Chapters Space. I can't believe it. I’m in space. A Pegasus with light blue fur coat and a rainbow mane and tail thought. A few days ago, the Pegasus name Rainbow Dash was ask by Princess Luna if she want to see some that will amaze her. She said yes without a second thought. She was surprise that Luna had something that she called a ship. She explained that during her time in space she discovered many things and secretly built several ships that will take any pony to space. She just finished this one and told Princess Celestia about it. Celestia agreed as long somepony went with the flyer. Luna has chose two of her guards to go with Rainbow Dash. All of Rainbow Dash friends come to see the ship and was just as surprise as Rainbow Dash to hear that she was going to outer space. Rainbow was given a suit to wear.
Luna has told her there no air in space and her body can't last one second in space without the suit. And so here she was, flying in her own ship, in space. Rainbow move her hoof to the side of her helmet and hit a button. Static was heard before Rainbow call in.
"This is Cool Flyer 1, calling Egg-Head 1, come in Egg-Head 1." Rainbow said using her nickname for her friend Twilight.
"Very funny Dash.", Twilight voice spoke through, "Is some wrong?
"No, just I wish you and the others can see what I'm seeing right now." Rainbow said look over the starry night that was every where.
"Ya not bagging again are ya Rainbow?" Applejack voice said next.
"No, I really mean it, you guys will love to see this place. I never thought it was possible something was beyond Celestia sun." Rainbow said again.
"Incoming planet! Scans show to be know as SR388." A voice call out.
Rainbow look and saw an yellow-green planet with clouds moving around it.
"Request to land and search the planet?" the same voice said again.
"Request granted. And do be careful, I never hear of this planet." Luna voice spoke up.
"You got it Princess Luna!", Rainbow said, "We’ll be on that planet to look around and be back in no time!"
"Rainbow Dash, don't forget you hoof cannon. It will help you defend yourself." Luna spoke up again.
Rainbow turn to her right hoof and rise the cannon. It was long and covered most of her upper leg. Luna has told her the Hoof Cannon was an idea she got when she met some strange bird creatures. Some of them had cannon for hoofs and wore a strange armor. After studying about the cannon, Luna made her own to go with the suit Rainbow was now wearing. It can fire short, small but quick magic blasts. It was Rainbow only means of defense and she knew to relies on it then her wings. Sadly the suit covered her wings but Luna made it up for making her suit blue like her.
"Now Rainbow Dash, Please remember, you're just going to look not to mess around." Twilight voice spoke up.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it.", Rainbow said rolling her eyes, "I don't want to go flying until I know it safe, relax Twilight."
"Well after you return make sure to tell us what you fond." Twilight voice said again and the connection was cut off.
Rainbow turn to the controls to ship and said, "This is Rainbow Dash! We going in!"
After landing on the planet, Rainbow and two of Luna's guards walked round the rocky surface and came to a cave.
"Should we look in there real quick? We haven't seen anything out here." Rainbow ask the Guards.
"I don't see why not." The first one said.
"Well just be on guard, who knows what’s in there and if it’s friend or foe." The second said holding up his own hoof cannon. It was smaller the Rainbow's but could fire just as quick.
"Then let's go!" Rainbow said and walk into the cave with the two Knights following her.
After exploring the cave for a while, one of the Knights spoke up.
"There is nothing here, We better back to the ships." He said.
"I have to agree, there’s nothing here at all." His friend agree.
"Yeah! Guess this was a dull...Huh? What was that?" Rainbow started to agree when something jumped out of the shadows.
It was small, standing on four feet. It was red in the top and yellow on the bottom. It look like a toad but had horns on top of it head. It look at the three ponies and sat there.
"What in the name of Luna is that?" The First Knight asked.
"Hm, from Fluttershy’s words, I'll to say it looks like a toad, but toads don't have horns." Rainbow said looking at the creature.
The Three ponies look at some more before they turn to walk out. Just as they did, the toad creature jumped at them and show it teeth. Rainbow was the last one to turn and caught what it was going to do. She raised her hoof Cannon and fired at it. The shot destroy the toad and it started to flicker before turning into a yellow floated goop. The Knights heard Rainbow fire and turn to see the creature.
Rainbow fired more shots as if it was going to attack them, but her shots just went right through it. It spin around for a few seconds before heading to Rainbow Dash. As soon as it touched her, it went in body.
"Lady Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?!" One the Knights ask when he saw what happen.
"Yeah, I feel just...fine." Rainbow answer confused.
"We better get back to Equestria and report this and maybe get you to the hospital just to be safe." The second knight spoke up.
"Yeah let’s get out of here." Rainbow agree.
Some time later, two ships were flying through space, on their way back to their home planet.
"A toad?" Twilight ask over the com.
"Yes, but it was different, when we turned around it tried to jump us and it even had teeth." The Knight said.
"Hm, I heard about those creatures, They are call Hornoads, they aren't friendly creatures. Rainbow did the right thing to attack it." Luna said.
"Rainbow Dash attacked an animal?" Fluttershy voice spoke up scare her friend would do a thing.
"They are dangerous, Lady Fluttershy. They will attack anything in sight." Luna explain.
"Yeah but after that it turned into a strange goop and flew around before entering Rainbow Dash." The Knight continue.
"Is she alright?" Applejack’s voice asked.
"She says she is but has agreed to go to the hospital just to make sure." He answer.
"Rainbow Dash? Agreeing to go the Hospital?" Twilight ask.
"I take it she only goes if she really hurt." The Knight ask.
"Yes, but Rainbow Dash, why did you agree to it?" Twilight ask.
There was no reply. The others found it strange, but Rainbow wasn't giving them a silent treatment. During her trip back, some went wrong. Rainbow started to breath heavily and her eyes started to joint around. Finally her vision fade to black and she drop. Without her being awake at the controls, the ship steer itself off the path and headed for the asteroid belt they were passing by.
"Lady Dash! What wrong?!" A Knight said in his com, but was meet with static.
"What wrong?" Luna ask.
"Rainbow Dash's ship has steer of course and is heading for the asteroid belt! And she’s not answering her com!" The Knight said.
"WHAT!" Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy shouted.
They watch as the ship hit an asteroid and exploded. The Night Guards quickly flew to the wreckages. Hoping Rainbow Dash was alive. They careful looked through the asteroid belt and soon found a blue escape pod floating in space. Inside was Rainbow Dash but she was unconsciousness. They picked her up and send their course right to Ponyville.
The doors of Ponyville Hospital bust open as two unicorn doctors push stretcher carrying the unconscious Pegasus.
They ran into a room and Doctor Stable came running in behind them.
"What do we got?" He ask and then saw Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow Dash has just returned from her trip in space and was attack by an unknown creature. We are going to take the Luna Suit off so we can see what wrong." One of them said.
"She better not be faking this." Doctor Stable said remembering what happen last time.
Soon all of Rainbow Suit was remove but what they saw shock them. In place of Rainbow's body was yellow liquid that move around. Doctor Stable was the first to get everypony to snap them out of it.
"Come on! We got a pony’s life to save!" He said.
The Doctor pull out rubber gloves and mask and started to remove bits of the yellow liquid.
Outside in the doors were Rainbow Dash was, Applejack, Fluttershy and Luna stood waited for the news. Twilight ran off to get a friend who could help. Pinkie, Rarity and Celestia arrived there after hearing the news.
"How is she?" Rarity ask.
"We don't know." Applejack answered.
"What happened?" Pinkie ask next.
"Rainbow Dash and two of my Knights arrived at a Planet call SR388 where they were attack by a creature I came to call the X-Parasites because of their shape. They started to enter Rainbow's body and is slowly killing her." Luna spoke up.
Pinkie and Rarity gasp. Their friend was dying. Celestia then spoke up.
"Where is Twilight?" She ask.
"Twilight went to get Zecora. If anypony knows what to do, it her." Fluttershy answer.
"Yeah! Zecora will fix Rainbow Dash in no time!" Pinkie shouted.
"I do hope so, these X-Parasites had grow in all places of her body." Luna said worry about a Pony life that she just put in danger.
Then Twilight and Zecora ran up to them.
"Twilight! Oh Zecora please tell us you have something to help Rainbow." Rarity said and notice Zecora.
"Don't be abash, I do have something for Rainbow Dash." She said and pull out a vial of green liquid.
"This new disease is quite annoy, so here some cells of a Metroid." Zecora said.
"Metroid?" Everypony ask.
"Zecora told me this vial appear on her front door steps years before coming here and was told to keep it until she need it. She has no clue on what a Metroid is though." Twilight explain and stated that Zecora didn't know what it was.
"Then give it to the doctors, They will give it to her." Celestia said.
"Allow me." Luna said.
"Sister?" Celestia ask surprise.
"It my fault, I shouldn't have told anypony pony about space, now a life is dying and I must help any way I can." Luna said taking the vial in a blue glow.
"Luna, It not your fault at all, you didn't know what was on the planet and send them there to look it over, now that we know what on the planet we can be on a look out for more." Celestia said.
"I know, but I must do this, for Lady Rainbow Dash." Luna said.
"I don't have any more, so make sure it goes to the core." Zecora warn that it was the only one she had.
The Doctors sat down and look at Rainbow Dash. They were able to remove the yellow liquid from Rainbow body but discover that it was also on her central nervous system. They were unable to remove it because they knew Rainbow won't live if they do. They gave her a few minutes before she will die. Doctor Stable was about to leave to tell her friends the bad news when Princess Luna show at the door.
"Princess Luna!", Doctor Stable said and bow, "What are you doing back here?"
He knew it was wrong to question one of the Princesses but he had to know.
"I have something that will save Rainbow Dash." Luna said a hand him the vial.
"What this?" He ask.
"A vaccine. Use it on the core of the parasite that killing Rainbow Dash." Luna answer.
You heard the Princess! Let get this vaccine in Rainbow Dash's central nervous system!" He said and they doctor got back to work.
A few hours later, Everypony sat in the Waiting Room, hoping for good news. Finally, Doctor Stable walk in and saw them.
"Well I good news for you." He said and they all stood up.
"Rainbow Dash will live. The Vaccine destroy all the parasites as soon as we inject it." He said again.
"YEE HAW!" Apple Jack shouted throwing her hat in the air. Fluttershy started to tear up, glad her friend will live. Pinkie jump all over the room shouted, "YAY! RAINBOW GOING TO STAY!" Rarity pull out a tissue and dried her own tears. Twilight sign, she was glad Zecora had a cure for Rainbow Dash. Luna smile happily, she save a life without breaking the royalty rules.
"Can we see her?" Celestia said.
"Yes but the Vaccine also change Rainbow Dash." Doctor Stable said.
"How so?" Twilight ask.
"It better you see for yourself." He answer and lean the group to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow open her eyes to see she was in a hospital bed.
"How did I get here?" Rainbow ask herself.
The last thing she remembered was being attack by a yellow goop and passing out in her ship and nothing after that. But she had a horrible nightmare while she slept though. She was running through a dark corridor as fast as her legs could carry her. Each time the dream ended the same way with her running into herself but instead of seeing irises in her own eyes they were blank, as though soulless, and she was then blasted by it after that she suddenly felt cold. She still remembered her last one and was still shaking a little from it but soon put it behind her after all it was just a dream, right? Rainbow got out of bed and noticed that her hooves looked a little different. Rainbow wasn't sure but her fur coat was lighter blue than her normal color and saw part of her legs had yellow on her.
She looked over and saw a mirror. She saw her whole body was mix of Light blue and Yellow. When she stood up on her back hooves, she saw her belly was also yellow and stop at her chest. Her upper left hoof had some spikes come out of it and her upper right hoof was shape just like her Hoof Cannon from her Luna Suit only a little lighter. Her neck had a few yellow spots as if the light blue color was push back. The only thing that was normal was her head, Mane, and Tail.
She didn't have time to think about it when the door open and her friends and the Princesses came in.
"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked when she saw her.
"Like the new look." Pinkie said happily.
"Oh my, Rainbow Dash what happen to you?" Fluttershy ask.
"This is what I meant when I said the vaccine changed Rainbow Dash." Doctor Stable said.
"Vaccine?" Rainbow ask.
"Yes, Rainbow. You were attack by a creature Luna has come to call the X-Parasite because it was shape like a X." Twilight explain.
"Yes, it was killing you and the doctors did everything they could." Fluttershy said next.
Rainbow’s eyes widen in surprise.
“How am I still alive?" She ask.
"It’s because of the vaccine that was given to you." Doctor Stable answer.
"Yes, The vaccine was found by Zecora, who said it was Metroid DNA." Twilight said.
"What’s a Metroid?" Rainbow Dash ask.
"I don't know." Twilight answer.
Rainbow Dash turned back to the mirror and look at herself.
“Could I be a look alike of a Metroid?” She asked herself.
Luna heard and stood up.
"No Rainbow Dash, we don't know what a Metroid is or what it looks like but, you are no Metroid." She said.
"For now, why don’t you rest?" Doctor Stable said, "The vaccine may have worked, but we need to do some quick tests to see how your body change."
"Ok, might as well." Rainbow said, She was tried. It took all her strength to get out of the bed but she didn't feel any weaker.
Her friends left and Luna stay behind wanted to say a few more words. Doctor Stable allow it and give her five minutes. Luna walk up to Rainbow Dash and sat next to her.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry for what happened on the planet." Luna said.
"Hey! Don't worry about it. I fine now, thanks to the vaccine you and Zecora give me." Rainbow said.
Luna smile and Rainbow smile back.
"After the test are done I like you to live your normal live. Celestia will tell all of Equestria of what happen to you and your new look. In the mean time, I'm going to build another ship for you and it’s going to take some time." Luna said.
"I'm going back to Outer Space?" Rainbow ask.
"There is a station near the Planet SR388 call the PRL station. Once you recover and your new ship is finish I need you to go and check it out. Something is not right there." Luna explain before going deep in thought.
"Ok.", Rainbow said, "I'll do it."
"That good to heard, now rest up and enjoy your days. I do fear I may be sending you to your death and I really hope am not." Luna said as she stood up and walk out of the room.
The now light blue and yellow Pegasus nodded in agreement. She knew what Princess Luna was asking could be bad, but the dare-devil she was she could take on anything. Rainbow yawned and lay in her bed, she had to do some test tomorrow and she needs all the rest she can get. Rainbow fell asleep thinking of what could await her in the next few weeks.
Three weeks have passed and Rainbow has finished her tests. It turns out the vaccine not just gave her Metroid DNA, but it’s abilities as well. Rainbow was a lot stronger and can lift over 3000 tons. She was even faster, when not flying. Her Hoof Cannon stayed on her at all times but didn't change the way she walked. Many Ponies were surprised to see Rainbow Dash new fur coat colors, but like Luna said, Celestia has told them what happened to her and it’s affect by the vaccine that was give to her. Rainbow still hung out with her friends.
After the three week pass, Rainbow was call by Luna to come to the castle. She arrived and saw a ship that was blue and had a green cockpit window and was shaped just like her head!
"That...looks...AWESOME!" Rainbow shouted as she saw it.
"Glad you like it Rainbow Dash, It was built to look like you that way we know you’re coming and don't attack you by mistake." Luna said as she walk up.
"Wow! Nice Thinking Princess!" Rainbow said smiling.
"I was contact you from the ship as your CO. I had a look at your test results. And I think you can get upgrades that will help you." Luna said.
"What upgrades are we talking about?" Rainbow asked.
"We send them when its time, but you do need one more thing before you head off." Luna said and nods to a worker. He leaves and returns with a red helmet that had a blue visor and was Rainbow’s size.
"I fear that the PRL Station may lack air because an explosion happened while you were recovering." Luna said and place it on her head.
The Helmet starts to attach itself to the fur coat and Rainbow saw she could see out of the Blue Visor clearly.
"Wow! This just keeps getting better and better." Rainbow said.
Her voice was little robotic but she still sound like herself.
"Now Rainbow Dash, remember once you reach the PRL Station, you must be careful. I heard that there were some species there that are quite dangerous." Luna told her.
"Yeah, I'll be careful, don't want to kill myself after you just saved me. That would suck." Rainbow joked.
"This is no time to be joking Rainbow Dash." Luna said.
"Ok ok! Sorry, I really will be careful." Rainbow said throwing up her hooves.
"Good, Now aboard your ship, you have a mission to carry out." Luna said.
Rainbow Dash nods and walk up to her ship and was beam in. Rainbow saw there was a spot for her Hoof Cannon and place it in. She heard the engines start up and she move her hoof to the left and the Ship turn as well. Then Luna voice come from the Ship com.
"Remember Rainbow Dash! Complete your mission and come back alive!" She said.
"You got it! Up, Over and...GONE!" Rainbow said and made the ship shoot forward.
It shot out from under the castle and in to sky. It disappeared as it enter space.
"Good Luck Rainbow Dash." Luna whisper quietly.
Rainbow flew across space think on what happen the past few weeks. She came to outer space, land an a planet call SR388, attack by a parasite call X, almost die, give a vaccine with Metroid DNA, spend her live with her friends like always, and now was heading to PRL Station to see what was going on there.
Rainbow had the ship set to auto-pilot, thanks to a book she found. She doesn't like reading (Unless it was Daring Do) but she knew nothing about the ship controls unlike the last one. She even remove her Helmet, she watch to enjoy the view before she made it to the PLR Station. It came into view and Luna voice spoke through the ship com.
"You’ll be reaching the Station soon, Ready yourself for landing." She said. Rainbow put back on the helmet and turn off the autopilot. She steer the ship to the Station and prepare to land. Rainbow made a soft landing and hear Luna voice speak from the ship’s com again.
"Sensors indicate that the explosion originated in the Quarantine Bay. This bay currently stores capsules containing recent samples from SR388 and for some reason samples taken from you during your surgery. The cause of the explosion is currently unclear. Investigate. The Quarantine Bay is here." Luna said and send a map to Rainbow Dash and mark the spot.
Rainbow looked over the map just to make sure before Luna spoke again.
"Move quickly and quietly... You are currently unable to use most of your natural abilities, due to the Fusion Suit restricting you at the moment. Don't forget that, Rainbow Dash. Stop at the Navigation Room on the way. Uplink from there. Is your objective clear?" She asked at the end.
