Chapter III
Two Priority Missions
"Commander! Commander, wake up!"
Shepard bolted up, his eyes flying open, but he was immediately blinded by the light. He held up an arm to shield his eyes and squinted around, trying to make out his surroundings. He was still on the examination table in the med bay and there was a large, blurry figure standing to his right.
"Status report!" He barked at whoever it was.
"Everything is fine, Commander," came Liara's voice. "We're still en route to the mass relay. I'm sorry for waking you," she added as Shepard turned to face her, letting his legs hang off the side of the examination table. "There's something I need to show you. It may be critical to our mission."
"What is it?" he asked, lowering his arm and looking at her dead in the eye, his vision adjusting quickly. He noticed that she was twiddling her fingers, an unconscious habit of hers when she was trying to contain her excitement.
"This better be good news, Liara."
Liara smiled and backed toward the door, implying that they walk and talk. Shepard pushed himself off of the table and followed. Liara pressed the sensor on the door to open it and led the way to her office.
"Whatever it is, Commander, it's powerful. Powerful enough to destroy a Reaper."
A few of the Normandy's crew members, who were eating at the table in the mess, overheard this and immediately began speculating what it might be.
"Go on," said Shepard after they passed the table.
"I intercepted two transmissions between Admiral Hackett and Dr. Garret Bryson; he's the head scientist of Task Force Aurora, a group devoted to the investigations of ancient legends about the Reapers."
"Wait." Shepard stopped. "Ancient legends about the Reapers? How do any exist? The Reapers leave no trace or evidence of their existence after each cycle."
"The Reapers do a very thorough job, but they're not perfect. The Prothean beacon on Eden Prim proves that. They're also not perfect when disposing destroyed Reapers."
"So, you found a derelict Reaper with evidence of some weapon that's effective against them?"
"Not exactly." Liara motioned for Shepard to follow her into her office. He was growing skeptical by the second, but followed her in anyways. Once they entered, she went straight to her information terminal and pulled up a file. "Take a look to this."
She stepped aside so Shepard could read.
[Automated transmission between Admiral Hackett and Dr. Bryson]
Hackett: Dr. Bryson, you have an update?
Dr. Bryson: Admiral, the 'Leviathan of Dis' that we've been investigating... I think we're really onto something.
Hackett: Give me the brief.
Dr. Bryson: About twenty years ago, the batarians discovered a Reaper corpse that had died in battle. They covered it up and denied it ever existed. But I'm intrigued by the larger implication.
Hackett: What could have killed the Reaper in the first place?
Dr. Bryson: Exactly. That's the real Leviathan.
Hackett: It's worth pursuing. Continue your investigation and update me on the progress.
[End transmission]
Shepard narrowed his eyes in disappointment.
"I sincerely hope you have something more than this," he growled, not attempting to hide his skepticism.
"I do, Commander."
Shepard stepped back so Liara could lean in and pull up her next file.
[Automated transmission between Admiral Hackett and Dr. Bryson]
Dr. Bryson: Admiral, the Reapers are shadowing my field teams as if they're hunting the Leviathan themselves. Whatever it is, I believe Leviathan is nothing less than a Reaper-killer - almost an apex predator - and it has them nervous. If we could just find it, imagine the impact on the war. I'm formally requesting assistance in tracking it down.
Hackett: You'll have it. This is now your top priority, Doctor. Find that thing
[End transmission]
"What do you think, Commander?"
Shepard stroked his chin as he thought over the two files. No concrete or probable evidence had been given to prove that there was a connection between the Reaper corpse and Leviathan. With just these two files, the only interesting information was that the Reapers seemed to be shadowing the research teams. If the Reapers were trying to find Leviathan, then it demanded Shepard's attention, but with such little evidence to convince him, he wasn't buying into it.
"Either Dr. Bryson has enough evidence to convince Admiral Hackett to search for Leviathan, or we're already at a point of great desperation to be chasing after stories. The bit about the Reapers is interesting, but it could be coincidence; our entire civilization is being shadowed by Reaper forces." Shepard shook his head and crossed his arms. "I'm sorry, Liara. There's not enough information to sway me to believe that this Leviathan exists. We need to focus on Cerberus and the Prothean VI, but... I'm interested in why Admiral Hackett seemed so easily convinced. Try contacting Dr. Bryson, or hack into his computer if you have to, and discover what data he's found to get the Admiral on board with this investigation."
