Chapter Three: Locked in the Booth

It was finally the day of the trip! Since their flight left at ten, Springtime had everyone meet at the house at six-thirty so she could get them to the airport on time. Showerstorm decided to go ahead with the boys in the Turners’ car and have his wife and the girls meet up with them later, and Springtime had agreed.

Springtime was frustrated as she checked everyone’s luggage to be sure they had everything and asked the kids if they had packed certain items. The problem was that all the girls—except for Cloudy—were running around and not paying any attention to Springtime’s questions. Springtime was getting very annoyed.

“Pay attention!” came a sharp voice from behind the children. They all turned around to see Meta Knight standing there, a thick, red cloak drawn over his shoulders, his eyes showing frank disapproval at their lack of respect. “This is not proper conduct. I’m ashamed of you children. Why can’t you be like Cloudy and listen to your elders when they’re speaking to you?”

Instantly, all the children looked contrite. “Sorry, Meta Knight,” Eloise said. They all lined up side by side and stood erect.

Springtime sighed in relief and flashed Meta Knight a warm smile. “Thank you very much.”

“I am glad to help,” was the reply.

Springtime surveyed the clipboard she held and asked, “Eloise and Nika, did you girls pack toothbrushes and soaps?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the twins answered in a single voice.

“Star, did you pack some beanies and jackets?”

“I sure did.”

“Boots too?”

“Yep. Four to be exact.”

Springtime hid her smile. “Ah, Miriam. I hope you remembered to bring a hairbrush?”

“I did.”

“Cloudy, did you pack some scarves?”

“Yes, Mommy, I did.”

“Good, good.”

After asking the kids a few more questions, Springtime was satisfied that everyone was ready. “Okay, I think we’re cleared for takeoff. Collect your luggage and let’s wait by the road. Scazzarda’s gonna drop us off at the airport before she starts work.”

The girls snatched up their suitcases and purses and duffel bags. Cloudy ran over to the gate and unlatched it, then pushed it open and wandered out by the road. The others followed suit.

Just then, Scazzarda’s car came roaring down the road and screeched to a halt in front of them. Scazzarda jumped out and walked over to them. “Hey, all!” she said cheerfully. “Are you ready to start your trip?”

Miriam yawned, opening her mouth so wide that her jaw ached. “Sure,” she said. “I’m ready.”

“I’m ready, too—I think,” Star added, pursing her lips. Eloise giggled at her expression and Nika furrowed her brow at the two of them.

“All right, enough chatter,” Springtime said firmly. “Kids, load your stuff in the back and climb in. We have a long way to go and we want to make it to the airport on time, don’t we?”

The girls hurried to the back of the car and Miriam opened the door, and the kids tossed their luggage into the trunk. Springtime too stowed her gear away, then turned to Meta Knight. “Did you bring any luggage, dear?”

“Not much. Just my passport and phone.” He showed them to her.

“You can share our stuff if need be.” Springtime smiled at him, and he smiled back in thanks.

Miriam slammed the trunk lid and climbed inside with the rest of the children and buckled up while Springtime and Meta Knight sat up front with Scazzarda.

“Here we go!” Scazzarda cried out. She backed up, turned around, and drove off down the road. The kids let out a cheer, excited. Their trip was finally starting!

The first few minutes were filled with the girls laughing, chatting, or playing on their phones and Ipads. After some time had passed, an interesting conversation popped up among the kids.

“Have you guys seen a turkey as of recently?” Eloise suddenly asked while starting at her phone.

Nika and Miriam, who had been playing a game of Tic-Tac-Toe, raised their heads and gave Eloise funny looks. “Well, of course,” Nika replied.

“Me too—in the grocery store,” Miriam added. She broke up at her own joke, laughing so hard she dropped her pencil.

“Fantastic,” Eloise said, sounding completely unamused. “But it says here in the local news that someone’s prized turkey recently went missing somewhere in Dreamland.”

“I bet it’s prized because they want to eat it for Christmas dinner!” Meta Knight said, chuckling.

“Yeah, the poor turkey knew what his fate would be and wanted to avoid going to the chopping block, so he ran off,” Miriam said, smirking. “Or someone else stole him because they couldn’t afford to buy a turkey of their own.”

“I bet that turkey is now being slowly roasted in an oven—along with his heart, livers, and kidneys,” Nika giggled.

“Nika! That’s disgusting,” Springtime said, curling her lip in distaste.

“Hey, I know where they should check to find the prized turkey!” Star exclaimed.

Nika turned to look at Star in the way back. “Where?”

“The local shopping center!” Star cackled. She slapped Cloudy, who was sitting right next to her, on the shoulder. “Hey, isn’t that funny, Cloudy?”

Cloudy raised her head, an empty look in her eyes. “Huh?”

Star shot her sister an annoyed glare. “You look like you’re a million miles away! What are you thinking of?” she demanded.

Cloudy just looked out the window. “Nothing of importance,” she said.

Suddenly Nika gasped. “I just saw the prized turkey!”

