(Ike's PoV)

Krystal told us we would reach Dreamland in an hour. Peach took that opportunity to take a bath, encouraging us to do the same because, how she put it, we were beginning to emit a foul odor. I decided to bathe myself to make her happy, and also so she wouldn't think of me as filthy based on my smell. Junior was forced to, and Pit joined the bandwagon once he realized he would be the only one that hasn't taken a bath. It's true—we haven't cleaned ourselves since the time in the Forgotten Forest, but even then it was more a dip in the water than anything. In the tub, I couldn't help but think about Peach. I imagined her body, her golden hair stuck to her back, and the soap-filled sponge over her smooth skin. I felt like I could melt into the water from how heated I had become. Peach was beautiful. She was strong. I can confirm that because she was able to handle the Monster all by herself…

Don't count on it.

My eyes snapped open, and my jaw clenched. That voice…it was him.

I don't get any greeting? You know, since we're both stuck in the same body, you can at least pretend to like me.

I scoffed, "Please."

Thinking about Peach, huh? You're such a horny dog…

I flushed, "A-as if! I don't think of her that way! I…I love her."

You can fool everyone else, but you cannot fool me. The feelings you have for Peach are pure feelings of lust…nothing more, and nothing less.

"Like you would know…" I sank deeper into the warm water.

You'd be surprised. Why don't you ask Peach? Unlike you, she's seen me up close…she knows what I look like.

I decided to ignore him. Eventually, he would give up and leave, just as he always did.

Hmm… maybe this will make you listen to me. Hey Ike. You know Peach?

I didn't reply, and I felt a sharp tug inside of me. The Monster was getting annoyed.

Of course you know her… Well, I had some of that last night!

"What!?" I sat up, the sudden movement spilling some water out of the tub.

The Monster laughed, Yes! That was the reaction I was hoping for! Don't believe me? Ask Peachie herself.

I was furious, "I swear, if you touched a single hair on her head—"

Whoops—I grabbed a fistful. Don't worry, Ike, I didn't kiss her or anything…I licked her.

"You son of a bitch!"

The Monster was enjoying this, Want more details? I touched her in places that would make a slut feel violated. And the best part? She didn't do a single thing to stop me!

"Shut up…"

Aww, is Ike mad?

"Shut up."

Yeah…mad that you weren't the one that did it to her.

"SHUT UP!"

The Monster chuckled before retreating to its place deep inside of me. I bit my lip, hard enough to draw blood. I lifted my hand to wipe the blood off when I noticed how wrinkled my fingertips were. I've been here far too long, and I never even had a chance to use the soap. After a quick rinse, I dried myself up and put my clothes on. I left the restroom, intent on looking for the others when I saw Peach sitting by herself in a room with a large table and many chairs. The plate in front of her had two sandwiches, three if you counted the one she set back on the plate after every bite. When she took note of me, she swallowed the remaining mush of food that was still in her mouth.

"Ike, you're done with your bath."

"Yes…" I sat across from her, and she slid her plate to me, "Oh, no, it's okay."

She smiled, "It's yours. I made them for you. It's turkey—I know you've been craving meat for a long time."

"Thanks." I took a bite, "Wow, its good."

"You say that as if my cooking is usually bad."

"You're cooking is excellent," I said. You would make the perfect wife.

"Thanks," Peach took the last bite of her sandwich, "Oh, by the way…" She covered her mouth since she was still eating, "Junior and Pit are on the roof, fighting Lucario. Maybe you want to join them?"

I shook my head, "No…I actually wanted to discuss something with you."

Her eyes lighted up, "Yes! I won't be alone!" I looked at her amused, and Peach blushed, "Once Pit and Junior finished the meal I made for them, they went off to the roof faster than I could ask if they wanted seconds…"

"Why did they want to fight Lucario?"

"Oh, you didn't know? He's a trophy. Not only that…" Peach leaned in like she was about to tell me a big secret, "He's a Replacement, like you!"

I wasn't sure whether to be happy with the information she's given me or not, "Wow…"

Peach's smile faded, "Is that a personal subject?"

I shook my head, "No…no. It's just our…how did Pit say it…our mechanism?"

Peach understood what I meant, "The Monster." Her face became serious.

"That's what I wanted to discuss."

She sat back, her arms crossed and her eyes to the door. I knew she was uncomfortable, but I just needed to know, "To start off, I'm sorry."

With my apology, Peach's expression softened, "Oh, Ike, there's no need to apologize. It wasn't your fault. In ways, I'm glad we switched bodies. I was able to see things from your point of view, and now I know for a fact it isn't easy for you," Peach shivered, "I don't know how you can be with that thing 24/7."

"Which happens to be my next point," Peach looked up, "What does he look like?"

She frowned, "You don't know?"

I was embarrassed to admit, "I've only seen his eyes. All he does is taunt me and take over…he's never done anything that would bring me harm, that is, with the exception of hurting others…" I avoided Peach's eyes, "…like you."

"You're so kind to me, Ike. Honestly, I've been scared to be alone with you, but after thinking back on it, I realize how stupid that is. I guess I was just a bit unnerved, because the Monster looks exactly like you…"

I froze. Suddenly, what the Monster told me in the restroom started to make sense, more than I could handle, "H-he violated you."

"What!? Heavens no! W-well…" Peach searched the room as if the emptiness would remind her what occurred, "Yes, he did some repulsive things…"

"Peach, you have to know, I would never do any of those things to you…"

"I know Ike…"

And the best part? She didn't do a single thing to stop me!

"Peach… did you try to stop him?"

"I couldn't move."

Peach wouldn't look at me, "You couldn't move, or you wouldn't?"

She paused before answering, "What are you suggesting?"

The Monster joined in on the conversation, Yeah, what are you suggesting? Be honest with me! I've made a slut out of her, haven't I?

"Shut up!"

"Excuse me!?"

My eyes widened, "N-no Peach, that wasn't meant for you, the Monster, it was for the Monster…"

It looked like she didn't believe me, "Okay…"

Come on, Ike! She was totally acting like a whore! She was begging for more, but I refused. I mean, even a "monster" like me has standards.

"Shut up…" I spoke in a low whisper so Peach wouldn't hear me.

"What was that?" She asked.

Give it to her straight, big guy! Come on, say it with me! Peach is a…

I felt the Monster creeping up my throat, and the last word escaped through my lips, "…slut."

My eyes widened, and the Monster laughed hysterically, I knew you had it in you! All you needed was a little push!

"No, Peach, I didn't mean—" I stopped mid-sentence as something gripped my throat.

That's enough out of you, Ike. I don't want Peach to forgive you just yet…

I was only able to look at Peach, my voice muted by the Monster.

At first there was no reaction. Peach stared back at me blankly, and my heart collapsed when I saw a single tear fall down her cheek. It was followed by another, and another. Soon they streamed out like rivers, and she couldn't support herself any longer. Her head fell, and her shoulders shook.

The Monster released me, and I was able to speak again, but at that point, I had no idea what to say to make things better. I asked cautiously, "Peach?"

What she said next hurt the most, "Is there really a monster inside of you?"

