Earth - Solar System
3rd person POV...
As the Arcadia Class Jumpship makes its way in the direction of the Last City, piloted by Ghost, Sophie remains in silence as she thinks hard about things.
She's in the future... far into the future apparently, and in a post-apocalyptic world at that. Aliens have invaded the earth to cause this, wiping out nearly everything. There are no Avengers to help, no one to protect them from the aliens, and no one that she knows and loves is alive anymore. She's all alone... resurrected by some little machine to fight alien monsters in the name of some god and to protect the remains of humanity.
It's a nightmare.
Sophie's helmet has since dematerialized, much to her surprise when it happened, exposing her face for the first time since being resurrected. Her wavy brown hair flows down just past her shoulders to frame her face of light-colored skin, a bit pale due to the region she lived, and revealing her deep brown eyes.
Sophie slowly brings her hands to her face and covers her eyes to try and block her tears as she quietly sobs, slumping back in her seat. Ghost swivels around and watches her, anxiety and worry apparent in his glowing blue optic.
"Hey, Sophie... uh... how are you feeling?" he asks hesitantly.
"Horrible, what do you think?" she mutters angrily, wiping away some tears.
"Yeah, right..." he replies apologetically, uncertain of how to respond. "Do you... uh... is there anything I can do?"
"I don't know what you could do," she replies bitterly. "My whole world is gone."
"Well... if it's any consolation, I'm really sorry for your loss," Ghost tells her regretfully.
"Uh huh," she mumbles in response, hugging her legs to her chest.
After a few long seconds of silence, Ghost turns toward her with a curious gaze.
"Do you mind me asking... how much you remember? From... from your previous life?" he asks timidly.
Sophie doesn't respond for a while, much to his unease.
"It's alright if you're not comfortable with talking about it," he quickly amends. "I don't mean to intrude, it's just- very few Guardians remember much about their previous lives, and fewer remembering even their names-"
"It's ok, I don't mind," she replies, interrupting his rambling.
"Oh, good!" he replies, relieved and a little bit excited.
"I remember everything... at least everything before whatever happened that caused me to... you know, die," Sophie says awkwardly, lifting her head up in thought. "I know I wasn't old; only 23 years. The last thing I can recall... I don't know, it was something to do with, robots or something..."
"Exos?" Ghost suggests.
"What's that?" Sophie asks.
"I thought you said you-" he starts before faltering, thinking about it. "Well, maybe not then... what do you remember about your life?"
"I was happy enough, I suppose," she shrugs in response. "I've always lived in Sokovia; not entirely rich but I had a comfortable enough lifestyle, and some good friends. Though unlike most people in Sokovia, I actually respected and admired the Avengers, since they did good things-"
"Wait a minute, the Avengers?" Ghost interrupts in surprise. "As in the team of superheroes?"
"Yeah. Who else?" Sophie ask, raising an eyebrow at him. "Wait, so you're telling me you know about the Avengers but don't know who Tony Stark is?"
Ghost narrows his optics as if in thought, before brightening up in recognition.
"Oh! He was Iron Man I believe," he says.
"You don't say," she deadpans in reply.
"But, wait a minute; you're talking about the Avengers as if they were around when you were," he notices, confused.
"Uh, yeah… they were," Sophie replies, also confused.
Ghost blinks at her in bewilderment.
"What? But how could you have been-" he starts to ask incredulously, but stops himself. "…do you remember what year it was in your life?"
Sophie frowns in thought, trying to remember.
"I think it was… the last year I can remember was… 2015?" she offers in reply.
Ghost gasps in shock, staring at her with one wide optic, stunned at the revelation. Sophie notices with confusion and wariness, making a face at him.
"Is… uh, that wrong or something?" she asks cautiously.
"You were alive before the Traveler arrived…" Ghost murmurs. "You're from before the Golden Age!"
"I guess?" she replies uneasily.
"Do you realize what this means?!" he asks excitedly.
"No I don't," she says, annoyed.
"No Guardian before has ever been resurrected from before the Collapse, much less the Golden Age!" Ghost exclaims. "There's so much history you could tell us, it's incredible! We barely know anything from before the Traveler arrived aside from the Avengers and everything they did!"
Sophie blinks her eyes in bewilderment.
"Really? An entire planet full of dead people and you haven't once resurrected anyone from before… whenever it was you're talking about?" she asks.
"Never. No one knows anything about that time!" Ghost says, before faltering. "Well, aside from the Asgardian woman, but she doesn't like talking about it."
"Asgardian woman? Who's that?" Sophie asks.
"I'll explain later, we have to get you to see the Vanguard!" Ghost says, disappearing back into the ship, though his voice still echoes through the speakers. "Luckily we're almost there!"
