This chapter contains possession. If there's anything else that I need to warn anyone about up here, let me know.


Now, before we continue, it should be noted that there was an entire galaxy-wide hotline devoted to Dark Matter activity. It hadn't been used for years, except of course for answering prank calls. But that day it saw proper use in a terrifying way.

The Princess of Ripple Star had taken it upon herself to see to it that this threat was taken care of. So, of course, she decided to go in person.

Ribbon watched her train leave and waved goodbye. She squeezed the briefcase that contained her secret weapon. She couldn't afford to lose it again. She'd die before she lost it again. She made her way through the crowd and headed out of the train station.
It was a beautiful day outside. The blood red sun set on a seemingly peaceful Dreamland. The clouds hung lazily overhead and the retreating sun painted the landscape a luminous orange. A chilly breeze wafted by and played with her hair. The snow had almost melted away completely, giving way to budding flowers that reached up to the sky.

"Ribbon!"

She turned.

A familiar pink face rushed towards her and tackled her in a hug. She giggled.

"I haven't seen you in so long! I missed you so much!" Kirby buried his face into her shoulder.

"So much has happened while you were gone!" Her eyes wandered to the large beanstalk that grew out of the ground. It reached up into the sky and several islands were connected to it.

"I can tell..." She said slowly.

"Oh! I forgot! There's someone new I have to introduce you to! He's kind of crabby right now but-"

"I'm sorry Kirby, but I can't play today. I have to get to Royal Road as quickly as possible." Concern filled Kirby's eyes. He let go of her.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" Her eyes narrowed.

"We got a called yesterday. There's been Dark Matter Activity in Royal Road. I'm here to investigate and see if it's really a problem, or just a false alarm." Kirby nodded solemnly.

"I heard that something was wrong too." His tiny hands curled into fists.

"Listen, Kirby." She put her hands on his shoulders.

"I need you to wait in Dreamland, just in case. If I need backup, I'll let you know. I promise."


Meanwhile, in Royal Road, the sun had began to set on an uneasy day. Taranza wandered the library, searching for something. He didn't know what anymore, but he was there anyway. He stared down at the ground.
His mind had been in a haze lately, and he only noticed now. Often he would wander halls, not knowing where he was going. Was it lack of sleep, or something else? He sighed.
The repair crew had only been getting more and more paranoid. Rumors of ghosts roaming the halls had become abundant, and he was beginning to become concerned that they might be true. Not only that, but there had been troubling gossip that he had been acting strangely as well. His eyes were also reportedly turning red, though they did not itch or sting, and he had become obsessed with looking after the palace. Almost like he was possessed by something.
That word lingered in his head. "Possessed." He initially dismissed these claims, but now he was starting to doubt their falseness. He didn't even notice how odd he was acting, nor how tired he felt. He looked down at his hands. Had he really worked that hard? He sighed. Everything seemed to be a blur lately.

The library doors swung open and footsteps announced someone's entry. He looked up.
He recognized them as the child from the hallway, but now had time to get a good look.
The setting sun outside illuminated the child's face, which he could now see was very pale. A bright red, unblinking eye stared at him, judged him. A bandage covered the left one, and a cloak shrouded the child's face. This child was clearly a fairy, as large, misshapen wings jutted out of the child's back. A halo floated above their head, giving off a slight golden glow. Something about this child made Taranza very uneasy. The child quietly strode across the room to him.

"Er, are you lost?" He asked. The child stared up at him without answering.

"Um, are you-"

"No." The child's voice was small, and sounded a bit like the chiming of tiny bells. "I am exactly where I want to be." Taranza shifted.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think that this is a place for children right now. There's debris everywhere and you could get seriously injured." The child took one of his hands and squeezed it.

"You've suffered much, haven't you?" He stiffened.

"Um..." He tried to answer, but nothing came out.

"It's alright. you do not have to speak. I already know. Day after day you have endured pain like no other. And yet you forced yourself to keep going." Taranza gulped. This was clearly no normal child. He began to head for the door.

"Um, that's nice, but I really must get back to work-" The child squeezed his hand.

"We have a lot more common than you think. I want to continue my quest, and you want to be needed by someone. You can still hear her words in your mind, can't you?" He stepped back a little.

"A-are you-"

"Yes. Zero and I are one and the same. But please do not be frightened. I will not harm you. All I need to do is regain my power and you can have yourself back. I promise." The child stared into his eyes. He suddenly felt very, very sleepy. He already knew what was happening, but it was already too late. The child caught him in an embrace.

"Join me."

And then he gave in.

Meanwhile, a gaurd outside heard a loud crashing sound coming from the library. He opened the doors a crack with caution.

A bookshelf had been knocked over, and books were scattered across the ground. Taranza lay motionless on the ground, only twitching every few seconds. The guard crept over to him and poked him with his spear.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Taranza stood. His breathing was ragged, and it sounded like he was trying to say something.

"R-R-R"

"Speak up, dude. I can't hear you." Taranza turned to him and the guard gasped and stumbled back.
Taranza's eyes glowed a bright shade of scarlet.

"RUN!"