Another Hatchling

by Tatsurou

Corruption: Drop the Bomb

"So what did this new variety of Metroids taste like?" Pinkie asked Spike. Several startled glances turned her way, including their off-world visitors. "What?" Pinkie complained. "All through Tallon IV and Aether's story telling, Spike told us what every creature he ate during the mission tasted like. I wanna know what these new phasing Metroids tasted like. Were they spicy? Or sweet? Or was the flavor delicate?"

"Actually, I never got a chance to taste," Spike admitted. "They phased out the minute they saw me coming, at which point I could only damage them with my Fazite breath, which didn't leave anything behind to eat. And if I didn't attack them, they ignored me."

"And if he was around me, they ignored me, too," Samus added. Seeing Pinkie's pout, Samus couldn't help but chuckle. "Besides that, Spike's insatiable appetite had started to taper off, and he began to recharge his energy in other ways."

"Like eating Phazon or raw gemstones," Spike explained. "I started carrying a cache in my chest compartment."

"At any rate," Samus continued, "the Metroids didn't interfere all that much with collecting the last two components of the bomb, once I'd unlocked the Seeker Missile locks. With the bomb fully assembled, the Aurora instructed us to place it inside the cargo hold of the Spire Pod, in the center of Western Skytown. The plan was to use the Spire Pod to drop the bomb on the shield."

"Why not just carry it there with your ship?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Strewth, Twilight," Luna chided before Samus could respond. "Think how much energy it must take to carry an explosive device of such size and magnitude safely. Surely the ship would not be able to fire weapons, or even engage in evasive maneuvers, while carrying the bomb deep into Pirate territory."

"And having Spike fly defensively wouldn't be an option, either," Celestia added. "Imagine what would happen if one lucky hit by the pirates - or one stray shot from Spike - hit the Ship Grapple."

"Precisely," Samus agreed. "The Spire Pod could hold the bomb inside itself, and could support itself in flight for a good while even if it took a good amount of damage. It would also shield the bomb during the descent, so it didn't come apart on the way to the shield."

"I take it you and Spike defended the Spire Pod on its way there?" Ghor inferred.

"Yup," Spike confirmed. "I guarded it from the air, while Mom stayed on board, both to shoot the Pirates and to give the command to cut the engines when the time was right."

---

After the Aurora Unit migrated Skytown into range of the Pirate Shield, Samus made her way to the Spire Pod. Spike perched at the peak of the pod like a gargoyle, above where the bomb was stored. Once they were both in position, the Aurora Unit disconnected the Spire Pod from the rest of Skytown, and the Pod followed its preprogrammed course to the Shield.

Once the Spire Pod was on its way, Samus watched as Skytown returned to its former position, disappearing into the clouds. For a brief moment, a feeling of total abandonment started to rise in her heart, but the distinctive sound of Spike stretching his armored wings banished those feelings. They were facing this together, and they didn't even need to speak to do so.

The first wave of Pirate assault was in their armored dropships, moving to both open fire and release both ground and air Troopers to attack Samus and Spike. The dropships themselves were apparently going to focus on the Pod, while the troops were to keep the Hunters occupied. The first ship, however, was unable to accomplish that, as Spike dropped like a bolt from the heavens to smash into the engines, causing the ship to drop into the clouds. Its complement of Aerotroopers managed to get out to attack, but those without jetpacks were doomed with their ship.

Spike swept past the Aerotroopers on his way to the next incoming dropship, managing to destroy one stabilizing pod each on two of them, causing them to spin crazily into each other and explode. Samus focused on the remaining ones, blasting them with both Plasma Beam and Ice Missiles. Another strategy she discovered quite by accident involved hitting the Aerotrooper with a charged Plasma shot, and then using her Grapple Lasso to tear the bindings of the overheated jetpack off, causing the Pirate to drop to its death.

Even with the two of them working together, they weren't able to prevent the Spire from taking any damage. However, its structural integrity was still quite sound by the time the last Pirate attacker was taken down. The Spire Pod then moved sedately into position over the shield. The control terminal in one corner then activated, revealing the controls for the Spire's engines.

Stepping up, Samus utilized the controls to disengage the three engines keeping the Spire afloat. The control systems for the Spire announced that it would fall in two minutes. The escape pod promptly rose up out of the floor. Leaping inside, Samus activated the controls...only for the escape pod to shut down.

"Escape Pod malfunction!" the computerized voice announced. "Opening maintenance hatch."

"You didn't think of checking on that before sending me on this suicide mission?" she shouted angrily as she leapt out of the escape pod.

---

"So what'd you do?" Rainbow asked eagerly. "Did you race around inside the control systems for the escape pod, desperate to repair it before the Spire fell, dooming you with it?"

"Nope," Samus replied. "I raced to the side of the Spire and leapt onto Spike's back. He carried me back to Skytown."

Rainbow blinked. "Oh," she replied, disappointment strong in her voice. "I...guess that makes more sense. Not as action-packed, though." This garnered several chuckles from those around her.

Comments

[sailing101]

The rope is frequently cut when you have a dragon on your side

[Nova Blaze]

Good chapter, but what did Luna mean by "strewth"?

[cvvvrt]

The escape pod sequence was badly contrived even without Spike, since Samus should have had her ship.

[_CheckMate_]

6660115 'consider this...', 'think about it...'

[NotreallyaBrony]

now i may not be a expert on Metroid, but i know it always has a "run for your life before everything blows" part.

