A Metroid Among Zoanthropes
A Metroid/Bloody Roar Fan Fiction Crossover
by Derald Snyder
Part 5- Uriko Is Missing!
*WOC Headquarters, a few days later*
"Another dead zoanthrope was found last night," Kenji relayed to Yugo and the others. "Killed almost the same way as the others- stabbed through the throat. Unfortunately, there were no witnesses or cameras this time, but..."
"At least the police agreed to cooperate with us," Shina said with crossed arms. "Of course, the fact that I'm former military might've helped with that..."
"We need to find this guy and take him down before he kills again," Yugo sighed in mild frustration.
"Did you tell Miss Jenny about the suspect's description?" Kenji prodded his brother.
"It's almost impossible to contact her when she's in the field," Yugo shook his head. "I did forward the information to Gado- if anyone knows how to get a hold of her, he does." Shina tensed up at this, gritting her teeth as her fists clenched... "Something wrong, Shina?"
"No, nothing. Nothing at all," Shina turned away, her tone making it obvious that she was lying. Yugo could have sworn hearing her mutter 'damn broad' under her breath, but before he could push the issue, two others walked in. "Oh, Samus! ...Alice?"
"Yes?" Alice said, her twin-tails nowhere to be seen.
"You cut your hair?" Kenji raised an eyebrow.
"Only because Long made a point of grabbing it when we were sparring," Alice grumbled. "'You don't want the enemy to take advantage of your hair, either tie it behind your head like me or cut it short', end quote. So I took door number two."
"You should probably stop dyeing it as well," Samus spoke up. "I think it'd look better that way, with your natural brown color..."
"...Maybe," Alice sighed. "Anyway, we find out anything?" So Yugo and the others explained about the mysterious zoanthrope...
"So, a thin man with long flowing hair, that transforms into something like a praying mantis," Samus summarized. "Sounds pretty dangerous. We probably shouldn't try to fight this person without our heaviest hitters..." She glanced over at Shina, who gave a smirk in response.
"Well, if I have to take to the field to bring down this bastard, I will," Yugo asserted. "I may be the head of WOC, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up on my training."
"Just be careful, Yugo. I- I mean, we would be devastated if something bad happened to you," Alice said, clasping her hands in worry.
"Don't forget about me," Samus crossed her arms. "As powerful as this zoanthrope might be, he's nothing compared to some of the monstrosities I've brought down in my career."
"We'll keep that in mind. By the way, where's Uriko?"
"At school. She's already missed enough as it is. Speaking of which, I probably should be getting home," Samus said.
"I'm going to stay here," Alice stated. "I wanted to spar with Shina to see if Long's training bore fruit..."
"I'm down for that," Shina grinned. "Just don't cry when I kick your ass."
"Same to you," Alice retorted defiantly, Samus smirking as she turned to leave...
*Aran-Nonomura Residence*
"Uriko, I'm home!" Samus called as she entered the house. But instead of Uriko running up to greet her, there was dead silence. "Uriko?" She looked around the kitchen and living room, but there was no sign of the young zoanthrope. Samus then realized that she hadn't seen her backpack either, which could only mean one thing...
Uriko didn't come home.
Immediately she went to the landline phone and dialed the school... "...Hello? This is Samus, Uriko Nonomura's mother, did Uriko come to school today? ...she did? Wait, she didn't take the bus? She insisted on walking home? -no, it's fine. She probably got distracted or something. I'll go look for her. Thanks. Bye." She hung up, shaking her head. "Adam!" she called.
"Yes, Lady?" a nearby monitor turned on, showing a rough circle composed of small squares that reverberated with Adam's voice.
"Uriko didn't come home. I need you try and scan the city streets for any sign of her."
"Oh, dear. She went off on her own again?" Adam mused. "Very well, I will see what I can do."
"Good. And contact Yugo as well. Hopefully it's nothing, but with a murderous zoanthrope out there, we can't take any chances..." With that, Samus summoned her Power Suit, switching to Gravity configuration. "I'll go search for her on foot."
