Chapter Text
Meta Knight took a deep breath and jumped off the side of the Halberd. His eyes closed, the air rushing past him, pulling at his wings and screaming at them to open. He opened his eyes just as he was about to hit the orange waters of the ocean but startled and the clean sweep he was about to make over Orange Ocean became a messy dive into the warm waters.
He heard a loud guffaw and looked back up at the ship to see Captain Vul watching him in amusement, a Sailor Waddle Dee chortling slightly. Meta Knight grunted and shook out his wings, swooping upwards and landing on the deck next to Vul with precision.
“Is everything alright sir?” inquired the Sailor Waddle Dee while Vul continued to laugh uproariously in the background.
“Everything is fine Dee, would you please take a towel to my quarters?”
“Right away sir!”
Meta Knight sighed, despite telling the young Waddle Dee to not call him sir all the time, he still persisted, in the meantime though, he turned to Vul. “And what, if I may ask, is so amusing to you?”
The co-captain of the Halberd wiped tears from his eyes before responding, “Sorry Meta Knight, but… what happened out there? You’ve never lost concentration like that before.”
Meta Knight paused. That was true, it was the first time in many years that he had fallen out of the sky and not been able to pull himself back together…
“I assure you Vul, there is nothing the matter. I’m sure it was just a sudden gust of wind.”
“But you-”, Vul stopped talking as Meta fixed him with a glare.
***
Meta Knight huffed as he dried himself off and swapped his mask so that his other one could dry a bit. He was also forced to remove his armour and cape for the time being which was… unfortunate.
He plunked himself down on the edge of his bed, looking out of the window at the view of the bay and sighed as he thought about why he had fallen. Daroach. It was because of Daroach. Meta had sworn that instead of his own reflection looking up at him from Orange Ocean he had seen Daroach staring up at him with a knowing smirk on his face, winking slightly. He shivered even as his face heated up. What did it mean? It wasn’t the first time that he had pictured the thief after their run-in either. Usually when he came across someone during one of his plans, he wouldn’t give them a second thought, but Daroach though… he was different in a way that Meta couldn’t put his finger on. It was aggravating. The rat had already stolen many opportunities of ridding Dream Land of King Dedede from him already, was the bandit attempting to steal his very thoughts away from him too?
He had looked rather different in the amber waters though. The warm colours had taken the edge off Daroach’s mocking expression and made it seem almost as though he was… smiling at him. His ears had seemed rounder, his complexion less of a cold blue-grey and much warmer, his sharp jawline had looked much softer and his eyes… The bandits eyes, usually so guarded, cunning, always one step ahead, his beautiful amber eyes had been glowing like jewels, glowing with a playfulness that had been hidden before. Almost as though Daroach had a secret that he wanted to share with him…
Meta shuddered. What was wrong with him? Why was he thinking about his rival in such a way? Tracing his jawline, his eyes picturing the thief’s perfect mouth. Feeling all tingly and warm inside at the thought of… No. Absolutely not. And Daroach was definitely not his rival, despite always getting in the way. He was a lowly thief! A lowly thief who seemed to have the same ideals and goal as he did…
Meta Knight huffed again. He needed a distraction from this distraction. He needed something to harden his resolve, to restore his usual nature. It would be nice if he could see his teacher again, but unfortunately that was impossible. Galacta Knight was sealed in a crystal located in Another Dimension. Perhaps… perhaps if he could find a way to get there, he could find the Ancients and ask them to help him free his mentor. And just like that, the gears in his head were turning again. He just hoped that the gears weren’t so shiny that Daroach would steal them from him…. GAHHH!!!! Why was it so difficult to think of something other than that rat for more than a minute or two?
With his wings wrapped around himself, he slowly walked over to the intercom and spoke into it, specifically to Vul’s chambers.
“Captain Vul, please ensure that I remain undisturbed for tonight. I will not require this evening’s meal, nor do I wish to discuss our next plan for engaging King Dedede. That is all.”
Sighing, he made his way to his bed and placed his mask on the desk beside it. He sunk into the soft blankets and closed his eyes as he escaped into slumber. Unfortunately, a red cloaked bandit followed him into the realm of dreams.