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I would reply to the reviews but for the last few updates, there are error messages when I click to reply. I have reported it. Meanwhile, Silence.P, the answer to your question...yep, and this chapter confirms it.

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Looking back isn't going to help you. Moving forward is the thing you have to do.

—McKayla Maroney—

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"Oh, calm down already, darling! I doubt she is in peril. Young Kirby is simply overwhelmed."

The telecast was well underway by the time Meta Knight arrived at the conference of the Star Table.

"You're normally very punctual, Meta..." Sir Galahad noted quietly. "Did something happen?"

"I did have a rather taxing morning…" Meta Knight answered vaguely before quickly taking a seat. "Please forgive my late arrival. What did I miss?"

"Nothing much except missing my poor Arthur's theoretical frets for young Kirby's safety in the past hour."

"Hm?" Meta lifted his eyes to see the wife of Sir Arthur, Grande Dame Guinevere on the screen in all her glory. Lavishly dressed in a gown made of silks, ribbons, and bows. Her large butterfly wings shimmered brightly in the light as they gently swayed to and fro in a slow hypnotic fashion. "Forgive me, grand master," Meta Knight bowed respectfully to her. "It has been many a moon since I have laid my eyes upon the fair lady of Starlit Glade. All the stars in the sky still cannot compare to you."

Dame Guinevere lifted her fan to her face so only her ruby pink eyes could be seen. "Well met, Meta Knight, squire of my squire. You're still as charming as ever," she purred. "Strength wise however, I heard you are on the decline. Pity that if so..."

"We can't stay young forever, my lady," Meta Knight recited.

"True as that may be..." her eyes narrowed slightly. "...for you, I know it's by choice."

Meta Knight did not rise to the bait. "I rather focus on a new generation of warriors than myself."

"Funny you should say that…" even behind the fan, Meta Knight could tell that Lady Guinevere was smiling. "I was just explaining to Arthur that we dames have a huge responsibility to uphold. Hence I will come and reassure Kirby of her rightful place."

"No! No!" Arthur held up a gloved hand. "That won't be necessary! It is much better for you to stay where you are! We have everything under control-"

Lady Guinevere's eyes became like liquid fire. "I will not be deterred about this Arthur!" she cut him off firmly. Her wings began to flutter agitatedly behind her back. "I am coming, and I implore you to prepare for my arrival!"

Arthur cringed back. "…Y-Yes, dear," he conceded. "But!" Arthur added quickly, trying to regain some control of the conversation. "The guards will accompany you!"

"I expect no less," Lady Guinevere replied. Her eyes flickered away from her husband and landed briefly on Sir Lancelot, they softened. Then her eyes passed over to Meta Knight. The Grande Dame held his gaze with a thoughtful look before turning back to Arthur.

"Till then my lord and love," Guinevere bowed her head with such grace that even the large headdress on her head managed to stay on. "I bid thee farewell."

The connection was cut off.

Arthur leaned back in his chair. "That's my Guin…" he forced out a chuckle. "So Passionate and strong-willed!" he looked to the knights sitting around the star table with him. "Well, since she is so insistent, we must double our efforts to find Kirby before she arrives!"

Lancelot shook his head. "We have already quadrupled them, sir, and yet we have come up empty-handed!" Lancelot dropped his paws on the table with an air of finality. "It's time for us to face the truth: I believe Kirby does not reside in Dreamland at all!"

They grew quiet.

"Perhaps… Meta Knight, you know the puffling better than most," Sir Galahad stated, turning all attention to the Star Warrior. "Is there anywhere else you think she would hide on this planet?"

"I have told you all everything I knew," Meta Knight answered. "Kabu Valley was my first guess, but I agree with Sir Lancelot. You've had searched every inch of Dreamland and beyond. If we still cannot locate her, that means Kirby is no longer residing on this planet."

"So that means Kirby hitchhiked off-world...?" Sir Percival pondered out loud as he drummed his mechanical fingers on the table. "A lot of folks have visited Popstar for that Anniversary dinner," he pointed out. "It would be a real pain in the rear if she ran off with one of them!"

Sir Galahad let out a sigh. "If she did, then which one?"

Sir Percival merely shrugged. "Who knows..."

Arthur ran a gloved hand down his mask. A headache already forming at just the thought of tracking down every guest and interrogating them on their respective homeworlds. Not to mention getting search warrants to-

A message pinged on his communicator.

