Metroid: Return to Remnant
Ruby Rose, the youngest bounty hunter in the history of the Galactic Federation, biologically engineered super soldier, and multi time hero of the galaxy. Beyond that, she knew she was not normal. After viewing a message she got from Quiet Robe on planet ZDR, she learns that she may not even be from this dimension. Samus-Metroid-OP-Ruby, Post Metroid: Dread.
Robotic Voice: "Metroid"
Thinking: "Metroid"
Comms: [Metroid]
Texting: "Metroid"
Chozo: {Metroid}
Whispering: *Metroid*
Talking: "Metroid"
Chapter 1: Dread
Planet ZDR, a desolate world, shrouded in an eerie, perpetual twilight. Its surface, scarred by countless craters and ravines, the result of cataclysmic events that had shaken the planet to its core. A sense of foreboding hangs in the air, as if the very planet itself is warning intruders to stay away.
The landscape is a bizarre mix of organic and mechanical elements, as if nature and technology had become entwined in a grotesque dance. Towering, metallic spires pierce the sky, their twisted forms reaching out like skeletal fingers. Beneath them, grotesque flora and fauna thrive, their forms mutated and distorted by the planet's mysterious energies.
Amid a storm above an area of the planet called Hanubia, a lone Mag-Launch elevator pod hurdles toward an imposing flying fortress. Inside sits an armored figure with large black armored pauldrons and armor plates on the legs, feet and right hand; deep red breastplate and helmet; white plating along the abdomen, inner thigh and biceps; black muscle like fibers along the figures sides and wrapping around the arms and legs; neon crimson lights highlighting various areas; and a glowing silver faceplate.
This is the famous Ruby Rose, though known by most as Samus Aren (but that is a story for another time), formerly the youngest Galactic Federation soldier, now youngest Bounty Hunter in the Federation, a three way hybrid super soldier, and multi time hero of the galaxy. The suit she has is a gift from the ancient alien race, The Chozo, that had raised her. A Chozo - GF tech hybrid power suit, modified by dozens of upgrades, that Ruby has dubbed: Cosmic Rose. The suit is psionically linked to Ruby, psionics being another gift given to Ruby by the Chozo.
Ruby has fought for the galaxy for five years now, having originally joined the Federation police at the very young age of 13. Despite being so young, she had completed every test at the top of her class, giving the administration no choice but to let her join. Since then she has saved the galaxy from repeated Space Pirate take over, the galactic wide threat of the energy parasite known as Phazon, exterminated the energy siphoning bio weapons called Metroids, survived being infected by the feared X Virus, and much more.
Now Ruby works to ensure the destruction of the X Virus here on Planet ZDR, and prevent Raven Beak, a Chozo just like the ones that raised her, from attempting to conquer the universe. "Just another day at the office." thought the 18 year old Ruby as the pod she is on docks with Raven Beaks Flying Fortress, Itorash.
As the pod door opens Ruby Ruby stands up and walks down the steps into the docking chamber. Taking note of the wall to her left, she jogs over to the opposite wall where there is an opening above. Using her Space Jump Module, she summersaults up to the control terminal before dropping down on the other side where there is a reload port and door. "For an evil overlord's base, there's not much." Ruby states as she walks into the next room, "I've seen space pirate bathrooms that are more elaborate than this."
The next room was one of the strange 'Save Rooms'. Despite not entirely understanding them, she always used one when she came across them. The 'Save Rooms' were things that Ruby had encountered consistently throughout her journey within the Milky Way Galaxy, the strange Chozo tech's purpose always alluding her.
After the "Save Room", Ruby entered a chamber with a large generator of some kind. Looking around she could also see that there were no other entrances or exits.
"Well, like a wise man once said, 'Don't know where to go? Start blowing things up!" Ruby said out loud.
Crouching into her signature Morph Ball, Ruby charged up energy within herself before unleashing one of her most powerful weapons in her arsenal; The Power Bomb. A devastating thermo-nuclear bomb that instantly vaporises any unshielded or resistant biological creature as well as destroying equipment and materials that other weapons can't normally damage. The room was filled with explosive thermal energy, tearing apart the generator and two sections of the ceiling.
