"Are you sure you wanna do this?", Mario asked of Max. "I mean, I understand if butlers, silk sheets and life size Star Wars statues aren't your cup a Joe, I mean why do ya think we don't live here? But still, at least try living with us for awhile..."
Max thanked Luigi, but shook his head. "You guys have been great. Really, you have. I can never thank you enough for everything you've done for me... thing is, while I was out, I already picked up this little shack in Applejack... now, I kinda wanna get that paid off, maybe upgrade it... have a few friends over... like you guys."
"…so, you are moving in today, I take it?" Luigi was curious.
Max looked over at Samus, who had heard the conversation with some interest. "Yeah... really, you guys can... come over..."
Mario smiled in a big mustached curve. "Well, same goes ta you. Any time ya wanna see us, da door's open." And with a firm handshake from the plumbers, followed by a hug from the quiet princess, Max and Samus walked across the bridge to the road outside Toadstool Castle.
Max seemed happy to have the time to settle in a place of his own, and Samus was glad to help, but she seemed a little worried. She'd have to tell him the truth before this gets out of hand, and the longer she waited, the harder it would be. It was hard for her to enjoy the bright colors and sunny skies of the realm like this, but she knew she'd probably be back soon. Besides, Applejack wasn't far.
"Max..." she began, fighting just to say the name.
Max turned around. "What's up?"
Samus stalled for words for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. Then, she finally just told him "Nothing... I'll tell you in the ship."
On the trip to the craft, not another word was spoken. Samus hurried past the mushroom people, not sure of what to say or how to respond to anyone. Afterall, Samus did most of her work while in isolation from others. She felt more at home in personal starships and caverns than she did in a place like this. Thus, when she ventured into public, she often hid behind her Varia suit.
Watching Max and his reaction to so many people at once, Samus couldn't help but wonder how he could be so happy and carefree. Smiling, talking to people... how? This raced through Samus's mind as they traveled to the craft. Once inside, Samus pulled ignition and lifted off without a word.
"Hey, Samus... what did you want to talk about before?", Max innocently asked of her. Samus seemed to be in dread. Her usual worried frown took more emphasis now as her eyes closed. "Alright" She thought to herself. "Samus, you got the discussion started. There's no turning back…"
"Max..." Samus began, before holding his hands in her own. "I'm... a lonely person. I wish I could be like you sometimes... you love people! I just..."
Max seemed to know instantly what Samus meant. After all, he was well aware of Samus's isolationist work as well."Oh, Samus... I can help with that! You want to be social? It's easy! I'll show you how."
Samus managed a faint smile. "Will you? Thank you, Max… It's just that I feel a little imprisoned by it…"
Max shook his head and placed his palm on her round metal shoulder. "I'll always be here for you, sweetheart."
"S-sweetheart?"
Samus would have spit up her soda if she'd been drinking any. Her dreadful expression just got a little more dreadful. "Wait, Max, stop... listen, I need to tell you..."
Samus's craft landed outside Max's small house. When the occupants emerged, neither of them seemed to be in good spirits.
Samus looked absolutely horrible. She covered her knees up in her sweater and wrapped her arms around them, gently rocking back and forth... "Max, I'm so sorry... I didn't want to hurt you..." It looked like she was going to cry.
Max shook his head. "No, it's okay... this is my fault... I mean there's a difference between best friends and girlfriends, right? When I first sat down with you inside Parapa Palace, I thought… maybe… I don't know… I thought I could read eyes. You know what I mean by that?"
Samus didn't look up at him, but did weakly respond "...Yes…. I think so..."
Max raised an eyebrow. "Still, I really felt like you did…"
Samus thought for a moment, trying to hold back tears, and shook her head. "No... I just wanted a friend... ...one I hope I can keep for a long, long time..."
Max was moved by Samus's last statement, and sat down with her to hold her tightly. "Don't worry. I won't go anywhere."
Samus returned his embrace desperately. Behind a powerful chozo suit, she may be possibly the most feared presence in the galaxy, but without it, she was really a pretty meek and sad person. The situation had come to closure, but for reasons Max could not understand, Samus was still visibly upset... as she remained in the embrace with Max, she spoke five words, so softly only she could hear them...
"But I do love him..."
Under the suit was also a powerful cyborg. Samus Aran could practically lift Max's new bed all by herself. And despite denying feelings for him, she was more than eager to buy him some furniture, and even square his first debt to Nook.
"Wow, Samus... this really means a lot to me... you didn't HAVE to help me pay the raccoon off though."
Samus shook her head and managed a smile. "I-It's okay. I wanna see you in a decent house, not this office cube!" Then she coughed once. "Erm, there is a condition... ...you see, I don't really have a place I like to call my own... not that I couldn't afford it! I make a lot of money, but if I'm gonna be lonely, I wanna be in my ship is all... ...in short, I'm asking if I can stay with you..."
Max scratched the back of his head. "Are you sure that's a good idea? A guy and a girl under the same roof… and after what happened before..."
Samus shook her head. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that again. Besides, this makes training you much easier, since I can just get up before you, maybe make breakfast or something..."
Max interrupted her. "Training?"
Samus looked to Max. "Oh, Lana didn't tell you! She sent me a note asking if I would supervise you for your probation period... you're still not technically in Kevin's shoes... ...oh, but I'll get to take you to some pretty cool places, and your favorite kingdom of pipes and plants will be one of them!"
Max looked worried. "What about your work?"
Samus shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like I actually "work" for the federation... I *never* do long-term contracts with them... It's basically just them trying to use me for my suit... In any case, I think I can stand a break from that for a little while... who knows, maybe when I go back to it, you'll be the one fighting Ridley!"
Max watched Nook and some beavers start upgrading the house, with all the furniture still in it. "Me?"
Samus sighed and looked up at the sky... "I hope for good... don't get me wrong, if I thought obliterating Ridley's body would end him for good, I'd totally have done it. But there's always something to repair. And even if there isn't… well… ...that's why I need your help, Max. I need to remove Ridley, AND the space pirates from my life once and for all, and I need you by my side... please..."
"Hmm..." thought Max. "There's more going on with this than it seems... she seems so desperate for help, and absolutely desperate for me... ...but not enough to... ...huh... we'll find out over time..."
Max looked up at Samus and put a hand on her shoulder. "Teach me to survive the dangerous parts of this world Samus, and I'll teach you how to survive the peaceful parts. I promise. Now, what do you say we go for some ice cream? It looks like these guys are gonna take awhile..."
Samus looked up at the site, and saw the animals scurry about. "hehehe... yeah, why not." Without thinking about it, she held his hand as they returned to the ship. Then, realized this and let go, embarrassed.
Their base of operations is unknown... Every planet under Federation authority is patrolled and empty... Even the brown chunks of Zebes they managed to halt and gather into a slow moving asteroid field are empty... but somewhere, hidden away in a dark corner of space (if corners exist), a wounded dragon sleeps in a large tank...
"His vitals are improving", informed the pirate scientist to the commander. "He should be able to perform again at full capacity given some ti-eh?"
As he said this, He watched the dragon move his finger in his sleep. "mmmmm... very good..."