Hi there! Welcome to my new story in my Kirby AU, Wish Upon a Milkyway!
Before you read, there are a couple terms I use so you aren't lost on what I'm talking about.
D'nno: A fan given name to the species that Tiff/Fumu and Tuff/Bun are. My main character Myra is one with some hidden secrets.
Batamon: A species of Puff based off the Kirby 3 enemy. I have an extensive document on them but the Meta Knight of this AU is one.
And that's pretty much it for this Author's Note! Feels a bit old school. As I upload I will probably post more terms and what they mean as time goes on but for now I hope you enjoy my small little fict!
-Yours, Neri Windbornn/NamiNeri.
Dew sparkled brightly on the fading patches of land, and the wind was leaden with the scent of the nearby sea. The leaves of the trees were colored by the bright tones and shades of autumn, from vivid reds, to golden oranges, bright yellows, light greens, and somber browns. Today the air was slightly chilly, but the day was clear and sunny. Not a cloud in the bright and blazing blue sky, which made it a perfect day to be outside!
And that's exactly the kind of weather that Sir Meta Knight had been hoping for. He stood on the branch of a tree, overseeing the rolling fields that steadily were turning from a blissful green to a more somber shade of orange. The aged and cracked armor that had seen many battles over the years gleamed quietly, and the folds of his dark blue cape were teased about in the wind as the elder Knight quietly surveyed the land. The scent of wild mushrooms reigned over the air, and the feeling of Summer had finally eased out.
From somewhere nearby a crow cawed, and Meta Knight remained silent and still, the amber souls glowing brightly from within the dark slot of his mask.
All was quiet and well, a feeling of soft peace had reigned over the Knight, where he could for once hear himself think amid the dusky colored leaves.
A yell had come from somewhere behind the elder Knight, and he let out a sigh of disappointment. 'Dios Mio…'
"Please, your ladyship, this isn't a good way to behave." came the voice of Sword Knight, who sounded thoroughly harassed about the situation.
"A good way to behave?! I'll show you a good way to behave if you don't get your mitts off me, Sword Knight!" screeched a young woman's voice that had an underlying snarl coloring the tones.
"Lady Knightmare, must you be this difficult?" Blade Knight groaned, sounding as if there was a struggle.
"Again I wouldn't be this difficult if you both would just unhand me!"
"We're sorry, m'lady, but it was our Lord's orders." Blade Knight sighed with exasperation.
Meta Knight glanced behind him where he could see his right and left hand vassals coming down the dirt path. The purple armor of Sword Knight gleamed in the midmorning sunshine, along with his fellow Blade Knight who sported green armor with golden flame markings on the pauldrons. Like Meta Knight, their armor had seen better days with many scuffs and cracks and chips marring their once pristine surfaces.
In between them was a short D'nno girl with two antler-like horns that shimmered in the morning sun, though she appeared to be no more than 18 or so, wearing a black jacket and pants and a plain mint green tank top underneath.
"Dammit! Let me go!" The girl had screamed, struggling to get out of their grips, when suddenly the two vassals had stopped just a few feet short of the tree that was currently Meta Knight's perch.
The young D'nno still struggled but the two Knight's grips were very strong! Sword Knight had walked forward. "Forgive us, Lord Meta Knight for our lateness."
"It matters not, seeing as you've brought the unruly child." the Elder Knight had disembarked from his lofty perch, his cape fluttering down behind him as if wings for a moment. The midnight blue puff landed perfectly on his feet like a cat, ancient souls looking directly at the curly haired D'nno lass. "You may release her now."
The young woman didn't wait for them to let go; rather she had ripped herself free of their grips and then turned to Meta Knight. "You! What is the meaning of having your vassals drag me out of my bed and home as if I'm some criminal?!" She demanded placing her hands on her hips.
Meta Knight didn't flinch at her loud tones, or her biting words, but rather remained poised and calm. "Because, Myra I know you. I wouldn't need to take such drastic measures to ensure your Knight training if you were only a little more aware but alas that is like asking Kirby to resist eating everything in sight…" he sighed and walked around the base of the tree and pulled out a duffle bag containing all sorts wooden hilts sticking out of the barely contained zipper.
