Chapter/Tale 4 End: Stuck with my Worst Enemy: Stolen Escape? Episode 4

Author's Note Intro:

Hey guys! I hoped you enjoyed the last chapter. Sorry about it, it was a bit rushed because of the direct. I still get goosebumps over it. Anyway, enough of that. Chapter 4 is the halfway point of the story, so anything could happen at this point, but first, they've gotta save another victim from harm. Can they find a way to free her without resorting to murder? Let me know what you think in your reviews and I also accept a few pointers as well. Well, enough chit-chat. Let's just get right on it. Oh yeah, one more thing, Smash is canon in my story. A reminder, this story takes place before Season Ultimate, before World of Light to begin with. I think December 7th is actually the day of the World of Light before they could start the tournament. Keep that in mind as you read this, because you will see many references to Smash Ultimate a lot during the adventure. Well, enjoy.

I knew I shouldn't have watched Infinity War.

Kailaine's POV: Change of Fate

Back again, huh? I'd figured as much you want to see us get out of here. But not after last time. Remember the living clockwork star, Niva? Yeah, now we're trying to free her without having to kill her. That's just messed up, honestly. Knowing so little about a Nova really is a pain in the arse. Surely, there has to be other ways, right?

I don't know. I just don't know. Seeing as it is, it was just hopeless. Nobody hardly talked about the Nova's these prison days. It was the same skit every time. So much for the whole "refrain from murder" talk. I'm bummed and so is Adeline. We sat in the same old prison ball in the pit, with the same two pilots as before, the usual of talking anime and stuff. What they were talking about now, however, piped my interest.

"Hey Adeline, isn't that Kirby there?" I asked her.

"Yeah, that's definitely Kirby. Oh, they're watching replays of his victories in Smash right now," She replies.

"Happy feet! Wombo Combo! That ain't Falco, that ain't Falco!" The players hollered in unison with the video. "OH! X30! WHERE YOU AT?! WHERE YOU AT?! GET YOUR ASS WHOOPED!" After a little while, they calmed down.

"That never gets old! So hilarious! Right, Zane? Zane? Hello? You okay?" Stark asked. He is not okay. They've just watched the latest trailer for the Ultimate Tournament, and so far they're disappointed, mostly Zane because his favorites, Isaac, Shadow, Sora, Shantae, Geno, and even Bandana Waddle Dee weren't confirmed for it. You can imagine everyone being triggered by it, but they still might have a chance. Either way, he was down in the dumps for it.

"Oh well. Hey wait, Zane, it's not over yet! There's a new adventure mode coming out! Look!" Stark got Zane's attention to see the cutscene now. What we saw… was something no one could believe to ever happen in the course of history. Zane and Stark were shocked and almost fainted. Everyone is wiped out.

"Oh my god! That thing pulled a Thanos! He pulled a Thanos!" Zane snapped his fingers. "Now everybody's dead… wait, is that…? Kirby?! And he's getting away! He's not gonna make it! Hold on, is he…?" That scene was when Kirby was desperately trying to avoid the beams, and then he starts charging, the Warpstar started going faster and faster until… poof! He vanished into a burst of stars before the beams got him; whereas the rest of the universe was wiped out. The entire galaxy.

"No freaking way… everyone is dead… except for Kirby! Aw, come on! I was hoping he'd take the fall on this one," Zane groaned. "So that means he's the main protagonist of the World of Light! Crap! We might as well call it Kirby and the World of Light or something! All the more reason for Zero to get rid of him… probably."

"That's one thing, but another thing concerns me about his escape," Stark pointed out. "You see how he managed to get out with his Warpstar? It meant that he had to go over the usual limit of how fast his Warpstar usually flies, considering the fact that those beams were traveling at light speed if we assume that. Anyone else could've escaped had they either warped everyone out or had Shulk said something more instead of a grunt, but because they choose to stand their ground they were erased, leaving Kirby as the sole survivor. The question is, is this something Kirby was capable of doing with his own vehicle from the start? Could it be that he survived a universal onslaught because he had access to a means of escape that defies the laws of physics or what?"

"Dude, don't worry about it. What danger does that poses to us anyways? Besides, no one except us knows the events of what are gonna happen anyways, so I don't see the problem in that, man. See, it's a rule to never leak out the possible changes to everyone if it's not true; not everyone follows that rule, and so they're heartbroken because they believed in the leak; I think the reason the plant got in was punishment for the leak and the fact that some aren't satisfied at all. The point is, none of the Smashers knows about the threat that's coming except us. So, yeah," Zane shrugged. "After all, we live in a universe like no other; mainly because everything literally defies what is supposed to be impossible. That's why everyone rejects common sense to make the impossible possible, don't ya think?"

"I know, but… ah, never mind." The screen just received a notification, and apparently it's from him again. "Oh, it's Master again. Haven't we had enough of these pointless announcements already? It's probably a recording or something."

"We still have to go through it, you know," Zane groaned as he got himself ready for the same robotic speech again. "Here we go again…"

A little while later, he showed up. "Good morning, everyone! Get ready to greet another beautiful day!" Everyone groaned and cringed. "Yeah, I get that a lot. So, what's new on the agenda?"

"Eh, nothing much, other than the whole armada forced to retreat due to the fall of the Pegasus Knight by Meta Knight this time, and the fourth Gem Star was recovered by them, leaving them with only 3 more to find. It's basically the same thing every time," Stark reported.

Zero seemed thoughtless for a minute; maybe he's recollecting his thoughts or something? "I see… so far, so good. Not only is Kirby getting stronger at the moment, but also his allies too. Looks like just simply reviving their own past wasn't enough to stop them for much long. He's more formidable than I suspected; the curse didn't erase their complete abilities after all, but still, glad to know he's shedding more blood than usual. Still, he's halfway into stopping our plans, and that's inexcusable. How far did you all get into collecting dark crystals?"

"Not even close to finishing, sir. There's a scarcity of dark crystals everywhere on each planet; no guarantee for completing our mission if it keeps up like this," Zane replies.

"I see… if it was that easy, you all would've warped here in a matter of seconds. Of course, we shouldn't have used a Nova to do the job; we should've just had everything set in motion already. What a waste. But that's in the past. The Nova is certainly something, alright. I guess keeping the prisoners in indestructible chains was worth making up for it after all. Disposing of it would've canceled the wish entirely, not that it's happening anytime soon. Anything else? How goes the prisoners?"

Oh boy, here it comes.

The two glanced at us for a brief moment before turning back. "They're… okay, I guess? We have been getting complaints about those two randomly attacking others somehow, and Kailaine seems to have been using Zerosterlia recently. The first time was when Coral decided to pit them both in a gladiator arena and make them fight against one of our project demon beasts. And that's about it for them."

"Interesting. Another personality disorder. Reminds me of someone familiar, like, I don't know… your mother- oh, my bad! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Zero laughed, whereas the others frowned when he wasn't looking. It was like they came to my defense secretly without showing their true colors.

