Sakura Dee | さくら•ヂィー

It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, the sun's shining brightly, and there's not a cloud in the sky— at least, not of a stormy or gray variety. So since everything's so beautiful, you'd think everyone would be in a good mood.

And yet, that seemingly-obvious logic has turned out to be applicable only to three-fourths of our traveling band of heroes. The other one-fourth seems to be in an even worse mood than he usually ever is. I've known Meta Knight long enough to know that's not a good thing, but it still seems rather out of character, even for him. Sure, I get that he's still anxious about the monster, but still... Normally this weather would at least make him a little less on-edge, at least, I'd think it would...

As we fly from Nutty Noon back north towards Whispy Woods so we can start covering the northern worlds on the other side— like White Wafers, Bubbly Clouds, and Butter Building— the kids are goofing off not far ahead, seeming to be having lots of fun together. Since I'm pretty sure it's my duty as his squire, I've stayed close to Meta Knight, but he's acted all day like he doesn't even notice my presence. It's so weird. I wish I knew what was wrong... It's like the day he wanted me to kill for the first time, several months ago... He's all tense, distant, almost as if he's expecting me to fail him somehow again.

Maybe it's because we have to find the monster eventually. Maybe it's because he knows I will fail them all. Maybe it's because he knows how absolutely worthless I really will turn out to be, at least in comparison to him and the other two... They're the real heroes... and I'm just... Well, I'm just me.

Trying once more to cheer him up, I gently bump one of his wings with mine on the downstroke, which only earns me a fierce glare and a mutter of "Watch where you're flying, young one."

Sighing, I flap away some to put some space between us, but then add in a cheerfully-teasing voice, "Aw, come on, Sir Knight. The weather's beautiful, so... I dunno... enjoy it. Sure, the monster's probably still getting closer all the time, but it's important to enjoy little things like this, right?" He doesn't respond at all; won't even look at me. Probably almost sounding like I'm whining now (even though I don't really mean to), I plead, "Won't you please quit raining on our parade when the storms have finally stopped, even if it's only for a little while?"

At least that manages to summon a response from him. "There has not been any rain in any of the storms ever since the beginning of our quest, so I fail to see how that comparison is supposed to sway me in any sense."

Deflating a bit, I murmur back, slightly embarrassed, "Well, I mean, I know that... but..."

"Just be quiet," he practically snaps, still not even looking at me. What's got him so sour and angry? What did I do wrong? Last night he seemed so glad to have me around... He even told me so, that my presence makes his life better... So why is he so mad today?

Falling silent, I turn away from him and look ahead. Kirby shouts for something, but even though the wind carries some of the sound back to us, it's not really enough for us to hear very well. Evidently, though, Meta Knight understands, because he suddenly flies out sideways, creating a large berth between the two of us. Frowning over at him, I try to figure out what's going on, but then hear a beautiful, almost-sparkling sound coming up behind me— and fast.

With a yelp, I instinctively fold my wings into a cape just long enough to plummet several feet, and watch up above as a shimmering, giant golden star streaks right through where I was a second ago. Once I've regained my altitude with several flaps, I glance ahead to see the star-shaped, magical hoverboard— known as the Warp Star— slow to Kirby's speed just ahead of us. With what looks like a laugh, Kirby jumps onto it, and Bandanna leaps on behind him. Kirby grabs the star with his paws, while Bandanna holds onto Kirby, and then the two of them streak up and away at an almost blinding speed. Just as I start to get worried that they'll fly away, they slow down before they fade out of sight and start pulling tricks together in the middle of the sky.

"Wow," I murmur to myself in awe. I've known about the Warp Star ever since not long after Kirby moved in permanently a few years ago, but I've never actually seen it for myself. It's even more beautiful than I'd ever imagined it would be, and much faster too. No wonder Meta Knight flapped out of the way when he heard Kirby calling for it. Sure would've been nice if he'd given me a warning, too.

Meta Knight flaps back to where he was flying up until a minute ago, silently, and keeps flying along at the same speed as before, seemingly not at all worried about trying to stay close to the kiddos.

