Chapter 30: Taranza

On the planet of Popstar, life for many of its inhabitants was business as usual. Everyone was in high spirits as the went on with their daily lives, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and sunny weather. Though not everyone was in high spirits this day. One individual in particular was mourning this day. The individual was Taranza and today was the anniversary of his beloved Sectonia's demise. It was like this every year and every year, he would do the same thing: sit quietly by the giant Dreamstalk flower. Most people knew not to bother him on this day, giving him time and space to grieve for his lost love. However, one person in particular was on his way to see Taranza regardless.

Taranza was sitting under the Dreamstalk when he saw a familiar figure running towards him.

"Hiiiii Taranza!" The child-like voice of Dreamland's hero, Kirby called out to him.

Taranza turned to look at him, confusion and small bit of annoyance in his eyes.

"Kirby, is there something you need?" He asked in a sad tone.

The puff blinked at him in surprise. "What's the matter? Why are you so upset?"

Taranza looked at him with a frown. "Do you know what today is? And I don't mean the day of the week."

The puff took a moment to think. Then his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh. It's that day, isn't it?"

Taranza nodded. "Yes, that day." He replied.

While one could view it as Kirby's fault that Sectonia is dead, Taranza honestly didn't blame the child. However, on this day he wasn't sure how he felt about seeing him.

"I know how much you care about Sectonia, but wouldn't she be sad if she saw you like this?"

"Probably, but I can't change how I am so easily."

"Then how about I help you?"

Taranza lowered his eyes. "I won't stop you from trying. But I'm not sure if there's anything you can do."

"Perhaps, but we won't know unless we try, right?"

The mage shrugged, but Kirby could see a small smile. "Suit yourself, Kirby. Like I said, I won't stop you."

"Well, I'll be happy as long as I make you feel even a little bit better today."

"Alright then."

The two stared at each other for a few minutes in silence after that.

"Um... Kirby? Are you trying to think of something for us to do?"

"Yup!"

Taranza blinked at the response but smiled soon after. "You remind me of Sectonia in some ways Kirby."

"Huh? Really?" He asked in confusion.

He knew that Taranza obviously meant Sectonia before she became corrupted by the mirror, but he was still surprised.

"That's right. Sectonia was always so full of energy and always optimistic. Whenever I was in trouble, she wouldn't hesitate to help me even if she was out of her element. She just wanted to see people be happy. I have no doubt you two would have been great friends."

The puff nodded. "Sounds like it."

"Of course, there's many differences. She was much more delicate for one. She hated violence and while I know you hate unnecessary violence, you at least will fight if needed."

"That's definitely a heavy contrast from when I met her."

"Indeed, it is." The mage responded sadly.

Kirby began to think even harder. What's something he could do to help his friend? He then noticed that while Taranza was sad, he was also somewhat happy.

"Taranza, does talking about her make you feel happy?"

"Well... talking about how she used to be does..."

"Then keep talking! Tell me every memory you have of her!"

His friend blinked in surprise. "Oh... uh... ok..."

"Well, come on! Tell me any story you want! It's important that the memory of the true Sectonia lives on, right?"

Taranza continued to blink, but then he gave a small smile. "You're right..."

He then took a deep breath and started thinking of what stories he wanted to tell. This was different for the poor spider for every memory of Sectonia was precious to him.

"If you want to talk about all of them, do it! I don't have anything else to do today and I'd love to hear about the real Sectonia!"

"Are you sure? That could take us all day."

Kirby pouted. "I already told you I have nothing else to do today, right? So go ahead!"

Knowing that the puff wasn't going to budge on this topic, Taranza nodded. "Well, I suppose I could start with how Sectonia and I met."

The puff's eyes shined in interest. "Tell me!"

"Alright, calm down please. Now, even a child I enjoyed gardening and taking care of flowers. One day while I was taking care of our family's garden I was approached by a young girl around my age. This was, of course, Sectonia."

"Oh? And then what happened?"

"She expressed incredibly interest in the art of gardening. At first, I was hesitant to talk to her, seeing as she was a princess, and I was just a lowly commoner. But she was so kind and enthusiastic that I couldn't just ignore her."

