All right, this is where it ends, folks! I guess you could kind of call this the epilogue. You can probably guess which game was going to come next. It will seem like it should continue after this, but it doesn't. This is truly the end! I hope the few of you that read this enjoyed it and extra thanks to those who took the time to review. I appreciate you! :) Now go have a fantastic day.

EPILOGUE: A New Day

Something was coming.

Something dark.

Something so big that he couldn't ignore it anymore.

Being king of Dreamland certainly had its perks, but there was always one issue that loomed over King Dedede's head—that someone stronger would come along and overthrow him. This was the reason that he hated Kirby with a passion.

And yet, he couldn't deny that he shared something in common with that oversized marshmallow; both wished to protect their homeland. Both despised change.

Which was why the penguin king had come to the Fountain of Dreams when he had learned that a dark entity was coming to Dreamland. Peace could only ever last so long and Dreamland was a prime target for evil from the outside world. Dedede didn't know what this evil was, only that it must be prevented from the one weapon that could stop it.

The Star Rod.

Standing majestically in the center of the Fountain of Dreams, this magical weapon could only be wielded by the most powerful of Star Warriors. It could vanquish evil in the blink of an eye. But if put into the wrong hands, it could mean destruction for them all. This was why he had to remove it and hide it.

Dedede stood before the rod, mulling his plan over one last time in his head. With his attention diverted, he almost didn't notice two bright yellow eyes peering at him from the darkness.

"So, you've sensed it too?"

Dedede nearly jumped out of his skin. He bit back a cry of surprise and turned to see Meta Knight, the mysterious masked swordsman, stepping out of the shadows.

"You get lost!" Dedede growled, whipping out his hammer. "Don't think I've forgotten how you tried to take over Dreamland! You tried to dethrone me!"

Meta Knight seemed unfazed. "I was merely trying to change Dreamland for the betterment of its inhabitants," he responded smoothly. "However, as a knight, I cannot ignore the presence of evil which now lurks along the edges of this land."

Dedede narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you."

"Then it is a good thing I am not asking for your trust," Meta Knight responded, his voice deep and as cold as ice. "However, you cannot deny that you and I have come here for the same reason."

Both turned their attention to the Star Rod, resting peacefully in the shimmering water. There was a long silence as they gazed at it, lost in thought.

"…I'm taking it," Dedede said suddenly.

Meta Knight turned back to him, eyes flickering with surprise. He hadn't expected the king to open up about his plan so quickly. "…You realize that if you take it, no Star Warrior will be able to wield it?"

"If you're referring to Kirby, that moping puffball won't be of any use to us!" the king said viciously.

"I doubt he'd even be strong enough to wield it," Meta Knight said airily, and then paused, eyes thoughtful.

Dedede looked at him expectantly. "What?"

"You are aware that by taking this Star Rod, you are making yourself a target?"

King Dedede froze, eyes wide. Then his gaze hardened and he rounded on the small knight. "Just what are you trying to say here?!" he exploded. Meta Knight didn't flinch. "You trying to get me to chicken out?! I thought you said we were here for the same reason! Just what are you getting at? WELL?!"

"Calm yourself," Meta Knight responded. "I only aim to make you aware of the consequences."

Dedede simmered down, but not before muttering a few choice words under his breath. "So what do you propose we do? Would you like to volunteer to be the target?"

Quicker than a bolt of lightning, Meta Knight drew forth his sword. Dedede's hand tightened reflexively on the handle of his hammer, but he forced himself to stay still.

"We break it apart," Meta Knight said briskly, pointing his sword at Dedede, "We give the pieces to the strongest creatures of Dreamland to protect. Any monster would have to fight each of us in order to restore the Star Rod. You may have the honor of choosing those worthy of this position."

The penguin smirked, immensely satisfied with this plan, especially since he was in the position of power. "For starters, definitely not that goody two shoes Kirby!" he said, puffing out his chest importantly.

"Not Kirby," Meta Knight agreed. "Once he's found out that we've broken the Star Rod, he might misunderstand. After all, it is the power source for the Fountain of Dreams. If it is removed, everyone in Dreamland will no longer be able to sleep comfortably. Their dreams will turn to nightmares."

Dedede shuddered. "So what if the little punk goes and steals them all back? What then?"

"Then he will have proven himself worthy of wielding the Star Rod."

Dedede narrowed his eyes doubtfully. "Hmph. Well, let's get this over with." They turned to the Star Rod. "You do it."

Meta Knight nodded curtly and raised his sword.

"WAIT!" Dedede bellowed, quite suddenly.

"What?" Meta Knight growled, glaring at the penguin.

