AN: Hey, it's been a while! I'm going to keep this AN super short. I posted a TLDR of the last 27 Chapters of the story on my profile, so if you need a quick recap, you can check it out there. More notes are at the bottom of the story!

The Queen had summoned all five visitors to the garden. A small but well populated circular grove of every flower imaginable. Despite the growth, the garden was obviously maintained well. In the center of the circle was a small clearing with a few benches, and in the center of that ring of benches was a modest fountain. The birds, the rushing water, and the rustle of wind offered a calm and soothing experience.

Magolor and Meta Knight were the last to arrive. At the Star Warriors arrival, Sword and Blade rose from the benches they were conversing on, offering their lord a polite nod. King Dedede paid them no attention, instead continuing on with his own conversation with the Queen. It was an animated tale, apparently, for his arms waved with grandiose gestures, never in the same place for more than a second or two. The Queen wore her best smile, but there were cracks in it anyone could see. The footsteps from Meta Knight alerted her that her final two guests had arrived, and she used this distraction to politely excuse herself from the fascinating conversation, and floated towards Magolor and Meta Knight.

"Greetings once again, good knight and captain." The Queen greeted, her tone light and jovial. "Thank you for meeting me here." She now addressed the group in full. "If you are all to be staying here for the next few weeks, it's only proper I show you what your home offers, is it not?" This was a rhetorical question, and the Queen nodded as if hearing an answer anyways. "Come, come, follow me. I will show you around the castle, and then you are free to explore to your heart's content until lunch is served."

The tour was quick and painless, save for some whining from Dedede. My feet hurt. I already know where stuff is in this castle. Is it lunch yet? The castle was a city in and of itself. Included in the tour were trips to the kitchen, the ballroom, the library, the training grounds, the grand dining room, and more and more! Everyone was making their own mental map of areas they'd want to come back to later, and were now eagerly awaiting the end of the tour to be let off the leash. But there was one more stop on their journey, the Queen explained, and they were ushered up the stairs and towards a set of sliding doors

"Now, this is an off limits zone to anyone I do not give explicit permission to. Currently, only Adeleine, Ribbon, and a few elites may enter. But I of course grant all of you permission as well." And with that, she tugged the doors open, and entered the new area.

Beyond the doors lied an open air oasis. Though they were still inside, the basketball court sized area surrounding them looked straight from a fantasy styled forest. There were three hot springs ranging from small, medium, and large, surrounded by mild green plant life and soft gravel. The walls were glass, allowing a breathtaking view of the city beyond the castle. There was no roof, but an ultra thin net could be detected if caught in the light. Fairy lights circled the perimeter of the hot springs, casting a delicate glow against the water. It was a paradise inside an already paradise-esque castle.

There were audible sounds of delight and awe from the group as they took in their surroundings. Just being in the door cast an aura of calm and peace over any who entered. Everyone was already making a mental note to come back to this place on their own time. How could they not!?

"And with that, I do believe our tour is over!" She stepped out of the oasis, waiting until the others had done so as well before sliding the door closed behind them. "If you ever need guidance, feel free to ask a guardsfairy for directions. Other than that, off with you all! Go enjoy yourselves and I will call upon you once lunch is ready."

Everyone parted ways after that. The Queen went off to complete her own duties for the day, being tailed by a jubilant Dedede. Sword and Blade made their way to the training grounds, hoping to keep their skills sharp during their down time. Leaving Meta Knight and Magolor to return to the Lor Starcutter. Though on the way back to the ship, Magolor couldn't help but cast Meta Knight a curious eye.

"You don't have to help rebuild the Lor." He chuckled. "I mean, you kind of already did it once, remember?"

Meta Knight offered his own laugh in return. "Yes, I remember. But…" His mirth trailed off and faded. "I am the one that damaged the Lor Starcutter in the first place. It is only right of me to offer my assistance." He cast Magolor a quick glance. "Of course, if you would rather I not interfere, you need merely to say the words. This is your ship, of course."

