Well, I haven't updated in a while, so I guess I better get on the ball! Here we go!
Hope you guys are in the mood for something scary…ish…
Samus's grunts echoed on the inside of her helmet as she pried the PLV deployment bay open. Keeping her palm readily around her arm cannon, she took a few wary steps up the patched-up ramp, thin, ice-cold eyes scanning the darkness before her. The auburn-colored metal enveloping her body pulsed light onto the inner mechanisms of the ship, bouncing off the sheen of old metal with a neon green tint. Pit fluttered absent-mindedly behind the huntress with a bit of cheer about him, seemingly unphased by his mental pause only moments before.
Both of their heads snapped around as the bay ramp slammed back shut, the hiss of the air lock overpowering its echo. A few miniscule, dirty lights flickered on as the two de-tensed.
Samus cleared her throat.
"Must be motion sensors."
Pit remained silent.
Shaking it off, Samus turned her head and continued down the short corridor, leading herself and the angel into the command room.
Well, calling it a "command room" was a bit of a stretch. "Derelict elementary school computer lab" was more like it. Nothing more than a few scratched-up, askew monitors plastered up on a wall, shedding out strobe-light flashes of bar code-lined light over a beat up chair. The metal was actually peeling off the walls. A horrible stench hung in the air. The floor was speckled with some unidentifiable, pasty substance.
Well there's a surprise…the ship's as nasty as they are… Samus thought.
Taking great care to step over and around the unknown splatters, Samus tiptoed her way up to the main computer. Pit followed.
Samus took a seat, worried that the ancient chair might not hold the weight of her suit. She gradually settled herself in, and tapped away furiously on the keyboard, looking over the ship's inventory logs to see if it possessed what her ship required. The vessel didn't really have much to its name, a few underpowered plasma guns, a stone-age engine, a few old-school computer programs…
…and one brand-SPANKIN-new NavDec processor. Samus grinned evilly. Perfect.
She was just about to close down the inventory registers, until one more listing at the bottom caught her eye. Anyone else would have missed it. The tiny bar of code read:
SPECIAL INVENTORY: 3 STANDARD ISSUE PHAZON-ENHANCED HUNTING DOGS
Samus frowned. Hunting dogs? She had never heard of the pirates ever having a need for them, or even having them in the first place.
Oh well. She thought, the ship's pretty quiet now, I doubt they're still alive. Doesn't matter anyway.
She closed the register logs and squeezed out of the chair. Fiddling with a few buttons on the inside of her arm cannon, the tip of the gun condensed and began to spark brightly, forming into a welding laser. Kneeling down she seared into the computer's wiring containment, cutting a square into the casing. She removed the smoldering plate and deactivated her welder, reaching in to the jumbled mess of cables. Her scanning visor perused the selection, bringing up information on each one.
Finally, a small box with a disarray of cords jutting out from it was scrutinized by Samus's helmet, showing up with on the visor labeled as "NavDec Processor." Samus grinned and eagerly ripped the thing out of its sockets; box, wires, and all. She glimpsed over it for a second and nodded. This could fix her ship.
Sliding it under her arm, she stood and took a deep breath. She spoke to Pit.
"Alright then, kid. That's all we came for. Come on, let-"
She pivoted, a little surprised to find herself unaccompanied in the command room. Pit had up and vanished, nothing but a tiny feather resting on the floor in his place.
Samus didn't really panic. He had been doing this a lot. All she had to do was call for him, right?
"Pit? Pit, come here."
No answer. Samus stood awkwardly for about a minute, waiting for her angel's response.
But all was quiet.
Now she was a tiny bit worried. For herself, of course. The super-powerful, god-like alien she had met yesterday had been removed somehow. Maybe she was next. It wasn't like she truly cared for his safety, no, he was just some new life form that kept following her around like a dog. Yes, just some new specimen for the boys back at HQ to dissect. Nothing more.
…or maybe…
Her head buzzed.
