Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest Rare Prologue – Story So Far…

Donkey Kong gulped back the last of his banana milkshake and sighed happily, the old deckchair creaking as he wriggled his toes in the sand. This is the life, he thought to himself. The sun beating down on a clear blue sea, and no pesky banana-thieving Kremlings to worry about. Lazily he raised a hand to wave at Funky, who was showing off his surfing expertise out with the squawking seagulls.
Donkey settled back and closed his eyes, thinking he’d have a little doze, when there was a sound of shuffling feet – and before he knew what was happening Cranky Kong had bopped him sharply on the head with his stick.
“Yowch!” he exclaimed, glaring at the sniggering old ape standing in front of him.
“Well!” said Cranky, “what do you think you’re doing sitting around all day? They won’t get much of a game out of this, will they? I thought you were supposed to be a big star.”
“Even stars get time off,” muttered Donkey, rubbing his head.
“I never did,” said Cranky proudly. “Whisking off maidens and throwing barrels around the place seven days a week, I was. That’s how I got where I am today, you know. Hard work. None of this lazing about on beaches.”
“Why don’t you go off and pester Diddy or something?” complained Donkey. “Let me have a bit of peace for once.”
Cranky snorted. “Hah! He’s off somewhere with that girlfriend of his. But, still, I can see when I’m not wanted…”
Grumbling to himself, Cranky shambled away back down the beach, leaving Donkey to pull his sun hat over his eyes, sink down into the deckchair and slowly drift off to sleep.
When night fell and their big buddy still hadn’t returned, Diddy and Dixie got worried and went to look for him. There was no sign of him on the beach and at first they thought they must have just missed him on his way home, but then Diddy saw the tracks leading up from the sea to where Donkey’s deckchair lay on its back.
“Kremling footprints!” he gasped in horror.
There was a note pinned to the back of the chair:

To those yellow-bellied Kong landlubbers

Ha-haaah! We got the big monkey!

And if you want him back, you scurvy dogs, you’ll have to hand over his banana hoard first!

Kaptain K. Rool

“I thought we’d seen the last of that old rascal for a while,” sighed Wrinkly, Cranky’s good-natured old wife, when the rest of the family had read the ransom note.
“Well,” grunted Cranky, “I suppose we’d better give him the bananas, hadn’t we?”
Diddy stared. “We can’t do that! Donkey’d go mad if he lost his bananas again!”
“Have you got any better ideas?” demanded the old ape.
“We’ve got to rescue him, of course!” said Diddy and Dixie together.
But Cranky just laughed. “Oh yes? And who’s going to do that, then?”
“Not me,” said Funky quickly, backing away. “I hate adventures, man.”
“And I think I’m a bit old for that sort of thing,” said Wrinkly apologetically.
“And I’m not having any part in it,” snapped Cranky. “Not that I’m past my prime, of course – I could still do a better job than the rest of you put together – but I wouldn’t be seen dead in something that scrolls, and has bonus levels, and end-of-level bosses.”
“What about me?” said Diddy, stamping his foot. “I went with Donkey on his last adventure, didn’t I? Why can’t I do it?”
“You?” laughed Cranky. “You’ve only been in one game, and you didn’t even get your name in the title! You think that makes you a hero?”
Diddy looked disheartened, but Dixie was quick to stand up for him. “Give him a chance and he could be a better hero than you ever were,” she challenged.

Cranky scowled. “You think so, do you? You think he can make his way through all those Kremlings and all those traps, all by himself?”
“He won’t be by himself,” she retorted. “I’m going with him.”
Diddy stared at her, and she stared defiantly back. “But it’s dangerous!” he protested.
“You’re not scared, are you?”
“Of course I’m not!”
“Well, neither am I. Don’t try to argue – if you’re going, I’m coming with you.”
Diddy sighed. He knew a hopeless argument when he saw one. But still, he was Donkey’s only hope! And, of course, if he managed to rescue his big buddy, he’d become a real videogame hero too! Could he ask for a better chance to prove himself?
Cranky was eyeing him shrewdly. “Alright,” he said. “If you somehow get back safely from this and bring that good-for-nothing Donkey with you, I’ll admit that maybe you have got what it takes after all. But if you don’t” – the old ape waved his stick in the air – “there’ll never be more than cheap cameo roles for you, my boy!”
Diddy drew himself up to his full height, aware that it still wasn’t very much, and refused to back down from his new-found quest. “I’ll bring him back, you’ll see,” he declared.
The others offered their encouragement. Wrinkly gave him a warm smile, while Funky offered his hand for a high-five. “Go for it, little dude!”
And as soon as the sun rose again, the plucky young pair set out.