Chapter Text
Kirby yawned, stretching in bed. Glancing out the window, they saw that the gentle orange sun made the morning frost glow. There was hardly any snow from winter and the spring grass was growing in a little sooner this year. They smiled, taking in a deep breath as they shut their eyes.
Yesterday was quite exhausting, with the whole “Meta Knight trying to take over Dreamland” thing. They decided they deserved a nice day to relax and snack as they wished. They might head outside and nap under the sun. Or they might just lay in bed all day and eat what’s in the kitchen from time to time. Perhaps spend some time drawing or hugging their stuffies. Soothing, low energy stuff like that.
There was a knock at the door. Kirby let out a faint groan. I’m so tired… Let me sleep.
But the knock sounded again. Whoever was there was intent on seeing her, it seems.
“Hold on hold on, I’m getting up. Just give me a sec…” She did a long stretch, warming her limbs up and sliding out of bed. Not bothering to take off her nightcap. It wasn’t a long walk to the front door, she didn’t even have many other doors in her house. Pretty much all of the important rooms of a house (at least to Kirby) were all placed into a single room, making nearly the whole house one single room. There was a basement, but she mostly stores stuff and occasionally naps there.
When she opened the door, the shock of who was there knocked her exhaustion.
“Oh, hey Meta Knight!” She softly said, yawning as she shook off sleep. “What brings you out here? Did something happen?”
Meta Knight was dressed in his usual lavender pauldrons and indigo cape. His gloved hands were clasped in front of himself, and the steel mask he wore hid his expression. The visor only allowed two yellow eyes to show. Right beside him was one of his soldiers, a familiar looking knight who wielded a trident. He wore purple armor that similarly hid his appearance except for his yellow eyes, with the front of the helmet bearing a crescent moon.
Meta Knight cleared his throat, speaking with a level voice. “Yes. I understand it is quite soon for us to meet again, but I implore you to hear my request. It is of utmost urgency.”
Kirby nodded, brow creasing further. What happened to cause him to return so suddenly? Especially since he seemed so upset yesterday.
“I recall you mentioned yesterday you were willing to… lend aid to me. As of recently, a situation has come up. We-”
“Of course! I’m here for you!” In an instant, Kirby grabbed her nightcap and threw it across the house to land on her bed. Turning back to the knight, fully awake and energized. “What is it that you need me for? Just say the word and I’m on it!”
“... That’s it?” Meta Knight blurted.
“What?”
“I mean… I didn’t even mention the situation! You’re agreeing to my request already?”
“I mean, yeah! That’s what friends do. They help each other. And I’m ready to help!” She said, bouncing with energy.
Meta Knight sighed in annoyance, “That is going to come back to bite you someday…”
Kirby shrugged, “Eh, probably. Will that stop me from helping you? Nope!”
Meta Knight shook his head, “Fine, be that way. As long as you assist on the current issue. Just let me at least explain the situation.
“After the crashing of the Halberd, much of my crew had to evacuate. Fortunately, the ocean base was nearby, so they retreated there and repairs to the Halberd have begun. Unfortunately, the Halberd won’t be in the sky for some time, which we relied on for the majority of our supply lines. It also means a large chunk of our supplies are now at the sea bed, with most being unsalvageable. With your warpstar, however, we could easily head to other areas and gather resources from around the planet. This will alleviate the burden from my crew and the surrounding environment, as well as make repairs to the Halberd faster. It will likely be a few months before the Halberd is repaired enough to fly again.
Can you handle aiding with a task such as this?”
Kirby gave a firm nod, “Absolutely! I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll give my all! What’s first in order, Meta Knight?”
“First thing to accomplish is to announce your alliance. That way all know that you come in peace and not as a foe. Come. Let us make our return.”
Kirby nodded, stepping out of his house and shutting the door behind himself. “How about we take a warpstar? It’s way faster!”
Meta Knight hummed to this. Eventually turning to Kirby and nodding.
Kirby walked out into the open and raised a paw. With only the briefest pause, a glowing, yellow star bolted to the ground and hovered before the pink hero. Meta Knight leaped back, both him and the accompanying trident wielder pulling out their weapons at it.
“Alright, everyone hop… Oh, did warpstar spook you two?” Kirby said with a bashful smile.
Meta Knight stepped back to where he stood before, clearing his throat. “Of course not. I was only… keeping my reflexes ready.”
Trident Knight glanced at Meta Knight, then focused back on Kirby. “Well, I was pretty startled. I knew the warpstar was fast, but not that fast.”
“Oh, they’re fast alright. Whatever speed you imagine the warpstar to be, keep a hold on it… and make it faster. I guarantee none of you will be prepared for how fast they can go.” Kirby said, hopping onto the star’s upper arms. Gesturing to the two to join. “Let's go, you two!”
They nodded, Meta Knight hopping onto the other upper arm while Trident Knight clung onto a corner just below Kirby.
