I have a quick question; who the heck voted Dedede x Fumu on my poll? That's like a crack pairing I randomly made up. XD If you read my stories, can we PM so you can tell me why? X"D You guys crack me up like an egg for breakfast.
And for those who voted 'Something Else' on my favorite Kirby pairing poll, could you PM me and tell me who your favorite Kirby couple is? ^^ Thanks!
He was immediately brought back to reality when he noticed something like a will-o-the-wisp drifting down, small, purple, and haunting. He could immediately tell that it was real, which made him stiffen when about ten more followed suit. Fumu blinked her eyes awake, at long last, and also looked before letting loose a startled shriek when about a hundred more paused at the top of the staircase before arranging themselves into a ghostlike figure. Meta Knight paled, and for a moment, his eyes flashed white. They needed to run—he could sense the hostility in the being, the anger and the rage at having intruders. This ghost wasn't fake, wasn't a holographic image, wasn't even a figment of their imaginations.
It was real.
"Run!" he snapped, scrambling to his feet and grabbing Fumu's arm. The ghost turned a bright, blood-red shade, its suddenly-existing mouth open in an enraged, bone-chilling scream, and bore down on them.
Meta Knight's reaction was swift and accurate.
He quickly wrapped his cape around the two of them and thought only of the door that he vaguely saw in the corner of the room. The piercing cold washed over him, sinking briefly into his bones and every fiber of his being. For a split second, the floor seemed to vanish before reappearing beneath their feet. The cold dissipated sharply just as Fumu let loose a sharp squeak. Meta Knight rapidly drew his hand and grasped the door knob, forcing the entrance open. He shoved Fumu through, first; then he glanced behind him, feeling a small sense of satisfaction when he noted the confused look that the creature's wisps were reflecting. He quickly followed after Fumu, closing the door tightly behind him.
"What was that?"
Her breath was short, forced. Meta Knight was panting himself, feeling a little drained from having to teleport the two of them. He hadn't had to do that for a long time; he'd almost forgotten how much effort it took.
"It was an actual, real ghost," he responded, annoyed when he himself also sounded out of breath. He shifted his cape into wings and stretched them, wincing when an ache racked its way up his back. He turned back toward the door, deep in thought. "I… I think we should keep going."
"I-Is that blood?" stammered Fumu suddenly, pointing at something at the base of the dual staircases. Meta Knight looked and slightly shuddered. Skulls and dead bodies decorating a fountain appeared to be bleeding, from cracks, eye sockets, and their own mouths. An eerie laughter floated through the air as the blood flowed into the fountain. Surprisingly quickly, it overflowed and began snaking its way towards him and Fumu. Meta Knight hissed in disdain.
"I don't know, but we need to get moving, Fumu!" The girl looked at him and quickly nodded. Meta Knight turned towards another door and began walking at a rather harried pace, tense and, yes, panicked. Secretly, he was horribly afraid, completely enveloped within his terror. He couldn't let Fumu see that, though—he had to take the initiative and get the both of them through this, and he couldn't do that if she was too anxious to listen to him. Fumu followed closely behind him, close enough that he could feel her right on the edge of his cape. Meta Knight opened the door and quickly ushered her in just as the ghost began to enter the room before. The door closed behind him, and they were enveloped in darkness.
"What—what was that—?"
"Be quiet, Fumu," he hissed, covering her mouth. He could have sworn that he heard a click somewhere around them… perhaps it was just his imagination playing tricks on him? But no—there it was again. Somewhere in the immediate area, something sounded to be starting. Click… click… click, click… click, click…
What the hell is that?
"Meta Knight," mumbled Fumu, pulling away from his grasp. "What is that sound?" So it wasn't his mind playing tricks on him, after all; she could hear it, too. In the complete darkness, he could just barely make her out beside him, looking around blindly, afraid—and she was mere inches away. Figuring out what was making that sound would prove to be costly. He couldn't leave the girl's side; though the idea of even considering that made him almost feel sick.
The sound, on the other hand, was slowly accelerating. Something seemed to jerk with a semi-mechanical sound, another wound up… and, just as a low, menacing chuckle resounded through the air, he realized where they were.
They were in a room filled with hellish clocks and devices.
Sirens started up just as red and blue lights came on, showing off a wide array of activating machinery—or were they real? They looked to be real enough—the malicious smile on the bloody clowns, the empty eyes of the owl, the fur and the fangs on the wolf; and everything else about the room seemed terrifying enough to give him nightmares. The clowns all began to laugh, jumping out at them and bouncing back from their posts on the walls. Cuckoo clocks bounced in and out of their little door frames, tweeting and chipped and old; the owl continuously spread its wings and shrieked, its beak opening and closing with agonizing acuity; the front part of the wolf raised its head and began to howl, drool dripping down from its jaws…
And the entire time, in the midst of all this chaos, the sirens continued to screech, growing higher and lower, higher and lower, and the lights flashed red and blue, and Meta Knight had to close his eyes tightly and cover his ears to keep from becoming deaf and blind. No use—the sirens' lights and the sound still shone through as crisp and clear as before. Beside him, he could feel Fumu tremble. If he was nearly becoming deaf as hell, he could only imagine what would happen to her if she had to bear through with even a little more of this. Quickly, he wrapped his cape around the two of them, and they swiftly teleported out of the room, leaving behind the stench of sulfur and the probing lights and the earsplitting wailing.
