The Demon of Destiny Ch.2

A/N: Good morning/afternoon/evening! I hope you are enjoying this so far, if not then why the hell are you here? Lol! Anyways, as you know, the Kanto Era was BEFORE the government (West/South Oasis) was finally able to send a rocket to Mars and.. Well, you know what happens next... Anyways! Enjoy!

_

Chapter 2: The Traveler

As the Fallen agents littered the Divide that Kanta and his Ghost was hiding in, they searched for the hiding Guardian, hoping to find end the single human that took down a whole squad of their own.

No such luck, they kept their eyes peeled, when they saw a shuffle in a bush behind a small shack in the center of the expanding field they were in, snow falling scarcely, the wind blew constantly. Seeing the bush shuffle, a Dreg and a Vandal went to check it, the Vandal's red cape blowing lightly in the wind. The Dreg kicked open the bush, spreading the leaves apart, to see nothing.

"It's just the shitty cold Earth wind!" The Vandal said in his native language, the Dreg nodding and continuing on with the Vandal, had he checked further, he would have found the hiding Guardian, who had been setting up old propane tanks found in the shack, stacking them together, they were old, but together they could still combust into a good enough blast.

Pulling out his knife, he waited for a Dreg to pass close enough to grab him and stab him, ending it quickly, he stole the shock pistol the Dreg had, setting himself into the perfect position, it was now or never. Firing off the shock pistol many times, the Fallen reinforcements came running, waiting for them to all gather around to find the dead Dreg on top of the pile of propane tanks.

With no time for them to react, Kanta quickly appeared from his position on top of the shack, firing off the auto rifle downward at the dreg-trap, setting it off as he jumped back, the explosion blowing back the Fallen, all of them now on the ground! Dead or not, it was time for him to leave! "You are the craziest Guardian I've ever met." The ghost uttered as they entered the other building, titled 'Dock 13'.

"I'm detecting the remains of an old Jumpship, I can use it to get us out of here." The Ghost mentioned as they entered the docking building, Kanta continued to walk, falling once in a collapsed pit of concrete, replying to it with a "dammit!", and getting back up. Dusting himself off, he climbed up over the rusty and concrete pothole, pulling out his shotgun as he head toward the next room, a large room, a hanging jumpship, holding on by a couple of attached wires... Hanging on to it however, was a pack of fallen, all lead by a heavily crowned looking Fallen, the leader of this platoon, Kanta could assume it had saw him, especially when it looked in their direction and roared, even when he tried to hide, raising its arm upward and shaking it's fist at them, noticing that a lot of Fallen did this.

In response, Kanta felt it necessary for a bold move now, something they wouldn't expect. When he saw the first of six dregs sprinting in his direction, he quickly appeared through the doorway into he great room with the gaping hole in the roof which held the ship. Dashing behind the first object he could, he shotgun blasted the first Dreg before it could respond, peering around the corner of the cracked pillar he hid behind. He watched as 2 Dregs and a Vandal moved forward, the Captain roaring orders in his tongue, before jumping down from the ship, beginning his own engagement. Kanta smirked, the Ghost still confused and wondering HOW the Guardian, with NO helmet or sturdy armor, planned to escape from this alive.

Kanta seemed confident enough, the smirk on his tanned face seemed to show this. He was waiting for something, but what? The answer appeared as quickly as the Fallen Shock Grenade landed at their feet, reacting like lightning, Kanta picked up the handle of this knife-like shock-explosive, jumping up quickly and hurling it back at them, nailing it on the Vandal's chest, with no time for it to react, it's blast killed it and shocked the 2 dregs enough to kill them as well.

With 3 dregs and 2 Vandal's left, the Captain roared another order, firing off his Shrapnel Launcher in their direction to suppress them, the Captain signaled the two Vandal's to ready themselves with their ranged weapon, the Wire Rifle aimed at the either of the two escape routes that the Guardian could use. The Guardian's eyes grown serious, his smirk now gone, calculating his next move.

