Chapter #8
I saw the slap coming, really. If I couldn't see a frontal slap coming I probably wouldn't be alive at the moment. Next thing I knew though, I was on the floor, replaying the distinct feeling of a talon tearing into the flesh of my cheek. Looking down into the metal pristine floor as it was marred with drops of my blood, recognizing that same feminine voice as it let out what could be nothing but sobs. To tell the truth, that was a much shorter fuse than I expected, both from the 'fatherkiller', and whoever that girl was. I chanced a glance towards the onlookers, while filtering the Stupid Turian's complaints regarding my insolence and how my heightened abilities won me no special liberties, and I quickly registered a blond girl hidden in a chest, no longer sobbing, not much more quite clear as she was covered by a protective cluster of students, most of them, of course, male. My competition then. I couldn't be much of anything if their attention was centered one small little frightened girl who didn't know how to use the attention. And it was, I dared say, a good fourth of the group. And that, was enough to stop any escape attempt. A quick scan through the rest told me there were groups, but not any more group leaders. "Stand up, Shepard." Commanded the turian from behind me, and so, I did, I stood straight up and with a head held high and a small amused smile I performed a lazy soldier's salute with a lazy "yesss, sirrr!", knowing full well everyone else expected me to give a scared submissive look. I was happy to show them that wasn't me. The turian grumbled I was worse, much worse than Alenko, low enough that I don't think he thought I'd hear. But I did hear, and I immediately knew, I was going to like Mr. Perfect Soldier's cousin.
"Bring it in!" Said the turian suddenly, hand on the side of the head here I would only assume his ear was. A door behind the students opened and two turians brought in a massive metal box, which they deposited between the turian and me, before departing through the door I came in through. I was beginning to wonder if, apart from my fellow contemporaries, all other contact would be from turians. "This human!" began the turian, turning towards the young group, I suddenly realized I had forgotten high almighty commander's name. "Is able to do all of which you have refused to learn like you were supposed to. Without training, without amp, without implant!" So, I had achieved a control the others didn't? I did not miss the high eyebrows, the confused glances thrown in my direction, some unbelieving, some miffed, some jealous, some distrusting. And then, my eyes came to meet this intense hazel ones, frown over them in question, some bewilderment. It was the strongest of glares, yet lacking fury. I completely missed then the alien as he put some distance between me and him, coming to stand on the side of the room. I did immediately turn my head when I heard a weird mechanical sound, a click and what as well have been a twisting rail, but before I had even finished registering that which looked like a mini gun protruding from on top of the box I felt a sting in my neck. I felt up with my hand, and plucked out a dart. I looked at it with its little empty transparent cabin with a bit of a residual red liquid. "And now, here you'll have a presentation." A dual voice said. I frowned up towards the turian, and my mouth opened up in surprise as I saw a bunch of them, people and the so called teacher, clustered, transparent, on over the other, waving around, a cloud over my mind that for a moment that prevented me from rationalizing what I saw, getting darker, darker. And then, a white mist fell all around, and over me there was a blue sky with a searing sun that hurt my eyes, and my irritated my white skin. I looked down, and immediately blinked to take the sand outta my eyes, held my breath as I waited for the breeze to stop, lest I breathe the particles in. I narrowed my eyes as I saw a plateau in the distance, some green spots here and there with it. I looked around me and the only other structure that greeted me was a triangular rock a small ways off my side. How had I gotten here? For the life of me, what have I done? "Nice one." I murmured to myself. "Now you found a way to strand yourself in the middle of the desert." Thinking about my plan of action, I realized I needed shadow, water, food, so plants, with insects (I had eaten worse). That plateau may help, but instead of walking directly towards I moved and sat beside the triangular rock on its shadowy side. I needed some time to cool off. The moment the rock stopped protecting me, I would start the long way. I pressed my legs covered in thin brown pants against my chest covered with a thin brown sleeveless shirt, and hugged them. I was closing my eyes to protect them from the bright reflection of light when, in the distance, I saw a mechanical turret flying towards me, steering sand up as in flew close to the floor. Instantly I stood up and round the rock in order to take cover, only to find an identical turret much, much closer than its partner. "Shit!" I jumped back right as it went off, the bullets hitting the rock with force, thankfully it didn't break apart, rising so much more sand that I completely gave up on not breathing it in. I prepared to raise a shield, happy that they weapons were apparently stupid enough not to fly around my fan-freaking-tastic cover. When the other turret was close enough, it stopped; I saw its old revolver look-alike thingy rotate and it was then, that with all my biotic force, I changed tactics, forcing the barrel to the ground and pushing it forward as it began shooting. Taking the risk of the other turret being fast enough to point at me while I was on its line of sight, I took a bit of a biotic leap, landing in that exact spot between the gun part of the turret and the flying VI or remote control part of it, and, concentrating biotic force at my feet, I broke it apart. I landed behind the fallen weaponry, checking quickly to see if the rock still covered me from the other turret, which it did, and looked at the hovering platform as it swayed headlong and back as it lost its balance from the shock of the kick and loss of equipment, making a little sound like the waves in a shore from its thrusters. Concentrating on that little wavering, I realized the other turret had tried to shoot me, but now that I was lost to it again, it had stopped, and it was taking de-heating time, that same revolver like thingy probably rotating backwards, or at least, rotating slower. Idea blossoming in my mind, I pushed the fallen turret part closer to the rock with me, and sitting against it with the gun between my legs, I looked for the auctioning piece, careful to fold back the hanging, broken cables that may zap me. Recognizing it, taking it into hold, and then my other hand took hold of the top of the gun. As soon as I couldn't hear the rotating, I bolted from behind the rock and began shooting, using my biotics to prevent it from flying from my hands. A little smirk graced my lips as I saw the other turret slumping down in smoke. I let the gun fall from my hands, which also dropped to my sides as I threw head back, felt it as it throbbed, recognizing the taste of my own blood on my lips as I run my tongue against it. And then, a sting in my neck. For a few seconds there, I felt paralyzed, not an effect from the attack, but from fear. Hesitantly I brought my hand up, and felt a dart. A dart? I opened my eyes, and behind the blue sky I saw a metal roof. A metal roof. Slowly, I remembered having felt a dart before. I looked at the triangular rock and inside it, I saw clearly the box with the strange pistol that had deceived me. Not, not the pistol. I felt my fingers break the dart as I turned towards the audience, and I marched outside of the hologram as it slowly dissipated, a white light wiping it off from my reality, and there, feeling violated and mocked, I demanded. "What did you do to me?"
