Dark Matter Blade was not jealous of the other creatures constantly taking over King Dedede's body. That would imply a sort of 'protectiveness' or 'obsessiveness' that did not exist. That would be absurd. HOWEVER. That didn't stop him from being extremely, thoroughly irritated every time something encroached on his territory.

HE was the first, after all! And, as far as he was concerned, he was the last true Dark Matter in the galaxy. For these other entities to so brazenly take his vessel from him for their own ridiculous means… It was infuriating. To think they could just take this man and break him to pieces and then toss him away like garbage when they were done… They were clearly not planning in the long term. None of them wished to use him as a permanent host, and as a result, they were so very reckless with his body. They used him like a cudgel, rather than a proper tool. How foolish.

He had to admit, even his siblings had been careless in this regard. They could very well have killed him if they weren't careful, tearing open his stomach like that. He'd even seen his intestines getting displaced. If they had made the wrong move or been defeated at just the wrong time, this body would surely have perished. And then he'd be left with a broken vessel that would hardly last him a week before it began decomposing.

…But they were gone now. Just like everyone else. And he was the only one left alone with the King. The first puppeteer had been easily destroyed, as was deserved for how he so callously damaged Dedede's body. The floralian was willingly accepted back, perhaps as a reward for realizing the error of his ways and hardly causing any physical damage. He'd felt Dedede's fear, but it hadn't left any permanent marks, so as far as the king was concerned, it was water under the bridge. So now only Blade and Meta Knight were left to feel anger in his place. That was the one thing the Matterborn realized the knights could agree on.

And then… that brush with the Void… Blade was just grateful it didn't last too long. This was the one instance he was glad the man was disposed of with ease.

But the most irritating one was certainly that dimensional alien. That "Great One." (And how ridiculous that title was. He was such a miniscule speck in comparison to Lord Zero.) He'd deliberately destroyed HIS vessel's body and mind, breaking him down to the smallest of pieces because he was too weak to work with what he was given. Because he could not even gently but perfectly enforce his will, he had to trick Dedede into agreeing to it instead. Pathetic.

Even worse, Fecto Forgo got to talk to Dedede. He was always in the man's mind, lying to him. Deceiving him. Breaking him down and building him up. And he had totally convinced Dedede that, not only was he not a person (what a waste; Dedede was a much more interesting creature than this 'The King' persona they'd enforced on him), but also that he was loved by this supposed deity. That he was 'valued.' What a load of nonsense. Blade knew it was all a lie—none of these supposed invaders had ever cared about the king like he did. HE should be able to speak to Dedede within his mind! He deserved to be with him! He deserved to take him! Not this freakish otherworldly being that couldn't even appreciate the gift he was given! It wasn't FAIR-

Wait… He actually just said he cared about King Dedede. And he meant it.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh.

Fuck.

The trio had successfully gone out for ice cream the day after Blade's tiny little mental breakdown, though they ended up buying quite a few extra cartons to bring home because they knew he wouldn't be able to eat it in public. Which was why they were having strawberry-cheesecake ice cream for breakfast that morning. Kirby's face was currently buried in the carton like a cat with a box stuck on their head. Gooey was just sticking his tongue into his own carton and scooping it back in like a dog. And Blade was eating it out of his carton with a rubber spatula. All in all, it's a miracle these three were able to live on their own.

After finishing their 'meal,' Kirby squirmed, trying desperately to pop the stuck carton off their head. It took about twenty seconds of struggling for them to give up and plop their head on the tabletop, whining. Blade just sighed and walked over. He attempted to wedge the carton off and was shocked to discover how tight it was stuck on. What the hell was this kid's problem?!

'I'm afraid it's terminal.'

"What?!"

'Yes, it seems we are going to cut your head off. To think this is how I managed to defeat you.'

"N- NO! WAIT WAIT I CAN FIX THIS!" Kirby kicked away from the table, accidentally slamming their head against the floor in the process. They yelped in pain before shooting to their feet, running blindly around the kitchen in a hunt for some scissors. They would just have to cut the carton in half and then it'd be fine! This mad dash didn't get very far before Blade stuck his arm out and clotheslined Kirby, sending the carton flying off.

'Nevermind. Crisis averted.'

"Wehhhhhh… you're so meeeean."

'I am aware.'

After enough bellyaching, Kirby sat back down at the table, waiting for Gooey to finish eating. After all, they had an idea they wanted to discuss.

"So, I thought about something."

'Never a good sign.'

"Hush you! Anyway! I was thinking, Swordguy's been a pretty good boi these past few days, yeah? Although I'm thinking I might hafta take that back!"

Gooey giggled. "Mm-mm! Sibling very good lately!"

"Right, right~ Soooooo I think it'd be pretty believable now if he was a good guy to everyone else. But I was all 'how can we introduce him without getting in trouble?' So I had a big brain thought! What if we got attacked by a monster! Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Gooey and Blade stared blankly at their friend. For a moment, you could hear nothing but the faucet dripping.

"Um… monster…? How monster good?"

"Oki so like, if we got attacked by a monster, and by 'we' I mean 'everyone in town,' then we'd need someone to save us! And then Swordguy would swoop in and save the day and then everyone would think he's super cool and totally a good boi! There wouldn't even be a doubt in their minds!"

Blade tensed up and folded his arms. '...Are you sure that's a wise course of action? How would you get a monster to attack? And… are you certain people would like me just because I saved them…?'

"Don't see not…" Gooey mumbled. "Works all the time."

'Does it..?' Yes, of course it did. He'd seen it countless times. But… why did he feel like he'd be the exception? Why was redemption beyond his grasp?

"It does," his sibling replied shortly. He seemed to have little else to say on the matter. Curious… Blade inched his mind just a bit nearer to Gooey's to see if he could pick up on any wayward emotions.

'Please don't get any closer, sibling. You aren't going to be very happy with it, and I wanna have a nice morning.'

'Ah, I apologize.'

Kirby hummed in thought. "Hmmmmmm, but Swordguy's right. How are we gonna get a monster to attacka? If a crime doesn't happen, the story won't start…"

"Could lure… But… would be mean. Could wait… take a while. Worth."

"I guess this is the sorta thing that's worth the wait. Besides, that sorta thing happens all the time sometimes. It could happen tomorrow! So we should live every day preparing to have you save the day!" Kirby swiveled around in their seat and pointed at Blade. "How good's your combat skills?"

'I'd like to believe they are adequate, even if my magic is still a little weak at the moment.'

"Sweet! Like, 'kill a monster with relative ease' aqueduct?"

'A- adequate. And, perhaps.' He tilted his head back, mulling it over. 'I suppose it depends on the monster. If you're asking me to take down a kaiju, then unfortunately I'll have to decline.'

