Still a little sad no one has reviewed yet, but I won't let it get me down. This story has a lot of meaning to me. Anyways, I think some of you will really like this chapter, and I'm pretty proud of the ending of it! Enjoy!
-Joost
Shattering the Stars
Chapter 5: Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Link awoke to a warm glare spread across his face. The sun, peeking through the opened window of the bedroom, greeted the hero, almost blinding him as he sat up and yawned. He smacked his lips a couple times, a strange aftertaste of a red potion staining his tongue.
A soft sigh filled the room as Link looked around, feeling glum. His tunic and tights were hung up on a rack by the front door, but he managed to sneak the photo of Romani out of his pocket before he undressed the night before. The nightstand drawer was where it resided, and the tired husband retrieved it just to have a look at his wife.
For a while, Link just stared at the picture of Romani, thoughts of how much he already missed her overwhelming his eyes. They nearly started to water up, thinking about whether everything was alright back home.
Suddenly, the sound of music brought Link back. Startled, he swung his head towards the source, seeing his roommate, Tael, hovering by a rectangular contraption on a coffee table close to the door. The fairy froze, removing his hand from the knob on the front of the device.
"Oh, Tael," Link breathed, relieved. "I didn't realize you were already up."
"Yeah, sorry, I notice you were… preoccupied. Look at this," Tael faced the oblong box again. "They call it a 'radio'. Listen, it plays music!" The curious fairy turned the knob, allowing the notes of the music coming from the speakers on the machine to more easily be heard.
"Woah…" Link didn't have many words, his mind still gnawing on the sight of the photo of Romani. When he got a better listen to the music, though, his concentration waned. It was jazzy, similar to the performances by the Indigo-Go's from the Milk Bar back home.
The sound mesmerized Link, allowing his interest to shift from his homesickness to the mechanical music box. Orchestration, strings, sax, and what seemed like a clarinet, all complimenting the voice of a woman, a singer. He was always fond of jazz, and the words of the song calmed the hero's scorched nerves, the lyrics being about 'being through with love'. An odd topic for a song, thought Link, but it was pleasant to listen to.
"Hey, I'm going to get my tunic," Link nodded towards the rack with his clothes. "You mind, bud?"
"Oh! Yeah, no problem," Tael turned around, allowing Link to keep his dignity as he left his bed and grabbed his clothes. As he waited for the sounds of rustling cloth to cease, the music faded, the song at its conclusion. Another came on, similar in style, but now with a man at the helm of the lyrics.
"The music is wonderful," Link commented as he dressed himself. The song dealt with heartaches, love being a common theme of the music here presumably. An intriguing difference compared to Termina, where the songs that did have words, the few that there were, didn't have much to do with love.
"Yeah, it's both like home, and not at the same time, you know?" Tael giggled and sat down, still turned away from Link. He reminisced on the times he went to the Milk Bar with Link and the others, smiling warmly.
Link just murmured in agreement, finally finishing his green ensemble with the tightening of his belt. He walked over to his bed and sat back down, indiscriminately stuffing the photo of Romani back into his tunic pocket so Tael wouldn't notice. He didn't rightly know why he hid the picture, but he felt the urge to. Running his fingers through his hair, he quickly heard the growl of his own stomach, a protest of his body, longing for some kind of breakfast.
"Hey, I heard that from over here!" Tael exclaimed, laughing a little.
"Guess we should get some food, then." Link stood back up and gestured for Tael to join him. The fairy did, flying just above the hero's green cap. Together, they left the room, although a little hesitant to venture out into the unfamiliar halls.
Once Link started walking down the regal rugs and through the castle, more of those guards, all identical in appearance and stature, ran by. It was strange, as while he was fooled into thinking they were far more menacing while in shackles, now that he got a better look, they were almost cute. The lack of mouths still unsettled him, though.
It took a while of searching until Link and Tael came upon anything of note. The connecting rooms of the castle were nicely decorated, ornamented with dustless drapes and golden rimmed paintings of the king, the penguin that the Queen called 'Dedede', all in over-the-top poses, all trying to express how big of an ego he had. Tiring was what Link would've described it all as, but the orange brick all nicely cobbled with one another made up for it. He couldn't deny the castle was structured beautifully.
