Chapter 2: Training
As Shepard expected the training Selene provided her was challenging to put it mildly. The older woman would show her various ways to attack and self defense moves before letting her practice those a few times. However it was what followed that caused Shepard to stay on her toes. After she managed to replicate the various maneuvers to her teachers satisfaction she would be expected to use them against her mentor in a sparring match.
Selene never hesitated to use any flaws in her technique against her, as soon as she made a mistake she would know, because her teacher would show her, her errors in often painful ways. While harsh it also ensured that Shepard wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
However Selene didn't just teach her how and where to hit to hurt her opponent, she also taught her how to manipulate her opponents into making mistakes. Shepard still remembered her surprise when Selene suddenly began to talk after she had been defeated once again. The brown eyes staring into her own as if to ensure that she understood the importance of what was being said. "You are nothing. You are less than nothing. You are just some teenaged girl who lives on the street. That is how your opponents will perceive you, but never allow yourself to perceive you that way as well. They will underestimated you because of your age and size, and probably because of your gender as well. Use that against them, let them see what they want to see. Make them underestimate you, then strike."
Shepard had stared at the older woman wondering where she had learned such things, but knowing that she wouldn't get an answer instead she decided to ask another question. "And if an opponent is aware of my abilities?"
She was grazed with a tiny approving smile that left the face of her mentor as quickly as it had appeared. "You can use that against them as to intimidate them, if you are infamous enough then your mere appearance will scare them. Of course that won't work against experienced combatants. Against them and those who have an in depth knowledge of your fighting skills you have to be unpredictable. Keep them on their toes, and don't strike the moment you see a weakness in their defense. Wait for the right moment and then strike for maximum effect."
In response Shepard had only nodded, the way Selene told it made it sound like her teacher had done that countless times before they met, and considering that she still stood before her and as far as Shepard could see didn't even have a scar to show for these fights made her suspect that Selene's opponents rather would have fought against someone else.
Selene also had made sure that she understood that she was taught to survive. "Honor is a nice concept but as soon as your opponent doesn't share it you only handicap yourself with it." Selene had told her in a cold tone after Shepard had refused to attack her from behind when Selene had asked her to. Her refusal to do so stemmed from the deep respect and gratefulness she felt towards Selene and Michael, had it been another gang member then she wouldn't have hesitated to beat them down from behind.
After her lecture she had attacked her teacher from behind as asked. Though Selene once again had been less than impressed by her chosen tactic. "If you simply beat them until they stop moving then there is a good chance of alerting others to your presence. You have the element of surprise, use it!" She had been told harshly, before her mentor's eyes became softer and she showed her multiple ways to subdue an enemy silently. "If you have a knife or another sharp object go for the throat, that way they cannot call for help. Without weapons there are multiple ways to achieve the same result. It all depends whether you want your target alive or not."
Of course not all her training was solely focused on melee combat. Selene also showed her how to use various guns. Though the couple had been very amused by her shocked expression once she had seen their makeshift gun range downstairs. If she was being honest with herself then she still was trying to wrap her head around that, well that and the sheer amount of weapons the couple kept downstairs. She more than once wondered if the good samaritans were in truth a couple of professional killers.
She hadn't ruled that possibility out yet. The more she thought about it the more sense it seemed to make. A very public innocent seeming cover which also provided first aid should they need it. No not they, should she need it. It was obvious that Michael was a gentle soul and disliked harming anyone. Selene on the other hand, Shepard had seen first hand how ruthless she could be in a fight, cold and efficient, not a thought was wasted on the fate of her opponents. She was certain that at least some of them would be crippled for life if they didn't get immediate medical attention, and in these parts it was very difficult to do so.
Not that the she blamed Selene, in her opinion those wannabe rapists should have suffered far worse, but it wasn't just the way she handled those men that set Shepard on edge. It was the way she talked about various methods to kill people, it sounded like she had used every single one of them before.
And sometimes after a particular painful training session she seemed to be detached. Like she found her way to separate her conscience from what she was doing, and if Shepard was honest that scared her. When Selene was in that state she seemed capable of doing anything as long as it ensured that her objective was accomplished.
