Quick Note #1: Before we start this chapter, I would like to say that…at long last, this story is almost over. After this chapter, there will be only 3 more to go. And the final one will be a bonus chapter of sorts.

So sit back, relax, and read along. As Amitie, Kirby, and friends from both worlds take part in the most intense battle of their lives.

Enjoy!

Chapter 47 – When Secrets Come Out & Worlds Collide

We decided to return to the Lor Starcutter, which was finished being repaired, and were traveling back to lower ground. During that time, we told the others what we had experienced back on Ripple Star.

"Zero already attacked?" Magolor asked.

"Yeah." Adeleine said. "And it took control of Arle's clone. Sending her to destroy the planet, the Crystal, and murder all of its residents. There's nothing left of Ripple Star. It's gone."

"Oh, dear. How is Ribbon handling it?" Susie asked.

"As you would expect, not well."

"I see…"

"Tch. So that damn thing even stole my minion. Now I really want to make Zero pay. I'll rip that eye right out of its body!"

"I see you're feeling better." I said to Amitwo.

"I don't need your sarcasm."

"Well, besides. You wouldn't want Arle's clone back. Sh-She's changed."

"Huh? How?"

"Zero made her in a fallen angel." Raffina explained. "She's now a shadowy figure that can make shadow balls and stuff."

"S-So basically…Shadow Arle? That's insane." Lidelle said.

"Shadow Arle…imagine the power she must have. Making her my possession would be way more satisfying than the original. No doubt about it."

"Okay, seriously. What is wrong with you, pervert?" Adeleine asked Schezo with an uncomfortable look on her face.

"Tch! Do not misread my words! And cease calling me a pervert at once!"

"Then learn to speak right." Misuki said.

"Plus, now she's honestly really creepy. With how she kept calling Arle "her precious little kitten"." Raffina added.

"Tch. A-Aw, damnit." Amitwo suddenly became nervous when she heard that.

"Didn't she used to say that a lot before all this happened?" Raina asked.

"So, you know why she's so immersed with Arle, do you?" Ringo asked.

Amitwo didn't answer and looked away from us with a faint blush on her cheeks. This actually blew my mind. As up until now, she hasn't shown much emotion besides pure psycho.

"L-Look. Th-That's something you're gonna have to ask her about. I-I don't want to talk about it."

"What?" I asked.

"Quit being stubborn." Raffina said.

"I'm not being stubborn! I just don't want to talk about it! Lay off!"

Amitwo tried floating away from us. But was stopped when she felt her arm being grabbed. And turned to see Ringo staring her down. With a pissed off determined look on her face.

"Listen, you! It's your fault that Shadow Arle became a thing! And that she's now a minion to Zero! You've doomed us all from the very start! And if you want us to forgive you for all the crap you've put us through, then you are going to tell us every damn thing you know about her! You got that, Dark Soul?!"

"Wh-Whoa…" Was all some of us were able to say.

"R-Ringo. C-Calm down." Maguro said.

"You look tired. Want some cherries?" Cherri asked.

"R-Ringo…"

We all turned around to see Arle standing near the doorway. It looked liked she had calmed down from what happened on Ripple Star. And she had just witnessed Ringo's threat towards Amitwo.

"A-Arle, I…"

"Ringo. I-It's okay. I-If you really want to know…th-then I'll tell you."

"R-Really?"

Arle nodded. Then turned to face the rest of us.

"Amitie. Raffina. Lidelle. C-Can you guys come too? Th-This basically a really big secret I'm telling for the first time."

"Sure, Arle. If it'll help you, then it's fine." I said.

"Thanks, Amitie."

"Hey, wait. Why not me?! We've known each other all our lives!" Misuki complained.

"True. But I don't trust you. You'll just make fun of me."

"N-No, I won't!"

"Yeah, you will." Schezo said.

"Who asked you?!"

