*C1 was first Risen at the entrance to the Ishtar Academy on Venus 980 years ago. C1 and M went to visit on C1's Risen Day *
C1: It's...odd being back to the place I died.
M: How so?
C1: You wouldn't understand Meri...I DIED here. Not as a human. But as an Exo. I didn't even die in my originally body...this...just feels weird. I feel weird.
M: *chuckles* Well I didn't fall in love with you because you're normal. *points at bond* just like this bond you made me..you are something else. Something unique. Something the Traveler saw and wanted. *M proceeds to smack the back of C1's head despite height difference*So stop sayin' yer weird and just accept thatcha ain't exactly normal. I love ya fer who ya are Cain. Weirdness and all. Never forget that.
C1: *snickers*
M: What?
C1: It came out again.
M: *conjures a Solar Grenade in hand with eye twitching* Cain darling? Let's play Scorcher Tag. I'm it first.
C1: *runs away cackling through the landscape evading his bonded*
A day and a half passed. Thus spoke the end of any sanity the town of Sanctuary possessed.
It began in the early morning. The sun had just crested the horizon when one of the sentries called out. "Uhhhh...Stan? Did you put somethin' in my water?"
"No. Why Kyle?"
"I'm not hungover...are you?"
"No. Why Kyle?" Instead of an answer he was handed binoculars. Looking at his friend for a moment, he peered through and gained the same slack jawed expression as his partner. "Is that a...?"
"Giant, neon pink, Skagg...yeah."
"And is that...?"
"A guy riding it in a neon blue cloak and waving a cowboy hat and fighting off bullymongs with a giant dildo sword? Yeah."
"Is he...?"
"Coming this way? Yeah..."
"D...Do we tell Roland?"
"I-I-I don't know. Would he believe us if we told him?" They shared a look before both made fists and pounded them once, twice, three times on their palms.
Stan groaned.
He lost again.
Bringing the radio to his mouth he pressed the transmit button. "Roland? Stan here. We got, uh, we got a situation here."
"What is it soldier?" Came the voice of the Crimson Raider leader.
"You uh, you may wanna just come see for yourself. It's...you wouldn't believe it if I told you." Setting the radio down, the young soldier looked for the liquor and poured every drop over the edge. Kyle didn't even question him.
A minute passed and Roland arrived. "Ok. What is it you needed to...show...me?" His words slowly died in his throat as he watched the scene unfold off in the distance.
It was Cain.
Of course it was.
As the Nighthawk from Earth trampled and beat bullymongs to death with a purple marital aide, Roland groaned and slowly dragged his hand down his face after a palm to his forehead a few seconds prior. "I told him...oh who am I kidding. He wouldn't have listened. Privates? You're dismissed. Go to Moxxxi's and relax. First round's on me." The two nodded numbly and walked off.
Roland raised a flare gun and fired off a shot. Dingles raised its head with half a bullymong kid dangling from its maw and bounded towards the town of Sanctuary.
Cain leapt off his mount as it approached. Using the Light to give him a little umpf in his jump he landed atop the wall in front of Roland. Standing and giving a mock salute at the man, he spoke face to face in person with him for the first time in five years. "Heya Rolly. Miss me?" The mischievous amusement in the voice was beyond compare.
Roland pinched the bridge of his nose and rested his elbow on his palm for a good long minute, then, it began small.
His shoulders shook. He stifled a noise. A little chuckle escaped his mouth before more followed and it turned into a full blown laugh.
"Oh...Oh god! You should have seen the look on the sentries I posted. Just...good god Cain. You bring life to this old soldier." Roland and Cain grasped hands and pulled each-other into a hug. Clapping each other on the back twice, they released.
Before the Exo could remark a definitely familiar feminine voice spoke up. "And I don't?"
If Cain could, he'd smile. "Lils!" He turned and pulled the flame haired woman into a tight hug.
"Hey Mr. Disappear. Missed you too." She laughed after she was set down. She poked his chest. "Five years and not even a letter! Dick!" She grabbed another quick hug, smiling widely.
Roland looked at them. "You know him?"
