Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Taranza does end up taking Nia out of the castle, having decided to spend the day showing her around Dreamland. They don’t go into town, however, as he concludes that would probably be too much for her. Instead, they survey some of the region’s more natural scenery, venturing out into a nearby forest for some fresh air. 

He tells her all about what he knows. He talks about how the flora and fauna of the Lower World are similar, but distinct, too, and points out whatever he can recognize. He comments on how nice the shade the trees cast feels on such a warm day. He says he believes the crowing they can hear in the distance belongs to fledgling Birdons. And he holds her hand the whole time, of course. As they make their way through the underbrush, he gives a warm smile and rubs circles in her palm. 

The most interesting thing they end up encountering is probably Whispy Woods. They don’t approach the shockingly volatile tree directly, of course, but they spot it from a distance. Taranza takes the chance to brag about the time he made something similar.

“It was while Kirby was right on my tail,” he explains, trying to make the story sound as dramatic as possible. “I still didn’t know who he was, but I knew I had to lose him if I was going to successfully kidnap the hero of the Lower World, and so I thought fast. I singled out a nearby flower and flooded it with magical energy, bringing it to life… that way, it could defeat Kirby for me. And it was every bit as big as Whispy was. Even bigger, perhaps!”

It’s a strange story for her not to know, admittedly. After all, it’s something that occurred during a mission he was doing for her. But by the time he returned with his bounty, Sectonia hadn’t exactly been interested in listening to his stories. She’d been too far gone at that point to want to interact with him at all, and shortly after his homecoming, she’d…

A lump in his throat. No. He shouldn’t think about things like that.This is a lighthearted recount. He should try his best to look on the bright side. Just think how many stories he has to tell her now that she’s back!

“That said, the resemblance waaaasn’t exactly coincidental,” he admits, letting out an embarrassed laugh. “I’d actually seen Whispy Woods while making my way to King Dedede’s castle, and thought I’d take some inspiration. After all, no harm in a little bit of well-meaning plagiarization. In hindsight, though, that probably wasn’t the best idea. I only learned later that Kirby had already fought Whispy upwards of a dozen times. I was just giving him an opponent he was already perfectly equipped to beat. Poor Flowery Woods didn’t stand a chance.”

“...Upwards of a dozen times?” Nia asks. “Why was he fighting some unremarkable tree once, let alone that much?”

“Ah… well, Whispy Woods and Kirby have history,” Taranza admits. “I’m not really sure how it first started. I suppose he must have ticked Whispy off by accident, somehow? Either way, now the tree gets rather cross when he sees Kirby, and he’s made a habit of attacking preemptively… y’know, ‘before Kirby can attack him.’ It’s rather silly, seeing as how if he just left Kirby alone, Kirby would probably leave him be, too, but good luck convincing him of that.”

Whispy is, from what he’s heard, rather stubborn. Not the worst of Kirby’s recurring enemies, of course— that honor would have to go to Kracko— but he’s up there!

Nia nods before thinking for a moment. Then, she points at Whispy.

“So, if you made something like this once,” she asks. “Does that mean you could do it again? I’m not sure what use you’d have for that, of course, but I must admit I’m curious.”

“Oh. Um-” Taranza tugs at his scarf. “Well, yes, I suppose, but now’s probably not the best time to demonstrate. As you said, it’s not as if I’d have a particularly good reason to bring a plant to life currently, and something tells me Whispy over there wouldn’t appreciate it if I were to do something like that. He’s rather territorial. He’d probably get upset if I were to intrude on his space.”

All true, of course, but that’s not the only reason. Taranza knows for a fact he wouldn’t be able to do something like that now— not without his magic, and he can’t have Nia finding that out.

“Besides,” he says. “There’s no need for something like that. The nature here is already good enough, if you ask me. Just look at the flowers.”

He points a finger at a flower patch before making his way over to it. He crouches, plucks a flower, and returns to Nia’s side, tucking it in her scarf.

“No need for embellishment,” he says, smiling.

And that seems to be enough to distract her. She doesn’t push the idea of him bringing a plant to life. For that, he’s grateful. He’s realizing that sooner rather than later he’s going to have to come up with a better reason as to why he can’t use magic. That, and take a minute alone to test out his abilities. Who knows? Maybe he can still do some things. And if that’s the case, it’ll be much easier to keep up the act.

He’s not sure when he’ll find that opportunity, though. For now, he really doesn’t want to leave her alone. Investigating the extent of his debilitation will have to wait.

At least… when it comes to the way his magic’s been affected. Even without deliberate investigation, he’s quickly starting to piece together the way other parts of his life have become more difficult. He recalls the way carrying just a few too many library books made it feel like his limbs were going to give out, not to mention how easily the Floralian insurgents were able to overpower him. He was never a particularly ‘tough’ person, but now he’s outright frail.

Even just hiking through the woods, he finds himself becoming a bit fatigued. He has to take a moment to catch his breath occasionally, stopping and talking about something just to find an excuse to take a break. It seems he won’t be able to live as active a life as he once did.

…That’s okay, though. He’ll get used to it. He doesn’t regret his decision. He could be so weak he was bedbound and he’d still feel the same. The experience is unpleasant, of course, but it’s more than worth going through. A small price to pay, really, in exchange for his most important person.

He just hopes she won’t catch on. He can’t imagine how she’d react… how anyone would if they were to find out. They’d chastise him, surely— say he was a fool.

But that’s alright, too. It’s like he said earlier: if being a fool is what’s necessary to stand by her side, then so be it. He’s guilty as charged.

The two of them have a relatively nice rest of their day. Nia is still quiet, of course, but he’s able to show her some pleasant sights. They even have a small picnic in the woods, eating a lunch that Taranza packed before they set out. 

Like she did during breakfast, she seems uncomfortable removing her mask, but otherwise, things go well. Her face even flattens again… and while that means that, yes, she’s able to put the accursed thing back on easier, it also probably means she’s feeling a little more like herself again, and so Taranza will count that as a win.

By the time they get back to Castle Dedede, it’s a little past sunset. It’s dusk, and stars have begun to twinkle in the sky. A few Waddle Dees watch them as they make their way inside, but none approach right away. It’s only after a little while— exchanging an uncertain glance, that one of them dares to call out.

“Ah! You’ve returned!” They say. “...That’s great! The king got back just a little while ago. I think that he wanted to talk to you. You should be able to find him in his throne room. He’s there with Bandana Waddle Dee and Kirby.”

“Oh!” Taranza says. For some reason, he hadn’t expected Dedede to get back before them. Then again… he and Nia had gotten back a little later than he’d anticipated, too. He’d been meaning to return before sunset. “Really? That’s wonderful. We’ll go see what it is he has to say.” 

A glance back as he continues, “Right, Nia? I bet he has an update about the situation in Floralia. Let’s go.”

Nia nods, sticking close to him as he leads the way to the throne room. Taranza knocks on the door, then pokes his head inside.

Sure enough, King Dedede, Kirby, and Bandana Waddle Dee are there. They appear to have been in the middle of discussing something, although stop just as soon as they’re interrupted. They turn to look towards Taranza and Nia.

“Oh! There you are,” Dedede says. “I was startin’ to get worried. Where were you?”

“Nowhere particularly noteworthy,” Taranza replies. “I simply took Nia out to survey the local woods. But- um! That’s besides the point. You’ve returned. Does that mean you made your way to Floralia?”

Dedede’s face bunches slightly. Still, he nods.

“Uh… yeah,” he says. “We checked it out, alright. Come over here. I’ll give you the scoop of how things went.”

The tone of his voice doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Taranza feels a lump in his throat as he hovers over to join the group.

“I’m taking it things didn’t go well?” He asks.

Dedede takes a moment, as if searching for some way to sugar-coat it, but, ultimately, lets out a sigh. 

Shaking his head, he says “‘fraid not. I really thought we could get through to ‘em, but the minute I brought up the idea of letting you go back, they flipped. They seemed pretty miffed I was givin’ you a place to stay at all. They said the two of you were bad news.”

“I tried explainin’,” he continues. “Talkin’ all about how bug girl was off her rocker when she did that stuff and that she wasn’t anymore, but they weren’t willing to hear me out. They weren’t even willing to listen to Kirb.”

“They called him clueless. Can you believe that!?” Bandee asks, planted by Kirby’s side. “Kirby! Who saved them! Too forgiving, maybe, but not clueless! He wouldn’t make a decision that would put anyone in danger! He knows for a fact that if you two tried to cause trouble again he could stop you. He’d barely even need to try!”