Bun ran as fast as his feet could take him to the castle. Behind him, he could hear the faintest sounds of sirens starting up. Even in the epicenter of the forest, away from the haunted house that mysteriously appeared out of nowhere and approaching the castle that boded cautious safety, it still rang true in the night air. It was even sharp enough to be heard, faintly, at the entrance of the castle. The rain still fell; and the drawbridge was drawn. Bun yelled.
"Hey, Waddle Doo! Let me in, please!" he cried, managing to hold back his terror. The one-eyed form of the Waddle Dee Captain peered out from behind a pillar, looking confused and curious. In his hand, he held a spear; in another, he held a sandwich that made Bun's stomach growl uncontrollably. He had forgotten to eat before they headed out to the forest, and now he was tired, aching, and afraid. Doo seemed to think for a moment before ordering the Dees to lower the bridge for Bun.
The bridge was old and creaky. It had been there since before Bun was even born, even before his mom and dad took up residence in Castle Dedede. He could remember that, when he was able to walk, he was afraid that the bridge would break under his very feet leaving him under the mercy of the currant. It took a long time to get over that fear, but now, with all that happened within the span of a half an hour, he felt afraid of it all over again. Slowly and hesitantly, he began treading across the bridge, cringing whenever he reached a particularly creaky area. Finally, after what felt like forever, he found himself on the other end, and he quickly ran around the castle halls, calling for someone to help him.
"Hello! Is anyone here? Someone, please help! Mom! Dad!"
A figure jumped from above, and Bun immediately leapt back with a cry of fear. The figure was a shade of apple red, and his eyes were a rather startling shade of raw umber in the darkness. Bun relaxed when he recognized the knight. "A—Alpha Knight… you-you scared me," he stammered uncertainly.
The red knight straightened. He was the same species as Bun and Fumu, though he was… different, really. His skin was red, for one, and his hair was short and cropped, black. He wore leather armor for whatever reason that sometimes changed depending on what he felt at the time he was getting ready for the day. Alpha Knight was the champion of Castle Dedede; even though he just returned from some sort of travelling adventure and was just getting resettled, Bun had a feeling that Alpha could easily take down Meta Knight single-handedly. His sword was made of pure black obsidian, of which he had an uncanny fondness of. When he spoke, it was premeditated and flowing. "What's happened, Bun?" he asked.
"My—my sister's in a haunted house with an alien that crashed here a couple of days ago in the middle of Wispy Woods!" he yowled.
Alpha nodded calmly, which caused Bun to, despite his fear, feel a surge of admiration. No matter what the situation was, Alpha Knight could be counted on to remain calm. It made everyone around him do the same. Never once had he seen the knight panic. "I see. Lead the way, but do so quickly."
"R—Right!"
Dedede was already complaining by the time three seconds of rain passed.
"I don't like this here rain! Get me outta it right now!" he bellowed, strangling Escargoon in the process. The overgrown snail was already feeling dizzy; his lungs were already burning for air. Maybe it had something to do with how tight Dedede's grip was.
Lightning flashed in the distance, and the next thing Escargoon knew, he caught sight of an old, abandoned house on the top of a hill, way off in the distance. He pointed a clumsy, clammy finger in that direction, and Dedede looked; immediately, he let Escargoon go and began running towards it, laughing in fatty glee. The snail sighed and followed after slowly and hesitantly.
The house looked old and abandoned, as was explained before. The wood was darkened and creaky when the two of them stepped on it. The windows were cracked, caramelized and dirty. The atmosphere, with the rain and the thunder and the lightning, was heavy and unwelcoming. Escargoon couldn't help but feel a weighty shiver pass through him.
Dedede paid no mind to the dark atmosphere. Instead, he pounded on the door, demanding to be let inside. There was a long, stiff moment of silence. Then a loud sound broke it, and Escargoon jumped with a small shriek. Looking around quickly, he noticed Dedede rubbing his nose, looking at him with a funny look in his eyes. "What, you're afraid of sneezes now?"
"That wasn't funny! Ya nearly scared me half to death!" snapped Escargoon.
Dedede opened his mouth to retort when the door slowly creaked open, and a person that had the same body shape as Meta Knight said, timidly, "C-can I help you?"
He was a cute child; he was small and coal black, with red eyes that looked like they were bordering on brown. The thing that caught both Escargoon and Dedede aback was not only the fact that he had no mask on, but also because of the sad, painful glint in his eyes, like he was getting ready to cry at any moment. On his right arm, there was a long, bloody gash that was still bleeding. Escargoon immediately estimated it to be several hours old, and decided that it was infected. His feet were grey, and he wore a black, tattered cape that looked as though it had seen better days.
"Yeah," said Dedede, shoving the injured boy aside and striding in. "Let me in, that's what you can do ta help me!"
The boy yelped when he landed on his arm, and tears threatened to break through, though he quickly stifled them. Escargoon hesitantly stepped in after the king, eyeing the boy nervously. Something was odd about him, something unnatural. It was similar to the feeling he got from Meta Knight, only it was somehow worse….
"I-please, you can't be in right now… my master hasn't said I could…" He gulped, and quickly looked away. Escargoon noticed that he was trembling, slowly and softly. The crack of thunder made him flinch heavily, enough to stumble back to the ground. What a coward.
"I don't care what your master has to say 'bout anythin'!" yelled Dedede, not looking at the boy who was slowly standing to his feet. "I'm the king, and what I say goes!"
"I-I'm sorry… I have to go…" whispered the boy in a quiet voice, looking around nervously. "Um… please, erm… make yourselves… at home…" Hesitantly, he pointed upstairs. "There's a… working shower, and… a bedroom up there… I… I think you can stay—at least, until the rain stops…" Then there was a flash of lightning, and he was gone.
