#(it's probably a gift from dedede or something)

[veinsfullofstars]

Kirbtober 2023 Day 3: Food

(ID: Kirby series fanart of Meta Knight gazing up in awe at a very, very large strawberry parfait. END ID.)

Kirbtober 2023 prompts by @/paintpanic (link to list here)

Started on 9/1/23, finished on 9/1/23, updated on 10/3/23. NOTE: This was originally posted on my deleted account on 10/03/23.

I just like that Meta Knight canonically has a secret sweet tooth.

[desultory-novice]

White-Haired Noir (Older)

I wasn't kidding when I said Noir has become more of "my OC" than before. Anyway, they tell me cringe is dead, so let's get on with it!

BE HAPPY TEENAGE BOY ...Uh... ADULT MALE??!

(Pictured: Would you believe this guy was once my Dark Matter Swordsman???)

No longer a teary-eyed apprentice, White-Haired Noir in ~the future~ (circa Star Allies??) has become a knight in his own right, swearing his service to Dedede as thanks for helping house the bruised, battered, emotionally unstable teen boy so many years ago.

Dedede Stop Adopting People Challenge (impossible)

Over the years (and with plenty of hard hitting, gloves-off training from Meta Knight) Noir has both grown up and grown accustomed to life on Popstar. He's regained some semblance of a life (gasp!) and inner peace. (...When Popstar's not being invaded, that is.)

He has friends (and rivals), is able to stomach food and drink a bit better, and has accepted Gooey, finally. He can even speak positively of his lost childhood with his little sister, on occasion.

Despite Popstar's generally warm weather, the Shiver Star native continues to dress in highly concealing fashion, as his upper body still bears the scars of his interrupted Dark Matter transformation; one reason he grew his hair out long was to help conceal the ones on his neck better, so as not to frighten the younger Waddle Dees.

[Assorted Text Wall Below]

-

Age Range: Mid 20s and up (Tbh, his specific age'll probably fluctuate depending upon the kind of story I want to tell. This is, quite simply, an adult Noir who's got his life more together.)

Abilities: Mild regenerative abilities, magic reflection, healing/purification, light projection [Rainbow Sword] 

Protective magic and various physical ability-boosting magic [These come courtesy of the crystals adorning his jacket, a gift from the Queen of the Fairies. Noir is still a squishy human, after all. His fine swordplay aside, he needs magical enhancements to not get accidentally steamrolled by Kirby's other friends.]

Hobbies: swordplay, stargazing, crochet (Taranza taught him the last one, both as a mental grounding exercise and to help rehabilitate Noir's Dark Matter corrupted hands for performing delicate tasks. Half of Dream Land has one of Noir's early crochet octopi sitting in their storage. Nowadays, he makes toys for the younger Dees.)

Etc: Because of his closeness with King Dedede (and in large part due to their matching scarves/sashes), his general protectiveness of the Waddle Dees, as well as his fairy-tale outfit (which Ribbon helped with) Noir has picked up nickname of the "Prince of Dream Land"

A highly unfitting one, Noir has been heard to privately complain. In what world could an unwashed, damaged, sharp-tongued orphan with hands near-literally dyed in blood become a prince...?

Height-wise, if we consider King Dedede to be one of a breed of extinct "mega penguins" then Noir, fully grown, is of comparable height. (Dedede insists he's taller because of this crown puff. Huzzah! His title as king is safe!) In human terms, this does make Noir a short king :cough: prince, which in his case is due to malnourishment, physical abuse during puberty, and just plain genetics. ^^;

Anyway, despite how shockingly decent he looks cleaned up, Noir is still a feral cat at heart, and he hasn't lost his sass either, even if the edges have been somewhat filed off with time.

(Even the most angsty and tragic of emo boys can only go so many years with sparkly, shimmering, pastel rainbow hair (1) before they give up the act and start smiling ju~st a little more! ^_-)

-

(1) It is completely impossible for Noir to return his hair to its original dark maroon/black, btw. Even the strongest dye refuses to stick.

...And yes, he has attempted.

--

(Q: When is this...? Cause he still looked 16 in that FL comic you did.) (A: That's because I hadn't thought ahead when I wrote it! This form is basically meant as something to pull out for the later games with some extra padding for any future games/events. >w< )

(Q: So... is that FL comic still Apologies canon?) (A: ~ish! He would definitely be his older self now. That said, this Noir did still encounter Elfilin by chance, immediately recognized him as ID-F86, and had a PTSD episode over it, dredging up old memories he'd believed he had come to peace with. It was the closest the Dark Matter in Noir had come to re-awakening in years. Elfilin's sincere apology to the innocent victims of Forgo's rage helped Noir keep from losing himself completely and he was able to recover.

Also, following Crystal Shards, Noir DID resume having daily nightmares about Adeleine and her fate. That was why MK encouraged him to stay with the fairies of Ripple Star for a time and recuperate; that Noir could resume his training with Meta Knight later on. The grateful fairies all turned out to completely ADORE him - particularly, his shining rainbow hair. This period away from Popstar meant that he totally missed out on Amazing Mirror though.)

(Q: If he missed Amazing Mirror, what games DIDN'T he miss?) (A: He was actually there for a somewhat altered version of Meta Knightmare Ultra in Planet Robobot! It was his first "mission" with his teacher. (And I have a fanfic brewing about that, thanks to the anon who asked what if Noir got within wishing distance of Star Dream...)

Unlike Meta's relationship with Kirby, where Meta trusts Kirby to bounce back from everything and is excited :wipes drool off face: to see how much Kirby will grow, Meta Knight tries (somewhat) to keep his very human disciple out of danger, if he can. He's not soft on him by any means, with hard blows and even harder life lessons, but he knows that Noir came to them hanging onto life by a very frayed thread and he only pushes as far as he believes Noir can take.

Nowadays, he's much more trusting of him to handle himself.

(Q: Assuming he was in SA, where was he during TDX, RtDL, and FL? (A: In both Triple Deluxe and Forgotten Land, he was away from Popstar. Record of Stopping Dedede Abductions: 0/2. He rolled his eyes at a giant beanstalk erupting from Dream Land leading to a kingdom in the clouds "...You're kidding?" and Dedede was stomping mad when Noir laughed outloud about the story of the abduction - which concealed the fact that Meta Knight WAS LAUGHING TOO.

In Return to Dream Land, Noir was still on Popstar but didn't participate in the adventure in any capacity. When everyone returned and told the tale of Magolor's betrayal, his response was a deadpan, "Okay but you all saw that coming a mile away though, right? .........Tell me you saw that coming." He was a little less sassy when he heard Magolor's downfall came at the hands of a corrupting artifact.)

(Q: Wasn't Noir taller than Dedede in that one random sketch?) (A: As an Earth human. Noir eventually became Popstarian size.)

(Q: It's nice that he's okay but... but Adeleine... ; _ ; ) (A: Yeah... However, similar to Blade and Gooey in the main verse, in the AU AU, it was Painter who took care of and sheltered the Dark Matter outcast. Noir initially hated Gooey, because he despised Dark Matter for destroying his family and he hated it every time Gooey tried to approach him - like a sign that he would never escape his mistakes. Only later was he forced to confront Gooey and realize that Gooey was always seeking Noir out because of Adeleine's memories Gooey had taken in. They eventually had a painful heart to heart, where Noir was able to experience his sister's last memories through Gooey. Noir now lets him wear Painter's beret in memory of her.)

--

Anyway, that's now two (and a half (?) if you count "Snowflakes") Noirs who have escaped the cycle of misery! Hooray!

Don't worry, Main Timeline Noir, your salvation comes next............Probably???? >w<

[randomthefox]

"Probably built his own house too. Unless we want to imagine he ate the previous inhabitants and just took it over or something." According to a Japanese profile about Kirby made to tie in with Kirby 64: Crystal Shards (can't send it cuz tumblr, should be able to find it in Wikirby) and the Kirby 20th Anniversary Encyclopedia ( at page 20 I believe), The citizens of Dream Land made the house for Kirby after the first game as a thank you gift for helping get back the food from King Dedede.

You got me there. That is actually really cute. And makes more sense than in RBAY where they built it for him just because none of them wanted him to live with them. In the games they built is explicitly as a reward for him putting a stop to DeDeDe. I can picture that very vividly. And! Him not having the house before that point would imply, to me, that Kirby had only recently arrived on Popstar shortly before the events of the original game.

Also apparently Gooey lives in the house with Kirby

Isn't it funny how both of the things I complained about, Kirbys house being built by citizens and him having a roommate, are actually both true about the games but when it comes to the games those factors actually make sense and don't detract from the characters and setting in any way?

[starflungwaddledee]

Shoots this ask meme right back at ya:

☀️ (Sun) - What’s their morning routine like? Do they take a lot of time getting ready in the morning? How do they groom themselves? What are they having for breakfast?

💫 (Shooting Star) - If they were to wish on a clockwork star, like Galactic Nova or Star Dream, what would they wish for?

