"So, with the bot running, what next?" Ember asked curiously. She paused when she noticed a great many eyes turned towards her. "What?"
"I don't think this is a good story to be telling around a baby," Twilight insisted pointedly, jerking her head towards Flurry Heart.
"She's either too young to understand what we're saying, or it's no different from telling the Crusaders," Spike countered. "And you haven't objected to them being here."
"If I'd known what would happen on Aether, the Bottleship, and BSL when they first showed up, I would have!" Twilight countered.
"Hey!" Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all called out angrily.
"Besides, if her magic surges aren't contained anymore, she could shatter the castle with a terrified scream if she gets scared!" Twilight added. "That's what happened to the Crystal Heart, after all!"
"Twilight," Cadence interrupted calmly, getting her attention. "I think it's fine."
"What?" Twilight gasped out. "But-"
"Whose adventures do you think are her bedtime stories?" Cadence asked pointedly.
"Umm...Daring Do?"
Shining Armor chuckled. "No, Twilight...yours."
"What? But...I haven't had 'adventures', per say-"
Luna, Discord, Ember, and Starlight Glimmer all noisily cleared their throats.
Blushing, Twilight lowered her head with a sigh. "Point made..."
"Well, after the S.P.I.K.E. fled, we went back to the Navigation Room," Spike explained. "We then had a discussion with Adam, Melissa, and Ghor about the security bot and its true nature." He clenched his claws. "As I said, I...didn't take it so well."
"The worse information we got from that was the fact that the organic brain that powered the S.P.I.K.E. did not have Spike's Metroidal aspects," Samus added. "Meaning if it didn't reseal its brain case in time, it could become infected by the X."
"Which is exactly what happened, right?" Rainbow inquired. "And eventually, that's how you regained your Plasma and Wave Beams?"
"Just Wave," Samus corrected. "Plasma came from somewhere else. Besides...much more significant information came to light before long..."
"With Level 2 doors open, Sectors 5 and 6 are unlocked," Adam explained. "Those sectors have already been infiltrated by the X."
"So we'll be headed there next?" Samus asked.
"To Sector 6, yes," Adam agreed. "Sector 5, however, is Sub-Zero. Until the Varia Suit data is ready and downloaded, you don't dare go there. Just being in a Sub-Zero environment will drain your energy as surely as a superheated one will. For now, you should head for the Sector 6 Data Room. You don't need to unlock any more levels of Security to get in there, so you should camp out at the Data Room or close to it until we're ready to transmit the data, to make sure the path doesn't get damaged before you get there."
"We're on our way," Samus confirmed, both her and Spike incensed at the idea of Spike's genetic material being used in experiments like the S.P.I.K.E., which was why she had been so short with Adam. Turning they made their way to Sector 6.
----
Once in contact in the Sector 6 Navigation Room, Adam proceeded with a briefing. "We have good news and bad news," he began firmly. "The good news is that the Varia Suit data is ready. However, due to a change in the BSL's mutating security algorithms, we were unable to maintain contact with the Sector 6 Data Room, and had to transfer the data early. It's waiting for you there, so you had best hurry."
"That doesn't seem so bad," Spike replied easily.
"That's not the bad news," Adam replied coolly, calling up an image of a blue X virus. "Some of the X that went into Sector 5 have been altered by the Sub-Zero temperatures. Samus, if you absorb one, you will be frozen from within. This is obviously a tactic designed to kill you specifically, Samus, so we cannot deny that the X are both intelligent and out to kill you."
"That's alright," Spike replied easily. "I'll just absorb them until we get Mom to the Data Room-"
"No!" Melissa interrupted. "Spike, there's more. Sector 5 is where experiments with various chemical and biological agents were performed...and according to the data, one of the experiments was a virulent toxin specifically designed to break down the unique composition of your cellular structure!"
"What?" Samus and Spike both shouted out, stunned.
"While it was only ever stabilized in the Sub-Zero climate...the blue X have absorbed it into their own beings as well," Melissa explained. "It's a flawed form, so it won't be lethal...but if you absorb a blue X, your inner energy will be depleted, and there's a chance one of your latent abilities will be temporarily disabled, if not permanently lost."