Standing up, Ruby let her suit absorb the usable material from the generator to restock her weapons and energy. She then used her Space Jump to reach the new opening, finding an elevator. "Time to finally end this," Ruby mutters under her breath as she steps onto the anti-grav pad, activating the elevator, and ascending.
Ruby reached the top of the elevator and turned around to see a terminal. As she walks up to it the terminal outlet comes online, opening revealing a large glowing blue plug. Ruby takes her arm cannon, inserting it into the terminal. In response, a female robot voice sounds. "Uploading Data". On the wall facing Ruby, a sphere with numerous large cables connected to it comes to life, causing the surface to ripple, seemingly made of large pixels.
The robotic male voice of Adam, Ruby's AI, echoes through the room. "It appears your Metroid DNA has caused you to become a Metroid." Adam said, the globe on the wall pulsing inward with each word.
"Yah, no shit Sherlock," thought Ruby, "like the fact that I can now absorb the energy from opponents like the damn parasites wasn't enough of a give away."
"Ordinarily, this would have happened immediately after the DNA transplant." Continued Adam, "Your Thoha genes must have slowed down the process. They were the only tribe capable of controlling the Metroids. Though you possess their DNA, you are not a Thoha. Your physical prowess suggests that you must also possess Mawkin DNA. Metroids are programmed to identify Mawkin as enemies. This suggests one thing to me. It is very probable that your metamorphosis occurred as a result of Raven Beak's attack. His presence awakened the Metroid's killer instinct."
Ruby thought about that for a moment, "I guess that makes sense why these powers are only showing up now, but that makes me wonder how my body is not attacking itself if I have Metroid AND Mawkin DNA… ehh, Chozo space magic."
"Since then, your metamorphosis has accelerated. It can no longer be controlled. You are now a Metroid, Ruby Rose. Your very existence poses a grave threat to the galaxy."
Ruby's eyes widened at this. "Now hold on," thought the bounty hunter. "There is no way I'm going to destroy the galaxy that I have saved repeatedly and like hell I'm – " Adam interrupted Ruby's thinking,
"However, there is no need to fear. You can still contribute to galactic peace. You need only use your new powers correctly. You have followed my instructions faithfully so far. Continue to do so. It's that simple."
"OK hold up, this does not sound like you Adam. This is not right," thought Ruby with alarm.
"I consider your performance here on ZDR highly satisfactory. As I hoped, it has even awakened your Metroid powers. I was right to let you live during our first encounter. That one glimpse you showed told me everything. Submit and offer up your power. My plan is the only way to bring order to the galaxy. Fulfill your destiny Ruby. This is an order. Disobedience will not be tolerated."
"Alright, that's enough!" said Ruby, whipping her arm cannon up, the muzzle opening up wider to fire a missile.
The missile hit the Globe, exploding, causing the holo matter that made up the fake terminal room to dissipate, revealing a large circular throne room. The room had two massive Chozo statues on either side of the throne. On the throne was none other than the bird headed Mawkin Chozo himself, Raven Beak.
{You disappoint me…} started Raven Beak, as Ruby had flashbacks to when she was five. Memories of floating in a tube, beeps of a heart monitor, a laboratory, and finally of Raven Beak. {My daughter} finished Raven Beak. "Like hell your my father bird brain," thought Ruby readying herself as Raven Beak stood up and leaped from the throne to land in front of Ruby. Time for the final battle to start.
Immediately Ruby moved forward blasting Raven Beak with her plasma/wide beam combo, narrowly avoiding an area beam attack from Raven Beak. Ruby then jumped up to avoid a swipe, flash shifting behind him and countering with a salvo of ice missiles. "OK, too tough to freeze, noted, but they still pack a punch" thought Ruby as she rolled into her morph ball to avoid an aerial electric shockwave then popping back up to fire a few more missiles.
Raven Beak charges Ruby, attempting to grab her, only for her to counter with a swipe of her cannon. Backing off a bit, he charges up a hyper beam slashing it sideways.