When he was ready, he peeked out the side where his entrance into the room was, pointing his auto rifle out as the Vandal's wire rifle charged, quickly dodge-rolling out of the long wire shot, before suppressing it with auto rounds, then, unexpectedly by the enemy, he dashed out into the open, but his cover kept him from view of the other Fallen Sniper, blasting two of the surprised Dregs, then knifing the Vandal, though it wasn't dead yet, Kanta got the jump on it, landing behind it, lighting it's back up with more auto rounds before hiding behind another cracked stone pillar, shock pistol rounds flying by his head.

He made sure to reload both weapons before dashing out, this time, he was nicked in the side by the hot shrapnel rounds of the Captain, charging him then with the Dreg, the Vandal waiting for an open shot. When this happened, it was when the Dreg, who was armed with a shock blade, along with the Captain, who was surprised by the shotgun blast of the Guardian.

Kanta grunting in pain from the shot before, ducking when the Captain swung for him, rolling back and knifing the Dreg, ending him, now he was in the open, and a shot was fired, BARELY grazing his arm! Still it was enough to halter his movements enough for the Captain to catch him, lunging punches and swings with his two shock blades, the four greater arms of the Captain flourished him! Kanta tried to punch back, only to get caught by his one of his opponent's four hands, punching him back and laughing, Kanta looked up, ready for him, only to see him missing, he was gone!

Suddenly a split-second later, a flash of blue light appeared with the missing Captain coming to be, WAY too close to Kanta, swinging his blades at the Guardian, ducking down, he grabbed his shotgun, aiming it up and firing! Blasting the Captain, only to see him still standing, a flashing blue aura around it, "What the crap!?" Was all the punk could say before he was whacked hard in the face, sending him flying, the Vandal taking a downward stab at him as he landed at it's feet! Rolling off to the side, Kanta pulled out his shotgun again, blasting it, happy that this Fallen fell over dead.

The Captain roared at Kanta, towering over him as he teleported up to the Guardian again, Kanta watched this, acting quickly as he pulled out his shotgun, blasting it off again and again! The blue aura was visible the first shot, the second shot then made it burst; the Captain quickly dashed at the Guardian, looking to end it now that it's weakness has been spotted! "I see now..." Kanta muttered as he jumped back, a smile creeping on his face. He pulled out his auto rifle then! Unloading the entire magazine into the Captain, ending it then as the shields haven't replenished! Kanta was now alone in the chamber, with his well-fought-for prize, a ship, one that could get him out of here...

"I imagine that went... Exactly as you planned?" The ghost questioned the Guardian with no helmet. The guardian looked back at him, his eyes serious with the steel color, that made the ghost float back a bit. "You got a lot of explaining to do." Kanta said to the ghost, being replied to with a nod. "I understand. I will explain on the way." The Ghost said to him, looking now to the ship. "We're lucky the Fallen haven't picked it clean..." The Ghost said, analyzing it with its strange (to Kanta at least) laser that the Ghost used to mend and analyze mechanical circuitry and databases.

"Will it fly?" The Guardian asked his floating ally. "I can make it work." The Ghost replied, looking to him with a sense of reassurance. The Ghost then flying into the ship, disappearing as he did into his Guardian. The ship then began to operate, activating as its rotors began to spin and the rockets began to slowly activate, gaining leverage. "It won't make a light-speed jump, but it can get us to the city." The Ghost told his Guardian. Kanta had many questions about this day and age, and now seemed like a good time as any...

Or he assumed so, until growls of Fallen Vandals were heard from the gaping hole in the cement wall. The Punk turned around and faced them, only to see a giant Fallen, 2-3 stories high, crawl out of the gaping hole, glaring at the Guardian who seemed to disturb him, Kanta's eyes showing a twitch of fear, how was he gonna handle THAT!?

