Harmony of Heroes: Ultimate Multiverse Explorers

by Lucar

Chapter 128: Wondaria Remains Part 2

The sun had almost entirely disappeared beyond the horizon by the time the heroes reached what seemed to be their next destionation.

"An alien-themed haunted fun house," Present Sonic said as he observed the giant big top which had for entrance the mouth of a huge four-eyed alien holding a rocket with that same dog they saw a bit everywhere in the park inside it. "Let's see who will be the first one to scream like a little girl."

Phantom snorted. "As if this will happen. We each went through so much that a haunted fun house will be nothing."

Present Sonic smirked at her. "You never know. A good jumpscare is always effective, no matter how tough you think you are."

They entered the fun house.

The inside was as expected with the theme. The surfaces were painted so it looked like they were in space, with planets and stars on them or suspended from the ceiling. It was rather dark, but there was still enough light supplied by hexagonal neons near the walls that they could still see where they were going. All of this put a very eerie ambience, in a fun way.

It wasn't long before the group reached a first turn and an alien board came out from behind the wall to jumpscare theme.

There were no scream, but because everyone was on guard due to the possibility of being ambushed at all moment, at least five different projectiles fired out of reflex destroyed the board.

Seeing the smoking remains of the board, the heroes exchanged looks, then some of them couldn't stop themselves from letting out a laugh while others sighed. They expected something like that, and yet, it got them good.

But the fun didn't last long. A group of one-eyed walking ghosts known as Spooksteps appeared and attacked them. Despite being ghosts, they perfectly could be punched, so nobody had problem fighting back. And the fact that they were ghosts spooked absolutely nobody.

"So that's ghosts from the Dream Universe? They look more funny than scary," Apple Death said.

"It looked like it came out of a kid's cartoon," Elfilin said with a giggle.

"Yeah, the Spooksteps are the funny ones, but just wait until you meet a Phanta," Sweetie Void replied.

They didn't have to wait long to meet one. As they traversed a small bridge of blocks that crumbled under their feet, another alien board came out of a slot in the wall and blocked their path. They quickly destroyed it to reach the other side of the bridge before it fully crumbled under them. At the same time, a round floating ghost with a skull mask appeared behind them and attempted to get them from behind only to be punched by Anubis.

"That was a Phanta," Sweetie said.

"Definitively looking less funny. Well, Ah guess that it depends of what's under that mask of theirs."

"Nobody knows."

A longer bridge of crumbling blocks followed, with more Spooksteps and Phantas attacking them while they were forced to destroy another alien board blocking the way. An Orabiroo then attempted to flatten them as they ran out of the bridge, before they were stopped from reaching a doorway by two more alien boards and more ghosts used the occasion to ambush them.

After the boards but before the doorway (and after passing a singly poor Sir Kibble guarding said doorway), a path at the right led to an imprisoned Waddle Dee placed on some pedestal. When the heroes went to save him, many ghosts appeared and surrounded them. There were as many ghosts as there were heroes, meaning that there was barely a fight.

At least, that was a good try.

The group then passed the doorway and entered a room with no apparent exit beside the path they came from. There was a giant light bulb on the floor and a solar panel in an alcove for some reason, under a screen with a sun symbol.

It wasn't hard to guess that they needed to use the light bulb to activate the solar panel and reveal the path to continue. The problem was that there was that the spotlight supposed to light the solar panel was broken, so they had to use another way.

Several solution presented themselves to the heroes:
-Kirby could use his new power to inhale the light bulb and use it;
-Kirby could use an Ability like Spark to create light;
-Sweetie Void could create light with her magic;
-Phantom could create a new spotlight with her phantom power;
-Apple Death, Little Ghost, Zan Partizanne, Pikachu, Ness, or Poo could use electricity to create light.

Kirby chose for them the first solution. He wanted to test the light bulb.

Flashing the solar panel for a couple of seconds charged a generator inside the screen until the sun symbol turned green. Then, the room revealed to be an elevator going upward until reaching a more darkened area of the fun house.

There was barely a light. Only a few weak neons here and there that didn't show much contrary to the other ones. Because of this, the heroes couldn't see anything.

