Author's Note: Okay, I know this chapter is late. But it's not because I'm losing interest in this story.
It's because my telephone line got hit by lightning and disabled my internet. But it's fixed now. But it also destroyed my mom's computer and her really nice TV. I have a laptop, so it was left unharmed. I mean wow! Talk about a string of bad luck. But I'm back now, and I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter. Then I'll probably reread it later and question my choices.
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Yamikage's lips parted to form an eerie smile, his sharp teeth poking out in odd angles. The corners of his mouth twitched, showing some form of discomfort despite the aforementioned smile. His dark arms shook in an erratic manner, out of excitement at having his enemy caught in his trap.
"Yamikage...what is the meaning of this?" Meta Knight spoke, feeling unease.
"I said I would return and take my revenge...and I meant every word." The ninja answered. "This new form suits me quite well, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes, certainly fitting for a traitor such as yourself..." The knight spoke with a hint of bitterness.
"I do not see myself as a traitor...rather, I chose the more favorable side at the time." Yamikage replied unfazed. "The Galaxy Soldier Army was becoming weak, so it only made sense to join those that had the better advantage and benefits."
Meta Knight clenched his fists at his sides. "You betrayed your own soldiers, your own comrades...for selfish gains. Despicable. Utterly despicable. They cried for you, they would have died for you...and you joined forces with Nightmare to bring them to death for your own purposes..."
Yamikage shook his head. "Meta Knight...what difference would it have made if I had stayed? The GSA was set for ruin from the start, Nightmare was far too strong. His Demon Beasts made sure of that. And because of that, I am alive. You and that little handful are all that are left."
"What difference...what difference? The only reason you are alive today is because Nightmare was defeated before he could bring you to the same fate as the others! He would have dragged you down with him if he had the opportunity!"
Kirby was shaking inside. The way the ninja's eyes would flicker, the way his body twitched ad writhed, his overall appearance...looked like something that would come out of a nightmare. Like someone was there but they weren't themselves, like a corruption.
"Don't speak to me that way, Meta Knight. You are hardly one to talk. The only reason Nightmare was vanquished was because that little runt happened to have his weakness on hand. Let's be truthful...if he had fought without the Star Rod, with his strength alone, Nightmare would have won, and the galaxy would have been ours..."
Kirby didn't have to see Meta Knight without his mask to know that an expression of utter disgust was underneath. His fists were clenched, and yet his voice remained steady and powerful. That was what he admired about his mentor, even in situations like this he behaved like he had utter control.
Yamikage took a few steps forward, then dirty red eyes met pure blue orbs. "You fought the boy that made the wish on NOVA. He wished for domination, how utterly ironic. His power was vastly superior to yours. You only survived...by a one chance in a million shot."
The ninja's teeth poked out, forming a nasty smile. "I may be a traitor...but you are no better. You murdered your own best friend in cold blood, Kirby."
The pink puff hunched over as if he had been stabbed, his eyes began to water as he mumbled helplessly. "I didn't mean to, poyo! It was an accident! I'm sorry! I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."
Yamikage took another step forward with an outstretched hand. Before either could react, Meta Knight protectively pulled Kirby close to his side and drew Galaxia with the other hand.
"Take one step closer to the boy..." He warned, eyes glowing a bloody red.
The corrupted ninja smirked. "Fine. I was looking forward to a fight anyway..."
With quick reflexes, Yamikage drew a shadowy shuriken from thin air. It stabbed through Meta Knight's gloved right hand with ease, then slowly sun into his skin. The muscles in his hand seized up, making him drop Galaxia. The knight's eyes widened.
"Kirby...find the Halberd's controls...they were moved...go now..."
"But what about you, poyo?!"
"I said go!" He said sternly.
"You!" Yamikage yelled at the confused and frightened TAC in the corner. "Don't let him get away! Call the others!"
"Uh...Uh...But boss...what are you going to do to them?" The TAC managed to squeak out.
"Do it or I'll kill you here and now!" The corrupted ninja yelled, losing all composure.
Suddenly, Yamikage was knocked on his back. Meta Knight wielded Galaxia with his left hand. The knight's eyes narrowed as his cape flowed behind him, his gaze fixed on the traitor.
"Fight me..."
"I've been waiting for ages!" He laughed cruelly, before drawing out a katana that gave off a dark colored shadow.
"I offered you to join us long ago...you will regret scorning my generosity!"
Kirby used this moment of opportunity to escape, feeling terrible for leaving Meta Knight despite his orders to do so. He ran as fast as his feet would allow, ignoring the occasional scraps of metal that punctured his skin. The TAC from before scurried behind him, gaining speed on the pink Star Warrior.
