Just for today, she wished something exciting would happen.

Fumu Parm sat at her desk, her mind blank with boredom, her fingers mindlessly playing with a pencil, and her free hand propping up her head. She gave a soft sigh and rose, trudging to the family room where her brothers Bun and Kirby were napping on the couch. She sat down next to them, trying to think of something to do. Like her, everyone within the castle was restless. Even Dedede, who seldom did anything anyway, was eager for at least some action. And the castle knights weren't much better either, considering what Blade told her yesterday. The female warrior's words drifted clearly into her mind.

"I'd thought that once that Nightmare was gone, everything was going to be calm and safe. I guess I was right, but fighting for my life and for my friends with enemies lurking at every corner was the only world I knew. I don't know what to do now that my world has completely changed..."

Fumu didn't know either. She had tried to go back to how things were before the war showed up on her doorstep, with her spending every hour of every day studying her interests in the enormous castle library, but her attempts at busying herself proved unsuccessful. How was she to learn without the somehow refreshing feeling of danger? Without the motivation of having your life on the line? So she spent her days, fiddling with her pencil, and sighing, and doing...nothing...

It really was too peaceful.

But just for today, she wished something exciting would happen.

All was quiet as night slowly fell upon the peaceful Dreamland, crickets and other nighttime creatures leaping out of their homes to greet the darkness. Sir Meta Knight sat on the stone rail of the tallest tower of the castle, staring up at the stars as he allowed the wind to swing his legs back and forth over the ledge, his metal boots making careless clicks as it repetitively hit the rock behind it.

Meta Knight took a deep breath in, savoring the feel of the crisp night air filling his lungs. He had always loved the nighttime here. It wasn't freezing, it wasn't hot, just perfectly balanced between warm and cool. The daytime brought heat and humidity, often making him infuriatingly drowsy. So he took to staying up at night just to enjoy being fully awake. He breathed in deeply, and exhaled slowly through his nose as he gazed upward.

The stars were so beautiful here. He could easily point out the planets he had visited in the past, trace constellations and mythical stories, and admire the colors of space. Truly a breath-taking sight.

A soft breeze blew by, gently brushing his unhidden face as he wrapped his cape around his body to ward off the sudden, unexpected burst of chill. He had half the mind to put his mask on, but decided against it as the dark tint of his visor would ruin his view of the star-speckled sky. Besides, it was dark anyway. Gentle creaking sounded behind him and he stiffened, looking back to catch a sight of a fashionable pile of golden hair out of the corner of his eye. He relaxed somewhat at the familiar figure.

"Good evening, Lady Memu," he greeted her formally, "What is it that brings you up here tonight?" The woman smiled warmly, clearly not taken aback by seeing him without his face covered, unlike most people. He did not know why he was letting her see him mask-less, but he lacked feelings of discomfort so he pushed the thought aside.

"I couldn't help but notice you, Sir Meta Knight. Your eyes shine much like these stars that greet us on this lovely night," she replied, her smile becoming more infectious. Meta Knight found himself inwardly embarrassed by her coment. "It is beautiful out here, is it not?" She continued. He nodded.

"Yes," he said quietly. A moment of silence passes before Lady Memu giggled.

"You do not leave much for conversation do you?" She asked, her dainty hand hovering over her mouth as her giggles subsided.

"Forgive me. It is an old habit of mine," he replied honestly, taking his gaze back to the heavens. She stepped closer to the ledge and to him, looking up at the stars. After a quiet moment, she spoke up again.

"An old friend of mine once told me that the stars were long ago great animals and warriors. She said that they lived on as stars once they died in the mortal world. She pointed out a group of stars and called it 'Orion the Hunter,' then another and called it 'Ursa Major.' To me, it looked like a ladle of sorts," she mused, "I wish I could find it again..."

"Hm..." She suddenly turned to him, stepping the slightest bit closer, her cheeks redding somewhat. He nearly rose a brow at the sudden rosiness before inwardly shrugging. SHe must be feeling cold.

