Chapter Text
She was hungry but she couldn’t go to the usual place, no she was beaten out of there by grownups. They are afraid of her because she glows and when she glows no one can stop her, so they came at the night and beat her bad and called her words she can't understand. So now she walks the streets of Earth looking for food anywhere she can find it, be it the trash cans or robbing people she doesn’t care all she knows is that she is hungry. She thinks she is human she looks like them at least she thinks she does. Her skin, she concludes is the color of the caramel candy she loved to steal and her hair was the color of the sky when the sun went away. The only thing that made her question her place with the humans was the color of her eyes, they weren’t the same colors as she saw on other humans, no her eyes were gray. The other kids would make fun of her and hit her because of her eyes but when she started to glow they would run away screaming, knowing that if they stayed they would get hurt.
She doesn’t know where to go, all she does know is that she won’t be able to glow if she doesn’t have food. And if she can’t glow then she will get beat up again, the bruises from the night before cover her body, making it hard to walk. She doesn’t want it to happen again because if it does she will surely die. She stops in front of a restaurant and stares at the patrons inside most of them are not human, she thinks that they names are asari only because she heard that name before. She finds it strange that they all have the same name but it’s better than having no name at all, people will call her things but she doesn’t understand them. One of the aliens opens the door holding a bag that smells really good to the girl with no name, the alien takes notice of her and they stare at each other for what feels like forever. Then the girl has a thought, if she can glow just for a second then the alien would run and leave the bag. She smiles and the alien smiles back then taking in a deep breath the girl without a name starts to glow her gray eyes change into a light blue color. The girl takes one step forward before everything goes black.
~~~~~~~~~~~Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~
When she walks up the first thing she notices is the smell, wherever she is someone is cooking and it causes her stomach to growl. That alien, did she bring me here? Is…..is she gonna eat me? The girl starts to panic she never thought that she would be lunch for someone else, she tries to get up but can’t stand and she falls to the floor. Why can’t I move? Is it because I tried to glow on an empty stomach? The door to the room opens and the alien from the restaurant walks in with a tray of food in hand. The alien starts to speak but the girl doesn’t understand her and pouts. The alien looks at the girl and smiles warmly at her, she forgets that the child can’t understand her. She sets the tray down and sits across from the girl the smile never leaving her face, The girl, on the other hand, start to get nervous unsure of what’s about to happen. If she’s gonna eat me I’ll make sure I taste nasty. The alien’s eyes turned black and the girl is no longer sitting on the room floor but on a beach.
{Where am I?}
{You are safe here child, no one will hurt you,} The girl turns in the direction of the voice and sees the alien…...no the asari. The girl is confused and scared like she’s never been before so she does the only logical thing she can, she ran. Without looking back she runs along the shoreline not sure of where she is going as long as she doesn’t see that asari again. She wants to go home but home doesn’t exist for her. She stops running and stares at the sky, it’s not like the sky she is used to. Here the sunset is a soft purple/blue combination and this sky has two moons instead of the one.
{This is Thessia, my home.} The asari from before stands in front of the girl as if she was there the entire time. {Do not be afraid we are currently in a meld, that is how we are speaking and that is how we understand each other.} So running away was useless, the girl glares at her captor fear and confusion made evident through the meld.
{Still yourself little one I will not harm you, my name is Arecia.} The asari named Arecia extends her hand towards the girl, inviting the girl to take it but she was still afraid.
{In the meld the feelings of both parties are made clear to one another, do not be afraid little light. I will teach you my language and how to fully use the talents you have been given, I shall raise you as my daughter and you will never know fear again.} Arecia’s voice was full of love and compassion, she truly wished to raise the girl as her own.
{Will you…..give me a name?} the girl voiced her question but was laced with hesitation, no one has ever taken a liking to her they always wanted to beat her or worse.
Arecia smiled at her and said {If you wish to be my daughter then you will have the name, Moira, how does that sound?}
There was still fear within the girl, years of abusive have made sure of that. Yet there was a feeling that this time, this person would be different. Taking Arecia's hand the girl began to take her first step toward recovery.
