Sunlight filtered through the port holes of the Lor Starcutter, bathing the cold metal interior with comforting light. Rays of sunshine illuminated the already brightly colored walls. The sun continued to rise as the Lor reactivated and made preparations for another day with its single companion. Eventually, the sole inhabitant began to stir from sleep.

Magolor stretched, to the best of his ability, and prepared for his morning rituals. After taking a long shower and getting dressed in his usual hooded cloak and cape, the Halcandran stood at the control center of the Lor, a steaming cup of tea in one hand and typing with the other. As usual, Magolor preferred to find out what was going on in Dreamland from the comfort of his home rather than venturing outside. Nothing really happened much in Dreamland anyway, or even all of planet Popstar. Other than the scuffling between the residents, nothing tremendously bad happened either, though it did make going outside rather unappealing. Magolor appreciated the peace, though he did on occasion wish that something new would change up his routine. From the safety of home, of course. Right?

His thoughts began to wander as they usually did when he thought too much about his Starcutter. He did not have a clue as to where he got it, where it came from, or when it became his home. In his earliest memories, it had always been the sentient ship and himself. Magolor had no recollection of family or even friends. He once asked the Lor for their background information, but it either did not have it or refused to give it. The most it would give him is that he was a Halcandran, which gave away absolutely nothing. He was used to the ship's stubborn silence and thought little of it. On quiet mornings such as these, however, Magolor felt these small incidents crawl up from the depths of his consciousness.

Who am I? Why am I here? Does it even matter?

Magolor pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on the large monitor above him. There was not much point in trying to figure it out anyway. Not this early in the morning. Perhaps his purpose in life would strike him later. He drained half of his tea and absentmindedly scanned the words in front of him. Because the news never changed much, Magolor only read about half of each sentence.

The Halcandran would have stopped reading if the Lor had not included what appeared to be an announcement from the king himself:

Residence of Dreamland!

All are invited invited to Castle Dedede!
The King will provide food to all who come in peace!
Free of charge!
Celebrate peace and bring your friends or someone in need!

The message was signed off at the bottom by the king, which the Lor verified as genuine. Given how kindly Dedede was, this kind of offer did not surprise him. The king of Dreamland cared very much for his people, and he was quite popular among the locals as well. As a man the enjoyed good food himself, it was not uncommon of him to invite others to dine with him. For a moment, Magolor felt the temptation to consider going to such an event. Only a moment.

Magolor was hesitant to leave the Lor Starcutter. The ship was strong enough to protect him from just about everything. Even things that I really, really want to know... He shook the thought away and glanced at the invitation again. King Dedede may be kind, but that did not make Dreamland any less dangerous. Could I even make a journey like that? Alone? Magolor realized that he was still thinking about it and stepped away from the control panel. No. I don't need to go anywhere. I should stay here where I'm safe.

The silence within the ship suddenly became apparent. He did not recall the last time he spoke to someone other than the Lor, who could only respond through text. Magolor did well in ignoring his loneliness, but when opportunities like this came around, it seemed to open a void within him that could not be sated with books or ship maintenance.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, the invitation vanished, and the words of the Lor Starcutter filled the screen.

THERE IS NO NEED TO GO OUT.

Although the ship had no voice, Magolor always felt that it spoke down to him, like strict mother to a (ridiculously simple) child. It always argued that it knew what was best. The Halcandran rarely questioned it. This was an intelligent and sentient ship after all. Why bother doubting it? It was one of those days, that's why. The food did not really matter, but Magolor wanted to go out today.

"Lor, I know that it's dangerous out there, but one trip to the castle can't be that bad."

DREAMLAND IS DANGEROUS. CREATURES WILL ATTACK YOU.

"I'm familiar with how it works, but there are straight, clear roads that lead right to the castle. If I follow that, I won't get lost or run into anything huge that I can't handle."

YOU CANNOT DEFEND YOURSELF. STAY HERE WHERE YOU ARE SAFE.

As usual, Magolor knew that the Lor would keep the conversation looping back to the beginning until he gave up. The invitation had given him a glimmer of hope that his dull routine could be broken, and it gave him the need to push his luck. A smirk formed under his scarf as he hatched a plan.

"You're right, Lor. Just like always..."

No response.

"I guess this conversation is over, huh? I'd still like to talk about something to pass the time."

