Time without a clock seemed to subvert itself to James.  Every step he took felt as if another six minutes had slipped past him.  His quest for revenge had gripped him, possessed him so with frenzy as his footsteps turned heavy with the clunking of the imitation Varia Suit.  His gait had now turned clumsier, finding problems in scaling down cliffs but at least it had a very good fall damage resistance.  The number of times he had fallen made him expect at least one of his legs to break at a moment's notice, and yet he only nearly sprained an ankle at the very most.

After enough downwards traversing into Zebes, he felt the heat of Norfair begin pulsating from certain doors, following the warmth like a serpent would. He passed the area where he had killed the guard only to find him missing, no doubt having been reported already which meant  he had to be more careful in traversing the next part.  The raptor entered the hottest areas of Norfair, the trembling magma making him sweat already in the suit but at least he wasn't burning as he walked on avoiding the multitude of creatures.

He also began practicing with the arm cannon that came equipped with the suit as his only means of defence.  His first shots were awkward and way off target, the raptor not really learning the grip of it until halfway through Norfair after the suit became well battered along with James within it.  He scraped himself through the place, having no clue on where to go except further down like descending into the inferno.

After a furious panicking from dodging hopping flying beasts much to his frustration, he eventually reached one of the deepest sections of Norfair where a grand pool of lava laid.  One tunnel stretched out before him with something purple at the end as he crawled through eagerly to find a large stone carved in the shape of Ridley, undoubtedly his lair.  Unfortunately the hole was too narrow to squeeze through to avoid the lava.

        "GOD...DAMMIT I HATE THIS PLACE!"

He tried to push through and even blast the rock with arm cannon shots, but nothing worked.  The stone was far too solid as he felt exhaustion settle in when he sat down and and tried to plan on his next move.  Nothing came.  He wanted to sleep, his energy low without food after what must have been only half a day with the heat making him uncomfortable enough that he could not rest fully.  If it wasn't for the suit he could climb across the rocky ceiling over the pit, but if he took it off, the heat would be too intense for him to handle without his scales bubbling and blackening.  With no other way to go, he decided to head back the way and try to find some food and shelter, only to bump into a space pirate group running his way.

        "IT'S THE HUNTER, KILL HER!"

They immediately opened fire with pulse lasers upon the armoured raptor, who failed to dodge quickly enough as he was hit repeatedly.  Blasting sparks rattled across his armour as every move he made was clumsy and inept, and even when he tried to blast them or get close enough to club them with the arm cannon, they only dodged from the sluggish ineptitude of his attacks.  Soon he was taken down and laid on his back defeated, the pirates crowding him and keeping their guns aimed with cautious optimism.

        "So...the great Samus Aran finally falls to us...any last words, bitch?"

        "Hate to spoil the moment guys but...I'm not her."

        "Wha-...the captive!?  Wait...that suit...YOU stole our prototype!  And it's RUINED!"

        "It was just a test drive, what can I say?  I got an appointment with your boss, can I see him?"

        "Oh...you'll see him alright."

They held him by the arms, hoisting his weakened body up between them.

        "He was looking for you as well as the Hunter, said you had some unfulfilled business with him."

        "Oh...h-h-h-hhohhhh g-godfuckit..."

He winced knowing fully well what that would be, but he was too weak to resist as he was taken to their base via a secret passageway.  A hidden scanner within a wall read their DNA before the rock slid open as they walked inside quickly.  Pitch black darkness came as they walked with visors before their faces showing the world in night vision.  A long claustrophobic pathway laid before the captive raptor before they reached into the heart of Zebes where the heat became a sweltering crescendo.

        "Soon as we get to our leader, we are taking our suit back and throwing you into the lava you little bitch."

        "F-fuck...you, I hate you all and this stupid fucking planet!"

The response they gave came in the form of having his helmet taken off forcefully, leaving his head exposed to the heat.  The roasting vapours latched onto his face and sizzled his flesh like a deep-fat fryer.

        "AAAAGH, AAAGH FUCK IT BURNS STOP IIIIIT!"

The helmet was placed back on again, as James mentally begged for an ice pack on his face, scales blistering on his cheeks.  Soon enough they reached a control room deep within Norfair with a large array of panels to one side where his most recent enemy stood waiting, his eyes expectantly gleeful.

        "AH!  You have her!?"

        "No sir, we found the captive.  He stole our Varia prototype to come kill you."

