Chapter Text
WARNING
Code #22131205 Not Finalized.
No New Captain Registered. Captain #31815231454 Registered Missing.
WARNING
Code #22131205 Not Finalized.
No New Captain Registered. Captain #31815231454 Registered Missing.
Beginning Emergency Code Scan
Previous Scans Gave Negative Results.
Proceed Anyways?
1=Y 2=N
...
No Answer Given. Begin Automatic Captain Approved Answers.
...
Yes Has Been Initiated. Begin Scanning For Captain #31815231454
...
Scanning 5%...
Scanning 10%...
Scanning 25%...
Scanning 48%...
Scanning 70%...
Scanning 99%...
Finalizing…
...
1 Match For Captain #31815231454 Located.
Location: Unregistered Dimension
Registering Dimension To The Databases...
Unregistered Dimension Is Now Registered As DIM 3121198.
Dimensional Map Has Been Updated.
DIM 3121198 Requires Updated Information And Future Scannings, Requires Captain Approval.
“Update Information On DIM 3121198” Has Been Added To “My To-Do List”.
Scanning Captain #31815231454 For Analyzing.
...
Captain Scan Failed.
No Satellite Located On DIM 3121198
Previous Captain #31815231454 Scanned Results From Archive:
Species: Hybrid (Halcandran/Unregistered Or Unknown)
Age: Junior
Gender: Male (He/Him)
IQ: Satisfactory
Health History: No Major Broken Bones. Satisfactory Diet. Sleep Schedule Is Slightly Unsatisfactory, Needs Improvement. Mental Health Is Slightly Unsatisfactory, Needs Improvement.
Captain #31815231454 In 87% Good Condition For Flight As Of 3 Months Ago. New Scanning Mandatory.
Activating Captain Call…
...
Captain Call Failed
No Satellite Located On DIM 3121198
Proceed To DIM 3121198 ?
1=Y 2=N
…
No Answer Given. Begin Automatic Captain Approved Answers.
...
✥✥✥
“Thank you for your purchase! Have a great day!”
Magolor closed his eyes to mimic a smile as the Waddle Dee glanced down at the green, swirling mixture in his paw. They swished it a few times, seemingly entranced that the glass bottle was keeping it in place. They turned away happily, and Magolor watched them leave his Shoppe area completely, sliding the ten gem apples he had received underneath the booth. He grabbed a cloth and began wiping down the counters of his little Shoppe.
Simple creatures, these Dream Kingdom citizens were. No inch of mistrusting in them. They see an item on his list, they believe it to be completely genuine. That waddle dee bought what they thought was a “Stamina potion”, but it was simply some greens mixed into a liquid.
…
Okay- that made it sound like the potion was a scam. It wasn’t… completely . Sure, adding a bit of his magic did give it some stamina-healing properties. Probably. Most likely. Magolor just made sure it wasn’t poisonous.
Besides, the placebo effect was a thing. If they believe it was a Stamina Potion, it was a Stamina Potion.
So no, not a scam.
Nothing in his Shoppe was a complete scam. He will say that to anyone, and it was no lie. He may stretch the truth on some of his items (like the potions or the “Fragment Codexes” he came up with), but none of them were useless, or, Landia forbid, actually put his customers in harm.
Why would he do that? When that means a loss of returning customers?
In his kithood days- he probably would have been more malicious and risky. Give out actual harmful scams. After all, power was power. Power meant control. It meant having everything. And when you have everything, nothing could take that away.
(The master crown’s words rang in his ear.)
Magolor stopped wiping the counter, simply brushing away the cloth before letting out a yawn. He began looking around the clearing, growing bored as the population of waddle dees, animals and… singular human began to clear away.
No. Magolor wouldn’t seriously hurt people like that. Not anymore. Especially since Kirby took residence here.
Well… not the Kirby he betrayed, at least. This dimension he had stumbled into all that time ago appears to be a dimension that takes familiar characters and changes them slightly- like the Mirror Dimension. There was no technology here (that much he hated), no history of the Ancients. Not even a hint of Void, if Kirby’s powerset was gone.
This Kirby had no hatred or recognition in their eyes. Which Magolor somewhat appreciated. He wasn’t sure he could handle the guilt he had if he had to have Kirby remind him every day.
But at the same time. He wasn’t sure if having Kirby not recognize him, besides being a shopkeeper he gets better armor from…
He wasn’t sure if that was any better.
It was complicated.
Magolor looked up at the sky with wonder, his head resting on one hand. The sun was starting to set, which means that all the other shopping centers would begin closing for the night.
He’s considered being open 24 hours- and he did it a few times. But not only did that mean he missed coffee more than he already had, he found that no one came to shop at night anyways. Kirby and those Kirby-like friends of his never adventured at night, and by now, they had stopped completely. After all, their enemy that they were chasing down was gone. Evil has ceased. The Dream Kingdom was at peace.
(He both wished and did not wish that wasn’t the case. So that Kirby would come around again.)
Yawning, Magolor gave his body a quick stretch. He forced in an annoyed groan when the itchy fabric of his green themed clothing scratched against his sensitive ears. Instead, he focused on his hands. He moved his left hand’s fingers and let them lightly “SNAP!” against each other, eyes brightening when he saw dark purple sparks in response.
Good, his magic was still working perfectly.
