Two Minds, One Heart
Where are they?

Magolor had never been so nervous before. Sure, Landia had been bad, but never like this. Kirby hadn't returned yet from Nutty Noon and to make matters worse, the little marshmallow had not looked very good when he left.

Magolor had warned him not to go, that it was suicide to head after the mast for the Lor Starcutter when he was looking so ragged, but would he listen? No.

He knew what lied ahead, who guarded the mast and how dangerous it was. He just hoped Kirby's friends would be able to keep a hold on him when the Grand Doomer did attack. They were much, well, smarter in terms of keeping themselves alive. They had self preservation down to the 't'. The 'ion' at the end was the bit they always missed. The reason? Because they were always so willing to throw their lives away for each other.

Magolor had to admit, their loyalty was quite admirable. He would never be able to receive such loyalty from anyone, especially now.

He stopped his typing, frowning slightly. But he was receiving that loyalty, wasn't he?

"Kirby..."

The name rolled off the tongue so easily, like breathing really. He couldn't help but wonder what Kirby would do if he-

Wrrrreeeee

The loud siren threw his thoughts into a startled halt, as the Lor vibrated with anticipation.

No way...

Magolor whirled around and rushed for the door but it was already opening, and stumbling through was the large figure of King Dedede holding...

Magolor went to grab the bundle in his hands when Meta Knight stomped from behind him, his eyes glowing red.

"Get the sick bay ready Magolor."

Magolor didn't move. "What's happened? How did-"

"NOW!"

The way the knight roared the last word caused the alien to bolt to the sick bay, not able to stop his thoughts from whirling once again.

He pulled out bandages and the first aid kit, but he knew they wouldn't do much on the kind of wounds his small friend had. He managed to lift up the folded bed from its place in the floor just as the door was opened.

"Thank you Magolor." Bandana Dee called, helping a wounded Dedede up to the bed.

Magolor hesitated, "Uh Ban, I don't think it-"

Crack

"...can hold him."

The waddle dee let out a shriek and grabbed the penguin's hand to try and haul him up, but he seemed perfectly happy laying where he was.

"Don't worry 'bout me Ban, just make sure that puffball gets help." King Dedede grumbled.

"What happened out there?" Magolor asked as he pushed out containers and handed the stressed Bandana bandages and ointment. "I know one of you were already hurt, but I didn't expect all of you to come back this way!"

Dedede merely growled in response, shoving his hat off his head and wriggling out of his coat. Magolor could only stare, for he had never seen the penguin without his royal attire on.

"Grand Doomer happened."

The alien pushed the waddle dee away so he could check Dedede himself. He could do a much better job than the guard could.

"I knew he was strong, but not enough to have you all come back looking like you lost an argument with a WolfWrath." Magolor nodded to himself when he was sure King Dedede was fine. "Luckily he didn't do much to you. Only a couple bruises."

The door opened again and judging by the look the penguin and his friend gave each other, Magolor was not going to like it.

"You knew about that monster, didn't you Magolor." By Meta Knight's tone, it wasn't a question, it was an accusation.

The person in question slowly turned around to face the intimidating knight. He couldn't help but tug at his scarf in nerves.

"What? Of course- I, what? No! I didn't-"

"Don't try to lie! Your tricks don't fool me Magolor, nor do your excuses." The knight's horrifying bat-like wings flew out of his cape as he stormed forward, causing the worm to fly back in fear. "I can read what you've been typing on that computer of yours, outsider and I won't-"

Meta Knight's roaring voice was somehow silenced immediately by a weak croak, coming from his arms. His attention and attitude changed as suddenly as the winds of a storm.

"Not now, please?" The bundle made another weak cough.

"I know you didn't want me to confront him just now but he-"

"You promised." Kirby grumbled he shifted and sat up, pushing his teacher's cape off of him. He did not look pleased. If Magolor knew Kirby couldn't move, he would have been frightened by how hostile he looked. "And you have been on Magie's tail for this whole time. He just wants to go home."

The alien felt his heart skip in guilt and was unable to look at the puffball anymore. He didn't deserve to have someone so selfless caring about him. He couldn't keep himself in such a good light anymore. At least for now, the guilt would kill him before Meat Knight would.

"No Kirby, he's right. I did know. I was just... scared that if you knew how powerful it was, you wouldn't want to help."

Liar.

Bandana's voice was confused. "But we have helped you this whole time. We wouldn't just change our mind because this guy was dangerous. Honestly Mag, if you had of told us, we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Magolor's 'ears' lowered in sadness. "I'm sorry..."

