Ribbon finalized her message and sent it off to the queen.
"I think I see them," Kirby said as he stood on the edge of the Island. He shielded his eyes from the sun and stared out at the sea of clouds.
Ribbon came up beside him and also looked out. She could just make out Pin Stitch, barely a spec in the sky, carrying Bandanna Dee.
"They're heading to the next island," she pointed out.
"Looks like we're gonna have to fly."
Just as Ribbon was about to agree and begin to carry Kirby, a bright flash interrupted her.
"Wha? Hey!" she heard Kirby gasp. "The Grand Sunstone!"
The so-called 'Grand Sunstone' had somehow escaped Kirby's grasp and soared into the sky, spinning around as it flew.
"What's it doing?" Ribbon asked.
"I don't kno-"
The island shook, nearly knocking Kirby off the island, if it weren't for Ribbon grabbing him.
"Thanks, Ribbon."
"Kirby! Look!" she gasped.
The giant vine that had lifted Castle DeDeDe into the sky started to grow, twisting further into the sky. It eventually settled next to the other floating island farther up. The shaking settled and the Grand Sunstone floated back into Kirby's hands.
"Huh," he hummed. He put the object away and smiled. "So that's what it does."
"Least we can walk there now," Ribbon said.
"You mean I can walk," he sassed. "I don't think I've ever seen you not flying."
" I'm a fairy," she said, flicking a strand of hair over her shoulder with a smirk. "It's what we do."
"Lucky," he pouted. "I wish I had wings. Meta says I might get them when I'm older."
He sighed before narrowing his eyes. With a nod, he jumped onto the stalk and started to run to the new island.
"Come on, Ribbon," he called.
"Right behind you!"
"Woah" Ribbon said in amazement. "It's all desserts."
"Lollipop Land, " Kirby whispered.
"Uh, Kirby, you're drooling."
"It's beautiful," he whispered, ignoring her. "I've never seen something so wonderful."
Ribbon rolled her eyes. All around them seemed to be sweets. The entire island looked like a loaded-down cake. Cookie ground, biscuit trees, arches containing layers of cream, bushes made of frosting, all of it a dream for someone with a sweet tooth.
"I know it's a dream come true," Ribbon said, trying to get him back on track. "But we have to catch up with Pinny and Bandanna Dee."
Kirby shook his head and wiped his mouth.
"You're right," he said. His eyes drifted over to an upright biscuit half buried in the ground. "But first a snack."
"Kirby!" she scolded as Kirby jumped up and chomped down on the biscuit. "We don't have time!"
Kirby froze with the biscuit half in his mouth.
"Kirby?"
"''I' 'ould 'omon oo 'is!" he cried through the cookie.
"Kirby, I can't understand you with your mouth full."
He popped his mouth off the cookie, hanging off the top with one hand and turned to her with tears in his eyes.
"This isn't Lollipop Land!" he cried. "It's a land of lies! It's all fake."
He accentuated his point by kicking the biscuit, which produced a loud metallic clang. He dropped down and buried his face into Ribbons shoulder.
"Who would do something so evil?" he blubbered. "Why, Ribbon, why!?"
"Uh, there, there," Ribbon awkwardly said, patting his back.
There was a low rumble. Ribbon's eyes widened as the source crested over the hill.
"Uh, Kirby," she said, frantically. "I know you're really sad right now, but we need to move."
"Right," he said, separating and wiping his tears. "We gotta catch up to DeDeDe and that spider."
"Uh, no. Well, yes but-"
She forced him to turn around. He blinked.
"Is… is that a candy tank?"
"Yes!"
*BOOM!*
"Is that candy tank shooting jawbreakers at us!?"
"YES!"
"Run!" Kirby shouted.
"I hate this place," Kirby panted from his position face down on the ground. "I hate it so much."
"Ditto," Ribbon said tiredly. She lay flat on her back, arms spread out.
The two had been able to escape the tank by dropping it down a pit.
"The cookies aren't real," Kirby said as he pushed himself onto his arms. "And there's candy tanks that fire jawbreakers and they look soooooo goooooood but they EXPLODE!"