"Not cool, man. Not cool," Stark whispered. Zane nodded in agreement. "What the hell was he thinking bringing that up? We made it so that no one ever speaks of that ever again, especially when we're gonna do that this time, and you know how bad it was for her, losing her sister and her parents in one shot. Is he trying to trigger her or what?" Zane shook his head. Zero had ceased his laughter.

"Enough of that, so as long as you keep an eye on them all the way, everything will be fine. Unless you just so happen to find another vessel for this ship, then that will exceed my expectations. Anyway, the pink nuisance and his party of odd rejects will head to Lunadark Star next, so don't screw up there. You know the drill. Oh yeah, one more thing. Have any of you seen Dark Soul anywhere? I can hardly sense his presence since the last few days over." Everyone shook their heads. Zero sweatdrops.

"Wow, seriously? He's been gone for that long? I was starting to think he was becoming more of a side character since his last appearance. I swear, he's something special, in a way. So are the knights as well, since he supposedly claims it was his idea. If only he was here to see how far we've gotten…"

"You rang, Master Zero?" Without warning, the nightmare abomination appeared out of nowhere, causing everyone to yell in surprise. "Sorry for the wait, guys."

"Dark Soul?! Where the hell were you this entire time?!" Both Stark and Zane shouted.

"You know, just chilling out for a day." Dark Soul joked.

"A day?! You've been gone for a freaking week! You were supposed to overview Kirby every time, and twice you didn't appear!" They shouted. Zero chuckled.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. Whatever it is you're doing, I just hope you aren't slacking off on the mission. Glad to have you back. And while you were having your little break, the whole plan is at an impasse; the pink puffery had recovered 8 of the 14 spirits now, and we're at the midway point of this act. Using a Nova was definitely a good call, but we won't be able to make it all the way without-"

"These, Master? I believe this is what you desired, correct?" He swung his arm out and loads of crystals spilled all over the floor- Dark Crystals, enough to literally flood inside. "Surprise."

"Holy stinking supercrap! W-where did you acquire a ton of these?!" Zero shouted.

"I have my methods of doing things. That clears it up for the crystals, now all we need is a suitable vessel that can run on this type of power. Problem solved." He shrugged. Zero was hysterical and sniffing in tears.

"It's… beautiful… you got enough of them… excuse me, I just got some water in my eyes now…" After that, he clams down (thank god) and continues his speech. "Sorry you had to see that. Anyways, we don't have to worry about the lack of crystals anymore. Just find a ship that can contain these and you're good to go! Other than that, keep a close eye on Kirby, his allies, and the joining elemental princesses including the little princess, will ya? Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with destiny I must attend to right now. I'll see you all on Crystal Star. Zero, out!" That concludes the speech of Zero.

"Thank god that's over," Zane sighed, sitting down. "Dark Soul, get the damn crystals out of the pit and take them to Niva to make up for the lost time we have! But seriously, this is what you were doing the entire time? Thanks for that, I guess."

"Eh, all in a day's work for Dark Soul. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave after the drop off of these crystals. Oh yeah, how are the knights doing?"

"Mischievous as usual. Solaris just went his turn, and so it's Eclipse's turn next to fight them. Why do you ask?"

"Just checking on them, you know. They're my responsibility like I'm the babysitter. And in a way I kinda am. You know the usual. Anyway, I'm out. Peace." With those words marked, he vanished along with the flood of crystals in a flash. The two were dumbfounded.

"Glad to know that we established that. Anyways, what now? We can't ever deal with a guy like him, or ever understand his motives." Zane asked. "Or Zero."

"I dunno about them, but what Zero said… he'd kill us if we said that wasn't funny to him. No one were to give reminders of that time anymore, and yet he went and did it anyways. It's not like Zero would care about other people's feelings, because he doesn't care at all," Stark shook his head. "Nothing we can do about it other than our job."

As they spoke to each other, I was lost in my thoughts all alone. All of what Zero had said… it angered me greatly, but his henchmen that were my enemies came to my defense in a secretive way as if they had emotions somehow. True it was unusual of them, but in a way, they gave me relief. Still, it won't change the fact that they're never coming back again. Kazela, she may be traumatized for the rest of her life going through that. That goes for everyone else. If only I had another chance to change things…

If only if it didn't cost the change in the future with consequences. I don't know how much I can take without losing my own sanity in the process, or either Kirby and the others; they're literally breaking themselves for my sake, and it's at the point where I can't stand to see that anymore. When will this madness end?

"Kaila, you okay? You've been out of it for a while now," asked Adeline.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just… a little lost in thoughts, I guess. Sorry, I've been spacing out lately than usual," I replied. As I said that, I heard the two talking as if they were going to do something.

"Oh great, Macy wants us to help with whatever it is right now. We have to go, Zane," Stark said, turning to us as he dragged him, who ordered another burrito on the way. "Oh, and try not to make any more trouble when you're roaming around or something, will ya? If anything had happened, Zero would kill us all for that." Both of them left the room, leaving us all alone.

"I highly doubt Zero cares, despite what he just said," Zane called out.

"Here we go again. I just hope we find something this time," Adeline sighed.

"I know, but I think we should see Niva first before anything else, okay? There has to be a change in this, I know there will be! If I remember correctly, there could be another way to save her without ending her life. She's a mechanical heart, but not if something were to override the primary one, that is. Maybe we'll just have to find it," I said.

"Alright, that sounds crazy, but it just might work! We've definitely gotta tell her!" Adeline melts the barrier with her paintbrush and leaps out of it to wait for me to get out. We then exited out of the doors and went straight to the Warship Core Room. To save you the trouble, I'll just skip to that part.

Core of Warship Dark Matter

After a little bypassing and avoiding detection solid snake style, we were at the heart of the ship once again. Instead of just running around the stairs, we jumped from where we were and landed safely into the bottom ground. There were no guards, luckily. We walked towards where Niva was, and soon she turns into her human form.

She yawns and meows at the same time. "Oh, Princess? Paintress? You're back again. Did something happen?"

"Niva, I believe we may have found a way to get you out of there. It's just gonna take some time, though," I said to her.

"Oh really? Tell me, what flaw did you find in the defenses anyways?" Niva asked.

"Well, we've heard Zero again saying that they need a new ship to make the trip easier back home, and with the amount of Dark Crystals Dark Soul collected somehow, they want a ship that can easily harvest that power. Assuming if it does have a core heart, wouldn't that one replace the previous one or what?" Adeline explained.

Niva gasped and leans forward. "Hmm, that sounds crazy, but at the same time, it could work! But where in the world are you gonna get a ship like that? Besides, escape could be even more futile in the end."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes. As for now, we should focus on getting you out of there. It shouldn't be that hard, right?" I suggested.

"That all depends on the factors that occurs at this point. As you may know," Niva stretched her hand outside the podium core and a barrier flashed visible. "I can't step foot outside my core, and without a core, my Novanic body will not last very long for them. If we were to assume they can easily change forms, then there would be no need for my body anymore. That would mean the wish's effect will be canceled, and so we can easily escape out of here. If I got flooded with Dark Crystals by then, that would be most disastrous."

