Wings of Fortitude

CHAPTER 15: You're not who you seem

Fire raged across Cappy Town. Destroying buildings and spreading to nearby greenery. Kirby had never seen anything of the sort, though Dedede certainly had. Memories of when this had happened in the past due to Nightmare being something that had stuck with him. The two were rushing their way down the streets in search of the source of all this destruction. Dedede could feel his nerves eating away at him. Sure he wanted to avenge his pudding, but wasn't this taking things a bit far?

"Er.. who is this guy again?" Dedede questioned wearily as he ran side by side with Kirby. His newly made puffball friend seemed to be in thought for a moment, before looking up at Dedede, recalling what exactly had happened when their foe had arrived.

"He… Said his name was Galacta Knight." Kirby had started, trying to remember what else the dangerous knight had said. It was difficult for him to remember due to the fact that he'd been so scared at the time. "He's a Galactic Warrior but… I don't know what that is." Though despite not knowing, Kirby felt some familiarity when saying the term. "He didn't want Meta getting in the way of his goal but well… Neither of us knew what that was exactly…" Kirby then continued, making Dedede's face scrunch up in confusion.

"His goal?" Was the only thing the penguin managed to ask, causing Kirby to nod in response.

"Yeah… It makes no sense to me." Unfortunately, neither of the two really had a plan in terms of what to do once they found Galacta, but they had hope that something would happen that could benefit them. They'd rushed through the streets still but came to a halt at the town square. "There!" Kirby had called out, pointing a nub up at the sky, where the angel could be seen firing beams of light from the lance he held. Such beams wrought more fire and destruction to Cappy Town. Once they'd gotten closer, Dedede got a better look at the knight up in the air. He looked at him and then back at Kirby, finding a question eating at his mind.

"Er… Kirby? Is it just me or do you two look kinda similar? Y'know… Pink skin, angel wings… Crazy strength…" Dedede had moreso muttered that last remark while Kirby looked up at the fearsome knight in the sky. He supposed they did look somewhat alike… Honestly, the more Kirby got a look at Galacta Knight, somehow the more familiar he looked. Why was that?

"It's probably er… just a coincidence. Meta said our species grows lots of types of wings." To continue to make his point he flapped his own wings a bit. "We must just happen to have the same type of wing?" Though, Kirby didn't seem entirely convinced by his own words. Neither did Dedede, but he wouldn't say that to the puff's face.

"Right… Well, now what?" Was all Dedede had left to ask?

"Er…" Kirby wasn't sure, though it seemed neither of them had to take action, as Galacta Knight soon took notice of the two, or rather… He took notice of Kirby. An impish grin smothered his face as he flew down closer to the both of them. Kirby and Dedede immediately took notice that Galacta Knight was approaching them, readying themselves for potential combat despite both being rather nervous.

"Kirby! So I've finally found you aye~?" Was the surprisingly cheerful tone Galacta Knight used once he'd gotten close enough to be heard. His tone caused Kirby to lower his guard somewhat, though next to him Dedede looked as defensive as ever.

"H-How do you know my name?" Was the first question that came to the puff's mind. It didn't make any sense to them how this treacherous knight who'd wreaked havoc everywhere and hurt Meta Knight could know him. How could that be?

"How do I know it?" Galacta Knight would then wonder, though a devious smile curled beneath his mask. "Why… Who do you think gave you such a name, Kirby?" He then questioned, causing the puff's head to spin. Who? Wasn't it just someone on Dreamland who came up with it when he'd landed? Though before Kirby could question the knight, Dedede interjected.

"Kirby's always had his name! He'd known it since he landed on Dreamland." Which was news to Kirby, who immediately looked over at Dedede for confirmation.

"W-Wah? I did? I thought one of you guys gave it to me…" Though Dedede only shook his head in response. It seemed Kirby really had known his name from the day he'd landed on Dreamland. But… He was considered a baby back then…. Wasn't he? How'd he know something like that, let alone be able to tell others about it? None of this was making sense…

"Oh, Kirby… Poor Kirby. It's sad. Heartbreaking even… To see what you've been reduced to." His tone seethed with sarcasm. It seemed he really wasn't upset about anything at all. In fact, the older knight seemed gleeful if anything.

