In You're Nightmares, Rise Again, Holy Nightmare
By: TheSilverHyena
WARNING! Contains:: Strong Language, Violence, Graphic Description of Gore, and Vile Deception.
::Author's note:: Okay, just to make it clear, when you see Meta Knight written down like this, 'Meta Knight', it ain't the real one, it's Riley, but everyone else just thinks it's Meta Knight. For those of you with no clue as to what's going on, I refer you to the previous chapters. Right then, off you go.
*Castle Dedede, dungeons*
King Dedede grumbled and moaned as he came too. It felt as though someone had been pounding his head with his own mallet. Damn, what a terrible dream. More like a nightmare. It felt so real, that demented woman breaking into his castle and setting her monsters loose within it, all because she wanted that little cream puff, Kirby. But alas, as the portly penguin opened his eyes, reality quickly sunk in.
"Chained in my own dungeons?" King Dedede exclaimed, uselessly pulling against his bonds, "Oh that girlie's gone and kicked a hornet's nest here. Just wait till I get out. I'll give her a thrashin' she wont soon forget!"
"Not to rain on your parade, your highness, but look around you," Neo moaned weakly, flicking her ears as she began to wake up.
It was only now did the ex-king find that he was not alone. Kautounie, Neo, and Geoffrey were all beginning to come to their senses. The only one missing was Meta Knight.
King Dedede rubbed his aching head in thought of where the blue puffball could be, only to be interrupted by the two zwetoocks spitting onto the floor, wrinkling their noses from the disgusting taste lingering inside their mouths.
When Kautounie attempted a spell to break free of her chains, nothing happened. She tried again, growling in unintelligible words until finally biting the chains out of frustration. Again, nothing happened. The elder zwetoock cursed audibly, pinning her ears against her skull as her frustration grew. Next, Neo gave it a try, and just like her sister, her chains remained right where they were.
"Well Kautounie," Neo began, "judging by that awful taste in our mouths and the failure to cast spells, I'd say we were administered a rather large dose of Wyrmrot while we were unconscious."
"Worm-a-what?" King Dedede quested, with a confused look.
"Wyrmrot. It's a rare but potent poison from our home planet of Horva. The poison suppresses the flow of arcane energy within the body." she explained.
Another confused look from King Dedede.
"Meaning they can't cast spells," Geoffrey stated, putting it into simple English for the sake of the king, "at least not until it wears off, which will be impossible to tell since we don't know when it was administered or how much."
The four of them took a long, painful look around. There was no sign of Meta Knight, although there was a pool of blood on the floor. On a small shelf outside the cell and out of reach, were their weapons and other belongings, which looked as though someone had already gone through them. Languishing in the cell across from them were a few waddle dees, which looked a bit beat up but otherwise alright. The Cabinet Minister and his wife were also inside the same cell, both of whom had small scratches and a few burns. Kautounie and the others had seen them around the castle. Weren't they Tiff's parents? But of course the one thing that was most difficult to miss were the four levitating ghast hands paroling the corridor. Two of them were tapping their clawed fingers against the crumbling stone wall, while another attempted to prod Kautounie through the bars. The zwetoock snapped her jaws at the appendage, but found the taste to be even more revolting then the Wyrmrot.
"Looks like we is done and stuck here," King Dedede sighed, slumping against the wall.
Now he was regretting having his dungeon built with such high security.
"I for one am not planning on being a permanent tenant," Geoffrey scoffed, calmly shifting his wrist.
"How?" questioned Neo, "your set of lock picks are out there, guarded by those... hands. Urg, whoever came up with that spell needs to die a horrible death!" she muttered, glaring at the appendages with sheer despise.
Geoffrey didn't say anything, he just kept a small, subtle smirk on his face. The sort of look that told everyone that Riley hadn't taken everything away from him. As if appearing out of no where, the rogue flashed a small skeleton key, and began working on the chains, keeping a careful watch on the ghast hands.
"Yup, my daddy may have been a murderer, but he at least taught me some useful skills before he went and got himself killed." he commented with a heavy sigh, "Well, him and her..." he added to himself, in a mutter so low no one else heard.
"So, umm, all dat was true, what Riley said back in my throne room, then?" inquired the king.
"As I told Tiff, I'll tell you. Yes. My father was my only biological family, but the Redsun pack was my home away from home, so to speak. Gerard Collins murdered Star Warriors, and the Redsuns fought beside them. Eventually I had to choose a side," Geoffrey said, still fiddling with his shackles, "and I did."
Kautounie and Neo lowered their heads slightly. Since they weren't going anywhere anytime soon, it was for the best that they fill the king in on everything they knew. The worst part being that it was their personal quest for bragging rights that dragged everyone into this mess. Unknown to them a few cells down, Meta Knight could hear every word.
