A world of darkness surrounded the blue knight. It was simply pitch black in every direction, with no trace of light anywhere. He had no recollection of how he had gotten there, or where he was. Nothing but silence resounded in the endless void.
But the silence never lasted.
The Star Warrior began to wander around the empty space, trying to find some trace of light somewhere. He remembered his cape and sifted through it's contents, only to find that all of his possessions were gone. His cape always contained at least a minimal amount of supplies, so where were they now?
The knight heard a growl in the darkness. His gloved paw immediately went to withdraw Galaxia…only he felt nothing at his side.
Meta Knight was alone in this void without a weapon, and he could hear something approaching. The growling sounded louder and seemed closer than before. He turned towards the noise, bracing himself for an encounter with the unknown beast.
And from the void of darkness, a cold cruel chuckle was heard. The growling had transformed into loud horrifying shrieks, as Meta Knight shifted his gaze in every direction in search of the beast's location. There was nothing but shadow in this world.
Suddenly, a pair of large white hands snatched the blue knight, far too swift for him to escape from their grip. The Star Warrior tried to wriggle away from his captor, but the hands sunk their claws into his blue skin.
The hands roughly threw him onto the surface below, his sight was still hindered by the poor lighting. However, Meta Knight now could see the area around him somewhat. It appeared to be a tiled room, a strange faded dark colored liquid was on the cold floor.
Then the snarling began to intensify. Meta Knight slowly turned around to see a set of gleaming teeth in his view. In front of the knight was a small pack of Chilidogs, their ruthless gaze focused on his form. He tried to distance himself from the canine beasts, but his back hit a frigid wall.
From the pack of wolf-like beasts came a masked man, quite a bit taller than Meta Knight. The man seemed to be a warrior. His skin was a strange color of purple and his golden hair was moderately spiked. His ears were pointed and his eyes were the same color as his skin.
In one hand he carried a green shield with a yellow symbol and a blue gem in it's center. His other hand held a sword. The warrior stepped closer to the blue knight as the beasts behind him growled and licked their lips.
"J-Jecra?" Meta Knight whispered in faint disbelief.
Jecra raised his sword.
The knight gave a small almost inaudible gasp. "W-What are you-"
The weapon struck him in his middle, the mask tearing apart like simple paper. The wolf beasts howled at the smell of blood with delight, then pounced on their weakened prey. The knight had no time to scream before the Demon Beasts attacked him.
And Jecra stood there with cold eyes, watching the horrific scene unfold with indifference.
-
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The blue knight's eyes snapped open, his body sprang up into a sitting position. He looked at his surroundings, realizing that he was in his own bed inside his room. Meta Knight was breathing irregularly, it sounded like all the air in his lungs had been drained.
He clutched the covers of his bed tightly, his body drenched in sweat. His heart pounded inside his chest, the knight's hands shook. The Star Warrior tried to calm himself, repeatedly chanting in his mind that it was just a dream.
Once he had regained some of his senses, he noticed that his knaves weren't in the room. They were most likely eating a midnight snack, and for once the veteran warrior was quite thankful. He didn't want Sword and Blade to see their lord in such a state.
He carefully slipped out of bed, making his way to the restrooms. The halls weren't bustling during the late night hours, as all the Waddle Dees had gone to sleep long ago. Meta Knight cautiously glanced around to assure himself that no one else was in the restroom, then carefully removed his mask.
The knight splashed his face with cold water from the sink. Meta Knight gazed at his reflection in the mirror, and much to his shame, his eyes were glowing white. White was the color of fear. Something that he had learned to loathe.
Meta Knight glanced down towards his stomach. There wasn't a gaping wound there, or any pain. Only his smooth blue skin. It was only a dream…that was what he tried to convince himself as he resumed drenching his face with the frigid water.
"It was a dream. Dreams are a figment of the imagination. They cannot harm you…"
He took a few deep breaths, put his mask back on, then quietly walked down the halls back to his bedroom. His knaves were fast asleep, apparently they had returned a while ago. Meta Knight carefully treaded to his bed, then buried himself in the covers.
It was most likely a lost cause, getting back to sleep. The nightmares weren't a rare occurrence. They were likely to return, and with them the cycle would continue. But the knight knew that he would have another long hard day of working for King Dedede, and he needed rest for that. He needed to try and find peace in his mind, just enough so that sleep may find him.
