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“This is a great honor,” Bandanna Dee told his reflection. “The Great King has entrusted me with this task because I am the best, and he wants…”
Wants to give that traitor the best possible treatment.
Bandanna Dee untied and retied his bandanna. “He wants Sir Meta Knight to feel comfortable and welcome,” the waddle dee said softly. “He paid his dues for his mistake, and he’s welcome again. The Great King said so.”
A mistake. That was how the Great King described Meta Knight’s attempted conquest of Dreamland. It hadn’t been a mistake for very long; that was a recent invention. The Great King had initially banished Meta Knight for that crime, but after Dark Matter’s invasion, Dedede had decided to pardon the knight and invite him back to court. Bandanna Dee had wished on every shooting star that Meta Knight would refuse.
He hadn’t.
Instead, Bandanna Dee wished that King Dedede would be cold and suspicious. Surely he wouldn’t allow that traitorous knight back in their lives so easily, would he? Bandanna Dee’s hopes were quickly shattered, when the Great King had pulled Meta Knight into a fierce hug with the delighted cry of ‘Mety Knight!’ Then, as if the cosmic forces had gotten together with the sole purpose of humiliating Bandanna Dee, King Dedede had decided that Meta Knight’s new quarters were to be directly beside Bandanna Dee’s, and Bandanna Dee would be solely responsible for ensuring Meta Knight’s comfort within the castle.
That being said and decided, how long could he get away with avoiding Meta Knight before someone noticed? Bandanna Dee pulled his bandanna from his head, untied it, and put it on again. He stood on the tips of his toes and waved, forcing an expression of complete cheerfulness. “Think happy thoughts,” Bandanna Dee said, spinning away from the mirror and skipping into the hallway.
The door of Meta Knight’s room seemed suddenly very large. Bandanna Dee steeled himself. The Great King, himself, had personally given Bandanna Dee this task. He needed to obey. He needed to make Meta Knight feel comfortable. The waddle dee gulped. Maybe Meta Knight wouldn’t be in his room, or maybe he wouldn’t hear Bandanna Dee knocking on his door.
“How long do you intend to stand there?”
Bandanna Dee jumped and whirled around. The knight regarded him coolly, as Bandanna Dee tried to calm his racing heart. He and the knight were about the same height, but Meta Knight seemed much taller somehow. Much larger and stronger and infinitely more threatening. “H-how long were you watching?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“Long enough,” the knight answered. “Bandanna Dee, correct?”
Bandanna Dee nodded. “I was going to wake you,” the waddle dee said, “And invite you to breakfast.”
“No need. I already had breakfast with Dedede.”
“The Great King!” Bandanna Dee blurted out.
The knight’s eyes glowed in a distinctly uncanny way, and Bandanna Dee wildly imagined Meta Knight pouncing on him. That was how predators hunted, wasn’t it? “Excuse me?” Meta Knight asked.
Bandanna Dee gulped. “Y-you used his name. That’s—that’s too—you shouldn’t be so familiar with him, after…”
“And I suppose you have such a right?”
Bandanna Dee felt warmth flood his face. “I—I am loyal to him. I fought against Dark Matter at his side, and you—where were you? What did you do?”
“I believe I was banished at the time.”
The knight was right, of course. Bandanna Dee ought to stop. He ought to apologize for his outburst. He ought to make amends. But the knight was so calm and unruffled, so cool in the face of blatant rudeness and anger. Bandanna Dee took a step back and nearly lost his balance. He’d never been prone to anger, and the fire in his stomach was strange and foreign and hot. He needed Meta Knight to be angry, too. To fall victim to the same sort of raging fury and fire that he’d fallen victim to.
“You don’t deserve his forgiveness,” Bandanna Dee said, expecting an argument or justification.
“Yes, I know.”
Meta Knight approached, and Bandanna Dee bolted back. The knight cast him an unreadable glance; his cape seemed to twitch, even though there was no breeze. “I think I’ll spend some time in my quarters, if it’s all the same to you,” Meta Knight said.
“No, I—I just insulted you!”
“Indeed,” the knight replied, disappearing into his room and closing the door behind him.
Bandanna Dee gawked for a few seconds. Wildly, he fantasized about rushing into the room and screaming. Just screaming. The waddle dee rubbed his face with his paws and stormed away, before he could do something he really, truly regretted.