"…Are we really sure we want to do this?" Dedede murmured seriously. "Do we really want everyone in Dreamland's dreams to turn to nightmares…?"

Meta Knight hesitated, staring straight at Dedede with his piercing yellow eyes. Then, in one quick movement, he slashed his sword through the air. The Star Rod shattered to pieces. Meta Knight reached down and picked one up, examining it. Then he held it out to King Dedede.

"Better to dream a nightmare than to live one."

"Marx?" Kirby whispered, prodding at his friend. "Marx, are you okay?"

Kirby had gone into space and found his friend. He had been so happy to see that he had returned to his normal form, but he was just floating there among the wreckage of Nova…drifting through space…unmoving…

His eyes were wide open and glassy. Lifeless. But Kirby wasn't about to give up on him. He would stay with his friend until he woke up.

"Marx," he kept saying, shaking his friend.

Suddenly, something moved somewhere in his peripheral vision. It was the same dark energy that had gone into Marx and transformed him into a monster. "Stay away!" Kirby cried out, as the dark power drifted straight for his friend. He tried to block it from getting to him, but it passed straight through his body and into Marx's.

"NO!" Kirby shrieked, as Marx's body began to glow brighter and brighter, just like last time…

Once more, the dark energy was mutating him into a monster. But this time he was even more hideous. His limbs were red, the color of blood. His tongue lolled out between two sharpened fangs, and his eyes rolled around in his head like they were a separate entity.

He opened his mouth and a deep, petrifying laugh emerged. He flew at Kirby, shrieking with glee.

"Marx! It's me!" Kirby wailed.

Marx didn't say anything. He just laughed. Kirby tried to flee, but he could barely move due to the lack of gravity. And he was defenseless, without a copy ability.

"Please stop!" Kirby screamed, but the warped laughter drowned him out.

Red and blue blood flew through the air around him; blood that matched Marx's hat. But Kirby had no idea who the blood belonged to as his old friend clawed at his fragile body. "Stop it!" Kirby reached out and tried to push him away. To his surprise, Marx split in half at his touch. Straight down the middle, revealing his insides.

The clownlike monster then opened his mouth wide and shrieked. Kirby covered his ears and screamed with him, and their two voices melded into one, horrifying entity that swallowed him up like a black hole and left him in nothingness…

Kirby snapped awake, screaming.

That dream was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was so real. So, so real.

Marx's memory had haunted his dreams since the day he had been forced to slay his own friend. Depressed, Kirby spent most of his days sleeping. Usually he dreamed of nothing. Sometimes he would just see Marx's sad face, staring back at him from a dark void.

This dream, this nightmare, had come out of nowhere. These sorts of things just did not happen. Kirby sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes.

He did not want to go to sleep after that. His eyes rested on a colorful ball, which had been discarded in the corner of his house. He needed to get out of here. Who knew how many days had passed as he whiled away in his room.

Slowly, he climbed out of bed and shuffled towards the door, wiping his dry eyes. He had cried out all of his tears in the first few days. Opening his door, he shielded his eyes from the fierce sunlight that poured in. After standing there for a few minutes, he finally lowered his arms, blinking. Then he headed to the town.

To his surprise, it had been rebuilt rather quickly. The bodies had been cleared out, and the dens and houses shakily rebuilt. The ground was still charred and the plants were having trouble growing back, but the usual crowd was standing in the Town Square, albeit smaller than they used to be.

Suddenly, one of them turned and screamed at the top of their voice, "It's Kirby!" Everyone heard and turned to stare.

"Hey, Kirby," someone said quietly from the middle of the crowd.

Kirby nodded in acknowledgement.

"Somebody tell him what's going on," Poppy Bro Jr. said hastily.

"What's going on?" Kirby asked, his voice scratchy from lack of use.

"Everyone has been having these horrible nightmares," Bronto Burt explained. "Dreams have always been as peaceful as Dreamland itself. This just came out of nowhere and all at once." He looked at everyone around him, as if looking for an explanation. "We just don't know what to do."

"I had a suggestion!" Waddle Dee squeaked. "I think we should go up to the Fountain of Dreams to see if everything's all right! After all, it's what protects us and our dreams, right?"

Everyone looked expectantly at Kirby.

They're not grateful to you. Only to what you can do for them.

Kirby turned and trudged away.

"Where are you going?" Waddle Dee called out after him.

He didn't answer. Leaving his house had been a bad idea. He wasn't ready to face the residents of Dreamland or the damage that had been caused by Marx. None of them even seemed sorry… he thought tearfully, and then realized what a selfish thought that had been.

He wondered briefly when he would be able to go back there and face them.

He had to start at some point. But not today. Kirby thought morosely. Another time. So he headed back to his house and crawled back into bed.

