Heart of a Dragon
By Karasuhato, the "Raven Dove"
(karasuhato@ecmail.i-p.com)
and
Ultima Mayu
(mayu_roxx@hotmail.com)
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The "Metroid" series is copyright of Nintendo co. ltd.
"Rudra no Hihou" (Rudra's Secret Treasure) is copyright of Squaresoft and Graphical Corporations CROWD inc.
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Karasuhato's Key/Legend to story elementals:
= A character's thoughts
italics=character's point of view
CAPITAL LETTERS= character talking loudly
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Home, at last?
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At last, the Hana-Nim was starting to reach the atmosphere of Dai-Chi. Scion, Surlent, Riza and Dune were all in their normal forms and dressed up in the armor they would always wear on their journeys. Ridley also took on his normal form as well, thinking that he would have no need to attack anyone on the planet. Everyone gotten ready to head to their destinations.
"Okay, here is the plan." Surlent said, leading everyone to a room full of teleportation devices. "We will use these devices to teleport ourselves to a different part of the world. I'll use the device to teleport myself to see Legin back at Oriab. Scion will use his to meet his crew at the Kryunu dynasty. Dune will be back on the ark with his friend, Kidd. As for Riza, her father, and Ridley, they will go back to the continent where Kahn and Babel are at."
"Uhhhhh....what about everyone else Surlent?" Dune asked. "And more over, what about Samus or the former Galactic Federation members?"
"Don't worry so much Dune." Ridley responds, nudging Dune with his elbow. "I think everyone on the Hana-Nim knows what they are doing." Everyone started to start up the devices, getting ready to head off to their destination, while the Hana-Nim fuels up and gets things straightened out with everybody.
"READY?" Surlent shouts out.
"YES! WE ARE READY!" Everyone responds. The switches turn on, the surroundings between everybody began to evaporate and cloud up. The eyes of the travelers became tired and were tightly shut, hoping to make it safely.
"LISTEN!" Surlent says telepathically to the Hana-Nim crew and the GF refugees. "IF THINGS GET WORSE! WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU!"
---
As the Hana-Nim was bound for Dai-Chi, Samus Aran had a busy schedule on her hands. She had to head out back into space once again and help some of the former GF civilians on finding a new home for them to live. However, she was not alone, for Xibalba, Azrael and Gulim-Che also assisted the great space hunter on finding some ideal planets.
"Have any of you found any ideal planets?" Gulim-Che asked the warriors.
"We are still searching." responds Samus, Azrael and Xibalba, still searching around the galaxy. "Say, what about Planet Hatikva Gulim-Che? Isn't your kind tolerant enough of other beings not of their kind." Gulim-Che thought about it for a bit. His clan, the Chozo, were much more tolerant than any other race he has came upon on his journeys, despite the genocide the Zebesian raiders did to them on Zebes.
"I see no objection at all." Gulim-Che replies. Samus, Azrael, Xibalba and Gulim-Che led some of the escape pods over to Planet Hatikva, leading the people to safety. Some of the other refugees were sent to other life-bearing planets, including Earth, Ashura, Centauri, Aeon, Mars and of course, Dai-Chi. If planets were not enough, Samus and her crew eventually contacted some space colonies that once helped out the Galactic Federation, wiling to help the warriors with the refugees that lost their home in the great explosion. The job was long, but things were getting done as recorded.
---
Everyone from Dai-Chi were glad to be home again. It seemed like a long time since any of the jade warriors (excluding Ridley, since he is originally from Aeon/Zebes) have seen their friends or checked up on their sanctuaries. Professor Jilde, however, was clueless of his world, since it has been about twenty or so years since he was on his home world. But there was Riza there to lead the way for Jilde and Ridley.
"Want to see my sanctuary guys?" Riza asked, feeling slightly homesick. Both Ridley and Jilde seemed content with that idea. "Well, follow me."
