusted his grip on the clipboard he held tightly, angling it away from Kirby’s curious gaze. 

“Typically, after the gates open, the first thing Manager Magolor will do is entertain the guests who are waiting in long lines.” 

“Entertain?… What does he do?” 

“He usually juggles or does magic tricks but if he’s in a really good mood he’ll tell some of his famous jokes.” 

“Wow, Magolor can do all THAT?!” Kirby exclaimed.

Assistant Waddle Dee huffed, clutching his clipboard a little tighter.

Hmph. You come here so much, yet you can’t remember Manager Magolor’s talents? Unbelievable.

“I can tell jokes, too! Watch me!”

Kirby scanned the park, eyes darting from one group of guests to another. Then he spotted the perfect audience! A small group of waddle dees looking especially antsy as they waited outside the Checkerboard Chase ride. With a determined grin, he took off, ready to wow them with his comedy skills. Assistant Waddle Dee rolled his eyes, eager to see what would happen next.

“Maybe after this, we can stop by the café!” one of them said, pulling out a small camera and snapping a picture of some flowers.

“Look at the balloons over there!” their friend pointed excitedly toward a colorful balloon cart.

“Wow, look at those colors! I have to get a picture!”

Waddle Dee lifted the camera to his eye, lining up the perfect shot, only to be met with a face full of pink.

“HI!!” Kirby shouted.

“AH!” Waddle Dee yelped, startled so badly that the camera slipped from his hands, then hit the ground with a heartbreaking crack!

“Noooo, my camera!” he cried, scrambling to pick up the shattered pieces.

“Kirby! What’d you do that for?!” 

“Ah! I’m sooooo sorry!” Kirby shrieked, bouncing back a step. “I, uh…”

The flabbergasted Waddle Dee shot him a bewildered glare as they crouched over the remains of their broken camera. Bits and pieces lay scattered on the ground, and no matter how carefully they tried to reassemble it, the damage was done.

Kirby winced a bit. 

“Oooooh… that’s too bad about your camera…” He awkwardly knelt beside them, hands fidgeting. Silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Then, in a desperate attempt to smooth things over, Kirby forced a grin.

“Hey! Wanna hear a joke?”

Waddle Dee’s eye twitched. ”…Excuse me?”

“It’s really funny!” Kirby blurted, rocking back and forth on his heels.

The Waddle Dees exchanged uncertain glances. One of them muttered, “Is he serious?”

Kirby cleared his throat. “What’s the most dangerous dessert?”

The Waddle Dees just stared. Kirby spread his arms wide, beaming.

”…Whipped cream!”

Silence. An unbearably heavy silence.

Kirby’s grin weakened. “Hehe… get it? Whipped cream?” He let out a nervous chuckle, glancing around, hoping for even just a pity laugh. Instead, he was met with the deadpan stares of two very unhappy customers. One Waddle Dee sighed. Another picked up the shattered camera lens muttering “I told you we should have to gone to Wondaria.”

Kirby gulped. And then…

“Hey! Watch this!”

Before anyone could react, he scooped up the broken camera pieces.

“Wha- hey! What are you doing!?!” Waddle Dee cried, scrambling toward him.

The other Waddle Dee stiffened, eyes darting between each other in horror. Kirby, meanwhile, clutched the fragments with a nervous grin.

“It’s okay! I’m the manager!” he blurted out.

Then (in what could only be described as a terrible decision) he tried to juggle them. It went as well as one would expect. Two seconds in, he tripped over his own feet. His grip slipped. A rogue piece of the camera went flying…

SMACK!

…Right into poor Waddle Dee’s face.

Kirby slowly lowered his arms. ”…Oops.”

“Kirby, what in the world is wrong with you?!” Waddle Dee cried, throwing their hands up in frustration.

Nearby, a few park guests had started to take notice. Some whispered to each other. Others just…stared.

Kirby’s hands twitched at his sides as he heard it. A hushed voice, barely more than a whisper:

“This guy’s the manager?”

Another Waddle Dee responded just as quietly, but the words still reached Kirby’s ears.

“I thought Magolor was the manager!”