“Where?” Eloise wanted to know, peering out the window to see what Nika was talking about.

“I was just kidding,” Nika said with a grin, elbowing her sister. “Just trying to get your goat.”

“You liar,” Eloise retorted.

Scazzarda couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head.

“Anyway, the prized turkey was very valuable because it came from a royal turkey family,” Eloise continued, reading from her phone.

“Royal turkey family?” Star repeated.

“Yup. Says the turkey was originally owned by a king from a different planet and was later given to a local peasant whom the king greatly admired, who gave it to some woman who sold it to the man who wrote this post and said his turkey was gone.” Eloise frowned. “He said this turkey stood out from other turkeys because it wore a blue sapphire collar.”

“Who did write this post?” Miriam wondered.

“It says his name is D.P.” Eloise scratched her head.

“Tough luck,” Cloudy said with a yawn. “Sorry you lost the turkey, Mr. What’s-Your-Name, but I hope you find it.”

“Hey, hey, Cloudy. Look. I’m recording you. I got you on video,” Nika said, pointing the lens of her phone at Cloudy.

“Get that thing out of my face,” Cloudy ordered.

“What’s your opinion on turkeys?” Nika asked without moving her phone an inch.

“What?” Cloudy asked, looking confounded. “Well, um. . .”

“I think they smell wonderful, but only when they’re being baked in the oven,” Star broke in, pushing in to get in the camera’s view and shoving Cloudy’s face against the window. “The rest of the time, they look like overgrown hairballs and smell like dead skunks.”

“Star! GET OFF MY FACE!” Cloudy yelled.

Star stopped squishing Cloudy’s face against the glass and sat back in her seat. Cloudy rubbed the side of her face with her paw to restore circulation, then shot Star an angry glare.

“Hey! What’s the big idea?” Cloudy demanded. “You nearly suffocated me!”

“I just wanted to add my opinion on turkeys,” Star explained, “but you were in my way, so I had to get you out of my fur somehow.”

“I asked Cloudy’s opinion on turkeys, not yours,” Nika told her.

Star scowled. “Ohh, so I can’t speak my thoughts and Cloudy can! So that’s the way it’s gonna be, hmm?”

“When I want your opinion, Star, I’ll ask for it,” Nika said, turning off her phone and replacing it in her handbag.

“Don’t be stupid!”

“Are you calling me stupid?” Nika demanded, glaring at Star.

“Huh?! N-No, I’m. . .calling you fat!”

“Oh, so I’m fat and stupid now, huh?”

“You’re a fatty!”

“I’m on a diet, Star.”

“Well, you’re still fat! Your mom was right to put you on a diet! You’re obese! You need to lose weight!”

“Star, I’m barely fat. Maybe you’re just jealous of my slimness while you’re the fatty.”

Star struggled to think of a retort to that. “Well, you. . .you have blond hair,” she shot back, knowing full well that the comment made no sense at all.

“And you can be such a toad!”

“Okay, you two, shut up and stop insulting one another!” Eloise commanded, rolling her eyes.

Meta Knight tried unsuccessfully to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t. Scazzarda thought he was going to need an oxygen mask; he was laughing so hard.

“Are you okay?” Scazzarda asked, trying hard to suppress her own laughter.

Meta Knight struggled to stop laughing. “Yes, yes, I’m fine,” he said, finally getting control of himself. “But these kids are so funny!”

Scazzarda grinned. “They are, at that,” she responded.

After ten more minutes, Eloise pointed out the window to her right. “Hey, isn’t that the airport termite?”

“It’s ‘terminal’, dear,” Scazzarda corrected her. “And yes, it is.” She drove into the terminal and hunted around for a parking space. After locating a vacant one, she parked the car there and shut off the engine. “Well, this is it,” she declared. “Everybody out!”

The children unbuckled their seatbelts and threw open their doors, then ran around to the rear of the car to get their luggage. Springtime helped the children sort their baggage and get organized. After they were ready, Springtime turned to Scazzarda and said, “Well, goodbye, Scazzarda. See you sometime after the New Year.”

“I’ll be waiting for you,” Scazzarda promised. Then she looked to her son. “Goodbye, Meta Knight. See you soon, my boy.” She grinned.

Meta Knight nodded stiffly. “I will see you soon too, Mother.”

Scazzarda smiled, then bent down and wrapped her arms around Meta Knight. Meta Knight, in spite of his pride, returned the embrace, then pulled away, obviously embarrassed. Springtime suppressed a smile.

The girls, Springtime, and Meta Knight wandered across the huge terminal and stopped in front of the cafeteria. Scazzarda climbed back into her car and restarted the engine, then backed up and slowly began to drive out of the terminal. As she was about to exit, she rolled down her window and called out, “Goodbye!”

“Goodbye!” the kids chorused together, waving wildly. They stood together and watched the car as it pulled out of the terminal and was gone from view.

Springtime looked up behind her and checked the clock on the cafeteria front. “Ninety-five minutes ahead of schedule,” she said in a voice of satisfaction. “Perfect.”

