Mass Effect: New Beginnings

by Sleepyted

Chapter 27: Day 1 (Part 3)

Shepard

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So our group of five stood there in the middle of the crowd waiting for everyone else to find their own. I looked to the corner for the time and saw that we’ve been here for almost ten minutes already.

“What’s taking them so long?” Dark said from my right.

I turned my head to face him. “Just wait, do you really want to be shouted at sooner?” I asked with a faint smirk.

“*Sigh* I’m just board out of my mi-”

“ALRIGHT! THAT’S LONG ENOUGH, IF YOU AREN’T IN A GROUP ALREADY THAN YOU BETTER HURRY UP!” The drill instructor cut in.

“Speak of the devil.” I commented.

There was a little bit of quick shuffling but that soon faded away along with any talking.

“THERE SHOULD BE THIRTY-SIX GROUPS OF YOU!” He shouted out.

“THIS IS YOUR GROUP FOR THE REST OF TRAINING; I RECOMMEND THAT YOU LEARN TO GET ALONG!” That’s one thing that I’ve never heard from a drill instructor before.

“NOW, TODAY WE’LL BE WORKING ON FITNESS, LET’S START WITH FIFTY LAPS AROUND THE FIELD!”

“MOVE OUT!!” He shouted to us throwing his arm out.

And with that the flood gates opened. Many of the recruits sprinted for all their worth while others like me kept a steady pace. Dark and Night were one of those people who just ran off till they saw that the others and I were a little behind them.

“What’s with all the slowness?” Dark said tilting his head.

“How many people do you think can keep up a non-stop sprint for what looks like around fifty miles?” I said.

I could see the gears working in his head till his eyes widened. “ooooOOOOO, I get it, we’re pacing.” He said as Starry and he as they slowed down to match our own speed.

“Also he never said it was a race so there’s no need to rush.” I said keeping up a good pace.

We were jogging around seeing other groups start to show signs of fatigue but only a few, not everyone would tire already. Everyone had done at least twenty or so laps by now.

“Shepard? *Pant*” I heard Dark ask.

“Yea?” I asked not turning to look at him.

“You said *Pant* that you’ve *Pant* done something like this *Pant* before, right?” He asked sounding exhausted.

“Winded already?” I asked with a slight chuckle.

“Shut up *Pant*”

“Well yea, I’ve done this before, and don’t worry, after about a month you get used to it.”

“Only a month?” He panted out sarcastically.

“Would you prefer to do a couple a hundred laps instead?”

"But what's the *Pant* best thing to *Pant* do?" He asked.

"Pretty much what we're doing now, you need to keep up a steady pace so you don't get exhausted." I replyed.

We kept running laps around the field, even though I've done this sort of thing before does not mean I have to enjoy it. At least in the Alliance we ran around a ship deck so we could see different stars and planets each week or so.
“Soooo, how long have you guys known each other?” Raven asked.

“Well, Brick, Night and I have known each *Pant* other since high school while we meet Shepard barely *Pant* twenty four hours ago.” Dark said.

“What about you Raven? Do you have any friends here?” Night spoke up, sounding like fatigue is starting to affect him.

“There are some ponies I know here but none of them I would call friends.”

“Bummer, do you have any friends or family back home?” Night asked.

“Yea, my parents are the reason I’m training for the guard. There’s also my younger sister, I also have a ton of friends.”

We continued doing laps, by now I wanted to hit my head against a wall. Even though I was amazed by all the greens around me before, now it’s starting to get repetitive.

“Really now? Don’t you like the beauty of this place?”

Oh great, your back, I thought you might have gone and died in a hole by now.

“Oh please, even with the amount of empty space in here it’s still hard to do anything like that when you’re in a mind.”

Go jump off a cliff.

“I don’t think you’ve relised by now but I don’t have legs to go and do that unless you want to help.”

I would think my Schizophrenic personality wouldn’t want to encourage suicide.

“But I know you won’t do it to prove a point.”

*Sigh* Just go away for a few hours, I don’t want a headache today.

“Fine, but if you need me I won’t be there.”

Like there ever is a time I need to talk to a voice in my head.

“Sheeeeepard? You there?” I was brought out of my internal talk when Dark bumped my side.

“Huh, what?” I asked turning to him.

“We just asked you if you had any friend or family” He asked.

“I don’t have any family and currently only have a few friends.” I answered off handedly.

“You don’t have a family? What does that mean?” He asked.

I gave him a deadpan expression which he probably couldn’t see with my mask being on. “It means that I’m an orphan and unless you want a broken noise I would drop the issue.” I recommended.

I guess he got the message because he didn’t bring it up through the rest of the run.

We weren’t the first group to finish but far from the last. Once we finished we had to wait for all the other people from the other groups to finish the run.

By the time the last of the people made it most of the first arrivals had caught their breath and were ready for anything that the drill instructor had for them. I was glad my group was one of them.

“OKAY, NOW THAT WE’VE FINISHED THAT WARM UP LET’S GET TO THE NEXT DRILL!” The instructor yelled.

“CRACKED HOOF COURSE!"

Author's Note:

A CHAPTER WITHOUT A MONTH LONG WAIT!?!?
oh my gawd, I have finally gotten time again to start writing more often and school only has a month or so before it's over for the year so I can put a bunch of time into this.

Sooo furthermore. I wanted to remind you that if you see anything wrong or doesn't make sense just put a comment down below and I'll try and fix it.

Sleepyted signing out

Comments

[hs0003]

Longer chapters please

[Surprise Anschluss]

unless you want a broken noise I would drop the issue.

I think you wanted to say nose.

[Verequus]

Somewhere you wrote "board" instead "bored".

[radiation_pony]

don't worry about how long it takes, just worry about the quality. if somepony likes your story they'll be pleasantly delighted when it updates. if you aren't doing it already, wait a few days and reread the chapter, it helps when searching for any outstanding flaws.