Hehe, I had to let this one cook for a little while longer, but expect that kind of gap between chapters, I guess. I hope you all read and review!
-Joost

Shattering the Stars
Chapter 6: That's Life

Meta Knight walked through the castle silently, but not admiring the stars visible in the windows he passed. While normally it was a common habit he found himself enjoying, tonight, he couldn't focus. The dim candles flickered as he walked by, the dark shadows of night flooding the corridor.

The knight was hiding something, his thoughts dwelling on that deplorable man Link told him about. It was odd for Meta Knight to fixate on a threat that wasn't even apparent, but the way Link described him was so vivid, so fueled by hatred with a tinge of fear, that it infected his own views. Shatterhand was nothing like he had ever heard of before, a clear image painted for him just by the words.

A killer. A ruthless killer, with a desire to find and ensure Link would be dead where he stood. Despite all of the other questions Meta Knight had, most of which Link couldn't answer, one stood above the rest. Why? Why was Shatterhand doing this? What did he have to gain, and if he had access to a weapon like the Ultra Sword, what else did he have? What if some cosmic fluke allowed for this man to have the keys to the other realms, like Magolor?

Meta Knight walked outside and stood on one of the castle's many balconies, the moon overlooking him. There, the lunar light carved out his shadow as he stared at nothing, the dotted stars twinkling faintly. Standing motionless, the lone swordsman was devising a plan, a plan to aid Link and Kirby as best he could on their impending mission to track down and stop Shatterhand.

Unsheathing his sword, Galaxia, and raising it high into the air, pointed at the night sky, Meta Knight thought of one close friend. One he had lost many, many moons ago. She often still crossed his mind when he was alone. Lady Garlude.

"Allow me to ask for guidance, old friend," Meta Knight asked the vacant air. Despite receiving no response, he sighed before continuing. It was as scarce as hen's teeth for the knight to even permit himself to become vulnerable, yet he did it this once. "Help me… Help me see that this man, this Shatterhand, be brought to justice by the one who journeyed here, and anyone else who may enroll themselves to the task."

The wind picked up just slightly, the trees below the balcony rustling with life. Meta Knight kept his gaze on the night, his grip on Galaxia growing worn. A strong resonance was felt within the sword, a solemn message becoming clear. An idea sparked in the knight's head, and he quickly put his weapon away, kneeling before the unseen presence of his lost friend.

Meta Knight was silent for a while, keeping his head down, listening. She gave him an idea, a splendid one. A part of him wanted to thank her for her assistance, but another wanted to collapse, the essence of grief he always locked away coming to the surface. After a long time, he collected himself and nudged his head forward to speak.

"I miss you," he said.

Finally, Meta Knight pitched his feet upright and left his kneel. He took a deep breath, and then sighed, his eyes spent. They were cursed with dreariness, longing for some sleep. Retiring to his own quarters, he drifted off to a dreamless sleep, as he so often did.

Link, unlike the day before, woke up bright and early, just minutes after dawn. He left Tael to sleep more as he finally reunited with his gear, the Gilded Sword and Mirror Shield looking spotless and pristine. The plucky little Waddle Dees must've gone to the trouble of cleaning them, in which they did an excellent job.

Walking down the halls and signaling the guard manning the drawbridge, Link finally got a whiff of lovely, fresh air after a day cooped up in the castle. Taking a step outside and ignoring the sound of the bridge raising back up to a close, he followed the dirt trail for a little while, appreciating the sights of this strange world. His first day in Dream Land hadn't been the most pleasant, so he deemed it right to take time away from all the madness of his mission.

The town that stood witness to Link and Meta Knight's short confrontation the other day had been parched of fact. Rumors, chatter, and gossip filled the air on who exactly that man was, why he was here, and why he fought the defending trio of knights. One notion in particular went along the lines of Link being some rogue Star Warrior.

Kirby, jolly as can be, was making his rounds at Cappy Town. Visiting friends, checking up on the older folk, the usual. By his side was a very close friend, the fairy named Ribbon. She'd been briefed on the whole situation with Link and was rightly interested in his mission and why Kirby would need to join him.

"Just one muffin, please," Ribbon asked the bakery clerk, contrasting heavily with Kirby's large order of a full dozen.