"So, what fancy spell is written on that dragon scroll or whatever it was Riley tricked you into gettin'?" King Dedede asked, worriedly.
With a deep sigh, Kautounie answered, "Resurrection. It's the rarest spell in Horva. It has the power to bring someone back from the dead."
Uncomfortable silence filled the room, only to be broken by the tapping of sharp claws against iron bars. The ghast hands were growing restless. Could they even get bored if they were simply summoned... beings? Things?
Suddenly, just as Geoffrey could hear the light 'click' of his shackle lock opening, the barking and growling of hell hounds could be heard from the main entryway to the dungeon. At the noise, two of the ghast hands shifted and levitated towards the main doorway.
"Let me go!"
"Shut up, kid! If I had my way you'd be dead already!" snapped a familiar voice, followed by a low growl.
The main door opened, seemingly all by itself, and a small boy was pushed inside, Spitfire and Lucifer close behind. Geoffrey was quick to recognize the boy, with his yellow hair with the green zigzag covering his eyes and the overalls with a single strap. He and the ladies had seen him a few times, mostly being scolded by Tiff. It was her younger brother, Tuff.
Tuff was living up to his name and fought back against his captors. He already sported some recent bite wounds and now had a burn added to his injuries.
"Screw it, Lucifer, lets just kill him now!" Spitfire snarled.
"Oh come on, leave the cub alone!" Kautounie called out, standing up and fur bristling.
The two hell hounds snorted with disdain, forcing Tuff along to the cell with the waddle dees. Tuff couldn't help but shudder at the sight of the ghast hands levitating in front of him as they opened the cell door. Roughly, he was shoved inside. Spitfire and Lucifer laughed before the later of the two belched a small blast of embers through the bars.
"Listen up, you play your cards right, you'll live through this. If not... I'll see you all in Hell!" Lucifer warned, snapping his jaws, delighting in the fear he felt from the prisoners.
"You know, Lucifer. I like you. That's why I'll kill you last." Kautounie scoffed.
"I'd like to see you try. Things don't look favorable for you, dragon girl." the fiend snorted.
As Lucifer and Spitfire left, King Dedede overheard the two doberman monstrosities snickering and laughing, looking over their shoulders at him in particular. Something about how he would look fantastic roasted on a spit and basted in his own lard.
"Yeah, and we'll stuff the fat turkey with the snail once we nab him!" Spitfire laughed as their voices faded away as they left the dungeons, the door closing all by itself and locking behind them.
"You like him, Kautounie? I hate that dog. Riley ought to put him on a leash!" King Dedede commented.
Before they could get better acquainted with their new prison mates, the ghast hands restlessly turned towards the main door once again as the sound of jingling keys could be heard outside. It wasn't the hell hounds again, they used telekinetic abilities to get in and out. Who could it have been?
"Things could get messy very fast," Kautounie warned, in a hushed whisper.
*On the other side of the door*
Oh, what was he honestly thinking? He had nearly been caught by Glasya and barely escaped from his own room in one piece. But so far Escargoon had done a pretty good job avoiding the hell hounds, and he had just dodged Spitfire and Lucifer (again) on his way down to the dungeons. However he found himself wondering what the horrid stink was coming from the other side of the door. Then the purple snail found out.
As soon at the main door had been opened, Escargoon had the shock of his life when two huge, corporal hands grabbed at him, nearly tearing into him with filthy talons.
"GAHHH!" was all he could manage.
Again, thank the stars that for a snail, he was pretty darn fast.
"Escargoon! You have no idea how Dede-delighted I am to see you!" King Dedede shouted.
"I wish I could say the feeling was mutual, sire!" Escargoon answered, narrowly avoiding being grabbed.
Kautounie and Neo barked frantically, pointing to where their weapons had been stashed. Escargoon was quick to catch on, and went for the one weapon there he had some experience wielding, King Dedede's hammer. The frightened snail slammed one of the hands into the wall as hard as he could. Discolored blood and other fluids that he didn't even want to know about poured from the lesions left after impact, and two of the digits were limp and useless.
Escargoon's small victory was short-lived, as the other two ghast hands were drawn towards the fight. The snail turned quite pale, facing these horrifying monstrosities.
"Toss the keys!" Neo screamed.
Not needing to be told again, Escargoon hurled the keyring through the air. They sailed through the bars, smacking King Dedede on the head before falling to the floor with a clatter.
"He's got good aim." Kautounie teased, snatching up the keys before King Dedede had a chance.
Using his skeleton key, Geoffrey had already freed himself from his bonds. He began working on the lock to the main cell and stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. There was Neo, Kautounie, and Dedede, free of their chains, dangling the keyring in front of him.
"My way's more fun!" the thief sighed, taking the actual dungeon keys and unlocking the door.
