A Frozen Leo's Return
Chapter. 5
"Meta, please stop pacing and sit down."
Bate placed a hand on the warriors pauldron and led him to one of the chairs in the waiting room. The Puff, too tired to rebuttal after a hectic day of gathering roots and miscellaneous plants, obliged and quietly sat. It's been quite a busy day for everyone. Gathering plants, helping to prepare the medicine, and even bottling everything into individual vials. The most stressful thing for him, however, was waiting to see if it worked on his friend. He didn't speak a word as he was too anxious for the well being of her. Bate knew, and lightly nudged him with his wing.
"Everything's going to be okay, Meta. Petta said she'd going to be fully recovered in a few days, you shouldn't get yourself so worked up."
"Yeah, Meta, you wouldn't want to make her all worried about you." Arthur teased soon after as he mimicked what Meta did to him this morning and proceeded to make kissing noises.
Not in the mood to hear his bantering, the warrior quickly snapped back. "Shut up!" He raised his wing to slap him. Arthur just laughed as he blocked his hits while Bate gave a rather tired sigh. When the other occupants in the room looked up and stared at him, Bate extended his wings to break up the pair.
"We're in a hospital, you two." He hushed. "Behave yourselves and stop acting like children."
"Meta started it." The green knight crossed his arms, looking away as he took his seat again.
"Arthur, I really don't want to hear it right now." Bate cut in before Meta had the chance to shout back. "And that goes double for you, Gumball. If both of you can't settle down, we're leaving until you're able to learn how."
Not wanting to be dragged out, Meta sighed and sat back down. None spoke as all three silently waited. Arthur looked up when he heard the voice of Petta, and nudged his mentor who began dozing off. The doors from the other side opened to reveal her and Mends quietly talking to one another. Before Arthur had a chance to greet her, Meta quickly ran past him.
"Is she okay?" He frantically asked. "Did....it work?"
"Meta, do you honestly doubt my abilities that much?" She humorously spoke, which caused his fears to instantly disperse. Petta saw him starting to smile, and she softly yelped when he pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you, Petta. Thank you for all your hard work."
"Of course, Meta." Her eyes softened as she returned the hug. He pulled back and faced Mends once be began speaking.
"Given how well she's recovering, I'd say she'll be released by the end of the day. She's going to be bed bound for a few days after the fact, so be sure to keep a close eye on her." He informed the young warrior, moving aside so he could see her. "While I normally would prefer her to rest, stubbornness runs strong in Bate's line. You'd eventually find a way to get through, so I won't stop you this time. You may proceed."
Meta quickly looked back at Bate, and ran to the room when he gave his permission. He stood in front of the door and lifted a shaky hand to grab the handle. Taking a breath, he slid the door and proceeded to enter. He tried to be as quiet as possible when he shut it, but once the door clicked, he could hear a small giggle from behind the curtain.
"It's a good thing you're not on my hunting squad. Everyone could probably hear that click from a mile away, including our prey." She joked.
"I'm fast, I'd be able to take it down even if it started to run." He highly stated with a slight smug when his abilities where chastised. He pushed aside the curtain and couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia hit when he saw her. Without her armor and mask, she looked exactly the same as when they first met. It was hard to believe it was really her after all these years. Taking a seat next to her bedside, Meta noticed she still looked rather ill. Fiddling with his hands, the warrior kept quite as he truly didn't know what else to say. Should he comfort her? Should he make her laugh? Let her rest? Sweet Nova, socialized wasn't his strong suit; what would Arthur or even his Teacher say if they were in his position?
Kes could clearly see how uncomfortable he was, so she puffed up her cheek and blew several specks of ice at him. While it didn't hurt, it was cold to the point where Meta quickly shook it off his forehead. He looked up at the Leo, raising a brow.
"So, when did the great Star Warrior Sir Meta Knight become such a quiet shadow? I certainly don't remember you acting this distant before." She reached over to grab his hand.
Meta looked down and saw the IV with the antidote still attached to her. He tensed up and adverted his gaze. "So, you're feeling better?" He asked in replace of her question.
"Well, I feel much better compared to when I first arrived. I really do owe Petta for her dedication and hard work. I probably would've died if she....-" Kes paused when she felt sudden pressure on her arm. She blinked in surprise how tight Meta was gripping it, and realized maybe bringing that up wasn't the smartest thing to say. With the sudden regret of saying that, Kes tried her best to ease him.
"M-Meta, I'm fine. Even the doctor said I should be able to leave by tonight. And c'mon," She nudged him. "You really think I wouldn't keep our promise? I said I was going to visit again, and I wasn't going to dare break it to my first friend from the outside. Now, how about a smile? I remember you used to be so good at those when we were younger."
"I don't remember you being so sarcastic." Meta did his best to return it.
"Someone has to be if you're this stubborn." She continued while Meta playfully rolled his eyes. Sitting up a bit more, Kes leaned forward as she was interested in all she had missed. "While we're waiting until I get the okay to leave, would you mind filling me in on all your adventures while I was away? I'm sure you have some amazing stories to tell. I mean, when did you start covering your face? You look so mysterious in it, I could hardly believe it was you when we met earlier.
"I could say the same about you." He mimicked, settling back in his seat to catch up with his old friend. But if you insist...." He cleared his throat as he prepared himself. Timid and weary when he first arrived, Meta eventually warmed up and found his voice again.