"Do you know of what constellations I speak of?" She asked. Ah, nevermind then. Clearly, she is embarrassed about asking him. Meta Knight nodded kindly.

"Of course. It is right there," he said, pointing at the constellation. Lady Memu tilted her head to try and look where he was pointing.

"That?" She was pointing at an area to the side of the Dipper. He began to reach for her arm, then checked the motion and commenced to trying to guide her as best as he could without touching her.

"Right there." He traced out the lines, hoping that she would see them. Her eyes seemed to light up.

"Oh! That's it!" She exclaimed, turning to him. She stared at his for a few seconds before murmuring, "Thank you." He nodded again, his gaze still trained on the sky. She studied him for a moment. "Do you know more?" When he yet again nodded, she got excited again. "Can you show me?"

"Of course," he replied coolly. He pointed out a few major constellations they could see and showed her some of the most well known stars and planets. They spent a few hours talking about miscellaneous things, life in Dreamland, places they've seen, until both felt they should return to their respective homes. Lady Memu had placed a hand over her mouth as she yawned quietly, her eyes revealing her slight fatigue. Meta Knight, noticing this, gentlemanly offered her his arm. She took it, her smile at him small and sweet. He walked her to her home in comfortable silence.

She opened the door to her home once they reached it, formally inviting him inside for tea. A respectful decline rose in his throat but he halted his words. A cup of warm tea seemed like the perfect way to end the night.

Meta Knight blinked and stepped into Lady Memu's sleepy abode. She took to igniting a few old oil lamps to light their way and Meta Knight watched with amusement as she tried to hang a lamp on a hook on a wall, just barely above her reach.

"Lady Memu, please. Allow me to help you." Not wanting her to hurt herself, fall, break the lamp, set fire to her home, and put the lives of her, her husband, and children in danger, Meta Knight stepped forward and reached up, his gloved hands unintentionally brushing against her raised ones as he gently took the lamp from her fingers. He easily raised the lamp up to the hook, where Lady Memu had struggled because of her shorter stature. The action had unknowingly brought him even closer to her, his body nearly touching hers and accidentally backing her somewhat into the wall. Lady Memu's breath caught a bit and she turned around, her back lightly pressed against the olive hues.

Meta Knight lowered his hands, realizing his awkward position caused by the little misstep, his embarrassment painting itself onto his cheeks. Before he had the chance to step back, Lady Memu came forward, her arms slipping around his neck and quickly bringing his face down to meet hers in a strange, unexpected kiss. Frozen with shock, his eyes white, Meta Knight stood there unsure of how to react as his face began to burn warmer. Her fingers buried themselves in his hair, forcefully tugging him closer. Meta Knight's eyes turned a bright white of shock before darkening to a confused purple, his hands placing themselves on her shoulders, trying to push her away, but the sheer surprise made his movements weak and feeble, and Memu was almost surprisingly strong. Something warm and wet ran across his bottom lip. Gasping, he pushed more strongly away from her.

"Lady Memu!" He kept his voice down so he wouldn't alert the surrounding people at rest. "Wha-mmph!" She shut him up, by leaping into him once more, pressing her body against him, her lips more demanding.

Somehow, he had turned up against the wall instead of her, that much he had gathered when his head cracked against the wall. Why was Lady Memu doing this? Did she fancy him? What of her husband? What would happen should Sir Parm find out? He whacked her hands off him and, again, roughly shoved her away, wiping at his mouth. Wide-eyed, he stared at her disgusted as she stumbled back from the with a surprised look on her face. Before either of them could say anything, Meta Knight disappeared out the door, his navy blue cape flourishing frantically behind him.

Several feet away, the door to Fumu's room silently slid shut, it's owner having watched the entire ordeal play out. She heard glass break, her mother growling beneath her breath. Fumu quickly scrambled to her bed, diving under the covers, and pretending to sleep right before her door quietly opened, faint oil light pouring into her room. Agonizingly long and slow seconds passed by before her door shut. During that time, Fumu thought. She hadn't known her mother felt desire for Sir Meta Knight. The pure look of shock and surprise on his unmasked face made anger rise up and drench Fumu in its cold fury. What her mother did was downright wrong. Did Mom feel nothing for Father?