He awoke the next morning, not feeling rested at all. His body felt far too weary for work, but he had to set an example to his knaves. He couldn't appear weak to them, he just couldn't.
"Sir, are you alright? You don't look so good…" Sword commented.
"I am fine. There is no need for concern." The knight replied, then almost ran into the room's closed door.
Blade stood by his companion. "Sir Meta Knight, maybe you should rest today. We can get today's work do-"
"No. I am in perfect condition to work." The knight shook his head, then left the room.
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The knaves looked at each other, then sighed. They were worried for their superior, his behavior had become quite strange in the past few days. He seemed exhausted to the point of collapsing, yet he gave no explanation as to why.
Sword and Blade knew that he was hiding something. Meta Knight was stubborn, they knew that from experience. However, with the way he was going, it should only be a matter of time until the blue knight's health would be at risk.
Meta Knight made his way down the halls, almost bumping into several Waddle Dees in his path. He felt delirious, drained, and had a difficult time thinking straight. Still, he didn't allow that to stop him, though it was slowing the knight down.
Fumu and Bun approached the masked warrior, then began to notice that something was a bit off about him today. Meta Knight didn't even seem to acknowledge their presence, then walked directly into one of the many statues around the castle.
"Sis, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Bun asked.
"Yes, I've never seen him act like this before…" Fumu answered, skeptical.
"Hey Sir Meta Knight!" Bun called, the knight paused in his tracks.
"Is…is something wrong? You're acting a bit strange, well more than usual." The Cappy girl said.
"…I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Meta Knight turned around, as if in a daze.
"Okay, what's going on?" Fumu inquired.
"You're acting really really tired." Bun added.
"No no. I am fine. There is no need for concern. I have business to attend to." The knight left without waiting for a response.
Sword and Blade were coming down the hall as well. The siblings decided to ask the two knaves about the knight's behavior, seeing as they would know him better than anyone else.
"We're just as clueless as you." Sword sighed. "He isn't telling us anything."
Blade sighed. "Sir Meta Knight just insists that he's fine when he's obviously not. He's been waking up at odd hours in the night, he'll leave his room, walk around the castle, muttering to himself every so often. It's been very troubling."
"So, he has insomnia?" Fumu offered.
"No, he does go on walks sometimes at night. He has done that on occasion before." Sword corrected. "But this is something different. It's like something is haunting him, eating away at him. It's scary."
"But we need to find out what's wrong! At this rate, he's going to make himself sick!" The Cappy girl crossed her arms.
Bun turned to his sister. "But I thought you were mad at him?"
"I may be mad at him, but that doesn't mean I want him to be violently ill!" She retorted.
"Sir Meta Knight is a very secretive person. We don't know everything about him, and sometimes I think that it's reasonable we don't. But…we don't want to watch him suffer like this. He's done so much for us…and we want to repay him in any way we can." Blade spoke, his voice filled with worry.
The blue knight avoided the subject entirely the remainder of the day. He wouldn't speak of it, Meta Knight tried to distance himself from his knaves, much to their confusion and concern. What was wrong with their superior?
The final straw was when they saw him doing something he never does. He was drinking coffee.
The knight sipped the brown liquid, then grimaced in disgust. Despite his distaste of the drink, he continued to swallow the coffee.
"But Sir…you hate coffee." Sword commented.
The knight offered no response, instead standing up from his seat at their small table. He left the room without so much as a word.
As much as he hated the taste of coffee, it was the only solution he had to stay awake. To endure another nightmare was something that went beyond torture. He felt that he needed to stay awake, he couldn't go back to sleep when he knew what would await him should he drift into slumber.
Even blinking had affected him. Whenever his eyelids would close, he would see such gruesome images that would chill anyone to the core. They wouldn't leave. How long would those awful scenes continue to torment him? It would only be so long until the visions would have a permanent effect on both his mind and body.
The coffee didn't work. He couldn't force himself to stay awake. Meta Knight ended up collapsing on his bed in exhaustion. And just as predicted, the nightmares returned. Scenes of every twisted variety plagued his dreams, and they showed no desire to leave.
-
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Knuckle Joe sat on the roof of the castle. He too had noticed the knight's different behavior, and was just as puzzled as the others. He already had one mystery on his hands, and that was gathering as much information as possible on the strange incidents that had been occurring lately.
He couldn't help but wonder if Meta Knight's condition was related to the rumors he had been hearing. The fighter had heard whispers of several residents going through odd changes after witnessing visions in an isolated place somewhere on Pop Star. Nobody spoke of where this place was, but it was certainly disturbing.