Kirby’s stomach twisted into knots. He could feel all the eyes on him.

“I…I am the manager!” he blurted out, voice cracking slightly.

“That would be Interim Manager, actually.”

Assistant Waddle Dee approached, clipboard in hand, already looking like he’s had a long day.

Assistant Waddle adjusted his clipboard, cleared his throat, and addressed the group with a tone dripping in professionalism.

“On behalf of Merry Magoland I sincerely apologize for this… unprecedented display of incompetence you have just witnessed.” He shot a pointed glance at Kirby, who shrank slightly under the weight of his stare.

“Please rest assured that this is not a reflection of our usual standards. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control and a baffling lapse in judgment, Kirby here has been appointed as Interim Manager for the day. As you can see, this decision has led to catastrophic results.”

He sighed, smoothing out his smock and adjusting his cap. “I assure you that corrective action will be taken immediately, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that this kind of recklessness never occurs again under this establishment’s name.”

Assistant Waddle Dee turned back to Kirby, his voice still calm but his expression anything but. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a very serious conversation with Interim Manager Kirby about proper workplace conduct.”

Kirby gulped.

“In the meantime, you can visit our guest services desk, and we’ll gladly reimburse you for your camera. Again, my sincerest apologies. Please enjoy the rest of your time at Merry Magoland!” He waved the guests off with a friendly smile. Probably the first time Kirby has even seen him smile. Then he turned around and his smile completely vanished. He locked eyes with Kirby as he stomped over.

“Kirby!” he snapped. “This is not proper managerial protocol.”

Kirby shrank under Assistant Waddle Dee’s intense gaze. “I… I thought the guests would like it,” he mumbled, slouching slightly under the weight of his small words.

He then let out a long, frustrated exhale and ran a hand down his face. “Well, they didn’t. And now, were financially liable for damaging their property…which is going to come out of my paycheck….”

Kirby stared at the ground, fidgeting his little stubby hands. “I…I just wanted to help…”

Assistant Waddle Dee pulled out his clipboard, flipping through some papers before tapping his pen against it. His tone remained terse, though there was no disguising the edge of impatience bubbling just beneath it. He glanced at his watch, then shook his head with irritation.

“Kirby, look. You clearly gave it your all, but let’s face it. This isn’t going to work out.” His voice was sharp, his gaze sharper. Kirby’s infinite stomach somehow found a way to sink.

“Being a manager is a lot of work. Maybe someday you’ll be able to handle these responsibilities. But…” He paused and took a few steps ahead of Kirby, looking back at him with discontent. “Not today.”

Kirby’s gaze fell to the floor as a teary-eyed frown took over. Assistant Waddle Dee’s words rang like a loud, angry bell in his mind.

“I have no choice but to retrieve Magolor from his office.” He continued as he sauntered away.

Kirby snapped up and nearly warped to Assistant Waddle Dee’s side.

“NO!” He yelped, his voice nearly squeaking like a toy.

“No?” Assistant Waddle Dee turned back slightly.

“I-I mean…There’s no need to get Magolor! I can do it! Sure, I had a little slip-up, but it won’t happen again! I promise I take this manager’s stuff very seriously!” Kirby hollered, flailing his arms around desperately.

Assistant Waddle Dee remained blase, his expression unfaltering as he watched Kirby, arms crossed, and clipboard clutched tightly.

“Please,” Kirby pleaded, his voice trembling with resolve. “Magolor trusted me! He appointed me as manager! I can’t let him down!”

Assistant Waddle Dee’s grip on his clipboard tightened slightly.

For a moment, his expression remained.

Magolor trusted Kirby.

Kirby.

But not him.

The thought crept up before Assistant Waddle Dee could stop it, hitting him in the face like an apple off Whispy Woods. He had been here working tirelessly, making sure the park always ran smoothly. He knew the park like the back of his little orange hand.

And Magolor still chose Kirby.

This shouldn’t have bothered him. He knew Magolor had a history of making …questionable decisions. There was probably no thought put to this at all, and Kirby simply got lucky being the only around at the time. Maybe it wasn’t that deep. But…hearing Kirby talk about Magolor’s trust like it was some kind of sacred gift…made it sting a bit more than Assistant Waddle Dee was willing to admit.

