Disclaimer: Kirby belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratory.
Vesa and Fecto Elfilis met up with Kirby and Elfilin at the main plaza the next day. The human stared in awe at a large yellow star floating in the center.
"A Warp Star?" Elfilis commented, glancing at Kirby, "well, that's certainly an effective way to travel for certain, another invention of my people. You swallowed one, didn't you?"
"Poyo," Kirby shrugged.
Kirby and Elfilin exchanged a nod before hopping onto the Warp Star.
"I'll just assume you did," Elfilis sighed, "it's likely why you're able to create them so readily."
Vesa slowly approached the Warp Star and brushed her hands along it, noting the smoothness and warmth like condensed light in a way. She couldn't help but smile upon touching it.
"It's…beautiful," she said.
"My people had an excellent aesthetic sense, I think," Elfilis agreed, "most of it was pretty star based. It wouldn't surprise me if many of their artifacts found their way to Popstar if only due to its shape. They could've put a colony there at some point if they had the numbers to do so. However, the Ancients weren't large enough in numbers to really branch out from their own planet."
After a few seconds, Vesa took a step back.
"I don't know if I could hold onto it," she stammered.
Vesa locked eyes onto Elfilis.
"Elfilis?" Vesa requested, clasping her hands together, "I would appreciate it if you carried me."
Elfilis couldn't help but smile as their tail swayed excitedly.
"Very well," they nodded.
Vesa took a moment to adjust the backpack she borrowed before taking a step closer to Elfilis, who lifted her into their arms. She wrapped her arms around them. Elfilis pulled out a map, allowing Vesa to carefully read it. Her fingers traced over Winter Horns.
"Ioskaria is two lands west of here," she explained, "it's fine if we just fly there."
Vesa made a brief glance at Kirby and Elfilin and waved her hand at them. The pink star warrior and the small chinchilla waved back.
"Poyo!"
With Vesa holding onto Elfilis, the ultimate life-form spread their winglike ears and took off into the sky. Likewise, Kirby directed the Warp Star as it took off into the air. Kirby guided Elfilis as they flew over Natural Plains, Everbay Coast and Wondaria Remains. From above, Vesa could see how nature began taking back the cities which were once populated by her species. Once they arrived at Winter Horns, Vesa huddled closer to Elfilis as she shivered.
"I should've checked for winter gear," she muttered.
Elfilis tilted her a little so their fur can give her more body warmth.
"I could give you fur if that's what you prefer," Elfilis offered.
Vesa shook her head.
"As in fur genes? No thanks."
Kirby scanned his surroundings for a bit before he turned west. Elfilis continued to follow the Warp Star.
"Maybe we could find my house," Vesa suggested, "and even the places I remember growing up, even the Dew Garden!"
"Well then," Elfilis mentioned, "what will you do after we leave this place?"
Vesa sighed and closed her eyes.
"I still don't know what I want to do with my life," she admitted.
"You could live with us if you wish," Elfilis offered, "I'm sure you might find something that'll catch your interest."
Elfilis followed the Warp Star over the mountains. As the flight continued, Vesa immediately recognized the plains dotted with lakes and rivers. She recognized the sea lining the western coasts.
Below, she could see what used to be Ioskaria's capital city. She recognized her hometown of Kryejak up north of that.
"We're here," she said.
She pointed down at what was left of her neighborhood. Elfilis floated down to the ground. They scanned their surroundings and built a mental picture of the town…of what it could've looked like prior to its destruction. The Warp Star touched down seconds later and Kirby and Elfilin disembarked. When Elfilis also touched down, Vesa ran her thumb through their neck mane.
"You mind letting me down?"
Elfilis loosened their grip, allowing Vesa to leap onto the ground. The ultimate life-form felt…funny. They decided to mentally check themself over for any ailments despite the impossibility of it but found nothing again, how odd. Vesa noticed that blank expression and gently grasped their hand.
"Will you be ok?" she asked.
"I'm all right, I think," they answered, "I just feel slightly odd, though scans show I'm perfectly healthy and operating at above average parameters due to the new powers I've acquired."
Part of Vesa wanted to ask what Elfilis meant, but decided to save that question for later. She led Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin along the ancient pavement, moving past the several Awoofies that made brief glances at the visitors. The ultimate life-form did their best to remain at her pace, even if their legs were quite longer than hers. Atop a boulder, a Bernard stared down at the pink star warrior. Kirby and Elfilin responded by waving at the dog-like creature.
Minutes later, Vesa, Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin arrived at the edge of the ancient town coated in overgrown plants.
"This is my hometown Kryejak," Vesa explained, "most of it may feel like a small town to you at first, but at the time, it was the third most technologically advanced settlement at the time apart from the capital city Tirinkao."
"I see," Elfilis commented.
While Vesa, Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin began venturing through the abandoned town, the ultimate life-form started mentally feeling for any of their DNA which might be still lingering. They considered working on a spell to lure back any remnants of their DNA during their time here.
Over the course of half an hour, Vesa showed Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin the school she went to, the public library, the confectionery and Kryejak's marketplace. Traversing from building to building was fairly easy considering the streets long abandoned were paved in a way it allowed walking, bicycles and public trams with a street reserved for cars. Passing a rusty street tram, Vesa spotted the familiar building with a faded colorful roof.
