Metroid: A Tale of Paradox
Disclaimer: Contents and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.
Author's note: This is better described as the introduction chapter, embracing the reader into the lives of the main characters and of their surroundings. Screw my previous idea of the story, I've become a neutral (Peace Maker) when it comes to Samus/Ridley pairing, and no, they don't have that kind of relationship here. After getting a ways into the story, I saw what I could really make, and decided to do so. Basically, Samus Ridley Adam etc., are born at relatively the same age and raised on the same planet together in this chapter. What happens when they grow up is entirely my imagination's playground, the action begins at the end of the second chapter. Make it past the first two chapters and on to the next if you can't stand the semi-long pre-dramatic introduction, but the character building is what sets the story. Please enjoy and give reviews (yes I want constructive criticism) so I don't fill alone on continuing chapters!
Chapter 1: Fates are Twisted
"Space pirates, where?" questioned Samus, scanning the surroundings
"Behind that generator, over there!" exclaimed Adam, who was next to Samus, pointing his index finger in Samus' vision, intended to aim in the said direction.
Samus had to ignore Adam's misguided appendage to locate the affiliated generator.
She glared at the object for a moment, extending her hand cannon out while supporting it with her left arm.
From behind the generator could be seen what appeared as a long, crimson, scaly pole, or was it a tail?
"I see it!" exclaimed Samus with a sense of over-joy in her tone.
"Shh!" Adam held his left index finger over his mouth with his lips puckered out as if to kiss his dirty, matted finger, which was the universal symbol for shut up.
They both innately paced slowly toward the generator, with weapons at the ready.
The figure behind the generator became known as it stepped into view, razered teeth fashioned around a long, bony beak, four talents, two membrane formed wings tucked behind its back and a piercing sharp spade-tipped tail curled around it on the floor.
"So Ridley's behind all this! That was less than the expected, but not my last guess." she finished, with a profound smirk hidden behind her visor.
Ridley was crouched low on his rear legs, not revealing his complete height. He cocked his head back and gave out a bellowing laugh, which sounded all too well rehearsed.
"So Samus Aran, You have broken into my ship and have found me! But to what purpose? I've not reason to tussle with you as of late, have I?" The innocent dragon with his head now curled forward, causing his posture to sink his height tremendously.
"We know you're behind the stolen prototype phazon cannon from Fargon Station, just confess and get it over with!" demanded Adam.
Ridley grew even less in stature. He curled his claws inward as if to hide his menacing power. He changed his tone to a Firm yet innocent quality.
"Simply because I've done things past, must that imply that I am automatically the culprit of every petty shop lifting?"
"The security cams caught space pirates taking the device, and you being the leader of the bunch, makes you the prime suspect." Samus had a smile of victory over Rildey's query.
"So I guess we don't have time for any games now huh? I understand your urgency I suppose, and I will confess just to keep you on that busy schedule. The ray's right here." Ridley reached his tail behind his back and pulled out the phazon cannon into view and set it on the floor before them.
Ridley Became erect, and forced out his wings spanning full length, causing a gust of wind from them, attempting to suppress fear over his nemesis of his daunting presence.
The two raised back their weapons and took battle ready stances for whatever Rildey might could throw at them.
The dragon spoke still in his sincere tone, "If you want it, it's right here."
Samus and Adam made no hesitation, they charged all out towards Ridley and the device before him.
Ridley grinned, then leaped into the air,soaring towards them, claws held out as if to rip their limbs apart from their abdomen.
They began to fire at him, but Ridley had picked up way too much speed for them to get more then a lucky glance off him.
Samus and Adam delve in separate directions to avoid Ridley's dive, but Ridley was already planning their moves. An open claw came in line with Adam's chest, sending Adam to the floor with a yelp, gripping his chest where Ridley struck him.
Ridley then turned mid-air toward Samus, who had taken precise aim at Ridley, ignoring her fallen comrade for the time being.
Ridley dove, claws and teeth ready to strike. Samus fired two shots before diving out of the way. Ridley was hit in the upper-left shoulder.
Crash! Ridley landed right where Samus had been previous to her quick maneuvering, but recovered just as quick, making a wide swing with his claw to strike Samus on the head.
Samus ducked and rolled a hair from the razered talents just to be slammed on her back by Rildey's countering tail.
Ridley rested his weight on Samus with his claw, aiming his jagged-edged tail to strike through her throat.
Samus layed helpless, she couldn't get her hand cannon out from under Rildey's claw.
Ridley neared to start his finishing blow.
"Recces is over. Time for class!" Hollered the teacher, bickering the children to come back inside.
Ridley took his foot off Samus and helped her up by sliding his tail under her back and pushing her up with it.
