"Meta Knight! You do as I say! Tomorrow, you will force Kirby to a duel!" shouted King Dedede.
Meta Knight clutched his cape more tightly and murmured, "Yes...Sire...I will."
The blue knight could swear that the throne room got colder as he kept on listening to King Dedede ramble. He felt useless for quite some time now, as he just couldn't forget his death best friend, Jecra. He HAD to kill him...he was possessed.
"Useless,Useless..."
That's all he could think of now. Bad memories flooded his mind. Garlude's death, Jecra's death, the fall of the GSA...
And oh, how he wished he could see Arthur again...
He always had feelings for him...
His breath got heavier as he grabbed his cape as tight as he could.
Maybe he was useless? Or else his friends and everything else would have been alright.
"I have to prepare myself for the duel. Goodbye."
And with that, he left. leaving a confused King and his snail behind.
"Wow, and I didn't get to finish...",mumbled King Dedede angrily.
Escargoon crossed his arms, "Well, as long as he gets the job done..."
"Useless... I could have saved them...but I was too much of a coward...Why am I still alive again...?"
Meta Knight was stuck in his thoughts as he walked through Cappytown, ignoring the gossip of the Cappies as they eyed him, surprised.
"Is that Meta Knight?"
"I wonder why he is here. Isn't he normally in the castle?"
"Maybe it has something to do with Kirby..."
Meta Knight saw the two children, Tiff and Tuff, approach him.
"Meta Knight! We can't find Kirby! Do you know where he is?" asked Tiff as she stopped in front of Meta Knight.
"No. I will inform you when I find him",simply answered Meta Knight before he marched past the kids.
"Huh, weird..." Tiff turned around to look after Meta Knight while her brother crossed his arms.
"Whatever Tiff. You know how Meta Knight is", said Tuff. "Let's look at Kawasaki's. Maybe he wanted food?" He pointed at the restaurant.
Tiff agreed, and the siblings ran off.
Meta Knight tried to get his mind off his bad thoughts somehow. Maybe the beach could help?
He headed towards it, only to find a giggling Kirby, who watched a crab running back and forth.
"Kirby...?" The little star warrior looked up to his mentor,who placed himself on a big stone. "What are you doing here? Tiff and Tuff are worried about you. I suggest you head back."
Kirby only blinked a few times before climbing up to him and cuddling with the older knight.
What's that warm feeling inside him?
"Come on, Kirby...Tiff and Tuff are worried about you," reminded the blue knight, yet Kirby only starred at him.
Meta Knight sighed. "Kirby, tomorrow we will practice sword fighting. So please head back."
"Poyo!" Kirby protested as the tiny star warrior cuddled and tugged on his cape.
"I'm fine, Kirby. You should better head back-" "Poyo!" Kirby interrupted him, demanding to know why his mentor was upset.
"I...just have some bad memories floating in my mind. Does that answer your question?" asked Meta Knight.
Kirby seemed to be pondering about something until the little pink one got up and suddenly dragged Meta Knight on his cape along.
"Kirby, wait!" Meta Knight tried to slow him down, but unsuccessfully, as he got Kirby to hold his hand instead of his cape.
They both arrived at Kirby's house as Kirby cheerfully swung the door open and hoped into bed as Meta Knight closed the door.
"You...want me to stay? Sword and Blade wouldn't like that-" Meta Knight saw how Kirby made puppy eyes.
Defeated, he sighed and gently pulled the little one's blanket over Kirby.
"There we go. Now try to sleep, okay?"
"Poyoooo! poyo!"
Meta Knight had to smile under his mask. Kirby wanted Meta Knight to also get into his bed to cuddle.
"Fine... I just hope you don't mind if I read for a bit..."
And with that, he slowly got under the blanket as Kirby immediately snuggled and hugged his mentor.
"Pawpa Meta!"
His mind went into father-figure mode.
"If you wish to call me that...then...I wouldn't mind..."
Meta Knight affectionately stroked the now-sleeping Kirby on top as he pulled out his book and continued to read, his mind now filled with pleasant thoughts.
Before he realized it, however...
He too dozed off.
Maybe he wasn't that worthless...