Chapter redone
Chapter 2 Part 1: Distant Pasts Two Wounded Hearts.
Soon after the training sim, the team had split off. Linda went to the shooting range, Fred went back to his own quarters, and Chief was going to go meet up with Kelly at the sparring mats in half an hour. And in that half hour was his first shift of babysitting.
John sighed slowing his pace to a halt for the umpteenth time. Samus quickly fast walked over to his side, smiling up at him. Chief gazed down at the girl giving a small nod in acknowledgement to the smile. With his hand Chief silently gestured in a gentlemanly way for the girl to walk ahead of him.
Samus did so with a playful leap leading the way, activating her armour in the process, so she could easily understand the answers to all the questions she had brewing inside of her.
John didn't understand all he saw when they found the young girl was her sprinting around. All of a sudden the pace had changed, now the girl struggled to keep up with his stride. He guessed it was due to her healing leg and the fact that she had that youthful curiousity to her. There were so many distractions to make her lag behind.
"Chief, what that!?" the questions began.
"Storage."
"Chief what that!?"
"The mess hall."
"What bout that!?"
"Artillery." at this point Chief's eye began to twitch.
"What that!?"
"Recreational room..." He was beginning to wonder how an almost completely silent little girl could get so chatty once everyone had left?
"Chief wha..."
"Samus!" Chief silenced the girl, stopping her in her tracks. Samus stared up at him, her big watery apologetic eyes could be seen through the lime green visor. The Spartan sighed, he didn't mean to snap at her. So he decided to change the subject.
"So how old are you exactly?" Chief spoke in a calm voice, escorting the child into his quarters.
"This much!" Samus cheerfully held up all five of her fingers and her cannon.
Chief drew his head back in shock assuming the girl was ten since she was holding up both of her arms. The girl's speech and character made him believe that she was less than six years of age, though her height would not have backed his theory. Though he didn't remember having terrible grammar when he was ten, he was very well spoken at six years of age. The Spartan wondered if the girl possibly had a speech impediment. "You're only ten?"
"Yeah!" Samus nodded in confirmation, she was still a young child, though her terrible language skills probably made her seem much younger.
"Alright Samus, you're going to have to explain yourself, I'm a little confused." Chief sighed, sitting on his berth.
Samus stood in the middle of the room for a moment, giving a deep sigh she attempted to climb onto the berth with the Spartan.
Chief didn't know what possessed him but he ended up helping the girl up. He supposed it was instincts kicking in. Not thinking anymore of it, he waited for Samus to begin her story.
"I was three, my planet were attacked by Ridley, and Space Pirates." Samus's body quivered at the images her story brought back to her. "They killed my Mommy, and Daddy, and every people on the planet. Sept for me."
Chief ignored Samus's use of youthful vocab in her story, instead he reassuringly placed a hand on the child's shoulder, waiting for her to continue.
To the best of her abilities Samus continued to explain her story.
During the child's story telling Chief got flashbacks of his own childhood past. Her explanation of the lose of her parents reminded him of when he was kidnapped from his family to become a Spartan. The lose of her home world, reminding him of Reach. The lose of the Chozo, reminded him of when he lost his Spartan brother Sam. Samus's infusion of Chozo blood, and her intensive training. Was his reminder of the training, and the augmentations he had gone through.
Through all that Chief was thankful he still had Linda, Kelly, and Fred. They were a constant reminder to him that through all the hell he had been through, he hadn't lost everything. He just wished he could say the same for the little girl sitting beside him.
"Sorry, I know that was very difficult for you to explain." John apologized, he was surprised at how well the child was excepting all the devastation that had happened to her.
Samus shook her head, smiling at the Spartan. "It's okay, you been through worser things probably."
Chief smiled at the adorable mispronunciation. "It dosen't matter who had it worse Samus. Do you understand?" Chief sighed.
Samus slowly nodded understanding the Spartan's meaningful words.
