Sakura's POV:

It's a nice, warm afternoon in Nintendo City. Earlier, Kirby, Shadow, Bandana, Meta Knight, and I all walked into town together. It was nice to have our normal group of four (plus one) again. These three are my most favorite people in the whole Galaxy, and Shadow is quickly earning a place alongside them as my most favorite person, number four.

Awhile back, we split into two groups. Meta Knight and Bandana went to check out a bookshop, Kirby and Shadow and I have just been wandering and looking at things. That's all you really need to do to have a good day here, is look. There's just so much to see, so much peace and harmony. It reminds me of home, but in a way, it's even more beautiful. All these different creatures, all getting along. No disagreements between townspeople, no DeDeDe driving through town and making a mess just because he can. Here, it's... beautiful, peaceful, harmonious. Those are the best ways to describe it.

Shadow's riding on my head so he can see over everybody around us and so he doesn't get lost, but Kirby's braver and keeps running a block or two off, always coming back soon after.

A few minutes ago, though, he ran off and hasn't come back yet. I'm not really worried, he probably just found a playmate. But after my run-in with the Ninja a couple days ago, and knowing how important this one little guy is to the fate of the whole Galaxy, I'm not taking any chances. Shouting out into the crowd, I call, "Kirby! Where'd you go?"

Seconds later, he reappears. "Here I am, Sakura. Sorry, someone offered me a free sample of their cinnamon rolls, and being the little angel I am, I accepted politely." He makes an innocent, angelic face at me.

"An angel, huh? Makes sense to me," I tease him, poking him in the tummy and earning myself a giggle. "I'm just glad you're okay, Kirby."

"Of course I'm okay," he rolls his eyes, having no idea why I'm being cautious. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

"Maybe not, buddy, but you're always going to be my little brother," I remind him with a fond smile. Why do Star Warrior kids have to grow up so dang fast? They get to live for eight-hundred years or so, as long as nothing prevents them from doing so, so it should take them more than eighteen years to grow up, in my opinion. It's just not fair.

Anyway... I haven't told anyone about the Ninja, not even Meta. He doesn't need yet another thing to fret about, poor guy. Solar helped me out of that mess, so everything's fine. All's well that ends well, right?

I'm torn from my reverie when, out of nowhere, someone reaches out and taps Kirby on the head. It's a light water-blue Star Warrior lady, with the same chestnut eyes as me. "Excuse me, but did you just say your name is... Kirby?"

Grinning at her in typical Kirby fashion, Kirby agrees, "It sure is. What's your name?"

Her hands fly to her face, astonished. "Kirby-kun. You're... alive? B-but... You'd be like two hundred years old, now! You shouldn't be a kid anymore! But it's you, it's really you! How is this possible?"

Frowning deeply, I demand, "Who exactly are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry about that," she says, flustered, but a huge smile appearing on her face. "I'm Kawa. And, I know this is a surprise and possibly quite a bit rude, but I think this is my little brother. Oh, I have to go find Okaasan! I'm sorry to be a bother, but would you please come with me?"

Dumb-founded, I follow, a confused Kirby tagging along behind, and a completely lost Shadow still on my head. If this is actually Kirby's sister, then that means that she's also my sister. And if she's actually leading us to her mother... I want to let myself believe it, but it's too good to be true.

Minutes later, we arrive at a medicine shop. Running the cash register is a tired-but-happy looking light-gray Star Warrior with sapphire-blue eyes that I would recognize anywhere. "Heather," I say quietly in pure amazement. She looks up from the register suddenly, and frowns at me. But then, she sees Kirby.

"Kirby?" she says, staring at him. "Kirby! My little boy!" she laughs suddenly, jumping down from the stool she stands on and giving him a huge hug. "How are you still a little boy? Oh, it doesn't matter. My son! My little son! You're alive!"

At first, he tries to wriggle away from her, and I guess I don't blame him. "Kirby," I tell him gently, as I place a hand on his head, feeling amazed and a bit confused. "This is really our mother."

"Our mother?" Heather frowns, then turns to me. "What do you mean, our mother?"

"Sorry," I apologize, throwing in a little bow without thinking about it. I guess it's just because I'm around someone from Heritage clan. We- uh, they- follow a lot of the traditions of the Ancients like that. Shyly, I explain, "Kirby is my little brother. I know I don't look like I used to anymore, but I'm Yuki. I'm known as Sakura now, but I'm your daughter Yuki."

