A True Hero

19 - Friend or Foe

"Morning, Meta Knight," Falspar yawned at breakfast. I groggily rubbed my eyes under my mask and nodded at him. "Howya feelin?"

"I've been better," I sighed, and feebly stirred the pasty contents of my bowl. It felt as though the meals have been getting worse lately. Jecra apparently agreed with me for he took one bite, made a disgusted face, and pushed it away. "How's Nicolette?"

"To be honest, I haven't seen her around lately," Falspar replied. "You still mad at her?" Word had gotten around about my fight with Jec, but the Captain had yet to punish me. In fact, he had been notably absent since the ceremony. So had Nicolette.

"No," I said and took a sip of my warm tea, but even that seemed unappetizing. Amai noticed my reluctance to eat and slipped me some kind of cereal bar.

"Medics get all the goodies," she said with a wink as I opened the aluminum packaging. The bar itself looked just as grainy and sickly as whatever mush I was eating before, but it tasted like the fruits and breads we used to be served. I satisfyingly nibbled on it and thanked her.

While the others kept talking, I examined the mess hall. Everyone seemed peppy and energetic for a Monday morning. Even with the bland meal, they talked and laughed. They seemed to have moved on, much like I had. In fact, I had had my first dream in several nights last night, and it wasn't a nightmare. I had dreamed of flying.

I had taken Chrystal in my arms and we were soaring high over snow-capped mountains and a purple and green jungle. The sun was setting in the west and the stars, accompanied by a yin-yang like moon, were appearing in the east. I had no idea where we were or how we got there, but it was wonderful. At the very end of the dream, she suddenly slipped from my grasp and vanished in a puff of stars. Shimmering glitter stained my gloves and obscured my vision, and the next thing I knew Jecra was shaking me awake.

A part of me felt guilty despite the comforting dream. I had never flown with her; in fact, I had never even told her I had wings. There was so much about me she had never known. My face fell as I thought of how I hadn't trusted even her enough to share my shameful past. I couldn't even bring myself to show her my face. If I couldn't tell her, I probably couldn't tell anyone.

"Well, Meta Knight? Wanna go?" Falspar said, and I jerked back to reality.

"Sorry, what was that?" I asked.

"I asked if you wanted to join us to go watch the ball-and-stick game," he replied. "You know, something to take your mind off of everything."

"Oh," I said. "Sorry, but maybe some other time."

"You sure? Blizz's competing, and, I mean, it's probably not a good idea for you to be alone, since you...well...You can always come talk to us, seeing as you.. um..."

"I'll be fine," I stated. "I've never been into ball-and-stick games anyway, but tell Blizz I wish him the best. I think I'm going to go train."

"O-okay," he stammered. "See you around then, I guess."

"See you," I replied, then he, Jec, and Amai left to find Blizz and Garlude.

I stared down at my full plate for a few moments after they left, then decided that sitting alone at a table wasn't that enjoyable and left, too. After throwing out the food, I aimlessly began wandering around the halls.

Perhaps I should have gone with them, I thought. I had no intention of training, and it would have made me look better. I was acting more depressed than I was genuinely feeling. Perhaps it was the absence of laughter.

I missed Chrystal's bell-like laugh. It used to bring so much light into my days. Amai's and Garlude's laughs were pleasant to hear, but it wasn't the same. Only one other girl had a laugh so similar to Chrystal's it was hard to distinguish who was who when they were around each other.