“Where are Daddy and the boys?” Star asked Springtime herded the girls into the cafeteria.

“Umm. . .” Springtime checked her phone. “Ah, I received a notification a few minutes from Showerstorm telling me to meet him in the cafeteria, at the table in the far right corner.”

Cloudy squinted and peered around the cafeteria. After a moment, she spotted her dad, brothers, and her friends, Zach and Arrow.

“There they are!” Cloudy squealed, jumping up and down. She weaved her way among the tables and ran over to her father.

“Daddy!” Cloudy shouted.

“Cloudy!” Showerstorm exclaimed. “I thought you girls would never make it!”

“We’re here!” Springtime said, the crowd of girls and Meta Knight following behind her.

“Hey, honey.” Showerstorm kissed his wife. “Hey, girls. Hey, Meta Knight.”

“What gate are we going through?” Springtime wondered.

“Gate Twelve,” Showerstorm said briefly. “But first we have to check in at the desk and let the desk manager review our passports.” He picked up his luggage and told the boys to pick up theirs too. “Ready, all? Let’s roll!”

As Showerstorm collected everyone’s passports and showed them to the desk manager, Cloudy looked at the shiny linoleum floors, the freshly scrubbed walls, and the bright blue ceiling. A huge flight screen hung from the ceiling and told the dates and times at which the flights were to leave. Cloudy saw that their flight to Leupochena would leave in an hour and a half.

“Okay, now we have to put out luggage on the conveyor belt and get through the X-ray machine,” Showerstorm explained as he handed back the passports.

Cloudy was puzzled. “Why?”

Showerstorm frowned. “Why what?”

“Why do we need to have X-rays done to us?”

Showerstorm smiled. “The security officers here want to make sure we’re not carrying any hidden weapons or grenades or anything else that we’re not supposed to have.”

“Oh,” Cloudy said, but inwardly she was thinking, These people have a very strict security system!

After they had all gone through the X-rays and had their luggage checked and approved, they were good to go. They walked into a small but cozy lounge not far from the check-in desk and sat down.

Star sighed. “We’re gonna have to wait a while,” she complained.

“You’ll survive,” Eloise teased. Star made a face.

Showerstorm smiled cheerfully. “We’ll just wait here and do something fun to pass the time.”

“Oh, oh! Let’s play Twenty Questions!” Nika said happily, bouncing on the plush couch with excitement.

“Good idea,” Zach said. “I’ll go first. I’m thinking of something. Vegetable, animal, or mineral?”

“Is it a vegetable?” Cloudy asked.

Zach shook his head.

“Is it an animal?” Star said.

Zach nodded.

“Is it brown?” Waffle called.

Zach shook his head again.

“Black?” Yodi wondered.

Zach grinned. “Well, yes and no.”

Many of the children looked confused, but Cloudy smiled widely and asked, “Is it black and white?”

“Yes!” Zach exclaimed. His eyes were glowing with enthusiasm.

“Is it a dog?” Eloise cried.

Zach nodded.

“A husky puppy?” Nika said slyly.

Again Zach nodded his head. “Guess who?” he said, raising his hands over his head and spreading them out, fingers extended.

“Cloudy!” everyone hollered in unison.

“Yes!” Zach cheered. “You figured it out!”

The group played several more rounds of Twenty Questions. Then they switched to a game they called Story Circle, in which one person started a story and they went around with everyone contributing a part to the story until it was completed. Meta Knight was a very good storyteller, and the children seemed entranced by his eloquence.

After thirty minutes or so, some of the children started complaining that they were hungry or needed to use the restroom. Springtime sighed and looked questioningly at her husband.

“I’ll take the boys to the men’s restroom,” said Showerstorm. “Honey, you take the girls. Eloise, Nika, and Zach, I’ll give you some money to but something from the cafeteria since there’s not really enough food in our luggage for all of us. He looked down at Cloudy, Arrow, and Meta Knight, who were the only ones who would stay in the lounge. “Stay here, kids, and don’t get up unless you need to. Meta Knight, keep an eye on them.” And with that, he and Springtime were gone, along with the Palmer sisters and Zach.

The threesome sat quietly for a few minutes. Cloudy was getting bored and restless and she showed it in her fidgeting. She thought she might just curl up and take a nap when a loud ringing noise startled her and made her jump.

Meta Knight gave her a stricken look. “That’s my phone, Cloudy.”

“Oh.” Cloudy’s hearts was still hammering in her chest as Meta Knight left the lounge to take the call. Now Arrow and Cloudy were left alone.

The two puppies quietly sat side by side for a minute or two, admiring the red velvet on the couches and the oriental rugs. Then Arrow sported a shiny round object on the floor by the couch and bent to scoop it up. It was a quarter.

“Hey, cool!” Arrow showed his find to Cloudy. “A quarter!”

“Wow, now you’re rich. What are you gonna do with it?” Cloudy asked.

“I recall seeing a gumball machine in the cafeteria. I’m gonna buy a gumball for you,” he said. He leapt lightly off the couch. “Be right back.”

