Work Text:
Parallel looked around his workshop. Bored out of his mind. There wasn’t much he could do without clientele.
You see, Parallel Meta Knight prided himself on being a blacksmith. After the Star Allies left Another Dimension, he found out where his true passion was. He enjoyed welding, blacksmithing, quite literally anything to do with metal!
So, he turned the arena, his area within Another Dimension, into a workshop! It took a while, sure, but it was worth it in the end.
Even if, in everything he ever did, he had to abide by the Jamba Heart’s whim. It created him, after all. He could have fun with his life regardless!
Besides, the only thing the Heart really wanted was for him to fight once in a while, and to, under no circumstances, make friends. Easier said than done, sure, but he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge!
Idly, he spun his sword in his hand, waiting. He could sleep, but that was boring, and he didn’t need to anyways. There was no inspiration for a new project, and all of his previous projects had been tested with every Friend Ability (Note to self: Don’t touch Sizzle or Zap to direct skin. Ow.)
He heard the bell ring. Someone was here. Immediately, he dropped down from his perch.
His new guest was a newcomer. It looked like Meta Knight, but it was… green and pink. Its body was fading and reforming itself constantly, almost as if its physical form wasn’t even real.
“Hello.” It greeted. Its voice mimicked Meta Knight perfectly.
“Hey.” Parallel wrapped himself in his cape. A little wary of the stranger.
“Are you ~ Parallel Meta Knight?” Its voice switched in the middle of its sentence. From Meta Knight to Dark Meta Knight.
“I am.” Parallel knew better than to question his clients. He did what he did for free, sure, but he liked the company.
“I was ~ wondering if you could ~ make me a ~ sword?” It tilted its head. Parallel decided to stop counting how many times its voice switched.
“Well, what kind of sword? I’ve got the materials.”
“Like ~ Meta Knight’s!” Kirby’s voice was in there too now.
“... It wouldn’t be enchanted like his.”
“I know.”
“Alright. I’ll get to work.”
“Thanks!” It smiled. It floated over to the small waiting area Parallel had designed, and wrapped itself in its wings.
Parallel was a knight of his word, and quickly got to work on the sword. He knew how to make a blade that looked like Galaxia, even if he couldn't enchant anything.
“...” His guest watched him like he was the most interesting thing.
“There are other things around for you to look at, y'know.”
“Oh! S- sorry!” Magolor's voice, with the stuttering and everything.
“... hm.” Parallel knew better than to ask the question waiting on the tip of his tongue.
The guest stayed longer than most. Usually, clients leave once they realize the forging process isn't a one and done thing.
“Hey, it's getting late. Can I get your number or something so I can call you when it's done?”
“... I do not own a phone.” Despite using Dark's angry voice, the guest seemed more sorry than anything.
“Is there anyone I could call to reach you?”
The knight thought for a moment, its eyes went completely dark. They lit back up as it spoke, “Adeleine!” It used her own voice.
That caught Parallel off guard, Adeleine? The artist?
The other knight noticed his confusion, “She's really nice, I swear!” It stuck with Adeleine's voice.
“No, I know Adeleine. I just didn't think she hung out with knights.”
The guest nodded in understanding.
“Could I get your name?”
“Phantom! ~ Meta Knight.” Phantom smiled.
“Phantom, huh?” Parallel looked at Phantom's constantly fading form, “It suits you.”
It laughed.
“I'll call Adeleine when your sword is done, alright?”
Phantom nodded, and then vanished. No cape, just faded away.
“What an odd one…”
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Parallel looked down at the finished sword. He had done a good job making it look exactly like the real deal, even if the forge had taken longer than he expected.
It took 6 days. He'd only expected around 3, since he didn't have to sleep.
He pulled out his phone that Parallel Susie, the only Mirror Worlder to visit at least once a week, gave to him, and tried to recall Adeleine's number.
It took a while of combing through the original Meta Knight's memories from just before Parallel was fully evicted, but he managed to find and dial the number.
“Hello? Who is this?” Adeleine picked up rather fast, he'd forgotten how fast Dream Landers tended to pick up their phones.
“Hello, Adeleine?”
“Yeah, that's me- I'm sorry, who are you?”
“Parallel Meta Knight.”
“Oh! You're the uhh… Blacksmith Phantom was talking about?”
“Yes, Phantom's sword is ready. They-”
“She.”
“Pardon?”
“Phantom's a girl.” Parallel could swear he could hear someone in the background saying something, but he couldn't make it out.
“Oh, my apologies.” There was no point in making a big scene over gender last time he did it didn't end well, it wasn't much to care about, “Either way, her sword is ready.”
Parallel heard Adeleine pull the phone away from her ear, “Hey! Phantom! Parallel Meta Knight says your sword is ready!”
“She'll be over soon!”
“Thank you.” Parallel hung up the phone. He didn't care to keep the line open longer than he had to. As much as he enjoyed in-person conversations, phone calls weren't something he liked.
Just as promised, Phantom appeared in his shop. She smiled a little less this time, a little afraid.
“Your sword is ready. It's just over there on the counter.” Parallel knew why Phantom was scared, he'd seen the look before on himself. He wasn't sure what would comfort her though.
Phantom walked over and grabbed the sword, smiling a little.
“So why'd you want Meta Knight's sword?” Parallel walked over, trying to not seem intimidating.
“I ~ practice ~ ~ enchanted.” Parallel couldn't lie, he was a little surprised to hear his own voice in there.
“You like Adeleine's voice, huh?” Parallel was good at pattern recognition. The moment she started using Adeleine's voice around Parallel, she hadn't stopped.
Phantom went stiff, looking downward.
“I don't mind.”
Phantom looked up, skeptical.
Parallel hated admitting this out loud… but maybe it would help Phantom.
“... I'm trans too. Just… the other way around.”
Phantom's face lit up. She smiled, genuinely.
“Thanks!”
“Mm.” Parallel moved to go clean up his workshop. Phantom had what she wanted, so he fully expected her to leave.
Much to his surprise, Phantom followed him, and began to help him tidy his shop. He couldn't lie, it felt nice to have someone help him out. Even if the Jamba Heart hated it.
“Phantom, I appreciate the help, but-”
“The thing controlling you ~ doesn't.” Meta Knight's voice was back, for a moment.
“... Yeah. Hit the nail right on the head.”
“I'll see you later ~ Parallel.” Phantom smiled.
“Goodbye, Phantom.”
Parallel continued cleaning his workshop, and running it as normal long after Phantom left.
But he couldn't help but think of her sometimes. She was certainly one of his more interesting clients.
Somewhere, deep down, he hoped she'd return someday. Even if every part of his being loathed to admit that.