Blarg! Because I'm going to be busy later, my fair reader shall get an early update! Huzzah!

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

Disclaimer: Can we say 'Not mine'? I think we can! 8D

Like Father and Son

Sum: Meta Knight finds a new companion in an unexpected Smasher.

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

The Popstar resident kept his eyes on the pink puffball. His student was running around outside of the Smash mansion with Yoshi. The two were just running, pausing occasionally to eye the fruit stands decorating the street. Meta Knight calmly kept pace with them, his golden eyes always following them.

"Um…should we stop for lunch?"

The blue puffball thought about it. With the way Kirby and Yoshi were inching steadily closer and closer to each stall, the knight decided it would be best to satisfy their hunger. "Yes."

They chose a small café parallel to the beach and quickly ordered everything on the menu, twice. Meta Knight relaxed as their food was delivered by a (very happy) blue Pianta. Immediately, the dinosaur and young Star Warrior dug in. Marth and Ike were scheduled for a Stock Match-Team for the day, and the mercenary was due for a Boss Battle after. So, the knight was free for the afternoon and had decided to spend some time with his student. However, his plans had to be modified as they encountered Yoshi an-

"Yoshi, you should slow down, you'll get a stomach ache otherwise."

"Awwww...but Yoshi's hungry!"

A laugh. "I didn't say you couldn't eat, just eat slower."

The dinosaur seemed to struggle with the idea, until he was shown.

"Here...like this."

Kirby watched with childlike innocence, along with Yoshi. Once the two resumed eating (surprisingly at a slower pace) the knight glanced over at his companion.

Luigi Mario.

Their interaction was limited to the battlefield. Outside, the knight and plumber didn't speak to one another, though they would acknowledge one another when passing by.

"Mama Luigi! Mama Luigi!"

"Yes, Yoshi?" The younger plumber asked, flushing from the name.

"Yoshi wants to play in the sand, please!"

"Well, I suppose so..."

"Yay!" And the dinosaur took off, tail nearly knocking the café table over.

"Poyo!" Kirby jumped down ready to copy his roommates exit only to stop when his mentor called out.

"Kirby." Meta Knight waited until he had the pink puffball's full attention. "Stay out of the water, until Luigi and I join you two."

"Poyo...!" With a nod, the young Star Warrior jogged over to play in the sand with Yoshi, leaving the two older Smashers by themselves.

Luigi stirred his iced tea with the straw, feeling nervous around the other. He was caught up in the swirling ice cubes and his determination not to make eye-contact that he jumped when Meta Knight spoke, almost spilling his drink in the process.

"May I inquire as to why he refers to you as 'Mama'?"

"A-a-h well, it's...it's kinda a long story." The plumber stuttered, embarrassed, but glad he hadn't spilled his tea.

The puffball glanced over at their charges. "There is time."

Luigi complied, also watching the two as he spun his tale. "...I met Yoshi a while ago. I'd say almost four or five years ago. "It wasn't too long after Mario had trounced Bowser again. We decided to go on a vacation to a place known as Dinosaur Island. It's a small chain of three islands. Anyway, Bowser followed and once again kidnapped Princess Peach. So, we traveled around the islands...and somewhere along the way I was separated from my brother. I reached a castle that belonged to one of Bowser's children."

Meta Knight blinked at the statement. King Bowser has children?

"Because the castle was blocking the way to the next island, and also because Iggy is one of Bowser's children, I entered it to defeat him. Well, after doing that, I found a small egg. At first I wasn't sure what to do with it. I figured it must have been important for Iggy to keep it tucked away with lava and such guarding it. Anyway, a lot of things happened and we kept finding those eggs, one in each castle. Once we retrieved all of the eggs we returned home, to Yoshi's House."

"...so he has his own home..."

"Well, yes and no." The plumber replied. "See, it isn't this Yoshi's house. It's his father's house. By the time we defeated Bowser and saved Princess Peach and returned to Yoshi's House, the eggs began hatching. Except one."

"Yoshi. This Yoshi."

"Yeah. So, we were concerned, and gathered around it. Yoshi's father decided to gather some leaves and shrubs to make a nest for it until it did hatch. Mario offered to help, while Princess Peach and I remained with the six hatchlings. And well, after a while I heard some sounds and walked over to the egg...and...the first thing he saw...was me."

The plumber flushed, but he smiled. "The thing is that they, Yoshis, always believe the first creature they see to be their mother. However, if it is the father, then it's almost like they're wired to know they were mistaken and correct themselves and know that it is their father. However, this only occurs with Yoshis and not other species. Yoshi knows that I'm not of his species, and he knows that I'm male. But..." he shrugged. "It stuck with him."