Escargoon was freaked out. Where had the kid gone? He was there just a second ago! Maybe the house was haunted—? No, that wasn't possible! He hadn't seen a ghost yet… unless that kid was a ghost… the thought made him gulp. Dedede, on the other hand, was completely ecstatic. Quickly, he grabbed Escargoon's wrist and yanked him along, hollering, "Thanks, weirdo," not realizing that his words fell on the deaf ears of the night.
Alpha's reaction was swift. Just as the door was about to shut, he threw his obsidian sword, and it got lodged in the crack. He winced slightly at the thought of it being chipped, but was pleased with himself at the fact that his plan had worked.
Several moments before, he and Bun had attempted to reopen the door on their own terms, but no matter whether they pushed or pulled, the door held fast, held in place by expanded wood from the rain and a thick carpet on the other side (he could tell there was a carpet because of several fuzzy things peeking out from underneath the door frame.). When Alpha attempted to break the door down, he was simply knocked back to the ground, which was admittedly embarrassing. It was all but impossible to enter without breaking in.
It was a lucky break when the king and his advisor came along and somehow managed to enter the house without a problem. From what Alpha Knight could tell, the house selected its victims with strange intentions. And it had a very odd way of doing so; after all, Bun told him that a strong burst of wind flung open the door, and somehow, it separated him from Fumu and Meta Knight long enough for the door to close, trapping Fumu and the stranger inside. This was further proven when Dedede and Escargoon were actually allowed in the house by a pitiful-looking Ponyan child that probably wasn't even real. Then again, maybe he was. The fact that he was barreled over by Dedede suggested this was the case. That plus the eyes; not even a ghost could reflect such realistic sadness and pain like that.
"Come on," he said to Bun, and he strode from around the side of the porch, the boy following closely behind him. The door was still open, though when Alpha attempted to move it, he realized that it was startlingly heavy. How had the wind been able to move it so easily? And that boy, as well? He opened it wide enough for Bun to pass through, and swiftly, he followed, grabbing his blade just in time to keep it from being smashed to bits and pieces.
He looked around the dark house. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated their surroundings. The ceiling was high and flat, made of wooden planks that creaked and groaned with every step he made even on the first floor. If the king was up there, then he dearly hoped that the penguin would fall through the flimsy floorboards. Stars knew he deserved it. The carpet was unusually thick, and it muffled the sound of his feet. Thick and grey. Macabre, gruesome paintings lined the walls, depicting skeletons and bloody carcasses. He couldn't believe that anyone—especially a child—would ever want to live there.
There was a low moan, but aside from that, there was no sound. The mansion was dead and quiet, with nothing but the pattering of the rain to tell of the existence of noise.
The absence of noise unnerved him more than if he had seen a ghost.
Fumu awoke from unconsciousness soon enough, but when she did, she was very confused.
She remembered a blanket of darkness followed by an unbearably cold feeling… she had tried to breathe, but there was no air to inhale. She felt alone, and it felt as though all of the warmth had gone from the world…
The next thing she knew, she was leaning on Meta Knight, gasping heavily. He held her tightly, and she accepted what little warmth he offered. She must have lost consciousness, somehow. And they, by some means, must have gotten out of that room while she was.
At least, she thought that, until Meta Knight let her go, rubbing the side of his head as though he had a migraine. "Um, maybe I should have warned you beforehand, but there was no time. Sorry." There was a pained look in his eyes, as though he could still hear the sirens ringing and see the lights flashing. For a moment, Fumu felt sorry for him. She hadn't ever thought that maybe he was more susceptible to sounds and sensitive to light than she was. She could only imagine the toll that it took on him. Then she felt angry.
"What was that?!" she snapped, making him wince. "What did you do, Meta Knight?!"
"I… I only teleported us out of that room…"
"You couldn't have warned me about that beforehand?"
"Hey," he hissed, his eyes flashing burgundy, "if I had stopped to warn you, then I would likely have gone deaf and blind. Believe me, it's not a combination that you want to have for even a part of your life, especially if you're a soldier, which I am." Then he huffed, crossing his arms. "Besides, I think that you'd have been in a similar situation as I would have been. Would you rather be cold for a moment and unable to breathe for a second, or would you rather be blind and deaf for a week or two?"
Fumu opened her mouth to retort, but then she closed it, seeing movement behind him. Meta Knight jumped slightly and turned, sharp and quick, his eyes flashing a brighter yellow in his alarm. When a flash of lightning occurred, he relaxed; it was only Bun. "What—what are you doing in here, Bun?" he stammered, relaxing. Bun smiled shyly and said, "What, did I scare you?"
"As if," he said, just as Fumu exclaimed, "Bun!" and ran up to him, practically tackling him to the ground. Her little brother suddenly shouted in shock, sounding somewhat embarrassed. Then Fumu saw some burnt umber eyes watching her with a somewhat amused-yet-calculating leer in them.
He caught Meta Knight's gaze almost immediately. Alpha Knight immediately drew his sword in the same movement that Meta Knight did, although where Alpha Knight's was simply a glistening obsidian blade, Meta Knight's cackled with electric energy, lighting up the room with a swift variation. Alpha's figure was illuminated, and Meta Knight suddenly seemed hesitant when he saw him; it faded when the light vanished, and he growled, "Who the heck are you?"
"Let me ask the same thing," hissed Alpha Knight, narrowing his eyes. "Who are you? Do you have something to do with what's going on here?"
"No clue. You? Who are you?"
