Archive of Our Own ^beta

Dreamland’s peaceful again!

Kirby and Bandana Dee chat about their upcoming plans for the day. Bandee pulls Kirby in a big wagon and goes through an entire list of ideas, checking off tasks they accomplished.

“Let’s see,” Bandee says. “We already said hi to everyone out in town. Wanna eat our snacks and take another nap, Kirby?”
“Snacks, snacks, snacks!” Kirby cheers and flails his paws.

Kirby’s sitting in the center of all of the snacks for the day, apples in greens, reds, and yellows. They had almost every single kind of apple they could both get their paws on, thanks to Whispy’s help, and Dedede packed the boys plenty of apple juice and a picnic blanket. Kirby gazes up at the blue sky, watching birds fly among the clouds. Today will be so much fun!

Kirby and Bandana Dee find the perfect tree to sit underneath, relaxing under the dappled sunlight streaming through the shade of the green leaves. Birds fly among the clouds, flapping their wings and shifting into a v-shaped formation. A flock of birds migrating to Shiver Star for the winter.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to fly, Dee?” Kirby wonders out loud.

“We fly a lot on your warp star, no?” Bandee takes an apple juice. “I dunno, it seems a bit scary to be that high up! Wait a minute, can’t you float or use that wing ability?”

Bandee shudders at the thought of Kirby with permanent wings and having more adventures in the sky. Bandee hated heights, even though he knew warriors needed courage and the drive to conquer their fears…

Kirby smiles. “Nuh-uh. When I get older, I wanna grow wings.” The birds disappear in the distance, icy dots blending into a bright blue sky. “I really hope I do!”

“I mean, I guess it’s possible?” Bandana Dee says.

“Anything is possible!” Kirby nods. “After another nap time though. I’m kinda sleepy.”

Bandana Dee yawns. “Me too…”

Kirby drifts off into a pleasant dream. He’s in the sky, flying among the birds. Kirby has not one, but two sets of wings! Big beautiful dragonfly wings, humming and flapping in sync with the birds.

Kirby is a grownup in the dream, wearing pauldrons like his mentor and Papa, Meta Knight! With his newfound age came wisdom. He can now understand all of the funny words grownups use, read books and pronounce every word, and best of all: the wings meant he was not a little Star Child anymore. No longer a cute little puffball, but instead, a cool Star Warrior.

Meanwhile, one cool Star Warrior… makes his weekly trip to the bakery. Meta Knight flies to his destination rather than piloting one of the Halberd’s jets. The knight felt so free when in flight and the beauty of his surroundings made his body feel lighter as he took everything in. The ocean shimmers in shades of orange combining with gentle gusts of salty air. He’s laughing with joy, an emotion which felt out of his grasp for so long. Meta embraces the feeling, his black wings outlined in a vibrant sky.

Kirby and Bandee are definitely rubbing off on him, he thinks to himself. That’s alright, though. The idea of relaxing puzzled Meta until recently. He had a natural inclination to associate the term with laziness. Meta remembers the times where he looked up the terms in several dictionaries to be certain of their differences.

Relax (verb): To become calm and less anxious.

Lazy: (adjective): Unwilling to exert oneself or put effort in activities; also see sedentary.

Since King Dedede mandated Meta to have at least one day off a week, the knight’s swordsmanship skills have improved and he’s been happier than before, seeing the world in a different light. Everything, the sights, the sounds, all had a brighter perspective. He separated himself from the lone swordsman title. Why call himself that when he’s a father now?

His newfound changes are thanks to the others he felt proud to call family. Two sons and a partner who’d remind him about the importance of relaxing. After all, taking care of oneself didn’t necessarily mean laziness. The dictionaries stated as such. His family’s reminders further drilled this distinction between the two words into him, and the results were real and tangible.

While the ocean gains a blue hue and green plains come into view, Meta Knight thinks about the treats his sons and partner might enjoy the most. He recalls both of the boy’s obsession with foods, sweets in particular. Picking just one sweet each wasn’t an option. They all worked hard to save Popstar again. Meta knew Kirby would want one of every thing in the bakery at a bare minimum.
As for Bandana, his love for apples was no secret. The group needed well-deserved seconds, as well. Two of everything. Spare apple tarts. Extra helpings of flan and pudding. Meta also wanted to get Dedede big portions, too. The King preferred steak over sugary foods. There’s a pretty good chance the king wants every type of meat on the menu, his love of beef rivaling Kirby’s enjoyment of desserts. Fortunately, a new deli opened up by the bakery.

Meta’s purple sabatons land on soft, green grass. He spots Kirby and Bandee sleeping underneath a tree. Bandee leans against the tree bark, three empty juice boxes at his side. There were also crumbs everywhere on the picnic blanket, and in a red wagon where Kirby lays down, flapping his paws as if to swim. Kirby floats in his sleep, cheeks puffed out, drifting several inches up. The boy doesn’t stay afloat for long and starts sinking when he exhales.