Cloudy’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re going to leave me here all alone?!”

“You parents should be back any minute,” Arrow said, “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” And before she could object, he had raced away.

Cloudy didn’t feel right about being left alone in a waiting room in the middle of a strange airport, but she decided to stay where she was. She knew that flight attendants were not too far away and that it was highly unlikely anyone would try anything dishonest in such a public place, but she still felt uneasy. She clutched her purse to herself and lay down, her head on her front paws.

Not long after Arrow’s departure, a strange man with gray eyes and jet-black hair entered the lounge with a suitcase on wheels. He looked back at the flight screen, nodded to himself, and then seated himself right beside Cloudy. She scooted over to create a little more distance between them and kept her eyes on the far corner of the room.

The man pulled out his phone and typed something. Cloudy glanced up at him and noted his features—they were rough and brusque. His eyes were steely and his hair looked as though it had been slicked back with oil. The man himself had several tattoos on his arms and looked as though he had been incarcerated before. Something about him gave Cloudy the creeps.

“Where are you off to?” the man asked without looking up from his phone.

Cloudy blinked in surprise. “Who, me?”

“Yeah.” The man tore his gaze away from his screen and frowned at her. “You’re the only one over here, aren’t ya?”

Cloudy bit her lip. She wasn’t prepared for this conversation! “Well, not exactly.”

“Looks like you’re alone to me.” He studied her with his cold gaze. She stared back, just as intently, though she felt nervous. Then like the sun breaking through the clouds, his cruel expression melted away and was replaced by a friendly smile.

“I’m Sam Danson,” he introuduced himself, extending his hand. Cloudy, after a slight pause, placed her paw in his hand.

“Where are you off to?” Sam asked.

Cloudy relaxed at his friendly tone, but reminded herself not to let her guard down. “Leupochena.”

Sam showed surprise. “Really? Me too!”

“Where are you headed to in Leupochena?” Cloudy queried.

Sam chuckled and flexed his fingers. “Well, I’m going to visit my brother Owen for Christmas.”

“That’s cool.” Cloudy smiled. “My family and friends are going to Vastre Hall.”

Sam started and stared at her. “How did you know about Vastr—” Then he checked himself and stammered, “Um, I-I mean, why are you going there?”

“We’re going to stay with my aunt’s friends,” Cloudy explained. “We’re all spending Christmas together.”

“Oh, I see. . .” Standing to his feet and muttering an excuse about having to use the restroom, he quickly hurried out of the lounge, leaving his suitcase and a very bewildered puppy behind. Cloudy thought Sam Danson acted very suspicious.

Cloudy looked at the digital clock on the flight screen and sighed irritably. It was forty minutes before their flight was to leave, and still no parents, chaperone, or kids. Cloudy was beginning to get worried. It had been almost twenty minutes since her parents had first left for the restrooms and the other children had disappeared to the cafeteria.

Cloudy sighed and dug around in her purse, then fished out a quarter. “I might as well call Mrs. Scazzarda and talk to her. I’m getting bored anyway,” she muttered. She inquired of a flight attendant as to the nearest phone booth pointed down the hallway a little ways.

Cloudy slipped into the booth and shut the door behind her, then slipped the quarter into the slot and dialed Scazzarda’s number. While she was doing so, a stranger half-hidden in the shadows crept up silently behind the telephone booth and took a piece of wood from his pocket, then wedged it under the door. Smiling in satisfaction, he hurried away and disappeared around the corner.

Cloudy sighed as she waited for Scazzarda to pick up. She wondered if perhaps she should have called during Scazzarda’s work hours, but decided it probably wouldn’t hurt. In a few minutes, Scazzarda picked up.

“Hello?” she inquired pleasantly.

“Hi, Mrs. Scazzarda. It’s Cloudy.”

“Cloudy, hello! Where are you?”

“In a phone booth at the airport. Listen, Mommy and Daddy took some of my friends and my siblings to the restroom twenty minutes ago and they’re still not back. Neither are the Palmers or Zach, and they left for the cafeteria around the same time.”

“Just calm down, dear,” Scazzarda said soothingly. “Everything will be okay. If they don’t show up within the next ten minutes, notify the police or flight attendants, okay?”

“Okay,” Cloudy said. Then she asked, “Um, just out of curiosity, have you ever heard of a guy named Sam Danson?”

“Sam Danson?” Scazzarda repeated. She thought a moment and then said, “Can’t say I have. Can you describe him?”

“Oh, yeah, He has black hair, real dark and slick, and he had these creepy gray eyes. He also wears these weird demonic-looking tattoos and he really gives me the creeps. . .”

“Did you say tattoos?” Scazzarda’s voice suddenly sounded frightened.

“Uh, yeah.” Cloudy frowned. “Why?”

“Is one of the tattoos a skull and crossbones?”

Cloudy was so astonished that it was a moment before she could speak. “Yes, that’s right. Good night, how did you know that, Miss Scazzarda?”