After glancing over at him, I sigh heavily once, wishing I knew how to get him to cheer up. Usually if I can get him to start talking, he cheers up pretty quickly... so maybe I should ask him about something. I puzzle over it for a minute, and then suddenly inquire, "Hey, Sir Knight? Where'd Kirby get the Warp Star, anyway?" Ha, something that requires his encyclopedic knowledge. That should work.

But the only answer I get is a quiet mutter of, "Every Star Warrior has one." That's it. Nothing more.

He seems almost... anxious, and not just about the Lightning. Just like yesterday, only now it's even more obvious. I mean... he's not really showing it... I guess I can just kinda feel it. Sense it, maybe? I dunno. All I know is that something's really worrying him. I just wish I knew what.

I just hope it's not me.

"Come on," I tease him in the most cheerful voice I can manage, which isn't even convincing to myself now that he's ruined my mood so thoroughly. "I explained some Waddle Dee stuff to you last night, so please tell me about the Warp Star now." When he glares at me, I hurriedly add, "It's only fair."

He just rolls his eyes, but then pauses, as if debating whether or not to explain it to me. Finally, he just shakes his head. "It's too complicated; you probably wouldn't understand. Besides, it's mainly a Star Warrior phenomenon."

"Oh," I mutter quietly. Being a Star Warrior sounds like a lot of hard work, sure, but it also sounds nicer than being a Waddle Dee in some ways. Almost everybody looks up to Star Warriors, even if there aren't many of them left. And they seem so important and cool... nothing like us Waddle Dees... I dunno. Feeling almost offended, I mutter, "Just 'cause I'm a Waddle Dee doesn't make me an idiot, you know."

"I never said it did," he replies tersely. "I just said the full explanation is too complicated."

Glaring over at him, I snap back, "I don't care if it's complicated. I wanna hear it. I'd be able to understand; I'm not just a child, and I'm not unintelligent, either."

With a snort, he replies, "If you're not a child, then what are you?"

That accusation takes me aback a bit. Meta Knight hasn't treated me like a child in months. He even started calling me 'Lady Dee,' and I honestly thought that meant something. I know I could never be as cool and strong and powerful as he is, but I thought... I thought I could at least prove to him that I'm something more than a kid. Not that there's anything wrong with being a kid; Kirby's a kid and he's ten times as cool and brave as I could ever be. I just... I don't want to be thought of as just a kid.

Hurt, I mutter back, "I dunno. Maybe I am just a kid."

A tense silence falls between the two of us, but finally Meta Knight exhales sharply. Without any warning, he begins, "To explain Warp Stars, one must first explain the Star Power. The Star Power is an entity who guides the entire universe, and is invisible to all mortals. He is the source of all stellar energy in the Galaxy, and the source of all good. He by himself is greater than all darkness and evil that exists, but he has not yet done away with them entirely. He uses them as... ways to purify the creatures and beings of this universe, in a sense. With his help, they can learn to overcome the darkness and evil— though, no mortal is perfect, of course."

Seeming a bit confused, I question, "Why have you never told me about this guy before?"

Meta Knight shakes his head fiercely. "He is not a 'guy.' He is an entity, far more powerful than anything you or I could ever comprehend."

"Huh," I mutter, not entirely buying it. "Okay...?"

Meta Knight glances over at me and then shakes his head once. "Like I said, it's too complicated for you, and it's mainly a Star Warrior concern."

"No, I'm listening. Please, go on," I beg. I don't know if I buy it yet, but I want to know more anyway. "The 'stellar energy' you mentioned... Does that have anything to do with the stars' singing?"

Glancing over at me, he hesitates and then nods once. "Yes. He is what gives the stars the ability to sing, and grants the ability to hear that singing to the Star Warriors. But as I said before... it is very odd that you can hear them. The Star Power guides and controls all who allow him to do so, of course, but... He tends to single out Star Warriors more often than most, since we— er, they— are the species which is said to have been originally formed and born from the stars themselves."

"Okay," I nod, letting him know I'm still listening. "So, like... can he talk?"

He nods once again. "He can, but he rarely chooses to. He can speak without using words, as well... he can give strength or bravery, or even the will to keep going even when one is about to be lost to their own despair. I... I know this well. It has happened to me before, once, a very long time ago."

