Tormented
For the Better
If I keep updating late like this, might as well move updates to Thursdays lol. Anyway, going to give it one more try to make it on time for Wednesday before moving it on Thursday because apparently, I can't seem to update on Wednesdays.
Anyways, thanks to lazypersons, Fin the Demi God, and And-on-and-on for the reviews!
Lazypersons - Pluto is going to react. Badly lol
Fin the Demi God - Their relationship will be expanded upon in the next book. For the better or worse, you will see :D
And-on-and-on - oh! Thank you! ^_^. Always wanted to incorporate the Elikisni although I feel like I am not really building up on their culture, really need to work on that lol. And thanks for your submission, your character might not make it in this book. But they most likely will make an appearance in the next book :D
Edited: 02/21/2022
Esther always had a suspicion that there was a secret, a secret about herself that she doesn't know. She recalls Guardian would occasionally glance at her, eyes filled with recognition. And grief.
Trying to find answers, Esther had probed Vulcan, her fiery red Ghost, questioning him. At first, he refused to answer, abruptly changing the subject or play dumb. It was only until recently that he finally gave her a hint. Her number, 9, wasn't always that way. Esther took it as a hint that her memory was wiped, hence explaining the looks. And as a sign to let the past go.
From the way Vulcan explained it, she had taken the wipe willingly, and if that is what her past self wanted, then she will leave it be. No matter how much curiosity gnaws at her.
When the last of their group – Ianos, if she recalls the name – finally walked into the Hangar, Esther bit back her tongue, bit back the questions that she had wanted to ask back in the Hall. She already knew from his actions and words that he had known her, known her personally. And it took great effort to leave it be.
"You're late!"
It was the Titan – Carina – who blurted out the words, and this prompted a sigh from Ianos.
"I was with Pluto. Wanted some advice from him about our mission."
"What?" Carina gave him a bewildered look, "Is Venus that dangerous?"
"Sort of?" The Hunter who had been in the Hangar first, Angel, was the one who answered, shrugging sheepishly as he added, "It's inhabited by the another Fallen House, the House of Winter, and these bronze walking machines called the Vex."
"Vex?"
There was another sigh from Ianos, the latter of which crossed his arms and shook his head, "Did you not pay attention to the briefing they gave you when you first came to the Tower?"
"I was tired and hungry at the time." Carina grumbled, "Hard to pay attention when your stomach keeps growling at you and hardly have the energy to stand."
That is when Esther saw Ianos' shoulder go stiff, rigid, and she took note of the way his hands went taught around his arms.
"I will give you a review then after this mission is over." He said; this earned him a groan from Carina, "or would you rather I send you back to be debriefed?"
"Okay, okay."
"Then are we all ready?"
Esther, despite herself, nodded in unison with the others at his question before she watched the Warlock disappear in a flicker of transmat. Not long after, she felt the familiar weightlessness, numbness spreading through her body before, in an instant, Esther found herself in the cockpit of her ship.
"You're taking lead, Esther." She heard Ianos' voice echo through the coms, "Considering that you are the on who knows where this potential 'Warmind' is located."
"Roger." She said as she leaned over and flipped some switches, feeling her ship rumble underneath her and hearing the engines roaring to life. As she steered the ship to leave the Hangar, Esther heard a whisper through the static of her coms, barely audible to her own sensors.
"I'm sorry."
Xxxxx
"Pluto! Put that away!"
"Give me a get reason why I should!" Pluto hissed, his red optics narrowing behind the scope of his sniper, easily weaving around not only at the Vanguard, but at other Guardians present who he deemed as too close.
Despite his promise to Ianos not to resort to violence, Pluto couldn't help himself; he waited until he saw the Warlock disappear into the Hangar before picking up his weapon, telling the young Galaxy Clan members that he will be back, and then made his way to the Hall. He debated if he should have waited until later in the day, where there less eyes then.
Too late now.
"You promised not just to my Clan, not just to Ianos, but Esther as well that we would not make contact with her! Even when her memory was wiped." Pluto's finger twitched against the trigger; he was debating it, "You promised, and you broke it."
"For the reason that it was 'centuries ago', Pluto." Ikora retorted, her bronze eyes glaring in his direction; she always had more steel than her Vanguard counterparts, "It is time for not only you, but 'all' of you to move on. Even Hunter Esther, despite her lack of knowledge and memory."
"And who gave you the power to manipulate our personal lives?" Pluto snarled, "When it is time for us to move on, we will move on, but not by 'your' hand, understand?"
"Hunter Pluto."
Hearing his name being called, Pluto twirled his sniper around, only to pause as his optics settled upon familiar white garbs.
"Hunter Pluto." The Speaker repeated as he gestured with his hand towards the exit before he crossed his arms behind his back, "If you may."
Glancing back and forth between the Vanguard and the Speaker, Pluto let out a frustrated breath before sheathing his sniper onto his back, gave the Vanguard one last glare before he turned and followed the Speaker out.
"I can imagine with all the screaming and yelling, you had a good reason for pointing your weapon at Warlock Ikora, Hunter Cayde, and Titan Zavala."
Pluto frowned and then scoffed, "If you had heard us yelling, then you know exactly why I pointed my weapon at them, Speaker."
That is when Pluto heard the Speaker let out a breath and spotted the subtle way he shook his head. For a newborn Guardians, perhaps they would have guilty, small compared to the Speaker, the obviously older Guardian radiating light filled with experience and wisdom. However, Pluto, although admittingly a few years younger than the Speaker, only felt annoyed. Nonetheless, he couldn't get upset at him. It always had been like that, even back before the Speaker took on his current role.