She choked out another sob. I should've stayed to comfort her. That's what any friend would do. I should've tried to explain to her that sometimes the Monster can make me say things. I left the room, slamming the door behind me. I ran blindly through multiple halls, yelling at the top of my lungs, "You bastard! You bastard! Why did you do this to me!? What can you possibly gain from hurting the woman I love!?" There was no answer, and I fell to my knees, covering my face with both hands, "Answer me!"

Let's make one thing clear…You said it, not me.

"You despicable… I hate you!"

Ike, how can you possibly hate yourself? Take Peach's word for it—We are one and the same…

"We are NOT the same!"

'Ike!'

I turned swiftly. Lucario was behind me, standing tall like a security guard. His eyes were narrowed, and they began to glow. The light from his eyes faded, and he chuckled, 'Amazing, I was never able to see the aura of a Replacement before.'

I wasn't quite in the mood to chat with him, "Shouldn't you be sparring with Pit and Junior?"

'We're about to reach your destination.'

"Why are you here, Lucario? I doubt you would come just to say that."

'We went to the lunchroom for refreshments when we saw Peach crying.'

I glared at Lucario accusingly, "It wasn't my fault."

'I wasn't pointing fingers. I somehow doubted it was you, despite Peach's claims. Pit believes you aren't to blame either, and he asked me to speak with you concerning our mechanism… which he told me you refer to as the Monster.'

"Pit is such a good guy, always looking after me. Tell him I'm grateful he would send such an experienced Replacement my way."

Lucario detected my sarcasm and ignored my previous comment, 'Do you know what the aura is?'

I turned away. I no longer felt the Monster, and I knew he was gone for the moment, "The spiritual energy of every living thing, right?"

'Yes…And I've just seen yours.'

"I bet it was a mess."

'Actually, it was a solid blue. It turns out that the anger inside of us isn't a separate being.'

I made a fist with both hands, "I'm nothing like that thing."

'Ike…Listen to me. This Monster, as you call it, it's not your enemy. It's a part of you.'

I was shaking my head the whole time, "He's done things I would never do, such atrocious, pathetic acts…"

'A concentration of intense emotions…that is what makes up the Monster. If you've done anything to hurt it, it's only natural it would respond in an aggressive matter…'

I stayed silent, thinking about what Lucario was telling me. I was hurting the Monster? No way. He's my friend? That's the lie of the day. It would make sense if it were true, but there isn't anything I could have done that would offend the Monster. Not that I know of, at least, unless it's something from before the Memory Loss, in which case… No, wouldn't he have forgotten as well? I can't see the Monster as a being capable of getting hurt at an emotional level. I could only imagine what Peach had gone through. To break like that earlier with one insult… it's because of the Monster.

"Aggressive is right."

Lucario sighed, 'I can't force you to understand, but consider this—the Monster—for all its harsh words and cruel actions, it would never hurt you. Physically or mentally.'

"You're wrong. What he did to Peach...that hurts me more than anything."

'Tell me, is Peach his only target?'

"I don't see how that's relevant," I told Lucario.

'Maybe there's a reason for that…'

Lucario left. I stayed where I was, lifting me knees to rest my head on them, "Hey, Monster? Any chance what the pokemon said is true?"

Nothing. Nothing but a shiver.

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The Great Fox landed, and Pit, Peach, Junior and I stepped off the ship to admire the view of the new land before us. Dreamland looked something like from a fantasy world. Everything was made up of bright colors and soft edges—tripping over looked like it wouldn't hurt one bit with the abundance of soft grass that covered the ground like a thick mattress. The trees were short and stumpy, barely any taller than me. Ponds were scattered here and there, each the shape of a perfect circle. Every flower that I could see had five petals, and one pair of leaves on each of their stems…Everything was perfect, either symmetrical or geometrical. There wasn't a single flaw to be seen, which hinted something was off with the place.

I looked at Peach, who was taking in the view. I'm sure she was a fan of this kind of place, which appeared to be free from any sort of threat. She hasn't spoken to me ever since what happened in the lunchroom, not that I can blame her. I haven't approached her about it yet, nor was I ready to anytime soon. That would just have to wait.

I suspect Junior is mad at me…He tended to distance himself and he would turn the other way when I would look at him. Lucario told me Peach told him, Pit, and Junior why she was crying, and I assume it's because of that. The boy is very protective of his mother, and it scares me he hasn't said anything about it. Unlike Pit, Junior does not know of the Monster. I considered telling him about it, but it's likely he wouldn't even give me the chance to do so.

Krystal joined us, and she squinted, "Oh boy, this place is bright. Well, I guess this is it, huh? Dreamland? The name makes sense, at least."

"Thank you, Krystal, for everything," Pit said.

"We're even, I'd say. Speaking of which… Just to clarify, where is this Pokemon Paradise again? I know it's in the Forgotten Forest, but where…?"

Pit chuckled, "Yeah, it's a hard place to find, but I have a feeling the Forgotten Forest is one of those places that appear when you're looking for it…"

"That's very vague," Krystal said.

"It's on the way to Entrei Mountain…Between there and Allys Town, somewhere in the Plains. When you see Daisy's Bakery, you'll know your close. Just head North from there."

Krystal nodded, "Thanks. I can't wait to see what Paradise looks like…"

"We'll miss you, Krystal," Peach said.

She smiled in agreement, "Yes, our time together was fun. Maybe we can meet again. If I'm successful, I'll be in Pokemon Paradise."

"Hopefully," Pit said.

We all bid her farewell. As the door of the Great Fox began to closed, I saw Lucario standing there at the entrance with Manaphy at his side. Just as he disappeared from view, I heard his voice in my mind, 'Remember what I said…Listen to him…this Monster of yours. I think he's trying to send a message to you with his actions.'

They disappeared from view. The Great Fox lifted itself off the ground and began to rise into the air. Once it reached the appropriate height, it began to make its way back from where it arrived. We stared at the Great Fox. It was only for a couple of minutes, but the ship began to disappear from our view, too, into the horizon and toward the other side of the vast ocean.

Peach said, "We're meeting all these people… having to say goodbye hurts. I feel as if we will never get to see them again. Back in X, I say hi to the same people every day, but for the trophies I only meet for a couple end up being the ones that remain in my memory as precious…"Peach looked at each one of us. She only glanced at me quickly, "Who are we going to meet next? We'll exchange greetings, have an unforgettable experience, and then say our goodbyes… All these good moments with wonderful people… are they always so short-lived?"

"I know what you mean," Pit said, "And the best part of the Quest is that we're going to meet many more people, have more unforgettable moments. Guys, we're only halfway done—not even! There's more up ahead for us! The last two keys are harder to get. One is in a forest, and another is in the House of Wonders, an abandoned mansion on a moving island. That would be the hardest one to get, because there is no way of knowing where the island is, but during the summer solstice, it always stops at specific coordinates. We must get there in time for the summer solstice, or we're better off waiting a whole year. Luckily, we have plenty of time—two weeks."

Junior's eyes were shining bright, "A forest!? A moving island!? They both sound so cool! Which are we headed to first!?"

Pit looked up thoughtfully, "Like I mentioned earlier, we're headed toward the Sapphire Key in Promise Woods, first."

Peach blinked, "Wait, did you say Promise Woods?"

Pit glanced at her, "Yeah, why? Do you know about it?"