"Well, Kelly is probably waiting for me by now, I've got to get going." Chief stood up changing the subject.
Samus slid off the bed following the green Spartan.
"Oof!"
Chief was suddenly impacted from behind after halting himself. Chuckling in his head, while Samus shook off the fact that she just walked into a brick wall. John knelt down to be level with the girl. "Samus, why don't you go see Linda? I'm sure she could think of something for you to do."
Samus blinked in confusion, was Chief leaving her?
"I'll take you to her." Chief walked straight out of the room, leaving Samus.
The girl almost refused to leave the room, but her anxiety of being in an unknown place without someone she knew soon took over her. Darting out of the room she collided into another armoured man passing in the cooridor. Causing her to fall back onto the ground.
"Whoa, hey are you okay?"
Samus jumped to her feet, staring at the new armoured person that had no helmet.
John heard the collision from behind, whirling around he jogged back over to the stuned child.
"Sir!" Thorne quickly saluted Master Chief, as Samus instinctively hid behind the green armour.
Chief lifted his arms in surprise, his eyes following her quick swift move to hide. "At Ease Spartan." He turned his attention to the Spartan four.
Thorne immediately put his attention back on the little girl hiding behind the much larger Spartan.
Clutching Chief's hand Samus hid her face behind the armoured arm.
Feeling the tiny hand in his own hand, the Spartan leader knew he could very well crush the child's hand without even thinking about it. Very cautiously closing his hand over the smaller one, John gave a reassuring squeeze.
"Is this the kid? I heard that Blue Team brought back a kid from that alien planet. But I didn't think it was true." Thorne leaned down to alien armoured child.
Samus ingnored hiding herself behind Chief even more.
"Shy one?" Thorne smiled.
Chief did not reply to the Spartan Four's comments. After a few awkward moments of silence passed, the Spartan two began to guide Samus back down the hallway, away from the Spartan Four.
As the Spartan walked he felt his arm tug from behind as if something failing to keep pace with him. Looking behind him John realized he was still holding the child's hand. Stopping he released his tight hold on Samus's hand. The Spartan felt himself flooding with guilt, hoping he didn't injure the girl.
"I'm sorry Samus, is your hand okay?" Chief asked with concern.
Samus answered with a giggle. "Chief you hands really big, just like the Chozo!" Samus's youthful innocence was enough to make the Spartan's guilt wash away.
John smiled behind his visor. "Let's get moving."
Walking across the safety room over to the target range entrance, the Spartan stopped the girl. "Stay put, I'll be right back." Chief sternly ordered Samus as he entered the range.
Samus quickly scrambled over to the safety glass, it was obviously not designed for childeren to gaze out of. Luckily there was a chair right next to the window. Climbing onto the chair Samus stood on her knees leaning against the window completely oblivious to the fact that the chair was slowly sliding away from the window. Looking through the glass the girl saw a redheaded woman in a black jumpsuit laying on the floor firing a sniper rifle.
"Linda." The redheaded woman took her last target down before Chief paused the simulation.
Turning to see her armoured leader Linda stood up with a groan, activating the safety on her rifle. "You are interrupting me for a reason, John?"
John knew it irritated Linda when she was interrupted by someone, escpecially when taking her time away from her sniper rifle.
"Where's the neon kid?" Linda looked around to see no orange armour, or blue jumpsuit. The neon colours of the child's armour and jumpsuit bothered Linda, being a sniper camouflage was your best friend.
John glanced over in the direction of the observation window, seeing Samus's small armoured form bearly peeking over the windowsill watching them.
Linda followed his gaze also catching sight of the observant child.
"I'm meeting Kelly for sparring, and..."
"And you thought you could drop the kid off on me, while you have fun training?" Linda scoffed folding her arms.
John stood completely still. In a way the sharpshooter's words were true, he was trying to put babysitting duty on Linda's shoulders.
"I'll take your silence as a yes." Linda sighed, walking to the exit. "What the hell am I supposed to do with the kid, John?" She hissed as her leader followed her.
