Disclaimer: I do not own any of the material appearing in this story. The OC's belong to their respective owners.
A Long Time Ago at K2L…
A young girl walked around the village, letting out a happy hum as she did so. She looked to be about five years old as she had short brown hair with a small ponytail and blue eyes, she was wearing a white T-shirt and some brown pants.
She would notice a blond younger girl running around the village, carefree as can be. "Hey Samus!" The girl would wave at her.
"Hi Chell!" Samus happily waved back. "Do you wanna come play at my house later?"
"Sure!" Chell smiled happily as Samus happily ran off as Chell went back to wandering around the village completely carefree with a spring in her step and smiling the whole way while humming.
It was then that a shadow flew past her as she looked up to see a ship flying over head. "Hmm? Who's that?" She wondered.
"Chell! Lunch!"
Chell turned to the source of the voice. "Coming!" She said as she walked back to her home, but paid attention to the ship as she did so. "Is that ship heading for the mines…?"
A few hours later…
Chell picked up a rock and tossed it across the path, humming to herself when she spotted another ship coming into their atmosphere. "Hmm?" She wondered, tilting her head at the size of the ship… and that's when the alarm sounded.
"Alert! The Space Pirates are here! Alert!"
Chell's eyes widened, paling at what was about to come. She heard the horror stories about these Space Pirates, but she thought they were just urban legend.
…Until today.
Her first instinct was to run as she proceeded to run back to her room while the Space Pirates landed on the ground and proceeded to make things absolutely hellish as Chell would turn her head, seeing a massive Space Pirate flying out.
She had no idea who that was, but he looked dragon-ish… which made her even more terrified as she quickly made it into her home. "Mommy! Daddy!"
"Go to your room and hide! We'll be right there with you!" Her mother said as Chell would quickly go into her room, shutting the door and immediately diving into her closet, closing the door behind her.
Immediately after, she heard stuff crashing from in her home. Stuff smashing into the ground, glass shattering and two voices screaming. Then before she knew it, her bedroom door was kicked open as she would see two Zebesians walk in.
"I could've sworn I've seen a little girl run into this building."
"Eh, there's not much we can do."
"Hey, what do you think we should do when we find the little girl?"
"Lord Ridley wants everyone dead."
"Bah, what if we spared a few girls? We could have them be our slaves… my feet have been killing me lately."
Ew… Chell grimaced in disgust.
"Oooor we could traffick them to a planet Lord Ridley conquered and… let someone else take care of them, if ya know what I mean?"
"…Dude, we're Space Pirates, not animals."
"Then how do you explain Lord Ridley's physique and his… ways?"
"…Touche."
"Exactly. Plus, I've heard one of our men captured a young lady at a different planet and sold her off who knows where… granted, I think she was a prostitute."
"Regardless, we find that little girl… we kill her."
Chell backed away from the door. She had no idea what trafficked and prostitute meant, but it was enough to terrify her. To her, it could be another way to say "kill". Her breathing quickened, trying her best not to cry out in fear as she bumped into a wall.
"Hey, do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"It sounds like… hyperventilating?"
Chell's eyes widened, quickly putting her hand over her mouth to try to silence her breathing.
"…It stopped."
"Meh, I think you're hearing things. Let's get out of here."
"Good ide-… hang on, this closet looks suspicious." One of them said as Chell's eyes widened as she looked around for a way to hide herself, desperately searching for something as the door knob slowly turned.
The door opened. "Aha!" The Zebesian exclaimed… but found just a pile of clothes as he would see a hanger swaying a bit. "Huh?" He tilted his head. "Huh, what do you know… these fools invented swaying hangers. They're a bit of a slob though…"
"Quit messin' around! Let's go. That "girl" you saw isn't here."
"We can try the back door!"
"Forget it."
The two walked off, their footsteps disappearing as Chell's head popped out of the clothes as she crawled out and breathed a sigh of relief. She could hear the sounds of laser fire and people screaming in agony as she slowly walked into the living room where she would see absolute destruction… and would see her parents sprawled across the ground.
What made it worse was that they mutilated them while they were at it. Blood was splattered everywhere as Chell let out a terrified shriek, falling on her butt and looking at the carnage in front of them.
She slowly backed away, quickly going back into her room and tried to block those horrid images out of her head as massive tears rolled down her cheeks, silently sobbing… where she would then hear a terrifying screech. Through her tears, she would look out the window and see a massive monster towering over a girl and roaring at her.
Wait… was that Samus?
"Samus?!" Chell said as she ran out of her home, having closed her eyes from her parent's remains.
"SAMUS, LOOK OUT!"