She was suddenly uncomfortable, "You could say that. Huh, Promise Woods…"

Pit continued, "Anyway, the last key—the Ruby Key—is in the House of Wonders. They're both on the Islands, but in case you didn't know, this region is huge. The mainland is the size of a continent, and the center of the World of Trophies happens to be here, too. That counts Smashville, the Chamber of Beginnings, and of course, The Imperial Tower."

"Ooh!" Junior checked his arm, "I got goose bumps!" His face suddenly fell, "But Pit, doesn't that mean we'll be fighting more of the Originals?"

Pit nodded, "Yes—and we'll be ready." The angel started following the path before us, paved clean and with solid edges as if someone created the dirt road inch by inch; completely parallel. We followed him, and Pit continued, "You know… this feels like a speed run to me. The First Quest took much longer."

"Why is that?" I asked.

Pit ignored me, "You know Ike, you would be happy to know that the town you have been staying in ever since the Memory Loss is actually here, in the Islands. Castle Town. Your friend, Marth, should be there, too."

That did actually make me happy, "Will we be going there?"

"Most likely. I don't see us getting delayed. We'll be able to go a bit out of our way."

I smiled, and Pit stopped. He told Peach and Junior to go on ahead, and they did so reluctantly. I was confused why Pit wanted to be alone with me, and I stared at the angel until he began to walk forward. I followed him, "What's this all about?"

"Ike, I don't know much about the Monster except from what you told me…"

"What did I tell you?"

"Not much. Before, when you got enraged, you were able to stay in control because of your anchor…"

I asked, "What's an anchor?"

"An anchor is someone special that keeps you conscious of who you are," Pit explained, "So that you don't lose yourself completely to your own wrath."

"Peach is my anchor…" I said.

Pit nodded, "Keep that in mind. Before the Memory Loss, you kept the Monster in control. It was only once when you went berserk, and that was when Ze—" Pit caught himself, "The point is, the Monster has never acted out before, not when you're in control. Peach told us you called her a slut."

I was going to ask Pit what he was about to say about Zelda, but the mere mention of what happened in the lunchroom made me forget, "It was the Monster!"

"I know that. I think Peach knows that, too, for one reason…"

"What's that?"

Pit's eyes met mine, his in a state of panic, "Last night, in the restroom. I told Peach she was your anchor because I thought it was you. She… she knows about the feelings you have for her, Ike."

What Pit said caught me off guard, but I had to know, "Why does it scare you? The idea of me and Peach getting together?"

"I…I keep things from you because I don't want history to repeat… Sheik…I-I'm sorry, Ike, I just can't tell you, you'll hate me—"

"Pit, you don't trust me?"

"I trust you'll leave me again…"

This was a bad time to ask. Pit was walking at a quicker pace, and his silence suggested that it was the end of the conversation for him. I ignored all the red flags telling me to abort, but I just had to try…maybe Pit will realize he has no choice but to spill, "Who's Zelda?"

I wasn't ready for his reaction: Pit laughed. His laughter turned to tears, and the angel was left with a smile that did not express happiness, "She asked herself that, too."

I frowned, "What?"

Junior called us, "Hey, guys!"

Pit's eyes narrowed as he looked straight ahead. I followed his gaze, and up ahead about half a mile away there was a huge castle surrounded by a stone wall. The wall was very tall, but dwarfed by the sheer size of the castle's multiple spires. From the looks of it, the wall surrounded an entire town, but there was no way of knowing for sure—all the space between the front wall and the castle could be an enormous courtyard. Beside the wall to the castle's right were large tracts filled to its maximum capacity of stumpy trees—a forest.

We caught up to Peach and Junior, and I asked, "Is that Promise Woods?"

Peach responded, "No…" Surprising me, Pit, and Junior. She noticed our eyes looking at her strangely, and she became defensive, "What? A forest with the name 'Promise Woods' must be nicer to look at…"

"Peach…" Pit asked carefully, "I'm getting the hunch that you've been there before."

Her reaction made it clear. Her eyes widened, but she shook her head in denial, "Don't be ridiculous, Pit. I never left X…"

Peach approached the guarded castle, its walls giving it the impression of a fortress.

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There were two strange-looking creatures guarding the gates. They looked like orange eyeballs with blue irises, stumps for hands, and yellow feet. They each held a spear, and their single eye watched us like a hawk before we were forced to stop before them. I don't even think Peach was intimidated by them; they were no taller than a foot.

"Strangers!" One bellowed, "State your reason for coming here to Dreamland!"

I think the rest of us were too busy wondering how they were capable of talking without mouths. Pit responded, "We're only passing by. The walls go on for miles, rivaling the horizon. It would take us days—weeks, maybe—to go around. Can we pass through this castle town?"

The two creatures looked at one another before they nodded, "You four are mere travelers?"

"Yes," Pit said.

"Very well. You may pass."

We waited for a while, and when nothing happened, one of the creatures shrieked, "OPEN THE GATES!"

The gates opened outward, giving us a preview of the town. Despite the castle walls, the inside wasn't made of stone. It matched the outside, with fields of green grass and hills. The road we were on snaked in there as well, disappearing from view behind a rather large tree on a hill. Littered all around were small huts with small, circular windows. Each one of them had chimneys and a mail box beside them. I could guess what lived inside was one of those eyeball creatures like the guards that let us in, but the inhabitants looked slightly different. Unlike the guards, they had faces, yellow in color and two ovals for eyes.

Peach squealed, "They're so cute!"

"They're called Waddle Dees," Pit said, "The guards outside are known as Waddle Doos."

As we entered the town, the Waddle Dees started to surround us. They got closer and closer until we were forced to clump together. Junior was stuck in the middle; Peach, Pit, and I coincidentally kept him guarded surrounding all his sides. Peach's elbow dug into my arm, and Pit's wings pressed against both our backs.

"Well, this is awkward."

"Oh, god," Peach said, horrified, "I think they're humping us!"

The way she said it made me want to laugh out loud, "They're not humping us. Still, something feels off." The Waddle Dees' eyes were bright, and they all looked flustered. Their rounded hands padded us where they were able to reach. When they felt nothing, they climbed over each other to check the rest of us.

Peach giggled, "It kind of tickles!"

I made a face when a Waddle Dee gently patted my cheeks and hair, "What are you guys looking for?" I asked, "Money? Food?"

The Waddle Dees paused, and they looked at us with pleading eyes. They were searching us for food, and Peach said sadly, "We're sorry, but we don't have any…"

Once she said that, they dispersed. The Waddle Dees walked away slowly, except for one that tripped over and began to cry. Unlike the other Waddle Dees, this one had a blue bandanna worn around its head. Peach quickly ran over to the creature and helped him up, asking, "Are you okay?"

The Waddle Dee shook his head. I didn't expect it to speak, but miraculously, it did, "No…Oh, I'm so hungry…"

Pit was confused, "I don't get it. The land seems fertile. How are you guys starving? Is there no food?"

"There is food. A lot of it, too. But it's all given to King Dedede, the glutton king of this land that never seems to fill that large belly of his despite wolfing down our entire stock of larder…"

Something about the situation bothered me, "This king of yours just takes all your food? He sounds nothing more than a bully to me."

The Waddle Dee began to fidget, "That's the thing… He made himself king because he knows he would be able to exploit us. I told the others about his intentions the moment he came to Dreamland, but no one believed me…"

"What's wrong with you guys!? Take back the throne!"