Spike's eyes widened in shock. "Wh...how can I stop that?"
"I was getting to that," Adam continued. "Because of the alterations in the Sub-Zero climate, the blue X are far more susceptible to heat. A blast of your flame breath should completely disperse the blue X. In the meantime, Ghor's already working on an anti-toxin to inoculate you against this agent."
"However, one thing becomes clear," Ghor spoke up. "The existence of this compound makes it clear that, whatever else BSL exists for...one of its primary objectives was the development of weapons specifically to kill you, Spike."
Noticing the stares they were receiving, Spike nodded. "Yeah...not pleasant to learn."
"Dang," Rainbow grumbled. "Hoping this is another place that gets blown up, if only to keep stuff like that from falling into the wrong hands. I mean, can you imagine if they gave that toxin to the S.P.I.K.E. as a komodo-style poison bite?"
Spike whimpered at the very idea. "Don't you think I have enough nightmares already, Rainbow?"
Rainbow's ears went flat against her skull. "Sorry..."
cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/53140712.jpg
Poor Spike. The galaxy's out to get him...
I loved it when Spike and the others called out Twilight for her reservations on Flurry Heart's presence throughout the story
7279125 ew.com/sites/default/files/styles/tout_image_612x380/public/i/2011/10/09/office-space_320.jpg?itok=o6zOYYBl Don't you dare take my red stapler, or else!
So where's the story where all of these altered main characters meet each other?
7279193
that one will show up when all of the displaced Pwny-verse stories are done.
-----------
Wait, repeat that second part again?
Please tell me this was not sanctioned by the higher ups at the Federation.
7279125 Perfect... just perfect!
7279193 "My-Little-PWNY" probably won't come until all of the other Main-Line PWNY Verse stories are complete.
This means that beyond Finishing Another Hatchling, Tats will have to finish Sparkle in his Eye, Wily's Wittle Wub, Melody of the Future, Sons of Damas and Three More Things, While Also Starting, then Finishing the stories where (according to the TVTropes Page) Celestia is Raised by Cpt. Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek:TNG, Gilda is raised by GLaDOS from Portal, Sombra is raised by Cecil and Rosa of FFIV, and Dirpy is raised by Kei and Yuri from the Dirty Pair Flash Series.
That's Ten stories that need to be completed to provide background setup/adequate context for enhanced abilities, altered mindsets/responses, and advanced tech obtained/used before the main event comes around.
7279313 I'm really looking forwards to the Sombra one. The idea of him being raised by one of the best examples of "Dark is Not Evil" is very intriguing, as well as when Cecil becomes a Paladin raises a lot of possibilities.
Will Sombra master both Light and Dark? Will he become purified like Cecil? Will he be dark but still good? Or will it event are place during IV and instead start during The After Years?
SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!
*sighs* Oh man, poor Spike...
7279356
Same, looking forward to that one.
Honest to God, I'm really beginning to hate Galactic Federation Command. How the hell do they justify something like this?! Don't they know that the quickest way to turn a Hunter like Samus or Spike rogue is to deliberately target them?! I get the idea that they're building contingencies, but seriously, this is just too much! It's the Bottle Ship all over again. Peaceful application or not, research like this is forbidden for a reason.
Doesn't stop the greedy though.
7279254
I don't know if Tatsurou plans to hold to some of the Fusion lore or not, but originally, the research on the BSL station was for peaceful application. Though how designing weapons specifically designed to kill Spike is peaceful beats me; personally, I think those in power are taking orders from the same group that was running the Bottle Ship.
This time however, I think they're about to get fried or poked, if you get what I mean.
7279495
Actually, there's no guarantee it was for peaceful applications. The only thing we have for that is one line from the Adam AI about the Metroids that it was "for peaceful applications, of course", added as an afterthought.
Also, in regards to your previous comment, it's not Federation Command that's running these projects. It's specific aspects of the Federation Military running these as off-book operations.
