Chapter 7

Tiff, Kirby, and Sword Knight returned to the castle in the late afternoon. They found Tuff watching tv as Blade left the bedroom to meet them. Tiff started sorting the ingredients and Sword and Blade talked quietly in the bedroom doorway.

"How is he?" Sword asked.

"I tcepsus not good." Blade replied. They entered the other room and Sword checked on Meta Knight.

Meta Knight was still tucked into bed, although Sword noted that the blankets had been fixed. It was clear that he wasn't really sleeping. Meta Knight normally slept on his side, although he did sleep in his armor a lot of the time. The eyes on the star warriors mask were still a faded yellow, but Sword could see sweat on his forehead above his mask. He looked worse than when Sword had last seen him. The older knight was motionless, but he looked… uncomfortable. Sword took his leader's temperature and his hand recoiled.

"He's burning up!" Sword said, turning to Blade, who nodded grimly. Blade wiped Meta Knight's forehead. They wouldn't take his mask off, at least not when they had company over.

"Let's go help, Tiff." Blade replied, leaving the room.

Sword knight placed his hand on Meta Knight's before he left and said, "We'll have the cure ready soon, sir."

He followed Blade Knight out. They found Tiff and Tuff taking inventory of the ingredients with Kirby. Tiff would call out an ingredient and Tuff and Kirby would find it and assure that it was there.

"It looks like the cure recipe makes a sort of soup." Tiff said, reading through the steps in the book.

"Well that is what you eat when you're sick." Tuff shrugged.

"Well, let's get to work." Tiff said. She looked around. "Hey, wait, do you guys have a kitchen here?"

"A kitchen? Er..No, we don't." Sword replied.

"Where do you cook dinner then?' Tuff asked.

"We normally pick something up from the castle kitchen on our rounds, or the Waddle Dees bring it." Sword answers.

"Really? So Meta Knight doesn't cook you dinner?" Tiff asked. The two Knights looked at each other.

"Sometimes. He's usually very busy." Blade answered hurridley.

"Yeah, and it's best not to trouble him." Sword finished, "Anyways, I suppose we could use the castle kitchen."

"Why don't we just use the one at our house, it's not that far away." Tiff suggested.

"Good idea!" The knights agreed.

They gathered up the ingredients and carted them over to Tiff and Tuff's house. Their parents were out, so they had free reign of the kitchen. They set to work. Blade filled the pot with water and set it on the stove, sword chopped up the ingredients, Tuff and Kirby washed the ingredients, and Tiff added the ingredients as the recipe said.

It took roughly half an hour before the soup was ready, and Sword dismissed himself twice to check on Meta Knight during the process.

Kirby hadn't tried to eat a single ingredient. He'd peeked through the door when Sword and Blade had gone into the room to check Meta Knight earlier. He didn't fully understand the situation, but the little warrior was determined to help Meta Knight feel better.

When the cure was ready, it was an orangey color with a blue shine to it from the shells. Sword and Blade looked at each other skeptically, but they transported it back to the Knight's room.

"We'll give it to Meta Knight." Sword said as Tiff handed him a bowl. She nodded and Sword and Blade went into Meta Knight's room, closing the door behind them to give their mentor some privacy.

Sword propped Meta Knight up against the bedframe and Blade removed his mask carefully. Without the mask they could see how tired Meta Knight really looked. Blade wiped the sweat off the unconscious knight's face and held him steady while Sword brought the bowl to his mouth. They watched the soup in the bowl drain until it was empty and then waited for a moment hopefully.

"How long do you think it takes to work?" Sword asked Blade.

"I dunno." Blade replied. "Let's go ask Tiff."

Sword readjusted Meta Knight so he was lying on his side like he normally slept, facing away from the door. They left his mask off for now and tucked him back in before leaving the room.

"Did it work?" Tuff asked as soon as he saw the two knights leave the room.

"Gnihton deneppah tey, it might take awhile," Blade answered.

Sword added, "Tiff, how long does it say in the book?"

"It doesn't say.." Tiff answered.

"Why don't you come back tomorrow?" Sword suggested. "I'm sure your parents will be home soon to cook dinner."

"Okay. You can stay at our place tonight, Kirby." Tiff told Kirby. She turned back to Blade and Sword. She handed Blade the book. "I'll leave the book here with you."

Sword and Blade nodded as the kids left to go home. Blade set the book on the shelf by the candy jar.

"I guess all we can do now is wait." Sword sighed, sitting on the floor in front of the Tv.

"Tell me about getting the ingredients then." Blade answered curiously, sitting down next to his companion.

So Sword began to tell him how he, Tiff, and Kirby got the starchell shell, the spiderweb, and the droopy flower.

—-

Meta Knight woke up with a groan. He felt stiff, sore and tired. He frowned. His mouth tasted terribly bitter. No matter. He remembered he needed to go to the library for something. He pushed himself upright and put his hand to his face, which was when he realized his mask was missing. Had he taken it off? He looked around and saw he was still in his room, and his mask was waiting on the bedside table. He struggled to put it on, but managed it after a moment. Wrapping himself in his cape, he stood up and felt dizzy with a headache. He barely had taken one step when Sword and Blade came in to intervene.

—-

Sword and Blade were sitting in the living area watching Tv when they heard a sound from one of the other rooms. They looked at eachother and stood up instantly. Blade turned off the Tv and they ran to check Meta Knight's room.

They found Meta Knight one step away from his bed, holding his head with one hand. He'd managed to get his mask on, but Sword and Blade quickly stopped him from taking any more steps.

"Sir, you need to rest!" Blade exclaimed, trying to get Meta Knight to move back to the bed.

"Goddaet… library.." Meta Knight mumbled stubbornly.

"We went to the library, we found the cure for the pollen." Sword replied, ushering Meta Knight back to bed, "But you need to rest now."

"Pollen.." Meta Knight mumbled something unintelligible before continuing with, "tfft bitterer.."

"Get him another bowl." Sword whispered to Blade, who immediately left to get another bowl of soup. Sword managed to get Meta Knight back into bed and managed to convince him to take his mask back off while Blade brought back a bowl of soup.

"Here sir, this'll make you feel better." Blade handed him the bowl of soup.

Meta Knight started to drink it. He grimaced, stopping mutter, "Bitter."

Sword went out to grab the candy jar and another bowl of soup while Blade stayed with Meta Knight.

"Kirby?" Meta Knight asked.

"Kirby is safe. He's with Tiff" Blade answered reassuringly. Meta Knight relaxed a little. Blade and Sword had Meta Knight drink one last bowl of soup before letting him put his mask back on.

"Get some rest now, sir." Blade instructed.

"We'll explain everything in the morning." Sword promised.

Sword left the candy jar by Meta Knight's bed and then he and Blade left the room to let their mentor rest. That night they took turns keeping watch over Meta Knight's room in case he needed anything while the other one slept.