Note:
This takes place after the events of Another Voyage, so please read that and Dreamland on the Glittering Star if you haven't read it already.
Dreamland on the Glittering Star: Glorious Gathering
It happened when Ledo and Chamber returned from a routine patrol around the skies of Dreamland. Upon returning to the Halberd's hanger and exiting Chamber, the young man almost instantly noticed something different out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see an armor-wearing puff standing on one of the many boxes with a cape wrapped around themselves in a manner similar to Meta Knight. In fact, outside of this stranger's purple coloring, veil, and eye visor one could assume that they were related to the masked warrior. Ledo was then lowered down to the floor by Chamber and before he could say anything, the mysterious stranger spoke up.
"...you're the pilot of that Yuushon, aren't you?" A feminine voice sounding equal parts gentle and somehow dangerous asked.
"Who are you?" Ledo asked in return, preparing to grab his pistol just in case a fight erupted.
He was on high alert. It was incredibly difficult for someone to sneak into the Halberd, so this person was definitely incredibly skilled.
"It's rude to answer a question with another question young man. Now talk." The stranger said, their voice becoming even more dangerous.
Ledo decided to play along with the hope that Meta Knight would show up soon.
"...I have no clue as to what a Yuushon is, but I am indeed the pilot of my Machine Caliber."
The stranger appeared to become thoughtful.
"Machine Caliber, huh...? I've never heard of that before..." She uttered with a slight hum.
"Now that I answered you, who are you and what are you doing on this ship?" The young man then asked.
The stranger laughed. "You sure are straightforward, aren't you? Not that I'd expect anything else from Meta's personal assistant. My name is Kurabe, and I was Meta Knight's master. Does that answer your question, Ledo?"
The young man blinked for a moment. "Lord Meta Knight's... master...?" He asked, his tone indicating surprise.
"That's correct Ledo, so you can relax. I'm not here to pick a fight with you or anyone on the Halberd. I've come to meet someone."
"Wait a minute, how do you know my name?"
"Because you're the person I came to see."
There was a moment of silence.
"...why?"
The now named Kurabe chuckled. "Think about it. If your old student tells you that they have a new protégé, of course one would be curious. I'm interested to see what exactly Meta sees in you."
Ledo only stared. Then, Chamber spoke up.
"I was not notified about this development."
Kurabe grinned. "Of course you weren't. Not even Meta knows I'm here. It wouldn't be much of a surprise visit if I let him know in advance."
"Unacceptable. Standard protocol states that all visits must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance. The sole exception under these conditions is emergency situations." The mech replied.
The other just laughed. "You're an interesting machine. Well, if you must know I have special permissions. I assume you have Meta's rulebook in your database? Check the special circumstance section. It should be the very last section."
"Understood. Beginning search..."
While this was going on, Ledo was analyzing Kurabe. The way she spoke, the way she carried herself in a dignified manner, the way she seemed ready to fight at moment's notice while remaining perfectly calm. There was no doubt in his mind that she was speaking the truth. There were far too many similarities between her and Meta Knight to be a coincidence.
"Search complete. Under the special circumstance section, it states that Kurabe and Mercury, members of the battleship GranEssex, are allowed to come and go freely at any time."
The warrior clapped her hands. "And there you have it. As the captain of the GranEssex, I have permission to board this ship as I please."
However, Ledo appeared to still be confused. "...why has Lord Meta Knight never told me about any of this?"
"Oh, that's simple. Meta's not the type to talk about his own life unless he's asked about it. You've never asked about his youth or his training days, have you?"
The young man shook his head. "Considering how much of a secret he kept his true face, I thought it would be too intrusive."
Kurabe smiled. "There's your answer. Now as much as I love talking about my favorite student, let's talk about you instead, Ledo."
The young man nodded in response. "Um... what would you like to know?"
"First of all, let's go somewhere more comfortable. I'm sure it'd be better for you if we go sit down somewhere."
Ledo nodded. To him it felt like he was talking to Meta Knight. The charisma, the confidence. Even though this was his first meeting with the woman, he felt strangely calm.
"Then let's head to my room. We should have plenty of privacy there."
The puff nodded in response. "Sounds good to me. Lead the way."
Upon reaching Ledo's room, Kurabe seemed to already be examining it, which actually quite confused the young man.
"Ms. Kurabe, not to be rude, but why are you looking around my room?" He asked.
"The room is a reflection of one's soul." was the cryptic reply.
"Which is to say you can learn about someone based on how they live. Then tell me, what does my room say to you?"
"Hm..." She uttered, taking another look back towards the room. "...it says that you're very well organized, yet you're also good at thinking on the fly. Both are extremely admirable traits."
Ledo was stunned. "She got all of that from just my room?"
"Judging by your reaction, I'm completely right, aren't I?"
"Y-yes..." He uttered.
She replied with a slight giggle.
"Now let's get down to business. All that Meta has told me about you is that you were dependable, determined, and mature for your age, even seeing a bit of himself in you. I, of course, want to know more. Where did you come from? Why did you join Meta? What was your life like before coming to Dreamland?" She asked as she sat down in a chair.
The young man nodded and began his reply.
"Chamber and I came here from another dimension. I originally joined Lord Meta Knight with the hope that I would be able to better contact my allies, but that was before I found out I was in a different dimension. As for my life..." He gave a slight sigh. "There wasn't much. I was part of the Galactic Alliance of Humankind's army as the pilot of Machine Caliber Chamber. Our duty was to guarantee the survival of humanity by fighting the Hideauze."
Ledo looked at Kurabe, analyzing her reaction to his tale. Although if she was surprised, she didn't show it.
"You don't seem surprised by me being from another dimension, Miss Kurabe."
The warrior held up her hand. "Please, just "Kurabe" is fine. As for why I'm not surprised, I've simply dealt with much stranger cases than a boy from another dimension. Most things don't confuse me anymore, though I'm quite interested about this alliance and these Hideauze you mentioned."
He gave a slight sigh at that.
"The Galactic Alliance is considered the last line of defense for humanity. We were trained from childhood to pilot Machine Calibers and fight the Hideauze. However, not too long ago, I discovered something... disturbing about the Hideauze."
He seemed to sweat a bit at that.
"The Hideauze were once humans who evolved to live in space."
Kurabe was silent, digesting what she heard.
"You poor young man, forced to kill your own without even realizing it. This Galactic Alliance is lucky I don't exist in that dimension." Kurabe said, anger dripping with every word. Admittedly, it sent a chill down Ledo's spine.
"Is there anything else you would like to know?"
"Yes. You said you initially joined Meta to find a way back home. So why are you still a member of the Meta-Knights? Surely by now you have found a method to go back home."
"Well, if I go home, I'll be thrown back into that battle against the Hideauze. Not only that but... this place feels like my home."
"In other words, you're far happier with the life you have now. That's good. It always warms my heart seeing children find their place in the world." She said with a nostalgic tone. "Tell me, Ledo, what is your opinion on Meta? Be honest with me."
"On Lord Meta Knight? I think he's very admirable. After everything that's happened, I'm still a bit surprised he let me remain here."
"And? I know there's more to it than that. What do you specifically like about Meta? What is it about him that makes you loyal to him?"
He blinked at her in slight questioning. "How accepting and reliable he is. Despite how he seems at times, he's always worried about his crew."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"That certainly sounds like him. Ever since he was young, he's always put others before himself."
Her face then became serious.
"He helped you find your path in life, didn't he?"
"He did. I'd probably still be a moody soldier if I wasn't for him."
Not to mention how Meta Knight helped him come to terms with the business with the Hideauze and the renegade Striker, but he didn't feel completely comfortable talking about that. Thankfully, Kurabe appeared to understand this, as she only smiled.
"So, is there anyone else you'd like to know?" The young man asked.