"What would you say is your greatest skill?" Kirby asked, suddenly taking on the tone of an interviewer.

'Hmm… Is it too easy to say sword fighting? I can't say I am particularly great in any one thing. Rather, I tried to learn to be decent in anything, so that I could always escape a bad situation.' Blade then wilted a bit. 'Of course, things didn't work out as I'd hoped.'

"Well, I thought you were a pretty good swordfighter."

'Even though I lost?'

Kirby shrugged. "Everyone loses to me! That sorta thing doesn't matter! Anyway," they clapped their hands together, "I think we've established that you can totally save the day when you get the chance, and that we'll just have to wait until then, so I think my planning is done for the day! Can someone hand me my paycheck?"

"Be right back." Gooey hopped off his chair and headed into the bedroom. Wait, was he actually gonna get them money? Blade shook his head. Oh, how these children confused him so. How he hadn't gone insane yet was a matter most incomprehensible.

'You really think you should get paid for that brilliant plan?'

"Of horse."

A few minutes later, Gooey returned with an adorably irritated pout on his face. Blade didn't know his sibling puffed up his cheeks like that when he got upset. It kinda made him wanna squish the boy.

"Out! Of! Paper! UUUUgh! Spent five minutes! Nothing!"

Kirby sighed for thirty seconds straight, slowly lowering themself to the ground. "Oooooooki…. I guess we're going shopping! Again! For the third day in a row!"

The trio wandered rather lazily through the streets. They weren't in any particular rush since it was still a bit early in the morning (for Dreamlandian standards anyway) and they weren't going to die if they went too long without paper. Instead, they took the opportunity to window-browse with Blade, showing off some items they thought he wouldn't recognize. Of course, not many of them were as novel to him as they'd expect, but they didn't need to know that.

Of all the shops Dark Matter Blade got to see, the tea shop was the most fascinating to him. Scent was probably his least experienced sense, so all of the soothing yet clashing aromas wafting through the building were utterly addicting. The other two children were quite surprised when he asked if they could stay a few minutes longer, and even more so when he began browsing the different boxes set out. The Waddle Dee at the counter waved him over, asking if he would like a free sample since he was new.

Blade tilted his head towards the children. 'Should I take it? It seems odd to do so without compensation.'

'If he says it's okay, then it's okay! Here, I'll grab it for you.' Gooey hopped up to the counter and picked up the offered box of Orange Peel Heart Tea.

After a bit more browsing, Kirby decided to pick up a few boxes of their own, and then they headed out for further wandering. Blade sighed in contentment as they left the tea shop. The little doorbell jingled pleasantly, piercing the otherwise quiet morning atmosphere in the street.

'It really is unfair how beautiful your world is… You two are very lucky. …Rather, everyone here is very lucky.' His eyelid upticked in a hidden smile. 'I don't think I was wrong to envy you.'

Kirby laughed nervously. "Yeah, that- It's pretty great here! Um- I'm glad you like it! And, uh, you're not jealous anymore, right?"

'...Of course not. Why would I be jealous of something I… have.'

Almost immediately, Kirby could tell he was lying, though about what part, they weren't certain. Regardless, he was still unhappy about something. Gooey grabbed his sibling's cloak and shot him a reassuring look. The two stared at each other in silence, though they were still emoting, so Kirby reasoned that they were having a conversation without them. It was times like this that the Voidborn wished they could talk the way those two could… Maybe the whole 'perfect communication' idea wasn't that far off…

They shook their head, shooing away the dangerous thought. No, they didn't want that. They weren't like Zero. Even if they were both…

Kirby wasn't like Zero. Not in the slightest.

Jeez… they needed a distraction to get rid of all these weird thoughts. They swung their head around, searching for a new shiny amusement. But nothing was quite drawing their eye. Suddenly, the dampened mood seemed to ruin everything they looked at, and nothing felt like it would appeal to their friends. No, that would be too boring. No, that would be too loud. No, that would be too dangerous… UGH. It was so hard to focus with that jingling sound still playing!

Wait a minute, why WAS it still playing? They'd left the tea shop ages ago! Not only that, it was getting closer.

"Do you guys hear that?"

The Matters paused, tilting their heads in sync, like cats. Yes, there was certainly an odd noise bouncing through the street. Bouncing… bouncing… Oh! OH! That's what it was! Kirby spun around, pointing an accusing finger at the figure bounding over the horizon.

"MARK! What are you doing here?!"

The jester's blank smile almost instantly soured upon hearing Kirby misspeak his name. But it snapped back into place just as quickly, giving an almost flickering effect to it. Marx rolled up to the trio, bouncing back and forth, to and fro on his beach ball effortlessly. Despite his (somewhat) laid-back attitude, he always managed to stay balanced through all his acrobatic efforts.

"Hello hello hello Curb! And Goofy, how's it hanging, you two? Ooh, whatcha got there? That tea?" He unsuccessfully tried to bite the box from Gooey's grasp. "Lame. Hey, aren't your legs kinda cold Curbs? How come you never wear leggings? You should really get a haircut by the way. I kid, I kid, you look fine. Total messes fit you perfectly~" His gaze kept deliberately avoiding their companion, even though he was so obvious. "Anyway. What's got you dorks out so early in the morning?"

It's hardly early… Blade thought to himself. It's 10:30 in the morning. These people are insane.

"Well, we were eatin' bekfast but then Gooey-"

"OUT OF PAPER!" the boy shrieked. "COMPLETELY GONE! UTTERLY DESTROYED. Had to shop. Again."

"Again?" Marx leaned a bit to the left. "You've been out a lot, haven'tcha?"

"Mhm. We didn't mean to, but it just kept turning out like that. But it's not all bad! We got to show Sw- Inkblot around!" They gestured to their tall friend, and Marx was finally forced to acknowledge him. Blade grit his teeth, bracing for impact. What little he'd gotten to see of this young man had… not exactly endeared him. Though he seemed rather reckless and idiotic, Blade had a feeling he held a bit more than he let on.

Especially considering he… apparently managed to summon Nova? Blade clawed at his wrist under his cloak, trying to stave off the nerves. Marx evidently picked up on that anxiety, as he deliberately slid up rather close and narrowed his eyes in an exaggerated fashion.

"My my," he murmured quietly, so that only the two of them could hear, "I finally get to see you up close and personal. I was wondering when you'd finally grow a spine and leave the house…"

Eh…What…..? It took everything in Blade's power to not shift his expression. An eerie, crescent-moon thin smile carved its way across Marx's jaw, nearly slicing his face in half. And not the way his head normally split. What was he playing at…?

