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Chapter Text

When Meta Knight first entered into the alternate Dreamland, she stumbled and fell. Then she rose and tried to walk again.

She saw double, her head was made of wool, and she couldn't take in enough oxygen. Her breaths were coming in hard, fast, and very, very shallow.

Her breath condensed when it left her. The air around her was several degrees colder than the ambient temperature.

She took seven uneasy steps and on the eighth, the ground came up to meet her.

She landed hard, bracing herself on her forearms. The stench of metal and blood radiated from her.

She took in her surroundings. It was jarring how peaceful it was. Middle of the day, wisps of clouds, the gentle songs of birds and the gentler violins of grasshoppers. The babble of a hidden brook, the occasional splash from a minnow or tadpole.

It was so much like her own. It swirled around her. Her head was heavy and woolen and warm.

She grasped the ground tightly and the blades of grass froze, brittle. She let go and they chipped and shattered.

Stirred by this, she took off. Her feet surprised to find themselves holding her again, taking her along the stream.

Her footprints were ice. Melting behind her was a trail of water. The landscape a blur around her. Her orange cape fanning out behind her. Her breath was faster and shallower but that didn't matter.

She saw a thatch rooftop and steered herself that way. The bricks and mortar supporting the roof revealed itself after that.

Then the neighbors. Then their neighbors. Almost giddy she ran faster.

Then her vision swam. She paused and placed her palms on her knees. Panting hard she watched the ice crystals sprout around her sabatons, then slowly crawl up the grass.

Feeling herself not get any worse she continued. Breaking the crystals to jog towards the village.

It was a busy day. There were cappies out and about. Most were putting up decorations of some kind, banners and strings and art. They wore happy smiles and chatted amongst themselves. Regular chores continued, some were sweeping the village center, laying out laundry, or getting water from a well.

She saw the castle in the distance. With the same colors and the same cliff, and hopefully the same pathway.

Some glanced her way, waving, while others smiled or just didn't notice her or acknowledge her. And one, elderly with a mustache and in a brown suit walked up to her.

"Why Sir Meta Knight, you never change your armor for festivals! What's so special about this one?" He asked, hands on his hips. Jovial and friendly, he was so relaxed. He didn't see her as a threat or an oddity, instead someone to make conversation with.

He also called me Meta Knight, meaning this version of me shares the same name. And that he's quite friendly or not hostile at least.

Electric arcs of pain shot through her. Her breath catching.

"Not that its not good looking, in fact the colors are quite flattering, " the cappy coughed, either embarrassed at her lack of a reply or his own comment. She didn't particulary care which.

Her head was pounding.

If she shares the same name as her counterpart, then logic would dictate… "Thank you, Len…"

"Oh ho ho. Respectfully I did not win this past election to not be called mayor."

She failed to notice the little girl in the long, blonde ponytail and the littler boy with bangs covering his eyes spy on her from behind the tree. And failed still to notice either of them bolt towards the castle.

Mayor, that is interesting. "My apologies… Mayor Len…"

In my world, you are the fortune teller, and supposedly my palms told you this year I should be on the lookout for important connections and fateful meetings. You took this to mean I would find love within the year. I hope you are not as bogus a mayor as you are a fortune teller.

"No worries. You do sound a bit funny, are you feeling okay?" He crossed his arms, suddenly cold.

She felt like she was put inside of a blender.

"Yes. Thank you for your concern…"

The cappies were walking towards them now. Seeing Meta Knight stand to have a conversation was enough to warrant the whole village up and leave their posts.

"Oh, you're welcome! And you know it is much appreciated that you decided to dress up for the festival, or at least coordinate your colors. We know how reserved you are. I do hope this means you'll come this time. Hopefully Dedede will be more, ah, subdued this year, you know how it is…."

Before they could get closer, and before the mayor could talk her ear off she simply left. The cappies stumbled out of her way and those that didn't move in time were pushed. She left a small crowd of grumbling cappies behind.

"How rude."

"He could at least say goodbye."

"The new armor looks cool."

"I'm cold."

Surprisingly she made it to the castle. Pausing to heave several times and only falling to her knees once.

The moat was deep but the drawbridge was down. The gates were open. The door to the stairs unlocked. The belly of the castle was damp and cool. Her breath froze in the air.

They had their guard down, the main entrance to the castle wide open for anyone to come and go as they please, Waddle Dees sleeping on the job. She will not let this world make the same mistake her own did.

She hoped her assailant left the cappies, Waddle Dees, and Kirby alone after she disappeared. She shuddered at the thought of all of them fighting against the mysterious knight who ambushed her. She could only hope that his vendetta was purely with her. But who's to say that he wouldn't take his anger out on bystanders and innocents when she disappeared?

She knew the layout of the castle like the back of her hand and the way to her (their?) room was carved into her mind like a river into a canyon. Her sabatons clicked and steps echoed. She stopped at the wooden door.

She knocked. When no answer returned she twisted the handle. Prepared for anything.

It was a linen closet.

She closed the door, gently. Huffed and headbutt the door. Stewing in her pain and confusion.

Different world, different world.

She stayed for a few minutes longer before beginning her search.

She didn't have much time. Not before she'll faint or before the Knight in White arrives. The way her vision swam, it will be the former rather than the latter.

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It was a surprisingly long time until Galacta Knight realized he wasn't imprisoned anymore. NOVA didn't orbit any star so no change in temperature or light alerted him to his new circumstances. It was a signal from within his own body, pang of hunger, that shocked him and woke him up to his circumstances.

He cricked his neck, rotated his shoulders, stretched his legs. This simple physical pleasures were more than enough for him after being entombed, immobile, for eons.

There was no grand entrance like when he is let out to battle, no shattering of crystals or opening of portals. Just the open space in front of him.

He turned around, stretching his wings to their maximum span. "What is the meaning of this NOVA?"

The mechanical cat kept his eerie smile, eyes seeing farther than any mortal could. He white knuckled his lance ad growled low, "answer me."

"MY SYSTEMS ARE FAILING… CALCULATED TIME OF TOTAL FAILURE… APPROXIMATELY SEVEN DAYS…"

The weather vane shifted directions, responding to some cosmic currents. The pendulum of the grandfather clock still swung.

"So you do not have the functions to contain me any longer?" He asked incredulously, giddy with the very idea.

"CORRECT."

A million thoughts ran through his head, "NOVA, which of your systems are malfunctioning?"

He really shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, but he had an inkling of an idea.

"SPACE POSITIONING FAILED… TIME POSITIONING FAILED… ETHICS SYSTEM FAILED… HEART CORE FAILURE IN PROCESS…"

"Ethics huh?" A misnomer, a system not designed to prevent harmful wishes but to assign priorities to tasks and to decide to grant wishes. It prioritized keeping him imprisoned all this time, and it's failure released him. It also was in charge of deciding when to grant wishes, counting stars and all that, so maybe he could…

"NOVA, could I have a wish granted?"

A long pause, the cat slowly blinked, piano keys played themselves. A shooting star flew across the void.

"OK."

Really?! It was that easy? He flapped his wings a few times, almost ecstatic. He had been imprisoned for a long time, he had thought about what he would wish for if he could for quite a while.

Something that was the antithesis of his whole existence.

"NOVA, I wish to travel between dimensions! Give me something that I can use to do that!"

"OK."

In an instant Galacta Knight felt weird, the stars around him felt brighter, hotter. His head pounded and his grip around his lance and shield weakened. A current of electricity arched through him. He shuddered.

NOVA's eyes closed, their conversation was over. With this newfound energy, he sliced outward. A rip in the fabric of space and time appeared, and inside were comets and ringed planets dancing around quasars and nebulas. He felt the crackle of potent energy at moved his head out of the way. Just in time too, as a massive laser of energy burst forwards.

"What gives, NOVA?! This power does not work," he yelled, nervous that NOVA no longer had the power to grant wishes.

"YOU HAVE TO DO IT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND."

"Oh," he hummed, NOVA wasn't a genie, his wishes never came with a hook. They were always tailor made for the wisher, he anticipated that Galacta Knight would use his dominant hand for fighting so it was pretty considerate of him.

