Motion For Vengeance
"Aaaaaaaayyyyy they're back! All alive and well. Aaaaand Twilight's got a tiara," Cayde said as he noticed the seven walk in. "Looks good on you."
"Cayde? Your mouth is running off again. You may want to look into that," Ikora quipped. "I can tell you've got something for us. Care to share?"
"Aventus Da'axus is dead. The Slag Stomper legion on Equis is neutral towards Guardians. It's a huge step towards peace between us and the Cabal," Twilight said briskly.
"Twilight?" Fluttershy spoke softly to her love interest. "You should go rest. I think I can handle this."
"No, I—" Twilight was interrupted by Fluttershy grabbing her hand. "...alright..."
When Twilight walked away, Fluttershy turned towards the now intrigued Vanguard leaders. "That story comes later. Before we fought with Da'axus, we had a calm conversation with him, during which he explained his motivations. The Cabal empire seems to be in a losing war. They're winning most battles, but they're still losing resources and troops more quickly than they can be replaced. That's why the Cabal are here in your system. They're seeking the Traveler so they can turn its power against the threat to their empire."
"Then why are they shooting at us?" Zavala asked.
"From our conversation with Da'axus, the official reports say you shot first," Rainbow offered, plucking a damaged feather from her wings.
Zavala glared at them hard, but he knew they were right.
"The Cabal are here for the Traveler, and for something buried in Mars. Da'axus called it a leviathan intelligence," Fluttershy added.
"The Warminds..." Cayde whispered. "They're here for the Warminds."
"Before you start freaking out, Da'axus told us that their mission was to replicate it for their own defenses. Not steal it," Applejack chimed in.
"Letting them have such an advanced AI is a terrible idea. If they were to turn it against us they coul—"
"They are focused on ensuring they have a home to go back to," Rarity interrupted the Titan Vanguard representative. "They don't want to be fighting you. They want to go home. They want to see their families again."
The Vanguard room fell silent. Frames stopped working to look at the unfolding scene. Guardians watched for the reactions of Zavala and the other Vanguard leaders.
"Your goal is the survival of your City, correct? You don't have to win the war. You just have to not lose," Rarity finished. "War is loss. The only winning move is not to play."
Ikora smirked, proud of the Warlock before her for her wisdom and insight. "I think its time we end all Cabal-focused strikes and bounties. Lyle. Pull every Guardian out of Cabal territory on Mars."
A Frame saluted and began typing on a keyboard.
"What the hell is wrong with you? We're pulling out just like that? Based on the intel of our newest Guardians?" Zavala lashed. "From an enemy leader? We're just going to trust their word?"
"We are going to make an honest attempt at diplomacy. If there's a way out of these wars that doesn't involve so much killing, we're going to take it. And if it gets us an ally, then the more the merrier," Ikora growled in response at the Titan.
Cayde shuffled awkwardly as the room's attention fell on him. "Yeah, uh, I'm with her on this. I may hate Fallen, but I hate watching people die more."
Zavala huffed and stepped away from the table, walking over to the window. Ikora turned back to the six still at the table. "Anything else?"
"Our planet's denizens have been moved by the Cabal to another planet in a nearby system to our own, but we don't know where," Fluttershy reported. "His motivation for his attack on our home that ended up killing us was part of a plan provided by the Messenger, or as you know him, the Stranger from Hangar One."
"Interesting..." The Warlock rested her chin between her thumb and index finger.
"Ikora, if I may, I have a question to ask the Vanguard..." Shirska spoke up so Zavala could hear him.
"What is it, Shirska?" Ikora inquired with genuine interest.
"I wish to speak to Houses without leadership about joining a House aligned with City," Shirska proposed carefully. "House Exile, and perhaps House Devils? And House Winter if I am successful with others..."
"I'm not certain that is a good idea at the present time," Cayde said.
"May I ask why no?" the Captain inquired.
"There are a bunch of rumors about unrest in the House of Wolves in the Reef. The Queen's Emissary says there's been a few Wolves talking about a coup," the Exo responded. "There are remnants of the Wolves in other Houses, and I don't feel safe having entire Houses joining us in the Tower and giving the Wolves first-hand intel on our Guardians."
"...is fair point. What if after House Wolves unrest is calmed?" Shirska asked.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Cayde dismissed. "As of now you all have seven days of mandatory R-and-R. Go rest up. Relax a bit. Take some time in the City. Do something that isn't... shooting things. Also, congratulations on Level Twenty."
------
"Hey..." Fluttershy whispered as she entered her room she shared with Twilight. The unicorn in question was on the bed, buried deep under the covers. Her armor was strewn about on the floor, and her civilian clothes and pajamas were still in her closet. She lifter her head to look at her roommate. "How're you feeling?"