Outside of the cockpit window, Sophie watches as the ship continues its way through the clouds. She squints her eyes and holds a hand up to block out rays of sunlight once they begin to shine through the cloud cover, but once the ship breaks free of it all, Sophie looks on in amazement and wonder at the sight.
Directly ahead of her is a massive city, much bigger than anything she's ever known or seen. Novi Grad especially would've appeared as a small speck in the midst of this massive place. Tall towers, bright lights, and many other urban wonders were visible scattered throughout the city, the tallest skyscrapers located near the center. But above it all was a single massive sphere, larger than anything she had ever seen before; Sophie was willing to bet it was the size of a small moon! It hovered above the city without any support, sporting a white outer shell that gleamed in the evening sun. A noticeable feature however was all of the large openings and breaks in the shell underneath, exposing the inner frame of the sphere. They exposed areas almost looked like deep gashes… as it something with claws had inflicted injury upon it.
Sophie had no doubt in mind that's this was the Traveler.
"Welcome to the last city on earth, the only safe haven left for humanity. Watched and protected by the Traveler," Ghost informs her. "It took centuries to build. Now… we're counting every day it stands."
"It's beautiful…" Sophie murmurs.
"Yeah. We've kept it safe for a long time. But we're actually going to the Tower," he replies.
The ship steers in the direction of a tall majestic tower on the very edge of the city, looking out over it all and in perfect view of the Traveler.
"What's the Tower?" she asks.
"It's the command center for the Vanguard, and the home of the Guardians," Ghost explains. "This is where we bring new Guardians, and where they stay and rest whenever not out in the field, battling the forces of the Darkness."
Sophie hums to herself, a little anxious at the thought of meeting new people, especially other Guardians. She's not sure what she's supposed to do, and is a little worried that other Guardians may judge her.
"We're about to exit the ship, so get ready," Ghost warns her.
He flies the ship carefully into what looks to be the Tower's hangar, and sets it into its position on a platform. Sophie freaks out for a second as her body starts dissolving into blue particles, but forces herself to relax as it happens, and suddenly finds herself standing on a platform on the side of the large hangar. She stumbles for a moment in surprise to regain her bearings, and looks around.
Ghost materializes next to Sophie, much to her relief, and she looks around to see a woman with short and messy blonde hair standing beside the railing near some sort of workstation, checking something on an electrical pad of some sort. She's clearly a mechanic, based on her outfit with a bandana and goggles, and also has splotches of dirt and oils over her. The woman looks up at the new ship and frowns with a raised eyebrow, humming at the sight.
"I don't know whether to be amused or exasperated," she remarks to herself.
The woman turns around to look at Sophie, and her eyes brighten up.
"Oh, hey there Guardian!" she greets pleasantly, making her way over. "This your ship?"
"Huh?" Sophie replies, a bit startled. "Oh, uh… yeah, yeah I guess so."
The woman raises an eyebrow, and her mouth quirks in amusement.
"Oh I see. You must be a new one huh?" she deduces.
"Yes! I just resurrected her a few hours ago!" Ghost chirps proudly in response.
"Well that must be nice, if a bit weird," the woman comments, and holds a hand out. "My name's Amanda Holiday. I run the whole business here with ships and sparrows and whatnot."
Sophie cautiously shakes her hand, wincing a little bit at the tight and very enthusiastic grip Amanda has, still a bit bewildered.
"Oh, cool… nice to meet you. I'm Sophie- Sophie Matthews," she replies.
"Huh, nice name. Sounds cute," Amanda smiles, and Sophie blushes sheepishly. "Well, why you go run ahead to the Vanguard while I get you ship looked out, alright?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure," Sophie nods.
"Good luck up there kid," Amanda says, patting the back of her shoulder encouragingly.
Sophie smiles a bit nervously to her in response and makes her way up the steps, following Ghost as he leads her out of the hangar and down a hallway.
"She seems…" she starts to say.
"Tough? Enthusiastic? Teasing?" Ghost offers.
"Yeah, lets go with that," she nods in agreement.
"That's Amanda for you. She's typically the first face new Guardians see at the Tower, so she likes to put on a good impression for them," he explains. "She's nice, although she can be demanding at times if you do something she doesn't like."
"I can imagine that," she remarks.
Sophie then walks out of the hallway to enter a small plaza, where several other people are walking around. Despite being in a tall tower there's a sense of clean natural beauty present, with grass growing in the plaza, old and wise looking trees, and granite pathways. Other people, presumably other Guardians, mill around the plaza, chatting with each other or walking to other areas, all of them fairly calm and relaxed. Sophie however is anything but, and looks at a few of the Guardians nervously.
"Uh, Ghost? What are those guys?" she asks quietly, a little unsettled.
Ghost looks around to see Sophie referring to some of the people with blue skin, or the robots walking around as if they were normal people.
