As I've said, this chapter is basically an abridged version of DL2. I've done enough novelizations on this account already XD
There WILL be angst, though. So have fun with that I guess.
Gooey made his way over to the castle. At some point, the dark clouds had settled down. But even then, that didn't make Dream Land feel any less gloomy. He couldn't help but notice how bitter and empty the creatures here looked as he floated by them. It was as if he had stumbled back into his old home.
He gasped in horror as he got to the castle. Lying on the ground was Meta Knight's mask, which was split in half. He picked up both pieces of the mask and looked around. Usually, Meta Knight would've hidden himself when it came off, right? Perhaps he was hiding in the castle already?
"Meta Knight!" Gooey called out as he went inside. "Are you here? Meta Knight!"
The castle that once welcomed Gooey was empty, all that welcomed him here was an overwhelmingly bitter feeling. This wasn't something that he would've expected from a place like this, given the time Gooey spent here before.
Strangely enough, Dedede was nowhere to be found. And yet, somewhere in the castle, Gooey could sense someone panicking. He flew closer to the source until he could hear voices. They were coming from the guest room that he used to sleep in.
"I'm sure Kirby can handle it, it's not like he hasn't fought King Dedede before."
"Yes, but he won't be able to free him without-"
"Waddle Dee? Meta Knight?" Gooey called out. He could hear both of them scramble from the other side of the door.
"Is that you, Gooey?" Waddle Dee asked. Gooey nodded, despite the fact that the others couldn't see him. "What happened? Where'd everyone go?"
"They're...kind of on that Dark Matter's side," Waddle Dee explained. "I can't exactly describe it, but it's like they've fallen under that thing's control after those clouds showed up. Meta Knight and I tried to stop him, but...he kinda beat us up and locked us in here."
"So then...I couldn't help after all?"
"...Actually, I think I know of a way you CAN help," Meta Knight replied. "Are you any good at flying long distances?"
"Yeah!"
"Good, because I need you to find Kirby and tell him to look for the Rainbow Drops." Meta Knight explained. "If he gathers enough, then they SHOULD be able to free Dedede from that Dark Matter's grasp."
"But what about you two?"
"Don't worry about us," Waddle Dee replied. "we'll find a way out."
"Just go find Kirby before this world is engulfed in darkness." Meta Knight commanded. "We're counting on you, Gooey!"
"Yes, sir!"
With that in mind, Gooey dropped the mask pieces and flew out of the castle. He flew along the dirt road as he tried to look for Kirby. But even after leaving the castle, that aura was still present. He just hoped that nothing had happened to Kirby or his friends yet.
...So far, there was no sign of Kirby...nor any of the animals. Gooey rested near a river as he tried to think. Perhaps Kirby made it back to his house? Or maybe he hid in a place where nobody could find him? Before he had an idea on what to do next, Gooey felt someone throw a bag over him.
"Gah!" Gooey struggled as the enemy tied the bag close. "'Top! Lemme out! LEMME OUT!"
He could barely move, and it was hard to breathe. He didn't even know who or what it was that captured him, but he needed to find Kirby as soon as he could.
...He just needed to find a way out of the bag, first.
...He couldn't tell how long he had been inside the bag for, but he knew that it must've been a long time. At first, he tried to escape the bag by pushing his fins against it. However, there was no room for him to stretch them out. He also tried to push against the opening with his tongue, but it was tied up so tightly that he couldn't squeeze through. He still needed to tell Kirby about the Rainbow Drops, he hoped that he wasn't too late.
Suddenly, he could hear a fight happen through the bag. He couldn't tell what was going on, but it sounded like Kirby was here to attack his kidnapper. Once the outside had gone silent, the bag fell to the floor. Gooey squeaked as he felt the wind get knocked out of him.
"Sorry," Kirby said as he started untying the bag. "I was just trying to save...Gooey?"
