Chapter 2

A flood of memories shrouded the Dark Hunter's head like a mental landslide. The overload of information was almost too much; it was overwhelming.

She clutched her head, eyes wide; it was all coming back. Her early life as a metroid, becoming Metroid Prime, consuming the DNA of her twin, taking her form, the countless battles she had endured, the many beings she had dragged into thralldom, her most recent demise- Was it recent? No, it couldn't have been…but, if it wasn't, then where had she been the last many stellar cycles? Why couldn't she remember what had happened between the time of her death, and now? Where had she been? What was clouding her vision?

She forced relaxation on her perplexed mind, realizing the futility of trying to remember.

It will come to me in time… She thought, I must simply wait.

She looked up longingly at the Leviathan, recollecting her ability to transfer thought.

My child, she began, we must find you a new home. For as you are starving, so am I. We don't have much time.

Dark Samus drifted cautiously with her seed, gently guiding it in the direction of the nearest star, knowing that if they reached it before dying of energy deprivation, they may just have a chance. If this solar were to fail them in their search, she would perish alongside her last living offspring.

Sailing across the gulf, something caught her eye. Sitting directly between her and her destination was a strange anomaly she had not witnessed before in her life; a thick circle of black, outlined by the background light, which seemed to twist and contort around its dark frame. This unusual scene seemed to frighten the Leviathan as it attempted to veer off and out of its path.

Shh, it's alright… The Dark Hunter soothed, do not be afraid. As long as I am here, nothing will harm you. We must push forward.

The two moved on the anomaly's position, wary of their surroundings.

Perhaps it is a portal… Dark Samus's thoughts echoed, if it is, we're taking an awful risk entering it… Either way, time is short; now is not the time for second thoughts.

The shape came within reach, revealing itself to be much larger than originally assumed. The Dark Hunter approached the wall of bent space-time, slowly slipping past its alien vestibule, the perturbed seed reluctantly following behind.

Suddenly, there was nothing, and then, there was everything. Lights flashed, stars stretched, space itself seemed to dissolve. Dark Samus found herself thrown about in a sea of black, littered with starry whitecaps. Dust flew this way and that; sparks erupted from corners which seemed to bounce in and out of existence, the very fabric of reality appearing to unwind.

The negative could sense the Leviathan, it was terrified. Her eyes darted about, searching for her child. She felt her hand land on its thick hide, but when she turned to see, it was nowhere to be found. She reached across the dimensions, clinging to the last living thing she cared about, shutting her eyes tight, hoping that this would not be her end. Then, as quickly as the panic had begun, it ended. Vision returned to the Dark Hunter, as she looked around for any sign of the Leviathan. A gentle nudge came from behind, accompanied by a familiar purr-like rumble. She turned, caressing the seed's shell, calming herself.

We made it. We are alive.

She surveyed the area, struggling to regain her bearings.

Where are we? I do not recognise this place…

The seed slowly began drifting off, as though somehow acquainted with this unknown region of space. Dark Samus followed, hoping it understood its own direction.

Many longs moments passed before anything showed. A tiny blue spot appeared far off in the distance, too dull to be a star; perhaps they had been granted a second chance. As the seed and its master moved closer, it became more obvious that this was, indeed, a planet; a beautiful, deep blue orb, sitting dormant amongst the lonely darkness. The Dark Hunter couldn't seem to keep her crimson eyes off of it.

As they neared their celestial savior, something became abundantly clear: the planet was uninhabitable, a barren wasteland of gas and nothing else. Dark Samus stretched out with her heightened senses, feeling the near supersonic flow of its harsh hydrogen storms. There was no way she could survive in an environment as unforgiving as this; the seed, on the other hand…

She looked up at her rugged, meteor-like companion, hoping she was making the right choice.

Go, young one; make your mark. Make this planet ours. Soon, I will follow…

Hesitantly, the Leviathan began its slow descent into the gaseous atmosphere, taking on a blue-ish glow as it reached terminal velocity. Soon, it disappeared beneath the thick clouds, leaving the Dark Hunter to once again drift alone amongst the black.

Now, I resume my solitary journey…

The sudden absence of the seed took a much larger toll on her mind than she had originally expected. The Leviathan was the last remaining member of her brood, her only surviving descendant. Without it, she would have nothing; plain and simple.

She shook from her feelings of uneasiness.

All will be well, she told herself, we will go on. We will continue. We will survive.