Parallels
Sectonia would never forget that night in her palace gardens. After all, that memory was her greatest treasure.
The day of her coronation was approaching, and Taranza, her personal assistant and best friend since childhood, had come to her call to assist her in writing the speech. Her true intentions, however, were quite different.
She had known for a long time what Taranza truly felt for her, and the still-young princess of Floralia had gradually realised that she felt the same way. However, there were still doubts in their hearts.
On the one hand, Taranza was kind of timid, and the difference in status between the two was not something that could be easily ignored. Sectonia was certain he loved her, but she also knew he was aware of the complications and troubles that would arise if they became an official couple, especially for her. He feared the reaction the high nobility of Floralia and Sectonia's own family would have if she decided to date someone of low status and how they would retaliate if they opposed their relationship. That was the reason she believed Taranza was never going to confess what he felt on his own.
On the other hand, Sectonia had found herself afraid of something for the first time in her proud life. What if she was mistaken? What if she had misread Taranza's feelings and he rejected her? She didn't want to ruin a lifelong friendship or lose him. And, of course, she also feared the humiliation that would result from such a rejection of her feelings.
Despite that, she had finally decided to put her fears and doubts aside and be the one to confess because she couldn't stand their stagnant relationship. Perhaps, in another dimension, Sectonia would have remained proud, and she would not have been the one to take the first step, waiting for Taranza to muster the courage to defy social norms. Or perhaps, in the end, her fear of not being reciprocated would have overcome her, and she would have decided that it was best to remain silent in order to avoid the shame. In any case, she'd already made up her mind, and it was pointless to consider other possibilities: she was going to confess that night, and nothing could stop her.
Once they finished reviewing the speech, Sectonia took Taranza to the castle's garden. They walked until they arrived at the spot where Sectonia's favourite flowers bloomed, and there she opened her heart to him. To her relief, he had done the same, but not before breaking down in tears of joy. Finally, they both melted into a kiss so passionate that they ended up lying on the grass, surrounded by the flowers.
Just as the kiss came to an end, a look of alarm crossed Taranza's face.
"But Sectonia, can we really do this? A queen and her personal assistant dating each other will be quite a scandal!"
"Well, let them talk and criticise. What good is a queen's title if she cannot choose her own happiness?" she chuckled, having expected that reaction to come much earlier.
Didn't your parents expect you to marry someone of high status, such as the son of one of Floralia's noble houses or a monarch of the lands below?"
"Oh, please. As if there was someone worthy of me among our snobbish nobility or in the lands below. You are the one I choose, Taranza," she assured him as she turned to him and grabbed his face with two of her hands. "It is you and only you who I want by my side when I become queen. I don't care if I have to fight my parents, Floralia's entire high society, the rulers of the lower lands, or even eNeMeE himself to be with you. I love you."
"And I love you too, my queen," he said with a warm smile. "If that's your wish, I promise I'll always be by your side."
They kissed again and forgot about the rest of the world. The only thing that mattered to the lovers that night was themselves and their union. They thought they'd have enough time to face the future, and so they decided to ignore their fears and doubts. They were blissfully unaware that that night would be their first and last as a couple. They were blissfully unaware that Floralia would burn the following day.
Sectonia shook her head. She didn't need to remember what happened next. She didn't want to tarnish that beautiful memory, which had been the only thing that had kept going all those years after everything she had lost. That, and the fact that Taranza's memory would live on as long as she did.
Therefore, seeing him lying on the ground had almost completely shaken her reality. However, the initial shock faded as soon as she remembered she was in another dimension and that the person standing before her was not Taranza. Well, in a way, he was. He had the same name, the same body, and the same soul. But, at the same time, and as contradictory as it sounded, that Taranza was a different person. The fact that he was alive was proof enough.
Sectonia deduced from what the other said when he saw her that something bad had also occurred in the Floralia of that world, but the life that fate had claimed there had been hers rather than his. Yet she decided that she would not ask what had happened. Although years had passed since tragedy struck her land, she had no idea how recent the events that Taranza had gone through were. Besides, what was the point of knowing the past of someone who, in the end, had nothing to do with her? It would only raise more doubts and questions in her mind, and she didn't have time for that.
