THE LAST DANCE

I still could see the red smoke from the flare. The fumes had diffused into a salmon-colored fog over the trees. Kirby had been here, but who knows which direction he could have ran off to. Daring to hope he was still around, I cupped my paws around my mouth and called,

"Kirby! Where - ?!"

"Hush!" hissed Meta Knight, his yellow eyes glowing brightly in the gloom of the forest. I squirmed in Daroach's hold. I was feeling very impatient now, anxious to find Kirby. It isn't usual for Kirby to call for help.

"Let me down, Daroach," I whispered, and my brother placed me on my feet. Once on the forest floor, I turned around slowly with my ears rotating on my head. They gave a twitch as I heard the sound of leaves rustling in the canopy, some ways off to my front. I listened intently; I recognized Kirby's running pats, even though I could barely hear them from here.

"Kirby went that way," I told the others, pointing towards the source of the sounds. Just as I spoke, there was a faint stirring from behind us, very much like a weak breath of wind. My ears followed it as it traveled lightly around us...

Wait. Can the wind sound like an evil chuckle?

There was a sudden flash of white before me, and I cried out in surprised terror. Something pushed my side roughly and I fell hard on my chest and stomach, dead leaves crunching noisily beneath me. Recovering quickly, I looked over my shoulder at the last moment to see two blades break away with a ring of sliding steel. Meta Knight stood back, his free arm held out for counterbalance, his sword arm pointing threateningly in front of him; in it was a dark-silver blade that gleamed as coldly as the knight's personality. At the cruelly pointed end of his sword was the sharp edge of another. I followed this new blade's pattern of dark and light metal slowly down to the hilt – where it lacked a hand. Stunned, my eyes flicked upwards. A v-shaped mask, filled by darkness, was crowned by haphazard tufts of black. This head rested upon no shoulders, hovering over a violet chest plate with purple shoulder plates trimmed with silver at either side. A cape clung to an invisible back, royal violet and fringed with alternating patters of red and yellow triangles, forming thick, colorful bands at the opening. A single, bright, white eye gleamed from the darkness of his v-shaped face.

I looked to Meta Knight again. I had a feeling that he had sensed that we were about to be attacked and pushed me from harm's way.

Suddenly, before I can even think about breathing a "thank you," I was snatched from the ground and speedily flown forward. I could hear the whooshes of branches passing quickly over and around me. Then, I felt myself being jerked to the right, and movement stopped. I looked up to see Daroach, glancing around a tree, his chest heaving slightly.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Quiet," he hushed. A paw let go of me, and with a flick, his scepter materialized within his claws. He twirled it once before gripping it tightly. Despite how dire the situation was now, I couldn't help but snort.

"Wow, do you really have to be so fancy?" I snickered. The golden eye not covered by his large hat glanced down at me.

"Force of habit," he answered tersely, and returned his attention to the dark of the forest, his eye glowing dimly and his large, disk-like ears tuned forwards attentively. I listened, too, for the sound of steel biting steel, for metallic scraping and clanging. But an eerie silence plagued the forest.

"What's going on?" I whispered. Daroach testily raised his scepter, and glanced around him, his ears swiveling slowly.

"I don't know," he replied quietly, "but I don't like it."

"Well, I don't either,"

"Pikachu, it would be better if you were to be quiet for right now."

"Okay..."

A rustling sound to the right of us disturbed the silence, and both of our attentions were now fixed upon a dark cluster on undergrowth, waiting for movement.

"Why are you guys standing around like that?" a voice whispered sharply to us, "He's still out there, you know!" From the ferns came Kirby's pink face, barely visible to me in the darkness. But I saw him, and I jumped out of Daroach's arms for joy.

"Kirby!"

"SHH!" both Kirby and Daroach shushed me. I fell mute, and looked at Kirby, now down at ground level.

"Who's he?" I asked him, as quietly as I could. Kirby didn't answer me. Instead, he motioned with one pink arm for me and Daroach to follow him. We did so, our ears swiveling about our heads as Kirby lead us away from the strange encounter. When he felt that we were far enough, Kirby whispered softly,

"Dark Matter," I frowned.

"Huh? Isn't that the stuff that holds the universe together?"

"Well, I suppose, but not really – but that's not the point. This is another Dark Matter," Kirby looked around nervously. In my gut, I felt dread encroaching. I can only guess that this Dark Matter was dangerous, because if Kirby was scared, than it should be pretty scary. Daroach frowned.

"Do you have the necklace, Kirby?" Kirby glanced back at him once, before glancing around again. He tapped his foot lightly a few times. Daroach stared for a brief moment, and then began looking around him as well. I was pretty sure that the necklace was in the arm that Kirby didn't wave at us with. I sure hope it was.

"We gotta keep moving..." my pink friend whispered quietly.

"You should," All three of us jumped in our places at the sound of the new voice.

"Meta Knight?" I asked, knowing that drawling tone, "Is that..."

"Yes, Pikachu," Meta Knight emerged from behind a tree and quickly made his way toward us. Kirby turned to face him, keeping his hands behind his back... For some reason. Meta Knight went to him, his golden eyes glowing brightly.

"Do you have it?" the knight asked urgently, "Is it safe?" Kirby narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah," he answered, "It is," Meta Knight seemed slightly taken aback by Kirby's tone, stepping back slightly, one white glove on the hilt of his sword. The knight stared intensely at Kirby for a moment, before chuckling softly.

"You may relax, old nemesis – you can trust me this time." I looked to Kirby, and snorted. Jeesh, it seemed like back then, Kirby made quite a few enemies. Kirby, at the moment, seemed to think something over in his mind, carefully observing Meta Knight. Slowly, one of his arms fell to his side. Meta Knight glanced at it.

There was a sudden breath of wind, and both of their eyes flicked to its source. I whipped around, but before I could realize what was going on, a force feeling like a ton of bricks slamming into my side.

"Pikachu!" I heard both Daroach and Kirby cry out as I felt a whooshing sensation as I rose into the air in a dizzying ascent. I abruptly stopped, and gravity grabbed on to my loose body... Yet... I was dangling in midair, supported by nothing. I moved my arms and kicked my feet, but it was as if I was hung with a metal loop clamped around my midriff. I struggled still.

"Put her down now!" Kirby shouted from below me.

"Kirby! Look out!" Daroach yelled, and suddenly fired an icy beam from his scepter towards Kirby and Meta Knight. Meta Knight grabbed Kirby by the arm resting at his side and dashed to the right.