"Awoken and exos," he tells her. "Awoken used to be normals humans, but at some point they ventured out just beyond the edge between the Traveler's light and the darkness, where it changed them. And the exos… they have souls just like you and me. No one knows where they came from or who built them, but its theorized that they used to be human as well, before their minds were transferred to robots."
"Really?" Sophie asks in surprise, putting aside her bewilderment about the robot/human thing for now. "Wouldn't they just… remember it?"
"Nobody remembers. Exos can go through different memory wipes over time, completely forgetting their life from before. Their designated number is how many times their memory was wiped," Ghost replies, nodding towards a blue exo standing at a vending table with weapons all around him. "Banshee over there? His memory has been wiped 44 times."
Sophie stares in shock, stunned at the idea that something like that could happen.
"Now come on, we should get going to the Vanguard. I have a feeling they'll really want to talk to you," Ghost urges.
Nodding numbly, Sophie follows Ghost through the plaza and he leads her in the direction of a staircase leading somewhere underneath. Along the way a few passing Guardians turn to look at her, and she shrinks self-consciously. A lot of them she can tell with a mere glance that they're experienced, wearing armor that stands out much more than her generic tunic and pants, and intimidating looking weapons on their belts or strapped to their backs. She's relieved when they leave the plaza and go down the stairway, walking through a very small corridor to enter a much longer and wider hallway, which opens up to what looks like a large conference room or command center at the end.
More people are milling around, quieter down here, and three of the are gathered at the long table at the very end. She cautiously follows behind Ghost as he leads her through, glancing around to see a very large Guardian, some robots, and what look like regular humans working at computers.
"That's Lord Shaxx," Ghost informs her, nodding to large Guardian. "He's in charge of the Crucible, which is where Guardians face each other in combat to train."
"Huh?" she murmurs in response, alarmed.
"Let's keep going!" he replies eagerly, not noticing her distress at the comment.
Sophie continues onwards warily, giving Lord Shaxx another nervous glance. She then notices another woman standing beside him, the two seemingly in quiet discussion. Sophie narrows her eyes curiously at the woman who, unlike Shaxx, is obviously important but doesn't seem like any of the other Guardians. She's wearing some sort of medieval armor get up with a battle skirt, metal gauntlets and medieval combat boots, a sword strapped to her back. Her hair is dark brown and wavy, falling down past her shoulders, and she looks to be in her forties, maybe fifties, for age. As if noticing her gaze the woman looks up to stare back, narrowing her eyes, and Sophie quickly averts her eyes with a quiet gasp.
"Come on Sophie!" Ghost urges.
Sophie wastes no time in continuing onwards, feeling the stare of that medieval woman following her. Once she enters what looks like the 'conference room' Ghost leads her down a few steps and over to the long table, where three more Guardians are chatting in quiet voices with each other. Ghost interrupts by clearing his throat, which has Sophie frowning in confusion.
Her floating little machine companion can clear his throat?
"Excuse me, uh, Vanguard?" he chirps hopefully.
"I'm afraid we're busy at the moment, so come back later," the awoken man at the end of the table says without looking up, his voice booming and deep.
"It's very important though, I insist!" Ghost chirps confidently.
"We don't have time right now-" the awoken man replies firmly.
"Aw come on Zavala, sure we've got time!" the exo man interrupts. "It's not like all of this planning stuff is going anywhere!"
"Cayde…" the woman sighs in exasperation.
"What? Surely you agree with me on this Ikora!" Cayde says, sounding appalled.
'Cayde' turns around to face Sophie and Ghost with a wide and mischievous smile on his face, the expression startling her. He's wearing what looks to be a survival outdoors get-up, with a hood and cape to add to it. His metal face is blue with some hints of yellow, his mouth lighting up orange when he speaks, and a horn protrudes from his forehead.
"Hey there kiddo, how can we help you guys out?" he asks charmingly.
"I'm here to introduce our newest Guardian!" Ghost says proudly.
Sophie shrinks timidly a little bit when the other turn look up from their work to stare at her, curiosity running through the gaze, and 'Zavala' hums with a small frown on his face. He's a large man with bulky shiny armor that seems to also display a level of importance, like that of a commander in the middle of a battlefield. The woman, 'Ikora,' on the other hand seems less like a warrior and more of a librarian, wearing deep purple robes similar in style to Sophie's own, although they are much more royal and fancy than hers. She also has a few necklaces around her neck, and when Sophie looks in her eyes it feels like she's looking into a well of intense wisdom, mystery, and knowledge, and she's forced to look away.
"A new Guardian?" Ikora remarks.
"I suppose this is more important… for the moment," Zavala grunts.