Gooey was still somewhat dazed from the fall, and the cold air outside the bag felt like a thousand bee stings. But from what he could see, Kirby wasn't alone. He had Rick, Coo, and Kine with him on this adventure. Gooey wasn't sure where Nago, Chuchu, or Pitch were, but he hoped that they were safe regardless.
"I thought Meta Knight took you home," Rick said. "How'd you end up all the way out here?"
"...Oh yeah, Meta Knight wanted me to find you," Gooey said as he quickly came to his senses. "He said you need to look for the Rainbow Drops."
"Rainbow Drops?" Kirby asked as he stared at Gooey in confusion. Suddenly, an idea popped into Kirby's head. He spat out a shiny stone-like object. It sparkled all different colors of the rainbow. "You mean these, right?"
"I think so," Gooey replied. "How many do you got?"
"We have three of them so far," Coo said. "I knew Rick was on the right track when he said to keep an eye out for them."
Gooey was happy to know that his friends were already on their way to saving Dedede, but now...what was he going to do? He'd already helped Kirby, but he wasn't any good at fighting.
"How about you stick with us for a while, Gooey?" Kirby asked. "After all, it's a long way from home."
Wait...How far from home was he? Either way, it didn't matter. It would be neat to go on an adventure with Kirby for once, and now Gooey had the option to do so. "Of course I'll come with you!"
And with that, Gooey began to travel with Kirby and his friends. With how quick Kirby was at collecting the Rainbow Drops, they would be able to free Dedede in no time.
"Welp, this is it..."
After going through most of Dream Land, the group found themselves sitting inside a castle. Unlike Dedede's, this castle floated high above the sky. It seemed that the Dark Matter might've used magic to make this. Gooey's brother knew how to use some magic, but he always preferred to use weapons, instead.
Besides, his brother couldn't have been the one causing trouble...right?
...Right?
"Do you think you'll be all right without us?" Rick asked Kirby.
"I'll be fine," Kirby replied. "I just gotta hope that we can save Dedede before that Dark Matter causes even more trouble."
"...Can I come with you?" Gooey asked, the others looked at him as if he'd done something crazy.
"I...don't think that's such a good idea," Coo told Gooey.
"Besides, who's to say the Dark Matter won't hurt try to hurt you?" Rick added. Gooey nodded in understanding. "I know. I dun want to fight the Dark Matter, I jus' wanna see the fight. I had a bad thought, so I wanna see the Dark Matter for myself."
"But what if you don't like what you see?" Kirby asked. "Are you sure you still wanna come with me?"
"...I dun, but I feel like I have to," Gooey replied. Kirby nodded in understanding as he gently rubbed Gooey's back. "Whatever happens, just know that I'll be right behind you, OK?"
Once again, Gooey nodded. Kirby looked at Rick with a determined look in his eye. "We'll meet you guys back in the Grass Lands when all of this is over, all right?"
"You got it, Kirby!" Rick said proudly. Soon, Kirby began to make his way to the top of the tower. Gooey stayed behind him, though he couldn't help but feel as if his heart was going to explode.
His brother was the kindest one out of all of his siblings, so there was no way that he would ever do something like this, right? But the more that Gooey denied it, the more he worried that his brother WAS involved.
Soon, Kirby lead him to the top of the castle. Once again, he gently placed an arm on Gooey's back and smiled. "Stay here, Gooey. And if that Dark Matter attacks you, then I won't hesitate to beat him up."
Gooey nodded, he watched quietly as Kirby made his way to Dedede. The bird sat there as if he was asleep, and yet his hammer sat next to him as if he was ready to fight at any moment.
"All right, Dark Matter! Show's over!" Kirby yelled, which gained Dedede's (or rather the Dark Matter's) attention.
"So you've finally seen through my ruse?" The Dark Matter said quietly as he sat up. He grabbed the hammer with a firm grip. "I must say, I'm impressed. It's a shame that I'll have to end you."