Kirby sidles uncomfortably from foot to foot. Averting his gaze, he mutters, “...’m sorry, ‘Ranza.”

A pang of guilt. Taranza shakes his head.

“It’s not your fault, Kirby. You tried your best. I… knew going into this that they probably weren’t going to be willing to change their minds. I knew it wasn’t likely we’d be able to go home.”

He says that, but despite himself, his heart sinks. He supposes he got his hopes up— supposes he let himself think Kirby and King Dedede could accomplish the impossible. But that wasn’t the case, and now, he’s never going to be able to go back. It stings hearing it said aloud: that he’ll really never see Floralia again.

He’ll never get to go back to the castle. Never get to visit the hill that he and Nia would play at when they were younger. He’ll never get to see Fine Fields or Old Odyssey or even Endless Explosions again. He won’t even be able to see the garden where he first met Nia— that he maintained painstakingly for so many years… the place where he first realized he was in love with her.

And what about her? This has to be even harder on her, doesn’t it? Floralia is all she’s ever known. He’s at least visited Dreamland, but to her, this is an unfamiliar world. She’s already being forced to adjust to being back alive, and now she has to acclimate to a new environment, too?

Curse those ignorant Floralians! The Insectoids and People of the Sky both! They wanted to see Nia fail from the start. They despised her from the moment she first became queen… no! Since the moment she was born! And they have the audacity to treat her like a monster over something she had no control over? It’s disgusting! Maybe they deserved the horrors they were put through!

…No. That’s not true. Taranza doesn’t actually believe that. He’s just upset. Why is it that for the entire time he’s known Nia— Sectonia, Joronia— no-one else has been able to see what he sees?

“It’s… fine,” he says, voice just a little bit strained. “We’ll be fine. Thank you for trying.”

It’s clear Dedede doesn’t believe that, however. Giving him a pitying look, he responds, “‘Course. Was the least we could do. Sorry we couldn’t give ya’ better news. But you’ve got a place here as long as you need it, ‘kay? So at least you don’t gotta worry about that… and we won’t let anyone come after you, either. You don’t gotta worry about your safety or nuthin’. If anyone comes here to try and threaten you, I’ll chase ‘em off my dang self! You got that?”

“...Yeah,” Taranza says, “We’ve got that.” 

“Good,” Dedede says. “This sucks, but everything is gonna work out. I’ll make sure of it. Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything the two of you need? Because if you want something, I’ve got you.”

“I… don’t think so,” Taranza responds, feeling dizzy. It’s as if he’s far away. “Not that I can come up with right now, at least. Can we… simply have dinner, perhaps? I think I might just want to get something on my stomach, then wind down early for the night.”

He’s not entirely sure that he can eat, actually, now that the words have left his mouth, but he forces himself to take a deep breath… ignores the knot in his stomach.

It’s fine. He’s fine. Sad, sure, but that’s alright. At least he still has what’s most important.

“‘Course,” Dedede says. “The Dees should already be cookin’ up something now. Want me to grab it for you, or…-?”

“No, we can get it ourselves,” Taranza says. “Thank you, though. I’ll… uh…” a pause. “Can I talk to you in the morning? I apologize. My thoughts are just a little frazzled right now. I’ll be better equipped to discuss our plans going forward then.”

“Right,” Dedede says, nodding. “Sounds good. You two go and have a moment. Try an’ get some rest… and I’m sorry again that things didn’t work out.”

“It’s fine,” Taranza says. “It’s like I told Kirby: you did your best.”

He then excuses himself, exiting the throne room alongside Nia and making his way towards the kitchen. There, the two of them pick up a very sweet smelling dinner, before making their way out to the terrace.

It’s a quiet night. Stars twinkle overhead, bright white against a black, blue and purple backdrop. Shadows stretch as the two of them approach the table.

They place their things down, but neither of them eat right away. In fact, Nia doesn’t even reach to remove her mask. She stares at Taranza, expression blank.

Then, finally, she says in a soft voice, “...I’m sorry.”

As she sits there, her body shrinks slightly. She seems to draw back, horns burgeoning from her head. When she speaks, though, it’s not with the voice she used as an Arachnid. It’s Sectonia’s voice that comes out, tiny and uncharacteristically ashamed. Violet eyes water.

“Nia…” Taranza says. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. This isn’t your fault.”

“Yes it is! I- if I weren’t such an awful person, then you wouldn’t have been driven out. If you weren’t associated with me, no-one would blame you for the things I chose to do. Y- you wouldn't be stranded so far away from home! You wouldn’t be scared!”

“You don’t know that,” Taranza insists. “And you’re not an awful person! I’m not upset with you. I already told you: I decided to support you in everything you did. No-one made me. You’re not the only one to blame for what happened. I’m just as culpable. A- and I don’t care we’re so far away from home. Didn’t I already say it earlier? That home is wherever I’m with you? S- sure I’m a little frightened… and I’ll miss Floralia, but I won’t miss it nearly as much as I missed you.”

He rises from his seat, hovering over to her. He holds out a handkerchief, saying, “...Please don’t cry. Everything is going to be alright. You don’t have anything to feel bad for. I’m not sad because of you. I’m overjoyed you’re here. I’ve been…- I’ve been on cloud nine ever since you came back! And in light of that, forget Floralia! We don’t need it! All we need is each other, and even if this is scary, we’re going to get it figured out.”

And he means that. He’s… probably putting on a little bit of a brave face for her, but he also feels slightly better just saying it. It’s an important reminder of what’s most dear to him. He’ll miss Floralia: the place where they made so many memories, but they’ve been blessed with the opportunity to make new memories.

Nia reaches out for his handkerchief, but hesitates to use it. She’s still reluctant to remove her mask. As she sniffles, though, her face shifts. It narrows into a point, causing the mask to slide from her face. It clatters against the table as she lets out a panicked whine.

“Crap!”

She tries to grab at it, but in her disoriented state, she just swats it. Articulate fingers morph into clumsy paws, and as they do, she knocks the mask from the table. She flinches as it hits the floor.

She leans down to look for it, but Taranza finds it first. He picks the mask up, passing it back to her.

“Here you are,” he says softly. He reaches out to wipe the tears from her face.

But she doesn’t appear relieved as she looks down at the mask. Her lip quivers. 

“This is pathetic,” she says. “I can’t believe it. You’re the one who’s being punished, and I’m having you comfort me? W- what happened to me!? I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you must hate to see this.”

“Hey, no,” Taranza says. “I don’t hate this. I wish there was more I could do for you, but you haven’t done anything wrong. You don’t need to apologize for needing comfort. You’re scared, too. You’ve also lost your home. But it’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. Remember what I said: as long as I’m with you, I’m content. You’re my home.”

“...Some home that is,” Nia mutters. “You’ve abandoned your place in the heavens for some no-good, ugly, selfish wreck. How long before you regret it? Before you hate me? I know you’re upset, and so why don’t you just say it? Yell at me!”

As she pulls back, it’s her who raises her voice… and for a moment, it makes Taranza freeze. But as she curls in on herself… quivers, he shakes his head and reaches out a hand.

“I’m not going to yell at you,” he says firmly. “I’m not upset. I’m not angry. And I’m not going to hate you! Don’t say things like that.”

Taking ahold of her hand, he squeezes it tight. Then, he pulls it in close to his chest. 

“...I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll say it a thousand times if I must: I am never, ever going to hate you. You are my favorite person in the whole entire world. You’re not no-good. You’re not ugly. You’re not selfish. You’re afraid, but that’s okay. Anyone would be in your situation. That doesn’t make you any less wonderful… and so I’m begging you, please… just breathe.”

He grabs yet another hand, running his thumb over her fingers. He speaks in his best attempt at a comforting tone.

“Inhale, then exhale. Remind yourself that everything is going to be alright. That this isn’t your fault. That no matter what happens, I’m not going to leave your side. Say it as many times as you need to to feel better. I’m here for you. We’re going to work through this.”

Nia doesn’t yield right away. She continues to sniffle, shivering. But eventually, as Taranza continues to speak softly, she takes a deep, shaky breath. She tries her best to collect herself.

He’s not sure how long it is before her body relaxes, just that it’s even longer before her tears finally dry. It’s a gradual, painstaking process. Eventually, though, she falls silent. As she blinks slowly, her whimpering ceases.

