It's been a while, hasn't it? Not just on the Kirby writing front, but really with everything I said I'd be writing. It's still there, I promise, but this is something I really, really, wanted to write, as a wrap-up of the year, going into the next, and ships I've been a part of. I could have done this with any other fandom to be honest, but considering TheCosmicPenguin's recent update to Scrapbook – which I highly recommend, along with the rest of Cos's work – I felt like Kirby was the proper way to send off the year, heading back to my fanfic roots in a sense.
The Imitation Dees were created for one purpose: to aid Yin Yarn in his conquering of Dream Land, acting as Waddle Dees should. They were to be loyal to him, with their duty first and personal lives second. Some were chosen to stay as guardians of Patch Land, while others accompanied Yin Yarn to Dream Land to infiltrate Dedede's ranks. Yin Yarn had told them that they were a precautionary measure against Prince Fluff and any of his allies. Of those Patch Landian Dees, they were stationed in each of the different Lands that made up Patch Land itself, with their specializations playing into where they ended up. Many chose to stay in Patch Land, as it felt the most like home. The Dees who enjoyed a sense of danger an adventure were sent to Hot Land, while those who wanted to hear the waves and relax would be stationed in Water Land. Dees with a knack for baking and a sweet demeanor were relegated to Treat Land. Those with a tolerance for the cold were sent into Snow Land. Finally, there were the Dees who looked into the future and wanted to advance the technology around them, and were in Space Land to live out their dreams.
There were the few who questioned Yin Yarn's orders, as there were rumors that even he did not know what he was going to do after taking over Dream Land. Every time he had been asked about his goal, he would shoo away the asker and threaten them with an unraveling if they questioned his orders again. The Dees fell into line and quickly learned to abide by the rules.
But then there were a pair, stationed in Fountain Gardens, that caused the coordinators no shortage of trouble. They were unlike any other pair of Dees, and not in a good way.
Yin Yarn had never officially given any of the Dees names, but they quickly gained the nicknames of Heart and Bead, collectively known as Heartbeat. According to Bead, it was supposed to be Heartbead, but no one paid their name much heed, as those who knew them said their heart would skip a beat due to the chaos the duo caused. They were a pair of Waddle Dees with no distinguishing features, but it was simple to tell from their actions if it was them. Heartbeat was supposed to guard the Tank Metamortex, but instead spent their shifts napping under a tree, beads above their head in the shape of a heart. No matter where they were, Heartbeat was never out of earshot of each other. Some joked they were meant to be together, what with the pain and trouble that they caused around the main base. They were either absent when they needed to be there, or causing trouble by getting in the way.
The most uncanny ability of the duo was their recognition of relationship chemistry. There would be the rare occasion where they would stay around base after their shift was over and not cause trouble, instead sitting at a table and determining in a minute or two if a relationship was going to work our between two people.
Almost each and every time that they had done their little evaluation they were correct, except for themselves and a rare case here and there. They had performed the evaluation on their own friendship, but had never stated their findings aloud. The look on their faces was more than enough for someone to know what their result had been.
When the duo was first crafted, they considered the other nothing more than a friends in Yin Yarn's grand scheme. They didn't really have a clear-cut reason for becoming friends, other than a wish for someone else to talk to. They were friends. No more, no less.
Until one day they realized some of what they did might be considered interactions for those more than friends. Friends would certainly take some risks to protect the other, but those even closer would risk death over and over if it meant that the one they cared about most was going to be alright.. Heart had risked being unraveled by Yin Yarn to take the blame for Bead's actions when neither of them had performed as they should have.
Heartbeat had become more than a phrase of mischief.
It had become an identity.
Not long after the Yin Yarn incident, Heartbeat seemed to disappear off the map. No signs of capture, no messages of goodbye, no addresses or coordinates to find them. There weren't any signs if they were even still alive, but there weren't any search parties put out to find them. They had not proven themselves worthy of rescue, and it didn't even seem like they wanted to be rescued.
Heart and Bead had taken on a journey of their own, to discover if love was all it was cracked up to be and if they were really meant to be in love. Even though all of the signs around them pointed to romance and not just a strong friendship, the signs could still be faulted.
Before setting off, they had used some spare string to thread their heart of beads onto Bead's old bag, creating a constant reminder of who they were. A positive sign, telling them their companionship would not fade, no matter if it took on an alternate form.
From Patch Land to Dream Land, Heartbeat faced few friends and frightful foes, but they never faltered under fear. They had to be ready to protect the other from danger. They had to know where the path led, what might try to kill them in the night, and when the time came, then needed someone there to help choose the right thing to do.
They were able to find out the idea behind the sensations building up inside them, and what it means to different people.
Everyone said they came across had a different idea what love was about.
Some said love was discovering something in common with someone you never thought you would associate yourself with, but becoming better allies with each other and your friends.
Some said love was a feeling of warmth that surrounded you in the coldest of nights, opening your eyes to a different point of view and saving you from darkness.
Some said love was finding a family to call your own, protecting and helping them in their darkest hours and celebrating with them in their brightest.
Some said love was knowing your polar opposite and holding their hands, spinning in circles with a wish to never let them go.
Some said love was enjoyable the most when it wasn't romantic, and instead between the people you've had as friends for years of your life, piling on the couch in the early hours of the morning and not waking up until noon.
Some said love was crying over the past at midnight and regretting what you did, only to find someone sitting down next to you and enveloping you in a hug, with a reassurance that you were going to be alright and believing in what they said.
Some said love was inflated admiration for those you never thought you would meet, but now have the chance to work with on a day-to-day basis.
Some said love was laying in the mud during a downpour, smiling even in the pain of everything that has happened, because the one you care about most is right there on the ground next to you.
Some said love was hiding from those you knew, waiting for the person you once called your rival to come find you and leading your life as a pair instead of as individuals.
Some said love was listening for hours on end to incoherent rambling that you learn to understand as time goes by, watching their eyes light up when you add something to their rambles, seeing their smile at the sight of someone they care about, noticing the little actions they've started to take ever since admitting to wanting to become more than friends.
After listening to what all of the different people had to say, Heart and Bead were able to determine what love meant, and what it meant to the two of them. Upon their return to base, they were bombarded with questions and lectures about why they left.
They said the reason they left was to figure out what love really was, leading many to jump in with their own definitions of love. One even read a definition of love to the duo. Heart and Bead shook their heads to each response. While those they knew each had their own version of what love meant to them, the same sentiment of love could not be applied to every relationship. To Heartbeat, love was about finding someone that you want to spend the rest of your days with, wherever you may be, and in whatever you may be doing.
Even with their duty as guards of the Metamortex over, as the pink hero had been able to slip by and caused Yin Yarn to become no more than strands lost to the wind, Heart and Bead still traveled to that same spot under the tree, Bead's bag stitched with a heart within reaching distance, the soft medley of the breeze in their ears, flowers blooming in a field behind them, and their relationship stronger than ever before.
I bid you farewell, 2017. I sincerely hope your year was fully enjoyable.