Chapter 11
Encounters
I quickly ran toward the green door and it automatically opened just as I came under it. I stopped just as I came into the next room.
I breathed heavily! Never have I seen such a fierce creature! It was impossible to kill! Whenever I got a shot into its eye, it didn't even show signs of becoming weak! The super missiles that I had acquired didn't even singe its hard skin!
I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath to calm myself. I raised my gaze up and noticed a little creature that looked like a puffball. I noticed little beady black eyes and small paws. It looked kind of cute as it stared and blinked its beady eyes at me. I turned my head to look around for Felicia, but she wasn't here.
I looked back at the creature and slowly raised my beam cannon up and placed my hand on it to steady my aim, just in case the being came near me.
I noticed that the small puffball slowly raised its right paw up and placed its other hand on it. I took a side step and watched as the little creature takes a side step as well, but in the opposite direction.
I lowered my hand to my side and the puffball did the same with its left paw.
I chuckled as I realized that the small creature was mimicking my movements! I shook my head and lowered my beam cannon. I had no time to play with the little cute puffball.
I quickly ran for the other side of the room and noticed the blue door at the end. I ran under the path of the scanner and the door slid open. I was in the water habitat.
* * *
I finally found the pressure suit within an hour and was able to explore the deep ocean watery depths.
I came into a room and walked toward the edge of the platform and looked own to see a giant rock that seemed not the same color as the walls.
I hopped down to the very bottom and found a cave opening in the giant rock. I slowly and quietly walked toward the cave. I quickly switched to my night vision visor and noticed a big boulder deep inside the cave. I walked up to the boulder and pushed on it to try and move it.
Suddenly, I heard a rumbling and quickly ran out of the cave. I turned back to the cave and noticed the boulder that was blocking my way in was slowly sliding out. I gasped as the boulder was placed on a thick scaly neck as it rose up into the air.
It was a giant sea turtle!
I stepped back with my eyes wide in terror at the massive giant! I watched as a mouth opened and the turtle let out a long yawn. Its mouth closed and large silver eyes opened on either side of the boulder shaped head. The turtle looked down at me and I noticed its lips form into a smile.
"Well, what an unexpected surprise! I have a visitor!" The giant turtle spoke in a rumbling voice.
I gasped and widened my eyes even more as I listened to an animal talk!
The turtle blinked and made a surprised look, "What? Ever seen a talking turtle before?" The turtle laughed gently. "I suppose not. But anyway, what brings a strange creature like you to my lair?"
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out!
The turtle laughed again, "Don't be shy. I won't eat you. I only eat seaweed… That reminds me, I haven't eaten in a while." The turtle blinked its large silver eyes at me, "I'll let you on a secret." The turtle smiled.
I quickly nodded in response. I was still amazed and shocked to hear an actual turtle speak!
The turtle smiled pleasingly, "Good! I'd show you where it is, but I'm too big to get out of this place!" The turtle laughed. "I'll lift you up so you can get out." The turtle lowered its boulder shaped head and I jumped onto it and gently held onto its hard skin with my hand.
I let out a gasp as I was lifted up and felt a slightly heavy weight of pressure press down against me.
I opened my eyes and turned my head to see the platform just a jump away. I hopped off the turtle's head and onto the platform where the door was. I ran out of the room to find the seaweed.
* * *
It was difficult locating the seaweed.. because I've never seen seaweed before.
I came into a huge room with a green strange plant that grew from the ground and strung toward the surface of the water. This could be seaweed, but I had to make sure so I don't displease the giant turtle.
I approached the garden of the green plants. I gripped my hand around near the roots and pulled the plant's roots out. I placed the plant under my right arm to keep it from floating to the surface. I repeated the process of pulling out a couple more of the plants and was satisfied with the large amount.
I returned to the large room where the giant turtle was and hopped down to the very bottom.
The turtle looked down at me, pleased. "Ah, thank you!"
I head out the plants known as seaweed and they floated upward for the turtle to eat.
After finishing, the turtle returned its gaze back down at me. "You're quite intelligent for a strange looking animal. What kind of animal are you?" The turtle lowered its massive head toward me and squinted its eyes.
"I-I'm a h-human." I replied nervously as the turtle's head came in front of me.
"A human? You don't look like a human. How could a human breath under water?"
I pressed my back into the wall as the turtle's head blocked my way of escape.
"I-I'm protected by this power suit." I replied.
The turtle blinked its large silver eyes and raised its head back up. "Hmm.. A human? It's been a long time since I've seen your kind. Back on Earth, I saw a lot of humans before I was taken away from my home." The turtle's voice slowly saddened.
I blinked from surprise and asked, "You lived on Earth?"
The turtle smiled and replied, "Yes. The ocean was my home. It was so massive that I thought that it was endless!
Some of your kind took me away from it. They put a painful sharp needle into me and I became the way I am now!"
