Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter sooner than you probably thought! We continue with the group out in space after they rescued Samus from floating adrift in space. Like I said in the last chapter, I have a lot more free time to focus on this story because I know a lot of y'all love it so far. I'll also try to post a bit more often and try not to be as sporadic with posting as well. As for the groups in the story, I'll try to make the groups appropriate for the future chapters I have later on.

Now, without further ado, Let's get into the next chapter!

Chapter 12:

Comet Observatory, Outer Space

Samus was sitting on the comfy bed inside the purple colored bedroom as Pikachu was by her side. The two princesses and the green plumber were standing in front of her.

"So you're-a saying Tabuu has-a returned?" Uttered Luigi.

"Not just returned." Answered Samus. "He's taken on an all new form of light after merging with something called the 'Master Core' which is apparently a source of immense power."

"I've heard of this 'Tabuu' being." Said Rosalina. "He was the ruler of Subspace until he was defeated ten years ago."

"Yeah. I was there along with Pikachu and Luigi when he lost to us." Said Samus

"And you're-a also saying that you lost-a Fox, Falco, and R.O.B. when you discovered Tabuu and this-a core merging?" Inquired Luigi.

"Yeah, but to be more precise, I don't know where they are. I don't know if they're even… alive or not." Uttered Samus.

Daisy then chose to respond. "Don't worry! We'll find them soon! Let's stay optimistic about them!"

"Okay… I'll try to be" Said Samus.

"What do you think is the next move this being of light will make?" Asked Rosalina.

"I think he's most likely out for total purification and domination of this universe and all its inhabitants." Answered Samus. "He turned R.O.B. against me and my Star Fox comrades by overtaking him. However, I noticed how he could only control one person, organic or not, at a time because he was still in the beginning stage of his power. I assume he'll gradually build up power as time goes on, but he'll need an external source of energy to further increase it."

"I know just the place he might go." Chimed Rosalina. "There's a large asteroid field just east of here. It contains a highly radioactive substance that isn't found anywhere else in the galaxy. It's more than likely that Tabuu could get it."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head down over there and beat Tabuu to it!"

When the five heroes got to the main platform, the large computer in the area suddenly sent out a warning signal in the sound of loud beeping.

"What's-a going on?" Shouted Luigi.

Pikachu was wondering the same thing.

Rosalina immediately looked at the external scanners.

"We have an unidentified bogey coming in our south direction!" Said Rosalina. "I don't think the barrier's going to hold it back!"

Samus, still in her zero suit, took notice of the object as she looked outside the observatory. It looked to be a meteor as large as a car with flames and jagged rocks all over. She saw how fast the object was moving and couldn't really find cover in time. She could only run as the meteor was about to hit the observatory's barrier.

"Brace for impact!" Yelled Samus.

Before everyone knew it, the large meteor broke through the barrier and crashed in the field in front of the terrace dome. The five heroes surrounded the meteor as they were at the ready in case something were to happen.

"Be on your guard everyone!" Ordered Samus. "This meteor doesn't look normal!"

It suddenly shook for a couple seconds before violently bursting, sending rocks and dust in all directions. However, Rosalina reacted fast and placed small barriers around herself and the other four heroes to prevent them from getting hit by debris.

Two wings emerged from the resulting dust cloud as an unnatural screech echoed through the observatory. A creature then floated out of the cloud as its red glowing eyes fixated on the heroes.

It looked to be an alien cross between a pterodactyl and a dragon covered in an unnatural purple.

Once Samus got a good look at the creature, she was immediately stunned and overwhelmed with panic.

"No… Not him…" Uttered Samus in total shock.

"Are you-a saying you know that-a thing?" Luigi asks panickedly.

"It's name… is Ridley." Confirmed Samus. "He's been after me… my whole life."

Daisy then interjected. "Well, if you know it so well you must know a way to take it down!"

Ridley then landed onto the ground with his murderous beady eyes still focused on the group. Especially Samus.

After recovering from the panic, Samus heeded what Daisy had said.

"He can still be killed by ordinary means, but his hide's very tough! It'll be difficult to even subdue him!" Informed Samus.

Rosalina and Pikachu then joined the other three heroes.

"Don't worry." Said Rosalina. "This creature's never faced a protector of the cosmos before."

Rosalina and the Zero Suited Samus moved in to attack Ridley's front side while Luigi, Daisy, and Pikachu backed them up by flanking them.

