Kirby of the Stars: The After Story

by Leer Justice

Several months after Nightmare's defeat, Kirby discovers his adventures are far from over as he makes new friends, encounters new foes, and learns what it means to be a Star Warrior. Contains elements and characters from the anime and game series. Story Arc in Progress: Kirby's Dream Land 2

10. Red Canyon

Chapter 10 - Red Canyon

By the time Kirby and his party awoke, it was five minutes past eleven. It had been days since anyone had slept in proper bedding; they wanted to relish that feeling for as long as they could. Kirby and Rick had taken the two beds, Coo perched himself on one of the headboards, and Kine stayed inside his washtub. It was a welcome change from sleeping on the ground outside exposed to the elements, but their journey must continue onward. It was time to get up.

(Winter - Harvest Moon DS)

A few minutes later when the four went downstairs to the lobby, they found all the Waddle Dees had woken up far sooner than they and were going about their business the same as yesterday. Their kind tended to be early risers since their occupations required them to do so, but while the castle servants were here, they could start and end their day at whatever time they liked. It was a taste of freedom they had long since forgotten, but the Waddle Dees knew they shouldn't make a habit out of sleeping in now.

The mysterious Waddle Dee singer had left sometime last night without a word. In his place on stage was a quintet of Waddle Dee girls bouncing around, their choreography perfectly in sync with each other as they sang a cheery bubblegum pop tune. Their voices sounded adorable, but it was impossible for Kirby and friends to tell what exactly it was they were singing. Somehow they had the feeling that even if the girls could speak the Gamble Galaxy's common language, the lyrics would be nonsensical and weird.

"Hiya, fellas!" Iggy called to them from behind the counter. "Did you sleep well? You must have; I thought I was going to have to go up there and make sure you all were still breathing!"

"Please forgive us; It's been quite some time since we were able to sleep as comfortably as last night." Coo admitted sheepishly with a downturned beak. "Is that offer of breakfast still on the table?"

"Of course it is! It's only a bit after eleven-thirty in the A.M., so that means it's still breakfast in my book! Besides, I'd cook anything from the morning menu if somebody asked. Who am I to tell people what they can and can't eat at what time of the day?"

Iggy and his employees immediately set to work on their meal. Kirby ordered a stack of syrupy pancakes with whipped cream piled on and topped with a strawberry, Rick and Coo requested fruit salads with yogurt, and for Kine...more pickled jellyfish. The other three made certain to avert their eyes or otherwise risk their appetites being soiled by the unsavory image. If the ocean sunfish had the anatomical ability to do so, he would have shrugged at their collective responses, but he didn't, so titling his body slightly to the side in his washtub would have to do.

"Hey, Iggy, where do you get all of this food from anyway?" Rick asked as they waited for their orders. "I mean, it isn't like there's a supermarket a few blocks down from here..."

"That's a good question! The boats that come here deliver our stock now, but when this place first started out, I depended mostly on trades and equivalent exchanges. Sometimes people wanted something you can only get in Iceberg, so I would give them what they wanted, and they would give me foodstuffs that came from the outside. Then there were other times when I accepted that as payment for a night's stay. Of course, if they didn't have anything like that on them, I could never turn them away; that would just be too cruel! But usually, they would come back and repay me in person, or send me something through the postal service. This system is still in place, even though I don't have to rely on it as much as I used to anymore."

"What an innovative business technique..." Coo remarked, his tone impressed. "We'll be sure to repay you appropriately for your kindness once our journey is over."

"Aw, I didn't tell you that last bit hinting for you to pay up later." The Waddle Doo clarified as his chefs came out of the kitchen, placing Kirby's and his friends' orders on the counter in front of them. "I think what you've done to help the Rainbow Islands is already an overpayment on your part! Because of you guys, folks will start coming back to Iceberg now that those random crazy blizzards have stopped."

"We're glad that everything can go back to normal for you, Iggy!" Kine said happily as he peeked over the edge of his tub.

"Although...there is something else you guys could do for me." He started slowly as his single eye glanced elsewhere, a hint of hesitance in his voice. "If it's not too much trouble, I mean. But I don't think it will be. Otherwise, I wouldn't trouble you with it in the first place."

"And what's that, Iggy?" Rick questioned, although with slight nervousness at what his request would be since this was the first time the cheerful and chatty Waddle Doo had looked nervous about anything.

"Could you maybe...tell my brother Ivan that I said hi? And that I miss him?" Iggy spoke quietly, his upper eyelid drooping slightly as he tugged at the hem of his hat and toyed with the two hairs on his head.

He had mentioned having a brother during their conversation yesterday afternoon, but none of them knew anyone in Dream Land named Ivan, much less a Waddle Doo bearing the same name. It was entirely possible that he lived on the other side of Pop Star, but Iggy's request would have made very little sense if that were true, as he stated himself that carrying out said favor shouldn't be too much of a hassle. It was when the four pals began mulling over who this 'Ivan' could be that the answer suddenly became perfectly clear to Kirby.

"Commander Waddle Doo!" He stood up on his seat in his excitement and shouted, causing several of the inn's other patrons to jump in alarm. "Commander Waddle Doo is your brothur!"

"That's him! You know my brother!" Iggy pointed and clapped, much to the shock of the trio of animal friends. "You guys said you were from Dream Land, and he got the job as leader of the king's army and translator for the troops, so I thought you must have seen him around or at least heard of him! Ivan is my twin brother; he's the older one of the two of us!"

"No way...all this time Commander Doo had a twin brother and we never knew it. He never said anything about having a younger brother on Iceberg!" The hamster stated with a disbelieving shake of his head, but then he realized the insensitive implications behind his statement. "Oh stars, I didn't mean that like it sounded."

"No, it's okay. I understand how it probably seems, but there's no bad blood between us." The Waddle Doo went on to explain, "He's just busy is all. He works for the king and is in charge of a big army of native language-speaking Waddle Dees all day every day all year 'round. He always has his hands full, and his work is never done, so I understand why he can't just drop everything to come and visit. I thought I would get to see him when I heard about the king's construction project being here, but the place was strictly off limits to anybody not involved. I used to get letters from him every few weeks when he first got employed, but now I'm lucky to get two a year. I've stopped sending them as often as I used to too because I don't want to bother him when I'm sure he's swamped as it is..."

"Dedede. Is. The biggest jerk. On the planet..." Rick muttered through clenched teeth; Coo and Kine nodded their heads in agreement as Kirby winced.

"I'm sorry! This talk is starting to get depressing!" Iggy hurriedly changed the conversation's tone, taking note of the dark aura surrounding the hamster. "Anyway, if you could just tell him that I said hi and that I miss him, that would be more than enough for me. And please don't tell him about all that I just said; I don't want to make him feel guilty when I know there isn't a thing he can do about it."

"Well, alright, Iggy. If you say so..." Rick conceded; he would respect the Waddle Doo's wishes even though the fire of anger in his gut was still burning brightly.

"Once you guys are finished eating I can give you a ride to the Rainbow Bridge, or what's left of it anyway. But you said so before you had a way to fix that, right? Oh, but don't rush yourselves to finish eating! Take your time - I'm not ready and raring to go just yet."

After they had devoured their breakfast, Kirby and friends headed out the front door with Iggy, the Waddle Dees amicably waving and bidding them farewell in their native language. He locked the door behind him from the inside and led them to a small garage located to the side of the building that went unnoticed by the four yesterday. He raised the metal door to reveal a scooter-like vehicle with two side cars attached.

(Snowman - MOTHER 3)

"This is my snowmobile! I couldn't bring it out yesterday because I didn't want to risk crashing out in that snowstorm, but it's ready to tread frozen ground today!" Iggy announced, taking the helmet lying on the handlebars and putting it on over his hat. "There's some safety gear for you over there on that table. Rick and Coo can squeeze comfortably into one sidecar and Kine the other. Kirby, you can sit on the back of the seat behind me - there's plenty enough room for us both."

"Iggy...where on Pop Star did you get this thing?" The hamster inquired, his mouth agape with awe.

"One day a few years ago, my employees and I went out for a walk and found it lying in the snow. It was broken and wouldn't start up, so we brought it back and fixed it up good as new. Nobody ever came back to reclaim it, even though we certainly advertised; so it became The Wander Inn's special delivery mobile!"

The four put on their safety gear as instructed of them and climbed in and on the bike. He revved up the engine, and the machine came to life emitting a soft putter rather than the roar of a motorcycle. They took off out of the garage and further into the land of Iceberg, the wheels treading across the snow and ice with apparent ease. The Waddle Doo was an excellent driver, paying caution to his surroundings just as he did when guiding them through the blizzard.

"You guys said you were going to Red Canyon next, right? Well, let me give you some advice about the island next door. Now, I'm going to warn you guys straight up - Iceberg is the polar opposite of Red Canyon. See what I did there?" He turned around for a split second when he knew it was safe to do so with what must have been a cheesy grin among his kind, only to be met with unimpressed or oblivious stares in response.

"Booooo..." Rick heckled, accompanied by a disapproving glare from Coo directed at the Waddle Doo.

"I don't get it." Kine frowned, followed with Kirby bobbing his head in agreement.

"Uh, well, anyways, Red Canyon is hot. Like, stupidly hot beyond all reason. So hot that I could take a carton of eggs out there and fry them on a rock - I know so because I've done it before. There's a reason boats don't go out that way often; there's nothing but rocks and dirt out there, not to mention a large population of Gordos and Scarfy packs that like to scream all night long. Oh, sure there's an oasis somewhere around the middle of the island, but you still have a lot of trekking to do on dry land if you want to get there - very very dry land."

"Yeesh, I don't think Fumu mentioned any of that in our phone call last night..." The hamster flinched, glancing down at and pulling slightly on his fur worriedly.