Thanks to his light bulb, Kirby revealed that the area ahead was one huge seemingly bottomless pit with only a narrow path crossing it. Without a light, the fall was certain for the ones who couldn't fly. Everyone agreed to let Kirby take the lead while Phantom created flashlights for some of the others, and Sweetie Void went to the middle of the group illuminate everyone with her horn.

Despite all that, crossing the pit wasn't fun at all.

For starting, after passing an elevated section, they reached a wall beside which they walked. Of course, an alien board came out of it to block their path. But then...

"Wha-? Jump!" Fox shouted.

"What?"

"Wah! The wall!"

"Aaah!"

Part of the wall came out, pushing everyone before it. Anyone not jumping in time was pushed into the pit. Thankfully, the flying heroes reacted quickly and saved anyone who fell. It was quite the scare.

Then, a bit further...

"Careful, Kirby. The path stops before you," Meta Knight warned.

Kirby stopped just in time to avoid walking into the pit as the path stopped. No choice but to jump to the next part.

Sweetie briefly flew to a solar panel that was just after, out of the way, elevating out of the pit a section of floor that only transported some food.

Then came another section alongside a wall. This time, the heroes weren't tricked. Only Kirby advanced until an alien board came out to block the way. It was quickly destroyed while Kirby jumped on the section of wall that came out to push him into the pit. The others who remained behind either jumped on the section too or waited for it to return into the wall before continuing.

A bad encounter immediately followed.

"A Ghost Gordo? That's a first," Sweetie said.

A one-eyed, ghostly Gordo was present ahead. Being a Gordo, it was invincible, but contrary to normal Gordos who generally remained in place or moved back and forth in the air, this one flew toward the nearest hero upon spotting them thanks to the lights. This left most of the heroes no choice but to run away from it if it got too close.

Thankfully, the heroes had the Spirit of Death among them.

"Leave this guy ta me!" Apple Death exclaimed "Ghosts are my shtick!"

She easily used her Spirit of Death powers to take control of the Ghost Gordo and force it to leave them alone, allowing everyone to continue without having to worry about it.

Just beside where the Ghost Gordo was, there was another solar panel that Sweetie Void flashed, elevating another section of floor, this time with a trapped Waddle Dee.

Then, for the third time, they reached a section alongside a wall. This time, however, they only had to worry about another Ghost Gordo that Apple Death quickly took care of. Beside this wall was a staircase leading to a doorway, while the path continued to another solar panel.

While Kirby flashed the solar panel, revealing a series of platform forming another staircase to another doorway, Sweetie Void went to the first doorway with Anubis, Dixie, and Little Ghost. In the end, only Little Ghost was needed as she just had to pass through a grid to reach a trapped Waddle Dee.

The Clocker and Bronto Burts guarding him felt cheated.

When the four returned, Kirby was still flashing the solar panel. It turned out that the platforms were retracting into the wall from which they came out, so Kirby had to continuously flash the panel to allow everyone to pass.

Just before reached the second doorway, there was a side path leading to a small room with another solar panel guarded by two Ghost Gordos. After Apple Death took care of the two ghosts, Sweetie Void flashed the solar panel, opening a gate to another trapped Waddle Dee.

Finally, they passed the doorway and reached a more lit up part of the fun house, allowing Kirby to let go of the light bulb. He didn't have a choice anyway. To continue, they had to climb a ladder, which he couldn't do while his body covered the object.

After fighting a few more enemies, both ghosts and non-ghosts, the path split, with a treasure chest placed right in the middle of the right path.

The more observant immediately saw the trap. The more hotheaded, however, had to be saved from being crushed by what revealed to be an optical illusion painting that fell when someone got too close.

"Tricks like that should be illegal!" Diddy complained.

"Ya should pass more time with Mario. He often has to deal with that kind of stuff when he has to go through haunted places in his adventures," Apple Death said.

Little Ghost nodded. "The Boos love using and abusing this trick."

Another one came not long after. It looked like they had to climb a ladder to reach an elevated part, but they actually had to jump on several ledge to reach it. Again, some of the heroes had to be saved from the painting almost falling on them.

