//------------------------------//
// Aether: Fall Unto Darkness 
// Story: Another Hatchling 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	"Useful functions?" Twilight asked eagerly.  "What sort?"

"Other than being totally badass!" Rainbow pointed out.

As Samus opened her mouth to explain, Luna spoke up.  "Perchance did it interact with sonic based security systems alongside the Echo Visor?"

Samus stared at Luna.  "How could you possibly know that?"

"The design of the Echo Visor indicated that some systems would be designed to interact with it," Luna explained logically.  "This would also imply the use of some sort of sound based weapon for energizing Echo Switches, or something similar.  Since none of your weapons possessed such a trait, it could logically be presumed that the Annihilator Beam possessed those traits, as - based on what you said of how short the remainder of the story is - you didn't have time to gain yet another beam."

Spike chuckled as Samus stared, perplexed.  "Nicely interpreted, Luna."

"Oh!  Oh!" Scootaloo called out, bouncing up and down.  "Did the mix of light and dark energies supercharge the Luminoth Crystals and Beacons turning them into Ing Traps?"

Samus decided not to question how the gamers were able to figure out so much of how her adventures worked.  Apparently, they would make an excellent video game.  "Yes, yes it did."

"Umm...what about Spike's wing?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.

"Mom relocated it as soon as Quadraxis was down for the count," Spike pointed out.  "Hurt like hell, but was good as new after that."

"And then ya took the Ing Hive energy back to the Sanctuary Energy Controller?" Applejack asked.

Samus nodded.  "And after that, we returned to U-Mos to find out what to do next..."





As they returned to the Grand Temple, they found U-Mos staring up at the Energy collected above while spinning energy of some sort between his hands.  "The Light of Aether shines from all three Temples once more," he stated in a mix of awe and determination.  "And yet, Dark Aether remains.  One Energy Controller still shines in the darkness, sustaining the world."

"The Sky Temple," Samus and Spike said together.

"Indeed," U-Mos confirmed.  "The dark shadow of this hallowed place.  It holds the last of our planet's energy...and is guarded by the most powerful of the Ing.  Towards the end of our war, before the Ing seized the Energy Transfer Module, we sent ten of our greatest warriors into the depths of the Dark World to recover them.  We know one was placed successfully in its lock, forever opening the path...but of the other nine-"

"We've got six of them," Spike pointed out.  "Rather easy to find most of them from the air."

"And I found one rather easily," Samus added.

U-Mos stared at them both in awe.  "Truly, you are a blessing to our world and our people," he breathed.  "However, the Ing have surely guarded the remaining three more jealously.  Finding them will be perilous, but..."

He turned towards the Energy Controller.  "...I offer you, Samus, this blessed suit of armor, energized by the Light of Aether itself.  Its power will help you reach these final keys...and guard you against any force the Dark World might turn against you!"  With these words, he hurled the energy he was weaving into the energy stored above the Controller.

The energy flared and blasted downward into the Energy Controller...which parted in three sections, drawing apart to the corners of the Temple Chamber.  At the center was the spinning disc and runic symbol Samus recognized as a Suit upgrade.  Stepping forward, she allowed her suit to incorporate it.  The Light of Aether surged into her in a blinding flare.

When the light faded, her suit had changed.  Now closer in shape to her Varia Suit, the entire thing was a smooth white, with orange light shining through at various points, including her visor.  The Light Suit was truly a perfect fusion of Chozo and Luminoth technology.





Samus smiled as she used her logbook to call up an image of the Light Suit, letting her audience - and, apparently, especially Rarity - marvel at the design.  She had already pulled out a sketchbook and quills and started sketching a new clothing line based off of it.

"After that," Samus continued, "Spike and I spent some time hunting the remaining keys...and picking up a few more upgrades for me, including the Charge Combo for the Annihilator Beam...the Sonic Boom."  She ignored Luna's chuckle.  "As it turned out, the remaining keys were hidden in places that required the Light Suit's light-based teleportation system - which let me ride along any beam of compatible light - or were inside Dark Water or behind an Ingstorm cloud - microscopic Ing that could eat away at any material, except the Light Suit."

"And while my armor did give me the ability to ride light, as we discovered," Spike continued, "it did not provide me with protection from Dark Water or Ingstorms."

"At any rate," Samus concluded, "Spike took the high road to the Sky Temple entrance, while I took the low road.  With the keys placed..."





As the nine keys settled into their places in the lock, the lock itself sunk into the ground, forever open.  A beam of light connected the Sky Temple to the lock, giving a pathway for Samus and Spike to enter.  Together, they rode the light to the final confrontation.

They came up through the Temple's Energy Controller, and could see the final collection of planetary energy above them.  However, a writhing mass of black tentacles pulled the sphere into the shadows of the roof of the chamber.  The pair pursued, following a roundabout path to the upper chamber of the Temple.

There, in a chamber edged in Phazon, the Emperor Ing barred their way, absorbing the last of the planetary energy into itself to prevent them from obtaining it.  It took on the shape of a massive sphere with an indented face from which numerous tentacles writhed, the entire thing resting on another mass of wriggling tendrils.

Spike and Samus quickly teamed up, targeting the tentacles that struck out at them.  Samus utilized the auto-homing function of the Annihilator Beam, while Spike raced along the ceiling for an alternative angle for his flame blasts.  When all the tentacles were struck down, the flesh peeled back to reveal an energy based biomass surrounded by a partial shield.  Samus tried to follow the shield around to shoot at the central mass through the gap.  Spike, however, shot the mass straight through the open top of the shield.

With the last shot fired, the flesh reappeared, rolling over so the indented portion sank down over the writhing mass, forming a hard cocoon.  The lower levels of the room filled with gas that ate through even the Light Suit.  However, the cocoon itself was magnetic, and had visible weak points.

Spike satisfied himself with sniping at the smaller Ing that swarmed, trying to knock Samus off the cocoon as she left bombs and Power Bombs at the weak points.  Eventually, the cocoon shattered, explosively, revealing the final stage of the Emperor Ing.

In appearance, it was a massive Warrior Ing, with six heavily armored legs and a massive body, a swirling vortex of energy inside its mouth the only vulnerable point as it charged around to attack.  Only when the Core was Light or Dark would it take damage from the opposite.





"Why not just keep its mouth closed, then?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"Ventilation," Twilight guessed.  "In all likelihood, if it didn't have proper cross ventilation over that much energy, it would melt its flesh away."

"Honestly, I have no idea," Samus replied.  "All I know is that it didn't, which was good for us."





For the most part, one Super Missile impact to the core was enough to cause an elemental shift.  Samus found a Darkburst Charge Combo was especially effective against the Emperor Ing when it was Light, while Spike was able to get massive barrages with his flame breath when it was dark.

Eventually, the Emperor Ing fell and exploded, the planetary energy left behind.





"Sweet!" Scootaloo cheered, zooming in celebratory circles around Spike and Samus' heads.  "And then it's just a smooth escape with the planetary energy, right?"

Samus and Spike both looked at each other.  "No," Samus replied.

"Not quite," Spike agreed.





As Samus absorbed the energy into the Transfer Module - replenishing her ammo and energy in the process - Spike let out an enraged bellow of pain as he fell from the ceiling.  "Spike!" Samus called out.

He writhed around on the ground, clutching his head and roaring in pain as his body started to expand.  At first Samus couldn't tell what was happening.  However, as her suit alerted her to the fact that the planet would explode in 20 minutes due to the removal of the energy, she saw the fragments of the Emperor Ing converging on Spike, infusing him as his coloration turned darker still.  "Spike!" she shouted as his eyes turned red.