Ch.5 Mustard Mountain Misfits/Candy Constellation Cuddles

"Well, where to now?"

"Don't ask me, you're the leader."

The Kirbys looked at all the mirrors that had yet to be entered. Sheeby put her hands on her hips.

"At least we don't have to find the switches for the mirrors again."

Kirby nodded.

"That is an upside this time."

Tuffy started heading to the top three mirrors.

"Mustard Mountain, here I come!"

Geeby floated up to him grabbed his ankle and Tuffy was dragged back down.

"Geeby, get OFF!"

"Nope. Stick together."

Kirby and Sheeby's faces softened.

"Awww, that's friendship for you."

"Yeah."

Tuffy grumbled.

"Why do we have to stick together? We did fine on our own last time."

Kirby looked at Sheeby and Geeby.

"This isn't…at least we're trying not to make this into a big adventure. We've done this already, and we all want to go home soon. You may think that splitting up will speed it up, but it'll take ages without team work."

"That's stupid."

"Tuffy, we're going to Mustard Mountain."

"YES!"

"And then Candy Constellation."

Sheeby punched a small fist into the air.

"YES!"

Geeby blinked slowly.

"But where's Batty?"

Kirby slapped his forehead.

"He's over there."

He pointed into a random corner. Geeby squeaked happily and ran over to it. Tuffy started pacing and swinging a sword around.

"Where did you get that?"

"Power place."

"When?"

"Just now."

Just then Geeby came back over to them, sniffing sadly. Kirby inflated.

"Let's' go."

Sheeby and Tuffy followed. Geeby looked back, waved to an unseen face and inflated, slowly making his way to the rocky framed mirror.

Once they were in, Sheeby started fanning herself with her little paw.

"Whew, was it always this hot in here?"

Tuffy replied shortly.

"Yup."

He dashed up the slope, slashing this way and that, ridding the trail of any unwelcome creatures.

"Can we split up yet?"

"I said no!"

"Not even into twos?"

Sheeby turned to Kirby.

"Yeah, that would work."

Geeby nodded.

"I WANT TUFFY!"

Tuffy was a little surprised.

"Ok, you'll be better company that Sheeby."

Sheeby glared at him. Tuffy stuck his tongue out. Kirby sighed.

"Fine, does everyone have batteries in their phones?"

"Yes, mother."

Kirby groaned.

"I hate being the responsible one."

Sheeby took his arm.

"Then loosen up a bit."

She steered him out of Mustard Mountain.

"This time, I get to pick."

"Don't you want to go to Candy Constellation?"

"Oh yeah. Damn."

She pulled him into the starry mirror. The whole area was lit by a million distant stars. It was really quite romantic.

"Ah, don't you just love the music here?"

"Don't say the m word-!"

But there was only a subtle change in the music this time. It slowed down and became softer.

"Aw, so romantic! We should have tried saying 'music' somewhere else. It's probably just Rainbow Route that sounds awful."

Kirby held up a paw for silence.

"Wait, it's back to normal again."

"Oh. Well, the normal tune is good too."

Sheeby dragged him through the nearest tunnel.

"Let's get some wings!"

Kirby followed reluctantly, though it didn't really matter if he wanted to or not. Sheeby's grip was too strong. He exhaled deeply and gazed about him as Sheeby talked about the colours and the cute little Noddys and how they could catch a Cookin' and have dinner under the stars. Kirby didn't really listen, but when she started talking about sharing Cupid powers he eyes enlarged. He pulled his paw free.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Forget it, Sheeby! I am not going out with myself!"

Tuffy happily fed his bloodlust on the enormous amount of creatures that barred his way, mostly Sparkys, Roly-Polys, Twisters and Flamers. Geeby wandered along behind. Tuffy noticed he wasn't racing after him, and stopped.

"Would you hurry up?"

Geeby paid him little attention.

"I wonder where Kracko's hiding?"

Tuffy shook his head.