Just as I thought. There's a chance we may be able to escape if they replaced the ship with another of high enough caliber. I don't know how, but I know it will. Just a little longer, everyone, and soon we'll be free.

"That could be possible… but that's also inevitable as well, Kaila," Adeline pipes up. We both turned to her in confusion. "I mean, giving the situation everyone's in, even if we do escape, it won't change the fact that we'll have to go to your home planet anyways. That's basically the whole point of Zero's convoluted plan in the first place- to make a situation inevitable no matter what you do; a no-win situation for us, and a win-win ideal for him, don't you think?"

Oh. I didn't even think about it that way. And now she's right! I'll have to go back home no matter what and still suffer the inevitable. Damn, I didn't think this through! But there's no way in hell I'm spending another minute with those guys any longer, neither is everyone else and neither will you'd want that!

… Actually, it doesn't matter anymore. We can't go back on this and still become a captive all the way. Kirby and the others been through a lot, and I'm gonna make their job easier for them when we bust out of here… while there's no telling what could happen when we do escape, but it's the smart thing to do in this situation.

"You're right, Adeline. We can't change the fate of what we know is coming, but knowing that we can prepare to deal with it is our only concern. After all, there's no going back on this and we've come so close to just give up in the end. But we're not leaving without Niva, and there's still things we have yet to find out as well. Let's just deal with now, okay?" I answered back.

Adeline was hesitant, but she understood and nods. I smiled back.

"Hey guys, break up the love nest for a minute, will you?" Niva purrs. "Sounds like you've made your choice, huh? In that case, before you decide to do anything, I suggest you keep an eye on those knights while you're at it. Who knows what they could be up to?"

"Who cares about them? It's not like any one of them would just eagerly let us out and not give a crap about it or whatever with their weird habits or whatever!" I shouted back. "I don't see the point of why though." I quickly lowered my voice after that.

Niva then sighs and shook her head. "How about I put it this way? What if they know something that you don't? Maybe one of them is different from the rest, or who knows what? Either way, I think you should spend a little bit more time trying to fill in the small plot holes and details before anything else, right?"

"Not convinced," I vacantly replied with a blank expression. "All I want is you and us out of here so that way we can join up with pinky and the others as soon as possible."

"Did… did you seriously call Kirby "Pinky" Kaila?" Adeline sweatdropped. "I think it's because of Susie, right?"

"No, I think it's because not only has she ever wanted to meet Kirby, but it's also because of the undeniable fact that she likes-" Niva was about to say, but I cut her off.

"Can it, busty! Now's not the time for that!" I frowned. "Back to the point at hand, what guarantee do we have for just knowing what the knights are up to?" Niva grew a smug and sly smile as if she had something up her sleeve.

"If that's the case, then I can guarantee you something, princess. If you do and once I'm freed, the wish will reset and I can grant you any wish that each of you desire." I was intrigued and so was Adeline. "Unfortunately, thanks to them, I can't grant fate-changing/universal wishes or big ones such as changing the past and other related wishes since I'm only human and not a full Nova anymore. Still, the good news is that small wishes are somehow unlimited, so there's that. I can't do anything until I'm freed, but at least try to find out what the knights are up to. Who knows, maybe they're the key to making your plan work."

"Wait, you mean you can grant smaller wishes without no limit? But I thought every Nova had only one wish and that's it. Isn't that why you had to collect Star Power from every planet to summon one?" Adeline questioned.

"True, but I suppose this is somehow an exception, considering this has never happened before, so I guess that's why. Still, I can grant smaller wishes no problem. Try not to be dependent on it too much though," Niva explained. "That won't happen unless I'm out."

"I'm in. So you want us to just find out what the knights are planning, right? Simple as that. We're on it, Niva! Come on, Adeline! We'll see you in a little while!" I grabbed Adeline and rushed out the core room.

…

"Huh. That was easier than I thought. I wonder if it's because of the wish the princess had in her mind when I told her I could grant smaller wishes. Either way, I hope they soon realize the forgotten truth about the so-called Zero Knights at some point in time. Every new mechanic has a major link to the past of the Cosmic Galaxy and its own terrible fate…"

Chamber of the Zero Seven Force

Soon, we were already at the knight's private chambers, whereas no one was available at the moment. Entering through the air duct from before, we came out to find no one there and casually strolled around for a while.

"No one's here. Strange, I thought for sure they'd be in here by now," I looked around. "Guess they had better things to do other than laying around all day. Unless there is one of them who prefers that."

"Well, I suppose that we could search around, but it won't be that easy to do like the last time. Niva did say the knights were part of the key in this, I just wonder what she meant by that. That, and we need to find a way to make them take over another ship at the moment to release Niva. How are we gonna do that?" Adeline asked.

"Heck if I know, but I'm certain it's our ticket out of here. I won't deny it sounds impossible at the very least. If only there was a way for that to happen…" I sighed. "Nothing's easy these days for real."

"Huh. What a surprise to see the both of you here," A voice echoed. "It was a matter of time anyways before a plot twist occurred, so it's not that much of a big deal. Actually, it's about time things got interesting here."

Turning around immediately, we came across what appears to be a kid like Coral. This one, however, seems like an emotionless boy. He was about the height of where my boobs are supposed to be, having purple spiky hair and lavender eyes. He wore a robe that seemed to look like a purple grim reaper's clothes with a red jewel pin in the middle, and his had arm holes that covers up his entire arm as if he was a child wearing adult clothes; underneath it was hard to see. His teeth was incredibly sharp, and I thought his eyes flashed red for a second there. I almost thought he was a kid version of Dracula or something. Overall, he does appear to be a Zero Knight, so he must be the fifth member of the team. He looks like a girl too.

"I didn't know you two liked to come here so often out of your prison ball in the control room. You're lucky Volt, Pandora, Auralia, Molotov, Coral, and Solaris are outside of the ship for whatever reason. Meanwhile, I'm left here by myself, just thinking about life and other things as well." He said as if he didn't care much. "Oh, right. If you're wondering who I am, my name's Eclipse, the Zero Knight of Psychic Shadow. Obviously, I'm the fifth member you've met so far."

"So that makes two more then. Figures, it sounds like there's more females than males in here or is it just me?" Adeline wondered. "That would make 4 females and 3 males in sum."

"Actually, I'm a guy, Paintress. I often look too much like a girl, with my voice and my looks and all that at the point of being called a trap. Anyway, this is the first time I've actually seen you two in person. Everyone thinks I'm too much of an emo to bring myself to you and the fact that you'll confuse me for a girl. I really don't like it- that means I'm a trap. Every once in a while, Coral, Auralia, and Pandora would force me into cosplaying as female characters and made me cross-dress into female clothing; then they would take pictures of me in embarrassing poses and keep copies with them around to torture me. Even boys gets nosebleeds even knowing that it's a trap they're looking at. I'm just glad that I lack boobs, otherwise I'd never hear the end of it again," Eclipse shuddered and groaned.

"What's so great about having a flat chest?" I asked. "I see the cons of it- a lot while we're stuck here."

