#and cayde looked to be a bit taken just like sloane. much to think about

[defiledtomb]

I found out about Cayde being "back" thanks to you, so bless you. I wonder how Bungie is gonna fuck with us this time?

I knowww. And past me is just shaking her head saying this was always gonna happen.

But either way, I'm super happy just to have him around again, I missed feeling like I wanted to stuff him into ravioli, hang on the washing line, wobble like laminated paper etcetc

[lumi-klovstad-games]

Ramses-17′s opinions on Destiny 2′s cast in the unfortunate event of his Death or Amnesia

The Prompt: Your Guardian, or a character of your choice, making video logs in case they die or start losing their memories

Ramses-17:

*shuffles nervously in front of the camera*

Hey you... so, I guess I’m either dead-dead or I’ve lost my memory completely. If I’m dead, I hope I pulled a Cayde-6 and went out like an absolute badass, defiant to the end. I mean, not that I’m eager to punch out or anything, but I at least hope my death measures up to what I hope my life amounted to. Preferably, even more so, but that’s a tall order. It’s been quite a life so far.

Some notes: I hope Saint-14 is still hanging around. If he is, go say hi. Make friends with him. He’s a damn good example of the very best of us. The image of a Guardian. He’s the icon I strive to live up to -- he taught me what it means to be a Titan and a Guardian. Just don’t don’t engage in a snowball fight with him. I don’t care how tempting it seems.

Be nice to Zavala. Yes, he’s made some dick calls, I mean, really dick calls... but his one love and loyalty is the City. Everything he’s done, smart or not, kind or not, was in its defense. He just... doesn’t understand that not all Guardians are like him, I think. You can get the story of what went down between us from Ikora, Shaxx, or Reena Feng but... dammit I’m just no good at telling stories. Point is, don’t judge him too harshly. There’s a good man underneath that gruff and social ineptness. Kind of like me, I guess.

Speaking of Reena Feng... it’s taken me a while to come to terms with the girl, and the choices she made, but ultimately... she made a better call than I did at the time. Showing mercy to Kaya-Sei was absolutely the right call, and I’m glad she was there to stop me. If she hadn’t been there, I think I would have regretted my decisions forever. If it’s Ramses-18 watching? Go thank that plucky Warlock. Say 17 told you to do it. She’ll laugh it off, tell a joke to try to deflect how much it makes her feel, but she’ll really appreciate it. With luck, you’ll be best friends with her, just like I used to be.

On the note of Kaya-Sei: she’s not that different from Zavala. She’s stuck in her way of seeing the world, but she’s not a bad person. If you cross paths with her, don’t treat her like the traitor everyone says she is. You can absolutely trust her, and this is coming from me, so that’s gotta mean something. Normally I wouldn’t say “trust the personal hitwoman of Mara Sov”, but if Kaya’s involved, take her side. She’s damn well earned that apology from me. Also her judgment is much better than it looks from the outside, which is a good thing because sometimes she really looks like a moron. Don’t tell her I said that. I mean, the part where I called her a moron. Go ahead and flatter her with the bit where I said she has good judgment. Mostly because it’s true.

Quick bits: Ikora Rey? Excellent sagely counselor. If you have concerns, she has some of the best advice out there. If you’re concerned about where to turn or what to do, ask her. You won’t regret it.

Drifter? Keep well away from that smarmy bastard. Something about him doesn’t add up, and the loot just isn’t worth the risk.

Ada-9: Worth kissing up to. Her gear is second to none. Just... learn to put up with the attitude; it’s not going away.

Devrim Kay: I may not have taste buds, but his tea is so good I’ve forgotten that fact any number of times. You can rely on him too. He may not have a Ghost, but he’s every inch a guardian in my book.

Asher Mir: ...kind of an asshole with a heart of jerk. Deal with him only when you must.

Sloane: Lady gets stuff done. Can be gruff, but don’t let it get to you. She’s worth getting to know.

Failsafe: I used to stop by every weekend and play board games with her. You should too. I know she likes the intellectual stimulation and the company.

