//------------------------------// // Mission Footage // Story: Mass Effect: Element of Kindness // by CommanderApplejack //------------------------------// Chapter 75 Mission Footage Watch the recordings. 55% Dash swallowed as she turned her gaze away from the window and looked at the tablet on the table, all her other thoughts leaving the forefront of her mind as her quivering hoof reached out for the device. Pressing the power button lit up the screen. Cold sweat was forming on Dash’s fur as a small part of her mind screamed at her to just throw the tablet away and never think about it again, but the lone folder containing all the video files was too powerful of a pull to resist. Come on Dash, it’s just Fluttershy. How much can she have changed? Nervously convincing herself to continue looking, Rainbow opened the folder and scrolled through the hoofful of files, scanning over their names. Virmire… Ilos… the Citadel… Berkenst- Wait, WHAT!? The battle of the Citadel?! Tapping the attached file, the mission recording sprang up and gave Fluttershy’s perspective from what seemed to be a camera attached to the side of her head. All of Fluttershy’s system statistics showing up on the video as well. “Everyone good?” The commander’s voice was unmistakable and everyone looked to be in what seemed to be the inside of a small shuttle. Dash’s attention was completely transfixed on the images as events unfolded, seeing Fluttershy carefully move forward along with a set of aliens towards an entrance where dead humans were impaled on spikes and bloodstains covered the floor. “Sweet Celestia, who would do something like this,” Dash whispered as the spikes suddenly retracted and showed that the ‘dead’ humans were not actually dead but turned into some form of horrid abomination that charged the group. Without remorse, everyone opened up on their mutilated forms, even Fluttershy, putting them down in seconds. Dash couldn’t believe what she was seeing as she could see the shots of fire from Fluttershy hitting the monsters dead center. S-she didn’t even think twice?! “Commander, the wards are closing up!” Fluttershy shouted in the recording. Tears almost immediately formed in Dash’s eyes as she heard her friend speak for the first time in two years. She’d almost forgotten the sweetness of Shy’s voice. The rest of the world might as well have ceased to exist to Dash as she was consumed by the video, seeing how the elevator they occupied was stopped in its tracks and they were forced to walk up the side of the structure. “Geth dropship!” an asari – the system labeled her as Liara T’Soni – shouted as a geth ship flew overhead and started dropping its payload. Dash’s heart was beating furiously as energy bolts flew dangerously close past Fluttershy’s head before she slid into cover. “Shy, shock trooper at two o’clock, thirty meters. Wait for me to take down that shield and aim for the torso.” “Understood.” The cold tone of voice sent a shiver down Dash’s spine. She could hear none of the sweetness she remembered. Was I wrong to think there was anything left of Shy? An ear-deafening bang later the machine Fluttershy and her companion were firing upon was crumpled to the ground, it’s internal parts briefly visible on the video feed before Shy and this ‘Garrus Vakarian’ had picked another target to fire upon. Dash watched with wide eyes as the squad systematically eliminated all the machines and used the turrets to shoot even the dropship out of the sky.  The recording continued running as the group in the video advanced until they reached a heavily defended section which they bypassed by moving down a gully to the side, but what happened next scared Dash to her very core. Fluttershy was the first to reach the gulley where they had cover from the rockets, but only a short distance away was a geth with its rifle at the ready. What Rainbow hadn’t expected was Shy’s reaction to this revelation. Shy let out an enraged scream and pointed her wings forward which were engulfed by a blue magic like aura – biotics, if Dash recalled the name correctly – and messily ripped the geth into two pieces. Rainbow just stared slack-jawed at the screen at the sheer violence on display from her friend who used to be a pacifist.  