Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dreamland was a tiny little kingdom by the sea. Up on a cliff overlooking the sea sat Castle Dedede, home to the monarch of Dreamland. Dedede was not the nicest fellow. He’d been very selfish in times of famine, but eventually, his heart lead him down the right path. His change in heart rejuvenated the kingdom’s relationships with the neighboring kingdoms, and they came to his aid. To thank them for their generosity, he’d invited the royals to the annual Summer Solstice festival. This year, it would be a ball for everyone to attend.
Currently, the blue-haired king was trying on his celebratory robes.

“Too...tight…” The king squeaked. His face was wrinkled up like a tan piece of silk. “Any way… we can… get this….off?”

“Calm down sire!” Escargon, Dedede’s right hand man, waved his arms in front of his face in an odd attempt to calm the king. He was short, but lanky, and had mint green hair and a mustache and goatee. Round glasses adorned his pale face. He was wearing a purple tailcoat and trousers, with a pale green undershirt.

“Dedede’s face seemed to be turning purple, which frightened Escargon. Escargon then grabbed at one of the fur-trimmed sleeves and started tugging it. “Bandanna please, come help!” He pleaded, his words running together.

Bandanna Dee, the king’s young attendant, ran up to the king’s back. He slipped under the flowing robes. Escargon dropped the sleeve, eyes wide.

“What are you doing? We can’t play hide and seek!” He said. Suddenly, Dedede let out a sigh of relief. Escargon’s facial features relaxed. Dedede took the outer robe off, and Bandanna appeared from under it.

“Buttons.” He said. Escargon sighed.

“Sorry. I panicked,” He said. “I was just so worried about him and… well… I’m going to go get some tea.” He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. One of the tails of his tailcoat got stuck, so he reopened the door to free it.

Bandanna Dee looked at Dedede. “Well, sire, I think you might have gained weight since you last wore these…” He said. Dedede frowned. He looked down at Bandanna, who had bright blue eyes, tanned skin, and freckles. His curly orange hair was matted beneath his signature blue bandanna. He let out a mischievous smile. “I think you should go walking from now on. Down at the beach. After all, it’s right there, and walking in sand burns more fat than regular walking.”

Dedede frowned. “Can’t we just make new clothes?”

“That would require too much time,” Bandanna replied. “Besides, exercise is good for your health.”

“Fine.”

“Alright, follow me.” Bandanna Dee started walking. He went out the door and down the brightly lit corridors. Dedede, now in his casual clothes and sandals, followed. Dedede could see his reflection in the glass of the windows. He was portly. Maybe Bandanna was right. Even then, Dedede knew Bandanna and Escargon liked him the way he was. They just wanted him to fit in his clothes and take up a better hobby than “watch Marx get hit by his own props 24/7”.

Bandanna Dee turned back and stood facing Dedede. “C'mon, sire. It’ll be nice, I promise.”

Bandanna Dee showed Dedede a staircase that lead down the cliff. Dedede poked the wooden steps with his foot, and they creaked. He recoiled in fear.

“It’s safe, I promise. Fumu and Bun use it when they come down here, though they usually go to the beach near the village.” Bandanna said. “Anyways, I have to go attend some business with the other Dees. See ya!” Bandanna Dee walked back towards the castle’s back door, waving. Dedede tried to get his attention, but Bandanna didn’t notice. Dedede knew Bandanna wanted him to be brave, so he slowly stepped onto the first step. It creaked noisily, and Dedede started to sprint down the steps. Once he made it to the bottom, he almost collapsed.

After sitting there for a few minutes to regain his breath, he started walking along the coastline. He started to think about the ball, and how he was going to impress the other kingdoms. Ripple would be easy; he’d known the Queen since they were children. The others, however, weren't going to be so easy. King Haltmann was known for his high standards, and Queen Sectonia of Floralia was known for throwing extremely extravagant parties. How was he gonna-

Next thing Dedede knew, he was face down in the sand. He had tripped on something. He pushed himself out of the sand and sat down. In front of him laid a man. He had very pale skin and a silver mask covering his eyes. His hair was messy, and seemed to be so dark blue it was almost black. His shirt was torn, and looked like it had been something a prince might wear before it was ruined. He had lots of wounds, and needed medical help.
Dedede thought for a second. Had this man been attacked by pirates? There was a gang that sometimes sailed in these waters. Dedede tried picking him up, but dropped him when he noticed something odd.

The man had a dark blue fish’s tail instead of legs.

Dedede stared in shock until the man came to. He had golden eyes, which Dedede had never seen before. Everything about this man was odd.

The man tried to fight back, but was too weak. Dedede reached his hand out.

“Hey, uh… do you need some help?” He asked.

The merman grimaced, and started to crawl back into the water. Dedede grabbed his tail.
“Hey! I can help heal you… we have bathtubs so you don’t have to worry about drying up…” He pleaded.

The merman turned his head back. “If you want to help me, let go!” He said. Dedede let go, and the merman managed his way back into the water.

Bandanna and Escargon were not gonna believe this.

Chapter Text

After that fateful day, Dedede took up a habit of going down to the beach. Escargon and Bandanna were proud, as it let Dedede get exercise, fresh air, and also allowed him to relax. After all, the Summer Solstice grew closer and closer.

Dedede hadn't told them about the merman.

The day after he'd seen him the first time, a small, fish-like child was flopping around on the beach. He was pink, with messy pink hair and bright blue eyes. Dedede scooped him up and put him back into the ocean.