"What was – GAH!" Kirby's surprised anger at Daroach vanished when Meta Knight lunged at Kirby's other arm holding the precious bundle.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, META KNIGHT?!" I screamed down at him. Meta Knight paid no mind, but reached for the satin folds holding the necklace. His glove snagged onto one of them, and then golden light flooded out as the necklace fell away from the bundle onto unsuspecting Kirby. I couldn't see his face with the light blinding my vision, but I distinctly heard a small, "oh!"

That was all I heard in that moment.

In shock, as my eyes adjusted to the light, I watched Kirby's now limp body fall to the ground, the necklace sliding from him onto the forest floor.

I was too shocked to scream.

I was too angry with disbelief to shout. To flail. To cry. To do anything at all. It was just so hard to believe that Kirby won't ever open his eyes and get back up again.

Meta Knight was a greedy bastard after all...

Anger flared within me again, and this time, I was not too angry to do anything. I just wanted to sink my claws into that miserable, greedy so-called knight and just kill him. Not right away, of course.

I want to make him suffer for every single second I will suffer from his betrayal.

Something funny happened to my vision just then. For the briefest moment, the colors I saw before my eyes inverted; what was shadow was now blinding white, and the light of the necklace was a deep, dark purplish black. Smoky vapors rose off of Meta Knight, Dark Matter, and Daroach below me. For that moment, my sharp hearing suddenly became subdued, and I heard everything in mumbles. Beneath every sound was a continuous, low rumbling tone. My body could no longer feel the wind.

My mind had gone blank with fury. Something from deep within me in a tiny, fixated point felt like it was about to explode and burst from my body.

In the midst of all of this, there was a calming, echoing voice coming from nowhere that whispered to me, "Get the necklace first…"

And then that strange, alien feeling was gone.

I blinked, and saw Daroach staring up at me with a slight frown on his face.

"Finally," a voice spoke to my side, seeming to relish the moment. I turned my head to see that strange, one-eyed swordsman from the earlier encounter. Dark Matter.

"Finally," he spoke again with an eased tone, "Well done, knight, well done," I was filled with a sick feeling when Meta Knight nodded in reply. That twisted, greedy, deceitful...

"I should have known," Daroach hissed angrily at him, flattening his ears. Meta Knight coolly turned to look at my brother, and slowly picked up the necklace in his gloved hands. The golden light was reflected menacingly off of his mask smooth mask, glinting brightly. All smooth and slick, except for one flaw – I noticed that there was deep, acute gouge into the mask under his right eye. Dark Matter floated downwards towards the knight, drawn by the power emanating from the stones.

"To me," he commanded him. Meta Knight glanced at Dark Matter, but did not make a motion to hand over his prize. Dark Matter narrowed his eye.

"To me, you fool," This time, Meta Knight stepped back from Dark Matter, and let loose an evil laugh. Much to Dark Matter's surprise, Meta Knight began wrapping the necklace back in its cloth. The sickly gold light, in pieces, disappeared.

"You expect me to follow your orders? Now that I have this," He lifted the necklace higher, "I can return to power, and you fools will then have to listen to me!" At this, Dark Matter jerked violently in anger, his cape snapping sharply. He raised his sword.

"If Kirby's body was not able take in all of the power of that necklace, then yours surely cannot either!" he spat in disgust, "Your body is weak! Here – make sense! I am doing you a favor of allowing you to live your pitiful life. Now give that necklace to ME!" Strangely, I found slight amusement in this argument. These two were so power-hungry that now they are set on killing each other. But... I needed to get the necklace out of BOTH of their possession. I looked down to Daroach, who was rigid, his eyes fixed on the golden light. Inside his head, the clicking, ticking gears and cogs that made up his mastermind brain turned. At least I hope they were. Maybe Daroach was struck dumb like I was.

No. He seemed to be staring hard at them… Or the space beyond them.

There was a great shout from behind Meta Knight and Dark Matter, and the darkness from which the sound came from was filled with fiery light as plumes of flame erupted from the ground in sequence along a line, cutting right in between the two, quarreling fiends. There was the flutter of a cloak, a flash of red passing over the stunned Meta Knight and Dark Matter as they jumped backwards to avoid the fire. Around them, the dry shrubbery lit, casting light upon the intruders.

"In my opinion," spoke a voice, "BOTH of you guys are pitiful." The owner of the voice stepped closer, his short figure now visible in the firelight.

Meta Knight's and Dark Matter's eyes widened. Suddenly, I was dropped from the air, and I dropped heavily onto dead leaves at the base of a tree. My chest and stomach stung from my fall.

"You…" Meta Knight hissed, drawing his blade.

"Yes, me," the voice replied coolly.

Did my crash landing mess up my eyeballs or are there TWO Meta Knights? The second Meta Knight's eyes surveyed the scene, and his eyes lit upon a still, pink figure on the ground, still blanketed by shadow.

"What have you done with Kirby?" said a new voice. From behind the second Meta Knight came the tall, strong form of Ike.

In spite of the depressing situation, I began grinning broadly. Ike stopped abruptly and stared at the two Meta Knights standing before him. His eyes then lowered to examine the drawn blade of the first Meta Knight.

"Who is this impostor?" Ike spat, lifting his great, golden sword. The second Meta Knight gave the first a royal glare down the brim of the opening of his mask.

"My dearest shadow," the second Meta Knight answered sarcastically before calmly directing his attention to the first, "Tsk, tsk - I believe you have done enough damage for tonight. You may return to your master Nightmare now… Oh, won't he be SO disappointed in you two." The second, watching the two, seemed to be wearing a smug grin under his mask. In anger, the first Meta Knight's eyes suddenly flashed from amber to a violent red. From his body rose visible fumes of the colors of his body and attire and dissipated into the night sky. What color remained was smoky gray and bloody scarlet, transforming the noble image of Meta Knight into a menacingly evil twin.

"How dare you stand there and smirk!" the new, dark Meta Knight hissed, pointing his blade at the real Meta Knight threateningly.

"Many times you have outwitted me, but THIS time," Dark Meta Knight paused, trying to control his pure, evil rage, "THIS time I shall be the one who stands victorious!"

"Borrowing my genius, of course," Meta Knight scoffed, eying his twin. Much to my surprise, Meta Knight turned his back on his darker reflection to stare at Kirby, contemplating some mysterious thing.

"But no matter," he continued on, lightly, "You still fail in the end. Both of you." He jerked back a bit to glare at them askance, his keen amber eyes glinting brightly. Dark Meta Knight stepped forward defiantly, making a sharp sweep of his blade. However, Dark Matter, much calmer and more collected than his corrupted counterpart, glanced around, his white eye sweeping the scene. He turned slowly around, his eye landing on me once.

