And so it begins!
I do not own Mass Effect nor its characters.
Lightness washes over me; something similar to that moment when the heavy armor relinquishes its hold of my body. For a second, I am struck with a sense of floating and this forces my eyes open like a distant gunshot during my days in Omega – they made me jumpy. But right now, my feet were firmly planted on the ground and I was met with a spectacular view. The darkness of the night spread out above me, gigantic trees reached up as if to support the sky… A moon hung low and close; just like on Palaven.
The wind blew at my back, as if urging me to go forward and I complied. My legs carried me faster than I remember them usually being capable of doing. I rushed past the trees, not minding one bit of the thin branches brushing against the plates on my arms. I managed to squeeze through the thick bushes of spade-shaped leaves and found myself in a clearing. Up ahead there was a hill, and the moon rose behind it, inviting me in. Slowly, my feet being cushioned by soft grass and something else… something gritty, I climbed up. The wind engulfed me, knocking the breath right out of me…Or was it the view below that paralyzed me?
It was if I was standing upon a dune, looking at… at a white sea? I bent over to examine the ground, my hands cupping sand that ran through my fingers. It felt cool to the touch as I grabbed handfuls of sand again and again only having them escape my grip with ease. The harder I clenched it, the faster it ran through the cracks.
I stood up, legs suddenly shaky, and made my way down to greet the white waters. As I closed in, I noticed that the wind has abandoned me, with silence descending upon the place. The water was as still as a mirror, not a single wave was to be seen. The moon created the illusion of being dipped into the sea.
I looked around and saw, to my right, quite a distance from me, a silhouette, moving as if it was made out of liquid. I cursed my lack of visor as I couldn't identify who was there. Suddenly, I had a sinking feeling and looked down at myself. Not a single piece of fabric covered me. If a turian could blush, I would have done just that. Now, I was hesitant to approach the figure. Alas, the wind picked up again, urging me on once more and funnily, I complied. Step by step I walked to the silhouette, each meter sharpening its features, until I knew for certain that this was not a fellow turian. 'A human female… No…'
Long hair swished at her back. 'She had short hair. Just below her ears. It always grew out, but she would cut it. Something about it getting in the way. But I always loved it the most just a few weeks before she returned it to its previous length. The fact that it grew was enough to mesmerize me.'
I was so sure that it was her, that I didn't even need to see her face. But when she turned around, my heart swelled up, hand instinctively reached forward to touch her. Her eyes slowly traveled up to see mine, smile not yet on her lips. And when it blossomed, it was sad and sorrowful. My mouth felt dry as she stepped back, again and again.
"Iris…"
The brown eyes that I knew so well glazed over. "You know my name…"
"Of course I do. You hid it so much from me, like a hanar protecting its soul name." I attempted to chuckle, but all that came out was a low rumble, sub-vocals betraying my fear. Yet, she was not a turian, she wouldn't know.
I wanted to fill the gap between us, but a force held us apart. Iris turned her head to look at the white sea, her hip length hair following her movements. I felt my mandibles flare…An almost see-through cloth covered her, clung to her full hips and toned belly.
When she looked back at me, her chin was raised higher, gaze harder.
"You shouldn't be here" she stated simply.
"I was supposed to be there with you, limp with you all the way to that beam. I was supposed to meet you at the bar…" I replied.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Iris rushed to the water.
"Iris! Damn it. Iris!"
She was already waist deep. I stepped in, too, feeling its weight as I got in deeper. Iris was already quite a distance from me. When the water reached up to my mandibles, I saw her disappear under. 'Shit, I can't swim.' But suddenly, I was engulfed with the liquid and I could only squirm as I sank further and further down.
I jumped up in my bed, gasping for air. I was drowning... I felt like I was drowning. The silent hum reminded me that I was still on the Normandy. Taking a look around, making sure that my sniper rifle was still there, I sank back down, head hitting on the pillow. "What the hell..." I always hoped for the worst in my dreams, but now, I was confused and disorientated. She was there, almost as solid as life. And yet, she barely recognized me. The price of seeing her... Even in the dreamworld you have to pay something. "Spirits..."
The chatter outside the main battery increased. I overslept.
A bit short, this one. But we are getting there! Garrus is sure to be in for one heck of a mind-twisting ride! :D