The small child hit Dedede in the face with water. He was like a living water gun. Dedede wiped off his face and looked back. To his surprise, the merman was holding the small child. He grimaced at Dedede, then swam away.

This routine repeated itself every day for a week.

The last day, Dedede left the child in a small tidal pool, hoping the merman would come out of the water to retrieve him. When the merman did show up, he stayed in the water.

“Please give him back,” he said. Dedede crossed his arms.

“Not until you tell me who you are.” Dedede pouted.

“I will cut you in half if-” The merman paused. He’d realized he couldn't do anything unless Dedede got in the water, which wasn't happening.

“I'll give him back if you tell me why you washed up injured,” Dedede said.

The merman knew he was powerless, so he gave in.

“Fine.”

The pink-haired knight lunged at the other merman. The blue-haired merman clutched a small pink bundle in one hand and a golden sword in the other. He parried the knight's attack.

“Galacta, why are you doing this?” The merman questioned. He swam out of the knight's range, but the knight followed him rapidly.

“That child is destined to defeat our father. He must be eliminated,” Galacta said. He pointed his lance at his brother, whom he had cornered. “Now hand him over or else!”

The blue-haired merman looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling, caused by the Dark Matter his father had released upon the kingdom. He darted up and out of the castle. He stopped to look at the destruction and chaos plaguing his kingdom. Dark Matter swirled everywhere, giving off electric Sparks. Buildings were reduced to ruins, and merfolk were all hiding in fear. He was so horrified he couldn't move.

He then felt Galacta’s presence, and quickly countered his strike. Galacta withdrew.

“Galacta, you know this is wrong! Father is tricking you!” The merman said.

Galacta let out a laugh, and the small child in the other merman’s arm seemed to tremble in fear.

“This is wrong? May I remind you that you banished father and I, Prince Meta?” Galacta said, mockingly.

Meta knew he needed to get the child to safety, so he swam away as fast as he could. Galacta laughed behind him.

“You’ll never make it past the Dark Matter! That child is ours!”

Meta ignored his brother and kept swimming. Sure enough, the eel-like creatures had started to form a barrier around the town. The sunshine was quickly fading, and as he got closer to the cloud, he grew weaker due to the toxic properties of the creatures.

Come on, you can make it, he thought to himself.

Then he blacked out.

“So you're a merman prince? And your kingdom was taken over by your evil dad and brother?” Dedede asked.

“Yes,” Meta said. “Now give me back my son.”
Dedede paused. “This is your son?”

Meta nodded. “Adoptive. When I found out about his destiny, I took him in,” he explained. “My father found out, and it all escalated from there.”

“That sucks. I can't really help you, but I could give you a weapon to fight with,” Dedede said. He put the child back in the water, and the child swam back to the merman.

“No, that is not needed. I know where I need to go. I fear my brother has my sword, and it's very… special to me. If in the wrong hands…” He paused. Dedede could tell that he didn't want to think about it, so he changed the subject.

“So… before you go… what are your names?” He asked.

Meta adjusted his posture. “I am Prince Meta, and this is Prince Kirby.” He held Kirby up for Dedede to see, and Kirby spat in his face again.

“Nice to meet you, and please stop doing that.” Dedede said.

Kirby waved his little arms in joy.

“I think that's his way of saying 'Hello’.” Meta said. “Kirby, it's not nice to spot in people's faces, as annoying as they may be.”

“Hey!” Dedede yelled.

“Well, I must be going. I have a kingdom to save. Goodbye.” Meta dove into the ocean before Dedede could say bye.

“Well, uh, goodbye too then.”

When Dedede got back to the castle, Bandanna Dee greeted him at the door.

“Sire, we have two days until the guests start arriving and no one knows what we're supposed to do! We haven't had guests since… um… before I was born!” He said, panicking. He was right, Dedede didn't even know what to do when he had a guest. He became king around the time Bandanna was born, and had seen him grow up. He’d gotten attached to the little cutie, and that's why he’s chosen him as his assistant.

“Uh… maybe ask Parm? He was probably around when we had guests…” Dedede said. He was just as clueless as Bandanna Dee when it came to things like this. “Or maybe ask Magolor for a book on it? I'm sure there's one or two in the library.”

“Ack! Why didn't I consider that? Well, I’m going to go check with Mags. See ya later!” Bandanna Dee ran off, waving. Dedede smiled. He thought of Bandanna as a sort of son, even if he’d had nothing to do with raising him.

Magolor was a Halacandran refugee who’d come to the castle looking for a job. He had dark skin, and wore blue, hooded robes with two odd cat ear shaped mounds on the hood. He’d always denied it was his ears, and that it was just Halacandran fashion. Only he knew if that was true. Currently, he was shelving some books.

Bandanna walked into the library. The air smelled like old books, and he sighed.

“Hello, Mags!” He said, cheerfully. Magolor flinched and lost his balance on the ladder he was standing on. He and a few books fell to the floor with a thud.

“Uh… Hello, Sir Bandanna…” Magolor spoke. “Next time… please knock…”

Bandanna covered his mouth with his hands. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! Do you need help?”

“No, I’m good.” Magolor got up and dusted himself off. “So, what do you need?”

“We need a book on hosting,” Bandanna said. “Etiquette and all that stuff.”

Magolor nodded. “Ok, let me go find something.” He walked over to an enormous book and flipped the pages. He stopped at one and read it, then walked to a bookshelf on the right wall.

