Man, I am so sore from Band Camp, but even though it's been really busy, I'm still forcing myself to put up the next chapter! Oh and I made a video trailer thing for this on Youtube. I'm pretty sure links don't work on here so I'll put it on my profile. That or you can search for SSBB Tournament of Terror and it will come up. Leave a comment either on the video or this next chapter! Yay!
Meta Knight slinked through the darkness, his golden eyes casting a faint glow on his surroundings. He crept along the wall, feeling for the switch that would illuminate the hall with light. His glove met with something hard and he flicked it upwards. Light flooded the hallway.
Two Waddle Dees standing guard in front of a nearby door crossed the spears they were holding and looked at Meta Knight suspiciously. He let out a sigh from behind his cape wrapped around him.
"Oh come now, you know who I am."
The Waddle Dees exchanged a glance, and then lowered their spears, letting Meta Knight pass. He opened the door part way and looked around the corner at DeDeDe, who was lying in bed reading a book.
"Just a reminder…" He said quietly, "remember to lock your door tonight." He turned to leave, but DeDeDe stopped him in his tracks with a gruff, "Meta Knight." The knight froze and turned around, slowly walking into the room.
"Your majesty…?" He said uncertainly.
The king smiled at his servant and said, "You may already know this, but I'm against you tomorrow. You've done a great job, but your role has ended. Tomorrow, you are going to make it look like you are fighting me and then you are going to lose. Don't even think of disobeying me…if you actually think you can take me on, then I will bring you down the hard way. You will never win. When I ordered you to defeat Kirby, you were weak and you could not carry out the task…"
"Because I wasn't trying to defeat him." Meta Knight muttered, "I was trying to train him." DeDeDe suddenly grew angry.
"Either way, this is your chance to prove your loyalty to me! If you fail, I will exile you from Dreamland! Even if I am not around to carry this out, my loyal servants will!" He snapped, glowering at the masked puffball.
Meta Knight paused. "As you wish." He said finally.
DeDeDe smirked. "…I'm glad we understand each other."
Meta Knight stepped out the door, shutting it behind him. "Good night, then…" He trailed off, staring into space. Suddenly, his eyes blazed red, and his wings burst from his back. He clawed a nearby end table in rage and the vase on it tumbled off, soaking the floor with water. The Waddle Dees clutched each other, whimpering in fear as the knight glided down the hall to another room.
Without a second thought, he opened it and burst inside, turning on the light.
Toon Link let out a startled shout, but calmed down when he saw whom it was. "Meta, you scared me! Hey! What's wrong?" Meta Knight just stood in the doorway, not saying anything. The young boy gasped, "Your eyes…were they just…red?!" He wondered what could have made the knight so angry and shivered slightly.
Meta Knight, sensing the little Hylian's fear, calmed himself. His eyes turned back to their normal coloring and he stood there, trembling.
"Never mind that…" He said, ashamed he had lost control of his emotions so easily, "I have a question. Zelda and Sammy…they were your friends. Were they not?"
Toon Link's eyes shone with tears, as he said, "Well yeah…Ness has been getting attention over Sammy, but what about me?" He wiped at his eyes, saying angrily, "Nobody's thought about how I feel at all!"
Meta Knight listened to the boy quietly. He sounded so envious of his friend, and so sad that he had lost two of his own…
"Sammy…he was one of my best friends…and Zelda was like a big sister to me! I might never see them again!!" He sniffed, thinking of the two friendly fighters.
Meta Knight saw his chance. "Wario and King DeDeDe knocked them out…" He said suddenly. Toon Link snapped his head around, staring at the swordsman in surprise.
"…DeDeDe and…Wario?" He said, his eyes not teary anymore.
"Are you familiar with the tournament order for tomorrow?" Meta Knight asked, pulling out his sword and feeling its tip, as if testing its sharpness. Since Toon Link usually had no idea who he was against, he answered the question for him. "Tomorrow, I am against DeDeDe and you are against Wario."
"Wario…" Toon Link growled, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.
I hate him! He thought, full of venom. He remembered all the bad things the evil man had ever done. Turning Peach into a trophy, kidnapping Ness, picking on Sammy, taking all those trophies, pushing Zelda off the edge…
He snapped out of his reverie to see Meta Knight staring at him. "Yeah, so, what's your point?" Link asked, arching an eyebrow. He faintly wondered why the swordsman was telling him this. The vengeful knight swiped his sword through the air as lightning crackled outside, bringing with it the deep rumble of thunder.
