It wasn't easy to go with Argonaut, but for the moment, Arizona thought it best to keep her reservations to herself. Ikora was the last person she wanted to disappoint. She couldn't quite figure out why she was so eager to please someone she didn't know very well, but Ikora always acted as if she knew her. Arizona showed her Sagira's shell, but she found that her voice was lost. When she opened her mouth there was no sound.
"Finding Sagira brings up a lot of old memories," she sighed. Her eyes looked far away, like she was seeing a memory that nobody else could see.
Fae spoke up, "When Arizona touched the relic…we all heard Savathun."
Ikora's eyes snapped up at Fae. "You heard Savathun?"
From beside Argonaut, Juggernaut appeared and spoke up, "Well, more likely it was a memory…an imprint, perhaps."
Fae's Ghost, Nymph, appeared from her hood, and spoke up as well, "That's…just stupid." Nymph's body was purple with icy blue accents that seemed to glow, he was the same shape as Ghost but he also had some thin extra 'arms' that made him look like a comet.
Juggernaut was black and white, reminding her of an animal she had read about in Ikora's books called a panda. "It's not stupid, think about it. We don't know anything about the Darkness, Nymph! Think about it!"
"Actually, that makes sense," Arizona folded her arms, barely aware that she was speaking aloud. Her left index finger tapped at her right arm rhythmically. "When all of us are revived the first time we lost our memories of who we used to be. We can be shaped by new experiences…a clean slate. The opposite of amnesia is the ability to recall the past. If the Light makes us forget…"
"Then Darkness would make us remember it." Argonaut finished, and Arizona frowned and suddenly it felt as if her voice disappeared again behind a door she struggled to open.
"Exactly! Thank you, Maria." Juggernaut said.
"Maria?" From beside her, she could feel Ghost glare at Juggernaut who shrunk away.
"Oops, sorry…Um…A…"
"Arizona," Ghost articulated.
"Right, anyways…in examining the relic it…does feel like it has the same properties as the Pyramids in Europa."
"The imprinted voice told us to remember a name: the Witness," Fae explained.
Ikora's eyes seemed to play at the relic Arizona held. "I see…that's some thorough investigating. Something tells me this 'Witness' Savathun mentioned is directly tied to her theft of the Light. We need to hear more of this…fingerprint." She put her hands behind her back and looked at Fae and Argonaut, "With you two already wielding Darkness, it's possible it awoke a new ability inside the two of you. This means we must strengthen this ability. Both of you should head to the Pyramid on Europa. Eris will guide you."
Arizona was both relieved and disappointed. She wouldn't see Argonaut for some time, but she also wanted desperately to learn more about their Darkness abilities. Shortly after the two left, Ikora said, "You've been too quiet. I expected you to question my decision in leaving you behind."
"It's nothing," Arizona lied, looking out over the Martian landscape. The wind picked up only a little, scattering the sand and dust. "I…don't have these Darkness abilities, so there isn't a reason for me to go, right?"
Ikora also gazed out over the landscape. "I expected you to beg to go because you are intuitive. When I tried to reach your fireteam Nymph said you abandoned them."
She looked over at Ghost and then at her feet.
Ghost said, "Argonaut…she and Fae were trying to judge the safety and distance of a well we came across and…he thought it would be funny if she went headfirst into the well. Naturally…she panicked and left before he could do any further harm."
Arizona shifted from one foot to another, but she could still feel the tears, "What did I ever do to him?" She whispered.
Ikora put a hand on her shoulder. "You did nothing. Argonaut…and Fae…I knew I was putting you with a tough pair but I didn't actually think he would do anything…malicious. Especially not with Fae around."
"I think it took Fae by surprise as well," Ghost added quickly. "She had no idea."
"Why don't they just…" she looked at Ghost. "Why do I feel like I'm the outsider around them?"
"It isn't just you," Ikora's voice softened. "Fae and Argonaut trust each other, and only each other. They're rivals on the Crucible grounds, and that's how the pair have bonded…it may be that's the only way they know how to bond with others. Find a way to bond with them. Show them that you know what you're doing."
"But I don't, Ikora. I'm…kind of just guessing at everything."
"I think you know better than you think. I still don't trust Fynch but if he keeps pulling up good leads like this one then, hopefully, there's still hope for the other stray Ghosts as well."
The sun beat down but Arizona hardly felt the heat. It felt warm and inviting. She breathed in deeply, "Who was Maria? I hear the name being passed around sometimes in the Tower…mostly by the Eliksni. And just now by Juggernaut… I must look like her for others to mistake me."
Ikora nodded, "Yes, you look very much like her. She was…a friend to everyone who came to the Vanguard for help. She quickly made friends with the Eliksni especially, and made them feel welcome when no one else did. Juggernaut knew her for a short time as well. She guided her to Argonaut."
"So, where is she? Why haven't I met her?"
Ikora sighed, "She died not long before your body was brought to the Tower. An accident. I won't discuss this any further."
"Sorry…I didn't realize you two were close."
"It's just too painful, much like Sagira's death is still painful."
The two looked out over the dusty field together, the bright light almost blinding from the terrain, but it was quickly starting to set over the horizon. "So, why am I not allowed to go with the others?"
Ikora chuckled, "Call it a bet with Zavala. He's always been…weary of harnessing the Darkness, and rightly so. He also believes we can do this without the help of Darkness, and I suppose he's using you to prove me wrong. Except it's hard to prove me wrong when I've listened to Eris's advice to ensure we had someone who could use Darkness."
"Is that why she barred me from the Pyramid here? Because of Zavala?"
Ikora nodded. "I wouldn't worry, though. Stasis isn't something that is more powerful than the Light. In time you'll come to harness Darkness as well, or so Eris believes."
Arizona nodded. She sat near Ikora, letting her feet dangle off the edge.
Too soon was Argonaut back. Ghost was still angry for what he did. Arizona stood slowly, and made herself look smaller by standing half behind Ikora and holding her elbows instead of crossing her arms. Maria never would have allowed Argonaut such an easy pass at her…then again, he had to remind himself that this wasn't Maria.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't split you from the fireteam, Argonaut." Ikora glared down at the Titan, despite him being the same height as her.
"What do you mean?" He folded his arms.
"When you went to retrieve Sagira's shell Ghost tells me you pushed her down a well."
Argonaut said, "I was just playing around."
"Do you really think now is the time to play around? After Savathun's stolen the Light?"
Fae stepped in, "I think he should be given another chance. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Ikora shook her head, "Like you stopped this one? I've never seen any of my Guardians act so maliciously before."
Argonaut chuckled and whispered, "Then don't go to the Tangled Shore."
Arizona finally spoke up, "I'll still accompany them to the place your Hidden reported about. I want to see for myself exactly what it is Savathun is hiding."
Ikora nodded, but held up a finger in Argonaut's face, "One more chance before I trade you for Crow."
He held up his hands, "Fine, fine."
Ghost didn't think it really was 'fine' and he was right. As soon as they got to the Throne world. He started screaming at her in front of Fynch.
"Hey, hey, hey, calm down!" Fynch intervened.
"Shut up," he backhanded the Ghost.
Arizona glared up at him. "That was rude." She whispered. Somehow, she still looked small.