"You got it, Princesses Luna!" Rainbow said ready for action but knew what she met.
"Good. Now, go to the Quarantine Bay." Luna said and the com click off.
Rainbow stepped out of her ship and saw that her visor say she was in the Docking Bay. Rainbow saw an open hatch ahead and raised her Hoof Cannon. After make sure everything was ready to go she ran through it and entered the Main Deck. She walked through the Main Deck and arrived at another room. She saw the stairs were broken into pieces and knew she had to jump up. For some reason the Metroid DNA stop her from Flying when she enter the Station. Rainbow was going to have to ask Luna about it but decide it can wait until she really needs to talk.
She walk through a hallway and enter the Navigation Room and connect with Princess Luna.
"Rainbow, the Quarantine Bay is ahead. Irregular bio-signs are confirmed. Be on guard." Luna warn.
"Bio-Signs?" Rainbow had to ask.
"Because most of the creatures on the station are unknown, we came to call the Bio-Life forms." Luna said.
Rainbow nods and the connection was turn off. Rainbow ran out the door in the other side. She soon found it was darker because the power was cut. She push a button on the side of her helmet and the visor glow given her a night vision.
"Cool." Rainbow said and ran through the room.
She ran through two empty rooms and came to the Quarantine Bay. She saw there were indeed sign of a attack. Broken capsules were just barely hanging from the walls and crates were littered with signs of brute force. Rainbow rise her Hoof Cannon and quietly walk through the room and soon hear something. Pressing her back to a crate, she peeked out and saw a Hornoad! Rainbow knew they weren't friendly and readied herself. Then she heard something land on top of the crate she was on. She looked up and saw the Hornoad. Rainbow jumped away just as it try to land on her. Rainbow fired and watch as it flicker and turn into a X!
Rainbow was surprised and ran out of the room. She didn't want to risk being kill by those things again. She kept running until she made it back to the Navigation Room. There she contact Luna.
"Princess Luna! They're here! The X-Parasites are in here as well!" Rainbow warn her.
"WHAT?!" Luna shouted, "Agh! I should have know. The X-Parasites invade and rapidly reproduce, killing the host creature. They then absorb their victim's DNA and use it to mimic them."
A Picture of the X-Parasites was show to Rainbow and Luna continue, "That what the reports say anyway."
"Man, they could kill me and use my body to do whatever they want. That’s just great!" Rainbow said.
"Thankfully, however, the Metroid vaccine saved your life. The assumption that was made by the research teams was true; Metroids were indeed the main predators of the X, which is why they began to appear again after the Metroids died off, as well as why the vaccine worked so quickly and so well. But it has also changed your cellular makeup."
"Metroids were the one to keep the Parasites in check? And what do you mean my cellular makeup...whatever that is...change?" Rainbow ask.
"There are little about Metroids so I don't have a answer for that, but it appears you can never be infected by X again. In fact, it seems you can now absorb any X parasites that don't have a host simply by touching them. You will be able to restore suit energy and some weapons like this, and it's possible that you might be able to discover new abilities this way as well. You should pursue any free X parasites when you can." Luna explain.
"Wait instead of them killing me, they heal me? AWESOME!" Rainbow said.
"I have more notes on the station. This station is home to many species... Some of them violent. The X must be kept out of the breeding environments at all costs, Rainbow. This is vital." Luna said.
"Right! Where to next?" Rainbow ask now knowing the X-Parasites can't harm her.
"I am detecting massive bio-signs in this region. The X are gathering. This may be our chance to exterminate them, but... You are only at about 10% battle capacity. Your chance of survival against many X is extremely low." Luna said then explain sadly.
"Great, just great." Rainbow said. She really wanted to show those Parasites a thing or two, but hearing the 10% told her she was still to weak to fight that many head on.
"Rainbow, go look around and see if you can lower the amount of X-Parasites, We going to see if anything can be send to help you. Is your objective clear?" Luna said and gave her a small mission.
"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Rainbow said and the contact was turn off.
Rainbow walk out of the room and saw the place started to fill up with X-Parasites. Rainbow absorbed a few Parasites and blasted a few Zombie-like ponies and absorb the Parasites as well. After walking though a few more rooms is come to another Navigation Room. This one had the word call on it and Rainbow answer.
"Rainbow we have something for you. Thanks to those creature that gave me the ideas of the Luna Suits, I am sending you a downloadable data for a missile system. This will be useful against enemies that your current beam can't hurt. Go to the Data Room on the Operations Deck for the download. This will bring your chances of survival up to 20%..."
"Right! And what are Missiles?" Rainbow said then ask.
"You find out when you get them." Luna said and the contact was turn off.
Rainbow shrug and left the room, heading for the Operations Deck for the Missile download.
Back at the Castle, Luna sat down as she being to think.
X-Parasites? On the station? I thought me and Celestia ordered to keep them away from the station? One of them must have free itself from Rainbow samples and attack. It does make sense, but if Rainbow is going to stop them, then I better help in any way I can. We almost lost her once because of my error and I don't want that to happen again.
Luna was brought out of her thoughts when a worker that gave Rainbow Dash her new Helmet walk up.
"Princess Luna." He said and bow.
"Yes Scanner, what is it?" Luna ask.
The worker now know as Scanner stood up and ask, "What do we know about the X-Parasites so far?"
"Given the report from Rainbow Dash, she has said the Parasites are on the PRL Station." Luna said.
"They are there! This is most...shocking." Scanner said but mostly to himself.
"I filled Rainbow up on what they can do and told her is now unaffected by them because of the Metroid vaccine." Luna said.
"Unaffected? So it’s true. Metroid are the only creatures that can stop them." Scanner said in surprise.
"Yes, But please know, The X-Parasites are not creatures to take lightly. They are dangerous and must be stop." Luna said the view of Rainbow dying in her mind place again.
"Of Course." Scanner said and bow before walking away.
She is a fool! We can discover many things about the X-Parasites, if she would let us. They can help stop our enemies! Calm down Scanner, you'll get your chance when it comes, for now just take notes from the hidden camera I placed in that Helmet that Pegasus is wearing. He thought to himself.
Scanner walk in a room and saw his younger brother Work Tool writing notes on the X-Parasites. He turn to see Scanner walk in.
"Ah! Brother, I take it the Princess has been fill up what we know." He ask.
"Yes brother, and how is the research coming?" He said then ask.
"Well, right now they’re mostly take on two forms but I feel there more." Work Tool said. Then he sighed, "Brother, I think Princess Luna right. They are dangerous and I think we better just save the notes to make sure we know what to expect of them in the future."
He agrees with the Princess? He’s so young and foolish. These creatures are our goal to stop all that threaten us, but I guess he can continue to help me, for now. Scanner thought.
"Why don't you take a break? Let me take over." He said.
"Sure, There are a few things Luna what me to build for Rainbow Dash." Work Tool said.
"By the way, how is it that Rainbow Dash can not get infected by the Parasites again?" He asked turning back to his brother.
"Turn out, that we were right. Rainbow Dash's Metroid DNA stops the Parasites making her unaffected by them." He answer.
"I see." Work Tool said.
"Anything else?" Scanner ask.
"No, that was all. You will fill me up later right?" Work Tool said.
"Yes, See you later little brother." Scanner said and went back to look at the screen.
Work Tool walk down the hall and thought to himself, I know you are lying Brother, But I'll let you study the Parasites for now, but if it get out of hoof I will tell the princess.
Back at the Station, though, Rainbow stepped off the elevator she was on and saw the level zero grey door. She fired at it and it open. Stepping through it, she saw a door across from her with two more and a walkway above it, a ramp allowing for easy access between the three. After checking her map, Rainbow ran as fast as she could up the ramp. She passed by the Navigation Room and into the Data Room. Going over to the machine in the middle of it, he stood on the raised platform and allowed the machine to hook up to his suit. A slight glow then covered her suit as it downloaded the data, the missile launcher appearing on the suit's left arm.
Rainbow stepped out of the machine and watched as the top part of her Hoof Cannon opened and saw a missile inside. Rainbow aimed her cannon at the door and fired the missile. Rainbow stood and watched as it hit the door and explode. Then her visor told her she had ten missiles left. Knowing to use them wisely Rainbow left the Data Room and back into Navigation Room, when is sudden got dark.
"What the..?" Rainbow said and saw the call on the screen. She answered it and soon Luna’s voice came in.
"Electrical interference has knocked out the elevators on the Main Deck. This may be related to the X. I'll look into it. As for you, try to find an alternate way to the target. It's located here." Luna said and mark the map.
"Right! I'm on my way." Rainbow said.
"Rainbow Dash, I am reading massive bio-signs, so I hope your missile launcher works… To reload missiles, you can use a Recharge Room or possibly absorb a special type of X parasite. Try it out, and Keep an eye out for Health pick ups and more Missiles. They will help you get through tougher area later. Good Luck." Luna said again and the connection was turn off.
"Well better look around." Rainbow said and left the room.
She reentered the Operations Deck and began to look around. She found a crack in the wall. She raised her cannon and brought out the missile launcher and test-fired one at the covering. The missile shot out and hit the target, breaking it into several pieces. Looking at where it had been, Rainbow found a maintenance corridor.
"Cool! Hidden passages like from Daring Do." Rainbow said excitedly and jumped in.
As Rainbow notice, the corridor led her into the inner workings of part of the station, allowing her to bypass a broken set of cables that blocked the direct way. Along the way, she saw a few zombies, fond a missile pack, but nothing too severe until she was at the door that led to the target, which was covered by a large eye. Scanning it, she found that it occasionally fired bursts of energy, but was vulnerable when its real eye opened.
Rainbow jumped over the shots and fire when the real eye show. It took three hits before it turned into a Red X, and once she absorbs it, refilled her completely!
"Wow! Got to keep an eye out for those ones." Rainbow said and blast open the door.
When Rainbow walk in she could feel that the X-Parasites were close. After climb up two walls Rainbow spotted a small tank that had a 'E' on it. Rainbow’s scans show it to be an Energy Tank. She grab it and felt her suit shield increase. Rainbow said that she was right above the target but before dropping down, she notices another crack in the wall. Firing a Missile, Rainbow fond another hidden passage. Jumping up it, she walk down the path and found another E-Tank. Her shield rise again and she went back through passage.
Seeing nothing else was there, she drop down and enter the room below. She landed and looked up to see a large X surrounded by a membrane and some smaller X. It slowly drifted to the ground, then suddenly took on the form of a creature with an armored back!
It roar and send two blue waves at her. Rainbow jumped and fire her shots, but they boucle off it. Rainbow then switch to her Missiles and they did the trick. It blew out fire and Rainbow jump over it.
"Is that thing part Dragon?" Rainbow asked herself as she landed.
She fire more missiles and watch as the creature curl into a ball and roll right at her! Rainbow jump over and landed just as the creature hit the wall.
"Ha! You're too slow!" Rainbow tease it and waited until it turn around.
It did and Rainbow fire more Missiles and the creature kept shooting blue waves and fire. The fight went like this for a while but it didn't take long for the X to melt back into its original shape. Its protective membrane kept Rainbow from absorbing it, however, and the blaster only caused smaller X to break off from it. Switching to missiles, Rainbow broke through the outer membrane, leaving the X defenseless. Jumping up, she absorbed it before it could get away.
Once Rainbow landed on the ground her suit gave her alert and she check it.
"Morph Ball Ability Recovered. Use to fit in tight places." It said.
Rainbow saw there was a file with it and opened it. It told her it make her curl up into a ball and indeed fit in tight places. After closing it she saw the only way out, was through a hole that was too small for her to crawl. She activated the Morph Ball and found that the suit turned her into a ball without hurting her! She rolled through and, once on the other side, she turned back to normal.
"Heh, That was cool." She said before turn around to find a way out.
She follow the path she was in back out to the way she enter and ran back to the Navigation Room. Once she was there she contacted Luna.
"Princess Luna I took care of the X-Parasites." Rainbow said.
"That’s good but we have a problem." Luna said.
"A problem? What problem?" Rainbow ask.
"The breeding environments have been invaded by X parasites! Sector 1 (SRX) shows several abnormalities on biosensors. Sector 1 is a simulation of the SR388 ecosystem. To get there, take the Main Elevator to the access shaft and use Elevator 1. Is your objective clear?" Luna explain.
"Yeah I better get there fast!" Rainbow said in shock.
"Use the Navigation Room inside for further briefing. I'm not sure, but I believe that whoever allowed the X into the environment may also be linked to the explosion earlier…" Luna said and the line went dead.
Rainbow followed her map back through the dark rooms and use the Morph Ball to roll under a piece of the low ceiling and found the Main elevator. Wasting no time, she boarded it and it went down.
Just as soon as she disappear down the elevator, an explosion erupted from the wall next to the elevator. When the dust and debris settled, a figure stepped out of the hole. It walked over to where the elevator had been as a nearby security camera took note of its features. It was blue, with wings, had a rainbow Mane and tail, and a cloud with a Rainbow Thunderbolt with the colors Red, Yellow, and Blue. Even though it also had a horn, it was clear that it was a pegasus! It look up at the camera and it did a close up on it. It had eerie eyes that had no irises or pupils.
A Blue glow appeared on it horn and fire at the camera. The camera was destroy and it turned to the door and fire a strong blast at it. After the smoke cleared, it step through the broken door and disappeared into the darkness...
Rainbow ride down the elevator was turn in a surprise as she felt the whole thing shake. She look up and ask herself. "What was that?"
Before notices she reach the end. As soon as it stop, a whirr nose was heard and Rainbow watch as it grow darker.
"Well that odd." she said before turn to see numbers on the wall and the number one was growing.
"Guess that means it this way." Rainbow said and fire open the buster doors and rode the next elevator down. She reach the Navigation Room and contact Luna.
"Luna, Some strange is going on here." She said.
"Yes I agree.", Luna said, "The Main Elevator in the access shaft has been severely damaged. It will be totally unusable for some time, unfortunately. Some unknown agent is at work. Something very powerful... Certainly not a Pony of any kind."
"Yeah I think we already know about that." Rainbow said.
"I'll report when I know more. Now, listen closely, the X in Sector 1 have invaded the atmospheric stabilizers. They must want to alter the environment to suit their needs. They are already reproducing. Clear all 5 atmospheric stabilizers to stop them." Luna said giving her a new mission.
"Right, I get them working again. You can count on me." Rainbow said.
"Rainbow, the next time you use a Navigation Room, I may not answer. I may be your CO but I still have to take care of Equestria. Plus I have let your Friends know where you been. They are getting worry." Luna said again.
"Ok, thanks Princess Luna." Rainbow said and the contact was turn off.
Rainbow left the room and started to head to the first room that had a few Zombie-like-ponies and pair of lock hatches. Knowing she couldn't open them she move on to the next room and saw the X using a new form, But Rainbow took them out pretty quick and move on.
Walking through the hatch, the room Rainbow entered definitely simulated the surface of SR388, save for the strange clouds floating around and a red, blaring alarm in the distance. Working her way around some rocks, Rainbow found the atmospheric stabilizer, which was covered by a green, gelatinous kind of X. Three missiles were enough to break it down into a smaller green X, which Rainbow quickly absorb to pick up a few missiles. The alarm stopped blaring as the strange clouds disappeared, the area returning to normal.
"Well one down four to go." Rainbow said and left the room.
Rainbow enter a room that was fill with Hornoads and started to fire and absorb the Parasites that was left behind. During her shooting, she discover a small passage and use the Morph Ball to go under it. Inside was another E-Tank, that made her suit shields stronger. She travel thought two more rooms and saw two Parasites fusion together to make a Changeling!
"WHAT? Who stores Changelings DNA here? When I talk to Luna again, I ask her." Rainbow said as she took care of the Changelings-X. Unlike the real Changelings the were only able to copy magic spells that was useless against her Hoof Cannon. After dealing with them, she walk though two more rooms and enter a room that was like the last one.
She found the second atmospheric stabilizer, and destroy it. Once more the room return to normal and Rainbow smile. Rainbow travel through another room before entering one that was like the last one. She climb up the walls and fond the third atmospheric stabilizer. She took care of it and the room return to normal. Rainbow started to move back the way she came and saw a door she miss went looking for the atmospheric stabilizer. She went up to it and open it. After taking out a few X-Parasites, She pick up a missile pack that made her hold even more missiles.
Rainbow travel thought a few more rooms and soon came to the Eye she seen last time. After three missiles, it was destroy and she enter the door, picking up the red X on the way. Once inside Rainbow notices that this room was in a ok position and a statue sat in the counter. It look like some kind of bird and in it claws was a ball that look like it was offering to her.
"What is that?" Rainbow said as she walk near it.
Her visor scan it and she got something, "Chozo Statue - The ancient bird people of Zebes are immortalized in the form of these partially sentient statues. By firing on the balls held by many of these statues, you'll reveal special items." it said.
"They just give them to me? Well that nice." Rainbow said and fire at the ball. It turn into a blur shear then turn into Core-X!
Rainbow quickly fire her missiles but watch as they boucle off it, not even damaging the outer shell at all! It counter by shooting a Red beam at her. Rainbow was knock away and hit a wall. Her suit energy drop but she still had lots lefts. Rainbow stood up and saw that it had an eye. She dodge the red beam and fire a missile. It did the trick, the Core-X record from the hit and Rainbow smile.
"Oh yeah! Now we're talking!" Rainbow said and waited for the eye to show it again.
After dodging the red beams and counter with her missiles, three times, the outer shell broke and Rainbow absorb the X and heard her suit give her an update.
"Charge Beam Recovered. Charge your cannon to fire stronger shots and if you jump when charging, you can use a Pseudo-Spin Attack." She read.
"Well, this might come in handy." Rainbow said and walk out of the room.
Rainbow went through a few rooms before coming to another are that was the same as the last two, She saw the atmospheric stabilizer and use her new Charge Beam to deal with it. She ran though some more rooms and arrive at the last room and look for the atmospheric stabilizer. Once she found it, she destroy it and sign.
"That was the last of them. Better head back to the Navigation Room." Rainbow said.
Rainbow ran back thought the rooms and stop at the Recharge Room, to refill her shields and Missiles. She enter the Navigation Room and contact Equestria.