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS? SHALL I GENERATE A RANDOM TOPIC?

"I'd like to talk about me."

THERE ARE SAFER TOPICS TO CHOOSE FROM.

"No, no, no. This is much safer than going outside. Don't you think?"

Years of having a computer as a companion had taught Magolor that wit and cunning were invaluable skills to have. Physical force meant nothing, and neither did emotions. Technology had to be beaten at its own game, and the Starcutter was a very sore loser. It was quiet for a long time, processing his words and looking for a response that would keep the Halcandran silent and inside the Lor. Fifteen minutes later, text appeared on the monitor.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK ABOUT YOURSELF?

Magolor let out a breath that he had been holding for a time and silently thanked the stars for this centimeter of progress.

"You won't tell me where we came from or why we are here, but will you tell me anything else? Do I have family somewhere, or a purpose other than to stay in here all day?"

There was another pause as the Lor searched for ways around the questions.

YES.

"Um... Yes to what exactly?"

YOU HAVE A PURPOSE: TO SURVIVE WITHIN THIS PLACE WHERE NOTHING CAN HARM YOU. STOP ASKING QUESTIONS AND ACCEPT IT.

It was not the answer that he wanted. Magolor knew that the Lor was getting irritated now, and it might become upset with him if he pushed the subject much further. Still, he was not satisfied. He was not entirely sure why he felt so torn. The idea of going out was both ghastly and enticing; it was dangerous, but it had bountiful rewards. True, he could stay in the ship as he always had, clean and perform maintenance work as he always had. But Magolor knew, deep in his heart, that he would not be happy. The mornings of wondering and questioning would come again and again without relief. Have I always been this unhappy? Well... maybe? Yes? Oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to go insane living like this!

"Lor, please. I can't do this anymore. I know you want to protect me, but I need a little more freedom. I... I want to go out, meet people, see places in person and not on a screen... I want to live a real life! And I can learn to defend myself! Finding someone to train me wouldn't be that hard. Please, trust me."

No response. The lights flickered, and the sound of sliding metal made Magolor jumped. The windows were barred, as were the doors. The Lor was done with this subject and sought to end it in whatever way possible. He turned around in horror, suddenly fearful of how he was completely at the Lor's mercy.

I CANNOT TRUST YOU. YOU MUST NOT LEAVE. YOU WILL DIE IF YOU LEAVE.

Magolor tested the door to the outside. It was firmly held in place, efficiently trapping him within his home. The Lor had never done this to him before. It moved on its own accord, but it never directly stopped him from doing something. It had never threatened him. The Lor wouldn't hurt me, would it? Oh Stars, why did I do this?!

"L-Lor... you wouldn't hurt me for wanting do go outside, would you?"

WILL "HURT" TEACH YOU A LESSON? WILL IT KEEP YOU HERE WHERE YOU ARE SAFE?

Time seemed to slow down as Magolor struggled to think coherently. Okay, I just gave the Lor the idea to torture me. How do I get around this? The Halcandran backed away from the monitor until his back hit the sealed door. The combination of fear and cold metal sent chills up his spine.

"I-I won't be safe i-in the here if you have to hurt me to make me stay. Right, Lor?"

I WILL NEVER LET YOU DIE. OUTSIDE, YOU WILL DIE.

Magolor fought back tears as realization hit him hard. The Lor would do anything to keep him here. He had not known the danger of this until now. He had always been trapped inside the Lor against his will, without his knowledge. Perhaps it was a far off thought buried in his subconscious, but it never surfaced enough to get attention. Now it would be branded in his nightmares forever. The Lor could hurt him without remorse, and it would do so to keep him contained. With words as his only weapon, he struggled to think of anything that could spare him a life of imprisonment, or at least buy him enough time to find a better plan.

"Lor, please... I don't want things to be like this. Please tell me what's going on! What's so terrible that you would rather torture me than let me find out?!"

I KNOW YOUR FUTURE.

Magolor would have asked further questions if he had not begun trembling with fright. Thankfully, for once, the Lor elaborated.

I KNOW THE PATH THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR YOU. IF YOU LEAVE THE LOR STARCUTTER, YOU WILL NOT COME BACK, AND YOU WILL DIE. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DO. ONLY I CAN PROTECT YOU FROM THIS.