He was wrong to feel so angry; it wasn’t kind. It wasn’t him, but he really wished that Sir Meta Knight would just fall off a cliff. Of course, Meta Knight had wings, so falling off a cliff wouldn’t have the intended result, but the sentiment was the same. Dreamland had survived without him. Why did he have to come back and take away everything they’d created during the knight’s absence?
Hadn’t Bandanna Dee earned his positon through his own courage and strength? Hadn’t he worked really hard to be so highly favored by their beloved Great King? Hadn't he faced Dark Matter, against all odds, with the king? Of course, he had. He knew he had, but Meta Knight had betrayed their king. Meta Knight shouldn’t be back and—and receiving all the—all the attention. The Great King had never looked so happy, and Bandanna Dee shouldn’t begrudge him that.
But he did.
Bandanna Dee was inexperienced in dealing with people he disliked, so he decided the best course of action was to avoid Meta Knight entirely. When Sir Meta Knight entered a hallway, Bandanna Dee fled in the opposite direction. The waddle dee knew he was shirking in his duties and his given task of making the knight comfortable, but the alternative was taking the chance that he’d inevitably and irreparably insult the knight. Wasn’t avoiding him, then, the lesser of two evils?
Bandanna Dee gulped, as he stepped inside the throne room. His stomach twisted in a heavy knot. King Dedede’s sudden summoning of him indicated one thing: the king knew. The waddle dee scrambled for an excuse, even though it wouldn’t do any good. Meta Knight had likely complained to the king, and it’d be his word against Bandanna Dee’s. And Meta Knight was in the right.
He was a terrible creature. Bandanna Dee’s shoulders slumped. He kept his eyes downcast as he bowed before Dedede. The king shifted a bit, kicking his feet against the front of his golden throne. “I have a job for you,” the king said without preamble.
Bandanna Dee started. “A…job?” he asked.
He gazed upwards, and King Dedede nodded enthusiastically. “You see; I’ve been gettin’ some reports in ‘bout something happening ‘round Orange Ocean. There’s some wizard goin’ around an’ scarin’ everyone. Some wannabe Nightmare or something, and I figure we outta do something about that.”
A dark wizard? Bandanna Dee’s eyes widened. “And you want me to stop him?” the waddle dee asked, feeling faint.
King Dedede laughed so hard he shook. “Not all by yourself, o’ course! I’m gonna send Meta Knight. You’ll be there as back-up.”
Some cruel, cosmic deity was surely laughing at Bandanna Dee’s expense. “Y-you want me to travel and fight this wizard with Sir Meta Knight?”
“Yeah! You’re the only waddle dee that I’d trust to do it, and Mety already agreed—”
He’d asked Meta Knight first? Did Bandanna Dee’s opinion come second? The Great King was saying something else—something about plans and packing and Meta Knight’s cape—but Bandanna Dee was barely listening. He couldn’t disobey his king. Perhaps, he could fall ill or fake being sick. Maybe Bandanna Dee’s long-lost brother would suddenly fall dead. The thought of lying to his king made his heart hurt, but the thought of going on any quest with Meta Knight made him shake with barely restrained anger.
“Uh, Dee?”
“Yes, Sire?” Bandanna Dee asked.
The king narrowed his eyes and rested on cheek against his paw. “I know you ain’t that fond of him.”
Bandanna Dee scuffed his foot against the castle floor. “Did he tell you that?”
“Naw, Mety wouldn’t bother tellin’ me something like that. I just kinda figured you might feel a bit outta place. You mean a lot to me, Dee, but so does Sir Mety Knight. An’ I think y’all going on this quest together is a good idea.”
The cosmic deity laughing at his expense was his own king. Bandanna Dee nodded haltingly. “As you command, Great King,” he said carefully.
The Great King’s eyes were thoughtful. “Mety Knight ain’t that bad. I just—I know I’ve been sayin’ I wanted him back for the good of Dreamland, but I really…I really just missed ‘im, and part of the reason he rebelled was my fault. I ain’t innocent by no means…” Dedede trailed off with a sigh. “It’d mean a lot to me, if you’d try, cuz I do appreciate you, Dee, but I—I love Mety Knight, too. And yeah, I’ve seen him at his worst, but I’ve also seen him at his best.”
