Our past and present

In a forgotten time of war against evil and for others to be free. Demonic beasts were made by the horrific Lord Nightmare.
The creatures coming out into the night to kill the ones named, Star Warriors.
Yet a creature from said lord was disobeying his command. Made in the shadows, with eyes all around their body to keep a watch on their surroundings. That demon beast kept a watch on a certain blue "knight", having suspicions of what he truly was. It only made them more curious about him.

Meanwhile, in a small military campground, the star warriors slept for the night, dreaming of a glorious victory over Nightmare. All except one, a blue star warrior sat alone in his tent, polishing his sword. For some reason, he just couldn't sleep. He had the sneaking suspicion someone, or something, was watching him.

His suspicions were right when he looked up, seeing what almost looked like an animal, but when he saw the multiple red eyes staring back at him.. it made him get up, the creature ran away deeper into the forest, trying to get away.
He knew from just the shape of it, exactly what the creature was... There had been many around, but none of them would survive from his sword.
For some reason he was compelled to chase the creature alone, not wanting to wake the others. Above all else, the star warriors prided themselves on a good night's sleep. Once he was deep into the forest, he lost sight of the creature, but he was still adamant on killing it before it would be able to attack his comrades.

"Show yourself, coward!" The knight exclaimed whilst holding up his sword.

"caaaaalling me a cowaaaarrrd are youuuu?~" A voice came from above, but he couldn't pinpoint from where.
The knight then suddenly saw something climbing the branches on top of the trees. Climbing from one side to the other before disappearing.
"Quiiiite rich cominggg from someoneee who fights with such a biiig group~" It chuckled. Its voice sounding twisted.

"You are in no position to be saying that. There are many just like you... Now come out and face me!" A determined, angry look formed on his face. This thing was really trying to toy with him?

"sayssss youuu~" It let out with quite the taunting voice.

It sounded like it was right next to him, but when he looked up. In a tree, that damn shady was sitting up there nonchalantly.
Its red eyes staring right at him before a wide smirk moved across its face, opening its mouth, a purple eye staring right at him now.

He pointed his sword at the creature before letting out defensively "You come to my campground and insult my army. You had better have a good reason for coming here, otherwise you'll have to make peace with being slaughtered by Meta Knight!"He was quite prideful of his title and it was showing quite a lot, especially in front of this creature who he had seen slaughter so many he held dear.

The creature laughed, before rolling behind the branch and disappearing again!
"I've kept my eyeeees on yoooou." the voice suddenly turned less twisted "And you've made me curious.." Meta suddenly felt a touch up his arm. But when he went to slice- he wasn't met with the face of that creature again, instead a woman… Just like him, a puffball. Red and purple with thick black hair, her locks covering one of her eyes. "Would you like to tell me how to gain my freedom?.."

Meta Knight was shocked to see a fellow puffball out here who wasn't part of his army. Was she seduced by Nightmare into joining the dark side? His mind spiralling with confusion as her face looked awfully familiar to him now, he just couldn’t pinpoint from where, or who.
"Freedom? Wha... Freedom from what? Why do you take the form of one of us?" he asked in bewilderment, not fully understanding what she asked of him.

She tilted her head a bit to the side, looking at him confused. "How could I answer that to you? Why would my creator give me this form if it wasn't for a reason.... but we're the same now aren't we?..." She asked, looking straight at him. Her eye was a beautiful purple, it was interesting seeing another puffball like him, but it was a demon beast, a shady of all things.
The knight thought to himself, still confused to the fact she was even talking to him in the first place. But what did she mean by freedom?

"I want to know how to gain it.” She told the knight with a blank stare. “I hate being told what to do." she said so carefree. Like she wasn't in front of a warrior who could slice her in half for being a demon beast.

"You mean you can't just... leave? What's stopping you?" He asked her, looking at her, perplexed. Was she really being sincere about this? It didn't seem like she was trying to get anything from him, but how much could he trust her with this

But suddenly her face turned to a more terrified one, her eyes showing the fear she truly had in that situation. "How do I get HIM OUT OF MY HEAD." The shady let out with her voice twisting up again. Holding the sides of her head tightly.
Nightmare was tormenting his own creations clearly... and she was no exception.
"So many... like meee.... stuck with his voice in our headsss." She explained to him as best to her abilities, the shady was showing such fear towards her creator.

Meta Knight's eyes gave a sympathetic look. Finally puzzled together who this woman was in front of him. Her eyes finally telling him, this creature, this... woman, was one of his dearest friends from the past, his dearest friend who sadly lost her life to Nightmare’s creations, the shady demon beasts. She was being tortured by Nightmare, his dearest Grace. This was genuine, she was actually in anguish from having his voice in her head.
The knight thought to himself for a good whole minute before speaking.
"Hm... There is perhaps one thing we can try. It could be dangerous, though..." He told her calmly while moving towards the shady in front of him, offering his hand to her.

