Ranma/Metroid
'Ill Gain'
Nabiki stared dispassionately out into space, as the stellar vessel ferried them to their destination. It said that if you look into the abyss, the abyss looks into you; if this were true, it would be looking into a pit that had been burrowed so deep that emotion had drained away. It was the way youngest human being left learned to cope with the fact that she was one of the two left of her species. They no longer even had a home planet to call their own, choosing the only option they felt themselves to have.
Kasumi worked feverishly through the katas of all three of the Anything Goes schools, finding it to be a focus that narrows the perspective from everything else. From her specie's genocide, her sister's emotional void, the filth and pestilence of the universe that she regularly dealt with, every metaphysical scar she received since that day seven years ago. She pulled her focus tighter, willing herself not to let her mind drift from the road to perfection. Ironic that she reached a level that even surpassed Ran... that would have made her the most powerful fighter of the discipline, but not from a need to better herself.
It was her escape during the day, until the time for slumber came, in which she would cry herself to sleep in her sister's almost mechanical embrace. Every 'night' would be the same, Kasumi would seek comfort, and Nabiki would offer it as best she could for strictly productive reasons. The youngest knew intellectually that her sister needed it to cope; it was the vent that was thrown open to her soul, which relinquished an infinite reservoir of anguish. Kasumi needed to vent, or the pressure would build until it crushed her soul. Nabiki knew it was best for her sister to keep hers, as she had lost hers long ago.
Kasumi moved from technique to position to posture to stance, and would continue to do so until she collapsed, barely able to make any other motions for lack of energy. This would then be followed by her sister carrying her to the revitalizing bed. Nabiki knew Kasumi did this purposely; once she would heal, she maintained the level she had reached from her overexerting training, and she remained unconscious through out the ordeal. Of course, Nabiki would put in her token protest.
"You shouldn't exert yourself as you are." She expected no answer, as always. It wasn't that Kasumi ignored her; it was that she was too far lost in the arts that she was learning from the scrolls and documents that Happosai had left in the chest. How the ancient master would be pleased, that his school lived well beyond even the planet Earth itself.
The older woman's dedication did not come without its benefits, greatly coming in valuable as she usurped the role of 'Samus-sensei', the original Metroid slayer. It had surprised all when after five years disappearance after the GV-4 catastrophe, 'Samus' Returned. Her first bounty that marked her return to action raised eyebrows, since it wasn't of the famous Space Hunter's usual wont; it was extremely amateurish, and exceedingly clumsy at that. She had managed to succeed in the mission, but it left many with doubts of her current level; had the great Samus Aran fallen from her edge?
After several more missions, all concerns were proved moot, as Samus once again rose to the primary spot on the Space Hunter roster. The original concerns became replaced with newer ones, as Samus seemed colder, harsher, and more dedicated than ever before, dedicated beyond natural zealousness. The Galactic Federation had to step in and advise her to quell her obsessive crusade, as it began to stir the Space Pirates of the universe into more aggressive and bolder actions; beating the hornet's nest, as it were. She remained relentless, though the number of assignments she took decreased.
Kasumi and Nabiki now only took enough assignment to keep themselves busy, since neither of them cared to explain that the original Samus Aran was deceased, and that they were now her 'soul heirs' to her legacy. Both women came to know their spiritual mentor, even though not having truly met her long enough in person. She was dedicated, she was tenacious, she made sure that a task would be done, regardless of the obstacle, most of all, she was lonely.
The original Samus traveled alone, worked alone. She had no partners that she would willingly allow to endanger themselves with her; in that she was compassionate. For this reason also, both the Tendou women vowed that she would live on, as long as there was breath in their bodies.
Nabiki did not even look back, as she heard her sister's body slump to the ground, like a building that had it's supports abruptly removed. Giving one last look to the coordinates monitor, Nabiki walked back to her barely conscious sister, and pulled her up by her waist to drag her from the spacious chamber to the revitalizing bed, as was her routine. Once her sister was secure, she turned back to the control chamber of the vessel, never looking back.
