Work Text:
It was a rainy afternoon in Dreamland; not many of the denizens were out, neither riders nor machines. Occasionally, a duo zipped by, but they all looked like they wanted to get to their destination as quickly as possible. Thus, it was quiet in the normally boisterous town, which allowed Noir to hear the rain in full force. It was sitting in the covered doorway of its house, staring outside into the middle distance as the rain poured down.
It was, as usual, silent.
Someone else who was usually silent suddenly came into view, skidding to a halt on his shadow star a distance away from Noir’s doorway. Meta Knight waved, making sure that Noir saw him, before walking over with his machine close behind. Noir raised a hand in a stationary wave as a response and got to its feet; it was grateful for the clear greeting. Meta Knight had a habit of just appearing out of the blue, and that tended to make Noir jump. The first time it had happened, it had actually dissipated its form and returned to its body up in space.
Its experiences had, unfortunately, had the effect of making it rather skittish, even now that it got to relax.
“Hello Noir, I’m bringing those parts you requested. King Dedede sends his regards, even if I told him I wasn’t his errand boy.”
Noir chuckled, a deep, distinctly mechanical sound from within its chest. Stepping aside, it gestured to invite them inside, then removed its gloves and set them on the workshop bench that took up part of the curved wall in the fairly small abode.
<I am sure that he was appreciative of you telling him that.>
Meta Knight snorted. “Hardly.”
The shadow star had entered the house as well, beelining immediately to where Noir’s bike was resting. The ridiculous machine had worn out most of its charge right before the rain had set in, and was now quite tired. Noir would have to carry it outside when the sun was shining again, most likely. The shadow star had no such issue, but it still settled down next to its companion.
The home was really no different than the homes of the others in the town; round, with a single room and a domed ceiling. There was a fireplace and chimney, and the long table that curved with the wall. There was also a bed, but Noir truthfully never used it. Originally, there had been a refrigerator, but Noir had given that to a neighboring waddle dee who’s appliance had broken because it truly had no use for food. Now, that area was where Noir’s wheelie bike lived. It even had a pillow, courtesy of Kirby when he visited (which was often).
Noir did not spend nights on the planet; Zorah enjoyed the quiet contemplation of space, especially when the world was asleep down below, and it could not sleep as Noir. If it tried, it would simply dissipate, same as if it willingly chose to retreat for the night. Even so, the fact that King Dedede had given it its own house was incredibly touching to it all the same. Now, it could own objects, invite friends over, and shelter itself from bad weather.
It looked out the still-open door, at the rain that fell straight down by the bucketful, not stirred or swayed by any breeze. Just water from the sky, looking like it wanted to wash the planet clean.
Meta Knight caught it staring. “Do you… Not like rain? On account of your…” He tapped his mask next to his left eye, the one that Noir had exhaust pipes instead of. “The flames.”
It took Noir a moment to raise its hands and answer. <It was raining the day that Gigantes was completed.>
“... Oh.” Meta Knight paused, gaze also fixed out the door. “... A long time ago, Galactic Nova tricked me, too.”
That got Noir to look away from the rain and at its friend, eye widening in surprise. <You?>
Meta Knight nodded, wincing a little. “I used to be… Rather impulsive. Prideful. While I still retain those qualities, I do so in moderation. But back then, I thought I could take on the galaxy and remain unscathed. So… I called upon Galactic Nova. Made a wish to battle the most powerful being in the universe… It unleashed Galacta Knight, and the decision has haunted me ever since. He still shows up and causes catastrophes from time to time. No prison has been able to hold him like the one Galactic Nova released him from.” With a wordless chuckle, Meta Knight turned away and set the small box on the workbench.
“The worst part is I knew what Nova was like. It had just nearly caused the destruction of the planet. Kirby helped destroy Galactic Nova, but through some time manipulation it put itself back together, and…” He sighed, still not wanting to look at Noir. “I don’t think I grasped how it would twist wishes as needed for whatever reason. I thought it fell apart again after Galacta Knight was sealed away again. How it returned, I don’t know.”
Meta Knight flicked at a stray bolt with his gloved hands. “I wonder if I am the only reason Galactic Nova was around to maim you.”
He sounded frustrated, but also like he hadn’t meant to say the last part out loud.
<There is no use dwelling on it,> Noir said, making sure to position itself where Meta Knight would be able to see it out of the corner of his mask.
“I suppose you’re right,” he said, rain catching his eye again. After a pause, he continued. “I do not normally just… Say things like this to anyone.”
