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Ashes flocked the ground and smothered the rising smoke. Pillars fell around lifeless bodies trapped in fumes. Stumbling on a broken leg, my weary eyes searched the darkening clouds for an exit. Realization didn’t strike me until I was already caught in the crossfire. With a hoarse cough, I grasped the crown placed loosely on my head. Clutching the silver object in a firm grasp, charred fingers shoved it inside a storage compartment in my ship. An explosion sounded behind me, causing my feet to slip as I flinched. Reaching out in a desperate attempt to escape, I gripped the edge of the ship and hauled my shaking form into the cockpit. Rumbling shook the ground as I quickly closed the door, clouded blue eyes darting towards the control panel. I didn’t bother to glance back at the burning kingdom until my home planet was nothing but a speck in the distance. Breathing ragged, I let my body fall limp against the seat. The only thing I had left to wonder was who set the fire. I reached inside a familiar storage compartment and pulled out my ash-covered crown, dusting it off. I stared at the charred silver lining, gripping it until my hand bled. My head dropped low, the ringing in my ears becoming too loud to ignore. Darkness enveloped my vision as my ship crashed into a blurry planet.

A silent gasp tore past my lips as I struggled to regain air, throat burning like coal set aflame. I clutched at the grass beneath me, line of vision refocusing as I looked around. My eyes darted up to meet the swaying of a thin oak branch above me, the leaves rustling in the wind as it ripped past my skin. Shoulders slumping forward, I mentally told myself that I wasn’t in danger. An annoyed scoff slipped through my next breath as I stood up. Of course I fell asleep under a tree again… I haven’t had that nightmare- or rather flashback, in a while now. I briefly shook my head to clear any remaining thoughts. A soft rustle came from a nearby bush, causing my shoulders to reel back in precaution. I didn’t loosen my hardened gaze until the figure stepped out, sunlike eyes beaming. “Oh, hey Mags!” The blue and white cloaked male waved in return as he replied. “Good afternoon to you, too. What have you been up to, as of late?” I shrugged absentmindedly, gaze wandering off to look at the sun. It seems like I didn’t fall asleep for too long. Magolor’s voice rang through the air, causing my sight to flick towards his amused eyes. “Let me guess- did you accidentally fall asleep under a tree, again?” An awkward chuckle slipped through my breath, a small smile curling my lips upwards. “Perhaps.” He heaved a sigh, although his eyes gleamed in good humor. “So what did you come out here for?” He nodded his head towards me at my inquiry. “Looking for you, actually. Something strange came up that you may want to check out.” He gestured for me to follow him with a flick of his wrist. As I trailed behind him, my feet halted in their tracks in shock once we drew near. There was a small crater in the ground- which has happened several times before, so that wasn’t a surprise- with a portal in it. A dark, swirling portal that looked like it came straight out of an old sci-fi movie. What even…? “Strange, isn’t it? This weird portal just popped out of seemingly nowhere. There was a lot of light coming from the opening when it first appeared. No idea where something like this could have come from, though.” I hummed in acknowledgment, tinted blue eyes examining the hole in space below us. “Do you think it leads to another planet or dimension- universe, maybe even?” I shook my head, casting a glimpse in Mags’ direction. “I haven’t a single clue. Suppose there’s only one to find out…” He was quick to snap his attention towards me at that. Bright yellow eyes narrowed as he let out a huff. “Yeah, good luck with getting anyone to go anywhere near that thing.” I blinked at him. “Wouldn’t you- just out of curiosity, at least?” He shook his head, glancing back to the portal in front of us, a space opening inside a crater. “No way. I wouldn’t even try it without getting the Starcutter fixed, first. Even after that, I’d still be unsure of taking that sort of risk.” He breathed out another sigh at my nod in reply, our gazes locked onto the portal. I piped up after a brief moment of silence. “Well… life is all about taking chances, is it not?” The cloaked male tilted his head towards me slightly with a questioning look. “What exactly do you mean by that… you’re not planning on-?” I tossed a smirk over my shoulder as I leapt into the crater and dashed towards the opening of the portal. “Yep!” The last words I heard before the portal closed behind me were all but frantic. “Wait, the portal could be unstable- Kirby!” Huh, the darkness surrounding me isn’t like the one from my nightmare… I felt weightless for all but a brief moment until gravity encased me once more. I landed on a small patch of grass in a wooded area. Shaking my head to clear the onslaught of ringing, I looked up to see the sun at its highest peak. Huh, seems like the time hasn’t changed here. With curiosity gradually taking control of my actions, I stood up to try and find a way out of the forest. After wandering for a few moments, my eyes caught sight of a distant town beyond the forest in a grassy field. Before venturing off however, I took my phone and tapped Magolor’s number on my contacts list. Brows furrowing at the absence of a dial tone, I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the screen. No Service. Unsurprised considering the situation, I breathed a quiet sigh and pocketed my phone. My footsteps were silent among the meadow as unsettlement became an anchor in my chest. Any lingering thought in my mind was diminished during my walk to the town. Well, let’s hope this town isn’t hostile. I heard laughter as my feet drew near, sight casting to a playground filled with bright-eyed children. Letting my shoulders untense slightly, I decided to check around for any familiar faces. After all, who knows if this is a parallel universe or not. Unfortunately, the handful that I’ve been to weren’t very friendly… more so violent and powerful than anything. A girl sat underneath a tree near the playground writing in a notebook, tapping her pencil on the rim of it. My eyes softened a tad. That’s what I’ve been doing a lot lately, too. Writing down strategies for upcoming battles and getting my thoughts out in a separate journal. Her blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail, although it didn’t keep it from swaying in the breeze. A younger boy ran over to the girl, a question tumbling from his tongue. “Hey, sis! Do you know where Kirby is? Lunch is probably gonna be ready soon!” I narrowed my eyes at that. So it seems like this is a parallel universe… although I’ve never been in one that wasn’t hostile before. The girl- undoubtedly his sister- glanced up from her book as she fiddled with her pencil. “The last time I saw him was when he ran off into the woods… why?” A frown settled on her brother’s face as he shuffled his feet. “But that was this morning… shouldn’t he have been back by now?” A concerned look crossed her features as well now, as she closed her book and stood up. She nodded at her younger brother after quickly glancing at the sun. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s already midday now… why don’t we go look for him?” A hurried nod came from the boy as he remarked. “Yeah, let’s go!” I stood still in my tracks as they dashed off to where I just came from. Well, it’s a good thing that the portal is gone now. Or else I’d have to run after them before being accused for their disappearance. Not a good way to introduce yourself to a new place. I continued to walk through the town, trying to seem as casual as possible. That girl looked to be around the age of 10, whereas her younger brother appeared to be a few years younger… wonder what their names are- considering they clearly know me from this universe. Although I’ve certainly never met them in mine. A silent sigh escaped my lips, as a new realization came upon me. That means there’s a completely different timeline in this universe. Great. Deciding to deepen my knowledge of this universe’s history, I searched for a library. Soon enough, I was stepping through the doorway and reaching for a bookshelf. Fortunately, the townsfolk have yet to notice that I’m new here. Since apparently the me from this universe was last seen dashing off to the woods. Which… I honestly doubt he’s there now. We probably got switched with each other, meaning he would be in my universe whereas I’m in his. It’s sure going to be tough trying to explain something like that to those kids. My research of this place went on until sundown. Well, I most likely would have stayed longer if it weren’t for me catching the librarian hanging up the closed sign out of the corner of my eye. To which as soon as the librarian went to their desk, I quickly scurried out of the building after placing the books back. Noting it was nightfall, my feet found themselves steering back to where the woodland was for a tree to rest beneath. It wasn’t until I sat underneath a tree that my mind decided to replay an old memory. Of the nightmare, or flashback, I had earlier today. My shuddering didn’t stop until I gave up on sleeping and walked around the forest, gaze set on the moon and stars. Eventually, dawn set alight the sky.