"This is Rainbow Dash calling Equestria. Does any pony read?" She said.
"Ah! Rainbow Dash, it nice to hear you. My name is Scanner. Princess Luna has be call to a meeting with her sister and she may not be back for a while." Said a male voice.
"Well, I clear the Sector, What next?" Rainbow ask.
"From Luna orders, The atmospheric stabilizers are online. But many X have already made it to other sectors, it seems. In particular... Sector 2 (TRO), the tropical habitat, shows abnormalities. I suspect the X entered this sector with the help of our unseen saboteur. He, she, or it may be in TRO now. Rainbow, get over there. We need to put a stop to this. Start moving. I'll brief you at the TRO Navigation Room." He said repeating her orders.
"Right! Thanks Scanner." Rainbow said and the contact was turn off.
Rainbow rode the elevator up and began to think,
As I listen to this new pony voice, My mind turn to Luna. She felt like that she made a mistake by sending me to space. I'm sure Celestia has already help her get over it. But she was more kind to me after my near-death back at SR388. I trust her, but can I trust this Scanner pony...?
At the top, she jump off and headed for Sector 2 elevator and rode down.
Back at the castle, Luna walk into the throne room and saw her sister as well as the rest of the Mane 6. Luna walk up and waited for Celestia to speak.
"Luna, The others have grow worry about Rainbow Dash after you call her here. They would like to know what you're doing." She said.
"Very well sister, I have send Rainbow Dash on a mission to the station know as PRL Station. Some thing was wrong and I need somepony to check it, and Rainbow agree to go." Luna said.
"What kind of Mission are ya taking about?" Applejack ask.
"At first it was just to investigate what happen, but Rainbow reports that the X-Parasites are on board as well." Luna said.
"WHAT?!" Pinkie shouted in surprise.
"But didn't those parasites nearly kill Rainbow Dash?!" Applejack ask in surprise as well.
"Yes, but the vaccine didn't just change Rainbow Dash, it made her unaffected to them." Luna explain.
"WHAT?!" Pinkie shouted again.
"Now when even Rainbow Dash is touch by a X-Parasite, they heal her instead of kill her." Luna said again.
"WHA-?!" Pinkie was going to shout again, but Applejack cover her mouth with her hoof.
"Let me get this straight, Rainbow Dash is unaffected by them?" Applejack said.
"Rainbow agree to do a mission?" Rarity ask next.
"And there are X-Parasites on board?" Twilight ask third.
Luna nods and Celestia spoke up.
"How is she doing?" She ask.
"She should be done with Sector 1 by now. I left Scanner in charge of the CO until I can help her again." Luna said.
"Scanner? Luna you do know that he the only one that wants to study the Parasites that almost kill Rainbow Dash." Celestia said.
"Yes, I will let him study them, but I believe it best if they were destroy so no pony would be hurt by them and I'm sure Rainbow Dash would agree." Luna said.
Then a knock was heard on the doors. That surprise everypony, barely any pony knocks on the doors in the castle.
"Come in." Luna said and the door open to see Work Tool step in.
"Ah! Work Tool, what can I help you with?" Luna ask.
"I just learn that Rainbow Dash got a new upgrade. It a charge shot." He said.
"A Charge shot? Hm...I heard about those. What else?" Luna said then ask.
"Well, I also been looking in to these Metroids creatures but so far noting yet, but I know there something about them." Work Tool said thinking.
Luna nods and waited for more.
"Just one more thing, I don't really trust my brother." He said.
"Why?" Twilight ask.
"He up to something but I don't know what.", Work Tool said, "that all I have other then the next upgrade is ready for her."
"Very well, I well be down there soon." Luna said.
Work Tool bow and took his leave.
"What do you think, Luna? Should you really trust Scanner?" Celestia ask.
"I don't trust him, but as long as he doesn't disobey my orders, I let him stay...for now." Luna said before turning back to them
"I must return to helping Rainbow Dash, call me if anything happens or it time to rise the moon." Luna said and took her leave.
After she left Apple Jack remove her hoof from Pinkie's mouth and Pinkie spoke up.
"So Rainbow can now use the Parasites to heal her?" She ask.
The other just shook their heads at Pinkie question, while Celestia watch her sister walk away.
"I do hope your doing the right thing Luna." She said quietly.
Rainbow arrive at the Sector 2 Navigation Room and was contact as she as she got in. Scanner voice come in, telling Rainbow that Luna was still not back.
"I have learned the identity of our mystery saboteur…" He said.
"Really? Who is it?" Rainbow ask.
"Rainbow, it's an X mimicking you. I have named it the RD-X." He said
An image taken from a security camera appeared on the screen, Rainbow Dash was struck speechless as she stared at the figure in the image. It looked exactly like her, except its eyes had no pupils or irises.
"I believe the RD-X came from the capsule containing the samples that were removed from you during your surgery. It used a Sonic RainBoom Attack to escape from its holding in the Quarantine Bay. That uncontrolled attack impacted and breached the capsules containing all the X that started this disaster." He said again.
"GRR! How dare they use my move! Were is it?! I going to show it a thing or two!" Rainbow shouted.
"No, you will not. The RD-X is definitely our biggest worry right now. It is mimicking you at almost the same power as when you and your friends use the Elements of Harmony. You can't face it as you are. If you see the RD-X, you must try to escape. Don't even think about fighting…" Scanner voice told her.
"Grah! What do you mean is should run?!" Rainbow ask.
"You are very vulnerable to cold, an unexpected side-effect of the Metroid vaccine. Like Metroids, you can be frozen by an Ice Beam. The horn that the RD-X has happens to be an Ice Beam spell. Stay away. If you see it, run." Scanner said.
"Wait! I'm vulnerable to cold? When was this found?" Rainbow ask.
"Just a few minutes ago by my Brother Work Tool. He will be send you upgrades as you go though." He said.
Rainbow was quiet for while. She has notices that when she got near some snow clouds, she felt very cold, even on a hot day. After that, until they could figure out why, they kept Snow clouds away from her.
"My brother says he have Bomb data ready in the Data Room. Bombs will help you find a way out if you get trapped. The Data Room is here, but… It's sealed by a Level 1 hatch. You'll have to find the Security Room and release the Level 1 locks. But per safety protocols, it's not marked on the map. You'll have to find it on your own, Rainbow. So first locate the Security Room and release the locks, then go to the Data Room to get that Bomb data. And keep an eye out for the RD-X." Scanner said bring her out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, yeah, Let Princess Luna know when she get back." Rainbow said and the contraction was turn off.
Rainbow went thought some rooms picking up more E-Tanks and Missile packs as she fond them. The X had even new forms but a few missiles took them out. Rainbow reach a blue door and guess it was one of the security doors. She look up to see some vines growing and fire a missile. There was another door.
"Well, found my way in." Rainbow said and climb to the door and open it.
She walk though the door and drop into the Security Room. Rainbow uncurl and walk up to the blue screen and place her Hoof Cannon in the slot. She grow a bit before hearing, "SECURITY LEVEL 1 UNLOCKED. BLUE HATCHES NOW ACTIVE." Rainbow left the room and check her map. The Data Room was a bit far, but she knew she could make it. She ran back thought the rooms taking out X-Parasites as she did. She reach another room fill with vines everywhere and check her map. She saw that the Data Room was above her.
Rainbow climb up and saw a blue door ahead. She ran up to it and open it. She step inside and went to the Data machine. She grow once more and heard, "Bombs Data downloaded. To use Bombs, go to Morph Ball and place bombs on cracks that Missiles can't destroy.
"Cool, I guess." Rainbow said, though she like to use her missiles, but knew Bombs will help her.
As soon as Rainbow left the room, a explosion was hear from the floor below. Rainbow wasn't sure, but it sound like hoof steps was heard below. After they fade away, Rainbow ran back to the hatch below and saw that it was beyond repair. Signing, she had to find another way. She come to wall that block her off. She use a few Missiles but noting broke off.
"Hope these bombs actually do what they say." Rainbow said and went to Morph ball and place a Bomb.
Instead of part of the wall breaking off, the floor did instead. Rainbow drop down and uncurl. She check her map and saw that it was a unmapped territory. Rainbow smile.
"Guess I been exploring after all." She said and went back to the more ball.
After rolling a bit Rainbow travel though some more rooms and come to another eye. It after three missiles, it was turn back into a red X and rainbow grab it before entering the door.
Rainbow drop down into the room and saw once more X-Parasites flying around before reforming in a long purple creature with one eye. Rainbow fire at it but her shots boucle off. She switch to missile but, they too boucle off.
"What this thing made of? Really hard steel?" Rainbow ask.
It jump in the air and open it mouth. Rainbow try firing a few missile in it mouth and work, but she was unable to get out from underneath it. It land on and began to drain her energy away.
"HUH, GROSS! LET GO OF ME!" Rainbow shouted and went to morph ball mode and place a few bombs that made the creature spit her out.
Rainbow landed a bit far from it and look over herself. Luckily the Metroid DNA may the slime ran off her pretty quick, but Rainbow still mad.
"You sir have a really bad eating problem." Rainbow said and wait for it to jump again.
Sure enough it did and Rainbow fire missiles inside it. She even made sure she got out from under it. Rainbow notices that the more damage it takes, the shorter it gets, also the faster it gets. After giving it a few more Missiles it turn back to it Core-X shape and Rainbow attack that. She absorb the Parasites that come from it to refill her missiles, mostly. After deliver three missile to the Core-X, it broke and she absorb it. Then her suit gave another upgrade note.
"High Jump Boots ability recover. Allows you to jump higher and gives morph ball jumping ability." It said.
Rainbow turn and saw the ledge close by was too high to reach during the fight, but Rainbow knew she could make it now. Rainbow look at her lower hooves and saw that some of the fur open up as if they were grills. Rainbow shrugs and jump up the ledge. She climb up second ledge and began to look for away back to the Navigation Room.
Once she enter the room she saw frozen creature about everywhere. She saw more and follow the trail. Soon she came to another hatch that was also destroy. Laying a few bombs around, Rainbow found the hole and drop in the room she ben in before. She landed on the ground...and froze.
Rainbow could feel something inside her was warning her that they trouble ahead and she didn't want to be part of it. Rainbow creep to the hole she made earlier and peek down. That went she saw it, The X-Parasite that look just like her, The RD-X. She saw that it even a horn, making fall under a Alicorn instead of a Pegasus. Rainbow pull her head back up and stood there, breathless. Then a sound of the blast was heard and hoof-steps retreating. Rainbow waited for a few minutes until she was sure it was gone.
"I never thought I be so scare of...well, myself." Rainbow said as she stood up. She wasn't afraid anything, but the X-Parasite that took in her form did.
She drop down and ran back to the Navigation Room. Once there she contact Equestria and Luna answer this time.
"Rainbow Dash, Scanner has fill me up on what happen. Is it true? Did a X-Parasite take your form?" Luna said then ask.
"Yeah, I had a befit ran in with it, It look just like me, cutie mark and all! It could rival Changelings, which by the way, their DNA is store here too." Rainbow answer.
"I see. Rainbow stay away from the RD-X, and Changeling DNA? That not possible unless there was one on the station." Luna said.
"Scanner told me that the RD-X just as powerful as me and my friends when we use the Elements of Harmony and it has a horn so it more of an Alicorn then an Pegasus." Rainbow report next.
"Thank you, I must fill up Celestia about this, you in the mean time need to head to the next Sector. Releasing the security lock may have been a bad idea. The RD-X has invaded the water environment in Sector 4 (AQA) with several thousand X. With the blue hatches active, the RD-X slipped in easily. The creatures and systems in Sector 4 are already showing multiple irregularities. I'm currently investigating. I'll brief you at the Navigation Room when you arrive." Luna said and the link was cut.
Rainbow ran back to the elevator and rode up. Along the way she thought about the RD-X.
The RD-X. An enemy with my best abilities, possibly even the Elements abilities. But it probably doesn't have a reason. It's just some killing machine. As I am now, I can't face it. The RD-X is me, only heartless. I've got to stop it before it learns what it's capable of and threatens my home and this universe…
Rainbow rode the elevator down to Sector 4 when it came to a halt and she enter the Navigation Room. She contact Equestria and the map was downloaded in her suit. Rainbow saw that this sector was bigger then the others she been in show far. She also had a feeling that it was fill with water.
I hope this Metroid DNA is water-poof. We know little to none about them. That if I have to go under. Rainbow thought before Scanner voice spoke.
"This sector has taken more damage than expected… I knew the X were powerful and destructive, but still… This seems to be purposeful. We certainly can't rule out the possibility that the RD-X has a high degree of intelligence. I find the X fascinating, especially this RD-X." He said sounding please.
"HEY PAL!", Rainbow shouted, "These things are no more than body snatches! And were Luna?!"
"Luna went to report to Celestia about what you fond, But I digress. This sector is home to a very large creature the researchers called Serris. It is capable of moving and attacking at ultra-high speed. The more senseless and widespread destruction here may be attributable to Serris. No doubt the RD-X released it, but I can't be sure why yet." Scanner said after answering Rainbow question.
"Ultra-High Speeds?! That fast enough to do a Sonic RainBoom, at lese twice!" Rainbow shouted in shock.
"Serris has returned often to the breeding tank here. Its natural behavior must be to go back to it periodically. It's a valuable specimen, but you have been authorized to terminate it. If you don't, it may attempt to invade other sectors. Is you objective clear?" Scanner reported to her.
"Yeah, yeah, Man a creature that can move as fast as me or higher? I got a feeling this is going to be a tough battle." Rainbow answer and said to herself.
"Good. And while you're moving, be careful. Some broken power nodes have electrified the water, but we can't cut the power. Doing so would affect the whole station adversely. If you touch the water, you'll be electrocuted." Scanner then warn her.
Rainbow sign, "Yeah, yeah. I know what'll happen if you mix water and electricity and go near it."
Then Scanner added, "You'll have to conserve energy as you go."
After the contact was cut, Rainbow left the room and fond a room fill with water and heard a sound of cracking. She look in it and her eyes widen.
Whoa! Scanner wasn't kidding! One step in that like a normal pony that can't use magic or fly...I don't even what to think about it! Rainbow thought and look away from it.
Rainbow saw that a few pieces of a broken bridge that made a makeshift bridge for her and even a few X-Parasites where on them. Rainbow decided scan them for notes later on. She took them down with a few missiles and absorbs them before taking another shape. She felt the less there are, the safer the sector will be.
She cross the electrify water and enter in to the Pump Control Unit Room, but it was badly damage. Checking her map, Rainbow jump over to the next tank and went though the door. She saw that the X now took on a shape a strange fish and try to attack her. Because she was underwater, she couldn't move very fast and was hit a few time before Rainbow fire a missile. She climb up taking out a few X-Parasites along the way, and came to the door. She enter it and found that it was block off.
"Great! Got to find another way." She said and pick up the E-Tank before leaving.
Rainbow travel back down and reenter the Pump Control Unit Room. She drop down pass a few tanks and enter a door that had a room that was filled with electrify water. There was no makeshift bridge for her this time.
"Ah great! Now how am I going to get across?" Rainbow ask herself.
She turn her visor to the Scan Visor and saw that there was weak ceiling above her. After getting rid of the X-Parasite that block her way, she climb up and place a bomb in the air next to the ceiling. The bomb blew and Rainbow fond some step hanging off the wall. IT look like they could be grab on to.
"I really need to talk to Luna about why I suddenly can't fly." Rainbow said seeing that she could get pass this quicker by flying, but the Metroid DNA was still not letting her fly unlike back at Equestria.
Rainbow climb over the room and jump to the next room. She climb up the ladders and took out a few X-Parasites along the way. She open another door and enter a computer room that was destroyed by the RD-X attack. She scan the room and found that there was a weak wall and fire a missile at it. She saw that it was the size of her morph ball and went in to it. She hit another wall and place a bomb down. It blew and the wall was removed.
Rainbow roll out and turn back to normal. She enter the door and saw a really big tank. She climb up the ladder and look down in the tank. She was surprised to see a skeleton, presumably Serris', sitting on the bottom of the tank.
"Huh, that's weird. Though I guess that explains why there was no eyeball guard on the door. But if that's the real Serris, then where's the X that infected it?" She ask herself.
Rainbow drop in the tank and walk to the other side. She climb out and enter the door back to the room where she fond the E-Tank. She climb up and enter a tank with water and found the eyeball guard.
"Yep! It in there all right, Just got to remove you and take care of that Serris." Rainbow said.
She charge up her Hoof cannon so she can save her Missile for the fight ahead. She was under water and still had trouble dodging it attacks, but the charge shot did the trick and Rainbow step in the room.
She climb out of the water and on to a floating platform. Rainbow started to walk across when the room shook. Parts of the platform broke and something very fast hit Rainbow before she could turn around. Rainbow fell into the water and was able see something move but it was moving too fast.
Rainbow jump back on the platform and waited for the creature to appear. She turn to see a giant dark grey snake-like creature jump out of the water.
Guess that the Serris. Something tells me that it really a X-Parasite that took the form. Rainbow thought and fire a charge shot.
Rainbow saw after hitting it, it move at the ultra speed that it hit her with before. She jump up and it pass under her, But she didn't see it coming from behind and was knock down. She fell on to the platform and stood up only to get hit again. Rainbow was knock into the water again and saw that the Serris has gone back to normal speed. Climbing out of the water, Rainbow charge her Hoof Cannon and fire when the Serris jump put of the water.
This time Rainbow was ready for the attacks. She jump up to dodge and drop back down to dodge again. During all that she recharge her cannon and fire again. Rainbow dodge and use one last charge shot to make the Serris turn in a Core-X. Rainbow fire her missiles and pick up X-Parasites to refill her suit energy shields. She saw that it now was taking long to break open the shell, as it took six missiles instead of three. Once the shell was gone, Rainbow absorb the X and her suit update her with another upgrade.
"Speed Boost Ability Recover, Run until speed breaks. Crouch while ran to store up the energy and use the Shinespark to fly up or across. Can damage any emery with the Speed Boost." It said.
Rainbow look down at her wings and saw they started to flap on their own. They went like that for a few seconds and lay still.