"Don't listen to that young hodge," Dark Matter's voice was smooth and sinister, causing everyone else to turn their attention to him, "We have much greater matters at hand..."

"Hands that you lack," Meta Knight muttered under his breath. Dark Matter seemed to ignore his comment, and slowly rotated in midair, cape fluttering slightly.

"Meta Knight, you boastful, proud, over-confident oaf," he finally spoke, his voice cutting like a chilled dagger, "You only speak so because you are fully aware that we have an advantage against you. ALL of you." Meta Knight suddenly burst out laughing.

"What advantage?" he laughed, "Our forces outnumber yours, and most certainly our talent surpasses yours by a long shot... And quite frankly, neither of you are quite as good-looking as I am." Despite how serious the situation was, I almost broke into laughter... Man, wouldn't Kirby love to see this...

Dark Matter and Dark Meta Knight didn't seem to appreciate the humor.

"None of those things matter," Dark Meta Knight hissed at his purer counterpart, "for we have -"

It was then we all noticed that the bundle in Dark Meta Knight's hand seemed rather different in color. That, and the disappearance of a certain red-cloaked rodent.

"FOOL!" Dark Matter bellowed with rage to his partner, "HOW COULD YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN?!"

"AW YEAH, THAT'S WHAT'S UP!" I screamed, finally making some indication that I was still in the fight. I stood up on my feet, steadying myself with an outstretched arm. The two belligerents turned to stare at me for the briefest instant. Then Dark Matter suddenly sped off with a flap of his cloak into the forest. I jumped, reinvigorated.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on my brother!" I yelled after him, and got onto all fours to chase him down. Dark Meta Knight's red eyes flashed in my direction, and in an instant, drew his silver blade. With a burst of speed, he charged towards me in a headlong collision, rodent skull versus steel sword.

CLANG! Before I knew it, I was met face to face with a new, golden, pronged sword. My eyes quickly followed the blade down to its master. Meta Knight's amber eyes flickered smartly.

"He doesn't have fingers to touch your brother with, don't worry," he corrected me with an unseen smirk, "I'll hold this guy off." Meta Knight then released the deadlock by swinging back to attack with another strike. Dark Meta Knight parried the assault, and moved to make a counterstrike. Meta Knight glanced back at me.

"What are you waiting for? GO!"

I didn't need him to tell me twice. I dashed past the dueling pair, and slowed down a bit to look at Kirby's lonely body. A deep sadness filled me.

I guess I'm on my own, then.

"Come on, Ike!" I shook off the melancholy – that can wait. I have to finish this fight.

"But Pikachu," he shouted as he turned to follow, "both Daroach and Dark Matter are incredibly fast! Neither you nor I can catch up to them, no matter how fast we can run! We can help Meta Knight instead." I didn't bother to look over my shoulder.

"Then you stay!" I yelled back, "I have a different plan!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"And where do you think you're going?" a voice hissed in the dark.

Daroach stopped abruptly in the air. He held tight to the necklace in one paw while the other to his scepter. His eyes focused on the white eye hanging in black space. The rat said nothing in response, but instead glared back. There was a flutter of a cloak and the form of Dark Matter emerged from the shadow.

"So," he spoke lightly, "You think you can outsmart me, Daroach?" He accentuated the rat's name with disdain. Daroach narrowed his eyes.

"Funny," he spat, "you didn't seem all too bright back there." But Dark Matter didn't seem to be affected by the comment at all. He instead serenely floated closer to Daroach, his eye glaring keenly in the dark. If he had a mouth, he would have smiled manically.

"I would have thought that the greatest thief of the Popstar Universe would be much more..." Dark Matter sought for a word, "impressive. And it seemed like it – such a young, cunning mastermind always defying the rules and pushing the limits. What a promising figure you were... Except now I realize that you are blatantly soft on the inside." Daroach reached up to tug his hat lower over his eyes.

"Try me," was his response.

"Oh I will, Daroach," Dark Matter laughed with menacing delight, "in fact, I already am." Before he could let the rat react, Dark Matter floated even closer to Daroach.

"I never knew you had a little sister," he whispered, "Do you love her?"

Daroach only glared back and held tight to his scepter. Dark Matter stared at the rat for another moment before moving backwards and sighing.

"Well, we'll just have to find out anyways. She should be running into my trap just about now..."

"She won't," Daroach spoke firmly.

"Oh?" Dark Matter said in mock surprise, "You seem to have great confidence in such a tiny and pathetic child." Daroach's fur bristled with offense as he fought down the urge to lash out. He knew that that's exactly what Dark Matter wanted, though. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"You'd be surprised – Pikachu is a prodigy by birth, you know. I mean," Daroach smirked, "she already had consumed the power of this necklace, as have I." The rat brandished the paw holding onto the bundle. Dark Matter seemed to remain cool. He stared at the bundle and the floating paw clenching it.

"You don't seem to be missing your limbs much, I see," he observed aloud. Daroach snorted in mock amusement.

"I'll admit – this kind of flexibility is starting to grow on me..." he sneered softly, "I can only imagine how sublime it must be to have no appendages at all."

"Quite," Dark Matter replied haughtily, "What an ecstasy it is." The swordsman's voice reduced to a whisper as he drew close again, this time with ominous intent. Around him, Daroach began to feel the air press to his body with unnatural force. A slight panic rose within him as an invisible fist closed over, its grip slowly crushing its handful inside. But no – he will not be daunted. Daroach closed his eyes and, slightly straining, waved off the influence with his scepter.

"I don't want to kill you, Daroach," Dark Matter's voice was sinister, "but if you continue to oppose me, then I must... It's your choice."

"My life is free to spend," the rat responded quickly. Daroach never really cared for himself much, not since his father disappeared. It was then when Daroach questioned whether he was a good enough reason for his father to stay home and live with the family. Of course he was treated rather degradingly before that time by his older siblings and mother – he was the bad egg. However, none of that ever compared to that deep blow of disbelief and anguish he got from his father's departure. And then came the only sibling he ever really cared about – Pikachu. He didn't understand why he suddenly became so attached to the little, wet lump of yellow fur when he spent practically all of his life avoiding emotional attachments. Perhaps it was because she was different, like he was. She still had their mother's stubborn streak, and her father's sense of curiosity, but overall she was an outlier cast off from their family's standard deviation of characteristics. Even after all the years they have spent living apart, Daroach still kept his sister's memory close, and never told a single soul about it. Sometimes it was all he ever thought about.

"Hmm," Dark Matter drifted backwards, his eye dulling slightly, "what a shame." Dark Matter would have grinned if he possessed a mouth. The villain continued, his smirk glinting through his tone.