She stares at me dubiously for a moment, but then begins to laugh, and tries to hug me and Kirby both at the same time. "She's right, Kawa! She's Yuki! She has Charcoal's eyes!"

"B-but," Kirby murmurs, completely and totally lost. "How are they here?"

"That's a good question," I agree with another thoughtful frown. "How are you here? Didn't Star World get, well, destroyed?"

"Oh, we left in the evacuation," Heather, or, well, Mom, I guess, explains briefly. "Like everybody else who was still around that could make it."

"Everybody else?" I murmur, then grin. "Mom- I mean, ma'am," I blush. I just... the idea of having a mom... it's something I've always dreamed of. But what evacuation is she talking about? I've never heard of an evacuation... that's really weird.

"You can call me Mom," she laughs with a smile.

Curious and eager, reminding me of a more-mature version of Kirby, Kawa demands, "But how did you survive Nightmare, Yuki- I mean, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura-chan. I like the way that sounds, a lot, actually. "I'll explain later," I smile. "But, right now, I need to know something. Do you know of a white-yellow and a cherry-red Star Warrior couple?"

"No, but I do know a white-yellow Star Warrior with green eyes who lives not too far from here. Honesty? Is that who you're looking for?" she asks with a thoughtful frown.

"Yes! That's exactly who I'm looking for!" I laugh. "She's the mother of a friend of mine. Where does she work?"

"She works next door, at the hobby and sewing shop," she tells me, then goes back to hugging Kirby, who seems to be slowly recognizing them.

"Neechan?" he murmurs slowly, looking at Kawa, then he changes his gaze to Mom and murmurs, just as slowly, "Kaachan?"

I smile. Sometimes I used to wonder how Kirby knows a few words of the language of the Ancients, like 'suika,' (watermelon,) and 'hai,' (yes,) but now I guess I know. It's 'cause somewhere, in that innocent, eager mind of his, he remembers being around people who knew the language. People who still call each other by the Ancients' words for sister, and mother.

My family is growing. And I still don't understand how this is possible, but it's wonderful anyway.

After carefully setting Shadow down and spreading my wings, I fly right out of the store and over town until I find Meta. "Come with me," I order without explanation. His eyes glow dark green in confusion, but he follows me anyway, a lost Bandana trying to keep up down below.

Quickly, I lead him to the hobby shop. Once there, I look around inside for a familiar face, but she finds us before we find her.

"Blossom? What brings you to Nintendo City?" that voice that I had so many arguments with, but also grew to belong to a good friend of mine, inquires.

Meta Knight freezes, then turns slowly around and stares at her. "...Mother?"

And so begins another joyful reunion. This is the first time either of them has seen each other since before the war. Honesty can't stop laughing and crying at the same time, Meta Knight's eyes start glowing the brightest, most beautiful blue I've ever seen. This is happier than I've ever seen Mr. Stoic in the present time, and it makes me very happy, too.

That night, Mom has all of us over to her place for supper. (Homemade sushi and ramen, it's actually really, really good.) Meta is so happy to see his mother again, his eyes don't quit glowing blue until after we've left. Kirby chats Mom's and Kawa's ears off about all of his adventures, and Bandana and Shadow occasionally chip in with a story themselves. When Kirby tells Mom that Bandana and Shadow are also our 'brothers,' she willingly and happily agrees to call them her 'sons.'

When the evening's ended, five of us walk back to the castle, talking happily, all but one of us occasionally laughing. (I'll just let you guess which one that one is.)

Once I've made sure the kids have headed for bed, or at least in bed's general direction, I go and talk to Meta in the castle library. We're both overjoyed, of course, but something still seems wrong, somehow.

"I've never heard of an 'evacuation' happening. Have you?" I question, walking over and standing at an open bay window next to him, breathing in the lovely sea air. It smells just like home.

Shaking his head, he murmurs, lost in thought, "No. I am sure if the Academy had known of an evacuation, they would have told us."

"So, did someone go behind the Academy's back, was the Academy lying, or are these people imposters?" I wonder. "I don't think it's either of the last two. Star Warriors aren't exactly known for political corruption."

