Disclaimer: Samus Aran and the Metroid are properties of Nintendo @-2002,2003

The Three Bloods

Chapter 1:

Around her was a vast wasteland, spanning as far as the eye could see. The ground was blighted and brown, and the skies were thick with soot and ashes.

"Where am I?" Samus whispered.

She looked down to the ground, to the dirt and pebbles between her toes. Then she realized that her toes were bare, just as her feet…and the rest of her.

However, even while knowing this, she wouldn't cover herself up. She wouldn't allow the person who brought her to this place to see her filled with shame, or humiliated. Samus looked left and right, trying to find whoever else was here in this place with her. She couldn't find anyone, but she could sense it, as surely as if she were using the multitude of scanners in her Power Suit.

She looked up into the sky in frustration and screamed, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

As if summoned, a figure appeared in front of her. He was tall and broad shouldered, and his back was slightly humped. He was completely robed in shiny silver metallic cloth. His head was covered with a high golden collar, and a wreath of feathers grew from the top of his head

"You are the Newborn," he said, his small bird-like eyes blazing.

Samus shrugged. "Yeah, that's what they call me," she said nonchalantly. Then she grew serious and glared at the other. "Why have you brought me here, Master Chozo?" It was something Samus learned to call her feathered friends, since they had no names of their own. 'Chozo' was satisfactory to them.

The Chozo raised his right arm, revealing a long and slender finger from beneath his robes. He then made five quick strokes in the air. Samus watched as the lines in the air suddenly flared into fire and burned into the air. She recognized the symbol. It was the same damned symbol she'd seen before on SR-388, Zebes, and on Tallon IV. It was a Chozo symbol, she knew that much, but she had no idea what it meant

She looked at it for a moment longer, and then she looked back to the Chozo. "What is it?" she asked.

With red eyes burning into her, he pushed his hand towards the symbol that floated in mid-air. The symbol flared and rushed towards Samus. She tripped and fell back to the ground, and when the symbol loomed closer, Samus found herself unable to move.

"Wh…what is this?" she choked out.

The Chozo pushed the symbol further, it split into two, shrank in size and continued to slowly, torturously approach her. It burned directly in front of her eyes and hovered only a few inches away.

The Chozo held his head high and looked down on her. "Three Bloods!"

He pushed the symbols ahead, and the burned straight into Samus's eyes. Her scream echoed across the ruined plains.

@

Samus jolted out of bed in an icy sweat. She stared unblinking to the end of her bedroom and panted heavily while clutching at her heart anxiously. She blinked her eyes deliberately and rubbed them with her hands, before swinging her legs off of the bed.

"Ugh," she groaned. It was always something; if it wasn't a hot temperatures or cold sweats, it was these nightmares. She squeezed her hands against her temple, rose and moved to a nearby mirror. An open window let in the cool night air and the light of the moon shone over the tidy penthouse apartment gracefully. Samus checked her eyes in the mirror in her bathroom, and then turned on the sink tap by placing her hands under its sensor and washed her face.

When she was done, she stared at herself in the mirror. Even though she was almost twenty-five years old, the face that stared back at her was one of a girl of sixteen. She laid a hand against her face and marvelled at the change. It began soon after she came back from her latest 'mission' involving the X-Parasites; she noticed that wrinkles began to shrink away, and her general look was changing, de-aging.

Samus went to many scientists' friends that she trusted, and they all came to the same conclusion: the multitude of toxins, biological agents and DNA had resulted in a physiological change. At one time, she thought she was not going to stop 'de-aging' until she looked like a child, but thankfully it seemed to level out lately. She sighed and let the water drip from her smooth face and into the ivory sink. She always thought it'd be great, losing a few years; but the truth was that it just created more problems. Just try getting a drink in this colony with a face like that.

She brushed a hand through her short blonde hair that she recently cut so that it's length had gone to the nape of her neck. At this length, her hair naturally fell over the sides of her face and waved away at the ends. Samus cut her hair one night simply because she wanted to. She was up, one night, frustrated and angry and needing a change, so she just cut it. It was one example of how it wasn't just her physical appearance that had undergone a change. Samus had become listless and depressed. She found it sometimes impossible to sleep at night, what with her temperature skyrocketing and plummeting intermittently; along with nightmares and terrors that plagued her when she did sleep.

On Tallon IV she had been exposed to the highly mutagenic compound Phazon. Even though it eventually cleared her system, her friends among the scientific community believed it might have affected her body. Then just recently, she had been infected by the parasite 'X' and nearly killed. To save her life, they mixed her DNA with that of the X's natural enemy: the Metroid. Metroid! Of all things!

