"So I take it you went back to Norfair after that?" Rainbow asked curiously. "I mean, that Varia Suit, the superheated passages..."
"Yup," Samus confirmed back to Norfair. "And while the Varia Suit didn't protect me from the lava in those chambers, Spike could get through them easily to pick up a few expansions I couldn't get to yet."
"And nearly everything we encountered was something I could tear into with teeth and claws," Spike added. "Of course, all these wild creatures realized this, and tended to avoid us..." This statement brought laughter to the entire group.
"The first upgrade I wanted to grab was actually out of reach if I'd been alone," Samus explained. "It was at the opposite end of a wide gap lined with spikes that would heavily damage my Power Suit to land on. There were two ways I could have made it alone. One was to use a Grapple Beam to swing across on the Grapple blocks lining the ceiling. The other would be to leap to the opposite side of the gap and attempt to wall jump up...a technique I hadn't quite perfected yet without suit system assistance."
"Or you could ride Spike across?" Fluttershy offered.
"That's what I did," Samus confirmed. "That let me get the Wave Beam a lot sooner than I could have normally. And the Zebes model Wave Beam was much more useful than the Tallon IV model. It let me shoot through walls and platforms to destroy enemy targets, or activate beam switches."
"Such as for doors that could only be opened by shooting the beam receiver on the other side of the door," Spike added.
"Turned my beam purple while the function was active," Samus explained. Seeing confused glances, she continued. "Unlike previously, the Zebes suit upgrades could be activated and deactivated individually at need. If, for example, I needed to make a very careful jump through a low corridor, I could turn off the high jump boots so I didn't lose forward momentum against the ceiling. Or to turn off Gravity Suit in the water if the added buoyancy was more useful than the jump height. Things like that."
"Of if you wanted to just blast enemies instead of freezing them first, after you got your Ice Beam," Spike elaborated. "Which was the next beam upgrade you grabbed."
"Right after getting my Speed Booster," Samus corrected.
"Speed Booster?" Rainbow asked eagerly, causing chuckles all around.
"It's part of the same functionality as what makes the Morph Ball and Screw Attack work," Samus explained. "But it converts my body to a partial energy state while running, allow me to ignore the normal laws of physics affecting matter and accelerate well beyond the limits of my normal body. It lets me run at just over the speed of sound, Mach 1.06 or so. I can also store the energy thus generated inside my body, and release it in a technique called the Shinespark, which can allow me to launch myself in any direction at just over that speed."
"...awesome..." Rainbow and Scootaloo breathed in excited glee.
"Of course, due to the thickness of Zebes' atmosphere, using the Shinespark rapidly drained Mom's energy reserves," Spike added. "It took that much energy just to hold her body together in that quasi-energy state at those speeds. Thankfully, there were all sorts of safety measures built in to keep her from tearing herself apart."
"It did open the path to collect the Ice Beam, though," Samus concluded. "One shot froze just about any enemy, letting me either keep blasting them, shatter them with missiles, or use them as platforms. Also turned my beam blue."
"Useful, and a lot less weird than the next expansion she found," Spike added. "I mean, I understand Energy Tanks to keep your suit energy higher...but what was the point of having Reserve Tanks that refilled your energy a certain amount when you hit empty? Wouldn't it make more sense to just have more Energy Tanks?"
"Possibly," Samus allowed. "But I wouldn't know. I never actually ran low enough to activate the Reserve Tanks."
"After that, we headed back to Brinstar," Spike continued with a grin. "That's where Mom picked up her Power Bombs."
Cheers greeted this as Samus chuckled. "Started with five of them, which was useful, since the expansions also increased it by 5 each. A good, reliable amount for once. And they also let us go back to another path in Norfair, letting me pick up my Grapple Beam."
"Although to get to it, there was a rather...large native creature we had to make it past," Spike murmured. "The Crocomire..."
As Spike and Samus dropped down into the long tunnel, a massive red lizard creature blocked a large portion, looking not unlike a miniature Kraid except for color. It dragged itself back and forth with big feet and long arms, roaring at them. Most of its body was immune to damage from any of their available weapons. However, much like Kraid, the inside of its mouth was, if not vulnerable, at least sensitive enough to force the creature to back up.
Unfortunately, no matter how much damage the pair did, the creature didn't seem to get any weaker. However, they eventually forced it to back up onto a bridge platform that was suspended over a pit of lava...and the bridge collapsed, dropping the creature in. The lava rapidly melted the flesh from its bones.
