Notes: Thank you for your patients and especially thank you to thievinghippo for the wonderful and helpful beta work! I hope you enjoy it! :)
The scoreboard loomed over Shepard. Her name was now in second place. It had remained proudly at the top since she had discovered the Arena. Until now. Shepard chewed into her left cheek at the sight.
Since the Citadel had become mostly habitable, the arena had reprogrammed the scoreboard to go over 9,999 points. Vega had even beaten her original score that broke the scoreboard. 14,450 points. Damn.
Video replays of James repeated over and over of his victory. Spectators whispered and gossiped nearby as they watched her. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the onlookers as she threw her hood over her head.
Following horrendous tragedies, the entertainment industry usually flourished for distraction. That had been the case during the war, and it still was after. Even though most of the Silversun Strip had been heavily damaged, it became quickly rebuilt as the Citadel had become livable again. Some districts were still cut off to the public while construction worked on the strip.
The Citadel in pieces with millions dead, such a sight and ordeal, was not a distant memory for Shepard. Only four years and there still wasn't as much progress that she had hoped. Shelters and temporary housing had become almost permanent homes for some.
But to look at the surface of the strip, it was hard to imagine even a war had occurred. Bright neon lights filled her sight as new upgraded and coveted cars whizzed passed. Once this strip had been decimated, arena screens played static, inhabitants hiding in safety shelters, walls caved in.
Anderson's apartment included. Garrus and her apartment now. Not that they had put much use to it yet. Although Shepard felt the need to fix it in honor of Anderson-he'd given it to her after all- and she needed to watch over it. The windows were divided up to be smaller, and an extended wall was put in for Garrus' sake. She had to draw a line at weaponized wall fixtures and coffee makers though.
The ringing of laughter called her attention back down to the arena. A group of children ran around playing and watching the fights: Two humans, one turian, and one asari. The asari stood a foot or so from the others. She was probably about to hit maturity, in about ten years or so anyway.
They were duct rats or children from the shelters, orphans of the war nonetheless.
It was odd to her how they adapted to the violence. How could they become adjusted to enjoy these things again so quickly? Were they? Maybe this was their way of coping, to watch old enemies being defended.
Shepard's eyes caught those of the small turian girl; light blue eyes, similar Garrus', stared at Shepard as if she recognized her. She was probably about the equivalent age of nine or ten to a human. Shepard smiled at the girl and gestured her over. The child waved to her friends as she ran over to Shepard.
Guilt tugged at Shepard as she got a better look at the child. Her clothes, while clean, were loose fitting and ragged. The light yellow plates of her face were dull. She bore no markings; she probably wasn't old enough for them yet before the war. Or didn't remember how to put on her markings; parents normally did it for them until they learned. And the tattoos wouldn't come until she was much older.
Shepard went down at eye level to speak to the small child. Small aches in her left hip resurfaced. She really shouldn't have skipped her morning sketches.
"That doesn't look right now does it?" Shepard asked in a playful manner as she pointed to the scoreboard.
"No," the child squeaked out as her eyes fell towards her feet.
"Alright, so what do you think? Got any advice for me? Or do I not stand a chance?"
The girl's eyes went wide and up towards Shepard. The metallic voice thrummed with excitement as she spoke. "Well with your barriers you have an advantage, you can use the shields modifier that gives big bonus!" She paused, thinking of what to say next. "Um, maybe you could use a larger more elevated map to work with your skills, and, of course, more modifiers for points."
The way the girl went on made Shepard want to keep prodding her for more ideas. To see the joy in the child, Shepard couldn't help but grin.
"What kind of other modifiers? It's been awhile since I've done this kid," Shepard let out a small laugh as she watch the child ponder and think it through some more.
"Well, enhancing enemy damage and shields should be easy enough to deal with. As an infiltrator, it might not be the best to go without ammo so avoid the no ammo crates modifier." The girl's feet began to tap as she went on. "They still haven't improved the VI's on squadmates, so they aren't going to be much help. You'll want to keep some medi-gel on you as well."