After the quick stretch, Magolor took a moment to count the profit he had made today. Including the ten he had just added to his crates, that made 45 Gem Apples. While that wasn’t a feat in itself (he’s certainly gone in the hundreds when those Kirbies were constantly adventuring) the amount of coins he got in trade of Gem Apples was different. 300 gold coins. A considerate profit!
Satisfied, he glanced around the clearing, before bounding outside the shop. He turned to the side of his Shoppe, where he kept his bag, a brown stitched together piece of cloth that was his first purchase here in the Dream Kingdom. While it couldn’t carry much, it certainly helped carry coins, spare cloths, and the occasional Gem Apple around.
Once everything was settled, he grabbed the bag, wrapped the handle over his head, and reached over to the blinds over his Shoppe opening, revealing a sign that said “Closed”. Right on time too, because right when he did, he looked back up to the sky and saw the sun had completely set.
Magolor let out another yawn.
“Another day, considerable profits made.”
His hands moved together in a clap, before beginning to ponder. Where will he spend the next hour or so tonight? He could hang out with those Kirbies and Bandana Dee- no, that would be too conflicting internally. Even now, when he’s seen and talked to these versions more than their original counterparts. Besides, he wasn’t sure if they were still hanging around this village.
Maybe he could reorganize supply for the night? No, he did that yesterday.
He could go somewhere to eat? No, it’s a bit pathetic to be eating in public alone. With citizens he didn’t care much for. Besides, he wasn’t hungry.
Magolor found his eyes drifting around the now empty shopping center. He found one hand going to rest on his chin, humming in thought. Until his eyes came to rest on the certain tree growing in the shopping center.
The tree that he grew.
Magolor felt his body loosen up slightly, eyes almost dimming in his pale hood. He didn’t need to consider anything else to do. He allowed his body to levitate further off the ground, until he was closer to the trunk of the tree than he was to the stone pathway. His left hand patted the golden ridges of the trunk before Magolor pulled himself up one of the tree branches. The one that he knew for sure would hold his weight.
He sat down, patted the branch a few times, and looked up at the brightly colored leaves.
“Long day, right, Gem Apple Tree?”
The Gem Apple Tree gave no response, and Magolor didn’t expect it to. If it did, he would think the Master Crown has come to haunt him again. And he’s already seen that crown too much for his liking.
He double checked the center of the trunk, just in case.
“Log day, 274,” He wasn’t even sure that was the correct number. “the Shoppe’s profit was not as good as I wished, but we are still on the right track!” Magolor nodded his head, eyes narrowing in determination. “Yeah! We’ll get our dream up and running in no time!”
Magolor trailed off as a breeze ruffled the tree’s leaves.
“Well… my current dream. The one I’ve kinda always had- to be exact. But you would probably like it, I do have the best dreams, after all.”
He wasn’t even sure when he started doing these “logs” again. It’s not like what he was speaking was going into an archive, like on the Lor. He could write instead, but to buy a piece of paper every day would add more funds than he was trying to save.
But it did give him some semblance of familiarity. Familiarity that wasn’t running his Shoppe. And he loved his Shoppe, sure. He always thought as a kit to use a shop to save up for his current goal anyways.
But the longer it’s gotten, the more he missed the familiarity before he was stranded here.
Before he had grabbed that horrible crown.
He wasn’t completely sure why.
Magolor turned his head, almost surprised he didn’t notice the fully grown Gem Apple nearby. He smiled, plucking it from its roots and spinning it with one hand.
“Still no sign of Dedede in this dimension, or a dimensional counterpart of myself.” The latter was definitely good, and one less face to be guilty about could be a pro. “And it’s been a while since I last saw Kirby and the gang. To be expected, they have the best armor and weapons in the Dream Kingdom now. Still a bit disappointing… because they remind me of friends I used to have…
“...I wonder how the true Kirby is doing. The true gang. Popstar- the perfect area my current dream could’ve been.” Magolor sighed, shaking his head. “But that’s in the past. And you should know me by now, Gem Apple Tree.” He waved his left hand to gesture abroad. “I stick to the present and future. Why focus on a part of history you cannot control or change, after all?”
He giggled a little, placing the mature Gem Apple into his bag. He’ll have to put these with the other Gem Apples later.
“Tomorrow is a new day. Goal? Sell some more wares,” It’s not like he could have any different goals right now. “and perhaps look into some land being sold for the future.” There wouldn’t be anywhere perfect.
Magolor’s gaze trailed to the forest behind him, shifting his spot so it was easier to look. The forest view from Castle Village was always a nice sight to look at. Especially at night. Sure, it was no Halcandra , or the fabled Forgotten Lands. But it had a nice… magical charm to it, he supposed.
The Gem Apple Tree was still the best. He wouldn’t change his mind about that. It was something he had a little control over.
And if it weren’t for that original seed… he wasn’t sure he would have ever gotten his original powers back.
…
……
Magolor chuckled again, letting his ears shake as he hovered away from the branch. “I suppose it is time I attempt to get some sleep. Would be good for the early shift.”
The Gem Apple Tree made no response.
He gave a look at his gloves, and hastily added “And make sure to remind me to clean this outfit when I wake up, okay?”
He knew the Gem Apple Tree wouldn’t. It couldn’t speak.
Not like it could.
“Good night!”
He floated down to the ground floor, eyes gazing around the nearby villages again. The pathways that have since been empty, with everyone having returned home to their nice beds, which were probably comfortable for these times.
He made his way back to his Shoppe.
