"Tourian?" several voices asked Samus and Spike in shock.
"The nerve center of the Space Pirate base on Zebes," Samus explained. "Where everything was directed from, all research was performed, and where Mother Brain was installed. The most heavily defended and fortified part of the entire planet...and where everything began so long ago."
"Where it all began?" Rainbow asked, confused.
"Zebes is the Chozo world I was raised on, after the deaths of my parents at Ridley's hands," Samus explained. "And...Tourian is where I received the gift of Chozo blood, making me into the ultimate warrior they foresaw the universe needing." She glanced away. "And...it's where I first faced off against Ridley as a warrior...and lost. That battle...shaped me." She shook her head. "So I was in no real rush to return there if I could avoid it."
"Which is one reason why we didn't look there first," Spike elaborated.
The whole table was silent for a time. Eventually, Samus spoke up again. "And like last time I was on Zebes, the gate to Tourian was sealed so that it couldn't be opened until certain beings were defeated. Although it was...a little different this time..."
As Samus and Spike entered the chamber deep within Crateria, the door sealed behind them. The small cavern was just large enough for the four golden statues sitting in the pool of water before them: Kraid, Phantoon, and the Draygon, with Ridley resting atop them. Each statue had a gem of a different color where the eye was supposed to be. Kraid's was green, Phantoon's was yellow, Draygon's was blue, and Ridley's was red.
As they watched, the gems shattered one by one, gray energy escaping from them as the statues changed from gold to grey. When all the gems were broken and all the statues were grey, the chamber shook. The statues sank into the ground, revealing a pathway to an elevator beneath them.
As Samus made her way to the elevator within the water, she heard the sound of stone being smashed. Turning, she saw Spike floating beside the rubble that had been the statue of Ridley. As she glowered at him, he tilted his face in one of the cutest expressions of faked innocence she'd ever seen. She just knew that, if he could talk under water, he'd be saying something along the lines of, "Wasn't me!"
As laughter echoed around the table, Spike chuckled. "Actually, I was trying to say, 'What?' I didn't really think I did anything wrong there."
As Samus finished her own chuckles, she shrugged her shoulders. "I was glad for the brief break in the mood, though. Tourian itself was...almost oppressive. Where the rest of Zebes was almost entirely natural with very little technology visible, Tourian was pure technology. Metal walls with diodes and lights blinking from within them. Black metal pipes flowing from ventilation and power systems. Nearly every room had a pit of lava for the geothermal systems. It was...overall unpleasant, not even including the Metroids we faced."
"They were all adults," Spike continued, "obviously created from Squishy...but all but mindless, mere puppets of Mother Brain. We were...forced to kill them all."
Silence greeted this proclamation, interrupted only by a brief whimper from Fluttershy.
"Space adventures aren't all glory and adventure," Rundus spoke up. "Sometimes they're unpleasant...grim...or just bloody."
"You're all fortunate your world moves through the cosmos under its own power," Ghor added. "None who would have interest in it could ever find it without guidance."
Everyone remained silent for a time. "And...Squishy?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.
After a further time of silence, Samus continued the tale.
Samus and Spike made their way down to a region that was incongruously covered in dark brown earth. After making their way past an incredibly durable pair of creatures - whose natural armor was immune to the Plasma Beam, and could only be sufficiently damaged by Samus' Super Missiles - they made their way to the next chamber.
Numerous creatures filled the chamber...all brown and dead. When touched, the husks dissolved into the brown dust that covered the floors. Samus shuddered at the sight, recognizing the signs of lethal Metroid predation.
As they progressed, another of the creatures they'd encountered before limped towards them...only to be seized by a Metroid larger than Ridley had been. In moments, the beast had drained the creature dry. Samus primed her arm cannon, but her systems quickly informed her that the Metroid had absorbed enough energy that even her fully charged ice beam wouldn't even slow it down. Its exterior had also reached a particular texture where explosive impact wouldn't damage it unless it had been frozen first. All she could do was try and evade.
And then the beast lunged, and neither she nor Spike could do even that as they found themselves trapped in its maw.
Both of them struggled as much as they could, but the Metroid that had hold of them was simply too powerful. Each could only watch in their suits' HUDs as their energy dropped down to almost nothing.
Then, just before Samus' suit would have fallen apart and Spike's energy shields collapsed, the creature stopped. It hovered over them, confused and uncertain.
...Mama? it skreed. ...Brother?
"S...Squishy?" Spike gasped out, surprised.
As it floated away from them, Samus reached out to gently caress the creature...only for it to flee.