She shook her head. No, Mother loved Father very much, she was sure. Although, Mom hadn't been acting herself for weeks now. Her mother's strange behavior might even have something to do with that fact that Fumu found that someone tore out pages from her journal. Fumu frowned. Memu must had recently developed a fondness towards Sir Meta Knight that was currently an unbridled lust for the head knight that her mother took desperate measures to quench. Fumu made the decision to find Sir Meta Knight.

Fumu let out a shaky breath before rising, slipping out from the blankets into her carpeted floor. She slipped on her shoes, as she went to her desk, listening to the fading away tapping of her mother's high heels, then promptly climbed onto her desk, cringing when she heard it loudly creak.

The tapping ceased for a moment.

She frantically threw open her window, accidentally breaking it on the stone surroundings, and clambered outside so that she was crushing the flowers in the flower bed beginning to bloom outside of her window. She looked up, finding the ledge she wished to escape to. Her slim fingers clung to the large gaps in the mortar holding the stones together as she carefully climbed up the wall, bringing the teaching of Dakanyo-san to the forefront of her mind. She heard the door to her room screech as it was wrenched open and her mother's head popped out the window.

"Fumu!" She cried, "What are you doing!?" A hand grabbed Fumu's foot, nearly making her lose hold.

"Let go!" Fumu yelled as loud as she could, hoping to attract attention. Her mother tugged on her foot.

"Fumu! Be quiet!" Realization suddenly sparked in her mother's eyes, rapidly being replaced by anger. "No! You will not go to him!"

"Mother, let me go!"

"Over my dead body! Or yours!" With that Lady Memu yanked on her daughter's foot, ripping the girl of the wall with surprising strength. Fumu's ankle was released from her mother's hands, sending the young girl tumbling to her death.

Meta Knight wiped at his mouth with a hot towel, trying to wash away the lipstick Lady Memu smeared onto his mouth. His face still burned pink and it didn't seem to be going away soon. He studied himself in his mirror, somewhat satisfied to see that the red smudge was gone and nothing aside from his scarlet blush remained as evidence of that horrifying experience. He felt ashamed of how helpless he had been in that situation. He could get out of monster attacks, demon possessions, but this was just pathetic. However, such a situation had never occurred to him until now, but that did not exempt him from allowing Memu to kiss him. Twice. He muttered agitated nonsense beneath his breath as he slipped on his mask, determined to keep it there for the rest of his life.

"Let go!" Meta Knight whirled around. Was that Fumu? He went to his balcony and opened the glass doors, peering over the edge. His eyes widened upon seeing Fumu precariously clinging to the wall next the her window a hundred feet away. Lady Memu was holding onto the girl's leg, making the position life-threatening on Fumu's part. Meta Knight jumped over the edge and landed on the balcony below his, trying to stay out of sight.

"Fumu! Be quiet!" Lady Memu hissed. She caught a glimpse of him right before he disappeared behind the stone railing. "No! You will not go to him!"

"Mother, let me go!" Fearing the worst, Meta Knight teleported from his hiding spot, knowing he had been found out and reappeared on a terrace not very far away.

"Over my dead body!" Meta Knight looked up, seeing Lady Memu's face dark in what seemed like jealousy. Jealous of Fumu? Because of him? It seemed ridiculous, but he shoved the thought away. "Or yours!" His eyes flashed white. Memu sharply tore her daughter from the wall and let her go.