"I didn't tell you? He helped me after the raid on New Haven. After we split. I was wounded, he waltzes in, then tears apart the group that had me dead to rights, and helped me heal up after." She smiled and turned to him. "How's Al?"
The dark green shelled Ghost appeared. "I am very well Ms. Lilith. It's great to see you again." The back of Alastor spun in happiness as he floated and flew around her.
"Al?"
"He's a Ghost/I'm a Ghost." Cain, Lilith and Alastor all said at once.
"How come I never saw it?" Roland asked.
Cain waggled a finger. "First off, he, not it. Second, never came up, never asked, never felt the need to. Take your pick." Cain shrugged. Roland opened and closed his mouth several times in disbelief. Cain then turned to Lilith. "Sooo...Goddess huh?"
Lilith groaned. "Oh god. You heard about the whole cult thing?" She sighed. "I don't know why. You don't see cults to other Sirens!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Its equal parts sweet and annoying."
"Hey. At least none have tried to make a demigod yet." Cain said nudging her.
Lilith proceeded to glare. "Shut up."
"Never. You'd miss my puns." He leaned back on the railing. "So, onto business. Jack's being a jack-ass I hear? Well, more than the usual."
Roland nodded. "He's located a Vault. With all the Eridium he's gathering we think he's using it to power up the Vault Key."
"Which Vault?" Cain asked. For the last five years he had looked into every Vault he could trying to find a way home.
So far, no dice.
"The Warrior."
"Oh. Yeah. That'd be pret-ty bad if he got his hands on it." Cain stood and clapped his hands together. "Alright. So. Whats our first step?"
/ / \ \
/ / \ \
/ / \ \
The Tower, The Last City, Earth
Five months.
It had been five months since the Nighthawk disappeared. His fireteam hadn't reported in half that time since he vanished. This fireteam was the reason minions of the Dark fled.
They were the nightmares of the Hive.
They were the breakers of the Cabal.
They were the misery of the Fallen.
They were the dread of the Vex.
They were the hell raisers.
They were debatably insane.
They were the knucklehead mcspazzatrons of the Tower.
They were Fireteam War Hound.
And they were set loose to find their leader.
Traveler help any foolish enough to get in their way.
They scoured the system and beyond searching. The team was made of two Hunters outside of Cain by the names of Shift-13 the Nightstalker, an Exo and Cain's second in command, Sevin the Dancer, a fierce Awoken man, there was a single Titan, Jabaho of the Unyielding Dawn, and two Warlocks, Skitter of the Morning Sun, the resident Human of the group, and Fox the Mad Bomber, another Awoken.
Cayde sighed. That team was as loyal as they were scary. The fireteam single handedly faced and ended every major threat to the Traveler once they joined together under Cain's leadership. Hydra, Cain's original fireteam, had defeated Atheon and the Vex, along with Crota and his Hive. War Hound had done its fair share however. Under their belt they had Oryx and his Taken, Skolas, False Kell of Kells, and Aksis and the SIVA reborn Fallen.
All felled by this team. They were the reason that the Guardians had a saying when a difficult problem arose.
The nuclear option.
'Cry havoc and let slip the Hounds of War.'
And Toles, Cain's apprentice? Was a Pup. Every dirty trick, every scary tactic, she learned all she could from the fireteam members.
Which is why if Cayde-6 could sweat, he would be bullets.
Toles stood at the end of the table facing down the Vanguard, arms crossed and a fierce visage on her beautiful face. Slightly pale with dark brown bangs swept to the right and spiking up on the top half in a defiance of gravity covered her right eye. Two pools of dark ocean stared at them with barely contained rage. "Repeat that. One. More. Time. Uncle." Pink lips formed each word nearly snarling like the dog the fireteam was named after.
"C-Cai-Cain's been missing for five months after investigating a flux of energy at the Vault of Glass?" He stammered slowly edging closer to Zavala. "Psst. Zavala. Ready your ward."
"Has there been any word?"
"Warlocks Skitter and Fox have theories." Ikora stated calmly. "They believe that after some research at the Vault that Cain was sent into an Alternate timeline."