"Cool! I hope I can move faster than now. I mean the speed I got from the Metroid DNA is great and all, But I can't wait to test this out!" Rainbow said and then left the room.
Luckily Rainbow did get to try it out. She jump over a lower wall and started to run. As she did, her wings flap and started to go faster, until what sound like a Sonic RainBoom was heard. It didn't leave a rainbow ring behind but it did make Rainbow glow and move very fast on her hooves. She was able to crouch to store the energy and drop down. She was jump to jump a little and use the Speed Boost again, tearing down the wall and destroying the X-Parasite Host bodies.
Once Rainbow reach the end, she hit off it and didn't feel a thing. She smile and look to she her wings slowing down.
"That was AWESOME!", Rainbow shouted, "It no Sonic RainBoom, but it will do."
Rainbow ran again until she broke part of the floor in fond her way back into the Pump Control Unit. Using her Speed Boost, she broke the wall and fond the controls. She lower the water and saw the wines that made the water dangerous. Now that there was no water near them Rainbow explore the lower areas and fond a Missile pack before head back to the Navigation Room.
"Well it done! I even got some of my speed back...ok a lot of my speed back." Rainbow report.
"So Serris had been infected by the X as well… Well, as a result, you recovered your super speed thanks to a new suit ability. At this rate, you may be able to face the RD-X yet… But that's still a ways off." Scanner said not hearing Rainbow report.
"Hey Scanner pony! I just report that! And how you know that the Serris was affected by the X?" Rainbow said then ask.
"My brother has sent more support data. This time it's Missile upgrade data. You desperately need this, but the Data Room here is sealed with a Level 4 lock, the highest security level. Let's avoid opening sensitive areas unless it's absolutely necessary. As for Sector 2, the Data Room is blocked by still more RD-X activity. I note a deliberate pattern, as if it knows you're trying to recover and is attempting to block it intentionally." Scanner said again still not hearing Rainbow.
"The Main elevator is still out, so can't head there." Rainbow added shaking her head.
"Rainbow, it looks like your best option for this download is in Sector 3 (PYR). You will find the PYR Data Room on your map after using the Navigation Room there. So get to Sector 3 as soon as you can." Scanner said and the connection was cut off.
Rainbow ran to the Sector 4 elevator and rode up it. At the top, she open the door and started to head for Sector 3. Because of the Speed Boost, Rainbow made it to the Sector 3 elevator in ten second flat (as she would say) and rode down it.
Scanner sign as the connection was turn off. He didn't think about what he said. Still he was able to hide that fact that he could see Rainbow from the hidden camera. Work Tool was busy get the missile upgrade to the Station and look up to see his brother.
I don't like this, what ever you are up to brother, please don't forget that Equestria will be in danger if those Parasites come here, and I don't think they will be timed like the ones around here. He thought.
The doors open and Luna as well as Celestia and the rest of the Mane 6 enter the room. Work Tool bow as they walk up.
"Report." Luna said.
"Scanner had Rainbow Dash take out the Serris and she recover her super speed and I just send an upgrade for her missiles." He reported.
"The Serris? Guess the X-Parasite got it to." Luna said.
"It gone now, so we don't have to worry about it anymore." Work Tool said.
Luna nods and Twilight spoke up.
"Did Rainbow Dash ran into the RD-X again?" She ask.
Luna told them about the X-Parasite that took Rainbow form and was very powerful. She and Scanner order her to run if she ever ran into it.
"So far, no." Work Tool answer.
The other sign and Luna lead Celestia over to Scanner.
"Ah! Princess Luna and Celestia." He said and bow.
"Where is Rainbow Dash heading now?" Luna ask.
"To Sector 3 to pick up the Missile upgrade. Sector 4 Data has a level four lock and I think it best to avoid opening it until it really needed. Sector 2 Data room has been block off by the parasites, It truly amazing, They seem to know that Rainbow is trying to recover and trying to stop her." Scanner said.
Luna rise an eyebrow and look at Scanner.
"I'm sorry Princess, but every new thing I find about the X-Parasites just make me really happy." He said.
Then out of nowwhere Pinkie jump up.
"Really! Then you should throw a party about everything you fond about them!" She said happily.
"Wait! Metroids do WHAT?!" Twilight shouted getting everypony to look over to her.
"What is the matter, Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia ask as she walk up.
"Work Tool just found some notes about the Metroids and we just read that when a Metroid latch on to their prey the absorb their life force!" Twilight answer.
"Dose that mean, Rainbow can drain others life force too?" Rarity ask.
"I don't think so. I said to her and I'll say it to all of you. Rainbow Dash is no Metroid." Luna said.
"Princess Luna!", Scanner call out, "Rainbow Dash is in Sector 3 now."
"I must return to help Rainbow Dash, hopefully we can stop the X-Parasites before it too late." Luna said and took her seat as the CO for Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow enter the Navigation Room and Luna answer this time.
"Rainbow! Scanner fill me up on what happen, Good job. And I look over the map and thankfully, the X have not yet invaded this area yet… The Data Room here is sealed by another security hatch." Luna said.
"And I have to get to the security room and unlock it, right?" Rainbow ask for she knew that what she had to do.
"Yes. This may allow the RD-X and X parasites into the area… But we are left with no choice. Your recovery is our main goal." Luna said and the map was mark.
"The Data Room is located here. As explain, Security Rooms can't be shown on the map. Be careful, Rainbow. You will see some very violent organisms here. And avoid the ultra-heated areas; your suit can't take such high temperatures yet, but we're working on it. There are no ultra-heated areas on this route, so turn back immediately if you enter one. First activate the green Level 2 hatches. Then proceed to the Data Room for download. Super Missile data is ready. Your firepower will triple." Luna explain.
"Right and by the way did you know that I can't be in cold area ether?" Rainbow said then ask.
"No I did not." Luna answer.
"Scanner told me that Metroid weakness is cold areas. Sadly the faker me has a horn that cast a Ice beam spell." Rainbow said.
"The last part I remember, but the first is some thing I'll talk to Work Tool about." Luna said.
"Work Tool?" Rainbow ask.
"There no time right now, you have a mission to take care of." Luna said and the connection was turn off.
"Well, she right." Rainbow said to herself and left the room.
Thanks to the Speed Boost, Rainbow ran though a wall when she jump and blast away more walls as her Speed Boost active and once she open another door is enter a room that was filled with sand. She rebuild up her speed and come to a green hatch blaster door. Rainbow scan around the walls as soon fond a crack. Using her charge shot and a bomb, Rainbow made her way in the security room and place her Hoof cannon in the slot. The level 2 security was unlock, but now that means the X-Parasites could now get in.
"Better get to that Data Room before they try to stop me." Rainbow said and ran out the room.
Rainbow use her Speed Boost to leave the room as the X-Parasites flew in. Rainbow absorb one or two of them before exiting the room. She blast the Parasites again as she ran. She open the door and crouch to have the Shinespark store up. She climb up and Speed Boost to a X that was a long creature and reach out to bite her, but the Speed Boost turn it back into the X-Parasites.
Rainbow fell though a broken floor and rise the gate before getting her Speed Boost ready again. She enter another room fill with sand and a few X-Parasites. She drop thought another broken floor and enter to a room that had the same type of creatures as she saw before and scan it for future use. She climb up the wall and enter another door and another room fill with sand. She bomb the wall and roll though some pipes and pick up a missile pack on the way and use a few bombs to reach the green hatch door.
She open it and ran though two rooms and enter the Data Room. She step on the machine and her suit glow for a while. Then she saw the update.
"Super Missiles Downloaded. These Missiles are more powerful than your normal ones." She read.
Rainbow smile and started to leave when the room started to shake! Rainbow ran out and back though the rooms and soon saw the way she come in was block!
"Grrr! I'm starting to hate back tacking." Rainbow said and turn around.
She drop down a hole and stop at a Recharge Room to fill herself up and find another missile pack. She return to the room leading to the Data Room when something bust out of it! Rainbow jump up and grab the ceiling as it rush at her. It stop and threw a junk ball that didn't even reach Rainbow. Rainbow was going to ask why it did that when something in her told her to move down the ceiling and attack the six leg creature.
It jump and miss Rainbow but landed on the junk ball and two towers of fire come out!
"WHOA!" Rainbow shouted and started to move away and fire her new Super Missiles at the creature.
The Fire towers went under her and disappear. Rainbow notices every time the fire towers were gone, it shot out another Junk Ball and more fire towers appear. As the fight went on Rainbow notices that it had a brain inside of it, literally!
"Oh gross!" Rainbow gaged.
It started to stumbled away. Rainbow drop down and follow it. Then it jump to the ceiling to escape. Rainbow ran back as a few pieces of the ceiling land on the ground, miss her. After it stop, Rainbow look up.
"Well Better follow it. I can't go back the way I came so might as well." Rainbow said and began to climb after it.
At the top Rainbow went thought the door and though a few room with X-Parasites in it, but her Super Missiles made quick work of them. Soon Rainbow found herself back in the room she knew and climb back up to the Navigation Room. Once there she connected with Luna.
"Luna I got the Super Missiles and I run into a six-legged creature that attack me." Rainbow reported.
"I see that you encountered a rogue Security Robot. You may destroy it if you meet it again. Your safety is vital. But as to your brief… Level 2 security locks are released, so Sectors 5 and 6 are open. That means those sectors have likely been infiltrated by X. They are much harder to stop than we initially suspected…" Luna said stop there.
"Yeah! They're getting strong even time I do." Rainbow agree.
After a moment of silence, Luna continue, "Sector 5 (ARC) is sub-zero. You're still susceptible to cold from the vaccine's side-effects, so you'll take damage if you even set foot inside there. Avoid Sector 5 for now, but in the meantime, Work Tool is working on data to adjust your suit for extreme temperatures. Once we have the transmission, you can download it, but… The X have destroyed all the Data Rooms you have used so far. I no longer doubt their capacity for critical thought."
"What about Sector 6? I could get it from there." Rainbow ask.
Luna voice came back in but sounds more happy.
"Yes! There's a Data Room in Sector 6 (NOC) that you can make the download from. Go to Sector 6 and access the Navigation Room there. Tread lightly, Rainbow. You are the only one who can do this. And the X may be much more dangerous than we know…" Luna said and the contact was turn off.
Scanner heard what Luna told Rainbow Dash and began to think it himself.
Does Rainbow suspect anything? No, I do not think so. Not even Luna knows what I doing. Still I must be careful. Don't want my work to be discover and ruin.
After that he walk back to his room to write downs some more notes about the X-Parasites.
Work Tool was trying to find out more about the Metroids and saw his brother leave.
"Is something wrong, Work Tool?" Twilight ask.
"I don't know, but lets finish looking for more stuff about the Metroids." He said and return to his work with Twilight.
Rainbow ride stop and she enter the Navigation Room and contact Luna. She got the map for the area and waited for Luna to speak.
"The Varia Suit data is here from Work Tool, ready to download. Get moving to the Data Room, but be alert. X from the sub-zero sector ARC are in Sector 6 (NOC), and they…" Luna stop and Rainbow didn't like the sound of that.
"They what? What is it?" She ask almost afraid to find out the answer.
"They've been changed by the cold. If you absorb one, you'll be frozen from within. This seems like a deliberate tactic. Once you download the Varia Suit modification, you'll be out of danger. Just be extremely careful until then." Luna said and a blue X-parasites was showed to Rainbow.
Rainbow look at them for a bit longer before Luna spoke up again.
"The NOC Data Room is here. Remember, avoid the blue X. You should be able to use your beam to stun them. Be careful, as they are hunting you actively now, Rainbow… And this area is very dark. Proceed with extreme caution." She said and the contact was cut.
Rainbow stood there, making sure she won't forget about the Blue X-Parasites. She left the room and came to the dark Rooms pretty quickly. Rainbow even spotted a blue X-Parasite and shot at it as it try to get absorb by her. It was stun and Rainbow ran pass it. She ran into more, but stun them before they could try to get absorb.
Rainbow was doing great until she reach the door to the next area, when a Blue parasite came from nowhere and got absorb. Rainbow stop dead in her tracks. She felt her body freeze on the inside and struggle to stay on her hooves. She rise her Hoof Cannon and open the open, Then as quickly as her body will let her, she ran though the door.
Once on the other side, Rainbow sat down with her back against the wall. She remove her helmet and took deep breaths. Rainbow wasn't going deny it. She was really scare now. The RD-X scare her when she first saw and now for the first time in her life, she was scare of being frozen. Rainbow sat down for a few more minutes for her body to warn back up. Once it did, she place her Helmet on and continue to search for the Data Room.
Rainbow enter another room fill with small creatures that took a normal shot to turn back into X-Parasites. After clearing the room, Rainbow use her morph ball to travel though a tight place a found a E-tank. Seeing that she had to going down again she place bombs around and soon for a tunnel. Rainbow went though it and came to a room with was block off.
Rainbow scan the wall and saw it was made out of Bendezium, which none of her weapons could destroy. Then Rainbow felt a familiar presence approaching from behind her and was well as the same fear. She went into morph ball and place a bomb down and drop down as the doors open behind her.
The RD-X step in the room and Rainbow could hear its eerie hoof-steps. It stop at the same wall Rainbow was and look around, then for the first time Rainbow heard it spoke, "I know your here, Pegasus. There no use hiding."
Rainbow could tell that is spoke in her voice. Then a sound of flapping fill the air. Turn out RD-X was flying in the same spot building up speed. Then Rainbow hear a loud 'BOOM' and knew what happen. It just did a Sonic RainBoom! By flying in place! The Rainbow ring destroy the wall and most of the floor but, Rainbow found a part that didn't break off and roll under there. After the ring fade away, The RD-X look over the area.
"You got luckily this time, I will find you!" it said and walk away.
Rainbow remain in her spot until she sure it was gone. She roll out and uncurl. She once again remove her helmet and started to take deep breaths to clam herself. After recover from the short encounter, Rainbow place her Helmet back on and drop down to the room below. Rainbow travel though a few room before enter a room that lead to the Data room, but once she climb over the wall she saw a Red Eye!
"NO! I can't let it get that Varia suit!" Rainbow shouted and waited for the real eye to show.
She fire her Super Missiles at and it was taking down quickly. Rainbow run into the room thinking that the X-Parasite beat her to it already. Turns out she was right. The Core-X was in the Data machine taking the Varia Suit. Rainbow fire her missiles at it hoping to stop it but it destroy the machine and flew off.
"Hey!, I didn't almost freeze to death just to lose what I came down here for! GET OVER HERE, YOU UGLY BLOB!" Rainbow shouted and ran after it.
Following the Core-X into the nearby room, Rainbow found that it had become much bigger and had surrounded itself with a ring of smaller X! Rainbow dodge it charges and fire her Super Missiles at it but saw they had no affect. She was guessing that the Varia Suit was protecting it and switch to her charge shot, It work. The fight was pretty quick since the only attack the X had been using the whole time, which was a charge attack. After getting rid of the smaller X's, it turn back into the normal Core-X shape and Rainbow switch back to missiles.
The Super Missiles made quick work of it and Rainbow jump up and grab the X-Parasite. She land and hear her suit give an update.
"Varia Suit effect recovered! Can survive extreme temperatures." It said.
Then a glow appear around Rainbow Dash and she close her eyes. When it fade, she open her eyes and look at her hooves. The once light blue-yellow suit was gone. In their place was a green-yellow and purple suit, which Rainbow guess was the Varia Suit.
"Hope this works and this new color seems ok." Rainbow said and left the room.
Once Rainbow exit the room she spotted another Blue Parasite and it flew at her. But Rainbow didn't move, it touch her and was absorbed. Unlike last time, Rainbow didn't freeze up and felt some of her suit energy be refill.
"Huh, that is cool ." Rainbow punned.
She started to travel back to the Navigation Room and watch as the Blue Parasite now flew away from her. Rainbow couldn't help but to laugh. The Metroid Weakness she had was gone and now she no longer fears of being frozen. As she travel though, she found more E-Tanks and Missile packs and every time she saw a Blue X she ether absorb it and let it flee. Once she reach the Navigation Room, she contact Luna.
"Luna, This is Rainbow Dash. I got the Varia Suit, but an X-parasite download it first." Rainbow report.
"How did the X download the Varia Suit data? This doesn't seem to make any sense at all, unless the X…" Luna started to say before stopping.
"Unless what?" Rainbow ask, like Luna she too was learning more and more about the X-Parasites.
"Unless the X have the ability to process data organically… At any rate, you have the Varia Suit data. Now you will be protected from extreme temperatures. More importantly, the RD-X will no longer be able to freeze you, so you can escape easier." Luna said after a while.
"Aw Yeah! It in trouble now! Oh by the way I ran into it again but was able to hide before it saw me." Rainbow said and the line was quiet.
"Hey, Princess Luna are you ok?" Rainbow ask hoping the Princess was alright.
"Yes, I'm fine, just shock. Even with the Varia Suit, you're still too weak. That thing is too much for you now. Scans indicate that it has somehow improved its defenses, despite not appearing any different. If it really has increased its defenses, then you currently have no way of damaging it. But my simulations indicate that a penetrating weapon like a Plasma Beam might work." Luna said.
"Plasma Beam? What's that?" Rainbow ask.
"You'll see once it ready, but that going to take some time. There's also a chance that you may be able to upgrade your beam to a Plasma Beam by absorbing a large Core-X, as you did with the Charge Beam function. Although I doubt you will be able to receive an Ice Beam function…" Luna said and stop.
"Wait, why can't I get an Ice Beam like the RD-X? I can't be frozen any more." Rainbow ask.
"True, but that's to protect your suit from damage caused by temperatures. Your current cellular makeup would likely reject such an addition. However, Work Tool has developed an Ice Missile upgrade. This will add a freezing effect to your Missiles. It will help. Go to Sector 5 (ARC) for the download." Luna said after explaining why Rainbow could use an ice beam weapon.
"Alright, I understand. See you in the next Navigation Room." Rainbow said and the line was cut.
Rainbow rode up the elevator thinking about the RD-X. It didn't just look like her, it sound like her too. She also guessing that it made the Sonic RainBoom because of the added power of the Elements it has. Still Rainbow knew she still had to be careful around it. She ran to the Sector 5 elevator and rode down it.
