Limitless lights lined a night sky. Each pinpoint stuck to the pitch black expanse, gently wavering its soft light in a silent chorus with the stars surrounding. Each blinking beacon cast its beams far and away and down till they reached the surface of another star -- Pop Star. Only this speckled sky was visible, and the partly lit, pallid, placid plains below were just as eventful the lazy night overhead.

Somewhere, amid the black in between, however, something stirred...

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.

Meta Knight sulked deeper and deeper into the woods, when suddenly a black cloud engulfed him. He felt he was floating in a void of nothingness. When a powerful yet evil voice boomed,

"Meta knight."

Oddly, this voice was familiar to him, he couldn't quite put his finger ( or mitten ) on who it was.

"Who are you?" Meta Knight asked.

"I? I am... DARK MATTER!!!!!" Roared Dark Matter. ( Let's call him DM to simplify things )

"That's who it is." thought Meta Knight

"You have been neglected, used as a sucker, a mere obsticle in... HIS path! Join me, and we can stop... HIM, and rule Dreamland! No longer will you be left as a sap. You, will be the supreme ruler of Dreamland!!!! MWAH HA HA HA H- oh, sorry." Dark Matter told Meta Knight.

Meta knight pondered this for a few minutes and agreed.

" YES! With you by my side, we can defeat... HIM!" Dark matter Roared cheerfully.

"Who's Him?" Meta knight wondered in his head.

Well, it doesnt matter. After all, whoever it is is obviously someone I hate. But who dont I hate? Okay like I said, It doesnt matter. "So what do you want to have me do, Dark Matter?" "Huh? Oh, well, since I really didnt expect you to say yes, I didnt plan quite so far ahead. So, uh, just go home and I'll contact you when I fully plan out my plan. I have the general idea I just have to put in details. Its an awesome plan, so dont worry!" And he poofs away.

What a waste. I thought I was gonna actually DO somthing, and he hasnt even really planned anything. Well, in the meantime perhapse I could do some planning of my own. I know Dark Matter was lying when he said I would be supreame ruler of Dreamland. In fact I'm probably just a pawn in his little plan. But I know better.

Its his plan, so when he's done with me he'll try to cast me aside and be supreame ruler. But that is when I double-cross him. Cruel, but thats just how polotics work sometimes. And since when do I care? But I cant determine how just yet until I know more about his plan, that is if he finishes his pathetic plan.