Tormented
Special: Festival of The Lost
I know I said that it would be updated next week 'but' that was before my work schedule was posted up so...yeah. Today is the only time I have time to write out the special. For the next chapter of the arc, I will have to work on that 'after' work which isn't very much in time. As such, here is the special and I hope you enjoy!
Carina maybe older than Angel in terms of age, but this doesn't always mean she knows more than the Hunter, especially when it comes to holidays. As such, when Carina saw Angel unwrap the plastic and then popped what resembled a pebble into his mouth, she couldn't help but let her jaw drop as he chewed then swallowed.
They were standing out in the Plaza with Pluto, the latter of which had switched out his armor for a black undersuit with a sleeveless shirt thrown on top. The only exception is his cloak although he left the hood down; a sign that he is off duty, much like Angel and Carina.
Angel, like Pluto, has his cloak thrown over his current attire – a long sleeve brown shirt, white pants, and black boots – with his hood down. And Carina, wore an orange short sleeve shirt and black pants tucked into leather boots.
At first, it was just Angel and Carina, the former having dragged the later to 'celebrate', and he must have planned it with Pluto, for the Exo Hunter had been waiting for them near the entrance. It was then he tossed the two a bag filled with colored objects wrapped in plastic. And where Carina watched in horror as Angel consumed one.
"Did you just eat that?" She asked.
Angel turned and raised a brow at her.
"Yes." The Hunter must have seen the abject horror on her face for he then asked, "What? You never had candy before?"
"Candy?" Carina repeated before she turned her optics towards Pluto, only to reel when her fellow Exo too unwrapped the plastic from one of the pebbles and popped it into his mouth.
He paused when he subtly shifted his optics towards her.
"It is for the Festival of the Lost." Pluto explained; he is still chewing, "It is a time of mourning for those we have lost and, to also celebrate their memory."
"And we celebrate with this candy?" Carina pointed at the small bag in her hand, earning her a nod from before she watched Pluto pull out another piece from his own bag, "…Is it good?"
"Why do you think I am eating it, young light?"
Pausing at Pluto's words, Carina watched as he popped another piece of candy into his mouth; like most Exo, she enjoys the taste of food, always shoveling sustenance into her mouth once she gets an opportunity. But she had learned a while ago that not all Exo share the same mindset.
Carina had attempted to offer Pluto food from her own plate one day during a team outing, when she saw that while the rest of the team had a plate, one was absent in front of him. Initially she had thought that he was low on funds to afford one of his own, so she pushed her plate towards him. To her surprise, the blind Exo backpedaled in his seat, practically shoving her offered food back.
At first, she was offended, and things only cooled down when Pluto explained that, although he enjoys the taste, the texture was a different story, admitting that the sensation of sustenance slithering down his throat felt uncomfortable. So, seeing him now made Carina curious and she found herself undoing the string around her bag. Sifting through the candy until she found a color she liked – yellow – she pulled it out, unwrapped the plastic around it, and popped it into her mouth.
Waves of sweetness hit her taste buds, sending a shock throughout her body as her jaw shifted, placing the candy between the grinder in her mouth. Thanks to its firm touch, she expected resistance, exerting extra force to her jaw, but instead jumped when her artificial teeth crushed it easily. As she parted her teeth, she felt the candy stick to parts of it, prompting her to move her tongue against them, an attempt to force them off, and then swallowed when they fell.
Optics growing wide at the lingering sweetness in her mouth, Carina practically shoved her hand back into her pouch, quickly unwrapped another piece and popped that one in her mouth. Then another. And another.
"Traveler, Carina, slow down." She looked over to see Angel staring at her with wide eyes, "There's plenty to go around."
Carina blinked, "What do you mean?"
"You didn't notice? All vendors are handing out sweets as we speak." Angel motioned with his free hand towards the Plaza and then pointed at the hanging paper engrams, the falling confetti sticking onto them as they fell, "It is a holiday. Everyone is celebrating. Which means there is a constant supply of candy."
"Until the Festival of the Lost ends." Pluto added before he popped another piece of candy into his mouth, "If I were you, I would either eat as much as you can or stockpile to make it last?"
