DISCLAIMER: I own Metroid (technically, because I have it on my Metroid Prime…), Metroid Prime, Metroid II Return of Samus and Super Metroid on a ROM. But I do not own the idea of Metroid. I'm nowhere near that smart.

A/N: Yes, I know the end of this chapter has plotholes. It will all be explained… Eventually… Hopefully… If not now, maybe later…

SONGFIC NUMBERO CUATRO: "Fukai Mori" (Deep Forest) by Do As Infinity

SCENARIO NUMBERO CUATRO: Post Metroid Fusion

Chapter 4:

Fukai Mori

~~~

Memory

"Lady, what's troubling you? You wonder how I started the ship? Just think about it. They lent me a hand…"

Samus removed her helmet, letting her long blonde hair fall over her face. She didn't respond to Adam Malkovitch's comment, but walked over to where the three Etecoons and the two Dachoras lay sleeping, and stroked each of them gently.

"Seriously, Lady, what's wrong?" Adam persisted, the emotionless words flashing across the screen as if someone was writing them with an invisible hand.

Samus still didn't reply, and collapsed into a chair facing the control panel. "It's nothing," she responded. "I'm just tired."

"I'd be," Adam replied.

"You weren't there. You didn't see that thing…" Samus leaned back and closed her eyes.

"What, were you scared?"

"Oh my God, you don't know half of it," Samus took her hair out of the ponytail, letting it fall down the back of the chair she was sitting in. "When I saw it destroy the SA-X… I lost it. The SA-X was just as strong as I was, and that… the Omega Metroid just… just…"

"Schooled it."

Samus raised her head. "An unusual choice of words, considering you, but yeah…" Letting out a huge sigh, she leaned back again. "I remember them on my other trip to SR-388. They were nasty. Those big, drooling, oversized pieces of-"

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Adam interrupted. The words held no emotion, but Samus thought that if they could, they would be full of bitterness.

I'm sure that the heart I left behind

Still lies hidden in the heart of the deep, deep forest.

Exhausted, without the strength to search,

People vanish into the infinite darkness.

If it's so small, can I see it even now?

"Oh, God," Samus swore. "You know I didn't mean that. You're so touchy about death, Adam…"

"Gee, I wonder why… But you're alive, right? Shut up and stop worrying about things that happened before."

Samus's visible eye narrowed. "Yes, Father."

"Oh, don't even joke about that," Adam snapped. "I'm not-"

"We'll leave it at that, okay?!" Samus stood up quickly and tapped a combination on her arm cannon, which split down the middle, as did the Omega Suit. The suit fell loosely around Samus's feet, as if it was a piece of discarded clothing. "I'm tired and know I'm going to have nightmares. We'll argue some more when I'm less tired."

The remaining light from the explosion gleamed through the viewscreen and glistened off something gold on Samus's forearm, near her shoulder. It was a golden armband, with her name inscribed on it in Japanese writing.

"Lady… you still have that?" Samus grinned and raised her arm slightly. "Wow."

"You said it," Samus grinned. A thought came to her, and her face grew pale. "Oh my God, Adam, what are the Feds gonna think?!"

"What? About the armband?"

"NO!!" Samus threw her hands up in the air. "What's going to happen to me now that I've blown up SR-388?! Oh my God, and after Zebes?! I am SO dead!!"

As we live on, we lose a little bit more.

Shrouded in falsehoods and lies,

We stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out.

"Now you're talking like a regular person," Adam replied. "Sit down, Lady."

"No way," Samus paced the room. "I'm too tired, but I won't be able to sleep because I'm worried…"

"About the Federation? Lady, it'll be okay…"

"Considering my past reputation?!" Samus shrieked, waking up the little animals. "Bah!! I single-handedly destroyed Zebes and now SR-388, and all those people on Ceres are dead because of me, not to mention you-"

"Lady, calm down or I will be forced to hit you," Adam threatened.

Samus stopped pacing. "How?"

"I might not have a physical body, but I will find a way. Sit down." Samus scowled slightly, but slouched a chair. "First of all, I refuse to believe Zebes and Ceres was your fault. I wasn't there, but I believe you."

"Why?" Samus asked weakly.

"The Pirates aren't stupid, first of all," Adam began, "They wouldn't want to leave a trace of evidence behind after you destroyed them. The first time, their objectives weren't big; it was just a part of Zebes. But the second time they controlled the whole damn planet!"

Samus brushed the hair out of her eyes.

The days pass by and change,

Without us even realizing how blue the sky really is.

Overcoming that made-up scheme, we live the present,

And our rusted hearts begin to beat.

If we can find the rhythm of time, we can fly once again

"Secondly, Ridley might have programmed the computer before you arrived. And yes, I know what happened," Adam added as Samus opened her mouth. "As a computer, not to mention a previous Federation officer, I've got access to a lot of information."

"The Federation!!" Samus exploded. "Yeah, that was a laugh, too! They knew about your connection to me. That's why we got stuck together on the mission when you died! And now, too! They thought I was responsible for your death-"

"Lady, it wasn't your-"

