Calm before the storm
If there was one personality trait of the late Queen of Floralia that Taranza had disliked even before her corruption, it was her stubbornness. Her vanity and pride were never much of an issue before he had gifted her that cursed mirror, but her stubbornness had caused him more than a headache. He had never said that to her face, though.
And that stubbornness was also present in the alternate Sectonia who had arrived with a baby Kirby from a dimension in which he was dead. The more Taranza thought about the situation, the more he realised how absurd and twisted it was. But what hadn't been absurd and twisted in his life since the day he kidnapped King Dedede?
Either way, he had more important things to do than reflect on the twists and turns of his life. What he needed to focus on was convincing the alternate Sectonia that she needed to rest immediately or she would collapse.
Taranza hadn't noticed how exhausted the alternate Sectonia was until the tension between the two of them had begun to fade. From the way she was breathing and how slow her movements were becoming as they walked, it was easy to see how much Sectonia needed to rest. But every time he brought it up, she insisted that they had no time to waste and that they had to find the heroes of that Dreamland (obviously Kirby, Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Waddle Dee) and reunite little Kirby with his guardian as soon as possible.
Taranza, however, knew perfectly well what was really going on inside her head: she was too proud to show any kind of weakness, even if that weakness was caused by illness or extreme exhaustion.
"Toni okay, poyo?" baby Kirby asked her, concerned.
"I'm fine, little one. You don't need to worry about me. We must find Meta Knight and Tiff," she insisted, gently rubbing the puffball's head. The puffball mumbled a sad "poyo" sound. The gesture had failed to put away the alternative Kirby's worries.
"Hey, Toni..." Taranza called for the alternative Sectonia. She had granted him permission to use that nickname to facilitate communication between them. "I really think we should stop at my house. It's almost nightfall, and I don't even know where King Dedede and the others are right now. I'll also be able to call this world's Meta Knight from there, so we can arrange a meeting with him," he suggested.
Those words made Sectonia stop in her tracks. Mentioning Meta Knight had worked better than any other method of convincing her to take a break.
"Are you familiar with this dimension's Meta Knight?" she asked him, intrigued.
"Well, we are acquaintances." I'm closer to King Dedede, but they are both sworn partners and lately they hang out together a lot..."
"Wait. They are WHAT?!" the alternate Sectonia yelled in total stupefaction.
"Sworn partners," Taranza repeated.
To his surprise, Toni began to laugh.
"It's strange enough that that despicable king from the Lower lands is regarded as a hero in this dimension, but him being in a relationship with Meta Knight is absurd! Is everything in reverse here?" The next thing you'll tell me is that eNeMeE was a nice guy," she laughed between giggles. Baby Kirby looked at her, confused.
"I have no idea who 'Enemi' is, and I have never said that these two are in a relationship," Taranza replied, more irritated because of the alternative Sectonia jumping to that conclusion than for having interrupted him. "If they do, they haven't made it public yet, and it's not my business to pry into my friend's private life."
"I'm sorry," she apologised, noticing his severe tone. She still had hiccups as a result of her laughter. "It's just that the mental image of my dimension's Meta Knight falling in love with that obnoxious manchild was too surreal not to laugh at. I didn't want to disrespect your friend."
"Despicable, obnoxious, manchild... it's clear that 'Toni' can't stand her dimension's Dedede, and she seems to know her world's Meta Knight to a certain degree. How different is the Pop Star she came from from mine?" Taranza wondered. That was the first time the alternate Sectonia had revealed any information about her homeland. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to discover more about it."
"I got the feeling that, in your dimension, King Dedede and Meta Knight don't get along, am I right?" Taranza casually commented, trying to establish a conversation about the alternate Dreamland.
However, when the alternate Sectonia heard that, her attitude completely changed. The other spider clicked her tongue and muttered something that Taranza could guess was a self-reprimand. Toni was still reluctant to reveal things about her world to him, so everything she had said had escaped from her mouth.
"I think Kirby could use that rest you suggested earlier... and so could I," Toni finally said, trying to regain her composure. Taranza could tell that she was only trying to evade the subject.
