The castle had been eerily quiet all morning. A certain irritated knight had made the staff uneasy, so activity was at a minimum. Not only had Magolor, Marx, and Taranza not returned yet, but no one had seen them either. A few knights went out to find them at dawn, but increasing activity from the "animal friend's" hordes made travel difficult. One knight did not return at all. It was only a matter of time before their rivals were stirred into action. Meta Knight sent out another party to check all the known hideouts, but they reported no signs of Squeaker activity. Perfect. Just perfect. The last thing we need is a gang war in a time like this. Meta Knight kept his frustration to himself. He did not want the king to suspect that anything was wrong. Everything needed to appear normal for now. Completing the Halberd would be difficult if a war started. The king would expect the knights to fight, which would slow construction even more. I could always just kill him, Meta thought to himself. He had to dismiss the idea. Magolor, Marx, and Taranza liked the king, and if Dedede suddenly died, it would break down their already fragile alliance. No, he needed the king to be in charge for a while longer. And if the king is in charge, everything needed to be normal and as not-suspicious as possible. The knights were keeping everyone quiet about the lack of dreams, but they could not hold back hysteria forever. If those three don't hurry... I might have to make changes to my plans.
-
Kirby wished that something interesting would happen, and he especially wished that Magolor would come home. He's still gone with his stupid friends. The pink puff had no one to play with, so he resorted to wandering the castle in search of something to do. Waddle Dees scattered in his presence, knowing that Meta Knight could be anywhere nearby, as he entered the kitchen to get a snack. A brave Dee presented Kirby with a scrumptious slice of fresh-baked strawberry cake with shaking hands. The puff's blue eyes sparkled with delight as he accepted the offering and heading out to find somewhere to sit. As soon as he was out of hearing range, there was a collective sigh of relief.
The pink puff walked around for a while, unsure where he wanted to eat his cake. The staff were not very fun to be around, and the knights were boring. Meta Knight did not eat with him anymore. Not since Mama left. Everything changed after that.
"What's wrong, Kirby? No one should look sad on a beautiful day," a voice called out. King Dedede was strolling down the hall holding a chess board in one hand and a cloth bag of the pieces in the other. "That's some lovely cake you have. Oh, that's right! There are several birthday parties today for a few of the Broom Hatter maids. It should be a fantastic reception! They work hard, after all. They deserve something nice."
Kirby looked at the cake in silence for a moment. Eventually, he responded, "I was looking for somewhere to eat. I don't have anyone to sit with..."
"Say no more," the king replied. "You can sit with me. I had just finished a chess match anyway and came in for some tea."
The puffball began to grin. "I want soda pop! Do we have any?"
"I'm sure we do," Dedede answered with a thoughtful expression. "Come along then."
The king lead the eager puff to one of the many rooms near the outer walls of the castle. These rooms were open to staff and guests, and most had a balcony with a gorgeous view of the landscape and the ocean in the distance. The king visited them often, sometimes having tea with servants accompanied by a game of chess. He was not the brightest of men, but few could best his skills in a chess match. Kirby stepped out onto the balcony and hopped into a chair. The king sat opposite of him, setting the chess board on the small table between them. He offered to teach Kirby how to play, though the boy did not pay attention very long. Chess is stupid. His grin had faded away as his thoughts from before returned full force. The king's company was decent, but not what he really wanted. What he wanted was something he dare not asked his father for twice. However, the need to share his feelings grew stronger.
A Waddle Dee eventually wandered in with a tray baring a tea set. Another Dee was quick to serve them. Dedede thanked them, patting their heads as their eyes sparkled with delight. Kirby stared blankly at the bubbles in his drink. The servants scuttled off to find more work to do, leaving the two alone.
"It's not enough," Kirby mumbled after a brief moment of silence.
The king set his cup down, wearing a saddened expression. "What do you mean? Do you want something to eat?"
"No," the puffball whined impatiently. "It's more than that! It's not just the food, or games, or any of those things!" He had not planned on talking about it to anyone, but if anyone would listen or help, it would definitely be Dedede.
King Dedede wore a thoughtful expression for a moment before taking a guess at the child's problem. "Are you feeling left out, Kirby? It's unfortunate that there aren't any more children here for you to play with, but there are villages with schools not too far away. I'm sure you could find some friends there."
"It's not about friends," Kirby argued further. "I have friends. I just..." He paused, looking down into his cup as if to find reassurance there.
The king put on a warm smile. "You can tell me anything, Kirby. Everyone in the castle is my family, and if something bothers you, you should tell me so I can fix it."
