Necro: Woot, thank you S0UL SURVIVOR for your comment! And no need to worry, this story won't quite be following actual game content all that much! Just major events that can't be ignored! So, there'll be plenty of chapters between things! Also, my writing blog has undergone a URL change, so now it's necros-writings! Give it a look! You can talk to me much easier there than here!

The next few weeks involved helping the survivors return to the City, moving supplies into the hangar base that was serving as the Tower, and burying the dead. Thanks to the efforts of the Guardians, there weren't many citizens. However, there were many Guardians. Even without the Light, they fought to the end. Some of their Ghosts survived, but even after the Traveler woke, it seemed it was too late. Something had stopped the Light from reentering the dead.

Much of the work fell, surprisingly, on Jaxon. He buried those Guardians whose friends simply couldn't, either because they too had died or because they couldn't move past their grief. All they could muster, most of the time, were quick words over their bodies before moving on. Death may be their day-to-day, but moving on was not. An added surprise that came from his tending to the passed-on Guardians, their Ghosts began to flock to him. Their distress at being alone once more felt like a never-ending wave to him, crashing over him every time he draped a cloth over the body or carefully lowered another into a patiently dug hole. He didn't know how a Guardian's death was usually handled, but he doubted that anyone was fit to try for the normal burial process right now. He didn't bother to ask the Ghosts either, even when so many had surrounded him that he'd lost count, just as he lost count of the Guardians. Of course, they didn't really speak to him either, choosing to hover briefly over their respective Guardian's grave before going back to floating around him.

He passed many days in this fashion, conscious of the Ghosts leaving, new ones taking their place, and then them leaving as well. He wasn't sure where they went or what they were going to do now, but hoped that it filled their lives, at least somewhat, with contentment. After a while, the Ghosts stopped coming and ones that had already mourned as much as they could left, until just one was left, constantly hovering over his shoulder. He didn't mind too much. It was nice to have company, in a way. The civilians often stopped by, some even helped as much as they could, but they all left eventually, except this one Ghost. So, they kept at it, the both of them, working day and night until the Guardians were all buried, until the last shovelful of dirt was patted down and he could rest.

Sitting down next to the last mound of dirt, Jaxon let out a long breath. "I'm guessing I buried yours here, somewhere, didn't I?" He asked the Ghost floating next to him, after a long silence. When the Ghost didn't answer him, he continued on, "There's a lot of them here. Even ignoring the civilians they had to bury too, this is a lot. Not the most I've ever had to bury, but still too many." Still the Ghost said nothing, but that was alright. His statement didn't need a comment. "Well, my work here is done. Maybe something to eat would be nice, huh?" Again, silence, but he figured it didn't matter much. Ghosts probably didn't eat. "Know any good places to eat? ….that are still standing?" More silence, then the Ghost bumped gently against his head and began to float away, slowly moving away from the makeshift cemetery. Dusting himself off and saying a quick good-bye to the graves, Jaxon stood and quietly began following his newfound companion.

Had many of the streets still been in working order, it likely would not have taken as long as it did for Jaxon and the Ghost to make their way somewhere suitable for lunch, but as it was, it was really more dinner time once they finally arrived at a little restaurant, tucked between the rubble of what might have once been an apartment building and a much larger restaurant that was far too crowded for his liking. So, he entered the little restaurant and sniffed at the air. A ramen shop. What were the odds?

"Hey, Jaxon, buddy!" Maybe the odds weren't quite what they seemed.

"Cayde-6, right?" He asked as he took the stool next to Exo. "Is this you making good on the promise to buy me some food?"

"Oh, you still remember that?" Cayde-6 chuckled, a steaming bowl in front of him already.

"Of course. I never forget a promise about food." He smiled and nodded at what he presumed was a menu on the counter. "Anything you'd recommend?"

"You gotta try the spicy ramen bowl, it's amazing!"

"Ok, I'll give it a try." He caught the attention of the cook and placed his order, a bowl of freshly made ramen set down in front of him moments later. "Certainly smells good enough."

Opening a pair of chopsticks, Jaxon set to eating in silence. He'd barely managed to swallow the first mouthful when Cayde-6, for whom the word 'quiet' probably meant nothing, said, "So listen, Jax, buddy-can I call you Jax?" When he got an unbothered shrug from the other, he ploughed on with, "I gotta tell ya, I really didn't expect to see you again. New guy to the City and all and first day here there's a war with the Cabal? Crazy, right?" Again, another shrug, accompanied with a soft slurping sound as Jaxon chased a noodle. "So, I'm up in the hangar, helping supervise all the supplies and such, you know? And I hear your name come up. And I'm just 'Whoa, that new guy made it? Unbelievable, I gotta hear about that', so I go and ask around, cause I figure it'd make a good story and out of all the people I'm asking, it's Shaxx that's telling me about this strange guy in ratty, torn up clothes with bandages wrapped all 'round his face like a mummy. And you know what Shaxx told me?"

