Star's Allies
Chapter 16 - Ecstatic Euphoria
"Kirby," Taranza whispered, voice lilting as the spider hugged the confused puffball.
"You're back," Magolor said, with much of the same nostalgia.
Rick cheered as he breathed small embers of fire into the air. "Hey hey, good to meet you again!"
Kirbu chuckled as he held Marx and his hat. "Well, I suppose it's been a long time since I was last here, huh?"
"It has been a long time indeed, since that jester broke into the castle." Magolor pointed to Marx. "Nevertheless, it's pretty nice to see you again. We, ah, should maybe inform the others downstairs…"
Kine, slightly dizzy from being whacked by the steps as he was carried up, muttered. "Uh… wh- Kirby? Hello again…"
Magolor chuckled. "I'll head downstairs and get Coo and Francisca for a little reunion."
"Francisca?" Kirby questioned. Taranza stepped backwards, registering the fact. "You know her?"
"Ah, she's the kinder one between all the mage sisters back in Jambastion. Hehe," Kirby smirked, proud of the little joke.
"Oh… I see. Well, I'll get them up anyway. Mind staying for a few minutes longer?"
"I don't mind. It'll be good seeing old friends again."
Magolor nodded, and walked calmly back downstairs.
The next moment was a confusing blur. There was a slam, right behind Kirby, as Susie came barreling out. "What the hell is the ruckus out here-"
Her attention went straight to Kirby. "Pinky! You're here!"
Taranza muttered, "Pinky?", but he paid no heed to it as Kirby went up to the Haltmann and greeted her kindly. "O-oh! I probably should get Marx to a room first… He'll need the rest."
Kirby wandered off again, trying to find what he came here to do in the first place.
Magolor flew up, as he guided the bird and the mage up into the fifth floor. "See? Kirby's right there!"
There was no one there, except for a snickering Taranza, a smiling Kine, an ecstatic Rick, as well as Susie, who was looking out from the door, about to close it.
"I stand corrected."
Kirby hobbled off to a room, laying Marx down on the provided bed before collapsing on the same bed himself, enjoying the soft blankets.
He soon exited the room however, not wanting to disturb the jester.
He was bombarded with nostalgic fools soon after.
"Kirb! Nice to meet you again! I think your name's actually Kirby, though?"
Kirby laughed. Francisca finally got it right for once. "Yeah, Kirby's the name. Call me Kirb though, if you want to."
"I will!"
Kirby smiled again. Making friends was one feeling he'd forgotten during recent times. He had one too many crazy moments recently.
"So, when can you tell me another story?" Francisca asked.
Kirby backed off slightly, before grinning at the ice mage. "We'll continue the routine tomorrow. I need a break…"
Kirby lagged to a room, and closed the door.
Magolor tilted his head, and shrugged. He walked off to the stairs. Taranza, seeing this, waved him off and began to strike a conversation with Francisca.
Rick, Kine, and Coo began to talk amongst themselves too, standing by the door to Marx's room.
"Kirby a good guy. Really, he is. The puffball's got a good heart, and I'm sure you can see that."
Francisca widened her eye. "Ah, I get it now! This is why she gets in so much trouble! She's just like me!"
Francisca twirled around at that. Taranza laughed it off and continued, "Yep. Makes him naive, too. He's easily fooled due to his big heart."
A smirk started to form. "Mind you, this is all I gathered from one glance at the guy. He might have some second side to him- I don't know- but from what I've experienced from, ahem, 'working' with him, he's too trusting."
Francisca calmed herself down. She gazed upon Taranza. "I know. Things aren't so fun all the time. Me, my sisters, Hyness, you, and all those others Kirb talked about… You've all gone against Kirb-y at some point, as will my family."
She stopped for a moment, and went on. "Kirby may be trusting, but that's what makes her a good person. She knows how to empathise. Correctly. Her forgiveness is also the key point in her character. Don't you get that? She may be naive, but her naivety makes Kirby, well, Kirby."
Francisca returned back into character. "Anyways, Taranzy, I'll be seeing you~"
Taranza was held in place as Francisca floated past him, sending a chilly freeze down to the floor.
Taranza turned back, gave a grin, and stood there. Once Francisca turned away, the spider shuddered.
Taranz-'y', though...? Does she make a nickname for everyone?