"W-What I've been reduced to…?" A quiver grew in Kirby's voice. Just what did Galacta Knight mean by that? The knight in question only shook his head, landing in front of the two. Galacta Knight gestured his lance at Kirby, its tip resting on the puff's chin, or the equivalent of, and turned his head slightly so Galacta Knight could get a good look at him.

"Indeed… Reduced to a pathetic runt. Who believes he's a child." He pressed the tip of the lances into the puff's skin a bit, and Kirby feared the knight would draw his blood. "You're so much more than that~ You've alway-" Though the knight was cut off by the shouts of another.

"OI! Don't lay even a feather on Kirby you ba-" Dedede exclaimed, attempting to get Galacta Knight to back off, but he was only met with mythical blades of light that seemed to appear from thin air. "ACK!" The penguin shrieked, the blades not wasting a moment as they were hurled at him. One grazed the penguin's robe and another his foot.

"Dedede!" Kirby screeched, seeing the king fall to the ground in some rubble nearby. Kirby wanted to help him but Galacta Knight took hold of one of his nubs, forcing the puff to look at him.

"Look at you… Kirby. Can't you see how pathetic this is?" Galacta Knight grimaced, as it pained him to see the puff being so feeble. "I saw how you cowardly hid behind that laughable Star Warrior. He was just as pathetic." Despite not seeing his features clearly, Kirby could feel the devilish aura and grin resting on Galacta Knight's face, as he gave a short sigh. "You know, you really should be careful who you get close with, weaklings only ever got in our way, after all." Of all things, the knight had said thus far, that had to have been the most confusing.

"W-What? Pathetic? N-No… I'm not… I-I… I'm a Star Warrior!" The puff tried to put on a brave face but it crumbled as Galacta Knight spoke. "W-weaklings? O-our way? You're not making any sense!" This only causes Galacta Knight to give a harsh huff, letting go of Kirby's nub as if he disgusted him.

"A Star Warrior!? BAH! You could never have such a pathetic title! Just look at you! Look at those wings! Don't you realize what you are!? Don't you remember!?" Kirby got a fright at Galacta Knight's tone, as he hissed in frustration and took flight once more, hovering above Kirby. The puff in question fell back when he was let go of, and fumbled back to his feet. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, as he really just couldn't understand what Galacta Knight was talking about and he was growing sick and tired of not getting any answers.

"NO! I DON'T REMEMBER! I don't know anything!" Kirby suddenly spat, taking Galacta Knight aback for a second. "If you know everything, why don't you hurry up and spit it out!? Tell me what you're talking about you jerk!" His tears of frustration dripped down his face as his features held such bitterness towards the knight in the air, who surprisingly applauded Kirby slowly.

"Oh, Bravo. You're still in there, my dear Kirby~" He gave an amused chuckle which if anything frightened the pink puff, who took a step away. "I suppose I've no choice, if you can't remember… I'll jog your memory." Galacta landed once more in front of Kirby, this time stabbing his Lance into the ground. For this, he knew he wouldn't need it. "You see Kirby. You and I, we are not like anyone else in the cosmos. Not in this cosmos." His words began to pique Kirby's interest, and with Galacta having put aside his weapon, Kirby found himself taking a step closer.

"Not… of this cosmos?" He questioned. Causing Galacta Knight to give him a nod.

"Indeed. It is as I said, we are not like anyone else." The knight then found himself looking up at the sky. It was tainted red from all the fire and destruction, but the night stars still glimmered through it all… Just the way he liked it. "You and I, Kirby. Are from a distant time in the past. Our kind has long since gone extinct I've realized… It is unfortunate, but I know it to be true. Your feathered wings give you away, dear Kirby~" At that Galacta Knight fluffed up his own wings, giving attention to them.

"M-My wings? Our Kind? But… Aren't we Kaabii?" Kirby looked back at his own wings and fluffed them up a little much like Galacta Knight had his. "And…what do you mean… a distant time?" The puff was growing more and more curious, as Galacta grinned deviously under his mask. His words slowly were reeling Kirby in.

"Ah~ Indeed we are Kaabii, however… You and I are of a different brand of Kaabii." galacta Knight then stretched out his wings confidently. White feathers were on full display as Kirby felt himself want to spread his wings too. There was something about Galacta Knight that the puff found… comforting. Perhaps it was their similarities? Perhaps it was more… "Our wings! These Angelic beauties are a testament to our strength! But I'm getting ahead of myself…" The destructive knight found himself looking intently at Kirby, taking a step towards him, the tone of his voice almost like a purr. "Kirby… My dear Kirby~ You see… You are not who you seem, not at all~ Not a pathetic Star Warrior, not some stupid child."