"Okay! Bringing you in now!" The ghost said, warping him into the cockpit instantly! This surprising Kanta as he looked out and downward at the floor he was on, watching it and the Fallen he was next to get smaller and smaller, thanking whatever god was out there, two blue wire rifle shots flew by, in twin streaks... Relaxing abit, he turned to his Ghost as it spoke again. "We can come back when you're ready for them. For now, let's get you home..." The thought of 'home' suddenly came into Kanta's mind... Where was he? Where was he going? He asked himself this as the ship flew off into the night sky, neither of them aware they were being watched almost the entire time. The hooded figure doing so continuing to watch them disappear.

"Alright Blinky!" Kanta spoke coarsely to his Ghost "Where am I? Where are we going? You said there were a lot of things I wouldn't understand! Now's the time to cough it up!"

The Ghost sighed his metallic sigh... 'The attitude of this guy? Who was he in another life?' The Ghost thought to himself 'Well.. I suppose he did get us out of that situation, and he doesn't grasp the concepts of the world he's in... Gotta hand it to him, he's pretty good.' The ghost was then done thinking, looking to his Guardian who was giving him a snotty look of sorts.

"Alright, I truly don't know who you are, or where you come from, but the light helped me find you." He answered Kanta, who was even more confused. "What light? Make sense lightbulb!" He spoke, even more irritated now. The Guardian knew nothing of himself, yet he felt the unending HATE of not knowing things. He sat back in his cockpit seat, his arms crossed and eyes closed, wondering what was to happen next. The Ghost then broke the silence "I may not be able to answer your questions Guardian, but-" Kanta looked to him, still grumpy and irritated "And another thing, WHY do you keep calling me 'Guardian'? That makes no damn sense!" The Ghost, undeterred to finish his explanation, continued "The Speaker will be able to help you, he's helped all Guardians." He finished, right before the ship flew into a storm, surviving the rain that poured hard in the midst of the thick clouds. This rain seemed to interest Kanta, like he had never seen it before!

When the duo began to see the light at the end of the clouds, they broke through it, finally seeing it, the sight catching even a man's like Kanta off-guard... He witnessed it... The Traveler... The great White Orb of Wonder hovering over the city... As the ship began to fly closer to one of the towers on the wall of the great city, Kanta wondered why they were flying toward the front yard area of the top of said tower, instead of some sort of docking bay. This all feeling very science fiction to him, he couldn't help but feel it to be more and more real... The ghost spoke again to him, Kanta beholding the city all in front of him, facing the Traveler and the city it stood over. "This is the Last City on Earth. It took centuries to build.. Now we're counting each day it stands..." Kanta stopped, looking all around them for a second, seeing many things that bewildered him, bothered him, and even scared him a bit.

The sight of PLANTS was enough to make him lose focus, like he'd never seen grass grow! Then the robots, functioning robots that seemed to be serving the people of all types- THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES were a wonder to him! There were regular people, like him, with a tan or light brown skin that ranged between normal human skin tones. Then there were Robot People that seemed more human than some of the regular humans around him, these people seemed to also be served by the service robots. And on top of that, the people with BLUE, or PURPLE, or even CHALK-WHITE SKIN, which seemed to sometimes shimmered in the evening moonlight!

The Ghost snapped him out of his bewilderment as ships flew over his head! Seeing the ship they were flying in DOCK ITSELF! Incredible! "Guardian." The Ghost spoke, waking Kanta from his bewildered daydream. He snapped his attention back to the Ghost, who began to float toward Tower North, Kanta following him closely, trying not to lose himself in all the bizzare things he was seeing, Ghosts flying over his head and around, robots speaking to other Guardians. He almost ran into a wall as he turned down the stone hall.

Upon another couple turns, the Guardian entered a laboratory of sorts, one that was very quiet, the commotion of the front yard he was in earlier gone, the only sound was the quiet turning of the giant gyroscope-like device above him, which seemed to possess multiple rings that turned in different directions, all encircling the Traveler in the greater distance.