After passing another ambush caused by a large group of ghosts, the group reached another split in the path. This time, everyone waited that the more observants confirmed that, yes, the left path led to another painting. Sweetie Void then confirmed it by teleporting in front of the painting before teleporting away right away as the painting fell. However, to everyone's surprise, the falling painting revealed a small room with a vending machine beside a bench.

But Kirby decided to not bother this time.

Taking the right path, after two alien boards, they reached a mobile platform, a bit cramped with all of them on it even when subtracting the ones who could fly. As the platform moved, they had to deal with a few more alien boards coming out of walls and partially blocking the way, risking to push some of the heroes into the pit below.

They quickly had to get out of the platform before it passed under a wall, then they had to climb on another with more alien boards blocking the way. A Clocker with a captured Waddle Dee tried to trap the heroes by placing itself just behind where three boards would come out of the wall in quick succession, baiting the heroes so they would end up being pushed by the boards into the pit, but the boards were destroyed, and the trap thus failed.

A golden cage awaited the group after the platform. The Clockers probably thought that there was no way that the heroes would be able to reach so deep in the fun house with all the traps.

"That was fun, but this fun house could do without the deadly pits. But I'm still returning here with my friends once we're done with the Beast Pack," Sweetie Void said

Elfilin stared at what remained of the alien boards behind the group, sweating. "The alien boards will have to be replaced first however."

---

After exiting the fun house, the heroes walked to the next part of the park. By now, the sun had entirely set. It was the beginning of the night.

It was decided that they will finish exploring Wondaria, and then, they will return to the town to rest.

They seemed to approach a special section of the park that was separated from the rest. After following a road, they entered a building with a shutter and a switch.

Sweetie pressed the switch, turning on some lights inside the room. The shutter then opened.

Revealing the park now illuminated by countless lights, parade cars advancing on paths left and right, and a festive music that will remain in the head now playing. Far in the background, the ferris wheel and its rainbow lights was the master piece.

As the heroes passed an archway, many couldn't stop themselves from looking around in childish amazement. Most of the last ones then ran ahead of the others, impatient to see more of this parade.

Careful of the parade cars, they climbed a ladder and followed the main path while fighting the Awoofies and other enemies that were a little everywhere. While going up a series of slopes alongside the parade cars, they found ducklings that they led to their mother up some stairs.

After the mother duck, the heroes had to take the path on which the cars were rolling, up more slopes. This left them no choice but to destroy the cars so everyone could climb.

"We are ruining the parade..." Sweetie Void whined in regret.

Phantom shrugged, although she looked a bit sad too. "Gotta do what we gotta do."

Meanwhile, Meta Knight and Marx got a cage that almost escaped, just before the doorway to the next part of the parade. They were soon joined by the others who left behind a trail of destruction.

After the doorway, they found themselves on top of a series of large bridge covered in mud, with only some platforms allowing to traverse without getting bogged down. For once, the heroes' huge number was a major hindrance. And it didn't help that there were many Twisters and some Scarfys patrolling above the mud pits. At least, they didn't have to watch out for parade cars this time, excepted when they reached a tower where cars were rolling in circles on top of it. More cars were also circling around the doorway at the end.

Just before the doorway was another Clocker with a Waddle Dee. The bird tried to hide behind another, smaller tower, but Anubis spotted it.

Finally, they arrived at a large road that they had to travel up while parade cars were coming from the opposite direction. No choice again but to destroy them for all of the heroes to pass.

When they reached the end of the road, they had to follow a smaller path through more parade cars and metal crates until reaching a shutter door behind which Anubis revealed that there was a Waddle Dee, so they destroyed it to save him. Then, they climbed a ladder to reach another road with a shutter. After moving down the road a bit, the shutter opened to let pass many more parade cars that rolled after the heroes.

Lot of destruction followed. Also, they found another trapped Waddle Dee hidden inside a small hole.

Then, at the end of the road, they climbed a ladder to the top of a tower with a golden cage. The Clockers holding it escaped, leaving the cage behind. They saw the path of destruction the heroes created, no way they would remain after that.

---

"We are almost done exploring the park, and I already want to return," Elfilin said sadly.