"That Machine Caliber. What exactly is it?"
"Allow me to answer that question." Ledo's communication device spoke. In response, the young man took it off his ear and held it in his hand. "Machine Calibers are robots created by the Galactic Alliance of Humankind to fight the Hideauze. There are units in various colors according to what unit the pilot belongs to."
"And do you have a name, Machine Caliber?"
"My name is Chamber. I am Ensign Ledo's pilot support system."
"So then, Chamber, are you capable of independent though and actions, or are you just a tool with a voice?" Kurabe asked cryptically.
"As of right now, any connection I have to the Galactic Alliance of Humankind has been severed, so all conclusions are drawn from my own observations and data."
"In other words, he is capable of independent thought and actions." Ledo clarified.
"So, you are essentially a living creature. Not organic, but still an individual. There's a race of creatures like you called the Yuushon who are living, breathing machines. That's why I assumed you were one as talking robots isn't quite a common sight."
"While I do not consider myself a living organism by any means, I can comprehend how you would come to that conclusion."
Kurabe scoffed. "Please. You said it yourself that you are cut off from the Alliance, meaning that you chose to remain loyal to Ledo. The minute you came to Dreamland, you could have turned against him and left, yet you didn't. You have thoughts, personality, and desires. Do you agree with my words Ledo? Do you consider Chamber to be alive?"
"Ultimately the reason I did not go against the wishes of Ensign Ledo is because my sole duty is to guarantee his success."
"Yet you are able to act on your own as you see fit." The young man sighed.
"I only act in the way that is most beneficial to you."
Ledo turned to Kurabe. "I do agree that Chamber is alive."
The woman smiled. "I'm glad you agree. There's more to being alive then just being born. If you have the ability to act on your desires and choose to do so, you are alive. You live to support Ledo, yes, but only because you choose to live for that purpose."
"...understood." The Machine Caliber replied.
Ledo smiled. Regardless of if Chamber disagreed or not, he would always be his most trusted partner. Something he would be forever grateful for.
"Kurabe, can I ask you a question?" The young man suddenly spoke.
"Yes, go ahead."
"Why do you wear that visor? I'd it the same reason as to why Lord Meta Knight wears his mask?"
She replied with a chuckle. "I wear it because it makes my expression and therefore my movements harder to read in battle. Why, does it bother you that much? I can remove it if you wish."
Ledo shook his head. "It doesn't bother me per say. I was just curious. Though I have another question. There's more to your relationship with Meta Knight than just master and student isn't there?"
"And what makes you think that?" She hummed teasingly.
"That's simple. There's one comment you made earlier. How Meta Knight has always put others before him even as a child. In fact, the way you speak of him is similar to how a parent speaks of their child, at least based on what I have observed before. You've practically raised him, haven't you?"
"That's correct." she replied with a nod.
"So, in a sense, you are his mother. That certainly explains all the similarities I've noticed between you two." Ledo concluded.
"Indeed, I am..." Kurabe's expression seemed to soften a bit. "He is my son in all but blood."
The two, well three counting Chamber, sat in comfortable silence. That is until someone cleared their throat, making their presence known.
"Sen-Kurabe, while I do enjoy your visits, could you please notify me ahead of time?"
Ledo turned to see that Meta Knight was standing in the corner of the room, covered by his cloak.
"Lord Meta Knight when did you get here!?" Ledo asked in surprise.
"Ten minutes ago."
"But what if I like surprising you, Meta? Besides, you're always late when I schedule something!"
"It's not that I'm late, it's that you're always early." Meta Knight replied. Ledo swore he could hear him say "And I do like the surprise visits" under his breath.
Kurabe giggled as she reached to the side of his mask and pinched him. The young man was stunned. Not by Kurabe's actions. He sort of figured she was that type of mother. No, what surprised him was the fact that Meta Knight allowed her to do that.
"It's like when he complains about Kirby tackling him despite the fact he secretly allows it to happen." He thought to himself, trying to keep his face unreadable.
But the reasoning for that was ultimately obvious. Meta Knight had too much pride and thought that something like this wouldn't fit his image.
"Sensei, that's enough, please let go of me."
Kurabe only pouted and flipped his mask up, pinching his cheeks even more. Meta then teleported away and was now standing next to Ledo.
"I'm glad to see you're still the same as always." Meta Knight said with a genuine warmth in his voice. Ledo couldn't see it, but he knew the masked knight was smiling.
"Same to you, Meta." She replied with a smile.
Ledo looked at them both, noting how happy they were.
"...Should I leave and give you two space?" He then asked, seeing the irony of having to ask to leave his room.
"Oh, no, no. This is your room, isn't it? Feel free to stay." The woman replied.
"She came to visit you, Ledo. If needed, I'll be the one to leave."
"You don't need to leave either, Meta!" She grumbled with a pout. "Besides I have a question for you too, Meta. I asked what he thought of you, so what do you think of Ledo?"
The knight blinked awkwardly in response, as if he was surprised to hear that. "You're asking about what I think of him as an individual, not as a member of my crew correct?"
"Yes, Meta." She sighed.
The knight went silent, as if he was thinking about where to begin.
"When I first met Ledo, I saw a bit of myself in him. A soldier focused on completing his tasks and nothing else. A young man who didn't know how to communicate with the rest of world outside of his companion. I felt the need to help him while he was stranded in an unfamiliar world. Through the months we've spent together, Ledo has consistently impressed me with his growth. He was even able to help me when I was emotionally vulnerable. The Ledo I see now is a completely different man and I'm proud of the man he has become. He is an irreplaceable part of my crew."
The young man was stunned. He knew from Kurabe's words earlier that Meta Knight cared for him, but hearing it from Meta Knight himself was entirely different. Honestly, it felt incredibly good.
"Thank you very much, Lord Meta Knight." He said with a bow.
The blue puff didn't verbally respond, but Ledo knew by his body language that his superior was happy, if a little embarrassed.
Kurabe gave a slight laugh. "Well, there you have it. Now, what would you two like to do?"
"Actually, Kurabe, I have a question I wish to ask you. If you don't mind that is..."
These words from Meta Knight immediately called her attention.
"Well, what is it?"
"What do you think of Ledo?"
The warrior took a moment to think.
"Well, he very much reminds me of you when you were younger, so I like him!"
The way she replied was so blunt neither of them had any idea how to respond.
"I see..." They both said at the same time.
Kurabe pouted. "What, is that a problem!?"
"Of course not, sen-Kurabe."
"Of course not, mis-Kurabe."
The woman silently blinked for a moment before breaking out in a fit of laughter that caused her to collapse to the floor.
"Lord Meta Knight, is she always so... eccentric?"
"Yes, and I wouldn't have it any other way." The knight replied while helping Kurabe get back up.
"Thank you, Meta." She said after taking a moment to regain her composure. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. As thanks, I think you deserve to see what lies beneath." Kurabe uttered as she slowly took off her visor.
While Ledo expected a rough idea of what she would look like, he was still slightly surprised by the warrior's appearance underneath. She was very much like her student, except her color was purple and her eyes were a bright red.
"Now that's out of the way, what do you two want to do? I'm perfectly contempt with just spending time with my newest grandson."
Meta Knight gave an awkward cough at that comment as Ledo fell quiet. Then Chamber spoke up.
"I do not understand your logic, Kurabe. The ensign has no relation to you or Lord Meta Knight. I must also request that you give me an approximation of your age for reference."
"My logic is simple, Chamber. Meta is my son, and he acknowledges that as fact. Ledo is under Meta's care, making him family. Therefore, he is my grandson. As for my age, I hardly see why that matters. I've lost count anyway."
"...let's just say she's quite old if we translate it into Ledo's years..." Her student said. "...I would be too." He quickly added, hoping it wouldn't cause Kurabe to become insulted.
