METROID: RETURN TO TALLON IV
Written by X Infected Badger
E-mail: Disturbance14662aol.com
Samus, Metroid, Metroid Prime, SA-X, and all other Nintendo-created
aspects of this story are property of Nintendo, I only own the
characters and ideas that I have created.
This fanfiction takes place shortly after Metroid: Fusion.
This fanfiction is told first-person from the view of Samus.
Chapter 1: SA-X Strikes Back
It had been about two weeks since the catastrophe that befell B.S.L. and SR-388. I was currently on an outlaw hunt.
This was easy pickings compared to my previous adventures. "Adam, what are the whereabouts of the outlaws?" I asked.
"Currently, their ship is headed towards the planet... Tallon IV," replied Adam bluntly. I winced at the mention
of that planet. In short, I have some bad memories of Tallon IV. Hopefully the Phazon of Tallon IV was gone, as I wasn't
sure just how this organic Fusion Suit would react to a substance such as Phazon. Just as a refresher, I pulled up a
research log on Phazon. It read--
Phazon, a potentially-lethal mutagen. So far, the only source has been discovered on Tallon IV. It will usually
kill off lower life forms. But, those strong enough to withstand it will be horribly and grotesquely mutated. Symptoms
of Phazon exposure include, but are not limited to: sickness, addiction and craving for Phazon, and eventually death.
As reported by bounty hunter Samus Aran, it seems that the Zebesian Space Pirates were using Phazon for experimentation on
both their own kind, as well as the now-extinct Metroid. Phazon has dangerously high radioactivity levels, and only by
finding a special strain of Phazon were the Zebesians able to successfully experiment on their own. Metroids, on the other
hand, didn't seem to have any negative effects towards Phazon. Research has yet to discover the phenomenon behind this.
No inhabitation is allowed on Tallon IV until all of the Phazon is cleaned up from the environment.
I read this several times over, just for the off chance that there was still any Phazon left anymore. "How far
until we're at Tallon IV, Adam?" I asked with a bored tone.
"Good timing, lady. We are entering the atmosphere of Tallon IV as we speak. Expect some turbulence," informed
Adam. With that, the ship started rocking violently. Luckily, I was able to regain control of the ship before we made an
unwanted crash-landing. This time, we still landed in the Tallon Overworld, but in a different area than when I came here
the first time.
Upon exiting my ship, I could have sworn I saw a tiny blue object in the sky, descending towards the ground
somewhere. "Bah, it's probably nothing," I muttered to myself. After spotting this 'object', I surveyed the environment.
The environment of Tallon IV seemed to be recovering very well, except for one very conspicuous area. Off to the side, near
a cave with a hatch by it, there was a pool of fresh... Phazon?
"What the hell...? How'd a fresh pool of Phazon get here?" I almost shouted, but rather said in a normal voice.
Seconds later, I saw a figure stumble onto the scene. Upon closer inspection, I saw it to be a human. He was horribly
maimed and Phazon-burned. I assumed he was one of the outlaws.
"H-h-h-h-help me!" the person shouted out.
"Oh my God! Are you okay?!" I asked, rushing over. Even if they were outlaws, they were still human, so it wasn't
wrong to show pity.
"Please! J-j-j-just kill me!" he stuttered in a horrified tone.
"What happened to you?!" I asked demandingly.
"Black figure with an arm cannon... Shot a stream of Phazon at me... Oh God, I'm in so much pain! Just kill me!"
he screamed in agony. I could have sworn he was about to break down in tears of horror and pain.
"Black figure with an arm cannon...? Damnit. Metroid Prime," I muttered.
"Is it too much to ask to put me out of my misery?! Have a heart, Aran!" the outlaw demanded in a painful tone.
With that, I did the only thing that I thought decent: I put him out of his misery, like he asked. I raised my Power Beam
to his chest, and shot three shots. With that, he said "Thank you" and died. After giving him a proper burial, I proceeded
onward.
Shortly after, I heard a hatch being blasted open, and those all-to-familiar metallic clanks of footsteps. "Damnit,
no, not here, not that!" I thought. I looked over, and I saw to my horror what I feared: the SA-X.
"What the hell?! You... You're supposed to be dead!" I blurted out.
"That I am. Alas, I am not the same that fought the Omega Metroid. That was one of my siblings, whom all of died
at the station. I am the only survivor, and I have come to finish you off, Samus Aran!" the SA-X explained.