"Alternate timeline?" The young Hunter asked with confusion.
"Ah yes. I forget. You were not there when Atheon was killed. From the Vault the Vex can alter time and timelines to their pleasing. For example. The timeline we are in the Vex have yet to beat us. But in another timeline. They have. Following?" There was a nod. "There are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of timelines. Most we may lose in. Most we may win. We do not know. However, say there is a timeline where the Traveler has yet to visit us. Or even this galaxy. The Vex could theoretically go there and take over that galaxy and timeline before the Traveler even arrives. This is all speculation however. We don't know as much about the Vex as we'd like."
"So you think thats what happened to Cain? He got sent to a timeline where the Traveler hasn't visited yet?" Ikora nodded. "Is there any way to get him back?" She asked, tone even.
Cayde peeked out from behind Zavala's mark. "Not too sure yet. We would have to track the energy and figure out which timeline, then which time period, then where he is. Sounds simple. Is. Not. Simple." He said standing. "There was a surge of energy in the Vault right before Cain was gone. There may be a way. But its with the Vex higher ups likely. Gobbos don't have the juice to do something this major."
"But...why him?"
"He did kill their God." Zavala spoke.
"Payback then?"
"I don't think so. He has just became a major threat to them by demonstrating his power. They were removing that threat." He finished with a sigh. "And now one of the Tower's best is gone. Toles, " he looked to her with softer eyes than most ever saw. "We are looking for him everywhere. If we find something you will be the first to know. I swear to you."
"And since you're my bro's kid...we know you won't sit and behave while he's missing. And I do not feel like getting any Guardians harmed in babysitting you dear niece o' mine. So you are pitching in." Cayde stated with a audible smirk in his voice. "You have full clearance for following any and all leads you discover immediately. No reporting back for all that red tape business. Just keep us updated yeah?"
Toles smiled in relief. "Thank the Traveler. I'll leave immediately."
"Before you do." Ikora piped up. "Xur was looking for you. He was last seen in the hangar bay."
Toles nodded. "I'll stop by."
"Good. Dismissed. Good luck Guardian."
Toles marched through the Tower to the hangar. As she turned to go to the ship holding area a voice caught her.
"Hawk Hatchling. A word if you please," came the mysterious voice of the equally mysterious Xur. The female Hunter turned and walked to his corner of the hangar.
"Ikora said you were looking for me?"
"Yes...the Nighthawk...he has not come for some time."
"The Vex have him missing."
Xur made an almost growl-like noise. "Impudent machines." The servant of the Nine calmed. "However," Xur turned and dug into his backpack. He pulled out a large cloth wrapped object, "the Nine fashioned this for him. As a thank you for the saving from the ambush sprung upon me."
"What is it?"
"It is the Nighthawk's. It shall work only for him. It is keyed to his Light."
Toles raised an eyebrow. "What's it do?"
Xur looked at her seemingly puzzled. "It shall do as it's master wishes." Toles probed him further but Xur said nothing.
She sighed and decided to start at Ground Zero.
The Vault of Glass.
/ / \ \
/ / \ \
/ / \ \
Back on Pandora, Cain walked the streets of Sanctuary, acquainting himself with the town. Officially at least, having been here many times under stealth. He had been given an abandoned two floor building near a mechanic named Scooter's garage. Well meaning guy in Cain's opinion if not too terribly bright.
Cain passed the center of town and spotted neon in the distance. "Moxxxi's? Didn't some lady by that name own the Underdome back before Jack?"
Alastor's voice came over his neural link. 'Yes. 'Mad Moxxi's Underdome.' She and Jack separated after he tried to kill her. Go figure.'
"Have I ever said how amazingly useful your capabilities are? They really let me be lazy with info searching." Cain muttered inside his helm as he walked into the bar owned by the woman. He passed a stereo system that seemed broken down.
'No. But it would be nice to hear about it more often.'
The Exo would have replied but he looked around the bar and was caught by the busty and beautiful clown-faced mistress herself, Mad Moxxi.