The Waddle Dee yelped from being yelled at. He started to let loose more tears, and he hugged Peach, his entire body trembling. Cautiously, he looked at me, "We can't! We don't stand a chance! Not only is King Dedede a trophy, but our greatest warrior serves him as his right-hand man. We don't stand a chance…"

I couldn't help but get angry. I don't know why—something about Waddle Dee's predicament had me all jarred up. I didn't like this King Dedede one bit; he sounded like a tyrant, but what I absolutely abhorred was the Waddle Dee's attitude towards the dilemma, "Are you listening to yourself!? You can't let this guy push you around! Stop him from taking away your food!"

I was going to go on, but Pit got my shoulder, "Dude… what are you doing?"

"Pit, this is ridiculous! They're being pushed around, and they're doing nothing about it!"

"Ike's right," Junior agreed, "They're doing nothing but letting King Dedede take their food. What a bunch of wusses!"

Waddle Dee visibly flinched, and Peach looked at me and Junior with disapproval, "Ike! Junior! Learn to be a bit more sensitive!" She scolded.

"I think they deserve to be called wusses," I told Peach, "Junior has a point."

Peach was shocked, "Ike!" She turned to the Waddle Dee, "I'm so sorry, don't listen to them."

More tears started to well up at the corners of Waddle Dee's eyes, "No, they're right! We're all a bunch of wusses! King Dedede doesn't take our food; us Waddle Dees give it all to him on a silver platter. We're not allowed to eat the food…We're told so by King Dedede, and we listen to him because if not, he won't protect us from the Wolfos that live in the forest near here…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was about to say something, but Waddle Dee interjected, "King Dedede is evil! I know he just wants to eat all the food in the land… He might've built the wall around our town, but I know he's in allegiance with the Wolfos. Him saying he won't protect us from them is not a warning—it's a threat."

"That's despicable…" I started to feel bad. There really wasn't anything these Waddle Dees could do, "Look, Waddle Dee— "

"M-my name is Bandanna Dee."

"Bandanna Dee," I corrected myself, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. King Dedede is taking advantage of your kind, and I think it's about time you do something about it."

"But what can I do—I-I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name…"

"I'm Ike," Bandanna Dee hopped off of Peach's lap to shake my hand, "That's Peach, Pit, and Junior."

Bandanna Dee nodded at each name, "It's nice to meet you…" He turned back to me, "I appreciate it Ike, but what can I possibly do? King Dedede is a trophy, and I'm only a Recurrent…"

I kneeled and grabbed Bandanna Dee to get his attention, "Bandanna, don't you worry about that. Because you see…I'll help you overthrow the King of Dreamland!"

Peach's jaw hit the floor, and Junior was struck dumb. Pit grabbed me by the collar and dragged me away. Once we were a considerable distance from the others, Pit cried out, "Ike, what the hell are you thinking!? You can't lead an uprising!"

I shrugged, "How hard can it be?"

Pit scoffed, "You're asking me that? Ike, you can't forget we're on a time limit here! Two weeks! We only have two weeks to get the Ruby Key, and within that time span we have to get the Sapphire Key as well. We don't have time to help these people."

"You said the same thing about the pokemon," I said, "And look how that turned out. Not only did we save them, but we reached our destination and defeated Fox at the same time!"

"Okay, one, Krystal was the one that saved the pokemon. Two, we would have made it to Dreamland either way if we had kept a low profile. And three, I didn't even have a say in the matter! The whole 'Great Pokemon Escape' thing is like waving a red cloth in front of a bull—stupid, and dangerous."

"Be that as it may," I said, slightly irritated, "It felt good, right? Freeing them, I mean?"

Pit paused, "Well…yeah."

"You should really give us some freedom, Pit, that's what any good leader would do."

The angel looked up and smiled, "You think of me as your leader!"

I haven't realized it until Pit had brought it to my attention. I couldn't believe it, but there was no way I could take back what I said, "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Fine. You could lead your little Waddle Dee revolt. Just make sure you don't take so long, okay?"

"It's a deal."

We met with the others who were waiting for us to return. I told Bandanna Dee, "Gather up all the Waddle Dees, Bandanna. We're doing this!"

Bandanna Dee may have been missing a mouth, but from his eyes squinting slightly, I knew he was happy, "Right away! I'll call for a meeting under Wispy the Tree!" Bandanna pointed, "It's the one over there."

Wispy the Tree was the large tree on the hill I noted earlier. From where I was standing now, I was able to see that it had a face; three hollowed out holes, two for eyes, and one for its mouth, with a branch directly in the middle to serve as a nose. I nodded, "I got it. We'll be waiting there."

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Pit, Peach, Junior and I waited under the tree as Waddle Dees began to gather and cover the entire hill Wispy the Tree stood on. Soon after, I saw Bandanna come over, pushing his way through the other Waddle Dees to stand right next to me. We exchanged glances before he nodded and focused his attention over to his fellow Waddle Dees, "Waddle Dees!" he cried, "I gather you all here today for wonderful news! Finally, we can end King Dedede's tyrannical rule! The way we will achieve that is… Ike!"

I blinked. That was one quick introduction, "Uh, yes! Bandanna is right! We are all here today for a single purpose: to overthrow the King of Dreamland!" I raised my sword, expecting war cries to follow, but all I got was silence and blank stares. After a few seconds of keeping the idiotic stance I was in, I asked, "Well!?"

One Waddle Dee asked, "Are we just going to barge into the castle? We don't stand a chance against two trophies."

"Yeah," said another, "Especially when those two trophies happen to be King Dedede and Meta Knight."

"What if I told you…" I trailed off for suspense, "… that we had four trophies on our side!?"

Immediately, Peach said, "Don't drag my son into this."

"Three trophies—"

"Or me," she added.

I rolled my eyes, "Okay then, we're evenly matched. We have two tro—"

Pit interrupted, "It would be kind of hypocritical of me to aid you when I was against it earlier, wouldn't it?"

"Pit…"

"I'm sorry," the angel apologized, "But you're on your own here."

"I really hate you guys right now…" I turned to the Waddle Dees, "It seems I have miscalculated. I will be the only trophy, BUT we will overpower King Dedede with my might and your sheer numbers!"

The Waddle Dees looked at one another, unsure, "I don't know…What difference can one trophy make? We won't stand a chance against King Dedede or Meta Knight."

"How about I demonstrate? Peach, Junior, Pit—move aside."

They got out of the way. Junior asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Show them my strength," I looked back, "You guys might want to back away a little." The Waddle Dees remained in place, except for Bandanna Dee who took a few steps back, "Don't say I didn't warn you…" I held Ragnell with both hands, focusing my power into the blade and drawing out blue fire. When I couldn't hold in the energy any longer, I swiped at Wispy the Tree. Nothing happened at first, and I could hear the murmur of the Waddle Dees behind me halt as the top half of Wispy the Tree slid off its base and down the mountain. I turned to give the little creatures a smug look. They were looking at one another with wide eyes before they started to chant, "Ike! Ike! Ike! Ike! Ike! Ike!"

Their cheers were interrupted by Bandanna Dee, "OH MY GOD, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

I turned to the Waddle Dee, confused, "What?"