Link wondered how large the fortress really was, as it felt like he was searching for a kitchen forever. A few halls he swore he recognized, telling him he was going in circles occasionally.
"Excuse me, Link," A sudden voice came from right behind the man in green. He yelped, jumping almost three feet in the air and landing in a defensive pose.
"I didn't mean to startle you," It was Meta Knight, looking indifferent at Link's fighting position. He had his cape wrapped around himself, snug, his arms perfectly concealed.
"Sorry, it just wasn't expected," Link replied, leaving his stance and relaxing his muscles. Tael, who had been equally alarmed, hovered back down and sat on his friend's left shoulder.
"I assume you're looking for some breakfast, hm?" Meta Knight correctly deduced, judging from the lack of concentration in Link's eyes and the prominent bags underneath them.
"Yes, actually," Link was surprised with Meta Knight's brisk conclusion. A small smile came along his face as he sensed some warmth from the knight. "That'd be swell. Tael and I have been trying to find some kind of kitchen for a little while now, with no luck."
"Follow me," Meta Knight stated plainly, turning curtly and walking down the hallway. He knew the layout like the back of his hand.
Link and Tael tailed Meta Knight closely for a couple minutes, staying silent as they let the swordsman guide them to what they hoped would be something to eat. There were a million questions that he wanted to ask, but he restrained himself for the time being, knowing that the knight would likely want to set aside some time to chat. Just the thought of learning about this brave, new world he found himself in brought him a little it of child-like wonder.
"I hope the Waddle Dees didn't give you any trouble," Meta Knight said, breaking the sheet of silence himself.
"No, not at all. They haven't even acknowledged me and my friend, actually." Link guessed that Meta Knight was talking of the charming little guards. He could see a few of these Waddle Dees scurrying around the halls in the distance, carrying supplies, papers, or even spears.
Meta Knight just replied with a soft 'hm', the silence resuming.
Eventually, the three arrived at a large, wooden, double-wide door. It gave off a larger-than-life presence, and when the entryway opened up, the smells of fresh pastries and sweet, sugary goods filled Link's nostrils. He nearly salivated, never having picked up such a lovely scent in a long time. The plucky, orange fellows, the Waddle Dees, were hard at work, preparing food tirelessly.
Meta Knight looked around the grand kitchen and then clapped his hands together twice. Suddenly, all the Waddle Dees stopped what they were doing in unison and turned towards him. Link was taken aback by the display, nervous with all the eyes now on him.
"Our guest here would like some breakfast," Meta Knight said.
All the Waddle Dees nodded, smiling despite their mouthless faces. They all went back to work, preparing a multitude of breakfasts for Link to choose from. Meta Knight walked further into the kitchen and sat down at a distant table, Link following. The man in green sat down across from his opposite number, the two warriors waiting. There was a little bit of tension between them.
In no time at all, the Waddle Dees finished their baking. The legion lined up and placed down plate after plate of food for Link, Tael, and Meta Knight to pick. There were pancakes, bacon and eggs, toast slathered with a dark pink jam, blueberry muffins with butter to add, an assortment of chopped fruit, and more. To Link, there were almost too many options. Not wishing to delay, he picked the bacon and eggs, something he enjoyed at home.
Tael picked two hashbrowns, that being one of his favorite foods. They were sizable, two being plenty for him to satisfy his hunger. Meta Knight, secretly, had an affinity for sweet confections. He discreetly grabbed three cinnamon rolls from one of the platters and hid them in his cape, disguising his action by taking the bowl of almond butter granola sitting next to it.
"Feel free to enjoy the rest, my friends. Be sure to leave the favorite for you know who, once he joins us," Meta Knight told the Dees, referring to the numerous unchosen dishes resting on the table. They all perked up, quickly snatching the plates and running off into the main dining hall. All that was left were the pancakes.
"Who's going to be joining us?" Tael asked, his mouth full.
Tael's question wasn't answered by Meta Knight, instead by the sound of a twinkling star just a moment later. Outside, Kirby had arrived, his Warp Star parked just beyond an open window across the room. Meta Knight grunted, thinking the puffball would've been more polite with his method of coming to the castle.
Kirby scooted inside from the windowsill and smiled happily at Meta Knight, hopping down from the ledge and walking up to the table. He took a seat right in front of the pancakes that had been saved just for him.