Instead of inquiring about the affairs of that world, Sectonia offered the alternate Taranza an apology and explanation for attacking him, but not before releasing Kirby.
"So neither you nor this baby Kirby are the ones I know. You both come from an alternate dimension," Taranza concluded, still perplexed by Sectonia's revelation.
"That's correct, and I need to get him to his guardian as soon as possible," Sectonia confirmed.
Taranza had initially been in shock as well, but he had gradually recovered. Sectonia was taken aback by how easily he believed her. That Taranza was either very gullible or the existence of alternate dimensions was not completely unknown in that world.
"Do you have any clue to this person's whereabouts, your highness?" Taranza asked.
The two spiders' discomfort and awkwardness were palpable. Even baby Kirby would have noticed if he wasn't still fast asleep.
"That's the problem: I have no idea where to look for her or the others who may have come with us to this land..." Sectonia admitted with a sigh.
Taranza looked at her, intrigued, and she couldn't help but bite her tongue. She had unintentionally revealed more information than she had intended in that sentence.
"Well, do you at least have any idea how you ended up in our dimension?" Taranza wanted to know.
Sectonia paused to consider her response. She didn't know who Taranza would be allied with in that dimension or how desperate he was behind that façade of kindness. If the information she possessed fell into the wrong hands, the entire mission could be compromised. Also, she did not remember how she had arrived there. Yes, she knew the theory behind the way they had travelled, and it was clear that something had gone wrong, or she and Kirby wouldn't be there.
In case things got too complicated, she had agreed with Meta Knight to retreat to that dimension with Kirby and his guardian and look for reinforcements. Of course, they hadn't expected the mission to be joined by that despicable king and his henchman, as well as the guardian's own brother. But what worried her the most was that the memories of the mission itself had vanished. Not knowing what had really happened was terrifying.
Still, she couldn't let that alternate Taranza see her fear, so she swallowed it and buried it deep within her heart before finally responding:
"I'm afraid that's classified information."
Taranza's face was filled with sadness. He seemed disappointed because of her mistrust. "Is he even aware I could be tricking him into helping me do something shady?" she wondered, a little frustrated.
"I see, but I'd still like to help, your majesty," he offered, a bit nervous.
"I don't think it would be a good idea..." she denied.
"I insist, your highness. Unless you want to get lost, you will need a guide for this Dreamland."
"Oh, please. Stop giving me the royal treatment!" Sectonia finally snapped, refusing to accept another second of that Taranza's disturbing respect. She wasn't even a queen, after all. Her coronation had never occurred, and she couldn't be queen of a destroyed kingdom anyway. "You know nothing about me, so don't treat me the same way you treated your Sectonia!"
Taranza's face flushed with anguish as he was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Sectonia's heart broke a little at his pitiful expression. She had been too harsh... he had no way of knowing what she had gone through.
"Please, forgive me," Sectonia apologised. "This isn't easy. You resemble him so much, but you're not him, and... agh. Why did I have to run into someone I knew in my world?" she sighed and raised her hands to her head in frustration.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, a gesture that reassured her.
"I understand," Taranza said candidly. "I'm not sure what happened in your world, but I understand how you feel. And I don't want to help you because I think you're her, but because I can't abandon someone in an unknown world to their fate. Especially if that person is travelling with a baby to be reckoned with."
Sectonia turned to face Taranza. He was sincere in his desire to assist her. Besides, he was right: exploring a world she didn't know while also keeping an eye on a baby Star Warrior who, according to her understanding, had excessive energy and an almost insatiable appetite was insane.
And speaking of the baby, it was at that moment that the little Star Warrior opened his blue eyes after a deep yawn.
"Toni!" Kirby exclaimed between happy "poyo" sounds when he saw Sectonia.
"Yes, I'm Toni," the spider giggled, amused by the nickname. In another time, she would not have tolerated someone other than her Taranza calling her by anything other than her name, but it sounded so adorable coming from the little Star Warrior that she had even forgotten her concerns for a moment. "He seems to recognise me. This will make things easier."
Sectonia turned to face Taranza, who was staring at her with anticipation.
