There's a vengeance in the air that Shepard is far from prepared for. She tenses for the onslaught on her body as she's squished to new lengths she had thought previously possible. It takes Katy grabbing her hand firmly to pull her through to shoot her back into her senses. It was her job to protect Katy but this time Katy would have to guide her through the chaotic crowd of people. It didn't help that Shepard feels a wave of nausea as she's ushered forward by Sin who had been behind her this entire time. Luckily no one saw anything out of place because she had worn the pin Ana had gifted her on the island. When going out in the world to shop for the first time Shepard figured it would grab less attention if she wasn't wearing a big bulk of intimidating armor. She had taken the guise of a blonde woman whose features strictly clashed from her own.
Perhaps it was the thickness in lips and the slim face she saw in the mirror that had made her feel as if it were uncanny. She sees this woman in her reflection and has to remind herself that it's not her. Even though she looked different she didn't feel different. She could feel the same features as her hands ran down her face - phasing through her fake upturned nose - and clinking against the hardness of her disguised helmet.
If anyone decided to get touchy with her they'd feel something completely different than what she looked like. That was the only thing she feels completely conscious of as she's thrown into a swarm of people that ignore her completely in attempts to order a new baked good from a popular bakery in Spain called 'The King's Crown.' Katy had suggested vigorously that they escape the manor for once and shop around. The only problem Shepard had with this suggestion was that they'd be out in the open where Katy's head was inviting people to shoot at it.
Katy pulls her out of the crowd and back into the shopping district they had entered. Shepard lets out a large sigh of relief and has a hard time getting herself back together. She wasn't usually claustrophobic so this was a new one for her. She didn't know where it had stemmed from but she hates the dizzy feeling it leaves behind. She's truly thankful when Sin and Katy wait as she gathers herself back together with another deep breath. In. Out. In. Out. Shepard looks down and sees Katy is still holding her hand tightly in her own. Katy gives her a squeeze in comfort and Shepard already feels immensely better.
"Thank you Katy." She shows genuine gratitude in her voice. The little girl gives her a short quick nod before tugging her forward once more as they head to another shop. Sin follows them silently as Katy takes the lead until they arrive to a quaint little clothing shop smaller than the rest of the shops Shepard had seen in the district. Shepard is quickly sat down near a dressing room while Katy presents new clothing that she shows off.
Shepard stares at her each time she swings the dressing room's curtain open to pose in a new outfit. It was strange seeing such a little girl taking fashion so seriously. Shepard can't recall the last time she had time to get new clothes. In a time of war she had little thoughts on how she looked as she was covered in the disgusting blood of Reapers. Besides this, it was impractical to wear anything but armor to the battlefield, because wearing something else was usually presenting yourself as naked fruit ripe for the taking.
"Sin, how does this one look?" Sin spins in a summer dress with a small little smile on her face. Now that was an expression that was rare for Katy during these last few weeks. The girl hardly smiled after all the attempts at her life. Who was it again who suggested they get some fresh air... Sin? Shepard glances at the Omnic and though she sees no facial expressions she can tell he's looking at her with a sort of similar understanding. With this time passes as Katy continues to show off new clothing and Shepard zones out into a different world when she begins to lack interest.
The soothing piano playing softly on the speakers dims down as her eyes focus on a sole spot of a little corner near a mirror hanging on her left. She hears the faint sounds of a cocking of a gun, bullets shooting across fields of grass, and the inhuman grumbles of an armored brute heading towards her. She tenses - the sounds of growling eats at her ears - she is without her crew. How will she face them off this time? Her crew was always by her side whether supporting her from the Normandy or with ground-support. They were always at her back but now she was alone.
"Shepard." Her name is called out. She snaps out of her stupor and sees no expression on the omnic's face but Katy's is one of astonishment. She doesn't realize what they look at until she follows their eyes focused on her arm where her omni-tool had extended into a glowing orange omni-blade. She had stood up without thought, apparently, and stood in a defensive stance with her omni-blade in clear view. When had she...? It doesn't matter because she quickly retracts it as quickly as it had appeared. The piano musics slowly comes back to life and time no longer seems so warped anymore... she silently reminds herself that she's on a different world now. The Reapers were gone. They were gone. She had sacrificed her life to be rid of them once and for all.
"Shepard." Sin repeats. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Sin. I just... some... bad flashbacks." She struggles to admit. "I didn't mean to let them get the best of me."
If Sin had eyebrows, Shepard could imagine him raising one skeptically.
"Why don't we go home?" Shepard says. "It's not safe to stay out in the public too long."