I don't think so, 'Taranzy', his soul responded.
Stop calling me that, please. I don't want to ever hear that nickname again.
…
Eventually, Taranza and the animal trio headed back down to see Magolor hauling a large amount of machinery into the castle.
"What's that for?" Coo pointed.
Magolor dropped the machine he was holding onto the floor, sending a crack or two to the floor, as he mentioned what it was for. "Well, I've got another idea for Challenge Course DX here… and I'll be building it right outside. I'm just moving the materials here… hopefully the penguin won't be too mad."
Kine looked at the size of the pile. "You're going to be, uh, building a Challenge Course?"
Magolor nodded. "Yep. It's a reward for Kirby. Don't worry, I have experience," Magolor reassured Kine as the fish pictured a death trap built just for Kirby.
Somehow, a treadmill came into his mind. With spikes on one side. And Kirby running. Endlessly. A 'dread'mill. Ugh.
"If you say so…"
Rick raised a paw, up in the air. The next second, he grabbed Kine's flipper and Coo's wing, and offered their help. "We can help!" Rick stated enthusiastically, despite the faces of the two beside him.
Coo whispered a quick "Suck it up" at Kine, and the fish sighed. "Alright, we'll, uh, help the best we can on that."
Magolor put a hand to his head, saluting. "Aye, workers! This is what I'll need your help for…"
The four gathered together and planned, leaving Taranza to his own machinations.
The arachnid took the opportunity to sleep. On the ground, right then and there. Can't complain about more rest.
…
Taranza awoke in the sunset grasslands, surrounded by the beautiful scenery he so clearly remembers from his last visit.
"You're back."
Taranza whirled around to see his soul, smiling on.
"I am," Taranza chuckled. "Just wanted to talk, I suppose."
They stopped that talk and moved into the mind, instead.
Hmmm. Interesting situation we've got out there, right?
I have to say, soul… your abode is astoundingly great.
Taranza sat down on the grass.
I've been here once and I still can't say that I'm used to this kind of view.
Oh, Taranza… it's a reflection of you. It's why you're enjoying it. Your heart's content, without that miasma of emotion enveloping you anymore.
His soul spat at that.
You kept too many emotions hidden, and that was what caused the downfall in the first place. Soul's face lightened.
...I see. Well, we're here now, aren't we?
You learned, which is why we're here.
The two looked at each other, the calming wind of the grasslands blowing onto them.
I sense great sorrow from a soul.
Who?
The jester.
Who?
I, uh-
Taranza's soul facepalmed. "It's Marx. That guy. The one sleeping. His soul... has been to some places. Much like Magolor, the lying magician."
Taranza made an 'oh' of understanding and then queried some more.
"He's… cut off. From everyone else. He doesn't view anyone as a friend."
"Not even Kirby? I thought they were close, or something, based on what Kirby was saying."
"His masks range from zero to a hundred, his emotions nonexistent to overblown-"
"Does he not trust anyone?" Taranza pressed.
"Based on my observations… his soul desperately calls to him. But he rejects it. Rejecting yourself causes pain, both here," His soul pointed to Taranza's chest, "and here," he says, as another finger points to Taranza's head.
"He is simply just very good at pretending that everything is okay. The only genuine emotion I've seen is his determination to redeem himself."
The sky turned into night.
"Hmm."
Taranza woke up to a similar setting, albeit the fact that he was in a castle.
It was night out.
We talked for that long!?
Nobody was around. Taranza started looking for anyone to still be around in this hour.
Again, nobody was around in the dead of the night. And so Taranza traversed the castle at night without anyone to notice or be noticed by.
He was jumpy at times, but Taranza made it to the foyer of the castle, running around and dropped his seriousness. The world needed more fun, and he was going to give them the fun.
Of course, he'd spotted Magolor's giant ship ages ago, but he just wanted to relieve the pent-up stress he had experienced quite recently.
Similarly, a snoring Kirby up on the fifth floor was aiming to do the same.
The next morning was a peaceful one.
Magolor had been checking his ship, making sure it's on tiptop shape. He certainly had a lot on his to-do list, especially cleaning the hull of the ship. That, he'd do alone. It was his ship, after all.
He didn't want to burden everyone in helping him with the maintenance.