"I don't know, but we're gonna kick his cloudy ass up so high he'll burn up on re-entry."

Geeby started licking the wall.

"I want to find him now."

"Well, come on!"

Tuffy gripped Geeby's ankle and dragged him half way across Mustard Mountain.

"I know Kracko's here somewhere, I just can't remember where exactly-"

Geeby got up off the ground and dusted himself off.

"Maybe you should turn around."

"Huh?"

"Door. With sign sayin' Kracko in here. That we left last time."

Tuffy's face broke into a grin.

"So there is. I knew that sign was a good idea. Come on!"

Geeby followed, but them Tuffy pulled him back.

"You need a power first."

Geeby shrugged and swallowed a Twister.

"All better. HYAH!"

He bounded through the mirror. Tuffy stamped the ground angrily before running in himself.

"THAT'S MY WORD!"

Sheeby gave Kirby the puppy eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong."

Sheeby started crying. Kirby covered his invisible ears.

"I'm not listening."

Sheeby cried harder. Kirby screwed up his face.

"I'm not going to fall for that old trick."

Sheeby cried even louder, her sobs echoing off the walls and scaring the nearby Noddys. Kirby couldn't take it anymore. He turned on his heels and ran. Sheeby stopped almost at once, and frowned. She puffed up her chest and soon she was in hot pursuit. Kirby ran harder as he heard her approaching. She was so fast. Where did she get it? He flew through mirrors like there was no tomorrow, not caring to remember any landmarks. He soon entered a slopey area and swallowed a Wheelie. He stormed through everything in the area, for he could hear Sheeby's shouts at the far end.

"WAIT! JUST GIVE ME A CHANCE!"

"NO WAY!"

He threw himself through the next mirror, and the one after that. He skidded to a halt in an area made mostly of star bricks. He discarded his Wheel power and swallowed a Waddle Doo. Sheeby was nowhere to be seen. Kirby sighed loudly in relief.

"That was scary…"

He glanced back at the mirror once last time and continued on his way. He floated past some Gordos and more Waddle Doos avoiding them for now. He whipped out his Beam and killed the last two in one swipe and jumped up to the Warpstar hovering over his head. Just as he sat on it though, Sheeby burst out of the mirror. She saw the Warpstar vibrating all set to go and rushed past the Waddle Doos to get it. Kirby gasped and tried to hurry it up. But, Sheeby got her way and clung to the Warpstar just as it flew off.

"OY! KRACKO!"

"CLOUD GUY! PEEK A BOO!"

"YEAH! SHOW YOURSELF CYCLOPS!"

"CLOUDY!"

The platform beside the volcano was silent. Tuffy stopped whirling his sword around and frowned. Geeby spun around him as a tornado.

"Spinspinspinspinspinspinspinspin!"

"Where is the no show? TOO SCARED TO SHOW HIMSELF I BET!"

No answer, but a light shower of rain started up. Tuffy took it as a hint.

"Aha! You are here! Somewhere!"

Geeby stopped spinning and started trying to catch the rain in his mouth.

"Not cloudy rain. Rain rain. Cloudy rain tastes bad."

"Oh. What now?"

Geeby shrugged and ran around, splashing in puddles. He stepped in a particularly deep one and fell over. Tuffy slapped his forehead as Geeby tried to make a 'rain angel'. Tuffy looked up and saw a shadow pass over head. He immediately took an attack position, but his hopes of battle were soon shattered. Meta Knight landed beside him. He looked at Geeby and the wet platform.

"Did you enjoy your fight?"

"What fight?"

"Your fight with Kracko, of course."

"We haven't fought him yet!"

Meta Knight looked embarrassed.

"Oh…so that wasn't you?…hmm… About five minutes ago? In here?"

Tuffy spread his arms wide.

"What are you talking about? That wasn't us! What happened to Kracko?"

Meta Knight shifted a little away from Tuffy.

"It must have been Shadow Kirby…he was dueling Kracko, and I helped him defeat him, because I thought it was one of you after spray painting themselves."