"I always try and make sure to warn the folks that stop by The Wander Inn just what they'll be in for if they want to see all the Rainbow Islands. When you live in a place as cool and frosty as Iceberg, stepping into Red Canyon is like being slapped in the face with a hot waffle iron. The environment there definitely isn't kind to any aquatic creatures and the like."

"Well, it's a good thing we don't have any aquatic creatures and the like to be concerned over among our circle of friends!" Kine stated cheerfully, realizing about a full minute too late, "...Wait a minute - I'm an aquatic creature and the like!"

"Kine, maybe it would be best if you return home or go to Ripple Field," Coo suggested in a gentle tone so as not to hurt the sensitive fish's self-esteem. "Not because we don't enjoy your company or that we believe your presence would be a burden on us, but out of consideration for your health."

"Or you could stay at my place until Kirby and buds make it to Cloudy Park." Iggy helpfully chimed in, "The guy who runs the hot air balloons up there is my buddy, so I have a way to get you where you need to be when the time comes! And I could go with you guys into Red Canyon as your guide; the Waddle Dees at the inn may not speak your language too good, Kine, but they do understand it and could get you anything you might need. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm pushing in on you guys, but I'd be really sad if anything happened to any of you."

"Nah, you don't have to feel that way about it, Iggy. We understand, and that's a real good plan of yours," Rick spoke, then motioned to their fishy friend while knowing the Waddle Doo couldn't take his eye off of the road. "But this is Kine's decision too, so I think we all should let him figure out what he wants before we start jumping on what to do next."

"Oh, sorry! There I go again; talking up a storm and not giving anyone a chance to speak edgewise!" Iggy apologized again, slowing the machine down some and turning around slightly to address the fish. "What is it that you want to do, Kine? It's up to you, but keep in mind all that's been said up until now about Red Canyon."

"...I can't argue that if I go out there, I'll probably fry...or get carried off by a Scarfy. Or both." He answered after a brief pause, a tinge of fear present in his wide-eyed gaze. "I guess I should stay behind, but...would it be too much to ask for you to go back with me? This might sound kind of selfish, but I would like to have someone to talk to. Is...Is that alright with you, Iggy? Kirby? Rick? And you too, Coo?"

"Yeah, I can do that too!" The Waddle Doo immediately replied. "I'm so sorry, Kine! I didn't think about the fact that you'd be left with nobody to talk to! Even when you're surrounded by people, you can still feel lonely if it's that way. Is this fine with the rest of you guys?"

"Yes, I suppose we can safely venture into Red Canyon with just the three of us." Coo was the first to express his agreement, the others showing their approval with swift nods. "Our main priority on this journey is everyone's safety, so whatever works out best for Kine is what we go along with."

"Alrighty! Now that that's settled, we're closing in on the site of the Rainbow Bridge; you could see it on the horizon just overhead if it wasn't, you know, smashed to bits." Iggy pressed his foot on the accelerator pedal; the contraption gave a small jump before speeding off even faster than before - just when Kirby and friends thought they were about to drive directly into the ocean, the snowmobile abruptly stopped a few paces in front of the bridge's shattered base.

The pink puffball slid off the seat and retrieved the fourth Rainbow Drop they had found yesterday, then held it up to the sunlight. As the stone began to glow brighter, the chunks of gray rubble began rising from the ground and the surrounding sea, regaining their color as they fastened to each other and reconnected themselves to the base. In no time at all, the bridge connecting Iceberg to Red Canyon was completely repaired.

"Wow...now that sure was a pretty sight!" Iggy marveled, his eye wide and sparkling with amazement. "Well, this is where we have to part ways, right? I sure am going to miss you all, but I hope that we'll meet again someday. No, I'm sure that we will! I'll watch after Kine and have him sent up on the balloon ride to Cloudy Park tomorrow morning, but if it gets to be too much out there, you're welcome to come back anytime. You guys take care, okay?"

It had been less than a day since they had met, but the Waddle Doo already felt like family to them; everyone knew they would eventually have to go their separate ways, but none of them truly knew how painful it would be until the time had already come. Iggy gave each of them a hug before hopping back on his vehicle and starting up the motor again.

"Please be careful out there." Kine nearly pleaded, looking out toward the auburn island visible across the waves. "I may be the one that would be in the most danger in a place like that, but that doesn't mean that none of you are completely safe, either. Stick together and help each other out like always, okay? Even though it's just going to be for a day...I miss all of you already!"

The fish would have started blubbering if only he hadn't acknowledged that would impede his friends' search - nobody wanted to see anyone here cry. So, with their heads held high, Kirby and his trio of animal companions now down to a duo marched across the bridge and into the scorching hot island of Red Canyon.

---

(World 5: Red Canyon - Kirby's Dream Land 2)

It was noon, and the sun was positioned high above the land without a single cloud in sight. The isle was mountainous and barren, just as it had been frequently described. Though diverse in its landscape, with sandy badlands, deserts, caverns, and many different rock formations, two things were at a complete constant throughout: one, there were no signs of civilization anywhere, and two - it was unbearably HOT.

"This...This is it...I...I can't take it anymore!" Rick dramatically wailed to the sky, dragging his feet across the dry rocky ground as he walked. "I'm seeing red...all I can see is red. It's just too much..."

"Rick, please save your theatrics for another time. We've only been here for ten minutes." Coo scolded him, his tone a tad harsher than he intended it to be.

"Hau..." Kirby quietly whined, fanning himself with one of his paws; he moved behind Rick and into his shadow so his height could provide the puffball with at least some amount of shade.

"Hey, Coo? You don't think that thing possessing Dedede did something to mess with this place too, do you?" The hamster voiced his thoughts aloud, "It caused all those snowstorms in Iceberg by using the Ice Dragon, so maybe it's doing something to crank up the heat here."

"I wouldn't doubt that possibility for a second. Our enemy is growing more bold, more devious in its diabolical plots to hinder our progress. Manipulating the Ice Dragon was only the first step; perhaps it's taken a leap forward and went so far as to tamper with this island's temperatures by putting those two to nefarious uses."

"Those two? Oh, Coo, you can't mean-"

"Indeed." A deep, hollow, and frighteningly familiar voice echoed from nowhere visible, bringing the puffball and his friends to a standstill.

(No One Here - Mad Father)

Dark and heavy cumulonimbus clouds formed above in the skies, gathering together and blotting out the sun to create a pseudo-nightfall. The air around them chilled by several degrees. Across the earth slinked a black shadow almost indiscernible to the eye were it not for its bizarre form of movement. It stopped a few feet in front of the group then rose from its place on the ground, taking the shape of the cycloptic swordsman that had infiltrated Castle Dedede and abducted the king from his room. For everyone aside from Dedede, this was the first time they had seen this creature's other appearance, yet its identity was unmistakable.

"Greetings." The cloaked figure said in the same tone as one would when discussing the weather; cordially and without a shred of malice to be detected.

"What are you doing here?!" Rick shouted, he and Coo immediately going on the defensive, both hamster and owl jumping in front of Kirby to shield him from its cyclopean eye.

"I have come to speak with the star child. Do not make any attempts to hide him from me-" It raised itself into the air, leisurely floating towards the pair before suddenly squeezing past them as a liquidized form of matter and materializing directly behind the puffball. Kirby turned around with a squeak of surprise, coming face to face with the phantom. "-as I can see he is directly behind you."

"Quickly! Use the Rainbow Drops, Kirby!" Coo urged, followed immediately by Rick goading, "Yeah, Kirby; show no mercy! Turn 'im into a black goopy mess!"

The young Star Warrior hesitantly reached for the colorful stones, holding two in each paw but made no further move to hold them up to what little light remained and banish the shadowy creature. Even so, he could see its pupil shrink at the sight of them, the robed monster's gaze never straying too far from his hands as seconds passed in still silence.

Slowly and without breaking eye contact, Kirby lowered his hands to his side, then knelt down and placed the Rainbow Drops by his feet. Before either of his friends could verbally express their shock, Kirby decided to break the heavy silence surrounding them himself.

"You...want to talk?"

"Kirby! What are you doing?!" Rick gaped, "Have you forgotten why we're even on this whacky adventure of yours in the first place? In case you did, here's a reminder - it's because of that thing over there!"

"I must highly advise against giving into its request to converse." Coo chimed in immediately after, sending a wary glance towards their uninvited guest. "Have you not taken note of the fact that His Majesty is not in its company? This is undoubtedly a trap."

The owl had a point; from what little they knew so far, the shadow wraith had no reason to appear before them unless it was all a part of a diabolical plan. However, no one had the slightest clue just what that plan entailed, or if there even was a motive in the grand scheme of things in the first place. As unwise a decision as it may be, Kirby acknowledged that speaking with this creature would most likely unveil something about what was going on behind the scenes, no matter how miniscule.

The shadow wraith itself seemed to be in no hurry for them to finish their bickering with each other, yet if it had plotted an ambush then wouldn't attacking while they were distracted be the best move? Perhaps it truly did only come to talk and clear up the air of anonymousness encompassing this entire situation.

"Since it seems you are still gathering your thoughts, shall I postpone this meeting for a time more suited towards your convenience?" The black life form cleared its throat, calling attention to itself.

"That's oddly...considerate of you." Rick pointed out with a sneer, taking a protective step forward with a nasty glare on his face. "What's your aim?"

"I clearly stated I wished to speak with the star child." The apparition repeated, though with a slight amount more force present in its tone than before - a not so thinly veiled hint for the hamster to remain silent for the remainder of the conversation.