“What flight line is he on, Cloudburst?”

“He’s going to Leupochena, and there’s only one plane heading out at ten, so he’s probably on the same as ours.”

A cry of alarm suddenly broke from Scazzarda, startling Cloudy. “Oh, no! Cloudburst, whatever you do, do not get on the flight with him! He’s dangerous!” Then came a click and the dial tone, indicating the connection had been cut off.

“Hello? Hello?” Cloudy tried to restore the connection, but to no avail. Scazzarda must have hung up on her for some reason. Cloudy frowned, wondering why Scazzarda had acted so afraid. Did she know Sam Danson?

“I’ll just get back to the lounge and wait for the others,” Cloudy said. She tried to open the glass door, but it wouldn’t budge.

“What the heck?” Cloudy muttered, trying again to shove it open. Nothing happened. She peered at the lock, thinking she might have accidentally locked herself in, but that wasn’t the cause. She looked outside, and to her chagrin, she saw the wedge.

“I’m locked in the telephone booth!” Cloudy gasped.

Chapter Two: Surprise Announcement

Meta Knight walked steadily along the trail, Cloudy curled up in his arms. As he walked, he told Cloudy about his life and family—some parts of which were shocking and sad.

“My wife left me not long after Liloy became a teenager,” Meta Knight explained, his voice full of sorrow.

“Why?” Cloudy asked, then clapped a paw over her mouth as she realized how rude that was. “Oh, I’m sorry, that was not polite. . .”

“It’s okay,” Meta Knight assured her. “She divorced me because she didn’t love me.”

“Then why did she even marry you in the first place?” Cloudy demanded. “I don’t get that!”

Meta Knight shrugged and shifted Cloudy a little. “Who can say?” He took a deep breath and continued, “My son, Gregory, abuses drugs and drinks heavily.”

“Drugs?! Drinks?!” Horror in her eyes, Cloudy stared at Meta Knight, who looked away, unable to stand her look.

“Yes. My son-in-law, Tilry, is in the hospital with cancer.” On and on he went, explaining about his children and other relatives. But Cloudy found it rather odd that he mentioned nothing about his father or even who his father was.

By and by, they reached the beginning of the trail. Meta Knight halted, not remembering which way to go. “Left or right, Cloudy?” he asked. When there was no reply, he looked down, and to his surprise, saw Cloudy asleep in his arms, her breathing slow and steady. He smiled at how calm and quiet she was and how adorable she looked when she was asleep.

“I hate to wake her,” Meta Knight sighed, “but we need to get back to her house before we get stuck in the dark.” He cleared his throat and gently tapped Cloudy’s back. “Cloudy, wake up.”

“Hmm?” Cloudy murmured, opening one eye. She must have dozed off. “What? Where’s the fire?”

“We’ve reached the beginning of the trail. Where from here?”

“Ummm. . .” Cloudy cracked open her other eye, lifted her head, and looked around. After a few seconds of deduction, she jerked her head to the left. “That way.”

“Very well.”

Meta Knight turned left and continued on his way. Ten minutes later, they reached the beginning of Whispy Woods. He walked out of the woods, but halted at the edge, From where he stood, he saw other children playing on Cloudy’s property. A few puppies and humanoid children were darting around and tumbling over each other, screaming and laughing and having a great time. Meta Knight recognized most of them from the Thanksgiving feast. But as he gazed at the happy kids, a wave of sadness washed over him. He had never had a wonderful childhood because of his father’s abuse, but Meta Knight hadn’t told Cloudy that yet. He wasn’t sure he was ready to trust her with such a dark secret.

“Ah, that is a lot of children over at your place today,” Meta Knight commented.

Cloudy beamed and leaped from his arms. “Aw, those are my siblings and friends. You’ve met them before,” she said. “Let’s go over and greet them.”

Meta Knight nodded and followed Cloudy across the pasture. Of course, the fence down the middle hindered them, but Meta Knight wasn’t fazed in the slightest. He put his right hand on the top rail, boosted himself, then swung himself over to the other side. Cloudy slipped between the fence rails.

“Hey, that was a cool jump you did,” Cloudy complimented Meta Knight.

“Thank you, child,” Meta Knight said lightly. “I’m able to do certain stunts. I learned them in the GSA.”

“What’s the GSA?” Cloudy asked.

“The Galaxy Soldier Army, also known as the Star Warrior Army. Star Warriors fight together in this army and work together to attack monsters and try to take down Nightmare.” Meta Knight chuckled. “One day, you could join the GSA too.”

Cloudy looked up at him, her green eyes serious. “Of course I will,” she said calmly.

Meta Knight frowned a little at her expression, wondering why she didn’t take her job as a Star Warrior more lightly. Most Star Warriors did. As he gazed at her face, he wondered if perhaps she was one of those rare Star Warriors who believed duty came before play or lightheartedness.

At that moment, Springtime and Showerstorm appeared on the porch and Springtime called, “Keep it down, please, children!” Just then, she caught sight of Cloudy out in the pasture standing with someone Springtime thought she recognized, but wasn’t sure.