"You're saying that because you have a flat chest and you're personally self-conscious about it and envy any other female that has big boobs. Well, to be fair, no one ever said you couldn't have big boobs. It's just how it works these days. That's how you can explain Coral, somehow being the youngest of us she still has big knockers to fit her personally. Pandora- you'll die having a nosebleed. Auralia… actually, between us, hers are actually smaller than yours in comparison, so I hope that makes you feel a bit better, I think," Eclipse answers.

"Possibly I think I do feel a bit better," I replied. "But it doesn't help my case in the slightest." He sweatdropped.

"You are one unsatisfied princess, aren't ya? Well, I can't blame you for that anyways, since it's our fault you're dealing with that envy of yours. So let's quit the talk about your boobs and get to the matter at hand. Obviously, you're here to break out, but not after you find the answers to your questions. I knew you would do that from the start. If that's what you want, then I'll tell you a little bit about it," Eclipse offered.

"Wait, what?" We both exclaimed.

"I said I'll tell you a little bit about our plans. I can't tell you all of it due to the position I'm in. That depends on what you wanna know, I mean. The first thing you wanna know is about us specifically, right? To begin with, we were created by Zero to serve as his special underlings, or so he claims, because often there's evidence that contradicts that fact. I really don't remember anything other than I was made to obey his every order, and that goes for the rest of my siblings as well. However, I have doubts that he made us, no matter what he says. I've been experiencing memories that I'm unfamiliar with, ones that I don't recall ever having in my life. It's like remembering the life of someone else with their memories; I guess you could say I'm amnesic in a way."

"I guess so… but about that, besides memories, what about emotions?" I asked. "How did you gain emotions?"

"I don't know about that, but I feel like these emotions aren't mine yet at the same time they are mine. I suppose it was when Zero corrupted your home planet's core- his methods are highly explainable yet doubtful and somewhat pointless but worth it when speculated about. Maybe he's seen and experienced enough to be able to adapt so for emotions. I don't know how though. Honestly, there's still holes in this scheme that aren't filled up to this point. Point is, I can only assume he's stealing emotions from others or it could be the result of one thing altogether that caused it." Eclipse shook his head.

"Then how do you explain the incident 8 years ago? I still haven't found out why everything happened as it did, from snatching souls to mass genocide to my murdered parents and missing little sister and now to becoming human whereas everyone else returned to normal. But my main question is just why? Why did he do this to me, not just me, but to everybody who have done nothing wrong?" I growled, almost seeming to lose my control of my own emotions.

"I was wondering the same thing myself. Although you know what we are, there's a lot you don't know about us even today. But for that reason on what he did, it must be because he despises everyone's lifestyle. Who knows? Unfortunately, I don't see a reason for him to kill anybody if all he wanted was for everyone to despair and enjoy it; that would've been better if it ended like that before. Even though I'm your enemy, I still have a free willed spirit, and I think- no, I know your parents didn't deserve their fate of death at all, and neither did you with your scarred life," Eclipse said, but his words were actually filled with sympathy.

It's weird being comforted by a member of my worst enemy and Kirby's, but I could feel it… deep in his heart, he meant what he said to us. I think he's somehow special… I think we can trust him, only for a little while.

"Well, only for a little while does this make you feel better. It won't be enough to erase your pain, sad to say. After all, that's just the way it was then. True, Zero's heartless, but maybe he has another motive for pulling a genocide for souls. Not sure what it is entirely, but that doesn't compare as to what he has in store for his crazy stunts today. If the revival of Void Termina wasn't enough to satisfy his carnal desires, then he may be satisfied… if he gets away with it, that is." Eclipse shook his head again.

"Gets away with it? Didn't he already do that?" Adeline stated.

"He did, but in reality he never did, at least not yet. The reason why is because of how he executed his plan to do so, with the whole "turn everybody into humans and kidnap the princess" plan. The way he did it, from the curse in you to spreading out to the inhabitants of Popstar, that's a great start, but after that was kinda pointless. Taking the both of you was all this dolt being possessing it had to do rather than just run its own mouth off to them. Well, even though, we still would've gotten away with it ages ago… had not Kirby unwittingly shot us down after falling to Aura Star when struck at the last minute. To be honest, I actually saw it coming and tried to warn everybody about it, but of course no one listens to the trap," Eclipse sighed.

We both looked at each other in response. I'd never thought we'd meet an ally who actually can think the opposite and logically of every situation that happens. It seems he's the only one going to great lengths to discover the answers himself. Poor kid.

"That said, I think Master is a freaking idiot. He had many chances of truly getting away with his crime without the need of that confrontable attempt. Zero may be a heartless bastard, but he still lacks a brain. Now that anyone thinks about it, why didn't anybody, when we summoned the Nova used the wish to just make his plans reality at the snap of his fingers instead of making us jump the Nova for her body? All Zero had to do was just to make one wish to a Nova and he could have everything he needed all at once, but no. This happens. I tell you, sometimes I really don't get how he works, especially how he multiplies his soulless aura and his influence everywhere. I just don't get it…" The knight sighed.

"With that out of the way, I guess that pretty much covers it, unless you wanted to ask me something else; I should probably-" I interrupted him, as there was something else I've been wondering about. "Oh, did you want to know about something else? What is it then?"

"Yes, can you tell me… what did Zero do to everyone back home while I was gone? Why is he constantly attacking Popstar and kidnapping everyone? Is there any specific reason for his torment?" I asked. Eclipse was blank for a while, lost in his thoughts, then he returns back to reality to answer my question.

"Ever since you left a month or two ago, there's no way anyone can be safe once he took over after banishing the 14 Gem Spirits out of the sanctuary, corrupting the shard, and thus the Star Ring's shatter followed shortly. Once that had happened, no one was safe. Luckily, he didn't kill like the last time, but however he has turned your planet into a prison star dystopia, where everyone is under cruel anarchy and dark despair for those on your planet. I haven't actually seen what it's like now, but that's what I've heard him say he did. Popstar's inhabitants, anytime they kidnap someone, they'd use weird vortexes to suck them inside and throw them into a special prison for many purposes. It depends really on the citizen they capture; either they use them as personal guards or they are sent to combat the Star Warriors or whatever. Other than that, his motives are vague and unclear. Of course, he's residing in your home castle. The rest of the city and the capital are in dire despair. But it'll get even worse if Zero gets his bloody hands on you two and the rest of your seven friends as well." Eclipse emphasized.

"You don't mean Zero's real goal of wanting us, right?" Adeline spoke.

"What else could I have been referring to? But that's what I meant. Regardless, Zero's real motive remains the same as usual, to use you as a fountain of darkness or the Fountain of Princess Zero, to be exact; that's literally what he called it. I'm sure the others have been telling you all a lot about turning you into a dark supply of darkness, but have you ever wondered what exactly was he gonna do to you?"

"How about no?" We both replied. "Not at the moment."

