Chapter 3: The Last Place to Check

In space, N. Six and Sir Falspar are searching throughout the universe for Nightmare. (A/N: I don't care what you say about this defiance of space physics; it can happen in Kirby!) They have looked all over the universe for nearly a half hour, yet they have not found Nightmare. "Where didn't we check," asks N. Six.

"We didn't get to..." Sir Falspar is shocked they didn't think of this before. "...Popstar."

"He has to be there! Popstar's a bit far away, so let's go!"

They fly away, with Gabriella, until something blocks their path: a large ship, with bat wings and a cannon.

It's...the Halberd!

"What's the holdup," N. Six asks angerly.

"It's the Halberd!"

N. Six and Sir Falspar immediately disappear with Gabriella still in their clutches.

Sir Dragato and Meta Knight immediately go to find where they went.

At Popstar, N. Six and Sir Falspar get there before SD and MK do. "Where on Popstar should we look?"

"First, Dreamland."

They immediately rush to find Dreamland.

On the Halberd, Sir Dragato and MK are flying as fast as they can be, but alas, no N. Six or Sir Falspar in sight. "How can we get them," exclaims Sir Dragato.

"I think I can help."

They turn around to see someone unfamiliar behind them. "Who are you," asks MK.

This person is a light blue puffball with a mask like MK's with two fang-like gaps in the area of the mask that shows the eyes, which are blue-gray. He also has black, pointed shoulder pads somewhat like Meta Knight's, green feet, the light-gray top part of the cape with rips almost exactly like the gaps in his mask, and the actual part of the cape is normal gray with no rips what so ever. He says to them, "I am Sir Hatchet." He shows his hatchet, which is a gray weapon with a light blue blade. "I have come from Halcandra."

"How can you help?"

"I can help by locating their location."

"Where are they," asks Sir Dragato, "I mean, Sir Falspar and N. Six."

Sir Hatchet then says back, "They're on Popstar, searching for Nightmare. We have to get there ASAP." He then begins to give orders. "Sir Meta Knight, stay at the Halberd's controls! Sir Dragato, stay by the radar. I will guard the ship."

Meta Knight and Sir Dragato obey the commands, and Sir Hatchet guards the ship. Within three minutes...

"I spot Popstar," Sir Dragato exclaims.

"Very good," Sir Hatchet says back. "Land the ship!"

MK does so, carefully landing on the enormous star, and all three rush out of the Halberd.

"One more thing."

MK and Sir Dragato turn to Sir Hatchet. "What is it," asks Sir Dragato.

Sir Hatchet tells them in a serious voice. "You are mistaken at the fate Gabriella will be given."

"What do you mean?"

"She is not planned to be Nightmare's underling."

Both MK and Sir Dragato are surprised. "Then what will she be used for," asks MK.

"She will be used for a more...horrific use."

"What is it?"

"...Nightmare actually intends to create demons using the power of her heart. He will rip Gabriella's heart right out of her, killing her, and use the power hidden inside to create more powerful demons than any Star Warrior before us has ever seen."

That is indeed horrific. That's the only thing Meta Knight and Sir Dragato have their minds set on right now.

Sir Hatchet begins to speak once again. "Gabriella has more power than any Star Warrior in this universe, even more than the young Star Warrior Kirby. No one knows for sure how much power is stored inside her. However, there are two people know: Me and, unfortunately, Nightmare."

"How do you know this," asks Sir Dragato.

"Sir Dragato, do you remember when I used to come by your house?"

"Yes."

"I would sometimes visit to see Gabriella and her alone. I then quickly found out how much power she really had. I was able to see it, because she is more mature than most children her age. However, Nightmare found out as well. Not even I know how he found out, but he knows her power. He also found out that Gabriella's power is stored mainly in her heart. I didn't know this until I overheard Nightmare say that. I heard him saying it to someone I had no relation with."

"How did you overhear Nightmare say that?"

"That is not to be discussed. We must find Necro Six and Sir Falspar first."

"Right."

All three of them run after N. Six and Sir Falspar to save Gabriella.

N. Six and Sir Falspar, with Gabriella still in their grasp, are searching Dreamland. "Dang," N. Six exclaims. "I thought he was here!"

Sir Falspar is looking, when he spots the demon beast Sushi. "Necro, look."

N. Six looks, and he knows Nightmare is nearby. "Nightmare is near! Continue looking!"

They continue looking, and then they spot the demon beast Sushi.