Luna lean back as she went over Rainbow report. She was surprise that the X-Parasites could do a thing like take the Varia Suit from the Data Room. She turn over Work Tool and knew he was working on the new upgrade for Rainbow. She only hope that it will help her stop the X-Parasites and the RD-X.
"Luna what wrong?" Celestia ask as she step up.
"I just got a report from Rainbow Dash." She said and the rest Mane 6 ran up to here the report.
"The X-Parasites got the Varia suit before she did." She said.
WHAT?!" The rest Mane 6 shouted.
"She also had another run in with the RD-X, but she was able to hide before it spot her." Luna added.
The others sigh as Rainbow was able to hide herself before the RD-X spotted her.
"And the Varia Suit?" Twilight ask.
"She got it, now the Metroid weakness is gone until the Varia feature is remove." Luna answer.
"So what now?" Fluttershy ask.
"I having Rainbow Dash head to Sector 5 to pick up the upgrades for her Missiles. They will help her greatly." Luna said.
Celestia nods and said, "I notice that you are more worry about Rainbow Dash then the station."
"Yes, The Station is useless now. The X-Parasites have taking over and all creatures in board is now an X-Parasite." Luna said.
"You are also afraid of losing Rainbow Dash." Celestia added.
"You can always read me well, sister. Yes I'm afraid that Rainbow Dash will not make it, but I'm giving her hope that she will come through." Luna admitted.
Celestia sat next to her sister and said, "Let all of us give Rainbow hope for her mission."
"Yeah! Rainbow not alone when her friends are cheering her on." Pinkie cheer happily.
"Pinkie right, no matter how far Rainbow Dash is, we are always with her." Apple Jack agree.
"Yes while Rainbow can be quiet a bash at time, she knows that she never alone." Rarity added.
"Well, I do hope Rainbow will stop the parasites unlike how she try to stop the one here." Fluttershy said meekly.
"Pinkie was able to take care of those Fluttershy, We need to find away how we can stop them beside getting Metroid DNA for everypony in Equestria." Twilight said.
Luna heard a beep and saw that Rainbow Dash was calling.
"Rainbow Dash is at the Sector, I must fill her up on where to go." She said.
Rainbow rode down the elevator and enter Sector 5 Navigation Room and call Luna.
"Rainbow glad you made ,You need to download the data for the Ice Missile upgrade, but…"Luna said but Rainbow cut her off.
"Let me guess. The Data Room is secured by a Level 3 lock." She said since she open two locks before hoof.
"Yes. Level 3 security hatches are yellow. You know what to do. Go to it. And experiment with those new Missiles. They will be helpful…" Luna said.
"Yeah! I got a feeling they will help." Rainbow agree.
"Rainbow Dash." Luna voice come again.
"Yeah?" Rainbow ask.
"Thanks for given me hope." She said.
Rainbow didn't know what Luna met, but smile and said, "No problem. That who I am." and the connection was cut.
Rainbow walk out to a room with ladders and saw that the door leaning to the next room was a yellow hatch. She scan some of the walls and found a crack piece and blast it with a missile. She climb though it and found a grey hatch. She open it and step into a room that was full with glass and small X-Parasites. Rainbow climb though the room and found another grey hatch and walk through it.
Rainbow step a the room fill with ice and she look around.
"Wow! It sure is cold in here, good thing the Varia Suit protects me. I don't feel a single hint of cold." Rainbow said and move on.
Rainbow move around the room, scanning the new form the X-Parasites took before using her Speed Boost to reach the lower areas. She travel though a few more rooms and soon came to a grey hatch. Instead of opening it, She look around as saw crack on the floor. She blast it open and fell down to another part if the sector. She ran though the hallways and soon came to the security room. She place her Hoof Cannon in the slot and unlock the yellow hatches. She loop around part of the sector and found the Data Room. She step in the machine and her suit glow and give her an update.
"Ice effect added to Missiles. Use to freeze enemies." It said.
Instead of going back the way she came she decide to give the now Super Ice Missiles a try. During her trip thought the sector to test her ice missiles she fond another E-Tank that was just a X-Parasite in disguise. After getting rid of it, Rainbow found a real E-Tank in the same room behind the wall. She even found a Missile pack before looping back to the room she came from and climb up and reenter the Glass room.
As Rainbow ran and climb though the room, some big kept pass by her and Rainbow kept thinking, What in Equestria is that?! every time it pass. She didn't relax for long before she enter the room that take her back to the Navigation Room, when she heard the alarms and saw red lights blaring and a female voice saying continuously , "Emergency in Sector 3. Emergency in Sector 3…"
Rainbow ran into the room and contact Luna.
"Luna! We have a big problem!" Rainbow shouted over the alarm.
"Yes, we have it here too, Luckily we all ready found the problem. The emergency in Sector 3 (PYR) is that the area could melt down soon. It seems the Main Boiler's cooling unit is malfunctioning. This could easily destroy the entire research station, as it would likely trigger the auto-destruct explosives."
"What?! How long until that happens?!" Rainbow shouted.
Though it might stop the X-Parasites, but she was still on and there might be something useful that she could get.
"We have about 6 minutes. Hurry to Sector 3 and access the Control Room to the side of the Main Boiler room. Most of the systems in PYR are down because of this… Again, we know who to blame. The RD-X must have hacked into the system control file." Luna said.
Rainbow wasn't sure but she thought she heard Scanner voice say, "What impressive intelligence."
"This is DEFINITELY not the time to be praising that thing, Scanner!" Luna shouted in her royal Canerlot voice, before adding, "I open the hatches, there's little time. Hurry to the Control Room in Sector 3!" And the line was cut.
Rainbow ran to the elevator and went up it. She ran to the next elevator that was next to her and rode down. She pass the room and ran to the end and drop down. She didn't have time to sight see.
"5 minutes until Main Boiler Unit explode." said the female voice.
Rainbow ran though a heated room with lava and creatures power by the heat. But the new Ice Missile make quick work of them as she ran. She enter another room when the timer show she had 4 minutes left. She use the ceiling to cross another heated room and made it to the Main Boiler Room. She use her map to get higher floor when she saw a familiar red eyes. After flashing twice, the real ice show and Rainbow took it out. She ran inside hoping she could stop the RD-X or whatever Parasite is casing this. She down to the controls and was surprise to see a researcher pony at the controls.
"HEY! What are you doing?! Can you get the cooling unit on?!" Rainbow shouted.
The pony turn and look at Rainbow, who stood frozen at the soulless stare. Then turn into it real shape, a Core-X! Luckily Rainbow knew which from it took and ready her missiles. Once the eye show itself Rainbow fire into it while dodging it counter attack. Which fire rings that Rainbow jump over. She continue the plan and soon the outer shell broke and the X try to get away.
"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow shouted and jump towards it.
She grab and absorb it. Her suit then reported an update.
"Wide Beam Ability Recover. New beam widen when fire." It said.
Rainbow turn to the controls and started to look around. She wasn't sure what the cooling unit was but she had roughly 2 minutes left. She punch in a whole brunch of keys and soon heard, "Cooling Unit Aviated. Main Boiler unit has been cool off."
Rainbow sigh and sat down.
"Man that was too close! Hope Luna and the others can keep the X-Parasites out of this room when they get the chance." She said and then left the room.
She walk back to the Navigation Room taking out any X-Parasites and finding all the E-Tanks and Missile pack as she did and contact Luna again.
"Luna, I stop the Boiler Unit, hopefully it doesn't happen again." Rainbow reported.
"That was close, but it turn out Scanner was right about one thing, the X can mimicked a crew member… It all makes sense now. The X can absorb the memories and knowledge of their prey. A very surprising find." Luna said.
"I guess that's one to look at it if you're not being hunted by these things." Rainbow said.
"But don't you find it strange? This could have destroyed the station with the X in it, not to mention the RD-X. Unusual for a self-preserving species like the X. Unless…" Luna ask and stop.
"Not that 'unless' part again." Rainbow groan.
"Your presence is an even greater threat, a threat to the existence of X elsewhere… This is only a hypothesis… Perhaps… Their survival instinct is in conflict with their newly borrowed intelligence… Don't let your guard down yet. The X are still a threat." Luna said.
Then a beep was heard on the computer and Rainbow waited for Luna to talk.
"Rainbow, I see bio-signs on the Habitation Deck. Survivors? The infected crewman you saw must have survived until recently. Maybe there's a chance… The signs emanate from here." Luna said and Rainbow saw that it was back in the Main Deck.
"I have just restored power to the Main Elevator. Use it to return and look for any survivors. Good Luck Rainbow Dash." Luna said and the contact was cut.
Rainbow went back to the Sector 3 elevator and rode up. She went to the Main elevator and rode up it as well. At the top Rainbow as a hole to her left and a destroy hatch to her right.
Guess that shaking I felt earlier was due to that X destroying the wall. I wouldn't have felt anything if it had just broken the door, She thought.
Rainbow went through the Main Deck again and use her map to climb up to the Habitation Deck. She reach the elevator and saw two hatches, one green and one yellow. But she ignore them because she didn't need to go that way. Rainbow reach the Habitation Deck and saw it was made out of three levels and the third level on the Bio-signs. She climb up, hoping the survivors will hold on until she reach them. Once at the top Rainbow found her path was block. Not wanting to waste time trying to find another way around, She place bombs all over the place and found a hole.
Rainbow ran though the hidden area until she found herself back at the third level and saw a window. She ran up to it and look in but couldn't see anything. She ran up to the controls and release that lock. Soon two green birds and three blue monkeys jump out of the door. Rainbow scanner told her that they were Etecoons and Dachoras, one that was a baby. Rainbow knew Fluttershy would love to see these creatures. The older Dachora bow it head to Rainbow and the group rain off with the baby Dachora trying to catch up. Rainbow couldn't help but to admit that they look cute and harmless. No sign of the X-Parasites at all.
Rainbow went back to the Navigation Room and contact Luna.
"Luna I found the survivors but they are creatures call Etecoons and Dachoras. They are getting some where safe." Rainbow report.
"So the survivors were not ponies, then I'm afraid we can now confirm the deaths of all crew members. I imagined this was the case, but I had hoped it wasn't so." Luna said sadly.
"Hey, I'm sure that they be pleased that we are stopping them and making sure they rest in peace." Rainbow said also feeling sad about the death of the crew members.
"Rainbow...thank you, I think the X-Parasites are evolving, growing stronger. Some are now appearing that resist your current weapons. Work Tool anticipated this and sent Power Bomb data as soon as he finished it. Download it immediately. Our choice of Data Rooms is limited to this one in Sector 5 (ARC). Go. Now." Luna said feeling better.
Rainbow leave the room and began her trip back to Sector 5.
Luna sat quietly wishing all the fallen crew member a good afterlife before turn to her sister and all the workers that was there as well.
"I'm afraid I have bad news every pony." Luna said and all ponies turn to her.
"There are no survivors on the Station." She said sadly.
Many ponies look sad at the news, not even Pinkie could make something light out of it. They all were quiet, giving their wishes to the fallen ponies.
"And the creatures on board?" one ask.
"Rainbow as told me about two types are still fine and has no signs of X-parasites on them. She said that they are call Etecoons and Dachoras." Luna said.
"What are those?" Fluttershy ask.
"I look into them and report what I find." Work Tool said due to he already send the Power Bombs data to the Station.
Just as things was started to lighten up, Scanner walk up to the screen and shouted, "Rainbow Dash is on the run from the RD-X!"
"What?!" Luna said and ran to the screen.
Sure enough the blue dart was Rainbow Dash showing that she was trying to out run a red dot. After a while Rainbow stop and the RD-X move away as if it didn't see Rainbow at all. Everypony sign in relief.
"Let all give Rainbow Dash our hope that she will stop the X-Parasites." Celestia said and the all nodded, expect Scanner.
The trip back though Sector 5 was not as easy as Rainbow hope. Sure she been though it before but during her trip to the sector Data Room she ran into her X-self and had to run to get away from it. Luckily an Ice Missile was able to freeze it until she reach to safely behind a wall and blast open a hole and escape before the RD-X Broke free. Seeing that Rainbow Dash was gone, it growl and left the room.
Once Rainbow got to the Data Room she sigh and relax a little. She step in the machine and her suit glow. Then give her an update.
"Power Bomb data downloaded. Can now use stronger bombs to blow up any type of walls." it said.
"Well, guess that sum it up for a while in this Sector." Rainbow said and left the room.
Rainbow work her way though Sector 5, absorbing X-Parasites and finding a few Missile Packs and the new Power Bomb packs as she travel and use them. Once she made it back to the Navigation Room, she contact Luna.
"Luna I got the Power Bombs and had a little run in with the RD-X." She reported.
"We are glad you got the Power Bombs and escape the RD-X. I place a tracker in you helmet so we can keep up on where you are." Luna said.
"So you already know what I'm doing?" Rainbow ask with a raise eyebrow.
"Not really, we are only able to see you travel though rooms but not see what you're doing." Luna said.
"That makes senses, I guess." Rainbow said thinking on it.
Then Luna said, "Rainbow Dash, return to your ship. I have important information."
Rainbow was surprise at the sudden order but didn't argue. The connection was cut and Rainbow rod up Sector 5 elevator and then up to the Main decks. However, half way up the Elevator sudden stop and the lights fade. Sighing, Rainbow turn on her Night version and her Scanner visor. She found a weak wall and fire a beam at it and saw a morph ball size hole. Rainbow once again fond herself walking though the inner working's of the station as she try to get back to her ship.
Rainbow ran though the hidden area of the Main Sector taking out X-Parasites in their new forms. After dealing with them, Rainbow drop into a ice room and saw something that shock her. There standing in front of her was the statue of Discord! That confuse Rainbow. The last time she saw Discord he was turn to stone and place at the Canterlot garden like he was before he was free. Then Rainbow saw his eyes glow before the statue broke and a X-Parasite flew from it.
Rainbow decide against going after it, mainly because she couldn't get pass the wall. She walk pass the remains and fell though a weak floor into another part of the Docks. Before moving on, Rainbow place a Power Bomb on the ground and fond a hole that lead to a pipe. Rainbow went in it and found a Power Bomb pack and went back out she enter another room, this one fill with X-Parasites. Rainbow use a Power Bomb again and clear the room. She absorb the Parasites and then build up seed for her Speed Boost and broke though a wall. After finding a Missile pack, Rainbow climb up and found herself back on the Main Docks close to her ship. Rainbow ran to her ship and enter it. She sat in the chair and remove her Helmet. She shook her mane for a bit and contract Luna.
"Luna, I'm at my ship.", Rainbow said, "And something weird going on with this place."
"The main silo of the Reactor Core has gone offline. That's why all elevators and station systems are down. Hatches and certain rooms won't work either. This doesn't bode well…" Luna said worry before the map was brought up and Rainbow saw the 'TARGET' on it.
"Have to get the power online huh? No Problem." Rainbow said before she remember something, "Why did you call me back here anyway?"
"Yes about that, Some strange creatures boarded your ship earlier. I confirmed that they were not X hosts and gave them a berth. Do you know anything about these strange creatures?" Luna said then ask as she brought up an screen.
"Hey, those are the Etecoons and Dachoras I found in the Habitation Deck. Is it ok if they stay on my ship? It safer here then out there." Rainbow said in surprise before asking.
Rainbow knew Fluttershy would what her to keep them safe, after all Rainbow did save them so she thought it best for them to stay on her ship.
"Very well, then. Their presence in the midst of this disaster is very significance, they can stay on your ship. Now find a way to restore the power." Luna said and the contract was cut.
Rainbow pick up her helmet and look at the Etecoons and Dachoras and smile.
"You be safe here. I got some busies to take care of." Rainbow said and slip on her Helmet.
After Rainbow left her ship, she walk through two room and use her scanner to see that the wall ahead of her can be broking by a Power Bomb. She use one and walk into a room fill with vines and saw the core was cover in foliage! Rainbow shot though the vines and drop down to the bottom of the room. She walk though the open door and saw pipe everywhere. She even spotted a few Changelings-X that were tougher then before. Still rainbow found another E-Tank and during her trip though the pipe room she pick up another Missile Pack. She reach to the door that had a red eye guard and ready her missiles. After dodge three attack the real eye show and Rainbow fire at it and absorb the Red X and enter the room.
Rainbow wasn't where she was walk and fell though a hole. The Metroid DNA now let her flip her wing so she can make a soft landing. Rainbow look around getting the feeling she wasn't alone. She knew if there was a Red Eye Guard, then an X-Parasite has to in there. Rainbow quickly look up and then jump back as fire fell from the ceiling. Rainbow watch as a giant-spider like creature come from the ceiling and try to grab her. Rainbow ran from it and it follow her trying to catch her. Rainbow fire off her missile but boucle off it. After missing Rainbow again it stop and open it mouth. Remembering a creature she fought earlier, She fire into the mouth and the creature roar and then spit out fire. Rainbow dodge and smile.
"Oh yeah, come on say, Ahhh!" Rainbow said and waited until it open it mouth again.
Once it did Rainbow fire missiles in it mouth and dodge the fire it spit out. After casing it enough damage, it lost it legs and spit out junk at her, but kept it mouth open at all times. Rainbow switch to her Wide Beam and fire every time it stop spinning. It took longer but she switch between the beam and the Missiles until it run into a X-Core. Like with the cores before it, Rainbow fire missiles at the shell and waited until it stop flashing. After 4 more missiles the shell broke and Rainbow absorb the X-Core her suit then gave her an update.
"Space Jump Ability Recovered! Somersault continually in the air." It said.
Rainbow then notices that her wings were flapping on their own again and she try to jump. She spin the air with her wings making her jump every jump they flap. She space jump up to a hole and went though and fond the controls to the Auxiliary Power Station. She type in a few keys and soon saw that the bomb was on. She left the room and enter an Navigation Room.
"Luna I got the Auxiliary Power back on." Rainbow reported.
"Good, but only the Recharge Rooms and the Navigation Rooms are now back online, but with only auxiliary power, no elevators or hatches will work. Without the main silo online, we're still stuck. I believe the source of the problem is the vegetation you saw earlier. You'll have to find the source of those roots to proceed." Luna said.
