Author's Notes: Today, we'll see how Meta Knight and his chick get on in the oh-so cliche dangerous journey, and maybe see some romance start to develop ;)
Well, enjoy!
The cave was, put simply, very dark, dark enough that even the faintest sliver of light from the entrance was soon consumed by the shadows. Thankfully, the swordsman seemed to have the ability to see through this darkness, and this Meta Knight carefully led the green-haired through the darkness. The female flinched now and then at hisses in the darkness, most likely from Cave Squirtles, but the luminous glimpse of the male's blade keeps the small scavengers at bay. This cave is not part of the dangerous journey that so many speak of, but it is inconvenient to those without any kind of light or night vision.
Despite the dark atmosphere around them, painfully aware of every drip of liquid and every movement around them, those sounds in the shadows inspiring nervous fear, the woman still speaks, her voice cracking slightly with the aforementioned fear, but nevertheless strong in its thankfulness: "Sir Meta Knight, I cannot speak enough of how grateful I am that you have decided to aid me on-"
"It is my pleasure to help, fair maiden." The short knight replied, his dark body lost in the darkness, but she could feel his gloved hand upon her staff, gently pulling her through the darkness. "Certainly, such an endeavour as this will be difficult, but then, I do love a challenge. You yourself have performed for me a great favour by giving me an excuse to test my skills here."
The female blinked at his casual speak of challenge, before shrugging it off as warrior's instinct and falling silent, walking in slow steps so not to trip on any hidden rocks, and always bearing her staff around her defensively. While Cave Squirtles were normally cowardly creatures that wouldn't threaten a living target, they occasionally attacked in overwhelming numbers. Thankfully, the things in the darkness did not seem in the mood for attack, and soon enough, the green-haired beauty caught sight of a sliver of light- The exit.
Meta Knight noted this as well, and stepped up the pace, pulling the woman along swiftly to reach the exit in quick time, eager to escape the nerve-wracking darkness of the cave. The light seemed to be angered at first, hissing at their dark-weakened eyes, but it softened as they got nearer, eventually opening out into a long canyon of dusty red stone, boulders littering the ground as steep walls on either side of the walk gleamed orange in the sun, shadows cast by the mountains behind them providing an area of shade outside the cave. The woman sighed softly with relief as Meta Knight let her go, glad to be out of the cave and now able to see, and she found that the canyon before her was quite beautiful-
"What is your name?"
Green eyes blinked in slight surprise at the sudden question, and the woman turned to her small bodyguard of sorts. The swordsman had again wrapped his cape around him, his golden sword hidden within the article of clothing, and his eyes stared at her patiently, awaiting her response. However, the female's mind seemed to hesitate, and she asked:
"P-pardon?"
The knight inclined his head (or body?) and stated: "I asked you for your name. It would be nice to know what my companion's name is."
The joking edge to his stoic, polite voice relaxed her somewhat, and the woman replied with a giggle, though there seemed to be an odd hesitance in her eyes: "M-my name is Helen, Sir Meta Knight. I apologise for not telling you earlier."
"It is easily forgiven. I must say though, Helen is quite a unique name..." The knight replied with a shrug of his gleaming shoulder-pads at the former of his statement, a soft musing on the latter, before turning to face the great red canyon before them, the start of their long journey to Altea. He stared at it for a few seconds, noting the green lands beyond the canyon, before asking: "Now then, shall we get moving, Lady Helen?"
The woman, Helen, found herself blushing ever so slightly at that, and quickly uttered, a little embarrassed such an obviously powerful warrior felt the need to compliment her as such: "There is no need to call me lady, Sir Meta Knight. I have no titles to speak of."
"It is polite for a warrior to speak of a female as a lady. Besides, there is no need to call me sir, yet you do." The sphere person replied kindly, a small chuckle in his voice. Clearly, he was typically reserved, but willing to lighten up with ease.
Helen managed a small laugh, before sighing and asking an important question: "But, what of food and water? You do not have any stored with you, and I-"
"Trust me, fair maiden, when I say water is here, even in this dusty canyon. As for food, we can forage here with ease. That is how this land's creatures survive, and it is how we survive." The knight replied casually, again shrugging his shoulder-pads.