"A mimir, poyo!" baby Kirby happily exclaimed.
Taranza decided to accept it. He didn't know why Sectonia didn't want to disclose anything about her dimension, but since the priority was for her to rest, he decided to claim that small victory.
He would discover the truth behind her arrival sooner or later.
º.·º.
By the time Meta Knight returned from the Halberd to the camp, it was nighttime.
The trip had been fruitful. He had successfully contacted Daroach, and the mouse had delivered good news for Tiff. Furthermore, the Meta-Knights had accepted the punishment for their carelessness (cleaning the Halberd with toothbrushes and having to do 100 push-ups every 10 minutes) without protest, having admitted that the security breach that allowed Escargoon to steal the robot was their fault. However, punishment would have to wait, as Meta Knight needed them alert, untired and ready for combat.
Magolor's discoveries had only intensified the bad feeling that had lingered in Meta Knight's mind ever since meeting Tiff. Dark energy capable of transporting beings between dimensions wasn't generated from thin air. There had to be something behind the arrival of these people from another dimension. Something sinister and dangerous.
Meta Knight, however, had not shared his concerns with Tiff, as he didn't want to add to her worries. At least the information he had received from Daroach would surely lift Tiff's spirits a bit.
Meta Knight approached the campfire where Kirby, Tiff, Gooey, Dedede, Bandana Waddle Dee, and a pair of Waddle Dees were toasting marshmallows. Based on the way the hero of Dreamland spoke, they seemed to be in the middle of a horror story.
"And then when he opened the fridge... the cake was gone!" Kirby was telling the group, trying to sound scary.
The two Waddle Dees let out a startled "wanyas" as they snuggled into Bandana Waddle Dee, but the rest of the group was unfazed by the puffball's tale.
"Are you serious, Kirby? You call that a scary story? I thought you'd be better at this after all the terrifying things you've faced," Dedede mocked him.
"But cake disappearing for no reason is terrifying!" Kirby defended his tale.
"When cake disappears, it's either because you ate it and forgot about it, or it's Meta Knight thinking he's clever by sneaking into the castle's kitchen late at night to eat sweets when no one is looking!" the king answered, amused.
"Ahem, your majesty, it's not polite to criticise someone behind their back," Meta Knight broke his silence, pretending to be irritated.
"Sorry, sorry. But you can't deny the truth!" the king exclaimed, laughing. Meta Knight shook his head and sat down next to him.
"Tiff, we have found someone from your dimension," the knight informed the girl, immediately capturing the girl's attention. "I have contacted Daroach, and he has informed me that he and his gang found a disoriented and exhausted child wandering around his base a few hours ago. Daroach may be a thief, but even he has standards. He couldn't leave someone so young and weakened stranded, so he decided to take the child into his base. From the description I've been given, I think the child's species is the same as yours."
"That child must be Tuff!" the girl exclaimed with joy and relief. "I'm so glad he's safe. Though I would have preferred he had stayed home. He's always getting into trouble."
"You are one to talk," Escargoon remarked with sarcasm. He had just arrived, escorted by a few Waddle Dees. "If you two and Kirby didn't spend all day interfering in His Majesty's business, life would be easier for everyone."
"And let you two do whatever you want with Cappy Town and Dreamland, disregarding everyone else's needs and wishes? No way," Tiff replied curtly. "What are you even doing here?"
"His Majesty has ordered me to bring him marshmallows," the snail answered nervously. Meta Knight could tell he was lying.
"The alternate Dedede must have sent him to spy on us," the knight deduced. He made a quick gesture to Dedede to make him aware of the snail's true intentions.
"Well, go back and tell him that he can't have them," Dedede denied, while sharing a few marshmallows with the Waddle Dees who accompanied the snail. "They're only for people who haven't destroyed my castle with a stolen robot."
"That's oddly specific," Tiff pointed out, somewhat puzzled.
"If he hadn't said it like that, Kirby wouldn't have been allowed to eat them either," Gooey clarified, pointing with his tongue to the puffball, who turned away embarrassed.
