A/N: This is based mostly on the Kirby anime with game references as well.
For those who have only watched the dubbed episodes: Tiff is Fumu, Tuff is Bun, Fololo and Falala are respectively Lololo and Lalala, Sir Ebrum is Parm, Lady Like is Memu, Enemee is Nightmare and Nightmare Enterprises is known as Holy Nightmare Corporation.
It had been several months since Nightmare's defeat, and Dreamland had been restored to its former glory. The land's official ruler, a large penguin named King Dedede, had insofar been kept occupied by trivial tasks and adventures designed by his right hand servant Escargon the snail. As a result he had not ravaged the village or tried to get rid of Kirby for quite a while. The King's castle had been rebuilt and its orange walls and red peeks towered above the little village which lay down the hill below. The peace had not worn out its novelty yet, and the residents of Dreamland spent most of their day smiling, laughing and chatting with each other. The children could be seen most days, including this one, up at the castle playing with the Cabinet Minister's son, Bun, and Kirby. Today, as with most other days, they were playing soccer in the castle's fresh-green courtyard, and had yet to mistake the spherical pink Star Warrior for the ball. Fumu, Bun's sister, was relaxing under a tree reading an engrossing novel.
Unbeknownst to all of the children, a dark figure was observing them from one of the many balconies. He was standing on the taller half of the crenulations, peering down at the group with glowing yellow eyes. Despite being several stories up, he was standing right on the edge, his dark blue cape, a little lighter than the hue of his body, wrapped tightly around his form, flapping gently in the breeze. The silver of his mask concealed what remained uncovered by his cape, and also created a deep stripe which obscured any skin which may have been seen through his visor. Sir Meta Knight could be said to have an hourglass figure, because when he stood as he was doing at the time, he looked much like one, admittedly with a larger top. He knew, as all experienced Star Warriors did, that the defeat of Nightmare was not the end of all villainy in the universe. New evil would surely emerge in his place, though he hoped it would never again be strong enough to bring the forces of good to their knees.
As the sun sunk over the glittering sea behind the castle Parm, the Cabinet Minister, and his wife Memu called to their children from the window to come inside. The village children dispersed as Fumu trotted upstairs, followed by her whining brother. Meta Knight had not moved from his place atop the balcony wall, but suddenly felt a desire to leave. His senses were convulsing, and instinctively he reached for Galaxia.
His hand swiped air. And a violent scream and flash of lightening pinpointed the culprit. A shadow bug was gripping the blade while hovering out from the balcony edge. Meta Knight leapt to retrieve his blade but as he did so the bug's body was turned to ash by the lightening, and Galaxia fell towards the courtyard below. Meanwhile, the Star Warrior had been thrown backwards by a massive blow to his mask as about a dozen more flying black insects appeared. Meta Knight's ball-like body bounced off the wall behind him, causing plaster to coat his form. He immediately dragged himself to his feet, but the bugs were already swooping towards him, punching him between each other like groups playing volleyball. Meta Knight retaliated with a spinning kick to the nearest mob of creatures, sending them scattering into the air, and providing him an opening to grab hold of a nearby torch. He pivoted to face his attackers with it, swerving the flames, causing the light to glint off their body's shells and beetle eyes. They waited, hissing softly, their tiny almost transparent wings buzzing. They were not Nightmare's creations.
Then, as though snapping out of a trance, they plunged at him in unison. Spinning in a circle, he knocked several of them back, but three crashed into his side, causing him to drop the torch as he fell onto his mask. Rising and spotting an opening he jumped through and off the balcony, using the time as he fell to reach into the depths of his cape and retrieve a whip. He noted Galaxia a few metres away as he landed softly on the grass, but the shadow bugs had already caught up with him and prepared to resume their attack. Two were met by a whip slash to the side of their faces as Meta Knight made a dash for his sword. The remaining insects dove at him while he used the whip to pull Galaxia towards him. His glove had barely touched the hilt when a crescent light erupted from its tip and carved through the night air, bisecting any bug unfortunate enough to be in its path. The last few creatures rammed into his hand, again causing his sword it to sail far from reach, and with a desperate tug on his cape, hurled him through a wall. They watched the opening, some cautiously pulling rope from within their shells, and shook as two blood-red dots appearing amongst the dust. Meta Knight emerged from the debris, white with rubble, his eyes now crimson red, the sight of which froze his attackers in place. He dashed at them, punching, kicking and snarling until he was left the only one upright, gasping in the cold night air. Breathing slowly, he calmed, forcing his fists to unclench and eyes to revert to their usual yellow. Cautiously, he turned, retrieved Galaxia and his whip, and headed through the large wooden double doors a few metres away. However, although he could sense no other monsters about, the sword remained unsheathed.