Frowning, I gaze off into space and mull over all of this. Meta Knight wouldn't be telling me all this if he didn't actually believe it, I guess, but it still doesn't make any sense. If something or someone had the power to do away with all the evil in the universe all at once, why wouldn't they? Why would they let wars and stuff keep happening, and let good beings die for no reason? It doesn't make sense. Feeling almost frustrated, I question, "All right, but what does the 'Star Power' have to do with the Warp Star?"

He shrugs. "Warp Stars run off of pure stellar energy, which comes from the Star Power. Every Star Warrior is given a Warp Star at birth, which they keep for their whole life. When it is not in use, it shrinks down to a smaller size for easier storage, and once a Star Warrior reaches a certain rite of passage— that is, earning their true name— it shrinks down to about the size of a badge. These badges are normally carried around somewhere on one's person, as a constant reminder of the Star Warriors' calling to protect all good in the Galaxy, but in the army, they were worn on the armor as a way of making fellow soldiers easily identifiable. For children, the Warp Stars are mainly just a sort of guardian and somewhat-pet-like plaything, but for grown Star Warriors, they are more of a solemn token or reminder about their true purpose in life, and a reminder that on our own, we are not powerful enough to face the evil we are tasked with facing."

A bit fascinated now, I question, "So... do you have one?" When he refuses to answer, I point out, "It's pretty obvious you're a Star Warrior, just like Kirby, y'know— everyone knows you were a member of the Star Warrior Army."

"Not all members of the Star Warrior Army were Star Warriors," he replies in a muted tone.

Well, he's got me there, but after a minute, I add, "Well, you've heard the stars singing, and since you said that it's weird that I can since I'm not a Star Warrior, that proves you are one! Ha!" I 'smile' over at him, but he still seems bound and determined to stay grumpy. After deflating again, I finally just ask softly, "So... you earned the name Meta Knight, huh? When your Warp Star shrank to a badge size, I mean."

Seeming a bit defeated, he sighs. "Not exactly. The name I received that day was Meta, not Meta Knight. I didn't earn the title of 'knight' until several years later."

Frowning a bit, I mutter, "Then that means you actually were a kid once."

"We are all children once, Sakura, don't be ridiculous," he snorts with a roll of his eyes. "You of all people should know that."

Blushing bright red in embarrassment, I mutter, "Yeah, whatever." Feeling a bit hurt, I tell him out of a sense of duty, "Thanks for telling me all that, Sir."

In reply, he nods once, and then resumes silently flying. The worrying still hasn't seemed to go away, though, and in turn, that kinda worries me too.

After giving him a long glance, I finally just can't stand it any longer. Forget the whole squire thing; if I'm just a 'kid,' then I'm gonna act like one sometimes. Flapping as fast as I can, I manage to catch up to Kirby and Bandanna and then holler up at them, "Can I have a turn?" Sure, maybe only Star Warriors get Warp Stars, but that doesn't mean only Star Warriors can fly them.

Kirby gives me a hesitant glance, but then nods and giggles in excited childish agreement. He slows the star down to a hover next to me and then hops off with Bandanna right behind him. The star stays next to Kirby until I hop on, grabbing the right and left front points of the stars with the top one pointing out ahead of me.

That's when I realize that I have no idea how to fly this thing.

And that's when Meta Knight realizes that I just hopped on it and shouts ahead, "Sakura, what the Shotzo are you—"

I don't even hear the rest of his angry demand, since suddenly, the Warp Star starts yanking me around in all directions like some kind of bucking Grizzo. Holding on for dear life, I cling to it tightly as it starts streaking forward at a speed way faster than I could ever fly with my wings, turning loop-de-loops and corkscrews and whatever else it can think of to try and throw me off. Holding on tighter, I refuse to let go. It's not just stubbornness at this point— I'm so dizzy that if I fall off I probably won't be able to fly, so at the moment, my best chance is to ride it out until it calms down. Hopefully it'll calm down, anyway...

Of course, that's when the Warp Star starts to tilt into a steep, almost vertical dive, right towards the distant ground. Narrowing my eyes, I keep clutching on to it, even as doing so grows harder and harder the faster it goes and the closer we get to the ground.