"Understood, Commander."
"Let me know immediately if you find anything substantial."
With that, Liara hunched over the terminal and feverishly began her search.
"Commander," Traynor's voice came through the Normandy's intercom. "Admiral Hackett wishes to speak with you on the vid comm."
Speak of the devil. Shepard spun around and marched out of Liara's office, straight for the elevator. He intended to ask the Admiral directly about Leviathan and what convinced him to believe in such a farfetched story. He was hoping that the Admiral had been persuaded through evidence and not out of desperation.
Only pausing momentarily for the security checkpoint, Shepard did not stop until he was in the comm room. He clasped his hands behind his back and answered the pending call. The familiar holographic image of Hackett materialized in front of him.
"Admiral," Shepard saluted.
"Commander," Hackett returned the salute. "I have some news that should interest you. For some time now, we've had a team called Task Force Aurora that's been dedicated to investigating and finding what we believe to be a Reaper-killer. Led by Dr. Garret Bryson, Aurora was on the verge of discovering where and what this Reaper-killer was, but Dr. Bryson was murdered by his own assistant several hours ago."
"Any idea why?"
"Derek Hadley, the assistant, claims that he didn't do it, despite the security footage clearly showing him shooting Dr. Bryson. C-Sec is currently investigating the crime. I know you're busy, Commander, but I would like you to look over the security footage. Maybe your experience with the Reapers will help you see something we've missed."
"You think the Reapers were behind this?"
"I believe Cerberus is, but I won't rule out the possibility of Reaper involvement. If Cerberus was behind this, we'll soon be at their doorstep to finish them off. If the Reapers were behind this, it further proves the significance of our investigation."
"Admiral, do you really believe there's some Reaper-killer out there?"
"I do, Commander. Dr. Bryson and his team have collected a significant amount of data tracking this thing. We also believe that the Reapers are searching for it. Every time Aurora's field teams are on the verge of a major breakthrough, the Reapers suddenly arrive and everything gets wiped out. It can't be coincidence. They must know something's out there. And they fear it."
"Or they could be protecting something from us," Shepard speculated.
"Whatever the case, the investigation and search must continue."
He still had his doubts, but knowing that there was sufficient data to convince the Admiral about the existence of some Reaper-killer, Shepard had more interest in aiding in the investigation.
"I'll take a look at the security footage and notify you if I find anything."
The Admiral nodded. "Good. Hackett, out."
Once Hackett disconnected, Shepard made his way back down to Liara's office. Shepard was curious about the data that was collected on Leviathan. Hackett mentioned that they had tracking data. Was Leviathan capable of moving throughout the galaxy? Is it not a weapon, but something else? Shepard contemplated the possible implications all the way to Liara's office.
"Commander," Liara jumped as he entered. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I haven't been able to contact Dr. Bryson or anyone at his lab on the Citadel."
"Dr. Bryson is dead," Shepard said unsympathetically, moving toward Liara's information terminal and motioning her to step aside. "He was shot and killed by his assistant several hours ago. I have the security footage from the lab. Admiral Hackett wants to know if there's any possibility of Reaper involvement."
"How?"
"I don't know, so keep your eyes peeled for anything."
Shepard brought up and started the video on the screens in front of them.
The lab was moderately lit from a few overhanging lights, but most of the light was streaming in from the bottom of the screen - most likely windows. There were small parts and pieces of Reaper-tech scattered throughout the lab, even the head of a husk on a small display stand located on top of one of many desks. There were also strange skeletons and diagrams littering the lab. At the top right portion of the screen, there was a large galaxy map with several strange objects and artifacts near it. An older looking man was pacing that side of the lab. He would walk down to a desk, littered with datapads, check something, and walk back up to the galaxy map; all while muttering to himself.
On the far side of the lab, there was another much younger man, who was working at a computer on his desk.
"Hadley," the older man shouted, presumably Dr. Bryson. "I want to know what the hell is going on at Mahavid. Reestablish communications!"
"Sir, I'm trying," pleaded Hadley, "but there's only so much I can do."
"You heard Garneau's message. He found another artifact!" Dr. Bryson continued yelling, waving and pointing a datapad toward a large, spherical object near the galaxy map. "Find out what went wrong!"
