Left In Ruins
a Metroid one-shot
1-30-2006
by Grey

Disclaimer: Samus Aran and the Metroid series are the creation and property of Nintendo, and was originally masterminded by Gunpei Yokoi (1941-1997) .

I materialized back in the center of the Cipher, the technological marvel that the Chozo on Tallon IV created to try to seal off the Phazon. It was still cloudy outside, and a gentle rain was still falling. I had barely managed to make it back to the exit point before the caverns and chambers within began to collapse; had I been a few seconds slower, I'm sure I would have been buried alive. That's becoming a habit of mine, escaping certain death at the last possible second.

For a second, I just stood there. I looked across the Cipher, and remembered of how my fight with Ridley destroyed the twelve totems and the central sculpture. But I was given no time to dwell on that. Thunderous explosions soon went off all around me; they went off all across the temple and high up behind me, destroying the ominous statues that seemed to overlook this sacred site like watchful sentinels. Obviously, the devastation caused by the implosion of Metroid Prime extended well outside the impact crater, and it was too dangerous to stick around.

I felt a small twinge of fear, but I instantly squelched it and took action. My next action was, as is usually the case with me, speedy and instinctive. I hit a few buttons on my arm cannon, sending a simple command to my gunship. I had signaled it to fly toward the artifact temple.

More explosions went off, ones far more forceful and violent than the ones seconds before, filling the air with acrid fumes and clouds of rocky, dusty debris. None of it got into my lungs or in my eyes, thanks to the fact I still had my helmet on, but I could sure feel the Cipher violently shaking itself apart. It was all too evident I had to get out of there right then. I bolted forward as fast as I could, hopped up onto the rim that circled the site, then leaped forward. No sooner had I made that jump did the circular surface of the Cipher erupt with the most tremendous explosion of all. I was facing away from the Cipher so I didn't see the explosion, but I certainly heard it, and I heard and felt small chunks of stone strike the back of my armored body right before I began to fall into the canyon below.

I was quickly plummeting into the depths out the canyon that stretched out beyond the temple, just as Ridley had shortly before when the Chozo sculptures had sprung to life and blasted him off. But I wasn't afraid. Unlike him, however, I wouldn't have to endure any sudden stop at the bottom. I heard my ship flying into the canyon, quickly approaching. It swooped in underneath me before the speed of my descent became too great, and I gracefully touched down on the top of it, once again showing off the acrobatic skills the Chozo had taught me. Too bad no one was around to see my narrow escape.

Then again, I don't really care about publicity. I try not to care about what the people of the galaxy think about me, including other humans. Ever since I surfaced years ago as a bounty hunter - and quickly proved to be the most able of all - the citizens of the Galactic Federation came to view me as a hero, perhaps even a savior, because of the way I'm able to turn back the Space Pirates again and again. That's fine with me, but I don't really care. I have my own reasons for waging war against the Pirates, and being in the limelight is NOT one of them. But it does kind of rankle when I think about how no one realized I was actually a woman until the aftermath of what happened on Zebes a few weeks ago...

For a few seconds, I simply stood in a crouching position, taking a much needed break and steadily breathing in the air my suit's life-support systems provide for me. Within the span of less than half an hour, I had taken out Metroid Prime and just barely escaped the collapsing impact crater in time. Not to mention that before that, I had a rematch with Ridley, who, in my eyes, symbolized all that the Space Pirates stood for, far more so than Mother Brain did.

Having been reminded about my old nemesis, I stood up and looked over the edge of my ship, down into the canyon. I decided look for any traces of Ridley's body, but I couldn't spot anything. I briefly wondered why his body wasn't still lying at the bottom; I had watched him fall into the canyon and crash after he was blasted off, and distinctly remembered the explosive plume of smoke that had risen after that (and the sense of vindictive delight I had felt) . Then I realized that some of the surviving Pirates remaining on Tallon IV must have recovered his body. They had taken his broken and mutilated body from Zebes and resuscitated him, and now they may be trying to do it again. I felt a surge of fury upon realizing that. That monster had led Pirate security forces for years and caused thousands of deaths. I had hoped that I had finally put an end to his reign of terror on Zebes, and was shocked and appalled to see him alive and well on that frigate, taunting me as he made his escape. Now there was a possibility Ridley would be back again. My only consolation is that he probably wouldn't be bothering me or anyone else for a long time, but it does little to quell my anger.

Almost shaking with fury, I turn my gaze from the canyon and looked upward instead. The gentle rain that was still falling obscured my visor for a moment, but I could clearly see the flames and thick smoke rising from the artifact temple high above. The rain obviously wasn't doing much to put out that fire.

I don't know why I did it, but I punched in more commands via my arm cannon, signalling my gunship to slowly rise. When it stopped its slow ascent, it was hovering a few dozen meters away from the decimated Cipher, allowing me to overlook the destruction. It was now completely wrecked; the once-brilliant beige stonework that served as the surface of the Cipher was now charred black, with fire rising through the cracks, and even the Chozo statues that overlooked the site were almost consumed by flames and crumbling. Earlier, their eyes shone with a purple resplendence, and had changed to a burning, furious red when they had activated and fired lasers at Ridley. It was only a short time ago that they almost seemed alive and watchful, making me feel as if the race that had raised me was still watching over me. Now they looked lifeless and devoid of the creative soul of their crafters, being worn down by fire and explosions.