{My name is Moira}
~~~~~~~~~3 years Later~~~~~~~~~
Moira runs at full speed weaving through passersby's in the streets of the Citadel, the C-sec officers were hot on her heel and she had a feeling that this time she won’t be as lucky. “Come on Biks!” Moira calls over her shoulder “I thought turians were faster than that!” To say that Officer Biks was in a bad mood would be an understatement, he was furious. All this week he has been getting calls about a biotic street performer causing accidents all over the Citadel. He knew without a doubt that the person behind it was Moira Shepard.
Moira knew that this time she would get caught so she had a thought, why not bring the nice officer to her parents? Oh man, Father is going to be so angry with me. But even with that thought in her mind Moira couldn’t stop smiling. Moira never thought that she would have parents, she always thought that she would die in some alley on Earth. Meeting Arecia had been the best day of her life, she got a name and a family that loved her. Areica's bondmate lived on the Citadel, that was the part the confused Moira. If her bondmate lives here then why was Arecia on Earth? She would never get the answer to that question and frankly she could careless, all that matters was that she had a place where she belonged.
“You still with me Biks?”
The poor turian was reaching his limit, Moria could hear him gasping for air and started to feel bad. But only a little. Moira ran inside building in which her father worked, the Office of the Consort. Asari are mono-gendered but to most species are seen as female. Both of Moria’s parents are “female” but the one who actually gives birth is the “Mother”, while the one who offered the DNA is the “Father”. When Moira first received the “Talk” she was lost, nothing made any sense the idea needed to be explained to several times.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Moira, are you paying attention?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Arecia looks at her once more before going back to her lecture.
“When asari join together in a Union they become one, there is no longer a “you” or “me” but a single entity. Now when asari wish to have children there is a special type of meld they must do. It is not like the melds we have shared mother to child but a much deeper connection between bondmates. The asari that will carry the child will become the mother and she will delve deep into the mind of her mate and take back a small piece. The small piece belongs to the father and from that the child is conceived.”
~~~~~~~~~
Moira is dragged out of that memory by the soft voice of Nessa the personal assistant to the Consort. “Lady Moira your parents are expecting you.” Nessa was always kind to Moira and often gave her sweets when her parents were not around. Moira often told Nessa that she was the color of the sky in the early hours of the dawn because she was a light shade of blue with white facial markings.
“Thanks, Nessa, when Biks comes can you show him to the back please?”
Moira doesn’t wait for a reply but heads straight for the Consort’s Chambers. Arecia's bondmate, another asari by the name of Sha’ira was Consort of the Citadel as well as the girl's father.
When Moira first learned the duties of the Consort she had asked Arecia if she was jealous that so many people wanted to spend time with Sha’ira. Her reply was to laugh not in a way that mocked her daughter but because many of Arecia’s friends asked the same question but the answer was always the same.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Little Light your Father has a kind and compassionate soul and wishes to help all, but her heart belongs to me just as mine belongs to her. We have only ever loved each other nothing will ever change that.”
~~~~~~~~~~
When Moira entered the office both Arecia and Sha’ira where there as Nessa had said they would be, Sha’ira was wearing the traditional dress of the Consort. It was a white dress made of the finest silks from Thessia, the front was cut all the way to her stomach that showed off her cleavage as well as the smooth skin of her stomach. The dress reached down to her ankles and were open at the sides to show her legs. Neither Moira nor Arecia found this to be provocative as some patrons claimed it to be, to them it was a sign of tradition and faith. As for Arecia she wore a simple asari gown, it showed no skin and hugged her body. It was in Moira’s favorite color; the dark red of the Thessian Rose. Both parents were seated on one of many couches, Sha’ira resting on Arecia's shoulders and her arm wrapped around her bondmates waist. Whenever Moira saw them together like this her chest filled with pride, not everyone can say that their parents loved each other as much as hers did.
“Mother, Father, we will have company in about five seconds.” As soon as the words left her mouth Officer Biks walked in looking highly agitated. Never breaking their embrace Arecia spoke first.
“Officer Biks what can we do for you today?” Arecia’s voice was smooth and soothing, Moira never tires of hearing it.
Biks straightens up and puts his hands behind his back in the C-sec fashion. “Matriarch Arecia, Lady Sha’ira.” he says with a curt nod “Your daughter had been caught on camera using her biotics to harass the Keeper. This is her final warning.” he takes his leave and soon Moira is left in uncomfortable silence with her parents.