The Noddy moved so close that their noses were almost touching. Blade shot a quick glance at the kids, but they seemed unsurprised by Marx's behavior. Dammit! Just as he was about to shoot a thought towards them, Marx backed off, giggling. He spoke up, at the normal volume.

"Wowzers! I'm looking forward to playing around with your new pal, Curbs! He seems like perfect pranking material!"

Gooey gurgled and waved his sleeves, trying to lightly slap Marx. Kirby just gave a wry smile. "I dunno~ I think he'll probably get you beat if you make him angy."

"Hmm, I doubt it," he shrugged. "But that doesn't matter one way or the other now, does it? Ehehe- Man, I can just tell today's gonna be a fun day!" He leaped several feet into the air, doing a flip before landing perfectly back on his beach ball. The kids clapped politely, and even Blade had to be impressed by his acrobatic feats. Especially considering he lacked certain balancing appendages.

"So, besides running borrrrring errands, what have you three got planned today?"

Kirby furrowed their brow. "Well, not a whole lot, probably. I thought we might just go home when we're done shopping? I dunno, it's kinda a sleepy day." Gooey nodded in agreement.

"Aw, really? That's a shame. I actually had something in mind, which was why I was looking for you, Curbs! Would you mind coming with me to Kawasaki's after you're done?"

The kids brightened up at the mention of the gourmet chef, all sense of tension leaving the area. "Well sure! But how come?"

"Y'see, he's been making a whole buncha new recipes for the Yume Festival next week, and he's actually overdone it! So he's handing out a whole lotta free samples~"

"F… free…. SAMPLES?!"

Kirby instantly shot into the air, glowing with the light of a thousand suns. Meanwhile, the air around Gooey's head sparkled with Dark Lightning as his eyes spun dizzily. "Gonna- gonna!"

"Gonna what, kiddo?" Marx smirked down at the little Matterborn.

"GONNA GET THERE FIRST!" Gooey instantly spread his fins and shot off down the street, kicking up a cloud of dust in his wake. Still up in the sky, Kirby yelped in protest before following suit, divebombing towards their target. Blade and Marx were left behind, still wheezing from the dust.

After a few more seconds of coughing, Blade began walking (as fast as he could without running) after the two kids. He didn't want to be in the same vicinity as Marx for longer than he had to. Unfortunately, the man was rather persistent. He rolled up next to the Matterborn, keeping perfect pace with him without breaking a sweat.

"So, looks like it's just you and me now, huh?" Marx tilted his head, grinning from ear to ear. Blade tried his best not to make eye contact, but it was still hard to ignore Marx's presence next to him. "Guess we should probably get to know each other. Although, I think I probably know a whole lot more about you than you do me! Ehehehe~"

Oh, I highly doubt that, Blade thought darkly… Ah- wait a moment…

If Marx already seemed to know about… what he was, then could he think freely to him? It was tempting. It would be absolutely hilarious to put this annoying little jester in his place… But he might be falling into his trap. Maybe the man WANTED him to give in. Maybe he was trying to get something out of him.

But he already claimed to know about his existence, and the fact that he was living at Kirby's place. He said something about seeing him 'up close and in person' which did imply…

Blade's pace slowed and he shot a quick glance at the shorter man. His smile hadn't waned in the slightest. In fact, he looked back eagerly at the Dark Matter. Waiting. Waiting for him to respond. Interesting. He didn't seem the sort to be patient, which meant… he really did expect Blade to react.

No. He would not turn away his better judgment. Blade returned his gaze to the street ahead, ignoring Marx's silent urging. He sensed a small spike of irritation. Good. He wasn't that easy.

"Quiet type, aren'tcha? Well, that's boring. I thought you'd be more fun, considering what you are. Gooey's pretty fun after all, when he forgets to be a goody-two-shoes. Even if he, uh, doesn't wear shoes…" Marx popped his neck back and forth, making an excessively loud cracking noise. Blade hoped he would accidentally snap his neck.

"Well, even if you're one of those boring, edgy guys, I bet you can get real crazy when you want to, huh? I've only seen Gooey angry once or twice, and I didn't get to see most of your other peeps attacking Pop Star, so I hope you can give me a real good show when you betray them."

Blade froze and Marx giggled in response. "Aw, what's wrong? Did I strike a nerve?"

The Matter shook his head fervently. No, he was completely wrong about him! He wasn't going to… he wouldn't do that! He didn't… want to lose them, if nothing else. He could be good for selfish reasons, at least.

"Yeah, yeah, you're not supposed to let out your plans, I get it, I get it. But c'moooon. You don't gotta hide that sorta thing from me! We're one and the same, you and I! So you don't gotta act all high and mighty when the kiddos aren't around~" Marx leaned closer to Blade, bending backwards and looking up at him with slit eyes.

Was he really going to be like this? Well then….

Maybe he'd shut up if he scared him off. Yes… Because That is still within him. Because he was still a Dark Matter, no matter how much the children brought out happiness within him. He could still be like this if he needed to. Blade began walking again, beckoning Marx to follow.

'You really believe I will betray them, as you did?'

Marx shuddered slightly, his demeanor instantly deflating. Heh, looks like he didn't expect to be mentally invaded. Not so fun now, is it? Well, he would make him regret it.

"Uh, yeah, of course I do! And I'm no tattletale either, if that's what's gotcha so liplocked."

'Hm… You're comparing yourself to me…? Curious. Very curious. Because…. I don't see the similarities at all.'

Marx snorted. "Yeah, I betcha don't, edgelord. But we're both pretty crazy guys, y'know? We do whatever we want, even if it bugs other people~ Cuz we're strong enough to, yeah? I know you're just faking being a nice guy around the kids so you can get into a good spot. It's what I would do if I was in your place."

'You think we are on the same level? That is…

Adorable.'

Now it was Marx's turn to pause in shock. Blade let all his irritation and condescension leak into the jester's mind with that word. It was palpable enough to nearly knock him off balance, but Blade kept walking. Taking a moment to recover, Marx dashed back up to the Matter, indignation replacing the smile on his face.

"And what the hell's that s'posed to mean? You think you're better than me or something? You tryna be a goody-two-shoes too?"

Blade shook his head, smiling. 'Oh no, not at all. But you… aren't even good enough to be my fake. You think you're cruel? You think you are the evil in this world? You are not. You simply are too much of a native-born of this star for that to be true. Tell me, when you wished to rule this world, did you plan on killing anyone?'

Marx faltered a bit. "I mean… I wasn't PLANNING on it. It just kinda happened cuz Kirby got in the way. But what does that have to do with anything?"

