Chapter 36: Delusional
~March 31, 2021, Ruined Tower~
Ztar: Knock knock...
Kirby: I should've known it came to this, supposed you lost some of your fleet I see?
Ztar: It took a while for me to bypass Kawaishima, but it's worth the wait.
Kel: Alright everyone, this will be our final stand.
Maya: Might I suppose I'll deal with them first?
(Uzi, N & Shadow came out of the rubble, battered & furious)
Maya: What did you do with Lo?
N: Well, the master said if we zipped him to where he came from, he'll be free to deal with you all.
Uzi: Trust me, it's for the greater good.
Mario: (grabs Maya's hand) Not if we can handle it. Come on!
(the two then attack the two drones as the remaining gang deals with Shadow)
Kirby: I'll go distract the Reapers. You'll deal with the slick fellow. (blasts off to distract the Reapers)
Kel: On it! (brings in her scythe & fights against Shadow) Everyone, follow my lead.
(Purple Guy, E. Gadd & Susan altogether helped Kel, unleashing a flurry of projectiles straight towards her. Meanwhile, Mario & Maya now deal with the drones)
N: Wait, are you "the SUPER MARIO"? I'm a huge fan of your work! Also what happened to you?
Mario: Oh, I got tested by some mad scientist's work & now I can fly. (throws a fireball onto him)
Uzi: (blocks it & prepares her other gun) M Alpha, this is against our programming! Why do you have to side with those traitors?
Maya: Listen, whatever happened right in your past doesn't stick to your actions. It takes time before realizing what you'll truly do.
Uzi: Just shut up, you sound a lot like my dad. (engages open fire onto Maya, whom she flies around evading fire)
N: I can't believe it. I'm facing off a cultural icon in my first covert mission here! Reboot me Uzi, I must be dreaming.
Uzi: Please be quiet.
???: (looks onto the sewer grate) Just a little closer...
Kirby: (gets high-tailed by the Reapers) Why not you calamari you those stubby tentacles of yours?
(Infuriated, the forces tried to swat him only to get entangled on their own) Surely, my performance didn't tangle you that much, isn't it? HA! (tries inhaling them to his mouth only to stop halfway) Help?
Shadow: (swats off the projectiles) Fools, it will take some bigger fish to beat me! (fires blobs onto E. Gadd & Purple Guy)
PG: I can't move. (notices something from above) Guys, is Kirby doing ok?
(They all paused to see Kirby spiraling out of control, trying to stabilize the entire squadron)
Ztar: Come on, not you too!
(The squadron then hits Shadow, exposing her chip. Susan took that opportunity & snatched it)
Susan: I got the chip!
Shadow: Wait!
(Susan then plucks it out, unleashing a painful scream which is barely audible. The shadows around her then fused & changed her back to her purple-haired self. Due to the sheer shock on this removal, she fell unconscious)
Susan: & now to end this. (throws the chip to the sky, only to have it squished by two Oof Buttons)
Kel: Great work, you guys. Now all that's left is-
(Suddenly, she got pinned by Ztar's tentacles, holding her down)
E. Gadd: Kel!
Ztar: (prepares his final tentacle, aiming to her heart) I've waited a long time for this!
(Suddenly, as he prepares for the final strike, the ground violently shook)
N: Say it! Say that line now.
Mario: Let's-a (notices something rising) WTF IS THAT?!
N: No, not that. It should be "Let's-a- (suddenly see what Mario saw) OH MY GOD!
Uzi: (holds a brass pipe, blocking Maya's arm blade) What is it, N? It better be a... (also sees it) now this is something unexpected.
Maya: He's here...
(Out from the debris rose an obscured hand)
Ztar & Kirby: WHAT?!
(The hand then grabs Ztar's tentacles & twirls him around, taking the entire Reaper squadron. While at it, Kirby docks out by the time it hits them)
Ztar: Why are you doing this? Is this what you wanted?
???: I never wanted to bring exact revenge. I wanted a great future for MY SON!
(Then, the hand tosses all the Reapers out of its atmosphere & into the Sun, killing off the army once & for all. The hand then looks at the gang as he starts sinking)
Uzi: Wait for us! (grabs N by the wing) Move already!
(Uzi & N then hopped onto one of his fingers as they disappear under the rubble. All that's left are the blaring alarms & the fire from the wreck)
Kel: Ok, can someone need to explain what just happened?
(Her silence then got broken as her husband calls her, despite seeing him go into the portal)
Lo: Hey babe. Is the entire tower safe? What happened to Nishaki? Did anyone die?
Kel: Settle down, settle down. There's a lot to explain. Also, where are you?
Lo: Well, here's a thing...
Bo: (appears behind him) Hi! Do you remember me?
Mario: Whoa. Hi there, Bo.
Bo: I was busy preparing for my next announcement when HE suddenly dropped in.
Lo: Whoever blasted that thing had sent me here, but why?
Kirby: (carries the portal gun) I got this. (examines the trigger) It says here that gun on which is set to "Back to Home". & you're lucky they didn't set it to "Zap me to nothingness".
Lo: I got confused here. Why does all this have to do about me?
Kel: We don't know, but surely there will be a time where it all made sense.
(Nearby, 2 estranged hobos had overlooked the scenery)
Hobo 1: My suspicions are true. Infinity is at the same place as 4. I wonder if they'd met.
Hobo 2: Well we do know one thing. If they are both here, so does 0. Who knows how much time's left before it all falls apart?
~The In-Between Depths~
Ztar: I couldn't believe it. He outright betrayed me... But no matter. (reshapes his point into a tentacle) Thanks to his teachings, I will exact my revenge on this wretched family once & for all.
(The bitter silence on those depths then grew to insanity, as the dark star maniacally prepares for their end)
End of Ch. 36
(The Story will continue)
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