"Don't you worry NOVA, I'll use this power with responsibility," he giggled, bowing to his imprisoner.

A cuckoo clock, on NOVA, chimed, both hands set at twelve. A wooden bird sprung forth, chirping obnoxiously before going back inside it's house. Galacta Knight shuddered, how odd. Had it ever done that before?

Chapter Text

Speed walking through the crowd, Tiff had a determined look on her face, her brother trailing behind her.

"There's no way that's him," the younger sibling whispered, holding his sister's hand. Watching the figure that looked not quite like Meta Knight. And he was only holding onto her hand because she was walking so fast not because it was unnerving. He was a big boy.

Tiff hummed in agreement, not turning to look back.

"The weird getup, the funny voice. I mean not only his voice, but his whole accent changed!"

She stopped, Tuff slamming into her back with a 'oof'. He backed up and rubbed his head. She turned around. "Why'd ya-"

"Not to mention we just saw him at the castle!" She threw up her hands, exasperated. "I mean come on!

"Meta Knight is a lot of things, but capable of breaking the laws of physics he. is. not!" She enunciated that last part, stopping at every word to hammer them in. Tiff crossed her arms, "Somehow, someway this has got to be one of Dedede's schemes."

"Ah geez sis I dunno." Tuff walked passed her, resuming their quest back to the castle. Tiff was worked up already, he assumed she'd be scared or something but angry?

"Dedede doesn't have his monster machine thingy anymore. And Nightmares gone. And the fake Meta Knight wasn't doing anything evil."

"It doesn't matter, he found a way or something. And besides not every plan involved Nightmare… sometimes he… y'know. Does stuff himself. Besides its weird enough that there's a doppelganger at all! He doesn't have to be evil for me to be concerned!"

They continued up the hill to the castle, and over the draw bridge and into the hall. They kept on towards the real Meta Knight's room, Tuff kept turning back to look at his sister. Tiff was still fuming, her brows creating a deep crease and her mouth set in a grimace.

"You know maybe this time we'll throw him out the window…" She whispered.

"Who?"

"King Dedede, who else?"

Tuff hummed, "What happened to 'violence is never the answer' and all that crap."

"People change, Tuff. Or rather people don't change and the people around them start getting impatient."

"I still don't think we should throw him out a window."

"Since when have you been a bleeding heart? A year ago, you would've drew the blinds and opened the glass."

"He's too heavy."

Tiff giggled, he shushed her and she shushed him. Her brother smiled, happy to know he could lift her spirits a tad. They turned a corner.

"You're right, he's… he's right there." Her whisper turned harsh has she gripped his shoulder, stopping him dead in his tracks. His heart rate soared and his heads felt clammy as looked for the doppelganger.

But it was only King Dedede, strolling through the hall eating out of a bag of chips. He took in handfuls, leaving a trail of crumbs behind until he was out of view.

Tuff turned around, angry. "Why did you say that?! You scared the crap outta me!"

"What are you talking about? He's right there!" She continued to yell-whisper, looking past him.

About to continue, he paused, feeling the temperature drop, and it wasn't his own imagination. He watched his and his sister's breath condensing in front of him. She continued to look past him, staring above and behind him. Tuff swallowed thickly and turned around.

The golden doppelganger stared at them, with unblinking red eyes. Tuff felt himself shake, and not just from the cold.

Tiff pushed her brother behind her and yelled, "Who do you think you are?"

There was no reaction from the doppelganger, he'd could've been a statue. Slowly his eyes shifted onto her.

"You're not the real Meta Knight." An almost imperceptional widening of those crimson eyes.

"You're…"

Moving slowly, almost like he wasn't trying to startle a wild animal, he moved his cape from over his shoulder, exposing the scabbard Galaxia was sheathed in.

"…just…a…"

Tiff was losing steam, anger and righteous conviction could only propel herself for so long. She felt cold and scared.

The faker gripped the hilt, ready to draw their blade. Both siblings watched, beads of sweat forming despite the cold.

Tuff saw the writing on the wall. He gabbed his sister's hand and ran the opposite way.

Caught by surprise she stumbled but ran too. Both siblings, one mind, they had to get to the real Meta Knight, to safety.

The faker drew their Galaxia, the light behind them elongating their shadows. They were walking on darkness.

Left.

Sabatons clicked against the tiles.

Right.

They chased their own shadows.

Right.

He was right behind them.

Left.

The freezing temperatures were frogotten. They rounded the last corner and found the knights' quarters!

They banged on the door with both hands in fists, shouting. The real Meta Knight swung the door open. Before he could say anything the kids yelled over eachother:

"He's right behind us!" "He's gonna kill us!" "Let us in, let us in!"

His eyes widened when he saw his double.

Acting quickly he ushered them in the apartment. It was empty, Sword and Blade must be on patrol. Tiff and Tuff clung to the door and eachother watching the scene in the hallway.

Meta Knight saw they were unharmed and drew his own blade. He stepped away from them and took a battle stance. His own Galaxia radiating.

"Who are you? What is your business here?"

At hearing his voice, the doppelganger sheathed his blade, the hallway darkening, and fell to one knee. A harsh motion without any grace, the clank of metal on stone echoed.

"I have traveled a great distance to find you." His head bowed, unblinking eyes staring at the floor. "I have the most critical of news."

The odd behavior stunned the real Meta Knight into silence for a moment. Simultaneously it bestowed courage to Tiff and Tuff who were watching from the door frame.

"Why'd you chase us with your sword?" Tuff felt braver behind Meta Knight and his sister. He had her shirt in a vice grip.

"And why did you lie to the townspeople?" Tiff asked. Meta Knight glanced at the kids.

"He was saying he was you!" Tuff answered.

The other knight said nothing. Staying stock still.

"They asked you a question, " Meta Knight said.

A pause, then the faker drew a shaky breath. "I chased you because you said I was not the real Meta Knight."

He looked up and stared right at her. His eyes were heavily-lidded, the visor no longer obscured the top part making him look angry. Instead he looked tired or sad.

"Since you knew Meta Knight well enough to know I wasn't him I knew if I scared you you'd go straight to him."

They stared at each other for a few moments longer then he looked back at the other knight. "It was the fastest way I could find you. I'm sorry, I am not myself."

"They asked you another question."

"I don't recall lying to the cappies."

"When they called you Meta Knight you didn't correct them." Tuff jabbed a finger at him but quickly retracted with a grimace when he made eye contact.

"It wasn't necessarily a lie of omission. My name is also Meta Knight. I am you," he turned to the other knight. "From another world."

Tiff's heart stopped for a second. She felt Tuff hold onto her tighter. She had her hand tight on the door knob ready to slam shut. What did this mean?

"Now answer my questions." Meta Knight seemed unperturbed by this admission. "What is your news?"

Another shaky breath and he swayed slightly. "There is someone after us. They are an unstoppable force, slicing through the guts of galaxies and dimension and digging around the entrails looking for us to slaughter.

"He is a Knight in White. He has golden horns and angel's wings. He wields a lance and a shield. His eyes are crimson, not unlike my own.

"He is relentless and if he is not already here then we have precious little time to prepare."

His voice wavered, and his hands clung to the sides of his head, shaking.

He really is scared, which was deeply unsettling. Meta Knight barely got rattled and this guy seems really shaken up. Tiff swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Us? You and who else?" Their Meta Knight did not waver.

"You and I."

Chapter Text

Strangely, Meta Knight, from their world, seemed to believe him. He relaxed his hold on his sword, but still maintained a battle-ready pose.

"You will tell me everything."

"Yes, of course. But first," the strange knight stumbled forward from his kneeling position. "I need medical attention."

He pointed at the children, "and they cannot observe."

The kids froze for a moment, shocked. Tiff blinked rapidly. Tuff then scrambled over his sister and ran into the hallway.

He stopped in front of Meta Knight, sliding a little, "anything you say to Meta Knight you say to us!"

Tiff joined her brother, looking up at the stranger indignantly, "yeah!"

"No."

"Huh?" They both turned around. "Well, why not?"

"If what… Meta Knight says is true, then you need to get Kirby."

"Agreed." They turned back to the stranger.

"How do you know Kirby?" Tiff questioned.