Meta Knight jumped off the ledge as Fumu fell screaming in fear. Her small form landed in his arms and he pulled her close to him as they continued to fall. He twisted in air, unsheathing his sword and thrusting its bright, crackling blade into the wall. Fumu yelped and buried her face into his chest, clinging to him like a life-line as there was a sudden jolt signifying the slow of their fall. Their fall had ceased, stopping them at about twenty feet above ground. Meta Knight looked up and around, seeing Waddle Dees that had abandoned their guard stations when the struggle between the mother and daughter started, swarm the halls to the Parm abode. Beneath him and Fumu, who was shaking with fright, he saw a large blooming bush as well as a tree standing a coupled feet to his left, it's branches brushing the wall. Meta Knight has never been so grateful for conveniently placed plants.

"Hold on," he told the shivering girl. She managed a quivering nod and hid her face in his chest again, gripping his mantle with firm, but trembling fingers. He could hear her heart pounding furiously within her chest and felt the tremors of fear shuddering through her body. He pushed himself off the wall onto a thick branch on the tree. Then he leapt down, his feet making a soft poff as they hit the ground. A few Waddle Dees spotted them and ushered another Dee with a nurse hat to them. Meta Knight carefully set Fumu onto the ground so the small humanoid creature could give her a quick check-up. After a while, the Dee gave him a thumbs-up and signed for Fumu to get some rest before she tipped her little hat and skittered away to see if anyone else needed help.

It was right then that Fumu began to cry, large tears slipping from her eyes, big hiccuping sobs laboring her breathing. Meta Knight knelt down and brought her into his arms, hoping to comfort her while his eyes turned a calming shade of teal, despite the fact that her own mother had just attempted to murder her still hung in the air. Meta Knight pressed the young girl against to him, suddenly feeling protective. Soon, her sobs began quiet, her grip on him easing as she allowed herself to be comforted by his presence. After a few moments, he looked around again. What about the others? Were they alright?

Good questions. No answers.

"Fumu," he began gently, brushing away a few of her tears with his thumb, "I'm going to see if everything has calmed down. Can you stay here until I come back?" Fumu looked up at him, eyes wide and still full of fear.

"No!" She cried, her voice sounding nearly hysterical, as she rapidly shook her head, "I want to see my brothers! I want to see what happened to my papa!" Knowing her, he said nothing, but took the small girl into his arms again and walked through the Waddle Dee infested hallways to her home. She was still sniffling by the time they reached her residence, but she had mostly quieted down. Sir Parm was sitting against the wall a couple feet away from the entrance, looking quite shaken up, two fresh purple bruises sporting his left eye and right cheek, his lower lip bleeding. Fumu gasped, squirmed out of the knight's grasp and ran to her father. Nearby, Captain Waddle Doo was frantically signing to armed Dees, directing them around with little noise. Upon catching sight of Meta Knight, Doo raced over.

"Meta Naito-kyou! Thank goodness!" The small, one-eyed captain tugged Meta Knight's cape, pulling him into the Parm abode then quickly whispered "Lady Memu had gone on a rampage! She's taken Bun and Kirby of the Stars hostage!" Meta Knight's eyes narrowed, yellow tinted gaze melting into red. Doo grimaced and turned to pound on Bun's door.

"We're sending in someone to negotiate!" Before Meta Knight could say a word, Captain Doo shoved him into the room. His eyes immediately dimmed, something they did when there was a sudden, unexpected change of lighting, but they would brighten up again due time. The knight did not mind, being used to sparsely lit places, and was able to navigate it with ease due to the clarity of vision offered by his mask. Three dark humanoid shapes sat in a corner, one shaking terribly, another stiff, and the last unmoving except for the steady up and down of its chest. A bright flash of metal caught his eye, soft sobbing and sniffling emanating from one of the shadowy figures.

"Who are you?" Lady Memu hissed, apparently not able to see him. Stupid mistake that was, turning all of the lights off so even she couldn't see. Meta Knight took one step forward, halting when she raised the knife to the neck of who appeared to be Kirby. "One more step and I slice his throat open!" More sobs and a fearful whine escaped from Kirby. His left arm was twisted behind his back while the other seemed to be broken, being bent at a strange angle.

Meta Knight had never seen the young star warrior so sad or scared. Fury burned within him, ferocious and violent, but he forced himself to remain calm, turning his anger ice, his eyes never shifting once from their blank yellow color.