"Good luck, Lady," Adam said as Samus left the house.
*City Streets*
"Alright, you evil Tabula! Come out wherever you are!" Uriko said as she prowled the streets. (Actually, she was skipping along, but that's not important.) "Hey mister, see an evil Tabula anywhere?"
"Uh, no, can't say that I have," the elder gentleman replied, confused. "Why are you looking for it?"
"Because it's trying to kill everybody! Imma stop it, and then Mommy will be so proud of me!" Uriko exclaimed.
Deciding the teenager was playing pretend, the gentleman answered, "Oh, I see. Well, best of luck to you, young lady."
"Thanks!" Uriko cried as she dashed off. (Wait, I know!) Ducking into a nearby alley, Uriko looked to make sure no one could see her. (Mommy said no one should see me transform, 'cause it'll scare them...) She transformed to her half-beast cat form, before putting her nose to the ground... (If I could sniff out that Busu-whatever guy, I can sniff out this Tabula too!) Uriko then left the alley, crawling on all fours down the sidewalk... a few city-dwellers gasped in shock at her appearance, but she paid them no mind. Suddenly, her nose caught a faint scent, the half-beast running to try and follow it...
Eventually, Uriko found herself in another alley, seeing a man standing over a dead woman in a pool of blood... (Yuck! That was blood I smelled! But this guy... Tall, dark blue skin... definitely a bad guy!) She announced her presence with a drawn out meow, the blue man turning to face her. Even his face didn't look human, having a ridge where his nose should have been, his eyes sporting yellow irises and black sclera...
"What the..." the man known to us as Steven 'Stun' Goldberg gaped at seeing a witness. "A kid... dammit. I'll give you one chance to walk away and forget you saw anything..." He got a loud hiss in response as the cat-girl took a fighting stance. "Damn... I don't like to do this, but I can't have witnesses..." He took a fighting stance as well.
Uriko opened with a high kick to the chest, but Stun was barely moved by it, grabbing said leg and throwing the girl head over heels! Uriko quickly rolled back to her feet, running and hitting Stun with a jumping kick to the face! That registered, the insect-man stumbling back, but he quickly recovered and kicked Uriko in the rib cage before she could recover, knocking her on her back a good distance away.
(Ugh, he's tough...) Uriko thought as she climbed back to her feet. (But I'm better!) Ducking under Stun's roundhouse, she struck back with a leaping uppercut, knocking Stun back, then followed up with a few slashes to the chest! But then Stun grabbed her around the torso, flipping her backwards and slamming her head into the pavement, breaking her transformation! Despite the headache, Uriko managed to jump back to her feet, barely dodging a punch, then grabbing the fist and running around in circles!
"What are you doing?!" Stun yelled as he was spun around twice before breaking free, slightly dizzy... Uriko took advantage, punching him twice in the ribs, then following with another high kick! Stun tried to strike back with a knee, but Uriko dodged the brunt of it, stumbling back. Stun then tried a right straight, but his opponent literally fell to the ground to avoid it, then regaining her senses and hitting him with a kick as she jumped back to her feet! Stun attempted to grab Uriko for another throw, but the young girl managed to shift her weight and break loose!
(Good thing I remembered what Teacher taught me!) Uriko thought as she retreated a short distance, taking a defensive posture in preparation for her foe to attack again... What she didn't expect, however, was for the blue-skinned man to suddenly spasm in pain and fall to his knees! (Huh? I didn't hurt him that much, did I?)
"Hrrrrrgghh... the power... it's... GRAAAAAGHH!" Stun screamed in agony as he suddenly was engulfed in a flash of light! In the blue man's place was a creature that could only be described as a gigantic stag beetle!
Unfortunately, Uriko, like most girls her age, was terrified of bugs, able to do nothing but scream in terror...
"MOMMYYYYYYYYY!"
*To be continued...*