He ignored me and fell face first in front of Wispy the Tree, who was nothing but a stump now, "I'm going to Nightmareland for this…"

"I don't get it, what's the big deal? It's just a tree."

Bandanna turned swiftly, "JUST a tree!? Wispy the Tree is our guardian deity! Legends say he will lead Dreamland to an era of peace and prosperity!"

One Waddle Dee told Bandanna, "Relax, Ike's right, it's just a tree."

Bandanna started to get flustered, "He… he watched over us since the beginning of Dreamland's creation…Now he's dead!"

I was beginning to feel bad, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I thought it was a normal tree."

"A normal tree!?" Bandanna's body shook, "What kind of tree has a freakin' face!? Ike, anything on top of a hill over a bare land practically screams important!"

I was unable to respond, and a Waddle Dee said, "Forget about old Wispy! We're going to take back this land for ourselves! We are all starving, and yet we give our food to a king that isn't even indigenous to Dreamland. It's time we take back what's ours!"

Other Waddle Dees raised their stumpy hands, "Yeah!"

"DOWN WITH DEDEDE! DOWN WITH DEDEDE!"

"We will all finally eat a proper meal!"

"DOWN WITH DEDEDE! DOWN WITH DEDEDE!"

"We will take back our greatest warrior!"

"DOWN WITH DEDEDE! DOWN WITH DEDEDE!"

"We will rule this land again!"

With a final war cry, the Waddle Dees climbed over the hill and travelled down past Wispy's stump to surround the other half of Wispy I dismembered. Each Waddle Dee picked out a branch and searched the land for a stone they can sharpen into a spear-head. I was honestly surprised at how innovative they were—I was planning on making them tackle King Dedede until he was under a dog pile. This was a lot more strategic. I picked out the last branch Wispy had left on its head to give to Bandanna Dee. He stared at it for a while, and I reached it out further to encourage the Waddle Dee to take it.

"Come on, don't let his death be in vain."

"You know…" Bandanna trailed off, but he continued, "I never would have thought the other Waddle Dees to actually go through with this. It's ironic of me to say this, but they're cowards. Why the sudden change? What drives them all of a sudden?"

"They always had courage, Bandanna, it's just a matter of helping them see it for themselves. When you give them hope, you give them the power to fight…something they had in them the entire time."

Bandanna Dee took the branch, "Thanks Ike! With you on our side, we will prevail!" The Waddle Dee ran off to complete his spear, and I stood in place, watching him go.

Pit tapped me, and I turned, "We'll be training outside. Tell us when you're done."

I wanted to snap at the others for refusing to participate in the revolt, but I decided to say nothing about it, "Fine. I'll be done by the end of the day."

Peach wouldn't look at me, and Junior was biting his lip. It appeared as if the boy wanted to join me, but before I can invite him, he ran off after his mother.

Is Ike feeling all alone? I can help with that. I'll always be here for you, Ikey…

"Why don't you just shove your words up your ass…" I said.

How vulgar! Whatever, I wasn't planning on helping you, anyway.

I snorted, "As if you help me."

Oh, you'll see. I buff you up, Ike. I'm the reason you haven't died. I kept you alive all these years…Let's see how good you are without my excess anger. I bet you won't even be able to beat that sorry excuse of a trophy, King Dedede.

"I'll show you, you—"

The Monster retreated, and before I was able to say anything else, Bandanna Dee called my name, "Ike!"

Bandanna Dee had his spear done, the sharp end tied to the tree branch with a red bow, "What is it?" I asked.

He looked at me as if I was crazy, "Did you forget? Everyone has a weapon! We're ready to raid the castle!"

"Is that so?" Behind Bandanna, an army of Waddle Dees began to form. They didn't look so cute holding those sharp spears. I smiled, "What are you waiting for? Lead the way!"

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The castle walls were made of orange bricks similar to the ones in Allys. The doors were unnecessarily large, reaching way up above my head by many meters. Just as I was about to knock them down, they opened. At first I didn't see anybody, but the other Waddle Dees gasped. I looked down to see another spherical creature, but blue in color and sporting a mask that covered its entire face. It wore a small purple cape and white gloves, the right one holding a golden sword; it's blade like frozen fire. To give it credit, it looked intimidating for only being a foot tall. Still, I didn't expect for all the Waddle Dees to bail right then and there. It was only me and Bandanna Dee, but seeing that he was the only Waddle Dee left, he dropped his spear and ran at a speed that would have made Sonic jealous. All alone, I turned to the mask figure, "I suppose you're Meta Knight? The strongest warrior in Dreamland?"

Instead of answering, he disappeared. Something hit me in the back of my head, and I blacked out.

Well, that answers that question. Attempt one: Failure!

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I woke up, surrounded by the Waddle Dees. One asked if I was okay, but instead of answering, I shouted, "What the hell was that!?"

Bandanna Dee apologized, "We're sorry, Ike, it's just that Meta Knight is our strongest warrior. When we saw him just standing there, waiting for us…Well, we lost our nerve."

"Is that what you call it? The bunch of you just left me there!"

"W-we thought you could handle him!" said one Waddle Dee.

I sighed, "Guys, this is a team effort. Also, Meta Knight is too quick for me."

"I called him the Blue Flash…he hated that nickname."

I ignored the Waddle Dee, "Why is he even in allegiance with King Dedede?"

Bandanna Dee explained, "You see, Meta Knight is a chocoholic. He agreed to work for King Dedede when he promised him an infinite supply of chocolate."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard…"

"We're sorry," Bandanna repeated.

I sat up, "Let's not waste any time, I told the others we will be done by the day. I have a plan. Instead of going through the front door, we'll go over the wall!"

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By climbing on top of one another, the Waddle Dees were able to form a small mound and reach the top of the castle walls. With Bandanna Dee on my head, I climbed up the Waddle Dee mountain to the very top. It was pretty difficult—many of them complained about my weight, and others broke away from the formation as I grabbed or stepped on them to pull myself up. I finally reached the ledge of the castle wall, and as I swung my leg over, I noticed Meta Knight standing in front of me.

Bandanna Dee pulled my hair, "OH MY GOD, IT'S META KNIGHT!"

No shit, Sherlock.

For the first time, I agreed with the Monster, but before I can give Bandanna Dee a sarcastic remark, the support below fell. I was left hanging from the castle wall, and I looked down to see the Waddle Dees running away, yelling, "Meta Knight!"

I looked back towards the masked swordsman. Bandanna Dee was begging for mercy, and it took all my willpower to not grab the Waddle Dee and throw him as far away as I could. Meta Knight remained silent, and I smiled awkwardly, "Hey…"

"This is a genius plan. It would have worked, too, if the Waddle Dees weren't so loud."

I was about to curse on the spot, but Meta Knight disappeared and knocked me out—again.

The Monster laughed, Attempt two…Failure!

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My eyes opened, and this time I didn't bother to scold the Waddle Dees. Instead I said, "Okay, so it looks like we have to avoid Meta Knight entirely, or you will all run away the instant your eye catches him."

"We're sorry," Bandanna Dee said.

I held the back of my head, "Ow, that actually hurt."

"That's 'cause you fell two stories," said one Waddle Dee. I glared at him, and he shut up instantly.

"All right, I have another plan. If we can't force our way in, we'll sneak our way in."