Now that, along with changes caused by the X parasite swam in her blood, doing who knew what kind of things to her. All this didn't even take into consideration that at the tender age of seven, she was infused with blood from the demigod like race known as Chozo. 

Samus chuckled scornfully. It could hardly be said that she was human anymore. It wasn't any wonder that her nights were stiff and restless. Drinking seemed to be the best release for her these few months, drinking and sleeping. Actually a drink sounded pretty good right then.

She headed towards the drawer by her bedside that hid a bottle of K20 scotch, and at that moment, a panel on her bedroom wall began to beep. It's tone signified that a call was incoming to her view pad. Samus absently slammed a console on the wall of the bathroom, and it promptly showed her the time: 306 hours. Who'd call at this time? It had to be one of only a few people; her home channel wasn't something she gave out freely.

Sitting once again on the edge of her bed, she tapped a button and watched a view screen rise from the drawer-desk. It immediately flashed, and then there was the image of a moustached gentleman in his 60's, wearing law-enforcement clothing.

"Oh…I'm sorry little one, this must be the wrong channel," the man said with a grin. "I was looking for someone named Samus Aran."

Samus laughed bitterly and leaned forward. "That is so funny General. No, don't say anything, I haven't finished holding my sides:  it's just so damn hilarious."

General Adam chuckled and his grin widened. "I thought you'd like that. I still haven't gotten over how much you've changed."

"Neither have I, General," she said, smiling wearily.

Adams harrumphed and glanced down on his end. "Don't you think you should put something on before we continue, Lady?" 

Samus looked down at herself. She was dressed only in panties and a slip of a top. What did he expect; it was three in the mourning, and she was warm. She leaned forward again to the view screen. "You're not serious General. You're the one who called me."

"That I did, Lady," he said while scratch the back of his head. "And trust me, I wouldn't have called if it wasn't important. I know how you like your privacy, especially lately. You know…it's not healthy, being by yourself like that, Lady."

Samus stared absently into the view screen, Adams words settling in. Maybe it was true…but it didn't feel like something she could change right now.

"Anyway, Lady, I've been intercepting messages for you as per your request. Smart idea too, you wouldn't believe the number of people requesting your 'expertise' on missions. However, I think this you'd be interested in this one. I haven't seen it yet, but you might know about the sender." He pressed a few buttons on his end and another button began to flash near Samus's console. "I've got the duel-encryption working on my end. You?"

Samus pressed the flashing button and another console flipped up from the desk. "I'm ready, General."

The transmission took only a few minutes to completely transfer to Samus' console, and when it was done, the General smiled and nodded.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it." He leaned back on his chair and gave her a quick wink. "Whatever it might say, don't do anything reckless. I'd hate to lose you, Lady."

"Thanks, General," the bounty hunter said before ending communications. She didn't know what he meant by not doing anything reckless, though. Just who sent this transmission?

There was only one way to find out.

She reached underneath the drawer, pulled out her bottle of liqor and turned on the file. The view screen flashed again, a figure appeared, and Samus's mouth opened in shock. He was tall and robed in metallic cloth. A high golden collar obscured his face. Feathers grew out of his head, and his eyes blazed with a red fire. The sender on the file read only as 'Chozo'.

"I am communicating in hopes of reaching the one known as the Hatchling," the figure said, before his expression became joyous. "How are you, Newborn? It has been a while since you've left the flock, but the deeds of your heroism have reached even our far off years. No doubt, you must be weary."

Samus was holding a hand over her mouth as she watched silently, and she nodded. This was just a complete shock. The Chozo Masters haven't directly contacted her since she left their care so many years ago. This was completely unprecedented.

The figure continued. "We believe that the time for your reward is at hand. Though you already hold the secret hidden within our blood, as well as the power of our Varia technology, we feel that you are owed even more. After all, you are the Hatchling. You've brought retribution to those who've soiled our lands, and you've brought a reckoning to our enemies." The Chozo folded his arms inside his robes and nodded solemnly. "Your hard work must be compensated."

The Chozo then leaned forward and his eyes flashed happily. "The ones who bore you on the place called K-2L, the Mother and the Father, they wish to see you again, and I'm sure you do as well, is it not so?"

"M-mama?" Samus breathed.

