(Chapter 1: Destroy)
Red. The only color that played against the backdrop of Earth's sky. It stained the heavens, like blood in water, diffusing through the atmosphere above. The sight was truly remarkable. Causing every marine and rifleman to halt in battle, stopping in their tracks, gazing up at the spectacular vista. The fiery blaze hurled towards the Allied forces, as the heat in temperature risen. They all watched in horror as the large blast from the crucible began to encroached upon them. A force of energy ruptured through the sky, causing a tremble to sweep over the land, alongside the bright gleam above. Fear grew within everyone's eyes, seeing as that red glow rush towards them with little hint of slowing. But what they all came to anticipate, never was…the chaos had just swiftly passed over them, like nothing more then a summer's wind. Inflicting no harm. They were surprised their lives were still intact, untouched by the flames that had swallowed the Earth whole. All eyes stared back at the sky above, captivated by the sight of victory. The destruction of the Reapers…
Breathing…it became so hard to do from where Shepard was lying. Dense fogs of smoke from the crucible's burst of energy had clouded the air, as heaps of debris pressed down upon him. His lips parted as he inhaled broadly with a sharp gasp, causing his lungs to fill with the air he so desperately sought after.
"AUGHH!…cough…cough…" A sudden grip of pain ripped its way into the side of his abdomen with a harsh burning sensation. Causing him to do nothing but cry out, as a warm stream of blood trickled down the back of his throat. He'd choked on its iron tasted as the fluid spurted from his lips in strings of red. His eyes peeled opened as his screams were slowly reduced to nothing more then short whimpers of agony. He steadied his breathing, pinned underneath the pieces of the citadel, keeping the pain in his abdomen at bay.
He peered up under the rubble and noticed light from above, as it emitted through the slivers of his eyes. Seeing it couldn't help but make part of him wonder if the soft blue hue was the heavens beginning to open, preparing to receive his soul. He'd never been one for religion but the ray of light made him think of Thane and the prayer they both had shared before his passing. In a strange way the thought comforted him, he was just so tired of fighting. Peace is a hard ideal to grasp, but maybe the choice he made can help insure at least a few years of it. And he himself could be grateful for that. As he lied there thinking a tight sorrow filled within his chest, as moisture began to accumulate within his eyes.
It was in his instincts to fight back the tears that were forthcoming, and remembering the crew that served him proudly had birth these emotions to bear. So instead of trusting his instincts like a good soldier, he'd surrendered. Letting the pangs of his sadness shower over him as soft streams of water begin to slowly flow from the corners of his eyes. He closed them tight as his tears fell, allowing the image of the last women he would ever love penetrate its way into his thoughts.
His lower lip quivered with a sudden tremble of an overwhelming sense of yearning. Knowing never again would he usher his hands over the elegant contours of her body or fill his senses with the light aroma of ink and sweat from her pale tattooed skin. Or even whisper the words "I love you". He heard a subtle creaking, before the debris upon him shifted drastically and slammed down, adding more pressure. "AUGHH…shit…cough…Christ!" It was so unbearable, the weight pressing down atop of him. He could hardly breath and the added load on his chest did nothing to aid matters. His vision began to blur, his body became extremely weary, and the heavenly hue above grew dim.
"Com…der Sheperd…ca…you…ear me…?" The sound of comm. static filled his ears as he lie almost motionless beneath the jagged rubble. He could barely comprehend anything being said, because of radio interference and the steady loss of consciousness. "Shepar…are you…ere? Ca…you…ear… me…?" The voice said again through the on going radio static.
"A-Admiral Hackett…ugh…that you?" Shepard stated wearily, feeling himself slowly drain away.
"Whatever you…id up…ere S…perd, it worked. The Reap…they've fallen." There was a slight pause filled with more static as there was no sudden reply. "Commander Sh…ard?" Shepard coughed, gasping for air, fighting to stay conscious, unable to move.
"Admiral, I think - I think I'm dying," he felt a warm rush of his blood travel down the back of his throat once more. As the pain his body bore began to dull in a numbing sensation that washed over him. "I can't…I can't breath," He wheezed inwardly.