        "Ha ha ha...a most treasonous objective, but I admire such spirit.  What do you have to say for yourself captive?"

The raptor snarled with tightened eyes behind his visor.

        "I...will fucking...kill you."

        "Hhhhahaha...such hatred, so good to see that in a young lad like you.  It almost makes me wish you hadn't been working for the Hunter in the first place, but don't worry...you're nobody special."

He said this with a lewd caress of the helmeted face, making James twitch in disgust at the space pirate leader touching him again.

        "If you...i-i-if you wanna rape me again, just fucking do it!  I don't care, just long as I get a chance out of this suit and scratch your eyes out."

        "I'd prefer not to violate you in such a way down here.  I don't want your guts exploding from the heat on my body, you disgusting little whore."

        "Uhm sir."

The minion butted in this small wordfighting to remind his leader of something.

        "The Hunter has reached Norfair already, we must make preparations to fight."

        "Ugh...very well.  This will be the last time I will battle that worthless human."

        "What about the captive?"

        "Throw him in the Metroid containment room...it would be a shame to waste his body."

James turned furious at such casual disregard, not wishing to be some personal toy for Ridley.  All he wanted now was to scream at him.

        "YOU...FFFUCKING ASSHOLE!  WHY DON'T YOU KILL ME ALREADY, LIKE YOU WANTED TO BEFORE!?!?"

        "I had a change of heart.  I believe it would be best to kill you slowly first with your spirit, then with your body until you realise your only existence is to become my own personal slave.  Who will eventually die from my violating you repeatedly...I think it would be a much more fitting end for you..more painful."

        "YOU...you don't think I can escape on my own and strangle you, you BITCH?!"

        "You can't do ANYTHING, boy.  You cannot even hurt me with your pathetic claws, you cannot even use that armour you stole from us, and you couldn't even take the smart choice of any escaped captive and run.  A wretched beast as stupid as you does not deserve a quick death.  Take him away and put him in the room where the Metroid was, I must prepare myself for Samus."

James was dragged through the control room to a large arena-like area.  A platform over a pool of pulsatingly roasting lava, where a door stood at the bottom.  He was thrown into the door, his suit still on.  Glass cracked underneath him, the only other thing in the room with him being the remains of a broken container.

James tried to open the door, trying for what felt like half an hour to the best of his ability in the suit, but nothing seemed to work.  Pounding on it, shooting it, headbutting it even until he sat down to take a breather and recover his strength.  After another hour of silence amidst the bubbling geothermal vents, he could hear shouting and shooting from beyond the door as he braced himself for anyone who came in.

He could hear a space pirate get close to the door and stood to one side of it.  He waited until it opened, seeing the dark alien armour before clubbing one of them relentlessly.   The creature fell with a roar as the raptor shot him repeatedly dead in the heart.

        "FUCKHEAD!"

A blast was soon aimed at him, but missed as he turned to fire back.  He stopped himself upon seeing it was Samus, presumably chasing down the pirate he just killed.

        "Oh, THERE you are.  No fucking gratitude for saving your ass back on the ship I take it.  Or before that in the ambush."

        "Your suit."

Her words remained short and precise, no time to mince them.

        "Yeah uh...the pirates made a copy of yours, so I stole it to get down here."

        "Does it work?"

        "Cannon blaster thing works, I can't do a ball thingy apparently and it's kinda clumsy for me but-"

        "Shh."

A finger to her lips made James shut up for a second, before she beckoned him out of the room into the larger arena-like room.  She felt a change in the air, and said:

        "Ridley is here.  You have to leave now."

        "Woah woah woah, I am NOT going anywhere ye-"

Samus turned quickly and aimed her sleek cannon directly at the raptor.

        "Get.  Out."

        "But I have to-"

        "You only put yourself in danger.  You are inexperienced.  He is my enemy.  Only I kill him.  Leave."

        "OKAY LISTEN, I'm not leaving until he's dead and FUCK your experience!"

        "Then why not face me, BOTH of you!"

A shadow from the darker areas of the walls began to glint menacing eyes.  Ridley appeared before them, furious with wings fully out.

        "This is pathetic Samus, teaming up with an amateur."

        "This is between you and me, Ridley.  Leave the boy out of this."

        "I don't think he wants to be left out of it."

        "Damn right I don't cuz I'm gonna FUCKING KILL YOU!"

