//------------------------------// // A Different Perspective // Story: Metroid: A Hunter in Equestria // by Cusi //------------------------------// A/N: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot. Chapter 3: A different perspective "Excellent!" said the princess "I'm glad to hear you are willing to make up for your crimes. Knives!" From the back part of the hall, came rushing a dark gray stallion with white mane and two crossed knives as his cutie mark. "Knives at your service, your majesty." he said as he knelt before the alicorn. "As you can see, we have a guest." the princess motioned her head toward Samus. The gray pony noticed she was tied. "I would like you to prepare the 'Sharp Knives Treatment', please" This request surprised the servant, as well as the incarnation of the Elements of Harmony. "B-But your highness, isn't that a little too much? I mean..." began Knives, but was cut off by a stern look from the princess "I-I understand. Everything will be ready within the hour." with that he returned to the entrance at the back of the room and disappeared. Samus gulped at hearing this. Celestia returned her attention to the bounty hunter. She began talking with a voice that could only be described as a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Now, I would like you to explain why you had to hurt poor little Spike. As far as I know, he did nothing wrong to you. Please tell us, I'm sure everypony here would love to hear your reasons." "It's complicated. I wouldn't want to bore your with my tales. I'm sure a princess such as yourself is very busy." replied Samus with a calm voice; her face never losing its seriousness. "Just proceed with whatever you were planning to do to me." "Luckily, today's royal activities are all done; and as you can see, we have one hour before the preparations are complete, so we have time to spare on a little explaining." countered Celestia with her sweet and calm voice; a voice too sweet and calm to be directed to a criminal like Samus, the huntress though. She was finding it hard to read the pony ruler. "Fine" Samus concluded there really wasn't a reason not to tell her reasons. Still, they didn't need all the details. "I'm an intergalactic bounty hunter. There was this space dragon that caused me... trouble. He was the leader of a group of pirates, and was as ruthless as can be. I was sent on a mission to destroy one of their bases; and after a long and intense fight, I ended his life. However, the Space Pirates found ways to revive him. After a while, I killed him again." she noticed most of the mares flinched when she said the word 'kill' like it was an everyday activity. "But he would not disappear. He kept reviving; whenever there was a mission involving the pirates, he would be present. Then the day came I was sent to a specific Pirate base with the objective to steal their data and blow up the place. In that base, I saw something the filled me with dread and rage: a laboratory with countless stasis tanks, all holding the suspended forms of Ridley's clones. They were at their initial stage of development, a stage that somewhat resembled your little friend. Needless to say, those were not natural. I completed my mission, but at the time of the explosion, I saw several escape pods being launched. Not knowing if those pods were decoys, escaping pirates or if they carried clones, I set to track all the pods. Turns out they were carrying clones, and that they were developing. I managed to eliminate most of them, destroying them before they managed to grow. However, I don't know if I got them all. Uncertainty made me paranoid. It came to the point I attacked anything vaguely resembling him or his undeveloped clones. I can see now that your friend is not one of them. I was... Let's just say I'm mentally unstable; it works for me." Another long silence befell the human and the ponies; the smaller ones not knowing what to say, and the royal one eying the human. Finally, Princess Celestia spoke again. "Samus, I have lived long enough to know when somepony is not telling the whole truth. You reasons for hurting little Spike are understandable; but from what I can see from you, you are not a fool who would overlook obvious clues just to settle a petty grudge. There is more to your story than you let on, so I would like to ask you to tell us your full story behind this dragon of yours." the last words were said a little harshly. "That's..." Samus began, then looked away "...none of your business." Celestia simply sighed in disappointment. Twilight was about to say something to Samus, but was cut off by the princess. "Don't bother." Celestia said "Leave us." The six ponies just looked between each other, then left the room in silence, leaving Samus and Celestia