Edit- 6/7/17: More words added, clearer diction, and minor grammar fixes
Edit- 11/30/17: Names are switched from sub to dub, more minor grammar fixes
"Are you up for it, Sir Meta Knight?"
Meta Knight stared at Tiff, speechless at the moment. She and her family were supposed to go on a planned vacation to visit the queen of Ripple Star. Her parents, Sir Ebrum and Lady Like, wanted to ensure a good relationship between said planet and their own- Popstar. Normally, planets were represented by their president or monarch. However, King Dedede is...well, let's use the word interesting. If you're not already familiar with the tubby penguin, he's loud, proud, not very bright, and can be rude to his subjects. Since Sir Ebrum had the second highest position under the king, he was going for him.
All preparations had been made to go, except for one thing: the family needed somebody to babysit Kirby, an infant Star Warrior that crash landed on Popstar not too long ago. Ever since his unexpected arrival, Tiff and her family had taken the little guy under their wing. Now they couldn't take him with them as the plans were already set.
Meta Knight was taken aback by Tiff's request. He didn't think she'd come to him for a matter like this. Still shocked, he turned toward the pleading girl. "I apologize if I sound rude, but why are you asking me?" Tiff sighed, "Well, I didn't have much else of a choice. I'm not saying this in a sarcastic sense, but I really don't know anyone else who would agree to look after him. He can't stay in his house, because Tokkori can be mean to him, and he definitely can't stay in the castle either, because of Dedede and Escargoon. And while the villagers can be friendly with Kirby, I know they are a little scared of him, especially with his appetite!" Meta Knight thought for a moment. She's got a point. But still...me? A caretaker of some sort?
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Tiff sighed, "If you can't do it, that's okay. I understand you're busy with daily training and patrols. I can go find someone in town that's willing to do this." In a really low voice, she murmured to herself, "I may have to pull out the blackmail folder…"
It was Meta Knight's turn to give a sigh. He didn't want to deny her requests, but every other part of him was telling him to stop being soft. He ignored the doubt in his mind, and gave his answer. "...I can look after him. My schedule isn't as busy as it seems, but I can't guarantee I'll be with him all day. "
Tiff smiled in relief. "Oh, thank you, Sir Meta Knight! I really appreciate this, and I'm sure Kirby's going to be pretty happy too!" Behind the mask that hid his face, he smiled back, but it was only half genuine. He started to doubt his decision, thinking he couldn't take care of a child simply because he didn't know how. Yes, he saved many children's lives in the past, but he never had to raise any of them. He kept these thoughts silent as he bid Tiff goodbye and left to patrol the town as he did everyday.
This day was like any other, with no unusual things occurring or people acting any differently. This village called Dreamland was one of habit. It was rare to have anything interesting happen, save for the king's annoying it was given a dull reputation, it certainly made Meta Knight's job easier. After fighting in an almost never ending war against Nightmare, he was grateful for the peace that this town provided. His patrols were easy, but today they seemed the opposite as his mind still lingered on the morning's events.
He still couldn't believe he had agreed to be some kind of nanny for a baby that hardly ever saw him. But he couldn't say no, because it would stress Tiff and wasn't his nature to abandon anyone, especially children. He knew he had made the right choice, but that didn't seem to put his mind at ease much.
Hours had passed, and he could finally go back to the apartment to think. Or stop thinking? The last thing he wanted to do was rewind the morning for the hundredth time in his mind, so he turned to the bookshelf and picked out a novel with a worn out cover and yellowed pages. He had only read this book once, despite its ancient appearance.
He had got past the first chapter when the door opened, and in entered his two esquires, Sword and Blade. Whether the two were brothers or just friends with a brotherly bond Meta did not know, but it never seemed important enough to bring up. Sword was the older of the two, and definitely acted like it. When he realized his lord was sitting on the couch, he straightened up and saluted, "Sir Meta Knight." Blade was much more lax, and causally called, "Hey Meta Knight!" Said knight looked up from his book, and nodded to them. "Sword. Blade. Good evening."
Meta knew Blade would more than likely switch on the TV, so he closed his book and made a mental note to finish it later. Sure enough, after the two got situated in their rooms, Blade came back in and put on a movie. It didn't take him long to get comfortable on the couch, since he had removed his armor and mask. Sword took a bit longer, but he eventually met all of them back in the living room. The three all watched the TV, though Meta Knight once again had his attention split between it and the thoughts that swirled in his mind all day.
There was a commercial break, and Sword noticed his lord's eyes had turned a green color, indicating he was thinking. "May I ask what's on your mind, sir?" He asked gently. Meta Knight was pulled out of his trance, eyes returning to yellow as he spoke, "Oh, it's nothing much. But I do have something important to tell you and Blade, so listen up."
The television was muted, and all attention was on the masked knight. He continued, "As you know, the Ebrum family are going to Ripple Star tomorrow to represent Popstar. They'll be gone for six days, and in the meantime, Tiff has asked me to keep an eye out for Kirby. Do not be surprised if you see him around here for the next week."
Blade couldn't help but smirk. "I can't believe you agreed to be a babysitter, sir!" Before he could bust out laughing, Sword nudged him in the elbow. Hard.
Meta Knight inwardly cringed at that word. "...I wouldn't call it a...babysitter..., but more so a guardian to make sure the child doesn't get himself into any danger." His tone was a bit harsh, and Blade didn't make any more remarks.
With that, he got up from his chair. "I ought to retire for the night. I'll see you two tomorrow." And with that, he was in his bedroom with the door shut. His mind was still brimming with worries and other thoughts. He shook his head. It's just six days, and Kirby's going to be fine. It'll get me nowhere to worry about exaggerated thoughts anyway. He had taken off his armor and mask, climbed into bed, and slept away his worries.
Hey everybody, it's Jewels here! This is my first fanfic I've ever written, and though it's completed as of now, I'm working on it to fix grammar errors, switching the names from the sub to the dub, and other small things. I can't thank you enough for your support with this story, along with every author who keeps on writing on this site. You all are my inspiration, and I'm always happy to keep on writing for you.
So if you ever have any questions about anything or suggestions, feel free to tell me in the reviews. I'm not the best at answering quickly, but I'll try my best to work on it. Until then, I wish you all a lovely rest of your day, and keep on being awesome!