“And goodnight Castle Village.”
✥✥✥
“Treaaaaasonnnnn.”
“Treaaaaasonnnnn...”
...
As usual, Magolor didn’t get that “good night”.
✥✥✥
The first thing that was off today was the wind.
When Magolor had woken up, he went into the pattern he would do ever since he found himself in the Dream Kingdom. He would get dressed into a replica of his other outfits (with the same itchy fabric), make sure his whiskers weren’t disheveled, and make sure his Shoppe looked presentable. All before the sun had risen.
He started the day with a lot of optimism. What if he got a massive purchase? If he was positive about it, it was more likely to happen!
Well, he was being optimistic. Until the aforementioned wind started.
He noticed the wind shortly after it started, about an hour before noon. It came from the north, meaning he only noticed when he saw signs on his Shoppe sway back and forth and when he raised his hand into the air to check. At the time, Magolor had just shrugged and vocally noted that there was most likely going to be a storm the next few days. That’s what usually happened when there was wind here.
But when he had observed the sky to see where the storm was flying in from, he saw no hint of a stormy cloud. In fact, there were barely any clouds in the sky. Nothing but the sun shone brightly in the sky, which would usually be the signs of a warm bright day.
Magolor learned to observe weather patterns when he began traveling to different planets- and different dimensions. And the amount of time he spent here, there was never a sunny windy day. Maybe in Popstar, maybe in Halcandra. But never here. Wind didn’t usually show up in the Dream Kingdom without something tied with it.
“Weird.” Magolor had commented at the time. But maybe the Dream Kingdom was pulling a few surprises.
The majority of the other citizens didn’t appear to be that concerned about it. Besides the fairy girl and human that constantly visited the Gem Apple Tree. They seemed irritated that the wind was messing with their painting process (and the fairy’s ability to fly in one spot). And a couple of younger waddle dees were attempting to use the Quest Board as cover from the wind, to be just a little warmer. But besides those few instances, nobody else seemed to bat an eye at the weather.
Perhaps it was no big deal, and Magolor was wrong. It happens sometimes! Nobody was perfect, after all.
But even with that conclusion, the red flag didn’t sit right with Magolor.
“Here’s your three sticker sheets!” Magolor said, handing the small sticker sheets to the waddle dee with the pretty fashionable sailor hat. He’s seen this waddle dee from time to time, and he’s even heard the multiple Bandana Dees and Kirbies mention him in conversations (unless there was another waddle dee called Sailor Dee). Based on seeing him today, Magolor wondered if Bandana Dee and the Kirbies would be nearby too.
“Thank you sir!” What Magolor assumed was Sailor Dee nodded, grabbing the sheets as he handed Magolor the gem apples needed for payment. The waddle dee let out a squeak of giggles. “Bandana Dee and I are gonna love sticking these all over the gang’s armor!”
Ah, so they were still hanging around Castle Village. Maybe they’ll give him some more profits… he’ll have to prepare for that.
“Of course!” Magolor clapped his hands together. “And make sure to spread the word that anyone can get stickers of their favorite heroes!”
He really hoped they did. It was tiring to make the stickers by scratch, and he needs to make a profit on them. He remembered how sore his hands were that night.
Oh, the problems of missing technology he once took advantage of.
Magolor mirrored Sailor Dee’s wave as they turned and bounded away happily, their hat’s ribbon following them thanks to the wind. Magolor didn’t get much time to think afterwards, because he immediately noticed that someone was waiting in line behind the waddle dee.
And unlike the waddle dee, Magolor knew for sure who this person was. There was only one Floralian acquaintance Magolor has in the Dream Kingdom so far, and he not only spent a period of time hanging around the Shoppe, but Kirby mentioned him several times.
“Well, good afternoon, Taranza!” Magolor said as the Floralian stepped forward, who gave him a small smile. “How’s that project of yours going?”
“It’s going…” Taranza nervously laughed, holding an empty basket close to his chest. “Okay, I suppose. Not a lot of diverse flowers around here.”
Right, he was planting a flower garden.
“I suppose not,” Magolor shrugged. “what can I get you today?”
“Some gem apples, please?” Taranza asked. “I think they’ll make a good feature in my garden.”
“They certainly will! Their beauty is nothing like other fruits, it’ll catch everyone’s attention!” Magolor decided to stop himself before he went on a shopkeeper tangent. “How many shall I grab?”
“Uh… I’ll just get four.”
“Great! That’ll be six coins.”
Magolor couldn’t help but wonder if the true Kirby had met the true Taranza, or if the pink puffball would eventually at some point in their life. That’s what has been Magolor’s hypothesis so far; an hypothesis that wasn’t perfect, sure (it didn’t explain Dedede’s absence) but it was the closest idea Magolor had. Everyone in this dimension has a connection with this dimension’s Kirby, so surely, the same would be in the true dimension at some point, right?
The only exception to this guess was the mirror and parallel counterparts that have shown up, but that was a whole other can of Capillers that Magolor had already spent hours thinking and theorizing about.
Magolor grabbed four gem apples out of the closest crate to him, and placed them upon the front counter.
Taranza appeared to be counting his own coins in his palm, brushing some of his silvery hair that blew in his face every once in a while. Eventually, one of his many, many hands (Magolor wished he had six hands these days, honestly) decided to stay right by his face.
“Castle Village almost never sees wind like this, doesn’t it?” Magolor decided to say, using one of his two hands to scratch at his ears.