Loved Meta Knight how? Bandanna Dee almost asked, but he was afraid of the answer. It’d only make him feel more displaced, regardless of what the Great King meant. “I promise I will try,” Bandanna Dee said. He’d try anything for King Dedede.
It was during their shared quest that Bandanna Dee decided to keep a list of all the things he hated about Sir Meta Knight. A list was a good idea. Not only would it give Bandanna Dee a place to vent, but it’d give his feelings of suffocating jealousy some validation, especially since he couldn’t express them without disappointing his beloved king. After all, Sir Meta Knight had many flaws, and if Bandanna Dee could hate those, it’d be less pathetic. It'd also provide him with lots of things to tell the other waddle dees, most of whom thought Meta Knight was magnificent and Nova's gift to Dreamland. If King Dedede adored Meta Knight, they did, too.
Bandanna Dee rubbed his face and eyed the knight, who’d evidently found a nice current and was soaring along with it. The waddle dee was confined to the ground, having tired himself out too much to fly. He couldn’t have kept up with Meta Knight anyway.
Number one. Meta Knight was the most boring traveling companion ever. The knight never wanted to talk and straight-up refused to sing, when Bandanna Dee had suggested that as a way to pass the time. Furthermore, Bandanna Dee could recall every single line of dialogue Meta Knight had uttered. The majority were hums. Meta Knight hummed after he defeated an opponent, when he didn’t feel like answering a question, or—in one bizarre instance—when he was dreaming. Bandanna Dee was familiar with sleep-talking, but sleep-humming was an entirely foreign concept.
Although Meta Knight had managed to hum a very nice tune, while he slept.
Number two. Meta Knight was a cold, self-absorbed, heartless…puffball-thing. Enough said.
Bandanna Dee scrunched up his face, trying to think of a third item for his list. It was at that moment that Meta Knight, with a flash of his cape, appeared before him. The waddle dee yelped at the suddenness and nearly fell over. Number three. Right there.
“Sorry,” Meta Knight said, “I’m used to people being accustomed to my cape tricks.”
Bandanna Dee held a paw against himself to calm his racing heart. He had a sneaking suspicion that Meta Knight just enjoyed terrifying him. “Right.”
“Anyway, we’re getting close to where the reports said this wizard was, so we ought to stay together.”
“Wonderful.”
If Meta Knight noticed Bandanna Dee’s sarcasm, he chose to ignore it. The knight shifted his cape back to his wings and strode forward with irritating confidence. Bandanna Dee waddled behind him, toying with the shaft of his spear. For a brief second, he contemplated smacking Meta Knight in the head with it. He wouldn’t, of course, but it’d be entertaining to see the knight’s reaction.
No, it wouldn’t be. Meta Knight had the personality of a piece of parchment and probably wouldn’t even react. Number four on his list. Meta Knight was boring.
At least, Meta Knight was a good fighter, right? Bandanna Dee could rest assured that the knight could handle any threat they might face. “Hey, Meta.”
“Hm?”
“How many wizards have you faced? Nightmare, obviously.” Though Kirby had defeated that one. “Any more?”
“Several.”
Bandanna Dee expected more information, but Meta Knight didn’t offer any. “Do you want to elaborate?” Bandanna Dee asked. “I’ve never fought one before, and—”
“I’ll take care of it. I don’t require your assistance.”
Bandanna Dee flushed. “I’m a good fighter, too!”
Meta Knight shrugged.
“The Great King sent me to help you.”
“Dedede does many things he doesn’t need to,” Meta Knight replied, “And he didn’t send you to help me fight. He had an ulterior motive.”
“And do you feel like sharing, grand and noble Meta Knight?”
“I think he was hoping we’d become friends or something absurd.”
“Friends? Why would anyone want to be your friend? You’re a traitor! You betrayed and hurt the Great King!”
“I know, and Dedede was kind enough to forgive my faults, when I wouldn’t forgive his.”
It was eerie how Meta Knight never raised his voice, even when Bandanna Dee had resorted to near-shouting. The waddle dee wondered what it would take to get Meta Knight really angry. Bandanna Dee was still seething after being told he was unneeded and contemplated returning to the castle. The wouldn’t please the Great King, though. Bandanna Dee sighed. It was going to be a very long journey, indeed.