"Alright." Arle said. "We'll be back…"

"Wait, hold on." Lemres said. "I think it's best that you take Raina and Cherri with you. You know, with the two being clones…"

"R-Right…" The five of us said with exasperated sighs.

Raina and Cherri, on the other hand…were extremely confused.


Arle's POV

Aw, geez. I thought I would never have to tell this secret to anyone. Keeping it inside me was doing fine. But now that there's yet ANOTHER doppelgänger of me…this one being a fallen angelic psychopath that CLEARLY made it obvious to everyone…I don't have a choice anymore.

At least I'm telling people I can trust first…

We all went to one of the empty rooms in the back of the ship in order to get some privacy. While I tried to get comfortable enough and mentally prepare myself for what I'm about to say, Raffina and Ringo were talking to their clones. Making sure they understand what's happening.

"Now listen, Raina…" Raffina said.

"You too, Cherri." Ringo added.

"What Arle is about to tell us is really important to her."

"So much so, that it CANNOT leave this room. Meaning, you both CANNOT tell anyone this."

"Otherwise, it would make Arle really really upset."

"Understand?"

"Understand?" They both asked.

"Yes, Sis. I understand." Raina said.

"I get it." Cherri said.

"Good." Raffina said.

"And, Cherri." Ringo said. "If you keep this promise, I'll get you some cherries when we get home, okay?"

"Yay." Cherri cheered.

I-I think.

"An extra safety net." Ringo whispered to us.

"Nice." Raffina whispered as the two high-fived each other.

"Alright. Whenever you're ready, Arle." Amitie said to me.

"Arle?"

"S-Sorry, guys. I-I just need a minute." I said.

I REALLY don't want to do this. But with Shadow Arle going around exposing it all, I have to suck it up and get it over with.

"A-Alright. W-Well…first off, my clone. As it was made obvious, she's very different from the others."

"Yeah, no kidding." Raffina said. "I mean, what was up with that psycho? After nonchalantly admitting to murdering Ribbon's friends she starts flirting with you? The hell?"

"Sh-She did that?" Lidelle asked.

"Yeah. And she even kissed her, too."

"K-Kiss?!"

"I-I know. I-It was really shocking." Amitie said as both girls were blushing.

I honestly don't think their pure/dense heads are going to understand this.

"W-Well…th-there's a reason why Shadow Arle acts like that. and it has to do with a secret that I've kept to myself most of my life."

"A secret?"

"Did you kill somebody?" Cherri asked.

"What?! No, Cherri! Why would I kill someone?!"

"Well, everyone has a reason to die. Just like how everyone has a reason to eat, sleep, or play Mario Kart."

"Please don't make Mario Kart disturbing…" Lidelle said. As a Mario Kart fangirl.

"A-Anyway…what's your real secret, Arle?" Ringo asked. Pretending her clone didn't say anything.

"W-Well…y-you see…I-I mean, to make it easier to explain…w-well, okay. Shadow Arle has a huge thing for me."

"Well, yeah. We saw that with our own eyes. What's your point?" Raffina asked.

"W-Well…wh-when she kissed me…"

O-Or is it I kissed me? Wh-Whatever.

"…"

"I-I…e-enjoyed it."

"Huh?!" Everyone yelled. Shocked by what I had just confessed.

"A-Arle…" Amitie said. "A-Are you saying…"

"YOU'RE GA-"

"SHHHHHHHHHHH!" I covered everyone's mouth in a fit of panic. I then let go once I was sure they would keep quiet for now.

"T-Technically, I'm bisexual. But I didn't really see that in Shadow Arle." I continued.

"Wow, Arle. I had no idea." Lidelle said.

"Wait, I don't get it. what does being bisexual mean?" Raina asked.

"Uh…I-I'll tell you later, Raina." Raffina said.

"*whine*"

"But…what do you mean by "you didn't see it in Shadow Arle"?" Ringo asked.