[ >>> kirby oc ask meme <<< ]

☀️ (Sun) - What’s their morning routine like? Do they take a lot of time getting ready in the morning? How do they groom themselves? What are they having for breakfast?

morning routine varies greatly depending on where she spent the night, but the most usual day for her starts at castle dedede in her room. it may or may not have involved sleep the night before, but at 5:59am she's vibrating in front of the door waiting for bandee to knock at 6:00am. he's been bringing her breakfast since she got out of the hospital, so that she didn't have to navigate to the kitchens or endure the embarrassment of the reactions from other waddle dee's, and it's become a habit to eat together while he does his morning rounds. it's usually whatever is most portable on offer down in the waddle dee kitchens; pastries, fruit, cereal bars, that sort of thing! she lacks fur or hair and doesn't wear make-up (unless that pink over her eyes is eyeliner??) or 90% of clothes, but would certainly maintain daily basic hygiene. a wash in the tub, laundering her bow, brushing her teeth; i can see her as someone who might enjoy trying out fragrances if she could get her hands on them! her appearance doesn't change too much, a little bit of seasonal festivity sometimes, and i think that she would go well out of her way to wear something that was a gift if she knew she'd be seeing the gifter.

💫 (Shooting Star) - If they were to wish on a clockwork star, like Galactic Nova or Star Dream, what would they wish for?

after striking out, if she got another chance- and overcame the nervousness of failing again- she would probably want to give her wish to someone else as a gift. if she couldn't, she would wish for wings!

[technicianuprisingau]

Meet the Cast: Bandana Waddle Dee

Our next one in the Meet the Cast section is Bandana Waddle Dee. This one is actually fun to write, especially playing a guy who secretly has anxiety but doesn't let that stop him from staying loyal, to friends or to family.

--------------------

"Well, my turn isn't it? Let's get this done."

Basic Information

Name: Bandana Servician

Age: 12 [by the start of Planet Robobot]

Gender: Male

Orientation: Questioning

Hometown: Archeon Town, West Area, Neo Star

Species: Waddle Dee

Ability: Spear

Job: Servant to King Dedede, adventurer

Other names: The Loyal Servant, Bandee ("This nickname was started by His Majesty... then everyone starts calling me like that. I'm fine with that, actually, in fact, I like it!"), Shortass ("Robobot used to call me this. I hate this name. If anyone outside them tries calling me this, I swear...")

Alignment: Lawful Good

One of Kirby's closest sidekicks who willingly joined him after being rescued in a different war, he's always there whenever Kirby gets into shenanigans without absence, whether it's to help His Majesty King Dedede or to give back-up to his best friend. It's usually both. While he probably doesn't initially show it to strangers, he is as loyal and fierce when it comes to his duties to help. His spearmanship is one of the best amongst other waddle dees, and thanks to a small upgrade on his spear and some magnetic gloves his long range lets him to get away with commencing or defending ambushes from the front and back. It also helps that he is the nimblest member of the team, making him the team’s go-to stealth person. 

Detailed Information

Goals/Motivation: "I want to keep up with everyone and be as beneficial as I can to the community. Look, I get that I shouldn't overwork myself, Kirby and Robobot complained about it, but hey, I want to be able to stand on my own when I'm alone, and I HATE having to hold everyone back! I need to be the best I can be, so I can keep helping people along the way."

Hobby: "Cooking - it's something I always do at home. I love trying out new recipes from time to time, it definitely helps during travels when your choices are more limited. Especially when His Majesty and Kirby both enjoys food. Also, watching as people enjoy my cooking makes me feel warm."

Favorite Food: "I love apples. They are healthy and some say they keep the doctors away, but mostly, they are quite flexible! I can use it in a lot of ways, like apple juice, apple pie, apple cake, apple wine, apple candy, the list goes on. I love working with this ingredient too when I'm cooking! Definitely a must-have for me."

Least Favorite Food: "I don't have many preferences, but if there's one ingredient I find it hard and scary to work with, it's bitter melon. I am yet to find something that is good and acceptable by all with that specific plant, really..."

Favorite Game Type: "I don't play games often, but I find cooking games actually relaxing. I also enjoy puzzles from time to time!"

Habits: Uses softer censor of words [fiddlesticks, fudge, etc], tends to avoid using his bandana to clean himself ("Hey, I don't want my bandana to get dirty on purpose!"), tends to hide items in his bandana for use

Other Liked Things: "My bandana is a gift from His Majesty King Dedede! He said that it'd look cute on me. It was a honor to wear it everyday. I also have a pin that Captain Waddle Doo gave me to keep the bandana tight and well-kept. Also, I had to give the bandana some ornaments so that in case there are impostors, they will find it harder to mimic me and my no-longer plain bandana..."

Secret: Tends to sneak out to train by himself outside when no one is looking. Robobot Armor tends to come with him sometimes to spar together, but they are a wild card and sometimes reports it to everyone else anyways. He also tends to steal food from Dedede's Castle during incidents, something which Dedede actually knows but decided not to tell anyone, which means that yes, Bandee doesn't know his king knew what he did.

Relationships

Best Friends: "Kirby is my first friend, so he counts. Then Robobot Armor joined us. Honestly, both are equal, just like how he sees both of us the same way. Though, I still prefer Kirby around since I stuck with him the most!"

Rivals: "Is it funny that my rival was Robobot Armor too? Well, we used to be bitter rivals, it's a long story, but now we're cool with each other. We still show some... friendlier shades of that, but it didn't stop us from working together as a team!"

Enemies: "Any enemy to my friends and the king is an enemy of mine too! Also, I don't really like Marx."

Family: "I do have a family, since I was raised in Neo Star. I have 2 siblings and a mom. My dad passed away when I was very, very young, so I don't remember him as much. Though, they are all nice! I do send them letters once a week when no incident happens..."

Crush/Love Interest: "With confidence, I can say I don't have any... yet. Kirby, on the other hand... Well, let's just say EVERYONE CAN SEE IT KIRBY! You don't have to lie~!"

Skills and Abilities

Overview:

Bandana Waddle Dee has practically the Spear ability moveset. However, there's an explaination for all that spear-throwing and pulling this time. After a certain incident in the war, Kirby slotted steel on Bandee's spear's handle to make it magnetic, which he can control with his (admittedly stolen) magnetic gloves. As the result, his range was made bigger than ever. He tends to act as the team's walking spy as he is pretty nimble and runs faster than everyone else by far.

Strength: Bandana's speed and stealth skills become invaluable for the team in various ways. He can run around and do precise attacks, and since his weapon is, well, long, he made sure he can use it to his advantage such as propelling himself to high places, disarming opponents ahead of time, or just cause sudden ambushes. He also can do a fair bit of acrobatics to back it up.

Weakness: While he is fast and experienced in causing opponents to stop and think for a second on how he can be that quick to put opponents down, he is prone to attacks that hit hard. One mistake and he could suffer from the amount of damage he gets in one go. He also finds it hard dealing with machinery-based foes unless Kirby directs him to their weak points to expose.

"It's nice to meet you, by the way. Do you need anything? I'll be glad to help in that case!"

[maguro13-2]

Waddle Dee : Happy Birthday, Kirby! Here's that cake that we ordered from Chef Kawasaki!

Kirby : (in awe) !?

King Dedede : This is a gift from all of us! (To Metal Knight) Please, tell me, that's not lemon or lime, hope we don't get red velvet all over it.

Waddle Dee : Everyone! Get us some cake, let's eat! (Sees the cake gone after Kirby ate it and is now completely full) Huh?

*DBZ SFX : Collapse+Boing*

Waddle Dee : Waste of luck! Oh well, at we get to order some cake from the cafe or probably the cheesecake factory.

Ribbon : (inside) Hello? Anyone? I'm kinda in the middle something, AND HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSE TO GET OUT OF HERE! I Waa going to show him my surprise!

Waddle Dee : Kirby! Spit Ribbon out this instant! (Kirby coughs out Ribbon)

Ribbon : (traumatized and shaking) Whatever you do. Do you not even think about it! I really need to wash my self with bleach!

Waddle Dee : [To King Dedede] We didn't realize that she was inside the cake for a birthday surprise.

King Dedede : Let's just go cake from the cafe.

Waddle Dee : How about we make a new one instead.

Elfilin : Hey, guys. Sorry I'm the late for the part. I got ourselves a new birthday cake for Kirby and everyone!

Waddle Dee : Finally let's have some cake!

Ribbon : Hey, where's Queen Ripple? I was hoping she would show up for Kirby's birthday surprise.

Queen Ripple : Sorry I'm late, fellas.

Ribbon : Queen! Where have you been?

Queen Ripple : For my Birthday surprise! I was going to be in a birthday suit, but I was wearing a business suit instead!

Ribbon : Wait, if you're here, then who's inside the--

*SPLAT*

Marx : POMPANO, MOTHERF***ERS!!!

(GUNFIRING RAPIDLY)

Magolor : (scoffs) Way to surprise for Kirby's birthday, ya jackass!

Adeleine : This is the reason that I told you so.

Waddle Dee : You have got to be kidding.

King Dedede : We're gonna go have some cake at the cheesecake factory.

Adeleine : Good eye. Magolor, I want you and Marx to clean up this place by the time we get back.

(wind gusting+dill weed passes by)

Marx : How am I supposed to clean up our act and fix this place? Ah yes. We're going to clean this whole thing that I caused.

Magolor : You're dark you know that.

Marx : Just shut it, dude. Okay? I'm already teedoff to cause the mess I made.

~ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIRBY! ~

[opal-owl-flight]

Happy Magolor day! Oh my god I had SO MANY THOUGHTS about Mags being a selfish prick even to his friends and I hurt myself

So I drew some Mirrorlor to cope KSJSK. If Mirrorlor is a representation of his deepest, hidden (even from himself) desires…then hes got some good in him, after all.

Uhhh those thoughts under the cut ig?

On the surface, it seems that all he wants is control over things and attention. Because holy hell look at how shit his life went when he was younger. Enforcing a sort of control over the things in his life gives him comfort, and he craves attention bc he had to grow up all by himself.

Dig deeper, and youll find that he wants love and acceptance. He wants to feel home again. Hes tired of hating, hes tired of being angry at the universe. He just wants…to be loved. To be cared for again. He had a taste of that during his younger days, before everything was taken away from him.

Hes getting that now, but heres the problem. He doesnt know how to really reciprocate that. Hes a selfish, egotistical prick. (Related to that desire for control somehow. He managed to survive/raise himself, so he believes himself to be right on everything since he went through so much and survived. Not to mention all the knowledge and power he’s acquired through the years!)

A lot of his relationships started as him seeing a use in these people.

The Four as a form of protection (they drove away the HALTMANNS! And theyd do anything to protect their friends!). Meta specifically as another source of Ancients lore. Dedede specifically bc hes an engineer as well. Kirby and Bandee bc of that whole protection deal.

Taranza, Hyness, and Elfilin (sort of on that last one) as a source of extra knowledge on magic.

With Marx…the guy makes him laugh. Hes the crimes enabler. He doesnt understand how Marx has put up with his behavior, tbh, bc the guy really, really cares about him (surprisingly).

If Susie didnt fuck up big time with deciding to continue the conquest, theres no doubt that Mags would try to befriend her for tech knowledge (and, as he mentioned in that comic I have yet to post the final part of — to move on from that anger, finally drop that grudge).

He befriended them because he saw use in them. And then when he started getting their love alongside what he sought…he wanted more of that. He starts to do things to make them happy. Happy with him. Happy with him so that they’ll give him more love and attention.

…theyre not the best attempts. The gifts he gives tends to either be too extravagant, or halfhearted. (For example, hed give someone a spelled item that he thinks they need. Seems cute, right? Well, he didnt actually make that for them. That was supposed to be his. The spell probably didnt work the way he wanted to so hes going to give it away.)

He would listen to someone talk about lore, but then if he thinks that theyre wrong, he’d shut them down and explain why theyre wrong. And then he’ll start talking about how hes right. How hes always right on this topic. “Im an Ancient descendant, I know this stuff the best!” (Note that he IS one in this interp, but it doesnt excuse this shitty behavior)

And then! If anyone points this shitty behavior out!! He starts being a suck-up! Hes afraid of losing that love, that attention. So hes going to do EVERYTHING to make them happy with him again. Hes going to try harder. Just to make them stay. Does he actually care about how he hurt them? He apologizes, so maybe he does. But he…doesnt know how to move onwards from there. What exactly does he change? Hes not sure. He just wants to stay connected.

…Still, those people are sticking with him, so he must be doing SOMETHING right. Is it because hes manipulating them really well, so they’ll continue giving him love and attention, continue to accept him as one of them? Or is it because they genuinely enjoy his company, his (poor) attempts at genuine connection? Is he consciously manipulating them at all? I dont think he does. If hes pulling that shitty behavior, I like to think that its all…unconscious. Old habits die hard. But hes trying to get better. He doesnt want to lose everyone again, and he can see that being shitty is just going to make that happen faster.

Does he actually care for them though? Is it genuine love and care or unhealthy attachment? Hard to tell. Really hard to tell.

I can interpret a lot of his friendlier gestures towards others as a way to get them to like him, just so they can continue to give him their attention. Continue being there. Continue accepting him…

Im going to believe that he does care, and hope for the best. If Mirrorlor is this caring, this concerned for others’ well-being…then maybe. Maybe he does. Its just buried so, so deep.

Youre a rotten egg but I love you still.

[miniiinebulaee]

I feel like Meta Knight would understand literally nothing about the rocks relating to courtship, but would keep them in a special box or something bc one, it’s a gift from Dedede and two, they’re really cool and shiny and fun to look at

Yeah! Also he'd probably start searching for the meaning of rocks given by penguins after he got his 187272 pebble from dedede

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #943: Single Bros Day (Persona 5)

10:23 a.m. at LeBlanc Café........

Ryuji: (Takes a Sip of his Coffee Before Sighing ) Another year of being a single man on Valentine's Day......

Yusuke: You seemed a lot less bothered by it than usual.

Ryuji: (Shrugs) Yeah, well.... It's not the biggest deal in the world. So it's no use being hot and bothered by it every year. ('Sigh') But man, I STILL can't believe frickin' Mona of all people, got himself a girlfriend before I could! (Turns to Morgana and Lavenza Happily Chatting to One Another From a Bit of a Distance) I mean, I'm proud of the twerp and all, but damn.....

Yusuke: It's not all bad. At the very least, we can be single lads together.

Ryuji: Yeah. But I'm pretty sure it won't be too long for you and Futuba make it official one of these days.

Yusuke: You really think she would have romantic interest in me?

Ryuji: Well, I don't hear her talk about any other guys I know besides you. Plus, she has been calling "Inari" more times than I can count.

Yusuke: ('Sigh') A nickname I still have little to no knowledge of it means.....

Ryuji: (Gives Yusuke a Bit of a Reassuring Smile on his Face) Hey, It gotta mean something special if she only calls you that. And besides, you like spending some time with her, right?

Yusuke: I do enjoy her company from time to time. (Places his Hand Under his Chin) But regardless, I believe I'm still inexperience in romance and love related gestures.....Do you think I should ask Mr. Sojiro for advice?

Ryuji: (Starts Rolling his Eyes) Yeah, sure. Take advice from a guy who's literally your crush's dad. That sounds a terrific idea......

Yusuke raises a finger to speak before getting interrupted by Ryuji.

Ryuji: That was sarcasm by the way. DON'T ask her dad for advice.

Yusuke: ('Sigh') Very well.....How about Ren? He seems to be the most romantic type out of the two of us.

Ryuji: True. But he's also a big brother to Futuba. So if he finds out that you have the hots for her, then he'll interrogate you faster than you can say magnif-

Yusuke: (Quickly Says.....) Magnificent! ('Exhales Breath') How's that?

Ryuji: (Gives Yusuke a Deadpinned Look om his Face) ..............Dude. You didn't have to do all of that.

Yusuke: Ah. Right. ('Clears Throat') My apologies. (Places his Hand Under his Chin Once Again) Still, I wonder who else should I ask for advice.......

Ryuji: (Starts Smirking Confidently) Probably someone who's the best bro around.

Yusuke: (Snaps his Fingers) Ah. You mean King Dedede?

Ryuji: (Eyes Widened a Little) What? No, dude, it's me. I can give you love advice.

Yusuke: (Raised an Eyebrow in Confusion) You? But....You're single, aren't you not?

Ryuji: (Starts Rolling his Eyes Again) Way to point out the obvious, Einstein......But seriously, with my help, you'll be able to know a thing or two about the whole thing in no time.

Yusuke: You would really take the time to do that for me?

Ryuji: (Smiles Brightly) Of course, man. We're bros. We always have each other's back no matter how single we are.

Yusuke: (Stares at Ryuji For a Brief Second Before Smiling Softly Before Nodding in Agreement) Right. (Eyes Suddenly Begins to Widened a Little) Oh! Speaking of which.....(Starts Getting Something From out of his Art Bag) There's something I want to give you on this fine occasion.

Ryuji: (Eyes Begins to Widened at What Yusuke is Holding) No way.......You got me a box of Chocolates?

Yusuke: (Simply Nodded) That's right. I've noticed how angsty you would get whenever you haven't received any Chocolates of your own in the previous Valentines. So I figured I'd break the cycle and give you one of my own, if you like.

Ryuji: (Almost at a Loss of Words) Dude.......(Smiles Softly as he Receives his Gift) You didn't have to do all of that for me, man. Thank you. ('Sigh') Now I feel even more of a dick for not getting you anything myself.......

Yusuke: (Gives Ryuji a Reassuring Smile) There's no need for you to feel bad about anything. Us Bros have each other back no matter what.

Ryuji: (Chuckles Lightly) Yeah, man. Bros for life.

Meanwhile at the Distance......

Lavenza: (Watches Ryuji and Yusuke Makes a Toast With Their Respective Drinks With a Smile on her Face While Having her Hand on to of Morgana's) It's nice to see these two spend quality time with One Another in this special occasion....(Turns Back to her Boyfriend in Front of Her) Do you think this is a sign of them forming a romantic bond?

Morgana: (Smiles Sheepishly) I'm....pretty sure that's just them hanging out as friends, Lavenza. (Places his Hand Under His Hand) Though, it would be pretty interesting to see them date if that were the case.......

Lavenza: (Smiles Brightly) Well, whatever bond they form, I will them my upmost support, while still shipping them in my inner conscious, of course.

Morgana: (Gives Lavenza a Deadpinned Look on his Face) You really gotta stop listening to Futuba about this sort of thing......