alone. After they were gone, Celestia walked toward one of the windows. She then turned her head to Samus, who simply looked at her. Celestia closed her eyes and returned her gaze to the window. "Equestria is a land that has had no wars, or any mayor conflict, in more than a thousand years." she began with a solemn voice "We have enjoyed peace for as long as this land has existed. I ask you: Do you know why?" "No. I don't" "It's because there has been no need to fight. When all the parties are understanding of each other, making peace is easy. No one likes conflicts, so they do their best to avoid it." Celestia opened her eyes and turned to Samus once again. "Before Equestria was founded, the 3 tribes of ponies lived away from each other. There was conflict between them, and times weren't really peaceful. One day, the leaders of the tribes organized a meeting to discuss their relationships with each other. In that meeting, they ended becoming friends with each other. Thanks to this friendship, the relationships between tribes got better and better, until all 3 decided to found a kingdom where all 3 tribes could live in peace and harmony." Were it not for the seriousness in the princess's voice, Samus would've scoff at the idea. As if on cue, the Sun Princess continued "I know it may be hard for someone with your lifestyle to understand just how powerful real friendship can be, but I just wanted to tell you that all that..." she pointed to the land beyond the window "... came from the trust between 3 leaders and their tribes. Now, I..." She was interrupted by Knives, who came from the entrance at the back of the hall. Once inside the room, he bowed. "Your majesty, the preparations are complete. You may proceed whenever you like." "Oh, goodness! So soon? Time flies when you're having fun." was her joyful response. Fun? Samus just raised an eyebrow at that word. "Could you please guide the ponies that brought Samus? Take them to the 'Event Room'. This occasion is something I don't want them to miss." "Of course." Knives bowed again and left the room to call the other ponies. "Thank you." Celestia turned to face Samus "We'll finish this conversation later. Right now, we are going to deal with you. You have committed an offense to someone, and you have to take responsibility. Come with me." Celestia began to walk away, the wagon Samus was on followed her on its own. "I can't wait to get started!" Samus got nervous and gulped; she had no idea what they were going to do to her. Whatever it was, though, she was sure she could take it; she was the most feared hunter in the galaxy, after all. OXOXO "We're here!" exclaimed an excited Celestia as she opened the gigantic doors of a room and led Samus's wagon inside. Samus could do nothing but widen her eyes in shock. "I hope you are able to handle this. It'd be a shame to let Knives's hard work go to waste." Not even her years as a legend could prepare Samus for what lay before her eyes. The room she was in was brightly lit. There was a long table in the middle of the room, covered by an elegant tablecloth; and seated at the table were Shining Armor, Spike, the 3 fillies from earlier, and the 6 mares that brought her to the castle; all with confusion on their faces (except Pinkie, who had that silly grin). What shocked her the most was what was on the table. Instead of torture utensils or death devices, there was a buffet. All kinds of fruits and vegetables, artistically cut and decorated; sandwiches made from some sort of flowers, expertly stacked on silver platters; several big bowls of colored beverages; various fritters scattered throughout the table; and at the very center, a massive cake decorated with frosting and some fruits. "I hope you enjoy the 'Sharp Knives Treatment', my ladies and gentlecolts." said Knives as he bowed and presented his culinary creations with the pride any chef would have. "The best treatment for your tummies are these delectable yummies!" Any other person would be staggering for words, flabbergasted, but Samus settled with a look of confusion. After gathering her thoughts, she turned to the princess, begging for an explanation. "Wasn't I supposed to be getting punished for my offense or something? I doubt a feast is considered punishment." Princess Celestia looked at her before releasing a soft laugh. "Oh no, I never said anything like that! I said you had to take responsibility for your offense, and what better way to do it than to ask the one you offended how? I hope you don't mind asking him while we eat; I have been craving Knives's special recipes for quite a while now, and this looked like a good time to ask for it. Shall we?" Celestia offered. When she got no response, she realized something "Oh dear, how silly of me. I forgot to untie