Samus fired a paralysis blast from her pistol while Rosalina simultaneously fired a blast of concentrated cosmic energy from her wand. But the space pirate was too quick and managed to avoid the shots by flying upward and out of the way. Fortunately, this gave Pikachu the opportunity he needed to use his thunder move.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted as he summoned a small stormcloud above the creature.

Unfortunately, Ridley was just too quick and avoided the lightning blast from the cloud.

It looks like he's gotten stronger and faster since that time we fought him in the floating island. He'll be tough to beat. Thought Samus.

Ridley then rained down a barrage of fireballs coming from his mouth, scattering the group and having them find cover. Rosalina and Samus continued to fire their respective energy blasts, but to no avail because Ridley was too fast.

During that time, Luigi thought up of a plan. He whispered something in Rosalina's ear and she nodded in response."Everyone! Lure-a him over to me!"

Samus showed some doubt. "But he's-"

"Trust-a me!" Shouted Luigi. "I know what I'm-a doing!"

The rest of the group trusted what Luigi said. Pikachu started by using his quick attack move to confuse Ridley and annoy him to the point where the creature will be totally focused on the electric type. Daisy and Samus then appeared in front of him to act as targets respectively armed with a tennis racket and pistol whip. Ridley started to attack them, but the two heroes were backpedaling and holding their own until they reached Luigi. Once they did, Luigi told them to get out of the way.

The princess and the bounty hunter ran in opposite directions. Once they were a considerable distance away, Luigi stepped up to Ridley with a peculiar looking machine that looked like a high tech strap-on vacuum cleaner.

"I call this-a baby the Poltergust 6000!" Declared the plumber. "It will-a 'blow' you away!"

Luigi then turned on a switch on the handle and the vacuum was doing what it was designed to do and pulled Ridley in. However, Ridley gave out an unnatural sound that sounded like laughter. He then touched back down to the ground and buried his front and hind claws into the ground below to prevent himself from getting sucked in.

Unknown to the space pirate however, this was what Luigi had wanted.

"Now Rosalina!" Shouted the plumber.

Since Ridley was stationed into the ground, unable to move, this left him open to attack from any other direction.

The cosmic princess then raised her wand as it shone in a bright light. Once it did, hundreds of Lumas surrounded Ridley from every possible direction with aggressive intent embedded into their eyes.

"My children!" Yelled Rosalina. "Focus your star bit fire on the bad creature!"

The Lumas stretched out their limbs and repeatedly fired what looked to be like multicolored pieces of celestial energy. Despite their miniscule appearance, each one packed a punch, bombarding Ridley to the point where he was getting overwhelmed.

After a few more seconds, Rosalina ceased the Lumas' onslaught. Despite the overwhelming attack, Ridley wasn't out. Fortunately, he was covered in bruises and wounds to the point where someone could poke him and he would be down for the count.

An enraged Samus walked up to the beaten space pirate and kicked him square in the face with her custom made jet boot without a second thought.

"Serves you right for messing with me and my friends." Taunted the bounty hunter.

As everyone was recovering from the battle, Rosalina went to take a look at the unconscious Ridley. Samus had tied the creature with her pistol's extendable whip while Rosalina put him in a barrier bubble. The two heroines then carried him over to the fountain dome where he would be properly secured.

"So I understand he has some sort of personal agenda or vendetta against you, but where did he come from?" Asked Rosalina.

However, Samus ignored the cosmic princess as she was focused on the wounds Ridley displayed. She brushed her fingers against one of these wounds and examined the liquid coming out. After a few more seconds, something suddenly dawned on her, leaving the bounty hunter in a state of shock.

"Oh no… This can't be happening… " Exclaimed Samus weakly.

"What is it?" Asked Rosalina.

"Remember that asteroid field you mentioned? How it has a substance only found there?" Samus asked with utter panic.

"Yes." Confirmed the princess. "Why do you ask?"

"It was a whole planet before it became that field! That resource you spoke of was a catalyst of war way back when!" Said Samus. "I know because I was there!"

"What was the name of this resource?" Asked Rosalina.

"… Phazon." Answered the bounty hunter.

"Well, we need to tell the others and head on over to that field! It's more than likely that light thing's already there!" Exclaimed Rosalina as she hurriedly exits the dome with Samus following her.