His eyes…and the way he looks at me…the way he's always obedient to every command I give…what is-
Samus felt something. Something in her heart. Something she had never felt before.
Some kind of pain? Yes, it was certainly that. But it was pleasant, and…warm. So warm. Like someone had enveloped her heart in a big, fluffy sweater. The heat spread throughout her body, all the way to her toes, biting back at the nipping cold outside of the suit. Every breath she took was tailed with a nearly imperceptible shudder. What was this feeling?
..was it…did she…did she like Pit?
…I…
A large number of diminutive thumps, echoing softly from the hallway, yanked her back to reality. They sounded like footsteps…
…only too rapid and in too great of number for anything humanoid…
Samus took a few hasty steps to the doorway, arm cannon at the ready. She threw a glance up and down both ends of the hall, searching for the source of the noise.
Something unsightly caught her eye. In the dim light of the overhanging fluorescents, she could make out what appeared to be a trail of fresh blood, spotted with several crimson, incriminating footprints, spanning down into the recesses of the PLV.
They weren't pirate footprints either. They were WOLF TRACKS.
One had to pay Samus her respects, she was keeping a relatively cool head concerning the ghastly display before her.
Until she made out a few blood-stained, ravaged angel feathers scattered along the gory path.
As one might expect, the huntress's resolve melted faster than ice put to a blowtorch.
Oh no…PIT!
Throwing caution (and stealth, for that matter) to the wind, Samus bolted down the hallway, following the dog prints and the angel feathers, which seemed to increase in volume as she advanced. She raced down the corridors, turning corner after corner, finding new surprises along the way.
The severed arm of a Space Pirate.
An abandoned pile of teeth-marked armor.
A blood-washed plasma rifle.
A broken chain and collar.
Samus turned another corner.
The mangled corpse of a Space Pirate (who happened to be missing an arm).
Bloody claw marks on the walls.
An unrecognizable body, eaten down to the bone.
Another corner.
More abandoned rifles.
A helmet, split clean in half.
More feathers.
Samus began to sweat. What the hell was at the end of this chaos?! Where was Pit?! What had even happened to cause all this bloodshed?!
She turned YET ANOTHER corner, finding the gory path turning off of the hallway and into one of the adjacent rooms. Slowing her pace, Samus crept silently up to the entrance, pressing her back to the wall. She became almost completely soundless, honing her ears as to listen in on whatever was inside that room.
A steady flow of short breaths met her ears, accompanied by the occasional rusting of something moist.
She took a breath, braced herself, and stomped into the doorway. She raised her arm cannon, charged and ready to fire.
She nearly hurled. The entire room was soaked in blood, the distorted corpses of nearly seven Space Pirates scattered about the floor. In the very center sat three bed-sized wolves, thick sheets of gore staining their yellowed, elongated teeth. Their eyes were all a murky shade of hazel, and their fur was speckled with a bright cerulean tint, the unmistakable signature of Phazon corruption. Their claws were FAR longer than any normal dog, spanning at least a foot. Their tails took the cake, however, spanning several meters long with thick, pale blue spikes protruding out of them from every possible angle. They had several plasma burns on their forms, but it didn't seem to bother them in the slightest. One had a split-open corpse of a Space Pirate before him, and was greedily consuming it.
They all tensed as Samus made her presence known, snarling lividly at her with an intriguing, mechanical drone in their growls. Samus stood still as a statue, unwavering, appealing to their animalistic sides by showing that mere acts of aggression wouldn't be enough to deter her. They all rose to their feet, horrid claws scraping against the steel floor as they took a few wary steps in no particular direction, investigating the huntress. Samus didn't move a muscle.
One got a bit rowdy. Throwing out a few more warning growls, the wolf gave Samus his final advertisements of attack. Invisible under her helmet, the huntress smiled.
Moving quite rapidly for a creature of his size, the dog rushed at Samus, jaws open wide. The huntress slid to one side as he crossed her, dodging the rush and plugging a missile into his ear. The dog whined as a glossy sheen of ice enveloped the entire left side of his head, bringing him down to the ground in a painful SLAM!
