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Kirby, Meta Knight, and King Dedede took their stances. As they and many other of their Smash Brothers did as they saw the amalgamation of wings began to glow with immense light.
Meta Knight and King Dedede had no idea what this all could mean. The three of the popstar residents just came here to have a fun tournament, and here they are, potentially going to face their doom.
Meta knight eyed the mass of wings and light in the sky. He had been through many wars up to this point, but this was something unimaginable. Something that gave him a sick feeling to their stomach, and something they felt that was too much even for them.
Meta Knight glanced at his King, who has a blank expression, and knows his face is all telling that he is thinking the exact same thing.
But one thing the both of them do know, that if the two of them cannot handle it, then another courageous ball can.
Meta knight turned, his cape flowing with grace to face Kirby.
"Kirby, call for your warp-star".
Kirby moved their focus from the sky towards their friend, their eyes clouded with confusion.
"What?!" Kirby managed to squeak out. "No! Why would I? We have to face this together-"
"Listen to the Knight and listen to your King! '' King Dedede interrupted Kirby ``Call for yo' dang star, because we need to get you outta 'ere!"
Kirby looked at the knight and King with more worry, "I don't wanna leave this fight! I don't want to leave you both!". Kirby's eyes began to well with tears.
Dedede and Meta Knight both walked towards Kirby, getting close enough that they both placed one hand on the little puffball.
"You're not going to leave this fight." Meta Knight declared "We are asking you to continue it for us. But for you to be able to do that, you first have to leave."
Kirby sniffles in the hands of the knight. "I don't want to! When you both talk like this I know something really bad is going to happen to both of you!".
King Dedede knelt down, hand still on Kirby. "Son, you've been through something like this time and time again. What makes this different all of a sudden?".
Kirby glanced at the King as their tears finally began to fall.
"Just because I'm used to it, doesn't mean I like it!" Kirby whimpered "And we are in a different universe from ours, I don't know if you both can bounce back this time!".
The King and Knight gave each other a look. They both knew Kirby was right, they had no idea if they would even survive this, but the chance for anyone to survive and fight was higher with Kirby leaving on the warpstar.
"That doesn't matter right now." The masked knight exclaimed, "Kirby, call for your warpstar, our chances of winning this fight are higher if you leave and come back another time."
"Come with me!" Kirby's final attempt of keeping his friends safe, but even the puffball knew it was going to be a futile try. "We can leave and come back together!"
"Kid, you know we're both too heavy, we'll only slow down the ol' star!" King Dedede retorted, giving his belly a small nudge in hopes of lightening the mood, to no avail.
Kirby, almost wailing at this point, trying to find any excuse to be here. Seeing the little guy in such a state, The King brought them into a small hug.
"You don't gotta tear up now Kirb!" Dedede exclaimed with a hearty tone, using one hand to wipe away the tears the puffball had. "Save those tears for when you come back 'n find us you hear?"
Kirby gave the king the tightest hug they could. But before they could speak, the light in the sky shone brighter than it had before. The mass brightened within the sky, before disappearing and reappearing as a black hole.
Meta Knight felt their heart drop to their stomach. Whatever was going to happen was rapidly approaching, they only had moments left, and they had to act fast.
"Kirby!" Meta knight advanced, his words almost sounding like a plea rather than a command. "Call for the Warpstar!"
Kirby was stunned at the way Meta Knight sounded, finally able to bring himself to call forth their means of transportation.
"Warpstar!"
And with one word, the star appeared within moments. The King picked up Kirby and placed them on the star.
"We'll fly with you as far as we can," King Dedede comforted, shooting another look at Meta Knight, who nodded in agreement.
Meta knight unfurled their cape, as it transformed into his signature wings. "And no matter what you hear, don't look back until you've reached warp speed".
Kirby looked at the both of them, before their attention went back to the sky.
The black hole, within moments, had turned back into light and streams of light began to emerge from it.
All of them headed towards the fighters.
Kirby's eyes widened, and quickly they faced forward and started the warp star, ascending into the sky. Kirby hears the familiar opening of wings and inhales from his friends behind him. Knowing that Meta and Dedede are behind him, Kirby begins to pick up speed.
The streams of light began to wreak havoc. All the fighters, the friends Kirby had made in their time here, vanished as each and every light beam hit its target of choice.
Something in Kirby told him to look behind him, and for a moment the thought went ignored, before Kirby caved and decided to look back.
It was at that exact moment Kirby saw King Dedede and Meta knight with their hammer and sword raised, charged and ready to hit.
Kirby's confusion was answered as he felt both weapons hit the end of the warp star, causing the ball himself and the star to launch into full speed much sooner than anticipated.
Kirby, flying at great speed through the air, realized what his friends just did for him, but also to themselves. They never planned to follow him as best they could. They planned to do whatever it took to get him out of there.
"Keep going!" King Dedede bellowed through the growing distance between them, "You gotta make sure we can see each other again!".
Meta Knight faltered in his words, before giving a great shout across the sky. "You are a star warrior, one of the greatest of all time! Make good on your promise to us!".
Kirby continued to stare at his good friends with tears in his eyes. The distances growing between them until they looked like ants, but the radiant light glowing faster, and it was right behind them.
The pink puffball shut his eyes before he could see what his friends had succumbed to. He turned around to face the sky with, their eyes filled with determination, not knowing where to go, but only knowing to pick up speed. Kirby leaned all their energy and balance into the warpstar, the speed almost feeling like too much and Kirby hearing nothing but the rushing wind as they began to pick up lightspeed.
Yet the lights have finally caught up with Kirby, as he managed to see them at the corner of his eye. Each one taking it turn trying to catch the star warrior, but Kirby being quicker and twisting his star throughout the sky to narrowly avoid each stream. Kirby wasn't going to let his friends down, all of them.
Kirby's speed began to warp reality around him, the image of everything around him distorted, but he couldn't stop until the light beams were out of sight, and they were still coming strong and from all directions, closing in. Kirby focused hard, and put every bit of energy they had left into a last effort into leaving this realm. Everything in sight began to contort, and glow brighter as the lights were so close to catching Kirby. He felt his heart racing, the blood rushing through his ears, everything in his body becoming loud with anxiety.
And then there was white. No noises, no light beams, nothing. Kirby knew what it was to be in between dimensions, and this was it. They had succeeded, they beat the monstrous light source.
But this was a small victory, over many new challenges to come, and an even greater enemy Kirby has yet to face. There was no way Kirby was predicting what there is to come.