"That's a very thought out answer; you didn't happen to help out Vega as well did you?" Shepard narrowed her eyes at the girl in jest.
"No ma'am," her voice was quick and little frightened at the suggestion.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you." Shepard rested her hand on the child's shoulder. She was very delicate and frail for a turian. That guilt tore even more at her heart at the realization. All that work with trying to set up well-performing shelters, and there were still children in these conditions. Outside her newly built apartment even.
Shepard gulped back and gave her a reassuring smile. "How do you know so much about these then?"
"My shelter's nearby, we come here a lot to watch. I'm too young to fight in the sims, but I watched a lot of your old vids that they play. I want to be able to fight like you." The child's voice filled with joy. The sound almost mimicked that of Garrus' whenever a new mod came in for his rifle.
The fact that fighting was the main thing that the child was looking forward to gave Shepard pause. A child who'd seen the worst that the Reapers had to offer. Shepard wished that there could be more in her own life.
"You've got a lot of time before that, but from the sounds of it you're definitely smart enough. What's your name?"
"Oronus, Aldia Oronus, ma'am" She stood straight and at attention as she spoke. A trait while well ingrained into adult turians, was not often seen carried by such a young child.
"Shepard is fine," she laughed, trying to get Aldia to relax. "Ready to watch me kick some, uh," Shepard paused, watching her language around a child, "to beat James?"
"Yes!" Aldia yelled with excitement. She began to move more freely, animating her speech with her hands. "Thank you, um, Shepard."
"No, thank you," Shepard said as got up and waved goodbye to Aldia.
The child had every reason to be one of those angry orphans grew up alone because of the war. But Shepard didn't see any sense of anger or sadness in Aldia. Even with the child's situation, there was a sense of hope.
As Shepard move towards the athletes-only area, she spotted James walking up and darted straight to him.
"Lieutenant-Commander," Shepard called out as she extended her arm towards him.
"Captain," James said with a laugh as his hand clasped hers.
Shepard smiled back and then grimaced. "Ugh, that still doesn't sound right."
She had to fight to keep her rank as low as possible. There was talk of promotion to rear-admiral. Promotions meant more desk duty and paperwork and less time out in the field. The increase in pay was nice for once, though.
"Lola any better?" He said as he nonchalantly looked over to the scoreboard. "You sure did get here quick."
"You know we live like 10 feet away, you could have just come to visit first?"
"A promise is a promise; I said I was going for a rematch after you beat my high score."
"Uh huh, looks like that N7 training really paid off then," Shepard quipped back.
"Oh you know it, those virtual bastards didn't know what was coming!" James triumphantly yelled as he threw his arms up. The red band of the same N7 sweater that she wore had already worn down. It suited him well.
"And the matching outfits don't hurt either," Shepard laughed and continued "What have you been up to?"
"My unit is going through the Terminus system, trying to find survivors in the newly built relay clusters," James said with a hint of mourning.
Sigurd Cradle, Despoina. Leviathan still lurked, waiting.
Shepard gritted her teeth together at the thought. The artifacts had been destroyed. The enthrallment team had undergone extensive psychological studies. For now it was safe. Although Shepard would remain comfortable and happy if the whole cluster remained in the dark.
"How many have you found so far?"
"Not enough. We've found remnants of those held up there for a bit. Usually, we haven't been able to get there in time," James looked up and watched neon lights of the strip. Searching for something, maybe just trying to avoid her gaze.
He continued. "Just coming back here, it seems like this hasn't been going on, that there are still people out there trying to survive."
"I know what you mean," Shepard said with a frown. "Just with rebuilding the apartment, I don't know, it seems like too much sometimes, the time and resources would be better going somewhere else."
Shepard glanced over at the children. There were still many trying just to survive on the Citadel. Although they had remained in the shadows. They were the ignored.
"You guys deserve it. And besides you shouldn't be working anyway. You need to be off and retired, like what old people do."
"Are you really going to go there?" She questioned as she tried to hold back laughter at his teasing.