"Farewell, then," There was the sound of the air snapping as though it broke into two pieces, and Dark Matter rushed towards Daroach, his sword drawn.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Hey Pikachu," Captain Falcon was already at the door when I got to the house, "Where's the rest of the party? Is there something wrong?" He eyed my bloody feet and dirtied fur. I frowned at my toes for a second, wondering how to answer him.

"I'll tell you later," I managed to say as I hurried pass him, my feet leaving marks on the tile floor. I dashed to Kirby's (well, what used to be Kirby's now that he's gone) room and ran down the steps leading down into the secret basement where the rest of the Squeak Squad sat inside the cage. They all raised their heads from whatever they were doing and stared at me in silence as I approached the bars. Spinni sniffed and raised his eyebrows.

"Some party, huh?"

He must've smelled my feet. I bit my lip as the sound of Mr. C screaming filled my ears and my eyes began to water. Suddenly, both Doc and Spinni stopped smiling.

"Pikachu?" Spinni tilted his head to the side, "Are you –"

"Where's Daroach?" Doc interrupted, his voice earnest. His U.F.O made funny whirring sounds as he drew closer to me. Daroach…

"Oh yeah!" I laughed as a discordant bubble of happiness brightened inside of me, "Did you know Daroach is my older brother?"

"Whaaat?" Spinni almost choked out of surprise, but Doc didn't seem to be the slightest bit amused.

"Pikachu," Doc spoke again, "Where is Daroach?"

I watched Kirby die again in my mind.

I need to focus.

"I honestly don't know," my voice trembled as I tried my best to sound calm, "but he's in big trouble." Doc's mustache twitched. Spinni raised his eyebrows again. Even Storo seemed to perk up.

But instead of breaking through the window to go rescue him, we all stood there quietly. All of us, I'm sure, had no idea what to do next. After all, it was Daroach who came up with all the plans, right? And for me, Kirby. Kirby…

If I don't do anything, I'll lose the brother that I have often woken up in the middle of the night to wonder about for all my life, the one I finally got to meet again.

My eyes landed on a few sheets of paper Daroach had left scattered in his little corner.

I'll admit, my ideas aren't nearly as good as Kirby's, nor half as thought-out, but dire questions calls for dire answers. I mean, drastic measures calls for drastic actions. I mean – you know what I mean! It's time to take action!

"Doc," I suddenly looked up from my feet, "I would very much like to go to your house," Doc's did a little jump in his seat out of surprise.

"My house?" he asked, readjusting his goggles, "But Pikachu, it's –"

"Oh come on," I nearly shouted out of exasperation before I checked myself. I listened for a second for the sound of Captain Falcon at the door. I heard nothing – the poor father must still be waiting outside for Link and the rest of the gang to come home. Link and Malon – I wonder where they had been all this time. I hope Link didn't go on some heroic escapade after Ike. I recomposed myself with a deep breath.

"Doc," I said quietly so that they couldn't hear my voice shake, "You guys break into some of the most secure places in the universe and you won't even dare to break into your own house."

"That's the thing," Doc grumbled, "It's my house,"

"DOC!" I cried, and then checked myself again. I listened for a second before continuing, "Doc, Daroach is in some deep doo-doo, and I don't know what the heck I'm doing, but I have an idea that just might help him." Spinni gave me a questioning look.

"And you're asking us to help you?" he asked.

"Well yes – I need to know where Doc lives."

"But we gets caught," Storo interjected, "if we's not careful."

"That's why we will be careful," I answered, "or I'll be careful if you guys won't go."

"Of course we will go; Daroach is one of the family, but," Doc stared down at me as he spoke, "you do realize that if you're caught…"

"So?" I snapped, folding my arms, "I got out of trouble for breaking into a bank – Samus has me covered, if me getting into hot water with the law is all you are worried about."

"Besides," I added, "Daroach is really part of my family. Boo yah."

Doc stared at me for a moment, and then his green mustache twitched as he began to smile. I smiled wryly, wondering what kind of wacky, half-boiled, rotten plan I've gotten them into. I stood akimbo and puffed out my chest.

"Alright," I said in the most courageous, manly voice I could muster, "Beam me down to your house, Doc!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Mr. C?"

Zelda's boots crunched on the broken glass by the door to the school library. The lights were still on inside, and inside the Library, too. Mr. C was here, just as he promised. But where…?

Her footsteps seemed more hollow than usual as she crossed the large room. On the other side, she could see parchment and torn leather covers on the floor through the secret doorway leading to the Library.

"Mr. C?"

The princess-in-waiting stepped inside, careful not to tread on any of the ancient manuscripts. It was then she noticed strands of dried, white hairs and shriveled pieces of what looked like leather. She knelt down to examine them, picking up a long, white fiber with the tips of her white glove.

There was the sound of paper falling to the floor coming from the right side of the Library. Something whined like an animal in pain. Zelda stood up.

"Mr. C?"

More bookshelves were toppled over and splintered as she moved deeper into the right section of the Library. Zelda began to notice a strong, putrid smell; her heart pounded as she picked up her skirts with her hands and hurried down the hall. She heard the whine again, followed by whimpers and snuffles.
"Mr. C?"

The smell was strong now. Zelda climbed over the toppled bookshelves that blocked her path and glanced down.

And then she screamed.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"I'm sorry I 'ruined the moment', jeez." Spinni snapped. I glowered at him as I rolled underneath the hedge rows that surrounded Doc's house.

"You should have told me that Doc didn't have a teleportation beam. Now I look like a retard." I retorted under my breath. I would have hit him with the paper I rolled up in my hand if Doc didn't intervene.

"That's enough, you two," Doc hissed, and we both shut up. I peered through the leaves and searched for a large mansion. I only saw darkness.

"I can't see anything," I whispered back to Doc. From behind me, I heard a sigh through the intercom.

"That's because you're looking at the garden wall."

"Garden wall?" I snorted, "Who puts a hedge around a wall around a garden? Why not put the hedge inside the garden?" Spinni's ears pricked up and we all fell silent. I stared at him anxiously, wondering if he heard the guards. After a while, he relaxed, and I relaxed too.

"You know, you'd think that after a while everyone would give up on guarding your house. I mean, it's not like you haven't even tried to visit in years." I commented quietly, stepping back to examine the wall. Through the leaves, I just barely spotted the glint of metal and the silhouette of curling, prickly, barbed wire. Something triggered my electrical senses. I whistled and folded my arms.

"That's hi-tech," I said, nodding.

"The barbed-wire?" Doc whispered incredulously. I exhaled sharply like Kirby used to.