The Elder Knight dug one out and tossed it to Myra who almost was slammed in the muzzle with the tip if she had not caught it.
"If you are finished whining...then take up your practice sword and let out your aggression in a spar." He had one in his paw as well, Meta Knight's gaze was intense as the autumn wind gusted between them both. He took on stance, both his paws placed on the hilt of his own wood blade.
Myra took one look at the wooden sword in her hand, then back to Meta Knight with an incredulous look on her face. "Are you-GHK!" the lass began, but was suddenly cut off when the blueberry Batamon had rushed at her with blinding speed!
Myra had barely anytime to put her own practice stick up in response! A loud CLACK was heard as wood struck wood. The elder Knight seemed to be serious about this, much to the D'nno's disappointment and ire. With a snort of sharp purple mist, Myra had thrown Meta Knight off her! The elder allowed the momentum to carry him back before landing on his feet with his cape flowing out behind him.
"Really, Mija, is that the best you can do?" Meta Knight looked almost bored, not even annoyed. Just...bored...And for some reason that made the feathers under Myra's jacket ruffle in indignation. With a growl, the pastel blue D'nno had rushed forward, the wooden sword suddenly feeling alive in her clawed grip.
"I'll show you what I can do, old man!" Myra snarled, raising her practice sword high over her head to slash down at the knight.
Of course Meta Knight had blocked it effortlessly, a glint in his eye that Myra had not seen before as flecks of pink colored his wise old amber souls. The expression had nearly caught Myra off guard as Meta Knight had twisted his practice sword from under her and attempted to slash at her wrist.
With a quick movement, Myra had blocked his slash as well, the two getting into a hard lock.
This time Meta Knight was now grinning under his mask, even if the slot didn't show the outline of his mouth this time. Myra could tell from the sound of his voice that the elder was enjoying himself.
"Good, niña. But you still are not giving me your all." Meta Knight had jumped back out of the lock and placed the tip of his sword into the ground. This time his eyes were shaded green in thought as he stroked the bottom of his mask.
Myra however looked confused, and even more annoyed than before. "What are you even talking about?"
"Hmmm, perhaps you need proper motivation…." Meta Knight hummed, not directly paying attention to the lass who let out a snarl of anger. She leaned on her blade in anger, the curly locks of her hair poofing up even more than before.
A brief silence overtook the battlefield with Meta Knight thinking deeply and Myra swishing a blue furred tail that had seemingly appeared from nowhere. After a few minutes the midnight blue Batamon turned to Myra with a smile that could be seen directly in his mask slot.
"Mija...listen and listen well."
"Yeah what?"
"If you can best me in today's match...I will get you that plushy you've been eyeing recently at the store." Meta Knight pulled his blade from the ground and held it loosely at his side.
A blush had appeared on Myra's pale blue face, eyes glimmering white in shock at such a blatant bribe. "Are you serious?"
"As serious as a heart attack." Meta Knight confirmed with a nod of his head. "You must either best me or disarm me. And...I will add something else if you can defeat me in under 15 minutes."
This time the girl had tilted her head to the side like a confused puppy. "Like what?"
Meta Knight didn't answer this time, instead he retook his ready stance. Seeing that Myra was not going to get her answer, she let out a sigh and did the same. The two were now staring the other down, not breathing, or moving an inch. It was like time had stopped and the only two beings that mattered where the two warriors locked in their practice battle for the day.
The wind gusted through the grass, the leaves shifting in their wake as both Knightmares gazed at each other, watching...watching...not barely moving an inch as the gentle breeze teased and played with their clothing and hair. Eyes locked, amber on violet and not looking away for anything.
Then...suddenly something shifted! Was it the breath of the wind? Perhaps a hair had shifted out of place on both of them, but regardless the spell of silence that previously held them was now broken!
Meta Knight rushed at his granddaughter with speed surprising for his size and body type, but Myra this time was ready for him! She raised her wooden blade, the marred wood surface had many deep scuffs and scratches from years of use. Another loud CLACK sounded, seeming to echo off the fields and carry into the air, as Myra's blade met Meta Knight's. Myra had twisted out from under him, and attempted to slash at his upper arm, but of course Meta Knight was quick to block that attempt.
