There. So she would hear him. And maybe, it would help. But she deserved to hear it, either way. Kipo deserved to know who she'd been standing up for, who she'd faced guardians for, back there in that village.

"I used to be a man named Uldren Sov. I was a prince of the Awoken people, a hero, brother of the Queen." He settled back, trying to remember all the details he'd gleaned from overheard conversation and answers to masked questions. "Apparently, he hated guardians and everything they stood for, but he was forced to work with them for a time. Then," he mentally signaled Pork, who appeared beside him. "The Taken King arrived in the system. Show her." Pork dutifully obeyed, pulling up a holoimage of the massive Hive king. "Full size, for scale." The ghost bobbed, and the image expanded until it was over twenty feet tall.

Kipo's mouth dropped open. And then she took another bite of soup. "Woah. Scary big spiky dude. What is he?" She stood hesitantly, wide eyes taking in the chitin armor, massive horns, and batlike wings.

"A Hive god, the first to come to the system. This guy wanted a fight, and apparently the Queen wanted to give him one. So she, and Uldren, along with a whole fleet of Awoken, faced the Taken King's armies."

"What happened?"

"They got their- they lost. The Queen was killed, and Uldren only just escaped with his life." The guardian shook his head, dismissing the hologram. "Sounds like he would have been better off if he'd died, too."

"Don't say that," Pork said, nudging his head gently. "Then I'd never have met you."

"Same," Kipo said, beaming. Then the smile shrank. "What happened to him after that?"

The guardian nodded. "He wandered the system. Fell in with some disreputable types. And then apparently he was… corrupted. Started seeing visions of his sister, the Queen, calling out to him." He snorted, eyes narrowing. "Telling him to save her. The visions invaded his mind, and he obsessed over them. Uldren started some trouble, but before he could get too far he was caught and shut in the Prison of Elders by a guardian named Cayde-6." The guardian met Kipo's eyes. "Now, Cayde was special. Not only was he the Hunter Vanguard, leader of all the hunters in the system-" He stopped, looking at Kipo's raised hand. "Yes?"

"Hunters are a type of guardian, right?"

"Oh, yeah. There's hunters, warlocks, and titans. They each have a leader called the Vanguard. Sorry."

"You're ok, keep going."

"Anyway, Cayde-6 was the Hunter Vanguard. If you believe the stories, he was free-spirited, charming, good with his Light and his gun, and a friend to everyone who met him. Show her."

Pork obliged and pulled up some images of Cayde-6, of the exo guardian laughing with a group of hunters, posing outlandishly beside the head of a massive Vex, and holding up a chicken to an unamused titan. The guardian had spent hours watching video and audio clips of the man, trying to understand the reason for the hate directed at him. He'd got it pretty quickly.

Kipo nodded. "He looks friendly."

The guardian nodded. "He was the one who eventually caught Uldren Sov. Him, and his friends, a gang of undead Eliksni known as Scorn. He put them in the Prison of Elders, until one day, they escaped. Cayde-6 and another guardian arrived to help stop what they thought was a prison riot, and they fought and killed their way to where Sov and his Barons had been held." A pause, and the guardian shook his head. "They were separated, and Cayde-6 was killed by Sov."

Kipo's expression shifted, from that of an attentive listener to one of sudden comprehension.

"He and the Scorn escaped, wreaking havoc on the settlements of Awoken and Eliksni out there in the Tangled Shore. They killed thousands before the other guardian began tracking them down, killing them one by one in a bloody quest for vengeance. They caught up to Uldren as he was attempting to free the Queen."

Kipo, rapt, interrupted excitedly. "Did he do it? Help her?"

"No." The guardian looked up, into the darkening night. "He'd been tricked. The visions weren't from his lost sister, but an evil Ahamkara, a wish dragon. The guardian arrived and killed the monsterosity's servants, and here the story varies. Some say that the guardian took her vengeance upon Uldren Sov. Others say that the Queen's Wrath, the acting leader of the Awoken people, executed him under martial law." He shrugged, hugging his legs close to his chest as cold rose in him. "Doesn't really matter, honestly. He was dead."

"And then I found you," Pulled Pork said quietly.

The guardian turned to the ghost, expression flat. "Yes. You brought me back from death, made me a guardian." He turned to Kipo. "That is the story of who I was."

She let out a breath slowly, blinking once. "Wow. Storytime for Kipo."

He didn't reply, dark thoughts moving through his mind. There. She knew everything. He could see that the information had dulled her optimism, made her thoughtful. What would she think of him now? Would she still trust him? He didn't dare say anything, and the darker voices in his mind told him that she would leave, make him regret his choices to help her, turn all the good things into regret and despair.