The stranger looked between Tiff and Meta Knight.

"I'd like to know too." Meta Knight said.

"He lives in my world, a version of him at least. I'm glad to know he's here in this world."

"Prove it." Tiff said crossing her arms. "Tell us about him so we know you're saying the truth."

He sighed from annoyance, making Tiff's face heat up in anger. "What can I say? Surely there are many differences."

She furrowed her brows. He relents.

"He has a copy ability which allows him to mimic other's fighting styles and even elemental powers through inhaling them."

"Continue."

"His arrival in Dreamland was foretold by Kabu. He lives in a treehouse, built by the cappies."

Wow, that's not true, but it does add credence to his claim. If he really were from another dimension of course stuff would be wrong. If he was faking it he'd get all of it wrong or all of it right.

"What else?" Tuff asked, in that tone that was always able to get under Tiff's skin.

"He rides a warpstar."

"And?"

"He has an incredible appetite."

"And?"

"Enough," Meta Knight interrupted. His own sword was fully sheathed. "Go get Kirby. Bring him back here."

"But I want to hear about this killer knight!" Tuff whined. Tiff would scold him for that but she really wanted to hear about it too.

"I will attend to the wounds, then allow Meta Knight to tell more when we meet. Now go." He growled that last part, getting impatient.

"Yeah, okay." Tuff squeaked and ran. Tiff started to go too, but she stopped and stared at them for a bit longer, "why do you trust him?"

The knights exchanged glances, and Meta Knight spoke," Galaxia has no sisters, our visitor has a blade with much of the same capabilities as my own."

She crossed her arms, "You believe him because his swords mystical like yours? Wouldn't it be likelier that there's another sword like-"

She was interrupted by the visitor, "there is no weapon; no sword, no spear, no trident, no axe; that compares to Galaxia. They are a snowflake to a blizzard."

She uncrossed her arms but her hands were clenched. Meta Knight spoke," it is more likely that our visitor is from another plane of existence than there being a sword like Glaxia.

She stared for a bit longer then chased after her brother.

They both stood, unmoving as her footsteps got quieter.

"Come." Meta Knight gestured to his apartment and the other went in before him. A sign of trust.

The apartment was small, with maces and swords set on the wall and a television set. The kitchen was visible along with closed doors to other rooms, presumably bedrooms. The sun shone through the high windows, basking the area in a cozy, orange glow.

"What needs addressing?" He was weary, this was ripe for a surprise attack. Keeping an eye on his guest he grabbed the first aid kit.

He took out a deep pot and poured water in it, setting it on the stove he began to boil it. He didn't take his eye off the guest the whole time. "And why were you adamant the children not see?"

His guest stumbled onto the couch, setting the sword and scabbard down next to it. "It is a long kept secret of mine."

"You are a woman, that is your secret? It is nothing to be ashamed of."

"What? No."

"Oh!" Genuinely embarrassed, Meta Knight began to apologize but was cut off.

"That is not a secret."

"You did not correct the children from calling you by masculine pronouns."

"They did?"

"Yes, the whole time."

"I… I hadn't noticed," she began to shake. The whole time they were directly referring to her as 'him' or 'he'. This in and of itself did not upset her but rather the fact that she hadn't noticed. What else had slipped passed her senses?

"I… "

The shaking was also from shock, from the reveal and in the medical sense. Her body was catching up with her, blood loss and fatigue began to set in. She set the issue aside and stood on shaky legs.

"Nevermind that," she unclipped her cape. The blood orange fabric pooled at her feet.

Meta Knight gasped, his eyes shined white.

She had one wing, the right limb and spread fingers were a muted gold, ending in a sharp talon, while the webs between were black like the rest of her skin.

But the other one was viscously twisted and pulled off. The ebony skin was shredded and crimson blood, both old and new coated it. White bone gored through were it would connect with the rest of the limb.

Nestled in her dimensional cape, the blood wasn't allowed to flow freely, granting her free from the effects of blood loss. In the open air the room began to spin.

Her counterpart pushed her back onto the couch and wrapped a band of clothe around her residual wing. He looped it around and pulled. Hard. It was a tourniquet, it would prevent more blood loss.

She groaned, her vision doing white.

He knotted the tourniquet, and went back to the small kitchen, he grabbed the boiled water and set it on the unused burner. Taking a clean clothe he dipped it in the water and cleaned the open wound with it, getting rid of any debris or dried blood. He then took out some rubbing alcohol to disinfect it. It stung bad, she gritted her teeth.

Apparently satisfied he bandaged it up.
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The desert dust stirred as a long, lean silver mule galloped through the Blueberry Badlands. Small rocks, pebbles, and specks of clay and sand spewed behind the mule and her rider. An outlaw, he wore purple chaps with long golden tassels, his poncho was similar in scheme. His blue bandana covered his mouth and worked in tandem with his purple hat, covered his eyes and his upper face in shadow. Yellow eyes watched the knight who was chasing him.

The sun was in the midst of rising, casting long, lazy shadows that danced longer and slower than their owners.

A knight in pristine white armor, untouched by the dust of the desert and unmarred by the elements. His massive wings beat evenly, almost lazily.

He was bleeding, bad. His crimson blood, was trailing behind them, and splattered across his steed. The gray mule, watched her rider warily, she huffed.

"It's okay, Halberd. I'm okay," his strained words and heavy breaths betraying him. She dug her hooves into the ground deeper and sprinted faster.

A deep canyon ran alongside them, deep and unforgiving, the bottom was only a foot of slow moving water. Tumbleweeds and dry bushes and cacti were the two figures only company.

He rode ahead while the knight followed, in speed Halberd was no match for him, but in stamina she could outlast the best.

They came up to a small town, small houses, a saloon, and a general store were the some of the only structures. The knight swooped, level with the cowboy and his horse, a lance pointed at his heart.

A concentrated ball of energy swarmed, hotter than the midday sun, and it released. Halberd, sensing the difference in heat, reared and bounded out of the way. A deep scorch marked the dried sediment.

The knight backed off, flying upwards a few dozen feet. They had an audience, waddle dees and cappies watched from windows and peaked through their doors.

The outlaw turned and whipped out his lasso, before the knight could fly out of the way he roped the thread around his chest and wings and pulled downwards. He crashed down in a plum of dust.

The outlaw jumped from his mare.

Before he could recover, the outlaw pulled him towards him, and he reeled him in, parallel to the ground. The bottom of his boot met the mask of his opponent. His spurrs jingled at the collision.

The knight stumbled backwards, shocked. The outlaw pulled out a golden revolver, small sparks sputtered around it.

"Typically, I don't shoot a man while he's down," the safety clicked. "But you-"

The knight stood abruptly, his wings unfurled and the roped snapped apart. He swiped at the outlaw with his lance and it sent his opponent careening towards the small town. He landed on his back, coughing and sputtering. Blood decorated his bandana, he tasted iron.

He turned and stumbled into the saloon, while the knight flew above- ready to meet him when he left the structure.

A few pregnant seconds slowly marched by, heavy with potential and tense with fear. Waddle Dees hovered together, cappies exchanged weary glances.

The outlaw stumbled out of the building and the knight descended.

Chapter Text

"What is your plan to combat this Knight in White?" Meta Knight asked. Walking somewhere behind the couch.

The other Meta Knight, held her head in hands, waiting for the sharp, electric pains running through her to dull. She felt no satisfaction, her mask being between her face and her palms, but the action was familiar, comfortable.

"I have reason to believe he is after a particular Meta Knight, that he is on a mission to hunt him down. He thinks I am him or…"

Her train of thought drifted, she was hurting so much she could hardly focus. Her head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton.

From behind her somewhere, he spoke, "if he is after this Meta Knight, then perhaps seeing us both would cause a reason for pause-"

"No, no I apologize. I misspoke. He's after all of us." She was not going to be able to say anything that made sense. She needed food or rest or surgery. Two of those would take too much time.

"How do you know?"

"He had an air of vengeance, he wanted to wreak havoc, not seek retribution. He had a lackadaisical fighting style- as if I was no consequence, or he had fought someone like me before. But the most damning evidence were the... trophies."

