Chapter 43: Little Black Lies

Deep under Red Canyon, in the tunnels of Cavios, the Meta Clan was reviving Meta Knight.

"What happened?" was the first thing Meta Knight said.

"You were struck by lightning," explained Meta Drone.

"Oh, that accursed cloud!" roared Meta Knight, standing up. "I'll kill you, Kracko! I'll... whoa..."

Meta Knight toppled to the ground.

"You're still too weak," continued Meta Drone. "I don't suggest standing."

"Huhh," grunted Meta Knight. "Why did you say it was dead?"

"Pardon?"

"Why, back on the Halberd, did you say that Kracko was dead?"

"That would be because I thought it was. There were no large, living, electrical organisms that our radar could detect at that time."

"But..."

"Let me explain. When we shot Kracko with the huge cannon, we hit it really hard. That blow may have damaged Kracko's brain. As Kracko shot into the distance, its body functions must have temporarily ceased. That would have made it not produce any electricity until it became conscious again."

"Oh."

Silence.

"You know," said Meta Knight. "I thought Kracko's voice sounded a bit strange. It must have lost its mind. The sane Kracko would never have attempted to burn down a whole forest. No doubt Dynablade will come."

Silence.

"Oh, by the way," said Meta Knight, sounding very serious, "what happened to Kirby?"

"He was killed in the fire," said Meta Lance.

"Really? You saw it happen?"

"Well... no. We left him under the net in the clearing."

"You idiots!" yelled Meta Knight. "Didn't you stop to think for one second or maybe delay your flight for one minute to kill him?! There's no way he's dead. He will have inhaled the fire and freed himself!"

"Oh," said Meta Chain, "but we didn't have time. We were too busy saving you."

Meta Knight sighed.

"I'm sorry," said Meta Drone, "but we spent so much time thinking it was dead that we were unprotected against Kracko's interference."

King Dedede surveyed the scene. Grape Garden had fallen without a fight. The sky was pitch black; not even the stars were showing. An incredible darkness had flooded the land. Dark Matter now controlled all living organisms in Grape Garden.

A warpstar flew up to the cloud where King Dedede stood. Riding on the warpstar was none other than Marx.

"Ah, Marx," said King Dedede, speaking Dark Matter's words. "Did you succeed in your mission?"

"Yes," answered Marx, "but I was captured. The phone was taken from me—"

"WHAT?"

"No! No! Let me finish! Um... I fought my way free and tried to reclaim the phone, but it was destroyed in the struggle."

"Ah. So you did not fail. Very good."

Silence.

"So... uh..." said Marx hesitantly. "I'll just be going, then."

"Where are you going, Marx?" said King Dedede.

"You know, back to Halfmoon. My home planet."

"No. You won't be going anywhere."

"But, you promised. 'Get the phone,' you said, 'and I'll grant you passage home.'"

"Oh yes..." said King Dedede, grinning. "Well, I lied."

Before Marx could fly away, King Dedede's stomach turned into a black and white eye that fired a dark ball at the warpstar. On contact, the warpstar and the ball instantly disintegrated, leaving Marx shuddering on the ground. King Dedede's stomach turned back to normal.

"Come, Marx," he said. "I think you have an appointment in the dungeons of Castle Dedede."

Strange dark tentacles were creeping toward Marx from behind King Dedede.

"No!" yelled Marx, trying to keep away from them. "Get away from me!"

"Marx," said King Dedede, "you are very important to me. You need to be added to my army."

"Augh!" screamed Marx as one of the tentacles grabbed him. "No! No!"

As Marx tried to struggle free, more tentacles wrapped around him. Soon, he was completely covered, except for his face. His eyes were staring around wildly and his mouth was open, screaming.

"Now, none of that," said King Dedede.

A strange dark electricity surged through the tentacles. When it touched Marx, his voice seemed to switch off. He still tried to scream, but no sound escaped.

Slowly, Marx closed his mouth. A tear trickled down his face. He stared at King Dedede.

Suddenly, another dark ball emerged from behind the king. This ball, however, had an eye. One giant eye that was completely red, except for the black pupil in the middle and some white where red would have been if the eye was bloodshot.

"Excellent," said King Dedede.

Marx's eyes widened as wide as he could get them. His mouth opened and he let out the biggest scream in the history of Dreamland. The problem was that it was inaudible.