Good thing to. Escargoon became overwhelmed by the fiends, yelling loudly as he was picked up off the ground and squeezed violently. In a flash, Kautounie grabbed her machete and sliced the hand holding the poor snail to pieces. These things were much easier to kill when you weren't ensnared in their grasp.
"That's two I owe you, sweetie pie – er - Kautounie." Escargoon gasped, recovering from the pain.
"No, I consider us to be even." said the zwetoock, with a smile.
One ghastly appendage down, three more to go. Or so they thought. Unseen from their cell but quite visible now, the two hands that hovered around Meta Knight's cage dashed down the corridor, claws outstretched. Geoffrey had managed to get a hold of one of his guns while Neo grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows. A well aimed shot from Neo left one hand an easy target for King Dedede, who had reclaimed his mallet from Escargoon.
Even unable to use her sorcery, Kautounie was still a fierce fighter. With a few slashes, another ghast hand was brought to the ground, all it's fingers severed and quivering on the floor. Finally, a couple of bullets from Geoffrey's gun was enough to finish the fight. Just to make sure they didn't get up again, Kautounie and King Dedede hacked and pounded the remaining pieces, while Escargoon hid behind Geoffrey and Neo, still looking a bit pale.
"Thanks, Escargoon. You're alright." Geoffrey said to the snail with a nod of his head in respect.
"Just keep an eye out, there could be more of those things." Neo warned, before collecting the rest of their gear.
As they went through their belongings and reloaded their weapons, Escargoon warned the group that Glasya was still wondering around and what he had seen earlier.
"What? Riley has assumed Meta Knight's identity?" Kautounie inquired, unbelieving of what she had heard.
"That's not all," Neo interrupted, urgently, "My vial of Sleeping Draft is missing."
At the weird looks she was getting, the little healer explained that she kept it on hand to sedate unwilling patients. Suddenly, as the pieces were slowly being put together, all three of them had a sick feeling in their stomachs, perhaps not quite as bad as what the ghast hands made them feel, but it was up there.
"Okay, Riley tricked us into getting that resurrection scroll, she'll stop at nothing to take Kirby alive, and now Neo's sleeping potion is missing," Geoffrey stated.
"Lets just get Meta Knight and find Kirby before Riley does." Kautounie growled, taking the lead down the hall.
It didn't take them long to find the blue puffball. His cape and armor were strewn about outside his cell door, and Galaxia was stuck in the ceiling above the group. Meta Knight had already managed to shake free of his bonds during the time he was unguarded. He was deathly quiet.
"Sir Meta Knight?" King Dedede asked, "anyone home?"
He was interrupted by a loud yell, cursing, and an electric zap. Looking up, Dedede could see that it was Geoffrey freeing Galaxia from the ceiling. How the human managed to get up to it was still a bit of a mystery to the king. The rogue landed on his back, groaning loudly, Galaxia clattering to the stone floor beside him.
"Well, I don't notice my headache anymore..." Geoffrey moaned, in a bit of a daze as King Dedede helped him to his feet.
Neo opened Meta Knight's cell door, then tossed the ring of keys back to their rightful owner before cautiously stepping inside. She was followed by Kautounie who had collected the warrior's cape and armor. Silently, Meta Knight accepted and donned his armor and got to his feet, golden gaze locked on Geoffrey. King Dedede was about to say something, but surprisingly did the smart thing and kept his mouth shut. With a slight whimper, Escargoon hid behind the penguin.
Using his foot, Geoffrey slid Galaxia across the floor to Meta Knight. He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. No words were needed, the old veteran was furious with him, and rightly so. Meta Knight reached down to claim his sword, invigorated by the familiar feeling of the golden blade in his hands.
"I know you're pissed at me, and I can't say I blame you. What I did back there with Kirby, well... it was stupid. I have no idea what came over me, and I deeply apologize for what I have done, to you and your apprentice. Now you know the truth, Sir Meta Knight. So if you want to cleave me in half, go right ahead!" Geoffrey declared, holding his arms out and leaving himself open.
He didn't even know what hit him. One minute Meta Knight was at the back of the cell, and the next, Geoffrey found himself on the flat of his back with the armored puffball on top of him, Galaxia pressed against his throat. Meta Knight's eyes blazed red as he emitted a fierce growl. Now for the second bad idea of the day.
"You're proposal is acceptable, Collins!" Meta Knight snarled.
Kautounie tensed up, ready to attack, but Neo held her back and shook her head.
"Wait," she whispered.
Geoffrey lay very still, eyes fixed on Meta Knight's. He didn't even attempt to reach for any of his weapons, knowing it wouldn't do him any good.
"You held Kirby's life in your hands, now I hold yours in mine! What do you have to say for yourself, rogue?" the furious Star Warrior questioned, pressing Galaxia further into Geoffrey's skin.