Magolor shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, I guess I don't mind? I'm sure the shipwrights could use a bit of extra muscle or something." A few seconds of silence passed, before Magolor brought a hand to his mouth to stifle a laugh. "Or is that just the jar of candy you eat religiously out of?"

"The captain of a ship would do well to be kind to his crew, less they stage a mutiny." Meta Knight kept his eyes straight, as if he was just speaking about the weather. Magolor waved a hand in Meta Knight's general direction, scoffing at the same time.

"Oh please, I could totally take you." Magolor scoffed again. And once more for good measure. And as Magolor continued to scoff, Meta Knight cast Magolor a long, searching, incredulous look. Magolor scoffed again. Meta Knight kept staring, and if eyes alone could convey an eyebrow raising in disbelief, Meta Knight was casting that look now. Magolor rolled his eyes and huffed. "Okay, fine, I could take you in like, a thumb war or something. Jeeze, make a guy feel bad why don't you."

The rest of the trip to the ship was filled with light and mirthful banter between the two friends. When they arrived, the scene was almost a mirror of how it had been when they left, sans the shipwrights had moved around as they continued their work. Magolor and Meta Knight made their way to the interior of the ship, where Magolor was primarily overseeing the work. Since the inside had a bit more technical and delicate work to be done, Magolor needed to make sure it was done right. That, and the engine of course, but the engine could come a little bit later.

The two entered the ship, Magolor having switched gears to discussing his play-by-play for the ships repair. Shipwright A and B were working on section C, and then after that Shipwright C would assist them with section D and E. It would take so and so time and require this and that material. Magolor spoke his design with confidence, nailing the time it would take to finish each phase of repairs to the minute. No one could doubt Magolor knew his ship from the inside out.

Which is why the blue cloth folded on the terminal caught them both off guard.

They approached the anomaly with scrunched eyebrows and curious expressions, neither of them putting together the puzzle as to what this object was. That is, until Magolor unfolded the object, and noticed the dried red stains on the corner of the fabric.

It was Bandana's...bandana!

Realization dawned on both of them at near exact moments, though they relayed their shock in different ways. Meta Knight was as stoic as ever, though behind his mask, his eyes would widen an iota of a fraction. He had been more than certain that the object had been lost to the void, never to be seen again. Magolor had dropped it, after all. And speaking of; as soon as Magolor realized what was in his possession, he fumbled to keep it in his mitts. A sharp and surprised Ancients could be heard. Because as far as Magolor had been concerned, he had dropped the bandana. He had dropped it! Fell out of his hands! Good-bye! So how in all the Ancients did it suddenly appear on Ripple Star, folded with care on his terminal with obvious intentions of him finding it?!

Magolor looked from the bandana, to Meta Knight, back to the bandana, then back to Meta Knight. "D-Did you do this?"

"No. I had believed it lost." Meta Knight responded, finally taking his eyes off the cloth to cast them at Magolor. "I have no idea who could have found this." Especially since Meta Knight believed the object was lost in Drawcia's Paint Dimension, but he didn't speak this out loud. He didn't have to. It was clear Magolor thought the same thing.

"Yeah...Maybe I...dropped it under the ship or something." Magolor breathed in a shaky breath, trying to swallow the rising emotions this object was filling him with. "Um...But I mean. I have it back. That's...that's all that matters, right? Uh…" He rubbed at his eyes, trying to hide a sniffle behind his scarf. "So, w-we should probably get back to work, yeah? We've got...we've got a lot to do if we're gonna get back to Pop Star!" Magolor turned away from Meta Knight in full, pushing his hood back enough to tie the bandana around his neck. While he did this, Meta Knight watched him with a somber gaze. Because he knew exactly what Magolor was trying to do. And he hated the fact that Magolor felt like he had to do it. He said nothing as he let Magolor finish securing the knot, then pushed his hood back into place. He only spoke once Magolor turned back around to face him.

