Wings of Fortitude

CHAPTER 14: Conflicting Feelings

It had been quite deep beneath the ground, within the Meta-Knight's headquarters. Far too deep down to have heard the terrors that were currently taking place above. As usual, it was Sailor who had been standing guard outside the elevator to the base, finding that she was beginning to miss the presence of a certain pink puff. Kirby had been staying at the base for the past few days after all, and because Sailor had been in charge of entertaining him during his stay, she found that without Kirby there, her usual duties were rather dull…

"Oh, Kirby… Hmm, I wonder what he's doing right now… Training with Sir Meta Knight maybe." Her thoughts lingered a moment. She'd known well that Kirby had not been so content while staying at the base, and Sailor wasn't oblivious as to why. It was because Meta Knight had been so busy, and not been present oftentimes. "Huh…" Sailor would then mumble to herself. Back when Meta had brought Kirby to the base, she had felt a growing connection the two shared. She'd wondered momentarily if there had been anything more to that connection, what with how eager Kirby always was to see Meta Knight.

*Ding*

"Hm?" Sailor turned towards the elevator door as it made that ding sound, only to reveal the entry of another Waddle Dee, Sailor seemed to recognise him. Banana? No… It was Bandana! That's right! And… wait a minute, he was holding up Meta Knight! He looked injured! "S-Sir Meta Knight!" She immediately shrieked, rushing to his side and helping to carry him inside. "S-Sir! What's happened!? Your wing!" She'd quickly taken note of the gaping hole in Meta Knight's wing.

"S-Sailor… Argh…" Meta Knight grimaced as he fumbled out of the door, Bandana doing his best to hold him up.

"H-he needs help! Is there an infirmary down here?" It was Bandana's first time being deep below the Castle, and he didn't know his way around at all. Thankfully Sailor knew the base like the back of her nub.

"Y-yeah! There is one, this way!" She guided Bandana in helping her carry Meta Knight towards the infirmary. His own feet hardly had the strength to walk, and instead being dragged somewhat across the floor. Sailor looked at her superior with such worry. Just what had happened? "It's not far from here." She continued, and before long they'd reached the Infirmary's door. Bandana opened it up and Sailor did her best to move Meta Knight inside, having him sit on the edge of one of the beds. She's rather he lay down, but with his wings in the way that most likely wouldn't have been a good call.

"Nghhh.." Meta Knight grunted as he sat down. His feet felt numb, and his wings felt worse. He could hardly feel half his body… Nova that blow to his wing really sent him to hell and back…

"W-What do we do?" Bandana then questioned nervously, looking over the knight, but not having the slightest clue where to start. He was losing blood, or well… He'd most likely already lost a lot. Sailor thought to herself for a moment, before getting into action, turning to look at Bandana.

"We work fast! Bandana! I need red cell blood bags, Sir Meta Knight has A-type blood, and we stock several types of blood in the next-door storage unit, you gotta go get me some! It'll be frozen so we'll need to defrost it before transferring it!" Admittedly, Sailor had never really shown her commanding side. She didn't even know she had one! After all, she was just another worker. But… Meta Knight was injured, and someone had to take the reins.

"O-Oh! Alright! I'll go find some!" He rushed out of the door, and Sailor rummaged through several cabinets looking for a cleanser for the wound. Meta Knight huffed tiredly and his vision was blurred, but still, he managed to point to one of the top cabinets.

"In there…" He breathed tiredly, and Sailor immediately reached for the cabinet he'd pointed to. Finding the cleanser she was looking for as well as some disinfectant wipes to help clean the wound.

"Alright, thank you, Sir." She made her way to him and looked over his shoulder at his wings. They were drooped down, looking sluggish and completely bloodied. Sailor sweatdropped a bit, as she knew she wasn't the best with blood, but this was no time to back down! She got the cleanser and poured it over the wound, getting a pained wince out of the knight.