“Alright, I got one. How to Host Guests for Dummies.” Magolor said, walking back. He handed the book to Bandanna and bowed. “Just ask if you need anything else. But please knock!”

“Thank you!” Bandanna said, smiling. He walked out the door, on his way to find Waddle Doo.

Behind Magolor lurked a purple-haired weirdo in purple overalls and a jester hat. He creeped up slowly, then popped up behind his friend.

“Boo!”

“Augh!” Magolor screamed. He turned around to see his friend laughing. “Marx! I told you not to do that!”

“Why not? It's hilarious!” He said, still laughing. Magolor frowned.

“What if I did that to you?” He asked. Marx stopped laughing.

“I’d punch you in the face.” Marx said. He grinned, revealing his sharp canines.

“Eep! Marx, I told you that face scares me! You look like a crazy doll that tries to kill people!”

“Well what's wrong with- Oh, nevermind! Was that Bandanna Dork?” Marx asked.

“Yeah. He wanted a book on hosting people.” Magolor said. Marx grimaced.

“Why does he get treated so well? I mean, were servants and we get treated like… like… like trash!” Marx threw his hands up in the air. “I get laughed at all day! It's driving me crazy!”

“Isn't that your-”

“Shut up!”

Magolor started to question why he was friends with Marx, but remembered how he was the only one who seemed to understand what he’d been through back in Halacandra.

“I want to get revenge on him so badly.” Marx whispered. He looked like he had just been insulted badly, or someone had eaten the last cookie. “And I know you want power. Maybe we could-”

“Marx, no. We're not rebelling. It's a terrible idea,” Magolor whispered. He didn't want anyone to hear this. “If it is fate for us, I'm sure it'll happen someday.”

Marx smiled. “You wanna wait for a sign?”

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

Dedede was posing for a portrait.He had his arms up like he was leading someone into battle. The artist, Paintria, was happily painting away at the canvas. Both of them had lost track of time.

“Uhh… Miss? How long has it been since we started?” He asked, struggling to keep his pose. His hammer was heavy, and while he could carry it with no problem, holding it with one hand for hours straight was not pleasant.

“Um… maybe 30 minutes?” She said. She turned to Escargon, who was reading a book. “Mister, how long has it been since we started?”

Escargon took out his pocket watch. “Three Hours.” He said, dryly.

Paintria gasped. “Oh, goodness me! Well, time flies when you’re having fun, right?”

“Yeah.” Dedede said, sarcastically.
Paintria, however, was too sweet to notice Dedede’s sass. “Well, sire, would you like a break? I understand it’s hard to stand like that for so long.”

Dedede’s hammer crashed to the floor, and the room shook. Furniture jumped off of the floor, causing Paintria and Escargon to drop their things.

“Uh… sorry about that.” Dedede said. “Yeah, I’d like a break. Thank you. You’re a really great artist.”

Paintria blushed. “Aww, thanks!”

Dedede walked out of the room, his arm almost dragging along. Escargon got up and picked up his book. Paintria looked at the butler curiously.

“Where does he go during his breaks?” She asked.

Escargon looked off in the distance. “The beach. He say’s he’s friends with the ocean.”

Paintria had a warm smile, like she’d eaten something sweet. “My sister was friends with the ocean. I haven’t seen her in years.”

Escargon frowned. “Oh… I hope you get to see her soon.”

“I have a feeling I will.”

Dedede was walking along the beach as usual. The air was cool and breezy, and the sunset produced a beautiful shimmer on the waves. Dedede stopped to take in the sights. He looked around. Small crabs were walking along the beach. Sandpipers were catching food, and-

Oh gosh.

Dedede recognized the blue hair immediately. Meta was washed up on the beach again. He ran over to Meta, who was injured yet again. Obviously, his plan had failed. Dedede shook him in an attempt to wake him up.

“Hey! Meta! Wake up!” Dedede said. Meta opened his eyes. He coughed a few times.

“They… they got him…” He muttered. Dedede gasped.

“They got Kirby?”

“Yes… look what happened…”

Dedede looked at Meta’s tail. However, instead of a tail, was a dark blue pair of pants.

“YO! YOU’VE GOT LEGS!”

“Yes… now please help me.” Meta said. He tried to get up, and Dedede used his arm to help him.

“Ok… let’s take you to the doctor…. I'm just going to tell him you were in a shipwreck because no one is gonna believe you’re a mermaid,” Dedede said. “Anyways, what happened this time?”

“Well, I guess I have to tell you, don’t I?”

The cave was dimly lit by small, bioluminescent bacteria trapped in lanterns. The sea witch sat at her cauldron, which had a green liquid in it. It must have been more dense than water, otherwise it would be floating all around.

“Meta, I assume you came for my help,” She said. “I heard about what happened to the kingdom from Joe and Sirica. It’s tragic.”

“Yes, Drawcia. Did you ever experience things like this on land?” Meta asked.

“No, I lived in a peaceful country. Anyways, we must hurry. They might find us. Even if it’s just one of them, we don’t stand much of a match right now. Joe and Sirica are on guard, so listen in case you hear them.” Drawcia swam over to her shelf of potions, and pulled a purple one in a triangular flask out. “This is a strength potion. I think it might help you. I’ll protect Kirby while you’re gone.”

Meta took the potion. “Drawcia, are you sure this will work?”

Drawcia was about to answer when Joe, a merman with spiky blond hair, swam into the lair.

“They’re here!”

Meta and Drawcia exchanged glances.

“Is there an alternate exit?” Meta asked.