Carina munched on another piece, "Candy is not available for other parts of the year?"
"They are. Just expensive." Pluto muttered, "Festival of the Lost is the only time of the year where you can get them practically for free."
Free.
Carina perked up at the word, optics wide as she scanned the Plaza, eyeing the bags that she can now see upon the vendor's counter.
"Oh no."
Spotting Angel tense up his legs, Carina snapped out, snatching Angel by the arm before she tugged him back. Hearing him yelp, Carina let out a whoop as she ran across the Plaza.
"Let's do this!"
Xxxxx
"Should we find Cayde?" Nix asked as Pluto watched Carina half drag Angel across the Plaza, "I believe this is the only time of the year where he can freely leave the Tower." His Ghost hummed, "I think he would appreciate it if one of his few surviving companions would come around and spend time with him."
Popping another piece of candy into his mouth, Pluto then shrugged, "Only if he is willing to face me in the Crucible. Snipers allowed."
Xxxxx
When Eris Morn first occupied the Tower, many Guardians had a difficult time reading her, even with the three eerie green eyes glowing through her blindfold. However, for those who had known her before, before the fated raid of the Moon, they can read her easily. As such, when Ianos held out a piece of chocolate towards her, he can easily see the way her cheeks seem to sink into her mouth, and her lips dipping into a frown.
"What is this?" She demanded, backing away from the gift as if it was poison.
Ianos scowled, "Do not pretend you do not know what it is, Eris. It is chocolate. Your favorite."
His words only seem to make Eris cower away, "What makes you think-"
"It is Unchocolate."
That is when Ianos saw the Ex-Hunter pause, frowning; he couldn't help but smile.
"It may have been years Eris, but your taste in so called sweets has not changed." Ianos snorted, "Still handing out raisins and celery as usually?"
"That is none of your concern." Eris hissed but nonetheless, she delicately took the offered sweet from his hands, "And, thank you, Ianos."
Giving her a nod, Ianos then turned, leaving Eris in her usual spot as he rounded a corner and took the stairs. Walking into the Plaza, Ianos then scanned the skies, hoping to spot the familiar black and orange form of his Ghost, but then shook his head when all he spotted were familiar star shapes covered in white sheets; considering how many of them were flying around, it would be nigh impossible to find Ace. It doesn't help that the Ghost had convinced Hope and Spears to participate. Perhaps he should find a 'ghost' half the size of the others if that's the case.
But knowing Ace, they will stay within the vicinity of the Plaza. When they are ready, they will head back to their apartment.
As he turned to leave, Ianos then spotted movement, a figure moving towards him through the crowd. It is Akiva, clad in a dark jacket and pants, the colors contrasting against his pale skin, making him paler than usual. And that was no exaggeration. The Titan looked as if he hadn't slept in days, his eyes bloodshot, and his shoulders drooped towards the floor. His optimistic look is completely gone and instead, replaced with a haggard looking human.
"Ianos." Akiva greeted as he approached and that is when Ianos spotted the package in his hands; he knew what it is.
Returning the greeting with a nod, Ianos waited until Akiva held the package to him, "Here's the item you asked for. Another to add to your wall?"
Ianos nodded, "Just because we carve the names of the dead onto monuments, does not mean we shall remember their faces." He rubbed a thumb over the flat object, already visioning what is inside, "The least I can do is preserve their image before time takes it away."
"That takes time. And dedication." Akiva said.
That is when a wail echoed from the apartments, prompting Ianos to look over. He saw Akiva do the same.
"I didn't understand why they called Aleeza 'The Banshee', not until our first year together on Mars." Akiva explained as he turned his tired eyes back towards Ianos, "She maybe a decade older than me, but that's plenty of time for her to lose many of those she cares for."
"We may have to calm her down again." Lex appeared over Akiva's shoulder, his golden optic glancing over to the apartments, scanning through the windows, "before she starts setting fire to her apartment. Again."
"Then that's my que to leave." Akiva flashed Ianos a smile, "See you around, kid."