The explosion startled the other two into action. One lunged at Samus just like the other did, but the other stayed put, and instead began gathering some kind of azure-tainted charge in its mouth.
Samus placed a well-aimed, fully charged shot right between the charging dog's eyes, knocking him back a few meters, but not packing enough force to push him off his feet. The iced dog rose and smacked his head against the wall with a thunderous force, easily shattering the ice. The sound distracted Samus as the other dog bit down hard on her shoulder.
He snarled angrily, pained to find out the true resilience of the Varia Suit. Samus smiled and put a plasma bolt in its mouth.
The third dog, firmly planted on the other side of the room, swiftly raised its head and blasted a huge, frost-colored beam straight at Samus. Not seeing it coming in time, all the huntress could do was simply absorb the blow, taking the blast full force.
When the blinding light subsided, she had lost a third of her energy, the Varia Suit was smoldering, and her weapons were fried.
Piles of errors accumulated on her visor screen, all saying the same thing:
WARNING! UNKNOWN EMP WAVELENGTH RECEIVED! ARM CANNON TARGETING SEQUENCE SCRAMBLED!
Samus scowled. Just great.
She didn't have time to complain as she was high-fived in the face by the broad end of a spiked wolf tail, flinging her effortlessly across the room. One of the wolves caught her in its mouth like a ball, bit down ferociously, and then brought her down harshly to the floor. She was wasted with another EMP blast as she struggled to stand. She was sent spiraling across the floor in a smoldering heap.
Samus struggled to remain conscious as she staggered to her feet, the dogs beginning to surround her. She looked up and bit her lip, the frustration in her face scorching the insides of her helmet.
All three wolves began to gather a charge in their mouths, prepping for another EMP blast. Samus desperately tried to move away, but some property of that second blast had magnetized the metal of her feet to the metal of the floor, rendering her immobile. All she could do was watch in horror as the beasts finished charging, and with an accomplished glint in each and every one of their disgusting, amber-colored eyes, release the blasts.
Samus squinted her eyes shut, bracing for a rush of surging, stinging energy.
But it never came.
Opening her eyes, all she could truly make out was a blinding white light, the shadow of a shield…
…and a pair of pure, snow-white wings…
As the light subsided, Samus's suspicions were proven true. Pit was fixed on the floor just a few feet in front of her, hand gripping the inside brace of a golden, glossy shield. Wind was still whipping around the room from the ferocious impact of the blasts, sparking a graceful dance into the angel's messy hair. His teeth were gritted, and worse, bent into a crooked, maniacal smile.
No one had a chance to react as the shield began to glow, bathing the room and everyone in it in a brilliant, sky-blue luminosity. It began to tremble horribly in Pit's unwavering arm; an ominous, deep-pitched hum emanating from it and shaking the very walls. The wolves' resolve began to falter, each taking a few steps backwards as the divine light of the shield intensified. Pit's other hand reached up to support the artifact, the hum near deafening.
Pit's whole body was kicked back about a full meter as the shield exploded forth, deific radiance flooding out of the front. Spearing out of the tool came not one, not two, but SIX enormous blasts of electricity, mimicking the style of the blasts that attacked it before, only far greater in magnitude. Blinded by the overwhelming incandescence, the wolves weren't able to decipher the massive rush of energy that was dead set on their skulls.
BWOOOOOSHZZZ!
The beasts were sent soaring across the scarlet-stained compartment, each slamming into the opposite wall with horrendous force. A few whines were produced as they struggled to stand.
Pit lowered the shield. His voice thundered in the small room.
"Variable Weapon Access: Magnus Club."
A titanic cudgel materialized out of thin air, settling into Pit's small hands. The massive chunk of steel was colored half midnight black, the other half made of silver accents. A gargantuan blade was warped into the edge, like an oversized, widened katana. It looked like a very old weapon, one that was far past its prime, dings and dents littering every corner of it.