However, it was too late, his mentor already punched him in the mask, breaking it, and had begun to pinch his cheeks and pull on them in fury.
"Ensign Ledo, I fail to see the logic in her actions."
"Not everything needs to be logical Chamber." Ledo deadpanned, wondering how to stop Kurabe or if he should even attempt to stop her.
After Kurabe finally finished her pinch assault, Ledo came up with an idea.
"Kurabe, would be interested in getting inside Chamber? I can show you what it's like to fly a Machine Caliber."
Her eyes seemed to light up at that. "Oh, that would be lovely!"
"Lord Meta Knight, would you like to come? There should be enough room in the cockpit for all of us." Ledo said, remembering a time when he couldn't talk so his superior and Kirby had to give Chamber orders.
"No, you two could go alone. I'll wait in my room."
While the knight wouldn't have minded going with them, he was still slightly shaken from the Buddy Fighters Tower incident and partially wanted Kurabe to focus on bonding with Ledo. Kurabe, while not knowing the context, understood Meta Knight's intentions and nodded.
"Then let us be on our way, Ledo."
The young man nodded and began to lead the way.
While walking to the hanger, Ledo was curious about something.
"Kurabe, have you piloted a machine like Chamber before?"
"No, I haven't. So, I'm quite interested, if I'm being honest." She replied.
Ledo nodded. "Do you share Lord Meta Knight's interest in machines, perchance?"
"I do, but I'm nowhere near as obsessed as he is."
"I see."
Truthfully, he hoped that she was. It would have been an easy conversation topic for him. Well, he'll just need to think of more topics to discuss.
"Kurabe, from the way you talk about them, I assume you know at least one Yuushon?"
"Yes, I do. They're somewhat rare in Gamble Galaxy, but they do exist. One of my crew members is one."
Ledo was a bit surprised. "How do they fit in your ship? Assuming this GranEssex is anything like the Halberd, the hangar must be the only place they can be stationed at."
Kurabe chuckled.
"Yuushons can grow and shrink in size. Though they can't go any shorter than 7 feet." She then smiled. "Also, the GranEssex is a bit bigger than the Halberd. However, he still has a habit of slamming his head on the top of doorways if they're too short for him."
Ledo had to stifle a laugh at the thought of something like Chamber dealing with regular human issues like being too tall.
"Kurabe, may I ask for the name of this crewmate you mentioned? I am curious of just how similar a machine caliber is to a Yuushon." Chamber's voice from the communication device asked.
"His name is Eagle. He's s rather new addition... well, in comparison to how long some current members have been around for anyway. I have a picture of him in case you're interested." Kurabe then pulled out a photo, showing the Yuushon Eagle and a silver blob sitting in his hand.
"He looks quite different from a Machine Calibur." Ledo commented. Then his eyes turned to the silver blob with black eyes and a blue diamond on its forehead. "...Kurabe, about that blob..."
"Oh, that's Mercury. She's the vice captain of the GranEssex and my best friend. Also, if you ever feel like embarrassing Meta sometime, ask him how he felt about her when he was younger."
"Vice captain? This blob?" He asked in confusion.
"Oh that. She's a shapeshifter. Here's how she normally looks." Kurabe said pulling out another picture.
"A human?" Ledo uttered in shock.
"Not quite. She's a Limet, shapeshifters whose body is comprised of liquid metal. That blob form is how Limets usually look like. Mercury and many others prefer to stay in different forms. For example, Mercury prefers how she looks as a humanoid, so essentially that is her real form."
He nodded. "I understand that, but if she doesn't like her blob form, why was she in that form in the picture you showed me?"
Kurabe gave a mischievous grin. "You're a smart kid, you can figure it out for yourself. Then again considering how much you and Meta have in common, maybe not."
He only looked at her in confusion.
After five more minutes of walking, they finally reached Chamber's location in the hanger.
"Ah, yes. This was the machine I saw you exit earlier."
"Would you like to enter the cockpit then?"
Upon seeing her nod, Ledo looked at his mechanical companion.
"Ok Chamber, open up please."
"Understood."
With that said, the cockpit to the mech opened and the young man entered. Kurabe followed behind. Thanks to her size and shape, she had no problems sitting next to Ledo.
"So, this what a Machine Caliber looks like from the inside. This technology is quite advanced."
"Indeed. This is the culmination of all the technology of the Galactic Alliance." The young man nodded.
"Interesting. How exactly do you pilot Chamber?"
"Well, I use a combination of controls and voice commands. Would you like me to show you?"
"If you would be so kind to."
He nodded silently.
"Chamber! Begin takeoff!"
"Roger."
Chamber slowly walked over to the exit and jumped out of it, taking flight.
After a few minutes of flying above the expanse of Dreamland, Ledo decided to speak up.
"What do you think Kurabe?"
"So, your machine distorts the gravity around it to fly? That's impressive." She hummed.
"Is that type of technology rare in this dimension?"
"Quite. It's generally reserved for things such as battleships."
"I assume that's how your battleship flies then?"
"Yes. Though it uses a much larger engine."
"I see. Quite a breathtaking view from up here, isn't it?"
Kurabe then looked outside, seeing the vast expanse of Dreamland below. "Yes, it is. Normally, you'd need a battleship to have a view this amazing. Being able to have it whenever you wish must be quite a blessing for you."
"It definitely is during recon missions. Though of course I don't have that luxury during combat."
"Oh, of course. Sometimes I wish I could just take my time and enjoy the scenery of certain planets I've gone to."
Kurabe's words sparked something in Ledo's head. While he's flown through his original dimension's outer space, he hasn't really explored this universe at all. By this point, he can read Dreamland like the back of his hand, but he knew little of the greater universe. In a way, it was humbling.
"Kurabe, what would say is your favorite places in this galaxy?"
"Well, honestly, there's just so many places in the universe that I don't really know where to pick."
"I see."
"Are you interested in traveling the stars, Ledo? I certainly wouldn't blame you. Our galaxy, for all its faults, is beautiful."
"To be honest with you...I've occasionally thought about it. I just wouldn't really know where to start, if I'm honest."
"Is it because of how vast the galaxy is? Or is it because you don't want to be away from Meta for so long?"
"I... I don't really know..." He uttered, sounding quite embarrassed.
Kurabe smiled. "I'm sure if you asked, Meta would be happy to take you on a journey through these glittering stars."
"Are you sure about that? Would he really be fine with leaving Dreamland?"
"Oh, I'm sure he needs a break sometimes."
Ledo was still unsure. "What if something attacks Dreamland while we're gone? Dreamland is my home, it's my responsibility to protect it."
Kurabe sighed but was still smiling. "You remind me more of Meta with every passing minute. Putting everything on your shoulders even when you don't need to. Isn't there a certain pink hero that lives on Dreamland? Someone who has protected Dreamland for the past... how many years?"
"I know, but I still can't help but be concerned, honestly." He replied.
"Think of it like this then. Say you come across a threat to Dreamland while traveling and kill it. Wouldn't you be protecting Dreamland in that case?"
The young man took a moment to think. "Come to think of it, you do have a point... wait a minute, you used this same logic with Lord Meta Knight, haven't you?"
She only hummed happily in reply.
"Ensign Ledo, I have concluded that it would be in your best interest to listen to Kurabe. Neutralizing threats and gaining more knowledge of this dimension will only serve to help you." Chamber's voice said.
He smiled in reply. "Well, if Chamber agrees, I guess I'll have to listen to your advice then, Kurabe."
The warrior's smile grew brighter upon hearing that. "So, Chamber, how exactly do you fight?"
"I am equipped with various armaments for all kinds of combat situations."
Ledo couldn't see it due to her visor, but he was sure Kurabe rolled her eyes.
"And what are these armaments?"