I'm sorry...I didn't...they hurt me...I didn't see...I'm sorry...
Before either of them could do anything, Squishy had fled.
Samus and Spike were both silent for a long time. No one dared speak up. Eventually, Spike resumed the narrative. "Thankfully, there was an energy restoration station nearby, and my armor was able to adjust to let me refresh myself there as well. Both of us were...well, pissed was a massive understatement."
"We charged in, determined to make Mother Brain pay for what she'd done," Samus continued. "Her chamber had a pool of acid covering the floor...but it didn't slow us down long..."
As Samus and Spike passed through the passageway to where Mother Brain rested, numerous tubes blocked the path, filled with energy to give them integrity. Spike ripped them from their moorings, and tore their moorings from the walls for good measure, clearing the way for Samus to somersault through with her Screw Attack. Eventually, they reached Mother Brain herself, a massive pulsating monstrosity not unlike the Aurora Units, but far more menacing, pulsing orange flesh with silver spikes sticking out from within.
Spike wasted no time shattering the glass container with a single blow, clearing the path for Samus to barrage the abomination with Missiles and Super Missiles. Before long, the machinery began to break apart as the flesh turned grey and sank, unprotected, to the floor as the acid drained from the suddenly sealed chamber.
And then a new body arose, a distortion of a Metroid Queen supporting Mother Brain at the top of the neck. Mother Brain's eye opened, and she let out a ferocious shriek as she unleashed everything in her arsenal.
Samus and Spike fought back as best they could, with breath weapons and beams, blows and missiles...but nothing slowed the behemoth for even a moment. After a time, Mother Brain began charging energy...and released a wave of rainbow colored light that tore through the armor of both Hunters, knocking them back against the far wall and leaving them winded, barely able to move. An alert message on Samus' HUD showed her that her Missile Launcher and Power Bomb generator had both been damaged, rendering the systems inoperable.
Spike was the first to recover, relying more on his physical strength than on his armor, even though the energy shields were fluctuating. Snarling defiance, he lunged to the attack, only to shriek in pain as Mother Brain's claws - enhanced with the same coating that allowed Metroid fangs to penetrate the toughest armor - slipped between his scales and into the flesh of his torso.
Samus tried to get to her feet, but Mother Brain shrieked again as she hurled Spike on top of Samus, leaving them both pinned. She then began drawing in energy for another barrage of the rainbow wave.
LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!
That horrendous shriek tore through the air as Squishy lunged in, latching onto Mother Brain and draining every drop of gathered energy, and a great deal of energy from Mother Brain itself. By the time it released the monstrosity, it had turned dark grey. Floating over, Squishy enveloped Samus and Spike...and began pouring energy into them both.
Samus came aware as they were wrapped in Squishy's protective embrace. She could feel her strength returning, and could see that Spike was recovering as well. The wounds in his torso sealed before her very eyes. But as Squishy replenished them, Mother Brain regained energy as well. Once again at full strength, she roared her fury before opening fire on Squishy.
Despite shrieking in pain from each impact as each blow impacted his dome, he refused to let go until Samus and Spike were both once more at full strength. By then, the green of the membrane had dulled to pale yellow, and the red nucleus had darkened to violet, both from the barrage and the cellular degradation of reversing the energy drain. Squishy released them.
I'm okay, Mama...brother... he skreed softly. I just need...to feed again...
"Squishy, no!" Spike shouted out, but it was too late. One last shot from Mother Brain punched right through the Metroid's membrane, collapsing its body over top the pair, the gelatinous body dissolving and dispersing as the nucleus lost cohesion.
As the last traces of the Metroid interacted with the energies of her suit, Samus let out a roar of pure, unadulterated fury. Energy welled up inside her as she aimed at Mother Brain and opened fire.
"I...don't really remember anything after that until we were back on the ship, the planet exploding behind us," Samus admitted. "It's...all a hazy blur. I...remember watching Mother Brain die...and saving the Etecoons and Dachora...but it's all a blur..."
"It wasn't pleasant," Spike mentioned when all eyes turned to him. "I don't want to talk about it beyond that."
"All I know for sure is that...I got a new beam function based on what Mother Brain hit us with," Samus concluded. "A...function that stopped working once Zebes exploded."
The whole table was silent for a long time. Eventually, a broken sob broke the silence. "S-Squishy..." Fluttershy whimpered, tears streaming down her face.
Samus glanced away, clenching her fist. "There was...nothing I could do..."
"...but I could. And did."