With a sharp sigh, he slightly loosened his tense grip on his clipboard and brushed off the intrusive thoughts.

“Fine. But be aware if this happens again, I’ll have no choice but to inform Manager Magolor.”

Kirby tensed at his words but offered a small, confident nod to Assistant Waddle Dee.

“I won’t let you- or Magolor down! You can count on me!” He quipped.

With a small huff, Assistant Waddle Dee flipped through some papers on his clipboard before tapping his pencil against it. His head remained low, but his eyes stayed focused on Kirby.

“Nevertheless, we have now wasted a significant amount of time, and you’re about to be late for the morning Stamp Rally. I strongly advise we leave at once before any more delays occur.”

“THE STAMP RALLY?! OH, BOY!” Kirby took off running like his life depended on it.

Assistant Waddle Dee adjusted his clipboard under his arm with a sigh. “Unbelievable.”

Wow, this manager’s business is tough! How does Magolor do this every day?  Kirby pondered.

As Kirby approached the gigantic, oversized manager's desk in the heart of the plaza, he started to feel a deep sense of dread when he saw just how many guests were awaiting their stamps. His excited skips slowly dulled to a slow saunter, his smile beginning to tremble. Assistant Waddle Dee close behind, loudly tapped on his clipboard once again. 

“I assume you know how the Stamp Rally works, Manager Kirby?” he asked, his tone rather pointed.

“Sure, I do!” Kirby chirped happily. “Magolor stamps my card and gives me a prize based on how well I did! It’s my favorite!”

Assistant Waddle Dee sighed. “Right. But you aren’t here as a guest… and Magolor’s not here.”

He took a small step forward.

“And you’re manager, remember?”

Kirby froze.

“Oh! Right… ha… I guess I forgot about that…” He let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head.

Assistant Waddle Dee did not look amused. He sighed as he led Kirby to his post.

“It’s quite simple, really. As you know, when you win a game, you earn a medal based on your placement, bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. Bronze medals are worth the least amount of stamps, and platinum medals are worth the most. Makes sense?”

“Well, sure, but-”

Before Kirby could finish, Assistant Waddle Dee suddenly turned away, pressing his hand to his ear as if listening to something on his headset.

“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Got it. I’ll be right there.”

He turned back to Kirby, smoothing out his smock with his hand.

“Kirby, an urgent matter has arisen that I need to attend to. You’ll have to handle the Stamp Rally on your own.”

Kirby’s eyes went wide. “Wait…alone?!”

“Just remember what I told you about the medals, and you’ll do just fine.”

“But I!? what if!? can’t you just-?!” Kirby stammered.

Assistant Waddle Dee was already stepping away, flipping up his clipboard as he walked. “Well, you are the manager! You can handle it.”

He shot Kirby a quick glance over his shoulder, expression unreadable, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Best of luck.”

And with that, he was gone.

Kirby stood frozen as the crowd of guests stared expectantly at him, waiting. His brain scrambled to remember what Assistant Waddle Dee had just explained to him.

Okay… okay… medals. Bronze… bronze is worth… less? Or more? No, wait, less. But how much less? And then silver is… more than bronze? Or is it less?

He squinted at the line of guests, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Gold is good. That one’s easy. But then there’s… the other one. The special one. What was it called again?

Platimum? No, that didn’t sound right.

Plantinum? Plasti—no, not plastic. Plaid? Platypus? Oh no, I already forgot! 

“ASSISTANT WADDLE DEEEE!” Kirby yelled, but alas, he was long gone. 

Kirby sighed, his stubby hands trembling. He gulped, standing frozen as the crowd of guests stared expectantly at him, waiting.

He had been in front of crowds before. He had saved Dream Land so many times. He had faced monsters, intergalactic threats, and reality-warping deities. And yet, nothing had prepared him for the terrifying sight of dozens of Waddle Dees silently watching him, holding up their stamp cards.

His brain scrambled. What was he supposed to say again? What had Waddle Dee told him? There wasn’t any more time to waste thinking it over. It was time to begin!