<I am just a good listener, since I cannot speak.>
Meta Knight chuckled. “I can’t disagree with that.”
When Noir had explained what had happened to it, it had been light on the emotional details. With the way it had been staring out into the rain as if haunted, Meta Knight could tell that its experiences had affected it deeply. He wanted to ask, but knew it was wholly inappropriate. There was also the fact of the matter that if it became distressed, Meta Knight was unskilled in the department of comfort.
So that left one course of action: distraction.
“So what did you need the parts for, anyways? Does your bike need repairs?” Meta Knight had seen before King Dedede closed the box that it had contained some wiring with connections, nuts and bolts, and a sort of extending rod. He was… Woefully underinformed in the world of robotics and machines; that was Dedede’s wheelhouse through and through. The amount of times Meta Knight had found him tinkering with that special hammer of his…
<They’re for me,> Noir answered. <During the city trial two days ago, I sustained minor damage.>
That caught Meta Knight’s attention fully. “You were injured?”
Noir shook its sleeve back, showing off its forearm. It was normally covered by a panel on top, with vents that displayed its characteristic blue glowing energy. Now, though, that panel was gone, exposing the inside of its arm. There was indeed a channel where ghostly blue flame and shadowy soul magic were flowing freely, alongside wires, some of which were disconnected, and a few of those extending rods. One of them was cracked, and made a faint unhappy click when Noir moved.
Drawing back, Meta Knight looked up at Noir’s face. “Why didn’t you ask for assistance right away? I’m sure Dedede would’ve taken the time to repair your arm.”
<I did not know I would need new parts,> Noir confessed, managing to look a bit guilty. <And I am not used to relying on others. Being able to actively perform my own repairs at all is a novelty, let alone having others to assist me.> It then squinted at him a little. <And you would not ask for help, I know it.>
… It was teasing him. Meta Knight scoffed, but he made sure he conveyed that it was in jest. “The great Meta Knight would not end up injured in the first place,” he said with exaggerated bravado.
<Of course not.> It turned, shrugging off its coat and setting it on the bed. The shadowy edges continued to lazily defy gravity, small bits fading away and reappearing at the corners. Noir, meanwhile, sat down on the stool near the workbench, dumping out the box of new parts. The blue scar that still bled flame and soul energy was on full display on its back.
It felt strangely… Vulnerable, Meta Knight realized, that it would start this process when he was around. “Do you wish for me to leave now?” Meta Knight asked, looking over at his shadow star. It was still with the bike, most likely in rest mode. Outside the door, the rain still fell.
Noir fixed him with its searching gaze, not unfriendly but piercing all the same. Its eye flickered to the downpour through the still-open door. Setting down the tools it had been holding, it replied. <I do not mind if you stay. You are good, calm company, and you won’t disturb my work. Simply be advised I will not be able to communicate until my arm is fixed.>
“Alright,” said Meta Knight simply.
A comfortable silence descended, punctuated only by the quiet noises of tinkering. Meta Knight did his best not to stare at what Noir was doing, but it was rather hard not to. Noir looked so focused, its face still very hard to read. He wondered if it hurt, what it was doing, but there were no indicators at all what Noir was feeling.
Noir looked at him, raising its good hand to tilt it back and forth in a so-so gesture, shrugging a little, before it got back to work.
Oh. Meta Knight had said that aloud, apparently. What was up with him today? Normally he was all poise and professionalism. He took his work seriously, damn it, and did not enjoy laziness, distractions, or overly emotional displays. Yet here he was, mumbling to himself and unable to keep a lid on his curiosity that could border on rude if he didn’t keep it in check. And he was worried about his new friend, even if that was something he wouldn’t admit out loud no matter what.
For the rest of the twenty-ish minutes it took Noir to finish replacing the parts in its arm Meta Knight was politely silent. Finally, when it was screwing back on the top panel, which looked suspiciously like it had been banged back into shape with a hammer, he spoke up again. “Everything back in working order?”
Noir flexed its claws in several ways before raising its hands, eye upturned happily. <Yes, thank goodness. I will have to give King Dedede my thanks.> It paused, then continued. <And to properly answer your question. My arm was rather sore, but mostly my hand felt numb due to the disconnected wires. I could move it, as you know, but had no sensation. I am glad to have the feeling return.>
Meta Knight nodded. “That’s good.”