"You do not need to put on a brave face in front of me." Meta Knight said, catching the way Magolor's eyes darted away. "It is okay to grieve those we've lost." He kept his voice low, trying not to put any unnecessary pressure on Magolor.

Magolor shook his head, once more reaching up to dab at his eyes. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm not crying. Like, we're on a big important mission against Nightmare. Of course things can go bad. I can accept that. I don't need to grieve. I'm...I'm strong enough to handle this."

"Magolor-" Meta Knight's voice had grown curt, because a dawning realization had washed over him as Magolor spoke. "-have you grieved at all for Bandana?" There must've been a moment. Any. Whether Magolor was alone in his room, or in the ship, or talking to the Queen or his knaves or Dedede or somebody. Because the thought that Magolor had been forcing himself to bottle up his misery twisted a horrid knot deep in the knights stomach. And he knew exactly why Magolor would try and do that. His mind replayed the clip of the Mirror World's King Dedede, hanging from the branch and decomposing where he died. And he remembered Magolor's adverse–and honestly, correct– reaction to the sight. Disgust, horror, dismay, disbelief. The reaction Meta Knight and his knaves had had were the reactions of familiarity. Surprise was there, sure, but they had broken and rebroken their minds enough to make death a normality. And that wasn't correct. That was broken. Magolor was trying to break his mind to match that of Meta Knight and his knaves.

When Magolor failed to respond, Meta Knight had his answer nonetheless. He approached Magolor, placing a firm hand on the aliens back. He felt Magolor tense up from the contact, but he did not move away. Nor did he look towards Meta Knight. "Friend, you must grieve for those you've lost. Strength is not keeping it inside. Strength is not letting it fester inside of you. Strength is being able to come to terms with what has happened. To allow yourself these vulnerable moments to remember those we've lost, and then rise up and continue where they left off. Bandana's part in this story is over, yes, but yours is not. Remember him. Grieve for him. And then let those fond memories carry you to a brighter future."

Meta Knight stole his hand back, returning it to his cape. "I will not force anything from you. But...should you need to talk, just know that you are among friends." A beat passed. "I am going to offer my services to the shipwrights outside. Please let me know if I am needed elsewhere." And with that, Meta Knight turned from his friend and emerged outside. Though Meta Knight had full intentions of helping out wherever he could, his motive for leaving Magolor alone was clear. Breathing down Magolor's neck would do nothing in his current state. Magolor needed time, and Magolor needed patience. And so Meta Knight sought out the closest shipwright, and got to work, hoping his friend would take his words to heart.

-OoO-

The day came and went with no more fanfare. For the next few hours, Magolor, Meta Knight, and the shipwrights worked together to begin the repairs for the Lor Starcutter. Though for today, the goal was to just get the materials. So while the ship was still at zero percent repaired, they had all made an enormous leap into getting the job done nonetheless. Somewhere along the way, lunch was served, and for the love of the stars, there were no outbursts or fights this time. Everyone remained civil, and the only topics of conversation were those of pleasant tidings. Sword talked about the sick move she pulled on Blade during their training session, King Dedede moaned about missing his shows back home, and even Magolor cracked a few jokes here and there.

The only disturbance had been Ado and Ribbon. Or rather, their missing presence for the first half of the meal. The Fairy Queen had insisted everyone begin eating without them, stating the girls must've been running late with the doctor and not wanting the food to get cold. About half an hour passed before Ado and Ribbon burst into the room, Ado clearly out of breath. She had pushed open the dining room doors with more force than anticipated, and almost threw herself to the floor in the process.

"S-Sorry we're late!" She huffed. "Uh, the...appointment...ran long."

The Queen wore a proud little smile. "Ah hah, I figured as much!" She patted the seat to her right. "It matters not though. Come and sit dearies."

