Mass Effect: Element of Kindness

by CommanderApplejack

Cover

Chapter 30

Cover

Learn to use cover 49%

Fluttershy was pressing her back against one of the boxes that were positioned throughout the entire garage. After getting the basics down, Ashley, who had nothing to do either, proposed that she could help out devise an exercise. What Tali and Ashley had come up with was to fill the garage with all the large boxes they could find and tell Fluttershy to pass through it. All the while both the quarian and the Gunnery Chief, armed with a rifle calibrated for training purposes, were doing their best to hit her.

“Hey Fluttershy, smile and wait for the flash!” Ashley shouted as she found a clear line of sight from which to fire at the pegasus. With an eep, Fluttershy spread her wings and used them to propel herself to a new cover, a couple of rounds bouncing off her barrier. What Fluttershy hadn’t accounted for was that Tali and Ashley had positioned themselves in such a way that to avoid Ashley was to jump into Tali’s line of fire. A barrage of training rounds hit Fluttershy’s barrier and tore through it, every round leaving a red mark on the pegasus’ armor where they hit.

“Keep track of both of your opponents, just because you’re safe from one doesn’t mean you’re safe from both,” Tali told the groaning pegasus, her armor was covered in the red spots from all the previous times she had been beaten by the other two though she had definitely been improving. This time it had taken an active effort from Tali and Ashley to actually hit her instead of Fluttershy just accidentally running into a line of fire.

“Let’s make this a bit more interesting, shall we?” Ashley said with a smirk, tossing a third rifle in Fluttershy’s direction. “Garrus will explain the nitty-gritty details of how to use that thing but the gist of it is point and pull the trigger.“ Fluttershy awkwardly held the rifle in her hooves, she could fire it while standing on her back legs but would be more stable if she had somewhere to put the rifle down on.

“Uhm, what are we going to do next?” Fluttershy asked as she attached the rifle to a magnetic clamp on the side of her armor below a wing.

Ashley grinned as she sat down on one of the laid out boxes, “Me? I’m going to sit here while you and Tali are going to try and take the other out with those peashooters.” Fluttershy gulped as she looked over at the quarian, Tali’s visor might obscure her expression but the way she tightened her grip on her rifle clearly indicated that the moment Ashley gave the word she’d fire. “Go!”

Fluttershy immediately jumped into cover as red dots appeared in the position where she had just stood, the pegasus immediately focussed on the task she had gotten. Detaching the rifle again she sat down on her haunches and peeked past the cover. Rounds immediately impacted the crate next to Fluttershy’s head but in the split second she had stuck her head out, she had spotted where the quarian had taken cover.

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy bounded from her cover into one that gave her better sight of the quarian’s hiding spot. Tali, not wanting to make this easy on the pegasus, jumped from her cover and made a dive for the next but not before Fluttershy pulled the trigger on the rifle. Luckily for the quarian Fluttershy hadn’t accounted for the training rifle’s recoil in the slightest and almost her entire burst went over the quarian.

“Better step up your game, Tali. Wouldn’t want the rooky to get you, now do you?” Ashely laughed from her seat at the side of the ‘field’. Tali didn’t respond as she was focussing on hitting Fluttershy who had jumped cover again.

The pegasus, now having felt the kick of the assault rifle, fired a few more accurate burst over the crate she had ducked behind. Tali immediately returned the favor and bounced a couple of shots off Shy’s barrier, taking it down to half strength. Fluttershy went over the options she had, biotics was out of the question and she didn’t have any other means of offense…

...Except maybe the omni-blades.

Fluttershy quickly put away her rifle and opened her omni-tool, selecting the appropriate program while making sure it was set to training mode so she wouldn’t actually harm Tali. Holding her back tightly against the box she had been using she carefully listened to what the quarian was doing.

“Hey Fluttershy, you know the goal is to hit me, right?” Tali stated, a small smile forming at the edges of Fluttershy’s mouth as she was able to determine the quarian’s exact location due to her speaking.

The pegasus only had to wait a few more seconds before she heard Tali moving up closer. Seeing this as her opportunity Fluttershy flung herself from behind her cover and opened her wings. Unlike the other times, where she had used her wings to boost her running, this time she had tucked her legs in and was soaring close to the floor. Even though she wasn’t exactly the best flyer she was still incredibly fast relative to the quarian.

Tali for one was caught completely off guard and hesitated as she was in the middle of moving between cover when the pegasus charged at her. This hesitation made it so that when she did raise her rifle Fluttershy was already upon her.

The omni-blades on the pegasus’ wings lit up and the one on the left smashed into Tali’s shield, ripping through it and leaving a large bright red line. The second thing that happened was something that any self-respecting flight instructor would have been able to predict as clipping a wing mid-flight really only had one outcome.

