The Brightest Spark

by Arad

04 -- The Vanguard

Try not to get bogged down by the little things.

------

Spark.
That was what the Speaker had called her. The Guardian knew it wasn’t so much a name or title as it was an abstract description of her, given how she must have seemed in his presence. A flicker of power so easily overpowered and overlooked by the blazing sun in the room. She had a healthy suspicion that the Speaker referred to all new Guardians in a similar manner, and that logically meant that ‘Spark’ had no greater meaning whatsoever… and yet the word stuck and persisted, like a splinter in the mind.

Spark.

It itched at her consciousness, from somewhere within the vast blank space where her memories should have been. She was certain it wasn’t her real name, but it rung with enough familiarity that the word stuck out like a chiming bell in the busy Tower. It wasn’t what she wanted, but it was a small fragment of familiarity that she could build upon.

This conclusion unfortunately led to her current conflict.

“I really appreciate the sentiment, but it’s not necessary,” her Ghost said in placating tones. “When you call to me, I know it’s me that you’re referring to. It’s the same for every Ghost. If you address someone else’s Ghost, I know you don’t mean me. You shouldn’t worry about a name for me, Guardi--”

“Spark,” she corrected instantly.

“Sorry, Spark,” the Ghost apologized before continuing. “But I stand by my point. I don’t need a name.”

Spark’s initial reaction was a sigh. “Thank you for explaining, but I really think that you deserve a name. You’re you. You deserve something to call your own. Ghost, you aren’t some widget or tool. We’re partners, and calling you by what you are rather than who you are cheapens it.” She looked up to the floating machine with a sheepish expression. “Does that make any sense?”

“Well… I don’t know if ‘partners’ is quite the right description,” the Ghost equivocated, dodging the heart of the question. “It might be better to consider me your assistant.”

Spark intended to pounce on her counterpart’s avoidance of the issue, but its words gave her pause. Assistant… assistant… the word repeated itself in her mind. A word answered back with each repetition, creeping on the edges of her perception. She cast a look towards her hovering Ghost and arched an eyebrow as the word came to her. “How about… Spike? I think that’s a good name.”

“‘Spike’?” it answered skeptically, the protrusions around its spherical core contracted in a way that just screamed irritated. “Don’t you think that’s a little too… literal?” her Ghost asked, though its tone said far more about its opinion.

“Well fine then,” Spark replied with a slight eyebrow twitch. “How about Light Bulb?”

“What? No! That’s even wo--”

“Spark Plug.”

“You can’t be serious--”

“Night Light.”

“Now I know you’re joking--”

“I’m totally serious, Bug Zapper.”

“Please, just stop--”

“I’m giving you several options to choose from, Lightning Bug. And I won’t stop until you find a choice you’re satisfied with.”

“Are you sure that the Speaker called you ‘Spark’? Because I think I heard him say ‘Snark’.” A sigh was the first sign of defeat from the Ghost. “Fine, Spike it is. Don’t blame me if others tell you it’s a ridiculous choice!”

“Trust me, I won’t,” Spark reassured the newly christened Spike before finally taking her eyes off of it. The room they were in was just below the top floor of the Tower, down a short staircase on the central platform. Traffic into the room was light, most likely because the large doors on the other side were sealed tightly shut and had been so since she had been led there. A number of other Guardians had descended the stairs only to turn around and head back up at the sight of the dead end hallway, with Spark’s only company being Spike and some sort of bipedal machine that trundled along the perimeter of the room with a broom. Her gaze drifted back to the Ghost as she asked, “What are we waiting for, exactly? I thought we were going to be meeting some other Guardians.”

“That’s right,” Spike replied, bobbing in a Ghosts’ approximation of a nod. “Beyond those doors are the leaders of the Vanguard. They’re the ones who set the strategic goals for both short term and long term defense of the Last City and the Traveller. They’re likely discussing what your arrival means for the future.”

Spike’s last sentence was enough to raise dozens of questions in Spark’s mind. “My arrival? Why would me showing up here by myself be any sort of significant event?”