"What! He has the hyper beam?" thought Ruby as she jumped over the beam, landing while firing off a super missile causing Raven Beak to stumble back.
He flash shifts back, away from Ruby and fires off some sort of black orb crackling with purple lightning. Ruby blasts the orb with a few ice missiles destroying it, but gets slammed into by another flash shift from Raven Beak.
"Ow, gonna feel that in the morning" groaned Ruby before dashing to Raven Beak to avoid another area beam.
Ruby attempts to hit Raven Beak with a charged punch with her cannon, but he back hands her and follows up with an uppercut. Ruby counters it and gets in a few more shots before Raven Beak fires another hyper beam, this time swinging in a downward motion. Ruby sidesteps the beam spinning around firing a few ice missiles before jumping over a claw attack. Raven Beak turns around and tries to stomp on Ruby, but she suddenly bursts into rose petals, the cloud of petals splitting in half going around Raven Beak and reforming behind him.
"What's the matter, too fast for you?" asked Ruby, discreetly charging her cannon.
{Insolent child, you would do – Gahh!} Raven Beak was interrupted when Ruby boosted forward, slamming her cannon into his stomach and releasing the charge plasma beam. Unfortunately the blast did little more than shredding the ceremonial cloak. {So be it} said Raven Beak, unleashing his wings.
"What! Wings? No fair!" complained Ruby as Raven Beak took off.
Raven Beak proceeded to fire another hyper beam while in the air, raking it across the ground. Ruby dove out of the way with a flash shift, and shot another salvo of missiles. Flying up Raven Beak then attempts to smash into Ruby, charging into the ground and walls. Ruby uses her ability to shift into petals multiple times, to avoid getting hit.
Raven Beak then charges his arm cannon and starts to fire it like a mini gun, Ruby needing to use space jump to avoid getting hit, somersaulting in midair to avoid the shots. When Ruby landed after the gatling fire stopped, she was suddenly blasted away after Raven Beak fired another hyper beam. Raven Beak tried to charge into Ruby again, with her dodging out of the way.
When ramming her did not work, he tried to fire another hyper beam, but she sidestepped it, charged up her cannon, and shot off one of Raven Beak's wings.
{Grahhh!} growled Raven Beak as he fell to the ground. {Smart, and strategic. I would be proud if not for the fact that you are so infuriatingly disobedient} he said before ripping off the remaining wing.
"Oh shoot! He did that without flinching!" thought Ruby.
Now back on the ground, Raven Beak tried to back hand her. Rolling back Ruby started spamming more missiles.
Raven Beak fired another area beam, forcing Ruby to dive in close. He tries another swipe, hitting Ruby causing her to stumble back. He then charges his cannon again, this time releasing a floating ball of fire or magma.
"That's not good" said Ruby as she fires ice missiles at it but doing nothing. She then drops into her morph ball and releases a power bomb, the thermonuclear energy destroying the orb, but simply washes over Raven Beak's own power armor.
Raven Beak fires a hyper beam right at Ruby, throwing her into the wall and then proceeds to charge at her. Ruby recovers just in time to counter his attack, firing a few more missiles before dodging a hyper beam downward swing.
Raven Beak swipes again at Ruby but misses when she does something that has nothing to do with her suit. She turns into rose petals, a power that Old Bird once called 'Petal Burst' and one that Ruby had naturally, and materializes behind him.
Spinning around, he tries to ax kick her but she dashes under him. Getting fed up, he does a horizontal swipe with the hyper beam across the floor, making Ruby jump back.
Raven Beak goes in for two more swipes with his claw, Ruby countering both and causing him to stumble back and fall to his knee.
"Time to end this," said Ruby, opening her left hand as crimson energy formed around it. Narrowing her eyes she leaps forward to grab Raven Beaks head, but he back hands her away. Before she can recover Raven back Flash Shifts forward and grabs her by her neck.
{Did you truly believe you could defeat me? You overestimate yourself.} said Raven Beak as Ruby struggles to get free, her hand still glowing crimson. Failing that she tries to grab Raven Beak's head, but it is out of reach.
