Author's Note: Played Metroid Other M, and decided to do this small thing for the biggest surprise of the game, to me at least. Might make a few more snip bits for it if I feel like it. But, for now, I need to focus on my other fics.
Disclaimer: Nintendo own Metroid, duh.
Awareness, as always, came slowly through Ridley's mind. Awareness of the warm liquid of the cloning tank, of the bright light that came shining in through the outside (which was odd, he thought, why would there be bright lights in a Space Pirate lab?), of his own now diminished form, as it always was after such an ordeal capable of completely destroying his old body, and the muffled voices coming through the thick glass.
They were despicable human voices.
His small eyes shot open, startling one of the humans who had been leaning in close to the overly large (at least for his current form) tank and causing him to trip backwards, eliciting derisive laughter from his comrades. Ridley ignored this, instead casting his eyes around quickly to confirm that this was indeed a human facility, before returning his attention to the human scum in front of him, focusing on what he could of their conservation through the thick glass of the container.
"This…..really….Ridley?"
"….sample….wrong….source."
"….cute though." This came from a red haired female who preceded to put her hand on the glass separating them. "Hey there little guy."
If Ridley have had access to his old body she would have lost that hand and more besides. Instead, the gears in his mind began to turn.
It was obvious that the humans didn't think he was the same species as his original form, and instead saw him as a cute furry creature made by mistake.
Ridley seriously consider smashing through the glass (even in this form he was deceptively strong) and biting off at least a finger or two off the female, for thinking him weak, but reconsidered. A facility of this scale would no doubt contain at least some form of security, and he was still very vulnerable in this form.
So, he decided to play into their current delusion of him, rubbing his fluffy body on the other side of the offered hand, even as he retched mentally at the act. Until he was ready to change into his more advanced form he would act the part of a docile creature.
When he did change, he would repay this humiliation a hundred fold.
Unknown to the scientists, the reason that the creature was purring wasn't because he enjoyed their company. It was because he was imagining decorating the corridors with their entrails.