Author's Note: I've decided that whenever an important event happens in the story, I'll post links to the music corresponding with the event in parentheses. So listen to it when it pops up, it makes the story seem more dramatic.

"Kirby!"

Kirby was marching up the road with his animal friends. Fumu raced towards Kirby. She grabbed him and squeezed him in a tight hug. Bun and Gooey followed.

"See sis. I told you he could handle it." Bun crossed his arms and smirked.

"I knew that. Don't be stupid." Fumu puffed her cheeks.

"It's not over yet. We still have one more place to go." Coo pointed over at the dark castle.

"Oh Kirby, I thought you might have been doomed for a moment there!" Gooey bounced to Kirby.

"Kirby okay, poyo." Kirby reassured everyone. Then glanced to the castle. He knew what he had to do. They all knew what had to be done.

"Kirby, just promise me you'll be careful." Fumu looked at Kirby in the eyes.

"Kirby promise, poyo." Kirby smiled, then headed towards the ominous castle that was once their home.
Fumu didn't want to let him go, but if he didn't do something who would?

(watch?v=cOlCCc-_2sg)

Kirby and friends approached the drawbridge that was still sealed shut. Kirby held out the six Rainbow Drops. The drawbridge slowly creaked open and the quartet stormed inside. They needed to find the last Rainbow Drop, but where was it?

The group then noticed tiles on the floor. One was of Spark Kirby, then Flame, then Ice. They headed down the hall where the tiles were pointing at. Inside was a room with copy abilities. Kirby chose the Spark ability.

"Of course. The doors will open depending on the order of the copy abilities." Coo understood the puzzle.

Kirby approached the door and it opened revealing the next room. Kirby chose the Flame ability. The next room he chose the Ice ability.

The final room revealed a chest like the ones they saw before. The seventh Rainbow Drop. Kirby held it expectantly. Nothing happened. Wasn't something supposed to happen when they were all together? Regardless, they continued on their way through the castle.

It was frightening the way the castle had changed. The once bright windows were now in gloom. The halls were now dark and deserted. It looks like the castle has been left for ten years rather than a few days. Kirby could only wonder where Dedede was.

The group reached the balcony to find Dedede waiting for them.

"Dedede okay, poyo!" Kirby rushed to the now awake king only to be bopped on the head with his hammer. Then Kirby glanced into the king's eyes. No emotion, no reaction, no life in them at all. Dedede raised his hammer again. Kirby dodged and ran behind Dedede cowering.

(watch?v=HPmYIFEuSPQ)

Dedede jumped up, attempting to step on Kirby. Kirby didn't want to fight him, but it would seem that's his only choice. Kirby inhaled a star and hurled it at Dedede. The penguin fell over, but rose back up to his feet. It was like Dedede wasn't in control of himself. As if the poor king were being tugged by strings similar to a puppet.

Kirby inhaled another star when Dedede lunged for Kirby. It hit the penguin once again. The king was beginning to get angry and threw his hammer at the pink puffball in his blind rage.
Kirby dodged the hammer and hurled another star. This only made the king angrier, slamming his hammer on the ground sending shock waves. Kirby hurled one final star. The king slumped onto the ground in defeat, his foot twitching every few seconds.

Suddenly, the Rainbow Drops began to glow. They floated in the air then joined together to form a sword of vibrant colors. The Rainbow Sword. Fumu, Bun, and Gooey raced to the balcony to find Kirby and the king. Then Dedede's body began glowing a dark color. A black being with one eye floated out of Dedede and into the dark cloud above them. The Rainbow Sword dragged Kirby along with the creature.

Bun stared at Fumu.

"Bun, don't you even-"

"I was right! It was possession!"

"That doesn't mean anything! Kirby's in danger!" Fumu yelled in defense.

If Gooey had fingernails, he would be biting them in suspense and worry.

Kirby and the creature were ascending into the starry skies. The creature now took the form of a swordsman with long spiky black hair, wearing a tan coat and cape.

"Who are you, poyo? What wrong with Dedede poyo?" Kirby frowned.

"I am Dark Matter." it spoke. It's voice sounded distorted and monotone.

"What trying to do to Dreamland?!" Kirby shouted.

"It's simple really. Domination. This land was so peaceful and quiet, it was too easy. A land with a king that doesn't have any respect or admiration from his subjects. Who would care?"

How could Dark Matter speak of taking away a person's free will so lightly? Maybe Dark Matter didn't have much free will to begin with.

"So, what will it be little Star Warrior? Will you step down and accept defeat from your obviously more experienced opponent, or will you oppose me?"

Kirby swung the Rainbow Sword at Dark Matter, sparks flying as it was swung against his face plate.

"I thought that would be your answer. I will show no mercy. I cannot feel such emotion as pity."

(watch?v=Cz1BVfc9HJg)

Dark Matter swung his sword at Kirby, a black sphere heading his direction. Kirby redirected the sphere towards the swordsman, taking damage from the attack. Dark Matter rushed forward with his sword. Kirby maneuvered out of the way.

