I really have no clue why it took me almost two weeks to finish this chapter. I think it was just the combo of not being motivated along with school being school, and I even considered just scrapping the whole thing. But, I got it done! Please enjoy!
-Joost

Out There In The Dark
Chapter 11: Crafter of the Curse

Far away from the planet Pop Star, rested an unnamed world. It lay just on the opposite end of the star system Pop Star and many other places resided in. Uninhabited and uncharted, it existed safely from the eyes of malevolent forces or the unhealthy habits of civilization.

On this planet, there was a slight hint of darkness, however. His name was Gooey. Gooey, the rogue piece of Dark Matter that was different from all the rest, traveled around, on a somewhat personal journey. He went around aimlessly, enjoying the sights.

Gooey wandered around the breezy, autumn forest, encapsulated by the nature. The planet he found himself on was far beyond anything he could've imagined. The chirps of birds up in the trees, the soft buzz of busy bees, and the gentle rustle of leaves.

The supposed 'last of his kind', Gooey, was here because he simply wished to discover the point of himself. The reason for his own existence. He knew what Dark Matter was, but what perplexed him and many of his friends was that he was so different. He held no malice towards others, no distaste for happiness, none of the qualities so often associated with the darkness.

For the past couple of years, Gooey had just went from planet to planet, exploring, taking in the beauty of the universe he called home. The trips through space were lonely and bleak, but not beyond what he was used to. A little part of himself told him that it was the way things had to be, that Dark Matter was meant to be alone. That thought process always stuck with him, like a disease.

Now, Gooey was not quite alone. Deep down, he knew that there were far more pieces of the darkness lingering. It'd be nigh impossible for them to be wiped out, but it wasn't a good thing. There'd always be a threat to the universe and the life within it, somewhere out there in the dark.

But then, Gooey's train of thought derailed. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a leaf that was unlike the rest. The ones around it were varied in color, red, orange, yellow. But this one was dull grey. He approached it carefully, unsure if he was the cause.

Out of nowhere, more leaves changed, their color draining out of them and into the ground. Gooey's eyes darted around in fear, hating to see all the beauty wash away. He took flight, the orange petals sprouting out from his back. He watched with horror as the whole forest was stripped of its color.

From the sky, Gooey found the true culprit. A massive wormhole, gaping from the horizon. A harsh beam of light poured out, sapping away all the colors of the planet. When it passed over the little blue blob, it sucked his hue away from him, his body becoming a pale-white statue.

"Stop!" A voice came from nearby. A sentient paintbrush zipped through the sky and towards the rapidly closing portal.

Two hands appeared and extended down to intercept the brush, and it zigzagged away and out of their reach. They stretched further, and the painter was struck by the check, hurdling down to the ground.

Fortunately, Gooey, still suspended in midair, was in the way. The top of the brush's head slammed into him, the paint emitting from its hair revitalizing the wayward Dark Matter. His dark-blue color returned, and he quickly tumbled out of the sky alongside the brush.

The hands immediately stopped once Gooey was revived, stunned by his presence. They quickly retreated, but the paintbrush was not pleased. Rising from the ground, it pursued the hands as they quickly escaped through the portal, making it just before it closed.

Gooey was left in a state of shock. His breathing accelerated and his heartbeat raced with blistering speed. He looked around the land, gasping at the new sight. Every ounce of color was gone, the world and all its fauna now frozen in time, all except for him.

Gooey felt privileged to have somehow survived the attack, but he knew what he had to do. Taking off into space, he left the planet, ready for the very long journey home. He didn't even know if he'd make it within the year, but he had to try.


It was a brisk, summer day in Dream Land. The little defender known as Kirby was relaxing in King Dedede's castle, just hanging out with his former rival. While he and Dedede used to be enemies in the past, they had put their differences aside many moons ago. Now, they were actually quite close, often joining each other to help Dream Land for the better.

"So I was at my doctors' the other day, right?" Dedede said, already in mid conversation with Kirby. "He was all like, 'Oh, Dedede, your health is terrible at the moment! A new diet should be able to help ya!'"

Kirby nodded, as did a few nearby Waddle Dees. The king had been telling jokes for the past few minutes, and the pink puffball was just waiting for the next amazing punchline.