"Even so, I'm afraid we must occasionally step in, as Kirby has only a limited grasp on speaking the galaxy's common language," Coo interjected, having now fully accepted that the pink puffball intended to go through with this. "However, in exchange for us going along with your frankly ridiculous request in the first place, you are to be on your best behavior. One false move and your existence will be terminated."

"Very well. I will adhere to the terms you have set forth." It agreed, understanding just what those conditions were without having to be told. To show proof they had its full cooperation, the specter manifested a pair of shadowy disembodied hands and withdrew a glistening silver blade that was concealed underneath its cloak then tossed it to the side out of reach.

"I still don't like this, Coo. I don't like it one bit." The hamster mumbled worriedly under his breath.

"Patience. All will become clear in a matter of moments." He replied just as quietly, "I dislike this entire debacle just as much as you, if not more so, but don't forget, we have the means to defeat it or at the very least severely injure it in our possession. Kirby will not be harmed in the slightest under my watch."

"That's another thing. Before we begin, I would like to bring something forward." The cyclops's eye began to narrow slightly. "I would like to request that you cease referring to me as 'it'. I can hear you. Use 'he' and 'him', not 'it' or 'that thing', or worse yet, 'monster'. It's very rude. I don't like that. Not at all."

"...I suppose there's no harm in obliging him." Coo said after a beat, turning to face his companion to find the same look of puzzlement on his face as well.

"He...he got offended over that." Rick blinked, his mouth slightly ajar. "I can't remember ever calling him a monster, though."

"Also, if I must have a moniker, then let it be Unknown. I was never given a name, so what else can I be but Unknown, even to myself?" He continued, his speech beginning to sound less like unconscious ramblings and more like self questioning. His gaze moved slightly to the side as he spoke, almost as if he were no longer addressing Kirby and his friends but someone that lied beyond their range of vision. "I have a name, but it's not the sort of name I want. Could it even be called such? It is to be shared with them. I am the same as them, yet why am I also different? Different? Same? Is what they want what I want? Am I the sole one who feels this way? Feeling... Am I...different? Or am I defiant? I don't know...what I am anymore..."

Unknown shivered, his voice growing more and more faint with every word that carelessly tumbled out of his mouth. His two black misty hands reached up and out from underneath his mantle, sending everyone on edge. Rick was about to take matters into his own hands and reach for the Rainbow Drops, fully expecting the shadow wraith to strike them at any given moment. Instead, Unknown let out a soft whimper, slowly running one hand through his quills before wrapping both around himself, giving one last shuddering breath before composing himself entirely.

It was as if any of that never happened.

No one decided to comment on his unusual behavior for fear of triggering another spontaneous reaction.

"Why do you search for the Rainbow Drops, star child?" He asked, sending a cautious glance towards the stones resting by the puffball's feet. "Is it because...you wish to defeat me? To end my miserable existence?"

Kirby uneasily rubbed his arm, giving a slow, hesitant nod. It was true that he was gathering the Rainbow Drops to stop Unknown, restore the Rainbow Bridges he shattered, and rescue King Dedede from his clutches, but actually verbally confirming this to the face of his enemy was a difficult action to carry out now that he was acting less like a creature driven by chaos and more like a being capable of rational thought - and an incredibly sad one at that.

The young Star Warrior knew what this distinct foe had done was reprehensible, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of compassion for him. There was a hint of what he perceived as fear and uncertainty in Unknown's words. Regardless, Kirby would do what needed to be done in order to save the islands and the king of Dream Land. Meta Knight, the only other Star Warrior he kept frequent contact with, had told him repeatedly that their kind's duty was to vanquish evil - and Kirby held no doubts that what Unknown was doing was evil.

"...Why?" Kirby asked softly. "Why did you do it?"

"I beg your pardon?" The cyclops blinked.

"He wants to know why you're doing all this." Rick stepped in, his answer accompanied with a hard, icy stare. "Why did you kidnap Dedede and terrorize the islands along with all those people? Did you want to pretend to be him and get him into even more trouble than he's already in? Did somebody send you here for the job? Or are you just bored and looking for kicks?"

"You provided an answer to my inquiry, so I suppose it's only fair that I answer yours." Unknown replied as if they were discussing the weather over afternoon lunch. "Most of my deeds up until this point in time can be traced back to two reasons in particular. The first cannot be explained simply. His Majesty and I aren't that different. He and I, we're both nuisances, so to speak. I felt a sort of connection with him."

"So...you kidnapped him because you wanted a buddy?" The expression on the hamster's face was one that mere words could never hope to accurately describe. "Dude, that's messed up. You're messed up."

"Conversing with others doesn't come easily with an appearance like mine." Unknown continued, not at all phased by his remark. "Not only did I feel a kinship with the king of your country, but claiming ownership of his body seemed convenient to me in order to properly communicate with the people of this planet. Or so I thought. No, they still seemed disturbed whenever I appeared before them. The form I've taken now isn't even my most basic one; this one was fashioned for the comfort of those I interact with."

"If that is supposed to be a form you made so the rest of us would feel comfortable around you..." Rick began, completely ignoring the warning signals from his owl companion. "Then you missed the mark. By a lot."

"I am entirely aware of that fact." The specter commented dryly.

"You've given us your first flimsy excuse for your deplorable behavior, now what would be the other?" Coo interjected, moving to perch on top of Rick's head so Unknown could see his unimpressed and displeased expression.

"Oh, that." He blinked again, then threw up a hand without a care. "I was hungry."

"Hungry?!" All three exclaimed with visible horror, huddling closer to each other.

"Starved, in fact."

"Oh my stars, he ate Dedede!" The hamster screamed, taking several steps back as he pointed a trembling paw accusingly in his direction. "That's why he's nowhere to be seen! Because you already ate him from the inside out and now you're looking for someone else to fill your gut!"

"Oh, stop this nonsense. Your king is safe in a location that will remain presently undisclosed. He has fallen into a deep sleep, but I give you my word for what it's worth that he is very much alive." Unknown calmly explained as they scrambled around in panic, taking in the mayhem unfolding before him with a phlegmatic air. "Allow me to elaborate before I'm forced to endure more exaggerated theatrics due to a misunderstanding. I have the ability to gain sustenance by feeding off emotions. No, I should say it's less an ability and more a necessity. And it just so happened that His Majesty appealed most appetizingly to my particular tastes."

"So to summarize, you abducted His Majesty because you were lonely and famished? Starved both literally and figuratively for companionship?" The owl raised a feathery eyebrow, holding a wing to his forehead as he felt he could faint at any moment from the absurdity of it all.

"Lonely is such a desperate, rather pathetic adjective to use...but yes." The plates of armor on his shoulders rose lightly as he shrugged. "I don't understand the hostility you bear towards me. I lingered for several days out of sight beforehand, and it would seem the entire populace of your country utterly despises him. He is aware of this fact, too. His misery...is most delicious. I suppose your kind would liken it to only the most decadent of this sweetened delicacy known as chocolate. But that's beside the point. My curiosity has reached its peak; why do you wish for his return when His Majesty is nothing more than a nuisance, even to you?"

(Unreasonable Behavior - OFF)

"Because..." Kirby began, offering a sad, but sweet smile. "Dedede is...a friend."

"...I don't understand." Unknown's voice dropped down to an unbelieving whisper. "A friend? From my field of comprehension, that is the last term that could be used to describe your relationship with each other. I searched his memories. Why would you come so far to rescue someone who dislikes you so and you yourself dislike?"

"Listen, I never thought I would be sticking my neck out for Dedede of all people, but..." Rick spoke up, taking a brave step forward. "You're right about one thing; Dedede is a nuisance, and just about everyone except Kirby here can barely stand to be around him for more than three minutes. Cappy Village and Dream Land as a whole probably would be better off without him in it...but that doesn't mean that just anyone can go around and do whatever they like to him! He's a person, a fellow living being! He may not give anyone besides himself any consideration at all, and there were some times during this adventure when I thought to myself if saving him would really even be worth it, I'm a little ashamed to admit, but I've decided I'm not going to let myself sink down to the level where I'd shout hip-hip-hooray if something awful really did happen to him! Dedede at least deserves that much respect, even after everything he's done to the rest of us."

"I agree wholeheartedly." Coo immediately followed up with his own thoughts on the matter. "His Majesty has put us all through a hefty amount of grief in the past few years, Kirby most of all, and truthfully I can't see him stopping anytime soon. However, there is still a chance, although a very slim one, that King Dedede may one day realize his faults and wish to change his ways. You said so yourself that he is aware of the town's disdain towards him, and it has brought him despair. Those were your exact words! It's true this may never come to be, but if we completely turn our backs on him and his life, then that possible future will never become a reality!"

"I don't understand. I don't understand..." The spectral being repeated over and over, one hand's palm pressed firmly against his masked face while the other raked erratically through his long tentacle-like quills. "I thought we would come to an understanding with each other, but it would seem I was mistaken. I should have expected as much. Is this what's commonly referred to as disappointment?"

"Quit your yammering and tell us where Dedede is!" Rick loudly demanded, all signs of hesitation gone.

Unknown didn't answer. He slowly hovered towards the sword he had discarded. Kirby reached for the Rainbow Drops, but instead of attacking them, he lifted the weapon with a trembling grip and stowed it away under his cloak. Unknown faced them once again, his breath sounding ragged as he attempted to contain his anger and remain civil.

"So, you want your miserable king back this badly, star child? Very well, then. We'll fight for him. But not now, not here." He then raised one hand and pointed a spindly black finger towards a large mountain in the far-off distance, barely a silhouette on the horizon from where they were standing. "Over there lies the chamber along with the stone you seek. Directly above are the guardians of this land - two celestial sprites representing the sun and moon. Do battle with them, emerge victorious, and claim your prize. We will meet again on the next island."

"Now see here-!" Coo began to scold, but he went ignored entirely - Unknown had said he wished to speak with the star child, so he held no interest in listening to anyone else.