"I'm trying!"
Dr. Bryson threw his datapad down on his cluttered desk, scattering others onto the floor.
"Damn our luck! I knew these artifacts would be the key to finding Leviathan," he muttered to himself. "Damn it!" He slammed his fists down on the desk. "Hadley! Find out if there are reports of Reaper forces near Mahavid."
Dr. Bryson continued pacing, now at a quicker, more agitated pace, while Hadley earnestly worked at his computer. After a moment, Hadley stopped working and began walking across the lab and into the section where Dr. Bryson was pacing.
"Garneau must have had a breakthrough with these artifacts," Dr. Bryson spoke to himself, facing the spherical object, which now seemed to be gleaming slightly. "He must know how they link to Leviathan. But how? Hadley's test gained no results..." Dr. Bryson looked up at the artifact. "Hadley!" Dr. Bryson spun around. "Hadley, the-"
A shot was fired. Dr. Bryson staggered backwards, clutching his chest. His face mortified and frozen with shock. He crumbled to the ground and was motionless. Hadley stood perfectly poised with a gun in his hand.
"The darkness cannot be breached," Hadley said cooly, before firing again.
"By the goddess!" Liara exclaimed.
Shepard wasn't fazed by the murder at all. What he was most interested in was how calm Hadley was. He wasn't shaking and he didn't hesitate when taking the shot. His poise resembled that of a seasoned killer. Coming from someone who was supposed to be a young researcher with no history of combat or bloodshed, it was incredibly eerie.
Save for lowering the gun down to his side, Hadley stood motionless - no panic, no feverish attempt to flee the scene - he just remained still.
"Something's not right. Why isn't he trying to escape?" Liara asked aloud.
Shepard was wondering the same thing. One possibility was that Hadley was persuaded to murder Dr. Bryson and then get arrested. Why? Shepard didn't know. He increased the video's pace, fast forwarding through until C-Sec arrived. Not once did Hadley move. Shepard returned the video's pace to normal and continued watching.
C-Sec officers stormed in, guns aimed at Hadley, and began shouting for him to drop his weapon. Hadley didn't budge. A turian took advantage of the opportunity, sprinted up and tackled Hadley to the ground. He was quickly followed by two other officers, one who kicked the gun out of Hadley's hand, the other who aided the turian in restraining and binding Hadley's hands behind his back.
"Wh-What's going on?" Hadley stammered.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Dr. Garret Bryson," the turian officer growled, dragging Hadley to his feet.
"Murder?! I... Who... I would never! I didn't do it! It wasn't me! Please, you must believe me!"
The three C-Sec officers ignored Hadley's pleads and shoved the bewildered young man out of the lab. More officers and investigators entered and began attending to the scene. Shepard watched them for a moment before pausing the video and reversing it to the starting point.
"That was... disturbing," Liara confessed, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand.
"What do you know about that artifact Dr. Bryson was referring to?" Shepard asked her, getting straight to business.
"I didn't have much time to find anything, but there was this file. I don't know if it's the exact test he mentioned, but it's relevant to Leviathan."
Liara leaned in and pulled up a file for Shepard to read.
[Begin File]
Energy Emission Test
Artifact P3X118
Hadley, Derek
Initial Tests:
Artifact tests negative for infrared and ultraviolet emissions. No gamma or X-ray radiation detected.
Follow-up Tests:
Artifact does not react to application of various stimuli. Internal readings inconclusive. No progress in determining age. Guess I stayed here all night finding out that this thing isn't really important. Fell asleep at desk.
Conclusion:
Artifact is definitely inert and safe. Recommend keeping it here for reference. We should all be near it. May be more useful than Leviathan in long run. Recommend we abandon hunt for Leviathan and seek more productive studies.
[End File]
Shepard only had to read the file once before he began to formulate a theory. It was part of the conclusion that caught his eye: 'We should all be near it... Recommend we abandon hunt for Leviathan and seek more productive studies.'
"Keep an eye on that spherical artifact in the corner," he said, pointing toward the screen. "It looked like Dr. Bryson noticed something just before he was shot. I think it might be the cause of all this."
"What do you mean, Commander?"
"Indoctrination. Reread the conclusion from Hadley's energy emission test. He says that they should all be near it and recommends abandoning their hunt for Leviathan. Whatever Leviathan is, I think it's trying to protect itself from being found."