"Sure thing," The Cappy clerk smiled broadly as he handed Ribbon her muffin and printed out the receipt. He tore it from the register and looked at it before giving it to Kirby. "That'll be twenty-eight Dee Bells, please."

"With pleasure, sir," Ribbon said cheerfully, reaching into her pocket and paying up front.

Then, the front door opened with a ring of a bell. All customers turned to see that man, the one in green, trying to escape the prattling voices of people outside following him. The bell rang again from the entrance, a few folks trying to pursue the one named Link, the man running off into the store to hide.

"Hey Kirby, isn't that-" Ribbon leaned over to her friend and whispered. She took her eyes off the man in the tunic just to see that Kirby was gone. "Kirby? Where'd you go?"

Kirby had run off to assist Link with the persistent pests chasing him. He darted and weaved through the small crowd before puffing up and flying through the air to get a better advantage. He finally spotted Link, protecting himself with his shield as he did his best to ignore the constant questions. The pink hero was almost taken aback by the look on Link's face. Dread and dismay, his eyes squinted and trying not to pay attention to everyone bothering him.

"Poy-poyo!" Kirby diving to the floor and quickly inhaling a frying pan. Link got a quick glimpse of the pink one donning the Cook Ability, his eyes growing wide as he stared with disbelief.

Everyone following Link gasped with shock as Kirby openly threatened them, the pink puffball clanging the pots together as if to signal he was ready to summon the magic cauldron. While they knew he'd never actually do it, just the act of defending the stranger made them all go silent, slowly backing off and gradually exiting the bakery.

"Thanks, Kirby…" Link mumbled, putting his shield away and standing back up. So that was a Copy Ability?

"Poyo!" Kirby said, although Link still couldn't decipher the meaning yet. The power to know would come with time, but not now. The sound of fairy wings caught the Terminian's ears, and he saw Ribbon land just next to the pink fellow.

"Don't just run off like that, Kirby! You know I get worried easily," Ribbon scolded, her hands on her hips. A heavy pang surged through Link's heart, the fairy's tone all too similar to his wife when she was cross. She pointed to the pan, "Come on, get rid of that, you know your manners!"

Kirby complied, squatting down and discharging the Copy Ability, the Ability Star bouncing away and landing on the tiled floor with a clunk. Ribbon extended her hand to reach for Kirby's, but she just finally noticed the man her friend was defending. The one in green.

"Oh goodness! You must be Link! I've heard a lot about you!" Ribbon flew up to Link and smiled warmly, a strong sense of goodwill exerting from her presence. She put her hand out for the hero to shake, his own grip hesitant, but it quickly became the opposite. He felt at ease with Ribbon and Kirby, a welcome change.

"Thank you, miss," Link said after finishing his handshake with the fairy. A brief veil of awkward silence descended on the three before Kirby trotted back to the front counter, hungry for his muffins.

"Would you like to join Kirby and I while we mosey around town? We'll make sure no one else bothers you, Link," Ribbon's offer was enticing, too much for the weary traveler. He swiftly nodded, eager to molt out of the uncomfortable skin of confusion he found himself trapped in. He joined the pair as they collected their food and departed, trying to keep his head down to avoid any attention, but to no avail.

Muffled chatter and distant questions filled the air as Kirby, Ribbon, and Link walked through Cappy Town. It instilled a jittery atmosphere for the foreigner, trying not to let his hearing be used against him. The predicament reminded him of when he was much younger, much more self-conscious of his status as a hero. He used to hear people whispering as he held Anju's hand while accompanying her on errands. Over time, he learned to drown it out, his surrogate family assured him that there was no shame in being different. He couldn't find it in himself to try this time, however.

Ribbon already took note of Link's closed-off demeanor. She nudged Kirby with her shoulder and gestured worriedly to the man behind them. The pair started to make faces, speaking wordlessly to each other on what to do, all while Link paid them no mind.

"Hey Link, would you like to take a visit to Kirby's house?" Ribbon asked after finishing her unheard talk with Kirby. Link just tilted his head in confusion. She elaborated, "Well, it's a lot better than town… at-at least we think so. And it'd be nice to let you get to know Kirby better, right?"

"Poyo!" Kirby added, hopping up and twirling, still holding his box of muffins dearly.

"Uhm… Yeah, sure, why not," Link said, thinking any place would be better than public. Such anxiety hadn't plagued him in what felt like eons, so he was willing to take any opportunity to bail.