The group started eating, a strong hush draping over the four as they enjoyed breakfast. For Link and Meta Knight, it was bittersweet to have a moment where nothing was wrong. Confusion was absent and they could relax. For Tael and Kirby, though, it was a little uncomfortable.
"So who are you, hm?" Tael asked Kirby, his mouth somewhat full of crispy potato, the fluff of the insides lining the edges of his lips.
"Poyo?" Kirby tilted his head.
"He is Kirby, defender of Dream Land." Meta Knight said punctually. Link and Tael still couldn't understand Kirby yet.
"Yes, but who is Kirby?" Tael quickly asked, the simple answer of Kirby being Kirby a little vague.
This time it took Meta Knight a second to respond. His eyes, glowing under his mask, darted between Tael and the pink puffball. "You see, it's a little complicated. Kirby… he is one of the many mysteries of this world. Not much of his nature can be explained, even by himself."
Link and Tael glanced at each other.
"He simply cannot be described by words," Meta Knight finished, setting his spoon down in the now empty bowl by his hands. Link did a double take, blinking. How did the knight eat already, he hadn't even lifted his mask.
"Hm, maybe we'll get to know him better over time…" Link commented, stuffing a slice of bacon into his mouth to keep himself occupied.
"That is the plan, isn't it? You two will be working together, after all…" Meta Knight said casually.
Link choked on his bacon, coughing a few times before patting his chest, getting the crumbs of bacon out of his windpipe. He swallowed and leaned against the table, confused, face red. Tael had stopped eating, equally perplexed by Meta Knight's words.
"Excuse me?" Link said.
Meta Knight took note of Link's reaction, sitting up straight in his own chair. He peered at Kirby out of the corner of his eye, and quickly looked back at the man in green. The young Star Warrior next to him hadn't taken notice of them, absentmindedly devouring his pancakes.
"Well, whatever mission you're embarking on, Kirby will need to join you and your friend, won't he?" Meta Knight was far sharper than Link could have ever imagined. He chewed on another piece of bacon before trying to form a response, a strange feeling welling in his gut.
"Who said we needed help?" Link tried to match Meta Knight's collected demeanor, but it was sloppily managed. Deep down, he didn't like being read like a book, especially by a stranger. A distant memory of that dream he once had came to mind, the one that somehow foretold the loss of a friend.
"You mentioned the other day that you were in search of someone similar to yourself, back on the outskirts of town. While there is no one of your… peculiar stature here, I believe that Kirby may be that person," Meta Knight construed, bringing the attention of the pink puffball next to him. He had been giving a long time to think on the meaning of Link's purpose here, deeming it to be no coincidence.
Link thought for a moment, using his fork to excuse his lack of words, cramming an egg into his mouth. Oddly, he examined its texture as he chewed, the fluff of the white and smoothness of the yolk easing his mind. Noticing his and Tael's now empty plates, he finally came to a small conclusion.
"We can discuss more in private. The guest room we're staying at, could you… be there in an hour?" Link said, standing from his chair and taking his and Tael's dirty dishes and walking away, placing them into one of the many sinks.
"Very well," Meta Knight said as he watched Link and Tael leave to return to their room.
Once Link and Tael were for sure out of sight and earshot, the purple fairy flew up next to his friend's cheek and crossed his arms. Link just rolled his eyes, already seeing a bit of Tatl in Tael. However different the fairy siblings were, they shared similar looks of annoyance.
"What exactly are you doing, Link?" Tael asked.
"To be honest, I don't know…" Link said.
The radio could almost be heard from outside of the bedroom, Link having turned it up as loud as it could go to relax. He'd taken a quick liking to this wonderous little machine, the voices of singers belting out serenades drowning out the lingering thoughts of home. He had both hands folded on his chest, staring at the ceiling for a while. All he wanted was a sweet distraction for an hour or two.
"He's gonna be here any minute now, you know." Tael said, kicking his feet as he sat on the edge of the radio.
"I know," Link replied. It had occurred to him that perhaps time didn't work that same in this realm, but it certainly felt similar. The clocks were almost unreadable to him and Tael, however.
"Well shouldn't you be… more prepared?"
"What makes you think I haven't been preparing?"