"Do you think Leviathan can indoctrinate those close to that artifact?"
"It's a possibility. Watch it carefully."
Shepard played through the video again, observing any changes to the spherical object. The object remained dark and still, but just before Hadley started to leave his computer, the object began to gleam. It remained like that until Hadley was tackled to the ground by the C-Sec officer, at which point the object was dark and still as before.
"It may be coincidence, Commander, but I think we're on to something. The object does demonstrate some activity during the period we're assuming Hadley was indoctrinated."
"We won't know for sure, unless we can get a team to investigate what all Dr. Bryson and this Garneau knew."
"You want us to investigate? What about Cerberus?"
"Cerberus and the Prothean VI are our top priority, but in the meantime I want you to learn everything you can about Mahavid. It seems that the answers Dr. Bryson was looking may be found there."
Liara nodded and returned to work at her terminal.
"Commander," she said as he turned to leave. "What do you think Hadley meant by, 'the darkness cannot be breached?'"
Shepard paused for a moment.
"I don't know. But I don't think that was Hadley speaking."
With that, Shepard left Liara's office and made his way back up to the comm room to inform Admiral Hackett of what they believed happened. On the way up, he pondered whether it would be wise to send some of his own squad to aid the search for Leviathan. He had an idea of who he would send, but he would most likely need everyone when infiltrating Cerberus. Shepard likened this mission to that of the Collector's Base; a lone ship heading straight into the heart of a very dangerous enemy. He would need everyone to be at their best if they wanted a chance to succeed.
"Commander," came Hackett's low, raspy voice. "I assume you have an update?"
"I do, Admiral."
"Let's hear it," Hackett said as he clasped his hands behind his back and assumed a neutral stance.
"We believe Hadley was indoctrinated by a spherical artifact located in Dr. Bryson's lab. Dr. Bryson believed this artifact was the key to finding Leviathan and that their next breakthrough was going to come from someone named Garneau at Mahavid."
Hackett remained silent for a moment. "We have a scout team at Mahavid now, Commander. It was hit by a Reaper. However, the Reaper had been neutralized by the time the scout team arrived. I'm preparing to send an investigation team. I don't know how, but I think Leviathan just demonstrated it's Reaper-killing capabilities."
If that was true, then Leviathan must have been very close to Mahavid and the search almost successful. Shepard's desire to have a team of his own investigate grew considerably, but Cerberus was still his top priority.
"What's our status with Cerberus?" Shepard asked.
"Once we're committed against Cerberus, it won't be long before the Reapers take notice."
"And the Crucible?"
"Ready, except for the Catalyst, but there's no way to hide the ships we'll be sending at Cerberus. Once we attack, the Crucible won't stay safe for long. For all intents and purposes, an assault on Cerberus will be the first stage of our attack on Earth."
"What happens if Cerberus doesn't have the intel we need? Or they stop us from getting it?"
"Then we lead the fleets to Earth, and we take our chances. But your intel points to Cerberus and the Illusive Man holding the information we're looking for. And... we have the element of surprise. Cerberus won't know what hit them."
With the aid of a fleet and the element of surprise, Shepard was beginning to favor the idea of splitting up his squad. Having all of them would be excess now; they would all be better utilized if some were sent to help search for Leviathan.
"Sir, I would like to send a few of my squad members to aid the investigation of Leviathan."
"Commander?"
"As you said, we will have the element of surprise and an entire fleet when we attack Cerberus. I won't need everyone on my squad to accomplish our mission."
"This is a risky call, Commander. A lot is riding on the success of this mission."
"I understand, Admiral. I know my crew best and exactly what I need. We will be fine."
"Who will you send?"
"Kaidan Alenko, sir. His Spectre status may prove invaluable to get behind locked doors. Liara T'Soni is a powerful biotic and one of the best researchers and information brokers. Catch her up to speed, and she may find Leviathan faster than Dr. Bryson and his entire team. I will also be sending Tali'Zorah and James Vega. Tali is a tech specialist and James is a damn good soldier. Together, the four of them make a solid team."
Hackett crossed his arms and raised a hand to stroke his chin. Shepard clasped his hands behind his back and waited for the Admiral's decision. After a lengthy moment, Hackett lowered his hands down to his side.
