A/N
Edited.
-Chapter 4-
"Thanks for buying us snacks." The Lola twins thanked in unison.
"Of course. And thank you, again, children, for helping me." Professor Curio smiled.
Within the town grocery store, he and the children sat upon a bench. Curio buttoned up his overcoat. On either side of him, Fumu, Bun, and Kirby sat while the Lola twins floated above them. The children each bore a bag of cookies upon which they happily snacked.
Bun ran a hand over his hair prior to shrugging casually while bringing another cookie to his mouth. "Hey, no problem."
Fumu shot a frown of disapproval toward her brother who ignored her scolding behavior. "I still can't believe you went into Sir Meta Knight's room."
"What? I accidentally kicked it in there!" Bun's voice cracked as he defended himself.
"And then you snooped around and stole something of his." Fumu pushed on.
"Children, children. Enough. It isn't the end of the world," Curio lifted his hands and gestured to the young Dreamlanders to end their quarrel. "I'm sure Sir Meta Knight will understand if we explained the whole thing."
Bun rubbed the side of his neck, his uncertainty hidden behind the hair draping over his face. "Can we not tell him?"
The elderly Cappy rubbed his brow. "Well, it wouldn't be right not to tell him. Besides, you may never know if may have been searching for the rest of it like I was. That could have been why he kept it."
Fumu sighed, still displeased with her brother's previous actions. "What were you doing, kicking the ball around in the castle, to begin with?"
Bun giggled softly as he shrugged. "I got bored. Kirby thought it was fun too. Right, Kirby?"
The young Star Warrior had been peeking into his empty bag of cookies before shaking the crumbs out into his mouth. He dropped the bag and looked up to the boy upon hearing his name.
"Poyo!"
"See?" Bun motioned with a hand.
His sister frowned, receiving a sheepish grin from her brother. The Lola twins descended a bit, floating closer to the four.
"Maybe Bun should go apologize for stealing." Lalala suggested.
Bun jumped from his seat on the bench and clenched his hands into fists. "No way! Sir Meta Knight is cr—"
A low groan rumbled through the ground, shaking about objects. Tuggle scrambled about his store as products were shaken from their shelves. "Earthquake!"
Curio slid off the bench and pressed his satchel to his chest. Kirby looked around, dumbfounded by the current situation.
The Professor's eyes widened in alarm. "The mirror! My work!"
He pelted out the door of the store, the little bell chiming as he did so. The children followed him, frantically chasing the urgent Cappy in an attempt to catch up. Watching the Professor vanish inside his workshop, the young Dreamlanders almost immediately heard a yelp of alarm. Panicked, they rushed into his curio shop with the expectation of glass covering the dusty floor. They skidded to a halt. The elder was desperately clinging to the mirror with the intention of protecting his precariously placed artifacts that threatened to plummet to the floor.
"Quick! Keep everything in place!" Curio shouted over the quaking ground.
The kids scattered about the shop, pushing ancient clay objects away from the edge of their perches. Kirby, too short to help, merely pushed against Bun's back, worried that he may fall over. Curio looked to the mirror, the only object that was undisturbed by the instability of the land. Light streamed from the cracks in the mirror's partially restored surface. The mirror gave an abrupt bellow that sounded loudly. The Dreamlanders screamed in alarm. The artifact trembled, its broken surface gradually smoothing as the shards melted together. Curio's eyes widened and he released his grasp from the object and stepped back.
"I don't understand..."
The reflective object froze, its old, silver frame carved with peculiar symbols, no longer shook wildly. Its center gleamed elegantly, reflecting nonexistent blue light and black clouds. Large breaks in the glass still remained and were slowly being filled in. The mirror emitted a low, destructive frequency that traveled through the ground and shook miles upon miles of land. The sound seemed only to grow louder and louder until the inhabitants of Cappy Town clutched their ears. Kirby wailed, his clamped eyes welling with tears as the screeching of the mirror grated at his nonexistent ears. As the last of the artifact's cracks melted away, its screaming and trembling came to a relieving end. All became stable once again. Dust fell fem the ceiling and settled upon the floor. Curio heaved a sigh, pulling his hands from his ears and lowering his head as he stepped away from the pristine mirror that stood several feet taller than he.