Her body grows ever so slightly. She no longer shrinks in on herself. Her face is still wasplike, but as he wipes the tears from her eyes, one of them takes on a white glow.

“See?” he says. “It’s not so bad. We’ll be alright, and so please don’t cry. I’m not angry with you.”

Even once her crying’s stopped, he stays with her for just a little while. He presses close to her, hoping his presence will bring her some sort of comfort.

But eventually, she speaks.

“...You should probably get back to your food.”

“Are you sure?” Taranza asks. “I don’t want to leave if you still need me.”

“I’m sure,” she says. “You must be hungry. I’m… sorry for that. I shouldn’t have made a scene.”

“You’ve done no such thing,” Taranza assures, but at her insistence, he pulls away. “Try and get something on your stomach, too, okay? You’ve had a long day. Enjoy dinner. Then we can go back to our room and you can get some well deserved rest. Tomorrow will be better, I swear.”

With that, he returns to his seat. 

Nia sets aside her mask, placing it on the table. Then, she looks down at her food.

As Taranza takes a bite, she admits, “...It must be cold by now.”

And she’s not wrong. The dinner has long since lost its warmth. 

Taranza frowns.

“Do you want me to get you something new?”

“Ah…- no, that’s not necessary,” Nia insists. “I suppose I just feel bad.”

“What? Don’t,” Taranza says. “I don’t mind a cold meal. And it’s not even that cold! I’m not bothered, and so please don’t apologize. I don’t regret taking a moment to comfort you.” A pause. “...I’m just glad to be having a meal with you at all. I missed this, you know.”

Nia’s quiet. She takes a bite of her meal.

Finally, she responds, “I… missed this, too.”

Then, more silence. They eat without exchanging a word. Nia looks deep in thought. 

It’s only several minutes later that she speaks.

 “You… really do love me, don’t you, Taranza?”

He’s taken aback. Does she even really need to ask? He thought his answer would have been made more than clear.

“Of course,” he says. “More than anything. Why? Are you worried you don’t deserve it? Because you do. You are the most incredible person I know. My everything.”

“No. It’s not that,” Nia reassures. “It’s just…” she hesitates. Her next words come out soft. “...I think I want to try.”

“Try?”

“Yesterday we talked about the status of our… relationship. You asked me what I wanted, and I said I wasn’t sure, but I think I’ve made up my mind. I want to be with you.”

Taranza stares. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. It’s what he’d been hoping to hear, of course, but all the same, he hadn’t expected her to say it, let alone so soon. Does she… really mean that? That she wants to be in a relationship with him?

“You… do?” he asks. “A- are you sure!?”

“It’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“Well, of course! But do you mean that? When you say that’s what you want too?”

“I believe so. I want to be your partner… if you’ll have me.”

“If I’ll have you?” Taranza asks. “Nia, I…-” 

His lip quivers. He rises from his seat. Once more, he rushes to her side. But this time, he’s not consumed by worry. Instead, it’s a rush of joy that flows through him as he responds, voice loud and certain.

“Of course I’ll have you! Are you kidding me!? This is a dream come true— the best day of my life! Or, well, no! The best day of my life was the day you returned, but all the same, I can hardly believe it! I’m dating the most beautiful woman in the entire world!”

Joyous laughter as he wraps her in an embrace. He doesn’t even think about it; he just can’t contain himself. He presses his head to her neck.

For a moment, Nia is tense, but her shoulders just as soon relax. She gives a stiff nod.

“You… are.”

She sounds uncertain, of course, repeating it, but for once, it doesn’t matter. Taranza will convince her— he’s sure of that now more than ever. He’s her’s, after all, and that means he can shower her in all of the affection he’s wanted to this whole time.

He squeezes her tight. He just about starts pressing kisses to her face, but stops himself at the last second. Where are his manners!?

“M- may I?” he asks, just a little bit flustered.

Nia stares, taken aback. After a moment passes, though, she gives another nod.

“If you’d like.”

And he’d like that more than anything, so he does. He kisses her forehead, her chin, her cheek— just about any spot on her face he can find. He appreciates the warm, fuzzy sensation of a patch of fur on her temple— leans in as close to her as he can. It’s an ecstatic, lovestruck frenzy. He’s consumed by pure joy. He fears for a moment that he’s going to wake— that this is too good to be true and will have just been a dream… but as he feels Nia’s chest rise and fall, he knows it’s no fantasy.

…He really did get his miracle.

‘Take that, you stupid Floralians!’ he thinks, smiling so wide it aches. ‘You can take away our home, but you can’t take away our love! For years, you tried so, so hard to keep us apart, but no longer! Maybe in that way, your mutiny was a blessing!’

Now, there are no more prying eyes. Now, there are no more judgemental whispers. Now, it’s just the two of them… him and the love of his life— the person he thought he’d never get to have this moment with, even long before she was cursed.

Laughter turns to hiccups, and before he knows what he’s doing, tears trickle down his cheeks.

“Are you… crying?” Nia asks. 

“I can’t contain myself,” he responds. “I’m just so happy! You’re alive! We’re together! No-one can take that from us! It’s everything I could have ever asked for!”

As he sobs, her body tenses. Slowly, though, she reaches out a hand to place on his head. She runs her fingers through his hair. And finally, she returns his embrace.

“...I’m glad.”

The next little while is a blur. Taranza is on cloud nine. If his dinner got cold while he was comforting Nia, then it may as well be frozen by the time he pries himself from her. He doesn’t mind, though— not one bit. As he embraces her, he no longer feels hungry. In fact, for the first time in years, he’s satiated. A craving within him much more overwhelming than any physical sensation is, at last, assuaged.

He’s content.

It really does feel as if nothing else matters. Perhaps he’ll feel differently tomorrow, but not right here. Not right now. Now, more than ever, he believes what he’s been saying to Nia all this time.

“We’re going to get through this. Together.”

When they’ve finished eating, they prepare to head back to their room.

Taranza’s almost too excited to sleep, but he reminds himself that they’ve had a long day and could use some rest. Besides, as much as it feels like there are butterflies in his stomach, he’s looking forward to sleeping side-by-side with Nia.

He knows it’s something they’ve already done— he’s slept nestled against her every day since she’s returned… and not only that, but she held him for a time as ‘Sectonia.’ This is different, though. This is special. For the first time in his life, he’ll get to cuddle her both as his partner and as herself. There won’t be awkwardness. There won’t be distance. There won’t be resentment or dark thoughts running through her warped mind. It’ll just be him and the woman he loves— who he’s loved nearly his entire life. 

His heart does sink, a little, he must admit, as he watches her retrieve her mask, but he tells himself it’ll be alright, even as she puts it on. As much as it hurts to see, he knows she won’t wear it forever. Eventually, he’ll help her feel good about herself, and then she won’t need things like that.

He clasps her hand tight as they make their way down the castle halls. It’s a little later, and so not too many Waddle Dees are awake, but those they do pass by send them a quizzical glance. Taranza wonders if it’s just because they’re getting used to their presence in general, or if they, too, can tell something’s different.

He asks Nia what she wants to tell everyone. Is she okay with having this out in the open? He understands if she’d prefer to keep this between them, but…-

“That’s up to you,” Nia says. “...I don’t have a preference. It’s your friends you’ll be telling, after all, not mine, yes?”

“Well… I suppose. But I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with it, and besides, I’ve already told you: any friend of mine is a friend of yours. Now, especially!”

Eventually, he decides he will tell everyone. He’ll say it loud and clear. Not just because he wants Nia to know he’s proud to have her as a partner, but also because, if he’s being truthful, he just doesn’t think he can contain himself. He doesn’t want to restrict his affection to something only shown during quiet, private moments. He wants to dote on Nia everywhere. In front of everyone! He wants them to know he’s the luckiest person in the world.

Ohhhhh, he can’t wait to see how they all react! 

Magolor will tease him for sure. He’ll say he’s corny. But, for once, Taranza won’t let him get under his skin. He’ll be branded as the corniest person in the world, if that’s what it takes. If that’s the price of loving Nia, then so be it!

Kirby will definitely be happy for them. He’ll clap his little hands and say he knew they loved one another! He’ll say that he’s glad Nia isn’t sick anymore and that everything worked out. He knew Taranza could achieve his fairytale ending!

