Of Copy Abilities and Friendship

by MeeM

Chapter 16: Return of the King

Chapter 16: Return of the King

Dedede's eyes sagged with boredom as Celestia and Luna finally began to wrap up their speech.

"Citizens of Canterlot, it gives me and my sister great pleasure to celebrate this momentous day with you all," Celestia said. "As said last year, this celebration is no longer a reminder of the defeat of Nightmare Moon, but a celebration of me and my sister's legacy."

Celestia and Luna began to rise into the air to raise the sun. Their magic flared as the sun's light began to peek up from behind the stage. Suddenly, the princesses' magic was cut short, then the sun fell back down and from behind the stage came a species that triggered memories Dedede had long forgotten.

“I remember now! It's been so long, but I didn't expect them to come back!“ Dedede said to himself in his head in pure shock and realization. Changelings, hundreds of them, swarmed down and dived straight toward the princess and the crowd. But two familiar faces jumped in at the last second and stood in their path.

“NO!“ Marx yelled, his famous psychedelic wings glowing their usual many colors in the dark night sky. He was hovering in front of the changelings with Driblee using some water from her crown to form a platform for herself. Driblee was also using a bubble shield to protect them from the changelings. There were also a small yellow and a small brown figure on Marx’s hat, with the yellow one crackling like a thunderstorm!

“Why do you insist on staying between us and our food?!“ a tall slender changeling demanded.

“If anything, all species have at least some semblance of sanity, and that goes for all life forms! Even the things we hunt like feral animals in the wild should be given help, love, and respect. Look, even someone as crazy and chaotic as me wouldn’t go outside and take a wild Waddle Dee’s life just because of food! Who do you think I am?! I am Marx the almighty puffball, and you will pay with your life!“ Marx said in defiance he as began to become slightly corrupted, his soul trying to take over.

“Marx….” Driblee said as she held the bubble shield up against the thousands of changelings slamming into it, “calm down before you get out of hand.” The tall changeling fired a magic beam and broke down the shield as the rest of changelings seized Marx and Driblee as well as the two small forms on Marx’s head. As the rest began to attack Canterlot, Marx and Driblee were wrapped in a strange substance Dedede had never seen changelings create. Marx, Driblee and the two creatures were encased in the stuff and knocked unconscious.

“It's the Haltmann invasion all over again,” he thought to himself.

Dedede could only watch on in horror as the changelings rained down and captured ponies. Even the ponies Kirby had traveled with were dealt with. Dedede ran over to Kirby and attempted to wake him up as Meta Knight slashed the changelings away from him and Kirby with Galaxia gripped tightly in his hand.

“WAKE UP YOU LITTLE PINK PUFF!“ Dedede yelled. Kirby immediately woke with the Sleep Ability leaving him as Meta Knight cut off a changeling's wing.

“POYO!“ Kirby screamed as he woke up and looked Dedede in the face. Kirby’s scream seemed to draw more attention to themselves.

“Don’t just stand there, we're under attack!“ Dedede said.

Kirby nodded with a face full of determination before jumping into action. He inhaled a changeling and gained an ability Dedede had never seen before...

“Changeling!“ Kirby announced as he gained the copy ability, Kirby now possessed a black color, green eyes where his once light blue ones had been, two changeling wings on his back, and a stub of a horn on his forehead. Meta Knight spun around and unleashed a small tornado to help clear the way to their friends as all three of them ran into the fight to help their friends and repel the changelings from Canterlot. Bandanna Dee soon joined them as well in the fight, that is until the four of them were separated from each other. When that happened, the changelings then tried dog-piling Dedede.

“Get off of me!” Dedede yelled as he smashed them away with a magnificent hammer flip! During their time fighting, though, he did notice that some of the changelings began to give him a confused look, one not of hate but one not of love as well. Half an hour later, he remained steadfast and ready as he smacked changeling after changeling with some even losing a fang or two to the mighty hammer. He saw all the ponies, the princesses, Kirby and all his friends in cocoons on the wall of the castle. Even the two small figures on Marx’s head were in mini ones, and the sun and moon were now crossing each other forming a blinding eclipse. But within the light of the eclipse, he saw something just for a second or two: a giant tree with holy green light shining from its core, he heard a voice from it.
"Before you do battle with her, I give you my blessings. They will serve you well, but because I am expending energy for the creation of someone very special, they will not remain on you for longer than the next thirty seconds. But even once my blessings expire you will succeed. You must. Now go and reclaim your rightful place. Good luck..." the voice said, it seemed female and dragon-like.