"Alpha Knight," muttered Fumu. Meta Knight's gaze flicked toward her, suddenly seeming confused—a look that was completely uncharacteristic for him. "Meta Knight, this is Sir Alpha Knight. He's King Dedede's champion. Alpha Knight, this is Sir Meta Knight, the Star Warrior who saved us at least three times before in your absence."
"Absence? Why hasn't anyone told me?"
"You didn't ask." That was Bun. He sounded somewhat smug.
Fumu had never seen Meta Knight look so confused and bewildered. Actually, she didn't even think he knew what confused was. His gaze seemed to flicker for several moments, thoughtful and mystified; Alpha took the opportunity to cautiously step towards him, eyes narrowed. Finally he said, "…Oh."
"So you're the Hero of Dreamland I've heard so much about?" mocked Alpha Knight, his voice taunting. Meta Knight only shrugged slightly, seeming somewhat upset and put off. "You don't seem much like a hero, do you? You look pathetic—and you're so small. It's ridiculous." Meta Knight would usually snap a spiteful retort in response, but Fumu was surprised when he only shrugged and said, "So? You think I'm the person who's going to save the universe from the clutches of Nightmare? Unfortunately the fate of the universe depends on a kid."
The melancholy tone suggested that Meta Knight's words were meant to mean something. But, for the life of her, all Fumu got from it was that Meta Knight was not the messiah, that the messiah was either a child now or would defeat Nightmare when he or she grew up. But why the melancholy pitch?
Alpha scoffed somewhat grudgingly, sounding impatient. "Do you really think I care? Did you do anything to the kid?"
"Alpha Knight!" snapped Fumu keenly, leering at him with sharp green eyes. He looked at her, his body uptight and sardonic. How could he accuse Meta Knight of such a thing, when it was plainly obvious that she was perfectly fine? Was he really half-blind? "How could you say something like that? Meta Knight has been protecting me this entire time, since we first walked in this house. He hasn't left my side for a single moment—he made sure that I was safe! You know he's a demon—" Alpha scoffed "—but it doesn't mean that he's evil, Alpha. Maybe you should give him half a chance to prove himself."
Alpha Knight trained his gaze on Meta Knight, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not so sure I can even spare that much for him."
Over the years that Fumu had known Alpha Knight, she figured out that he wasn't exactly very trusting. Meta Knight was the same way, but it was easier to gain his by spending time with him. Actually, she honestly didn't know much about Alpha at all—she knew Meta Knight more than the Castle Champion, and she knew Alpha Knight since she was born. Alpha Knight offered few chances to get to know people, and that was one of the most annoying things about him. As she opened her mouth to retort, Meta Knight's gaze brightened, and he cut her off quickly; "Oh, I see. Cynical type, aren't you? That explains things a little… but don't you think that, if I wanted to kill Fumu, then I would have done so all ready, while there was no one in the way? That would be the best way, wouldn't it?"
"You could be trying to gain the people's trust," countered Alpha Knight. He seemed moderately surprised when Meta Knight laughed and responded, saying, "I all ready have their trust. Their trust is worthless to me. Trusting people lands you in trouble—too much trust throws you off-track and can get you killed."
Alpha took a step forward, threateningly, but Meta Knight's only response was to sheathe his sword; the electricity illuminated the room once more, outlining a baffled Castle Champion, an annoyed blonde girl, and a confused young boy. Meta Knight tilted his head as he wrapped his cape around himself, his eyes suddenly playful-like. "I have sheathed my sword, Sir Alpha Knight, in an act of a selfless attempt to avoid physical conflict. I in turn request you to sheathe your sword and display your acceptance of this act." Alpha Knight paused, unsure, his grip tight on his obsidian sword. For a moment, Fumu thought that he would attack anyways. She was pleasantly surprised when he sighed and sheathed his sword.
"Very well," he muttered darkly.
"Here," said Meta Knight, "is apparently the stairs down to the basement. There might be a teleporter down there, if it's Nightmare. If not, we'll just have to find some way out on our own." Alpha Knight scoffed, where Fumu and Bun nodded their heads attentively. "With any luck, the fat king and the slow snail will be down here, trapped in a dungeon or something." Even Alpha Knight had to chuckle slightly at that comment.
Meta Knight looked at Alpha Knight warily. He didn't exactly like that red-skinned knight, but it wouldn't really hurt to have someone else there who could use a sword. At least Meta Knight didn't feel the burden of having to protect the children on his own—at least he had some backup. But now he was anxious because he felt that Alpha Knight would attack him when his back was turned.
Right. He was dubbed a Knight because of his code of honor, and one of the Codes was to never attack an enemy while his or her back was turned. Feeling very slightly reassured by that fact, Meta Knight turned towards the door and pushed it open.
The hinges squeaked heavily, obviously unoiled and unused. The door opened to the sight of a curving stairway dimly lit with torches. The stone was cracked and uncared for. No surprise there, considering the condition of the rest of the house. It didn't cause Meta Knight any discomfort, although he could see that Bun coughed nervously, and Fumu shuffled uncomfortably.
Meta Knight stepped into the stairway, and jumped when he heard metal clanging onto the stone floor. He looked down and was surprised when he saw a video camera, knocked over by his foot several steps down. He paced down to get even with it and stooped down, picking up the camera. He opened it and turned it up. The battery was low, but there seemed to be a video recently recorded.
Fumu looked over his shoulder nervously. "What is it?"
"No idea," he muttered. The silence prompted Alpha and Bun to stalk closer; after making sure everyone was watching, he played the video.