James launched up onto the dragon's head, screaming his fury and bashing with fists as hard as he could despite the thick bony scales.  He had forgotten how strong they were to such blows so he focused on the eye to at least disorient him.  Ridley snarled and shook his head to throw the pest off, but eventually grabbed him with one hand and threatened to crush his neck.

        "YOU PATHETIC LITTLE RAPEMEAT!"

        "FUCK YOU, I'M GONNA KILL YOU-HHHRK!"

He was cut off by a choking gasp as he was strangled hard, but Ridley was shot in the arm by Samus which forced him to drop the raptor.  James was undeterred and kept on the dragon pirate, clawing at his eye in fury.  He knew the bounty hunter was more skilled and equipped than he was, so he had an idea to give Samus an opportunity.

He tried to grab the head and pull it up to expose his neck.  Ridley wrestled like a rogue stallion as the Hunter saw the opportunity given to her, blasting at his throat with a missile.  The beast roared in a broken voice as he threw off his assailant.

        "YOU FOOLS!"  His voice was now hoarse in pain.  "How DARE you disrepect ME!  I am RIDLEY!  I AM YOUR MASTER, THE MASTER OF THIS INSOLENT GALAXY!  AND I WILL HANG THE BOTH OF YOU, BY YOUR PATHETIC INTESTINES, UPON MY WINGS!"

Samus unleashed a whole torrent of weaponry at her disposal.  Bombs that blasted a whole radius around themselves forcing James to run from the explosion.  Missiles of varying explosive power as well as the odd arm cannon shot that kept Ridley well occupied and wounded.  James did his best to help, but was at most ineffective in the armour.

He was knocked about repeatedly, slammed into walls and thrown onto the floor before turning too weak to fight.  He soon retreated to a corner, trying to catch his breath as he could only stare at the epic battle between human and space pirate dragon thing.

Samus was ungodly in her battling prowess, leaping back and forth, walljumping to blast missiles all across Ridley's head and back.  Bombs in the air scorched the pirate's scales, but he was just as challenging with his tremendous claws, whip-like tail and pure strength.  The battle was hard fought and it only made James wish he was this good, cursing the armour he had to wear for surviving the heat.  Even then he realised that on his own, he could never be as good as this mysterious bounty hunter.  Soon however, Ridley began to burn deeply, as his body collapsed to the ground roaring:

        "You BITCH!  WHY WON'T YOU ACCEPT YOUR FATE AS MY VICTIM, SAMUS ARAN?!  NOTHING CAN KILL ME, NOT EVEN THE GODS THEMSELVES I WILL NEVER DIE!"

        "They can't."

She aimed her arm cannon at his face.

        "But I can."

The hunter punctuated this with a brutal single blast to his face with a skin-charring missile blast.  His last guttural sounds died away as he was finally defeated, his eye bloodied and blackened with the rest of his face.  Samus had taken a heavy toll of damage in the battle, panting heavily before turning to James.

        "Get up.  Follow me."

Having no means or urge to argue with her after her destructive yet cold tactical kill, she entered the room that James had been in.  The only thing that interested her was a small tank underneath a rock.  She fitted it into her suit with a sigh of relief as a little whirring came from it, before examining the broken container.  She picked up a few pieces, scanning the metal bases.

        "I wonder what that held?" asked James.

        "A Metroid."

Her reply was instant as she looked around the room with a strange wistful look in her eyes.

        "What's a Metroid?"

        "My objective, that is all you need to know.  Did you happen to see a small green creature, like a jellyfish?"

        "I haven't even seen anything like a jellyfish at all."

        "...there is nothing for me here.  Follow me."

The two travelled together out of Norfair, with James relying on Samus' experience to be given a boost up through the region.  He asked her gently to at least be guided out of the furnace-like caverns of Norfair, which she did with little trouble.  When he felt the heat no longer on his body upon finally reaching the area of Brinstar, he sighed with relief.

        "Thank god for that...now I can take this stupid armour off."

James immediately pulled off the armour parts, with help from Samus who knew how it all worked.  After placing them in a pile, she destroyed them immediately with her weaponry to turn into twisted scrap metal.

        "Bit overkill isn't it?"

        "I don't want them copying my armaments."

        "So...now what?"

        "I go to Tourian to finish my objective.  You leave."

        "Well...I guess since Ridley's dead I got no reason to be with you.  Um...thanks for...saving me...like...three times was it?"

She merely nodded, saying nothing more.  James had to wonder if she was just naturally cold, or if life had turned her that way, before asking:

        "I just...I'm sorry.  I just want to leave this place now.  Do you know how to?"

