It was like a dream.
Scenes flashed before his eyes. Sounds and sights. Words both spoken and written. Symbols meaning entire sentences. Pictures containing years of time.
It was a trip.
An unexpected windfall. A "sweepstakes" contest. An all expense paid flight and luxury hotel stay to Tokyo Japan. He'd entered, not expecting to win, but on a lark.
"For shits and giggles."
But win he did.
The flight was long and draining. Advances in technology aside, distance was still distance, as time was still time. Though the time of the trip had been cut down from even so little as a few decades ago, it still took the better part of a day.
He'd settled in, in this land of color and sound. Neon lights and flashing signs, bustling people and strange multi-directional crosswalks. Floating billboards and brilliant sights.
On the third day, he met her.
Spotting a suspicious person, clad in featureless clothes, obscuring glasses, and an eye-catchingly boring cap, he observed their clipped pace, and almost hurried glances around. A loud clamor not far from his position, drew his attention away from the unusual sight.
A crowd of people. Young people. Teenagers, younger than him, mostly girls, screaming and carrying on. The cries were of jubilation and wonder, awe and desire. Calls of 'Reika-chan' and 'Shinomori-samaaaaa~' disturbed the…well it was noisy before it started up but ultimately it was a sort of 'normal' noise. The noise of a busy street.
This was…not that.
Still, he'd noted the figure's sudden twitching in their stride. An elevated jump in pixel count, he would explain it. A sudden lurch in the pathfinding script.
The figure'd been spooked. Forced to glitch.
He knew, some of the customs. Just keep your head down, don't get involved. Let it go.
But…he was an American. And Americans have that tendency to shove their noses where it doesn't belong.
Though in later company he'd replace 'noses' with 'dicks' but the meaning was the same.
Mentally pathing out where the figure was going, he slipped ahead, years of living in New York City and walking both empty and busy streets allowing him to (barely) navigate the crowd that was doing their damndest to not notice the screaming schoolgirls. His presumption was validated, as he'd slipped to a small alleyway between buildings, shadowed, and right along the path the figure was taking.
However, he wasn't the only one to notice the suspicious looking person. Someone in the group of gaggling girls pointed the formless humanoid blob of cloth out to the others, and the herd shifted to meet. His alley was maybe ten feet after a sharp corner, that he'd hoped the clothing demon was going to turn.
Again, his prediction was right. And just as it passed the corner, he stepped out, startling it, before speaking an apology, and as gently as possible, pulling its arm into the shadows. Using what broken Japanese he knew, he asked for silence – 'chinmoku kudasai' – placed her deeper in the alley where it would be harder to see, and stepped out again, looking as if he were inspecting his shoes and phone.
The sound of stomping feet. And a barrage of voices coming at him.
Doing his best (and really feeling embarrassed at how badly he spoke) he tried to impart that he had no idea what they were talking about.
"Ah, gomen gomen. Watashi wa gaijin desu. Nihongo wa…ahh…reshi ja nai?"
Maybe it was the look of abject confusion on his face. Or maybe it was just cause he was a foreigner and thus it didn't matter, but many of the horde giggled, chuckled or outright cackled at him. Some just stared. As if their brains were literally going 'wat da fuk r u doin?'
One, clad in an obvious white wig and dark green skirt, spoke loudly enough to the others. What was said was…not really known. Only every fifth word or so was caught. But they all seemed to give a simultaneous groan and began to depart. The apparent leader, spoke her own apology for the trouble, bowed and retreated amongst a few others who too had bowed and waved a goodbye. He bowed as well, following with one final apology, before returning to his phone.
After a minute, he turned back to the alley, giving a startled jump to the sight of the clothing blob so close.
And its-her voice.
"Are they gone?"
"Yes. You speak english?"
"Hai. Ahh, yes."
"I'm just gonna guess you're someone famous and leave it at that. They mostly went back the way you came from, so if you avoid going that way you should be fine."
"You…arent going to ask?"
"Should I?"
"…Reika. Shinomori Reika."
"Selh'teus Rodin. …oh wait it would be Rodin Selh'teus here wouldn't it? Gah."
"You are…"
"Foreign? Strange? Getting in the way?"
"…yes to all but the last."
"Well, I'm glad I could help out, I guess. Not bad for my third day…"
"Eh?"
"Ahh, nevermind. You might wanna get going, what with the whole, badly disguised secret agent look you've got."