Pluto, despite himself, recalled Neptune's theory; that not all Guardian's light are used for offense and that there are those like the Speaker's, whose light calms all, that is used for either medical, defensive, or non-combative ways. Or, in Pluto's mind, the Speaker's light is just unique.
"I understand this has to do with Hunter Esther-8?"
Instead of answering, Pluto flinched, following the Speaker into his office, and glanced at the hologram of the Traveler seated in the middle.
"It's Esther-9 now."
He couldn't help but feel bitter, sad, and angry. After all the clan had taken vows to never take a memory wipe, to keep their selfsame identities the way they are now. For Esther to take one willingly, she had effectively killed off the previous Esther he had known.
"I see." The Speaker hummed as he nodded, "This has to do with the arrangement between her, the Galaxy, and Warlock Ianos?"
Pluto nodded and this prompted the Speaker to hum once more before turning and facing the pendulum that swung around the hologram. This prompted Pluto to follow his gaze, his red optics tracing over the patterned surface. And thinking back on a memory.
"This is the Traveler." They carried no names, only titles. The Exo next to him with blue plates and white optics carried the title of 'EXO-COM/MED – 86'. Obvious from the way it was printed on the side of his head, "From what I can understand, our blueprints came from it. Our origin."
"I understand why you are frustrated, Hunter Pluto, however I do not believe it gives you the right to aim your weapon at the Vanguard."
Shaking out of the memory, Pluto found himself frowning at the Speaker, "But Speaker, the three of them constantly trying to manipulate those around us to force us to move on. Yes, it is important to move past grief, to move past death, but we have to right to move on at our own pace." He turned his optics downward, muttering, "We maybe Guardians, but we are still sentient."
Words that Pluto had spoken for centuries and yet to him, it always feels like it falls upon deaf ears.
"I understand."
A gentle hand, one filled with warmth, settled upon his shoulder and giving Pluto a reason to lift his eyes back towards the Speaker, and squint. A vain attempt to read through the mask.
"Many of us deal with grief differently and I understand that the Vanguard have no right to force you to move on in such a manner." The Speaker lifted his hand away from Pluto and settled it back to his side, "However, I believe that they hold good intentions in their actions."
Pluto couldn't help but give the Speaker a blank stare, "Oh? How so?"
"We are in a time of War." Pluto paused at the Speaker's words, "Unfortunate as it is, there is no time to prolong grief, especially when the Darkness is at our front door." The Hunter flinched; there was truth in his words, "I believe the Vanguard wanted to nudge you and the others into the process of healing, to help you get past what had happened with Hunter Esther. And Hunter Venus."
Pluto took in a sharp breath at the name, closing his optics, and then let out a shuddering breath, "They could have at least asked us."
Despite it being centuries, the thought of Venus still hurt, the ache that still lingered at the mere mention of his name. Sun maybe the Leader of the clan, but Venus was their star, their brightest light. Everyone back then had felt the void that had taken his place after his death.
"If they did, you would have been outraged." Pluto cannot deny that "and if they had simply told you, I believe things would have turned more violent."
Pluto let out a breath at the Speaker's words; although he may deny it at times, he does admit that he does have a temper. Especially when he feels like he has been wronged.
"You are not the only one that they are trying to ease into the healing process." He heard the Speaker add, and Pluto couldn't help but give him a bewildered look, "I would like to think that they forced Ianos to work with Esther, despite his protests, to help him accept that his 'sister' is no more."
That hurt to hear as well; Pluto along with Neptune may have taken Ianos under his wing, but Esther and Venus had a strong bond with him. He had never seen the Warlock so grief-stricken and morose after he had lost them both. Perhaps the Speaker had a point. The Vanguard was just helping Ianos along with the grieving process.
"I understand." Pluto found himself saying and from the corner of his gaze, he spotted the Speaker nod once.
"I sent the Vanguard a message to keep you informed of Ianos and his team's whereabouts." Pluto turned and blinked at the Speaker, "I know you carry concern, especially for Ianos, as I understand that you see him as your own." Before Pluto could protest, the Speaker raised a hand and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, "However, I do believe that with their current team, he should return to the Tower safely."
Afterwards, the Speaker lowered his hand and walked up the steps to his desk; a quiet sign for Pluto take turn and take his leave.
"Do you truly believe the Vanguard is doing all this to help us move on?" Nix spoke when they were a good distance away from the Speaker's office; the slight paranoia that, thanks to his connection to the Traveler, that the Speaker would be able to hear his words in a certain proximity, "I am not quite sure if I believe it myself. It seems kind of sudden. And harsh…"
Pluto, in turn, hummed thoughtfully, "It is like what the Speaker said, we are in the middle of a war." He sensed a bewildered glance from his Ghost, "We may have some time to grieve, but we only have so much time before the Darkness gains further footing." Pluto sighed, "I hate to admit it, but the Speaker's words ring true. Despite our protests, we must start the process of moving on. Especially if we are to be in top condition."
"Even if it means breaking promises to our comrades?"
Pluto hesitated, "If it means it helps us move on, it maybe be needed."
"But you are still not happy about it, are you?"
Going quiet at his Ghost's words, Pluto pondered upon it. Despite knowing the truths in the Speaker's words, Nix also spoke true. He is not happy about it. And most likely never will.
Judging from the soft tugging in the back of his mind, Nix already knew the answer, as such, Pluto said nothing as he headed back towards his shared quarters.