"Leave me alone, poyo! I won't let you hurt Sir Meta Knight or Dreamland!"
"No, wait! I know where the control room is!" The TAC yelled desperately. "I can take you there! I promise! I'll get the others to help! Freedom is the only reward we want!"
Kirby briefly pondered on whether he was telling the truth, but then decided to trust him as the puff didn't have too many options at the moment. Meta Knight couldn't fight off the demented Yamikage for long, especially not with his right hand disabled.
"Take me there, poyo!"
"It's this way!" The TAC shouted. "Come on guys! We can finally be free!"
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Swords clashed, the sounds reverberating across the room. The honorable knight against the traitorous ninja. The holy sword against the cursed katana. Opposite sides fighting for opposite reasons. Meta Knight, to protect the country of Dreamland and it's people. Yamikage, for his own dark desires.
Meta Knight was right handed, and his movements came off as awkward and unpracticed as he fought with his left. However, though he was at a disadvantage, the knight fought with vigor. Galaxia was wielded by him, and resonated with his will.
Yamikage, nothing but violence was present in his eyes. Hatred, anger, and the lust for power. The Yamikage of the past, even when he turned to the side of Nightmare, had been an honorable fighter. He was fighting at an unfair angle, disabling his opponent's primary hand. The ninja had been sensible, level-headed and calm. This wasn't the same Yamikage, this was nothing but a malice-fueled shell.
The katana swung inches away from Meta Knight's eyes, the ninja's bloody eyes fixed on him. With an upward strike, Galaxia nearly cut off one of the many loose strands from Yamikage's loose ponytail. With a growl, the traitorous ninja threw another shuriken towards the Star Warrior's feet. It missed when he began to take flight.
Meta Knight circled him, then swung towards his arm. Yamikage stumbled to avoid the attack, then dropped the katana accidentally. The weapon fell with a clang, then melted into a dark fog. The ninja seemed unconcerned, as he swiftly conjured a flurry of shurikens in an attempt to pin the blue knight down.
When that failed, Yamikage jumped into the air and grabbed the blue warrior's foot, then threw him to the ground when he had the opportunity. Another katana was raised above him, threatening to strike. Meta Knight narrowly dodged the attacks, then kicked his opponent in the face to escape his hold.
This only made the corrupted ninja angrier. "What's wrong Meta Knight?! Can't fight fairly if someone's stronger than you? And you're supposed to live by a code of honor!"
"Yamikage, you once fought with honor as I did. Even when you fled to Nightmare's side, during that one fight...you still had control of your actions. You were not...this..."
Meta Knight flew closer to the rafters towards the ceiling when the ninja lunged for him. Yamikage blindly ran forward, swinging the cursed katana in fury. His only thoughts were focusing on harming the knight, in a rush of hatred and vengeance.
"You coward! Get down and fight! Fight! You're nothing but a miserable coward!" He screamed in a deranged manner.
Shuriken after shuriken flew past Meta Knight's masked face, each one poorly aimed due to the ninja's rage affecting his abilities. What irritated Yamikage the most was the knight's concealed face. He had never seen the Star Warrior without his mask, he wanted to see the Star Warrior's expression right now. To see contempt, disgust, or hatred...
Even in his days as a GSA soldier, Yamikage could remember that he had never seen his face. His mask was always on when the others would socialize, he lifted it up slightly when he ate, he slept with it on. The ninja had come to the conclusion that he was ashamed of his face, that Meta Knight would take extreme precautions to avoid the reveal.
Yamikage wanted nothing more at the moment than to tear off that Star Warrior's mask.
The ninja jumped forward, then clung and began to scale the wall. If his prey wasn't going to come down willingly, he would just make him leave the rafters by force. Yamikage climbed with surprising speed, almost like a spider. Meta Knight theorized that he had gained such ability due to his unusual and frightening transformation.
When the traitorous Yamikage was too close for the knight's liking, he jumped from the rafters and floated to the steel flooring. His opponent growled, then lunged at him with red frustrated eyes. Meta Knight dodged the oncoming attack, then hid himself momentarily with the dimensional cape.
Meta Knight couldn't battle Yamikage with his full potential if the ninja was not going to fight fairly. The moment he had disabled the knight's hand immediately let him know that. Power alone would not win this battle. It was time for Meta Knight to rely on his own wits, and Yamikage's rage-induced stupidity.
"Well, Meta Knight?! Do you realize that you're outmatched? It's only a matter of time...you can only run away for so long..." The ninja rambled, licking his overgrown sharp teeth as he snarled.