My semi-snarky joke makes his eyes glow light green, but only for a second. "Something just does not seem at all right about this."

"Mm," I agree with a frown and a sigh. "I just want to be happy that they're here, but..."

"In my experience, being safe is better than being sorry," he agrees with a nod.

"It's still fine to go see them and stuff, but until we know more, we probably shouldn't tell them anything too personal, that could used against us," I think out loud, then smile. "I just can't believe I still have family. More than I already have, I mean. It's so wonderful, to have someone back that you'd thought you'd lost."

"It is," he nods once, looking fondly over at me. "What happened to your father, or do you know?"

"He was a soldier, remember?" I remind him.

"That is right," he murmurs. "Mother says that Father did not make it to the evacuation, so he is no longer around, either."

"Well, that's just peachy," I mutter sadly. "I'm sorry."

"I was never expecting to see him again, anyway," he shrugs. "So I am just glad to have seen Mother again. By the way, your other sister is still out there, too. Her name is Ame."

"Really? The orange one?" I grin. "Where is she?"

Thoughtful, he turns away toward the window. After a long moment, he answers, "Star World. Nightmare made her a monster called Iron Mam, then left her there after the war. She still thinks of herself as a monster, sadly."

Growing sad, I murmur, "I wonder if she's answering his calls."

"They come every night," he nods in quiet agreement. Every night, we've both been having what we've dubbed 'Nightmares.' We don't know whether the Fountain of Dreams would block them or not, since we haven't been in Dreamland since we started having them. They last for about an hour or so, then end. But for an hour every night, Nightmare is calling us, all of us who he was ever able to call one of his soldiers, and it makes me and Meta both very nervous.

"Anyway," I sigh, then turn to go. "I'm going to bed. You never know when this 'break' is going to be over and we'll suddenly be sent off on another quest."

"You are right," he agrees with a single nod. "Sleep well, Sakura."

"Good night, Meta," I reply, then give him a quick hug, even if his cloak, which is drawn around himself, is in the way. "Don't stay up too late worrying."

A smile in his voice, he promises, "I will not."

Starting back to my room, I make it about halfway, when someone stops me. "Lady Sakura, may I request the pleasure of thy company for a short while? I need to speak to thee."

"Solar?" I squawk, a bit surprised. "Um, okay." Following him out of the castle, I am led by him to an empty street, where he then turns to me.

"Ye met thy family again today, did ye not?" he questions, seeming concerned.

"Um, yeah. I did," I agree. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Ye are probably wondering how they are here, are ye not?" he goes on to inquire, still seeming like he's very worried about something, occasionally looking around nervously, like he's scared of who might be listening.

"Well, yes, I am. Do you know how they're here?" I demand. Surely Solar knows, he's probably the oldest Star Warrior currently living. He's almost 750 by now. You know, you'd think he'd seem older by now. But I don't have time to think too hard about that, right now.

"Yes, actually, I do know how," he mutters. "But it is not safe to tell thee, here. Ye never know who Arthur has listening."

"Arthur?" I mutter, frowning even deeper. "But Sir Arthur's a goodguy. What are you-"

Clapping a hand over my mouth, he shushes me urgently, "Ye must be quieter. Come, I will take thee to a place where we might speak."

Conjuring up another portal, he leads me back to the place he rescued me from the Ninja in. "Here we might speak without foul ears listening," he tells me with a sigh of relief.

"So how are they here? And what does Sir Arthur have to do with it?" I question, growing anxious myself. If Solar, a great war hero, is scared, then whatever's going on must be very, very bad.

Sadly, Solar begins, "Ye know that Arthur was- and is- the general of the Star Warrior armies after my disappearance. Well, I am afraid to say that the position corrupted him. One of my most stellar apprentices, and the temptations of power ensnared him.

"Why just be general, when he could be more? He went to Nightmare, who agreed to make him stronger, his right-hand man, even, but for a terrible price.

"And that price was... Star World."

"What?" I squeak, eyes wide. "Sir Arthur sold Star World to Nightmare? B-but that doesn't sound like him at all! I've never actually met him, but Sir Arthur is one of the greatest, bravest warriors ever!"

