For the love of a Princess: Legend of the Starry Knight
(Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda, Metroid or Nintendo.)
Prologue: Visitation of a new god
Princess Zelda's POV
It was a gray day in Hyrule, the day the new god descended upon us. I remember it clearly. It was mid afternoon and I was overlooking castle town from my tower balcony. The air was still and hung dead in the air while gray clouds covered the once beautifully blue sky. A few drops of rain hit the ground but nothing more. Day was turned to night it seemed. Few people walked the streets on such a gloomy day. All the color of the world seemed faded and drained. An unnatural cold filled the air and nipped at those who remained outside. I watched as the last of my people cleared the streets. The bare and emptiness was off putting. The gloom, it seemed, was inescapable. I felt it under my skin, a crawling restlessness that I was unaccustomed to. I felt trapped like an animal cornered in a forest flame. I fought off the urge to suddenly escape. There was no light on this day. I heard the crackle of thunder overhead and my eyes became transfixed on the gray sky. Like a drop of blood in a pool of water, a crimson color spread through the clouds. I watched with growing apprehension as the clouds began to swirl around a single dark spot. More thunder and the dark spot grew, like the mouth of some great predator, over Hyrule. Lightning began to strike the ground violently like a thousand poised vipers. The ground shook in either fear or outrage. My hand instinctively grasped around my sword, as if somehow I could fight this mysterious force. Out of the black mouth in the sky fell a dark star. It fell, as if slowed by time, before opening it's monstrous yellow wings. An unearthly screech filled the air as it flew. With unnatural speed it dived toward the castle. It flew straight towards my balcony. It passed by me so closely I was almost certain of impact. In the split second I was a hairs breadth away with the monstrous beast it's yellow eye bore into me. I felt the air sizzle around it and was struck with fear. The beast showed it was a holder of immeasurable power. I was frozen in place as it flew away. I was unable to move until I heard the screams of my people below. They had left the safety of their homes to investigate the horror that was circling the castle like some great bird of prey. As soon as my eyes darted down to see my people the beast flew like lightning towards them, horrible mouth wide open in a paralyzing screech. I felt it's eye upon me as it flew passed. I stared down as the beast began terrorizing the town. I watched helplessly as the castle guards charged bravely towards the beast. Their swords shattered upon it's armored skin like glass. They were tossed aside in one fell swoop of the beast's mighty paws like rag dolls. I couldn't let this go on. I couldn't stand idly by and watch such horrors being unleashed. I felt the Triforce grow hot on my right hand and I reached for my bow and arrow. As soon as I had my arrow nocked the beast stood before me. The only sound I could hear was the beating of it's wings, slow and rhythmic. It opened it's jaws, but instead of the awful screech, came words from an alien tongue.
"Samus Aran." It rumbled and hissed.
Chapter 1: Chasing a killer
Samus Aran's POV
I've been warned by the Galactic Federation not to stick my nose where it doesn't belong. They have found potential metroid life on a dead satellite but I am forbidden to go anywhere near that mission. They fear the Baby left an imprint on me and I would do anything I could to save the metroids. I fear that they know I will try which is why I have been sent off in the farthest direction from the mission as possible. The only way they lured me away from their mission is that they have belief that Ridley has been sighted around some unexplored planets in another galaxy. They knew I'd be torn by the decision. Especially since all registered personal are now forbidden any involvement. So here I am, in my ship as far away from knowing the truth about the possible existences of any further metroid life. A sudden siren interrupted my thoughts and I quickly pulled up a screen from my monitor. It played back a familiar recorded scream. It was Ridley. Metroids were pushed out of my head as Ridley's scream filled my ears. This time I was sure I would leave him in pieces on which ever cursed planet he was hiding. A track was picked up on screen and I set course to follow. I kept alert while traveling through this unexplored region. The reports indicated no life or hospitable planets in which to sustain life in this area, so thus it remained unimportant and left alone. This knowledge brought up several questions however. What business would Ridley have in an uninhabited region? Who would have sighted him when no one is actively exploring this supposedly barren region? My temper flared at the idea of being tricked into chasing my own tail. I made to change course, certain that this had been constructed as a fools errand to keep me busy, when once again my ship's monitor picked up Ridley's screech. Suddenly my monitors started going haywire. Hundreds of thousands of life forms were being picked up. What could this be? A trick? No, it couldn't be. I quickly searched all reports on the area I was now entering.