Drawcia shook her head. “No, that's the only way out. We're going to have to fight.”

Meta knew a bit of magic, and Joe and Sirica were armed with swords. Drawcia was a witch, but knew no offensive spells. They knew they'd lost.

Three silhouettes appeared in the distance. The three readied themselves to fight.

First appeared Galacta, in his white and pink armor. He was dragging Sirica by her arm. He wore his normal butterfly shaped mask, and one big smirk on his face.

“They're all in here, father. All defenseless.”

Meta gasped. Oh no. No no no no. He thought. He can't be here.

“Excellent, Galacta. At least I have one competent son.”

The atmosphere became cold and dark. Kirby let out a small whimper. Slowly approaching was a tall, cloaked merman. He looked like an older, much thinner version of Meta. Both his tail and his cloak looked like a starry nebula. It almost seemed as if they were swirling. On top of his black hair was a golden crown. Three rubies were embedded in it, and they matched the pendant around his neck.

The pendant that belonged to Meta’s mother.

“Hello, Meta,” Nightmare said. He stuck his arm out, and two Dark Matter Eels bound Meta to the wall. Three more tied up the other’s hands. Kirby was left floating around, helpless.

Nightmare walked over to Joe and Sirica. He tapped his finger on Joe’s nose. “I remember killing your father,” he said, staring in Joe’s eyes.

Nightmare then moved on to Sirica, and repeated his actions. “And I remember killing your mother.”

Sirica growled and tried to break free of her restraints. It didn't work.

Nightmare swam over to Drawcia, who looked away defiantly. He grabbed her cheek, and turned her head in his direction.

“You know, Drawcia, you wouldn't be getting captured if you had worked for me,” he said.

“I chose not to work for you because you use your magic for evil!” Drawcia spat. Nightmare backed away and turned to Galacta.

“Galacta. Take these three to the dungeon. I’ll deal with these two.”

“As you wish, father.” Galacta rounded them up, and left with them. They all looked at Meta, hoping he could save them- even if it wasn't now. Kirby tried to follow, but Nightmare saw him.

“Don't you swim away now, child," He said. A bubble formed around Kirby, and he couldn't move.

“Poyo! Poyopoyopoyopoyo!” Kirby cried.

“Be quiet, child!” Nightmare snapped. Kirby covered his mouth. Nightmare swam to the prince and put his hand on his cheek.

“So, you're going to finally kill me, huh?” Meta said. He chuckled. “Killed by my own father. How pathetic.”

“I'm not going to kill you, fool,” Nightmare said. “Well, at least not directly. You're just going to get a taste of your own medicine, that's all. Except maybe a bit... worse.”

Meta didn't like the sound of that.

Nightmare snapped his fingers, and magic started to gather around Meta’s tail. It went numb, but Meta could tell it was changing. Once the magic subsided, two legs (and a nice pair of pants) remained. Meta felt himself losing the ability to breathe underwater.

“Oh, nice pants,” Nightmare said. “That’s good in case you do make it to the surface. After all, i’ve heard they don’t appreciate people going around pantsless.” He waved his hands, and the dark matter dissipated. “I suggest you start swimming, boy.”

Meta darted out as fast as he could. He seemed to have gained the ability to swim, but he knew he wouldn’t make it to the surface on time. He was determined to make it though.

“Goodbye! See you if you live!” Nightmare said. He swam to kirby’s bubble and picked it up.

“Looks like I finally got you.”

When Meta woke up, Dedede and a doctor were standing over him. The doctor was writing things down on his clipboard.

“Well, he’s awake,” the doctor said. “I think he’s fine. He wasn’t in long enough to get hypothermia, and you said he remembers everything so… yeah.”

“Thanks, Yabui,” Dedede said. Dedede then looked down at Meta. “Hey, you’re staying at my place. I’ve got the car, so we can go now.”

Meta squinted “The what?”

“Oh, right, you don’t know what that is. Well, you’ll see.” Dedede grabbed Meta’s hand and helped him up. The two walked out the door to meet Escargon, who opened the car doors.

“Hello, mister,” Escargon said. “I’m Escargon, Dedede’s butler. I also drive his car.”

Meta shook his hand. “I’m Meta.”

Dedede got in the car and buckled up. “Well, sit down.”

Meta carefully sat down, unsure of what was going to happen. Dedede looked at him with a michevious smile, and strapped him in.

“Oh boy, this is gonna be fun.”

When the car started moving, Meta flinched. “What on earth…?”

“It’s a device meant to take you places fast,” Dedede explained. “I don’t blame you for being startled. I think it might take awhile to get used to a lot of stuff. I also have a friend who can help with the entire ocean thing, so don’t panic. You’ll be home in no time.”
“Thank you for your generosity. I just hope everything back home is ok. It probably isn’t.” Meta said. Dedede frowned.

“Well, you can’t just be so negative. Maybe your brother realized he’s being dumb, or your friends escaped.”

Meta thought about it. If he just pretended everything was ok, he could feel better. When Dedede’s friend got him his tail back, he could go save everyone. Then, he started to feel better.

Chapter Text

The underwater palace was dark and gloomy- just the way the wicked wizard king liked it. He sat at his throne, his son standing next to him. The two stared into a crystal ball, watching Meta intently.

“So, he survived, huh?” Nightmare said. “He’s already made friends too. This isn't good.”

Galacta frowned. “What do we do now? If what that portly man says is true, he’ll be back.”