Happy Valentines and Single Awareness Day Everybody!

@princekirijo

@keyenuta

@26shann

@ma-lemons

@caleb13frede

@cyber-wildcat

@theweebmaster31

[firaknight]

Adeleine needs to learn that she’s not as physically strong as she thinks she is.

As you saw in my previous post, Adeleine tends to push herself when she’s sick. She insists that, because she’s going to be alive for what’ll seem like a blink for everyone around her, she must use every single second of her life to the fullest. Not a second should be wasted. Because she has this mentality, she tends to work until complete exhaustion. She’d rather pass out on her canvas when the piece is complete than take a 5 minute nap at some point during work. It’s bad and she reeeeeaaalllyy needs to stop doing it. Thankfully, this gets somewhat remedied when Queen Ripple gives her water from the Spring of Ages, extending her lifespan by centuries.

However, that’s currently not the case.

She gets sick and Ribbon tries to keep her home. She’s seen Adeleine at her worst and knows that this isn’t good. She takes her temperature and it comes back as 101.7, bad. She hopes it’ll change her mind and keep her home, but it doesn’t. Adeleine shrugs it off and basically says “that’s not that high I’ll be fine” and decides that she’s gonna pay a visit to the Mirror World!

This doesn’t end well.

Along the way, her fever goes way up. She starts to feel nauseated and light-headed, but chalks it up to being just a little tired from the walk (it is quite a walk to the Dimension Mirror). She meets up with Shadow Dedede, who she’s started to call Burade (it’s a loving [familial platonic] nickname!) and he almost immediately notices that she’s not doing so hot. He asks her to maybe slow down and rest and she declines. She only stops declining rest when she literally fucking faints for a solid minute and nearly scares the life out of Burade. She wakes up and is like “oOoOoOuUuGhH that’s not goOoOod” and Burade wastes no time taking her back to his castle (don’t ask where it is but it’s not Peppermint Palace). There’s minimal protest from her, mostly because now she knows she pushed herself way to fucking far, and Burade forces her to stay overnight. He takes her temp while Dameta grabs some ice packs and water, and it comes back over 104, which is close to dangerously high for a human, let along a human child. Once he gets that, he asks SKirby to run out and tell Ribbon what’s up so she doesn’t panic while Dameta and him take care of the kid. SKirby agrees and leaves.

Meanwhile, Adeleine is tucked into Dametas bed (he doesn’t give a shit) and has 3 ice packs on her forehead. She’s dizzy and her vision keeps blurring every couple minutes. Dameta sits near her chest and anytime he notices her acting off he pats her face with his bare paw to get her attention. Burade gets a bunch of fluids (which is just him getting her to drink 4 consecutive cups of water) and that helps her a little.

Dameta refuses to leave her side and winds up purring because he gets comfy. Adeleine, exhausted, passes the fuck out for a couple hours and wakes up to SKirby gently patting her face. He hands her a few easy-on-the-tummy snacks he found and then leaves. He doesn’t come back until that night. Burade hangs around but does a ton of work for her since she can’t do anything but rest. Dameta sometimes switches off and does stuff like cooking (Burade can but it’s basic recipes) while Burade watches Adeleine, but he prefers to stay by her side to make sure she’s safe. They talk a bunch and he tells her stories from his little adventures in the Mirror World.

SKirby comes back that night not long before Adeleine has to go to bed. He just kinda vibes around her, following her around as she gets ready. Turns out he was running around Dreamland all day letting everyone know that Adeleine was sick and staying the night in the Mirror World since she was too sick to go home!! The snacks he brought were from Shadow Adeleine (who heard the news and made some snacks for her). He also brought a bunch of other little get well gifts and such that he got from the Dreamlanders he talked to. He mentions that he also got to overhear his dads arguing over what kind of soup to make for dinner when he got back (the castle is hella confusing and the little man got lost for a bit before he made it back to where Adeleine was). He also joins Adeleine when she goes to sleep. He snuggles up by her stomach while Dameta sprawls out over her head. His wings are naturally a little cold and they feel nice against her forehead (considering how high her fever is). She’s out in minutes and Burade, while he retires to his room, does come in periodically to check on her (He does sleep! He’s just worried about her and wants to make sure she’s not in need of something). After check #7, Dameta opens an eye and advises him to rest, letting him know that, if she does happen to wake up, he’ll be the first to know and will go get him. That’s enough to convince Burade to actually sleep.

The next morning Adeleine feels like shit, of course, but it’s nice having 2 happy and purring puffballs on you. They’re soft and just warm enough to be cozy. They’re also within petting reach and that’s very nice. Soft rotund friends are nice to pet. Dameta is the first to wake up, since he notices her shift to try and pet him. Me makes the little “mrrrp?” that cats make when you pet them and he does a big kitty stretch before he sits up (puffballs tend to sleep on their stomachs. Their cheek blushies are one of the most vulnerable spots on them, and sleeping facedown protects them from most threats). He’s happy to see that she’s awake and doing well and 100% let’s her give him pets. Fuck being stoic my kid wants to give me scritches those are far more important. Burade probably made pancakes and brings them in for her, along with some watered down juice for her to drink. He’s also the one who gets SKirby up. SKirby also does kitty things and does a big kitty yawn (where they open their mouths and then open them super wide so all their teeth show and then close them kinda funky but it’s super cute). They all eat good pancakes together and Adeleine feels a whole heck of a lot better now that she’s got food in her system. Her fever has also gone down to a much more manageable temperature! She’s finally able to go home- but not without her two mirror dads sticking around until she’s fully healed. SKirby also comes with because he’s friends with her and wants to make sure she’ll be ok.

Ribbon nearly has a fucking fit when Burade comes walking in with Adeleine (SKirby was in a hurry because Ribbon got all her friends in a panic by accident and didn’t give many details) but calms down when she sees that Adeleine is fine, just a little sick-looking. She’s happy to have the extra help, though (taking care of a human child isn’t easy or fun, especially when said human child would rather die than admit shes ill).

Adeleine winds up recovering just fine!!! She has her gay dads and their shadow kid as well as her fairy friend to thank for it!!!

[moonamite]

A gift of red.

His whiskers twitched as rain fell on him. Nobody else was out, since it was early and raining. But he loved the rain, and it felt good on his dry skin. The wind, however, not so much. Well, it wasn’t really raining- More like drizzling. He stared down at the town below him. You could see just about everything from the castle’s balcony. It was so weird. It was just like the other castle... But it felt so different- Safer. Warmer. It was his second favorite place in the palace- Besides, of course, his Garden. Speaking of which- I should probably go water it now. Just as he turned around, he yelped and nearly jumped a mile. “Meta Knight!” He sighed, clutching his chest. It’s only Meta Knight. Calm down, me! Meta Knight looked at him, his mask hiding his expression. “Did I frighten you?” He asked, sounding sincere. “Huh? Oh, no, not at all!” Escargoon lied. “I’m fine.” Meta Knight paused, clearly not believing him. “I came to tell you that the king wishes to see you.” He informed him.  The snail gulped. “He does?” He echoed nervously. Meta Knight nodded. “Yes... But there is no need to worry.” “I am NOT worried!” Escargoon snapped, a little too quickly. Why am I so scared? Stop being scared! He scolded himself. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he struggled to calm himself. Meta Knight cleared his throat, ripping Escargoon from his own thoughts. “Would you like me to come with you? Not that you need it- But if it’ll make you feel better...” Meta Knight offered. “Really?” Escargoon said, sounding WAY too excited. “Um, I mean, sure, if you want.” He said, flicking his tail. “Very well.” The masked figure replied. They reached the Throne Room- The king sat atop his Throne it- but he wasn’t actually in the seat. He was sitting on the armrest. The king turned as the pair walked in. “Mety Knight!” He called, beaming. He got off the arm and ran up to them. Escargoon quickly retreated to his shell, instinctively. He shouldn’t be so scared. He’s not scared- So why did he get so jumpy when his new king came near him, or even moved too fast? There was a beat of silence, then a soft knocking from the outside of his shell. “...Goonie? You alright?” The king asked, sounding both alarmed and apologetic. “Did I move too fast? I’m sorry! I completely forgot!” He cried. The snail slowly emerged from his shell. He looked up to his majesty. His face was full of remorse- Real remorse. Not fake. His emotions were genuine. He cared. Escargoon was such a stranger to comfort. “I’m fine.” He said. “Sorry-” The king knelt down to see eye-to-eye with the smaller figure. “Don’t be sorry! That was all me- I shoulda been more careful.” He said. The snail said nothing. He couldn’t say anything. He just gazed into his gentle blue eyes. He began to feel himself calm down. The king suddenly looked up, remembering something. “Oh, right!” He said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. It was a small box, encased in wrapping paper. “Mety Knight helped me with the wrapping.” He confessed sheepishly. He then handed it to the skittish snail. Escargoon looked up in disbelief. “For... For me?” He said slowly, processing the sudden kind gesture. “Are you- Are you sure?” He added. The king cocked his head to the side. “Yes? Well, what are you waiting for? Open it!” The king pressed on, excitedly. Goonie took it from him hesitantly, and gingerly removed the paper- Then opened the box inside- A necklace. It had a thin, silver chain, and a cut ruby hung from it. The gem shimmered in the light of the palace. Escargoon blinked. Then blinked again. Then his vision began to get blurry. I’m... Crying? But why- He thought as he trembled. The king was at his side in a heartbeat. “Goonie! What’s wrong? Did I do something? Do you not like it? Wh-” Before the king could finish his worries, he was pulled into a hug. The snail’s voice was shaky, and his body was trembling like a leaf. “T-Thank y-you- mmff-” He sobbed into the king’s soft robe. Dedede’s strong, protective arms wrapped around him, returning the hug. “Hey, hey... It’s nothin’, really- But i’m glad you’re happy.” The king said. Then the king turned to Meta Knight, who was standing in the corner of the room. The king smirked. “C’mere, you!” He called. Meta Knight tried to protest, but in the end, he was trapped in the king’s strong embrace as well. The three of them clung to eachother for what felt like an eternity. Goonie, although he’d never admit it, wishes he could stay like this forever- Safe. Happy. Loved.