"Any idea where it is?" Rainbow ask.
"I'm afraid not." Luna answer.
"Alright. I find out where they are coming from." Rainbow said and cut the link.
Rainbow went back the Central Reactor Core and look around.
Find the source to proceed, huh? These vines probably came from Sector 2, considering there were some smaller vines when I first went there. But is there any way to get there aside from the elevator? She ask in thought.
Rainbow follow the roots and notices all of them was coming from indeed Sector 2. Some was massed around a part of the wall and Rainbow fire a charge shot to find a morph ball size hole. She jump in and use a Power Bomb to clear the rest and enter Sector 2 once again.
Luna sign for the fifth time after Rainbow cut the connection. She was glad that Rainbow was doing so well and look that she was getting stronger. But something was bugging her. How did the samplers of Rainbow Dash get on the Station? And how are they getting stronger like Rainbow was. She didn't why but she knew Rainbow could handle it. If not she will retire her crown. She didn't what to be a Princess who send a pony to her death. She shook her head to clear those thoughts.
Twilight was talking to Work Tool about Metroids again. He wasn't able to find more but he had ideas on what they could look like and do.
"Well, I think if Metroid can take life energy then maybe they can give it too." He said.
"Well, that might be possible, but where did the come from? And how do they live?" Twilight ask.
"Now, Now, you two. We have plenty of time to figure out about those stuff but Work Tool, is Rainbow new weapon ready?" Rarity said then ask Work Tool.
"Yes, I just have to wait for Princess Luna order." Work Tool said then sign.
"What wrong?" Twilight ask.
"This will sound silly but I do fear Rainbow Dash won't make it. The X-Parasites are getting stronger just like Rainbow Dash. They may over power her. Plus I know Luna will think it her fault and never live it down." He explain.
"Your right, that is silly." Pinkie said over hearing him.
"Yeah, Rainbow Dash wouldn't go down without a fight." Apple Jack agree.
"We know Rainbow will make it back, She awesome that way." Fluttershy added casing all of her friends to look at her like she grew a second head.
"What?" Fluttershy ask more confuse then scare.
"We just can't believe you said that." Twilight answer.
"Well it how Rainbow would say it." Fluttershy explain meekly.
"Your all right. I should have more fate in Rainbow Dash. Maybe after this is over, I can use the weapons to remodel the Luna Suits so they can use them too, expect for a few of them." Work Tool said thinking about the weapons he made so far.
"I'm sure Celestia and Luna will aloud it." Twilight said.
Luna turn from them and look at her screen. She smile. Rainbow was going to make it. She just needs to give her more fate.
Rainbow roll out of the hole and felt a unpleasant sensation come back. She hear hoof-steps and try to peek down a crack to see, but it gave in and Rainbow fell down. She shook her head and stood up only to be knock in the wall by the RD-X! It horn glow ready to freeze her, but Rainbow was quicker. Her Hoof Cannon was still free and she fire an Ice Missile at it and it was frozen instead. Rainbow pull herself out of the wall and sign. She didn't get long before the RD-X began to vibrate the molecules around it, causing the ice to crack. Once it was free it flew to Rainbow ready to attack her again.
Rainbow jump over it and turn around at the same time it did. They stare each other down and charge at the same time. The RD-X try to stab it horn at Rainbow but, she side step it and threw a hoof punch.
"That for stealing my Sonic RainBoom!" Rainbow shouted and the RD-X was flung away.
It stood up as if the attack didn't hurt it at all. It fire a normal beam at Rainbow who jump over it. Rainbow land on the ground and threw a upper cut that knock it into the air. Then she span around and give it a hoof kick that knock it into the same wall she was knock into. It pull itself out and ready another ice spell.
Rainbow then knew that the X-Parasites felt no pain and fire another Ice Missile at it. Once it was frozen again Rainbow turn tail and ran! She didn't get far before it started to catch up. Running though two hall ways, the first with a breakable wall and another cover in vines, she hid behind a large wall, the RD-X walking in seconds after he hid and looking around for a moment. Amazingly, it seemed that the RD-X believed he had escaped, as it soon turned around and left the room.
That thing may be tough, but boy, what an idiot! Even Applejack will know that I'm still in here. Rainbow thought herself before the hoof-steps fade.
See it was now clear, Rainbow left room and continue to search the Sector again. It didn't take Rainbow long to follow the trail and fond a Power Bomb pack before entering a room fill with vines. Using Power Bombs, she clear the way and the Ki-Hunters-X that was tangle in them. Using her Speed Boost, she made it to the Red Eye Guard and took it down after the real Eye show.
Rainbow drop down into a room that was indeed the source of the vines. It steams to be holding a familiar statue and fire pollen from the flowers. Rainbow switch between taking put the pollen and shooting the statue. After a while the head fall off and the flowers die off. The statue then fire green beams at her. Rainbow duck under the first set, fire a few missiles then jump over the next set and fire more missiles as she landed. Rainbow watch as it started to first turn to purple then red as she attack it. After a few more missiles, it turn in a Core-X! Remembering the other Core-X's battles, Rainbow waited until the eye show and fire a missile at it and dodge the beam it fire. After a while, the core broke and Rainbow absorb the X.
"Plasma Beam Ability Recovered. Beam can now pierces emeries." Her suit told her.
Rainbow gave the beam a test fire and smile.
"WOW! This beam sure is strong! Not ever the RD-X will last against this!" Rainbow said in awe.
Rainbow work her way thought hidden rooms testing out her new Plasma Beam. Along the way, Rainbow made a little detour and find a E-Tanks for her troubles. Soon Rainbow reach the familiar rooms she been in and head for the nearest Navigation Room. Once there she contact Luna.
"Luna I fond the source and got rid of it. I even got this ready cool beam call the Plasma Beam! It goes right thought emeries and stills hurts them!" Rainbow reported.
"You have the Plasma Beam?!" Luna said in surprise, "Most unexpected. Still, you lack a few essential, natural abilities, and the RD-X may be getting stronger as well."
"Yeah, I do guess I'm missing a few abilities." Rainbow agree thinking about it.
"Hmm…? More trouble. Hold on." After another minute of silence, Luna continued, "I've isolated the cause. There's been an explosion in the ARC Data Room… Rainbow, go to Sector 5. The damage is spreading. Hurry!"
"You got it! Hurry my middle name." Rainbow said and the connection was turn off.
Rainbow rod up the elevator and down Sector 5 once again. Hearing Luna sound surprise made Rainbow guess that Luna already had one for her before she got it, then again she did say that she might get it before hand. Still something was going on with the Station and Rainbow has to find out what.
Rainbow walk over to the Navigation Room and contact Equestria.
"Hey, I'm in Sector 6, any sign of the Security Bot?" Rainbow ask.
Instead of Luna voice coming in, Scanner did instead.
"Rainbow Dash, The Security Robot seems to have gotten much stronger. This worries me. Be careful. But we have another problem." He said.
"What the? Scanner! Where Luna? And what problem?!" Rainbow ask.
"Luna has to rise the moon, you been up there all day. Once you're done, leave NOC immediately. The RD-X is tracking you. Don't stay longer than you must. Understood?" Scanner explain and said.
"Grr, fine." Rainbow said a cut the transmission.
She didn't trust Scanner one bit. She knew the timeline on Equestria, it was nowhere near the time the moon should rise. Something was up, she could feel it. Still she better find that Security Bot and then confront Scanner.
Rainbow ran though the rooms she knew and came to the wall that block her off last time. Placing a Power Bomb on the ground, it remove the wall and Rainbow saw a red hatch behind it. Rainbow open it and travel though unmark areas on the map take down any X-Parasites she come across. She drop into a room fill with a small pool of water. She turn and went out the door. Rainbow begin to search everywhere for the Security Bot. Soon she came to a small segment near the bottom of the sector that was metallic instead of rocky. It seemed somebody had been busy at work, as there was a shutter blocking the way. Moving to investigate it, a female computer voice spoke, "Warning. No entry without authorization."
Seeing that there was now way to enter the area she turn back and started to make her way back to the water room. Once she reenter the room she be in before, the ceiling started to shake, telling Rainbow that the Security Robot was close.
She reenter the water room and watch in surprise as the Security Robot rush at her, but because it was in the water Rainbow was able to stay out of it path. She place a Power Bomb and it revile a ladder on the ceiling. Remembering the last battle, She jump up and grab the ladder. She move across and fire her missiles in the same spot again. This time it counter with it own missile. Rainbow move away and fire her Plasma Beam taking out the missiles. She was unable to dodge the Bot jump and it knock her into the water. That when she notices that the water fill with electricity and she couldn't stop herself from screaming.
"AGHHHHHHHHH!" She scream and then was able to use the High jump to get out.
She caught her breath and saw her shields drop greatly. Show her that she needs to be more careful this time. She notices the missiles heading for her and fire her Plasma Beam. She then move away dodging the jump and then move back to fire her missiles at it. The battle went on the same way for a few minutes, but Rainbow came out in the end. The Security Robot exploded and the brain turn into a Core-X. Rainbow drop down and land in the water that was now safe. She fought it just like there the others, by waiting for the eye to open and fire a charge missile instead whiling dodge it counter attack. After three charge missiles the outer shell broke and Rainbow absorb the X.
"Wave Beam ability recovered! Beam can now penetrates though wall." Her suit told her.
"Penetrates though walls and emeries?! Now that way past cool!" Rainbow said smiling.
But the joy was short live as Rainbow feel a familiar unpleasant return. The RD-X was in the sector and heading her way! Knowing that going back would be dangerous, Rainbow decided to head back towards the shutter that had stopped her earlier, putting her Speed Booster into high gear. Her hunch proved correct, as after a few Wave Beam shots, Rainbow hit the button that released the shutter and quickly rolled into the small passage past it, as the main door had been locked down.
Rolling for a few seconds, Rainbow soon dropped down into the area where the normal way would've led her. According to her map data, this section of the Main Deck was called the Restricted Zone. Knowing the RD-X was after her, Rainbow kept moving forward. After a run through a short hallway and a connecting tube, Rainbow entered the Restricted Laboratory, where she was confronted by a real surprise.
There inside a tank was strange jellyfishes, but they didn't look like any jellyfishes she seen before. There were green and three red spots that she had no clue on what they were, with four teeth like on the bottom. Rainbow saw a sign on the tank and read it.
"METROIDS" it said.
"These are Metroids!? The ones that save my life?!" Rainbow said in surprise.
She look up and saw they were trying to get out but ignore her. Rainbow look at them and then turn away. She just met her saviors and they were on the Station! Rainbow knew she will have to tell Luna about what she saw, but needs proof to show she did. She open another hatch and step into another room that shock her even more.
"What in Celestia name?!" Rainbow said as she saw different tanks holding different forms of the Metroids.
"Laval Metroid, Alpha Metroid, Gamma Metroid, Zeta Metroid... Wait this tank empty." Rainbow said as she read the names of the states of the Metroids.
The last tank was indeed empty and look like it was bust open. Rainbow had a bad feeling in her gut.
"Please tell me that they just haven't bred one of those yet," Rainbow muttered to herself, thinking about how wrong this whole thing was.
Rainbow enter the second floor and found some files on the floor. She pick them up and saw that they were files about Metroids. Knowing this was the proof she needed, she put the away and heard the hatch at the entrance to the lab suddenly open. Seconds afterward, she heard the telltale sound of a Sonic RainBoom and shattering glass, followed by the red light and blaring of an alarm. The sounds of destruction continued as Rainbow ran back to the first floor.
Stepping through the hatch, Rainbow saw that the Metroids had been released and the RD-X was dashing around the room, using the Sonic RainBoom and firing off the Ice Beam. Rainbow watched the scene unfold, wondering whether to get involved with this fight or not. As she watched, the female computer voice was saying, "Fire alert! This sector will soon be locked down!"
The RD-X stop to build up power again, but the Metroids took the chance of latching onto it. It struggled to shake them off, but Rainbow could see that it clearly had no way to get out of this situation easily. Before she could attempt to help it, the computer spoke, "60 seconds to isolation lockdown."
"Not good!" Rainbow said knowing she had no way to escape.
Suddenly, the second floor walkway fell apart, falling onto the remains of the main tank. Rainbow looked up to see an unlocked hatch at the very top. She turn back to the RD-X and said, "Sorry." and use her Space Jump to reach the hatch. She had to watch out for the other Metroids as she jump; they didn't try to attack her, possibly due to the Metroid vaccine, but they did interrupt her jumping. She soon reached that hatch and, after taking a quick glance back down the shaft, ran through it.
Stepping into the connecting tube, Rainbow looked out the glass as she felt the tube shake. The Restricted Lab had been ejected and was now hurtling through space. It didn't get far, as it suddenly self-destructed, taking the RD-X and the Metroids with it.
"Well at lease I won't deal with the RD-X anymore." Rainbow said and started her way back to the Navigation Room.
Scanner threw everything off his desk in anger. He turn back to the screen and watch as the Restricted Lab explode.
"That stupid Pegasus! If it wasn't for taking some of the DNA from you, we would had a back up incase the X-Parasites got out of hoof!", He yell, "That it! You case enough problems for me. Once I finish the notes, you are done! You hear me, DONE!"
Out side Work Tool heard what is brother said.
"I knew something was up, but not this. I left with no choice, Sorry brother but it time Luna knows what you're up to." He said and left.
Luna was trying really hard to get contact back to the station. She was getting worry about Rainbow and saw that she just got out of the Restricted Zone. She kept using her magic to try again and again to contact the station but still didn't get though.
Each of the Mane 6 did their best to help. Twilight went over the connections trying to find who was blocking the way to the Station. Pinkie ran around worry that they loss their friend. Rarity and Fluttershy try to clam her down, while Apple Jack did her best to help Twilight. Celestia was just as worry as Luna but was surprise went Work Tool walk in clam.
"Work Tool, do you know what going on?" Celestia ask.
Everypony stop what their doing and turn to him.
"Yes, I figure out what my Brother up. He going to stop Rainbow from destroying the X-Parasites, show he can bring them here." He said.
"WHAT?!" The rest of the Mane 6 shouted.
"Is he Crazy?! Those things almost kill Rainbow Dash! What makes him think that they will help us?" Apple Jack ask.
"He never listen, He too into learning about them to care." Work Tool said.
"Then what can we do?" Twilight ask.
"We stop him after we heard more what he plan on." Celestia said.
The others nods and Work Tool leads them to the lab room.
Rainbow step into the Navigation Room and try to contact Luna but got Scanner instead again.
"Rainbow, you shouldn't have done that. You ignored your orders." He said.
"You think I'm just supposed to blindly follow whatever you tell me to do? And how much longer were you going to that lab a secret from me? Don't tell me you think information like that isn't going to get out sooner or later and the only orders I follow is Luna's!" Rainbow yell at him.
"Maybe, But you may have to pay a price for what you've done quite soon..." He said.
Rainbow retrained herself. She knew that getting angry won't get her any where fast. But still she knew that trusting this pony was a mistake.
"As you can see, the Station has been secretly working on a Metroid breeding program. For peaceful application only, of course. Please understand." Scanner explain.
"Peaceful? From what I know, there's been no talk about breeding life just to make it enforce peace later. Somepony's got a sick mind to produce life and then use it for something unnecessary. That goes against everything I believe in, pal." Rainbow said.
"Oh really? But perhaps you already knew of this program's existence?" Scanner ask.
"What makes you think I'd know? I've only known about Metroids for a couple of days, and that's enough to make me see that they're willful creatures. They do what they can to survive and they shouldn't be forced out of that. Until now, I never knew some pony or group of ponies was doing something so wrong! Not to mention they safe my LIFE!" Rainbow said yelling at the end.
"Certainly, you must have had doubts when you saw Sector 1. SRX, a faithful replica of the SR388 ecosystem..." Scanner said but was cut off by Rainbow.
"Yeah, and when I was there, I was busy trying to keep it that way. What was I supposed to see while I was trying to survive and fix the atmosphere?" Rainbow ask him.
"The ecosystem of SR388 is the only ecosystem where Metroids can evolve into higher forms. Taken out of their habitat, the only hope they have of becoming something other than bigger versions of their juvenile stage is through mutation. SRX is the perfect simulated environment for them to grow in. Ideal for raising Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and even Omega Metroids. This research even uncovered techniques for rapid growth. Imagine... creating an Omega from a larval Metroid in days..." Scanner said started to sound please at the end.
"Oh yeah, fascinating. Another case of using science to abuse something that has a life of its own. It's sickening. I know Celestia, Luna and, heck, even Twilight would agree with me." Rainbow said still not believing him.
"But that research is finished. The X has smelled out its natural enemy, and one of the RD-X is on its way here..." Scanner said.
Rainbow nearly fell over in shock. Her anger was replaced with fear.
"ONE?! Are you saying there is more than one RD-X?!" Rainbow ask not believing what she heard.
"Don't be so surprised, Rainbow. You know that the X reproduce by asexual division. Because of this mechanism, there are now no fewer than 10 RD-X aboard the station." Scanner said.
Rainbow felt her insides churn, having to balance herself on the desk to keep from falling over in shock and horror at this revelation. The pegasus was at a complete loss for words.
"Rainbow, you must go. Get out. If you stay too long, the RD-X will destroy you. Stop only at a Navigation Room to uplink to me. I don't know how the Princesses is going to take this, but you need to report to them immediately... Now get going." Scanner said and the connection was cut.
Rainbow pull herself together and made her way to the nearby elevator, hundreds of thoughts running through her head as it rose. One thought stood out among the rest, though.
If I was taking orders from Luna, I'm sure she would've said the same thing about what happened. Except she would've had a mind to soften the blow. She can be a bit scary when she angry sometimes, but at least she cares about those close to her. She's not some machine obsessed with duty or some crazy scientist who messes with life. Not even half of Luna's compassionate side could exist in that Scanner pony... Rainbow thought, knowing that she had to do something and stop the X-Parasites was first on her list.
The elevator deposited Rainbow at an unmapped part of Sector 1, far away from any of the rooms she had been to previously. Shrugging a bit, Rainbow began to explore the sector once again, looking for a way back to the known areas so she could head for the sector's Navigation Room and hopefully get in contact of Luna.