All eyes turned to Spike. "W...what do you mean?" Samus asked, confused.
Spike closed his eyes. "I...I ate his nucleus," he explained. "I...I thought that, with all the things I'd absorbed...maybe I could carry his mind...his essence with me. I didn't know if it had worked until we returned here...when the magic of this world suffused me again..."
He opened his eyes, revealing the compound look of the later stages of Metroid growth. "When he woke up in here," he concluded, tapping his skull. "He's with me...with us both."
Samus stared in disbelief...before stumbling against Spike and holding him close. When Spike blinked again, his eyes returned to normal, the focus to maintain more Metroid traits a bit rough on him, even as the ponies gathered around to embrace the pair.
Nice chapter. So, Samus's mission before finding Spike's egg, was that based on the NES Metroid or Zero Mission?
You just made me relive my first video game tearjerker.
Thank you, Spike. You saved the only good Metroid.
So, Other M next?
Wow, so the two brothers are now one. That's deep.
Is there a term for siblings inhabiting the same body?
It's mazing how powerful that scene is in game with no text and not cutscenes.
6902713 They are functionally the same game. Zero Mission IS the NES Metroid game. It canonically replaces the original.
Yes, there's a bit more in it. No, there is no other difference.
Now comes the real test of the author's talent: Making the worst Metroid game somehow not suck.
I'm not looking forward to the next few chapters, at all. That game is the only time I have ever wanted my money back, and I own Duke Nukem Forever.
6902726
And Squishy, in some way, lives on....
6902713 Metroid II in fact.
....will metroid fusion be in this?
I'm going to enjoy seeing you write out the trainwreck that is other m. Hopefully because of spike she won't act like an absolute trash heap when trying to deal with half the station.
6902796 Technically, there is. It's called chimera-ism. How it usually happens is, during the early stages of development, when twins are conceived, one of the pair will sometimes absorb the other. This results in strange happenings, like taking two blood tests and getting two different blood types (sometimes conflicting types at that).
But as for what Spike's describing? That's chimera-ism on a whole different level. Technically, Samus is a chimera herself, since she has Chozo (and later, Metroid) DNA.
6902903 Of course it will. This is taking place shortly after Fusion. Samus has been stated to be wearing her Omega Fusion Suit, she has the purple ship, and the Etecoons and Dachoras, who she brought here, were rescued during the events of that game. All that's left now is Other M and Fusion, then Dark Ridley's probably gonna show up.
6902944 I'm guessing that Spike is also part Metroid as well.
6902726 More like disturbing if you ask me.
....nice save on why spike didnt get owned by the X-parasites
6902899 The heck are you talking about? Metroid 2 was covered (Though quickly) in this story, right before the Super Metroid arc that just ended.
6902991 That is how she came into contact with the baby Metroid.
6902818
Sorry for the down vote, but I don't agree. The game play was actually pretty decent. The flashbacks were sometimes hit-or-miss, but you don't have to watch them; just hit the - button to skip them if you feel they don't rate.
6902953
Actually, her ship is golden in the present, as described in the first chapter. The rest of what you said is accurate, though.
6902916
And yet another bashing of Other M. I actually liked that game; the cut scenes actually play as a movie.
Which is what they are. That sort of thing is almost always hit-or-miss anyway.
And we already know things are going to be different; for starters, Samus hasn't been going at this alone.
All this being said, they could have written Other M better; they just tried too hard, that's all.
So Samus is the one that saved us from the Mayan End of the World?
i.imgur.com/1PtMj.jpg
Also filled to the brim with Metroids!
Understandable.
Kids will be kids.
No kidding, it was pretty weird going from a pretty much entirely natural environment to somethign so oppressively mechanical.
For the best. Just be glad they could evolved futher into Alpha, Gamma, Zeta or worse, Omega Metroids.
Aye...
Quite.
Squishy... doesn't make it. Also you double spaced between time and and.
That was really creepy.
Squishy. The giant Baby Metroid.
*slowly nods*
You managed to turn a moment of relief in the original game into a Tear Jerker. Well played. Well played.
No kidding and trust me, you're only gonna get more pissed form now on.
Hello Beastie.
Stage 1 complete. Commence the most horrifying part of the game. Realizing that Mother Brain isn't as easily beaten as last time.
Well shit. That explains the Power Bomb and missile drainage, she damaged the systems that allow you to use them. To think, even Spike, a massive dragon who was able to destroy even Ridley, not even they could even slow down Mother Brain. She really went all out.
Clever Mother Brain.