{You no longer serve any purpose. Even your Metroid DNA is no longer necessary. Do you want to know why?} Raven Beak continued Ruby continuing to struggle as she slammed her arm cannon into Raven Beaks arm to no avail.
{It is because I can now clone an army of the most powerful Metroid of all… Ruby Rose,} with that he tightened his grip on Ruby cutting off her airway as she tried reaching for him again.
She tries to shake free "No! I won't let you!" She screamed in her head as she redoubled her efforts.
{No one can stand in my way. Not even you} Ruby started to have flashbacks, of Raven Beak standing triumphant over dead Thoha Chozo, of Quiet Robe, the now dead Thoha that saved her from an E.M.M.I.
{Foolish daughter… Leave the galaxy to me. Close your eyes and rest.} Ruby started to lose consciousness, growing weak from lack of air.
"No," she thought, "I can't give up, not yet, I still… I… still…" her vision started to go black as the crimson energy around her hand faded. Finally her hand dropped and the light in her visor turned off. {Power is everything} was the last thing she heard.
Ruby found herself floating in a dark void. She knew not how, nor when she got there. She just was. It was kind of soothing, just floating there with no care for anything that was happening.
Suddenly the void around her shifted, she saw the image of a woman that looked like her with a white cloak sitting in a chair playing with two little girls. One had dark crimson, on the verge of black, bob cut hair and the other had long bright golden hair.
"The little one… That's me! But how?" thought Ruby, "Is this a memory? Is that my mom?!"
Ruby continues to watch. Soon the woman was tucking the 4 year old Ruby in bed after reading a story that reminded Ruby of the old Earth story of Alice in Wonderland. "Ruby, I am going out on a mission now, I won't be back for a bit. Promise me, promise me that you will always follow the light that is in your soul, fight for what you feel in your heart is right, and protect everything and everyone you care about." the woman said.
Little Ruby looked up at her and said "I promise mommy!" With that the memory faded and Ruby was left floating in the void.
"How can I keep my promise? I can't fight him! He is too strong!" Ruby then heard a voice, the voice of the woman, no her MOM. "Let the light of your soul ignite and burn bright" it said before fading away.
It was followed by a familiar chirping noise, the call of the being that saved her life twice now, first from Bother Brain, then when she was infected by the X virus. The baby metroid. The chirping seemed to push her, urge her to fight on.
Then she heard a voice she did not recognize, one full of sadness, but one that she felt and incredibly strong connection to, one that could not be ignored, "I miss you little sis, I wish I could talk to you at least one more time. Please Ruby, I need you."
At this, something ignited in Ruby, a fire unlike any seen before. "I will find you, whoever you are. And I will keep my promise" Ruby thought as the void shattered into silver light.
Back in the real world, Raven Beak thought himself triumphant. He had finally gotten the most powerful weapon in his possession. He was about to start dragging Ruby away when there suddenly was a flash of crimson and silver light, with the source being Ruby.
"RRAAAAAAA" yelled Ruby as she flexed her hand, sharp claws forming along with the crimson energy. Ruby's eyes shot open as silver light flooded from them, seeming to take the shape of wings. Her helmet also changed, forming to look more like a crimson and silver version of a metroids exoskeleton, along with the rest of her armor and her visor was tinted silver due to the light.
{What… What is this power!} said a shocked Raven Beak. Ruby's eyes locked onto him and she swung her arm, latching onto his face and shattering his helmet. Then, as if a black hole had opened up, all of the energy on the ship started to be siphoned into Ruby's hand as well as Raven Beak's own life energy.
{NOOOO!} screeched the bird headed overlord trying to hit Ruby off of himself with hyper beams. They continued to grapple as the energy of the ship ran out, causing it to fall.
"RRAAAAAAAAAA" Ruby continued to scream as she finally pinned down Raven Beak. At the same time, the ship gained speed, developing a reentry as it picked up velocity until it smashed into the ground.
Ruby got up as if nothing happened and looked around. The ship was gone, nothing more than scrap. She heard the clanking of armor behind her. Spinning around she saw a heavily injured Raven Beak. He limped forward and Ruby quickly raised her arm cannon.
