The Lor felt a little more alive with the survivors safely aboard. While Marx investigated the Halberd for any remaining monsters, Meta and Magolor tended to those in need of patching up. The civilians were more rattled than anything, but unfortunately, WolfWrath had finished what it started with the others.
Meta Knight supported King Dedede all the way to the infirmary. Dark met him halfway through the Halberd and took Kirby, following behind. The king's rotund physique was difficult to keep upright, and his height made it even more challenging for the smaller Meta. But he did what he could, standing by while Dedede collapsed onto the infirmary table.
"How did those things get onto the Halberd?" Dark asked, leaning against the wall with Kirby still in his arms.
"They… I don't know. They just showed up," Dedede groaned, coughing and clutching his head.
"The castle had a teleporter for NME deliveries," Meta said, grimacing. "I can only assume they hacked into one of my systems and sent them aboard." He grabbed various bandages from around the infirmary, setting them out on the counter. Peeling the bloodied robe off the king, he began to wrap Dedede's wounds.
"They can't be that savvy. Escargoon and I hacked into their satellite pretty easily," Dedede said, shaking his head and pulling his hat down over his eyes. "Is that goon here?"
Meta and Dark thought for a moment before shaking their heads. "No... we haven't seen him."
Dedede remained silent. Without a body, they didn't want to assume he had passed, but there was little hope for any other outcome.
They were quiet as Meta cleaned and bandaged Dedede. His hands were practiced and diligent. No one wanted to push the topic further, the air tense with unspoken questions. Meta had a lingering accusation on his tongue but bit back as hard as he could.
Dark lacked the patience or tact to remain silent for long. "That thing—"
"Kirisakin," Meta corrected.
"Whatever. Did it take out Kirby?" Dark asked, his voice edged with anger.
Dedede gave an annoyed sigh and dropped his hand from his face. "I know what you're insinuating. I have my gripes with the kid, but I wouldn't turn on him now. Kirisakin went after him something fierce when he came back around," Dedede explained.
Meta glanced over at Kirby, unconscious in Dark's arms, before turning his attention back to Dedede. "What happened in there?"
Dedede groaned, shifting uncomfortably on the infirmary table. "It was chaos. The second those things showed up, they split us up. WolfWrath chased the survivors through the ship while Kirisakin locked onto me in the helm. It was relentless, like it had a personal vendetta." Dedede forced himself to sit upright and winced. Meta let him settle before continuing to dress his wounds. "Kirby followed after WolfWrath to save everyone and left me to deal with the big guy on my own. I could've handled myself if I were prepared!"
Dark tightened his grip on Kirby, his expression hardening. "So you couldn't stop it?"
"I tried," Dedede snapped, frustration evident in his voice. "I fought it off as best I could, but it was like nothing I'd ever faced. It had this unnatural speed and strength. I was nearly wiped out by the time Kirby came back. I thought he dealt with the thing, but maybe he lost it or something, I don't know."
"Well... maybe the crew urged him to help you. It looked like WolfWrath had its hands full with them," Meta offered.
Dedede shrugged, unable to think of any other explanation. Not that it mattered at this point. "Kirby did most of the heavy lifting, but even he struggled. Eventually, it got the better of him. After Kirby went down, it came back to me. But by then, the damage was done. Then, well, ol' Meta Knight got there by the time I finally beat it down."
The room fell silent, the weight of Dedede's words settling over them. Meta finished wrapping Dedede's wounds and moved on to Kirby, examining him while Dark supported his small, limp frame.
Kirby's body bore the marks of a fierce battle. Deep gashes crisscrossed his flesh, marred with dark, dried blood. The edges of the cuts were jagged, evidence of Kirisakin's brutal claws. Bruises in varying shades of purple and blue covered his sides, and a particularly nasty burn scorched his left arm, the skin around it blistered and raw. That was a parting shot from WolfWrath he was certain.
Meta's eyes scanned the injuries, noting the shallow rise and fall of Kirby's chest. He was breathing, but each breath seemed labored, a faint wheeze escaping his lips. A trickle of blood seeped from a cut above his eye, matting the bubblegum pink hair that fell into his face. The sight was almost too much to bear.
Dark adjusted his hold, careful not to aggravate the wounds further. "He's tougher than he looks," he muttered, though his eyes betrayed his concern. Meta nodded, his face grim as he prepared to tend to Kirby's injuries, the weight of their situation pressing down on him.
"We have a minor change of plans," Meta said firmly. "No training, no Kirby or Dedede. Everyone is heading to the other dimension on the Lor. Immediately."
Dark nodded. He wanted to question how they were supposed to get to NME now, but he trusted Meta's foresight. A more contemplative silence fell on them, Dedede falling asleep from the fatigue of his battle. Dark and Meta had nothing more to discuss. It took a trial and a half to get on the same page, but a semblance of trust was built between them.
Once they patched Kirby up, Dark carried him to the room where the rest of Cappy Town was lodging. Meta Knight left the king to his nap and headed to meet Magolor.
As Meta entered the room, he saw Magolor looking up at the screen. He stepped beside him, following his gaze to the monitor.
"Man, I wasn't expecting it to be so bad... that Knight of yours is no joke," Magolor remarked.
"Mhm..." Meta hummed absently, his eyes fixed on the stars flickering on the monitor. He tried to ignore the Halberd's smoke and disrepair, but the sight eventually seeped back into his awareness. The pain of mourning lingered in his chest, intensifying as he thought of everyone they had lost.
"So… Kirby's down, huh?" Magolor asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Yes. He's not gone yet, but he'll be incapacitated for a long time," Meta said softly. He finally tore his gaze from the screen, the flickering stars a painful reminder of their losses. He turned his back to it, closing his cape around him in a protective gesture. "Do you think we can still fly the Halberd?"
