Chapter Two of this silly shipping thing. Absolyutely nothing can go wronnnnng. Maybe. Not really.
Anyway! I didn't put an Author's Note in the last chapter because I didn't want to ruin the flow of the scenes by commenting in bold and having people get confused on why Nova was suddenly talking about writing a Meta/Galacta fanfiction. I wanted to try my hand at coming up with fanfics on the fly and seeing what happens when I let characters interact~
Lastly, a bit of trivia; This chapter was co-written by me and my sister. She wrote the artistically genius 'they' at one point. I wrote the rest. Isn't she amazing? Of course she is.
Enjoy!
"This is your ship?" Galacta asked in distaste as they landed on the deck of the...aircraft. "Ships floated on water last time I checked."
Meta Knight ignored him, since he knew it was just the warrior's rage taking. Galactic Nova had taken away his lance and left him only his shield.
("Much like a child,") his golden sword had commented in amusement.
Instead of bringing this comment up to him, Meta Knight gestured at Galacta to follow. "This way." He walked along the deck to an entrance and opened the door, stepping aside in order to let the other enter first.
Of course the pink warrior was staring over the side of the Halberd, staring intently at the large 'wings' of the battleship.
The caped knight's eyes traveled up to the sky to see how much time was left in the day for the chance to return to the Access Arc. Also, he was annoyed.
One would believe that someone who was formerly titled 'strongest in the galaxy' would be a bit less distracted, but they would be wrong.
Still, best to be amicable. Besides, it wasn't often there was a new visitor over to admire his ship. Clearing his throat, Meta Knight strolled over to the other warrior.
"It's a grand battleship, isn't it? The finest-and only-around." He tried his best to at least try and sound humble. It didn't work.
Galacta Knight didn't answer for several seconds, instead just staring at the wings. Finally, he thought of what to say. "Why does it look so much like you? It's one thing to make sure everyone knows it's you, and another to be so full of yourself."
Meta Knight's eyes lowered. "Do you know how to build a ship from scratch, rebuild it with improvements, repair damage here and there when the inevitable happens, and teach yourself to manage it properly when the blueprints are way past outdated?"
"...No," Galacta admitted.
"Neither does anyone on this planet. When you learn how to, you can make it look how you want to."
Galacta narrowed his eyes. "I think the crystal would have been preferable to this."
"You're welcome to go at any time." Meta Knight said.
The pink warrior spread his wings threateningly. The bat said nothing and merely stared.
"..." Galacta rolled his eyes and his wings folded back. The crystal was a horrible place to be and they both knew it.
"Good. Now follow me. We have things to prepare and not much time left to do so." Meta Knight said, turning with a flair of his cape as he wrapped it around himself.
This time, Galacta did follow and they entered the Halberd.
The warrior had to blink a few times to adjust to the dark lighting inside. The flooring was metal and each step brought forth a clang. It was unsettling for some reason and it seemed strangely familiar. He didn't like the feeling. It wasn't quite what he was expecting either, for some odd reason...
"This place is so..." Galacta trailed off, trying to think of a word as he kept following Meta Knight.
The knight, on the other hand, was deep in thought as he led the warrior to the control room.
Haltmann may have vanished, but the Access Arc was still there and production of the 'Mecha Knights' had still been going. He had stopped the process, but that meant someone was still around. He would bet his Halberd on Susie-that disturbing lunatic-and it didn't help that Galacta Knight had damaged the computer too much.
He had to be even more cautious upon returning. She could be well aware on what he was planning, and she was a dangerous opponent. It was comforting to know he had someone else to rely on in this, someone who cared about more than just food and sleeping.
"...weird." The pink warrior finally finished, sounding proud of himself.
Meta Knight would be the brains, of course.
Pressing the button to an elevator, they walked on and the doors shut.
Already restless, Galacta gave a sigh. This elevator was much too small. What floor were they going to? It was taking too long...
He felt his wings being grabbed and he jumped. "I said don't touch me!"
"I wouldn't if you'd stop flapping your wings for one second."
Galacta paused, realizing that he had unknowingly flared his wings. It was technically his fault, but as if he was going to admit that. "It wouldn't be a problem if you weren't obsessed with some computer!" He swung angrily without thinking much about it.
Meta Knight stepped back in reflex only to remember that elevators were compact and not well suited to actions like...stepping back. As a result, the hit landed clumsily on his mask, making it off-center.
Years of training prepared him for this, in a way. Fights should always be held on equal ground. If the opponent doesn't have a sword, offer them one. However, he had no spare sword at the moment.
'Of course,' Meta Knight thought as he slowly fixed his mask, 'A hit is still a hit, and that's the beginning of a fight. I won't use a sword.'
Instead, Meta Knight tackled him because nobody touches his mask.
Thus, the legendary brawl in the elevator continued there until it arrived to the floor and the doors opened. It spilled out and tons of cursing, wing pulling, and mask skewing was involved.
Walking out of the control room, Sailor Waddle Dee paused upon noticing the fighting duo in the middle off the hall. "Um...Sir?" she asked with uncertainty.
Meta Knight heard her, but didn't dare divert his eyes from the pink warrior, instead trying to keep the upper hand of the weaponless fight. ...The actually very embarrassing one that would only attract attention from the rest of the Halberd Crew.
"Ugh, enough!" he ordered, frowning as he pushed the other away, but still keeping a battle-ready stance. "We have a structure to get rid of."
Galacta was still on the verge of attacking full-on. The rush of a real battle was what he wanted-he was just about ready to attack again until seeing the creature with the sailor hat.
