#deburde

After memorizing the directions Black Dedede gave “in case they were needed”, Meta Knight found himself at the base of a tree, a shabby put together tree house in its branches. Obviously, none of the natives of the mirror world were architects.

“Hello?” he called up.

There was a muffled “Poyo?” followed by a “Shadow Kirby you stay there zoy.” before a square shaped piece of wood was removed from the floor of the tree house, revealing Black Dedede.

“Ah, Meta Knight. How can we help you zoy?” the penguin asked.

“I was hoping to have a word with Dark Meta Knight,” the blue Batamon explained.

“I’m not here!” another adult voice shouted in response.

“Dark Meta Knight, what did ya do!?” feathery reflection demanded.

“Nothing! I just don’t feel like talking to him!” the other responded defensively.

“I was hoping to ask you a few questions in regards to a... yellow clad wizard. He says he knows you.”

His reflection was silent for a moment. Then shuffling. Then a gloved hand gently pushed on Black Dedede’s arm, prompting him to move out of the way. The dark knight looked down at his counter part before turning slightly.

“Shadow Kirby, I’ll be right back. Black Dedede, make sure he doesn’t fall out or something.”

And with that, he jumped down, effortlessly landing on his feet in front of the other.

“Walk with me,” Dark Meta Knight said simply.

With a nod, the blue living orb followed him, his cape wrapped around himself. He noticed after a second, the other did the same.

How odd that we are supposed to be opposites, yet we share such little traits and quirks... Meta Knight thought idly.

“So,” the dull Batamon started, “You’ve met him.”

“Indeed. He alluded to your relationship with him, saying you’ve known each other ‘for a while’. I would like to know a bit more on that.”

Dark Meta Knight shrugged.

“I guess it has been a bit since we first met...” he agreed.

“How did you two first meet?”

The reflection took a bit to think.

“Uh... One night, I was sleeping... And he just kind of... showed up. Admittedly, at first I was a little... hostile. I didn’t trust him, and something in the back of my mind just screamed that he was no good... However, after much patience, he started growing on me...”

Showed up in his sleep? Does that mean...?

“He’s that friend in your dream that you mentioned when that fellow in the sunglasses asked us...” Meta Knight guessed.

“Wow, you figured that out rather quick... Indeed, that is him. It was only recently when I met him in the world of the waking...”

That explained a bit. But wait, if he exists, then that doesn’t explain...

“Are you sure you haven’t met him in the physical world before?” the blue winged Batamon asked.

The other puff raised his eyebrows. That much Meta Knight could see through the visors of his counterpart’s mask.

“No...? Why else do you think I was unsure whether or not he’s real until recently?” Dark Meta Knight asked.

“The man admitted that he was from the Mirrorworld. So I was wondering...”

The dark dull Batamon shook his head.

“No, I have never seen him among Dark Mind’s forces. I think I’d recognize him if our creator birthed him. His creations tend to hang around each other a lot, even outside of assignments. Some more than others...” that some-more-than-others- part was obviously referring to himself, “but in general, we all tend to know each other by name and face. At least, that’s how it was for those of us that personally worked for Dark Mind,” he explained.

Well this was a little confusing. Was this suggesting that eNeMeE’s counterpart did not personally work for Dark Mind? Why? He’s based off an extremely powerful sorcerer made entirely of fear with, as far as anyone knew, only one weakness.

Did this mean Dark Mind didn’t create him? And if so, this put Dark Mind being the Mirror World’s creator into question. Which made a lot of sense, really... After all, while discovering the Mirror World was very new, that didn’t mean the Mirror World itself was new. That didn’t explain the residents claiming Dark Mind as their one true creator... How did he convince everyone of that...?

“Hey, brick wall, what is with the silence?” Dark Meta Knight said, snapping his fingers in front of his counterpart’s face.

That pulled Meta Knight back into reality.

“Ah, apologies. Just... distracted, I suppose...”

He didn’t expect that if he admitted the theory he was formulating in his head that his reflection would be to happy or accepting of it.

The other rolled his eyes as they made it back to the tree house.

“So, is that all?” Dark Meta Knight asked as he took off his tattered cape, revealing his scarred and stitched up leathery wings.

“One more thing,” the other replied as he watched the dark Batamon fly up and towards the blocked opening.

“Well hurry up. I’m tired and wish to go to bed,” Dark Meta Knight said as he pushed up the board blocking the hatch.

“What is his name?”

The dull puff was in the middle of climbing inside when he paused and heard the question.

Don’t tell me...

“I... I do not know... I never got his name...”