"Denied." A stout female(?) volus says monotonously.
"What? Why was I denied?" I ask in shock.
"Huuhhh..." The volus sighs, "You don't have any military experience, you have no weapons or armors, and I'm certain you don't have the credits to cover the licensing fee." She explains.
"Um... How much is the licensing fee?" I ask hesitantly.
"100,000 credits a year." She says plainly before waving her hand and calling for the next applicant as I'm escorted out with my plan shot to shit.
"Damn… Now what do I do to make money…" I mumble as I wander around the wards of the citadel.
Before stumbling into a bar. I notice a couple krogan fighting on a raised platform in the center with a crowd cheering and passing credits like crazy as the wagers are being placed at the last minute.
A familiar krogan with red armor and head plate seems to be dominating his grey armor and head plated opponent before tossing him out of the ring to the cheering crowd below. Slightly crushing a hanar, but after a few moments it is able to stand up without issue.
"And the winner and still reigning champion! Urdnoght Wrex!" The turian announcer exclaims.
"Will anyone be able to usurp our reigning champion's title?" The announcer asks the crowd.
"Hey! Can anyone challenge the champ, or just fighters?" I shout up to the announcer which brings the room to a dead silence.
The announcer looks to Wrex who seems to be sizing me up with interest, before turning to the announcer and nodding.
Causing the crowd to gasp before rapidly throwing down bets... Though I notice in the corner an odds calculator... And it showed Urdnoght Wrex vs Unknown 26:1 odds in favor of Wrex... Shit, this may not go well...
"Hey, can I place a bet on myself to win?" I ask much to the crowd's enjoyment as they laugh at my question.
"We don't normally let the fighters bet on the fight... But..." He pauses to look at the odds stacked against me before checking with Wrex once more who has begun giving his trademark malicious smile and nods once more.
"You're in luck kid, sure bet whatever you got and pray you won't need it for the hospital bill afterwards." The announcer agrees before going to register more bets.
I check my bank account and make a startling discovery... I only have 3,169 credit to my name! I'm poor as fuck!
Oh well, I should be able to handle this, I've fought a lot worse than a Krogan before... Wait? Have I? Why aren't I nervous but instead excited to fight Wrex, one of the most badass squad mates in all of Mass Effect?
Maybe it's the alien DNA, but I think I can take him... Fuck it, yolo! Wait, yolt! Why am I getting the strangest sense of deja vu? Whatever, I throw all my money down and pray to Malacath for victory before stepping up to the platform.
I see Wrex cracking his joints before striping off the plating of his armor til just a thin under suit remains.
"Wanted to give my first civie challenger a fighting chance at lasting more than a minute in the ring. Hehehe..." Wrex taunts me before giving his signature laugh.
"Sure thing big guy, definitely not ta have an excuse for when I mop this floor with your scally hide." I quip back making the audience Oooo in shock at my comeback.
"Careful kid, you might be the ugliest thing I've seen this side of the galaxy, but I don't want to be responsible for making your mug so much worse that even your mother wouldn't recognize you. That is if you even have one." Wrex taunts me again as he begins circling me, trying to find an opening.
I raise my fists into a boxing position, blocking the upper portion of my body with my lanky arms serving as a barrier between us.
Wrex tests my guard with a quick jab that feels like a padded glove impacting the flesh of my forearms.
The density of my flesh shocking not only myself but Wrex too, as I see his eyes narrow as a second jab follows, this one hitting like a brick.
Though this time as Wrex pulls his clawed fist back I dart my hand forward, gripping his wrist using his momentum to pull my frame to his side as I slip down bringing my shoulder down into his lower abdomen pushing him back with my tackle.
Until Wrex can plant his feet into the ground of the platform and wraps his arms around my torso, lifting me up above his head for a heavy suplex as I land on the tail I kept hidden and we both hit the ground of the platform to the cheers of the audience with some already screaming at me to lose already.
Wrex squeezes me even tighter, as I feel my bones creak under his grip. I tighten my core, pulling my hips over my chest till I've rested on Wrex's thighs breaking his grip as I lean back and bring my arms up over my head before smashing my fist towards Wrex's face only to have him lean his head forward so that I make contact with his head plate, pushing us back at the point of contact, letting Wrex throw me from my mount on top of him.
Giving us both a moment to catch our breath as I roll with the throw and pop up to the balls of my feet.
The earlier banter between us gone, as Wrex looks at me more pointedly, like a real threat instead of just a cocky drunk who wanted to try his luck. And I'm shocked at how well I'm talking the beating from a notorious krogan.
Once on his feet, Wrex gets low and charges at me like a raging mammoth, all powerful and all encompassing, I only have a moment to tense my legs and leap up and over the charging krogan, planting my feet into his hump, pushing him off balance and to the ground.