Link had to bend down to get through the doorway. Kirby's house was about as big as he expected judging by Kirby's short stature, but it was just roomy enough for him to be comfortable when sitting down on the floor.

The house was quaint and simple, but still convivial and well-kept. There was a low table just by the fireplace, with two pillows acting as seats, all surrounded by a star-shaped carpet. The walls lacked wallpaper, the plaster material easy to distinguish, although there were some photos hanging on the wall. Some showed Kirby and some Waddle Dees, a lion, and some strange, blue creature with large ears. Ribbon and Kirby made themselves at home, the two sitting at the table, ready to enjoy their food.

Kirby scrambled to open his box, and once every pastry was in his line of sight, be opened his mouth and inhaled them all in one prompt gulp. Wind flowed through the room, picking up Link and Ribbon's hair as the muffins were swept into the pink puffball's gullet. After licking his lips and humming to himself, he blinked as he saw Ribbon's disapproving glare, her eyes glancing towards their guest as Kirby blushed.

So much, Link reflected wryly, for the idea of sharing a muffin or two. He chuckled to himself and sighed, his nerves relaxing and the blaring klaxons inside his head slowly faded away. The tension of town had finally vanished, Link leaning back against the bed behind him. Although now he'd gotten just a glimpse of what Kirby could do, it was easy to tell he was thinking of questions.

"Mmmmm, poyo…" Kirby said breathily, rolling back on the pillow and smiling like a child. Satisfied with his copious meal, he wiggled his feet and uttered the odd word 'poyo' again and again.

Link kept quiet as he observed Kirby and Ribbon eat, his naturally curious mind jotting down every little detail. There was no semblance of authority when it came to Kirby and how he acted, both his attitude and mannerisms like that of a youth. To Link, it was a somewhat comforting contrast to Meta Knight, who seemed to be the master of the art of operation, speaking as if he was always tactfully preoccupied. Ribbon, on the other hand, reminded Link of both Anju and Romani, and it made his heart ache for home.

"So Link," Ribbon began, beating Link to the punch. "I think it'd be good to properly introduce myself. My name is Ribbon, I'm Kirby's…" The fairy started blushing, a slight stammer forming on her lips. "I'm Kirby's… well, you know." Link felt some warmth from the fairy's embarrassment, almost humorous in a way. "What exactly brings you to Dream Land, if I may ask?"

Before Link could answer, Kirby drowsily uttered a few of his trademark 'poyos', catching Ribbon up on everything. Link made no comment as he watched for the fairy's reaction intently.

"Oh, I-I see…" Ribbon's voice wavered a bit, as Link guessed it would. Even though Kirby apparently spoke with high detail, it'd be a lot to process for the uninformed. Silence befell her as she struggled to continue talking. "Could I ask why exactly you need to-"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," Link interrupted, sitting up straight. Ribbon was about to protest, but the man in green quickly explained himself. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I don't blame you. Not at all, but…" he huffed, "I'm… a long way from home, and it's hard to keep my own head in the game when there's so much at stake. It's been a confusing couple of days for me and… and I have my own people waiting for me."

It felt selfishly rude to just brush off Ribbon's worries. Link wasn't that kind of man, not in the slightest, but he couldn't bare to continuously put this burden to words so often. It strained him just to acknowledge the looming responsibility, but such was his duty.

"It's a difficult thing to grasp, I know, and I'm sorry," Link looked up from the floor and noticed Ribbon closing herself off. "I-I'm not trying to make you feel invalidated, but this… this man that I'm after… It's exhausting just to dwell on him, along with all the other things on my mind."

"Poyo…" Kirby sat up and scooted off his pillow and towards Link. "Poy… Poy-poyo poyo! Poyo!"

Link looked to Ribbon, confused.

"He said that he knows the feeling well," Ribbon translated. "That it's alright to be," she paused, her eyes taking a gander at Kirby with some surprise before continuing, "That it's alright to be afraid of the unknown."

Link's eyes widened and he instinctively moved closer to Kirby and Ribbon, his ears perked up and thoughts intrigued.