I don't know why I was torturing myself looking at this scene; it almost makes me feel dead inside. Seeing Ridley destroy the totems and the central sculpture had been bad enough (and had provided extra motivation for blowing him away) , but now, the final engineering feat of the Chozo here was left in ruins. Seeing their handiwork back in the Chozo Ruins and the Phendrana Drifts fall into decay and disrepair had made me feel depressed enough, but now, the last and greatest and proudest accomplishment of the tribe that made Tallon IV its home was destroyed. I considered the Chozo my people, not humanity, and seeing their once-proud achievements in such conditions tore me apart inside. As did the fact that many of their spirits were driven to insanity by Phazon radiation, forcing me to fight them.

I remember that I had similar feelings when I single-handedly infiltrated Zebes a few weeks ago. At first, I was all gung-ho to undertake my mission, but soon after entering Brinstar's caverns, that same haunted feeling threatened to overtake me. It wasn't the exact same area I had lived when I grew up on that planet, but it was close enough to bring back memories. I remembered how I was brought there, my body badly wounded from the attack on K2L, from which I was the only survivor. The Chozo brought me their home on Zebes to finish treating me, and there I was given Chozo blood, which changed my entire biophysical makeup, allowed me to adapt to life there, and gave me strength, speed and agility that far surpassed that of any other human. After that, I was raised as one of their own, and eventually, years later, I was given the power suit when I came of age. They saw in me the potential to single-handedly halt the Space Pirates' aggression, and even since then I've dutifully tried to live up to their expectations.

But returning to Zebes was not a happy homecoming. The tribe of Chozo that had raised me was completely gone; most of them had 'ascended' like many of the Chozo on Tallon IV, and any others had probably been slaughtered when the Pirates took the planet as their own. During my childhood, I had been surrounded by many Chozo, all of which I came to regard as nurturing parents. I was always surrounded by those who loved me as one of their own, those who I could always count on. But on that mission, I was completely alone, surrounded by hostile aliens eager to rip me apart. All that remained of my benefactors was some of their technology - weapons and upgrades for my suit - which I gladly used to take down Kraid, Ridley, Mother Brain and any Metroid that got in my way.

As I was thinking about that, another explosion went off, jarring me out of my somber thoughts. I look across the canyon at the smoldering remains of the Cipher again, and a sudden capricious and illogical thought pops in my head: Don't view this as you normally do, safely behind your visor. Don't be a coward and look at this unfiltered, with your own eyes.

Again, I don't know why I did it, but I reached behind my helmet with my left hand and pulled it off. I immediately felt the raindrops hit the top of my head, lightly soaking my hair, and I feel my ponytail flapping in the breeze. I breathed deeply, inhaling the air of this world, of what had been a home for the Chozo, for the first time. Tallon IV was a world that boasted boundless natural beauty, and it was obvious why this tribe of Chozo had chosen this planet to settle on.

But then, that meteor containing that mysterious mutagen Phazon crashed here, almost destroying life on this world the Chozo loved so much. What I was looking at now was what had managed to halt most of the Phazon's spread. I succeeded in vanquishing the evil it held at bay, and when Metroid Prime imploded, all the Phazon on Tallon IV was sucked into it. I had won, fulfilling the dying wishes of the Chozo here. I fulfilled their prophecies about being the one to finally rid Tallon IV of the 'Great Poison' forever, and what's more, I had dealt the Space Pirates yet another devastating blow and crushed their plans to harness the stuff.

But as I looked at the flames consuming the Cipher and at the crumbling statues overlooking it, I realized that it hardly felt like a victory for me. Just like on Zebes, I realize that no matter how many Space Pirates I kill, no matter what victories I earn for the Galactic Federation, it won't change the fact that the race that raised me has practically withdrawn from the galaxy, perhaps forever, essentially leaving me alone. Part of me hates them for that, even though I can understand their desire to 'ascend'. Perhaps, one day, when I'm no longer needed, I can follow them...

At last, I can't stand it any longer. As I shut my eyes, I step down on the entrance platform of my gunship, signalling for it to open and carry me down into its interior. I waste no time punching commands into the navigation systems, and my ship quickly heads skyward, to leave Tallon IV, perhaps forever. I see no reason to come back here; with the Phazon completely gone, the Space Pirates will have no reason to stick around, and once I file a report to the Galactic Federation police, they'll probably send troops and maintain a military presence there. I don't like the thought of that, but better them than the Space Pirates. At least they may treat the remains of my people with some respect.

Soon enough, my ship had left Tallon IV's atmosphere and was in outer space. I quickly lay in a course and jump to light-speed. There's a lot on my mind, and hopefully to distract me, I can find another bounty to hunt.

THE END

Well, that's that. This was something I wanted to write for a long time. After beating Metroid Prime and seeing that somber, depressed look in Samus's eyes. I couldn't help but wonder just what was going through her head, just like when Ridley kidnapped the Metroid Matchling in Super Metroid. I knew I had to write a quick fic about it one day. And since I felt it was a good time to take a break from my insanely long Harry Potter/Metroid crossover (Fusion of Destinies) , I decided to go ahead and do it.

So long,
Grey