Disclaimer: Kirby belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratory.
The rest of the week continued on with Vesa practicing with her wand and learning a new spell circle. At the end of the week, Taranza returned for a visit. Kirby, Meta Knight, Elfilin, Vesa, Fecto Elfilis and Taranza gathered at the courtyard. The small chinchilla fidgeted nervously in his chair.
"Alright," Elfilis asked, "are we ready to get started again?"
"I'll be sure to keep an eye on the procedure," Taranza nodded, "I'll let you know if something goes wrong."
Elfilin gave Kirby a worried look.
"Good," Elfilis replied solemnly, "we can get started."
Elfilis made a brief glance at Meta Knight, who seemed poised to take action in the event something went wrong. The veteran knight returned his gaze and simply nodded. Elfilin folded his ears inward and tucked his tail beneath him. Kirby gave the small chinchilla some gentle pats as Elfilis started producing the Miracle Fruit's juices in small doses.
This time, it was more of a burning sensation than a soothing one. Now the healing was just more painful than they realized it was last time. Vesa, Meta Knight and Taranza watched intently as Elfilis swished their tail. Their fur started changing colors quickly and it wasn't long before they entered their soul form once again. There wasn't any magical build up and they didn't seem to be having issues just yet. Still, Meta Knight kept a vigilant grip on the hilt of his sword.
Elfilis kept their eyes shut and continued to keep the dosage of the Miracle Fruit's juices steady. They worked on guiding the power towards their soul, doing what they could to fill in gaps, rips and tears in their own spiritual form. Elfilin huddled closer to Kirby. Elfilis kept up their work, their fur slightly bristling at the pain like pouring alcohol on an open wound. Taranza cast a diagnostic spell. Much to his relief, nothing seemed to go wrong yet.
Vesa checked her pocket bangle before pulling out a book and a pencil before she began to dwell in her thoughts, hoping to recall any tidbits of history of her home country. It wasn't long before Elfilis's fur started to melt slightly, the light reflecting off the biomass. Kirby stiffened and stared intently.
Soon enough, it had only been half the time the process took last time. Elfilis was certain they needed to stop soon, considering their body was hot to the touch. At that point, Elfilin peeked through the nick in his right ear. His larger fragment started easing back a little and after a few moments, they opened their eyes. The small chinchilla shuddered at the sight of their small red pupils. Moments passed and Elfilis's fur began to solidify. They let out a soft breath and their fur slowly started shifting back to its natural color.
For some reason, they had an anxious thought their fur wouldn't change back, but they weren't sure as to why. Meta Knight closed his eyes for a brief moment in relief as he released his grip on the hilt of his sword. The veteran warrior wrapped the cloak around himself and stood up before heading off. By then, Elfilis's furs completed their transition to their original colors. Upon cue, Elfilin unfolded his ears.
"That's it?" Elfilin paused.
"Of course," Elfilis nodded, "I suspect I'll be fine in a few years. The scars will linger on my soul, but they'll eventually fade."
Taranza beamed upon those words.
"That's wonderful news!" he cheered, "this has allowed me to gain a better understanding of the Dreamstalk."
Elfilis nodded with a soft smile.
"I'm glad to assist you," Elfilis acknowledged.
Taranza began packing up before he followed Elfilis, Vesa, Kirby and Elfilin out of the courtyard. The spider mage floated through the gate while the pink star warrior waved his arm.
"Poyo!" Kirby chirped.
"I'll see you later," Taranza waved back.
Taranza turned to travel down the dirt path. Vesa took a moment to adjust her scarf and jacket.
"So, what's next?" Elfilis asked, "if you don't have anything else in mind, I'll probably go feed the demon beast."
Elfilin and Kirby gave Elfilis a blank stare.
"Poyo?"
"I identified the creature as such the other day," Elfilis explained, "I should've mentioned it earlier. More specifically, it was a demon beast of the gluttony category as it consumed memories of Kawasaki's cooking."
"So that explains why Kawasaki had a reputation," Elfilin commented.
"Maybe after we feed this demon beast," Vesa suggested, "we can stop by Castle Dedede and say hello to Zan. Is that ok?"
"Poyo!" Kirby chirped, waving his arms and standing on the tips of his feet.
"I wouldn't mind," Elfilis nodded.
Elfilis led Vesa, Kirby and Elfilin into the tower and descended the stairs to the dungeons. Once they arrived at the cell, the pink star warrior and the small chinchilla stared in awe at the sight of the demon beast. The creature moved back and forth inside of the cell, marks on the walls where it tried to claw its way through the stone. The minimal scratches indicated their ineffectiveness at destroying whatever magic was reinforcing the cell. Elfilin shivered rather nervously.
"There's no need to fear," Elfilis assured their little brother, "but I suggest you not try sticking your hand in."
"Ok," Elfilin nodded sheepishly.