"Very well, Commander. I'll send Dr. T'Soni all relevant data and information on Leviathan. In the meantime, head for the Horse Head Nebula. The fleet will wait for you there, as well as a ship that will be dedicated to finding Leviathan. Once Kaidan and his team transfer over, we will head for the Anadius system and wipe out Cerberus from the face of the galaxy. We will discuss strategy at a later time."
"Yes, sir." Shepard saluted.
"Hackett, out."
Hackett's holographic image fizzled out and the humming of the vid comm died down.
"EDI, how far out are we from the mass relay?" Shepard called.
"Two hours, Commander," came EDI's voice through Normandy's intercom.
"Have Joker set a course for the Horse Head Nebule and notify everyone to meet me in the War Room, including Miranda. Also, EDI, feel free to arrive slightly late."
"May I ask why?"
"A pleasant surprise for someone," Shepard said with a mischievous grin.
"Understood, Commander."
Shepard stepped out of the comm room and leaned forward against the war terminal. There was a small, nagging feeling that knew splitting up his squad was possibly a fatally dangerous idea. He had the option to ignore Leviathan completely, and focus solely on the Catalyst and the Crucible, thus keeping his entire squad together and ready to face any challenge. But if the Crucible failed, or Cerberus somehow prevented him from gaining the information he needed, the galaxy's hope would rest on Kaidan and his search for something potentially deadlier than a Reaper.
"We're facing extinction," Shepard said, trying to reaffirm himself. "If we don't take risks, we won't survive."
After five minutes, everyone was assembled around the war terminal. Miranda stood at Shepard's right, followed by James, Tali, Garrus, Kaidan, and Liara, who was standing at Shepard's left.
"Listen up, everyone," Shepard called, gaining their attention. "We have a situation. As you know, our top priority is to retrieve the Prothean VI from Cerberus. What you don't know, is that this assault will be the first stage of our attack on Earth. However, not all of you will be joining me for this mission."
It was not uncommon for Shepard to take a small strike force on various missions, while the rest stayed aboard the Normandy, but judging by the looks that they were exchanging with each other, they knew that this would be different; somehow a few of them were going to be taken off the mission entirely.
"It has been brought to my attention that there is something out there more powerful than a Reaper," he continued. "Something that's being called Leviathan. Recently, a research team on Mahavid found an artifact that is believed to be key in finding this thing. However, they were attacked by Reaper forces and presumed to be wiped out. A scouting team arrived on the scene and claims that the Reaper has been neutralized. We believe this was the work of Leviathan."
"Shepard," Tali interjected. "Do you know what this Leviathan is? Is it a machine or a highly advanced species?"
"I don't know," admitted Shepard. "Whatever it is, it seems to have the capabilities to destroy a Reaper and indoctrinate organics."
"Sounds like a Reaper to me. Maybe a rogue Reaper?" Garrus shrugged.
"Again, I don't know," said Shepard. "It seems to be on our side, or at least on the side against the Reapers. I'm bringing this to your attention because I'm sending some of you to aid in the investigation and search for Leviathan."
"And we're sure it's out there? That it actually exists?" Kaiden asked.
"Something destroyed that Reaper at Mahavid," Shepard said. "That's reasonable proof to believe it does."
"So, who do you intend to send on this ghost hunt?" Miranda inquired of him.
"Shepard," came EDI's voice over the intercom. "I should accompany you on the Cerberus mission. This is their central point of operations. They will have enhanced security measures. With my knowledge of Cerberus algorithms and this body's updated protocols, I offer the best chance to help you succeed."
"Wait." Miranda held up a hand and looked searchingly at Shepard. "What does EDI mean by 'this body's updated protocols?'"
The door leading to the conference room slid open and EDI walked in.
"I installed a percentage of myself into this mobile unit," explained EDI. "This body has allowed me to offer more assistance to the Commander and the mission than I was previously able to."
"She's a helluva shot," added James.
Miranda stood staring at EDI, though not demonstrating any outward signs of surprise. Shepard did notice that she took a deeper breath than normal as she straightened her posture. Standing next to her, he could also see that her shoulders and neck were tense; a sign that she wasn't too comfortable with an unshackled AI now having a mobile body.
"An impressive upgrade, EDI," Miranda said, slightly forced. "Now, back to the matter at hand. Who are you intending to send, Shepard?"