Both Adeleine and Ribbon took their respective seats, and began to eat with gusto. Ado especially ate like it was her last meal, and at one point the Queen even had to scold her to slow down. But aside from this hiccup, lunch came and went, and soon everyone went their separate ways once more. (Though it seemed Ribbon and Ado went their separate ways together, at a very brisk speed.)

At present, it was about an hour before dinner. The repair crew of the Lor Starcutter had decided to call it quits for today, unable to continue working without additional supplies. And since those supplies wouldn't be here until tomorrow, they were at a forced standstill. It was obvious Magolor found this situation unfavorable, but what could you do?

"Magolor" Meta Knights tone was akin to a hand yanking someone backwards. "You have done plenty for the Lor today. I insist you get some rest before dinner."

Magolor brushed him off, returning to the crates and pallets heaped with parts and materials. "I just want to make sure we have everything ready for tomorrow." In Magolor's hand was a clipboard filled with an in depth list of everything in front of him. It was a checklist, and not only did the initial checkbox have a checkmark next to each and every item, but so to did the space next to each checkbox. What was this, the third, fourth time Magolor was going over the supply list? They couldn't get much more ready for tomorrow now.

Meta Knight made to speak again, but Magolor cut him off. "Look, I promise this will be the last look over. After this, I'll go take a power nap, okay? I just really, really want to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow."

Everything already was ready for tomorrow, but Meta Knight knew that this little promise Magolor was making was the only way he might actually go and sleep. Meta Knight sighed. "Very well. I will leave you to your work. Please do not exhaust yourself."

Magolor snorted, turning back to his list. "I'll be good, I promise."

And that was that. Meta Knight left the Lor and Magolor to their own devices, and made his way inside the castle. The sun had been high in the sky most of the day, and combined with most of the work Meta Knight was tasked to do involved manual labor, all Meta Knight wanted was to wash the filth from himself. There was a dull ache in his arms from the work, but it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, it was almost reassuring. He enjoyed the monotony of labor such as this. His mind could wander, but not far enough to reach dark and unhappy places. So Meta Knight decided he would bathe, and then rest, and then enjoy dinner, and after that, perhaps see if Sword and Blade would like to spar.

But right now, Meta Knight decided to do something he usually never did.

He was going to treat himself.

Which is what brought Meta Knight to the doors of the indoor oasis. The moment Meta Knight had laid eyes on this room, he knew he'd be coming back. The aura of absolute calmness this room produced was something Meta Knight craved. There had been no time to just simply let his mind relax since this journey had started. Oh sure, it had done its fair share of wandering, but it always wandered in ugly directions. And frankly, he had had enough of that.

Meta Knight pulled the doors open and slipped inside, tugging the door shut behind him. He thanked the stars that the room was empty. He wouldn't've minded company for the most part (Calm company that is.) But solitude sounded heavenly right about now.

Just being in this room filled Meta Knight with a tranquility he had sorely missed these last few days. It was as if everything had been designed in this room to radiate peace. The sound of running water against the rocks was delightful, the air was light and warm, and the smell of the numerous flora could convince the uninitiated that they were actually outside.

Meta Knight removed his pauldrons, shoe guards, the hilt of Galaxia, cape and gloves; arranging them neatly at the edge of the medium sized hot spring. After that, he wasted no time settling himself into the water. The water seemed to steal the aches and pain right from his bones, and he couldn't help but stretch and relax into the water. He had been telling himself over and over he needed a moment to stop and meditate, but perhaps this would still those thoughts for just a bit longer. He knew he really did need to actually meditate soon though. He couldn't let his thoughts tornado out of control much longer without serious repercussions.

But for now, he would allow himself a moment to just be. He gazed upon the horizon outside the glass windows, and admired the view. The sun was beginning to dip towards the skyline, though there was still at least a good hour or two before night time began. It was a bit overcast out, but the shade was a welcomed break from the lingering sun. Ripple Star was truly a magnificent place. Perhaps when this nightmare was over, he could return here on his own terms. Maybe stay an extra week. That'd be nice.