"I'll accept your help," she finally relented, hoping she wouldn't regret that decision. She finally agreed, hoping she wouldn't come to regret it. "But you can't reveal my identity or the fact that this Kirby is from another universe to anyone," she warned. "If someone asks, we'll stand by your version that you hit him with a rejuvenation spell. We'll keep this up until we find his guardian."
"Poyo! Poyo! Tiff!"
"Don't worry. My lips are sealed," Taranza promised. "Where do we begin?"
That was an excellent question. Sectonia had two objectives in mind. The first one was to reunite Kirby with his guardian. The second was to locate the four heroes of that dimension and explain what had occurred. The hardest part was deciding which one to pick first. On the one hand, the sooner Kirby got access to his Wrap Star, the better, but on the other hand, the heroes of that Dreamland should be easier to find and could aid in the search for the other people that had come from her dimension. "Finding all four heroes, or at least one, would definitely be the best option," Sectonia finally decided after pondering for a bit. She only hoped that Meta Knight wasn't wrong about the heroes, because otherwise…
Everyone was doomed.
º.·º.º
While Kirby was explaining to Dedede, Gooey, and Bandana Dee what had happened on the Halberd, Tiff was sitting in the corner of the throne room, secretly gazing at her Kirby's Wrap Star. Because of its importance, she had decided to keep it hidden until she was completely confident that she could fully trust the Kirby and his friends from that dimension.
But what bothered her was that she couldn't remember when she had retrieved it. After eNeMeE's fall, the interior of Kabu remained the location where the Wrap Star usually rested. Although Dedede now knew where such a valuable artefact was hiding, he had no way of getting to it, which was why it was still the safest place for it. So when she found the Warp star hidden in her pocket, she was astonished. The fact that she was carrying it could only mean one thing: at some point, she had already known she was going somewhere where Kabu couldn't send it to her.
Tiff couldn't get her mind off what the Dedede from her dimension had said before. It was becoming more obvious that something had caused her to lose part of her memory, just as the alternate Meta Knight had theorised. But what had been the cause? And more importantly, what else had she forgotten?
As the sound of breaking glass filled the room, her thoughts were cut short. Meta Knight had stormed in through one of the castle's windows, smashing it to pieces.
"Are you serious, Meta? You and your dramatic entrances... Couldn't you have used one that was open for once?" the alternate Dedede reprimanded his knight while placing a hand on his temple. "Well, have you at least stopped my other self and his Escargoon?" the king inquired.
"Unfortunately, they discovered the machine's drills and decided to go underground, so I lost track of them," the knight lamented. "Please accept my apologies."
"It also had drills? What was that thing?" Tiff inquired.
"After the Haltmann Works Company invaded us, the Meta-Knights began to work on improving our arsenal so that if another invader arrives, they will not be able to easily surpass us in technology and weaponry," Meta Knight exposed.
"You speak as if invasions in this dimension are quite frequent," Tiff commented.
"I wouldn't call them frequent, but it happens more often than it should," Kirby admitted, a little dejectedly.
"The robot those two have stolen is known as the Heavy Lobster MK 2," Meta Knight explained further. "It's a pilotable version of our Heavy Lobster with a few upgrades like drills, boosters for short-term flight, a missile launcher, two flamethrowers, and windscreen wipers in the vision systems to prevent someone from blocking them with paint."
The knight said that last part while looking accusingly at Kirby. The younger puffball averted his gaze, pretending not to notice.
"Heavy Lobster? That name sounds familiar...," Tiff wondered as she tried to remember. "Oh right: it's the robot with which eNeMeE attacked us in the Halberd when we were heading towards his base! Why does Meta Knight own it in this dimension!?"
"When this is over, I'm going to have to have two talks with my boys. The first one will be to congratulate them for the good job they have done with that machine: it's impressive to see it in action. The second is to give them the scold of the century for failing to keep it under proper surveillance," the knight said, putting Tiff out of her musings.
"So, after you lost those two, what happened?" Bandana Waddle inquired.
"The other Dedede said that he wanted to take over this Dreamland, so I figured they'd start with the closest castle that appeared on their radar, which happened to be this one."