Then without another word, the Titan turned and headed up the stairs, Lex following not too far behind, and the pair disappeared into one of the many corridors. Waiting until they were completely out of sight, Ianos then decided to turn his attention to the Plaza. Spotting the lanterns, the masks adorning some participants, and the decorations, made Ianos recall the Guardian who suggested the holiday; a day for Guardians to mourn, a day for them to celebrate, and gives a day for Guardians to burn. To give them a day to help them feel normal.
Ianos remembers being displeased during its first initial celebration, as all it did was bring back painful memories, memories that he would rather avoid. And he wasn't alone in this.
Sun had yelled, roared at the Speaker, the Vanguard, the Consensus, anyone who had power for allowing such an event take place; even the nine founding members of Clan Galaxy backed their leader. But in the end, the decision stood strong and many of the Veteran Guardians – although bitter – decided to let the festivity continue over the years. It didn't take long for the Festival of the Lost to grow on Ianos, especially after…
Shaking his head, Ianos forced his attention onto the package in his hands before clutching it close to his chest and made his way back to his apartment. Entering the appropriate corridor, Ianos trekked to the end of the hall, coming to his door just short of the stairs. Pressing his hand onto the panel next to it, Ianos waited until the door opened to step inside, not even bothering to check if the entrance closed behind him.
Instead, he stared at his bed (hardly used), a ghost of another beside himself laying upon it, feeling content thanks to the polarized glass of his window. Ianos would sit alternatively at his desk, which stood just near the bed, working on whatever artifact or reports that needed filling. Behind him would be the kitchen, hardly used by him but by the other occupants he had previously shared with, recalling the mess they would leave behind and how casually he would clean up after them. Ianos would usually find a cup of coffee at his desk not long after.
Taking in a deep breath, shutting down the memories, Ianos turned and entered a different room. And is immediately greeted with the faces of the dead.
Screens, tablets, frames covered the walls of the room, holding the faces of those Ianos had called his friends, his family, his lovers. All he had lost over the years.
With the screens illuminating the room, Ianos saw no need to turn on the lights and as such, scanned the walls until he found a vacant spot, his eyes reading the names upon the tablets as he walked past.
Kaye Raith.
Lynn-10
Venus -13
Ricard
Darian
Copper-29
Rytark
Amele
He even spotted Sun's portrait, back before he learned of their survival.
Taking in a shaky breath, Ianos found himself coming to a slow halt as his eyes scanned two names in particular.
Zakai and Ahamri-34.
Zakai, a humanoid with dark strands, vibrant blue eyes standing out against his brown skin as he smiled. Ahamari – endearingly called Ari by Ianos and Zakai – an Exo with white plating and icy blue lights, beamed back at him. Both Warlocks.
Fireteam Trinity. That is what they had called themselves, mainly for the reason that they each attuned to a different light; Ianos, back before the fated tragedy of the Moon, attuned to Solar, Ari attuned to Void, and Zakai, having little choice, attuned to Arc.
He remembers the three of them being a menace in the Crucible, out in the Field, anywhere really where they are free to use their light. However, despite their prowess, they were more renowned for always sticking together, never leaving each other's side. Their bonds had been strong; all the more tragic when Ari's life prematurely ended during the Great Disaster. He had been the youngest between the three of them, only five years of age before his death.
Zakai – being the more emotional between the three of them – fell into a chasm of grief, especially when he learned that not only had Ari died, but that Ianos had his light corrupted during the battle. This led him to working upon the darkness' innerworkings, in hopes of finding a cure to Ianos' condition. And lead to his death.
Not long after that, Ianos had requested the fated recon to the Moon.
Once again shaking his mind free of memories, Ianos continued his walk to the vacant spot upon the wall. Tearing through the package, he paused when he spotted the familiar dark azure plating upon the screen, his hands trembling when he pulled back the last of the wrap, looking into the white optics of Neptune-88.
Fixated upon the Exo's face, Ianos found himself trailing his hand down the portrait, as if to caress the face of the one who he had called his mentor. And his father.
Swallowing down a knot forming in his throat, Ianos lifted the portrait and carefully placed it upon the wall, slowly releasing his hands when he is sure it is secured. Taking steps back until he was in the middle of the room, Ianos turned to look at the portraits, the faces.
"Happy Festival of the Lost." He whispered before the years of grief finally clasped around his heart.