"So they stuck us together again!!" Samus stood up so quickly she knocked over her chair. "'Oh the bittersweet irony,' I bet they were thinking, 'Let's make her take the ship that has the mind of the dead guy she killed!! Let's poke fun at the great Samus Aran before sending her into OBLIVION!!!' That's what they told you, huh, Adam?! They knew I was a danger, you said so yourself!! Of course they would make fun of me!!!"

"Lady, you're overreacting," Adam said, calm if anything, "This has been a little too much for you. I think you need to relax and get some sleep."

"I AM RELAXED!!" Samus yelled, her voice becoming shrill. "And now what am I going to do about them?! They're obviously sad that I survived, so what are they going to do?! Blame me for SR-388 and lock me in a padded cell?!"

"Why a padded-"

"I'M NOT GOING TO GET OVER THIS, YOU SHORTSIGHTED BASTARD!!!" Samus screamed, "CAN'T YOU TELL?!?! I'VE ESCAPED DEATH TOO MANY TIMES AND THIS IS THE FINAL STRAW!!!!! I HAVEN'T HAD A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP IN A YEAR NOW!! EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES I KEEP SEEING THOSE DISGUSTING, LIFE SUCKING LITTLE…"

We live our lives wandering

To the ends of the earth.

Believing in you, now I begin my journey with you,

In search of the light

"Lady-"

"DON'T TELL ME TO BE CALM, ADAM, BECAUSE IT WON'T HELP!! I'M SO…… I… I COULD JUST-"

In a flurry of rage Samus ripped the armband off her right arm and made as to throw it onto the ground. The critters, shocked at this outburst, were cowering together in the corner. For a moment, everything was still. Then, Samus's gray eyes, wild with fury a few minutes ago, grew large and horrified. She slowly sank onto the ground, and put her hand on her forehead.

"Oh my God," she whispered hoarsely, "I really am going crazy."

"No you're not," Adam said reassuringly. "Post-stress trauma. Paranoia. It happens to the best of us."

Samus looked up. "I don't know what to do, Adam," She whispered hoarsely.

"Lady, since when have you cared what anyone else thinks, anyways?!" Adam replied. "Not then, and not now! Why is this affecting you so much?! So you saw an Omega Metroid, big deal! You've seen them before! And you know what, you defeated them back then, too! And it was stronger than the SA-X because the X are their food source!! Its abilities had nothing to do with it. You're stronger than both of them are. You always have been, and you always will be."

Samus screwed up her face, driving back the forming tears, and opened her eyes again.

As we live on, we lose a little bit more.

Shrouded in falsehoods and lies,

We stand frozen to the spot,

Unable to cry out

"You know what? Life has been hard on you. But you're not the only one!! I've died, Lady. You haven't lived until you've died. I don't know why they wanted me back, but I'm sure it wasn't to make fun of you. Sometimes I wish I didn't come back. But…" Adam paused for a few minutes. "I had a promise to fulfill. A promise to your father."

Samus's head jerked up on its own. She had remembered that Adam had been on K-2L as well, and she had been friends with his daughter, Kathryn. She had remembered Adam and her father had been good friends, too. She had remembered that her father helped Adam escape during the raid by using an experimental ship. She didn't remember anything about a promise.

"Yeah, I didn't tell you. Before the ship took off… your father said: 'If you ever see Samus or Virginia'- Your mother, of course- '…then tell them that I love them, and take care of them for me…' And he promised he'd do the same for me. "

We live our lives wandering

to the ends of the earth.

Closing off the way back,

we walk on for eternity.

Samus wavered, a sudden exhaustion swept over her, and she thought she was going to be sick. "That's why…?"

"Yeah… I guess there really isn't anything else to say, huh, Lady?" If Adam still had a voice, it would be shaking. "It's not why the Federation chose to revive me but… But forget about them!! It doesn't matter what they do to us, because we know it was the only way to save the galaxy, and that's what matters. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Somebody's going to understand one day. It might not be until we die, but somebody will know the truth."

Samus nodded slightly. "I feel sick…"

"It would be best for you to just sleep," Adam replied.

"Where are we going to go?" Samus stood up, swayed weakly, and rested her hand on a console.

"We should probably go to the Federation Headquarters. See if we can't explain our actions in full. It might not be as bad as we think…"

We live our lives standing frozen to the spot,

Unable to cry out, for eternity...

The mere idea of the Federation listening seemed impossible. But Adam's coming back and the Federation's double-crossing had seemed impossible, hadn't they? And so many other things as well…

'I'm an impossible child…' Samus thought, semi-humored, as she collapsed in a chair and fell asleep. With the ship still on autopilot, it took its passengers deep into space until the bright light that was once SR-388 faded until it was just like one of the many other stars in the sky.

What did I tell you? Isn't it great, though? I portray Samus as mentally unstable… Regardless, the whole Adam schpiel will be explained in a future chapter… Guarantee I'm going to have fun with THAT chapter…

Originally, Samus's mom's name was "Maria", but that was my educated guess… Thanks for correcting me, Phantom Kensai!! I've looked at the e-comic, but I can't read much Japanese (apart from names… and being able to tell that Ridley said KAWAII!!! (For you non-Japanese speakers, "kawaii" means "cute") O.o ::dies:: )