A/N: Hello! Surprise, surprise, I got another chapter in tis story for you. Thought I'd give a longer one after the "cut scene" chapter from last time. Next chapter... Soon.
RWBY is owned by Viz Media and Metroid is owned by Nintendo
Metroid Prime: Remnant
Chapter 5
Samus's journey quickly came to an end when she stumbled upon a very unnatural and most definitively sealed barricade. She eyed the structure for a moment before activating her Visor's Scan function.
It appeared that the hunk of sheet metal and grating was a patchwork barricade. One which could be easily broken by a concussive blast, like from her Power Beam, if it was operable, or simply yanked off by using her Grapple Beam. Which she did have.
She shot the Grapple out, latching onto a prominent protuberance and yanked back mightily, the biomechanical servos in her suit groaning. The rusted metal of the grating groaned, flexed and finally snapped off of its mounting as she jerked the tethered piece back a second and third time.
She ignored how it bounced of her suit and continued on into the tunnel beyond. Old and rusted though it was, a barricade like that meant people. Hopefully, friendly people.
/ /
A bit past the old barricade confirmed Samus's speculations on there being people here. Or, should she say, had been here. The corpse of the man - no, male - before her certainly confirmed that. It was a thin, shriveled old thing with clear animal features like fangs and claws but otherwise looked human, though the corpse was so coated in dust she couldn't quite tell what the original skin tone was.
It was also covered in webbing, and puncture wounds, according to her Scan.
So she thought. Bugs. Lovely.
And her with no weapons to speak of. Great.
She shook her head at that as she rose from the body while glancing around at the walls, and ceiling. There didn't appear to be any recent activity here, which was good. She turned from the corpse, continuing on.
Where there were he dead, hopefully there would be the living.
/ /
A bit later on she came upon an old mine rig. One armed with some kind of blasting apparatus. It was dead. The Power Core having gone out.
She blinked at that and Scanned the old rig again just to be sure. Yep. She hadn't misread the text on her visor. It had a Power Core, something that her Varia Suit said was compatible with it. Which meant she could finally have a weapon again. Maybe.
Good. She feeling naked out here.
So, she went looking for one.
/ /
It didn't take her long to find another rig. It seemed this tunnel was actually a part of an abandoned series of mining tunnels, the residents having fled some catastrophe. And it wasn't hard to guess what kind.
The new rig had been damaged beyond repair. The heavy treads one side having been ripped away violently by some kind of scything blade and the electronics within gutted by repeated stabs. there was more of that webbing on this one, too.
A little beyond the wreck were several white and black pods. Empty cocoons. She shivered internally at the size of them. Now she was wondering if the mining rigs weren't actually used for mining, but a makeshift defense.
It wasn't that she was afraid of bugs or anything like that. But, having faced a hive or two of Xeno insects or arachnids in the past, she had a healthy sense of respect for the creatures. Also, she didn't have a weapon.
She paused as she was walking by the pods and looked at them again. Black... and White. Hmm. She turned and Scanned the pods. The readings came back saying they were a mixture of insectoid DNA and the unknown creatures she had fought up on the Station.
How was that possible?
She checked the readings and there was no sign of Phazon corruption or mutation. No sign of possession similar to the Ing. Nothing... artificial. Interesting. She didn't know what this meant. She wasn't a scientist like her parents. She was a merc, a Bounty Hunter.
To that end, best to see if she could find that Power Core.
/ /
It wasn't very long before she came upon another Mining Rig. This one was the most damaged by far, for obvious reason. The long dead driver had used the Rig to crush some kind of gigantic hornet or wasp underneath its bulk, but in the process had partially caved in the tunnel around the pair, crushing the cockpit and the heroic driver within.
The bug, her Scans revealed, had some kind of harpoon-style stinger, mandibles and ungues - the barbed tip at the end of an insect's legs - that were sharp enough to shred through most known metals. Moreover, it seemed whatever this thing was, it wasn't even fully grown.
Delightful.
A quick Scan of the vehicle revealed a Grapple-able point at the back - that revealed that the Core had been removed to power another machine. Samus, was starting to get irritated now.
And what was that skittering sound?