Elfilis teleported into the cell and stuck their hand to its head. The demon beast tried to claw at them, but relaxed quickly. The creature lowered its arms, sitting there for a moment as the ultimate life-form placed their hand on its head and "fed" it. Once they finished, the creature curled up in a corner after Elfilis pulled their hand away. With their task complete, they teleported out of the cell.
"Are you ready to leave?" Elfilis asked.
Vesa nodded. Elfilis led her, Elfilin and Kirby up the stairs before they all exited the tower. As they ventured down the dirt path, the small chinchilla huddled closer to Elfilis for warmth. They blinked yet they simply let him snuggle in their neck mane. Upon arriving at Capupu Village, they continued their stroll down the street. Interestingly enough, Elfilis spotted Dedede arriving into town the same time they did, happily showing around a small family of four around the town and introducing them to some of the citizens. Elfilin and Kirby shared glances when they took notice of the two children accompanying their parents.
"Huh," Elfilin commented, "first Escargon, and now these new fellas. I wonder if they're new here."
"Poyo," Kirby agreed.
"They're probably meant to be members of the king's new council of advisors," Elfilis hummed.
Elfilin emerged from Elfilis's neck mane before he and Kirby scrambled over to the penguin king.
"Uh, Kirby?" Vesa blurted.
Kirby and Elfilin approached the king, which caught his attention as the pink star warrior waved his arms. The family also focused their eyes on Kirby and the small chinchilla.
"Poyo!"
"Whatcha need, lil guy?" Dedede asked, his voice with a hint of stress, "kinda in the middle of somethin'."
"We're just here to say hello," Elfilin waved his paw.
"Why don't you kids go play with them?" the wife suggested, "your father and I will stay here with the king and continue the tour for now."
Elfilin did a happy back flip. A young girl approached Kirby and the small chinchilla while her younger brother followed close behind.
"So who are you two?" she asked.
Dedede led the new cabinet ministers as they continued the tour.
"Poyo!" Kirby chirped.
"This is Kirby and I'm Elfilin," Elfilin added, "so what's your name?"
"I'm Fumu," the girl greeted, "and this is Bun."
Elfilin perked up his ears as he circled the new kids.
"How are you flying?" Fumu pondered, "with the hole in your…wing? Not to mention you aren't flapping them at all."
"They're actually my ears," Elfilin corrected, "I just hover."
Kirby, Elfilin, Fumu and Bun began strolling through Capupu Village with Vesa and Elfilis staying close by.
"I mean, there isn't any upward lift, so I don't see how you're airborne at all," Fumu added.
"Just don't think about it so hard, sis," Bun shrugged, "you'll get a headache."
Bun made a brief glance at Elfilis.
"So is that your dad over there?" he clamored, before pointing to Vesa.
Elfilin gave Bun a puzzled look.
"No?" Elfilin paused, "technically, Elfilis and I are the same person. It's complicated."
"Poyo poyo," Kirby added.
Fumu and Bun gave Kirby a confused stare.
"I didn't catch that," she sighed.
"Me, neither," Bun added.
Elfilin floated over to Elfilis.
"I mean," Elfilin stammered, "I guess he's kinda like either my older sibling or my parent in the ways that matter? But I also have another dad if that's the case. It's weird and complicated."
Elfilis ran their finger along Elfilin's head.
"You are making this sound strange," Elfilis turned to the kids, "he's a split off fragment of my own soul, created when some…unfortunate events occurred. I'm his parent, sibling and everything in between. We're both the same person on a fundamental level."
"Oh," Fumu proclaimed.
Vesa knelt and gave Kirby a pat on his head.
"Your family's weird," Bun commented eloquently.
Fumu clapped her brother on the back of his head.
"Hey!" Bun yelped, "what the heck was that for?!"
"That was rude of you," Fumu scolded him with a glare, "and you need to apologize."
"Fine," Bun groaned, "sorry, that was rude."
Vesa simply gave the boy a nod.
"Apology accepted," Vesa said.
Vesa led Elfilis, Kirby and Elfilin through the streets of Capupu Village with Fumu and Bun following close behind.
"We're heading up to the castle if you two plan to come along," Elfilis told the kids.
"Really?" Fumu gasped.
"We're going to visit Elfilis's sister," Vesa clarified.
Elfilis placed a finger on their lower muzzle.
"To my understanding," Elfilis told them, "you two are likely to live in the castle. I can't imagine your home wasn't luxurious in some manner."
Bun grinned upon hearing those words.
"Well, it was nice," Bun cheered, "but this is a castle! We're gonna live in a castle! How cool is that?!"
Fumu didn't say much, but sighed dreamily as she thought of a knight in shining armor coming to her rescue in a pinch. Elfilin perched on top of Kirby's head while Vesa and Elfilis led Fumu, Bun and Kirby up the streets, passing by Kawasaki's restaurant along the way. The restaurant had a sign hung up reading "Closed Until Further Notice". Elfilis was certain it would be a while before Kawasaki could finish rehabilitating his cooking skills.