“Hi, Mommy!” Cloudy shouted, running over to her parents. Meta Knight followed more sedately behind. “Hi, Daddy!”

“My dear, who is your friend?” Showerstorm wanted to know.

“This is Meta Knight, Scazzarda’s son,” Cloudy replied.

“I thought his name was Magnet,” Sniper said with a smirk. “And I see he’s still rolling out the Halloween costume.”

“Sniper, shhh! Mind your manners!” Springtime reprimanded him.

“His name is Magnus Stellarum, but he wishes to be called Meta Knight,” answered Cloudy, shooting Sniper a dirty look. “Anyway, I went to visit his mom, but she wasn’t home, so I met up with Meta Knight and he wanted to take me home, so I let him, and he told me about his fa—” Cloudy quickly shut her mouth, realizing that Meta Knight’s family was not a public subject to be discussed, but rather a matter to be handled in private.

“He told you about his what, honey?” Springtime asked.

“Later,” Cloudy muttered to Springtime under her breath. Then she smiled. “Well, he’s a nice person and I like him and he’s my friend. I’d like to keep visiting him and he to visit me, if that’s okay with you.”

“We’ll see, honey,” said Springtime. No way was she letting one of her children visit someone they barely knew without first checking their history.

Cloudy turned to Meta Knight. “Let me introduce you to my family,” she said cheerfully. She gestured to her mom and dad and said, “These are my parents, Springtime and Showerstorm.””So nice to meet you, Ma—um, Meta Knight,” Springtime gently told him.

“Yes, we’re very pleased to make your acquaintance,” Showerstorm said formally.

Cloudy then turned and pointed with her paw to each of her siblings in turn, telling Meta Knight their names. “These are Sniper, Sharkell, Yodi, Pancake, Waffle, and Azalea-Star, better known as Star.” The she smiled. “And I suppose you remember my friends’ names?”

Meta Knight smiled. “Not really.”

Moving over to a dark-skinned humanoid girl with brown eyes and glossy black hair, Cloudy said, “This is Miriam Capperdale, my very best friend. She’s eight. And these—” She gestured to two blond-haired twins. “—are Eloise and Nika Palmer. They’re eight too.” Then she stepped over to the last child, a brown-haired boy with sparkling hazel eyes. “And last but not least, this is Zach Linky. He’s nine.”

“It is very nice to meet you all,” Meta Knight said quietly.

“You too, Meta Knight,” Nika responded.

Springtime smiled, glad that she had trained Cloudy to be so polite. Even if none of them particularly knew Meta Knight that well, they still wanted him to feel at home.

After the introductions, for a long moment, there was silence. No one knew what to say. They all stood around and glanced at one another, uncertain what to do next.

“Kids,” Springtime said brightly, breaking the awkward pause, “I just baked some blueberry pie. Anyone want some?”

“Yeah!” the kids cheered.

Just then, a gray car cruised down the road and pulled off onto the grass outside the pasture’s fence. The driver’s door opened and out stepped a pretty humanoid woman with blond hair and dark green eyes. “Hey, all!” she called, opening the gate and entering, then walking over to the others. “It’s so nice to see you all again!”

A warm smile spread across Springtime’s face. “Hello, Scazzarda!” she said. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“I’m glad to be here,” said Scazzarda. Her eyes landed on Meta Knight, who avoided her gaze. “Hello, Magnus. What are you doing here?”

“Mother, do not call me Magnus. My name is Meta Knight. And as for my business being here, I brought Cloudy back to her house. I wanted to meet her family.”

“Why were you away from your house, honey?” Scazzarda asked Cloudy.

“I wanted to visit you, but you weren’t home, and I met Meta Knight and we became friends,” Cloudy explained.

Scazzarda grinned. “I’m so glad you did! My son is very withdrawn and never seems to like talking to a lot of people outside his family. I’m surprised he took a fancy to you.” She gave Meta Knight a questioning look.

“There’s something special about this child,” was all Meta Knight would say. “And I do not mean because she is the Prophesied One.”

Cloudy knit her brow. What did Meta Knight mean by that? It wasn’t as if she were above everyone else.

“Ahem,” Springtime broke in. “Children, Showerstorm and I need to discuss something with you.”

The children instantly perked up and gave her their full attention. “Yes, Mommy?” said Sharkell.

Springtime drew herself up and smiled. “Showerstorm and I are going to take you kids to Cloudy’s aunt’s friend’s house at Vastre Hall for Christmas. Of course, Miriam, the twins, and Zach all have to get their parents’ permission to come with us.”

“When do we leave?” Star asked.

“Tomorrow,” replied Springtime.

“Cool,” said Eloise. “If my dad and mom let us go, then Miriam can come too.”

“My parents will let me go if the rest of you can,” Zach said. “Oh, by the way, is it okay to invite Arrow?”

“Certainly,” said Showerstorm.