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I paused for a moment as I heard voices draw near me. Cautiously, I peered down from the branch I was sitting on, picking up on some familiar voices. I saw the girl from earlier, as well as her brother speaking with someone while walking. Who are they talking to…? Wait, is that- “I see, have you tried speaking with the king yet? Perhaps he has seen Kirby around.” I know that spanish accent and mask. The girl spoke, her ponytail being swept in the breeze as her brother nodded along at her words. “We’ve already tried that, Sir Meta Knight. Nobody in the town knows where Kirby is!” Her brother piped up as he kicked a small rock with his shoe. “Yeah, we asked everyone!” Well, Meta from this universe doesn’t seem to appear very different. He still seems to carry that calm and level-headed personality, too. The masked knight himself hummed in acknowledgement to the children’s words. His usual bright amber eyes glowed a vine green, remaining silent for a brief moment as if pondering something. “Have you heard the news yesterday? Perhaps that bright flash of light in these woods could be the reason why Kirby is not here.” A small gasp came from the girl, as the boy beside her whipped his head around in suspicion of the strange light. Do they not know that the strange light came from a portal? “But… how- why? Kirby can’t disappear yet, he’s only just defeated Nightmare two days ago!” The boy’s sister seemed to be getting upset, if the worry laced in her words and the water in her eyes were anything to go by. My fingers gripped the branch, eyes widening as the last words churned in my head. Wait, the me from this universe defeated Nightmare just two days ago? But I’ve defeated that guy so many years ago! My eyes narrowed, knuckles gone pale until I loosened my grip as I breathed out slowly. So that means Meta hasn’t tried to take over Dreamland with his halberd and crew yet… this is gonna be awkward. Has Marx even arrived on this planet yet? Meta seemed to choose his next words carefully, as if trying to console the two kids while also getting the truth across. “Unfortunately, that may appear to be the case- if you truly have checked everywhere and asked everyone.” This of course did nothing to calm down the girl, who’s voice only grew louder in worry as her brother looked down. “But then how are we supposed to get him back?” The swordsman shook his head, tossing a sympathetic look over his shoulder at the anxious children. “I’m afraid I do not know, Tiff.” I blinked at the girl. Huh, so that’s what her name is. My gaze was set on the group of three as they stood still in a moment of tense silence. Should I jump down and introduce myself and explain the situation…? Would they even believe me? I mean, they saw the flash of light, although that’s the only evidence there is to back up my explanation. I let out a silent huff, deciding to take a leap of faith- in a literal sense by jumping down from the tree branch. The grass felt wilted underneath my feet as I stepped towards them. The young boy was the first one to introduce himself, as Meta eyed me wearily. “Oh, hey there. My name’s Tuff, are you new here?” This caused his sister to glance at me, and for the masked knight to glare slightly. Just as cold as ever, aren’t you Meta? Even when the me from this universe hasn’t even stopped that mistake you made in the past. I released a breath before speaking, carefully thinking over my words. “Yes, I am new here. It’s a pleasure to meet you, my apologies if I interrupted anything.” The girl tapped her foot on the ground while Meta seemed to barely relax his tense posture, eyes glowering at me. “Well, my name’s Tiff, and Tuff is my brother.” I nodded, saying that it was nice to meet her as well before the lone knight himself piped up. “I’m assuming that you are not from around here. Where did you come from?” I resisted the urge to raise a brow at him. Really, Meta? You could at least try to act less suspicious. I decided to answer him as truthfully as possible without immediately giving away the situation. “I’m from this planet, I was just traveling around to different places.” The boy tilted his head at me as he inquired. “So you’re a traveler, huh? What’s your name?” I paused for a brief moment, as Meta immediately narrowed his eyes at my hesitation. “My name is… actually- why don’t I explain exactly how I got here?” All of their eyes flashed in confusion as I continued. “So you might have seen a burst of light come from this forest yesterday... “ I cleared my throat while they nodded, the swordsman still not bothering to even try and hide his suspicion. “Well, that light came from a portal. A portal that led to my universe… which I’ve discovered is actually a parallel universe to this one.” The children’s eyes were quick to light up in curiosity and excitement as Tuff barreled out a question. “Woah, really- you came from a parallel universe?” I nodded, smiling slightly at their enthusiasm. Meta was the one to bring up the next inquiry. “So, do you know any of us?” My line of vision flicked to his unyielding stare as I replied. “I only recognise you, actually.” He cast a sharp nod in my direction. The more energetic one of the three repeated his question from earlier. “So, what is your name?” Holding back from biting my lip, I figured it was best to give a direct answer rather than beating around the bush- despite my earlier hesitation. “Well, I suppose you would find out eventually… my name is-” My sentence was cut off from a loud voice as two people came up to us. “Are ya still investigating that bright flash o’ light, over here?” The king spoke up in a demanding voice- which was different than the casual tone I was used to from him in my universe. Tiff was the one who explained their newfound knowledge to the king and… whoever the green-haired guy next to him was. The male next to him scratched his chin as he replied. “So…” He darted his sight to my own. “You’re from a parallel universe, from which you apparently recognise Meta Knight. The portal that brought you here disappeared after that flash of light- and you were about to say your name until we got here.” I nodded to his statements as the king prompted me. “So, what is your name then- and do you know either of us?” My reply was simple as I cut straight to the point, tinted blue eyes looking at the king. “The only people I recognize and know so far are you and Meta. As for my name… it’s Kirby. Kirby of the Stars.” I ended the last line in a smaller voice, breathing out a sigh as everyone’s eyes widened. The king was the first one to holler out. “What? No way! You can’t be Kirby- the Kirby I know is like-” He straightened his palm and lowered it to around half my height. “This tall!” A look of confusion graced my face now as well. Even Meta seemed shocked, whereas the two kids’ jaws have dropped rather comically. The masked knight was the first to speak after King Dee’s… bold reaction. “So, you are Kirby from a parallel universe... that would make sense considering the Kirby we know is currently missing. You must have swapped places with him.” I sent a nod in his direction, before looking at the girl’s meadow green eyes when she spoke. “Our Kirby is in your universe right now…? But the portal is gone- how are you going to get back to your universe and how is he gonna return to us?” An empathetic look crossed my features as I replied in a quiet voice. “I’m afraid I haven’t figured out a solution to that, quite yet. Not to worry though, I’ll work something out.” I offered her a small smile, my eyes soft as I tried calming her down. The green-haired guy next to the king ruined the moment. “Huh, you’re better at comforting others than Meta Knight is.” The swordsman in question shot a glare at him, whilst I cleared my throat awkwardly. With a huff, the king next to him drew my attention towards him as he declared. “Well, what are me and Meta Knight like in your universe?” My shoulders bunched up and fell back down in a shrug. “I can’t really say the differences since I haven’t really gotten to know what you both are like from this universe yet. Although your appearances and accents are very similar, from what I can tell so far.” After they both nodded, I prompted him. “So what am I like in this universe? I walked around the town yesterday after landing in the woods, and nobody seemed to recognize me.” Meta spoke up this time, a thoughtful expression plastered on his face. “That wouldn’t be surprising at all, considering in this universe you are a toddler.” My eyes widened momentarily while he continued. “You don’t even seem to act like the Kirby we know. You appear to come across as much more mature and experienced. Tell me, how many battles have you been in?” I scratched my neck, sight flicking towards the ground before returning to meet his gaze. “Honestly, I lost count quite a few years ago. One too many battles, if I had to say.” I gave a half-hearted shrug, keeping my voice light as an airy chuckle slipped through my breath. Empathy clouded within the masked knight’s eyes as he nodded solemnly in understanding. “So what is your relationship like with the parallel me?” I inquired. The king answered this time, the guy next to him glancing up at him along with me. “Meta Knight is sort of like a mentor to ya, and I’m uh... “ I tilted my head as he trailed off, hesitance strewn across his face. “I’m sorta like an enemy, or a rival of sorts to ya.” I blinked before replying. “Alright. I suppose I should share what my relationship is like to your parallel selves.” Everyone settled their focus on me, curiosity gleaming inside their eyes. “Both you and Meta are similar to frenemies to me in my universe. Sometimes I have to fight you guys in order to save the universe. Other times, we team up with each other to save the universe. Although I will admit, the latter of the two is more seldom.” Meta nodded slowly while King Dee darted his eyes to the side, an unknown emotion settled on their features. Everyone else had a similar reaction. After a moment of silence, the swordsman looked at me and nodded. “Thank you for telling us.” I cast a silent nod to him in return as the group either looked at me with an unknown emotion or kept their gazes fixed somewhere else. I clasped my hands together, pondering what to do next. Distant chatter from a town in the meadow carried on as the sun climbed down from its highest peak.

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I let out a hum of acknowledgement as I clocked my gaze to one of the windows in the dining hall. “So that’s what happened up until a couple days ago…” The others followed my line of vision, taking note that it was getting late as I trailed off. “Yep, that’s pretty much everything that’s happened from when our Kirby arrived all the way up until now.” Curiosity pledged my thoughts while Tiff spoke, a question spilling from my lips shortly after. “Do any of you happen to know what happened to him before he crashed here?” I steered my focus back to them. The group casted quick glances at each other for a couple of seconds until the king piped up. “Well, since he was a small toddler at the time, and he barely ever speaks…” He shook his head, a look of what almost seemed to be shame reflecting in his eyes. “Nobody ever bothered to ask the little fella what happened to him before he came here.” I nodded absentmindedly, not an ounce of surprise in my voice when I spoke. “I see… figured as such. There’s only a couple of people from my universe that know of my past, and I didn’t even meet them until years after I defeated Nightmare.” That seemed to awaken everyone’s attention, as Meta’s eyes immediately flicked to my own. “You defeated Nightmare years ago?” I gave a simple yet sharp nod in the masked knight’s direction. “Around 27 years ago, to be exact.” The children’s eyes widened almost comically, similar to King Dee and the green-haired guy- which I learned was the king’s right-hand, Escargoon. The purple in his clothes was a bit of a strange choice to go with his green hair and mustache, but it suited him well. The caped swordsman asked one last thing before standing from his seat. “If I may ask, are you and my alternate self from your universe similar in age?” Everyone else followed suit in getting up from their chairs. “Certainly closer in age than I am from your universe. You’re still older than me in my universe, although not by too much. Only around a few years or so.” He nodded as Tiff turned towards me with a curious gaze. “Since it’s getting a bit late, are you just going to sleep in your house? I’m not sure if Tokkori is in your universe or not, but you two live together here.” I tilted my head in confusion at the girl’s inquiry. “Yes, I do know him from my universe. Although I don’t have a home- well, I used to. But it was destroyed about a decade ago in battle.” Ignoring the sympathetic looks casted towards my direction, I continued. “I’ve grown quite used to just resting for a bit wherever in whatever planet I’m on at the time. So I’ll just find a tree or a cave.” I offered a small smile in hopes of lightening the mood and their saddened expressions. Only of course it didn’t work. Letting my smile drop, I waved an awkward goodbye before I turned and left. A sigh slipped through by breath, shaded blue eyes tilted towards the sky. After glancing around, I let my black feathered wings unfurl themselves from my back. Doubt I grew wings in their universe, considering these didn’t sprout from my back until my teenage years. So it’s probably best not to let them know. I dashed off to a corner near the back of a watchtower before flying up and landing on the roof of the castle. Leaning back with my wings slightly folded behind me, I stared at the setting sun until my eyes of dusk were moonlit. A small yet genuine smile graced my lips. After a brief stretch, the night breeze ruffled my feathers as I let myself glide just above the clouds. This is peace. No stressful battles to worry over, no sudden betrayals from so-called friends… just a carefree flight under the moon and stars. I wish nights like these weren’t always so rare… I dived towards a tree in the forest, settling down on a sturdy branch as my wings curled in on themselves before disappearing. I tapped the picture album icon on my phone and scrolled through. My eyes landed on a photo that me and Mags took together a day before I fell into this universe. Staring at our bright grins and starlike eyes stirred an old memory. Turning the phone off and tucking it away, I let myself reminisce as my eyes fluttered shut. The memory faded away as I drifted into unconsciousness..
“Mags- seriously?” I laughed as my good friend pulled me onto the ice. Mischief was laced throughout his words as he replied. “Come on, Kirby- I taught you how to ice skate three years ago!” Light chuckles slipped through our breaths as he held my hands tighter and spun us around. Snowflakes followed our dance as my reddening nose crinkled with my smile. “You said you’d come out to build a snowman with me- not this!” He beamed at me with a fond gaze. “We’ll do that after this!” Shaking my head, I let Mags guide my two left feet into a clumsy waltz. Eventually, our faces burned red from the frost to the point where we had to sit inside his ship. With a steaming mug of tea laced within our fingertips, I cast him a close-eyed smile over my shoulder. “Thank you for everything.” My smile grew wider as he pulled me into a hug. “Anytime… your highness.” My eyes blinked open as I pulled away to throw a fake glare at him. “You ruined the moment.” His shoulders shook slightly as he laughed. “Sorry, next time I’ll wait until you have your crown on.” An airy chuckle escaped me as I remarked in mock annoyance. “Oh, really now?” He shot a grin at me, an endless flame burning in his sunlike eyes. Smiling back, I found myself trusting him more.
My eyes opened slowly, mind in a haze as I blinked the sleep out of them. Fortunately, I had a dreamless sleep without any nightmares. Not like it matters, considering I’ve never shouted out after waking from one before- so no one would find out. I pondered the information from yesterday, leaning against the trunk of the tree. Wonder if the me from this universe shares the same past… who knows. With a quiet sigh, I leapt off the branch and landed on the ground. As I stepped into the town and drew near the castle walls, Meta came through the front doors of the castle. His eyes landed on my form, bright amber eyes aglow as he prompted me. “Kirby, I would like to offer you a duel- seeing as you are clearly more experienced than the alternate version of yourself from this universe. Feel free to meet me at the rocky area just past the eastern woods when you are ready. I shall be waiting.” He kept his eyes trained on me for a mere second before walking away. I looked at his retreating form with a raised brow. Well that was rather sudden… I thought back to the many battles I faced either against him or with him in my universe. Ever since I defeated the Meta from my universe at his halberd, he’s never challenged me to a duel there since. I know for a fact that the Meta from this universe has his halberd built- he told me himself last night- and that my alternate self never dueled him there before. So why be so adamant about not fighting me in his halberd when I’ve never defeated or even fought him there before? I shook my head for a brief moment, deciding to skip breakfast and just head straight to where he asked to meet. I doubt I’ll need to find and get an ability, since the masked knight usually always offers a sword before fighting me, anyways. Which I’ve always been personally grateful for, though I’ve never told him so. Just as suspected, there was a sword sticking up from the ground when I came to the area per requested. Classic Meta. I’m glad he follows chivalry- except for those times when he was forced to fight me against his will by Yin Yarn and Susie, although that’s to be expected when you’re literally being mind-controlled. The swordsman cleared his throat, unsheathing Galaxia while letting his cape fall behind his shoulders. Even in a parallel universe, he still wields that powerful golden sword with its sharply upturned edges. He nodded at the sword in the ground in a gesture for me to pick it up. Taking the cue, I straightened my shoulders and stepped slowly towards the iron sword. I picked it up by the handle, swiftly pulling the smooth blade out of the ground as it gleamed in the sunlight. After a brief moment of silence, we both cast a sharp nod towards the other. He dashed to the side, coming near me with sharp reflexes as I was quick to block his attack. So hence the duel officially started. It’s a good thing the faithful sword has always been one of my most trusted weapons and copy abilities. Simple yet precise. I ducked under his next blow before stabbing the sword in the ground behind him and flipping myself in the air over him- just in time as he turned around to face where I supposedly was. He paused in his movements, quick to snap his head around as I dashed to the opposite side to avoid his gaze. Meta tightened the grip on his sword, before going for a spin dash to try and catch which side I was on. I managed to sneak up right behind him, effectively avoiding the sword as it slashed a circle around us. He turned his body fully around. Quickly, I slid under him, doing a tuck and roll before popping up right in front of him once he slashed his sword to the side. Taking a step back, I tilted my blade and sliced his mask clean off, straight down the middle. He froze up, staring at me with shock as the two halves of his now broken mask clattered to the ground. I offered him a smile as I sheathed my sword and held my hand out. “Good battle!” He blinked before seemingly snapping out of his thoughts, reaching out and slowly shaking my hand with a nod. “Yes, good battle. You’ve certainly proven yourself to be a worthy opponent.” My eyes widened ever so slightly, as I tried to hide my surprise at his compliment. The Meta I know always just flies away after a duel. He’s… never bothered to stay before, let alone speak to me. My grip slowly loosened, as well as his own before we let our hands fall to our sides. He glanced away, bending down to pick up his mask before clearing his throat. It wasn’t hard to tell he was trying to avoid eye contact as he bid farewell after stiffly nodding. He shielded Galaxia before shaking my hand, although I noticed how his grip on the handle went tight before loosening. Strange, it seems like I took him completely by surprise… has my alternate self never defeated him before? The only ways I’ve ever defeated him- or made him give up the fight- was by slicing his mask in half. But it appeared as if that’s never happened to the Meta from this universe. Not to mention, it took me less time to defeat him than it normally does in my universe. But he’s not one to underestimate his opponents… was he really not expecting it at all? I stared at the ground, lost in thought until someone cleared their throat from behind me. I spun around, immediately taking a step back and reaching for my sword- gripping the handle before loosening my hold as I recognized who it was. “Oh, King Dee… what brings you here?” He looked at me for a silent moment before piping up. “You sound so casual after… you do realize that nobody has ever bested Meta Knight before, right? Not even your alternate self that’s originally from this universe.” He eyed me almost warily, as if trying to pry open the secret for how I defeated Meta so quickly and easily. I rubbed my arm, awkwardly shrugging as he waited for my reply. “Oh… really? I’ve actually dueled him quite a few times before, in my universe.” He nodded slowly before responding. “Yeah, figured as such- considering how it seemed like you knew all his tricks by heart.” I blinked at him. “Meta has more moves up his sleeve than just the one or two he showed me today.” The king seemed to be a tad surprised at that, leading me to assume that he’s never really seen the masked knight truly fight before. Has he never even seen Meta’s signature move- mach tornado? I decided to ask him that. His response was almost comical as he raised a confused brow at me. “What- no? I never even knew he had names for those tricks of his… although it doesn’t surprise me necessarily, knowing him.” I breathed out a small chuckle at that, before piping up. “True. Well then, if that’s all you were curious about, I think I’m going to take my leave now. I’m going to try figuring out just how and where that portal came from. Hopefully I can relink our universes together.” He sent me a nod. “Yeah, guess I’ll leave ya to it then- I gotta get heading back to the castle, anyhows. Good luck.” I sent him with a small thanks before we both went our separate ways. I have to find a ship and go into space… hopefully I’ll be able to find Mags. He knows all about dimensional traveling, perhaps even more than I do. At least, I hope he knows more than I do about it. If not… it’s back to square one. I need to get back to my universe, and my alternate self needs to get back to his- the one that I’m currently trapped in, right now. I lifted my gaze to the clouding skies of gray and white. Sunlight bordered the horizon and peered through the shadows on the ground, severing them with streaks akin to burning embers.