"How are you so sure he is going to do that?" Tiff wanted to know.
"Because I've known Dedede for years, and I know exactly how he thinks," he revealed.
"My dimension's Dedede does not think."
"Exactly," the knight agreed. "Dedede is a very impulsive person who follows his instincts rather than reasoning and logic. When we add your Dedede's immaturity and laziness to the equation, it is not difficult to predict his destination."
That dimension's Dedede let out an annoyed grunt.
"Come on, Dedede. You know very well that I'm not speaking ill of you or your instincts. You've saved us from more than one mishap thanks to it," the knight assured the penguin as he gently patted him on the back.
"Mmm, I'll let it slide this time," Dedede conceded, still a bit grumpy.
"Well, if Meta Knight's prediction comes true, we're going to have to repair the castle again," Bandana Dee lamented. "Can you two tell the others to be ready for the evacuation protocol?" he asked the two Waddle Dees who were guarding the throne room's door. The guards nodded before leaving.
"Heh, it's almost like you guys have a sign that says: 'Destroy this castle, please,'" Gooey joked.
"That reminds me that a few days ago someone put a banner with that exact message on our front wall," Dedede said. "Luckily, we found it before there was any damage. It didn't take us long to discover that the culprit was Marx."
"Classic Marx," Kirby commented.
Tiff didn't know who Marx was or if he even existed in her dimension, but from the way they talked about him, he was one of those people she didn't want to meet.
"Anyway, we'd better get ready for combat, because considering the speed they were moving, I don't think it will take long to..."
As Meta Knight said that, the ground below them began to shake. They all moved away from the centre of the room, from where the Heavy Lobster MK2 soon emerged from the floor. The robot's hatch opened, and the Dedede from Tiff's dimension, as well as his Escargoon, peeked out.
"So this is this Dreamland's castle?" the newly arrived Dedede commented after looking around. "Meh, mine is much better. This one is too bright for my liking."
"That's because you aren't very bright yourself," Escargoon remarked. Dedede hit him on the head with his fist upon hearing that.
"I don't know what you meant by that, but my gut tells me it was an insult," the monarch growled. "Anyway, let's get to the important stuff: where is the owner of this castle!?" Dedede called. "It's time for him to surrender to the most superior king among all the kings of all dimensions."
"And who is that supposed to be?"
"Well, obviously, me," Dedede replied. But then he realised something weird about that voice, which caused him to look around confused and ask: "Wait, who said that?"
It was at that moment that the king of that Dreamland stepped forward and raised his hammer towards the robot. The Dedede from Tiff's dimension couldn't believe what his eyes saw... How dared that guy copy his appearance? And on top of that, he was accompanied by the talking Kirby, the scary Meta Knight, the ever-annoying Tiff, a goofy looking blue blob, and a Waddle Dee in a bandana?
"Oh no. There are TWO of them now! Is this a nightmare?!" Escargoon exclaimed upon seeing the other Dedede in front of them.
"What are you saying?! There's only one Dedede and it's me!" the Dedede next to the snail yelled. Then he turned to the other Dedede and asked: "Who are you supposed to be?"
"Boy, you are dense... Can't you see it? I am you!"
"No, I'M me."
That dimension's Dedede couldn't help but facepalm in exasperation.
"I meant to say that I am the "you" who lives in this dimension! And if you think I'm going to let you roam around Dreamland ruining my hard-earned good reputation and taking over my kingdom, you're in for a rude awakening!"
The King Dedede from Tiff's dimension smirked.
"So you think you can clobber me? Come on and try it! I'll show you who is the best Dedede!" he overconfidently challenged his other self, thinking that it was going to be an easy battle. After all, he had a robot, and his opponent only had a hammer.
However, to his surprise, despite the massive difference in their weaponry, the other Dedede did not waver.
"Leave this to me, guys," the other Dedede said to his companions. "I'm going to teach myself one of those lessons that can only be learned by getting them knocked straight into your own head!"
Happy late new year and sorry for taking so long on the translation of this chapter!
This was baby's first romance scene ever. I don't like to write romance, but it was needed for the plot. The scene occurs before the events of the anime but after the fall of the GSA.