Ava removed her helmet- noting that Xander groaned, but didn't rebuke her for it- and knelt near the small object crammed in the corner.

"What is it?" Xander trudged toward her through the sludge and dead Fallen. They had followed a weak distress signal into what was once a school according to the faded sign out front. Ava's Ghost, Greer, had picked it up while they had been following a Fallen patrol through some ruins on the Old North American continent.

"Dead Ghost." Ava picked up the Ghost carefully and turned it over in her hands. Even through her gauntlets she could feel the deeper nicks on the shell. "Why so tense?" She asked distractedly as Xander took a protective position behind her, shielding her from the room. It was something he did often, and something she found incredibly annoying.

"I'm not a fan of standing around."

Ava snorted, eyes still on what she held in her hands. "Titans are so impatient, yet so slow." Greer appeared over her shoulder and began scanning the other Ghost without prompting.
"The ghost hasn't been here long," she informed them. "Not even an hour. And these burn patterns aren't from any Fallen weapons."

Xander widened his stance then checked his clip. Ava turned to him. "Xander, how many Fallen did we just kill?" She asked sweetly.

"About a dozen, I'd say."

"Did we kill anything else?"

"No, Ava, I don't believe we did."

Grinning Ava stood and replaced her helmet. Greer had transmatted the Ghost and disappeared back into Ava's cloak. "I think things are about to get fun."

"You always think that." Xander grumbled and she giggled as smoke and lightning began to fill the room.

As the first Vex began to appear Ava ran for the high ground. Jumping off a fallen pillar she made it through the crumbling ceiling and crouched on the roof just in time for the first wave to materialize. Xander had taken a bold position behind the sparse cover of the few standing pillars.

The Vex soldiers turned to Xander and began firing. Quietly Ava lined up the shot, relishing the feel of the Void at her fingertips. It was dark and sleek, like a black cat in the shadows. Something comfortable and endless. Something dangerous that she didn't quite understand, but she loved anyway. She smiled as she released the arrow. Void energy exploded from the center of the small army, tethering the Goblins. Tossing a grenade Ava lept down into the fray, swinging her sword. She could hear Xander firing at those not tethered as she sliced through metal. "And you thought this would be boring."

"Well, when Cayde said scouting I just assumed."

"Pfft, you just can't handle the scouting." Ava backed toward Xander as more Vex appeared. This time it was a mix of Goblins and Harpies.

"I can handle it just fine," Xander reloaded his hand canon and not sounding at all worried about what was going on, "I just don't like it."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Suuuuuure." The harpys spun and stabilized. Ava fired at as many as she could, the sound of her autorifle thundering through her bones as one after another they exploded. The seconds it took to reload cost her the edge and Ava was forced to dodge behind a pillar to avoid taking damage. Xander was still standing in the open firing with incredible accuracy despite the shots that slammed through his thin shield into his armor.

When Ava peeked out from behind her cover again there were Hobgoblins standing on the roof and back by the door. She hated those stupid, sniping things with a passion.

"This might be a little more fun than I signed up for." Xander said flatly. He moved to crouch behind another pillar and the two stared at eachother for a while. Ava tilted her head subtly toward the door and tapped her stash of smoke bombs. Xander nodded.

Tossing one toward Xander, she threw one at the pillar and was enveloped in the smoke. Taking advantage of the brief smoke cloud and confused Vex sensors, Ava ran from behind her cover and weaved through the Vex. Six steps from the door the effects wore off. Swearing she made it through the door, stabbing a Hobgoblin on her way. The Hobgoblin went into stasis and she loaded her rifle. When the Hobgoblin stood again she killed it with a couple shots before peering back into the room.

Roughly half of the Vex were marching toward the door, the other half were still firing relentlessly at Xander's pillar. "Ready with that smoke bomb?" she asked, "Don't use it until they notice you're not where you should be and just focus on running."

"I know how this works."

"Yeah, yeah, just be ready."

The Vex marching on Ava neared the corner; she backed up a few steps to get a better angle on the room. As soon as she began firing most of those focused on Xander turned. She saw him inch out into the open and take a couple steps before throwing the smoke bomb at his feet full force. He skirted around the Vex that were bottlenecking through the door. When the effects wore off, he started throwing punches. Ava backed further into the hallway and kept firing. Xander made it through the fray, turned to punch a sparking Goblin and backed to Ava's position.

"And to think some people just go bowling on their off days." Ava snickered, reloading.

"Yes, the people not getting shot at are the real losers."

"You were just complaining about being bored with scouting missions." She snapped back. "Now it's not boring enough? Go back to your wall if you want peace and quiet."

"Ouch. That cut deep, Little Finch. Careful what you say about the wall that protects you."

"Oh please, I'm never inside that wall for longer than five minutes. I can handle things just fine out here. Alone." It was a jab she made often, but both of them knew she didn't mean it. Ava actually really hated being left alone these days.

"Well then," Xander dramatically waved his arms about, ignoring the Vex to make a show of pointing to the door, "maybe I should just go."

"You do you, meat shield."

Xander laughed uproariously, turning back to their assailants. "Wow. Harsh."

Ava was smiling, but didn't respond.

The Vex continued to march through the narrow opening. Most of them didn't make it three steps into the hallway before they were taken out, but there was no end.

"Guardian?"

Ava narrowed her eyes at the random contact before glancing at Xander. He was the one to respond. "Yes, Ikora."

"Return to the tower immediately." Ikora Rey did not mince words. If she asked them to return, then she had a reason, which would later be explained with really complex sentences and a rich vocabulary.

Glancing at Xander, Ava shrugged as she backed behind Xander and pulled forth her Ghost. "Can you?"

"Yes."

A moment later Greer transmatted them both to their ships.

~ASDFGHJKL~

After avoiding it for a long time I finally went back and edited the first chapter and the next few will probably follow. Now it's a bit less disorganized (if only I could do the same to my life) and more... shiny. I can't remember the word I want, but anyway, hello.