An ugly feeling rose in his chest, and he knew what it was as soon as it begun. No, of course not. Of course his mind wouldn't allow him to fully relax. It would never allow him to indulge in the idea of self peace. He could meditate all he wanted, and achieve mushin six days a week, but Meta Knight knew that a peaceful life was not for him. Taking a break was sometimes a luxury the universe couldn't afford. Well, him taking a break anyways. Someone had to be there to protect the peace, after all.

Suddenly the soothing atmosphere and warm water felt cold and clammy. As if he was in a space where he just didn't belong. It had only been about ten minutes or so, but that had been ten minutes too many. He couldn't relax. He just couldn't. He had to be doing something. Being useful, helping someone, anything! Hoping for a break was just...selfish! Absolutely selfish! Meta Knight snarled at himself, before deciding to cut his soak short. He didn't have time for this nonsense. Perhaps Magolor still needed help counting stock. Or maybe he could persuade Sword or Blade to spar for a bit before dinner. He made to get out of the water-

"Oh, I hope you aren't leaving on my account!"

-but paused at the sudden voice. He swiveled towards the source, and found it to be none other than the Fairy Queen herself. What caught his eyes first was that she wasn't wearing her usual regal wardrobe, but instead sported a soft pink bathrobe. Hooked on her arm was an even softer looking bath towel. Her intentions for being in this room were obvious, and it had only been a matter of chance that Meta Knight had beaten her to the room first. Even still, she did not seem disappointed, only worried. She surely hoped she wasn't about to scare Meta Knight off.

But Meta Knight would wave her worries away. "Not at all, your Majesty. Your arrival just happened to coincide with my departure."

"I wish I had arrived earlier then! I always enjoy relaxing with company. Loneliness lets my mind wander to unsavory places. I-" She paused, then let out a brief laugh. "Oh dear, just listen to me whine like a child. I apologize, good sir. I won't talk your ear off a moment more."

Meta Knight found himself matching the Queens laugh tit for tat. "No apology is needed. I can understand the blessing and curse that is solitude. You yearn to escape from the outside world for just a moment, only to come face to face with your own mind. It's unpleasant."

The Queen smiled, but then hid it behind a hand. "You'll have to forgive me once again. But I must admit, it's a bit...refreshing, that someone understands. A blessing and a curse indeed." The Queen began to remove her robe, revealing a red and white striped maillot underneath. "Which is why I insist you continue your soak, and allow me the pleasure of dispelling the solitude. Perhaps that way both of our minds may find a bit of peace."

This time, Meta Knight's laugh was his own. In just a few sentences, the Queen had read him like an open book. He settled back into the water with no resistance. The Queen entered the pool a few moments later, sighing with relief as the water washed away her woes much as it had Meta Knight. The two sat about four feet apart, and though Meta Knight felt a bit of tension at the sudden close proximity, his body relaxed almost as soon as it had tensed up.

"Aah, this is just lovely. I usually come for a soak with a friend, or sometimes Ribbon will accompany me. But it seems everyone is too busy these days, and poor Ribbon has been so ill these last few days. This is the first time in about a week I've had company." She smiled with serenity, sinking a few inches deeper into the water.

"I'm glad I could make your evening a little less lonesome." Meta Knight replied. "I suspect today was a bit strenuous for you, yes?"

The Queen rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't fade. "Oh, don't get me started. Those in charge just love their meetings and lectures and debates. Everyone wants to sound important in front of the queen!" Both parties laughed at this, though the Queen's laugh fell first. "That actually reminds me. One of those meetings involved a certain Sir Arthur?"

And just like that, Meta Knight's own laugh ceased. "Ah, he's made contact I see. I'm sure I can guess the context of this discussion?"