Bandanna frowned, "I don't get it."

I asked, "Do Waddle Dees know how to dig?"

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The Waddle Dees luckily had a shovel for me. I dug five feet below the surface level before I decided to dig my way forward. The Waddle Dees were able to burrow with their bare hands, and I was able to hear the sound of their digging all around me. Bandanna Dee jumped inside the hole I made, saying he wanted to keep me company. After a few minutes of digging, I had to take a break. I was sweating profusely, leaning on the shovel in order to stay up. Bandanna noticed my exhaustion and asked, "Want me to dig? It won't take as long because I'm smaller than you."

I was only able to nod, and Bandanna Dee started to burrow into the wall of soil. After some time, I heard a blood-curdling scream. All my senses amped up, and soon after, Bandanna Dee ran out of his little tunnel and jumped out of the hole we were in.

These Waddle Dees can seriously join the Olympics.

I ignored the Monster and took a peek inside the tunnel Bandanna has dug to figure out what scared him. I saw glowing yellow eyes, and it took a moment for me to realize that it was Meta Knight. I stared at him for a long time before asking, "Okay, I'll bite. How the hell is this possible?"

"You are predictable," Meta Knight said.

I scoffed, "Oh yeah? So are you. You're just going to teleport behind me and knock me out."

Meta Knight was still as a statue. He suddenly punched me in the face; then disappeared to hit me from behind and knock me out—for the third time.

So much for third time's the charm. Attempt three: a big fat failure!

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Before opening my eyes, I said, "We have to make Meta Knight defect."

Bandanna asked, "What does that mean?"

"We'll make him betray King Dedede and join us, instead."

A Waddle Dee said, "He won't be easily convin—"

"Who has spare chocolate?"

A Waddle Dee shouted from far in the back, "We were supposed to give King Dedede a new pile of chocolate about an hour ago, but I think that was when we were trying to climb over the castle walls."

Finally, something going my way, "Great! A team of Waddle Dees will lure Meta Knight out with a bar of chocolate."

"Meta Knight would just take the sweet and go back to the castle…"

"Not if you tell him that he can have all the chocolate he wants without following anybody's orders."

Bandanna said, "That might work, actually."

"All right, I think I'm good to go. How about you guys?" I heard stomachs growl, and the Waddle Dees looked up sheepishly. I shook my head, "Waddle Dees, we're overthrowing the king. It's absolutely fine to eat the food now."

"But…"

Before the Waddle Dee can give me a lame excuse, I said, "We can't do this if you're all weak from hunger. Eat! Regain energy! We'll raid the castle once more, and this time, we will succeed!"

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After the Waddle Dees had their fill, we waited a bit to let the food digest. That didn't take as long, and Bandanna Dee told me that Waddle Dees have a strong stomach, capable of digesting even the toughest foods in a couple of minutes. It was time for the fourth attempt, and I wasn't planning on failing. The group of Waddle Dees with the bar of chocolate knocked on the castle door. They exchanged a few words with Meta Knight before they showed him the chocolate. Meta Knight's eyes seriously doubled in size when he saw the chocolate bar, and the Waddle Dees began to back away from the castle slowly, Meta Knight following them like a zombie.

I looked back to face the other Waddle Dees and said, "This is the moment of truth, guys! We will make our way to the throne room and attack King Dedede without question! Are you all with me!?"

The Waddle Dees raised their spears, "DOWN WITH DEDEDE! DOWN WITH DEDEDE!"

I nodded, "Let's go!"

With all the Waddle Dees behind me, I ran past the doors and into the courtyard. The doors to the castle were already open. Upon entering, there was a long hallway. The walls had paintings with golden frames, depicting a large blue penguin wearing a red coat and a funny-looking hat. He appeared to be really fat, and in his gloved hands, he held a large hammer with a star imprinted on it. I checked each painting, but they all had the same penguin in different poses.

Bandanna Dee was running beside me, "King Dedede is really egotistic, isn't he?"

I didn't answer; I simply nodded. We followed the red carpet to another set of doors, complete with golden designs and door handles. I threw them open, and the Waddle Dees charged into the throne room. It was huge. The sound of the Waddle Dees roaring echoed and bounced off the marble walls. There was a second story above us, like a balcony. It was supported by white pillars that formed a semicircle. The room was bright with the light of day, coming in through the open windows. The red carpet we were on led to the king's throne, and the king sitting on it. King Dedede looked the same as he did in the castle paintings. I could tell he was shocked to see us with the way his eyes bugged out. His mouth trembled, and after some incomprehensible stuttering, he managed to speak English, "H-how were the lot of you able to get pass Meta Knight!?"

I knew the Waddle Dees never once defied their king, because Bandanna was actually going to explain to Dedede how we were able to deal with Meta Knight. Before he can get into detail, I interrupted him, pointing Ragnell's blade at King Dedede, "ATTACK!"

Bandanna Dee was left dumbfounded as the Waddle Dees around him charged at Dedede. I bent over to nudge him, "Come on, Bandanna! Don't let your people fight alone!"

"Yeah!" With his spear forward, Bandanna charged. I kept my distance, figuring the Waddle Dees were fine on their own. It turns out all they needed was a spark to start the flame. They were fighting for what rightfully belonged to them, and I couldn't help but admire that. King Dedede was largely outnumbered, and for a while, it seemed as if he was too overwhelmed to counter the Waddle Dees' attacks. However, as soon as King Dedede grabbed a hold of the hammer that leaned beside his throne, he pummeled the Waddle Dees as if they were nothing but stuffed figures. The Waddle Dees were going to lose the battle if I did not intervene.

King Dedede laid his eyes on me, and he glared, "You! You are the leader of this rebellion, aren't you!? The Waddle Dees would never defy me on their own!"

King Dedede ran towards me, his large hammer over his shoulder. I stayed in place to see Dedede's next move. He simply swung his hammer down with all his strength. I could have easily dodged the attack. I could have countered. I could have even blocked the coming attack. Instead, I dropped Ragnell and caught the head of the hammer with my hands. It was a stupid move—I could have been crushed, but the weight of King Dedede's attack only managed to bend my knees and strain my muscles. I don't know why I did it. It couldn't be for the Waddle Dees…why would I risk my life for them just to give them the feeling of a well earned victory? I guess it no longer mattered. The action's been done, and the strange part is that I don't regret it, "Waddle Dees! Now is your chance! Take down the tyrant!"

They wasted no time. Each Waddle Dee tackled King Dedede, clutching on to him in order to keep him in place. Soon, King Dedede was covered in angry Waddle Dees, and their weight took him down. More Waddle Dees jumped on him, successfully burying King Dedede in a pile. The King was unable to move. His entire body was covered but his head, which Bandanna Dee approached, "You have exploited us for far too long, Dedede. We hereby banish you from Dreamland. If you refuse to follow that simple command, we have no choice but to… but to…" Bandanna looked around for help, and I took the cue.

I picked up Ragnell, pressing the edge of the blade to Dedede's fat neck, "We will have no choice but to send you to recreation."

King Dedede's eyes widened, and he shut them tight. He grinded his teeth, and he glared at me and Bandanna before forcing out, "Fine. You pathetic maggots win. I will leave."