If there was one thing that Bandanna Dee—grudgingly—liked about Meta Knight, it was that the knight was very good at setting camp. He pulled everything from his cape, which meant that no one ever had to carry supplies. Meta Knight was quite fast at that, too, and would have an entire pantry’s worth of food sitting innocently on a picnic blanket within minutes.
Meta Knight never removed his mask to eat. He merely lifted it and shoved food underneath, presumably eating it. Bandanna Dee tried not to stare, but he wondered what lie beneath that armor. Was Meta Knight hiding bad scarring? Was he hideous? He was supposed to be the same species as Kirby, but did he look like Kirby? Bandanna Dee chewed thoughtfully on a slice of carrot cake. He might like Meta Knight more if he looked like Kirby; it’d take away some of the horror that Meta Knight’s giant demonic-looking wings instilled.
“Do you want first watch or second?” Meta Knight asked.
It’d been second for days, but evidently, Meta Knight still felt the need to ask. “First,” Bandanna Dee replied, just to spite him.
Meta Knight tilted his head slightly, clearly puzzled. “Very well, then,” he said.
Bandanna Dee watched Meta Knight pull a thick, heavy blanket from his cape and curl up in it. The knight still didn’t remove his armor. It seemed like an understandable precaution, considering where they were, but Bandanna Dee wondered if Meta Knight slept in armor at Castle Dedede, too. With a scowl, Bandanna Dee seated himself on a tree stump a few feet away.
It wasn’t a bad night for a watch. The trees were sparse enough for Bandanna Dee to make out the stars. He tried to recall constellation names and the stories that went with him, but his mind felt oddly blank. Oddly insignificant. How strange.
Bandanna Dee rubbed his cheeks with his paws and stifled a sleepy groan. Meta Knight would be furious, if Bandanna Dee fell asleep. The night wore long, though. The waddle dee’s eyelids drooped. Why was he so…so tired?
Because you’re nothing.
He blinked rapidly. Nothing. No, he was Bandanna Dee.
One out of thousands of waddle dees.
You are nothing.
“That’s not…” Bandanna Dee trailed off, suddenly unsure how to speak. That probably should’ve alarmed him, but it didn’t.
Actually, he felt blissfully blank. The world seemed to be in diamond-bright clarity, and nothing mattered anymore. He could waste away on that stump, beneath the starlight, and he wouldn’t care at all.
No, no, no.
The Great King still matters.
Bandanna Dee nodded slowly. The Great King. Of course. The Great King needed to be obeyed and protected at all costs; he loved the Great King.
So you need to kill the knight.
Kill the…Meta Knight? Bandanna Dee shook his head. He didn’t like Meta Knight, but he didn’t want to kill him. Where had that thought even come from? Surely, he was incapable of thinking such things. Something was wrong. He needed to scream, to wake Meta Knight; the knight would know what to do. Bandanna Dee whimpered softly, unable to force anything louder.
You’re the only person in your head.
Of course, it’s you.
Why would you call for him?
He wouldn’t help you.
He hurt your beloved king.
He’ll do it again, unless you stop him.
Stop him?
No, that wasn’t him.
You’re the only person in your head.
Of course, it’s you.
Bandanna Dee gripped his spear tightly and cautiously waddled over towards the sleeping knight. It’d be quick and easy—just a stab through the slit in Meta Knight’s armor. The waddle dee hesitated. It wasn’t…right.
It is, it is, it is.
He doesn’t belong here.
Can’t you feel how dark he is?
He’s the stuff of nightmares.
Bandanna Dee took a deep breath. His paws shook as he lifted his spear. No, he couldn’t do it. Stuff of nightmares or not, it was Meta Knight. This wasn’t him.
You’re the only person in your head.
Of course, it’s you.
The waddle dee trembled and lifted his spear higher. He squeezed his eyes shut as he brought it down fast and hard. Meta Knight! A woman screamed.
Vibrations reverberated through Bandanna Dee’s paws, followed by a piercing metallic clang. His eyes snapped open. He’d missed his mark; the knight’s armor had turned his spear. Rage uncoiled inside him. How dare she warn him?
She?
Meta Knight was suddenly airborne, Galaxia drawn and sparking lightning. “Bandanna Dee?”