{I… will… Win…} gasped the half dead birdman.
"Yah.. I don't think so." deadpanned Ruby right as she spotted an X behind Raven Beak.
The X flew into Raven Beak who cried out in pain as he began to mutate. He grew larger, and larger until the unforgettable face of Kraid. Then Kraid's head split down the middle and with a blood curdling roar, revealed Raven Beak's head.
"OK, that is just disturbing" said Ruby, taking aim and charging her cannon as Raven Beak X started to lumber forward. After a second she fired, a crimson and silver hyper beam slamming into the abomination holding it back. The beast struggled against the beam, trying to get at the human metroid, but failing. After about 16 seconds, as the beast loomed over Ruby, she let out one last blast, finally killing the monstrosity. It collapsed on the ground, already starting the degenerate back into an X. Ruby immediately incinerated it with another hyper beam.
With that, she heard Adam in her helmet radio. "Quick, get back to the ship! When the cruiser crashed it caused the self-destruct of the planet to start!"
Rolling her eyes, Ruby thought "Really, am I going to need to run off after every final baddy due to a self-destruct?" as she speed boosted forward and shine sparking up into the caverns.
Ruby ran out of the tunnel as she saw her sleek black and crimson Hunter-class Gunship she called Solar Rose. She ran inside and sat in the cockpit chair and was reaching for the control orb when Adam stopped her,
"Don't! You'll drain the ship of its energy!" Ruby's eyes widened at that.
"Oh crap, If I can't touch the controls we can't get off the planet!" She thought in a panic, pulling back her hand looking at it. Hearing something behind her, she spin around raising her cannon. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the dead Thoha, Quiet Robe, standing in front of her, his eyes a glowing white, betraying that he was infected by X.
The next moment was one of surprise as Thoha held his left arm over his chest and bowed his head, much in the same way he did when they first met. He then placed a PDA on the dashboard and looked back at her.
He started to degenerate back into an X viral form and flew into Ruby causing her to shine with light. Much to Ruby's surprise, she felt something unlocked in her mind, a control over herself, her Metroid self, she had not had before. As the light faded, Ruby was back in her normal armor.
Ruby looked down at herself for a moment before remembering the situation and leaped back into the seat. Grabbing the controls she activated the ship's thrusters and took off. Ruby had just made it a safe distance away when the planet exploded in a dazzling display.
Ruby let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in her chair. "Finally," Ruby said, relief plainly evident, "One more mission complete and another time I saved the galaxy. This is really getting old."
"I couldn't agree more," replied Adam.
Ruby sat back in the cockpit chair. "Damn, that was something," Ruby said out loud. By this time she had dispelled her armor, leaving her in a black skin tight suit with dark crimson highlights and a slightly glowing crosshair pattern adorned her back.
"Yes, indeed it was," replied Adam. "I must apologize, Ruby. Near the end of the mission, Raven Beak hijacked the comms. With the minimal connection I had, I could only make sure you got some information you needed. I couldn't–"
"It's OK, Adam" Interrupted Ruby, "You did your best, that is all I can ask for. I nearly gave up at the end, myself."
After a long moment Adam spoke, "Really?" Ruby smiled at this,
"Yes, yes I did. However, something drove me to keep going." Ruby's face downcast, "Something from my past, before the Chozo. A promise, and someone calling for me to come home."
Ruby's hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose as tears started to form, "I just wish I knew where to start looking. I have tried finding my home before, but nothing turned out."
Now it was Adam's turn to comfort Ruby, "I am sure you will find where you came from, and the people there will be happy to have you. Perhaps they may even become proud of the fact that you are the youngest GF Soldier in history, having joined at the age of 10 no less, and over the past eight years became the most accomplished bounty hunter in the galactic federation, and you have saved the galaxy countless times."
Ruby couldn't help but smile at Adam's words, "Heh, thanks Adam. That means a lot."
"Perhaps a change of topic is in order. You still need to send in your report and there is the PDA that you got." Ruby turned to the PDA that Quiet Robe had left on the dash.