The Ghost took the opportunity to float from Spark’s side to hover directly in front of her. “Guardians are empowered by the Light, a gift of the Traveller to defend this world. Those that come from this world are the races you’ve seen here: the Humans, Awoken, and Exo. For thousands of years, only those three races were gifted with the Light. For thousands of years, every other race has allied itself against the Guardians and the Traveller…”

“Oh…” Spark managed to murmur as the ramifications of the revelation hit her. I had been so freaked out by being the only one of my kind that I didn’t even think of how they might react to it. And now I’m at the top of a tower that has dozens of heavily armed and likely paranoid people whose standing rule for the last few centuries is ‘if it looks different, shoot it.’ “Spike… coming here suddenly doesn’t seem like such a good idea anymore…”

Any further doubts that Spark might have voiced were interrupted when the Ghost shot forward to hover directly in front of her face. “There is nothing to worry about, Spark. You have the Light in you, and that makes you a Guardian. If that wasn’t the case, then I would never have found you out in the wastelands. Plus the Speaker himself is informing the Vanguard about you, which is quite rare from what I’m told.”

Spark’s initial response was to cast a wary eye to the Ghost before giving a slow nod. I suppose that makes sense… and I imagine if there would be any shooting, then I’d probably be running by now. She let out a cleansing sigh before looking back to Spike and asked, “Can you tell me anything about the leaders of the Vanguard? What are they like?”

“Certainly!” the floating machine replied. “There are three high ranking members of the Vanguard, and each is typically nominated to the position by their peers. Zavala is a longtime veteran of the Titan regiments, and it’s rumored that both he and Shaxx are among the oldest Guardians still fighting. I’ve even heard they both were trained by Saladin of the Iron Wolves before--” Spike stopped mid-explanation when he finally caught the flat look on Spark’s face. “You’re about to tell me that none of those names mean anything to you, right?” A pause followed by a nod. “Okay then!

“Commander Zavala was nominated for his position by his fellow Titans due to his exceptional proficiency with battlefield tactics. From what the other Ghosts tell me, he takes his duties very seriously and he expects others to do the same. He’ll be the one wearing heavy armor.” Spike paused and looked to his Guardian, waiting for her to nod before continuing.

“Ikora Rey is the second of the Vanguard leaders, a respected member of the Warlock Coven. The other Ghosts tell me that she’s a prodigy when it comes to channeling the Light, not to mention she somehow keeps track of nearly every Guardian that’s deployed in the field from memory.” Spike bobbed slightly, the parts around the glowing eye shifting slightly in the approximation of a head tilt as he watched Spark. “Ikora will probably be your best resource in learning how to control your own Light, and she might even be able to give us a lead on your past!”

That possibility was enough to perk Spark’s ears up. “I really hope so; on both counts. I have this… nagging feeling that there’s so much I can do, but I just can’t remember any of it if I try,” she complained before silence fell between them again. A curious look was cast towards the Ghost as she asked, “So that’s two, but didn’t you say there’s three that I should know about?”

“Well… about that, I’m not sure how accurate my information is for the third member of the Vanguard leadership. All of the other Ghosts agree that his name is Cayde-6 but everything else is sketchy at best. Some of the Ghosts talk about Cayde as if he’s a public menace, while others say that he’s the most skilled of the Hunter Guardians in existence,” Spike reported with more than a little hesitation.

An arched eyebrow and a skeptical look were Spark’s first responses. “That doesn’t seem anything like the other two that you mentioned,” she said as she brought a hoof up to tap her chin. “Zavala and Ikora are there because of what they’ve done or what they can do. I’m sure that one of the Ghosts knows how this ‘Cayde’ got his position here, right?”

“Well…” Spike started, stretching the word out in an attempt to delay the inevitable. “That seems to be up for debate as well, but the most common explanation is that he lost a bet.”

A flat ‘What?’ was all that Spark managed to say before the nearby doors slowly opened. The solitary form of the Speaker walked out before turning to where Spark was seated. Not a word passed between the two, as the former merely stretched a hand out to indicate to the open door while the latter rose from her seat to pass through.

Spark might have been alarmed by the door sliding closed behind her, but the room itself demanded far more of her attention. It was spacious, with glowing displays lining the walls while punctuated by the occasional banner sporting unfamiliar heraldry. The far wall was nothing but glass, revealing the rugged wilderness and mountain ranges that Spark had flown over to reach the Tower. Last but not least, the center of the room was a step or two lower than the rest, dominated by a large table and the increasingly familiar glowing displays. Standing around that table were unmistakably the Vanguard. The trio had been huddled in a hushed conversation but turned to face Spark as she slowly approached.