She looked up at the ceiling just as more loose bits of dust and rocks came raining down on her. Her eyes widened as her Suit's sensors alerted her to a localized seismic activity. One that was coming her way!
She turned and ran just as the ceiling exploded outwards and some kind of black and white thing came trashing down into the tunnel, hissing like a scalded cat. Samus didn't bother to Scan the creature as she booked it down the tunnel. Whatever it was, it wasn't as fast as her and that was all that mattered. Especially as her suit alerted to more seismic activity, all around her!
She ran down the tunnel, taking the left up ahead as it forked, as more and more of the creatures burst from the walls, running in pursuit of her. She vaulted over the remnants of what looked like some kind of portable generator before dancing around several stacked and ruined crates or barrels as she ran on. As she approached the end of the tunnel she noted the various pipes suddenly running parallel with her and hoped that meant she was on the right path.
When she came up to anther of those barricades she didn't hesitate, Grappling it quickly and snapping it off its mounting before running through, just as a second, larger gate crashed down behind the opening, sealing her in. Right as whatever was behind her launched itself forward to snap at her with a large, beak-like mouth.
She turned to stare at the thing, noting a strange combination of lizard and avian features all rolled into one. Between the various bony protuberances and the twin pair of deep, inset eyes it was clear it was some type of subterranean predator. though, the unique color scheme of white and black with glowing red eyes seemed... unusual for such a predator. They normally tried to camouflage themselves better than that.
Still, it seemed she had survived the gauntlet, as it were, as the creature bashed its armored skull against the heavily reinforced bars of the gate twice more before snarling at her in a strange warbling screech and turned to stamp away angrily. She sighed at that before turning around to inspect the room she now found herself in.
It was a large, oval room with a metal floor and metal reinforced, stone walls. There were numerous stacked crates, barrels, and boxes within he room. Moreover were a trio of the Mining Rigs. One had a large, boring laser affixed to its roof while the other treaded crawlers were designed for transporting large amounts of ore, or men. It, actually looked like it might be some kind of largescale elevator now the she got a better look at the room. There was even what looked like some kind of control console across from her.
She wondered if she could get it operational again.
SSSCCRREEeeeeRRRRHH!
But now wasn't the time for that as her suit told her more of those tremors were headed her way.
She quickly headed to the Rig with the laser and ripped open the locked door, stepping inside. A quick check showed that the machine was still operational, and the key was already in the ignition. She turned it on and hit the first button that she saw light up.
Brrirrrsst!
A red beam of galvanized light shot forth from the laser overhead, superheating the rock and metal before her. Within seconds the wall of stone blew apart as the makeshift adhesives holding it together vaporized, revealing a door. An honest to god door of Federation make!
That alone was a sign of good fortune. The fact that her suit's systems immediately began to connect to the Federation network on the planet only made it better.
She popped back out of the vehicle, noting that all the seismic activity had ceased. She found that curious. Did the creatures flee from the sudden heat and noise? She didn't know, but she wasn't waiting around to find out either as she stalked around to the back of the Rig and Grappled off the hatch covering the Power Core. A quick Scan and decryption later on the built-in interface had the Core being ejected for her to take.
She Scanned the device, a strange swirling mass of energy and mechanical parts in a cylindrical tube, before inserting it into her arm cannon. There was a flash of light followed by a wall of tech across her visor. Then -
Power Beam obtained..
Fire beam rapidly by pressing down on trigger or Charge Shot by holding to build up energy...
Can be used to draw distant energy to you...
Samus smiled at that, happy to have what the soldiers she had trained would call her Old Reliable. The Power Beam might not be all that powerful compared to some of the other Beams she had obtained over the years but it got the job done.
Boosh!
And, speaking of which, it seemed she had a job for it right away.
She turned and readied her newly restored weapon as first one -
Boosh! Boosh! Boosh!
- then another three large, lizard-like creatures burst through the walls of the room.
Samus jumped, backflipping through the air to land on the hood of the Mining Rig as one of the beasts charged at her and she took the opportunity to scan it. the Scan read as follows:
Creature: Creep
Sub-type: Avian-Saurian
Description as decoded in local Federation Intranet: Creeps are highly territorial, armored, subterranean bird-lizards native to the Planet of Remnant. A Sub species of Grimm, they are rarely seen on the surface, preferring the dark of cave and underground aquifers. The same burrowing studs and claws that they use fortraveling through dirt and soil are equally good at tearing into any perceived threat with almost bullish tenacity.