Leaving Capupu Village, Vesa and Elfilis led Kirby, Fumu and Bun along the dirt path up the hill until they reached the castle courtyard. The castle was noticeably different, mostly because one tower was now higher than the others. It didn't help that birds which flew too close to the tower would get zapped with stray arcs of electricity, leaving them with mere light singes in the feathers. Elfilis made a mental note to ask their sister to tone down the defense mechanism she made. When they approached the large doors, the Waddle Dees nodded at them before pushing the way open. Bun sprinted ahead and stopped in the middle of the foyer, scanning his surroundings.
"Hey!" Fumu called as she ran after her brother at the same speed, "slow down!"
"Right this way," Elfilis gestured to a corridor.
Fumu and Bun paused to shift their attention to Elfilis. They followed the ultimate life-form, Vesa and Kirby into the corridor. As they ventured through the corridor, Elfilis silently sent a magical signal towards Zan Partizanne's barriers, as if to inform her of their impending arrival. Elfilin lifted off of Kirby's head only to perch on Vesa's shoulders.
Before long, they came up to a door which seemed to be locked with a steampunk styled lock held in place by magic, steam and pressure. Kirby tilted sideways while Fumu and Bun exchanged glances. Elfilis focused their mana reserves to undo the lock. With a hiss of steam, the door unlocked and opened while Elfilis pushed it aside and walked in. When Vesa, Kirby, Fumu and Bun followed the ultimate life-form inside, they noticed Zan Partizanne at a makeshift balcony from a short flight of stairs.
"Ah," Zan paused, "you are here."
Zan Partizanne stopped what she was doing and descended the stairs.
"And you brought guests," she added.
Fumu whispered to herself about the door, trying to figure out how it worked with just her eyes.
"So how have you been doing?" Vesa asked.
Vesa offered her hand, allowing Zan to shake it.
"I'm doing fine," Zan answered, "I have greatly increased funding thanks to the job and I've been assisting in unraveling the tech the Waddle Dees recovered from the invasion a couple years ago."
Bun began exploring the tower.
"Oh, cool!" Bun chirped, "you're an actual mage?!"
"Mm-hmm," Zan nodded, making a brief glance at the young boy, "I practice lightning magic."
Elfilin hopped off Vesa's shoulder while he and Kirby also began exploring the tower.
"You should tone down your electrical barrier you have outside the tower," Elfilis suggested, "it's knocking birds out of the sky. I think you've made more than a few enemies that way."
Zan sighed and placed her hand behind her head.
"Well, it was there to deter people like Meta Knight from coming in through the window," Zan pointed out, "enough mages pulled that stunt back home that I wanted a deterrent. Plus, I feel like he'll end up brooding on top of the tower and overlooking the town if I don't."
Vesa lowered her head.
"I still worry for the birds, though," Vesa insisted.
"They seemed fine," Elfilis replied, "though you do have a point. You might need to come up with a less hazardous alternative to keep out intruders."
Zan sighed again, yet she nodded.
"So, any projects you've been working on?" Elfilis asked.
Zan led Elfilis and Vesa up a flight of stairs while Fumu examined the objects on the shelves.
"Not really, it's mostly been looking over what the king needs for now, there hasn't been enough time just yet," Zan admitted, "I plan to go through the treasury and search for cursed items and the like soon."
Vesa nodded and leaned back against the wall, reaching into her pocket bangle and pulling out a book.
"So how is the apprenticeship going?" Zan asked her, "I haven't been gone long, but have you picked up any new spells?"
"I've been practicing my spell circles," Vesa shrugged.
"Well, you should be advanced enough now to start picking up some more spells more easily," Zan offered.
Elfilis blinked twice, reflecting on how they've been occupied with other affairs, not giving them enough time to train their girlfriend much. Still, Zan Partizanne's words were enough to catch Fumu's interest.
"Spells?" Fumu paused, "as in magic?"
"Yes, we are mages," Zan clarified, "basically, the equivalent of magical scholars. My sibling here, though, could be classified as a warlock among other things as well though, given that their skill mainly revolves around combat at a large scale. Mages tend to focus on research above other things and tend to be suited for fighting one on one battles."
Fumu ascended the flight of stairs.
"Vesa has been Elfilis's apprentice for quite a while now," Zan added.
"It's only been a few months," Elfilis elaborated, their feelers perking up, "it certainly feels like longer."
Bun, Kirby and Elfilin stopped to gather around Zan as Fumu approached her. After a minute, the lightning mage floated off the ground and moved to sit on a shelf where they couldn't reach her. Fumu paused, before she took a step back.
"So when do you plan to sift through the treasury?" Elfilis reminded their sister.
As you can see, I came up with variations of names for some of the new Kirby anime characters I introduced in this chapter.
While I kept Fumu and Bun in place of Tiff and Tuff, I changed Sir Ebrum and Lady Like's names to Sir Parlam and Lady Merim.
Feel free to make some fanart related to this fanfic!
And leave a review so Kirby can use them to buy snacks for him and Elfilin.