"There was a time.." A calm, sullen voice broke the silence "...when we much more powerful. But that was long ago.." The white-robed, masked man spoke to the only other person in the room as he descended the last step, still staring at the Traveler as Kanta took a quick glance upward at his lab up above, a small sign of steam elevating from there, indicating a chemical reaction of sorts. The masked man began to step closer to Kanta, and he watched him do so. "Until it wakes and finds its voice, I am the one who speaks for the Traveler." Kanta scanning this guy, he found something odd about him, perhaps he found the mask kind of suspicious.

The Speaker walked slowly up to Kanta, then passing him, showing a welcoming arm to follow him as he stepped closer to the giant gyroscope-scale that mentally encased the Traveler in the distance. "You must have no end of questions, Guardian." He said, Kanta breathing in, about to interrupt him, when the Speaker spoke again, looking up at the Traveler. "In its dying breath, the the Traveler created the 'the Ghosts' to seek out those who can wield the light, and do what the Traveler no longer can... Guardians." He said, as if he knew that was Kanta's first question.

Kanta finally found a moment to speak, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he found himself, instead of ranting, slightly concerned for this benevolent being that is 'the Traveler', at least because he felt he owed it, due to the fact that it was responsible for his resurrection. "What happened to it?" The Guardian asked the masked Speaker. Walking off slowly towards what looked like a glass orb, the Speaker spoke again "I could tell you of the great battle, centuries ago, how the Traveler was crippled... I could tell you the power of the darkness, it's ancient enemy... There are many tales, told throughout the city to frighten the children... Lately those tales have stopped, and now... The children are frightened anyway." He concluded, Kanta then changing his view from the Speaker to the Traveler as it hung in the sky, almost touching the ground. The Speaker's attention was on the glass orb, which he was now in front of, it then slowly lighting up on the inside of it when his hand was placed on it. Turning back to the Guardian, the Speaker continued "The Darkness is coming back... We will not survive it this time."

"It's armies surround us. The Fallen are just the beginning" the Ghost mentioned. "What can be done?" Kanta asked the masked man. The Speaker replied to him "You must push back the Darkness... Guardians are fighting on Earth, and beyond. Join them... Protect the light, and us all. As I know you can, Desert Punk."

The name that had been given to him during his first life bringing back a sort of familiarity to Kanta, making him stop and think about it for a moment. The ghost seemed to be taken back by the Speaker's statement, as if knowing something. The speaker then nodded to the ghost which made Kanta squint his eyes in almost comedic suspicion, this all plaguing Kanta's intrigued mind. The Speaker stepped back from the glass orb before continuing "Touch the lacrima Guardian... It will restore your memory, as it has done for all new Guardians.." Kanta stepping forward hesitantly, his lower lip pushing upward into his upper lip somewhat, this being his decision making face.

Finally, he reached up, placing his hand on the lacrima, it's ethereal lights began to spin around and brighten at the center, Kanta's eyes widening as his memories began to flood his mind, all events of his memory filled his head. Who he was, his actions, his thoughts, what he stood for, everything, even his betrayal of his apprentice, up that that point, and his life prior he all filled his head. Slowly he stepped back, wobbly from the sudden rush of memory, the lacrima's lights were filled with blue dots of smaller light, but oddly, a couple were red at the end of its spiral pattern. The Speaker stepped forward to it. With a glance of an analysis, he looked, then, to Kanta, who still seemed startled and dazed as his memories flooding into his head, feeling a splitting headache effect of the lacrima. "Don't fret, the headache will go away with time... It seems the lacrima hasn't given you all your memories, or simply couldn't find any... According to it, your memory is incomplete."

Kanta suddenly blinked, hearing what the Speaker said, he glanced at the masked man even more suspiciously than before. "What do you mean 'couldn't find any'!?" The now angry Guardian questioned the masked man. The Speaker nodded, obviously keeping his calm demeanor "it means, in time, your memory will recollect, in time. Patience is what you need, Desert Punk."