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I peered through the cracked windshield of the starship, a stained wet rag in my hand being the only evidence of my sorry attempt at cleaning it. With a huff, I brushed off the debris from the seat. Wiping off any remaining dust resting atop the control panel, my nimble fingers tapped the power button as the engine turned on. Good, seems like I managed to repair it right. There’s still quite a bit of gas left in it, too. After closing the door completely, I gripped the steering wheel and took off. Alright parallel universe Mags, be prepared for a long story. I quickly passed the light of the setting moon as my ship broke through the last layer of the atmosphere. It wasn’t until I passed a second chain of asteroids that my shielded blue eyes caught a glimpse of the Starcutter. A small smile curled my lips upwards as I sped towards the sky blue ship. Eyes lighting up at the sight of my good friend in a window, I waved at him through the glass as my much smaller starship drew near. I slowly lowered my hand, eyes narrowing when Mags went still before rushing to his control panel. Why is he…? Wait- My eyes widened as realization struck me at the last moment. If I’m a toddler in this universe, then Mags never would have met me yet. He doesn’t know me. Memories of him telling me how he had to blast enemies away throughout his space travels flooded my mind. Oh no. I quickly turned the wheel the other direction, as the light indicating my half fueled tank began to flicker. I barely had time to duck as I noticed a large cannonball from the corner of my eye. Hurling towards the windshield as a massive flame. I tensed, flinching as I saw Mags’ ship flying away right before I was hit. Oh stars no. My eyes closed shut as the blast threw my starship off course. My body was sent barreling into an unknown planet as I blacked out from my small rusted ship exploding from the sudden impact.
A hoarse cough escaped my throat as I awoke with a start, feeling grains of sand smothered beneath my fingertips. Limbs numb from the numerous amounts of burns, I forced my frail body to sit up- albeit rather shakily. My reeling train of thoughts went still through the relentless ringing in my ears as I stood up slowly. Noting that the sky was akin to the gray of a passing storm, I gazed at my surroundings- an endless ocean. So I’m stuck on an island at some unknown planet. Lovely. I scanned the water, catching a glimpse of dark purple reflecting beneath the surface. Weary blue eyes narrowing, my injured body hurled itself into the ocean. I swam towards the strange purple object, which appeared to be a crystal shard lodged into the skin of a dozing whale. Great, just what I needed. It appears to be a Jamba heart shard, as well. Which will surely turn the whale hostile once they awaken. I have to get the shard out and hide it before those mages find it. Before going to pull the shard out, I broke through the surface of the water. Taking a deep breath of air, I dived back in and swam towards the dark shard. After a short struggle, I felt the whale shift their body. I quickly let go of the shard, pushing myself back as the whale turned so their gaze locked onto my small form. They breathed out a puff of purple smoke, angered eyes flashing in spite of my appearance. Yep, the Jamba heart shard turned the whale hostile. My eyes narrowed, arms reaching towards the surface as I tried to swim. Right as I took in a breath of air, a large force flung my burnt body into the sky. I looked down at the nearing ocean as the whale’s tail gave another splash. Teeth clenched, I held back from squeezing my eyes shut when I hit the water. When I did regain my blurred vision, a large tail swung into my body and pushed me farther down. I was too focused in trying to reach the surface to notice the red in the blue around me. My body grew accustomed to the adrenaline rushing through my veins as I narrowly dodged the whale’s next tail swing. Violet hues shone inside the whale’s darkened eyes. I caught a glimpse of silver peering through the sand below me. My eyes narrowed in concentration as I swam towards it. This blade better be large enough to count as an ultra sword ability. I took a hold of the handle, getting knocked away again from the whale not a second after. My grip tightened as I swung the long sword through the water. The silver blade glistened as it swept through waves of red and blue. My gaze hardened, line of vision drawn to the purple shard lodged in the whale’s side. I took my aim. The blade split in half once I struck the whale with it. I released the handle and grasped the shard, swimming away from the now unconscious whale. Digging a deep hole in the sand, I tucked the shard beneath the grains before burying it. Let’s hope those mages don’t find it for a good while… hopefully longer than they did back in my universe. I briefly wondered if this was Planet Misteen I was stuck on while I swam back up to the surface. Pausing for a moment, I went back to the motionless whale and pulled the sword out, letting it fall to the ocean floor after it scraped my arm. Ignoring the red liquid coming from my arm now too, I continued to swim towards the surface. Breaking through the water, I took in a large breath of air. Red wafted around me as I glanced up to see a large wave above my form. Tensing up, I immediately braced for impact as water came barreling down. I found myself at the bottom of the ocean once more. My eyes narrowed, determination settling within my eyes as I swam back up. Only for another wave to send me back down. Refusing to cave in to the storm, my fragile body broke through the surface again. Saltwater scorched my open wounds as I caught sight of a large and blurry yellow object skimming the water’s surface. I reached out for it, wrapped in a daze as the flying object carried me away from the planet. My vision slowly grew darker as flashes of white invaded my mind. I felt my stiffening limbs become unable to move. Trying to breathe, I took in air that only pierced my lungs even more. Oh stars, not again.
“Oh no, Kirby! What happened?” Vaguely familiar voices broke through the onslaught of ringing as I tried to pry my eyes open. Blonde hair was being swept in the breeze as wide, meadow green eyes stared at me in shock and… worry? “I’m going to get the healer- just stay there, Tiff.” A caped blur swept past me as the same voice from before spoke up. “Okay… just hang in there, okay Kirby? Meta Knight just went to get the healer.” Meta… but he’s helping Mags fix the Starcutter, isn’t he? The ringing only grew louder. “Kirby, wait-!” Darkness enveloped me as my track of thoughts hit a dead end. I saw white before it faded to black.
An inconsistent beeping disturbed my thoughts as they tried to reassemble. The last time I checked, alarm clocks weren’t something you’d find in a cave or a tree. With a slight groan, I shifted my body only to flinch when a sudden bout of pain striked through me. What even…? My eyes fluttered open, squinting when sunlight breached the opened curtains. Wait- curtains? I quickly sat up, ignoring the way my bones ached from any movement. Mind in a fog, I tried to search through my most recent memories only to slump back against the headrest once I remembered. So it was the warp star that hauled my frail body back to Pop Star. Of course. I gazed at my surroundings, the thin sheets and white walls a tell-tale sign that I’m in a hospital. Huh, usually I’m always the one to heal myself. The door creaked as I flicked my sight over to the gloved hand that was turning the doorknob. Bright amber eyes blinked at me as the masked knight went still in the doorway. He cleared his throat, closing the door and stepping towards me. “You're awake, it seems… how much do you remember?” I relaxed my shoulders, sight casting towards the sun in the window’s horizon before meeting his gaze again. “I just woke up a few moments ago. Although I was able to recollect all of my memories, up until I fell unconscious.” Meta sent a nod my way, his tone unusually soft as he spoke in a low voice. “That’s good. The medic was afraid that your concussion would have blocked any recent memories.” I let out a hum of acknowledgement, the swordsman sighing as he held his gaze. “Are… you used to this sort of thing happening- being this injured?” Unable to send him a half-hearted shrug, I settled for speaking in a quiet voice. “I’m not used to others treating my wounds. I usually patch myself up whenever a battle gets finicky to the point where I lose consciousness.” I couldn’t quite place the emotion that flickered in Meta’s eyes before he replied. “I see…” His eyes lowered to the linen sheets covering half my body. “I’m sorry to hear that you’re so used to not only being wounded, but having to treat them yourself, as well.” I blinked at him, searching for the words to lighten the mood. “It’s alright… that’s sort of to be expected when you’re a star warrior like me, is it not?” I fiddled with the bedsheets, fingertips going still when a white gloved hand intertwined with my own burnt one. Letting my muscles go lax, I let myself relish in the warmth of the old rival that I’ve always wished to call a friend. A small yet genuine smile graced my lips, as I looked back up to meet Meta’s eyes peering at me. It was as if he was scanning my face for a reaction. The swordsman took a hold of his mask, lifting it off his face and lowering it. He smiled back with a welcome gaze. The sunlight from the window pane grew dim as it sank below the distant oak forest.