Just as I start to consider letting go for fear of being rammed straight into the ground of Cookie Country down below, I feel something— just a tiny whisper of something— the same something I feel whenever I look at the stars and hear them singing, that same warm feeling that feels almost like a hug that's inside of me.

Only, whatever this is, it's much, much warmer, and quickly starts to grow almost uncomfortably hot.

And then, suddenly, just as the Warp Star nears the ground, the feeling disappears, and the Warp Star flattens out and skids to a stop no more than my height above the ground.

Shaking violently, I stay clutched onto it and stare down at it, eyes wide, trying to process everything I've just experienced. What was that feeling? What the heck just happened? Why did the Warp Star just... stop?

Underneath me, the Warp Star vibrates slightly and emits an almost-purring like noise in its sparkly voice. Frowning deeply, I lean forward just slightly, and the Warp Stars takes off streaming forward, albeit nowhere near as fast as it was before. As the fear and worry slowly starts to vanish, I gently pull backwards on it, causing it to tilt up, and then test leaning to either side. The Warp Star reacts to all of my movements instantly, as if I've been taking flights on it ever since the day I was born.

Giving a laugh of victory, I pull it up sharply and lean forward farther, making it streak back up into the sky at a much faster pace then it was going a second ago. We fly through a single low cloud, bursting through the other side with a 'POOF' sound that makes me giggle. Just above the cloud is Meta Knight, who's flying downward towards where I was a minute ago, but then freezes into a hover and stares up at me as I zoom past him. If I could smirk, I would. With a whoop, I pull into a loop-dee-loop and then a tight corkscrew, and then, back up at where we were flying earlier, I scoot gently to a stop.

Still shaking, only now with joy instead of fear, I stare down at it. It vibrates gently again, making the same almost-purring sound. After closing my eyes for a second, I cautiously stand up on it. It wobbles underneath me slightly, but only because I'm wobbling. I tilt from side to side carefully, and it follows, dutifully staying right underneath me.

Just as I get ready to start moving forward, Meta Knight says not far behind me in a scowling, warning tone, "Sakura..."

I whip around toward the sound, and the Warp Star follows, causing us both to face the masked knight. In an almost-whiny voice, I demand, "What?"

Eyes narrowed at me, Meta Knight begins hovering about five feet away. "Get off of the Warp Star, now. It isn't a toy, and you certainly shouldn't be riding it around. It's not your place. Kirby shouldn't have let you have it in the first place."

Crossing my gloves, I scoot one foot slowly behind me, preparing to take off backwards while staring at Meta Knight evenly the whole time. If ever I were to be able to win a staring contest with him, that'd be my best chance. But he just narrows his eyes further at my movement and growls, "Get off. Now."

Some impish urge somewhere inside of me still wants to take off flying away, but the fact that my mentor's eyes are now starting to take on a red hue pulls the rest of me back to reality. With an annoyed grunt, I unfurl my wings and leap off the Warp Star with a single heavy flap. The Warp Star instantly goes streaming back to Kirby the second I get off.

"You do not belong on a Warp Star, unless Kirby or another Star Warrior is the one controlling it," Meta Knight tells me fiercely. "They are not meant for other species."

Glaring back at him, I demand, "Yeah, well, what do you think makes Star Warriors so much better than everybody else? And besides, after it was convinced I wasn't gonna let it throw me off, it started behaving."

"You should count yourself lucky, then. Warp Stars will not always be so kind to an unwanted rider." With that, he turns around and starts flapping away.

Flapping after him, I question, "So why'd it start letting me control it, huh? Why'd I feel all its 'stellar energy' if I wasn't even supposed to be on it? Maybe I am good enough for it after all."

"It's not a matter of worth, it's a matter of whether you're meant to be a rider or not," Meta Knight snaps angrily. "Would you stop acting so childish? Stay off of Kirby's Warp Star. That is the end of this conversation."

"Hey, if I'm a child, then I'm gonna act childish," I yell back in growing fury, only for him to ignore me. The pitch and volume of my voice rising as my anger does too, I scream after him, "Quit acting like you can't hear me! You think you're so much better than me, and fine, maybe you are, since I'm just some stupid Waddle Dee who got hit by some cursed rock last year, and you're some special protector of the universe like the rest of your species, but that doesn't mean you get to act so high and mighty! You're the one who's acting childish!"

Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say. When Meta Knight turns to face me, his eyes are flickering with red all over, almost as if they're on fire. "Sakura. That's enough."

Growing even angrier, flooding with a fury I've never felt before, I disagree, "No, it's not enough! I don't know what your problem is today, but I'm getting really sick of you being so grumpy and cranky and acting like I'm some kind of problem when I'm just trying to prove myself to you!"

"Sakura—"

"Don't 'Sakura' me! That's not even my real name!" I shout, the anger just continuing to build, but then freeze. Of course it's my real name. What else would my real name be? I don't even know what it'd be, so why in Dreamland did I shout something like that?

Pulling myself out of my musings, I finally focus back in on Meta Knight, who's practically shaking with anger now. For a moment, I'm confused, but then I realize— He took what I just said as an insult. He took it as my rejecting the name he gave me. And going by what he said earlier, among the Star Warriors, assigning names is a really, really big deal.

"Sir, I didn't mean it like that—" I stutter desperately, all of the strange fury from a moment ago having completely disappeared. I didn't mean it like that at all. I don't even know how I meant it or why I said it, but I definitely didn't mean it like that.

Obviously, that's not enough to fix anything. "If you're not a child, then you and the two other children can face the monster yourself," he spits, and then turns his wings back into a cape for some reason.

Afraid now, I reach out toward him to try and grab his cape so he doesn't fall, but all I manage to do is pull something out of the fabric.

And the next thing I know, Meta Knight's pulled himself into the cape, which then twists up on itself almost like a rag and just... disappears.

Suddenly growing very afraid, I just stay here in midair, flapping in one place, and staring at the spot where Meta Knight just was. What was wrong with me? Why did I say that? If the Warp Star wasn't supposed to let me control it, then why did it? Why did I feel that... 'stellar energy?'

What in Dreamland is happening to me? And even more importantly...

What am I?

A moment later, the Warp Star approaches, now bearing Kirby and Bandanna Dee, both of the kids looking really upset and concerned. They probably saw our little standoff from a distance, and Meta Knight's disappearance. Staring down at what I yanked out of his cape, I find a large book, titled Profiles: Kirby's Dream Land and Co. Frowning to myself, I carefully tuck it into my own cape, not wanting to lose it or scuff it up or anything. It's bad enough that I insulted him so deeply. I don't wanna mess up any of his stuff and make it even worse.

Just then, of course, I notice a couple of dark, stormy clouds way off on the horizon, the same awful, black clouds we've been seeing ever since our quest began over a week ago.

Heart sinking, I turn north and begin flying again. To the kids, I call in the quietest voice I can use while still making sure they can hear me, "Let's fly until we get to Whispy Woods. We'll spend the night there."

A moment later, I can hear the Warp Star zooming away as Kirby quietly, worriedly sends it back to its storage place within a giant, sentient monument named 'Kabu' that stands in a valley southeast of the Cappy Town area. Somehow, the sound makes me feel even worse.

I'm not a Star Warrior, but I'm also not just a Waddle Dee, at least, not anymore. There's too much I'm capable of for that to be the case.

The only other possibility that's ever made any sense keeps seeming more and more likely, and that's an absolutely terrifying concept.

I don't want to be... I can't be a monster.

But what if my nightmare the other day was right, the one I had where Meta Knight wanted to kill me, the one before that awful little puffball and the... the other thing I still can't remember? What if I am a monster?

Shaking off those thoughts as my eyes start to brim up with tears, I keep flying towards Whispy Woods, scared of Meta Knight, scared of the monster, and scared even of myself. But yet, there's still some remnant of the warm feeling I felt on the Warp Star earlier, buried somewhere deep within my heart.

Mister Star Power, Sir, if you're real, and if you actually care about people other than Star Warriors... Please, help me. What was it Meta Knight said...? That's right, 'guide.' Please, guide me. Please don't let me be a monster. Please, after all this over... please let me know what I actually am.

And please... help Meta Knight to forgive me.

But as the Woods steadily grow closer, the last of the warm feeling slips away, and I'm left feeling more afraid than I ever have been before.

In the distance, thunder quietly rumbles.