"Oh? Then did you talk about gardening with her?"

"I didn't just talk. I taught her everything she wanted to know. Before I knew it, I made my very first friend."

Kirby smiled. "Awww... what's a nice story!"

Taranza smiled at the memory. "I was always shy and quiet, but even more so as a child. I used to never speak to anyone that wasn't my mother or father. That is until I met her. She was the one that brought me out of my shell."

The child also began to smile. "That's so nice!"

"From the day we met, we promised to look after each other. That was why I learned magic in the first place. So that I could protect her."

His smile faded after saying that. Kirby looked concerned and decided to try and think of another story to talk about.

"Um... so you told me about how you two met. How about the garden at her palace?"

There was a garden at the castle of the former queen that Taranza constantly maintained. Kirby himself had seen it and always thought it was beautiful.

"Oh, our garden? Interesting story, after Sectonia officially became queen, she made me her right-hand man so to say. So, she had my home, garden and all relocated to the castle. So, my garden and her garden became one. It was all her idea too. It meant the world to me when it happened."

"So, you transferred all the plants from your garden at home to the garden at the castle? That's so sweet!"

"Yes, it was incredibly sweet of her. She was very insistent that we'd be as close as possible. Of course, I had zero objections."

"That seems to be super common with royalty. Dedede is the same way with Bandana, though I think that's because they knew each other for a long time."

Taranza nodded. "That's not a bad comparison actually. Dedede loves Bandana Dee like a little brother, at least that's the impression I got. As for me, I loved...no, still love Sectonia."

"Yeah, that's the impression I get as well."

"Yeah. I was an only child, so I never had a sibling, nor do I know what it feels like to have one."

"I mean, I'm the same way, but I've been told a lot of my friends are like brothers to me."

"I feel like most of your friends are essentially family to you, aren't they, Kirby?"

"Well... I don't know what actual family is like, so I guess."

Taranza looked a bit surprised. "Well, how should I explain this... Kirby when you're around certain people like Meta Knight or Bandana, are you happy?"

"Yup!" "And would you do anything for them no matter what? Even if they get on your nerves at times?"

"Yup! Though Bandana and Meta Knight don't really get on my nerves too much."

"Then there you have it. That's what having a family feels like. Even if two people aren't related to each other, as long as the bond they share is strong and genuine, then they are a real family."

The puff nodded in understanding. "Oooh. Ok!" He then suddenly hugged Taranza. "That means we're family too!"

The mage blinked in surprise. "I guess we are then..."

Kirby then stopped the hug and picked Taranza up. "Come on! Let's go to Sectonia's castle!"

"...yeah, let's go."

Taranza knew what Kirby was doing. He wanted Taranza to properly pay his respects to Sectonia instead of just moping around by himself.

Upon reaching the castle, the duo began to walk around.

"Kirby, please put me down. I can float around on my own thank you."

"I know." He smiled. "Anyway, do you have any more stories Taranza?"

"I have a few."

"Well don't leave me in the suspense! Tell me one please!"

"Ok, ok, let me think of one..."

Out of the corner of his eye Taranza saw a red rose from the garden.

"How about the first time I danced with Sectonia?"

"Oh! Tell that one!"

Still focused on the rose, Taranza nodded. "You see, when a queen or king is crowned, we throw a large celebration in their honor. This of course includes a dance. I was personally invited by Sectonia herself and even though I felt out of place, there was no way I could turn down an invitation from her."

"Oh? What was the celebration like? Was it huge? Did it have a lot of yummy food? You can't have a celebration without yummy food!"

The mage smiled and sighed at the child's enthusiasm. "Yes, the food was quite delicious. And it most certainly was huge. Most of the kingdom attended it."

"Wowwww! What kind of food was there?!" The puff asked, his mouth now watering.

"Kirby, this was a long time ago. I can hardly remember what I ate a month ago. All I remember was that the food was delicious."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense, I guess. I sometimes forget what I had for breakfast."

Taranza wasn't surprised to hear that at all. While Kirby certainly wasn't dumb, in fact Taranza would wager that the puff was far smarter than most give him credit for, his short-term memory wasn't exactly the best.