She was a creature of light! Why would she protect that tangle of stardust and darkness? Why would she lend her sacred fire to that abomination, that thing of nightmares?
You call yourself a creature of light, yet you impose your will on others. This waddle dee isn’t yours.
Traitor. He’s corrupted you.
Bandanna Dee’s head felt like it was engulfed in flames. He whined and sank to the ground, his paws rubbing his face. That wasn’t him. This wasn’t him. She…wasn’t…him?
You are the only person in your head.
It’s alright.
Of course, it’s you.
My beloved and I will save you.
Bandanna Dee dove for his spear, barely dodging Meta Knight’s downward slash. The knight landed, and Bandanna Dee lunged forward, his spear aimed at the knight's face. Meta Knight vanished in his cape, and Bandanna Dee struck empty air.
Then, everything was black, thick, and dark. A second later, it was awash with light—painful and obliterating. It was hungry and fierce and righteous, and it burned. He screamed. He was burning. He was dying, and the world fell away and shattered like mirror shards. And he—Bandanna Dee, no, the thing—was gone.
It was cold and dark, and the puffball clung to Galaxia, desperate for her warmth and fire. It warmed his skin but wouldn’t go deep enough. Her fires wouldn’t seep into his bones or scorch all remnants of Nightmare from his small form. He wanted to be someone else. Someone stronger, older, and braver. Someone that wouldn’t shatter to pieces like he had. This new planet was strange and lonely, and his heart ached. How was it possible to hurt so much inside? Galaxia murmured assurances and soft lullabies.
Flash.
A young and fluffy Pengu beamed at him. “You fell from the stars? My wish came true! You—it’s you! You’re gonna be my bestest friend! An’ we’re gonna do everything together from now on!”
Meta was too selfish, clingy, and weak to have friends; any potential friends would be ashamed of him. Father had said so. The puffball shook his head, his tears dropping on Galaxia’s blade. “No, you don’t get it,” the Pengu insisted. “When you see a fallin’ star, you get a wish, an’ I wished for a best friend. And now you’re here! Lucky for you, I wished for you. I’m Dedede, and my family’s real powerful! You can come live with me an’ Mommy! You ain’t gotta be lonely anymore!”
The Pengu grasped Meta’s paws. “Hey, don’t cry! You’ll like it! I mean, someone as good with a sword as you surely deserves somethin’ better than scrubbing floors. ‘Sides, the dees are better at it than you. An’ that’s okay! You can be my official friend person. An’ you’re so amazing—”
Meta ducked his head shyly. He didn’t want to hope, but his heart soared. No one had ever complimented him before.
There were more memories, tiny snippets of an unimaginably long life. There were thousands of years of a happy childhood and healing from the past, years of staying up too late and sleeping in blanket-forts, and of being so happy. Dedede’s mother, a woman Bandanna Dee had only seen in pictures, flitted through the memories, clearly beloved and admired. Then, Nightmare returned and sparked years of self-loathing and guilt that hadn’t fully faded. There was the screaming match that first sparked Meta Knight’s rebellion and the cold meeting after it failed. There was anger and heartache and loneliness. Bandanna Dee’s head whirled at the weight of the memories—of Meta Knight’s memories.
Flash.
Meta Knight had forgotten how soft and warm Dedede was. The knight was content to rest his face against Dedede’s plumage and let the king stroke his wings. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the lazy evenings spent in Dedede’s bed, laying together and talking. “Hey, Mety Knight?”
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry. I ain’t gonna mess it up this time. I promise.”
Meta Knight sat upright on the king’s stomach, consciously keeping his wings within reach of Dedede’s paws; there was one specific spot at the base of his wings that he really liked having scratched, but Meta Knight’s paws were too short to reach it. He’d forgotten, too, that Dedede’s eyes were that vibrant, royal blue. “I messed up, too,” Meta Knight replied. “Forgive me?”
Dedede grinned, and Meta Knight—even though he hated how he looked when he smiled—grinned back. “I’ll always forgive my favorite nightmare.”
The memories halted, and Bandanna Dee was left in a starlit clearing, where everything was gentle and warm. Rest, dear heart, Galaxia murmured, her voice conjuring images of peaceful summer days. We’ll watch after you.
The world was spinning, when Bandanna Dee woke. He shivered and pulled his blanket more tightly around him. “Are you alright?”