"And-And I wanna say that it's okay too!" Ribbon flew up off her pillow and into the air, hovering in between Link and Kirby. "I'm sorry I was a little upset a moment ago, I just was reminded…" Ribbon hesitated. Kirby looked at her and gave a nod of approval, aware of what she wanted to delve into. "I was reminded of something that plagued us here a long time ago. It was, funnily enough, how Kirby and I met. It was awful, but even when we were tired, we kept going. Kirby for one was sad because he thought he'd never be free of the madness that followed him."

Link absorbed what Ribbon had said faithfully, hand to his chin. For a second he felt his unshaven face, some stubble along his chin, noting that he'd need to wash up whenever he returned to the castle. Then, a little smile grew along his face, with a friendly glimmer in his eyes. He had greatly underestimated Kirby. At first, he simply thought the pink puffball was no different from a child, speaking incoherently, eating impolitely, and bringing a sense of something Link reluctantly deemed as 'boyish charm' that made him opposed to working together. Now, his view of Kirby had changed drastically.

"It's a special kind of hell, isn't it?" Link scoffed. Kirby and Ribbon just glared at him, as if they didn't know what he said. "Th-The madness, I mean. That feeling of being stalked by your own past, always haunted by it and the things we've done, you know?"

"Ooo, poyo," Kirby replied remorsefully. Ribbon didn't need to translate, just nodding her head with agreement towards Link's sentiment. The three just sat in silence for a bit, mulling over what to say next.

Link's initial judgement of Kirby was premature, and he mentally berated himself for making inferences without information. Kirby did outwardly appear young and absentminded, but behind that cape of imperfection lied a skillful, competent, yet unfortunately scarred boy who had almost seen it all. His own story mirrored Link's in a way, as if reflected in a fun-house mirror. Warped, but still an image of the same, tortured soul.

"Who…" Ribbon often tried not to be nosy, but Link's statement of people waiting for him had engraved itself into her mind. "Who, if you're comfortable telling us, is waiting for you back home?"

A red tint invaded Link's cheeks and he shuffled his head, his bangs drooping down in front of his eyes, masking them. He deliberately didn't respond, his hair hiding the growing moisture from his pupils. Taking a deep breath, Link put his hand into his tunic's left pocket and fished out the photo he had on him.

"My family," Link admitted weakly, "Namely my wife." Link held the picture of Romani out just far enough so the others could see it. Kirby eyed the woman curiously, while Ribbon's heart sank. She didn't even notice the ring around the fourth finger of his left hand. "We're expecting a baby."

"Oh wow, congratulations then," said Ribbon considerately.

"Poyo!"

"Thank you," Link beamed, his soft lips creasing into a crescent shape. A genuine delight, one that almost drove away his somber mood.

"Poy poyo?" Kirby asked, paws on his cheeks. Link just turned to Ribbon.

"He asked if she's reason you're doing all this. If it's all for her," Ribbon construed, facing Link. The Hero of Termina was faintly offended but didn't hold it against Kirby. He guessed it wouldn't be difficult to assume such since his wife was expecting. Before all this started, that was his top priority, to ensure that he, Romani, and their soon-to-be-born child would be supported.

"Yes, but also no," Link answered, Kirby and Ribbon staring at him with glass eyes. "I'm not doing this just for her, don't worry. It's for everybody. My family, my friends, and the people being affected by this man. He might be out there somewhere right now, either invading, deceiving, or worse."

"And there isn't anyone in his way, right?" Ribbon murmured.

"Mhm, but there isn't any way we can change that tune," Link lowered his head and putting the picture of Romani back into his pocket. "It's just how it is."

"Poyo…" Kirby said, a small drip of regret rolling off his tongue.

"Kirby, you know I'm not going to keep you from joining him. Even if it's dangerous, I…" The fairy's words halted for a moment, pressure building inside her throat. "I support this," she grabbed his paw and squeezed it gently, "No matter what."

A thankful smile plastered itself along Kirby's face as Link admired the short, tender scene. Again, he was reminded of his own lover, but it didn't make him saddened this time. He could tell this pink fellow had truly earned happiness, along with his respect.

"We won't be leaving just yet," Link said.

"Poyo?" Kirby asked, puzzled.

"Why not, Link?" Ribbon added.

"Because I need to see what else you can do, Kirby. A frying pan is one thing, but if what Meta Knight says about you in true, I think an extra day here wouldn't be a bad call," Link explained, still inquisitively baffled by the extent of Kirby's abilities. But there was also a little part of him that didn't want to tear Kirby away from Ribbon.

