Title: Nightmares

Fandom: Super Smash Bros.

Rating: T

Genre: Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Sequel to Bad Dreams. Meta Knight himself had nightmares of his own. It's up to Lucas to help him after the knight helped the PSI boy with his nightmares months before. Lucas x Meta Knight mentor/student friendship. Rated for implied death and blood. For Samudera Bintang.

Pairing: Meta Knight x Lucas mentor/student friendship

A/N: So on Bad Dreams, one reviewer, Samudera Bintang, had a point: does Meta Knight have nightmares of his own? Well, of course! So why not write it? It's for you, Samudera!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in the Kirby series or Super Smash Bros.

ENJOY!

Nightmares

It had been only a few days since Meta Knight had his last nightmare about his past. Yet...why did it keep on returning? Why would it continue to torture him so much, even though it had been years since it all happened? He still remembered everything vividly: seeing his closest friends killed by Nightmare, and the puffball was unable to do anything to save them. He still recalled his friends screaming for his help, that Nightmare was killing them, but he still did nothing. The smell and sight of their blood and bodies were still embedded in his mind, and it nerved him to his very core.

And it would remain that way, for as long as he'd live.

Meta Knight jolted awake, cold sweat dripping down his face as he breathed heavily. It happened again. That horrible day had come back to haunt him in his dreams. His body shook, and he gulped down a lump in his throat as he tried to calm himself down. He wiped off the sweat from his unmasked face—he took off his mask for the night and placed it nearby, along with his sword, Galaxia—as his heart began to slow down slightly.

However, the dream was still fresh in his mind, and he sighed, shaking himself as a way to shake his head. He'd taught himself to let go of his past, yet it kept on returning, frightening him each and every time at night. Was his subconscious telling him something?

With another sigh, he laid back down in his bed, trying to get back to sleep. However, he could only twist and turn in the sheets, his eyes shut as he tried to sleep. No matter how much he tried, he was unable to sleep. The dream remained in his mind, as if it was clinging on to him even though hours had passed.

He shook himself, now realizing that he couldn't sleep, and he needed to occupy his mind with something so he could sleep again. He knew just the thing that could help him. Grabbing his sword and his mask, he placed his trademark mask on his face and sheathed Galaxia before he opened his door silently. He didn't want to wake up the other Smashers when he goes to his destination, so he tiptoed down the hallway and towards the Training Room. He was sure that the Hands wouldn't mind him training for a bit; they were pretty easygoing when it comes to that, even though it was around three in the morning.

He entered the room, and the cool air inside made him shiver somewhat. Seeing the blue mats, flooring, and walls made him feel at ease—relaxed actually. Meta Knight was sure that the Hands painted the Training Room this way so that the Smashers wouldn't be so nervous for their matches as they trained a bit. He silently shut the door behind him, and he turned to see Sandbag, who stared at Meta Knight with black, beady eyes, waiting for the knight to hit it.

"Forgive me for waking you at a time like this, Sandbag," Meta Knight apologized. "I...couldn't sleep." He didn't bother saying why; he was a stoic knight after all, plus he deemed it unnecessary to tell Sandbag the specifics.

Sandbag nodded, as if it accepted his apology, still staring at Meta Knight. Meta Knight pulled out Galaxia, and he struck the white punching bag with quick reflexes. With a cry (that thankfully didn't wake up anyone), he slashed his sword in different directions, cutting up the bag within seconds. Meta Knight finished it off by stabbing it, and Sandbag flew into the air. The stabs and slashes the bag endured immediately disappeared—a program was placed on Sandbag so it wouldn't suffer permanent damage.

Meta Knight rushed towards Sandbag, ready to strike it again, when he heard a door opening nearby. Meta Knight froze in his tracks, and he quickly turned to see who was coming in the Training Room at this kind of hour.

To his surprise and confusion, Lucas, his student, was standing in the doorway, holding a cup of water in his hands. He was still wearing his pajamas, though the boy wasn't sleepy, judging by his eyes.

"S-Sir Meta Knight?" Lucas questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"Lucas," Meta Knight greeted simply. "Why are you up at this hour?"

"I-I was about to ask the same thing," Lucas rubbed the back of his head as he took a sip of his water. "Why are you up?"