"…she tried to tell me it wouldn't look right…but they do it all the time in anime…"
"Yeah…see Anime works on the idea that people are going to be selectively dumb and blind, except for specific characters."
"Like you."
"I guess like me. American. We…do things we arent supposed to."
"Would it be too much to ask for you to continue being so American?"
"…in what way…?"
She held up her arms. Which now sported a few bags from a store.
"I was supposed to be going to a friend's house. I made a dumb turn trying to take a shortcut and…"
"Ran into The Horde."
"Yes. If it would not be too much trouble, would you…accompany me the rest of the way? It is only a half-hour walk from here."
"Alright how?"
"Eh?"
"Walk literally with you? As in at your side? A few feet behind? Seventeen paces forward and to the left?"
"…ok yes you are strange."
"I aim to please."
"At my side…as much as possible, please."
"Lead the way."
The girl. Shinomori Reika. Or, as western countries would put it Reika Shinomori; was apparently, an Idol.
One that was meant to be on a few months hiatus.
She also was stunning.
As to be expected, truly. Idols were very much exploited for their looks and what talents they carried. Very restrictive, very demanding.
And in many cases, very demeaning.
Over the next few days, he would learn a lot about his new acquaintence. As well as meeting her best friend, the girl named Anzu Asagiri. And her cousin, one Sasuke Uchiha.
To that, he had taken the teenager's hand, shook it solemnly and spoke.
"You poor bastard."
The teen merely nodded back, just as solemn. "Don't I know it."
Reika herself, wore her hair long, usually. The grey-white locks, peppered with fading orange, got him to blink rapidly. A birth defect kicked in when she was twelve, and her hair started going from sunset orange, to the grey-white that dominated her head currently. A pair of red-framed glasses covered her amber colored eyes. She wasn't terribly tall, but not as short as was common even now, for Japanese women, and fairly slim.
"I'm only half…"
"That explains everything."
Anzu – "Call me An-chan!"
Ahem. An-chan, was your fairly 'standard' looking girl. Roughly four and a half feet in height,caramel brown hair tied in a ponytail, had a heart shaped face, eyes like a tree's bark, and a wider build than Reika. Her shoulders were broader, arms a little thicker, chubbier legs, and wider hips.
"Mou! They just sprouted like that suddenly! I keep knocking things over!"
"What did she say? I caught the mou but everything else was gibberish."
"Girl complaints."
"Bust or waist?"
A stare.
"What? I know a girl only maybe a few inches taller that constantly gets food on her shirt cause her tits keep getting in the way of her and the table."
Continued stares.
"oh right that's not usually a thing you talk about here."
"What's he saying? Rei-chan why are you just staring at him like that?"
Sasuke…well…
"The worst part is you look like the bastard."
"Yep. Only way not to is to shave my head and…no."
"I caught something about hair and that was it. Bloody hell I need to learn Japanese more…"
Dark black hair, dark eyes, brooding looks, pale skin.
Upbeat as hell though.
As the week went by, Reika had visited his hotel, and almost every day the following week, drug him out to an arcade or a ramen shop or somewhere classic for a visitor. Karaoke included, though they didn't expect him to suddenly expertly belt out "Journey Through the Decade".
That sparked an entirely new series of events.
The discovery that Reika was a diehard Kamen Rider nut.
For three days straight, the two of them binge-watched five seasons together, Reika teaching him more and more of the nuances of speaking the language, and just ultimately nerding out.
Although there was one…rather unpleasant encounter with her manager. While not a sleezebag, he was…very strict and rigid in how he wanted to follow the trend of business, and upon finding out that Reika had been spending time with a boy…well…
Even in the Golden day and age since the Traveler's influence altered humanity and effectively ascended them, certain…cultural issues remained.
He was very displeased, but upon losing his temper and effectively manhandling her…
"For the Honor of the Dead Forest, I challenge you."
He was never good at the 'scary Black Man' routine. When he went silent, people learned to be afraid. When he spoke in neutralities, people learned to start listening. When he was truly angry, people ran.
Away, or to calm him, depended.
But he knew enough. And still had some hope.
And his words had an effect.
"Wh-what? For…what?"
"You have insulted one who is above you. One whom is cherished, beloved by the People. You have brought harm unto her, body and mind. As the only person not enough of a coward to stand by and watch, in her Honor, I challenge you."
The funny thing was, he had Japanese in his ancestry. One generation behind his. It was an odd combination, but it was there. By blood he held the right to attempt Old Rules.
Maybe Kazuto Goshima could feel it. The Traveler did strange things to humanity. They lived longer. Were younger, longer. Were stronger.