Shepard slowly looked around the room at every one of his squad members. This could be the last time that he would see them all together, or at all.
"I'm sending Kaidan, Liara, Tali, and James," he said, making eye contact with each one as he said their name. "The four of you make a very solid, well-rounded team."
"Wait," Kaidan said, lowering and shaking his head. "You're about to dive straight into the heart of Cerberus. Cerberus. You've seen the experiments they've conducted and what they do to their own soldiers. Think of the horrors you might face there! And you're wanting to go in with only half your team? Shepard, that's suicide!"
"I've gone through one suicide mission," Shepard responded. "This won't be nearly as bad."
"How can you be so sure?
"Not only will we have the element of surprise, but we will also have a fleet backing us up."
"If I may, Commander," Liara jumped in. He gestured for her to continue and she turned to address the group. "I know what Shepard is asking for is difficult. Believe me. I would give anything to be there and help stop to the Illusive Man and Cerberus, but we can't ignore these reports on Leviathan. As the Commander said, whatever it is, it isn't on the side of the Reapers. We need all the help we can get if we hope to survive this war. And, assuming worst case scenario, what if something happens that prevents the Crucible from working, or it's unable to destroy the Reapers? Our search for Leviathan may be the next best thing."
"That may be true," Kaiden said, "but how are we going to search for this thing? We don't even have a ship."
"Admiral Hackett will have a ship waiting for you once we enter the Horse Head Nebula," explained Shepard. "Once on board, your first step will be to investigate Mahavid. A researcher there named Garneau found another artifact relating to Leviathan. We believe he discovered something significant about these artifacts before the Reapers attacked. Find out what he learned and go from there. Liara will be able to brief you further."
Shepard turned and addressed Liara directly. "Admiral Hackett is sending you all relevant data and information on Leviathan, so you will be up to speed."
Liara nodded. "Thank you, Commander."
"The rest of you will be with me and the Cerberus mission. Is everything clear?"
There were some hesitant nods, but everyone understood. Shepard contemplated whether to address the reality that this may be the last time they would meet as a unit, but he decided against it. If he didn't mention anything, then it would be assumed that they would all meet again. An unrealistic and foolish assumption, but it was good for morale to have some hope in such dark, desperate times.
"Good. Those staying with me, we will reconvene later to be briefed on our assault. Dismissed."
The quiet rumble of conversation slowly emerged as everyone began to leave, discussing what just transpired or resuming earlier topics.
"Shepard," Miranda said, touching his arm. "I need to apologize about earlier, in the medical bay."
"It's okay, Miranda," Shepard replied, placing a hand on the side of her shoulder. "I understand why you wouldn't want to leave your sister."
"I know... Especially now that you're asking to part with four members of your team, whom I'm sure you're very close with."
"Yeah," he sighed. "Risks and sacrifices must be made if we hope to make it through this war. A war I don't intend to lose. So, I will do everything I can to ensure our victory."
They looked into each others eyes for a moment before Miranda turned her gaze toward the door. Shepard followed and noticed that the room was empty.
"Shepard, how are you doing?" she asked, looking back up at him. "I'm really not good at this type of conversation, but I'd like to know. I don't want to hear what you say to the crew to keep morale up, but how you're really feeling."
Shepard looked down at his feet for a moment. He, too, was not very good at expressing his feelings. It made him soft and he never had the need nor the desire to be so, but just this once, it felt right to say a little to Miranda.
"I'm exhausted," he confessed, looking back up at her. "And I'm sick and tired of Cerberus interfering with our plans. Their ambitions will be the downfall of the entire galaxy. How could they possibly ignore that? I also don't like the fact that we cannot win with conventional warfare - what I'm most comfortable with. Instead, we have to rely on some unknown device that we don't know anything about; we don't know what it does. No civilization before us has ever come close to completing the Crucible. How do we know if it even works?"
Shepard paused for a moment to run a hand down his face to simmer down his building frustration.
"I'm just... I'm afraid that, if I stop moving, I won't be able to get back up."
A soothing smile crossed Miranda's lips as she placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him in for a kiss.
"Then I'll just pick you right back up," she breathed.
Shepard wrapped his strong arms around her small frame and they kissed.
Author Notes:
Well, about half a year later, here's another update! Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave comments, feedback, and/or reviews. It will only help me improve this story.