Riza became her Rudra form and Jilde perched and held on tight to his daughter as she gotten herself off the earth and into the sky, with Ridley following her. Ever though Ridley has seen a lot of the environment, he has yet to see the sanctuaries of the neo-Rudras, including Riza's sanctuary. As they kept going in the South-West direction from Kahn and Babel, they all started to come upon an island with a giant golden statue bust resembling Riza. Long ago, it used to be a statue of Meifa there, but with the statue and goddess being no more, it was Riza's turn to do her biddings.
"This, everyone, is my sanctuary!" Riza announced. As she and Ridley landed to the ground for the entrance way (which are the statue's feet), Professor Jilde climbed off of Riza's back as she became her regular form. As they entered inside the sanctuary, Riza heard quite a few familiar voices within the walls, sounding like prayers. To Riza's surprise, she found some familiar faces lighting some incense and chanting out some verses. As the man and the two boys turned around, they could not believe that they became face to face with the Neo-Rudra herself, as well as her father and companion.
"RIZA!!!!!!" The three males shouted as they were approaching Riza with open arms.
"Garlyle, Pipin, Lolo, I am glad to see you all again." Riza said softly, hugging her old friends. It seemed to be a while since she has seen Garlyle or Pipin and was quite surprised to see the child and his friend Lolo growing up. Then, Ridley's glowing Yin Jade started to glow, attracting the young men's attentions.
"Wow! A reptilian creature, like myself, with the Jade!?" Pipin shouted in awe. "Amazing!"
"It's not just any normal Jade though." Lolo replies in fascination. "It is......THE YIN JADE!" Garlyle's eyes widened and he put his hands over his mouth in shock.
"You mean, the Jade the lost deity, Varuna, had with her?" Garlyle asks. "I thought it was never to be seen or inherited again after she offered herself as a sacrifice to the Nothingness." Ridley nods his head calmly, smiling.
"Yes, indeed. However, the nothingness was once at Planet Ashura, and with the love and concern for one whom also carries a Jade, I inherited the Yin Jade." Ridley calmly responded. "I am also the very first non-humanlike creature to ever inherit something so powerful as well. Whom ever known that emotions could be so powerful?" Garlyle, Pipin and Lolo agreed.
"Amazing." Garlyle replies, feeling quite enlightened. Professor Jilde walked up to the young men and decided to introduce himself and further tell them more about the Yin Jade.
"Hello boys, I am Professor Jilde, the father of Riza." With those very words, Garlyle, Pipin and Lolo looked so stunned, that they looked as if they were going to faint.
"You.......Riza's....father?" stuttered Pipin nervously.
"But, I thought you were dead!" Garlyle shrieked. "Where have you been all of these years?"
"Well, let me tell you this tragic story." Jilde sighed as he started to clear his throat. "The last time I was here, I was imprisoned by Emperor of the Sacred Precinct for some crime I did not even commit. On the day of execution, some human-like creatures helped me escape from jail and took me far away from that planet." Jilde then looks down at his locket, showing Garlyle, Pipin and Lolo the picture of Aqua, his wife and mother of Riza.
"That's.........that's Riza's mother!" Garlyle gasped.
"Eh? So that is why Aqua seemed to be alone and somber a lot." Pipin added, having memories of that one fateful incident that happened at the Spirit Temple a couple years ago.
"Interesting story." Lolo replied. "So, what do you know about the Yin Jade?"
"Well, Ridley and the others told me this story." Jilde took a drink of some of the holy spring water before he could continue on. "A long time ago, Just before the destruction of this being of Nothingness, Houzhen, Meifa, Mitora and Saizou were starting to weaken and were dying from all the energy that they used up on the nothingness, as well as the being trying to live off their energy. Varuna, however, was the only one left feeling healthy and robust. So Varuna, chose the destiny of offering herself as a sacrifice to the Nothingness of Beyond, so Houzhen, Mitora, Meifa and Saizou's life could be saved, and transmitted all of her energy to them as well. But now that all five major Jade elements are re-united, the ones chosen by the Jades could be the bringers of peace and prosperity in the galaxy. Those people are Surlent, Scion, Riza, Dune and RIDLEY here!"
"So that is the story behind the Jades." Lolo exclaimed. "They must be THAT important."
