Disclaimer: I do not own Champions Online or Mass Effect, I'm just a writer.

Note from the Shadows: What, already, another update? Yes! And Over 1000 words! Aren't I awesome? Heeeey... Put that tomato away... Right. Well, you'll notice that I am, once again, mean to Maranka. But I'm nice to her in the end! Yes, my Shepard is indeed the type of person who would hug a crew member. Also- If you play Champions, I'd be willing to give your character a guest appearance if you asked.

[Chapter Eleven: Telling the Past]

To my surprise, and relief, Shepard didn't start asking questions until we were all on the ship. I was definitely not looking forward to explaining who Kasin was, or why bringing him up had pi- Ah, made me so mad. Unfortunately, this short reprieve wasn't to last.

Shepard sent me off to the medbay the moment we got on ship. I'm not sure why, I felt fi- Oh, right. Desk. Head. Right... Um... Yeah, going to Chakwas sounded like a good idea. Don't want a concussion, you know? ...No, you probably don't, now that I think about it. Oh well.

I headed off to Chakwas, looking slightly abashed. Geez, I felt like a moron. I wonder if I could blame the desk? ...Yes, it's the desk's fault. All the desk's fault. Chakwas looked up when I came in. "Again, miss Matea?" she asked, one eyebrow raised. I fidgeted a little, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. "It's not my fault, people keep throwing stuff at me! Or me at stuff!" I pouted a little. "Mm-hm, yes, yes, I believe you. What was it this time, miss Matea?" I fidgeted again. "The Shadow Broker threw a desk at me..." I admitted, cheeks turning a light purple.

Chakwas raised an eyebrow, then directed me to sit. I fidgeted nervously, sitting on the hospital bed as she brought up that orange thing, what was it called- Oh, right. Omnitool. What a strange word. She ran it's scanner up and down me, all around my head, muttering slightly to herself as she mentally took notes- I think she did, at least. Once she seemed satisfied that she had scanned every inch of my head, she deactivated the scanner, lifting her arm to look at the screen of the thing. "Well, you don't seem to have a concussion. A few mild bruises, but no concussion," she said finally. I relaxed visibly. "Good. It's hard to teleport with a concussion, there's always the worry you'll come out early," I joked lightly. A thought came to my head. "Hey... How long have I been on ship, exactly?" I asked. "A bit over a week, why?"

I blinked, mentally counting days, eyebrows furrowing. My eyes widened as I realized something. Oh. Oh. "I really need to keep better track of time..." I muttered to myself, causing Chakwas to raise an eyebrow. "Something amiss, Matea?" I shook my head. "Just remembered something, that's all. Am I good to go?" Chakwas nodded, still raising that eyebrow. I left quickly, teleporting down to my room. What? Elevators are evil!

I walked around my room for a moment, laying my hand on shelves and familiar objects as I shut my eyes, pointed ears drooping. My birthday... How could I have forgotten my birthday? Well... Alright, so I didn't really celebrate it, but still... It would have been nice to spend it with Nebulis, and Zilla... I shook my head slightly. It wasn't for another two weeks, maybe all this would be done by then and I could go back to Millennium.

I looked up when I heard a tap on my door. "Come in?" I asked, as the door whooshed open. In stepped Shepard, arms crossed. "Care to explain what that was about, when the Shadow Broker was talking about that Riados guy?" Um... Oops. I knew I shouldn't have blown up like that! ...Too late now. "...Alright, but it's not exactly pleasant," I warned. "I can deal with unpleasant. Talk."

I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath. "When I was twenty-five, my parents arranged a marriage between my and a man from one of the other four houses, Kasin Riados. He's a murderer, a blood mage. He's killed his past six wives- including a close friend of mine, who wasn't a darkling at all. I fled the day of the wedding, and he's been chasing after me ever since, for the past... Soon to be one hundred and three years. He is... Evil. Purely evil. He's been killed- or seemingly killed- three times so far. The few times he's gotten his hands on me..." I trailed off, one hand going to my gloved arm. Beneath the long gloves, I knew, were a multitude of scars that that thing had left. After a moment's hesitation, I pulled down the glove, showing scars criss-crossing my arm, some outlining my markings. "He did this to me. There are more scars, but I'd rather not show you them. It's even worse when he gets his hands on my friends... He tortures them, to get information about my location. Keeps them as hostages, to draw me out of hiding. He wants me dead, and won't stop at anything to get at me." I trailed off, looking at the ground with a frown. I hated, hated, talking about that.. man.

Even though I wasn't looking at her, I knew Shepard was giving me that all too familiar look of pity. Everyone did, when they found out. As I looked at her to confirm it, I looked away in disgust. "Don't. Don't pity me. I don't want to be pitied. I don't need to be pitied." I pulled the glove back on, relaxing once I was no longer having to keep as tight a rein on my magic. I was... Angry. Yes, angry, that was the right word. Angry that Kasin had caused such a major upheaval in my life, angry that Shepard was asking questions, angry at being so... so... Helpless. Yes, helpless. That was the right word. "And the Shadow Broker, speaking about him, means that he's here, and I can't run away this time, not if I want to keep my promise. I'm going to have to fight him this time, and that scares me half to death, so I'm kind of on edge at the moment, alright?" My hands clenched into fists as I shut my eyes, waiting. I was a risk. I knew I was. She wouldn't want to let me stay and help, she wouldn't want to help me, she'd send me away and I'd be on my own again. It shocked me to realize just how much I loved this ship, and the few people I had met. Hell, I even kinda liked Jack!

I was shocked to feel arms gently wrap around me, opening my eyes as I realized Shepard was hugging me. Why was she hugging me? She shouldn't be. "You really are a kid, huh? One who's been very frightened, for a very long time..." she said softly. I was about to protest, when I realized that she might be partially right. "No wonder you got so angry about him.. You didn't think I'd just turn you away, did you?" She frowned when I didn't answer. "Well, I won't. I'll help you, just like I'd help any other member of my crew. Alright?" I nodded slightly, shocked. She released me. "You're one of us, Maranka. Get used to it." An 'us'.. It was the first time I had been part of an 'us'. I smiled slightly. "Thanks, Shepard."

Shepard left after that, and I sat once more on the edge of my bed. After a moment, I got back up, locking the door with a spell. I pulled off my gloves and cloak, then my dress, and looked at myself. Scars criss-crossed my grey skin, some going under my under-clothes. I had runes permanently carved on to the flesh of my stomach, a painful glaring reminder of the time I had been stupid enough to confront him. I traced a finger along the scar, eyes dimming as the memory flashed before my.

It's dark, lit only by dim, flickering torches. Her hands and legs are chained to the wall, preventing escape. She's hyperventilating, eyes darting around rapidly for any hint of an escape a rescue, as he comes closer and closer with that wicked, jagged knife. "I am going to make you beg for death, dearest," he croons wickedly, his hand, with long, sharp nails, cupping her cheek. "You will regret ever running from me when I am through with you..." Her screams echoed the castle as the knife descended, carving.

I gasped softly as I snapped out of the memory, sinking to the floor and hugging my knees to my chest. More then a year later, and I could still smell the acrid smoke, feel the pain... I hated knives after that. Couldn't go near one without freezing up. I'd had to ask a friend to get rid of my dagger, because I couldn't go near it to do it myself.

WIth memories, and fear, as my only companions, I hid my head between my knees and wept myself to sleep, letting dark oblivion wash over me.