Francisca and Flamberge will also probably be excited. They might tease Taranza a little bit, too, but they know how much this means to him. He still needs to find a way to thank them for everything they did. He knows they said that wasn’t necessary, but he doesn’t care. They reunited him with the love of his life! He couldn’t possibly be more in their debt. 

…That said, thinking about them, he can’t help but remember Zan Partizanne.

What is she going to say? Is she going to tell him that there’s no way this will work out? A shudder runs down his spine as he recalls her asking him what he did— warning him that there were no such thing as miracles. And she hasn’t been the only one to show skepticism.

What about Susie? Dedede, too? While the latter is certainly less overt about it, both of them seem to have some concerns about Nia. How will they react? Will they tell Taranza that he’s making a bad decision? That Nia doesn’t deserve him? That he’s just going to get himself hurt?

The briefest twinge of anger, but he just as soon forces it to subside. No, he’s overthinking this. He shouldn’t worry about things like that. While it’s true both Susie and Dedede have expressed worry, it’s not because they don’t like Nia. Dedede is trying his very best to get used to her, and Susie will warm up, too, given some time. They won’t say anything hurtful.

They’ll be happy for Taranza. He knows they will.

As he and Nia enter their room and flick on the lights, the warm glow feels welcoming. Taranza smiles, squeezing Nia’s hand, then leads her over to their bed. He crawls in and waits for her to do the same.

She does, of course— placing her mask on the bedside table before settling beside him. Just like the night before, she wraps him in her embrace, but now, it’s all the more special. As Taranza nestles against her chest, he lets out a satisfied purr. He breathes in her familiar scent.

He can hardly believe how lucky he is… not just to have her back in his life, but to finally be able to love her in the way he’s always wanted to. And to think, just a few days ago, he thought she was gone forever. He thought he’d never see her again. 

He can still remember just how empty he felt… how he’d been beginning to run out of hope. But he hadn’t given up, and now that loneliness feels distant and strange. It’s as if he’s finally woken from a nightmare. He experienced something horrifying beyond words, but no more.

He has his Nia. It’s all he could have ever possibly wanted.

“I love you,” he breathes, snuggling against her. “I’m so glad you’re here. We’re going to be happy together, I’ll ensure it. You’ll feel like the blessing you are.”

Nia’s quiet, admittedly, as she lays there unmoving for the briefest of moments. Her hand shifts in his— becoming larger, less familiar, less soft. But as he pulls it in close to his body all the same, she presses her forehead to his neck and responds.

“...Thank you, Taranza. That’s very kind. I love you too.”

And with that, he’s content. She sounds tired, but he believes her. She loves him, and for that alone, he’s grateful.

“Goodnight, Nia,” he says. “I hope you sleep well.”

She lets out a soft “Mmmm…” and then her body relaxes. She’s ready to rest.

As is Taranza. For once, he’s exhausted, but in a good way. He lets out a yawn, cherishing Nia’s embrace, and he drifts off to sleep, he feels more at home than ever, even being miles away.

She wanted this so badly for so long. Why does it feel so miserable now?

She knows why, of course— she’s acutely aware now she doesn’t deserve this warmth, but all the same, that doesn’t make it any less depressing. Once upon a time, she dreamed of holding Taranza tight, but now that he’s in her arms, Nia feels…

Uncomfortable. Uncertain. Listless. 

Numb.

And the worst part is. he’s overjoyed. Even sleeping, there’s a wide smile on his face. He snores softly, looking so, so at peace. She can’t shake the memory of his laughter… his happy, relieved tears from her mind. 

Why? Why did he react that way? Why does he love her so much— so sincerely— even now? It doesn’t make any sense. It makes her feel frustrated. Confused. Pitying. She has to wonder just how long his delusions will last… if she wants them to.

Surely, eventually he’ll realize, won’t he? That she’s beyond saving? That she’s a bad person? That she’s not his beautiful spider anymore? It’ll finally click for him that he doesn’t love her, and then he’ll leave her behind. It’s what she wants him to do, in some ways, but in other ways, it scares her to her core. She doesn’t want to be left behind. Even if it’ll mean he’s free… even if that’s the fairytale ending he deserves. 

Perhaps that’s another reason it feels so bad. It’s not just that she knows she doesn’t deserve it. She knows that it won’t last. Eventually, the novelty will wear off, and Taranza will understand he made a mistake. Why savor it knowing that? That this warmth is temporary, and that one day she’ll be abandoned, like she should?

Not that that means she won’t try. There’s a reason she told Taranza she wanted to be in a relationship, even though the thought made her feel sick and she knew that it couldn’t be for forever. Plain and simple: it was clearly what he wanted. He still thinks she’s someone worth loving, and he craves her affections more than anything. That’s why he brought her back— in hopes of being happy with her.

She wants him to be happy. She wants that more than anything. And so even if she knows she can’t make him happy forever, she’ll pretend. She’ll do her best until he eventually opens his eyes. It’s the least she can do to repay him.

After all, not only did she break his heart, but now he’s lost his home because of her. How couldn’t she give him what he wants knowing that? She owes Taranza. Seeing him longing… it made her heart ache. And similarly, hearing him laugh… seeing him smile…-

Well, it didn’t make her happy. She’s not sure she can feel happy. But she knows it’s what she wants. 

She just… hopes it won’t hurt him more in the end. 

When Taranza awakes the next day, it feels as if he’s still dreaming. With sunlight spilling in through the curtains, the morning is pleasant and peaceful… and even in an unfamiliar bed, he finds himself smiling— for embracing him is the person he cares about most.

He can hardly believe it… that she said what she did to him yesterday. He’d thought that, perhaps, they’d never hold each other again… and that was something he was ready to accept. After all, what matters most is that Nia is alive. The status of their relationship may as well have been a footnote… and yet, somehow, he’d had that miracle granted, too.

She wants to try. She loves him.

…And just when he thought he couldn’t get any luckier. He’s so happy he could hardly put it into words! He knows that they’ll have to take things slow— and that their relationship most likely won’t be easy with everything that Nia is going through— but that’s okay. He’s prepared to weather any difficulty for her… and he’ll hold her hand to help her through the trials and tribulations. He’ll support her, just like he was always going to… except, like he never could have dreamed, as her partner. As the person who can press kisses to her skin— call her beautiful. 

He’s going to do everything in his power to help her believe that. To let her know that this is a dream come true, and that his love is sincere. He swears that he’s going to make this relationship easy on her. That he’ll use it to build her up. That he’ll never once let her doubt just how happy he is for it.

…Because he is. He’s the happiest spider— no, the happiest person in the entire world. Just a few days before, he thought that he’d never get to see the love of his life and dearest friend ever again, but now he’s back where he belongs… right by her side. He’s lucky enough to have earned her affections, and now that she’s here, he promises he’s never going to let her go.

Needless to say, he’s in no hurry to wake her. Instead, he simply continues to lie there, listening to her breathe in and out. He cups her hand with his and lets out a satisfied purr. He savors her comforting warmth.

As expected, she looks different than she did the night before. In fact, what he sees as he glances back at her, admittedly, gives him pause. For, as he lays eyes on her, it sinks in that she’s the most Sectra-like she’s been since he first resurrected her. At a glance, he’d even be able to mistake her for Sectonia pre-death if he didn’t know any better.

The only indication she’s not are just a few subtle details. Her antennae are orange and yellow, as opposed to a vibrant pink. A single fang pokes from her lip. A small patch of fur covers her chin.

Other than that, though? Her skin is a smooth yellow. Her face is pointed, and her body slender. As opposed to eight eyes, she has just two… and he can see golden wings twitch as she sleeps.

It’s a… slightly offputting sight. Not because he minds, of course— he doesn’t— but just what does that mean about how she sees herself? Her ever-shifting body represents her self image, correct? Then what do such features indicate? Does she still see herself as the woman she was when she was at her worst? Does she feel dangerous? Mean-spirited?

‘Oh, Nia…’ Taranza thinks, frowning. ‘That’s not you anymore. ‘Whatever you think you are, it’s not true. You’re yourself again. No-one can tell you what you need to be.’

And so, although the sight of her hurts his heart just a little, he nestles against her chest just like he would if she were an Arachnid. Even if she doesn’t feel like the Nia he originally fell in love with, he knows she is. And he’ll be there to tell her that until she, too, can believe it.

He places a hand on her back, careful not to brush against her wings. He squeezes her gently.

‘The love of my life is back, and I’m so fortunate to be here with her.’