So, he opted to simply watch what's happening all around him. The castle is lively at this time of day, with Waddle Dees walking around together, sometimes in groups, accomplishing their various duties around the castle.
King Dedede went on and sorted an agreement with Susie again, he heard. He was one for negotiations, especially business, and that was something he was most interested in, watching the flippant penguin flap his arms as Susie also fired back at the king.
They were in view from a window a floor up, but they did not notice that their arguments were seen from all the way down at the courtyard.
A couple of Dees were watching this all go off along with Magolor, before he directed his attention back to sweeping the hull clean with a cloth.
Kirby, on the other hand, found himself conversing with Taranza, Kine, and Coo. It was small talk, and one which was easily understandable. Somehow, they all got in the flow together. Rick, who was instead chasing an orange butterfly, trying to burn it alive, gave up and resorted instead to giving playful slaps to Francisca's cheek.
Francisca, annoyed by this, punched him to the castle walls. The damage the wall took was significant, leaving a dent in the otherwise sturdy stone wall.
She immediately apologised after.
Taranza laughed the incident off as Kirby, who looked worried, went off to see Rick. Similarly, Kine and Coo also went to check up on their happy-go-lucky friend.
Taranza, now with nothing to do, decided to go in the castle itself. The castle's insides was a grandeur of multiple knickknacks and intricate design reminiscent of a royal hall. A few paintings and hammers were strewn across the area, but Taranza paid them no attention and swept himself up to the fifth floor.
It's time to pay our extra guest a visit.
…
Taranza barged in Marx's room, and walked in.
There was a jester hat on the table and a sleeping Marx on the bed.
Taranza danced himself beside the jester's bed and tapped Marx lightly with his hand.
That… did not wake him up at all. Taranza shot a gleeful look at the jester before taking a look around the room.
Besides the occupant and his hat, there was nothing that struck Taranza's interest.
Taranza went and looked at Marx's hat, complimenting the funny colors. As the spider lifted the hat by it's tip, a small piece of clockwork fell out, onto the floor.
Tarana bent down and picked up the piece, examining it closely. Upon further investigation, the clockwork seemed to be… shining?
That was certainly what an inanimate object shouldn't do. Especially this piece, which seemed hidden in his hat.
All of a sudden, Taranza began to feel… a little woozy. The arachnid sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to gather his thoughts together, before falling down on the bed, asleep.
He woke up in an unknown place, nearly pitch black. With a click (or was it a snap?), the lights turned on. Billions of stars jutted out from nowhere, shining their brilliant lights on the spider. Blinded by this sudden light show, Taranza covered his eyes with his arm.
An eclipse dawned on him as he did this, as if the world was at his beck and call. It was not, however.
Marx was approaching him, the light from the stars shining so bright that he was practically the only thing that stood out.
The two got closer and closer, as they both closed the distance, with Marx approaching the now confused Taranza.
"Hey. Haven't seen anyone new here before."
Taranza smiled. "Ah! Yes, yes, I suppose you would not. Name's Taranza, the greatest of them all! Now, hand me your cash, gold, possessions, and power."
The spider chuckled. "Nah, not really."
Marx took a look at him, before walking off, disappearing into mist as Taranza looked forward. He had vanished into thin air.
"Some people here don't get humor..."
"Hey, I do!" the jester's voice replied, from his back.
"Oh, you do? Well then…"
Taranza did not question how Marx just teleported behind him or why this space is.. well, space, and a million other questions.
No, he's one to take these types of situations in stride. Usually.
Taranza turned around, as he came face-to-face with a half-faced Marx, the core of a black hole in the middle.
Taranza had not one chance to scream before getting sucked in.
He was unceremoniously dropped right onto… solid air? Well, he landed on his face, and his face tells him that air was somehow solid.
Taranza lifted himself up and saw Marx sitting, facing the arachnid as his wings flickered between colors before eventually settling on red.
"I might have to introduce myself. Ahem… you can call me soul, and my body Marx. Together… we would be Marx Soul?"
…
Adeleine took her fan brush and splotched some trees into the background of the piece. The green hues of the leaves mixed with the yellow she used at lighting, as well as the contrasting black; an extreme choice for shadow, but it made the painting look all the more striking.