The two had begun to fence back and forth now, exchanging blows that were either out matched or outright blocked as the sound of the wood sticks meeting each other made a strange, but delightful melodic tone. Amid the sounds were the grunts of both Meta Knight and Myra struggling to gain the upper hand on the other. There were times however where the young lass slipped and Antonio would tap her on the arms or shins, but despite that, Myra refused to lose today!
Sword Knight let out a sigh, watching the two go at it. "The lady sure has strange motivations."
Blade Knight nodded his head in agreement. "True, our Lord knows how to bring out the best and worst in her. But I will admit that her swordplay has improved quite considerably."
"Indeed, it feels like just yesterday that the lady could barely block any of our Lord's masterful strokes."
The other knight vassal crossed his arms. "He also seems to be enjoying himself." Taking note at how Meta Knight was now grinning as he and the young woman fenced back and forth.
"The Master still loves to play spar...so that's not surprising at all."
Meta Knight had dodged out of the way of Myra's vertical slash and returned as overhead slash! However Myra was quite sharp and blocked it right then and there resulting in the two deadlocking. They were both face to face, masked Batamon puff to D'nno, their noses just inches apart. Up close like this Myra could see the pupils of her grandfather's eyes, as well as the pink spots that had grown bigger as their fight went on.
The elder's grin was now on full display, one of the baby fangs poking out. For some reason to Myra, her grandfather didn't feel so old and weathered anymore.
"I'm impressed, Mija...but this battle is not over yet!"
The masked Knight began to bore down on the pale blue D'nno, putting all of his strength into breaking the deadlock now. Myra could feel her back wanting to bend, the soles of her sneakers digging into the ground.
Myra had to think fast, as Meta Knight was pushing her halfway across the fields now. Myra pushed back, redirecting the weight onto the Batamon Puff now. It was back to an even deadlock, with the two still grappling! The young woman had broken the lock, rushing to swing her practice sword right at Meta's masked face. He didn't block rather, Meta Knight had ducked beautifully out of the way, somehow managing to position himself behind Myra!
He swung quickly, though Myra's eyes were slitted. Faint glowing markings had shown up under her eyes, decorating her cheeks with strange purple markings as she blocked Meta's attack! Furiously, Myra had begun a new onslaught, slashing with deft precision and speed that no normal D'nno was capable of! Meta Knight all the while exchanged her blows, his strokes smooth and graceful like a dance.
And what a dance it was, as wood met wood, clicking and clashing like in time with some musicless tune. While Myra's strokes were nowhere as graceful as Meta Knight's, they still held the same raw terror and majesty, as the young woman answered her grandfather's strikes blow for blow.
Not once did she land a single hit on him, and Myra let out a frustrated growl when Meta Knight had tore through her defenses again to tap her shoulder with the tip of his blade in quick succession. Myra jumped back, allowing herself a quick reprieve, but then rushed back into the fray. Meta Knight still wore his determined expression, amber souls glittering with a fire that burned intensely as Batamon and D'nno began round the 3 round to their whirling dance.
Not a word was exchanged between the two, both their gazes were as intense and focused. Somewhere towards the left of the battlefield, Sword Knight had called out, "10 minutes left on the timer!"
As if to respond to this, the two participants had once again found themselves deadlocked. The weight of their swords were rubbing against each other, Myra gritting her teeth, as Meta Knight wore a strange grin on his masked face. If these blades were real metal, Myra would be sure that they would be sending sparks flying. Then as subtle as the wind, Myra heard it, and judging by her Grandfather's eyes flicking down to the blades, he did too.
The wood had begun to crack ever so slightly under the intense force of the two users. Cracks blossomed on the edges, reaching out like the tendrils of a spider's web. The light blue D'nno had shifted her attention back to her grandfather, and then grinned widely, making the elder confused for a split second.
Myra had quickly jumped back out of the deadlock! Of all the things Meta Knight had expected Myra to pull, suddenly backing out was not one of them. The elder did not lose his balance, however he was ready. With a throaty bellow, Myra had once more rushed her grandfather, holding her cracked sword with both hands. Meta Knight was ready. Both of them swung at each other at the same time as Myra met Meta Knight face to face, but the glint in her eye was something Antonio didn't catch.