"I thought so. And that's the correct answer, ladies. That means if you don't wanna know what happens, then you two better escape as soon as possible or else it'll be too late; or else the entire galaxy will suffer the same fate as that of the world of smash. Of course, the problem is finding out how to execute that plan of yours when you're chained to this ship by the Nova. You shouldn't be too worried about it though, because maybe you don't have to do a single thing about it. Just let things take its course and everything will be alright." Eclipse smirked.

"Wait a minute. The way you've been explaining things makes it sound like you wanna help us. If that's why you're telling us a lot, then why do you want to help us?" I asked. "Wouldn't that classify you as a traitor to Zero and the rest of the army?"

Eclipse shrugged. "Like I said before, Zero created a scenario where you can't escape the inevitable no matter what, even though there were more than one method of pulling it off. Either way, he knows you'll have to come back anyways, so in a nutshell, he doesn't care. He literally said that. You're right about the possibility of being found and called a traitor, but can one really be called a traitor if your master still gets what they want in the end? Probably not. Besides, the reason why I'm telling you this is because I already know the outcome of this anyways. It's also because I was at first expressionless but being the knight of psychic shadow granted me the ability to feel what others feel, and thus it changes my actions. In other words, I can feel your pain and sorrow as of right now. It feels… warm to harbor the same feelings as others do." Eclipse appears red and flustered.

"Kaila, I think he's telling the truth," Adeline turned to me. "He wouldn't be telling us this if he didn't care at all, which means he's different from the others. What if, just maybe he could be our real ticket out of here?"

"That depends- how do we know you won't pull a fast one on us at the last minute or so?" I questioned him. Apparently, Kirby dealt with the same problem many times, and that's the last thing I'd ever want to happen.

"Simple. Because I don't feel like it and I don't want to. Trying to backstab someone is basically like trying to commit murder in a killing game in hiding until you get caught and executed in the trial in the most ironic way by a lunatic despair-driven psycho controlling a stuffed animal with a strange yet reasonable design, and that's too much pressure, tension, and a lot of work to put in plus cyanosis and the fact that you get too attached to a certain person. Didn't we already go over that? Honestly, can you truly expect anybody to betray each other if the results lead to the same outcome?" He asked.

"Yeah, that does make sense when you put it that way; I agree, that is a lot of work," I replied and agreed. "But are you sure Zero doesn't care that we left the ship somehow? What would happen if he did go into a massive rage?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that eventually. If things do go out of hand, then I suggest you try to blend in with the crowd for a while until it's safe to do by any means possible. That's only if it gets out of hand. All the more reason for you to see your sister at long last again and your hero. And besides, your actions has the power to change the fate of this tale, even if it's just a little bit," He suggested.

I didn't know what to say or react. My head can barely process any of it. Now, it's clear to me. This young knight of our enemy is willing to help us escape and freely telling us almost everything we wanted to know, despite knowing the consequences. How long did he harbor that grudge against his own master? He may be a knight, but still he's just a kid. Still, we owe him this. Eclipse rubbed his hair and turns around.

"I think I've said all I can for now. Looks like you two seemed satisfied at the moment. I should be going now, if you don't mind. Ah, wait. Sorry to bother you two, but I don't suppose you'd be willing to do me a favor?" He asked us.

"Sure, why not? After all, we're always made to do certain things whenever someone can't handle it." We nodded. The knight sweatdropped and blinked a few times.

"Seriously? Well, if that's the case, then okay. You see, I was planning to get those photos back of me crossdressing and the clothes as well from my sisters since they thought I'd go into their rooms to get them back. Earlier before I managed to find out where they kept them and tried to get them, but it seems they planned ahead and made it so that only I couldn't get in and the fact that they've put one of the project chimera demon beasts as the guardian for it. Why? I wish I understood females more. I was hoping to try again, but I was wondering… could you two get the photos and the costumes for me?" Eclipse blushed.

"Sure, we'll do that," We both agreed. "At least we can do that for you since you offered to help us."

Eclipse smiled and blushed. "Oh, thank you, guys. It means a lot to me, and my own dignity as well. Anyway, it's in the area around the gladiator ring that you fought the chimeras, just a bit further down until you see a door there where you can sense the presence of aura. That aura is meant to keep me out only, but not others. It should be all in one chest there, so bring it back once you're done and don't get caught coming out of there."

"Okay, you can count on us! We'll be back in a little while," I said. "Come on, Adeline. Let's go."

"Right." We then went and left the room to head for the room near the gladiator ring to get the embarrassing objects that humiliated Eclipse for life. It's strange to be helping an ally of our enemy, but this time is clearly an exception; like they say, the enemy of our enemy is our friend, and that's what happened. This may be easier than I thought it would be.

…

"Oh, finally. It worked. Just a little bit longer and they may be able to change the course of this despair into hope. A win-win for everyone, especially me; they can't torture me now without those photos! He-he!"

Gladiator Ring: Corridor Pathway

Mission: Retrieve a chest for Eclipse for the sake of his dignity!

It was then after that we went to fulfill the request of Eclipse, and it sounds very odd to retrieve a chest full of embarrassing photos and cosplay costumes made from his own three sisters. Still, we already agreed to this, so there was no turning back. After all, we might as well kill some time before we escape then.

Dashing through the vacant halls with caution and urgency, we were already around the ring where we ended up fighting chimera demon beasts a lot these days. No sightings of anybody whatsoever around and that's all we needed as we make our way towards there. Soon, it wasn't long before we had arrived.

Just as Eclipse had told us, there was a door at the end of the hall, and I can literally smell the aura emitting from it if not enough I could just notice it by sight. An itchy chill crawled over my skin as if it was winter. Maybe it's just me or it's just cold in here.

"So behind here is the chest he wanted back so much. I wonder why his own sisters would go through all this trouble just to keep them hidden away from him. Seems like an overkill, if you ask me," Adeline spoke.

"Eh, fair enough I agree on that. Let's just hope it was worth it and get it before anyone else discovers us here." The door automatically opened itself and we stepped inside.

Secret Room

The doors closed behind us. Inside was a red and gold chest lying in the middle of the room- our target. Isolated and alone it was, waiting for anyone to come get it. I really can't imagine a more ironic way to keep a chest hidden with embarrassing stuff if you can always just stuff it in your room somewhere. Still, I won't question it.

"There's the chest. Let's get it, Kaila," Adeline said. "It won't come to us after all." I thought so too, but I stopped her from going further. And frankly, it was a good thing I did too, because then a small explosion flashed before us.

"Huh?! What just happened?!" She gasped. "And where did the chest go?!"

"Simple- we've got company." I grunted. "A Chimera Demon Beast."

On cue, the same substance from before appeared, popping its bubble ball form and morphing into its beast state. This time, it was in the form of a mutant spider that was the same color as the other chimeras we fought; this one had six scarlet eyes on its thorax and 8 shriveled yet sturdy legs like claws. The chelicerae or its jaw was surrounded by metal fangs around it. The carapace had thin yet sharp blades poking out from it; the abdomen's hair were edgy and sticking up as spikes, and the spinneret wasn't visible. It screeched and hissed a loud one.