"Linda..." Chief called as they entered the safety room.
Samus turned to see the activating door, as soon as her body shifted positions the chair completely gave out sliding out from under her.
Linda winced at the echoed hard smack against the cement flooring. Both Spartans quickly slid to the side of the fallen child helping Samus back up. "Are you alright kid?" Linda asked, as Chief assisted lifting Samus into a sitting position.
"I'm okay..." Samus jumped up to her feet with a smile, brushing off the pain from her fall. "You have really good shoot, can show me how!?" Samus's youthful excitment caught the two Spartans off guard.
Chief smirked at Linda's dumbfounded expression. "Um well... you need to be able to concentrate, and have patience." Linda mumbled.
"I could does all that!" Samus replied, speaking in her youthful incorrect vocabulary.
Linda quirked an eyebrow with a smile. "Fine, meet me at the entrance."
Samus nodded, walking over to the target range entrance.
Linda turned to see Master Chief staring at her. "Shut up..." she brushed past her brother, escorting Samus into the range.
Chief shook his head with an insignificant smile. Watching the two through the window. Samus bounced across the floor to the spot where Linda had been sniping. With all of Samus's high energy John wished Linda luck on sharpshooting training. Observing the two John had a thought cross his mind, Linda didn't seem to be as quiet around Samus. Chief was beginning to wonder if Samus's presence was influencing him and his teammates odd behaviour.
"John, where are you!?" The annoyed voice of Kelly came over his helmet speakers. Bringing Chief out of his thoughts, he swiftly pivoted exiting the target range.
Kelly was impatiently standing by the mats with her arms folded. "About time. You're fifteen minutes late, what the hell kept you?" Kelly scolded Chief as he entered the training arena. "Where's the kid, did you lose her already?"
"Kelly, one thing at a time. Sorry I'm late, I was dropping Samus off with Linda." Chief replied with a sigh.
Kelly smirked. "Couldn't bear to part with the kid, leaving her with a sharpshooter that never misses?"
Chief folded his arms. "Comforting Kelly, really." He sighed. "Can we just get on with training?"
"Yes Sir, we most certainly can." Kelly's words dripped with her quick witted sarcasm.
At the Range.
"Alright you have to tell me, I'm curious. How do you just throw your armour on and off like that?" Uncharacteristically Linda spoke in a curious manner.
"I use my mind." Samus replied, reading Linda's confused expression. "My power suit is powered by my mind. That why it so hard to keep fighting. I was training how to keep focus, then bad aliens came..." Samus explained.
Linda nodded after taking a moment to translate the girl's scrambled sentence. "You have an understanding of concentration then, excellent. Let's set up some targets, you take them out with your current weapons. Then we'll see about rifle use okay?" The Spartan walked over to a control panel.
"When can I use the sniping shooter?" Samus pointed to Linda's rifle.
"Right now keep your core focus on taking your enemies down without losing concentration on your suit. If you do good, then we can see." Linda started the simulation.
The whir of machines rang, Samus went on guard, pointing her arm cannon at the targets. Taking out each target on level one, and two. Linda nodded in approval, raising the training level. Multiple targets appeared quickly, catching Samus off guard. She whirled around shooting two targets that appeared behind her. Not paying attention Samus was shot by the simulated enemies, spinning around the girl fired at the targets that shot her. More enemies began to appear and move in, Samus's suit flared as she began to lose her concentration. Slowly her armour dissolved into her blue zero suit leaving her defenceless.
Linda was about to stop the simulation as the enemies shot a few more rounds into the kid. The Spartan paused when Samus begun to fight hand to hand with the simulation targets. Taking the remaining targets down with ease.
Samus panted as the sound of machines powering down came into earshot.
"Excellent work bringing down your targets. But if those were Elites you'd probably be dead." Linda approached Samus, who nodded in understanding. "You lost your power suit. What happened?"
"I...I... too many..." Samus stuttered.
