Bandana Dee's POV:

A bit hurt, I continue to stare at Kirby's back while he plays some board game called 'Sorry!' with a bunch of other Star Warrior kids and a few Toads. Funny thing is, every time they draw the card labeled 'Sorry!,' none of them sound all that sorry.

They all keep chatting animatedly about something called 'Independence Day' that's today, and how they're hoping the Elves and Manga-Heads will bring back some candy from the parade, and how excited they are for the fireworks tonight that Tenshi no Sakura is actually gonna let them watch from the roof of a nearby building as long as they're super quiet on the way there. Sounds cool, except that no one can talk to me about it so I'm just the extra guy who's sitting and listening to everyone else.

So, Kirby, what's up with you today? Yeah, I'm doing great too, except for the fact that I CAN'T TALK AGAIN. Yeah, I know, no point in paying attention to the mute. Not like I care that you're completely ignoring me. I'm just gonna sit here and stare at the wall silently. If I could, I'd chat with somebody or sing or something, but guess what? I can't. Do you know why I can't? Cause Kitty-Bozo's spell doesn't work out here. Yeah, whatever. I'm just gonna quit thinking at you while I'm still sort of ahead.

Sighing, I lie down on the concrete floor of the shelter rec-room and stare at the ceiling. Kirby's found someone to hang out with, but I'm all alone. I hated not being able to talk all those years so much, but this is even worse. Because now I know what it's like to be able to share your thoughts and words with someone, and now I can't again. I can't even 'dwee' or 'dee' anymore. And it stinks. Being stuck in silence, being just the mute Waddle Dee again, it stinks majorly.

I know how you feel, although I've never been able to say more than 'dwee' or 'dee' myself. Did you just say that you were able to actually talk once?

Surprised, I look up and see a Waddle Dee looking over at me curiously from the other side of the room. Finally, someone to talk to! Eagerly, I get up and run over to them. Yeah, actually, I did! It was so awesome! Everyone could hear me, and I wasn't just all squeaky like you would think I would be. I'm Bandana. What's your name?

Laughing mentally, the other Waddle Dee 'smiles' at me. Well, like most Waddle Dee, I didn't have a name for the longest time. But now, the others all call me Alex. It's short for Alexander, like Alexander Graham Bell, the guy who invented the telephone. I try to invent ways for Waddle Dee to be hearable, but the best thing I've come up with so far is a clipboard and pencil.

Making a face, I mentally chuckle back and say, Yeah, that works, but it's not all that effective, is it? Especially when someone's busy and there's no way to actually make yourself heard.

Grimacing, Alex agrees, Yeah. By the way, welcome to the shelter, Bandana. I'd heard that there was a new Waddle Dee arrival, so I came looking for you. Come on, you can come hang out with us Waddle Dee. We usually congregate in the computer lab and play games and stuff. You wanna join us? Super Sonic Racing is awesome, even if it's really old.

I want to go with him, because I really want someone to hang out with. But I don't want to just leave Kirby here by himself without warning, and I don't have a way to tell him that I'm going. He's my best bud and my little bro, and even if he's getting old enough to take care of himself it's still my job to make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble. Sakura actually told me to keep an eye on him for her, and I don't want to disappoint her, but...

Finally, I hesitantly agree with Alex, Sure. After glancing over at Kirby one last time, I follow him out of the room.

After a couple of minutes of traversing the cement hallways, I wonder, Wait a second. How can you hear me without magic? Isn't mind reading impossible without it, or something?

Shaking his head, Alex 'smiles' and explains, You'd think so, wouldn't you? But it's actually natural. Have you ever heard that sharks can use electromagnetic pulses in the ocean to feel stuff moving from like a mile away? Well, we use the same thing, only to feel other Waddle Dee. And our thoughts are sent like radio waves that only other Waddle Dee minds can pick up. Like, if you're not a Waddle Dee, your mind isn't a radio receiver like ours are.

Okay, I reply with a nod, then tilt my head to one side in confusion and wonder, Then how come we can be kicked out of the one mind? And how come smaller groups of Waddle Dee can have a smaller one mind shared only between them?

Nodding, seeming glad to have someone to talk 'science' with, Alex goes on, Well, just like a radio, you can change the channel. If enough Waddle Dee agree that you shouldn't be allowed in the one mind anymore, then you're 'switched off' so you can't receive the thoughts anymore even if you're still able to sense the others. And if you have a smaller one mind, it's cause you're using a different frequency than the major one mind. It's like FM instead of AM, you know?

No, not really, I shake my head with another mental laugh. But that's cool. At least I'm not trapped in my own head like I thought I was.