Ana Bray: Ana Bray.... what do I say about her? That she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen? That I’m grateful to have ever known her? That she’s kick ass? That she helped me discover some bits about myself before I was all... metal? Ana’s brave and beautiful and unconventional and a trouble magnet, but she’s up there with the best of us. She should be a legend, in my opinion. But maybe I’m biased. If you’re watching this, Ramses-18: go get her, Tiger. 

Eris Morn: Queen of spookiness. Has a knack for knowing where we should really make our stand. You should absolutely dance in front of her. The worst that can happen is raisins. *barely contained laughter* 

Emperor Calus: Bad news, and definitely that “friend” nobody should like. Steer clear.

Xur: Oh dear god, ditto. Even if his loot is awesome, he’s shifty as hell and keep an eye on him. You don’t need his gear anyway. A real Guardian makes do and has plenty of tools in every situation anyway. Whatever he’s selling, you don’t need it. Even if it is really, really cool.

Tess Everis: Shrewd woman. Offers some neat stuff, but keep your hand on your cash when you deal with her, because she’ll probably rob you blind and call it “commerce”. Cayde never did finish that investigation of whether or not she ran Eververse sweat shops in the City. You should look into that for me.

Fenchurch Everis: I really don’t think he exists. Tess 100% made him up. I mean, has anyone ever actually seen him? Like, in person? Exactly. He’s pure fiction and you need to tell Tess to knock those stupid stories off.

Petra Venj: God I hate her. But... *sighs* she occasionally makes a good point and she’s handy in a fight. Also, if you kill her, I’m pretty sure Kaya-Sei will go all hitwoman on you and you will not make it through the rest of the week so play nice, I guess.

Mara Sov: Everything I just said about Petra Venj goes triple for Mara Sov.

Mithrax: Pretty damn chill for a Fallen.

Spider: Same, and oddly trustworthy. Do not trust him anyway, just for pragmatism’s sake.

Osiris: Means well but will 100% screw you over purely by accident. Keep your distance, but be ready for Ikora to draft you into cleaning up his latest mess on a monthly basis.

Banshee-44: Ever seen an Exo with Alzheimer’s? Banshee’s as close as you get. I heard a rumor that 44 is just the amount of reboots he lost count at. Either way, he’s got a memory like a sieve, but it’s hard to find a better gunsmith. Be patient with him. He’s been through more than I could possibly know.

Shaxx: He’s loud, he’s proud, he will get you killed many, many, many times, but he’ll help you stand back up every time. He’s quality guardian.

Lord Saladin: He’s grim, but like Eris, he comes by it honestly. Make sure he adds my name to his list.

Amanda Holliday: God I love her. She’ll have more than few tales to tell you about me. Not just me, lots of interesting stuff from our recent history. I think she’s seen almost as much as I have, and in a much shorter span. I have no clue how she keeps it together, but she does, and I’m grateful.

Suraya Hawthorne: I mean, she’s a nice gal and a great ally, but I think her desk job is getting to her -- sometimes it seems like she doesn’t realize how much stuff actually happened since she took her posting in the Tower. Poor girl needs some time in the field again if you ask me.

Who else is left? I guess I should mention Caesar, my ghost. Hopefully he’s watching over a Ramses-18, who is hopefully watching this. We’ve been through some times together, and hopefully, he’s there to get you through some more. I couldn’t ask for a more stalwart partner.

I guess all that’s left is me. I’ve always been a survivor. From Twilight Gap all the way to the Crimson Spire Offensive, I’ve made it through battle after battle. If I’ve lost my memory, maybe in some way it’s a blessing. I can’t begin to tell you the things that witnessing what I have does to a mind. Sometimes it’s better to simply know what you’ve faced and overcome and not know the details. I wouldn’t choose to forget any of it, but... if I have, I’d be hard pressed to say I regret the loss. But if you’re watching this, I don’t care if you’re Ramses-18 or someone else: by watching this, you’re picking up a piece of my legacy.

Go on and make something great with it. Most (keyword: MOST) of the folks I’ve mentioned will help. But you’ve sat and listened to an old Exo reminisce long enough. The future’s yours, Guardian. Go build it.