"Great game Ridley! Just be careful how much weight you place on someone, I felt like I couldn't breathe for a moment there!" Samus grinned in childly pleasure.
"Sorry," replied Ridley with his face towards the ground, " I have some much fun sometimes I forget I'm a dragon."
Adam came to them and stood beside Samus. "Ya, you pack quite a punch, but nothing I can't handle!" Adam rolled his shoulders producing a pop sound.
"It's fine Ridley, we wouldn't have you any other way! And you're definitely the coolest dragon I've ever met!" Samus exclaimed, forsaking the thought that Ridley was the only dragon she had seen before.
Samus always did that for him, sticking up for Ridley. He could always fill human when he was with Samus. She treated him like one.
The thirty-two second grade students lined up before the teacher in single fire order, and marched behind the teacher through the white painted halls and ceramic tiled floor. Though this was the twenty-sixth century, K-2L had less art and architecture than other human planets, aside from the handful of self-made homes, the majority of the buildings on the mining colony were a dull chrome. It didn't appeal to the general public for beauty, but it did provide better protection and security for the masses.
The students filled the confined class room, taking their individual Metal seats and pulling out their black, contractible desks. Ridley placed himself in the very front row, next to the window. Samus sat in the desk across from him, and Adam behind Samus.
Samus and Ridley paid the most attention in class, Ridley being the most brilliant of the class simply by his in-born ability to memorize images, giving him the conscious ability to capture all that a book said or what the teacher wrote on the board into precise mental pictures. Samus studied consistently for her high grades, which tagged slimly behind Ridley's, except for math, which she understood like swimming. Her favorite thing to do was swim.
Their final class, biology, ended at 3:23 p.m., and at 3:24 p.m., There wasn't a single student inside the building, save for two rascals who ended up in detention. The principal would make sure they'd stay in detention for as many days as it took for his hair to grow back, because of all the dry-on-impact rubber cement that had consumed his reddish-blond crown atop his head, due to a crudely crafted sling attached to his office door knob and a bucket on the other end.
"Samus, can we go to your house to play?" asked Adam.
"I heard that there are Chozo here today, I want to go see them first. Do you guys want to come?"
Adam scratched his head. "Actually, there's something else I should be doing."
Ridley stood beside Adam. "I'd rather not as well, there's... um... something I need to do to."
"You two are so anti-social with other species! I'll see you guys later." Samus started walking towards the space port.
"Hey, let's meet back here at five, okay?"Adam asked.
"Sure, I should be back by then."
The three split ways, and Samus waited at the buss stop. She boarded the first buss that came by. It was heading for the Alpha Space Port in the capitol city.
The buss stopped at the space port, and Samus hopped of after paying the driver.
The space port was mildly busy, people were carrying cargo in and out of the dome-shaped transit center.
The ship that transported the Chozo was in docking, and the afloraltite that was the source of trade that the Chozo came for, was in another vessel.
As Samus came to the entrance, she found two Chozo speaking with a man. The man was wearing a blue officer uniform, and the Chozo wore robes of lovely, natural colors.
"I'm sorry, but that won't do. We can't make a trade." The man stood firm before the dismayed Chozo.
They had been bargaining for a long time, but it was getting tiresome, and they needed to leave soon.
"Very well. We will return at a later time, perhaps than we may make a deal," one of the Chozo stated.
Samus came close to the three speaking. One of the Chozo looked to her.
"Hello young one, are you from here I presume?"
Samus nodded. "My name is Samus, I came here to meet you."
The Chozo smiled warmly. "Ah, my name is Old Bird, but you can call me Bird Grandpa."
The other Chozo examined Samus with a straight face. "So, a child ambassador is here to greet us. How charming."
"This is Grey Voice, my good friend," announced Old Bird.
"I'll have to remove the cargo from my ship. Come back when you have the proper means to trade with." The man left them and entered the transit center.
"I like Chozo. I read about you all the time in and after class."
Old Bird chuckled. "Very good. Make sure you learn all the knowledge you can about the universe, especially all the species within it. Learning is our favorite subject you know, it may be compared to eating candy to you."
Samus smiled. "I love to learn too! Maby you can teach me somethings, some time."
The Chozo couldn't help but smile back. He carelessly showed his warm heart and care for all living things. Old Bird had rarely heard of a human's interest in their kind, especially from a child. "Perhaps that may come to pass, such a young, inquisitive one such as you."
Old Bird "Do you know of the Luminoths?"
"Here Samus, I think you may enjoy this."Old Bird drew his hand into his cloak and revealed a ring of chains with a charm attached to it.
"This came from the Luminoths,
Grey Voice had waited long enough, their purpose here was over and he was anxious to return home. "Let us go now Old Bird, we must return to the brethren."
