Mass Effect:
Dimension
Summary: A twenty year old is sucked into the video game he is playing and must use his knowledge of the upcoming events to beat the game. Despite his longing to return to his own world, he finds friendship, love, and a courage he never knew he had through the people he meets in the game and begins to care for them all equally.
(Crappy summary I know. I hope the story is better.)
Pairings: Tail and OC, Male Shepard and Ashley.
Rating: T (mild swearing)
Dedication: For my uncle, Ryan, who inspired the character of Patrick and helped me work on the plot for this story.
Chapter 1:
The Real World
Author's Note: Please read and review.
"Come on get behind the crate, you idiot!" Patrick Hamilton shouted at his television, slamming his fingers onto his controller in an attempt to make his video game character, Commander Shepard, listen to him. It failed though and he watched the screen go red, signaling that his character had died. Patrick sighed, turning away from the television, blinking his eyes rapidly. It appeared that he had forgotten to blink while playing again and he felt his left contact get dislodged from his eye.
Ever since the release of a new video game, Mass Effect, Patrick had been spending every night and day, cooped up in his small bedroom, only leaving for showers and to eat before returning to his reclusive life style. The game had been released six months ago and Patrick was about to find out that he was getting on the nerves of his family members.
"Knock, knock," Patrick glanced towards his door as his father, William, walked in, allowing light from the hallway to flood into his son's bedroom. William Hamilton was tall- six foot eleven- and was underweight for his size even though he had noticeable muscles carved into his arms and legs. They weren't even the muscles that came from lifting weights or steroids. They came from twelve years in the army, living in hells that others could only imagine.
William's hair used to be a sleek black, but now it was graying with the stress that came with being a single parent raising four children. His three sons- Patrick, Joseph, and Holden- were all high school graduates while his daughter, Lily, was in her senior year of school. Joseph was by far William's favorite son since he was a lieutenant in the navy just like his father had been. Joseph was the only Hamilton boy who showed any interest in joining the army unless you counted Patrick's interest in the Alliance, the human army in Mass Effect that Patrick's character was a member of.
Holden was training to become a doctor and while most parents would be proud of their son's goals, William believed that the only lifestyle worth living was in the army. It was either follow Uncle Sam or become a traitor to your country. William and Holden didn't speak much although Patrick often received letters from his estranged brother.
Lily was the perfect child. She was head of student council, homecoming queen, editor of the yearbook, president of the Key Club and French Club, captain of the soccer, basketball, and track teams, and maintained an A average. She was going to college to become a teacher and while it had nothing to do with the army, William still loved her. To him, a Hamilton girl had the option of drafting into the army. Hamilton boys had not choice.
That left Patrick. He was a Harvard dropout and the only reason he was allowed back into the Hamilton household was because William thought that sooner or later, he would enlist in the army since he had nothing better to do. Fighting for his country was the last thing on Patrick's mind although he would never admit that to his father.
"Can I talk to you for a minute, son?" William asked, shutting Patrick's door before crossing the room to sit on his son's bed. Patrick nodded, knowing that even if he said no, his father would go on talking. "Well, you've been out of school for six months now and I thought that you were going to… well at least do something."
Patrick didn't need to read minds to know that William had been about to say "enlist in the army."
"But no, all you seem to want to do is play your video games," William pointed a finger to the television, "That's not the real world, you know? You need to get a job or at least take a shower more than once a week."
"I'm looking for a job," Patrick lied. In fact, he hadn't looked for a job since his second week at home.
"No, you're not and you know it," William sighed, "You're twenty years old, Patrick, and you are unemployed, living with your dad, and all you seem to do is want to play video games. Sometimes I wish you would have just stayed at Harvard and became a lawyer."
Patrick's ice blue eyes widened. He knew William must be pissed if he would rather his son become a lawyer then do nothing with his life. Patrick sighed and murmured, "I'm sorry, Dad."
"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore," William's voice was quiet, "Get a job by Monday or I'm throwing you out."
"Throwing me out?" Patrick exclaimed angrily, "I'm your son! You can't just kick me out!"
"You aren't my son until you get a job and get your head out of the virtual world," William whispered and Patrick would rather have his father yelling. Anger was much easier to deal with than disappointment.
William stood up and walked out of the room, murmuring as he left, "Shut your windows. It's raining."
Patrick stood up and slammed his windows shut, anger trickling through his veins like the water on the glass. He wasn't angry at William. Just at himself. He knew that since his mother died a year ago, William was going through all the hardships of being a parent alone. Patrick should be making things easier and instead he was just a burden on his father.
Patrick sat down in his chair, facing the television. He stared at it for a couple moments before whispering, "I wish I could live in your world, Shepard. Everyone would be happier. I won't be a burden on my family and Dad would get his wish to see me in the army. Everyone wins."
Patrick sighed, shaking his head to clear it before stretching a hand to grasp his white X-Box controller.
At that moment, lightning struck the house and the lights flickered off.
Patrick felt a thousand bolts of electricity surge up his hand and the next thing he noticed was the feeling of being shoved in a tube.
When the lights turned back on, Patrick's room was empty. All except for a smoking controller.
Author's Note: A little short, but hopefully quality is what matters and not quantity. So please just drop me a little review, giving your opinions.