"Indeed." As Jilde was done explaining, Garlyle decided to walk up to Riza, feeling rather ashamed of something he said the last time he was with her.
"Riza, I am sorry about bossing you around on the moon on our journey. I just feel bad about under-estimating you years ago." Garlyle apologized in a somber voice. Riza wore a smile and patted Garlyle on the back.
"It's okay. That was the past, this is the present." Riza say gently. It was also a known fact that back then, Garlyle was eighteen and Riza was seventeen. Now, she was twenty and he was twenty-one. Both were more mature than they were two years ago. Then, the thoughts were interrupted by Lolo's buzzing clock-locket he carried with him.
"EEP! It's time to go back. I don't want my parents thinking that I have been up to any trouble." cried out Lolo. Him, Garlyle and Pipin started to pack their bags and were welcomed to take the healing water inside of Riza's Sanctuary.
"It was nice to see you again Riza." Garlyle says calmly, as he and the boys started to leave the temple and get on with other plans for the day. "I wish you, your father and your friends good luck on the journey to stop the nothingness!"
"Take care." Pipin adds. Riza, Professor Jilde and Ridley wave back as they left the little island and went upon the ship that led back to land.
---
Meanwhile, back at Oriab, Surlent told his friend Legin and his sister, Mimiel some of the events that took place the days he was gone.
"You mean that you, Surlent, has fought the mutations that sprung from the Master Nothingness?" Legin asked enthusiastically.
"Yes. I did! But not without the help of my four other friends."
"Amazing!!!" Legin gasped. "You guys are getting to become even more powerful ever since you inherited the powers of the ancients!"
"Hey Surlent, is it true that a non-humanlike creature inherited a Jade?" Mimiel asked, being equally as enthusiastic as her younger brother. Surlent nodded and smiled.
"Yes. His name is Ridley. He is a dragon-like being from the Planet Aeon. He was once a criminal raider that served an entity known as 'Mother Brain' back on a Planet called 'Zebes'"
"Go on.....!" Regin and Mimiel replied. "Please tell us more."
"Okay. Well, ever since the planet got destroyed, as well as being devoured by the nothingness of beyond, Ridley was found alive and well, recovering with his own race on their mother ship they call, 'The Hana-Nim', meaning "the Great One". After his recovery from traumatizing memories, he met my friend Riza, whom inherited the Holy Jade from Birth. They both seem to take quite a liking to each other."
"Which Jade did he inherit Surlent?" Legin asked. Surlent cleared his throat and took a drink of Sake, then, got ready for more explaining.
"The Yin Jade. Otherwise known as 'Darkness Jade'." Both Legin and Mimiel were astounded.
"THE DARK JADE? JADE OF THE YIN ELEMENT?" both gasped in shock.
"I thought the Yin Jade was all a myth." Mimiel responds, trying to catch her breath. "You mean there really is such a Jade?"
"Yes. The reason why the Yin Jade was thought to be a myth or fable was because the Jade and it's mistress were once used as a sacrifice for the Nothingness of Beyond. Even though the Nothingness was defeated and her friends recovered, things in the universe did not seem right at all. But now, since the Jade has been recovered once and for all, everything undone shall be whole."
"Amazing." Legin breathes. "So, it's not a myth, it's REAL!"
"Yes, indeed." Surlent replies, finishing off his Sake. "Anyone hungry."
"YES!" both Legin and Mimiel replied.
"Very well then." Surlent says, as he, Legin and Mimiel joined him into the kitchen for some refreshments.
---
Back on the ark, Dune told Kidd about all the journeys he was on, and whom he met along the way.
"So that is why there was a great explosion in the sky?" Kidd asks Dune, referring to the GF ships self-destruction Yesterday. "How horrible. Did anyone make it"
"Yes, we let every civilian and official escape the ships." Dune sighed. "However, I just hope the people could just have a normal life now and not be too traumatized."
"Man, what a pity." Kidd mutters. "If it were not for that damned nothingness and X-Virus, none of this would have happened. I just hope you and the others will destroy the hellish being once and for all!"