"There it is!" Vesa exclaimed, "it's The Rolling Bowl Emporium!"
Vesa let go of Elfilis's arm and sprinted towards the door. Kirby and Elfilin followed her and when they stopped at the door, they stared in awe. Elfilis shifted their body next to her, teleporting from one spot to another instantaneously.
"You want to have a look inside?" Vesa asked, "I can show you where I get the jigsaw puzzles."
"Poyo!" Kirby nodded.
Vesa opened the door and stepped inside. She noticed two Awoofies in the lobby playing with old action figures. Elfilis scanned their surroundings, putting their paw on a TV and pulling some piece of their DNA out of it. Kirby and Elfilin began meandering through the toy store and examined some of the ancient toys still sitting on the shelves. Elfilis kept retrieving bits of themself out of a PA system, a coffee maker and an old phone that was lying around. Anger stirred within them over the fact they'd been reduced to a household commodity, used to enhance the technology of an entire civilization. Part of them was afraid of what they'd find by the time they used the spell.
Vesa ventured through the aisle of girls' toys and locked eyes onto the familiar shelf. She crouched down and brushed her hand along a box of jigsaw puzzles which were starting to rot away. When she picked up the box and examined it, Elfilis appeared next to her.
"This is where my father bought me my first puzzle," she said.
"I can empathize with losing everything like this," Elfilis replied sadly.
Vesa nodded and put the box back, standing up.
"When you're ready," Vesa offered, "I can show you the café my family and I like to go to on the weekends."
"I suppose," Elfilis agreed.
Stepping outside the emporium, Vesa led Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin down the pavement, meandering through the roundabout holding a fountain which no longer functioned. To her right, she spotted a familiar building around a few floors tall.
"That's the hospital we went to for my frequent checkups," Vesa pointed to said building.
Elfilis felt their feelers perk up as they sensed plenty of bits of their DNA within that building. Kirby climbed onto a bench to examine the abandoned hospital from a distance.
"Poyo?"
Vesa gave Kirby a confused look. Elfilin hovered in front of her and sighed.
"Kirby's just baffled you take trips to the hospital more often than usual," Elfilin explained.
"Well," Vesa clarified, "it's kinda what my family had to do to manage the symptoms of my chronic illness."
Vesa made a brief glance at Elfilis.
"Though that's in the past," she added.
Vesa took a step back and continued walking along the pavement. Climbing up a slope, she led Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin across the landscape, passing by a couple Mookies hanging out near a tree. Passing by a few more buildings, she stopped at the entrance to a café familiar to her.
"This one."
Vesa led them along the pavement and up the front porch, stepping through the door. Elfilis recognized it due to the time they and Vesa shared a dream back at…Lab Discovera. Their eyes turned slightly red and their fur gained small white hairs as they thought back to it, anger seething more than fear or depression for now. After a moment, their fur and eyes returned to normal. Kirby noticed, however, and approached Elfilis, waving his arms.
"Poyo? Poyo?"
"I'm still not ok," Elfilis told Kirby, staring down at him blankly, "that resurrecting butterfly branded their mark on my soul."
Kirby lowered his gaze.
"Poyo," Kirby muttered sadly.
Vesa approached the counter, not minding the Awoofies sitting at the counter as she examined the menu, noticing all the writings on it could barely be recognized now. Elfilis, on the other hand, deciphered the writing with their advanced eyesight. Elfilin plopped onto the counter and had a closer look at the pastry display.
"This is so cool!" Elfilin chirped, "maybe we can renovate it someday?"
"I don't know," Vesa shrugged, "Ioskaria has plenty of cafés like this one. Usually, they sell different kinds of tea, coffee and even hot chocolate. They even sell cookies and other kinds of pastries. Some of them even offer options for breakfast and lunch."
"We could just build one in Dreamland," Elfilis interjected, "speaking of, what do you plan to do…brother? Will you stay here, or will you come with us?"
Elfilin paused for a moment before he and Kirby exchanged glances.
"You know," Elfilin answered, "I guess I'd love to go see Dreamland for myself. Right, Kirby?"
"Poyo!" Kirby chirped.
"Well," Elfilis mused, "the rest of our family will be going. I'm sure they would like to spend more time with you."
Vesa continued to survey the rest of the café, examining what became of the patio through the window. She noticed as Elfilin perched on her shoulder.
"So what are your people like?" Elfilin asked.
"My people?" she paused, "as far as I know, you could say we strike a fair balance between tradition and modernity back in the day. I can't say the same for countries like Redgarica."
Vesa made her way back to the door, glancing over her shoulder and watching as Elfilis began inspecting the technology which broke down over time. She watched as they kept pulling out blue, orange and purple-shifting fluids out of machines they found. Little did they know, Vesa, Kirby and Elfilin could see exactly how much the ultimate life-form's power was abused for the gain of the long forgotten people, and how much of them was likely still missing.
A worried expression filled her eyes as guilt started seeping inside of her.
"There are," Vesa stammered, "two more places I'd like to show you."
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