"Ah, apologies, gentlemen." Arthur reached for his device to check on the update. Thinking it was possibly a message from his wife. But it was his creditors sending out another fraud alert. He flew into a rage, "Blast it! Not again!"

"Credit fraud again, sir?" Sir Galahad stated rather than asked.

"Indeed! More of those ridiculous charges to Galaxy Burger and Spacey's Diner! With the prices I am being charged I might as well open a chain myself!"

Meta Knight perked up. "How long has that been going on?" he asked.

"Nearly six months!" Arthur huffed. "It trickled off about a month ago, but then this late charge from a separate galaxy just came through!"

At hearing that, Meta Knight began to snicker.

Sir Percival leaned away from him and whispered to Sir Galahad in a conspiratorial tone, "I think the pressure finally got to him!"

Getting fed up, Arthur snapped, "And what is so funny?"

"The obvious answer to Kirby's whereabouts!" Meta Knight's eyes glinted pink as he suggested, "If I were you, Arthur, I would check on your youngest recruits."

Sir Arthur paused. "Joe and Sirica?"

Meta Knight nodded. "I have a hunch Kirby may be with them. Her appetite has given her away!"

"But I have already asked them if they had seen Kirby, and they answered no…" Sir Arthur made his way over to the communication board to give them a call anyway.

Lancelot quirked a brow from beneath his mask as he asked Meta Knight, "She's a gluttonous little lass, eh?"

"It's not Kirby's fault she is that way, "Meta Knight told him. "Remember that she was not nursed as a newborn. Her large appetite is the result of her body's way of playing catch up."

"Pauvre fille, she will never know a mother's love..." Lancelot pitted Kirby. "Meta Knight, when you found her as an egg in eNeMeE's lab, did you find any trace of the dame who laid her?"

"…I only knew about Kirby at the last possible second because my master told me to rescue her…" Meta Knight felt his throat tighten. Not really wanting to talk about it or bring up memories of Dame Stella's dying wish, so he redirected the conversation. "However, Kirby's appetite should start to rapidly decrease right before her winging-"

"Oh blast it all to Avalon!" Arthur swore again. This time, more angrily. "Their bloody communication must be turned off! All my messages keep bouncing back! Just where are those three?! Grrr!" Sir Arthur was so mad that he began to stamp his large feet like a toddler having a temper tantrum. "I swear onto Excalibur when Knuckle Joe and Sirica report back they are getting an earful from me!"

"Don't be too hard on them, Arthur!" Meta Knight pleaded with him. "Kirby must have stowed away on their ship, and they didn't have the heart to send her back here right away."

Arthur let out a deliberately long breath to exhale all his anger. "Alright... I am just glad our little lass is possibly safe and sound, but with their communication down like this… just, where are they?"

"Day 12…" Sirica whispered into a recording device. "…we are still drifting in the dead of space and our supplies are beginning to dwindle. Currently, I and my comrades will be sharing one last meal of instant noodles together-"

"Can you keep that to yourself?" Knuckle Joe cut her off. He paused to blow over his steamy ramen cup to help cool it. "This is depressing enough as it is."

With a sigh, Sirica clicked off her recorder. "Guess you're right. Not to mention my battery is almost dead anyway…" Sirica picked up her own cup of instant ramen and peeled back the lid. "Cheers?" she asked, holding it out.

"Cheers," Kirby and Joe echoed as they toasted their cups.

The sound of slurping filled the otherwise quiet cabin. Sirica paused when she realized Kirby was not eating. Instead, the little puffball stared idly down at her cup. Noodles and broth remained untouched in her paws and growing ever soggier.

"Hm?" Sirica swallowed her mouthful before asking. "Why are you not eating, Kirby?"

"Guess I'm not very hungry…" Kirby admitted. She slowly put her cup to her lips and began to sip at the hot broth. It felt good as it coated her throat.

The hot liquid heated her body up just right, making her feel sleepy and cozy at the same time. At that moment she felt like she was back in her home in Dreamland. Wrapped up in a snugly blanket as the rain came down outside. Kirby felt her eyelids grow heavy. Perhaps this was all a dream after all... she began to doze until she heard twin gasps of shock.

"I can't believe it!" Joe muttered. "Who are you and where is Kirby!?" he demanded in exaggerated shock.