The vision of the tree disappeared and just like that, he was thrown right back into the fray, leaving him open to the bite of a changeling. But when its fangs attempted to sink into him, they simply stopped at his skin as if the changeling was a biting a rock and didn't affect him at all. The image of a green symbol with a dragon emblem flashed in his eyes briefly as the changeling reeled back, surprised at the lack of damage his bite did.

"Whatever that voice was, it must be powerful enough to provide invincibility." The thought alone made him nervous, "It's up to me now, I hope your luck may help me,” Dedede said in his head as a Sapphire light receded off him and disappeared. The blessing was gone. He was on his own now. More and more changelings began to stop and stare at him with confused looks. "Who is this special person the tree was talking about?" Dedede thought, but he didn't have time to delve into it because the tall changeling from before fluttered in front of him, the changelings making way for her,

“How can this be?!“ she said with astonishment.

“How's old Chamilea doing?” Dedede asked with a smug grin,

“She was the first queen, and she’s been dead for thousands of years. How have you lived so long yet be so nimble?!“ the queen said.

“I don’t know how it's been so long, but I think it’s time for me to take back my rightful title,“ Dedede said with a smirk as he took up an offensive stance.

“We’ll see that your title as prince was lost along with you when you disappeared.“

“Bring it on, then!“ Dedede said as the changelings backed up, forming an arena like a circle around them. Dedede ran in and started his fight with a head slide and began to sing…
"You'll fall to the might of Dedede!" he sang as he clashed his hammer with the queen’s horn.
“Got my hammer to smack those who cross me!“ Dedede began to do many Super Dedede Jumps around the arena. “All of your hive falls under my rule.“ Chrysalis shot many blasts at him. He jumped back and wiped some sweat off his forehead. “This here emperor penguin is keeping it cool!“ Dedede then turned to the changelings and kept singing, “If you still want to stay outta line...” Dedede showed off his hammer. “You'll say hello again to this mallet of mine!"
"I'm gonna use it to pound your face..."
"...Unless you kneel for me!“ The changelings began to bow down to him. “That's it, know your place!“ Dedede turned back to the queen.

“I will make you bow to true royalty! See, you gotta kowtow to Dedede!“ he said. He struck a pose while staying alert of the lasers the queen continued to fire. “When I raise my hammer, villains better flee!“ He gestured toward the changelings while smirking at the queen. “That's right, loyal subjects, you submit to me!“ She charged at him, horn glowing. Dedede jumped out of the way and began to chuck a bunch of mini hammers at her one at a time. “You will now yield to King Dedede, the mightiest king of all time! I'm the king of Dream Land, which is under my command, so hail Dedede!“ He got up after another head slide and turned back to the changelings.

“There was but one who dared to step to me: your queen’s ancestor Chamilea. When I ate the whole supply of food, she came and smacked me up! How rude!“ Dedede sung as he turned his back and scowled at Chrysalis. “You're her descendant, so that's a sign I must clobbah you with this here mallet of mine. So if you don't wish for me to pound your face, Chrissy, Chrissy, Chrissy, you should know your place!“ Dedede smirked as he continued to sing, “I'll make you bow to true royalty! Yeah, you gotta kowtow to Dedede!“ He brandished his wooden mallet for all to see. “When I raise my hammer, villains better flee!“ He pointed at the circle of changelings. “Now, my loyal subjects, submit to me! You will now yield to King Dedede, the mightiest king of all time! I'm the king of Dream Land, which is under my command, so hail Dedede!“

Dedede was so busy singing that he failed to notice Chrysalis charging at him. She knocked him into the air and blasted his mallet with a laser, causing it to burst into shards of wood, “Hey! You just blew up my favorite mallet!” Dedede glared at the queen. “You done messed up big time!“ Dedede said as he got up, his face red with anger. "It's your fault I'm breaking out the big guns, so don't say I didn't warn you!“ Dedede pulled out the strongest hammer he had ever wielded: the Dedede Hammer 2.0, a metal hammer with his peace-sign insignia on the flat sides. “We're gonna settle this once and for all!” Dedede said.