The Queen nodded. "I'm certain you could. Sir Arthur will be arriving the day after tomorrow in his own personal ship. I'm thankful he isn't bringing the entire GSA to my kingdoms doorstep, but..." She pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed. "I've dealt with this man before. There's no doubt in my mind he's going to try and persuade me once more to ally with the GSA. And I just...I cannot. I cannot force my subjects to enter a war. Sir Arthur wants to use our only means of defense as a weapon, and I will not leave my people vulnerable! I cannot-" She stopped, gritting her teeth shut as if to barricade any more words from leaving her mouth. "I...Forgive me for my outburst. I insisted you stay so we could relax, and yet-"

"If I may interrupt, your Majesty, but you do not have to apologize for this. Sir Arthur is...bullheaded, yes. And what he's repeatedly asked of you is no easy ask. You have a right to be unhappy about it." Meta Knight rubbed his cheek under his mask, as if trying to wipe away his own unhappiness. "I'm hoping Sir Arthur will focus on the problem at hand. We are not at war right now. There is no need to start recruiting allies. Our primary focus needs to be getting back to the Mirror World, rescuing Kirby, and defeating Nightmare." And as much as Meta Knight hopped Sir Arthur would remain focused, there was a familiar nagging feeling at the back of his mind that this wouldn't go as smoothly as he hopped. The name Nightmare was call to action enough for Sir Arthur.

"How did you enter the Mirror World the first time?" The Queen asked, tilting her head.

"We had the paint witch Drawcia create a portal for us. Things took a tumultuous turn, and now that path is closed off to us. Our best bet will be focusing our resources on recovering the Amazing Mirror. With that, our path to the Mirror World will be right at our front door."

"I see, I see." It looked like the Queen wanted to say more, but after a long inhale, she changed tunes. "And what of the others? Your knaves, the good captain, the King?"

Meta Knight shook his head. "I believe Magolor's part in this journey is complete. He's done more than I can ever repay him for. So after we return to Pop Star, I'm hoping to bid him safe travels to somewhere far away from here. My knaves will be accompanying me." Though this he said with a bit of reluctance. He wanted nothing more than to keep his knaves safe, but he knew that after everything they've been through together, forcing them to stay behind would be nothing short of selfish. "As for the King, He will remain in Dreamland, and hopefully he can just forget this entire journey ever happened. I believe that will be best for him."

"Find him a television and I'm sure that will be no problem at all." A few beats of silence passed where Meta Knight could only look up at the Queen with curious eyes. After one more beat, the Queen gasped, holding her hands over her mouth. Her cheeks burned a deep red. "Oh my goodness, I didn't mean to say that out loud! Oooh dear, maybe I'm more stressed than I thought..."

There was no reply from Meta Knight, for as soon as the Queen exclaimed her embarrassment, he had been forced to cover his mouth to hide a most unbecoming laugh. It instead came out as a snort, which Meta Knight tried to cover with a cough. But his pink eyes revealed all, and the Queen took notice of this, and she began to panic.

"Nooo, no, don't laugh! I truly am grateful for what King Dedede did for Ripple Star! It's just...he can be...well, sometimes he's just a bit...Oooh now look at what you've gone and done!" She flicked her fingers against the top of the water, splashing Meta Knight with a few droplets. "You've gone and made me all flustered. This isn't relaxing in the slightest!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, your Majesty. I, on the other hand, am thoroughly enjoying your company." And it was at this point that both the Queen and Meta Knight began to laugh like old friends. This was all an interesting development, both parties knew. They had only known each other for a day, yet they were able to — in almost an instant — break down any barriers of unfamiliarity the two felt, and just speak to each other like, well, friends! And all it took was a bit of trash talk against King Dedede.

Whodda' thunk that?

The conversation from then on shifted to lighter topics. Meta Knight listened and offered advice as the Queen discussed her plans for expanding the garden to include a pond, while the Queen was hypnotized with intrigue as Meta Knight spoke of some of the more humorous war stories when he was in the GSA. Back and forth the two went, never running out of conversation material. But eventually, the Queen would begin to rise.

