Kirby and his friends arrived on the planet Neo Star. This planet is covered in jungles, volcanoes, and other wild lands. It holds a special respect to plant life, nature, and earth. Mountains and caves were also spread about the planet. From space, the planet's appearance was a green leafy sphere with the red areas being volcanoes.

"This place looks like it hasn't been in touch with civilization for ages." Dedede grumbled as he swat away some insects.

"Neo Star never had civilization to begin with. It's completely untouched by modernization." Ribbon explained.

Adeleine waved her hat in an attempt to fan the bothersome insects away. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll be away from these mosquitoes."

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The first area Kirby explored was a simple jungle. However, this jungle was simple to Neo Star standards. This place made Big Woods seem civilized.

Kirby walked on the jungle path, avoiding several holes and pitfalls in his way. Kirby eventually tripped and fell in one pitfall, only to notice that a crystal shard was in it. It was a lucky accident.

He entered the next area of the jungle and climbed down a long vine to find another crystal shard. He climbed up a series of vines until he reached a hole in the side of a mountain. From there, Kirby swung from vine to vine until reaching a Giant Galbo.

The Star Warrior quickly fought the Giant Galbo and reached the next part of the jungle with swinging logs tied with vines. He hopped across the logs, careful with each step he took. It would be a long drop to the ground if he lost his balance. He grabbed a crystal shard that was in the leaves just above him, nearly falling off the log. Kirby made his way across the gap and left the first area.

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The second area Kirby traversed was a deep cave. While Kirby fell down the cave, he managed to grab a crystal shard on his way. When he finally stopped falling, he didn't hit the ground as expected. Instead, he landed in a mining cart with Waddle Dee behind it.

"Waddle Dee, is this going to be like the box boat ride, poyo?" Kirby asked.

"Err…kinda." Waddle Dee answered as he began to push the cart then jumped in front of Kirby. The two rode in their mine cart without trouble at first. Then they noticed that a piece of the track was missing over a small gap. Kirby and Waddle Dee shrieked and grabbed their cart, jumping over the hole and back onto the tracks.

"Did you know that was there, poyo?" Kirby asked after the shock had worn off.

"Um…no…"

"You didn't check the tracks before you got in the cart?!" Kirby screamed.

"No! I didn't think about it!" Waddle Dee answered.

The two continued screaming as the cart whirled down the tracks. The two noticed a crystal shard floating in the air from a distance. The two grabbed the shard, then turned their attention to the front. The ride had several gaps and bumps, with each jump the two would wave their arms and scream in fright.

The tracks ended abruptly in front of a large cliff. The cart flipped over, throwing it's passengers into the abyss.

"Avenge me, Kirby! Avenge me!" Waddle Dee shouted as he fell out of Kirby's sight.

Kirby landed on the ground below and felt water drip on the back of his head. He observed his surroundings and saw that this part of the cave had small waterfalls flowing from the cracks in the walls. The pink puffball went on his way, looking for Waddle Dee until he came across a large brown block covering part of the cave wall.

Kirby used his Dynamite ability, formed by combining the Stone and Bomb abilities. He set the dynamite by the block, then ran away from it while wearing a hard hat. Behind the block was a crystal shard. Continuing through the cave, Kirby defeated a room filled with Drops and proceeded to the next room.

There were several large moving blocks. If he wasn't careful, they would squish him. He navigated through the lethal rocks until he reached the exit. Kirby found Waddle Dee with a bump on his head outside the cave. It appeared that he had made it outside just in time to collapse on the mossy floor. Kirby picked up the passed out Waddle Dee and carried him to the rest of the group.

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The third area was a mountainous region with fog surrounding the peaks. Moving on his way, he noticed another strange rock with something sparkling underneath it. Kirby used his Power Drill ability, obtained when combining the Needle and Stone abilities. Underneath the rock was a crystal shard.

Kirby continued his climb up the mountain. There were several different colors of rock making up the mountain, not just red, orange, and brown like Rock Star's barren areas. On his way, he met Adeleine who had painted a picture of a top hat.

"Kirby, I figured out this puzzle. See those blocks over there?" Adeleine pointed to a pile of star blocks. "You need to make those blocks match this picture."

The pink puffball carved away at the blocks, eventually creating the shape Adeleine painted. Creating the statue reminded him of his adventures with his animal friends. The statue suddenly crumbled away, leaving a crystal shard in the rubble.