“Okay! H-here I go!” 

There were a lot of guests. A lot of them. His smile trembled just a little. This was no game booth. This was the real deal.

Alright, Kirby you can do this! With a confident nod, Kirby climbed onto the stool behind the front desk and planted himself at the center of the action. Before him stood a sea of Waddle Dees clutching their stamp cards and looking around anxiously. It didn’t take long for them to realize something was off.

Manager Magolor was nowhere in sight.

Heads tilted. A few Waddle Dees blinked in surprise as they spotted Kirby behind the counter.

Kirby picked up Magolor’s signature stamp and turned it over in his hands. He looked at the crowd, cleared his throat, and flashed a big, proud grin.

“Hi everyone! I’m Kirby!” he announced. “Um, Manager Magolor’s a little tied up at the moment, so I’ll be running the Stamp Rally today!”

There was a pause, then the crowd subtly shifted forward, some Waddle Dees practically trembling with excitement.  

“Okay! With that, let us begin!” He puffed out his chest, then glanced around. “…Who- uh… who’s first?”

For a second, no one moved. Waddle Dees exchanged glances. Then, in a sudden burst of energy, at least five of them lunged forward at once, stamp cards raised.

“Me! Me first!”

“No, me! I was here before you!”

“I won the most games; I should get to go first!”

Kirby panicked a bit as he watched the group tiff. 

“Please! One at a time!” Kirby said nervously. He locked eyes with one of the Waddle Dees and pointed the stamper towards him. 

“You! Come on up!” He said with a smile. 

“Ha!” The chosen Waddle Dee triumphantly smiled and stepped up, placing their card neatly on the counter. Kirby held up the stamper dramatically and….

“Uh.” He squinted at the stamp card. “What exactly do I…” he panicked as his eyes scanned the familiar card. 

“Right here!” Waddle Dee proudly pointed to his card with smug delight. 

“Oh, right! Okay! One stamp for yoooou!” With a confident nod Kirby raised the stamper high and then….

STAMP! 

Kirby flinched. He stood frozen, shoulders tensed, and eyes squeezed shut as if he were bracing himself for an explosion. He cracked one eye open. 

“Um…” a small voice said. Kirby looked down at the Waddle Dee, staring at him with perplexity. 

“Aren’t you gonna give me a prize?” 

Kirby blinked. He looked down. The stamp was perfectly placed on the card. Clean. Centered. No ink on the desk. No accidental stamping of faces. Perfect! 

He let out a tiny breath of relief.

“Oh! Uh, yes! One prize coming up!” He fumbled for the prize box behind the booth, knocking over a stack of cards before finally presenting the Waddle Dee with a little plush Maxim Tomato.

The Waddle Dee gasped with delight. “Thank you!!”

Kirby smiled. “You’re welcome!” He waved as the happy guest trotted away.

The next Waddle Dee was already pushing forward, card in hand.

They stepped forward with the confident swagger of someone who had done this plenty of times. He slapped his stamp card on the counter like he meant business.

Kirby leaned in and blinked. The card was absolutely packed!

“I got all platinum medals,” they said proudly. “That means I get the deluxe prize.”

“Wow! That’s a lot of medals! Congratulations!” Kirby adorned their card with a plethora of stamps. “Okay’ Let’s see what we’ve got…” Kirby flipped through the prize bin and proudly held up the same plush Maxim Tomato he gave the previous guest. “Here you go!”

The Waddle Dee looked at it, then back at Kirby, his smile faltering just a little. “Oh… I thought the deluxe prize was something…better…”

Kirby froze. “Wait!! hang on!” He quickly tossed the tomato back in then grabbed the next thing he could find; a shiny blue Merry Magoland brand water bottle. Kirby cleared his throat, put on his most confident face, and presented it with a dramatic flourish; chin up, eyes closed, grin wide…just like Magolor! 

“A deluxe prize! Just for you!” he said, doing his best Manager Magolor impression, complete with an exaggerated hand wave.

The Waddle Dee looked at the bottle, then up at Kirby with gentle eyes. “Oh… thank you, but I think the deluxe prize is something a bit better than this….”