[writesology]

what do you think meta knight's "secret wild streak" mentioned in Star Allies is about?*

First of all, I’m very sorry for how late this was! Secondly, I wrote this in one go and didn’t do any edits, so it’s very short and probably has a lot of mistakes lmao XD

Still, I hope you enjoy, and thanks for the ask, anon! :)

Stop repressing me. Don’t you want to go ballistic on this country? 

Meta Knight groaned as the voice whispered in his head. His demon side had been growing more and more restless each day, and the knight was sure it was related to the burst of magic he’d sensed a few days back. 

Magic, especially that of malevolent nature, tended to make the demon in him spring out. It had already happened more than a few times- first, he’d snapped at Dedede (making up had required a lot of gifts and apologizing) and he’d berated Sailor Dee- poor, innocent Sailor Dee- after he’d failed to clean the motor. 

Listening to the Dee cry himself to sleep had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. 

Sighing and promising himself to apologize later, he sat down under a tree and gazed up at the sky, letting the breeze flow around his wings. Meta Knight withdrew Galaxia, and after silencing another little voice that told him off for his laziness, began to polish the sword. 

While he still hated laziness, he’d never go back and try to conquer Dreamland once again; Kirby was simply too strong and he had too many friendships that he didn’t want to risk losing. Then the sky lit up, and a distant soundwave thundered through the empty fields. 

The knight turned his gaze to the sky, watching the whole starstorm happen. From the ground, it looked like a large firework, but the puff knew better- being attuned to the universe’s magic had its perks. Galaxia glowed faintly, telling him a message. Meta Knight! Something’s heading towards you!

“Hmm?” The warrior looked up, and upon seeing a massive purple rock hurtling towards him, jumped back, barely having enough time to grab Galaxia’s sheath. The purple rock crashed in front of him, denting the ground. The knight cautiously approached the strange rock, holding his sword out in front of him.

I don’t like the aura this thing emits, dear heart… be careful near it. 

I know, Galaxia. I know. He’d gotten dangerously close to the rock, and before he could do anything, it leapt up and collided into him, making him stagger and drop his sword. As he collapsed on the grass, one paw clutching his mask, the magic from the rock surged into him and before long, the whole rock had integrated with his body.

“Ur-urgh… what is this thing… I- I- no, this magic-! Des-destruction- it can’t be… no, not the Ancients’ magic! Power, strength- no! I am not turning into a demon, not here- yes here- not now-! Yes now!” Meta Knight cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes shut, but when he opened them again, they were purple, a sign of his demonic side’s influence as well as the new mana in him. 

He slowly picked up Galaxia and unfurled his wings, his demon relishing the feeling of freedom after being cooped up for so long.

That’s right, you chivalrous little knight… get down and stay down. Now… He grinned evilly in his mask, his sharp fangs baring. 

Let’s get crazy.

[desultory-novice]

I don't know if this is going to be expanded upon in Apologies but... What's Adeleine's relationship like with Characters like Meta Knight Magolor and Taranza? I'm just genuinely curious as we don't see them interact with her like the others! I mean... We did see Taranza clean himself up and prepare to go talk to her, Ribbon, and Susie in Star Allies, but not much else.

(Also I just wanted to say, I love how She and Daroach have a little sister/niece/daughter like relashionship!)

Heck yes, Daroach is absolutely Adeleine's super cool uncle! (To contrast Dedede's goofy dad attempts!) He just seems to naturally knows how to be there when she needs it and give her space to grow when she doesn't while Dedede is still trying to figure out if he's going too far or not going far enough?! (Then again, Dedede's origional encounter with the siblings is what put him in that awkward position to begin with. We'll soon see a little more about how his "relationship" with Noir influences his relationship with Adeleine.)

Taranza, once he heard Adeleine's story, probably considered inviting Adeleine to one of his and Susie's "grief nights" ...and then remembered those sometimes (often) involve alcohol and inappropriate yelling and decided against it XD

He offered her a patch of his sizable flower garden instead, if she wanted to plant some flowers for Noir.

Honestly, he doesn't know how to talk to her as well as Susie does because, unlike the two of them, he didn't lose family. TLDR, he wants to be someone who can help and impress and make things better but is a bit too awkward to try.

He has better success with her older brother in the Alternate Timeline, because they have much morein common...

Speaking of! I have this ask on that subject!

Which was such a good idea, I wrote a little scriptlet for it!

--

:Noir in the gardens outside Castle Dedede, training: :Taranza floats up behind him, cordial: Taranza: "You're quite good with that."

Noir: "...You know your way around swords?"  (I thought you were just another squishy wizard...)

Taranza: "Ahaha... Not me! My queen did though. She was...amazing. Glorious. Beautiful..."

Noir: "Oh, right. I remember you now. You're the guy who merc'd his own...!" 

:Noir claps a hand over his stupid mouth: :Taranza looks away: :Noir, ashamed:

Noir: "...Sorry. At some point, I got stuck in the habit of trying to push everyone away on purpose and now...I don't know how to talk to anyone without shoving my foot in my..."

Taranza: "No, it's fine. In fact... it's true. Truer than how most people would phrase it."

:Folds his hands, reflective:

Taranza: "I can lie to myself that the corruption made her a different person but...I know better than anyone that she was still..."

:Noir interrupts him:

Noir: "...She wasn't any different! I could still see her in there! She was calling to me...! Why couldn't I...?!"

:He stops before he breaks down again: :Taranza smiles faintly, sensing a connection building:

Taranza: "I've heard a little about you too. You and...your sister. Has it been hard to talk to the others about?

:Noir trying to play indifferent but struggling: Noir: "...What's there to say? They've already told me it's not my fault."

Taranza: "Do you believe them?"

Noir: "..........No."

Taranza: "Mmm..." :He turns away from the camera:

Taranza: "'I gave her the gift.' 'I wasn't watching her closely enough.'"

:Noir stares at him in disbelief: :It's like he's speaking Noir's mind aloud:

Taranza: "To the others, it sounds like I'm wallowing in my guilt. But to me... it's not something so emotional as 'guilt.' It's just my reality."

Noir: "..."

:Taranza, smiling:

Taranza: "I didn't meant to interrupt your practice however!"

:He starts to leave before Noir stops him:

Noir: "Hey, uh...! What if... there was someone... I wanted to talk to about this...? Would that be...cool?"

Taranza: "It would be excellent! I'm always open for company on the weekend for tea and knitting!"

:Noir cringes in 'guard down' way he hasn't in a while:

Noir: "Tea and...knitting? Seriously...?"

Taranza: "It keeps your hands occupied!"

:Points at Noir's hands, curled tightly around the Rainbow Blade: :Noir admits defeat, giving the first signs of a potential smile:

---

---

[Back to the Ask]

It's a similar deal with Meta Knight, really. It's not that he doesn't care, it's because he does care that he doesn't have a lot to say to Adeleine. Meta Knight is the "watch silently from a distance" type.

His attention is focused much more on Noir than Noir's remarkably emotionally well-balanced and together little sister.

As for Magolor...

I actually did write (another) scene with Adeleine and Magolor but it started to spin off in a direction I couldn't quite wrangle back into place, and I wasn't wholly satisfied with where it was going or what it was doing for either Adeleine or Magolor's characters so I scrapped it. Since I already dropped another script here, we might as well make this an Apologies AU script party and drop that one here too!!

---

[Old Unfinished Thing]

:Adeleine steps inside the Lor:

Adeleine: "Magolor?"

:He is asleep on the console, murmuring:

Magolor: "...L-let...let me go... ...Help...me... Ki...rby..."

:She shakes him, worried:

Adeleine: "Magolor! Are you okay?!"

Magolor: "AH!?" "What?!" "Oh! Adeleine..."

:He calms down, finally seeing her:

Adeleine: "Sorry to surprise you. You asked to see me?"

:shockingly chipper given a second ago:

Magolor: "Yes, yes! It won't be long! I just need to 'fit' you for something!"

Adeleine: "What is it?"

Magolor: "I'm calling them 'dress-up masks.'

:Magolor points to the Lor's screen, showing the ones he's got already. They start to scroll by, renders of the masks' various 'models' showing up alongside them: :Adeleine, impressed:

Adeleine: "...Wow! You made all of these yourself? They're so cool!"