"I hope so too! But with these powers we have all inherited, I see it as a big possibility." Dune yawns as he started to get up and stretch out. "Anyways, it has been some busy months. Let's stop the ark somewhere and rest up."
"Okay, I see no objection." So the two Treasure Hunters park the Ark up in the mountains in the Mt. Mantra range and decided to rest up for a while, going back over their pleasant past times.
---
At the Kryunu Dynasty, Scion decided to do some self-defense work outs with Doug, Foxy and Ture for a bit, preparing for that fateful day. He tried to concentrate hard on the punching bags and the targets, trying to hack them up one by one with the sword techniques Saizou has taught him. Scion's old friends were amazed at the strength that he carried within his body.
"Damn, you not so bad Scion." laughed Doug. Scion smiled and removed his eye patch, revealing the Life Jade in his right eye.
"Don't thank me, thank the Jade." Scion chuckled. "It is because of Saizou, the one whom I inherited the god-like powers from."
"So you are a neo-Rudra now?" Ture asks, fixing his eyes on the Life Jade.
"Yes, indeed! I am going to fight the Nothingness one day." Foxy looked stunned at what Scion told his friends.
"I HOPE YOU MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!" cried Foxy. "We would all hate to lose you again!"
"Yeah, we thought you died on the moon fortress before the year 4000 came." Doug added. "I just want you all to make it back safely." Scion looks at all of his friends and nods his head, looking determined.
"Don't worry, I won't be alone." Scion responded calmly. "There are four others to help me out here." Everyone started to look slightly relieved after what Scion explained.
"Okay Scion, but please be careful." responds Ture. Scion smiled back at his friends.
"But I'm not leaving today though, I'll still be with you guys for a while, until the Hana-Nim ship is done sorting things out."
---
Nighttime was about to hit the planet Dai-Chi, the sunsets tainting the sky a calm salmon colour. At the sanctuary, Riza, Professor Jilde and Ridley stare up into the sky, pondering their deepest thoughts. Riza also took out her drawing journal and started to sketch her surroundings.
"Man, this planet has changed since the last time I was ever here." Jilde sighed, noticing continents placed in different locations than before and the statue of him daughter in the mountain ranges instead of a statue of Meifa. "Felt like I was on Ashura for not just twenty years, but for many centuries. It was like I was put in a deep sleep or something."
"Well, from what I have seen of this planet, it seems to be quite a nice place. Can't believe that this planet has suffered through so much in the past." Ridley says to Jilde, wind sweeping their faces.
"Yes. That was true, but me, Surlent, Scion, Dune, and our comrades have helped this world from many horrible things that have happened to it." Riza explains. "However, our journey is not over yet. We need to rid of the Nothingness of Beyond and re-unite the elements of the five major jades." Riza grabs a dandelion gone to seed and blows on it, having the seeds fly in the direction of the wind.
"Once the power of your Jades re-unite, a new age will be ushered into Dai-Chi." explains Professor Jilde. "Everyone of this planet thought that day would never come, but since Ridley has inherited the jade, I could see a big possibility of it happening." Jilde started to get up and stretch out for a bit, feeling some slight weariness touching him. "Well, I am going to hit the hey for a bit. Goodnight Ridley, goodnight, dear daughter."
"Good night old man." Ridley says as they both bowed to each other.
"Goodnight papa." Riza said softly, hugging her weary father. "Take it easy for a bit." Now it was just Ridley and Riza alone, since they were not tired yet. Something seemed to distract both of them. Riza sat up and started to look around her and Ridley.
"What's wrong Riza?" Ridley asked, noticing Riza looking somewhat distracted.
"I'm just thinking.......what are you to do if we defeat the Nothingness of Beyond?" Riza asked, facing Ridley. Ridley closed his eyes and dropped his head slightly.
"Eh? Where will I be? I have nowhere to go anymore." Ridley responded somberly. "Riza, you are probably the first creature to actually take interest in me. I have never felt so good in my life. You and your friends taught me about emotions and the meaning of life and living things. Before then, all I knew was to do what others told me to do. It was like I was being used like a robot. But now, I feel more free to do what I want for once. For many years, I have yearned for that, but never let it show." Riza nodded slightly.
