Leech

Chapter 11

"You're late again."

"I kept messing up the same move again... I don't get it - I should have it perfected, but I keep making mistakes. I don't get why Meta Knight doesn't just give up, I'm so bad."

"Or why it matters at all?"

"... Sometimes I wonder that too."

"Maybe Meta Knight's just reliving some glory days or something. Y'know - them good ol´ days of knights and lances and such. It's his weird gratification."

"No, Meta Knight wouldn't be like that. There has to be another reason. One that would explain him."

"No? Damn. Well, then I'd say he's getting you ready for the outside world."

"What?"

"Yeah, I thought it was a weird way to go about it too - how are you supposed to learn anything without first hand experience? Anyway, it seems counterproductive: bring you to Dreamland so you're all oblivious, then wean you away from it? Stupid."

"No, I mean... What? Prepare me for the outside world? You don't mean the war?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure. You didn't realize that?"

"How do you know? That's not what he's doing."

"Oh ya? I bet you it is. Unless he has nothing better to do than stalk people and teach little children violent things. Then there's no other explanation."

"You make him sound creepy."

"He is creepy. Who else wears a mask that they never take off?"

"But why would he need me to know these things at all? I'm never going to leave Dreamland."

"So you think."

"But I'm not."

"You don't think, at some point or another, circumstances might change so you have to leave?"

"No, this is my home."

"A lot of people mistake a place they've lived a long time as their home. Yes, I would know."

"But this isn't just somewhere I've lived a long time. It's much more special than that. I'm really happy here."

"How would you know you wouldn't be happy elsewhere, if all you've known is Dreamland?"

"Because... I just know. This is where I belong."

"Forever, stuck in paradise, when will you leave - never! Ha, but wait: didn't you say something different before?"

"When?"

"Before."

"No, like specifically-"

"When I first met you. You were excited about leaving the borders. And again, with my stories. You wanted to hear more. You're not as content as you like to pretend."

"I'm content."

"Hey, don't fight me - Go have your internal battles on your own - Myep, poor Marx doesn't wanna get caught in the middle."