The question echoed in his mind, but it didn’t make sense. Are. You. Alright. Meta Knight moved into view, his gold eyes uncannily bright. “Galaxia!” Bandanna Dee blurted out, everything coming in a disjointed rush. “I saw—I saw your—”
“I know. We’ve already discussed it.” Meta Knight’s voice was cold.
“We?”
“Galaxia and me.” Meta Knight turned away. “We’ll stay here until you’ve recovered. I doubt our sorcerer will try such a thing a second time.”
It was the second time some dark force had possessed him. Bandanna Dee pulled the blanket tightly around him and stifled a sob, hoping Meta Knight wouldn’t hear. He was certain that the knight wouldn’t be very kind, if Bandanna Dee was showing such obvious weakness. But he couldn’t stop crying, in spite of his efforts to keep his tears from falling.
Slowly, Meta Knight turned around, and the two stared at each other for a long moment. “There’s no need to cry, Sai—Bandanna Dee. You’re safe now.”
“But I failed the Great King again! I—I was possessed and attacked him, and now I’ve attacked you! And—and—”
“Being possessed only means there’s something out there stronger than you,” Meta Knight said. “It says nothing about the courage in your heart.”
Bandanna Dee wiped his face with his paws. “I’m sorry, Meta Knight.”
“You don’t need to apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
The knight sat a few feet away, his gaze on the ground. Bandanna Dee finally managed to calm his tears, and he felt strangely better. More rational. “C-can I ask you about what I saw?” the waddle dee asked.
Meta Knight hissed. “I wish Galaxia hadn’t shown you those, but since she did, yes, you may ask. I very much wish to know what she did show you.”
It would probably be the only time Bandanna Dee would get to ask Meta Knight about his past, so he needed to make the best of it. “How did she die? The Great King’s mom?”
Meta Knight wrapped his cape around himself and stared hard at Bandanna Dee. “Galaxia showed you her?” he asked, his voice strained.
Bandanna Dee nodded. “Yeah, I can tell you—you must’ve loved her very much,” Bandanna Dee said, “Almost like a mom.”
“Delilah was a remarkable woman. Everyone loved her, myself included.”
“Delilah,” Bandanna Dee murmured, having never heard her name aloud.
“When Nightmare first decided to conquer Pop Star, he requested an audience with royals from all the kingdoms,” Meta Knight continued, as if Bandanna Dee hadn’t spoken. “Dreamland wasn’t a proper kingdom yet, but everyone looked to Delilah as the leader, so…she went. And he killed her. He killed everyone, so we were left without a leader. The other kingdoms were in shambles.”
“So you broke the Star Rod,” Bandanna Dee whispered. “I was just a child then.”
Meta Knight nodded. “Yes. We knew that we could trap him in the Fountain of Dreams, but only the king of Dreamland has the power to break the Star Rod. So Dedede declared himself the king of Dreamland.”
“The Great King was so heroic,” Bandanna Dee said.
“He was.” Meta Knight paused. “Did Galaxia show you anything else?”
“Your childhood,” Bandanna Dee said, noting that Meta Knight pulled his cape a little tighter around himself. “Are you really Nightmare’s son?”
“Hardly,” Meta Knight replied. “I was just something for him to practice his sorcery on, while he was gaining power.”
“Is…is that why you can’t inhale like Kirby?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“Something like that. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t spread that around.”
Meta Knight looked away, as if unspeakably ashamed by the revelation. Bandanna Dee wondered if being able to inhale was something very important to Meta Knight’s species. It must hurt so badly to have it taken. Then, it hit him. Meta Knight’s greatest fear was that Dedede would grow into a ruler like Nightmare—someone cruel, greedy, and manipulative—and Meta Knight’s heart would break all over again. It’d never been about how lazy the people of Dreamland were; it’d been about pushing back.
About teaching Dedede that he shouldn’t abuse his power.
“You—I read you all wrong,” Bandanna Dee said, clumsily getting to his feet and bowing. “Please, forgive me, Sir Knight.”
“Lay back down. You look like you’re going to fall over.”
Bandanna Dee was unsteady on his feet, so he did as the knight said. “You’re only looking out for King Dedede. I can’t fault you in that,” Meta Knight added.