If I run now they won’t bother to catch me. A huge grin spread across Moira’s face as she made a break for it only to be caught in singularity. The child was left floating helplessly in the air trying to find her bearings. “Father let me go.” Sha’ira's arm left her bondmates waist and was now extended out before her glowing with biotics.
“Moira what have I told you about using your biotics like that?”
“Not to.”
“But you seem to have broken that rule again, what are we going to do with you?”
“Let me on the floor hopefully.” She gave her father a sheepish grin but that did nothing to help her. With a flick of her wrist Sha’ira flipped her child upside down. Moira’s shirt slipped downwards revealing her stomach. Moira was not one for dresses like her parents, she wore dark jeans and a asari styled shirt that was cut diamond shape in the middle showing more skin then most girls her age did. It was cut the same in the back with straps at the sides that held the shirt together, to top it off her wore black jacket with the Thessian Rose on the back. Sha’ira turned back to her bondmate and spoke to her clearly ignoring her daughter on purpose.
“Siame, what are we to do with this one? She continues to go against our wishes.”
“I’ll handle it, my love, I’ll take her to the Arena. We shall see you at home.” The Matriarch pressed a quick kiss on the Consort's cheek before standing.
Sha’ira placed her daughter on the ground and stands with her bondmate. Moira went to wait outside, knowing that she has hurt her father deeply, her mother(no doubt) would have a lecture ready for her. The “sun” was beginning to set in the Citadel and many of its inhabitants were heading home after a days work. Moira waited by the krogan statue knowing that her parents were talking about her. She is unlike most humans when it comes to her biotics, Moira can last longer without becoming tired and she has no implants. Arecia says that she is an Adept, that she doesn’t need a weapon to take out her enemies; that she is capable of endless potential. All she needed was proper training, every night Arecia would take her to Armax Arena and train her in asari hand to hand combat. Lately she has been teaching Moria a new style of fighting, this style was unique to House Shepard. Instead of fist they fight with open palms and have their biotic energy channel through their bodies. Moira got into her battle stance, feet spread apart left arm extended in front of her and palm facing outwards. Right hand placed on her side, palm facing the sky, taking deep breaths she channeled her biotic energy throughout her body. Moira knows even with eyes closed that her body is covered in her white light, She inhales again and focuses her energy to her hands and soon the only part her that glows are her hands.
“You are improving with each day, Little Light.” Moira cuts off her biotics when her mother comes to stand beside her, a look of sadness written over her face.
“I’ve hurt her again.” it wasn’t a question but an omission, Moira knew what she did was wrong but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. The other kids said that the Keepers attack if provoked and Moira called them liars, as soon as used her biotics on the nearest Keeper on of the boys ran off and told the cops. Rotten salarian the next time Moira sees him, she would teach him a lesson.
“Yes you have, when we go home tonight you must speak with her.”
“I know, Mother.” Moira stares at the ground, she hates when she causes her family pain. If only she could fit in and be normal like everyone else then maybe her father would be proud of her. Noticing her daughter’s distress Arecia takes her hand and begins the walk to the Arena.
“Come child don’t fret all will be forgiven, now we must not keep Tallis waiting.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tallis was waiting in Arena B already dressed in her training garb. “Moira have you gotten in trouble again?” Tallis was Arecia’s commando and followed her faithfully she was also Moira’s instructor when it came to her biotic training. She was a darker blue almost purple compared to Arecia who was a lighter shade. Both Moira and and Arecia dressed in similar clothes a loose shirt and pants that came tight around the calf.
“Leave it be Tallis, Moira has learned the error of her ways.” Arecia felt that Moira has gone through enough today.
“Of course Matriarch. Shall we practice the Siari style today?”
“Yes, Tallis but before we do, Moira tells us the principles of the of the Siari style.”
Moira steps forward her mother and her mentor placing her left hand over her chest and bowing slightly as a sign of respect.
“Siari, one is all. That is the fundamental principle of the asari, we are all connected. We strive not for ourselves but for others."
“Good Moira, now you shall spare with Tallis. Assume the stance…...and fight”
Arecia backed away as Moira and Tallis fell into the battle stance, Tallis favored the more common commando stance using fist instead of open palm. They circled around each other waiting for one to make the first move, Tallis was a vanguard and hand to hand was her specialty. Moira unleashed a shock-wave forcing Tallis to dodge to her right her least favorable side, she then rushes onward palms erupting in a furious white light. When her palm came in contact with Tallis she lets out a small burst of energy causing the commando to fly backwards into the wall of the arena.