"So, um... with what you were talking about, then what happened?"

"Right. Well as I said there was a dance. I've never danced before, or really attended any social gatherings. At first, I was planning to leave, but then Sectonia approached me and asked me to dance with her. Me of all people!" He said with a smile.

"Oh? And then what happened?"

"Well, we danced of course. It was one of the times I was glad to not have feet, otherwise I know I would have tripped over them."

"Well, I'm sure even then, Sectonia wouldn't have minded, would she?"

Taranza chuckled. "Funny you mention that. Sectonia was actually just as bad at dancing as I am. Neither of us knew what we were doing, but it was easily some of the most fun I've had in my life."

"Well, that's all that matters then, isn't it?"

"That's true. Anyway, at the end of the dance I gave her a red rose as a gift. She kept it close to her at all times after that."

"Awww that's so sweet!" The child exclaimed with a smile.

"Yes, it certainly was." Taranza replied. His then got a confused face. "That's strange. Normally whenever I recall that time I get overwhelmed with sadness. But now I'm...happy?"

"Well, that's because it's a purely happy memory, I think!"

"Perhaps. Or maybe...no, I'd rather not think about that."

"Yeah, now let's talk about other happy memories!"

Taranza nodded, glad that Kirby didn't ask him about what he didn't want to think about. "Right. Would you like to hear a somewhat more recent story?"

The puff gave a smile. "Sure thing!" "Ok then. There's the story of how I taught Sectonia how to cook."

"Oh! How did that go?"

"Very pleasantly. She was a natural. It was hard to believe that she had no kitchen experience prior."

"Oh, that sounds nice! Do you remember what she made?"

"A vegetable casserole. It was delicious."

"Ahhhh! It sounds like ittttt!" Kirby exclaimed, his mouth watering once more.

"It was. Though she liked having me cook more than her. Not that I really minded doing it for her."

"Yeah, it was probably a nice change of pace for her."

"It was. She always told me that my cooking was better than anything the chef's made. I simply thought she was being kind but always swore she was being honest. Of course, she never was the type to lie."

"Well, then she's right. Oh! You should cook something for me sometime! I'd love to try it!"

"Hehehe, well I suppose I can. I hope you like vegetables and fruit Kirby."

"Are you kidding? I love all kinds of food!"

"Of course, how could I forget." He chuckled.

The child gave a giggle in response.

As they walked, memories kept flashing through Taranza's mind. The day he learned his first spell and she congratulated him. The time they went to beach together. The day he realized he was in love with her.

"Taranza? Why are you crying?"

The mage paused and touched his face. "Well, how about that. I am crying, aren't I?"

Kirby looked at him sadly, but then walked over to give him a hug. "...it's ok. If you need to cry, then cry."

"It's too late to stop it now." Taranza said with a sad chuckle.

"Then don't feel ashamed to! Meta Knight always tells me not to hold it in!"

"Trust me. I haven't felt shameful about crying in a long time. Sectonia used to tell me the same thing all the time."

"Well, she's right then!"

"She usually was. Sometimes I wondered why she even chose me to be her advisor because of it."

"Maybe because she trusted you to support her."

Taranza wanted to scoff at that, fit in his mind he was the reason Sectonia became corrupted. But he knew Kirby was completely correct.

"She did. She trusted me more than anyone."

"That's right! Remember that!"

"Remember..." Taranza repeated. "Kirby, answer me honestly. Would it be wrong of me to move on from her death? I never want to forget her, but I don't want to live with this constant pain anymore."

"Of course not! You can remember her without thinking about her death!" T

aranza looked confused. "What do you mean? How can I remember her without thinking about what happened?"

"I dunno..."

Taranza sighed. "Right, I suppose that's an unfair question to ask you."

"We can ask Meta Knight if you want. He probably knows how to help you."

"I have a feeling he knows what it feels like to lose something precious. Well, if you think he won't mind talking to me. But first, there's something I need to do here before we leave."

Kirby looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

Taranza closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I... I need to visit her grave."

"Then go ahead."

The mage nodded and grabbed Kirby's hand. The child figured he needed some kind of physical support and went along with it.

"Now come on, let's go visit her." The puff said as his friend silently nodded and began to lead the way.

