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Kirby likes his new Sword Ability. It's shiny and sparkly, and it glows, and he's getting glitter all over the place. He shakes his head, watching the sparkles scatter on the ground. He and Bandana Dee still have work to do, of course. They haven't gotten all the waddle dees and all the Soul pieces, but they deserve a break! Kirby thinks Bandee is watching a movie. Elfilin is listening to the Deedly Dees play a song on their stage.
And Kirby?
Kirby grins mischievously as he runs up the stairs towards Dedede. Well, Kirby is covered in glitter. He is going to make himself a nuisance.
Kirby stops next to Dedede, standing on his tippy toes. The penguin is snoozing in the evening sun. Why doesn't he go inside? And why is he still wearing the wild clothes the Beast Pack gave him? Maybe there's nothing else for him to wear. “Dedede,” Kirby says, patting Dedede's cheek. “Dedede.” Dedede opens one eye and closes it again, rolling over. Kirby chirps repeatedly and stubbornly, stomping their feet.
“I'm up, I'm up,” Dedede says, sitting up. He stretches. “What's it, Kirby?”
Kirby holds out their sword. “Look!”
“Ya upgraded your Copy Ability,” Dedede says. “Now it's orange.”
Kirby nods gently, doing their best to keep the sparkles from getting everywhere. “Glows!”
“And it glows? Impressive.”
“And…” Kirby looks both ways like they're telling a deep dark secret. They quickly sheathe their sword and jump into Dedede's chest, rubbing their head all over his clothes. “Sparkly!”
Dedede startles, tipping backward, placing a hand on Kirby’s back so they don't fall off. “Hey!” he says as they get more glitter over his sash. “Kirby! Stop that!”
Kirby shoves him over further, laying on top of his belly. They look into his eyes, beaming. They shake their head, glitter going in all directions. “Sparkles!”
Dedede covers his eyes so the glitter doesn't get in them. “That's amazing, Kirbs. Where exactly did ya find this upgrade?”
“Leon’s Soul's Dream,” Kirby says. It's their best guess.
“Yeah, that seems like it,” Dedede says, putting his head back down. Kirby bounces on his stomach. Dedede grunts. “Kirby. Kirby, I love you. Please stop doing that.”
Kirby rolls over, glitter trailing down the insides of Dedede's robe. They tug the two sides over themself, snug and warm. “Pretty now!” they declare, snuggling in.
“I'm pretty now?” Dedede says. “I wasn't pretty before?”
“Nuh-uh!”
“What was I before?”
Kirby is silent for a few moments. “Uuuuuuuugly!” they decide.
Dedede grabs them by their sides and lifts them into the air. “Take it back,” he says. “I wasn't ugly.”
“You were!” Kirby insists, wiggling. Sparkly glitter showers down from them onto Dedede.
“I'm not ugly!”
“Ugly! Mean and old!”
“I'm ugly, mean, AND old?!” Dedede exclaims, eyes wide. Kirby nods. Dedede huffs. “You're so rude to me, kid.” He bundles Kirby back into his robe, glitter and all. Kirby cheers, nuzzling up to Dedede's chin. They purr happily. Dedede sneezes, wiping glitter off his beak. “Yeah, I love you too. Let's go back to sleep.”
Kirby follows the instructions easily. It's close enough to bedtime anyway.
Dedede rubs Kirby's back between their felt covered butterfly wings, watching the sun go down. Of course they found a Copy Ability that generates infinite glitter. It's not even a glitter ability. Dedede doesn't know what he'd do if Kirby got a glitter ability.
“It's an interesting sword, isn't it?”
Dedede startles, cupping his hand over Kirby's head before relaxing. “Novaaaa, Meta Knight. Make more noise.”
Meta Knight chuckles slightly, standing on the fence next to them. “Apologies. I've never seen something like it before.”
“It feels a bit like Galaxia,” Dedede comments.
“Does it?” Meta Knight asks.
“Yeah. It's telling me something. You gotta get closer to hear it.” Meta Knight jumps off the fence and stands next to Dedede. Dedede whips out his hand and wipes the orange glitter across Meta Knight's mask. “It's tellin’ me ‘ya gotta make the other ugly mean old man pretty too.’”
Meta Knight wipes some of the glitter off his mask, eyes narrowed in distaste. “Thank you, Dedede.”
“You’re welcome, Meta Knight.” Dedede goes back to rubbing Kirby's back with two fingers. “Get some rest. I’m sure you could use the beauty sleep.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Meta Knight says.
“You’re callin’ that flattery? I coulda pulled all the ladies on Popstar back when I was startin’ if that was flattery.”
“It was facetious.”
“That means sarcastic, right?”
Meta Knight rolls his eyes. “Goodnight, Dedede.” He spreads his wings, taking off.
He leaves glitter in his wake.
Dedede snorts, pulling his hat down over his eyes. Hopefully Meta Knight takes his advice. He needs the rest. Kirby snores quietly beneath Dedede’s chin. Dedede pats their head and follows them to sleep.