Sin and Katy share a glance before agreeing. Of course, not before the head to the cash register to buy a hefty amount of clothing stuffed in boxes. (Which Shepard was ultimately forced to carry after Sin's hands were filled.) They had returned home as quickly as they had left and Shepard figures that this day... despite the sudden hallucinations of a Reaper Brute... was turned out fairly well. No one had tried to kill anyone. Katy was safe for another time.
Shepard takes a practiced deep breath and releases it. Things were different now. She had lived her whole life as a soldier... she had fought her entire life... and given the chance to relax had just been such a foreign idea. It doesn't help hearing the Reaper's warbled growls in the back of her head like a faint buzz when things begin to calm down. She can hardly focus on protecting Katy anymore when she finally comes to a conclusion that she was unfit to fit into normal society without help. Yet being quite the stubborn ex-commander, Shepard doesn't want to find help, because she hoped she wouldn't be on this planet any longer. She would head home and there she'd get some help on her situation. Not with these strange people who had never faced an alien race like the Reapers before.
They'd never understand what she was going through.
.
When Sin suggests Shepard read some books instead of standing around all day at Katy's side with nothing to do, Shepard takes up his suggestion and finds multiple books from their great library. She can't read in peace though, not when her eyes constantly escape the pages to look at Katy, to make sure she's okay. It isn't until she comes across a book called 'Studies of the Omnic Crisis' was Shepard's interest truly peaked. A professor from a university (she hadn't bothered remembering his name) writes an introduction to his studies by giving a history of omnic creation.
An organization called The Omnica Corporation had created many facilities around the world that they called 'Ominums' which were self-improving robotic factories.
They way they explain the functions of omnics remind her of EDI and how much she had developed as an AI.
When these facilities were shut down over evidence of corporal fraud they reactivated without warning to launch attacks. Omnics were capable of developing their own free will. Oddly enough Omnics seemed to be in possession of something of 'omnic energy' and Shepard didn't seem to understand what exactly this energy was for.
When these omnics attacked a group was organized to fight against them for the sake of humanity. This group was called 'Overwatch' which had multiple members with the means to defend people from Omnic attacks. This group of people were celebrated as heroes and continued to hold a militaristic stand which began to become questionable. Overwatch's history aside, the book goes forward in time to question Omnic rights, because were they simply robots or were they something more? Did they deserve the same rights as humans?
It seemed they possessed free-will, as studied from the omnics that took refuge in the Himalayas to learn to possess 'omnic energy' who claim they were more than machines. They had minds just like that of humans or so they believed. Our writer in this book still seemed skeptical to believe that omnics truly possessed a soul similar to that of a human.
'They are machines believing they are capable of more than being machines.' He put it.
Before she could turn the page the book is snatched from her grasp.
"Don't read this book. It's biased." Sin's robotic voice hums in distaste. He tosses it aside and puts another book on her hand. "This one is better. It will tell you the TRUE nature of omnics. Not what humans perceive us to be." Shepard reads the bold letters on the cover and sees a picture of an omnic floating above ground with multiple... orbs... floating around him. Shepard can only guess this is what omnic energy is since she can't seem to find any other way to describe such odd illustrations.
The Freedom of Omnics
"This will show you a much more different perspective when it comes to omnics." Sin assures Shepard. 'It's much better than that garbage. Our people are not as barbaric as some think us to be. I hope you will not become one of them in their chaotic views when it comes to omnics."
.
The Omnic Crisis was one of the most interesting things Shepard had read. It seemed that this world had it's fair share of war and trouble just as her own. Except, her world hadn't been the only one in trouble, no it had been multiple worlds spanning across galaxies with different species of all kinds. Although there were constant racial differences that caused both humans and aliens to clash against each other multiple times... humans had always managed to survive... whether it be through small miracles or great leaps of technology.
Except, instead of forming an alliance with foreign species to ward off a galactic attack, a small organization had been formed instead. Overwatch, whatever it was, was once defenders of humanity. This is how Shepard comes to finally recognize all the old remnants of this group of people through books and ruined posters still have yet to be removed from shopping districts. Apparently there was a giant debate on whether Overwatch should have kept going rather than shut down for good. It doesn't help that the people call for heroes once more when they were the very ones that had turned their heroes away.
Peace never lasts long. Shepard knew that for a fact.
"Hurry up Shepard!" Katy yells at her as she runs through the hallways with a shower rod in her hand. She speeds through with a fake pair of wings sticking sloppily from her back because her dress was the only thing keeping them from falling down on the ground. The pair of wings was a result of impatient arts and crafts that Katy had quickly made. She had put on a white frilly dress and snatched the shower rod from her personal bathroom. "I'll be Mercy! You can be... um..." Katy stops in place and turns on her heels to get a good look at her protector. Her eyes flow up and down Shepard's form thoughtfully before continuing, "Reinhardt! He was always covered in armor and he charges people and goes 'hyahhhh' and 'wrarmmmm!'" She makes various exaggerated gestures. "Ah but Mercy is different. She heals people and flies to them when they're hurt! She's an angel!"
