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“Wait, what happened with your armor?” Shepard asked, still hugging Seraphiel’s waist but now much more gently. She was also leaning back, apparently looking at the damaged armor, though Seraphiel couldn’t really tell any details with Shepard standing behind her.
"I was on the receiving end of a boulder tossed by a giant," Seraphiel explained, before pointing at the spot where the armor was twisted.
“Oh, you’re right. It is damaged.” Shepard gently ran her fingers across the damaged spot. “I’m still shocked you’re participating in an event aimed at students though. And young students at that.”
“You can’t be that surprised if you’re here.” Seraphiel pointed out. Now turning around to see the other woman.
Shepard looked the same as she remembered, if not a bit younger actually. Apparently becoming a Champion had some rejuvenating effects. That or the Vitality. Even the little scar above her eye was gone. Seraphiel had offered to heal that scar a couple of times in the past, but Shepard had always refused, preferring to keep the scar as a memento of sorts.
Shepard had always been a force of nature, and it looked like she hadn't been slacking. She was wearing a rather tight armor, similar to the ones she'd worn back when they'd last met, only now it was obviously enchanted. It still had the N7 logo plastered on her chestplate. Her raven black hair had grown longer and was tied to a braid, while a small lock of hair dangled in front of her attractive face. She’d obviously trained hard as well, as she was a fair bit more fit than before. Not that she’d been a slouch back then either.
“Ooh, you grew your hair out.” Seraphiel softly flicked the small lock of hair. “I always told you it would suit you. Seriously though, how are you here?”
“I had feelers out. Seeing as I have quite a bit of authority as the primary Champion of our universe, people like to do me favors. I’ve had everyone keep an eye out for someone standing out and having the name Seraphiel. I knew you’d end up here eventually, though I didn’t expect it to be this soon. Anyway, you made a bit of a splash at the previous event, and the headmaster of the Thessian academy sent word even if you are using another but similar name. Another member of your team let your real name slip after all, and the headmasters apparently spent a lot of time going over the recording.” Shepard seemed quite proud of herself.
“I’ll have to give him a smack for that.” She muttered. “Still, I didn’t expect you to recognize me.”
"Seriously?" Shepard lifted an eyebrow. Seraphiel had always liked her eyebrows. "Even if you grow hooves, horns, and blue skin, it's not like your mannerisms change. Also, you're not exactly someone easy to confuse with others. You do realize that you have a whole aura about you, right? Anyone who knows you well enough would be able to pick you out of a crowd of a thousand identical people."
“Eh, I don’t spend a lot of time looking into mirrors.” She shrugged in response.
“Aura doesn’t exactly show in…you know what? Never mind.” Shepard gave up explaining. “What I can’t figure out is how you’re a student. Or so low level. Last time we met, you could take out a Reaper by punching it. What are you doing in an event like this?”
“Before I answer that, what level were you when you were made a Champion?” Seraphiel flipped the question around.
“Why?” Shepard asked a bit weirded out by the seeming non-sequitur.
"Just humor me." Seraphiel pushed.
"Around 900 with my highest Class," Shepard responded, not seeing any point in hiding the information from Seraphiel of all people.
“Well, I woke up here as level 1. To be more precise, I didn’t have a level at all. You don’t get a level at birth after all.” She explained.
“Birth?” Shepard frowned. “You are a Champion, right? How else would you be here?”
“In a way. You still remember when I told you about being tossed from one universe to another?” She asked.
“How could I forget?” Shepard gave a sad sigh. “It took you away from us. From me. That’s how I knew to look for you as well.”
“Well, this is a bit of a combination of both. As you can see, I wasn’t born in my old body.” She gestured toward herself.
"I initially assumed you just changed shapes to pass off as a student, just like when you became a Draenei." Shepard took a better stock of her, looking her up and down from head to toe. "Although, you seem to look really similar to your old self, only younger. Coincidence?”
“No. My working theory is that the body adapts to the soul, but that’s not certain information.” She revealed.