Old Bird sighed. "Very well. I must go now, good by Samus."
Samus gripped the Chozo's robe, giving him a friendly hug.
Old Bird responded by patting Samus' shoulder. "We may meet again."
Samus released him and waved as he entered the transit center. "Bye!"
After the Chozos had disappeared from site, Samus returned to the bus stop, pleased in her success in meeting a Chozo for the first time, and a very friendly one at that.
Samus returned to the school bus stop at 5:05. Ridley and Adam were waiting for her.
"How was it, did you meet a Chozo?" asked Adam, showing more enthusiasm than he felt.
Samus smirked triumphantly. "Sure did, and made a friend too!"
"Great! Now can we go now?"
"Sure! This time I have an idea, lets defend the Chozo from the space pirates at the tree fort."
"I'm the space pirate leader!" Ridley always chose that position.
Adam nodded. "Okay, lets go than!"
The three companions vigorously shuffled down the sidewalk away from school. They were eager to get to Samus' house, her backyard to be more specific, which was out of town, giving them a two miles' stride at the least.
Samus' family consisted of only her mother, Virginia Aran. Samus had no brothers or sisters, but what she did have was an adopted dragon.
Ridley was found by her and her mother when Samus was only three years old. The poor pitiful scale covered creature was crouched beneath a tree, hiding from the slowly drizzling cold rain. Samus and her mother were heading home from a fishing trip at the creek beyond their backyard.
Most humans may have steered away from a dragon, toddler or not, maby even run in the opposite direction in fear, but Samus' mother walked strait up to the little creature, who couldn't even fly yet. He climbed up the tree in fear.
Samus stood beside her mother, not even old enough to understand why dragons should be feared. Samus stood just beneath the tree and called to the dragon hanging upside-down from a limb, waving her limbs at it. The dragon slowly and cautiously traveled down the tree trunk, upside-down, stopping two feet from the ground.
Samus Carelessly stood within inches of the dragon spawn.
"Hello!"
The dragon stared at her for a moment with his head cocked to the side.
"Sqrack!" The dragon child finally replied, completely confused by Samus and her method of greetings.
Samus simply replied the same sound back at him, completely distorting it from the sound the dragon had instinctively done.
The dragon then stood on the ground, towering a foot over Samus, even though he was a month younger than her.
Samus' mother stood a few feet from her, seeming as if to not care about her daughter and the harm that could be done, but in reality, she had studied all about the various species in the galaxy, and apparently, didn't fear what the dragon could do to either of them.
Samus reached out her hand to the dragon, assuming he knew how to greet with a hand shake.
The dark Crimson lizard sniffed her hand and almost seemed as if he intended to bite her hand off, but instead, he extended out his lower claw to her hand, not the one Samus was intending but what did it matter anyway? Dragons could use their hind legs just as well as their forearms, minus the length difference.
Dragons are very odd creatures, they may seem the most brutal and uncaring at times, but they are unreasonably intelligent, and Ridley could understand samus' intentions by a sixth sense, or seventh.
After that small event, Samus' mother took Ridley home with them and raised him up no different than Samus, added the needs a dragon may have over a human, a specially designed tooth brush, twice as much food had to be cooked at dinner time, and of course, trying to design clothes that were befitting to a dragon, though most the time he never whore clothes.
Ridley, as they named him, was Samus' adopted brother, and she never could have been happier, a play mate she could always have when it rained out side and her other friends were stuck indoors. Ridley would never go outside in the rain anyway, dragons were very fond of hot weather, hot anything in-fact.
Samus, Adam and Ridley arrived at her house, a lovely two-story colonial, with two square acres of blue grass in front of the house, and a seemingly endless forest behind it. back behind the house is where the three would always have adventures in the forest, go swimming, and anything else a group of youngsters could craft in their imaginations.
That day they played space pirates till the sun went down. Ridley was always the bad guy. he didn't mind, he liked being the bad guy anyway. "Bad guys get to have all the fun," he would say. Samus was always the protagonist and Adam would either be helping Samus search the universe for the space pirate's next attack or be guarding the planet(tree fort) from Ridley's attack till Samus could arrive.
Adam went home, the Adrenalin preventing him from feeling the pains he would feel when he woke up the next day. Adam had hit his head on the door post of the tree fort, which tipped him sideways, landing on his arm before toppling over the edge, only to be saved from a possible death by Ridley. Ridley caught Adam's fall with his wing, which in turn, caused Ridley slight pain, the muscles that moved his wing got pulled to hard trying to slow Adam's fall. But they were children, and children always heal fast, especially a dragon.