Dedede swung his hammer a few times then slammed it down creating a star. He inhaled the star and spat it at Chrysalis before she could react, hitting her dead-on as Dedede rushed in and did a head slide. Dedede then put the hammer on its peg, and it opened up and fired five missiles! As the missiles sailed towards Chrysalis, he began to do many Super Dedede Jumps.

“It is time, to end this rivalry.”

Dedede landed and tossed his hammer, which began to follow him like a boomerang as he did more Super Dedede Jumps.

“We now stand at the cusp of victory, so Chrissy, get ready!” Dedede said as he caught his hammer in midair. While airborne, he attempted to slam Chrysalis into the ground with his hammer. She moved out of the way just in time, but she stumbled a bit from the electric shockwave that followed. “It's the revenge of King Dedede!”

“It's time to settle this royally. The climax has come, as you can see, of the debate of who's the better ruler, you or Dedede!"
Dedede stopped for a second to catch his breath as he sang more slowly. “Listen to the drums of war!” Dedede sung. "I will pound ya 'til you're sore!” Dedede yelled "Ha!" as he brought his hammer down on Chrysalis. She dodged it, only to be caught off-guard as the hammer opened up and sprayed fire like a dragon!

Dedede then followed it up with multiple hammer swings and a short spin attack “Hail to me, yours truly, not gonna show mercy, time to make history! Whose name will be carried on the breeze? Mine, of course!” Dedede said before he got knocked around in an aerial combo by Chrysalis. With one last strike, Chrysalis slammed the king hard into the stone streets, leaving a small crater.

Dedede’s vision returned to him shortly, and the first thing he saw was his new subjects looking at him in a circle. Chrysalis tried to turn them back to her side but failed miserably. The changelings stepped back as Dedede coughed up some blood. His coat was staining from his injuries. The changelings made a path for Chrysalis, revealing him to her to be alive.

“HOW?!!” Chrysalis yelled in surprise.

“Heh heh heh...” Dedede chuckled, “you really thought you beat me, just like that? You should know better, 'cause I still got another trick up my sleeve..." Dedede said with a devilish grin while the blood was seeping out of his mouth and down his chin. "I bet you remember this thing, don't you?” He pulled out an old, tattered scroll out of his coat. He knew what it meant now.

“No, it can’t be!” Chrysalis said, eyes wide.

“This is the spell that weird amalgamation gave Chamelia and me to try and revive the kingdom to its former glory, but it backfired. That trickster tricked us! It turned what remained of our kingdom into changelings like you!” Dedede explained. “And now, before I undo that amalgamation’s spell...” Dedede pointed his damaged finger at the queen. “You need to be dealt with!” He commanded the changelings, “Subjects! Let everyone go. Set them up to watch and maybe take part in the fight to come.”

He chanted a spell on the scroll, and a purple aura began to envelop him. His muscles grew larger and larger until they ripped his coat. “I’ll repair that later. I’m sure that seamstress the princess was talking about can fix this old coat up,” Dedede said.

“It can’t be!” Chrysalis repeated.

“Sorry, but you're not the one in charge here! This time I’m bringing back a favored form of mine for all the buffs back on Pop Star! Bonkers, this one’s for you! Heh heh heh!” Dedede laughed, and as Kirby and the others were just regaining consciousness and the changelings led them toward the arena, the battle began as Dedede began to sing once more. “Check out this beef, look who's armed to the teeth, you'd better run from my strength 'cause I’m the baddest dude!” Dedede sung with a smile as he flexed a bit, creating some stars which he inhaled and spat at the queen. “Check out my biceps and gawk at my triceps!”

“Why won’t you just die already, you freak?!” the queen yelled.