A loud knock woke Kirby abruptly. He sat up, blinking sleep from his eyes. "Who is it?" He yawned and went to open the door. To his shock, there stood Meta Knight!

SLAM!

He slammed the door in his face and whipped around, wondering frantically what to do. He had come to kill him! He had come to take his revenge! I'll jump out the window! Kirby thought wildly, heart pounding. But before he could take action, the door burst open and it sent him flying off his feet.

Meta Knight coolly stepped inside the house as Kirby scrambled upright and braced himself for a fight, holding his little pink fists up. Meta Knight looked him up and down with a scorching gaze. "What are you doing here?" he said after a long silence.

"I…I live here," Kirby stammered, confused at the question.

"No," Meta Knight growled. "Why are you here? Why aren't you out there helping the residents of Dreamland?"

"Why are you here?" Kirby retaliated.

"You can relax," Meta Knight said, motioning for him to put down his fists. "If I were here to fight you, I would have given you a sword by now. I'm just here to talk."

"Talk?" Kirby repeated, refusing to lower his guard.

Meta Knight nodded.

"Go away!" Kirby said harshly in return. "You're bad! You're a bad person!"

Meta Knight's eyes flickered dangerously. "I'll be the judge of that. And as if you're the one to talk, letting the creatures that live here suffer while you hide away in here and sulk. It is time to forget about your friend. You need to move on with your life."

The knight's words pierced Kirby more violently than any sword would have. He felt himself sway on his feet and the edges of his vision turned dark. He felt nauseous for a moment…just to hear someone say it aloud! It was horrible. He didn't want to acknowledge it.

"You little fool," Meta Knight went on. "If you were half the warrior you pose as, you would know that Dreamland is in danger. And you're the only one who can stop it."

Kirby shook his head, mute.

"Do not deny it!" Meta Knight hissed. "If you do not accept your fate, how can you expect to live in this world? These nightmares will eat you alive. Just look at what this has done to you already! When is the last time you had something to eat?!"

Kirby tried, but he couldn't remember. Meta Knight was right. But he didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to set out on some epic adventure, not without his best friend by his side. It would just be too painful.

"I can't!" Kirby wailed. "Just leave! Leave me alone!"

Meta Knight glared at him viciously. "Fine. But you will change your mind. Fate will find you, whether you like it or not. And you will choose whether you will willingly walk to your destiny or be dragged there instead."

With a swish of his cape, Meta Knight turned to leave.

"Wait."

Meta Knight paused.

It took Kirby a moment to realize he had spoken. The next thing he knew, more words came tumbling forth. "When we fought—and your mask came off—y-you looked so much like me. What…who are you…?"

Meta Knight's amber gaze seemed to harden. Kirby trailed off, feeling as though he shouldn't have asked. When the knight took a threatening step toward him, he was sure he had treaded where he shouldn't have. Kirby squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for the worst.

If he kills me, maybe I'll get to see Marx again.

There was a sudden pressure on top of his head. Kirby opened his eyes.

Meta Knight had placed one gloved hand on his forehead in a comforting gesture. His eyes were no longer cold. Instead, something else shone within their depths. Warmth? Looking at them, Kirby felt slightly encouraged.

"You are not as alone as you think you are," Meta Knight murmured.

Then, in a swish of purple and blue, he was gone. Kirby raced forward and threw open the door to the outside world. But Meta Knight had vanished.

Instead, he saw a beautiful morning full of possibilities. Fat white clouds drifted past the sun, casting shade onto his grassy hill. The town below was bustling with activity as its residents worked to rebuild it. A spring breeze dusted his cheeks, bringing the smell of flowers with it.

Marx's death and Meta Knight's warning hung in the back of Kirby's mind like a dark shadow. But in the face of this gorgeous day, the shadow didn't seem so dark and scary.

Kirby thought of Marx. Instead of crying at his loss, he forced his lips up in a smile at his memory. The good times were still there, despite everything. He would never forget them. He imagined what Marx might say to him now, if he were still here.

"What are you waiting for? Get off your lazy butt and go save Dreamland! They're waiting for you."

I wish you could come with me, Kirby thought longingly.

"What, can't handle it by yourself? Sorry, Kirbs. I'm gonna sit this one out. You'll do just fine on your own."

But I'm not on my own, Kirby thought, thinking of Meta Knight's words. His smile became genuine. I'm not alone.

No matter how different he was from the rest of Dreamland, there might be one other person out there who understood him. And if not, that was okay. Being a hero was its own reward. He knew that now. He would save his beloved home as many times as he had to. He would put on his bravest face and do his very best, no matter what the future held.

Kirby smiled and stepped into the new day.

~The End~