"Too many excuses, you couldn't be more correct." Linda folded her arms. Samus opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance. "No! What happened was you lost your concentration, you let yourself panic. That flustered panic caused you to lose concentration. If I did that with my sniper rifle, I would miss all my targets. Missing my targets means I don't have my teammates back, and if I don't have their back, I get my team, and myself killed!"
Linda's tone was harsh but Samus had been through many hard lessons with the Chozo. She knew the stern tone was so she understood the realism and tragedy that could happen. "Sorry."
"That's it kid, I don't want you to be sorry for what could happen if you lose concentration." Linda sighed pointing to the floor. "Sit."
Samus was confused by the command.
"Sit down." Linda repeated, this time more sternly.
Samus slowly went down, sitting crosslegged on the floor, Linda doing the same.
"Close your eyes."
"Why..."
"Close your eyes!" Linda hissed, getting fed up with repeating herself.
Samus obeyed tightly screwing her eyes shut.
"Relax, and breath." Linda calmed her tone, allowing Samus to relax her muscles. "Good, now just focus on your breathing. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale."
Samus did as she was told but felt silly doing it. Giving a small giggle, she peeked with one of her eyes.
"Focus kid, no peeking!" Linda gave Samus a tap.
Samus closed her eye with a smile, returning her focus to her breathing. Linda said nothing more until the girl began to get so relaxed she was almost falling asleep.
"Now focus on your heart beat. Feel the steady rhythm as you inhale and exhale." She continued to verbally guide. Examining the young warrior, no swaying, straight back, perfect posture. The steady rising of the girls chest indicated she was calm and focused. "Your power suit is part of you. It's connected to your heart and mind. Concentrate on your battle armour, inhale, exhale." Linda breathed in sync with Samus. The last step was now going into motion. Linda watched as small orange particles materialize together over Samus's body.
The young girl kept her eyes shut, focusing on her steady breathing. Soon enough Samus was fully armoured, no dematerializing, or malfunctions.
Linda was proud her method of meditation seemed to work for Samus. "Open your eyes."
Samus fluttered her eyes open to her HUD. She looked down to her surprise fully encased in her armour with no flaws. She didn't even realize it had activated.
"Mind over matter. Use that technique to keep your suit on. Steady breathing, and the rhythm of my heart, is the only thing that help me when sniping. If I tense up and hold my breath, I lose oxygen and blood flow to my brain, I lose all concentration and function." Linda explained.
"How does you fire your gun then?" Samus questioned.
Linda smiled. "I exhale when taking a shot, releasing my energy into my rifle and into that bullet." Heading back over to the control panel once more. Linda felt a bit out of her character, surprised she was conversing with a child willingly. Although it was a lesson she was giving, it was still odd for her.
"Ready!" Samus waved at Linda, who was deep in thought.
Linda nodded restarting the level three simulation.
The simulation restarted with the same enemies that had caused Samus to lose focus. Samus focused on her heart beat, and the connection it made to her power suit. Raising her cannon, inhale, exhaling she released her energy into her cannon, firing at each target. Picking up movement from behind, Samus quickly transformed into her morph ball rolling out of sight, flanking the sims from behind. Planting a bomb behind each target they each exploded.
Samus began squealing jumping up and down with excitement. "I did it!" Rushing over to Linda who was turning the simulation off.
Linda all of a sudden froze when a pair of small arms wrapped around.
"I did it Linda! Did ya see, did ya see?" Samus looked up at the stunned redhead.
"Uh, yeah kid... I saw..." Linda awkwardly replied, slowly prying Samus off of her.
"Matter of mind worked!"
"Mind over matter." Linda corrected, exiting the shooting range.
"Mind over matter worked!" Samus repeated correctly. Deactivating her suit she followed in tow of Linda.
"Yes, maybe next time after some more practice, you can try the sniper rifle." Linda replied, cleaning her rifle.