Chell would watch as Virginia Aran would block the fatal blow meant for Samus. Chell let out another horrified shriek.
"MAMA!" Samus screamed as Ridley roasted Virginia alive before smirking back at Samus… and then his eyes would come into contact with Chell.
Oh no… Chell thought.
"Ah… a straggler." Ridley smirked as Samus would slowly turn her head and saw Chell.
"Ch-Chell!" Samus cried out as Chell stood there in fear, not knowing what to do as Ridley prepared to lunge for the older girl.
…And then the next thing they knew, there was a large fireball in the sky, none of them knowing that Samus's father was the one who blew it up… and the fireball was growing larger rapidly, and then the shockwave was enough to destroy everything around them while Ridley was caught in the fiery explosion as Chell was thrown away from the shockwave, where everything went dark for her.
Several hours later… after the Chozo had picked up Samus…
"Nnngh…" Chell groaned as she slowly got up, rubbing her head as dried blood was on the side of her head. Her whole body ached as she let out a few coughs, and then snapped back into reality. "Wha?!" Chell yelled as she looked around, seeing destruction all around her as nothing remained nor was left standing.
Everything she held dear was gone, and to make matters worse, her best friend was nowhere to be seen.
"Samus? SAMUS!" She called out as she looked around, seeing nothing but blood and carnage everywhere. "SAMUS, WHERE ARE YOU?!" She yelled, hoping that she wasn't incinerated in the blast.
Unfortunately, her fears were kicking into high gear as she knew one thing.
Everything and everyone she loved, including Samus Aran… were gone.
"No… no no no no…" She teared up as she fell on her knees and started crying loudly, covering her face and kept sobbing loudly.
"THOSE GOD FORSAKEN SPACE PIRATES! DO THEY NOT KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF COMPASSION!" A voice yelled as Chell uncovered her face, seeing a man nearby as he was holding a piece of plywood as he would throw it at the sky… only for gravity to bring it back down.
"Rrrgh… YOU COME BACK HERE, YOU COWARDS! I'LL THROTTLE YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS UNTIL THEY BLEED FROM YOUR BROKEN NECKS!"
"Un… Uncle Cave…!"
"Hmm?" The man turned around, seeing the little girl. "Chell?!" He ran over to her, immediately by her side. "Oh thank god you're okay."
"Everything… everything is gone… all of it… my family… my best friend… our homes… all of it! Please… you're the Cave Johnson… work your magic or something… please! Bring everyone back with your awesome uncle powers!" Chell begged, crying hysterically as she was sobbing into his chest.
"Mmm… if only my "awesome uncle powers" had the capacity to do something like this…" Cave mumbled as he pulled out his radio.
There was probably no help coming but it was the best that they could try. "This is Cave Johnson from K2L, come in! I repeat, this is Cave Johnson from K2L! I got a kid with me and we're the only survivors from a gruesome Space Pirate attack, can anyone read me? This is Cave Johnson! HEY!" He yelled but no one answered as he set his radio down, but leaving it on just in case.
"I'm afraid we're on our own, kiddo…" He said, still hugging the hysterical Chell.
About a few days later…
A ship had landed on the groud at K2L, the words "Galactic Federation" was printed on the sides as a young man, around his mid-twenties walked out along with a few soldiers coming out.
"Sir Bradley, are you sure you picked up on a radio transmission here?"
"I have. I'm certain there are survivors here." He said as he walked forward along with the soldiers. None of them had any faith that no one survived the onslaught, but Bradley had a feeling someone would have survived.
The more he searched, the more he was determined to find them. The other soldiers didn't have any faith at all… but they were willing to follow Bradley's lead.
It wasn't until a few hours of searching later is when he found smoke on the horizon. He immediately headed over toward the smoke as he would come across a forest and continued ahead until he saw a fire. There he would see Chell with a blanket wrapped over her, seeming completely depressed while Cave was busy roasting a rabbit on the fire.
"Looks delicious. Mind if we join?"
The two turned their heads, seeing Bradley and his squad behind him. "Well, it's about time you got here." Cave said.
"You look like you've been through hell." Bradley said as he sat down on a log, then noticed a soldier approaching Chell. "She your daughter?"
"More like family friend. I'm good friends with her parents and considering I visit them so often, she calls me uncle." He explained.
"Heh, adorable." He said as the soldier took off her helmet, revealing to be a young woman. "You two, this soldier right here is Caroline. She's also a scientist, but considering she's also a soldier, I wouldn't mess with her." He said as he let out a hearty laugh. "She's also a mother. Her kiddos flew the nest a long time ago… every time she sees a little kid, she just can't help herself."
"Heh… that's charming." Cave chuckled.