Kirby hopped across smaller ledges, noticing something shiny floating below. Kirby jumped off the ledge, grabbed the crystal shard, then quickly inflated himself to fly onto another ledge. He eventually finished his climb to the top of the mountain where his friends were waiting for him.

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The group of five had a red, blue, and yellow picnic blanket with white stripes spread on the ground. Adeleine had created another painted picnic. Kirby ate two strawberry shortcakes while Dedede was chewing on a chicken leg. Adeleine munched on a ham and cheese sandwich with Waddle Dee eating a rice ball.

Ribbon floated next to the young artist. "Adeleine, may I have a strawberry shortcake, please?"

"Ribbon, I'm sorry. I ran out of paint for a strawberry shortcake. I could make more when I find the materials. There are a few rocks that can be made into paint here."

Ribbon's face fell. Adeleine scratched the back of her head nervously. "Is there anything else you would like, though? I'll paint anything that I can."

Kirby looked down at his strawberry shortcakes in thought. He was hungry, and they were the last cakes too, but…

"Ribbon, here!" Kirby thrust the plate with the cake in front of Ribbon.

"Kirby…I can't take your cake. It's yours." Ribbon pushed the cake back to Kirby.

"Kirby has two cakes. If you take one, Kirby will still have one, poyo! So take it!" He slid the cake to Ribbon with a blush that could be clearly seen, despite the fog and the clouds covering the sun.

"But it's yours! I'll eat something else." Ribbon pushed the confection back.

"Kirby wants you to have it!"

Dedede watched as the strawberry shortcake was pushed back and forth. "If you don't want it, then I'll be glad to take it!" The king grabbed the dish in between the puffball and the fairy.

Dedede made the mistake of looking at Kirby, who was giving him a pitiful disappointed look. Dedede was familiar with this face, because he often practiced the same look when he was a child. The penguin reluctantly sat the cake in front of Ribbon, then took a seat next to Waddle Dee.

"Thank you, Kirby…" Ribbon smiled after finally accepting the cake.

Kirby blushed and looked at his own strawberry shortcake. Adeleine giggled then turned her attention to Waddle Dee.

"How's that bump on your head doing?" The young artist asked.

"Fine, I think. I don't think I have a concussion. Do you have one if everything sounds like it's underwater?"

"Are you sure you don't want to go home? It looks really painful." Ribbon asked.

"No! I said I was sticking with you guys until the end!" Waddle Dee tried to stand up, but fell down on his bottom again.

"That's a pretty big bump. It's huge." Dedede looked at Waddle Dee's head. "I tried to make it look better by painting a happy face on it. I don't think it worked."

Kirby was wondering why a face had appeared on Waddle Dee's injury, but never thought to ask.

Waddle Dee covered his head in shame. "Don't look at me. Don't look at me! I'm hideously deformed!"

"Waddle Dee, it's not that bad." Adeleine tried to comfort her upset companion.

"It looks like a bird laid an egg on my head!"

Dedede looked at the bump, then at Adeleine. "Do you still have that painting of a top hat?"

"Um, yes. Why?" Adeleine asked.

"Do that thing where you make the painting come off the paper."

Adeleine was confused, but complied with the king's request. Dedede snatched the hat, then placed it on Waddle Dee's head.

"Better?" Dedede tapped his foot.

"It's like it's not even there!" Waddle Dee admired his temporary headgear.

"Okay, is everyone happy?" The penguin asked the group.

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Geez." The king sat down and continued eating his lunch. He briefly looked at Waddle Dee, who was looking at him with sparkling eyes. Adeleine and Ribbon silently giggled at Dedede's flustered reaction.

"Kid, you're in my personal bubble." Dedede scooted Waddle Dee away from him. "I can't eat with you breathing down my shoulder."

Waddle Dee sat where the penguin king had moved him, still looking at the king with eyes of adoration.

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Meta Knight and his small crew were cautiously fixing the dangerous gas leak. Everyone onboard the ship was on pins and needles.

"Careful…" Blade warned Gooey, who was holding a wrench with his tongue.

"I'm being careful!" Gooey retorted.

The time limit placed on their shoulders only brought more anxiety to the crew. Even Meta Knight was sweating a bit underneath his mask.

"Sailor Dee, where are those manuals?!" Sword yelled.