Samus's jaw hit the dirt as Pit effortlessly lifted the huge thing over his shoulder, like it weighed as much as a chopstick. Sprinting forward, Pit rushed toward the leftmost dog, pulling the club along just off the floor. He took an immense leap into the air, his wings providing the majority of his thrust, and with frightening power, he brought the whole thing down on the wolf's back, slamming the beast into the steel floor and producing a dreadful CRACK!
The beast died in its crater as Pit swiveled around, a startling, murderous grin etched into his features. He bolted forward again, bringing the club around in a devastating horizontal slash, connecting with the second wolf in the side of the head.
Samus's eyes widened as Pit's attack knocked the thing's head clean off. The insane angel lifted the huge blade and brought it downward, cleaving the decapitated corpse in half, allowing him clear passage to the final beast.
The third wolf was now QUITE aware of how powerful its assailant was, and was already charging an EMP blast in its mouth. He aimed it with deadly accuracy at Pit's head and released, the vicious cyan flame screaming through the air.
Pit scoffed and caught it.
That's right. HE CAUGHT IT.
Pit showed no display of pain, if there even was any, as he fiercely gripped the vehement sphere of electricity in his clutched hand. Spinning around like a discus thrower, he hurled the blast back into the wolf's mouth, detonating with a fearsome eruption of cerulean energy. The beast was pushed back a few feet as his senses were scrambled, disrupted by the explosion.
Pit took the opportunity to rocket forward, swinging the club underhandedly, bringing it upwards into a monstrous uppercut that sent the wolf clear into the ceiling.
Stirring up gale-force winds, Pit gave one titanic beat of his wings, shooting him straight up into the air. He brought the pointed end tip of the cudgel forward, driving it straight into the beast's stomach and crashing into the roof behind it.
The wolf cried out. After a short breath, Pit withdrew his blade, unpinning the beast from the ceiling, allowing the impaled corpse to plummet to the blood-soaked floor.
Samus watched in utter terror as the angel snapped the weapon out at his side, allowing it to dematerialize into thin air. Relieved of the weight, he gradually descended to the ground, riding on a few soft flaps of his crimson-spotted wings. As he touched down, he gave a sharp look to Samus, who hadn't tried or scarcely even had the ability to move a muscle. He walked silently over to her and extended his hand.
His voice was much softer.
"Master, I apologize. I allowed them to harm you more than should have been reasonable. Please forgive me."
Muted from awe, and a good deal of fear, too, it was all the huntress could do to put her hand in his, allowing Pit to effortlessly lift her off the floor.
"Master," he whispered, "your suit is heavily damaged. Would you like me to repair it for you?"
Samus wasn't rightly able to respond, so all she could do was simply stand there and stare at the angel. Even so, Pit took it as a yes.
Forming two fingers, he slowly reached out and touched the section of the Varia Suit that was over Samus's heart. Instantly the suit's regulatory systems hit 100%, and the power level jumped to maximum. The targeting system on her arm cannon realigned, and her whole suit was filled with a certain, loving warmth.
The huntress took a step back, startled by the event. Pit lowered his hand and shined a big, cheery smile.
"I trust you were successful in acquiring the components you needed?
Samus's mind snapped back to the NavDec. Her one fingered hand was empty. Anxiously she scanned the room, relieved to find the gadget simply lying on the floor. Sighing, she bent over and picked it up.
"…yes…I was…"
"Then there is no reason for us to stay any longer. Shall we go?"
Samus's eyes trained onto his. He seemed awfully excited to be getting out of here. Of course, it was a Space Pirate vessel. She didn't want to get too cozy either. But there was an urgent tone in his voice, like it would be dangerous to stay any longer.
"Sure…let's go…"
About fifteen minutes later, the pair was back in the Gunship, Samus hooking the new NavDec into the control panel while Pit watched intently. After a few clicks, the hijacked trinket was functioning at optimal capacity, and finally all lights were green across the board. Samus seated herself triumphantly in the pilot's chair and took hold of the control sticks, igniting the engines and lighting up the Gunship's computer systems. The underside thrusters hummed to life, lifting the ship off the cave floor of the asteroid crater. Samus swiveled the vessel towards the mouth of the cavern, taking expert care not to scrape the walls. Slowly they rose out of the chasm.
