Kirby was battling against his rival.

In a vast open field, they were at training plaza with trees and sunlight. Kirby ws practicing his only resource to obtain ability is inhaling Meta Knight, but he was skilled, quick, agile, and intelligent.

Smash tournament didn't provide Kirby a wheel of skill to begin with. He was given only strength, aerial, stones, and his returning committee of dash attack. Fire dashing, to be precise. Although, he felt overwhelmed if his opponent seized his opening, and Kirby was struggling to fight.

This new tournament was unusually harder for Kirby to accomplish. He felt so... slow compared to his friends. He felt weaker and soft. He never had any problem with the last four tournaments, but the early arrival of Ultimate was terrible.

But he's a fighter. Despite the light body, he always returned the fray and countered his opponent with his favorite star wand or his sword ability.

He wished to have it with him, Meta Knight suggested to train what he does for now.

Meta Knight and Kirby sparring came to a halt as Kirby laid face down at the concrete floor, whimpering. He tried and tried—inhaling his ability to have an even match, but Meta Knight flurry of attacks seemingly impossible to reach.

And he began to cry.

"Muuuaaaawww..." Kirby cries was muffled, face pressed against the ground.

Meta Knight took the win for the first time without the sword ability.

Their usual tradition, in dire times, MK always had a fair fight when he proped the sword on a pedestal for Kirby as a mini boss in his homeland. His goal was to sharpen Kirby combat skills and never let the hero slack before facing a threat to their home.

But they weren't allowed these days.

Meta Knight stood on top of a tree branch, putting aside their sparring and observing the squishy hero. He knows for the fact that Meta Knight can sense his sadness miles away. He was probably not used to the Smash tournament and no enemies to gain an ability. It was limited, and the only solution was to inhale his friends or opponent. Only in battle, unfortunately.

And Kirby misses his home.

But... everyone is so nice. He loves Master Hand nurtured him with love and happiness.

Kirby was slapping the concrete floor with his stubs, probably a little tantrum to let out steam. A very soft, undetectable punches of stubs hitting the ground.

His actions stopped because he's not worthless. And it was rare for Kirby to get flustered. Kirby propelled himself slowly to see MK at the top of the tree.

Kirby uses his stubby arm to wipe his tears. He remained in himself that he must be tough and help others out despite the lack of ability. Even his ability to hover in the air was limited. Kirby whimpered, desperately looking for the bright side.

Meta Knight vanished from his spot and reappeared beside Kirby. He tiptoed his way to the hero and patted his back for comfort. It was difficult for him.

He understood his situation. He, too, was limited with flight, and his skills were halved. His ability to swing his sword was delayed, slow, and vulnerable. But he believed Kirby could possibly save the world without relying on abilities.

Meta Knight struggles to punish his enemies if he exposed his blind spot. He was a keen and skilled warrior, but the tournament demote his ability to launch an assault without failing proven intolerable excuses to degrade his ability.

Kirby rolled his body to a sitting position, misery explained by his expression. The adversity of a new round in Smash tournaments, Kirby weep. He felt so useless—he felt like he'll be the unreliable friend. A hero that everyone need to save their homeland!

Meta Knight patted his back in solace. His fathomless eyes met the crying companion from their homeland. Catching Kirby attention, the Knight nodded once. A silent language between star warriors of consolation that Meta Knight promised to train and aid his difficult times.

Meta Knight encouraged his rival to rise. Boosting his morals to try, try again.

Kirby sniffed loudly. His tears of maelstrom emotions were too much to bear.

Meta Knight positioned his fighting stance, preparing to attack Kirby again after their recess.

Kirby trained his entire life when he was born in the star. Becoming aware of his surroundings, Kirby jumped to his feet and readied his stubby pulp arms to fight.

Failure is never the option. What Meta Knight lectured him in his homeland, as Kirby remembered. His face became stern, backing away to observe his surroundings, a large gap between his opponent.

And the two fight on.

...

It was short-lived when Kirby was defeated. Meta Knight performs really well... and Kirby was determined to defeat him in the future.

He was unconscious after a few sessions with his rival. The last scene he witnessed was Meta Knight fully-charged attack as Kirby ran out of air.

Kirby opened his eyelids slowly, feeling dazed, covered in a blanket, and blinked. He expressed confusion, sadness, and really hungry. He sat up, rubbing his eyelids gently to remove debris and contemplating the room. Certainly, this isn't his room as far as he understands—It was Meta Knight room.

Meta Knight took care of him while he was fast asleep? Kirby felt warm on the inside because Meta Knight was nice.

The walls MK displayed was the mask Kirby defeated on his world. Galacta Knight, Dark Meta Knight, some strange different color cosmetic like green and red?

Anyway, those masks look really cool!

He opened his small mouth.

And Kirby wants to become Meta Knight.

"Borb?"

He crawled out from MK bed, feeling squishy and inflated like a balloon to float his way towards the collection of 'Borb' masks. What interest the most was the cracked mask that represents Dark Meta Knight.

He exhaled his air and sat on top of a table, gently removing the mask from display. His eyes sparkled in delight. Maybe he can be 'Borb'!

He presents it to his adorable face. Gazing through eye sockets and... it was strange. He likes ability that related to hats, but masks were fairly new to his thought.

But he doesn't want to upset 'Borb' when his mask was touched or taken by him without permission. He thought it's best to flee with it.

And Kirby hopped off with the mask in his stubby hand. He rushed through the slightly open door and raced off through the hallway.

Kirby ran back to his room, witnessing his friend—black and purple colored Kirby resembled 'Borb' look really sad, waiting for his hat. The pink one took a lot of time to appear, and he thought he was the odd one out.

But his frown turned upside down when he spotted his pink friend running towards him with Meta Knight mask in his both stubby arms above his round body, cheerful and giggles.

"Hiiii!" The Dark Violet Kirby cried of joy.

"Hiiii!" The Pink Kirby replied back and offered his friend a mask instead of a hat! Now, he would be the cool one in his playtime.

The Dark Violet Kirby immediately rushed back into their room, gesturing his pink friend to join, but Pink respectfully declined by shaking his round body no.

"Oouuuruu... Prru prrru prrru?" The Dark Violet gestured the door.

"Ooouuurrryyyoo." He wants more in his incoherent baby language.

The door closes in front of him, and Kirby sprinting towards the hallway, carefree and happily, passing by Olimar and Alph strolling by. Making room for the baby to run around.

Kirby thought about the possibility of getting hats instead of inhaling his friends. He made a list of what to obtain and how. It will be tricky, but Kirby believes his friends will give him hats!

A/N— Reminder that Kirby was a lowest tier since Ultimate release.