"Here they are!" Sailor Dee ran around the ship, handing out manuals and tools when necessary.

Their work had been steady without complications for the most part. However, no one would relax until the crisis was completely averted.

Suddenly a pipe hissed.

"AAAGH!" Sword, Sailor Dee, and Gooey hit the floor.

Blade shook his head. "It's just a water pipe. There's nothing wrong with it."

The three gave a sigh of relief.

"I can't take this anymore! I'm going bonkers!" Gooey shouted while face down on the floor.

"It's almost over Gooey." Meta Knight reassured the friendly Dark Matter. "The worst has passed."

"But all of this stress is making me lose sleep. None of us have slept at all. I have bags under my eyes! Even my bags have bags!" Gooey pointed to his eyes with his tongue.

The others did have to admit that the bags were unsightly. Gooey wasn't the only one that had suffered. Sword had become rather irritable and Blade was beginning to act sluggish. Sailor Dee had fallen asleep in the tool box once. Meta Knight had been fighting back the yawns since three in the morning yesterday.

"We just have to muscle through a little longer and then we can rest." Blade held back a yawn.

In three hours the pipes were finished and the oil was drained from the Halberd.

"It's over…It's finally over!" Gooey exclaimed as he hit the floor face first. Sailor Dee followed his lead.

Meta Knight cleared his throat. "No, not quite."

"What now?" Gooey grumbled as he picked himself off the floor.

Sword nodded his head in realization. "The oil…how do we get rid of it?"

"Dumping it somewhere is too dangerous and harmful. It's worse than keeping it here." Blade interjected.

"We can't bury it either." Sailor Dee said.

Gooey gasped. "If we buried it, then everyone in Dreamland would transform into mutants and begin a rampage of revenge and destruction upon us!"

"That is highly unlikely." Meta Knight responded after a short pause.

"Unlikely…but possible?!" Gooey gasped again.

"Anyway…" Blade interrupted Gooey's antics. "Bottom line. What should we do with it?"

"We could sell it." Sword suggested.

"No, this fuel could be used against us." Meta Knight disagreed. "Selling it would be dooming all of Dreamland. Even Pop Star."

"Then what are we going to do with it?!" Gooey yelled.

The small crew stood in silence, mulling over the dangerous situation.

"Maybe…" Sailor Dee spoke up. "We could make it less dangerous."

"Less dangerous? How do we make possibly the most dangerous fuel in existence less dangerous?!" Sword was showing his irritable side again.

"We can use chemistry. Mix chemicals to create a less flammable gas."

"It would seem that is the only option that can be taken." Meta Knight said, then turned to Gooey.

"We have no need of your services from this point onward. You are free to leave."

"Thank you… I'm going home… to sleep until tomorrow evening." Gooey made his way to hop out of the castle's basement, but was stopped by Sword.

"Remember Gooey, loose lips sink ships…"

"But I don't have any lips."

"…Just get out of here."

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The next area Kirby explored was a fiery volcano. The pink puffball jumped over rivers of magma and dodged Ignus. After traveling a short distance inside the volcano, he met Dedede in one room with several pillars. The penguin king motioned for Kirby to jump on his back.

Dedede smashed the stone pillars in their way with ease, only stopping to complain about the heat every now and then. One pillar was sturdier than the rest they encountered. After a few whacks, it finally crumbled with a crystal shard falling out of the dust.

Once they reached the end of the pillars, Dedede decided to speak up.
"This is where your ride ends, you little leech." Dedede said.

Kirby was still clinging to the king's back.

"That means you get off and go on your way." The penguin said after a beat.

"Nope! Kirby doesn't want to, poyo!" The Star Warrior replied cheerfully, then patted Dedede's back.

Dedede grabbed one of Kirby's arms, then flung him into the next room. He was even courteous enough to wave goodbye to the pink puffball on his way out.

The next room had a thin elevated path surrounded by a magma lake. Kirby cautiously made his way across the dangerous thin strip of land. The next room had a large rock covered in magma with something shining through the cracks. Kirby used his Giant Snowball ability on the rock, created by combining the Ice and Needle ability. The rock cracked open to reveal another crystal shard.

He entered the next room, calm and carefree. Suddenly, there was an unsettling rumble. Kirby turned around to see an advancing wall of magma. Kirby ran through the volcano, looking behind every few moments to see if it was still there. He continued his daring escape until he barreled into the next room, then slammed a giant rock in front of the entrance.