He’s not sure how long they lay like that— intertwined, but eventually Nia starts to stir. Blinking her eyes open, she murmurs, “...Taranza?”

Taranza jolts, pulling away just a little. He stammers.

“A- ah… good morning. I do hope I didn’t wake you. A- and I apologize if I crossed a line. I probably should have asked before holding you. But seeing you lie there, I…-” he drifts off. 

When he doesn’t finish, Nia shakes her head.

“It’s just fine. What are you apologizing for? You’re more than allowed to hold me. We’re partners, after all.” A pause. “...Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

“Heavens, no!” Taranza says. “I suppose I’m just still getting used to this. I can hardly believe it… that I’m allowed to hold the most beautiful girl in the entire galaxy. That you’re really here, and you’re willing to have me as yours.”

Saying that, he reaches back out for her. He gives a wobbly smile.

“...I’m so happy.”

Nia’s expression is, admittedly, inscrutable. As she looks at Taranza with those violet eyes of hers, it’s hard to tell what she’s thinking. There’s a certain blankness to her expression... and as Taranza takes it in, he gives pause. 

“You… haven’t changed your mind, either, have you? Because if you don’t want to do this-”

“I want to do this,” Nia interjects. “P…- please don’t let yourself think otherwise. I meant what I said last night. That your love means a lot to me. I’m just… still getting used to all of this. But I want to be with you. That much I’m sure of.”

“Ah…” Taranza says. “Well, for that, I’m relieved. I very much want to be with you, too. More than anything.”

Gently, he presses a kiss to her forehead. Then, he sits up.

“But I suppose it’s time we get a start to our day. Unless you’d like to rest a little longer?”

“No, I’m ready to get up,” Nia replies, sitting up as well. “We… have a lot to get figured out, don’t we? Now that we know we won’t be returning to Floralia?”

“Indeed,” Taranza admits, feeling some melancholy, but quickly brushing it off. “We should talk with King Dedede. We need to discuss whether or not we’re going to be allowed to stay here, and what we’re going to do if we’re not.”

So, they slip out of bed. Nia reaches for her mask, then excuses herself to get changed into a new cloak.

She really doesn’t need to go elsewhere, but Taranza gives her her privacy. He takes the chance to get changed into new clothes himself— still oversized, but plenty comfortable— then waits for her return.

Thankfully, she’s not gone too long. Although, less thankfully, when she returns, it’s with her mask on. Just like the day before, it, alongside her hood, obscure nearly her whole face. Taranza can only make out her chin and her eyes.

…He really shouldn't be surprised. It’s not as if she gave any indication she was planning to stop wearing it. And so, although it makes his heart sink, he tries his best to respect her decision… forcing a smile and making his way over to her side.

“Looking wonderful,” he says, reaching out for her hand. “Are you all ready, then?”

“I believe so,” she responds. “Let’s go talk with your friend.”

A nod. And with that, Taranza leads the way out into the hall. Much like he did two days before, he heads straight towards the throne room, hoping he’ll be able to find King Dedede there. 

Unfortunately, though, when he arrives. he finds it decidedly kingless. He pulls a Waddle Dee aside and asks if they know where he is.

“The king?” they respond. “I believe he’s having breakfast. You should be able to find him in the dining hall. Unless he’s already finished? But…- um- I doubt that. His Greatness quite enjoys a good meal.”

Ah… that makes sense. 

Taranza thanks the Waddle Dee before making his way back out of the room and starting towards the dining hall. 

Needless to say, it’s much, much more crowded than the terrace where he and Nia have been eating. Connected directly to the kitchen, Waddle Dees flood in and out, carrying plates or what-have-you. They chatter amongst themselves, hard at work.

A few look troubled as Taranza and Nia enter the room, but, at the very least, they don’t bother them. Instead, they simply give a sideways glance as the duo makes their way towards the head of the table.

There, Dedede is seated, with a buffet laid out before him. Eating with his hands, he doesn’t seem to have even noticed they’ve arrived. Instead, his attention is focused fully on the food… that, and his Waddle Dees.

“Dee-licious! Great work as always, you guys! Compliments to the chef! Who was in charge this morning? Gourmet Dee? ‘Cause if so, tell him I’m definitely having seconds! This is way too scrumptious for just one portion.”

Seems that during his meal with them, King Dedede had held himself back. That, or more likely simply snuck away for a second serving afterwards.

Either way, Taranza is grateful. Something like this definitely would have been overwhelming for Nia’s first day here. Both the all-you-can-eat junk food buffet and the amount of Waddle Dees necessary to maintain it. The private, small breakfast on the terrace was much more appropriate.

As he draws closer, a figure beside Dedede clears his throat. 

“My king,” he says. “I believe you have company.”

It’s, of course, Bandana Waddle Dee. Spear in hand as always (...and as if King Dedede will seriously need to be protected from something in the middle of breakfast), he stands tall.

Taranza is surprised, honestly, that he hasn’t seen him around King Dedede more often. Usually, he tails the royal like a dog. But he supposes they’ve likely been too busy lately for that to be feasible… what, with both the New World incident and Taranza and Nia showing up on their doorstep, King Dedede and Bandee both have had their hands full.

Still, King Dedede looks Taranza’s way, and after a moment’s surprise, he gives a friendly nod. Setting aside his breakfast for a moment, he says, “Oh! Bug boy! Bug girl! Uh… how ya doing? Are you holding up okay after last night?”

It’s clear his failure to allow them to return home is still on his mind.

“We’re alright,” Taranza says. “I mean… there’s still a lot for us to get figured out, but things could be worse. At the very least, we still have each other. With that in mind, I’m more than okay. What matters most is that Nia is here with me.”

Saying that, he squeezes her hand.

“But… ah- the fact that we need to get some things figured out is why I’ve come to speak with you. I know I excused myself in a bit of a hurry last night, and I apologize. But we should probably figure out what we’re going to do, shouldn’t we? Where we’re going to be staying from now on?”

“That’s probably a good idea, yeah,” King Dedede replies. “Like I already told ya: you’re more than welcome to stay here as long as you’d like. But is that actually what you’re planning to do? Or do ya have something else in mind?”

…Truthfully, no. Taranza can think of few other places for them to stay. He supposes he could ask Susie or Magolor for assistance, but that hardly seems ideal. While he loves them both dearly, their living situations are… interesting.

Magolor lives aboard the Lor Starcutter… always traveling, and never once settling down in one location. And as for Susie? She resides at her company’s headquarters… which is to say a bleak, sterile place. 

He can’t imagine either of those being a good place for Nia to live. Dreamland is already unfamiliar enough… but at least it’s consistent, and at least it’s not entirely alien in comparison to Floralia. Plus, Castle Dedede, in particular, has the closest thing to the amenities that Nia is used to, seeing as how she’s never lived outside of a palace before. 

“Not particularly,” he admits. “But are you certain it’s truly feasible for us to stay here? I’d hate to intrude, especially now that it seems our situation may be an indefinite one.”

“You’re fine!” Dedede insists. “How many times do I have to say it? I don’t care if ya have to stay for just a few days or for a flippin’ year. Either way, we’ve got room… so stop askin’ me if I’m cool with it. ‘Cause I am! It just depends on what you want. Would you like to stay?”

“Well, of course,” Taranza says.

“Great! Then you can! There ain’t no need to overthink it.”

He says that, but… overthinking is kind of what Taranza does.

“What about the Floralians?” he asks. “It’s possible they’ll give you trouble now that they know I’m staying here.”

“Pssssh! I ain’t scared of them!” Dedede says, dismissively waving a hand. “They won’t do nothin’. Even if they’ve got beef with you, Kirb and I are still the heroes of the Lower World! The guys who saved them when they were in a pickle. They ain’t mad at us… not really. More than anything, they just seemed to think we were doin’ something foolish. They went on and on about how we were going to regret this… how you were inevitably going to burn the castle to the ground. But that’s not something we have to worry about, is it, bug boy?”

“Heavens, no!” 

“I didn’t think so,” said with a laugh. “But I had to make sure… y’know, for prosperity’s sake and all.”

Taranza is fairly certain the word he’s looking for is ‘posterity,’ but he doesn’t dare correct King Dedede… not when he’s gone so out of his way for them.

“Right,” he says instead, giving his own awkward chuckle. “Although, actually… speaking of, where is Kirby? Is he still here at the castle?”