"This has been an absolute delight, good sir, but I believe dinner will be ready shortly. You of course may stay, but I need to dress myself and begin heading to the dining hall to greet our friends." The Queen began to towel off, and at the same time, Meta Knight left the hot spring as well.

"I believe I'll make my way to the dining hall as well" Meta Knight replied, picking up his own towel to begin drying off. "If nothing else, I wish to speak to my knaves. I know Blade and Sword have done some training today, but I want to make sure Blade isn't forcing himself to do too much, lest he hurt himself more than he already is."

The Queen cringed while sliding on her robe. "Is it a good idea for him to train at all in his state?"

Meta Knight finished toweling off, and began to dress himself in his armor. "No, but only complete unconsciousness will keep Blade away from a fight." He chuckled. "I've known him long enough to trust that he knows his own limits."

Nothing more was said after that. The two finished toweling off, made sure they weren't leaving anything behind, said their goodbyes, and parted ways. As discussed, Meta Knight began to make his way to the dining hall. If his memory served him well, the fastest route would be to travel outside and cut through the courtyard. Hmm, maybe while there he could check on Magolor as well. At least to make sure his friend wasn't still obsessing over the supplies.

Meta Knight entered the courtyard moments later, and was pleased to see the area was vacant. If he was being honest with himself, he had been well prepared to see Magolor running over his checklist for the umpteenth time. If not that, then at least see Magolor somewhere around his ship. But no, the alien was elsewhere. Perhaps for no other reason than it was becoming too dark outside to properly read his checklist. Meta Knight let out a relieved breath. He started through the courtyard with nary a thought in his mind. His eyes wandered, admiring the scenery around him, and could only imagine how beautiful this place must've looked if a large, broken ship wasn't in the dead center of it all. Though as soon as this thought crossed his mind, he was quick to remind himself that he was the cause of the Lor being broken. He wasn't in any position to criticize the Lor's appearance, he knew. As he passed the bow of the Lor, he reached a hand out to pat the metallic base, as if offering a silent apology to the ship.

He stopped, and cast his eyes towards the ship.

He wasn't alone.

It was one of those moments that he just couldn't describe. Where something in the entirety of the cosmic universe shifted out of place, and you can feel its wrongness. Though the feeling itself wasn't that grandiose, Meta Knight knew someone was around. His first guess was Magolor. It was also the most obvious choice, and Meta Knight felt the growing tension in his shoulders ease up. No need to get worked up, Meta Knight scolded himself.

"Magolor?" Meta Knight said aloud, casting his eyes from side to side.

He heard the faintest of gasps, and then a string of coughs.

That was not Magolor.

But he knew who it had been. The noise had come from above the ship, and the moment the coughing began, Meta Knight's concern was shifted to "who is here?" to "why isn't Ribbon resting in bed?".

"...Ribbon?" Meta Knight corrected, taking a few steps back so he was not at the base of the ship anymore. A few seconds of nothingness passed, where Meta Knight was wondering if Ribbon was going to acknowledge him at all. He wasn't going to push her to answer him, but he was curious shy she was hiding here, of all places.

Just when he was about to ask this question aloud, he saw a rustle of pink and red, and then Ribbon appeared a few moments later. Behind his mask, Meta Knight cringed. The girl had a bloody nose, and her eyes looked sunken. From lunch until now, she had taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

"Oh...um...hello, Meta Knight." Ribbon finally replied, offering a simple wave. She avoided eye contact. "I-I know I shouldn't be here, but I...um...I really just needed to lay down for a moment, and...I didn't want to be disturbed. I...I didn't want to bother anyone." She had clasped her hands together at one point and began to twiddle her thumbs.

"What about your friend, Adeleine?" Meta Knight questioned. Ribbon shrugged.

"She's….busy." There was no elaboration on that. Meta Knight sighed.

"I must insist you seek medical attention. You look very ill, Ribbon. Much more ill than you did this afternoon." Ribbon cringed at this accusation.