"It is within our ability to do so. You trust in our power, do you not? We have never let you down before. Though it can only last a few minutes, we can deliver your spirit unto another plane of existence, where you can finally meet and talk to your parents. Just enough to know that they still live on, and they still think of you. This is the most we can do."

The bounty hunter shook her head slowly, disbelieving what she was being told, but silently hoping it was true.

"I wish to meet you, but I cannot sustain my corporeal form in this place for much longer. Rendezvous with me at these co-ordinates in this time period, and I will come to you. Then I promise you, Hatchling, you will see your parents. You will get your…what is it your people say… just rewards."

The information was downloaded into Samus's computer, and then the transmission cut off as suddenly as it began. In the dead of the night, Samus stared into the blank screen. She put the bottle down and held her head in her hands, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her parents? She couldn't even really remember what they looked like.

The Chozo had never let her down before. The Chozo had saved her life! They gave her the Power Suit. So why was she so hesitant, so wary of this whole situation? It could just be a case of 'being too good to be true'.

But what kind of daughter would she be if she didn't at least try?

Samus rose to her feet, slipped off her white top and headed for the showers. She made her decision quickly, as she usually did, and her decision was to leave immediately.

@

When Samus reached her personal hanger a half-hour later, she saw her Hunter-ship and activated Main Power. The ship was sleek and spotless. Despite the fact that she had been out of action for the last few months, she still paid good money to have it cleaned and maintained.

Samus looked up at the ship, took in a deep breath and then looked at the palm of her right hand. She focused on the small round implant in the center of her palm and activated the power of the Varia technology.

Lines of circuitry raced up and down her body, and a strange light coalesced and crackled around her thin form. From the light materialized body armour, large shoulder pads, a large sleek visor and an arm cannon. When it was over, Samus slumped her shoulders and breathed evenly, letting the armour's life-support systems integrated with her body as steam rose from her form.

After entering her craft, she took a seat, placed her left hand on the main console and accessed her computer.

"Good morning, Samus. Where would you like to go today?"

Samus smiled inside of her visor. "Why do you always ask me that? You sound like some goofy television ad?"

"I do not understand."

"Never mind," Samus smirked as the Hunter craft lifted off from the hanger and into the stratosphere. "I'm inputting headings into the navigator."

"New headings confirmed. Co-ordinates lead to the small planetoid Gawrs 20. Estimated Time of Arrival at double light speed: One point four hours."

"Sounds good." Samus leaned back and allowed the computer to work the ship into light speed. She felt the familiar tug that came with surpassing the light barrier, and then watched the stars streaked by the view screen.

"Samus, why are you headed for Gawrs 20?"

Samus blinked and looked around nervously. "There's someone I have to meet there. I've received a summons to go, so I'm going."

"Is there a bounty involved?"

Samus laughed and looked around again. It was hard talking to an A.I. like a person that was actually there. "It's not always about money, you know."

The computer seemed to hesitate, before saying. "I understand. This is a personal matter."

"Not really…" Samus said uncomfortably. "It's just…wouldn't you like to meet your parents…er…programmers?"

"No," the computer said coldly. "I have no desire to interact with my programmers."

Samus sighed and sank into her seat. It was hard talking to an A.I.

"However, I believe I understand. I have…missed…your company, Samus."

This made Samus smile. Maybe it wasn't so hard after-all. "I've missed you too, Adam."

"Warning," the computer suddenly announced. "Long distance scans detect the presence of another Bounty Hunter, Class A: Registration number HA0239. Name confirmed-"

The computer didn't have to continue. Samus knew that number by heart. It belonged to Houston Armstrong. She gritted her teeth in rage. "What the hell was he doing there?" she thought angrily. "Computer, who else is on that planet?"

"One other life sign has been detected. Unidentified. Closer proximity is required."

Samus gritted her teeth, checked the power of her weapons and looked ahead. If closer proximity was what the computer needed, closer proximity was what it was going to get. She had no idea what Armstrong was doing on a planet that was the site of a meeting between her and a Chozo Master, but she had a feeling it was no coincidence. If he's not careful, he might end up killed.

"Here we go…" she whispered, as the Hunter craft sped its way towards the fated planet.

@

Dither Bikky Says:

Okay, another lame ending. Sorry I just can't seem to end my chapters right. Anyway, I know this was a boring chapter, but I needed it to give you Samus's state of mind, as well as a description of what she looks like outside the suit. Think cute folks. Anyway, please R&R.

And if you're a Zelda fan, read my other story: Legend of a Wind Waker

Thanks, and get back to Readin'!