The turian ignored me, and walked towards the small door. "Lunch break. When I come back, I expect you to not disappoint me." He announced with his back to us, and then, he was gone. I could hear the rest shuffling out behind me, the murmurs, the whispers, and all the while I had my eyes closed, pleading to myself, not to do anything stupid. Nothing of what I wanted to do at the moment.
"Your nose is bleeding." Said a male voice behind me.
Immediately, I unclenched my hands, the broken dart fell to the floor and that same hand same up to wipe under my nose. I half turned, and my eyes met a tall, thin but not too much, handsome guy, with slightly yellowish hair that obviously didn't quite get how good he got it, his slightly hunched shoulders and hand on pockets screaming insecurity. Of course, his tenor voice, one that I'd almost classify as countertenor, couldn't be the most popular. But I had to hand it to him, that look. Eyes darker than I had ever seen, darker than the night, than shadows, than the muck that gathered around the given up homeless man, an unfathomable dark that I would only compare with what I imagined a black hole to be. Dark eyes that looked at me, worried, not because of whatever I may think of him, but because, as he eloquently put it, I was bleeding. Still, I had a hard time rating them as better than the hazel ones.
"I know." I answered. Cute guys didn't change the fact that I just wasn't in the mood to be… agreeable.
He didn't seem offended at my apparent lack of tact and interest. "I could take you to the nurse-"
"It'll heal on its own." I said flippantly, I was used to it, and in truth, I did not want to see another turian doctor. I shot him a glance, and upon seeing his raised eyebrows, I suddenly felt that shame that I had been muting for so long, I was surprised at its re-appearance. "But thank you." I conceded softly.
He shook his head, suggesting that wasn't the problem, and then asked. "So, this happens to you often? And you just don't treat it?"
"Yeah, it's not so bad." I replied distractedly, wiping under my nose again. Frowning down at the red fingers, I added. "Damn annoying, though. So, a bathroom?"
"Of course," He nodded, and gestured with his head to follow him, soon enough, we were walking side by side, turning to the right after crossing the large door.
"What's to the left?" I asked, looking back.
"Forbidden territory." He said solemnly. He looked at me, and he did not take a second stare at my curious eyes before he touched my shoulder. "But, don't think about that!" He said, a bit too enthusiastically. "There are other… things to- wonder about… around here, like… what's your name?"
I opened my mouth, and just like that, the fact that I had a plan hit me in the face. I couldn't tell him my name, if the gang made fun of it; I had no doubt these teenagers would too. And while I was sure this guy wouldn't mock nor tell if I told him to keep it a secret he would believe me insecure and loose respect. The same result all around. "I simply go by Shepard."
"Oh, um, well, Dylan." He said, and extended one of his hands.
I refused to smile at that, I would not smile at him for being educated. I shook hands with him, and then "And, well, Dylan, how come I am only talking to you? The others forgot their manners?"
"Oh, well…" He frowned. "They…" he took a breath. "Vyrnnus dislikes you much more than any of us have seen. Not even, Alenko- so, if he treads you badly, then he will probably not- tread those around you very well either."
Not a good start. But not everyone had escaped. "And you?"
"I don't think it's true. I mean, Rahna is fine and she is always around Alenko. And, you needed someone to tell you around." He said, his hands deepening into his pockets. Now, he was nervous, his pace quickening.
"Hey" I called. He slowed down a bit, and I put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you."
He looked at me, and straightened up. "You're welcome."
Finally reaching the bathroom door, I put my hand on it and took a look at the lunchroom which was barely seven feet away. "Dylan?"
"Yeah?"
"You sit alone?"
"…I …yeah."
I nodded. "You won't anymore. From now on, you will sit in a full table." I resolved. He gave me a confused look. "Wait here." I said, and with that, entered to clean myself up.
Author's Note: So, what is this, love triangle? I do not plan on it, but if it evolves that way, it evolves that way. Dylan is only one of the many made up characters that will come up because I felt like making them up, but they are not purposeless, let me tell you.