Then the blonde boy realized that it couldn't be the solution. Meta Knight had not left the castle in quite a while, so it couldn't possibly be connected.
"Maybe he's going through depression?" Knuckle Joe thought.
He quickly discarded the thought. Meta Knight was a strong Star Warrior, he had been fighting for years. Depression couldn't be the answer, the blue knight was well known for his steely silence and almost unbreakable stoic attitude. Meta Knight always had his emotions under lock and key, right?
Suddenly, Knuckle Joe felt the presence of someone else on the roof. He turned around to see a pink puffball that he was quite familiar with. The pink child wore a troubled expression as he fumbled with his arm stubs.
"It's my fault, poyo…" He whispered.
"What? What's your fault?" Knuckle Joe asked, confused.
"It's my fault that there's something wrong with Sir Meta Knight…I said something wrong, poyo…" The pink puff sniffled.
"Kirby, what did you say to him?" The blonde asked, still just as puzzled.
"When I was upset about Marx, I said something mean, poyo! I said that he must have not cared about Jecra, and…and…even though he said it was okay, it wasn't! Then I mentioned him again, and now he's like this, poyo!"
The young Star Warrior rubbed at his eyes. "I broke Sir Meta Knight!"
"Kirby, I don't think that's what's going on here." Knuckle Joe disagreed. "Sir Meta Knight isn't the type that would let something like that bother him. He's an adult warrior. He's strong."
"But…but…then what's wrong with him, poyo?" He hiccupped.
"I don't know, Kirby. I just don't know." Knuckle Joe sighed, then shook his head.
-
The next morning, the older Star Warrior felt as though several weights had been placed on his body. He had never felt such exhaustion in his life, or he had just forgotten a worse case from the past. Getting out of bed would be a battle in itself. He could feel his eyes closing again…
"Sir Meta Knight, important news!" Sword yelled, stirring the knight from his thoughts.
The Star Warrior was buried underneath the covers, his form moving slightly. He kicked the sheets off of himself, then turned to his frantic knaves.
"Sir, we have a message for you. It came in this morning from King Dedede's throne room monitor." Blade added.
"Very well then, what is this message?" Meta Knight asked, still feeling quite groggy.
"It was from Sir Arthur. He's coming by at two this afternoon."
Meta Knight's eyes flew open. The knight quickly glanced at the clock. It read that the time was one-thirty.
"Why was I not informed of this sooner?" Meta Knight turned to Sword and Blade with wide eyes.
Sword began to explain. "Well, you were sleeping and you seemed really tired lately, so-"
(watch?v=1GUWJ-B7eYw)
"I absolutely cannot show myself in such condition!" The knight took off his mask and began to clean it until the metal gleamed.
He did the same with his armor and Galaxia. Everything had to be perfect for Sir Arthur's visit. Sir Arthur was the leader of the GSA, and as such he had garnered much respect. And that included from Meta Knight. To take charge as a leader in a time of darkness, to rise above despair and rebel against almost impossible odds. That was what Sir Arthur had done as the creator of the Galaxy Soldier Army.
The blue knight added the final touch to his appearance, the yellow star badge that all GSA soldiers received. There was really no practical need for it now that the war was over, and there wasn't a requirement for identification as a soldier. anymore However, he still kept the badge as a memento, and because the object actually had a deep sentimental value to the Star Warrior. This is why he felt the need to wear it.
He dashed down the castle halls and up to the roof where the ship was sure to land. His knaves were tailing behind him, having a difficult time keeping up with Meta Knight. They ran past Fumu and Bun, almost knocking them over.
"Was that…Meta Knight?" Bun asked.
"Yes it was…but where could he be off to in such a hurry?" Fumu mused, her interest piqued.
"Wow, that was the fastest I've ever seen him run! I mean, he was like, woosh!" Bun yelled, emphasizing with arm gestures.
The knights soon passed by King Dedede and Escargon. They instantly grew curious as to why the blue knight would be in such a rush.
"Sire, what do you suppose they're running for?" The snail asked.
"I don't know…" Dedede rubbed his chin. "But I'm gonna find out! Get a move on, Escargon!"
The penguin soon took off into a sprint with the snail trailing tiredly behind.
"Wait for meee!" Bandana Dee cried, drawing attention from the two siblings.
"Man, that food was awful. How did you stand it, Kirby?" Knuckle Joe asked as the two had just returned from eating at Kawasaki's.