Fluttershy, after hitting Tali, rolled over the ground and crashed into one of the large boxes. After shaking off the dizziness, Fluttershy stood up to look at Ashley and Tali. The two were gawking at her in awe at what they had just seen.

“Uhm, did I do ok?” Fluttershy asked, she felt her limbs tremble slightly as adrenaline flowed through them.

Is this what Dash always feels when she does her stunts?

“That. was. Awesome!” Ashley exclaimed, Tali also lowered her rifle as she understood she had clearly lost.

“You’re never going to let me live this one down, are you?” Tali said with a sigh, a massive grin on Ashley’s face.

“I’ve got it recorded,” she smugly stated, Tali immediately tensed at hearing that.

“You’re not the only one, Ash. I’ve got my own perspective of this recorded,” Joker proudly announced over the intercom. Tali groaned, giving the training rifle back to Ashley.

“I’m going to sit in a corner in engineering for a while,” she said but before she could take off towards engineering the intercom announced that Shepard was back on the ship. Fluttershy took a look at the time and was surprised by the fact that they had been going for hours.

“Fluttershy, Gunnery Chief Williams, Tali. I want you three to be present for de-briefing in ten minutes.” Shepard said over the over the intercom seconds later.

“I guess that puts any other ideas we have on hold,” Ashley said, “By the way, I suggest washing off that red line, Tali. It’s slightly embarrassing.” Tali groaned and walked off towards engineering while Fluttershy followed a snickering Ashley to the elevator. They would clean the garage later but first, they were going to attend the debriefing.

A bit of a different vote this time around, I want to get you guys' opinion on me not adding a vote at the end of every chapter, just most of them. It's been floating around my head for a while now and with Redstargazer's comment airing the same sentiment I thought it best to put it to a vote.

1. Skip a vote sometimes

2. Have a vote every chapter

[Vote link]

Author's Note:

As stated above I'd like to get you guys' opinion on if there should be a vote every chapter because having a vote every chapter is quickly burning through the stuff I can actually do on the Normandy.

Anyway, I think the chapter turned out pretty well. Hope you enjoyed!

[Paragon] or a [Renegade] Are colored when available, though normal options might also contribute to one or the other. As for the shippers under us [Romance] is now also a thing.
When an option is not available due to various reasons it will be colored [Grey]

https://www.strawpoll.me/18001127
[Certainty: 60]

Now edited by gerandakis

Remember that comments are like authors' food, we gain energy from them. Constructive criticism is welcome.

Comments

[ScarletRhine]

Please keep the voting for every chapter going. I've played Mass Effect and the vote after every chapter makes this story feel more like a video game than a story. I find that refreshing.

[brodash]

Id say not every chapter but keep voting on most chapters

[Hodios]

I think it would be cool to keep up the strict format, but having it be "put a poll for significant moments only" would be fine too.

[Anachronon]

I think the voting should only be applied to critical moments.

[Archivist Nightwatch]

9626115
This.

Questions like she she learn to cover or shoot arnt big and could be done in the same one.

[AdverseFlower95]

Well it looks like Fluttershy here was able to get some Omni-blade practice despite what the poll said.

[Silentwoodfire]

Is this post-Ashley getting her xenophobia issues resolved? Otherwise there should be some... issues.

Also might I suggest having votes when called for? Sometimes theres nothing to really vote for.

[Booster Spice]

Missing a vote in a chapter is like having a cut scene inserted where it makes sense to expand on certain options prior and post?

[Corascal]

Would prefer longer chapters that end before each serious, story-/character-changing decision to be made.

[Starcat5]

9626419
Dude. Fluttershy is a Pretty Pastel Pony. Every rule has exceptions.

[ThePoker]

I only just picked up this story, so sorry if I'm a bit late with this, but... I noticed a small error.
In ME1 Ashley Williams is a Gunnery Chief. Shepard only finds out she got promoted to Lieutenant Commander at the start of ME3 provided she survived the mission on Virmire
Also: garage cargo bay

[CommanderApplejack]

10313145
Huh, nice catch

[Black--Soul]

More reader interaction always helps bond ♡

[Black--Soul]

Less votes= faster updates but less improvments on Fluttershy part

[Black--Soul]

9626073
That plus all the vote points that didn't get selected get a chance to be added in Fluttershys favor...
9626100
More update, less character interaction and improvments and roamce opportunities...
9626115
Every vote did something... We could have a herd by now
9626254
Bonus
9626419
Not really since Ashley fellow woman get over the Speciest thing...
9626579
Agreed. If we added missed vite iptions that get lost when srlecting something else...
- Herding more lovers
- Combat improvments
- Character development
- Crew bonding time
And more...
9664472
True... True...

[Black--Soul]

This chapter was buckets of fun 👍