He finally pushed himself to his feet and slowly stumbled forward.
"That's it," he mumbled fiercely. "I'm finding one of those fruits and destroying this place."
"Kirby-"
"Destroying it!"
Ribbon laid her head back down and sighed. She couldn't exactly fault him at this point.
"What is this place?" Ribbon asked.
After their brush with the tank, the two, eager not to have a repeat of the event, ducked into a cave. They soon found a ladder and descended into a large room. The walls all looked to be made from toy blocks and puzzle pieces of vibrant colors.
"It," Kirby said as they made their way forward. "Looks kinda like a factory."
"Made from toy blocks?" Ribbon asked. "And what could they be making?"
Kirby shrugged.
"Beats me," he said, adjusting his new archer hat.
The two worked their way through the toy-like factory, passing by large pools of water and childish-looking gears. After a long dive through a watery tunnel, they finally found what Kirby was looking for.
"Uhg, note to self," she grumbled while wringing out her hair. "Next adventure, wear a swimsuit underneath my dress."
She was just wringing out her dress when she heard Kirby cry out in joy.
"Yes! I knew we'd find one!" he yelled out in glee. "Ribbon! I found one of those fruits!"
"Give me a minute, Kirby," she said.
She grasped the crystal and closed her eyes. A bubble soon swelled from the crystal and engulfed her. A neat trick she had figured out was that she could use the crystal's shield to force water out of her clothes.
She soon popped the bubble. Water splashed to the ground around her.
"Ah, much better," she said smoothing down her dress.
"Neat trick."
Kirby stood nearby, holding the glowing fruit.
"It certainly comes in handy."
He grinned and held the fruit up.
"Ready?"
"I guess," she sighed.
"Hypernova Kirby and Blossom Mode Ribbon, here we come!"
She raised a brow.
"Blossom Mode?"
"Yeah," he said excitedly. "Cause you get those cherry blossom petals in your hair."
She shook her head fondly.
"Alright," she chuckled. "Blossom Mode Ribbon it is."
Kirby smiled and tossed the fruit into his mouth. Just like before, his pink color exploded off of him.
He looked over his oscillating rainbow colored limbs with a grin.
"Wait," he questioned. "You're still the same?"
Ribbon glanced at her arms. No vines snaked their way down them.
"Huh?" she hummed. "Last time it happened when I touched you."
Kirby tapped her arm. That familiar zing traveled through her.
"There it is," Kirby cheered.
' Yep, ' she thought. ' This still feels right. '
"Onward!" he declared, marching forward.
Their trek through the factory continued with Kirby using his super inhale to move oversized toy trucks and large laser shooting blocks.
"Look, I'm sorry," she said to the face on the block.
Eyes like gears were twisted in such a way to imitate a sad frown.
"It's just, you're shooting lasers up a ladder we need to take," she continues.
"I don't think it's actually alive, Ribbon," Kirby said, jogging up to her side. "I think it's just like that."
"Are you sure?" she asked. "It's angry face changed when you dragged it into the corner."
"Weeeeeellllll," he drawled. His head twisted this way and that as he stared at the laser block. "Maybe? I don't know."
He shrugged and patted the block on the side.
"Sorry," he said. "We'll move you back if we have time, but we're in a hurry."
Ribbon nodded and followed Kirby up the ladder.
The two peeked their heads out of the hatch.
"A tube?" Kirby asked. "And a dead end."
Ribbon glanced down the other way, where a strange whooshing sound was echoing.
Her eyes widened.
"Duck!" she cried.
"Like the bird?"
"No!" she screamed, yanking Kirby back down the ladder.
A missile screeched over their heads.
"Oh," he said awkwardly. "Duck, like the action. My bad."
Ribbon shook her head with a smile.
Kirby tapped his chin.
"Missiles, lasers? This is a weapons factory!"
"Looks like it," she said.
Kirby jumped out of her arms and back onto the ladder.
"Alright, let's try this again. I'll block, you blast."
She nodded.