Or maybe he was savvy enough to realize that a gaijin who seemed to understand the Old Ways, was not someone to mess with.
Or perhaps, it was merely that he had paid enough attention to realize that all she, or he had to do, was let slip how Kazuto was handling things, and her rabid fans would tear him apart…
But he backed away, and only reminded her that her hiatus was coming to an end in three days.
There was still some disconnect, between the adults and the youth of Japan. Even so long after the Traveler, after even 50 year olds were dying their hair different colors and flying around on childish movement devices, still too many clung to rigid structure.
And that infected the youth somewhat.
Reika, developing an unnatural hair color, before an 'acceptable' time to begin experimenting, was ridiculed. That she was also a half-blood, and began developing early…well…
Becoming an Idol, for her, was her only way to fit in, she told him, the next day.
"So move."
She looked at him, shocked. It wasn't that simple…was it?
Again, since the Traveler, immigration laws and processes had become less difficult. Less unfriendly. Countries were almost unanimously happily welcoming and practically exchanging residents. More 'american'.
Just…less forceful takeovers and rapes and pillages.
And diseases. Can't forget the lack of diseases.
In about a year, she'd be too old to be allowed to stay an Idol. The age limit had increased, since the Traveler bestowed longer youth duration upon the populace, but her time in the spotlight, thus, 'accepted', was nearing its end.
"Do some studying on the subject when you next have some down time. Shop around a bit. Syphon some money aside. And then just move. Do it now, while we're still young, and it wont be so hard to integrate."
The last few days of the final week.
She had gotten him a ticket to a show she was in. She wasn't the main attraction, considering there wasn't enough time to properly practice. It was more of a 'hey, I'm touring again soon' deal, brokered with another group that she was on good terms with.
Jam packed, high energy, loud as fuck. But damn, was it amazing. Flashing lights and powerful beats, colorful outfits and just sheer power rippling through the crowd.
Not his usual thing, but he did want as close to the full experience as possible.
And goddamn that hotspring two days ago was amazing. He'd skipped on the massage though.
"For some reason I'm very acutely aware of certain parts of my body. No not like that you blasted pervert. I haven't figured it out yet. It's mostly annoying. But I get…very very twitchy and fidgety even if it's someone I know."
Didn't stop her from demanding one from him though.
That would…probably explain why she damn near stole the whole spotlight during the concert though. The girls were all well practiced and coordinated, and their energy was true, but hers was…
It had something extra that the crowd picked up on.
And of course, returned by way of their own.
Still, it hadn't gone unnoticed that during her hiatus she was seen hanging around with him very often, nor that he'd shown up to a sold-out concert featuring her.
Surprisingly enough though, her manager had headed any relationship rumors off with releasing a statement that for her safety and wellbeing, Seth had been temporarily hired for the duration of her time off, to keep her company.
Again, in the past two centuries, such a practice had become more and more commonplace, but to some, it still was unexpected.
Reika, of course, didn't care. Having poured her heart out, and reassessed her reasons for becoming an Idol, she had lost that near-obsessive drive for it.
Which is probably another reason why she had so much pure energy that night. Her feelings had been refreshed, she'd come to know herself a little better, and had broken off some of the more unhealthy thoughts towards her work.
The weight, while not entirely lifted, was beginning to fall off.
They stood at the Gate. His flight about to be called in a few minutes.
It was…a wild month. Fun. Tense. But definitely not boring. He'd learned a lot.
And made three good friends.
Well…two good friends and…a question mark.
He nor Reika really knew what they were to each other. Just that they were more than friends, but not exactly hitting that 'relationship' level. A kind of…grey area.
Not that it bothered either of them really.
But, like all things, their time together was coming to an end.
"You have my Sparkshot right?"
"Hai hai. And about three of your social network pages, along with two private ones."
"Good. I…"
"We're gonna miss each other. Fuck. I'm gonna miss the new Rider premiere."
"I'll make sure to link it to you."
"Thanks."
His flight was called.
"…guess that's me then. I'll let you know when I landed."
"…ahh…"
"Hey. Chin up. Get your shit together and look me up next time you're on a break alright?"
"I'll visit. I promise. And…"
He quirked an eyebrow as she fidgeted.
"…oh to hell with it."
A quick step forward and a breathtaking hug (seriously she practically crushed his ribs) later, followed by a soft kiss on the cheek, she shoved him backwards towards the gate.
"Go before I get myself fired dammit!"