"If it keeps him away from me... I'd rather take it..." She told him, looking him straight in the eye as she grabbed onto his hand tightly. Her demeanour was so different.. she clearly hadn't interacted with anyone normally, acting more beast than anything with her head tilting and wide eyes.
Meta couldn't believe he was doing this, but if it helped at all, things would perhaps start looking up for not just the star warriors, but also her.

He pulled her closer, opening his arms for her, before he gave her a soft hug. Although the star warriors stood for kindness and positivity, this was an unusual move, especially towards someone of the NME faction. "Perhaps... Showing kindness may help ward him off. Everything will be okay." his calm voice told her, holding her close to him like he used to with Grace.

The shady felt her heart skip... “..w...what is... what is this... some kind of.. wait..” She was silent in her mind for a bit.. she didn't hear him.. she didn't hear him at all. Instead remembering something deep in her mind that was long forgotten, a kind gesture she did for someone seemingly dear to her. “A… memory.” She felt how her hands slowly yet softly moved upward. Moving them around him in a soft embrace. Her mind was confused by why she liked being this close to him. Why did it feel so familiar to her?

Whispering calmly towards her "Hear anything?" He continued holding her close. He felt ambivalence towards this creature, but if he could help her, it would turn the tides of the war in their favour. Hoping that a bit of Grace was still inside her somehow.
A light nod was felt coming from her, she closed her eyes, feeling comfort for once, trying to process it by herself but it was weird.. But soon a light smile appeared on her face. For once, not hearing HIM.
"...than..k... you..." She said while letting out a very faint whisper, her mind spinning a bit, glad to finally not have her creator's constant voice stuck in her mind, thanks to this knight..

He let go of her. Hearing that made him feel better. He was surprised this actually worked, he was fully prepared to have to wriggle his way out of a sticky situation with a demon beast.
"I'm... Sorry for calling you a beast. Perhaps you have a name?" He apologised, hoping that maybe she wouldn’t take too much offence to his actions earlier.
She seemed to think, looking down.. "n...no.. I don't... have one.. I think.. he alwaysss, called me #12.." She explained to him, her eyes seeming a bit sad about it.. like she wasn't really anyone, a name was given to someone meant for the world, right? Not just some creature meant to harm and make life miserable for others.
She clearly didn’t remember her old name, which did make the knight quite saddened to realise that his dear friend surely had no memories of the life she once had. "12 doesn't seem like a fitting name for someone like you. You look more like a…” He thought for himself, remembering an old memory, a happy memory of calmer times. “Bonnie... Bonnie, yeah, that's a very soft and sweet name. What do you think?" He told her with a happier tone in his voice.
"B..onnie... Bonnie.. seems good. heh~" Her smile was actually quite cute, that look on her face was gentle and sweet. A soft giggle came out of her, before she suddenly came a bit closer to him, nuzzling the knight close. "you feel warm.." She told him honestly, seemingly more comfortable with him now.

Meta Knight took his hand and started stroking her hair. He was understandably weirded out, but he was experienced with weirder people, and knew not to shove them away when they just needed comfort.
"The night is brutally cold, especially on this planet. If you need warmth, I'll stay right here." He told her, a care in his voice could he beard, an understandable care when he finally realised where his dear friend ended up after her passing.
She seemingly thought, but in reality she saw what was going on. Moving away, looking to where the camp would be, before looking back at him with a worried yet bleak look. "...they're looking for you.. They will kill me if they see me." She told him, backing off. There was no way she would be passed as some puffball on this planet..

He looked over before looking back to her, nodding lightly "...You're right, at least for now. Once we take him down, you'll be free forever. If he starts haunting you again, though, you'll know where I am." Giving off a gentle smile within his mask. Bonnie could feel it.. Immediately hiding in the shadows as he moved back to his camp.. but from the shadows she kept watching him. She still felt curious about the warrior, but not in the way anyone would have expected.

Now he started feeling curious about her, about Bonnie. What would happen when Nightmare was defeated? Did she even know anything about her past life?
When Meta Knight returned to camp, some of the Star Warriors were looking for him, as Bonnie had told. One of them noticed Meta Knight and was relieved that the knight hadn't died in the middle of the woods from something dangerous.
It was hard to explain at first why he had gone out, but they let him be after a while.
That... shady, no. Bonnie kept a watch on them all, she didn't want to leave... But they wouldn't know.

End.