Last update for a long, long time.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Meta Knight asked, his yellow eyes wide with confusion.

The knight with the angel wings looked away, his eyes wavering on the brink of red. This concerned Meta Knight deeply, for he often associated the red coloring with demon beasts. His sword hand quivered slightly, ready to go for Galaxia at the slightest hint of a fight. But the other puffball did not move.

"You don't remember…" Was all the knight could say. His hands were shaking.

"Remember what?" Meta Knight said, growing impatient. "Who are you?"

"My name is Galactic Knight." The knight said, his eyes flashing as he locked them with Meta Knight's. Meta Knight felt a small wave of shock. Who was this mysterious knight that so closely resembled everything about himself, even his name? This was truly baffling.

He felt ashamed for prying into this newcomer's affairs, but he felt he had to know more, so he took the liberty to introduce himself. "My name is…"

"I know who you are, Meta Knight." Galactic Knight said sharply. "I also know that you were once a Star Warrior, I know you were a demon beast of Nightmare's, and I know that you hold the sacred sword Galaxia."

Meta Knight, disturbed by this knight knowing so much about him, unsheathed his sword. Galactic Knight stared at it for a second, then turned his head away and closed his eyes, as if in regret. "Enough with the introductions." Meta Knight said smoothly, "I want to know who you are and how you know me."

"Many know of you, Meta Knight." Galactic Knight murmured.

"Not many know that I was once a demon beast!" Meta Knight pointed out. "You keep dodging the questions. You're making me suspicious. So please…" He waved his sword for Galactic Knight to go on.

Galactic Knight didn't even bother to reach for his sword, or the shield that was strapped to his back, for that matter. "You really think you can beat me?" Galactic Knight said coldly, "Please. Killing you would be a waste."

"…What?" Meta Knight said, surprised at the knight's refusal to fight.

"Even if you don't remember, I'm not about to kill you. Then it would have been all for nothing." He gave a small laugh, one that held no amusement in it whatsoever.

Meta Knight felt a twinge of frustration. Obviously, this knight was being vague on purpose. He seemed as if he wanted provoke Meta Knight into a fight, but at the same time, couldn't be bothered to lift a finger. Meta Knight tucked his sword back into its sheath. "Fine then." He said curtly, "Be on your way. It would seem that you have nothing to say, so it's best if we don't waste time with our petty arguments."

Galactic Knight's eyes flashed red. Without another word, he spread his wings and took flight, speeding away, disappearing over the horizon in only a few seconds. Only a few white feathers remained. Meta Knight felt a flood of emotions. On one hand, he wanted to chase the knight and demand to know how much he knew about him. On the other hand, he didn't want anything more to do with him.

He sat at the side of the pond with a sigh. He felt tired all of the sudden. He just wanted to curl up and sleep in his own bed. Well, I've been away for a while… He thought quietly, And I've certainly trained a lot…maybe I should head back. Suddenly, resolve coursed through him.

"What am I doing?" He said aloud. "I should follow that knight and demand that he tells me what he knows. If not, I'll fight him. He certainly seems like a worthy opponent." Meta Knight couldn't explain it, but he felt the need to fight this puffball that mirrored himself. So he spread his wings and began to fly in the direction that Galactic Knight had gone.

Before he knew it, he was back at the cliff, where the little Marx-like creatures lived.

The shock coursed through him like electricity. He had completely forgotten. A monster that had destroyed their planet and killed most of their kind. A monster that resembled him, but as Smudge had put it, Meta Knight was scarier.

Because bat wings were more terrifying than angel wings.

Meta Knight beat his wings even faster, shooting into the cave where the little aliens lived. There they were. All dead. Their little, defenseless bodies slashed up into bits. How could he have been such a fool? How could he not realize that he had been standing so close to a murderer?

Galactic Knight had to possess a great amount of power, to fly here so quickly and demolish the last of this dying race. He must have been so angry with me… Meta Knight thought sadly, looking around at the bloodied corpses, filling with sadness. He remembered how Galactic Knight's eyes had flashed a startling red. This is all my fault. But I don't understand. Why did I have such an effect on him?

Knowing that he couldn't lose Galactic Knight now, he gave a silent prayer for the little creatures, and then left the cave. He flew straight up into the sky, powering his wings to climb high into the air. Once up high enough, he began to soar, looking all around the landscape for those bright white wings.

After flying a good distance, he saw something on the ground below him. It was a small white dot. It broke the monotony of the deserted wasteland, standing out among the ground. Curious, Meta Knight glided down and landed neatly on the ground, about a hundred feet from the huddled figure. As he neared it cautiously, he could tell it wasn't Galactic Knight, but one of the Marx-like beings, laying face down on the ground. He stopped, and wasn't going to go any further, but then his sharp eyes detected movement.

"Hey!" Meta Knight called, picking up his pace. "Are you all right?" It didn't react to his words. He reached it and turned it over, carefully. It was Smudge, the littlest one, the one that had been so brave when the others had been so scared. His eyes were glazed with pain. On his chest was a single red wound. Meta Knight picked him up, balancing him in his arms carefully. He was still alive. His chest rose and fell faintly.

