• Published 27th Mar 2019
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Mass Effect: Element of Kindness - CommanderApplejack



[CYOA] While exploring an old ruin an unfortunate accident sends Fluttershy halfway across the galaxy, how will the shy pegasus cope with being stuck away from her friends?

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Normandy

Chapter 4

Normandy

I wasn't going to stand by and say nothing! 90%

"I don't know but no one has the right to so casually dismiss the lives of so many people!" Fluttershy replied stamping her hoof on the metal floor, struggling to keep her anxiety in check as she stared down the ambassador. Udina held Fluttershy's gaze for a moment longer before muttering something about stupidity and turned to Captain Anderson.

"Captain I want you to come with me, I could use your help in getting the Commander a ship, a crew, and supplies..." The ambassador told the Captain who shook Shepard's hand.

"Congratulations Commander, you've earned it." He said with a smile, "Make sure we can reach you when we've gotten you a ship which might be fast since you being a Spectre will cut a lot of red tape."

The Commander nodded, "We'll be in the Normandy to have the doctor figure out if Fluttershy's a dextro or a levo, we don't want to accidentally poison her with the wrong food." Fluttershy paled slightly as she heard the Commander's remark, she had to admit she was quite hungry but she never thought about the fact that the food might be poisonous for her.

"Good, we'll come back to you soon, Commander," Anderson said as he quickly walked after the Ambassador who was glaring back at Fluttershy.

Reputation with Ambassador Udina has decreased.

After the two men were out of sight Shepard and his group also made their way back down from the tower, though this time opting to use a shuttle instead of the elevator. Fluttershy riding on Tali's lap since there were only four seats in the shuttle.

"Commander Shepard, what are levo's or dextro's If you mind me asking?" Fluttershy asked seeing the journey in the shuttle as the perfect time to ask.

"It's a term that describes a difference in amino acids, Tali and Garrus, for example, are dextros while Wrex and I are levos." Shepard explained, "Don't worry about it too much, you essentially just have to be careful not to eat the wrong type of food and most places serve both."

"Okay" Fluttershy said as the shuttle came to a stop at the dock where the Normandy was anchored, the moment Tali saw the spaceship she squealed and ran over to the railing to get a good look at the ship.

"Keelah, Shepard she's amazing!" Tali said as she looked over the vessel, it had a sleek design with two wings coming from its back which both housed two large engines and on the side of the hull Normandy was written in large white letters. "To think that when I first arrived on the Citadel I had to spend nearly three hours being questioned by c-sec before they let me into the wards, now I'm part of the crew of the most advanced alliance ship!" Tali practically bounced, Fluttershy smiled but a rumble from her stomach reminded her why they had come there in the first place.

After the door of the vessel closed behind them a voice announced that decontamination was in process, Fluttershy looking in wonder as a screen of blue light passed through them, the voice announcing that decontamination was complete as the screen of light disappeared and the inner door opened. The pegasus looking in awe at all the systems in the command center of the ship before being ushered down into a lower deck of the ship and into the medical bay.

"Doctor, do you have time?" Shepard asked, a lady with grey hair looking up from her console.

"Of course commander, is this about the thing you sent me?" The doctor asked.

Shepard chuckled, "Sure is, doc. I need your help in figuring out if she's a dexto or a levo." He told the doctor, turning to Fluttershy who was hiding behind her mane to avoid the doctor's studying gaze. "Miss Fluttershy, I'm going to leave you here with the doctor to show the others around the ship. Don't worry about doctor Chakwas, I've known her for a long time so I can assure you can trust her, okay?"

"O-okay" Fluttershy replied, Tali putting her on the ground before leaving with Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex. Chakwas slowly moved towards Fluttershy and sat down in front of the pegasus who was still hiding behind her mane.

"So, can you tell me your name?" The doctor asked, it wasn't that she hadn't heard Shepard say it but it might help put the pegasus more at ease.

"F-Fluttersy"

Chakwas gave her a friendly smile, "So, Fluttershy, do you have a job?" She asked, Fluttershy's head perked up and she nodded.

"I help all the animals around Ponyville when they're sick or in trouble," Fluttershy answered, not hiding behind her mane as much.

"So you're a doctor, like me?" Chakwas asked, Fluttershy immediately shook her head.

"Oh no, I'm the wildlife manager, though I know how to treat a lot of injuries I still need to visit the local vet for when an animal is seriously sick." Fluttershy happily explained.

"That must be a nice job to have, but we're getting a bit off track. Would you mind if I made a full-body scan next to taking a blood and saliva sample?" She asked, Fluttershy suddenly remembering why she was there in the first place but managed to subdue her anxiety and nodded. "Good, now if you could get on the bed over there then I can start the scan."