[changingourdestiny]

Coronation Part 1: New Year, New Mischief

Summary:

It's New Year's Day at the Tower and Fireteam Paralight, along with Cayde, are laughing over the events of the previous night. But when an excited Marcia drags them down to the Annex with seemingly no explanation, they can only wonder what in the name of the Traveller is going on?

Next Part: Here

It’s been a little over two months since Fireteam Paralight took on the horrors of the Moon with Eris Morn and Marcia Wyverk, and things have seemed to have gotten crazier since. From killing the Undying Mind in multiple timelines to saving the legend known as Saint-14 (and a fan-boy moment from Adam), Paralight have had their hands full. And as the three of them know all too well, they’ll only get crazier from here. But nothing could prepare them for what was to happen… It was New Year’s day on Earth. Even on a cold morning like this one, the courtyard was still fairly busy with Guardians either returning from twilight patrols or heading out for morning ones, while some were just stumbling out to get fresh air while recovering from hangovers caused by the night before. Rae leaned against the Tower railing as she looked out over the City. Rae was never one for alcohol, so she was fully sober the whole night and had the pleasure of remembering all of the…interesting events that played out. Her thoughts were interrupted by a yawn as a sleepy Cayde strolled up beside her, leaning back against the railing. “Good morning.”  Rae smiled. “Mornin’” Cayde mumbled as he stretched his arms. “Told ya not to stay up so late.” Rae chuckled as she shook her head. “And miss the entertainment? No way!” Cayde chuckled as he recalled the events of last night’s New Years party. “Did I miss anything?” Rae asked as she stood up straight. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. From what I heard, Blaze had Firefly record the whole thing and put together a compilation vid.” Cayde reassured, “Though I kinda feel bad for the massive headache that-” Cayde cut himself off as he spotted a very proud-looking Blaze and a tired-looking Adam approach them. “Ah! And here comes the star of last night!” Cayde laughed. “Ugh…what happened last night?” Adam groaned; hand pressed against his forehead. “You haven’t told him yet?” Rae enquired, turning to Blaze. “Figured I’d wait until I was with you guys to show off the finished product.” Blaze grinned as Firefly popped up beside her. “I got all the best bits and put them into a little video for all to enjoy!” Firefly chirped. “Wait…best bits? Best bits of what?” Adam asked, giving everyone confused glances as Stormbringer hovered beside him. “I’m sorry, Adam.” Stormbringer apologised, “I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen.” “Back up.” Adam held up his hands, “What the hell happened last night?” “Well…” Rae began, “After midnight, Saint wanted to challenge people to a drinking contest. And you decided it’d be a great idea to take him up on the offer. He was fine, but…we found out you’re a serious lightweight.” “Oh no…” Adam’s face went noticeably pale, “Please tell me I didn’t do anything dumb.” “If ya didn’t, I wouldn’t have this compilation!” Firefly replied as she began to show the video. It featured Adam giggling at nearly every little thing, marching around while singing in Swedish, going around and telling all the Titan’s that they’re his best friend, including Zavala, Sloane, Shaxx and Saint, and even a clip of him going around with Storm displaying a picture of Petra while Adam told the others to ‘look at his lovely girlfriend’ and how ‘he’s the luckiest Guardian this side of the solar system’. Blaze, Cayde and Rae just chuckled as they watched Adam’s face get redder and redder before the compilation finally ended. “I gotta say, Adam.” Rae began, “You’re quite the extrovert when you’re drunk.” “Please tell me