Jaxon shifted slightly in his seat, moving closer to the counter, as he reached for a napkin. "I'm sure there are any number of things he might have said about me. Good with a sword, maybe? Willing to help? Quiet?"

"Well, all that did come up, but I was thinking about something a little more interesting." Cayde-6 hadn't touched his bowl since he'd started talking, hadn't even picked up his chopsticks, and was focusing intently on Jaxon, who'd just finished wiping his mouth.

"More interesting? Well…I can only think of one thing he'd likely said, so that leaves a question between us, doesn't it?"

"I guess so. Feel like working with me and the Vanguard?"

Jaxon couldn't help it, he choked. Almost coughed up his spicy ramen. Several thousand years old and shit could still surprise him. Who knew? "I'm sorry," He managed as he grabbed the water offered to him by the cook, "you want me to what?"

"Work with me and the Vanguard. Shaxx was impressed by what you did and you know how hard it is to impress Shaxx?"

"I imagine very, if you're willing to let past the shadow controlling shit." Jaxon replied after chugging the glass of water.

"Yeah, well, he made it a point to remind me, a lot, that you were tryin' hard to help. So I figure you can't be too bad."

"Alright then. And if I were to say yes to this, instead of blowing you off and moving on to some other place, what would be the deal?"

"A little help with mission ops, maybe some spying for Ikora, if that's your thing, maybe even leading strikes."

"Mhm. And all this isn't some ploy to watch over someone that could be dangerous to the City?"

"Oh, it's definitely that too. Just figured you'd at least like to do something while we watch ya."

"Well, I certainly can't object to that." Jaxon said, getting another mouthful of ramen. He certainly wouldn't call this particularly spicy, but the kick was there and enjoyable, so no complaint. Swallowing, he asked, "And does anyone else know about this little ploy?"

"Well, I can't say. I've always been sure Ikora can read minds. I've got fifty glimmer that says she can and just doesn't say anything about it."

"Mm. Then this should be an interesting test, yes?" Jaxon finished off his noodles and then lifted the bowl to drain the broth. "I'll wait for you to finish, unless you're taking that to go." The Ghost, which had kept its distance after leading Jaxon to the little noodle shop, floated up now and brushed against his head. "Hmm? I hope you weren't worried about me leaving you here, little luux."

"Lukes? Is that that Ghost's name? Odd name."

"No, I don't know its name. Luux is my people's word for 'light'. And while I may be blind, I can still feel the Light in this creature."

"Ah. Learn something new every day." Cayde-6 waved down the cook and got a bowl to go for his ramen. Once it was packed away, the little styrofoam bowl just…melted away. At least, it did to Jaxon. One moment he could hear it, see the little image the sound of it made in his mind, and then….it was like watching ice cream melt on a summer day. It was simply gone.

"What did you just do? Where'd the bowl go?"

"I thought you couldn't see."

"I can't, not like you, but I know there was a bowl there and now there's not. Where'd the bowl go?"

"Hoo boy, you're really gonna need some education, aren't ya?"

"It would appear I do, yes." He replied, standing as Cayde-6 got up. "Guess you'll have to tell me what you can on the way to…wherever."

"Well, I'm no Ikora Rey, but I think I can do that." So, with the silent Ghost floating alongside them, Jaxon and Cayde-6 started on their way to the 'New Tower', as Cayde-6 called it.

MadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMadMad

Now knowing a little more about 'transmats' and the strange backpack space that…existed, somehow, at the disposable of every Guardian, Jaxon felt a little better about his surprise at Cayde-6's bowl disappearing as it did. As it was, however, his new-found knowledge did not help him when they arrived at the New Tower and were almost immediately confronted by a rather intense, if quietly so, woman and a man built like a freight train. "Hello again. I believe we met back at the Farm." This was from the human woman, who regarded him with a gaze that, even without sight, he could tell was measuring him up, comparing him to a wealth of knowledge that even he could probably barely imagine.

"Yes, I…offered a distraction. I hope it worked."

"It did, and you have our thanks." This from the larger man, an Awoken, if he remembered the name right. "Without your help, who knows how many more would have died." Jaxon had to bite his cheek to stop from saying the number aloud.

"And we hope that you will offer that help again, by working with us." Again, Ikora, for that's who he was sure he was talking to. It had taken a moment to remember her sound, but he knew it.

"Cayde already explained it. I am more than happy to assist. In any way I can. Humanity is…important to me. I would like to see it flourish again."

"Very well then. If you would…is that your Ghost?" The man again, Zavala, if he was remembering the name right. Jaxon's hands came up to cup the silent the Ghost, careful not to prick himself on the strange spines coming off it.