He blinked. It was one of those mouthless creatures that inhabited this planet, and being of a species who ate plenty in order to function properly, couldn't help but ask, "How do you eat without a mouth?"
Meta Knight remained silent, closing his eyes. Galaxia laughed quietly. ("A familiar question.")
"Uh," Sailor gave a polite 'smile,' "Well, it's kind of hard to explain..."
"And will have to be saved for later," Meta Knight said. "I was just dropping by to inform you and the crew about a few changes."
The Waddle Dee nodded, "Right. What is it?"
"I'll be working with Galacta Knight," Meta Knight gestured to him. "He'll be helping me take down the Access Arc for good."
"If you two don't, uh, fight again along the way."
"He has more to lose than I do." He replied nonchalantly.
Galacta froze at this. He was right, damn it. He felt his eye twitch upon the realization that the bat had yet another thing to hold above him. When the mouthless thing looked at him to elaborate, he glanced elsewhere, barely keeping his temper.
"Oh. Well...alright, I guess. You're the boss, boss!" Sailor agreed cheerfully.
"..." Meta Knight grew quiet. "Before I get what we need and depart...how have they been acting?"
As if by some agreement the two have come to before, Sailor also lowered her voice. "Javelin is great, of course-I did make him after all-and the rest haven't done anything too out of the ordinary...so they seem alright for now."
"Good...that's good." Meta Knight nodded. "Don't forget to alert me if anything happens while I'm away."
Sailor gave a cute salute. "You can count on me!"
The bat glanced at Galacta, as if he were considering something.
"What? Want to fight?" he asked a bit too eagerly.
"No, now stop that." Meta Knight replied, then turned to Sailor. "Show him around until I get back. I'm sure he won't be any trouble, but if he does give you any..." The threat would have sounded menacing to any other sane individual, but Galacta simply yawned and stretched his wings in the knight's face. "Hurry up and iron your cape or whatever. I have planets to destroy."
"For your sake, I hope you're joking." Meta Knight muttered, wondering whether plucking a feather to spite him would be going too far. He decided against it, and pushed the wing aside. "I'm sure the terms apply even after I'm done."
"I was joking." Galacta replied, but it wasn't very convincing. "But I won't harm the...mouthless...mariner. Honest."
That seemed to be good enough for the bat, and he turned away and walked down the hallway to some other part of the weird, dark ship.
Sailor waved eagerly after him, "Bye! I'll make sure he's good!"
Galacta could have laughed. The thought of the tiny thing making sure he 'behaved' was just too amusing. In fact, he did laugh. Loudly.
Blinking in surprise, the capped Waddle Dee turned to him. "What's so funny?"
"You. As if you can do anything to keep me under wraps. I've killed so many beings without a second thought, destroyed more than a few planets for fun, and managed to break the seal of NOVA. I'm sure a creature as insignificant as you haven't even been off planet. Hell, it's obvious you don't even think for yourself, since you serve under that bat without a second thought." His tone got progressively darker as he went on.
"..." Sailor's eyes narrowed. "Maybe not off planet, you oversized cockatoo, but I've had my fair share of trials."
"Heh, like buying that pointless hat?" He scoffed the Waddle Dee's cap, tipping it over her eyes.
Annoyed, the Dee fixed it. "No." She glared up at him. "More like staying on board the ship with your captain while he's dueling the menace who wrecked the ship enough to make it start falling."
"Oh, how traumatizing." Galacta mocked.
"Then being left behind on the ship as it falls out of the sky into the dark depths of the ocean? It may not have been space, but hey, it's much darker down there."
Galacta rolled his eyes. "Try being locked in a crystal for who knows how many years, then talk to me."
"I'd rather not talk to you at all." Sailor replied in a huff.
"What a loss." deadpanned Galacta, though he couldn't help but ask. "But if that bat left you behind, why do you keep following him?"
"The captain's name is Meta Knight, get it straight..." Sailor muttered before clearing her throat, "And I follow him because he's a great leader. You could learn a thing or two about respect."
"Right..." Galacta sighed, losing interest in the conversation now. He stretched his wings. It was so uncomfortable in here. When was the bat getting back? He just wanted to fly again. It'd be much better than listening to the mouthless freak talk...somehow. How did they talk? And he still wanted to know how they ate. Egh. He'd find out later.
"I'm heading outside." he stated, turning back to the elevator.
"Uh...You don't want a tour around the Halberd? It's really cool! There's a kitchen and a dungeon, and lots of bedrooms too..." Sailor listed, "Not on this floor since its just the control floor. Here, we steer it and power up the Combo Cannon and aim at any opponents. It's very exciting!"
"That's very nice," Galacta assured, pressing the elevator button several times.
"Why don't we head down to the living quarters? I'm sure you're going to stay at least a few days! You should get used to where they are."
"Yes, sure." he said, getting inside the elevator. "Bye."
"W-wait! There's also other rooms! The reactor! I'll show you Heavy Lobster! Or there's...there's also the armory!"
The door was sliding shut when Galacta reached out to keep it from doing so. "Armory..." there's a hint of excitement in his voice. "What kind of weapons? How many? Which floor?"
Sailor smirked. There we go! Now she could have the tour go on nicely, just like Meta Knight asked! She briefly wondered if she should be concerned with how excited he got over the idea of swords and the such...but she shrugged it off. The Captain ordered her to show him around and if this was the only thing he was interested in...
"I'll show you!"