The setting sun cast a weak, honeyed glow over the peaks, the shadows dancing and playing as day turned to twilight. The masked girl was heading towards a place that she had frequented as pup, the forest where the fireflies twirled through the night. It brought her comfort to be traveling such a familiar path, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine the brush of fur against her shoulder signalling her brother or sister daring her to a race. Samus opened her mahogany eyes and snorted. It wouldn't do to be trapped in the past. But with her mother's stomach bulging and her newfound adulthood, it was easy to fall into a pit of nostalgic melancholy.

There was little she could do, though. Time passed and there was no force of nature nor of will that could stop it, no way to turn it back. You were left with memories and dreams, but there was no way for the sun to move backwards. Samus let out a heavy sigh, and wished that she was not coming here alone. The firefly forest had been such an integral part of her childhood, such a special place meant for special times. She wanted that magic back, that innocence- the girl realized why her mother had never truly grown up. It was far too difficult.

Samus stopped amidst the trees, the soft spring breeze lightly ruffling her pelt. For a moment she almost turned around, for a moment it seemed like her idea of revisiting a childhood haunt was immature and foolish. That was, until the first firefly blinked into existence. Immediately her eyes lit up, along with a dozen other bugs, and she couldn't contain her burgeoning excitement. With a joyous, twinkling laugh, she leapt into the middle of the cluster, dancing and leaping and playing with the tiny creatures that had made her puphood so wonderful.

With a yip, Samus tripped over her paws and flopped down into the soft spring grass. For a moment, the surprise of falling threatened to ruin her mood, but instead she burst out laughing, her brown undersides exposed as she rolled around in the grass. When she finally calmed herself, she laid on her back and watched the fireflies flit about right above her nose. No, this had been a good idea. Being here had always made things seem so bright and wonderful, no matter what was happening in the world outside. It was like a little pocket, encapsulating only the good, and none of the bad.