Once the space was clear, Samus rammed the control sticks forward, the rear engines bursting to life. With an explosion of thrust, the Gunship roared off the asteroid and into the void of space, spotted with tiny, iridescent stars.
"Finally free…" Samus breathed.
She flicked a few switches and began to speak.
"Alright, we have to pick up some speed before we can initiate space-jump, so we'll have to wait a few minutes. For the time being just-"
She looked back to Pit. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he was digging a sandal into the steel floor. His wings were wrapped around him embarrassedly, and he was blushing ever so lightly. His gaze was super-glued to the ground.
Samus raised an eyebrow.
"…hey, kid…you alright?"
"Master…" His little voice quivered.
"…yes?"
He raised his head.
"May…may I sit with you?"
Samus blinked.
"What?"
Pit flushed.
"I-It's just…there aren't any other chairs…so…"
The huntress raised an eyebrow. He was right about that. She never really did ever have anyone else along in the ship with her, and therefore there was only one chair in the Gunship's cockpit. HERS.
Still, it probably wasn't the safest thing to be standing freely in a spaceship that could break the speed of light when you needed it to. Not that she really had to worry about his safety, after witnessing what had just transpired only minutes ago. Nonetheless…
"…um…sure…but it's not going to be very comfortable…" She still had the Varia Suit on, only with the helmet removed for optimal visibility. There was hardly any room left in the chair.
His face lit up.
"Th-thank you, master."
Silently, Pit shuffled up in front of her, slowly squeezing himself into the small pocket of open space between her and the armrest. Samus could feel the warmth of his body instantly spread even through the invulnerable metal of her power suit, tickling and teasing her underlying skin. Without even asking for her approval, the little angel wrapped his arms around her armored waist and snuggled into the cold, steel suit, bringing a little heat to the enrobing weaponry. He sighed dreamily.
Samus didn't receive the same amount of arousal when she was armored, in fact she was given much, much less. A little warmth seeped through the suit here and there, but nothing too powerful. Regardless, even in the stark, bulky form of the Varia Suit, she was truly enjoying the feeling of being cuddled by an angel. He was like a little space heater, with so much warmth and radiance emanating from him you could practically roast marshmallows over his head. His wings were so fluffy, his figure was so soft and inviting, and his hair was like a mound of chocolate ice cream. He was like the kind of stuffed animal that you slept with every night; the kind that made you feel secure.
Samus found herself at a loss for words. He was just so…huggable!
Somewhat subconsciously, she allowed her metal-lined arm to wrap around his little torso and bring him closer to her, drawing her little heat source nearer. The Varia Suit was now warmed throughout, causing a delectable balminess to envelop Samus's figure, soothing her body and relaxing her mind. Pit sighed happily again as he lifted his legs up into the chair with him, curling up for a nap.
Samus's grip on the control sticks slackened as she melted into the sweet warmth of the angel. She nestled deeper into the chair, sighing contently. She wondered how utterly soft she was beginning to look, tenderly cuddling with Pit like he was her child. She relished every second of it, but, she was grateful that no one could see her.
She stifled a coo as Pit actually began to doze off, coiling up against her like a kitten. He passed into a delicate slumber, purring faintly. Samus smiled and squeezed him tighter, fastening him tautly to her waist.
A familiar-sounding echoed in her mind.
Oh, getting a bit cozy, are we?
Samus's head shot back up. She spoke in a hurried whisper, so as not to wake the peacefully snoozing angel.
"You again!"
Greetings again, Miss Aran. I see you've become quite acquainted with my little friend.
Samus blushed and scowled.
"Yeah, so? What's it to you?"
Oh, nothing, I'm just glad someone's looking out for him. He tends to get a bit…WILD…when he gets into a fight.