Samus and Ridley entered the house to be greeted by a glorious aroma, smoked Turkey and gravy-smothered mashed potatoes. They instinctively headed for the bathroom to wash up before dinner. After washing their faces and hands, they sat in one of the four chairs, and mother brought the smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, and bread rolls to the table. Their mouths watered as they watched mother slice the turkey and disperse it to each ones plate. They waited for her to sit down in her own chair before her plate.
Samus' mother was a biologist and teacher at the university in town. She made enough profit to feed herself and the kids feasts such as this every day, and with the modern technology, it wasn't all that hard to make.
"alright," said mother, turning her face to each of the two, "Let us say grace."
They all bowed their heads.
"Lord, we bless you for this meal today and giving us the means to make it. We thank you father for protecting us on our way, and we thank you for ever watching over us. We thank you for your son in who's name we ask that you let this food be good for our bodies, amen."
In times past it would have been looked down upon and even wrong to find a biologist who believed in a religion, but in the now, the things discovered and the discoveries of the Chozo and other races, left many to fear not to believe in a higher form of life, just uncertainty of what form.
The children immediately 'digged-in' and enjoyed every second they chewed and swallowed. Ridley always ate slower than the rest, making sure the others had their fill before consuming the rest on the table himself.
"How was school today?"
Samus had just stuffed her face with a spork full of mashed potatoes, "Eit aas jood! Wii-"
"Please swallow before finishing honey," her mother politely interrupted.
Samus did as requested. "It was good! We made a new game today, and Ridley and I answered all the teacher's questions correct again!"
"Well of course you did, what else would I expect from a university professor's daughter and a dragon of one?" She smiled brightly to them and chuckled.
The meal was over. They all got up and helped mother clean the table. Once they finished, Samus and Ridley ran up to mother and both yelled simultaneously,"GAME NIGHT!"
Mother nodded her head. That was all the reassurance they needed.
Samus ran to the rectangular coffee table surrounded by a two seat-er sofa on the long side and a leather couch on the side next to it.
Ridley tried to beat Samus to the table, he even tried cheating, using his tail to trip her, but she stepped out of the way. This lead her on a direct path to hit the rear of the sofa, but instead of giving Ridley the glory of victory, she leaped over the sofa, clearing it by a meager two inches.
Samus rolled over the sofa cushions and opened the coffee table drear, pulling out a flat, rectangular box, just as Ridley arrived beside her.
Samus and Ridley knelt to the floor and set the box on the table. Samus took off the lid and pulled out a folded board-game. It was a game that involved miniature pieces, travelling across the board by steps, and having to role dice and answer questions to proceed their miniature to the next step.
Mother got to the table and sat in the couch just as they completed setting up the board.
"I'm blue!" shouted Samus, grabbing the described miniature.
"I'm red!" announced Ridley, doing likewise.
"I guess I'm green than," said mother reaching over to attain the said piece.
The miniatures were differently colored dachora, and the end of the game was when a dachora reached the nest at the last step of the board.
The questions involved asking what traits a certain species had, such as a etecoon's strong immune system.
This was a game where Ridley and Samus were equals, and mother continued to create her own questions to fill in the question slips' deposit so they never got bored of the same questions over and over.
"What primate-type creature has blue fir and excels at jumping vertical objects?" Ridley said, cocking his head toward Samus.
Samus smiled. That was an easy one, and Ridley looked at her, knowing she had gotten an easy question.
"An etecoon, of course!" Samus moved her chadora to the next step.
"My turn," Samus said, retrieving a question card. "What reptile lives in the waters of Zebes and has a green shell?"
Ridley took slight hesitation before replying. "A tatori!"
"right!" said Samus.
Ridley moved his piece to the same step as Samus'.
Neither missed a question till the end except Ridley. When Samus got to the last step she couldn't answer when her mother asked what kind of dragon lives in the hot depths of Zebes, she only knew of one type of dragon, and that was Ridley.
"It's simply called a dragon dear." Her mother told her, laughing at the irony.
"You win again Mom!" announced samus, not showing any care for her loosing.
Ridley showed the same, though he was mad at himself for not being able to identify a type of bony fish, a skultera.
"Well we had fun, and now it's time fore bed! Go brush your teeth and I'll meet you in your room to tuck you in."
After such a mind rousing game, it would be difficult to keep their minds from processing as much data at one time as they could.
They both slept in the same room, on individual beds, they both had king sized mattresses. She had bought both large beds cause she simply had the mind to keep them equal, since Ridley was larger and needed a bigger bed. She had enough psychology and sociology to manipulate both Ridley and Samus from thinking that either was lesser than the other, mentally of course.
Mother came in and tucked them into bed, and kissed each one on the forehead.
After that, she walked out of the room and turned of the light, knowing they weren't going to stay in bed quite yet.
She looked at the two in their beds before slowly closing the door with a squeak, then she walked away down the hall to her own room.