"I know the feeling," Sweetie Void agreed.

The heroes were now at the opposite side of the park from the entrance, before a large circus big top that they entered.

They arrived by the rafters. As they walked around the seats, they could see the stage with a cloaked figure wearing a top hat on it.

"I have the feeling that another big bad is awaiting us. Whose turn is it?" Marx asked.

"Let's see first what it is, then we will decide," Present Sonic said.

They walked down the ramp and approached the stage.

Sweetie and Kirby decided to be the one climbing on it for now.

As they walked on the stage, the cloaked figure revealed itself to be an anthropomorphic female leopard.

To say the least, she got the eyes of some of the males among the heroes.

Before Clawroline could attack, Sweetie Void sent rolling a ball of yarn which the leopard began to play with.

"So, who wants to fight her?" she then asked as she turned to look at the others.

There were some exchanges of stares, some talks, it was quickly decided that some of the boys won't fight. In the end, Krystal decided that she will be the one fighting.

Clawroline was still playing with the ball of yarn when Krystal climbed on the stage. Rolling her eyes, she sent a fireball to burn the yarn, making the leopard jump back and yowl in surprise and fright.

"I'm your adversary, kitty."

Clawroline glared at Krystal, then extended her claws. Surprisingly, she could extend them a lot, easily a good foot.

Krystal looked at the blade-like claws with worry. "Leopard claws aren't supposed to extend that much!"

"And trees aren't supposed to throw giant explosive coconuts! Don't bother on these details!" Sweetie Void shouted.

Clawroline charged at Krystal and slashed her claws at her, first the left ones that Krystal dodged, then the right one that she parried before she attempted to kick the leopard on the chest. Clawroline jumped back to avoid the kick, and Krystal began to repeatedly fire fireballs at her, managing to hit her several times before Clawroline closed the distance in one jump and fell straight toward Krystal with her claws out. Krystal avoided the claws by jumping backward, only for Clawroline to wrap her tail around one of Krystal's legs to trip her, opening her to a second assault that didn't miss. Krystal's chest was cross-slashed.

Before Clawroline could attack a third time, Krystal fired a stream of ice that forced the leopard to get away before she could be frozen. Then, she resumed firing fireballs until Clawroline dashed at high speed back at her with her claws. Krystal was able to parry the two claws at once while keeping an eye on the tail. While struggling against the claws, she then quickly grabbed her blaster and fired at Clawroline in the blink of an eye, shooting her in the stomach. Thanks to the pain it caused to Clawroline, Krystal was then able to push back the claws before she repeatedly bonked the leopard on the head by twirling her staff. One strong hit sent Clawroline on her back, but she quickly recovered and got up, pressing her belly in pain.

She suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke, then reappeared dashed back at Krystal like earlier. However, just before reaching Krystal who was ready to parry her again, Clawroline revealed it to be a feint as she quickly moved around Krystal and attacked from her left. This took Krystal off guard. She still managed to parry the claws but she was off balance, resulting in her getting pushed back before she ended up slashed again. Krystal then parried another swipe, countered only to be blocked too, got clawed on the arm as a result, and finally released a stream of ice that forced Clawroline to get away again.

Krystal then took her blaster and fired twice, one shot getting Clawroline on the right shoulder, and the other on the left thigh, forcing her to kneel while holding her injured shoulder.

Growling, Clawroline put herself on her four legs and yowled loudly, her fur standing on end, before she jumped despite her injuries toward the nearest metal structure surrounding the stage. She then took out seven knifes that she threw at Krystal one by one, forcing the vixen to run. When she ran out of knives, Clawroline jumped to another metal structure and repeated the process. Then took and threw even more knives until she threw a total of twenty one of them. All the while, Krystal fired fireballs whenever she could. She fired with the blaster at first, but Clawroline was able to use her knives to deflect the beams, so she stopped trying.

Then, Clawroline extended her claws and dove toward Krystal who barely dodged in time. This caused Clawroline to get her claws stuck into the stage, immobilising her, and she had to start to pull to get them out.

