One of my many hopes for the June 9th update came true!! I wanted one more lore entry about Ikora and Chalco. I knew we were definitely getting Ikora lore, but we don’t always get new Chalco lore and I didn’t want the last lore entry about her to be the one where we learn she plays a flute (the Compact Defender lore from Renegades). But my wish came true and we have possibly the last lore entry about Ikora and Chalco (here’s to hoping for Destiny 3!). And I just can’t with them and their queerplatonic relationship. The lore entry is from the Fantastic Filigree. Here is the full lore entry:
Ikora's personal library is her haven from the world. Only a few people know it exists; even fewer can come and go as they please.
A gloved hand sets a paper bag on the desk next to her. Ikora looks up. "How was lunch?"
Chalco pulls up a chair and slumps into it, knocking their shoulders together. She looks wearier than she does after some field missions. "Lunch was his idea, so I'd say you already know."
Ikora reaches out, fingertips finding the knots of tension in Chalco's back. There's more every year.
"He's intelligent. Personable. He has a sense of humor. He's adjusting." All compliments, but Chalco looks unhappy. "Talking to Orin, you couldn't forget that you were conversing with something really, truly alien. But he's so… Human.
"You think he was chosen to lower our guards. Because he could get close to us."
"Not just us. You. You have to remember he's got a bit of the Nine in him."
Ikora has explored this line of thinking many times. "I do. I also believe that the connection is mutual."
Chalco raises a brow. "You think there's a bit of Lodi in the Nine now? That's not necessarily a good thing."
"I know." Ikora smiles when she opens the paper bag—dumplings, still hot, if a little squashed in transit. The simplest food in the City is its most luxurious. "That's why I'm counting on you."
Chalco sighs, but her lips finally curve up. "Always."
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Chalco and Lodi have lunch together! Chalco of course sees Lodi has a pawn of the Nine to make Ikora let down her guard. Which is a very valid feeling about Lodi. When I saw him in the tower, I was like, “Is this a good idea…like clearly he is very nice, but he’s also the Emissary?" I think it is interesting to see Ikora speculate there the opposite is true too, there is part of Lodi in the Nine. The part I hated about reading this lore entry was that it is written like the story is continuing. While reading this I honestly just felt bad for the devs who wrote it, especially when we know Bungie didn’t tell most of their staff development on Destiny 2 was ending until the public announcement.
But, that aside, I just love the little bits of their relationship in the little details in between. Once again telling us how Ikora doesn’t let a lot of people into her personal library and Chalco is one of a handful that is allowed to come and go whenever she wants. Chalco clearly being a bit stressed by Lodi and the Nine, that she ends up sitting close to Ikora. Ikora rubs Chalco's back a bit, seeing how stressed she is. And Ikora smiling, something she does so infrequently. And then this lore entry ends with Ikora saying, “That’s why I’m counting on you.” And Chalco responded with, “Always.”
I just love these two so much. As we know, Ikora struggles a lot with opening up to people. We even see Chalco and Ikora acknowledging that their relationship has had many rough patches (in the Hidden Dossier). Heck, even Chalco calls them “best frenemies.” But Ikora and Chalco try to work on their relationship. They try to communicate. And Ikora is much more open to Chalco than anyone else (sometimes even more than Eris). So it is nice to once again have a lore entry of Ikora and Chalco just working through a current problem together, while also them being so very sapphic and loving towards each other (but in a platonic way because Ikora is very aro/ace coded).
