A/N: Oh hi everyone! Sorry for the hiatus, I got distracted and honestly forgot I began to write this fic (I'm more of a reader than a writer). I came back to the Metroid section and saw all the great reviews, so I will continue to write! I need a break from schoolwork anyway... So here it goes!
After the meeting, everyone was served dinner. Samus sat alone. To her surprise and maybe sorrow, Rundas had decided to sit at Sylux's table. Sylux himself was currently alternating his glare between Rundas and herself. Gandrayda still clung to him.
"Some friend…" she sighed aloud. Wait... did she just almost consider Rundas a friend? That was not okay. She couldn't have friends. Not after the pain she suffered. She had to keep telling herself not to make friends. Her life was a mission. The people in it were only her foes or allies, but not her friends…
"Um... is it okay if I sit here?" intruded a hesitant voice. Samus, still in her frantic train of thought, shot the stranger a puzzled glance "Oh.. I'm.. I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have come over here I'll just sit alone…" he continued.
"No sit here, I'm sorry! I was just trying to take everything in. I'm new here. I'm assuming you are too since you would approach someone that you don't know?" replied Samus.
Her new acquaintance looked down with an embarrassed and distressed look. Well that's what his look would be if the guy's face was able to show an any form of expression. He was completely robotic! "N…no. This is my 4th year here. I haven't graduated. I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this and being so depressing. I don't even know your name!"
"My name is Samus Aran and…"
Before she could finish introducing herself, the robot suddenly jumped and his body began making frantic, whirring sounds. "Samus Aran!? The famous orphan bounty hunter? I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have approached you so casually. I.. I just thought you were a lonely new potential who needed someone to talk to."
Samus replied with a gentle laugh. "Well I definitely am I lonely new potential. And I appreciate you coming over to talk to me. What is your name? And if you don't mind me asking, what are you?"
His mechanical mayhem (seriously, that's what it looked like) calmed down as he adapted to Samus's gentle demeanor. "Sorry about that, I've had this body for awhile now but sometimes it reacts poorly to my emotions. And I didn't know someone so famous could be so nice. I'm Ghor. And I'm actually a human. The first year I came to here my body got… well… blown to pieces during a mission. They were able to salvage my brain and a few other bits of my body and well, here I am!"
Samus noted that as soon as he felt more comfortable around her, Ghor's behavior became friendlier and less timid. He explained how it took a year to learn how to use his body and another year to learn how to use it in bounty hunting; by programming himself into armor that he created himself. "I'm sorry about your body." She replied rather awkwardly. She wasn't sure if she should pry more about the accident due to he panic he exhibited previously. "I think it's really cool that you make your own armor. You seem to be very talented."
Ghor appeared to be taken aback. "Why… thank you Samus" he choked. To Samus, it really looked like there were tears of oil beginning to well up in his mechanical eyes. Or is that just a robot cliché? Ghor collected himself and continued "People normally focus on asking about the accident rather than how I've adapted to it. I think they tune out the rest of it and focus in on the part where my body explodes…"
Samus wasn't sure if this was a laughing matter, but she couldn't help but let out a chuckle at this robot's dry delivery. To her relief, Ghor returned the laugh. Well if he has already survived death once, maybe it'll be safe to befriend him…
Their moment was soon interrupted by someone rather rudely clearing their throat. Next to the table stood Rundas. "Samus, why are you with such a weakling? Baby Boltz here isn't anywhere near as strong as you. He's not worth a single second of your life, in fact I don't know why I am even over here wasting my time."
"Well Rundas," retorted Samus, "You have your own group over there. A "posse" as you called it before as I do so recall. So why don't you go back over to them and become a minion of the guy that you were not so long ago threatening and calling an asshole."
Rundas took a step back, hands up in the air in surrender. "Eaaaaaaaasy there, princess. No need to get jealous. Relax, I'm still on your side. I was just trying to get to know the enemy. You know, to be strategic and all that stuff."
"Since when have there been sides, Rundas? I'm not here to make friends nor am I here to make enemies. So please stop this delusional war you are starting with Sylux and get over it. Also feel free to get over yourself while you're at it." Okay, Samus sounded pretty mean but the dude was asking for it! Poor Ghor was just slumped back in his chair and looking afraid and helpless. He really did need to work on his self-confidence… But that didn't warrant mean name-calling!
Rundas responded by bursting into laughter. "Man oh man, I sure did choose the best ally and arch rival around. The girl knows how to stick up for herself."
"Rundas, I do not need your flattery. In fact, what I do need is for you to leave me alone. I do not want to get involved in your antics. Syllux has done nothing wrong to me. Yes, he does keep glaring at me but that's all because of my apparent reputation."
"Actually, Aran, I do very much intend to do wrong to you." Samus whipped around in her chair to come face to face with Syllux, standing menacingly close to her. His minions flanked him and Gandrayda still clung to him, but she didn't make eye contact with Samus. In fact, she looked pretty uncomfortable.
"And why do you exactly intend to do wrong to me?" Samus retorted. If I show weakness, it will be like the day my life changed. I showed weakness then. I can't, and I won't, show weakness ever again,
"Because, you blonde bimbo, I rule this place. You're stirring up a lot of talk, and I don't like it. The only person talked about should be me, Sylux, the greatest bounty hunter in the universe."
Ghor quietly excused himself to his room. Rundas , however, became visibly angered at Syllux's hateful words. "How about you be quiet, Sylux. Samus is way stronger than you. In fact, she may be the only person stronger than me. Maybe. If I recall correctly, you failed bounty hunting school last year due to having no code of honor. I may be a cocky bastard, but I do know honor and how it is just as important as physical strength!"
"Oh yeah I'll show you physical strength!" shouted Sylux as he forcefully shoved Rundas, sending him flying across the room and against a wall. At this point, everyone in the cafeteria was watching them. And to thing think Samus wanted to fly under the radar..
"Rundas!" shouted Samus worriedly in his direction. He was quite obnoxious, but she didn't want to see him hurt, especially after he had stood up for her.
Syllux gave her a sneer, summoned his followers with a cocky hand gesture, and walked out of the room. "See ya bimbo. I hope that taught you rejects a lesson." Samus remained in her place fuming and at a loss for words.
Rundas reappeared at her side, rubbing his head and grimacing in pain. "So you still don't want to make enemies, Samus?"
"Oh, I still don't want to make enemies. But I never said anything about retaliating against someone who makes an enemy out of me." Conflict was bad, but weakness was never an option!
Rundas gave her a smile and a thumbs up. "Then lets get on it! We have an galaxy sized asshole to take down!"
A/N: Now Samus is seeming more like herself! I changed Ghor's backstory slightly to better fit the story. You'll learn more about the accident later on.