They fell into silence, Meta Knight digesting the story, and the Italian awkwardly fiddling with his thumbs. "So, um...if you don't mind me asking, are you and Kirby...? I mean, you don't have to answer it..." Luigi trailed off, refusing to look at the knight.

The Star Warrior chuckled warmly, "I do not mind. I am actually surprised you had not asked before. Kirby and I are not related; we are merely the same species."

"Oh, I just thought...from the way you are with him..."

"While he and I do not share any blood ties, I do care for him as if he is my own. Much like how you care for Yoshi, I believe."

The Italian smiled, "Yeah, you're right." He motioned towards the two who were apparently getting bored with sandcastles. "How did you and Kirby meet?"

"His spaceship crash landed on Popstar. I had relocated there, due to the probability that any Star Warrior would be drawn to King Dedede's penchant for demons."

"What? D-demons!"

"Perhaps, 'demons' is too strong a word." The puffball mused. "To my knowledge at the time, I was the remaining Star Warrior, a group of fighters dedicated to the defeat of Nightmare and his Demon Beast Army. My ship was drawn to the unusually high amount of demon aura emitting from the planet. All ships will naturally target such areas as it is our duty to defeat them. My apologies, I...I feel as if I am digressing."

"No, no." The plumber shook his head, as they settled down on the sand. "Not at all. Please continue."

"I believe there is not much more to the story. Kirby did arrive on Popstar, however, he was younger than I had imagined. I believe there was a malfunction within his starship, causing his decent and waking him early from his slumber. Regardless, he has the potential to accomplish great things, and he proved it by defeating Nightmare."

"...Wow." Luigi breathed, "He's been through a lot...and still..."

"Mmmm."

Kirby was riding Yoshi who was chasing the waves and then running away when they rushed towards them. Their laughter lightened Meta Knight's heart.

The plumber cleared his throat, "What do you mean, he woke up early?"

"We, the species that Kirby and I are, are born sleeping. As we sleep our bodies continue to grow and stabilize until the time is right for us to awaken. This is not to imply that one who is born awake will not have a chance of survival, and I can recall hearing cases of those born awake or those awaken soon after birth. However, they require vast amounts of attention and care, least they fall ill and die. Kirby awoke years before he was intended to, about two hundred years too early. Yet, he is fighting, playing, being a young child, doing what many of our kind, born awake or woken early, could never do at such an age...effectively defying what we know." There was unhidden awe in his voice. The elder Star Warrior glanced at his companion. "My apologies once more."

"No, no." The plumber laughed, feeling more at ease. "It's all really fascinating. After all, we could never figure out what he says and we don't know much him."

Luigi mulled over the information. The two older Smashers watched as Yoshi and Kirby dig in the sand.

"Do you suppose that's why he's always hungry?"

"Hmmm?"

The Italian cleared his throat. "Well, it's just...if Kirby woke up early and if his body is still..er..stabilizing…maybe that's why he eats so much? He's trying to keep up with his growing body, and since he's being so active, he needs to higher amounts of nutrition?"

"That is a sound theory; I will attempt to look deeper into the possibility."

They fell silent watching again as Yoshi ran down the shoreline, tail wagging as Kirby chased him. The pink puffball was giggling only to halt suddenly and pick something up from the sand.

"It's good that he has you to look out for him." Luigi commented.

The Popstar resident flushed, proud and slightly embarrassed, but his pupil came running towards him, holding a seashell in his small hands. Kirby held it out to him and Meta Knight smiled.

Yeah, so just quick tie in between Super Mario World (SNES) and the old cartoons! Woot! I love those. :D

I've wondered why Yoshi fought beside Link as opposed to Mario in SSE. Granted yeah, then it would be a completely one on three battle, but it kinda struck me as odd. So here's an explanation of sorts. Brawl Yoshi is different from Melee Yoshi (and the 64 Yoshi). That Yoshi (who attended both Melee and 64) is a Yoshi that is like…best friends with Mario, where as Brawl Yoshi is more inclined to be with just Luigi and easily latched on to Link before he's latched on to Mario.

Or something along those lines.

And look! My own take on Kirby and the species! For some reason Kirby's like…hibernating as his ship randomly flies through space. So I went ahead and made some explanation as to why the hibernation. He was woken 200 years early after all. 8O

My little nod towards Father's Day. :D

I'm out!

ZeroGravityDog