Squishy saves the day. Unfortunately...
HOW the hell did she SURVIVE that?!
Squishy. Oh you done FUCKED UP NOW!
I, won't ask. Must have been terrifying for Spike to see his mother so furious. Her body must have been on metaphorical autopilot.
Can't help but wonder why.
Huh? I don't understand.
You did it. You Magnificent Bastard you saved Squishy! That's it! Someone give this man a goddamn medal! Because he has written the best Metroid fanfiction that has ever been conceived! This man is the best goddamn author on this entire site!
(Now comes the true test of your skills Tatsurou, beyond Fortresshy, beyond Daughter of Darkness, now comes the most reviled Metroid game in existance, Other M. Your mission, should you choose you accept it, is to make it not suck. Godspeed Tatsurou, and may the Force be with you.)
under it's own power
1. Its.
6902998 But they weren't asking about the baby Metroid at all, they were asking if the mission that Spike's egg was found on was the original game/Zero Mission...
This is probably the only time I'll ever suggest a Mr. Seahorse situation, never thought I'd do that Tats.....
Dang, this chapter hits right in the feels. But I can just see Samus and Spike ripping MB apart when the figure out who she is....
Awwwww....
6903148
...except that MB isn't Mother Brain. She isn't even truly her clone, so much as based loosely on Mother Brain's genetic structure. (Her daughter, maybe?) The sad fact is that MB was as much a victim as Squishy was. Both went on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge upon their captors, both hurt or killed a few innocent bystanders along the way, and both got blown the **** up at the end of their respective games. At least the Baby/Squishy died heroically. MB died ineffectively, and her tormentors went on to make Samus' life a living hell in Fusion, and are STILL out there and in power.
*reads the last part and gives a WolfBow to Spike* Well Done, Very Well Done
*cries tears of joy*
The 'grey energy'-- it's understandably hard to see, but they were actually little grey 'ghosts' (with screaming human faces, for some reason). Lesse..... hm, can't find a sprite sheet with it, huh. Well, used it once in one of my other spriting projects, here: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9051032/
It's with the guy in all brown clothing and the forked sword.
6902953 that can't be right. The hatchling died the metroid fusion happened. Cuase in the game she mentiined the metroid baby saved her life twice. Also the Dachoras escaped the second time on her ship. Also other M is around the first in the time line ir at least before fusion as adam dies in it, is touched up on that in metroid fusion and finally discovers that Adams mind was down loaded onto her ship as its A.I. Seriously the time line of the game. Where can I find the official time line for her.
6903074 same thing I said to the other guy
6903146 Actually I think it is a bit of both.
Why am I picturing Spike with Metroid teeth that can, and probably will, fuck over whatever Ridley is planning?
6903402 Doesn't mean Spike or Samus will be rational when encountering her.
6903797 I think his "this" is referring to present-day Equestria, not to the tale-within-a-tale of Super Metroid...
6903797 I know all that. I'm saying that this story, where Spike and Samus are in Equestria telling everyone what happened, is happening after Fusion.
huh, just like Overtale's Asriel/Frisk...well, at least he survived. in a way...scuse me, i got something in my eye.
6904005 k.
6903998 oh...ok,
6903818
That literally says nothing about the baby Metroid, it isn't open to interpretation, there isn't any possible way you COULD interpret it as a question about the baby Metroid... Once again, how the fuck are- Sigh, this is pointless.
6904250 And thank you for pointing out the obvious.
6903076 the cutscenes were immersive, but that alone isn't enough to make it good. There's so many things people can bash, and instead of saying any of those might I point out that the development team explicitly stated on Samus's character design sheet, in bright red letters, DO NOT PUT SAMUS IN HIGH HEELS. And guess what, they did it anyways. Other m was bad because team ninja tried to make it like their other games. Things that were apparently popular for them, that never crossed their minds that people in America might not like that brand of drama. Plot-wise, it was an absolute trainwreck. Gameplay wise, I thought it was fun, once it got past the beginning.
SO. MUCH. AWESOME!
6903980
True.
I get the feeling that you're going to end every chapter of this story with either a cliffhanger in Samus and Spike's tale or a hug.
6904539 Thanks. 9.8 m\s^2 then
6903826 because that would be amazing and would be squishy causing some payback on ridley it an awesome and fitting way?
Yeah, I'm with Spike, smashing Ridley's statue seems like a reasonable choice.
That's an interesting way of describing it. Kind of brings up the question of why.
Poor Squishy.
Ooooo, awesome.