Magolor: "That's right! And every last one was snapped and modeled by yours truly! With the Lor here, I was able to hop back and forth across timelines like it was nothing!"

:Eyes closed, getting into his boastful story:

Magolor: "Some of these very VERY tricky to get of course! Not everyone wanted to be immortalized in the galaxy's BEST theme park! I got in a couple of fights... Won them all, of course!"

:He trails off when he opens his eyes and realizes Adeleine is staring at the Dark Matter Blade mask and model: :Magolor, pensive:

Magolor: "I heard... from Susie, that is... ...that unusual looking Dark Matter...was your brother?"

:Adeleine nods slowly:

Adeleine: "Noir..." "You...met him? While he was like that?"

:Adeleine, frightened to ask: :Magolor reads this emotion on her:

Magolor: "Yes! He was...strong! Truly a noble warrior! The toughest I ever faced! You ought to know I barely got out of there with my...!"

:Adeleine's expression sinks: :She knows Magolor is making stuff up for her sake:

Magolor: "...Sigh."

:He taps a button: :text appears beside the image: :the label "Dark Matter Clone" now displays beside the mask:

Magolor: "I couldn't do it. It's not him up there. Not your brother. Not...exactly. I snapped a recreation from another timeline. One without emotion. I did try to go back there. Back to the source."

:His expression tighens:

"But what I saw fighting Kirby in those dark skies... frightened me."

:He turns off the mask display:

"...Because I've been there."

Magolor: "I made a decision when I started this project: I wouldn't shy away from anything. Even the bad. I felt that everyone, like me, deserved the chance to own up to their sins and become free."

Magolor: "...But I'm a hypocrite."

:He taps at several more keys in a row: :A model shows up on screen as Magolor turns away from it:

Magolor: "Because there's one mask missing..."

:This model has no accompanying mask: :Magolor Soul's haunted expression stares back at the camera:

Magolor: "...I can't stand to look at it. To remember. I couldn't just neglect your brother but, honestly? I can't stand to see him either."

"Do you think I'm an awful person?"

:Magolor's own face reflects the haunted, mauled smile of his soul:

Adeleine: "...No. An awful person wouldn't have felt bad enough about lying to tell me the truth. ...Even if it's unpleasant."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to hear pleasant stories yet. I only saw him once and I was so scared, I ran away. Maybe...if I hadn't, if I'd tried to reach out to him, he'd still be here in some form...?"

-

(For your sake, Adeleine, I won't repeat the things I saw or heard that night. I'm sorry if that means you'll never know your brother's last moments. But I can't...I'm not ready to face that part of myself yet.)

...

[//ANNND like I said, this is about where I realized that not only had this gone on way too long and I had no ending in mind, these two had gotten massively OOC over the course of it and cut the story here!]

---

---

TLDR, Magolor is usually pretty good with kids and pretty good with "faking it" too but he's also something of what we would call a "bad adult." That said, Magolor's status as a non-paragon means that he can give her a perspective NONE of the good adults WILL give her.

Which is valuable.

(It's just not the one above. Because I don't like that XD )

PS: Since Apologies actually crosses over into Salty French Bread(!!) it ought to be said that unlike her brother, Adeleine thinks Marx is the cutest, funniest little guy and because Adeleine loves him so much, Marx in turn loves playing silly tricks with Adeleine like eating all her crayons and then splitting in two to create a rainbow.

...

...

...

...

...

Oh? What's this?

Are you still here?

I suppose since I'm giving out Apologies script bits in this post there's no harm in delivering a final little tidbit. Like the above, this monologue is also NOT Apologies Canon, but if we have any fans of mindbreak + horror in the audience, you might enjoy this brief (non-canon!) potential exploration into Noir's mind during Arc II...

---

Stop.it.Don't.make.me.remember.who.I.am.because.being.****.is.only.pain.Even.without.this.thing.twisting.inside.me.breathing.through.every.pore.of.my.body.I.can.feel.myself.dying.every.time.it.moves.But.no.matter.how.much.it.hurts.I.never.just.die.I'm.not.brave.I'm.not.unstoppable.I'm.afraid.and.I.want.it.to.stop.Mom.dad.why.did.you.have.to.leave.us.alone.I.didn't.ask.for.any.of.this.********.Where.are.you.right.now.I.can't.hear.anything.I.can't.see.anything.Only.darkness.No.stars.Please.don't.find.me.********.God.you.have.to.stay.away.because.where.I.am.there.is.only.darkness.Only.darkness.********.Only.dark...

********... ****...**...

[aion-rsa]

15 Best SNES Platformers Ever

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Platformers have long been an entry point for new gamers. Video games may have greatly expanded in scope over the years and now offer so many different genres and experiences that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of them, but that’s actually a big part of the reason why it’s still so much fun to look back at these timeless games where the main objective was often to simply jump from one place to the next.

There is no console that celebrated the brilliance of the platformer better than the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The SNES may be best known for expanding the adventure and RPG genres, as well as raising a generation’s expectations for video game graphics, but few consoles have come close to rivaling the Super Nintendo’s library of classic platforming titles.

It’s hard to narrow this list down to just 15 games, but from action-based platformers to pure platforming classics, these are the best examples of this timeless genre that the SNES gifted the gaming world. 

15. Jelly Boy 

Putting you in control of a jelly baby (a candy that is popular in the U.K. and surrounding areas), Jelly Boy was only released in Europe when it debuted in 1994. The game has a colorful aesthetic and some unique platforming elements built around the main character’s ability to transform into a myriad of vehicles, tools, and other objects. Those metamorphoses will be familiar to anyone who has played a Wario Land title or Kirby’s Epic Yarn. 

Admittedly, Jelly Boy‘s mechanics can be a little clunky and the controls are deficient compared to some of the later games on this list. Still, you will be hard-pressed to find a more original platformer on the console that isn’t made by Nintendo themselves. You can even play it now via the Nintendo Switch Online service.

14. Demon’s Crest

Released by Capcom in 1994 as the third game featuring the character Firebrand (who debuted in the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series), Demon’s Crest is a forgotten gem in the SNES catalog. It adds some variety to the traditional action-platformer by giving the playable protagonist the ability to fly and shoot fireballs as well as access other upgradeable attacks and maneuvers as their quest rolls along. That feature adds a little Zelda-like adventuring to the mix, and you’ll certainly need those late-game power-ups because this platformer means business.

There are many difficult platformers on this list, but few boast the plethora of boss battles seen in this one. It’s actually similar to Mega Man in terms of its fighting style and jumping requirements, so if you are looking for an alternative to the Blue Bomber that keeps the basics of the genre intact, you’ll have a hard time doing better than Demon’s Crest.  

13. Joe & Mac

Joe & Mac is honestly a fairly basic platformer for its era. What gets it onto this list of the best games in that genre, though, is the creativity and execution of its setting.

The game sees you control two different cavemen who rely on basic prehistoric items such as fire, bats, bones, etc. The bosses are pretty cool (dinosaurs are fun for all ages) and the controls hold up well enough that you won’t ever feel like you have to force the avatar into doing something that the interface simply won’t allow for. The game spawned a sequel that was also released on SNES, but the original is unique enough to get the nod here. 

12. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts

Despite what the title may suggest, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is actually the third game in the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series. Like the previous games, this classic sees you battle various monsters and bosses that fit the setting nicely. Although the game is maybe a little too action-heavy to get the nod over the SNES’ best platformers, it uses its platforming elements to elevate the entire experience. 

The difficulty is insanely high and the sheer amount of sprites on screen at once can lead to some lag that only adds to the frustrations of this arduous journey, but the game has a way of keeping things light and humorous when the frustration sets in. How many other games see the protagonist stripped of their armor, quite literally, when he takes too many hits?

11. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!

The third installment in the beloved Donkey Kong Country trilogy certainly isn’t hated by many, but it is usually viewed as a step down from the first two games. Whether that has to do with a change in composer for the soundtrack, the inability to play as Donkey or Diddy, or the fact it was released after the Nintendo 64 was on the market, the title’s sometimes mixed reputation often prevents it from being appreciated as a divine platforming experience. 

The environments and storytelling in this game are well-executed. If you’re observant, you may even notice that the developers were trying to say something about the sad state of ape habitats and pollution in the wild. Even if you didn’t dive too deep into that surprising bit of social commentary, you’ll likely find that the platforming in this one remains top-notch and that the overall experience remains severely underrated. 

10. DoReMi Fantasy: Milon’s DokiDoki Adventure 

As the only game on this list that wasn’t initially released outside of Japan, many gamers may not know that DoReMi Fantasy is a whimsical experience that features some of the key elements of Mario and Kirby’s best adventures in terms of gameplay and graphics. Starring a young child whose objective is to reclaim music for the forest, DoReMi utilizes some clever puzzles that may not be unusual for the platformer genre but certainly add to the fun.

The game got a Virtual Console release in North America in 2008, but that’s sadly the best chance many gamers have had in recent years to take a chance on this title. It’s a great example of how people should be more open to experiencing games that weren’t localized the first time around.