It was then that the young man spoke up. "Various high-powered lasers, the ability to equip a gatling gun and missiles, and a harpoon-spear hybrid."
The guns and missiles didn't seem to impress her, but the melee weapon certainly caught her attention.
"Would you mind showing the spear off?"
"Very well. Chamber!"
"Understood."
With those orders, the machine readied its weapon.
"Excellent." She said as she then pressed a button to open the hatch.
"Kurabe what are you doing!?" Ledo shouted.
"Getting in my daily workout." She replied calmly while jumping out, using her ESP to stay in the air and then drew her swords. "This will be a simple test. I won't attack, only defend."
"...you can't be serious, can you?!" he shouted.
Not even Meta Knight would do something this ridiculous!
"Of course I am. Besides this will be good training for you. How often do you get to fight an opponent far smaller than you? Now the rules are simple. If you make contact with me or any of my swords you win. If I successfully dodge without needing to block for a whole minute, I win."
The young man then sighed. "Chamber, prepare for combat!"
"Roger."
"And the one minute begins, now!" Kurabe shouted.
"Chamber, go for a diagonal slash to the left!"
Doing as instructed, Chamber attacked but Kurabe easily dodged.
"Chamber, get as close as you can. We're using the multi-stab technique!"
The machine then began to jab at Kurabe repeatedly, moving so fast that he was creating after images of the spear. This move was inspired by Meta Knight's own signature multi-slash. Alas, Kurabe dodged every single thrust with grace. Ledo was starting to get annoyed.
"How is she this fast? If only I could get Chamber to equip his guns, but that would take too long. Wait a minute... Chamber get close and do a forward stab!"
"Roger."
Chamber did as told, and as expected Kurabe dodged. What wasn't expected was Ledo opening the hatch and taking aim with his own gun and fired a single shot. Reflexively, Kurabe swatted the attack away with her blade, only to realize what she just did.
"You're quite resourceful aren't you, Ledo? Well done. You won with five seconds to spare."
The young man gave a slight sigh of relief. "Well, thank you then."
Kurabe then slowly floated back into Chamber. "That was quite exhilarating. It's been a long time since I've had to do any form of air combat."
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it, then." He replied.
"Indeed. And that spear was quite interesting. I'm sure Eagle would appreciate something like that. Then again, I'm not sure Mercury would appreciate it if I turned Eagle into weapons enthusiast."
"Does she not like weapons?" He asked in curiosity.
"Oh no, nothing like that. It's just that has to deal with two weapon nerds in her life. I think that's more than enough for her." She said while chuckling.
"...so that would be you and Lord Meta Knight then, I assume?"
"Of course. I'm not shy about admitting my interests."
Ledo blinked in slight surprise.
"Well, that's another aspect of her that's different from Lord Meta Knight." He thought before speaking up.
"So, what other things do you enjoy doing?"
"Crafting weapons and jewelry and cooking."
"So, I assume you made those swords of yours and Galaxia?"
"My swords, yes. Not Galaxia."
"Oh..."
"Meta obtained Galaxia after he surpassed me. You will need to ask him about how he got that."
The young man nodded. "Alright, I will then. It would probably be better to ask him anyway. But, to move on from that, you don't really look like the type who would be into jewelry or cooking, if I'm being honest."
Kurabe laughed. "Cooking, I can understand. But you look at my visor and you don't think I like accessories?"
He blinked for a moment. "But isn't that practical?"
"You can be both practical and beautiful. Look at my swords, for instance. They don't need to look like that, but they are an extension of me, so their appearance should reflect that."
"I would like to ask if it's a good thing to be as vain as you seem to be, but I guess it'd be wrong considering who I work for..."
"It's not about being vain, Ledo. It's about expressing yourself. Ironically by hiding his face, Meta expresses his desire to be taken seriously and to be seen as dependable. Sure, we might come across as a little vain, but that's only scratching the surface. You're no different with that outfit of yours you know."
"This pilot suit? No, it's because I need it to pilot Chamber. Do you see all these colored lines? It shows that I'm directly connected to him. When I engage Chamber's Neuro-Plus Power mode, he directly connects to my central nervous system."
"Yet does it need to look like that specifically? And I'm not just referring to your suit, I'm also referring to your regular clothing."
"...my pilot suit was issued by the Galactic Alliance. And my clothes were specifically made by Sailor, actually."
"And yet you wear each pride. You could have easily asked to get a new pilot suit or new clothes. Yet you don't, because you understand the importance each have to you."
"I understand that, but usually only overconfident people call themselves beautiful." Ledo responded, calling back to King Dedede.
"Now when did I call myself beautiful? I only said my visor was beautiful." Kurabe said with a grin.
"By calling your swords beautiful and saying they're an extension of yourself, you imply that."
"Yup, you're definitely Meta's protégé. Always taking things too literally. Also, you were comparing me to Dedede, weren't you?" Kurabe asked, a noticeable edge in her tone.
"H-how did you know that?" Ledo asked in shock.
"I can read minds, Ledo. Now here's a quick lesson in the differences between pride and arrogance. Arrogance is when you believe you're superior to others for superficial reasons. Dedede believes he's beautiful because he's a self-proclaimed king. He's not without his positives, but most of his arrogance is unfounded. Pride is when you recognize your own strengths, but don't let it go to your head. I am beautiful, but I don't go around acting as if I'm superior to others because of that. Despite being the strongest women in the universe, I don't let that title go to my head. At the end of the day, I'm just Kurabe, nothing more."
"Is that so?" He replied.
"Do you doubt me?"
"What made you think that?"
Kurabe smirked. "Nothing did. I just wanted to see how you would react. As I expected, you remind me so much of my son."
"Am I really that similar to Lord Meta Knight?" He asked.
"Of course. You have your differences that's for sure. But the similarities you have are quite powerful. Take it from the woman that raised that brat for most of his life."
"You must really care about him, don't you?" The young man asked with a smile.
"Of course. Just like how he cares about you."
"How do you know that? Did you read his mind?"
Kurabe laughed. "Please, I haven't needed to read his mind in a long time. It's obvious just based on how he acts around you. He's relaxed, and he's only relaxed when he feels comfortable."
Ledo didn't say anything, but it was clear that he was happy.
"Ensign Ledo, I suggest that we go back to the Halberd. That battle used up 50% of my energy." Chamber suddenly said.
"Alright then. I'm sure Lord Meta Knight would want to speak to you again, Kurabe."
"Of course and there's plenty I'd like to talk about with him as well."
"Chamber, return to the Halberd!"
"Understood."
With those orders, the mech began to return.
Upon arrival they saw that Meta Knight was waiting for them.
"Welcome back, you three. I trust everything went well?"
Ledo gave a nod as he was lowered down to the floor. "Yes, everything went well."
The knight nodded then looked at Kurabe. "You tried fighting Chamber, didn't you, Kurabe?"
"Maybe." She replied in a teasing manner.
Meta Knight simply sighed.
"Excuse me, Lord Meta Knight?" Ledo said.
The knight immediately turned to him, hearing his name being called. "What is it, Ensign?"
"I was wondering, would you be interested in traveling the galaxy?" The young man asked nervously.
His superior just stared at him before nodding. "I was wondering when you would ask that. I'd be glad to take you around the galaxy."
The young man gave a smile. "Thank you very much, Lord Meta Knight!"
The knight didn't say anything, but his eyes softened upon hearing that. Kurabe's eyes also softened even though no one could see them.
"But are you sure you wouldn't mind leaving Dreamland, sir?" Ledo asked.
"It's quite alright. Kirby is around to protect Dreamland. Besides, it's not like we'll be gone forever. I've been wanting to show you more of our dimension anyway."
Kurabe cleared her throat, gaining they're attention.
"Just be careful during your travels. You never know what or who would be interested in someone from another dimension." She said, with a serious tone.
