A Shooting Star ~Kirby and Sonic crossover~

Chapter 42: Power of Zero

Hi all!

I, uh, really got carried away with this chapter, as you could probably tell. I do hope you guys enjoy long chapters, because this happens to be my longest chapter yet (over 4,500 words!)!

I also hope to keep up my daily uploads before school comes around. I have a feeling that school won't be so forgiving to me when I return from Winter Break...

-Much love, Yokai

____________________________________

Kirby watched Sonic and Meta Knight fearfully, his eyes filled with terror as the newly transformed Sonic pinned the knight to the ground with his claws, his sword held tightly in his free hand. Meta Knight struggled in his grip, gasping for air as he tried to wiggle free, wings flapping frantically. Sonic grinned, and Kirby couldn't help but shiver when he felt an intense bloodlust coming from the hedgehog. The crowd of mobians broke the silence with a series of concerned murmurs, their attention solely fixed on the Blue Blur.

"What happened to Sonic?"

"Daddy, why is Sonic mad? I'm scared."

"Look at his fur. Was he always able to do that?"

"Must be some sort of Super State we don't know about."

"Is he okay? Should we go and help him?"

That wasn't Sonic, Kirby realized with a pang, staring at the hedgehog towering over his father, his black quills falling neatly over his shoulders. The darkness inside of him was taking him over, surrounding his mind like a batch of tentacles coming to claim its prize. In this case, Sonic was the prize, the mound of buried treasure...

Kirby's gaze went blank for a moment. A tingle coursed through his body. For some odd reason, the darkness and the predicament they were in felt so... familiar and repetitive. But how? Why?

He wondered silently how Sonic must be feeling. After Kirby had been possessed by the Demon Frog, he remembered how disgusting he felt using the body that had wreaked so much fear and havoc on Cappy Town. He was scared to look down at his paws for fear of seeing stains of old, crusted blood. It was a terrible feeling: knowing you could never escape from the guilt, no matter how hard you tried.

"I did think you would be more of a challenge," droned Dark Sonic, curling his fingers tighter around Meta Knight. He angled his sword so it pointed between Meta Knight's eyes. "What a shame. I would play around with you longer, but I will not waste my time any further." Dark Sonic's gaze landed on Kirby, and he peeled back his lips to reveal his sharp, gleaming fangs. Kirby took a step back, whimpering. "You see, there is a certain puffball I need to catch."

Meta Knight growled, and with a powerful push from his feet, knocked Dark Sonic off him. The hedgehog barely flinched, only letting out an annoyed huff as he lightly dusted himself off with the tip of his sword. "Do not dare touch my son!" Meta Knight snarled, steadying Galaxia in front of him, his calm yellow eyes a furious red. "I will fight to my last breath to protect him!"

Shadow sidled up beside Kirby and blocked the puffball's view with his black and red pelt of fur and quills. "Sonic, you have to calm down," said Shadow steadily, although Kirby could feel his anxiety beating in his chest, battering against his ribs. "Dark Matter—Zero—is turning you against us. You have to fight it. You're better than this." Kirby and Meta Knight shared a puzzled look. Hadn't the name Zero been mentioned before by the Dark Matter back at Angel Island?

"Master Zero says that he wields extraordinary power. You must be mighty proud of him, Wielder of Galaxia."

Master Zero, the Dark Matter had said. Did that mean Sonic was being taken over by the leader of the Dark Matters? The Demon Frog had been bad enough for Kirby. To think that Sonic had to battle an internal battle with the leader of the Dark Matters was frightening.