Three Spartans entered the room. Samus eagerly ran up to the green Spartan, bouncing up and down like a rubber bouncy ball. "Chief Chief! Linda teached me time of matter..."
"Mind over matter." Linda sighed.
"Mind over matter thingy!" Samus continued her excited bouncing, waving her arms in an excited manner.
Master Chief grabbed hold of the flailing arms, bobbing his head up and down to the pace of Samus's bouncing. "You did? Well done Samus!"
"Wait a minute, did John just praise a child in a playful tone?" Kelly thought aloud.
Linda, and Fred, even shot their leader an odd glare.
Releasing his hold on Samus, John cleared his throat. "Excellent work Linda."
"What, no good job Linda?!" Kelly mocked her brother. Linda even smirked along with her, while Fred hid his expression behind his visor.
"Enough!" John sternly ordered. The last thing he needed was to not be taken seriously.
All three Spartans stiffened up painting emotionless expressions across their faces.
Samus was confused, why did Chief get angry, they were just teasing him?
John stared down his teammates for a few moments before allowing them to relax. "As you were."
Linda, and Kelly obliged relaxing their bodies.
"So how'd the training go?" Linda asked, going back to her weapon cleaning.
"Good, I only pinned John twice. Then Fred came in and versed him. It was like watching two bears fighting over a honeypot." Kelly shrugged.
"That's not funny, we do not look like that." Fred disagreed with Kelly's point of view.
Samus had been quick to catch onto the spoken human language around her. She couldn't help but giggle at Kelly's choice of words, seeing Chief as a bear would be a pretty funny sight to see.
"I think your argument has been overruled." Kelly smirked, gesturing to Samus.
Chief noticed the lighthearted atmosphere when Samus was around. Once again it had changed the team's personality.
"Chief, can I spar with Kelly?" Samus tugged on the Spartans hand.
"Perhaps another day Samus." Chief replied with an uncertain tone.
"How about we wait until you're all healed, and you get used to your surroundings, before we get too carried away." Kelly smiled at Samus.
"Okay." Samus nodded with a yawn, it had been a long devastating day for her she was exhausted.
"Sleepy?" Kelly cooed, leaning down to Samus's level.
"Not sleepy..." Samus refused to admit she was tired, putting on a bright smile as a cover up. But her droopy eyes and limbs gave her away.
The white and grey Spartan smiled, it was no use lying to Spartans who could read anyones body language like a picture book. Even though a tired child was a simple read for just about anyone.
"Have you talked to the Captain about her sleeping arrangements or where she is staying?" Fred leaned towards Chief.
The thought had never even crossed his mind. "I have not" Just as John was replying to his brother, the Captain walked in.
"I thought I'd find you Spartans here."
All Spartans immediately stood at attention, saluting the commanding officer. Samus was confused by the sudden change of mood, watching how the team was standing perfectly straight and still. The young girl figured she'd do the same attempting to copy the Spartans.
Out of the corner of his eye Chief saw the girl attempting to copy him and his team. Thinking it was quite entertaining.
"At ease Blue Team."
The team complied relaxing their stance, Samus still stood at her attempted attention.
"Relax." Chief nudged Samus's arm.
Samus relaxed herself almost a bit too much, her tired body causing her to sway.
"Have we gotten anymore info from our new little guest?" Lasky gestured to the young girl who was playing shy once again.
"It's alright, the Captain dosn't bite." Kelly pulled Samus out from behind Master Chief.
Too tired to argue Samus stood beside Chief, clutching the Spartan's arm for safety.
John didn't seem to be bothered by the clingy child. "We obtained some of her origin history, Sir." Chief replied.
As the team babbled on about stuff to Captain Lasky, Samus began to drift in and out of sleep. Tiredly leaning against Chief's side, she waited for the boring talking to stop.
"Sir, is there an assigned place for Samus to rest?" Master Chief finally asked.
Samus's was losing the battle to keep her eyes open, practically hanging off the Chief's arm.