Approaching the other end of the tunnel, the pair found a wall of spikes...which was broken down by the creature's skeleton, attempting one last assault on the pair before it crumbled into dust.
"Yeah...not a pleasant fight," Samus admitted, gazing around at the shocked faces of the listening mares.
Now that is determination. It's like a last-ditch kamikaze.
6845229 Don't tell Frisk that...
6845286 ...who?
6845345 Heh...Undertale reference...I'm kinda surprised you didn't get it...I'm mean that's stuff is just ALL OVER THE INTERNET!!!
Yeah, that was pretty scary the first time.
How hard was this fight in the game? From the sounds of it, it was designed to be a fight that was more hazard then shoot until dead.
6845378
Yup.
6845356 the heck is undertale? A newgame?
And then there'll be a sign that says: "Sorry, but your upgrade is in another dungeon. Have this extra tank though!"
6845392 Yes...google it...
6845392
From what I have been told about it it is either love it or not impressed by it. It is only on PC so any council or handheld player cannot play it.
...you dropped the poor guy into a pool of lava... It's just like bowser all over again.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6845454
and it has awesome characters that make great webcomic fodder
6845701
Or fanfic material.
Technically that was acid the Crocomire fell in...
6845454 99% of the game was made by one person, so I think it being PC-exclusive is acceptable. Besides, you only use a few keys anyway. Also, check out Tat's Undertale fic because it's adorable. And no, the game is not about love, it's about peace and determination. Love is just a mechanic.
6845886
Sad part is, for just about the last year I have been computerless. Thank Jobs that there is such a marvelous invention as the IPad. My previous computer would never have been able to play the game the way it is. I prefer either iOS games or handheld games for the ability to play anywhere.
6845988 Undertale certainly could work on mobile, but it would require an actual dev team to port it.
I wonder if Ridley is...GOING TO HAVE A BAD TIME...
6845701 cool!
6845988 dude, when I asked what undertale was, I did not expect so a large response.
6846007 good to know, wonder the odds on that.
You know, I never did actually consider the apparent stupidity in the reserve tanks. Considering that this is was the only Metroid title to use them in that fashion, it makes sense that the developers thought so as well.
Yep.
Animals do have a sense of self preservation.
Ah yes, the wave beam, ever useful.
It's a surprisingly useful function.
Ah yes, one of the most epic upgrades ever, you'll like this Rainbow.
So you're telling me, Samus can create a sonic boom, by RUNNING. This is more awesome that I can handle.
Ah, that's the explanation, I just went with the Speed Booster being something of a prototype, but that works too.
And really useful against pretty much anything. ESPECIALLY Metroids, ya freeze ya missile.
I dunno, maybe it's just a sort of second wind thing?
*mad grin*
Wait, I don't think you mentioned regular Bombs.
Ah yes, that.
No kidding, scared the shit out of me first time I played Super Metroid.
6846644 I have absolutely no idea what the odds are of Undertale's creator getting people together to make a mobile port, but for now I'd say slim to none.
6847907 Usually when that happens the energy being is either in a metal that the energy can't pass throw, the rope is draining energy from the energy being forcing them into a solid form, or it has energy in it that so different from the energy being's own it can go past it or drain that energy it's self.
6845480
The next new Metroid game, featuring the return of Dry Crocomire!
I've always loved the beam weapons in this game and how you get to mix and match them. And the reserve tanks have always been like a spare tire for a car, not very good for long term, but enough to get you to the auto shop so you can get the real tire replaced.
And what will Fluttershy's reaction to the Dachora and Etecoons???? I imagine immediate glomps and cooing if she ever actually meets them, but a picture should make her go Squeeeee!!!
6848085 Ok...How does several space hunters set strictly in science manage that? I'm loving all your fics, not meaning to sound like a pedantic dick, I'm just trying to understand the logic.
6848843
Oh, you meant that part.
That was because said energy being was still barely functional, and ordinary ropes worked.
6848857 Ohhhhh....Thanks.
6847306 huh, bummer
6853067 Even though Undertale's taken the internet by a storm, its creator and sole developer (with the exception of one or two character designs) is just one guy. What do you expect?
6853088 eh fair enough. Guess I will have to buy a PC if really want play it.
Ahh, speed run tricks.
Of course those two would be all excited about that technique.
Yikes.
6861417
No, Spikes.
Ehh >_< the Crocomire... oi! I never really liked that fight.
7689914 BOO!
Talk about fighting with your last ounce of strength.
8017085
Don't get mad but I liked his fight