While it took a lot of convincing on Taranza's part, Sectonia was given a beautiful grave in the back of the castle, surrounded by all the flowers she loved so much in her lifetime. And it was here where the mage and Kirby now stood. The puff was honestly unsure about how to act or feel right now. He was sad, yes, but mostly because Taranza was upset. He truthfully had no connection to Sectonia... or at least, the real Sectonia. It honestly made him feel a bit out of place standing in front of her grave. However, he would just have to endure it for his friend's sake.

"I'm sorry, this is making you uncomfortable, isn't it?"

"No, it's fine! Don't worry about it!"

"Sorry. I have a bad habit about worrying about anything really. We won't be here much longer."

"Take as much time as you need." The puff nodded.

The mage smiled and placed a rose he had picked up earlier on the queen's grave. "Alright, let's go, Kirby. I can always come back later."

"Ok then." He replied. "So would you like to talk to Meta Knight about it?"

"Yes, the sooner I get that advice the better. Please lead the way."

"Ok, so we'll have to go to the Halberd then!"

Before he could respond, Kirby dragged Taranza away and jumped off the edge of Floralia."

"WAIT! WAIT! WHY ARE WE DOING THIS!?"

"Don't worry, it'll be fine!"

"WHY AM I FRIENDS WITH SUCH DAREDEVILS!?"

"I said it'll be fine! Look! The Warp Star's coming this way!"

Just as the youngster said, the pair were caught by the star.

"Kirby. Please never do that again without asking me first." Taranza said as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh. Heh... heh... sorry about that." He said with a timid giggle.

"It's... fine." He replied.

In truth, Taranza was actually having fun with the unplanned sky diving. He just didn't want to make a habit out of it.

"But anyway, let's head off to the Halberd, shall we?"

"I'm currently held captive on a magic star. I don't have much of a choice." Taranza joked.

"Ok!" The child replied before the star jetted off.

Thankfully for the two, the Halberd was currently stationed at the Meta-Knights base at Orange Ocean. Kirby knocked at the door excessively as he called out.

"Heeeyy, Meta-sensei! Can we talk to you?"

The door opened slowly. "Kirby? What can I help you with?"

"Um... my friend needs help and I think you're the only one that can." He said, motioning to Taranza behind him.

Meta Knight stared at the nervous mage, studying his body language.

"Taranza, what do you need my help with? I doubt it's anything magic or combat related." He suddenly asked, slightly startling the mage.

"It's not. I hate to sound rude or insensitive, but..." He took a deep breath. "Do... do you know how to move on from someone's death?"

The warrior looked at him in silence before closing his eyes. "Come inside and take a seat. I imagine this conversation will take a while."

"Ok then. Thank you very much." Taranza replied as he followed him in.

"Do you need me to wait outside?" Kirby asked.

"No, join us. While you may not know what it's like to lose someone, its best that you learn how to get over it now. " Meta Knight said.

The puff blinked for a moment, but then gave a nod in response.

"Ok."

"Hopefully you never will have to experience that feeling, Kirby. As your mentor, I promise to make sure it never happens to you. Now come inside."

The child followed his mentor, noting how he sounded much warmer than he normally did when he spoke.

Upon sitting down, Meta Knight was the first one to speak.

"Taranza, to be as blunt as possible. Moving on from a death of someone close to you is not easy, nor should it be easy. The fact that it is difficult proves that the connection you had with them is strong. Now while it is difficult, it's not impossible."

The mage nodded. "I understand that, but I would like some help and advice for it. Kirby said that you could give it to me."

"And I can. The answer is simple, but the process isn't. To put it simply, you have to accept her death. I can tell just from looking at you, you haven't fully accepted it have you?"

Taranza jumped for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I... haven't..."

"Then you need to. You need to accept what happened and move on. Now you probably think moving on means ignoring what happened. It doesn't. Moving on means not being trapped by your grief. You don't have to discard any precious memories in order to improve."

The mage took a moment to think about what he was told. "I see. That brings me some relief. But do you know how I can do that?"