'Oh, nothing at all. It's just that I've got countless people's blood on my hands… and you're trying to say we are the same? That's a very interesting view you have.'

"H- hey! Just because I haven't k- um… That doesn't mean anything! I'm still pretty damn e- evil… I- I'm a god, you know! Quit screwing with me!" Marx spread his wings, flaring them out like an animal trying to make himself more intimidating.

'I see you can't 'take what you dish out,' little creature. You call yourself a god? What sort of god can't bring himself to kill when someone gets in his way? What sort of god can't even call himself evil? You view yourself as an agent of chaos, not of sin. That is the difference between us. I am but the weapon of a much more powerful being, and I am far crueller than you can ever claim to be… So what does that make you?'

Marx grit his teeth so hard they could crack, but also couldn't bring himself to respond.

'You are still a Dreamlandian at heart. I don't know why you claim to be anything else. So with that said, please quit pestering me, and allow me to continue my plans as I please.'

The two had arrived at the split in the road where Chef Kawasaki's restaurant lay. Kirby and Gooey were standing outside the door, hopping up and down impatiently. Marx shot a quick glare at Blade before slapping on a smile and rolling up to the kids.

"Oh, sorry, did I forget to mention he's not opening until noon today? Silly me~ Guess you'll just have to wait it out, buddies."

"Awwwww come on, Mark! You couldn'ta told us earlierrrr?" Kirby whined and plopped onto the sidewalk.

"Well, silly ol' me got all distracted talking to your new pal!" He gestured with his wing. "He's got all sorts of interesting things to say, you know!"

Gooey furrowed his brow. "Talked to him…?" He shot a thought to Blade. 'Did you actually think stuff to him?! What did we say about that!'

'I didn't. He's lying.'

Gooey deflated in relief and took a seat next to Kirby. "Well… wait? And shop, guess."

Picking up his beach ball, Marx waved goodbye to the two and began walking down the street.

"W- wait!" Kirby shouted. "Where ya going? I thought you wanted to hang out with us!"

Marx shrugged, a thin smile barely hanging on his face. "Eh, I changed my mind, you guys are boring me. I'm gonna go find Maggie instead."

"Aw… okay." Kirby kicked at a few stray pebbles in the road. "I guess we gotta kill time until noon, huh?"

Blade lowered his head as he sat down next to Gooey. Maybe he shouldn't have driven off Marx like that, even if he was annoying him. Kirby actually seemed kinda disappointed to not be able to hang out with him. They were supposed to be friends after all… And he really shouldn't have let his little 'evil' persona get that out of hand…

Even if he hadn't lied about anything, that didn't mean it was something to boast about. But he just wanted to put the man in his place! He kept insisting that Blade was evil, but suddenly couldn't handle it when he actually started acting the part! He didn't get it! Ugh, he shouldn't have said anything. He should've just kept quiet and endured it. But he couldn't do anything right on his own, even after all this time. He always needed someone to breathe down his neck just to make sure he didn't slip up.

But saying those things came so easily to him… Maybe Marx was right. Maybe he was lying, even to himself. Whatever 'good' parts of him existed were just a thin layer hiding every other filthy thing. And he'd ENJOYED saying those things! He found Marx's discomfort satisfying! He hadn't enjoyed hurting people since before he came to Pop Star…

He was backsliding.

Blade rested his head on his knees and sighed.

"What's wrong, sibling?"

'Nothing. I'm just thinking.'

Kirby tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "You shouldn't do that. I've heard thinkin' too much is bad for your health."

'Yeah. You're probably right.'

The trio ended up wandering about the marketplace to fill the time until noon. People were slowly drifting out of their homes and bustling about, performing their normal morning duties. They ended up buying three large packs of paper pretty early in their browsing, so they weren't too fussed about anything for most of the trip. The whole time they were walking, Gooey kept fiddling with the tea box, tossing it back and forth in his hands or spinning it around to practice his telekinesis. Blade sent him silent words of encouragement whenever he pulled off a particularly skilled spin or throw.

'You really have improved so much since you left Us. I shouldn't have given up on you so quickly.'

'Oh, thank you! And I don't blame you... I was a pretty slow learner.'

'Nonsense. I was just a poor teacher.'

Sadly, nothing really drew their eye in the same way the earlier window-shopping had. It didn't help that the streets were growing busier and busier by the minute, and it was getting harder to squeeze through the crowd without losing each other. At one point, Blade and Gooey reached the end of a street, only to realize that Kirby was being dragged away by a tide of people, and they had to both use their telekinesis in sync to pull them back out. Kirby whined for five minutes straight that their spine had been stretched thin by that little incident. Though they were quickly shut up when Blade pointed out that would make them taller.

Soon after, they realized that they should probably be keeping an eye on the time. Kirby asked a nearby vendor, who checked their watch and announced that it was now 12:15. Instantly, the Voidborn whirled around, flying through the air, and hooked Blade and Gooey in their arms. They plowed through the crowd, hoping and praying that they'd reach the restaurant in time! But unsurprisingly, a line was already sprawling out the door like a bloated snake by the time they reached it.

"AWwwwww COME ON! We're never gonna get in now! We might as well go home and have levtofers for lunch."

"No! Will, will! Patience! Gooey believes!"

Kirby sighed. "I dunno… I'm too hungry to believe in the power of love right now…"

Gooey stomped on the ground indignantly. "We will! We will! Kawa always saves for us!"

The chef did have a tendency to put aside small portions for his 'favorite customer' Kirby… Though with this special event, they weren't as certain. Even so, they supposed there was nothing left to do now but wait. The line DID seem to be moving at a decent pace.

"Hm… alright. I guess we can wait for a bit. But if it takes longer than an hour, we're going home!"

"Agreement!"

With that, the three got in line on the opposite side of the street, waiting near a hole-in-the-wall novelty shop.

...

Although…. They really should have been paying better attention to their surroundings. If Kirby hadn't been so hung up on Kawasaki's special event, they would have noticed someone nearby that they normally instantly picked up on. After all, he was the man who'd taught them to always be on their guard. It was good practice, as a warrior, yes?

Meta Knight marched through the streets of Castle-Town-Name-Pending, performing his weekly patrol of the village. Things had been fairly quiet since everyone's return from the New World, so he wasn't too worried about any wayward criminals popping up. There had been a close call when Marx arrived during his visit to Magolor's stall, but nothing untoward had occurred, surprisingly.