The blue knight appeared inches above Yamikage, then swung Galaxia. The blade only slightly pierced the ninja's right arm, but the pain was immense.
"GYaaaAAaaHHgH!" A beast-like scream filled the room. "What did you do to me?! It burns! It burns!"
He fell to the ground and continued to writhe in agony, snarling and biting at the air like an animal. Meta Knight's eyes widened when he saw the wound he had inflicted. What would have been a small scratch was instead a gaping hole about the size of an eye. However, instead of blood, a slimy purple substance leaked from it.
"I see..." Yamikage panted. "An eye for an eye...heh heh..."
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The corrupted soldier began to laugh, at first a soft chuckle. He continued to laugh as though something in this demented and twisted scenario was actually funny. The Star Warrior began to cautiously back away from his downed opponent, knowing fully well that whatever was going through Yamikage's mind was not the least bit amusing.
"Heh heh heh...I know what I'll do now...I was wrong to go for your arm. I'll break your feet so you can't run away...and tear that precious cape until it's beyond repair. Just like you'll be..."
If Meta Knight was intimidated, he showed no signs of it. The ninja was still lying on the ground, his body jerking every few moments from the pain he felt. Or perhaps it was excitement. The way his comrade turned enemy was acting...it was difficult to identify him as an intelligent creature anymore.
"Yamikage...why have you come here?" Meta Knight asked in a controlled voice. "If you have come for revenge, you have wasted both your time and mine. And to arrive in such a vile form..."
He snorted. "You act as though I had a choice in the matter...though my transformed body has many benefits, I did not get any say on whether I wanted to be this way or not...but I don't really care. I'm stronger...and that's the only thing that matters. The only thing that matters..."
"...Your heart was sacrificed for strength...and a heart is a terribly precious thing to lose..."
"And you would know that how?" Yamikage sneered.
"Because, when the hearts of those I loved ceased to beat, my own was lost with them." Meta Knight's eyes were colored grey, a solemn expression appeared underneath his mask.
"You're still mourning for them?" The ninja on the floor smirked condescendingly.
"By the hand of your master...they perished."
"Ah yes...you say my master killed them..." A malicious grin spread across Yamikage's deformed face. "Garlude...that mission when you obtained that sword you carry, Galaxia. It was a turning point in the war...you and Garlude found the sword...the beast Kirisakin slept...you took Galaxia, and Garlude was killed with you no worse for wear."
"..." Meta Knight narrowed his eyes.
"You were covered in her blood...you let Kirisakin get away...and yet, nobody blamed you. You were there, you had that sacred sword in your hand...and you couldn't do anything to save poor innocent Garlude? You know, she had a little daughter to take care of, and no father to help raise her."
"... ..." Meta Knight's gaze turned hard.
"And let's not forget your dear friend Jecra. He had a son, and you killed his father. What sort of friend would do that? Were you even trying to free him from Nightmare? Or perhaps did he know a little too much about you, and it was easier this way? He had a family, a wife and son. ...But you wouldn't know what that's like...would you? Or do you?"
Meta Knight clenched his teeth together, eyes flashing red.
"And of course...there was her." Yamikage's grin grew wider. "Such a sweet girl... You two always seemed to be spending time together, even when you were in different sectors. Almost like you were sharing a little secret with each other...but secrets have a way of getting out, don't they? Let's see...what happened to her again?"
"Silence..." Meta Knight said in a faint growl, eyes coated a bloody red.
He knew that Yamikage was trying to get under his skin, if he couldn't harm him physically. The Star Warrior could have ran, but he knew better than to leave the traitorous ninja unattended. He needed to buy some time for Kirby, and Meta Knight also needed answers. As disgustingly painful as it was to endure those words, there was one thing he didn't know that Yamikage might...
"Oh that's right...You never knew! But maybe she's still alive somewhere...then again, maybe I killed her. Either way, you were responsible for her at the time. I guess you didn't really care as much for her as everyone thought you did."
Meta Knight bit his lip, tasting blood as his breathing grew heavier. His entire body was tense, a sign he had been clearly provoked.
"...do you see the pattern?"
"I said silence..."
"You had a key role during their greatest losses...you say that I'm the traitor...but the title fits you much more with the truth in the light, doesn't it? And those were only three instances, there are many more losses tied to your name, you know. And yet...nobody says they hate you for it..."
Meta Knight's fists began to tremble.
"The guilt is eating you alive...isn't it?" Yamikage chuckled. "You want them to hate you. You want to put the past behind you, but it has a habit of coming back, doesn't it?"
"It's true...it's all true..." The Star Warrior's eyes began to flash grey.