"Uhuh." Shepard plays along. "I got it. So I'm 'Reinhardt' right?"
"Right! Let's go protect my dad from evil badguys!"
It's then that Sin butts in after spotting the two in the hallway speaking to each other. He speaks up, "I'm sure your father is very busy right now. Why don't we go... bake... a... healing cake?"
Katy couldn't believe her ears.
"A healing cake!?" She begins with awe. "Did Mercy bake healing cakes!? Do you know how to make one Sin!?"
Sin approaches Shepard and whispers lowly so that Katy cannot hear what he is saying, "Katy loves baking. It'll distract her so she won't interfere with her father's 'work.'"
"Sounds good to me." Shepard pauses. "Where's the kitchen?"
.
Winston runs over the data once more through the clear lenses covering his eyes. The latest Talon activities were near non-existent so naturally he knows something is up. Talon was always doing something. They're always on the move, always seemingly one-step ahead of him, but for some reason they had gone off the radar. This proved to be problematic because while he studies their latest activities is he delayed in cornering the woman he thought could possibly be Ana. The signature was the same - the same as hers - why would she use it unless she needed active help? It was an SOS to rescue her and he had headed to her rescue immediately.
"Ah yes - that woman." Winston watches an interview he had taken with an eye-witness who had been eager to help him. "She was covered head to toe with armor! If I remember anything in particular... it's probably that giant symbol 'N7' on her armor."
N7. He thinks. N7. N7. N7. What kind of clue was that? He had Athena look up for any identifiable matches and had found nothing. Yet he knows N7 stands for something.
'How am I supposed to find this woman?' He groans inwardly.
"I have something you might want to see." Athena's voice starts. Winston turns his eyes to the screen once again as Athena shows a new article with headlines of a new figure attending to a famous figure in Spain. Katy. Daughter of The Roblados. Apparently the woman had accompanied the young heiress outside of the manor for once where a photographer had shadowed them from a safe distance. He had taken several shots of the new accompanied woman who had long blonde hair that reached to her waist.
"Why am I looking at this Athena?" He asks.
"We've had a recent report from... an unidentifiable source. They've sent this information to my database and I don't know who it was so I thought it would be wise to bring this to your attention. All I've been able to do is pin-point this unknown sender to Spain."
"What is it with Spain?" Winston mumbles to himself as he scrolls down the article.
"The said sender claims - in an email attached with this data - that the Roblados are related in Talon criminal activity. They hired a new guard to fend them off to protect the youngest Roblado from Talon attacks."
"How do we know this person isn't lying?"
"Well, other then the evidence they sent, they took a... picture... that raises some questions."
Winston watches as Athena spits out a picture on screen and he narrows his eyes.
"Zoom in, Athena."
"Of course." She hums and does as asked.
The figure is unmistakable. She's on the roof aiming a sniper rifle at something. He's not sure. Whoever had gotten this photo was incredibly skilled not to get noticed by this seasoned sniper.
"Amélie." He hates it when he sees her like this - each and every time. If only. If only. If only.
"This figure is undeniably Widowmaker."
"Yes yes but who's the one who took the photo?" Winston leans forward. This was far more serious than he thought... why would this person give him information so freely...? They were sending him a puzzle... expecting him to solve it. A woman with blonde hair. Talon. The Roblados. Widowmaker. They were all connected. "Athena. Call Tracer."
"Are you sure she'll be willing to look into this for you?"
"If she doesn't then I'll go myself."
"But Winston - this could be a trap."
"A trap worth investigating." He affirms. "We'll have to find out where Ana is later. For now we have more pressing manners to look into."
.
AN: Serithus: Guess Talon's not the only thing she has to worry about anymore. *Winky wonk* Okay that was weird I'm not doing that again.
Girl240: Ahhh thank you kindly! I'm filled with gratitude. ;_;
FanFicsNFood: You have done me a great thing on reviewing my fanfiction. I know my writing isn't superb but feedback is certainly pleasant. I'm still improving. Also, thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm greatly flattered my dear friend.
Mitsuki Shigamatsu: Do you LIKE reading my mind?
Dghornick: I've seen a lot of TF2 crossovers with Overwatch and since I'm not a particular fan... I figured I'd make my own fanfiction.
Soberan 123: Thank you for your suggestion but I'm afraid I won't be using that idea. It was a great idea though! It's just... yeah... I already have most of this planned out. Hehe.
Rook115: Thank you SO much for taking the time to read the last chapter.
O-5: Here ya are.