you." with the princess's magic, the ropes binding Samus untied and fell to the ground. With that done, the equine ruler took her seat at the head of the table. Samus took a seat between the princess and Shining Armor. "Let's eat!" With those two simple words, everypony just forgot their worries and began eating. Samus saw no reason not to do the same, and proceeded to join them. She was a little unsure, eating pony food and all, but ultimately gave in and tasted the food; she had nothing to eat since the crash, after all. Not bad, she though, considering it was pony food. After they finished eating, the night sky could be seen outside the windows. The princess cleared her throat to grab everypony's (and human's) attention. "It has been a delicious dinner, Knives. I congratulate you on your effort." Knives just bowed with a proud smile on his face. "Now, I'm certain Samus here has something she wants to say." Samus's pride suffered another intense and merciless blow; she was expected to apologize as if she were a little child? Celestia had to be kidding. Samus turned away with an offended face, and then she looked at Celestia. The equine monarch simply lowered her head a little without breaking eye contact with the huntress. Not two seconds later, Samus complied, albeit with great resignation. She turned to Spike, and in a voice seething with anger and humiliation, apologized to the baby dragon. "I'm sorry I hit you on the head. I should have been more careful when hunting for intergalactic space-dragon murderers." She even went as far as giving the reptile brat a bow. Had she be wearing her Power Suit, she would've unloaded all her missile containers on Celestia's head. The overgrown pony was lucky Samus had a broken arm. "There! Don't you feel better already?" said the alicorn with a wide smile. Celestia seemed to enjoy humiliating Samus; who simply glared daggers at the princess. "I'm sure now that you apologized, you could all be friends!" If looks could kill, Celestia would've been dead four times already. The deep hatred was interrupted by Spike's voice, who looked at Samus with understanding in his eyes. "D'aww, I forgive you. You actually look like a nice guy!" that cheered Samus a little "I mean, It's not your fault you're crazy." and that made her angry again. "I just hope you don't hit me again; that hurt!" "It has been a very enjoyable dinner." Celestia spoke again "Please feel free to relax and do whatever you like. I have arranged rooms where you may stay the night; the guards will take you there in a few minutes." Everyone in the room left, except Samus, Shining Armor, and the princess. "Your majesty, have you seen Cadance? I would like to explain the current situation. She may be of help." asked Shining Armor. "Yes. She is waiting for you at her room. She looked rather impatient..." This caused the captain to give the princess a sheepish smile and a nervous laugh, and proceeded to trot away at high speed. The Sun Princess waved him goodbye, and then turned her attention to Samus. "Would you like to finish our conversation out in the gardens? My sister did a wonderful job with the night; it's always nice to have a walk and chat in the moonlight." Celestia exited the room and Samus followed her; it's not like she had anything better to do. OXOXO They reached the garden in silence, just enjoying the peaceful and calm atmosphere as they did. Samus had to agree, it felt nice to just walk and enjoy the night air. While strolling through the royal gardens, she saw several statues and bushes, all beautifully arranged and decorated. After a while, Celestia retook the unconcluded conversation. "As I was saying before, the land of Equestria came to existence thanks to the bonds of trust and friendship between the 3 tribe leaders. We actively avoid confrontation, as was evidenced by little Spike a while back. You only had to apologize for him to forgive you and give you another chance." Samus pondered at her words. She could've killed the dragon on a whim, and yet a simple 'I'm sorry' was enough for him to forgive. Did they not know of deceit? "Can you see where I'm going with this?" "I can imagine." Samus answered and Celestia gave her a little smile. "Trust is the founding of Equestria, and trust is the founding of friendship. You fell from the sky on a world you don't know; and you come from a world we don't know. Your intentions may be good, bad, or simply non-existent. As a ruler of this world, I ask you: Can we trust you?" Her smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression. Samus just looked at the pony's eyes for a second before answering flatly. "I have no intention of bringing any harm to your land or its inhabitants." Celestia kept studying her with her serious expression for a couple