She sighed, her counterpart paused, the room got colder. "He had a collection of... mementos. Masks, usually, most were very similar to mine. Same visor, same material. I only got glimpses, but it is more than enough evidence. We're dealing with a relentless monster."

Meta Knight was mortified, this was worse than he thought. Not seeing the look of alarm on her counterpart's face, she asked, "may I have something to eat?"

"Of course," her counterpart said quickly, walking into the kitchen behind the couch. She heard cabinets opening and closing, he came back a set a plate of fruit down and a glass of water. She slipped her mask up lightly, just enough for her mouth to be exposed and gulped down the water. "When do you expect him to arrive?"

He was unsettled, his tone and body language didn't betray him but she knew. His eyes shifted, his cape ruffled. She had unnerved him, but it was warranted, this was not a light threat.

"There is no way to tell. To be safe, I would say sometime this week."

She took a refreshing bite out of a crunchy apple and began to peel an orange. She felt slightly better. She should be in a rush but she was so sapped of her energy, she could barely feel anything more than the pain radiating in her back.

In front of the couch, her counterpart held a walkie-talkie, he held down the button on the side. "Meta Knight to Sword and Blade. Over."

He let go of the button, there was a beat, then it crackled with an accented voice. "Go for Blade. Over."

She finished peeling her orange, still watching the knight and popped a slice into her mouth. "Go for Sword. Over."

"Sword, tell the Waddle Dee guards to be on high alert, tell them to notify us if they see a knight in white armor. Tell them 'do not engage' if they do see him. The same goes for you. I want you to meet me in my apartment when you're done. Over."

"Copy. Over."

"Copy. Over."

Finished with her orange, she started on the banana.

"Blade, Tiff and Tuff are on their way to Kirby's house, and then they'll turn around and come back to the castle. Intercept and escort them to the castle. We'll meet you there. Over."

They might need protection, or at least a way to communicate with him in case they saw something.

"Copy. Over."

"Copy. Over."

She finished all the fruit on the plate. She was still hungry so she ate the peel to the orange and then the peel to the banana.

"I feel much better. Many thanks, you are a gracious host. Are Sword and Blade your squires?"

"No, they are also knights, but they do work for me."

She hummed, almost happy, eyes flashed purple, "I have my own version. Tooth and Nail."

"Ah," Meta Knight smiled behind his mask, eyes glowing blue. "I met them during an encounter with Wolfwrath during the war brought on my Nightmare."

Aghast, she quickly asked, "Nightmare brought on a war in your world?"

"Yes." His smile fell.

"I am sorry."

"Are you also-"

"Yes," Meta Knight answered curtly. "I also possess wings, though I hadn't had to use them in ages."

"Me as well. Though I would hold on to your last moments of peace regarding your wings, it seems this Knight in White has a way of uprooting our deep, dark secrets."

A heavy silence hung in the air.

"Nightmare did not wage war in your world?"

"Nay, it was the war brought on by Zero that I met Tooth and Nail. During an encounter with Felisfury," she paused. "I have not heard neither hide nor hair of Nightmare in quite a while."

"Zero exists in mine as well, it looks like we are in the same boat."

"Kirby defeated Zero with the Love-Love Stick. Created by Kirby by inhaling a Heart Star."

Meta Knight paused, bewildered, he'd have to ask her about the details later.

"Kirby defeated Nightmare with the Star Rod. Created by Kirby by inhaling his own warpstar," Meta Knight added.

She hummed, saving this information in case Nightmare rears his ugly head.

"Now that I have my bearings let me tell you my story-"

"Nay, I promised the kids."

"What?" She couldn't believe this. Raising her voice. "Do you not trust me? We have very little time to prepare. He is coming!"

She winced, shouting hurt.

"I do trust you which is why I want to know your plan. I also made a promise, I keep my promises."

She grimaced and crossed her arms.

"I suggest setting up a beacon. One that can cross dimensions."

His eyes glowed green.

"Our foe can skip and dance betwix worlds, and he has the singular goal of hunting our alternate versions of ourselves. I believe this evident of another version of our self capable of the same feat. If we can contact him then we might have a fighting chance."

"We have technology available to communicate and teleport across long distances," he said, thinking of the teleporter King Dedede used. "We could use it so send such a beacon for our alternate self to answer. Of course we'd have to augment it."

"I believe my cape may be capable of reaching other dimensions, we could use it."

Meta Knight's eye's stayed green, "the dimensional cape…"

"Yes."

"It just might work. Let's go."

She stood from the couch abruptly, her knees wobbled and her vision swam for a moment. She followed her counterpart.

Closing the door behind them, they entered the turquoise hallway. They sped walked, the only sounds were their sabatons clinking in unison.

"Your universe parallels our own."

"Parallels?"

"Yes, the events are similar but never the same."

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Tiff and Tuff walked down the hallway, passing over the rows of rays let in by each long window. Tuff grumbled about 'fairness' and how they should've been allowed to stay. Tiff was thinking about this mysterious visitor, and how much was the truth, and if it was the truth, how they'd fight off this evil killer knight.

They came to the stairs and began descending. She couldn't help the goosebumps from the tepid, damp air and the stress.

"I mean why couldn't we stay?" Tuff asked for the nth time.

"He was probably hurt pretty bad," Tiff said, absently. Her energy was sapped. Those red eyes burned into her brain.

"Yeah well, he probably just didn't want us to see his face," Tuff said, not noticing or minding his sister's lethargic response. "He's probably sensitive about that stuff like Meta Knight is."

They walked over the bridge, small waves rippled in the moat from the delicate breeze. She could see the setting sun and it's reflection in the ocean. She breathed in. "That really scared me y'know?"

"Huh?"

"When he chased us," she hugged her arms. She felt stupid, tears welled up in her eyes. "I thought…"

Tuff held his hands up uselessly, not knowing how to comfort her. "Um, don't worry sis, we'll figure this out. We always do."

They were on the dirt path now, she stopped. "When Nightmare was defeated I really thought everything would change. I thought we wouldn't be left in the dark about things, I thought I- we would be traveling and meeting new people now that galaxy was peaceful but…"

She trailed off, her brother looked confused. "Where's this coming from? What does this have to do with Nightmare?"

He doesn't get it. She stayed silent, still holding herself. "Whatever."

The wind changed directions, she and Tuff looked up at the red sky. Dynablade flew overhead, wind whistling through her metal feathers.

She wiped away her tears replacing them with a determined look, "we need to get to Kirby fast, yeah?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I have an idea, follow me!"

She ran back towards the castle, Tuff right on her tail. She ran to King Dedede's garage, yanked the sliding door upward with a loud rattle. The smell of oil and gasoline wafted out.

The king's car sat, in pristine condition.

"Sis, you're crazy."

She walked towards it and leaned over the door, and pulled down the sun visor, and a pair of keys fell out and into her hand. She hit the 'unlock' button and smiled at her brother.

Giddy, he ran up and jumped over the closed door and into the passenger seat. "This is actually so cool! Maybe I should scare you more often."

She opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, she inserts the key and turns. It roars to life. "Shutup, Tuff."

"Okay."

She puts her seat belt on and motions for her brother to do the same. Then she releases the brake and shifts into drive. Putting the petal to the metal she peels out of the garage, leaving dark tread marks.

Her brother hoots and hollers as they fly through the court yard, over the bridge, and down the dirt road. Waddle Dees jump out of the way.

She slows down around the intense turns and eventually eases up on the gas, going at a comfortable pace. Her long ponytail whips in the wind.

"So what do you think of that other Meta Knight guy? Think he's full of it?"

"I dunno," she sighs. "Meta Knight seems to believe him. I'm more worried about this killer knight. Seems… intense."

She was putting it lightly.

"I agree, if its good enough for Meta Knight it's good enough for me."

She decided to go around Cappytown, she didn't need the chief to stop her or anyone to slow her down. But it did involve going offroading, and the hills around Dreamland were bumpy.

"I don't think this is good for the suspension," Tuff said between being thrown around like a ragdoll, secretly grateful for the seatbelt.

"Who cares?" All Tiff had to do was get to Kirby and get back. The car surviving was completely optional.