[Nova Blaze]

6660173 Well I just learned a new word. Thank you.

[Night_Moon60606]

6660184 dont feel too too bad, its not exactly a common word anymore, outside the works of Shakspere

[Nova Blaze]

6660330 Which is exactly why Luna would know it.

[RanmaChaos]

Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.

[GMZ_Casper]

Heh, poor Dash, just so hungry for some good ol' action-packed actions. Don't worry, Dash, you'll get it...

C&C:
Not as action packed, though.
> Put a dash between 'action' and 'packed'.

[ShadowLDrago]

"Actually, I never got a chance to taste," Spike admitted. "They phased out the minute they saw me coming, at which point I could only damage them with my Fazite breath, which didn't leave anything behind to eat. And if I didn't attack them, they ignored me."

I see. Well, most predators are like that if they're not hungry or feeling threatened. Leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone

"Like eating Phazon or raw gemstones," Spike explained. "I started carrying a cache in my chest compartment."

For whatever reason, this reminds me of Alphonse from Fullmetal Alchemist storing cats inside of him.

"Strewth, Twilight," Luna chided before Samus could respond. "Think how much energy it must take to carry an explosive device of such size and magnitude safely. Surely the ship would not be able to fire weapons, or even engage in evasive maneuvers, while carrying the bomb deep into Pirate territory."

Point taken...

"And having Spike fly defensively wouldn't be an option, either," Celestia added. "Imagine what would happen if one lucky hit by the pirates - or one stray shot from Spike - hit the Ship Grapple."

Oh dear.

"Precisely," Samus agreed. "The Spire Pod could hold the bomb inside itself, and could support itself in flight for a good while even if it took a good amount of damage. It would also shield the bomb during the descent, so it didn't come apart on the way to the shield."

Smart move.

"I take it you and Spike defended the Spire Pod on its way there?" Ghor inferred.

Probably.

The first wave of Pirate assault was in their armored dropships, moving to both open fire and release both ground and air Troopers to attack Samus and Spike. The dropships themselves were apparently going to focus on the Pod, while the troops were to keep the Hunters occupied. The first ship, however, was unable to accomplish that, as Spike dropped like a bolt from the heavens to smash into the engines, causing the ship to drop into the clouds. Its complement of Aerotroopers managed to get out to attack, but those without jetpacks were doomed with their ship.

Welp, less Pirates to deal with.

Spike swept past the Aerotroopers on his way to the next incoming dropship, managing to destroy one stabilizing pod each on two of them, causing them to spin crazily into each other and explode. Samus focused on the remaining ones, blasting them with both Plasma Beam and Ice Missiles. Another strategy she discovered quite by accident involved hitting the Aerotrooper with a charged Plasma shot, and then using her Grapple Lasso to tear the bindings of the overheated jetpack off, causing the Pirate to drop to its death.

Clever, I'd say use that a lot, saves Missiles.

"Escape Pod malfunction!" the computerized voice announced. "Opening maintenance hatch."
"You didn't think of checking on that before sending me on this suicide mission?" she shouted angrily as she leapt out of the escape pod.

Apparently not. Computers, what can ya do?

"So what'd you do?" Rainbow asked eagerly. "Did you race around inside the control systems for the escape pod, desperate to repair it before the Spire fell, dooming you with it?"
"Nope," Samus replied. "I raced to the side of the Spire and leapt onto Spike's back. He carried me back to Skytown."
Rainbow blinked. "Oh," she replied, disappointment strong in her voice. "I...guess that makes more sense. Not as action packed, though." This garnered several chuckles from those around her.

I suppose not, no, but it's certainly safer. Besides, the mental image of Samus riding Spike is AWESOME! Seriously, why hasn't this fic gotten a TV tropes page?

[QCosmic Derp]

> Put a dash between 'action' and 'packed'.

6660618 If you know what I'm sayin'

[Starcat5]

The only thing I can think to say to this chapter is:

[GuardianofRoin]

6660115 It's another sort of British slang word along the lines of Crikey.

[Senou Natsuru]

Nicely written. You never cease to deliver a stunning story Tats.

[Void Runner]

6660660

I suppose not, no, but it's certainly safer. Besides, the mental image of Samus riding Spike is AWESOME! Seriously, why hasn't this fic gotten a TV tropes page?

Now that you mention it, I have to wonder why the whole PWNY-Verse doesn't have its own Trope page...

[ShadowLDrago]

6663444

Good question, I mean, if there's any universe that deserves one, it's this one.

[Kenshinryuu]

"Nope," Samus replied. "I raced to the side of the Spire and leapt onto Spike's back. He carried me back to Skytown."

Escaping on dragon back is awesome!

[megamanzero]

the image of Spike sitting like a gargoyle reminds me of Snoopy with that creepy stare

[Scribe Scribbles]

I'm back to reading this, like I said. So on to the chapter!

[HeartfireFirebrand]

"Why not just carry it there with your ship?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Strewth, Twilight," Luna chided before Samus could respond. "Think how much energy it must take to carry an explosive device of such size and magnitude safely. Surely the ship would not be able to fire weapons, or even engage in evasive maneuvers, while carrying the bomb deep into Pirate territory."

"And having Spike fly defensively wouldn't be an option, either," Celestia added. "Imagine what would happen if one lucky hit by the pirates - or one stray shot from Spike - hit the Ship Grapple."

Good points Luna and Tia.

[PactOfSkyranger]

Rainbow blinked. "Oh," she replied, disappointment strong in her voice. "I...guess that makes more sense. Not as action-packed, though." This garnered several chuckles from those around her.

Beats a timed welding minigame.