"Um…well…"

"You plan on using her love for you as a way to defeat her, do you?"

We all looked at the doorway and saw that Amitwo had entered the room without any of us noticing.

"Wha-What are you…" Amitie said.

"Save it. I've heard enough already."

"You figured it out from the start, didn't you?" I asked her.

"Obviously. Or else I wouldn't be here. Though, I will admit. Admitting that secret of yours really took some guts. Wish Amitie do the same already."

"Wh-What?!" Amitie yelled.

"Oh, don't give me that crap. Everyone here knows the damn truth."

I'm guessing that she's talking about Amitie's crush on Sig. Because Amitie then went silent as she started blushing extensively.

"So my clone. Was she always this infatuated with me?" I asked.

"*sigh* Yeah. She was a total nutjob about you. All day it was always "Arle-sama" this and "Arle-sama" that. She creeped everyone out with how she would always explain in full detail how she would "love her precious little kitten"."

"L-Love?" Amitie and Raffina asked.

"I-In full detail?" Ringo and Lidelle asked.

"I don't get it." Raina and Cherri said.

"Y…Y-You don't need to!" The previous four yelled with mild blushes on their faces.

"*sigh* Just as I thought." I said. "And I bet her becoming a fallen angel made her even crazier about me. Along with being an unremorseful killer."

"H-Hey…Amitwo. If I would've confessed earlier in my life, would Shadow Arle's personality been different?"

"I made the clones based on the opposite of your current personalities. Like how Raina is nicer than Raffina, Ridel is eviler than Lidelle, and Cherri is more nonchalant than Ringo. Your sexual preferences had nothing to do with it. So I'm guessing that she fell in love with you on her own."

"What did you do with Arle's?" Raffina asked.

"Easy. I made her less of a tomboy."

"Oh. That makes sense." The others said.

"I'M NOT A TOMBOY!" I shouted.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

"Tch. Whatever. So that's how it is, huh? *sigh* Geez, I feel so bad for Ribbon. Her entire planet's a wasteland because of my selfish desire to keep a secret. I bet she hates me now."

"No, I don't."

Now at the doorway was honestly someone I didn't expect to see so easily.

"R-Ribbon! I-I…"

"How much did you hear?" Lidelle asked.

"Pretty much all of it. I was in the room next door."

Aw, damnit.

"R-Ribbon…"

"Arle, it's okay. I understand. Even if I can't really relate to you about who you wish to love, you're really not to blame for what happened to Ripper Star."

"If you really want someone to blame, then you can blame Amitwo."

"Oh my God! I get it already! Stop rubbing it in!" Amitwo yelled at her twin.

"Basically, what I'm trying to say is…I really want to make Zero pay for its evil crime. And I can't do it without you. Or anyone else, for that matter. So will you help me? Let's continue our fight…together."

I couldn't believe how much Ribbon has gotten over. And she's had it worse than me. But that confidence…it's greater now than it was when I first met her. The fact that she has so much at this given time…

…I-It's a lot like me.

"*giggle* Alright, Ribbon. I'm in!" I cheered. "Let's go give Zero what for!"

"Yeah!" Ribbon, Amitie, Ringo, Raffina, Raina, and Lidelle cheered along with me.

"Yay." Cherri…I-I'm not too sure.

"Hmph. A bit cheesy for my taste. But at least it's some progress." Amitwo said.

Girl, don't kill the mood…


*BACK TO NORMAL POV*

"We're back." Ringo said as we went back to join the others.

"R-Ribbon. You were with them?" Adeleine asked.

"For a little. I did overhear them. But I'm feeling better now. Thanks for worrying about me, Adeleine."

"*sigh* I'm just glad you're not depressed anymore."

"Well, what was it?! Spicy?! Juicy?! Delicious even?! Tell me, Damnit!"

"Uh…"

"Calm down, you loon." Schezo said to Misuki.

"I'm still not telling you, Witch." Arle said.