"Whoa! I didn't know you talked. Oh well, if it's a fight you want, I'll be happy to oblige, SA-X!" I replied.
With that, I switched to my newly-acquired Ice Beam, and quickly started charging it up. The SA-X switched to its Plasma
Beam, and also charged its weapon. Both the SA-X and I fired at each other, only for our shots to cancel each other out.
I followed up with a flurry of Power Beam shots. In defense, the SA-X used the Screw Attack to block them out.
"You see, Aran, I am alot... smarter than my sibling you fought on the station," the SA-X taunted.
"All right, let's try this new installation I made," I thought, looking to the device on my left wrist. I activated
it, blasting a Grappling Beam right into the SA-X's face, pulling it right to me. Once it was right there, I commenced to
land a mighty punch right in its helmet, leaving a nasty dent. What I didn't realize is that the SA-X had its arm cannon
right in my gut. I didn't notice until it was too late, which was when the SA-X fired a flurry of Wave Beam shots into
my suit, crippling it for a few seconds. To break away from the SA-X's grip, I engaged a Screw Attack of my own, sending
the SA-X flying a good 10 feet away. Upon doing that, I stunned the SA-X with a few Wave Beam shots of my own. Then, I
followed up by slamming my arm cannon into the imposter's stomach. On contact, the SA-X gasped for air, and was on the
ground for a second. I took this opportunity to fire a cluster of Ice Missiles, freezing the fiend. For some reason,
it thawed more quickly than the other SA-X did on B.S.L..
Just after thawing, SA-X shoved several Super Missiles right into me. The impact left my energy meters low, as I
could hear the annoying "energy low" droning sound. I knew I wasn't alone in this, as I could hear a similar sound coming
from the SA-X. As a mode of self-defense, I quickly curled into a Morph Ball, and layed a Power Bomb on the ground. This
should have bought me the time I needed to catch my breath.
"Only one of us is leaving this fight alive," I growled.
"Very well. See you in hell, Aran!" SA-X responded quickly. Following this statement was a barrage of Ice Beam
shots. I quickly uncurled, Space-Jumped out of the way, and followed up with my own Ice Beam attack. I followed with a
charged Plasma Beam shot after the SA-X was frozen. This attack thawed the SA-X, but left a big, gaping hole in its
stomach. It was a rather sickening sight as blood gushed out of the wound. But, I'd seen worse stuff. Now, this next
action really astonished me. Merely standing, and not in any kind of pain, the SA-X somehow... regenerated the wound!
"Well, I'm going to try the only other thing I can think of at the moment," I thought desperately. I sent another
barrage of Ice Beam shots at the SA-X. Only this time, I barraged it with Missiles instead of a Plasma Beam shot. This
strategy I had formed for killing Metroids actually worked, shattering the SA-X into nothing more than shards and chunks
of ice. Quickly, the chunks and shards formed into the SA-X's true form: a Core-X. But, it looked somehow... different
than the other Core-X looked. It was darker blue with some... black? I know those colors were familiar to me. Then, it
hit me! Those were the colors of Phazon! But why was the SA-X's true form Phazon-colored?!
Nonetheless, I jumped in for the absorption. But, before I could absorb it, it flew away, and over to the pool of
Phazon. Surprisingly, it plunged itself into the pool! Shortly thereafter, the Phazon started bubbling rapidly. And seconds
later, a Phazon Suit emerged out of the Phazon. Apparently, the SA-X infused itself with Phazon!
"The fight's back on, Aran! Prepare to die!" the newly-empowered SA-X shouted.
"You're the only one who's going down, you imposter!" I retorted. With that, the fight continued. Standing in
the pool of Phazon, the SA-X's arm cannon glowed blue dully. Seconds later, it fired that ever-potent Phazon Beam at me!
I knew how potent this weapon could be, as I had killed Metroid Prime himself with the very same weapon. Now, I was at
a serious disadvantage. Before the infusion, SA-X and I were fighting equal. But now, the scales were tipped in favor of
the SA-X. What was I going to do...?
End of Chapter 1
Personally, I think SA-X deserved a rematch with Samus, seeing as how easily it was beaten in Fusion. Plus, I think the whole Phazon-infusion thing added a nice twist. Adds to the tension. I also think the whole SA-X talking thing is a nice touch. I mean, it couldn't just sit there silently forever.