Barren. No Life. All planets determined inhospitable for life forms. No valuable resources. Area name: D353R7. Reported by Galactic Federation unit 7R1.
This was the only report ever filed on the region I was now in. Was my ship malfunctioning or was this report a lie? Either way I would find out soon enough. I ran a quick scan over all the ship's systems. It reported that everything was functioning correctly and up to speed. I checked the current monitor. I quickly located the source of the supposed life forms.
"Check atmosphere." I said to my voice command. The screen blanked for a moment before loading the data. Oxygen and Hydrogen were abundant. The most basic elements needed for life. I frowned at the reading. What was being hidden here? I thought as I entered orbit of the strange planet. Looking below I saw what appeared to be clouds. It was a marbled blue and green just like Earth from the history logs. I checked readouts to make sure I wasn't in the path of any possible satellites. However, it seemed I was the only object in orbit other than the lonely moon. Curious. If the planet is filled with life how come there aren't any satellites in orbit? I sat there pondering this meager planet for a good while. A pirate planet! Of course! It all made sense now. Ridley must have a few good planets to hide in around these barely explored regions. There are most likely space pirates hiding out here as well. However, if this was a pirate planet wouldn't that be even more reason to have satellites? Obviously they would need something to detect anyone entering the area. Perhaps they thought it might draw attention to their location? My head was buzzing with all these questions I desired answers to. I prepared to enter this mysterious planet's atmosphere. What was hidden behind those clouds? As I broke through each layer it became more and more clear to me that this was no barren land. Plant forms covered the ground and bird like creatures flew through the air, darting away from my ship like a frightened school of fish. I found an open area and proceeded to land. As soon as I did, crude spear like objects pelted my ship. They bounced off and left no scratches but I still did not take kindly to the gesture. I leapt out of my ship, powersuit gleaming in the light of the planet's sun. The pig like creatures continued their attack on my ship, somewhat oblivious to my presence.
"Cease!" I commanded raising the lethal weapon attached to my right arm. I placed my left arm on my right as I began charging a blast. The pig beasts finally noticed me and stupidly raised their weapons at me, "Cease now or I will shoot!" Ignoring my warnings they rushed towards me hollering in an alien language. I released the charge on my cannon. The blast was extremely lethal and the creatures were quickly dispatched by it. One remained. As I turned to it, it quickly dropped it's weapon and began running. I pursued until I had it in my clutches. It began speaking rapidly, just as I hoped. My computer quickly downloaded the language and began translating.
"-Is only follow orders from the Moblin! He say to bring prisoners to Great One and we be rewarded!" The creature rambled.
"Where is Ridley?" I demanded. The creature blinked in surprise. These creatures must not have translation gear.
"I not know who is Ridley. Ask the Great One!" He stammered. I shook my head.