“Tell me about it.” Taranza agreed, clenching his coins like he was terrified the wind would blow them out of his hands. It didn’t last long, because if Taranza’s hair said anything, the wind speeds were finally beginning to die down. “I wonder if it’s some type of beast…”
“That is unlikely, my friend!”
Sure, maybe Magolor himself had some wind based abilities, and it wouldn’t be impossible. But the source of those beasts had been gone for a while now. So unless it was one of the survivors that the Kirbies had not yet found, Magolor was going to doubt that idea.
“Eh, can’t help but wonder.” Taranza finally placed the six coins down on the counter, next to the Gem Apples. "It has to be something strong and fast... for it to effect here."
As Magolor picked up the coins to inspect them, Taranza began organizing the Gem Apples into his basket.
“Well, at least it appears to be finally dying down.” Taranza smiled, waving at Magolor. “Hope you have a good day, Shopkeeper Magolor!”
“Oh please, I always have a good day with the Shoppe.”
(Taranza didn’t need to know it was a lie)
As Taranza went away from the Shoppe and towards, presumably, to the little plot of land he bought, Magolor gave himself a quick stretch and allowed his smile and joyous attitude to disappear.
Phew, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could handle the Shopkeeper attitude without a break.
He liked being friendly, of course. It was much more beneficial to a business (and, Magolor guessed, reputation), but the over-the-top genuine that being a Shopkeeper meant could get exhausting when excessive.
Oh well. Whatever it took for his current goal.
The sooner he had more control, the better.
…
Magolor wasn’t sure how long he began journeying in his own thoughts of his current dream. How long he was wiping down the same counter for any possible dirt from Taranza’s coins. Or how long it had been since Taranza was even there. Magolor couldn’t say, even if he was asked to make a guess.
All he knew was that one moment he was placing coins away and idolizing the future. The next? His countertop was spotless, the wind had completely died down, and his ears caught some really surprised “wanya”s.
Out of confusion, Magolor lifted his head. Right to see two waddle dees running right in front of his Shoppe. In fact, when Magolor leaned onto his shop counter in order to watch them, they were leaving the shopping center completely.
And those weren’t the only ones. Because several other citizens began to do the same. Magolor watched as more and more waddle dees and animals ran away from the Quest Board, and out of the shopping center. Some stuck themselves straight into nearby homes, while others continued on about a “scary beast”.
Okay. If Magolor was already confused before now, it had just gone up to curiosity.
And if his ancestors were anything to go by, Halcandrans and curiosity were not a good mix.
Magolor quickly grabbed his bag in case someone tried to take advantage of the fright. He left his Shoppe as soon as he did, levitating as fast as he could over to the group of citizens that decided to huddle by the Quest Board. Immediately, he pointed his ears forward.
“What is that, Ado?”
“I have no idea…”
“Excuse me, apologies.” Magolor said, lightly pushing past the human girl and fairy. He ducked to make sure he didn’t get smacked by a purple owl’s wings, before sighing in annoyance and floating above the citizens instead.
“I’ve never seen a beast like that before…” A hamster murmured.
“Parasol! Look!” The kind (and, noticeably, only ) Dark Matter exclaimed. “There’s stars on it!”
Magolor looked over at where some of the citizens were looking, and trailed their eyesight up to the sky ahead. At first, Magolor didn’t even see anything besides a couple of flying birds. At the idea of this being for nothing, he held back another annoyed sigh and instead lifted one hand to shield any possible sunlight ruining his vision. Sure, it was directly over his head at this point, but he had to eliminate the possibility.
Squinting his eyes more, he finally found a silhouette on the horizon. It was quite far away from where Castle Village was, if it took a moment for Magolor to see it. But he supposed it could be possible for something that far away to cause winds all the way here for a while.
Like Taranza had said, it would just require great speeds to perform it. And a larger mass. Which means the object was most likely bigger than it currently looked in the distance.
Based on the… weirdly familiar look of this silhouette, it didn’t look like a beast at all. And to make sure the Dark Matter was correct, he leaned his head forward to look at least a little bit more closely. A beast having stars was a weird idea, but an object…?
…Say, now that Magolor was thinking about it…
it kinda looked like…
…
Wait.
Magolor’s eyes went wide. He floated back. He blinked a couple times. Shook his head in case his mind was messing with him.
The silhouette did not change.
Magolor didn’t even realize he had stopped breathing until his chest began to hurt, and he quickly let out a gasp of breath. He couldn’t take his eyes off the silhouette, as if he was just waiting. Waiting for the illusion to fade. Or whatever else had been happening for Magolor to see what couldn’t be here in the Dream Kingdom.
It wasn’t until an armored figure landed on top of the Quest Board was Magolor’s view obstructed, and he couldn’t help slightly pushing some nearby waddle dees in order to possibly look at the silhouette again.
“Now now, let us calm down.” This dimension’s version of Meta Knight said, flapping his wings a couple of times. He waved his hands in a soothing manner, but it did nothing but make everyone louder.
“Sir Meta Knight! Can you tell us what that is?!”
“What type of beast is that?!”
“How does it have stars?”
“Where is Team Kirby?!”
Meta Knight didn’t respond, instead waiting until the voices died down. At this point, Magolor had made it to the very front of the Quest Board, still trying to stretch his head to see again.
He had to see again.