"There's... a lot of... things I'm not... about to say to you while... you've got Galaxia at my throat." Geoffrey coughed, "But before you kill me, just know that I am not my father, and it was indeed a... dare I say it... honor to fight by your side."
He glanced to Kautounie and Neo, both of whom looked horribly conflicted. There was their friend, their brother, lying on the ground with Meta Knight's sword at his throat. But Meta Knight, he was their friend too. However, Geoffrey waved the two girls down. It was up to Meta Knight to decide his fate now.
"You threatened Kirby's life... however, by your actions, you probably saved it too." Meta Knight sighed as his eyes returned to a normal gold, lowering his sword, "indeed, you are not Gerard, Geoffrey Collins. I will forgive you, but I cannot forget what you have done, either."
"Fair enough, buddy," the rogue stated, "by the way, I prefer the name Redsun."
Meta Knight got off of Geoffrey and allowed the human to get to his feet. It took a few minutes for the human's heart rate to return to normal. Worried, Neo hastily checked both of them all over for wounds. She may not have been able to use her magic, but she still had medicines and bandages in her medical kit.
"You know Meta Knight, I actually thought you were going to kill me."
Geoffrey let out a nervous laugh.
"For a minute there, so did I." Meta Knight admitted, coldly.
For once in her life, Kautounie was happy she didn't jump into a fight. She loved Geoffrey, but she would take no pleasure in killing Meta Knight either, or the other way around, if so it turned out.
"Hey Geoffrey... don't piss this guy off," she muttered with a smirk as she crossed her arms.
The thief threw Kautounie a harsh look. It was then he remembered that he himself had told the sisters to remind him not to anger the Star Warriors shortly after they had met.
"I did say that, didn't I?"
The two sisters nodded, with identical cleaver smiles.
"Excuse me, I hate to break up this precious moment, but isn't Riley masquerading around as Meta Knight right now?" Escargoon shouted, "every second you knuckleheads are down here, the closer she is to nabbing Kirby!"
Escargoon was right. Back to the business at hand. They didn't have time to hash out their differences. Riley was wondering about the castle, and they needed to find Kirby before she did. It would be far more dangerous to face her without the zwetoocks' sorcery, but they couldn't afford to wait for the Wyrmrot to wear off.
"Well then Meta Knight, where would Sword and Blade take Kirby to keep him safe?" King Dedede asked, hefting his mallet over his shoulder.
"Hmmm... I think I know where they would be. Quickly, follow me!" Meta Knight commanded, wrapping his cape around himself as he led the way out of the dungeons.
"If you all don't mind... I think I'll wait down here." Escargoon sighed, nervously scratching his head.
"You'll be safer here anyway. I don't think Riley would look for you down here, since, this is where her minions would have taken you anyway. Stay hidden, we'll come back for you, all of you, when we're through. And thanks again." Geoffrey said, giving the snail a curt nod.
Escargoon wished the warriors luck, then shrank into the shadows once he was alone. It was crazy, what they were attempting, but no more insane then what he had just done. At least King Dedede was so grateful he was set free he didn't even think to ask about where Escargoon had gotten the keys from. With a smile, the snail twirled the key ring on his finger before freeing the others from their cell. Yes, being a hero for a change felt pretty damn good.
*Meta Knight's quarters*
Groaning in pain, 'Meta Knight' limped into his living quarters, assisted by Blade while Sword closed the door and locked it behind him. He didn't look so good, as he was covered in fresh wounds and quite filthy.
"Sir Meta Knight, you ave' no dea' wha' a relief it is to see you. For a hile' I thought... Riley might have..." Blade exclaimed.
"What happened? Where's King Dedede, Kautounie, Neo, and... and Geoffrey..." Tiff asked, hesitating slightly when she thought about the human rogue.
'Meta Knight' sat down in his chair, panting heavily. Tiff set about curing and binding his wounds while the old warrior caught his breath. Sword poured a cup of hot tea from the kettle on the fire place and handed it to his master.
'Alright, alright, sissy don't over do it,' Fey sighed, way in the back of Riley's mind.
'Fey, Weston, what did I tell you? Shut the hell up!' Riley commanded, mentally.
'Meta Knight' closed his golden eyes, taking in a deep breath and began.
"They're dead. They were slaughtered by Riley's demons. We were trapped by the witch and taken down to the dungeons, but we escaped. There was a fight... and... well, I was lucky to only be lightly wounded." 'Meta Knight' elaborated, "Geoffrey and King Dedede didn't stand a chance once they were bitten by Glasya. I have killed the fiend, but not before her poison killed them. As for the others..." he trailed off, not wanting to go into the graphic detail of their "brutal deaths".
Heavy silence weighed inside the room, occasionally interrupted by the Wolfwrath's howling from outside. A few tears escaped from Tiff's eyes as she looked down at the spell book and wand in her hands. She may not have known Neo and Kautounie for very long, but already hearing the news of their deaths saddened her greatly. How would she break the news to Kirby? 'Meta Knight' gently patted the child's arm and sighed heavily.