She enter an room and space jump up a wall and found more of the floating creatures that the X-Parasites took form of. Using a charge Ice Missile, Rainbow frozen them and found a E-Tank behind a wall. She grab and drop back down. She took out a few X-Parasites and move to another room. After traveling though a fill with green boiling water, which she stay out of thanks to her Space Jump, she enter another room. Thinking some was hiding in the room, Rainbow place down a Power Bomb and fond a hole after it went off. She drop and saw a single creature she saw from sector 4 and use her new Wave Beam to take care of it.
It quickly took another form and Rainbow use an Ice Missile to take it out. Then the two Parasites took form of a Golden Changeling.
"Ok, that new." Rainbow said and charge her Hoof Cannon.
It turn into a small fight, but the Wave Beam took it down after two charge shots. Rainbow walk though the door and fond a Power Bomb pack. She travel back up and enter a room fill with X-Parasites but this time aiming below her. Rainbow saw a wall blocking her way and use a Power Bomb to clear the way and the X-Parasites took form of two Golden Changelings. The fight was a bit harder, but it still took two charge shots of the Wave Beam to beat them both. Rainbow absorb the parasites to refill her suit shields and move on.
She drop down one room and enter a room fill with the green boiling water again this time had those floated creatures. Using a Charge Ice Missile again, she frozen them and Space Jump over then until she reach an Red Eye Door guard again.
Rainbow sign and fire an ice missile after the real eye show and enter the room. She was able to see the hole and drop down. Once she landed she saw the Statue of Discord again. Which confuse her even more. She saw it break back at one of the frozen rooms and an X-Parasite flew from it. Rainbow saw it eyes glow and ready her Hoof Cannon. She watch as it turn into a bigger look-a-like of Discord and roar.
They can copy my ability to speak but not Discord's? Something tell me that the Elements won't been needed here. Rainbow thought as she charge up her Wave Beam.
X-Discord snap it fingers and soon a cotton candy cloud appear and made it rain chocolate milk.
"Really?! You have to copy that?!" Rainbow yell, not believing it won't done that.
Then Rainbow slip and fell. She look down to see that the cloud and rain was a cover up for the soapy floor.
"You are just as bad as Discord, but I'll will said he better at this." Rainbow said and fire her Wave Beam.
It hit it and it let out a cry of pain. Rainbow smile and stood up as the soap disappear.
"Yeah, I think the real Discord would agree that does hurt." Rainbow said and fire another charge Wave Beam.
It roar again and took into the air and set on the Cotton Candy Cloud. It snap it fingers again and Rainbow quickly dodge the rainbow thunderbolts that look like her Cutie mark. That brought back painful memories for Rainbow, still she wasn't going to let it win. Rainbow dodge another and fire her charge Wave beam and hit X-Discord. It roar again as the pain hit it. Rainbow ready another charge shot and watch as the cloud now disappear and the X-Discord did something she never seen the real Discord do, blow fire at her.
Rainbow Space Jump over the attacks and fire her charge shots as she still above it. After shooting for minutes X-Discord let out a loud shriek, the volume almost hurting her ears. It then took form of the Core-X and rush it her. Rainbow jump over it and switch to her missiles. After six missiles the shield broke and Rainbow absorb it. Her suit gave her an update once more.
"Screw Attack ability regained. Somersault into enemies." It said.
Rainbow use her Space Jump and felt her body release electric as she jump. She left the room and use the Screw Attack to take out the X-Parasites forms and left the room. Rainbow made her way back to the Navigation Room and try to contact Luna, but got Scanner again.
"Rainbow, your work is done here. Leave the rest to the Princesses...You should start preparing to leave.." Scanner told her.
Rainbow, not in the mood to listen to such an order, yelled, "Are you kidding me? Haven't you figured out how dangerous the X are? How fast they can reproduce?"
"Yes, and there is quite an interest in the X, particularly the RD-X. I am sure such a life-form would have endless potential applications." Scanner said.
"All right that it! You Mr. Scanner are a twisted mind Pony to think you can control the X-Parasites for you own gain!", Rainbow shouted before she thought on what she said, "Wait a minute, You are trying to control them!"
"HA! Yes, but I also had a back up incase they got out of hoof, but you destroy it!" Scanner said sounding angry at the end.
"YOU ARE CRAZY!", Rainbow yell, "You can't control any life that it takes. And what back up plan?"
"You should know, You have their DNA." Scanner told her.
Rainbow was shock even more.
"METROIDS!? YOU WERE THE ONE THAT MADE METROIDS!?" Rainbow shouted.
"Yes, thanks to getting some of your Metroid DNA, I was able to send Metroids I made to the station, but you poke your nose into somepony else busies! Well no more, Once I get the princesses to see my ways, the X-Parasites along with the RD-X, will stop our emeries. After remaking the Metroids however." Scanner said.
Rainbow growl, "I take that back, you're not crazy, you're INSANE!"
"I'm insane? You don't know a thing about my plan. I knew you would try to destroy the RD-X. That's why I stopped caring about you and your suit. My brother had a Plasma Beam modification ready for some time, but didn't send it so I could keep researching the RD-X. Yet you still obtained it due to alternate means. I also surprise that the Diffusion Missile upgrade was sent to you and you retrieved it... Bravo, Rainbow Dash." Scanner said.
"You are still insane! Whatever your up to it will fail! It doesn't matter what you send, it's going to be overwhelmed by the X in some way. And then you're going to be the one who doom the Equestria, along with just about everything else in this universe. For a scientist, you're a real idiot! You're too blinded by your own desires to realize that the X hunger for form, knowledge, and power! They're a plague and here you are underestimating them! You won't get away with this crazy idea of yours!" Rainbow yell.
"I already have. I lock up the station after blocking all contact so you won't get in my way...HEY! What are you doing? Let go of me." Scanner started to say but sound like some pony was in the room with him.
Rainbow waited for the static to clear out and a new voice come in.
"Rainbow Dash! Are you there?" a voice said that Rainbow knew.
"Applejack? Is that you?" Rainbow ask.
"Sure is." Applejack said before Pinkie pipe in.
"Oh this look cool. HELLO! Anypony there?" Her voice said.
Rainbow shook her head at Pinkie crazy trackments.
"Just me, Pinkie." She said.
"Rainbow Dash?! How you get in there?" Pinkie voice ask.
Then Rainbow heard another new voice.
"Rainbow Dash, This is Work Tool, the one that been sending you some of your weapons. We have arrested my brother for crimes against Equestria." The voice said.
"Really, Well your brother is insane." Rainbow said not wanting him to be mad at her.
"Yes, I may study the Parasites as well, but I agree that they must be destroy. But even if you destroy the station, they will continue live on SR388." Work Tool said.
"Rainbow whatever you have to do, do it now. Scanner won't stop you this time." Twilight voice added.
"Right! I may not be an Egg-head like you but I'll come up with something." Rainbow said and the cut the transmission
Rainbow had to think. If she could get rid of the Parasites on the Station and SR388 in one blow...
"That it!", Rainbow shouted, "Time to wipe these parasites out."
Scanner struggle as two guards held him in place. Both Luna and Celestia look over him as Work Tool and the rest of the Mane 6 got all the notes.
"Well here's all that we learn about the X-Parasites." Work Tool said handing the notes to Celestia.
Celestia look over them and said, "I quiet surprise on both of your discoveries but they must not come here."
Luna took the notes and look over them as well. It sicken her hearth that somepony wanted to control them to get rid of their enemies by using a creature that almost kill one of their kind.
"Guards! Take him to the prisons. He no longer a worker of mine." Luna said.
"WHAT?! NO! You don't understand with them we can protect our home! They will change history..." Scanner shouted as he was drag away.
"No, dear Brother. You try to doom our home, like Rainbow Dash said." Work Tool said then turn to the lab.
"Work Tool, this lab is now yours. See if you can help Rainbow in anyway." Celestia said.
"No, it Luna job to help her. After all, she did save her life." Work Tool said turning to Luna.
"Yes, Thank you Work Tool." Luna said and ran back to her seat to watch over Rainbow Dash.
Her eyes widen as the Blue dot was being follow by the Red dot.
"Please be careful Rainbow Dash." She said.
Rainbow made it through the areas of the Main Docks and soon arrive in the Operations Decks. After walk through the hatch, she climb up to the hatch that lean to the room. But found it lock. Then heard something behind her. She drop down and look up as one of the RD-X flew down.
The two stare at each other both waiting to make their move.
"I finally found you...Metroid." The RD-X said.
"Metroid? Your hunting me down because I have Metroid DNA? New flash pal I never fought Metroids in my life. They save me from the X-Parasites in other words...you!" Rainbow said.
"Your body was surprisely useful. We never thought there was a body like this that exist." The RD-X said.
"All you do is enter a body, kill the host and use it for you own deeds. Which is why I fight all of you!" Rainbow told it.
"Maybe so, but it helps us blend in. Once we get to your home planet we will have all the bodies we need." The RD-X told her.
"YOU WILL NOT HARM ANYMORE PONIES!" Rainbow shouted and rise her Hoof Cannon.
"You Metroids are foolish. Once you are gone, the Metroids will be wipe from the universe...forever." The RD-X said and ready it horn.
Rainbow fire a charge Wave Beam at the RD-X and it was knock back. It rose and shot a Ice Beam at her. Rainbow jump out of the way and fire an ice Missile that frozen it. She fire a quick charge shot before the RD-X broke free. It then flew up in the air and started to build up speed. Rainbow knew it was getting ready for a Sonic RainBoom. Then another idea pop in her mind. Rainbow flip her wings and started to use her Screw Attack at the same time. Just as the RD-X was ready to use the Sonic Rainbow Boom, Rainbow was ready with her new attack.
They both shot at each other leaving a giant boom behind them. They hit each other head on and both fell to the ground. Rainbow shook her head and fire another Wave Beam. Rainbow smile after that. By using her wings to stay in place when using the Screw Attack, she made a new attack. She call it Screw Rainbow Attack, after the Screw Attack and that it too leaves behinds a Rainbow ring.
The RD-X ready it horn again but Rainbow was quicker. She fire another Ice Missile the charge her Wave Beam. After the shot, it charge up for the Sonic Rainboom again and Rainbow counter it with her new Screw Rainbow Attack. Again they hit off each other and fell to the ground, Rainbow using the time to charge her cannon.
Then the RD-X switch it fight plan and try to hoof punch Rainbow. Rainbow block it and threw one back. They trade blows for a while before Rainbow back away and fire a Charge Wave Beam that knock it down one last time. Rainbow smile and walk up to it but stop as it started to grow.
No way... Is it somehow tapping into Elements energy and using them? Rainbow thought worry.
However, possibly in an attempt to become as powerful as it could, the RD-X's body began to bulge, growing larger and coming to resemble a sort of demonic combination of Rainbow Dash and a Hornoad. As its tongue hung from its mouth, Rainbow thought to herself,
Maybe I shouldn't be so worried... It all depends on what that thing can do now that it looks... ugh... like that.'
Suddenly, the RD-X leapt up, attempting to crush Rainbow underneath it. Rainbow use her morph ball to rolling across the ground while dodging and charging her beam. As the creature turned around to face her, she let the charged attack loose, the beam hitting it directly in the face.
The beast gave off a pained roar and attempted to crush her again. Rainbow continued to dodge the jumps and shoot it with charged beam shots. Clearly, this mutation was a bad desperate attempt on the X's part, as it soon collapsed to the ground with a weak growl. Its body then morphed, reverting to its Core-X state. Since it had somehow absorbed the Ice Beam into itself, the Core-X had an eye and fired Ice Beam shots at Rainbow. She quickly dealt with it while avoiding the Ice Beam shots and soon cracked the hard shell, the X inside floating in the middle of the room. Before Rainbow could grab it, however, it floated away, escaping the same way it got in.
Rainbow considered pursuing it for a moment before shrugging, "Eh, it's not such a big deal. I'm just about done here anyway."
Rainbow jump back up to the hatch and enter the room. Running over to the computer console, she eyed the controls for a minute before figuring it out somewhat, at which point she began typing on the computer's keyboard. After a moment, the computer screen changed from blue to green, reading Orbit change implemented. 3 minutes to impact. At the same time, the female computer voice spoke, "Propulsion sequence activated. Destination: Planet SR388."
Rainbow grinned to herself, "Well, that did it. Now it's time to get the heck out of here!"
As the station rumbled briefly from its propulsion sequence starting up, Rainbow activated the Speed Booster and ran out of the Operations Room, hurrying to the Docking Bays.
The whole Station was shaking as it got closer to SR388, After getting through the corridor leading into the station, which looked like it had been attacked by something violent, Rainbow ran into the hanger, only to find that her ship was gone! She also noticed that the docking bay door looked like it had been destroyed and there was a shell left behind by an evolving Metroid sitting where it had been like the other times she seen. As Rainbow looked around worriedly, the owner of the shell suddenly burst through the nearby wall.
Rainbow gasped as she saw that the creature that came through the wall was a fully grown Omega Metroid! It gave off a loud screech after it landed, fixing its eyes on her. Rainbow tried firing shots, charged shots, and Ice Missiles at it, but none of them did anything to the creature. As it began to walk closer towards him, Rainbow then try her new Screw Rainbow Attack, leaping towards the Omega Metroid. Before she could reach it, however, it swung its claw back and slashed at her.
Its attack hit the mark, as it cut right through the attack and slashed across Rainbow's suit. The claws cut right through the suit and slightly into Rainbow's skin, sending her flying back as a splatter was heard. Rainbow landed on her back hard, pushing herself slightly off of her back with her left hoof as her right hoof attempted to apply pressure to where she had been attacked. It wasn't enough, though; even though the claws only glanced her skin, they still made a deep cut. Although her suit was screaming alerts at her through her HUD, Rainbow couldn't muster the strength to stand back up, clutching her side as the Omega Metroid began to approach her.
Then something happen, Rainbow looked up, seeing the blue X that she had battled on the Operations Deck floating between her and the Omega Metroid. The Omega Metroid stopped walking as it saw the X float for a second before it took on Rainbow's shape again. Once it landed, it ready its Ice Beam, which it had retained after being destroyed and ran up to the Omega Metroid. It then began firing shots into the creature's chest, the Metroid screaming in pain as the cold shots hit it.
The Omega Metroid backed up to the wall, the RD-X moving closer and firing more Ice Beam shots into its chest. Although it continued to fire shots, the Omega Metroid managed to pull its claw back and slash the RD-X. The attack sent the RD-X flying backwards from the slash. It didn't fly very far, though, as, due to it still being weak, it soon reverted to its Core-X shape, absorbing the Ice Beam again and floating just a short distance above Rainbow as the Omega Metroid drooled at the sight of it.
"I was wrong about you. You are not a Metroid. Metroids do not attack their own kind. Forgive Rainbow Dash, I'm Sorry." It said.
Rainbow look at it and said, "I forgive you, now let take care of the thing...TOGETHER!"
Knowing it was now or never, Rainbow got to her hooves and, still clutching her side, leapt up and absorbed the RD-X.
After it was completely absorbed, the appearance of Rainbow's suit changed one more time. All the light Purple turn into her fur color, Cyan and all the Cyan that was in it before turn into the rainbow colors. Her visor turn green as all her shields was refill. Rainbow's cut also healed, and the hole in the suit was repaired as well.
"Let buck some Metroid butt!" Rainbow shouted and rise her Hoof cannon.
The Omega Metroid roared angrily at Rainbow for stealing its meal and began to approach her again. Rainbow charge her cannon a rush up to it, firing her new Ice Beam! The Omega Metroid didn't like that any better than when the RD-X was attacking it, but it was determined not to let a potential meal get away. Rainbow continued to pump charged Ice Beam shots into its chest while easily avoiding its attacks, feeling completely like herself after absorbing the RD-X. Finally the Omega Metroid fell as the Ice Beam did it trick.
"1 minute until reach Planet SR388." the female voice said reminding Rainbow Dash what she was here for.
"Darn it! How am I going to get off this Station?!" Rainbow shouted.
Her attention was then directed towards the broken hanger door as she heard the sound of engines and saw that it was her ship! She jump towards it and started to fly for the first time since coming here.
After the airlock was done depressurizing, Rainbow walked into her ship and was surprised to see the Etecoons and Dachoras she had rescued earlier standing at the ship's controls. Her surprise was quickly replaced by gratitude, realizing that they had gotten her ship out of harm's way. They seemed glad to see her as well and, after she had taken her seat, they broke away from the side of the station. They then set the ship to go as fast it could, moving away from SR388 as the PRL Station began to get closer to it.
Soon, there was a massive explosion as the SRL Station impacted SR388, engulfing the entire planet in a fiery explosion as the explosives on board the station detonated. But Rainbow Dash, the Etecoons, and the Dachoras were far away from the planet by the time that happened. After she had thanked them, the mother Etecoon curled up in the back of the ship, each of the Dachoras snuggling up against her, one on top of the other, while the baby Etecoon fell asleep on its mother's back. Rainbow smiled at them for a minute before turning her attention back to the controls, setting the ship on a course back to Equestria.
Rainbow's ship flew into the pull of the of her home planet and contact Luna.
"Hey Luna. I'm home and ready for more action!" Rainbow said.
"I hear you. You are clear to land in Canterlot town. And Rainbow Dash...Welcome home." Luna said.
Rainbow smile and land her ship in the square of Canterlot, were all the guards both, Night and Day, stood holding their pole up as a few of them blew their horns. The Ships doors open and out step Rainbow Dash, in her new Fusion Suit. The Ponies around the area was shock to see a strange pony appear out of the ship they never seen before. Some of the whisper that it might be a new pony from somewhere else. Rainbow walk up to see Celestia and Luna standing at the end of the line with her friends. Rainbow walk up to them and blow.
"You have done well, My Little Pony. You have destroy the X-Parasites and save Equestria from a dangerous threat." Celestia said before turning the speech over to Luna.
"Lady Dash, Please remove you helmet." She said.
"No Problem, Princess Luna." Rainbow said and took off her helmet.
All ponies gasp at the sight of Rainbow Dash in a strange fur color. Rainbow smile and set her helmet on the ground.
