Subsider34: Hah! Yeah, maybe they will at that. Who knows? Maybe they'll try to pretend Cali forced them into submission with her biotics in order to get out of trouble! Ah, that would be hilarious. You make a good point with Tela there. I can't say what will happen if it does happen but I can't imagine it being all smiles.
OnyxTemplar: I'm glad she is getting some of her backbone back. Honestly, I hate it when an SI is all angsty about their problems- and a lot of the time rightfully so I suppose- but then does little to try and suck it up and shoulder the burden. In any case I believe there will be some interesting reactions to Cali's explanation. Your feeling tells you right, Onyx. –But that's all I can say. If a few more people ask for it I guess I can convince Cali to reopen the case file.
Hopelessly Blue: How could I laugh at you about that? Geez Marcy, I told you I don't try to judge people or make fun of them (unless it's in jest of course, then I'm ruthless). If I laugh at you for a horrible childhood experience I couldn't forgive myself. If someone told me that when my little brother was an infant I would have been freaked out just as well! *sighs* Anyway, who knows? If Cali gets kidnapped maybe they'll upgrade her clothes or something. But really, you ask about the wet t-shirt but not the rake? A rake on a spaceship? *smirks fondly* My, you truly do share Shepard's perverted side.
A Fan: I'm happy you liked that. I had you guys in mind when I wrote up the chapter.
Arael Tenebris: Finally, right?
Kaiya Smith: Mhm. That's possible too.
A/N: I've missed you guys so much!
Everyone looked confused. Shepard's face was twisted in a way that made you think she was wondering whether she left the oven on at home or not. Ash was staring at me like she was both unsettled and bothered by my explanation. Liara… well she seemed close to asking if she could experiment on me. Being a scientist could have something to do with that but when the word 'Protheans' came into the conversation she just got full of questions.
"So…" Shepard really looked lost. "Let me get this straight." I nodded at her request as she waved her hand before sitting up straighter. "Okay… So you have these visions caused by the beacon that trigger every time you get stressed or upset."
I nodded.
"And… these visions, when you're in them, make it like you're one of these Protheans but at the same time stuck in third person- so you can't control what's happening at all." She continued.
Once again I nodded. I didn't want to speak unless I needed to.
"In your dreams you actually turn into a Prothean from back then and can move around and speak… but you also feel the pain and smell the fires and the… reaper soldiers?"
I looked off to the side, nodding, before I took a breath to speak. "Reaper soldiers are people that were caught by indoctrinated enemies. They were taken and indoctrinated as well. After indoctrination it didn't take long for them to be 're-purposed'." My nose unconsciously tensed in disgust.
"Some were mutated and fused with several other bodies to make a big abomination with lots of faces all over its body. Most became larger and stronger because for the reaper mutations or got really fast and hard to keep up with. Others became really tall and hard as a rock. Their kicks really hurt…" I added that last part as an after-thought while my hand drifted to my side where it began to throb in memory.
The small silence caught my attention back and I shook myself out of it in order to focus on my three confidantes. I dropped my hand and gave them a smile and a shrug to try and brush off the nightmares. "The only reason I'm not scared of them is because they make me sad." I said honestly. "They used to be our own friends and our own family. You can't fight off reaper indoctrination."
"Is this what we'll be dealing with if we don't stop Saren?" Shepard inquired, obviously worried about my visions repeating themselves in reality.
This question conflicted me though. Even if we stop Saren and Nazara the Reapers were going to be on their way. I couldn't very well tell her that at the moment since this journey has only just begun of course but giving Amelia false hope wouldn't help things. Especially when she finds out I held back in my 'all-out' explanation. I still needed to tell Tela what was going on however. I could wait to give more details when she was around.
"Yes." I finally answered. Understandably, Shepard shifted in her chair uncomfortably at this news, as did Ashley. It would happen if we didn't stop Saren. But he wasn't the one we should be focusing on so much. Not that I could blurt out exactly what was happening. I wanted Tela to be there when I did. Not to mention Ashley's glaring would get worse if she found out I'd been keeping even more secrets from her. –Which I was, I just figured I could wait until she calmed down before jumping the gun on more iffy subjects.
It grew silent once more as we all just stared at each other with differentiating expressions. Perhaps they were trying to come up with more questions. It didn't take long for Liara to speak up, "Do you know anything about their culture, or their language? How are you able to understand them when they speak?"
I let out a breath with a small shrug, "The visions are just memories and records of things that happened. I know what they say only because the words are imprinted and I see through another Prothean's mind. In my dreams it's harder for me to know what they're saying. That's kind of why I die a lot." I added a small joke at the end to try and diffuse the tension in the air- pouring out of Ash mostly- but it didn't seem to help. In fact it may have made it worse.
I had a feeling Ash was going to explode soon. She'd been glowering over there for the past ten minutes. The more I said the angrier she got. Really I didn't know why, other than the fact I didn't tell her about it. I was trying not to worry too much over it. I didn't want to trigger more visions and I didn't want to end up running away again. Accident or not I still did it.
And just as I suspected, Ashley exploded. She jumped up from her seat and began ranting, arms waving as she spoke to punctuate her ire, "Why would you hide stuff like this from us?! It's been over a month since that happened and you say it's just been getting worse! You should have at least mentioned you were having a hard time adjusting, you know! A little update on how you feel every once in a while would be nice!" she yelled.
"I mean, what does it say about us if you don't feel comfortable confiding in us? I thought we got along pretty well, Cali- hell, I think of you as a little sister! How could you think I would ever judge you for something that wasn't your fault? I only get mad when you keep things from me! I can't help you or support you or even listen to you if you don't say anything to me!"
I wanted to say something. I really did. But ash just wouldn't have it.
"Skipper here too! She wants what's best for you, and you're our responsibility- especially now that you're a part of the Normandy! God, even the aliens like you!" the look on Liara's face would have made me laugh if I wasn't currently being yelled at.
"If I was you I would have a lot of issues! Visions? Pain? Flaring biotics?" her arms waved wildly up and down as she listed all of the things I'd talked about.
"Which is bad, as I've mentioned." Shepard piped in with a finger pointed to the ceiling as if she were giving me safety tips, referring to the flaring biotics and resulting pain.
"-Yeah, see?" Ashley gestured to Shepard who still sat in her seat, cool as a cucumber. "Bad! As in not good! As in serious! Severe! Unhealthy! Damaging!"
"The only things being damaged right now are my ears." I muttered to myself although it went unheard an unheeded by Ash as she continued to rant and rave and pace and gesture with exaggerated abandon.
This was going to take a while.
A/N: Super short- which I hate- and I'm sorry. I'M SO SORRY! Mike just refuses to pay the internet bill on time so it's been off for the past two weeks! I could only get on during the weekend and update because I'm visiting my dad's house!
But not to worry: I plan to keep writing up chapters. When I finish one I'll take advantage of my best friend (Jennifer) and use her internet. Please forgive my recent lateness with updating, everyone. I promise I will not drop this story, or my other ones.