“I have an idea. We might be able to take over two kingdoms now. Look at those two in the back,” Nightmare said. He pointed to two short figures, one in blue and one in purple. “I was spying on Meta the other day. That portly man seems to be the king, so I spied on the other citizens. Those two were looking for a sign of rebellion.”

“Ah, so we’re going to recruit those two?” Galacta asked. Nightmare nodded, but Galacta was confused. “How are we going to make it on land?”

“Same thing I did to Meta. However, I think we should bring someone else along.” He looked to the small bubble floating overtop of them. Kirby had fallen asleep, as he had nothing to do.

“Excellent.”

The day before the ball had finally arrived, and with it, the most valued guests. Meta watched from the balcony of his room as the guests greeted the Cabinet Minister and Dedede. First to arrive was Sectonia, Queen of the islands of Floralia. She had a yellow and blue dress, with a pink heart on the bodice. Her black hair was tied up in a bun, and she had a bow on the back of her dress that reminded Meta of a pair of wings. Her butler, Taranza, was dressed in green and red. He had snow white hair, and dark skin. Dedede had told Meta there were rumors that they were dating.

Next was Titania, Queen of the Ripple Kingdom. She had two big black braids and a pair of round glasses, similar to Marx’s. Following her was a small child with pink hair and a big ribbon. She reminded Meta of Kirby.

After them was Prince Fluff of Patchland. He was only a teenager, and looked nervous. He had Light blue everything- except his skin and eyebrows. His eyebrows were enormous, almost comical.

Last was King Haltmann and his Daughter Susanna. Haltmann was older, with a purple toupee and mustache. Susanna had pink hair and blue eyes, which for some reason, wouldn’t stop staring at Meta. He didn’t even know this girl, but she creeped him out.

Dedede led everyone into the hall, and the Waddle Dees led the guests to their rooms. Dedede, however, pulled Titania aside.

“Hey, Tati, I need your help with something.” Dedede said. He grabbed her hand and lead her to Meta’s room. The child followed. Dedede turned around when he heard her footsteps. “Oh, is that Ribbon? She’s grown!”

“Yes Dedede, that’s my little girl! You don’t mind if she comes with us, right?” Titania said. Dedede shook his head. Titania picked up Ribbon in her free arm, and the two resumed.

“So… this is gonna sound weird… but I have a former merman here,” Dedede explained. “He lost his tail, and-”

“HE LOST HALF OF HIS BODY????” Titania screamed. Dedede waved his arms.

“No, no, he grew legs. Also pants. No blood or gross stuff.”

“Oh, thank goodness…” Titania sighed. “You know i’m squeamish…”

“Yeah, I think he’d be dead if that happened. Anyways, here’s his room.” Dedede knocked on the door. “Hey Meta, I brought a friend!”

A muffled response came from the other side of the door. Dedede opened it, assuming it was a “Hey, you can come in.” Luckily, he was right.

Meta sat on the bed, clutching a jar of candy. “Oh, hello, Dedede. I take it that this is your friend?”

Dedede nodded and put his hands on his hips. “This is Titania. I’ve known her since I was little.” He gestured to Titania, who stepped up and curtsied.

“Hello, sir.” She said.

Meta bowed. “Good Day, your majesty.”

Titania smiled. “I can help you with your predicament. Dedede told me all about it.”

Meta narrowed his eyes. “There’s no possible way you can help. It’s too powerful of a curse-”

“Trust me, I have fairy blood. The kingdom of Ripple is actually inhabited by fairies. Just don’t tell anyone, ok? It’s a secret.” She playfully put her finger on her lips. It was then that Meta noticed the translucent wings coming from her back. They were almost invisible.

“Alright. It’s a promise,” Meta said. Titiana giggled.

“Anyways, I can prepare a charm for you so you can breathe underwater again. Then, you can go on and break the curse. It’ll take a bit to make it, though. It’ll probably be done the day after the ball,” She said. “Are you ok with that?”

Meta stared at the ground. “That’s a problem.”

Titania tilted her head. “The time restraint?”

“No. I… I don’t want to kill my father.”

The next day was a hectic one. Last minute preparations were underway, as the guests started to get themselves ready. Bandanna Dee had been sent to help Meta get ready. He’d brought some of his old clothes, as Meta had been wearing the same outfit since he had arrived.

Bandanna handed Meta a bottle and towel. “Alright, before you get in these clothes, you have to take a bath.”

“A what?”

“Oh. Right. It’s ok, Dedede told me. Not sure how Escargon is gonna react if he finds out Dedede kept a secret from him, but that’s besides the point. Just follow me.” Bandanna walked into an adjoining room. Meta followed obediently. Even though he didn’t know this boy, there was just something about him that made you trust him. Maybe it was the sweet appearance, or the cute voice.

Sitting in the middle of the room was a porcelain tub. Bandanna put his hand on one of the brass handles. “Watch this,” He said. He turned the handle, and water came out of the faucet. Meta’s eyes widened.

“How does it do that?” He asked.

“Well, I don’t know. But it’s cool, right? And watch. It gets better!” He poured something in, and bubbles started to poof up.

Meta was slack-jawed. Bandanna laughed.

“Alright, let me run you through the process. Basically, you get in, put this stuff in your hair, wash it out, get out of the bathtub, and dry yourself off with the towel. You got it?”

Meta nodded. Bandanna Dee gave him a thumbs up.

“Alright! I’ll be waiting outside. I have to get ready too!”

“You don't mind if I talk to you through the wall, right?” Meta asked. Bandanna Dee tilted his head.