"Is it over?" Bun asked, glancing around as Kirby did.
Curio nodded. "I think so."
He cautiously approached the mirror, its glass surface flawless and filled with swirling blue and silver, bearing the Cappy's reflection. The curator reached his hand forward, hesitantly tapping the glass. As he did so, the sleek surface rippled like a water bed, it bellowing softly with an almost metallic grumble.
Curio's gaze brightened and he beckoned the children. "Come, come. This is very interesting."
Bun approached, his sister and the puffball standing behind him. The boy tapped the mirror, earning the same effect as when Curio had done so. He stood in bewilderment and awe. The ripples soon settled.
"My mirror doesn't do this!" He poked the glass surface again. "This is so cool!"
"Let's show this to the town. Perhaps I'll get a little more recognition for my work." Curio smiled contentedly, pride in his eyes.
He leaned forward and took hold of the handle of the wagon occupied by the mirror and pulled the miniature trailer along behind him. The children stepped aside to let him pass. Curio pulled open the door, to which was held by the Lola twins, and proceeded into the village. As the old Cappy padded down the dirt paths, he received several curious and quizzical expressions from passersby. He tightened his grip on his overcoat to shield himself from the cold breeze and continued down the dusty road. The elderly man halted beneath the old, now naked, tree at the center of the village, the children at his side. Curious villagers soon begun gathering around them, eying the mystical object.
Professor Curio cleared his throat and faced the growing crowds of wary townsfolk. "Hello, everyone. I'd like to show you my newest restoration: a mirror."
A Cappy crossed his arms and shrugged. "So what? It's just a mirror."
"But, it's—" Curio spoke up.
"It doesn't look old at all." Another villager called.
Fumu stepped ahead of the disappointed elder and lifted her hands. "Come see it closer. It's not like the mirrors you're used to."
"Yeah!" Bun shouted. "Watch!"
Fumu stepped aside for all to see as her brother tapped his index finger against the smooth surface. The glass rippled and groaned as it was disturbed. Breaths of awestruck gasps washed over the once skeptical crowd which steadily approached with growing interest.
Professor Curio's confidence returned and he patted the ancient frame of the ominous artifact. "Now, if you'd like to touch it, step right up. Make a neat line and everyone will get a chance."
"Fumu!"
The girl turned to face Sword and Blade as they rushed toward her with alarm upon their hidden faces. They stood before her, the other kids turning their attention to the two.
"What happened? We heard a loud rumbling sound, so we came running. Did something explode?" The green armored swordsman asked frantically while his brother glanced around.
Bun gave a curt laugh before approaching Blade. He placed his hand upon the swordsman's shoulder. "Nah, we're fine. We just finished putting together the mirror over there."
The two apprentices froze upon eyeing the reflective object.
Sword leaned toward his brother with wide eyes. "Hey...didn't Meta Knight have a mirror shard in his r–"
Sword fell silent and Blade glanced toward him. "Oh...that's what got taken..."
"He's going to kill us." Sword choked out. Blade nodded in agreement.
Bun stepped back from the two. "Wait, how'd you know I was in there?"
"The door was open." The apprentices spoke in unison.
Fumu came aside Bun and slapped him upside the head with a glare. "You shouldn't have gone in there! Or at least be a little more discrete about it!"
Sword turned to face his brother. "Did you shut the door after we left?"
Blade shrugged. "What? I dunno."
The purple armored swordsman sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, have any of you seen Sir Meta Knight anywhere recently? He vanished this morning and didn't tell us where he'd be, let alone that he'd be gone."
Fumu narrowed her eyes quizzically.
Curio came behind the children and gave a gentle smile. "Let him be. I'm certain he's merely tending to his knightly duties."
