Samus, Taklon, and Nikora were walking around in a scenic area outside the village and talking.Taklon and Samus had just participated in a tournament. Samus had taken second place in the youth division and Taklon had taken first.
"My medal's better. It's bigger than yours.", bragged Taklon.
"Well, mine's shinier.", defended Samus, sticking out her tongue, "Actually, I don't think so." They stopped when they heard Nikora scream behind them. They ran over to her. She was passed out face first on the ground.
"You o.k.?", asked Samus. Two yellow beams hit Samus and Taklon. They both felt weak and collapsed on the ground. The last thing they saw was a Chozo wearing jewelry made from animal bones then they both passed out.
Samus woke up and shook here head to clear her eyes. She tried to get up but couldn't. Looking down, she realized that she was tied to a chair. Taklon was tied in a similar fashion to a chair on the other side of the room. They were inside some kind of stone building. The walls were painted and depicted battles.
"About time you woke up.", said Takon.
"Where are we, what happened?"
"Im' not sure but I think we've been captured by Torizo."
"Tori-what?"
"Torizo, they're a bloodthirsty tribe of chozo. If I am right they will attempt to make us join their tribe."
"Why whould they want us?" An adult chozo entered the room.
"Because you two can be fine warriors."
"And our friend, what did you do with her?", screamed Samus.
"Oh, she was fine last I saw. I left her on Zebes. She has no use as a warrior. But you two. Fine warriors indeed. Fine warriors who deserve to be among the Torizo!"
"I'll never join you!", screamed Samus. The chozo hit her across the face.
"You will join us. They all join eventually."
"Don't you hit her!", shouted Taklon while struggling against his ropes.
"Oh, and what are you going to do? Those ropes are woven from Talloric fibers and I assure you, I am the knot tying champion. You will not escape."
An elderly chozo woman stepped into the room. "Mother, here are the new members. Fine, yes?", said the chozo man.
"Yes, well done. These ones are strong.", she said feeling Taklon's right arm. She took a drin from a cup filled with blood. "let the ceremony begin.", said the elderly chozo.
"What?", protested Samus, "You wont get away with this!" Samus and Taklon struggled futilely as the two chozo pushed them toward a door and outside.
It was a strange sight. Chozo and members of many other species, including humans were dancing around a large bonfire in the night. Samus was surprised. She hadn't seen other humans in such a long time and she definitely didn't expect to see them here. The group numbered at least 200. Standing on top of tree stumps were chozo wearing fierce looking masks and holding large guns with bayonets stuck on the ends. The light of the fire flickered and made them look even more ominous. Samus and Taklon were drawn near to the fire. Some of the tribe had stopped dancing to watch. A human boy and a chozo boy stepped forward, each holding a goblet filled with a red liquid. The elderly chozo woman raised her right hand in the air.
"I, Tadon, dedicate these fine warriors to the Torizo way!"
The multitude responded in unison, "We, the Torizo, accept them into the way. They shall be our own brother and sister. We shall love them. By joining us, their individual spirits will be made stronger, as will our collective spirit, and together we will have fun across the cosmos." Two chozo stepped forward and force open Samus's and Taklon's mouths. Samus was cursing them the whole time. The two carrying the goblets stepped over to Samus and Taklon. She looked over as the red liquid was poured into Taklon's mouth. She was able to close hers.
The boy spoke, "Why do you resist? It is cold outside of our tribe. Can't you see, we have fun." He pointed at the dancers and continued, "We aren't bound by rules. No one tells us what to do. We get to kill. I have been told your story. The pirates killed everything you loved. Join us. You can kill the pirates. Teach them a lesson. We will even help you. Please drink it. Join the fun." Samus shook her head and cried. The chozo behind her pulled on her hair. Surprised, she screamed and the boy poured the cup into her mouth. Whatever was in the cup tasted very good. It was already having an effect on her mind. She had an unnatural desire to swallow it. She tried spitting it out but couldn't. She told herself not to but she did swallow it.
At first she was horrified. Everything seemed to blur. She could feel tingling in all her limbs.
"Do you see now? We have fun.", said the boy but his voice was distorted and deep. Samus looked over to the dancers. She thought of her dead parents. She could get revenge. She could slaughter the pirates, not only the pirates, she wanted kill all who weren't Torizo. She thought of breaking peoples' necks. Fun, fun, fun! A wicked grin spread across her face.
"I want to have fun."
"See.", said the boy.
"Yes, it is all so clear now."
"She has joined us. We are all stronger. None can stop us.", said the elderly chozo. Two young chozo untied her and she stood up. All of the dancers cheered.
The boy said, "Come.", and took her hand. She followed him to a small, furry, blue animal tied to a pole. She knew what to do. She stepped on the animal and listened to it cry. She laughed and contorted her face as she put all of her weight on the animal and killed it. The boy handed her a knife. She gladly took it. Samus then cut the animal. She held it above her head and soaked in its blood and smeared her clothes with it. She followed the boy back to the bonfire and they joined the dance.
The next day Samus and Taklon were walking through the forest, looking for things to kill. It had been hard for Taklon to pretend that he had joined the torizo. He had resisted the brainwashing. He could tell this wasn't the case with Samus and that she actually had joined them.
"Samus, you don't actually want to be Torizo, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I want to go back to Zebes, leave the Torizo, and I want you to come with me." Samus's face contorted and she pulled out a beam gun.
"No, you want to end the fun! Your death will be fun!" Samus's eyes bulged and she aimed her gun. Taklon knocked it out of her hand. This didn't stop her. She let out a primal scream and tackled Taklon to the ground while pulling out a dagger.