Nabiki sat herself down in front of the control setup, and resumed staring into the eternity, and a few minutes after, she had been hailed.
"[Space Hunter designate 'SA'.]" Nabiki sounded almost bored when she replied.
"This is designate SA." she replied in the universal language of the Galactic Federation. The communication was audio only, and voice pitch and tone scrambled, as Samus originally always kept it. It made things convenient for the two women who took her place, since fewer questions were asked.
"[I presume your hunt for Alid came out as expected?]" the rather jovial voice at the other end enquired.
"Alid held no reason for concern, and he is still alive. You could have sent standard CCRS operatives to handle this without having to be subjected to our fee."
"[Good, because it is important that we receive him as such.]"
"Understood," Nabiki was about to cut communications without acknowledgement, finding that there would be nothing more to say in her observation, when she was proven wrong.
"[It's also important that you are here as well.]"
"And why is that?" Nabiki's voice held a tone that could be interpreted as concern.
"[Because, we have valuable and reliable information that leads us to believe we'll require your expertise again.]"
"I see. And why would this require me?"
"[It isn't anything we can confirm until we receive Alid's confirmation, so it is probably best that I do not divulge you the reason immediately.]"
"I am beginning to form the assumption that we are not particularly required at all."
"Hmm? I don't..."
"Good day," Nabiki's finger started to descend on the cut off button.
"[Mother Brain is still alive.]"
____________________________________
Kasumi stood poised in the waiting lounge. The hunter in her red and gold armor kept her arms folded in dis-concern, giving off the impression of professional confidence. Her emotions belayed her appearance; she was extremely unnerved.
Mother Brain may still be alive.
From Samus-sensei's accountings, the leader of the space pirates that she encountered was to be her most trialsome opponent before... before everything happened. Beyond the deceased Space Hunter's word, records of Mother Brain and its organization's crimes were well known. The one that stood out in Kasumi's mind, the one that concerned deeply anyone who would know it, was of the Metroids.
Creatures Mother Brain intended to use as biological weapons, powerful and hungry creatures that devoured any bio-energy from its victims until it left a withered husk. They were difficult to kill by conventional methods, and too dangerous to let live. Worse is that they could mutate into a far greater menace if left to their own devices, as Samus's second encounter with the metroids had proven.
It was finally believed that they were completely wiped out by the Space Hunter's third encounter with them, the destruction of SR-388 left nothing living in its wake except for a narrowly escaping Samus Aran. Mother Brain and the surviving space pirates perished when the planet blew up. There was not a trace of stellar vessel other than Samus's own that had escaped according to the thorough monitors of the Galactic Federation. She was the only survivor
The Universe once again was thought to be at peace.
That was proven deadly wrong at GV-4, formerly planet Earth.
Kasumi remembered looking into Samus's eyes, remembered the look of resignation on her face, and the pleading gaze that told her to remember what had happened and remember her and her sacrifice. The woman gave herself in order for someone to survive the destruction that shortly followed.
No one ever found out who was it that relinquished the metroids onto Kasumi and Nabiki's home planet, but they spread too quickly to salvage Earth. For the sake of the whole universe, the Federation made the harsh and soul-weighing decision to eradicate the metroid-infested planet.
The asteroid grave that was left behind of the once beautiful planet was thoroughly searched, though it was of obvious consensus that nothing could have survived. Any and all ships entering and leaving beyond the asteroid belt of the solar system would be scanned for any possible genetic matching to the metroid, and dealt with in the harshest manner, while those that held any suspicion would be boarded with expected endangerment. The Space Hunter's craft was the only one that left, and it only scanned for Samus's original terrestrial race.
Mother Brain may still be alive, and if this were true...
The Space Hunter looked up when the doors to the lounge opened, and she was beckoned to join the council to be informed of their discoverings.