Kirby’s grin twitched. “R-right! Of course! No problem!”

He dove back into the prize bin, digging past plush Maxim Tomatoes and shiny Energy Drink bottles, pawing deeper with increasing panic. Then his hand brushed something soft. Velvety.

He paused. His eyes widened just a little, a subtle sparkle flickering across them.

Carefully, like uncovering buried treasure, he pulled it out.

A collective gasp rippled through the line.

It was a…Manager Magolor plushie! -complete with his big top hat, an embroidered winking grin, and of course, his big sparkling bow tie. 

The Waddle Dee lit up. “Yes! That’s it! That’s the one!”

They nearly ripped the plushie out of Kirby’s hand as he handed it over. 

They cradled it with both arms and turned to the crowd, practically bouncing with joy.

“Thank you, thank you! I finally got one!” he called out as he ran off, grinning from ear to ear holding his new prize high in the air.

Somewhere in the line, another Waddle Dee muttered, “Lucky…”

Kirby watched the happy guest disappear into the crowd, then glanced down at the plush still in his hand. He shook himself back to attention, stamper at the ready.

“All right! Who’s next?”

Another eager Waddle Dee stepped up, handing over their stamp card with a big, hopeful grin.

Kirby gave it a quick look, stamped their card and smiled. “Great job! Here’s your prize!”

He handed Waddle Dee the standard maxim tomato prize. They took it and stared at it somberly for a moment. Kirby frowned.

“Is something wrong?” 

“Oh… I thought… maybe… I could get a Manager Magolor plushie…like they got…” they said softly.

Kirby blinked. “Oh… uh…Well…” he chuckled nervously as the wide-eyed Waddle Dee looked at him with yearning. “I…I would, but…you don’t have quite enough stamps for that one yet…my apologies,” he explained gently.

Disappointed, but understanding, Waddle Dee nodded but their expression crumbled. Their lip trembled. Their eyes began to water. 

“It’s just that…It’s so cute and…I’ve always wanted one…”

Kirby’s heart sank. He looked at the little tomato keychain in his hands, then at the poor Waddle Dee’s watery eyes. He knew the Manager Magolor plushie was a prize for platinum level stamp card holders only. Rules were rules.

But still…

Kirby peeked under the counter, hesitated, then ever-so-quickly pulled out another Manager Magolor plushie.

“Here… just this once,” he said softly, handing it over hastily, nearly shoving Waddle Dee off so no one would see. 

Waddle Dee’s eye’s widened with wonder as they held the coveted plush manager. The soft, stuffed toy was of impeccable quality. Hand-made by Magolor himself, each had a unique number, and his signature embroidered under the cape in gold thread. It was one of the hottest commodities in the park. You can’t buy them anywhere. Not even Kirby had one.

“Really?! I can have him?!” His tears of woe had turned to tears of joy.

Kirby nodded. “Yeah, go on, take it! Just consider it a gift from Manager Kirby!” He said with a charming wink.

The Waddle Dee squeaked with joy, hugged the plush tightly, then ran off cheering.

“THANK YOU, MANAGER KIRBY!!!” They shouted as they ran back over to their group.  

Kirby smiled to himself. It felt nice to make someone so happy. Magolor did this kind of stuff every day, it was no wonder he’s always in such a delightfully good mood.

“Phew. That was close!” Kirby sighed. 

Then he turned back to the line.

Every guest was staring at him.

Stamp cards held out. Eyes glittering. Arms reaching.

Kirby’s smile weakened. His balance felt unsteady. 

What have I done?!

As Kirby stared in horror at the mob standing before him, another guest stepped forward. They were incredibly small, so little they had to stand on their tippy toes just to peek over the counter. Their round face, hidden behind the Elfilin mask they were wearing (which was way too big), was slowly sliding down their face. They clutched their stamp card with both tiny arms and blinked up at Kirby with wide, sparkling eyes that shimmered like a fresh batch of gem apples.

They cleared their throat, their tiny voice coming out as soft as a whisper.

“Can I have one too… pretty please, Manager Kirby?”