Though, heavily armored, their hides are vulnerable to Beam weaponry.
Additional Data found: These large, subterranean have recently been appearing at all our Dig Sites. We're not sure if its the Locals or our own Activities that are disrupting these beasts, but Commandant Ironwood demands that we continue digging. So Orders are order.
"The Source is below. We must reach it before the Pirates Succeed on their end. Continue Operations in Alpha, Gama, and Sigma Quadrants without delay. Failure, will not be tolerated." - Comm. Ironwood.
Samus paused momentarily at that name, having never heard of the man. But, from that one sentence alone, she could tell that he sounded intense. a man of aspirations. She hoped they hadn't landed his men in the kind of trouble where she would need to bail them out.
She leaped off the Rig then just as one of the four newly named Creeps charged into it, smashing the window and heavily denting the already scarred hood while bowling itself over, firing as she did so. One, two, three, four orbs of golden light struck the Grimm as it struggled to right itself. It gave a keening whine as it thrashed in place, its two legs kicking at the air, before it quieted, a pool of blackish black liquid dripping from its hide before its form eventually scattered in a rising mist.
One down.
Samus landed squarely, braced on her feet, before immediately rolling to one side as a second Creep charged at her. She came up in a kneeling stance and fired as she locked onto the beast. She fired off three shots at it before charging up to land a Charge Shot on a third as it suddenly launched itself at her, bony mouth agape. The Charged Shot blew off the top half of the lizard-bird's skull while knocking it off its feet.
Two down.
Then Samus was up and running after she did a quick forwards roll to gain momentum, dodging to the side as she shot at the second and fourth Creep as a means of distancing herself from them, to not get bottlenecked. Especially as a fifth and sixth Creep tore their way out of the walls then.
The energy projectiles seemed less effective against their armored hides, reminding her of the creatures she fought on the station.
As a means of balancing speed with accuracy, she started bunny-hopping around the central Mining Rig, kiting the Creeps as she charged up her shots before dashing out into the open to fire the semi-homing projectile. The strategy proved effective as first one then another fell to her. She kept up the firing rate as she lopped a few regular projectiles downrange a time or two to keep the closer Creeps from nipping at her heels.
More and more Creeps were breaking through the walls now, a seemingly endless amount, and she had already killed eight by now. But, finally, the tide seemed to slow down and, as she leaped to the roof of one of the other two Rigs from the central one while firing a line of shots at one of the more tenacious Creeps tried to follow after her, she hit something volatile in the engine compartment of the vehicle.
With a cacophonous Fwa-ba-boom! the engine blew, taking five of the surrounding Creeps with it and lighting up the darkened room from the resulting flames.
Then it was s imply a matter of cleaning up the few Creeps left standing. It was rather easy. The concussive force behind that blast, stunning them in place long enough for Samus to riddle one with Power Beam projectiles before charging up to launch a Charge Shot at another. the third and final Creep died as a previously suspended cargo container slid out of its weakening straps and crushed the poor thing as it recovered and made to charge at her.
Samus took a moment to look around for any more threats before sighing with relief as she saw none, especially as the various entry tunnels within the walls had collapsed into themselves by now. And that's when the big one made its entrance, bashing through the reinforced metal gate leading back through the mines, and towards her ship.
Huh. How polite she thought as she made to Scan this newer, bigger Creep. Only to have immediately dodge as it charged towards her rapidly. So rapidly in fact that its great bulk slammed into the destroyed Rig as she launched herself to one side, knocking it away. then it turned to her and let out a loud SSSCCRREEeeeeRRRRHH! before padding after her again.
This time Samus got enough time to Scan the beast.
Creature: Creep, Alpha
Sub-type: Avian-Saurian
Description as decoded in local Federation Intranet: Alpha Creeps are an biological anomaly. By some unknown means these Grimm Grow to truly massive proportions while sprouting all manner of bone spikes. Somehow, these newer, longer growths do not impede the creature's ability to swim through the earth at alarming speed.