In fact, the jester seemed to be in an uncharacteristically sour mood. That, more than anything, had put the knight on edge. He found it hard to believe that the Noddy was capable of feeling emotional distress, so he had to assume that some sort of threat had tired him out. Although considering there were no signs of damage or a struggle on Marx, he could conclude it was 'dealt with.' But that could mean anything…

And so he was doing a second sweep of the town, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. His patrol was taking longer than it normally would due to this, since he'd usually retire back to the Halberd for administrative work around 11 at the latest, but he had to be thorough. Meta began looping back around towards Kawasaki's. It being a center of activity could lead to a potential threat targeting the large gathering there.

Then… he sensed something. Something… familiar. He'd certainly had a brief encounter with this 'signature' before. It didn't resemble anything he was acquainted with, but he recognized it regardless. Meta Knight narrowed his eyes, scanning the long line of people spilling forth from the building.

CRACK.

Meta Knight's body instantly stiffened as his gaze locked on to one creature in particular. His jaw clenched tight and his hand instinctively reached for Galaxia. If he had been even the slightest bit more impulsive, he would have shot a slice of light towards the damnable creature right then and there.

But he didn't.

That… Thing. That Dark Matter… was talking to his child. His child, and his young friend, Gooey.

What. Was it. Doing here. How? Why!? Why now? NOW, of all times, when his king was finally starting to get better?! And… from what he could see…

The children spoke animatedly to it, rambling about Kawasaki's culinary skill. It nodded along silently, expressing no emotion whatsoever. It wore a strange veil and cape, to hide its form from the public no doubt. Kirby and Gooey weren't stupid. They knew what a Dark Matter felt like. So it was clearly not wearing it for their benefit, he concluded. Therefore…

It was tricking Kirby and Gooey into being friends with it. That was the only way he could see it so brazenly walking around with them in disguise. It knew that those two would be the only one's naive enough to accept it, so it targeted them first. Such clever deception… but it wouldn't work on him.

Still, he'd have to play this carefully. If Kirby realized what he was about to do, they'd surely try and stop him. They didn't understand; they COULDN'T. They… were built of all the most positive things in the world. But he was not like them. And neither was this Matter.

Meta Knight sucked in a breath, trying to cool the blood pounding through his neck. As he drew nearer, he became more and more certain that he recognized this particular Dark Matter's signature. But that shouldn't be possible… It didn't look at all like the ones he'd defended against while Dedede and Kirby were out on the Crystal Shard hunt. And even if it had been, he'd killed every Matter he'd encountered. The only other time he'd seen one was during his mechanization on the Access Ark, when that clone-

…Oh. I see. So THAT was it.

It was the warrior? If he recalled correctly, Dedede said he'd been the first. The very first one to ever violate his body.

It took everything in Meta's willpower to not strike him down right this second. But he took his final steps towards the group, and tapped Kirby on the shoulder.

"Hm? Oh, Hi Meta-"

All three of them instantly froze, still as statues with eyes bulging wide. Kirby was the first to snap out of it, launching themself in the air and shouting, "AH! HI METATA! F- FUNNY SEEING YOU HERE, HUH?!"

Subtle. Perhaps, subconsciously, Kirby knew they were doing something wrong after all.

"Greetings, you two. You are in line for Kawasaki's Special, I presume?"

Gooey nodded, squeaking out an affirmative before burying his face in his sleeves. Kirby, also, could do little but nod along. They found it terribly difficult to lie to their parent.

"Do you mind if I join you? I've just finished my patrol, and I'm simply famished. And, of course, I haven't had the chance to see you much lately. I'm curious why that is…"

Again, Kirby could do nothing but nod. They stepped to the side, letting Meta stand in line with them. The knight moved in closer, allowing his gaze to drift over to the Matter. He could feel the fear leaking out of the creature's one visible eye. If such a thing was even capable of real fear. Perhaps it was just a mental projection to deceive him.

"Is this a friend of yours? I don't believe I recognize them."

"Th… they're… um… new visitor… Patch…" Gooey couldn't meet Meta Knight's eyes. "I- ink… blot…."

"Hm… Interesting. When did they arrive?"

"Y- yesterday- I- I mean- the day before yesterday-" Kirby fumbled. "Fluff asked me t'- to show 'em around'a. 'S why I haven' come over to the castle."

"Really? You should be very proud that he trusts you to do that. Has our visitor been enjoying their stay? Have you been a good host?"

"Mhm… I think so. I think Blot's been havin' a really good time. They're- they're really happy!" They regained some bravado and finally met his dad's eyes. "We're all r- really happy with how their visit is going!"

Meta Knight clapped his hands together lightly, a fake smile creasing his eyes. "Excellent, excellent. Diplomacy is a good skill every warrior must learn, yes?"

The line moved forward, leaving the four of them behind.

"I do have to wonder though, why didn't you contact us about this? I'm sure Dedede would have loved to greet our visitor."

"Uh- well- since he's been so tired… I thought I could do it by myself- 'N not bother him… I was GONNA tell him soon though! When we were ready! I promise!"

They sounded so earnest, Meta Knight had to conclude that it really was their plan. "Don't worry, I believe you."

The line moved forward.

Meta Knight turned back to the 'guest.' A piercingly cold rage rippled along his back as he met its gaze.

"And what are your plans for your visit? Anything particular in mind? Any sights you wish to see?"

The Dark Matter tilted its head in deference to Gooey, as if asking him to save it. But that wouldn't do any good. The young boy had fallen completely silent, refusing to even raise his head. Realizing it was trapped, the Matter simply shook its head.

The line moved forward.

"That's a shame. I think there are a great many places that someone new to Dreamland ought to see. Isn't that right, Kirby?"

"...Mhm! We're gonna take them to Merry Magoland sometime soon. I think they'll really like it."

"I can only imagine. Although being around that many people might not be such a good idea. At least, that's how I see it."

"Well, that's just cuz you're a dum dum lollipop that doesn't like people," Kirby mumbled. Meta Knight merely rolled his eyes in response.

The line moved forward. Aside from the nearby vendor of a lone stall near the alleyway, the four of them were the only ones left in the street. Meta Knight shot a quick look at the vendor, urging him to evacuate the vicinity with a flick of his gaze. The Waddle Dee's eyes widened before he nodded and headed into the back of his shop.

"Well, it looks like the line's cleared up a bit now, hasn't it? Didn't you two want to try the specials?"

Kirby and Gooey instantly straightened up, all nervousness evaporating from their bodies. If there was one thing that could distract them like nothing else, it was food. The children dashed through the doors, abandoning the adults for their own pleasure.

The Dark Matter took a step forward, trying to follow its prey, but Meta took a step at the exact same time, "accidentally" knocking into it.

"Oh, I apologize. I suppose I wasn't…"

Meta Knight reached forward, bunching up the Matter's cloak in a fist and stepping towards it. The Matter stumbled, bumping its back against the stall. Meta's masked face stood mere inches from it; it had nowhere to run. He could feel its body trembling underneath the disguise. Good.