"W-what?" Was all Kirby could utter as Galacta Knight took another step towards him, his glove caressing the pink puff's cheek. Kirby felt himself hold his breath at the other's touch. As gentle as Galacta Knight pretended to be, Kirby knew to fear for his life in the other's presence. Galacta Knight felt a coy smile form under his mask. Oh, how he loved tormenting the puff~

"Indeed~ As it stands… You are my protégé, Kirby. More than just that, you're a Galactic Warrior! Fiercest of all in the galaxy!" At the knight's claimed words, Kirby felt his heart drop down into his stomach. His breath hitched as his skin crawled. W-What? What did he…? Just say?

"I-I'm a…? No… No! T-That can't be!" Kirby immediately pushed Galacta Knight's glove away from his face, taking a few steps back as his wings huddled around himself in search of comfort. Galacta Knight only growled under his breath, unhappy that Kirby was unaccepting of his words. "Y-You've got it wrong! I couldn't be…" Kirby insisted in fear, watching as Galacta Knight went and picked up his lance once more.

"Ah, so you aren't. At least not anymore… Your cowardice has taken control of you!" He then spat in dismay, making Kirby shiver in fear. Galacta Knight was right… He really was a coward… But… He'd fought all those enemies, so long ago and defeated Nightmare! Hadn't he? So… why? Why did terror suffocate the poor puff's mind, when being faced by Galacta Knight?

Perhaps… It was not the knight Kirby feared, but rather the words he spoke…

"Y-you have no proof! You're lying! I-I was only six when I came to Popstar… I-I couldn't have…" Kirby stuttered, though was unable to finish. Galacta could only roll his eyes, unimpressed by Kirby's excuse.

"Six!? WHAT!?" Galacta Knight grew more agitated in his words, striding once more up to Kirby, his lance pointed at the puff. "We have dominated galaxies for centuries! You and I! Do you see what these weaklings have fed you? LIES! You must think of yourself as a hero, a saviour! LAUGHABLE! You were born long ago, as I was… Our reign…" The fierce knight's words soon diminished as his head turned away. His gloves clenched in frustration, for what they had done to the two of them. For the atrocities of their past.

"Our… reign?" Kirby soon questioned, his heart rate calming as he heard Galacta Knight's tone lower. It was then, that the puff believed he witnessed a moment of humanity in the angel before him. He took a step closer, and another… His curiosity guided him as his nub rested on Galacta Knight's glove, looking into his sullen red eyes. "I…" Kirby tried, taking a short breath as the knight met his eyes. Little did Kirby know the demeanour of the angel was anything but sincere. "...I don't know why you'd come here… and wreak havoc if what you said about me wasn't true…" He paused for a second. "...If, you really do know of me. Of… us. Please tell me."

Kirby did not know, but Galacta Knight had just snared his prey.

"Tell you? Why, if it is you who wishes to know dear Kirby~ I see no reason to not." The angel's wings fluffed up in anticipation, and Kirby's did the same. "You see~ We were of the strongest Galactic Warriors! Nearly 50,000 years ago. Long before this current age." Galacta Knight spoke with confidence and spirit, which was captivating to the puff, whose wings flapped with intrigue as Galacta Knight continued. "We dominated planets, galaxies. I was strong, yes, but you~ You, Kirby~ Had only been a few centuries old. In prime condition and ripe to grow your wings~" His voice neared a coo, which Kirby found oddly nice.

"C-centuries old…? So I'm… I'm not a kid?" Kirby questioned. His attention was now fully on Galacta Knight. He had thought after all these years that everyone had been growing up without him. Could it really have been true that he'd exceeded them all long ago?

"Hardly! The fact that your wings have sprouted is the true testament to your adulthood." The knight then praised, continuing his story. "However, Kirby… Those so-called Heroes of the past, who stood so mightily above all else. Disagreed with our strength! They'd vowed to rid our beautiful wings of existence! The symbol of our strength would be lost to us! As were we…" Galacta Knight's tone then grew bitter and nasty, reminiscing on the animosity he held towards those Heroes. "They usurped us from our reign! And cast us out! I was forced to watch idly, as they sent you, my dear protégé~ hurdling endlessly into space, lost in sleep in that pathetic excuse for a ship!" It was at these words that Kirby truly did begin to believe the knight's story.