"We have…evac…eams mobilizing now. Jus…old on commad…old on…" The vibrant static washed out anything else the admiral would say as it filled Shepard's senses. Everything faded amidst the crackling sound that rung in his ears, as darkness soon followed. A soothing calm cradled the commander in a gentle sway, causing every part of him to go silent and still…
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"Dios mío…what the hell was that!" Vega looked over at Garrus, who stared up at the sky. Still dazed from the unexpected red burst of energy that just swept over them all. "Scars!" Garrus snapped out of his daydream.
"I have no idea…but look," he pointed up.
"What?" Vega turned to look what caught the turian's attention. His eyes had widen at the unpleasant sight. "Holy crap…commander..." They both gazed upon the citadel that now spread across Earth's atmosphere in large fragments. Each once a spectacular arm that stretched miles throughout the stars. But now float aimlessly above, blown from the inner ring of the citadel's whole. "He's still up there!" He turned back to Garrus. "We have to do somethin'…! We have to get him outta there!" He shouted, voice frantic in despair.
"There's no way we're getting up there, especially not from down here."
"Why the hell no-!"
"Look lieutenant," Garrus hinted at the enormous beam which blared brightly only minutes before. "The way Shepard and Anderson gotten up there is gone. If we want to get up there, we're not going to do it from down here," He deeply sighed. "It's out of our hands."
"This is bull-shit!" Vega blurted. "So we sit around doing nothin' while the commander is dying - or worse, could already be dead!"
"Calm down, getting upset isn't going to help anything."
"Yeah, and neither will standin' around waitin' for somethin' to happen!" His fist clenched as well as his jaw. Helplessness was not something James Vega like feeling. "I should be up there with him…! I should've ran down to that beam - right beside him!" His head lowered. Garrus rested both his hands on his hips, looking at Vega, knowing the hot headed soldier was right. But there was nothing either of them could do now. The beam had died out and there were no other means of getting up there without transport.
"I know how you feel, but beating yourself up right now won't do any good," Garrus placed a hand on Vega's shoulder. "We have to stay strong for Shepard…" he looked back up at the blown station above. "Now more than ever."
"Yeah…maybe," He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I'll try to reach Normandy, " Garrus nodded and slapped Vega on the back. "Normandy this is Vega, do you copy!" Nothing but static filled the channel. He tried again. "Joker it's Vega…Joker come in!" once again nothing but static. "Damn-it, I'm gettin' nothi-"
"Vega…ortez…ere. I'm…icking up your…smission…an you hear me…! I repeat can…ou…ear me…!" The voice coming through was unrecognizable due to heavy comm. interference, but Vega could careless whom it was. At this point he just wanted news on what was going on, being it good or bad.
"This is lieutenant James Vega, we're downed a few clicks away from the giant Reaper beam! If you can hear me send immediate transport!"
"You've gotten through to them?" Garrus asked, feeling a little anxious, hands planted on his hips once again.
"I - I don't know. All I'm gettin' is a few broken sentences, followed by more static," He huffed and began pacing back and forth just before the voice responded again. This time with a bit more clarity.
"Vega it's Cortez, I…an hear you…!"
"You hear that scars!" Vega pressed his ear piece with a huge grin that extended from each corner of his face. "I think it's Estaban!" He said with excitement. "Estaban, Estaban can you here me!"
"You're coming in loud and clear Mr. Vega…"
Finally James gotten through to someone. Maybe now more time could be spent gathering answers to his questions, rather than stumbling around in the dark. From where him and Garrus stood everything looked as deserted as a wasteland, with the two of them being its only inhabitants. Everyone else were either dead or disintegrated by Harbinger's focused ray of crimson light. All risking their lives making a beeline towards that massive beam. Including the commander. "Hey Estaban, you know what's going on out there. I can't get through to Joker-"
"Or anyone for that matter." Garrus added. "You're the first we were able to get a hold to. Have you heard anything?"
"No, nothing guys. I've been flying in the dark for some time now. Most communications are down and my radar's been acting a little strange as well. After that crazy blast of red that colored the sky, everything started to go to hell…"
"Look around," Garrus said in a low dishearten tone, gazing over the bareness that was left behind by Harbinger. "This is hell."
"Yeah…I hear you." There was a small silence that overcame the three men before anyone spoke up again. "Try to upload your guys coordinates, and I'll do what I can to get a lock. Just hold tight."