Kirby hesitated. They didn’t have enough stamps. Not even close. He couldn’t just give out the plushies for free. That’s not how it works.

But...

Kirby glanced at the bin behind him. Then at the guest. Then back again.

Their mask had slipped halfway over one eye, and they were still peeking up at him with quiet, hopeful determination.

Slowly, reluctantly, Kirby reached into the bin and pulled out another Manager Magolor plushie.

He leaned over the counter and handed it to them, whispering, “Here… take it!”

They gasped, holding it as if it were the most prized thing they’d ever touched. With a muffled, high-pitched “Thank you!” they gave the plush a squeeze and scurried off, the mask bouncing as they went.

Kirby’s heart nearly melted into a puddle.

But unfortunately for Kirby, puddles didn’t last long in Merry Magoland.

“Manager Kirby!” “I want one too!” “Over here!” “Me next!”

The shouts came first. Then a sea of round feet and wiggling, stubby arms surged forward, swallowing the booth in a tide of chaos. Stamp cards waved like little flags. Some guests were already climbing onto their tiptoes, trying to get closer, faces glowing with anticipation. Kirby blinked as a dozen hopeful eyes sparkled back at him. Then two dozen.

Then more.

They were surrounding Kirby on all sides, each one clutching their stamp cards and silently begging with their whole being.

He gulped. “Here we go.”

The next guest walked up.

Stamp. Plush. “Thank you!” “Next!”

Stamp. Plush. “Thanks, Kirby!” “Next!” Stamp! Plush! “ALL RIGHT!”  “NEXT!!”

Stamp!!!! Plush!!!! “You’re the best, Manager Kirby!” “NEXT!!!!!” Stamp!!!!!! Plush!!!!!!!! “At long last!” “NEEEEEEXT!!!!” At this point, Kirby wasn’t even checking for stamps anymore. Manager Magolor plushies flew from his hands like missiles. It was a full-blown plushie giveaway extravaganza, and Kirby was the machine behind it.

Plush. Smile. Repeat. Plush. Smile. Repeat. Plush! Smile! Repeat! His brain was itchy. His cheeks ached from excessive smiling. His body felt like pudding. His arms moved faster than his mind could even keep up. Then, in the midst of the chaos….He suddenly saw…

…Himself!?

There stood a familiar round, pink, smiling face Eyes wide, arms ready, stamp card in hand.

Kirby froze. He rubbed his eyes and leaned closer in disbelief. 

“Is… is that… me?”

He stared, unblinking. 

Woah am I crazy?! What is happening?!?!

He looked at his own stubby arms. Then back at the identical puffball staring at him.

The other “Kirby” tilted its head ever so slightly. Kirby leaned in closer, eyes widening. 

And then, the round pink head tilted back, and a giggling Waddle Dee peeked out from behind a Kirby mask.

“Haha, fooled ya!” they giggled.

Kirby let out a small, startled yelp, flailing back a few inches before clutching his chest. “Ohhh! Right… the souvenir masks!” He blinked a few times, then burst into a relieved laugh. “I thought I was seeing double!”

The Waddle Dee kept giggling as Kirby handed over a plushie. “You really got me,” He admitted with a sheepish grin.

“Thank you, Manager Kirby!” With a beaming smile, the Waddle Dee skipped off into the plaza, their perfectly round Kirby mask covering their face.

The line kept moving. The plushies kept coming.

And Kirby? He kept going. His arms were aching, but he wasn’t about to stop now.

This was for Magolor!

If he was going to step up as manager, even just for a day, he was going to give it everything he had. Not far from the crowd, a familiar figure quietly weaved through the plaza.

Assistant Waddle Dee, dressed in his crisp, clean uniform and signature blue cap, walked past crowds of cheerful guests, his clipboard tucked close to his side. His pace was calm, but his eyes moved carefully, scanning the flood of identical plushies clutched in nearly every pair of hands.

He slowed to a stop beside one guest who was sitting under a tree with their plushie.

“Excuse me, where did you get that?” he asked, his voice cool and polite.

“Oh!” the guest beamed. “Manager Kirby is giving them away to everyone!”