"And so I said, 'If you wanna help me, hand me anotha' bag of them chips!'" Dedede finished, smiling broadly.

Kirby and the Waddle Dees burst into a fit on uncontrollable laughter. For some odd reason, they found the way the king said that sentence just unendingly hilarious. They chuckled for some time; the royal penguin happy he was able to make them giggle so hard.

Just then, the grand door that separated Dedede's chamber and the hallway opened. Bandana Waddle Dee, Kirby's old friend, came in, holding a pair of fishing rods.

"Poyo!" Kirby said, remembering that he had made plans for the afternoon. He quickly said his goodbyes and left with his friend, leaving Dedede a little sad.

Sometime later, Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee found a nice pond to set up. They sat close to the rim of the water, peering down into the blue oasis. It was fairly clear, the fish just able to be seen. Waddle Dee had converted his spear into a fishing rod, with Kirby retrieving his own from home.

For a few minutes, everything was perfectly tranquil, the gentle breeze riding down the hills across Dream Land, all the way to the east. After a couple of seconds, Kirby mistakenly pulled his lure up, thinking he already got a bite. Nothing. Bandana Waddle Dee just chuckled under his breath. Kirby cast the lure back into the pond, waiting another few seconds, but before he could pull it back again, Waddle Dee put his paw on Kirby's shoulder and shook his head.

Kirby soon elected to take a break from fishing, finding a plump, delectable apple hanging from a branch in a nearby tree. He went over and plucked it, his eyes wide and his mouth was watering.

But then, out of nowhere, something formed in the sky. A mouth of interstellar space, at first only as wide as a watermelon, quickly expanded, catching the eyes of all the happened to see it. Unfortunately, Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee were not among the lucky ones.

An incandescent light shined out from an unknown source and towards the land. Every single thing hit by the shining aura, its color was stolen away, being taken somewhere out of this dimension. When the beam drifted over Kirby, his friend, and even the apple, their color was taken as well, leaving them as frozen husks, akin to statues. When the siege was finally finished, all of the land in sight was white, leaving a bleached stain on the surface of Pop Star, even visible from outer space.

Everything was silent for a moment, until that paintbrush appeared, escaping the portal and flying out away from its pursuers. The wretched hands, their fingers threatening to capture the brush, reached out to grab it, but whiffed.

When the brush slowed down, it became briefly distracted by the now desolate world it found itself on. It gazed without eyes, yet it could see it all. The bleak, colorless shapes of what used to be nature, now suspended in time. At last, the brush decided to take on a more detailed form, using just a swish of paint from its hair to conjure features.

The brush, taking on a feminine appearance, looked around frantically as the hands began to close it, getting close and closer. She found that she landed between two former denizens and returned both the color and the life to them with just a smack of paint.

"Hey! H-Hello?! I need-" The living paintbrush never got to finish her plea, as the hands had arrived. They tried to grab her, but Kirby, acting quickly, jumped up and scooped the little lady into his arms and away.

With a new target in sight, the hands neared Kirby, but before they could lay a finger on him, Bandana Waddle Dee swatted at them with his spear, stabbing the thick, clay-like texture of its glove. They recoiled in pain, flying away and back to the portal, deeming their original plan no longer worth the effort.

"Oh! Th-Thank you so much! But…" The paintbrush pointed to the vast, faded landscape. Kirby took time to look around and gasped at the sight of his now uneatable apple. He rolled over to it and picked it up, feeling the stiff, bone-dry texture.

Kirby, knowing now everything he knew held the same fate as the apple, grew a harsh glint in his eyes. When the paintbrush bumped him on the head, he tore his gaze from the food and to her. She gestured desperately to the wormhole in the sky, seeing that it was getting smaller.

Of course, Bandana Waddle Dee immediately recognized the call to action. He turned to the brush and held his spear high. Kirby, on the other hand, swapped his eyes between the portal and his apple. He frowned and decided then and there to stop whoever was responsible for this madness. He rolled back to Waddle Dee, and the latter gave the paintbrush a smile.