"I need to take a three year nap..." she mumbled back, letting her head hit the pillow again. "But I know it won't help... I'm a different kind of tired..."
Fluttershy set her helmet down on the nightstand on her side of their shared bed. "Do you want to talk about it...?"
"Not really..." Twilight rolled over and faced away from Fluttershy, who was removing her chestplate and boots.
When Fluttershy finished shedding her armor, she slipped under the covers and pressed as much of herself as close to Twilight as she could, wrapping her arms around the unicorn's waist, and planting a soft kiss on the back of her neck. The tension in her began to dissipate, and as Fluttershy's warm breath started to caress Twilight's naked form, her own breathing began to slow down and deepen.
"I love you, Shy," she whispered.
"I love you too, Twily," Fluttershy whispered back.
"Can we just... sleep like this for a while...?"
"Yeah..."
------
Shirska sat at the table with the six ponies he'd come to love as his friends. His hands all fidgeted nervously. All eyes were on him, intent on what he had to say. "I was born the same as everyone else. Small, and tender, knowing nothing of hatred or anger or suffering. I was born in the stars, like most of my people. That was normal. I was normal when I was born," he began his story.
"I was just old enough to know a few words and walk when I decided I wanted to be a male. My mother was very supportive and would let me wear male clothes and colors. My father... he was not as kind. He would constantly remind me that I was female. That I would never be male. That I would never be accepted as the gender I identified with."
"When my mother died, my father let me dress as I pleased, but the reminders were always there. Everyone always told me I should feel proud to have my father. I should feel proud of my nobility. I can only say I am not proud. I do not love my father. He is a hateful beast. He is a thing of Darkness, and I cannot forgive him for what he has done, and continues to do."
"What did he do to you...?" Applejack asked, already having a hunch.
A look from Shirska was all it took, but the Fallen spoke, "I was seven the first time..."
The six ponies' gazes fell to the floor. Applejack's hand curled into a fist, and arc energy snapped around it.
"I was forced to bear his child," Shirska choked out. "I was not allowed to terminate it... I tried to kill myself, but they stopped me..." Shirska paused for a moment, trying his best to hold his tears. "I was sixteen when I murdered a newborn."
Shirska shook his head and cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice wavered, but did not falter. "When I say I hate my father and will never forgive him, I do not mean the way you said about Da'axus. He had the right intention. My father is simply evil. There is no chance for his redemption. His life must end, and I need your help."
"We would help even if you didn't want it," Applejack said. "We can't let anyone like that exist."
"No one else should ever have to suffer like that..." Rarity added.
------
The seven walked into the Vanguard office with their armor on. Ikora was the first to notice, and turned to them. "You look like you have a mission," she said.
"We do. We're going to kill the Kell of the House of Kings," Twilight replied matter-of-factly. She stepped up to the holo-table and looked at each of the Vanguard leaders. "This mission is top priority."
"And how do you figure that?" Cayde asked almost sarcastically.
"Shirska wasn't just one of their Captains. He was their prince," Twilight said, clearing the table and working its controls to bring up a map of Earth.
"What's your plan, then? Waltz in, shoot him in the face a couple times?" Cayde scoffed.
"It's actually a bit more complicated than that. We're going to need several fireteams. Probably three, in addition to us," Twilight started, zooming in on a location near the east coast of the Old United States. "From Shirska's map of Earth, we've located their lair to be in the Washington, D.C. Cosmodrome. Their territory extends all the way to the LAX Cosmodrome now that the House of Devils has been forced out. But they haven't bothered extending their territory very far north. Our plan is to fly over the North Pole and down through Old Canada. From there we'll get as close to their front door as we can from the north, and we'll split fireteams up to distract them on the outside. On the inside, Shirska will lead us through their Ketch to find Zeklas, and then Shirska will challenge him to a sword fight, which their Prime Servitor will force him to accept."
"Oh, so it comes down to a sword fight between father and son?" Cayde chuckled. "You're serious?"
"As serious as the atrocities he's committed to me and my people," Shirska growled harshly at the Exo. "He is not good with swords. I am."
"Well, if you think it'll work, let's kill the motherfucker," Cayde shrugged and started tapping at the holo-table. "Bounty's set at thirty thousand for his death. Find your fireteams, and let us know when you're planning to leave. Remember, you're on mandatory leave until next week."
"We know," Twilight called back as she and the others left the Vanguard office.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Cayde turned to Ikora and Zavala, "They are a handful."
"I'd say at least four handfuls," Ikora jested. "They're going places."
"They've grown fast. We can only hope they've grown strong too," Zavala mused. "I still don't think removing Guardian presence from Mars is a good idea."
"Here we go," Cayde sighed.
"The Cabal and Vex are fighting over territory on Mars. We are their mutual enemy. If we pull out and the Cabal lose to the Vex, what point is there to diplomacy?" Zavala said.