"How about you start filling out the report while I take a look at this," said Ruby, "You know the drill, make it detailed enough that they don't make a fuss, but leave out anything that will have the Federation breathing down our necks." as she picked up the tablet.
"Aye Aye, Lady" was Adam's reply. Chuckling Ruby looked at the PDA as it turned on. Adam calling Ruby 'Lady' was a running gag since her Galactic Federation days, when Adam was her commanding officer and, like almost everyone else in the galaxy, only knew her as Samus Aran. At first it was a form of insult and respect for Ruby. Eventually, he would call her that to remind her of who she was outside of the armor and combat, in the hopes of her retaining her decency and identity.
Ruby turned on the tablet, the screen showed Quiet Robe, in his usual garments. "This must have been before I met him." thought Ruby.
{Hello child} came the birdman's voice speaking his native tongue. {If you are watching this, then you have managed to stop Raven Beak and I am dead. I would have preferred that I tell you this in person, but we do not always get what we want, now do we?} Ruby chuckled at that, thinking of all the times things that could have gone better during her journey.
{I am sure you have wondered where you came from. You may have searched, but found nothing.} this caused Ruby to perk up, was this it? Would she finally know her home planet?
{That is for good reason. We did not find you on just any usual federation planet. We found you somewhere far out of reach from the federation} This caused Ruby to deflate a bit. If the Federation could not reach it, there was very little likelihood she could.
{We were researching the quantum fluctuations of a particularly out of reach, but dense nebulae when we found a spot where we were picking up communication chatter coming from seemingly nowhere.}
This had Ruby raising an eyebrow. "What? Communications don't just come out of nowhere. Things like that only happen… when…"
{Yes, quite the anomaly. Further research showed that this was a particular weak point in the fabric of our universe. Being the curious species we are, we decided to try and punch through this weak point and see what was on the other side. We sent a ship through the Gate we built to set up a station to survey what was on the other side. What we found was interesting. We found a lone system in a dimensional pocket. This system had a single habitable planet. We went to set up the station on the planet's moon only to find that half of it was shattered. What could have done it, We do not know.}
A shattered moon? Ruby had seen some weird things, living planets that infect others, two evil clones of herself, but never a shattered moon. But why did that seem familiar?
{Once we had set the base up, we started surveying the surface. What we found was shocking. There was a human civilization and, despite having advanced technologies, had not yet achieved any form of space travel. They called the planet Remnant. We decided to send a covert research party to gather samples on the surface. When the research party landed the came across a gravely injured little girl with crimson hair being attacked by black wulfen like beasts. We came across you.}
Ruby's eyes widened at this. The Chozo had saved her, she knew that, but she had always thought that it was from the aftermath of a colony attack.
{We took you in and nursed you back to health. It was by Raven Beak's orders that we brought you through the gate to undergo the genetic modifications.}
Ruby grew angry with this. Yes, the Chozo had saved her, had given her so much to grow stronger, but Raven Beak had torn her from her family. That bird brained piece of Shit deserved way worse of a fate than he got.
{I understand that you must be angry. You have every right to be. But I now wish to right this wrong. This PDA has the coordinates for the Gate as well as all of the access codes for Observation Post Falcon Sight. The base was abandoned shortly after your discovery. May the winds be swift and at your back Ruby.} and with that, the screen turned off, ending his message.
Ruby did not know what to think. Right there in her hands was the key to her past. Her ticket to her home planet.
"I can go home…" said Ruby out loud, "I can meet the family I lost…" then the doubts came rolling in, "What if they are no longer alive?" she said, hugging her knees, "What if the reason I was found alone being attacked by monsters was because they threw me out and did not love me anymore?"
By this point Ruby's rambling had gotten Adam's attention, "Ruby?" But his question went unheard. "What if they hate me for disappearing for so long? What if-"
"RUBY SAMUS ROSE!" roared Adam over the speakers, finally getting her attention. "You have faced the Space Pirates countless times, exterminated the Metroids and X repeatedly, faced not one, but two terrifying evil versions of yourself, and saved the galaxy too many times to count and you are here rambling in fear about a bunch of WHAT IFs?! Get yourself together! The Ruby I know and respected in life and now is nothing like this!"