more seconds, before replacing it with a pleased smile. "I trust your word." She turned to the starry sky. "It's getting late, I'll leave you now. Feel free to roam the castle grounds as much as you like. When you desire to head to your room, ask the guards and they'll take you. Farewell!" She took off, leaving Samus alone in the moonlit gardens. Samus walked through the garden, admiring the detailed work on the sculptures decorating the garden. She came to a statue that simply felt different than the others, that of a creature made with the parts of other creatures. It had a look of pure fear in its face, accentuated by the posture it had, as if it was trying to shield itself from something. When she blinked, the terror in the statue's face was replaced by a mocking grin directed at her. The sudden change made Samus rub her eyes to prove she wasn't seeing things. She was, apparently, because when she saw the statue again it had the same expression of fear. It must be lights playing tricks, she though. Her walk eventually took her to a small hill. She decided to lay down and watch the stars to clear her mind a little. The past days have been... interesting, to put it mildly. Finishing an expedition with Jayden and his team, getting blasted by Sylux (curse the stupid bastard), crashing in a land full of colorful talking ponies and getting schooled by the biggest one; and yet, nothing really seemed important right now. The only things that mattered right now were the stars. No matter where in the galaxy she might be, the stars were always the same, beautiful little dots contrasting in the dark sky. When one travels the stars, one forgets how they look like in a calm night. "Beautiful." she said to herself; she should look at the stars more often. "It brings me joy to hear someone enjoys my night" Samus quickly rose and span to see another alicorn. This one was a dark blue, and her mane was a nightly mist. "Are you the one Celestia mentioned, who came from beyond the stars?" "I am. Princess Luna, I presume?" the dark mare nodded "I have to hand it to you. Very few can manage to sneak up on me like that." Samus said with a cocky grin. "I apologize. It wasn't my intention to sneak on you." her tone was low. "It's fine." Samus dismissed. She then turned to the sky "I never realized how soothing star-gazing can be." "Stars are beautiful, more so when you can see them alongside the moon." the last part was said with a nostalgic voice. Samus eyed Luna, and saw sadness in her eyes. "Care to explain?" "Due to some actions on my part, my sister was forced to banish me to the moon for a thousand years." Samus just looked at Luna with incredulity all over her face. "A thousand years? Really? How old are you?" "I'd rather not answer." At this, a giggle escaped Luna's mouth. "I don't know why, but I like you. I feel we are very similar, you and I. Like we have...something that makes us different from everypony else, but very alike between us. Don't you feel it?" "I... don't know. I stopped bonding with others a long time ago." "The world has changed a lot during the millennia I was on the moon." Luna began, ignoring Samus's comment. "Times are different, and I struggle to fit in. My friends... they are gone. And my social skills are... lacking, to say the least." "Then I guess we really are more alike than I thought." Samus said, causing an akward silence between them. They both laughed a little, before silence reigned again. "I suggest you go to sleep. Knowing Celestia, she'll give you a big assignment tomorrow. She is like that, making other learns on their own with only a little push from her as a guide." this was said with a loving smile. "I'm really glad you like the stars. I hope to see you again soon and talk some more. Bye." Luna waved and flew away, just like her sister. Samus simply went back to watch the stars. "Yes, that would be nice." she said to herself, before falling asleep right there. OXOXO Deep within the gardens, a sinister laugh echoed through the bushes and statues. A statue depicting a scared draconequus shook lightly, before a single word came from it. "Soon." OXOXO Once the Sun rose, so did Samus's eyelids. She stood up and saw it was already late morning. She stretched, careful of her arm, until she felt her bones pop. Satisfied, she headed to the castle. She planned to announce her departure and head to her ship to see what else could be fixed. On her way to the castle, she saw two guards heading toward her. They appeared to be Spearhead and Iron Shield, but she wasn't sure; all the guards looked the same for some reason. "The princess has requested that you go see her at your earliest disposition." "Where is she?" "We'll take you to her. Follow us." And so she did. A quick walk later, Samus