She met his gaze. "Well, thank you for telling me." She gave a small laugh. "The more I learn about this world, the more I realize I need to learn." Kipo paused, smile fading. She looked up at the sky. "It doesn't really change anything, though."

The guardian looked to her, confused. "Wait, why not?"

"That's not you." She looked back at him, a small smile adorning her features. "That's not my guardian. Like you said, Uldren Sov is dead." She turned herself to face him fully, eyes bright and hopeful in the firelight. "But you aren't." She scooted closer to him and took his hand in both of hers. "You're right here, with me." She shrugged, grin widening. "And Pork, of course!"

The guardian sat up, surprised at the physical touch, but not wanting it to end.

Kipo then let go of his hand and started counting on her fingers. "You make excellent orange ramen, taught me how to drive a sparrow, not to mention how to use a gun. You helped me when I had no other options, comforted me when I was sad." She reached out suddenly and hugged him from the side, resting her head on his shoulder. He stiffened, but she didn't let go or retreat. "You're no criminal. You're my friend."

He remained frozen for a moment, mind trying to come to grips with the fact that he was being embraced by another human being. It was the first time.

The guardian reached over and hugged her back awkwardly, smiling. She strengthened her hold for a moment, then let go. He blinked away a sudden burning in his eyes, averting his gaze for a moment. "Thank you, Kipo. I'm glad… you're my friend, too."

Her smile never wavered. She looked around. "It's not as cold here. Do you think it would be ok if I looked at the stars?"

"No, it's fine. I can take care of the fire, one second." He reached into his bag and pulled out one of his recent purchases, a smoke tarp. He set up the wire frame in two deft movements, then draped the porous cloth over it. Then he set the whole contraption over the fire, and the light was suddenly mostly hidden. He explained, relieved to be talking about something other than his past. "I didn't see any reports of Eliksni out this way, but you can't be too careful. This will keep us warm and hide the light."

"Cool! I guess we can just get the sleeping rolls out then, and then I can show you how I spent some nights with my friends back home!"

Pork brought out the bags, and Kipo set them up in a very specific way. The guardian watched, confused as he put the remnants of dinner away. "That's a strange alignment."

"You'll see!" She shucked off her shoes and rolled up the poncho for a pillow, diving into the bedroll enthusiastically.

The guardian took his time, placing his Night Watch against the wall of the house, and set his Allegro carefully where he could reach it in a pinch.

Kipo saw him handling the guns with care from her bundled position, then her eyes went wide. "Oh, forgot about that." She carefully drew out the Dynasty and its holster, and placed them beside her bedroll as well.

The guardian chuckled, taking off his boots. "I used to sleep with a gun in my bedroll. Not the most comfortable."

"Or safe," Kipo added.

"Your safety is on, right?"

"Yup!" Kipo paused, then checked the sidearm again.

"Good. You can never check too many times." He lay down, sliding into his roll, careful not to knock into Kipo's head, which was very close. "Why is your head right next to mine?"

"So I can show you easier! Look!"

He sighed, then did. The night sky towered over them, the tail end of twilight making the faintest light on the western horizon. And slowly, surely, the stars began to make themselves known. They were silent for a time, and the guardian knew that Kipo was restraining herself. But, strangely enough, he wanted to hear her talk tonight.

"Ok, now it's finally dark enough. But like…" Kipo paused, and the guardian could hear her shuffling around a bit. "It's so different, but so similar at the same time? Like, I expected it to look different, it's a completely different time of year and we're on a different side of the world from where I used to be, but still! " She pointed, and he could see where she was pointing, at a vaguely cross-shaped constellation. "There's Cygnus, but it's just a little… off."

"Maybe the fact that we're around a thousand years in the future might have something to do with it?"

"Yeah… That might do it." Her voice was soft, but not resigned. More thoughtful. "I guess I can still show you things, even if they are a little different." Her arm fell, but she spoke again, cheerier. "But the Milky Way's the same! Gorgeous spilled milk across the cosmos!"

"Who in the world came up with that name? The Milky Way?"

"Oh, I know that! It came from the Latin term via lactea."

"So, the Latins?"

"Technically the Greeks? It's pretty confusing, honestly. Oh, look!" She pointed, and the guardian followed her finger to another cluster of stars. "Ursa Major!"

"What?"

"Right there!" She moved her fingers between the stars, making a shape.

"What shape is it supposed to be?"

"A bear! A big one, there's a little one somewhere up there too…"

He looked over and saw Kipo bite her lip and squint up at the sky.