Spike’s descriptions of the trio had been accurate, if a little… lacking in some ways. Zavala was the easiest to recognize given that he was more heavily armored that the other two combined, but what the Ghost had failed to mention was the icy white (bordering on light blue) tone of his skin and the almost glowing nature of his eyes. Ikora was the next for Spark to recognize, clad in robes similar to her own and with a skin tone that was a shocking contrast to Zavala. Her features took on what Spark had come to recognize as a neutral set, but the look in her eyes was a hint to why lay beneath the tranquil surface.

The last of the Vanguard was what Spike had called an ‘Exo.’ The majority of its features were hidden beneath its hooded cloak, but metal plates formed into the approximation of a face were easily apparent, as well as the electronic eyes and what could only be described as a horn jutting out from his forehead. His identity was all but confirmed as the last of the Vanguard when he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by a hissed “Not now, Cayde,” from Ikora.

“I would normally say that this is an unprecedented event, but I’m certain our human predecessors said the same when the first Awoken and Exo Guardians appeared,” Zavala remarked after another long moment of silence. His voice was baritone, inflected with both curiosity and caution as he continued, “What cannot be disputed is that your Ghost brought you back to us, and that the Light is strong within you. Regardless of everything else, that makes you one of us.”

Ikora spoke next, her own voice as much of a contrast to Zavala’s as her skintone. “A Guardian is much more than simply having this power within you, though. It is a title that is earned through constant practice and study to test the limits of the Light as well as the limits of the enemies that threaten those that threaten us all.”

“Every Guardian is a brick in the wall that keeps the Darkness at bay,” Cayde provided the moment that Ikora stopped to take a breath, and didn’t acknowledge the look she shot his way. “The truly great among us are masters of everything they do, from weapons, tactics, and subterfuge to research, organization, and scouting. Few can do it all, but every one of us has to try. We’re all that can stop the howling dark.” The Exo glanced to his compatriots, the multitude of metal parts that made up his face twisting into something resembling a smirk. “And, I know I speak for the other leaders of the Vanguard when I say this before they can: Dibs. I call dibs.”

Zavala’s reaction was a tired sigh as he reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, while Ikora’s look became decidedly acidic. “Cayde, now is not the time for jokes,” she hissed.

“I’m dead serious, I know you all were thinking it!” Cayde retorted, his smirk growing into a grin.

“It seems a bit premature to assign her to one of us three so soon, Cayde,” Zavala said, his voice partially muffled by the hand still pinching the bridge of his nose. “Setting aside the information that her Ghost provided to the Speaker, her own preferences and skills may very well be better served elsewhere.”

“Yeah, well…” Cayde started, his glowing artificial eyes glancing toward Spark before jumping back to the Titan. One hand rose to point at the young Guardian while the other shot upward to the protrusion from his own forehead. “She and I both have a horn, your argument is invalid!”

Spark sat back onto her flank, bewilderment on her face as the once serious tone of the meeting devolved into Cayde heckling the other Vanguards while avoiding or outright ignoring the points that his peers made. “Is… is this normal?” Spark whispered to her Ghost.

Spike’s hesitation was more than enough of an answer.

Comments

[Arad]

Evening folks, long time no see!

First things first, YE GODS THIS WORKS SO MUCH BETTER WITH GOOGLE DOCS.

And with that out of the way, I wanted to let folks know that I'll be posting a blog about Mente Materia and Brightest Spark about future chapters. Keep your eyes open!

[Gamerdestiny6]

As a destiny fan myself,
I can confirm that you wrote Cayde-6 PERFECTLY for this chapter!
You get 6 staches out of 5!

[Jonny Bench]

This is why cayde is my favorite. He always has me gasping for breath due to large amounts of laughter

[Void Runner]

God I love Cayde

[everydaygamer]

I'm so happy Bungie remembered they had Nathan Fillion when they got around to Taken King as Cayde is definitely the best character in Destiny.

[117dragon]

Ok, I'm confused. Did you change some things around? Cause I thought this was supposed to be Rainbow, and now I see the character tag has changed to Twilight? Am I missing something here?