"Hm… alright, fair." Tael wasn't surprised, just a little concerned. Usually, Link would make a bit of a deal of preparing to talk to someone, but maybe he was taking a different approach now that they were in a place more foreign that anything they'd seen before.
A knock brought the two Terminians out of their conversation, their eyes gravitating to the door.
"It's open," Tael shouted over the music, Link sitting up and turning the volume knob down considerably. The door across from the bed opened, Meta Knight and Kirby entering.
"Ooooo, poyo!" Kirby remarked, never having seen one of the guest rooms of Castle Dedede before. He had seen the guest rooms of a castle on another planet, however, but that was years ago.
"Greetings Link, greetings Tael," Meta Knight said politely, shutting the door behind him. He sat down in a chair by the coffee table, Kirby sitting on the floor a few feet away. Link just nodded at the knight, scooting to the side of the bed and placing his feet on the floor.
"So…" Link began, his face stern as he locked eyes with Meta Knight. "How much do you know about me?"
Meta Knight was not at all surprised by Link's brazen question. It could be easily surmised that the man clad in green didn't fully trust him yet. But there was that small aspiration in the knight's eye that wanted to earn this man's trust. There was something about him, the way he spoke the other day, that told him he was here for a reason much larger than any of them.
"To begin, it's easy to see that you are not of this world, or perhaps this realm." Meta Knight slanted; his hands propped up on the table. "There's no one else like you that I know of. Your physique, your pointed ears, your method of fighting. It's unlike anyone we've ever come across."
"Poyo!" Kirby's attention had been drawn in, a certain topic on his mind.
"Yes, and the weapon you showed me and my students… We both would like to know where you got it…" Meta Knight added.
"I got it from… from someone else, who had stolen it from a man… But what's it to you, why are you so interested in that thing?" Link hadn't shown a smile in a while, his serious, earnest side on full display.
"Because it belongs to Kirby," Meta Knight stated.
Something clicked inside Link's head. His eyes widened, and he was silent for a moment. He didn't know what to say. So this realm indeed had no relation to his, besides the shared instance of the man he was after. Shatterhand. He must have not only been after the variant, but also been to other realms, this one for example. A chill zipped down his spine as he thought of how many other places Shatterhand had access to.
"It's an artifact we called the 'Ultra Sword'. Kirby found use in it many years ago, a result of a friend of ours being possessed by an entity once known as Dark Matter." Meta Knight considered recounting all the events of the last few years, the darkness Kirby had vanquished perhaps having more influence than they may have thought. He ultimately decided against it, though, wanting to keep things clear for now.
"Wait, wait… 'Dark Matter'?" Link asked, his mind now racing. The second Meta Knight mentioned Dark Matter, a fear that had been long locked away in the recesses of the hero's mind resurfaced.
"Yes, Dark Matter. It was a race of… well, something, that operated as a hive. They were formerly a problem for Kirby, but they've been taken care of. Why do you ask?" Meta Knight was confused; the terrified expression Link wore causing concern.
Link remembered Bellum. Possession. Those witches. It all connected like dots on a map. Somehow, some way, that malevolent fiend that the witches said originated from across the stars, was related to that darkness. The swarm of creatures Link saw when the small piece of Bellum assaulted him with sound. Those things, bearing bloodshot eyes and petal-like protrusions.
"Because you're right," Link responded. "I am from a different realm, and that sword was how I got here."
"The Ultra Sword brought you here?" Meta Knight reeled back, hints of amazement in his voice. Even Kirby was a little surprised, his eyes twinkling as he listened carefully to the man in green.
"Yes, it was given to me by a person who stole it from someone else, someone who, I believe, managed to steal it from Kirby." Link jumped to the first thought on his mind. Had Shatterhand somehow gotten that sword from the little pink fellow before him? Link followed up by asking, "What happened to the sword while it was with Kirby?"
"Poyo! Poyo poyo!" Kirby jumped in the air, telling exactly how it happened. Meta Knight he'd have to translate for the others.
"The very last time Kirby was able to use the sword, he was fighting against the one who had been taken over by the darkness. He says…" Meta Knight trailed off, picking up on what Link was suggesting. He knew he had to explain in further detail. "You see, the man we were trying to stop had this ship, a special ship. It could open portals into different realities. Kirby says that the sword was sucked into a portal that came from the man after he gained power from said ship."