Sirica chuckled, but Kirby did not join in on their merriment. She felt rather annoyed at the joke. True enough, she was a bit of a glutton as a baby, but Kirby has learned to control her appetite. "I am Kirby," she snapped at them. "And I am growing up in case you need reminding!"

Joe stared at her glaring face for a moment before letting out a low whistle. "Of course, I know you are. Sorry if I touched a nerve."

Sirica tapped her chopsticks against her lips thoughtfully. "Come to think about it, you have been eating less these past few months…" she mentioned. "I mean when we first started the mission you racked up thousands of dollars at Galaxy Burger, now it's only a couple of hundreds here and there."

"Like I said…" Kirby sat down her noodle cup. "…I still love to eat, but I don't feel hungry as I used to."

"That's a relief," Joe tilted back his head to drain the last of his soup. He swallowed and said, "Not gonna lie, I thought you would attempt to eat one of us if you got hungry enough."

"What?" Kirby balked, feeling horrified and greatly offended at this revelation.

"Well, I was not worried about Kirby eating me," Sirica remarked with absolute surety. "Because I know if one of us got eaten, it would be Joe since he's the meatier morsel-"

"Screw you, Sirica!" Knuckle Joe retorted. Kirby did not miss the fearful look in his eyes at the mere suggestion.

"Knock off the jokes, guys, I don't plan on eating anybody!" Kirby told them sternly. "I can go a long time without food. It's just, well…" she paused to think of a way to explain it. "…it's really uncomfortable not to eat for long periods of time."

Sirica tilted her head, now curious. "How long can you survive without food?"

"I was told I could fast for decades with no problem-"

"DECADES?!" Joe and Sirica shouted in disbelief.

"Yeah," Kirby nodded. "Meta Knight once told me that my tummy is like a universe. He said it would help sustain me, whatever that means," she shrugged. "But I am guessing he meant for a very long time."

"Oh..." both of her friends sighed in relief.

Knuckle Joe patted Kirby on the head. "Well, that's good news for you, Kirby!"

"Why is that?"

"Because I am sure that I taste like smelly old gym socks!" Joe laughed. "And if you ate Sirica then you will get a severe case of indigestion!"

"Heeey!" Sirica pouted, before bursting into giggles. Knuckle Joe and Kirby joined in. It felt good to simply laugh for the sake of it.

Suddenly a bright light shined into their dimly lit cabin, blinding all three of them. "Ugh!" Knuckle Joe hissed. His eyes twitched with agony as he tried to look into the light unsuccessfully. "Hey, dial it back already!" he snapped irritably. At his complaint, the light began to dim.

"Just… what is going on?" Sirica rubbed her eyes trying to get rid of the dark spots in her vision.

The light was being projected by a pink-colored robot floating outside their ship. Kirby gasped as she recognized the machine. She pressed herself up against the glass excitedly. "It's my robobot suit!" Kirby gushed happily. "Hi!" she greeted it warmly.

The pink robobot's lens seemed to shine with happiness as it focused its attention on Kirby. "SCANNING... SCANNING..." after a moment, it pinged. "IDENTITY CONFIRMED. KIRBY 001 100 PERCENT MATCH WITH DATA!" It lifted his bulky arm and waved back. After greeting them, the robobot pressed on an orb-shaped switch in its chest. It began to glow a soft yellow, fading in and out. Acting almost like a homing device.

"You said this thing is yours, Kirby?" Sirica asked her.

Kirby nodded. "Yes, he's my robobot suit. He helped me save Dreamland from Star Dream a couple of years ago!"

"You mean when you saved Dreamland from the Haltmann Company," Joe corrected her bitterly. Suddenly his enthusiasm for their potential rescuer dropping to none. "Just what is that thing doing so far out here in the Kolako Sector?"

Kirby shrugged wordlessly.

The space outside their ship began to shift and then a large portal opened up from a wormhole allowing a large ship of sorts to exit the tunnel and it was heading straight towards them.

"I think it just brought the mothership to us…" Joe muttered. He was starting to sound nervous.

Sirica rested her hand on the hilt of her weapon. "Let's cross our fingers and hope they are friendly."

Other robobot suits emerged from the ship in an organized swarm as they flew on jetpacks towards their ship. They had the same build as Kirby's robobot suit, but it lacked her characteristics or the vibrant pink color. Their armor remained a bright chrome and painted with slate blue and gold. The robobots encircled their small ship and then waited.