"Smudge?" Meta Knight whispered. "What happened?"

The little creature's eyes fluttered pathetically, but he managed to fix Meta Knight in a glassy stare. A ragged moan emerged from deep in his throat, as if he were trying to force words out. He managed to wheeze, "Thought…thought you were gonna…save us…" Then he burst into a fit of coughing.

"You're going to be all right." Meta Knight murmured soothingly, "I'll get help…" but he knew that would not be the case. There was no help for miles around.

But Smudge barely seemed to hear him. He kept staring, his breath coming in short gasps. "Said you'd…help us…" He whispered faintly, "You'll…save…us…" He let out a long sigh, his glassy eyes no longer staring at Meta Knight. His chest had stopped moving. Meta Knight reached forward and closed Smudges eyes with a gloved hand.

He laid the child on the ground, making sure to be as gentle as possible. He knew this brave little creature should be buried, but that would have to wait now.

Meta Knight's yellow eyes flashed red for just a moment. It had been a long time since he felt such an intense wave of anger. He reached for his sword and unsheathed it. He unfolded both of his large, leathery wings. Then he lifted his face to the sky, and shouted in his loudest voice, "Galactic Knight!"

"It would seem that you think I have something to say after all."

He whipped around. Galactic Knight stood there, wings spread, a sword in one hand, his shield in the other. Without a sound or any warning at all, Meta Knight launched himself at the other knight, eyes blazing with fury.

Galactic Knight held up his shield and easily blocked Meta Knight's first attack. Meta Knight recoiled, feinted, and struck again. But Galactic Knight seemed to be able to predict every move the Star Warrior went to make. Each time, Galactic Knight either blocked with his shield or parried the blow with his sword, but he never tried to hit Meta Knight himself. And so, Meta Knight opened his wings, forcing his enemy to follow him into the air. But Galactic Knight was just as invincible there.

"Why must we go on with this foolish display?" Galactic Knight laughed in a deep voice. Those words reminded Meta Knight of a distant memory, but this was no time to consider the past. Galactic Knight swung his pointed sword at Meta Knight without warning. It was the first time in this battle he had gone on the offense and Meta Knight was taken by surprise. The slice carved a neat gash on his right wing. He felt his flight become unbalanced.

There was no way he was going to win now when he couldn't even land a blow before.

I've been training for months! How can this be? Meta Knight's head screamed, as he paused to hover.

"Maybe I should just kill you now." Galactic Knight said, his pink eyes turning to red. "Or better yet…head on back to Dreamland and kill good old King Dedede and Kirby of the Stars instead."

Meta Knight couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was impossible. How could this knight know so much?

Then he did something he had never done before. He turned and fled from his enemy. It hurt his pride to do so, but he knew the right thing to do was get away, rather than stay and be killed. Galactic Knight watched him go, his eyes a mix of amusement and annoyance. Meta Knight dared not to look back to see if he was being followed. This knight was truly dangerous. He knew things he should not know. He killed without remorse. He had to get back home now and warn everyone.

He shot out of the planet's atmosphere, hurtling into space. His right wing stung and protested painfully at the exertion he was placing on it, but pure adrenaline kept him going. It was so far away. He knew Galactic Knight could get there ahead of him if he wanted to. He could destroy Dreamland just as he destroyed that poor barren planet…

How did a single knight like him manage to bring destruction upon a whole planet? Meta Knight wondered for a moment. That didn't matter right now. What did matter was getting back to Dreamland.

He would be able to see Kirby again, finally, and even King Dedede, Sword, Blade, and all the rest of them. It would be a short-lived, happy reunion, but then they would have to prepare for Galactic Knight. There was no doubt the knight would show up there. "Kirby can beat him." Meta Knight told himself, "Kirby can beat anyone…"

With a determined nod, Meta Knight kept pumping his wings, hurtling through space at a great speed, on the way towards his home…

Galactic Knight hesitated for a moment longer on the dry, dusty earth. He looked at his surroundings. It was too bad he had to leave. This planet had provided a good outlet for him. Really, he felt bad for killing the innocent creatures that had inhabited it, but he had learned to let go of remorse a long time ago. It was the only thing he could do.

Still, he was uncertain of what to do about that Meta Knight character. Should he take revenge on him? Or protect the gift he had given him, the gift of life? Obviously, Meta Knight didn't remember him. He wasn't thankful for this gift, but then again, he wasn't the one who had tricked him back then…

Galactic Knight shrugged. Oh well. For the time being, this would make an interesting game. He was the strongest warrior in the galaxy…as far as he was concerned, he could do whatever he pleased.

Once he was certain Meta Knight had gotten just enough of a head start, he spread his wings and left the planet he had stained with so much blood.

Miles ahead, out in space, Meta Knight suddenly caught the faint sound of wing beats following him, pursuing him…