A sinister shape spotted the speckled stretch, small and rounded with jagged fangs. A second soon joined it. This one was horned with a pronged tail. The pair grew into a group, then several, and finally a swarm. The army of nightmarish creatures soon drowned out the starlight, and this was exactly what they were.

The sky was not just full, either of stars or scares. It was also missing something -- the characteristic rings that surround Pop Star. These shining circles shield the world below from otherwise unwanted threats. Sure, the repellent is powerless against an overwhelming force, or even a moderate one, but it does wonders for keeping the lowest of dregs, those lesser fears and dreads, from bothering anyone in the dream-like land below.

"And that," finished explaining a bespectacled squid, "is our situation." A hand immediately shot out from the gathered audience with enthusiastic calls for attention. "Yes," the speaker pointed with a tentacle, "the fellow in the back."

"Yeah, I'm just a little curious," wondered the selected Madoo as he floated above the crowd, "... why are we listening to you? Really. Why? I don't even know why we all just showed up at your house."

"Because," Squishy calmly answered, "I have these glasses. I have to know what I'm talking about." The murmurs and whispers tended to agree with the reason.

"Hey... hey, you," called out one not from the group, not even from Dream Land for that matter. It was a less than fiendish fiend of which was spoken speaking to the speaker. "Look at me."

"Now, as you can see," continued the learned-looking mollusk, "these ... minor frights are not much of a threat."

"Hey... I'm gonna bite you," furthered the ignored imp.

"In fact, they aren't any real danger," the eight-armed explainer went on without breaking pace. "They're just really, really... really annoying." He snagged away tentacle #5 sharply. "Ow. Would you stop that?"

"Yeah-hah. I totally bit you. What!?"

"So, as you can see," Squishy flatly wrapped up the seminar, "this may be Pop Star's greatest peril in years."

"You mean... the only?" innocently corrected a single-eyed shellfish.

"... Yes."

"Seems like you guys need a hero." A grim voice called out from the darkness. All eyes, in pairs or alone, turned to the warrior in the shadows. A yellow eye beamed brightly through the armor's eye slit.

"Oh, phew, what a relief," praised the previous Peezer. "He knows where we can find Kirby. I heard that Ripple Star opened up an all you can eat buffet, and he hasn't been seen since."

"N-no. No, that's not it at all." The knight reconsidered. "Well, okay, sure, that is what happened to Kirby, but that's besides the point." The fighter struck an awe inspiring pose for the many in attendance. "I shall be your hero."

"Why do you have to do it?" questioned an umbrella hatted blob. "And who even said we needed saving?"

"What? Isn't it obvious?" answered the grim guardian. "Aside from the fact that one of those things is still biting Squishy-"

"Meh," interrupted the squid. "It's not so bad. Kinda tickles."

"Grr," said the un-menace. Honestly, rather than growling, it said "grr".

"As I was saying," continued the self stated savior, "I am the only one cut out for it. Or, no, instead, let's put all our faith in the small fry with the frying pan. Or, how about the cyclops with the parasol? Better yet, his slow cousin who brought a row boat on dry land. I'm scared now."

"It just so happens that I thought there was going to be water here," Waddle Dee poorly defended his actions.

"Fantastic." Sarcasm! "As 'impressive' as the rest of you are," the white knight continued with his argument and the sarcasm, "you don't compare to this!" The warrior held his weapon up high.

"What, what is that?" asked a pink fly. "Is that a broom?"

"Whoops. I forgot I was cleaning my place earlier," confessed Bukiset. "Say, Hothead, would you mind coming over here? I, uh, won't copy you."

"Well, okay," believed Q-bert's long lost brother, "but it better not be like the time you said you wouldn't copy Pengyou lied to meee!"

"Sinister laugh!" exclaimed Bukiset. "You didn't see THIS coming, did you? Now I have the power of FIRE!"

"So do most of us." said Burning Leo. "Seriously, fire is the second most common ability on Popstar. Having it only makes you slightly less worthless than you were a minute ago."

"Oh." said Bukiset. "Uh, you win this round." He then stumbled out the door to find a better evil power.

"If you're finished," said Squishy, " we were about to pick someone as replacement hero."

"Replacement hero?" said one perplexed Poppy. "I thought we were just gonna pressure Kirby into doing the job, y'know, like usual."

JUST THEN

Kirby stumbled wearily through the doorway and promptly face-palmed. "Ow." mumbled the clobbered cotton ball.

Waddle Dee rushed to the pink puffs side. "What happened?" said he-who-had-rushed.

"Ugh... he... he told me.. he told me if I kept stealing his stuff...*wheeze*... that I was gonna get it... I.. I didn't listen..", continued the crippled crusader.

"Who? Who did this to you?"

"Whispy Woods. I-I just wanted one more apple... stupid, selfish.."

Waddle Dee glared at Kirby for the next couple of minutes before getting up and taking his seat.

"Sooooo, replacement hero, eh? Any volunteers?"

"Ooo! Oooo! Me! Pick Me!" exclaimed an exasperated Meta Knight.

"Now Meta Knight, we've talked about this." said Squishy. "Remember your last 'adventure'? What was it about?"

"...nothing.."

"Right. How did that help Dreamland?"

"It didn't.."

"Exactly. Now go play with your Legos."

"Yes sir." Meta Knight then sulked away.