“Now, where do I need to head to find your group? You could tell me the look of the place, or a landmark.”
Meta Knight said, “You should be able to spot them from above, as we had built a fire in an open area for the sake of our return. We set up camp more inland in the forest, away from the beach line, but also still very much at the coast of Orange Ocean.”
Kirby nodded. “Hang on tight! Like, really tight. Tight as you possibly can.”
“I don’t need to be coddled.” He snipped. Still, he clung tighter to the arm he latched to.
Kirby nervously clung tighter, “Hahahah… If it feels any better, I do this with everyone’s first time. Everyone gets shook up pretty bad. I just try to make it a bit easier.”
The trident knight said, “The only way we can possibly get comfortable is by exposure. Best experience it now and start getting comfortable sooner.”
“True. Alright then, everyone ready?”
“Just go. We’re burning daylight.” Meta Knight snipped back.
“Right, sorry. Three, two, one, go!” On the word go, the warpstar reared back. Humming like a strange engine. Before either could settle with this new knowledge they suddenly sped so fast they were dragged through the air as it made its way high into the skies all while somehow maintaining their grip to the golden star and then the star went from speeding to a dead halt. Causing Kirby’s passengers to cry out again. Trembling like leaves as they clung to the warpstar.
“You two doing okay there?” Kirby asked as they looked over at the two.
Meta Knight managed to force out with a shivering voice, “I’m… fine…”
“That… was a lot.” The trident knight admitted, equally shaken.
“Understandable. First times, right?” Kirby said with a nervous chuckle. When he received no response from his disoriented passengers, he cleared his throat. “Um, I’ll try to go a little slower from here on. Wouldn’t want another sick case.”
“Have people gotten ill from riding the warpstar?” Trident Knight asked.
“If you mean getting queasy, yeah that’s a common thing with first rides. It takes a bit of time to get adjusted to the way it whips around. Most don’t usually ride with me more than once or twice.”
“This might make our plan a bit difficult. Lord Meta Knight, thoughts on this…?” Trident Knight said hesitantly.
“I am a knight.” Meta Knight asserted, gripping the warpstar tightly. “I am the Lord of the Meta-Knights. It is my responsibility to ensure everyone is cared for while not doing harm to innocents. If it means tolerating this, then so be it.”
Kirby and Trident Knight nodded warily. The three focused on the ground, warpstar hovering over the forest at a much slower pace. The gentle twinkle it made soft compared to any engine the knights had ever heard.
“There! The fire is there.” Trident Knight said, pointing to a small opening in the trees. Smoke rose into the sky, giving away its location.
“Alright then. Moving in! Gently.” Kirby emphasized the final word towards the warpstar, as if commanding it.
The star twinkled as it moved lower, heading towards the ground at a much slower pace than before, but still fast compared to most creatures. The ground was approaching quickly. Too quickly to be gentle.
“Get ready to hop off!” Kirby warned. Both passengers tensed in turn.
Tink! It was a gentle sound for such a violent landing. Despite being warned, Kirby was the only one who hopped off to a graceful land. The trident knight tried, but he wound up being flung face first into the ground. The pink puffball rushed to his side.
“Oh sweet stars, are you alright?” She asked, looking down at the purple armored knight. Slowly, he pushed up into a sitting position. Shaking off the moment.
“That… could have been worse.” He said to himself, brushing off dirt. He turned to Kirby, giving her a nod. “Thank you for the warning. Even if it didn’t help much in my case…”
She nodded back, giving an assuring smile. Then she scanned the surroundings further. Nearby the large camp fire was five people. One was a tall, white feathered person wearing a captain's outfit. Another was a waddle dee, wearing a little sailor hat. Many of the others were knights of some form, wearing full body armor made of steel that were painted various colors. As she looked around, she noticed another figure was missing. Only then did she notice a pair of wings flapping above.
Meta Knight had managed to catch himself with his wings. Flapping clumsily as he landed.
“Meta Knight! Are you okay?” Kirby called out as he ran over. The knight whipped towards him, wings spread open. Causing him to skid to a halt with a foot between them.
“Uh… Sorry if I startled you. And about the rough ride. The warpstars are always really fast like that.”
Meta Knight’s wings lowered and, as if by magic, became a cape. He wrapped it around himself. “You have no need to apologize about the ride with the warpstar. You already told me about its aggressive acceleration.”
“I mean… You seemed pretty shaken.”
“I am fine. No need to worry about me, I have recovered."
Kirby frowned. He seriously doubted the knight had actually recovered that quickly from his first ride. But if he insists to be left alone, then there wasn't much that could be done.
“Okay… As long as you’re alright.”
“Moving on,” Meta Knight said as he approached the campfire, “let us make acquaintances with one another.” He halted, gesturing to the stragglers to come. Both the trident wielder and Kirby ran up to his side.