Adam's outburst shocked Ruby, yes she had seen Adam in a bad mood, but that was nothing compared to this outrage. "I know you are scared about what will happen, but what is new? You have a chance to see your family for god's sake. Are you just going to let it pass you by or are you going to charge it head on like you always have in the past?"
Ruby did not know what to say, "I… I…"
"Well? What is it?"
Taking a deep breath Ruby looked down for a moment before looking up, tears dripping down her face and mouth turned up in a sad smile. "Yes, just like always… Thank you Adam, I don't know what I would do without you"
"You would probably fly straight into a gas giant." Adam said matter of factly.
"Hey! That was one time!" came Ruby's indignant reply.
"I still had to stop you." was Adam's comeback followed by a "Hmff" from a pouting Ruby.
"Anyway, playing the 'Embarrass the Bounty Hunter' game aside," Ruby said, changing the subject, " Have you finished the report?"
"Yes I have, would you like me to put in a note that you will be unavailable for a while?" ask Adam. Ruby smiled,
"You know me well" and with that Ruby put in the coordinates for the Gate and entered FTL.
The Quantum Nebula, as the Chozo referred to it as, was a place of wonder and trepidation, where time and space merged and folded upon themselves. It was said that the nebula held the secrets of the universe, hidden within its radiant depths. Only the Chozo ever found it, due to its special properties.
Amidst this enigmatic spectacle of celestial beauty, a technological marvel stood in stark contrast. The Chozo Dimensional Gate Ring, an enormous construct of gleaming metal and crystalline structures, encircled a particularly dense area of the Quantum Nebula. It was a testament to the capabilities of the ancient, highly advanced civilization, whose secrets had long been lost to time.
The gate ring was a colossal, circular structure, hundreds of kilometers in diameter, and bristling with intricate machinery and pulsating energy conduits. Its purpose was to harness the quantum energies emanating from the nebula, enabling the creation of a portal—a rift through the fabric of space-time itself.
Ruby's ship exited FTL outside a large nebula debris field near the ring. Large and small asteroids floated amongst the clouds of hydrogen and helium crackling with untapped energy. It was a magnificent sight.
Two things stood out to Ruby. The first was the large metal ring, big enough for a cruiser to fly through. The Dimensional Gate Ring. The other, however, was something that filled Ruby with fear and anger. A light frigate bearing the markings of a specific Space Pirate Commander. Ridley, the draconic alien.
"Shit, Ridley is here and alive!" Said Ruby seeing the dragon fly into the light frigate.
"Ready the ship for combat." yelled Ruby, flicking on a few switches and manifesting her suit. The ship's shields came online, a blue hexagonal patterned cloak covering the Gunship. Hatches on the front opened up to reveal plasma cannons. Across space, the Pirate Ship formed a similar shield and fired its engines, headed straight for the-
"THEY ARE HEADED FOR THE GATE!" Ruby punched forward on the throttle, gunning her ship towards the frigate. Gun turrets rotated to aim at the Solar Rose and began to fire. Ruby flew her ship around the blasts skillfully and unloaded a salvo of plasma against the frigate's shields, causing them to flash.
"Your cannons may be more than enough to easily down smaller fighters Ruby, but it will take time to deplete this thing's shields."
Ruby rolled her eyes, "Thank you Captain Obvious."
"Thats General Obvious, thank you very much"
Ruby circled around the ship avoiding turret fire while bombarding the frigate's shields. She was so absorbed in trying to break it that she did not realize they had reached the Gate.
"Ruby, the Gate has been activated and we are about to pass through it!" Ruby drifted around some more energy bolts to look at the Gate to see the nose of the ship pass through a veil of swirling blue and green.
"NO" yelled Ruby in panic, but it was too late as the frigate and Solar Rose passed through the portal.