'Ill Gain'
Nabiki stared dispassionately out into space, as the stellar vessel ferried them to their destination. It said that if you look into the abyss, the abyss looks into you; if this were true, it would be looking into a pit that had been burrowed so deep that emotion had drained away. It was the way youngest human being left learned to cope with the fact that she was one of the two left of her species. They no longer even had a home planet to call their own, choosing the only option they felt themselves to have.
Kasumi worked feverishly through the katas of all three of the Anything Goes schools, finding it to be a focus that narrows the perspective from everything else. From her specie's genocide, her sister's emotional void, the filth and pestilence of the universe that she regularly dealt with, every metaphysical scar she received since that day seven years ago. She pulled her focus tighter, willing herself not to let her mind drift from the road to perfection. Ironic that she reached a level that even surpassed Ran... that would have made her the most powerful fighter of the discipline, but not from a need to better herself.
It was her escape during the day, until the time for slumber came, in which she would cry herself to sleep in her sister's almost mechanical embrace. Every 'night' would be the same, Kasumi would seek comfort, and Nabiki would offer it as best she could for strictly productive reasons. The youngest knew intellectually that her sister needed it to cope; it was the vent that was thrown open to her soul, which relinquished an infinite reservoir of anguish. Kasumi needed to vent, or the pressure would build until it crushed her soul. Nabiki knew it was best for her sister to keep hers, as she had lost hers long ago.
Kasumi moved from technique to position to posture to stance, and would continue to do so until she collapsed, barely able to make any other motions for lack of energy. This would then be followed by her sister carrying her to the revitalizing bed. Nabiki knew Kasumi did this purposely; once she would heal, she maintained the level she had reached from her overexerting training, and she remained unconscious through out the ordeal. Of course, Nabiki would put in her token protest.
"You shouldn't exert yourself as you are." She expected no answer, as always. It wasn't that Kasumi ignored her; it was that she was too far lost in the arts that she was learning from the scrolls and documents that Happosai had left in the chest. How the ancient master would be pleased, that his school lived well beyond even the planet Earth itself.
The older woman's dedication did not come without its benefits, greatly coming in valuable as she usurped the role of 'Samus-sensei', the original Metroid slayer. It had surprised all when after five years disappearance after the GV-4 catastrophe, 'Samus' Returned. Her first bounty that marked her return to action raised eyebrows, since it wasn't of the famous Space Hunter's usual wont; it was extremely amateurish, and exceedingly clumsy at that. She had managed to succeed in the mission, but it left many with doubts of her current level; had the great Samus Aran fallen from her edge?
After several more missions, all concerns were proved moot, as Samus once again rose to the primary spot on the Space Hunter roster. The original concerns became replaced with newer ones, as Samus seemed colder, harsher, and more dedicated than ever before, dedicated beyond natural zealousness. The Galactic Federation had to step in and advise her to quell her obsessive crusade, as it began to stir the Space Pirates of the universe into more aggressive and bolder actions; beating the hornet's nest, as it were. She remained relentless, though the number of assignments she took decreased.
Kasumi and Nabiki now only took enough assignment to keep themselves busy, since neither of them cared to explain that the original Samus Aran was deceased, and that they were now her 'soul heirs' to her legacy. Both women came to know their spiritual mentor, even though not having truly met her long enough in person. She was dedicated, she was tenacious, she made sure that a task would be done, regardless of the obstacle, most of all, she was lonely.
The original Samus traveled alone, worked alone. She had no partners that she would willingly allow to endanger themselves with her; in that she was compassionate. For this reason also, both the Tendou women vowed that she would live on, as long as there was breath in their bodies.
Nabiki did not even look back, as she heard her sister's body slump to the ground, like a building that had it's supports abruptly removed. Giving one last look to the coordinates monitor, Nabiki walked back to her barely conscious sister, and pulled her up by her waist to drag her from the spacious chamber to the revitalizing bed, as was her routine. Once her sister was secure, she turned back to the control chamber of the vessel, never looking back.