"Hmm, I would have to check the ship's data to see if there's any available rooms. We are currently trying to find an appropriate caregiver for the child. But since your team is assigned to watch the girl, I'm sure one of you could sacrifice and allow the girl to bunk with one of you." Lasky replied, exiting the range.
The Spartans all exchanged looks with eachother. Chief didn't seem to care for his teammates reaction, having mixed feelings. He assumed one of the ladies could take the girl, figuring they would understand Samus's needs better then he would.
"I say we let the kid decide." Fred suggested, bringing John out of his thought's.
"I agree." Linda nodded.
"I think she's already chosen." Kelly gestured to the half asleep little girl hanging onto John's arm.
John gave an unsure sigh in response to his team's vote.
"If it helps we can all take turns John. But you're up first." Fred responded to his leader's sighing.
"I can just give her my room, and I'll go into cryo until the next mission." Chief suggested.
Kelly shook her head no. "John, if you don't recall, we were assigned to be the guardians for this little one. That is our current ongoing mission, don't try to avoid this."
"I'm not avoiding..." Chief replied in defeat. "You're right Kelly, we were assigned a mission. I will see it through." Shifting himself to a more comfortable position, causing Samus to open her exhausted eyes.
Samus tried to keep her eyes open as she was hefted up into a pair of strong armoured arms. Her tired turquoise eyes staring into the golden visor.
Chief lifted the little girl with ease, almost sending her through the ceiling because she was so light. Holding the little girl out infront of him, she gave another small yawn. The yawn apparently couldn't help but creep a small smile on the Spartan leader's face. Holding the girl properly now, John was glad he had his helmet on, though it seemed his smile didn't need to be hidden, taking note of his smiling teammates.
Samus wrapped her arms around the Spartan's neck. It only took a few short moments for her to fall asleep.
Kelly couldn't help but coo. "Aw she likes you."
"...I know..." Chief sighed heavily, making his way to the exit.
"Hey, don't think of it as a bad thing John. At least someone like's you for you. And not just for your accomplishments." Fred mentioned.
The words coming from his brother stopped Chief mid stride. "You should all get some rest."
Chapter 2 Part 2: Haunting Nightmares
Fred was right, besides his team, Halsey, and Mendez. No one had ever liked him for who he was, just for what he was. But something still greatly confused John. He was silent, boring, and rarely showed emotions. How could a child possibly like someone like that? Fred's words were still true though. Samus liked him for him, not because of his legendary accomplishments.
Entering his quarters the Spartan leader exhaled, carefully placing Samus on a large chair in his room. Chief took his helmet off, placing it on the desk next to Samus. The Spartan continued to strip his heavy armour off. Now standing only in his jumpsuit Chief turned around to grab his helmet, so he could place it on the table next to his berth. But instead, he saw Samus curled up in a ball clutching his helmet as if it were a teddy bear.
Chief always put his helmet on the side table, so it was a quick grab incase of an emergency. His helmet being snuggled by a little girl was not about to stop him from putting it where it belongs.
Slowly, ever so carefully John pried his helmet away from the little arms. Feeling like he was defusing a very sensitive bomb, successfully retrieving his helmet, Chief placed it on the table.
"Chief, you going to night?" a tired young voice spoke.
Chief stared at the child sitting across from him, tiredly rubbing her eyes. "Going to night?" He could only imagine Samus meant going to bed. Those tired turquoise eyes staring up at him waiting for a reply.
He noticed Samus didn't seem to be alarmed at all that he was out of his armour, or the fact that he was extremly pale in colour. She even knew who he was. Having never seen him out of his armour before, not once did she even question who the pale man in front of her was.
John slowly sat himself down on his berth. "Yes Samus, I am."
Samus settled herself in the chair falling back asleep. To Chief the position she was in looked most uncomfortable. But to a kid, or someone who could turn into a ball, he figured it didn't really bother the girl.