"See? What'd I tell ya?" Cayde says triumphantly before turning to face her. "Nice to meet you kid, I'm Cayde-6. I'm responsible for all of the Hunters around here and, widely known fact, the coolest one on the Vanguard. That's Ikora Rey, the know-it-all, but amusing, librarian, and the serious guy that sucks all the fun out of you is Commander Zavala."
Ikora rolls her eyes while Zavala just shakes his head in annoyance.
"Oh, uh… nice to meet you," Sophie replies uneasily. "I'm Sophie. Sophie Matthews."
"Sophie? Sounds adorable. Very feminine, very cute. Makes me think of dolls. I like it," Cayde comments, and Ikora scoffs at him.
"And that, Cayde, is precisely why you will never get a date," she tells him.
"What?! I'm handsome! You know Amanda likes me!" he retorts incredulously. "Hey, Sophie, you think I'm handsome, right?"
"Uhh…" Sophie replies awkwardly.
"Cayde!" Zavala snaps.
"You don't have to answer," Ikora reassures Sophie. "I'm sure you must be a bit unnerved with everything that's going on right now."
"Yeah, a little bit," she confirms.
"Ghost, any important details of your journey here?" Zavala questions.
"I found Sophie over in Old Sokovia. We were chased by a pack of Fallen but managed to fight them off," Ghost reports. "However, not only Fallen skiffs but also a ketch as well came down to the surface."
"To the surface?" Cayde asks, sounding surprised. "Like... how close?"
"Very close," he emphasizes.
The vanguard all share concerned glances with each other, and Zavala frowns at the information.
"Old Sokovia is run by the House of Devils, and for them to bring ships to the surface is a very bold move," he comments thoughtfully. "That certainly warrants an investigation."
"Indeed. Just seeing a Ketch by itself is rare," Ikora says in agreement.
"I guess I can wrangle a team of Hunters together and have them scope out the area," Cayde suggests. "I could lead them."
"Assemble that scout team," Zavala says, agreeing with the idea. "But you, Cayde, will be remaining here. Your job with the Vanguard is much more important."
"Ugh, come on. This again?" he sighs in annoyance. "Every time..."
"Anything else, Ghost?" Ikora asks.
"Actually, yes! And this is earth shattering news!" he says excitedly.
"Not literally, I hope," Cayde jokes.
"Sophie here, has retained nearly all of her memory of her life, and she lived in a time before the Golden Age!" Ghost reveals. "In fact, before the Traveler even arrived on earth! She lived during the time of the Avengers!"
If the Vanguard were expecting something really surprising, then that wasn't it. They weren't just surprised, they were shocked. All three of them widened their eyes and switched their gaze from Ghost to Sophie and, for once, Cayde was at a loss for words. Sophie shrunk inwards a bit more out of nervousness, offering a sheepish smile to them.
"Haha... yeah, apparently," she says slowly.
"You're kidding, right?" Cayde asks dryly, before chuckling. "Because that's a good one."
"No, I'm serious! She really did live before the Traveler arrived, and has also managed to retain nearly all of her memory," Ghost insists. "The only thing she can't seem to recall exactly is what led to her death."
"Is this true?" Ikora asks with a firm look, her gaze focused on Sophie. "Did you really live in a time period before the Traveler was in the earth?"
"And during the Avengers Era?" Cayde adds curiously.
"Uh, yeah..." she starts to say.
"You lived in the time of the Avengers?" another voice asks.
Sophie jumps momentarily, startled at the new voice, and quickly turns around to see someone standing a few feet behind her. It was the medieval woman standing next to Lord Shaxx, and she was staring at Sophie with an unreadable, but intense gaze that made Sophie squirm uncontrollably.
"Uh... yeah, I did," she replies anxiously. "I lived in Sokovia for my whole life. The last year I remember was 2015."
The woman continues to stare at her, and Sophie's unsure of how to continue.
"Lady Sif, do you know her?" Zavala questions.
Sophie frowns thoughtfully, recognizing the name.
"Sif..." she murmurs, widening her eyes in realization. "...Lady Sif...?"
Sif glances at Zavala for a moment, her expression still unreadable, before leveling another long stare at Sophie, eyes narrowed in thought.
"She does not lie," Sif finally nods. "But I do not know her."
"Huh. Well what do you know," Cayde muses, a bit amused and very intrigued.
"You're Lady Sif... from Norse mythology!" Sophie says in amazement. "Then that means you know Thor! That's awesome!"
Sif stiffens up for a moment before relaxing, but despite the very brief reaction Sophie still noticed, her smile faltering.
"I knew him..." Sif murmurs quietly in response.
Without another word Sif turns around and walks away, much to Sophie's confusion and nervousness. She glances back at the others for help, noticing the looks of sadness on the faces of all three of the Vanguard.