Nabiki sat herself down in front of the control setup, and resumed staring into the eternity, and a few minutes after, she had been hailed.
"[Space Hunter designate 'SA'.]" Nabiki sounded almost bored when she replied.
"This is designate SA." she replied in the universal language of the Galactic Federation. The communication was audio only, and voice pitch and tone scrambled, as Samus originally always kept it. It made things convenient for the two women who took her place, since fewer questions were asked.
"[I presume your hunt for Alid came out as expected?]" the rather jovial voice at the other end enquired.
"Alid held no reason for concern, and he is still alive. You could have sent standard CCRS operatives to handle this without having to be subjected to our fee."
"[Good, because it is important that we receive him as such.]"
"Understood," Nabiki was about to cut communications without acknowledgement, finding that there would be nothing more to say in her observation, when she was proven wrong.
"[It's also important that you are here as well.]"
"And why is that?" Nabiki's voice held a tone that could be interpreted as concern.
"[Because, we have valuable and reliable information that leads us to believe we'll require your expertise again.]"
"I see. And why would this require me?"
"[It isn't anything we can confirm until we receive Alid's confirmation, so it is probably best that I do not divulge you the reason immediately.]"
"I am beginning to form the assumption that we are not particularly required at all."
"Hmm? I don't..."
"Good day," Nabiki's finger started to descend on the cut off button.
"[Mother Brain is still alive.]"
____________________________________
Kasumi stood poised in the waiting lounge. The hunter in her red and gold armor kept her arms folded in dis-concern, giving off the impression of professional confidence. Her emotions belayed her appearance; she was extremely unnerved.
Mother Brain may still be alive.
From Samus-sensei's accountings, the leader of the space pirates that she encountered was to be her most trialsome opponent before... before everything happened. Beyond the deceased Space Hunter's word, records of Mother Brain and its organization's crimes were well known. The one that stood out in Kasumi's mind, the one that concerned deeply anyone who would know it, was of the Metroids.
Creatures Mother Brain intended to use as biological weapons, powerful and hungry creatures that devoured any bio-energy from its victims until it left a withered husk. They were difficult to kill by conventional methods, and too dangerous to let live. Worse is that they could mutate into a far greater menace if left to their own devices, as Samus's second encounter with the metroids had proven.
It was finally believed that they were completely wiped out by the Space Hunter's third encounter with them, the destruction of SR-388 left nothing living in its wake except for a narrowly escaping Samus Aran. Mother Brain and the surviving space pirates perished when the planet blew up. There was not a trace of stellar vessel other than Samus's own that had escaped according to the thorough monitors of the Galactic Federation. She was the only survivor
The Universe once again was thought to be at peace.
That was proven deadly wrong at GV-4, formerly planet Earth.
Kasumi remembered looking into Samus's eyes, remembered the look of resignation on her face, and the pleading gaze that told her to remember what had happened and remember her and her sacrifice. The woman gave herself in order for someone to survive the destruction that shortly followed.
No one ever found out who was it that relinquished the metroids onto Kasumi and Nabiki's home planet, but they spread too quickly to salvage Earth. For the sake of the whole universe, the Federation made the harsh and soul-weighing decision to eradicate the metroid-infested planet.
The asteroid grave that was left behind of the once beautiful planet was thoroughly searched, though it was of obvious consensus that nothing could have survived. Any and all ships entering and leaving beyond the asteroid belt of the solar system would be scanned for any possible genetic matching to the metroid, and dealt with in the harshest manner, while those that held any suspicion would be boarded with expected endangerment. The Space Hunter's craft was the only one that left, and it only scanned for Samus's original terrestrial race.
Mother Brain may still be alive, and if this were true...
The Space Hunter looked up when the doors to the lounge opened, and she was beckoned to join the council to be informed of their discoverings.