"Good. So, anyone else? ... don't all get up at once.. "

"All I need is a tomato.. I'll be fine..." whispered Kirby.

Blade Knight raised his hand.

"Yes, Blade Knight? What makes you think you're qualified for the job?"

"Well, I'm one of the only three people with a weapon around here. And I -kinda- know what it does."

"Good point. Anyone else? Hurry now, this thing's starting to itch." Squishy pointed to the nasty thing that was still gnawing on his limb.

"Oh yeah." said Poppy. "Forgot about those things until about two seconds ago."

Silence followed.

*cough* the sound of scilence sounded in the room. wait... a small chirping was sounding in the back. "yes?" squishy asked, overjoyed to have a voulenteer. "oh. whoops! I was just...uh..." the cricket who was chirping stuttered then ran out of the room sobbing. "okay!" squishy said. "there is only one choice left..." he sighed then beckoned to Capsule J2. J2 pushed a cart out of backstage. on top of the cart was a diamond shaped object covered with a black curtian. "inside this curtian is the greatest warrior...EVER!" the word ever echoed through the room. the cricket returned. "GET OUT!!!" squishy screamed. "eep." the cricket cried. J2 uncovered the diamond. underneath was....A diamond shaped hamper filled with underware. "BWAHAHAHAHAHA" meta called out. everybody turned to look at him. "eh..." meta said. he left. J2 wheeled out a diffrent cart. Squishy uncovered the cart to reveal Galactic Knight, sealed in amber. A gasp echoed through the room.

******************************************************************************** *****

"Isn't that overdoing it a bit?" a putt asked.

"You're one to talk, you push giant boulders at people," a golem stated.

"So what? You are a giant boulder!"

"No, that's Ignus over here."

"Can someone tell me how I count as an enemy, pardner?" the ignus asked, and then exploded.

"...it's still overkill," the putt argued.

"Yes, probably, but what other choice do we have?" the glasses squishy asked. The impy thing was now trying to dip the squishy's tentacle into tarter sauce.

"Plenty!" the putt exclaimed. "I mean, didn't Squeaky Bogg once bring Samus to this world?"

"Yes... but the problem is, only those in the Rainbow Resort know how to breach the crossover barriers," the smarty squid said. I guess that makes it not-so-smarty.

"Can't we go get them?" a TAC asked.

"Nope. Because Kirby Wii has been in limbo for so many years, our universe has been suspended in limbo, which, until about half a year or so ago, the Rainbow Resort was also in limbo with us, but then without warning went back to... not... limbo."

Oh, that's a real great plot device.

Shut up. Ultra was a remake and Brawl was a trophy dimension so that's still 3 or 4 years.

"So... let's recap," a cloudy cret spoke up. "In four story parts, we've come up with: we have a threat... barely, we need a hero, and... all of our volunteers suck. In addition, Kirby has returned, but we have completely ignored him."

"Hiii!" Kirby exclaimed.

"Yup. That sums it up all right," squishy the squish-squash squid determined.

"pay attention to meeeeee" the nightmary imp muttered, somehow speaking without capitalization or punctuation. Just then, a nearby clock struck 11:11, and everyone in the room gasped.

"...wait, 11:11 is supposed to be for good luck," a keke, sitting on her broom, mentioned.

"Oh..." everyone at once stated.

Somewhere, deep in the crowd, a Bronto Burt snapped. "GAAAAAAAH!"

"Aw. What's the matter, little guy?" Squishy asked.

"WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING SOLVED, AND IT'S ALREADY ALMOST MIDNIGHT!"

"Oh." Squishy realized. "I guess it is."

Just then, the plot the shadow imp leaped up and grabbed Squishy, with the intent to kidnap him. Victorious in its efforts, the imp turned and started to drag Squishy out the front door.

Very.

Very.

Slowly.

"OHMYGADI'MBEINGKIDNAPPEDSOMEONEHELPMEORMAYBEJUSTGETMEANOTHERCUPOFCOFFEEIDUNNO!"

The Dreamlanders did an astounding lack of any rescuing, and, in fact, it looked as if they were rather bored.

"WHYAREN'TYOUHELPINGMEEEEEEEEE?!?" Squishy inquired.

"Well, we can't help you 'cause we still don't know who the hero is," Sword Knight pointed out.

The imp was approaching the center of the room, its arms already weary from carrying the fat glasses'd creature.

"FINE! PRANK, YOU'RE THE NEW HERO! NOW HELP MEEEEEEE!"

"Well I was certain you'd come arou-WAIT WAIT, WHAT?" Galactic(?) Knight exclaimed.

"Yes! After years of doing absolutely nothing, all my not-so-hard work has paid off!" Prank cried with glee.

Prank looked and saw that the imp and Squishy were about 3/4 of way to the door.

"Welp, he's a goner," Prank noted, sadly.

"NO I'M NOT! SAVE ME!" Squishy pleaded.

"Don't worry Squishy, your sacrifice was not in vain. C'mon, everyone. Let's teach those imps a lesson!"

"OH, SO NOW YOU DECIDED TO SPRING INTO ACTION. THANKS A BUNCH." Squishy sighed.

Only two other people stepped up to join Prank on his quest. Blade Knight hobbled over, as well as Galactic(?) Knight.

"That's it?" Prank asked. He let out a sigh. "Well, we'll have to make do. C'mon you two, let's go fight some small, mythological creatures."

"Huzzah!" exclaimed Galactic(?) Knight.