Chapter Text

Dear Journal,
I’m currently in the hospital as of right now, fortunately I was able to regain movement of my limbs earlier this morning. The ticking of the clock is the liveliest thing in here at the moment… well, that and the footsteps walking past my door every so often. I haven’t written in this old thing for some time- suppose that’s what happens when you get trapped in a parallel universe. Admittedly, I was the one who jumped in that portal in the first place, but I didn’t expect the portal to close right after. You know what’s funny, though? I just realized that my friends were right- recklessness really does thrive within me. I wonder if the people from this universe perceive my alternate self the same way. Also, there just so happens to be rosebuds outside my window. The leaves are still damp with rainwater from last night. I wonder if there’s any blue roses around here… if so, I’ll certainly have to check them out after I get out of this hospital. Considering my body is wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, that may take a while. At least the ringing in my head has finally stopped. So I have to thank the doctors for that. They seemed to be worried when they discovered that some of the burns weren’t recent. When they questioned me, I told them that I’ve been through many battles, so it was bound to happen at some point. I just hope they didn’t tell anyone else their discovery. Well, at least I- hold on. I hear the king’s voice outside my door… but why is he here? Aren’t we enemies in this universe? Well, guess I’ll find out soon enough.

The door clicked open, causing my head to snap up after I shoved my journal under the pillow. The king shuffled his feet, slowly walking in and closing the door quietly. Concern reflected in his eyes as he made his way over. I tilted my head at his unusually toned down nature. Did something happen, or…? King Dee flicked his sight towards me. “So… how have ya been?” Alright, something’s up. Clearing my throat, I met his borderlining somber gaze. “I’ve been well enough. Is anything the matter?” He raised a brow at me, seemingly unsurprised that I immediately dismissed my own well being in favor of someone else’s. The king let out a quiet huff, his breath sounding akin to a wallowing sigh. “Figured you’d get the notion that there’s something going on right away.” Pausing for a brief moment, he clocked his gaze towards the window. “Well, Meta Knight told me not to let ya know yet- but I know you’re gonna find out eventually.” His focus switched back to me as I sent him a nod to continue. I noticed how his shoulders were tense the whole time, causing my own posture to straighten in anticipation. Wariness rippled in his dark teal eyes as he gave the reason for why he came here. “That portal ya came through opened back up in the forest.” My lips fell partly open in shock as the king’s line of vision went to the clock on the wall. “Now I don’t want ya to be trying to rush outta here as soon as possible. You need healing, Kirby.” I furrowed my brows, staring at the bandages on my arms as if willing them to vanish. King Dee must have taken notice, if the brief chuckle was anything to go by. My sight flickered back up to meet his half-amused gaze. “Am I just supposed to wait until the portal vanishes again, then?” He shrugged at my inquiry, letting out a sigh before replying. “I’m honestly not sure about that. All we do know is that ya need some more time to heal.” His voice became more firm as his eyes hardened slightly. “Whether you want to put yourself in more danger or not.” My shoulders slumped as I breathed out a silent huff. “Right… because a star warrior is meant to stay still when their universe could be in danger.” His hardened stare loosened as he sighed. “I know that the first thing ya want to do is go back to your universe and make sure everything’s okay. I’d bet a million bucks that’s the first thing anyone would want to do if they were in your shoes. But the reality of the situation is… well, you don’t even know what universe that portal could send ya back to. Secondly, it’s best to heal up here first.” His eyes narrowed at me once more. “And I don’t know about anyone else, but I have a strong feeling that you’ll refuse to get proper healing as soon as you get back to your universe. The fact that you’re always worrying about others is proof of that.” My eyes rested on the white sheets, unable to meet his gaze. Well, suppose I know the answer to my earlier question. The people I know from this universe know of my recklessness too. Is it that easy to tell? I barely acknowledged the king’s drawn-out sigh through my thoughts until a hand rested on my shoulder. I glanced back up at him. “Listen, I’m not trying to sound harsh or anything… I’m just concerned for your well being. Someone has to be, right?” Yeah, someone has to be able to see through my weaknesses and dig down the truth of my stubbornness. My voice came out as a meek whisper. “Suppose so.” His grip tightened slightly, letting out another sigh and patting my shoulder before withdrawing his hand. “Yeah… anyhows, I should be getting back to the castle. Or else the others might assume that I’ve told ya something. I’ll see you later.” I cast him a nod, with him returning the gesture as he turned and stepped out the door. Taking out my journal from where I hastily tucked it underneath the pillow, my blank eyes stared at the cover. I flicked my sight towards the setting sun through the opened curtains. Catching a glimpse of early stars in the sky, I stored my notebook in the bedside table’s drawer. The moon came out rather quickly after doing so. The linen sheets felt cold to the touch as I fell asleep.

Dear Journal,
I ended the last entry rather quickly yesterday. Although I never opened it back up that night due to… something I found out. While the information was rather unsettling, I’ve seen things worthy of a much worse description. Just my luck, is it not? That star-forsaken portal showed up right after I was able to move my limbs again. While I’m still stuck in this hospital. Well, considering Nova never held an ounce of mercy towards me, it’s not too surprising something this unfortunate would happen. The only thing I’ve been able to do as of late is listen to the door hinges creak and stare at the clouds from the window. Sounds like fun, right? Yeah, it’s the exact opposite. I’m not sure if any of the doctors noticed the large burn scar on the back of my neck. Perhaps not, since my hair is long enough to cover it. The only haircuts I’ve ever had were when it got sliced off during a rough battle. Hey, at least it’s free. Actually, when I told Mags this he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. So I guess my jokes aren’t that great. Figures. Well, disregarding that useless information- there’s a knock at my door. Lovely, another interruption.

I was able to sneak my journal into the bedside drawer before the door squeaked open. The head surgeon stepped into the room, her clipboard and pen in hand. “How are you feeling today?” I responded with the most convincing smile I could muster. “I’m doing quite well, thank you. Do you know when I would be able to take my leave? The pain has completely subsided, and I have full mobility of my limbs now.” She nodded, humming as she jotted down a few notes. “Yes, I had a feeling that was the case considering the morning nurse saw you standing near the window yesterday. So you’re wondering when you would be able to leave...” My smile faltered for all but a second as I awaited her answer. She breathed out a quiet sigh as she looked at my straightened posture and pleading eyes. “Well, if you truly are no longer feeling any more pain- and you can walk without any help…” The head surgeon glanced at the clock on the wall before turning back to me. “Then I suppose you can leave as early as today.” Oh, thank the stars above. I beamed at her as my smile grew brighter. “Really, when?” She walked over and handed me a paper and a pen. “As soon as you sign this document. Be sure to answer truthfully.” I nodded, thanking her before glancing at the paper and starting to read. After signing it, I handed the paper back as she looked it over. With a nod, she stepped out of the room after telling me to follow her. I did so with anticipation running through my veins. Stars, is the sun brighter out here. A red leather mailbag was firmly clutched within my grasp, keeping my two notebooks safe. It’s a good thing I was able to thank that nurse for giving it to me on the way out. I breathed in the fresh air, feeling the summer breeze rip past my skin. I began my walk out of the town, picking up pace once nobody was in sight. I scanned the wooded area for a strange portal, only to halt once I caught sight of Whispy Woods. Or namely, the dark vines curling around the trunk. One sentence remained in my churning thoughts, breathing held still. Dark Matter exists in every dimension and every universe. I grit my teeth, widowed blue eyes narrowing at the very thing that crashed the starship I used to escape my birth planet. The dark creatures that have taken over so many planets and controlled so many minds. A large swirling mass gathered around the center of the bark, a single eye appearing in the middle of the tar-like substance. The pupil shrunk as it stared at my form, before sinking into the bark. Not a moment later, the entire tree became a dark shell of its former self. I raised a brow at the eye just behind the leaves on the upper trunk. Really, this again? The ground rumbled beneath the wilting blades of grass as the tree lost any remaining good will. The eye glared.