On the other side another Gate Ring activated and the two ships came through. Ruby looked around in amazement. Not too far away she saw a moon, a shattered moon orbiting a blue and green planet. Remnant, her home world. She was finally here after 13 years. Then that amazement turned to rage. Ridley was here, and he was going to ruin everything. She would not let him.
Flicking a few more switches and pressing a large yellow button, a new symbol came up on her HUD. "Let me show you why I call this ship Solar Rose," said Ruby, Crescent Rose forming around her.
Under the ship's cockpit, a hatch opened revealing a large Fusion Cannon that started to charge. On her HUD 00% Charged appeared and started to increase.
"Ruby, The tests on the Fusion Cannon aren't finished!" Adam called out in alarm.
"Well, we're skipping to field testing." Ruby growled out.
Ruby took aim at the frigates aft, where the thrusters were, as the cannon charge reached 36%.
"I will not let you ruin my home!" she yelled, just as something clicked into place. With a flash of crimson and silver, Ruby was in her Metroid Armor, this time though, the crimson energy did not manifest around her free hand, instead it wrapped around her arm cannon and started to project into the ship.
Ruby's eyes widened, she was doing to her ship what the infant Metroid had done to her during her battle with Mother Brain, transferring the energy she had absorbed into something else. The charging of the cannon accelerated, going from 45% to 60% to 100%, but it did not stop there. A warning clackson sounded and red lights flashed as the charge increased to 150%, then 200%.
"Ruby! Any more and the ship will blow!" came Adam's voice over the clackson.
"Just a bit more" said Ruby, straining as she forced the rest of the excess energy from her escape of ZDR into the ship making the charge reach 500%. As soon as the last bit of energy left her and the Metroid Armor disappeared, she hit fire. A beam of fusion energy larger and stronger than the Hyper Beam shot from the cannon and slammed into the frigate, shattering its shield and destroying the entire backside of the frigate. However this did not come without a cost. The fusion cannon started to overload, forcing Ruby to eject it as it exploded.
Ruby watched as the frigate plummeted towards the surface, headed to a small dark continent away from all the other larger and more vibrant ones.
"Is it too much to ask that Ridley died from that attack?" asked Ruby.
"With your luck, I would say no." replied Adam.
Ruby sighed before letting Cosmic Rose dematerialise, "Let's go take a look at that Chozo station. Hopefully we can have some good news." Ruby then piloted the ship to the orbital station.
It turned out that the research base was good news. The base still had a functioning power generator and there were auto miners, refineries, and assemblers, so she was able to restock all of her munitions. Now she was in the command center gathering any data the Chozo had on herself and researching the basics of Remnant.
"So they found me on the island that is known as Patch, that must be where my family lives." said Ruby as she read over the Chozo report. "There also seems to be a city or Kingdom as they called it called Vale nearby on the mainland. I might head there first."
Ruby then turned to what she found about the basics of the world. "Dust is the main power source, and it can have different effects. There was a war called the Great War that took place about 80 years ago. The four kingdoms Vale, Atlas, Mistral, and Vacuo and the hunter academies. There are the Creatures of Grimm that Quiet Robe talked about and the huntsmen and women that fight them. My mom must have been one. And finally there is a second race that are called faunus that are part human part animal that have a single animal trait." Ruby said, lingering on the last one, "I may be classified more as a faunus now than human."
Ruby turned to a holo projector to see Adam in his military uniform. "What do you think?" she asked.
"Well, from what I gather this place is definitely a world of bloody evolution that's for sure. Nothing we can't handle. This Dust stuff is interesting, it says that it stops working once it leaves the atmosphere. That's probably why they never got space travel. That along with the Grimm making things difficult." He replied.
Ruby nodded, "Yah, I'm sure I can integrate it into my gear planet side. Well, I am going to prepare to head down. Are you good with staying here and managing the station? Just let me know if there is any trouble." Ruby walked out of the room as Adam responded affirmative. "Time to take a look around." She thought.
Finally! The rewrite of the first chapter is out. I merged the first and second chapters of the previous version. I hope you guys enjoy it and please let me know if you have any suggestions.
Note: The rest of the previous chapters will be deleted soon.
Till next time