Adeleine held up her usual brush and started to fill in the colors of Rick, Kine, and Coo. They had commissioned her well enough, and it was nigh time for her to deliver on her artwork.
Her eyes grew tired soon after, but she pushed on, painting every last detail until she was satisfied with the end result. Liking her creation, a wash of varnish was put over the entire canvas, as she packed up her supplies and her easel, ready to move out of the basement she was still in to pass time.
Adeleine exited the basement and headed up to the courtyard to enjoy the sun. Or, what would've been the sun.
The sky looked black as the night. She didn't even realise it at all. Her hand went to her head, before removing her hat and going back in the castle to maybe borrow a room.
Time went by so quickly, she didn't even notice that it was already the crack of dawn. That was how bad she was at this 'time' thing.
In actuality, she's the type to finish something to end… disregarding how late it is in exchange for work.
It wasn't a healthy lifestyle, but Adeleine got more fun in painting that way. A painter's way of life is really hectic, despite it nothing looking like such. She rushes to finish commissions, conversing with friends or clients, and then sleep for an entire day after she's done with a piece.
Nevertheless, Adeleine walked back in the castle and decided to go up to the fifth floor of the castle in order to claim a guest room.
Walking up, walking up, walking up…
Waking up, waking up, waking up…? Off..
Head feels off. Adeleine clutched her scalp as she held her painter's hat and stumbled on the step.
There she lay, asleep, on the stairs of Dedede castle. Nobody would touch her until afternoon came.
…
The animal trio stood in their room, not asleep, as they chatted amongst themselves, with small games being played between themselves.
On the second night in the castle, they had already mostly acquainted themselves with their temporary homes. Kirby, who had gone off earlier to see Rick, got caught up and talked until night with the animal trio.
Francisca, wanting to make more friends, also followed the pink ball and somehow ended up as the topic of their current conversation.
"I tell you, Francisca's got some scary strength in that petite body!" Rick pointed out.
For some reason, Coo looked offended by that sentence.
"Yeah, I see what you mean. Who'd expect Francisca carrying an axe and a weird… blaster?"
"Aha, it's a water pistol. My sis, 'Zanne, showed me the most effective way to use it. Since then I've just been blasting my enemies out into space!" Francisca twirled around.
She then pulled out said pistol, showing it off to the group. "See? Simple 'may-kahn-is-umm'. Mechanism. Yeah, mechanism! I click this-" Francisca pressed the trigger.
A jet of water tore a hole through the window of the room.
Kine sighed.
"Err… you can room with me instead…?" Francisca erred.
Kirby chuckled. "Well, we'll the king to fix it up later. I'm sure he can ask his troops to do it. I have confidence in him."
Opposite to the cheery atmosphere in Rick, Kine, and Coo's room, Susie was currently scratching her head off looking at the pile of documents Dedede had handed her regarding their trade deal.
Ten minutes after staring at the paper blankly, she picked up the papers and slammed the documents onto the table. It's not that the deal wasn't advantageous, per se, but the fact that nearly all of it had Dedede's 'accent' all over it.
It was hell to read, and Susie already had the beginnings of an aneurysm reading the damn thing.
However, as a (nearly proficient) business owner, she had to deal with these kinds of things. Back off to reading she went, mumbling curses and unladylike words directed at the paper.
Her door opened. On guard, Susie stood up that instant and turned her head to the door.
Magolor was there, waving a hand, as he started to close the door behind him.
Susie went from surprise to anger. She balled her fists and smacked Magolor straight in the face. The magician, who didn't see it coming, took the punch.
Following it up, Susie pulled out her gun and pointed it Magolor before realising it was Magolor.
"Magolor? Why didn't you knock!? I nearly had a heart attack hearing that in the middle of the night!"
Magolor staggered, as he clutched his poor face which was smashed against the door by the hand.
"Geez, calm down, lady. I didn't know you were doing something. I just came here to greet you before going into my room. Can't deny a king's hospitality, after all hrk-"
Magolor ducked from a stray shot. Susie's gun was smoking. She actually looked apologetic this time. "Believe me, that was an accident."
Magolor shrugged and continued the conversation.
"Anyways, good meeting you. I'll just head out now, since you clearly don't want to talk to me…" Magolor mumbled, awkwardly backing off.