"Well…I suppose it is now, if it would like me." The spines flexed against his hands, as if the Ghost were settling in, and he smiled. "I suppose that's a yes. Now, you were saying?"

"I was saying, if you wouldn't mind coming with us, we will sort out what role you'll play in your work with the Vanguard." Jaxon, despite being well aware of the real reason behind all this, was still happy to find something to do to help. And so he willingly followed these people into what would likely become his prison for some time to come.

The discussion didn't take long. It was decided that Jaxon would work with the Hidden, a network of scouts employed by Ikora that worked as the Vanguard's spy network. Unofficially, of course. But that would be his role, at least for now. He doubted it would last long. He doubted any one would be comfortable around him. And if no one could watch him and manage their job, he'd be moved to something else, eventually. But for now, it was fine.

"Very well then. I have a partner already decided for you, if you don't mind." Ikora said, tapping at the table they all stood around. Jaxon assumed that the table had a graphics display or something built in, but it didn't really do him much good. "I believe you already know them. A Warlock, by the name of Net?"

Jaxon nodded as he adjusted the collar of his jacket, his Ghost having settled in the hood and thrown off the feel a bit. But the weight, slight as it was, was nice and he said nothing about it. "Yes, them and Dice-10 were part of my…fireteam?" He hated military terms, had never bothered to learn the terms of his own military and would likely forget these as well.

"That's correct. Net volunteered to be your partner, if you accepted our proposal."

Jaxon nodded in response. He really didn't need to ask what would have happened if he'd said no. It wasn't exactly difficult to figure out. "I'm more than happy to be their partner. And I assume that we report directly to you?" He directed that at Ikora, who nodded.

"Net will show you how to draw up official reports. They will be waiting for you in the hangar, once we are done here." Jaxon nodded again and continued to do so as more was explained to him over the next hour. The crash course Cayde-6 had given him paled in comparison to Ikora's, though he attributed that more to how well Ikora could actually focus on something. Talking to Cayde-6 was a bit like rolling a die with topics of conversation instead od number. And the die was rolled every few minutes. With an increasing number of sides. Although, food seemed to make up a lot of the topics.

Nearly an hour later, Jaxon was wandering about the Replacement Tower, trying to find his way to the main hangar, mind reeling a bit from all the information Ikora had managed to pack into his 'crash course'. All that information and somehow, someway, he hadn't gotten directions to the hangar. It took him nearly another hour to find where he was going. Any time he tried to stop someone for directions, they either walked faster or started thanking him so much that he couldn't get a word in edge-wise. Eventually, he stopped asking and just wandered. Worked out well, in the end. "Where the hell have you been?" Net asked him when he finally found them.

"I…stopped to help some people?"

"Try again."

Jaxon rolled his eyes, a pointless endeavor, given the bandages still wrapped around his face, and sighed. "Ok, I got lost."

"How?"

"Well, I can't see with my eyes, so signs are useless, people don't like answering questions, and either Ikora forgot to tell me or I am incapable of keeping information in my head longer than five minutes."

"Hopefully not that last one. Not if you're going to be working with me." Jaxon could practically hear the grin on their face.

"Aye aye. Just tell me what we're doing, and I'm sure I'll remember. Who are you again?"

Net let out a short laugh and nodded. "Alright, you can't be that bad to work with anyway. As for what we're doing," They added, climbing up on their ship and popping open the hatch, "we're going clothes shopping."

"What, not a fan of my rakish traveler look?" Jaxon scrambled up the wing of Net's ship, looking for all the world like a dark furred squirrel.

"Your jacket is nice." That was really all the positive input Net had to offer as they helped Jaxon into the back seat.

"Thank you, I stole it off a skeleton in a department store."

"I…didn't need to know that." The hatch closed as Net settled into the pilot's chair, their Ghost floating back to study Jaxon. "Oh, that's Reed."

"Nice to meet you, Reed." Jaxon inclined his head at the Ghost, which felt like a tiny sun hovering in front of his face. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

"Is it true, what we've heard? Do you really control the Darkness?" The Ghost asked him, its voice reminding Jaxon of ice cracking in warm air.

"Yes, it's true. I hope that's not a problem."

"Not at all." And then Reed flew back up front with Net.

After a moment of silence, during which Net started up the ship after getting clearance, Jaxon suddenly realized something. "Net, if we're going shopping, why are we in your ship? Surely there's public transport in the City."

"There is, but we're not going to the City. We're going a little encampment I know." And before Jaxon could protest, or even really respond at all, they were in the air and he was gripping his seat. This was far too fast for his liking.

Necro: Oh jeez, it's been a while since I've updated this. Sorry for the wait, everyone, I started work on something original, which fell through a bit and requires more work, and I uh…life dealt me a hand of cards that sorta wrecked me. But I'm doing better and I'm trying to work on stuff more. Anyway, see ya next update, yeah? Love y'all.