Assistant Waddle Dee didn’t blink. “Everyone?...” He said.

“That’s right! I only had a bronze medal, but he gave me the deluxe prize anyway! Manager Kirby is the best!”

His gaze shifted, locking onto the booth across the plaza where Kirby was still hard at work. Another plush flew over the counter, followed by an enthusiastic cheer.

He stared.

Just for a moment.

Then he gave the Waddle Dee a friendly pat on the head.

“Thank you! Enjoy your time at Merry Magoland!”

Then, he turned and walked away, slipping between the trees near the edge of the plaza. His cap dipped low as he vanished into the shade, quiet as a breeze.

Nearly every guest now had a Manager Magolor plushie in their hands. Some were chatting excitedly, others were busy showing off their plushies to friends, and some were already posing for souvenir photos with them. The park was bursting with energy in every corner!

As much as Kirby wanted to celebrate how well things were going, he had a job to do, and he wasn’t about to let Magolor down. He puffed out his cheeks and grabbed the next plushie with determined focus. He was so focused that he barely noticed when the crowd began to thin out. Finally, only one guest remained.

Kirby reached for another plushie…But felt nothing.

The bin was empty. He had given out every single Manager Magolor plushie. They were all gone. Kirby gasped. 

“They’re all gone?! Oh, no…” Kirby sighed regretfully and turned to face the guest.

“I…I’m sorry. We’re out of plushies.” He muttered sadly. 

But Waddle Dee just smiled. In fact, he looked familiar! This was the original Waddle Dee who had started it all, still holding his beloved Manager Magolor plushie tightly with both arms.

“That’s okay, Manager Kirby!” he said gently. “I already got mine. I just came back to say thank you.”

Kirby blinked.

“You really made my day! Merry Magoland is my favorite place ever and today has been my favorite day ever! Thank you again, Manager Kirby! I’ll never forget this!” 

Kirby mustered up a small grin with what little energy he had left.

“Th-Thank you! I’m always happy to help put a smile on your face!” He gleamed, channeling his inner Manager Magolor a bit. 

Waddle Dee gave a cheerful little wave and waddled off back into the plaza.

“Have a great day at Merry Magoland!” Kirby waved cheerfully as he watched him take off. The moment they were out of sight, an overwhelming sense of peace set in. The silence almost felt like a reward. His wave slowed, then stopped as he turned around. With a quiet thud, he slid down to the floor in a tired heap. He let out a long, relieved sigh. He was happy he could make so many guests smile today, but now that all the excitement was over, the exhaustion of it all began to take its toll. His arms were heavy, feet sore, his brain… mush. Being manager…even for a day…was harder than it looked. Kirby let out a big yawn and rubbed his eyes.

I’m just gonna close my eyes. Just for a second…

Juuuuuust a second…

Then…

“KIRBY!”

With a startled gasp, Kirby jolted awake in a panicked frenzy. He sat up, still a bit disoriented from sleep. Once his vision cleared, he froze in horror. Booths were in ruins, trees were on fire, masks were strewn all over the ground, some of them trampled under careless stomps. Kirby rubbed his eyes, blinking a few times hoping he was just seeing things again.

“KIRBY, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” A voice from above boomed. Kirby looked up and saw Magolor floating overhead, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“M-Magolor? You’re back!” Kirby stuttered, rising unsteadily to his feet.

Magolor turned around and observed the destruction with his trembling hands pressed atop his head.

“Kirby…How could you let his happen?” he said, his voice cracked with despair.

“Magolor, I don’t know I- I” Kirby couldn’t find the words. “It…It was an accident I promise- “

“I trusted you, Kirby…” Magolor said, his head down low. “I believed in you.”

His words stabbed Kirby like an ultra-sword. He took a shaky step forward.

“Magolor-“

“Just stop!” Magolor’s angry voice boomed. His tone beginning to sound eerily familiar.

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you in charge…” He said, his hands beginning to conjure a sphere of energy. Kirby didn’t move. In fact, he couldn’t move. Magolor edged closer to him, his eyes glowing red as his hands crackled and glowed with magic energy.