Chapter Text

Energy drained from my hunched form as I let out a huff. I narrowed my eyes at the tree branch above me, the bark no longer dark. Whispy Woods is always an easy opponent to defeat, although that tree tends to be rather annoying with those exploding apples. All I had to do was knock them back at the tree before they hit the ground. The breeze felt cool against my skin as I stood up after hearing the patter of footsteps. “Kirby! Sir Meta Knight, Sword, and Blade dug up something in the place you dueled at!” My shoulders grew tense at the information, worry becoming an anchor in my chest immediately. The boy turned around when his sister walked up to us, her meadow green hues shimmering with slight worry. “Yeah, you definitely gotta check it out. Who knows what dangers that crown could bring.” Oh stars, not again. I nodded at them to lead the way, hoping that the crown wasn’t the one I was thinking of. A trio of three swordsmen stood near a small crater, the wind sweeping up any dust among the rubble. I noticed the king and his right-hand exchanging glances at whatever crown was glinting under the sun inside the shallow crater. Breathing out a puff of air, I stepped towards the edge of the hole- standing still when I saw gold lining and a taunting ruby in the center. So it is the Master Crown… but who took it away from Landia? I decided to speak, hollow blue eyes darting up to meet the group. “Was the crown lost or purposely placed here?” Meta nodded at my inquiry. “We had to unearth the crown, so it was most likely placed here on purpose. The only matter is finding out the origin of the crown and whoever placed it here.” I hummed in acknowledgement, line of vision flickering over to King Dee’s voice. “Well it’s just a crown now, ain’t it? The crown itself can’t be dangerous, it’d be whoever put the thing here that we’d have to worry about.” Murmurs of agreement came from the others as the king’s right-hand drew close to the edge of the crater. “Why don’t we take the crown out and get a closer look at it, then?” Quickly, I dashed in front of him and put my arm out. Escargoon blinked at me in surprise, raising a brow. “Hold on a moment. Let’s not be quick to draw conclusions about the crown.” The lead swordsman piped up from behind me as I turned my head to face him. “Kirby is right, we shouldn’t assume something about the crown without any evidence.” Tuff spoke as he drew closer to us, casting a glimpse at the golden object. “But how could a crown possibly be dangerous?” His sister nodded along with his words. “Yeah, it’s just an object!” King Dee scoffed in reply, although curiosity was laced throughout his tone. “I agree with the kids on this one. What sorta danger could a crown possibly bring- does it have a spell or something on it?” The king’s right-hand shook his head. “Even a spell sounds ridiculous. Who would bury a crown that actually holds some sort of power, anyways?” Meta spoke up, a white gloved hand gripping the edge of his royal blue cape. “A trickster, that’s who. They can be dangerous, and have many moves up their sleeve.” Sword joined the caped knight’s side as Blade nodded in agreement. “I’d say we approach with caution.” Ignoring the rest of the argument unfolding, I tore my gaze to the crown in question. The golden object glistened underneath the blazing sun, the bright red ruby in the center as daunting as a smile of wry. The crown itself is the one with the twisted tricks, not whoever has it. I blinked to clear any old memories of the crown’s possessive nature from my mind. Tiff’s voice caused my head to snap upwards to meet her questioning gaze. “Kirby, what are your thoughts on this strange crown? You haven’t really spoken since we arrived here.” Everyone’s attention snapped towards me now, their gazes curious. Thanks for pointing that out, Tiff. Biting back a sigh, my sight landed on the crown again. The Master Crown… what a fitting name. “Rather than worrying about the crown, I believe we should focus on finding whoever buried it here.” I lifted my gaze to catch Meta nodding in agreement at my statement. Fortunately, everyone else seemed to settle on that idea as well. King Dee shrugged after taking another half-hearted glance at the crown. “Sounds like a plan, doesn’t bother me none, anyhows.” After a brief nod, Escargoon followed the king back to the castle. The two children hurried along with them after casting one last glimpse at us. Meta, Sword, and Blade left after exchanging a farewell to me. I kept my gaze on the crown, shadowed blue eyes narrowed. That despicable object. Shouts of betrayal and tears from loss invaded my thoughts. I shook my head to clear those faded memories, refusing to acknowledge the distant burning of a long thin scar across my collarbone. At least Mags came back and apologized. Although it was the crown that took control of his body and actions after he placed it on his head. I casted a glare at the possessive object before taking my leave, making sure to cover it back up with several rocks. A hawk flew over the setting sun, wings tinted red at the tips from the orange glow. I paused for a moment, catching a glimpse of the crown glinting beneath the dirt. Teeth clenched, shaded blue eyes narrowed as I grasped the golden object. After tucking the unfaithful crown in my mailmag, I turned towards the automobile shop in town. Determination settled within my eyes, the strength akin to a burning flame. It’s time to find another starship and get this crown back to where it belongs. Sunlight blazed above the shrouding clouds like a candle in the wind. The cursed crown became a ridden ember against my mailmag, driving me to hurry in getting it far away from here.

Starlight enveloped my vision as I made a sharp turn, keeping a firm hold on the steering wheel. I landed near the largest volcano on Halcandra, a cautious eye being wary of the lava lakes sprawled across the planet. Letting out a quiet huff, I stepped out of the starship, its bronze rim singed at the edges from the heat. Mailbag clutched in a tight grip, my footsteps smothered the blackened rubble as I climbed the volcano. Soon enough, Landia stood in my path. The once four headed dragon was now split into four smaller versions, due to the loss of the Master Crown on their head. Wait… Landia looks younger- oh right, alternate universe means different timeline. Keep forgetting that. Taking a deep breath, I took the golden crown and held it out to the proper owner. Landia tilted their heads, as if not expecting me to return the grand crown in it’s reddened glory. I nodded, slowly stepping towards them and placing the crown on one of their orange scaled heads. In a bright flash of light, Landia transformed into their usual four headed dragon form. Their forest green eyes glistened as they beamed at me in gratitude. A smile graced my face as two simple words slipped past my lips. “You’re welcome.” After a relatively fond and grateful head butt, I bid farewell to Landia. Knowing of the crown’s curse, I felt relieved to know that it was back in Landia’s possession. They’re a strong opponent, so it would be quite difficult to take the crown from them. Landia is the true guardian of the Master Crown, they know of that despicable object’s curse and- hold up. I halted in my tracks, whipping my head around. Thoughts reeling, I stared at the vast land of volcanic rocks and lava lakes. Why is the starship gone? I need that to get back to Pop Star! Who could have possibly- “Good evening.” A faintly familiar voice echoed behind me as I turned around to face the cloaked figure. Their face was obscured underneath the deep violet hood. They chuckled, shoulders rumbling with fickle amusement. “It really is you…” Pausing for a brief moment, they took off their hood- silver eyes glinting at my own widening ones. “Stars, I haven’t seen you since you were a young warrior-in-training!” With a sharp once over, his tone changed to something more akin to dark curiosity. “I’m sure you’ve grown to be quite battle-hardened, have you not? Considering the circumstances of your past, I wouldn’t be surprised.” I grit my teeth at the mention of the fall of my birth planet, his taunt causing my shoulders to grow tense. “Those circumstances don’t matter anymore.” Ignoring his scoff, I continued with a gradually hardening voice. “Why have you come here?” The cloaked male barked out a laugh, jaws snapping like a crimson snake as he spoke. “Straight to the point as usual, now- aren’t you? Despite sharing my looks, you got that part of your personality from your mother.” Clicking my tongue, I let my feet take an automatic step back. “Don’t act like you know anything about me- not after you disowned-” A sharp gasp tore past my throat as I was lifted and flung through the air by an invisible force. I tumbled downhill, gripping a rock jutting out of the steep ledge before my body could fall further down. Teeth clenched, I made a point to block out the burst of laughter in the near distance. A taunting voice cut across the space between us. “And here I thought you were used to training sessions! Have you already forgotten? During our training, you run!” I fought down the shiver that shot down my spine when I heard him yell the last word with an undeniable edge in his tone. Refusing to acknowledge the sharp bout of pain that went up my leg, I dashed across the volcanic field. I can’t use the lava to gain a fire ability, that element won’t work against him. Eliminating my options was rather quick, considering it boiled down to running- with his power, my lack of a strong copy ability, and this broken leg… and arm. Dang it. A glint of bronze caught the corner of my eye, immediately causing me to run, or rather limp, in the direction of it. So the maniac didn’t destroy the starship, he just hid it. Thank the stars. I hauled my bruised form into the cockpit, latching onto the door handle and closing it shut. My attention went to the control panel, dismissing the gas level percentage and grasping the wheel. I pretended that the last words he shouted before I flew away didn’t send a shudder through me. “You will join me, Kirby. The darkness is in your blood and you will never be a pure star warrior! No blood of mine shall-” His voice faded into the distance, with me barely noticing the shaking grip I had on the steering wheel. Releasing a breath, I forced my muscles to relax- albeit barely managing to do so. My train of thoughts spiraled off its course like my old starship did all those years ago when I fled my birth planet. How is he even alive? That poison-infused man burned in that fire along with the rest of them. I saw him- I turned the wheel sharper than needed into the woods, quickly stepping out and collapsing on the ground. A grunt slipped through my breath as I used the rim of the starship to steady myself. I allowed my eyes to scan over the twisted leg, before glancing at my dangling arm. My gaze narrowed. Definitely broken, alright. Just lovely… With a small shake of my head, I began limping towards a nearby tree. I left the starship there, figuring that it would be near impossible to move with two broken limbs. A lime green feathered bird with a curved black marking above their beak flew over. I tilted my head at them, as if silently daring them to question my wounds. I nearly jumped back when the bird actually spoke. “Why are you limping around like that towards a tree when you should be heading to a hospital?” With a small cough, I shrugged absentmindedly to hide my surprise. “I just need some rest, and then I’ll try to find a maxim tomato in the forest somewhere later. That usually always does the trick when it comes to healing pesky wounds like these.” The bird blinked at me, ruffling his feathers while raising a brow at my response. “You call a broken arm and leg just a couple of pesky injuries?” I cast him a nod, causing the bird to heave an exaggerated sigh. So this bird has one of those personalities. Right then. “You know what, stranger? Do whatever you think is best. I was just about to leave to get some sleep myself, anyways.” Before I could bid the peculiar bird farewell, he flew away and vanished into the depths of the woodland. I took another glimpse at the bronze ship before looking at the sky. Black feathered moonlight reflected in the burn smudged windshield as stars went into hiding like the night was a war zone- perhaps it was.

Chapter Text

“Come on, we’ll only be exploring for a little bit! Have some courage, Kirby- I heard that your father has been working on a secret project in his lab that’s underground! How cool does that sound?” A frown was present on my face, weary blue eyes risking a glance at the locked door of his lab. My father’s key was tucked between my fingertips, the rusted metal feeling unnaturally cold. I let out a breathless whisper. “I’m still not sure about this… he keeps it private and locked for a reason, right?” My friend’s eyes shimmered with unkempt confidence as he smiled. “Don’t worry, whatever experiments your father’s working on can’t be that bad. I have dark matter in my blood, and so does he. If I’m not that dangerous, then surely he can’t be either!” I kept my lips tugged into a firm line, a hesitant nod following suit. “I suppose you’re right. Shall we go then, Gooey?” My best friend nodded enthusiastically, gaze trailing towards the locked door. “Yeah, quickly before anyone notices us. But we’re twelve now, so hopefully nobody will be too worried if we’re gone for a little while… whether you’re the heir to the throne or not.” I drew in one last shaky breath, stepping forward to turn the lock with my father’s jagged key. The metal hinges creaked as the door abruptly swung open, stopping halfway. My heart hammered in my chest like a broken record player as our quiet footsteps broke the silence. Once we stood inside the lab, a single beep sounded above us- causing the door to slam shut. I heard Gooey gasp in the darkness as my shoulders immediately grew tense from the sudden sound. A small whisper came from my side as I felt my friend take a hold of my hand. “You can still unlock the door again from the inside, right?” I breathed out a ‘yes’ in reply, my voice as small as his own. He hummed in acknowledgement before releasing his grasp on my hand. We stepped through countless corridors, each hallway akin to that of a dreadful maze. Even then, all of those vacant spaces could never compare to the daunting sight that was in the basement’s final room. A hand gripped my own while I stood still in front of my father’s secret project, Gooey’s voice being the anchor of the dreaded truth sinking in. “Kirby, I think we should leave- now.” I slowly nodded, gaze settling on the black hole in the corner of the room. The wires hooked into machines holding glass capsules with strange glowing substances contained inside them, each one having a single eye in the center. But the thing that made my breath hitch was the large swirling portal in the center of the room. There was a machine to the right of it, reading graphs of different timelines that the portal was somehow connected to. I snapped my attention towards Gooey’s nerve-ridden eyes once we ran out of the lab. “What did we just see?” Shaking my head at his inquiry, I looked back at the closed door of my father’s secret lab. “I have no idea. Whatever that was, is my father’s doing.” My throat went dry, cold hands starting to tremble as he spoke. “We have no reason to fear your father… right, Kirby?” Shadowed blue eyes settled on the withered grass beneath my feet. My voice was as frail as the blue rose peeking out of the bush next to us. “I don’t know anymore. Perhaps this is the reason why my mother and him are always arguing…” I cleared my throat before flicking my line of vision towards Gooey. “Let’s head back to the village. I have a feeling that I won’t be able to enter the castle again for a while.” He nodded silently, turning away from the lab’s locked door, footsteps more quiet this time. Dull eyes blinked from underneath the ground.