Kirby sat down to catch his breath, relieved that it was finally over. Then another rumble was heard. The magma below him was rapidly rising. Kirby climbed the ledges of the volcano, occasionally floating to his next destination. On his way up, he noticed a crystal shard embedded in the volcano walls. He tugged and pulled until it finally dislodged itself. Kirby continued to climb until he was safely out of the volcano.

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Kirby entered the final area of Neo Star, prepared to take on whatever stood in his way. A strange blob-like mass emerged from the magma. It's eyes and mouth were black and hollow, showing no features at all. A red magma pillar rose and slowly approached Kirby. Using his Missile ability, he hit both pillars easily. The creature dubbed 'Magman' slung magma at the Star Warrior. The pink puffball dodged and fired the missiles at the magma.

Magman gave a cry of defeat then sunk into the volcano.

"That was easy, poyo!" Kirby mused. "Too easy…"

At that moment Magman reemerged next to him, staring him down then moving closer to him. Kirby did the only thing he could think of in this situation: run. Magman was getting closer to him, but Kirby ran onto the earth of the volcano. He took a moment to rest on the land, thinking that Magman wouldn't follow him.

Then to Kirby's horror, Magman slowly climbed out of the magma and onto the land, getting closer each passing second. Kirby flung his missiles at his opponent, causing some damage. Magman melted, then slid toward Kirby. More missiles were aimed at the magma beast that spewed it's fiery breath at Kirby. The Star Warrior fired the final shot, defeating Magman at last.

The fiery opponent relinquished a crystal shard, then took a moment to stare at his previous opponent. Kirby stared back, unsure of the situation's outcome. Magman raised it's arms at Kirby. The pink puffball braced himself for an attack. Seconds ticked by with no impact. Kirby slowly opened his eyes to see that Magman had slithered back into the magma, but not before carving something into the volcano's floor.

It was a drawing of a smiling face.

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The group of five gazed at the newly formed Crystal of Joy. It was much bigger than before they left Popstar and was nearly complete.

"It almost looks like it did at Ripple Star…" Ribbon said.

"We're so close to finishing our adventure, but it seems like it just started." Adeleine stated.

"I wonder… what will it be like when it's all over?" Waddle Dee rubbed his almost healed head. "Will everything just go back to normal? What's waiting for us at the end?"

"We won't know until the time comes." Dedede said. "What I do know is, this place is worse than Rock Star. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" The group didn't like Neo Star much. The jungles were infested with insects, it was covered in active volcanoes, the likelihood of head injuries drastically increased, and to top it all off Neo Star was just downright dangerous.

Abruptly, a violent shaking from the ground began. The group began to look for the source of the quake while Waddle Dee had fallen on his back. A volcano had erupted next to them.

"RUN!" Dedede yelled as they distanced themselves from the volcano. They had nearly been struck by falling rocks coated in lava.

The Crystal of Joy created another portal to their next destination. The portal was moving away from them as they tried to leap in. Ribbon flew in followed by King Dedede.

"I can't catch up! It won't be still!" Adeleine tripped over a stone.

Dedede's arm appeared and grabbed Adeleine before she hit the ground, then pulled her into the portal. Kirby jumped in next while Waddle Dee ran as fast as his feet would allow. The lava was catching up to him while the portal was floating further away.

Kirby popped outside of the crystal's portal, then inhaled, successfully grabbing Waddle Dee by the head with his mouth.

Waddle Dee thought over the situations he's been dragged into since he joined this adventure.

He's traveled to several different planets alongside the hero of Pop Star, a fairy from a different planet, a talented artist girl that could bring her paintings to life, and the king of Dreamland that seemed to be Dark Matter bait.

He's been possessed by a widespread malevolent entity. He roamed a desert that scorched them like an angry woman. He drove a box boat through a river on a tropical planet. He rode in a mine cart and suffered a painful head injury. He's seen things most Waddle Dees would never get to see. He's experienced several things that most Waddle Dees would never experience.

Waddle Dee wondered how things might have been different if he had stayed on Popstar. Would Kirby and his friends have more difficulties if he wasn't here? Did Waddle Dee actually want to be a part of this adventure?

Yes. Yes he did. And he loved every second of it.

Author's Note: Well, we've only got about three more chapters until the next arc. I promise youthat it won't take this long for the next chapter to be written (I hope).