The shadow wraith then sunk into and became one with the ground, vanishing on the spot without another word. The dark clouds began to gradually dissipate, and the heat from before returned, eventually becoming the blistering inferno they had known when they first stepped foot onto the island.

As the seconds ticked on, slowly and without sound, Kirby felt himself growing weak. He stumbled backwards, catching himself before he could fall on his back and settled on the ground into a sitting position as he clutched his throbbing head.

"Kirby, did that guy do something to you on his way out?" Rick hurriedly rushed to his side along with Coo, the owl laying a wing on his forehead concernedly as he checked his temperature. "It couldn't be a case of heatstroke, could it?"

The puffball shook his head, wincing after doing so. His pain had nothing to do with a surprise assault or the humidity; he was confused. Terribly, terribly confused. His first assumption was that the terrible creature who spirited away King Dedede had been a rogue demon beast originating from elsewhere, but demon beasts were a force of pure ignorant evil according to his wise mentor - they couldn't speak more than a few simple sentences if they spoke at all, much less make attempts to reason with their adversary. And yet, a being that survived by benefitting from the misery of others could only be categorized as evil, just of a different sort.

"A lot of good talking it over did for us." The hamster grumbled. "We didn't learn anything useful from that at all except where the next Rainbow Drop was. Why do you think he would have told us that, Coo? Is he just messing around with us or what?"

"I believe so." The purple avian replied, regret discernible in his tone. "He stated his motives rather brazenly, and from my perspective, everything so far seems to be a game to him, and what fun is a game if you don't give your competitors a sporting chance? As shameful as it is, a part of me is curious as to what pitiful explanation he would have given for the destruction of the Rainbow Bridges and his transporting of Kirby to the islands if one of us had thought to ask."

"We should have rainbow blasted him when we had the chance..." Rick groaned as he felt a few drops of sweat begin to trickle down his forehead. His gaze turned upwards towards the now empty skies above, he balled one paw into a fist and shook it in the air shouting, "If you really wanted to give us a sporting chance, you could have left the spooky dark clouds!"

---

(Friends Theme (Reunited) - Pokémon X and Y)

"Hey, Fumu!" Honey called to her friend from across the street, accompanied by Iroo and Hohhe. "We were going to the fields to play. Do you, Bun and Gooey want to come with us? Mr. Sword and Mr. Blade, you can come too!"

"Sorry, we were kind of hoping to get Gooey on Professor Curio's good side today." The blonde explained apologetically.

"What? You mean he's still on probation?" Hohhe remarked with disbelief. "Why? Look around us! Cappy Village is just about as rebuilt as it can get, and it wouldn't have gotten done this quick without his help! The townsfolk oughta be grateful to him!"

The young Cappy had a point; the humble town's reconstruction project was now more or less complete. All the buildings that had been damaged or destroyed had been rebuilt or refined with the wood from their woodland excursion, everyone had resumed their occupations and businesses - there wasn't a single person in the village that couldn't move on with their life, yet some tensions still remained.

"Well, yeah, he did cause this whole mess in the first place..." He continued but was quick to confirm where his loyalties lied. "But still, he did a great job helping fix everything up good as new, so that practically means everyone could pretend it never happened in the first place and it'd be completely believable!"

"It's not that easy, Hohhe." Iroo timidly interjected with a small frown. "Gooey's done a lot to apologize for what he's done, but I don't think everyone will be ready to forgive him until he's personally apologized to and worked hard for the ones that are still mad at him. Fumu has the right idea, but he could work for a whole year or two maybe and still not get forgiveness. It's not fair, and it might be harsh for me to say that, but I think stretching the truth would probably be a worse thing for me to do."

"You're talking about your dad, aren't you?" Bun asked, willing to eat the strap of his overalls if he was wrong. He got a slow nod as an answer.

"Yeah. Dad's still boiling under his cap over all the crops being eaten. At first, I was just glad it wasn't Kirby that was at the end of all this, but now that Gooey's our friend..." The boy nervously toyed with the ends of his hair tied up in a short ponytail, trying to avoid the despairing look on the blob's face. "I was hoping he had calmed down after that night when you talked to him and the others, Fumu, but every time he goes into the empty fields to work early in the morning, I can hear him grumbling to himself non-stop. He told me I shouldn't talk to or even be around Gooey because he would only end up being trouble, but...I showed up here anyway."

"Woah, Iroo! Talk about gutsy!" Bun exclaimed in genuine awe, a huge smirk overtaking his face. "You ignored an order from your dad? You're out of control! What's next, are you going to draw graffiti on the police station and paint polka dots on the mayor's car?"

"Make jokes if you want, but I've been doing some serious thinking the past few days." Iroo resumed, shifting from twiddling with loose strands of his hair to unconsciously and shyly rubbing his arm, his soft tone never changing despite the sense of resolution present in his gaze. "I'm not trying to start a rebellious streak against him. I don't want to be a bad kid. Dad doesn't tell me to do things and not to do things because he wants to control my life, he does it because he loves me and wants to keep me safe. But he has a bad temper, and that makes him say and do dumb things sometimes. He's holding a grudge against Gooey, but this grudge is only going to hurt him in the end. Holding onto a grudge isn't good for him or anybody, really. It's not healthy. I'm disobeying him out of love. So, whenever you guys are ready to face my dad, let me know. I'll have your backs completely."

"Iroo, you're not a juvenile delinquent...you're a real man!" Bun replied, his tone impressed. "I guess Miss Lilah's elbow jab of justice alone just isn't going to cut it this time. At least we'll have you and her on our side when the time comes."

At that moment, everyone's minds could only form the mental image of both mother and son simultaneously striking the cantankerous farmer in the sides with their elbows - they wondered if Iroo had not only inherited Lilah's sweet temper but also her signature move. The future on the horizon looked bright indeed...

"Hey, if we aren't going to play, why not let us tag along and help out?" Hohhe offered, Iroo and Honey bobbing their heads in agreement with his idea.

"Really? You want to help Gooey?" Fumu inquired, astonished.

"Why would we joke around about something like that?" The boy grinned, hunkering down to eye-level in front of the blue blob. "Sure, the work will probably be boring, but what can ya do when one of your own's in trouble? I don't care what some of the adults are saying; no matter what you are, you're also a troublemaking kid just like the rest of us. And we kids have gotta stick together, right?"

"Thank you, guys...thank you so much!" The girl cried out gratefully. "I can't promise that none of you will get into trouble, but we'll do our best to make sure that doesn't happen."

"If worst comes to worst, we'll just get Sword to yell at everyone again." Bun piped up, causing Blade to snicker quietly to himself.

"...I'm never going to live that down, am I?" The squire asked sourly.

"Why complain? That took guts to do, especially after seeing what all those villagers are capable of if they get riled up enough." He cackled, tossing his head back. "I'm going to make you a town legend, Sword."

"Why me?" He almost whimpered in response, covering his already masked blush with his gloved hands as his brother and Bun laughed, everyone else joining in at poking at his expense.

(Age, Regret, Reward - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)

"Mr. Curio should be home." Honey said after they had reached the archaeologist's abode. "He hasn't left his house much lately since he's trying to put everything back together like it was before the accident. Maybe he'll appreciate it if we ask to organize his things for him?"

"Lololo and Lalala are his junior assistants now, so he should have plenty of help." Bun seemed to grumble, though he had nothing against the man - he was however still a bit sore over his friends and foster siblings being taken away from him by the subject of history. He was fine with it at first, but he practically never saw the two now and was no longer sure how to face them or make conversation with the pair anymore. "Can't we go find someone else instead?"

"The only ones left are him and Benjamin, so would you rather we turn around and make our way over to the farmers' district?" Fumu asked snidely.

"...No."

"Good. So, let's get our work day started with a positive outlook, shall we?" She said with a smile, raising her hand to knock on the door.

After doing so, they waited. And waited. But nobody came to the door. Fumu rapped her knuckles against the wood again with a bit more force, but there was still no response. The children pressed themselves closer to the door and grew quiet and still, then they heard the sounds of movement inside the house.

"He better not be ignoring us!" Bun half-whispered, half-growled.

"Professor Curio wouldn't do that!" Fumu frowned at him. "He's probably just absorbed in his research. It wouldn't be unusual for him."

"Professor Curio, if you're in there, please come to the door!" Honey pleaded, but her request too was met with silence from the other side.

As the children clamored around the doorway, Sword and Blade crept away to the side of the building to peer inside through one of the windows. They could see the town's archaeologist scurrying around the room, placing artifacts on shelves, attempting to assemble pieces of olden statues and vases on the floor, and analyzing a passage from one of the many books opened and crowding his desk. Alongside that, it appeared he was juggling several other tasks as well, but even so, he should have been able to hear the increasingly loud voices outside. It almost seemed as though the professor was indeed making every effort to disregard their presence.

"He's in there alright, but he hasn't looked towards the door once since we got here." Sword reported to the children, "He's running around, arranging his shelves, putting stuff together, reading, and doing pretty much everything except pay us the time of day."

"Well, I guess we're just not wanted here." Hohhe sighed, giving the disappointed blob a comforting pat on the head.

"Come along, now. There's still plenty of daylight left for playing." Blade began ushering them away, sending a bitter glance towards the house as he spoke in a slightly louder volume than normal for him. "Someone who won't even come to the door is hardly worth our concern, yes?"

"I don't understand. This isn't like Curio at all." Fumu thought aloud, unsure whether she should be worried for or upset with the professor.

(Guildmaster Wigglytuff - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky)

Nobody had noticed Sword hadn't moved from his spot, the squire's gaze focused intently on the wooden structure in front of him, his hand halfway towards the doorknob. He slowly lowered his hand, before suddenly raising both fists as he began frantically pounding on the door with a loud shriek of,

"TRICK-OR-TREAT!"