The head knight then gestured to everyone who was sitting to stand, and they obeyed. “Now that we are all gathered, let us introduce ourselves formally. I am Meta Knight, also referred to as Lord Meta Knight and Sir Meta Knight. Of which I’m sure you already know, Kirby.” He pressed a hand to the trident wielder beside himself. “This is Commander Trident Knight. A trusted informant and a mighty warrior.”
Next to step forward was an axe wielding warrior, who wore a skull (or skull shaped) armor and a small metal hat with horns. He gave the pink puff a cautious glare. “This is Commander Axe Knight. He helps keep things in order and double checks the work the rest of us do. He is also an informant, if need be.”
“And I don’t let my guard down easy!” The axe wielder snapped.
“Probably for the best.” Kirby said with a shrug.
The next was a purple armored soldier, who had three protrustions as part of her helmet and red eyes shining through her visor. Deceptively wielding a flail, rather than the actual weapon she was named after. She similarly glared at the pink puffball. “This is Commander Mace Knight. She assists with weapons and programming.” She said nothing, only held up two fingers towards her eyes, then jutted them at the pink puffball.
An orange armored soldier hovered forwards next, who wielded javelins. He didn’t even have eyes showing, instead having a yellow line that wobbled and spiked whenever he spoke. “This is Commander Javelin Knight. He is head of organization and keeps track of supplies.”
The next to step forwards was another purple armored person, who was taller and less decorated. Her yellow eyes were fixed upon Kirby with a cold stare, arms crossed. “This is Commander Sword Knight. She focuses on battle strategy and military logistics.”
Then a green armored soldier came forward, his face almost entirely obscured by red plating. The back of the helmet had a tail of horsehair colored red. Despite his obscured face, Kirby felt the glare from him. “This is Commander Blade Knight. He is among the most loyal of soldiers, and quite friendly… if he trusts you, anyway.”
Kirby gave a smile, “Hai!”
“Stab us in the back and I’ll stab your throat!” Commander Blade snapped.
“... Okay.”
A waddle dee stepped forward, dressed in a sailor's outfit. She stuck out compared to the rest with her soft face, but she still held a hard expression. Matching everyone with her mistrust towards the pink puffball. "And this is Sailsee. She is our right-hand woman and helped run the Halberd alongside the Captain."
Kirby gave a wave. She only squinted back at them.
Next was a white feathered person, wearing a white captain’s outfit. He looked down on the pink puffball, smoothing his feathered chin as he squinted at them. “This is Captain Vul. He controlled the Halberd and made sure everything was ship-shape, and will take that role again once the Halberd is repaired. He is also a trusted informant.”
“Hello there! I hope we can get along!” Kirby offered a paw, standing next to the captain.
“... We will see.” He warily said back, his reach for the paw hesitant but firm in grip.
Meta Knight cleared his throat, catching everyone’s focus. “Now, my crew, my most entrusted and loyal followers, I understand your concerns with working alongside Kirby. She is the reason that our ship has crashed into the sea and now needs to be repaired deep underwater. But I implore you to keep an open mind, for we are in need of her help. She is our only means to ensure the bases continue to get the supplies they need.
With this in mind, I hope we can all come to tolerate each other as allies. At least for now.”
He turned to the pink puffball. “Kirby, I know we have had our conflicts in the past. You are my rival. And at one point, an enemy. Despite this, I thank you for having the generosity in your heart to offer your aid to me and my crew during these dire times.”
She nodded, “Of course!”
He continued, “However, I must warn you now that there are rules and expectations if you are going to be a proper ally to us. When you are among me and my crew, you must respect our rules. I do not care how things work with other people or other towns. Amongst us, you do things our way. If you have broken a rule, you must repair in accordance with how we rule. This is especially true when you are within our bases, and when the time comes, the Halberd. We deal with a lot of sensitive equipment. I would rather not deal with a fire because you decided to play with explosives.”
Kirby nodded, “Okay!”
“Firstly, I expect you to be punctual. When I say to arrive at a specific time, I expect you to arrive either on time or before the time. We have low tolerance for lateness. We are not like you Dreamlanders, where we start everything late.”
“Come on time or early… got it!” Kirby chirped.
“Secondly, when out with us as an ally, I expect you to pull your weight. I do not mind if you need assistance to properly pull through, but what I will mind is whether or not you do your job. That means, at minimum, I expect our meetings to involve you doing some heavy labor.”
“I wouldn’t have taken the request if I thought I couldn’t do it. Plus, that’s just good survival strategy: help out where you can! And I’m good at a lot of things.”
Meta Knight nodded, “Good. Thirdly, if I find you a hazard to me or my crew, if I have any reason to believe you are a threat, I will not hesitate to remove you. I will cut you down if I must. I do not tolerate threats.”
Kirby nodded, blank faced.
“Alright. Those are the basic rules. I will explain the rest as I must when the time comes. Hopefully, we can get through this period relatively smoothly.”
Kirby chirped, “Yeah, I hope we can all be good friends by the end of this!” The whole group eyed the pink puffball.
Meta Knight let out a sigh, then shook his head.