"Instead of snooping around, you and your boss should be resting," Dedede continued to tell Escargoon. "I have many tasks prepared for you two, and I think I'm going to make him wake up early for the first time in his life," he added with a mischievous smile as he rubbed his hands together. Meta Knight could imagine how Dedede was going to awaken his other self, and he was looking forward to seeing it.
"Good luck with that," Escargoon shrugged off before returning to his tent, followed by the guards.
Once the snail was gone, the group resumed telling their scary stories. It was Bandana Dee's turn, and he began to tell the story of a Waddle Dee who transformed into a werewolf-like creature at night. Again, the only ones who were getting scared by the tale were the other two Waddle Dees. Meta Knight was not surprised: Kirby, Bandana Dee, Dedede, Gooey, and himself had faced beings and experienced things way more terrifying than any generic horror story could tell. It was a pity that their adventures had led them to the point of not being able to enjoy the basics of a literary genre.
What surprised Meta Knight was that Tiff didn't seem fazed by the horror stories either. "Well, according to what she told us, she and her Kirby fought Nightmare, so it really shouldn't surprise me that much," he reminded himself.
Nightmare's triumph in his inter-galactic conquest in that alternative dimension was surely due to the lack of the Fountains of Dreams to protect its inhabitants, but why didn't they exist? Had they never been created, or perhaps they had been destroyed? What else was different in that universe, and what consequences could it have for the future of its inhabitants?
Meta Knight glanced at Kirby, who, despite not being afraid, was listening to Bandana Waddle Dee's tale with interest. If the two Kirbies shared a similar fate, the alternate Kirby would very certainly have to battle Dark Matter in the future. Under what conditions, and with what allies? He had no way to know.
Meta Knight also wondered about the state of the artefacts and machines that Kirby had encountered on his travels, both those that he had used to fight evil, such as the Rainbow Sword or the Love Love Stick, and those that had been the source of some of their ordeals, such as the Dimensional Mirror, the Master Crown, or the Mother Computer (to name a few). Did any of these exist in that alternative universe? And what about the other villains his friend had faced? Would they even be villains there?
"Pop Star calling Meta Knight. Do you receive us?"
Dedede's witty question snapped Meta Knight out of his musings.
"Sorry, I got lost in thoughts," Meta Knight apologised. He hadn't realised that it was his turn to tell a story, so the group had gone silent and was now looking at him.
"Does something bother you?" Bandana Dee asked.
"No. It's just that an idea about Tiff's world came to my mind, and I couldn't stop thinking about it," Meta Knigh admitted. Tiff looked at him curiously. "It wasn't about anything you can answer unless you know something about ancient civilizations and artefacts," he partially revealed to her.
"I was going to feel offended, but the truth is that I don't know anything about that," Tiff said, a little frustrated. "Now I'm intrigued. I'm going to start researching those when I get home!" she decided with newfound entusiasm.
"Wow, I didn't know my story was so boring that I lost Meta Knight's interest," Bandana Waddle Dee lamented with a dejected sigh.
"I'm so sorry, Bandana Dee," he apologised again. He felt a bit remorseful for losing focus on his friend's story. "It wasn't your fault."
"No, no. I should have been a better storyteller. The tale of the calm being 'x' who transforms into a dangerous creature 'y' is very cliche and repetitive," Bandana Waddle Dee blamed himself.
"It wasn't scary, but I liked it anyway!" Kirby tried to cheer him up.
"Kirby is right!" Gooey agreed. "It was a fun story!"
"Thanks guys, but I still think I should have done better. I need to read more books to get some inspiration," Bandana Waddle Dee insisted.
"There are many interesting books in the castle's library. If I find a way, I promise I'll send you some when I get back home," Tiff offered. "I don't think my Dedede is going to miss them anyway."
"Really? Thank you so much!" Bandana thanked the girl.
"Well, let's continue with the scary stories," Dedede suggested.
"Oh, right!" Kirby exclaimed. "It's Meta's turn. I'm sure he knows one that's really scary," he added, excited.
