Parasite AQ-048

"Tell me about... AQ-048." Samus requested

"That particular parasite was one of many attempted upgrades developed and based on the genetic samples derived from multiple aquatic lifeforms from multiple environments and depths on a variety of worlds. The purpose of the upgrade was to give users the means of traveling to, and surviving any form of underwater location, and be able to conduct operations there indefinitely. AQ-048 is one of the few reportedly successful attempts to create such an upgrade, and it is highly compatible with your zero suit."

Upon hearing this description, Samus was very interested in the nature of this upgrade's capabilities; having an upgrade like this on hand would come in very handy if she ever took up a mission that would involve a lot of literal wetwork on say, a planet that's all ocean. That being said...

"This all sounds to good to be true," Samus commented, "Computer, is there anything else I should know about this parasitic upgrade? Anything unusual, or weird?"

"This particular parasite, in order to provide users with the necessary enhancements, must integrate with said user in multiple invasive manners, including injections along the sides of the neck and ribcage, directly to the respiratory system to simulate a fishes gills. The parasite will also have use the suit to cover the entirety of the user's skin in order to protect from **** cold, similar to Chozo Varia Suit functions, and while doing so, the suit will grow fins and webbing along toes and fingers for underwater maneuverability, with legs temporarily merging into tail whenever needed. Finally, while the parasite will cover the users eyes with a protective, transparent film, with varying vision filter such as infrared, all of the user's orifates, including mouth, ears, and lower extremities, will be filled in order for parasite to symbiotically provide nutrients to user while extracting nutrients for itself from user's waste."

For a moment, after hearing the AI's description of the process, Samus felt very uneasy at the fact that she might turn into some sort of wierd fish woman at the mercy of some genetically engineered parasite. 'I've had enough of those to deal with already,' she thought.

"It should be noted," the computer continued, "that the scientist who created AQ-048 wanted to emulate the mythical Earth creature as seen in these images."

At that moment, several images of various women, with fish tails instead of legs, appeared before Samus, and one image in particular caught her eye: an animate red haired girl with a bright green tail, smiling as she floated in the ocean as several smaller fish swam around her. This was a screenshot of an old animated movie Samus used to watch a lot as a kid. She often recalled watching that movie several days in a row while in front of a TV screen, sitting on her mother's lap, on K-2L. Samus couldn't help but tear up, remembering the happy life she once had with her parents, and how she used to fantasize about being a mermaid like in the movie, and swim free whenever she'd like. Remembering those happy days was enough for Samus to make her choice.

"Give me the chip for AQ-048," Samus said, wiping the tears from her face.

The computer soon dispense the chip containing the upgrade. As she took it, Samus noticed the chip contained a fleshy, semi-solid organism through the chip's transparent components, the parasite itself most likely. After reaching for the back of her neck with the chip, Samus takes a deep breath, and quickly inserts it into the upgrade port.