She looked over the stranger. Gold bird shaped mask with abyssal eyes hidden partially in a teeth rimmed cloak that clacked with bones on the cape? Check. Chitinous chest-plate, glowing, runed manacles, and leather boots with the kneecaps bearing a tree motif? Check.
"So whats the Nighthawk doin' in my lil' ol' bar?" Her voice chimed. The patrons of the bar gripped their drinks tighter and set hands on their weapons of choice. A few of the more cowardly ones left.
Cain chuckled.
Alright.
He'd play.
"Oh you know. Just making myself at home. Working with Roland and the Vaulties." He walked to a stool, sat down and tapped the bar twice and set a few bills on the bar. Moxxi made up two shots of mystery liquid and walked over.
"Not too often I get a player almost as infamous as Handsome Jack through these parts. There's gotta be a good reason Roland got your help."
"Eh. What can I say? I like the guy. I owe him a favor anyways. It works out." Cain pulled back his hood and undid the clamps and clasps holding his helmet in place. The armor hissed as gasses escaped confinement and the helmet was removed. Amber eyes met amused teal. The bar patrons who had remained relaxed.
If he was with Roland he wasn't likely to kill them.
"And what could garner a favor from the Nighthawk himself?" Moxxi inquired, eyes roving the false face of Cain.
"Oh he sorta...ya know..." Cain's reason was drowned out by his drink as it was tossed back. Glass met wood and amber met teal. "I must say. You know me. But I don't know you. I'd take a wager and say you're the owner?" She nodded with a chuckle.
"The one and only."
"Did you know the music box is out?"
Moxxi sighed. "Again? I had it fixed two weeks ago."
Cain took his second shot. "If I may...I have a way with electronics."
Moxxi placed a hand on her hip. "Shoot if you fix it I'll hire ya here. Payment? Drinks. It'd be nice to get Karaoke Night back."
"Sounds like a fair deal to me." Cain stood and gripped the top of his helmet and placed it on his head. "I'll get on it right now. Got nothing else planned."
"If you manage to get it workin' give a holler." Cain gave a nod and walked back to the busted music machine.
"Al. Scan."
It was an hour in when the issue happened. Cain had gotten some jacks from Scooter, turned out he was Moxxi's son, weird, and managed to lift up the machine as the problem lied in wiring in the bottom. He stripped two wires then used a cap to wire them together. He placed the wires back in place and slid the plate back to its original positioning. After screwing it back, he slid out from under the stereo system and dusted himself off.
Looking back to the bar ready to call his success he saw Moxxi with a frown set into her beautiful visage. The cause? A clearly drunk man that would not stop making passes at and harassing her. Cain snuck up behind him right as the man grabbed her wrist once she set his drink down.
The clicking of a hammer being set back caused him to freeze. "Mind telling me just what you are trying to do with the nice lady who gave me drinks?" Asked an empty voiced Cain.
"M-Mind your own business!" The man stammered.
"It is my business as she is now technically my boss." Cain peeked over the left side of the man's head, blazing eyes of the Celestial Nighthawk set in a eye-smile...how he did that was anyone's guess. "Karaoke Night is back by the way, anyways." There was a chill in the air behind the man now. The poor soul in front of Eyasluna quivered in fear. "No means no. It's time for you to go." Cain grabbed his collar and drug the drunk to the door. As he was thrown out Cain called, "Drink water. Otherwise the hangover will suck!" Cain dusted his hands off and sat back down at the stool he had occupied previously.
Moxxi laughed. "Screw repairman. I'll keep you as a bouncer." She leaned her arms on the bar giving the Exo a rather...interesting view. "Whatdya say sugar?"
"You could have asked minus the very...interesting way you asked Ms. Moxxi. I would have said yes anyways." He remarked with a shrug. "Unless Rolly has something for me I won't have much to do."
"Well, he has something now. He sent us to get you." Axton spoke up after walking in the bar with the rest of the 'Vaulties'.
"Yeah. We are train jacking a...train." Gaige cheered then slumped in disappointment after her repetition.
"Jack's train?" Cain asked while examining his glass.
"Aye amigo." Salvador nodded. "Gonna blow the hell outta it."
Cain chuckled.
He liked this group already.