"I was talking about your lab," I corrected him, my arms still folded. Doc's green mustache turned upward the slightest bit as he smiled.

"It's supposed to be," he answered me, trying to hide the fact he was pleased. But it was obvious to me. But that wasn't the problem.

"That entire security system is also really something," I added. But that wasn't the problem either. Electronics are my forte, as you should know. The real problem was the guards – I didn't want to electrocute them, and I couldn't think of a way to distract them.

"Maybe we should get Storo to dress up like a pretty lady," I said aloud. It took me a few seconds to realize that Doc and Spinni were giving me funny looks. They obviously can't follow my logic.

Kirby would've said something about me having no logic in his usual, smart-alecky way.

Who knows what Yoshi would have said.

I bit my lip.

"What I'm trying to say is that we need someone to go distract those guards," I said, snapping out of my momentary phase, "without killing them. I figured that all those guards were guys because that's how it is in cartoons-"

"This isn't the cartoons," Spinni rudely pointed out. I glared at him and curled the paper in my hands into a tighter roll.

"Just… Just cooperate with-"

"Seriously, Pikachu?" Spinni sighed, "What is your -"

I heard Mr. C scream out to me to run again, and I couldn't hold back my anguish any longer. I began to cry again.

"Daroach is probably dead by now," I spoke through gritted teeth as I turned away to face the garden wall, "Let's just get something done, okay?" I heard Spinni shift on his feet.

"Okay, Pikachu," Spinni's voice was soft. "I'll get the guards. Go do your thing." I looked back over my shoulder just in time to see the yellow rat disappear into the darkness as he rounded the corner to approach the guards. My mind began to wander again, thinking about all the terrible possibilities that may happen. Spinni could be caught and sent to juvy. And then he may get tortured to death because he won't give out any information on the rest of the Squeak Squad – knowing him, he wouldn't say a word.

"I hope this isn't stupid idea," I said aloud to myself. Behind me I heard the soft hum of the UFO.

"Don't go back on what you just said now," Doc's voice was quiet, but subtly firm and encouraging. "Let's go."

I smiled, rolling the piece of paper tight in my hands.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Dark clouds had hung around Hyrule for the entire day. The farmers in the countryside waited anxiously for the rain, but Princess Zelda knew better. The wind blew cold around her as she stood on the balcony outside the throne room, but the princess only lowered her eyes from the sky. She glanced down at her right hand; where there once was the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom, there was only white silk. Princess Zelda clenched her fist.

She had to be right.

"My lady,"

The Hylian princess recognized the voice of her caretaker and confidante, but she did not turn to smile at her. She couldn't bear to.

"Good evening, Impa," Princess Zelda spoke to her hands. Impa's usually stern face softened. Without a word, she walked to stand beside the princess. Another moment passed by before the princess spoke again. Her sad blue eyes graced the land below her.

"Look at this place." Her voice was somber as she gestured to the view with a sweep of her arm, "The trees are bare, the plains are dying." She shook her head and looked upwards.

"Even the sky is dying. I can feel the vitality of this world slowly..." Her already outstretched arm turned over slowly, and her open hand closed around some tiny, barely perceptible thing. Princess Zelda withdrew her arm and opened her hand once more.

It was hard to see, but on the silk white glove, Impa saw a faint shadow.

"Can't he see what is happening to this place?" The princess glanced up at her companion, her blue eyes wide. "The very fabric of this universe is slowly coming undone."

Impa only stared back, unsure of what to say to the princess. Princess Zelda sighed again; she tilted her palm and the tiny shadow was returned to the wind. Her hand rested on the balcony again, and her eyes stared out at the land once more, calm, placid, and calculating. She pursed her lips slightly.

"Impa," the princess began slowly, "Please make sure that she returns in the event that I –"

"My lady –"

Princess Zelda raised her hand for silence, still staring out at the dying landscape. Impa raised her eyebrows, but quieted. The princess did not speak for several seconds.

"She must return. I will not have a war stretch beyond this universe." She spoke softly, lowering her hand again. "He will certainly suspect that I have entrusted the Triforce of Wisdom to someone else in another universe. He may be corrupt and arrogant, but he is not naïve." The princess lowered her eyes.

"And I am sure that she has made many powerful friends in her universe. If all goes well, they will come to her aid."

"And what of Link?"

"… I have not heard from him yet." The Princess hesitated for the slightest moment. "I wonder… But he should be fine. We will be fine, with the grace of the gods. I have confidence."

Impa stared at the Princess for a moment longer, and smiled sadly.

"You have grown much, my dear Zelda," she said to her. The Princess continued to stare outwards at the darkening landscape.

"I have," was all she said.

On the horizon, the sun shone for the briefest moment – sickly, lurid, almost startling as shadows gathered around to swallow it whole. Princess Zelda closed her eyes and opened her arms to embrace the incoming darkness.

I am ready for you.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"I never knew you had such powers," Doc whispered as we easily entered the back door. I brushed the dust off my nonexistent sleeve.

"Piece of cake. It's all electronics, after all." I answered dismissively. We looked about the dark room for a moment – it was stark and tidy, unsuspicious. I heard Doc sigh quietly at my side, and I felt pity. I figured he must have missed his home.

"Alright, this way." And I followed Doc through his dark house, trying my best not to be distracted by marveling at how normal it looked. While I wondered about where his high-tech lab was, Doc investigated the Daroach's drawings I picked up from the floor back at Kirby's – I mean, Kirby's old room.

"So these are the plans that Daroach had?" he muttered aloud.

"I don't think so. Daroach said he lost them somewhere, so I think that those are just drawings." I said, "I know it would've been nicer if-"

"No. These will do." Doc interrupted and sped forth. I jumped.

"Wait for me!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Clang!

Dark Meta Knight's sword was flung aside and its owner fell onto his back. His red eyes shook as he breathed heavily, up and down, but still concentrated on the singular point of his opponent's sword. The real Meta Knight golden eyes glared coldly as he pointed his sword threateningly at his shadow, absolutely still.

Another moment passed in silence when Dark Meta Knight suddenly began to laugh.

"Very well. I have indeed lost my touch," drawled the shadow. "We will meet again, another place, another time."

Meta Knight only narrowed his eyes. Dark Meta Knight smirked from underneath his mask as he got to his feet. He then threw his cape aside with his wings opening with such force that Meta Knight's own cape nearly tore out from under his shoulder plates. Without another word, he took to the sky.

Meta Knight did nothing except glare at the quickly retreating figure.

"Coward," Meta Knight muttered softly as he watched his darker counterpart fly off, "You never change, do you?"