That was it. That was the word he was looking for all morning. Kirby sat up straighter in his seat. "That's just it... I want a family. A real family that stays together all the time! Daddy says he doesn't want anyone else, but there's no one there for me when he's busy! I want somebody to play with me, eat meals with me, and do... you know... family stuff with me!" His smile returned as his imagination took hold of him. "Like going on picnics, or reading story books, or sparring with sticks, or going to the beach!"
"That's a wonderful dream," the king agreed. "I think it would be wonderful for you to have such a constant positive influence. It would be good for Meta Knight, too. He's always so tense and buried in his work. I'm sure he can find a better half out there somewhere. So many new people have been coming here; maybe the perfect match will show up to the castle someday soon."
Kirby was ecstatic now, barely able to sit still now that someone understood and agreed with him. "Really? You think so?"
"Of course!" The king laughed and took a sip of his tea. "There's happiness out there for everyone! I'm sure you and Meta Knight can find the perfect addition to your family. You know that they will be welcome here with open arms!"
After a giggle of delight, Kirby gulped down his soda and ran for the door. The king heard a barely audible "thank you" which warmed his heart. Kirby was in high spirits now. Ideas were forming in his head, ideas of a whole family and future of fun. But who will I pick? That was a hard question. It could not be just anyone. They had to be a perfect fit! He needed someone who would play with him and do whatever Meta Knight asked them to do. Dreamland is full of people... Who would be the most fun? Who would be the most interesting? Who would Daddy like the most?
Then it struck him as the king's words echoed through his mind.
"So many new people have been coming here; maybe the perfect match will show up to the castle someday soon."
"So many new people have been coming here."
New people.
Kirby knew of three new people living at the castle now.
Why pick one when he can have three?
The singularity was lonely. There were no kin to share Songs with. The creatures on this new-star had no voice, communicating only by pushing sounds from their bodies into the air. They understood, but the words were tasteless and dry. They did not sing the way Songs where meant to be sung, the way of ancient times. The being waited in agonizing silence for a Song to call it home, but no rhythm spoke to it. Kin did not call. Creator did not call. It could only wait, feeling the energies of all things rush around its form as time continued to flow towards the Infinite.
It did not like the caves, but the caves were dark. The dark was safer than the sun, which burned so hot and bright. This star was not a good-star. It was dangerous, silent, and strange. The being wanted to go to the home-star, the taken-star, but Bad-Things took the home-star. Then the Bad-Things chased all the kin away. The Family lived in space now, the cold and dark. The empty but full. The living and dead. Their eyes saw everything, recorded all, and kept the Time safe. The Time was broken. The Creator made the kin to fix it. When not-kin die, the kin fix the Time that is broken. Not-kin do not know this. They would not understand. The Old-Bad-Things would frighten them too much.
New waves of energy moved above. The energy was different than the beings of the new-star. There were four, and they traveled with haste. I feel Songs! They are weak. Are they hurt? It does not feel like kin... The Songs are strange. There is no order. There was curiosity. The being crept out of the dark caves, leaving the soft shadows behind to explore the surface.
-
A band of knights was taking a break during their patrol of the islands. Several groups had settled down together, enjoying the shade after having explored most of the islands. They had seen no signs of trouble or their new allies. There was only a small section left to check near the boss's lair in the clouds above the islands. No one had the energy to go up there yet, and if Meta Knight was not there watching, they were going to take a break. The sun was brutal, especially up in the clouds with no protection. Granted, they all wore armor, but they absorbed all the heat and roasted the wearer. Three Axe Knights, two Trident Knights, and five Mace Knights were laying semi-contently in the shade, some chatting about their travels.
One Axe Knight sat against a tree next to a Mace Knight while staring up at the clouds. The sun was still high, but plenty of time had already been wasted with no results to report to Meta Knight. Having nothing to say was even worse than bad news. He knew they needed to find something before returning. Meta Knight ruled this land, unbeknownst to the actual king. All the knights knew this. He was the one giving orders and watching every move of every creature. The knights knew well that he would gladly make their lives miserable (or considerably shorter) if they stepped out of line. It was a hard life and an unpleasant one. Had it always been this way? No, I don't think so, the Axe Knight thought to himself. Years ago, knights held no more importance or significance than a Waddle Dee. They were common and in every way ordinary. Then Meta Knight just... popped into existence. He changed everything in a day, shaping the world into his image of perfection.