“Naw. He went back to his own place last night… and thank Nova he did! I love the kid, but have you seen the way he eats? Ain’t no way I was going to be willing to serve him breakfast! The Waddle Dees are working hard enough as is! The last thing they need is to be cooking for that little glutton on top of their great king!”

“...Fair enough, I suppose.”

Truthfully, Taranza is relieved. He also loves Kirby, but he has his own reasons for not wanting him around. The interaction he had with Nia two days before was awkward at best, and he’d prefer to avoid another incident like that… at least for now. She needs more time to get settled in before she’s ready to talk to him again.

“But- erm… I believe that was all we had to discuss. I’ll get out of your hair and allow you to get back to breakfast.”

“Not so fast!” King Dedede says. “Ain’t you forgettin’ something?”

“Ah, right!” Taranza replies. “Thank you. I truly do appreciate your-”

“Generosity? Yeah, yeah! But that’s not what I’m talkin’ about. There’s somethin’ far more important you should be asking.”

Taranza’s brow furrows.

“...Which is?”

“‘Can we get a bite?’ I’ve got a whole breakfast buffet here! You’d have to be crazy to not ask for some! Unless you already ate when I wasn’t looking?”

 Oh!

“No, we haven’t eaten,” Taranza says. “...I suppose that’s a good point. Could we have something to eat?”

“Duh!” Dedede says. “Treat yourselves! Although I’m takin’ it you ain’t gonna wanna stay here in the dining hall with me?”

“No…” Taranza admits. “As fancy as this all is, I believe it’s a little much for us. We’ll probably make our way back out to the terrace.”

“Fair enough! Well, then, just take whatever you’d like, then skedaddle. No point in delaying breakfast any longer than necessary. You know what they say! It’s the most important meal of the day, and by now, your stomach’s gotta be growling. So eat up!”

“Will do,” Taranza says. “Thank you again, King Dedede.”

Then, he turns towards Nia.

“Does that sound good to you?”

It’s a moment before she responds. Initially, it doesn’t even seem to click for her that she’s being addressed.

“A- ah! Yes… that’s fine with me.”

“Wonderful,” Taranza says, nodding. “Then King Dedede is right. We shouldn’t waste any time.”

And with that, he kisses her hand. He beams.

King Dedede looks surprised.

“Oh!” he exclaims. “Wait, are the two of ya…-?”

“Dating?” Taranza responds, giggling. “Yes, we are, actually! Initially, we weren’t sure what direction we wanted to take our relationship in, but we discussed it last night and decided we wanted to give it a try. What do you think? I’m pretty lucky, aren’t I?”

Dedede hesitates, but eventually nods. He gives an awkward smile.

“Sure- uh- seems like it! Congrats, you two. I’m happy for ya. Here’s hoping things go well!”

It’s clearly forced, though. Despite the smile, his words are strained. Even a double thumbs up can’t mask his apprehension. 

Taranza feels his heart sink. Does he seriously have that little enthusiasm? Why? Does he think things will end poorly?

He supposes he couldn’t blame King Dedede for making that assumption, knowing what he witnessed during his first encounter with Nia, but she’s a different person than she was then. She was sick when she ignored Taranza’s pleas for help… when she stared down at him with fury and struck him with her magic. She’s not going to do anything like that again. Taranza is sure of that.

But everyone else… they don’t seem to have as much faith, do they? Even before he and Nia decided to make things official, Susie expressed her concerns. What will she say when she learns? Will she look at him with the same wary eyes as Dedede? Tell him that he’s making a mistake?

…He hopes not. While, usually, he’d appreciate everyone’s concern, it’s simply not warranted in this specific situation. In fact, it’s hurtful. Not only is it cruel towards Nia, but it’s not trusting Taranza to make his own decisions. He knows what he’s doing. He saw ‘Queen Sectonia’ at her absolute worst. He witnessed things that were truly awful— experienced horrors that his friends couldn’t possibly imagine! It’s not as if he isn’t aware of what he’s ‘getting into.’

He’s more aware than anyone, and that’s why he knows he can trust Nia. Because even if right now, she’s wearing her face, she’s nothing like the girl she was back then.

She’s his best friend. She’s someone worth loving. And there’s no doubt in his mind she’ll do her very best to love him back.

But he doesn’t say any of that aloud. In fact, he doesn’t even indicate he’s picked up on King Dedede’s hesitance. It’s not the time or the place. Not only would he never want to do that in front of Nia, but he’d much rather prove himself through example. There’s no need to debate Dedede verbally… not when he knows just how good this relationship will be for him will become apparent over time.

Dedede will come around. All of his friends will. They’ll see how happy Nia makes him… how sorry she feels about everything that happened, and then, they’re the ones who will be sorry. They’ll realize they unfairly judged a good, one of a kind person… and in doing so, they’ll come to trust Nia, too.

Taranza is sure of it.

So, he presses up close to Nia as the two of them gather their food. He tells Dedede that he’ll be seeing him around, and then, hand-in-hand with the girlfriend he couldn’t possibly be more happy to have, he makes his way up to the terrace.

From there, things settle into a bit of a routine. Slowly but surely, Taranza and Nia get used to living in Castle Dedede. He wakes up every morning in Nia’s embrace, reflects on how grateful he is, then gets a start to his day, trying his best to help her acclimate herself to Dreamland and its denizens. 

She’s still quiet, of course, but Taranza likes to think she’s doing at least a little bit better as she adjusts to being alive again. He compliments her as much as he can, trying his best to build her up… and it’s only very rarely he leaves her side.

Her body continues to behave rather unpredictably. Taranza doesn’t see any signs of its inconsistent nature letting up. She awakes each day with a new set of features, and throughout the day, they shift. Some mornings, she almost even resembles the way she used to look… although it never lasts long.

Taranza tells himself that that’s fine, though. They’ll get used to it. Perhaps, with time, her identity will stabilize, and with it, her physical form… but if not, he’s not going to hold that against her. He’s said it a thousand times, and he’ll say it a thousand more: no matter what, she’s beautiful.

…Not that she seems to believe him when he says that. She continues to be uncomfortable in her body, covering up as much of it as possible. Even around Taranza, she wears the mask as much as possible. It breaks his heart, and he wishes there was something more he could do— it’s all far too familiar— but he can’t find the right words.

So, eventually, he accepts the mask— at least for now. Ideally, it’s something they can wean their way off of later… but for the time being, it brings her comfort, and that’s something she deserves… even if he dislikes the reasons why.

He also does some experimenting. While for the most part he remains glued to Nia’s side, when he finds the opportunity, he’ll occasionally peel away from her to try and assess the situation with his magic. 

What he finds isn’t exactly encouraging, but it could also be worse.

True to Morpho Knight’s word, he’s been stripped of practically all magic ability. He can no longer fire off blasts of Soul magic or puppeteer things with ease. 

If he well and truly focuses, he can still grow plants, but only tiny ones… and it takes almost all of his energy. It reminds him a little bit of what casting magic was like when he was still a juvenile. Back then, even the simplest spell was utterly taxing. 

But, of course, that had simply been a sign of inexperience. Despite his limited skillset, endless possibilities stretched out in front of him, and all he had to reach his potential was practice. Now…? Not so much. Something tells him that no matter how much practice he puts in, not much is going to change in that regard. He’s stuck at the level he’s at.

…That’s okay, though. Like he’s already said a thousand times, he’ll come to terms with it. As proud as he was of his magical ability, at the end of the day, something like that doesn’t really matter. Not in comparison to what he received in exchange.

His real biggest concern is simply finding a way to explain his sudden debuff. Before, Taranza used magic routinely, and, eventually, his friends are going to notice the change. What is he going to tell them?

Right now, the best excuse he can come up with is that Morpho Knight sealed away his magic during their fight in an attempt to weaken him, but that’s far from a perfect explanation. Even if it manages to avoid disclosing the true nature of his sacrifice, it’s still something Nia could feel guilty about. After all, she, more than anyone, knows how much he loved to spellcast, and it’s for her sake that he challenged Morpho Knight.

If he really can’t think of something better, that’s the excuse he’ll give, but he’d much prefer to come up with something else. That’s simply… easier said than done.

But thankfully… for now, at least, no-one notices. There’s far too much for others to be focusing on instead of whether or not Taranza is using magic. Perhaps, eventually, it will become a point of interest, but that’s a bridge Taranza can worry about crossing when they get there.