I raised an eyebrow, "What were you like before?"
The turtle closed its large silver eyes and sighed heavily, "I wasn't able to speak or had the knowledge of a human. I was very small and fast when I swam in the Earth's oceans." The turtle opened its eye and exclaimed, "Oh, I almost forgot! In return for bringing me seaweed, I promised to give you a secret.
To get through the pathway, wait for the sun to go down."
"Huh?!" I cocked my eyebrow in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
The turtle shook its boulder head slowly, "I don't know. It's the only secret I know."
"That helps a lot." I murmured and narrowed my eyes.
The turtle continued to speak, "If you want to get out of this room, there is a small tunnel in that wall near to the floor."
I turned around and looked down. A tunnel. It was large enough for my ball form to fit through. I turned back toward the turtle, "Thank you. I promise I'll find a way to get you out of here and back on Earth."
The turtle shook its head and replied, "Don't waste your time. I'll never be able to get out of here. I'm just too big."
I placed my head on my hip, "I'll find a way." I turned back to the wall and went into ball form and rolled into the tunnel.
* * *
I opened my eyes and blinked to focus on my surroundings. I found myself in a room on a platform with a lake of water surrounding the tiny little island I was on.
I tried to move, but I turned my head to look at green vines that entangled me. The vines connected from the island and strung from the roof of the room. I struggled to try and get out of the vines, but I felt so weak.
I didn't remember for a moment what had happened. I closed my eyes to think.
I ran through a couple of rooms and encountered a giant sea snake! Then I came into this room and the vines grabbed and trapped me! I had felt a small prick and then I fainted.
I opened my eyes and looked down into the water. I wondered if I was going to rot here, but I couldn't let that happen! I had to save Kyan!
Whatever was happening to him, made me desperately worry.
As I stared down into the water, it was beginning to bubble. My eyes grew wide as the bubbling intensified! I gasped as a deep green scaly giant head suddenly came out of the water.
My eye widened in fear as I realized it was the same giant sea snake that was chasing me!
Its large golden eyes glared down at me like a predator ready to strike its prey. The snake opened its mouth and bared its large razor sharp fangs.
I closed my eyes, awaiting the end.
I suddenly heard shrieking and hissing. I peeled one of my eyes open to take a peek. My eyes grew wide as I gazed up at several black creatures with razors coming out of their arms and attacking the giant snake! The sea serpent hissed and snarled as the creatures leapt it at its massive head. As the creatures leapt into the air, they swung their arms at the snake's face and made severe gashes in the snake's scaly skin.
The snake dove its head into the water and I watched through the surface of the water as the snake's thick body quickly swam away.
I sighed relief and turned my stare to the insect like creatures.
They jumped from the walls and landed on the island and slowly approached me with their razor-covered arms up and waiting for any sudden movements from me.
The creatures stopped a few feet away from me. One from the back came to the front and spoke in a soft crackly voice, "What is it?"
"I don't know. It must be a new life form that was brought here." Another replied.
I studied the one in the lead. Its under arms and inside thighs were red and its chest was very broad. I guess that this was their leader.
The one with red stepped closer and raised its arm up as it drew closer and closer to me.
I gasped and quickly closed my eyes as the creature swung its arm at me.
I waited…
I slowly blinked my eyes open and looked up to see the vines had been cut above me. I glanced down to see the vines that entangled me were all over the ground.
I looked up at the lead creature and smiled, "Thank you." I said softly.
The group of creatures jumped back from surprise, all except for the leader.
"It can speak!" One creature exclaimed. "It must have the same intelligence as we do!" Another said.
The leader stared at me and ignored the others.
One creature came to the leader's side and turned to whisper, "Ask it something! Ask what it is!" The leader swatted at the other creature to send it back. The leader took a step forward. "What kind of creature are you and what are you doing here?" The leader asked in a deep demanding voice.
My smile slowly disappeared and I replied dryly, "I'm a human and I came here looking for someone." The creatures jumped back, as if recoiling from my words.
"A human! It's a human!" One creature shrieked and then tilted its head as if confused, "What is a human?"
The leader stood still, continuing to ignore the others.
I reached my hand out slowly in offering to shake hands, "I am Samus Aran. I come in peace."
The leader looked down at my and raised its glare back into my visor. "Then you can go in peace. We don't like other creatures roaming in our territory and we especially don't like you."
My hand fell to my side and I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. I watched as one of the creatures came near to the leader to ask, "Can't we keep it? I kind of like it."
"Yeah! Can we keep it?!" Some of the creatures jumped up and down whining. The leader shook its head, "No!"
The group of creatures stopped jumping and sighed sadly. "We never get to keep anything." One creature muttered.
The leader grumbled in irritation. "Go, human, and never fall into our path again!"
I gritted my teeth. What nerve! I thought irritably. I turned away and quickly left the room.