"I miss them…" Chell quietly said.
"Shhh, it's okay…" Caroline whispered, holding her close.
"So… those fangled Space Pirates got a hold of you, I presume?"
"Yeah, tore up everything. Bastards blew everything up too." Cave said. "As far as I know, Chell and I are the only survivors… oh, where are my manners? Cave Johnson."
"Bradley." He said, shaking hands with him. "How's about you two come with us? We can get you settled in the Galactic Federation until we find a new home for you."
"The Galactic Federation? Pah! Took your sweet ass time getting here considering humanity in K2L went kaput!"
"Ah, that was because they flew under our radar sadly." Bradley said. "The leader of the Space Pirates is a crafty son of a gun…"
"Welp… now you're here and you've seen the aftermath…"
"Indeed. Which is why I propose we take you under our wing for a spell. Get you back on your feet. Think of it as a way to making it up to you." He said, giving them both a sweet smile.
"Hmph… fine then. Ya know, I thought the Galactic Federation was founded by those Chozo."
"They are. We and the Chozo work together in harmony. Rumor has it that they found another survivor here."
Light returned into Chell's eyes. "What? Who's the survivor?"
"Unfortunately, it is just a rumor. We do not know where they are at. Though I have heard they're at Zebes…"
"So let's go to Zebes then!" Chell said.
"Sorry kiddo, but I think it'd be best not to go chasing a rumor. Wouldn't want to disappoint ourselves." Bradley pointed out.
"Oh… okay…" Chell looked down sadly.
"Lead the way."
About a month later, at the Galactic Federation HQ…
"Hold on a moment, you're doing what?" Cave asked.
"Yes." Caroline nodded. "We're creating a branch in the Galactic Federation that focuses mostly on science."
"Well, that's good to know." Cave nodded.
"However, we're trying to come up with a name for it."
"Hmm…" Cave folded his arms.
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Mmm, just one… but it's kind of a nonsensical name but it was the first thing that popped into my head."
"It's a start. What is it?"
"Aperture Laboratories."
"Oooh… actually, that could work!" Caroline said. "Aperture Laboratories, or we could just call it Aperture Science, whichever you prefer."
"It's the same thing, so it works."
"Indeed. …How is your niece doing?"
"She's doing better. A bit quiet, but she's quite the chatterbox like she used to be."
"Ah, progress. Helps that I have a degree in psychology as well." She smiled. "Now then, considering you came up with the name, you are in charge with Aperture Science."
"Me?! …I didn't see that coming." He mumbled. "We need a team."
"Already have it covered. Bradley stopped by earlier and suggested a branch somewhere off into the galaxy. An uninhabited planet that we can make our base of operations there. I think he called it… VE-122?"
"Hmm… I like the sound of that." Cave nodded. "And you know what? Let's bring the little tyke with us. She could definitely do some sight seeing… considering she's rather bored at this facility."
"Indeed. Let's go get her and… find this uninhabited planet!"
"You know it!" Cave nodded.
Later, in space…
"You're gonna love it, kiddo. It's gonna be great! It'll be our new home." Cave said as he, Caroline and a whole team banded together in a ship, along with Chell.
"Oh cool!" Chell said before looking out into the vacuum of space. She missed her home… she missed K2L and everything she held dear to it. She also missed Samus. That smiling innocent three year old face. She missed her terribly… and she was more than likely dead.
However… there was a small part of her that she could still be very much alive, somewhere far away.
Deep down… she hoped that she would see her best friend again.
In the present, specifically in the Smash Mansion…
"Hey Samus!"
"Hi Chell! Do you want to come over to my house later?"
"Sure!"
A tear ran down through Samus's cheek as she lay in bed and surrounded by Pikachu, Pichu and Newt. "Mmm…" Samus opened her eyes and rubbed her eyes. "…Am I crying?" She wondered as she sat up, looking at the tear in her hand.
Images of her older best friend appeared in her mind as Samus let out a soft sigh.
Why am I thinking about Chell suddenly? It's been years since I've stopped thinking about her… She closed her eyes.
"As far as I'm concerned, she's dead…" Samus mumbled to herself. "I'm the only survivor, after all." She said as she lay back down. Did Ridley trigger something in my subconscious? Why am I suddenly remembering Chell again…
A small tiny bit of her hoped that Chell had survived the explosion… but that tiny bit of hope disappeared almost immediately. As far as she knew, K2L could have become a wasteland after the invasion… and there was no chance of anyone surviving in a wasteland.
Don't be so naive, Samus... no one else could've survived that... Samus thought to herself, closing her eyes again to resume her nap.
Shou Tucker mentioned two other survivors at K2L in his video logs... and here they are!