Then the blurry figures of Meta Knight, Sword and Blade followed by King Dedede, Escargon, and Bandana Dee flew by. Fumu and Bun, along with their parents appeared directly after.
"…What happened while we were gone?" Knuckle Joe inquired after a beat.
"Wanna find out, poyo?"
"Yeah, this is probably going to be hilarious!" The fighter said, the two joining the chase.
Meta Knight had finally reached the roof, while his two knaves bent over to catch their breath. The others had reached the top of the castle, only to find nothing interesting occurring at all.
"Meta Knight, what's goin' on?!" Dedede yelled. "You made us all run for nothing!"
The older Star Warrior turned around to see the group behind him. He hadn't even been aware that they were following him.
"Well, what was with the running in His Majesty's halls?! Why didn't you show up for work today?!" Escargon berated.
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Then suddenly, the roof of the castle grew dark. They looked above to see the shadow of a space ship nearing closer to them. Meta Knight instantly saluted, with Sword and Blade mimicking the hand signal for respect.
Everyone remained silent as the spaceship landed on the castle smoothly. The ship's door opened and a silhouetted figure could be seen.
Escargon scooted closer to King Dedede. "W-What is that sire?"
"It looks like an alien invader! And according to the movies, they're going to ask to be taken to the leader…" The king suddenly felt faint. "…Would you like to be king for the day?"
"Oh, no. You're not putting me in the line of fire this time!" Escargon angrily whispered.
The figure stepped down from the ship, revealing itself to be a round creature with slightly visible green skin. He wore a suit of golden armor with wide shoulder guards and a green ponytail in the back. His face was covered by a mask, the only visible feature was his light purple, almost lavender colored eyes. A white cape flowed behind him, seeming to defy gravity itself.
He stepped off the ship, the group behind the knight felt very tense at seeing the golden-clad creature before them. Knuckle Joe gave a light gasp, his eyes lighting up once he realized who the knight-like figure before them was.
"It's been long…it's been far too long…" The green one muttered.
The group felt a growing sense of anxiety as his white gloved hand reached up to remove the mask. The mask was removed, revealing the face of the knight. A very Kirby like face.
The green Kirby look-alike strode towards the saluting blue knight, a small gleam in his eye.
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"Sir Meta Knight…it really has been too long of a time, hasn't it?"
"Yes sir, it has." The blue knight responded.
A few moments passed by without either saying a word.
The golden-clad knight gave a light almost unheard chuckle. "Sir Meta Knight, you may be at ease."
Meta Knight's hand slowly dropped to his side, feeling somewhat flustered inside. The green knight lightly touched the star badge on the blue knight's shoulder guard, then the one on his own.
"You kept it." He smiled warmly.
"I…felt as though it needed to be worn today. You were the one that gave it to me." The blue star Warrior responded faintly.
"Hehe…you haven't changed a bit, have you?"
"What's going on here?!" Bun whispered too loudly. "Who is this and how does Meta Knight know him?!"
Fumu clamped his mouth shut with her hand, feeling embarrassed that her brother had reacted in such a way. Knuckle Joe stared at her with wide eyes.
"That's Sir Arthur." He whispered.
This 'Sir Arthur' turned to face the group with a small smile on his cute face. "I am Sir Arthur. I apologize for not informing you sooner of my arrival. However, it was somewhat important that I visit."
"Sir Arthur has accomplished many admirable feats in his lifetime, including rebelling against Nightmare, then became the founder and leader of the Galaxy Soldier Army. He is to be given the utmost respect." Meta Knight spoke in a serious tone, yet a bit of excitement could almost be heard in his voice.
"Oh, stop Meta Knight. You're making it sound like such a big deal, you even brought a crowd to greet me." Sir Arthur teased.
"Did you wish to speak with me alone? I can arrange that-"
"No it's alright. You really haven't changed that much from your time in the GSA... But then again, the others haven't either…" Sir Arthur grinned. "They're here to see you as well."
"They are?" Meta Knight asked with slight surprise.
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Sir Arthur turned towards the group. "Introducing the other remaining members of the Galaxy Soldier Army. Sir Dragato, please come forth."
A slightly light purple puffball descended from the ship. His shoulder guards were white with a golden trim, with a golden spike on each one. His shoes each held one lace, and on his back was a mysterious blue cape. His mask had an interesting diamond shape and his eyes were the same color as Sir Arthur's. Quite surprisingly, Dragato possessed long ginger hair tied back into a neat and tidy ponytail.