"My point is…" He said in his deep voice, "Tomorrow is the day we take our revenge…"
Once again, the sun rose over the distant mountain. It illuminated the Smash Mansion, bringing light into their darkened rooms. A clock ticked to read 7:00 A.M. and went off. A gloved hand reached over and patted it, making it stop.
For the past two nights, I have been wishing to myself that it is all a dream…that I'm going to wake up on my ship, never having been invited to the third of the smash tournaments… Meta Knight thought, watching the sunrise. He sat up in bed, still clothed in his mask and armor. He rarely ever took them off, even to sleep. Stretching, he moved to the edge of the bed to jump off. Before doing so, he let out a long sigh.
I keep telling myself that. But it is just false hope.
Meta Knight opened his door that moment to come face to face with a miniature version of himself, only with bunny ears.
"Fight me!" The small bunny knight challenged in a high, squeaky voice. Meta Knight's eyes widened. "Wh…Wha…?" He said, confused. Then he noticed a hand holding the bunny knight. Ness popped out from behind the door, grinning.
"Ya wike it? They stawted makin' em yestaday!" He said happily, "It's gonna keep me company when I'm wonewy at night, without Sammy."
Meta Knight blinked, wondering if the psychic was serious or if he was just trying to provoke him. "But…why me?" He asked.
"Why? Because you comfowted me!" Then Ness held up the doll and pulled a string in the back. "Pwus, youw wittle wabbit eaws awe just so dawn cuuute!" He said, making gooey face at him. Yeah, he was definitely trying to provoke him.
Meta Knight scowled under his mask as the doll stated in an embarrassing voice, "Victory…is my destiny!" "Wonderful." He growled, turning to walk away, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make breakfast."
"Ooh!" Ness exclaimed, looking excited, "Can I make pancakes?"
"…No."
Link was down in the lounge, leaning against the wall. Lucario came down and leaned against the other wall, looking grumpy. Link looked out the window, trying to think of something to say. "Looks like the storm past." He said after a moment, "It's going to be a nice day…ironic, don't you think?" "Hmph." Lucario responded. Suddenly, Link sniffed the air, catching a whiff of a delicious aroma. "What's that smell?" He asked to no one in particular, wandering towards the kitchen.
"It's bacon!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he entered the room.
Meta Knight (who was standing on the table) shot him a look, as he served Ness a couple steaming pieces of bacon from a pan. Link laughed nervously and took a seat. "Sorry, I just felt the need to do that. So, uh, can I have some?"
The knight walked over and put some bacon on his plate, when a little hand reached out and intercepted it. Link looked on in surprise as his other self devoured his breakfast. "Toon Link! That was my bacon!" He said angrily.
Meta Knight put some more on his plate, saying, "Relax. I made enough for the four of us." Link smiled sheepishly. "Oh, thanks."
"Mmm! Dis is weally good!" Ness said, munching on a delicious strip of the bacon.
"Who would have known Meta Knight was a good cook?" Link said, "Well…I guess he would have to be. Living on the Halberd and all…"
"But why bacon?" Toon Link asked the puffball sleepily, "What made you want to cook bacon?" Meta Knight grabbed a long strip of bacon, slipped it under his mask, and took a bite.
"I like bacon…" He said quietly.
Suddenly, the bacon was snatched out of his hands by a certain king.
"Well whaddya know, Meta Knight!" DeDeDe said, gloating, "I like it too. Thanks for giving me yours!"
"Meta Knight, don't take that crap!" Toon Link shouted.
"Smite him!" Ness urged, wanting to see the penguin get a taste of his own medicine.
"…Meta Knight?" TL watched, wide-eyed as the warrior merely turned and left the room. DeDeDe grinned evilly, biting into the bacon.
He knows his place… The penguin thought to himself, now it's time to bring him down!
Later that day, everyone took the time before the tournament started to relax and enjoy themselves. Since some felt that they wouldn't be coming back, it was best to have fun while they could. Ness, always ready for fun, was down in the lounge. He had hooked up some DDR dance pads to the TV and was busily messing around with it while TL watched from the couch.
"Lessee hewe…" Ness said, as his friend dozed off. "Aw yeah, I did it! With some awesome hacking…a couple o' glitches…and my bwilliant mind, I have joined DDR and SSBB to cweate…SSBDDR!"
Wind Waker Link stood up, looking excited. "Sweet!" He howled, "Let's dance to "Molgera's Theme!""
"Ha!" Ness snorted, "Molgewa is way past ouw skiww wevel. We'we doing "Unfounded Wevenge."" Once again, the boys were trying to start a fight.
"They're on the same skill level, genius!" TL snapped.
"So what?" Ness growled, "Molgewa sucks!"
Olimar, who happened to be passing by with his Pikmin, looked over at them. "What's going on?" He asked.