"Spiderine Arachnida. Another one I fought before. Man, this is ridiculous, just how did they manage to remake chimera versions of the demon beasts I've dealt with a long time ago?" I groaned.

"Who can say for sure how they did it? But they're still going down like the rest!" Adeline whipped out her brush for battle. "Let's get it, Kaila!"

"Right," I nodded, readying myself for combat.

Escaping the Despair- Boss Battle

Kailaine & Adeline VS Spiderine Arachnida, Demon Chimera of Dark Matter (Boss Battle 1- Grandia 1 HD/Xerom Arrives- Tales of Hearts)

Boss Description: Another Demon Beast in Nightmare's Era again, this spider was a rare breed that you normally wouldn't find nowadays and was considered more deadly than any other kind of breed. Perhaps it was noticed by Nightmare at that time and then being taken to be experimented on. Eventually, this monstrosity was born, being the source of arachnophobia and a deadly supply of saws, silk and lethal venom. What if there's a meaning behind their rebirth after all? Nonetheless, you do owe that Zero Knight a lot, so take care of the job!

Engage Battle!

Spiderine hissed and spewed purple venom from its mouth in which we quickly stepped out of the way. It spewed out more and more back and forth at each of us; I'm starting to wonder how that not melted a hole by then. It quickly snarls.

I shot fireballs at it and Adeline shot paint at the same time. It hissed and flinched under the attack but it retaliated by ejecting the razors on its carapace and in a trio of three came hurled towards us instantly. I sidestepped the razors and grabbed the nearest one I could get my hands on- I hurled it back at it.

It scarred a little off the skin but made a clear cut at the same time. Adeline added more salt to the wound with acid paint and one of them came into direct contact with the cut. It screeched and jumped up to the ceiling upside down. It shot silk web balls from the spinneret and more venom as well.

The webs exploded on the ground in short-fused flames, setting the razors falling down on ignition and rolling towards us. Adeline shot many of them down and somehow doused the flames and venom at once. Spiderine dropped down and its abdomen began to leak needles upwards as rain.

Some did manage to pierce us a little but we were able to deflect most of them in time. It shoots a web string from the spinnerets at us, but I grabbed and gave it a huge yank, pulling it towards us by force. I smacked it upwards and pulled the web downwards and towards us again, only this time Adeline smashed it to the ground with a single strike. With that, I decided to set it on fire and end it for good after Adeline stuck daggers everywhere on it, filled with some kind of substance on it.

I guess that was gas or something, because it was caught on fire and shriveled to size instantly to the flames. Afterwards, it returned back into its ball form and disappeared. I exhaled in relief.

"Well, in the end, it was just a carbon copy of original. What a shame."

Spiderine Arachnida has fallen! Victory! (Stage Clear- Kirby Mass Attack/Normal Victory- Grandia 1 HD)

You are now Level 23! All stats have increased!

Item Retrieval: Spinneret Necklace.

After that, the room was somehow intact even after all of that action as if nothing had happened. It wasn't long before it dropped something, the very thing that we came for.

"There's the chest he wanted so much. We should get it back as soon as possible, or else we'll be spotted," I warned, walking up to the chest.

"Don't you think we should check what's inside first before we take it to him? Who knows if that's nothing but a decoy?" Adeline questioned. She's got a point. I lifted up the chest and shook it, and it does feel a little weird on the weight but it feels like a box of clothes piled up together.

"Yep, we've struck gold, Adeline. It's legit. As much as I wanna look inside, we better get it back before anyone else comes and realizes the robbery done. You think they'll realize it was us?" I asked.

Adeline shrugged to that question. "Probably not, at least not yet. That would be their last assumption though. Either way, they'll never believe he stole it, since it was made to keep only him out. No one else has a reason for their being here at all anyways other than the three knights so it'll be okay, I guess. Let's just get this to him and see what happens." She had already drew a portal out by that time, so after leaving a clone chest, we left the area as if nothing happened.

Mission Complete! Progress Saved!

Later…

Soon, we had arrived back at the room where Eclipse was waiting, reading Shaman King manga while he waited. He wasn't startled when we came through the portal at all; it was like he had anticipated our arrival.

"Heya, we got that chest you wanted so bad," I called out to him, presenting the chest as proof and setting it down in front of him.

"Oh, that was quick. I'd thought it may have taken you longer but I guess I was wrong. At least you got the job done," Eclipse closed his manga and got up from the couch. "I'd like to thank you for doing this, princess and paintress. Honestly, I wasn't expecting you to be willing to do this for an ally of your enemy, which is really ironic in a way. Thanks to you two, I can finally reclaim my dignity again. And since I'm feeling generous, it wouldn't hurt to show you two what's in the chest if you want to."

"Wait, seriously?" We both exclaimed in a quiet voice, as we watched him unlatch the chest and rummage for the goodies inside.

"Yep, and here's one of the photos." Eclipse pulled out a photo from the chest and handed it to us. It was a picture of him wearing a maid's outfit while the three others were also wearing the same thing too. He was flustered and embarrassed but I thought he looked cute in that outfit. What? I'm a girl, you know?

"And here's the outfit to go with it. School uniforms, bunny outfits, you name it- it's all in here. And I hated every moment of it, no matter what they say to me like it's just harmless fun. It's time to stop this once and for all and- hey, are you guys listening?" Eclipse sweatdropped. "I know how enticing the pics are, but snap out of it please." At that point, we were already attracted to every photo that they had of him in lots and lots of costumes and clothing. He frowned.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that… you look so cute in these outfits. We can't help it, you know." Adeline giggles.

Eclipse still frowned, but he starts to blush red and his frown lifted to a neutral pose. He might have liked it. "So, what do you plan to do with all of these? I mean, these outfits seem too valuable to just throw them in the trash."

"Actually, I haven't figured out what to do with the clothes yet, because you're right- it's definitely worth a lot. But with the photos… I already know their fate." He smirked a sly smile.

"And what would that be?" I questioned.

"Set them all on fire, that's what. Now hand over the rest of the photos you smuggled in while I wasn't looking from your flat chest so I can burn my regrets in peace better than Zero tearing out his own eyeball." Eclipse held out his hand and waved it.

I groaned and pulled out the photos that I snuck in from my shirt and reluctantly handed them over. "How did you know that?"

"Just my intuition. Now, it's time to burn these photos for good and claim my dignity back. I can't thank you enough for this. Despite that, I suppose it's time that we put an end to this madness, I say. With that, everything is complete. Soon, you all can kiss this place goodbye and join up with the rest soon."

"Well, how's that going to work out? Won't we be easily brought back if Zero orders that to happen?" Adeline asked.

"I suppose that's true; Zero could change his mind anytime if he finds out. Trouble indeed. I guess we'll have to stretch the plan even further. Not until we do something about your means of escape, and it seems you have already found it- the Nova. Truth be told, basically I knew the heart wasn't going to last that long; it was a matter of time before they decide to replace it with another ship. And to begin with, the morphing process will take some time to work, so that means the ship will be completely different when that happens. Unfortunately, I won't be able to help you out there as I know I'm still chained to obeying Zero and I have to do my job. So yeah, you're on your own at that point. It all depends on the ship they get," Eclipse confirmed.