If anyone had asked, Sword would say he didn't know why he did it either. Maybe it was because he didn't like being ignored, maybe it was his wild streak acting up, or maybe it was the dejected look on Gooey's face as he turned away from the house, but whatever the reason, he did it. He continued to shout the holiday phrase, his volume steadily increasing until he was sure the entire village, castle, and his lord (wherever he was), could hear his screams as they continuously and ceaselessly echoed in their minds in the most obnoxious manner possible. After everyone had turned around and before anyone could react, finally a soft click was heard somewhere amidst the madness.

The door then swung open, revealing a somewhat disheveled Curio, his eyelids drooping and his posture and step somewhat concerning. He leaned against the doorframe for support, his words coming out as mumbles from what seemed to be lack of sleep.

"Hello, children! Is it already...that time of year already?" His wobbly gaze then fixed itself on the pair of squires, both of them frozen in place. "What wonderful costumes! Just wonderful! Now you wait right there and I'll go get your candy!"

Curio went back inside and came back half a minute later with a rolling pin and a mixer, handing both objects off to Sword and Blade respectively with a pleased smile.

"Oh, you...shouldn't have..." Sword murmured as he scrutinized the kitchen utensil in his hand, he and everyone else having simultaneously pieced together what was happening to the good professor.

"Do you not like that flavor?" The corners of Curio's mouth turned downwards. "You don't like it at all, do you? It's alright, you don't have to stretch the truth to spare my feelings. Don't go anywhere and I'll try to find you something else-"

"Professor, please," Sword nearly begged, "This isn't candy; this is a rolling pin and that in my brother's hands is a mixer. It's not the Pumpkin Festival - that isn't for over half a year from now. Today isn't even a holiday as far as I know. You're stumbling around and slurring your words. It's obvious that you haven't slept well in quite some time, so before you hurt yourself or give away your entire kitchen, why don't you go tuck yourself into bed and take a nap?"

The older Cappy seemed to stiffen at that. He gave Sword a hard stare but said nothing. This went on for an uncomfortably long time, neither the squire nor the archeologist, nor anyone else for that matter daring to speak a single word. When the stare-down's duration reached nearly two minutes, finally Curio spoke.

"Okay."

And with that, his eyes closed and suddenly he was tumbling forward. Everyone shrieked with alarm as they held out their hands and arms to catch him and hold him upright as his loud snores began to fill the air. Steadily, the children and the squires took his own arms and grappled with his weight as they started to drag Curio towards his bedroom.

"This is going to be one of those days, isn't it, sis?" Bun wheezed. "He weighs almost as much as the trash can!"

"Don't compare the professor to a trash can!"

"Hey you two, I can understand the sudden need to start a sibling argument more than anyone, but can we save it for after this guy's been safely put to bed?" Sword squeaked his request, doing his best to disregard the eyes of his brother boring holes in the back of his head.

"Why did you say 'trick-or-treat'?"

"I don't know! I guess I unconsciously wanted candy? Don't look at me like that! I'm sorry! What else do you want from me?!"

"Hey, it's alright, Sword. Don't sweat it." Hohhe interjected, almost tripping over a loose floorboard as they tiptoed across the living room doing their best to avoid the fragments of pottery strode about. "It got him to the door, didn't it? And who knows what would have happened to the professor if we hadn't shown up? Plus, aren't you and Blade still pretty young to be worrying about being embarrassed over liking candy?"

"Candy and our youth or lack thereof is not the issue here!" Blade squawked before going into a long-winded rant on them both.

"Iroo, I think I accidentally stepped on a clay bowl, and it broke..." Honey's voice trembled as she forced herself to look ahead. "The professor is going to be so mad when he wakes up!"

"I-It's okay, Honey! Professor Curio is bound to have glue here somewhere, and I'm really great at puzzles! We'll have it fixed up so well he'll never even know the difference! I promise you can count on me!"

"Puzzle?" Gooey said quizzically, letting go of the Cappy to inspect one of his many unfinished projects on the floor before climbing up on one of the shelves.

"Gooey, no!" Fumu cried, abandoning the others to pry the curious gooball away from the professor's work.

"Yep. It's one of those days alright..." Bun moaned to himself aloud as he hung his head.

---

It took several hours of walking through the insufferable heat, but Kirby and his friends had finally reached the oasis Iggy had told them about.

(Red Canyon - Kirby's Dream Land 2)

When they reached the safe haven, they were immediately greeted by a group of Waddle Dees who lavished them with food and water they had drawn from the wells their little tribe had built. There were others aside from Kirby, Rick and Coo taking shelter among the greenery, tourists most likely, having been trapped on the island when the Rainbow Bridges were shattered. The Waddle Dees couldn't stand the thought of them traversing the merciless badlands that lied beyond, so they set up a care station for those stranded. Helpful creatures that they were, neither Kirby, nor anyone else for that matter could understand a word they spoke, but their presence was most definitely appreciated.

Once they rested up and filled their bellies, they were off again. Soon Kirby would be forced to combat two more poor corrupted citizens of the archipelago. Though the young Star Warrior had already fought several others under the same influence, it made him no less nervous. The possibility of actually leaving lasting damage on his opponents was a terrifying one, and he had to exercise the utmost caution when using his abilities. For this, he knew it meant getting hurt himself on occasions, something he was also afraid of, but what kind of poor excuse for a Star Warrior would he be if he ran away from danger at a time like this?

"What's wrong, Kirby?" Rick asked, noticing the puffball's sour expression. "You getting homesick again?"

"No, poyo." He answered rather somberly. He was longing for the comforts of home and the familiar faces of his friends back in Dream Land, but that wasn't what brought his current mood.

Kirby turned his attention towards the mountain and frowned.

"Oh, I get it. You're nervous about fighting again, aren't you?" The hamster guessed, earning a nod from the downcast puffball. "I can understand that. The only things you've fought up until now were demon beasts, but this time you actually have to be careful about holding back. You've been doing great about that so far, but I guess thinking about it too much would make anybody nervous."

"It takes a truly heinous individual to stoop so low as to drag innocents into the line of battle." Coo remarked, namelessly referring to Unknown with a snarl in his tone. "His toxic influences over the wills of others are too powerful - already he has terrorized Whispy Woods, Nruff, Sweet Stuff, and the Ice Dragon. And now he has control over Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright..."

(Sea of Stars - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea)

"Kirby, I'm not trying to make you more worried than you already are, but those two are going to give you trouble. We already learned back on Iceberg that the Rainbow Drops alone aren't enough to cure somebody from that freak show's mind magic. There's nothing we can do except face them head on, and the both of them are tough."

"I'm afraid Rick is correct." The owl sighed as he too looked towards the horizon, the mountain growing ever closer and more formidable in appearance with each step they took. "As Unknown previously stated, Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright are two sprites that embody the sun and the moon. They hold the role of guardians of the island, and whenever they must fight, they are in perfect sync with each other. When in this state, they act as though they can communicate with each other without the need for words. And perhaps they do - sprites are mysterious beings, and very little is known for certain about their kind."

Kirby felt his heart sink at that. He would have to fight two strong creatures and know exactly how much to hold back if he did, in fact, prove to be stronger than them?

"Try not to sweat it too much, okay?" Rick continued, giving the puff a comforting pat on the back. "I mean, I know there's a lot at stake here, but agonizing yourself over it isn't going to make it any easier for ya when we get there. Just take a few deep breaths, and remember you're not going to be alone up there, either. You know Coo and I have got your back, right?"

The child gave another little nod as he offered a wobbly smile, shaky and obviously forced, but a smile nonetheless.

"Oh man, I think we just made everything worse." Rick whispered to Coo from behind his paw, the two now dawdling a few paces back to speak out of earshot.

"I believe so as well. I only thought it was fair that we warn him of what lies ahead, but I suppose it did more harm than good. He's not worried so much about being outmatched, I believe, but more so over accidentally injuring his entranced opponents. As capable a young fellow as he is, this really is entirely too much duty and stress to place upon a child's shoulders."

"Yeah, poor Kirby's always looking out for the rest of us even though he's just a little kid. That's practically all he's been doing since he got here on Pop Star." The hamster lamented with a weary grin. "Dedede kept him busy all the time sending those demon beasts after him and the rest of the town, but he always took care of them. He's so happy and carefree usually, but I couldn't help but think if he ever got tired of being the one that had to step up and clean up somebody else's mess. I know he's a strong guy, but now I don't really think it's right that he's had to pull that weight so much alone, you know? That's supposed to be his destiny as a Star Warrior, being the hero when nobody else will, but what even is a Star Warrior anyway?"

"They are beings wrapped in ambiguity, as I hadn't even heard of such a thing until shortly after meeting Kirby. I began gathering information from all over and apparently all that's known about them is they safeguard the galaxy and are chosen to do so at birth. By what, nobody can truly be certain. The stars that glitter in the heavens above seem to have some involvement, but as to what ends is anyone's guess. Perhaps it truly is left up to fate. All I do know without a doubt is, Kirby is special. Even among his own class, I believe this is fact."

"He is a pretty special little guy, that's for sure." His furry companion wholeheartedly agreed. "I just wonder what that means for his future, though. I'm not one that thinks about the future much - I'm the kind of guy that likes to live in the present. But this ain't about me. He's a kid now and probably does everything he's asked to because he thinks there's no other choice for him. He doesn't really think much about it now, I guess, but maybe when he's a little bit older..."

"We're here." Kirby's tiny voice interrupted their hushed discussion.