"...paying close attention."

In one swift movement, Meta Knight twisted his arm and SLAMMED Blade's skull into the counter of the stall. Dark blood smeared across the wooden countertop. Blade lay there, stunned for a moment, before instinct kicked in and he tried to crawl over the counter to escape. But Meta was faster. Before he could slip away, the knight grabbed the back of his collar and lifted him up, hurling him further into the shop. Blade's body crashed into the table in the back, cracking the wood and forcing an unearthly cry of pain from his shattered throat. He leaned over, heaving and trying to snap out of the daze he'd been knocked into.

Meta Knight wasn't giving him a moment to rest. Blade just barely managed to throw himself to the side as Galaxia honed in on his chest. The sword lodged itself in the broken table, giving Blade just a few seconds of grace to escape. He scrambled away like a terrified animal, nearly tripping over his dress. He could barely run in this thing, let alone with the damned cape on! Wasting a few precious seconds to tear the sheet from his body, Blade tossed it to the ground and sprinted towards the side door that led into the alley.

Successfully prying his sword free, Meta Knight wasted no time in slashing a beam of light towards the Matter's retreating back. The beam hit him square across the spine, carving out a chunk of his flesh and sending him crashing through the door and throwing it off its hinges.

Blade's arms wavered as he tried to lift himself off the ground. He could feel something warm and thick running down his back- The pain finally registered as a wave of agony flooded his torso- GAH! IT HURTS! H- he didn't have time to agonize-! A shadow spread over his vision- he reacted just a second before it was too late- rolling out of the way as Meta Knight's sword plunged into the ground.

'G- GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME!'

Meta Knight ignored the terror forcibly invading his mind and wrenched his sword out of the destroyed door. He silently moved forward, an encroaching predator ready to put his prey out of its misery.

Blade jerked to his feet, his body still uncontrollably shivering. Meta Knight slashed forward, slicing the veil straight off his face. Instinctively, Blade's arms shot to his head to shield it. Like a frightened child.

'D- don't touch me- Don't- I don't wanna-'

"You don't get to speak." He kicked the Matterborn forward, sending his back slamming against the alley wall. Blade let out a hiss of pain before sliding to the ground, smearing his filthy blood across the brick. No exits magically revealed themselves, and his magic wasn't strong enough to fight back safely. He was completely and totally cornered.

"How dare you…" Meta Knight muttered thickly. "How dare you return, now of all times. When he was just beginning to…" He shook his head, then raised his sword to deliver the finishing blow. Despite his efforts, his voice still wavered with emotion. "You utterly disgust me."

Dark Lightning coursed through Blade's veins and crackled up his injured back. He didn't want to do this, but if he was going to die, he was going down fighting! Gritting his teeth and reaching his hands forward, he readied himself to give everything he got. To destroy himself and the knight in one fell swoop.

"WAAAAIIIIIT!"

Kirby and Gooey rushed into the alleyway, tackling Meta Knight from behind. It wasn't enough to knock him off his feet but it severely hampered his movement. Blade instantly lowered his arms, urging the lightning to retract back into his body.

"Wh- what the- Kirby! Let go! I can't let this THING just-"

"NO! No, don't hurt him! He's not doing anything! He's trying to be a good boi! Don't hurt him pleeeeease!"

"Mr. Knight, please, leave sibling alone!" Gooey begged, looking up at Meta Knight with perhaps the saddest eyes he'd ever seen. "Please…! Don't take sibling from me!"

Meta Knight faltered just the slightest bit. "I- you know I can't do that. You know I can't let this thing continue to roam-"

"He's not a thing! He's a person! His name is- well, he won't gimme his name- but you can't just call him a thing, oki?!"

"Kirby, that creature is a Dark Matter. It is a being formed purely of negativity that was created to destroy. I cannot allow something like that to exist in Dreamland."

"Gooey's Dark Matter, and you like him!"

"Gooey is the only known exception over the millions of years that these things have existed! Just because he is capable of positive emotion doesn't mean that you can risk it for THIS one as well!" Meta Knight pointed accusingly at Blade with his sword. Gooey glared up at him and stepped in between them, barring Meta's view of his sibling.

"Sibling feels happy! Sibling wants to be good! GOOD! Give chance!"

"You… cannot prove that. You don't know that it isn't lying to save its skin."

"But YOU don't know that he ISN'T lying!" Kirby released his grip on his dad and stepped forward to stand next to Gooey, forming a barrier to protect Blade. "He's been super nice around me and Gooey, and he wants to be happy and good and a person! He WANTS this! Can't you let us-"

Meta sheathed his sword and grabbed Kirby's shoulders. "Don't you know what this thing DID? Don't you remember!? What it did to Dedede? What it did to Dreamland as a whole?"

"I KNOW!" Kirby screamed, clamping their hands over their ears. Tears squeezed out of the corners of their eyes. "I know- I know I know! I'm not stupid- I'm NOT..! That's why I haven't told him yet- I know it's not gonna be happy- But- But I have to try! Gooey wanted to save him! And then he agreed to try and be good! He's been happy, he really has- and he's SORRY for what he did-" Kirby turned to face Blade- "aren't you?"

Blade stared up at Meta Knight's scrutinizing glare. Every cell in his body screamed for him to just self-destruct right now. Kill everything in the vicinity, including himself, and let whoever was left suffer through the aftermath.

But he couldn't do that. Because he wanted to be happy. He would be a good person for selfish reasons.

Blade nodded shakily, and forced out every emotion he could possibly muster into his thoughts.

'I'm… sorry… I should never… have done what I did…..'

Kirby and Meta Knight shuddered as the emotions racketed through their bodies. The clashing of hatred and horror and guilt. Kirby sank to their knees, still trying to wipe away the lingering tears. But Meta Knight held firm. He couldn't fall to such weakness. Not until he was certain, without a single shadow of a doubt, that everyone in Dreamland was safe while this thing still existed. Until that was proven, he would not be able to let it live without surveillance.

Meta Knight heaved a weary sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "You… are going to stand by this. I won't be able to stop you, will I?"

Kirby silently shook their head no.

"I see…"

A silence fell over the four of them. Gooey sat down next to their sibling and began running his hand along his back, expelling some darkness to speed up his wound's healing. Kirby's crying had stifled themselves into quiet sniffles.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't possibly lie to his king, so soon after he promised to keep him safe. But he couldn't just… he knew he wouldn't be able to stop Kirby's stubbornness. He'd never been able to before, and that wouldn't change now. If they wanted this, it was going to happen with certainty. And if he allowed this to continue without making an effort to hide it… He didn't want to think about how Dedede would react…

The lingering feelings of that elder Dark Matter still rumbled around in the pit of his stomach.