The Mace Knight nudged him lightly, jarring him from his darkening thoughts. "Hey, Dmitry. You've been staring at the sky like you've seen an angry spirit."
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. It's not important," the Axe Knight quickly replied to their friend. "Sorry for ignoring you, Yulian."
A scream of terror interrupted them. The two immediately stood up and searched for their companions. The other eight knights were trembling in front of the most bizarre creature Dmitry had ever seen in his life. The black creature was almost twice their size and wearing some sort of traditional cape and utility belt, a glowing sword hanging down from it. The spikes on its head twitched as a single eye studied them intensely. No creature like this exists on Popstar... Small sounds could be heard coming from it, a series of short clicks, growls, and screechy chattering that left all who heard it feeling weaker and somewhat dizzy.
A horrified Axe Knight stuttered, "Wh-what is that thing?!"
A brave but sometimes foolish Trident Knight readied her weapon. "It's easier to act first and ask questions later. That thing looks absolutely evil."
With her trident aimed at the monster, she charged forward. The group protested as she neared her target and plunged her weapon into the chest of the beast. Suddenly, she was face down in the dirt. The Trident Knight and her weapon had gone right through it, not even touching it. The creature began to back away from the larger group, its chattering getting faster and higher in pitch. Everyone immediately paused to cover their ears. The noise was dreadful and strangely mind-numbing. Dmitry watched the creature in horror as it picked up the Trident Knight, observing her carefully. He was sure that it would eat her or kill her while the others were immobilized.
"Y-you stop this!" She screamed at the creature. "Put me down, and go away! B-before we kill you!"
The creature grew quieter and tilted its head ever so slightly. It put her down gently. They all stared in silence as the creature seemed to calm down and lose interest in them. The eye darted around the area before settling on the cloud world above them. The creature flew up soundlessly, leaving the knights both relieved and puzzled. They each exchanged a terrified look as the numbness faded. Would this be a good report or a bad one?
-
The clouds hanging low above the islands were cool and comforting. Taranza enjoyed being up in the sky like this, much more so than the others. Magolor grew increasingly nervous, and both Marx and Galacta Knight had fallen into a stubborn silence. He wished that they would at least try to get along. The spider was quickly distracted again as the group continued on their journey to their next goal: Butter Building. He could not suppress a smile while thinking of the all the food-related names. Taranza found it as amusing as it was adorable, though his companions did not hold that sentiment.
The bright fluffy clouds were occasionally broken up by towers leading back down the the islands and some small rounded buildings that looked a bit like houses. How one could build a house on clouds was a mystery to him, but they were interesting nonetheless. Without much thought, Taranza would occasionally peek inside. Most were empty, though there was the occasional food item which he would leave alone. We pick things up sometimes, but this might be someone's house. I don't want to take things from a house.
"Yo, T! Hurry up!" Marx's irritated voice called back to him.
Taranza called back as he looked around an empty room one more time, "I'm coming!"
He rushed out of the dainty little house he was exploring and noted that his friends were ahead of him, talking about something. Taranza was about to join them when one of his eyes caught a glimpse of something dark behind him. He turned around quickly, trying to find what it was. Where did it go?
"Hello? Hello? Where did you go?"
After the last word left his lips, a dark shape barely peeked out from behind the building. A single red eye was staring at him blankly (he assumed it was blankly). It was wearing some manner of foreign clothes and making some strange sounds. It sounds like grumbling and... music? Among the hazy chatter was the distinct sound of something musical. Vocal or instrumental, he could not tell. Taranza approached the creature without another thought.
"Hello! Is this your house? I didn't touch anything there. I promise." He grinned as he went right up to the creature, ignoring personal space as usual. "I'm Taranza! Nice to meet you! What's your name? Why are you singing? You sound weird."
The creature tilted it's head and emitted a high-pitched sound that reminded Taranza of a violin that needed to be properly tuned. Buried underneath the strange sounds, he could almost make out a few words, but they were lost in the music and chattering. The spider put two pairs of hands on his hips and gave the creature an annoyed look.
"I couldn't understand that at all! Can you use words, please? And you haven't told me your name yet!"
The other party seemed more interested in watching Taranza than trying to clarify. It hovered in place for the most part, occasionally moving in a circle around him. The spider did not need to move to see what they did, given that he had four eyes in front and back. It seemed to be only curious. The thing was certainly odd, but it did not seem dangerous either. Maybe it just wants a friend? He brightened at the idea, and his bright smile returned.
