A/N: REVIEW FOR IT FEEDS MY ENGINE OF CREATION~!

Pretty please?

Its about all that's keeping me going these days, pitiful as it sounds.

I've also gotten my hands on the last Mass Effect novel-never thought I'd be saying that-and so far it seems...alright. Not anything special, but worth a read at least.

Now if only SOMEONE hadn't put the franchise on ice perhaps SOME of us would've been more inspired. Come to think of it, a lot of game companies have made...unwise choices as of late to say the least. Part of the reason I won't make NEW Mass Effect stuff, or Fallout for that matter. Don't get me wrong, I'll happily update my older stuff. New stories are a different matter where these two are concerned. I'd LIKE to but with the lore constantly being upended or worse, franchises being shelved completely...

*glares at EA*

...yeah, not happening.

So, in any case...I'm back.

I'm also tired. Tired of...a great many things. Probably going to die alone, now. Don't you just LOVE it when your significant other cheats on you? *Laughs bitterly* but that's a different story now, innit? Sorry, I'm don't feel so good at the moment...no, that isn't a pun. I genuinely feel like crap as I write this author's note. Chronic pain isn't fun. And I don't even know WHY. Miiiiiiight be losing my mind. I've been trying to make updates more frequent but the pain's getting downright distracting at this point and affecting my work. Nothing's infected mind you, but it still hurts like hell.

Hmm.

Semantics, I suppose.

Sanity is overrated anyway.

Just wanted to apologize for that, there.

Don't worry, I'll find a way through this somehow.

Had a blast writing this despite my...less than stable psyche at the moment.

Yes, the first line of this chapter is meant to make you laugh your socks off dear reader.

After all, if there's one thing I enjoy about its story, its the humor; by now its taken on a life of its own...

Anyhow, enjoy the interlude. I'll be updating this regularly alongside my other stuff. As I said, I'd only write two more new stories, but right now I want to focus on updating the rest of my works for all of you guys and gals...

Hope it makes you smile~!

"No more Star Wars for you, young lady."

"Why the hell not?! Its not like I'm hurting anyone!"

"You used your biotics to pull a Darth Vader. Need I say more?"

"Need I remind YOU that soldier was a member of Cerberus and thus, fair game?"

...fine. But I'm drawing the line at "I am the Senate!", do you hear me?! None of that! None!"

"Oh, come on! Its not I'm going to go for a walk or anything. What's the worst that could happen...?"

"Really. Really? REALLY?! I swear to god if you actually pull that, you're going to get seven right across the ass!"

"Who says I can't! You're not my dad!"

"Aye and be glad that I'm not!"

...Rip and tear?"

"DO NOT!"

~Naruto and Jodie.

Going For A Walk (Interlude)

"POWER! Unlimited poweeeeeeeeer~!"

Mad-albeit somewhat feigned-cackle sprang from Jodie's throat as she lifted her hands and pulled toward her enemies; seizing human and alien alike in visible tendrils of azure. Those nearest were luckier than most, in that their deaths proved relatively painless. The closest Cerberus Sentinel found himself caught by the sudden Pull without warning, ripped from the floor with such force that his body physically evaporated upon contact with the wall, rendered little more than a scarlet smear against the sundered steel.

"Oh." she all but felt Liara's startled blink through the comms. "Remind me not to anger you."

"Fuck yeah, that's more like it!" Myra cackled. "Why didn't you do this earlier?!"

Naruto's groan was quick to follow. "Just...don't let her break the base."

"Lalalala can't hear you!"

Rounding on the next wave, the clone brought her hands together in an explosive clap.

Dark energy surged from her palms in response, roaring forward in a sinuous surging shockwave down the narrow corridor. Caught in such an enclosed space, the Blood Pack had nowhere to run. Some tried to fling themselves into thin alcoves to avoid the cascade. Others attempted to hunker down behind shattered walls or upturned debris. A few foolish vorcha even dared to stand their ground and fire headlong into the storm, heedless of the blue death coming for them. Idiots. Who fired a missile into a shockwave?!

They all died horribly.

Her biotics spared none, ripping through every opening to rend flesh and steel asunder. Some disintegrated outright, others were torn limb from limb, thrown about like broken dolls. The survivors fared little better; in ther pride the Cerberus troops had foolishly trusting to their tried and true armor to weather the storm.

It didn't save them from the Reave that followed.

This was glory.

A strength she'd never known.

Jodie flung a hand forward and crushed it into a fist, rendering a nearby turret into a finely meshed ball of scrap. A thought set it shrieking forward with all the speed of a meteor, dashing it against any unlucky enough to find themselves in its path. Clattering past into the atrium beyond the metal struck an unmanned Atlas mech and detonated explosively, sending the hulking machine toppling down on an unfortunate pilot who'd been about to board.