He had to be faking it. Whatever this Matter's plan was, he knew he was incapable of being good. No matter how you sliced it, Gooey being the only exception over millions of years of recorded history was not a good argument.

That didn't mean the fear on his face, in his thoughts… was any easier to ignore. But that was part of being a warrior. Misplaced sentimentality could get people killed. Even now, the horror was already fading from the Matter's face, replaced with a very familiar apathy.

He hoped he didn't regret this.

"I suppose I have no choice but to let this continue."

All three sets of eyes widened before the children's faces broke into smiles.

"Oh thank you thank you Tata!" "Won't regret! Won't regr-"

Meta Knight raised his hand to silence them. "However, I will be providing heavy surveillance from now on. I will allow you one more night of your normal routine, just to give me time to adjust my schedule, but I will be keeping a very close eye on you from now on."

Kirby's expression didn't wilt in the slightest. "Oh, good! That way you can see how good boi he's being! Then you'll understand! Zettai zettai-"

Hm. They weren't quite processing the purpose of the surveillance. Well, as long as they didn't protest, Meta Knight was satisfied. He redirected his gaze to Gooey.

"And you? Do you agree to this compromise?"

Gooey gurgled a bit, flexing his fists repeatedly. "Alright, sibling?"

Blade nodded without hesitation. Although he'd screamed so desperately for Meta Knight to let him live, now that he wasn't flooded with adrenaline, he knew that this was for the best. He couldn't even trust himself to be good; of course Meta Knight didn't either.

"Okay…Won't tell?"

"I swear on my honor as a knight not to tell anyone else until I have determined the time is right."

"...Fine. Mr. Knight watches."

"Thank you," Meta Knight bowed. "Now, I suggest you put your disguise back on and return home with haste."

"Aw, but we didn't get to eat at Kawasaki's…"

Oh for the love of- Meta Knight grit his teeth. "I will buy lunch for you three and take it back to your house. I have some other matters to attend to today, so it may be a bit late. I'm sure that is a fair enough punishment for lying, yes?"

"Sigh… oki… You're right, you're right." With that finally resolved, Kirby trudged back into the stall to retrieve the cloak. Meta Knight turned back around, staring at the damage he'd left in his wake.

Looks like he'd have to add 'compensation furniture shopping' to his to-do list…

After finishing all of his other tasks for the day, Meta returned to Kirby's house, praying to Nova the whole time that he wouldn't open the door to a bloodbath. And then he discovered that the door wasn't even working. What a mess. That night, Meta didn't leave the house until well past the sunset. He was only satisfied once all three of the residents retired to bed. Even as he spread his wings to head back to Castle Dedede, a dread weighed him down, begging him to stay the night. But he shouldn't. If he didn't head back to give his report, someone was going to pick up on it. Even if Dedede wasn't awake right now, Taranza would notice. And he never once missed a report…

Besides, nothing had happened yet. From what little he'd gleaned today, the Matter had been around for a little under a week. (Curious. Why now? He still needed to know why NOW.) Considering he hadn't tried anything even without being watched, he could trust Kirby and Gooey to survive the night, right? They were strong kids, yeah? They could handle one single Dark Matter? Every second he soared through the air, he had to mutter reassurances to himself that he wasn't leaving his child behind to die. He wasn't. They'd be okay. They had to be.

The wind ripped through his body, even with the armor protecting him. Like it knew he was doing something wrong.

His armored heels clicked against the stone parapets as he landed. His wings folded back into their cape form and he slipped silently through the balcony door, into the throne room. It seemed all of the non-guard Waddle Dees had also turned in for the night. He nodded at them as they waved in greeting, then headed across the room towards the hallway. But before he could reach the door-

"Hello Sir!" Bandee tackled the man from behind, nearly crushing his spine in a hug. Despite his slim figure, the Waddle Dee was growing up to be quite the formidable force.

"Agh- ah! Oh, greetings, young one! You actually managed to catch me off guard."

"Really!?" The boy's eyes sparkled. "Oh, thank you sir! Although… I'm sure you've got something on your mind if it was that easy…"

Damn, he was growing perceptive too… "Oh, it's nothing much. Nothing you need to worry about at least."

"Are you sure? I could help, if you want."

Meta shook his head. "No, really. You needn't concern yourself. It will all resolve in time. Besides, you deserve a break after all you and Kirby did in the New World."

Bandee lowered his gaze and scuffed his foot against the floor. "You say that like you didn't wear yourself out over there too…" Then he shook away the negative thoughts. "But okay… if you say so."

The Waddle Dee joined Meta Knight in his walk down the hall since his bedroom was on the way. "Oh, I thought I should let you know, but I'm thinking about maybe heading back to Kirby's tomorrow. I got everything done I wanted to in the castle, and Da- Great King said that he'd be alright if I left for a few days. He said I shouldn't have to worry about him all the time… I dunno about that though, but I guess a day or two couldn't hurt. I dunno, what do you think?"

Meta Knight tried not to let his nervousness leak into his face. "Hm… I don't know if that is a good idea, young one."

"Really? Well, if you don't think so then I might stay… But how come?"

"Well…" Shit. Think, come up with an excuse! "You've heard of the rumor drifting around regarding Kirby's 'surprise,' yes?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Pitch told me something about that, hehe! He's so bad at keeping secrets…"

"Indeed," Meta chuckled. "You didn't hear this from me, but the surprise may or may not involve you and Dedede. So… I would recommend avoiding Kirby's home for the time being." He winked. "That, and the fact that Dedede is… likely lying. Not intentionally, I don't think. But… old habits die hard."

Bandee nodded in understanding. "Yeah, you're probably right. Ehehe… Well, I guess I'll just have to stick around a little longer if I don't wanna ruin Kirby's surprise. Oh~ woe is me, I'll have to live in luxury for a few more days~" Bandee leaned against Meta Knight dramatically, and he grinned, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yes, you live such a tragic life. But I believe it's about time you head to bed, hm? It's getting late. I have to report to Taranza, so nothing interesting will occur if you stick around."

Bandee was about to protest, but was cut off by a heavy yawn that nearly infected Meta. "Haah… I guess you're right. I'll see you tomorrow, sir?"

"Yes, I shall see you tomorrow."

With that, he waved the boy off before splitting with him down a separate hall. Despite the warm and welcoming nature of the place, Castle Dedede could be quite labyrinthian if one wasn't used to it. Thankfully, Meta Knight had most of the staff's schedules memorized, so he knew the royal advisor would be working on sorting through decrees in the library about this time. Talking a few turns through the corridors, he found himself in front of the enormous doors. Far too elaborate for a room that was hardly used…

Meta eased the doors open, loud enough as to not startle the younger Floralian, and slipped inside. Taranza perked up slightly and turned to greet him.