"Aw! But I wanna know!"

"It's a secret. I'm not telling you no matter what you do to me."

"Hmph. We'll see about that. Ohhohoho."

This girl…

"Well, whatever it is, it better be worthwhile." Marx said.

"Why do you, of all people, care all of a sudden?" Raffina asked.

"What? You mean I shouldn't? We got a giant bloody eye and a demented clone out to destroy our worlds. I don't want my death to be at the hands of someone who refers to Arle as her "precious little kitten". Whatever the heck that is."

"I'm especially not talking about that part." Arle said while blushing a bit.

"Precious little kitten? *giggle* Looks like Arle got herself a new nickname, huh?"

"Uh…who just said that?" Adeleine asked.

"I-It can't be a ghost, right?" Lidelle asked.

"Well, obviously not." Schezo said. "Yu's stuck as a weak human and Rei was never a good ghost to begin with."

"Hey!"

"Hey." The twins yelled(?) from being insulted.

"Meow. Meow."

"Huh? You sense the power of that person? So, it's in the ship?" Chetta asked her cat.

"Meow."

"Chetta's right. I sense the power, as well. It is a strong foe." Meta Knight added.

"A strong foe? Bah. I don't care. I'm going to bed." Flamberge said as she went towards the back of the ship

"Are you really just THAT lazy?" Maguro asked.

"Sorry. Can't hear you. I'm across the room, so this text shouldn't even be typed."

"Now she's breaking the 4th wall." Francisca said.

"And yet, she gets angry when we call her lazy." Zan added.

"A strong foe…" I said while thinking about it hard.

"You think it's an ultra-rare bug?"

"No, Sig."

"Oh."

W-Wait…WHAT?!

I turned to my side to see if I really was hallucinating. I really hoped that I was, actually.

But I wasn't.

"S-SIG?!" Arle, Ringo, Raffina, Lidelle, and I shouted like we've never shouted before.

"Hey. Everyone."

"Sig! What the hell are you doing here?!" Raffina yelled.

"Hmm…not sure."

"Huh?!"

"I just found this place."

"Just FOUND it?!"

"I guess."

"*sigh* Aw, geez. I'm already getting a headache."

"Hey, Amitie. You know this boy?" Adeleine asked me.

"Yeah, we do. This is Sig. he's also from our world. And the reason why he has a red arm is because he's part demon."

"Part demon? Wow."

"Poyo poyo." Kirby added.

"Maybe that's how he got here." Ribbon said.

"N-No…" Arle said. "I highly doubt…"

"ARLE NADJA!"

"H-Huh?! What was…" We heard another voice of a person we knew from our world. And now that same person is now in this world for some reason.

And that person is…

"R-Rulue?!"

"I knew it! I knew you had to be in here! You've got some nerve! Finding shelter for yourself while leaving me and Darling Satan out to die!" Rulue continued to yell at a fit of rage like how she always does whenever Arle is involved in anything. Though, Arle still sees her as a friend.

It's a weird rivalry that I don't understand.

"And this girl is…" Adeleine asked.

"That's Rulue." Misuki said. "She calls herself the Fighting Queen due to her being good at martial arts. She also hates Arle."

"Why? What did she do?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?"

"Let's just say…love makes you a complete idiot." Schezo said.

*POW*

"Ow!"

"I heard that, Dark Wizard!" Rulue yelled in a threatening tone. Punching Schezo in the head as punishment.

"Okay. This is getting illogical." Ringo said.

"If you think all of this is illogical, then you haven't seen nothing yet, Ringie! *giggle*"

"E-Ecolo?! Wh-Why are you here?!" Ringo shouted as Ecolo appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh? Didn't you miss me, Ringie? You and pretty boy were gone for a while, you know."

"I know that, and I didn't miss you!"

"Ouch. Cold as ever, Ringie. *giggle*"

"That's Ecolo." Maguro explained to Adeleine. "He's able to travel through dimensions using space-time. Plus, he drools…a lot."