Meta Knight nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. Ledo didn't know what she was talking about, but he did have a vague idea of why she said that.
"Let's just say there's some... unscrupulous individuals in the Organization I work for. Not to mention all the would-be evil dictators in the galaxy. I'll try to keep the Organization off your backs and once I take over, I'll stamp out that corruption for good."
"Once you take over?" Ledo asked in concern.
"Kurabe is the chosen successor of the current leader." Meta Knight quickly clarified.
He then nodded in understanding. "Does that mean you'll take over her position when she's promoted, Lord Meta Knight?"
"No, I'm not technically apart of the Organization. Not anymore."
Kurabe gave a slight chuckle. "But there's no rule saying you can't be my successor."
The knight fell silent and looked away. "...I'll consider it."
"I understand it's hard for you, Meta." She uttered sadly.
"If you stomp out the corruption like you said you would, then it wouldn't be a hard decision." The blue puff said, his eyes becoming soft again.
The woman gave him a hug. "I will, Meta. I will. I'll make sure I crush all of them and those who caused you pain. I promise."
Ledo didn't understand what was happening but figured it wasn't any of his business.
"I should start Chamber's maintenance. You two should enjoy the rest of the day together." He said with a smile.
"Oh, I'm really sorry if it seems like I'm ignoring you, Ledo." The women quickly said.
"No, it's fine. I have to perform maintenance on Chamber anyway."
Kurabe nodded and watched him walk away. "You've got yourself a good kid, Meta. I sense that he has a bright future ahead of him. Make sure he stays on that path."
"I will, sensei. I promise you that."
Kurabe then took off her visor and gave Meta Knight a serious look. "Will you seriously consider being my successor, Meta? I won't force you to do it if you truly don't want to."
The knight hesitated for a moment, slightly startled by her somewhat sad gaze. "I will genuinely think about it, sensei. Especially if you follow through with your promise."
"Then the first thing I'll do is crush the corrupted the officials." She said with determination. "And the second thing I'll do is welcome you back with open arms."
Meta Knight was silent, but if his shining blue eyes were any indication, he was quite pleased with that proposal. "Very well. Though I have one other request, sensei."
She then looked at him in concern. "What is it, Meta?"
"Allow the Meta-Knights to become a fifth division focused on surveying seemingly peaceful regions of the galaxy. If I've learnt anything during my time here on Dreamland, it's that important events happen where you least expect it."
Kurabe relaxed upon hearing that. "Then I take it you'd want the Big Four to become Five, huh? Not a bad idea, Meta. I'll gladly do that, and if anyone has an issue with that then they'll have to face the two stronger warriors in the galaxy."
"Small correction, sensei. They'll have to face the two strongest warriors and an incredible duo." Meta Knight said, watching Ledo perform maintenance on Chamber.
"Ah, that's right." She replied with a smile.
"So how long will you be staying for, sensei?"
"Ohhh, I'm not sure. Maybe one or two days. Perhaps three, but I'm sure at that point Mercury will come to drag me back." She replied.
Meta Knight sighed. "I know I said you were allowed to visit at any time, but that was under the assumption of just a short visit. I really wish you would have told me in advance for we don't have a guest room available." The knight chastised.
"Oh, that's no problem. I'll just sleep in your room!"
He then turned towards his mentor in shock. "Wait, but I only have one bed in my room!"
"So? I can sleep on the floor, I don't mind. Or are you embarrassed about your mother sleeping in the same room as you?" She asked with a cheeky grin.
"J-just I'd feel guilty for making you sleep on the floor..."
"And I would feel guilty about making you sleep on the floor or stealing someone else's room."
Neither Meta Knight nor Kurabe seemed willing to give up on this matter.
"She can sleep in my room for the time being." Ledo yelled out, still working on Chamber.
The knight then turned back to his mentor. "Well, what do you think, Kurabe?"
"Are you sure, Ledo?" Kurabe asked, wanting to inconvenience Ledo.
"It's not problem. I'll sleep in Chamber. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do that."
"Suggestion. The Halberd has sleeping bags in the storage unit. Special guest Kurabe can use one of them and stay in Meta Knight's room." Chamber suddenly said.
The woman smiled. "Well then, let's do that. I'll go grab a sleeping bag and stay in your room, Meta. Will that be good enough for you?"
"Of course. Thank you Chamber. I hardly ever use the sleeping bags so I forgot we even had some."
His mentor then chuckled. "Be sure not to snore too loud tonight, Meta...and feel free to wake me up if you have a nightmare."
"Sensei, I don't snore, and I haven't had a nightmare in a while... but thank you."
She then pouted. "How am I supposed to cuddle with you then?"
Despite her reaction, she was clearly joking...or at least the blue puff hoped she was.
"Anyway, when do you and your crew normally have dinner, Meta? If you want, I could cook for all of us."
"We usually have it around 5 PM. But are you sure, sensei? I rather you not have to work while you're on break."
Kurabe waved his concerns off. "Meta, you know how much I love cooking for you. Besides, I was challenged."
The knight gave a quizzical look.
"I believe she's referring to a conversation we had where I showed surprise that she enjoyed cooking." Ledo shouted, finishing up the maintenance work.
The woman nodded at that and then turned to the knight. "Yes, that's why. Now, Meta, is there anything you'd like me to make?"
"Sensei, didn't you teach me to not ask questions with obvious answers?" Meta Knight said with playful look in his eyes.
She then gave a slight grin. "...chocolate fondant it is."
"...I was referring to chicken parmesan, sensei."
"I know, Meta. Have a sense of humor!" She pouted. "But I will make that for you later to eat instead of those parfaits you sneak in the middle of the night."
Ledo laughed to himself, hearing the conversation. "I guess Lord Meta Knight will always be Lord Meta Knight. Regardless of the time period."
As the young man began to put away the tools he used for maintenance, he was suddenly asked a question by Chamber.
"Question. Ensign, what do you think of investigating these Yuushon during our recon of the galaxy?"
"From what Kurabe said about them, they seem to be interesting. Sounds like a good plan, Chamber."
"Thank you, Ensign."
"I guess you're interested in meeting other sentient machines. Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested."
Honestly Ledo was ecstatic at the idea of meeting living machines. As silly as it sounded, he hoped that Chamber would become friends with a few of them.
"Perhaps... we can start by asking Kurabe to introduce us to that crew member of hers." He thought.
"Well, Chamber you're back to being in top condition. I just hope Kurabe doesn't challenge us to another test again. Once was enough for the both of us."
"Agreed."
"I'll be going to my room if you need me, Lord Meta Knight." Ledo said as he left the area.
The knight nodded and began to head to his own room.
"Then I suppose I'll get started with dinner. I should probably let the rest of Meta's crew know I'm here now that I think of it. Or maybe not, it's not every day you get to surprise that group of knuckleheads." She chuckled as she headed to the kitchen.
A bit of time had passed since then and it was now dinner time. All of the Meta-Knights were gathered in the dining area, including Meta Knight which surprised everyone except for Ledo as he usually ate in his room.
"Lord Meta Knight, not that we mind your company, but is there any reason you're eating with us today?" Axe Knight asked.
"You'll see when dinner is served." Was the blunt reply.
The group gave a collective sigh.
"Mysterious as always..." Axe Knight then spotted something unusual. "Sailor Dee if you're here, then who's in the kitchen?"
"I don't know! The door was locked when I tried to enter!"
However, Ledo also had the feeling that it was also because it was supposed to be a surprise. Ledo gave Meta Knight a look that said, "Did you know about the door being locked?"
The knight just shook his head silently. By that logic, it was Kurabe who did it. Most likely so she wouldn't be disturbed while she was working. Just then the door to the kitchen opened and plates of food started floating over to everyone, as if being carried by ghosts. Meta Knight and Ledo however knew that this was just Kurabe's mastery of ESP at work. Meanwhile, Vul only looked surprised for a brief moment.
