WARNING: This story contains farting and fatal popping.

This story is inspired by the Fire Lion from Kirby: Right Back at Ya! Episode title: Junk Jam.

It was a cold cloudy night in the desert, the crescent moon faintly shining between the clouds. “Mmm, nice night...” Whispers the smiling koala, climbing a tall rocky mountain. Having spent the day navigating this tower of sandy dirt, Olive wanted to reach the clouds before she decides to rest. Suddenly, she's greeted with the gentle flicker of fire. “Dost thou seeketh the summit?” Asks an old wombat, wrapped in a dark red blanket. Paws to hips, Olive confidently nods. “Foolishness, bravery, regardless...” Sighs the old lady, pointing to a winged lion engraved on the wall – it depicts a proud beast inhaling clouds with a swollen abdomen. “Behold your destiny.” Says the wombat, tossing Olive a gray blanket...

At the crack of dawn, Olive rises from her warmth and decides to move on. “Child, take this.” Yawns the wombat, shakily holding up a rope with an iron hooked edge. “Thank you, Ma'am.” Grins the koala, heading up the sloped path. “Kids these days...” Shrugs the old woman. Ears perked up, Olive finds the summit. Surrounded by roofless stone pillars among thick clouds, a heavy iron treasure chest sits at the center-top of the mountain. Whooosh! Suddenly, a frail lion with angelic wings swoops into sight, fluttering above the chest with a mighty roar. The beasts fur is tan with a lighter underbelly, his eyes a fierce yellow with a key dangling from his tails fuzzy tip.

Grappling hook in paw, Olive nervously confronts the lion. “Mighty lion, I'm here to claim your treasure – so it could be witnessed by the world in my museum!” Demanding so, the lion is not easily persuaded to give up his cherished box. Flapping his wings, the lion dives after the koala. Narrowly, she dives away from his swiping claws and hides behind one of the pillows. Breathing heavy to regain her composure, the beast sits perched above Olive – looking down at her in judgment. Leaping straight down at the koala, she hastily trips out of his way as the lion bashes his nose into the dirt. Whimpering with a teardrop trailing down his cheek, he then spreads his paws and roars.

Twirling the grappling hook in a rapid spiral, Olive stands distantly while the beast widens his big mouth – inhaling deeply. Within the intense pull of the lions wind tunnel, the koala tosses her hook backwards and latches onto the handle of the iron chest. Sucking in vast amounts of air, the beasts stomach inflates into a giant orb – rising him off his paws. Moaning with a swollen tummy, the lion stands on his hind legs and rubs his bellyful of air. “Time to pop this balloon!” Shouts Olive, ready to pierce her foes bloated abdomen. As she readies her hook, the beast spreads his legs and raises his tail - blasting the ground with a long booming fart, deflating among his poisonous gas. Trembling away, the koala accidentally drops her grappling hook...

Hiding behind a fallen pillar, Olive considers her options. First a wind tunnel, now poison gas? How do I beat this thing? She thought diligently. Approaching on his hind legs, the lion holds the iron hook in one paw and the rope in the other. Watching the koala with a disappointed frown, he throws the severed hook off the mountain, then tosses the rope at Olive. Full of pride, the beast flutters above his treasure chest and decides to showcase his true power. Spreading his limbs with a furious roar, the plentiful clouds gather above his open mouth – spiraling into a concentrated funnel straight down his throat. Rapidly, his body starts inflating into a gargantuan cloud balloon – blocking out the sun.

Watching in horror, the koala realizes that whatever he plans to do – it's likely to result in her demise. Morbidly, the lions paws vanish into their own crevices as he aims his sucking face at Olive. His body creaks with pressure while his fur subtly thins – revealing the beasts ultra-tight flesh beneath his fine coat. Just as he's about finish swallowing clouds like cotton candy, and appears to be a newly formed planet above the mountain – the koala throws her rope as a last-ditch effort. Caught in the wind, the thing wraps around the lions snout and seals it shut. Moaning with big worried eyes, he's unable to remove the rope since his paws are far too distant to do anything. Under the pressure of the expanding clouds within, the beast spews out one last fart and explodes – quaking the mountain top.

After such a dramatic explosion, the iron key plops to the ground with a gentle ding. “You've done it, child.” Says the old wombat, appearing from behind a stone pillar. “If you didn't throw that rope, the beast would've puffed you across the globe with his mighty breath.” She laughs, walking Olive towards the treasure. “I think it's time to retire my ventures,” Sighs the koala. “but first...” Turning the key in the lock, the two open up the chest. Stepping away in shock, Olive finds that what she's been seeking all along – is ashes. Specifically, the cremated remains of a man. As the wind blows, the ashes blow out into the distance - revealing an engraved image in the chest of an ancient Greek lion tamer, petting his fierce companion. Once laid to rest atop the mountain, he now sleeps in the wind along with the scattered remains of his dearest friend. THE END