you haven’t shown that video to anyone.” Adam begged. “Nah, I didn’t show anyone.” Blaze grinned as Firefly disappeared. “Thank the Traveller…” Adam breathed a sigh of relief. “But I did send a copy to Petra.” Blaze snickered before running off. “BLAZE, I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!” Adam yelled as he took off after the laughing Hunter. “I don’t know who to feel bad for – Adam or Blaze.” Cayde chuckled “She asked for it, in fairness.” Rae shook her head, “Anyway, we should get to our posts before Zavala has our heads.” “Guardians. It does not matter that your head is practically exploding. Get out there and fight the Darkness. War. Poetry. Knitting.” Rae laughed at Cayde’s Zavala impression before suddenly stopping and covering her mouth. “What?” Cayde asked, confused. “As ‘amusing’ as your impressions are, Cayde, it’s time you got back to your post.” Cayde froze up upon hearing the familiar voice of the Titan Vanguard behind him. “A-aha! Right! See ya, Zavala!” Cayde grabbed Rae’s arm as he took off towards the Hanger, leaving Zavala shaking his head before heading to his own post. ——————————————————————— “Happy New Year, Amanda!” Rae greeted as she and Cayde entered the Hanger, Colonel fluttering over to Cayde before nestling in his arms. “Mornin’, you two. Happy New Year!” Amanda called from under the Sparrow she was working on. “Good morning, comrades.” Rae heard Saint call as he descended the steps of his ship. “Morning, Saint. All good after last night?” “Ha! Last night’s contest was child’s play. Although, I cannot say the same for Adam. How is he?” “He has two headaches.” Cayde replied, setting Colonel down on the ground before following Rae to Saint’s ship. “Two?” Saint asked, confused. “Yeah. One’s in his head an the other he’s chasing around the Tower.” “Ah yes! The little Hunter that was filming. Blaze, yes? Which reminds me, what is the name of the Hunter with the little mark under her eye? Black hair, scars on the cheek.” “You mean Marcia?” Rae asked. “Yes, that’s it. I saw her looking about the hanger earlier.” Saint replied, “She seemed excited about something.” “Uh oh…” Rae began, “When Marcia gets excited over something, that thing’s usually not something good.” “There you are!” Rae and Cayde jumped upon hearing Marcia’s voice echo through the hanger. Marcia rushed over to them from the hanger entrance with a beaming grin on her face, “You two. With me. Annex. Now!”, grabbed their arms and began dragging them away. “Okay, this is happening then!” Cayde exclaimed. “See ya, Saint!” Rae called as they were dragged out of the hanger. “Is it always like this here?” Saint asked. “Yup. Pretty much.” Amanda replied. ——————————————————————— “Hurry it up!” Marcia dragged Cayde and Rae down into the Annex. “Can you at least tell us what you’re up to?” Rae asked. “Nope. Not now. Not here. Too many ears. It’s bad enough I need Vanguard help for this, but I need as much help as possible.” Marcia replied, before shooting a glare at Cayde, “Plus, a certain someone still owes me for their stunt a few months back.” Marcia dragged them into Drifter’s room in the Annex where he was there with Adam and Blaze – the latter having a noticeable bruise on her forehead. “He caught ya?” Rae asked. “He caught me.” Blaze replied, “Worth it, though.” Rae rolled her eyes playfully as Marcia finally let go of her and Cayde. “So mind telling us what you’re up to now?” Adam asked. “She didn’t tell you guys either?” Cayde asked as he watched Marcia rush about the back of the room. “Nope.” Blaze shrugged, “We asked Drifter, but he hasn’t a clue either.” “All I know is that she’s been running ‘bout the solar system ‘investigating’, as she puts it, since you got back from the Moon.” Drifter replied, tossing a coin into the air, “When she got back last night, she began rushin’ about the Tower saying stuff like ‘I got it!’ and ‘How’d I not think of this?’” A small crash was heard from the corner of the room followed by a small “Ow!” from Marcia. “Hey, be careful back there, yeah? I like my mess where it is.” Drifter called behind him. “Sorry!” Marcia called back as she emerged from the corner with a rolled-up map, “Okay, so ya’ll know how I’ve been getting those power surges, yeah?” she began, “Well, I didn't get the answers I was looking for on the Moon. But I think I know where to take the next step...and I'm gonna need some good ol' Paralight backup!" Marcia unravelled the map, “This look familiar?” “Is that…the Dreadnaught?” Rae asked. “Is that one of my maps?” Cayde added. “It’s a COPY of one of your maps…that I stole…and then put back…so it’s technically borrowed. But that ain’t the point!” Marcia replied, “After we got back from the Moon, I came to the conclusion that while it wasn’t the Pyramid that was causing the surges, it was definitely the Darkness or something similar. So I travelled to different patrol zones to see if I could see if anywhere provoked a similar reaction. I got nothing, until I arrived on Titan. My surges began to act up again and that got me thinking ‘Okay, so it’s not the Hive…so does it have something to do with the orbit around Saturn?’. Then I looked up and noticed that I could see Saturn from there…and a certain ship still hanging out in its rings. That’s when I had a serious ‘Duh!’ moment. It’s the Dreadnaught! The ship of the Taken King himself! In fairness, I should’ve figured it out from the start.” “So what do you need us for?” Adam asked. “I wanna get up there and find answers.” Marcia began, “But I can’t go up there alone. It’s Taken central, for Light’s sake, and it’s still teeming with Hive and some Cabal stragglers. There’s no way I can take ‘em all on my own, even if I didn’t have unstable power surges to worry about. So I need some capable hands to watch my six. Drifter’s already offered to tag along, but I knew I’d need more on board. So I figured ‘Hey! I’m on good terms with Paralight! And Cayde owes me. So why not?’. So what do ya say?” “Yeah, no.” Rae replied as she turned to walk away. “That’s the spiri- wait, what!?” Marcia exclaimed as she darted in front of Rae, “Why not?!” “The Vanguard have prohibited patrols on the Dreadnaught since the Red War. And I’m not getting my Fireteam in trouble nor am I putting them in danger because you want to go on a suicide mission.” Rae replied sternly, “Besides, what are we getting out of it? I’m not putting my friends at risk if there’s no outcome for us.” Marcia sighed before her expression turned serious, “Okay. I’m going to tell you something, but it’s to remain in this room at all costs until this mission is over, yeah?” “I’m listening.” Rae raised an eyebrow. “I…have a hunch of what I might find up there. It’ll be one of two things. I don’t wanna say what outcome A is in case it turns out to be outcome B, which is I become fully Taken or lose all control of my powers or something. If outcome A happens, though, it could be a major turning point in this war. If outcome B happens…I need people I know can put me down if I lose myself…people I can trust. Which is why I need you to help me with this. Please.” Rae stared at Marcia for a moment. Marcia had a stern and serious expression on her face, but Rae could see in her eyes that it was masking the fear and desperation she felt inside. Rae turned to Cayde and the rest of her Fireteam. “We’re in if you are, Sunrae.” Cayde spoke. Rae sighed in defeat as she turned back to Marcia, “Alright. We’re in.” Marcia’s face lit up as she grinned, “Hell to the yeah! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Get prepped up and meet me back here at 8am sharp tomorrow. We got a ship to storm!” Marcia darted out of the room while whooping in excitement. Rae sighed, "What did we get ourselves into...?" To Be Continued…