"He is a very good actor," Solar snorts, seeming disgusted. I'm starting to feel mad, too. "But I caught wind of it, and rather than let him do this, I organized an evacuation, got many people off-planet, and brought them here, where they would be safe. Star World still went to Nightmare, and that is where his fortress now is."

"No," I breathe, horrified. "Nightmare's new fortress is on Star World? But he'll ruin the whole place! He'll make it metal and dead, just like he did to the planet he turned into his original fortress!"

"I know, my dear, I know," he shakes his head, seeming nearly crushed. "It is indeed a horrible thing. But what is even more horrible is this... Definitely three, possibly all four of his protégés knew of this, but never said a thing. They never warned anyone."

"Falspar, Dragato, and Nonsurat all did that?" I gasp, feeling even more horrified. "But Meta- Meta would never do that! I know he wouldn't, I know him!"

Solar agrees, "Meta Knight may very well be in the dark. Keeping one around that was truly a- forgive the cliché- knight-in-shining-armor, would certainly help them look better. But the other three... those ye cannot trust, my dear. Ye must be very careful to not breathe a word of this conversation to any of them."

Nodding, I tell him, "But I have to tell Meta. We can trust him, I promise. I would trust Meta Knight with my life."

Hesitantly, he agrees, "Very well. But ye cannot tell him that ye heard it from me. Arthur has been looking for me for years. If he ever found me..." he leaves it at that, but I know what he means.

On the verge of tears, I stutter, "I just... Sir Arthur has always been one of my heroes. But I trust you more, Solar." He smiles kindly-but-wearily and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. For just a moment, he looks old. You can see the stress of the centuries in his eyes. But, after just a moment, he goes back to looking young. "But, if Sir Arthur is still working for Nightmare..."

"He is, and he is quite ready to turn against those who fight for freedom and good. Do not let thyself get hurt, love. Be very wary about who thee put thy trust in, my dear," he warns me, dead serious.

Suddenly remembering, I murmur, "That's exactly what Rose said."

Smiling wearily again, but not looking anywhere near as old this time, Solar sighs, "Rose is very wise, then, my dear. Now, we must get thee back before someone foul becomes suspicious."

"Right," I agree with a firm nod, feeling very ticked at those three frauds now. Acting all buddy-buddy with me, dueling me and stuff. They were actually just trying to see how much of a threat I'd be, weren't they? They've fooled Meta, too, all these years. This is terrible. Especially Falspar, who I knew when he was young... I can't believe Sir Arthur. And to think he's considered a hero. That's just disgusting.

Solar takes us back to the castle, then kisses my hand just like last time. "Please, my dear, be very careful. Now that ye know, as soon as Arthur knows ye know, ye wilt be seen as a threat. I wilt be here again at the same time tomorrow, to speak with thee again. Be sure thou art here."

"Yes, sir," I nod, giving him a salute. And then, I run to Meta's room as fast as I can. I go to beat on the door, then decide that would look suspicious, so I just calmly knock instead, even though I'm terrified.

"Sakura? What is it?" he mutters sleepily when he opens the door a second later, his mask on but not adjusted right. "Do you have any idea how late it is?"

Without thinking about it, I straighten it for him, then tell him, "I know this is sudden, but I need to talk to you. It's urgent." I keep my voice controlled, but I just know there must be fear in my eyes.

Waking up instantly, he demands, "What is it?"

"I can't tell you here. We need to fly first," I order in a respectful tone, walking past him, throwing open a window, and then taking off. He follows close behind. We fly far from the castle, clear to a small island a few miles from the docks. "Here we should be safe."

"What on earth is going on?" he questions, eyes gray in fear. "Why are you acting like this?"

Stressed, I wrap my wings around myself before telling him, "Star World wasn't taken. Star World was sold."

His eyes change to white in surprise. "What do you mean, Sakura?"

"I mean, Sir Arthur's not on our side. He's working for Nightmare. He sold Star World for power," I explain as briefly as possible. "Falspar, Dragato, and Nonsurat are on his side."

"Who told you this?" he demands, eyes now red in anger. We keep this up, we'll have cycled through the whole rainbow by the time this conversation is over. "Whoever they are, they are naught but a lying fraud."

Shaking my head, I disagree, "I wish that was true, but it's not. The other night, I was captured by a Ninja-"

"Why did you not tell me this before now?" he interrupts, eyes still red. Great, now he's mad at me.