"Unfortunately, there's no specific way of achieving this. For example, in my youth, I saw a few of my comrades perish in battle. It destroyed me. If it wasn't for my mentor helping me by comforting me, I probably would never have recovered. What you need is time, and someone to push you in the right direction." He said, looking at Kirby when he mentioned someone.

"And by "someone", you mean him?" Taranza asked.

"Of course. Kirby has a gift. The ability to make others happy with even trying. It's one of his greatest strengths."

"Yeah... I think I know that from experience."

"And your gift is giving great advice for everything, Meta-sensei!"

Neither of them could see it, but they had a feeling the knight blushed at the sudden compliment. The fact that his eyes turned fuchsia for a brief moment was proof of this.

"Meta Knight, answer me honestly. Does the pain ever go away?"

The knight let out a slight chuckle. "Forgive me, I remember asking my mentor that same question in my youth. However, I will give you the same honest response she gave me. It won't ever go away, but the pain can be lessened. All you have to do is reach out to others for help."

"I see." Taranza smiled. "That's surprisingly comforting. That means the impact she left on me will never leave."

"Indeed. Though I didn't see it like that until I became older."

The mage stood up and held out his hand. "Thank you for the advice, Meta Knight. Hopefully soon I can move on."

The knight took his hand and shook it.

"It's not a problem. For your sake, I hope you can move on as well." He then turned to his student. "And Kirby, I hope you learned something today."

The child nodded. "Yup! That relying on others makes it easier to move on. Right?"

"Yes, that's correct. So don't be afraid to reach out."

Kirby giggled at that. "Please Meta-sensei, I'm never afraid of talking to you about anything!"

"I know. I'm just reminding you."

"You don't need to though!" The child pouted.

"I know that."

"Huh? If you know that you don't need to, why did you do it anyway? You're so confusing sometimes, Meta-sensei!"

With a quick clap of his hands, Taranza gained the student and teacher's attention.

"Kirby, shall we leave? I think a walk might help me sort my thoughts."

"Ah! Sure! Thanks for your help, Meta-sensei!"

"It was no issue, Kirby. Taranza, good luck." Was his simple response.

After exchanging goodbyes, the duo left the ship.

"So where do you want to walk to Taranza? I know tons of great places to take a walk around!"

The mage took a moment to think. "I'm not quite sure."

"Well, is there a place that Sectonia liked to visit?" Kirby offered.

Almost immediately, the mage gave a quick response. "Gardens, of course! She loved flower gardens!"

"Well then, off to Green Greens! We're bound to find some gardens there!"

The mage nodded as Kirby summoned the Warp Star.

"Well, let's go!"

Taranza nervously got on the star. "Please don't do anything dangerous while flying, alright? My mind is already all over the place as it is, I don't need my brain to get any more shaken up."

The puff nodded. "I'll be careful this time!"

The star took off just as soon as Taranza got on. Thanks to his quick thinking, Taranza was able to use his webs to stay in place.

Eventually, the duo landed in Green Greens.

"I can see why this place is called Green Greens. It certainly is...green." Taranza muttered as he looked around.

"Yup!" The puff said cheerfully. "Well, let's go walk around!"

"...Hey Kirby. I don't blame you for Sectonia. Just needed to say that." The mage suddenly said, causing the puff to completely stop in his tracks and blink for a moment.

He then turned to his friend and gave a smile. "I know that, but thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah...alright let's get walking, I guess."

Kirby gave a giggle as he grabbed his friend's hands. "Come on! Let's go!"

"...Yeah, let's." The spider replied.

As he looked around, he couldn't help but imagine that Sectonia was walking right next to him. Noticing the expression on his face, Kirby only smiled. With each step they took, Taranza experienced more and more memories from his past. Whether it was because of his talk with Meta Knight, or because Kirby was with him, Taranza wasn't remembering any sad memories, only the good ones. The child seemed to notice this, becoming even more happy because of it.

"Taranza, how are you feeling now?"

While Kirby could sense emotions, he wanted Taranza to say it for himself.

"I feel a lot better, thank you."

"Hey, Taranza, if you wanted, I could build you a statue of Sectonia? That way she can always be here!"

The mage gave a smile. Admittedly, he had thought about doing that in the past, but the thought of doing so was a bit painful for him due to the grief that came with the thoughts about her. But right now...