[fleetwoodmoth]

Deep Dark Nothing

       “So the missing research… is down a hole?” Buddy trailed behind Sloane as she hopped from outcropping to outcropping and deeper into the crevice that was torn in the earth’s crust.

       “That’s what my scans say, and as long as we don’t hang around too long we’ll be in and out soon enough to catch a crucible match before bed.”

       “You know sometimes your optimism scares me.”

       Sloane rolled her eyes, happy that he couldn’t see it behind her mask. The daylight that had once bathed the mouth of the cave with warm light above them barely trickled in now, Buddy’s light flickering on and giving the cavern an eerie washed out look. Everything was quiet besides the soft thud of Sloane’s boots as they met dirt.

       “Well, according to your map it should only be a bit further, I’m not picking up any signs of life either,” Buddy said.

       “Welp, let’s keep moving.”

       The way Sloane’s voice echoed off the walls made the whole place feel bigger and her feel much much smaller. There was something about the complete lack of light from the sun that always make her skin crawl, even though she worked with the void, used its power for her own, the darkness was never something she liked being in, at least not alone. She wracked her brain for something to talk about with Buddy, wanting his voice to fill the emptiness as they walked.

       “Vera seems nice,” Buddy finally broke the silence.

       Sloane blushed under her mask, her throat suddenly going dry. Vera was a Hunter, tall, pretty, nice smile and kinda eyes. She had been paired with Sloane by Cayde-6, someone to show her the ropes, help her learn to work with other classes outside of just Warlocks.

       By this point they had wandered into a large cavern that stretched out to their right, Buddy’s light barely reaching a stalactite that was nearly three times their size only a few feet from the ledge that hugged a curved wall to their left.

       “Yeah she—she’s pretty neat.” Sloane stammered quietly, although her voice was amplified nearly tenfold.

       “Pretty neat? That’s all?” Buddy’s voice bordering on teasing.

       “She’s sweet, she’s funny. She listens to me.”

       “So why haven’t you gone to dinner with her like she asked?”

       Sloane chewed her lip. Thank god for helmets.

       “I’m—small.”

       Buddy stopped, him being the only source of light forcing Sloane to stop moving as well.

       “You’re small?” she could hear a laugh in his voice.

       “I’m small and I talk too much and sometimes I just zone out when I’m studying and I’m not good with people—“

       “You have plenty of friends, Sloane.”

       “First of all they’re nice to me because they feel bad for me—“ “That’s not true.” “—and the rest are friends by extension and because of work.”

       “You really don’t think people want to be your friend because you’re nice? Because you’re smart and kind?”

       Sloane trudged forward into the darkness, determined to ignore Buddy despite the fact that she couldn’t actually see all that well. Buddy’s light finally caught up with her after a few feet, quietly trailing after her.

       “You are all those things, you know that right?” He said after a moment.

       “Sometimes I don’t know,” Sloane replied quietly.

       They continued, the ping on Buddy’s system getting closer and closer until they were nearly on top of it.

       “Should be here,” she said, scanning the alcove that was carved into the wall they had been skirting. It was a small space with another path that lead deeper downwards on the opposite wall.

       As Buddy’s light roamed the interior a tremor shook the cave around them, loose rocks from the ceiling above raining down on them as Sloane looked back from where they came.

       “That… didn’t sound good,” Buddy had stopped his search as well, both of them frozen for a second, listening for anything approaching. After a moment another tremor, this time clearly the sound of an explosion going off not far in the distance shook the floor beneath them.

       “I hope that’s not what I think it is,” Buddy said.

       “Taken.” Sloane said as the rumbling grew closer.

       “Run, we need to run.”

       Sloane followed Buddy, halfway wondering if she should stand and fight only to remind herself of the odds of her survival if it ended up being a Lieutenant or worse. Buddy’s light was steady as they tried to tread lightly, the only sound Sloane could hear was the rumbling footsteps of Taken behind them. The cave made it harder to distinguish where they were coming from or how close they were but she didn’t want to stick around to find out.

       “What if this just leads to a dead end?” Buddy asked.

       “Then we’ll have no choice but to—“

       “Sloane!”

       Her ankle twisted painfully in its socket as she reached out to grab at nothing but empty air, her heart leaping into her chest as the cavern floor crumbled under her right foot. She hadn’t even realized there was a hole there, about as wide as she was tall, various outcroppings leading downwards into the dark. Buddy heard her let out a sharp cry before a sickening thud and then silence before he heard her land. Buddy raced downwards, the sound of Taken nearly upon them, hoping they would be stupid enough to pass them by. The hole twisted slightly before ending in a curved well like bottom, nothing but a straight drop without an exit. Sloane lay unmoving, Buddy could feel it, the pain in her body. He didn’t exactly experience the pain like people did, he just knew, like an alarm going off in his head. As the hoard of Taken passed overhead Buddy set himself down beside her, waiting for silence, hoping that Sloane wouldn’t make much noise when she woke.

       When it seemed all was clear Buddy rose again, scanning over Sloane’s body and marking the various broken ribs, broken arm and sprained ankle for the medics that he was sure would find them. It took a few moments before he felt safe enough to turn on his light.

       “Sloane,” he said quietly.