Noises from the forest behind him announced Ike's return. Ike walked up to stand next to him, staring up at the sky as well. Then he glanced down at the knight.

"Is he going after Pikachu?"

"Nope. He's flying home to Nightmare." Meta Knight laughed, "What a baby."

"You should've finished him off,"

Meta Knight shrugged as he sheathed his sword, finally tearing his eyes away.

"Another place, another time. As I said, there has been enough damage tonight." He turned to his side to stare up at Ike.

"Besides," he continued, "It's a matter of inspiring fear in Nightmare. Dark Mind is, after all, one of the best monsters he has left."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Wow…" I breathed, "What does this do?"

"Don't touch that," Doc snapped sharply, and I shoved my hand down at my sides. I turned back around to look at Doc. He was doing something with this thingamajig that was darting around all over Daroach's drawings with its spindly legs. There was a beep, and it closed back up into a pen-shaped thing. Doc snatched it up with his mechanical claw and whirred over to his mega computer and put it into a slot. He grumbled a little as he punched buttons.

"It won't be perfect but –"

"What time do we have?" I finished for him.

"Precisely," Doc punched a final button and then turned to his left. Light flickered from a large machine along the left wall. It began to hum loudly.

"Hopefully it still works," he said. He also said something else, but by then, my mind was so distracted by the buzz of everything in the room.

"This is the coolest lab ever," I sighed happily, raising my arms and spinning around on my toes. Doc's green mustache twitched as he gave me a sad smile. I stopped to wonder why Doc would be sad when a beeping noise interrupted my thoughts. The old mouse whirred around in his UFO and sped to another machine. Several clickity-clacks and beeps and whirring sounds of machinery filled the room as the old mouse hurried. But for a second, he stopped his motions, hesitating. I began to panic – it had been half an hour since I last saw Daroach.

"What's wrong, Doc?" I asked him.

"Pikachu… There is a problem with this plan."

I hit myself on the head – I knew the plan was stupid! If only Kirby were here…

"What's wrong?! There's got to be something we can do about it! There has to!" I almost screamed and Doc hushed me. I had almost forgotten that this house was still under watch, but I couldn't stop my heart from pounding so painfully against my chest.

To tell the truth, I never felt so scared before. I mean, I guess that's expected from a child, but it shocked me how scared I was…

Doc fumbled with his words, his mustache making him more difficult to understand.

"What?! What are you saying?!" I cried.

"I'm telling, you don't understand," Doc, though much calmer than I was, was also getting to the point of hysterics, "I have to create special, err, synthetic – what was the word? Stones! Synthetic stones that glow bright as the sun - literally! Do you know how much power that will take? I don't have that power!"

I felt as though I were trying to grab a wet soap bar with soapy hands – a really big soap bar that I could barely wrap my arms around. I bit my lip, trying to hold back the urge to scream. What would my brother, the leader, do?

What about Kirby? He always stayed calm, and I'm pretty sure he would have stayed calm now. I can't let him show me up now, and I certainly can't let him down.

I took a deep breath.

"You sure? What kind of power do you need?"

As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I had a bright idea.

A very bright idea.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Why, Daroach, you seem tired."

Daroach never knew that his species could actually sweat. His fur was soaked around his neck and under his hat from strain. His entire body was rigid as he battled with Dark Matter.

To the outside world, it seemed that the two remained still, staring intently into each other's gaze. But in their minds, the world was reeling in chaos; the two floated in the midst of a raging, stormy sky tossed with unidentifiable debris. Daroach winced and gritted his teeth as he managed to throw off another wave of darkness. He hated mind games – he wasn't very good at them, but seeing that Dark Matter was hardly comprised of any physical matter at all, this was his best shot at actually harming him. But the gray leader was getting tired and Dark Matter more relentless. Dark Matter's single eye seared Daroach's mind, and he almost screamed.

Meanwhile, in the physical realm, Dark Matter had begun to inch closer towards Daroach, his own mind partially fixated upon the bundle slipping out from between Doarach's claws. Daroach was indeed a strong fighter, Dark Matter had to acknowledge that, but there was no match for half a millenia's worth of suffering, deprived of everything but an eye, some hair, half a soul, and a hateful, seething mind. He had all the practice anyone could ever care to enjoy.

"Die! Die, you fool!" He began to laugh aloud, watching Daroach cringe under his wrath. He inched closer in the physical realm. He was about to snatch the necklace from Daroach's claws when he realized that his own mind began to hurt a little – he began thinking about bubbles and laughter. Something about love and a little sister. Dark Matter stopped where he was.

"I'm done playing with you, Daroach. It's time to die."

Dark Matter whirled around to face the gray rat and released all his hatred and fury in an overwhelming wave of darkness.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Damn, I can't seem to pick up anything." Meta Knight muttered under his breath and turned to Ike. "I hate working with intergalactic criminals sometimes." The masked knight turned back around and glanced quickly about his surroundings. Meanwhile, Ike stared down at him; he hadn't known his fellow knight for long, but he could tell when warriors like them were distracted.

"Do you really think Kirby will live?"

Meta Knight stopped short of his searching. He was silent for a short while, staring out in front of him with his glowing golden eyes.

"… I believe so. He is incredibly resilient for his size and age," he finally said before walking forward. Immediately, Ike reached down and roughly seized him by the shoulder plate.

"You can't go out like that – you'll get yourself into trouble," the warrior snapped. Meta Knight's annoyed glare was quickly replaced by a downward glance of acceptance and humility.

"Right," he sighed, turning away. "You are absolutely right." Ike stared at the masked knight for another moment before asking,

"Are you related to Kirby?"

"Do we really need to talk about this?" Meta Knight seemed exasperated and almost anxious. "I thought only girls and lovesick boys did that sort of thing."

Of course, Ike was offended by his comment, but even more so, he was surprised. Meta Knight's attitude and language, throughout the entire forty or so minutes they had been together, stunned him.

"How old are you?" he found himself wondering aloud. Meta Knight glanced over his shoulder plate.

"Fifteen," he answered after a moment's pause, sounding as though he did not believe himself either. Ike, though young himself, was surprised that such a legendary knight was only an adolescent. Perhaps Meta Knight was fifteen in his unit of age, and that fifteen was venerable – but it certainly did not sound like it.

But that was aside the point.

"You can't go on with your mind clouded like that," Ike said firmly. "I just thought that… talking about it would relieve it from your mind." Meta Knight exhaled sharply.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, fine - just as long as we don't have to hold hands and sing kumbaya." Ike glared at him and almost felt like dropping the subject. But he knew it was important to be totally focused on missions, and he knew that Meta Knight did not have his absolute attention to the mission at hand.