That is when another suit came gliding up to their window. It was not empty like the other suits that first appeared to them. This one was being driven by a young woman with long pink hair held back by a yellow hair clip. The visor that had been covering her eyes lifted revealing her opal blue eyes. "My, what a pleasant surprise to run into my favorite native!"

"Susie!" Kirby cheered, jumping up and down in pure joy.

"Hey there, Pinky!" Susie greeted her back with a wave.

Sirica's eye twitched. She sent their rescuer a shaky smile while whispering out the side of her mouth, "…is it too late to play dead?"

"Yep, it is," Knuckle Joe muttered back. "It's just our luck to trade one psycho for another!"

It was gone.

Everything was gone.

Galacta hovered numbly in place as he stared into the nothingness. A piece of the broken moon drifted idly in place, no longer capable of rotating around the gravity pull of a planet that was no longer there. He felt the gentle pelting of the space dust circling him at the empty socket that once housed a people with a mighty princess.

She was gone too.

His beautiful twinkling star.

Galacta remembered that faithful encounter. The day when their relationship took quite a different turn. On that day he was looking forward to seeing her reaction from last time. On his last visit, he had managed to steal a kiss from her and got a busted lip in return for his efforts. Perfect. Galacta traced his paw over his mask that concealed the healed wound, his perfect prize. Afflictions would always mend but the memory of it would never fade.

He found her alone in the castle's garden. Galacta made no move to hide his presence as he approached and then stopped a few feet from her. Stella didn't even bother to turn around to face him. A bristle of indignation filled him for just a brief moment, but then Galacta realized something was off. Stella would always acknowledge him, even if it was just to send him an annoyed glare.

"What is the matter?" Galacta demanded.

The silence continued to past on between them. Galacta was sure Stella would not say anything at all. This was not the first time she had given him the silent treatment after all. Then in a small broken voice, she whispered. "… …he's …he's gone… my squire is dead..."

Galacta frowned. "That boy I met some time ago? The one who was going to be knighted?"

Stella turned to him. Her eyes filled with unshed tears. "...yes."

Galacta felt cheated. He never had the opportunity to test the lad's ability in full. Stella would always intervene out of concern for her student's safety, but she had nothing fear. The boy was strong. He had the prowess to match him or maybe, just maybe surpass. Now they would never know. It was such a pity. "Did he at least die with honor?" he asked.

"An asteroid shower overtook the transport to the Glimmering Grails…" Stella explained. "I was not on that ship because I was finishing business on another world at the time… we made plans to rendezvous at the trial site…"

There was another long pause. "What was his full name?"

"Lord Meta of the house of Nightingale, son of Sir Metello."

"Lord Meta?" Galacta echoed in surprise. "How was that youngling considered a lord over anyone?"

"He was the son and heir of the Providence Governor and Governess of 12th Division…" she sighed. "I had to tell them their son had died. They were inconsolable…"

Galacta didn't know what to say, but he knew people liked to talk about their dead loved ones. "So, what was he like… you know," he waved a gloved paw around. "…having him underfoot?"

Stella snorted an amused half chuckle escaping through an obvious sob. "He… he was true to his puffhood nickname; blueberry tart! He was an edgy little runt with something to prove. Always getting into fights and winning most of them despite his small stature…" she paused to wipe her runny nose on the back of her armor.

"You two would have gotten along so well!" She smiled right before the damn broke. Fresh tears began to flow down her cheeks as she began to weep openly. Such a display of emotions Galacta would normally scorn as a weakness, but he didn't rebuke her, instead he wanted to kill her sorrow. Make it all go away.

Galacta shifted over awkwardly. He hesitantly raised his paw and patted her on the shoulder.

Stella tensed at his touch but soon she relaxed into his awkward attempt at condolence. How did it happen, Galacta didn't know, but soon the shieldmaiden leaned her body against his. It was now his turn to freeze from shock. No one ever touched him unless it was a jabbed of a sharp sword or a punch to his face.

This was different. It felt …nice, Galacta decided.

Stella was never the same after her apprentice died. She did not seem to care at all for swordsmanship or her shieldmaiden duties anymore. Instead she resumed her courtly duties much to the joy of her overprotective father, King Velvetine. Galacta did not know what to make of this broken woman.