7279512
Figured as much. Basically a Black-Ops bit; totally off-the-books quasi-legal mummery.
The trouble is, when the shit really hits the fan, it's these sorts of groups that turn out to be the only solution.
7279512 Thank. God. That means that the higher ups can bring a judicial and legislative beatdown on theses bastards.
You know...I was just thinking about the Interludes for this story and a possible scenario for a future one:
If Queen Chrysalis is still at large, then she probably has her most talented infiltrators keeping tabs on Twilight and the girls, as well as the princesses. No doubt, the sudden gathering of Luna, Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadence, and Twilight's parents in Ponyville would attract their attention.
The news of the Prodigal Drake's return, his new alien mother and their offworld colleagues, and the powerfully advanced technology at their disposal would obviously grab her interest. So much so, that she would come to see these things for herself in person. In fact, as she thinks about it, this could be a grand opportunity for her. What did all her old enemies and the new "visitors" have in common, the dragon hatchling. If she could get the drake under her control (like Shining Armor), she could gain some valuable info about the worlds amongst the stars...maybe even lay a trap for her enemies. Sure, a dragon's biology and powerful inner magic made them highly resistant to a changeling's "influence", but that usually only applied to the adults and older teens. Spike was only gone for a month, surely the baby dragon couldn't have changed too much.
One short trip to Ponyville later...
After a rather eye-opening look at the not-a-baby-anymore dragon (Woof!), Chrysalis plots as she tries to make her move on seducing the drake.
..........
And that's the scenario I thought up. It all stemmed from a question I thought of: "How would Chrysalis handle meeting with Gandrayda?" And for that matter, "What would the rest of the girls, sans Twilight & Pinkie, think of the bug queen making moves on their favorite dragon?" I could only imagine...
7279356
*Mexican music plays*
Seriously, don't you want to see a fully grown Sombra team up with his younger brother Ceodore to wreak **** up? To get that to happen, you need to start at the first game.
7279586 Which could result in a couple possible scenarios: Either the people in charge of these projects are court-marshaled and raked over the coals so badly they'll have a hard time getting jobs flipping burgers, they'll be able to "Redirect" the blame enough where they retain some form of authority and make sure the resources dedicated to these projects are "redirected" to other areas so the projects can be re-opened, or they go completely Rogue Ala Cerberus from Mass Effect, giving Federation brass the middle-finger and basically becoming the new Space Pirates.
7279356 I'm really looking forward to that one too. To be honest, I wasn't initially all that impressed with Sombra as a character when I first saw the Season 3 opener, but reading more into the lore that's come out since then, and a couple of the better written stories here on fimfiction have really made me intrigued by him. There are few things I find more fascinating than studies in character development, and he's one of the bigger ones, both in the Soft-Canon backstory found in the comics, and in all the head-canon characterizations found in the stories here.
It'll be interesting to see how Tats goes about re-creating him as a PWNY, and I'm crossing my fingers that we get to see a Paladin-Sombra by the end of it. As for when? My guess would be during the After Years, simply because the summaries I've seen so far indicate that Cecil and Rosa's relationship is more advanced than what's seen at the beginning of FFIV, but for all I know raising an infant Sombra could have brought them closer together sooner, so we could still see him dukeing it out with Golbez and calling Tellah Grandpa (Not to mention taking the piss out of a certain Spoony Bard just for the hell of it).
7279313 Let's not forget he also still has to do those other Applejack stories we were promised way back when.
7279586 And unlike with Melissa, the scientists who sanctioned the BSL won't have a convenient excuse to get off scot-free. The Bottle Ship was one thing. This? I want to see these fers burn.
Tats, any plans for a DOOM crossover of some kind?
Is it me or is Twilight too cautious for her own good?
Trust me kids, Fusion is the scariest out of the 2D Metroid games, mostly because it's reminiscent of a survival horror game with the SA-Xs running around the station, the fact that any of them can 2 shot Samus and even Spike can't stand up to one, much less 10... yeah. Plus, it gets real creepy. The Nightmare comes to mind. God I hate that boss.