<I do very much miss my internal repair systems I used to have,> it continued, gaining an almost mournful expression. <Even in my true body, they do not work very well at all now.>
“Internal repair systems?” Meta Knight tilted his head, curious. Come to think of it… He could never remember having seen Zorah with his own eyes, especially not before it had been turned into Gigantes. Kirby had, at least, drawn a crude, childlike picture of the frightening war machine. But… No one aside from Zorah itself knew what it had once looked like, it would seem. Something about that thought felt very lonely.
“You could fix yourself before?”
<Within reason. I couldn’t get raw material out of nowhere, but cracks, disconnected wires, and loose connections were all handled by a program I could run to repair myself. Nanomachines took care of the rest.>
“What if you did need raw materials?”
<If I ran into something useful, I was able to break it down, but I was very, very lucky. Not everyone was.>
“Everyone? There are more of you?” Meta Knight leaned forward, instantly fascinated.
<There were.>
Oh. Oh that halted the conversation immediately, and made Meta Knight feel like an ass for asking so many questions. “Well,” he said after an awkward pause, forcing himself not to stumble over words. “It is unfortunate you can no longer repair yourself as you used to, but at least you can do maintenance like this now.”
Noir nodded once, expression unreadable, before it began to tidy up its work space. It set aside the parts box to be used for something else, and put all its tools exactly how it liked them. Meta Knight watched, keeping quiet, because all he wanted to ask were more follow-up questions, but he also knew how to take a hint. Maybe in the future he would ask Noir about what it had looked like, as Zorah in its original body. Someone ought to help it keep its own memory alive.
But for now…
“If something like this happens again, don’t hesitate to ask someone for help,” Meta Knight couldn’t help but say. He was just glad he hadn’t asked any more questions. “Suffering for a day isn’t necessary.”
<It is hard to do so when I wish to remain…> It stopped fussing with its workbench to sign, going slowly and seemingly trying to search for the right words. <It is hard to be vulnerable when one is so focused on looking out for others. I only exist in this form because I felt so strongly about protecting both myself and the planet.>
“You’re not the only protector of Dreamland,” replied Meta Knight, not unkindly. “I know you’re new. But I and my squad have been helping keep this place in check for a long time, along with King Dedede. And then there’s Kirby. While we appreciate the help, you’re far from alone in wanting to protect Popstar.”
Noir looked at him. <You have never put your pain aside and pushed through to see a task through?>
“Well,” Meta Knight began, then had to stop and sigh. “Fine, you got me there. People like us, we always must work on that, it would seem. Frankly, it’s probably because you feel so much like a peer already that I’m being this candid with you.”
<Yes, I admit I did not expect you to be the talkative sort.>
“Nor did I expect you to be.”
<... Fair.> Noir chuckled again. <I had a long, long life of silence. It’s about time I got to experience conversation.>
“That might tend to make someone more chatty,” Meta Knight agreed. In the silence that followed, he noticed the sounds around them had shifted, and looked out the door. The rain was dying down, and the early evening sun had punched holes in the clouds that let its orange beams shine through. “It’s getting late, and the rain’s stopped. I should be heading out.”
He had not noticed before, but he visibly saw the tension leave Noir’s shoulders as it looked up and saw he was correct. <Very good. Now I can get my ridiculous machine outside to recharge some before the sun sets.>
Meta Knight didn’t even need to ask as they both approached the vehicles. Noir’s bike had a bit of a reputation for being high energy, and for getting into trouble. It wasn’t an uncommon sight to see said bike, riderless, off doing who knows what. He supposed it was because, up until when Noir had begun visiting Popstar, the bike hadn’t exactly had a fun existence, and now it was making up for lost time.
Slipping on its gloves, Noir hefted it up and carried it to the door. Its eyes moved with little mechanical whirs. Meanwhile Meta Knight gently patted his shadow star until it came out of sleep mode and nudged his hand in return.
“Ready to go home?”
A wave of purple coloration rippled beneath its smooth surface in an affirmative reply, and it followed Meta Knight as he walked outside, soggy ground squishing beneath his feet. Ugh. He was so glad he didn’t have to walk, mud like this would ruin his cape.
“Alright,” Meta Knight said, looking up to where Noir was propping the bike up in its charging area against the outside of the house. “We’re off. It was good to see you, thank you for your company.”
Removing its gloves again, Noir replied as it inclined its head in a sort of small bow. <The pleasure was mine, it was enjoyable.>
“Doubtless, I will see you again soon.” Hopping onto his shadow star, Meta Knight looked back one more time as he began to leisurely ride away. He was just in time to see Noir gear up and jump onto its roof in one leap, settling there with its eye closed to enjoy the last rays of the sun before it set fully.
Meta Knight, too, was glad that the rain had passed.