"ARGGHH!" Meta Knight's body tensed, as he felt his wings twitch in agony. Despite the pain, that was all his nerves would allow them to move. Sailor didn't want to waste time so she took a wipe and began cleaning off the blood. Each touch that cleaned off bacteria and blood brought a writhing pain to Meta Knight, and all he could do was grit his teeth and bear through it. "I-It hurts… So much… D-dammit…." His breathing grew rigid, as Sailor tried her best to be comforting.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir… I'll try to be as fast as I can. Just er… Think about something that'll calm you down, or make you happy to take your mind off the pain?" She offered and saw Meta Knight give her a small nod.

"A-Alright…" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Trying to piece together his thoughts. Calm down… His thoughts drew to the rain, and how it calmed him. He thought of How water droplets would paint his mask and blue skin like a canvas, and cool off his frustrations. Yeah… Meta Knight could feel himself calming down until another dose of that cleanser made him grit his teeth. "Arghh…" he growled lowly, Sailor giving him an apologetic look as she continued cleaning his wings.

"You're doing great Sir, keep going. I'm nearly done." Her instructions helped Meta to refocus, and his mind drifted off to what else made him happy. His eyes opened somewhat, and not long after the smallest tinge of blue stained his eyes as the happiest thought crossed his mind. Kirby.

"Hmm.." He gave the softest of hums as his student crossed his mind. To think he'd known the puff for a decade now. Though despite that, he never truly knew Kirby. He was only now beginning to see Kirby as he was this past week. Ever since his wings had shown signs of growing. At this thought, Meta felt a small frown pull at his lips. Had he not cared for Kirby enough to get to know him on his own terms? Did he really have to wait for an event like wing growth to occur, for him to even remotely begin trying to be there more for his student? It seemed so… That was shameful of him, he thought.

"Sir?" Sailor then questioned, seeming to notice the slight frown on the knight's face. He turned to Sailor slightly, wanting to express how he felt for once.

"Sailor… I think… I have done a poor job, of training Kirby…" Though after a moment, he shook his head, realizing he worded that incorrectly. "No… Not training him. I have done a poor job… Of being his companion." Meta Knight's mind began to fill with moments of the past. Kirby's wish to not be lonely. Kirby's need to be with him. His desperation, his fright. It had grown wildly, into something uncontrollable, something innate. Meta Knight knew this. He'd witnessed it when he crash-landed in front of Kirby earlier…

"Companion? Sir? But Kirby is your student, isn't he?" She wondered aloud as she continued to clean his wings. Just where had the topic of Kirby arisen from? Sailor wasn't sure but she focused on finishing to clean her superior's wings. There were several bloodied wipes on the floor by this point, but she'd not cared.

"He is… Er well… He is more than that." Meta felt that unfamiliar purple leak into his eyes, remembering what had happened earlier between them. That awkward moment where Kirby… He… Ugh, Meta Knight didn't know why he was thinking of such things… He just couldn't get it out of his head, and well… He assumed that getting it off his chest would be best for him. That didn't make saying it any easier, however. "He… Er…"

"He what? Sir?" Sailor was confused by Meta Knight's mumbling and stuttering as she cleaned off what she could of the blood. Sailor then searched through some drawers for bandages and thankfully found some quickly, returning to Meta Knight to bandage his wing as he continued to try to explain his thoughts, or rather… his feelings.

"Kirby. Well, he… I-I was hurt and…" Meta Knight then found himself taking a deep breath, so he could speak clearly. Sailor listened still. "I told him to leave me behind and protect Cappy town. But he claimed he only cared for me." He glanced towards Sailor, who paused what she was doing to look back at him. She'd not realized just how much had happened up on the surface, but it didn't sound pretty. Still, she continued to listen. "I didn't know why he was so insistent on protecting me. My mind was fuzzy, and I was tired… Kirby, he…" He felt some red reach his cheeks. "I believe… He tried to kiss me."

"H-He did what!?" Sailor was completely taken aback by that, not expecting Meta Knight's words to go in that direction at all. Did Kirby really try to kiss Meta Knight? W-What? "W-Why would Kirby try such a thing? S-Sir?" She suddenly felt unnerved and watched as she saw the knight softly touch his own lips with his glove, his eyes turning green in thought.

"I… Don't know for sure. But I believe it has to do with his need for attention." Meta Knight then looked down at the floor somewhat. "It is likely that Kibry has recently had many connections cut off from him… Fumu, Bun… Even myself, when I had been so shut off from him." By this point Sailor just listened and continued wrapping the bandage, pulling it tight so blood would stop flowing, which got a small wince from Meta Knight.

