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Somehow, the stars shined brighter than they did before Zero 2 invaded Heart Star.
The celebrations were far from ending, but Ribbon decided she needed a respite from all the partying inside the castle. Sneaking away, she floated off to the edge of the castle courtyard, gazing up at the night sky now clear as can be. The stars reminded her of how their planet’s crystal shone again when all the pieces had been forged back together. A sight to behold, and one she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
“Ribbon, poyo?”
She turned around, smiling when she saw the tiny pink puffball who saved not only Heart Star, but the entire galaxy from the clutches of the Dark Matter. Kirby was adorable with his little red bowtie, which she picked out specifically for the occasion.
“Hi Kirby, want to join me?”
He nodded, toddling over to her and plopping onto the ground. The two of them gazed up at the stars as they giggled over their adventure. It was funny how such a small crystal could bring people together, Ribbon thought.
But, now that they were at their adventure’s end, she couldn’t help but wonder if this meant the end of their friendship.
Will I ever see Kirby, Dee, Ade, and the king again? We’re practically lightyears apart.
Ribbon’s smile faded from her face, which Kirby picked up on almost instantly. He tugged her sleeve and tilted his head.
“Poyo okay?”
Shaking her head, Ribbon felt tears begin to stream down her face. “We won’t get to see each other everyday anymore. You’re going to go home after this and I’ll be here.”
Kirby sniffled. “Will miss Ribbon, poyo.”
“I’ll miss you too.” Her lip quivered as she twiddled her thumbs. “We won’t forget each other, right?”
Nodding his head, he popped up onto his feet and tackled Ribbon in a hug, causing her to shriek in surprise. “Poyo, remember! Not forget!”
“Promise?”
“Poyo!”
Ribbon sighed in relief and pat Kirby’s head. I’ll hold onto that promise.
~~~
“Ribbon!”
It had been a few years since she last visited Pop Star. She had exchanged letters with her friends during the time they were apart, but with how busy they all grew, the letters eventually became scarce. The only person she actively spoke to nowadays was Adeleine, whose career had taken off. Ribbon finally found time to come visit so she could see her friend’s art show, but she was completely unprepared for the tackle from Adeleine.
“I can’t believe you made it!”
“I told you I wouldn’t miss it.” Ribbon hugged her friend tighter before letting go, placing her hands on her hips with a smug grin. “The Queen Fairy said it was fine, and she also gives her congratulations to you too!”
Adeleine clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to introduce you to Ado and show you all the new sights, plus everyone is going to be there! They’ll be so excited to see you too!”
Ribbon’s eyes grew. “Does that include-”
“Ribbon!”
From the side of her eye, she caught sight of a pink streak heading right for them. She barely had time to process the event before Kirby also tackled her in a long-awaited hug. The two broke out into laughter as Ribbon nuzzled herself against his forehead.
“Kirby, it’s so good to see you!”
“It’s been so long, there’s so much I want to tell you!”
“Same!” Ribbon blinked. “Wait, you can talk fluently now!”
Kirby beamed, rolling onto his back. “Yeah, I got in lots of practice. Everyone was super helpful.” After hopping onto his feet, he handed her a small bouquet of tiny blue flowers. “This is for you!”
Reaching out to take the bouquet, she took in their scent and smiled. “They’re lovely.”
“Meta Knight said they were called forget-me-nots. I thought you’d like them.”
Adeleine chuckled as a small blush formed on Kirby’s face. Ribbon clutched the bouquet tighter, hiding her smile behind them.
“Thank you. I really love these.”
“Alright love doves, that’s enough.”
“Huh?!”
With a wink, Adeleine smirked, laughing at Ribbon’s deep red cheeks. “Come on, we’ve got no time to lose. The art show starts in half an hour!”
“Okay then!”
The artist went on ahead, leaving Ribbon and Kirby behind for a moment. Turning to Ribbon, he nodded to her, pointing to the flowers.
“I told you I wouldn’t forget.”
The reminder of the promise made her blush harder and she buried her face into the bouquet, desperate for the embarrassment to disappear. I thought this crush would be gone by now. I guess not.
“Ribbon, are you good?”
“Yeah, I’m fine!” She raised her head from the flowers and floated closer to Kirby. “So, are you going to introduce me to Meta Knight?”
“Mhmm! He’s actually been looking forward to meeting you.” Kirby grabbed her hand, smiling wider. “Let’s go, we can’t keep everyone waiting!”
“Right!”
Ribbon should have said something about the way he held her hand, but she was content to leave it be.
I’m just glad to be with you again.