“Are you calling me a freak?” Dedede sang. “You should know that's rude!” He began to do many Super Dedede Jumps around with the changelings backing up even more to avoid the shock waves that followed. “I'm gonna flex with my Herculean strength,” he sung as he began to smack the queen with his fists and arms, “because these arms look awesome on me!” He finished it up with some hard smashes using both fists, destroying some of the stone streets. “These arms boast girth, power, torsion, and length! Fear Buff Dedede!” he continued to sing as his friends watched from the sidelines with happy faces of approval and cheers.

“That's it, Dedede! Go for it!” Marx yelled over the chaos and singing.

“Eva!” Eevee cheered.

Dedede nodded to Marx and continued his song as he began to do many Super Dedede Jumps. With his newfound strength, they now created shockwaves and cracking the ground slightly. “Chrissy! I’m-a bash you!” Dedede sang “I will pummel you, and punch you into the ground, oh Chrissy! You can’t rule them, so follow this king’s instructions...” Dedede sung as he lifted both his fists into the air after jumping up with a Super Dedede Jump. “SUBMIT TO DEDEDESTRUCTION!” He slammed his fists on top of the queen, barely hearing a few of her bones break. But despite having a broken back Chrysalis still did not let up with him with powerful magic and physical strikes, even attempting to bite him a few times. Dedede began to pull up pieces of the street and hurl them at her. “Chrissy! I'm-a slam you, real hard!” he sang as he jumped to the center of the arena. “Chrissy! You better be on your guard!” He began to bounce around like a ball of muscle rather than simply using Super Dedede Jumps. “Chrissy! You'll never beat me, 'cause I have this power! It's DEDEDE'S HOUR!” he called out as he pounded the ground so hard it began to crack quite a bit.

“Who knew that the corrupted form of Dedede that we fought was the same one that would save us all...” Driblee said to Marx.

“POYO!” Kirby yelled as he gave up the Changeling Ability and hugged his best friend with his nublies. Marx did the same but with his hat’s pom poms, with Eevee and Pikachu holding on tight to the front.

“Good to finally see you again, best friend!” Marx said with love while Adeline was painting an Al Fresco picnic for them to heal with.

Dedede then began to swing around houses and buildings to get above Chrysalis for more smashes. “Now you've got to face this beefed-up, mighty king!” Dedede sang. “Chrissy, you are gonna get a clobbahing!” He then began to smack her more and more with his arms and fists “I’ll drive you into the ground and it's gonna sting! I don't need a mallet, I'll just punch you into submission!” Dedede sang with a smile and punch, he then used the spell’s power to lift up a piece of the road with telekinesis and hold it in place with stasis allowing him to hold on to it and punch the queen at the same time.

Twilight almost fainted again, but some force kept her from doing so. “Well, Twilight,” Celestia said with a kind smile, “looks like everyone from Pop Star is more than meets the eye.”

Twilight’s eye twitched. “How is this possible?!” she thought.

Kirby and the others continued cheering Dedede on as he continued to sing and pound the changeling queen into a pancake. “Pancakes would actually be great right now,” Kirby thought to himself.

“Fall to the mighty King Dedede, the macho-est king of all time!” Dedede sang as he smashed the queen and the ground repeatedly. The ground looked like it would give way soon. “You better show respect or I will break your neck even while I rhyme!” he sang. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha!” He then began to jump and bounce all over the place, swinging on the telekinetically held street pieces as if they were pillars and swung around them to build up speed and power. The yellow creature on Marx’s hat shot off a thunderbolt at the queen, slightly paralyzing her. This kept her in place long enough for him to pound her even more “I'll spring around, off the walls and the ground! Each of my muscles can turn you into a pancake!” he sang as he slammed his shoulder into the ground. As the queen dashed out of the way, he then began to show off his muscles more before doing more Super Dedede Jumps. “You see these pecs and the traps on my neck? Their size is proof that victory is mine to take!” He then got an idea. He repeatedly slammed his fists into the ground more and more, having a hunch as to what would happen next. “No need for hammers when you have arms like these!” he sang. “They're even heavier than hammers, you see! Tussling with my muscles won't be a spring breeze! I'm Macho Dedede!” And with one final smack, the ground gave way, and Dedede and Chrysalis began to fall down into a cave of some sort. On the way down, he decided to give the queen something to keep her mind on. The others just stared into the abyss as Dedede and Chrysalis fell deeper and deeper.

