Anime One-Shots

Meta Knight

        A few years had passed since the legendary Star Warrior, Kirby, had defeated Nightmare and all of Holy Nightmare Corporation, with the help of other courageous warriors.  The aftermath of the war, however, was still devastating.

        Demon beasts had ravaged your home planet, and though you and other valiant warriors fought and defeated what was left of them, the planet was no longer suitable to live on.  Everyone left in search of a new home.

        You found yourself on the planet Popstar in a kingdom called Pupupuland.  A monstrously built car with a cannon shot your ship to the ground, and it stopped right before it would have fallen off of a steep cliff.  A gigantic penguin who introduced himself as King Dedede and an over-sized snail named Escargon approached your ship and started asking questions.  They ended up hiring you to be the penguin's bodyguard.  The only words you actually remember hearing were food and knight.

        Pupupuland was a beautiful tropical country with rolling hills, craggy cliffs, and a shoreline that extended for miles and miles.  You remembered the first time you looked out over the kingdom from the palace and how quickly your heart raced at the breathtaking view.

        Weeks after the first time you had demanded a day off, Dedede finally let you have one.  The weather was terrible, but you found something to do, all the same.  In a spacious, empty room, you practiced maneuvers and movement combinations that you had learned on your home planet years ago.  You sensed someone's presence near the door and hurled your sword an inch away from the opening from which a pair of eyes peered through.

        Whoever was there did not flinch or close the door.  They simply stood there until you sighed and motioned for them to come in.  A navy blue ball with arms, feet, a mask to cover the entire front of its body, and a mantle and cape walked in with two other people in armor following behind him.

        "Fumu was right," the one in green armor mumbled to the one in indigo armor.

        "She must be the one Dedede hired," the other mumbled back.

        "Do you need something?" you asked, taking the opportunity to wipe the sweat off of your forehead.

        "I would like to challenge you to a duel," the one in the mask answered.  As if on cue, Dedede and Escargon emerged from behind him.

        "Well, what do you say?" Escargon asked, though you knew you didn't have a choice in the matter.

        The famous Kirby and the Cabinet Minister's son and daughter, Bun and Fumu, rushed in to protest.

        "Hold it, this is totally unfair!" Fumu cried.  You never liked the girl, but you had to agree.

        The powerful pink ball also had his say with a very fierce "Poyo!"

        "You can't just fire her if she loses! She just got here!" Bun shouted.  Of course they were planning on firing you.  You remembered the disapproving looks the king gave you when you asked for a day off, and you turned to scowl at him.  The dastardly duo widened their grins.

        "I can barely afford to pay Meta Knight's salary.  Why would I pay someone else to do the same job?" Dedede asked.  Escargon stuck his tongue out at the two children.

        "I actually do my job," you muttered, looking disdainfully at the one who you determined to be Meta Knight.  You were surprised to just be hearing that there was another knight in this sham of a castle.  He even had knight in his name and two pages under him.  Why did you not hear of this?  "In any case," you said aloud, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"  The king and his advisor shook their heads.  "Then, Sir Meta Knight, I accept your challenge."  You walked past him, pulled your wedged sword out of the brick wall, faced the masked man, then took your stance.

        "Prepare yourself!" he cried, as he unsheathed his sword.  Sparks of lightning danced around the hilt of the sword until a single golden blade manifested.  You already knew that this would be a troublesome fight.

        Without missing a beat, the knight flew forward and sent a barrage of strikes, each accurately planned, at you.  You blocked and dodged each one, feeling your blood pump harder through your veins.  You hadn't fought this hard since your planet was invaded by the Holy Nightmare forces.

        For minutes on end, the two of you danced, each seamlessly transitioning between offense and defense, leading and following.  With each collision of your sword and his, your heart beat faster, and your head clouded more.   A dizzying faintness and ecstasy rushed through your blood.  At long last, he left a tiny opening.

        As you thrust your sword forward toward the eye opening in the man's mask, he slapped your hand with his own, which made you loosen your grip for a split second.  In the blink of an eye, your sword flew to the other side of the room.  It took you a few seconds to perceive what had just happened before you dropped to your knees.  Dedede opened his mouth to announce the end of the match, but you were already storming out the door, sword in hand.

        You were packing up your belongings in your room when you heard a knock on the door.  You slammed a spare shirt in the suitcase and went to open the door.  There stood the man in the mask, but his followers were not with him.

        "Do you need something?" you asked him for the second time.

        "His majesty has told me to inform you that you will not be leaving the castle anytime soon," he said.  You watched as he turned to leave, but something compelled you to stop him.

        "Wait!" you cried.  He turned around, and at that moment you wished he wasn't wearing his mask so you could read his face.  Your heart pounded as you anticipated how to ask the question you were going to.  "Do you think that," you paused to take a deep breath before continuing, "we could duel again sometime?"  You could have sworn for a moment that his eyes flickered green before he walked off without an answer.

~*~

Art by VibrantEchoes on Fur Affinity