They pulled up to Kirby's small dome house. Tiff pulled the brake, unbuckled, and hopped out, leaving the car running.

The frogs and toads were croaking, along with the cicadas they made a loud cacophony. One buzzed on the front door, she swiped it away.

She knocked lightly at the door.

"Kirby? Kirby?"

Nothing. She jiggled the handle, it was locked! She walked to the side of the house, stood on her tiptoes and looked through the window. She saw him sleeping, nestled in his blue blanket.

"Kirby? Ki-"

"Kirby!" Tuff honked the horn. "Kirby!"

"Tuff will you shut it! You're so loud!" He snickered.

"Both of you! Can it!" Tiff looked back at the now open door. "Is that Dedede's car?!"

"Tokkori!"

She pushed passed him and walked inside, stepping over the strewn about toys she walked to the bed. She shook his shoulders.

"The nerve! Do you have any idea what time it is? Thieves! At my house! Are you here to rob us?"

Ignoring him, Tiff shook his shoulder lightly "Kirby? Kirby, come on. You have to get up."

He blinked at her, his big blue eyes sparkling with stars and nebulae. "Tiff!"

In the few years after Nightmare's defeat, had grown up a little. He was in that in between stage of a toddler and a preteen. Full sentences weren't his forte but usually anybody would be able to tell what he's saying.

He yawned and rubbed his eyes. Tiff doesn't know if she'd ever see him as anything other than a baby. "Sleepover?"

"Better not be! I don't need any snot-nosed, ankle biters here while I'm trying to get my beauty sleep."

"Tokkori will you shut up?" she turned back to Kirby, "No, we have to go, there might be danger."

That was putting it lightly.

At the word 'danger' he hopped out of bed.

"Where?" he asked with a determined expression.

"We don't know yet but… Meta Knight says soon," She paused not knowing how she was going to explain this. "Come on we'll explain on the way."

Tuff waved at him from Dedede's automobile. Kirby matched his big grin.

"Woah!" Kirby paused, eyes somehow sparkling more. "How did you? What?"

He giggled as he ran up to the car, "Is he mad?"

"He's gonna be," Tuff snickered. Kirby and King Dedede had a strange relationship. Nowadays hes SOL if he wants to torment him and Kirby only vaguely remembers all the monsters. King Dedede's hate mellowed into a performative dislike, and Kirby never hates anybody- sometimes they even get along. But he's always the first to laugh whenever some scheme or plan blows up in His Majesty's face.

Seatbelt, brake released, gas pressed. They turned and went back they way they came Tuff explaining the situation on the way, with the occasional chime in from Tiff. Kirby took all the information in stride, accepting this bizarre new reality with alternate versions of Meta Knights and this killer knight.

"He says there's a version of you too, Kirby! Isn't that something?"

"Woah… it'd be fun to play with them. I wanna meet other Meta Knight," he already admired Meta Knight, so two of them would be that much more cool.

"He said he'd meet us at- WOAH!" Tiff swerved the car, tilting on two wheels as she avoided Blade. He was in front of them holding out his hand. The kids yelled, as she finally slowed and stopped.

"He came outta nowhere, I swear!" Tiff said as she shakily pulled the keys from the ignition. Tuff just breathed deeply.

"Hi!" Kirby said to Blade waving at him from the backseat.

"What're you kids doin'?" He walked over to the car, stepping over the deep grooves the tires made.

"We were just- we just- I-uh," Tuff grabbed his hair. He pointed at his sister. "It was her idea!"

"Uh huh."

"We had to get to Kirby. Fast. And we- uh- took the car," Tiff began twisting her ponytail. "Uh-"

"What are you doin'?" Kirby parroted back at Blade, still smiling ear to ear.

He shuffled his feet, hands on his belt. "I'm here to escort you back to the castle. Meta Knight radioed me."

"Yeah, okay."

"Makes sense. Um, so are we in trou-"

"Scoot over, I'm drivin'."

Tiff, unbuckled her seatbelt, and scrambled into the backseat. Tuff leaned back, cupping his hand around his mouth, and whispered, "so does this mean we're in trouble?"

"I guess not," she whispered back.

"I need the keys," Blade whispered.

Embarrassed, Tiff handed them over and they started on their route to the castle again. The ride was more smooth and silent, only interrupted by the rhythmic ribbits of frogs, the concert of crickets, and the blasé bleats of sheep.

"So, uh, any update on the other Meta Knight, guy-dude?"Tuff asked, for once wishing he was in the backseat.

"Well she's not a dude."

"Wow, cool," Tuff said, nonplussed but Tiff buried her head in her hands, further embarrassed.

"You know what they say about assuming, Tiff?" He asked facetiously.

"Shut up, Tuff."

"You make an ass out of you and me," he giggled. He stopped at the side-eye from Blade.

"Tuff, quite saying ass," Blade said, earning a giggle from the boy. "And quite making fun of your sister."

Tiff sighed.

"Ass!"

"Kirby!"

Tuff roared with laughter, and a small smile appeared on Tiff's face.

"Anything else, Blade?" she redirected.

"Sword tells me they're trying to build some sort of communication device. One that can go across dimensions, I dunno about that kinda stuff," he scratched his chin. "And he says Parallel Meta Knight is gonna tell you guys some stuff that might be upsettin'."

Her blood ran cold, Tuff turned around and shot her a concerned looked. Kirby grabbed her arm, he was confused. She swallowed, "concerning how?"

He didn't answer. They were at the castle. The background chirping, barking, had quietly dissipated, leaving only the distance lapping of the waves barely audible over the engine. They idled as Blade motioned at a Waddle Dee.

Tiff saw the guard Waddle Dees eye her with furrowed brows, while one cranked the pulley to lower the bridge. Probably ready to grab her and Tuff for stealing the car. She sighed.

She sunk into her seat when she saw Dedede pacing back and force on the wall next to the bridge, occasionally pointing at her.

Unable to do anything productive with the fear that seized her, she turned it into anger. Anger that made her snap at her brother and do reckless things, like steal cars. She felt so helpless, nothing was in her control. She twisted her hands, Kirby looked at her, concerned.

"You okay?"

"I need to apolo-"

The radioed cracked to life, Meta Knight's voice pierced through the static. "Blade turn around and head to Kabu. NOW."

Chapter Text

"Well, I think we did it," Sword rubbed the back of his head. The communication 'device' was a mess of nonsense to him, but he trusted Meta Knight… at least one of them.

The monster transporter was deployed and active, creating archs of blue and white electric energy. Hidden gears, axels and converters whirred.

Of course, it didn't lead anywhere, with Nightmare's base destroyed, if a person stepped through it they… well he actually didn't know. He shuddered. He blocked the transporter off with extra metal from the Halberd project- creating a makeshift fence around it. In one of its ports was a tablet- who knew the transporter took USB-C?

The two Meta Knights were at the throne, the metal shell taken off of one of the arm rests- exposing wiring and circuit boards. Through a series of hyper complicated science fiction rigmarole they had attached the Parallel Meta Knight's dimensional cape to the controls. It ended up looking like jumper cables were connect to the ends of the long clothe.

The two Meta Knights worked remarkably in sync with one another- not needing to speak or even look at each other. They seemed to anticipate what the other needed or wanted in every aspect. If Sword didn't know any better he'd think they grew up together, closer than him and Blade.

He tried to avoid looking at her, the sight of just one wing made his stomach turn in knots. Black as the night, with gold fingers and silvery talon, he could imagine she looked impressive and intimidating, but the other limb, clothed in delicate bandages just reminded Sword of how powerful their foe was.

He swallowed thickly- he had a lot of respect and admiration for Meta Knight. Knowing what this psychopath was capable of sent shivers down his spine. They had their work cut out for them.

"So we create the message here," Sword night gestured to the tablet. They would type there. "And we send it through the transporter, by hitting the button."

It was easy to tell which one, it was the one King Dedede used the most so it was the most worn out key. Sword folded his arms and held his chin thoughtfully, "and your cape allows this message to travel through dimensions?"

"Precisely." Her eyes glowed gold, he didn't know what that meant.

"And this light on the console will glow green when it has been received."