"I don't have time to meet your people. I need to find Ridley. He is the leader of the space pirates. He's partially mechanized. A sort of android creature with a dragon like appearance. Have you seen him?" I asked once again. The creature just looked at me. I noticed most of my words couldn't be translated to this new simple language. Realizing this creature couldn't understand me I put him down. Perhaps if I showed him a hologram he would recognize it. I pulled out a hologram box from my suit and put it down between us. I pressed another button and Ridley was projected in the space between us. As soon as he saw the figure he bolted. I sighed and put away the projection. It was clear to me these simple creatures were blissfully ignorant. I pulled up a screen to locate anymore life forms. It appeared that there was a host of life, perhaps an outpost or encampment of some sort, not too far from here. I decided investigating it would be a wise choice. My indicators informed me that I would be able to breathe without the need of it's system in this atmosphere. However, due to the display of hostility by the recent life forms I encountered I decided to keep my powersuit on. A smart choice I soon discovered as the plant life appeared just as dangerous as the pig beasts. After setting fire to a couple carnivorous plants I stumbled upon a village of sorts. The inhabitants were eerily human like. An exact replica of a human except for their unnaturally long and pointed ears. I scanned the area quickly. No computers or other technologies were located. The buildings appeared to be made of the surrounding plant material as well as by metal nails. The humanoid creatures stood staring at me uncertainly. I attempted opening friendly communications with them by using the language I downloaded by the pig creatures. A grave mistake I soon learned. The humanoids seemed frightened by the language and rushed to their houses. A few of what appeared to be the males hung back and clutched at metal weapons. No one said anything. I raised my hands in a gesture of friendliness and that I meant not to harm. The males seemed uncertain and crept closer, weapons still raised. They started muttering to each other in a new language. A more complex language than the pig creatures. Translation would be more difficult. Perhaps one of them knew some of the pig language. I tried again.
"Where is Ridley?" I asked. They looked at one another. One of the elder males stepped forward.
"Leave this place Darknut." He said in the pig language. He was much larger and stronger looking than the others. Much older too. He seemed to have seen some battles in his day by the scars He carried. Maybe he held a position of power among these humanoids.
"I am looking for Ridley. To you people he would seem like a-" I thought for a moment. These creatures, I had to tell myself, no matter how human they look they are not. They wouldn't not know the same creatures most humans would. So how would I describe what I was looking for to them? I looked up and saw the bird like creatures flying by. I pointed up at them, "I'm looking for a creature similar to that." Again, the pig language limited my vocabulary and I believe miss translated my message, for the people became more fearful.
"We will give you nothing. You will go back to your master empty handed." He said and raised what appeared to be a sword. The other males backed away, giving space for a sort of duel between myself and their leader. He said something to one of the younger males and he darted away. I turned to watch him go and was struck in the back by the larger male. I pushed his sword away easily.
"I'm not here to fight. I'm looking for- oh what does it matter?" I rolled my eyes and pushed passed him. The other males cowered and stepped out of my way. The large one continued to follow me, striking at me whenever he had the chance. His weapon left no scratch or even the slightest damage on my suit. I figured the least I could do was ignore him after incinerating the pig creatures by accident. My weapons were far beyond the powers of these lesser creatures. However I would need their help finding Ridley if in fact they were the main race on this planet. I just needed one to talk long enough for me to pick up the slightest bit of translation. Perhaps if I used the same technique I used on the pigs? Just as the large one was about to strike me again I grabbed his weapon and crushed it in my grip. The metal was easy to bend. The metal clearly hadn't been modified much since it's extraction from the ground. I grabbed the large one and held him in the air and pointed my cannon at him, "Speak." I demanded, "In your native language." He said nothing but struggled. I shook him in front of the other males, "Speak!" I said to them. The large one said something to them and they closed their mouths and backed away. Seeing that talking to the males was a pointless endeavor I dropped the large one and began to search the village. I spotted what I assumed was one of their offspring and headed towards it. One of the females rushed towards it but I blasted the ground inches from her feet and she jumped back with a yelp. The males rushed to the female and huddled around her with their weapons drawn and still pointed at me. I knelt down to the little offspring. It's eyes grew wide at the sight of me, "Say something. Anything." I said kindly. It's eyes darted to the female and back to me. It's little mouth started to open, and it suddenly began crying. Or at least, if it was human, that's what I thought it was doing. I stood up. This was such a wasted effort. I would be better off finding Ridley on my own then attempting to communicate with these clueless aliens. As I made to turn around I was surrounded by more of the humanoids in metal suits. However, these humanoids were very uniform and bore a matching symbol on their equipment. They looked as if the belonged to some sort of military. Finally something with order that I could understand. They raised their weapons and formed a circle around me. I assumed they would be taking me as some kind of prisoner. At least then their would be questioning and maybe then I could download the language. If not, escaping seemed fairly simple. I let them escort me from the village and along a road leading towards what appeared to be a military encampment.