"Hello there, Sir Meta. Here for your report?"

"Indeed."

"Anything of note in Castle-Town-Name-Pending today?"

"I really wish they would change that name. It's been 'name pending' for about twenty years now. But no, nothing notable. I did spot Marx in a rather foul mood, but he was under Magolor's supervision, and whatever he seemed to be distressed about turned out to be a false alarm. I made sure to do a double sweep of the vicinity just in case, though."

"Mhm, mhm… I'll ask Mags about that when I see him tomorrow." Taranza scribbled down a few notes. "Anything else?"

Meta Knight made sure the man notated a few oddities in the forest near Whispy Woods, but other than that, everything seemed to be in order. Taranza didn't press Meta on any of the details regarding his patrol, which he couldn't be more grateful for. He didn't have the energy to lie to the spider today. As with many of the Star Allies, he could be annoyingly perceptive at the most inconvenient times. Sure, it was useful when they actually needed that sort of insight, but it made keeping secrets difficult.

Still, such matters were also under the skillset of a warrior. He would keep silent as ever, even if it refused to leave his mind.

"I believe that is everything. You wouldn't happen to know where our king is, would you? If he's not already asleep, that is."

Taranza giggled. "Ah, he might still be up, but I doubt it. He said he was going to take his paperwork to his room to work on it, but I don't know how well that's gone."

"Well, if he's fallen asleep, that at least means he's finally back on his normal schedule. I can be grateful for that, if nothing else. "

"Ah, yes… That has been improving…"

An awkward silence fell over the two. Taranza tried to ignore the odd mood floating around the knight. …He knew better to press someone if they were in a bad mood. If only he could say something to cheer him up…

Rather than breaking the silence, Meta simply bowed and waved goodbye. The knight was never much good with ending conversations cleanly. It was something his family had come to accept, where he would occasionally just cut something off and leave because he had nothing left to say. Still, it left a weird taste in his mouth whenever he did it around others.

Taranza let one final comment escape his mouth just before the knight completely left the room. In a quick effort to improve his mood.

"He's been looking happier lately, you know. I think you'll be pleased with his progress…"

Meta couldn't bring himself to respond. How could he, when he might end up ruining that happiness if he failed? So he simply pretended that he didn't catch it.

Meta Knight made his way to Dedede's chambers, trying to force the spiraling thoughts out of his head. If he just… stopped thinking about it, he'd be less likely to slip up. He couldn't risk such a thing, no matter what… He HAD to keep this secret perfectly… for his partner. His sworn partner.

Easing the door open, Meta peeked into the room. He swung his head around, searching for Dedede. Ah, there he was…

The man was slumped over his desk, a pile of papers on side, and a pen still in his hand. His chest rose and fell in a smooth rhythm, indicating he'd fallen fully into slumber. Meta Knight shook his head, smirking. Of course he had. Even if he wasn't in bed, this room had a tendency to make anyone sleepy. It just had that sort of pleasant atmosphere about it.

Meta Knight crept over to the king and unfurled his wings, easing one over his unconscious form. As pleased as he was that Dedede was finally getting some rest (and wow, he would never have said something like that five years ago), it wouldn't be good to sleep on his desk all night. He gently nudged him with his wing.

"My king, please wake up."

"Mm…. don' make me stay inside…" he muttered in his sleep.

"You mustn't drool all over your paperwork, my king."

"Hhhmmm… huh..? Meta..? What're you doin' here..?"

Still half asleep, huh? "You were in the middle of paperwork, yes? I believe you got a little… distracted." He teasingly tapped the man's nose.

"Huh..? Aw- crap- dammit-" Dedede straightened up. "I didn' mean ta- what time is it?"

"It's only 9 in the evening. You didn't miss much. But I recommend that, if you're going to fall asleep anyway, you do it in bed."

"Uuuugh… jeez, I was thinkin' I'd actually get somethin' done today…"

"I'd say you've gotten plenty done," he gestured towards the pile of finished papers. "Besides, if you go to bed now, you'll be able to wake up bright and early in the morning to finish the rest."

"Metaaaaaa, why you always gotta say stuff like thaaaaat…" he whined, leaning back in his chair. Meta Knight chuckled softly. It was nice seeing him act like himself again too. But even with his fake bellyaching, Dedede stood up and began removing his robe and crown.

"I can't be bothered gettin' into my jammies. I can just sleep in this, yeah?"

"Oh no you don't! You will not ruin your royal garbs! It will take you hardly five minutes to change, so don't you dare skip out on it."

"Alright alright, ya don't gotta nag me~" Dedede grumbled, but still rubbed Meta's head before heading to the closet. After he came back out, he hopped onto his bed and stretched himself wide, like a cat. He gestured for Meta to join him, but his knight shook his head no.

"I'm sorry, but I have some things to attend to tonight. I may not be able to join you for a couple days, in fact. But I promise, it won't last terribly long."

Dedede's feathers ruffled slightly, but if it deeply bothered him, he didn't show it. "Mkay… well, whatever's keepin' ya, you better get it done quick, y'hear?"

"Of course, my king. I… certainly intend to." He took a few steps closer. "I promise, I will make it work…"

The king tilted his head. "Whatcha sayin' it like that for?" His eyes narrowed and he took a closer look at Meta Knight's expression and body language. He hadn't noticed it through the drowsiness before, but he seemed a bit more… lethargic than normal. "Hey, somethin' wrong?"

"No, nothing. It was just a long patrol. A false alarm took up much of my time."

He answered a bit too quickly for Dedede's liking. As if he had the response prepared ahead of time. A dark, doubting idea crept up into the back of his mind, like a spider tapping along his cerebrum.

No, don't think things like that. Things are different now. He isn't lying to you. He isn't lying to you. He isn't lying to you.

"Well, if ya ever need t' talk to me 'bout anythin' I'm right here… We're both s'posed be more open now, yeah?"

Meta Knight put on a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and he leaned in close, grabbing Dedede's wrist. "Of course. I'll see you again tomorrow, anata."

"Y'know, you never told me what that means."

"I did too. It merely is a way of saying 'you.'"

Dedede raised an eyebrow. "Not the way you say it. I bet it's got some special secret meanin' you're keepin' from me."

"Perhaps," Meta Knight teased. "But I guess you'll just have to learn the language to find out.

After a little more bantering, sleep encroached on Dedede's body once again, and he conked out. Meta took that as his chance to escape.