"I hope we can get some answers soon, all this speculatin' is drivin' me bonkers," Vega grabbed at a bunch of his hair, pulling it up to shape his faux hawk then folded his arms. "What about you scars, how you doin'…?" Garrus finished with the sending of their coordinates as he glanced back up at the starlit sky that was littered with what remained of this ghastly war. When his beady eyes came to lie on what may be his friend's final resting place above the feeling of loss burdened him, cutting him deeply.
'There's no Shepard without Vakarian.' Shepard's voice reverberated within Garrus' mind, as he remembered the smug smirk Shepard shot at him just before speaking those words. "Put in a good word for all of us," the turian whispered so that Vega couldn't hear. "And wait for me in that bar so when the time comes, I can gladly drink you under the table," he smiled.
"Scars…you okay?" Garrus shook loose the sadden thought.
"Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah…just tired."
"Me too. Hungry also, but when Estaban gets here I'm sure everything will get straighten out."
"I hope you're right lieutenant," he said, still looking up at the sky. "I really hope you're right."
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The ride was unfamiliarly quiet. Only the slight steady rumble of the UT-47A Kodiak's engines could be heard, humming beneath both Vega and Garrus' feet. It was a small change for the two. Being prepped by the words of their commander, getting ready for battle, became almost a constant during this war. But now there was nothing except the unsettling silence that lingered. James sighed to disturb the air of false serenity, leaning against the shuttle's bulkhead with his arms folded. Watching Garrus as he sat across from him staring at the floor, elbows resting on his knees.
"Humph…" Vega pushed himself off the wall and came to stand within the cockpit's doorway. "So, where're we headed Estaban?" Cortez didn't bother to turn, as his eyes were too busy watching his fingers play upon the controls with exceptional ease.
"I was thinking south," he said. "Before I got back up and flying, I picked up an outgoing transmission. Ordering the retreat of the remaining hammer forces."
"So you think we got a company down there?"
"Maybe. It's our best bet."
"Yeah…" Vega sighed. "What about Joker and the Normandy, heard anything?"
"No, nothing. After I went down in those runes I couldn't get in touch with anyone. To tell you the truth, you two are the first friendly faces I've seen for hours now. So you may know more than me in terms of what's going on," he took a quick glance back at Vega, and noticed Garrus who sat quietly, still staring at the floor below him. Cortez brow quirked. "You alright back there Vakarian? You haven't said anything since I picked you guys up." Garrus slowly wiped his hands down his face, snapping out of his deep daydreaming.
"Huh…uh, yeah it's nothing," he streached out within his seat, getting his blood flowing, then stood up to stand in the doorway beside the lieutenant. "I just hope everyone is okay, that's all," he spoke low. Voice filled with genuine concern.
"It's just communications," Cortez assured him. "I'm sure everyone are fine, we just can't get into contact with them right now. Once we regroup everything will get figured out." Vega exhaled.
"All we can do is hope, no." Garrus nodded as the cabin went silent once more, and the three settled in. For awhile they sat rocking from turbulence as the shuttle ripped through the air, before a disturbance heckled them from the comm. console.
"Hey, hey guys listen to that…I think I'm picking up something…!" Cortez fiddled around with the console, trying to clear up the message.
"Here, let me," Garrus came to sit in the co-pilot chair, beginning to scroll his hands over the board. "I think I can get it." There was a few moments of short noises of chatter and static, until Garrus finally figured it out. "Got it." The message soon came in clear as he worked to keep the signal.
"This is captain Jamie McKinley of the Blue Raven, requesting immediate reinforcements at the southern checkpoint…!" There was a barrage of loud gun fire cracking in the background. The captain stopped, only to shout orders at her subordinates as the war seemed to rage on. "Reapers are down, but hostile forces are still moving in…I repeat hostile forces are still moving in…!" An all too familiar high pitched screech suddenly took over the comm. causing Garrus and Vega to cover their ears at the blood curdling shrill, as Cortez bore it with clenched teeth. The sound of gunfire had echoed through the shuttle's cabin again, as the three heard screams of the word 'Banshee' before the channel went dead.
"No, no no no no…get it back, get the channel back…!" Vega's heart throbbed in his chest as that sense of helplessness plagued at him again.