With the confirmation, the rainbow lady painted a pathway to the portal, which Kirby promptly rolled up, Waddle Dee right behind him. Kirby simply felt like rolling because, if the cause of this was what he thought it was, he wanted to give them more of a fighting chance. Kirby found that his opponents often stood no match. From there, the intrepid heroes crossed the portal, entering yet another parallel universe, one built from a very talented crafter. It was only known as Seventopia.


Seventopia was a world just recently made, using all the color sapped from Dream Land. As a result, a number of the places Kirby, Bandana Waddle Dee, and the paintbrush known as Elline greatly resembled the country within Pop Star.

Throughout their journey, Kirby and Waddle Dee found out more about the history behind Seventopia and its creation, more specifically, how Elline related to it. Apparently, she had a hand in its creation, partially. It was mainly the product of the sculptor Claycia. Formerly a friend of Elline's, she had changed considerably over the past few days, her personality morphing to a type that could be described as 'totally selfish'.

Elline couldn't recognize Claycia anymore, and when the sculptor threatened to use Elline like a simple tool, she ran. In retaliation, Claycia sent two terrible limbs to capture her and bring her back. Those hands that seemed to have no end, able to stretch on for infinity.

As Kirby, Bandana Waddle Dee, and Elline ventured along Seventopia, the mystery behind Claycia remained as such. Elline never spoke of her, only writing down what she knew in her private diary, which she kept away from Kirby.

However, the time finally came for Kirby and his friends to face Claycia in her lair. The Purple Fortress, at the very top, was there she hid, the base surrounded by marble immortalized in her image. When Kirby, Waddle Dee, and Elline finally got to Claycia's chamber, all was silent, at least until the hands reappeared, soon bringing Claycia herself with them.

Claycia chuckled at the sight of the intruders, taking special note of Elline being alongside them. Her eyes examined and then rested on Kirby, a deep part of herself reeling at the sight of him. Something horrid with her recognized the pink puffball, and it quickly yearned for his defeat.

"Claycia!" Elline shouted, flying up to her old friend. "It's time to quit this chaotic dream! We're here to stop you!"

"Hmm… amusing…" Claycia said dully, swatting Elline away like she was nothing. Kirby hopped up to catch her, just like when they had met, and prepared to fight.

Claycia just chuckled once more and hovered upward. A sickly aura surrounded her, and she waved her hand in a taunting motion, signaling Kirby to make the first move. He did, but even when Elline used her paint to form a path so he could ram right into her, it did nothing. The mad sculptor just rummaged around in her pocket before finding a wad of clay, which she manipulated to her liking to create a spiked ball. With a gleeful wink, she chucked the weapon, and it hurdled right towards Kirby.

Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee had to wait for the spikes on the ball to retract so then they could bounce it straight back at Claycia. When they did, Elline was never so fast with her painting, and Kirby nearly soared along the path, straight into the ball.

Claycia was stunned instantaneously, and Kirby and Waddle Dee started wailing on her as fast as they could. When she returned to her senses, she teleported away and quickly made her Gray Zone appear. While Kirby was stuck in the Gray Zone, Elline was powerless to help him as Claycia created twin lasers on the ceiling of the arena. However, she could use her paint as a barrier against them.

Soon, the Gray Zone faded away, and Claycia used her materials to make another spiked ball, which she yet again tossed at Kirby. The same song and dance continued on for some time, Claycia being stunned, the wailing, and the summoning of the Gray Zone. When it finally grew to be too much, the pair of shades Claycia wore were thrown off, which caused the sculptor to fall to the ground moments later.

"AH! Claycia!" Elline quickly flew down Claycia, who was in a heap on the floor. The brush nudged her body repeatedly until she finally awoke, looking oddly confused.

"Oh… Wha-What happened here?" Claycia asked. Kirby tilted his head, a common habit for when he himself was confused, as Elline and Claycia embraced. They laughed wholeheartedly at the company of each other, bringing a smile to both Kirby and Waddle Dee.

"Y-You weren't being yourself, but I guess you're fine now!" Elline exclaimed, her words filled with joy. Before Kirby could celebrate the victory, the shades that rested just across from him and the others slowly came to life.

From the darkened glasses came an even darker cloud, but it quickly bled color and rounded out into a nimbus shape. Below the shades formed what looked like a mouth, but inside of it was a single eyeball. That's all it took for Kirby to go on alert, for he was in the presence of another member of the Dark Matter Clan.