"Please, Samus, it's me, we're friends.", said Taklon. Samus was attempting to drive the dagger into Taklon's neck while he had grabbed her wrists and was trying to push her off.
"You aren't with us, I have to kill you.", said Samus, digging the dagger into Taklon's neck but missing the major arteries. He kicked her in the stomache and pushed her off. They both stood up. Samus charged and stabbed him in his left arm. He screamed out but managed to punch her with his right fist. He heard a sickening crack as several of her ribs broke. She fell on the ground and writhed in pain. It hurt Taklon to see her like this.
"Sorry, friend.", said Taklon as he bashed her over the head and knocked her unconscious. He could hear the Torizo approaching. They had been heard. He looked back and forth and saw a cave. He quickly dragged Samus into the cave and hid, ignoring the pain in his left arm.
Hawkoruu was following the ion trail left by a space craft. He pushed his ship as fast as it could go. Someone had taken Taklon and Samus and he promised to find them. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to them. Samus and Taklon had disappeared the day before. The only clues the chozo could find were a passed out Nikora. When awakened Nikora explained that what appeared to be a torizo shot her with something and she passed out. Hawkoruu quickly got in his old ship and followed the ion trail left by most torizo craft. He had been following it for five hours and was getting increasingly worried. His sigh was interrupted by a beep from the control monitor. He pressed a button and saw an image of the planet he was approaching.
The planet was brown with patches of green, and had purple oceans. Ancient ruins dotted the planet. With a gasp, Hawkoruu realized what planet this was. Chipicul. It was home to some of the most violent torizo. The torizo were also known for their bizarre brainwashing techniques. The ion trail led to a village in the northern part of the planet. Undetected, Hawkoruu set down in the forest outside the village.
Taklon was moving as fast as he could, going deeper into the dark cave. He wasn't sure how he was able to do this while carrying Samus. The torizo searching for them were getting too close. He heard their shouts and when he looked back he saw several beams of light moving along the walls of the cave. At the last moment he dove into a small tunnel and moved deeper into it. A group of five torizo passed without noticing Taklon and Samus. Taklon released his breath and waited a few seconds. He looked down and saw Samus stir.
Before he could think of a plan, Samus woke up and wrapped her hands around his throat.
Taklon, struggling to breathe said, "Fight it, Samus... this isn't you." She blinked a little but didn't let go. Her evil grin returned. Taklon head-butted her and she let go.
"Don't do this. Remember me. I gave you that necklace, and you gave me this scar." Samus's evil grin disappeared and she stopped in the middle of a cackle. She backed away from Taklon while shaking her head. Taklon could see her face returning to normal. She fell against a stalagtite and broke into tears.
Taklon sat down next to her.
"I'm so sorry. I should have fought it harder.", sobbed Samus.
"It's not your fault. Besides, now isn't the time to be sorry. Those torizo are looking for us.", eplained Taklon. Samus nodded in comprehension and stood up. They started moving to leave the cave but stopped when they heard the torizo passing by again. With very bad timing some large insects emerged from the ground and started biting them. Samus and Taklon had to bear the pain and be quiet.
Unfortunately, one of the torizo noticed the tunnel they were hiding in.
"Hey, I didn't notice this on the way in."
"Then check it out.", commanded another torizo. The torizo ducked down and entered the tunnel. At this time a rumbling noise sounded from outside the cave somewhere. Three of the torizo ran off to see what it was. This still left two of them in the cave. The torizo searching the tunnel found Taklon and Samus hiding behind a large rock. They both leaped out and grabbed his legs, pulling him over. Samus dove for the gun and struggled with the torizo over it. The other torizo ran in.
"Hanaka, what's wrong?" He saw what was happening and aimed his gun at Taklon and Samus.
"Stop, you will come with us. We have harsher methods for making people see the truth known by the torizo."
Samus and Taklon stopped resisting and stood there. The torizo they'd been fighting stood back up. He went to tie Samus's and Taklon's hands but never got to. Green lasers hit both of the torizo in the back and killed them instantly. Samus almost screamed but saw Hawkoruu walk in.
"Oh, I am so glad you're here.", exclaimed Taklon.
"So am I, we have to get moving. I set a bomb to distract them but they'll be back soon.", said Hawkoruu. Samus and Taklon followed him out of the cave.
The group saw Hawkoruu's ship sitting in a clearing thirty yards away. A laser came from behind a bush and hit Taklon and was absorbed by his shields.
"Run!", shouted Hawkoruu, firing back at the now visible torizo. It had shields as well and took several shots. The group took off and ran to the ship. Several lasers almost hit Samus. Hawkoruu was the last in and the door slid closed behind him. More torizo showed up and began shooting at the ship. The ship wasn't harmed but it was still very scary to Samus and Taklon as they heard every shot hitting the ship and making it shake. Hawkoruu turned a key while placing his right hand on a scanner. The ship's engines started and they were soon airborne The torizo outside growled in frustration as the ship lifted off the ground and flew away.
As they were waiting to arrive back on Zebes, Samus slumped in her chair, bandaged in several places and deep in thought, ashamed that she had joined the Torizo. Hawkoruu sat down next to her.
"What is wrong, Samus, is it something that happened on the planet." She told him how the torizo had brainwashed her, how she became irrationally violent, and tried killing Taklon.
Hawkoruu said, "It's o.k. now. Besides, there's no way one of your age could be expected to be able to resist the brainwashing entirely. That you were able to regain control is a testament to your will and strength." This made Samus feel a little better.
"Thanks, Hawkoruu, that helps a lot."
"Well, what I said is true." Samus was soon able to stop dwelling on the events of the past few days and take a much needed nap.