entered the castle, where 6 mares, 3 fillies, one dragon, and one white princess awaited her. When she arrived, the princess beamed with joy, her face indicated she was planning something fun for herself, not necessarily for Samus as well. "Welcome, Samus. We have been waiting for you." The princess started "Now that you're here, I'm able to announce a decision I've made. Samus, I have decided that you should live in Ponyville and learn about our way of life. I'm sure Twilight here will be able to help, so I hereby name you Twilight's pupil!" "WHAT?" yelled both the huntress and the pony scholar; one with indignation and the other with excitement. They both looked at each other, then at the princess. "Are you crazy? / You mean it?" both said at the same time. "You can't just make me take pony classes and expect me to like it. / Thank you for this great opportunity, princess!" All other ponies just looked at them with different expressions. Amusement, nervousness, indignation, and annoyance were some of them. "I have a ship I need to repair! Watching ponies frolicking is just a waste of time. / I'll do my best to make Samus learn all there is to learn about pony society." The guards just looked at each other and shrugged. Not all of the princess's decision made sense, but they always found a way to work just fine. "The worst part is that I think you thrive in my humiliation! / I won't let down, not with this task entrusted to me!" "SHUT UP!" both turned to see Spike, panting at his sudden outburst. Both obliged. "Thank you, Spike" Celestia spoke again "As I said, I think learning about our way of life can be an interesting experience for you, Samus. And Twilight... well, I'm sure she is thrilled by the prospect of having her own student. To be honest, I am curious of what you have to show and tell us about your life. I'm sure having the life of a bounty hunter comes with tons of adventures. You could even tell the foals your stories!" Resistance, Samus noticed, was futile. "Fine. I'll be your student's student. Just don't expect too many details." the princess just giggled a little. "In that case, I bid you farewell, my little ponies. Have a pleasant travel." They left the castle grounds and headed to Canterlot. This day was going to be a long one. OXOXO Who would've thought a pony-inhabited world would have a train? Samus didn't, that was certain. These ponies sure kept the surprises coming and coming. Samus was now on a seat inside a train car, thinking about her situation and how she had come to that situation. The three fillies bombarding her with questions did little to help her pondering, but what could she do? Did they ever run out of energy? "Now now, girls. I'm sure miss Samus here has a lot on her mind. Why don't you wait until we arrive at Ponyville to ask her what you want to know?" Rarity saved Samus from further annoyance. "But, Rarity!" "Hush now, Sweetie Belle. You can wait a few hours." The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked down and went to their rooms. The fashionista turned to Samus "You have to forgive them. They don't mean ill, but they can be a hoofful." "It's ok. I just have a lot on my mind, right now." The rest of the trip was silent, ponies either asleep or reading. Samus checked her arm and was pleased to see it felt better. It'd probably heal entirely in a week; she was a fast healer. Her thoughts went from her arm to the healer that treated it. She saw Fluttershy fast asleep in her seat. She seemed a little too shy for her own good. When the yellow pony discovered Samus wasn't any animal, she went from open and helpful to timid and cowardly. Still she didn't seem that bad. Perhaps with the right methods, she would open up and help Samus with the whole 'learning about ponies' thing. The huntress then turned her attention to Rarity, the formal mare of the group. She and Fluttershy seemed to be close friends. The white unicorn had an air of elegance and beauty around her; and yet she wasn't as unbearable as the royals Samus had met. She was a royalty wannabe, but the support and love for her friends was evident; something Samus didn't find possible, until now. She would certainly be an interesting study subject, Samus mussed. However, her tendency to 'fix ugliness' would represent an annoyance to the huntress, who didn't really care about appearances. Samus then looked at Rarity's opposite, Applejack. That was a strong pony, far stronger than her adorable exterior hinted. She seemed to be a very hard worker, and someone who took responsibility very seriously. She never took her hat off, for some reason. She also seemed to go directly to the point, something Samus could relate to. Her help and opinion in the studies would give Samus a lot of data to work with. From what