"Ah. It's the Lady of Shadows, isn't it?" He uttered.
Meta Knight nodded and the rest of the crew, minus Vul, Sailor, and Ledo became pale.
"S-s-she's here!?"
"Oh no! Why today!?"
"Are you saying you wouldn't be acting like scared children if I came on a different day?" Kurabe's dangerously sweet voice could be heard getting closer.
The knights screamed in horror before hiding under the table.
"...Lord Meta Knight, is there any reason they're acting like this?"
Meta Knight sipped his tea before answering. "They foolishly tried fighting her in an attempt to prove themselves. They were hospitalized for weeks."
"In my defense, I didn't know they were with you, Meta. They attacked me without warning."
He gave a slight chuckle. "Yes, and I'm quite sure they learned their lesson from that."
Ledo just stared at the sight of the normally brave warriors reduced to nothing more than stuttering messes.
"That's enough of all of you, it's time to eat." Meta Knight said.
The subordinates groaned and returned to their seats.
"Now, please enjoy your meal." The woman said sweetly.
Ledo took a bite and was immediately hit by a wave of flavor. When she told him that she liked to cook, he figured she was decent at it. He wasn't expecting on the same level of Sailor Dee, if not even better. However, he then took another bite and came to yet another conclusion: no, this was even better than what Sailor Dee could make! Kurabe seemed to notice how much he was enjoying it as she was smiling in his direction. Ledo looked over to Meta Knight to see if he was enjoying the meal, only to see that he was almost already finished eating.
"Meta, were you starving yourself again? That's not healthy, you know." The woman then said with a pout.
Meta Knight just stared back. "How did you come to that conclusion? If you must know I've been eating just fine. If you don't believe me, you can ask the annoyed nurse sitting behind you."
She looked back to indeed see an annoyed Bio Gale sitting behind her.
"Lord Meta Knight has been eating the proper amount of food needed for his species. Are you insinuating that I am incapable of looking after my leader?" Bio Gale asked. She, just like Vul and Sailor, showed zero fear in the face of Kurabe.
"No, no, I do trust you. I am merely joking and concerned how he's eating like he hasn't in days."
"...Sensei, explain why you're already finished eating your own meal?" Meta Knight asked.
She only pursed her lips and slightly lowered her visor, hiding her face slightly.
"...You need to work on your sense of humor, Meta." She said while pouting.
"I don't think I'm the one who needs to work on that." He thought to himself.
"What was that, Meta?" She uttered, glaring at him.
"Nothing, sensei." He said with a sigh.
"Meta, you do understand I can read your mind, right?"
"I've known that for decades. I really wish you'd quit doing that."
She only grinned. "Or what?"
"I know you're just trying to get me to spar against you, sensei. I don't need ESP to know that much."
Her grin became wider. "...you have the urge as well, don't you?"
"Not after dinner!" Bio Gale shouted out.
"Oh yes after dinner!"
"No. Fighting after eating a meal can cause you to become ill. I will not allow that. I'll fight you if I need to!" The nurse stated, not noticing her contradictory statement.
The woman noted this, but didn't care as she gave a slightly sinister grin. "Very well, then let's figh-"
Before she could get out of her chair, Meta Knight grabbed her and pulled her ear close to her to whisper to her.
"Mother, please calm down and behave yourself. I'm sure you wouldn't like to make a scene in front of the others more than you have."
Almost instantly, Kurabe relaxed and looked slightly ashamed.
"My apologies, Meta. Earlier, my exercise with Ledo and Chamber got my blood pumping, though that's hardly an excuse. My apologies, everyone." She said with a bow. "But I still want that sparing match, Meta. That's something you can't talk me out of."
"You'll be here for few days, correct? We'll spar tomorrow. I'm sure you're exhausted from today and I'd rather we both fought at full strength."
His mentor gave a smile. "It's a deal then. Let's do it tomorrow."
Ledo was impressed by how Meta Knight handled the situation. Admittedly, he was under the impression that nothing could keep Kurabe reigned in. As usual, Meta Knight proved him wrong. Though considering that he was raised by her, he probably shouldn't be too surprised.
The rest of dinner went on without any issues.
"Thank you for the meal, Kurabe. It was delicious." Ledo said, starting to feel a little tired, mostly due to the exhaustion catching up to him.
"It's not a problem, Ledo. Now, would you like me to take you to your room? You look like you're about to fall asleep at any moment."
"That won't be necessary, but thank you."
She nodded in response. "Well then, good night and I'll see you tomorrow."
Ledo also did, even though he planned to read for the next few hours. "Good night, Kurabe. Good night, Lord Meta Knight and everyone else."
Upon hearing a collective response from the others, he exited and started to leave for his room. Ledo's head was full of varying thoughts, all centering around Meta Knight and Kurabe.
"Chamber, would it be possible for you to find information on Kurabe?"
"If you wish, I can check the database of the Halberd."
"Do it, but only give me general information about her, nothing confidential."
"Understood. Beginning search..."
The young man nodded as he walked into his room and locked the door.
"Search complete. I'll display the information on the communication device so you can read at your leisure, Ensign."
"Understood. Thank you, Chamber."
Words appeared on Ledo's screen.
"Let's see... Lady of Shadows Kurabe, the leader of the combat division of the Galactic Organization. Student of the current leader and teacher of the current strongest warrior of the galaxy, Meta Knight. She is currently the third strongest warrior. Incredible..."
The next part is what really caught his eye: detailed records about her main crew. Not just current members, but past members as well.
"Chamber, keep a note of all the home planets listed for each crewmate past and present. It'll be useful for our trip."
"Understood. Beginning copying of data."
Ledo figured that someone as charismatic as Kurabe must have had countless different types of creatures under her command. Meaning he could create a map of the galaxy and plan a course of travel.
"Alright I think that's enough for tonight, Chamber."
"Ensign, why couldn't you have asked Kurabe herself?"
"I didn't want to bother her with something as silly as this." Ledo said as he got dressed for bed. "Besides, I wanted to learn more about this Organization for myself. Both lord Meta Knight and Kurabe have specific points of views about the Organization. I just wanted to make my own opinion."
"That is the most reasonable course of action."
Ledo nodded. "While I trust both of them to be fair in their judgments, the fact of the matter is they are biased. I wanted a non-biased look at her crew. The fact of the matter is, I'm greatly interested in this Organization, and if I need to worry about another Striker."
He then laid down in his bed.
"Ultimately, it is your decision, Ensign Ledo."
"Believe me. I know that, otherwise I wouldn't have asked for information in the first place. In fact, I think I've already come to a decision, Chamber."
"Would you care to inform me of this decision?"
"This Organization, it's eerily similar to our Galactic alliance. Perhaps not as unethical as the alliance is."
As he said that an image of Ledo's nameless and assumed brother flashed in his head.
"But there's certainly something shady going on, both Kurabe and Lord Meta Knight have confirmed that. Those two want to change the Organization for the better, so I decided that I will help them do that."
"And I will assist you with that mission, Ensign Ledo."
He gave a slight smile. "Thank you, Chamber."
Then, he became curious about something.
"...pull up the crew data for Lord Meta Knight."
"Understood."
In a few moments, the information was pulled up. "Let's see. He joined at an early age, quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his skills and adaptability. That definitely sounds like him." As he kept reading, Ledo came to a stopping point. "Classified information. Strange, it shows that he left a few years after whatever thus classified section is. Well, it's probably classified for a reason, I shouldn't overstep my boundaries." He'd rather have superior tell him about it anyway. Well, at least when he was ready. "Well, I should get as much rest as I can. Something tells me that the next few days will be interesting. Good night, Chamber." "Understood. Good night, ensign Ledo."
