Important Info: This Meta Knight is based on the anime, Hoshi no Kaabii, where he is more of a father/teacher figure to Kirby.

WARNING: There's spoilers if you've never played FE9 aka Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine...yup. That's about it.

Raindrops Keeping Falling

Sum: Ike remembers the last time it rained. Background story-ish (FE:PoR)

~~~~~~~~MarthIkeMetaKnight~~~~~~~~

It had been so quick. So flawless. Two strikes with a deathly beauty...He didn't remember the other fleeing. Just his father, slumped on the ground and racing over to him.

"Father? Father! " Ike kneeled down, his eyes tracing the darker spot barely visible in the shadows. "I can't do anything here...I've..." His mind raced; evaluating the cut, how far from the castle they were. "I've got to get you back to the castle!"

Ike slipped his father's arm around his shoulders and his own arm around Greil's waist. The sudden weight caused him to stumble, his father emitting a grunt. Ike bit back a curse, "Father...you're going to have to help me...Father?"

For a brief moment the whole world stopped. Then he felt Greil's chest expand and shrink. "Ashera..." Ike hoisted his father's body up the best he could before walking back towards the castle.

Time meant nothing and everything to him.

Ike nearly stumbled twice in the dark. "...Nngh..." He stepped over an exposed root, hauling all of Greil's weight with him. The man had fallen unconscious a ways back, and yet the castle remained in the distance. The rainfall made the ground soft; dirt turned into mud making the trek back slower. When had it started raining? Would this agitate the wound? Rhys would know...

"I-Ike..."

"Father? You're awake!" he smiled. Surely that was a good sign.

"I..." Greil paused, his breath ragged in Ike's ear. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Tell me later. Right now, I'm getting you back to the castle." Ike replied, adjusting his grip on the soaked tunic.

There was going to be a later, Ike affirmed in his mind. There has to be a later...

His father ignored Ike's reply. "Forget about revenge...Leave that knight alone...Stay away.."

"What? Father?" Why would he say anything about revenge? Rhys would heal him...and then they would continue with Princess Elincia. He would live...there would be no need for revenge...

"Stay with the king of Gallia..." each word sounded strained and weaker. "Live here. Live in peace..."

Ike noticed that his father wasn't walking with him. Instead Greil was using all of his strength to speak. "Father, stop talking. You're wasting your strength. Please..." Was he crying? Or was it the rain?

He felt Greil shake his head, or attempt to. "I need you to take care of everything...The company...Mist..."

Mist...she always hated blood. A constant reminder of how fragile their lives were.

"Wait...You mustn't' say such things!" ...they had to be getting closer...closer! "It'll be light soon. You'll be fine..." Fine. He would be fine...All those words wouldn't mean anything because he would be fine. All they needed to do was get to the castle.

When had the rain slowed?

A low fog hugged the trees, weaving in and out of the forest. Ike stumbled once again, falling to his knees, his father right beside him.

"Hold on..."

Just a little more. Rhys will be there...and heal him...and then they'll continue with their mission. His own strength was failing him. Ike breathed heavily, the air tinged with crispness. Blurry eyed, he stared into the fog, hoping, praying to Ashera for help. For his family. For his father's life.

Movement? A voice! Two! Three!

"Commander Greil! Ike!"

He let himself smile. There was a chance. The images of Boyd and Titania came into view. Oscar not far behind. At last. Ike let himself fall to the ground.

"...Ike...Ike...Ike...Ike...Ike...Ike!"

"Huh?" The mercenary blinked, turning to whoever called him.

Marth stood by his side, Meta Knight in his arms. "It's time for dinner." The prince was worried for the other. The small knight also watched the native of Crimea with soft eyes. Ike had been staring out into the rainy landscape for the past hour, sitting on the small balcony seat with a faraway and dark look in his eyes.

He blinked, clearing the cloud from his mind. "Ah...right. Let's go." The two nodded, but Ike paused, looking back outside at the soft rain. The prince gently nudged him. "Are you alright?"

The native of Crimea took a deep breath. "Yeah...I'm fine. Just...reminiscing."

Marth wanted to ask more, but Meta Knight squeezed his arms. The prince looked down to see the puffball shack himself. He leaned closer, barely picking up the knight's whispered words.

"Leave it be, Your Highness. He will share it when he is ready."

The citizen of Altea sighed, nodded, and glanced back at Ike who eventually turned away from the window and the falling water. Marth smiled. "Shall we?"

The mercenary offered a small grin, seeing their concern. "Yeah, let's go. Maybe we can watch Yoshi's Boss Battle afterwards."

Meta Knight nodded. "I see no reason not to." As they strolled towards the cafeteria, Ike caught Marth's worried look again. He laid a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder. Catching the prince's gaze, the mercenary smiled gently. Marth returned it, nudging him again (a soft push) as his arms were carrying their small knight.

Not sure why I went and threw in Ike's background...my mind works in strange and unusual ways...oh, so yeah the dialogue for the memory, totally taken word for word from the game script...most of it anyway. Wooooooo...!

And FYI, the story they were telling in the previous oneshot was Secret of Mana aka Seiken Densetsu 2. Which is awesome!

Later readers! ZeroGravityDog is out until next week!