The pink puffball swung his sword across the dark swordsman's face. Dark Matter sent a dark sphere towards the Star Warrior. Kirby redirected the attack once again. Dark Matter swung his sword, releasing small beams from it. Kirby dodged with ease and redirected another dark sphere.

Dark Matter gave a soft cry and disappeared in a puff of smoke. In the swordsman's place was a round black creature with one large orange eye with a ring of small orange spheres around it's body. Kirby thought it almost looked like a sunflower. An evil sunflower.

Suddenly, Kirby felt a sinking feeling. Both of them were slowly descending back to Popstar.

(watch?v=D6QzebilKDo)

"Ugh. You idiotic puffball!" It bellowed, finally showing emotion. "You've reduced me to my true form, but no matter. I may fall, but I'm taking you with me." Dark Matter regained his composure and flung four orange orbs at Kirby. The Star Warrior sent them back with ease. Dark Matter repeated his attack with Kirby flinging them back.

Dark Matter fired dark beams in a circular motion, then charged towards Kirby. The pink puffball swung the Rainbow Sword at Dark Matter. They were falling faster than before. Dark Matter sent a black laser beam from his eye. The young Star Warrior dodged again.

The dark being flung the orange orbs again. Kirby redirected them again, this time severely wounding it. They were falling faster towards the surface. Kirby's stomach did flips as their descent intensified.

Dark Matter lunged towards Kirby one final time. The Star Warrior swung his sword, then Dark Matter's eye widened.

"He said… this was supposed…to be easy…I've been…defeated by a child…you were…supposed to be felled…with me…" Dark Matter evaporated into a black substance.

Kirby was still falling at an alarming pace. He couldn't do anything. The pink puffball slowly felt himself losing consciousness.

There was a bright flash of light that could be seen from Popstar. The last Rainbow Bridge was restored. All the Rainbow Bridges began to glow, signaling that they were complete once again. The dark cloud had vanished along with Dark Matter.

"But where's Kirby?" Fumu thought desperately.

Dedede had managed to stand up, and looked towards the sky. Everyone looked up with him.

"KIRBY!" Fumu yelled, seeing the puffball's rapid descent.

(watch?v=s0S5UHxIqQA)

Kirby's eyes blinked open, then grabbed the Rainbow Sword that was falling with him. Kirby flew over the sky, sword in hand. He waved at his friends before landing on the castle balcony, completely unharmed.

"Kirby!" He was trapped in a hug by Fumu, Bun, Gooey, Rick, Coo, and Kine. Kirby was happy to get such positive attention, but he couldn't help but wiggle free and make his way towards Dedede.

"Kirby just saved you! You owe him a thank you!" Fumu growled at the king.

Dedede looked at the smiling puffball, holding his stubs out for him.

"No one else would have saved me if you hadn't…so I guess I should say…" Kirby's smile grew with each word.

"Thaaaaaaa- Clean up this mess you idiot!" Dedede stomped off flustered.

"Ugh. So ungrateful. He owes Kirby a thank you and an apology!" Fumu stomped her foot.

Bun chuckled. "Speaking of apologies sis, you owe me one."

"What do I have to apologize for?!" Fumu denied, then ran back inside the castle.

Kirby wasn't upset by Dedede's reaction at all. He knew that deep down, the king was very thankful towards him. He was just bad with expressing such feelings.

One week later, almost everything was as if the Dark Matter incident had never happened. Fumu and her family, along with Escargon and the Waddle Dees had moved back into the castle. Gooey's fishing business had went over very well with the town. Gooey even had a house next to the river now. Rick, Coo, and Kine went to their respective homes on the Rainbow Islands, but promised to visit Kirby soon.

Kirby was doing as well as ever. He walked into his home after a long day of playing in the town. Then he saw something on his table. It was a watermelon with a note attached.

It said, "I know I didn't properly thank you, so um yeah. Here's your thank you. Just because I gave you a watermelon doesn't mean I like you or anything! - DDD" Kirby couldn't really read all of it, but he saw Dedede's signature so he knew who it was. He knew Dedede really did care, but now he had a note to prove it.

After eating his watermelon dinner, Kirby crawled under the covers of his bed ready for a good night's rest.

"I…I'm ashamed of my failure."

"I…I'll succeed at the next planet…"

"No…you are not to be assigned any more mission by yourself."

"I…I know I can prevail! If that pink Star Warrior hadn't-"

"Are you questioning my orders?"

"No…no never…"

"Experimentation and observation…that is what we do. If we can not succeed at such a goal, what purpose do we have? Now…we are going to strive for another experiment…"

"I understand…I follow your orders without hesitation."

Author's Note: The first arc is finished with another one coming soon. I bet all of you are wondering why the story is updated so fast. That is because I already have 13 chapters on my deviantart account. So I might as well keep this account up to date. Dedede is being so tsundere. Remember, review or Dark Matter may come by for a visit!