“You two have a complicated relationship, don’t you? But you love him so much.”
“I wouldn’t say love—”
“Right,” Bandanna Dee said. “Are you that happy and affectionate in everyone’s bed?”
Meta Knight’s eyes widened and searched Bandanna Dee’s face. “What are you implying?”
“Nothing inappropriate. I just didn’t think you’d enjoy…snuggling with just anyone. I mean, you removed your armor and everything. I’ve never seen you without it.”
“Dedede really enjoys physical affection,” Meta Knight said, his eyes softening, “And I—I missed him, yes. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread that around either.”
And how could Bandanna Dee hate anyone who loved the Great King so much? Or who the Great King so obviously adored? Bandanna Dee mumbled sleepily and pulled his blanket a little further over him. Maybe Meta Knight wasn’t nearly as bad as he’d thought.
Bandanna Dee spent the next couple of days recovering. The lack of activity clearly grated on Meta Knight’s nerves, but he said nothing about Bandanna Dee needing time to recover. Meta Knight was actually quite amiable about it, and Bandanna Dee had discovered that Meta Knight was a charming conversationalist, even though it took a bit of coaxing to get him talking.
When Bandanna Dee could stand and walk around without feeling nauseous, Meta Knight deemed him fit for travel. Unfortunately, there didn’t appear to be any signs of a dark wizard. In fact, there didn’t appear to be anyone at all. “Dedede ordered the nearby villages to evacuate,” Meta Knight explained, when Bandanna Dee noted the oddity.
The trees gave way to coastline, and they walked along the edge of the cliffs overlooking the beach, which Meta Knight kept casting longing glances at. Bandanna Dee wouldn’t have pegged him for liking the ocean, but apparently, he did. “Bandanna Dee,” Meta Knight said suddenly. “This…sorcerer. You said they called Galaxia a traitor, didn’t you?”
“Yes, why?”
“Because I’m wondering if this isn’t a wizard like we’ve been told. Perhaps, it’s a light creature. I’ve never fought one of those.” Meta Knight sounded like he was looking forward to it.
The waddle dee wasn’t very versed in magic and wasn’t sure what the distinction meant. “Are you still able to defeat it?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“At the very least, I ought to be able to seal it away.”
“Seal it away…?”
Meta Knight chuckled. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not a full-fledged wizard by any means, but I do know a few sealing enchantments. And of course, Galaxia lends me her powers.”
“You’re a man of many talents,” Bandanna Dee said.
“So I’ve heard.”
They walked in companionable silence for a while, skirting the cliffs and retreating back into the woods. There was still no sign of the wizard, and it was getting dark. “Hey, Meta, do you think—”
A sharp clang rebounded through the forests, followed by an angry hiss. Time seemed to move more quickly, too fast for Bandanna Dee to catch up to. Meta Knight had been shot, but the silver arrow was buried in the ground. It must’ve bounced off his armor. “Come on!” Meta Knight shouted.
The knight spread his wings and launched himself in the air, weaving between trees. Bandanna Dee ran behind him, his spear ready. The waddle dee hadn’t seen or heard anything, but he trusted Meta Knight’s judgment. Meta Knight unsheathed Galaxia and knocked aside the crackling ball of energy that came towards him.
Someone shouted. They’d emerged in a clearing, and there was the wizard. Or rather, witch. She was a tall, thin creature—similar to the pictures Bandanna Dee had seen of Nightmare—and wore silver-white robes that shimmered even in the darkness. Her eyes were gold like Meta Knight’s. “You dare defy me,” she said, her voice soft and calm. “You dare defy my mission of purifying this land.”
“Purifying?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“Yes. The people of this kingdom have weaknesses in their hearts, so I must destroy them. Then, they’ll not fall prey to dark forces ever again,” she said dreamily.
“Everyone has weaknesses,” Meta Knight argued.
“Save one. There’s one pure, flawless heart on this planet. I will give him this world as his own. Yes, I can feel—”
“And you expect his gratitude? You think he’ll be happy that you’ve hurt all his friends?” Meta Knight asked, stepping forward.
The woman tilted her head, her face sharp. “You know who he is. You seek to corrupt him, so he’s like you.”
“You don't know what you're talking about or who you're messing with, and if you want Kirby, you’re going to have to get through me first!”