"No, Tiff. I should be the one to tell Kirby,"
"He's sleeping in here, sir," Sword said, sadness heavy in his voice, motioning towards their bed rooms.
The younger knight might not have admitted it out loud, but he too had become quite fond of the Horvians, as was Blade. 'Meta Knight' stood up, wrapped his cape around his body, and swept into the room.
'Already asleep, hmmmm? Perhaps there would be no need for the potion after all,' Riley thought to herself.
She quickly snapped out of her thoughts when Kirby began to stir. Despite such a cruel heart, Riley couldn't help but think that the little pink puffball was just adorable when he was sleeping.
'Sis, you're Meta Knight right now, remember?' Weston growled.
Riley had to fight to keep her body posture neutral and her eyes Meta Knight's normal golden. How did that tough old puffball control all of these weird body functions of his? Already she was becoming worried that eventually someone would catch on to her charade. She had to act fast.
But thankfully Tiff was there for her, ever reliable. The young girl was slowly pouring hot drinks for everyone, in the hopes that it would soothe the pain and make it easier on everyone. Little did she realize that she was making Riley's plan just that much easier. Tiff set the tray down on the bedside table, glancing to Kirby as the little puffball began to wake up.
"Thank you, Tiff," sighed 'Meta Knight', taking one of the drinks off of the tray.
Unseen by anyone, the doppelganger put a few drops of the transparent blue potion she had taken from Neo's medical kit earlier that day into each of the drinks. No one suspected a thing.
'Indeed, thank you, Tiff.' thought Riley, smiling inward to herself.
Kirby's eyes blinked blearily as he woke from his nap. The little pink puff felt sore, gently rubbing his small hand across his bandages. But a small smile crossed his face at the sight of Meta Knight. Kirby sat up in his bed, reaching out to his friend and mentor, chiding happily. With a sigh, 'Meta Knight' sat down on the little warrior's bedside.
"Poyo?" asked Kirby softly, realizing that something was wrong with his friends.
"Kirby... I have something... painful to tell you. I warn you, it will be a shock." 'Meta Knight' sighed heavily, gently holding Kirby closer.
The little star warrior's innocent eyes grew large with grief when 'Meta Knight' explained what he had told the others earlier. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't! But Meta Knight would never lie to him, or Tiff, Sword, and Blade for that matter.
"Riley is still lurking about the castle, and her Wolfwrath still guards the front door." grunted 'Meta Knight', "our outlook is rather grim at this point."
He froze slightly when something pressed against him. 'Meta Knight' looked down to see Kirby curled up in a fold of his cape, as close to his mentor as he could get. Awkwardly, 'Meta Knight' ran his hand down the smaller warrior's back.
"Here, drink this, it will help," 'Meta Knight' said, offering the cup of hot tea he had taken from Tiff earlier.
Kirby obeyed, and it wasn't long before the drink was emptied.
'Wow, who'd have thought our sis was the nursemaid type,' Weston teased.
'Weston, shut up!' Riley hissed inwardly.
Tiff couldn't shake this odd feeling she began having. She knew she should have been happy to see Meta Knight, she was at first, but something just didn't seem right.
"You otice'd too?" Blade whispered to the girl.
Tiff nodded once, "Something's just not right about him, but I can't put my finger on it."
Kirby nuzzled closer to 'Meta Knight', almost right into his lap. He laid there a moment, choking back his tears. Then he tensed up, tear stained eyes glaring up at his mentor. With a yelp, he backed away, shaking his head.
"Kirby, what is-?" 'Meta Knight' began.
With a start, he realized what the little puffball had seen, or rather, didn't see. Frantically, the doppelganger reached for Galaxia's scabbard, only to find that the sword wasn't there. Oops.
'Riley you idiot, you forgot to copy the bloody sword, didn't you? And then you tell me I lack brains,' Weston growled.
'Shit!' Riley hissed, inwardly.
Out of everything, she had forgotten to make herself a copy of Galaxia. Certainly Meta Knight didn't fight his way through a pack of ravenous demon beasts with his bare fists only to be lightly wounded.
Tiff started towards Kirby, then stopped when she realized just what he saw. Meta Knight, the real one anyway, didn't go anywhere without that sacred sword. Sword and Blade were quick to catch on as well.
"Sir Meta Knight... why is your scabbard empty?" Tiff inquired, while Sword and Blade drew their weapons.
Well, Riley knew she wouldn't be able to keep up the charade forever, but it was certainly fun while it lasted. 'Meta Knight' stood up, smiling behind his mask. Sword Knight and Blade Knight advanced, while Tiff prepared a spell.