“Magolor, please I tried my best!” Kirby pleaded. But it was too late, Magolor raised his hand and with one swift push he launched a deadly burst of magic right at Kirby.

The blast got closer and closer and then…

SMACK!!!

“Kirby?....KIRBY!” A warped voice crept through his consciousness.

“KIRBY!!!”

With a yelp, Kirby popped upright, blinking rapidly in confusion. He looked around. The sky was blue. The park was intact. No smoke, no fire… Kirby sighed in relief.

Phew. It was just a dream.

His relief was short-lived, though, as he looked up to see a blurry figure standing over him, arms planted firmly at their sides.

“Magolor?...” Kirby said, still groggy.

“Nope. Try again.” The familiar voice barked. Finally, Kirby’s vision cleared and revealed Assistant Waddle Dee to be the one standing there.

“Do you have any idea how long it took to wake you up?!”

“Assistant Waddle Dee!” Kirby exclaimed. “Was…the park just on fire?”

“On fire?” He raised an eyebrow. “What are you even talking about?”

“Hehehe, nothing…”

Waddle Dee took a deep breath, clearly trying to stay composed. “Kirby, let me ask you something…and please, think carefully before answering. Did every guest you encounter today have the proper number of stamps required for the deluxe Manager Magolor doll?”

Kirby’s nervous smile dissipated. Waddle Dee stepped closer, lowering his voice with a sharp edge. “Because we are now completely out of deluxe prizes. That was supposed to last the entire weekend. And now they’re all gone.”

Kirby said nothing. His cheeks turned red, and he lowered his gaze to the floor, arms held close to his round body.

“And while you were napping on the job,” Waddle Dee continued, pacing now, “I was making final preparations for the show which we’re now running late for?”

“Wait, did you say, show?”

“Yeah, that’s right! The show! Let’s go!” Assistant Waddle Dee spun around, grabbed Kirby’s hand, and yanked him forward with a shove.

Kirby’s eyes widened. “Wait… a show? I can’t put on a show! I’m not prepared!”

Waddle Dee huffed. “Relax, they’re not here to see you. You’re just introducing them.”

Kirby blinked. “Oh… ohhh. That’s not so bad.” He let out a breath of relief, shoulders relaxing just a little. “Wait. Introducing who?”

Waddle Dee kept walking. “Mr. Dooter.”

Kirby froze in place. “M-Mr. Dooter? The same guy who tried to steal the Lor’s right wing and attacked me and my friends?! The villain?!?”

“He prefers ‘professional entertainer’ these days. But yes.”

Waddle Dee grabbed Kirby’s hand and tugged him forward again, but Kirby dug his feet into the ground.

“Wait! Why is Mr. Dooter here?!” Kirby yelped.

“He comes here every week. Does a magic show in the Plaza Pavilion. It’s a big hit with the tourists.”

Kirby blinked. “Mr. Dooter... does a magic show…here?”

“That’s what I said. Now, your job, Manager Kirby, is to introduce him to the audience.”

“What do I say?...This is Mr. Dooter! He’s big and does magic!?”

“Don’t be absurd. There’s a script. Manager Magolor wrote it himself. All you have to do is read it.”

He shoved a folded piece of paper into Kirby’s hands. Kirby looked down at it, eyes narrowing.

Before he could say anything else, Waddle Dee gave him a gentle push. “Come on. We’re almost at the stage.”

They rounded the corner, and Kirby’s stomach dropped.

The plaza pavilion was packed. Hundreds of guests buzzed with excitement, their eager eyes focused on the stage ahead. Lights blinked, music played, and a spotlight burned bright at the curtain’s edge, waiting for him.

Kirby took a small step back. He clutched the paper tighter. His heart thumped in his chest. Another crowd... Another moment where all eyes are on him.

Behind him, Assistant Waddle Dee stood silently, watching. His face was calm and composed, but there was something off about it. Too calm. Too still. His eyes narrowed just slightly, focused, unreadable, like he knew something Kirby didn’t. There was no more time to waste. Kirby stepped onto the first stair leading to the stage, the script trembling slightly in his hands. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

“It’s Showtime!”