9. Donkey Kong Country

Perhaps the most famous game starring Nintendo’s lovable ape, the original Donkey Kong Country was Rare’s first big title for the SNES and practically started their decade-plus long relationship as a second-party developer with the Big N. Tasked with showing off off the console’s pre-rendered graphics system, the crew from Britain proved to be up to the task. Honestly, this game still looks halfway decent in 2021. 

While the actual platforming is not as good as the Super Mario games on the SNES, it offered a different flavor of jumping that is still very much appreciated. The “weight” of Donkey Kong and Diddy means that the platforming is less flighty than in Super Mario games, and the rideable animal buddies you encounter along the way add a little flair to the experience. 

8. ActRaiser

As a game that serves as both an action-platformer and a God simulator, this underrated and forgotten gem from Enix and developer Quintet showed off the visual and audio capabilities of the SNES in the early days of the console. You play as the “Master” who is tasked with building towns around the world and fending off the evils that threaten them. It’s hard to juggle two completely different genres like that, but ActRaiser finds a great balance. 

The game was re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007 but has otherwise been paid little attention in the years since its release. That’s unfortunate because there aren’t many games from 30 years ago that provide this much depth and versatility. Both parts of the experience are extremely solid in their own right, and together add up to become something truly special. 

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7. Kirby Super Star

Even the most ardent Kirby fans would probably agree that the franchise can get a little stale at times. There are only so many ways Kirby can suck an enemy up, transform his powers to match theirs, and ultimately defeat King Dedede. That’s why Kirby Super Star is still arguably the best game that the pink cutie pie has ever starred in.

Featuring eight different games within the game, the genre-mixing in this one is really off the charts. There are racing elements, adventure tones, and shooting sequences amongst the different sections of the playthrough. The experience was so beloved that it was eventually remade for the Nintendo DS as Kirby Super Star Deluxe. There is something for everyone in this package, and it shows the best parts of Kirby’s history.

6. Mega Man X

The original run of NES Mega Man titles are arguably still more famous than all of the others, but Mega Man X just has more of what makes those games great. It retains the eight bosses and weapon upgrades that can be completed/acquired in whatever order the player chooses, and it even has that same incredible soundtrack that the Blue Bomber’s adventures are always famous for.

Mega Man X‘s graphical upgrades admittedly take some of that eight-bit nostalgia out of the experience, but the game ultimately makes up for it by offering new gameplay experiences. Jumping on walls and acquiring upgrades to defensive maneuvers gives Mega Man an even more badass skillset, and the game generally does an excellent job of emphasizing the “platforming” parts of its action-platformer mix.

5. Super Castlevania 4

Super Castlevania 4 is actually a kind of soft remake of the original game, and the developers at Konami did a great job of making that game more digestible for newcomers while keeping all of the iconic elements from the classic NES title.

The Castlevania basics are all here (you still control Simon Belmont, equipped with his famous whip and ax, and battle through the game’s 11 stages before reaching Dracula), but an ideal mix of combat and platforming makes this one of the most irreplaceable platformers in the SNES catalog. It’s still an airtight action-platformer experience in 2021. 

4. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

The second game in the DKC trilogy took all of the best parts of the first title and refined them to create a truly unique platforming game that was a lot more than fancy graphics (a reputation the original game has had a hard time shaking). Diddy’s Kong Quest expanded upon the game design that fans loved while keeping the jungle hijinx, masterful soundtrack, and weighted platforming intact. 

That last part is what truly separates the middle installment of this franchise from the other two. Many people have said that these games were sometimes more style than substance, but after playing through the myriad of environments on display in DKC 2, it becomes clear that this title has endured over the years because its tight mechanics are executed at a high level.  

3. Super Metroid

If this list were just a ranking of 2D games or if it encapsulated the entire SNES library regardless of genre, Super Metroid would most likely take the top spot. Alas, this icon of game design settles in the third spot because it isn’t the best example of a “pure platformer.” It’s more of an action/adventure affair, though the game’s platforming elements are still as satisfying now as they were in the 1990s.

What separates this game from so many that have tried to emulate it in the nearly three decades since release is that every ability upgrade and every part of the map fits together with nearly flawless foresight and execution. It’s never a hassle to re-explore a section that you’ve already seen. The game has a masterful flow that is incredibly modern and perhaps even more popular today because of the prominence of this design style on the indie game scene. 

2. Super Mario World

With its flawless controls, colorful sprites, cheerful soundtrack, and ageless platforming, Super Mario World is the title that all other 2D games in the genre are still compared to. The extra graphical power of the SNES gave Nintendo the opportunity to expand upon Super Mario Bros. 3‘s best ideas while exploring new concepts that simply weren’t possible before.

That is why this game remains so playable. Super Mario World combines the most enjoyable elements of the NES Super Mario classics and then elevates them to fully realize the world that Miyamoto imagined when this basic concept was created. It still doesn’t make sense to have a plumber jumping on top of turtles and occasionally getting lost inside of a house full of ghosts (those damn Boo mansions still haunt me), but when you combine this much creativity into one package, you have no choice but to admit how special it all is.

1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

Shigeru Miyamoto and his team knew that it was futile to try and surpass Super Mario World simply by emulating it. So when developing the sequel, they made the decision to craft an entirely different type of platformer in which Mario isn’t even the main protagonist. The concept was bold, but the execution needed to be flawless if the game was ever going to be more than another disappointing follow-up. 

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It’s safe to say Yoshi’s Island exceeded all expectations. Putting Yoshi at the forefront of a platformer that included mini-games, evasion, puzzle-solving, item collection, and the most timeless color palette in gaming history was brilliance personified. Yoshi’s Island is not as famous as its older sibling, but its daring creativity and irreplaceable charm have inspired many to argue that it is the better game in retrospect. Whatever your opinion is, the fun and escapism of the green dinosaur’s finest hour (as well as the horrors of Baby Mario’s screams) will be remembered until the end of gaming.

The post 15 Best SNES Platformers Ever appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[mezzopurrloin]

Mezzo and the Crystal Shards Part 1-3: The King’s Domain

Level 3 of Pop Star takes us to a big castle. Let's head out.

We start out at the approach to the front gates.

The missile-looking thing grants Bomb. The basic Bomb ability lets you throw bombs that travel forward in an arc and explode when they hit something. The longer you hold the button, the farther it goes.

Adding Fire to it gives us fireworks! Kirby launches into the air and colorful explosions detonate all around him. It can be used up to 3 times before landing, with bigger fireworks each time.

A couple Bouncies wait by the drawbridge.

Inside the castle foyer, we find this ghost knight. It grants Needle if swallowed, but if you try to throw something at it, it blocks with its shield. This makes these things really annoying to build combos with.

The next room features a moving platform that carries Kirby across while flying enemies attack from the background. It's probably possible to cross the gap just by Kirby flying on his own, but that's pretty dangerous.

I gave them a taste of some more fireworks as I passed by.

This tower is small and narrow. There's not much else to say about it.

Climbing it brings Kirby up to the battlements. There's a Maxim Tomato hidden up here if you know where to look. I ditched the fireworks, since we're going to need another ability soon.

We can grab it from a pair of Sir Kibbles by the drawbridge.

Cutter + Cutter gives Kirby what I like to call the 'ripsaw', a saw-toothed boomerang that can cut through the ground. It looks more intimidating, but it's not really that different from standard Cutter.

Here's what we needed the ripsaw for. This green block can only be destroyed by a Cutter ability, but the basic ability can't hit the floor.

Shredding it allows us to claim the shard beneath.

In the next room, Adeleine paints a gift for Kirby.

An extra life, pretty nice. If you come here without full health, she pains a Maxim Tomato instead.

The castle's central chamber holds a spiral staircase that rises to the top. It looks like there's another shard above the doorway we came in through.

Let's make sure to grab that first.

You reach the top floor via some chains that Kirby can climb on. I also took the time to grab yet another new combo.

Here it is, the myth, the legend. Fire + Cutter grants Kirby a flaming sword, a weapon for a true hero.

It has a good swing range and burns enemies even when you're not actively attacking, but you can't fly while using it. You can also hold it upward to attack enemies above.

Pressing B while holding it up also lets Kirby throw it forward. It's one of the most all-around versatile abilities, and a great melee weapon.

Climbing another chain takes Kirby to the roof.

If you're at all familiar with the Kirby franchise, you'll recognize this guy. King Dedede is Kirby's nemesis and rival, but he's not truly 'evil'.

That said, he is kind of a jerk.

This confrontation is interrupted by Dark Matter barging in from above.

Time for a real fight.

King Dedede will attempt to bash you with his hammer, plus his signature Super Dedede Jump. It's a pretty basic attack pattern.

The flaming sword roasted him easily.

Unfortunately for us, he has a second phase.

Okay, that's just creepy.

The ability to hold the sword upward comes in quite handy for this part, as he spends most of his time floating in the air.

He drops the last shard after finally going down.

Looks like we're getting a new ally after all.

Now the whole team is gathered together at the picnic blanket.

Winning a 1up is honestly kind of pointless here, since it'll be gone by the next update. But whatever, I'm still glad I nabbed it.