"Whoa!" They gasped, turning away from their argument.
"Owwie, come dance fow us! Youw one of da best dancas in Supa Smash Bwos!"
Ollie? Olimar thought in disgust. Ness handed out such weird nicknames… "Sorry, I'm meeting Meta Knight for badminton." He said, glad he had an excuse.
"Pleeaaase?" Toon Link whined, "Just one! You're the awesomest dancer ever!"
"Oh, I'm not that good…" Olimar muttered, embarrassed.
"You'we kiddin' wight? Aww youw taunts awe dances!" Ness said, recalling Olimar's sweet moves he would perform during fights, as his Pikmin gathered around him.
"Yeah!" His toon friend agreed, "I bet you could even dance to "Fountain of Dreams," that's the hardest one on here!"
Olimar turned away. "Maybe some other time. Take Snapdragon. I know you're friends so he'll play with you. Now I've got to get going—see you." Snapdragon ran over to them, with a loud shriek of joy.
"Yay, we got Snapdwagon back!" Ness rejoiced, as Olimar left the room to head outside. Toon Link jumped onto a dance pad and selected Fountain of Dreams. "Let's do this!" He said dramatically as they took their places.
Meanwhile…
Splash!
Link jumped into the pool, creating a large wave as he hit the water. He remained under for a moment then broke the surface with a gasp. "Ahh…it feels nice to take a dip…" He said, but a strange feeling suddenly overcame him.
For some reason, I feel like I'm being watched. He looked at the other two who were relaxing at the pool in the courtyard with him. DeDeDe was lying on a chair, bunny-shaped shades resting on his face. Lucario meditated not too far off, eyes closed. Link stared at them for a moment, and when he felt sure that they weren't acting suspicious, he looked over to some bushes on the other side of the electric fence. (Yeah, they needed electric fences around the mansion, and we all know why.) The bushes rustled in the wind. Link shrugged, and then continued to swim. Eh, I guess it's nothing.
Little did he know of all the pictures the fan girls in the bushes had taken of him in his green swim trunks…
Meanwhile…(Again)
A birdie soared through the air as a racket sent it flying over a net. Another racket countered it, sending it back, and so on.
The badminton match would have been fun to watch. The two smashers were using their special abilities to play the sport, which made it twice as interesting to watch than a regular old badminton game.
Wock!
Meta Knight flew ten feet up and hit the birdie with all his might.
Clack!
Olimar used Pikmin Chain to send the Pikmin up at it, while little Teaberry held onto the racket at the end.
Another smasher by the name of Wario was watching this in disgust. He wasn't enjoying the game for what it was, and was rooting for them to lose. He groaned, "When are you guys gonna miss it?!" The two competitors ignored him and continued to serve it back and forth. Finally, he got fed up with it.
"Now this is the right way!" He shouted, leaping into the air to break apart the Pikmin Chain and snatch the racket. Teaberry squealed in terror as she tumbled to the ground and lay there, injured. Wario proceeded to whack the birdie really hard so it was sent hurtling straight at the off guard knight.
Clang!
Meta Knight flinched as the birdie struck his mask. Wario guffawed, "Now that's how ya do it! Haha!"
"Teaberry, are you okay?!" Olimar cried out, rushing to the white Pikmin's side.
Meta Knight tried to, but he couldn't hold in the rage that consumed him. He dropped his racket and replaced it with his sword.
"Have you no respect?!" He roared, very un-Meta Knight-like, "What have those Pikmin ever done to you?! What have I ever done to you?!" He rushed at Wario, brandishing his sword. Wario looked surprised.
"Err…" He stammered, not quite sure of what to do.
"Answer the question!!" Meta snapped, eyes blazing.
The fat man swallowed and said in a hoarse voice, "W-well s-since DeDeDe's been taking advantage of you lately, I thought that if I did it, y-you wouldn't…"
"You thought I wouldn't mind?!" Meta Knight hissed, finishing the sentence for him. "You pathetic fool!" He raised his sword, as if he were about to bring it down. Then his eyes faded back to the usual yellow and he pointed it at him calmly.
"When Toon Link defeats you today…I will laugh." He said, and turned away.
As he retreated across the grass lawn, Wario bucked up his courage and shouted angrily after him, "Oh yeah? Well I'm not gonna lose to a stuck-up snot like him! Ha! Ya hear me?!"
Olimar watched as the game ended. Lilac and Peppermint helped Teaberry up and the spaceman turned to look at them. "Let's go back in, Pikmin." He sighed, and, his faithful Piks forming a line behind him, headed for the door.
Two words: Emotional Turmoil!