I finished eating the maxim tomato, letting the marrow in my bones mend back together. A sigh slipped through my next breath, widowed blue eyes casting towards the bronze starship a few feet across from me. I wonder if I went back to that place… perhaps that portal is the same one that I fell into. Standing and dusting myself off, I reeled my shoulders back. After stretching, I decided to hide the starship in a small cave I passed by earlier. Well, there’s only one way to find out. Although it would be best not to travel again until nightfall. I pushed the starship towards the cave, silently wishing for the suplex ability to suddenly fall from the sky and grace me with its strength. Despite knowing well that wishing won’t get you anywhere unless you work towards it. Letting out a huff, I managed to get the ship into the cave with only a few scrapes being done to the already burnt edges. It’s fine, I’ll just spruce it up before returning it to the automobile shop. The shopkeeper lent it to me for a whole week, anyways. There’s still time, only a couple of days have passed. I stepped into the town to be immediately greeted by a loud voice. The only one with that type of demanding tone and barely held-together southern accent around here is- “Hey, parallel Kirby! You ran off into the woods for the rest of the day yesterday- not to mention the crown’s gone, too! So where exactly have ya been?” I blinked at the king’s raised brow, alongside his right-hand whose arms were crossed. Biting back an annoyed sigh, I replied with a near emotionless voice. “There’s nothing to be suspicious of, King Dee. I just so happened to find the crown’s owner and took upon returning it.” He sent me a nod after narrowing his eyes as if to check whether or not I was being truthful. Which in all honesty, he should know by now that I’m a terrible liar- alternate universe or not. Before they could both turn and walk away, I piped up. “Actually, do you have a moment to spare?” The king glanced at me, confusion riddled in his gaze as his right-hand prompted me with a nod to continue. “I had a question regarding a certain subject that I believe may be involved with the whole portal situation.” His shoulders stiffened at that, gesturing with a flick of his wrist for me to follow him into the castle. He sent his right-hand to get the others, dark teal eyes amist as Escargoon rushed off. Neither of us spoke until the group was settled in the dining hall. I chose my words carefully as to not alarm the group, especially the children. “It’s nothing to fuss over, it’s just something I thought of- or rather remembered. I’ve actually seen a portal very similar to this one in my childhood. There was dark matter around the portal, not to mention I’ve seen dark matter in this universe recently. I know for a fact that dark matter exists among every plane of existence, and can possess living beings- turn them into shadows of their former selves.” Well, I got the truth across. Although now the children seem worried. Tiff spoke up, her voice heightened from nerves. “Everywhere…? What if the Kirby from our universe gets possessed by dark matter?” Meta nodded, amber eyes flashing as he clocked his gaze towards me. “I must admit, that is rather worrisome. After all, you are both quite powerful. If one of you were to be turned dark…” I raised a hand to silence any further remarks as the masked knight trailed off. My voice was kept in a firm tone, knowing eyes revealing nothing but the truth. “There’s no need to worry about anything like that happening. If my alternate self shares the same blood as me, then neither of us can be possessed by any sort of mind-controlling being or object.” The king narrowed his eyes as he inquired. “Because of your blood…?” I nodded as the children tilted their heads in curiosity. Before anyone else could question that subject, I disclosed that part of the conversation and changed focus. “The point is, I can’t be possessed by dark matter, and I doubt my alternate self can either. What’s important is the fact that we may be getting close to the cause of this space rift.” I didn’t bother mentioning my father’s old lab, nor the fact that I recently discovered him still being alive. I’ll keep my father’s existence a secret for as long as possible. Dealing with him is a personal issue of my own to figure out. Tuff spoke with a questioning look. “So does that mean we just have to find this dark matter and hope it leads us to where another portal is?” His sister nodded in agreement at the proposal, as well as the rest of the group. After wishing everyone the best of luck, everyone scattered to do their own search. I dashed off to the woods, a knowing glint in my clouded gaze as the sun sank down. Adrenaline flooded through my veins as nimble hands dragged the starship out of hiding. Moonlight reflected on the surface, giving the bronze surface an almost golden haze. I jumped into the cockpit after pouring a generous amount of fuel into the tank. Settling myself on the worn leather seat, I peered through the cracked windshield as the control panel lit up. I took off into the night, bursting through the layers of Pop Star’s atmosphere with ease. My shadowed blue eyes narrowed in concentration as I yielded the oncoming stream of asteroids. Those darn giant space rocks are always a hassle to fly past. I drew near the center of the galaxy, weary gaze pinpointing where the abandoned planet was. Soon enough, I gave the wheel a sharp turn before landing among the ash smothered rubble. I grimaced as I saw the dusted bone marrow of the horror-stricken villagers that were caught in the raging mass of widespread fire. Some of them were old family members. The corpse in the watchtower nearest to the castle was my mother. According to my father, I was supposed to still be trapped in that death-ridden basement inside those light deprived, windowless chambers. I was nothing but an experiment to him- no, a weapon to be used. I refused to join his side… so he tossed me aside like a worthless object. Before finally deciding to light the fire he had been debating on setting. That despicable man. Heaving a forlorn sigh, I trailed across the wilted planet towards a should-be forgotten deathtrap. The lab’s metal door stood still among the silent planet, forever lost in time.

Chapter Text

Next to the lab’s door was a sword, which I decided to take. With the silver blade clutched in a firm grasp, quiet footsteps padded towards the creaking of the metal hinges. I unlocked the door with a familiar rusted key I found buried in the ground nearby. Silence filled the vacant hallways as shadows clouded my vision. Eventually, I reached my destination- the basement. Or rather specifically, the room holding my father’s old secret project. Although I wasn’t prepared for the door to slam shut behind me once I entered. My feet halted in their tracks, breathing hitched as I went still. After a few moments, I turned around once nothing seemed to be happening. There were no figures lurking in the corners, only an empty room with my fingertips loosening on the handle of a sword. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I turned foot to face the portal again. This room looks exactly the same as when I left it. The dark, swirling opening of space in the center of the room almost appeared to be surreal. Perhaps I should’ve bid my last farewell to everyone before leaving… it’s too late now. But I’m sure they’ll be glad to have the friend that they know back. I stepped closer to the portal, drawing near the opening until a single thought caused me to pause. My father’s still here in this universe. Does that mean he’ll exist in mine, too? Tutting with a brief shake of my head, I dismissed the thought. I’ll deal with him back in my own universe. My alternate self should be able to figure out how to defeat him, too. Especially since we both share the same powers- and considering this planet is exactly how I remember it… we most likely share the same past, as well. The space rift beckoned me nearer. Not to mention, my alternate self seems to have plenty of helping hands in this universe, too. So he’ll be fine. I took a glimpse at the machine to the right of the portal, foggy memories resurfacing at the timeline graphs. King Dee’s words echoed in my mind, causing my thoughts to reel. “...you don’t even know what universe that portal could send ya back to.” My feet halted in their tracks as realization dawned upon me. He’s right. This may not be the exact same portal. Even if it was, it may not send me back to the same universe again. Letting out a huff, I went to take a closer look at the machine next to the portal. Reading graphs of different timelines until something caught my attention. Tinted blue eyes narrowed at a timer, one underneath each wavelength. So this portal switches between different timelines and universes. How do I tell which one is mine, though? There were four different timelines on the screen, each one indicating a different wavelength and timeline. Sighing, my eyes darted back to the portal. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. The only way to find the right timeline for my universe that I can think of is to jump into each one. I don’t know anyone that would be able to figure out any other way… Susie, perhaps? No, she’s never even met me in this universe. Not to mention she’d immediately raise questions about this planet. It seems like I’m on my own, per usual. Despite knowing that I’d get switched with my alternate self of whatever universe I travel to, my sight darted towards the graphs. As soon as the timer underneath the first timeline went off, I took in a breath and stepped into the portal. I wish there was a way I could have dragged the starship down here. Although that would be an impossible task with how narrow and dark these hallways are. Darkness enveloped me before a wave of gravity encased my form. I landed on a patch of grass underneath a cloudless sky. Breathing out a sigh, I stood and brushed myself off. I glanced up to see the sun at its highest peak. Really, again? Taking in my surroundings, I came to the conclusion that I was in a rich person’s backyard. At least, if the mansion the picket-white fence was connected to was anything to go by. I hope whoever the land owner is doesn’t take this as an invasion of privacy. Deciding to take my leave quickly before anyone noticed me, I ran to the edge and jumped over the fence. Taking a completely graceful landing- as I lay sprawled out on the grass. Alright, that could have been planned out better. Standing up once more, I flicked a few chopped blades of grass off of my light pink hoodie. The lawn must have been recently mowed. Hopefully they won’t be coming back outside anytime soon, then. I sprinted away from the house, silently wishing that I had packed a couple of meta tomatoes in my mailbag before diving into yet another universe. Yeah, I really should’ve warned them back in the other universe about hopping into another timeline. I’m sure they’ll figure it out when my alternate self from this universe falls into their timeline without a clue to what’s happened. Dang it, now I feel bad. A huff slipped through my next breath, dismissing any track of thoughts. I slowed my pace considerably when I arrived at a small town with a marketplace and a hospital on the corner. Not to mention some sort of sign for several different arenas for sparring. Interesting. The ringing of a silver doorbell chimed as my quiet footsteps entered the farmer’s market. In my search for a meta tomato, the woman running the cash register piped up. My line of vision flickered towards her direction as she spoke. “Ah, good afternoon Kirby. You’re back already for more healing items? I thought that I had already scolded those reckless boys to go easier on you during your matches!” I blinked at her, casting her a half-hearted shrug as she heaved a sigh. During our matches? Thinking back to the strange sign I saw, my jumbled mind started connecting the dots. So I’m not a toddler in this universe like the last one. However apparently there’s a competition of several different matches, or battles, that my alternate self participates in. Great. I don’t even know who these ‘boys’ are that she’s talking about, either. After putting four meta tomatoes into a small basket, I carried the red fruit over to the cash register and pulled out- wait is the currency different here? Noting my hand about to reach into my mailbag, the woman smiled and held her hand up. “Don’t worry about paying, it’s on the house.” She handed me the four tomatoes back, now in a small plastic bag. I nodded at her generosity, offering a simple smile. “Thank you.” With a hum of acknowledgement, she glanced at the clock behind her- most likely waiting for her lunch break. I bid her farewell and promptly walked out of the shop, stepping into the warm sun glowing above the light breeze. I found a recycling bin nearby, dropping the plastic bag into it and placing the meta tomatoes inside my red leather mailbag. After doing so, I decided to try and find an automobile shop- either that or Susie- to find a spaceship to use. In the middle of my walk around the town, I passed by Meta. The masked knight acknowledged my presence right away, to my misfortune. Or perhaps it was luck… yeah, most likely not. He prompted me with a nod, stopping me in my tracks. “I thought you were practicing in the backyard for the upcoming battle. Are you ready for the next match?” Alright, so the parallel version of myself from this universe was apparently in the backyard I landed in. That would make sense. I cast the caped swordsman a brief nod in reply. “Yeah, I just wanted to stop by the farmer’s market and another place in town before the match started.” Amber eyes flashed as he hummed in acknowledgement. “Well you should probably save your next stop for later, the match is about to start in a moment. I’ll come with you to the arena.” He gestured for me to follow him, with me doing so begrudgingly. I shouldn’t have played along, now I’m stuck with battling against someone I most likely don’t even know. I don’t exactly know how these matches work, either. Probably just have to knock my opponent off the arena platform. Meta’s voice lured me out of my thoughts. “By the way, you’ll be fighting against one of the princesses today. So there’s no need to pack more than one meta tomato.” Hold up- what? The last time I checked, there’s not any royalty we know of besides Prince Fluff. I cleared my throat, giving a small confirmation towards the knight. “Alright.” He sent a brief nod towards my direction. The rest of the walk remained silent. He wished me luck once we stopped in front of the arena gates. “Good luck, Kirby. I’m certain you’ll do well, as usual.” My eyes widened slightly, gazing at Meta’s back as he walked away. What’s up with all of his alternate selves being unusually kind? Breathing out a sigh, I stepped onto the platform to greet my opponent. Sky blue eyes met my own weary ones. The princess donned a puffy light pink ball gown, a long pair of white gloves, and a bronze crown with a dark pink jewel in the middle and two blue gems on either side of it. Her long blonde hair was tucked behind her ears, the fringes on each side of her forehead curling at the tips. Her pink-lipped smile was soft, yet her eyes held pure determination. I have a feeling she’s one of those people who are a lot tougher than they appear to be. Lovely. Before I could think twice about backing out of the stadium, a timer went off and started the countdown. The doors to the arena clicked, a clear sign of a lock preventing anyone to enter or leave. I grasped the silver blade I had brought with me from the other universe, my hold as taught as a spring. Not a moment later, the countdown ended.