"I can't!" Garrus's hands moved along the comm. board. "We loss the signal, I can't reconnect!"
"Ahh…hijo de puta…!" Vega punched the bulkhead, mad with rage. "What the hell's goin' on out there! Those bastards are suppose to be dead, why the hell are they still comin'…!" Cortez and Garrus only looked at one another, wondering the same questions, as Vega's rant continued. "That explosion took those Reaper bastards out, shouldn't those pest of their's be exterminated too!" He growled with aggression.
"We need to help them," Garrus said. Cortez nodded.
"Our course is already set," his hand motioned over the controls. "Hitting FTL now."
"Good…" Vega frowned, clutching at the Mattock rifle he grasped in his hands. "It's time to send these bastards packin' once and for all." The thrusters soon howled to life as the shuttle quickly shot through the air, disappearing into Earth's skies. With only a blink.
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"Keep it up Rodriguez, no half assin'…! If this barrier falls - you're dead, you hear me!" Jack screamed at the top of her lungs, alongside her students, holding up a large protective biotic sphere. Shielding the marines in front of them as they pumped high velocity rounds into the gruesome forms of cannibals. They came at the barrier in non-stop swarms. More mindless and insane than before.
"I - I can't…! it's too much!" she cried. "There's just so many of them…! I can't-"
"Don't say that…!" Prangley shouted from the other side of their teacher. "We can do this, don't give those bastards the advantage…! Hold on!" She nodded at his words of encouragement and tried to focus, channeling her efforts into holding that barrier. The red plasma from the cannibal's arm cannons smashed into the barrier with unrelenting force as the small battle went on. They kept coming with no end in sight as the marines continued to clip them down with their assault rifles. But it seemed as if it didn't matter because the others would feed on the bodies of the fallen. Leaving little to no remains behind, becoming stronger. Even harder to kill.
"We can't kill them all…!" Captain McKinley popped off a few rounds within the barrier as she coordinated the biotics with her team. She turned to Jack who stood with her kids, holding up their only protection against the minor horde. "We've got to fall back to those buildings, we can't keep this up for long!"
"No shit…!" Jack spat back over the sound of gun fire.
"Ma'am I - I can't h-hold it much longer!" Rodriguez stated again, beginning to feel a bit light headed. The strain of holding that barrier for so long started to take its toll. She tried to stay focused, still helping the best she could, as everything started to spin uncontrollably.
"Hold on Rodriguez!" Jack cried out. But the young biotic couldn't fight against her exhaustion. Her body became extremely weary, her knees weak. And they soon buckled underneath her weight as she blacked out, falling to the cold muddy ground.
"Rodriguez…!" Jack yelled, as the limp body hit the mud motionless. "Shit, Matthews see to her now!" The student looked at his teacher, about to respond, but stopped as captain McKinley took hold of Jack's arm.
"We can't stay here, we have to move…!" Jack grimaced at the unwanted touch, being quick to shrug away.
"I'm not goin' anywhere without my kids…!" Her eyes burned in fiery as she looked back at Matthews whom stared back and forth between his teacher and the captain. "Matthews I said now!" she ordered, snapping him from his petrified state. He went over to see to his classmate.
"S-she's okay, she just passed out…!" He lift her lids, watching her pupil reactions.
"Pick her up Matthews, we can't hold out forever…!" Jack began to feel the strength of the barrier fade within her grasp as the plasma from the cannibal's arm cannons repeatedly clashed into the biotic dome. "Sling her over your damn shoulders!"
"I - I got her!" He picked Rodriguez up, putting her in the fireman carry. Suddenly an animalistic snarl could be heard bursting from within the crowd of cannibals. Causing Everyone to freeze momentarily as it stiffened the air, prowling ever closer. The ground beneath them began to quake as the beast gotten closer. With each step taken the earth would shake in response.
"Shit." the captain said. "It's time to move… now!" The biotics did their best to hold out, as everyone began to move together. They slowly retreated back towards an abandon road, littered with vehicles and debris, that separated them from the runes of London. Rounding vehicles and such as the marines laid down cover fire, doing their best at keeping the horde at bay. But the cannibals weren't the problem. The problem was closing in fast. Jack knew all of them wouldn't make it as slow as they were going. She stopped dead in her tracks.