"But, um, how do we know which dimension to send it to?" Sword asked timidly, this concern had burned in his mind the whole time- but he kept his mouth shut until now.

"We won't." Parallel Meta Knight said, tiredly. Sword noted that both her voice and motions sounded and looked exhausted. "We are sending it everywhere…"

"The equivalent of screaming for help in a crowded building, hoping one particular person responds." His Meta Knight said while Parallel nodded solemnly. Sword swallowed thickly, "so there's a chance that someone else will answer."

"Yes." Meta Knight said. He pulled out his radio, and ordered Blade to go to Kabu's canyon. Forgetting radio etiquette, he forgot to say 'over' so he must've been more rattled than he let on.

Sword felt his heart drop into his stomach. He started sweating. "That means…"

"Yes, the Knight in White will be here by sunrise."

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It was morning, the sky was a deep maroon, the last stars were twinkling out before they were snuffed out by the light of the sun.

The gentle waves lapped at the shore. A hermit crab scuttled along the sand.

A samurai with a scar across the left eye of his metal mask, and his black hair pulled into a high ponytail limped backwards, trailing crimson blood. His dou armor was no match for his opponent's lance, dripping with matching blood.

Galacta Knight walked steadily towards him, uninjured. Their battle hadn't lasted as long as the others, he was disappointing.

He swung his golden katana in one final arch before it was twisted out out of his grasp by the lance, landing in the sand next to him.

He collapsed to his knees, overcome by his injuries. "Please, please. I have only one request before you kill me."

Galacta Knight paused and asked impatiently, "Well?"

"I wish for my own sword to take my life. Please grant me that."

Galacta Knight laughed, it sounded like barking, if he could only see the color drain from the other knight's face! He wished for him to honor his plea, pick up the sword and for it to electrocute him. How quaint.

"You're not the first one to try that," he kicked away the sacred sword. No longer were they cast in its glowing light.

He then killed him.

Chapter Text

"When I tell the kids and Kirby my story I'll have to tell them about my wings."

"I know," instead of thinking about the potential fallout between him and every connection he's made he focused on that strange distinction she made. Separating Kirby from the children in conversation made him think that she didn't see Kirby as a child. Based on he timeline she told him that wasn't physically possible. He'd have to ask her about it later.

"I can lie."

"No, they deserve to know the whole truth."

Her eyes turned purple, he'd have to ask her what that meant sometime as well.

The sun had set, the full moon replacing it, curtained on all sides by dark, heavy clouds. The forest below was bathed in a white glow, the dancing and fluttering lightning bugs dappled the trees with their bioluminescence.

Despite this serene calmness, the air felt charged. A strong wind was blowing from the ocean. A storm was brewing, figuratively and literally.

Meta Knight was flying for the first time since he came to Dreamland, his long purple wings stretched out. The ocean breeze cut through his armor. The cool wind and the smell of salt did little to calm him.

He loved flying, he heard wind whipping around him as he sped up, it was such a shame that it took a visitor from another world to bring this out of him. Bats chirped and danced around. He spotted one dive for a moth.

He held onto the wrists of his counterpart as she held onto him. Unable to fly herself it was a given that he'd take her to Kabu. They had flown from the castle in silence, the torches of Kabu flickered against the wall of the canyon, creating an unsettling illusion of movement.

They had left Sword at the castle, ready to radio if their message had been recieved. It was necessary for the equipment to stay out and on in the king's throne room so he had ordered him to prevent His Majesty from interfering with it. With force if necessary.

Sword didn't look too upset about hurting the king, Meta Knight sensed the whisper of amusement in his voice when he agreed.

Blade had radioed him a bit ago- telling him that he and the kids had arrived safely. He could hear them in the background, they had a lot of questions which he understood. He sighed, the first audible sound either of them had made.

"If you survive," Parallel started to say, apparently prompted by his sigh. Ever the pragmatist, she considered surviving the dire future with 'if' instead of 'when'. For once Meta Knight found himself the optimist. "and if you keep your wings. Use them."

He didn't say anything, the cold air wasn't comforting anymore. An owl hooted somewhere and the bats scattered. He was prepared to fight. He didn't need to consider the harm that would come to him.

"Please don't live like the war is still on like I did," she knew that she'd never fly again but it felt like it had just really sunk in. Her eyes turned teal and they welled with tears. She didn't show her sadness to her chauffeur- letting them fall quietly.

To cover her wing, she had put on an old cape that Meta Knight gave to her. It was a deep crimson and was a warm wool, he had first worn it on Shiver Star during a battle with an Ice Dragon. It was no dimensional cape so it would sit on her wing, anyone could lift it up and see, but it would work fine for the night. They had more pressing matters.

"You're avoiding thinking about it," she said. They were above the canyon now, he spread his wings to descend. "I would too."

He thought about fighting monsters on planets made of fire. Jumping on sharp obsidian rocks that crumbled at the slightest disturbance. Plumes of smoke and steam clouding his vision as he listened for Fire Lions.

"I'm not asking you to think about what could have been," she whispered. They landed between the trees next to Kabu, hidden so he could hide his wings again. He clipped the cape, thinking about a jungle with giant spiders. "I'm asking you to consider… having fun."

They walked towards Kabu, pushing branches and stepping over ferns. Gnats, mosquito, and moths buzzed all around them. The chirping and croaking of animals surrounded them.

Lightning bugs blinked around them, the moonlight behind them slowly got dimmer as the clouds pushed in front of it. It started to rain.

A bush rustled for half a second before both knights drew their swords, prepared to spear it.

"It's just me! It's just me!" Tuff jumped backwards out of the foliage, not trying to get an impromptu haircut.

"What are you doing?" Parallel asked, grinding her teeth.

"I, uh," the boy scratched the back of his head. "I had to um, take a leak. Ma'am. Miss. Sir."

"Oh… my apologies."

"And," the boy said slowly, kicking the dirt idly while looking at the ground. "I wanted to show you something we did, and it was bad. I think it would be best if you heard it straight from us first."

His tone was choppy and it sounded rehearsed, he either eavesdropped on his sister and copied her idea or she straight up told him what to say.

They followed him to a pile of branches and leaf fronds, he lifted one and underneath was a sleek, white car. With dents and scratches, half covered in mud, and a flat tire. Tuff grimaced, looking dejectedly at him.

"We took it, Tiff and me, well Tiff mostly. And we took it to Kirby's house and then Blade stopped us."

"I'm glad you told me, Tuff," Meta Knight said, voice measured and low. "But this is not a priority. We'll talk about it later."

They walked back to Kabu. It was clear from Tuff's admission that they had no idea the danger they were in. They spoke about the car for just a few seconds and that was already too much time wasted on trivial matter.

The leaves bent and trembled in the rain. The wind picked up a little, their capes fluttered. Parallel drew hers closer.

He saw Kabu's silent, cavernous eyes. Ominus and evil in the flickering light.

Inside Kabu, the air was still and damp. The torchlight made the room a dance of shadows while the Warpstar glowed softly. Tiff was sitting in the corner, looking tired, while Kirby rested his head on her lap. She tenderly petted his curly hair. Blade greeted them, and grabbed a hold of Tuff.

"I told you not to sneak out."

"I had to go, okay?" he whined.

"What's going on?" Tiff asked, her voice quiet but not weak.

"We think he's going to be here tonight," Meta Knight said, cutting right to the chase. Tiff and Tuff stared at him, mouths agape.

At that, a flash of lightning split the sky. The room lit up like it was the middle of the day, blinding white and yellow light highlighting everything. For an instance there were no shadows.

Then thunder cracked, sounding like the heavens were coming down. The kids and Blade jumped. Tiff grabbed her heart while Tuff grimaced and froze.

At this Kirby stirred, leaning up from Tiff's lap he yawned, and blinked a few times. He looked between the two knights. He got up, excited, eyes sparkling, "Is this- are you?"

At the lack of response, he looked around. His brows furrowed together. "What's wrong?"

"That guy we told you about," Tuff crossed his arms, pretending like he didn't just jump at thunder. "He's going to be here tonight."

"Oh, don't worry," Kirby smiled. "I got this! I can help."

Tuff smiled weakly, none of them felt his confidence rub off on them. Except for one.