"Well, I have an appointment for later, so I just...wanted to wait until then." Finally, she made eye contact with Meta Knight. "It's fine, really. I'm fine. Sometimes I just feel a bit weak and dizzy. It's...it's really no big…"

Ribbon crashed to the ground.

Meta Knight was moving before her body finished falling, unfurling his wings and ascending to the deck of the ship in an instant. His wings returned to fabric when his feet hit solid ground, and he was at Ribbon's side in a moment, helping her rise to a sitting position. Ribbon had not passed out it seemed, but it was clear just by looking at her eyes that she was having a hard time remaining conscious.

"Are you alright?" Meta Knight asked once she was in a more comfortable position. The question had an obvious answer, but he wanted to make sure the young girl was still conscious enough to even answer it.

"Y-" That's all Ribbon could get out before another string of coughing overtook her. Meta Knight couldn't move back fast enough before a few drops of bloody spittle landed on his gloves, though this was of absolute no concern to him. Ribbon got her coughing under control a few moments later, and she tried to speak once more. "I'm...I'm okay. I-I think I'm going to go find Ado."

"Ribbon, I insist you seek medical attention-"

"I will, I promise. I just...always go to the appointments with Ado. She, uh...she makes them easier for me…" She sniffled, wiping at her nose and cringing at the flakey blood surrounding her nostril. "I'll go find Ado and then I'll go...I promise."

Meta Knight wanted to protest, not a fan of delaying something important like this. But there really was no point in saying no. A little girl wanted her friend there when she went to the doctor. Meta Knight wasn't heartless enough to deny that.

He held out his hand. "I will help you down, and find a guards fairy to escort you to Adeleine. Would that be acceptable?"

Ribbon didn't delay in grabbing Meta Knight's hand and being helped to a soft flutter. "Yes. Thank you, sir."

Both parties jumped from the Lor's deck, and returned to solid ground. From there, Meta Knight made quick work of finding the closest guards fairy and explaining the situation. From there, the two parted ways with Ribbon offering Meta Knight a final small wave. After that, Meta Knight was alone once more. Which meant he could continue to the dining hall.

After he cleaned his gloves.

A quick detour brought him to his temporary quarters that he shared with Sword and Blade. It was roughly the size of their quarters back at Castle Dedede, though much more decorated and warm. He was the only one in the room at the moment. He flicked the lights on, and blinked a few times to adjust himself to the light. From there, he pulled his soiled gloves off, and started for the bathroom. All he needed was a bit of warm water and lemon juice, and the stains would come right out.

A quick trip to the supply closet later, and Meta Knight had the lemon solution. He turned the hot water on, grabbed the first soiled glove-

And stopped. No, he froze.

In the darkness of the courtyard, Meta Knight's full attention had been on Ribbon. Where else would it have gone? He had wanted to make sure she was taken care of. He hadn't cared for more than a second when his glove had gotten dirtied, knowing there had been many more pressing issues at hand. But now that he was alone, and in a well lit room, Meta Knight could not tear his eyes from what he was seeing.

Fresh blood on white fabric should've left a red stain behind, that was obvious.

So then why was the stain on Meta Knight's glove pitch black?

Meta Knight saw his reflection in the mirror, and saw pure white eyes looking back at him.

No...no, it couldn't be.

It couldn't be.

So, yeah, been a while, again. How's it going nyall. The last chapter was posted around the time I started my new job last year, and my last job was toxic. But I got out of that job, and now I'm in a much better job!

I'm so sorry this story doesn't have a consistent upload schedule. I still plan to get this story finished, but how long that'll take will be left up in the air.

But in super awesome news, Zum1DontNo made a TV tropes page for the fic! It's really really cool and I've been giddy about it forever! So def check that out too!

This chapter was kept short on purpose. If everything goes according to plan, then from now on chapter order will be like "buildup, thing, buildup, thing." Sooo next chapter should be "thing!"

And as always, Comment, favorite, follow, digivolve, cry over, taste test, scream into the void with, and ENJOY this chapter!