19 - Hero

It was the middle of the night, and Meta Knight was locked away in the king's unused library, finding the light of the moon and stars distasteful tonight. He rarely felt at peace and now was no exception, but he managed to lose himself in a book of old legends and war heroes.

All was quiet up until the point where someone opened the door. He glanced up, wondering who else could be awake at this ungodly hour. Judging by the way they were muttering under their breath, they seemed to be rather agitated.

It turned out to be Fumu. She came around the corner and didn't spot him at first. After a moment, she saw him huddled in his nook by the light of a dimmed lantern and gasped. "Oh! Sir Meta Knight! What are you doing here?"

"Sleep often evades me, Fumu," he said. "Reading helps. What are you doing up?"

She blinked, then sat across from him at the little end table. "Well, I couldn't really sleep either…"

He chuckled. "I see. Does something trouble you?"

Fumu shrugged. "Not really. Well… I do feel kinda down. I wish everyone would respect me… They never listen when I talk to them. …I kinda wanna be a hero like you…Sir Meta Knight…"

Meta Knight didn't respond for an uncomfortable length of time. "…You should enjoy your youth while you can, Fumu."

She bit her lip. "…Tell me a story."

"I think you are a little too old for a bedtime story."

"No, not that kind of story! …Can I hear something from your past?" She employed the classic puppy-dog eyes.

He would have liked to. Fumu was one of the few people whose company he actually enjoyed. She was intelligent, and didn't annoy him, but she was still too young to hear such things. He shook his head.

"Why not…?" she sighed, looking disappointed.

"My past is…terrible. I cannot talk about it."

"Sir Meta Knight?" She looked at him with concern, realizing she'd crossed into personal territory.

"Yes, Fumu?"

"I'm sorry. I should know better than to butt into your business…"

"It's alright. Everyone is curious about me, but…"

"Have you talked about it with Sword and Blade?"

"…A little, but far from everything."

So, his own knaves didn't even know about his past? "I don't get it though. You're a hero, aren't you?"

He laughed bitterly. "Yes, although I would rather be anything but."

"How come?"

"It is not a glamorous title to earn. I have lost so much…" His eyes turned a soft, liquid purple.

Fumu turned away, unable to bear the sadness in them. "I should head off to bed…" She started to leave, abandoning the notion of reading.

"Wait!"

She stopped, confused. Meta Knight stood and handed her the book he had been reading. "Take this with you. Perhaps you will find what you are looking for."

She smiled. "Thanks, Sir Meta Knight! Good night!"

Then she was gone. Meta Knight sighed, and settled back into his seat. He spent the rest of the night alone, eyes green with thought.