Their relationship was not the same after that encounter. They hardly fought anymore, if ever. He didn't want to. She didn't want to. It was an unspoken truce between them. Then came a time when hugs and words would not soothe her. In desperation, Galacta dared to kiss her lips again and Stella did not pull away this time. She gave in, craving his love.

That one kiss became one of many.

Then rather unexpectedly they found themselves caught by a storm, the Whiff Storm to be precise. Things had to change now. He knew it. She knew it, but both were too stubborn to give away first.

"My twinkling star…" he rubbed his cheek against hers's and he held her paws tenderly. "My homeworld is in Lofty Halcandra. I acquired a palace not too long ago. I will take you there to live with me."

Stella snatched her paws back. "I cannot go."

Galacta frowned at her incompliance. "Why not?" he growled.

"I have obligations here in my own dimension," she explained. "I am the only heir to the throne. What are my people and parents to do if I run away with you, Galacta?"

Galacta sighed. "Let us not fight about this," he stepped forward and pulled his whiff-mate into a hug. He rested his forehead against hers. "You can very well be carrying my child right now…"

"Then come live with me back on Crescent Starray!" Stella insisted, begging him to follow her. "We can be a family and raise our puffling together!"

"Your father hates me," Galacta deadpanned.

"Papa will be unhappy," she admitted. "But the Whiff Storm is something that cannot be controlled, he and Mama will understand..." Stella gripped him even tighter. "Stay with me."

Galacta Knight pulled away this time. "I cannot."

Stella stared at him knowingly. "Cannot or will not?" she asked.

"Cannot. I have obligations as well," Galacta narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Those old farts hardly give me a moment's peace!"

"The Ancients you mean?"

"Of course them! Who else can order me and get away with it?!" Galacta retorted angrily. "They always complain about what a wild card I am and yet they do not dismiss me from their service because of my power. They want me to serve them like the other Star Warriors who pledged their loyalty. Fools," he scoffed. "Do they not understand that their descendants will be forced to serve long after they themselves are dead?"

"I'm a Star Warrior," Stella reminded him with a chuckle. "And it has been a great honor to carry on the pledge of my ancestors."

"Bah!" Galacta waved her off dismissively. "Tis mere foolishness."

She sent him a pointed look. "Need I remind you our child may be a Star Warrior?"

"Well, no puffling of mine is going to be forced to fight for someone else! If he-

"Or she," Stella interjected.

"..wait, she?" Galacta Knight paused. "It's a girl?"

"I don't know yet," Stella touched her stomach lightly. "But its a hunch. Call it motherly intuition."

Galacta couldn't stop the smile from creeping up the corners of his mouth. "Hmph, can't argue against that," he chuckled. "Alright, if she wants to be a Star Warrior then so be it, if not, then I will make sure our daughter will be able to do whatever she wants!"

His whiff-mate simply rolled her eyes at him. "So, does this mean you will give the puffling anything they want?" Stella tsked. "Great parenting plans you got there, Lacty."

"The same offer stands for you," Galacta reminded her. His voice softening as he reached out to take her by the paws again. "But you never take me up on it..."

Stella smiled at him longingly . "I don't want to spoil you," she teased.

Galacta snorted quietly as he turned away. He transformed his long flowing cape into large feathered wings. "I will be back," he promised her. "Before the laying happens. I want to support you when the time comes."

"Thank you, Galacta."

Those were her last words to him. He could not foresee their doom. The ambush that would render him useless, taking everything from him in one fell swoop.

Galacta wilted.

Why did he even come back here? Hoping against hope that a remnant remained behind? That he wasn't too late to save his whiff-mate and puffling? He clenched his fist as the feeling of self-loathing overwhelmed him. He was a failure. Too weak and much too late!

No... there was hope. He could still save her! In every dimension, the Ancients were like messy little children who left their toys behind, or what simpler folk would call them a powerful treasure. Technology that could work a miracle. Grant any wish the heart desired and make it come true.

The Golden Sun... and the Silver Moon. Sentient servants created and then foolishly discarded as broken trinkets. These treasures existed in pairs in every dimension he had ever visited thus far. They had many different names too. Nova, being the most common for whatever reason. Surely they must exist here too, and he will find them at all costs!

But first, that backstabbing wizard was going to pay for his treachery.

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Next Chapter: A Shipwreck After Another

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