Mirror

If nothing else, I am a survivor.

I survived the attack of my first home, survived the environment of Zebes- twice over now. I've fought Ridley and Kraid, countless little vermin that swarm the caverns, even Mother Brain herself; and that's saying nothing of the metroids. And I've survived being forced to crash, to lose all my weapons. Being forced to hide in the dark corners where they can't find me, or cramped tunnels where I could barely breathe.

It's humiliating. I was called in because I could prevail where others failed miserably, and I'm reduced to the bare minimums, cowering like a child. No, even when I was young, I had never been this scared. I've never really stared death in the face like this, my choices at this point are to stay here and starve, or go out and be killed by the pirates.

I just can't see any other way. I am going to die here.

The strange thing is... realizing this? I didn't feel as frightened. Yes, it meant admitting I wasn't leaving Zebes alive. But I wasn't worried about how I would escape, how I'd have to hijack a ship, how I'd have to fend off who knew how many Pirates. No, I could be... I could be happy. Just for a brief moment before it was all over, I could smile, I could breathe again.

And it isn't like I've got any rush now. I can stay and remember what things used to be like.

Old Bird brought me here, once. Maybe a year after I was rescued, to show me more of their- by then, my- people. I didn't understand it then, but I would come back here whenever I could, usually after training. I was little, I liked the pretty colors, even if it made no sense. I learned as I grew- the main image was in the same armor they built for me, something they didn't use any more.

I don't really know what I'm looking for in here now. They've left me so many things, maybe there's something left here. But I've tried... I've looked everywhere. I've tried everything I can think of. Nothing in here breaks, there's no hidden little cache, nothing I've become used to finding.

They've left me so much. And I've lost it all! I lost everything they gave me, everything they worked for, everything I worked for.

I can... I can't...

I can't stop crying.
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I can't stop staring, either. I've calmed down enough to get a better look, even if my head's pounding like crazy. I've felt worse.

I don't remember the painting holding a mirror. But here I am, staring at myself from the little sphere in its hands, trying to gather the courage to go back and just end it all. Maybe I can take a pirate or two out with me, I'm not entirely useless in hand to... claw, as it might be, combat.

It's moving.

The painting is moving.

It's still got my reflection in that little bubble, but now it's started floating all over the place, what in the name of all things holy do I do against this!?

Shooting it is my first reaction, and a damn stupid one at that. I shot the mirror and... I don't know what it did, but I might as well have shot myself. And it was a full charge too, I just had to stand there for a couple minutes, watching the thing float around me.

It actually paid off. I don't think I would have noticed how the sphere changed into some little symbol, maybe shooting it then would help? I wasn't this famous at my age for not taking risks, and even if I was wrong, what did I have to lose?

It worked, to a degree. I saw something in the corner light up, but I... well, I'm too busy dodging lightning bolts to get a good look. I keep shooting, I don't really have a strategy, a plan, anything. I'm just trying to keep myself alive.

There's one last symbol in the corner that isn't lit up, and I just can't do this any more. I don't care if I live or die, I'm just going to shoot it until it... it breaks, it dies, it just stops attacking me!

"What else do you want from me? Huh? I know I've screwed up, I don't need anything else reminding me! I'm sorry, alright? I... I'm sorry! What else do you want?"

I can't help shouting at it.

I want the Chozo. I want Old Bird, I want anyone to just help me.

I want my parents.

I wasn't even aware of firing the last shot. I'm exhausted, I'm hurt, I'm just a mess. I don't even know how I got involved in all of this in the first place, I'm barely even out of my teens, but I've been sent to wipe out a whole species; what sort of genius thought that was a smart move?!
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The chamber is glowing. Maybe I've triggered some self destruct sequence and I'll get fried alive. I just want it to be over.

My reflection's... flickering. Changing. I'm... I'm there. But I'm not there. It's showing my suit, no, something that puts my old suit to shame.

Great. They try killing me, now they're taunting me. I don't know who 'they' are, but someone with a sick sense of humor's just trying to screw with me. Still, I want to touch it- maybe it's something real behind the glass, maybe I can pretend that I'm the great warrior people think I am.

Maybe.

Or, I'll be blinded by light. That's always nice. But I can feel something happening to me, it feels like... it feels like my suit is back. No, it is back, stronger than before! A quick scan tells me it's got new weapons- those little things I found in the statues of the Ancients, now they decide to work?

Well. I can't wait to try them out.
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If nothing else, I am a survivor.

Or at least, I seem to be the only thing left alive when everything else is gone, whether with my intervention or not.