Meta Knight seemed to understand this too, for he blurted aloud without further prompting,

"Anyhow, Kirby and I go long ways back… Or at least I knew him for a very long time. A very long time." Meta Knight paused to mull over some things. "It's… Complicated."

At this, Ike jumped to an uneasy conclusion he couldn't help but ask.

"You're not his father, are you?"

Meta Knight began to chuckle, his eyes flashing bright pink with what Ike guessed was amusement.

"Of course not! That would be too cliché." His eyes glanced back at him, "It's just a long –"

The relative quiet of the forest was disturbed by a frightening scream of pain, and the two knights immediately focused on the darkness ahead of them.

" – story," Meta Knight finished, alert. "Let's hurry."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Are you alright?" Doc asked me as I unhooked the clips from my ears. I imagined I would feel exhausted, but instead, I felt very calm, at peace, and ready for some butt-kicking. I glanced at the digital clock on the lab wall; fifty minutes had passed since I last saw Daroach. I carefully began wrapping the newly-made necklace in cloth, ready for battle.

"I just hope they saved this last dance for me," I thought aloud. I looked up from the golden glow of the hot, synthetic stones and realized Doc wasn't there.

"Doc?" I quickly spun around. "Doc?"

"Since we're here," a voice spoke from below an opening in the floor I overlooked, "I might as well give you this."

"Give what? This is not time for presents!"

"I don't know, Pikachu," Doc said as he rose from the opening, the claw from his UFO clasped around something. "You just might appreciate this."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"…Where am I? …Yoshi?"

"Hnn?"

"Wait, where's… Pikachu – urk!"

"You should rest, Kirby."

"Z-zelda…?"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Daroach breathed hard as he glared at the now cringing Dark Matter. Over the plane of darkness where his eye rested was a sheet of ice. The demon screamed and jerked about in pain in such an unearthly tone that the gray leader almost felt sorry for him. But Daroach had just barely escaped death, or at least spared his mind from being obliterated, so the pity quickly passed. The paw that held his scepter trembled as tried to regain some strength – the mind battle had left him exhausted, much too exhausted to fight back, almost too exhausted to flee.

But before he could teleport away, Dark Matter screamed again and flung himself onto gray leader. The sword sliced cleanly through the space where Daroach's right arm once was, and again, ripping through the end of his cape. When Dark Matter moved to swing his sword again, Daroach raised the paw with his scepter and, with all the force he could muster, smashed the end of it into the ice covering Dark Matter's eye. From the demon was a sound that caused Daroach's fur to stand on end, and his eyes, teeth, and ears hurt. But Daroach held firm and drove the end of his scepter deeper into Dark Matter's eye, grinding ice shards into a pit of darkness.

Suddenly, Daroach's head felt as though his skull was being pried apart, and immediately, he withdrew his scepter from Dark Matter's eye. He squeezed his eyes shut and clasped his head with one paw, as though trying desperately to keep it from exploding. Dark Matter loomed over him, his now very red eye shining hatefully through shards of ice.

"HOW DARE YOU." Dark Matter's voice was no longer smug and quiet. Instead, it boomed deep and deafening, rattling Daroach's ribs and organs. Daroach cringed more, slowly falling to the ground as Dark Matter began to tear the rat's mind apart. And slowly, but surely, the golden necklace fell from Daroach's other paw and hit the ground with a quiet thud. Around the area where it had landed, the ferns and grass quickly shriveled up and wilted.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I had no idea what Dark Matter was doing, but what I saw made me furious.

I slammed my paws hard down on the smooth surface of the Jet Star glider Doc lent me and I gave it more juice. The glider hummed and we sped forward at even greater speeds, and I let loose my great war cry.

"Arghblarghblehonsquadalaaaaaaaaa!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Both Meta Knight and Ike stopped dead in their tracks when they saw a bright green-yellow light growing brighter and bigger through the trees behind Dark Matter and Daroach.

"…blehonsquadalaaaaaaaaa!"

Ike stared hard at the light.

"What the actual fu-

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The glider hit a fallen log and suddenly, I was airborne, just as I had planned. All the while, I still screamed, just so I could distract Dark Matter. I saw Dark Matter's shape whirl around.

I must've looked like a shining, yellow missile, with my arms tucked around my bundle and ears pressed back as I shot through the air. I desperately wanted to smash into Dark Matter's face (or what you can call a face) and claw him to pieces, but that wasn't the plan. I gritted my teeth as I prepared for the next part.

A second later, I felt my body go rigid as my head smashed into a tree. Splinters flew everywhere, and I felt a few stick into my ears. But there was no time to tend my scratches – I sprang backward from the crater I made into the tree's base, using all the force stored in the elasticity of my body. Overhead, the tree groaned, making crackling sounds as it began to fall, and the moon was soon blotted out by the leaves. I moved as fast as I could, landing on my feet, flipping back onto a forepaw with my bundle in another. Another flip and I landed next to the necklace and to Daroach. Scrambling on my feet, I pushed Daroach out of the way just as the tree came crashing down behind us, sending dirt and dead leaves into the air.

For a few moments, there was only the sound of my heavy breathing and the forest debris floating back down in a soft hiss. I looked at Daroach, but my mind was focused on the person behind me.

There was a bright, golden glow as Dark Matter removed the necklace from its bundles. He stared at it for a while with his bloodshot eye. Then he began to laugh softly, rattling the armor that made up his body. Affronted, I brushed off my arms and looked him squarely in the eye. As suspected, he only laughed even more, becoming more and more hysterical the longer he did so. I was almost creeped-out by its high-pitched sound, but I held firm.

"My my my my my, you are quite full of surprises," Dark Matter continued his shrill laughter. "But you are still thick-headed – literally!" He laughed more. I frowned at him and bent over to pick up the bundle of cloth from the forest floor, as nonchalant as I could. And as I did so, Dark Matter's laughing faltered as he stared hard at the bundle in my hand. I could almost feel him coming to a very nasty realization. I gave him a small smile.

"At least I have a head," I replied coolly.

Silence.

And then Dark Matter screamed. All of a sudden, I felt my head split wide open and there was a strangled cry that I hardly recognized as my own. My vision went black, and a second later, from lids of darkness, a giant, flaming eye opened wide to stare at me. Staring back into those pupils, I was filled with a kind of fear that I can hardly describe. All my guts felt as though they were being sucked up into a tiny ball where my stomach would be, and I grew so cold. Not really cold, but that's the closest thing I can think of to that feeling…

I was done.

Done.

But, being me, I couldn't just give up.