"Tell me, is that why you try to be so distant from that child? You can't bear to lose someone again, can you? After all this time has past, the wounds are still fresh. You're pushing away the past and clinging onto it for dear life at the same time. You need something to hold onto for hope...and that child is the last leg you're standing on. That sounds about right, doesn't it?"
He was right.
"That's it, isn't it?" He hummed. "That boy is the only thing keeping you together, along with the rest of those soldiers still alive. But...what if he died...and you were there to see it? Would it break you? You didn't think it would be the end, even with Nightmare's death, did you? There are others who supported Nightmare's reign and sided with him, we want what you took away from us..."
Yamikage abruptly rose, nearly making the knight flinch at the swiftness of the action. Meta Knight's eyes instantly turned red, but he remained still. Yamikage began to approach him, one step at a time. That grin...that hideous grin was still there...taunting the veteran warrior as he continued to step closer with bloodlust in his eyes.
"I know...I'll mutilate your arms and feet until they're beyond repair so you can't get away...I'll find the other Star Warriors, and kill them. Kill every single one with a different method for each." The ninja's voice trembled with excitement.
A soft, low, almost inaudible growl was emitted from Meta Knight's throat. Yamikage continued to talk about the monstrosities he would commit with barely hidden thrill, while gradually reducing the distance between them.
"One by one, I'll kill off what remains of your species. And with it, your hope. I'll destroy everything and everyone that has meaning to you, and force you to watch...I won't have to lay a hand on you, I'll kill you from within."
With each word, Meta Knight felt his teeth grind, his heartbeat thrumming against his chest, breathing heavy, his right hand twitching...his eyes were a solid bloody red. No flashing, no glowing, just pure red. He was losing control of his thoughts, all he could hear was the voice of that traitor...
"Did I hit a nerve? You're just going to stand there, and listen? Very well, it will make this much easier for me. Why do you look so tense? You're shaking...have I made you angry? Aren't you going to at least fight back before I take everything from you, Meta Knight?"
Yamikage prattled on, not noticing the knight's own frantic twitching and writhing. Then, as he was face to face with Meta Knight, the vassal of Nightmare leaned over next to where the knight's ear would be. With a low, mocking, nearly inaudible voice he whispered.
"I'll leave the child for last..."
"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
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With a loud battle cry, Meta Knight took Galaxia in his right hand, then thrust the weapon into Yamikage's side. The traitor stumbled backwards, screaming in pain and cursing the Star Warrior while trying to stop the flow of purple liquid from his wound. But the knight wasn't finished yet.
He leapt into the air and pounced on the enemy, his feet weighing down the ninja's stomach to prevent him from rising. The now red-eyed warrior raised his sword, then let Galaxia hover centimeters over Yamikage's chest. For the first time in this encounter, the traitor's eyes held a glimmer of shock.
The shock soon wore off, leaving that hideous smirk on his malformed face. A chuckle, then a laugh. The knight dug his left foot into the ninja's stomach and snarled as a warning, barely holding onto his self control. This traitor, no...abomination, wasn't Yamikage. Whatever was left of him was gone.
"Would you care to tell me what you find so amusing?" Meta Knight asked in a cold tone.
"Heh heh...it's just...you're acting like you would actually do it." Yamikage grinned wider.
"You do not think I would?" Galaxia pressed against the traitor's skin, cutting through the cloth with ease.
"We aren't that different, you and I."
"I am nothing like you..." The Star Warrior whispered, lifting his weapon high.
"So you're set on killing me? But wouldn't you like to know what happened to her after so long of living in uncertainty, Meta Knight? Or the others that vanished?"
The tip of the blade froze a centimeter over the ninja's chest. He narrowed his burning red eyes in question.
"What are you talking about? Speak now!"
"Lower your sword, and I will speak." Yamikage ordered with a smile.
Hesitance brimmed from within, the knight at a stand-still. Yamikage could not be given even the slightest opportunity of an advantage, but he also had knowledge. Knowledge of the enemy, and secrets of Nightmare's works. He could very well be lying, but...Meta Knight had to know. The Star Warrior needed to know...
Slowly, he lowered his sword. Yamikage's grin grew wider.
"Good boy..."
Before Meta Knight could prepare himself, his arm was swiftly grabbed. Yamikage flung him against the wall with all his might, the puff letting out a groan of pain. The ninja strode towards his fallen opponent, then yanked him up by the cape and violently shook him.
"Nowhere to run anymore, Meta Knight! Look at what you've done to me..." Yamikage glared at the wounds on his body, still dripping purple liquid.