Samus had seen so far, the orange pony was brave and selfless, if a bit stubborn. Speaking of stubborn, Rainbow Dash struck Samus as odd. She was athletic and fearless, ready to jump herself at a friend's need. However, those good traits were overshadowed by that tremendous ego of hers. That and her obsession with 'awesomeness' and 'coolness' made her clash with Samus, personality wise. The soon-to-be pupil didn't looked forward to spending time with the rainbow mare. Also, she seemed like the prankster type, which took her to the pink one. Pinkie Pie was a weird one, Samus though. Her happy-go-lucky attitude was unnerving when considering the situations she had seen. She always has a smile on her face; it was hard imagining her without it. She was also crazy. Who in their right minds would join a complete stranger in a laughing fit in front of the Captain of the Guard? And what's with the random songs? The pink pony had sang at least 6 different songs between yesterday and now. Oh, and let's not forget her ability to apparently bend reality; Samus attributed that to the pony magic. Really, what else could explain the fact that sometimes there were two Pinkies in different places at the same time? No, that pony was too lively and hyperactive for Samus's tastes. The last pony in the group, and apparently now her mentor, was Twilight Sparkle. The lavender unicorn was a nerd, as much as Samus despised the word. She was always reading, always looking for something to learn. It was probably the reason Samus had agreed to become her pupil, because she reminded her of the Chozo. The Chozo were always trying to learn about their surroundings, much like Twilight did with her books. That pony also had great leading skill, whether she was aware of it or not. Her organizational skills, and overall thirst of knowledge, gave Samus the impression that she was the best teacher she could ask for (Not that she asked). The group of ponies that accompanied her certainly was unique. Were all the ponies just as unique as them, or was this trait reserved to this specific group? That was something that was yet to be seen. Maybe, just maybe, this whole mentor/pupil thing isn't going to be too much of a drag. "We have arrived at Ponyville station." sounded the voice of the conductor. Samus and her pony companions exited the train and headed to Sweet Apple Acres, from where Samus's ship was nearby. The walk was a quiet one, nopony really said much (Pinkie Pie doesn't count). Along the way, the group began dividing, each to their own home. By the time they reached the farm, only Twilight, Spike, Applejack and Apple Bloom remained. "Well, ah guess we'll be seein' y'all tomorrow. Come on, Apple Bloom." said Applejack as she turned to her house. "Bye Twilight! Bye Samus! Bye Spike!" Apple Bloom happily followed her sister. The unicorn, dragon, and human continued their way to the crash site. Once they reach it, Samus opened the elevator/hatch in the ship and went inside, followed by Twilight and Spike. "Good afternoon, Samus. How was your audience with this world's monarch?" Adam's voice was heard inside, causing Twilight and Spike to jump in surprise and look around, trying to find the owner of the voice. "It was interesting, to say the least. The princess was a bitc... she had unorthodox methods." "You didn't get in any trouble, did you?" "No. And what's with you? Why so worried?" "It just happens that without you, the repairs cannot be done." "Gee, I missed you too." "Excuse me, but who are you talking to? I thought you were the only one who came from outer space!" The unicorn interrupted the conversation between the huntress and the bodyless voice. Samus chuckled a little. "Sorry. This is Adam. He is part of my ship's computer." She pointed to a screen with strange characters on it, but then noticed the confusion in Twilight's and Spike's faces. "Imagine this ship has a brain. Adam is that brain. He is not really alive; he just has artificial intelligence, and is able to talk via the speakers in my ship. I'll tell you about him later. First, I want you to tell me what you have planned for our lessons." Twilight's face lit with excitement. "I don't know! There's so much to teach you that I don't know where to begin!" she practically bounced with joy. "Why don't you let me make a schedule to start your lessons? I'll see you tomorrow morning with the plan ready." Her face beamed again "It's going to be so much fun!" "Yeah, I'm overjoyed." Her tone betrayed her words. She opened the hatch for her visitors to leave. They did. Samus then turned to her console; the repairs needed to continue. If she was lucky, the Medical Bay would be operational by tonight; and if that was the case, then goodbye arm cast! Filled with hope, Samus got to work.