I swallowed my fear, and asked,

"So, where are we?"

There was a rumble, and the fiery eye shook, as though amused.

"Naïve youth." The voice was different. Deep. Resonating. My bones were shaking and I swear my heart fell out of rhythm. I swallowed again.

"Ha ha, okay. I'm young. I'm naïve. Now can you tell me where we are?"

"I really should just be rid of you," the eye said in its deep tone. "Now, begone."

I felt my body burn and panic rose up from inside me.

"Wai-wait just a second," I spoke, somehow managing to keep my voice calm and collected, "it would be rude of you to just leave me hanging like that." My body was still burning, and I squirmed uncomfortably. There has to be a way out of this.

Unless I was already dead, of course.

For some odd reason, that comforted me – mainly, since I'm dead, no one can hurt me. The more I thought about that, the more relieved I felt. I began to laugh, and the burning subsided.

"You know, I was never really religious. But I'm starting to wonder if Hell actually exists. It's dark and fiery down here. Or is this just a general afterlife place where everybody goes to? You know, it's funny how every culture seems to have a sort of bad, bad afterlife place. Back in the day, there was only one after-life, and it was miserable. That was probably because the people living back in the day didn't know what it was like to live happily and whatnot. Then there's another thing about how the idea of a good afterlife motivates people to do good things so they could go to that place – Elysian Fields, Heaven, what-have-you. Then there's the bad afterlife which scares people to not do bad things. Or mostly. That's how I viewed it before, but now I'm here, I'm not quite so sure."

The eye flickered, but I hardly noticed. I liked talking.

"But I wonder why I'm here? Did I do bad things? Well, I guess I did some pretty naughty things like put poison ivy juices all over Jigglypuff's pillow and peeked at Link's diary a little. And blew up the toilet, and used up all the milk and didn't save any for the others once. And sometimes I don't flush the toilet, but that's because I forget. I don't always say, "Bless you" or something like that after people sneeze. Are those bad things?" I paused to think for a second.

"I can't see why they'd be bad things. I mean, I think it's all perspective, really. What's bad to me may not be to another person. Like it's bad to burp at dinner in most Western societies, but it's a compliment to the chef in another. You get beat or something for spitting on the sidewalk in Singapore, or something, but I know people at my school spit on the sidewalk all the time, and no one really thinks twice about it unless you don't want to step in it. Who'd be the judge of what is bad and what is good? Maybe some superior being of some kind." I yawned and stretched a bit.

"Man, it's actually not too bad here. I can talk all I want and no one can tell me to shut up. I can talk for an eternity. Too bad there isn't really anyone I can talk to."

"You can talk to me," said my conscience.

"Oh good! You're here!" I exclaimed, extremely delighted. "Where have you been all this time? I actually had to talk to myself for a while."

"I'm sorry, I was just taking a nap," said my conscience. "But now I'm here."

"Good, good." I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them up by the fiery eyeball. "Say, it's comfortable here."

"Indeed. Where did you find such a nice place?"

"Well, it's a long story."

"Pikachu, we have all of eternity together."

"Oh yeah, we do. Alright, so apparently my dad made this really super-powerful necklace thing, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"And apparently all the evil people want it for their own maniacal means."

"Mhmm, go on."

"And there's this one guy called Dark Matter –"

"Hang on – isn't that the stuff that holds the universe together?"

"Well, yeah, but this is a different Dark Matter. Well, I came up with this brilliant plan to distract Dark Matter and take the necklace to a safe place. You'd 've been SO proud of me."

"Please do tell!"

"So I went to Doc's place and I was like, 'Doc, we're gonna make a replica of the necklace,' and he was like, 'We don't have any power!' And I said, 'That's alright, Doc, I can power the generator to create the synthetic stones to make the necklace all bright and glow-y.' And boom! We made a fake necklace that I wrapped up all nice and pretty with a cloth that looks just like the one that covered the real necklace because I had secretly taken a picture of it with my iLuigi and Doc had it remade and whatnot."

"So clever!"

"I know," I said smugly. "Anyways, I had it all nice and wrapped up and Doc let me borrow one of his gliders."

"Oooh, what's a glider?"

"It's a machine that acts like a hovercraft, but you can go super-duper fast! There's one called the Jet Star that I can power up with my own electricity. It's so sweet."

"Oh man, that's so awesome, I can't even speak. You should call it the 'Thunderbird.'"

"Oh my God, I should. It has a nice ring to it."

"Anyways, the story?"

"Oh yeah! With the Thunderbird, I raced back to where Daroach and Dark Matter were, and then I yelled and I smashed my head into the tree to distract Dark Matter while I switched the real necklace with the fake one, which Dark Matter was holding the last time I saw him. Huh, I wonder where he is right now."

"I dunno, man."

"Oh well, that's not important. I'm dead now, and nothing really matters."

"Hmm, do you think we'll find Kirby and Yoshi?"

I thought about that.

"I don't know…"

I began to burn again.

"Man, what's up with my body? It's burning."

"I guess that's just a side effect of death."

"I guess so."

"Well, I guess that sucks. Also, I just found out that Daroach was my long-lost brother."

"Man, that sucks. Also, did you know Spinni had a crush on you?"

"Whaaaaaaaaaa-"

"ENOUGH."

Suddenly, I opened my eyes and it was dark. It took another moment for me to pick up the scents of trees and the earth and the dead leaves, and the sounds of wind, breathing, anger, movement…

"I'm alive?" I wondered aloud, incredulous. I looked up and saw the silhouette of Dark Matter, his eye still bloodshot.

"Dude, what happened?" I asked him.

"INSOLENT, PATHETIC CHILD," was his reply. The voice was pretty creepy, but right now, I was so utterly confused that I really didn't have the time to feel properly afraid.

"That was rude." But before I could say anything else, I had to jump out of the way from a crescent-shaped beam of light. The beam sliced through the tree and cut a deep gash into the earth, sending dirt into the air. There was another beam, and it took me a split-second to realize that it was aimed towards, Daroach, who was still on the ground. Clutching the necklace, I dove towards him and barreled my head into his gut.

And then I felt it. It was a shockwave and then an incredible numbing sensation that almost hurt. All the wind had been knocked out of me and my vision blurred. Things were moving in slow motion. There was a great flash of gold light that almost blinded me.

Almost. I could barely see it, but there were spots of golden light falling all around me as I felt a dull thud on my back. I turned my head, watching them fall. In the distance, I heard someone scream, but I didn't pay attention to it.

I was dying.

For real.

"Do you think we'd be able to talk later?" I asked my conscience. A white space opened up above me and I heard -