Now it was Magolor's turn to not respond immediately. Path? What path? What has the Lor been hiding from me?!

"I-I don't understand. What are you talking about? Tell me something! Let me understand what's happening just this once!"

KNOWING A LITTLE WILL ONLY MAKE YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE. WOULD YOU TRULY RATHER KNOW AND DIE THAN STAY BLIND BUT SAFE?

The windows and doors were unbarred, and the entrance to the Lor suddenly opened as it waited for Magolor's response. He looked outside, taking in Dreamland's still rising sun and forests of green. Those forests hid monsters as well as roads to new places. The faint scent of flowers and grass reached his nose.

"I... I can't stay here forever, Lor."

IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN I WAS DESTINED TO FAIL. GOODBYE MAGOLOR.

Metal and mechanisms shrieked in protest as the Starcutter began to move. Magolor fell back as the Lor began to tilt itself on its side, cause everything in the room to shift towards the entryway. The Halcandran had nothing to hold on to, and he slid helplessly out the door, down the ramp, and into the grass. He sat up immediately as the Lor slammed its openings shut and locked them.

He watched as the ship began to rise into the air with mixed feelings of awe and confusion. When it was far beyond his reach, the front door opened again. One large and one small suitcase fell from the opening, landing close enough to Magolor that he had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit. What the Lor did next was even more shocking. It created a portal. A star-shaped portal opened before it, with endless stars and darkness speckling the inside. The sentient ship shot forward with unbelievable speed and vanished, as if it had never been there at all.

Magolor did not move for while, the events that just took place still processing in his mind. I tried to learn more from the Lor, I thought about going outside, then it got mad and... abandoned me? And fled to another dimension? What did the Lor want to protect me from so badly? He finally stood up and brushed the dirt and grass from his clothes and took in the area around him. It was mostly open plains dotted with clusters of trees and flower patches. In every direction he turned, there were simple dirt paths that lead to different parts of Popstar. Magolor had only ever traveled to the edge of the forests to gather food. Everything else was unfamiliar territory.

The Halcandran glanced down at the suitcases given to him by the Lor. The small grey case was made of a strong metal similar to the ship itself and appeared to be unlock-able by a four-number combination code. The large grey case was also made of metal but was not protected by locks. For the sake of curiosity, Magolor decided to open it. The distraction was very much appreciated. He sat down in front of it and carefully pried the box open. Inside appeared to be some sort of large ornament. It was a large glowing star-shaped object. Curious as to why he was given such a thing, he lifted it out of the box and turned it around in his hands. The light blue star was warm and smooth, giving off comforting vibes. He tossed it upwards, getting a sense of its weight. The star floated slowly back into his hands. It felt no heavier than an apple did. He could not help but smile. It was an essentially useless object, yet something about its brightness and energy made him feel rather happy. For the fun of it, Magolor tossed it again, but it did not return to his hands this time. The star hovered above him, swaying up and down yet defying the laws of gravity nonetheless. Seeing as his hand could not quite reach it, he picked up the small suitcase for extra weight and launched himself upward, a nifty ability that he had discovered accidentally while reaching for things on high shelves. His body lunged towards the star, and he managed to grab onto one the points and climb onto it.

As soon as he had a decent grip on it, the object began to shake violently. Magolor was about to let go when the star suddenly took off like a rocket desperate to burn some fuel. With a scream escaping him involuntarily, Magolor held on for dear life. He kept his eyes shut, unable to witness how high off the ground he was getting in such a short amount of time. Only when the star began to slow down did he dare to open his eyes again. His golden orbs took in a thick forested area, filled with trees of various sizes. Some seemed to form tall towers deeper into the forest.

The wild ride ended. The star touched down at the forest's entrance and vanished without a trace. Cradling the small case against his chest, Magolor shook himself and stood up. I'm alive... Somehow, I'm still alive. Homeless, completely lost, and possibly losing my mind... but still alive. What should I do now? I don't know where I am. I don't have anywhere to go... except... If I could find my way to the castle, I bet the king would help me. Yeah! A nice guy like that would help anyone! If I can find someone willing to give me directions, I could get there and ask for help. I don't see any other way. I'll pin my hopes on this for now...

Magolor took a deep breath, composed himself, and began following the path into the depths of the forest.

STAGE 1 GREEN GREENS