Link stood up and put his hands to his face, astounded. He paced around the room, muttering to himself. There was no possibility of such a cosmic coincidence. Now he was certain that it was fate that brought him here and not another version of Hyrule or Termina.
The radio was still going, even through all this bickering. With the silence, now he and the others could hear the song currently playing. There was the voice of an angel, speaking of dreams, night breezes, and a sycamore tree. A piano and violin were appeasing to the now harsh atmosphere, and the voice came back after a second.
"The music here… It's absolutely lovely, I must say…" Link said, calmed.
"Thank you, we're all fond of it too," Meta Knight said, thinking of the singer. He had met her once. Her name was Doris, if he remembered correctly.
"Listen… I'm here because I need to find someone… And stop him. Stop him from hurting my loved ones, and now, I think hurting other people from realms all over." Link was nearly afraid of disclosing the nature of his journey, but if he was going to track Shatterhand down and put an end to him, he would need a lot of help. "I don't think he's here, but somewhere out there, he's causing chaos and leaving things in ruin."
Kirby and Meta Knight made fleeting looks to each other. This was more than just a stranger; this was a call to action.
"We'll help you, but we need to know… Who is this man?" Meta Knight asked. Link stopped pacing around and faced the window. The sun was behind the castle now, just about to set, orange hues filling the sky. Then, taking the photo out of his pocket and looking at it again, he sighed.
"Alright," Link relented.
Meanwhile, across the overwhelming expanse of reality, there was a battle raging on. Less of a battle, and more of a siege, the fighting quite one-sided. A castle, battered with the marks of chaos, was being laid to waste by a force unseen since the invasion of the Haltmann Works Company.
A distant crash was heard, then another, and another, growing and growing in intensity. Finally, another wall caved in, the sight of Kirby flying through and slamming against a firm marble pillar. Bandana Waddle Dee, hiding fearfully, watched as his friend crumpled to the ground and struggled to get back up. He fought the urge to squeak, the one responsible for all this being dangerously near.
Then, horrifyingly on cue, a figure emerged from the dust and grime of the collapsed wall, stepping over the chunks of brick and stone. It was him, that monstrous human that just suddenly appeared only a few days ago. That man with the deformed hand.
Shatterhand approached and loomed over Kirby as he tried to stand, smirking. Bandana Waddle Dee noticed that he had his right hand concealed, covered by a strange, dark-blue gauntlet. It shimmered in the fiery hues of the room, the flames from the destroyed throne room creeping close.
"I told you, Kirby," Shatterhand snarled, grabbing the Star Warrior with the strange device. The gauntlet glowed with glittering splendor, powered by the terrible essence of Dark Nebula. "I will be the first to make you starve…"
"P-Poyo!" Kirby yelled helplessly. Shatterhand threw the boy into the air and socked him as hard as he could with the gauntlet.
Kirby soared through another wall and collided with a suit of armor on the other side. Shatterhand's sinister laughter haunted his ears and he quickly forced himself up. His eyes darted around, looking for something to inhale to use as a weapon. The rusted sword of the knight's armor called to him, and he quickly swallowed it up, gaining the Sword Ability.
"You really think that'll save you?" Shatterhand boasted, knowing that Kirby, while skilled, couldn't handle what he had in store. After all, the sword he gripped in his left hand had been taken from a far superior foe.
Kirby waited for his opponent to draw near. He remembered what Meta Knight had taught him about his form. One foot back, the other forward, planted so as you don't topple over. Nervousness leaked through his skin as he unknowingly cowered in fear. Then he was just able to spot the silhouette of a demon among the carnage. When he got a glimpse of the sword he held, his heart sank.
"The Sword of the Surviving Guardian… That's what they called it, right?" Shatterhand asked with a mocking tone. Galaxia, seized from the corpse of Meta Knight, gleamed traitorously in the deranged man's claw.
The blades clashed, sparks landing on the singed rug peeking from beneath the rubble. They parted then connected again, the duel echoing out through the corridor. Kirby tried to muster enough strength to be on par with Shatterhand, but after only a dozen seconds of whimpering, he failed, Galaxia coming out victorious. The blade stabbed the pink puffball in the paw, his sword clattering to the floor. Again, another chuckle came from the lunatic's mouth.