"W-Wait! S-So this is the Ecolo you guys were talking about?!"

"H-He looks scary." Ribbon added.

"He's interesting, to say the least." Bandanna-Dee wrote on his board.

"Poyo."

"Hey, uh…Wuffina."

"It's Raffina!" Raffina yelled at Sig.

"Why is there two of you? And two of Ammy? And who's the girl with the white hoodie?"

"Sig. It's me." Yu said.

"Yu?"

"You looked really cute when you were alive."

"C-Cute?!" Yu started to blush. "I…I-I don't know what you're talking about! Th-This isn't cute!"

"She likes it." Chetta said.

"Yep." Rei agreed.

"Chilly."

"N-No, I don't!"

She really does.

"Now that I notice, Ringie. There's two of you now. Who's the second playmate, huh?" Ecolo asked.

"She's not some toy, Ecolo." Ringo said.

"Do you got any cherries?" Cherri asked Ecolo.

"No, but can get you some if you become my playmate. That a deal?"

"Okay."

"Cherri. No." Ringo said. "How are you three…well, hold on scratch that. How are you two here?" She then asked Sig and Rulue.

"Yeah. This is a different world and all." Arle added.

"Huh? A different world?" Sig looked confused.

"What nonsense are you blabbing about?" Rulue asked.

"We never left Primp." Ecolo said.

"H-HUH?!" We all shouted.

"Although, technically…we're also in this Dream Land place you guys call home. It's rather weird-looking. *giggle*"

"Hey! What do you mean weird-looking?!" Adeleine asked.

"Poyo. Poyo poyo…"

"Yeah, she is missing the point." I agreed with Kirby's statement.

"What do you mean by that?" Arle asked.

"Well, if you must know…look outside and you'll see for yourself." Rulue said.

All of us looked outside…and saw the most frightening thing we've ever seen in our natural born lives.

"O…Oh. My. God." Was what most of us could say.

What we saw…was an absolute nightmare. We were looking at Dream Land…but also Primp Town. The two worlds were now fused together. With locations from our world mixed in with the areas of Dream Land. And there was also a giant dark swirling cloud up in the sky. Looking really ominous and scary.

"P…Poyo poyo poyo…"

"Y-Yeah, little buddy. Th-This is not good at all." I agree with Kirby.

"Wh-What…happened?" Arle asked.

"Not sure." Sig said. "This just started happening all of a sudden. A bunch of weird-looking black eyes are even swarming in the sky."

"Crap! This has to be Zero's doing!" Adeleine said.

"Zero? Who the hell is that?" Rulue asked.

"A fallen angel that's basically a giant bloody eyeball."

"What?"

"What nautical nonsense did you guys do here?" Ecolo asked.

Really…

"Long story." I said. "Right now, we need to fix this. And we'll need everyone's help. From both worlds, too."

"Amitie's right." Meta Knight said. "The best way to do this is to split up and cover as much land as possible. The true enemy could attack at any moment."

"Right! Let's go, Kirby!"

"Poyo poyo!"

"Wait. I'm coming, too." Amitwo said. "If this world really is fused with Primp, then there's someone I want to see."

I really want to ask her who this person is. But knowing her, she's not going to tell me. Even though we've made peace with each other.

Sort of.

"Okay. Fine by me." I said.

We soon got into 4 teams of 4 while the rest went across the fused up worlds to help those in need. Us teams then went out to certain locations in this mess of an area for extra support.

And I already had a few people in mind.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Arle reveals a secret she's been hiding for years. And now she plans to use it to stop Shadow Arle and her murderous rampage of love in a Primp Town/ Dream Land fused-up abomination.

But little do they know, Zero is closer than they think. And it won't go down without a fight. Next chapter, characters from both universes team up for the final battle. Stay tuned. It'll be a long one, too.

Later.