• Published 3rd May 2015
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Another Hatchling - Tatsurou



On instructions from the Chozo, Samus raises a baby dragon brought to her possession by magical means.

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BSL: S.P.I.K.E.

"Seriously, what?" Twilight demanded again. "What was that thing?"

Adam typed away at his datapad for a time, then presented the holographic image of the robotic dragon. "This was the primary security drone used to patrol the BSL station, based off the most dangerous life form encountered in the known universe. It's full project name was Super Powered Indomitable Killing Engine Security Unit, or the S.P.I.K.E. Security Unit."

"They...they made a robot Spike?" Twilight continued, her voice still filled with disbelief.

"Yeah...yet another in the long line of secret military projects designed to kill me having gone rogue," Spike admitted. "And this one was...actually pretty well designed."

"While it lacked Spike's size and shape changing abilities, it had all of his elemental resistances," Samus explained. "And while it lacked his variable breath weapons...it had a homing missile launcher, and a breath weapon with Plasma and Wave functionality. The control circuitry was a cybernetic brain, the electronic aspects based off scans of Spike's own brain taken while he was unconscious at the start of the Phaaze mission...and the organic parts were vat grown from genetic samples taken at the same time, designed and modified during construction to control this ideal killing machine."

"I did not like hearing about that data file when Melissa found it," Spike grumbled, clenching his claws into fists.

"So...it was basically Spike's inner beast stuck in a metal body?" Rainbow Dash asked nervously. "The sort of thing...the Space Pirates wanted?"

"Exactly," Samus confirmed. "And as we discovered when we tried to fight it...they had good reason to want such a thing..."


Before Spike or Samus could fully react to what they were seeing, the S.P.I.K.E. roared and charged, lunging straight for them both. As the pair dodged to either side, the cybernetic foe rounded to pursue Spike, its tail lashing and striking Samus hard in the chest, knocking her back against the wall. Without seeming to keep track of her, it lunged, throwing its full impressive weight against Spike as it tackled him across the floor.

Groaning, Samus pushed herself to her feet. She attempted to give some covering fire, but her shots bounced right off the metal of the bot's body and the casing surrounding its cybernetic brain. As Spike clashed with S.P.I.K.E., she also saw that his claws, clenched fists, teeth, and breath had no real effect on its armored blue and red exterior either. The only point where the bot even reacted was when Spike tried to punch the brain case. In response, it either twisted its body so the punch landed on its metal exterior, or blocked with a limb or wing.

Deciding that was as good a hint as any, Samus aimed her arm canon and fired one of her Super Missiles, only to curse as the bot's tail lashed up, grabbed the missile around the middle, and hurled it aside and off course to slam against the wall. Deciding the only remaining option was to try and get close, Samus waited until it seemed Spike had the bot's undivided attention as they clashed upright, claw in claw, before attempting to charge in. To her surprise, the bot responded by seeming to crumple under Spike's assault, rolling over and slamming Spike into Samus. Both fell back before getting once more to their feet.

"Can't fight from range...can't get close..." Samus grumbled. "How am I supposed to handle this thing?"

"It's quick, not fast," Spike suggested in a whisper before lunging in to clash again.

Getting the idea, Samus raced away, getting room to charge up her Speed Booster, thinking to slam into the brain case before unleashing a few Super Missiles. Getting the distance proved no problem, but just as she'd started to enter the Boosted state, the bot's tail fired missiles of its own...into the ground in front of Samus, creating potholes to make Samus stumble before she had a chance to react. Unable to stop herself, she wound up skidding a good distance across the ground, taking even more damage.

Growling deep in his throat, Spike attempted a desperate gamble. Releasing the bot, he backed away, trying to get some distance. The S.P.I.K.E., meanwhile, turned its attention to Samus, plainly intending to take the time to finish her off. However, while she wasn't that well armored at this point against the bot's arsenal, Samus proved to be far more agile than it expected, able to dodge each swipe of claw, snap of jaw, or beam and missile assault.

At that moment, Spike could be heard, having entered his Boosted state and charging straight at the S.P.I.K.E., which countered the same way it had countered Samus...only for Spike to leap into the air before reaching the potholes, spreading his wings to fly the distance, touching down on ground just before slamming bodily into the bot, pushing it along until he could slam it into the opposite wall.

As Spike backed up for an assault, however, he discovered that, despite all expectations, the S.P.I.K.E. was even more durable than it looked, as that smash only dazed it for a few seconds. Even before it was on its feet, its lashing tail had caught Spike across the jaw, staggering him with the force of the blow as it took to the air, forcing him to follow.

Samus watched as, even in the confined quarters of the station, the aerial dog fight of dragon vs dragon took place. Desperately, she looked for an opening, a way for her to add to the fight and help Spike...and she saw a desperate gamble. Once more, she charged in with Speed Booster until she saw her opening, then leapt, seizing the bot's writhing tail. As she expected, it lashed the tail to get her off while focusing its attention on Spike...and she timed her release so she was flung upward, flipping in the air until she could unload multiple Super Missiles in rapid succession at the brain case in the small of its back at close range.

Even now, the S.P.I.K.E. caught Samus off with how quick it was, as it dropped from the air after only two impacts to the brain case, causing the remaining Missiles to impact harmlessly against its armor plating. She could see that the brain case was cracked, though, and the creature backed against the wrecked Data Room as Samus and Spike once more gathered to plan the next assault. It watched them for a time...then leapt upward, tearing through the ceiling and disappearing through the hidden passages of the station. The debris that dropped gave Spike and Samus platforms to allow them to take the same path themselves, to get back to the Navigation Room.


"It...ran away?" Scootaloo asked, stupefied.

"It was part of its program," Adam explained. "It's primary objective was to maximize its ability to protect the secrets of the station. It only targeted Samus and Spike - as best as we could determine - because Samus had been using the Data Rooms without proper authorization. Once it determined that directly confronting them both together wasn't working, it came to the conclusion that its own survival to protect the more sensitive and secret parts of the station took priority over dealing with Samus and Spike...and left to repair, rearm, and simulate new combat tactics."

Discord whistled appreciatively. "I have to give the shadowy aspects of the Federation their due...when they put their minds to it, they do know how to build an effective Death Machine."

"That's hardly reassuring," Celestia murmured worriedly. "If they can build one..."

Eyes all around the table widened in fear. "Well," Shining spoke up, his voice unnaturally high, "it's not like I needed to sleep for the next month anyway, right? Flurry already gave me plenty of practice going without sleeping!"

"Speaking of which, where is she?" Spike asked curiously.

"We left her with Sunburst-" Cadence began, only to cut herself off.

"Nom nom nom!" Flurry Heart called happily, mouthing one of Spike's horns.

"I thought Sunburst figured out how to curb her magic surges?" Twilight complained.

"Perhaps there is a reason there are no other recorded alicorn births..." Celestia murmured worriedly.

Chuckling, Samus lifted the even tinier pony off Spike's head, cradling her gently in her lap and letting her suck on a finger.

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