"Lady Memu, enough," he said, filling his tone with firmness, but working to keep the anger out. She visibly flinched at the bite in his voice, but quickly recovered, raising the knife to Kirby's throat, the blade nearly touching the boy's neck.

"Get out," she growled, "Send in my daughter."

"Lady Memu, please," he said, his tone now softer. "Don't do this."

"I can do whatever I damn well please!" She suddenly yelled. Meta Knight fell silent, contemplation on how he should deal with this. He settled with an attempt of deception, and if that didn't work, then that was just too bad and someone was going to die. The knight would do all he can to ensure that it wasn't either of the two children. Meta Knight took a small step forward again.

"Lisa," he addressed her by her childhood name, hoping it would ease her, "Would you really go as low as murdering a child?" He could tell she was taken aback somewhat, but she quickly shook it off.

"If I have to, yes!"

"Even your own children?" He took another step forward even as disgust and hatred roiled thickly in his body.

"..."

"Lisa, let him go." Another.

"...No."

"Please." He knelt, just a few feet away. "Lisa, please. He is but a child. Do you really want to do this?"

"You know what I want!" She whispered hoarsely, gritting her teeth. He scooted forward the last few feet.

"I know, Lisa sweetheart, and you will have it." He made sure his tone held promise. Oh Nova, he wished he would never have to do anything like this again. Memu's eyes widened somewhat, then hardened with disbelief.

"Liar." He used his free hand to push his mask up to rest on his head, forcing his cool silvery gaze to become warm and soft and tempting.

"Never," he murmured silkily, reaching over and cupping her cheek, soaking his voice with as much sincerity he could muster, "I am yours to do with as you please... Just let the boy go." His stomach churned as he fed her these lies, but thankfully he didn't show it. He reached out and gently slipped the knife from the woman's trembling fingers, urging Kirby to step away from her. The pink-haired child obediently complied and as quick as he could, went to the opposite side of the room. Lady Memu, completely swayed by his words and actions, moved forward to pull him to her.

But with Kirby safe and the weapon holder unarmed, Meta Knight lost the act. He swiftly struck Lady Memu hard on the head with handle of her own weapon and rendered her unconscious.

He coughed, trying to regain his shattered composure as he yanked his mask back over his face, before going to Bun's prone body and seeing if he was alright. Seeing no damage aside from a bruise on the head, Meta Knight turned to check on Kirby, who still crouched in the corner and was trying to control his sniffles and sobs. Gently taking the child into his arms, Meta Knight saw the extent of the damage inflicted upon him. The boy's arm was indeed broken, but thankfully was not extremely severe. He didn't see anymore injuries so he commenced to opening the door, his embarrassment long gone. Captain Doo, with Waddle Dees peeking out from behind him, cautiously stepped out from behind a corner. Meta Knight strode out of the room, Kirby cradled in his arms.

"Excuse me!" He called out with authority, "this boy needs medical attention immediately!" Several nurse Dees surrounded them and guided Meta Knight to set Kirby onto the couch. He complied obediently, then began to get up to get Bun, but Kirby kept a firm grip on the knight, refusing to let him leave. Meta Knight knelt before the pink-haired boy, lightly taking the uninjured hand off of him. Kirby's lip was trembling and tears threatened to spill over his cheeks, but his eyes somehow were blank through the shadows of his hair. Meta Knight asked a random Dee to fetch Fumu, before returning to Kirby and speaking to him in comfortably soft, hushed tones, telling him that he won't get hurt anymore as the nurse Dees started to get around to fixing his arm, first by injecting him with something to numb the pain.

Fumu sprinted over to Kirby, skidding to a stop beside Meta Knight, who stood and let Fumu take his place. More Waddle Dees brought out Bun on a stretcher, drawing Meta Knight's attention. He walked over, seeing Cabinet Minister Parm walking towards his son out of the corner of his eye. Meta Knight checked Bun's pulse, inwardly sighing with relief when his heart rate was normal, before his fingers ghosted lightly over the large bump on the boy's head. He then stepped aside to let the minister see his son.