The next morning Ledo woke up as he normally did. Got dressed, read over his list of duties for the day and left his room to get breakfast. A completely normal morning, except for one thing. The Halberd began to shake vigorously.
"An earthquake!? No, it can't be, we're still in the air. So, what caused that?"
Ledo walked over to the nearest window and what he saw really shouldn't have surprised him. Right outside of the ship was Meta Knight and Kurabe sparring in the air.
"Looks like they're having fun." He uttered with a smile.
"How can you tell, Ensign?"
"...it's hard to explain, but it just feels that way."
The fight, even though it was just for fun, was quite intense. Both of them looked evenly matched, but even Ledo could see Meta Knight had an edge over Kurabe.
"I guess both of them enjoy an intense battle." He said. A thought crossed his mind while watching the fight. "She was going easy on us yesterday. I figured as much, knowing how powerful she was. Chamber, we're going to need to improve on our training if we want to be useful to them."
"Understood. I will begin work on improving our training regime."
Ledo nodded and looked back at the fight, which showed no signs of ending anytime soon. Then he felt his stomach growl.
"Right, breakfast."
Soon, he arrived at the kitchen, where Sailor Dee was cooking breakfast for the other members of the crew.
"Good morning, Sailor." He said.
"Good morning, Ledo!" The Waddle Dee waved back cheerfully.
"Do you know how long those two have been sparring for by any chance?" Ledo asked the helpful Dee.
Sailor took a moment to think. "Hm... they seemed to have started the moment they finished eating breakfast ant that was about... two and a half hours ago."
"I see. Well hopefully they won't go at it all day long."
"Unfortunately, I doubt that. Those two can go at it for a pretty long time."
Somehow, Ledo knew Sailor was completely right.
Seven hours had passed and Ledo had just finished his final task for the day.
"Alright, that's enough for today. I better go report to Lord Meta Knight. Chamber, do you know where he is?"
"He is still outside fighting Kurabe."
Ledo sighed. "Just how much stamina do they have?" He then looked at a nearby clock. "Well, it's almost time for dinner anyway. Chamber, let's go and put an end to their sparring match."
"Ensign Ledo that course of action is ill advised. The threat level is too much for us both."
The young man nodded. "That's true, but if we don't stop them, who knows what will happen?"
Chamber went silent for a bit.
"Affirmative."
"Alright then."
He then ran to the hanger and got into Chamber's cockpit. Fearlessly, Ledo launched and quickly got to where the two warriors were.
"Attention, Lord Meta Knight and Miss Kurabe. It's time for dinner." He said through Chamber's speakers, intentionally calling Kurabe "miss" to get her attention.
However, the two warriors still seemed to be in a deadlock.
"Drastic times call for drastic measures." Ledo said to himself, trying to build up enough courage. "Chamber, grab both of them and don't let go until I say so."
"Roger."
"Now!" With his command, the mech reached out and grabbed the preoccupied sword masters as they then immediately struggled to be let go. "Both of you, it's time for dinner."
Kurabe gave a pout. "Oh, I was just starting to have fun!"
"You've been fighting for more than half the day. I think you've had your fill of excitement." Ledo said.
"Mother, as much as I would enjoy sparring for much longer, Ledo's correct."
"Yes, but I would like to spar longer!"
It was at that moment that her visor shattered from damage.
The knight then gave a sigh. "Well, let's head back then, Ensign Ledo."
The young man nodded. "Understood."
After they returned to the ship and Chamber let the two puffs go, Kurabe pulled out a new visor and put it on.
"You've gotten a lot better since last time we've sparred, Meta. At this rate you might end up completely leaving me in your dust." She said with a smile filled with pride. While being surpassed annoys her as a warrior, as a teacher and mother, she couldn't be prouder of Meta Knight's development.
"You still gave me a rush of excitement while I was fighting you, so you're not completely in the dust yet. If anything, it seems like you've also improved a bit." Kurabe nodded and then looked at Ledo. "Thank you, Ledo. Sometimes I can't help but carried away when sparring with Meta. He's one of the only people that can still give me an exhilarating battle."
"Oh, it's not a problem, I think. I was just thinking you two would be hungry or tired."
"I am now that the adrenaline has worn off. In the heat of battle thoughts like that don't cross my mind." Kurabe stated.
Meta Knight nodded, signifying he feels the same.
"Are all puffballs like that? I think Kirby is the same way." The young man then asked.
"It's not exclusive to us, though our unique bodies do help with that. It's more of warrior's mindset. Tell me, when you are in the thick of combat do you think about hunger or eating?"
"No, I don't."
"There you have it. It's something most warriors or soldiers develop over the course of their careers." Then both Kurabe's and Meta Knight's stomachs audibly growled. "Downside is that the feelings of hunger strike you twice as hard."
The young man smiled. "Well then, let's get you both something to eat, shall we?"
"Lead the way, Ensign Ledo." Meta Knight said, attempting to hide the clear exhaustion in his voice.
"...do you need me to carry you, sir?"
Before Meta Knight could even answer, Kurabe had already lifted up above her head.
"Don't worry, Meta, I can take you there."
The knight groaned.
"I'll see you both there." He said before teleporting away.
The woman then pouted. Ledo sighed, hoping there wouldn't be any trouble during dinner.
At the dining hall it was just the three of them waiting for Sailor Dee to finish cooking as the other crewmates were still preoccupied. Ledo decided to make conversation to help time go by.
"Kurabe, you mentioned how Lord Meta Knight is one of the few people that can give you a good challenge. Who are the others?"
She gave a smile. "My own mentor and Kirby, of course."
She followed with a slight frown. "There's also Reedy, though fights with him are not very stimulating."
One of those answers wasn't that's surprising. The other, however...
"You fought Kirby!?"
"Why yes. I wanted to see how well Meta trained him...it was also because I was extremely bored due to him running late for our meeting."
"It's not my fault you decided to arrive two hours early." Meta Knight said, though his comment was ignored.
"When was this fight?"
"Oh, I believe this was not long before you arrived in Dreamland. I had come to visit and meet Kirby for the first time."
Ledo nodded. That made a lot of sense. He was sure if that happened recently Kirby would have been talking about it nonstop.
"So, who won?"
"It was a draw. Meta interrupted us before it got any more interesting." She uttered with a pout.
"I see. Kurabe, I was wondering, and I'll ask this of you too Lord Meta Knight. Do you two think I can learn magic?"
The two became silent, as if to think about it.
"...that's something I'm not too sure about, ensign." The knight was first to reply.
Then it was Kurabe who spoke up. "You see, in order to use magic, you need to have mana. All creatures in this dimension are born with mana. However, you're not from this dimension... though I suppose I could try to sense if you have mana deep within you."
Hearing this made the young man interested. "If you don't mind, would you please do?"
Kurabe nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating on Ledo's presence.
"Ledo, may I ask what made you want to learn magic?"
"...Chamber's extremely powerful, but there's no guarantee that he'll be around for every possible situation. I'm decent with CQC and I'm good with my pistol, but even those have limits. If I want to help you and Kurabe stamp out the corruption of this dimension, I need to get stronger."
"I agree that Ensign Ledo's thoughts. Having more options for self-defense is a logical choice." Chamber added.
Meta Knight nodded, understanding Ledo's thought process completely. They both then turned their attention back to Kurabe.
"It's faint, but there's a small amount of mana in you. However, it's not enough for you to unlock. Essentially in order to use mana you need to awaken it, however those with small amounts can't awaken it." There was a moment of silence as she paused. "...but there's one option to help you awaken it, but it will be very painful."
"I'll do it." Ledo said instantly.
The woman sighed. "Hold out your hands. Meta and I will transfer our mana into you, combining it with yours. It will be extremely painful on your body, so are you sure about this?"