With a grin, Myra had twisted her wrist to catch Meta's blade in her own! Then with another yell, she had thrusted the practice sword against his! The pressure had caused both blades to not only snap but also had caused Meta Knight's mask to be knocked loose from his face!
With the shards of both wood blades falling to the ground as if in slow motion, landing in the dying grass like scattered petals in the wind. The aged and withered mask, however had found itself being caught by Myra's own hand, as she now faced the Batamon's true face.
Sword and Blade Knight stood still, silently awed by the display, as Meta Knight stood there in complete shock with his face exposed to the world.
Bright amber eyes that glittered with so many stars and galaxies, an age old scar that fell across his right eye, and scar upon his left cheek blush. The lines of his age were deeply creased around his eyes, though right now they were glowing a stark white.
"So!" Mya grinned as she placed his mask over half her face, causing one of her eyes to show up in the dark slot as an amethyst orb. "What's my time?"
It took Meta Knight and his two vassals to wake up from their daze. Sword Knight had looked at his timer.
"8 minutes and 27 seconds, M'lady." He said, the tone was rather sheepish. "You've also set a new record for yourself as well…"
Both he and Blade Knight exchanged a low whispered conversation while Meta Knight had shook himself loose from his dream, the white of his eyes had shifted to a bright blue and he chuckled, which then turned into a roiling rich, thunderclap of a laugh that certainly got the attention of all three of the gathered people.
The lass had taken his mask off from her face, and looked to his two vassals with slight confusion and maybe even concern.
The two elderly Knights merely shrugged, and Myra returned her attention back to Meta Knight who was still laughing deeply. After a while, he had finally stopped and then gazed at the young D'nno with such a wide and genuine smile, that she herself could not help but return.
"Mi querida nieta." Antonio had walked over to her, and then drew her into a deep hug. Myra could swear that...for a moment in his embrace she could feel something hot and wet drip onto her hair. Meta Knight had pulled away, his eyes shining the deepest of blues, as he stroked her cheek. "You have improved so much in so little time, and to see you do so...it makes me so very happy. To best me, and do it on your own power...You are indeed a Knight worthy of our house, and I couldn't be anymore proud of you."
The words washed over Myra, as if she had slipped into a nice hot bath. Her cheeks were burning a bright purplish tint, and as if to punctuate the mood, a pair of ears had popped out, which folded down almost instantly. "G-grampa…" was all she could say, but she deeply returned his hug. The two had stayed in each other's embrace, Myra wagging her tail as a happy purr escaped her chest. Sword Knight and Blade Knight turned to each other and then decided to head on back to Halberd.
A gust of wind blew, when they had finally let go of eachother. Meta Knight clapping Myra on the back. "I believe I have a plushy to get you now. Come. We will take the rest of the day off, Mija and just spend some time around town."
The elder walked off towards the path that led to Celesta's Town's South Gate, with the small blue D'nno chasing after him.
"W-Wait! Are you sure that's okay? I mean usually you make me patrol after sparring…Not that I don't mind a day just hanging around town…"
Once more Meta Knight had chuckled softly, and wrapped his cape around her shoulder. With a playful glint in his eye, he replied cheekily. "A certain fool often says that we should indulge ourselves every so often. Besides that, my dear, you have earned this reward." He gave her a soft boop on the nose and sighed deeply.
"It will be nice. It's been such a long while since we've had quality time like this. So let us savor it whilst we can, Myra."
The young woman stared at her grandfather, and for a moment...he didn't look so tired and weary anymore. There in the late morning sunshine, unbidden by his mask, Myra saw not an elder Knight who had seen lifetimes come and go, but a young man who was ready to take on the world and more. A soft smile touched her lips and she nodded her head. "Well then let's go! I wanna go get some crepes at the stand before we go shopping!" she giggled excitedly and grabbed his armored mitt. With a laugh, Meta Knight allowed her to pull him along down the dirt path. The two of them just enjoying the other's company.
Overhead, a yellow butterfly with red tipped wings had fluttered in the flawless blue sky, fluttering by the two Knightmares who seemed happy and content with themselves as a fall wind gusted gently carrying the scent of fall memories and hopeful days...