"Oh Tiff, has anyone ever let you know that you're far to cleaver for your own good!" 'Meta Knight' hissed, his silky accent quickly turning into Riley's devilish tone.
With a flap of her cape, Riley vanished, reappearing in front of Tiff in her true form, staff at the ready. Tiff screamed, stumbling back, wand still pointed at the witch. She shouted the words to Magic Missile, only to have Riley flick it elsewhere, harmlessly.
"I've got to admit, kid, nice try with that Unnoticeability, you almost had me fooled." Riley complemented, "by the way, Glasya and her boys are alive and well, if you're wondering."
She growled in annoyance when Sword and Blade came up from behind, taking a few slashes with their swords. Riley glanced down to her torn up dress, then to the two knights.
"What have you done with Sir Meta Knight?!" Sword demanded, preparing for another strike, which Riley blocked with her staff.
"Hmhmhmmmm, you're beloved master is chained up in the dungeons as my personal slave right now. Perhaps his two pets would like to join him?" the half-demoness taunted.
Sword and Blade unleashed a flurry of vicious attacks upon hearing what Riley had done to their lord and master. Riley actually had to take a step back and regain her focus. She shouted in the demonic tongue, setting an ethereal, burning chain to wrap itself around Blade Knight, effectively binding him. Just when she was about to give Sword and Tiff the same treatment, Riley was interrupted by Kirby, who had taken up Blade's dropped sword.
"No Kirby, get away from her!" Sword warned, "Tiff, we'll hold her off, get Kirby out of here!"
Suddenly, the teal armored knight stumbled and began to feel incredibly tired. His vision blurred and his feet would no longer carry his weight. Sword fell to his knees and collapsed on the floor, struggling to stay awake. It wasn't long before Tiff, Blade, and Kirby began to feel the same way.
"Wha- what's happening?" Tiff asked, desperately trying to cling to consciousness.
Riley stooped over Tiff and the two knights, a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Thanks again for the tea, Tiff. It made it that much easier for me to slip you all the sleeping draft I borrowed from Neo. You make a good cup of tea, by the way."
She watched with delight as they struggled to stay awake, but to no avail.
"Hmph, what Meta Knight sees in all of you I shall never know!" were the last words they heard before drifting off into an uneasy slumber.
Then a painful feeling in Riley's leg brought her back to reality. The witch twisted around to see Kirby, a furious look on his face, still holding Blade's sword. Riley could tell that he was resisting the sleeping potion as hard as he could, as the little warrior's eyes were heavy and his breathing was quickened.
"Poyo!" Kirby challenged, stepping forward, ready to fight.
"Oh no, you I don't wish to fight. I just need you to go to sleep like the others." Riley purred, wrapping two more of her ethereal chains around Sword and Tiff.
Kirby advanced, then wavered dangerously, eventually dropping his sword. He had taken a full dose of the potion and it was finally taking it's full effect, rather quickly. Riley bent down and picked the child up, gently stroking his soft pink skin. It felt like fine velvet. The little puffball quivered at her touch, struggling to get out of her grasp.
"You can't stay awake forever, little one. Just make it easier for yourself, make it easier on them. It'll all be over soon." Riley whispered softly, laying Kirby down on the bed.
When Kirby tried to get up, the sorceress gently pushed him back down with her staff. Unable to resist any longer, the little warrior fell into an uneasy sleep, completely at the mercy of Riley.
'Oh, you got lucky, sissy. Almost lost the game there,' Fey commented.
"Shut up!" Riley hissed, audibly, now that her captives were sound asleep.
Already she could feel her heart pounding with excitement. Five years of planning and waiting had finally lead up to this. Riley checked her prisoners' restraints, making sure they were secure. She knew what she was attempting next was risky, as it would leave her mortal body vulnerable.
'Sissy, can I go with you? I want to see him rise again!' Fey chided, excitedly.
'No, I need you to guard my mortal flesh while I enter Kirby's mind,' Riley answered.
The witch groaned in pain, using her own fingernails to cut her skin. She smeared her hand in her own blood, then drew an arcane symbol on Kirby's forehead with it. Her body began to shake violently, almost like she were having a seizure. Then a faint red smoke drifted out of Riley's body and shrouded around Kirby, before seeping into the pink puffball. Fey was quick to take over her sister's body, giggling with delight. Now it was just her and Weston.
"This is going to be great! I can't wait till sissy gets back... with Lord Nightmare!" Fey squealed in excitement.
Weston only grunted in response.
The two of them could already see Riley was hard at work. At first, Kirby was very still, his eyes squeezed shut. Then he began tossing and turning in his sleep, hugging the blankets close to his shaking body, but unable to wake from this horrible dream. No, not a dream, a nightmare!
"Me- Medi Kni..." Kirby whimpered softly, grasping his stomach in agony.
"Tehe, even he can't save you now!" Fey giggled.