"Did I say something... wrong?" she asks cautiously.
"It's not your fault kid," Cayde reassures her, forgoing his typical jokester attitude.
"When the Darkness came for us, it took everything humanity had to fight it off, and even then it wasn't enough," Ikora explains sadly. "Asgardians lived on earth after their Ragnarok happened, so they took part in the battle against the Darkness. It was... disastrous."
"Lady Sif was the only Asgardian survivor of the Collapse," Zavala states grimly.
Sophie looks at them in surprise and stares off after Sif's retreating figure sadly, unsure of what to think.
"Oh..." she murmurs. "So she's the... last Asgardian?"
"Basically. I mean since the Collapse she helped form a new community of them, although they're only half-asgardian, but in terms of a complete and pure blooded Asgardian, she's the last," Cayde adds with a sigh.
"Sif rarely ever talks about her life, so we don't know much about what earth was like before, since so much of our history was lost in the Collapse," Ikora says. "Losing her people... it was hard on her, that much I do know. She carries the guilt of being the lone survivor."
"It's awful..." Cayde sighs.
Sophie shares a concerned look with Ghost and looks back to see Sif walking up the stairs to leave the hallway, disappearing from view. She can't imagine what Sif must've felt when she lost everything. It was hard enough for her to wake up and find out the world she knew was gone, but Sif experienced it personally. She swallows the lump in her throat, unsure of what to say.
"So," Zavala says, regaining her attention. "While it is a remarkable thing to know you were alive before the Traveler arrived, you are here now, and need to begin your journey as a newborn Guardian, just like any others that have come before you."
"Ok- yes, sir," she says, nodding.
"What you'll need is some new equipment. Amanda's bound to be working on getting a ship for you right now..." Cayde starts to say.
"I, uh, have a ship," Sophie interrupts awkwardly. "Ghost and I found it in Sokovia, and managed to repair it."
"You mean I repaired it," Ghost chirps, and Sophie can't help but scoff.
"You found a ship capable of flying in that junkyard?" Cayde asks incredulously, giving them a look. "Bless Amanda's soul, she's gonna have a field trip with that trash heap..."
Sophie doesn't know whether to agree or feel offended.
"Well anyways, you'll also need a new outfit," Cayde comments cheerfully. "I'm sure hoping you'll make a good Hun-"
"She's a warlock, Cayde. I can sense it," Ikora interrupts firmly.
"Really?" he blinks, frowning. "Well that's disappointing."
"Cayde," Zavala says warningly.
"You'll need a new set of warlock robes," Ikora continues, looking at her outfit. "Your Ghost did well in creating your makeshift set, but it won't do well against the many dangers you will be facing."
"Where am I supposed to get more?" Sophie asks.
"For better robes and weapons, you'll have to purchase them using glimmer; it's a form of digital currency. You can earn it by completing missions, bounties, or selling something you already own," Ikora explains, and Sophie frowns uneasily at the information. "For now though, I'll bring you a new set of robes later just to help get you started."
"Thanks," she says.
"And as for your weapons, it's much the same as with your robes and armor," Zavala adds. "There is a large variety of weapons to choose from."
"What do you have right now?" Cayde asks.
"She has a Preacher MK.22 shotgun, and an old Khvostov 7G-02 assault rifle!" Ghost states.
"A what?" he asks, bewildered.
The Khvostov rifle suddenly materializes into Sophie's hands, and she fumbles with it for a moment in surprise before holding it up, glancing around.
"The heck-?" Cayde murmurs incredulously.
He walks over and snatches the rifle from Sophie, analyzing it, holding it up and aiming down the cracked sight screen.
"You fought through a pack of Fallen using this thing?" he says in bewilderment, scoffing. "Huh. Well that certainly takes some talent."
"I... played a lot of Halo..." Sophie murmurs sheepishly.
"Oh really? Nice. Kinda funny how that's real life now huh?" he remarks casually, handing the rifle back.
"Wait, you know what Halo is?" Sophie asks, surprised.
"Leave it to Cayde to know about some ancient earth game nobody else knows," Ikora sighs.
"I happen to enjoy knowing these things," Cayde replies proudly.
"Miss Matthews," Zavala says. "Seeing as you're in need of a new primary weapon, use this card to purchase one from Banshee-44, who you may have seen just outside of the Hall."
Zavala walks over while he was talking and hands out a small, white metal card to Sophie. She takes it and looks at it for a moment, nodding her head.
"A room for you to stay in will be ready for you by now. You can get some rest, and then begin gathering your equipment tomorrow," Ikora tells her.
"Ok... thank you," she nods gratefully.
"Good luck Guardian! I got high hopes for you," Cayde says, grinning at her.
Sophie smiles back at him, not feeling as uneasy or anxious in their presence anymore.