Dedede was running. What from was unclear, but he was. He was running, and he was running with a limping gait. Upon closer inspection, Dedede's foot was twisted in an unnatural angle. Someone was running behind him, too, panting and sounding out of breath. In the din, Escargoon's voice said, "Hurry, sire, run! It's getting closer!"
"I know, Escargoon!" panted Dedede. He looked over his shoulder fearfully; sweat was beading down his face like a waterfall. His voice carried a heavy tremor, one induced by fear. His eyes widened, and he cried out, "Watch out, Escargoon! It's right on your tail!" But it was too late; with a yelp, the camera fell to the ground with a loud THUD; Dedede stopped, panting with fear, struggling to accept the hard-cold reality of it. A round creature with no noticeable features, save coal-black skin, slowly approached Dedede, who, while backing up, stumbled to the ground heavily. "S-Stay away from me!"
"I'm sorry," came the response, sounding even more scared and shaky than Dedede; "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but my master would whip me if I didn't follow his demands." And the weird part was, he actually sounded apologetic.
"I don't care! Keep away!" Dedede screamed as the small creature somehow gathered the strength to drag him away toward an unknown destination. "Where are you taking me?!" he yowled.
"The basement." There was a small pad of footsteps, and the screen was enveloped with blackness.
"...A boy?"
Fumu looked at Meta Knight, confused. "What do you mean by, 'a boy'?" she asked, but Meta Knight didn't answer. He was shaking. He was uncertain. His eyes flickered to and fro; he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. Was he standing on stone, or in the vast void of space, or was he standing on nothing? He could hear some faint voices, but he couldn't really hear them. It was like he was listening through ears filled with cotton.
All of a sudden, he felt enraged. How could Nightmare stoop so low as to using children? Moreover, how could Nightmare be so heartless as to actually beating them?! "A boy!" he yowled, slamming himself into the wall. "Nightmare is using a child! He's using a boy to do his wishes!" He slammed his fist into the wall, as if begging it to obey his silent plea. He let loose an unearthly wail, like that of a ghoul screaming in dismay.
It took him five minutes to stop, and even then, he continued crying. He couldn't stand it anymore. For Nightmare to have stooped so low, so low as to forcing an innocent boy to obey him...
It made him feel sick.
She was relieved when Meta Knight finally stopped. Even then, she was surprised at his reaction. Fumu had never suspected that Meta Knight was so sensitive on the subject of children being forced to work. Maybe it made sense; he knew firsthand, after all, how cruel Nightmare was. He could actually pity the child that was on the video where she couldn't.
It was a pity, though, that the child worked for Nightmare. It made him an enemy, and if he got too much in the way, he would likely be killed by Meta Knight's reluctant blade.
Why Meta Knight felt so strongly about the child, though, Fumu didn't know.
"Meta Knight, we have to hurry," she mumbled. He was still shivering slightly, looking as though he were trying to restrain coughing and crying and screaming in his complete fury. Fumu hesitated. "Who knows," she added indecisively; "we might actually be able to save that kid from Nightmare's grasp." He looked up at that, and the old spark was in his eyes. She only just now realized what it was. It was defiance.
"...Okay," he rasped, clearing his throat. "Dedede is in the basement... likely having his eyes clawed out, or something."
"He deserves it if he is," muttered Bun. Meta Knight's gaze suddenly snapped, and he hissed, "No, Bun. Blindness is something reserved for the truly wicked. Darkness is not something to be tampered with-she's sharp and sly and won't hesitate to harm. Not even Dedede deserves the eternal pitch-black." The demon shook his head and looked back towards the staircase. "Just try wrapping a blindfold around your eyes for a week, and see how far that gets you. It's awful."
Bun was clueless, but Fumu understood completely. Several months before Meta Knight came to Dreamland, her brother got sand in her eyes and made her temporarily blind. She had to wear a blindfold for four weeks, to avoid irritating her eyes with light. She still had nightmares of being swallowed by an inky blackness, and she still had to sleep with a nightlight.
But why would Meta Knight, who was a creature of the dark, be anxious about blackness?
Meta Knight led the way down the stairs, which were encased in an empty silence. Somehow, the silence made Fumu feel nervous and anxious; it obviously affected Bun, as well, because he clung tightly to her. Even Alpha shuddered slightly, leaving the only one to be unaffected the demon. It was strange, really, that Meta Knight was so level-headed. Finally Meta Knight broke the silence. "You know, I hate the dark. I always have ever since a demon slashed my eyes. Nightmare wouldn't replace them for a whole year."
That explained his anxiety of the dark, at least. Fumu was surprised that he hadn't grown terrified of the dark. If she had to go that long with blindness, she would probably lose her mind. Then again, Meta Knight probably coped with it on a daily basis.
"Whoa..." said Bun, awed. Alpha Knight nudged him impatiently, likely giving him a message. This isn't something to be impressed about, Fumu saw in his eyes. After that, Bun shut up.
Meta Knight finally stopped at a thick oak door, and looked at it musingly, as if he were debating what to do. It was obvious, however; they had to open the door so that they could retrieve the king and Escargoon so they could figure out a way out of there. Maybe he was simply lacking the courage to do so.
Finally he took the final step, and he reached the door. Almost as soon as he did, a scream on the other side of the door pierced the dreary, warm air. Meta Knight winced slightly, his eyes looking a little paler, though not quite white. Fumu jumped back, and Bun whimpered. Alpha tensed in anticipation as he reached for the hilt of his blade.