Cloudy grinned, feeling very excited now. Arrow was one of Cloudy’s friends from school. He was a gray Malamute with brown eyes and a curious personality. Cloudy suspected that Arrow actually liked her, though he had never told her so.

Springtime clapped her front paws together. “Then it’s settled. If you parents give permission, pack your bags and meet us here at the house tomorrow morning around seven.”

“How long will we be gone?” Miriam asked.

“Once New Year’s Day is over, we’ll start our trip home. You kids are on Christmas vacation now, correct?”

The children all nodded. “We start classes again a few days after the New Year,” Sniper replied.

“Good,” Springtime said with a smile.

Eloise raised her hand. “How are we going to be traveling?”

Showerstorm chuckled. “We’re gonna take to the sky!”

Gasps arose from all the children. “We’re going to fly?!” Pancake exclaimed.

“That’s correct.”

“Wow!” Waffle squealed. “We’re going to fly! I’ve always wanted to fly!”

“So have I!” Star said.

Springtime raised an eyebrow. “Of course, we will probably need an extra chaperone for the trip. Cloudy, can your teacher do it?”

“Nope. Mrs. Ivy’s going away with her boyfriend for Christmas,” Cloudy said.

“Oh.” Springtime turned to her friend. “Scazzarda, do you want to do it?”

Scazzarda frowned a little. “I mean, I’d love to, but we don’t get a break from work until Christmas Eve. . .But maybe Magnus can do it.”

“Meta Knight?” Springtime asked in surprise. “I don’t even know him that well.”

Cloudy felt a stab of sympathy as Meta Knight looked at the ground. Meta Knight was one of the nicest warriors Cloudy had ever met, and she felt certain he was capable of being a good chaperone.

Scazzarda laughed and put an arm on her son’s shoulder. “Oh, Magnus is very kind and good, and he loves children. He’s very dedicated to protecting them with his whole life.”

Meta Knight sighed. “I will do it if you need me that badly.”

“Well, it’s not like we’re dying for a chaperone,” Sniper said roughly, the words coming out a little more rudely than he intended. Cloudy stared at her brother, shocked that he would be so rude to an adult.

“Well, excuse me!” Nika said sharply. “Sniper, apologize to Meta Knight. That was so rude.”

Sniper rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

“That is all right,” Meta Knight said gently.

Springtime cleared her throat, attempting to relieve some of the tension. “Ummm, okay. Meta Knight, you’re the chaperone.”

Meta Knight nodded seriously, his eyes steely.

“Meet here early tomorrow morning,” Showerstorm said. “Pack plenty of jackets and sweaters ‘cause it is chilly up at Vastre Hall. This meeting is now adjourned!”

“This meeting is now what?” Star asked.

Showerstorm laughed. “Adjourned means over, sweetie. The meeting is now over. You kids can go back to whatever you were doing before.”

“Righteous, dudes!” Sniper said. Showerstorm raised an eyebrow at his eldest son, wondering where he had picked up that expression, then shrugged. No use worrying about it, he told himself. It was probably better not to know—if you believed in Sniper, that is.

The children dispersed into different areas of the pasture. Meta Knight was about to walk after Cloudy when Showerstorm placed a paw on his arm. “Meta Knight, wait. We need to talk to you a moment,” he said.

“Yes,” Springtime agreed. “Come with us.” To Scazzarda she shouted, “Hey, Scazzarda, can you watch the children for a few minutes?”

“Sure thing!” Scazzarda replied.

“Thank you!” Springtime called. “Let’s get inside,” she said to her husband and Meta Knight.

Meta Knight, feeling very uneasy, turned and followed the two adults inside. Cloudy watched the three, her eyes filled with puzzlement and a hint of darkness. Without a word to the others, she got up and crept over to the front door as soon as it was shut, pressing her ear to it to listen.

* * * * *

Meta Knight stood in the parlor as Springtime and Showerstorm sat in front of him, their expressions serious. The doors and windows were all shut and the curtains drawn because this was a private conversation.

“Meta Knight,” Springtime said, “we need to ask you about your history. I know Scazzarda says you’re kind and all—and we don’t doubt her—but we just need to check for ourselves.”

Meta Knight dropped his gaze to the floor. “If you really want to know about my history, ask your daughter,” he said darkly. “She knows a lot from my past.”

Springtime looked startled. “You mean Cloudy?” Meta Knight nodded. “What did you tell her?”

Meta Knight shrugged unhappily. “I married a woman a few years ago, but she divorced me because she didn’t love me. I have a younger sister named Tourmaline who was kicked out of the house at age ten because she became a Christian. I never saw her again after that.”

Springtime’s face showed pure horror. “Oh my word.”

“I have two foster children named Gregory and Liloy. Gregory is nineteen and drinks and severely abuses drugs. Liloy is seventeen and is expecting, and she is very sweet and kind like my mother. She is married to her cousin, Tilry, who is dying of cancer.”

Showerstorm and Springtime stared at him as though he were the worst criminal on the planet. Meta Knight cringed at their looks, but continued on.