Alphas are less likely to be in groups of other Creeps. Alphas prefer charging at their prey on their own over the swarming tactics of their lesser brethren.
Beware their aggression.
Though, heavily armored, their hides are vulnerable to the Charge Beam.
Additional Data found: Their charges are no joke. And the have the bulk to flip a damned hovertank on its side. Also, no matter how much we reinforce a barricade, the damned things will just send one of these ornery bastards to break through again.
"If we could but harness these creatures aggression for our own means think of what good we could do here." Dr. Polendina
Samus didn't like that message, recalling the various Federation facilities that she had to destroy due such... amoral reasoning, before she quickly rolled to one side as the with a hissing squawk the Grimm charged at her suddenly with a surprising turn of speed. She turned around into to dodge once more barely avoiding it in passing as it charged by yet again.
She danced away, backpedaling in an attempted to get some ground as she charged her arm cannon. She got a shot off as it turn once more, hitting it in the side and shattering one of the bigger spikes in the process. Then it was on her.
She tried to dodge to the side but was too slow as it hit her full-on, knocking her down and trampling her underfoot. Her energy bar immediately went from 99% to 69%. She blinked at that as she lay there, dazed, before instinctively rolling to the side as she heard as well as felt the creature thunder by yet again. She rolled to her feet, cannon charging, just into to see it slam head first into the cargo container, and stumble backwards, stunned.
Samus didn't hesitate, firing her Charge Shot at it before doing the same again and again, knocking off more and more spikes with every hit. After the third shot it recover and howled at the sky in rage and challenge. Samus made to fire at it again only to watch as it then leapt into the air, almost reaching the ceiling, seemingly hover there, weightless, before coming down with pinpoint accuracy on her position.
Samus just sprang to the side, avoiding being smashed flat, and felt it as the floor shifted in place as the locks on the brakes in the corners of the room broke, sending them down the elevator shaft. She knew that this was some kind of elevator. She just knew it.
She rose to her feet, charging her gun, as the Alpha Creep howled at her again before charging once more. She got the shot off, only to see it bounce of the beast's hide and realized that she couldn't harm it during a charge.
Well, then she thought as she once more sprang to the side. It's a good thing I can improvise.
The Alpha hissed in rage as it saw her dodge its attack before slamming head first into the cargo container yet again, stunning it. Samus fired another trio of shots, making certain to line them up correctly as the room rocked around her from the velocity in which they were descending. Once more, the projectiles shattered more of the Alpha's armor and flesh.
If this was a Boss Battle in one of those games she used to play with the other recruits she would his health bar was just about depleted, especially as he howled and screeched at her in anger before leaping into the air again. She danced to one side as he crashed down, and continued running in circles as he leapt into the air yet again to do the same thing. With each landing their descent increased, and her aim got worse.
She dodged his ramming charge twice more, hitting him with a projectile both times, before she finally lined him up with the cargo container once more. He slammed into it, actually smashing into and through it before skidding to a stop, lolling in place. She shot him, and then again, and again, and again before he finally let out a keening wail as he crashed onto the ground. Dead.
As she made her way over to the elevator's control system in order to slow it down, she idly noted that unlike the lesser Creeps the Alpha's remains stayed behind. A quick decryption and directive input later and the elevator came to a mercifully slow, if loud landing at the bottom floor.
She looked around, seeing that there was only one exit here, and it was heavily sealed by some kind of door she never seen before. One composed of an unknown, unbreakable element and a series of locks in the shape mythological beasts. There was text on the door, too. Her translator couldn't read it, but she was sure with enough additional samples she'd find out what this one meant.
In the meantime...
A quick ride back up to the top level had her making her way to that Federation style power door. And the discovery that the cargo container held a Power Cell. A quick scan and, yep, Power Cell. She walked through it and could almost feel herself grow stronger as her energy reserves increased exponentially.
With another quick sigh of relief she shot open the blue barrier door and walked through, ready for whatever came next.
A/N: She is most certain not ready for what comes next. But she doesn't know that yet. Anyway, that concludes this chapter. Once again, just thought I'd get another one out to you guys while I could. And what better way, than to have it end on a boss battle?