"Y-You know that I… was in my Starship? Then… That ship. It was…" Kirby began, but Galacta Knight finished his sentence.

"...Your prison. It was never meant to land. Not here, not anywhere! I assume it was a malfunction that lead to you being free…" His words were slow as he spoke, and Kirby was beginning to doubt everything he knew. The Cappies, his role… Was he really a prophesied Hero? Galacta Knight said all these things as if his landing was a mistake. Could it be so? Kirby didn't know, but the more his mind lingered on such thought, the more resentful he grew to feel.

"My… Prison…" Was all Kirby could manage, as Galacta Knight continued.

"Yes. And I… Was left to rot in a crystal…" The knight's eyes turned away from the younger, as he recounted his past. "When you awoke that decade ago. I felt my power begin to gather once more, as our strengths are linked." Galacta Knight's eyes looked down at his own glove, as he clenched it in frustration. "Then… your wings had begun to sprout at last… That power… I used it to escape." His eyes looked up and met Kirby's, who at this point was only at a loss for words. "I then tried to contact you… At first, your dreams were all I could sync with… but soon, your mind was mine to tap into."

At these words. Kirby stiffened.

"M-My dreams?" It was then at that moment, that Kirby felt he'd been hit by a brick. All this time, all those visions. Those dreams… They were not just dreams, and they were not windows into the future as he'd believed. No… These were communication signals. Galacta Knight had really been trying to contact Kirby this entire time… "But… Why have you come to find me? After all this time…? I-I… I have no memory of you… O-or anything we did together in the past!" Kirby held his head slightly, as he could feel Galacta's overwhelming aura getting into his head. No way… No way! This wasn't happening! Kirby's entire life was falling apart in front of him! He was never a hero… nothing of the sort… Why? Why!?

"Why I've come to find you? My dear Kirby~ Is it not obvious I wish to be reunited with you~" Galacta's words and tone grew devious, as his welcoming nature towards Kirby was deceitful and misleading. Though Kirby failed to realise that, having long since been deceived by the knight's supposed kindness.

"...Reunited…?" That word stuck with Kirby, and Galacta's following words only solidified his thoughts.

"Oh yes~ I've been so lonely without you Kirby. Lost in my mind. I believe it is about time we were at each other's side once more, as we had been." His voice was so inviting that Kirby took a step towards him. And Galacta placed a glove on Kirby's head, giving him a soft pet. "See~? You've not changed, Kirby. You need me as much as I do you~" Galacta Knight's words and care were beguiling and a devilish grin was hidden beneath his mask as Kirby leant into his pet, seemingly accepting his claim.

"Lonely… I've been that too…" The pink puff had mumbled quietly, recounting how he'd felt left behind and cast aside by everyone around him. By Fumu, by Bun. The Cappies… Was there even anyone left for him…? Kirby pondered that for a moment before more deceiving words broke his train of thought.

"I know you have been Kirby… I apologize for taking so long to find you~" Galacta Knight then held both Kirby's nubs in his, as he took flight and hovered somewhat off the ground, gesturing for Kirby to do the same. "However, it is time for us to depart. We have much to catch up on, and much to attend to~" Galacta Knight left unsaid that what he'd had in mind was the dismantling of those who had cast them out, and the destruction of many more galaxies, figuring Kirby in his current state wouldn't be so fond of that idea. "...You'll join me, won't you Kirby? My dear protégé~" His glove caressed Kirby's cheek one last time as those vivid red, deceiving eyes looked into Kirby's more shaken and conflicted blue ones.

"I-I…" The pink puff stuttered, truly at a loss for what to do. Would he go with Galacta Knight? Would he stay? What was there even left for Kirby to stay for…? The Cappies had demonized him, and discriminated against him. They weren't grateful for his services to them… They were all selfish and self-involved in their own so-called peaceful lives. Kirby had no reason at all to stay for their sake…

Then… Why did he feel conflicted about this…? Why?

His thoughts drifted to that of his mentor, who he believed was currently recovering from an injury the very person who was being so kind to him had caused. It was then, that only one name rested in Kirby's mind before he made his decision.

Meta Knight.

Authors Note: Yoyo, I return. The epic lore reveal has finally happened! It shall affect everyone involved.