You've saved Equestria roughly 9 times. Yes you have.
Shit.
That ain't the bad news.
And it gets worse.
WHAT!?
... Shit.
Good idea.
Yeah. Also, there's an SA-X in NOC stalking you.
No. And I don't want to.
By this point if I was Spike after their done on that ship I would go find the people who created those things and I would make sure they have nightmares for the test of there lives [
Well, Rainbow is certainly having some... colourful thoughts.
7279646
that´s gonna be a catfight if Gandrayda catches wind of it.
.. .. ..
I feel as if I, were I in their position, would have at this point said 'Alright, fuck it' and skipped to the part where they fly the BSL station close to SR388 and blew it -- and the planet -- up with the ship's vaporization field, skipping the rest of this nonsense in the process. I mean if SA-X can blow doors open, why the hell can't you?
7280146 Yeah, they could call the chapter, "Scuffle amongst Shapeshifters"
7279809 That can happen when your first major act of magic turns your parents into potted plants and levitates three full grown ponies into a high ceiling in addition to not only hatching a dragon-egg but also advancing said hatchling to nearly full physical maturity... all because you were startled and lost control at the "worst" (and yet actually best in hindsight) possible moment.
Damn. Conway's been doing some work here
DAAAWWWW. I'm guessing Flurry Heart is going to want a plushie of her Auntie to keep her safe at night from imagined Tirek attacks. Though I can totally see her grabbing onto Discord and him freezing from a cuteness over load... and Nightmare Moon would likely be to charmed by someone who is adorable and doesn't fear her and found curled up around Flurry Heart with a wing acting as a blanket. Chrysalis... might find herself going into mothering mode since Flurry Heart seems to adore whomever is taking care of her.
QUICK EVERYPONY, GLOMP SPIKE AND MAKE HIM FEEL LOVED!!! And Flurry Heart, I need you to give him a big kiss on his nose to make him laugh.
Well, this chapter took a grim turn. We need to get to the rescue of the Etecoons and Dachoras... then introduce them to Flurry Heart so she can cause us to HHHHNNNNNGGGG as she plays with them.
7279684 Dude, shooting one shot of this is gonna be the equivalent of calling a nuke strike that rivals the output of the sun as long as the sun FREAKING EXISTED!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's NLR tech, btw, this isn't the best, we have MK XX guns already out, but I thought we'd give you a trainer weapon.
One of these days, you'd think government agencies would figure out that preparing weapons against the good guys "just in case" is a bad idea. The many, many ways it could go wrong aside, that sort of thing tends to alienate the heroes - and alienating the guy/girl(s) who you'll inevitably need to have save your hide at some point is a Bad Idea.
7279313 Their's also Discord being by someone from Oblivion. Ask Tats.
7282852 Forgot about that one. Discord is raised by Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Insanity.
I read it and laughed
Geeze, this next sector is pretty scary, all things considered.
Kinda expected her bedtime stories to be about Spike, the Brave and Glorious. The idea of bedtime stories about her auntie Princess Twilight's adventures is pretty adorable too, though.
Boy, am I glad that shadow governments in rl don't exist or never last long, as that sort of thing is frightening.
7567390
Actually RL 'Shadow Government' is simply an extension of government survival policies... just under enough black ink and compartmentalization that you'll never see the specifics for the next eon or so...
7282373
The one exception being if the heroes themselves are involved with the development. Samus isn't the only one who realized the danger of an evil clone after all. Though there ARE still ways it can go horribly wrong if you aren't careful.
I can imagine thr rage out they had the the federation for this even if it was illegal
You've gotta be kidding me Twilight
8656438
*chuckles* She’s never been really expressive of any pride in her achievements beyond making great, lasting friendships and learning about powerful or unique magic forms. She’s humble like that. Proud of her magic and friendships, willing to boast of them and her knowledge to others, perhaps, but far from arrogant. :) part of why Twily is my #1 favorite Mane 6 member.