"What the hell are you doing…! Keep moving!" The captain peered at the tattooed woman, who didn't pay any heed to her orders.
"Get my kids outta here!"
"What!"
"Go now…!" A deep rooted expression of annoyance strewed across the entirety of Jack's face. As well as filled her being. "These assholes are mine."
"Are you crazy…! Do you have a death wish!"
"Somethin' like that." Jack uttered to herself as an unsettling smirk crept upon her face. The smile caught the captain off guard and caused her to feel a bit uneasy. That fear striking howl of rage swept through the horde once more. The large claw and thick plated body of the beast had finally appeared. Its beady eyes from its turian head peered daggers at the group. It crouched its body, hiding the vulnerability of its head behind it's large plated claw and began to encroach slowly upon them.
"Brute!" Someone screamed, causing the marines to empty their sinks into the beast's armored plates. The projectiles hit the thick armor then ricocheted off its body, doing little harm. The added hostility did nothing to soothe the beast. So it continued deliberately, right for them.
"Get my kids the hell outta here!" The captain nodded and began to move her men along with the biotic students from the protection of the biotic dome out into the open, heading for the runed buildings.
"I'm not going…!" Jack turned around and noticed Prangley still helping, holding up the sphere as the others escaped.
"Prangley this is not the time to show how big your balls gotten…!" She cautioned. "Now get the hell outta here!" He saw heavy cascades of biotic power beginning to radiate from her arms and hands, as he felt the strength of the dome harden rapidly like she was amassing her power, readying for an attack.
"Ma'am…I'm with you!"
"Hah…" She smiled proudly. "It's your funeral!" The brute growled in a blood thirsty roar as it stood on its hind legs and beat upon its chest. Both Jack and Prangley could feel the ripples in the air as its howl swam through it. Prangley limps went numb in fear, but he stood firmly behind his mentor. Then without warning, the brute had charged them like a mad bull, as the cannibals continued firing upon them. Jack smiled, knowing the next move the animal would make and quickly released the built up energy captured in the protective sphere. It detonated like a bomb as it ruptured, sending everything in its path flying back. Cars, cannibals, and objects alike were sent reeling.
The blast caused Prangley to be knock from his feet as well, even within the safety of the sphere. But as Jack peered up, that growl still lurked. The beast steadied itself to its feet. It was only knocked back, unscathed by the captivating display of biotics. It readied, then charged at her, full force. She hurried, stretching out her arms, and let loose a powerful shockwave that staggered the brute in its tracks.
"Get up… Prangley!" She panted, a bit out of breath, as she watched the brute prepare to rush at her again. Prangley slowly climbed to his feet, witnessing the beady little eyes of the beast shortly locked onto his. At that instant he felt his heart seize up in his chest as he knew he'd just became the prey. "Shit…run…!" Jack shouted, as the brute wildly leaped over her and began its new pursuit in full blown rage. Prangley eyes widened in fear, as he took off running with the animal in tail behind.
His breathing was hard, as his feet tried to carry him as fast as they could away from certain death. He felt the ground under him shake as the creature was no doubt getting closer. It howled in rage, about to lash out with its large claw. Prangley looked back and saw the massive plated arm coming for him. "Get the fuck away from him!" A large military RV came plummeting straight into the brute, knocking it over. It crashed and slid across the road's hard pavement along with the RV. Jack stood catching her breath, as beads of sweat rolled down her brow. She walked towards Prangley, who had fallen off his feet.
"You...okay Prangley?" She offered her hand. He took hold of it, and she pulled him up. Back to his feet.
"I should've… gotten the hell out of here," He gasped for air. She laughed and slapped him on his back.
"Well… your ass is still attached to your body, and you didn't piss your pants. So, I think that's a passing grade."
"Yeah I-" The brute growled, mumbling where it lied as it gradually heaved the military vehicle from atop of it. The steel from the truck scraped against the cement of the road causing an irritating noise that caught their attention.
"Shit," Jack wiped the sweat from her brow then readied in a defensive posture. Her fist glowed in a fiery blue hue. "Round two," she spat to the ground. The creature roared furiously and charge them head on madly. Jack pushed Prangley out its path with her biotics and rolled, dodging the claw. But the brute quickly spun on its heel, swinging its claw again in a swiping motion. It had caught her, snatching her tiny body up into its tight grip, lifting her up over its head.