The silence that followed was heavy, and in Magolor's case, guilt ridden. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to do something to make himself feel better. To get rid of this guilt in his heart, no matter how short the relief would be.

He held out his hands, now looking at Kirby's guardian. "Meta Knight please, let me take care of him. I'm good at healing magical infected wounds."

But Meta Knight was hostile once again. "No Magolor. He's not only hurt, he's sick. You don't know what medicine our kind take." His eyes turned red as he went to walk out. "And I don't trust you outsider."

"Look Meta Knight!" Dedede's screeching voice echoed through the blue and white walled room. "You're way to up on that horse! Magolor didn't tell us one thing and you are so close to stabbing him with that sword of yours." He frowned and pulled himself up with Bandana's help. "Well you wanna know what I think?"

"No."

"Well no one asked ya!" Dedede shrieked. "I think you're still paranoid with that whole war. That happened years ago! I think you- you..." but for all his bravado, the self proclaimed king of Dreamland was not able to continue his sentence. Magolor didn't blame him. The murderous look the ex-Star Warrior was giving him could curdle blood.

"I am not paranoid. One traitor caused an entire army to be destroyed and helped Nightmare gain power in one fell swoop." The knight looked down at the child in his hands. "And he nearly was the end of Gamble Galaxy's only defender. And last hope."

The heavy silence descended once again and Magolor didn't feel any better. Kirby on his part, never liked being referred to as the entire galaxy's last hope as there were a countless number of beings existing. One of them was capable of protecting their home without his help, right?

"Please Meta Knight! Mag's not going to try anything with us around. He'd be dead if he did."

Perhaps Bandana's words were supposed to be comforting, but to Magolor, they were more of a threat.

The four watched as the knight let out a small sigh.

"Fine."

He wasn't giving up, he just knew he couldn't win this fight with force alone. He needed evidence to prove the outsider's guilt. He needed to be patient. He only hoped he would be able to solve it before Kirby got too attached.

Reluctantly, he handed Kirby over to the alien before barking at the others to move out. Bandana trotted after him with King Dedede lumbering after, his coat hanging from his arms.

When the door shut behind them Meta Knight turned to his companions.

"You don't trust him, do you?"

King Dedede and Bandana Dee merely stared at him in confusion, not understanding why he was acting so hostile to someone so innocent.

Magolor carried Kirby over to the destroyed bed, but that was no problem. With a flick of his hand, the broken bed rose up from its remains and formed back into its original state.

"Woah, awesome."

He nearly jumped out of his robes in fright. He quickly plopped his companion on the bed and rushed around for suitable items to patch him up.

"I didn't know you could do magic. That's pretty cool!" Kirby giggled. He sounded dizzy, his voice almost slurred.

Magolor tugged at his scarf again, suddenly feeling hot. "Well, uh... I'm not very good. I'm terrible actually."

"Didn't look terrible to me."

Magolor needed to change the subject now otherwise all of Kirby's nice compliments were going to confuse him even more about what he was doing.

"How did you get like this Kirb? I know you looked bad before, but surely a little cold didn't end up," he glanced at the puffball. "Getting you a... IS YOUR FOOT BENT?!"

The alien rushed over in a panic, but Kirby shrunk back despite his wounds.

"Uh what? Oh right. Don't worry I'm fine. It's normal."

"Sorry Kirb, bent feet are not normal in my book."

"Well... well you don't have feet. So HA!"

Magolor crossed his hands and huffed. "Did the Grand Doomer hit you a little too hard?"

"Of course! Look at-" he was interrupted by the venomous look he was being given. He sobered up immediately. "Yes."

Magolor could only sigh. "Kirby I want to help, but I can't do that if you don't co-operate."

Kirby nodded, suddenly looking sad. "I'm sorry. But Meta Knight can easily fix my foot so don't worry."

Fix your foot? You say that as if-

Magolor suddenly remembered a conversation he had had with Dedede. Or rather, over heard.

Something about snow and robobots, and Kirby. He remembered asking the puffball about it, but it was the one thing he refused to talk to him about.

This must be what Dedede had meant by traumatic event.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, I won't touch it. But please let me heal the rest of you?"

Kirby nodded, and so Magolor began to work.

Kirby's wounds were something else. His friends were either really good at dodging, or the Doomer had been targeting him specifically. While the rest had bruises that could be treated by ice and cuts that a little bit of cream couldn't handle, Kirby looked like he had been dragged through a war zone. Knowing the Grand Doomer, that was what must have happened.