"Sir Dragato was one of the GSA's finest strategists. He was the source of many of our victories. He has an intelligent mind, so please listen to him sometime. He wasn't referred to as 'The Gem of Knowledge' for nothing." Sir Arthur spoke, feeling a bit of pride in his men.
Dragato walked with an air of grace, seeming more like a dancer than a knight. Yet he had a look of superiority to him, one that dared someone to underestimate his intelligence.
"The Gem of Knowledge is quite a title, but I suppose it's quite fitting for myself." He spoke with a slight English accent.
"If he didn't have the title 'sir' I would have sworn he was a girl." Bun whispered.
"Next, Sir Nonsurat." Sir Arthur stated, motioning to the ship.
A dark turquoise puffball stepped lightly from the ship, his mask certainly had a strange design. It had a special white cloth covering most of his body, and two yellow blades on the right side of his mask, and one lower on the left side. His cape was a light red and his feet were blue, while his eyes were a brighter shade of yellow than Meta Knight's.
"Sir Nonsurat was the armor designer in the GSA. He made his own mask, and my armor as well!" Sir Arthur explained.
"Wow, and I thought that Meta Knight's mask was weird." Escargon mumbled.
"Still, despite the fact that he looks like a flashy gold mine, Sir Arthur's armor does kinda suit him." King Dedede commented.
"I'll keep that in mind, Your Majesty." The snail said while eyeing the king's rather flashy coat.
Nonsurat didn't say a word, he looked down at his own feet almost seeming nervous. He quickly scurried to Dragato and Sir Arthur's side.
"And finally, introducing-"
"I'm the one and only Falspar! Ladies~" A dark green puffball emerged from the ship, then struck a dramatic pose.
This knight's armor was fairly minimalistic. His shoulder guards were grey with a dull yellow center, and his feet were colored grey. Falspar's cape was a baby blue in color, and his mask had a unique V shape to it. His oval eyes were close to the same shade of yellow as Meta Knight's. But the most interesting feature of this puffball was his red mohawk.
"So…what did he do?" Bun asked after a beat.
"He was mainly the one we sent to do the things no one else desired to do." Dragato answered.
"Nu uh!" Falspar strode to the purple knight. "I did lots of important stuff!"
"Such as?" Dragato crossed his small arms.
"Uh…give me a moment! I'll think of something!" The red haired puffball pouted.
"I rest my case." The ginger haired knight replied flatly.
Sir Arthur cleared his throat. "I suppose that it was rather rude, just dropping in like this. However, would it be alright if we could take residence here for the time being?"
"Sure you can! Just don't break anything and you should be good to go." King Dedede replied.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The green puff bowed, then the group of knights headed inside the castle.
"Sire, why are you letting them stay here?" Escargon asked, brimming with curiosity.
Dedede rubbed his hands together. "Because there's something cookin' here and I want a plate of it!"
"Fight, Great King, fight!" Bandana Dee cheered.
Bun and Fumu exchanged worried glances.
-
The small group of knights reached the castle's break room. They gathered around the round table before beginning their meeting.
"Now, I suppose that some may be wondering why we're gathered here today." Sir Arthur began. "Sir Meta Knight, Knuckle Joe has spoken with you about the recent discovery of a journal from an employee of Holy Nightmare Enterprises, correct? That is mostly why we are here. Not only are we here to gather information, but also defend the citizens of Pop Star should there actually be a legitimate problem."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute." Falspar interrupted. "What are we supposed to be looking for? You never mentioned any of this."
"For once, I agree with Falspar. What sort of mission is this?" Dragato added.
"I wasn't told anything either…" Nonsurat quietly spoke.
Sir Arthur sighed. "I know. I only informed Knuckle Joe and Meta Knight, because they were the only ones on Pop Star at the time…but…now I believe that this requires our intervention."
Sir Arthur spoke with a serious expression, one that brought everyone's attention to the gold-clad knight.
"In that journal, was an entry describing some sort of super weapon created by Nightmare. Something so abnormal from the other weapons, it could stand on it's own. However, the entry also said that the experiment was a failure. But…it's somewhere on Pop Star."
The room grew tense.
"So…" Nonsurat breathed. "There could be…another Demon Beast somewhere?"