“Well done Moira, but the warm-ups over!” Tallis encased her body in pure energy that she unleashed it all at once. The Vanguard specialty is something known as the biotic charge, it is a highly powerful attack leaving little room for the opponent to maneuver.
At the last possible second Moira through a barrier in place though it did little to protect her, the barrier broke as soon as it came in contact with Tallis. Moira was knocked all the way to where Arecia was standing, she would have kept going if her mother didn’t catch her in a singularity. Once her feet were back on the ground Moira threw pure biotic energy at the asari commando. Once Tallis touched the ground Moira threw another shock wave causing the commando to land flat on her face. Moira charged her again channeling her energy to her feet as she jumped into the air, higher than a human biotic but normal for an asari. Once in the air Moira used her biotics to pull herself towards Tallis at high speeds. Focusing all her energy on her left palm alone, Moira delivered a powerful blow to her commando.
“That’s enough Moira.” Arecia’s voice shattered the silence as she walked over to her daughter. Once the dust settled Moira noticed that a barrier was placed over Tallis. Both commando and student were out of breath. They had used most of their energy in one attack, if they were allowed to continue both would go into biotic shock. "Take a break, eat an energy bar. Once you are done the both of you will spare again. Without trying to kill each other."
“Yes, Mother.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~Later that Night~~~~~~~~~~
After a shower and a good meal, Moira went to find her father, at this time Sha’ira could be found in her private study of their home. Moira waits outside the door unsure of what to do next.
“Come in Little Light.” When she entered the room Sha’ira was seated on her love seat reading.
“Father I..” but before she could speak Sha’ira cut her off.
“Moira, why do you upset the balance of this place? Are you unhappy with us?”
That question was like a smack in the face to Moira, how could her father say to her? She loved them and being with them, they were the only family she had.
“Father, how could you say that I love you and Mother so much, why would you say that?” Moira was heartbroken, tears ran unbidden down her cheek. “I don’t mean to cause trouble for you and Mother. I just want to fit in."
The girl started to hyperventilate, her father's words could still be heard in her mind. "If you think that I upset the balance then it must because I'm a monster!"
Sha’ira stared at her daughter in shock, she didn’t mean to cause her such distress only for her to think about her actions. “Come here, my love.” Her arms were open inviting Moira into a warm embrace. Moira broke down in her father’s arm, years of frustration opened like a dam.
“I don’t belong anywhere, I was never supposed to be born!” Moira sobs in her father’s shoulders. Watching her child in distress broke Sha’ira’s heart, she held her tighter.
“Shhh Moira its okay, you do belong here. With your Mother and I, we love you so much, I’m sorry I never meant to harm you in this way.” Sha’ira began to sing a lullaby that her mother sang to her. Soon Moira’s sobbing subsided and the child entered a peaceful sleep. The door to her study opened and Arecia enters sitting on the opposite side she wraps her arm around her daughter and interlocks fingers with her bondmate.
“What troubles you, Sha’ira?”
Sha’ira looks into the eyes of her Bondmate, her eyes glossed over with unshed tears.
“Our Little Light is in pain, she feels that she does not belong anywhere. I thought the Citadel would be for her but now, now I am not so sure.”
“How about we go to Thessia? If our Little Light likes it there then we shall stay while you return here. I know you do not wish to leave your post as Consort, you can always come home.” Arecia kisses her on the nose before closing her eyes, the three of them slept together in peace.
~~~~~~Years Later~~~~~~~~
Moira’s omnitool buzzed with an incoming message, it was Tallis summoning her back to the estate, apparently Arecia had guest over. With a sigh Moira walks over to her sparrow, at age 22 she matured nicely. She body, sculpted with muscle after years of training, the left side of her head is shaved save for the smooth stubble. Her right side was cut short and left in its natural dark waves. On Thessia she was exotic and foreign, all the maidens clamored around her but Moira paid them no mind. Here she was a Matriarch’s daughter, dignified and graceful, in the Arena, she was untouchable and loved by all. On this planet she was an asari and she belonged. She hoped on her ride and headed home, the wind whipping in her hair and the waves of the Armali shoreline bid her farewell. Yes in this place Moira Shepard belonged.