"Yes. I understand where you are coming from. I used act only because I was told so, but now I realize that I must act upon myself. Even though I have a home, but everyday, I think of ones who have nowhere to go and wander for the rest of their lives. I don't want that to happen to you, I want you to live a healthy life as well." Riza took off her crimson armor, leaving the young woman in her smooth white dress. Then she laid back down and huddled up next to Ridley. "I just hope nobody will use you or abuse you ever again. I just can't bear that."
"I understand Riza, I understand." Ridley tells Riza calmly as he could. As the sun started to shrink down into the darkening skies, the tides started to make the surrounding water rise higher than before, slightly touching the couple. This game Riza an idea for relaxation. She started to slip off the rest of her clothing as she made her way into the waters, feeling quite warm, despite the fact that it was nighttime.
"How nice........" Riza said to herself as she made her way to the water's surface, her red-orange hair totally soaked. Ridley, also feeling quite tempted , decided to join Riza in the water. Before, he was of the fire element and could not touch water for a long period of time, especially cold water. But since he has the Yin Jade, he could go into the water no problem, since the element of Yin helped balanced out the other elements of Ridley's body.
"This is nice." Ridley says as he tests the water. "Is this the water you use for your sanctuary?"
"Yes, it is." Riza responds. "First however, I purify the water completely, giving the water it's power to heal, whether you bathe in it or drink it."
"Interesting."
In the calmness of the night, in the nice pristine waters, both Riza and Ridley started to feel relief for once, after all of those battles they went through so far. Riza swam closer to the Aeonese Dragon, embracing him, her chest meeting his.
"Ridley...." Riza calmly asked, looking up at him. "What is your destiny?" Ridley smiled at Riza, bringing the woman closer to him yet, his wings enveloping around Riza.
"I found it here, on this world." Ridley responded as he was smoothly stroking Riza's soft, apricot hued flesh. He also puts his huge hand over the back of Riza's head, holding her like how a child latches on to a beloved plush doll. Ridley was finally feeling true happiness, freely expressing himself without an overlord there watching him like a bird-of-prey. This also showed that Ridley himself could can also show his shades of Grey and White, not just Black. A lot of people did not know it then, but things are different now, as Ridley was starting to live his life over again. "My new destiny........is to help this world."
"I'm so proud of you for choosing such a destiny." Riza said telepathically through her Jade. "I remember your first visit to Dai-Chi. Before then, you did not like humanoid beings at all. However, when we met, it seemed like your heart has changed it's course. Remember?"
"Yes, I do remember." Ridley responds back through his Jade. "If it were not for you, I would have gone nowhere in life and mess myself up greatly. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome, I will always be willing to help the soul whom lost their ways in destiny." Riza suddenly started to feel tired and wanted to rest up whenever she can, since she might not rest for a while when the Master Nothingness comes.
"You look weary Riza. Would you like to dry off and go in the sanctuary?" Ridley asked, looking at Riza's sagging eyelids.
"Ah yes, it has been a long journey." Riza sighed. He then helped the young woman out of the water, so she can dry herself off. She wrapped the towel around her body and packed up her armor and clothing in her sack of belongings. Ridley also started to feel a little worn out as well and glided out of the water alongside Riza, drying himself off.
"I see what you mean." he said calmly to Riza. "After the nothingness is gone, we could finally do what we want and obtain pure balance." Ridley then started to carry the weary young woman with him and headed back into the sanctuary, where he was greeted by Professor Jilde, looking half asleep.
"You guys must be tired." Jilde responded groggily. "Here, follow me up the elevator and I'll show you where Riza goes to rest." Ridley nodded his head while Jilde headed into the elevator. "Follow me."