"S-sorry Sir!" Sailor apologized, though Meta Knight waved it off to continue his explanation.

"It's alright… Now, as I was saying… Kirby was lacking connections and companions. These things are sources of care and love." Meta Knight found himself contemplating a few minutes before he'd continue. "I was one of the first to show him any care in his time of need. I believe, he latched onto that care, and clung to it… Now it's developed into… Perhaps an infatuation of sorts over these past few days." Sailor gave a nod of understanding as she tied off the bandage, now standing in front of Meta Knight hopeful to continue the conversation. As shocking as it was, perhaps this was the connection she thought she'd felt between the two those days ago.

"I-infatuation? Sir… Is it alright for Kirby to have developed such feelings?" She questioned, and Meta Knight shook his head, somewhat dejectedly as his eyes shone grey.

"O-of course, it isn't… It's taboo for our species to mingle in such a way, before living for a century…" He was so ashamed that he'd been in the position to have nearly broken such a principle among Kaabii… Thankfully, nothing had happened, but Meta Knight feared that Kirby's feelings may only grow over time. That was not good if it were true. But what could he do? Surely nothing. He'd not even known how to address this issue. Only one person would have a solution. "If only… I could speak with Sir Arthur…" He'd mumbled to himself, which caught Sailor's attention.

"Sir Arthur…?" She'd questioned while putting everything away she'd used. She read that name recently… But where? Because she could think about it further, Bandana came rushing in with the bag of A-type blood Sailor had needed.

"I-I got it! Took a while to find eheh… sorry." Though Sailor only shook her head, and gave Bandana a smile as she took the bag from him.

"No, it's alright Bandana. Thank you." Which got a sheepish chuckle out of the other Waddle Dee. Sailor then went to the sink to fill it with hot water so she could defrost the blood. As she did this, her mind drifted back to the name Meta Knight mentioned. Sir Arthur… Sir Arthur. She'd seen that name recently. Where was it? Suddenly, it hit her.

"Oh!" Sailor exclaimed, turning to Meta Knight. "S-Sir Meta Knight! I just remembered! You'd received a letter from Sir Arthur while you were out with Kirby earlier today! I'd sat it in your quarters er… I believe it's a response to the letter you sent him regarding Kirby's wings." She explained, causing Meta Knight's eyes to whiten with shock for a moment, before settling on that contemplative green.

"I-I see…" He now wondered just what Arthur had written him back, Surely important information. The Star Warrior was well versed in many things, and Meta Knight wouldn't doubt his judgement. He soon stood up, wearily. "I must… read it." He insisted, though Bandana quickly tried to get him to sit back down.

"What!? Nonono! You're hurt, you shouldn't be moving around until the blood transfer is completed!" His voice was panicked though Meta didn't seem to care, trying to push past the small Waddle Dee. However, they were both halted when Sailor called out to them. "Sir Meta Knight! Please… Don't overexert yourself…" She turned to Bandana somewhat. "Bandana, could you please go fetch the letter? It should be sitting on Sir Meta Knight's desk in his quarters. It's down the second corridor over to the right." She explained, and after watching Meta Knight begrudgingly sit down, Bandana gave a nod.

"Um… Y-yeah! Alright, I can do that!" And yet again the Waddle Dee had rushed off to get what was needed. Meta Knight gave a sigh, as his gaze soon rested on Sailor. Somehow, a tinge of blue found its way into his eyes. He'd not noticed this before, but Sailor truly did have that attitude of a leader when things were serious. You'd not expect such a thing from a mere Waddle Dee, but Sailor seemed to outshine so many of the other simple Dees.

There was a moment of silence between the two before Meta Knight finally spoke.

"You're in the making, of a good leader… Sailor." He commented to the side, causing her to look over at him with some shock in her eyes. She'd not ever been told such a thing before. Did she… really have what it took to be a leader?

"R-Really? Sir…?" Was all she could manage before Meta Knight gave her a small nod.