“I cannot say what that is or isn’t, because I do not know,” Meta Knight explained, wrapping his cape around himself. “but panicking will get us nowhere.”
The group began to mutter in agreement, the voices going down until it had become silent.
Magolor levitated a bit higher up, only to be obstructed by Meta Knight moving along the top of the Quest Board.
“Team Kirby will know how to deal with this threat.” Meta Knight moved a hand up to the bottom of his mask. “Does anyone by any chance know where they were last se-”
“I’LL GO!”
Magolor had exclaimed that as fast as he could, and he noticed the Burning Leo and Bronto Burt beside him had jumped back in surprise. The looks of surprise from the rest of the group hadn’t gone unnoticed either.
Clearing his throat, he floated upwards to be eye level with Meta Knight, taking the opportunity to look back at the silhouette. It hadn’t changed. “I’ll go, we don’t know how fast we can find Team Kirby, after all!”
“No.” Meta Knight said, shaking his head. “This could possibly be dangerous for a lone shopkeeper like yourself.”
Magolor laughed at that, floating around the Quest Board until he was on the other side. Closer to the silhouette. “This shopkeeper can handle something like this. No worries at all!”
That wasn’t a lie.
Meta Knight gave Magolor a look of confusion, and a part of Magolor laughed at the idea of the true Meta Knight looking this way. Magolor didn’t allow the knight to object any more, as Magolor turned away with a wave.
“Remember that tomorrow is Magolor Day, and you get a bonus on Magolor Day purchases!”
“Shopkeeper Magolor!”
Magolor had flown into the forest as fast as he could, only looking back once to make sure that nobody had followed him. The treetops had begun to obscure his view, but that only made him fly faster. He had quickly made it to the other side of the villages’ walls, breathing heavily as he hovered above it. He almost forgot to hold tight onto the bag he brought, even if it began feeling like excess weight.
There was no way, right?! There must have been something in the water he was drinking this morning. Or maybe he had gotten too deep into his head. Maybe he was seeing things. Maybe this was a cruel, cruel act of revenge from the Master Crown.
Maybe he hadn’t been awake at all, and this was all a continuation of the nightmare he had.
Because there was no way the Lor Starcutter was in the Dream Kingdom.
Going at maximum speed wasn’t enough for Magolor. He began to surge forward while flying, just to make him a little faster. It resulted in some branches and leaves smacking his face, tugging at his hood, but he didn’t care.
He hadn’t seen the Lor since that day. When he had grabbed the Master Crown. When he had betrayed the group that he hated to admit had become friends. Landia had shot down the Lor when he was under the crown’s influence, and he last saw the ship falling into the depths of Another Dimension.
All this time, he assumed that it had become ruins somewhere in Another Dimension. Again.
The trees around Magolor began to blur together, and Magolor’s body stung as his exertion levels were nearing. But he couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t.
He needed confirmation that this wasn’t his ship. Because why would it be?! He knows what he saw- Master Crown influence or not.
And if the Lor Starcutter did make it out of that fight, why come at all?! When he once again put the ship in harm's way, for selfish reasons.
And why now of all times?! After months and months of Magolor being alone. Why didn’t it show up anytime before then?
(...Why didn’t it show up when he had none of his powers…?)
It wasn’t long before Magolor overexerted himself. One more branch smacking against him caused him to collapse onto the forest floors, the grass smacking his head and tickling his whiskers. Breathing heavily, Magolor pushed himself up and tried to force his body to continue flying forward, hand weakly picking up the bag he brought again.
He couldn’t stop now. He had to keep going. Keep moving.
He couldn’t see Castle Village’s walls at this point.
Clenching his side with his free hand, Magolor tried his best to steady his breathing and continue on. It was admittedly a lot slower than he was previously going, with no sprinting or wind surges. But Magolor assumed that if he tried to fly any faster, he would just collapse again. And it would be harder to get up again.
Minutes went by, and when Magolor pushed away some bushes in his way, he saw it. He couldn’t help but gasp out again, still sore after his overexertion. But the more flooding feeling was the overwhelming amount of emotions that Magolor was feeling.
The Lor Starcutter hovered away at a distance, above the top of trees and the hills in front of Magolor. It wasn’t moving, and Magolor wasn’t sure how long it was staying still.
Almost like it knew he was arriving.
Everything became overwhelming at once. Relief. Joy. Worry. Confusion. Anger. Maybe none or all of them. Magolor wasn’t sure.
All he knew is that he couldn’t stop the tears from forming.
Using the energy that was slowly forming back, Magolor floated farther from the ground and closer to the Lor. He was afraid to move his eyes or even blink, in case this really wasn’t real and it would all disappear in an instant.
He got as close as the ship’s exterior, his left hand hesitating to touch. It still had the same scratches and dents that Landia had caused the first time they had attacked; there were even a few new dents near the front, and the front star had been chipped. And yet, it still looked like his ship. The same silvery blue hue with colorful accents. Six oars that fluttered in that familiar way. Even the mast was the exact same, the mast that he had stitched together when he first found the ship in ruins on Halcandra.
The tears began clouding his vision. Magolor turned and quickly flew over to where he knew the entrance door was. And sure enough, the door was still there. It still looked the same.
And it had already opened.
Taking a deep breath, Magolor floated inside the circular door frame. The lights were bright, like they were when he finally fixed those lighting systems. He let one hand finally feel the wall of the hallway. It felt cold, smooth, and metallic. Just like it always had.