John laid himself down, staring up at the grey ceiling, he closed his eyes. Thinking about the changes he had gone through since Samus's arrival. He had been more talkative, showing a bit more emotion. His team seemingly gaining the same effects from the girl. After a while of mulling over the recent events, John lost his deep thoughts in a cloud of sleep.
Standing in front of an army of Space Pirates. Smoke and ash engulfing the atmosphere. A massive dragon like figure emerging from the thick black smoke. Clenched in it's talons were the bloody shredded bodies of Rodney Aran, and Virginia Aran. With a bone chilling shrill from the dragon, he tossed the bodies onto the burning ground below. Where a tiny little toddler stood crying, the splatter of blood from the thrown corpses painting the child from head to toe. With a quick flash of light Samus was suddenly in her suit in a training field on Zebes. Covenant carriers flew overhead while multiple aliens charged her on the ground. Samus fired at the attacking aliens taking them down, but not fast enough. A massively tall alien cut through the native Chozo's with an energy sword blood spraying everywhere, the Elite tossed the body infront of two Hunters who did not seem to care where they stepped, effectively crushing the bird like aliens. The crunch of bones echoed through Samus diverting her attention from the charging gun from the carrier hovering above. Finally hearing the hissing charge of the large weapon Samus gazed up as a large ray of death and destruction soared down on her, causing everything to go black.
In a panicked gasp Samus fell off the chair onto the floor. Her heart beat racing, tears flooding her eyes, the girl rushed to the side of Chief's berth.
"Chief!" Samus choked through tears shaking the large muscular arm hanging off the side of the berth.
Chief jolted awake sitting straight up in a panic he grabbed the combat knife under his pillow. Turning to see his waker finding a small upset girl in a blue jumpsuit. John lowered his weapon staring at the child for a few moments. "Why was she crying? Was she hurt again? Did she fall off the chair and hurt her head?"
"Chief, Ri... Ridely... beated... my parents and... threw... b... bodies at me... ... the Covaments aliens... killded... the Chozo..." the girl choked out through tears.
A nightmare, of course. John swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He sighed scratching the back of his head, this situation was unknown to him. Chief thought to himself, they never got trained to deal with youth. Yet again, being assigned to look after a child was probably never on the list in the Spartan training program. Deciding to go by his instincts, Chief attempted to dig deep down into his core of solitude, for whatever nurturing nature he had.
"It's okay now." Picking Samus up she rested herself against the Spartan's toned chest. "You had a bad dream, that's all..." Chief said the words but didn't believe them. He knew very well the nightmare was all based off of the girl's recent tragic events.
"Bu... but I didn't protect them!" Samus hid her face crying louder.
Chief winced at the added volume Samus gave as she wailed. Kelly was on one side of the wall and Linda on the other, the last thing Chief wanted to do was wake those Spartans up.
"Okay... shhh..." Chief put his hand on the child's head. "Samus, you were three, unprepared, and untrained. You couldn't do anything to prevent that."
"I should've though!" Samus looked up with tears streaming down from her eyes.
"Samus, you couldn't have. Look if you continue your training you will grow stronger, and eventually take down the ones who brought you this grief. You can rise up above this, and put an end to the missary those evil forces cause across the universe." Chief spoke clear and firm, hoping he wasn't pushing the wrong buttons on the emotional rollercoaster he was riding. To his luck the sobbing had quieted, his short little speech seemed to have calmed Samus down.
Samus glanced at the floor before lifting her turquoise eyes back up at the pale man holding her. "I'm never going home am I?" Her question was hollow and empty, already knowing the depressing answer.
Chief gazed at his bedroom door as if it had an answer written on it. "No..." His answer was emotionless, but was understood by a few more silent tears.
"Where will I live now?" Samus had lost two homes, and had no idea where she would end up next. She would be lucky to end up floating through space on a peice of space junk.
Chief thought about what the girl had asked. It also brought back him back to the last conversation with the Captain. Lasky had mentioned they were searching for a caregiver for Samus. Who in their right mind would be a suitable caregiving for a child that was a very lethal, fully equipped, human/alien hybrid?