Magolor shrugged, trying to sound optimistic. "I mean, you've completely rebuilt her several times. I think you'll be fine."
"No, I mean now. I can get her repairs done later, do you think we could use her now?" Meta clarified, his voice firm. Magolor's ears drooped, and he looked aside, mulling over the thought.
"Well… you know your ship better than I do. But it'll be a stretch… We don't even know where NME is located right now," Magolor said, cautious and careful not to promise more than he could. Meta knew it was a long shot. The engines were barely hanging on by a thread. But there had to be a chance.
"I'm hoping you'll find it," Meta replied, his gaze intense. "And once you do, we'll part ways."
"Really? How will we know you guys are safe?" Magolor asked, concern deepening.
"We'll use NME's systems to call you. I can't guarantee it'll reach another dimension, but if you pop into ours every so often, you'll get it. I don't know how long anything will take, and I don't want to threaten Cappy Town again… you use your best judgment."
Magolor hesitated, then nodded slowly. "You're certain?"
"I trust you, Magolor. You'll do what's best for them," Meta said with conviction, his eyes meeting Magolor's. The weight of their responsibilities hung between them, but in that moment, a silent understanding passed.
Meta Knight checked on the pair in the infirmary every time he returned from the Halberd. While Magolor was busy searching for NME's headquarters, Meta investigated his ship's remains for any lurking monsters and made what repairs he could.
The Halberd's damage was substantial. Meta, skilled enough to steer the ship and handle minor repairs, felt the weight of his crew's absence keenly. He wasn't sure how he would manage the extensive damage alone. He decided to start by mending some of the crucial doors. There was enough scrap from the destroyed walls to patch up what was left of the helm door. The rest would have to remain as they were for now.
It would take several trips to get the ship in better condition, but Meta was determined. Magolor needed time to locate NME's headquarters, and Kirby needed time to recover. Meta hoped Kirby would wake up before they had to separate, but he refrained from getting his hopes up.
Meta Knight entered the infirmary once more, finished with the day's repairs. He found Dedede resting uneasily on the bed, his wounds slowly healing, while Dark kept a vigilant watch over Kirby, who remained unconscious but stable.
Meta noticed the flicker of worry in Dark's eyes as he gently adjusted Kirby's position. "How's he holding up?" Meta asked quietly, placing a reassuring hand on Dark's shoulder.
Dark glanced up, his usual bravado replaced with genuine concern. "It was a really bad scrap. Kid has barely moved since we found him."
Meta grimaced and moved his hand to Kirby's head, gently testing his temperature and checking the bandages around his head. His eyes flickered over the small warrior, noticing some small twitching and response to the touch. Though small, it gave him some relief. At least Kirby was alive.
"How is the Halberd?" Dedede inquired, drawing the pair's attention to him. Despite wincing from his wounds, he was powering through it better than Meta had seen before.
"It's operational enough to get us to NME's headquarters," Meta Knight explained. "We don't need it for more than that." That was assuming it wasn't too far from them now. If it was in another galaxy they'd need Lor's help a while longer to close the distance. "For now, that's my concern alone. You need to heal."
"I know, I know. You don't have to keep harping on it," Dedede waved him off, laying down and turning his back to Meta.
"Yes, sir…" Meta sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy for the weary king. He turned his attention back to Dark and Kirby. "I appreciate the care you've shown," he said, sincerely.
Dark, who was cradling the unconscious Kirby with an unexpected gentleness, shrugged. "We have bigger things to deal with… And I never had anything against the kid," he replied, his voice remaining gruff despite the lack of edge. "It's you I have issues with, but I'll get to exact my revenge after all of this."
"You're still on that, hm?" Meta asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You think I'd forget?" Dark's eyes flashed with determination. Yet, the way he adjusted Kirby's position, ensuring the small hero was comfortable, hinted at a side of him that was rarely seen. It was a flicker of compassion, a reflection of Meta's own nature, despite the animosity he harbored.
Meta observed Dark for a moment, noting the careful way he handled Kirby. It was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor, and in that moment, Meta saw a glimmer of himself that his mirror form still possessed deep down. Perhaps, beneath the layers of rivalry and hostility, there was more to Dark than met the eye.
"We'll settle things when this is over," Meta said, his voice softening.
Dark nodded, his grip on Kirby tightening slightly. "Don't think for a second I'm letting you off easy because of all our working together."
Meta chuckled quietly, appreciating the resolve in Dark's voice. As he prepared to leave the infirmary, he paused, placing a hand on the door frame. "Thank you," he said simply.
Dark scoffed, the noise baring a faint tone of amusement. No answer was necessary.
With that, Meta left the infirmary. Their conditions were improving; for now, that was all he could ask for. Though he hoped to bid Kirby goodbye before they left, he was beginning to realize he might not get the chance.
There were so many things he should say. Every moment that passed brought them closer to the final encounter with Arcta Knight. Until now, he had barely considered what they would do with the head of NME once they revealed their true colors—well, truer colors.
This could be the end. It pained him to imagine never seeing everyone again. As long as Kirby remained to train and grow, Dreamland would be safe. There was some solace in that. But the thought of leaving them all behind made his chest feel hollow. He steeled himself against the emptiness inside. It was his duty as a knight to protect them, no matter the cost.
He paused for a moment in the corridor, taking a deep breath and steadying himself. The weight of his responsibilities was heavy, but he carried it with pride. Turning his focus back to the mission, Meta resolved to see it through, no matter the outcome. For Dreamland, for Kirby, and for the future he hoped to secure.