        "I cannot leave until my mission is complete."

        "I...I understand."

With Ridley now dead the raptor found a strange emptiness welling up inside of him.  He felt broken and out of place like a doll in an abandoned house left behind, whimpering quietly.

        "I-is there some...place I can sleep, until your mission's done?"

        "There's a safe room over here."

Samus walked him to a small room built into the caverns, a gleaming brass shelter with crumbling remains and a large single silver pod hooked up to a monitor.

        "Sit over there, catch your breath."

James did so without question.  The moment he felt his haunches hit the floor he became tense and wrought with seething frustration.  He felt the experiences of the past day run through his mind which sent him into a sobbing fit.  Samus said nothing, simply staring at the young creature whose hands shook as he rocked himself back and forth with a sneer of hatred across his face.

        "After my mission is done, I can take you to someplace safe."

        "R-really?"

        "Yes.  Try to rest."

        "I can't.  I-i-i can't, every time I close my eyes I see him...I hear him.  I c-can feel his breath on my neck-"

        "Shhh.  Do you want me to help you sleep?"

        "C-can you?"

She nodded calmly as he nodded back."

        "Please.  H-h-help me."

        "Close your eyes, and count to ten."

        "What?"

        "It will help you.  Count to ten slowly, space them out longer the higher you go and do not open your eyes until you reach ten."

        "O-...o-okay."

James closed his eyes carefully and hunched his knees against his chest, counting carefully upwards.

        "One...two......three.........four............five..."

He would not see the hunter raise her hand cannon above him like a club, gently aiming it upon his skull.  He reached the number seven before a sudden blow knocked him straight to unconsciousness with a small amount of pain as she walked away.

        "I hope you find some peace.  I will come back for you."

He only woke up later when a blaring siren resonated throughout the planet.  Once upon a time he wondered "what is the worst thing you can wake up to?".  Here and now, he got a pretty good answer in the form of:

        "WARNING.  SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED.  THREE MINUTES UNTIL COMPLETE PLANETARY DESTRUCTION.  PLEASE EVACUATE THE PLANET."

        "U-ungh...w-wait...Wha-what...WHAT!?  WHAT!?!!?  You gotta be fucking kidding me!"

Things had gone from bad to worse.  Not only did he know no way off the planet, but he was going to die if he couldn't find one at all.  Remembering frantically where he had seen a ship, he remembered the yellow ship on the surface in the rain.  Probably Samus' ship as the only other person around.

With panic and freedom from the suit, he leapt up the chasms of Brinstar, amongst the creatures who ignored him thankfully to tend to their own problems of immediate extinction.

He leapt like a frog on crack, scrabbling the shafts, crawling through holes before eventually he became lost.  In his desperation he had gone the wrong way and ended up running towards the west down a long tunnel of lights that confused him.  He thought it had been the outside when in fact it was simply fungus turning hypervigilant at hte coming prospect of extinction.  He rushed his way back in the opposite direction before reaching the thankful breaths of cool moist weather upon him.  The only thing that ruined it was the constant shuddering of the planet.  According to the computer voice that resonated throughout the earth, he had only one minute left to evacuate.  But there was a problem.

Samus had already left.

As he felt the planet tremble, he stood upon the incredibly unstable surface of Zebes.  But there was no ship.  He looked up to the stars, noticing them more closely with remorseful defeat in his mind.  Samus was gone, the remaining space pirates, if any, were on the other side of the place, and he had no way to leave the planet soon enough as it shook with an apocalyptic fury.  All he could do was gaze at the space above, far far away, wishing to be amongst the stars.  He prayed for the first time in his life, with desperation, trying to console himself of his coming unorthodox death.

        "Please...please god let me leave this planet.  I don't care how, just let me leave, let me go to the stars, any star out there, just PLEASE..."

His mind drifted, thinking of the stars.  The very word seemed to ignite in his mind.  Soon, he felt a cold wind suddenly around him, a strangely familiar one as he felt his entire body shiver slightly.  The wind went inside him, right inside his bones, before he saw something familiar.

A light.

A wondrous blue light, wrapping him in its cold howling embrace as he felt his eyes start to blur intensely to become consumed by darkness.  It was a deep darkness, not unlike the night sky of space and beyond.  He heard the rumbling collapse of Zebes turn more and more distant, the klaxon call fading into obscurity.  Soon, he couldn't even think anymore, drifting into a cold sleep.