Fluttershy opened her wings and a couple of flaps later she was sitting on the bed below a device of some sort, Chakwas looking at her in awe. "Doctor?" Fluttershy asked bringing her back to reality.

"That was astonishing! By all means, those wings shouldn't be enough to let you fly but it was like you put in nearly no effort." She said pushing a couple of buttons on a tablet she was holding, the device above Fluttershy letting out a soft hum, "Please sit still for a moment while the scanner works."

Fluttershy didn't move a muscle as the doctor opened a drawer pulling out a syringe and a couple of mouth swabs, the device above Fluttershy buzzed for a moment longer before falling silent once again. "Doctor, how well do you know the Commander?" Fluttershy asked as the doctor sat down on a stool next to the bed.

"Open your mouth," Chakwas ordered, Fluttershy immediately obeying, "I was the doctor on the ship that his mother served on and helped bring him into this world." She told the pegasus as she got a couple of saliva samples, putting one in a machine for analysis.

"He was born on a spaceship?!" Fluttershy asked amazed at that fact.

"He was, he might even have lived longer on spaceships and stations than he has on planets." Chakwas laughed as the machine that housed the saliva sample beeped, the doctor immediately looking at the readings. "It seems you're a dextro." She declared as she looked up from her tablet.

"So I can only eat turian and quarian food?" Fluttershy asked, the doctor nodded.

"That's correct, and since the Normandy has rations for both levos and dextros so we could get you something to eat now while the scan is processed," Chakwas told the pegasus who perked up as her stomach growled hungrily, the mess was outside the medbay so it wasn't a long walk of any sort. The doctor put a plate with rations in front of Fluttershy who niftily picked up the cutlery that lay next to the plate with her hooves but before the doctor could ask how the pegasus was doing that the speakers in the ceiling came to life.

"This is commander Shepard speaking, as of ten minutes ago Captain Anderson has released the Normandy to my command with our orders: find Saren before he finds the conduit. I won't lie to you, crew. This mission isn't going to be easy." The commander started, the entire mess having fallen silent and listening to the speech.

"For too long our species has stood apart from the others. Now it's time for us to step up and do our part for the rest of the galaxy! Time to show them what humans are really made of! Our enemy knows we are coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren's followers will be waiting for us. But we'll be ready for them, too! Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every other species in Citadel space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise you... we will stop him!" With that, the intercom went silent again, a cheer of approval going through the mess.

"He always liked his speeches," Chakwas chuckled as the sound around them died down again, "It's just sad that Captain Anderson had to give up his ship, that must bum out Shepard as well. Those two are really good friends."

Any hunger Fluttershy still had vanished at the mention of friends, "My friends at home must be worried sick."

"I'm sure that if you ask the commander to help you find your homeworld he'd do it in a heartbeat," Chakwas told the pegasus, "He'll do anything for anyone he considers as one of his crew, always has."

"You would know, have you broken out that serrice ice brandy yet?" Shepard asked as he had walked up to the pair, Fluttershy yelping as she hadn't noticed him coming.

"I'm saving that one for a special occasion and I believe it was your mother who gave that one to me." Chakwas shot back.

"My suggestion, " Shepard shrugged and took a seat across from Fluttershy, "Miss Fluttershy since we're leaving the Citadel soon I wanted to give you a chance to get off the Normandy if you want, we'll be hunting a dangerous criminal and I won't be able to assure your safety. If you decide to stay on the Citadel I'll make sure you'll be dropped off at the embassy where Udina or Anderson can help you find a place to stay."

Fluttershy shuddered thinking about the ambassador, "And if I want to stay? I don't want to be a burden to you."

"If you want to be useful you could start learning to help Tali and Adams in engineering. You could also help Garrus, he'll be tinkering with the Mako. Or you could help the Doctor, I'm sure she can take on an apprentice." He told Fluttershy, smirking at Chakwas.

Fluttershy meanwhile was in thought about what she should do.

Tali has been nothing but nice to me and Twilight always urges me to learn something out of my comfort zone. Then again Garrus reminds me of Rainbow only a bit rougher, I think he could use a good friend though I could also help doctor Chakwas in the med-bay. Its also might be dangerous to stay on board but if I get off I have to go back to the embassy where ambassador Udina is...

1. [Join Tali in engineering]

2. [Join Garrus in the garage]

3. [Join doctor Chakwas in the Medbay]

4. Can I think about it for a bit longer?

5. [Go back to the Embassy]

[Vote link]

Author's Note:

And there we go! I've got a whole bung of options lined up, will you pick one or wait a bit longer? :scootangel:
Also, I've been going way past my target of a 1000 words with these chapters. I'll see how long I can keep it up


[Paragon] or a [Renegade] Are colored when available, though normal options might also contribute to one or the other
When an option is not available due to various reasons it will be colored [Grey]

https://www.strawpoll.me/17709085

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

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