"Yes, indeed. I had not realized how well you could take control in situations like these… I'm certain you'll make a fine leader one day, Sailor…" His words stuck with her, however… She'd not heard the very quiet 'When I'm not around…' That had lingered under his breath. While his words brought a cheerful look to Sailor's face, Meta Knight couldn't help but frown to himself once she'd turned back around to pull the defrosted blood bag from the hot water. "When I'm not around…" Meta Knight repeated again to himself quietly. He knew when all this was over… He'd have to rethink a lot… It seemed Dreamland was simply another place he could not stay without being ridiculed…

"T-Thank you, Sir," Sailor had then replied to his earlier statement. The blood bag was soon completely defrosted, and she dried it off and let it cool down from being in hot water, before beginning to hook it up to Meta Knight. He knew the feeling wouldn't be pleasant when the needle would break his skin to transfer the blood, but thankfully Sailor was taking her time to get things ready, so she decided to ask her superior a question. "If… you don't mind me asking, Sir Meta Knight. What exactly had you written to Sir Arthur?"

"What had I written?" Not expecting to be asked such a question, Meta Knight felt his eyes grow a tinge of green. He thought for a moment and recalled in his mind the words of his letter to the old Star Warrior.

'Sir Arthur.

These are matters that concern Kirby. His wings seem to be prematurely growing, as he's hardly the age he should be for them to be sprouting. So, I've concluded that this development is occurring far too early from what I know.

I ask for your guidance during this time. His wings will be sprouting fully within the next 24 hours of my writing this letter. Having not dealt with anything like this before in all my years, I am doubtful I will be of much use.

I am also weary of the local's potentially negative reaction to his wings and plan to keep them a secret for as long as I am able.

I ask that you'll respond when you're able, and help aid me in this next stage of Kirby's life.

Sir Meta Knight.'

"...Nothing much… I only requested his aid in what to do with Kirby." Meta Knight mumbled a bit, before feeling the tip of something sharp and cold pressed on his skin. He flinched as he looked over at Sailor, who'd readied the needle for the blood transfer. She gave him an apologetic look, knowing she'd startled him.

"S-sorry Sir, I didn't mean to startle you." It seemed she was about to inject the needle, but knew to disinfect the area she'd jab before doing so. Her eyes looked towards Meta Knight's, who looked rather anxious about the procedure. "I-It'll be alright Sir. You can close your eyes, o-or look away if it's too much for you." She offered, and as the Knight stared at the spot that would soon be jabbed, he gave a slow nod, opting to both turn away and close his eyes.

"Just do it.." He commanded in a slightly anxious tone. Sailor did as told and the needle broke Meta Knight's skin, causing him to give a pained wince. "A-argh…" He grimaced, gritting his teeth as could feel the needle pressed in. Sailor gave a relieved look, as she finished the other preparations required. It wasn't long before the blood transplant began. Slowly but surely, colour began returning to the knight's face, as he'd been rather pale from the blood loss.

"Great work Sir! Now, just relax. This will take a bit of time." Sailor assured as she bandaged around where the blood was entering. Meta Knight managed to give her a slight nod and his posture slumped ever so slightly. He took a deep breath and soon exhaled, clearing his thoughts. To think that at a time such as this, Kirby was outside… Fighting in his place. This was serious, much like all the Demon Beasts Kirby had fought in the past. Meta Knight wished he could help, but knew he would only get in the way in his condition.

"Oh… Kirby…" He mumbled quietly so Sailor couldn't hear. Things didn't seem to be going well. He could only hope Kirby would be strong enough to defeat their foe. If not, Dreamland would be doomed… It was then that the knight's head throbbed, as his vision blurred tiredly. Meta knew he'd need some rest and laid back somewhat on the bed he'd been sitting on, breathing slowly.

In his last few moments before drifting to sleep, he wondered what Arthur had written him back in his letter. He knew he should stay awake to read it once Bandana returned… But his headache was demanding he sleep.

So he did. Slowly yet surely. Meta Knight allowed himself to recover, hopeful that Kirby would handle things from there.

Authors Note: Heyo, been a while. 2 years maybe? Decided to finish what I started lol. My writing style has changed a lot, but debatably that's for the good. Cya around.