Rick and Coo's heads snapped up in slight alarm to realize that they had indeed reached the mountain's base. At its peak was where Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright awaited them, and somewhere beneath the summit's floor was where the fifth Rainbow Drop was being held.

"Well, I suppose this is where we begin our climb. Or rather, I could carry the both of you to the top with ease." Coo suggested, eyeing the sharp jagged edges of the pinnacle with the mental note that treading such ground on foot would not be made easy or fun for any of them.

"That sounds like an idea." The hamster agreed. "The sooner we get this over with, the better. The sun's already starting to set even though it doesn't feel like we've been here long, even with this awful heat all around us. At least Kine got out of having to suffer through it with us. That creep Unknown is probably using Mr. Bright's powers to make it even worse all around Red Canyon."

"I wouldn't doubt that possibility for a second. Are you ready, Kirby?" The owl felt as if he forgot something. "A copy ability! We haven't picked up nary a one since setting foot on the isle, and you can't very well stand your ground without one! Now, ah, let's see what we have here..."

(Blade of Banishment - Highly Responsive to Prayers)

Before he could begin scanning the surrounding area in search of something the puffball could use, suddenly a dark shadow of a person dropped down from a cliff above and landed directly in front of them. It was a humanoid wearing the purple garb of a ninja and in both hands; he wielded short sharpened blades. His sudden appearance was silent and unexpected; as any ninja's ambush should be, but apparently this was where all similarities ceased.

"I am Waiu, the third greatest of Yamikage's disciples!" He shouted loud and clear for all in the vicinity to hear before abruptly moving onto his life story and motives. "Many years ago, Yamikage deserted the Galaxy Soldier Army and joined forces with their nemesis, Nightmare! I, too, went along with him, and served at his side those many years under his grand tutelage! One day, not too long ago, maybe a little over two years, give or take, my master was transported to this planet and was defeated by a young Star Warrior! And that Star Warrior is you - Kirby of the Stars! I won't stand for it! Surely his humiliating loss was a fluke, so I, Waiu, will avenge him here and now!"

"...Eh, I suppose he'll do." Coo shrugged after a short pause.

---

(Inside a House - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D)

After Gooey and company safely guided the comatose professor to his bed, they immediately set to work on cleaning the chaos he had left behind. They didn't dare tamper with any of the projects strode about the house or anything relating to his research for fear of hampering Curio's progress. However, the rest of his home was still a cluttered mess of confusion, and Fumu knew more than any of them that the historian liked his living environment spotless.

The overworked Professor Curio had spent the past few days juggling between tasks of doing his part in assisting the rebuilding of the town, catching up on his passion of archaeology, and tending to his daily chores. As time ticked onwards, he found himself staying up later and therefore sleeping less, but was still taking on the same duties as the day before. Eventually, it all caught up to him, leading to the creation of the disoriented man the group of helpers saw in the doorway. Even with Lololo and Lalala's frequent aid, he still wound up in the situation he was currently in.

Fumu and the others peeped into the kitchen and saw that before he came to answer the door, at some point Curio had apparently attempted to make himself breakfast or lunch, which somewhat explained why he tried to gift Sword and Blade with a rolling pin and mixer respectively. This room too was a complete disaster, and perhaps what was even worse was none of them could see any signs of the professor having completed his mish-mash of a meal.

The blonde took a blank piece of paper from Curio's study and quickly wrote out a plan of attack. Firstly, they decided what among them must be trash and what was to be left alone for now, however in order to avoid any potential panic from the professor, they agreed to not throwing anything away until after he had woken up and personally went through what they had gathered. After that, they then set their attention on putting the objects still strode about in their proper places. Afterwards, the team split off into two; Bun, Hohhe, Iroo, and Gooey took care of tidying up his living area while Fumu, Honey, Sword, and Blade tackled the kitchen.

(Cooking with Zess T. - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)

Since it seemed the poor overworked professor hadn't had a proper meal in a while judging by the multitudes of empty ramen containers and microwaveable TV Dinners in the trash bin, they then thought it would only be kind to prepare dinner for him. Curio's kitchen supply, unfortunately, was considerably low, so the trio of Cappy children then scampered off to their own homes in search of ingredients while the others tried to make do with what they had at their disposal. What little the archaeologist had proved to not be enough to create a fully satisfying meal, so Fumu, Bun and Gooey had to make a brief trip to Tago's supermarket as Sword and Blade worked with what was left in the pantry.

Gooey happened to be in luck; Tago was the first person who had accepted his help, and he was still quite grateful towards the little blob for pushing the date of his store's re-opening forward. After hearing their story, he expressed sympathy towards the children's dilemma and paid for the groceries out of his own pocket. Once they and the Cappies returned to Curio's house about half and hour later, the squires were really ready to cook with fire.

"Are you really sure about this?" Bun questioned the pair with doubt in his tone as he eyeballed the cookbook they had retrieved. "Making all of this looks kind of...complex."

"You dare doubt our culinary talents?" Blade retorted as he tied an apron around his waist. "I am aware Sword and I entered that contest of His Majesty's with little a clue, but our skills have risen exponentially since then."

"And come on you guys, just who do you think is really in charge of cooking all our meals?" Sword scoffed at them as he did the same. "Not Sir Meta Knight, that's for sure."

In the end, their confidence was understood - the pair produced a meal that looked picture perfect in comparison to the one in the book. It tasted just as good as well, the two letting the children sample the dishes before they were to be served to Curio.

After the group had finished, the sky began to tint orange signifying evening had fallen upon Dream Land. It was around this time that Lololo and Lalala had suddenly made an appearance in the doorway and the professor could be heard climbing out of bed and slowly shuffling towards the kitchen. His junior assistants made it there first, both being surprised beyond all reason that a crowd had formed in the good historian's home. Gooey's group swiftly caught them up to speed before Curio ever reached the room.

(Sympathy - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky)

The two had no idea that the professor's condition had ever reached that low of a point. They had noticed him becoming increasingly tired as the days passed, but he had never let them go any further than his study whenever they entered the house, which was usually a mess anyway but of the organized chaos sort - they had been left blind over the state of the rest of his dwelling.

"Stars above...," Lalala gaped and said with shock and horror. "How could we have let this happen to him?"

"We should have noticed something was off. The signs were everywhere!" Lololo nearly sunk to the ground in shame. "We're failures as assistants..."

"Guys, calm down a little." Hohhe went on to reassure them. "Nobody's really to blame here. The professor just passed out because he was too tired to stay up anymore after so long. He didn't have to go to the clinic, and all the junk that was lying around was just from the past few days - which is kind of terrifying that he could make that big of a mess in so little time. But I think since things have calmed down in the village now, this probably won't happen again."

"Even so, we're going to keep a closer eye on the professor for a while." Lalala announced. "After hearing this, we don't want to take the chance of things here getting this bad again."

"We can even help make his meals if he gets too tired in the evening - we've watched and helped Lady Memu cook enough to have picked up a thing or two." Lololo added, turning to Bun, "We might be late to dinner even more than we have been lately, and I know that we've barely talked since we started working with the professor, but we'll still have a seat at the table with your family, won't we?"

He didn't answer at first; he wondered what was taking Curio so long to get there, but after a few moments, "Yeah, of course you'll always have a place at the family table - because you are family. But would it be too much to ask for you two to act like it, too? You're doing the same thing as him, just in a different way. You've both gotten so busy that you're shutting us out. I know you didn't really mean to do it, but we miss you guys. Talk to us at dinner. Tell us what's going on in your lives, even if it is all about boring old history! Because I miss having you both as family."

"Wow, Bun..." Fumu gasped, amazed at her normally tough-acting brother's open display of sentimentality. "That might be one of the sweetest things I've ever heard you say!"

"...We're so sorry, Bun. We didn't know." They both replied in unison. "We'll start talking more, and we'll even take breaks to spend time with everyone like we used to. I guess we got in over our heads with this part-time job business that everything else just started slipping away from us! We'll do better from now on."

"Well, now that that's taken care of," The boy continued, being all too eager to brush his sudden emotional outburst aside, "Where the heck is Curio? Did he walk in the bathroom instead and accidentally fall in the toilet?"

"That's odd. I could have sworn I smelled something cooking..." Curio said sleepily to himself as he padded into the kitchen, his eyelids still glued together. They opened into thin slits, then grew wide when he saw the feast before him and the ones who had prepared it. "W-What is all this?! It's not my birthday!"

"It's not the Pumpkin Festival, either, but you sure were convinced it was when you came to the door earlier." Sword remarked with one hand on his hip, "We all just thought we'd do something nice for you since you were too tired to even function. Gooey helped out a lot too, and don't worry, he and the rest of us didn't touch any of your projects that were lying around. Everything else though, yes."

His gaze fell on the blob who smiled up at him widely with the faintest hint of nervousness in his large dark eyes. The Cappy slowly padded over to him, then bent down slightly and rested a hand on top of his head. Gooey gave his hand a little lick, but the man didn't seem bothered by his unique display of affection at all.

The archaeologist's attention then went back to the spread on his countertop, closely eyeing the several different types of dishes present. Miso soup, stir-fry vegetables, maho tofu, chop suey, Peking duck, ochazuke... At one point, Fumu and the others were beginning to wonder if the squires intended to feed all of them or if they were trying to give Curio enough meals to last him the rest of the week. Nevertheless, Sword and Blade had chosen recipes that didn't consume too much time to make, and they were familiar with.

"Thank you for doing the cleaning while I was unconscious, but...I don't understand where all this food could have possibly come from. I didn't have most of the ingredients to make this in the refrigerator, the shelves, or the pantry."

"That's because most of that didn't come from any of those places," Hohhe answered.

"I brought the salmon and the vegetables." Iroo began, followed by Honey. "And I brought the seasonings!"