Ridley flew alongside the transparent tube containing Professor Jilde. They past many strange and interesting looking rooms within the sanctuary. Some of the structure looked like normal pagoda temple structure, while other parts looked strangely organic as well. It was like nothing Jilde nor Ridley has ever seen before. Then, at the very top of the sanctuary, around the chest area, Jilde came out of the elevator, Ridley gliding over to him with Riza sleeping in his arms. Both approached a strange, gigantic cushion which happened to literally be the heart of the sanctuary. It was the strangest thing ever to see in a sanctuary or temple, an actual, organic heart!
"Now, it's time to rest." Ridley whispered softly to Riza as he placed her under the cells which served her as a blanket. As Ridley started to stretch his whole gargantuan body out, Jilde pointed out a gem-crested book that fell out of Riza's sack of belongings.
"Ridley, come and see this." Jilde whispered as he beckoned Ridley to come closer. "I want you to look at these amazing brush-strokes my daughter has done.
"Okay." Ridley opened up the book and noticed some black and white ink drawings that were done by Riza herself. Each drawing seemed to capture a special event, almost like a journal. In fact, it was Riza's journal, only there were more drawings than words. The word characters were interesting as well. Since Ridley studied many languages of foreign beings since the days of being a Raider, even he never saw or could write the written language of the Races of Dai-Chi. "How interesting. Riza is quite a good artist indeed."
"Yes, but it's no ordinary journal. It is a journal of the past, the present and what more that could possibly come." Jilde responded as they kept looking through the illustrations. Pictures from childhood to the sixteen days of purification, and from the defeat of the Cycle of Rise and Downfall to the current journey. Then, the two saw a couple pictures that captured their attention. Jilde saw a drawn picture of his locket with Aqua's picture in it and a profile drawing of himself. "She captures every little thing in her pictures. How remarkable."
"I'll have to agree old man." Ridley replies, looking at the illustrations of Jilde and his artifacts. Then, Ridley decided to turn one more page and saw a picture that caught his eyes:
Ridley himself, and Riza together in their Rudra forms, embracing. The picture represented the Yin and Yang of the worlds, and their destinies to balance each other out and help each other out in the future.
"Beautiful." Ridley whispered, grinning. "I'll make that dream come true. Not just for you Riza, but for Jilde, Scion, Surlent, Dune and every living thing of this world."
"I'm glad you found your destiny Ridley." Jilde said quietly. "Remember, don't get discouraged."
Ridley nodded his head as the two parted to get some rest. Hopefully, to rest up beofre the fateful day shall come.
---
Meanwhile, as the crew of the Hana-Nim and the former Galactic Federation were done sorting things out and fueling up their mother ship, a signal from space started to come through the intercoms, sounding quite urgent.
"HANA-NIM! CALLING HANA-NIM! THIS IS SAMUS ARAN. ME AND MY COMRADES HAVE RAN INTO A BIG PROBLEM HERE.....!" Listening closer, the crew memebers noticed heavy static and strange eerie laughing sounds in the background, not to mention weapons being shot out.
"What's happening Samus?" cried Kilmer, grabbing the intercom microphone. "Sounds like chaos going on, is there?"
"OH HI KILMER. YES, THERE IS A CHAOTIC SITUATION HERE. ME, XIBALBA, AZRAEL AND GULIM-CHE WERE LEADING THE FINAL GROUP OF REFUGEES TO SOME LIFE-BEARING PLANETS, WHEN SUDDENLY, AN ENTITY OF PURE MIST, EVIL EYES AND ETHEREAL POWER STARTED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE, ATTACKING US, TRYING TO DESTROY EVERYTHING IN SITE! THE FATEFUL DAY FOR THE 'JADE WARRIORS' IS COMING SOON! " After that, there was nothing but static, as if the transition went out in a flash. Captain Zoltan, General Arvis and Kary looked determined, thinking of some ideas.
"Well......we better tell this to the warriors. I hope they know this." Zoltan said sternly. Kary nods her head, looking at the space radars.
"Don't worry, they shall be rested up before the Nothingness reaches this world." Kary replies. "It's just their instincts to know when something like this is coming."
"Oh, I hope so." Arvis responded nervously. "I honestly hope so."
.