The Ghost then hovered over to the speaker. "Wait a moment, you mean to tell me I found THE Desert Punk? As in 'the Demon of the Desert'- Desert Punk? We've been searching for him for almost 20-30 years!" He said, now circling the famed Desert Punk, who stood there, not really caring, more-so scanning through his memory to find what it is he's missing... "...wait a sec! Blinky here said I was alive! That means I-..." He paused, realizing what he was about to say "Wait... I FUCKING DIED!? HOW!? WHEN!? WHO!?" He said, holding his head in distress as the Speaker walked towards him, relieving him of the stress by touching his shoulder "It will come in time, Desert Punk. The Traveler has brought you back for a reason... Perhaps it is to find out exactly what happened? What your mistake was.. And how you can correct it."

"CORRECT IT!? BULLSHIT I WAS FLAWLESS!" The Punk said arrogantly, stepping back now, he was even more irritated than before. He then finally breathed, calming down abit as he stared at the Speaker with his steel-eyed gaze after a long pause "So, let me get this straight; you're telling me that I've been dead for WHO KNOWS how long, and was brought back by that giant snow globe!? What in any form of logic does that make sense!?"

The Speaker, as composed as can be, which was starting to annoy Kanta- his innate want for reactions was being neglected by this apparently wiser individual, the Speaker merely nodding to him, raising his hand to he Traveler. "The Traveler did, in fact, revive you. The proof floats beside you head." He said, Kanta then looking at the confused Ghost, them both staring at each other. "Your ghost chose you, Desert Punk, I only hope he chose wisely." The Speaker concluded, before heading up the steps to his laboratory above. His voice was then heard from above "Hello... Right.. Yes... Send him in... Yes.. I recommend the Hunter class... Send in Cayde... Yes, Thank you."

Kanta was staring at the Traveler, until footsteps disturbed the silence... "Hellooooooooooooo~?" The sound of a male voice, echoed metallically as the figure entered the room, a hooded figure, with a horn of sorts coming out of his head, his eyes glowing along with his mouth when he opened his mouth. Noticing Kanta standing there, he walked up to, the blue robotic man holding out his hand. "Oh, hey, you must be our new Hunter. Pleasure to meet you-" the EXO was interrupted by the Speaker from above "-Desert Punk. In the flesh, and he is a Hunter-Class Guardian now.." The Speaker finished then, going silent as the EXO's mouth hung open "Y-You're shittin' me.. you're THE Desert Punk!? Holy crap! The Warlocks have been searching the archives for clues of where we could find you! How did-? Who did-? Uhhh-..." The EXO stopped, turning around rather comedically, recomposing himself, turning around again, hand held outward toward the bewildered Kanta. "Cayde-6, 'Cayde' for short. Hunter Vanguard and Mentor. Pleased to meet ya~" he said.

Kanta was timid at first, his past with robots only being terrible and traumatic! Is this what the ancient findings of the 'Guardian' robots from the dark ages have become? Sentient citizens and Guardian's? How unbelievably bizzare... "Hey, earth to Desert Punk. Don't wanna be rude- but then again, neither should you, why don't you shake my hand?" He gestured to his hand that was left outward, Kanta then slowly grabbing it, with a look that showed confusion and suspicion, shaking it slowly, Cayde-6 shrugged, going the extra step in shaking his hand with enthusiasm. "Welcome, Guardian~ now that you're here with us, I can set you up with your new gear." Cayde said with a friendly smile, Kanta nodding to him, a smirk slowly clawed its way on Kanta's face. Free weapons and armor? Who could resist?

Much walking and many conversations through the front yard, from the EXOD veteran Hunter, to the inexperienced genius newbie Hunter; discussing the new style of currency, 'glimmer', as they call it. The classes of Guardians, Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans... Visiting the Gunsmith and then the Vanguard for suiting of his new armor, 'Mangala Skin' with a shader added to it. "Makes you feel like a million glimmer~" Desert Punk said as he looked at himself in he mirror. "I know, that's why they call it 'Million Million'." Cayde replied, who was managing to get on Kanta's good side.