"The rest of this came from Tago." Bun added, "He said to consider it a kind donation, so don't try to pay him back like you usually do with everyone."

"...Thank you, children. Thank you so much..." He said quietly, feeling overcome by his own emotions. "Oh, but I couldn't possibly eat all of this myself! Here, sit down with me. I don't have nearly enough chairs here, but I do have some foldable ones sitting around somewhere in the closet. Ah, if only Kirby were here."

"Yeah, but then we might not get a bite to eat at all." Fumu replied along with a laugh. "I heard from him last night on the phone - he was all the way on Iceberg at an inn, and he's probably on Red Canyon right now! So that means by tomorrow he should be on Cloudy Park."

"So he's at the Rainbow Islands." Curio mused, seemingly lost in his memories. "I tried visiting them all once, but I only got as far as halfway through Big Forest before I gave up. I ran out of supplies, money, and energy. So tell young Kirby to finish his journey in my stead!"

"I actually can tell him, since Coo is supposed to visit tonight to pass on any messages he might have from him. It's not quite the same or as good as hearing and talking to Kirby on the phone, but it's a lot better than being kept in the dark."

They ate their meals and talked about a large range of topics at the table, no one more happy than Gooey, the blob boy who was steadily gaining a positive name and identity for himself in Cappy Village. Eventually, it became near dusk when the stars first began to appear and twinkle in the violet sky and it was time for the friends to go their separate ways for the night.

"You know what, Fumu? You seem happier today than you have been in a while." Iroo pointed out.

"You think so?" She pondered aloud, not having realized that the others had known she had been distressed these past few days.

"Yeah. You've been so worried about Kirby that we were getting worried over you being worried." Honey answered sweetly. "That phone call must have really put your mind at ease."

"If a phone call can do that much for you, you both should get cell phones!" Hohhe chuckled. "Out of any of us kids or even any of the adults here, you have the best chance of being the only other person besides Dedede to own one. Your dad's the Cabinet Minister, so getting your hands on a pair wouldn't be that ridiculous, right?"

"Ha! I wish! A cell phone might be the only thing Papa said he couldn't buy for me, and I didn't actually have any interest in owning one until now. You know Dedede doesn't like the idea of anyone else in the village having one, and Mama and Papa bend to his will a little too easily over stuff like that. Besides, everyone in Cappy Village lives so close to each other that we really don't have any need for them. A telephone works just as well if you really don't feel like getting out of the house to talk with someone."

(Lonely Apartments - Yume 2kki)

Later after everyone had left for their respective homes, Fumu stepped out onto her family's balcony to wait for Coo the Owl. Having already eaten dinner at Curio's house she wasn't feeling hungry, so she spent her evening quietly reading at one of the tables as she listened for the telltale beating of wings. She didn't expect him to appear immediately as he hadn't specified an exact window of time for their meeting, but the blonde didn't want to miss him either and force Coo to look for her in places where she wasn't.

An hour passed. Lololo and Lalala brought her a thick fluffy blanket as the night air grew colder. Shortly after that, her parents gave her a warm cup of honey vanilla chamomile tea and a plate of lemon shortbread cookies. But these things did little to ease her. Fumu nibbled on the treats and quietly sipped on her drink as the quietness around her grew, the stars increasing in multitudes above her, but no matter how long she waited, the owl never came.

She fell asleep clutching her blanket in one hand and her book in the other.

---

(Lentimas Town - Pokémon Black 2 and White 2)

Waiu had proven himself to be a foe that required next to zero effort to defeat. Amongst the wide array of enemies Kirby had faced in the past, it had to be the most lackluster battle he had ever taken part in. Waiu's incompetence was so undeniable that the young Star Warrior hadn't even gained the Ninja ability from defeating him, but rather the Cutter. Perhaps if the weapons he swallowed had been owned by a more proficient ninja, he would have gained the former ability. Nevertheless, after his own humiliating defeat, Waiu scampered away, his figure disappearing over the horizon.

Coo carried Kirby and Rick up to the mountain's summit where Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright were supposed to be, and where they would do battle with them. As if awaiting their presence, both celestial sprites were found to be sitting atop two boulders opposite to each other and their gazes fixed on Kirby as he came into view. Their expressions gave the pink puffball little comfort, a scowl on Mr. Shine's face and a sneer on Mr. Bright's, both displaying unexpected arrogance.

The pair never was what could be called humble - they took their roles as guardians and representations of the sun and moon, day and night with pride, and the few who looked down upon them were met with disdain. However, it was undeniable, even without Unknown's prior warning, that something was most certainly off with the two. The black phantom himself had openly confessed that he tampered with their mentalities, but it was no less alarming to see such powerful creatures had fallen so easily under his influence.

"What do you want? You have no business here." Mr. Shine coldly stated.

"We came up here to be left alone, so get out of here. Or do you three really think you can take the heat?" Mr. Bright smirked as the temperature around them rose by a few degrees.

"Listen. The two of you right now aren't thinking rationally." Rick began with caution. "I want you to try and calm down a little and think about what's been going on around here."

"I am calm." The moon sprite deadpanned, the air around them beginning to cool.

"It would seem Mr. Shine has better control over himself in this state than the other," Coo whispered to his companions. "This may work to our advantage if their fighting style and communication level have suffered due to Unknown's interference. Stay strong, Kirby! We're here and ready for you."

"In case you didn't know, our names are Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright; a pair of celestial sprites saddled with the job of taking care of this island." Mr. Bright looked down at Kirby with scorn in his eyes as he rose above the three. "But there's nothing worth protecting here in this near lifeless place. Red Canyon is just a rock floating in the ocean compared to the rest of the archipelago. There's nothing special to be found - absolute zero."

"That's why we've given up on this place with no importance." Mr. Shine followed, his gaze flickering down to the young Star Warrior. "And yet, why is it that you, a child, has come here? Certainly you would be more entertained in a place like Cloudy Park - I would be more than happy to send you there right now."

His offer, said in the iciest tone imaginable, was definitely meant to be taken as a threat. The two sprites who were given this empty island to guard over were no longer satisfied with their roles - the dark puppeteer's hold had transformed their excessive pride and longing for adoration into a loathing for the island in which they resided, as well as a sparking jealousy towards the famed young Star Warrior who was showered with attention daily in his own homeland. Their desire for importance had grown so strong, so unstable the two were willing to eliminate the hero who saved the Gamble Galaxy if it meant living on forever in infamy.

"We rule both the night and day!" They shouted in unison, rising into sunset-dyed skies above as the pair prepared to strike. "This leaves no time for you, star child!"

(It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2)

Mr. Shine became one with the sky, shifting into his dormant form as Mr. Bright rushed down for an attack. Before Kirby could be crashed into by the charging fireball, Coo quickly jerked him out of the way. He reached up for the razor attached to his hat and threw it at the sun sprite's back, successfully landing a hit. The moon sprite, from his suspension in the air, made a shower of stars rain down upon the summit, sending the three into a startled frenzy to avoid being struck. As they scrambled about, the crazed laughter of Mr. Bright could be heard behind them as he readied another assault.

Kirby swung down from Coo's hold and landed on Rick's back, tossing the bladed boomerang in the direction of their assailant once again. This proved to be even more effective than the previous attack, as his retaliation had brought out a cry of shock and pain from the sun being. A small scratch was visible on his face, but he acted as though he had been mortally wounded. Immediately, Mr. Bright switched places with his opposite half, leaving him in his dormant form and Mr. Shine descending to continue the battle.

Similar to Kirby, the moon sprite summoned a bladed weapon much like the one on his hat and flung it towards the three. Kirby, Rick, and Coo ducked at just the right moment, but the sharp edges had nicked off about half an inch of fur and feathers from the latter two. The owl gave a startled and anguished shriek that rivaled not only Mr. Bright's previous shout but even Tokkori's own shrill voice back at home. With a ferocity in his eyes that neither had ever seen from him before, he lunged at the lunar sprite at clawed at his face with his sharp talons. While Mr. Shine screamed in fright and made many feeble attempts to fight off the nocturnal bird, Coo had created an opportunity for Kirby to create a counterstrike.

Sensing his partner's distress in his dormant state, Mr. Bright hovered above the trio and released several short beams of harsh and painful sunlight. He successfully struck all three but was also uncoordinated enough in his attacks to have hit Mr. Shine several times as well. Coo's earlier assumption had been correct - the dark plague in their minds had caused their teamwork to suffer greatly. This was Kirby's greatest advantage, his open window of opportunity and their most unfortunate weakness in this fight. With enough finesse, it was entirely possible that the pink puffball could easily manipulate the pair to bring each other to defeat.

They switched places once again. Mr. Bright threw a fiery fist at them as he came closer, throwing punch after punch which they dodged with increasing desperation as the embers nearly brushed against their faces. Rick stuck out his foot as the solar sprite made another swing at Kirby, causing him to trip and giving the young Star Warrior another chance to attack. The pink puffball jumped up and charged forward to butt heads against his opponent, doing significant enough damage before another flurry of star-shaped projectiles were scattered down at them by Mr. Shine.

This formula began to repeat itself, the two swapping positions with each other as one attacked on the surface and the other from above, Kirby and friends striking the one left vulnerable at every opening. The battle dragged on, sometimes their opponents injured each other by mistake as the puffball predicted they would, but it seemed as if the celestial sprites would never tire. There were no signs given that their minds were anywhere close to being freed, and Kirby grew more and more concerned that his retaliations would leave damage that could remain permanent.

Finally, it seemed Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright had grown frustrated with them as the pair prepared their ultimate attack. Both shifted into their dormant states; Mr. Shine slowly began to hover in front of Mr. Bright as the temperature around them began to rise exponentially. The ground below began to burn. The sky looked as though it were on fire. It was a melting heat none of them had ever experienced before. Past the sound of sizzling in their ears, Kirby and friends could hear the cacophony of the sprites' laughter as they bought their time until the famed young Star Warrior would be finished.