The castle's blue stone walls reflected the cold air back at him, and glistened in the flickering light cast by nearby torches. His shadow seemed long and foreboding, as though a multitude of creatures could hide in it, and his footsteps echoed along the hallways. After passing several corridors and traversing a couple of staircases, Meta Knight noticed a light emerging from an open door. It led to Parm and Memu's quarters, and he remembered dimly that he, Sword and Blade, his two apprentices, had been invited to dine there that night. Fumu was standing outside, her yellow ponytail swinging as she turned, her eyes peering into the cold dark. She was a young girl, a different species to the inhabitants of the village, with large hands and feet, but no legs. Her long body was covered in pink and green clothes.
"Sir Meta Knight!" she cried upon seeing his silhouette and yellow eyes. But as he stepped into the light she stifled a giggle, "What happened to you?"
Meta Knight stopped and looked down at himself. He was coated in a thick layer of plaster, dust and rubble which looked like flour, while the spots of blood from his injuries could have passed off as tomato sauce or fruit juice, and his bruises were completely hidden. Sword and Blade peered around the doorframe and also snickered, until they observed his drawn sword. The two apprentices were dressed in their usual armour; Sword, the taller one, in turquoise and Blade in green and pink, roughly Meta Knight's height. Meta Knight noticed that Blade had specially brushed the lock of red hair protruding from the back of his helmet.
"Sir! What's wrong?" Sword asked, walking towards him.
"We'd better get you cleaned up." Blade beckoned to his master. Meta Knight slowly entered the room, leaving a trail of dust behind him. Bun was standing on the couch in front of the television, one arm up as he cheered on 'SuperDee' against the evil 'Galaxy-cape'. He was smaller than his sister, with yellow hair tipped with green falling over his eyes. However, this did not stop him from seeing, and he fell onto the ground, rolling and laughing. Parm, dressed in a purple and brown suit, came towards the three, his lilac curls bounding as he chuckled. Lololo and Lalala, the small, hovering blue and pink family servants, clutched each other as they too joined the laughter. Memu glided over and hid her mouth behind her fan as she offered Meta Knight the use of their bathroom.
Low voices could be heard from inside the bathroom as Meta Knight explained to his apprentices what had taken place. As he did so, Sword and Blade gently washed their master's tired body, then soothed and dressed his injuries.
Parm's family and servants were gathered around the table, ready to eat when the bathroom door opened. They all gasped at the sight which greeted them: a broken and bandaged Meta Knight was lying in Blade's arms. His gloveless arms and purple feet were wrapped in white cloth partially soaked with blood. The mask they had come to identify him with was chipped and cracked, while the tattered remains of his cape rippled in the silence.
"Sir Meta Knight!"
"Oh my goodness! What happened to him?!" They all shouted. Sword frantically shushed them, "We only just got him to sleep. He was very concerned about his attackers and what their motives might be."
"Attackers?! What attackers?!" Fumu demanded.
Sword and Blade quietly tucked Meta Knight's sleeping form into a blanket Memu had given them. Laying him reverently on the couch, they took their places on either side of him and in hushed voices repeated what their master had told them.
"We should probably take Sir Meta Knight to see Dr Yabui in the morning." Parm said.
"Definitely," Fumu agreed, "But what are we going to do until then? What if more of those things come?"
"We're like sitting ducks here!" Bun commented.
"We have to do something." Parm decided, looking around at his companions.
"Your right. We can't waste time here just waiting." Sword said, rising, "Blade and I will investigate tonight."
"That is far too dangerous a task for you two alone," a familiar voice spoke from behind him. Despite a weak softness in his voice, Meta Knight's body seemed to be recovering quite quickly.
"Oh no, sir," Sword growled, "You are NOT going out there in your condition."
Blade folded his arms with a definitive clank, "We won't let you."
"Then we shall wait until morning." he replied calmly.