There’s also the problem of his physical health deteriorating, but funnily enough, he actually thinks that’s something he can hide easier. While he certainly was never unfit, he was far from the paragon of strength— even before his deal with Morpho Knight. If he needs more rest, has trouble carrying things, or starts to get winded— he can probably play that off as classic, weakling Taranza.

His more intuitive friends may still find it a bit odd, but not enough to actually cause suspicion. Especially not when it seems like things aren’t quite as bad as long as he sticks close to Nia, which he’s been doing.

Things still aren’t perfect when he’s in her vicinity, of course, but being around her makes him feel just a little less fatigued… and for that, he’s relieved. She’s the person he least wants to worry, after all, and that means she’ll never see him at his worst.

She’ll never have to know what he did. No-one will.

On a lighter note, though, he continues to have her get to know his friends. He’s careful not to introduce her to too many people, so as not to overwhelm her, but Magolor and Susie continue to stop by. 

They never again react the same way they did upon first encountering Nia… and for that, Taranza is grateful. Yes, they seem a bit surprised initially seeing her wear her mask… but they never gawk at her outfit, let alone her body… which comes as a huge relief.

He… thinks things are going alright between the three of them.

At one point, Taranza and Nia even visit the Lor Starcutter.

Now that really seems to make an impression. As she stares up at the massive vessel, Nia blinks.

”He owns this?”

Taranza can understand the surprise. It towers over anything even loosely comparable from Floralia. The most impressive vessels they had were tanks, and you could fit a hundred of those in the Lor’s cargo hold.

“Indeed,” Taranza says, grinning. “Pretty cool, don’t you think?”

But Nia doesn’t seem entirely sold.

“How did he come to acquire something like this? Did he build it? If so, with what crew!? Don’t tell me he also has an army of loyal subjects!”

Taranza places a hand on his chin, trying to come up with a more generous explanation than ‘Actually, Magolor stole the Lor.’

Thankfully, though, he doesn’t need to. Just as he opens his mouth to speak, Magolor pokes his head out the hatch.

“Ahhhh! There my visitors are! And it seems they have some questions about my awesome ship? Great, because they’re in luck! I know more about the Lor Starcutter than anyone. Come in. I’ll regale you with my knowledge!”

Nia hesitates, but Taranza leads the way. He squeezes her hand, then ushers her in through the doorway.

The inside is even stranger than the outside, of course. With its sleek, silvery, pale blue walls and screens everywhere, it’s completely alien in comparison to anything found in Floralia.

“The Lor Starcutter,” Magolor explains proudly, “Is an Ancient vessel I found and refurbished. When I stumbled upon it, it was broken down and inoperable… so, using my gigantic brain, I fixed it up! And now, it’s good as new! Which is all to say that while no, I did not originally construct the vessel, I am responsible for it being able to take to the skies in modern day— something that was no easy feat! It took weeks to get it fit to leave Halcandra. Not to mention an abundance of resources.”

“I… see,” Nia responds. “And so you did all of this on your own, then? You have no crew?”

“Correct! I’m a one-man-wonder… at least when it comes to inter-dimensional travel. I do have a crew, technically, but their world is unrelated to maintenance of the Lor Starcutter.”

“…Oh?”

“You’ve heard me mention ‘Merry Magoland’ before, correct? That’s what my crew helps me out with! Waddle Dees and other volunteers help me keep the park up and running… and thank the stars! As talented as I am, there’s no way I’d be able to handle an undertaking like that all on my own.”

At that, Nia’s brow furrows. While she’s certainly heard him mention Merry Magoland at this point, he hasn’t exactly explained what it is.

As such, Taranza elaborates.

“Merry Magoland is Magolor’s theme park. You know the carnival in Lollipop Land? It’s a little bit like that. He has rides, games and attractions. You can get sweet treats… win prizes or participate in competitions. It’s fun! Perhaps we can visit at some point. Although, of course…” he gives pause. “Only if you want.”

“…I’m not opposed,” she says. “If it belongs to someone important to you, then I probably should go and see it.”

“A decision you won’t regret, dudette!” Magolor says, giving a pair of finger guns. “Merry Magoland is, hands down, the happiest place in the universe. We’ve got a five star rating on Yelp and everything! I originally built it to apologize to Kirby for everything that happened, so you know I put a lot of heart into it.”

Taranza isn’t sure he’d hype it up as much as Magolor is, admittedly… he’s pretty sure he just wants more attendees to his relatively new business venture… but he is telling the truth when he says he thinks he and Nia could have a nice time there. However, he’ll only consider actually taking her once she’s become a bit more acclimated to large groups. At the moment, he thinks the crowded atmosphere might just be overwhelming.

“Yeah, don’t worry,” he says, smiling. “…We’ll visit eventually, Magolor. You don’t have to worry about trying to sell us on it.”

“Oh? But that’s what I do! I’m a businessman at heart.”

“That you are. But how about, for now, you just tell us more about the Lor Starcutter? Don’t tell me you’re finished bragging already.”

“Of course not! Who do you think I am, Taranza? I haven’t even shown her the deck! What sort of tour of the Lor would it be without the deck!? We’re just getting started!”

Saying that, he motions a hand.

“Come on, Nia. There’s much left to awe you with.”

And awed she is… at least to an extent. While she still doesn’t seem to warm up to Magolor much, she does seem impressed by the Lor… and no wonder! Regardless of what one thinks of its driver, it is well and truly a marvel, both technologically and magically. Who couldn’t help but admire its scope?

Although Taranza can’t help but wonder, as he watches a wide-eyed Nia look out over the Lor’s deck, how she’ll react to the Haltmann Works Company’s headquarters if she thinks this is impressive. He still remembers how taken aback he’d been first seeing it, and that was after knowing Susie— and just how good she was with technology— for months.

Not that they’ll be visiting the Haltmann Works Company headquarters anytime soon. Much like with Merry Magoland, Taranza doesn’t want Nia to go somewhere so overflowing with people… not when she’s still adjusting to interacting with them again. She’s already had enough difficulty just getting along with King Dedede and his Waddle Dees.

Even if they don’t visit the Haltmann Works Company headquarters, however, Taranza and Nia do continue to interact with Susie… albeit awkwardly. In comparison to Magolor, Susie still seems a little tense around Nia, and it’s a situation Taranza struggles to navigate.

The two of them are never openly rude to each other, of course, but they’re far from warm. Susie continues to eye Nia up suspiciously— cautious when engaging in conversation with her, and Nia picks up on it. She tells Taranza repeatedly that she can tell Susie doesn’t like her… and no matter how often he tries to tell them both that the other person is kind, it doesn’t seem to rectify the situation any. 

It’s stressful. Taranza loves Susie— she’s an irreplaceable friend, but he doesn’t want Nia’s feelings being hurt. When he talks to her, though, she says she’s not trying to come across as hostile. It’s just…

“I don’t want anything happening to you. It’s hard not to worry. I need you, you know.”

She seems especially cautious when she first learns about the status of Taranza and Nia’s relationship. Whereas Magolor is at least able to pretend to be enthused, Susie’s brow furrows… and although she says “Congratulations,” her apprehension is evident.

He doesn’t know what to do. Part of him wonders if he should stop trying to have them interact, but another part of him hates the thought. They’re both precious to him, and he really wants them to get along.

“Just try,” he tells Susie. “I’m begging you.”

“...Yeah,” she says, sighing. “I will.”

At the very least, Susie does give Nia a phone, alongside the replacement phone she offered Taranza. She even gives the former a brief tutorial on how to use it… although she admits there’s no way she could possibly explain all of its features. She says it’s best just to learn by using it.

Nia seems perplexed by the strange little device… and Taranza can hardly blame her! He’s owned a phone for years now, and even he still occasionally finds himself confused regarding its features. It’s such a versatile little thing. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think it was magic.

Eventually, Nia gets the hang of ‘texting…’ although it can be a bit hard to type when her hands are prone to changing shape. In general, holding the phone seems to be difficult. It’s too small for her when she’s closer to being a Sectra, and when her fingers morph into paws, occasionally, she drops it. 

Still, Taranza is glad to have a way to communicate over long distances. Not that he believes they’ll be separated all that often… but still!

Alongside adding his ‘number’ to Nia’s phone, he downloads a few games and helps her set her lock screen. Although, admittedly, what she requests it be made takes him by surprise. 

“How about you?”