       He hadn’t noticed at first but her helmet was badly damaged, a large crack that ran lengthwise on the left side, sparks crackling out of it like a thunderhead.

       “Sloane, wake up,” he said, this time a little louder.

       Sloane shuttered before a pained gasp broke free from her. She twitched, breathing rapidly increasing in speed as her hands fumbled with her helmet, one harder to maneuver than the other because of the broken arm. There was a click and finally she pulled it off, flinging it to the side. Buddy could see the blood that was smeared down the side of her face, the half circle scars around her left eye that she had risen with seemed to have opened again along with fresher cuts. Sloane’s eyes were wide and panicked and with each breath, she let out a whine that sounded like a terrified animal.

       “You fell quite a ways, if we can get you topside then we can…” Buddy trailed off, Sloane wasn’t listening to him, she pressed her hands to her face.

       “Don’t do that, you’ll hurt yourself more,” he tried to nudge her arms away.

       Sloane blinked rapidly, her head was swimming and throbbing, spots clouded her vision but so did…scenes? Like stills from a movie. Some she recognized, the tower, Ikora, lunch with Vera, Ishtar Academy, the library. But then, then there were things she had never seen before, places she had never been, people she had never met. And her. It was Sloane, but it wasn’t, long white hair braided down her back, she was talking to a boy her age, Awoken, she couldn’t see his face. Then the scene changed, phantom hands dug into her skin, twisting and pulling at wrong angles, cries were caught in her throat, her nose was broken. Another change, a child, hair like hers, face buried into her shoulder as someone screamed at her, she was running.

       “Sloane? Can you hear me?”

       Sloane was slipping away from him, he could feel it like he could feel her injuries, a fog had fallen over her as pain thrummed in her skull. She pushed herself up suddenly, scrambling backwards until her back hit a wall where she curled in on herself, Buddy could see the tears that stained her face, her pupils blown and uneven, obvious signs of a concussion.

       “Sloane, talk to me, we need to get you out of here,” Buddy pleaded.

       Sloane only stared and mumbled, sometimes whining and sobbing before going silent again. She was completely lost inside of herself. Buddy looked up above them then back to Sloane.

       “I can’t hail anyone from here, but… please, if you can still hear me stay put, I’ll be back I promise okay?” Buddy floated forward, gently tapping the top of his shell against her hand before withdrawing until he could see the top of the cavern.

       He hated leaving her like this, scared and in the dark no less, but she needed help that he couldn’t provide, he needed to get someone down to her so they could go home. Buddy floated up to the main walkway with ease before flying off as fast as he could, searching desperately for the light of the sun. When his light was gone Sloane began to see them, like ghosts dancing in front of her in the darkness, she curled her arms around her legs tighter, closing her eyes only to find that they were there too. Faces she didn’t know, places she had never seen before, the flashes seemed to coincide with the pain in her temples, like someone was taking an icepick to them. Fighting the Vex, Mars, The Reef, that one noodle dish she loved, Crucible matches, Shaxx’s laugh in her ear, Vera’s soft hands, the familiar memories were the ones she tried to hold onto, tried to keep with her but eventually they slipped away and were replaced with fire and screaming and running and crying. Sloane felt her energy waning, the adrenaline fading as pain gripped her body. It was hard to breathe, her muscles were stretched tight and ached, her arm throbbed horribly and her foot had gone numb.

       She stared off into the darkness in front of her, lucidity coming and going, unsure of whether or not she was conscious anymore. Above her Buddy raced upwards and out into the blinding daylight, watching anxiously as his coms connected with the tower.

       “Guardian down, requesting immediate emergency assistance, sending coordinates now.”

       Buddy repeated the message several times, searching the sky in the direction of the tower, waiting for any signs of a ship coming their way. He wanted to be back down there with Sloane, from here her signal was too weak, he didn’t like the strange fuzziness he felt in their connection. He wasn’t sure how long he waited, well, that wasn’t true, sixty-five minutes and thirty-two seconds, it took them sixty-five and a half minutes to finally come into sight, two ships he recognized, the Hunter and Titan within he knew just as well. They came to a swift landing, Vera the first to come out and rush towards him, Rosie not far behind.