"...I couldn't sleep," was all Meta Knight admitted before he turned to face Sandbag again, his sword up and ready to strike.

"I'd never seen you up this late, Sir Meta Knight," Lucas commented.

"Yes," Meta Knight nodded as he slashed Sandbag. "Sometimes, when I am unable to sleep, I train here."

"I see..." Lucas trailed off, watching Meta Knight continue with his training. "I was thirsty, so I went to get some water when I heard fighting in the Training Room."

Meta Knight said nothing, still concentrating on his training with Sandbag. However, Lucas noticed something; Meta Knight continued using the same move over and over again—something he had taught Lucas not to do in matches. With a raised eyebrow, Lucas critiqued, "S-Sir Meta Knight...you've been using that same move a lot."

Meta Knight turned to face his student, his eyebrow raised, though Lucas couldn't see it because of his mask. "...You are correct. Forgive me, Lucas. A mentor should learn the things he taught his student as well."

"Y-yes..." Lucas gulped. In the back of his mind, he had a feeling that something was bothering his mentor. He'd never seen Meta Knight not as focused on training—he was usually concentrating on his moves, and paying attention to how he would fight with his student watching like this. With a frown, he asked, "I-is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Lucas," Meta Knight stated.

"B-but...I saw how you're fighting Sandbag; you're not concentrating on your fighting style, and there are times you would hit air instead."

"..." Meta Knight knew that he had to tell his student the truth. However, he was still embarrassed—he was supposed to be a stoic knight, and Lucas never saw him show any emotion. But he had no choice. Lucas was concerned for his mentor, and Meta Knight wouldn't want his student to worry about him. "...A nightmare." He whispered.

"A nightmare?" Lucas asked, tilting his head to the side.

Meta Knight nodded, his eyes glowing a dark blue, indicating that he was...upset with something. Lucas had never saw Meta Knight's eyes turning into such a shade of blue. "I...had friends who were killed by Nightmare. I was unable to protect them. I could only watch as they were killed in front of me. I still remember them crying for my help. I...was weak then."

Lucas gasped, his eyes widened when Meta Knight told him this. For years since the knight took him in as his student, Lucas never knew of Meta Knight's past. Not only that, but the puffball had lost those he was close to as well. Even though he was sympathetic, he felt...a connection with his mentor. The two had a lot in common when it comes to their pasts, and Lucas now felt that he wasn't alone when it comes to his own past.

"I'm...so sorry, Sir Meta Knight," Lucas stuttered. "But...why would you hide all that from me?"

"I'd hate for you to see me like this," Meta Knight sighed, sheathing Galaxia back. "That's why I train to become stronger. A mentor shouldn't show weakness to his student."

"That's not true," Lucas shook his head. "Sir Meta Knight...you helped me with my nightmare months ago. Remember what you said? That we all have nightmares? It's natural for you to get one as well, especially when it comes to your past."

"Lucas..."

"Sir Meta Knight..." Lucas smiled in a comforting manner as he placed his hand on the puffball shoulder, "Please don't bottle it up. Just like you said—you need to let it out. We may had lost friends and family, but...would they want to see us like this?"

Meta Knight stared at his student. Lucas had an excellent point—if his friends ever saw him like this, they would try their hardest to help him. His eyes turned into a lighter shade of blue, indicating that he was now happy—happy to have someone who would help him with his past. "Lucas..."

Lucas smiled, patting Meta Knight's shoulder before he looked at the watch that was on his wrist. "It's getting late. We should head to bed."

"Yes," Meta Knight agreed. "We need as much rest as we can for tomorrow."

Lucas nodded before he turned his back to return to his room. That was, before Meta Knight spoke up, "Lucas."

Lucas turned to face his mentor, an eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"Thank you. Thank you for helping me up when I was down. I feel like some weight had been lifted off of my shoulders."

"Same, Sir Meta Knight," Lucas smiled as he sipped the rest of his water. "Good night..."

Lucas left the Training Room, with Meta Knight behind him. After saying their farewells, Meta Knight returned to his room. He unmasked himself and placed his mask on the side table that was near his bed, and he then placed his sheathed sword there as well. He jumped on the bed, and immediately fell asleep.

He never had any more nightmares of his past since that day. With Lucas, Meta Knight finally had closure.

Constructive criticism is welcomed!