Meta realizes that Kirby isn’t swimming in his sleep, he is trying to fly. Meta Knight helps Kirby settle back down. The boy is getting older and always more curious than the day before. Meta expects Kirby to ask about growing wings sooner than later. How will Meta ever explain the truth to him? He isn’t sure what to say when the question may come…

The fresh smell of warm bread fills the entire bakery. Sweets are in a well-stocked glass case, small custard tarts, decadent chocolate chip cookies, and dozens of cupcakes piled high in frosting. His dark colored pauldrons and cape contrast with the cheerful yellow walls and the rainbow colored desserts. He scans the menu. The clerk, an old friend named Princess Merona, expects him. She’s a wide-eyed maltese dog wearing a big pink bow and moved recently from Chiffon Star. Meta’s one of her biggest customers, the first in line to the bakery’s grand opening a few months prior. She bakes trays each week in anticipation of his visits. The line goes by quickly, the average customer grabbing little orders.

“Hey there, Sir Meta! What’s up?” She greets him with a smile as he approaches the counter.

Meta takes her greeting literally and looks up at the ceiling in confusion. It takes him a few extra beats to realize that the princess is asking how he is doing. “I’m doing well, yourself?”

The Princess chuckles. “Ah, you’re the same as always, Meta Knight. Want your usual? Tray of tiramisu, matcha mousse, and a baker’s dozen of coffee cupcakes?”

“Yes, please,” he gives the menu a second look. “May I also have two of everything else?”

“Wait, w-what? You really mean it, two of everything?” Merona is flabbergasted.
“I’m surprising my sons. They enjoy your baking.”

“Woah…this is…awesome. Thank you so much!” She’s in awe while packing the big order: boxes and bags pile up on the counter. ”Did you need help carrying this out or–”

Meta silently puts all of the boxes– twenty four in total– in his dimensional cape. The boxes sink into the galaxy-tinted rift.
“See you next week, Sir Meta?”

He nods and smiles underneath his mask on his way out as an aproned Waddle Dee goes over to the counter and helps Merona fill up trays.

“That knight always makes such a quick exit!”

“Yeah, the guy is a little introverted.”

“Used to get delivery constantly on a massive battle ship in the middle of nowhere.” The Waddle Dee reminisces. “I had to leave the order by his door and he never opened it. Always slipped tips underneath. Now, he’s opening up a little bit.”

“Yeah,” Marona looks out the storefront window.. “I’m glad he’s doing better.”

The deli door chimes as Meta walks inside. He proceeds to order four 2 ft sandwiches for the king. He is glad to see a touch screen for ordering and a self-checkout register. While Meta waits for the sandwiches to be made, King Dedede bursts in, opening both doors at once. Such loud entrances were typical behavior for the King. The exhausted Waddle Dee making the order doesn’t bat an eye. The King stops there, both arms outstretched, hammer in hand. Dedede just wanted his damned beef, steak, bacon, and bologna sandwich. How could this deli not take delivery? In his Kingdom?

The King loosens up upon seeing Meta. “Go figure! Funny runnin’ into you ‘round the food courts.”

“I ordered lunch,” he replies.

Dedede stares at the sandwiches as they’re being made. “Ya like beef, steak, bacon, and bologna sandwiches with extra mayo?”

“No, but I know they’re your favorite.”

“Huh?” King Dedede isn’t getting Meta’s hint.

“They’re for you,” Meta replies.

“Woah, really? Wait… did you even have breakfast this mornin’?”

“I had two cups of coffee.”

Dedede covers his exasperated expression with a gloved hand. “Have at least one of the sandwiches over there, or I’ll get a hold of my hammer and clobber ya.”

“I love you too, sire,” Meta says.

Dedede lihhtly bonks Meta on the head with a gloved fist. “You order lunch for me, but not for yourself? Coffee ain’t breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”

“It is technically caffeine, which does give me energy,” Meta says.

Dedede, knowing well how stubborn Meta Knight can be, comes up with an idea. “Listen, ya blueberry. If you have lunch with me, I’ll spar with you later and get out a movie to watch. Lunch, training, and a movie of your choice. Sounds good?”

“Are you bribing me to eat with sparring and a date?”

“Yeah. A whole duel and a date in one!”

Meta liked this proposal. “...I accept your challenge and look forward to it.”

The Waddle Dee, tired from experiencing second-hand embarrassment over the couple’s flirting, wraps all of the sandwiches up for them to leave. Bags are under his tired eyes. “Here you go. Have a nice day.”

He mumbles about being not paid enough to ‘deal with this crap’ the moment they are out of earshot.

Kirby wakes up, face down on the red wagon. He’s flapping his pink paws about like wings! What a nice dream. Wouldn’t it be great for that dream to come true in reality? Bandana’s already up and getting an apple.

“Hi, Bandana! I dreamed about having wings!” Kirby says.

“I dreamt my apple juice made me super strong, and I could dual-wield spears!”