*Inside Kirby's Mind*
Riley panted heavily as she took on her normal form, down on one knee. It had been a while since the last time she had forced herself into the mind of another. She had forgotten how exhausting it could be. The witch got to her feet and looked around. Kirby's mind was certainly unique. She was in a vast galaxy, not much else, save for the occasional item of food that would appear off and on. Must have been what Kirby dreamed about. Hmph, little fool. Still, he'd make a cute pet when this was all finished.
Speaking of which, she found the dream form of Kirby, who looked horribly confused. Before he could flee, Riley plucked him up, cradling the little puffball in her arms. When he tried to escape, she tightened her grip. Quickly, the small puffball learned he was getting no where fast.
"Now you know how I feel, little one. I've got my brother and sister sharing my head with me. Nice to get away from them every now and again," Riley sighed, stepping further into the galactic void.
It was like it was never ending. Nothing more then stars, space, and food. She circled around for a while, eventually growing frustrated.
"Alright, Kirby. Help me out, show me where it happened."
Kirby blinked up at his captor, tilting his head.
"Show me where you killed Nightmare!"
Kirby shook his head and closed his eyes. He didn't know why Riley wanted to be brought there, but his instincts told him that it couldn't be for anything good. At his defiance, the vile sorceress punished him by means of an intense jolt of pain that coursed throughout his entire body.
Eventually, Riley found herself standing on a massive chessboard, filled with many pieces, some broken, others whole. Some resembled monsters, like Wolfwrath and the infamous Masher 2.0, and others resembled members of the GSA and their allies. She could not be certain, but Riley could have sworn one of the broken pieces on the board was human, and had a strong resemblance to Geoffrey. Then she stopped, gently running her hand over Kirby's head. The star warrior trembled in her arms, eyes still closed tightly in fear.
"Thank you, so much, Kirby. You have no idea what this means to me," Riley whispered, almost seductively, setting Kirby down.
One more pat on the back, which Kirby did not enjoy at all. He watched as the witch strode forward, clearing away pieces of debris off the chessboard. Cautiously, he followed. Riley's boots echoed loudly in the vast emptiness, finally coming to a stop. With a flourish, she unrolled the Resurrection scroll and levitated it in front of her.
Trailing her dainty finger down the old parchment and sighing heavily, the sorceress prepared herself. Her cold eyes slid to Kirby. He was adorable, but he could be a problem if left unrestrained. With a loud snap, ethereal chains wrapped themselves around the frightened puffball, pinning him in place.
"Behold... "Riley growled, softly.
She began to chant and move her hands in strange gestures. The quicker the pace, the louder Riley became. Kirby could feel his strength draining as she drew upon his pain to cast the spell within the scroll. Heavy winds from seemingly nowhere picked up, and fast, carrying thick shadows and stars with them. The Resurrection scroll faded into the growing shadows, eventually taking shape of a towering wraith-like figure.
Lord Nightmare was just as Riley had expected. Huge, with a large chin, crocked nose, and jagged teeth. His eyes were covered by shades and two golden horns protruded from his head. The headpiece he wore resembled golden fire, with three large rubies. Four armored spaulders adorned his shoulders, and a necklace of gold beads ended in a large medallion around his neck. He was cloaked in a dark blue cape with stars. Riley dipped her head into a bow and gracefully dropped to one knee.
The wraith looked around, startled. Then his eyes slid down to the woman bowing before him, with Kirby bound by her side. He remembered, vaguely, the last thing he saw was Kirby, wielding the Legendary Star Rod against him, effectively destroying him. It was as if that had only happened minutes ago. Suddenly, this woman appears before him, with Kirby in chains? What the hell was going on?
"Welcome back, Your Grace." Riley said, standing up.
"What is this? What's happened? The Star Rod-" Nightmare started.
"Isn't here, Your Lordship. I've made sure of that. You've been dead for five years now, but thanks to some ancient magic from Horva and some easily manipulated kids, I've brought you back to life. I never did get to meet you while the wars were going on, but I'm a huge admirer and supporter of your work." Riley explained, "Riley Prescott, at your service, Your Grace!"
Nightmare smiled cruelly. This woman knew what she was doing and already he was beginning to like her. However, he could tell that she was up to something. There's no way she would have gone through so much trouble to bring him back to life unless she wanted something from him.
"Very well, Riley. I thank you for freeing me of death. But I'll cut to the chase, what is it you want from me?" Nightmare asked, stroking his chin with spindly, taloned hands.
Riley smirked, then summoned the plans to a truly horrifying beast, enlarging them as she handed them to Nightmare. She liked a man who got right to the point.
"I'd like you to make me this! I was just about to put in my order when that... little fiasco started," Riley stated, "so far anyone on Horva that has tried to create this beast on their own has... failed miserably, often digging their own graves. But... you're the best in the business. And I accept nothing but the finest in craftsmanship."