"You seem very much in tune with nature." The woman observed, gazing curiously at her escort. Just how much has he seen in his life, and what has he learnt in his time? She had always been a rather curious creature, and this small being intrigued her...
But Meta Knight merely chuckled at her statement, as though denying any such skill: "It is a basic survival technique, my dear, to live with the land. Now then, shall we move on? We have much ground to cover if we intend to reach Altea anytime soon."
"Oh, um, yes, of course. Sorry for the questioning." Helen replied quickly, her curiosity switching to slight embarrassment at holding up the swordsman, before she set off at once, her lean legs moving in graceful strides, her staff's gem gleaming in the sun. Meta Knight watched her as she moved for a second, his eyes again turning blue with a curious contemplation, before he shrugged and moved off after her. His job now was to protect her and ensure she reached Altea in one piece, not to think of things of no use.
Despite his smaller size, the swordsman had no problem with keeping up the woman as they walked down the central pit of the canyon, huge cliffs moving up to tower over them on either side, and they walked in comfortable silence, occasionally speaking, but never for too long. These small discussions generally ranged from why Meta Knight wore a mask (He had merely shrugged, and gave no answer) to as to how the woman had obtained her staff (A gift from her mother, apparently), and all the while, Meta Knight's yellow eyes kept watch on the many boulders and shrubs along the route. Predators attacked from behind cover, and an ambush in this harsh area was very likely. However, the main concern would be to find water. The rather arid nature of the canyon meant heat would soon make ever-increasing assaults, and water had to be found before then, and quickly.
Regardless, the duo kept on walking, always watching out for any danger, Helen gripping and twirling her staff around in idle nervousness. She was not a warrior, and a battle would be highly risky to her, as she only knew supportive magic's through her staff and basic experience in wielding it as a weapon itself. All fighting would have to be left to Meta Knight. Though Helen was certainly keen to avoid any kind of conflict with the many dangers that supposedly inhabited this route, she couldn't help but hope to see just how well her escort could battle.
But the greatest danger here was the sun, a savage weapon in itself, blaring brightly above the land, burning heat raining down upon this World, most certainly in the red canyon, and soon enough, the green-haired woman found her wiping an arm against her sweating forehead, heaving a sigh as her body started to ache softly from the heat flowing through her veins, and her throat found an urge for water as her mouth slowly began to feel dry...
Meta Knight was quick to notice her state of heat stress, and stated reassuringly: "Fear not, fair maiden. I can see a small pond up ahead. We will have water soon enough."
"That is good to know..." The woman murmured softly, hoping that what her escort saw was the real thing, and not a cruel mirage, brushing a hand through slick hair. Already, this journey was wearing on her...
Thankfully, the knight's statement was true, as her eyes caught the inviting glimmer of a pond, hidden within the shade of an outcrop of red rock sticking out from the canyon wall. The soft blue of the fresh water brought hope and relief to Helen's mind, and she couldn't help but sigh softly, her body practically shivering out of happiness. Water was just what the over-heated woman needed right now, to cool her body, soothe her aching throat and re-supply her natural stock of the precious fluid. All that glitters is not gold, certainly.
So, the duo made haste over the ground and quickly reached the pond, a shallow but acceptable body of water. Helen fell to her knees almost reverently before the liquid, heaving a groan of relief, before dipping her hands in the fantastically cool water and moving her appendages up for her aching mouth, transferring precious water with frantic want, as the cool liquid lapped into her mouth and reassuringly rubbed at her dry throat. Amazing, how such a simple thing as water can be so priceless...
Oddly, Meta Knight did not seem to share the same care for water, as he merely stood next to the girl and observed her patiently, like a Blue Falcon watching a Yoshi, yet it does not pursue the prey. The reason for his staring, as he watched the girl continue to drink water from her dripping hands, was because he was contemplating whether or not some of her statements were true. He had seen that slight hesitance when she told him her name, and he had seen that slight flush when she had stated her fear of heights. It was the subtle signs you had to look out for, and Meta Knight couldn't help but wonder if she had lied to him about these admittedly minor details.