"Yeah, that's a great idea."

"Great! I can ask Adeleine and Vividria to help!"

"Yeah, I'll need as much help as I need."

The mage looked up at the sky and in the distance, he could make out the moon, despite it still being daytime.

"Kirby, is it normal to be sad and happy at the same time?"

"Of course it is! I mean, I'm not an expert on emotions or anything, but even I know it's natural to feel different kinds of feelings at the same time."

"Yeah... I guess I am feeling a whole lot of emotions right now."

"Well, come on! We still have a whole of garden to see! That should help you out! At least I hope so."

"It should... so let's go there."

Much to Kirby's relief, the gardens seemed to have a calming effect on the spider.

"Do you know who takes care of these flowers Kirby?"

The puff gave a shrug. "I honestly don't know."

"Whoever it is, they certainly are attentive. These flowers have all been watered equally."

"Yup! They always take such good care of the flowers!"

"Flowers raised by someone unknown. They go uncredited yet they do what they enjoy regardless. Can I be like that? Can I keep living and doing what I enjoy despite what happened? Should I even be allowed to be happy?" He thought to himself.

"You deserve to be happy, Taranza. Everyone does." Kirby said with a smile, as if he had read the mage's mind.

"Thank you, Kirby. I know I should stop blaming myself but, it's hard. But that being said, it's about time I start putting in the effort to change."

"I think you're already doing a great job, but I'll help you anyway!"

"Thank you. I doubt I'd even make it this far without you Kirby."

"Don't worry about it! You know I'll always be happy to help you!" The child then smiled brightly. "Hey, let's go to the Fountain of Dreams!"

The mage looked at him questioningly, but then decided to go along with the proposal.

"Alright! Warp Star, I need you to take us to the Fountain of Dreams!"

Upon saying that, the Warp Star flew in and picked up the duo.

By the time they arrived the sun was starting to set, causing the already beautiful scenery to look even more magical. Upon seeing the beautiful appearance of the Fountain of Dreams at night, Taranza could only stare in amazement. Kirby gave a giggle.

"You know, I've been here more times than I can remember, but it looks just as amazing every time."

The mage could only nod. "So why did you bring me here?"

"That's easy! You're going to make a wish!"

"A wish? I thought the Star Rod couldn't grant wishes."

"It doesn't, but this place is super magical! If you make a wish, it's bound to come true! Even if it only comes true in your dreams."

Taranza understood what that meant and walked up to the Star Rod.

"I wish...I wish to speak with her one last time." He whispered.

Whether it was his imagination or not, the mage saw the Star Rod shine for a brief moment.

Kirby then gave a smile. "Well, that'll be it then. Would you like to start heading back?"

"I suppose so. Do you really think my wish will come true Kirby?"

"Maybe!"

Taranza couldn't help but chuckle at the answer he received. "That's definitely a you kind of answer Kirby."

The child gave a smile. "I guess so. I just hope it makes you feel better."

"I will say, this is the happiest I've been on this day. Normally the anniversary destroys me, but you've made this day somewhat enjoyable."

The puff nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. All I wanted to do was make you even a little bit happy today."

"You did. Kirby, would you mind if I stay at your home for the night? As silly as it sounds, I don't want to be alone tonight."

"I don't mind at all! I love having company over!"

"Thank you. Today's events have left me pretty drained, if I'm being honest."

"I understand. So, let's head home now!" The puff said as he summoned the Warp Star.

As soon as they arrived at Kirby's house, Taranza got hit by a wave of sleepiness. Kirby seemed to notice this and began setting up an extra bed for him.

"Alright, let's get you to sleep then."

"Thank you, Kirby, I simply don't know why I'm this tired."

"Probably you're tired from all the emotions you were feeling today. I've felt the same way sometimes."

"You're probably right." Taranza said as he laid down.

Almost instantly, he fell asleep. Kirby only gave a smile at that.

"Good night, Taranza!"

When he opened his eyes, Taranza found himself in a white void, with nothing but himself and a rose garden in it.

"Am I... dreaming?"

He took a quick look around and then pinched himself to confirm that he was, indeed, dreaming.