“Not at all. Why?”

“Well… I’m lonely without Kirby, or my friends. My father killed them.”

Bandanna couldn't believe his ears. “I'm sorry, what?”

“Well… my father was an evil wizard king until I banished him and my brother. It took all of my power and a magical sword. Long story short, they came back because the seal wasn't strong enough and destroyed the kingdom. I don't believe anyone other than the guards were killed, but I still fear for their lives.” Meta sighed. He closed the door behind him, and Bandanna could hear splashing sounds.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I… I really didn't think such terrible things could happen.”

“I know the saying is 'ignorance is bliss’, but I think that the truth might be 'innocence is bliss’.

A minute of silence passed.

“He knows I'm still alive.” Meta said.

Bandanna didn't know what to do in this situation, so he just asked more questions. “Why does he want you dead?”

“He’s just as conflicted about this as I am. He doesn't want to kill me, but he wants me out of his way. I fear he may come and take me back to be his slave.”

“That's really messed up. I’ll grab some weapons and hide them at the ball in case that happens. I should notify Dedede too.” Bandanna clipped on his bowtie. He adjusted it in the mirror, and glanced at himself before sitting back on the bed.

Meta spoke up again. “Good plan, but maybe we should change topics. To start, why is that 'Susie’ girl so creepy?”

A few minutes later, Meta came back out soaking wet. Well, at least his clothes were. Bandanna wasn’t sure wether to laugh or panic.

The ballroom had been decorated elegantly. Silk curtains draped the big windows, and a crystal chandelier lit up the night. Musicians played jolly tunes, and buffet tables lined the walls. On them were a plethora of sweets. Escargon announced the important guests as they arrived from their rooms.

“Uh… Queen Sectonia of Floralia and her assistant… Tehran-zuh…?”

Dedede stammered. “Yo… Escargon…. Its Taranza….” He whispered into Escargon’s ear.
“It’s too late now…” Escargon whispered back.

“Well… just keep going…. I guess…”

Next up were Titania and Ribbon. When Titania stepped into the room, she looked at Dedede. He’d managed to fit into his ceremonial robes again, and even though he wasn’t the best looking, Titania still liked him. She smiled, and Dedede smiled back.

Fluff entered, then Haltmann. However, Susie had already snuck in to see Meta.

“Hello, Sir. My name is Susie.” She curtsied, and Meta instantly recognized her as the weird girl from the day before. Meta tried walking away, but she cornered him.

“I don’t know what, but something seems strange about you. Will you dance with me?” She extended a hand, so Meta obliged. He had a bad feeling about the next few hours.

Marx was dreading his appearance at the ball. First were the dances, then the food, then a full 30 minutes of him humiliating himself. Why had he even signed up for this job?

Magolor had brought him to the gardens outside of Castle Dedede. It was quiet, as most of the people had gone inside for the dancing. This made it good for thinking and relaxing, or in Marx’s case, practicing your magic. He had an affinity for combat magic, which is what he’d gone to Dedede for initially. Dedede said that they didn’t need any soldiers, but Marx’s constant jokes would make him a good jester. At the time, he’d been desperate, so he’d accepted.

Magolor was watching him, curious as to how Marx could just command plants like that. He took notes in hopes he could use them to further his own powers.

Marx glanced down the path the two were standing on. Three figures were approaching that he didn't recognize.

“Hey Mags… someone's coming.”

The closer they got, the more unease the two outcasts felt. The only lights were small lanterns lining the paths, so they couldn’t see what the figures looked like until they got closer. One was tall and was wearing purple, the second tallest a knight wearing pink and white. The third was a young boy simply wearing a pink shirt and shorts. He had messy pink hair and innocent blue eyes. Compared to the other two, he looked like a stuffed animal.

“Hello, gentlemen. I heard you were looking for a sign of rebellion,” The tall one said.

Marx tensed. “How did you know that?”

The tall one cackled. “A little birdie told me. Anyways, your sign has come.”

Dedede was talking to Sectonia when a cold breeze entered the room. Everyone turned towards the entrance.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I heard my son washed up on shore here.” Nightmare strode into the room. Galacta followed, and Kirby trailed behind him.

Meta tried to run, but he was spotted. “Oh! There he is.” Nightmare ran over and embraced Meta, who pushed him away.

“Dedede, remember what I told you about my family?” Meta said. Dedede nodded and ran to aid Meta. He didn’t get very far when Marx summoned a vine around his leg.

“Hello, great king,” He mocked. “Hope you’re in for some entertainment.”

Dedede gulped. He didn’t like the sound of that.

Nightmare addressed the entire room. “Well, I guess I did mean to interrupt. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll just be taking over your kingdoms.”

Everyone gasped. Kirby tried to run to Meta, but Galacta caught him. “You’re staying with us.” The Knight said.

“Now, is anyone willing to watch an execution? I’d suggest the faint of heart leave the room. Not like you'll be able to escape the castle. We have it surrounded.” Nightmare pointed to the window. It was pitch black outside, except for one thing: tons of eyes were scattered around the darkness. Titania tensed up.

“Oh Nova, they've got Dark Matter.” She pulled Ribbon closer. Ribbon had started to cry. “There there… it'll all be… fine…”

Nightmare pointed his hand at Dedede, ready to kill him. This is it, Dedede thought. Goodbye, every-

Swiftly, Bandanna Dee jumped up and severed the vines. Marx, Magolor, Nightmare, and Galacta gasped.

