//------------------------------// // Chapter 25: Day 1 (Part 1) // Story: Mass Effect: New Beginnings (Remastered) // by lighting_spark //------------------------------// My eyes slowly cracked open to the feel of warm sunlight hitting against my eye lids. I let out a groan as I fight with my fatigue to get up. Today is the first day of boot camp. We got told to get up at 0600 hours and get back to the field that we first arrived at with all our gear. I clicked on my visor and checked the time, 5:13 Am. Well I guess this is a good time to get up, get ready and get breakfast. As I get out of bed I see the other three are fast asleep and one thing popped into my head. What is the most annoying way I can wake them? I’ll just do the most common one I know, I’ll bang on the door as hard as I can when I’m ready. I put on all my armor including the half assed helmet. I look out the door to see none of the doors open or have any sign of anyone being up. I step out the door and get ready for what I’m going to do. I suck in a deep breath and bring my arm back for a hard knock on the door. A small smile spreads on my face under my mask. ‘KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK’ “Wake up girls, you have to get up!” My voice gets muffled a bit by my mask. I heard groan come from my roommates and see lumps on their beds move around in discomfort. I let out a small chuckle as I see Dark fall out from under one of the covers. “But muuuum, it’s not time for school yet.” He mumbled on the floor. I walked up to him, lightly grabbed his wing and tickled his nose with it. He let out a massive sneeze and lurched up. “What was that for?” He asked rubbing his eyes. “If here’s like anything like where I’m from you would want to get up early for some hot food.” I said leaning back a bit. “Shepard? What even is the time?” he said getting up. “Around five thirty-ish.” I said with a shrug. He continued rubbing his eyes as he stood up. “It’s too early, wake me up lat-“ He stopped when he saw me and did the closest thing to dropping your jaw on the floor. “What are you doing here?” He asked with a shocked expression. “Waking you up, what does it look like?” I said with a raised brow but he probably didn’t see it due to the helmet. “Shepard? Was that you yesterday?” He asked going wide eyed. “Oh cause, did you really think I was lying about being trained?” I asked. He just stared at me in total amazement. I let out a frustrated sigh. “Once you’ve done admiring me can you wake up the other the girls?” That seemed to kick him out of whatever state he was in. “U-um sure.” He said with a small forced smile. And with that I left him to wake up the others. I wondered down the hallway, not hearing any noises beside the occasional snore coming from a room or two. If this place is like the Alliance boot camp they will all be chewed out if they turn up late for training, I know from firsthand experience. I soon arrived at the cafeteria and when I entered, GASP, no one was there. Besides the lack of life I also noticed the mouth watering smell. Seems like it’s always like this. Well, I hope so anyway. I got my meal and sat at a table in the corner of the room, not that I was a loner or anything, because what’s the point of sitting in the middle of the room? The meal I chose was a salad, yea I know. I felt really tempted by the steaming hot plate of what I think were pancakes but just because I can eat food I wouldn’t normally eat doesn’t mean I fatten up on them, I still need to keep my body fit and healthy. I already feel myself growing a muffin top. I take off my mask and dig in. The salad I chose had a lot of greens such as lettuce, spinach and rocket but sometimes there were stuff lie carrots and tomatoes. And to top it off, literary, it had a salad dressing which I had no idea of what is was. I was about half way through my meal before I heard the main door to the cafeteria open. I looked over to see my room mates enter, two of which looked half asleep. I waved from my seat to show where I was. I seemed to get their attention because I saw Brick lazily wave back. Once they got their means they came over to me. Night let out I load yawn. “Why did you have moon wake us up this early in the morning? I don’t even think Celestia is up yet.” “This early? At this rate we’ll have like five minutes of spare time before training starts.” I said scooping up another mouth full of salad. “What time is it anyway?” He asked. They sat down at the table, Brick next to me and Moon and Night on the other side of it. “It’s around 5:35-ish.” I said with a shrug. “And what time are we due?” Brick spoke up. “At six.” I finished my meal about five minutes later. “Whelp, I’m done, I’ll see you guys later then.” I said putting on my mask. I saw Brick’s and Night’s eyes go wide as I got up. “THAT WAS YOU YESTERDAY?!” I Night near yelled. “I thought you saw my armour when you got here?” I said with a raised eye brow. “Momma always said to look a mare in the eyes, more polite that way.” Brick said going back to his meal. “Flattery is nice but it won’t get you anywhere.” I said smiling. His cheeks turned a faint shade of red which cause a small chuckle from the others at the table. “We are due at the field that we first arrived at yesterday in about twenty minutes, see you then.” And with that I for the field.