Though even if she seemed to be in that state she never went too far. She never hit Shepard any harder than usual, or treated her worse in any other kind of way. Selene was a harsh instructor, but she was never unfair or cruel, something which Shepard appreciated immensely. Even though she still was sometimes uneasy around her teacher.
Aside from getting used to her new training regime she also had to get used to the fact that she now lived in the hospital. The morning after Shepard had agreed to train with Selene the older woman had arranged a meeting with the leader of the Reds. She had made it crystal clear that Shepard was no longer part of the Reds, and as of that moment she was to be considered part of the hospital staff and was to be treated as such.
Any possible protest died on his lips upon gazing into these cold brown eyes that dared him to challenge her, if he could handle the consequences. Unsurprisingly he had conceded defeat and left the hospital, though he clearly wasn't happy about being strong armed into an agreement. Which was a little ironic since his gang often did the same with those poor sods that wandered or lived within the Reds territory without being a part of them.
To Shepard's surprise the couple hadn't lied about her being a part of the hospital staff, in addition to her combat training Michael showed her the basics of first aid. He was a far more patient task master then his wife, though he too often stressed the importance of what she was learning from him.
"What you learn here can make the difference between life and death both for you and those who are close to you." He had told her with a knowing look in his eyes. After that solemn proclamation she couldn't have forgotten what she learned even if she had wanted to. After all they had done for her she had begun to consider the couple part of her family, even though a part of her only did so reluctantly.
Though for all things they had done for her she still couldnt get over one thing the two forced her to additionally to all those challenges she was already faced with. "What do you mean I have to go to school?" Shepard had shouted at them, it wasn't that she never had attended a school before, but her visits had always been infrequent at best.
In response Michael had smiled at her which of course only had managed to anger her all the more. Though his following question also had supplied her with the answer she had sought. "Well, how do you plan to get away from all of this?" He had asked her and made a vague gesture, which she thought meant the slum she lived in.
Her answer had been immedient. "Join the Alliance military." The moment she had actually said these words she had understood why they made her go to school. Education was important if one wanted to join the military, especially if one aspired to climb the ranks.
She may have understood their reasoning but that didn't mean that she didn't try to protest. "How would I even have time for school with all that training? I can't do both, it's too much." Shepard had vehemently protested, she was certain that they had to agree with her logic.
"Dont worry, we will find the time to train you in addition to your education. Michael and I are already working on a time table for you." Selene had promised her, which only had filled her with a sense of dread. In her imagination she saw herself getting beaten up while studying math or spilling the blood of a wounded patient over her homework. She knew that she was exaggerating but a small irrational part of her truly feared that something like that would come to pass.
However before she had the chance to contemplate that further the couple had decided to drop another surprise on her. "We already suspected that you wanted to join the Systems Alliance Navy, and thus have contacted an old friend. He's an officer in the military." Michael revealed and gave her an encouraging smile.
"And?" Shepard had prompted him, impatient to know how that had turned out.
"We told him of your situation, and that I am currently training you." Selene had elaborated. "He eventually wants to meet you, since he doesn't believe we would waste his time if we didn't think you had potential. However, you have to be at least eighteen years old before you can legally join the military. Something you are no doubt aware of, but until then we will make sure that you get the necessary education and training, make no mistake it won't be easy. But if I have my way then you will be far better trained than any ordinary marine by the time you sign up."
"Of course, only if that's okay with you." Michael had added with another easy going smile sent in her direction.
After a short pause she had agreed to their terms. Which was the reason why she was currently sprinting towards the hospital. Lessons had taken longer than normal and if she didn't hurry then she would miss her first aid training with Michael. What the couple had told her was true, it wasn't easy, but the knowledge that someone she cared about believed in her and the chance to get out of this hellhole gave her the strength she needed to push through.
While she closed in on her target she took another bite out of her snack. Another anomaly that she had noticed about the couple. They never ate in her presence, she hadn't even noticed until she went to school and often shared her meals with her less well off classmates. She didn't know the reason for this nor did she particularly care, but that didn't mean that she had overlooked that fact.