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There had to be a feast to celebrate. King Dedede had a room filled up to the ceiling with food. When I saw the pile of chicken in the corner, I couldn't help but drool. Bandanna laughed and said, "You want it? You can have it! It's the least we can offer for what you've done for us!"

"Who am I to deny such an offer?" I made my way to the pile of chicken, picking up a leg, "Oh, this must be what heaven is like."

Other Waddle Dees joined me, eating the food that was to be eaten by King Dedede. It surprised me he was capable of eating so much—the walls of the room weren't even visible because of the food. The smell was overpowering me; the sweets, the meats, the fruits and the grains…it was amazing all the variety Dreamland had to offer.

"Bandanna Dee, can I ask you for a favor?"

He nodded, "Anything!"

"Bring my friends…Even if they did not help, I want to share this with them."

"As you wish."

I wolfed down all the meat my stomach was able to handle. Each piece was tender—not too hard, nor too soft, and they were cooked just right in my opinion, with the meat a slight shade of red inside. I don't know how much I ate—I lost count—before Pit, Peach, and Junior arrived. They looked around the room in awe. Junior immediately went over to an aisle of greasy hamburgers while Pit picked up some fruit. Peach approached me, and I quickly swallowed the last piece of meat I still had in my mouth. She was silent for a while, but finally she looked up to meet my eyes, "You're amazing, Ike. I'm not one for violence, but this…" Peach paused, taking in all the food and the overjoyed Waddle Dees that surrounded her, "You saved the Waddle Dees from a greedy king. I guess the method doesn't matter, so long the outcome is worth it. I'd like to think you've done the right thing, if it makes the Waddle Dees happy…"

"Peach…"

She shook her head, "Don't say anything. I know you mean to apologize, but I simply won't accept it."

I couldn't believe it, "Peach—"

She held up her hand, "And that's because there's no apology to accept. I know you didn't mean what you said. Monster or not, I know you would never say anything to hurt me."

Her words were soft, and I knew the meaning behind them. She knows I love her, and I had a feeling Peach knew I was aware of that. I wanted to desperately ask her for her thoughts regarding my love for her, but at the moment she was no longer looking at me. I could take a hint, and this time, I would hold my tongue. There will come a day, though, that I would just simply have to know. Until then…I would have to wait. I got a piece of chicken and held it out for Peach to take it, "Here—you must be hungry."

Peach stared blankly at the piece of poultry in my hand. I mentally slapped myself, thinking that a girl like Peach would prefer fruit. Surprisingly, she smiled, and Peach took the meat out of my hand and took a large bite. With her mouth still full, she said, "Thanks."

Some Waddle Dees began to dance. Others went around the castle to destroy everything that belonged to King Dedede. Everyone was having a blast, but the moment was short-lived. After only about an hour, a Waddle Doo ran into the room and collapsed onto the ground. Bandanna Dee quickly ran to his side and asked what was wrong. The Waddle Doo was gasping for air, and his first attempt at telling us why he was in such a panicked stated demanded for repetition. The Waddle Doo caught his breath, "The Wolfos—they're coming this way! They're surrounding the castle!"

Bandanna cried, "Wolfos!? This is the work of Dedede! Oh, I knew it wouldn't be so easy…"

"Bandanna," I said, "If we all work together, we can fend off the Wolfos."

Bandanna Dee wouldn't meet my gaze, "You think…?"

I nodded, "Of course!"

Pit stood beside me. Peach and Junior joined him, " And this time," the angel said, "We're going to help."

"M-maybe we can do it…"

"I have a plan," I said, "Each one of us will take a group of Waddle Dees. Pit, you will defend the back of the castle. Junior, you will defend the right."

The boy gripped his sword, "Got it!"

"Peach, you and Bandanna Dee will defend the left side. I will be at the front gates in the courtyard. Did everyone get that?" I looked around at the Waddle Dees that have gathered. More were coming in and forming groups behind me, Peach, Junior, Pit, and Bandanna Dee. "Waddle Dees…we just took this castle for ourselves. We are not about to lose Dreamland a second time!"

Everyone agreed, "YEAH!"

"Let's go!"

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At the courtyard, the first Wolfos had breached the castle walls. The Wolfos were large wolves that were able to stand on their hind legs. Their fur color was a light grey, and their large eyes were a monstrous green. The moment they saw me, they charged at alarming speed. The Waddle Dees stood on guard behind me—a good thing since the Wolfos were smart enough to think of surrounding us. The one in front lunged, and I pushed him back, receiving slash marks on my arm in return. From there, the other Wolfos attacked mercilessly. With their size and large numbers, the Waddle Dees did not stand a chance—neither did I. My body was still tired from when I blocked Dedede's hammer swing earlier, and the scratch the Wolfos gave me stung so much I was barely able to focus. I thought I was beginning to see doubles of the Wolfos from exhaustion, but soon I realized that the Wolfos were actually increasing in number. I was confused at first, but then a Waddle Dee said, "Dedede had no intent on taking back the castle! He wants to eliminate us all!"

No, it didn't make sense. A Wolfos bit my knee and I cried out. I stabbed the creature's head, and the Wolfos exploded, leaving shadow bug remains. Ahead, past all the Wolfos, I caught sight of red clothing. It was King Dedede, and he wore a smug look on his face. Suddenly, it all fit together. The Waddle Dee was right—Dedede was not intent on taking back the castle, but he was wrong when he said Dedede wanted to eliminate us all—that was only partly true. When I met Dedede's eyes, I knew he summoned the Wolfos just to eliminate me, for starting the Waddle Dee rebellion. They weren't surrounding the castle…they were surrounding me.

Ike, you got yourself in a sticky situation…

"I don't have time to deal with you," I slashed at a Wolfos, but one lunged at me from behind. I turned my back on another Wolfos's attack so that the one in my back would release me. I wasn't left unscathed—the Wolfos had manage to bite my shoulder, and pretty deep, too.

Ike, you're going to die! There's no way you can defeat so many enemies in your current condition…

"Why do you suddenly care!?" I looked around, and cursed when I noted that all the Waddle Dees that were with me have fallen. They weren't dead, but they were be unable to continue fighting.

Ike, you have to run! You can lock yourself inside the castle…

"I'm not running away!" The Wolfos formed a circle around me, and they all attacked at once. Their fangs dug into my skin all over my body: my limbs, my hip, my neck— my vision was beginning to fail due to the loss of blood.

Ike! Ike!

"Shut up…" I managed, "Isn't this what you wanted?"

What!? No! If you die, I die!

"You only care about yourself."

I…I realize I may have gone too far. I just wanted Peach to hate you so that she would avoid you…I wanted you to know what it feels like to be alone…

I didn't understand what the Monster was telling me, "What!?"

I hate you. I hate you for not embracing her. I hate you for not saying 'I love you' when she confessed. I hate you for not taking the time to get to know her. I hate you for chasing after other women…I wanted you to know the pain of not having the girl you love, so I mistreated Peach so you would never have her. Of course I knew she would forgive you eventually, but I just wanted you to know the feeling. I-I never intended for you to get hurt, not like this. Why would you fight for trophies you barely met? It's stupid. You're throwing your life away for nothing… Why do you continue to fight? This isn't your battle.

"Shut up!" I cried, "I don't want to hear it! You claim to not want to hurt me, but you did just that by hurting Peach and attempting to soil our relationship!"