"Noooo…!" Prangley cried watching in horror. She squirmed, trying to fight to break free, but it was only in vain. It grumbled as she peered into its glowing beady little eyes.
"Go to hell you mother fucker…" Before it could slam her a loud bang from a gun shot echoed from above, as the brute's head suddenly exploded in front of her. Its brains splattered across her face and neck as she fell from its hold, landing to the ground hard on her back. The brute had fallen to its knees and toppled over with nothing more then a grunting moan, before going down. Crashing into the pavement with a loud thud.
"Scoped and dropped!" Jack opened her lids to the recognizable taunt and stared peering up at an alliance shuttle that hovered just over head. "Jack, I never thought I'd see you taking a nap when heads needed cracking!" Garrus shouted from the shuttle's opened hatch, looking upon his old crewmate. She coughed, still gazing up, feeling a bit surprised at what just happened.
"Well Garrus…playing tag with your ugly two ton cousin…seemed to have tired me out a bit!" She said with sarcasm, heavily breathing, lying beside the dead brute covered with bits of its brain. Garrus snickered.
"You okay!"
"I'm doin' better than that face of yours!"
"Even looking death in the face you still carry on with your smug comments!" He shook his head. "Bring it down Cortez."
"Yeah…" She turned her head, facing the brute that lied still beside her. She whispered. "Bastard."
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Jack and Prangley rested in the shuttles leather seats as they spread medi-gel onto their opened wounds they received just before, fighting off a small horde. Jack dabbed a little on her thumb and softly rubbed it across a small opened cut over Prangley's left eyebrow. He flinched from the sudden sting of the gel doing its job, and instinctively moved away. "Stop acting like a baby, hold still so I can finish." Jack grazed her thumb over his brow once again.
"I'm fine okay," he pushed her hand away from the cut, showing a bit of an attitude. "I don't need your help." She frowned at the bizarre change in his behavior, not knowing exactly what had brought it on. "You don't need my help huh…if I remember right, I'm the one who saved your ass from being ran over like road kill!" She expressed mild anger of her own, throwing the tube of medi-gel into his lap. "If you feel the need of going all macho, gung ho on on me all of a sudden, see if I give a damn."
"Ma'am it's not-"
"Save it," she snapped. "I risked my ass for you kid. The least you could say is thank you." Prangley sighed deeply and stared at the gridded flooring beneath his feat.
"I-I'm sorry, It's just…it's just - I froze… I was just in the way. I only stood there, watching you. Fighting. If it wasn't for your friend here, you'd be dead. And I would've just stood there. Watching." He went silent and slowly exhaled.
"You felt helpless huh?" Vega added, knowing where the kid was coming from. Prangley looked up and nodded.
"I…I didn't know what to do." Jack grasped his shoulder and squeezed it as a sign of reassurence.
"It happens." she lightly punched at his shoulder with a small grin. "Just don't get all bitchy over it the next time it does."
"Wow, you're a concilor now too. That blast may have altered the universe after all." Garrus joked.
"You guys saw that too?"
"Yeah…" Vega said, pushing off the wall. "Shepard made a run to that beam the Reapers were guardin' downtown. I guess he made it, because after about twenty minutes everything just lit up like fire and those bastards crashed down to earth. This war may be finally over."
"Tell that to those nut jobs out there. I don't think they got the memo," Jack stated, folding her arms. "From what I've seen, this war isn't close to being over," she licked her lips. "So, where's dumbass now…? What's his big plan this time?" Vega and Garrus only looked at one another when she asked about Shepard. They themselves didn't know anything concerning the commander status. He could be dead for all they knew and they wouldn't even know how or why. Her eyes narrowed wondering what was with the dead silence all of a sudden, with no answer to her question. Then something clicked, her heart began to slowly pace within her chest. "Where's Shepard Garrus?" A fierce sternness was present in the tone of her voice, as her fist began to clench unknowingly.
Garrus placed his hands onto his hips and looked Jack straight into her eyes. "We - I…I don't know…"
Saw any mistakes in grammer or somthing just don't look right please feel free to comment on it so I can fix it. Thanks and I hope you enjoyed :)