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It was the middle of the day, outside, the sun at its peak surrounded by thin, wispy clouds.

Magolor was inside the Lor Starcutter at his desk. Its perfectly white walls let in rays from the midday sun and reflected the ambient blue lights that sparkled but the floors, usually matching the empty walls were messy. Papers and pens and photographs spread out in disarray. He was in the midst of revising blueprints for his amusement park.

He had chosen the perfect avenue for redeeming himself, he had a knack for design and machinery. He could craft experiences with spinning teacups and loop de loops and sell cotton candy from a cart or slather a hotdog in layers of mustard, relish, ketchup, and what have you.

And the denizens of Dreamland loved to have fun more than anything. Er, after sleeping. And after food.

Magolor's ears folding back against his head as he thought. He scrunched up his brows and stuck out his tongue. He tapped his pen against the blank paper, waiting for inspiration.

A rollercoaster… that had seven loops! No…

A stand that sold only pickles! No…

He sighed, leaning back. Maybe he should ask around, that usually stirred up some results. Waddle Dees were too happy to tell Magolor what kind of ride or attraction he could make next.

He stood stretching his legs, his bones popped. He had been sitting on the floor since this morning, it really would do him some good to-

An ear piercing squeal erupted from the console. Magolor hugged his ears and turned towards it, the screen was a mess of gibberish.

He scrambled towards the console, trying to find the root of the sound. Was the Lor Starcutter glitching out?! It lasted for a hundred thousand years before he found it, it shouldn't just up and-

He tapped away, searching through commands and system history. All the files looked fine, nothing corrupted. The operations seem to be at full health too. So it wasn't a software issue.

Magolor paused, mulling over what the problem could be. A hardware issue doesn't make sense either, the ship would display what precisely was wrong. He held his chin, going through his very extensive knowledge of all functionings of this vessel.

Well if he couldn't figure it out he could call Susie over to assist, she wasn't an expert with Ancient technology but a second set of eyes could help…

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a green light blink, it was for communications!

The light was for an incoming call or message, which would be impossible. The lines across time and space that the Ancients used to use to communicate have been dead for thousands of years.

But if someone had used a very similar device to send a message between dimensions it would make sense why the Lor couldn't handle it. She was programmed for the precise measurements and calculations of an Ancient message, anything slightly out of her perimeters would be a garbled mess.

Tentatively he pressed the 'answer' button. The noise stopped, the screen displayed more gibberish. He was right! Someone in some other dimension was trying to contact him.

More organized and patterned, it was definitely in a readable language. After a few minutes he decoded it.

He read the message, he shivered and his heart pounded. "Dear NOVA…"

In no time, Meta Knight was inside the Lor Starcutter. He read the message with interest as he listened to Magolor ramble.

The message described a Meta Knight from another dimension coming into conflict with Galacta Knight. Of course, they did not say his name but the description was enough.

"It functioned more as a radio transmission than a direct call, which could be really bad for them. Anyone with interdimensional capable recievers could recieve this exact call, and they could also probably trace it back to the dimension it came from."

"We can trace it as well."

"Of course."

"Then it's a good thing you decoded it so fast, let's go."

"What? Are you crazy? That's Galacta Knight, the Strongest Warrior in the Galaxy. He- I…" his energy petered out at the sight of the immovable knight.

"Okay," he said. "Just let it be known that I was only hesitating because Galacta Knight is very powerful, not because I don't want to do the right thing."

Chapter Text

For the first time, the kids saw Parallel Meta Knight's icy exterior melt a little. "I'm sure you will, Kirby."

"You know me?" He circled her, taking in all the differences between the knights, she looked so different. Her eyes glowed red, but it wasn't an angry red like when Meta Knight gets mad, it actually reminded him of sunrises and apples and those little ants that steal food from your picnic.

"Of course, I know all about you. You're in my world too." She sat down, legs crossed. Her eyes glowed purple again, it must be a feeling of fondness or familiarity.

"What do you know about me?" Kirby quickly sat across from her. Eager to know more about her and her version of him.

"I know what you are and what you are not. In my world you live in a treehouse."

"Cool! Do I, uh," he paused scrambling to think of something. "Do I love apples in your world? Those are my favorites in mine. Along with watermelons. And curry."

She chuckled, actually, audibly chuckled. "Yes, but in my world I think your favorite are pineapples."

"Um, Sir Parallel Meta Knight," Tiff interrupted. "You said you'd tell us what happened. "

"Yes, I did, and I will keep my promise. The precise hour that our foe will appear is unknowable so to fill the time I will tell you."

Kirby pouted silently, he wanted to know more about the other him.

The kids gathered around. Tuff sat crisscrossed next to Kirby while tiff sat on a ledge, legs dangling. Blade kept his stance by the door. Meta Knight stared out the window. The wind and rain picked up.

Everyone looked tired and scared.

On the cliffside overlooking Kabu's cavern, Meta Knight waited patiently for Kirby, she had challenged him to a duel. The breeze lifted her amber cape, the fluttering, shimmering clothe was the only sign that she was not made of stone.

Crickets played their violins and bees buzzed passed her. Wolves howled, foxes barked, and owls hooted in the dark forest surrounding the valley. A white butterfly with black stripes landed on her. She huffed. It wasn't the right season for butterflies like these.

Her burnt orange armor glittered, seated nicely on her pitch black skin. Her hair was wrapped in a braid so it wouldn't interfere with her swordplay.

The sun was going down, pinpricks of stars shined. The shadows of the trees elongated and the valley Kabu sat in was bathed in darkness. Kirby was late.

Zero had been defeated and for the past few years of peace she had not rested and neither has Kirby. Without monsters, demons, or possessed loved ones to test ones defense and offense she had began training him.

"Zero?" Kirby chirped, curious at the new name.

"Yes, Zero, the leader of dark matter which nearly consumed the universe. The Star Warriors and I-"

"So he's your version of Nightmare?" Tiff asked, leaning forward in interest. Parallel Meta Knight froze at the name, a chill slimed up her back, she hadn't heard of that devil in so long.

"No. We have Nightmare in our dimension as well."

"That is a story for another time." Meta Knight said, peering through one of the gaps of Kabu. On the lookout. "Save your questions until her story is done."

"Agreed."

This was not the first time he has neglected a training session. Usually he loses track of time playing with Taff or he simply forgot and took a nap. Meta Knight frowned under her mask, she should check up on him anyway. Even under the thin veil of peace, there was always something waiting to spring up and fill the void evil left behind. There is no room for resting on your laurels. There is no excuse for-

"Is Taff an alternate version of me or Tiff?"

She and Tiff both glared at Tuff. "Sorry… geez."

The wind changed direction, the animals fell silent. She turned around and unsheathed Galaxia. Her bright light shone for a second, highlighting muyted whites, silvers, and magentas from the dark, a figure hidden in shadow. The temperature dropped.

She batted away a magenta energy sword just in time. It flung away and sliced through a tree before dissipating.

"Swift as ever." A low gravely voice, with a bass so low it sent shivers down her spine.

A pink skinned knight in white armor revealed himself, walking assuredly out of the shadows. Wielding a shield and lance. He had giant feathery wings splayed behind him, the only part of him that was not in perfect form. They were splayed, tired but ready for takeoff at any moment.

"Who are you?"

He said nothing else. Red eyes matching hers. He rolled his shoulders, her reflection in those perfect pauldrans stared back at her.

She was not to ask any further questions, there is no room for doubt. He is not noble, he is not honorable. She must kill him before he kills her. She knew this before everything else.

She swipes first, his shield answers. There is a resounding clang that echoes in the valley that can be heard for miles. Her sword and arm rattle.

He jabs his lance, she barely dodges, earning a scrape on her vambrace. She hisses in pain.

She sends an energy wave, he blocks perfectly. She jabs, he dodges perfectly. She slashes, he redirects perfectly.

He seemed to anticipate every move she made. For every attack he had a counter attack. Its routine. Its like he fought her before.

This went on for a bit, the moon began to peak over the water, bathing their fight in a white glow, replacing the warm sun. It was an omen.