Sword and Blade exchanged uncertain glances with one another and shrugged. The rumble of a car engine grew louder from behind. Kirby gave a soft "poyo" upon seeing who had arrived.
Fumu sighed and glanced briefly toward the two swordsmen. "I guess you two weren't the only ones who heard the rumbling."
The self-proclaimed king of the land clambered from his vehicle with his mollusk assistant in tow. "What's all this commotion about?!"
"Professor Curio fixed this mirror." The Lola twins blurted while floating above the reflective object.
Dedede gave out a thunderous laugh, soon approaching the supposedly interesting artifact. As he did so, he examined the object with a very unskilled gaze before chuckling and shrugging. "It's just a mirror! What's so special about it, huh?!"
"Touch it!" Bun barked. "It's so cool!"
The king frowned at the boy shortly before shooing him away. He stood at the foot of the object which possessed an ancient frame. Both he and Escargon narrowed their eyes as the plump penguin tapped the gleaming surface of the mirror with a gloved hand. To their astonishment, a low bellowing groan emitted from the rippling, water-like glass.
"Wow!" Dedede's eyes shined. "I want it!"
The penguin grinned and adjusted the cloth across his stomach before throwing his free hand, the other occupied by a mallet, into the air. "I demand it be put on my wall!"
Curio's heart, once again, sank in dismay toward such importunate words. "B-But..."
"You cannot have it, Your Majesty." Sword spoke in defense of the curator, approaching the king with Blade at his side.
Dedede frowned with distaste and put his hands to his sides. "Oh yeah?! Why not?! I'm the king!"
"Our Lord told us about these things... He said they were dangerous." Blade explained slowly. Sword nodded in agreement.
Relieved to have yet another set of Dreamlanders on his side, Curio spoke quickly. "Y-Yes! Imagine if it fell! The shards would harm His Majesty!"
"If it breaks, you'll have bad luck!" Escargon was reminded, by his superstitious nature, that mirrors, in his mind, were cursed and were a poor item to have in one's living space.
"Alright, alright! I get it!" Dedede silenced the onslaught of words against his wishes. "If ya'll think it's so dangerous, you keep it!"
Curio heaved a sigh and patted the ancient framework of the mirror. An abrupt gust of wind startled the Dreamlanders as the bitter cold sank into the town, continuing to chill the land and its inhabitants. The children shivered and rubbed their arms. Dedede stepped away from the mirror and frowned at his assistant.
"I told ya mirrors were bad luck! Why'd ya let me touch it?!" The king swung his mallet at the mollusk who ducked and scrambled toward the vehicle.
"Me?! I told you!"
"Yeah, yeah! Whatever! Just drive! I'm freezin'!"
The king's vehicle rode through the village before making its way toward the castle. Above the land, whose plant life grew ever more dormant, clouds continued to fill the sky and choke out the warmth of the sun. Fumu looked upwards, scanning the graying sky for any sign of what she suspected to be the culprit of such events. The crowd of Cappies had greatly depleted as they hurried toward their homes and huddled inside. Bun shivered and clung to his older sister.
"Do you th-think we'll g-get more s-snow?"
Fumu shrugged, looking down from the clouds. "I don't know. Maybe. We better find the demonbeast that is causing all this, first."
Bun nodded. "C'mon. Let's go home. It's freakishly cold out."
"Come on, Kirby!" Fumu called for the puffball, however he was watching as Blade lifted a small stone from the town road.
"What are you g-guys doing?" Bun asked curiously, rubbing his arms furiously.
"Run!" Lololo yelped and hid behind a bush with his twin.
Kirby followed them, peaking from the browning leaves of the plant. Fumu and Bun hurried into the same area and Curio reluctantly watched from the doors of his workshop. Sword stepped back, eyeing the stone as his brother tossed it toward the mirror. To their surprise, the rock merely vanished inside the object whose surface rippled yet again. The apprentices glanced at each other briefly. They waited until the mirror's surface settled then shrugged in silence.