His pink skin was nearly turned a sick wash of purple and blue due to bruises. Cuts and long slices that looked eerily like bite marks covered the top of his head and back. His slightly bent right foot and busted lip and the lumps on his body where he had really been hit made him look like a mush of play-dough put together by a toddler.

He looked awful.

"You really took a beating didn't you, bud?" Magolor muttered as he moved behind him and as gently as he could, rubbed ointment into the bruises. "Lay down for a sec, I need to put this ice on your back."

Kirby nodded and lowered himself face first into the mattress with a lot of whines and whimpers.

"Sorry Kirb." Magolor sighed, feeling the tugging in his heart. It hurt hearing him in pain. What was his heart going to do when he stabbed Kirby in the back? The thought made him cringe.

No he needed to get his mind away from those thoughts. He had a mission! It didn't matter how immoral it seemed. The ends justify the means. He had always believed in that saying. Only now was he starting to question it.

"Sooo... how did this happen?" He cleaned and bandaged the bite at the back of the puffball's head, wincing each time he would press too hard and cause the child to hiss.

"I.. I was- am an idiot." Kirby grumbled with his face still pressed to the bed.

Magolor laughed. "No you're not."

Yes he is. Snarled that traitorous voice once more. He can't see through your lies even if you are being careless. It's like you want us to get caught.

Magolor frowned as he started to tape ice to the bigger lumps on Kirby's back. No I don't! And shut up, the others haven't found out.

Meta Knight has.

Yes, the knight had. He knew what he was planning yet could do nothing about it. The thought must be torturous to a used to be soldier.

"OW!"

The alien jumped back in shock, his hands flying to his mouth.

"Kirby! Oh, NOVA I'M SO SORRY!" He couldn't believe himself. In his mental battle he'd pushed too hard on the ice.

Kirby was shaking his head as he pulled himself up with a groan. "It's okay Maggie. You must still be nervous from Meta. He can be pretty scary huh?"

"I guess you can say that..."

The puffball gave him a cheerful grin. "Ey! I understand. I've had Meta yell at me like that a few times. I understand." Seeing Magolor's confused expression he explained. "I didn't do as I was told sometimes when I was a younger. I would really get on his nerves because I didn't listen sometimes or was just trying to make him mad. I learned to stop pretty quickly."

"..."

"I'm sorry Magolor, for Meta. I've known him forever, but I can't understand why he doesn't trust you. You're wonderful!"

Magolor felt his eyes starting to burn. He looked away and hastily wiped at his eyes, hoping Kirby hadn't seen.

But Kirby wasn't an idiot.

"Maggie?"

That damned nickname! Before he could stop it, he felt the lump leave his throat in a gasp.

There was a thump and a groan followed by the lopsided plip-plops of Kirby's feet. Suddenly he was in front of the crying alien, his face full of concern.

"Did Meta really upset you that bad? Oh I'm sorry! I'll get him to apologise, promise."

He couldn't stop himself. Now that it had started, how could he stop it?

"I don't deserve this. I don't deserve any of this! You or any of the kindness your friends have shown. I can't go through with this anymore I-"

Shut up you coward!

"Hey hey hey!" Magolor flinched at the familiar greeting. "Magolor it's okay. I'm not angry you didn't tell us about the monster. Nerves happen to everyone! It wasn't nice of Meta to get at you for being scared."

The alien was shaking his head, face covered with his hands as he tried to battle the side of him that wanted to spill all of his secrets. If only Kirby would leave!

He suddenly felt the puffball pulling his hands away so he could see his face. He needed to get away now before everything came tumbling out.

Reacting on instinct he pushed out to get Kirby away. All too late did he realise that had been a bad move.

Kirby stumbled back, tripping over his bent foot and landed on his heavily bruised back. He let out a piercing cry of pain that seemed to shake the room as he rolled into his side letting out whimpers and trying to hold in tears.

Magolor couldn't take it anymore. Seeing him look up at him with tears and in pain pulled Magolor far out of the lie he kept telling himself.

The door opened up suddenly and Meta Knight stood in the doorway, eyes dark with worry and anger. All he had to do was look at the child laying on the floor and the alien's hands still out in a push.

"Meta, it's not-"

"MAGOLOR! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Ignoring Kirby, he stormed up to the cowering creature, his eyes fire.

But Magolor was panicking, his breathing getting quicker and his hands shaking as he backed up.