Samus thought back to the slaughter about a half-hour earlier.
Anyway, that's not the reason I contacted you. Dark tidings are coming, Samus. There are those in your world who seek nothing more than to steal and exploit that angel's power. There numbers are many, and their forces are great. I've entrusted his care to you because you were the most capable person I could find. Your skills and experience dealing with these adversaries were the crucial deciding factors.
Samus was confused. Did she mean the Space Pirates? Or the Metroids? Or something else?
But even now, a force approaches you that is FAR too massive for you to deal with alone. The only chance of survival you have is him. Pit was given the power to defeat GODS. He is the only one that can safely escort you back into peaceful space.
Samus's eyes widened. What the hell was she talking about?!
All I ask is that you leave everything to him. He is your savior. You must trust that he can protect you, regardless of however many opponents you may encounter.
There was a small pause.
Do I have your trust?
The huntress didn't reply right away. Too many questions were circulating in her brain.
Wait a minute…now was her chance for answers!
"Alright," She responded, "you have my trust…on ONE condition."
And that would be?
She took a breath.
"You have to answer some questions."
…
…fine. If that is what you want. Ask away.
Samus grinned victoriously.
"Alright, first-"
WHOOP! Sorry, but I've got to go! You don't need me distracting you with the fight you've got coming up! We'll talk another time-
"NO! WAIT! STOP!"
…ugh…what is it now?
The huntress gulped.
"Can I…can I at least have your name?"
…
…
…Palutena. Lady, Palutena. Goodbye.
Her mind fell silent. Samus busily began to piece things together using that new name.
Pit's eyes fluttered open. One of his arms lifted off of Samus's waist and pointed at the ship radar.
"Master…what's that?"
The huntress glanced down at the angel, then followed his arm to the circular piece of glass.
"Oh, it's nothing Pit, just the area scanners-"
Wait. Something was amiss. The tint was a bit off the usual, neon green glare of the ship's sensory array. It was hinted a bit…crimson.
Squinting, Samus leaned a tiny bit forward, getting a better view of the gadget.
The entire top half was jam-packed with small, red triangles.
Samus's eyes grew huge.
Hastily she snapped her gaze back up onto the windshield, her irises scanning the starry void spanning before her.
It was a blockade. Covering a massive amount of distance on the horizontal axis, like an asteroid belt made of starships, an enormous fleet of Space Pirate vessels lay waiting, bloodthirsty with guns hot and ready. There must have been a third of their entire fleet present, and they were proud to show it. They must have blocked off the Kelsar Meteor Belt to keep the huntress penned in while the sweepers tracked her down. That was an unusually wise move.
But it was too late to turn tail and run. Samus watched in horror as the outside signal alarms went off on every ship, alerting every one of them to the huntress's presence. Guns swiveled. Fighters were deployed. Missiles were loaded and armed. There was no going back now.
Palutena's sweet voice echoed in her mind once again…
…trust him…he will keep you safe…
AAAAAND STOP! There we go, I think that'll be enough for now. Onto the author's notes…
Yes, this chapter was extremely gory and dark. (Or at least my attempts at gory and dark) I apologize, but you should know by now that unpredictable things happen when you're Samus Aran. If you've ever played a Metroid game before, you should understand.
Again, I made the Pirate Landing Vessel much bigger on the inside than I made it on the outside. I did that with Samus's gunship, too. Dr. Who-associated problem? Probably.
Just in case you didn't know, EMP stands for Electro-Magnetic Pulse.
Oh, yeah, by the way…apparently I should have been using "Mistress" instead of "Master," being that Samus is a girl. Oh well. Too late to change now.
Starting to notice a trend? How Pit always gets a bit crazy when he kills things? Take a healthy notice of that. I plan to use that later…hehe…
I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Thanks for keeping up with this story, as well as my others! And keep the reviews coming! They make me feel fuzzy!
Check out the monthly poll…yadda yadda yadda…
Peace!
-Mohawkman2233