Yeah, he nods in agreement. I didn't get here until 2009, so I'm relatively new here. I was actually the new kid until you showed up yesterday. The first one of us to get here is named Server, like as in the computer tool, not as in a servant, although he is a really big help to everyone here. He's named that because he's the one who figured out how to get us connected to the Internet here at the shelter for free way back in the late 90's. Oh, and by the way, are you from Dreamland or the Homeland? I'm from the Homeland.

Eyes growing huge, I mentally gasp, So the Homeland is a real place, not just a legend? All of the Waddle Dee actually came from a shining land across the sea?

Nodding eagerly, Alex agrees, Yeah, we did! It's called Nintendo City by all of the other species, but us Waddle Dee got there first by a few years, or so the story goes. We just let the others move in with us. They're all nice, and we're not treated like slaves there like our Dreamland kin are, so it's all good.

Oh. That makes a lot of sense, actually. When the points are together like they were originally, then Nintendo City is across the sea from Dreamland. And the castle's made of crystal, as are some of the buildings, so that's how come it's described as a shining land.

But if things were so great there, why did so many Waddle Dee move to Dreamland? I wonder with a frown.

Snickering, Alex wisecracks, Cheaper real estate prices. Actually, there is a real reason. If you let a Waddle Dee develop enough individuality, it can either be great or not-so-great. It all depends on if they keep a strong sense of serving or not. Like in our case, even now after we've become our own person and not just part of one big thing, we still want to take care of other Waddle Dee and even other species. But if a Waddle Dee doesn't have a strong sense of service, then they basically become jerky and tyrannical. Too many Waddle Dee were being adopted as 'pets' and growing spoiled and bratty, so a bunch of us decided to vamoose.

Growing thoughtful, I think half to myself, half back to Alex, Like that Waddle Dee from Nintendo City that Meta Knight and Kirby told me about last winter. He was the pet of the old Princess, but he was a spoiled little jerk who liked to kick people. I think his name was Deedwee? Something like that? Anyway, ever since hanging out with him, Sailor Dee's acted a bit more full of himself, too. Meta Knight had to ask me to also help him out, because with Sailor Dee these days you never know if he's gonna be willing to help or not. It's too bad, cause from what I've heard he used to be the most loyal member of the Meta-Knights even if he wasn't the strongest. He stuck with Meta Knight until his ship got blown up.

Looking at me in embarrassment, Alex apologizes, Sorry, but I have no idea who the people you're talking about are. I'm from the Homeland, not Dreamland. And while I've heard about Meta Knight and Kirby from Tenshi no Sakura, I don't actually know all that much about what they look or act like.

Shrugging, mildly embarrassed myself, I apologize right back, That's fine, it's my fault. I should've known that. I'm just used to Waddle Dee being from the castle and stuff.

Giving a mental grin, Alex tells me, Actually, I am from a castle, just not the one in Dreamland. I used to help out in the castle library when I was younger in exchange for reading lessons from Princess Baika. And I know the Waddle Dee you were talking about. His name was Deedee, and yes, he was a tyrant. I hate to say that I'm glad he's gone, but I'm glad he's gone.

Cool, I nod back as we arrive in a room full of Waddle Dee crowded around a computer. One of them is playing something, and the rest keep mentally cheering or groaning based on how he's doing. What're you playing? I ask him curiously.

Pausing the game and glancing over at me, he thinks back, Oh, another new arrival. Nice to meet you. Guess Alex is finally not the new kid on the block anymore.

Yippee, Alex thinks with a chuckle. It's not like I minded, or anything.

This Waddle Dee 'smiles' at him, then turns back to me. Name's Server. I'm guessing Alex probably already told you about me. And you are...?

Bandana, I answer proudly. Name's Bandana. I'm a hero from Dreamland.

Oh yeah, one of the others thinks appreciatively. Tenshi no Sakura's mentioned you a few times before. Welcome to the shelter, dude.

Thanks, I reply with a nod and a 'smile.'

Turning back to his game, Server tells me, This game is called Clone Wars Adventures. It's a MMORPG Star Wars game. Wanna watch? If you like it, I can help you get an account later.

Sure, I agree with a nod, finding a place to fit in and watch. And somehow, it's like I've always been here. The others cheer with me and slap me on the back whenever Server does well in something called 'Lightsaber Dueling' and mentally groan along with me whenever he's beaten. This is the most I've ever felt like I belong somewhere. With Kirby and the others, I'm the odd Waddle out, cause they're all Star Warriors and at the castle I'm the Outcast. With the Meta-Knights I'm just the kid that tags along and helps the leader out sometimes. But here, I'm one of the crowd. It's awesome.

I feel a tiny twinge of guilt as it crosses my mind that maybe Kirby needs help with something. I was originally planning on going back and checking on him, but I'm sure that he's fine. He's a big kid now, he can take care of himself, and it's not like I left him all alone. He's got his Star Warriors to hang out with.

And I've got my Waddle Dee.

(Two chapters again today. Again, they were originally one, but were too long. So... yeah.)