The conversation lasted a great five seconds before Magolor decided to cut it short and headed off. Susie, who was staring agape at the mess, shook her head and walked back to her desk. The papers needed reading, after all.
Magolor went off to his 'room'. The talk with Susie hadn't gone as well as he thought, as he held his hurt face. Honestly, that woman had an attitude.
You're not wrong.
His soul had chuckled at him, at his predicament. Magolor ignored it and went to his room. Inside was what he had found in Susie's room, minus the papers. Overall, a good room in the castle.
Shambling over to the bed, Magolor tried to sleep. Soon enough, the waves of drowsiness overcame him as he fell victim to the sickness known as sleep.
Moonlight shone at the magician through the open windows his room had, and the flicker of the moon could be seen atop Magolor's head.
Deep inside, Magolor stood, face inexpressive, as he saw a great waterfall float upside down, his Lor parked right beside it. Beside him, his soul came up and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hey, hey. I changed the location a bit, for a more fantasy feel, you know? Got bored of the ship. Maybe I'll return there again."
Magolor widened his eyes, turning to his soul as a light bulb clicked in his head. Souls talk? Well, he knew souls talk. But a real, physical voice… He hadn't heard one of those come from the soul in ever.
His soul's voice had a small lilt to it, dancing somberly with it's deepened tone. It was similar to Magolor, if he had not all those meekness inside of him.
"I didn't realise that souls talk," Magolor stated, shocked at the revelation.
"Well, as we grow as an individual, us souls become a part of you more and more, you know? After a great schism done by some traumatic or worse off events, the soul and the mind hadn't really had a good time to connect back, see?" His soul explained, propping his hands to his sides. "And here I thought you had become an intelligent person after you researched all about souls."
Magolor stumbled around his words for a bit. "Well, yes, but I think we're the only people right now to ever experience a great schism like this. Can't really ask anyone else about it, you know?"
"What are you talking about? Taranza knows it, and he hadn't mentioned anything to you?"
Ah, the bastard of a spider. I'll kill him later.
Magolor sighed. "Well. Hu-"
A tremble rocked across the dream world. His soul looked terrified at that. The moment, everything changed.
It was all black.
...
Magolor awoke in cold sweat, as his heartbeat raced.
Something felt wrong. It was so wrong in fact, that he didn't register the feeling at all until a couple seconds later, Taranza calling out to him.
It was morning. There was also a panicking Taranza beside him.
Taranza had a face one would not see from him very often; a face of terror.
"Oi, sleepyhead. I didn't take you to be a heavy sleeper, so listen up," Taranza shakily started.
The next word came as a shock.
"We're absolutely fucked. Hyness came for us. There's an army outside the castle. Actually, there's a castle outside the castle. We need manpower now. You and I are the ones with soul forms, so we gotta dash."
Magolor contemplated that for a second, as he stepped out of the comfortable bed. He took another second, and another.
An unwieldy scream pierced the air. "What the HELL!?"
"Aha, we're really fucked," Taranza deadpanned, as he watched Magolor scream his lungs out as the magician burst out of the room through the windows. Panic was one thing he'd really did not expect Magolor to get caught up on.
AN:
Ah, this chapter was a late one. I had too many exams to take…
Anyways, this chapter marks the first use of 'fuck'. Not a word I'd like to use so often, what's with the teen rating and the other curse words and what not, but it's one word that I had in mind to explain the next chapter.
There's so much good fanfiction out there, really. Reading them gave an idea, and that idea rolled around in my head to be used as an example with my stories. Then again, writing fiction had been different than reading fiction, so that's a whole 'nother world. I'd say it's all pretty fun, though. All these characters and you get to characterize accordingly…
Then again, Kirby has a lot of ambiguous characterization. For example, take Magolor. You got this one part of Magolor defined in canon, but then there's this blank hole on what the rest of his character feels like. It's great filling those holes, trying to make these characters fit in the narrative. It's much more open compared to writing a character who already has their character-ness, defined in canon. It might suck, but you can definitely say it's a great writing attempt.
That's it for this chapter, and I thank you all for reading this one to begin with. It's nice to know people do read these things.
Markuxito: Ah, about that. My update schedule, or say, the lack of it is probably there's a huge gap between updates. The pace is inconsistent. I try to see it to the end.