M-maybe because these things are just machines? Y-Yes that must be it! After a final firefight, Dash saw the group reaching a hatch and entering at the top of the tower. The group poured into a massive lobby, only a hoofful of geth in their way that were quickly destroyed, revealing a lone turian standing on a platform at the center of the expansive area typing on a console. A turian Dash immediately recognized. Isn’t that the turian Shining met on the Citadel?! There was a short exchange of violence and a bit of shouting at each other to try and convince the opposing party to lay down their arms and join their side, Fluttershy jumping into that discussion as well. “Saren, you can fight the indoctrination! The reapers don’t have to come this cycle. We can stop them!” Fluttershy’s exclamation brought some warmth back to Rainbow’s heart, this was the pony she knew as her friend speaking. Saren, for some reason, continued to defy the group, but it wasn’t hard to see the cracks starting to show in his convictions. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe there’s still a chance for… ugh,” Saren fell to his knees clutching his head, murmuring something about Sovereign being too strong. Fluttershy immediately jumped out of cover and looked Saren straight in the eyes. Even though it was just a recording, Dash could feel the immense power of the stare practically coming through the screen of the tablet as she felt something lurch in her stomach. And then it was seemingly all over. Mere seconds later, Saren fell down into a small garden below, looking to be unconscious, and lay motionless while Shepard sprinted forward and uploaded something into the large console at the end of the overhang Saren had stood on. After Shepard was done at the console, he ordered Fluttershy down where they checked up on the fallen turian. Dash nearly jumped as lightning-like red energy suddenly jumped through the chamber and impacted with Fluttershy, her best friend letting out a blood-curdling scream. “NO!” Dash’s breathing increased as she could see Fluttershy buckle to the ground, every system in her armor going haywire, the video feed showing a lot of static, and her vitals spiking all over the place. Groans came from her best friend as she fought the pain. “Come on Shy, beat it!” Slowly but surely, Fluttershy defiantly picked herself off from the ground, taking a firm stance. “No.” There was no indication of doubt in Fluttershy’s voice, something that brought a tear of pride to Dash’s eye. "Me and my friends faced impossible tasks before, and now my new friends face another one. You might say that this is all for naught, but we'll find a way to stop you. Your cruel acts have gone on for long enough!" At the end of her statement blue lightning shot out from her wings, counteracting and neutralizing the red counterparts. Dash didn’t even notice the non-existent wind blowing through her hair as she felt a warm feeling heat up her chest. Harmony… She used her element there! “Rainbow!” “AAH!” Dash jumped up as Shining stood in the doorway. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?” Shining asked as he approached and looked at the tablet. “And what is this?” Wiping away a few tears, Rainbow passed the device along. “It’s the suit recordings from all of Fluttershy’s missions.” A torrent of emotions swirled within the athletic pegasus mare as she turned to look outside again while Shining browsed the files. She’s grown so much but lost so much as well… Things I might lose too now… I failed, didn’t I? I should have immediately gone after her two years ago. I shouldn’t have hesitated. Now she had to spend all that time alone… Never again. “You mind if I copy these and study them too?” Shining asked. Dash thought about it for a moment. Shining was looking for Flutters as well after all, so letting him see them as well was only fair. “Sure, go ahead. I have to go do something upstairs,” Dash said as she walked towards the door but was stopped by Shining who put a hoof on her chest piece. “Rainbow, be careful out there. I know from experience how dangerous fieldwork can be. Don’t do anything rash in the field, because it could get you and your teammates killed. Understand?” Shining’s voice was utterly serious, so Dash only gave him a nod. Her mind was now fully made up. “Good. Go do what you have to.” “Thanks, Shining.” With that Dash walked the short distance to the elevator and took it up to the CIC where she made her way to the armory. Jacob was busy working on reassembling a rifle as she entered and gave her a smile as he noticed Dash’s armor. “Someone’s looking good there,” he said with a grin, getting some chuckles from Dash. “Thanks, though I didn’t come here for a compliment.” Jacob immediately understood what Rainbow was talking about and put down the weapon parts, walking over to the table where many weapons were on display. He picked a few up and placed them on an empty table. “Let’s see which weapons speak to you the most…” S-15b Vindicator - Battle Rifle M-29 Incisor - Sniper Rifle S-22b Eviscerator - Shotgun M-4a Shuriken - Submachine gun M-5 Phalanx - Heavy pistol M-100 - Grenade Launcher [Note: You can take as many picks as you want. The two highest will be chosen.] [Vote link]