"Not necessarily. They described it as a weapon, not a Demon Beast. It could very well be an object instead of something sentient." The green knight explained. "But something else has come to my attention…"
(watch?v=Zl6KtJoU7ws)
Sir Arthur cleared his throat, then continued with a grave tone of voice. "There have been rumors circulating…about a place on Pop Star that seems to defy the mind itself. It's a place that has been said to drive someone to near madness upon spending too much time there."
"Sir Meta Knight…doesn't that sound like that place Chris the Janitor told us about?" Sword asked.
"It must be, it has to be the same place!" Blade whispered.
"So, this supposed forsaken place…" Dragato tilted his head with slight interest. "What is it named?"
"The Broken Village." The golden knight answered.
"What makes this place so maddening? I mean, what does it look like?" Nonsurat asked quietly.
"It's a place described as a nightmare come to life. No grass grows, the trees are bare, and all the buildings there are said to be worn down and desolate. No matter the time of day, it always appears to be either sunset or an eternal night. A cold chill wanders the air, and it supposedly goes on for miles."
"It doesn't sound that scary!" Falspar said with a smirk.
"I wasn't finished." Sir Arthur replied. "The ones who have come across this village have said to hear a variety of noises, ranging from hysterical laughter to almost neverending sobbing. There are also frighteningly realistic visions."
"But…they are just visions, correct?" Dragato inquired.
"It would seem that way, but the visions described were all quite specific. There were sightings of giant clawed white hands, a multiple-armed silhouette that would scream constantly, and…a tall man with a cape that seemed to hold the dimensions of space."
"N-Nightmare?" Nonsurat nearly choked.
"And what's more, the effects seem to be the most severe on soldiers. At least, from the accounts that I've heard. That was what drew me to gather as much information as I could on The Broken Village. I highly doubt that this super weapon and The Broken Village are connected, but it certainly is troubling."
"So, are we supposed to find these things?" Falspar asked, rather confused.
Sir Arthur bowed his head. "I know that it's far too much to ask of you…the war is over and I am no longer your leader. But the thought that something of Nightmare's could still be hidden away somewhere, that it could be used to hurt innocent lives…I have to find it. I can't rest peacefully until I know that it's end has been met."
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Meta Knight stood up from his seat. "Sir Arthur, you will not have to carry out such a task alone. I will assist you in any way possible."
"I the same." Dragato spoke up. "We cannot let this go without action. I refuse to let a product of Nightmare survive."
"I'll help too." Nonsurat said quietly, but firmly. "Innocent people could be hurt, I can't ignore the possibility of that happening when I know that I can do something."
"Aw yeah! This'll be just like old times!" Falspar punched the air.
Sir Arthur was touched beyond words. He felt truly blessed to have such loyal and good hearted men inhis army.
"Sir Arthur…what are your commands?" Meta Knight asked as the knights began to salute.
The golden knight, elated, gathered his words. "First and foremost is to gather all the information that we can. Sir Dragato and Sir Nonsurat, research as much as possible on the possible wheareabouts of this weapon. Sir Falspar and Knuckle Joe will get as much information on The Broken Village as possible."
"Chris the Janitor has seen The Broken Village with his own eyes. Perhaps he might be of help." Blade suggested.
"Sweet! I get to interrogate people!" Falspar cheered and did a fist pump.
Meta Knight waited expectantly to hear his assigned role.
The other knights were leaving the room. The blue knight felt slightly confused and turned to look at Sir Arthur.
"Sir Meta Knight, I would like to talk with you. Alone."
The blue Star Warrior glanced at his knaves, they slowly and begrudgingly left the room.
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"Sir Arthur…why have I not been assigned a mission?"
"There is something wrong, isn't there? You aren't feeling well." The golden armored knight stated it more as a fact than a question.
Meta Knight inwardly flinched. "There is absolutely nothing wrong. I have been feeling quite well, and I believe that I am perfectly acceptable condition to take a part in this mission."
Sir Arthur made direct eye contact with the blue knight. "Sir Meta Knight, I know you. There's obviously something amiss. I could tell within a few moments after arriving. Something's been bothering you, and until it's settled I cannot let you take part in this assignment."
Sir Arthur might as well have told Meta Knight that he would never be part of the GSA again. His problem couldn't be solved, it was continuous. A never ending cycle of pain. The cycle would give him a grace period, only to come back harsher each time.
"I know that whatever has a hold on you can be broken from. I believe in you, Meta Knight."
"…How am I to break from it?" The blue knight asked quietly.