He floated along the hallway, taking the first opening on the left. No door, like usual. Just an entry way that could almost be confused with the hallway itself. But Magolor wouldn’t.
He never did.
The circular room was the exact same size it had always been, and so was the keyboard near the center of the room. Every nail on the wall was still in tack like he made sure it was, save for a few dents here and there.
Even still, it looked like he never left.
It looked like this was a normal morning before that day. When he would wake up, run a morning scan of the ship, then put his plans for the day in motion. All with a cup of coffee and maybe a bagel every once in a while.
It was eerie, to go months without the Lor, and to suddenly be back inside the main control room. Everything was in its place, there was even a coffee mug on the floor that Magolor couldn’t help but cringe at.
He instead focused on the room’s screen. It was still the largest object in the room, and still had a hint of static that had been there since the first time he and the ship crashed. Magolor remembered the constant hours he would stare into this screen, as it was the only way he could communicate with the ship, signs of its ability to speak without it or not.
With bated breath, and the reality of his situation finally settling, Magolor spoke, eyes trailing to the ground.
“L-Lor Starcutter?”
The ship didn’t respond. It did that sometimes, Magolor’s memory reassured. It didn’t communicate with its screen unless he gave it a command. Only sometimes would it respond without it, and it was usually because it needed something.
And yet, right now was one of those sometimes. Because Magolor’s ears suddenly heard light dinging noises, in a formation that was like Magolor typing into a keyboard. He moved his eyes back up to the screen faster than he had ever done so before, and saw text through the fogginess.
He hadn’t seen Jambandra in a while- the language his ancestors and most other ancients used. Magolor blinked several times, tears he had forgotten about falling down as he did so. Suddenly, it all came rushing back.
Vocal Waves Recognized.
Welcome Back, Captain #31815231454!
Magolor’s breathing got unstable again. He tried to get his breathing under control again, but it only resulted in weak, pathetic gasps that only a kit should make. The tears started falling like rain, and he immediately moved his hands to cover his face. Every single emotion was hitting him again. Before he knew it, he had descended completely until he was sitting on the floor.
“I-It’s you! It really… really is you!”
Magolor threw his head back and laughed. A real, genuine, hearty laugh. One that was interrupted by weak cries constantly.
“You’re really here! I’m not dreaming!”
The same dinging typing came back, and Magolor wiped his eyes clean to read the screen.
Dream Interpretation: Unlikely
Captain #31815231454 Emotional Levels: Extreme
Begin Scanning Captain #31815231454
Magolor winced when a bright blue rod emerged from the ship’s floor, immediately flooding his eyes with overwhelming light. He quickly shut his eyes, head shaking.
“W-What are you doing here?!” Magolor couldn’t help but ask, his voice still trembling. “ Why are you here- Why did you take so long?! How did you survive the crash?!”
Scanning…
Magolor heard the flooring shift and move, and he opened his eyes to see that the scanner had disappeared. Shaking his head again, he levitated a few inches off of the floor, shaking the dust from his yellowish cloak. He hadn’t realized how dusty this room had gotten.
Captain #31815231454 Scanned Results
Species: Hybrid (Halcandran/Unregistered Or Unknown)
Age: Junior
Gender: Male (He/Him)
IQ: Satisfactory
Health Updates Will Be Slowly Updated In The Background. Please Wait.
“Yes-” Magolor’s ears lowered. “That’s me. You didn’t… answer my question.”
The Lor didn’t respond immediately. In the meantime, Magolor floated over to the long abandoned coffee mug. Dust covered it at this point, like the other items in the room. He grabbed it from the floor, wiping the dust. It looked like one of the gear-themed mugs he always kept on this ship. He never thought he would hold one of his mugs again.
The familiar typing knocked him back into reality, and he looked back up at the screen.
All Lor Starcutters Must Have An Active Fit Captain At All Times.
Captain #31815231454 Missing In Action For 3 Months.
Captain Status Questionable.
“...I see.” Magolor said, ignoring the later half of the text.
So that’s why the Lor showed up. Because of programming. Guess he shouldn’t be surprised- perhaps he could even be thankful towards it?
Yes- this was good news.
Does Captain #31815231454 Wish To Retire His Captain Status?
1=Y 2=N
If No, Please List The Identification Of The Potential Future Captain.
“NO!” Magolor shouted, dropping the mug in an instant. He shook his head. “No- I wish to stay captain.”
Vocal Answer Received.
Captain #31815231454 Registered As Current Captain.
Health Updates Will Continue.
Magolor sighed in relief, one hand floating upwards to go through his fur.
“This- this is great!” Magolor laughed again, but this time, it was one without cries. The complicated, incomprehensible mess of emotions were beginning to die down, leaving Magolor with nothing but relief and joy. Good. “This changes everything !”
With another laugh, he pointed dramatically towards the screen. “LOR STARCUTTER! Brew me some coffee!”
Vocal Request Received.
Starting Coffee Brewer In Living Quarter 2.
“YES!” Magolor giggled. “And- and-” He tapped his chin. “Locate where I stashed the junk boxes!”
Items Labeled “Junk” Are Located In Storage Room 6.
“Tell me where my bed is located!”
Room Labeled “Bedroom” Is The Captain’s Quarters.
Magolor couldn’t help himself, he laughed again. A more maniacal one this time. He found himself pacing back and forth, eyes shining in immense joy.