“Oh, Wrex is going to love this.” Shepard laughed suddenly. “He always hated that you could just toss him around like a rag. You do know he’s going to take revenge, right?”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“The old lizard is still alive? Should’ve known. Speaking of. How’s Liara?” Her tone was a little teasing.
Shepard was less amused though. “You know that’s not fair.”
"Why would it not be? I was the one who told you two that you should get together after I disappear. And if my information is correct, you've been here for fifty years already." She didn't allow the mood to get sour. “I certainly wouldn’t blame you for getting together.”
That seemed to mollify Shepard a bit. “I hope you’re aware that nothing would’ve happened between me and Liara if you hadn’t disappeared, right?” She seemed to really want Seraphiel to understand that fact.
She laid a hand on Shepard’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to think less of you for that.” She grinned. “I’m quite certain I told you that I haven’t been celibate before meeting you, nor would I be after. I made that very clear if I recall.”
Now it was Shepard’s turn to grin. “I accepted that a long before we even got together. I saw how you looked at both Tali and Garrus. Though…judging by how you look now, and what I know about the aging of Angels, you haven’t had too many opportunities since. You couldn’t have visited too many universes between this life and your visit to us.”
“Touche.” She admitted. “Seriously though, how is Liara?”
“Liara is…well enough I suppose. We’re not together. Everything that happened with the Reapers and our universe joining this one like me becoming a Champion…let's just say we drifted apart." Shepard shook her head. She didn’t mention that Liara had always had a bit of a complex about Seraphiel, even after the Angel had disappeared. Seraphiel did have that effect on people.
“I’m genuinely sorry about that. I truly am. I always thought the two of you would’ve made for a cute couple. That’s why I told you what I did.” She was fairly confident the two would’ve eventually gotten together if she’d never appeared.
“She’s thriving in general though. This universe has brought her plenty of things to study.” Shepard smiled fondly. “We’re still friendly, even if we rarely meet.”
“I can imagine.” Seraphiel mirrored the expression, thinking of Liara immersed in some new study subject. “How are you, really?”
Shepard looked thoughtful for a moment. “I know this might be a bit weird to say but this universe is good for me. Something about the System just works for me. It isn't as fabulous for everyone else though. How do I explain this? None of the races from back home are strictly worse off in absolute terms, except Hanar and the Batarians, but some like the Salarians are getting left behind comparatively. And I suppose I wanted to have some peace after the Reapers.”
“You know that wasn’t going to happen even if the universes didn’t merge.” Seraphiel pointed out. “Some race, like the Batarians, would’ve found a reason to start up shit.”
“I suppose. I had hope that the unity we had against the Reapers would last, but I suppose even that unity was an illusion, what with Cerberus and all.” Shepard shook her head with a wry smile. “Look at me getting all mushy.”
“So, what happened to Hanar and the Batarians?” Seraphiel asked.
“Oh! The Batarians tried to enslave the wrong people, and the Hanar tried to preach to a race that saw them as a nice snack and nothing more. Turns out you can’t just talk your way out of all fights." Shepard didn't seem too bummed out about the fact, though who would miss slavers and the stupid jellyfish?
“So, a Champion, eh?” Seraphiel asked.
“Yeah. I’m still not sure about the whole thing, but if doing favors to a divinity keeps my people safe…” Shepard shrugged with a small grimace. “A small price to pay. And I can’t say the competitions between Champions aren’t exhilarating.”
“Whose Champion are you supposed to be anyway?” Seraphiel asked.
"I'll tell you if you do the same?" Shepard asked, showing a sneaky smile. Good, she'd learned.
"Charlotte Richards," Seraphiel said simply.
“Who?” Shepard seemed genuinely baffled, and it was hard to blame her.
“That’s the name She’s using at the moment. Previously I would’ve just called her The Goddess. Not a goddess, but The Goddess.” She responded, knowing that didn’t make things much clearer. “Also, I suppose the System as well, in a way.”
“The System?” Shepard didn’t seem any less confused. “I didn’t know the System could, or even cared to, have a Champion.”
“It probably didn’t until Charlotte ended up here. I’ll tell you more some other time. Your turn.” Seraphiel prompted.