"You need to go on a personal journey. A quest of the inner mind somewhat. A journey of self discovery to get back into tune with yourself."
"I…I understand." Meta Knight spoke more firmly.
Then suddenly, Meta Knight remembered something quite important.
He was still on probation.
"Sir Arthur…I am still on probation…"
"Ah, I know. I heard everything from Knuckle Joe. And now it seems that the first step in your journey is to confront your king." Sir Arthur smiled, placing his hands together.
"Sir Arthur, thank you."
"I should be thanking you. You and the others have given me so much to be proud of."
The blue knight bowed as a form of respect, then exited the room with a heavy mind. First and foremost, he needed to pack his supplies for the quest ahead. He returned to his room and began to stock food, maps, and medical supplies into his cape's mystical compartment.
Once he had felt that he was properly prepared, the Star Warrior turned towards the door. He reached for the door knob, then heard a pair of voices from behind.
"Sir, we know what you're doing." Sword spoke.
"We heard everything. Neither of us will let you do this alone." Blade agreed, nodding vigorously.
"This is my burden to bear and mine alone."
"No it's not! What did you say to Sir Arthur? You said that he wouldn't have to carry out such a task alone. We feel the same about you." Sword argued.
"Sir Meta Knight, you are not alone. We swore to follow you for the rest of our days. You showed us such kindness…and we promised to repay you." The red-haired knave said with such strong emotion.
"…This journey will most likely be dangerous down the road. Are you willing to take that risk?" Meta Knight asked.
"During the war, the final stand-off against Nightmare," Sword began.
"and the destruction of the Halberd…we were with you. This journey will be no different from those times." Blade finished.
"…Very well then. It seems I cannot convince you otherwise. We leave tomorrow. As for today, I shall speak with His Majesty regarding our probation." The blue knight said quite calmly, but just as he turned away from them, they could see their knight's eyes shine a bright blue.
-
The three traveled to the throne room to speak with King Dedede, only he wasn't there. He was supposed to be in his throne room for the day.
(watch?v=eHQLtC73Qvw)
Meta Knight and his knaves suddenly heard familiar humming coming down the hall. An orange Waddle Dee wearing headphones was bobbing his head to the beat of the music. His eyes were closed while he twirled and danced with the mop while cleaning. He was lost within the music.
"Last night, I had a dream about you
In this dream, I'm dancing right beside you~
And it looked like everyone was having fun
The kind of feeling, I've waited so long~"
"Chris, do you know where King Dedede is?" Sword asked.
The Waddle Dee was too wrapped up in his singing to notice or hear Sword. He tried yelling louder.
"Chris! Where's King Dedede?!"
Chris the Janitor still couldn't hear the green knave. He spun around with his broom.
Sword stepped up to the Waddle Dee, then yanked off his headphones.
"CHRIS!"
"AAAH! Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" The orange Waddle Dee fell to the ground in fright.
"Chris, did you happen to know where King Dedede is? We need to speak with him." Blade asked, holding out a hand to help Chris to his feet.
"Um…King Dedede…oh, he's in the other castle."
The knight and knaves stayed silent for a moment. Nobody even moved.
"…Other castle?" Sword asked, checking to see if they heard the Waddle Dee correctly.
"Yeah, you know the other castle. The one that King Dedede built in Chapter 22 when he stole all the food in Dreamland." Chris the Janitor replied casually.
"He…he rebuilt it?" Blade was dumbstruck.
"Chapter 22?" Sword commented incredulously.
"Yeah, he rebuilt it." The orange Waddle Dee nodded. "If you wanna talk to him, you'll probably have to go over there. He's not supposed to be back for a while."
Chris the Janitor returned to his cleaning, leaving the three with only one option.
They would have to track the king down.
Author's Note: I am so sorry for not updating sooner. I am still alive. I need to stop taking so long when posting new chapters, but sometimes situations arise that hold me back.
So, first chapter of the new arc. First appearance of the GSA and an investigation is going to be led by them. We haven't gotten to the flashbacks yet, but that will start in the next chapter.
I feel as though Meta Knight would have a lot of respect towards Arthur, seeing as Sir Arthur is pretty much his sempai. I know that Dragato, Nonsurat, and Falspar haven't really done that much yet. But they will, they will. And Chris the Janitor has returned for the time being.
Next chapter, Meta Knight begins his journey with Sword and Blade. And his first mark is King Dedede's other castle.
Until next time.