"So, it wasn't gonna be that easy after all. The escape part is actually the real challenge then. Are you sure we can bail with the confusion going on at that time?" I asked.

"Of course, because that's how it was the first time and it works like that. I can guarantee that as well this time. How you escape is up to you. After that, you're home free, unless what you said before about Zero ordering your recapture occurs. That's gonna be a problem, especially if you plan on joining Kirby. A word of advice, keep a low profile at all costs until you reach your home planet, especially when you go against possessed monsters."

"And how are we gonna do that exactly?" Adeline asked. "We've been stuck here for long time that they can easily sniff us out as we are right now, no matter what."

Eclipse gave her statement some thought and pondered it for a while. He reaches a conclusion. "In that case, I'll handle that once you leave. I'll probably be outside the ship by that time or whatever. But maybe… if that still concerns you about that happening, then…" His stare turns to the clothes in the box; I think an idea sprung in his head.

"Hey, I think I've figured out what to do with the outfits. Since I can't keep them around here, then as a gift for helping me, why don't you girls have them instead?" He offered, which set us aback.

"Wait, for real? You'd be willing to give your outfits to us?" We both said in unison.

"Yeah, because why the heck not? After all, I was willing to return the favor to you anyways, and although I hated wearing them, they definitely has some worth in them. Besides, aren't you tired of wearing the same clothes every time? I figured so. You can start out fresh when you bust out of here soon. The rest is up to you three to decide. If I wasn't a knight, I would've gone with you, but I still have a job to do. But listen, anytime the ship could morph with a new vessel, so once the morph is complete, grab Niva and make a run for it by any means necessary. I'll do what I can soon afterwards if "that" takes place. It's a damn risk, but it's now or never on this one. Any longer than that will be too late." Eclipse explained. "It'll all work out, you'll see."

"You have too much of a kind soul to be purely wicked, Eclipse," Adeline sort of sniffed in joy.

"I'm still evil, you know…" Eclipse refuted. "At least I thought I was before I doubt I was. I'm still your enemy of your worst enemy… I think." He was right. He has his own set of doubts; that's why he wants to help us out- to answer his own questions about his real past.

I couldn't help but giggle as I patted his head out of nowhere. Eclipse turns even redder than before. "You're really something special, aren't you? Thank you for everything, Eclipse."

"Still evil… actually, you're welcome, Kailaine and Adeline." He smiles a little bit. "But I'm still evil, even if I help you. But I suppose it doesn't matter anyways. Anyways, soon I have to encounter your boyfriend, so you should probably head back for now. If you're still worried about getting caught again, then I'll leave you with a question that should be the answer to that problem and to every other question you may have."

"A question? What is it, then?" Adeline asked.

"It's quite tricky, really. You've seen Stark and Zane watch footage of Kirby and his allies fight against the monsters, right?" We both nodded. "Okay, and you know about the many foes Kirby fought and dealt with before? That goes for you as well." We nodded again. "I see. In that case, here it comes."

"Remember, this involves everyone you know so far. So, with that, assuming you know about everyone in this world, believe it or not, if you haven't realized it, we all have lots of things in common, but did you notice a pattern in everyone's characters? The question is, one of those similarities stands out the most in this world- a thing not many people realize. What is that one thing we all have in common with each other, and why is it important? I'll leave you two some time to think about that," Eclipse asked.

At that point, an intercom ranged out. "Eclipse, it's your turn on Lunadark Star soon. Prepare yourself for your mission at once in a few hours."

"Ah, duty calls. Well, with that out of the way, I hope you're satisfied today with me leaking a lot more than I should have. But first, I'll have to dispose of the photos. As for the outfits, I'll have to leave it somewhere on Shadow Star where you can get it. Anyways, I have to go now. I won't be there to help you guys, so the rest is up to you. Oh, and one more thing, I heard that one of my siblings found a potential vessel to possess earlier on Skylight Star, and that's happening probably tomorrow or who knows? Prepare yourself for when that happens. Also, if anyone especially my sisters questions you about the chest, deny it at all costs," Eclipse ordered.

"We got it, we'll be careful," We smiled. Eclipse picks up the chest and starts to head out after he smiled back at us.

"Alright then. Good luck- you're gonna need it," With those words, he walked out of the chambers, leaving us satisfied of answers.

We decided not to hang out a little longer here and head back to Niva and tell her what we have discovered.

Core of Warship Dark Matter (Later…)

"So that's what happened. Looks like we've got something out of them after all. Who would've expected one of the knights to willingly help their enemy? Honestly, I did see that coming, just didn't know who." Niva meowed. "Were you able to get what you wanted?"

"Indeed, in more ways than one, actually. It does seem he had planned this for a while or maybe knew from the start. After all, he wanted to know the truth about himself and the rest of the knights too. Besides that, he confirmed our plan as he said they did find a suitable ship they could possess. Not entirely sure how it'll work, but he said it's gonna happen tomorrow. That's when we'll make a run for it." Adeline summarized.

"Not only that, but he also told us what's happening on my home planet and Popstar; it sounds hard to believe that everyone is kidnapped one by one and taken to the castle or sent out to fight Kirby. I can't imagine why. It's clear we're gonna have to end it soon. Once we bust out, of course." I added to that.

"Sounds great and all, but I'm curious about something," Niva purred. "Where would they get a ship of their expectations in the first place? I'm not sure of a ship that can do that at all."

"I don't know, but it's pretty obvious that whoever's ship gets stolen is gonna be pretty triggered by the time they realized it was abducted," Adeline said. "What a worst-case scenario."

"Whatever the case, that doesn't change the fact that we have to use that chance to escape and join with everyone else. We've got only one shot at this, and after that we're stuck here if we fail. Eventually, we'll have to stir up once we get to Crystal Star. At this point, I don't even know what lays ahead, even with future vision. That said, we're placing our bets on what Eclipse told us and hope for the best. But just thinking about it makes me feel a little uneasy." I admitted.

Niva sighs. "I know that feeling, Kaila. It's gonna be okay; if I wasn't stuck in here, I'd give you a hug. Would that make you feel better?" I gave her an unamused look.

"I thought so."

"I suppose it won't do us anything for today; I'm kinda beat, you know." Adeline yawned. "Should we go back for now, Kaila? Anytime the morph could happen, so we better get ready for that."

"I see. Yeah, we have to rest now. Well, we should be going now, Niva. Who knows? Tomorrow may be our last day here before we go home free. We promise that!" I smiled. Niva blushes and smiles as she starts to curl up into her resting position.

"I knew I can count on you two. I look forward to that. And now it's good night, ladies." With those words, she turns back into her heart form, just as nothing ever happened. I turn to Adeline with one particular question in mind.

"You know Adeline, remember when Eclipse said one of his siblings got their hands on a battleship from Skylight Star earlier? I can't help but wonder… whose battleship do you think they stole in the first place? I don't know any that can harness dark crystals without exploding," I asked. "Obviously my family's ship can't do that either."