"Rainbow Dash, You were very brave. Even after you were close to dying, you still stood up and fought a deadly creature. Because of your bravely, the X-Parasites are gone and we can no longer fear them. And for that, we not only thank you. But like to ask if you what to join as my captain of the Night guards." Luna said.
"Thanks for the offer but, I have to said no thank you. I stop the X-Parasites so they won't case trouble Plus I like to hang out with my friends after being gone for so long." Rainbow said.
Luna nods and said, "I knew you would say that, however..."
Rainbow look up at the tone of Luna voice.
"I'm afraid I believe you have quite a bit of explaining to do." Luna said.
"Explaining? About what? ...Oh wait, I know what." Rainbow ask before knowing what is was.
"While I, myself, am opposed to some of the research that was being done aboard the PRL Station, there is no denying that there was plenty of other research being conducted that was important. Since it seems that the station was destroyed, along with SR388, all of that research is now lost. I would like to know what possessed you to do such a thing." Luna ask.
Rainbow pick up her helmet and heard something rattle inside it. Rainbow look inside and then turn to Twilight.
"Hey Twilight, there something in my Helmet, can you get it out?" She ask her friend.
"Um...sure." Twilight said and took the helmet in her magic.
"Rainbow, even though you have to explain to me and Luna your actions, you still have to enter the Royal Court." Celestia said.
"Hey what this?" Twilight call out and pull out little black object that had what looked like a speaker attached to its side.
She hand it to Work Tool who was also there.
After examining it a moment, he said, "It's the mini-camera we hid in Rainbow's Helmet! And it was attached in such a way that it could see things from her eyes!"
"Really, guess that how you got those notes." Pinkie said thinking about it.
Rainbow look at it before getting an idea.
"If that's really the case, then what's been captured on that camera would probably explain what happened better than I could!" Rainbow said turning to the Princesses.
"I agree. I'll take the camera and have one of our guards retrieve the film. While we're doing that, head over to the medical ward and have the doctors look at you." Luna said.
"I'll help them with that since I made the camera in the first place." Work Tool spoke up.
"Very well, we will all see you in the Royal Court." Celestia said and everypony walk away.
Rainbow sat down in her chair trying very hard not to move. The Court started an hour ago and they still have yet to watch the film.
"Rainbow Dash, You still have not told us what you destroy the Station that had important files." One of the Judges ask her again.
"I told you before, You won't believe me unless I have proof. I just can't say why and except to you believe me." Rainbow said.
"Rainbow Dash, I asking you..." The Pony judge started to said before Luna cut him off.
"That quiet enough! Rainbow Dash is right, without proof she can't explain why she did it. After all she was send there by my orders." She said.
He became quiet and Work Tool rush in.
"I greatly sorry I'm late!," He said before bowing in front of the Princesses, "The code on there wasn't mine, My brother had charge it so not ever I could open it."
"We understand, Sir Teal!" Celestia said.
"Your highness." He said and bow.
"Help Work Tool get the film up so we can all see what Rainbow did on the Station." Celestia order.
"Yes Princess." He said and both he and Work Tool got to work.
After a while the film was on and everypony was watching Rainbow move though the PRL Station, taking care of any X-Parasites. They were shock to see the RD-X at the few encounters, even fought it a few times because she didn't have a choice. Halfway though they all scream at the sight of the Nightmare true face, even Rarity fainted.
"This is why I would never tell Rarity about this." Rainbow said quietly to herself.
As the film went on, they saw the states of the Metroids. And heard there was at least 10 RD-X on the Station. They did heard Rainbow and Scanner argue about the X-Parasites before Scanner was caught. They watch the end to see the Omega Metroid attack Rainbow and the RD-X coming to her recuse. Then they watch as the RD-X states that it was wrong and Rainbow absorb it and use an Ice Beam to take out the Omega Metroid.
"But I thought the Metroid DNA stop Rainbow from using the Ice Beam." Twilight whisper to herself.
After the film end, Celestia spoke up.
"Rainbow Dash...Under normal circumstances, destroying something like a space station without a plausible reason would be grounds for discharge or arrest. However, this was certainly anything but normal. And, as you said, Scanner was underestimating these X and surely would've killed every living thing on the Equestria and allowed them to spread even farther throughout the universe. As such, I agree that you did the right thing to resolve that situation, so you are innocent of any possible charges." She said.
The rest of the Mane 6 cheer and jump on Rainbow to hug her. Other ponies cheer because the were glad that Rainbow Dash destroy a threat.
"Way a go Rainbow Dash! You stopped those icky things!" Pinkie said.
"Yes, but I'm going to have a nightmare about that...'Nightmare'...for the rest of my life." Rarity said.
"Princess Luna?" Rainbow call out to her.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it." She said.
Rainbow had told Luna ahead of time about Rarity having a nightmare for the rest of her life and once Luna saw what it was, she agree to stop it.
Hey, Rainbow, how did ya get out of the Metroid look?" Applejack ask, notices that Rainbow was now back in her full cyan color.
"Turns out that I can make it disappear and replace it with my fur coat, watch." Rainbow said then close her eyes.
Rainbow's fur move as if there was wind but there was none and soon her fur coat was replace with her Fusion Suit.
"Ohhh! Cool!" Pinkie said.
"Does that hurt?" Fluttershy ask.
"Not at all, I can even change it back." Rainbow said and her Fur coat was change back to the way it was.
"Rainbow Dash I'd just like to remind you not to make a habit of doing such things. Don't start destroying space stations and planets." Celestia said.
"I'll be sure not to, Princess Celestia. After all, I'm a Pegasus, not an intergalactic bounty hunter. By the way, what's going to happen to the Etecoons and Dachoras?" Rainbow said then ask.
"Fluttershy has agree to take care of them and thanks to Work Tool, we discover they were originally found on Planet Zebes. If Zebes is a better place for them, then we'll send some of the guards to return them there." Celestia answer.
"Thanks, Princess Celestia." Rainbow said.
The room empty out except for the Mane 6, Work Tool and the Princesses.
"Well the Parasites are gone and Rainbow home, safe and sound." Apple Jack said.
"But what I don't get is how Rainbow use the ice beam thingy to beat that Omega Metroid when Luna said that her cellular makeup would reject it?" Pinkie ask.
"I don't know, Pinkie. After all, she did say the same thing to me before I went to Sector 5 for the first time. I'm just glad it worked against that Metroid, and the fact that the RD-X healed me as well was great too." Rainbow said thinking about it.
"I think I've got it!" Twilight said causing everypony to look at her.
Even though the X could mimic any living thing they came across, the RD-X was an X that was specifically mimicking Rainbow. When you absorbed it, you must've basically absorbed yourself, Rainbow. In other words, the part of your being that was damaged by the X infection was fixed when you absorbed that Core-X, which reset your cellular structure back to the way it was, thus allowing you to use the Ice Beam!" Twilight explain.
Uh, that's a lot of information, Twilight. But that would explain why, after I absorbed it, I felt more like myself than I did throughout that whole mission." Rainbow said try to figure out what she means fully.
"It does seem kind of complicated, but I think I get it, Twilight. Though I wonder why the Omega Metroid attacked Rainbow in the first place while the Metroids that were in the Restricted Lab ignored him?" Pinkie said agreeing somewhat.
"Yeah, that's something I don't get, either. Maybe the Omega Metroid could see that Rainbow wasn't really a Metroid, even if she had the DNA of one inside her..." Twilight said think about it.
Celestia place a wing on Twilight and said, "Don't worry about it, my Student. You can think about it if you want to, but unless we run into any other Metroids, I don't think it'll be much of an issue."
"Yeah I guess your right." Twilight said.
"Well now we got that out of the way, We need to have two parties! One to welcome Rainbow home and another for a mission complete!" Pinkie pipe up.
They other smile and shook theirs heads. That was Pinkie Pie for them.
"Go on ahead, I like to talk to Rainbow about something." Luna said.
The others look at her then shrug and left. Celestia looks at her sister and nods. After that she left as well leaving the Pegasus and Alicorn alone.
"So what do you need to talk to me about?" Rainbow ask.
"I really don't what to ask, but Rainbow Dash would you like to take another mission I have for you?" Luna ask.
"Another mission? Well, if it to go into space I don't see why not, but let me stay home first. I been away long enough." Rainbow answer.
"I plan on it. I want you to rest. After that we talk about the mission." Luna said and left Rainbow alone.
Rainbow walk outside and look into the sky. If there other adventures could be found out there in the universe, she would go to it. After all she live for adventures, but for now. She just what to be home.
THE END
SEE YOU NEXT MISSION!
Rainbow rode down the Sector 5 elevator and enter the Navigation Room and contact Luna once again.
"Luna, I'm in Sector 5." Rainbow said.
"I'm afraid it's gotten much worse. The damage seems to have been caused by a creature kept here by the researchers, who named it… the Nightmare." Luna said and stop.
Rainbow knew what she was thinking.
"Hey, it not Nightmare Moon. We put a end to her for a long time. Besides, there no way the X-Parasites could have got Nightmare Moon DNA because it still...well, you know." Rainbow said not wanting to hurt Luna feels.
"Thank you Rainbow Dash. Accord to the reports, Apparently, it was a bio-mechanical organism designed for military applications… It possesses uncommon power and can manipulate gravity. I must assume that it has recently become an X-host. We have no choice. You must find it and defeat it. I can't confirm its location; it's out of control. Hurry before it destroys the entire station… Hurry Rainbow." Luna said and the connation was cut as a ear-pitch noise was heard.
Rainbow helmet block out most of the sound but she still try to cover her ears.
"Man! If I didn't have my helmet on, my ears would have bleed to that noise." Rainbow said to herself and ran out of the room.
Rainbow walk though the yellow hatch and stop in surprise at the sight of the room. Broken glass from what was likely the Nightmare's containment area littered the floor, steel beams had been bent and torn, some of them balanced or littering the upper areas of the foyer, and long cracks were running across the parts of the glass that hadn't been broken yet. It's clear that the researchers didn't just name it 'Nightmare' for effect; its power was real.
"Oh, man! If that get on Equestria, then we'll all be in big trouble. I got to find it before it too late!" Rainbow said and ran though the damage room.
Rainbow ran through the damage room and check everywhere for signs of the 'Nightmare'. She was able to find an Missile and Power Bomb packs, before seeing an destroy hatch.
Rainbow ran through the destroy room taking out X-Parasites as she did and blast though a crack floor to see that the place was flooded.
Wait, this is one of the ice rooms. That water must have come from the ice that melt. Agh! I have to go in there don't I? 'phew' guess I have no choice. Rainbow though and jump in.
Rainbow was able to breath thanks to her suit, but the water made her slow and she couldn't her Speed Boost to get pass. Plus the forms that the Parasites took was also slower but she couldn't dodge their attacks that well. After walk under water and finding as much Missile Tanks she can, she climb out of the water and saw the Red Eye guard. She waited until to real eye show and fire a missile at it. She was able to spot a E-Tank but knew some was off. Rainbow place a Power Bomb on the ground and saw a hole above the path way and a weak floor half way to the E-Tank. She took the upper path, grab the E-Tank and roll onto the weak floor and fell though it.
Rainbow drop into a room that was fill with a whole brunch of things she doesn't know. But she call the room Junk Room because most of the stuff was beyond repair. Then the room started to shake and Rainbow saw something that appeared to be similar to a ghost began rising out of the floor, seeming to be wailing all the while. And once its body was fully in the room, it materialized, revealing itself to be the Nightmare.
Almost as it soon as it formed, the misshaped creature began to hover around and fire lasers from its arms. Rainbow use her Space Jump to get over these shots, the Nightmare following her up but keeping its distance. As she dropped down, Rainbow noticed a red flashing spot on its lower body. After landing, she ran underneath it and fired two missiles straight up, hitting the engine and causing the creature to let out a type of shout. Rainbow repeated the process of going up and getting under it, scoring a few more hits, but then it seemed like she made it mad.
"What wrong? You don't like it...EGH!" Rainbow started to said before she felt heavier.
The Nightmare's engine began to rotate quickly and the whole room seemed to ripple. When Rainbow tried to move, she felt that her hooves felt much heavier and she could no longer use her Space Jump. She saw the beast rise up high enough and shot an Ice Missile at it, only to watch it fall back to the ground slowly and explode.
"Horse Apples! I can barely move, let along use my missiles. Guess I should try my Plasma Beam." Rainbow said and charge it.
Rainbow fire at the engine and heard the Nightmare wail as the pain hit it.
"Oh Yeah! You can stop my jumps and my Missiles, but you can't stop my Plasma Beam." Rainbow taunted it and fire again.
Each hit caused the engine to work faster, possibly to compensate for the damage she was causing it, and green slime began to ooze out of the eyeholes on Nightmare's mask like tears.
'Ew... There's something nasty under that mask, I can already tell.' Rainbow thought as she did her best to jump over the attacks that the Nightmare send to her.
After fight for what felt like hours because of the extra weight, the engine stopped flashing red and the ripples in the room began to vanish. In a second, Rainbow felt herself go back to normal weight and leapt onto the nearby ladder on the wall, turning to look at Nightmare. It floated in place for a moment before it gave off what sounded like an angry roar as its mask broke, revealing its true face.
"Well, I was right about what was under there, but I didn't expect it to be that gross..." Rainbow muttered to herself.
She knew Rarity would faint at the sight of the Nightmare true face and have nightmares about it for the rest of her life. Still she fire her Missile at it as the Nightmare started to fly closer. Each hit made it look even more disgusting, as its face looked like it was going to fall off the more damage it took.
Ok, I am so not telling Rarity about this thing. It get even more gross as I attack it! Rainbow though as she drop from the ladder as it got to close.
After dodging and shooting missiles for a few more minutes, The Nightmare's arms fell off and then into a Core-X. Like before Rainbow fire her Missiles at it and after six Missiles the shell broke and Rainbow grab the X. Her suit once more gave her an up date.
"Gravity Suit effect recovered. Can now move freely in water." It said.
Like with the Varia Suit, a bright light cover the area and when it fade Rainbow saw her suit change again. The green-yellow fur coat turn into a light purple almost like Twilight's. And the dark purple on her turn into her normal fur color, cyan.
Rainbow left the room and was able to give that Gravity Suit a test. Once she step in water, she felt that she was still on dry land and was able to move quicker as well. She turn to head back to the Navigation Room, but fond the way was block. Using the Gravity Suit, she use the Speed Boost to break a wall behind a hatch she saw earlier and soon fond herself back in Sector 4.
Luna was getting worry that if the Nightmare isn't stop, the whole station was going to be gone. But she had fate in Rainbow Dash. She was quiet surprise that she got a Plasma Beam before Work Tool send it. But she did tell him that he can use it for other studies.
Work Tool on the other hand finish a new upgrade to Rainbow missiles. He knew it will be very helpful. He had to wait for Luna order but knew she needs to be alone right now. Not even Celestia went near her. Still, Work Tool knew that Luna will what to help Rainbow and so did he. He turn his own screen and send them to the Station.
"I'm sorry Luna, but Rainbow really needs those." He whisper.
The he look up and look around for his brother Scanner.
"Hey, has any pony seen Scanner?" He ask out loud.
"He said something about getting back to studies and head off for his lab." One pony answer.
His lab? Must be about the X-Parasites again. Work Tool thought.
Still he didn't trust his brother. After checking to make sure the Data was send, he walk over to Celestia to tell her what he thinks his brother up to.
Rainbow move though out the water rooms and took out any X-parasite that stood in her way. Thanks to the Gravity Suit Rainbow was able to move though with ease. She fond a few Missile and Power Bomb packs until she fond herself in the Security Room. Rainbow knew that she wasn't told to unlock the hatches but knew there was no way of getting though unless she does. She unlock the level lock and left the Room. She travel thought a few more water room picking up more Power Bomb and an E-Tank.
After using the Speed Boost, Rainbow found herself back in back in familiar rooms as well as rooms she hasn't been in because the level hatches were still lock. After using the Shinespark to shoot herself upwards and hit a ceiling part that was breakable by the Shinespark, she grab a ladder and fire an Missile. The ceiling broke and Rainbow climb though.
She enter a room that was fill with X-Parasites taking shape for the spike creatures she seen though out the Station. Using a Power Bomb, she clear the room and enter the familiar area she knew. She drop down and enter thought a red hatch and fond herself in the Data Room. She was surprise that there was an weapon upgrade waiting for her.
"That odd, An weapon upgrade without me knowing? Well if it useful I better grab it." Rainbow said and step into the machine.
Her suit glow and it gave her an update.
"Diffusion added to Missiles. Charge the Missiles and fire to release a steam for ice from each missile." it said.
Rainbow left the room and gave the Diffusion Missiles a try. She charge it up and fire. She watch as four giant snowflakes appear after the missile hit the wall, freezing a form Parasites. Before heading back to the Navigation Room, Rainbow make some quick pickups for two Missiles pack and a Power Bomb pack. She went back and enter the Recharge Room and refill herself before entering the Navigation Room and contact Luna.
"Luna, I here. Got a little lost, but I got this really upgrade for my missiles." Rainbow said.
"You upgraded your missiles? That's unusual... I didn't order any upgrade to be send to you. A procedural error, I'm sure..." Luna said.
"Huh?" Rainbow ask.
"Even so, I did not approve of bypassing security level 4. From now on you will use more discretion." Luna said.
"Hey! I open the locks so I can get out of Sector 4 water depths! If I didn't then I won't be here right now!" Rainbow yell explaining why she did.
"Rainbow...You just raise your voice at me." Luna voice came back really surprise.
Rainbow stop herself. She lost her cool and yell at one of the Princesses. That was something nopony does and doing so can get them in a lot of trouble.
"I'm sorry Luna." She said.
"No, It fine. You told me your reason, so I'll let it slide. In any case... Rainbow, do you remember the Security Robot you faced back in Sector 3? I believe the X have infected is to say, they have claimed the organic components that form its neural network. It has entered Sector 6 (NOC). I don't know what it's planning, but let's not wait to find out. You know what to do, Rainbow. To Sector 6, quickly." Luna said after Rainbow clam down.
The Contact was cut and Rainbow rod up the elevator. She walk over the Sector 6 elevator and rod down it. Unknowing what secrets it hind from her last time she visit.