"I don't think you paid quite as much attention as you think," Ikora replied. "I only pulled Guardians out of Cabal territory and terminated Cabal bounties. I didn't say we're pulling out of Mars."
------
Down in the City, five of the seven had chosen to go back to the pub where Fluttershy had punched the drunk Titan. The pegasus in question and her unicorn love interest had gone off somewhere with each other, leaving the other five to 'get into bar fights at [their] discretion' as Twilight put it when she parted from the group. Shirska, of course, had received many scared and hateful looks from passersby, but his presence with the other four Guardians saved him from being mobbed. There was, of course, the curious and wondrous looks from children seeing a Fallen for the first time, and the inevitable scared parents holding them close.
But once they were in the pub, the only looks he had on him were those of suspicious Guardians, off-duty and presumably at at least some level of drunkenness. When the hostess at the door looked up from her reservation sheet, she yelped slightly and put a hand on her sidearm. The four ponies around him all raised their hands in a 'hold your fire' gesture, which luckily got through to her.
"Table for five?" she asked timidly, still not quite fond of the idea of a Fallen walking into the pub.
"Yup," Applejack replied quickly.
"Right this way," the hostess said, grabbing five menus and leading the group towards a table. As soon as they were all seated, she handed each of them a menu and walked away.
At the bar, a line of Hunters sat, drinking and telling tales of the stupidest knife-fight they'd ever gotten themselves into. Across the way at a booth, several Titans were laughing loudly as one of them talked about their most recent escapade on the moon. A group of Warlocks debated quietly on the matter of something off in another corner near the window.
Shirska looked around, noticing at least one Guardian in each of the groups casting a suspicious glare at him. Soon, each of them pointed the Fallen Captain out to their respective groups, and the entire pub went silent, staring at him.
A Titan called out, "You don't belong here, Fallen!"
"Get the fuck out of our City!"
"Go home!"
Shirska let his head fall, and he looked back down at the table. Applejack glared back at the group of Titans, a deep scowl hardened onto her face. Her fist clenched tightly, and arc energy snapped and squeaked around it. Shirska placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned back to face him. "Let them believe what they will for now," he whispered to her.
Seconds passed like hours, the glares and whispers unceasing. The waiting staff seemed to stop functioning, none of them wanting to be the first to break the tension. The bartender watched carefully, drying a glass all the while.
"Can we get a waiter over here?" Applejack called without looking up from the table. A moment later, a nervous looking waiter stepped up to the table with a tablet in hand, introducing himself and telling them about the day's specials. From there, the pub started making noise again, returning to a normal-ish state. After that, the ponies put in their orders, and Shirska passed on it.
"How do we get assistance for mission if all of them hate me?" Shirska asked the ponies quietly.
"I'm not sure," Rarity replied.
"You could start by asking around," a familiar voice behind them said.
Applejack didn't bother turning around to face it. "What's up, Amuro?" she said flatly, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat.
"Heard you need three fireteams for a big raid on the House of Kings," Amuro replied, stepping up to the table with a tankard full of cider. "My team and I are in."
"Signing us up for shit without us again? Why are we even friends with you?" his Hunter companion chimed in, leaning against Amuro, who promptly twisted his body out from under the poor soul, making him fall unceremoniously to the floor.
"Because I saved your asses back in the Phoenix Cosmodrome," Amuro answered.
"Is just you three on team, or...?" Shirska asked, looking over Amuro and his two companions.
"Yeah, why?" the Warlock replied.
"We need three fireteams of six," Rarity murmured, taking a sip of her water.
"Oh. That makes things a lot more interesting," Amuro mused.
"Is shame..." Shirska said more to himself than to anyone else.
"What's a shame?" Pinkie asked curiously.
"Is shame I don't get to work with that attractive specimen..." Shirska chuckled, looking Amuro dead in the eyes. The human immediately looked behind him for someone else the Fallen may have been referring to. With no one else in his line of sight, he turned back around with a curious expression that was half flattered and half freaked out. "I want him..."
By that point everyone at the table was shifting odd glances at both Shirska and Amuro. Firstly because the ponies weren't sure they were seeing the same Amuro that Shirska was, and secondly because as Rarity put it so ladylike in that moment, "What the actual fuck?"
"If I learn of male human anatomy, I wish him as my teacher," Shirska seemed to purr with the intent to seduce the Titan.
Pinkie, in the back corner of the table, was clutching her gut and mouth in an earnest attempt to not ruin the moment with her laughter. Rainbow simply raised an eyebrow in pure confusion, unsure what had gotten into Shirska.
"Um... I uh... I don't swing that way," the human stammered.