"Because you have enough to worry about already," I practically plead. "Anyway, the Ninja captured me, but General Solar appeared out of nowhere and rescued me."

"But General Solar is dead," he says, eyes white again.

"I thought so, too, Meta. But he saved me the other night, and now he's told me all about this," I sigh sadly. "Sir Arthur sold Star World, but Solar caught wind of it and evacuated a lot of the planet's population. That's how our families were here today."

His eyes suddenly turn a deep blue, sadness. "Sakura... you are not lying to me, are you?"

"No, of course not," I shake my head fiercely. "I would never lie to you, Meta, unless it was to protect you. I would never lie to the one I... love," I finish, a little bit embarrassed. It just slipped out. But it's true, I realize that now.

His eyes turn pink for just a second, but they quickly change to their normal golden yellow, and he sighs. "How do we know if General Solar is telling the truth? What if it is the other way around, what if General Solar was the one who sold Star World and Sir Arthur was the one who rescued everyone?"

Frowning, I realize he might be right. "But if that's true, then why did Sir Arthur never tell anyone? Think of how many people would have fought harder, would have had more hope, if there was even a tiny chance that their loved ones had been among the ones saved."

"You are right," he sighs. "Either way, Sir Arthur is lying, or at least hiding the truth, about something. But the question is, which side is he on? And is General Solar on the side of Light, or is he lying?"

Turning my wings back into a cape and sitting down against a palm tree, feeling so, so tired, I groan, "But how do we know? How do we figure out which side is which? Both sides appear to be Light when looked at, but which one is actually just Darkness disguised as Light?"

"We might not be able to figure out for sure," he shakes his head, eyes orange in deep thought now. "We might not be able to trust either party." His eyes turn deep blue again. "To not be able to trust Sir Arthur... I look up to him immensely. He is one of my heroes. I do not wish to believe this is true, I wish to believe that it is all just a vicious falsehood."

"Who can we trust?" I wonder, feeling so sad, so borderline hopeless. Might as well be surrounded in Darkness.

"Each other, for one. Rose, for two. Kirby, Bandana Dee, and Shadow Kirby, for three, four, and five," he reassures me. "We are not alone in this, Sakura. We have other allies out there, as well. Benikage, Sirica, Knuckle Joe, Fumu, Tuff, Magolor-"

"You actually count Mags as an ally?" I laugh, interrupting.

"As long as he is against Nightmare, he is our ally. The enemy of our enemy is our friend," he reminds me sagely, then shrugs nonchalantly, "Besides, once you get past the annoying, over-the-top, slightly egotistical aspects of his personality, he is actually not bad company."

I pretend to faint against the tree. "Meta Knight admitted that Magolor is not all bad. The universe is going to implode because of this impossible paradox."

Rolling his eyes, he disagrees as he sits down beside me, "It is not that impossible, neither is it a paradox. I should know, being so well acquainted with one. You are being ridiculous."

Snuggling up to him, I apologize, "I'm sorry. I won't be ridiculous again."

Laughing softly, he shakes his head. "If you were never ridiculous, you would not be Sakura, Flower."

We're both quiet for a moment, during which he takes my hand in his. "What do we do, now?" he finally sighs, looking out at the moon shining down on the ocean.

"Solar says he needs to talk to me again tomorrow night. Maybe you should come with me," I suggest.

"Very well," he agrees, sounding tired again. "We need to return to the castle, soon. If what you say is true, then we cannot do anything that would cause Falspar, Dragato, and Nonsurat to be suspicious of us. I do not want to have to hide from them, after all I have been through alongside them, but as I said earlier, it is better to be safe than sorry."

Nodding once, I agree, "Yeah."

He stands up, then offers me his hand again and helps me up. "Well, it seems adventure and worlds needing to be saved follow us wherever we go, does it not?"

"They have to follow somebody, might as well be us," I wisecrack, spreading my wings out. "Well, say your line."

"Which line?" he asks, eyes light green in amusement as he spreads his wings.

Grinning, I reply, "The one you always say when a quest first starts to really get underway."

After touching my face for a second, he then takes off and says, like he always does, "Let us fly!"

"Right behind you, Sir Knight," I laugh, taking off right behind him.

It's amazing how much some things stay the same, even when it seems like everything else around you is changing.