Shatterhand smiled wickedly, tearing off the green hat Kirby wore, clenching it in his fist until it burst into flames thanks to the gauntlet. When the smoldering strings fell away, he brought his left arm up, but didn't strike. Not yet.
"This…" Shatterhand hissed. "This is what it feels like… to starve."
Bandana Waddle Dee watched in horror as Shatterhand started to slam his fist down on Kirby, bashing and beating him senseless. It was a painful, prolonged death, the power of Dark Matter overtaking the Dream Matter little by little, strike by strike. Kirby's cries of agony slowly weakened, his voice gradually fading, along with the rest of him. Animalistic grunts came from the attacker as he pummeled the Star Warrior into oblivion, his cape rustling with every jerk of his body and each punch flowing like a gust of arid, desert wind.
Soon enough, there was nothing left. When the rage stopped and Shatterhand stood straight, he was alone, the remains of Kirby fading into the night like when a child wished on a dandelion. A smirk formed under his heavy moustache as he combed his crimson hair back, strands of it hanging in front of his sweaty, tired face.
The sweet breath of victory came from Shatterhand's lips as he thought of his tally. Another world down, his revenge successfully enacted. For a second he thought of where he'd go next.
"Sir! Sir!" A heavy voice came from the hallway. Three identical soldiers ran down and came to a halt, kneeling before Shatterhand. They bowed their heads and put their right arms to their chests, fists curled into a ball.
"At ease," Shatterhand ordered once he was pleased with their display of loyalty.
"Thank you sir," said the rightmost soldier. He and his companions looked at each other, silently arguing about who would speak first to their master. Finally, the center soldier piped up.
"Sir, we've eliminated the rest of Castle Dedede's defenses, as you requested. It seems our work here is done," the man explained dutifully. There was a bit of apprehension in his voice, easily noticed by Shatterhand. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "B-But, uh, there was something your computer picked up. Captain wanted you to see. Some kind of reading, sir."
"Show me," Shatterhand moved his left arm back, placing Galaxia onto a clip on his belt and extending his hand out. The guard quickly pulled out a glass tablet and handed it to his master.
As Shatterhand read off the report silently, the guards relaxed. Two of them started conversing with each other, but the center soldier had eyed the new weapon. It was quite different looking from the other swords and cutlery that the master kept. He cleared his throat and pointed to the hilt. "A memento, sir?"
"Hm?" Shatterhand peeled his eyes away from the otherwise boring report and glanced down to where his soldier pointed. His eyes landed on the belt. "Ah, yes, this. I plan to keep it as this world's trophy. I never got to finish off the knight before, so it'll be a lovely memory to hold of this realm."
"Splendid, sir," The guard said.
Shatterhand looked back to the report and continued to read it. It was dull to say the least, the pointless jabbering of casualties making him wish to just drop it. However, when it got to the end, a certain detail piqued his interests. Apparently there were dimensional anomaly readings of the Ultra Sword being used in a distant realm. His Ultra Sword, the one that was taken from his citadel. Taken by the one in green. Shatterhand's expression changed, his unimpressed gaze fermenting into a bitter glare.
The soldiers quickly noticed the change in their master's face and silenced themselves. They could almost feel the anger in him swelling, the glass pane of the tablet cracking under his iron grip. He huffed with rage, until suddenly, an unsteady foot slipped from a rock just across from him.
Bandana Waddle Dee, once listening in on the bizarre conversation that Shatterhand and his troops were having, rushed off in terror. He had thought there'd been ears listening in, but his wrath had quickly filtered out his thoughts.
Shatterhand raised his arm and pointed to where the Waddle Dee had scurried off to, visceral violence seething from his teeth.
"No witnesses," Shatterhand said as his troops started to pursue Bandana Waddle Dee. He fully wrapped his fist around the tablet and threw it to the ground in anger, storming off back to his quarters for a thorough talk with the captain.
The tablet was in shambles, but still somehow functional. The screen had been split apart, cut by a jagged piece of rubble. However, a chunk of glass still held some light, text barely readable. It stated the following: "Variance Energy detected from realm ADZ-2000, leading to ADK-1995. Hints of the usage of artifact A113 (Ultra Sword). Signs show temporal rift and dimensional leaping. Subject of tampering currently unknown. -Nav-Com."