14th installment of the VGNU.
The time has finally come.
Heroes are called from all corners of a universe self-destructing.
A mysterious figure has gathered them to save their worlds before it is too late.
Will they stop this great calamity?
Or...
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|Originally written by Randy Studdard for Nintendo Power
It was one of those sort of can't-make-up-it's-mind-if-it-wants-to-be-gray-or-sunny kind of days. A day typical of Redmond, Washington; home of the headquarters for Nintendo of America Inc.
Maxwell W. Powers, lumbered into the Research and Development Special Projects Department with a package that had been delivered to Data Entry by mistake. Max's best friend, Brett Randalls, put his Metroid game on pause and turned his attention to Max.
"Ho, ho, ho," said Max. "I have a nice package for some little techhead who's been very good this year. It says 'Napaj Microchips. Avoid exposure to moisture and extreme temperatures.'"
"All right!" exclaimed Brett. "We've been waiting for these."
"So where is Tara?" Have you two interfaced yet?" asked Max.
"Miss Bates went out for coffee," said Brett indignantly, "and, no, but I've been trying to boot up my courage files to ask her out all day."
"It's about time. You've had a huge crush on her for six months."
"Hey, what are you two goldbricks doing?" Called Tara as she returned.
"We're just running on idle cycles. Max dropped by those special microchips we've been expecting," replied Brett, picking up his NES Advantage and resuming his game.
"Oh, thanks, Max," said Tara, setting her piping hot cup of coffee next to the package of Napajese microchips.
"You bet. Well, break time's over. Got to go." Max started toward the door.
"Uh, Tara?" asked Brett as he turbo-fired missiles into the Mother Brain.
"Yes, Brett?" Tara answered.
Neither of them noticed the box of microchips had begun to glow. As its glow increased, it started to hum.
"Well... uh... would you like to (gulp) go ou--"
Suddenly the box was beaming like a small sun and the hum swelled to a piercing whine. Tara and Brett, startled, turned toward the glow.
Max, standing frozen at the door, could only manage to stare and sputter "The chips!" under his breath.
Brett said nothing but stood transfixed by the incredibly bright object just a few feet away. He could sense it was going to explode any second. He felt that he had only one chance to save his friends. Pushing Tara backward, Brett lunged toward the pulsating miniature star in an attempt to absorb the explosion with his own body.
Just as he reached the object, it exploded violently, driving him backward and into his Control Deck, NES Advantage, and the monitor as the enchanted microchips sprayed forth like tiny darts.
Most of them embedded themselves deep into Brett's skin. Others fused with the microchips in the Metroid cartridge and the monitor.
Tara reached Brett first and knelt down to feel his pulse, but he was almost too hot to touch. And then she noted something else: his skin had a soft metallic feel to it.