The warrior sighed as the woman huffed in contentment at her drink; Worrying about the aforementioned would get him nowhere. Certainly, he should be less cautious in this endeavour. Trust and teamwork would be needed to survive this trek. Meta Knight could recall stories of only two beings ever getting through this route. One was a great warlock of great shadowy powers, and the other was a mysterious, yet legendary champion, a man known only by a red hat...
"Sir Meta Knight?"
The puffball quickly snapped out of his musing and turned his attention to Helen, whom was gazing at him with slight concerned eyes, and she followed up the small statement with the question: "You seemed deep in thought; what troubles your mind?"
"Nothing, Lady Helen." The swordsman replied coolly, turning his gaze to the reflective image of the woman within the watery body of the pond. "Mere thoughts of the past, nothing more."
"I see." The woman answered, also turning to gaze at the gleams of light captured by the water, the beautiful effect of the clear fluid, a trace of wondering in her voice. "You seemed to have the same answer for as to why you wear your mask. Is your past something you would rather not-"
"The past is the past." Meta Knight stated, cutting off Helen's words with a final tone that seemed as sharp as the sword he wielded, his eyes flashing slightly, turning to face the female, whom turned to look at him, slightly surprised by his sharp reply, and slightly unnerved by his ever-open yellow eyes locking onto her own optics, as he went on: "And, if you please, it will stay as such."
The human blinked and blushed simultaneously, and quickly apologised: "I'm-I'm sorry, Sir Meta Knight. I didn't mean to pry or offend you."
"It is easily forgiven." The swordsman replied casually, his powerful gaze dropping from her to observe the length of sky behind her, and she felt a little bit more at ease at said forgiveness. Instinct warned her that this small, spherical person was not to be angered. Shaking her head of that thought, she listened in to his next statement: "I simply prefer to remain in the present. Such as now. Kindly duck."
For a second, confusion zipped through Helen, but then, from underneath the dark cape, came the gleam of gold, and she quickly understood and tilted her torso forward so her head lay on the floor, and the knight leapt over her as a savage screech pierced the sky and caused pain in the female's ears, causing her to yelp in the terrible pain of that sound, before the screech was cut off by the thump of metal on flesh, and the sound of something hitting the floor hard followed. Quickly, Helen leapt to her feet, staff at the ready, for her escort had engaged something in battle. Holding her weapon defensively, the woman caught sight of Meta Knight assuming a defensive position two metres in front of her, cape swirling and sword gleaming, facing off against a Red Yoshi, a savage carnivore that hunted in packs and used speed and surprising power to take down prey. The crimson reptile hissed threateningly at Meta Knight, whom merely flicked his sword slightly, clearly not worried about this opponent.
"Sir Meta Knight-" Helen murmured, eyes locked on the carnivore, which hissed, a long tongue flicking between lines of sharp teeth, worry filling the woman now at this first foe on their journey, one fact about this enemy causing fear to build up as well. "-These Yoshis hunt in packs. There's sure to be more!"
A pack of Red Yoshis were definitely not something you'd want to fight, the creatures constantly using their speed to confuse you, before striking and retreating, a hit-and-run cooperative strategy that rarely failed to bring down a target. And now, a second Yoshi appeared from behind a nearby boulder, snarling and snapping its jaws.
Helen fought against the urge to whimper, clutching her staff tightly, the weapon's jewel glowing slightly, as Meta Knight turned to look at his new foe, before moving backwards towards Helen as the first carnivore flicked the long tongue at him, the knight avoiding the muscle with casual ease
But it was only getting worse, as more Yoshis also appeared, haven been hiding in shrubs or upon ledges, the creatures surrounding the duo quickly, hissing and snarling with hunger, saliva dripping from their maws as they eagerly awaited the thrill of killing the prey. An ambush, and they were right in the middle of it.
"Sir Meta Knight..." Helen murmured fearfully, almost falling into the pond as she backed away from the pack, horror spreading through her as her mind, in it's paranoia, conjured scenarios of their horrible deaths at the jaws of the pack, and shivers fell down her spine in fear, turning her attention to the stoic knight, his sword glinting in the sun as he turned his body from side to side to establish their foes; there were nine Yoshis in total, and they were surrounded.