The wraith was impressed. It was a monster with three heads, that of a dragon, lion, and goat. The beast had the front quarters of a lion, hind quarters of a goat, and the wings of a dragon. A large, deadly serpent was the creature's tail. The Chimera.
"I wish I had thought of this one!" the Demon Lord exclaimed, taking a liking to the monster.
"Lovely, but can you make it for me?" Riley asked, hastily.
She flinched slightly from the deity's glare at her quickness, and bowed her head.
"I apologize, your Grace. I- I shouldn't have..."
With a low growl, Nightmare returned to the plans Riley had given him. Something like this would take time, and a lot of work. But he could do it... for a price.
"Very well, I'll make your Chimera. But there's something I need you to do for me." Nightmare hissed, tucking the Chimera plans in the folds of his cloak.
"Excellent! Though, I must say, I think I've already made a generous down payment," Riley pointed out.
Nightmare may not have liked admitting it, but Riley was right. Without her, he'd still be nothing more then a fading dream. He thought for a minute, he would need to get more funds to run his campaign again. Then his eyes fixed on Kirby, who trembled violently under the wraith's gaze. Nightmare quite enjoyed watching the star warrior that had killed him struggling against his chains, eyes wide and terrified. He wanted to kill the little puffball, but first, he wanted to watch him suffer.
"Bring me the Warp Star. That is my price." Nightmare requested, in a tone that told Riley it was not open to negotiation.
The half-demoness thought about it for a minute. She didn't know how to get a hold of Kirby's most powerful weapon, but there was certainly a good reason Nightmare wanted it over money or other valuables.
Now Kirby fought more violently then ever to escape his bonds. Without his Warp Star, Nightmare would be untouchable.
"The offer is fair. I don't care what I have to do to get it, but you'll have it, Your Grace." Riley stated, taking another bow.
Nightmare laughed, lowering a spindly fingered hand down to Kirby, prodding him with a sharp talon. All Kirby wanted was to wake up, but he couldn't. This couldn't be. There was no way this was real.
"This is real, Kirby. As real as you and me." Nightmare hissed, enjoying the torture he was causing, "I'm back, and I wont let you stop me this time!"
Every time Kirby suppressed a whimper, Nightmare only intensified. He wanted to hear Kirby's cries of pain. When it seemed as though he couldn't catch his breath, the massive fiend would let Kirby rest just enough so he could hear his screams when he started into him again.
"I have some prisoners, Your Grace. I thought you might like to see them, when you're done here, of course." Riley said, stepping closer to the wraith, "Soon, you'll be back to taking over the universe and ripping off dictators and adrenaline junkies."
"Thanks to you, Riley, it would appear as though Nightmare Enterprises is back in business!" Nightmare laughed.
"See you on the other side, Milord. I've got some things to attend to... outside." Riley mentioned, fading back into a shapeless red smoke, "welcome back!"
With a laugh, she left Kirby's mind, rematerializing into her own body. Naturally, Fey wasn't happy about being pushed aside, but was quick to forget about it and ask about Nightmare.
"Not yet. We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, would we?" Riley asked, sitting next to Kirby on his bedside.
He looked quite pale and his eyes were squeezed shut in pain. The witch placed a hand on his trembling body. She could feel Lord Nightmare's presence within the little warrior. He needed to have his fun, he had been dead for a while after all. Riley was pleased to see that Tiff, Sword, and Blade were right where she had left them as they stirred from their forced sleep.
Tiff was the first to shake off the drowsy feeling and come to her senses. She thrashed against the ethereal chains binding her, screaming with frustration when they wouldn't give. Then her eyes fell on Kirby as he let out painful cries in his sleep.
"What have you done to him!?" Tiff shouted.
"I haven't done anything. Poor little thing's just having... a Nightmare." Riley smirked, running her fingers across the top of Kirby's head.
Tiff shuddered as a cruel laugh filled the room. She couldn't see anyone else, but she had heard it before. There was only one person with a voice so vile and heartless. It was so terrible she didn't even want to believe it could be happening. Nightmare has returned...
Author's Notes:: Alrighty then, as we all know, waking up in a dungeon can't be much fun. Tuff also gets a brief cameo, but I kept it short. He's one character in the Kirby series that I personally find annoying. Anyways, pieces are finally starting to be placed together. We have a jail break and cell block battle and Meta Knight finally gets to gives Geoffrey a piece of his mind... and a whole lot more.
Lord Nightmare's back, and I think he's pissed! What's going to happen next? You'll know as soon as I do.
Disclaimer:: Kautounie, Neo, Geoffrey, Riley, and all OCs, and World of Horva are © to me.
Kirby, Meta Knight, and all related characters © Nintendo and HAL Laboratories.