"Nothing happened." Sword spoke up.
"What do you mean 'nothing happened'?" Fumu stood up, scanning the area for any shards of glass, only for her to see that the mirror hadn't been damaged. "Where'd the rock go?"
Blade pointed toward the artifact. "It went into it."
Bun stared with a dumbfounded gaze hidden behind the curtain of hair covering his face. He threw his arms up briefly. "How much cooler can this mirror get?!"
"Is it broken?!" Curio came rushing from around the corner. He put a hand to his chest, breathing heavily. "Oh, thank the stars! I think it's time for this to go back inside."
The professor took hold of the trailer's handle and wheeled it back inside his workshop.
"I don't know about you, brother, but I'm going home." Sword adjusted his helmet as he passed the green armored swordsman who followed shortly afterward.
Slowly the door came open with a soft, nearly inaudible creak. A silhouette slipped into the dust-filled room and eyed its surroundings. Across the way, the mirror stood upon its makeshift stand which hugged the back wall. On silent feet, the form crossed the musty room. Its armor lightly clanked in the darkness. Passing the owner of the establishment, who lied asleep in his old bed, the being ignored the elderly Cappy's presence. Its glowing gaze remained fixed on its prize. It stepped upon the wagon, reaching its hands forward to caress the smooth surface of the mirror. However, the silhouette failed to notice the fishing line trip wire at its feet. The line pressed into the form's hand, catching its attention. The being bent down and pulled the string away with a gloved hand, its eyes searching for the wire's end. Its glowing eyes widened upon realizing the line's purpose. Something heavy clattered to the floor.
The figure whipped around and flinched as the object suddenly began to ring. Swiftly, the silhouette jumped away from the mirror and pelted from the curio shop. Curio jumped awake with a snort. His eyes were wide with alarm. He shot out of bed with a baseball bat in hand and a desire to bash whoever had dared to steal from him. The Cappy's eyes darted about, searching for the infiltrator but found no trace of an intruder. Relaxing for the moment, he knelt and silenced the rattling clock before rearming the mirror's trip wire and setting the clock back upon its perch above him. Looking up, he spotted the makeshift security camera whose lens adjusted. He gasped, realization hitting him, and promptly raced outside.
"Borun! Borun!"
"Fumu..."
The girl's eyes snapped open. She sat up quickly, nearly screaming when her eyes met two forms looming above her. She relaxed upon recognizing the armored forms to be that of Sword and Blade.
"Good. You're awake." Sword smiled behind his helmet.
"I am now..." Fumu rubbed her eyes and stretched. "What time is it?"
"Three o'clock." Blade answered quickly.
Fumu gave a severely quizzical gaze. "Why'd you guys wake me up at three–"
"Grab something warm, it's very cold outside. We need you to come with us to the village." Sword informed her abruptly.
"Wh-Why?" The girl asked with great concern, her hands in blanketed lap.
"Because," Blade began with quiet words, "we figured you'd want to see what's happening, considering the Lola twins informed us that someone tried to steal the mirror not long ago."
Fumu stood out of bed and opened her closet door. As the green armored apprentice finished speaking, she became still and glanced at them from over her shoulder. "Who?"
"Someone tried to steal the mirror!" Professor Curio barked.
"We know, Curio." Sword spoke up as the three entered the police office.
"Here it is." Chief Borun came from the back room with a VCR tape in hand.
"What's that?" Fumu asked with a yawn as she pointed at the black, rectangular object.
"This is the recording of Curio's workshop for the past few hours. We'll take a good look at the thief." Chief Borun patted the tape as he approached a smaller TV with a VCR aside it.
Pushing the tape into the video device's mouth, he pressed a button upon it prior to turning on the TV. Upon the screen, the recording played. Borun fast-forwarded the video. A few hours of events played speedily until the room went dark. He stopped the tape, then played it once more. The doors opened and in went a figure. The group gasped in alarm upon seeing the culprit.
Sword and Blade curtly exchanged shocked gazes before leaning toward the screen. "What?!"