She put on her best commanding officer scowl. All with the signature tightly crossed arms and annoyed grimace as she stared up at him. He was still the same damned boastful soldier that used to towered over her back in the Normandy's cargo bay. Somehow he'd even grown larger with the N7 training.
James laughed at the attempt. "I'm just messing with you, Lola."
"Uh huh, come on let's get going," Shepard said as she moved down the stairs.
The children followed at their ankles until as they moved towards into the athletes-only area. Aldia ran over to the rails to watch Shepard.
"Looks like you got an admirer," James mused.
"She's cute," Shepard said as looked back at her and waved.
"Cute? Gone soft Lola? Should I be expecting little turian-human babies to be coming soon?" James asked as he bumped her with his elbow.
"Shut up," Shepard gave him a mock scowl and lightly shoved him along down the stairs.
"Alright, alright," James put his arms up in mock defense. "So ready to defend your title?"
"Oh hell yes, don't think you can just walk in here and replace me."
"I would never expect you to allow it Captain," James said with a smirk.
"Uh huh," Shepard narrowed her eyes at him as she made her way towards the game settings.
The enemy selection popped up into view. The Geth were the first to appear. It seemed wrong that they were still even in the game as an enemy. That constant and familiar tug of guilt began to strain on her more and more.
They were gone because of her; they helped take back Earth, and there still wasn't much headway with rebuilding them. Millions sentient being erased out of existences.
At least they were able to get EDI back, barely anyway; she still couldn't operate her "mobile platform". When her blue orb first flickered, and she spoke it had been the first time she'd seen Joker actually smile.
There was actually life behind that voice again as she told a simple joke. Knock-knock.
Who's there? Joker had laughed as if it had been the funniest thing in the galaxy.
Whatever genius of Tali and Alliance engineers that got EDI back two years ago was still, however, a fruitless effort on the Geth. Restoration efforts were being blocked by the almost ever galactic government. How much time had she spent bickering in closed-door meetings on getting them back? Did it have to be this way? Were they ever going to move forward with this?
Shepard sighed and hit the skip selection passed the Geth, trying not to think it. That was work for another day.
Shepard scanned past the Collector and Reaper forces as well. They were repurposed beings that had lost their lives to the damn war.
Cerberus came up next; they might as well have been repurposed life. Shepard watched every recovered video from Sanctuary. Desperate civilians were forcefully drugged with Red Sand to increase indoctrination effects. A familiar itch worked its way through her arms. Shepard chewed angrily on her cheek as she tried to ignore it.
Shepard sucked in a breath and shook her shoulders lightly. But she fought best against Cerberus. Maximizing the score was her goal right now. She hit the activation key and moved to the next selection.
Shepard careful made her selection of elite fighters and modifiers from Aldia's suggestions. Then the squad selection. Without hesitation she choose the Garrus V.I. and stopped. With a smirk, she turned to Vega and chose his V.I. as her second squadmate. The choice was a bit to mess with him, but mostly he had worked with well her on ground missions. Besides Garrus, he'd been one few people that she trusted to be at her side in a fight.
"Oh come on now that's just cheating!" James playfully yelled while throwing his arms in the air for a good dramatic measure.
"I honestly think it puts me at a disadvantage. Just think of how many times I'm going to have to revive its sorry ass," Shepard laughed as he scoffed at such an accusation and made her way towards the locker room.
Her hands moved with ease over the old workbench settings. Methodically checking over her armor and weapons to see if they were still the same after all these years. Her smile persisted as she perfected it.
"Well if that's the case, you shouldn't be using Scars either. Speaking of which, where is he? Leave him at home?" James called over to her.
"He working, you know actually being productive rather than pretend shooting at fake enemies."
"Ah, that's no fun."
"I know right?" Shepard walked her way over to the elevator with a swagger. She activated the lift and then smirked. During those few nights of shore leave, she had the game down to a science. She'd be damned if she'd let some boastful new N7 come and take such a title away from her. Even if the title was something as frivolous and silly as best fighter at the Armax Arsenal Arena.
The elevator began to move her towards the battlefield. Shepard threw head back with a laugh to call James out one last time. "Now let me show you how it's done!"