But before Meta Knight could think of what story to tell, his communicator began to beep, taking him off guard. Who could be calling him? Had the Meta Knights found something, or did Magolor discover anything new about the Dark Enerygy?
"This could be important. If you'll excuse me, I'll go answer this call," Meta Knight excused himself. "I'll give my turn to Dedede."
The knight quickly moved away from the group to a quiet part of the camp so he could answer. To his surprise, the voice waiting for him on the other end was one he hadn't expected.
"Good evening, Meta Knight. I'm Taranza. Sorry for calling this late, but I need to talk with you."
"Did something bad happen?" Meta Knight asked. He knew that Taranza wouldn't call him for any trifle. "Wait a minute... two portals opened near his house, according to Magolor's data. Perhaps he's met someone from Tiff's dimension!" he remembered.
"Well, I don't know how bad the situation actually is, but I have a visitor at home, and they need to talk to you," the spider stated, sounding a bit nervous.
"Does that visitor come from another dimension?" Meta Knight guessed.
"How did you know?!"
"They are not the only one. Can you tell me more about this visitor of yours?"
"Sorry, I have been asked to keep any information about their identity a secret. They fear that our conversation may be heard by unwelcome third parties. Can we meet up with you and the others in person tomorrow?"
Meta Knight hesitated. On the one hand, he would also want to keep a low profile and be cautious if he became stranded in an unknown dimension. But on the other hand, what if it was a trap? Maybe the person he was talking to wasn't the Taranza he knew.
"Before we proceed with this conversation, I need to verify your identity," he told the spider. "When we were fighting the Jambastion cult, who were your companions during the infiltration into their base?"
"Magolor and Susie."
The spider's answer was quick, concise, and correct. And, given that such an event had not yet occurred in Tiff's dimension, it confirmed with little margin for error that the person he was walking to was the Taranza he knew. Meta Knight would trust the spider for the time being, but he wouldn't lower his guard. After all, that information could have ended up in the hands of an unknown enemy in some way.
"We'll meet tomorrow at Dedede's castle," Meta Knight decided. "Or, better said, we'll meet in what's left of it," he added in an exhausted tone.
"Wait, what do you mean by...?"
Meta Knight couldn't quite hear the end of the message due to a static sound coming from the communicator. "Interferences...What could be causing them? Susie said her communication system had no faults," the knight grumbled to himself.
"Are you still there, Taranza?" he inquired.
"Me...Kni? Can... hear me? I... not.. hear..." Taranza's voice was hardly audible.
"Is everything okay over there? Are you okay?" he repeated a few times to try to get the message through despite the interference.
"We…fine. But... these inter...weird."
Meta Knight tensed. The air was getting charged with a strange energy. "This must be causing the interference, but where is it coming from? I can't be anything good given everything that has happened today."
"I'm sorry, but I have to end this conversation now, Taranza."
He didn't have to hang up because the connection was completely lost. Meta Knight doubted that his last message would have even reached the spider. He put the now-disabled communicator in his dimensional cape and took Galaxia out of it, determined to find the source of the energy that had left him unable to communicate at such a crucial moment.
The knight took flight, rising above the camp. Thanks to his perception, it didn't take long to figure out where the energy was coming from. To his dismay, he found that the source was a strange portal that had opened in the forest near the camp. A group of beings rushed out of it before it closed.
"Are those creatures... Waddle Dees?"
Meta Knight approached them. Yes, they were certainly Waddle Dees, but their bodies were made of darkness, and their figures were intermittently distorted with an effect that reminded him of a corrupted digital image. The beings began to move in the direction of the camp, and it was not difficult to guess that their intentions were not good.
Meta Knight firmly grasped his sword. The storm had finally arrived.
º.·º
Sorry for taking so long to translate what is supposed to be a short chapter where nothing big happens. I've suffered from a neck contracture that has been causing me random headaches. I'm getting better, but I haven't been able to write that much this month (this is also why neither of the 'Kirby:Skybound Dreams' versions have been updated, except for a deep revision of one of the chapters, despite its first anniversary).
I'll revise the chapter tomorrow. I wanted to release it before the month ended.