"No! Where's the note and the mirror shard?"

Meta Knight pulled them out of his cloak.

"Here. I supposed I should have realised it wasn't you when he left this behind. Oh, and here are the two from Radish Ruins."

Tuffy took them, and the mirror shards were restored to the Mirror. The music note, he put under his hat.

"Thanks. Were you in Radish Ruins again?"

Meta Knight's eyes narrowed.

"That wasn't me last time, that was Dark Meta Knight. And I wasn't, I got these off Dark Meta Knight when we saw him last!"

Tuffy raised his paws submissively.

"Ok, ok! Just a mistake. You two do look alike. Except when he pushed-"

"Don't remind me."

He spread his wings and took to the air. Geeby only noticed him now and ran to wave at him.

"BYE BYE BA-"

Tuffy hurriedly clamped a paw over Geeby's mouth.

The Warpstar dropped them off in a new area, before zooming away. Sheeby and Kirby looked around for a mirror. There wasn't any, instead there was a Master Hand right in front of them. It came towards them, hand open, ready to grab them and squeeze them hard. Kirby lashed at it with his Beam, but it didn't stop and soon he was trapped in the Hand. Sheeby shouted and swallowed one of the stars that flew up from the ground when it pounded its fist. Kirby fell out of the Hand, and lost his power. He dashed after the Star, and Sheeby spat her star at Master Hand. Kirby whipped him one more time and the Hand fell. Kirby inhaled it quickly and he and Sheeby ran off.

"Ow…that fist really hurt."

"Come on, Kirby! There's two more Hands to kill!"

"Two more? No thanks!"

Sheeby rolled her ebony eyes and dragged Kirby through the mirror.

"Aw, it'll be fun."

"Fun!"

Tuffy and Geeby caught a Warpstar back to the Hall of Mirrors. Tuffy thought quickly.

"Geeby, where did the others say they were going?"

Geeby was looking at himself in the half Mirror.

"Candy place. Why?"

"We're going to visit them and say we got our shard first."

"But Batty-"

"I know, but we just won't mention that."

He floated up to the Candy Constellation mirror, Geeby following obediently.

Tuffy flew through the levels and Geeby helped, sort of. But Tuffy was getting very good with his Sword Power, and didn't need much. Kirby and Sheeby had left a trail of destruction in their wake and it didn't take much to follow them.

The next area was the familiar Power area, where Kirbys prepared for the boss.

Sheeby ignored the little statues and floated right through the mirror. Kirby had no choice but to follow her, and make sure she didn't get into trouble. But, he need not have worried, by the time he had entered the area, Crazy Hand was already dead and Master Hand was doomed. It seemed Sheeby was taking her emotions out on them. Kirby wondered how she killed them; she had no power but her anger. Kirby leapt forward and Beamed Master Hand. He exploded in a flash of yellow sparks. Sheeby jumped up and got the mirror shard, and Kirby caught the music note. Sheeby held out her paw and Kirby reluctantly did the victory dance with her, but she did not try anything. No sooner had they high-5ed that Tuffy and Geeby came running through the mirror.

"Hey! Have you got-"

Tuffy deflated when he saw no Hands.

"Were the Hands here when you came?"

Kirby looked at him oddly.

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing. We got our mirror shard first!"

He was about to add 'Radish Ruins' to his completed list, when Geeby butted in.

"Batty gave us Radish Ruins stuff."

Kirby looked relieved.

"Whew! That's good, one less to do. Where will we go next?"

The Kirbys looked at each other.

"You're asking us?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

The three of them started shouting out suggestions.

"Carrot Castle!"

"No way! Peppermint Palace!"

"ODIOUS OCEANS!"

Kirby paused.

"Weren't we already there?"

Geeby shook his head.

"Cabbage Caverns. You got it wrong."

"Oh. Ok, Odious Oceans it is. Come on."

Sheeby and Tuffy groaned and shot dagger looks at Geeby.