“Yes! This is great news-” One hand moved to scratch at his green covered ears. “I-I can go through all the junk and spare parts I have here! Gather tech from other dimensions! Buy a bunch more coffee beans! My store’s inventory can increase tenfold- my profit levels would skyrocket! ”
His current dream would be possible in no time!
“Splendid!” Magolor nodded, excitement flowing through his body by now. “Perfect- even! Things are changing for the better here, the rise will be inevitable! Nothing can stop me!”
With more giggles and laughs, he turned away from the screen, pale and tan cape flowing while doing so.
“Lor! Make sure to land on ground level, and make sure you’re a bit hidden!” Magolor commanded. “I’m going to go make some deliveries.”
This really was turning out to be the best day Magolor has had in a while.
Vocal Request Received.
Health Updates Still Analyzing In The Background.
Analyzing 50%
Analyzing…
…
✥✥✥
Magolor had instantly gone to the storage rooms, and went through them.
He knew the way- it seemed instinctual at this point. He’d probably be able to get anywhere in the Lor, which several people have labeled as a maze, with no wondering at all. The storage rooms were down the same hallway as the main control room, in the opposite direction. Not a long journey too, a few minute slow hover was good enough to reach his destination.
There were five doorways total, with a sixth on the opposite wall. Magolor couldn’t help but smile when he had reached the area, seeing all the five right storage rooms being replaced with labels- colorful symbols he had designed. For Kirby.
A pleasant reminder. When Kirby and the others had offered to repair his ship, he decided to clean out the five storage rooms over time to store areas for Kirby to absorb and gain his signature Copy Abilities. A wonderful gift that ability was, Magolor thought. A lot of power that surely came from Void.
A lot of control you could use with it, too. Yet Kirby did nothing with that potential…
…
Magolor pushed a box aside, immediately searching for another one.
He had moved everything from the previous storage rooms into this one, which was fine at the time. The room was the combined size of the five previous storage rooms, and everything could hypothetically fit in one room. He just had made it more organized with the separate rooms before.
Admitebaly, he regretted that choice now.
Magolor let out several sneezes as he pushed yet another box to the side, this particular one causing dust to fly everywhere. He would really have to clean all these rooms when he got the chance, the dust was ridiculous here. It didn’t help that the room was full of boxes everywhere, which would make moving around an absolute pain .
Luckily, what he was looking for was near the front. A few rounds or trial and error, and Magolor found the three boxes he was looking for. They contained several scraps of metal, wires, and screws. Practically anything that would be needed to repair and construct technology. He used to always scavenge ruins in Halcandra (and before he found the Lor, the planet he was born on), and kept every finding in case the ship needed some small repairs. Or on the off chance he wanted to build something with it.
Magolor floated behind the first box, and began to push it out of the room.
He wasn’t sure what he would do with the spare parts just yet. Maybe he could look through them and see if he could build something with what he had. Or perhaps he could just sell them individually?
No, that probably wouldn’t be a good choice. There was no instance of Ancient or advanced technology here in the Dream Kingdom, save for the few that came from other dimensions. Like he did. The citizens would see no point in the spare parts. They didn’t use technology like Magolor was used to. They were happy without it.
He was envious of them.
The storage room’s door slid open the moment it sensed a presence near it, and Magolor slid the box right outside the door. He turned and began to do the same with the second box.
But just because they were happy without advanced technology, doesn’t mean he couldn’t introduce a few things that would make their lives easier, right? A few upgrades to homes or work wouldn’t be harmful. And coffee. Coffee would surely be a success in Castle Village, right? There were a lot of possibilities there.
Ooh- he could possibly use the spare parts to enhance armor and weapons! That would get the Kirbies’ attention for sure. And the Kirbies always gave him much more of a profit than anyone else.
His mind was already springing with ideas of Ancient themed gear. He could call it… Super armor! No- that wasn’t that original. Glittery armor? …Starlight Armor?
He’ll workshop it.
It didn’t take too long to get the three boxes out of the storage room. Deciding on pushing the largest and heaviest box to the exit first, he grabbed the third box and began to push more, but this time, through the hallway.
While doing so, he looked up at the wall, seeing the glowing screen resting on it.
One thing about the Lor he liked was that the ship could technically communicate with Magolor anywhere within the ship. Several screens were built into the hallways and even some rooms, and would be used for certain things. If they weren’t used, they often stayed off or were covered by moveable parts of the wall.
This hallway screen was previously being used for guests and helping them navigate the Lor, since again, most others had difficulty navigating it. Magolor only had one friend who was able to figure it out without signs, and it was only because he had an experience with ancient technology.
The Lor probably knew that he was the only one aboard, as the screen currently said nothing but what the main screen showed.
Analyzing 99%...
Analyzing…
“...You’re still analyzing?” Magolor asked. The ship gave no response. Magolor shrugged and went back to pushing the heavy box.
Curious. The ship was usually a lot quicker with those scans. Maybe some of its datasets were damaged in the second fight with Landia? He’ll make sure to look into that.
It took what felt like ages, but finally , Magolor saw the main entrance. He sighed in relief, stopping for a moment to scratch his ears before continuing.
This fabric really was irritating for his ears. He wondered if he still had some clothing stored here. Surely, right?
After all, what he was wearing that day got severely damaged- it lost its color and got completely torn by the end. He could’ve sworn he always kept spares here. All in the blue he adored wearing.