"Meta! Leave Maggie alone, you've done nothing but torment him. Why can't you just be nice?"

"Because he is trying to use you!" Meta Knight spun around on Kirby. In his panic, Magolor finally understood how the puffball was able to remain so calm with scary situations, living with someone like Meta would bring up another's courage.

"What do you mean?" The wavering in Kirby's voice spoke more than he was letting on.

This has happened before.

"Maggie?"

He didn't look back. He flew forward and knocked the knight aside in his haste to escape the stuffy room. Meta Knight lashed out and caught the fleeing alien by his cloak, but Magolor was surprisingly fast, for the cloak pulled down and revealed the top of his head, shaggy and unkept and a pair of tiny purple subbed horns that could just be seen.

And with a brief glance back at the two, he was gone.

Kirby stood in front of Magolor's room, wondering what to say. Meta Knight had ranted to Kirby while he patched him up, about everything he said he had seen Magolor type into the Lor.

But Kirby wouldn't believe him. He knew the dangers, Marx had never left his thoughts. A friend he had been, a friend he still was in his heart, but Marx had made it clear he would never forgive him for ruining his plan. But he would come around eventually, they always do.

Kirby felt bad for Magolor though. Even if he really was tricking him, Kirby wanted to hold onto the hope that if he continued to treat Magolor the way he always had, perhaps he would back out of his plan.

And the strangest thing that had happened over the months of helping him, Magolor had not been at the Lor's controls in three days. Kirby was worried that he was trying to avoid them, and loneliness never helped anyone, at least he thought so.

He raised himself up slowly to the door and knocked.

"Maggie?"

No response. Kirby sighed and opened the door and stared at the figure sitting slumped against his bed.

"Mags?"

Finally the figure stirred. Golden eyes seemed to glow in the dark room, staring up at Kirby with sadness.

"Kirby... you shouldn't have come here." He mumbled, looking away. He didn't need this right now because he had made his decision. Why did Kirby have to show up to make himself question his life now.

"Why not Maggie?" Kirby grinned and hobbled towards the alien, sitting next to him with a wince. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

...

"Um... Mags, do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

Magolor froze as he felt Kirby's paw touch his hand and felt his warmth. He suddenly felt a strange wave of calmness cover him.

Well it wouldn't kill him to try. "So... you never told me how you got so beaten up."

Magolor watched as Kirby's face went red with embarrassment. "Um, well... you know how I was sick before we left?" He nodded. "Well by the time we got to the Grand Doomer's lair, my sickness had settled."

He shifted himself so he was more comfortable. "Well by that time, I was a little dizzy from the long climb, and I was very impatient to be done."

He sighed. "I should have noticed that it seemed to easy, but when I grabbed the mast just as Dedede said it seemed like a trap." Kirby started to giggle. "He came out of nowhere and took a large bite of me before dragging me down into the ground. He flew out, knocking Bandana over and tossed me on the ground and just started to hit me with wings and strange balls of fire that didn't burn."

"Hmmm... but that's all I really remember. I blacked out afterwards. Woke up with the Lor coming into view."

Magolor felt another surge of guilt. "Man, that sounds awful."

Kirby shrugged. "Nothing different from what normally happens. I've had worse."

Magolor frowned. "Worse?"

"Yep! I once got slashed repeatedly by a guy with a big mean temper and an even bigger sword." The puffball grinned at Magolor. "But I'm still alive!"

Not for much longer.

Magolor shook that horrifying thought from his mind. I'm only going to get the Master Crown. I'm not going to even touch him!

"When do we go?"

"Huh?"

Kirby tilted his head in curiosity. "You said that when the Lor was back to normal, you would take us to Halcandra. Can we go?"

Magolor felt his heart sink. He had been hoping Kirby had forgotten that part, then he could have just left and not go through with the plan.

"Oh, right. That..."

Kirby's face fell. "Oh are we not going anymore?"

Magolor couldn't refuse him. Why did he have to be so easy to attach to? And anyway, it would seem unfair to ask of all of this only to take off, right?

"No! No. If you still want to go, I'll be happy to take you!"

Liar.

Kirby smiled and gave Magolor a timid hug, being very careful of his bruises that had luckily swelled down.

Perhaps it was to cheer Magolor up, a silent action telling him not to be afraid of Meta Knight and not to worry. It had the opposite effect.

He tentatively hugged Kirby back, thinking a silent prayer to whoever was above.

"Please, let him forgive me."