"Sushi! Nightmare must be around here somewhere!"

They take a few steps, and then they hear a voice.

"Is there someone looking for me?"

It's Nightmare. N. Six puts on an evil grin.

MK, SD, and SH are looking everywhere. "They're nowhere," Sir Dragato exclaims.

"No," says Sir Hatchet. "He's here." He points to his right, and they begin to go in that direction.

They then hear a voice. "Stop where you are, Star Warriors."

It's N. Six, and when the three warriors look up, there's Nightmare, N. Six to his right and Sir Falspar to his left.

"Nightmare," says Sir Hatchet.

Nightmare laughs. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Sir Meta Knight, Sir Dragato, and-" He sees Sir Hatchet and is very confused. "...Sir Hatchet?"

"Meta Knight isn't the only one who survived the war."

Sir Dragato and MK look at each other, then at Nightmare.

Sir Hatchet then says, "I escaped before I could be killed. I then had to fend for myself, and today, I may have been forgotten, but I am not dead."

Nightmare looks at N. Six and says to him, "Get Gabriella."

"Yes."

He gets Gabriella and gives her to Nightmare. She is struggling to free herself from the ropes that bind her. "Finally. I have Gabriella, Sir Dragato's daughter." He carefully takes the ropes and unwinds them. He then looks at N. Six. "Necro Six."

N. Six turns to Nightmare and asks, "Yes?"

"You have done good. You have brought me the daughter of Sir Dragato, and I realize something now."

"What?"

He looks at N. Six. "You are his son." Nightmare shoots N. Six with a dark lazer, killing him instantly.

Sir Dragato and Gabriella gasp as Nightmare removes N. Six's impaled body from the spear and crushes it in his hand, releasing the power held withing N. Six. "He was already at his last life, nothing more now than a body."

N. Six's crushed body falls to the ground, but everyone ignores it as anger and fear rise between the two forces. "As for you, Gabriella..." He points the spear gun at her. "...The same fate will not be given to yo-"

She wriggles out of his hand, jumps onto the hand, and manages to attack Nightmare with a great blow. She jumps down onto the ground and goes into the starting fray of the fight.

Sir Dragato, Meta Knight, Sir Hatchet, and Sir Falspar all get their weapons ready to fight.

Nightmare is shocked as he realizes that Sir Falspar is betraying him. "Sir Falspar! I thought-"

"That was only because Necro Six and I were friends. However, you killed him, and I can't forgive you for that."

Though, Sir Falspar never realized how evil Necro Six was in the first place.

All four them go to fight Nightmare, who is also ready to begin the brawl. Gabriella backs away, and when she looks from behind, she sees one more running to the scene: Kirby. She doesn't say anything in order to make sure Kirby gets to fight. "Poyo!"

Kirby jumps into the crowd and fights.

Everyone backs away, because they know Kirby can fight. When the pink fluff sees a warp star, he sucks it up, giving him the Star Rod ability. "Poyo!" He rises into the air and points the Star Rod at Nightmare.

"No," he exclaims, "not the Star Rod!"

"Poyo!"

Gabriella steps in. "This is what you get for everything you have done!"

She sees MK's golden blade, Galaxia, and rushes to it. She grabs it from MK and jumps into the air as the sword's blade forms. Her eyes go on fire.

Everyone at this point is shocked that she can wield the golden blade. She is only 8! For sure, she should've been electrocuted!

Nightmare is the most astounded of all. All he is thinking is, "How can such a small girl be able to wield such a powerful sword?!"

"Sword beam!" She uses the sword beam of the Galaxia and throws it at Nightmare, and he gets hit by it with powerful force.

Nightmare gives out a cry that could only be described as agony. "No! I will not be defeated! You will not...!" He then cries out once again, and he disappears into dust. He is finally dead once again.

Gabriella comes back to the ground, and she still has a tight grip on the Galaxia. However, she is not as happy as she should.

Her body aches all over. Her body is not used to the Galaxia's immense power at all. She can hear her own heart beat and her own breathing. A distant voice asks, "Gabriella? Are you OK?" However, she cannot answer.

She then lets go of the Galaxia, and she closes her eyes, feeling her body's condition deteriorate quickly. She falls over to the ground, and she is not moving.

The others immediately rush to her. Her father is especially frantic. "Gabriella?! Are you alive?!"

Turns out she is alive, but on the brink of death. For now, she is comatose.