"Just stay defensive. I'll handle this." Meta Knight promptly ordered, his mind concluded and ready for battle, and the woman was again left awestruck when his cape suddenly transformed, extending into two powerful bat-like wings, dark and muscular, and with a surge of wind, the wings flapped and Meta Knight lunged into the air. For a split second, the Yoshis were distracted by the sudden aerial abilities of their prey, before one screeched and flung its long tongue at the airborne sphere.
However, the sphere warrior was more then prepared and grabbed the tongue, before suddenly flapping his wings and flying through the sky, and with surprising strength, he dragged the Yoshi after him with its tongue. The creature screeched in agony as its muscle, though very long, was painfully stretched by the airborne warrior, before he dragged the predator right into another Yoshi, both beasts hitting the ground hard with the impact.
Helen stared at the airborne warrior with awestruck eyes. He really was full of surprises. However, her attention was then held by a Yoshi taking note of her, hissing savagely, before it lunged at her, maw opening to reveal razor-sharp teeth. Helen quickly reacted, digging her feet into the ground in a defensive staff, then focusing all power to her arms to swing her staff at the creature. The jewelled tip collided with the hunter's head, and it was flung off course, landing in a heap to the left of the woman, snapping angrily in pain.
Another Yoshi noted this, and lunged for the off-guard woman, but Meta Knight flew out of nowhere, crashing down on the beasts head and slamming it into the floor, before sweeping backwards delivering a powerful kick to another Yoshis face, then, with a surge of wings, lunging and tackling another predator, never once using his sword on the creatures. Meta Knight seemed to be almost bored by this battle; he gave no sign of tiredness or exertion, and as aforementioned, he didn't have to use his sword.
A Yoshi lunged at him, but he ducked under the mouth and flipped himself up into a sharp kick that struck the underside of the reptile, knocking it onto its back, as another spun round and whipped its tail at the knight, but he ducked under that as well, and smacked the Yoshi with the broad side of his sword, knocking it back and giving him time to burst back into the air, his powerful wings beating up a cloud of dust to confuse the predators.
Meanwhile, Helen was utterly amazed by the sheer speed and skill of her escort, as the knight leapt from snarling and snapping Yoshi to Yoshi, delivering kicks, wing slashes, tackles and punches from his free hand. Such surprising power from such a small creature was truly awe-inspiring, and the woman couldn't take her eyes from Meta Knight's battle with the Yoshis.
She had certainly made the right choice in having him as an escort-
Pain suddenly flared through her, originating from the leg, a sharp tearing pain that brought a scream of agony ripping from her lungs as her balance suddenly vanished and she toppled over onto the dusty, hard ground, her non-pained leg kicking out wildly at the Yoshi that she had hit; the predator had recovered and seized the moment of her distraction to clamp the savage maw onto her left leg, the wicked teeth grinding against bone as blood sputtered out of the wound.
Meta Knight turned in horror at the sound of her scream, before lunging for the predator, only to yelp in pain as jaws clamped onto his left wing, stopping his charge; a Yoshi had grabbed the flight-worthy appendage, and the knight struggled against the physically stronger creature.
However, failure was not an option.
Kicking away a lunging Yoshi, he then flipped round, and his wing dragged the creature to the floor, the hunter forced to release it to try and get back on its feet, but the knight was already charging for the creature attacking Helen, the woman gasping in agony, tears of hurt streaming down her cheeks as she futilely kicked at the Yoshi, the red animal relentlessly gnawing on her leg, blood drooling out of her limb as the pain continued to ravage her.
And then, a blur of gold, and the Yoshi was dead before it hit the floor.
With a grunt, Meta Knight pulled his sword from the creatures neck, his eyes glowing crimson as he spun to face the remaining creatures, which were again surrounding the duo, before his wings folded back into the cape, which then billowed out like a tangible shadow, draining light from the air around him, and, shocked, the Yoshis backed away as darkness continued to spread from the knight's cape, the shadowy matter rising up like a tower, the crimson eyes glowing brightly to increase the terrifying image of himself.