"But why?" Kirby asked. "Wouldn't it be better to just be friends, instead?"
The Dark Matter let out a sinister laugh. "Why bother when I can just share my pain with everyone else? Looking at this planet made me sick. And besides, I think Lord Zero would be pleased with the progress I've made!"
"But maybe if you had a friend here, then-"
"SHUT UP!" The Dark Matter yelled as he swung at Kirby, he managed to knock him into a wall. Once Kirby was out of the way, the Dark Matter turned his attention towards Gooey. The young blob could feel every muscle in his body freeze, it was as if he'd turn to ice.
"As for you, just looking at you makes my blood boil!" the Dark Matter said as he started to tremble. "You look like a mockery of someone VERY close to me, AND FOR THAT I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU!"
Gooey screamed as he covered his face. But before the Dark Matter could strike him, Kirby acted fast and kicked him in the head. "Fight me, he's got nothing to do with this!"
"Very well," the Dark Matter said as he tried to strike Kirby again. "I look forward to eliminating you first!"
Gooey watched helplessly as Kirby fought the Dark Matter. From the looks of it, the Dark Matter had a hard time using Dedede's hammer. He became more and more frustrated as the fight went on. Nonetheless, he was determined to defeat Kirby no matter what.
Soon, the Dark Matter reached a point where he could no longer fight as Dedede. Kirby managed to knock him into the ground. Before Kirby could figure out what to do next, he spat out the Rainbow Drops he collected as if they'd forced themselves out. They gathered in his hand and started to form into a sword. He looked at Gooey with a worried look, as if he knew this Dark Matter might've been someone special to Gooey. Once he brought the sword close to Dedede, Gooey's fears were confirmed to be true.
The Dark Matter screamed as the sword forced him out of Dedede's body. Unlike most of Gooey's siblings, this one had spines on his back. This confirmed that the Dark Matter that caused so much trouble was indeed Gooey's brother. He switched into Blade form and fled to the sky, the Rainbow Sword dragged Kirby up there as well. Soon, the two of them were so high up that they could no longer be seen.
As much as he didn't want to, all Gooey could do was sit there and cry. Ever since he came to Popstar, he had hoped that his brother would find his way here too. He'd hoped that his brother would get to know Kirby and his friends. He'd hoped that his brother would've loved it here.
Not once did it ever occur to him that his brother would be the one to attack Popstar, not until the last minute at least. He wanted to stop this fight, he really did. But there was nothing he could do. His brother no longer recognized him, just as he'd feared.
"Urgh..."
He didn't look right away, but Gooey could hear Dedede wake up from where he was. It didn't take long for the bird quickly run towards his side. "Hey! Gooey! Are you OK?"
Gooey didn't answer, the tears kept falling from his eyes. As Dedede realized this, he picked up Gooey and hugged him tightly. All the blob could do was bury himself into Dedede's chest.
"Guess you found out what happened, huh?"
"I-I dun get it," Gooey said as he sobbed. "Wh-why would...would Brother do...do this?"
"Well, to be honest...I think he's been hurt REALLY badly," Dedede told Gooey. "Can't say I know what happened after you left home, but I think letting you go hurt him so badly that he just wanted to share some of that pain with everyone else."
"...So it's my fault!"
"No, absolutely not!" Dedede said sternly. "You didn't know this would happen, so don't blame yourself!"
As much as Gooey wanted to believe Dedede, the only reason he could think of where his brother would lash out like that was because he lost his only friend back home. Lord Zero may have sent him here, sure. But that didn't change the fact that his brother was the one who tried to take over Popstar in the first place.
Soon, the dark clouds above them went away, and a bright rainbow formed across the sky. It seemed like Kirby managed to defeat Gooey's brother, Gooey just hoped that Kirby was going to be all right.
As for his brother, Gooey wasn't sure what to think of him anymore. Should he be angry? Or should he feel sorry for him? Either way, he never wanted to see his brother again!