Adeline gives some kind of weird look in response; it seems like she's afraid to know if her answer may be correct. She sweatdrops before answering. "When battleships come to mind, there's only one I know that stands out from the rest. If my suspicions are confirmed, then boy, "he's" so gonna be triggered when he finds out his precious' stolen."

It took me a while to figure out who exactly she was referring to, and I sweatdropped harder and groan in shock. "You couldn't possibly mean that they'd actually went and pulled it off, right?"

Dear Nova, all of a sudden, I'm really not feeling good about that thought. If what we thought turns out to be confirmed, then that means…

We ended up getting a stolen escape route. Man, he's not gonna feel good about it… not as it matters to the pains and nausea I've experienced later as I slept… there was a strange feeling behind me and it stayed there for the rest of the night… I wonder why it's so…

Nonetheless, I hope that won't slow me down as we wait and prep ourselves for the day of deliverance that is approaching near for us tomorrow. So ends my part for now. I really hope we can pull this off by then; if it wasn't for him, we would've never gotten this far.

With that, wish us luck the next time. Take care of Kirby and the others for us until we escape...

Good night, everyone…

Meanwhile…

In the midst of the night sky at a tower lies a group of warriors, and one of them was the leader, although pink- Kirby. A strange feeling lumped inside of him as if it was stomach cramp. If a bad dream didn't make him feel so good enough, then that added to the torture in him. Such a pain and stressful condition.

Not only that, but his sibling was also feeling the same pain as well as her brother- Karly. It was like hard labor for her although she hasn't gone through it. Unlike her brother, she was sleeping soundly in her dreams until that pain came to turn it into a nightmare. Her stomach was all tied up in knots. It was like she's gonna pass gas all day or barf right now.

Together, it was nerve-racking to sleep in that state for both of them. After what it seems to be forever, the pain subdues a little and it was being rechanneled directly to their backs, where the pain continued there and flowed. They both cringed and cowl and arched as they toss and turn on their beds until then, as if they broke wind, felt a sigh of relief slay the abomination in their bodies' torture to near execution. They soon fell back asleep again.

One of their allies had sensed something happening, causing him to calmly wake up- Meta Knight. Quietly, knowing who's in pain, he walked over to the two siblings to check on them. Just as he thought, the two young warriors were suffering from a condition that he has undergone before and is most aware of. It was already starting to take place.

"That soon? I'd never thought this would happen in their human state at all. Still, it's gonna take some time before they reach that potential. They've just gone through phase one… interesting; I'll let them rest for now," He thought to himself as he gently pats their heads before turning back to sleep.

At least he was going to until he was stopped by the young lost princess Kazela, who tugged at his arm. "Meta, are they gonna be okay? They don't look so good. I could feel some sort of strange aura coming from them in my sleep."

Kazela was indeed special; she is the little sister of a crystal princess that just so happens to be her older sister. This was considered normal for her every day.

Meta was tired, but he was concerned about Kazela feeling anxious about Kirby and Karly as much as he was. All he could do was pat her on the head and reassures her. "Don't worry, Kazela. I know how much you're worried about them, but I can tell you they'll be okay for the time being. Just take it easy and get some rest, okay?"

Kazela nods to what Meta Knight told her. "I understand, Meta. Thank you." With that, she plants a kiss to his cheek and strolls back to where she was sleeping. The masked knight sorta blushed as he glances at the twins one more time before he goes back to bed.

That night, once everyone was sound asleep, if you were awake, you could turn over to the side see tears rolling down the cheeks of Kirby and Karly and silent sobbing you could hear from them as well as vague mumbling. You could hear him say this, one you'll find most beguiling and surprising:

"No… w-why… everyone's… gone forever… p-please… don't… leave me… all alone… I just can't stand it…" He quietly sobs. So does Karly.

Sad enough, you could also hear someone else sob and sadly said this:

"Mom... Dad… big sister… you guys are the best family… I've ever had…"

Turns out Kazela was still awake after realizing she was talking in her sleep. She then hears the twins silently sobbing as they slept; feeling the same way and sympathy for them, she gets up from her own bed and decides to stay with them both as they were sleeping on one large mattress on different places but close to each other.

The young princess pulls them together side by side and places herself in between them. Her pet bunny Kari had the mind of a human as she sensibly covers them in a large blanket all by herself and then leaps over above Kazela's head. Kazela then gives them a warm kiss to their foreheads as a way of healing their emotions and she thus turns in for the night as she sinks in back to her melancholic dreamland…

It wasn't long before everyone else starts to suffer from dream sorrow as well, being drenched in their worst regrets and past mistakes in the lives they didn't know about themselves in their own dreams.

The relaxing mood was now drenching in what it seems to be sorrow despair…

Poor kids…

To be continued…

End of Episode 4!

Author's Note Summary:

Bet you didn't see that one coming, right? I know how that feels. Anyways, with that, now you know there's hope for our favorite trio from the dark ship. That wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for the Zero Knight of Shadow, Eclipse. As you may know, he's been forced into crossdressing by the other knightesses and constantly being made fun of because he looks like a girl, in other words- he's a gender/Hideyoshi as some classifies him as that. It's from the anime Baka and Test; a really good anime and a hilarious one as well. It looks like we've got an enemy of their worst enemy helping out our female secondary protagonists. Eventually someone in the enemy ranks will question their very own being.

Honestly, it'd be too much of a hassle to explain everything at once, so I hope you understand most of what's going on at this point; sorry about lack of explanation here. Sorry there wasn't that much action into this as you may have expected, but I was gonna save that for next time. I'm just too hyped up for Smash Ultimate coming out just next Friday! And as stated at the start, the Smash Universe is canon in my story, so any smash related things you see here, that's why. Moving on, if you remember the question Eclipse gave, then I'd like to do just that too. So basically restating the question:

What is the one thing that every Kirby character have in common with each other, and why is it important? What do you think that is personally? I thought that might be another way to look at the lore of the Kirby universe; it's something I unwittingly came up with without realizing it. What do you think? Let me know that in your reviews as well. Also, figuring that out is the key to solving the lore in this story and in the games too... probably, so try to figure out that answer… if you can during the chapter 5 arc… the answer will be revealed there. Just to be clear, to solve the mystery behind this story, you need to figure that out based on your knowledge about the Kirby universe tied in with this story and think logically.

I think I've covered up everything in this matter, so sorry about not being able to answer most of your questions at once here like I always do. Huh? What's that? You wanna know about why everyone's crying in the last scene of this chapter and what's happening to Kirby and Karly? Sorry, I can't reveal that yet! Either you wait for the next chapter's release or see if you can guess what's going on yourself! That's classified for now! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know about anything in your reviews as well. Oh, and don't forget to join the fight in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate next Friday! I can't wait- just 6-7 days left! That's all and I'll see you next chapter! Have a great week of Smash everybody!

(Try to find all of the references in there as many as you can.)

Upupupupupu!