Behind Cold Metal
Chapter 21: Sudden Attack
Samus was sleeping comfortably in her new room (which was like a hotel room unlike the cells she was in. She wasn't forced to wake up as early as she used to and she felt completely comfortable inside, as if it were five star accommodations. She had been in the room for a week, lightly talking with Meta Ridley from time to time, but neither brought up the topic of what happened on Ether.
But Samus continued to think about him. She continued to think about his feelings. She was still trying to comprehend it, and she was also trying to control these crazy new feelings she suddenly had for him.
She was lying on her bed when it happened.
An alarm sounded and the room started to flash red. A loudspeaker started to sound.
"Red alert! Red alert!" it shouted. Samus jumped up, and then fell down as a huge quake erupted through the room.
"What the hell is going on???" Samus yelled to herself. Quickly, she got into her Varia Suit and ran to Meta Ridley's throne room, following her instinct.
As she ran into the room, she could see from the windows behind the throne that numerous ships were in the air. Large lasers were falling from the skies and demolishing everything in its path, and many small pods that looked like escape pods and ships were trying to escape, with many failing. Samus wanted an explanation.
"Meta Ridley, what's happening?" she asked. Meta Ridley was sitting on his throne, looking rather sad.
"The Galactic Federation has launched a huge attack" he said. "Their battle ships line the skies and beams of death fall upon us. We have tried, but most of our shielding is gone and our defense systems have been scrambled by the storm outside. We are defenceless, and we must escape" he said.
"Escape??? But this is your castle! Aren't you going to defend it?" she asked.
"Their numbers outmatch ours by far. Within half an hour, we expect for 79% of the planet to be occupied by Galactic Federation rats" he said. "I have ordered all remaining units to escape to our stealth base, very, very far away from here. We must escape with as many people as possible, for the future of the Space Pirates, my people, are at stake" he said.
"But what about you???" Samus asked. Meta Ridley looked down and sighed.
"...Stand next to my throne..." he said. Samus looked at him in confusion, but the door suddenly moved behind them. People were trying to break in.
"Damn...they've already reached me" he said. "Come to me, now!!!" Samus nodded and ran next to the throne. Suddenly, the platform the throne was on lifted and a hole opened up above them in the ceiling. Just as they became swallowed, Galactic Federation troops broke into the throne room, to see that Meta Ridley and Samus had vanished. The platform came to a stop and the roof of the tower, where a light rain fell on both Samus and Meta Ridley. It was a large circular platform, and in the middle was a pod, halfway in the ground. It was an escape pod.
"Where are we?" Samus asked.
"We are at the roof of my castle" he said. "I have to escape"
"But what about me?" Samus asked. She didn't want it all to end like this. The two walked up to the pod and Meta Ridley sighed.
"Samus...I'm sorry...but there's only space for me in that pod. I built it for a one man escape..." he said. Samus started to well up inside.
"But...you might die..." she said.
"You needn't worry about me. This pos is made from the strongest metals in the cosmos. It cannot be destroyed by any beam the Galactic Federation might have" he said. "But...if I escape, then we must bid farewell to each other..."
Samus heart almost broke upon hearing that.
"Meta Ridley...no...it can't end like this...it can't!" she said, desperate. Meta Ridley looked down. Samus swore she saw a tear fall out of his eye.
"Samus...if I could stay here and protect you...I would gladly sacrifice my body to do so...But I have to leave...my minions...no, friends....they all need me. What is a Space Pirate colony without a leader?" he said. "I'm afraid...this is goodbye"
Samus's heart broke. She took her helmet off, unable to control her tears. She then ran into Meta Ridley's arms and the two embraced each other. Meta Ridley was trying hard not to cry, but Samus was heartbroken.
"Oh...why does it have to be this way...why..." she said, crying.
"Samus...I'm so very sorry for everything I've done..." Meta Ridley said. "...This is all my fault. I caused this mess. The only reason we'e under attack is because they're looking for you...and I was the one who captured you. It was never meant to be...I'm sorry" he said. Samus then held Meta Ridley's arms and looked up into his eyes. Meta Ridley, with a depressed look on his face, shielded them from the rain with his wings.
"...Meta Ridley...I'll never forget you..." she said. "When I first saw you, I hated you. Now...I don't hate you one bit. I love you...." she said.
"Samus..." Meta Ridley replied, holding her shoulders. "A twisted, repulsive thing like me? You can't..." he said.
"You're not twisted...nor repulsive...you're a gentleman...and...you're a true leader...and if we had more time together, then I would have told you then...but now I'll never see you again..." she said. Meta Ridley laughed a little.
"No, that's not true" he said. "We'll be sure to meet again sometime in the future. I might be under a stealth shield on my new base, but I won't stay there all the time. You know, I will still be taking trips to Ether. You and me are the only two people who know it exists" he said. Samus smiled, holding back her tears.
"You're so funny..." she said, taking a deep breath. Then, another ripping quake thundered through the castle.
"Well...for now...this is farewell" Samus said, letting go.
"...Samus...you do know that I love you, don't you?" Meta Ridley said.
"I do....you sung to me..." she said. Meta Ridley remembered that time. Then, Meta Ridley pressed a button on his pod and the door opened before he stuffed himself in. It was sadly true; Samus would have never been able to fit in the pod with Meta Ridley, even if she used the Morph Ball. The hatch then closed and Samus put a hand against the window pane. As smoke billowed from under the pod, Samus kissed the window pane where Meta Ridley's mouth was before taking a few steps back. The pos begun to rise into the air, quickening in it's ascent to the heavens before it vanished in the clouds.
This is the end of the story. Samus would never forget this time. She visited Ether, but didn't see Meta Ridley there. Meta Ridley did the same, but there just wasn't going to be a coincidence happening. But the two trusted each other, and if Samus was forced to save the universe from the Space Pirates again, she would think twice before trashing Meta Ridley.
Well, there we go. The end of this story. After this, I'm not sure how long it will be until my next story seeming my ideas have run rather dry, so cherish what's around. But I will promise more of my writing in the future, in any genre, so keep your eyes peeled!