Kanta felt a sort of similarity to him, a sense of familiarity of his old life, in the Kanto Desert. Kanta wasn't quick to let Cayde in on all his glory as the 'Demon of the Desert'. Though, for the oddest reason, the Hunters seemed to revere him, in a weird sense. "And now, for the finishing touch, my gift to you, Desert Punk, as mentor and vanguard of the Hunters here, I dub you OFFICIAL BADASS of the last city on Earth~!" He shouted, throwing a cape over Kanta's shoulders... Kanta questioned it, slowly feeling a sense of familiarity from it, like the old cloak he always wore back in the days of the desert. The cloak was white, with two golden rings looping at the bottom of it. "It's called 'the Cloak of Reverence'~ kinda has a nice ring to it~" Cayde finished, waiting for Kanta's reaction as he got comfortable with it, pulling the hood over his helmeted head. He quietly thanked Cayde, his pride was on 'full capacity' as he walked away, taking a moment to take it all in... How did all these other Guardian's handle this? Leaving their lives behind? Perhaps there was more to this? Perhaps this was a second chance? Who knows?

With a hand cannon and his lucky Shotgun equipped to him, Kanta had oddly refused the thruster pack that guardian suits were equity with, instead, asking for an older style rocket winch, a device he couldn't work well without, even against thruster packs and other rocket-powered devices, Desert Punk insisted on the winch. Of course, this did not mean he wasn't gonna ask for any upgrades he could get on it later, if the Vanguard technicians could ever take a look at it.

When finished preparing to go out again, stood in the front yard, watching ships fly by over the city, it's hustle and bustle seemed to be lost in the serenity of the tower that he was in. He reflected for a moment... Watching the traveler as he thought of his days in the Kanto Desert, all his deeds and misadventures, lessons he learned along the way, and even the people he wished were around to see him. They all seemed like distant memories to him now...

Kanta was now only interested in one thing right now. He stood up from the ledge that hung over the side of the tower, leaving almost nothing between him and a one thousand foot fall. When he stood with such tenacity, it startled his Ghost, who had been quiet this time, mostly still trying to observe the 'Desert Punk' for himself. Floating in front of Kanta now, the Ghost began, "So, what are we going to do now?" Kanta looked at him, helmet on, though the Ghost could almost feel his eyes from beyond the helmet, seeing that same cold-steel determined glance in his eyes.

"In the days of the Kanto, I made a reputation for myself... As far as I'm concerned, this rep has been completely, and utterly tarnished, and I'm ashamed that it's still around. I'm being revered for the things I did back then. And so, all this bull crap about me being some bad ass could very well be completely false." The Hunter spoke to his ghost, standing tall as he looked at his floating companion.

"And what WAS that reputation?" The Ghost asked, now curious of his guardian. Kanta looked at him, a type of confidence, not his usual arrogance, in his voice "by finishing every single mission or job WITHOUT fail, in that desolate wasteland of a home, I built my reputation, which was being THE BIGGEST badass in the whole freakin' Kanto Desert!" The ghost nodded slowly, looking down only for a moment before looking back up at his Guardian, asking another question "So... What is your goal now?" Kanta looked to the Traveler, "I've never liked OWING anybody. And yet it seems to me that I'm up to my ears in debt now, thanks to that giant snow globe in the center of the city. So, my mission is simple..." He paused for a moment, before looking back at his Ghost. "...pay my debt to this thing by completing every single mission, job, or bounty that the Vanguard can throw at me, rebuild my reputation again, and become the biggest badass in the entire freakin' WORLD!" Kanta called out, his shotgun suddenly on is hands as he loaded it, chuckling to himself as he did so. His ghost was still a bit unsure of the Desert Punk, still surprised that HE, of all ghosts, found the 'Demon of the Desert.' Looking to his Guardian, this was certainly going to be an interesting journey...

_

Aaaaaaaaand DONE! UGGGGHHH wow! This fanfiction stuff is TOUGH! But I love it! Thank you for reading. Sorry it seemed like a lot of talk, more destiny characters will come in the next chapter, and it will get a lot more exciting! Promise! If there's any confusion on how this enigma of a crossover works, I implore you to message me! TTFN~ (Ta Ta For Now)