"All of you will run, or you'll end up like the unlucky one." The warrior hissed, golden sword contrasting against the great mass of shadows, the red eyes glaring at the now cowering Yoshis, whom now saw that the fight was futile against such a horrifying monster, having already lost of their own within the blink of an eye, and with that, they fled, whipping up dust in their mass retreat.
Satisfied with this victory, Meta Knight promptly let go of his power, and the darkness vanished back into his cape, which swung round to envelope him as per usual, the warrior now turning his attention to Helen.
The woman was lying on the ground, body twitching and throat whimpering with pain as her mauled leg bled out, her staff lying inches from her clenched hand. Clearly, the woman was in utter agony. Meta Knight could certainly see that, and it appeared she was unable to use whatever healing powers she had spoken of before in such a state. But then, it could have been a lot worse. Now then, time for the bodyguard to make up for his mistake in allowing something to attack the maiden.
The sphere person quickly moved, rushing to the pond, at which his cape snaked out and curled up into a dome, which he dipped into the pond, the item of clothing successfully gathering up a small pool of water, the liquid glinting in the sunlight, before he made his way back to the groaning woman and curled his cape around her injured leg like a snake curling around prey, the water-logged material restraining the flow of blood and wrapping the wound in clean water. Helen yelped in pain at the sudden hiss of cold liquid against her burning leg, but Meta Knight's body was at her side, and his gloved hands promptly lifted her torso into a sitting position, the girl whimpering in pain, though her leg started to go numb under the capes constricting pressure, lessening the hurt somewhat.
"Lady Helen, please; you need to activate the healing power of which you speak." Meta Knight stated, worry under his calm voice. He was no medic, typically used to only serving himself, and that was a nasty wound. It had to be healed before blood loss or infection could take hold. Thankfully, the watery cape bandage seemed to be doing the trick, and Helen whimpered a reply, pain-stricken reply, tears dribbling down her cheeks:
"Y-Yes, Sir Meta Knight. I-I n-n-need my s-staff..."
Carefully, keeping his cape wrapped her injured leg, Meta Knight leapt over her body to reach the dropped weapon, the staff with the bejewelled tip. Acting prompt and competent, Meta Knight took a shaking arm in one of his hands and pressed the staff into the hand of Helen, whom gulped softly, took a deep breath as her body shuddered in hurt, before murmuring something under her breath.
The knight didn't hear what she said, but he saw the effect of her words; The glittering jewel upon the staff suddenly flared with a golden light, brighter even the sun high above them, and a ribbon of this golden light, almost tangible in appearance, streamed from the jewel, curling down the feminine body until it reached the injured leg, wrapped up tightly in cape, before sinking through the dark, wet material, a soft glow murmuring down the length of the appendage, and Meta Knight felt an odd warmth spread through him, originating from where the light had passed by his cape.
Incredible.
Helen seemed to shudder for a second, before a soft sigh of relief exited her mouth, as her torso slumped back onto the ground, though her escort was quickly at her side once more, placing a glove behind her head to keep it elevated, the soft emerald locks brushing against the supporting appendage as the sphere warrior asked: "Lady Helen, how are you now? Did the spell work?"
The woman nodded softly, her eyes blinking away tears as the remnants of pain took their leave. Truly, few things were more reliable then a good healing spell. Meta Knight had certainly proven, in her eyes, to be one of them. Never before had she seen anyone scared off a pack of hungry Red Yoshis like that. Nevertheless, her leg was no longer burning in agony. Learning how to heal is a useful skill, and that was something you could not argue with.
Cautiously, Meta Knight unwrapped his cape from the woman's leg- And he was stunned to see that her leg was completely recovered. Not even a scar nor a patch of pink on the skin. Before the spell, it had been savagely torn, bleeding everywhere, muscle ripped and even the outline of bone poking through. But now, it was as good as new.
"Amazing." Meta Knight noted, eyes glowing green as he gently ran a gloved hand over the previously injured appendage. Helen flinched slightly at the fresh contact (Healing spells always left an odd shivering sensation for a short while) but nevertheless managed a small smile. She was alright. There was no lasting harm.