She's tired, beads of sweat dot her brow. His blows, backed by giant wings and all centered in the tip of lance were powerful. Her armor was chipped and scraped all over. Bruises were forming.

The sun had set hours ago. Their only guides were the moon and stars above and the occasional blasts of energy.

Their fight had been on the ground this whole time. She twisted her cape off and spread her wings, black as tar and tipped with talons as sharp as spears.

Her opponent was nonplussed.

She paused, the children were all agape and leaning forward- literally on the edge of their seats. Meta Knight stared ahead towards the valley- avoiding her and the children. He was stock-still- maybe he wished to vanish from their view or sink into the stone and never come out.

"Yes?"

They clamored over each other to ask questions. Tiff won the battle, clamping a hand over her brother's mouth,

"You guys both have wings?"

"Meta Knight and I?" She looked at the other knight. He was rigid. "Yes."

"I didn't know you guys had wings…" Tiff said, her expression hard to read- a mix of confusion, concern, and something else. But no fear. "Can.. we see?"

She glanced at Kirby, afraid to see his reaction, but he was the only one who seemed purely fascinated. No concern, no confusion. 

She stood and quickly unclasped the loaned cape, so she wouldn't have time to change her mind. The kids gasped in unison. Her lone, gloomy wing splayed out. Their eyes quickly traveled to where the other one was.

"What... what happened?" Tuff asked, Tiff elbowed him.

"We're getting there."

Kirby's face had changed from an eager anticipation to a mortified stare.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Why do you hide them?" Tiff asked, earning a scoff from her brother.

Parallel paused, inhaling. It had been so long since she said her reasoning out loud. She swelled with shame and anger. The latter of which she knew was misguided.

"They connect me to the monsters that Nightmare created." Was all the explanation she gave. 

"But you're not a monster?" Tuff asked. He looked between both knights unsteadily, afraid of the answer.

"No I am not," she quickly replied. "It would have been a great deal of trouble to explain the peculiar and unique circumstances that granted me these... appendages. It is a habit, hiding them. One I should've given up long ago but a habit nonetheless."

This answer seemed to satisfy them somewhat, though they still harbored uneasy expressions. Unsure what to make of this, Tiff gave one look back at their Meta Knight, who was pointedly avoiding all their gazes.

"Can we see yours?" Tuff asked, earning both an elbow and a harsh whisper from his sister.

"Let me continue."

She beat her wings stirring up the sand and dirt, clouding his vision.

He held his forearm over his crossed visor, shielding his eyes.

She was gone, in the night sky she had the advantage. He launched himself into the air, searching the sky for her. A jab landed on his back between his wings, her first hit.

He blasted her away before she steadies herself again. They then fell into the same rhythm, except they were in the air. Every move of hers was predicted.

She distanced herself and swiped in the air, seeminginly at nothing. Icicles formed, long, thin, narrow and pointed, gleaming beautifully in the pale starlight and she fired them. They launched towards her foe.

He held his shield up, blocked most of the spears, bursting into shards and droplets of cold and cool water. One lodged itself between his greave and poleyn, deep, red blood oozed out- tainting the clear ice.

She saw his eyes widen, that was the first thing that surprised him. He gripped the icicle and yanked it out with a growl. He threw it her way but she batted it away with Galaxia.

"Your Galaxia has ice powers?" Tiff asked, incredulously.

"Yes," mildly annoyed at being interrupted again, Parallel continued. "I believe that was my saving grace. He wasn't expecting me to wield ice elementals."

"Maybe none of the other Meta Knights have Galaxias," Tiff pondered.

"Maybe they do but they're electrical or fire based or something," Tuff added. 

The tides had turned, he didn't know how to counter her attacks. She will use this to her advantage. She sent waves of frigid air and blasts of snow and ice. He was hit and stung over and over.

With ice on his wings he was slowing, the cold sapping his strength.

"But now I know I must've been mistaken," she sighed. "I overestimated my own abilities."

The damp, cool air of Kabu grounded her, Tiff tentatively placed her hand on her own gloved one.

Her eyes shimmered green, pensive and ashamed at her own mistake. "He was- is more powerful than I imagined. My mistake will cost us dearly."

The ice slowed him down minutely, not enough though. He abruptly flew westward, towards the village. Feathers trailing behind. Shocked and exhausted Parallel followed.

Behind him she should have had the natural advantage, she fired another set of icicle spears. He swerved abruptly, one scraped his pauldron. Using her own momentum against her he flew right towards her.

If she wasn't tired, if it wasn't nighttime, if she was stronger then she would've avoided or blocked such an obvious attack. He flew into her shield first, full force.

Armor and blade clanged into each other, the screech of metal on metal must have been heard for miles. Birds, startled out of their slumber flew, bettering right into the bats in their domain.

She careened towards the forest below, smacking into branches and uprooting trees when she slide on the ground.

Her wings were sore and twisted. She tried to stand but fell to her knees. A magenta beam of hot energy from above hurtled towards her, the heat was sweltering. She didn't move in time.

Her wing was severed. She screamed in pain. She gripped the ground uselessly.

She was white hot, not just from the pain but the trees surrounding her were going up in flames. Pines and aspens crackled, as the fire grew bigger and hotter.

She felt hot gushes of blood dripping down her back. Her wing laid on the ground next to her, curling inward. She felt a wave of nausea.

Everything was glowing red and orange, including the figure descending from above. He glowed, the inferno roared around him as he landed.

She pawed around for her sword, quickly finding the cold blade. Holding it tightly she attempts to crawl backwards, legs pushing her against the dirt, rocks and exposed roots digging into her back and her gash.

"Greetings," the knight said in a paradoxically childish tone. Barely heard over the roaring fire. He walked slowly, keeping pace with her backwards crawl. 

The nonchalant walk towards her, close proximity, and the light granted to her by the flames allowed her to see something she hadn't noticed before. He had something around his waist, a chain belted around him. On the belt, like charms on a bracelet were… no. The heat was making her delirious. Her vision must be going as she enters the jaws of death.

Because she saw her own face reflected double, triple, tenfold!

Her hand landed on something leathery, thinking it was her own wing more nausea rolled through her. But, no it was her cape.

"You noticed my souvenirs," he continued, lackadaisical. This was not a matter of life and death, for him this was a game. One were she thought she had an advantage and was sorely mistaken. Now she will pay with her life.

The chain around his waist went through the visors of masks. Each one was her own mask. He grabbed one and held it up, proudly.

It was silvery, its visor was an angry 'V' shape like hers, and a long gash went down the left side.

"Seven so far." Her mind reeled, trying to understand what he was saying. Few star warriors had a mask like hers, who did he find this on?

Some had minute differences but in the long shadows cast by the flames and the void of the night, they all looked identical. Her own death was staring her down. Her heart was pounding against her ribs.

"Why?"

Her breath came out in shudders. Her mind racing. She did not survive the desolation of the galaxy, the slaughter of her army, the extinction of her species, and helped defeat Zero to die to a stranger.

"Why are you doing this?"

She didn't really need to know. The war had killed her sense of curiosity. But devils were want to boast and monologue. She needed time.

But he would not give her extra time. Without answering he continued walking. Embers flew between them.

"Now its eight." He pointed his lance at her, a ball of hot energy forming at the space between it and her. He cocked his head. "Goodbye."

He fired, and at the same time, she wrapped her cape around her.

"That's how I ended up here, in this world," she concluded.

The kids were holding onto each other tensely. The story had amped up what was already a vicious and unrelenting foe. Tuff untangled himself from Kirby and Tiff, and stood. "What? That's how it ends?"

"Tuff," his sister growled. "It isn't a story, this happened to her."

"I'm just saying that's super weird. How does that even happen?" Tuff asked, looking around. Blade shrugged.

"My cape is a dimensional cape, able to teleport me short distances."

"Woah…" The kids said in unison. Tiff pointed at the red cloak, "Is that it?"

"No, you saw it earlier. It is still at the castle."

"Maybe it was the blast combined with the dimensional cape?" Tiff suggested.

"That's my theory too, but it's name is a misnomer, it does not have the ability to travel far and certainly not through dimensions," Parallel said, suddenly tired from her long story. "We used my cape to build that communicator."