"W-will he be a-alright?" Parm stammered, body quaking noticeably. Meta Knight nodded.

"As far as I could see, he was merely unconscious. It seems Memu did not find a threat in Bun as she did Fumu," Meta Knight murmured, noting how Sir Parm flinched visibly at the mention of his wife. Interest piqued by this, Meta Knight turned to the cabinet minister, studying him. "Do have any idea why she did this?" Parm hesitated, then nodded. As Meta Knight raised a brow, the other man looked down, suddenly interested with the floor.

"I believe she was...tired of me," he muttered, "When the children were asleep, we often fought...about things..."

"What sort of things?" Parm looked up.

"I- I'm not sure myself," he said. Then he added in a smaller voice, "But she kept on comparing me to you." That brought Meta Knight to a silence. Meta Knight looked away, unsure of what to tell the distressed husband.

"Sir Parm," Meta Knight turned to him, gaze serious yet blank, "I believe that your wife hasn't been constant with you. I think she may have developed a lust for some other man." Parm only stared.

"Do you...know who might've been the man who...caught her attention?" Parm asked slowly after a short silence. Meta Knight remained silent, Parm already knew of whom he spoke of. It was surprising how much relief he felt when Fumu came up to him.

"Sir Meta Knight," the young girl ran up to him, pointing back at the door where Captain Doo was frantically waving, "they need you over there." He glanced once at Parm, before rushing over to Doo.

"I hate you..."

"No you don't."

"Go away."

"Why?" Silence. "Why did you throw it all away?" She knows what he's talking about, he's sure of it. Her hands fiercely clutch the strong wrought iron bars, knuckles white with the anger that fueled her strength. Her eyeliner had run in lines caused by her fury, her hair in shambles, falling all over her face and shoulders in messy, dirty, tangled waves.

"I-I..." She sagged to the floor, sheer defeat settling over her features. She looked older, depressed, and tired. He knelt down before her, harsh, cold, steely yellow eyes boring holes into her weak form.

"You had everything most people would die for. A home. A family. A spouse that loved you, children that adored you, friends that cared for you. And you threw it all away for something you knew you could never have. You knew there was no turning back, so why?" Sobs came from her quaking form, tears splashing onto the floor. He stood.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...so sorry...sorry..." She whispered shakily, her hands rising up to her face to wipe away the tears infuse with grime and dirt. He was quiet for a moment.

"You are apologizing to the wrong person, Memu," he muttered, shaking his head. He paused "Your family will be here soon. I suggest you work up an appropriate apology for them now that your desires have been beaten away." He stared at her for a moment, waiting for a response before leaving, his metal boots clicking smartly against the stone floor. She sat in silence, until his footsteps were gone.

As he ascended the grimy dungeon stairs, a soft whisper brushed past him. He halted.

"They haven't." A weary sigh fell from his lips. He looked down at the ground, and then back at the row of prison cells.

"I know." The empty click-clack of his boots as he left her made her throat close, her body shaking in the shame he shrouded over her. Your family will be here soon. I suggest you work up and appropriate apology... Yes, she was sorry for being an idiot. She was sorry for wanting something she couldn't have, for not being content with the thousands of treasures her life had given her. The veteran was right, she had everything she had ever needed, three beautiful children, a husband who loved her and pampered her, amazing friends to gossip with her and amuse her. She had everything, but she wanted a little something more, and that was where she made her silly mistake.

Work up an appropriate apology...

"I'm sorry..." And she began to sob once more.

In her despair, she failed to notice the tiny, transparent creature crawling out of her arm and fading into the cool, grey, stone.

Wow, I keep finding these funky little (okay, this one was not that little) one-shot stories in my old drive. After a little fixing up, they're ready for publishing, so you know what I think I should do?

publish them because it's not like i'm actually doing anything else...

*cough, cough*