"Well, at least I'm seemingly not in a nightmare, I guess. Still, this is really bizarre. Might as well take a look around."

He stood up and began to walk around.

"This garden, it's familiar. It couldn't be my childhood garden, could it?"

That was what he said, but the more he looked around the garden, the more it really did appear to be his childhood garden.

"How strange. Why am I dreaming of this place now?"

"What better place for us to reunite?" A gentle voice said from behind him.

Upon turning around, he was shocked to see who was standing there.

"Se-Se-Sectonia!? How!? Why!?"

It was his beloved Queen Sectonia, in the form she took before the Dimension Mirror had corrupted her.

"You wished to speak to me one last time, didn't you?"

His eyes widened when she said that. "The Fountain of Dreams... it actually granted my wish. I apologize if this sounds rude, but you are my Sectonia, right?"

"Why, yes, I am."

"I see..."

Taranza wasted no time and hugged his long-lost love.

"Sectonia, I've missed you so much..." He said, tears flowing down his face.

"I've missed you as well, Taranza."

For the next few minutes, the reunited pair hugged each other in silence, waiting for the mage to calm down.

"Taranza, how are you feeling now?"

"I'm good now. I'm sorry you had to see that. I just never thought I would ever see you again."

"I understand. I thought the same thing."

"So, I guess that means there is a after life after all. Are you doing well, Sectonia?"

"I am. While I do have a few friends, it's not the same as having you around."

"I feel very much the same. I've made incredible friends, but no one could ever replace you."

"Honestly, I'm glad to hear that you've made friends even after I'm gone. I rather you not be alone for the rest of your life."

"Thank you. Sectonia, would you resent me for moving on from what happened?"

She only smiled. "Not at all, Taranza. I would rather you move on and become happy instead of constantly feeling miserable."

He smiled back. "Then I'll keep living. Both for your sake and for my own."

"I would appreciate that."

Taranza started crying again, but his smile refused to fade. "I love you, Sectonia. Thank you for all that you've done for me."

"I love you, too, Taranza. And thank you as well, for supporting me to the very end."

Sectonia's body then started to fade away.

"I guess this is all the time I have Taranza."

As much as Taranza wanted her to stay a bit longer, he fully understood. The fact that he was even able to speak to her once more was enough of a miracle.

"Sectonia, will you watch over me?"

"I've always been watching over you, Taranza, and I will continue to."

"Thank you. Until we meet again Sectonia."

The queen replied with a nod before vanishing.

Taranza closed his eyes and when opened them, he found himself back in Kirby's room.

"...that was a nice dream."

He then looked around to see that Kirby was fast asleep in his own bed.

"Thank you, Kirby. I wouldn't have been able to see her again without your help." He whispered as to not disturb the sleeping child.

The puff gave a smile, as if he had heard what the mage said. Taranza chuckled and walked outside, to get some fresh air and to sort out his thoughts. It was still nighttime, so the stars were currently out. Interestingly, it looked as if one star in particular was shining brighter than the others.

"That must be Sectonia's star..." He smiled and started to cry again. "Of course her star would be the most beautiful of them all."

"Hey, Taranza, are you ok?" He heard someone yawn from behind him.

"Oh, Kirby. Yes, I'm ok. In fact, I'm better than ok."

The child replied with a massive smile as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm glad!"

"I am too. My wish came true, Kirby. I got to speak with her again."

"You did? I'm so happy to hear that!"

His friend then paused for a moment. "I think... I can finally move on. Because I know that even if I can't see her, she will always be with me."

Kirby giggled happily. "That's great!"

Taranza nodded and walked back towards Kirby's house. "We should get back to sleep, Kirby. We have to save our energy if we want to build that statue."

The puff yawned in agreement. "Yeah, let's do that."

Both friends got back into their respective beds.

"Good night, Kirby. And thank you."

"Good night, Taranza. It's not a problem."

The mage nodded and closed his eyes. As he drifted back into slumber, he could hear a quiet, warm voice say "sweet dreams" in his mind.

And this was the first of the Dream Friends and other allies chapters. What a chapter to start off on, huh?

I hope you enjoyed it!