Chapter Text

The princess immediately dashed to the side, her pale hand reaching to grasp the handle of a weapon strapped to her back. As if I hadn’t fought opponents with this sort of fighting style before. With a click of my tongue, I reeled my shoulders back and dodged her attack. Wait, is that an umbrella she’s using? Interesting choice of weapon, but alright. To each their own, I suppose. I noticed her eyes narrow as I kept dodging her, sky blue hues flashing as if daring me to make my first move. Yeah, sorry princess. But I don’t waste my energy on those who aren’t a real threat. She grit her teeth, lips pursed as she continued to swing her umbrella as I blocked it with my sword. Then the blonde decided to speak. “Usually you always try to end the match as soon as possible…” Her gaze hardened as I searched for a strategy to knock her umbrella out of her tight grip. “So why the sudden change of mind?” I ignored the inquiry as I struck my blade into the ground. Brows furrowed in confusion, she paused in her movements for a brief second. To which I hurled my body upwards, gripping the blade as I flipped myself over her. Her acute gasp was barely audible as I landed behind her, doing a tuck and roll as she spun around to face where I supposedly was. I was quick to take a hold of her pink and white umbrella and fling it across the room into a shadowed corner away from the platform. While her fingers splayed out as she clutched thin air, I stepped back whilst she turned on her heel to face me. My face was akin to a stone statue, not an ounce of emotion in my tinted blue eyes. Voice monotone, I piped up as she continued to stare with a shocked expression. “I believe this match is over, have a good day.” Right as her jaw fell partially open, I turned to make my leave. “Wait!” I halted in my tracks at the high-pitched voice of the princess. “You’re not the Kirby I know.” Unsurprised that she realized I’m not who she originally thought, I turned on my heel to face her. “No worries, I’ll be out of here and hopefully back into my own universe shortly. As soon as I leave this universe, the friend- or foe, that you know will be back. Farewell, it was nice meeting you.” My breath held still at her unexpected inquiry after I finished speaking. “What do you mean by ‘hopefully back in your own universe’?” At her emphasis on the word ‘hopefully’, I cast her a half-hearted shrug as I gazed at the curiosity within her gaze. “The portal that brought me here is on another planet… although it’s a portal that takes you to four different universes. One of them being my own. I’m just… not entirely sure which timeline graph is the correct one to go to. So I’m traveling to each universe to see which one is mine. Still have three more to try out.” A thoughtful expression lingered on her face as I tapped my foot awkwardly. Why am I always bad at social situations? Oh right, because of how many times I’ve been betrayed by those I thought were trustworthy. Her next words however, caused a flicker of shock to take presence in my eyes. “Why don’t you come with me back to the mansion where all the match contestants stay? I think I may know of a few people who could help you figure out which timeline is your universe.” My eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise taking over my features. Nobody has actually ever tried to genuinely help me unless the entire universe was at stake. She barely even knows me, so why…? My mouth opened and closed like the awkward star warrior I am before finally managing to get an answer out. “Uh, are you sure…? I mean, you’d probably want to get the me that you know back in their proper universe as soon as possible, right? I wouldn’t want to cause any disturbances or-” A semi-deep voice interrupted my nervous rambling, to which I became mentally grateful for. “Kirby.” I turned to face Meta, who was apparently sitting on the bleachers this whole time. “It is not a problem, we can help. She wouldn’t have offered if she knew that none of us would want to.” I nodded slowly, trying to send a small smile in their direction and failing to do so. “Alright… thank you.” With a sharp nod, the masked knight continued to speak. “We can take Star Fox’s spaceship to the planet where that portal and timeline graph is, so he and a few others can take a look at it. They know about machines that deal with matters like space traveling and timeline rifts.” Huh, Mags is the only one with any knowledge in that subject that I know of. With a hum of acknowledgement, I prompted him to lead the way as we walked out of the arena. “How does anyone even afford a mansion like this..?” I breathed out as we stepped in front of the mansion. Meta replied with a simple answer. “The government pays for it.” Nodding, I asked one last question. “How did you manage to make a deal with the government?” The princess responded this time as she turned the silver doorknob. “They wanted an idea for a new sport, and we offered to pitch in. Before you know it, we made it happen.” Upon stepping inside, there was a yellow rug that appeared to be more of a golden color with a black logo in the center. The logo design in itself was simple, a circle with two lines drawn unevenly across it to make four different sized corners. The hardwood floors had chips within the grooves of the chestnut planks, a clear sign of the mansion’s age. Not to mention, the current argument taking place in the kitchen. The princess sighed upon the sight, whereas I stood still- unsure of what to make of the scene. “For the last time, I did not take a single mushroom from the cupboard! Nobody even likes mushrooms except for you, Mario!” I flicked my sight back and forth between the two arguing males, as Meta stepped forward to deal with the nonsense. “Well, someone had to have made mushroom ravioli last night!” A scoff followed from the other, as he adjusted his long forest green hat. “Ask Kirby then, they’re always trying out all sorts of recipes!” The latter shook his head, completely ignoring the caped swordsman drawing near as he huffed- arms crossed against his blue denim overalls. “Kirby promised me that they wouldn’t take any of the mushrooms I bought. Besides, they always buy their own groceries whenever they decide to cook or bake!” Meta cleared his throat to grasp their attention, as the two males whipped their heads around to face the annoyed knight. “Oh, hey. Sorry about the commotion. We were just debating on who took Mario’s mushrooms.” I took a glimpse at the shorter male with the red cap and blue overalls. So that’s his name… what about the one who looks like a woodland hunter? Meta heaved a quiet sigh, whilst I pondered just how many times a situation like this has occurred before. “I believe there is a more significant matter at hand than a can of mushrooms.” The one in red- Mario, raised a brow as the caped knight continued. “There is an alternate version of Kirby here, and they need help getting back to their own universe. Once they return to their home, then our Kirby will automatically switch with them again.” The green one nodded as Mario flicked his gaze towards me and the princess. Soon enough, the rest of the contestants who lived in this mansion were all gathered in the living room. Meta explained the situation to them, and not a moment later questions came barreling out one by one. “Wait, so do you know any of us?” Before I could respond, another voice chimed in. “How did you get here?” My sight flicked back and forth between everyone as several different voices piped up. I cleared my throat, raising a hand to try and silence the room. “I’ll answer the first two questions, since they seem to be the biggest ones.” Not to mention the most reasonable. Everyone settled down, curious gazes set on me. I’ve never once liked being the center of attention. With a silent sigh, I spoke. “The only ones I know are Meta and King Dee.” I ignored the whisper in the back in favor of continuing. “As for the second question, I arrived here from a portal on an abandoned planet near the center of our galaxy.” Other than another whisper or two, including the same one from before, everyone was quiet. “This Kirby gave them nicknames? I wonder how close they are...” What’s up with everyone questioning my relationships? After clearing my throat, whoever whispered that abruptly stopped and didn’t speak another word. Well then. “So should we start with introductions?” I nodded at the male with the long green hat, who looked very much like a woodland hunter. He cast a nod my way, speaking with a lighter tone. “Well then, my name’s Link.” I managed a faint smile, turning to the next voice who piped up- who happened to be the princess that offered help. “My name is Peach, I suppose I should’ve told you that sooner.” I nodded, as everyone else began introducing themselves. The name-sharing ended up lasting until dusk befell the land and smothered the sky with shades of orange and blue. Meta spoke after a moment of silence passed. “Since it is already late, we should turn in for the night. You can sleep in the room at the end of the hallway upstairs, if you’d like- or rather, your alternate’s room.” Casting him a nod and a simple thanks, I wished everyone good night and went to the room he mentioned. I found a pair of dark gray joggers in the dresser, the cotton as soft and warm as the baggy red shirt I wore with it. I’ll be sure to wash them before I take my leave. After setting my day clothes aside in a folded pile, I bundled myself up in the navy blue sheets on the bed. The world turned dark as I listened to the hushed whispers on the other side of the wall and the whistling of the vents.

I blinked at the sight of my father’s head as it dropped low, silver eyes devoid of any emotions. He spoke in a voice that held a shred of rebuttal. “You will regret my exile one day.” There was a glint in his shadowed gaze as he clenched his teeth. “This kingdom has no gratitude for what my experiments could bring. Now you will have no proper ruler.” Before anyone could respond, he took a hold of his violet hood and pulled it over his short dark hair. The exiled king turned foot and walked into the depths of the woodland, and away from the distant castle. I turned to meet my mother’s somber gaze as she laid a pale hand on my shoulder, knuckles scraped from the last time our castle door was slammed.