“Athena. The old Greek Goddess. She’s a rather powerful deity thanks to being present in several universes, which if I understand correctly, means any new incarnation of her gets merged into the old one if they’re sufficiently similar.” Shepard explained.
“I can see how that would work with you. A Goddess of War, Strategy, Wisdom, and force of will in her own right. Suits you rather well, even if not something I would’ve guessed at first.” She suddenly got an amused look. “So, does the blessing of Athena finally give you the ability to dance?”
Shepard scoffed. “I’ll have you know; I’ve always known how to dance. I have a Skill for it and everything.”
Seraphiel burst into laughter. “I’m sorry, but that’s just not true. I remember quite well what you call dancing, and that wasn’t it.”
“That’s just your old age getting to you. I can’t blame you for getting a little senile though. Having gone through so many universes, you must have me confused with some other Shepard when it comes to dancing.” Shepard shot back. “I seem to recall you had no trouble going dancing with me on more than one occasion.”
“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that if it makes you happier.” She smiled happily. It was a rare treat to get to speak again with someone she’d been forced to leave behind.
“What about you? How are you? I’m sure you’re not used to being the weak person in the room.” Shepard teased a bit.
"Who says I'm the weak person? You should already know that level isn't everything." She shot back.
“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.” Shepard repeated her own words back to her.
“While I’m a little weaker now, the gap is quickly narrowing. It’s only a matter of time before I can toss Wrex around again. Punching out a Reaper might take a bit longer. There are apparently some benefits to starting from level 1. The System rather heavily implied that I’ll be able to punch well above my weight when compared to other Champions.” She didn’t bother hiding anything from Shepard, even if she didn’t go into too much detail. Shepard of all people would not betray her.
“Well, you’re going to have to if you want to compete. And I’d keep in mind that you’re not the only one. Some of the Champions have similar experiences. Especially if we allow ourselves to really take advantage of the System instead of relying on our old abilities. I mean, some Champions were practically demigods from the moment they were summoned, so I can see how they’d not bother changing their style too much, but Champions like us have really embraced the System and all the benefits.” Shepard warned her.
“Oh right, you did mention you were the primary Champion from your universe. That implies more than one.” Seraphiel prompted.
“Yes, well, both the Asari and Krogan are rather good Champion material, even if mostly chosen by the minor gods. Wrex and Aria are both Champions as well.” Shepard revealed. “And several others have been taken in by the minor gods as sort of Champions in training.”
“I can see why. The two races are naturally quite gifted and long-lived, which helps.” She was quiet for a moment. “So, what was your plan anyway? You come here to find and surprise me. Then what?”
"Honestly, I'm not sure. You know me. I act. Not necessarily without a plan, but if there's something important that needs to happen, I act even if I have to go in without a plan. This is one of those situations. I suppose I’ve imagined a thousand times what I would say when I meet you again. I’ve rehearsed this whole discussion a dozen times in my head, but all that went out as soon as I saw you.” Shepard leaned her forehead against hers. “In the end, I just wanted to see you. Hold you in my arms to make sure you’re real and here. You’re important to me. Those years we spent together were important to me.”
Seraphiel smiled happily. “They were important to me as well.”
Shepard nodded, which was rather awkward with their forehead together. “I loved you so much back then. My world broke when you disappeared. It took a long time to get over it, even with Liara’s help. It wasn’t until our universe merged with this one that I dared to hope we might meet again. Now that we have…I don’t know what that means. I just don’t want you to disappear again. Anything else can be figured out later.” She suddenly smiled just a bit. “And from what I’ve heard and what you’ve told me, I’m not the only one that feels that way.”
“Uuuuuh…” Seraphiel stammered a bit.
“Oh, I’ve heard some stories. I might have found you first, but I’m not the only one looking. I’m not going to make it easy on the others of course, but you have quite a few meetings like this in your future, don’t you?” Now Shepard was teasing her directly.
“Well…” Seraphiel couldn’t really say anything about that.
“Shh. It’s fine. Let’s go get your armor fixed.” Shepard grinned a bit. “Might give me the chance to see you out of it.”
Things were about to get more complicated, weren’t they?