"I can handle it. After everything I've experienced, I think I can handle any kind of pain." He replied.
"Bold words. I like that." The woman said with a grin.
With that Kurabe and Meta Knight took his hands and began sending mana into him. Immediately Ledo felt a tremendous pain, as if his insides were suddenly set ablaze. He could feel his heartbeat become more and more rapid and a searing migraine formed in his head. Even still, he couldn't just give up now.
"Please don't... stop... yet." He said with a pain filled expression, struggling to even get the words out.
Honestly, he felt like he was experiencing the same pain he felt whenever the Neuro-Plus Power activated, except this somehow felt even worse.
"Ensign Ledo, your vitals are becoming unstable-"
"Not... now... Chamber...!"
As soon as he said that lighting began to emit from his fingers.
"It's working, just a little bit longer, Ledo." Kurabe said in a soothing tone.
The young man only weakly nodded. At this point, he was in so much pain that he could barely have a coherent thought. Not only that, but he felt himself beginning to lose consciousness. Ledo clenched his fist, trying to stay awake and then saw something. All across his hands and arms was a strange, light blue, almost gray energy surrounding him. Just then, Meta Knight and Kurabe let go of him and looked at him proudly.
"Congratulations, Ensign. You've unlocked your mana."
Slightly panting, the young man managed to give a weak smile before he suddenly fainted face-first onto the table.
When he came to, Ledo found himself in his room. When he got up, he noticed that he wasn't in any pain, in fact it was quite the opposite. He never felt better! Then he noticed his communication device was sitting right next to him and a feeling of guilt started to creep up.
"Chamber, I want to apologize for snapping at you."
"Ensign Ledo, I do not understand what you are apologizing for. It is merely my duty to recommend to you the best course of action. Whatever you do after that is your decision." His mech replied.
Ledo smiled, his guilt receding. "How are my vitals now?"
"Vitals are currently at stable levels."
"That's a relief. What time is it now?"
"It is currently 9 PM."
"So, I've been out for two hours. I need to see Lord Meta Knight and Kurabe. Do you know where they are, Chamber?"
"They are currently waiting outside your room."
"Well, that makes things simpler." He then turned to the door. "Could you come in?"
The door slowly opened to reveal a relieved looking Meta Knight and Kurabe.
"We brought you dinner, seeing as you weren't able to eat earlier. How are you feeling?" The knight asked, setting Ledo's dinner down on a nearby table.
"I'm feeling strangely good. I don't feel any pain at all."
"That's normal. It just means the mana inside you is reacting positively to your body. However, for the next few days you should take it easy just to make sure nothing bad happens." Kurabe explained.
He nodded in reply.
"Well, while we're here, would you like to hear a humorous story about what happened when Meta first awakened his mana?" The woman asked.
"I recall nothing humorous about that, sensei."
"Oh, have a sense of humor, Meta!" She pouted.
"I do have one. Stories that end with me being the butt of a joke is not what I would call humor."
"Oh, you're only saying that because it ended with me scolding you for calling me an old hag."
"No, I'm saying that because I was nearly electrocuted to death."
"Oh, now you're just being dramatic."
The young man sighed. "Are there any stories that you both can agree on telling?"
The two looked at each other.
"Oh, there's plenty. Like the time we first met. Or the time we went deep sea diving to find a lost treasure. There's so many stories it's hard to choose just one." The older woman said.
"There was also the day I graduated as your student and the day I obtained Galaxia..." The knight added.
"Tell me about how you met." Ledo said. He was both curious about their meeting and wanted a topic that wouldn't cause any kind of argument.
Kurabe gave a nod before telling the story. "I first encountered Meta after taking a mission on the planet Opasnost. That planet, you see, is nicknamed "the death trap planet" due to the amount of danger that's present there."
Ledo's face became serious. "Did you live on that planet, Lord Meta Knight?"
The knight nodded. "I not only lived there, but I was born there as well."
"And your biological parents?"
"No idea." Meta Knight said. "Knowing the conditions of that planet, they likely died..."
Everyone became silent for bit before Kurabe clapped her hands.
"Anyway, the mission I was on required me to deal with a notorious group of intergalactic criminals. I infiltrated the base, only to find that someone had already defeated all of them." She said, looking straight at Meta Knight.
"I was the one who defeated them. They attacked me first, so I had to defend myself."
"Then in a panic he attacked me, but I knocked him out. Not wanting a child to be trapped on that death trap, I decided to take him with me."
The knight continued after her. "I woke up on her ship while she was treating my injuries. Of course, I was a bit hesitant and on edge, seeing how I was attacked and taken in by a stranger. However, it was soon I realized she was different from other people I met up to that point. Specifically, she was kinder and much more patient than any of them. It was so much that I wanted to stay with her, and she agreed to let me live with her on the ship. You could say the rest is history then."
Ledo smiled. While the circumstances of their meeting weren't favorable, it was obvious that the both of them grew for the better. In a way, it reminded him of his own meeting with Meta Knight, despite the circumstances being much different.
"Well, thank you for that story, you two. I found it interesting." The young man said.
"So, when can I start learning magic?" He then asked.
"I'll teach you once you're fully used to mana. You're very lucky, Ledo, for it seems that you have an affinity for electricity. Just like me." Meta Knight said, raising his hand and letting electricity form around it.
"Electricity, huh? I guess that makes sense." He uttered.
"I think it's perfect for you, considering your partner is a machine. You can keep Chamber fully charged at all times." Kurabe said.
"It really is." He gave a smile.
"Well, we should all get some rest. I'll be leaving tomorrow so I need all the energy I need." Kurabe said with a sad smile.
Ledo himself noted this. "Don't worry, Ms. Kurabe. I'm sure you can come visit us another time."
That seemed to put her somewhat at ease. "Yes, and next time I'll bring my whole crew. I'm sure they'd love to meet both you and Chamber."
The young man smiled. "I'll look forward to meeting them then."
"We should be going then, sensei. Good night, Ledo. I'm glad you're okay." Meta Knight said as he left the room.
"Good night, Lord Meta Knight." He replied before laying back down on his bed.
The next morning the whole crew was gathered to see Kurabe off.
"It's been wonderful spending time with you again, Meta. I wish I could stay for much longer but even I can't get away from my position for too long."
The knight nodded. "I understand, sensei. I enjoyed spending time with you as well. Besides, I'm sure Mercury would have come to drag you back if you try to stay away from too long."
Kurabe laughed. "Very true. As for you Ledo, I have a gift for you."
She grabbed something from behind her and handed it to Ledo. It was a black sword with the edges painted orange. It reminded him of Chamber.
"I made it the day I first came here. I decided that an apprentice of a knight should have his own blade."
He took the sword in his hands and examined it. "Thank you very much."
"You're welcome." She then embarrassed both Meta Knight and Ledo with a hug. "I'll miss you both."
"I'll...I'll miss you too, sensei..." The knight uttered.
"It was nice meeting you, Miss Kurabe."
"It was nice meeting you too, Ledo. I hope we can see each other again soon." Kurabe let go and hopped into her personal star jet. "Take care, everyone! Good luck with your training, Ledo. Knowing how Meta is, you'll need it!"
Before he could even give a response, she already left.
"Lord Meta Knight, do you think I can become a strong warrior like you and Kurabe?" Ledo asked, staring at where the warrior was.
"Of course. You have incredible potential, you just need help reaching it. And please, call me sensei."
The young man gave a slight laugh.
"Very well then... sensei."
A very long story, but I think that's fine.
I've been wanting to return to Dreamland on the Glittering Star for a while now and I'm so glad I did, honestly.
Honestly, could consider this a sort of several-months-late anniversary story, I guess? I'm not entirely sure.
Either way, I hope you enjoyed it!