"Keep away from me!" screeched Escargoon on the other side. He sounded panicked and out of breath; Meta Knight attempted to turn the handle, but it was locked. Fumu opened her mouth to suggest something, but was cut short when Meta Knight reached into his right glove and removed a lock pick. He stuck it in the keyhole and worked through it, quickly becoming more aggravated as the seconds passed. Finally, a long-awaited click sounded, and Meta Knight shoved the door open.
Escargoon was being chased by a Ponyan child. Escargoon was scared, too, trembling as hard as his slimy body would allow. They stopped when the door creaked open, and the boy, with his back turned toward the door, and slowly turned, beginning to shake. The Ponyan had coal-black, pale skin, and his red eyes were bright and afraid. This was what confused him; why would he be chasing someone if he was the one who was afraid? Because of Nightmare, he thought darkly. No child deserved the fate of being the servant of the Emperor of Darkness.
Alpha Knight unsheathed his sword within a moment and strode toward the child, who quickly scampered away, whining. As Meta Knight watched with more horror than he felt with the fake spider, Alpha Knight raised his sword, prepared to strike and land a killing blow. He closed his eyes swiftly, shaking and trembling.
He was incredibly surprised when a familiar scream took place of the boy's. He opened his eyes narrowly, and what he saw made his heart run cold.
Fumu had pushed herself in front of the child, and Alpha's sword had struck her arm instead of the boy's neck.
"F-Fumu," stammered Alpha, every bit as surprised as she was. The pain was burning excruciatingly, as though she were struck with a bolt of lightning rather than a simple blade. It was strange, though; there was a certain coolness to it, as well, underneath all of the blood and ripped tissue. She found herself trembling, her eyes wide and her heart racing wildly, every beat like a racing horse.
Meta Knight was at her side in an instant. He knelt down beside her and grabbed her arm. She expected to see anger in his eyes at her foolishness and for him to treat her wound callously, but instead his hands were gentle, and his eyes were filled with a sensitive light, asking the burning question over and over again: Why did you do that? Bun was at her other side, asking her something, maybe if she was all right. He looked so worried.
Despite his tender handling, Fumu found herself crying out with pain. Maybe it was only Meta Knight's concerned gaze that kept her from pulling away. Maybe it was because Meta Knight had experience with these kinds of wounds. The boy began crying—Fumu could barely register it through her cloudy haze of pain. After several long moments, Meta Knight said in a voice that pierced through her hurt, "The wound is long, but not deep." He sounded relieved as he reached into his cape and removed a roll of bandages. "But it still needs to be treated for infection. Yabui would likely know what to do."
Fumu bit her lip as Meta Knight wrapped her wound in a cocoon of bandages. Her injury throbbed and was sore where the wound rubbed against the fabric, but she said nothing. How could she tell him about her pain when he already knew, when he understood it a million times better than she did?
It was her first major injury, and she used it to save the person who was trying to harm Escargoon, who she disliked, and Dedede, whom she hated. And yet she felt glad that she did; it was Alpha who had to feel guilty. And he did—actually, he looked devastated. As for the child she rescued… he was shaking and trembling, crying heavily as if a dam suddenly gave way and a rush of emotions came flooding in. He said, "It's my fault, it's all my fault, I'm so sorry, so sorry…"
"It is all your fault!" snapped Escargoon, seeming angry and scared. "It's your fault that you tried to kill me! It's your fault that you tried to sacrifice King Dedede!"
"I-I didn't," he stammered, shaking. "I-I was only following orders—like my master said—"
"And what might those orders be?" demanded Escargoon, frowning with narrowed eyes. The boy winced, and he looked away, shaking.
"Both of you," said another voice, darker and more snappish, "for the love of the stars, be quiet!"
They both froze and looked at Meta Knight, Escargoon with annoyance and the boy with fear. Fumu also looked at Meta Knight, but with sympathy, not dislike or fright. "Escargoon, where is Dedede?"
"He's—um," started Escargoon, frowning. "He's… on the other side of the door over there." Here, he pointed to another door, one with blood pooling underneath the crack in it. Oh, no, thought Fumu, her mind clearing. Dedede's probably dying. What are we going to do?
Meta Knight looked at the blood and seemed to contemplate for a moment, his eyes turning a thoughtful green. Finally he said, "Okay, let's go. Alpha Knight, have your sword ready." Alpha was hesitant to comply—he didn't often take orders from anyone—but he obeyed. Fumu struggled to stand to her feet, holding her arm close to her chest. "Fumu, stay here. You need to rest."
"Sir Meta Knight," started Fumu, looking him. "I came this far. I want to see the outcome."
Meta Knight glanced at her with a pain-filled appearance, as if he were remembering something that he had tried so hard to forget. She could see it now; You remind me so much of… but she couldn't figure out who she reminded Meta Knight about. He never spoke much about people that he knew. "All right," he said at last, "you can come, but mind yourself."
The boy had said nothing; if it hadn't been for his high-pitched whimper, they would have forgotten that he was there in the first place. Meta Knight glanced at the boy with a hard-but-sympathetic look that made him wince. "What is it?"
"I-it's nothing," stammered the boy. "I-I have to go. My master will—"
"No, you're not going anywhere," said Meta Knight. "I don't want you out of any of our sights. You're coming with us."
The boy gasped, his eyes widening in fear. "But-but my master—!"
"Your master can wait," hissed Meta Knight. The child began shaking; Meta Knight's voice grew softer as he continued. "You know your way around this house better than any of us. If something happens, we might need your knowledge to help us all to escape."
The boy then looked wistful, as if he would very much like to oblige, but he still shook his head. "I'm so sorry, but… my master would hurt me gravely if I helped… and you, too…"
"That wasn't a question," said Meta Knight as he stepped towards the kid, gently grabbing his arm. Fumu saw how the coal-black boy tensed heavily and began to tremble. "You're coming with us."