Squinting his eyes to protect himself from the nearly blinding light, Kirby searched for an opportunity of some sort, anything that could save them from this unforgiving inferno they were encapsulated in. There off to the side was a small strip of shadow provided by Mr. Shine, existing only to put a handicap on his partner's abilities just as Mr. Bright did for him - a safety measure provided by the mysterious one who had assigned them their status as guardians should they become too powerful.

Kirby grabbed Rick and Coo in each paw and dashed towards the safe spot, dragging them along behind him as he did so. Once there, their opponents weren't even aware the three had moved due to yet another handicap provided to limit the usefulness of their near-overwhelming attack. While the two performed their eclipse techniques, both were rendered entirely blind - only when the two separated could they regain their vision. With neither none the wiser, the pink puffball readied his blade after detaching it from his helmet as both hamster and owl prepared to strike the sprites as well as soon as they began to move.

As Mr. Shine inched away from his partner, the three struck from underneath the shadow. At the conclusion of their plan's execution were the tormented screams of Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright and the immediate decrease of aridness in the atmosphere. The air around them began to cool, and a sense of calm washed over. The solar and lunar sprites were unharmed physically. Mentally, however, they were quite sore and refused to concede to the fact that they had been bested by a child, even if said child was Kirby, the boy who brought an end to Nightmare.

Their pride simply would not allow it. But rather than challenge the young Star Warrior to another fight, the two brushed off their defeat as the fault of having fallen under the dark spell of the cyclopean being that approached them prior. They haughtily insisted that even with his wide array of abilities, at Kirby's current skill level he could never hope to triumph against them in a serious match. As badly as Rick wanted to retort that the earlier match was indeed serious, Coo quietly advised him against it. He later whispered to his furred friend that perhaps they were in truth scared of the possibility that the young Star Warrior could defeat them and further injure their egos.

Both the hamster and the owl were leaving Red Canyon disappointed - the fantastical tales they had heard of the celestial sprites were in fact riddled with exaggerations. Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright were certainly strong, but more than anything, it seemed to them they were also arrogant jerks.

(Cloudy World - Yume 2kki)

Kirby couldn't have cared less about pride - he was simply content that no one had gotten seriously hurt during the scuffle. And with that behind them, he and his friends were then allowed passage to the lower levels of the mountain, including the one chamber located at the lowest levels of the base where the Rainbow Drop was stowed away. They made their way to the secret room without further incident, picking up the nearly forgotten relic and then mapping out their short route to the site where the shattered Rainbow Bridge laid. The puffball raised the stone above his head to restore the colorful structure to its former glory, the fragments reattaching themselves to each other as they gradually became one once more.

As night soon fell on the island, all three agreed they were most certainly not staying the night as the yips and howls of a Scarfy pack not too far away rang in their ears. Additionally, even though it had cooled down significantly after the haze had been lifted from Mr. Bright's eyes, Red Canyon was still a baked nightmare of a place to endure. The trio had had their fill of the barren landscapes the island had to offer, so to Cloudy Park they would go.

Kirby led his animal pals across the bridge as it stretched over the ocean and extended into the white mass of clouds that lied above. Cloudy Park was an island that, despite being made almost entirely of clouds, was safe to step foot on. How this was possible had evaded many scholars and curious-minded people alike, but when asked, the people who lived there would only give the rather vague response of 'solidified water vapors'.

Not long after crossing the bridge, they were approached by a Waddle Dee wearing a blue uniform carrying a shoulder bag as the three searched for a place to settle for the night.

"Are Kirby, yes? Rick and Coo?" He pointed to each of them as he spoke - they could only nod feebly in confusion. "Ah, ah! Good, is very good! Thought you were in the past! Here you are!"

The Waddle Dee reached into his bag and handed them an envelope with a bright, cheery expression. He was nearly bouncing as they opened the envelope. It was a letter addressed to them by Iggy's friend, the one who owned the hot air balloon service in Cloudy Park. The Waddle Doo had worked yet another act of kindness behind the scenes, as he convinced the other to allow them to stay at his place while he was at The Wander Inn for the night. The Waddle Dee was a mail carrier for the island and another friend of his - his speech was poor, but he was reliable and would see to it that they reached the balloon man's house.

"Night be good! Let no Scarfy bite!" The Waddle Dee waved to them after they had managed to locate the cloudy cottage, dashing off to who-knows-where with a final shout of, "Now I go bye-bye a go-go!"

"That Iggy is some miracle worker, I'm telling ya." Rick said as he flopped on the couch and made himself comfortable, earning a wary glance from Coo.

"Yes, well, let's be sure that we're on our best behavior while here. We wouldn't want Iggy or his friend to regret their choice in helping us on our journey." The owl warned the two as his eyes fell on a mirror in the hallway as he flew by. He reached up to touch the slightly singed and shorter feathers on his head that formed his crest. "Oh, dear... I wish that hadn't happened."

Kirby toddled around the house, his gaze focused as if searching for something. At first, the two could only assume it was the refrigerator given his nature and large appetite, but he passed it up without a single glance. It was about a full minute afterwards that both realized - he was looking for a phone.

With more searching, they learned that the house did not come equipped with a phone, but Coo was quick to remind them that he could fly back to Dream Land and Cappy Village to keep his friends informed. He had already promised Fumu that he would do so the night before, but just as he was preparing to leave...

(Deep Trouble - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea)

"Uh, Coo? You may not want to do that." Rick frowned, his eyes fixed on something outside the window - a gargantuan mass of nearly pitch black clouds that were plainly visible even in the darkness of nightfall.

"But what about Fumu?" The owl questioned with a downturned beak. "Certainly she'll be worried if I don't hold to my promise. Why I wouldn't be surprised at all if she waited until the sun rose for my arrival under these circumstances..."

"Yeah, I know she'll probably get worried, that's a given, but I don't think she'd stay up all night. She knows better." The hamster tried to reason with him, glaring at the ominous formation of clouds. "And what's out there doesn't look natural - those are storm clouds, but something ain't right about em'. Unknown is probably up to his scheming already here. If you leave now, you might fall right into some trap he's laid out."

"I'm so sorry, Fumu. Kirby..." Coo quietly apologized, hanging his head.

Kirby didn't say anything. He laid an understanding paw on his feathered friend's shoulder, but his blue eyes remained fixed on the blackened mass festering beyond the window.

---

Author's Note: I have to say, even though there was some lag in the writing progress, after I took some time off to sort out my thoughts, I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out. Shortly after Kirby and friends arrived on Red Canyon, I wasn't too enthusiastic over writing about how hot everything would be when the temperature outside my house was very similar. I wanted to do something a little different that might throw the readers for a loop, and I hope I succeeded.

Now, for those of you that weren't in the know, I held a poll over this chapter. I gave three paths of option over what would become of Kine in this chapter - Option One was that Kine stay behind and Kirby, Rick and Coo go on ahead without him, Option Two was that he went along with Kirby and suffered the whole way through as it became a race against time, and Option Three was the same as Option One, but Iggy would come along as a temporary third party member. It was a close match against Option Three, but Option One ended up winning by about two votes. However, I've decided that since Iggy didn't get to shine again in this chapter alongside the heroes and because there wasn't really a good place to put it, I'm going to reveal Iggy's backstory.

Several years ago before Kirby ever landed on Pop Star, Iggy was on a large boat traveling from a land far away. One night when the boat was passing through the Rainbow Island's waters, he decided he would take a nap on the deck's hammock. The ship went through some rough waters and accidentally tossed him overboard. Nobody saw him fall off the boat, so no one knew he was missing until it was too late. He spent some time adrift before eventually waking up on Iceberg's shores. With no way to communicate with anyone he knew, Iggy learned to survive in this environment and eventually built himself a house. As time passed, he came across others who were in need of help when on the island so he added onto his home to create a safe and warm haven for travelers - The Wander Inn. What was Iggy doing on that boat? He was on his way to a job interview as a certain king was in need of a translator for an army of Waddle Dees. Since Iggy had gone AWOL, his brother Ivan, now known as Captain Waddle Doo decided to take his place for the task since no one else would apply for the position.

And yes, the name Ivan was meant to be a pun.

Next in line, a character that is central to the plot yet not truly encountered until the end of the game has made another appearance! The entire conversation between Unknown and Kirby is one where, despite how serious it is within context, I can't help but laugh as I read over it. Maybe it's because I keep imagining Unknown speaking in a tired deadpan tone throughout the scene or the fact that they're having a leisurely afternoon chat with an eldritch abomination. But maybe it's also how Unknown also shows sparks of an attitude throughout the whole encounter. I wanted to add more substance to this arc's antagonist, and I hope I succeeded while also keeping him vague. Something that might interest you - I actually DO have a real name for him besides Unknown, but I'll wait until the last chapter of this arc to reveal it. I ended up naming my Gengar after him, and I really think it's a nice fitting name for our shadowy cyclops.

So, Gooey didn't actually get that much focus in this chapter, and I have to apologize for that! The whole Dream Land sequences kind of wrote themselves to be honest, but at least he's there and he pitches in from time to time. But Gooey's going to have a lot more spotlight in next chapter's Cappy Village portion, and do you know why? Oh, I think you do.

As an added fun fact, as soon as I got over my writer's funk, I actually managed to write almost 3/4ths of this chapter in less than a week. So yeah, just about all this chapter was done in a week. But please don't get your hopes up and apply this to the probability rates towards future updates. Quality over quantity and speed is what I go by when writing stories, and I think that's why After Story feels so much more alive to me than the old BETA version. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for the delay!