"Hey, Calvin!" Cayde calls out, waving an arm. "Come here for a second!"
One of the technicians working at a computer nearby looks up upon being called, and then makes his way over to them. He's average in height, with sandy blonde hair and a very thin beard on his face, and blue eyes. He also seems to be fairly athletic: not muscular, but well enough in shape.
"Yes sir?" he asks.
"Seriously? 'Yes sir,'" Cayde scoffs, mimicking his response. "Who am I, Zavala?"
Zavala shakes his head with an annoyed grumble, but Calvin does crack a small smile at the joke.
"So here's the deal. We've got a new Guardian right here, her name's Sophie. All that fun stuff, whatever," Cayde continues, waving a hand dismissively. "She needs a place to crash, so I need you to show her to her apartment room. It'll be in Level G."
"Ok, no problem," Calvin nods.
"Great!" he beams. "Now get out of here, I got stuff to do. Don't get real crazy together, alright?"
Calvin rolls his eyes in exasperation at the joke, and turns to face Sophie.
"Shall we?" he asks politely.
"Um, sure," she replies, feeling awkward.
She follows Calvin as he starts walking out of the large room, moving to stand beside him. They exit the Hall of Guardians and then walk up the stairs to the open entryway at the back of the plaza, entering another, more simple, courtyard. As Calvin leads her down the courtyard and to another hallway off to the side, Sophie fiddles with her hands nervously, Ghost having dematerialized back into her head.
Wow, that was a weird thought.
She wasn't the best at chatting with people she didn't know, and so wasn't sure where to start with this Calvin guy. Fortunately for her he decides to start the conversation himself, much to her relief.
"So... I heard you're from the pre-Traveler Era?" he asks slowly, a little hesitant.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am," she confirms.
"That's crazy. I never knew Guardians could be brought back from that time," he comments, looking at her curiously. "We barely know anything about it."
"What do you know?" Sophie asks.
"Well we know about the Avengers of course, that history was pretty hard to forget," he shrugs, becoming thoughtful. "Basically what I know is how the Avengers were formed for the Battle of New York, the Black Zero Event, the Civil War thing, the Battle of Sokovia..."
Sophie widens her eyes at hearing the last term, a sudden memory coming to her.
It's absolute chaos.
Robots are flying everywhere, people are getting shot by blue lasers, and she's running desperately through the street.
She'd caught glimpses of the Avengers fighting the robots: Captain America using his shield, Iron Man flying around, Fulcrum wielding a lightsaber, Wonder Woman with a sword...
And all the while, the entire city seems to be rising off the ground, getting higher...
Sophie stands completely still with wide eyes, shaken by the sudden memory. She could also sense Ghost's presence feeling worried for her, startled by her memory as well.
"...and the whole 'Infinity War' against Thanos," Calvin continues casually.
He glances to his side and then comes to a stop when he realizes she wasn't walking beside him. He turns to look at her, concern etched in his expression.
"Hey, you alright?" he asks.
"Y-Yeah, I'm alright," she replies reassuringly, shaking her head. "Just a little overwhelmed."
Calvin looks at her, not fully believing her, but let's it go.
"Alright, I guess that makes sense," he comments, and they continue walking. "I can't really imagine what you must be feeling. Going from a pre-Traveler earth to what we have now? Must be tough."
"Uh huh. I'm adjusting though... as best I can at least," she shrugs in reply.
"That's good to know," he replies, thinking for a moment. "What was it like? Before you... y'know."
He gestures awkwardly with his hands, unsure of how to say it without being insensitive.
"It was nice," she says, understanding the meaning. "I don't know how things work here, but for me it was normal. I grew up in Sokovia and lived there my whole life, had friends, got a job, typical stuff."
"I guess you'll be glad to know that lifestyle hasn't changed much," he smiles. "I'm much the same, I guess. I work for the Vanguard in the Tower's communications network, making sure that transmissions between Guardians remain strong."
"Sounds cool," Sophie remarks. "Where do you live?"
"Not far from the Tower, thankfully. It's not the greatest place, since I'm doing most of the financial support, but it's good enough," he says.
"Really? I would've thought working for the Vanguard would pay better," Sophie says, frowning.
"Well, there's a lot of stuff to deal with, so it makes sense. Glimmer isn't infinite, unfortunately," he replies with a shrug. "Well, here we are."
They both come to a halt in the middle of a hallway, and Calvin gestures to a door. He waves a card in front of a scanner and the door unlocks, allowing for him to push it open.
"Here's your place. Get settled in, so whatever you need to do. I'm pretty sure the Vanguard have got you covered for tomorrow," he says.
"Ok. Thank you," Sophie says, looking at him. "It was nice talking to you."
"Same," he replies, smiling. "Guess I'll see you around."