"That's Meta Knight!" Professor Curio pointed with his free hand, nearly dropping the baseball bat in his other hand.
Fumu narrowed her eyes and quickly spoke up as the knight leapt out the door in the video. "Rewind it!"
The chief did so, and, as the scene replayed, Fumu pointed at the recorded swordsman.
"Look there. You see? He's limping!"
Sword nodded upon realizing such a small detail. "He is... That's what you saw a few days ago, right?"
"Yes. He's definitely hiding something." Fumu confirmed, straightening as she did so.
Blade shook his head. "What would he want with a mirror? And where is he anyway?!"
Borun turned off the TV and ejected the tape from the VCR. "Well, now. That's that." The chief set the tape upon his desk and returned to the small group of Dreamlanders.
"Excuse us." Sword spoke as he shoved Blade out the door. He sighed and threw his arms up briefly. "Why is this happening? Brother, we need to find him and ask him right now!"
"Ask me what?"
Blade had prepared to speak, but was startled when a deep voice came from behind him. The shorter of the two brothers spun around and nearly hugged Sword in surprise, but was quick to regain his composure. He jabbed Sword in the side as his gaze darted between him and their mentor who bore a very quizzical expression behind his mask.
"U-Um..." Sword cleared his throat and tensed. "Sir! Why'd you try to take the mirror?"
Meta Knight gave a puzzled gaze. "What on Popstar are you talking about? What mirror? What would I want with a mirror?"
Blade shuffled his feet nervously, however he took a hesitant step forward. "You tell us. We saw you on that video! And you were limping! You didn't tell us you were injured! And you especially didn't tell us that you had left, let alone where you'd be!"
The knight sighed and nodded slowly. "I apologize for not informing you of my absence, however, I am not injured. Now, where's this video? Let me see it." Meta Knight held out a hand of insistence.
"C'mon." The two beckoned and he followed them inside.
Curio jumped in sight of Meta Knight who looked to him suspiciously, eyeing the baseball bat in his hands. The professor was quick to set aside the "weapon" as the knight approached Fumu and Borun.
"Chief Borun, could you show Meta Knight the video?" Sword asked, eager to see his mentor's reaction.
"Of course." As the police officer turned to his desk, he paused and froze. "Um...one moment."
He scurried behind the wooden table and began to examine it frantically. Embarrassed, he clasped his hands.
"It's not here." He looked down. "Either I misplaced it, or, somehow, it got stolen. None of you took it, correct?!"
Everyone shook their heads. Borun grumbled and faced the prisoner in the single jail cell of the office. "You didn't take it, did you?!"
The prisoner shook his head frantically.
Meta Knight touched his hand to his mask and sighed with annoyance. "Never mind the video... Where is this mirror? It seems to me that you've found it to be of seemingly great importance."
Curio nodded and brandished the bat once more. "It's back in my workshop. Hopefully, it's still there, considering what's happened so far."
Meta Knight muttered beneath his breath. "Hopefully..."
Fumu hugged herself as she followed the swordsmen and curator to his workshop. Warmth bathed them as the elderly Cappy opened the door. Meta Knight's eyes almost immediately flashed orange upon seeing the ancient artifact against the back wall. He halted before he completely entered the building, he standing behind his apprentices.
"You gave him that shard?!" The veteran's voice bore hidden anger.
"No! No!" Sword and Blade backed, waving their hands before them. "It was stolen by a certain kid."
"That mirror must be destroyed." Meta Knight growled.
Curio stepped back in alarm as he heard the words spoken in such a jagged tone.
"It is dangerous. It's a direct gateway between our world and another. We don't know what could, or has, come through." The knight turned away and began to step out of the doorway. "We are in plenty enough danger as it is..."
The knight set off beyond the village. Striding through the dying grass, his eyes began to glow red and a dark grin appeared upon his masked face, and...he began to limp.
A/N
Oh my gosh, getting close to less talkative chapters... yes!
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