Bate placed a hand on the warriors pauldron and led him to one of the chairs in the waiting room. The Puff, too tired to rebuttal after a hectic day of gathering roots and miscellaneous plants, obliged and quietly sat. It's been quite a busy day for everyone. Gathering plants, helping to prepare the medicine, and even bottling everything into individual vials. The most stressful thing for him, however, was waiting to see if it worked on his friend. He didn't speak a word as he was too anxious for the well being of her. Bate knew, and lightly nudged him with his wing.
"Everything's going to be okay, Meta. Petta said she'd going to be fully recovered in a few days, you shouldn't get yourself so worked up."
"Yeah, Meta, you wouldn't want to make her all worried about you." Arthur teased soon after as he mimicked what Meta did to him this morning and proceeded to make kissing noises.
Not in the mood to hear his bantering, the warrior quickly snapped back. "Shut up!" He raised his wing to slap him. Arthur just laughed as he blocked his hits while Bate gave a rather tired sigh. When the other occupants in the room looked up and stared at him, Bate extended his wings to break up the pair.
"We're in a hospital, you two." He hushed. "Behave yourselves and stop acting like children."
"Meta started it." The green knight crossed his arms, looking away as he took his seat again.
"Arthur, I really don't want to hear it right now." Bate cut in before Meta had the chance to shout back. "And that goes double for you, Gumball. If both of you can't settle down, we're leaving until you're able to learn how."
Not wanting to be dragged out, Meta sighed and sat back down. None spoke as all three silently waited. Arthur looked up when he heard the voice of Petta, and nudged his mentor who began dozing off. The doors from the other side opened to reveal her and Mends quietly talking to one another. Before Arthur had a chance to greet her, Meta quickly ran past him.
"Is she okay?" He frantically asked. "Did....it work?"
"Meta, do you honestly doubt my abilities that much?" She humorously spoke, which caused his fears to instantly disperse. Petta saw him starting to smile, and she softly yelped when he pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you, Petta. Thank you for all your hard work."
"Of course, Meta." Her eyes softened as she returned the hug. He pulled back and faced Mends once be began speaking.
"Given how well she's recovering, I'd say she'll be released by the end of the day. She's going to be bed bound for a few days after the fact, so be sure to keep a close eye on her." He informed the young warrior, moving aside so he could see her. "While I normally would prefer her to rest, stubbornness runs strong in Bate's line. You'd eventually find a way to get through, so I won't stop you this time. You may proceed."
Meta quickly looked back at Bate, and ran to the room when he gave his permission. He stood in front of the door and lifted a shaky hand to grab the handle. Taking a breath, he slid the door and proceeded to enter. He tried to be as quiet as possible when he shut it, but once the door clicked, he could hear a small giggle from behind the curtain.
"It's a good thing you're not on my hunting squad. Everyone could probably hear that click from a mile away, including our prey." She joked.
"I'm fast, I'd be able to take it down even if it started to run." He highly stated with a slight smug when his abilities where chastised. He pushed aside the curtain and couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia hit when he saw her. Without her armor and mask, she looked exactly the same as when they first met. It was hard to believe it was really her after all these years. Taking a seat next to her bedside, Meta noticed she still looked rather ill. Fiddling with his hands, the warrior kept quite as he truly didn't know what else to say. Should he comfort her? Should he make her laugh? Let her rest? Sweet Nova, socialized wasn't his strong suit; what would Arthur or even his Teacher say if they were in his position?
Kes could clearly see how uncomfortable he was, so she puffed up her cheek and blew several specks of ice at him. While it didn't hurt, it was cold to the point where Meta quickly shook it off his forehead. He looked up at the Leo, raising a brow.
"So, when did the great Star Warrior Sir Meta Knight become such a quiet shadow? I certainly don't remember you acting this distant before." She reached over to grab his hand.
Meta looked down and saw the IV with the antidote still attached to her. He tensed up and adverted his gaze. "So, you're feeling better?" He asked in replace of her question.
"Well, I feel much better compared to when I first arrived. I really do owe Petta for her dedication and hard work. I probably would've died if she....-" Kes paused when she felt sudden pressure on her arm. She blinked in surprise how tight Meta was gripping it, and realized maybe bringing that up wasn't the smartest thing to say. With the sudden regret of saying that, Kes tried her best to ease him.
"M-Meta, I'm fine. Even the doctor said I should be able to leave by tonight. And c'mon," She nudged him. "You really think I wouldn't keep our promise? I said I was going to visit again, and I wasn't going to dare break it to my first friend from the outside. Now, how about a smile? I remember you used to be so good at those when we were younger."
"I don't remember you being so sarcastic." Meta did his best to return it.
"Someone has to be if you're this stubborn." She continued while Meta playfully rolled his eyes. Sitting up a bit more, Kes leaned forward as she was interested in all she had missed. "While we're waiting until I get the okay to leave, would you mind filling me in on all your adventures while I was away? I'm sure you have some amazing stories to tell. I mean, when did you start covering your face? You look so mysterious in it, I could hardly believe it was you when we met earlier.
"I could say the same about you." He mimicked, settling back in his seat to catch up with his old friend. But if you insist...." He cleared his throat as he prepared himself. Timid and weary when he first arrived, Meta eventually warmed up and found his voice again.
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Artist Comment:
Date: --
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Date: --
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Species © Nintendo/ HAL Laboratory
Interpreted characters created from said species © Rhylem
Interpreted characters created from said species © Rhylem