The being of a matter most dark roared at Kirby and his friends with hostile intent, before remembering what the little pink Star Warrior was capable of. Instead, it flew off into the distance, making its escape expertly.

Elline quickly burst into tears, frustrated at the prospect of the nightmare never ending. Claycia, taking the initiative, calmed her friend down and explained.

"L-Look, we don't have much time! That… thing is a monster known as Dark Crafter!" Kirby gave Claycia his full attention when she said the name of the darkness. "He wants to steal all the colors from the universe in order to make his own paradise!"

"Poyo!" Kirby was determined to stop Dark Matter yet again, a task he'd found himself entangled in for what felt like eons now. It'd almost become his life's tragic purpose, to be the repellant of darkness.

Claycia then dug around in her pockets again to fetch the last remains of her stash of clay. She used it to make a decently sized canvas and gave a look of admiration to Elline. No words were said, but the pair of crafters came to an unspoken agreement, and Elline used her hair to whip up a rocket ship for Kirby.

Kirby puffed himself up and prepared to transform. When Elline painted over the little hero, he briefly took on the appearance of an old owl friend, before becoming Rocket Kirby, fit with the thrusters needed to catch up to Dark Crafter. He blasted off, leaving Claycia waving them goodbye, and good luck.


When Kirby met up with Dark Crafter, he wasted no time in attacking. He bounded backwards and shot a volley of mines out into space, which Kirby dodged nimbly while in his rocket form. Although, there were other things that Kirby dodged by accident, the Point Stars that he could use to Star Dash.

The Star Dash! It'd be perfect to use as a means to collide with Dark Crafter! When more approached, Kirby made sure to nab them all, aiming to get 100 so he could charge up. Once he did, he accelerated harshly, ramming into Dark Crafter. Peculiarly, some of Dark Crafter's color went with the attack, making him appear more saturated.

"You! You took my color!" Dark Crafter screamed with a booming voice. His eye scrunched down with an angered rage as he flew away. "What more can you take away from me, Kirby?!"

Deep inside the dark recesses of the crafter's mind, he thought about the rest of his clan. Dark Crafter was once just a simple trooper, branded with a black body, orange petals, and single, bloodshot eye. When Kirby exterminated Zero, he was one of the few troopers to successfully escape the collapsing Hyper Zone. He, alongside the little brethren that survived, went into hiding on a certain shivering star, hoping for some avenging angel to arrive and swoop them away to get their revenge.

That angel never came. 02 had passed them by when the time of Ripple Star's invasion occurred, never taking an interest in that snowy wasteland. Instead, the few stragglers disbanded, going out on their own, becoming unique. A disgusting, horrendous idea to the average trooper.

All because of that evil little pink thing, and that traitorous scamp. The traitor. Dark Crafter had a moment of clarity just then. That little blob that his hands encountered on that autumn planet. The one that the paintbrush revived. Gooey.

"Gooey…" Dark Crafter said out loud, malice lining his teeth.

Suddenly, Dark Crafter was torn from his train of thought by Kirby, who used another Star Dash to attack him. He roared in pain and started launching his mines at a faster rate and in circular patterns.

Kirby was starting to regret his decision of a personal handicap. If he had it in himself to fight with his full potential, Dark Crafter would be dead where he stood. Instead, Kirby kept letting Elline draw his path. He was content with it, as it was a path of personal justice for the paintbrush. For her friend.

More of Dark Crafter's color was swept away each time Kirby hit him. All it took was three hits, and the darkness was no more. The Dark Matter screamed in anger as bits and pieces of himself broke off and exploded, until it all went away in a fiery ball of destruction.

Claycia paced around, deep in distress. When she heard the faint flutter of fairy wings, she instantly perked up. Down came Elline, holding Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee. Claycia seemed overjoyed at their return, safe and sound.

"Poyo?" Kirby asked as Elline set him and Waddle Dee down. Claycia turned right around and scooped up some clay off the ground, contorting it into the shape of a star.

Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee looked ecstatic, and Elline painted the star yellow, transforming it into the Warp Star. The pink puffball and the spearheaded warrior hopped onto the interstellar vehicle and took off, Elline and Claycia right behind them, ready to return the color to Dream Land.