It felt good to cut loose.

Freeing.

Even now she could feel her biotic amp burning pleasantly in the back of her neck; a slow rising burn that spurred her onward in spite of her comrade's concerns. It wasn't the fabled lightning she wanted to emulate, but it would do in its stead. And if it terrified the enemy, then who was she to question it? That was her purpose in this op, after all. Shock and awe. Terrify the enemy so badly that they wouldn't even think to fight back.

A thought ripped a bulkhead free and cast it at them.

"C'mere, boys! I'm not done with-

Thunk.

A harsh crack ripped through her shields and crashed against the visor of her helmet, momentarily obscuring her vision. Even as she dispatched the shooter a second shot smashed against the back of her head to send her stumbling forward in spite of her barrier. Her loyal shield endured the hit, but the casing did not. With a pitiful groan a portion of the hardened material cracked and split away from her face, exposing the girl's pale visage to the flickering light of the facility. Admittedly a crude piece of technology and one acquired at the last minute, it was something of a miracle it had lasted this long at all. Nevertheless...

"I. Liked. That. Helmet."

An errant centurion gurgled in surprise as he beheld her face.

"Holy shit, its Shepard!"

It was the worst thing he could have said.

A muscle jumped in her jaw, eyes blazing blue.

Exasperated, the redhead reached around and crushed his throat to red splinters.

Jodie wanted to shout at them. She wanted to scream. She wasn't Shepard. Not her. Not ever. It wasn't her fault she'd been born this way. Manufactured. Created. In that moment her anger became all too real, the brief glee she'd experienced withering in a drought of all-encompassing fury-no. Wait. Belatedly she realized she could use this, turn it against the enemy. After all, it was common knowledge that the Commander was running with Cerberus these days. Of course they'd be startled to see her here. Moreover, it gave her a chance to vent

...to unleash all the fury that had been building in her chest from the moment they'd set foot here.

Casting the broken corpse aside, she towards upon the remaining troops. They all flinched.

Her smile shone like the sun, but her eyes burned with unholy fury.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." she purred sweetly.

Humming softly, Jodie did what she did best.

She went for a walk.

A/N: Feels good to get back to this after so long.

Again, I'm sorry this was short. Its an interlude after all. I don't blame you if you're angry with me for this short update. You have every right to be. Think of it as a teaser of things to come. Really, its a miracle I was able to write at all given the fact that I'm in crippling pain, BARELY able to move my arms, oh, and about to get a tooth pulled. Anyone who's been there knows the utter and unmitigated HELL that is. Toss in long roots and there you have it.

Oh, and did I mention the bad break up? Seriously, I don't know why I bother trying anymore, everytime its some no good CHEATING W-

No, no, no, not ranting. Not at all.

Yet despite that, no, in spite of it, I still pulled through to write this for you all.

What can I say? Writing is my passion. Always has been, always will be.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

And of course, enjoy the previews!

Bit of tongue in cheek, here~!

(Preview)

"FEAR ME MORTALS!"

...yeah, I'll go have a talk with her.

"I'm a simple man. I follow the three B's in life."

"Three B's, you say? And those are?"

"Bombs. Booze. Babes."

...you're hired."

"Naruto, no!"

"Why not?!

TIM bristled.

"We could do great things together-

The last thing he expected was laughter.

"Oh, I'm sorry." the blond sighed, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye. "Bullshit always gives me the giggles."

"You're absolutely infuriating sometimes!" Aghast, she flung up her hands and seized his in her own. "Its always Shepard this, Shepard that!"

Naruto cocked his head, considering.

"Shepard? I don't really care about her one way or the other. She can do her thing, you can do yours. Why's it matter?"

Jodie absolutely hissed at him.

"You don't have her face!"

"True, I don't."

A blow brow rose in mild amusement as he gazed down at her petulant pout. Hmm. That was a new one. When had she learned that? Had Samara been teaching her? With hands balled at her sides and misty eyes, she almost reminded him of a child who'd had their favorite toy taken away. No, a sister. Huh. He'd never had one of those before-

CRUNCH.

As if sensing that thought, her fingers tightened against his tenfold.

Not a sister, not a sister at all!

The door trembled.

"Huh. They have a Krogan."

Steel trembled anew beneath Grunt's assault.

"Scratch that," Sidonis grimaced softly, "A BIG Krogan."

"Well, we have a hard counter to that, don't we? Send in the mech."

Hope you enjoyed! R&R~! =D