He stares, mouth agape. His face feels warm.

“M- me!? You want me as your lock screen?” 

“Only if you’re okay with it. But I’d rather it not be a portrait of me, and I don’t know what else I’d make it.”

A pause. She shies back.

“I- if you’re not comfortable with that, though, I understand. Please don’t feel pressured. I just thought-”

“Nia,” Taranza says, placing his hand on hers. “I’m not uncomfortable with it. You just surprised me. But I don’t mind at all. In fact, that makes me really happy!

Nia blinks.

“...It does?”

“Of course! I’m glad I’m that special to you. If that’s really what you want, then I can imagine no higher honor.”

At that, Nia gives a tiny smile… or at least Taranza thinks she does. It’s a bit difficult to tell with the mask on, but he believes he sees her eyes squint.

“Of course you’re that special,” she says. “...The most special person there is. I’m happy you’re happy.”

It’s a far cry from the Sectonia who could hardly stand to look at him— who would call him hideous and demand he get out of her sight. It makes him feel warm and fuzzy… that he’s actually capable of bringing her some sort of joy again. Once upon a time, he thought that would never be possible.

He ends up making her his lock screen, too… although she’s admittedly a bit hesitant. She tells him that she’s sure he doesn’t want to have to look at someone like her, and there are no doubt better things he could use, but he insists. He tells her that she’s every bit as special to him as he is to her, and that there’s not a single sight he can possibly imagine wanting to see more.

Ultimately, she agrees, although she refuses to take the mask off for even that picture. That disappoints Taranza a little, but he doesn’t push. At the end of the day, Nia is Nia. It doesn’t matter what she’s wearing. He knows what’s beneath.

It’s shortly after Taranza and Nia receive their phones, and perhaps a week and a half into staying at Castle Dedede, when there’s a knock on their bedroom door.

King Dedede pokes his head in.

“Hey, bug boy,” he says. “You in here?”

It’s morning, and shortly after Taranza and Nia woke up. They’re just getting ready to head out to breakfast.

“I am,” Taranza answers. “Why? Did you need something?”

“Well… I just had a question for ya’. It’s Saturday, yeah? I was wondering… you planning to come with me and Ripple on this week’s outing? We was thinkin’ of visiting the New World. Letting me show you two around. I was even saying maybe I could introduce y'all to the Beast Pack. I think you’d get along! They seem wild on the surface, but honestly? They’re really nice folks. Leon and Carol, especially. They said it sounds like we have somethin’ nice goin’ on… that they might be interested in joining us at some point.”

“But I know that… ah- you’ve had your hands a bit full as of late, so I dunno if you’ve got time to hang out and get brunch. If you can’t make it, I understand, but I figured I may as well at least ask. You got time in your schedule? Or should I tell Ripple ya weren’t able to make it?”

…Stars! With everything going on, Taranza had nearly forgotten about that.

“Oh- um… I’m not sure,” he admits, hand on his chin. “I’d love to, but I probably shouldn’t leave Nia alone.”

At that, Nia tilts her head.

“What’s this about?”

“...It’s just this silly little thing we do,” Taranza explains. “We have similar sensibilities, so every other weekend, King Dedede, Queen Ripple and I go out for brunch and coffee. Sometimes we window shop afterwards… perhaps play some golf. It really is a pleasant time.”

“Queen Ripple?” Nia repeats. Her gaze drifts towards Dedede. “Wait, he’s…-?”

“Ah, no! It’s not like that!” Taranza is quick to clarify. “There’s no queen here. Queen Ripple is the ruler of another planet— Ripple Star, and she and Dedede are merely friends. They’ve known each other for a very long time… far longer than either of them have known me, at least. At some point King Dedede introduced me to her, and the two of us hit it off.”

“But that’s- um… all besides the point, I suppose,” he continues. “I’m not intending to go anywhere. That is… unless, perhaps, you’d want to come with? That would be alright, yes, King Dedede? Nia could accompany us if she so desires?”

“Oh! Well…-”

Dedede’s quiet for a moment. But after the briefest look of concern, he grins.

“I- I don’t see why not. I wouldn’t tell your lady friend she’s not welcome. It might get a little crowded… that would be- what? Six of us? But that’s just fine. It’d probably actually do her a little good to get out of the house.”

At that, Taranza feels a sense of relief. While it’s clear there’s still an awkwardness to how Dedede interacts with Nia, he’s glad he didn’t reject her outright. Heck, allowing her to participate in this might even be a good way to get the two of them more comfortable with each other.

“Great! In that case, what do you think, Nia? Would you like to join us? I promise it won’t be anything too intense.”

At that, it’s Nia’s turn to be quiet. Silently, she thinks.

“...I’m not so certain,” she admits. “While I would love to, I don’t think I’m feeling up for that right now. Perhaps at some point in the future.” Ashamed, she averts her eyes. “...I apologize.”

“What? No! There’s nothing to apologize for!” Taranza says. “That’s just fine. In that case, I’ll stay here. I wouldn’t want to push you. We can-”

“No,” Nia says. “You should still go.”

“...What?”

“You should go,” she repeats. “If this is part of your routine, I’d hate to interfere with that. And besides, your life shouldn’t revolve around me. I don’t want you to stop doing things you enjoy, let alone stop spending time with your friends, just because I’m not feeling up to it. Go. Have fun. I’ll be waiting right here.”

Hearing that, Taranza feels a lump in his throat.

“Nia…” he says. “You wouldn’t be interfering. I don’t want to leave you if I don’t have to. You come first and foremost.” 

“I don’t want to isolate you,” Nia insists. “Please, Taranza. I want you to go. If you’re telling the truth that it won’t be long, then I’ll be just fine. You shouldn’t have to spend all of your time attending to me.”

“It’s not that I have to attend to you. I want to. You’re precious to me, Nia.”

“...Even so, you deserve to spend time with the other people you care about. If I’m really so important to you, then do this for my sake. I’m asking you to. It would make me happy if you were to go out and have a good time.”

Admittedly, Taranza is still unsure. He really doesn’t feel comfortable leaving Nia alone… but if she’s asking him to, he doesn’t have much of a choice, does he? He doesn’t want her to feel upset with herself over the fact that she feels like she’s depriving him of something.

Plus, he would quite like to see Queen Ripple, as well as meet Carol and Leon. The latter is the person who nearly died, correct? Whose own soul was split into a hundred pieces? Perhaps if Taranza were to talk with him, he could get a better grasp on his current situation.

…But will that situation even allow for something like that? He gets so fatigued when he’s away from Nia. What if King Dedede or Queen Ripple notice? He doesn’t want them picking up on the fact that something is wrong… not to mention he’d be worried about Nia.

She hasn’t expressed feeling the same fatigue when she’s apart from him, but what if? He’d hate to hurt her just because, selfishly, he felt the need to go out… yet he knows she won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

There’s really no winning here, is there?

“Very well then,” he says, letting out a sigh. “...I’ll go. But I won’t be long, and if you need anything, text me, okay? I’ll be back here in an instant.”

“...I will,” Nia says. Then, softer, she adds, “...Thank you.”

“Of course. I’ll be seeing you soon, alright? And when I return, I’ll tell you everything. But for now, I’ll try my best to have a good time.”

Admittedly, there’s another reason he agrees… a worry in the back of his mind. Part of him can’t help but fear that Nia wants to be apart from him… that this is just an excuse to get him to leave, and that she’s already getting sick of his presence. 

The prospect terrifies him. 

She deserves space, of course, if that’s what she wants… but he well and truly hopes that’s not the case. He doesn’t know what he’d do without her.

He tries his best to quash those anxieties. He knows that he’s just overthinking it, and it’s not as if he’s entitled to her attention, anyways. He’ll give her time without him. He’ll try his best to enjoy the outing. Then, he’ll return to her, and, hopefully, that’s something that won’t make her heart sink.

“Love you,” he says, floating up to press a kiss to her forehead (or, well, the cold metal of her mask). “Take care, okay? I’ll be back before you even know it. Try your best to have a good time, too, while I’m gone.”

“I will. Please don’t worry about me. As you said, we’ll be seeing each other again soon. So enjoy yourself.” A pause. She looks down at her scarf. “...I love you, too.”

Hearing that, Taranza smiles. He gives Nia’s hand one last squeeze, takes a deep breath, then slips away. He tells himself that there’s nothing to worry about, and that he’ll try his best to enjoy this… for her sake.