Relationship!? Whatever! I can't let you die, not like this. She…She would want us to finish this Quest.

From the pit of my stomach, I felt an unbearable heat. It spread throughout my entire body, and I felt renewed power coursing through my veins. I was able throw the Wolfos off me, and seeing my blood made me angry—very angry. I was barely able to hear Peach call my name, "Ike!"

I turned around to see Peach, Bandanna Dee, Junior and Pit running towards me. Each of them came with a group of Waddle Dees, ready to fight the remaining Wolfos. Meta Knight suddenly appeared to help as well, some chocolate smeared on his mask where his mouth would be. Bandanna said, "I was wondering why there were so little Wolfos in our area. They're all over here!" Bandanna noticed King Dedede, "Ike, we'll take care of the Wolfos! You deal with King Dedede!"

I nodded. I did not want to speak, or the others would know the Monster had taken over. I made my way to Dedede, and the large penguin raised his hammer, "You don't want to mess with me! Not when I have my Jet Hammer!" Dedede's hammer opened, revealing a mechanical one underneath. It looked like a rocket, and the open end was gathering power. I was shaking with rage. I felt as if I was about to implode. I was barely able to contain the anger, but when I thought of Peach, it became a little more bearable. So this is what an anchor is for…If I only knew about it back in the Forgotten Forest, I would have never tortured Mewtwo the way I did. King Dedede slowly made his way towards me, his Jet Hammer letting out steam. He released his hammer, and instead of catching it with my bare hands, I countered. I absorbed the impact of Dedede's attack and released the power two-fold on Dedede. The glutton never stood a chance. King Dedede started to fade, and he fell before he disappeared completely. I frowned—this wasn't what it looked like when Pit and I defeated Ness. The psychic exploded into a blue light, and came back shortly afterward. I waited for Dedede to return, but he didn't. My anger began to fade, and it was replaced with confusion. Dedede was gone.

It looks like the safety has been switched.

I was about to tell the Monster to shut up, but I thought it would be inconsiderate of me. Instead I said, "Thank you."

The Monster was silent for a while, I didn't do it for you. I…I did it for her.

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The others were able to drive away the Wolfos. We all cheered as the last one scampered away, wimping like an abused dog. Pit decided it would be best to stay the night in Dreamland, which was fine by me. Peach was ecstatic because she would get to sleep in a queen's bed. Junior explored the castle, and Pit told me he was going to try to contact Palutena through a pool of water. I was ready to knock out, and I went inside one the numerous guest rooms to have a nice, long nap. I jumped onto the bed, and just as I was about to close my eyes, Bandanna Dee entered the room. I knew he had a reason to come, so I asked, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to thank you for everything."

I waved him off, "it's nothing."

"No, it's not. Ike, you taught me a valuable lesson."

"Oh?"

Bandanna nodded, "You taught me that you must do things yourself if you want to accomplish something. It's funny—Wispy the Tree is said to be our guardian deity that would one day bring Dreamland into an era of peace and prosperity. The legends are true. He did just that."

I frowned, "How so?"

"It was when you cut him down that the Waddle Dees were convinced to revolt against King Dedede. Also, as a twist of fate, our spears were made of his branches, and we used these weapons to take back our land. It looks like Dreamland is headed for peace and prosperity."

I smiled, "It's almost poetic."

"And that's why I wanted to thank you. Not only have you given us freedom, but a future as well."

"You're welcome."

That satisfied Bandanna Dee. He left the guest room, and I laid on my back staring at the ceiling. Because of his interruption, I wouldn't be able to sleep immediately as I wanted to. I took the opportunity to recall what the Monster had said to me earlier that day. He wanted Peach to hate me so that I would understand how it feels to not have a loved one by my side.

"Monster? Who was the 'she' you kept mentioning?"

At first there was no reply. At first I thought he was going to ignore me, but after a while he said, Sheik. Our soul mate. Our one true love.

I furrowed my brow, "Sheik? I never loved her. Besides, I love Peach."

You don't understand. The feelings you have for Peach isn't love.

"Why would I believe what you say, of all people?"

Lucario was only partially right. I am a concentration of intense emotions, but I'm more than that. I'm not exactly your spirit, but a shadow, a fraction of your soul, of the person you are. I-I love Sheik. I wanted her. You say you love Peach, but the heart makes mistakes. The spirit knows who its rightful companion is, and that is Sheik.

The Monster was suddenly tame, and I didn't know what to make of it. He claimed that he loved Sheik, but from the memories I have of her, I know for a fact I felt nothing for her. Something the Monster said struck me odd, "You wanted her? Does that mean you don't want her anymore?"

He took a while to respond, It's not a matter of choice.

The Monster began to pull back, but I said quickly, "It sounds like you know a lot about my past."

Our past. And yes, I still retain memories from before the Memory Loss.

"Care to tell me?"

The Monster chuckled, I won't bother you or your companions any longer. In exchange, I won't tell you anything from our past… It's only fair, right? I haven't forgiven you for ignoring Sheik yet.

I was about to argue, but decided not to, "Fair enough. But you have to know…I'll never love Sheik the way you claim to."

That's what scares me the most, but I know you would have fallen for her if only you had taken the time to get to know her…

"What's with all these past tenses?" I asked.

The Monster left. I closed my eyes. I dreamed of Sheik, although it could have been a memory. There was no way I could know for sure.

I was chasing after her—Sheik. The bandaged woman was able to keep a fair distance between us, and it seemed like she was picking up speed the longer I kept pursuing her. I followed her into an alley that led to a dead end. Sheik stopped, pressing the palms of her hands against the wall as if it weren't supposed to be there. She turned around to confront me.

I was out of breath, "Who are you?"

"My name is Sheik," she approached me, and rested her head on my chest. Her arms went under mine to embrace me tightly. I was caught off guard and unsure whether I should push her away or not. Her bangs tickled my nose, and Sheik nestled closer to me, a hidden smile under her concealed face, "And I…I love you."

(Meanwhile, in an unknown location)

Sheik was fondly remembering her first confession to Ike. It seemed like ages had passed since then, and she couldn't help but cry. Donkey Kong had just finished explaining to her everything that had happened after the First Quest. It was worse than what Sheik could have ever imagined. Donkey Kong noted her tears, and he asked if she was okay. Sheik nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"I'm fine, but DK, I must know, is Ike alive and well?"

"I believe he is," Donkey Kong said, "Last I seen him was in Entrei Mountain, and the Defyers—I mean, Pit and the others—were able to successfully acquire the Diamond Key."

"That's good news… Thank you."

Sheik turned her heel and was about to run off, but Donkey Kong stopped her, "Wait! Where are you going?"

"Out. I must help Ike and the others defeat Tabuu."

"Can I come?" DK asked.

"Of course. We stand more of a chance if we all work together. Defyers…there's a certain ring to it." Sheik began to sprint, and Donkey Kong found it hard to keep up with the ninja. Sheik passed by many trees, and she almost wanted to scream in rage. Trees, trees, trees. It was all she encountered for the past five years. She wanted to find a way out of the forest, but it seemed like it had no end. Sheik wouldn't give up, though. Her eyes burned with determination. She knew for a fact Ike was still alive, and she would do anything to see him again.

Soon…We will meet again soon, Ike, Sheik promised.