The knight couldn't reply, feeling the air in his lungs escape when the ninja decided to kick him across the floor. He panted, trying to reach for his weapon before he was picked up again. Yamikage's malformed body was too fast, this time grabbing his arm. His captor squeezed tightly, nearly crushing the knight's right hand.
"You want to know something, Meta Knight? I worked very closely with Nightmare, so I was given only the most prestigious of assignments. And that included managing the prisoners of war."
The traitor spoke calmly, as he trailed his claws down the Star Warrior's injured arm. He bit his lip to hold back a pained cry as large gashes appeared with blood following briefly.
"I captured many of my former companions. I lost count of the number. But one thing is certain, all of them were crying by the time I was finished with them, if they were still breathing that is..."
"You...you monster..." Meta Knight choked, before he was silenced with another kick.
"There's no need for you to be upset over your friends' passing Meta Knight. You will be joining them soon. At least, that was what I was considering. Now, I think it would be better to keep you alive."
The veteran soldier gritted his teeth. "..."
"She was sweet...but it's amazing how much of a savage she became...almost akin to Gisela." One of the loose section's of Yamikage's hair seemed to quiver, almost like it had moved on it's own will.
"...What did you do to her...?" He breathed. "You monster! Answer me!"
Yamikage ignored him, then responded by jerking the knight upwards towards his face. A katana materialized in his other hand.
"Your eyes have been red this entire time. I'm tired of looking at them." The traitor said in a bored tone.
He shoved Meta Knight onto his back easily due to the warrior's injuries and lightweight, then leaned over the puff and aimed the katana over his left eye.
"Any words, Meta Knight?" He asked mockingly.
"May Nightmare drag you down into the abyss created for yourselves..." The knight glared, unflinching.
Yamikage chuckled amusedly, then his eyes grew sinister. He raised the katana.
"Aaaaagh!"
The ship suddenly tilted, sending Yamikage tumbling towards the ground. The ninja's weapon clattered on the floor out of his hands and away from the knight.
"That little runt! He found the controls!" Yamikage screamed in frustration.
Meta Knight silently sighed in relief. "Thank you Kirby..."
He used this moment of opportunity to unsheathe Galaxia, then attacked the ninja while he was down. Ignoring the pain in his nearly crushed arm, he swung the blade across his unfair opponent's body. A spray of purple erupted, making Yamikage scream as he desperately tried to cover the wound with his hands.
His claws only aggravated the wound, making more seep out. He writhed and flailed, becoming a screeching wreck as he struggled to reach his katana. Yamikage crawled to the weapon, only for it to melt then fade into smoke. With a cry of anger, he tried to seize the knight who had done this to him. The knight was at a safe distance, hand on the hilt of his sword and his cape wrapped slightly around his round body.
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As his movements slowed, the ninja's screeches gradually died down. His claws suddenly retracted, then his arms were drained of their black color. His wild untamed hair grew shorter, the ends of the black strands quivering one last time before becoming motionless.
With interest, Meta Knight carefully watched the strange occurrence. Yamikage groaned, opening his mouth as his once sharp teeth gradually morphed into a normal set. The ninja closed his mouth fully without any of them poking out in odd angles. The purple slime that was dripping from the wound had stopped, only for a few drops of red to leak out.
The Star Warrior felt nervous, anxious even. He couldn't recall seeing such a thing happen before, not once in his long existence. He felt another wave of caution consume him when Yamikage suddenly raised up weakly.
"What color...are my eyes...?" He said quietly, as his eyelids slowly opened.
Meta Knight gasped, feeling his own eyes turn white.
"...Navy blue...they are navy blue..." Meta Knight answered.
"..." Yamikage suddenly moved before the knight could defend himself.
The knight felt the ninja's arms around his body, and Yamikage pulled himself closer. He leaned against him, then buried his scarred face in Meta Knight's shoulder.
And through the loud mechanical noises of the Halberd, the only thing Meta Knight could hear was Yamikage's frightened sobs.
Author's Note: Pop quiz everybody! What's worse than being used by a space dictator? Answer: It's being used by a space dictator for years on end and be completely aware you're being used, also being completely aware you are hurting the people closest to you but have no way of regaining control, and finally being forced through a painful transformation designed to envelop you in near constant agony.
Readers, this is an unexpectedly dark chapter.
Also, what else did Yamikage say while he was in monster mode? "She was sweet...but it's amazing how much of a savage she became..."
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Well readers, hopefully next update won't take too long! Then again I said that last time.
For those of you in the states, I hope you had a great 4th of July. I saw a few fireworks around here...and almost went face to face with a bat flying around. But it's raining now.
See you next time, Leer Justice out.