Seeing her opportunity, Krystal bounced on Clawroline to jump very high, readied her staff, and struck down the leopard with the powerful Ground Quack that she used in her fight against Link. The whole stage shook as the red pulse spread around Clawroline on the floor, and the part under Clawroline was even destroyed so she ended up partially buried in the debris.

And she wasn't moving anymore.

Seeing that Clawroline was defeated, three Clockers transporting a golden cage came from the ceiling of the big top and, scared for their life, dropped it beside Krystal before escaping.

Meanwhile, Present Sonic looked at the result of the Ground Quack, then stared at Link in disbelief. "How did you get up from that?"

Link shrugged.

Comments

[Justalad 45]

Pretty cool stuff! Y'know,the scare house part gave me inspiration for at least 2 variants of the ghost Ability:

Chained Ghost:Basically ghost Kirby with Chains over his over his body and one conected to a heavy metal Ball that he Swing around and if he makes it swing fast enough it Can even make it lit up in Ghostly Fire.

Poltergeist:it would Look like the regular ghost Kirby but with the cloat More thorn up and with the eyes all Black with sparks of Light. In this upgrade It can Now pick up and manipulate nearby Objects and Trow them at incredible speeds or use them as cover,reinforced with ghostly energy.

[Lucar]

11536944
Thanks! Those are great ideas!

[Herald of Opera]

ferry wheel

Ferris wheel. Wikipedia confirmed my assumption that it was named after a guy.

[Lucar]

11537221
Ah, I didn't know that, thank you.

[ZFTim]

Weird thought, but i would be interested to see how some of the Kirby Sub-Games would be adapted in a sort of non-canon Mini-Story, how about Kirby Fighters or Dededes Drum Dash or Kirbys Dream Buffet etc.
Again, just a weird thought

[Windy0]

11537250
Neat chapter. Now, do you still think you can get the next one up by my birthday?

[Lucar]

11537272
I will try.
11537267
There are some that would be easy to write about, others less so.

[Windy0]

11537399
After this arc, are you going to go back to Undertale? I am having a harder and harder time finding you Genocide Buster blog the more new blogs you put up.

[Lucar]

11537944
Not yet. First, Mario.

[Windy0]

11538045
I thought you already did Mario.

[Lucar]

11538146
It doesn't mean that we don't return in previous universes, like I did with Pokémon and Zelda.

[Windy0]

11538152
Oh😳 My bad

[omegasnowfall]

I wonder if, when Elfilin grows up, he'll look like Fecto Elfilis.

[RainbowRaptorDash1]

Check these out!camo.fimfiction.net/eNc3mTU9IhAGuUH-HAwhyCE15ejJdu-EDhl8YtRf2r0?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpm1.narvii.com%2F6955%2F7a0ad3c39eb3307ce3295a9d6bddff635681b852r1-2048-1536v2_uhq.jpg images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/1f681e9f-1cf3-4df7-80a9-acfd9508e418/d95nw6j-8d69213c-0617-44f3-bc5b-99d3ef91ead0.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzFmNjgxZTlmLTFjZjMtNGRmNy04MGE5LWFjZmQ5NTA4ZTQxOFwvZDk1bnc2ai04ZDY5MjEzYy0wNjE3LTQ0ZjMtYmM1Yi05OWQzZWY5MWVhZDAucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.MWNLnMuNaGhUSzoYZkkuVT5XH2UWEL8-3ZD4QdgKccc

[Lucar]

11538954
Eh. Cute.

[RainbowRaptorDash1]

11539141
Thanks

[Cyrus Colter]

i have a weird idea.

Magolor updates the training room with the big bosses he encountered in the Magolor epilogue from Return to Dreamland Deluxe.

spoiler for Kirby: Return to Dreamland Deluxe censored for those who have yet to play it.

[Windy0]

11539141
So, do you still plan to have the next chapter up by my birthday, or have you given up on that idea?

[Lucar]

11540709
It's still a thing.

[Windy0]

11542408
So the next chapter will be up in 2 days?

[Lucar]

11542476
Yep.

[Cyrus Colter]

suddenly thinking about Kirby making the lightsaber from Kirby 64 from experimenting with combining abilities during some down time.