They both share a quick smile, and then Calvin gives her the room key and heads off. Sophie watches him go for a moment before entering her room, shutting the door behind her. She presses what looks to be a light switch on the wall, and the lights come flickering on.
The room itself is very simple and compact, but still seemed to have plenty of space for necessary functions, and was much more modern than anything she was familiar with. A simple bed sat against the wall, with a small table and kitchenette area on the other side. A window at the opposite end of the room revealed a stunning view of the city as well as the Traveler, which was now bathed in orange light from the setting sun. There was also a small couch in the middle of the room with a screen set on top of a storage cabinet. To her right was a door that led into the bathroom.
Overall, it looked like any typical hotel room she'd expect back in her time, only a lot more modernized, with an almost alien-like scenery outside the window.
While she was busy checking out her new room, Ghost materialized into being right next to her, making her jump.
"Gah! Don't do that!" she exclaims.
"Do what?" he asks, confused.
"You- never mind," she groans.
"So, how do you feel about our new place?" he asks her.
"It's ok. A lot more modern than what I'm used to," she shrugs.
"Uh huh," he replies, not understanding the term. "Well, I think you should get ready for bed soon. Tomorrow is going to be busy with getting you all set up and ready for action!"
Sophie sighs, glancing away from him and down at the floor.
She still doesn't know how to feel about everything, and she wishes that she wasn't mixed up with this. Still, she nods her head to let Ghost know she understands.
She's here now, and it doesn't seem like anything is going to change. Might as well make the most of what she has.
She runs amongst the sea of people in a panic, chaos happening all around her.
Metal robots are attacking the city, which itself is actually rising into the air! The entire city is lifting off the ground, buildings and debris falling everywhere. Reaching what seems to be a safe distance, she turns around with the crowd to stare up in horror at the rising city.
"Do you see, the beauty of it? The inevitability. You rise… only to fall."
Screams from behind get her attention, she and several others turning around to see several flying robots mowing people down with their laser guns. She gasps in fear and starts running, everyone else following suit.
"You, Avengers, you are my meteor. My swift and terrible sword and the Earth will crack, with the weight of your failure."
She ducks her head with a terrified yelp as several blue lasers soar overhead, narrowly missing her.
The earth seems to shake as a large section of the floating city falls to the ground, causing her to stumble. She scrambles wildly, looking up and widening her eyes in terror as a building falls over and off the side of the city.
"Purge me from your computers; turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world…"
Even more terrified screams fill the air as she scrambles to get to her feet and tries to make a run for it, her own voice lost amongst the others. However, she's unable to run away fast enough, and looks back up just as the building crashes into the ground right on top of her.
"...will be metal."
There's a moment of complete agony and pain...
Then there's darkness.
Sophie shoots out of bed with a gasp, panting heavily as she tries to catch her breath. She brings a hand to her chest and does her best to calm her breathing, settling down after a few seconds. Looking to her right, she sees Ghost is still sitting still in rest, his blue optic closed. Sophie lets out a shaky breath, bringing a hand down her face as she struggles to come to terms with her new life, and what she just saw.
...She died.
She knows she died and yet... it's still hard to comprehend. She was crushed underneath a building during the chaos and yet is still alive now, centuries into the future. She died because of that... that robot attack.
Whatever that robot was, Sophie doesn't know, but she remembers being absolutely terrified. The entire city was lifting into the air while robots attacked everyone and everything, flying around relentlessly. The Avengers were there, trying to fight them back, but there was just too many of them. And while the robot gave a speech, speaking in that cold, spine-chilling voice that leaves her shivering in fear even now, she was killed by a falling building.
Shaken by the resurgent memory, Sophie slips her feet out of bed and pulls on her boots, throwing a cloak that was given in the apartment on. Walking to the door, she opens it and makes her way out.
Sophie walks down the hallways and exits the Guardian housing complex, finding herself in an area that was labeled as 'Tower North.' Exposed to the night sky she feels how cold it is at this high elevation, recognizing that it is also the winter season. Because of where she grew up, cold wasn't that uncomfortable for her, and with her cloak on she felt fine. Sophie looks around the empty area, shying away from a few robots that looked to be responsible for cleaning and maintenance, and walked out to the balcony.
Everything was made of stone here, and if it wasn't for the city skyline she could've imagine it as some 'Middle Ages' location, what with all the market areas and banners lying around. Close to one side of the balcony is a pathway that leads into some sort of observatory, and she walks inside. The observatory was a wide open space that gave a clear view of the Traveler, which was lit up by all of the city lights around it, and the night sky above her. Some sort of large metal device with many different rings say in the center of the room, moving around slowly.
Sophie watches the device move with curiosity, allowing the scenery to help her calm down. The moon shone brightly above her, and a light fixture on the ceiling allowed her plenty of light to see.