Gods above, that attack had scared her! The horrible pain as the Yoshi bit into her flesh... But Meta Knight had saved her. That alone earned her great respect, not to mention his extreme skill in battle, with such speed and precision-
Her stomach suddenly rumbled.
Meta Knight noted this, and chuckled slightly: "Hungry? Right after a savage battle to the death with a pack of hunters? I'm impressed by your resilience."
Helen flushed slightly, managing a small smile as she arranged herself into a sitting position, wincing slightly as her leg buzzed from the healing energy, before murmuring: "I guess I am hungry, Sir Meta Knight. But, what can we eat? There is nothing-"
"If I may correct you, milady." Meta Knight interrupted coolly, his sword appearing from the depths of his cape as he idly waved it off the front of his body, before turning to the corpse of the Yoshi he had slew, the one that had attacked Helen, and walking over to it, bearing his sword down over the body. "We have fresh meat right here for the taking."
A quick slice of gold, and the creature's belly was cut open, as Meta Knight declared, much to the woman's disgust: "There we are. Now, let's get a fire going. Night will soon be upon us, and admittedly, I'm hungry as well."
Helen quickly covered her mouth as a nasty urge to barf rumbled within her. A dead Yoshi was not what she thought of as the first choice for food...
Night Fall
The dark night sky was very serene, as it often was in this World. The black blanket, so high above them, was dotted by the shining light of stars, all of them glinting, some brighter, some dimmer, but all beautiful. Truly, nothing but nature could provide the most wonderful settings, as Helen, her stomach full, her leg fully healed, lay down next to the pond, emerald eyes gazing, awestruck, at the magnificent setting of the sky, watching each star, admiring every gleam of the heavenly bodies.
Nearby, standing by the glowing dance of a campfire, the flames licking up at the air around them as cracks and pops hissed from the burning wood, a necessary sacrifice for fire's growth, was Meta Knight, yellow eyes focused on the heart impaled upon his sword, the blade holding the dead organ over the fire, allowing the burning element to heat the organ into an appropriate cooked status. Though the killing of a fellow hunter was not approved of by the warrior code, he had had no choice but to slaughter the animal that attacked the lady. At least it could be helpful by providing some much needed food.
As the heart cooked, his eyes moved slightly to look at the woman lying down nearby, the gutted carcass of the Yoshi on the other side of the pond. It was impressive, her ability to heal, especially such a cruel injury as the one she received. She had potential for a wonderful healer, and being a priestess at Altea would definitely help.
Meta Knight then sighed softly. He'd forgotten what it was like, to travel with someone else. He'd been alone for a very long time...
"Sir Meta Knight?"
Her soft voice, laden with question, drifted over on the cool wind to him, and he replied quietly: "Yes, fair maiden?"
She was silent for a moment, before sitting up, elevating her torso so her head could comfortably turn and face him, the green eyes lightly reflecting the glow of the fire as she gazed at him, before she elaborated: "What do you think of the stars, Sir Meta Knight? What do they mean to you?..."
The sphere warrior's eyes shifted to a soft blue for a moment as he contemplated the question, before reverting to yellow as he replied: "To me, fair maiden, the stars are simply a thing of natural beauty, to be admired and watched by those unable to reach them. Any spiritual meaning they may have, is something I don't really consider. I prefer to think of present things, on the ground where I live."
Helen gazed at him upon hearing his rather lacking answer, before pressing on: "Surely, they must have some kind of significance to you, Sir Meta Knight."
"Perhaps, but if so, I have not found it yet." The knight replied, shrugging his shoulder pads as he removed the smoking heart from the fire and unfolded it within his cape, his yellow eyes vanishing as the mask was pushed up ever so slightly. Helen watched, fascinated, as the faint sounds of chewing drifted from the knight, but his cape prevented any view of his face. What could be under the silver metal that he sought to cover up? Battle scars? Or some kind of curse? The curse seemed logical. Perhaps some being had placed the devilish spell upon him, and the mask was built to restrain it.
However, she knew he would not answer any questions regarding his hidden face, so she switched to a different topic: "Sir Meta Knight, how long have you been travelling?"