A confused blink turned into a near cackle.
The hum of the engines.
A glance out of the window.
A brilliant clear night sky.
Five hours into the flight. The pilot could be heard saying something about flying over Russia.
A sudden unexplained tension in his chest.
A loud feeling of dread.
The lights flickered. A shrill whine.
A crack of thunder.
He pulled his phone. The screen was flickering.
His head lurched as his ears popped.
A thunk, a low whine, different than the last.
A forceful jolt.
Smoke coming from the right wing.
Loud distorted voices.
Screams.
The masks never dropped. The plane was shaking violently. Another crack of thunder. Only it wasn't thunder. It was the engine exploding.
The screams grew louder.
…he knew.
Holding his phone tightly, the screen having returned to normal, he punched in a single message.
Plane's fucked. People panicking. Doubt my chances. Only been a month but I'm an idiot. Should have said it before. I love you, Reika.
Hitting send, he made to try to smack open the compartment with the breather masks when some idiot wrenched open one of the emergency exit doors.
Right as the other engine exploded.
The plane entered a spiral. People and luggage going flying. An elbow here. A leg there. Limbs flailing, voices screaming. Pressure, suction, and
…oh shit I'm falling.
He, and some others, pinballed until they were unlucky enough to shoot through the open door.
Portal, really, as the door had long since been ripped off its hinges.
It was…loud.
Very loud.
Rushing. Rushing pressure. Empty noise.
…empty noise.
…empty noise so loud it was…as if it were silence.
…the first words he'd spoken…
'Chinmoku kudasai'.
"Silence, please."
The first words he'd said to her.
…fucking irony…
It was so loud…it was quiet.
…This silence is mine…
The pressure was too much. As if some part of him had just…given up.
As well it should have.
An inexplicable exhaustion filtered through him.
…bye Reika. …don't…
Don't follow me.
His eyes drifted shut.
As a large white orb was the last thing he saw.
…that's…not…moon…
Until he knew nothing more.
"…ould…eam…ack."
"…gree…tain is…ndled…"
"afe!...ian…days!"
"…cap…"
Noise.
Aches.
Breath.
"uhhgghhhh…"
"dian?...rdian?...giht…guard…guardian?...Guardian…u…re me?"
"fgrlblgrghuh."
"…ptain…ing…ock?"
"No…fe! Ian…me?...is…vala…u…right?"
"istering…ock."
"fail…o!"
BZZT
"GAHOLYFUCKTHESHIT?!"
"See? Told you."
"Dammit Failsafe. I guess it can't be helped at this point. Guardian. This is Commander Zavala. Can you hear me?"
"Za…what. Yeah…yeah I…heeaaaaahhhhghfucktwitchy."
"I'll take that as a yes. Guardian. You've been out of contact for two days. Are you able to give me a brief report?"
"Yeah. Yeah I-
Scenes of time. Flickers of life. Snippets of words and feelings and thoughts.
An all expense paid trip.
A humanoid bundle of cloth.
A beautiful, white haired girl.
A city of color and sound.
A time of friendship and joy.
A gutwrenching worry.
A feeling of loss.
"I love you, Reika."
A giant white sphere.
"Guardian? You cut off."
"…she…killed me…"
"…uhh…Cap? I didn't zap you that hard."
Though knowing that Guardians, wielding the light, died frequently (some even making a game of the most stupid possible deaths), the way he halted his speech, pushed Zavala to treat this differently. To the point he hesitated.
Long enough for Ikora to ask the question.
"Guardian. Seth. Who Killed you?"
"…Ghost…"
"Wait what? Guardian, I'm a-
"I know why you found me in Russia."
Silence.
"…she killed me."
"Who did…Guardian?"
"…The Traveler."
A/N: So this is kinda just my own suddenly thought up headcanon as to why my Guardian (Warlock, Human Male) was found in Russia of all places. Some of the lore might not be spot on but...ehh just go with it will you?
The idea is that, when the Traveler rushed to Earth from Io, its arrival caused a few...disruptions. Technological ones. the kind of power surge that accompanies a particularly powerful storm. only it was basically the world over. While it only lasted a minute, anything in the air would have been deaded. and the idea is that the surge caused one of the engines of his return flight, to overload and go boom. Which caused another surge making the other one go boom.
So he was on a return trip after a month of meeting a good person and having a good time, when the Traveler came, and in the process, unintentionally murdered thousands.
It's a little loose but ehh. it's a headcanon. not supposed to be airtight.