“I forgot to tell you about this plan I had,” Bandanna said, grabbing the hammer he'd strapped to his back. “This is for you, sire.” Dedede took it and grinned mischievously.

Meta tried taking the opportunity to run, but he was caught by one of Magolor’s spells. He struggled against the magic, but gave in.

“Bandanna! It's too dangerous! You'll-”

“Oh, shut up fish brain!” Dedede yelled. “Someone's trying to take over our kingdoms. Gentlemen, I say, LET'S FIGHT!”

Chapter Text

Everyone looked at Dedede with their mouths open. No one had expected him to say he was willing to fight nor volunteer everyone else in the room. Nightmare stood there for a second, then smirked.

"As you wish."

Nightmare lifted his hands in front of him, palms out. The door started to shake violently, then flung open. Dark Matter burst in like a tidal wave. Everyone ran towards the back exit, but Magolor enchanted the doors to only let the civilians out. Haltmann, Susie, Sectonia, Taranza, Fluff, Titania and Ribbon were stuck inside with Dedede and Bandanna.

"Mommy!" Ribbon cried. Titania grabbed her and shielded her from the Dark Matter. Dedede took notice of this and rushed to protect them.

"Tati, go and hide underneath a table," he said. "It's not the best idea, but we don't have that many options!"

Titania nodded, grabbed Ribbon, and ran for cover. Haltmann heard this and followed. Susie, however, stayed.

"S-susie! What on Popstar are you doing?" Haltmann screamed.

Susie took of her belt and pressed a button on the oddly shaped buckle. A bolt of electricity fired out, and looking closely, he saw it resembled a sword.

"Father, I'm defending your kingdom!" She said. She started slashing at the Dark Matter. "Now go take cover, you're in no shape to fight!"

"Susie is right! We have to fight," Sectonia said. She summoned her rapiers and started to attack. Taranza followed, summoning energy balls and hurling them at the wave of darkness. Fluff got out a whip, and while it wouldn't be the most effective, something was better than nothing.

Haltmann crawled under the same table Ribbon and Titania were beneath. He curled up and covered his bald head, while Titania hugged Ribbon tightly.

"You all are fighting a losing battle. There's thousands of Dark Matter, and only six of you. Give up while you still can, and maybe I'll spare you!" Nightmare growled. He increased his concentration, and the Dark Matter got faster.

Dedede glanced at Bandanna Dee. He was cutting through the Dark Matter with his spear like they were grass. An idea popped into Dedede's head.

"Bandanna! Cut through and try to find Kirby and Meta!" He swung his hammer at the Dark Matter, causing it to dissipate. Dedede grinned. "Heck yeah!"

Bandanna nodded, then started to create a tunnel. The area behind him was quickly filled up, and he was surrounded. He knew he had to keep going.

Meta's voice cried out from somewhere in the darkness. "Please no! The Dark Matter is poisonous! If you give up, you'll live. I promise!"

Nevertheless, everyone kept fighting. Whether it was stubbornness, pride, or the actual well-being of their subjects, the reason varied from person to person.

Bandanna followed the sound of Meta's voice, and ultimately found him. Galacta saw Bandanna emerge from the black cloud and quickly drew his lance.

"En garde!" He screamed, running towards the small servant. He swiftly jabbed at him with his lance, but Bandanna dodged.

"Kirby! There's something I need to give you!" He said, between blows. Kirby stepped back. Bandanna then pulled a red and white wand out of his pocket. On the top was a bright, shimmering yellow star. "Meta, I know this wasn't part of the plan, but I brought it anyways. I'll explain later. Just take it!"

Bandanna threw the wand, and Kirby ran and caught it before it would have shattered on the floor. Galacta turned back and gasped. "Magolor! Create a barrier!"

Magolor, who was fighting Fluff nearby, flipped to a page in his spellbook. He recited a spell, and a star shaped shield was created around Galacta and Nightmare. The wizard had finally finished filling the room with Dark Matter, and had started to attack Dedede himself.

Dedede cursed. His hammer wasn't able to break the shield, and he was barely able to fend off the shuriken like stars the wizard was battering him with. Sectonia and Taranza were currently tied up by Marx. Fluff and Susie were somewhere within the swirling cloud of Dark Matter, and Bandanna was busy with Galacta. He was certain he was going to die.

"When my son banished me to the depths of the ocean, I built a large palace for the two of us. You know what I did then? I watched all of you. I saw what you did to your poor subjects. Are you really fit to call yourself king? Abandoning your subjects, to only let your emotions get the best of you?" Nightmare hissed. He snapped his fingers, and Dedede froze. He walked closer, getting ready to deliver the fatal blow. "How pathetic."

Suddenly, Dedede was knocked over by a rainbow colored blur. He hit his head on the floor, blurring his vision. Looking up, he saw a woman with purple robes and a witch's hat.

"Paintria?" He said.

She seemed to shake her head. "Drawcia. I see you've met my sister."

Dedede's vision cleared up, and he saw that it definitely wasn't Paintria- this lady had a big paintbrush and long cyan hair instead of short pink hair.

"I'd suggest you go get some rest with those people under the table. I might have given you a concussion, but that's better than death."

Dedede scrambled to get under the table. So much for his heroic moment.

Meanwhile, Bandanna and Galacta were still sparring. Bandanna's spear broke in two when he's tried to pierce Galacta's shield. He was currently down on the floor, barely dodging Galacta's attacks. Meta and Kirby had been chained to the wall with magic, and watched in horror as the innocent boy tried to survive.