My mother’s voice trembled with pride as she spoke in a humble tone. “You are now crowned the new ruler of our kingdom. Leadership is in your blood, and I am more than certain you will bring us towards a bright future. You have always been filled with hope, no matter the situation- and that is something this kingdom can and will always look up to. You’ve grown strong enough to light the rest of the way, Kirby of the Stars. Both as a ruler, and a true star warrior… thank you.” Determination flooded through my veins as the now former queen beamed at me, her golden eyes shining. I turned to face the kingdom, the large crowd being overcome with cheers and shouts of joy. A flicker of light flashed in the corner of my vision, tinted blue eyes narrowing at the oddity. Flames sparked in the distance. My eyes widened, gaze flicking back the crowd as I took a step forward. “There’s a fire southwest, everyone head north while I search for a water source!” Sudden gasps filled the kingdom, with my mother casting her sight towards the fire and calling the crowd together. I nodded at her as she prompted me to get a water ability as soon as possible. My footsteps crushed wilted grass leading into the woods, mind set on getting to the river. A flash of dark violet flashed across my vision as an invisible force lifted me into the air. Caught off guard, my eyes grew wide as I struggled to move. I looked down to see a sinister grin plastered on the culprit’s face. My gaze hardened at the exiled king, as the despicable man I called my father spoke with a dark lilt seeping through his words. “I wasn’t invited to the royal coronation, so I figured it would best to set a distraction.” He chuckled. “It worked rather well, wouldn’t you agree?” He stopped using his telekinesis, causing my body to fall ungracefully onto the dead leaves. I was quick to stand, fingers clenching into a fist. “I do not wish to speak with you. I am only here to save my kingdom.” Silver eyes flashed as he flung me into a tree with full force. Before I could try and harness a leaf ability from the tree, my bruising form was slammed into a metal surface with a loud crack following suit. I let out a hoarse cough, trying to stand with quivering limbs. My vision went out of focus as the former king and mad scientist brought a hand to my neck and dug his fingers in harshly. Wrapped in a daze, I heard the faint clicking of a door as I was thrown into a dark hallway. My father’s eyes flashed in spite as he snarled in a firm voice. “I’m afraid I cannot let you do that.” I gasped for air as he shut the lab’s metal door in front of me, locking me inside the shadowed chamber. My eyes darted around frantically as I forced myself to rise, frantically searching for an exit- because it can’t end like this. Eventually, I found one. Although when I dug myself out and ran to the kingdom… it was already too late. I had only one option left, to leave this planet and let the ash-covered corpses dry out.

I breathed out slowly, dull blue eyes catching sight of my old home planet as I flew towards it. My starship touched the cold ground, blackened ashes clouding the metallic surface. Before I could follow my fears and leave the desolate planet, I stepped out to check for any remaining survivors. Even though it’s been a few years, my weary mind still held onto that dangling string of hope that there may be survivors left. I stepped over the scattered ashes of the villagers that lived in my old kingdom. Any shred of hopeful light within my clouded gaze was diminished once I reached the nearest watchtower to the castle. I caught sight of my mother’s remains- a few mere bones and a burnt skull dusted with a light coating of ashes. My widowed stare flicked over to where some tattered feathers were, the ruffled tufts charred and bent. There was barely anything left- not even half of one of her beautiful wings remained intact. I breathed out a shaky whisper. “Mother… you were an amazing queen- and I wish I could’ve had the chance to follow in your steps.” Blinking back tears, I jerked myself back and ran to the lone starship in front of the fallen kingdom. I was unable to take a second glance at my birth planet as I flew away. Teardrops stained my cheeks as I gripped the wheel, ivory knuckles turned pale with unshed grief. Dread blocked out any starlight.

A crash echoed throughout the mansion while I stirred awake, breaking any previous silence. Loud voices followed suit, as a groan escaped my throat in retaliation. I shivered, my skin sticking to the bedsheets. I must’ve broken out into a cold sweat in the middle of the night… due to that nightmare- or flashback, rather. Stars, out of the all nights those memories could pop up again…. it was this one. Figures. Heaving a sigh, I forced my body to slip out of bed and stand- my knees nearly buckling as I did so. Almost forgot how shaky my limbs become after one of those nightmares. With a click of my tongue, I peeled off the drenched clothes after grasping a towel and stepping into the nearest bathroom. A shower will fix everything. It’s fine. An annoyed huff slipped through my breath as I put on my usual clothes- the ones that I’ve been wearing for a good few days now. Definitely need to wash those as soon as I return to my universe. The commotion only grew louder as I walked downstairs with a bundle of cloth in my arms. A voice caused my head to turn. “You’re washing the clothes you slept in- and the bedsheets?” I nodded at Link as he scratched his neck with a raised brow before shrugging absentmindedly. “Alright then, the laundry room is in the room next to the kitchen on the right. Someone’s bathrobe has been hanging on the doorknob for ages now, so it should be easy to spot.” With a slight chuckle, I cast him a nod and a small thanks. The sound of a kettle whistling lingered in the kitchen along with the sweet smell of Belgian waffles and maple syrup.

Chapter Text

A brief moment of silence passed as we stared at the portal. Cold fingertips scraped the rusted key in my hand before slipping it into my mailbag. The humanoid fox in the spacesuit piped up first, his gaze darting towards the machine to the right of the portal. “This is… not what I expected.” Brows furrowed in confusion, I clocked my line of vision towards his narrowed eyes. “What did you expect?” He cast me a half-hearted shrug over his shoulder, nodding at the machine. “Not a complex timeline graph like this, that’s for sure.” I let out a hum of acknowledgement, stepping away from the portal and towards the machine. Star Fox began to mutter under his breath as he examined the machine from different angles. “Just who was experimenting with this sort of thing…?” My eyes lowered slightly, until another voice spoke. “Why don’t you ask the owner of this place?” Shoulders stiffening, I turned around- sight catching hold of a familiar glint of silver eyes. Stars, not him again. The humanoid space fox growled from behind me. “Just who are you, and how did you get in here without a key?” The violet cloaked male chuckled, a brush of dark humour laced through his voice. “I’ve already introduced myself as the owner of this laboratory, have I not?” The mad scientist wasn’t fazed at being surrounded by his twisted experiments- nor seeing others here. I spoke with a slight edge bordering my tone. “We just came here to see which timeline belongs to my universe so I can leave. Nothing else.” Silver eyes twitched as he reached into his pocket, hood falling as he grinned sharply. My breath hitched, stepping back as a shot went off from behind me. The dark haired male grit his teeth at the bullet now lodged in his shoulder, casting a glare at the one behind me. With a scoff, he left the room after pulling out the bullet in his shoulder and crushing it. I blinked as Star Fox piped up. “I have a bad feeling about him.” Nodding in agreement, my head turned back to the machine while he pocketed his gun. Almost forgot he mentioned something earlier about carrying those. With a shake of his head, the humanoid space fox locked his gaze onto my own. “I’m sorry to say this, but I honestly don’t have a single clue on how to figure out what timeline belongs to your universe. I wouldn’t mind staying to see if it’s possible to work something out, but not with this lab’s owner still around.” I flicked my sight to the machine, gaze settling on the timers below the listed wavelengths. “That’s understandable. You can leave now if you wish, I’ll just go back to testing out different timelines. The owner of the lab shouldn’t bother you if nothing in here is messed with.” He sent me a brief nod, wishing me luck before taking his leave. The flashing of the next timer taunted me as the portal swirled. I took a leap of faith while holding my breath. Darkness enveloped my vision, the weight of gravity releasing me into another universe. I still wonder how my father is still alive. I heard him let out a scream of anguish right before I found that starship to escape. I saw him trapped underneath that collapsed pillar as his breathing fell still. How could he have survived? My body fell a short distance from the sky into a watermelon patch. Why would my alternate self be in the middle of a farm? Shaking my head to clear any thoughts, I stood up and dashed to the woods before anyone would notice me. A voice spoke from behind a tree as I halted in my tracks. “Hey, Kirby- I haven’t seen you in a while! What’s new?” I turned to meet windswept blue hair and a hearty grin, my lips curling into a smile. “Oh, just traveling to universes with different timelines. What about you, Gooey?” His black-coffee colored eyes looked lighter in the sunlight as he chuckled. “You’re always on an adventure. Why don’t we go get some lunch? You can tell me about these universes and I can tell you about my college classes.” I nodded, relieved to be back in my own universe.

Gooey let out a hum of acknowledgement as he took a sip of his water. I did the same before noting one last thing. “Oh yeah, I was also thinking about flying back to that lab to see if my father’s there.” The blue haired male let out a cough, nearly choking on his drink as he cleared his throat. He stared at me with wide eyes. “You’re going to do what?” I blinked at him, tilting my head before inquiring. “Would you care to join?” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This is going to be a disaster just waiting to happen.” I drummed my fingers on the table as the waitress came out with a check. “So is that a yes?” He raised a brow at me in return.

The rusted metal hinges of the door stood silently still among the stained walls of the old lab. Fingertips intertwined with my own as Gooey breathed out. “Since when did you become the one with all the crazy ideas…?” My grip tightened on the Star Rod being held in my other hand. “At least I’ve come prepared, this time.” The absence of any wind prolonged the silence among us, the ashes below our feet becoming unbound. The lab’s door swung open halfway, revealing a dark cloaked figure. I let my wings unfurl themselves, the black feathers appearing soft despite their defensive position. Letting out a huff, I took to the skies as my childhood friend sent a wave of blue fire. My father pulled out a couple of guns from his pockets, quick to dodge and shoot. Tinted blue eyes narrowed at him while Gooey barely evaded the bullets. That madman is still standing in the lab’s doorway, so I can’t attack from behind. Brows furrowed, I flew into the clouds to try and get some covering. I took my aim, clutching the Star Rod in a firm grasp as it casted small stars in his direction. He dodged them with ease. Wonder if there’s a way to power up the Star Rod to make the stars bigger. A shot went off from below, causing me to fly down again- a bullet grazing my shoulder in the process. Teeth clenched, I sent another wave of stars at him while Gooey casted a streak of dark lightning. Our efforts of attack were fruitless as he kept a firm grip on his gun and aimed it. I tucked the Star Rod into my mailbag and pulled out my sword. My friend slowed down the bullets with a wave of water, dark eyes narrowed in spite. I dashed to the side, blade in hand as Gooey kept my father distracted. He fired off a shot without looking, causing me to be able to dodge the bullet easily. Stepping behind him, I rested my sword on his shoulder, tilting it so the blade would rest against his neck. My voice was steady as I spoke. “What is the purpose of your portal experiment?” I felt a cool object apply a light pressure to the side of my head. If my friend’s troubled expression was anything to go by, it was most likely a gun. My father began to speak, tongue curling around his words like a vile-ridden snake. “I was curious as to when you would question that project of mine. So it seems like this is how it ends.” In front of us, Gooey’s eyes widened for a moment before clenching his teeth. His finger’s on the trigger now, isn’t it? I held my breath as the blue-haired male struck a bolt of dark lightning at my father’s gun. After doing so, I heard my childhood friend shout for the first time in my life. “Try to kill your own blood again and I’ll send the next bolt to your face!” There wasn’t even a flicker of hesitation in his eyes when he shouted the threat. Just pure truth and determination. I mouthed to Gooey as everything became silent. ‘Get to the starship.’ His sight went to the gun on the ground, lips pressed into a thin line before he started running. It wasn’t until after his figure faded from view that my father spoke once more. “I created a portal to travel to other universes so I could obtain more specimens of dark matter. The different timelines that they held were just a bonus.” His next words turned my blood cold, hollow blue eyes widening. “Use your blade now, or I will continue to gather dark matter until they all combine together to become-” The sound of a bomb exploding from inside the lab cut him off. My father went still before pushing me away and running into the shadowed chambers. The metal door closed behind him. My line of vision went towards Gooey calling out from the starship as he drew near. I nodded at the lab to answer his silent question to where my father went. Right before I could debate on whether to jump in the cockpit, a scream echoed from inside the lab. A single thud was heard as dead silence rang through the air. I fought back the shudder that tried to overcome my body, hauling myself into the starship next to Gooey. The ride back home was quiet as we flew towards a blurry yellow planet- the shape slowly taking the form of a large star. The clouded layers of the atmosphere were shrouded in a golden light as the sun sank down from its highest peak and below the horizon. Until eventually dawn overcame the dusk that befell the skies.