Marx walked up to the pit as everyone stared at him and Eevee and Pikachu. “We're not just gonna stand here the whole time. Come on, everyone! Time to squash this bug!” Marx declared.

“Poyo!” Kirby said as he ran up with Marx and jumped into the pit.

“Might as well follow them,” Susie said. She summoned her Business Suit and did a fast driver slam down into the pit while putting her battle visor on. The rest of Dedede's friends followed as his friends began to dive down towards him and the queen’s battle.

“Chrissy! You won’t beat me!” he sang as they fell and fought at the same time “I think... Chrissy, I will push you to the brink! Chrissy! You won’t beat me, I told you already!” He brushed off the rubble after landing as well as the queen. His friends followed him and floated beside him as he continued singing. “So you better be ready!” he sang as he struck a pose. They all began to attack her with everything they had. Taranza and Sectonia shot webs to slow the queen down. Marx cleared up all the rubble with his black hole before spitting down seeds which grew into thorny vines from above, limiting the queen’s movement options. “Chrissy, I'm gonna smack...” “YOUR FACE!” he and Pinkie said in unison as Pinkie appeared from seemingly nowhere and smacked the queen in the face with a frying pan. “Chrissy, we're not running a gourmet race!” he sang as he chased the queen, smacking her with his fists and creating shock waves to slow her down. “Chrissy! You can’t win, not when I've got this power!”

“IT'S DEDEDE'S HOUR!” they all yelled so loud the changelings up top could hear them.

“You must face the power of our mighty king!” Adeline and Ribbon sang.

“Chrysalis, it's time to get a clobbering!” Driblee sang.

“He’ll drive you into the ground and it'll surely sting!” Sectonia sang.

“No mallet necessary, he'll punch you to oblivion!” Taranza sang.

“Bow to the mighty King Dedede!” Marx sang.

“The most glorious king of all time!” Bandanna Dee sang

“You must show me respect or we will break your neck as we end this rhyme!” he finished singing as Sectonia and Taranza completely trapped Chrysalis with a web hold as the queen finally fell unconscious from her injuries. They flew up and out of the pit while helping the others who couldn't get out as well. Dedede looked down into the disbelieving eyes of Twilight and her friends as they stared at him, his muscles pulsing with magic, Marx’s rainbow wings, and the now webbed and unconscious changeling queen “Hail to the king,” he said with a smirk as he struck a pose. His new subjects and the entirety of Canterlot began cheering for him and his friends.

Author's Note:

DEDEDE THAT'S THE NAME YOU SHOULD KNOW! DEDEDE HE'S THE KING OF THE SHOW! YOU'LL HOLLER AND HOOT HE'LL GIVE EVIL THE BOOT! DEDEDE IS THE ONE! HE COMES RIGHT BACK AT YA! HE COMES RIGHT BACK AT YA! GIVE IT ALL THAT YOU GOT, TAKE YOUR VERY BEST SHOT, CAUSE HE'S COMING RIGHT BACK AT YA FOR SURE YEAH! DEDEDE SAVEIN THE DAY! DEDEDE HE'S HERE TO STAY, DON'T BE FOOLED BY HIS SIZE YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES! DEDEDE IS THE ONE!
Special thanks to Kelduo for helping me through editing as well as being the designer and drawer for changeling Kirby, your awesome man.
*meem crosses his fingers hoping that everyone won't rant or criticize his hard work*
Finally, the nightmare that was editing this chapter is over I hope you enjoy it and the rest of the story folks! I promise to not take as long with these things as this one. -Meem
Our penguin overlord has asserted his dominance

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Where did you get the cover art?

[The Kelduo]

Glad to help. Never thought I'd ever see a T-posing Dedede, though.

10316861
Watch this and you'll find out.

[MeeM]

10316977
Thx, you're the best man

[The Kelduo]

10317231
No problem, I'm just doing what I do best. Good luck with the rest of the chapters!

[DeDeDestroyer-Z]

Nice Juno Cover!