"I don't know. But you are welcome to stay with me, and my team, until we figure something out." Chief reassured, once again that unusual behaviour taking over him. "Do you think we can get some rest now?" Chief placed Samus back in the large chair.
Samus nodded as the Spartan laid her down in the chair. Once again her exhausted eyes winning the battle of sleep once more. Chief smiled, turning back to his own berth, he paused for a moment.
Samus shifted her position as a warm blanket covered her small form.
Morning
Chief slept soundly without a blanket facing the wall in his slumber. Making him oblivious to his helmet being slid off the table next to him. A poke in the back made him groan keeping his eyes shut as he rolled over. Another poke, this time to his forehead caused his eyes to open slowly. After the sleepy fog cleared from his eyes, he met face to face with his helmet.
"Morning!"
Surprised by his own helmet Chief jumped hitting the back wall.
"You have a big head." the familiar muffled voice of a young girl came from under the helmet.
"Samus..." Chief rolled his eyes, taking his helmet off the girl.
He stared wide eyed at the frizzy blonde hair sticking up on end, that appeared after he took the helmet off the giggling girl. He had practically pulled a knife on her last night, and now she had the nerve to surprise him in the morning? She was either crazy, or just liked to push buttons.
Shaking his head with a sigh. "Samus, why don't you go see if Kelly is awake?" if Chief wanted to teach Samus about pushing too many buttons, Kelly would be a good hard lesson for that. "She's the room to the right side of us."
"Okay!" Samus quickly bounded out the room, knocking on Kelly's door.
"Who's there?" a groan from the other side of the door answered.
"Me!" Samus replied.
"Who the hell is me?" Kelly scoffed with an eye roll. "Kid?" The brunet Spartan called after recognizing the youthful tone.
"Yeah!"
"Uh, come on in."
Samus obliged entering the room where she saw Kelly sitting at a mirror brushing her brunet hair.
The Spartan turned around to see Samus's long, frizzy, blonde mess. "What the hell, did you get zapped by something?"
"I wearded Chief's helmet." Samus repleid, balancing on her toes.
Kelly chuckled at the thought of the small girl wearing her leader's large helmet.
Samus blew the long strands of her blonde hair out of her face. The frizzy mess clearly irritating the female Spartan.
Looking over her shoulder at the table her mirror rested on, Kelly locked her eyes on a red hair tie. "Kid, come here."
To no one's surprise the young girl bounced over to the Spartan, waiting for her next command.
"Stand in front of me, turn around, and stare at the door." Kelly spun the girl around so she could brush the wild blonde hair.
Samus was patient while Kelly brushed her long hair. Wincing everytime the Spartan found a tangle, with a couple abrupt movements from behind the grooming was done.
"There, that looks a lot better." Kelly smiled at the long pony tail she gave Samus.
Samus stood on her toes attempting to her new hairstyle in the mirror. Kelly saw the attempt, grabbing the mirror holding it in front of the child.
"Thank you Kelly!" Samus thanked the Spartan with a hug.
"Alright kid, save that cute cuddly crap for someone who's big and cuddly. You know, like Chief is." Kelly pryed Samus off, guiding her back to John's room.
"Chief Chief! Look what Kelly did!" Samus excitedly bounced over to the Spartan who was suiting up.
"Kelly did your hair, well then..." Chief quirked an eyebrow at the brunet Spartan in the doorway.
"I can't believe you let her out looking like that." Kelly hissed at her Spartan brother.
"She's a child Kelly, her hair is going to end up like that anyway." Chief retorted.
"She's got such beautiful hair John, it has to be cared for along with the rest of the kid." Kelly said stepping into the room.
Samus bounced onto the chair she had slept on, grabbing the blanket she bounced over to Chief's berth, neatly making the bed.
Both Spartans watched the little girl make the bed as neat as possible.
"So, who are you dropping the kid off on today?"