Disclaimer: I do not own Metroid or any characters or materials taken from the video game series. No copyright infringement intended.
Hunger.
Burning, ravenous hunger.
Ever since my 'sister' had destroyed Phazze, my source of food and power, I had been reduced to a starving shell of my former self. Oh, sure, I had managed to find a stray leviathan or two, but they had only prolonged my suffering. Now I was little more than a wraith. Literally. I needed a new source of energy. I needed food.
As I drifted through space, I passed really close to a star. It was a large yellow star in its prime and had only dead rocks orbiting it, but all I knew at the time was it was energy and I was STARVING! I plunged into the star, right to its very center. The heat, the energy, it was intoxicating! I ravenously absorbed as much energy as I could, gorging until I could hold no more. At last! The hunger was gone and I felt sleepy. I curled up in the fetal position and soon fell asleep, purring contentedly.
When I woke I was hungry again, but it was bearable and I still had an excellent energy source. I took my fill and left the star (which seemed unaffected by my feasting), looking for a place to settle down. I soon found an uninhabited jungle planet that would provide me with plenty of food, warmth, and shelter. I promptly started looking for a place to shelter, for I was beginning to feel drowsy again. I soon found a nice, warm, dry cave and promptly curled up, falling asleep in minutes.
I was awakened by a blast of cold pain in my side. I jumped up and saw… Oh, horror! Samus Aran! My 'sister'! I wanted to shout, 'Don't shoot! Just leave me alone!' But alas! I could not speak. I may have had her form, but most certainly did not have her ability to speak. She was charging up another Ice Beam shot and I quickly ducked behind a large stalagmite. Just in time too. I thought fast, I could hear her coming for me, I had to find a way to show her I wasn't hostile. Willing my form to change, I transformed my Arm Cannon to a normal armored right hand.
I came out with my hands up. She fired at me again, but I easily jumped over the blast. After a few more shots she finally stopped. Finally! I slumped down onto the floor, tired and now hungry.
"Why won't you die?" Her voice was as cold as her Ice Beam.
'Oh, great. This is gonna be tricky.' I thought as I remembered my inability to speak.
I looked up at her and clasped my throat with my right hand and shook my head to signify I couldn't speak.
She seemed to understand and asked, "Can you write?"
I shook my head.
"Oh, boy. This is gonna be difficult. Ok, looks like we're gonna have to play twenty questions. You're still alive, so either you're back to your Metroid self, feeding off normal energy, or your starving. You don't look like you're starving, so I'm gonna have to guess you're off of Phazon. Am I right?" she asked
I nodded vigorously. Maybe if she knew I wasn't feeding off Phazon any more she'd leave me in peace.
"Well, you may be off Phazon, but you're still a Metroid and a danger to the universe." She pointed her Arm Cannon at me charging another shot.
I started and shook my head vigorously, getting on my knees and clasping my hands, begging her to spare me. All I wanted was a quiet place were I could live and feed in peace. I had to make her understand, so out of desperation, I plunged my mind into hers.
"Where the heck are we?!" she screamed, as well she might.
"With in the confines of my mind," I replied calmly and sadly.
"What? I thought you couldn't talk," she said incredulously.
"I can within my mind, but I lack the physical means. I only did this out of desperation. I didn't want to, but you left me no choice. I am fully purged of Phazon and am now restored to my right mind. All I want is to live in peace, in a quiet place were I have what I need. This planet provides me with that. There's plenty of fauna for me to feed on, there's shelter, and the climate is perfect. I am content and happy here. For the first time in my life, I am actually happy," I explained.
"This could all be a trick," Samus stated, her eyes full of suspicion.
"I understand your suspicion. Believe me I do, but I don't want to fight. I'm tired. So tired. I just want to be left alone," I sighed.
Samus looked long and hard at me. Her eyes felt like they were boring into me, but I didn't care. I was too depressed. I was going to die. But suddenly her eyes softened and filled with a look of understanding.
"I know how you feel," she admitted. "I'm tired too."
I looked at her surprised. But as I looked I saw she spoke the truth. She was tired. Tired of the corruption of the Federation, tired of the never ending war against the Space Pirates, tired of forever being on the move. I nodded in acknowledgement and separated our minds.
After we snapped back to the physical realm, so to speak, she deactivated her Arm Cannon and sat down beside me. I leaned back against the wall exhausted and sighed, after a fashion.
"You're hungry. You should hunt."
The sudden statement surprised me, but I was hungry, so I got up and left to hunt.
When I returned she was gone. I wasn't surprised. It was her way. In and out quick and quiet if at all possible. I went out, looked up into the sky, and for the first time in my life felt at peace.