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

Heh, Cayde's a guy after my own heart with the jokes, XD

[Just Defender]

8344117
He is easily the most nonchalant sentient robot to date, and we love him for that.

[Cedric Bale]

I knew Cayde was gonna' try to claim her. God, I never realized how badly I wanted an actual story set in the Destiny world until Brightest Spark, and it tosses Twilight into that world and it's just so good. I think I'm growing to like this story more than MM, despite that nothing's even really HAPPENED yet.

[StrawberryGamer]

More Cayde is always a good thing. We all need more of that sassy Exo in our life.

[Raul]

That seems to be up for debate as well, but the most common explanation is that he lost a bet.”

... yeah i buy that.

And man, Cayde is my favorite Destiny character. He's such an ass and it's wonderful.
I mean look at the guy!

https://m.

https://m.

[LtCWest]

8344341
Iremember seeing that second trailer and instantly falling in love with the character, and then I found out its Malcom fuckin' Reynolds ^^

Im looking forward to the PC release, missed on D1 (which was apparently a good thing) due to the console exclusivity. I managed to sit through a few dozen hours of YT videos though trying to get up to date on the story, oh boy...

[Raul]

8344429
Im too broke for PC. Im a console man. And honestly i liked Destiny 1 a lot. I had friends to play with and compete with, always trying to get better, and the DLC was amazing.

[The Villain in Glasses]

8343903

Ah Cayde... best Vanguard member, NA. Makes me regret starting with a Warlock.

[Balancer]

Oh my god I love Cayde, just everything with him is perfect, I need more robit sass in my life, thank you Arad.

[djthomp]

“Yeah, well…” Cayde started, his glowing artificial eyes glancing toward Spark before jumping back to the Titan. One hand rose to point at the young Guardian while the other shot upward to the protrusion from his own forehead. “She and I both have a horn, your argument is invalid!”

That seems logical enough, I'm convinced.

[Bugsydor]

Spark sat back onto her flank

Unless she kicked her legs out to sit on her side, the word you're looking for is "rump".

Petty word choice issues aside, it's great to have you back. Looking forward to more interactions with the vanguard!

[shirotora]

Well, this is a pleasant surprise.

[Queensarrow]

8344061
If the Vex are involved then time travel isn't far behind. Rainbow is going to show up later, I think.

Also is this replacing the Equestria Girls thing?

[LtCWest]

8322445
8321058

Welp, I guess its happening.
Just had my first few minutes with the D2 beta and its safe to say Im hyped. ^^

One of my greatest fears, that the game might be region locked has also been adressed. One can simply switch between NA and EU and even the characters are being transfered!

Now onto the long wait till the end of October while trying to avoid spoilers....

[fractalman]

I have to admit, I'm a bit confused-in part becuase I barely know anything about Destiny-but I guess that means I'm along with "Spark" for the ride in terms of learning about the universe.

[Black Hoof]

Is this still on tracks?

[Fluffatron600]

I’ve actually seen fanart as Twilight as a Hunter instead of a Warlock.
PLEASE LET HER BE A HUNTER IT WOULD BE AWESOME

[NecromanCREEEEEE]

And now to hate myself because I started a fic that hasn't been updated in.... Half a year.

[Delta-118]

I hope this gets continued.
*looks at date*
*March 2018*
FUCK

[Powerdrainer]

Any chance you're going to update this fic?

[Korina]

I love this fic so far, and sincerely hope it gets updated someday. You have the Mane 6 spot on, as well as the Speaker and the Vanguards! The only suggestion i have is to make it a bit more clear on whether the ponies in this fic are normal or anthro, since it's a bit confusing at first.

PS: Cayde-6 is best Vanguard!

[A Wild Magikarp]

RIP Cayde the legend. Gone but not Forsaken. Best part of D1 and D2.

[TheGrandNil]

8831063
*looks at date again*
*September 2019*
FUUUUUUUUCCCCKKKKKK

Ps. Don't worry about this story too much, Mente Materia is better - and is being updated monthly.

[Nok]

That's a great work! Interactions between Spark and her Ghost are really engaging and Vanguard Heads' characters are spot on so far, especially Cayde's! Man, I really hope you'll continue this story sometime