Kirby straight away jumped up for joy. He was both eager to stay a little longer and show Link what he could do. His act brought another smile to Link's face, the enthusiasm contagious.

A knock resonated by the door. Kirby dashed to answer it, a cool breeze from outside rushing in as sunlight poured through the entrance. Link popped his head up to get a look, but all he saw was a vibrant blue cloth. The visitor was eventually let inside, revealing themselves to be a Waddle Dee, donned with a blue bandana and brandishing a broad spear.

"Ah! I forgot to tell you, Link, but we were expecting one of our old friends to visit!" Ribbon rushed to explain, thinking Link wouldn't take too kindly to the weapon Bandana Waddle Dee held.

"No, no, it's fine. I think now is a good time to take my leave," Link stood up and straightened his tunic, his gear rattling against his back. He glanced at Kirby, Ribbon. "It was a pleasure getting to know you two, especially you, Kirby. I look forward to tomorrow."

With that, Link left without another word, bending down to leave the house and starting the walk back to the castle. Ribbon and Kirby waved him farewell, leaving Bandana Waddle Dee slightly confused. He still was in the dark about the newcomer, something that'd would be explained to him soon enough.

Link's short walk through and beyond Cappy Town was far less stressful the second time around. The sweet scent of afternoon air let him dissociate from the dreary and unstimulating journey, at least until he started down the long path to Castle Dedede.

"Liiiiink! Hey! Link!" A voice came. Link stopped in his tracks and looked around. It sounded like Tael. Then, in the distance, he saw a purple speck of light racing down the road and towards him.

"Tael! Hey, what's wrong?" Link bolted down the road and met up with his companion.

"It's…" Tael huffed; his wings fatigued. Link held his palm up and let Tael catch his breath. "It's Meta Knight! He came to me a few hours ago telling me that he had found something. He-He showed me and ordered me to find you! I've been looking around the castle for ages!"

"I thought I left a note in the room telling you that I was going to be in town today," Link said, his memory of the morning a little foggy.

"Nuh uh! I tore apart the room trying to see if you left anything. Nothing!" Tael retorted.

"What do you mean, 'nuh uh'? I left it right by the win-" Link froze. He did, in fact, leave a note. Right by the window of the bedroom. The open window of the bedroom. He facepalmed, cursing himself for not being more attentive. After he recollected himself, he steered the conversation back to its point. "But what happened with Meta Knight? What did he find?"

"It'd be best to just show you, come on!" Tael, his wings back and better than ever, took to the air and pointed to the castle. Link broke into a run and sped down the road as fast as he could. When he and Tael made it, the guards had already lowered the drawbridge in anticipation of their arrival. They could already see Meta Knight waiting for them.

"There you are, Link. Come, it's urgent," Meta Knight spoke calmly, his placid way of talking nigh invincible. However, he did walk down the halls faster than usual.

"So what's going on, exactly?" Link asked.

"Last night, I spoke to my muse, asking for assistance to find out more about this 'Shatterhand' of yours. There, she recommended the services of an old ally, one that has much more knowledge in this field that anyone else I know," Meta Knight expounded. "Our ally as agreed to also become yours. He even dug out a friend to shed more light."

"And just who is this ally?" Link asked. His own question was answered with ludicrous speed, Meta Knight pushing open the doors to a terrace, revealing a massive, gleaming red dragon perched on the adjacent stone. Their four heads, eight eyes in total, all landed on Link as reeled back in fright.

"A dragon?!" Link yelled as he drew his sword and shield. The creature just seemed unamused at the man's puny display of courage, huffing, steam rushing from his nostrils.

"Alright, Link, I know it's startling, but this dragon is a friend!" Tael flew up in front of Link's face and explained before he could do anything brash.

"Yes. My friend, this is Landia, benevolent guardian of Another Dimension," Meta Knight introduced Link to Landia, who still appeared disinterested in everything. "Landia, this is Link, the hero from another world." The dragon just turned away from the knight, unimpressed.

"And I'm Magolor!" Another voice cheered from out of nowhere. "Aw, drat, hang on! The ship messed up my entrance." Finally, the speaker made himself clear, rising from the air, standing atop something that was strangely out of view. Meta Knight just glared at the mage, annoyed.