Apparently all those lessons Selene had used to impress the importance of vigilance upon her had payed of. Well that or I have begun to imagining things. She thought dryly as she pushed the hospital doors open. "I'm back, I'm back!" She shouted out of breath and collapsed on the nearest chair in exhaustion. She just had a sports period, and then sprinted all the way home, in retrospect not one of her smarter ideas.
"Are you alright?" Selene asked as she seemed to appear out of nowhere. Shepard just managed to suppress a frightened yelp, a common reaction to her teacher's sudden appearance, and only managed a small glare at the woman.
"Until you almost gave me a heartattack I was mostly fine." She bit out and narrowed her eyes at Selene. The older woman only looked back utterly unimpressed by the glare she was receiving.
"Have you eaten properly?" Selene questioned and ignored Shepards earlier remark. Though the young human was certain that she heard a slight note of concern in her teachers voice. For someone like Selene that meant that they were very worried about her.
Shepard briefly wondered if she truly looked that bad to warrant such a reaction, instead of further contemplating the issue she decided to assuage the woman's fears. "Yeah, I am fine. Just a little winded that's all."
Selene gave an acknowledging nod. "Good, if you think you are able to continue than you can meet with Michael in the treatment room."
Shepard gave a little grunt in response and walked in Michael's direction, she still was slightly out of breath but at least she stopped feeling like she was about to cough up her lungs.
I just have to survive one hour of medical training and then its weekend. Yay. Shepard mentally cheered, though she knew that Selene would use the weekend to train her and thus could hardly be considered relaxing, but it still wasn't as demanding as school and training.
She was shaken out of her musings by Michael's soft voice. "Ah, good to see you. I hope you haven't overdone it today?" He gently questioned her, in his opinion she often bit of more than she could chew, which of course only spurred her on further to prove him wrong.
"I think I can survive a little school after all your wife had put me through." She shot back with a small smile.
"Good answer." He responded laughing before directing her towards dummy. "Today I will show you how to reset a shoulder. At least on a human. The sensors in the dummy will tell me what would have happened if that were an ordinary human."
"Okay, show me how it's done." She challenged him confidently.
"Alright, watch and learn." He shot back before he explained her what to do and how to do it, afterwards he gave her a practical demonstration. "Okay, your turn."
"Doesn't look that complicated." She told him before she repeated his movements, or at least she thought she did.
Considering how Michael's eyebrows shot up she guessed that she did something wrong. "I don't know how you did it, but somehow you managed to break his arm in three separate places, and the shoulder still isn't reset."
"What?" She snapped, unwilling to accept that she just failed in a rather spectacular manner. Though when she looked at the display of his Omnitool she couldn't help but wince. If that had been a real life human then they would have most likely passed out from the pain. "Uh, can I try again?"
"Sure." Michael agreed and reset the training dummy.
Shepard took a deep breath before she tried again, the way Michael winced when she was done told her all she needed to know. "How bad is it?"
"You dont want to know." He told her seriously before he once again showed her what she was supposed to do. "There, now try again."
She did as she was told an looked at him expectantly. "Any survivors this time?" She asked him hopefully.
"Well, the joint isn't reset but at least you didn't break anything this time." He told her with a small shrug. "Of course that still would have been extremely painful but it is an improvement."
"Well its something I guess." Shepard conceded before she continued with her exercise. At the end of her training hour she had managed to reset the shoulder once, but not before breaking it twenty seven times in her previous attempts.
"That should be enough for today" Michael told her after her latest failed attempt to reset the joint. At this point Shepard was sorely tempted to hit the dummy until it broke apart. She managed to restrain that impulse and left the room with a huff. Stupid breakable piece of shit. She mentally cursed as she walked into her room and unceremoniously crashed onto her bed.
She groaned in relief, after such a taxing day her bed felt like pure heaven.
"Dont forget your weapons training tomorrow morning."
Shepard had gotten up and attacked the source of the sudden voice before she had even comprehended what was being said, and that the speaker was none other than her mentor.
Though she shouldn't have worried, her attack was blocked long before it had the chance to connect with her intended target.