"Having trouble sleeping, young Guardian?" a calm voice asks.
Sophie widens her eyes in surprise and quickly turns around to see a man walking down a staircase behind her, which led to some sort of library or study area above. The man was wearing large pure white robes, along with a white mask that completely covered his face, leaving her unable to gauge his expression.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to barge into your place-" Sophie stammers in apology.
"It's alright my dear, there's no apology needed," he reassure her, raising a placating hand. "Tell me, what is troubling you?"
Sophie doesn't respond at first, unsure of how to respond to him.
"Well... I'm scared," she finally admits. "My old life is gone, and now I'm in an apocalyptic future where humanity is nearly extinct."
"You're afraid of this new world, and you want to go back to your old life," the man says knowingly. "All Guardians who remember share those same fears."
"I just can't believe it... I died. The Avengers were fighting a war in my home city against that robot, and I died..." Sophie whispers.
"Because of Ultron, the one the Avengers were fighting," he tells her gently. "It's always regretful that those chosen to be Guardians often have to forsake their previous lives. But, there is a future to look for, if you are willing."
"What... kind, of future?" she asks him.
"...There was a time, when we were much more powerful," he says softly, taking a moment to look out at the Traveler. "Until it wakes and finds its voice, I am the one who speaks for the Traveler. And it chose you, Sophie Matthews, to be a Guardian."
"Why? I'm not... I'm not a fighter," she protests.
"Many Guardians weren't fighters either. Your worth is not about how skilled you were in battle, but about how much light you carry," Speaker says. "The Traveler chooses those it feels are worthy of its power, so that they may protect humanity, now that it cannot."
Sophie looks out at the Traveler, noting the apparent injuries it seems to have.
"What happened to it?" she asks.
"The Darkness came. The Traveler's ancient enemy," Speaker says grimly. "Even with all of our advancements, we were still seriously unprepared and hopelessly insignificant in the face of such raw power. Not even Thor Odinson or Diana of Themyscira were able defeat such evil. As such, they sadly gave their lives in defense of humanity."
A lump forms in Sophie's throat as she listens to the story, struggling to withhold her sorrow at hearing two people she once thought of as powerful, but compassionate individuals now being dead.
"I could tell you of the great battles that took place, centuries ago. I could tell what more about the nature of the Darkness, and what it truly is," Speaker says mournfully, sighing. "But that was long ago, and no longer matters."
Sophie glances at him with a subdued gaze, unsure of what to say.
"There are many tales, told throughout the City to frighten children. Lately those tales have stopped. Now... the children are frightened anyway," the Speaker says. He lets out a sad sigh and then turns to face her. "The Darkness is coming back, Sophie. We won't survive it this time."
Sophie stares at him with wide eyes in fear at the revelation, looking up at the night sky once more.
"It is?" she asks quietly, afraid of the answer.
"The Fallen are just the beginning. There are many other dangers out there that we must face. The armies of the Darkness are already beginning to surround us," he tells her grimly, much to her fright. "But there is still hope. Nothing is ever as bleak as it may seem, and if we prevent the Darkness from regaining full strength, then we will survive."
"I'm just a random girl! My only experience with fighting is through video games!" Sophie exclaims incredulously. "If even Thor and Wonder Woman couldn't fight the Darkness the first time around, then what the heck am I supposed to do?"
"Be a Guardian. A protector," he replies firmly, turning to look at her. "The Traveler sacrificed itself to force the Darkness back. And in its dying breath, it created the Ghosts to seek out those with its light, so they could wield it against the forces of evil. You carry that light inside you, and you can accomplish many great things with it. But only if you allow yourself to believe that you can make a difference."
Sophie looks down at her feet in deep thought, glancing up to stare at the Traveler, which hovers silently in the sky. She's silent for a long time, trying to overcome her fear and think through things more rationally, taking a deep breath.
"Alright... okay..." she murmurs, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them. "So what can I do?"
Speaker turns around to face her, smiling underneath his mask.
"You must push back the Darkness. Like the Avengers did long ago in your time, you can protect the world too," Speaker tells her. "And you won't be alone. Guardians are fighting here and beyond. Join them. Your Ghost will guide you."
"Okay," Sophie says, nodding her head.
"I know things may seem difficult for you, Sophie, but always remember to look for the light. You can shape your own destiny in the way that you wish," he adds.
"I'll... do my best," she replies, looking up at him. "Thank you."
"It is always a blessing to help new Guardians find their way," Speaker nods his head at her, moving away. "I hope you find yours as well."
Sophie watches him ascend the steps back into his library, deep in her own thoughts. Now that she's a Guardian, she can't imagine what sorts of things she'll be going through. She'll just have to wait and see what the morning brings for her.