The faint sound of swallowing, a shift of cape and metal, and the yellow eyes glowed through the slit in the mask, as he stated: "Delicious. In response to your question, milady, I have been travelling this World for a few years, searching for something."
"What do you seek?" The woman asked, turning her body around so she could crawl closer to the knight, curiosity in her eyes.
Meta Knight seemed to think for a moment, eyes again turning blue as he looked at her, the female unconsciously shivering under his gaze, before he gave his answer: "I'm not certain. That is what I seek; the answer to what it is that I search for. Do I seek fame, fortune, love, solitude? I am unsure. So, I travel and hope I can find what I look for." The knight then turned his blue eyes down the length of the dark canyon, towards the direction of the far-off Altea. "Perhaps, after I have successfully guided you to Altea, I can find my answer in the Temple of Palutena, Goddess of Light."
"Perhaps." Helen murmured softly, bringing her body in to curl up next to the knight. The two sat next to each other in the quiet night, both staring at the ever-slightly dwindling fire, thinking of what their brief talk may mean to both themselves and their companion, before the female spoke: "I believe I owe you a great thank you, Sir Meta Knight, for saving my life."
"It is my duty as a warrior." The sphere person chuckled slightly, yellow eyes seeming to hint at a very faint pink. "To help such a fair lady as yourself."
Helen blushed and giggled: "Thank you again, Sir Meta Knight. But I think I may go to sleep now."
"Of course. Rest well, milady, for the journey continues tomorrow." The knight replied, his cape shifting into the bat-like wings and stretching them widely, flexing off the powerful, yet thin muscles. "I will guard you while you sleep."
"But, surely you need rest as well." Helen replied quickly, slightly worried now, her gaze growing concerned. Didn't all creatures need some kind of rest? What if her escort got too tired and couldn't-
As though her worries were of absolutely no concern to him, the knight sniggered softly, and gestured for the woman to lie down and prepare for sleep as he said: "Have no fear, Lady Helen. A popular rumour among my enemies is that Meta Knight does not sleep; he only waits."
Another short laugh from the knight, as Helen, still unsure, but allowing herself a smile, lay down upon the dusty ground, arranging herself comfortably as she could, and replied: "If you say so, good warrior... I'll see you tomorrow..."
"Indeed." Meta Knight replied, before courteously extending his cape to flit over her, acting as a blanket. Helen was slightly surprised at this, but not ungrateful to the warmth and comfort the material provided, and murmured softly: "Thank you." as she allowed her tired eyes to close, and darkness, darker then even the night sky, swept over her mind.
Meta Knight observed the resting female for a short while, before sighing softly as his yellow eyes dimmed, and his cape drew in shadows to better hide them from predators. It was nice to have a travelling companion again. Then again, judging from recent signs, maybe it might just get nicer. It seemed this may be a long night of musing.
Especially when the woman, asleep so quickly, unconsciously uncurled an arm to wrap around his small body and pulled him in closer to her like a pillow, the female sighing softly in sleep's grasp as her head rested on his side, emerald hair tickling the exposed traces of navy-blue skin.
Again, the knight heaved a sigh. Indeed, a long night it would be.
But not uncomfortable, at least.
He allowed himself to chuckle softly as his eyes glinted with a faint hint of pink, and the glittering stars remained ever silent and watching.
Author's Notes: Hooray! An update at last! I better hurry my ass up if I wanna catch the deadline, or Fox-Pilot will have my ass on a platter 0_0
So, journeying, chatting and a good old fight, before a talk under a starlit night. It seems the duo are getting quite close already. Then again, love moves faster for some, slower for others. Certainly, MK's been on his own for a while, so it's only natural he's getting a bit close to the lady XD
Speaking of which, she calls herself Helen. Personally, I don't buy that. I think she's hiding something. But what? Two reviewers seem to know. Oh, and by the way, Caballero Negro is pretty much Spanish for "Dark Knight."
Figured it just suited the story XD
Well, I plan on revealing the truth about Helen on the final chapter, which is number four, just to keep it a surprise for those who don't know the truth :P So, I hope you enjoy the later chapters!
Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to go kick Game and Watch's ass on Brawl again! :D