[megamanx1994]

The Legend of Kuzon Chapter 1

(Kuzon Tao a.k.a Knuckle Joe is a vigillante fighting criminals in Republic City. However when a new crime boss invades and threatens to destroy everything he cares about, Kuzon teams up with the Avatar to put a stop to his evil plot with the help of his other bender friends. This is an alternate take on the Korra Turf Wars trilogy)

Chapter 1: Legends Rise (Disclaimer! I own nothing of Korra!) Air Water Earth Fire These are the elements of many benders of the world. Thanks to the efforts of the original Avatar, Aang and Fire Lord Zuko, Republic City was born. We've gone through troubled times over the years, but they were all avoided and we were all saved by the new avatar, Korra. Other heroes like Captain Falcon and The Peacekeepers did their part to help whenever they could. I believed what I was told, and I assumed that there could never be another unique bender like the avatar. But then something happened, that changed everything… Four people were running with Korra going after a blimp. The blimp was about to unleash some kind of gas that would take out all the benders in the area. The guy with the blonde hair was using fire bending to force bad guys out of the way. That's Kuzon Tao, the bravest guy I've ever known. One of the others formed a concrete shield around him and piled through a group of chi blockers. He's Kanji, and well…. He likes Earth. The one with the ponytail is Anana Hookfin, a spectacular waterbender. We call her "fish hooks." The one with the green hair is me. I'm Saria Forest. I’m an airbender, and well…. I'm not so brave. But that's ok because I have Kuzon and the gang, and they're my best friends! But if I'm gonna tell this story right, I'm gonna have to take you back to a while ago. A while Ago….. Late at night, a group of robbers were making their way out of a jewelry shop. "Selling these is gonna make me a mint," said the boss. "Hey boss," said one of the robbers, "How come we're the ones doing the heavy lifting while you're standing there?" "Cause I'm the one who started the heist idea, that makes me the leader," said the boss, "Now stop yapping." They started putting the stolen jewels in the truck. "Hey what's with all the noise?" Asked someone. It was Kuzon in his newly colored suit. "Some of us are trying to sleep," he said, "Couldn't you wait til tomorrow to do this heist you're trying to pull off." "Who the fuck is this guy?" Asked one of the robbers. "Ok, this is the part where you tell me your name, what your intentions are, etc. etc, and I stop you," said Kuzon. "Who we are is not your concern, whoever you are," said the boss, "And we can't let you tell anyone what we're doing." "Ok, I guess I'm gonna star," said Kuzon, "I'm Knuckle Joe!" He threw a fireball at one of the robbers. "And you've just stepped into my school of hard knocks," he finished. One of the robbers grabbed a gun and trapped Kuzon in some kind of force field. He managed to break out. "Wow cool toys," he said. More thugs showed up ready to fight him. "Alright," Kuzon said, "Let's do this." Two of them went after Kuzon and he did a jump and slammed his fist on the ground forcing both of them back. "C'mon don't be shy," Kuzon said, "There's plenty of me to go around!" They all came at him one by one. Kuzon used various fire bending techniques to take them out. One of the robbers started firing at him and Kuzon used the fire as a shield. "Nice try," he said. He then did one of his signature moves, the Vulcan jab and finished it with a rising break. His fist was on fire as he did the uppercut. Soon afterwards the robbers were rounded up and Lin's police force arrived on the scene. There was a note that said; "Found your jewel thieves. Courtesy from Knuckle Joe." "Who is this guy chief?" Asked one of the officers. "Whoever he is, he's a great help," Lin said cuffing one of them. "Awesome job," said Zoe, Kuzon's little sister talking to him through a communicator, "You've certainly been practicing your bending techniques. "Yep, I think I did pretty good out there," Kuzon said. "Wang would be proud," Zoe said. "He sure would," Kuzon said looking into the sky. "Although next time if you want to do the fire uppercut technique, hole onto the flame and then release it when you do the punch," Zoe said. "Oh, that explains why that move failed," Kuzon said, "But other than that, it was awesome!" He took off his mask. "I think I'm gonna call it a night," Kuzon said, "Gotta head to the garage early to rehearse for the battle of the bands," "Alright, good night Kuzon," Zoe said before signing off. "If anymore criminals wanna take over Republic city, then I'm ready for you too," Kuzon said doing a stance. He headed back to the garage and did some analysis on his combat moves. The next day he was asleep on the couch. "Kuzon you in there?" Asked someone. "Oh spirits I forgot!" Kuzon said, "Band practice!" He quickly changed into some clothes and came back out. "Kuzon?" I asked. "Hey Saria, I'm right here," he said. "Ok what happened to you?" Kanji asked. "Well I was taking on some crooks in the city all night," Kuzon said. The rest of us laughed. "C'mon Kuzon we all know you've been up here looking up music videos on guitar moves," Anana said. "Guilty as charged," Kuzon said. "Alright enough talk," Kanji said getting on the drums, "LET'S JAM!" He counted down and we begun playing.

We finished the song on a high note. "And the crowd goes wild, and many people scream Tone Benders!" Kanji said. "I know right, this song rocks!" Kuzon said, "Although while we played this my brain hatched an idea for another song." "Whoa dude, one idea at a time," Anana said laughing. "You're right," Kuzon said. He looked at his watch. "Well time to go deliver some stuff to Cappy Town," he said, "Let's call it a day." "You sound real good Kuzon," I said packing up my keyboard and guitar, "By the way. Who's this Korra person?" "What?" He asked. "I heard you talking in your sleep and heard this name 'Korra'," I said. Kuzon got up and said, "She's a childhood friend from years ago who lives in the south." "Well looks like she and the Avatar share the same name," Anana said. "I haven't seen her in years though," said Kuzon, "For all we know, she's probably forgotten about me." "I'm sure you'll see her again soon," I said, "Friendship is forever." "Thanks," Kuzon said, "Coming Kanji?" "You bet," Kanji, I gotta pick up my girlfriend anyway." Kuzon and Kanji were taking a bus to a neighboring city in the Earth Kingdom, Cappy Town. People were greeting him as he walked by. "Hey its my two favorite customers!" Said someone. It was Chef Kawasaki. "Hey chef," Kuzon and Kanji said in unison. "Two Kawasaki steaks on the house coming up!" He said passing them two steaks. "Thanks man," Kanji said. The two of them were walking to the King's castle. "So how was your date yesterday with Cidney?" Kuzon asked. "It was a blast," Kanji said, "Thanks for hooking me up with those tickets, Cidney loves those guys." "Don't mention it," Kuzon said. "I think its time you found someone too dude," said Kanji nudging his shoulder, "At this rate you'll be the only guy in our band aside from Anana who's single." "Well I…. You know that wasn't very funny," Kuzon said. A spark of lightning appeared to his left and then his right. "What the…." He said. "BOO!" Someone said scaring him. It was Kanji's girlfriend Cidney DeVille. She was gifted with the ability to thunderbend and she refers to herself as if she were more than one person. "Well, looks like our lightning actually can scare people," she said laughing. "I wasn't scared, I had…. Allergies to thunder," Kuzon said. "Yeah sure," said Cidney not believing him, "So what are you guys up to?" "Just delivering some goods to Uncle Dedede," Kuzon said. "The King?" Cidney asked. "Well he's not really my uncle," Kuzon said, "Just an uncle/father figure since…. You know." "Yeah," Kanji said, "But they're up in heaven watching you grow up to be a great man." "That can't bend," said Kuzon, "I'm still kinda jealous that my friends can bend an element. "Your sister can't bend an element," corrected Cidney. "True," said Kuzon. I was heading to the office where my Uncle Wenyan was speaking with the president. "….And so with the upcoming campaign coming up we've got to make sure you're represented as a hero," he continued. I had a poster hoping that he would be able to make it. "Mr. Wenyan, you're niece is here," said someone. "Tell her I don't have time to talk right now," he said. "Can't you make some time?" I asked. "Saria I'm in the middle of an important conversation," Uncle Wenyan said. "More important than me?" I asked. "Not exactly, but you know what I mean," he said. "Uncle, my band and I are participating in the Battle of the Bands competition and we were hoping you could come," I said. "Again with this music nonsense?" Uncle Wenyan asked, "Why can't you realize that music is a waste of time?" "That's not the point," I said, "There are a lot of people that think I can make a career out of music." "Well those people are wrong," Uncle Wenyan said, "These past few events have been occurring and bringing our city into ruin because of the Avatar, and President Raiko is doing all he can to keep us all in order." "But…" I said. "There are people with bigger careers that will make what you can do absolete," he said, "In this reality, playing music is a JOKE!" I was hurt by those words. "You're never gonna come to my gigs are you?" I asked. "No," he said. He continued his conversation with the president. But I didn't care as I was excited to tell my bandmates about it. Kuzon made his way to the king's throne. "Uncle Dedede?" He asked. The king approached him. "Kuzon, why I haven't seen you since…. I can't say it enough, I'm so sorry about your brother," he said. "He use to bring me up here to see Earthbenders at work," Kuzon said, "About earlier…." "Water under the bridge," said King Dedede, "Is there anything you need?" "No just stopping by while I did my errands," Kuzon said. "Well anytime you need someone to talk to I'm right here," said King Dedede as he smiled. Back at Republic City someone was sharpening their weapons. One of his men approached the room. "I expect some good news," he said. "Lord Tokuga, We managed to find the locations of the materials we need for your plan," said the henchmen. "Excellent," Tokuga said facing him, "We will commence soon enough."