"Alright, please explain…" Link asked Meta Knight, concealing his weapons and standing back upright.

"Forgive me for not preparing you for this, this one," Meta Knight gestured to Magolor, "Insisted we surprise you, or else he wouldn't help." Link examined the one the knight alluded to. The Terminian already got a concise read on this Magolor's character just by that description, folding his arms together and scowling.

"Hehe, sorry, I like to mess around sometimes!" Magolor stepped off whatever he was standing on and walked onto the terrace, only to be met with an eyeroll from everyone, even Landia. He clasped his hands together and looked back to where he once stood. Then, the mast of something gargantuan came into view.

"Is that… a ship?" Link asked, shielding his eyes from the sun just behind the object coming into view. He recognized the large, square drape that served as the sail, the rest of the vessel slowly making itself apparent.

"Correct! That's the Lor Starcutter, my own personal cruise," Magolor said proudly. Landia quickly clobbered him upside the head with his wing, huffing angerly. "Er- I mean, the l-legendary construct crafted by an ancient civilization. It specializes in inter-dimensional travel, something that I heard is important in regard to you."

Link could already tell this Magolor was a trickster. A bastion of mischief, judging by his eccentric speech, noticeable ego, and Landa pushing for him to correct himself. Trust wasn't something Link was going to immediately give this man, that much became clear.

"Remember the man I told you about yesterday, Link? And his ship?" Link nodded. "Well, this is that ship, and the man," Meta Knight finished, some hostility in his voice. He didn't fully trust Magolor, even after all they'd been through.

"I see. And this is important… why?" Link pointed to everything before him confusingly.

"Because the Lor Starcutter managed to find something out about the man you're after, Link. Something I personally think is going to be critical," Meta Knight started towards the ship, effortlessly hopping from the parapet to the deck, waiting for Link to join him.

"So what'd it find?" Link asked as he copied Meta Knight's movement and set foot on the ship. He found it easier to keep his questions on how the ship was flying to himself, concluding that he had better things to worry about.

"Magolor!" Meta Knight turned to the wizard. "Fetch the map I sketched up; it should be in the main deck by the controls."

"Got it," Magolor said, running off into the vast ship and disappearing behind a door. Landia swooped up and walked up next to the mast and curled his tail around it, laying down and starting to snore. Link was still bewildered at the sight of a dragon but knowing what else he'd seen so far in Dream Land, he just accepted it.

Eventually, Magolor returned, a roll of paper in his hand. He handed it to Meta Knight wordlessly and watched as the swordsman walked over to a nearby table and folded the paper out, allowing them all to see what had been drawn across it. It was an outline of the Lor, with half a dozen boxes drawn in front of it, all numbered respectively. One had a star scribbled inside it, and the furthest one had an 'S' inside it. The knight pointed to the diagram.

"This is a crude depiction of our realms. The one here with the star is us, you see?" Meta Knight spoke slowly, making sure Link and Tael understood. He continued, "The one with the 'S' is where the Lor picked up a signal, where we can assume Shatterhand is."

"Wait, really? You-You think he's there?" Link leaned in to inspect the scroll, skeptical but amazed.

"Yes, because one week ago, the Lor picked up an energy signal very similar to it's own from that realm, meaning that something visited there," Meta Knight addressed the 'S'. "And then two days ago, it picked up another signal, this time from our world. Your arrival here."

"So this ship sensed that something was going from world to world, and you think that it's Shatterhand?" Link put his hands on the table to get an even better view of the drawings.

"Think of it like a hall of doors, the energy as sound. The Lor heard a door down the hall open and close, then heard the nearest door do the same. But it wasn't the one going through."

"Ooooohhh…" Link understood the meaning know, his eyes widening. "Well, we should check there, if we can. I- uh…" A small stammer jinxed his lips. "I-I promised Kirby that we wouldn't leave Dream Land just yet."

"That's alright, Landia was already planning to scout out there and see what he could find," Meta Knight turned to Landia, who snorted awake and peered up in response.

"Good, I need to make sure we're ready, and I wanted to see what else Kirby could do," Link took the scroll into his hands, still eyeing the diagram. Tael could see the pride on his face, the first hint of excitement ever since he started this journey. "But if this is him, if this is where he's hiding, then… We got him."

Just a few doors down.