He was still upset that he couldn't find that blue fabric here. And had to settle with green.
Magolor caught some of that dinging typing from the main control room when he reached the doorway. Good, the Lor must be done with that analyzing now. When he gets this stuff back to his Shoppe, he’ll come back and take a look at the ship’s digital programming.
He gave the box a strong push, only to “thunk!” against a heavy box and a still closed door.
Magolor winced slightly, floating an inch away while rubbing his face. Glancing at the doorway, he tilted his head. He moved one hand and waved in front of it.
It stayed closed.
Weird…
Magolor laughed. “Uh, Lor Starcutter?” He called, his tone already laced with light annoyance. “The doorway isn’t opening.”
Silence. The ship didn’t respond.
“Is the doorway dented again?” Magolor asked, turning his head to the hallway he was previously pushing a box through. “If so, tell me how to repair it.”
No response again.
Magolor huffed, getting slightly more irritated. He turned, floating across the hallway with the box abandoned. He turned through the first opening on the left, entering the control room again.
“Hey!” Magolor called again, before deciding to use his fake kind smile instead. “Lor Starcutter, it would be great if you responded to me. Through text or whatever.”
The familiar typing noise returned, and Magolor looked up.
WARNING.
FLIGHT CONDITION FOR CAPTAIN #31815231454 CRITICALLY LOW.
Magolor raised an eyebrow. Since when was that the case? No, he was and still is in perfect flight condition. All Halcandrans were.
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken.” Magolor laughed again, making the smile more apparent. “Calculate that again, and force open the main entryway.”
Vocal Request Received.
Request Overruled.
Magolor was taken back. “Overruled?! Excuse me?!” Magolor’s smile faded. “I’m your Captain, remember? Open the main entryway.”
Vocal Request Received.
Request Overruled.
“What is wrong with opening the doorway?!” Magolor asked, getting even more irritated. The ship didn’t respond immediately, and he couldn’t help but growl. Just what kind of sick joke was this?!
He took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to get anywhere being mad at a machine. He forced himself to calm down, and smile with his eyes again. “Can you at least tell me what is wrong with the door so I can fix and open it myself?”
The typing returned, and Magolor read the appearing text.
Captain #3181523145 Health Results
Mild Inflammation In The Ears, Needs Improvement. No Major Broken Bones. Satisfactory Diet. Sleep Schedule Is Slightly Unsatisfactory, Needs Improvement.
Mental Health Is Severely Unsatisfactory, Needs Major Improvement.
Captain #31815231454 In 29% Good Condition For Flight, In Critical Levels. Levels Must Be Above 40% To Not Be Considered Critical.
“You’re mistaken.” Magolor laughed. “That’s incorrect. My mental health is fine.”
Lie Detected.
“I’m not lying?!”
Lie Detected.
“Ugh- whatever.” Magolor groaned, head going in his hands. “Just tell me how to fix the doorway. Please.”
He looked back up at the screen to read the text.
Entrance Door Is Efficient.
Lor Starcutter Currently In Lockdown.
Mental Health Emergency Protocols.
“LOCKDOWN?!” Magolor shouted, his fists clenching. There was absolutely no need for a lockdown! “Your programming is lousy- terminate Lockdown protocols.”’
Insult Detected.
Insult Is Labeled "Horrible".
Request Overruled.
Magolor sighed, faking his smile for a final time. “ Please open the door?”
Request Overruled.
Emergency Protocols State That Captain Must Not Leave The Premises Due To Mental Health Risk.
Lor Starcutter In Temporary Lockdown To Ensure Observance Of Captain #31815231454 .
Mental health risk?! How in the Dream Kingdom did they come to that bad conclusion?!
“Are you kidding- I said my mental health was fine!”
Lie Detected.
“Alright, fine.” Magolor rolled his eyes, anger fully taking hold at this point. “I’m sooo sad. Sadness will be cured if you open the door .”
Sarcasm Detected.
Sarcasm Is 10% Convincing.
Request Overruled.
Magolor let out an annoyed shout of anger, magic sparking from his hands as he swung them to point at the screen. “Do what your CAPTAIN SAYS! That’s what ships do! They listen! OPEN THE DOORS,” Magical orbs formed from his hands, right in front of the screen. “OR ELSE!”
The Lor went silent, and Magolor couldn’t help but smile in response. Those with power always won when it came to threats. Problem solved.
Suddenly, the typing noise came back.
Or Else What?
Magolor blinked multiple times, the shock of what he read causing his magic to disappear back into his orange gloves. He stood there, silently for a few moments, looking back between the room and the screen. No calculations, no logic to defuel his threats.
Just a singular sentence.
Emergency Protocols State That Captain Must Not Leave The Premises Due To Mental Health Risk.
Lor Starcutter In Temporary Lockdown To Ensure Observance Of Captain #31815231454 .
Magolor sighed.
Did he seriously just lose an argument with a ship?!
Fine, whatever.
Magolor huffed, turning his head and storming out of the room.
The ship could do its stupid lockdown procedure.
Then when it’s proven wrong, he could laugh at it’s programming.
Nighttime was approaching soon anyways. He’ll go the night staying on this ship. In the morning, the ship will be proven that he is fine , and he can go about his original plans. And his current dream will be inevitable.
“You hear that, Lor?!” Magolor shouted, up at the ceiling. He knew the ship could hear. “You cannot stop my plans!”