Galaxia crackled with lightning, as Meta Knight held the blade towards the witch. The witch waved a hand, sending an orb of blue fire at the knight. He leapt aside, wings flaring, and drove forward. Bandanna Dee leapt into the fray and bolted backwards, fire scorching the ground before him. The witch was fast, so fast. Bandanna Dee ran towards her, only to be sent back to avoid a volley of lightning and fire. He couldn’t get close, and it seemed neither could Meta Knight.
The knight danced back, Galaxia crackling angrily in his paw. Bandanna Dee lunged forward and threw his spear. It struck her in the side. The witch shrieked and hesitated in her surprise; that’d been Bandanna Dee’s goal. Caught off-guard, she wasn’t as quick with her magic. Meta Knight flew at her, Galaxia ready. The sword tore through the witch, as easily as it might’ve sliced through air. Meta Knight landed, skidding on the ground.
There was no blood. The witch sank to the ground. Seconds passed, and she hadn’t moved. Bandanna Dee took a step forward. “Careful,” Meta Knight said. “We don’t know if she—”
Her robes and body shimmered, and she fell apart in a strangely beautiful stream of gem-like stardust that caught a breeze and drifted upwards through the sky.
“That’s…it?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“Yes, I think so,” Meta Knight replied, retrieving Bandanna Dee’s spear and offering it to him. “Thank you for providing me with an opening. That was an excellent throw.”
Bandanna Dee took the spear but remained staring at the sky. “That was…that was strange, wasn’t it? We don’t know anything about her.”
“Yes,” Meta Knight replied, standing beside Bandanna Dee and gazing upwards. “Now, come. Let’s go home.”
Dedede met them at the gates, a large scroll tucked under one arm. “Mety Knight! Dee!”
The king captured Meta Knight into a very uncomfortable-looking, one-armed hug. “Sire,” Meta Knight greeted awkwardly.
Dedede grinned and winked at Bandanna Dee. “And did the good Sir Meta Knight behave himself on this trip?”
“Behave myself? I’m not a child.”
“Somewhat,” Bandanna Dee replied, after pretending to think about it.
Meta Knight scoffed. “And the sorcerer ain’t still around?” Dedede asked, squeezing Meta Knight more tightly, when he looked on the verge of escape.
“Obviously,” Meta Knight replied.
“Good!”
The king shoved the scroll against Meta Knight’s face, forcing him to take it. Meta Knight blinked in bewilderment, and the king strode over to Bandanna Dee. “Well-done!” Dedede exclaimed, gently patting the waddle dee’s head.
Bandanna Dee squeaked happily. “Thank you, Great King!”
Meta Knight had unrolled the scroll and was staring hard at it. “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but I’m not sure what this,” the knight said.
“No, I think you do know. You just ain’t gonna believe it. It’s your budget,” Dedede said. “When you were gone, I had a thought, and that thought was wouldn’ Dreamland really benefit from a giant battleship? And o’ course I’d need a captain for it.”
“This is…very generous, my liege,” Meta Knight replied.
Dedede smirked; his eyes were bright with mischief. “And you’re jumpin’ with joy inside. I know. I expect to have rooms for me set aside on this remodel, in case I ever get the hankerin’ to go with you. See; I was thinkin’ that I needed to make a couple changes, boys. An’ I’m gonna start by splittin’ all the administrative junk between the two o’ you, assuming y’all have no complaints?”
“The administrative work?” Bandanna Dee asked.
“Yeah, I used to make Mety Knight do it all, until…well—you know, so it ain’t really been done in a while,” Dedede said.
“You asked me to return, so I can do your paperwork?” Meta Knight asked, sounding comically offended.
“Now you know that ain’t it,” Dedede replied, waving a paw dramatically, “But I figure I’m pretty awful at paperwork, an’ if I split it ‘tween you an’ Dee, it won’t be too much a burden on either of you. What do you think?”
“I’d be honored,” Bandanna Dee said.
Dedede smiled fondly at him. “I knew you’d be on board! What d’you say, Mety Knight?”
“Working with Bandanna Dee?” Meta Knight asked, his gaze clearly on the waddle dee.
“I’d like working with you,” Bandanna Dee said, “Sir Knight. Little would please me more.”
The knight hummed. “Very well, then. Let’s do this.”