"When I'm scared, I fr-freeze up," he stammered. "I'm of n-no use to your g-group, sir…"
Meta Knight finally submitted. "Fine… just keep safe, okay?" The boy, looking relieved, nodded his head and quickly fled, surprisingly fast on his feet like he'd been through similar circumstances millions of times. For all Fumu knew, he had.
"Axe?"
The sound of his former name made Gabon turn on his heel, and the voice that spoke it made him flash back for a fraction of a second to days long gone. Then he forgot, and his gaze narrowed. Not like they could really even see it through his skull mask; quietly, he grabbed his bones from where they lay by his side. He remembered a responsible demon, one who had steered him away from Nightmare's clutches and given him something to live for, who had become one of his closest allies in times of greatest trouble. The demon that had gone missing and whom, soon after, Nightmare had stolen back. For a second, he felt hesitant; then he raised his bones and hissed, "It's been a while, Meta Knight. But my name is Gabon."
Meta Knight's eyes flashed golden a split second before turning a mixture of orange and green. Behind him were two children and another knight. "'Gabon'? Don't tell me that you joined Nightmare!"
"I had to, after you abandoned us."
"I didn't abandon you! Nightmare—"
"I don't want to hear any excuses, Meta Knight! You left us all!" Gabon raised his bones threateningly, prepared to fight him to the death. Meta Knight had Galaxia unsheathed and at hand, and that made him somewhat anxious. Behind him, the penguin shifted his position, beginning to regain consciousness. "Now it's time for you to perish!"
"Axe—stop!"
Gabon dashed toward Meta Knight and slammed his bones down on him, but the demon was too quick and sidestepped before contact could be made. In retaliation, Gabon swung his pair of bones to the right, where Meta Knight backed up. He continued swinging until Meta Knight's backside hit the wall and he was cornered. Gabon prepared his bones to strike again, but was surprised when, mid-stroke, Meta Knight grappled the bones and pulled them out of his grip, slamming one on either side of his head.
Ringing filled his ears, and as Gabon groaned and backed up, the demon kicked out his violet foot. Gabon fell to the ground with a painful-sounding thud, before he quickly scrambled back to his feet. He felt ashamed of the leer Meta Knight was giving him, dismayed and discontented. It brought him back to the days when he worked for him, and when he made a significant error, he would give him that very same look. "Why did you do this?"
"Nightmare would have killed us if we didn't!" Gabon snapped, quietly ordering his bones back into his hands. Meta Knight seemed stunned when they rocketed out of his hands and into Gabon's, and the skull-masked creature lashed out at him. "It's all your fault!"
Meta Knight was forced to step aside and kick Gabon in the side, where he was unprotected. "It's all your fault," hissed Meta Knight, his eyes suddenly a fear-inducing red. "How could you submit to Nightmare? A true Knight of the Stars would never stoop so low!"
"Then maybe I'm not cut out to be a knight!" Gabon shrilled, throwing himself at Meta Knight with enough force to knock Meta Knight into the wall. His head struck the stone with a sharp crack, and Meta Knight visibly winced. Gabon knew that he at least gave him a concussion to remember him by. Galaxia had dropped from his hand a short while before and laid on the ground, discarded. "Maybe none of us are all high-and-mighty like you want us to be!"
While Meta Knight was still dazed, Gabon struck him upside the head with his bone. For an old man, Meta Knight was certainly resilient. Blow after blow, and he scarcely winced, and he certainly never pleaded for him to stop. It took a long time before Meta Knight once more grasped Gabon's bones and kicked him square in the stomach. His mind must have been buzzing from the countless blows he had struck, and yet he pounded and punted him so roughly and with such coordination, Gabon felt his mind whirl and his stomach twist. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus on dodging or defending himself from the countless strikes aimed at him, and he quickly became overpowered.
Somewhere during the process, the knight and the children released the penguin, and they were now making an attempt to escape. He knew that Meta Knight would be too stubborn to pursue them without making his point clear, yet he also knew that he would want to escape as quickly as possible. One more blow to his stomach, however, and Gabon found himself collapsed on the floor, close to unconscious bliss. Meta Knight stood above him, his eyes a deep sapphire. The words that he said were blurred and muffled, but Gabon could guess what he said. "I didn't want to do this."
Gabon closed his eyes, and he floated in blackness. The last thing that he could remember was remembering, and the feeling of fear and loss.
What had he done?
"We need to burn this place down," said Alpha Knight, his tone surprisingly dark. Fumu looked at him, confused, and asked, "Why?"
"It's the only way to destroy this place," he explained, struggling to keep Dedede's gargantuan form propped on his shoulder. On his other side, Escargoon supported Dedede, although he was straining and sweating. Fumu didn't know why Alpha Knight was faring better than Escargoon. Then again, perhaps it was due to him having more experience with physical exertion.
But burning down the place would mean that they would probably die.
"We'll probably die anyways," prompted Alpha Knight, and he had a point. But what about Meta Knight? They couldn't just leave him there to burn with the place.
"But Meta Knight's still stuck down there," she exclaimed, shocked.
"Yeah," stated Bun, sounding defiant, "We need to make sure he's all right!"
"Leave him to die. If he's so stupid that he can't smell a little smoke, then he doesn't need to be here."
The coldness in his tone shocked her. Did he know Meta Knight from somewhere? Doubtful, it seemed as if the demon had never before seen the castle knight. But why did Alpha Knight hate him? "I don't care," yowled Bun, turning around quickly. "I'm gonna get him right now!"