       “Where is she?” She asked, Buddy having already turned to lead them underground.

       “There were Taken, a whole shitload of them, we ran but Sloane lost her footing. I don’t think—I don’t think she’s all there right now,” Buddy explained as he waited for the two as they maneuvered the ledges down into the darkness.

       “Why was she down here to begin with?” Rosie asked as they hit the bottom.

       “Apparently some data was lost down here a while ago that she picked up on last week. This was supposed to be an easy in and out.”

       Vera shook her head as Buddy led them deeper into the cavern. They stopped suddenly as Buddy came to halt for half a second.

       “Something out there?” Vera asked.

       “I don’t sense anything,” her own ghost, Gus, pipped up.

       Without warning Buddy took off, Vera and Rosie breaking off into a sprint to keep up.

       “What’s wrong?” Vera called.

       “Her consciousness, it’s not strong. I can’t let her die there.” Buddy said careening around a corner, searching for the path they had taken.

       “This way,” Buddy led them through the alcove and through the opening on the other end, down a slight incline before coming to a stop above the opening.

       As they settled Vera could hear it, soft and echoing from the bottom, it was some kind of mixture of slurred words and sobs. Her heart clenched in her chest as she hurled herself down the hole before Buddy could even tell her they were in the right place. The space was cramped, they wouldn’t be able to get both Rosie and herself in there much less get Sloane out.

       “Stay there, I’ll bring her up!” Vera called.

       Despite the limited space, she had to search for Sloane who had managed to shove herself into a small nook, she was on her side eyes squeezed shut, blood smeared down half her face and arms pulled tight to her chest.

       “Sloane sweetie? Can you hear me?” Vera crouched down and shuffled towards her.

       Sloane didn’t respond she just continued to mumble things Vera couldn’t understand. She eyed Sloane’s helmet not far from where she lay, a large crack in its face. It was a miracle she didn’t bash her brains out, at least then Buddy would have been able to revive her. Vera shook her head at the thought.

       “C’mon, open your eyes Sloane, I’m here, we’re taking you home.”

       Vera reached out and gently took Sloane’s hand, Sloane yanked it back, eyes snapping open and looking at her like she were a monster in the dark. She took in a sharp breath, blinking heavily like there was something in her eyes before she opened her mouth.

       “Are you real?” She said in a voice so small it took a moment for Vera to register it.

       “Yes, yes Sloane I’m here. Rosie and I came to get you. We’re gonna take you home,” Vera said softly.

       Sloane took her in for a moment, scrunching her face and blinking heavily a few times before she reached out a hand. Vera noted the way she cradled the other against her chest and the way her hand was twisted at a strange angle. She no doubt took a few injuries when falling. Vera pulled Sloane out and sat her up, Sloane’s head lulling to the side and eyes rolling into the back of her head as she slumped against her. Vera pulled her against her chest, despite how limp she was Sloane kept muttering, this time she could hear her a little clearer, although as she kept repeating the same words over and over, who is she?

       “Coming up!” Vera called before boosting from ledge to ledge before finally settling beside Rosie.

       She couldn’t see her face but Vera could tell by the way Rosie went rigid that she was scared for Sloane. Vera couldn’t blame her, as the light of three ghosts lit her up she looked basically dead. Although death wasn’t much of a big deal with Guardians, seeing someone you care about bite the dust or even nearly do so is still jarring to the system. It’s a natural reaction to get that sick and scared feeling when faced with mortality no matter how briefly.

       Rosie took point, Buddy trailing silently behind them while Vera kept up in the middle. She had forgotten how light Sloane was. She didn’t dare look down at her though, the way her eyes rolled in her head like they had a mind of their own and how her lips would move but no sound would come out coupled with the fact that her face was still covered in blood made her look like she were undead.

       “She was saying things, mumbling about ‘her’ and ‘who is she’ over and over. She’s confused, those scars next to her eye that she rose with, I think that has something to do with it,” Buddy explained.

       “Let’s just get her home, then we can worry about all that,” she said quietly as they headed for the exit.