Clink!

Galacta was hit in the shoulder. The rock bounced off, but it distracted him enough for Bandanna to bounce up and break Meta and Kirby's bonds. Standing in front of him were a spiky-blond haired boy and a white haired girl with a slingshot.

"Sup, loser!" Sirica shouted. Galacta stared at her and clenched his jaw. Sirica smirked. "What kind of moron brings a lance to a slingshot fight?"

Galacta screamed in anger, and lunged towards her. Sirica readied her slingshot. Then, he paused and fell.

Kirby stood behind him, holding the holy wand Bandanna had given him. Galacta started to dissipate. "I might have lost this time… but I will haunt your dreams, Meta… I swear on the stars above…"

Then, he was gone.

A small magenta jewel sat where he'd been. Bandanna picked it up, and handed it to Meta.

"I… I'm sorry about your brother." He said, softly. Before Meta could respond, his father ran over to him and grabbed him violently."

How could you! You… you just let your brother die like that!" He grimaced, showing his fang like teeth. "All because you didn't want to accept your destiny! All because you didn't want to rule the people who are inferior to you like a true emperor!"

Bandanna tried to intervene, but Nightmare raised more shields. Meta struggled against his father's grip, but it was too strong to get out of. "I was tired of all the mistreatment of our subjects!

"The subjects are inferior to us, Meta! When will you learn that? When will you learn-"

Nightmare dropped to his knees, dragging Meta down with him. Meta saw Kirby behind his father, just like he'd been with Galacta.

Tears started forming in Meta's eyes. "Father, I… I stand my ground, but I never wanted it to turn out this way. I… I'm sorry."

Nightmare looked at his son one last time and smiled. "You truly are your mother's son."

Then, he, too, disappeared.

Following the death of it's master, the Dark Matter dissipated, leaving behind a wrecked mess that looked vaguely like a ballroom. Sectonia had crystallized Marx up to his neck, and Fluff tied up Magolor with his whip. All the royals stood amidst the mess.

"Dedede! You'll pay for... Augh! Can you just free me already?" Marx said.

Sectonia shook her head, and Marx groaned. Dedede walked over to him and frowned.

"Why did you side with them anyways?" He asked.

"Because you treat us like trash! That brat over there gets all the good stuff, and-"

Dedede waved his hands. "Woah, woah, woah. Slow down. Why didn't you just ask?"

Marx stopped screaming and pondered for a second. Then, he let out another scream.

"Magolor, why didn't you tell me we could?"

"I said this was a stupid idea!" Magolor yelled back.

"Well you never mentioned an alternative!"

"Will you two please shut up? We need to have a serious moment over here!" Dedede said. "Look, I'll give you two a second chance. Now just shut up!"

Magolor and Marx went quiet. Dedede then walked over to everyone else.

Meta held three jewels in his hand- one for each of his family members. He looked at Dedede sadly.

"I'm grateful for your help. I wish it didn't have to turn out this way, but fate cannot be helped." He grabbed Kirby's hand. "The two of us better get going to free everyone."

"Wait," Dedede said. "What about the fact you guys aren't mermen anymore? And what's with those jewels?"

Meta clutched the hand with the jewels with them to his heart. "The curse should break in less than an hour. As for the jewels…" He gazed off into the distance. Drawcia stepped up for him.

"When merfolk die, they turn into precious jewels. Meta's mother, the queen, died when he and his brother were young. That's why Nightmare was wearing that ruby pendant."

"That's sad." Dedede paused. "Hey, wait, do you have a sister?"

Drawcia nodded. "She's here, isn't she?"

"Yeah! She's a great artist! Before you go back, you should visit her."

Drawcia smiled for the first time in a while. "I think I might just go do that now. King Meta, Prince Kirby, I'll meet you at the palace." She walked outside, eager to catch up with her long lost sister.

Meta and Kirby also turned to go. "We have to hurry," Meta explained. "If we stay around here, we'll turn into mermen again."

Bandanna stopped him. "Wait! The rod!"

Kirby gave him back the wand, which Bandanna held gently.

"This wand is what gives Popstar it's dreams. It doubles as a weapon. Since it's holy, I thought it might work."

"Poyo!" Kirby said. He hugged Bandanna, who hugged him back.

Everyone exchanged their goodbyes with the four merfolk before they headed off to the sea. Dedede then started talking to the other royals.

"Uh… sorry the ball got wrecked." Dedede said. "I really hope you aren't mad."

Sectonia put her hand on his shoulder.

"Dedede. Your acts of bravery and compassion we saw tonight were much better than any ball could have been. Plus, I'm the one known for parties here." Everyone laughed.

Haltmann adjusted his mustache. "She's right. You've proven yourself to be noble and pure of heart. That's all we really needed."

Titania walked up to Dedede and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Dedede nearly fainted from embarrassment. She caught him and smiled. "Come on, silly! We need to go wave them goodbye!"

Dedede's reign was filled with prosperity, as was Meta's, then Kirby's. Meta kept those jewels in a safe place, always thinking of how things could have been. This didn't distract him from his duties, and he held true to his beliefs. Occasionally, bottles would wash up on Dreamland's shore. Dedede would write to Kirby and Meta his entire life, with Bandanna picking up the duty after.

Dedede started treating his servants better, and both Magolor and Marx started to behave. They even did their jobs better. Dreamland's relationships flourished, especially with Ripple Star. Now, if he ever realized Titania's feelings… well, that's a secret.