"Bun—" started Fumu desperately, but it was no use. Bun had all ready gone.
Meta Knight was considering. He was considering whether to leave Axe here, unconscious, or to pick him up, leave with him in tow. Yes, he still thought of the boy as Axe. What else would he think him to be? Certainly not Gabon, the name given to him by Nightmare. He would always be Axe to him, and he would always care about him in a fatherly way.
But Axe had turned to Nightmare because he thought that Meta Knight abandoned the group. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but it stung as much as it did the first time, and the first time, he considered suicide. He thought that now, actually, of killing himself here and now so he wouldn't have to deal with life's pains and woes.
No, he couldn't do that. There were people here who depended on him and relied on him. It was strange that the people he hated because of their laziness were his only anchor to life. He allowed himself a small smile, and breathed one quiet thanks.
He was surprised when Bun stumbled into the basement, head-over-heels. He looked as if he had run all the way down the stairs to catch him. "Meta Knight," he wheezed, gulping down air. "Alpha Knight's gonna… b-burn the whole place, d-down."
"Thank you for telling me, Bun," said Meta Knight, and it was genuine. He had nothing against fire, but he had no intention to die in it. He took a step towards Bun, but stopped abruptly, looking back at Axe worriedly. Axe would certainly die if he was left there, but should the demon take him along? Of course! He thought, scorning himself for his impudence. He picked up Axe, hoisting him over his shoulder, and nabbed Galaxia, sheathing the golden blade with a crackle of electricity. "Let's go," he said sternly, ignoring Bun's agape shock. He gently grabbed the boy's overall straps and pulled him along, up the stairs.
…
Smoke.
He could smell smoke. Alpha Knight had all ready started burning the house down, without regard for his own safety, much less Bun's. As he opened the door, he could feel the heat, searing and hot, and when the door was opened all the way, he could see the flames dancing. He felt Bun tense as he pulled away from Meta Knight, about to be thrown into a panic; but before Bun could move, the demon unsheathed his wings and wrapped one of them around the boy, keeping him close. "Stay with me," he prompted, narrowing his eyes against the blinding heat.
He could teleport, but how far would that go? He could feel the heat blurring his thoughts, and the smoke was all ready seeping into his lungs. Bun coughed as Meta Knight began to walk, quick and measured, through the columns of fire and wood. Axe was still heavy on his shoulder, and though Meta Knight was slowed down by him, he refused to let go. A beam of lumber suddenly crashed in front of him, and he jumped back with Bun in his wake, avoiding the sparks flying everywhere. Meta Knight managed to snake his way around the beam.
Urgency was running high. Meta Knight picked up his pace, and Bun followed closely, his coughs growing more and more worrisome. Although he was restraining the urge to cough, as well, he could feel his own mind becoming fogged, his vision began to tunnel.
The door! There was the entrance door, cracked open. Meta Knight dashed over towards it, eager to breathe the fresh air that comes after rainfall, eager to escape the searing heat that made him sweat, eager to escape the thin and thick laces of smoke that marked his skin with their tentacle fingers and wound their way into his mouth. Meta Knight barreled his way into the door, over the porch and onto the grassy, dewy ground. Bun landed beside him, coughing still more, and when the smoke finally left his lungs, he collapsed, breathing heavily.
Meta Knight coughed sharply, the effort of holding it all in wearing off. He felt the adrenaline wear away rapidly, leaving him to be a giant wreck. He found himself gasping for air in much the same way Bun was. Axe had fallen from his grasp, and he lay on the ground not far away, still unconscious.
They made it out, and they were alive. Meta Knight collapsed to the ground in his relief.
Fumu had found Meta Knight fifteen minutes after the house had burnt completely to the ground. He was unconscious. Bun was, too, and that worried Fumu. But they were safe, and that was the relief of the matter.
Fumu called over Escargoon and Alpha Knight to help her get them up to the castle, or at least to town. They complied (Alpha Knight, Fumu noted, somewhat grudgingly) without much hesitation.
She looked at the house and at the burnt cinders that remained. The wetness and the fog prevented the fire from spreading, and the mist burnt out the heat after the house was destroyed. She sighed—her little brother, the stranger from a strange land… they could have all died. She was absolutely terrified for their safety.
She suddenly winced and clutched her wounded arm, grimacing in pain. In her terror, she had forgotten all about it. Meta Knight had said that it was long, but not deep. Maybe he said that so she wouldn't panic. Maybe he was telling the truth. The sudden thought of Meta Knight made her suddenly grateful for saving her brother; while he was a pest at some times and a nuisance at others, she couldn't bear the thought of him dying or dead. She had to remember to thank Meta Knight later.
She sighed quietly and was about to turn around when she froze. Somewhere in the shadows, there was a pair of blue, keen eyes watching her, pupil-less and iris-less. Her blood suddenly ran cold; her emerald eyes held its stare for long moments. What was it? Was it the ghost from the castle, irked and seeking revenge for its destroyed home? Was it another demon, sent here to kill her, her brother, and the knights? Or was it something else entirely?
The eyes disappeared for a millisecond—a blink, Fumu presumed—before turning away and disappearing altogether. When the moon peeked out from the clouds, she could have sworn she caught sight of the tip of a long-furred, snow-white tail, surprisingly reminiscent of a wolf.
Like? Hate? Okay? Whatever! Remember my poll, people! …Please?
I'm so sorry this took so long. I was so side-tracked, what with my nephew visiting and all. I just finished it, actually. Any suggestions on what the next chapter should be?