"If you can't tell me your name, I'll just give you one!" He paused only a short moment. "It should be something nice, like... waffles! Everyone loves waffles! I'll call you Mr. Waffle: my new friend!"
He reached up a hand to pat the creature's spiky head, finding it surprisingly smooth. His self-proclaimed friend did not protest, its eye crinkling slightly in amusement. I can't wait to show everyone else! They'll love this! I'm sure of it, Taranza thought to himself. They could use some good news. Maybe that would put his tense friends at ease as they continued to search for the Star Rod pieces.
-
The being watched as Theraphosidae continued to speak and bounce with excitement. It was one of the most unusual not-kin it had ever seen. Not only could it hear the Songs (somewhat), but it was unafraid. It did not fear as all others feared. It was even brave enough to touch them and present them with a gift-title. It was strange but not unpleasant. Contact was reassuring, even if it came from not-kin.
The creature poked them to get its attention. "Mr. Waffle, come meet my friends! They're over there!"
It recognized the gift-title again, wondering if this was common practice for not-kin. The being decided to go along with it. Kin had no need for titles. They knew each other by mind-touch. They were all bound together as Family. It deduced that not-kin simply could not do this and gave gift-titles to each other as a substitute. It came to the conclusion that it must call the Theraphosidae something to be fair. Unable to think creatively, they decided to call the creature what it was defined as by nature, its true name.
It poked the creature in the same manner it had a moment ago and tried to communicate as best as it could. "Theraphosidae."
The creature paused, eyes wide. Suddenly, it clapped its hands together, radiating good-energy. It was... "happy." It had heard the Songs properly this time. It grabbed a corner of their robes and pointed ahead of them. In the distance, there was a group of three very different creatures. Shouldn't not-kin be with their own kin? There was no mistake. Theraphosidae lead the being closer to the creatures. As they neared, it studied them closer in curiosity.
It naturally focused on Felidae first. Its head was clasped by the Danger-Claws, one of the Old-Bad-Things. It almost panicked, but the being relaxed upon realization that its bad-energies were dormant and focused on the host-creature. It was small, wrapped in mixed energies. It was strong but also afraid. They had not seen Felidae from the Fire in a long time. The Fire was a taken-star, too. Next, they focused on Bovidae, the smallest creature. Its defining features were hidden by color-cloths, and the air around it shook with energy. It was a fierce beast with anger hiding good-energy deep within. It stayed closer to Felidae than the other creature. Finally, there was Avialae, the oldest. It's energies were smoother than the others, more in tune with itself. Deep within were tones of the worst pain: loss. The being pitied Avialae. Their beings were singing the same Song. Its fears had been correct. More than the Family were in danger of the Bad-Things.
All three stiffened when the being drew closer. Their energies rose to the same frequency, sending Songs of fear through the air that only the being could feel. Felidae backed away while the others prepared to defend themselves. Instincts caused the being to emit Songs of Calming in order to avoid conflict. It would not dare fight so close to the Claws. It feared the Claws and anything strong enough to use it. The Song caused Bovidae to stagger, and Availae fell to their feet. They could not hear properly. Felidae did not move, unaffected.
Theraphosidae flew between them all. "Guys, don't fight! Please!"
"What... is that thing?!" Bovidae hissed dangerously, revealing sharp fangs.
"Don't talk like that," the first creature interrupted, "You'll upset Mr. Waffle!"
Availae struggled to stand and held themselves up with a weapon. "I know a Dark Matter when I see one... We need to run!"
"But..." Theraphosidae looked down, Songs of Despair wafting through the air. "He didn't do anything to me earlier... and he hasn't done anything to me or Magolor... I think he's lost. Can't we keep him? Please?"
Too much conflict. The being was aware that all were now displeased. It had been curious to see these not-kin, but that feeling was gone now. These creatures were strange and dangerous. I should leave. The not-kin are dangerous. They have the Danger-Claws. The Claws came from Evil and Old-Bad-Things. I do not want to be around those. I must leave them. The being would have liked to study them further but declared the risk too great.
They all paused when the being gave Theraphosidae a pat on the head similar to what it had done to them earlier. The creature was happy again, but that changed when they turned to leave. The being heard the creature call out before it descended into the clouds.
"G-goodbye, Mr. Waffle! Be careful! Come visit us! Write to us! Watch out for grumpy knights!"
A Song of Despair. One of many. There was sympathy and empathy. The being would find them again. It would watch out for the Claws. If the Claws had been found, the other Old-Bad-Things from Evil might have been found as well.