“My wife hated me and divorced me not long after Liloy reached adolescence. My uncle, Magnus, whom I was named after, is very cruel and wicked, as well as his brother, Exia. My mother, as well as I, suffer from their abuse, but the worst possible abuse comes from my father.” Instantly, Meta Knight faltered and tried to take back what he had said. “I-I mean. . .”

Springtime’s shocked look morphed into one of alarm. “What?! You were abused by your father?!”

Showerstorm sighed and placed a paw to his head. “It never ends, does it. . .”

“Who is your father?” asked Springtime.

Meta Knight clenched his fists. “I cannot tell you!” he exclaimed. “You will all reject me if I do!”

“Why would you say that?” Showerstorm wondered.

Meta Knight felt like he was going to scream in anger and hatred, but he didn’t. “Because my father is Nightmare!” he burst out before he could stop himself. His eyes grew wide and he took a few steps back, realizing he had just let out his most painful secret.

Springtime gasped and Showerstorm’s face grew darker than the clouds gathered in the sky. Nightmare. . .

“You cannot be serious.” Showerstorm’s voice was full of disdain and rage. “How could a nice knight like you be the son of that wicked, wicked demon?”

Meta Knight didn’t answer. He turned his back on Springtime and Showerstorm, trembling. Springtime bit her lip in anxiety and glanced up at her husband, who shrugged, his eyes full of sorrow. Both were at a loss for words. How were they supposed to have known that Meta Knight had been so severely abused by the worst-feared demon in the universe?

“Meta Knight, sweetie, I’m sorry,” Springtime said, her voice dripping with empathy. She placed her paw gently on his arm. “I’m sorry you went through all that. . .I had no idea. . .”

Showerstorm nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry, too, Meta Knight.” There was nothing else he could say. What could he say anyway? He was practically speechless at Meta Knight’s now-revealed secret.

Meta Knight, feeling emotionally broken, began to cry. Springtime felt terrible for him. She wanted so badly to help him, but knew there was a limit at which she must refrain from helping others. Only God could surpass the boundaries and supply the real healing. Before she knew it, she had wrapped Meta Knight in a warm embrace, hugging him tightly, comforting him as best she could. Meta Knight wrapped his arms around her neck and cried into her fur, desperately wanting and needing comfort. Springtime was more than willing to give it to him.

“Mommy?” Cloudy said quietly, opening the door and stepping inside. Springtime jumped a little upon seeing her daughter.

“Cloudy, what are you doing here?” she exclaimed. “Were you listening to our conversation?”

Cloudy looked sheepish. “Uh, maybe?”

“Cloudy!” Showerstorm said sharply.

“Okay, okay!” Cloudy cried. “Yes, I was! I’m an eavesdropper! Are you happy?”

“And how much did you understand?” Springtime asked.

Cloudy shook her head in disbelief. “Meta Knight was abused by his dad, Nightmare.”

Showerstorm sighed heavily. “Do you even know what abuse is, child?”

Cloudy shrugged. “More or less?” she confessed. “It’s like mistreatment of a person or animal, and it can come in several different forms.”

Showerstorm nodded. “You’re right,” he said.

Springtime placed a paw on her head, her eyes revealing pure shock. “How could something so horrible as this have happened and we never knew it?” she questioned softly. “We live not far from the Stellarums.”

Showerstorm looked straight into his wife’s eyes and his voice was shaking slightly as he replied, “Maybe we never cared enough to go look for others in trouble.”

There was a dead silence as mom, dad, and child stared into each other’s eyes, silently communicating their thoughts. “Cloudy was brave enough to go out into the unknown and she found Meta Knight,” Springtime said finally. “What a strong girl.”

Cloudy just shrugged. She didn’t want praise. She just wanted Meta Knight to be safe from harm. Walking over to her newfound friend, she asked, Mommy and Daddy, promise me you won’t tell anyone Meta Knight’s origins?”

Meta Knight instantly became tense and Springtime knew he was scared—scared that others wouldn’t want or love him if they knew where he came from. She couldn’t let that happen. “Of course we won’t tell, honey,” Springtime said quickly.

“Never in a million years,” Showerstorm promised.

“Thanks,” Cloudy said softly, inwardly relieved.

Meta Knight disentangled himself from Springtime’s embrace and picked up Cloudy. “Thank you all,” he said calmly, though his voice was strained.

Cloudy gazed up at him, her emerald eyes clear and solemn. “You’re welcome.”

Meta Knight gently hugged Cloudy to himself and Cloudy licked his hand in appreciation of his kindness. Then he set her down, opened the front door, and stepped onto the porch

“Meta Knight?” Showerstorm called out tentatively.

Meta Knight turned. “Yes.”

“You’re welcome to come back anytime and visit our kids,” he said.

Meta Knight’s eyes glowed a light blue. “Thank you very much—and I will,” the knight answered. Then he turned and walked down the steps.

Cloudy trotted over to her parents and settled herself between them. “I’m so glad he’s my friend,” she said.

“And we’re glad he’s yours,” Springtime replied, ruffling her daughter’s fur.