"Do your jaguar eyes help with this?"

"Yes, but I don't use them for stargazing. Humans have terrible night vision, yeah, but…" She looked back at him, smiling ruefully. "Seeing them with jaguar vision makes it too bright, too complicated. I see so much more than I was taught, and I don't know what I'm looking at. But human eyes," she looked back up at the towering heavens. "Yes, I gained the ability to see more, but it makes it hard to watch the stars with friends. This, well… This is the view we all share. And I can be ok with that."

They both looked up at the sky, and the guardian thought her words over. "I never thought about it that way."

"I've never told anyone how I felt about that. Nobody ever asked. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Kipo." Further silence, and they both let it stretch out. Night sounds surrounded them, crickets and creaking and soft winds.

Then Kipo spoke up. "There was a weird guy at the village today."

"Hmm?"

"His name was Undira, I literally ran into him near Gary's." Her voice gained a faint disbelief. "He started talking to me about Light and Darkness and all sorts of odd things. That's where I was before I came running, by the way, hanging out with him by the shipyard."

"I'm glad he didn't hold you up. Did he seem dangerous?"

"No. Just weird. And like, I like weird! But he was his own brand of it."

The guardian smiled. "So… he's on your mind?"

"Yes!" Then Kipo turned to him, narrow-eyed. "Not like that!"

The guardian chuckled. "Sure, kid."

"Ok, I'm not really into the dark, mysterious type, mister. Too dramatic."

"Now that's surprising, I'd have thought you'd like dramatic."

"Not sad dramatic."

"Ah. Happy dramatic."

"Yeah."

A small pause, then Kipo started again. "Anyway, do you know who he is? A little taller than me, dark skin, big sunglasses, long hair,"

"Handsome?"

"Sure, but like-" then she glared at him.

The guardian grinned. "No idea, never heard of him."

"Ok, you." She was miffed, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

A longer pause, which, to his own surprise, he broke. "Hey, Kipo?

"Yeah?"

"Please, tell me about your world. It sounds, well, very different than mine."

"Oh, it's amazing!" she exclaimed, then the guardian was treated to a massive information pile about her weird and wonderful world, a place of strange creatures and odd events. But somehow, he found himself believing every word. Kipo spoke about her friends, her life, her trials, with such sincerity and enthusiasm that, coming from anyone else, the stories would be simply unbelievable. But the guardian enjoyed hearing another person's voice, and he listened. He learned about the snakes who performed music, the frogs who ran in gangs, and Kipo's strange family, from the adopted sister who ran with wolves to her antagonistic monkey half-brother.

"And then there's Dave, an immortal insect mute, but he's more like a weird uncle that you know means well, and tries his best to help out, but sometimes…" she kinda trailed off. "You get the picture."

The guardian didn't, but he was glad to be included. "Having a family sounds amazing."

"It is! That's what you need, honestly, a bona fide family that you can laugh with, see the world with. It was amazing getting my dad back. And my mom, too, but, being trapped in a giant mute body is… let's just say inconvenient for bonding."

"Yeah, I'm sorry to hear about that. You'll find a solution, I know it."

"How's that?" She looked at him quizzically.

He shrugged. "You don't seem like the type of girl to give up."

"Why, thank you, guardian." Kipo's smile disappeared, and her eyes returned to the stars. "I have to get home first, though."

"I think we can do that, too."

"You do?" Her voice was small.

The guardian looked to Kipo, and made sure she met his eyes. "I do."

She smiled. Then went back to looking at the night sky. He joined her, and they simply lay that way for a time.

Something grew in the guardian, a desire, something he hadn't known he'd wanted until now. He moved it around his brain, dissecting it and analyzing it for all it was worth, taking his time. It was a rather important thing to ask, after all, but after what felt like almost an hour, he knew that he was simply putting it off at this point. He took a deep breath, and decided.

"Kipo? You awake?"

She made a sound, then groggily, "Yeah, guardian?"

"Could you give me a name?"

That got her attention. She rolled over, facing him, rubbing her face. "Wait wait, I'm not sure I heard you right, still waking up again, sorry sorry, what was that?"

"I want a name. From your world, preferably. It sounds like such a better place than this one."

"Oh." Her eyes widened into pink orbs. "Oh! Yeah, I can… I'll think of one."

"Thank you." He reached behind him, and after a second, she took his hand. He met her eyes. "Thank you."

She nodded, wordless. He let go and drew back into his bedroll. "Sorry I woke you up. We have a long way to go tomorrow."

"Ok." She sounded a little stunned. "Thanks for looking at the stars with me."

"Thank you for showing them to me."