Kirby’s eyes sparkle in awe. “Woah! Can apple juice do that? Make you strong? Do you think if I drink lots more juice boxes, I’ll get stronger and grow wings?”

“Yeah! I drink juice every day and it helps me. Little bit of protein powder does the trick. If you have lemons and honey and make a smoothie. It's incredible!"

Kirby grabs as much juice as his arms can carry. “Can I have all of these?”

“Of course you can!"

Meta Knight and Dedede approach the tree, their voices rising as they get closer. Dedede’s boisterous voice is several decibels louder; not exactly hard to miss.

“By definition, that was indeed a bribe,” Meta says, smirking under his mask.

Dedede puffs his chest. “Damn right, a good bribe at that. The sandwiches at that place are the best! Want a second one before our lil’ duel later?”

“For Nova’s sake, I am full!” Meta chuckles back. “I will not need to eat anything with protein for at least a week.”

The King mock-gasps. “No steak for a week! No burgers? How do ya function?”

“I am able to function quite well without daily steaks or burgers.”

"Yet, I had to convince ya to eat lunch…”

Their banter gets cut off by Kirby, who has the brilliant idea of inhaling six juice boxes at once.

The pink puff waits. “How long do you think it’ll take me to get my wings? A few seconds? Minutes? Ugh. If it’s an hour, that’ll be forever!”

“Hmmm, it may take time. But that just means it will be worth the wait!” Bandee turns to Meta for an answer. “Maybe Papa Meta knows more about your wings?”

“Um,” Meta Knight’s eyes flicker gray in surprise. He looks away.

“Meta, I think it’s ‘bout time you and I had a conversation with the kid.”

Dedede puts a hand on Meta’s pauldron.

“...You know well that I am not good at this,” Meta whispers.

Dedede sits down beside Kirby, not saying another word. Kirby starts getting nervous. Why is Papa Dedede serious now? Meta’s also acting weird, so much quieter than usual. Why’s Meta so quiet? Do his Dads have bad news? Dedede gestures a very hesitant Meta over. The knight exhales, the cape he keeps around his body tightening.

Bandee twiddles his paws. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”

Dedede reassures Bandana. “No, not at all, kiddo. Sit with us alright? You too, Meta. Come closer, sit down already!”

“What’s going on? Is it something bad? Is it about my wings?” Kirby starts panicking.

“It’s ain’t bad, get cozy! You’ll get to learn more about yourself today.” Dedede lends Kirby his robe. The boy puts the oversized robe over himself much like his Mety would, closing himself off from the others, every part of himself but his eyes covered.

“Let's see,” Dedede says, putting his experience raising the other Dees to the test. “Y’know I’m proud of you, Kirby, right? We are all. No matter what. Wings, no wings. We love ya to bits.”

“Does this mean, I am not gonna grow wings like Meta?” Kirby sinks deeper into the robe, a shadow casts on what little shows of his pink head.

“Kirby, listen…” Meta’s reaches for his son. Conversations on sensitive topics were much harder than any of his previous battles. He’s thinking back to all of the books he read on being a father and hours spent researching articles on fatherhood. What did the books all recommend?

In difficult situations, a child needs comfort. Dedede already started doing so by lending the child the robe. Meta reaches over to Kirby, patting him on the head. The gestures gives off a very stilted, awkward impression.

Meta fumbles his words with each head pat. “There, there. I am…um…here for you…?”

Dedede rubs the back of his neck, an anxious tick of his. He urges Meta to continue from behind Kirby’s back. Come on, Meta, spit it out already!

Dedede’s encouragement helps Meta continue. “Unfortunately, you’re unable to grow a set of wings, Kirby. But –”

Kirby cuts him off. “I can’t ever be a cool warrior like you? Never, ever?”

Meta carefully chooses his words, not following a script from his book this time around. The words flow out. “Anyone can be a warrior. Anyone.”
“Even me, Meta?” Kirby gives his mentor a big hug.

Meta wraps his arms around Kirby. “You are already a great Star Warrior.”

The stars in his blue eyes shimmer with happy tears. “I-I am?”

“Yes, Kirby. Without a single doubt.”

“Hey, don’t cry! You’ve helped us all, it’s our turn, now!” Bandee joins into the hug.

“You bet!” Dedede completes the family hug, big arms tightly keeping them all together. “I wouldn’t have shared my food with anyone. But you clobbered the livin’ daylights outta me that time! It was a wakeup call. One I really needed, even if I hate to admit it.”

“Thank you,” Kirby rubs tears from his eyes.

“Sentiments aside,” Meta wheezes in one of Dedede’s arms. "I brought some desserts,”

“That’s awesome! We can have even more snacks!” Bandee says, eyes lighting up in excitement.

The family separates, observing in amazement at Meta Knight, who removes two dozen boxes from his cape. An entire mountain of sweets!

“Damn,” Dedede says. The boxes are as tall as he is and tower above the three others.

“Well,” Meta flourishes his cape, with a proud smile under his mask. “Shall we eat?”