"Good reflexes." Selene praised her student and nodded her approval. "I see you have kept up with your training regime."
Shepard had to bit back a sarcastic laugh. Would be hard not to with you overseeing it. "Thank you, and I won't." Shepard replied to both of Selene's statements. Selene rarely praised her so each time she did Shepard was sure to remember it, at one point she had even considered to mark the date in her calendar.
"Then I will see you tomorrow morning. Oh and before I forget you and I are going to make a little trip tomorrow night." Selene told her as she left the room. Leaving the young human staring after in surprise. She never would have thought that the older woman would use such methods to awaken her curiosity.
Knowing that it was useless to pester her teacher for details she laid down on her beds and closed her eyes. I am just resting my eyes, I won't fall asleep. She told herself and took a deep breath. She awoke to the sensation of someone shaking her.
"I thought you said that you wouldn't forget about training?" Selene questioned her though her voice seemed to lack its usual hardness that she received when she failed to do something. After a short pause Selene spoke up again. "Very well, you can stay in bed for now. But I expect you to join me tonight."
Shepard only nodded in response, not opening her eyes once during the whole conversation. After she was sure that her sort of mother figure had left the room she turned over and continued sleeping.
By the time Shepard woke up it was afternoon. She stretched herself and groaned blissfully. A good night's sleep can fix almost anything. She thought happily, though still a little surprised at being allowed to sleep for so long. With a shrug she decided not to dwell on it and simply count her lucky stars.
She walked downstairs, her stomach commanding her to find food as fast as possible when she noticed how quiet the whole building was. She knew that currently there wasn't anyone in the hospital besides her and the Corvins but she should have at least been able to hear them.
When she got to the kitchen she found a note waiting for on the table.
"Selene and I have to handle some things, enjoy yourself until we return. -Michael." It read and she raised her eyebrows. 'Handle some things'? She thought with a small scoff. More likely going to a hotel and-No, dont think about it! She reprimanded herself, trying to remove any unwelcome picture that thought had conjured.
Just relax, Shepard. Use your free time to do nothing for a change, not like you got something better to do. She told herself and proceeded to do just that.
She couldn't even remember the last time she had felt that relaxed and unconcerned. It was a nice change from her usual daily routine.
Ultimately she decided to read a holobook since she swore that she could feel her IQ drop while watching some of these shows that were aired on the extranet.
It wasn't until the late evening that the couple returned, to find Shepard on the couch reading through what ever had captured her interest while shoveling chips into her mouth.
"I see you have taken my advice to heart." Michael told her, his eyes sparking humorously while looking at her utterly relaxed form. He never had seen a person who looked as relaxed and lazy as the girl in front of him. Though she earned herself the right to do so, he had to concede.
"Persephone." Selene said in a tone that demanded attention. The teenage couldn't have gotten up faster if someone had placed a spring beneath her. One moment she was relaxing on the couch, in the next she stood at parade rest in front of her teacher, who couldn't hide her amusement at her students reaction.
Her amusement fading fast Selene pressed a knife and a pistol in her proteges hands. "Tonight we will make a little trip into the city, everyone should know that you are off limits but it is better to be prepared." The black haired woman explained once she saw Shepard's confused look.
"What are we doing in the city?" Shepard questioned the couple looking from one to the other and back again, hoping that one of them would answer her.
"Today's objective will be simple. I will tail you and you have to spot me. Believe me, knowing when you are followed is a useful skill to have." Selene answered her before cocking her head to the side. "Ready?"
If Shepard was honest than she certainly didn't feel ready to be hunted down by her teacher. "Lets do this." She answered instead knowing that Selene wouldn't waste her time if the older woman didn't think that Shepard could accomplish her assigned task.
"You get a five minutes head start, after that...I am coming for you." Selene told her and Shepard wondered if Michael noticed the way his wife made it sound like a promise of suffering.
Shepard gulped once and ran as fast as she could out of the hospital.
Author Notes:
Nomad-117: There it is, chapter 2. It certainly was interesting writing it. And I hope you enjoyed reading it. Don't forget to review.