"I am not understanding your meaning..." Shirska said. He reached out a hand and placed it almost longingly on Amuro's chestplate. "Perhaps words do not say what you mean?"
"I'm not gay," he said slightly more firmly.
The Fallen walked his fingers up the chestplate until the human stepped back a bit and nearly tripped. Shirska chuckled at the display of awkwardness, "You know nothing of me, and I think that is shame. You should visit my quarters. Perhaps we could... talk..."
"Dude... Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Amuro's Hunter friend murmured to his Warlock friend.
"Amuro's getting flirted with by a gay Fallen," the Warlock replied.
"He's trying so hard..." the Hunter whispered.
"This is sinful... I ship it," the Warlock said almost too calmly.
"Me too," the Hunter chuckled back as Amuro tried to get his shit together.
"I can fucking hear you," the flustered Titan growled at his comrades.
"Kiss already!" the Hunter quipped.
At this point, Pinkie lost control, and sputtered out laughing like a maniac. Applejack giggled a bit as well, watching Shirska flirt with the blatantly heterosexual human. Rarity couldn't help but join in with the laughter while she intently watched the soap-opera-worthy drama unfold. And Rainbow simply returned her attention to her water, trying her best to ignore the awkwardness.
The entire pub was watching the unfolding scene. No doubt, a Fallen flirting with a human, and a Guardian no less, was a sight none of them had ever expected to see. A male Hunter dared to stand up and step over towards the table. Amuro let his shoulders slump, feeling relief that someone was coming to take the spotlight.
"Not you," the Fallen said to the approaching Hunter. "This one's better."
The Hunter froze in place, and then backed away in shame and disappointment. A female Warlock decided to press her luck, and she too stood and approached the table. "Need a female anatomy teacher, Fallen?" she asked with the confidence only three shots of whiskey could provide.
Shirska turned his gaze towards the female human Warlock. His eyes wandered up and down her quite pleasing curvaceous form. He replied slowly, "A tempting offer... Perhaps... Later."
"Oh shit."
"Daaaaaaaaamn."
"What the actual fuck?"
The voices of the pub conflicted with each other, saying various things on the interesting spectacle happening before them. Some didn't bother speaking, instead looking at their drinks with hazy looks of confusion. One particular Titan swore under his breath that he was never going to drink again.
Then, and only then, did Shirska dare to stand. The pub fell silent once again. Hunters hushed each other with threats of knives and Titans simply put their hands over the mouths of those who were talking.
"Guardians. I require your assistance," he said loud enough to be heard in every tucked-away corner of the building. "In seven cycles, I plan to slay the Kell of House Kings. I have one daring team at my back already, but I require three more. If you seek glory, come, join me. We shall tear Zeklas the Perverted from his place of power, and help me save my people from his tyranny. Both of our people have done enough suffering. Join me as a comrade, wield the spear of justice with me, and let us kill this monster."
A cheer broke out from the Guardians in the pub. Hunters began sharpening their knives, preparing their most sacred tools for the mission they all wanted to be part of. Titans ordered a round of ciders for everyone in the pub, spending their hard-earned Glimmer in a drunken show of euphoric chivalry to everyone present. Warlocks pulled out pocket-books with notes scribbled in about the Fallen and everything there was to know about them, and comparing notes with other Warlocks.
Within minutes, Shirska was being approached by dozens of Guardians, all looking to find their place in his operation. They asked if the rumors of him once being part of the House of Kings were true, to which he responded, "I have not had a House for longer than I've worn one's banners." The humans, Exos, and Awoken of Earth did not understand the statement, but the ponies did. They remembered the tale he'd told. They would not soon forget. And they would not forget.
Once the Guardians had resettled, Shirska whispered to himself, "This is small victory for House Redemption..."
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(Cocks Invective) Time to kill some Fallen. (Readies The Vanity and Dark Drinker) Who'll join?
Me. (Loads Boolean Gemini and Immobius) Let's get our hands dirty!
(lock and loads Zhalo Supercell and sharpens Sol Edge) Let me know when we leave and I will be there.
I wonder if they meet the new super guardians anytime soon.
(Tlaloc ftw)
With this many kids in one place you're going to need a Chaperone.
Also beware of flying objects. They may be more on fire than they appear.
Hammerbro best bro.
I would say that back in my destiny days
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(Cocks Suros ari-43 and Stillpiercer.) I'll be happy to go hunt some dirty House of King Fallens. (Locks and loads Ruin Wake.) Been a while since I've seen blue blood smeared everywhere.
6647473 Then I'll be right back. (Walks away for an hour, walks back in. With every single year two exotic.) Screw the one exotic equipped at a time rule, time for some fun!
6647501 This is why I hate alicorns. They get to have all the extra fun. Damn you light! Let me use more than one exotic!
6647514
*Revs Sweet Business* It's time for some Sweet Business!